etraya | un: shinra

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un: shinra | audio

[Keeping this audio for now- he's not the previous iteration of him who was here before, he's the older and improved version.

Thank Aurora for that.

But he's going to play it carefully for now, not tip his hand just yet to see what he can find out about whatever trouble his past self was getting into.]

It's a pleasure to be here again- I've been told it's been a few weeks but apparently, time doesn't work the same way. If my math is correct, what has been weeks here has been years for me.

[And there is the whole different timelines/worlds thing but the one reassuring thing is that his alternate self is out there somewhere also making stupid reckless life choices.]

But I'm curious if anyone has experienced anything related to alternate timelines and parallel worlds- bonus points if you've met an alternate version of yourself either from another world or time.

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[ Rufus isn't the only paranoid one here! But Zishu also understands the desire to do some info gathering. ]

Welcome back, though we have not spoken.

In answer to your question, yes - of sorts. Another from my world has memories from a later time than my own.

I'm in the same position as them- it's an interesting perspective of my past self.

[And it's made him feel old, even though it's only been a couple of years.]

Have you ever gotten curious and asked what happens in the future? Logically I know there wouldn't be anything I could do to change anything here but the curiosity would get the best of me.

I asked what I should know of the future events, and was answered. I have no reason to doubt what I have been told.

Maybe I do not have all the details, but I'm confident I know what is needed.

You're fortunate to have a trusted source- unfortunately, those from my world are stuck with someone who is known to use information to be manipulative to learn anything from the future.

[Look, he knows what he's like, might as well embrace it.]

That only makes it difficult.

[ He knows he's fortunate. He's thankful for Wen Kexing every day. ]

It is, especially considering there is a possibility of our world splitting into alternate timelines.

[And there is a good possibility that there would be one timeline where they fail to save the planet, making this all pointless.]

It seems that time is indeed an independent variable between different worlds and Etraya. There are several people here from my world and none of us are from precisely the same time, though for most of us the gaps are far smaller than the gaps between your selves.

[ The exception had been Mercedes, who is no longer here. Linhardt is uncertain what that means - it may mean nothing at all - but he does not think on it too much. The idea that tomorrow he may wake up back in Fodlan is too disconcerting. If Linhardt considers it for more than a moment, his stomach starts twisting itself into knots.]

Can you confirm the existence of such things? I've encountered the idea of 'timelines', but there's nothing concrete in the materials available to me and I do not make a habit of blindly accepting information I cannot verify.

Did you remember Etraya between when you were first taken and now?

[ It's an intriguing idea, on all fronts. Other selves... Linhardt would not mind meeting other versions of himself. The closest he had come were the Linhardts in the mirrors, and aside from one, he did not find them too alarming. He could certainly learn more quickly if he had another self with whom to split the research. ]

I didn't know anything about this place back in my own world

[It had taken so much to defeat Sephiroth in one reality but if there are connections between different worlds and timelines then who knows what Sephiroth would be capable of if he could exploit that.

Something he doesn't want to think too hard about, not unless he really has to.]

I don't have direct evidence at the moment other than my own theries of why someone from my world remembers the past differently- events that never happened for me, details that are similar but just off.

So either our memories are erased when we leave or that was a different you.

That is precisely the situation that our world is in. We all remember things differently and we do not know why. I have managed to narrow down at what point our memories diverged - or at least a range. So our world seems to be in a position similar to yours. Our divergences are fairly substantial, however. You said yours were minimal?

The differences seem minimal from what I've learned so far but I'm concerned that those small changes could add up and cause the future to be drastically different.

Or worse, lead to a future where our world is destroyed anyway.

[He has faith in Cloud but he fears if there is one world were Sephiroth wins, that's all it would take if he finds a way to other timelines.]

I haven't been able to pinpoint a single event or single time period where the timelines diverged but I can't help but wonder what that would be now.

Yes. Our point of divergence - if it is a single point, I do not know - seems to be several years in the past, and it has compounded to produce very different memories.

Why would your world be destroyed?

Do the same people exist in all versions of the world of which you are aware? That might be a clue.

If there is one single point or general time where worlds split it would most likely in the past of the one individual whose motivation to destroy our world is consistent between each timeline.

And my concern is that if he succeeds in one timeline it would be only a matter of time before he finds a way to traverse between worlds.

But that's only a theory that I can't confirm yet, not without more evidence from anyone else arriving from my world.

Is that possible? [He sounds casually interested in the notion. Could any world handle two of him? Surely not!] I feel like I would kill myself on sight. Just to be safe.

I would hope not, I think we should all be grateful my younger self isn't here anymore since I know all too well what I was like at that age.

