Dead Memories

Characters: Cali, Mori, Basil

Day 1, Evening

— Mori—

Cynosure was… exhausting. Mori has never felt so thoroughly ignored while also feeling the weight of constant threat. Stepping over the Hyacinth’s threshold hit her like a physical weight dropping from her shoulders and she takes a deep breath. She listens to the others plan for the next day, weighing the potential dangers of trusting the stranger with a cane against the possible benefits. As the discussion winds down, she quietly separates from the group and returns to her room, leaning her scythe against the wall and dropping heavily to her cot. She stares at her starry ceiling and feels the tension slowly fade from her muscles.

— Cali —

Cali watches Mori leave as the discussion slowly begins to hit an end. Even though she had argued on behalf of the strange man, she felt a lingering uneasy feeling that they were doing all this wrong. Cynosure was just so offputting; every move felt scrutinized and she couldn’t help but overthink each choice. 

But this she knew was right. She needed to touch base with Mori after the other night. After all, she had made claims and hadn’t been able to support them. So she finds herself in front of Mori’s door, knocking softly. “Mori, bestie! May I come in?”

— Mori—

Mori sits up, seeing Cali at her door, holding the scythe Ame had made.

“Of course.” She scrutinizes Cali’s expression. The way the guide had ignored them had seemed to upset Cali throughout their introduction to the Wayfarers. “Are you okay?”

— Cali —

Cali makes a startled expression without meaning to, somehow caught off guard by Mori’s question. “Yes, I just. Don’t like this place. I don’t like the way they are looking at this group.” And then, with a mischievous smile, she adds. “But it is funny to watch Moss have to put on a character to be our representative. Moss, famous Wayfarer fan.” 

Cali places the original Scythe beside Mori’s new one, then invites herself in, sitting cross-legged on the bed. “Are you okay?”

— Mori—

Mori smiles a little in return to Cali’s mischievous expression. “Yes, I don’t think they ever imagined this situation back on the Semachos. Back then, they wouldn’t even eat unless told to.” 

Her smile drops at Cali’s next question. “Yes. So far. This place is… uncomfortable. But, in a way it’s good to know that nobody here expects anything more from me than they’d expect of a feral dog. At least I don’t have to talk to anyone.”

— Cali —

Cali hesitates, then nods. “I kind of understand. It’s…a bit comforting, even if also a bit painful, to have people view you in a way part of you expects to be viewed?” Her words aren’t quite as clear as she hoped, but adding too much more to the idea is far too vulnerable, far too honest. 

Instead, she finds her eyes drawn to Mori’s scythes. “Um. Mori, I’m sorry about the other night. With Caius. I…know I told you my magic would be able to stop it, but it seems it isn’t always quite strong enough.”

— Mori—

Mori tenses, eyes dropping to her hands, clenched in her lap. 

“You don’t have to apologize. I lost control. I needed to be stronger. Something about what happened to him made the Song… hungrier.”

— Cali —

Cali considers Mori, her tensed hands and shoulders, her downturned eyes. She shakes her head, picking at Mori’s blanket as she speaks. “We all have to be stronger. If I hadn’t been so exhausted…” She trails off a bit, then continues. “Well. Luckily Seoni was able to pick up my slack.”

She sits in the silence for a moment and then says. “I am sorry to be nosy, but your medicine. The medicine ‘Syndra’ gave you in Nessus. Does it also silence the Song?”

— Mori—

Mori wants to argue with Cali- Cali’s fine, Cali did a good thing, her magic did work… but she doesn’t. Cali’s right, they do all need to be stronger. 

“The medicine helps. It… it weakens the Song and gives me time to focus on fighting it. It doesn’t get rid of it the way Magic does, but it helps a lot.”

— Cali —

Cali is mid-nod when something begins to…bug her. Mori hadn’t requested the pills or taken them during those moments. So…were they not a take as needed pill? “Are they something you take daily?” She asks, beginning to put together an unhappy puzzle in her head.

— Mori—

Mori nods, watching Cali’s expression change with an anxious twist in her stomach.

— Cali —

Cali closes her eyes, doing quick math. If Syndra had given her just a month’s worth then…

“Um Mori. How many do you have left?”

— Mori—

“….I don’t know.”

— Cali —

Cali says nothing, but holds out her hand with what she hopes is a reassuring smile. An offer.

— Mori—

Mori stares at the outstretched hand for a long moment before she retrieves the pill bottle from its hiding place. 

“Please don’t… I, um. I don’t want to know the time. Please.” 

Reluctantly she passes the bottle to Cali, avoiding looking at it as she does.

— Cali —

Cali hesitates. What is that? What an odd request. But the way Mori had asked, haltingly, openly. It was too vulnerable for Cali to poke at. Swallowing her impulse to ask questions, understand everything, figure it all out- she nods, opening the pill bottle. 

Six pills. Six days. She coughs loudly as she pours them back in, covering the sound of the pills hitting the bottle, just in case. 

“Ok. Ok, there’s nothing to worry about! But…if us seeking the anchor leads to us getting kicked out of here- or worse- then it’s probably best for us to see if we can find some more while we’re here. Since there’s such a big medical district.”

— Mori—

Cali sounds worried. Mori’s gut twists further, and she can’t stop herself from listening for the sound of the pills returning to their container, despite Cali’s attempts to cover the noise. That sounds like… not very many. Worry spikes through her, matched by a wave of gratitude for Cali’s understanding and her efforts. She swallows hard. 

