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There is a mystery that's currently unsolved. It's in Avedan's head. It's not like he's going insane (he's quite sure that he's not) but lately his sleep's been pretty eventful. He'd always had dreams (didn't everyone?) but lately, they've been getting more vivid. More lifelike. And, most interestingly of all, more internally consistent.
It's really, really confusing. Avedan is somewhere between wanting to learn more about the internal history present in the dreams, and wanting to understand why they're being so - insistent. He suspects it has something to do with malfunctioning servants, but all of his are working just fine. He checked. Twice. So - maybe someone else's aren't working properly? Or something? He doesn't know, there's zero precedent for eerily vivid and consistent dreams. Avedan tries talking to someone about it, exactly once. They immediately think he's having reoccurring nightmares.
But they're not nightmares. Well. Okay, some of them are, one of the more memorable ones included desperately clutching a woman's hand, begging her to stay with him, just keep breathing, to stay alive. She didn't. If it'd been with someone he knew, he might have thought it was just a simple nightmare. But, no. He's never seen her before in his life. Only his dreams, and not all that often, either. Because there are others, with - happier memories attached to them.
He's started to notice patterns. In - consistent people, consistent places, and most interestingly, consistent personalities. He's pretty sure it's not his subconscious being uncreative (if it were that, he would be naked at work or something) but the bizarre internal consistency his dreams are exhibiting.
It's hard, to figure out if there's a timeline to it all. But there is one thing that's consistent: a city. He does a quick bit of research, finds the city's name (Lapis), and after a bit more research is confronted with the dream's reasonable level of fidelity. As in, it's nearly the same, with exception to what he suspects is construction. And he's never been to Lapis in his life. Just what is going on? He can only think of one way to find out, and that way involves packing up his bags, handing them off to a well-maintained servant, and then heading off to Lapis.
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do_over
if_at_first
"I'm finding myself pretty open to just - taking Lu's recommendation as read, putting the big pillow in the place where the big pillow is meant to be, and going from there. If you want to get a hotel room you can do it and I won't be offended or mopey or anything."
if_at_first
"What's to thank me for there? Declining to pout at you because you have not yet decided if you want to sleep in the same bed as someone you met less than two hours ago?"
do_over
"Being understanding. I'm - you seem to be adjusting to all of this faster than I am. It's probably a bit annoying. Thanks for not being annoyed."
if_at_first
"I suspect I have an advantage relative to people in general at this - sort of thing. Wouldn't be fair to expect you to catch up instantly."
do_over
And Avedan goes back to reading his book of obsessive math.
Hours later, he pronounces, "I - do not think I'll need a hotel room."
Hours later, he pronounces, "I - do not think I'll need a hotel room."
if_at_first
"Okay then. I'm going to go scope out the apartment, then, I was up early this morning and might want to crash soon." Sylvi bookmarks her page and ascends the stairs. They have two banisters, which she uses.
do_over
"All right." He smiles a little tentative smile at her.
And then he's back to reading.
And then he's back to reading.
if_at_first
Sylvi comes back a few minutes later.
"I'm going to make a quick grocery trip. I'm basically just going to move in here straight away, all my projects are shines and I brought all the equipment that isn't literally made out of easily reproduced sunshine, I don't even need to notify a landlord. Do you want me to pick up anything? I think Kidan liked pears?"
"I'm going to make a quick grocery trip. I'm basically just going to move in here straight away, all my projects are shines and I brought all the equipment that isn't literally made out of easily reproduced sunshine, I don't even need to notify a landlord. Do you want me to pick up anything? I think Kidan liked pears?"
if_at_first
"I think they should have pears even this far south. I'll be back in a while." She goes out, has her wooden horse bend to let her step up onto it, and trots off.
if_at_first
She is back after about an hour. She puts a ripe pear on Avedan's desk, retains possession of a sandwich, and hands everything else to Charp to put away, which it goes and does, and she resumes reading.
do_over
Avedan smiles at her, says a little 'thank you' and devours his present. Then, predictably, goes right back to reading.
if_at_first
Later, Sylvi yawns, suggests to Avedan that he not stay up too late, and goes up to bed.
do_over
He manages to not stay up too late.
But he is tired enough that he barely cares that they're technically sleeping in the same bed, and only hesitates for a second. Then, he flops onto the bed, and is out like a light.
But he is tired enough that he barely cares that they're technically sleeping in the same bed, and only hesitates for a second. Then, he flops onto the bed, and is out like a light.
secondchance
And he dreams about a boy, sitting on a retaining wall with his nose in a book and a wheeled chair covered in golem instructions waiting at his feet for him to be ready to move on.
The magpie swoops to his shoulder from Aydanci's.
The magpie swoops to his shoulder from Aydanci's.
do_over
He - Aydanci stops in his tracks.
He doesn't understand. It involves making a confused face. At the boy, and the magpie.
He doesn't understand. It involves making a confused face. At the boy, and the magpie.
if_at_first
The boy is also confused by the magpie. He looks at it.
"Where'd you come from?" he asks it.
The magpie looks at Aydanci.
The boy also looks at Aydanci, quizzical.
"Where'd you come from?" he asks it.
The magpie looks at Aydanci.
The boy also looks at Aydanci, quizzical.