forum Letters Across the Universe (Always open. Say you read page one stuff)

Started January 29, 2020 by @Althalosian-is-the-father book

tune

dearest Ali Samul,

Ryen, oh god Ryen. This story is a little embarrassing, though I'll tell it to you anyway. Ryen was a friend I had when I was a child, his family lived in the house across from mine and one house to the left, we went to school together and much like me he was mixed raced as well, though purely human. His papa was European, or people with darker skin and more slim features, and longer noses and his mama was Puerto Rican, with curly hair and darker skin than most caucasian (white) people.

Ryen was quite beautiful I must say, his skin was a dark sandcastle color, his short hair was curly and fluffy, hanging over his eyes, causing him to have to push his bangs out of his eyes constantly. He was slim and taller than me, which wasn't much, considering I've always been shorter than most of the male's I know. He was different from most boys my age though.

He was constantly fighting other boy outside of school for me, and the way they treated me. So everytime he was with me the other kids, except the girls; who he couldn't lay a hand on, would stop making fun of me. He walked me everywhere, to school; where he would be waiting on our small wooden porch every morning, home from school, where he would see me inside my house, and everywhere else I went. He constantly took me on strolls through the woods, where we would express the beauty quietly, or sometimes even in silence.

He laid out with me some nights, on his back porch, where we would lay side by side, our hands touching for a few hot seconds every couple minutes, smiling to ourselves and admiring the bright stars of our village. I would say he was what one would call a first love, our first kiss sent sparks through my skin, like he was personified lightning. He gave me my first kiss and many kisses after that.

But like most sappy, love stories similar to mine, my own also had one thing in common with most; it came to an end at one point. After four summers of sneaking around together, pecking each other whenever we were at my house and my parents out in the garden, laying on his chest as we continued to admire the stars, like we had done for years.

I tried to persuade him to leave home with me, I tried to explain what it was like for me in the village; but alas he did not understand, claimed he didn't see it. I tried to express this was because they were scared of him— the other teenagers, but he denied it, said I was just being dramatic, that my parents loved me and I should stay. He explained he wasn't going with me, I would have to leave alone or stay and enjoy him like I had done most of my life. So I left, and with every ounce of confidence I owned I held my head high and never looked back, not until he was long gone.

That was a couple years ago now, we are both now the same age; twenty two. He is now married to a village girl who reminds me of my mother, but more beautiful and not as old. She used to mock me during school hours, i'm sure she makes fun of him for the time he spent with me, I wonder if he has told her that he was mine first, that I was his first hug other than his family, his first kiss and his first I love you. They have three bratty, beady eyed children and sometimes I create whirlwinds in the direction of their house just to mess things up a little.

But honestly other than thinking of him from time to time, I usually don't think of him at all. I've met this woman at the tavern I sit in almost every night, a tavern for evil people like me, the fuck ups. Her name is Starcilla! isn't that just so beautiful? She smiles as bright as the sun and moon combined and she seems more than glad to see me every night as well at the other low life hooligans that come to the tavern she bartends at. We constantly— well flirt I guess, but I've never expressed that I actually have feelings for her.

Is there anyone special; as in romantically, in your life Ali?

Cheerio is one of my favorite's, it's a british word with the same meaning as goodbye, but I like doing the accent that goes with it.

Sincerely, Geneviera Angelos <3

Dear Corrin D'Hiver

I apologise for leaving you with more questions, I will try to answer any that you have.

Ah! Yes, I understand now. The underworld. One word. Mortals would kill and eat you and drink your blood? Goodness, no one I know would do such a thing. I've heard tales of sailors who have turned down offers of immortality from the gods. No human I've met would do such a terrible thing for even a chance to live forever. I would never do anything like that.

No sea? No ocean? The sea is like a very large lake but the water is salty and undrinkable. It covers most of the globe. It is full of fascinating creatures and plants. I'm pretty sure you would not be able to contain the sea in your backyard. Though I'm not sure what a backyard is so I'm not one to answer.
I do not believe frogs live in the ocean, they would tend to live more around the land. Where the riders and ports are. Are frogs edible? They have legs and no gills but they swim, correct?

