006 ✿ Video

[flowerette]

One year ago today, I arrived in this world. One year ago today, I shared a fateful drink in De Chima with the man who would become the love of my life. One year ago, there were different faces in this world -- different people to greet me upon my arrival, but many are and have remained the same.

[ Raina smiles a sappy smile. She is genuinely happy for the experiences she's had here and people she's met. ]

There have been a lot of ups and downs, especially as of the past few months. But I would be lying if I said that being in this world hasn't been a largely positive experience for me. And while it's sad to think all of it can be gone and forgotten faster than we can blink, that just means we should try to appreciate what we do have here all the more, doesn't it?

[ She leans forward, warm and inviting. ]

So I'd like to hear about your positive experiences. What are some of the best things that have happened to you here? What opportunities have arisen for you here that you would not have gotten back home? What friends did you make that you never would have met otherwise? And for people who have ported in recently, what opportunities do you hope this world will bring you?

We're so focused on the bad things or getting back home to our responsibilities or the people who aren't here that we often neglect to stop and appreciate the little things. Even if it's something as simple as getting to taste strawberry ice cream for the first time. So let's take a moment to share our experiences with each other.

[ A pause. ]

Also while I have you here -- a few months ago I was speaking to a friend of mine and we were talking about how it's possible to port out and return without memories of ever having been in this world. I brought up the idea of writing a letter to ourselves detailing our time here and he proposed that we try to see if the government would include those in the files we're given upon our arrival. If people overall think it's a good idea, I can talk to a few representatives to see if it can be done. I just know that there are people and things here that I would not want to forget, and I'm sure a lot of people feel the same.

And I think that's about all I have to say. I look forward to hearing your stories. Even if we can't have our letters included in our files, maybe this post could serve as a little something for our future selves to look back on and see how happy we once were if ever there's a time when that is forgotten.

Comments

[wizzardly]

I've, er...

[yeah, about that.]

...I do like Dr. Chilton. [and there are a few people Rincewind talks with - in a week's time he'll be more at ease in naming Will a friend - but the wizard is no social butterfly.]

Certainly things have improved since my arrival. Perhaps I'll count myself as content as yourself someday.

[he just doubts it.]

[flowerette]

[ Good answer. ]

If you do make it a full year, you'll find yourself with a degree of comfort. It all depends on how this world compares to your own. That will determine how fast you take to this place.

Are there things back home you wish or need to get back to?

[wizzardly]

Oh, not really. I'm terribly homesick, of course, but as for things to get back to, that tends to be up to Fate. Only I'm rather sure He's the prat who sent me here, so no loss there. [he shrugs.]

I try not to get too used to comfort, in any case. It never bodes well. But what about you? You've nothing pressing to return to?

[flowerette]

She. Fate is a woman. A woman named Lachesis. Or rather a goddess.

[ A goddess Raina worships. And perhaps to make the conversation more awkward, she answers his question nonchalantly: ]

Only my imminent death. I have been told by the only other person from my world that I die shortly back home. Within a few weeks of the time frame I come from.

So I would say my future seems far brighter in this world.

[wizzardly]

...No, sorry, the Fate I know is male. [slowly, politely.] Well. Has a male form. Eyes like gaping black voids? Terribly vengeful when He feels he's been cheated? [rather unfairly, too, in the wizard's opinion; he's still sore about the god attempting to get him sacrificed just because Rincewind didn't die when he wanted him to.]

He's considered incredibly powerful, where I'm from. Second only to Death, of course. - Well. And the Lady.

[the wizard considers whether Fate being female would ease any of the strain in their relationship.

He decides that no, no, it probably wouldn't.]

Dead? You - you're sure? [she can't see his face, but Raina will probably be able to hear the sudden, shocked sympathy in his voice.]

...I'm sorry. I really am.

[flowerette]

There wasn't much in that world for me anyway. This one has been far kinder. So you don't have to apologize. In the end, I get to live my happy ending.

[ And she doesn't sound resentful about it even though she is a little bit. Life had always been cruel to her and she even had to sacrifice herself so that someone else could get the things she always wanted. Really, it's no wonder she's a heartless bitch. ]

But going back to what you were saying, Fate is a corporeal being in your world as well? I mean, it isn't in my world. But she is here. You've heard of her, right? Lachesis? I've never met her myself, but I would love to have the opportunity.

[ A pause. ]

So your Fate could potentially be ported into this world as well?

[ Raina's a bit of a fangirl for Fate, ok. ]

[wizzardly]

[it still sounds absolutely terrible to him - certainly not the sort of thing you just get over - but he's not one to pry.]

Gods, I hope not. [Rincewind shudders. Of course, now that he's expressed that opinion aloud, he's aware the probability has just skyrocketed.] We're not exactly on good terms.

I don't know anything about this "Lachesis", though. She's the Fate of this world? I was under the impression the gods here didn't show themselves in the usual ways. ...Well, mostly.

[with one angelic exception.]

[flowerette]

She hasn't shown herself in quite some time. But before this world, there was apparently another world called The City. And she was responsible for sending imPorts there. When that world was destroyed, she took a few of those imPorts with her to this one and activated the porter once again. No one has seen her in a long time.

[ Raina lowers her voice as though she's sharing a deep secret. Except none of it is secretive at all considering the feed is public. ]

I once talked to Loki while he was here. You know. The God of Chaos. And he said he met with her face to face in this world. She didn't tell him much of anything that would help, but he saw her with his own eyes before she disappeared without a trace.

[wizzardly]

...

...That's utterly terrifying, you realize that? [in a calm, blank sort of voice. So there is a name to blame for all this - Lachesis. A goddess of Fate. Rincewind quietly vows never to say that name aloud again, lest he attract attention.]

Never known a Loki. You aren't the first to have said the name to me, though. I think the closest we've got is Hoki, the Jokester. And dangerous as I know it is to admit this out loud, I've got to say I'm perfectly fine with the severe lack of deities in this world.

[flowerette]

[ Raina is silent for a moment, practically recoiling from his words. ]

You shouldn't be. [ She cautions. ] A lack of deities in this world only gives Lucifer all the more power with no one else to oppose him. Loki stood on equal ground when he was here.

[ And for that, Raina sounds all the more devastated to have lost her most powerful ally. It's also telling that she is not Lucifer's biggest fan. ]

[wizzardly]

I've been caught between two gods opposing each other before. [in a sighing, world-weary tone.] That never tends to end well either.

Look, as long as there are beings about with more power in their pinkies than a lot of us combined, there's always going to be trouble. It doesn't matter how many there are.

...Which honestly explains a lot about how imPorts are regarded in this world.

[flowerette]

[ She couldn't believe what she was hearing. ]

Well, I don't know about you, but I am not content to see Lucifer lord over this world. He needs someone with enough power to keep him in line. The day he grows bored and decides to unleash his full potential is the day you will likely be wishing there was someone else to match him and take him down. The devil is a ticking timebomb waiting to detonate.

[wizzardly]

Anyone who could match and take him down would likely only set themselves up in his place.

But I've no desire to argue with you - certainly I'm not suggesting I wouldn't want to see him handled.

[flowerette]

Loki wouldn't.

[ It's spoken softly. If there was one person she missed above all the others who ported out, it was him. ]

I'm sorry if I came across as combative on this point. It's just that, you have no idea how he hurt me in the past.

[wizzardly]

...Would it be too private to ask how?

[flowerette]

It wouldn't be. But it's also something I don't want to talk about over the network.

[wizzardly]

Oh. No, no, of course. Erm. Another time, then.

Thank you for speaking with me.