Glimpse Into What Once Was

[fractales]

Type: Video
Sender ID: fractales(Professor Turo)
To: General
Subject: Nilatast Finding
Warnings: TBA

Hello everyone- pardon the bit of a mess.

[Papers strewn about, along with a few tools in view, as Turo picked up his shellphone with excitement there in his voice. Setting it down on somethin out of view as he was moving and turning out lights in an office after pushing his desk out of the way.]

As others may have been, perhaps still are, working on various pieces of technology recovered from down so deep, there was an item I discovered in Nilatast that I have finally gotten working! To a small degree, at least— I have only been able to recover one thing on it, but...

[There was an item that was the size of a jewelry box, covered in stars and constellations formed in colored enamel and shined up jewels, that Turo had picked up and was sitting down in the middle of the space he had cleared. Pressing a 'button' at the top.

It sparked to life as suddenly a still image was projected above the box; full of living color and capturing a moment of laughter and fun. The light having warmth and even those creatures outside of such large windows seemed to sparkle. Looking as if everything could be touched—]

Look at this! [Almost looked as if Turo was there, moving to sort of sit by the picture box.] I was able to retrieve the data for this image, I might have found what worked as a photo album, but the item itself came from within one of the ruined buildings down there.

They lived there, played in that city.

[Of course there weren't just human children there, smiling faces all. This was something either a parent or some child that had also been there in the moment wanted to treasure even after the day was over.]

Just a small view into what once was, I suppose.

Comments

[fractales]

I do believe so, yes. It's a spot of land covered in snow with raging blizzards, but the weather might have once been calmer.

The shrine was an island, surrounded by water one could place ice flowers on for some... emotional relief of grief, or a sharing of happier memories. [Quite the find.

He tapped on the very detailed sketch of the music box, the free floating and moving plesiosaur like crystal and all there.]

This is perhaps a clue as to what Ainomoad looked like as well; though perhaps she's not in the past tense at all.

[withermarked]

So the shrine you've been to in person, but this part was in a vision? Have you heard mention of this Ainomoad anywhere else?

[ He can't help being intrigued, even if it might not be directly relevant to everything with 'Mother.']

[fractales]

Yes. There was something about the ice caves, likely due to the power of the crystals hidden throughout the ice, that showed memories of the past; mostly of those who explored the labyrinth of caverns.

Of course, there were crystals that were special and gave those who touched it a vision of the past related to the shrine—Ainomoad's own people. [He did move his hand into the box the journal was lifted from as he spoke; lo and behold he still had the crystal.]

Not much, unfortunately. Others went to a desert and found similar things from scales, and the name of another possible old Leviathan—Sarht. There was also things that implied a war due to worship of another being; perhaps more.

Something happened in both areas to leave them in ruins, and it may be connected to the violence visited upon Mother's city.

[withermarked]

[ A nod, as he mostly just listens. ]

I wouldn't be surprised if this world faced a widespread war. My world had one you can still see the aftermath of, and another brewing on the horizon.

[ Said relatively matter-of-factly. The first was before his time, and the second may never effect him here. ]

Does that crystal still... work?

[fractales]

War is something that no longer exists where I am from, the last was -according to my memories- when I was a very young child.

[Of course those were the memories of his creator, what he didn't live but still felt the experience of.]

It does, yes. Part of why I kept it, while others I turned in as was expected. I wanted to further study the memory it contains, every little detail of it.

[withermarked]

That so?

[ His tone is mild, but he's not entirely convinced. World history may not have been his strong suit, but he's pretty certain every big war was supposed to be the last one... right up until the next one. ]

Any chance I could see the thing?

[ It's not that he thinks he'll notice anything Turo didn't, really, but he's curious. ]

[fractales]

Indeed. It was seen as redundant, and there are far greater things in our world to deal with. Hard lessons learned, there is always some upstart that tries to end the world in order to remake it through the power of Legendary Pokémon here and there.

Always a Trainer and their Pokémon with an unbreakable bond to stop it.

[Who cared about war when some idiot was trying to call out God?]

Of course, if you do not mind dropping by my office in Cosmo's medical building.

[withermarked]

[ Well, he's used to God-based warfare. Why pick one or the other? The Pokemon part sounds less familiar, but he decides not to pick at follow up questions for the moment. ]

Course not. I'm still there most days anyway.

