(no subject)

[livingimpaired]

To the new app users, how are you?

I offer condolences for the chaos of this month. But as troubling as trouble is, I am certain that there are those that came to your aid.

Those that exist on this app are those that care deeply about people. You can call us bleeding hearts, and that would be accurate. [ For some. ]

But as this month draws to a close, I feel some congratulations are in order. So, congratulations, young men and women. Hopefully, through the trials that you have faced, you've come to feel closer to the people that were once strangers to you and have made some friends.

And I'm certain that someone has explained regains to you all by now, but please keep in mind that you are still you. Your choices are still your choices. Your life is still your life. You can decide what path you wish to walk on, and which path you do not, at any time.

Those are my feelings, at least, as heavy-handed and pretentious as they may sound. Please consider them my way of showing support. :)

Comments

[doesntdiscriminate]

I've been here for a few months now so I guess I'm not exactly new but even so; thank you.
I've had some regains lately that's had me questioning what kind of person the other me might have been, and what that might mean for me, and while reading this haven't magically made everything better on that front it was a helpful reminder So again, thank you. ^^

I wonder about one thing though. The way you put this: "Those that exist on this app are those that care deeply about people." Now I'm in over-analyzing mode so I could just be reading into this, but it almost sounds like you believe we might have been chosen with that character trait in mind?

[livingimpaired]

You are welcome. If you gained something from what I said, then that is all that matters. I suppose we should say that more to one another, that we still are capable of making our own choices. Sometimes it feels as though there is one path and we are locked in, but that's never the case. We merely lose sight of our options.

It is a possibility that is how we are chosen. I have thought about how the majority of those that are users on this app seem to be those that think more about others than selfishly about themselves. Yet that is not what I had meant. I merely was intending to reassure those new users that the community of Retrospec are a meddling bunch with kind hearts.

[vitis]

smells like a lot of your bs
:)

[livingimpaired]

Do you doubt my words, John? :)

[vitis]

sure do :)

[livingimpaired]

That is unfortunate, because I mean them sincerely. :)

[vitis]

oh :)
still a load of crap, fancy that

[livingimpaired]

Oh? :)
What part feels like that to you, I wonder?
The personal responsibility? Haha, that is only a joke. :)

[drizzle]

Congratulations! You sound both pretentious and like a school principal all at once.

[It was difficult to tell if the guy was being genuine at all because of that smiley face in the end. Aren't those usually used for passive aggressiveness or something? Hard to tell since she didn't want to judge him. After all...]

As for your very first question, I'm all right all things considered. My heart hasn't stopped. I'm a little bored though.

But none of that is important, really.

What I'm more curious about are these "regains" you mentioned? I'm guessing that's what people are referring to those weird illusions popping in our heads at random?

[...she wants to know more about her current situation. What the heck is going on with those random images or thoughts popping into her head?]

[livingimpaired]

Thank you. It is a talent that I rarely am able to showcase, haha.

But in all seriousness, I am being sincere. :)

[ He is sincerely in a good mood, at least. ]

I would like to ask why you are a little bored, but if you say it isn't important, I won't pry more than alerting you of my curiosity at that statement.

You are correct. The "regains" are mostly memories from another life and another world. There are various schools of thought about how to view them. You can view them, as you say, illusions that appear in your head at random. You can view them as actual memories from a past life. You can view the person that you see as yourself, or another version of yourself, or merely someone invading your head and has nothing to do with you. The choice is ultimately yours. And you may even come up with your own interpretation, which I hope you will share with us if you do. :)

"Regains" do not just encompass memories or illusions. They are also abilities, or physical changes to our appearance. Not everyone will have them, but they are also something that we could be "regaining". There are people that have explained it better than me, but that is how I've come to understand it with my own experiences.

[drizzle]

Glad to see you're able to show it off. Multiple times. Today must be feeling pretty good to you right now. :)

[May as well join in on the smiley train. It was clear she was lowering her guard a tiny bit.]

There's no one around to play tennis with! My entire team is currently unplayable right now. It gets boring playing against the machine after a while. I think I almost busted it a couple of times because I was getting annoyed in the lack of returned reactions.

[And as much as she can play against herself using the wall, it gets just as tedious when she knows which form and speed her own hits will return as. Having a human opponent is a lot more fun because sometimes they can become unpredictable.]

I suppose the reasoning is solid enough as a plausible theory. I know many people do consider these illusions, visions, or daydreams to be real and part of a past life. But whenever I asked for proof, no one has been able to offer it other than just believing to be the case.

I'm not very smart whenever it comes to thinking about logical stuff. Tennis is more a game of instinct than anything else. I'm really good at those. [And yet, here she goes throwing her own two cents into this.] Not to get into conspiracy theory territory, but -- how do we know these "memories", changes, or abilities aren't all part of some kind of illusion? Like the ones people usually get from side effects of a drug? I know some steroids can cause loss of contact with reality among other changes.

[livingimpaired]

It actually is. :)

Tennis, huh? I'm afraid I will not be able to help you with that, but I'm certain there are plenty of people bored. If you ask, I think a few people would come play with you. And then you can make summer memories with new friends. Or so I say, haha.

