Veya: Oh it’s how one meets one’s death, essentially. It has a great bearing on one’s next life.
{{to Gwen}} You need not wear it long, just long enough to get a sense of it. What do you see? {{mask blocks soul sight, any emotional or spiritual, intuitive sight, any religious feeling, anything like that... not sure what this would mean for Gwen, though... it can be seen through, however, which might not have been expected--the image is reflected internally, though, impressed directly on the brain rather than going through the eyes}}

Emma: Oh, I see. So you believe in reincarnation?

Gwen: It feels like... I am not sure. It is as if parts of me suddenly... are not there. But I do not know which parts. This is most baffling. [gingerly takes the mask off. blinks] Now they. It is as. But. [blinks again. looks at Veya] ...It is as if you are surrounded by wings.

I will send that... and we did! How exciting to talk to a Panu^_^

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Hehe, it was rather... though I had trouble telling sometimes who I was talking to..."

Veya: In my world we do reincarnate--unless one is called directly back after one life, which happens with some regularity. What we remember of our previous lives are most frequently our deaths. They are clues. Reincarnation is... is it not common where you are from? It seems it must not be if it is something one believes in or not...

Emma: Aah... Well, in... where I live in, reincarnation isn’t really a thing people think is possible. [smiles] It is, though, just not very many people know how to do it. The clues, though... what do they indicate? Are they like hints about how one should live one’s next life, or...?

{{listens with great interest to Gwen}} Please do not harm yourself... {{watching her with concern then blinks}} By wings? {{wanting to ask more about her experience, hoping she will find words for it, but not asking... Gwen might pick up on this depending, Veya’s thoughts potentially a lot more visible to her now, not as words, though}}

Gwen: [absent-mindedly hands the mask to Emma, who had been glancing at her a little concerned] I am fine. Yes. It looks as though you are enveloped by wings. They look most like butterfly wings, but they undulate and are made of some misty, glowing substance. Also, there are tendrils which leave you and extend everywhere, but it looks like they are clipped off in some places. And... and it seems to me like I can understand what all the tendrils and the wings mean, but I do not know how that can be. [puzzled]


Yeah... Em still has a sore mouth, from her surgery... I haven’t spoken with her much myself recently, which has made me sad. I see so little of her now... if in doubt it was likely me as she left a lot and didn’t speak much, which made me feel I rambled terribly^_~ It was Angela Carter, by the way?

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Aw, yeah, poor Em. I hope she’s getting better quick, persistent pain is no fun at all. But, it was a good talk, I think. Yes, Angela Carter. Interesting, colourful stories..."

Veya: {{nods}} Is that what you do or have you not died? {{then considers}} The clues are indeed hints about how to live one’s life... it often refers to mistakes one has made in the past and tells one why one was born into the particular circumstances of one’s present life. Not everyone remembers, however.

Emma: [turns the mask around in her hands, as if unsure whether to put it on or not] No, I have not died... Some year I’ll make a point of trying that out, though. [smiles. puts the mask on] Are the... are the, ah... [pause. disoriented] Are the, your priesthood... different? Are they supposed to have led an exemplar life before becoming priests?

... what do they mean? I think your experience is different than mine, though I can make parallels... we are taught to describe things in certain ways... it is interesting to hear it said differently.

Gwen: [frowns] The wings mean you have a strong will, but you are flexible... [points] That one means... wait, it is fading. [frown deepens] I feel I am losing this ability gradually. Everything fades.


No, not fun... she seems better? And yes, good talk. I looked for Angela Carter at the bookstore but with no luck... will have to try the library, which should have been my first stop anyways^_~

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Good. Hug her for me when you can, will you? Heh, I seem to recall my brother had the same problem when he wanted to find some of her book from a store...
Oh, I took a look at Lighthousekeeping from Jeannette Winterson. It seemed interesting... but I only read a few chapters. I’ll have to read more and see what it’s like..."

Veya: May I ask why you have lived so long? {{watching her carefully}} And not necessarily. Some think it is more a punishment, or for those who proclaimed no belief in a previous life. ..."Here," says the Artist, "if you will not believe, let me give you a life where you are forced to see." {{still watching}}

Emma: Ah. [removes the mask very slowly. seems very concentrated, as if careful not to let even the smallest bit of sensation slip by. watches Veya. a smile spreads on her face, very unlike the previous ones; it seems she is smiling entirely for herself, for some warm, inner pleasure, which now warms her face]

{{nods}} It is interesting to hear... and yes, it will fade, though one of my own says you can cultivate it if you remember that sight.

