Home

SILVER: Tales from the Fringes of Reality. Episode 14 – Broken Heartlines.

MARIGOLD: (softly) No, no, I get it, Guillermo– 

Oh, Memo…

I’m still looking into why this would’ve happened. Nothing should be able to do this kind of damage– Well, we weren’t expecting her to become this strong, now were we?

And there’s still no sign of him? …What about the rifts? I’ll let Mom know, she’s not going to be happy but she’ll be able to help. Do you think I should tell them? Memo, we can’t keep them in the dark… I know, Memo, I know, it’s not ideal for any of us…

Shit, they’re awake. I’ll talk to you soon, okay? Make sure you and Alasdair take some breaks!

(electronic sound as something turns off)

Hey Whimsy. How are you feeling? No, no, no, don’t you try to get out of that bed just yet kid, you’re still healing. Don’t give me that look, Whim, you were lost in the void for stars only know how long and your heartline is still… I’m still working on it. I don’t know what Minerva did, but we’re going to fix it, okay? I promise.

You heard all of that, didn’t you? Look, Whim, I don’t like keeping you in the dark either but my brother… You have to understand he’s doing it to protect you. Like I said, you’re still healing and we don’t want anything to risk it. Not after how distressed you got after you first woke up; I know Al meant well but that was a lot for them, having you listen to it too… The past is past, can’t change it. But I can make sure we’re not overexerting you in the present. You should be focused on healing up, getting better, not on… Everything with Silver.

(pause)

Yeah, I know. I’m also focused on everything that’s going on with Silver. It’s hard not to be given that we’ve been looking for her for so long… Al and Memo are doing a bit of reality hopping right now to the places we know she’s been sent to. Taking readings, making sure everything’s alright, looking for clues, all that sort of shit. Stars, why am I telling you all of this? I just… Some rifts are starting to open up. Small, easily patched, but it’s not a great sign. Rifts mean the soft spots are becoming tears in reality and if we don’t catch them fast enough, way more people will be misplaced. It’s not clear if Minerva is creating the rifts on purpose or if her transportation of Silver is causing them to appear but, well. We’re pretty sure it’s linked.

(door)

OPAL: Mari, are they still sleeping? We need to do another check…

MARIGOLD: They’re up, Opal. We were just discussing the rifts.

OPAL: Are you sure that’s a good idea? We don’t want–

MARIGOLD: I know, Opal, I just… They deserve to know what’s going on.

OPAL: (hums thoughtfully) Well, I can’t say I disagree with that sentiment. I know Guillermo is worried about the stress, but I can’t imagine that being left in the dark would make Whim any calmer. If anything, it might have a worse impact than knowing. Apologies for talking about you like you’re not in the room, Whim. Sometimes it still feels like we’re talking about you and Silver in the theoretical, as though we haven’t found either of you again when we’ve found you.

We do still need to complete your checks, though, if you would be so kind as to give me your hand. You weren’t awake the last few times, but it shouldn’t cause any pain. Your magic levels were so low when we found you, we need to make sure you’re not fading further.

(mechanical whirring)

Your magic is rebounding nicely. I’d imagine you’ll be able to cast again by the end of the week, though you should probably start small. Was it you or Silver who favored transformation…

MARIGOLD: (laughing) That was Silver. They always said the best part of being a nonbinary caster was being able to change their appearance to suit their mood. I’d imagine transformation magic is off the table for the time being?

OPAL: Yes, yes, of course it was Silver. Stars, it’s just been so long… But Marigold is right, no transformation or anything of that level for quite some time. Light spells should be fine, or simple water spells, but nothing strenuous while you’re still recovering. Being this close to the plane of magic is helping, but it can’t speed everything up entirely. Have you checked their heartline today, Mari?

MARIGOLD: Yes. It’s still… It’s like it’s been scratched at or- or frayed somehow. It’s still there, only I could truly break it, but the damage done to it is… Not a good sign. What she did has essentially rendered it useless, at least for our purposes; it’s become untraceable. The frays make it seem like it’s splintering across reality; we can follow a line, but every line we’ve followed has ended up being an illusion. The one time it stretched to somewhere he was, it was too late to take him home, he had been moved before we could do anything.

OPAL: You’ll repair it, Mari. I know you will. And I know everything, so I believe I’m in good authority here.