“Okay,” she says, her voice sounding tight. “That’s probably a good idea…”

— Cali —

Cali smiles, trying to be reassuring. “Oh my, a little girlie shopping trip?? Let’s GO!” She hops to her feet, attempting to hide her anxiety with pep. “Maybe we can find some sweets or something while we’re out, something to bring back to the ship for dessert tonight.” She nods enthusiastically, lingering by the door.

— Mori—

Mori conjures a small smile and stands, grabbing her scythe. 

“Sweets could be nice. Are… um, are we allowed to go just by ourselves?” It feels stupid to ask, but the rigid social rules of Cynosure feel familiar to the early days at Everbloom.

— Cali —

Cali grips the door frame, a flash of irritation flashing across her face. “Shit. You’re right.” She sighs, looking down the hall thoughtfully. “What do you think? We can take Basil with us, give Moss a break. Or I suppose one of the crew, but not Viri obviously.”

— Mori—

Mori thinks for a moment. “Basil might have friends here… he seems to have friends everywhere.” She pauses for a second. “Actually, before we go… you said something about our souls earlier? What did you mean?”

— Cali —

“Ah.” Cali presses the button to close Mori’s door once more. “I…don’t know what it means. That’s why I’ve waited so long to say anything. I hadn’t seen living souls before the Atalanta…not really. A bit but.” she shakes her head. “Anyway, basically, I still don’t know what these things mean. But there is only one similarity between most of you. Ame and the Angel, you, Moss, Khaos, and Seoni all have the same thing, a little golden nugget at the center of your soul. Warm.” After a moment she adds. “Truthfully, it reminds me of the gold of the anchors and I’ve been wondering if that’s where it’s from. But then others have had it, like that man we met today, and Sana.”

— Mori—

Mori frowns, thoughtful. 

“You told me once that my soul looks dead when I’m fighting, and I didn’t really ask what that meant.”

— Cali —

Cali nods. “Yes. I have to concentrate to see living souls, you see. But dead souls, those I see all the time. Ghosts, spirits, haunts. I can always see them. And when I first saw you, on the Atalanta, you lit up like a spirit when you began fighting. You don’t always, but often. Whenever you get really intense in battle. I…kind of wondered if you knew why, but it sounds like you do not?”

— Mori—

“No, I don’t. It sounds like you see it when the Song is really intense… what happens to the nugget when I’m like that?”

— Cali —

Cali shakes her head. “It’s not… quite that simple. Living and dead souls look…very different.” She moves her hands when she speaks, holding them both separate like a scale holding up two values. “Dead souls don’t really have differences in colors. Actual spirits, with time, energy, and practice, can change their shape and appearance, but they’re all the same color.” She summons a swirl of occult energy around one hand. “This color. Except…the corrupted ones in the Whale. They were green, like the anchor was.”

The other hand she raises slightly. “Living souls, they vary so much in color and design. I don’t know what it all means, but there seems to be no limits on the variation. When your soul is appearing dead, I am pretty sure your living soul is still there, but I cannot quite see it past the other.”

She stares at both hands, considering. “But, I think it’s still there. I can’t say I’ve seen it, but I feel it is true.” After a moment, she looks back up, at Mori. “Would you like to know what your soul looks like? It’s very pretty.”

— Mori—

Mori nods along as Cali speaks, mind chasing itself in circles trying to comprehend what the echo is saying. The circles screech to a halt at Cali’s last statement. 

Would you like to know what your soul looks like? It’s very pretty. 

This, more than everything else, is complete nonsense. She knows what the words mean individually, but together they’re… nonsense. Crazy talk. What could Cali possibly mean by that? 

She’s been quiet too long. Mori’s face burns, she opens her mouth, closes it, opens it again. 

“Uhhh… s-sure?” 

She sounds like an idiot. A second after giving her assent, Seoni’s words flash through her mind- the song is an infection of the soul. Does the infection show up to Cali’s soulsight? Can she see for herself how far gone Mori is? Mori bites her lip.

— Cali —

This makes an actual genuine smile light up Cali’s face. Truthfully, she had been itching to tell someone about their soul, but it felt too…personal to bring up without prompting. “So, I assure everything I’m about to say I have seen in other souls. So don’t get all self-conscious or weird about it, ok? Your soul when you’re resting, when you’re like this, is slightly different than in battle. Or what I see in battle before you begin to look…dead. Um.”

She attempts to hurry past that awkward phrasing. “Um. But right now, you have the golden seed everyone else I mentioned have. And then you also have this like…sunshiney aura around it? But it’s like you’re blocking it off from the rest of your soul with this little black…cloak. Like trying to hide away.” She smiles. “Otherwise, your soul is all kinds of greys and silvers. In battle, it gets much brighter…maybe that’s the other stole starting to show up actually.” She muses aloud. She shrugs. “I don’t know. Anyway, it’s grey yes, but but there’s these like black tendrils going throughout the soul, and sometimes glowing a dark red. And the whole thing seems to be moving sometimes.”

— Mori—

Black tendrils glowing red. Mori’s face pales a bit as an image of Elysium, fields broken by huge black cracks glowing red, crosses her mind. That was a nightmare. Just a bad dream. She forces her mind away from the tendrils, focusing instead on the rest of the description. Sunshiney. Greys and silvers. Cali thinks its pretty. Mori smiles back, finding Cali’s genuine delight contagious. 

“It must be really cool to be able to see something nobody else can see in people.”

— Cali —

Cali nods enthusiastically. “It’s pretty cool! I wish I knew what the things meant, sometimes. Some of it feels important, like the golden bit. But at least I get to see all the pretty colors. And…I can keep an eye on the mist sickness.”

