Memory Share Broadcasts

[ask_whydunit]

[ It was an odd day.

One Lord El-Melloi II had never addressed the network properly before. In fact, he only tended to even respond to people on it if it seemed necessary or the subject sparked his interest. He wasn’t a social creature, after all. So it’s quite strange for there to be a series of broadcasts, all showcasing particular moments in his life that he certainly would not have been open to sharing. Although some might have been... a bit confusing, considering they seemed to focus on a young man named 'Waver Velvet.' If it weren't coming from his phone, some might not have made the connection.

Needless to say, once he realized what had happened? He was going to have the fun of explaining that… Either on the network, or (if anyone is bold enough to show up on his doorstep) in person should they find him hiding in his workshop in the harbor district. ]

Memories:
(Note: All of these are written versions of scenes and vary in length, as finding decent clips is a nightmare)

Class Ridicule and the Theft of a Relic - Fate/ Zero memory - Conent Warnings: Public humiliation, Nobles in mage society are elitist assholes - Wordcount: 1650

The King's Request - Fate/ Zero memory - Content Warnings: Acceptance/resignation towards the possibility of death - Wordcount: 963

Finding Family - Fate/ Zero memory - Content Warnings: None, the Mackenzies are too wholesome. Glen MacKenzie took one look at this teenager who tricked them with magic and decided 'Well, he's our grandson for real now.' - Wordcount: 805

Becoming Lord El-Melloi II - Casefiles Memory - Content Warning: Abduction, guilt, someone taking advantage of said guilt - Wordcount: 1887

A Collision and Absurd Nicknames - Casefiles Memory - Content Warnings: None, just Flat being ridiculous and getting on Waver’s last nerve - Wordcount: 1024

Comments

[ask_whydunit]

Everything is always clearer in hindsight… [ He sighed in agreement, then paused as considered her comment. ] That’s more or less how it is among mages, really. Though perhaps that’s just normal in various circles of society everywhere…

Oh, ah… The man they referred to in the memory. They called him Alexei, but his real name was Iskandar. I couldn’t exactly tell them that I’d summoned the spirit of a long-dead king or about the grail war, he didn’t like staying in his invisible spirit form… So we had to make a cover identity for him and why he was staying with me.

[neurotoxicity]

How important is power in mage society? [ Because if it was even half as important as it was in vampire society, she could imagine the two circles of society are pretty similar. ]

He was actually the spirit of a long dead king? [ Sure. Of course. ] Sounds better than the type of summoning we have in my world. [ Hopefully.... because the summoning where she's from is always a recipe for disaster. ] Why didn't he like staying in his invisible form? Seems like that caused problems.

[ask_whydunit]

Quite important… At the tower there are three factions, all of them are constantly trying to tip the scales to gain more. [ Well, the neutral faction less so… They did send spies around to at least try to keep on top of intel and secure their position. Mostly, they wanted to be left to their own devices to focus on research and their work. Which Waver could understand, honestly. If he could stay out of the rest of the drama, he would. Unfortunately, being tied to the El-Melloi’s meant he didn’t have the luxury. ]

Yes, he was. [ Waver would argue there was much disaster, but more because of the war and those involved than the actual summoning. ] Honestly, you’d think he’d have considered that… It wasn’t like the man didn’t understand strategies. I believe it was because he found it boring and unbecoming of a king to hide in the shadows. He was loud, and stubborn and did what he wanted…

[ He caused so many problems… Between other competitors, and Waver’s cover. Not to mention some very absurd arguments between the two of them. ]

But he got along pretty well with the Mackenzies. He and Glen used to drink together at night before we went out…

[neurotoxicity]

Sounds like the circles are extremely similar then. [ Unfortunately. There was always someone under a Master vampire that was looking to strengthen their own power by taking over. Those smaller undead vampires sometimes made plays for control with the vampires they'd turned. It was both messy and tiring. ]

So he had an ego? [ Could she actually blame the spirit of a long dead king for having an ego though? Depending on how impressive his reign had been, it'd probably be harder to not have an ego than to have one. ] He sounds more than a bit frustrating. Though I guess you lucked out that he got along well with them. Do you still talk to him as well as the Mackenzies?

