@xuanyu.mo ( dec 25 )

[laozu]

Happy Solstice-month to all! And excellent work to everyone, now that we've had some time to adjust after the Zerzura business, I wanted to say that no matter the "side" you were on, you did what your heart thought you should - what that means, though, is for you to weigh. In the meanwhile, how about a few things for housekeeping? We had a lot of things happening before, I want to know where we are on them now.

[ the text sounds matter of fact, but the only fact is that he's cackling with glee behind the scenes ]

I died! It's not the first time that it happened, but I know for a fact that I did. Yet, I'm still here and for that, you should all be so grateful. ✧⁺⸜(●′▾‵●)⸝⁺✧ Yes, in fact I have dedicated myself to your well-being in the hopes that someone will take this back off my hands one day, and soon. I'm really not cut out for rallying the troops and all that sort of thing. Ahem. Anyways, here goes:

1) [Bad username or site: clarke @ griffin] mentioned that she and a few others met with a gentleman referred to as "Ball" who mentioned something about godhood and gates. He had coffee to offer, which is exceptional -- are we going to contact him again? Should we divide our forces and seek the gates, or pursue them one at a time? Is this of any interest to any of you in particular?

2) Myself and my countrymen are dreaming in a more, ah. Together-ly fashion. We're very close, though - if anyone else is affected by intimate sharing of dreams and, mm, memories - you are welcome to reach out to me. Mister Johnny and I were discussing training the subconscious before he disappeared. I miss him very much, he had a lot of good ideas! I'd like to argue that because we're all susceptible on a psychological level to dreams and changes -- Zerzura being the case in point -- we should work on shoring up mental defenses! I'm able to help with this, I hope! [Bad username or site: wangji @ lan] and [Bad username or site: wanyin @ jiang] are, too!

3) The humidity suuuuuuuuucks, but I'm glad things are greener now! Any idea if we should set up conservation committees to propose better, like, legislation to anyone we can reach? A whole 'green you' campaign? I know in Zerzura I was very much into green deaths, but reusing the dead is kind of a thing for me. I hear plumbers are making good money too, if anyone has lost their jobs. I did -- I'm stuck volunteering for grief counseling now, how unlucky. (´;︵;`)

4) Speaking of the dead: Kurt Fischer. The UNA. I don't like them at all, they killed my partner. He got better, but are we going to dig into this in any fashion? Should we focus more on dividing Morningstar from ourselves?

5) Has anybody heard from our strange friend, Cassius?

I think there's a lot more that we were all doing on an individual level, but those are the main things I could remember being discussed on the network. Whatever I've missed, please let everyone know - I think we need this, it's been a long time since we talked. Hello again, where are your opinions? I'm bored and it's Christmas!

[ why yes, he does think in exactly the same way that he talks: excessively ]

Comments

[warfares]

Other projects, perhaps in other worlds?
There was a mention made of bridges, yes? In the dream.

[laozu]

My dream had weary travelers walking along a bridge.

And what is a bridge if not a connection? Presuming that we are not remembering incorrectly and that we all did come from separate worlds, what if we're still dreaming now? What if this is one more dream within a dream, connected to dreams? Not to give in to paranoia, but to bring up the question. Other worlds are other dreams, I want to think.

[warfares]

Then the question becomes what is it about us that is so unique?
Because something, or someone, drew us here in the same way we were drawn to the smaller world.

[laozu]

I wouldn't be so bold as to think of us as unique! Well. If we compare ourselves to the people of this world, we are.

Perhaps we're just a small part - representative of a larger whole. We come from somewhere and go somewhere, after all.

[warfares]

You think there could be more of us?
On other continents ㅡ perhaps worlds?
Zerzura called the blue light something. Something specific.
They knew what it was or at least had an idea.

[laozu]

I want to think so, at least until we find evidence of the contrary. It's a difficulty to consider, it leads to the fear that this - New Amsterdam - it is part of a patchwork thing. A network of dreams, connected by bridges. Existing when we are called to them by their need. But isn't it -- exciting, to consider that it could be so?

[ is this optimism or bleak acceptance ]

Birds and spears and bridges unite all things, it seems. Did you love Zerzura or hate it?

[warfares]

It would explain how easily the lost vanish.

( still, is that meant to be a relief or not? at one point he might have considered that it would be good to wake up, to resume his life, but now things are more complicated. not so easy to resolve.

but it's the question about zerzura that gives him pause. had he loved it? a part of him had enjoyed the solitude and peace, but there'd always been that part of him that had yearned for the missing life. missing memories and the people. )

A part of me knew it was wrong.
A small but vocal part.
It would never have been happy there.