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[gautsome]

[There's no vibrant smile when Sylvain opens the line. There isn't even a Sylvain for that matter. It's just text on a screen, a message carefully tapped out.]

Hey.
I'm looking to talk to someone who has left this place and come back again. Either actually leaving, or just that weird sleeping thing.
I... Have some questions. I could really use some help.

Comments

[islandshore]

Haven't been through it myself, but I've known plenty of people who've come and gone.

Known plenty of people who left for real and then came back, too. Don't know if an outsider's perspective's what you need, but the offer's on the table.

[gautsome]

Uh, hey.
I appreciate the offer but I'm mostly looking to talk to people about how they've felt... uh. After.
Kind of hard from a third party experience?

[islandshore]

Nah, I get it.

Second-hand experiences don't hit the same. But what brought this up, anyway? You just wanting to brace yourself in case it happens?

[gautsome]

More that it did happen. And now I'm... trying to come to terms with it all.

[islandshore]

Geez. That's gotta be rough. 'bout how much time are we talking here? ...Heck, for that matter, how long were you here before?

If that's too prying, no worries- guess it's just hard not to wonder. Ten years of being here without being sent back once, I often wonder what'd happen if I did end up going through it all.

[gautsome]

The better part of a year. That might not sound like much, but where I'm from has been mired in war for the last five. It... was a lot to deal with.

... Ten years? Seriously?

[islandshore]

Geez, yeah. Going from a relatively peaceful place like this to a warzone... And then back again. And I bet all the old memories from here popping back didn't help.

And yeah, ten years. Far as I can tell, that's the longest an off-worlder's been here. I think there's... maybe five of us who've stuck it out that long? Definitely less than ten. We're the oddballs- definitely not the standard here.

[gautsome]

It really didn't.
Especially meeting people that I hadn't before? We have a couple of kids that travel with us from time to time. I... Couldn't remember them for a couple of times. That really messed with me.

... But there's still a chance that you could stay that long? That's... really good news, actually.

[islandshore]

Oh, good news, huh? Most people freak when they hear that. Lots of panic at being torn from their homes.

But I guess for some people, this place is a step up. Not everyone lives a good life back there, but... I'd say there's always a chance. Plenty of people stick it out for at least a year or two, anyway.

[gautsome]

It's probably silly to say, seeing as how I really haven't been here that long. But... This place? Loads better than where I came from. I'm already much happier here. And I'm... Working on a life here, too? One that's better than what I had back in Fodlan.

I'd just hate to lose it before I was ready.

[islandshore]

Heh, nah, it's not that silly. I've heard of people coming from war torn worlds. Some people were even dead before they popped up here.

What I'd say is try not to worry too much about when you could leave- focus on what you have. There's just no way to predict what'll happen here, so it's good to roll with the punches.