Oh! Horse! I thought they said 'house' and dismissed them out of disbelief. You can not ride a house. They have no legs and people live in them at the ports. Riders are humans that murder and steal from merchants and travellers that move across the land. You have to be careful, even when at the guarded ports, riders can travel and strike quickly on their 'horses'. I am yet to have the displeasure of witnessing an attack. The SBS Raven has been lucky in that regard.
Common demons? Do they run on four legs? What do they look like? If you describe them to me, I can try to sketch one and then I can send it to you. Then you can tell me how correct I am.

The first mate has agreed to let me purchase a potato. I am very excited. He said if I enjoy it, and it is cheap, we can get them for meals. Is a planteater an animal that eats plants? Such as a cow? I have no idea if black markets sell potatoes. Ports often sell produce and plants but I am not sure if they count. It is worth a try.

Not dying, wow. That's fascinating. People die at sea all the time. On land, even more. What age have you chosen? Is there a reason you chose it or was it random? Every century, wow, that is a long time. It would be fascinating to know what life was like centuries ago. I wonder if we even lived on the seas then.

I will send you a drawing of the sky in my next letter. I am procuring paints on my next trip ashore at Port Seal, I may be able to send you a painting. May I ask what a 'cars' is? And a 'PortaPotties'? I have not heard of such things. It would be interesting to find out what the sea looks like from below. Maybe you can spot the deepsea creatures and sunken ships. Maybe you could even find the SBS Raven!
The Unterworld sounds incredible and beautiful. Like it would be a sight to behold. 'Humankind's imagined things', that is a very nice saying. There must be many interesting items down there. Is China a part of the land? I'm not sure but it sounds like it would be an interesting place to visit.

Kings do sound fascinating. It would be nice to see.

Forever and Fortune,
Ash Conner,
Navigator-in-training,
SBS Raven

P.S My apologies for the long letter Corrin, I have been told that I talk to much out loud as well.

Dear Geneviera,
I'm sorry about Ryen. He seems like someone you loved quite a bit. But I am also glad you seem to be getting over him. Starcilla is a beautiful name. I hope you someday find the courage to tell her such a thing.

And romantics in my life are little to none. Although, I've mentioned Lybra before. We've known each other since we were very young. He used to visit the mechanics shop I worked at, with his mother. We talked all the time while I went around the shop doing my chores. When I finally got the courage to leave, he left with me. We were 10, in Earthen years. We traveled all around the galaxy together, just trying to survive. At some point, I found a certain…likeness towards him I hadn't felt before. Until I found out he did something really terrible. We were children when it had happened but still, like an idiot, I drove him away.

We didn't see each other after that until our navigator, Kera, recruited us both for a job. Which is what we happen to be on now. Things are still a little tense between us, neither of us have really apologized for what happened. But I think I still have that kind of love for him. He's pretty, I guess. Really pretty, actually. And he always makes me laugh and his smile is the best thing in the world.

…oh boy, Gen. I'm really bad for him, aren't I?

Anyways, that was kind of a lot. Sorry for the rambling. Do you have other things you like to do as a hobby? Or anything you'd like to learn? Also could you possibly teach me a new word in Earthen? I'd love to know a new one. And cheerio sounds like a very happy goodbye. Like saying goodbye to a close friend? And is British a type of Earthen?

