Part 1 is here To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld, CrimsonPhysics@ascalon.tapestry.wld, DrHsu@ascalon.tapestry.wld, RoonBug@simnet.tapestry.wld, UndeadWitch@ascalon.tapestry.wld
From: DancingGem@parisiim.tapestry.wld
Hello everyone! Thank you for all the pictures of the children, Ruby and Crimson! Everyone is growing up so fast, I can hardly believe it The same is true of Thulian, so I thought I would send you some pictures of him in return.
He’s already walking! Though honestly, I don’t think he ever actually walked, he just got right up and started running! :) He’s quite a handful.
Here’s my favorite picture of him and Mort together! Doesn’t Thulian look just like him?
And there’s some great news! We were finally able to get that larger apartment through the dance company that we’ve been on the waiting list for. It’s such a relief to not be crammed into that little efficiency anymore, especially with Thulian as active as he is.
And best of all, now we have room for a piano, and to practice right here at home! :D
I hope everyone is doing well! I love it here in Parisiim, of course, but I still miss you all and sometimes I really long for the quiet of Ascalon and all the beautiful woods.
Much love, Garnet
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld
From: CrimsonPhysics@ascalon.tapestry.wld
Dear Sis,
The most unexpected thing has happened!
So, I ended up staying out at the desert site for a couple of days, working on the artifact, and we really made some great progress on it and got it ready to ship to the military base for further study. But, while we were packing up, the military head of the investigation team, and the head of military R&D, approached me with a job offer! They want me to transfer to the base full time, and lead the research on all their alien artifacts!
I have to admit, I’m not sure what to do, Sis. It’s a fantastic opportunity, and for so long now I’ve felt like I’m just spinning my wheels at my current company. But, taking this new job would mean moving away from Ascalon. Away from home.
It would be a disruption to the kids. They love it here, and are doing so well. Cordovan has so many friends, he’s always staying over at someone’s house, or inviting kids over here, or chatting up his little girlfriends on the phone.
And Amaranth is doing so much better now too. She feels like we’re stable, that she has people around her that she can count on, who are there for her. I don’t like the idea of uprooting her and taking her away from the rest of the family.
Also, if we go, that will just leave Jihoon and Ebony alone in the house. Well, Roon too, but he’s always off on some trip or expedition, so essentially it’s just them. Ebony is more wrapped up in her magic than ever, and Jihoon has been really lonely since Dad died.
He loves the kids, I don’t like the idea of taking them away from him. But at the same time… this is a really great opportunity. The chance of a lifetime. I want to do it, but I feel selfish at the same time because people I love will be affected by the decision.
If you have any advice, Ruby, I’m all ears. But I know that, ultimately, it’s my decision.
Love, Crimson
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld
From: CrimsonPhysics@ftgrunt.tapestry.mil
Dear Sis,
The move went smoothly. At least as far as actually getting our possessions here from Ascalon, and making the drive. But emotionally… yes, it was difficult. I’m not sure how you’ve managed it, being so far away for all these years. It was harder to leave than I thought it would be, but perhaps that is one of the reasons I have felt so stagnant, precisely because I never dared venture out into the world.
Cordovan is fine with everything. In spite of moving away from his friends, he looking on all of this as a grand new adventure. Amaranth, however, is still upset and understandably angry with me. It’s not that she had many friends, but she is very resentful over the disruption to her life, and she is sad to leave Jihoon. She was quite distant throughout the entire moving process.
I hope she will adjust, and that the change will ultimately be as good for her as I anticipate it will be for me. Perhaps we both just need to leave the unpleasant past far behind us. Start over fresh.
I regret leaving Jihoon and Roon, but it is Ebony that I am most sorry to have disappointed. She saw us off, and tried to smile and wish us luck, but I could see it in her expression… she was hurt that we were leaving.
I can only imagine how she must feel. How many generations has she now watched come and go? How many loved ones have passed out of her life in one way or another? I have forgotten the number, but I know she has not. I am truly sorry to leave her, but at the same time… I know you understand, Sis. I have my own life to start living, and the well being of my children to be concerned for.
I will try to not dwell in regrets.
Anyway, here is a picture of our new home at Fort Grunt! The sparse desert is a far cry from what we are used to, but the home itself is very nice. The furnishings are a bit spartan, but I trust we will be able to fill and decorate as we please once we are settled and feeling more comfortable.
