[ Day is reminded of the first impression he had of Tatara and still sort of does, for some reason: that Tatara was like the breeze, in the way Day is like the morning mist. However, things are a little different now.
He watches Tatara take out the camera, confused because he has no idea what a camera is. ]
I have, but it ain't so simple as that. The way the forgettin' works is like...people forget who I am, but they still remember the stuff I did, yeah? So there's just a bunch of gaps and wrinkles where they remember things that matter to them, but they can't remember who it came from. [ A pause. ] And people are real good at tryin' to make things make sense to themselves. They try and fill in the gaps with answers that seem reasonable, and most of the time that means assignin' some other cause. Fate helps iron stuff out. [ He has to wonder how many people understand "fate" the same way he does, though. To him, it's the law of causality, not necessarily predestination. ] So I'd worry that just givin' trinkets means...well, the meanin' will change after I've gone.
And I can try leavin' some sorta written record, but fate also has a bad habit of findin' ways to make sure those don't last. [ Said in the weary tone of someone who has tried before and got thwarted at every turn. ] Wouldn't know if that still holds up here, though.
...I can think of a few people who might be able to remember better too, wizard or not. But they can still end up forgettin' with enough time and distance.
[ The camera doesn't pick up on the way Tatara's frown grows the more he hears. Day's not the only one who wants to be remembered, somehow, after this.
This is a little bit beyond him, but he's already mentally tucking it away for when he looks more into returning them home. ]
A lot of things and memories fade with time. A lot of really old wizards can't remember the faces from their pasts anymore, either. I think, after a point...that's just how things are.
[ ... ]
But I know that's not what you're asking. You said...it's because of your job that people forget, right?
[ siri how do you get a heavenly bureaucrat fired— ]
[ Spitballing, thinking, because he really doesn't know how any of this works, but— ]
I guess you'd keep that blessing, regardless of what you are, right? [ hmm, hmm ] I dunno if it's possible, but maybe you could maintain a connection to this world, and stay a wizard...
[ Since wizards are fundamentally different beings? ]
I mean...I guess? [ Like, wizards are still mortals, as far as Day's concerned, just kind of unusual ones? ] I ain't sure how it works, either, this is uncharted territory.
It's sorta like...the blessin' means I'm tied to the stars, and one of the constellations back home is more or less shattered porcelain now? So that constellations hides my fate from the rest of the world, which is why everyone forgets. But I guess it wouldn't matter if I still had some kinda tie to this world, sorta like an anchor...
[ Hmmm... ]
...There's another thing too, but, uh...keep it between just me and you?
[ Hmm, find an anchor, then. Tatara has almost no idea where to start looking for something like that, but he makes a mental note to write that down as soon as he can.
The "other thing" draws his attention back, and he nods. He's listening (and recording) and he won't tell a soul. ]
Alright. I'm prob'ly gonna ask around some of the more, uh, scholarly types too. At least try and get some ideas. [ Because frankly, Day has been winging it with magic since the very start. He suspects that any solution to this will, similarly, also have to be bullshitted to some degree. ]
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He watches Tatara take out the camera, confused because he has no idea what a camera is. ]
I have, but it ain't so simple as that. The way the forgettin' works is like...people forget who I am, but they still remember the stuff I did, yeah? So there's just a bunch of gaps and wrinkles where they remember things that matter to them, but they can't remember who it came from. [ A pause. ] And people are real good at tryin' to make things make sense to themselves. They try and fill in the gaps with answers that seem reasonable, and most of the time that means assignin' some other cause. Fate helps iron stuff out. [ He has to wonder how many people understand "fate" the same way he does, though. To him, it's the law of causality, not necessarily predestination. ] So I'd worry that just givin' trinkets means...well, the meanin' will change after I've gone.
And I can try leavin' some sorta written record, but fate also has a bad habit of findin' ways to make sure those don't last. [ Said in the weary tone of someone who has tried before and got thwarted at every turn. ] Wouldn't know if that still holds up here, though.
...I can think of a few people who might be able to remember better too, wizard or not. But they can still end up forgettin' with enough time and distance.
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This is a little bit beyond him, but he's already mentally tucking it away for when he looks more into returning them home. ]
A lot of things and memories fade with time. A lot of really old wizards can't remember the faces from their pasts anymore, either. I think, after a point...that's just how things are.
[ ... ]
But I know that's not what you're asking. You said...it's because of your job that people forget, right?
[ siri how do you get a heavenly bureaucrat fired— ]
What if...you stayed a wizard?
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Well, more like it's the blessin' I got. The job's just part of the package.
[ ...But then Tatara suggests that, and Day has to pause. ]
What do you mean?
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I guess you'd keep that blessing, regardless of what you are, right? [ hmm, hmm ] I dunno if it's possible, but maybe you could maintain a connection to this world, and stay a wizard...
[ Since wizards are fundamentally different beings? ]
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It's sorta like...the blessin' means I'm tied to the stars, and one of the constellations back home is more or less shattered porcelain now? So that constellations hides my fate from the rest of the world, which is why everyone forgets. But I guess it wouldn't matter if I still had some kinda tie to this world, sorta like an anchor...
[ Hmmm... ]
...There's another thing too, but, uh...keep it between just me and you?
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The "other thing" draws his attention back, and he nods. He's listening (and recording) and he won't tell a soul. ]
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[ With the unstated follow-up of "So I definitely have to figure out something before this is all over." ]
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For a long moment, all he does is stare at Day. Hm. This. Is a big problem. ]
That makes this a little more complicated, doesn't it?
[ Eventually, his expression breaks into a sheepish smile, but it's also a bit sad. ]
It's okay. We'll figure something out.
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...Yeah. Sorry, I kinda had to...drop all that on you.
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[ It's a lot, but he's glad Day isn't shouldering it alone. ]
Thank you for telling me. I'll keep looking stuff up, and I'll let you know if I find anything, okay?
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And if you find anything, let me know. Two heads are better than one, right?