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dear Ash Conner,

Salut encore! It is Eldest N'marras' five-millennia milestone today, so we have one hour of Above. What this means, friend, is that in celebration of the Eldest Ones, a small escort of people will take the Eldest up to the Above and show them the sights. Do you celebrate milestones, or "birthdays", as I believe they are called? Is it a once-every-century thing, or is it common? And how do you celebrate it?
I am not a part of such an excursion, sadly. As it is, they will observe the skies to suggest to aunt Echo how she might strengthen the illusions. Oh, to be a century older and as such be qualified to go Above. Ah!
Does your name mean anything? I have just been thinking, as N'marras' name means The Enlightened, and my father's meant Apron. I think. It might have been Acorn. Neither of those are quite appealing, you can see.
He was mortal, my father. Mortal and French. That is where the expressions that pepper my speech come from. How strange that mortals have different languages for themselves when one would suffice. Does it make conversation hard?
My name, my full name - Corrin Dhina-Lancey D'Hiver - means, loosely translated, Winter Wonder Apron Marble.
One of those is a Mortal language - either Thai, Taekwondo or Tamil. The others are in Daemonaic, the language of demons. You pronounce daemoniac as you would pronounce a life-threatening growl that can knock over a tree. (My name is Simplified Daemonaic, though.)
Which brings me to your question. I can try to describe a fire demon. Have you ever seen a rhinoceros? Or perhaps a hippopotatomus? I understand that the latter lives by the sea. Picture a hippopotatomus that is quite lithe - oh. Maybe a hippopotatomus wasn't the best comparison - and the body is fashioned of volcanostuff. It can snort steam that can reach 900 degrees Newton - a Newton is the temperature of the apple that fell on said Mr. Newton's head and killed him - and is carnivorous. Sometimes mortals mistake them for horses and "adopt" them.
It never ends well.
Frogs are a strange creature that can live Below and Above. They can indeed swim, and I have not had the opportunity to check for gills. They are edible, I believe.
I look like the age of 18, but I'm actually one hundred and thirty-six in Mortal years. It's actually quite young for a Legacy of a Deathborn. My aunt is thirteen thousand. (But she's literally been alive since the founding of the Unterworld.)
There are many interesting things down here. Our alarm clocks have legs, so they might find you wherever you may be, and alarm you there. China is a Mortal country. I believe it connects to the sea at some point.
If you're sketching a common demon, might you also sketch the sky? Can you sketch the sy, or is it too awestriking to contain on a piece of parchment?
I am interested by the saying you put at the end of your letters. Are you wishing forever to me? And why would you give me some of your own fortune?
This is a saying we have. It means "May happiness find you".

Gh'real nie despoto,
Corrin D'Hiver.

Dear Ali Samul,

I don't think you're bad for Lybra as you think you might be, I just think he did something terrible when you were younger and you have to work towards completely trusting him again. Though i'm not sure what he did, or if it was directly towards you, but I stand by my advice nonetheless.

I like to draw as a hobby, mostly people I know or have seen before. A word in english that I feel you need to know is melodramatic; meaning exaggerated, sensationalized, or overemotional. British is still earthen, is still the language but with a accent, making them pronounce the words differently.

I must say i did kiss Starcilla, though some people would argue that doesn't mean anything, kisses are essential to me, they mean a lot, even if they are just a couple seconds. But I shall tell you the details in another letter. Also please don't apologize for how much you write, I would actually prefer you write as much as you want, I love reading long letters.

Please tell me, what did Lyra do when you were younger? If you aren't comfortable telling me, that's okay. I hope you achieve your romantic goals. Tell me anything you think I should know.

Se'dil te Ixe,
Geneviera Angelos

Dear Geneviera,

Drawing seems like a good hobby to have. Time-consuming, probably not boring. And I love the word melodramatic, it's long enough to be a word in my language. And I'm happy to hear about you and Starcilla. Kisses are important, even in my culture. It's a sign of genuine love. I hope you two are happy together. Please continue to update me on your relationship with her.

In order to really explain what Lybra did, you have to understand something: the shop that I worked at as a child was not family-owned or a choice of mine. I was, in fact, a slave at this mechanic's shop. Of course, the owner was less than pleasant. So when I said in my last letter that I got the courage to leave, it wasn't really courageous at all. I was simply running, and I took Lybra with me. We traveled together until we were 14. We were tight for money and we needed to move on. There were people looking for both of us and Lybra decided that he was more important than both of us, so he attempted to turn me in for money.