The children are starting school first thing in the morning. No sense in waiting! Cordovan, at least, is looking forward to it. And my job does not officially begin until Monday, so that gives me time to unpack, but I think I will also make several visits to the labs and hangers between then and now, to familiarize myself with everything. In fact, one of the other lead researchers offered to give me the grand tour through the facilities. Her name is Clara Long, and she stopped by to welcome us when we first arrived at the house. It was a pleasure to talk with a knowledgeable colleague.
So, what it all boils down to is, in spite of worries, regrets and misgivings, I believe that this move will do us good, both myself and the children. Only time will tell, of course, but I am optimistic. I know I will miss home. I will miss Jihoon and Ebony and Roon. However, it is time for me to start living.
Wish me luck, Sis.
Love, Crimson
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld, CrimsonPhysics@ftgrunt.tapestry.mil, DancingGem@parisiim.tapestry.wld
From: RoonBug@simnet.tapestry.wld
Hey everybody!
You will never guess the incredible souvenir I brought back from my latest expedition!
Check me out!
Ta-dah!
RoonBug
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld, CrimsonPhysics@ftgrunt.tapestry.mil, DancingGem@parisiim.tapestry.wld
From: DrHsu@ascalon.tapestry.wld
Dear Kids (and yes, I don’t care how old you are, you will always be kids to me!),
Everything here at home is fine. While the artifacts and relics that Maroon brings home from his trips are slowly starting to take over every available inch of space in the house, the twins are growing up healthy and strong.
They have reached the age now where they are both very active, in their own ways. Fuchsia is a babbler. She loves to talk nonsense to herself as she goes about her day, and she seems to have inherited Roon’s affinity for art. It is nice to have an abundance of crayon drawings to hang on the walls again.
Salmon is quieter, and appears less inclined toward the artistic, but he is quite social in his own way. His serious prolonged discussions with Ruby’s old bunny head toy seem almost philosophical.
As she was with all of you, Ebony is a great nanny to the twins, and they both adore her.
I will admit, that in the evenings, after the babies are tucked in their cribs, and when Roon is gone, somewhere halfway across the world… both Ebony and I confess to feeling rather lonely. And melancholy. Missing the days when the house was full and noisy.
But, call us crazy if you will, we can both feel a comforting presence, even in the quiet.
Ebony has long claimed that this house is filled with the spirits of the departed, and of course I have heard and read many claims of the existence of ghosts. I have never seen any myself, but now I believe that Ebony is right. Though I cannot see, I can feel. And I am comforted to know that your father is still close. Perhaps waiting for me. More likely, keeping watch over the family that he loved so dear.
Take care of yourselves and each other.
With much love, Jihoon
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld, CrimsonPhysics@ftgrunt.tapestry.mil, DancingGem@parisiim.tapestry.wld
From: RoonBug@simnet.tapestry.wld
Dear Ruby, Crimson and Garnet,
We’ve had a pretty tough time of it since Pop died. I still feel guilty that I wasn’t here when it happened, even though I know you’ve all told me it wasn’t my fault. I just wish I hadn’t taken that expedition to Volcano Island. At least Ebony says Dad was waiting to greet Pop on the other side. Maybe you guys don’t believe that, but I seen some pretty wild things during my travels now, and I believe it. And, it makes me feel better to think Dad was there waiting for him.
Still. Ain’t been easy for any of us. But, especially not Ebony.
I feel bad. I was away when it happened, and even though I tried to get back as fast as possible, she was still stuck at home, taking care of the twins, all by herself. Grieving.
And even when I did finally get home, I still had to depend on her to nanny and housekeep, while I was managing arrangements and all the details from the estate and Pop’s will and everything. It just didn’t seem right, leaving so much on her shoulders when she’s feeling the loss too.
Even after some time had passed, I could tell she wasn’t feeling any better. She was… I dunno, remorse? Depressed? At the very least, I figure she’s gotta be stressed, so I went to talk to her, to apologize for depending on her so much.
It’s just kinda hard to not depend on Ebony, you know, guys? Because… well, because she’s always been there, our entire lives, never changing. A constant. Someone that could be depended on. But, I remembered what Pop said after Dad died, about how Ebony should be allowed to pursue her own life if she wants. And I realized that I think we’ve all taken it for granted that Ebony will always be here. I know I did, just expecting her to take care of the twins while I’m running around to ruins and excavations all over the world.
So, I told her that. I apologized that I had foisted so much onto her and never once considered that she might want to live her own life at last, instead of just hanging around in ours.
