Fortuna Verto

00-Discordant Records

Considering everything that had happened, Kori felt she was justified in getting a bit of a peaceful recluse for herself. Such was why she had taken the opportunity to visit a sight she felt had been the place that had started everything.

Of course, Kori wasn't willing to wander any closer to the diamond falls than she already had, her small camp a distance from the riverside being plenty close enough for her purposes. Today was the anniversary of the event which had started everything, so she had come here to mourn and remember the lives that were lost on the way. Sure, there were funerals that were to be had already, but some of the lives lost had fallen from the record. Very few people even knew how much had been lost to bring them to the tranquility they held today. Besides, beyond even that, the whole thing had absolutely changed everything in Kori's life, so she felt it important to take an opportunity to look back upon the journey as a whole.

Kori herself could hardly recognize herself from the memories she held of the beginning, as if she was a completely different person. That might not even be completely wrong either, least of all in the complete physical changes she had endured in the time since. Kori held up both of her arms for her review, not even capable of recalling exactly how either had been originally. More colorful, at the very least. The distinction didn't even bother her anymore, such was just a part of who she had become, and only a small sliver of the changes she had even faced. She didn't even think of herself as Kori anymore, though there were those who still bothered to call her by that name. Here, she could accept being known as Kori, it was simply easier that way to associate the difference between the two forms she held, the two lives she led.

"I thought you would be here around this time, Kori. You really should have let me know about it, though." "Oh, I thought I did give you a message. Sorry about that then." "Letting others know you are here isn't the same thing as sending me a message directly. I know you like depending on the grapevine to pass things along, but you really need to take the time for a more personal touch." Kori's companion was the same girl that Kori had endured the company off through basically her entire journey, a key individual that she quite seriously couldn't have left behind even if she wanted to. Of course, said girl hadn't been there a moment ago, having just dropped in unannounced, the snow displaced around them the only sign of her sudden arrival as the girl also settled in to reminisce in the same reflection as Kori. Like Kori, the same girl had also gone through a lot, becoming someone more than she used to be. You couldn't even tell the girl wasn't quite native to this planet, considering she seemed more native than even Kori did.

Aestus, Ruixse, two very different places, more than just different planets. The first was a place of science, the second was a place of elementals. Having discovered the path between each, both girls had forged their place in both through the process of their journey. Such was why they both held more than just a single name to their identity, their names didn't even fully grasp the terms of their complete being either. Names really were sort of dumb in that way, never being quite enough to completely define anything. Then again, that was mostly them more than anyone else, the endless changes they seem to commit making it hard to simply expect anything to be constant. With them, people changed, worlds changed, rules changed, even time stopped meaning the same thing.

Time, that certainly was an important aspect of their journey too, spanning untravelled reaches of history towards unreachable branches of their future, everything had converged over the span of their journey. This too was important to them both, for without the gifts of the past and the future, they knew with absolute certainty that things would be far less tranquil right now. Traversing time was just as key as traversing worlds through their journey, giving them some exposure to both as a matter of process. Kori even took a moment to look up at one of the moons above, almost itself glistening in the night sky. Certainly, not even planets could contain the outreach they traversed, taking them to places even distant from such familiarity.

"Do you think they would be happy with everything we've done so far?" "I'm surprised you even still have any doubts, especially considering your latest attempt to predict the future. We're going to have half a sidus of that process to work with, and in that time we'll have rediscovered that part of the future too." "Yet another change to prepare for, not even sure if I'm ready." "Your worries are why I know you'll be fine, we both have plenty of people ready to help us along the way, so never think you're alone. Everything will be fine." Kori knew her companion was right, they did have plenty of friends who were looking out for them, ready to help in any way they could. Even considering everything they were capable of, there was no way they could have achieved everything alone. Having the right connections across all of their encounters had made all of the difference, even split between two different worlds. Such was why there was importance to value the contributions of those who were no longer around to experience the concluding results. There may be new people of the future to experience such rewards in their stead, but that did not devalue the original efforts either.

The girl beside her then tapped the metallic devices attached to her ears, as if she was hearing something Kori could not. The girl was probably being bothered by such dependable people, a sign that they could not just relax here forever. Of course, that was another aspect of their journey, constant innovation, it was only a part of change after all. Technological wonders were a good half of the entire innovation process, even if additional advanced wonders also existed where science itself did not. Both of them were very keen on the matter of such advancements, having grown up with a devotion to the practice, even if there was no longer cause to have such practices still define them. There was plenty else in their lives that they could earnestly apply themselves too instead, in respite to the tranquility they had earned.

"So it seems Snowbell is going to be holding another performance all of a sudden, I don't suppose you're free to show up for it too?" "You know I've never missed one of those showings, nor do I plan to stop such a routine so easily. I don't think anyone would be bothered about me showing up a little late, there might even be a few people pleased to find themselves with less obligation." "Sometimes you remind me of someone who shared such bad habits, you really shouldn't take up such an example." "Hey, I would have you know that she's been really responsible of late. Besides, I can't just go neglecting you here, can I?" "Hmm, let her know that I'll see if I can fit in any time for her too then. Wouldn't want to end up neglecting people myself either, right?" Kori's companion, just as Kori, still had an endless supply of obligation, such had only piled up the more they accomplished. Making time for everything was always difficult, even once time itself became their resource.

Overall, it had honestly been quite the adventure of their lives, an extraordinary tale they would never forget, an unbelievable story they would certainly pass down to their children someday. A tale that was not just about saving two worlds from the path of oblivion, but a story of how they had taken control over their very destiny in order to achieve the impossible. Through all of the chaos, and all of the struggles against chance itself, they had discovered their real place in the order of things. Quite certainly, that order would not be without a chaos of its own, of their own, but that too was acceptable, for nothing good would ever come of being frozen to one place for overly long. Just as there was a need to reflect upon the events that had happened, so too was there also a need to plan for the events that will happen. In a legend where the past and the future converge, neither was something they would ever allow themselves to ever forget about.

Having decided that they had spent enough time in the solace of reflection, the two turned away from their respite, driven to once again keep working towards a better future. As they began their trek once again through the barren white wilds, the black of night took its stark contrast across the sky above, just as it had so long ago at the beginning of their long journey.