002. Reborn from the ashes

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To Yehuda, Raise, and Jack: I have finished negotiations for our new home in Section 3; considering we now have an increased number of occupants, I thought the extra space would be necessary. Report to [address goes here] ASAP

Comments

QUICKLOG IS GO

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[Aurora frowned down at his journal, quietly growing tired of his twin's cryptic responses. Did he really have an insight or was he intentionally making his words vague..?]

Quicklog; too lazy to even knock

[trollingthis]

[He could have made it to Aurora's location even without the address; such was the bond they shared. Perhaps he should make Aurora aware of that, he thought (and to an extent, perform a little experiment himself). He attempted to mimic how he had accessed the data source in his dream and sent out a signal to Aurora-should all go as it had in the dream, Aurora would be able to feel it.]

Quicklog; pretty much expected that

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[His pen jerked across the comment he'd been writing at the sudden presence, the acute knowledge of Yehuda drawing his attention. Aurora knew, somehow, that his twin was not in the house, so why could he feel him so strongly? Their bond had never flared like that, though the sensation was painfully familiar. This transfer of data, it was like a weaker version of the transmissions he'd felt in a memory and with Asura.]

Quicklog;

[trollingthis]

[So that was how, he thought before he could stop himself-but he attempted to distract Aurora from his thoughts by uploading a conversation between Range and Grift. Aurora was interested in that human after all, wasn't he?

But then he abruptly cut the feed. If Aurora wanted to learn more, he'd have to find Yehuda (not that it was difficult; he was simply leaning against the wall of the house beside Aurora's, conveniently away from view.]

Quicklog;

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[This wasn't his memory. Smoke's bar, Range drinking, Grift's face; Aurora felt himself relive the moment as if he were watching a high resolution video feed. The voyeurism felt familiar, secretly watching over Range and his movements, analyzing his dialogue and wondering over the last time he'd seen his comrade so relaxed and carefree.

The snap back to reality was almost tangible, the transition from data to physical almost painful. Why had Yehuda chosen to shown him that? And he knew it was Yehuda, it has his protocol all over it like a taste or a smell, like some extra sense he didn't have a name for.

The time for games was over. Simply dropping everything, Aurora stalked out of the house, standing outside in front of the door. In the back of his mind he noted the dropping temperature in the air.]

Yehuda, I've indulged you enough.

Quicklog;

[trollingthis]

[There was only amusement as Yehuda noted Aurora's confusion and irritation. Upon hearing Aurora's call, he leaned away from the wall and walked away from his hiding spot, a smirk playing on his face.]

I had simply assumed you wanted to know everything about Range. Am I right?

Quicklog;

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[His head turned to face his approaching twin, not really surprised by his sudden appearance. Their connection tingled in the back of his mind.]

I- [But he couldn't really deny it, could he?] I do. However, I prefer to learn about him through first hand experience. Where did you get that footage?

Quicklog;

[trollingthis]

Very well then, Aurora. [As if he'd actually obey anyone but himself. The sneer was still on his face as he continued, calmly, intentionally leaving out the information Aurora wanted to hear simply because he was capable of such.]

At Smoke's Bar.

Quicklog;

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Obviously. [It was hard to tell if Yehuda was intentionally being coy or had misunderstood the question. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Aurora at least had the manners to open the door, holding it open and waiting for the other to come inside.]

Why had you been watching them?

Quicklog;

[trollingthis]

[He walked inside Aurora's residence; it was wiser to do so, if the warning of the anonymous writer had claimed true. What would he benefit from dying, after all? He spoke up as he did:]

I had merely wanted to observe the residents of Edensphere during their leisure time. That was only one of the conversations I had overheard.

Quicklog;

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[Closing the door behind them, he had to stop himself from locking it, remembering that Jack and Raise still needed a way in.]

If you're going to spy, make sure you don't get caught. [Perhaps this should have been something to chastise Yehuda over, but his actions seemed appropriate to Aurora. Keeping diligent, watching the others, there was nothing wrong with it in his mind.] Did you hear anything else of note?

Quicklog;

[trollingthis]

That might be the case.

[But Aurora wasn't expecting Yehuda to simply provide the information without something in exchange, didn't he? Without giving Aurora time to question further, Yehuda sent another wave-slightly different from the last: something that could download the data stored in Aurora's brain.]

Quicklog;

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Warn me before you do that. It can be rather startling. [Even though he was annoyed with his twin, Aurora still allowed the connection to be made. He had to admit he was curious as to what Yehuda would do, and he trusted the other enough to share data with him. And theoretically, if it went too far, he could always cut the connection. Somehow.]

It doesn't surprise you that we are capable of this?

Quicklog;

[trollingthis]

Why should it?

[Though in reality, he only knew he was capable of accessing data from the dream before his awakening, so it was safe to claim that this little trial exceeded his expectations-not that he was allowing Aurora to be aware of his thoughts (though Aurora might have noticed anyway; they were connected, after all).

The information stored inside Aurora's brain was interesting, to say the least: Aurora's dreams and memories-real names, as well. A smirk formed on Yehuda's face as he browsed through the data. His pair was indeed interesting.]

Quicklog;

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Because. It's not normal. [Speaking felt strange, the lag from thought to words inefficient when compared to their connection. He tracked Yehuda as he accessed the various sectors in his mind, keeping tabs on what he chose to examine. It should have felt invasive.

In turn he reached out tentatively to Yehuda, the connection becoming two-way. It was so familiar, this lack of boundaries, and his physical body sagged against the wall from the powerful feeling of deja vu.]

Quicklog;

[trollingthis]

You and I are not "normal".

[Stated as a matter-of-fact, as if Aurora had no choice but to accept it. And then he sensed his twin pair reaching out to him as well-amusement, again-but Aurora had been cooperative so far, so he might as well return the favor.

Though his reasons for allowing Aurora access to data of the entire conversation between Jack, Ghost, and Spade was more than simply that, of course. After all, having a twin pair had his uses too, didn't it?]