MARIGOLD: (laughing) Thanks, Opal. I just don’t understand why they can’t see it. Even frayed as it is, Silver should be able to see it, should be able to feel it and follow it like–

(Sigh)

He always was one of a kind though, wasn’t he? Shouldn’t have been able to find me here and yet he did and now I just have to hope that Silver can repeat that kind of miracle. 

OPAL: Oh, Mari… It’s going to be okay, Marigold. We’ll find them. Both of them.

MARIGOLD: We don’t even know if Xander is still out there–

OPAL: Your heartline wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t. And Whim’s wouldn’t be here if Silver wasn’t still out there. They can be found, Mari. We just have to figure out how.

Speaking of, we got Silver’s next file in. Could give us a new place to start on figuring out that how, right? Are you good to listen in, Whim? Marigold and I haven’t listened to this one yet, I’m not… There’s no telling what it could be like for them this go. It’s always a bit different and I know the one Alasdair played for you got a bit… heavy. This one will likely be the same. Are you up for that?

(pause)

You fit right in with us here on the Council, Whim. Never backing down from a challenge. Come on, let’s all get comfortable and give this a listen.

SILVER: (Yawning) Good morning, Wander (pause) er. Right. Right. I’m not… And they’re not… Stars above, not again, I can’t– (muffled scream). It’s like she’s still in my head and I just can’t–

BRIGHTMIN: Oh thank the gods, you’re finally awake! (door) We were starting to worry that you would never wake up. That was a nasty tumble you took, almost seemed like you fell straight out of the sky…

SILVER: Uh, hi? Thanks for… Taking me in. Sorry, I’m a little lost–

BRIGHTMIN: No, no, don’t apologize! You’re injured and you just woke up and– I’m being awfully rude, aren’t I, haven’t even introduced myself! My name is Brightmin. You crashed into me and my wife’s yard early this morning.

SILVER: Oh stars, I’m sorry about that. I’m- I’m Silver. It’s nice to meet you, Brightmin, thank you for– Just thank you.

BRIGHTMIN: It’s not a problem at all. We could hardly leave you outside, after all, not with the star shower happening. You would’ve been burnt to a crisp like that… Better that you’re here with us.

CAI: (distantly) Brightmin? Are they awake yet? I’ve got some food ready–

BRIGHTMIN: They’re awake, Cai! Come in, we were just starting to talk.

CAI: (door) Oh, Starshine’s blessings, you’re awake! Brightmin and I were starting to worry. Did you fill them in on what happened, dearest?

BRIGHTMIN: I was just starting to. You gave us quite the scare, Silver. We thought for sure you were a comet, maybe even an explosive, but you were a person. We think maybe you had been in the mountains behind the house and had taken a rather bad tumble, though–

CAI: It doesn’t explain the sound. Or how badly damaged you were. Come to think of it, though… You’re looking remarkably whole for someone who I thought was a comet… Min, what do you–

SILVER: (panicked) Minerva is here? I need to go, I need–

BRIGHTMIN: Easy, easy, Silver. There’s no Minerva here, not that I know of. Never quite heard a name like that before if I’m being honest, though I’ve never heard a name quite like Silver either. You… You’re not from around here are you?

SILVER: …No. No I’m not.

CAI: And you didn’t come falling down a mountainside either, right?

SILVER: It feels a bit like I have, but no, I didn’t.

CAI: You don’t have to tell us anything. But if you’re in trouble–

SILVER: Thank you, but I don’t think it’s the kind of trouble you can help with. 

BRIGHTMIN: (gently) You won’t know unless you ask.

SILVER: I’m… I’m a bit lost right now. Not quite sure where home is or how to get back there. But… But someone took me away from there and I have flashes of family in my mind that I can’t seem to hold on to. I think… I think I remembered too much before. And now it’s like I can’t picture them at all. Someone’s waiting for me; many someones, actually. And I just can’t– Ouch.

CAI: Are you alright?

SILVER: It’s like there’s something in my chest. Like a pull but I can’t– ow.

BRIGHTMIN: Maybe you shouldn’t–

SILVER: I can feel something… What did Marigold always say… Wait. Marigold. I– (bed creaking, person standing) Thank you, for your help. I need to leave.

