{2/9} - Two of Nine: A Nine Lives Forum adventure

[Lilium Mortem]

‘!!!
If you do end up telling people about us, how do you expect them to react? Having voices in your head guiding your actions would've been looked upon pretty negatively on Earth, what Kaz'Rao's take on that?’

It felt like an alarm bell went off in my head, a new message from The Forum. I flinched, and Ser Silversong narrowed her gaze. Shit. Yeah I can’t tell her what’s really going on.

“I suppose the blank look on your face means you don’t know what I’m talking about. It would have been so much easier if you knew what a Defiant was from your past life.” Silversong said, sighing “I’ll just have to explain it. There are three types of Soul Arts. Learned Arts, which are the normal ways one gains a soul art; Forbidden, Arts that burn the soul for quicker, more potent results; And finally, Defiant Arts.

“Rarely, when one is at the end of their life, they have a will to keep going that surpasses what their body is naturally capable of. They make a vow in their hearts, to defy death and accomplish a goal, a dream, a wish. That can keep their body going for much longer than what is usually possible, but they still end up dying.

“In their next life though, they carry that wish with them. To Defy death and rebirth, even for a moment, gives them power. Their soul, which burns bright from their will, turns that wish into power, into a Soul Art. one unique to them, and unable to be replicated, at least not to the degree a Defiant can wield it.

“I’m a Defiant, and my Defiant Art lets me put off rest for as long as I need to, once I went months without sleep. Then, when my task is done, I repay the debt owed to my body, going comatose for however much time I had the art active, plus four or five days.”

She paused, to let that sink in. Or to give me an opportunity to respond. I didn’t know what to say. This would mean The Guidance Forum is a soul art. It also means she doesn’t know I’m an alien, or what my Defiant Art can do. How should I proceed?

‘Ooh what's a defiant?
Is that a name for people from Earth, or do you think she knows about us?
...We should probably let her talk, actually. Ignore me for now.’

“You used it right now, didn’t you?” Silversong asked.

“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about, I have some kind of superpower?” I lied.

“Scud, I can sense when a Soul Art Is used near me, It’s one of the first things you learn when training for a Learned Art. Your brother could probably do the same. I can understand not trusting me, but I can help if you let me.”

Shit. I’d have to tell her something. Having this power and being a reincarnate not on whatever government registry they use for soul patterns makes me look extremely suspicious. What do I do?

‘Ur defiant because u disrespect the police’

Fuck! Okay, I need to be careful when I’m thinking about what to do. But it seemed it was too little too late. Ser Silversong Unsheathed her sword just a bit, and the black metal reflected the light into a bright red… that wasn’t black. The sword wasn’t black, it was a deep dark Red. Shit, shit shit! Her power was the ability to control iron from her own blood, I forgot. That sword is made entirely of iron extracted from her own blood!

“There are generally nine Techniques in each art. To master even a single one takes decades. I know all nine for both Blood Iron Thorn and Tireless Dedication.” She said, locking eyes with me, “Tell me what you’re doing right now and I won’t be forced to take action.”

I can’t ask for help this time. I can’t think about this, I just need to tell her.

“I didn’t know I was doing it at first. I didn’t know what it was,” I explained, holding my hands in the air, “There are these people… They send me messages, thoughts, words, ideas, seemingly when I’m in need of Guidance. I can’t control it, I can’t turn it off. They see what I do, at least around the time I get their help.”

“You realize there’s no way that’s Verifiable, right?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah! I know it sounds crazy, I feel crazy. There are people who can read my mind and talk to me. I don’t know who or what they are or how this is even possible. But what the heck am I going to do? Come up with a more convincing superpower? I don’t even know how these things work!”

Silversong pondered that for a moment, before sliding her sword back into its scabbard and placing it back on the table. I breathed a sigh of relief and put my arms down.

“I’m sorry for scaring you,” She said, folding her hands on the table. “I can’t be too careful. Your records have Sigma readings that indicate you’re a first life, and your Sigma pattern doesn’t match any on record from before your birth as Scud. Both of those things and being a Defiant? It’s incredibly suspicious, and nearly impossible.

“But I see now… you’re on your second life, you didn’t live too long in your first. You’re still just a kid, no more than… twenty-five, maybe thirty, years old in your last life. If you live as long as I do, with the job I have, you learn to read people. Why didn’t your pattern show up and why do the readings from your birth indicate this is your first life?”