If he had succeeded, I would have gone back into work because no one had paid off my fee. I was thankfully able to get out before I went back, but I still owed a debt to be free. I still do, actually. We were scared young kids, he was doing what he thought was best for himself. I don't blame him for that, but it still…hurts. To know he did that.

So there. That's my sob story. Shit, right? So I'm gonna ask a few questions, to leave off on a lighthearted note. Do you have a favorite drink? Or food? I'd love to know more about fairy culture as well, if you're willing to tell me. And again, please keep me updated on you and Starcilla. I like hearing about you two.

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dearest Ali,

first off all I would just like to clarify that even if Lybra did think turning you in for money was what was best for him. It gave him no right to think sending you back to the mechanic shop as a slave would be okay, he was fucked up for that, no doubt about it. And yeah, holy mother of jesus I was not expecting that from you.

purified spring water is my favorite drink! I love it alot, my favorite food is Kunde; a vegetarian, West African stew, my father taught me how to make it when I was about fifteen. I even made it for Ryen once of twice; he would always express how he thought I was a magnificent cook.

I will keep you updated about Starcilla, or as I call her; Star. I will describe her to you at one point, she reminds me of my mother through their shared beauty and pointed, slim features. But they are quite opposites in physical appearance and personality.

PLease teach me some words in your language— what is the language called? Would my name translate to anything different in it? How do you say flower? Is there specific relations to specific relations?

I hope you do tell me how it goes with Lybra as well!

Se'dil te Ixe,
Geneviera Angelos

-attached to the letter is a probably not very accurate drawing of a common demon, along with a small but astrologically correct drawing of the night sky.-

Dear Corrin

Well, salut encore I guess! I'm not sure what that means but it sounds appropriate. It's a shame you do not get to join the trip to the above. To be a century older, does that mean you must be a certain age to travel there?
Birthdays are a once a year thing. On the exact day and month of when you were born. Not many humans live to 100 here so once a century wouldn't be very- efficient.

I do not think Ash means anything but the powder left over after fire. And Connor is just the last name of my father. He was part of the crew on the SBS Raven. A navigator. I am following in his footsteps and I am currently in training to become a navigator as well. He isn't around anymore.
There are multiple languages but you often don't come across another ship that isn't from your fleet, and fleets all share languages. French! Ah, I thought I recognised them. I was taught a little french by the quartermaster a while back.

I attempted to draw a demon, but it is most likely innaccurate to the real thing. I asked around Port Seal while we were docked about horses and hippo-po-tam-us. Didn't find much about the latter but received a picture of a horse. They do not look as scary as rumored.
Thirteen thousand years old! That's incredible! Thats longer than humans have been on the see as far as I'm aware. And 136 is still much older than the SBS Raven itself.

Your alarm clocks have legs? That sounds rather useful but possibly annoying too.

Oh! I've been a little rude. You have told me much of your home, I have not told you much of mine.
The SBS Raven is a part of a fleet of eight SBS ships. Which is slightly redundant as SBS stands for 'sea blessed ship'. The SBS ships are ships that were either blessed by or helped in building by one of the gods of the sea. The SBS Raven is the fastest ship on the sea and its sister ship, the SBS Magpie, is the most powerful. There are over one thousand people, crew and civilians, living on the SBS Raven.
If there is anything you would like to know about the SBS Raven, I can definitely tell you.

Forever and Fortune was first written by the Raven's first captain when he accidentally wrote the wrong words at the end of a letter. I became the official saying of the Raven and its what we used at the end of our letters. People keep attempting to come up with meanings for it, but it truely doesn't have one.
I think that is a beautiful saying. I do not have a clue how to pronounce it, however.

Forever and Fortune,
Ash Connor,
Navigator-in-training,
SBS Raven

Dear Geneviera,

Again, I don't blame Ly for what happened, not entirely. It was a lot of different circumstances and I can tell he's changed a lot since we were young. Also who's Jesus? and why are we cursing his mother's name?

I do know of Africa, as well. My friend, Kera, is from there, although I can't recall the exact country. I asked her if she recognized the stew you mentioned and she said no, but that she would look it up.

