exsilium | [video]

[Shelke is sitting cross-legged on the ground outside of the apartment complex, dressed in a purple sweater and a pair of baggy blue jeans, her left arm wrapped in a sling pressed into her stomach. Behind her an umbrella is propped up, shielding her from the drizzle. She'd gone outside to get away from the blackout for a while, and this seemed like as good a time as any to make this announcement.. She's frowning faintly at the camera, as if she isn't certain she wants to be on video but decided she didn't really have a choice.]

...For anyone who knew Cloud Strife, he is gone.

[Her voice isn't quite as empty as usual, there's an edge of frustration, maybe a bit of anger, at a situation she can't control. But she gathers herself up after a moment and reaches out to turn the camera slightly, and behind her is a half-rebuilt motorcycle, which she had been working on for Cloud before he disappeared. Shelke looks even smaller than usual, sitting next to the large machine.]

He left this behind. If anyone wishes to find the remaining parts I need to rebuild it, they may use it as they wish when I am finished.

[And then she turns the camera back to herself, and it looks like she's going to turn it off when she hesitates.]

Has anyone kept a tally on how frequently people who leave here are brought back?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh good, something to talk about that isn't her.]

I am the right person to ask.

Really? Do you travel a lot, then?

No. [How to explain.] I have a large portion of the Shinra database within my neural net.

I have only physically been to a few places.

Neural net...? Sorry, but what is that?

[She draws in a slow, slightly tired breath.]

I have the ability to mentally interface with networked computer systems. The Shinra experimented on me to enhance that ability, and I was able to retain large portions of the information I interacted with.

Oh, that's... that's horrible! They experimented on you?

Yes. When I was nine.

[She still looks nine.]

And how long ago was that?

Ten years or so.

Give or take however long I've been here.

Goodness... I'm so sorry.

It does not matter.

[Another slow, tired breath.]

You wished to know about Gaia?

Yes, Gaia... So, I know about ShinRa and SOLDIER, and chocobos. But that's about it.

[She actually smiles. Faintly.]

...You will need to be more specific, I cannot simply start rambling about whatever parts of Gaia seem interesting.

[Well, she could. But she wouldn't.]

So tell me about the magic there.

[She looks distant as she considers where to start.]

Magic here and magic on Gaia follow different principles. Here it seems to be some sort of aberration of the laws of science. There, magic is as much a part of science as anything else.

People are granted magic by exposure to a substance called materia, which is the solidified crystal form of the lifestream that grants life to everything on the planet.

[She slips a hand into her pocket and draws out a fist-sized orange mostly-spheroid crystal.]

This is the only one I have with me.

Magic is genetic where I come from. You're either born with it or you're not.

Do you have any books on Materia I can read?

Anyone can learn it on Gaia. The more powerful types were horded by the Shinra, SOLDIER and Deepground, though.

No, I was about to die when I was brought here. [Or so she had assumed, Cloud claimed different.] All I had on me were my weapons and this materia.

Someone I knew from school is here... He died back home, too. I can't imagine how hard that is to deal with.

I have heard about other people returning from the dead.

[Shelke hesitates.]

Cloud claims I am going to escape. Claimed. But I don't see how it is possible.

Cloud didn't strike me as the sort of person to lie.

None of the information I have on him indicates that either.

But I was trapped by anoth...by one of the Tsviets, Nero the Sable. No one survives that, it's...supposed to be impossible.

There's a spell in my world that no one is supposed to survive either, but my best friend Harry did. Impossible things happen.

Mm. Maybe.

I suppose I will find out one way or another, eventually.

[She should probably sound more concerned about dying, but she...doesn't. As she speaks though, she stands up, hooking her Umbrella under her chin and using her good arm to brush some dirt off her pants and pick up her phone.]</small.

That's true. I do hope it works out for you.

Mm.

[She shrugs.]

Were there other things you wanted to know? [And a pause.] And have the lights come back on inside?

[video]

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