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[proofofconcept]

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[physicalmagic]

I'm sorry. I wish I could have been here.

[proofofconcept]

You're here now.

[physicalmagic]

Do you want me to come see you? We can talk about it. Or get really drunk, either or.

[proofofconcept]

[This takes a minute to come back. Quentin has to think about it.]

I don't know if I can talk about it face to face without crying. I'm trying not to drink or take mellowlark so much.

[physicalmagic]

talk about it via texts?

[proofofconcept]

Yeah. Sounds okay.

I don't really remember...that much of the mosaic? Like I remember broad strokes and a few specific memories but it feels like I remember a lot less than I should remember for something I lived. Like there's still a disconnect. You know?

[physicalmagic]

like a dream?

[proofofconcept]

I don't know, not exactly. Sort of. More like...almost like there really is an extra hundred years between me and those memories.

[physicalmagic]

It feels like it happened a long, long time ago. That's why I said we've all died-- the timeloops. You know, what with Penny 23 becoming the new Penny.

Those memories have to go somewhere, don't they?

[proofofconcept]

I guess I was freaking out too hard to know what that actually meant when you said it. I don't know, I mean, apparently those timelines kept going without us so I don't know if those memories do have to go somewhere. They just stay with the other version of us.

It does make me wonder if maybe the things we remember are the things the other versions forgot.

[physicalmagic]

There was a horrible mess with some whales and shit, and yeah, I think we bleed our memories a little.

[proofofconcept]

Whales?

[physicalmagic]

Something something old gods, Quentin! I don't know!

[proofofconcept]

I'll just assume I missed more weird stuff.

Do you remember a lot of Teddy? Or Ari, for that matter?

[physicalmagic]

I mostly remember him when he was a toddler.

[proofofconcept]

Same. He jumps from toddler to ten or so, and then from ten to basically an adult. I do remember him leaving home.

[physicalmagic]

I remember the same things.

[proofofconcept]

I think I remember leaving the mosaic to live with him, after it was solved, but it's fuzzy?

[physicalmagic]

A lot of it is fuzzy, but also warm.

[proofofconcept]

[oh no soft]

Yeah. It was a good life.

I have this little book of pictures he drew? I remember him coloring or drawing with the chalk a lot, so I figured it would be a good connection to him. It looks like he kept it up into his teens.

In fairness, I have no way to prove this is real and no real reason to believe it is, except that I asked for it and was given it, so you don't have to, like, believe it or whatever.

[physicalmagic]

Of course I believe it, Q.

Can I see the book?

[proofofconcept]

Yeah, of course. Anytime. Hang on.

[A picture comes through, of a page in a scrapbook. You know how every six-year-old draws the same exact house? This one's clearly done with chalk.]

[physicalmagic]

He was such a sweet boy.

[proofofconcept]

He was. I wish I could remember more about him older.

[physicalmagic]

Maybe it's because we were old and something something time.