[ask_whydunit]

Seems like there are a lot of places that have similar aspects, an unfortunate constant, then. [ Curious to think that there were at least similarities between a lot of worlds, but the nature of people probably had something to do with it… ]

He was 6’11” and I’m pretty sure his ego was still bigger than that. Damn oaf was incredibly frustrating sometimes... [ There is zero bite to his words, though. The gripe was more like a habit, with an underlying fondness in his tone. ] But it was lucky that he won them over so easily, considering he refused to stay out of sight.

[ The question gets a decent pause, his tone shifting slightly to something a bit pained compared to the tone he’d used before. ] No… We didn’t win the grail war, and he was struck down by the enemy. [ Waver only survived because the king who defeated Iskandar was moved by his loyalty to the man when he confronted him. ] So his spirit was sent back to the throne of heroes. I… only told the Mackenzies he 'went back to London' to spare them the truth. I think Glen had a vague idea. He realized what we were doing could cost our lives… But it seemed cruel to upset Martha. Glen told me that before we arrived that she didn’t smile much, and we had made her happy so… [ He lied. ]

[neurotoxicity]

Unfortunately. Maybe people are just generally the same.

[ As depressing as that may have seemed ]

6'11? I guess he might have had reason for an ego. At least you got some lucky breaks. [ She kind of wants to meet someone that's 6'11 and able to win people over like that. ]

I suppose a lie like that can't really be faulted. I'm sorry you lost your friend though. Is there no way you can find his spirit?

[ask_whydunit]

Considering the history books had suggested he might have been quite a bit shorter, it was pretty surprising the first time I saw him. [ Especially since Waver had barely been over five feet back then, having not started gaining some height till later. ] But you’re right, we did at least have some luck with the way he won them over.

[ The question gets an uncertain hum. It’s a bit… complicated. ] There is a way... And I’ve spent the last ten years trying to prepare for the chance to summon him back again. The ritual is only able to be performed after a certain amount of years and it’s coming up in a few months, actually… Unfortunately, things had gotten a bit complicated before I arrived here, so I’m not sure what’s going to happen yet… But I do intend to try to see him again someday.

[neurotoxicity]

I thought history usually exaggerated in a leaders favor? [ Surprising that he was taller than expected. ]

Ten years is a long time to prepare for a chance. I hope it works out.

[ask_whydunit]

I asked him something similar myself after he caught me trying to do my own research instead of asking him questions. [ Waver could at least say one thing on the subject of the height difference. ] It would seem that the error was likely born of a few confusing situations. Records of him having met someone even taller than him or the fact that Hephaestion, the man closest to him back then, was sometimes mistaken for him.

[ The subject of Hephaestion was a bit of a puzzle for Waver, though, given he’d just met someone who claimed to be them… Waver should recognize them, having seen Iskandar’s army… But he didn’t. ]

Thank you, even if it doesn’t this time… Well, I’d keep trying to figure something out.

[ A slightly stubborn fool, perhaps, but he didn’t have it in him to give up. ]

[neurotoxicity]

I guess that goes to show how inaccurate recorded history can be. [ Which was a bit interesting to think about. ] Strange that someone else was mistaken for him though. Did he just allow that to happen?

I can understand that resolve. [ She had it in her own way as well. ]

[ask_whydunit]

Makes one wonder what else is wrong, sometimes. [ And he did often, honestly. There were so many stories that he’d read after the fact that he wished he could have asked the man himself about. ] Hephaestion was said to be Iskandar’s closest confident in life, the one he cared about the most. So they were often together, from what I understand. While I’m sure he corrected those who made the mistake, there are some strategic advantages to not being recognized immediately.

[ Well, Waver was curious about that. ] Can you? A similar situation or…?

[neurotoxicity]

Probably more than we realize. [ A lot more if she had to guess, but who could really tell? ] Strategic advantages? Oh, I guess it would be a way to distract potential enemies that might try to do something to him.

Not quite similar, but there is something I've been trying to figure out for a long time. I haven't had much success but I don't want to give up.

[ask_whydunit]

I see, you don’t have to tell me if you’re prefer not. [ Though it was hard to not ask at all. ] But I hope you’ll reach your goal as well. He always insisted even things that seemed unobtainable were worth reaching for, rather than giving up.

