Inbox for forestcovered

[macaboney]

[All parts of the message are at an unfortunately high volume, due to the fact that Tempus has no indoor voice.]

Hello various humans and non-humans! You have reached Tempus! ...Or, you have. Not reached him. Because I am not actually present right now to listen to your call.

Regardless!

Please leave your messages here, and I will get back to them as soon as I possibly can! And then I will actually be present to listen to you. Yes.

Nyeh-heh-heh!

Comments

[punnybone]

Sometimes... Sometimes I really can't anymore. Heh... every now and then I wake up and it takes me a while to sort out what's real again. It gets... confusing.

[Remembering what actually happened and what didn't is something that shouldn't be so hard, when he clearly remembers one timeline and only has scattered fragments of all the others, but it happens anyway.

It's never a fun experience.]

Yeah, they're... they're not the type to do something like that for the hell of it. I could start thinking up reasons, but... Think this is something I shouldn't go making assumptions about.

[Maybe after everything's calmed down, he'll ask them about it. Maybe.]

S'a lot of history there. Just, uh, wish I could remember it.

...Can't say all their points were wrong, though.

[macaboney]

...I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, and that you had to sort out so much on your own. I know there would have been no way of me knowing, but... still. I wish I did know.

[As horrible as it would be to remember dying, wouldn't it be easier if the two of them could help each other cope with remembering?]

Serif... please don't say that. What in the world could someone so thoughtless say that was true?

[He wants to know, just so he can prove it wrong. His brother should never have to take those messages to heart.]

[punnybone]

S'no fun to deal with, bro. Didn't want you to have to.

[He's glad his brother never knew. It made things hard for Serif, maybe, but it could've been worse. It could always be worse.]

Eh, they just...

["No one could do this but you. All the other saps could never do it. They'd roll over and die for friendship and love, but not you. You'll do what has to be done."

"You and your brother are both skeletons. But you're the only one who's dead inside."

"You just ran and left them to rot."]

...

I dunno. Guess they said some stuff I was already thinkin' anyway.

[macaboney]

Well, I didn't want you to have to deal with your problems alone. I feel like I told you as much.

[If only wishes came true somewhere other than Koriko, then this problem may have been solved a lot quicker.

As things are now, it's still going to take some time. The answer Serif gives doesn't seem to satisfy Tempus, who's expression darkens. There's no way he's going to let that go so easily.]

And what exactly were you thinking already?

[punnybone]

Yeah... I know.

[And maybe eventually he'll actually feel the same way about that. After resigning himself to dealing with everything on his own, for such a long time, it's hard getting out of that mindset.

...And of course Tempus isn't satisfied with that answer. Well, he thought as much already, but he'd kind of been hoping keeping it vague would work. But... he's not gonna lie about it, now that his brother's pushing.]

...

They, uh... heh... [He already knows Tempus won't be happy to hear this, but, well... Too late now, huh?] They said I was dead inside.

Couldn't really fight 'em on that one.

[macaboney]

I'm glad you know. Because I really... really do care about you. And I feel like sometimes you might forget that.

[Or at least cast it aside, ignore it so he doesn't feel bad about telling the truth. Maybe Tempus is just reading the situation wrong, but regardless of Serif's reasons, it's concerning.

...And it's more concerning to hear how he really feels. For a moment, Tempus is frozen in shock, before he pushes on with a added level of ferocity.]

You shouldn't feel that way. I know I can't convince you to change how you feel so easily, but... you're a good person, Serif. You're smart, and caring, and you've done a good job of looking after Grit and myself... There's lots of people who care about you. I... I wish they could help you realize how lively you really are.

[punnybone]

I never forget that, bro. Trust me.

[It's like the one thing that keeps him going most days.

...

He should be listening properly to this. He knows that. His brother's just trying to help and trying really hard at that. And Serif knows all of it's worth listening to. But one thing about it just stands out to him, especially after what his pen pal said in their last conversation.]

Tempus, you and the kid both ended up dead. I don't think that qualifies as doing a good job.

[macaboney]

Okay. I'm sorry for assuming you did. I... just worry.

[And he's worrying even more with Serif's next words. He flounders for a moment, trying to think of something, anything to make this right.

But even the great Tempus fails once in a while.]

...I know. But we're back now, and we forgive you. And... that was honestly out of your control.

[punnybone]

...

I ever tell you 'bout the promise I made to Fal?

[He did vaguely mention it, right after his shadow vanished. But that was about it.]

[macaboney]

I think you mentioned it, but I'm not sure entirely what you meant by it. Would you... mind telling me about it?

[Maybe it's meant to be a secret, so he doesn't want to pressure Serif.]

[punnybone]

It was before Grit got to the Underground. She got real quiet one day and, all of a sudden, she asked me to make her a promise. That if another human ever came into the Underground, I'd protect 'em.

Even though I hate making promises... I just didn't have the heart to tell her no, y'know?

[It seems like so long ago now. Back when they only talked with a door between them. When Serif didn't even know what Falon looked like.]

[macaboney]

...And that's what you've been doing. You've been protecting Grit. I know there's the occasional hiccup, but really, you've kept them safe from so much.

[Honestly, he's just amazed Serif made a promise to someone. Even Tempus doesn't always get promises right off the bat.]

[punnybone]

The kid's kinda died a lot, bro.