Complete Apologetic Gratitude

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

With Nico busy with the maids with something else, Ronja had a small bit of time to herself, one that she decided to use to do what she should've done ever since the start: To try to talk with her friends... She was unaware of how well they were, if something had happened after they had left... Of what was even happening in Terrasphere.

Did that world even still exist? Was it on shambles? A wasteland? Ronja hoped that it wasn't the case, but she also wasn't intending to be blind about it forever.

Taking her phone, it took her a bit of courage to finally search through her contacts and halt her fingers on 'Valeria'.

Taking another breath, soon she pressed the 'Call' button, sitting stiffly on the edge of her bed, with her fingers fidgeting around it while she chewed her left cheek... The phone called, and called... And for every ring, Ronja's heart seemed to beat faster.

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

A smart person would’ve probably stopped playing TerraSphere after the last series of events that had unfolded within the universe of the virtual game… and yet she continued to dive despite it all. A decent part of it was the ability of being able to close the distance that separated Ari and herself through the game, Valeria wasn’t about to fool herself and pretend that in itself was a big enough reason to continue playing, but there was more to it than just being able to spend time with her boyfriend. There was a discovery she hadn’t expected a short time after the fighting had ceased, the name inscribed on one particular magia core having caused chills and dread to flood the girl upon learning of it.

For months she had continued her search for the faerin girl that had helped Time EX during their part within Camp Hope, but any clues had always led to dead ends… and that was the spare few times she’d been lucky enough to find some. It had caused her goal to shift from finding Meriam to now ensuring the UI locked player could have a body of her own once more, but aside from sharing any knowledge she could think of to those in MIT there was little else Lúthien could do towards that mission, and the one person she would have reached out for questions had been grayed out from her contact list for days now.

Worry over the wellbeing of her friend had remained present from the moment they’d parted in the battlefield, though Valeria had restrained from reaching out towards Ronja right after the whole event. The last thing she’d wanted to do was intrude on the space that her friend might need after everything that had transpired, and instead she trusted Nico would be at her side and support the woman until she was ready to reach out to others.

Ronja…! The buzzing sound of her device had caused Valeria to look at the flashing screen, the surprise on her face hard to hide as she recognized the name on display. It had caused her to falter for a moment, but before the fourth ring could even end on Ronja’s side she had already picked up her iPhone as her finger swiped at the screen to answer the call.

"H-Hey!" A squeaked greeting was the first thing the brunette would hear, Valeria unable to contain the mixture of excitement and worry that seeped into her voice before pausing to clear her throat. "... feeling better now?"

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

'She picked up-'

Was her first thought when the ringing stopped, having the 1 second delay before the call actually started, allowing them to talk.

The squeaked and stuttered greeting made Ronja's stiffness soften for a moment, and the following question brought a guilty smile to her lips. "Hello Val... I..." She greeted, allowing herself to get a bit more comfortable on her bed, adjusting her sitting that no longer looked like she was on the edge of her emotions.

"Yeah, I am feeling... Much better..." She smiled a bit, still relieved that her friend actually had picked up the phone.

"... But more importantly... How... How are you?" She asked, pausing for a moment before adding:

"I... I am sorry... For not calling you earlier..." She held her breath, remembering the moment she had her friend at a gunpoint, not hesitating to shoot at her.

"And for everything I did... To you and to Ari..."

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

A small smile washed over her face upon finally hearing Ronja’s voice on the other end of the call, a hand reaching to her side to pull the gaming chair closer before Valeria made herself comfortable on it. "Thank the heavens…" The sense of relief that washed over Valeria upon hearing the brunette confirm she was doing better was almost indescribable, and the breath she’d held was finally released in a soft sigh before she’d spoken.

"How... How are you?"
"I’ve been… good? Well, busy as hell too, but nothing I can’t handle."

The end of her words tapered off into a light chuckle; between the new revelations within the game and her own preparations and coordinating with Isa for the upcoming MetaWorlds 2034 it was perhaps unsurprising that Valeria had found herself with a lot on her plate… but the blonde didn’t particularly mind it. Sometimes it was good to be busy, since it meant less time for her brain to wander off into thoughts Valeria didn’t feel like exploring yet.