— Mori—

“Oh. Right, that’s why you knew something was wrong with Caius the other night.” Mori imagines being able to see everyone else’s condition, being able to view the damage done to them day by day during and after dangerous situations like being inside the whale. “That sounds like a lot of pressure.”

— Cali —

Cali’s smile falters. “Oh.” She considers lying. Shrugging it all off. After a few seconds, she says, “it’s not too much pressure. It’s just… sometimes it is hard knowing people are hurt and not knowing how to help. It is tiring though, to be in soulsight that long. I don’t think I could do what I did in the whale again. It would have to be much shorter stints.”

— Mori—

“The Song took over for too long in the whale, I felt like I had been run over by a train when it was silenced. It makes sense your ability also has a physical cost. The sending ritual exhausted you.”

— Cali —

“Yeah.” Cali says quietly. “Perhaps too much. But I’ll get stronger.” 

She clears her throat, opening the door again. “Let’s go see a cat about some drugs, eh?”

— Mori—

Mori nods and follows Cali to go find Basil.

— Cali —

The two girls make their way to Basil’s room, each one in a content silence. Cali knocks eagerly. “Oh Basil! We need a trusted adult to escort us around town pretty please!”

— Basil —

Basil answers the door after a moment, trimming the last bit of his overgrown coat around his neck with a pair of arcane clippers. “I would be happy to help you ladies in just a moment,” he says, turning back towards a mirror to peer fascidiously at himself and make a few last minute adjustments to the cut. “Should either of you desire a haircut at any point, it would be remiss to not share that I had a lovely trainer in Duskfathom who taught me all sorts of skills.” He looks back over his shoulder in a catlike grin.

Once his grooming is done, he grabs a gray overrobe and slips it on, taking a more solemn expression as he does so. “So, where are we headed?”

— Cali —

Cali considers poking at the vagueness of ‘all sorts of skills’, but ultimately decides knowing may be worse. Instead she settles for. “I wouldn’t mind a bit of a trim sometime soon. Get off the dead ends. But, for now, we could use your help seeking out a doctor or medicine maker.” She holds up Mori’s pill bottle. “We need to stock up on meds before one of our group inevitably blows our cover here and gets us in trouble.”

— Basil —

“Ah, very good. These are the meds that, hrm, Syndra gave you, yes? The Syndra that was not Syndra?” He pushes his glasses up his nose as he peers at Mori. “They have been helping?”

— Mori—

Mori looks uncomfortably at Basil as she replies, “yes, they’re from Syndra… on Nessus. It’s the prescription I had at Everbloom- same doctor and everything. It… I think it helps.”

— Basil —

Basil nods, then begins to walk towards the exit of the ship. “To the medical circle, then, if I am remembering the map correctly.”

— Cali —

Cali skips after him, smiling excessively. “Medical is the sixth ring! We were there earlier to ask about Caius.” She is loud and chipper until they leave the ship, at which point she slips on her mask and lowers her voice. “Have you been here before Basil?”

— Basil —

“Once,” he says. “Several years ago, when they elected the new Radiant Spark. I felt it would be a good occasion to attend and learn more about the Wayfarers.” He smiles as he walks the way towards the train station. “It was a delightful time. She is a very charismatic and captivating woman. It is no surprise she is the one they chose.”

— Mori—

Mori follows as Basil and Cali chat, trailing slightly behind. At the mention of the Radiant Spark she perks up. 

“The Radiant Spark is elected?”

— Basil —

“Yes. When a Radiant Spark passes on, the heads of the various Orders within the Wayfarers present candidates for election. A conclave is then held between the Spark’s Acolytes, the leaders of the Children of the Ashen Land, and they elect a successor from within the candidate pool.”

The train stops before the group, and Basil leads the way on. He stays standing with you two as the seats fill up.

“In most cases, the Radiant Spark comes from the Religious Order of the Wayfarers. But there have been several notable cases throughout history of Sparks from other Orders, even as far down as the Labor Order.” He chuckles darkly. “Admittedly, that election was a bit of an upset, and caused a scism that lasted centuries.”

— Cali —

“Do you know her then? The current Radiant Spark?” Cali asks it in a hush, leaning in closer to Mori and Basil when she asks.

— Basil —

“Not personally, no,” Basil says quietly, shaking his head. “I spoke with her once, but it was pleasantries. She was talking to everyone, thanking them for joining her. She likely wouldn’t remember me.” There’s something in his expression that says that he definitely remembers her, though. A distant wistfulness mixed with reverence.

— Mori—

“She’s the one who decided augments are abominations?”

— Basil —

That seems to shock Basil out of his reverie, and he frowns as he says, “I believe the wording used is ‘souls mangled by profane experiements outside the will of the Ashen Ones’. Thus leaving an opening of declaring some augmentations within the will of the Ashen Ones.”

— Mori—

“Oh. So, abomination unless you’re useful enough.”

— Cali —

Cali makes a noise of disgust. “Of course, what else. Still. Could be useful for us in a pinch. A way to keep some of us safe at least.”

— Basil —

“Or important enough. Or wealthy enough,” Basil says as the train slows on its approach to the Residential Ring. “I am sure there are members of her Acolytes, heads of influential families, and other folk who are augmented. From what I’ve heard, leading up to the Pyrgos Conflict nearly 1 in 10 Wayfarers were augmented in some way.”

He glances sidelong at Mori as the seats empty and fill back up around them, the train departing for the Conservatory Ring. “Much of the augmentation in those days was much more minor. Small improvements to the self. Fixing perceived errors, like eyesight.”

