To All Heroes Who Read Their Files

[acceptedoblivion]

[He isn't really the type of person who writes this kind of stuff, especially back when he had to stay in the shadows whenever he did try to help someone. But just this once (now that he's cooled off), he'll make an exception.]

I might be new to this place and be a bit more in the dark than the rest of you, but hear me out. I don't know what worlds you came from or what you've seen. Don't care to, either. But that won't stop others trying to use your pasts (and possible futures) against us. I'm referring to Palitutu, who had our files apparently before any of us ever arrived. At least she did for me and the rest of us who showed up recently.

I don't know how many of you withdrew, and I won't ask. How we handle our pasts is up to us. But I will say this: The future is never set in stone. Nor should we let anything in the past we don't remember define us. Don't give up or break just because someone decided to be a scarily-accurate creep. At least that's what I think.

Oh, and one more thing: How do you put out a grease fire? One of my housemates may have tried putting water on one.

- Ira

Comments

[neverfirstclass]

Ira,

I'm glad someone else thinks so. Some others from Gaia come from my future and...well I'm still hoping that we can change some of my and Sephiroth's future. Please don't tell him I said this though.

Also, I think you're supposed to smother them? Are you all okay?

Cloud

[acceptedoblivion]

Cloud,

Believe me, I won't tell him anything about this. Haven't even come across the guy yet, though I know a version from one of your possible futures thanks to where I was before. It's part of why I don't believe the future's truly set, but it gets too complicated to explain in a letter that our moogles are probably reading. (I know Lin is. Yes, I can see you hovering over my shoulder.)

We're okay. Bangs may be slightly singed, but the only thing really damaged is our pride and maybe the pan.

- Ira

[neverfirstclass]

Ira,

Yeah, that's fine. Mako's been giving me looks too. I'm guessing...the Sephiroth you knew was a bit...crueler than the one here.

Anyway, if you ever want to talk about this or just practice Triple Triad some more let me know. Last time was fun.

Cloud

[acceptedoblivion]

Cloud,

I can't say for certain since again, haven't met the one here and only other person I've spoken to who's mentioned him is named Yuffie. What I will say is I did work with the one I knew in a way, albeit indirectly. Didn't care much for morals, just progress.

I'll keep that in mind! Though I think once Saori sees this Ven and I are going to be grounded for a month. Or worse.

- Ira

[damn_juicebox]

[That's...disconcerting. It takes time for Moogles to deliver letters. Does that mean his house is now on fire? Please don't be on fire, Ira.]

Ira,

Well said, regarding the files.

Is the fire still burning?

~Rukia Kuchiki

[Her only suggestion is to use way more water, but she doesn't know anything about that sort of stuff.]

[acceptedoblivion]

[Well, as they say...

]

Thanks. Saw too many give up because of some big revelation for any span of time. Something tells me we don't have the luxury of time here, either.

We got it put out eventually after smothering it. Adding water was not the best idea we had today.

- Ira

[damn_juicebox]

[You humans and your racist depiction of spirits!]

Ira,

I'm relieved that you and your house remain unscathed. I hope you are feeling better as well. The details in the files can be unnervingly personal.

~Rukia

[acceptedoblivion]

[please until two weeks or so ago he was just a floating soul orb in an even more fake body]

Rukia,

I wouldn't say I "feel better", but we can't let what someone may know about us that we didn't stop us. I can't let it stop me.

- Ira

[Huh. Maybe he was talking from personal experience, after all.]

[headfons]

Ira,

I don't know you, but I think I really... needed this. So thank you.

Even if I'm not proud of a lot of what happened in my past, I will say I don't regret any of it. I guess it's really just some kind of reflex, that I try to keep it all hidden away. At this point, I can't say I'd change anything.

Since, hey, I wouldn't be where I am if it hadn't all happened the way it did.

Anyway, sorry to go into all that... I'm Luke, by the way. Welcome to Crystallis. I arrived with the first group, over a year ago. If you've got any questions, feel free to ask. This place can get a little confusing and weird at times (as you're probably already aware), but it isn't so bad.

I always cover grease fires in salt.

-Luke

[acceptedoblivion]

Luke,

Nice to meet you, Luke. And don't thank me. All I did was something that any other person could have. Considering this is the second time I've heard of someone keeping files on people without their knowledge, I couldn't not.

Some things are better left unsaid unless you trust them, anyway.

I'll keep it in mind, but for now... I'm more concerned about the immediate future. Saori just got back and-

[The letter stops there. Probably because aforementioned Angry and Concerned Housemate.]

[headfons]

Ira,

I'm going to ahead and assume you didn't leave the letter incomplete on purpose.

Hopefully everything's okay...?

-Luke

[acceptedoblivion]

Luke,

Housemate returned while writing. Moogle took off out the window regardless. We are fine, just got drilled on proper kitchen safety about five hundred times.

- Ira

[And attached is a note from the aforementioned moogle.]

Dear Luke,

Forgive me for having delivered the previous correspondence before Ira could finish. I was more concerned that it wouldn't be finished due to her rigid instructions on baking fish, kupo!

- Moglin

[needsteaplz]

[Brigid, Saori's moogle, watched as her hero went from calm to terrified in a blink of an eye. She managed to catch some of her rapid talk and managed to scribble it down.]

