[It's really not. She's still deep in thought when Noah's voice hits her ears, and she startles to the point where she almost drops her phone. Luckily it just... goes into the couch cushion. Nothing important.]
N-Noah! Good-- [ugh] good morning...
[She pulls her phone out of the couch but there's no point in looking at it now. She places it on the coffee table instead.] I didn't even realize what time it was. [She still looks bothered. For a moment she considers not bothering Noah at all about it, but since he's family, she doesn't want to necessarily lock him out.
[That worries him. Enough that he'll step out of the kitchen and walk into the living room, closer to Ari. It clearly was no normal dream, those wouldn't disturb her.]
Like...one of those vision or memories people talk about?
[She lowers her head, looks at her fingers instead; she touches them to each other in a quiet, anxious gesture.]
Yes.
[She thought, perhaps, that she wasn't involved in this as much as she was led to believe. That while the others, like Dante, had previous lives... she was less 'real' for whatever reason. The memory dispels her doubts when it comes to that, but it also comes with a whole other set of problems.]
I was talking to someone I don't recognize... and I was in a store that looked like the set of a movie more than a real place. At least, I think it was a store...
[He sits on the other end of the couch from her, not taking his eyes off. The memory itself doesn't sound particularly terrible. But the fact she had it at all is]
[Yeah "like a village girl" makes zero sense to Noah either. Ari's speech pattern is pretty formal, but there's no such thing as sounding like a village girl.
And you know, the tail is also the really weird part for him too, so he'll focus on that.]
Uh....well, they're people that really fucking love animals. Like to the point they wanna be one? So they'll make animal noises and wear fake cat ears or fake tails and shit.
Oh. [Sounds like a weird hobby, but she's not going to judge or anything.] Well... I don't know. I didn't see any ears. There was just the tail, and it kept swaying while we were talking...
[Best not to mention the shop looked like something out of a fantasy movie, then. The whole thing doesn't make sense without context-- but she has a feeling it was all real.
Ari lifts her head when Noah affirms her suspicions.]
If they're not us, why would we have their memories? [It's not like she's telepathically connected to every other girl who likes drama. In fact, that topic coming up in the memory convinces her even more that it's not just some connection. But... Noah's also very rational about things. Ari is torn between wanting to shelter him from the weirdness going on in their lives lately and treating him like a full adult.
It's hard being an adolescent. It's harder being an adolescent around people who refuse to let you take care of yourself.]
Whatever they are, they don't change who we are now. I'm sure of that.
[He's honest about that. He hasn't figured out why they are getting these memories. He's heard theories about past lives, and maybe? He's not sure. But Noah wasn't really the type to dwell too much on the whys. Sometimes there was no good reason why terrible things happened. He knew that much.]
One of the visions I got...it sounded like they were talking about this sort of thing happening. So maybe this just...happens sometimes.
[Sure, they didn't say it directly, but everything in the memory seemed to indicate as such- especially as he got it when Dante and him were talking about the memories.
But he makes a "tch" sound and sits up straight.]
But yeah, you're right. You're Ari, and I'm Noah. Some fucking visions aren't going to change that.
[She hasn't heard that before, but it's something to consider.]
... Maybe you're right.
[She clasps her hands in thought, tangling her fingers together and then untangling them. Noah's movement gets her to look up again. She tries for a smile-- however weak.]
Mm. Thank you for listening. I know it's a lot to unload on someone in the morning...
[She tilts her head in a fond manner, then reaches out to touch his arm. If he has his prosthetic on, she'll touch that one without finding it weird or disconcerting.]
We're in this together.
[A beat, and she withdraws.]
I've tried talking to other people about it. Either they can't see the app on my phone, or they don't remember anything I've told them.
[He blinks in surprise at the touch, but he doesn't pull away or freeze at it, like he probably would've done before. What do you know, you're making him slowly defrost Ari
We're in it together...yeah, that's right. Whatever the hell was going on, it wasn't like he'd have to face it alone. Not like before.]
Yeah, dad was the same way when I talked to him... [Not that he thought much of it, his dad was like that with a lot of subjects] Guess we can't talk about the app to others. Like a shitty Fight Club.
