Thanks for calling. If you're reaching out to sell your soul, I'll already know and I'll be there soon. If you're calling to just talk, leave a message and I'll call you back when I can. Which will probably be soon. Talk to you then~
[When Max said "We" before, Frieda didn't dare hope that he'd be able to take such an active role in the search for the Founder Ymir - but he is a deity! At the caveat that follows, her bright gaze lowers again, but not in disappointment. If the Contagion is best left as a last resort, she'll defer to his knowledge - just knowing that the possibility exists is enough to keep her hope alive.]
I thank you for being so considerate, but my sanity and soul would truly be a small price to pay for my people's freedom.
[She doubts that her countrymen would think otherwise, given all their grievances with her - but even so, she mustn't strike this deal behind their back. Much as her vow compels her to act alone, she's come to understand the cost of her ancestor's exclusion of his people from all his decisions.]
I will speak with all of them, tell them of the plan, and put them in contact with you.
[It's a daunting prospect... what will they say? But ultimately, this is for their loved ones, too.]
For now, I'd have one more request, if you allow me: Could you show me Arcadia?
[Max smiles. Of course he is going to do this. He is serious about wanting to help. Max is a hands-on deity when he can. It isn't a common occurrence but if he can, oh he revels in it. Even if it's challenging and possibly esoteric in nature.]
You're welcome. It may be a small price to you but checking with the others is a good idea. And let them know they can ask me any and all questions they like. I'll be open and honest to them.
[He changes the song at the request. The setting around them changes. It shifts and drains away from Frieda's memories and into one of Max's. His Arcadia appears around them. Or rather, his Arcadias. The surrounding area is a mix of locations.
One is a small town from the looks of it. It stretches into another village. Wooden houses, old style windows and dirt roads. Then beneath then the ground opens and below are rings connected by music notes and strings. There are seven of them. The rings are devoid of life except for running water that flows from the first ring down all of them to the last. It's quite lonely looking. Floating around the rings are a few floating islands, a forest, a castle, and a flower field.]
[She nods at the offer, once more appreciative of how easy-going and open he is. It's almost assured that the others will have questions (and for better or worse, right now she can't yet anticipate just how mistrustful a number of them are of the fae).
As her inherited memories give way to his Arcadia, she marvels at its sights. The settlements remind her of home - of the more rural areas, in any case. But cobblestone streets and townhouses can be built in time; she has faith in her people.
The underground area is more of a strange sight, especially the musical rings. To her, it looks like a complex fountain installation. The presence of the castle makes her wonder. In her plan, there's no place for herself - she feels that she's forfeited the right to still be with her people. But who will rule the unwalled new nation instead? Without the circumstances of Historia's future, she may well be spared the part, and Frieda feels an equal measure of comfort and concern at the thought.]
So my Arcadias aren't all directly connected. The rings down there is Hell, or was. The old style village is Tobytown. It's a place under my protection and control. Then thA modern town, well modern by my standard, is called Madison. Every part is connected here because that's how they sit in my mind. In truth, you need Hedgegates to get to them all.
The rings, being below, is because it exists in a dimension just parallel and below the physical plane. But it also kinda pokes up into the Hedge as well, as all Arcadias do. I just picked this kind of fun three dimensional map so you could see them all, all at once.
I'm sorry, but a lot of what you just said went over my head. In reality, these places are all separate from each other? Would my people reside in the rings, then?
[Also--]
What is the Hedge?
[Is it something like the Paths - a metaphysical space from which different dimensions can be accessed?]
That's the plan. All seven rings would be for your people. However they wanted to live there. Travel between the rings is easy. You just ride the music up and down.
The Hedge is another dimension. The world of the Wyrd. A sort of cosmic force that's alive but you can't like talk to it. It is part of everyone and everything fairy. There are thorns everywhere with trods and roads to navigate them. The thorns can drag through you and cut more than your skin. They tear your very soul if you happen to get dragged through them.
["You just ride the music up and down", he says..! She hopes he'd be willing to instruct her people on such matters, or at least show her so she could teach them. But already, he continues to expand her horizon further.]
I... don't assume that my people could just end up in the Hedge by accident?
[To her, it sounds like it might be the origin dimension on fairies - or of one kind of fairy, at least -, and clearly it's far from hospitable! After her experiences in the local fairy kingdom, she feels like there few to none of their domains are particularly human-friendly (or even fairy-friendly, going by Max' account).]
Were you able to heal your soul from the thorns' damage?
