[Open]

[spellcollect]

[ Frieren's mind opens up; as before, on the surface it's a calm, smooth pond. She's not quite used to this, so the connection (at first) is a touch tentative and then as she feels her way forward it opens more until she thinks she's finally ready. ]

I have a question for all of you. And you may consider it a simple matter of curiosity; I won't take offense at being ignored.

[ There's a pause, as if she's collecting her thoughts. ]

How many of you are long-lived species? Or long-lived by virtue of who you are? My kind are rare, even in my world, so I can't assume others will be particularly more common here, at the end of the universe.

[ It's an open question. ]

Comments

[spellcollect]

[ Her attention shifts to Amos; it's a curious sort of attention. Distant, but observing. Not wanting to probe unnecessarily. ]

Beyond normal human lifespan. I suppose seventy, eighty, one hundred years at best.

[ There's a pause before she adds. ]

...I've lived much longer than that.

[baltimores]

Oh, yeah. People could easily live past one hundred if they had access to the drugs. Even without, seventy or eighty was still plenty doable. Think our definitions of "normal human lifespan" might be a little different here.

[ But — the sensation of a curious tilt of the head. ]

How old're you?

[spellcollect]

[ There is a glimpse of depth in that calm pond. A sense that it goes down, down, down to a bottom that's almost beyond the reach of light. ]

Over a thousand years at this point.

[baltimores]

[ He's familiar with depth, but this is a new one for him — a longevity incomprehensible to a mortal mind. Which has him all the more interested in it, seeking to gaze down into its depths, even though he knows he won't see the bottom. ]

What's that like?

[spellcollect]

Truthfully? Time seemed unimportant to me in the past. A decade was nothing. A tenth of a tenth of my lifetime. I imagine that's the main difference between myself and a human - I just have more time. I don't feel the pressure of a lifespan that's likely to only last seventy years.

[ Even now it still feels that way to her. She has so much time on her hands and always has. What is a year or two or three or five? Twenty, even? ]

Otherwise, I tend to live like anyone else - I sleep, eat, read, study.

[baltimores]

Huh. Sounds nice, actually.

[ Like it's something he could live with. He's still curious, but it's directed inwards now, like he's applying the concept of such longevity to himself. ]

Think you might be selling humans a bit short though. Not everyone feels the pressure of a shorter lifespan. [ Him, for example. ] People go when they go, right? No sense worrying about it before then. Just get done what you can, enjoy your people while you have 'em, and when it's time it's time. One hundred years or one thousand; don't think it makes any difference.

[spellcollect]

That's true.

[ She agrees with him easily enough. ]

I think the only regrets one might have would be if you failed to truly appreciate someone while they were present. [ Not that she's speaking from experience or anything, hahaha... ]

[baltimores]

[ His response comes slowly, because she's lost him. There's the sensation of a slow blink, a mind trying to parse through what she's said as though she's speaking a foreign language, difficult to decipher.

Finally, ] Don't think I've ever felt that. I mean... When it's time it's time, right? Can't change the past. You appreciate them as much as you need to in the moment. Don't you?

[ A beat. ]

Is that something you regret? Not doing that?

[spellcollect]

In a way. I forgot that humans don't experience time the same way. And I'm the end, I've lost people I wanted more time with because to me a decade or fifty years was a distraction. A time to take a side journey and satisfy myself. And by the time I'd come back to keep a promise, they were old.

[baltimores]

[ Ponderous silence. ]

Is that why you're asking about who here is long-lived? So they won't be old by the time you return?

[spellcollect]

No, not exactly...

[ There's a sense of sheepishness. ]

Mostly I'm curious. I've learned my lesson about appreciating people, I think...

[baltimores]

Oh. [ There's a tic upwards of warmth from his side of the communion. He's an Exalt; he's all about appreciating people while you've got 'em. ] That's good.

[ A beat. ]

How d'you keep yourself grounded, then? Now that you know you gotta.

[spellcollect]

I remember them.

[ A deceptively simple answer. ]

[baltimores]

While they're still around, or after they're gone?

[ Neither is bad, but the distinction does seem important. ]

[spellcollect]

Both.

[ She has new friends, after all.

Or had, anyway. ]

[baltimores]

[ There's a pause before he answers, like he isn't completely sure of what to say — but when he does, confidence follows. ]

That's good. To do it for everyone, I mean. I'm sure they appreciate it.

[spellcollect]

I think they do. And I always hope that I'll meet someone again when we part.

[baltimores]

Even if they're dead?

[spellcollect]

Death is a little more final. But even then, I'll hope there's a chance and there's still the depth of memory. After all, what comes after death?

[baltimores]

Not sure. I always figured death was it and that was that, but...

[ He trails off, uncertain, before there's the sense of him shrugging and moving on. ]

Memory's good. Doesn't bring anyone back, but I guess it's a way for you to keep in touch with them. Just might be one-sided is all.

[spellcollect]

Yes. One-sided but worth having.

[ There's the impression of a smile. ]

That's good way to put it, I think.

[baltimores]

Yeah? [ He sounds surprised, but then a hint of pleasure slips through. Like he's answered a question correctly on a test. ] I guess that's what you're supposed to do when you're around longer than everyone else.

[spellcollect]

I think so. You need to remember. Other humans forget over time; they die, their children don't remember... so someone who does remember it all becomes very important.

[baltimores]

Yeah.

[ He's quiet a moment longer, a sense of thoughtfulness to his communion presence. ]

I haven't been the best at doing that kind of thing. Been trying to be better about it lately though.

[spellcollect]

I think it's a constant process for all of us. I know I wasn't always the best at it.