savetheearth | [Handmirror, Video] 02nd Arrow

[Maria is...confused, and she kind of looks like it. She thinks that's the right word for this. Her thoughts and feelings are kind of muddled on a memory she received when a vermini attacked her on the 12th. She's been thinking about it to herself ever since then, and only now is she turning to the network.]

Okay, so, two things. One, I got a sweet bow! It's cool, guys, like...the design is perfect for me, but that's not the only awesome thing about it. Just yesterday, I forgot I left it in my room 'cause I was going to practice with it, and then it literally appeared in my hands. I thought it was a fluke or maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, but I tested that out. This bow? I can totally summon it from wherever it is. Distance doesn't even matter. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on my quiver, but I'll take it.

[Despite her feelings on the memory, nothing can contain her happiness and excitement over this development. Still...it's not enough to dispel it completely.]

And number two...I got a memory, and I don't know how to...feel about it. I think it's something that explains why I have this bow.

[She runs a hand through her hair, troubled.]

So...this memory. Past me made a vow to the Greek goddess Artemis. I did some research, and that basically means I was a handmaiden to her. And the Oath came with some warnings. Taking it meant that she could only die in combat or if she fell in love. Does that sort of thing...I don't know, carry over? Do I have to follow that same Oath because I took it in a past life?

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[That last part has made him feel very unhappy for some reason. Something about mythology in his past life apparently really made him mad. Weird life.]

I don't know why you're worried about it. [He sounded a tad more bitter than he intended to. Nick pauses to fix that before his next comment.] Artemis is basically a fictional character.

[She seconds the weird life since she made an Oath to the goddess of the hunt.]

I'd say that, too, but...dude, I actually saw her. Like, instant recognition that the person I saw was Artemis. She and two other people saw past me do it.

[Maria shrugs a little helplessly.]

Honestly, just two things make me worried about it. One is that I kinda like living, and the other is that I like keeping my word.

[Wow, he doesn't want to bring this up but it supports his point.]

I remembered seeing someone who isn't supposed to exist, too. I really don't know what it means, but...they still might be different.

Then why did you-?! [He seems a bit surprised for a moment. Really, what was bugging him so much?] I mean, why don't you try to be careful if you're that worried?

[Now she is curious.]

Who did you see?

[Maria blinks at the abruptness of the first question. Okay, she is concerned and frowning.]

Totally am, but...are you okay? You seem miffed.

[He's...going to look at the edge of his screen. Not sure why it's so embarrassing but it feels that way.]

I saw Cupid. He didn't look like a baby or anything, though, I just knew that's who it was.

[In fact, he's still not too keen on making camera eye-contact with her when it comes to the next question.]

I'm not miffed, I'm just...!

[He still hears how agitated he sounds. He exhales heavily and finally turns his eyes back toward the screen.] I don't know.

[Maria gives him something of a wry smile.]

Believe me, Artemis didn't look like what you'd think of her, either. She was twelve years old, for starters. Weird coincidence that you got something Roman and I got Greek.

[Although, she's starting to suspect that maybe coincidences don't exist.

She hesitates, thinking.]

Maybe we knew each other in our past lives? That's possible, right? So, maybe you didn't like that I joined the all-girls club?

Yeah, weird. But I don't remember anything I did with him. I'm only certain I couldn't stand him.

[As is he, but he's still pretty iffy on accepting this entire mythology thing in the first place.

He also thinks it over for a moment.]

...Maybe? That makes more sense than anything else right now.

Well, now I know not to send you a Cupid card for Valentine's.

[Maria is pretty okay with accepting this. Oh, the irony.]

It's all I got, other than Artemis making you mad in a past life. Or something.

Maybe get rid of him completely...

[It's like someone felt like messing with them in their next lives or something poetic like that.]

Yeah. I guess I had some sorta issue with mythology for some reason...

[Understatement of the eon...]

Petition the White House for it?

[She's trying to cheer him up.]

Looking like I'm going to be in the same boat. And you know what they say to that? Go sail the Mediterranean or whatever to Troy, have ourselves an Odyssey and try not to get eaten by monsters!

[It does produce a small grin.] I'm sure they get crazier stuff.

Honestly, with the giant snake attacks and everything they've connected to this network, I think it's dangerous enough here.

I laugh in the face of danger, hahahaha!

[Heck yeah she's going to quote the insert-Lion-King-alternate-title-here!]

[Her attitude is amusing him, at least? Even though the animated feline royalty movie reference seems a little silly, but he already knows she's self-proclaimed strange.]

I guess that's fine as long as it doesn't distract you. Maybe that's why you had that job with Artemis or whatever...

[...Self, why did you bring that up again? His grin fades just a little as the anger he still doesn't get wells up again.]

[Nope, not letting Nick get sulky and angry again.]

Squirrels might distract me, but I don't think much else will. Well...okay, shiny new video games and books, yes, that will definitely be grabbing my attention hardcore.

[Good, he'll eventually have enough of that anyway...]

You're really not making a very good argument to be an employee of a deity.

[Such is the life of a di Angelo....]

Shush, I don't need no sass from you, kiddo.

[He's, like, two years younger than you, Maria, jeez.]

[At least as the overwhelming youngest in his family, he's used to talk like that.]

But there's not a lot you can do it about it, is there?

[Nick don't tempt her, this started before the email spam...]

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