Gwen: Hm. [rubs her forehead. her gaze turns inward, and she seems to be concentrating on something deeply]


I did... and got warm fuzzy happy vibes from her. She said to give you a hug back... so a hug back to you! And aye? I’ll be curious what the library holds...
Yeah? I’ve not read that one so can offer no comment, but her writing seems pretty similar through and through... almost stream of consciousness, yet with a plot in some cases... I suppose some are more plot bound than others...

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Hehe, whee...

Oh, yes, I saw evidence of that, but I wouldn’t say Lighthousekeeping is stream of consciousness... it seemed to have quite a clever plot construction. I’ll see if I have time to delve further into it..."

Veya: ...what do you see?

Emma: [hands the mask back. appears thoughtful] It feels unlike anything I’ve ever done before. And still it feels somehow familiar. [smiles, this time at Veya] It’s like you’re all there, all of you. But it’s... [distracted by Gwen]

{{lets her think, not wanting to interrupt}}

Gwen: [rubs her temples, eyes closed. speaks in a stilted voice] Emma. I need to hibernate. It is urgent.

I see, I see. Yeah, I’ve not read it, so I’ll be curious to hear your opinion if you have a chance to finish it. Also, I’m working on sending you said song, but it’s being stubborn... so that’s why there’s a delay in the e-mail...

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Don’t worry about it..."

Veya: {{nods, but is concerned of Gwen’s words, taking mask and carefully switching them, so she’s wearing the silver one; face clearly showing concern}}

Emma: [glancing at Gwen, quickly and rather spontaneously grasps Veya’s hand. in earnest voice] Listen. I have to go now, but I’d very, very much like us to meet again. What happened between us... we’re not friends, we hardly know each other, but what happened, and what I saw, brought me so close to you that I can’t express it in so few words, so hastily... Let’s promise, okay? That we’ll meet again some day, and talk properly.

Gwen: [wanders off, looking rather like a remote-controlled corpse]

Working on it... how are you doing over there? Decent enough? I go back to work today...

Panu Karjalainen replies: "I’m doing good, I think. Finished an assignment for creative writing and sent it. Wandered the city a bit and climbed to an old summer theatre, with an old-style windmill looming over it, all empty and dark... and I climbed the stairs to some booth and peeked at the stage... and there was some guy standing there. Was probably seeing the best play that never was in his mind’s eye... then I met a cat, who got frightened at the sight of me, and then I climbed out of a hole in the fence.

Eh... you had a break from work? I didn’t know..."

Veya: {{nods and, though slightly startled, squeezes her hand back}} Let us indeed meet again... she will be okay?

Emma: [with a slightly worried backward glance at receding Gwen] I, I think she’ll be fine, don’t worry. She just thinks too hard sometimes. [suddenly wraps Veya in a quick hug, then disengages and flashes a warm smile] Till we see again! [turns and hurries after Gwen]

Good good. Ooo... that sounds lovely... I’ve been walking to work recently but not having adventures like that... I enjoy it so much more than the bus, though. I didn’t realise how close it was by walking... and I had two days off. It was nice^_^

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Heheh, most of the time you have to stray from the beaten path to find them... How close is it, then? Also, would you like someone else to keep Veya company, or would she rather take time off? Must be tiring for her."

Veya: Good. {{nods and is ! at the hug, though manages to give her a quick squeeze back, returning the smile}} Yes^_^ {{watches her go, then looks around, pondering walking off}}

[Autumnal woodland remains much the same. Air is clear and quiet.]

True... um... it’s two miles? You... don’t measure in miles, do you... A semi-leisurely 45 minute walk? For me with short legs... and I might let her wander off... do you want to meet someone else?

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Oh, I can translate miles. That does sound like an easy distance to walk...

Hm. I don’t know. I can’t think of anyone, leastwise."

*bites*

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Aaa! No biting, I’m still here!"

Veya: {{stands still, looking after where they left for some time, then, at length, turns and wanders back out}}

I’ve enjoyed walking... I didn’t know it was so close by^_~ Terrible at judging distance... and sounds good^_^ I have a cat staring at me...

Panu Karjalainen replies: "Walking is great. I’d probably go crazy without my legs. Seen any interesting trees while walking?
A cat! I’ve met two city cats. The one I told you about up a few comments, and another one, on university grounds, a beautiful sleek hunter... neither cared for me much.

How’ve you been? I remembered today why my father buys toffee: he uses it to trap mice."