As for me, I realized I never exactly told you where I'm from. Sorry about that. I'm from a planet called Tallesia, which is mostly rainforest. Because of this, we live in houses and villages built in the trees. Our language is named after our planet, Tallesian, and because we are a small society, we all speak it.

Your name, in Tallesian, would be written in Earthen script as Jein'vie-era and your last name would stay roughly the same. We don't have a general word for flower, but I suppose it would be le'kiv, as that is the name of the blossoms that sprout on the trees during the dry season. One of my favorite words is a part of my name, dera. It means moon. If you want a long word, tel'vena-ke'shil is a word we use to describe the feeling when you're nervous for something, but can't wait for it to happen.

What is schooling like on Earth? Is it tailored to fit a kid's interests? Or is it very general until the person decides what they want to do? Ours is more towards the first one, in case you were curious.

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dearest Ali Samul,

Schooling on Earth is more related to the second option but also pertains to the first option as well, children learn the basics at first, but because not every child knows exactly what they want to do, they keep learning, then once the child or teenager decides what they want to do, then the schooling is turned more into the first option.

Tallesia sounds quite beautiful if I must say so, I often catch myself thinking of what the rainforests would look like, we have a similar things in tree's for homes, they're called treehouses but they're usually for children to play in, people don't actually live in them.

What do you do in your free time? Would you like to visit Earth someday? And do you know where you would go first if you did?

Se'dil te Ixe to you too,
Geneviera Angelos

Dear Geneviera,

I suppose your Earthen schooling system makes the most sense in the long run. There are often children here who find their interests changing but it is much too late for them to switch. Our rainforests, I am told, are quite different from Earth's. Our trees are very tall and they nearly touch the stars. Some reach over the clouds and the leaves are forever untouched by rain.

In my free time, I like to study other planets and cultures. It's an odd interest, but when I'm not fixing or building anything, I like to focus on things that are just as complicated and intricate. And I would love to visit Earth someday, to see your rainforests compared to the ones I grew up in, and especially to see some of your festivals and holidays. Both Lybra and our healer, Elidi, recently celebrated something called Día de Muertos and they have another one coming up. I don't remember the name of it, but it starts with a C. Perhaps you know what they're talking about?

Is Earthen the only language you speak? What sort of clothes do fairies wear? And are fairy holidays different from purebred Earthen?

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dearest Ali Samul,

Christmas is the holiday i think they're talking about, though i'm not sure, its in winter, where the legend of Santa Claus brings presents down chimneys and into houses for children. Very childish if you ask me but many people on Earth cherish this holiday dearly.

I personally do not celebrate fairy holidays, seeming as my father supported my mother by only celebrating purebred human holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years and other smaller holidays. Im sure other half bred fairies like myself celebrate fairy holidays, though I'll have to look in a really old journal my dad gave me, he made it when he was growing up, and it has a bunch of fairy related and fairy culture related things on the pages, but I will have to dig for it.

Yes, english is the only language I speak. Fairies wear clothes the same as humans, but I sew my own, because I favor bright colors.

Se'dil te Ixe to you too,
Geneviera Angelos

Dear Geneviera,

Please, continue to explain Christmas, winter, and this Santa Claus guy. It sounds entirely new to me. Our closest thing to this holiday is our Rain Festival, which has no legends about a present god. And you are lucky to have only spoken Earthen all your life. Learning it was very difficult and I still get tripped up on some of the stranger words. I'm still not quite clear on how to pronounce words like "rhythm" and "desks". (The desks one is the hardest. It is a lot of the same kind of letter right next to each other). What color is your favorite? What was your favorite thing to learn about in school? Oh, and how is it going with you and Star?

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dearest Ali,

Christmas. like I said previously; is the holiday on December 25th, where children wake up that morning and receive presents under their christmas tree; a tree decorated with christmas lights and ornaments and usually has a large thing significant to the family (like a fake angel) on the top.