[fractales]

I will warn ahead of time that you will feel the memory owner's emotions while seeing it. Something that can be overwhelming at first.

[The crystal would at least be put away carefully once more, for the moment.]

When you're ready then.

[withermarked]

That sounds... a little bit strange.

[ He's not sure if he likes the idea, but it's not enough to stop him from being curious. ]

I can stop by when I'm in later this afternoon?

[fractales]

Indeed, but to some degree it makes sense. For a memory left in crystal to be there due to a certain strong emotion tied to it.

[At least it was brief-]

That sounds fine to me.

[withermarked]

Alright.

[ And it's a bit later in the day, but he will show up at the office in person eventually. He's curious enough that he heads there before the rest of usual tasks. ]

[fractales]

[There was some faint glow to Turo's office, the door cracked; The front door of the medical building was also propped open, just some little note on the door he was there of course. Easy to call to get his attention.

Mariposa sleeping there just to the side. No creatures there other than her and the odd little ones that passed through normally.

Turo's presence clear enough giving the shadow moving within the office as well.]

[withermarked]

[ He lets himself into the main medical building, and when he spots the sleeping dog-thing he gives her an absent little pat as he passes, before knocking on the office door. ]

Professor Turo?

[fractales]

[There was that one eye opened from the pet, and a warm lazy woof, but Mariposa was content to continue her dozing after the greeting.]

Come in, I'm just in here.

[The glow was coming from a tank rested on it's own table, the glow a soft blue and purple and even gold as the creature within was blissfully swimming around, the water within shimmering as it had moved to brush up against Turo's fingers as he stood by the tank on a stool.]

I am finishing up a check-up on one of our latest guests here. Already done, really.

[withermarked]

[ Well, now he's intrigued by the new guest. He walks over to take a closer look at the creature in the tank, curiously. ]

What is our new guest? Or... who?

[ He's frequently not sure which is more appropriate with the various creatures here. ]

[fractales]

That is a Celestial Ray; it and a friend of its tagged along in some of my equipment from my last trip to Nilatast. I have been treating it and the Cosmic Cuddlefish friend for corruption—said friend is currently within the ocean biome, which I will be returning this one to soon.

[Doing much, much better given the Ray had been the worse off between the two creatures.]

Both have been responding very well to treatment.

[withermarked]

Oh? That's good. Glad you're findin' more ways to help with all that.

[ A little pause. ]

It's beautiful.

[fractales]

As am I—there is always more work to do, and I am glad to help however I can in doing so.

[A hand moved, just over the tank as fingertips hovered just above the water; the Ray actually moving towards Turo's hand and lifting out of the water enough to be touched.

Gentle scritches.]

I agree with you. Rather friendly as well, thought I suppose some of that is out of thanks in having help. If you would like, once we are done with the crystal, you can come with me to return this one to the tide pools in the ocean viewing caves and meet their friend.

[withermarked]

[ A nod. He's not surprised, of course. Turo always seems to put a good deal of energy into helping wherever he can. Faulk may still not one hundred percent understand what the man is, but he certainly sets a good example. ]

If you like, I certainly wouldn't mind meetin' more guests.

[fractales]

You can help ensure our guest here doesn't get distracted and float off on the way to the tide pools—and see what I mean by that.

Now, are you ready for seeing the crystal for yourself? [He could still remember the snow leopard folk girl's feelings and... soothing strength that came from the music box's melody, amongst the other details.]

[withermarked]

[ He looks curious about that first bit, but he supposes he'll find out.]

Ready as I'll ever be. Sounds weird but I'd like to see what there is to learn.

[fractales]

At least you have some warning, we came across these not knowing what would happen until we touched them. Those who went to the desert area found scales that held memories, while those of us who went to the tundra found these crystals.

[Turo had made his way over, pulling the bag with the crystal from his desk carefully as he spoke.]

Its clear these crystals, and the shrine, tie back to a Leviathan from long before the world was flooded.

[withermarked]

[ Well, now he's interested in the scales too, but he'll note that for later. Right now he watches the crystal curiously. ]

How can you be so sure about that?

[ His tone sounds genuinely curious, not as if he's arguing the point. ]