[Noah doesn't like the idea of counting on other people to help. Ari's one thing, she's family. But others? Its too easy to get screwed over by that. ]
Assuming they can help at all. They seem as clueless as us.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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N-Noah! Good-- [ugh] good morning...
[She pulls her phone out of the couch but there's no point in looking at it now. She places it on the coffee table instead.] I didn't even realize what time it was. [She still looks bothered. For a moment she considers not bothering Noah at all about it, but since he's family, she doesn't want to necessarily lock him out.
He's part of this, too.]
I had a dream that I was... someone else.
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[That worries him. Enough that he'll step out of the kitchen and walk into the living room, closer to Ari. It clearly was no normal dream, those wouldn't disturb her.]
Like...one of those vision or memories people talk about?
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Yes.
[She thought, perhaps, that she wasn't involved in this as much as she was led to believe. That while the others, like Dante, had previous lives... she was less 'real' for whatever reason. The memory dispels her doubts when it comes to that, but it also comes with a whole other set of problems.]
I was talking to someone I don't recognize... and I was in a store that looked like the set of a movie more than a real place. At least, I think it was a store...
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Do you remember what you were talking about?
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[None of this makes sense out of context. But even weirder--]
The boy I was with, he-- he wasn't human.
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[Well Ari really does love theater, so maybe...but oh that's weird]
What? What do you mean not human?
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[This is the part she can't really get over.]
This is going to sound crazy, but he had a tail! It was long and light brown, and it kept going this way and that like a cat or a monkey.
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And you know, the tail is also the really weird part for him too, so he'll focus on that.]
A tail? The fuck?
You sure he wasn't just a furry?
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Furry...?
[Is that some new meme or something???]
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Uh....well, they're people that really fucking love animals. Like to the point they wanna be one? So they'll make animal noises and wear fake cat ears or fake tails and shit.
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[She shakes her head.]
Have you-- 'remembered' anything, Noah?
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[Made more sense to him than a guy with an actual tail. ]
...A couple things, here and there.
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[Best not to mention the shop looked like something out of a fantasy movie, then. The whole thing doesn't make sense without context-- but she has a feeling it was all real.
Ari lifts her head when Noah affirms her suspicions.]
I-- I see. Do you want to talk about it?
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[He gives a big exhale, frowning a little]
I dunno what there is to say. I don't think they're us. Just...other people we're connected to, somehow.
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It's hard being an adolescent. It's harder being an adolescent around people who refuse to let you take care of yourself.]
Whatever they are, they don't change who we are now. I'm sure of that.
[What they have right now is real.
Dante taught her that... wherever he is.]
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[He's honest about that. He hasn't figured out why they are getting these memories. He's heard theories about past lives, and maybe? He's not sure. But Noah wasn't really the type to dwell too much on the whys. Sometimes there was no good reason why terrible things happened. He knew that much.]
One of the visions I got...it sounded like they were talking about this sort of thing happening. So maybe this just...happens sometimes.
[Sure, they didn't say it directly, but everything in the memory seemed to indicate as such- especially as he got it when Dante and him were talking about the memories.
But he makes a "tch" sound and sits up straight.]
But yeah, you're right. You're Ari, and I'm Noah. Some fucking visions aren't going to change that.
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... Maybe you're right.
[She clasps her hands in thought, tangling her fingers together and then untangling them. Noah's movement gets her to look up again. She tries for a smile-- however weak.]
Mm. Thank you for listening. I know it's a lot to unload on someone in the morning...
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[He stretches his good arm some.]
At least both of us are getting visions. Fuck if I know how I'd explain this to people who aren't.
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We're in this together.
[A beat, and she withdraws.]
I've tried talking to other people about it. Either they can't see the app on my phone, or they don't remember anything I've told them.
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We're in it together...yeah, that's right. Whatever the hell was going on, it wasn't like he'd have to face it alone. Not like before.]
Yeah, dad was the same way when I talked to him... [Not that he thought much of it, his dad was like that with a lot of subjects] Guess we can't talk about the app to others. Like a shitty Fight Club.
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Also hey she gets that reference.]
Something like that. [She bites her bottom lip for a moment.] We have to depend on other people on the network to help us, it seems.
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[Noah doesn't like the idea of counting on other people to help. Ari's one thing, she's family. But others? Its too easy to get screwed over by that. ]
Assuming they can help at all. They seem as clueless as us.