Winter is the coldest season on Earth, some specific places on Earth dont get the effect of winter at all, while some get it worse than others, winter kills plants, crops and my precious flowers.

Santa Clause is a fat white man with a long white beard, he wears a red suit and is the man who is rumoured to give children presents in the middle of the night between Christmas Eve (the day before Christmas) and Christmas day.

My favorite color is Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Orange and Purple, basically all the colors! My favorite thing to learn in school was english and cursive, and the last incident I had with Star was the day of our kiss, I haven't seen her since, though its only been less than a day since.

What's your favorite color? How are you doing with the whole Lybra thing, any progress? DO you know where you're headed now? Are you lonely on the ship with only a handful of people?

P.S: Fun fact, my eyelashes are dyed the primary colors, red, yellow and blue.

Se'dil te Ixe to you too,
Geneviera

-attached to the letter is a probably not very accurate drawing of a common demon, along with a small but astrologically correct drawing of the night sky.-

Dear Corrin

Well, salut encore I guess! I'm not sure what that means but it sounds appropriate. It's a shame you do not get to join the trip to the above. To be a century older, does that mean you must be a certain age to travel there?
Birthdays are a once-a-year thing. On the exact day and month of when you were born. Not many humans live to 100 here so once a century wouldn't be very- efficient.

I do not think Ash means anything but the powder left over after fire. And Connor is just the last name of my father. He was part of the crew on the SBS Raven. A navigator. I am following in his footsteps and I am currently in training to become a navigator as well. He isn't around anymore.
There are multiple languages but you often don't come across another ship that isn't from your fleet, and fleets all share languages. French! Ah, I thought I recognized them. I was taught a little french by the quartermaster a while back.

I attempted to draw a demon, but it is most likely inaccurate to the real thing. I asked around Port Seal while we were docked about horses and hippo-po-tam-us. Didn't find much about the latter but received a picture of a horse. They do not look as scary as rumored.
Thirteen thousand years old! That's incredible! That's longer than humans have been on the see as far as I'm aware. And 136 is still much older than the SBS Raven itself.

Your alarm clocks have legs? That sounds rather useful but possibly annoying too.

Oh! I've been a little rude. You have told me much of your home, I have not told you much of mine.
The SBS Raven is a part of a fleet of eight SBS ships. Which is slightly redundant as SBS stands for 'sea blessed ship'. The SBS ships are ships that were either blessed by or helped in building by one of the gods of the sea. The SBS Raven is the fastest ship on the sea and its sister ship, the SBS Magpie, is the most powerful. There are over one thousand people, crew and civilians, living on the SBS Raven.
If there is anything you would like to know about the SBS Raven, I can definitely tell you.

Forever and Fortune was first written by the Raven's first captain when he accidentally wrote the wrong words at the end of a letter. I became the official saying of the Raven and it's what we used at the end of our letters. People keep attempting to come up with meanings for it, but it truly doesn't have one.
I think that is a beautiful saying. I do not have a clue how to pronounce it, however.

Forever and Fortune,
Ash Connor,
Navigator-in-training,
SBS Raven

Dear Geneviera,

So this Santa Clause man…is he a god? Or just an idol? I'm sorry, I still can't quite get my head around this idea. And you say he's rumored to do these things, so is he a real figure or just a story?

Also, I must tell you that time passes quite differently in your universe, as I am now finding out. It's been about two days since I received your letter about you kissing Star. Meaning that yes, I now know where we are headed: a planet called Lara, about another 16 Earth hours away.

The whole Lybra thing is still developing. I'm trying to talk to him more, since he saved my life a while ago. (That's a whole other story for another time). I'm not terribly lonely on this ship, even with only four other people. We're…friends. Which is strange. I've never really had a friend before, aside from Lybra. Before and after him, I was alone.

And I never learned the word for my favorite color, but it's the one like blue but lighter. Like if blue and red had a child. And my question for you is if you would ever get a pet again and what it would be?