Ira,

Saori says to either smolder it or dump the jar of baking soda on it. She doesn't look very happy by the way. I suggest running once you put the fire out. Couldn't stop her. Sorry.

-Brigid

[Before Brigid could even fly off with the reply, Saori ran out from the police station and over the rooftops. Bless the ninja job for having such high speed stats. She almost kicked the poor front door off its hinges before making a bee line for the kitchen. Instead of anger in her voice, it was worry.]

A-are you guys alright?!

[makingfriends]

[Fortunately, by now the pan is just a slightly smoldering, charred mess lying in the sink and there's no threat of anything catching on fire again soon.

Unfortunately, Ven can't just let things be, and he's undertaken the task of trying to scrape the last of the blackened food pieces out of the skillet with a spatula, super determined to get this cleaned up before the girls get home -- but when the front door slams open, he jumps about a foot in the air and manages to drop the thing, which hits the counter with bang, bounces onto the floor with a couple louder bangs, and then comes to a rest right as Saori enters, all while while burnt food flakes and soap suds get scattered over the tile.

MOM'S HOME]

Uh--!

[acceptedoblivion]

We're fine! [He calls out as he hears the door bang open, a bit of color draining from his already-pale face.] Kitchen's great- Well, the fish isn't, but we're fine.

[What's a small fire between friends right? ...Right?

Ven why you gotta have butter fingers.]

[makingfriends]

You didn't mention that you started the fire.

[HEY ROOMMATE while Ven was searching around the house for something better than water to use (and rapidly consulting a couple of the cookbooks that Rae brought him from the library last week) you can bet he caught your moogle on the way out.

So excuse him if he looks and sounds a tad skeptical as he rejoins you in the danger zone crime scene kitchen.]

[acceptedoblivion]

Well, I'm not the one who poured water on grease.

[Don't mind him, rummaging through the kitchen in an attempt to find a lid or something they can try to at least put on top of the pan and make sure the fire doesn't spread outside said pan.]

[makingfriends]

But I did something! [Yeah, "something" is called making it worse, Ven. What points you gained for having such quick reflexes were lost in the penalty for making that fire twice as big as it was.] What kind of fire doesn't go out with water, anyway?

[He (carefully) glances in at the pan to check its stat--yep, still burning.]

Did anyone answer?

[2hell_weride]

Ira,

I know pretty damn well about the 'future is not set in stone' situation. I've seen, and fought, people who came from the future, only for that future to actually stop existing while they were back in time. Time is a pretty weird and fucked up thing.

Best I can say is live for now, and do what you want when you want. And sometimes trying to fight the future is exactly what brings it about.

As for the fire, cover it, because water will only spread the grease around. Or magic I guess?

-MarKus Haley; Haley's Anvil.

[acceptedoblivion]

MarKus Haley,

Good to know I'm not the only one who knows. Aside from, you know, the circumstances. Thanks for saying pretty much what I did. Maybe you should say that for your fellow heroes, huh?

We got it; thanks. Unfortunately I don't think our housemates would appreciate a frozen kitchen, either.

-Ira

[A bit snippy, but snark does not really convey well in writing.]

[2hell_weride]

Ira,

I could preach all day an explain as much logic as I could from it, but people from different worlds and walks are going to believe what they want, and frankly I have too many weapons and building materials to make rather than spending my time just... talking to people about time-space fuckery.

-MarKus

[shinrasfinest]

[It felt like it's worth a reply, but what are words. Hence the day-late response.]

Ira,

I don't know you, and you don't know me but I'd still like to extend my gratitude for the message that you sent, regardless.

~Sephiroth

[acceptedoblivion]

[Honestly with how much delay is going on with the mognet the last couple of days he's been surprised with how he's gotten several responses so quickly. Not to mention the name penned at the very end. Well, so much for not having run into the Sephiroth currently on this particular world.

Heck, saying that this letter was almost half a day late due to the resulting awkwardness (and the aforementioned delays) would be an understatement. In fact this isn't even the first attempt at writing this response.]

Sephiroth,

Don't mention it. I only said that what I know to be true: too many have faltered because of some revelation for someone like me not to speak up.

- Ira

[thegreatninja]

Ira...

It's hard to believe that the future isn't set in stone when you've already seen it... I don't know what to believe anymore. I've always been in control of my future or... I thought I was.

For the fire put dirt or flour on it. If it can't breathe it will go out.

[The letter isn't signed.]

[acceptedoblivion]

[Considering that the letter isn't signed, he asks that the moogle wait so hopefully his response will find the right "hero". If not, then... (and it becomes lost in Mail Hell.)]

Thanks for the tip. We got it under control. Maybe for the "future" I should explain what I mean.

In the place I was before this world, people from all times and walks of life were brought there from their destroyed homeworlds. Time ceased to be, and the rules that governed them were mere illusions. Multiples of the same people appeared. Some who's times started out the same, but one choice they picked altered theirs from another's from the same world. Some changed their fate because of it, or remained the same from as others witnessed. What the files show is only one particular path. It's up to everyone else how to change it.

At least that's how it worked in a world of lost souls.

Wish I could say more, but this was all I could glean from was in my file and what I witnessed. Hope this finds you, whoever you are.

- Ira