"I... I am sorry... For not calling you earlier…" While she couldn’t see her friend’s expression Ronja’s voice and its measured pauses conveyed the brunette’s feelings clearly enough, and the relief Val had previously felt quickly washed away as worry took its place once more. "And for everything I did... To you and to Ari..."

"Ronja w-wait, you don’t have to apologize for any of that." Brows furrowed in concern, the emotion easily leaking into her voice as the blonde tried to reassure her friend. "It wasn’t your fault, you weren’t you Ronja, and I’m sure none of us hold it against you… at least, I certainly don’t."

Sure, the same probably couldn’t be said of others within the game that knew the innovative tinkerer, especially when it came to the Landers or any who’d been against the idea of capturing Szofrit at the end of it all, but the blonde wished to believe that anyone who truly knew Ronja would never actually blame the brunette for all that had happened.

"I’m just glad we were able to reach you before…" She paused, her mind finally catching up with her words as the blonde thought better of continuing that train of thought. "All that matters is you got out of there safe, and that you're well."

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

At every word that came from Valeria, Ronja could feel a weight in her shoulders and heart softening, knowing that despite everything, her friend was still fine.

Still, she couldn't help but shake her head at the attempt to push away her responsibility from what happened. "It felt like me, Val." She said, holding her chest with her free hand. "And at the time, it didn't felt wrong. It felt worth it... Szofrit's intentions felt... So genuine." Ronja's lips pursed, and a sigh escaped from her lips, before she decided to push it away.

"... But... Above any apologize... What I really want to tell you... Is thank you for saving me..." She said, with warmth growing in her chest. "I will never forget what you and the others did."

Though... There was another worry that lied behind her heart.

"I know... You, Ari and Harper stayed in the game after we left... Uhm..." She held her phone tightly. "... What happened in there, Val? Did you... Did any of you... Died..?" Ronja asked, with the concern lingering in her voice, even if she tried her best to hold it back.

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

She’d listened as Ronja shared her experience, the frown on her face remaining as her mind quietly absorbed the details. There were different ways to brainwash and control people, the real world often showed enough examples that didn’t require fantasy game shenanigans to pull off, but it was the first time she heard of the experience of someone being affected by the dissonance that seemed to plague TerraSphere.

"I see, so that’s how it controlled you…" Whatever hold that thing had was certainly more than Valeria had expected, an involuntary shiver crossing her spine at the thought of it before the blonde finally shook her head to clear her thoughts. "That’s even scarier than I thought."

Her face softened as Ronja thanked her and the others for saving the brunette, a soft smile finding its way to Valeria’s lips as she listened. "We only did what any friends would do, Ronja, and if it’d been any one of us you wouldn’t have hesitated to help us either." Had they been in the same room Valeria would’ve given her friend a hug, but given the distance between them she’d have to hope that her voice was enough.

"I know... You, Ari and Harper stayed in the game after we left…”
"Y-Yeah, we did… the smartest thing would’ve probably been to leave when Nico and you did, huh?"
"... What happened in there, Val? Did you... Did any of you... Died..?"

"Oh, n-no!" She would have kicked herself if possible for the high pitch in her answer. "Sorry, that probably sounded bad, but no… none of us died through it, thankfully."

Not for a lack of trying in the case of one particular individual, though not everyone had run with the same luck as the tigress, the hunter and herself—the visual of Rael’s beheaded body was one that still haunted Val’s dreams at times, though there wasn’t any need to worry Ronja with that.

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja pursed her lips at the mention of the situation being scary... And it truly was, in hindsight. But it didn't take away the fact how it felt everything she had done was right without a doubt.

With a small nod, Ronja accepted Valeria's words. "I think... If anything, this situation made me understand how far I'd go for someone I care for..." She said, frowning her lips and taking away her hand from her chest, so she could look at it before closing it.

"I know my limits... a bit better..." Knowing what she had in her was always good, so she could prevent herself from making mistakes in the future.