[neurotoxicity]

[ She's silent for a seconds. ] When my kind die we become undead vampires. We lose our souls then, become nothing but a monster pretending to remember how to exist. I've been looking for a way to prevent that.

[ask_whydunit]

[ The similarities and the differences between vampires between their worlds was something that never failed to surprise him, really. It seemed like the stages and rules were different in that… ] I see… Where I’m from, while the soul becomes untethered during the early stages, it re-anchors itself with those who last long enough to enter the later stage.

[ One could argue they still weren’t the same person after that… But it still meant they weren’t soulless. Though the church would still see them as abominations, but they saw that of mages as well. Still, it seemed the process was quite different from the kind of vampire Ivy was. ]

I can see why you’d want to find a way and not want to give up on it… And it seems like here there is certainly an odd abundance of varied information from different places. Have you found anything here that might help?

[neurotoxicity]

[ There's something almost depressing about hearing that about his world. ] So they regain their humanity eventually then? Or is the soul not tied to that in your world? [ Maybe there was some difference there she wasn't quite understanding.

Ah, he had to ask that. There's a bit of silence that drags on for a bit. ] No. Nothing so far. I've...mostly given up and gone with focusing on plan B.

[ask_whydunit]

They’re still different from most humans, of course… And those I’ve met tend to operate on a level that one would define as inhuman. But some could say the same of some mages as well. [ Tapping his fingers lightly, he considered the one he knew. ] They still have things they care about, or the capacity to do so in their own way. You described it as being a monster pretending to remember how to exist, and I would say that doesn’t quite line up with the latter stage in my world.

[ Perhaps he shouldn’t have asked, but… Well, it was hard not to. Waver complained about other people, but he was no better sometimes. ] I’m sorry to hear that… What would plan B entail?

[neurotoxicity]

That's very different then. It sounds much better than what our type become. [ Maybe she wouldn't entirely mind that one. Maybe.

That's an awkward question to ask and she does seem a bit...well, she seems to struggle to answer. ] Making a pact with someone to end me a second time should it happen. Not that...not that I'm sure that'd work here.

[ask_whydunit]

[ Waver couldn’t disagree with that. It sounded more unpleasant than most situations he’d heard. Even if the early stages of vampirism in his world were far from pretty, at least it got… better for those who survived it.

He had a feeling that would be her answer, though. Plan B was practical, even if it was sad. ]

No, unfortunately, this world seems to complicate the matter of death… Though one might also wonder if the complications surrounding death might mean something different for you, should it happen?

[ Maybe it negated the process if she was just brought back as she was now, rather than transitioning to the next stage. It wasn’t like one could know until they died, though, and that was an uncertainty that wasn’t comforting. ]

[neurotoxicity]

I...have wondered that. I'm just...[ She trails off and her voice lowers considerably. There's an air of both embarrassment and shame mixed together. ] I've just been too afraid to test it. Becoming permanently stuck like that...the damage I could do to people here isn't worth the risk.

[ask_whydunit]

No, I certainly understand that concern… [ That said, it was unfortunate that she was stuck in an uncertain limbo. Having to be afraid of that complication while here without a backup plan that could work? It had to eat at a person. ] Have you considered talking to the Aspect that handles bringing people back? Maybe he could give you an idea of how his process works.

[ The Aspects seemed like they knew very little from what he heard from people, but… Well, maybe they at least knew more about the jobs they were in charge of doing… Athony, from what he heard, was the one who brought people back. ]

[neurotoxicity]

No, I haven't. I'm afraid to end up with someone else I owe a debt to. I don't know what kind of deal they'd force me into.

[ask_whydunit]

[ That was a reasonable concern to have, but he wondered. ]

I can definitely understand not wanting to be tied to debts… But maybe finding out the terms and if there would be terms expected for the information first would be an option.

[neurotoxicity]

I could try I guess. There's no harm in asking. Unless they're as bad as an undead in my world. Even asking for help can be added to a debt.

[ask_whydunit]

I can’t deny that might be a risk, having never had an opportunity to speak to them myself… Perhaps the best thing to do would be to wait for a time where instead they owe you a favour. Seems like they get themselves into trouble now and again, after all.

[ He recalled the mirror incident where Halcyn disappeared, and apparently had needed someone to bring her back. ]