risingwinds | Twenty-Fifth Shooting Star

[It's been a while now since Fuuko's departure. During that time, Ven's been quieter than usual. Not tearful, but a bit more subdued than his usual, goofy self.

Even when he addresses the journal, his tone's a bit soft.]

You know, I gotta wonder. I know lots of you guys have found love here, but how do you guys deal when that person disappears? D'you keep waiting 'til they come back, or do you just... move forward? It's kinda tough spot for me. I'm not gonna let it bring me down or anything, but it's still sad. And it's just like when anyone else leaves-- unexpected.

But it was nice while it lasted. Fuuko's a great person, and I think she brought something special to the village. Who else would go outta their way to throw a huge starfish festival? To tell you the truth, I don't think I'll ever look at starfish the same way.

[He pauses.]

Wonder what Terra and Aqua'd think, though. It's been almost three years now...

[He doesn't expect anyone to react to that last bit. After all, his friends haven't shown up in a long time.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That might be true, but isn't it because the future is unclear that you have the ability to choose the future you want for yourself? Though it might be a little difficult to see so long as we're still here in Luceti...

[Under the Malnosso's rule, subject to experiments that can warp their very perceptions of reality--]

You may not know whether or not you'll have the chance to go back, but there's no reason not to hope that you will, right?

Yeah, you're right. It's just like worrying about if and when people are gonna leave; get too stressed out about the future, and you can't enjoy the present.

I'd like to think I can turn everything around. Just wish I had some kinda assurance, you know? Especially since we'll probably forget everything once we leave.

...yes, I know what you mean.

[Here Ion was trying to help keep Ven's spirits up and now he's unintentionally led him to dragging Ion's down. He can't hold it against him -- he doesn't know Ion's situation -- but it stings a bit to hear nonetheless.]

[He'll just focus on something else then.]

You know, it's actually still a little strange to think that way sometimes. Back on Auldrant, people felt they needed to rely on the future to live in the present. By reading the Score, one could know the future. But even then, it wasn't always beneficial.

Really? So this... Score, was it like some kinda fortune teller?

[That's the first thing that comes to mind. Even then, are predictions always truth? Does destiny exist?]

And was it always right? I mean, you'd think that the future's one of those things that can be changed, since it hasn't happened yet.

Something like that, yes.

[Though Yulia's Score was a bit more than just a fortune telling... but it was an easy enough explanation without going into a long extrapolation about fonons.]

Up until recently, it was widely believed that the Score was absolute. But I've never believed that to be the case. The Score was only as true as a person wanted it to be -- to be used as a tool when one has fallen off the right path. It was only when people became too dependent upon it that mankind started to realize it wasn't always a good thing to know the future. There were even those who believed that if the Score predicted war would happen, they shouldn't try and prevent it.

Sheesh, you mean they'd actually start wars just to fulfill some kinda prophecy?

[That's just wrong! When is war ever a solution to anything? All it does is lead to pain, destruction, and death.]

It sounds to me like they relied way too much on the Score. Like they were letting it rule over their lives instead of living themselves.

Twenty-Fifth Shooting Star - voice;

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[Voice]