— Mori—

“Yeah. I was augmented to fix my vision, all the rest was a bonus,” Mori deadpans.

— Cali —

“What about echoes?” Cali asks, elbowing Mori at her joke. “I know…I understand why it may not be so, but are any of them ever useful enough to be accepted? Or perhaps if it wasn’t their choice?”

— Basil —

“I am unsure,” Basil admits. “Echoes are an Imperial creation, and for that alone they are suspect. Although I would not be surprised if there are others like Ame’s Ashai. Maybe they find the thought of dying in their own terms, in their homeland, blessed by their religious leader comforting?” Basil shrugs. “I have heard of stranger and worse things in the name of faith.”

— Cali —

Cali looks between Mori and Basil. “Ashai?”

— Mori—

“Oh. The Angel- they learned their real name is Ashai.”

— Cali —

“Oh.” Cali says simply, satisfied with that explanation and turning her head back to scan the crowd. It seems no one in particular is looking at them. But Syron’s words keep coming to mind, keeping her alert as they go.

— Basil —

The silence stretches on as the train stops at the Conservatory Ring, then speeds on to the Medical Ring.

“Hm, perhaps I should take this chance to restock – or, rather, stock the ship’s first aid reserves,” Basil muses quietly to himself.

— Mori—

“I was thinking we should add a med bay, when we can,” Mori mutters. “I feel like we’ll need it often.”

— Basil —

“It would be ideal, but it will be a king’s ransom to expand the ship further,” Basil says. “I know Ix and Viri have been grumbling about the loss of a cargo bay as well.”

— Cali —

Cali grumbles to herself. “We are not changing ships.”

— Basil —

The train finally slows to a stop at the Medical Ring, and Basil steps off, offering his hand to Cali and Mori to help them step out to the station.

— Mori—

Mori steps out, ignoring Basil’s hand. She glances around as she exits the train, feeling suddenly nervous again.

— Cali —

Cali accept Basil’s hand, doing her best princess impression from her favorite series, the one where the pirate queen kidnaps the princess, only for them to fall in love and come back to save the kingdom from the princess’s evil fiancé. Only. She lacked the dress. She was wearing a bird mask. And she wasn’t the delicate, noble pale of a princess, but the sickly pale of decay. Still, she feels a smile peeking out from under her mask. 

“Alright well. How do we um. Find the right doctor?” She asks Basil.

— Basil —

“Hm,” Basil hums to himself. “Can I see your prescription, Mori?”

— Mori—

Mori hands over the prescription bottle, again avoiding looking at it. I should wrap it in paper on the inside. That way I don’t have to see how many, she muses as the container leaves her hands.

— Basil —

Basil pushes his glasses up his nose as he reads the prescription. “A psychiatrist should do for this,” he says after a moment. “Possibly one with some experience with post-Augmentation psychosis.” 

He begins to walk down the concourse, scanning the different clinics for something that might suggest what he’s looking for.

— Cali —

Cali attempts to link arms with Mori while they walk. “Mori. If I were engaged to an evil nobleman who was planning to take over my kingdom and abuse the masses, would you kidnap me onto your pirate ship then help me take back my kingdom? Platonically, of course.”

— Mori—

Mori scowls at the “post-Augmentation psychosis” statement from Basil, but links arms with Cali. “If you were… what? In this story, how much do you care for him?” She’s thoroughly distracted by the strange turn of the conversation.

— Basil —

“Engaged to Duke Jasper, Lord of the Upland Trading Company, and kidnapped by the fearsome pirate queen known only as the Nereid for a monstrous ransom,” Basil says, looking back at Cali and Mori. “I believe Cali would not care for him much at all.”

He stops, reads, and nods at a clinic’s sign. “This appears to be as good a start as any,” he says as he opens the door for Cali and Mori to go in.

— Cali —

Cali attempts to choke out a response, but fails to form real words before Basil switches topic to the clinic. Ignoring her own embarrassment, she whispers to Mori, “You can borrow the books if you want” and then scampers into the clinic.

— Mori—

Mori mutters back, “If you wouldn’t care for him, I would kill him and then kidnap you,” and hesitantly follows Cali into the clinic.

— Basil —

Confidently, Basil walks up to the reception desk, quickly making the receptionist smile, laugh, and readjust themselves in a more flirtatious way.

“My friend,” Basil says, “I am looking to refill a medication for a colleague. Might you be able to assist?”

“Of course,” the receptionist says with a warm smile. “Do you have a prescription?”

Basil offers them the bottle, which the receptionist scans and checks against some notes they pull out from a drawer. The receptionist then doubles, and then triple checks the notes.

“I’m sorry!” the receptionist says, genuinely shocked. “I never thought I would forget a face like yours, but it appears the request for this medication has already been placed and filled. Let me go get it for you!” They disappear into the back, leaving Basil with the bottle, confused.

He turns to Mori and Cali. “You are sure you did not stop here while you were looking for treatments for Caius?” he asks.

— Mori—

“No, we didn’t, I’ve never been here before.” Mori is pale, heart beating fast, slightly nauseous.

— Cali —

Cali stiffens, glancing at Mori. She reaches back out, placing a hand on her arm for just a second to try to help ground her a little. “Basil, can you ask her if she is the one who took the order when she comes back? And if she can remember anything about how they looked? I um. Don’t know how it would be possible for Syndra to have gotten here first, but I can’t think of another possibility yet.”