Here’s what she said. She told me, “I had planned on leaving after Jihoon was gone, I didn’t want him to spend his last days alone. But then, you had the twins, and you need someone to take care of them, don’t you? You can’t take them on your expeditions with you, they’re just babies. So, you need me here.”
“I do,” I admitted. “There’s no one in the world I’d rather have raising them. But Ebony, I can make other arrangements if I have to. I can quit my career and come home. You deserve to have your own life. I don’t wanna force you to stay if you don’t wanna be here.”
“You’re not forcing me to do anything.” You know that expression she gets when she’s being stubborn and bossy? Yeah, that’s how she looked. But then she was sad again. And there was anger there too. “Maroon, every headstone in this cemetery represents someone I’ve lost. And every phone call and email I get from any of the family just reminds me how far away everyone is, and that someday I’ll lose them too. I don’t want to watch another generation grow up, only to have them leave me one way or another. I can’t… I can’t do it again.”
I told her I understood, and on the most basic level, I do. But I could never claim to know what it’s like to be her, to have lost so many and yet not be crushed by the grief and hopelessness, knowing it will happen again and again, unless she breaks away.
“I’ll stay for now. Because you need me. And because I love you, Roon, and I love the twins. I love the whole family. But…” I could see her pain, guys. She can’t go through it all again.
“When you’re ready,” I said, “just tell me.”
I hope you guys are with me on this, and that you won’t fuss when the time comes. Crims, I know that you were especially resistant to the idea of Ebony leaving home, whenever Pop brought it up. I remember you saying that you didn’t think it was a good idea because she might not find acceptance out there. But think about it, okay? What does she have here, except for memories? Even the good ones become shaded with pain when those she shared them with pass on.
And remember what Dad said about when he first found her? All she had to cling to was a storeroom full of dusty stuff. If she stays here, eventually that’s all she’ll have again, when we are gone.
Dad and Pop left the house in her name. It will always be here for her if she needs it. But, I think she deserves more than to just be a caretaker of dead memories.
Give it some serious thought, guys. Our forever big sister needs us to let go of her.
Roon
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld, DrHsu@ascalon.tapestry.wld, RoonBug@simnet.tapestry.wld, UndeadWitch@ascalon.tapestry.wld, DancingGem@parisiim.tapestry.wld
From: CrimsonPhysics@ascalon.tapestry.wld
Hello everyone! I hope you all are doing well and settled in snug for the winter. I do admit that I miss the snow, way out here in the desert. But a lack of cold weather is a small price to pay for all the benefits of being here.
Research is proceeding amazingly well. I wish I could tell you all more about it, but you understand why such things must be kept top secret. I will mention that, Roon, you would probably be quite interested in the latest piece that was delivered to us, an odd device from the Primeva Ruins in the Nerva Archipelago. I’ve been authorized to release a schematic, and I would be very interested in your archeological opinion.
The family is doing great. I thought I would take this opportunity to send you all a picture.
Amaranth is getting ready to go to college soon. She gave some consideration to Sim State, but has decided to go with Academie Le Tour instead, due to their fine music program. Though her early relationship with Clara was tumultuous, as you all well know, she has grown beyond her animosity and has come to accept Clara with fondness, if not love.
Ruby, Cordovan is looking forward to spending next summer on Peskdani with you and your family. He says he’ll be bringing what meteorological equipment he can, so don’t be surprised if he spends most of his time making weather observations. Don’t worry, though, he is quite the social creature as well as a scientist, and he is looking forward to meeting new people. From what you’ve told me of Jezemba’s tribe, I suspect some of them will quite enjoy meeting him as well.
As for our welcome little surprise, Cerise, she is doing very well in school. Her current interest is mainly for the toy oven that she was given recently, and she has grown quite adept at producing palatable muffins from it. Whether such early attention to cooking will evolve into something lasting, I cannot say. But she is enjoying herself, and that’s the important thing right now.
So, all is well here. We would love to hear the news from everyone!
Love, Crimson
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld
From: DustyDreamer@peskidani.tapestry.wld
Hi Mom! Aunt Ebony scolded me for not writing you sooner, and I’m sorry that I didn’t, but I’ve been busy and having a real good time here in Ascalon. It’s been great! I’m really glad you let me come to visit this summer.
First of all, Uncle Roon! He is so totally awesome, I mean seriously! The house is filled with all kinds of neat artifacts that he’s brought back from his trips, and he’s got the best stories to tell. Jungle safaris and pirates and ancient booby trapped ruins. It’s all too cool!
Of course, Thulian is great too. I think he’s got a pretty weird accent, from living aboard all his life, but he says I got a funny accent too, from living on an island, so I guess we both just sound strange to each other!
