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[walking alongside him]

What sequel? Stop talking in riddles.

It's not a riddle, it's an analogy. What do you think sequel means?

Why is there a "sequel"?

...I don't know. I don't remember that part.

It has something to do with a dreamer... Does that ring any bells?

[Stops in front of the elevator]

Down, please.

[he pushes the button and only belatedly processes what Kim Dokja just said, freezing up]

The Oldest Dream?

[pauses, then walks into the elevator]

Yes. What do you remember about it?

[Also gives him the floor for the pools]

[unsure if he wants to have this conversation without full context]

What happened to our memories?

...we were reincarnated in this world, without our memories to start.

... You got here a while before me.

[Did he hit the floor or do I need to whine about that]

[he only closed the doors, whine away]

Reincarnated? Again??

What do you mean again.

Also, button please. You broke these, you're the hook for helping me fix them.

[huffs with some annoyance, pressing the button for the right floor]

You don't remember the Kaizenix Archipelago?

[oh my god there was really already a reincarnation arc??]

No.... What happened there?

[oh this is bad]

What do you remember? And how come I don't remember breaking your wrists if I got here before you?

I remember scattered things. I've been regaining my memories though scenario-like performances in this world.

[Exiting elevator toward the hot tubs, he's walking very carefully and while he's not making a big deal about it, it's pretty obvious he's in a lot more pain than Kim Dokja would normally be over a few broken bones. His tail drags limply behind him]

And you've temporarily lost your memories from after the end of the scenarios because of how one of those performances went.

[watching him very closely, walking a couple of steps behind him]

"Performances"? Who is watching?

Apparently, no one. They have some purpose other than amusing the constellations-- which don't exist in this story-- that I haven't quite figured out yet.

But they're like the scenarios but not as bad in most ways. Sometimes even they're just fun and harmless, sometimes they are torturous, but no one ever dies.

Everyone on this boat is someone participating in them, regaining their own memories, and most aren't from our world.

Where are Han Suyeong and the others? How did we end up here?

Edited Date: 2025-08-09 08:28 am (UTC)

They aren't here, as far as I know, and I don't know.

[Reaches a set of doors and leans against them with his shoulder to push into a room with many hot tubs]

[pushes the rest of the door open with his hand, above Booker's shoulder]

How long has it been?

For me?

Twenty eight years.

For you? More than that. At least fifty.

[frowns, visibly displeased]

[unsheathes about half of his sword to check his own reflection on the blade]

... I still look like myself? So do you.

Should we look like someone else?

[bemused, going to one of the hot tubs and stepping into it fully clothed, not even sitting just, standing there and letting his hands sink into the water]