— Basil —

“Well, I suppose it’s possible, although our Message network, like most, only works in-nisi. But if your doctor were to send the request via a courier ship, and then send the Message once they arrived, that would be the fastest way to fill this from another nisi.”

The receptionist looks, concerned, at Basil. “Is there something wrong with the prescription?”

Basil shakes his head. “No, no… just some confusion over how this prescription beat us here. It seems our doctor is just on top of things!”

The receptionist continues to look a bit concerned, but nods. “Such things can occur,” they say. “Regardless, here is your prescription. It’s under the same name as before, prescribed by the same doctor, as you said. Let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.”

Despite saying this, as soon as the receptionist leaves the bottle on the desk, they disappear once more into the back. Basil takes the bottle and stuffs it into his pocket as he rejoins Mori and Cali. “It may be best to make ourselves scarce before speaking on this,” he says quietly. “This is more suspicion than I would have preferred.”

— Cali —

Cali nods, placing her hand lightly on Mori’s shoulder and directing her towards the door a little.

— Mori—

Mori moves mechanically toward the door at Cali’s gentle direction, trying to keep her breathing under control and holding back her questions until they reach a more secluded area. As they exit the building, her gaze flits around wildly, searching for any sign of Syndra- Syndra as she knew her, Syndra as she appeared on Nessus, Syndra in the blue robes, any sign of her.

— Basil —

As the group exits the clinic, the quiet groups of people around the Medical Ring take on a more sinister tone. No matter which way Mori looks, she cannot see the blue of Syndra’s new robes or anyone who looks like her.

Basil leads the way to a small green park with a babbling brook running through it that decorates the space between clinics and research centers. 

Quietly, in hopes that his words would not be heard over the sound of the brook, Basil says, “So Syndra knows you’re here.”

— Cali —

Cali keeps her head on a swivel as she follows Basil and Mori, occasionally reaching out to nudge Mori to follow Basil more closely. When they reach a small park, Cali takes up a seat with her back to the brook, keeping an eye on both Mori and the surroundings just in case.

— Mori—

“How can she possibly know?? We didn’t know we’d be coming here, there is no way a courier ship could have beaten us here.” Mori fights to keep her voice low, leg jittering anxiously. Her body feels full of buzzing, not even the buzzing of the Song, though the beat drums away at the back of her mind. This is pure, natural adrenaline flooding her system.

— Basil —

“I don’t know,” Basil says. “It shouldn’t be possible. It would take weeks – no, months, really, to travel from Nessus to Everlight, let alone find Cynosure wandering in the Mist.”

— Cali —

As her gaze travels around the park, Cali catches sight of a bit of the anchor peeking through the trees. A gate. Her soul… 

Cali sucks air in through her teeth. Could she be…traveling through the anchors somehow? No, that didn’t make sense. The anchors were gateways of a sort, but clearly to different places. It had been clear from their conversation in the last one that the anchors were not in contact with one another. 

What then? Multiple entities, using Syndra’s name and perhaps even appearance, in different places?

— Mori—

“Nessus made sense because of the contracts. I don’t—“ Mori stops, eyes narrowing. “That scan shit they did before we got off the ship. Is that…? But that was earlier today, there’s still no way she could have acted on it, even if that is how she knew where I am.”

— Cali —

“Unless…it’s not her.” Cali mutters. “Just someone else using her name.” She does not voice the rest of the thought. They had no evidence that whoever did this was Syndra; looked like her, sounded like her. But the chill spreading over her suggested that some part of her believed it was so.

— Basil —

“Who would know to prescribe this to Mori?” Basil says softly, “Why did they choose that clinic?”

— Mori—

“Why is she doing this? Why is she making me worse?! Am I crazy??” Mori looks between Basil and Cali frantically as one hand runs through her hair, again and again, hitting tangles and simply ripping through them without thought.

— Basil —

Basil reaches forward and takes Mori’s hands in his own paws, holding them still as best he can.

— Cali —

“You’re not crazy Mori. We are here too. We saw this too. Someone is doing this. Someone who is observing us somehow. They had to see us going to the clinic. But ahead of the time? So they had to have seen the future or known where we were staying and narrowed it down to one clinic, or…” She continues to scan the area around them.  “And if it is Syndra, and she is trying to help,” her voice raised to a yell at the end, “she’s doing a REAL SHIT JOB OF IT.” She sweeps her eyes over the treeline, as if daring Syndra to reveal herself.

— Basil —

“If it is her, then yes, I agree with Caligo,” Basil says. “If you would prefer, Mori, I could take a sample of your previous medication and consult with Seoni, Mosarium, and Khaos. Perhaps with their combined knowledge of arcana and chemistry they could compound something similar, if not exact. Then you would know exactly where the medication came from, and would always have access.”

— Mori—

As Basil speaks, Mori’s eyes focus on him, but she doesn’t register his words.

“What were you doing all day,” she asks in a flat, dangerous voice. “You chose this pharmacy. You brought us here. What were you doing all day while we were gone? 

She pulls her hands away from him, taking a measured step to place herself between him and Cali, face expressionless.

— Basil —

“I was monitoring Caius,” Basil says calmly, though his ears twitch nervously. “And assisting with various matters aboard the ship. I exited once while you were away in order to purchase a hot meal for the crew.”