It’s all good, though. He’s missing his folks while they’re on their tour, but we’ve been finding plenty to do to pass the time. We’ve been taking the kids to that park that’s just outside of town, the one by the bay, just for starters. It’s fun to meet people out there, and Fuchsia and Salmon love building sand castles and swimming.
I love it, it’s like being at home, only totally different!
In the evenings, we like to spend time out in the yard with the kids and Aunt Ebony. She’s teaching them about bugs and nature right now. Thulian and I chat about all kinds of things. He’s thinking about going to college here, instead of overseas. Maybe if we pick one we both like, we’ll go together, split the expenses and stuff.
Aunt Ebony is the best, though. She says she’s not a very good cook, but she really is! Better than Uncle Roon, anyway. He tried to make us some hamburgers, burnt them black, and then tried to tell us that was how they eat them on Volcano Island! But Aunt Ebony knows her stuff in the kitchen.
She takes really good care of the whole family. It’s so weird, because she looks younger than me, but she acts like everyone’s mother, even Uncle Roon’s!
I like spending time with her, Mom. I feel like we’re real lucky, because she knows so much about the family history and can tell all the stories. I mean, I’ve read Grandpa’s writings and they’re good, but it’s just so much more amazing to hear about the family history from Aunt Ebony, because she was actually there for so much of it.
And it’s so cool that she can do magic! I love watching her show off, it’s awesome.
Sid is great too! He totally freaked both me and Thulian out one of the first nights we were both here, though! He made really wild yowling noises up in the attic and we didn’t know what it was! The little kids were laughing at us because we both jumped about a mile high! But now I’m good friends with Sid, and I’m getting used to his attic performances.
Weird cat, though. Sometimes he sits and stares at nothing. Aunt Ebony says he’s watching ghosts, and that there’s lots of them in and around the house. But Fuchsia and Salmon said they’ve never seen any.
Anyway, don’t worry about me, Mom! I’m having a really great time visiting, getting along good with Thulian and the little kids, loving hearing all Uncle Roon’s wild stories, and enjoying spending time with Aunt Ebony. It’s great. There’s plenty to do, and the scenery is really really appealing!
I don’t think I’m going to be bored here at all this summer! Love ya, Mom! Tell everyone I say hi!
Love, Dusty
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld, CrimsonPhysics@ftgrunt.tapestry.mil, DancingGem@parisiim.tapestry.wld
From: RoonBug@simnet.tapestry.wld
Hey everyone!
Just a quick update on how things are here in Ascalon. I’ve been home for awhile now, and it’s been pretty nice, getting the chance to spend lots of time with the kidlets.
Looks like Fuchsia is taking after me in loving to paint and draw. She spends more time at my easel than I do these days! But I don’t mind at all, it’s great that she enjoys it. And Salmon likes to just sit and watch her work, weirdly enough. Like how Lil Sis used to tag after me everywhere, he tags after Fuchsia.
They’re both doing real well, and will be teenagers before I know it. That’s one of the reasons why this upcoming trip to Ald’Ruhn will be my last for awhile. I’m taking a hiatus for a number of reasons, not the least of which is wanting to spend time with my kidlets while they’re still kidlets.
Another reason is Ebony. Before you get upset, Crims, she seems to be doing okay. The twins are always her first priority, like usual.
But when she has time to herself, she’s spending it alone. Often in the upstairs parlor.
I know that you’re all gonna say that she’s always done that, and yeah, she has. But lately, the intensity of her magic is changing. I don’t know how to explain it, really. But it seems angrier to me.
And, when I’m at home, a lot of times she takes trips out of town, and you can’t tell me she’s ever done that before! Last time, she was away for a couple days. I got no qualms with that, she’s free to come and go as she pleases, and she don’t have to tell me where she’s going. But she’s always very distant with both me and the kids when she comes back.
She’s also taking long walks at night, not inviting the twins to go with her, and she stays out until nearly dawn.
Guys, I think she’s getting restless. I know you all probably don’t want to hear that, especially you, Crims. You made your opinion clear enough the last time I talked about this, but you gotta face facts. You let your kids go off to college, spread their wings, start their own lives. How come you’re so resistant to letting Ebony do the same thing? Frammit, I don’t want her to go either, but c’mon! She graduated high school ages ago! She’s got every right to want to start her own life. We’re lucky she loves us, don’t wanna hurt us, and has stayed with us this long.
