@anonymous

[unalign]

Has anyone ever lost one of their tethers?

Not find them broken or destroyed, just lose them.

The information on our devices says losing one would plunge me into a Harrowing, but that didn't happen. At least, not that I know of. But it's just gone. Completely gone.

Comments

[windsongs]

[ Look, it wouldn't be her if she didn't try to stick her nose where it probably doesn't belong yet.

But this anonymous stranger just gave her a whole heap to think about, because guess whose hologram cousin lives rent free behind her door. ]

you mean your tether showed up here in the netherworld?

[unalign]

[ hi5, lumine has one more hologram ... thing living rent-free behind her door. so this is very alarming!! ]

They haven't. At least, not that I know of.
I think I'd know if they're here.

[ .................................. well, that's debatable, so. ]

[windsongs]

[ IT'S REALLY UNSETTLING. But at least she knows that Yui is still alive? Not that she would have a reason to die. ]

I'm just gonna assume you've got some magic person-finding powers
which if so, super cool and I probably need to talk to you at some point but
that's even more unsettling that they haven't shown up if that's what usually happens...

hopefully there's just some kind of delay with them showing up

[ A moment pause in messages. ]

sorry that's probably the last thing you want huh?

[unalign]

More like sibling-finding instincts, I'd say, than powers.

[ you know what they say about twins and having a special connection ................................. ]

But yes, if they do show up, it's not really a reunion I was hoping to have.
So I'm wondering if there's any other reason or possibility this had happened.

[windsongs]

that's a thing siblings can do!? that's really cool!!

[ Too bad that instinct doesn't work for any family member, but that isn't the focus here. ]

you haven't let anyone in your room have you?
if you have, they would be the first ones I would ask

[unalign]

I'm not sure if all siblings can do it, but my brother and I have always been connected somehow.

[ even in this world, she's reminded of him and she hates it ]

I haven't.
It's a little complicated, letting them in.

I thought I replied to this...

[windsongs]

that's super sweet. so kind of like a keen sixth sense sort of thing
are you two psychic?

I totally get that, I've only let one other person in
but it might be good to let somebody in
you don't have to give them free reign. you don't even have to give them permission to come in whenever
but tethers disappearing sounds serious

it's okay, i tagged back lateeeee

[unalign]

We're just very close.

[ super close she keeps seeing him EVERYWHERE. anyway. ]

I know, but trusting a person is difficult, isn't it?
Especially with something very precious.

[windsongs]

it is but it's also weirdly reassuring
doesn't hurt that I'm dating mine but that happened after
knowing somebody's got your back no matter what happens is nice

[unalign]

[ man, she cannot imagine dating childe. she'd rather fling herself into oblivium. ]

The only other person from the world I was in prior isn't exactly soulmate material.
I trust them enough to know they'll have my back, but not enough to share a part of myself.

[windsongs]

[ HEY GIRLIE HOLD STILL INTENSIFIES. ]

I get that. that describes a lot of people I know from my world too
believe it or not it kinda helps not being from the same place
not the same SAME place. we're both from Earth but different versions
it's weird

there's really no one here you can rely on?

[unalign]

[ screams no into the void ]

Is that so?

And it's all right, really. I'm used to handling things on my own.

[windsongs]

yeah! there are enough similarities where it feels really familiar
but there's the mystery of what's going to be different. how does one person's Earth compare to the other
it's super weird but really interesting too

I know it probably doesn't mean much
but if things get to be too much and your shadow won't let up you can come find me
look for somebody named Hibiki (that's me!)

[unalign]

Thank you, Hibiki. I'll be sure to remember your name.

[ aha aha aha ]

Well, considering the kind of places my brother and I have been to, there are certain worlds that resemble each other but are still very different from one another.
Parallel universes exist too.

[windsongs]

[ :') ]

You and your brother have seen other worlds?

[ Okay never mind all the depressing death stuff, this is way more her thing! ]

[unalign]

[ omg pls hibiki ]

Yes, though it's been a while since we've traveled together.

[windsongs]

[ pls ask Lumine to tell her more? :D ]

I haven't even been out of Japan and you're going to distant worlds
I bet you have all kinds of interesting stories from your travels together

and will once we all put this place behind us

[unalign]

Japan? Is that what your world is called?

[ and then, there's also earth ... hm. they sound very familiar, truth be told. ]

I won't deny that I do, though a lot of the stories I know of are similar from place to place.
If we ever meet up in person, I can tell you a few if you like.

[windsongs]

Japan is just a country. think of it like a kingdom or a nation
the world I come from is Earth
and before you say anything, there's a lot of us from Earth here but not all the same version
or universe? reality?? who even knows

really?? I'd like that! ❤️
only I don't know who to look for...

[unalign]

You could think of them as leaves growing on the same tree.
The tree spreads its branches out into different universes and will grow leaves that are similar but still different from each other.

[ or well, that's the easiest way to explain it. ]

It's all right, I'll look for you instead.
This world isn't very big compared to the last one I've been to.

[windsongs]

[ That's so poetic what ]

I know there are stories about world trees connecting different realms on Earth
I never would've thought of that for the Earths themselves! I like that!

it's not but I'm kind of short
you might end up missing me depending on where you look

[ Does she think that's going to get anon to reveal themself? Absolutely not. But it doesn't hurt to try. ]

[unalign]

Stories of world trees are more common than you think.

[ which only tells a person the existence of such stories. after all, they're always rooted in some kind of truth. ]

Oh?
Then I'll be able to find you more quicker.