Another wave of relief came to Ronja when it was confirmed none of them had died, which was something that Ronja would probably never be able to forgive herself for... And just the thought about it already made her wish to push the topic away.

... Yet, there was one more curiosity lingering regarding the Dragon End.

"And... Did you manage to destroy Szofrit?" Ronja asked.

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

"No doubt about it, you’d really come and bat for us without hesitation~" There was a lilt to her voice, meant to ease the mood on the heavy topic they touched even as the blonde nodded in agreement to Ronja’s words. "Nothing wrong with that though."

She’d always known Ronja was a sweet girl who cared deeply for those close to her, a sentiment that Valeria shared with the brunette and as such could understand. The thought of dying never crossed her mind when she’d first set off in pursuit of her friend along with Ari, Nico, and even Harper—and the sentiment had remained unchanged even after realizing that death was certainly on the table due to the strong grip Szofrit held the tinkerer in.

"And... Did you manage to destroy Szofrit?"

The question, although not entirely unexpected, caused Valeria to pause as her side of the call fell silent for a few moments. She had yet to hear from Nico directly, aware only that the pinkette had flown towards Ronja shortly after the debacle had happened thanks to Ari, and while the blonde told herself she didn’t message Nico to not interrupt the time the girls were spending together a small part of her knew that wasn’t the only reason.

"No… we decided to capture her instead." She’d never lie to either of them, but she was glad it was Ronja the one currently asking and not the pink-haired gremlin. Part of her wasn’t sure how Nico would’ve taken the news, or rather she wasn’t ready to deal with the expected reaction, though Valeria couldn’t really blame the woman if she became upset.

"Rael—another friend of mine—learned from the game’s system, from Trinity apparently, that Szofrit was actually corrupted and controlled by dissonance… I think that’s what controlled you and the others, too."

It would also explain the unexpected powers that the Mother of Machines had displayed as Starcalled and Landers alike had headed towards her for the final clash… not to mention the unexpected appearance of the eye of a timeless being at the very end of it all. There was a lot about that game and its world that they didn’t know and understand, the events validating the words Trinity had shared with Rael and others, and Valeria would be a liar if she said it didn’t intrigue her curiosity.

"We think she might be a key to figuring out who is the real being pulling the strings underneath it all… and, hopefully, prevent them from ever controlling anyone else within the game again."

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja smiled faintly, knowing that the reminder, despite grim, was proof of how close she was to them. "I would." Ronja said. "You are dear to me." She added, truthfully. However, she would try to do better than what she did for Szofrit, if things ever came to a similar situation as the one that got them into this mess.

The silence upon her question brought a hint of worry across Ronja's heart. With the grip on her phone tightening before Valeria finally revealed Szofrit's fate. Ronja's shoulder dropped in a mix of relief, for knowing Szofrit didn't win that battle, but also in disappointment, for knowing Szofrit still... Was there.

The continuous explanation made Ronja purse her lips.

"Szofrit is... Affected by dissonance... Yes." Ronja said, pausing for a moment. "I remember every... Word she spoke to me... Her orders, and vaguely what she had in her mind..." She admitted.

Ronja's grip, however, continued to tighten.

"I'm not sure of what exactly this danger is... Just that she mentioned a Creator... And how she wanted... To win the game on our place... And to reject the Creator's plan..."

Ronja paused.

"It felt genuine... But... To think she is still alive..."

Her breath was held. The one place she could be herself more. The one place she could afford to actually live, rather than survive a day after another, it made her feel-

"It is scary..." Her voice edged with fear and frustration.

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

"I would. You are dear to me."

Although Ronja couldn’t see, Valeria found herself smiling upon hearing those words, aware that the brunette and the others had become important people in her life. They might have their differences, and even hurt one another in some cases, but in the end the care they had for one another was undeniable. She had thought it impossible to care for others in the same fashion as she had for her grandparents, and there was no denying the word family carried a different meaning for Valeria than most, but she truly loved them as such… and the girl was aware she would do anything in her power if their safety was ever threatened.