You just remember that when you start arguing about denying her the same opportunity that you yourself chose to take. She’s not a child, or a pet, or something made of glass that has to be protected by bubble wrap. She’s a smart, strong, capable woman. She’s got a couple hundred years on you, Crims. And she’s got her own dreams.
So, stop being an ass, wouldya? The time for her to leave is coming, and you’re gonna hafta accept that.
Love for you all.
Roon
To: RubyT@peskidani.tapestry.wld, CrimsonPhysics@ftgrunt.tapestry.mil, DancingGem@parisiim.tapestry.wld
From: RoonBug@simnet.tapestry.wld
Guys, you’re probably going to be mad at me, and I’m sorry, but I know that I’ve done the right thing.
Since I’ve been back from Ald’Ruhn, it’s been clear to me that Ebony is depressed. Even the kids were worried about her. They’d been trying to play with her, engage her interests, but nothing really seemed to be helping.
The twins are growing up, they’re going to been teenagers soon, and I know Ebony realized that. As they’ve grown, they’ve become more independent and I think that Ebony was seeing that the time is coming when they are going to be grown up and leaving the house, just like all of us did. And that is exactly what she told me, after Pop died, that she couldn’t bear to face again.
It was crushing her. Even you would have seen that, Crimson.
I couldn’t sit by and watch this any longer, so a couple nights ago, I went to find Ebony, to have a talk with her.
I’d brought something back from Ald’Ruhn for her, and I figured I’d waste no time in giving it to her.
“I don’t understand, what is this?” she asked.
I explained to her that it was a magical artifact, enchanted to grant three wishes to the owner. And it wasn’t tourist baloney either, I’d actually seen one of these things in use a few years ago on one of my expeditions. They were rare, but they worked. I told her that I was giving it to her, and that she could use it however she wanted. It would grant her anything, “within possible magical parameters,” so the saying goes.
“How you use it is up to you, Ebony,” I told her. Yeah, it couldn’t change her undeadness, or remove the lonely pain in her heart, but it could take her anywhere she wanted to go, when she was ready to leave. It could help her start out brand new, with her own life. It could help her chase after those dreams she’s always had, of being able to stand tall, shoulder to shoulder with our family heroes.
She didn’t say much. I’m not sure how she was feeling. I told her that I would be there for her, if she wanted to talk or anything, but I left her be. Gave her the space to think. It was obviously difficult for her, but I was leaving it up to her.
Tonight, I heard her working on things upstairs; I kept the kids down in the livingroom so that they wouldn’t bother her. Salmon watched TV, Fuchsia was absorbed in her drawing. Neither of them really noticed or understood what the magical sounds meant, because Ebony is always doing magic. But I knew.
Finally, I heard her teleport outside. Then everything was quiet for a long while. I don’t know what she was doing out there, but I think I can guess.
Guys, I’ll be honest. I wanted to run out there and throw my arms around her in a hug like we all did when we were little. I wanted to beg her not to go. I couldn’t even trust myself to go out and say goodbye to her, because I didn’t know if I would have the strength to, even if I have been the biggest champion of her making this very decision. It was hard getting used to Dad and Pop being gone, or you guys. But it’s impossible to imagine Ebony not being here. Like I’ve said before, she’s always been here for us, there’s not a day in our lives that she hasn’t been.
And ultimately, that’s the very soul of the problem. She’s the constant. We’re transient.
Thankfully, I did see her leave.
She pulled out that broom of hers and got on. She was ready to go, ready to leave behind whatever regrets or misgivings she might have. She gave me a smile through the windows, and I’m grateful for that, so that pretty expression can be what I remember when I think of our forever big sister.
So, you guys can all go ahead and be pissed off at me if you want. I know that this is what’s right for her. She couldn’t go on living here, letting every departure tear her apart a little more. I honestly feel that she probably didn’t want to leave, because she does love us all. But she had to, for the sake of her own heart.
I’ll miss her, just like you all will. But remember, this was what Dad wanted for her. He gave her love and family so that she would grow, become strong and independent, and then be able to go out and live a life of her own choosing.
When you get right down to it, that’s what Porfiro Tecza probably wanted for her too, when he resurrected her. He might have been misguided and foolish in how he went about it, but he loved her. And, he wanted her to live.
Not in a dusty aging house, with nothing but antiques and painful memories. But out there, in the world.
She’s gonna be fine out there guys, I know she is. She’s gonna shine like a star! And she’ll never forget us, even long after we’re gone, because she’ll carry us with her wherever she goes.
Love you all, even if you’re angry with me.
Roon