They shouldn't end up there on accident. I only allow one Hedge Gate in all of the circles and that's in my office. And the door stays locked unless I need it opened. So your people should be safe, so long as we don't have an invasion into my Arcadia. And that's unlikely.
No, I never did. Out there somewhere is a shard of my soul, floating around, doing whatever.
[He says that last part so flippantly. Like he doesn't care though his expression doesn't quite match it.]
[An invasion being unlikely, but not impossible, concerns her... but then again her world also didn't foresee (or welcome) the genesis of the titans. Some things, she reasons, just cannot be guaranteed. Perhaps to escape that uneasy feeling, she focuses on the state of Max' soul.]
Does that not concern you? Can't you feel a piece missing?
[She honestly has a hard time grasping the concept of a soul, let alone the impact of it being damaged!]
It's like a phantom pain, sometimes. I notice it missing only now and then. Honestly, I miss my own shadow more. The one I have now is a replacement, a prosthetic built out of a True Fae who tried to get one over on me.
The level of concern I have about my missing soul shard is something I'm less likely to share with about anyone. Sorry, Frieda. That's not a topic I am going to share.
[It's important and complicated. That little piece of soul torn from him and missing. It's one of the very few things that can hurt him in his world. And last time he encountered it, someone turned it into buckshot. Not a fun time.]
[Not only did he eat the demons he resurrected, he also turned an enemy into his replacement shadow?! Kindly as he's treating her, this man is terrifying! Frieda can feel doubt about her plans creep up in her mind, but what recourse does she have? She can only hope that her people won't give Max any cause to turn against them in the future.]
I understand. Don't worry - you've told me about so many other things. I never knew how many worlds were out there, how many universes... I'd never heard of the Hedge, or of anything else you've shown me. Thank you so much.
[Interesting as it was to see Max' worlds, Frieda is glad to be back in more regular surroundings. With her soda and plum cake still waiting for her, she eats and drinks, hunger and thirst from everything she had to process and relate winning out over her exhaustion and overwhelmedness. (This entire time, she's been assuming that it's safe to partake since they aren't in a fairy realm... but if she's wrong about that, well!)]
That would be nice! But first, I'll speak to my fellow countrypeople here about the matter. It's a very big endeavour for all of us.
[Alas, so she thinks...]
My head is spinning, honestly. Our own history is so much already, and everything you told me is important, too. May I reach out to you if I need any clarification or reminders?
[She assumes as much, forthcoming as he's been, but it's polite to ask!]
[The food and drink is safe, thankfully. At least Frieda doesn't have to worry about that.]
Of course you can take time to talk to your fellow countrypeople first. And feel free to reach out for any clarifications or reminders. It's a lot to take in and it can get overwhelming easily. You can let your countrypeople know too that they can reach out with any questions, quips, and concerns too.
[She smiles at him even inviting quips. He's a man of contrasts, isn't he? Finishing up her sweet meal, she inclines her head in gratitude as she gets up from her seat. While the renewed memories of her ancestors and some of Max' revelations still have her a little shaken inside, her new hopes shine through more strongly.]
You'll hear from me, then. Again, thank you very much.
[Little does she know just how suspicious and mistrustful her fellow Eldians will be! It'll take her a while to accept their judgement - longer than she anticipates -, but it won't be the last time she's spoken to Max.]
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chiming
no subject
Date: 2024-12-03 04:25 pm (UTC)From:I thank you for being so considerate, but my sanity and soul would truly be a small price to pay for my people's freedom.
[She doubts that her countrymen would think otherwise, given all their grievances with her - but even so, she mustn't strike this deal behind their back. Much as her vow compels her to act alone, she's come to understand the cost of her ancestor's exclusion of his people from all his decisions.]
I will speak with all of them, tell them of the plan, and put them in contact with you.
[It's a daunting prospect... what will they say? But ultimately, this is for their loved ones, too.]
For now, I'd have one more request, if you allow me: Could you show me Arcadia?
no subject
Date: 2024-12-08 06:50 am (UTC)From:You're welcome. It may be a small price to you but checking with the others is a good idea. And let them know they can ask me any and all questions they like. I'll be open and honest to them.
[He changes the song at the request. The setting around them changes. It shifts and drains away from Frieda's memories and into one of Max's. His Arcadia appears around them. Or rather, his Arcadias. The surrounding area is a mix of locations.
