[Video; Laptop]

[youngestone]

[Killian is grinning! For once! He's excited and really this is just great]

Guess who's got a second job?

[He jerks his thumb towards his chest]

You know that kinda-big hardware store, Thorsson's? Apparently they've got a smithy in the back of one and the owner himself saw my jewelery work and hired me to make jewelery and stuff for them. It's just part-time so I'm still working at the stables and I'll still take private commissions but yeah. If you need me and I'm not answering my phone or the network, try there.

Comments

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Oh hey, he knows you. You're the guy that sold him his sister's birthday present. And caused those bright pink numbers to appear in his head.]

Oh hi. Uncle mentioned he hired someone new for the smithy. I didn't realize it'd be you.

[youngestone]

Wha--

[Killian nearly falls off his bed when he recognizes the blond guy talking to him]

Holy shit. You're Numbered?!

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Fil just blinks at you because he didn't expect that big a reaction. He files away 'Numbered' in his mind.]

I guess since I got on to this site. You know, now that I think about it, I got the random numbers in my head for this place right about when I met you that first time at the arts and crafts fair.

[youngestone]

[Killian nearly falls of his bed in shock a lot, actually. He's never lying in it properly]

What triggered them, d'you know? Was it something about me?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Fil's starting to get a bit worried about you. Surely this happens a lot if an actual network like this existed? He frowns and tries to recall the exact circumstances.]

Hm...I think it was right after you gave me your business card and told me about the runes at the bottom.

[youngestone]

...the runes did it?

[Killian's face lights up]

The runes triggered your first pulse?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Fil still has it, and he picks it up to the camera.]

Yup. Pretty sure it was that. What was yours, if you don't mind me asking?

[youngestone]

This.

[He pulls a pendant out from under his shirt, a glass runestone with the rune for "th" on it]

But if my card triggered your first pulse, I think that--wait, what do you know about the Network and stuff?

[He should probably not dump the "past life" thing on the guy unexpectedly, after all]

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Fili squints at the video feed as if trying to lean forward to get a closer look.]

That's a nice piece. The network? Not much to be honest. I've been skimming old posts, but there's a ton of information so it's going to take me a while.

[youngestone]

[Killian nods, finally settling down a little. He didn't use to be this excitable]

Right. So, if you missed that last couple of posts the pulses are, uh, memories of a past life? Memories or items or other stuff like it. They're triggered by things that remind your...subconscious or soul or whatever of that past life. With me so far?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Fil has always been a fairly calm kid. The bit about the past life was just a bit hard to swallow though. He's trying though.]

O.......kay. That explains how I now know how to write in a completely new non-Earth language. Though I guess it isn't new if it was...part of my past life.

But you mentioned items? Memories makes sense but items?

[youngestone]

I know, it's weird but you get used to it pretty quickly. And yeah, items. I've gotten boots and a bow out pulses, and this.

[He grabs a black stone with the runes for "come back to me" carved on it from his nightstand and holds it up]

Also that language is, uh, from our past lives. My first pulse was learning to read it. I learned to write it at Christmas.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Huh. I wonder what I'll get from it then, if it's not just memories...

[Oh hey, he knows how to read that too. He'd been wondering if anyone else knows that odd language sitting in his brain.]

That reads 'come back to me' right?

[Wait. He said 'our'. Killian couldn't possibly mean...?]

You said our. How? And you are so sure?

[youngestone]

Yeah, it does! And...well, okay, I'm not one hundred percent sure? But a lot of people have found people in the city from their past lives and that's where the runes come from. My past life. And if you can read and understand them, then logically...

[He shrugs. He doesn't mention Aaron having been from his past life's world. It's not like he remembers that anymore, after all]

[moreweaponsthanyou]

I wonder if anyone has done some sort of study on how many people found their...I guess I'll call it 'past-life mates' by bouncing off of each other through common experiences and how that spread among linked social circles...

But what you say does make sense...

[youngestone]

[Killian just sort of blinks at that first comment. Apparently he was right about Fil going to college. Then again, that's what the card implied so. Meh.]

Like I said, it's the only logical thing I can come up with as to why you'd be able to read the runes. If you want, once you're more settled and stuff I can share what I remember? You don't have to agree or anything, a lot of people don't like purposely triggering pulses, but if you want.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Technically he just finished college and started working. But yeah, card's got his work email on it.]

I should probably say no but now I'm too curious about the pulses. So the answer's a yes.

[youngestone]

Just say when. I mean, I've got two jobs to work around but with one being in the morning and the other being at your uncle's I'm pretty sure we can figure out a time.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

I spend pretty much all day at work but maybe you can stay over for dinner and we can talk afterwards. Uncle won't mind I'm sure.

[youngestone]

Oh, uh.

[Didn't expect that]

Maybe? I wouldn't want to seem rude or anything.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

He won't. [Fil's nodding his head encouragingly at you.]

My cousins' friends are in and out all the time so one more isn't going to be weird or anything.

[youngestone]

Yeah but I work for your uncle. Also, uh, in case you didn't notice I am a good foot shorter than I'm assuming most of your family.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

I can see how the first could be awkward but he really won't mind. If you really don't want to I guess we can go out for a bite to eat instead.

[There's a puzzled expression on Fil's face right now.]

What does being shorter than my family have anything to do with it? Uncle pretty much towers over me as well.

[youngestone]

...I think I had a point there but honestly I'm not sure.

[Also he's really bad with people in general. He's getting better but moving around constantly does not lend itself to good people skills.

There's also the whole thing with the fact that he gets the feeling the Thorssons are a lot like the Ryans and goddamn does his miss his family. He's not sure he could handle that sort of hurt.]

Well, except that if I get asked by little kids why I haven't grown again I may snap a little.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

You were trying to get out of dinner with my extended family. Want me to get Uncle to issue the invite so it gets less awkward?

[Fil totally will do it.]

That's okay, 'cause that's pretty rude and they should be reminded saying things like that have consequences.