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dear Ali,

The whole Santa Claus thing depends on who you ask I guess, some might say he was real while most elder people on Earth would claim its just a silly story made up to get them to go to sleep faster.

I hope Lara is an interesting planet it would seem quite interesting if you had traveled all that way to explore a planet that was a bore and cynical, as for the Lybra thing, let me know all the detail if anything interesting happens.

Also the color you are looking for is purple, the color made from the mis of red and blue.
I think if I were to get another pet, it would be a parakeet, and one of the orange,yellow and green ones, colored as if they are fruit.

have you ever been in love? What were your parents likes, or rather; your family?

Se'dil te Ixe to you too
Geneviera

Dear Geneviera,

Lara is okay so far. It's mostly just forests, but then again, we're not here to look at scenery. And if I'm remembering what a parakeet looks like, it's similar to the koffa birds of my home planet.

As for your questions, I've never truly been in love before. There was a boy back on Tallesia that I liked as a child, but that was all it was. His name was Jeo and he was the son of one of my father's friends. Nothing ever really happened, that's all we were. It wasn't any sort of true love, kā'ne te'deva, just a crush.

And my family…they were some of the best people I ever knew. My parents were kind to me and my brother, sometimes a little too forgiving, like the time when my brother, Ten, dared me to climb up to the klatsiki nest and I nearly got killed. He wasn't even punished for it. We used to go to the Rain Festival celebrations at the center of our little village and my parents would dance together and you could tell that they loved each other more than anything else on our little planet. They taught us, my brother and I, how to dance as well, but Ten was always too clumsy to really get the steps down. I miss them a lot. I'm not sure where they are now or if my brother even remembers me. I remember him, though, and I'd confront a thousand more klatsiki to see him again.

So now I will return the questions to you. What was your family like? Do you know where they are?

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dearest Ali,

I think our parents were vaguely the same, they taught me basic life skills, minus the addition of having to teach another, as I was the only child, it was also clear that my parents were in love with each other, and grew in more everyday. I honestly have no clue where they are, I got news in our old village awhile ago that they moved, but toher people in the village also claimed that they had died.

Will you ever marry? How do you feel about the same gender being in a relationship? Does any specific thing make you angry, or irritated?

Sorry for such a short letter, I am most tired and am quite hallucinate at this point

Sincerely, Geneviera

so sorry, i thought i posted this nearly a week ago. welp, here it is, i guess

Dear Ash-
Bienvenue le jour! That is a saying Knox (my stepbrother) taught me. It means "welcome life". It can mean the same as "carpe diem," which he also taught me. Be-AYN-ve-noo LE JOOR. That is the pronunciation.
I have just realized, mon ami, that I have not asked your pronouns. I am sorry. I have been thinking of you as a he, but forgive me if you prefer another pronoun. I go by it/they.
I do have many questions about the SBS Raven. How large is it? I have heard of canoes, but from your tales, the Raven must be much grander than a canoe. Are there different types of sea vessels? Are they common? What is a quartermaster? I know what a quarter is, but why must one master it? He could be a math teacher if he likes fractions that much! Ack, pardon me- They, they. THEY could be a math teacher if they like quarters and fractions that much. Or is it the money quarter? Are they rich, then? Your life sounds at once amazing and confusing. What is the word for that? Crateric? Chaotic? I think that is the word, oui.
The saying Gh'real nie despoto is pronounced GUH-reel NEE DAY-spoe-toe. I find your saying wonderful. It is not wishing one idea upon the receiver- it could be wishing eternity, or luck, or happiness. A beautiful kind of abstract.
You must be at least two centuries to go to the Above. This is to ensure that we are A) settled on what age we will appear, B) have had time to learn Mortal and C) will actually appreciate the trip. Pah! It was wasted on all but the Eldest and my uncle, Ashvin. He brought me a potato. It was delicious! We had it baked, and then we cut it open and it spit steam at us! It has weapons even in death! It is truly fascinating. We lathered a creamy substance on it to smother the steam and sprinkled what is known as chees (cheez? chees? cheeze?) on top and- oh! It was heavenly. I do hope you can find one.
I have shown these letters to aunt Echo. She said to ask if you are okay having these letters put in a museum when our correspondence is over. Apparently, this is like a first or something.
What is a day in your life like? I sit quite different, living on water? Have you ever known life on land? What happens if you fall overboard? Is it mandatory to know how to swim? If you're training to be a navigator, how do you train?
Thank you for the picture. The sky- what are the lights in it? Are they buildings or ships that are above the Above? And how are there so many?
I have enclosed a drawing of the Gates Below. Those are teh gates that lead to my world. The one below yours. It is strange to think that the people and things above are not nearly so strange. Is it like that for you, too?