[ I see, I see. ] Proof that it is real, hm! You are correct that we could all be being slowly drugged and losing touch with reality. We accept what is coming to us as real, but to those that are new, we cannot prove it. Ah, how rude of me, I'm just reiterating what you said, aren't I?

I do have a healing ability. However, the healing comes at a price. I would be willing to show it using my own body so that you can see that it is real. As for proving my memories are from another life, well, that is much harder, but I think it is doable if I think on it long enough.

[drizzle]

[The idea will leave her pensive, wondering if it was a valuable option to use. After all, how many professional tennis players were available to play against her? She didn't know of any in the city while the ones that she did know may be unavailable at the moment. What to do?]

Thank you for the honesty. I wouldn't know what to do if you had volunteered. I'm pretty bad at rejecting people. [Which wasn't a complete lie.] I suppose if I could get at least four other people to play against while keeping the machine active, even if they're amateurs, it would be a good challenge. [Then again.] Do you think it'll be possible for me to be allowed to play in the US Open this year?

[Since, you know, everyone not an app user was invisible, and the city had issues in letting people leave.]

No worries! It's part of your charm. ❤️ To be a pretentious, principal-like figure, right? [Totally allowed to reiterate her. At least, he isn't scoffing her for her thoughts.] What's the price? Kinda wanna know before you go off to cut yourself or something. And not to be bearer of bad news, but it looks like you've just accepted my homework assignment? When did we switched roles here? Aren't you suppose to give me assignments, Principal Pretentious?

[livingimpaired]

Not to worry. I never do anything that I don't want to do, or feel unfit for. But I do meddle where I need not meddle. :) [ Hm? That option, huh? ] It could be a very good challenge, yes. At the very least, you will also be able to end with one or two friendships.

If we do not settle things with the layers, or levels as I call them, I'm afraid that it will not be possible for you to play in the US Open, Ava Stewart. [ A beat. ] The people that we can no longer see actually cannot see us, either. However, they view it rationally. They believe that we've run away, or left the city unexpectedly. They'll view your disappearance as such, and so... your place in the US Open will be forfeit.

Still, I may not be that athletic myself, but I can, at least, recognize that you put a lot of effort into your tennis. If you end up going to the US Open, I may even have to watch your match. Perhaps, even cheer you on, but let us not dream so big. Haha. But do all those things, we have to work hard together to solve this present issue, yes?

[ Part of his charm? ]

Well, I believe you may be right. :) Though, I would not consider myself to be charming. :) [ And he really doesn't. ] The price is pain. Funny, isn't it? In order to heal a wound, I have to have the subject or myself experience a burst of momentary pain. The pain can actually be considered equivalent to the agony of having your arm torn off. But, not to worry, you won't be paying it.

My, my. I wouldn't consider it a homework assignment, Ava Stewart. You have a question for me, and I'm going to research to come up with an answer for you. When a student asks a question of their principal and they do not have the answer, they would do the same. Consider it like that, won't you? But hm, you want a homework assignment, huh? Very well.

I'm being too light-hearted, but my homework assignment for you is to gather at least three friends by the end of next month. I'm certain you can acquire more, but I decided to make it easy. :)

[maidofmistakes]

That's pretty encouraging, thanks. I hope that doesn't mean we're gonna be alone like this fighting monsters and hearing ghosts for the rest of forever, though.

[livingimpaired]

[ Kara? Oh. From her picture -- this must be the younger. ]

You're welcome. I'm happy to be able to offer even a small bit of encouragement right now.

Even if we are, we are not alone. We have each other, and the family we have found with each other. As sorrowful as it would be to remain on this "level," we would find a way to support and care for one another. So, don't think of it as the end if it should come to pass. :)

[maidofmistakes]

Levels, huh... So basically like the layers Zee and them keep talking about but not explaining. Having to get them all back together.

[livingimpaired]

That's right. I call them levels because that makes more sense to me, but you are correct.

[maidofmistakes]

Sounds kind of like a building when you put it that way. Get past one and then you deal with the next one.

[livingimpaired]

That may very well how comes to be. :)

[eyestitch]

doesn't that mean it goes both ways, though? 🤔

if we're still us, then that most definitely means we're still the people whose memories we have too!

[livingimpaired]

It can, if you like. I certainly did not mean it to mean it that way, but I don't mind if those are your feelings, either. So, does that mean you very much wish to be the person that you remember? :)

[eyestitch]

gentlemen your age usually follow up that kind of smiley face a lil more directly 🤭

iiiiiii don't know if it's a matter of wishing! if you have to wish for something, then you have to think it doesn't have any way of coming true otherwise!

at least that's how i see it! like, otherwise why not just make sure it happens? in this case i think it's prolly gonna happen whether we like it or not!

[livingimpaired]

I wonder what it is I am supposed to follow up with. :)

Such a fatalistic way of viewing things, young miss. :) But I recognize and accept your view as being just as valid as my own. Though, I fear wording it like that comes off a little condescending. :)

My apologies. I merely meant to say that what you are saying is fine.

[eyestitch]

[Oof, this is getting kind of creepy.] i have no idea!

hey, it's really fine? that makes me so happy! i've been really worrying about it for a while, so you just took some of my worries away for sure!

since we're talking about it, what do you think's gonna happy at the very end?