— Cali —

Cali pulls her gaze from the trees to look between Mori and Basil quickly. Mori’s tone had shifted, bringing chills to her arm. Mori is right- Basil chose this place. But…it’s Basil. Basil, who had never once been what she expected. So what surprise would it be for him to be something different now. Still, this wasn’t the place for this. She doesn’t take her eyes off Basil, but messages Mori. <Mori, wait. Seoni can check his memories, see if he did this, right?>

— Mori—

She doesn’t want to take him back to Seoni. She wants to kill him here and now. If she kills him here she doesn’t have to worry about what it means if he’s telling the truth. Her hands won’t stop shaking. She’s holding the scythe across her body, defensive rather than offensive, stance poised to bolt rather than to lunge. 

“I don’t understand why this is happening. Is this a test?” Her voice comes out too high-pitched, too desperate.

— Basil —

There is no answer. Just the sound of the brook and the distant murmur of the people wandering the Medical Ring.

— Cali —

Cali hesitates again, looking between Basil and Mori still. Hesitantly, she steps closer to Mori. “Mori, please.” She mutters quietly. “Remember where we are. We can’t draw more attention to ourselves. We’ll go back to the ship, and we’ll figure this out. Ok?”

— Mori—

Mori struggles to slow her breathing. Slowly, very slowly, she tears her eyes away from Basil’s impassive face to look at Cali. She waits a slow count of three, braced to be hit by a spell the moment her eyes leave the catfolk. She’d almost welcome it at this point.

— Cali —

Cali reaches out, offering her hand to Mori. “Basil did lead us here. I admit that’s weird. But we also asked him to take us. Remember? We made that choice. Something fucked up is happening here. But I think we have to have some good evidence before accusing one of our own.” Cali nods to Basil over Mori’s shoulder, hopefully soothingly. “And Basil I’m sure would be more than happy to assuage our worries in any way he can. But back at home, where we’re…a little safer.”

— Basil —

Basil nods. “Viri, Ix, and Captain Shipkiller will vouch for my presence aboard the ship. And if necessary, Doctor Shadowstride may look through my memories.”

— Mori—

Mori stares at Cali, eyes flicking toward Basil as he speaks but quickly returning back to Cali. She forces herself to slow down. Gathers the fear and the nausea and the helplessness and pushes them down, down, down. Like the song. But easier, because these feelings belong to her and have no will of their own. She lets out a shaky breath. 

“Okay. I’m… I’m okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to— I’m sorry.” She looks at Basil. “I’m sorry. I’m okay.”

— Cali —

Cali reaches out, rubbing Mori’s shoulder for a second. “It’s ok. I am scared too, and this isn’t even happening to me. I just…tend to run or shut down, whereas you mask up and get mean.” She smiles, giving Mori a quick wink at the reference. 

“We’ve got a few avenues we can try here, but I’m not sure how best to do it without arousing suspicion. It may have to be a longer process. We could find out when the initial prescription came in, for starters. As long as it was after we docked today, we have a reasonable explanation for how our location was known. And we can check a few other pharmacies. See if maybe it was sent to multiple, so that we’d be more likely, or even guaranteed, to go into one that had it ready.” 

She shuffles her feet uncertainly. “And perhaps, if we have the ability we could um. Scan for trackers?” She moves her hand in a way to acknowledge she isn’t sure what she is saying is accurate. “You know. Find out if anyone is following us in any way.”

— Mori—

Reluctantly , Mori nods. Thoughts swirl around in her mind (I want to run want to— I can’t be normal for days and days I get more suspicious the longer I’m here— Syndra knows what I’m going to do before I do it but I’m not in charge here she doesn’t even know you guys—) but she can’t hold onto one long enough to figure out how to say it out loud. Instead she nods, and decides to trust Cali.

— Basil —

“I think those are some good thoughts,” Basil says, adjusting his robe a bit and smoothing his fur that had bristled in fear somewhat during the tense moment. “I will let you lead and I will be your Ordered front man when you need me.”

— Cali —

Keeping a careful eye on Mori, noting her tension, Cali shifts most of her focus to Basil. “Do you think you could ask the last pharmacist about when the prescription was sent in without raising her suspicion too much?”

She chews on her lip for a moment. “And um. Can you still tell I’m an Echo or any other sort of ‘disordered’ or whatever with my mask on? Probably my skin gives it away, huh?”

— Basil —

“I believe after our reactions, their suspicion is already high,” Basil says. “But if you wish to investigate, I will go in and ask.”

He looks Cali up and down briefly, then says, “There are people with ancestry that has a similar hue of skin that are part of the Ordered of the Ashen Wayfarers. However, your… hrm, demeanor? Does feel distinctly Echo-like. Then again, I have worked with Echoes quite extensively. So it may be worth a try to pass yourself off as an Ordered, if that is what you are thinking.”

— Cali —

“I was just considering splitting up. I don’t know how many pharmacies there even are here. But if I’m unsuccessful, that will draw even more attention to us.” She shakes her head, thinking. Something is still bothering her, some lingering feeling of being watched or anxiety that she’s missing an important detail 

 “Ok, let’s start by checking a few other pharmacies? And then if we need to, we can go back to the original, or maybe do that tomorrow morning and hope it’s a different employee.” She finally suggests, looking in turn at both Basil and Mori for approval.

— Mori—

Worry shoots through Mori at the mention of splitting up, but settles again as Cali seems to discard that idea. Cali shifts to checking other pharmacies together and Mori says, “okay.” She still watches Basil cautiously, unsure if they can trust his advice.

— Basil —

Basil notes Mori’s distrust and immediately moves on from it, saying, “That sounds like a fine idea, Caligo.”