CAI AND BRIGHTMIN: Wait–

(door)

(footsteps, running)

SILVER: Marigold taught me how to feel for connections. That’s what’s pulling at my chest, it has to be. I just need to… GODS- it’s like touching broken glass. What happened– (whispered) Minerva what did you do? I need to focus. Even if I can’t pull it, I can follow it, I just need to… I just need to focus. Come on, Silver, focus, ignore the pain, you can–

OPAL: …Mari–

MARIGOLD: I- I need a moment. (heels clicking followed by a door)

OPAL: I suppose that’s the answer to the question of why he didn’t follow the heartline. What in the name of my mother is Minerva doing… She was never designed to hurt people, Whim. You have to understand that, she was… Alasdair and I had nothing but hope and love for Minerva. We thought she would be a good companion for Silver; not exactly a child they could play with but someone who would learn and grow with them in a way we never could. I don’t know if it’s too human of her or too… Something else. But the fact that this fear and insecurity could fester in her, causing her to lash out and–

It was never supposed to be this way.

I know it sounds like I’m making excuses for Minerva, please understand that I’m not. What she’s done… To us, to Silver, to people in reality, that damage cannot be minimized. But she wasn’t supposed to be like this. Maybe we didn’t love her enough. Maybe we loved her too much. This is one of the rare instances where I truly don’t know, Whim, but I… She was meant to do good, to be good. Please believe me when I say that.

(door)

MARIGOLD: I can’t believe she… Opal, are you sure there isn’t a way to remotely shut Minerva off? 

OPAL: Marigold–

MARIGOLD: No, no. I know we can’t, I know you tried I just… If she’s done this to Silver, who else could she– would she– do this to in order to distract us? In order to draw us away from our search? 

OPAL: I don’t think she’s doing that anymore, Mari. I think moving Silver and staying cloaked is taking up too much of her.

MARIGOLD: You think or you know?

OPAL: …Unfortunately with Minerva, it’s only a hypothesis not a fact. But we haven’t seen any increased activity like when we were first starting our search. Everything has been relatively stable, all things considered. I think Guillermo’s failsafes are actually working, meaning Minerva either isn’t doing more moves or–

MARIGOLD: Or?

OPAL: Or she’s planning something. I’m trying to focus on the positive, but it’s always a possibility. I truly, truly believe she’s too weak to do anything right now. What she did to Silver… we have symptoms and an idea. I might be able to reverse engineer it and figure out how she did it. Figure out how much of a threat it is.

MARIGOLD: I’m not sure that’s safe, Ope. I mean, it’s not like we have anyone we can test it on. (pause) Opal no.

OPAL: Sapphire would be fine with it, I promise!

MARIGOLD: I’m not fine with it, Opal! That’s- That’s your connection, your bond, your–

OPAL: Mari. It wouldn’t be gone. Nothing we love is ever truly gone, right?

MARIGOLD: …It might not even be a big deal–

OPAL: If it concerns you, then it is a big deal. You’re my sister, Mari. Let me help you.

MARIGOLD: …I love you, Ope. You know that right?

OPAL: I love you too, Mari. I’m going to go check in with Saph and let her know about the experiment, alright? I won’t be long, not with Al and Memo still out. Keep an eye on Whim, yeah?

MARIGOLD: I will. Be safe, Opal. And say hi to Saph for me!

(door)

I’m sorry about all of this, Whim. I really thought– Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now. I know… I know Silver would’ve told you about Xander. She loves the story, always did. He pulled his way up to me and I thought that she could do that too, could follow the line and find you here. No one is meant to be able to alter those lines except for me. And even I act more as a guide for the lines rather than a creator or destroyer of them. To see what she did, the pain she caused Sil… I needed to take a moment away. And that’s not fair to you, not when that line is connected back to you and you can’t step away from it. You can’t stop knowing that- that it’s been tampered with and is causing pain. When we’ve done your magic checks, I’ve been trying to pour magic into the heartline hoping that it would fix things but I just…

I’m worried I can’t.

When we find Minerva I’m going to rip her to shreds. That’s a promise, Whim. I won’t allow her to hurt anyone else, especially not by bastardizing my magic. I know it doesn’t solve anything, but believe me when I say that I will not stop until that AI is removed from the face of the Fringes.

You should rest up some more, Whimsy. Al and Memo will be back tomorrow I think and they’ll definitely want to talk to you. Save your energy for then, okay?