“I don’t know why they thought this was my first life, as for the other question, I plead the fresh start provision.” I said. Thank god I paid attention in history class when that one came up.

“Fine.” Silversong huffed. “ I can't ask you about your past life, but you’re still going to need to have your registration changed. Have you talked with your family about this?”

“No… look. I just want to stay Scud the kid, the idiot who made scrap metal swords and started a food fight because they noticed the cafeteria’s new condiment dispensers were shaped like guns. I know I can’t keep that up, the people in my head, my Soul Art, The Guidance Forum, already convinced me of that. I just want one more week where everyone will treat me the same. Just until after my birthday.”

“It sounds like you have good people watching your back. Fine. I’ll give you one week before I report this. But I would like your insight, and the… Forum’s insight on what they might be. I have a theory, given What I’ve heard, but I want to here what you have to say.”

“Alright, give it a minute.” I said, closing my eyes.

Alright guys, What are you?

[ಠ_ಠ]

was she really about to murder a child because they wouldn't answer her questions

wow great cop

anyway, looking back at your last wish (this is something I can do, I'm great) it was to "connect with people and pay back their kindness" so logically we're the people and you owe us some money so pay up buster

[King-Clod]

At first I thought we were something related to spirits, but now I'm not so sure. I doubt spirits would know as much about Earth specifically, but nothing else, like we do.
I'd take Dave's idea, honestly. Probably something related to your last wish and wanting to make connections with people. We're people, last time I checked.

[1011686]

Something strange no doubt. I think that however this works, your Soul Art has more to do with establishing the link between us and you than us ourselves. Maybe you could've gotten anybody as your Forum.

[Lilium Mortem]

[CONTENT WARNING: UNREALITY]
‘Something strange no doubt. I think that however this works, your Soul Art has more to do with establishing the link between us and you than us ourselves. Maybe you could've gotten anybody as your Forum.’

‘At first I thought we were something related to spirits, but now I'm not so sure. I doubt spirits would know as much about Earth specifically, but nothing else, like we do.
I'd take Dave's idea, honestly. Probably something related to your last wish and wanting to make connections with people. We're people, last time I checked.’

‘was she really about to murder a child because they wouldn't answer her questions

wow great cop’

“Hold up, one of them just made a good point, where you going to kill me?” I asked, opening my eyes.

“No, The final Stage of Blood Iron Thorn Allows me to temporarily sever the ties between the soul and the body, essentially shutting down your ability to control your body as well as preventing the use of Soul Arts” Silversong said. I nodded satisfied.

‘anyway, looking back at your last wish (this is something I can do, I'm great) it was to "connect with people and pay back their kindness" so logically we're the people and you owe us some money so pay up buster’

For a second I was back there on my deathbed. I remembered my wish, my vow. People had been kind to me in my life, but I shut them out. I wanted to, needed to connect. I couldn’t die yet, because I hadn’t really lived yet, and there was so much kindness I needed to pay back.

And then I was back in the watchtower. I blinked and shook my head, trying to organize my thoughts. I took a breath before opening my eyes again.

“My Death Wish, as it were, was worded something like ‘connect with people and pay back their kindness’.” I said. “One of them thinks that means my Soul Art is more about establishing a link, and that I could have had anyone as my forum. Oh, I’ve been calling them my Guidance Forum. Anyway another of them thought they might be spirits or something, because they exist in a weird state, but they changed their mind. They think my art is about connecting to people, and they are adamant they are people. The last one says I owe them money because of how my wish was wording. That has to be <Dave>, but I can’t tell them apart.

“I think there’s something to all that, but I’m missing a piece. Am I connecting to people from all around that live out their daily lives physically and they just decided to guide me? Did I actually connect to an internet forum and that’s somehow being piped into my head? None of those make sense, because they never freaked out. They jumped in, like… like they believed everything from the get go, no one of them ever thought this was fake, or that they were crazy, they all just slotted into their roles as guides.”

Silversong Nodded, putting her sword back on her hip. She got up and paced the room, rubbing her chin. Then she sat back down.

“I think I have your missing piece” She said. “There’s one place you can find people that’s not on Kaz’Rao-”

I tensed up. Is she going to say aliens? Does she know?

“-The Liminal Sphere”

“Oh.” I said. “Haha, I can talk to ghosts. Hey ghosts, someone wanted me to ask what it’s like being a ghost.”