— Cali —

Cali nods at both of them one last time and hesitantly turns away. Trust isn’t a difficult feeling for her- not really. If anything, she’s too trusting. Always throwing herself behind ideas and people based on instincts and gut feelings. But this…was beginning to change. There was too much, too often. But she put that thought aside, along with the question of what Basil meant by her demeanor was ‘Echo-like’, and picks a random direction, somewhat splitting the difference between the path to the train and the path back to their first pharmacy. Half blindly, and not looking back to confirm they’re still following, that Basil hadn’t betrayed them, that Mori hadn’t killed Basil, that someone or something hadn’t taken them both, she picked turns at random until a promising looking sign appeared. It was a pharmacy, and a sign in the window promised a specialization in treating augments. 

“This should work?”

— Basil —

Basil nods. “It should. Or, at least, this is the sort of place that would carry the medicine.”

— Mori—

Mori’s eyes dart around as they follow Cali to another pharmacy, searching for any followers and seeing nothing of note. The back of her neck prickles. Nothing here feels safe. They pause in front of the building.

“Should I… go in?”

— Basil —

There is a bit of a chicken-feed-fox problem here, Basil notes with a mix of dread and amusement. Leave Mori outside with him while Cali goes in, and there may be a scythe in his guts when she comes out. Mori goes in, and she discovers something about Syndra without any support from Cali, and there’s a good possibility of a scene that ends badly for everyone involved. Basil goes in, and it feeds into Mori’s thoughts about him being in on this whole scheme. Which also ended with a scythe in his gut.

— Cali —

Cali looks between Mori and Basil again. “I think we definitely need Basil to go in to be our speaker. Then either both or one of us, just in case.” She smiles reassuringly at Mori. “If we think all three of us will grab too much attention, then I should wait outside. Since it’s your medicine.”

— Mori—

“Let’s all go,” Mori decides, shifting slightly to pressure Basil to walk forward, but stopping short of actually threatening him.

— Basil —

“If you put on much more of a show,” Basil says under his breath, “They are going to think a couple of Disordered are threatening an Ordered pilgrim to get medicine for them. Let us try not to give that impression, hrm?”

That said, Basil goes on inside, expecting the two to follow him.

— Cali —

Cali snorts. “Well I’m not threatening you.” She quips back, just as quietly, before following him in.

— Mori—

Mori grits her teeth and clamps down on a growl of frustration, but allows him to walk further ahead of her. This is too much like Everbloom. Look a little too threatening and someone is going to step in. She’s become too comfortable existing without the levels of filters she’d needed at the Institute. She takes a long breath and searches for that feeling that had carried her through days and days at the Institute- floating, not entirely present. Just aware enough to give the expected reactions if anyone addressed her at all. It’s harder out here than it was within the predictable confines of Everbloom, but gradually her expression smooths and her posture loses some of the predatory tension.

— Basil —

The receptionist is a young empyrean woman, with small wings framing her cherubic cheeks and gold twisting through her dark hair. She smiles as the three of you enter. “Hello! Are you picking up or dropping off a prescription?”

“Yes, picking up,” Basil says with a minimal amount of his usual charm, keeping to just a basic friendly tone. “A refill of this medication.” He produces the original bottle of medication that Mori had given him and offers it to the receptionist.

She checks her notes and nods. “Yes, we have it right here. Curious…” She pauses, looks up at Basil, then back down at her notes. “Well, regardless. Let me go get that for you.” After placing the nearly-empty bottle of medication back on the desk, she disappears into the storage room behind her.

Once she’s gone, Basil reaches over the counter and grabs her notes, motioning Cali and Mori over to read them as well. “Let us see what she found curious…”

— Mori—

Against her better judgment Mori stands on tiptoe and cranes her neck to look at the notes over Basil’s shoulder.

— Basil —

The notes contain a list of medications, names, and dates for these medications to be picked up by. At first glance, they seem exactly what you might expect from the reception of a pharmacy.

However, at the bottom is Mori’s name and medication name. The date is empty. Written in the blank lines above is a note – “District Manager has a standing memo to keep this stocked until further notice. Must be a pretty important person, eh? Let me know if anyone comes by to pick it up – wonder what sort of person gets this sort of special treatment.”

“Ah, I see,” Basil says, his pupils contracting to slits in alarm. “Indeed, it is curious. Appears that someone… much higher than us has placed this order for you, Mori.”

— Mori—

“What the fuck…” Mori mutters. “Who the fuck even is Syndra?”

— Basil —

 “Indeed,” Basil says as he puts the notes back on the other side of the counter, carefully positioning the pad so it doesn’t look as though it’s been moved. “The Syndra I was familiar with did not have connections such as these.”

— Mori—

“What did you know about Syndra?”

— Basil —

“She was well-respected through the medical community on Axis for her ability to handle difficult patients,” Basil says. “Not in a violent way, if you are thinking that. She had a way to understand them, and more importantly, a way for them to understand her. She was not a doctor, but her Message cards made their way through many clinics.”

He shrugs. “I only met her aboard the Atalanta. She seemed intense. A good match for your energy.”

— Mori—

Mori wants to argue, but the memory of Syndra cutting through the director’s mooseshit flashes through her mind. 

You won’t get anywhere offering her freedom or noble ideals. Give her something she cares about— Mori, if you go on this job, you’ll get whatever weapon you want, made just for you. And there’s a good chance you’ll get to fight Distortion. 

Syndra had known how to speak her language. Mori scowls, annoyed at the internal admission.

— Cali —

Cali felt like the world was tipping inwards, the walls leaning towards them in this pharmacy, the ceiling slowly dropping, the air depleting dangerously. 

