( 2 ) ( AUDIO )

[stillbetter]

Right. Who lives in unit - [hold on a sec] 301? [PAGING PEETA MELLARK AND SOUJI SETA ahem] I've been staying at another place for a while, but I believe it's time I finally move in. Hope that's all right. I won't take up much space.

[And that's all there is to it. OR IS IT!!!!]

( ATTEMPT AT FILTERING THE REMAINDER OF THIS POST FROM JULES GRUMLEY AND EMILIA GORSKI IS GO )

I have a request. It might be a little strange, but I'm absolutely sure this place has seen much, much strangers things. So. [Shouldn't be a big deal. She clears her throat.]

Is there any of you who can help with memories? As in help someone gain back memories. Therapy, super powers [she can't believe she said that], I don't really care. As long as it isn't detrimental to anyone involved. I'm a bit desperate.

Comments

Text; EXTREMELY anon

[senseandcecilbility]

[He really doesn't want to reply, but the lady said "desperate".]

Dear madam,

Would it be possible to describe the situation in further detail? I happen to have some experience with memories.

( filtered )

[stillbetter]

It's - slightly complicated. [She pauses, thinking about how to word it.] My sister-in-law, she... She has no recollection of her life after a certain point. She doesn't remember her wife or her children. And her wife happens to be here.

Re: ( filtered )

[senseandcecilbility]

[

...

...

WHAT.]

Indeed, madam. That sounds quite complicated.

[Lucifer, fallen nuns, Mister Break and now Sapphists? What has his life become...]

Do you know what have might caused this condition?

[stillbetter]

I think it was that machine that brings us in? I can't think of any other explanation. It - brings people from different... places. In time as well. Right?

[senseandcecilbility]

That is what I have heard, yes. But if that is the case, there might be no real memories to retrieve. Your sister-in-law might have never lived such a life to begin with.

[One can tamper with her memories so she might remember a false life, but that is a complete different matter.]

[stillbetter]

And there's no way to change that-?

[senseandcecilbility]

[There is a long pause before anonymous starts typing again.]

Yes...there is, but she would be living a lie.

[stillbetter]

Well - I mean - [she brings her hand up to her forehead, clearing her hair off her face] It's not exactly a lie if it's her future, is it?

[senseandcecilbility]

[He thinks of Solomon, and his own young master. They are not the same person and they cannot be.]

Her experiences here might lead her to different paths and...different choices.

[stillbetter]

Not if nothing changes back home. That is what happens, isn't it? Things remain the same there?

[senseandcecilbility]

I have met a lady who has been in Exsilium for a whole year. A whole year is...quite a long time to experience.

Is your sister-in-law unhappy?

[stillbetter]

[Silence.]

... It's complicated. Her wife is clearly unhappy, and - she needs support. Support I can't seem to provide.

I can't - I can't imagine what it's like to have your loved ones be completely unaware of who you are.

[senseandcecilbility]

[He, on the other hand, has a fairly good idea.]

I would not advise you to sacrifice a lamb to feed another. If she truly loves your sister-in-law, that is something she might come to understand...in time.

[He also wonders if counseling sapphists qualifies as a sin.]

[stillbetter]

I hope so. But I was also hoping I could spare everyone some pain.

[senseandcecilbility]

It might be better to allow them to face their pain. What would you tell her if she ever found out?

[stillbetter]

Well - [Uh -] I thought she... might be all right with it.

[senseandcecilbility]

I have never met someone who took tampering with their memories easily.

[Also the voice of experience.]

[stillbetter]

[Dammit, you'll make her feel guilty.]

So you're telling me there's no easy way it can be done.

[senseandcecilbility]

[Angel of Repentance here. Guilt comes with the job description.]

Not that I am aware of.

[No right and easy way at least.]

[stillbetter]

[deep sigh. Not what she was expecting to get out of this.]

... is there anything I can do?

[senseandcecilbility]

[Is it ever?]

My suggestion is that you and your family try to love and care for your sister-in-law as she is now, and allow her emotions to develop naturally.

[stillbetter]

[Loving and caring for Jules... right...]

Easier said than done.

[She may be rolling her eyes a bit.]

[senseandcecilbility]

Forgive me for saying so, but it does seem as if you already had a strained relationship.

[stillbetter]

[she sighs, dropping her shoulders.]

It's her wife I'm mainly concerned about, to be honest. She's the one who's been suffering the most with this ordeal.

[senseandcecilbility]

[Her wife...]

This I might be able to assist with.

[stillbetter]

[A little spark of hope-] You can?

[senseandcecilbility]

I believe I could help her achieve a little more clarity, so she might understand how to better deal with her current dilemma. However, I cannot do that without her approval or cooperation.

[stillbetter]

[le sigh! Complications, complications.]

I suppose I can... try to talk to her. I was going to, either way.

[senseandcecilbility]

Please do. I cannot do much, but I would be happy to help.

Audio

[maddeninghatter]

[ Given all the odd network posts of late: people leaving noisily and suspiciously, disappearing, and generally behaving oddly, this particular message pings him. ]

Did something happen?

[stillbetter]

Well yes, obviously.

[sry dude she doesn't trust you.]

audio/private

[maddeninghatter]

[ He waits a moment, for her to elaborate; when nothing more is forthcoming, he switches over the feed. ]

Has somebody close to you started behaving in a way that's... peculiar?

[stillbetter]

[Hhh. Reluctantly:]

Not necessarily to me. To her wife. She has no idea who she is, or that they have children together.

[maddeninghatter]

[ ...

...

...

... ]

Come again?

[stillbetter]

I don't know how else to explain it. [drops hands.]

text; private

[falla]

It would be good to know how they were lost. Injury, trauma, something more esoteric...?

[stillbetter]

Uhm. [she brushes her hair behind her ear.] Time travel, I think.

[falla]

Have you lost memories, or you mean someone else? This is actually important.

[stillbetter]

My sister-in-law. You might know her, actually - Julia Grumley?

[falla]

I've just arrived, I'm sorry.

Time travel doesn't really have much to do with memory loss, believe it or not. Unless you changed things at some point that would compromise such memories.

This might sound like an odd question, but are you absolutely positive this is the person you know? Given the nature of this place, finding people that look just like someone you know and yet is not that person is entirely possible, as well as finding people from divergent timelines.

[stillbetter]

Well - of course she's the person I know. I don't... understand why she wouldn't be.

[falla]

What does she do remember? As far as I've managed to deduce, the Initiative isn't tampering with us in any way. I could have been given an enhancement considering I have no powers whatsoever, but they allowed me to turn my briefcase into my Weapon, which isn't even that useful to fight a war.

She might also simply lose her memory later in her life and she comes from then.

I'm no expert, but I have had the dubious chance to meet alternate versions of people I know. This place looks like the perfect setting for it to happen.

[stillbetter]

She remembers me. She knows perfectly well who I am, who her brother is. I - I really don't know how else to explain it. What are the chances of her being alternate? [she doesn't understand halp]

[falla]

I couldn't say. If there are things she remembers that you don't, for example, then is very possible.

I suppose she says she doesn't have any lost memories, right?

[stillbetter]

Well, yes. She's sure she hasn't missed anything.

So not here

[lazyinlove]

[But that's a sigh of relief, yep.]