"It is scary..."

She had listened quietly as Ronja shared her own thoughts upon learning of Szofrit’s fate, able to feel the fear and frustration that colored the edges of her words as the brunette spoke. She couldn’t fault her for it, not when Ronja’s own autonomy had been forcibly taken away, and had Valeria been in the tinkerer’s shoes she doubted her feelings would differ much from those of her friend.

"Yeah, it’s definitely not a comforting thought…" Though she had made her choice that didn’t meant Valeria didn’t continue to question it long after the fact, would it truly pay off despite the possible dangers associated to it or had the others been right? Perhaps they should’ve slain the Mother of Machines while they still had the chance. "If you had died… if any of you had died… I’m not sure if I would've been able to keep myself from killing her."

Even then Szofrit had managed to claim the life of one important to her, but after reviving her elven dreamsister the other remained resolute in her mission to spare the corrupted magia… and as such Valeria had honored Isa’s wishes on the matter.

"There’s a lot we don’t know about dissonance, but we do know it can affect anyone… magias just got the short end of the stick this time around." Though the words themselves might be used at times to jest no humor could be found in her voice, not when a dear and close friend had suffered the unlucky consequences firsthand. "Say we had killed her and everyone was happy then because of it, even claimed that justice had been served… until the next time it happened, and then we’d be stuck reacting again to try and keep casualties to a minimum—a never ending loop."

In all the history books that Lúthien had dove into in-game with Rael only one thing had remained constant and unchanging throughout the tales: the Starcalled were always reacting to whatever new and unknown obstacle was thrown their way, and to make matters worse this was the second time (to her knowledge at the very least) that dissonance had been involved.

"Besides," Sure, the future had weighed heavily as she made her choice—but it hadn’t been the only thing on her mind at the time. "How can I ask the other players and the NPCs to forgive the magia—to not hate or try to go after them, after you—if we can’t extend the same kindness by example to Szofrit?"

The World offered Ronja many freedoms that the brunette was currently denied in their present reality, and one would have to be blind to not see how much Ronja enjoyed TerraSphere and all the good things that universe could offer her within it. She wasn’t the only one either, many others enjoyed the alternative virtual reality—Valeria included—to the point they chose to keep diving again and again despite the known dangers it possessed… and for others it had long since become their new reality, the only world they had left to live in.

"I just hope we made the right choice…"

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja listened to Valeria's explanation, with her points and reasonings being exposed while Ronja didn't let a single word escape her ears. There were a handful of mysteries surrounding this issue, but at the same time it seemed to have a direction, a hint of where they should start to do it.

She couldn't help but flinch at the mention of players and NPCs forgiving Magia or not, with the reminder of the incoming hatred making Ronja shrink on her bed, biting her lips.

"I don't know if it is the right choice... I just know that deep down... I don't like what I'm hearing..." Ronja admitted, not with anger boiling in her words, but rather an uncertainty, a tension that made her restless, laying on her side before rolling to get herself laying on her back.

"And... What are the plans right now? You... You are just going to keep her there?"

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

She could almost feel the apprehension in Ronja’s voice as they talked about the matter, her head nodding softly in understanding even though the brunette couldn’t see it. "It’s probably not the brightest idea…" Her back pressed against the chair, causing it to recline a few degrees before her eyes stared at nothing in particular on her ceiling.

So many things could go wrong due to their choice… but at the same time there was always the chance they could learn more about this dissonance, and whoever was trying to fuck with them all thorugh it.

"And... What are the plans right now?”
"I dunno if MIT has any actual plans, but they took her somewhere in there."
”You... You are just going to keep her there?"
"I guess…?"

At least the nerd faction could be trusted to do what it did best, research the shit out of things, even if there wasn’t a guarantee that their poking and prodding would result in anything useful. "I’ve seen the Lions pop in and out of the building a lot recently, so I guess they’re helping make sure things don’t go wrong?" It was her best guess at least, much like everything else—the most Valeria had ever seen of the MIT HQ had been when Accelerator, Ordnung and a few others dragged invited her to a closed door meeting regarding her contact with Null and Calculator months before.