One is a small town from the looks of it. It stretches into another village. Wooden houses, old style windows and dirt roads. Then beneath then the ground opens and below are rings connected by music notes and strings. There are seven of them. The rings are devoid of life except for running water that flows from the first ring down all of them to the last. It's quite lonely looking. Floating around the rings are a few floating islands, a forest, a castle, and a flower field.]
Welcome to my Arcadia.
no subject
Date: 2024-12-08 06:50 pm (UTC)From:As her inherited memories give way to his Arcadia, she marvels at its sights. The settlements remind her of home - of the more rural areas, in any case. But cobblestone streets and townhouses can be built in time; she has faith in her people.
The underground area is more of a strange sight, especially the musical rings. To her, it looks like a complex fountain installation. The presence of the castle makes her wonder. In her plan, there's no place for herself - she feels that she's forfeited the right to still be with her people. But who will rule the unwalled new nation instead? Without the circumstances of Historia's future, she may well be spared the part, and Frieda feels an equal measure of comfort and concern at the thought.]
It's beautiful. But why is this area underground?
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 04:39 am (UTC)From:The rings, being below, is because it exists in a dimension just parallel and below the physical plane. But it also kinda pokes up into the Hedge as well, as all Arcadias do. I just picked this kind of fun three dimensional map so you could see them all, all at once.
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 05:00 pm (UTC)From:I'm sorry, but a lot of what you just said went over my head. In reality, these places are all separate from each other? Would my people reside in the rings, then?
[Also--]
What is the Hedge?
[Is it something like the Paths - a metaphysical space from which different dimensions can be accessed?]
no subject
Date: 2024-12-14 05:06 am (UTC)From:The Hedge is another dimension. The world of the Wyrd. A sort of cosmic force that's alive but you can't like talk to it. It is part of everyone and everything fairy. There are thorns everywhere with trods and roads to navigate them. The thorns can drag through you and cut more than your skin. They tear your very soul if you happen to get dragged through them.
Happened to me once. I don't recommend it.
no subject
Date: 2024-12-15 05:00 pm (UTC)From:I... don't assume that my people could just end up in the Hedge by accident?
[To her, it sounds like it might be the origin dimension on fairies - or of one kind of fairy, at least -, and clearly it's far from hospitable! After her experiences in the local fairy kingdom, she feels like there few to none of their domains are particularly human-friendly (or even fairy-friendly, going by Max' account).]
Were you able to heal your soul from the thorns' damage?
no subject
Date: 2024-12-16 01:33 am (UTC)From:No, I never did. Out there somewhere is a shard of my soul, floating around, doing whatever.
[He says that last part so flippantly. Like he doesn't care though his expression doesn't quite match it.]
no subject
Date: 2024-12-17 01:35 am (UTC)From:Does that not concern you? Can't you feel a piece missing?
[She honestly has a hard time grasping the concept of a soul, let alone the impact of it being damaged!]
no subject
Date: 2024-12-30 02:11 am (UTC)From:The level of concern I have about my missing soul shard is something I'm less likely to share with about anyone. Sorry, Frieda. That's not a topic I am going to share.
[It's important and complicated. That little piece of soul torn from him and missing. It's one of the very few things that can hurt him in his world. And last time he encountered it, someone turned it into buckshot. Not a fun time.]
no subject
Date: 2024-12-30 02:10 pm (UTC)From:I understand. Don't worry - you've told me about so many other things. I never knew how many worlds were out there, how many universes... I'd never heard of the Hedge, or of anything else you've shown me. Thank you so much.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-02 01:21 am (UTC)From:[He snaps his fingers and the mindscape will end, them both back in their chairs in the room with tea and snacks ready for them.]
no subject
Date: 2025-01-02 01:25 pm (UTC)From:That would be nice! But first, I'll speak to my fellow countrypeople here about the matter. It's a very big endeavour for all of us.
[Alas, so she thinks...]
My head is spinning, honestly. Our own history is so much already, and everything you told me is important, too. May I reach out to you if I need any clarification or reminders?
[She assumes as much, forthcoming as he's been, but it's polite to ask!]
no subject
Date: 2025-01-02 05:02 pm (UTC)From:Of course you can take time to talk to your fellow countrypeople first. And feel free to reach out for any clarifications or reminders. It's a lot to take in and it can get overwhelming easily. You can let your countrypeople know too that they can reach out with any questions, quips, and concerns too.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-02 08:00 pm (UTC)From:You'll hear from me, then. Again, thank you very much.
[Little does she know just how suspicious and mistrustful her fellow Eldians will be! It'll take her a while to accept their judgement - longer than she anticipates -, but it won't be the last time she's spoken to Max.]