[Ok, it's been two years and he's not 30 but he still gets to sound like an old man after everything if he damn well pleases.]

I suppose that's fair, I wouldn't be able to put up with a double of myself either.

I never met him, so I'll have to take your word on that. Remember that reputation is like a cake drawn on the ground. If you’re hungry, it’s not much help.

[Wen Kexing sounds much older than his years, but really, he's not much older than Rufus.]

The very possibility is awful! He would eat everyone out of house and home and then cackle about it. The nerve!

Wise words indeed- it's not as easy as it sounds to have to re-invent a reputation, is it?

[It will take a long time to shed the past reputation of his family and company but bit by bit, he has every intention of leaving the past behind.]

Hopefully, we won't be faced with an other version of ourselves in the future then- it sounds like one of you is plenty.

Some find it impossible. {Will Rufus be one of those? Kexing will ~~eat popcorn and~~ be watching.}

I will take care of him, so it won't be a problem. {Only one Wen Kexing gets to spend time with Zhou Zishu!}

I will have to work hard then to shape the reputation of my family name. [Aka, do everything that he knows would piss his father off and destroy the family legacy.

Rufus will definitely put on a show, don't you worry.]

That is reassuring- I take it you have some skills as a fighter then?

Or forget your family name and do what you want. Shape your own reputation. [Names are a pain in the ass. That's why he changed his.]

More than a few skills, yes.

Easier said than done but something I would do in a heartbeat if possible.

[But it's the one thing pretty much infinite family wealth can't buy.]

Your skill with a sword was impressive but I have no doubt you are capable of much more then.

It is possible. Make the decision, give yourself a new name based on the life you want to live.

[Be reborn!]

I am an expert martial artist.

Oh really? I learned some basics, enough to at least survive, but I've always wanted to learn more.

Perhaps you could give me some suggestions or a demonstration?

Are you asking for a teacher?

Well, well, I might think about it.

Well, I can't say that I have any experience with alternate timelines or anything but...

[ She imagines it's possible, honestly, just from what she's learned here. Their world is only one of many of others similar but not the same, a 'multiverse.' Still, it's strange to consider another 'her' out there somewhere. ]

So, you were home for years? Dang, that's gotta' be a weird adjustment to make after coming back.

It's been an experience, that's for certain but as far as kidnappings go, it's not the worst.

[This isn't the first time and given his record, probably won't be the last when he returns to his world.]

If we knew each other before forgive me but your name escapes me. A lot has happened in those years, unfortunately.

[He knows it's a matter of time before someone realizes he's not the previous version of himself but he's curious.]

Is kidnapping something that happens to you often?

[ She's just curious, what with it phrased like that. Granted, she isn't one to talk. If she had a nickel for every time she'd been 'kidnapped,' she'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but weird that it's happened twice! ]

I don't think we did, so you're in the clear! My name's Rosie. I'd get it even if we did though, y'know? Must be hard having home memories and here memories.

Surprisingly often, with varying degrees of awkwardness and boredom.

[Being the heir to the most powerful person the planet with seemingly infinite wealth came with a few downsides including having to deal with annoying kidnappers who often weren't that creative to begin with, if they even succeeded to that point.]

It's a pleasure then, Rosie. I've been trying to put together what I don't remember from my time here but it feels disjointed so far.

[ Rosie was definitely someone important enough to kidnap, for a time, but thankfully her 'keeper' was frightening enough most people didn't bother to even entertain the idea. The ones that did, well- They learned very quickly why others didn't. ]

Huh. I guess if it happened enough, it would get kind of old.

And a pleasure to meet you too! I'm sure it'll make more sense eventually, but hopefully people here can help too.

I've had a similar experience, except that my counterpart was from my future. There was also another, different Castiel, from a branch timeline that was accessed by another angel in my time. I didn't meet either of them, but a friend of mine met them both.

He's here. And also from the same future as the former Castiel.

I wonder if Aurora likes to change out the versions of us to get the ideal version to try to save our worlds. Like we get a do-over to get the best version of ourselves here.

[It was a little worrisome if he is the best version of himself or just the best option across some kind of multiverse.]

In my case, I can understand the switch- at that age I wasn't exactly the best choice to try to save our world.

If I'm the ideal version of myself, the future must be bleak.

Edited (oops forgot it was audio ) 2024-11-02 20:14 (UTC)

I know the feeling, my past self would say the same about me.

I haven't been able to figure exactly how they choose particular versions of ourselves, perhaps it's just a matter of who Aurora or someone thinks they can put through trials and missions and not just sit things out and let the world burn.

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un: shinra | audio

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