"There’s something else," A slight lilt colored her voice, making her pause for a moment before the blonde took a silent deep breath and continued. "You remember Meri, the faerin player Sven and I were looking for?" There hadn’t been a stone she hadn’t turned over as she tried to find any clues regarding Meriam’s possible location, even if most of them always led to dead ends.

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

The uncertainty the answers Valeria had given only made Ronja's heart tighten in fear. Her fingers fidgeted on her phone, and her gaze slowly fell as she felt worries running through her body. What if she was never able to log into Terrasphere again? To log in, it would mean to put herself at risk again. To endanger not only her own health, but to endanger her friends... and Nico as well.

Ronja closed her eyes, breathing deeply, in and out, trying to calm herself down as she did her best to not sink in pessimism.

She couldn't lose her safe space just like that. Just when she was finally starting to actually enjoy... everything.

"I-I don't think Nico will like any of this." She did her best for her voice to not come out broken, holding back any hint of tears that were starting to try and form in her eyes as her mind started considering the chances of never logging back into that game again.

Swallowing her emotions metaphorically, and physically trying to swallow the lump that was quivering her voice, she heaved a breath, turning to her side again, having her back facing the door so no one would see her immediately after opening the door, just in case. Her lips pursed.

"I am not sure who are them... I think you've never told me about them..." She said, with her words coming out like whispers as she curled, both to hide her emotions and to hide her voice from prying ears.

"... What about them..?"

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

"I-I don't think Nico will like any of this." The mention of a certain pinkorilla was as sobering as having a bucket of ice cold water dumped on oneself, and a moment of silence passed between them as Valeria was reminded of the last request their friend had before she’d left the battlefield with Ronja in her arms. "Y-Yeah… I don’t think she will."

She had yet to speak with the pinkette, whether it was in the real world or within the universe of TerraSphere, but she could already imagine a few of the choice words Nico would have for her upon hearing that Szofrit hadn’t been outright killed. The thought alone was enough to curl up in her own gaming chair, her legs brought close to her chest before Val wrapped herself with a blanket usually kept there for whenever the room got cold… right now it was suddenly freezing.

”I am not sure who are them… I think you've never told me about them...” Ronja’s voice finally brought the blonde out of her thoughts, a light frown crossing her face as she struggled to catch the words at first—had she lowered the volume on her phone by accident?
"Shoot, I didn’t? Guess that’s how wild camp was, huh..."

A light chuckle barely escaped her lips, her free hand playing with the tip ends of her hair as she began to describe them to Ronja. "Sven’s a senior researcher, I think? Really good at magitech stuff actually, probably why he was in Camp Hope. He’s a tall-ish dude with short hair and thiiick black glasses… maybe you’ve seen him in the halls of MIT before?"

He was quite the nerd too, though Valeria kept that opinion to herself. Her first impression upon meeting the man had certainly been unforgettable, and he was certainly a very eccentric character, but he’d been trying to find Meriam as much as Valeria had… and after working towards the same goal together for some time she’d come to understand the researcher better.

"He’s actually a… friend of Meriam." There was a small pause as she described the relationship between the two, keeping Meriam’s secret safe for now. "She was part of the Communication team back in Camp Hope, a faerin with long ash blonde hair—almost white when the light hits her—and blue eyes."

A faint smile tugged at the end of her lips as she remembered her time spent with the other player, and a part of Valeria was sure Meriam and Ronja would’ve hit it off and probably become good friends if they’d had a chance to meet.

"... What about them..?"
"Meri went missing after the battle at Camp Hope finished…"

She hadn’t been there to witness it, but she’d heard the faerin had given her all to protect those around her from a brutal attack… even though she already had two deaths under her belt by then "Her name had grayed out by the time I woke up and checked my contact list… so Sven and I, with the help of a few others, have been trying to find her ever since." Her voice wavered as the heavy weight of guilt settled on her shoulders once more, before the blonde took a deep breath that she hoped was quiet enough to not worry the brunette on the other side of the call.