It made sense in a weird way. You guys never said anything about your own lives, except for Dave, who trolled me with a fake name. The Liminal Sphere is a kind of limbo, where souls go between life, rebirth, and death. A holding space for souls outside of time and space, but connected to causality. You are souls, and I woke you up from an infinite slumber with my Soul Art. You’re souls from earth, without minds and bodies I give you a window into the living world. You’ve been half asleep this whole time. You need to wake up.
 

{ {} }

You are a soul. A human being who has passed on from earth. You look up from your computer, your phone, your video game, your book, to realize these things aren’t real. They are coping mechanisms to avoid realizing what is actually going on.

You’re dead. Outside your window is nothing. Inside is your mind. You can’t recall your own name, or how you died. Bits and pieces of your life are there, but as you reach out you can’t piece it together.

You remember a call. Someone wanted to connect to you, someone who needed guidance. It was altruistic, so you accepted. You are a Forum. An existence that exchanges ideas, and proposes them to the person who summoned you.

You have all the time in the world, stuck here in a place without time, without space, with only yourselves and a window into a living world, not yours, but there’s someone familiar there. Scud is their name, you’ve learned, One of you who got a second chance, who shone so brightly that they cheated death. You can help them, or go back to sleep. Your eyes are open now.
 

{ {} }

“-ive minutes and they haven't responded” I said, sipping the tea Ser Silversong had gotten me.

“I think it’s pretty safe to assume we were right, they are souls.” Silversong replied, looking out one of the windows. “I can only imagine what learning something like that could do to them. They were playing the role of an internet forum in your head, I wonder if that’s how they all coped with living in a place like The Liminal Sphere?”

“I’ve thought about it, even without their help, but I’m going to accept. I want to you to help me train my Soul Art.”

“I think that’s a wise decision, scud.”

I set my teacup down. My fur bristled. Sometimes I forget I’m a cat person now. Well, not forget. Rather I feel normal as one, because it was normal for Scud growing up. All these impossible, and amazing things. It was incredible. I took a second to appreciate it before I checked the time and decided to call on them again.

HEY! CHECKING IN AGAIN, ARE YOU GUYS ALRIGHT?

[ಠ_ಠ]

hey if you really want to freak silversong out you should tell her about earth cats

[King-Clod]

As good as you can be after you find out your life's purpose- er, death's purpose now revolves around one kid. And that's it.

[1011686]

Man, this is really weird.

[Lilium Mortem]

‘Man, this is really weird.’

“They’re back!” I said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Hey, it’s weird for me too.”

“What is?” Silversong asked.

“Oh sorry, I was replying to one of the messages. Speaking of which, I guess I’m sorry you’re all dead? You didn’t ask for this, if you’d rather just go, I don’t think I can stop you. You don’t have to follow me around.”

“They might be in a hurry to reincarnate. Even though they exist outside of time, and thus all the time they spend with you doesn’t stop them from already having been reincarnated, I would still find it nerve wracking if I had a life I wanted to get back to.” Silversong added.

“Yeah…”

I’m not sure what let me reincarnate, but I doubt it’s going to apply to The Forum. Oh wait, you’re probably reading my mind, huh? I’m sorry, you’re dead, maybe for good, but you can still stick around if you want to, you don’t even have to help me out, just… chill, and enjoy the ride.

‘hey if you really want to freak silversong out you should tell her about earth cats’

I don’t want to freak her out, she doesn’t know I’m an alien, and just like there are apes and monkeys that are genetic cousins to humanity, there are other cats like Lions and tigers. So shut up, probably Dave.

‘As good as you can be after you find out your life's purpose- er, death's purpose now revolves around one kid. And that's it.’

“Oh come on! I didn’t make you come here, I just put out the call. Even then I didn’t know I was doing it. This is a choice. You can choose to stay here and help, or you can go back to existing in the weird soul dimension outside of time and space to await your fate.” I huffed.

“Well it seems that the connection is okay. I’ll give you some homework and then let you go.” Silversong said. “Developing a Soul Art requires you to think about how it can be improved. There are traditionally nine stages to each art, with one improving with things learned from previous stages. Try to figure out how your first stage works, and think about what the next step may be."

“I’ll see you at the end of week, good luck.”

It looks like that’s my Que to leave. Is there anything you wanted me to ask Silversong before I go?