G'hreal nie despoto,
Corrin D'Hiver

Dear Geneviera,

Please get some sleep. From the weird phrasing of your letter, I can't even begin to guess how long you've gone without it. I'm not sure if I will ever marry, especially considering the fact that Tallesians don't have a concept of marriage. If you love each other, you love each other. There's no need to make an extra promise to hold you to that. Which is also why I don't feel as strange as many Earthens do about loving the same "gender". Our concept of gender is a little more fluid than the Earthen, so it's not even loving the same gender. What makes me angry is things that take forever to be repaired or uploaded. They're so small but it irritates me to no end.

And yet again, I'll return your questions to you and ask the same ones. I know Earthens are little more rigid about gender and all of that. Hope you sleep well.

Se'dil te Ixe (or Cheerio!)
Ali Samul

Dearest Ali,

I again have slept for a little bit, I have these spasms of sickness, where I can be fine and dandy one day and for that week then, out of nowhere I'll feel absolutely terrible. It happens quite often and its been happening ever since I was a child.

Gender doesn't really matter to me either, seeing as humans have more concept and strict rules of gender, I love breaking rules, so I break those as well. Seeing as i'm currently interested in a woman, who is the same gender as I, I think its obvious I don't care at all. One thing that aggravates me is when people automatically assume they know someone just for being around them for a brief time.

Do you want pets? Would you like a partner? What are things you like to do in your free time?

Sincerely, Geneviera

Dear Geneviera,

I apologize for my late reply. There was a…complication on Lara that kept me from going anywhere for a couple days. We're all okay now, thank Ixe, and we're back on our ship, the Bailey, to get us as far from the planet as possible.

For pets, since you described dogs to me, I think having one for a pet would be fun. And doing things in my free time is pretty much nonexistent, although I also like to climb. But seeing as that's also off-limits for the foreseeable future, I've taken to just making fun of Lybra and being a dick to everyone.

May I ask what your sicknesses look like? Perhaps I could describe them to Elidi and see if she knows what they are. I don't really have any other questions, so anything else you'd like to tell me about? I'd love to hear them.

Se'dil te Ixe,
Ali Samul

Dearest Ali,

my sickness comes in waves, though the amount of time for each wave is not defined or solid. I have been told that I look sickly and tired when I go out during my sickness, but my mind is not really there, its like im a stranger in my own body. I can only assume I look terrible. Though my sickness is more of an mental sickness I usually feel fatigued and tired.

I want another dog as well.
What do the others on the Bailey think of you adapting assholish behaviours? Do they like it? Do they not mind? Anything happening with Lybra?

sincerely, Geneviera

Dear Geneviera,

I described your sickness to Elidi and she said it sounded like a bad case of stress sickness, although she can't be sure. In any case, I'm sorry you feel that way at times. I hope this wave passes quickly.

The Bailey crew must be fairly used to my dickish behavior at this point. I can be really awful if I want to be, although it doesn't happen often and they typically see it directed at Lybra. Who, by the way, seems to be taking my injury more seriously than even myself. I know I scared the shit out of him, but his hovering is starting to get on my nerves. I can't even walk across the bridge without him watching me closely.

Anyways, I have more questions. How do fairies gain their powers? Are they from birth or do they develop as the child grows? How is it with you and Star?

*Se'dil te Ixe,"
Ali Samul