"After the battle with Szofrit we finally found Meri… well, her core at least."

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Valeria's sttutering made Ronja fidget uncomfortable on her bed, eyes trailing around before she added:

"I know I didn't like it." She couldn't lie, not to her beloved friend. "But I will trust you." Ronja added, to make sure Valeria knew she held nothing against her. Or anyone else, for that matter.

The thoughts and uncertainties continued to rush her mind, even as Valeria began explaining more about Meriam and Sven. It didn't mean Ronja wasn't paying attention, as she kept an ear directed to it, picking up the most important parts while struggling to push away the distractions her mind continued to toss in her way.

"So... You now have her core? Wait... she is... a faerin, so why she..." Ronja paused for a moment, with her eyes growing widely for a moment.

"Are you telling me they... They assimilated her..?" Ronja felt her heart sink for a moment. It didn't occur to her, but could it be that it happened to the colleagues that she had kidnapped as well?

Her lips squeezed shut, and her gaze slowly turned to the window.

"... If... If you have the core... at the very least you could try to create a body for her..."

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

"I know I didn't like it." She had thought this a possibility when making her choice, but it didn’t lessen the sting that Ronja’s words left as she confirmed it. It was a delicate situation, and too soon to say if either choice would’ve been the wrong or right one. "But I will trust you."

Despite their different opinion on the matter Ronja was willing to trust the decision Val and the others had made, and that alone spoke volumes about Ronja’s character—she truly was a kind and sweet girl that didn’t deserve the shitty hand the game had dealt her due to her avatar’s chosen race. "Thanks Ronja, I’ll do my best to make sure it’s the right decision… for all of us."

It took a few moments, but the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place as Ronja went over them. A quiet "Mhmm," left her lips as the brunette confirmed Meriam’s own chosen race, before finally reaching the same conclusion Sven and Valeria had thought of when the core was discovered.

"... If... If you have the core... at the very least you could try to create a body for her..."
"That’s what we thought too, and it seems she isn’t the only one."

It was reassuring to hear the same idea tumble out of her friend’s mouth considering the knowledge of magitech that Ronja had, the fact that the brunette viewed it as a possibility gave Valeria more hope than Ronja could imagine. "I’ve heard guild members have brought back more cores... Sven’s probably waist deep in research right now with all of that."

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

The grateful words made the magia purse her lips, in concern for her friend that seemed to continue to pursue something that was much bigger than one person could handle by themselves... It did remind her of Fiora, in a way. Why everyone she cared for so dearly were so complicated?

"Just make sure you aren't doing it alone." Ronja said, taking a deep breath and finally rolling again to lay on her back, with eyes set on the ceiling while she absorbed the rest of the information Valeria brought up.

"Isn't the only one..? I see... Creating a body for all of them is feasible... But it would take... A long, long time..." Ronja muttered. "As long as their core still exist... A magia isn't truly dead... You could dismentle a body... If you do it with care enough... To not damage the core... You can keep them alive." She revealed, albeit she figured Valeria already knew about it, considering she was already thinking of the possibility.

"... If..." Ronja muttered.

"If you need help with it. I can try to do it... I'm sure Sven want to do it himself, with all his experience, however..."

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

"Just make sure you aren't doing it alone." She couldn’t help the faint smile that pulled at her lips upon hearing Ronja’s wise words of warning, able to feel the concern of her friend even if they were worlds apart right now. "Y-Yeah… you’re right." It was a reminder that was certainly welcomed considering how prone the blonde was to forgetting about such things, and a lesson that Valeria had slowly been learning as she continued to deep dive into a game that anyone with enough common sense and self preservation would smartly avoid.

A sigh of relief escaped her upon hearing Ronja explain that, at least in theory, it should certainly be possible to dismantle a magia down to their core without losing them. "Not gonna lie, that's… kinda cool, actually." It was certainly an ability none of the other races within TerraSphere shared and, while Meriam hadn’t been a magia originally, she could only assume that Szofrit had managed to find a way to put that theory into practice.

"I just hope she didn’t harm them while making those cores."