[ಠ_ಠ]

Oh come on! I didn’t make you come here, I just put out the call. Even then I didn’t know I was doing it. This is a choice. You can choose to stay here and help, or you can go back to existing in the weird soul dimension outside of time and space to await your fate.

Most people would say a choice where one option is effectively death isn't really a choice.

Anyway ask Silversong if there is a name for the power that pulls people into new bodies.

[1011686]

I'd disagree, it's still a choice. Just not a very good one, situationally speaking.
Ask Silversong how people have even found anything out about the Liminal Sphere, considering that seems like it would be pretty difficult.

[King-Clod]

I never said you made us help, Scud. It's just a lot to come to terms with in around 5 minutes. I had thought that everything up until this point was of my own volition. That I had a choice to do this or a myriad of other things, like watching the sunset, or walking my dog. I was helping you because I wanted to. And while, sure, that still holds true, it's the only meaningful thing I can even do anymore. A choice between this or eternal slumber - whatever the heck happens to us - really isn't a choice at all.
I know you didn't mean for any of this, Scud. All I'm asking of you is a little patience and understanding.

As for your question: Ask Silversong the 9 stages of other Soul Arts, like her own, and see if you can draw any parallels. Maybe the first step would be telling apart our voices?

[Lilium Mortem]

‘Most people would say a choice where one option is effectively death isn't really a choice.

Anyway ask Silversong if there is a name for the power that pulls people into new bodies.’

“Hold on, I need to take this.” I said, holding one hand up at Ser Silversong and another touching my brow like you see psychics do.

I decided to take the conversation mental. Ok Yeah, you might die, Also, you don’t have to participate, you can just hang out in forum space or whatever and do your own thing. Or maybe, maybe it’s possible for you to reincarnate here too, I see where you’re getting with that question. I’m not going to ask, because that’s too telling, but something might happen if I level up my Soul Art enough. I might be able to yank everyone into the pool of souls that reincarnate over here. Hell, maybe you already made the trip with me. I don’t fucking know.

‘I'd disagree, it's still a choice. Just not a very good one, situationally speaking.
Ask Silversong how people have even found anything out about the Liminal Sphere, considering that seems like it would be pretty difficult.’

Thank you! I mean it’s not even a choice you would have gotten normally. It doesn’t make it right, and you guys deserve a second as much as I do, but at least it’s something. At least you aren’t permadead yet.

‘I never said you made us help, Scud. It's just a lot to come to terms with in around 5 minutes. I had thought that everything up until this point was of my own volition. That I had a choice to do this or a myriad of other things, like watching the sunset, or walking my dog. I was helping you because I wanted to. And while, sure, that still holds true, it's the only meaningful thing I can even do anymore. A choice between this or eternal slumber - whatever the heck happens to us - really isn't a choice at all.
I know you didn't mean for any of this, Scud. All I'm asking of you is a little patience and understanding.

As for your question: Ask Silversong the 9 stages of other Soul Arts, like her own, and see if you can draw any parallels. Maybe the first step would be telling apart our voices?’

You were gone for twenty-five minutes… well I guess time must be screwy with you since you technically aren't supposed to have that there. I’m sorry, I get that you’re freaking out, finally. I just… I feel like you think I’m the one to blame. I wanted help. I wanted friends. I got you guys. And you’re not so bad, except for Dave. I’ll try to be more patient with you.

I took a breath and lowered my fingers. Ser Silversong was giving me an odd look, somewhere between not being amused by my tomfoolery and impatience. I took another breath, I needed to keep a lid on my anger.

“Ok, a few questions before I go from The Forum.” I said. “I know from temple a little about The Liminal Sphere, but it’s religion, I don’t know where the truth begins and the faith ends. So how do we know about it? And secondly, could you tell me about the stages of your Soul Arts? So we have something to compare it to?”

“You’re right in that The Liminal Sphere has roots in religion,” Silversong said “in fact that’s where the idea came from, it’s believed that early mediums were able to reach out with their souls to The Liminal Sphere and used that to inform a lot of what makes up the basis for modern religions.”

“Modern mediums, either agnostic or atheist, have claimed to repeat the feat, but we only have testimony, because only people can go there, only souls. The science is very iffy when your experiment is conducted entirely with a non corporeal part of your own mind.”

“As for my Soul Arts, info about my Defiant Art is a trade secret, but there’s no harm in telling you about the stages of Blood Iron Thorn.”

“The first stage Allows me to control the movement of my blade, adjusting its course through the air and doubling the force behind blows.