None of this was our choice. If Syndra, or whoever, knew we would come this way eventually, then was anything our choice? Were we actually special, and able to help the anchors? Or were we on someone else’s path? Was the Hyacinth, a ship that had previously been occupied by someone connected to the An- Ashai, was it given to us intentionally?

Was Ester always meant to die?

She stumbles backwards a few steps as Basil and Mori mutter to each other, towards the door, attempting to hide her unsteadiness as an intentional move to gaze outward at the street. Turned towards the door as she was, she brought her hand up to her mouth and bit, hard. It wasn’t quite enough to draw blood, but enough to leave impressions, maybe even bruise. Enough to ground her forcefully in this moment. Panic later. Maintain neutrality for now. 

Finally, she sent Mori a message. <Do you feel this is enough evidence for us to head back with Basil or should we keep checking? May not be safe to talk here.>

— Mori—

<It’s enough. Whoever did this will know we filled it twice in the same day.> 

Mori hesitates, then sends a second message to Cali. <My name is attached to this medicine and to the ship. The others need to know. If I’m being tracked by Syndra or whoever, I’m making it easy for the rest of you to be tracked, too.>

— Cali —

<Yes. I think we all need to discuss this. I am not sure it is just you being manipulated here.> 

Out loud she says. “Let’s head back when you get your medicine, ok? I want to grab a treat for everyone on the way. Suggestions, Basil?”

— Basil —

Basil opens his mouth to respond, but at that moment the receptionist returns. “Sorry for the wait! It wasn’t labeled right and I needed to get some help to find it.” She sets the pill canister on the desk. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No,” Basil says, slipping the medicine inside his robe. “You were very helpful. Thank you.”

She nods as he turns away and joins Cali and Mori near the door. “What do you think about ice cream? I saw a fascinating stall earlier where a wizard was creating it in midair earlier.”

— Mori—

Mori’s eyes snap to the receptionist as she returns. She’s staring too much, she knows. She needs to look away. But something in the woman’s expression catches her attention. A lie. But what kind of lie? Was she gossiping to whoever had left the note, or had she been reporting to someone else? 

Mori messages Cali, finally tearing her eyes away from the empyrean woman, <She’s lying.>

— Cali —

Cali considers Mori for a moment. She doesn’t look completely calm, but she also doesn’t look too tense. She doesn’t look upset enough to be working off paranoia alone here. Cali shifts her eyes back to the woman. 

“I’m sorry, but what do you mean it wasn’t labelled correctly? Who exactly did you check with?” She tilts her head, attempting a smile beneath the mask. “I just want to ensure my friend is getting the right care here.”

–

“Oh, um,” the receptionist looks down at her feet, her small wings framing her face fluttering to cover her nose. “My, uh, manager wanted to know… who was picking up. He didn’t believe me, so it, uh, took a bit to, uh, get away from him and get your meds. I’m sorry.”

–

Cali tilts her head forward. “I see, I see. Then I won’t worry about the formula.” She chuckles in a friendly way bringing her hands up in an ‘I’m sorry’ gesture of defeat. “Your manager can come out and see us if that helps! We’d be happy to say hello.”

–

“I, uh, don’t think you want to see him,” the receptionist says with a shaky smile. “Unless you like being yelled at.”

–

Cali places her hand on her chest, breathing in sharply as if in shock. “How could he yell at someone as sweet as you? Totally unfair!” 

She sends a quick message to Mori. <Should we push to see the boss? I can probably convince her.>

— Mori—

<No. I’m recognizable enough already… I just want to get back to the ship.>

— Cali —

Cali suppresses a short laugh at Mori. <I think you’re far from the only one. I don’t exactly blend in myself.> She barely notices what polite platitude she leaves the receptionist with as she leads Basil and Mori out the door, chattering happily and distractedly about ice cream.

— Mori—

Mori goes through the motions with Cali and Basil as they make their way back to the train, and from the train back to the Hyacinth. Her head spins with half-formed worries chasing each other in circles until she retreats deep into the mists within her mind just to escape the endless dizzying spiral. They’re almost to the ship when she hesitates. 

“I know we need to talk about this with everyone,” she begins. “I… don’t think I can handle that right now. I don’t know what to think. Can we… I need to sleep on this.”

— Cali —

Cali nods at Mori, giving her a quick one armed hug. “Yes, go sleep. We’ll figure this out tomorrow.” As the other girl stalks off, the tension still clear in the set of her shoulders, Cali lets out a shaky sigh and turns to Basil. You should apologize. But also. He did lead us there. But also. He did help us find the truth. Cali settles on inclining her head towards the oblate and saying all in one breath. “I’m sorry this ended up being such a mess Basil. We will catch up soon, tea, I promise, but. I’m sorry.” And with that, she rushed off, embarrassed and confused.

In her room, her room, she curled against the door, arms wrapped tightly around herself, mask sitting directly in front of her face, its now hollow eyes burning into hers. Between the dehumanizing stares, or in some cases complete apathy, of the people of Cynosure, the eerie meeting with Syren who knew a little too much, and the many revelations this medication trip had ended on, it was hard not to feel utterly powerless. Aimless. Punished. Their time in the Whale had been overwhelming and painful, but it had also given her a purpose. Something to do. Protect friends, save the anchors. But if she was right about her conclusions from the night, and some, or all, of this was orchestrated without their knowledge… didn’t that change everything? But she couldn’t reject this path, even if it did end up being something they were forced into. She couldn’t be without a purpose again. Pale fingers reached out to grasp the mask. Cali held it against her chest, tucking her head down against the cool woodgrain and squeezed her eyes shut, shutting out the light and the world for a while.