There was a small pause as each of their minds drifted back into their own thoughts, until the soft muttering of Ronja’s voice caught Valeria’s attention as her friend offered her help. "I…!" There was an audible conflict in her voice as the blonde spoke up, still concerned over the well-being of her own friend after everything Ronja had endured within the game… but also aware of the brilliant mind that the brunette possessed.

"I don’t doubt Sven’s intellect," Between the way he acted and all the stuff she’d seen in his secret lab no doubt remained in Valeria’s mind, the man was a fucking nerd. "But he’s also a senior researcher in MIT, and that means a shitton of responsibilities and stuff to work on." Already she’d seen how tied his hands had been since the events on Camp Hope, and she doubted his load would lessen anytime soon now that MIT had Szofrit somewhere within their facilities.

"I-If… if it’s alright with you," There was a noticeable hesitation as she spoke, one that caused Val to take a deep breath before she continued. "I’d love to have your help… but only if you’re sure, Ronja. I don’t want you pushing yourself…" Her friend had already been through quite a lot as it was, not to mention that there was also a certain pinkorilla that Valeria very much doubted would be onboard with any of this.

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

"That's kind of creepy." Ronja corrected with a nervous giggle. "But it is very convenient, if you are skilled enough to handle it." She didn't consider herself skilled enough yet, even with her expertise in magitech, there was way too much she needed to be careful about, so she never went further than doing low risk changes in her body.

Her lips pursed at the mention of the cores being harmed, and she sighed. "From what I've seen, that wasn't her intention... But the cores were being used to charge the Eggs. So maybe... I don't know... Maybe some of this power was drained from some cores, and only god knows what does this mean." It panged Ronja with a pain of guilt, mostly because she was the one responsible to lead the collectors at some point. For once, she hated herself for doing a good job.

"Of course, but who knows... For you to mention his name when talking about Meriam, this means they must be close... Maybe he will put her in some priority." At least, Ronja would. But also, she could understand that when you had an organization like MIT in your hands, you needed to put a lot of your mind into it.

"I can't push myself enough... If it is for you or the others." Ronja said, truthful and with a faint smile crossing her lips as she spoke. The fact she had those feelings within her for someone else that wasn't the same faces she has seen for years and years stuck in the prison her home had become, was warming enough for her to feel happy for it, even if the mood didn't call for it.

She had met wonderful people in these last few months, and it was one of the reasons she could feel blessed, despite everything.

@Valeria

 

[Luthien]

She couldn’t help the light laughter that escaped as Ronja corrected her choice of words, nodding her head in agreement even though the brunette couldn’t see it. "You’re right, I used the wrong ‘see’ word on that one." The amount of skill required for such a feat was probably akin to medical surgeons in the real world, and certainly not something she’d ever want Ronja to ever subject herself to.

Silence befell them as the topic of the cores returned, now focused on what Szofrit had been gathering from them and the unknown implications it could have for those like Meriam… but without more information all they could do was speculate. "Yeah, there’s a lot we don’t know… but I’m sure we’ll figure something out."

There was a light tilt to her voice as the blonde tried to keep an optimistic view of things, unwilling to venture into the topic too deeply and cause her friend unneeded guilt or distress. What was done was done, and there was no way to change any of it now, so all they could do was focus on the parts that they could still influence for the better.

"I dunno how close they are," A faint chuckle echoed through the receiver as Valeria thought back on both players. ".. but he’s certainly trying in his own way, I guess.” Jury was still out on whether whatever Sven was currently working on would actually yield results, the man’s eccentric personality made it hard to get a read on him, but at the very least it felt like his heart was in the right place.

"I can't push myself enough... If it is for you or the others." A faint smile crossed her lips upon hearing the sincerity in those words and, while she’d been aware that they’d become important people in her life, recent in-game events had certainly highlighted just how dear and near to her heart they truly were.

"No you won’t," There was a playfulness to her voice as Valeria chided her friend, ensuring she didn’t give Ronja enough time to misunderstand and protest her words. "Because we’ll do it together."

@Ronja