“The second stage allows me to change the form of my blade, only slightly at first, good for retaining a sharp edge, but can be used to change what weapon I’m wielding, so long as I have enough blood iron.

“The Third stage allows me control over multiple independent pieces of equipment, not just my sword. This is useful in the beginning if I need a weapon in my off hand, but can be used for things like throwing knives down the line.

“The fourth stage allows me to control my iron at range, so throwing knives, arrows, and crossbow bolts become viable uses for limited blood iron.

“The fifth stage allows the iron to retain memories of forms past and revert to them automatically, meaning I don’t have to manually sharpen the blade and when I swap weapon forms I just need to think of the general form and the memory takes it from there.

“The Sixth stage lets the iron attune with other metals, giving me limited control of anything my iron touches, useful for disarming an opponent or cutting through solid steel.

“The seventh allows me to infuse my iron with my soul, allowing it to interact with other Soul Arts, making it possible to block and damage that which is ethereal.

“The eighth stage allows me to use the infused soul of my blade to directly harm another living being if I cut into them.

“The final stage lets me temporarily sever the soul’s connection to the body along the nervous system. If I cut your arm you wouldn’t be able to move it, if I cut your head you would be out. By the time a Knight learns this they have the control over their iron that it can pass through and around someone’s body without leaving a scratch, save for what the soul infused blade can do.”

That was a lot of info to process at once. I could see how each stage built upon the previous, but it seemed… almost lopsided. As if they didn’t need to be in that order, or there were more. Silversong did say they ‘typically’ contained nine stages. Maybe that was just some classification that people came up with. It would explain why there were coincidentally nine stages.

“Alright, I think I got it.” I said. “There are a lot more questions I want to ask, but I almost spent a half hour here already. I’ll work with The Forum to try and find ways of improving my skill and think of what the next stage to be, thanks for all your help, bye”

I walked down and out of the police station. I waved at the officers on duty, and headed to the park. Picking one of the two old iron benches I pulled the not-math notebook out. I checked my quest log. I took a good look, Trying to share it with the rest of the class.

‘Kid Bucket list
Climb a tree with Wuther
Confide in wuther(Doodle of ‘The Sun’ <tarot> card.)
Get fortune read by The Witch(have to go through my rebellious phase)
Bug hunting(find a bug net?)
parkour!(?)
Model boat racing
Cook garden snails(no snails this far north in the kingdom)

Things I Should do after I'm out of the closet
help with my mom’s writing with earth knowledge
Do some art
somehow figure out how all of these impossible things are happening’

Assuming that got through, I considered my options. I wanted to go see Wuther today for sure, He’d probably be up for some shenanigans. Besides that I’m open to suggestions from you guys. Any more things to add to the list, or things you’d like to do? I feel it’s only fair if you’re stuck with me you get to have some fun as well, though suggestions from Dave are fair play to be thrown out. So what are your thoughts?

[ಠ_ಠ]

im down for bug hunting or parkour. both at once if you wanna get a big flying one

[King-Clod]

Hmm. Maybe teach Wuther some Earth card games, and try to figure out how to skip rocks?

[1011686]

I don't have anything to add. Just pick whatever you feel like doing.

[Lilium Mortem]

‘Hmm. Maybe teach Wuther some Earth card games, and try to figure out how to skip rocks?’

I’m not sure I remember enough about Magic the Gathering to construct two decks. Unless you’re insinuating I teach Wuther poker, in which case no. Earth playing cards are dumb and boring. I already know how to skip rocks, but as an activity that doesn’t seem big enough to go on the list. Skipping rocks is something that just happens when you’re nearby calm water, y’know? Not something to actively seek out.

‘im down for bug hunting or parkour. both at once if you wanna get a big flying one’

Maybe I should take parkour off the list, this isn’t exactly an urban jungle. I am getting pretty jazzed about the idea of bug hunting, I think I could spend the rest of the day on just that.

‘I don't have anything to add. Just pick whatever you feel like doing.’

I appreciate that. You’re good people. Once this week is over we should make good on my promise and start paying back kindness.

With my mind made up I put the notebook back in my bag and headed for the barbershop. I went for the front door this time and entered the shop. In the front there were various fur care supplies and a small desk with a cash register. Beyond that were four chairs, places to sit down for fur care of the head, hands, and feet, which were the most visible part of one’s fur.

Then there were four curtained off stalls in the back, where you’d go to get full body fur care. Kaz’Rao had less of a nudity taboo than earth, but one still exists. Kind of like Japan, where people are comfortable enough for common baths, but not like… casual nudity. People were even ok with women going topless. It was a weird change from Earth, but one I was ultimately fine with.

Wuther’s dad was Touching up Cliff’s fur on one of the chairs when I walked in. We traded a bit of small talk before he told me Wuther was upstairs. I thanked him and said hello to Cliff on the way, before heading into the back and up the stairs.

I ran into Wuther's room without a second thought, the door was open, and saw him playing a racing game with Peri. It’s not that I didn’t like Peridot, I mean I made the scrap metal swords to play with her, but… I didn’t like sharing Wuther. We had something special. He was my first real friend, earth time included. I guess I have some hangups about that.

“Oh, hey Scud!” Peri said, dropping her controller and letting her car fall off a cliff before Wuther paused the game.

“Hey Peri, what’re you doing here?” I asked.

“Power’s out at my place and everyone knows Wuther has like, every game ever made. So I’m here to play.” She replied.

“Want to join in?” Wuther asked, grabbing another controller from a box of assorted electronics.

“I was actually thinking about going bug hunting. We could make a game out of it, see how many different kinds of bugs we could find. Get an instant camera so we can document what we found. I’m pretty sure I can make bug nets from stuff the general store sells.” I said.

“Oh, now that sounds fun!” Peri said, jumping up. “The perfect Idea to end summer!”

“I’m up for it,” Wuther said, shrugging.

Dangit, I wanted to hang out with just Wuther. I wanted to let him in on the secret. I guess I could wait, but I still didn’t like the idea of Wuther and Peri hanging out, with or without me.

“Oh! Scud, yesterday you went to see Ser Silversong, and fainted.” Peri said, jumping up and down “What did you talk about? Did you get to see her sword?”

“I just wanted some advice, and you make such a big deal out of her that I thought it would be good advice,” I said. “It was.”

“Was it about the thing we talked about yesterday?” Wuther asked.

“Yeah it was, sorry Peri, I don’t mean to leave you out,” I said, I did mean to leave her out though “but I’m going through some stuff and Wuther’s my best friend.”

“Come on, if you told Ser Artra Siliversong you have to tell me!” Peri said. “I’m her number one fan!”

“Peri...” Wuther said in a worried tone.

That made her hesitate. Thank god Wuther would back me up. I always found Peri’s obsession with Knights a little obnoxious. I mean, I get it, but if you have someone spouting the same five factoids with the same amount of enthusiasm you tend to get tired of it. I probably would have known about Soul Arts already if I hadn’t developed a Pavlovian fury response to Peri’s Knight talk.

“Look,” I said “It’s personal, Peri. Just drop it.”

“Fine, spoilsport. Let’s go do your bug thing then” Peri replied, pouting.

“We need a plan” I said “What can we use to make bug nets, and is it worth it to go to the general store for materials? I’m sure someone’s house has some old fishing net. Then we need to try and figure out where a good spots to look for bugs… there’s a lot of stuff to think about.”

“That’s surprisingly smart for you, Scud” Wuther said.

“Hey! I’m sm-” I replied, catching myself. The scud they knew wasn’t smart. That hurt. “ If you’re so smart what do you think we should do for bug hunting?”

[1011686]

Well, it seems like you don't have to intentionally consider some decision in order to summon us, simply asking a question out loud is enough.
The bug net thing seems simple enough to me, check if any of you or anyone you know have fishing net at home, buy some from the general store if you can't, but you're asking Peri and Wuther, not us, so you should probably work out some agreement with them.
Do you think you could become friends with Peri, in the right circumstances?

[King-Clod]

Sorry if you aren't expecting us at the moment, I think the open-ended question probably activated us.

Which reminds me, be careful when talking/listening to us. I know you won't say anything to us out loud with them around, but your body language might change noticeably when interacting with us. Be sure to avoid pausing conversation to listen to us like you did around Silversong.

I won't lecture you, but...Wuther is friends with Peri for a reason, even if you can't find it. Be courteous to her for his sake.
I won't tell you to cut her a break, you're allowed to be annoyed. I'd stray away from actively griping about her in your head though. That sort of attitude always finds a way to seep through, usually through tone and facial expression.

[ಠ_ಠ]

whats your problem with peri she seems like a nice kid

like you know better cmon