mercurio | 〈 recolle ic contact 〉

[Once he's all buckled up, she's off, taking it slow into traffic.]

We are off to this place I know. A pretty cool rooftop near my place. It'll fit what I'm aiming for.

[A pause.]

And the other thing is...something more related to the weirdness that's going on. something I want a solid visual record of. I don't want to be vague, but it's not something I can...say. Just something I can show.

[prompto fidgets at the mention of all the weirdness going on. people he knows and is close to are having memories resurfacing, without there being a recollection of ever being part of it; people are changing, physically, too. and yet, as much as he knows it sucks to have these things happen--he feels somewhat left out, if not fortunate, that he hasn't had any of these things happen to him.]

[he wonders if that means anything at all, too.]

...by saying that you sound really cryptic. [his head is turned, to look at her] It's nothing bad, is it?

[Penelope is quiet for a moment, rolling on ahead without saying anything for a few seconds. Is it bad? Is it...really bad? Or is it just something weird? She hadn't expected that question, and it makes her think on what she's going to ask.

Which is...mostly for a photographic record of her little monster. And to talk to someone about some stuff. With Vaan being a little distant, she's found herself missing male company to chat with about this stuff.]

Prompto, it's nothing bad. [She says that with no small amount of certainty, and nods. setting her jaw as they turn down a side street.]

I won't put you in a situation where I think something bad will happen. I promise. I like you too much.

[prompto smiles at that]

I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about you.

[he's still facing her, but then turns to look ahead, leaning comfortably on the seat. the sentiment of being liked is a nice one; he's not one to start spinning ideas in his head about crushes and the like--not immediately anyway--because being friends with someone comes first]

[and after having a lonely childhood, with no friends, it keeps blowing him away how easy it is for him to make friends now.]

[he wants to cherish them all, no matter what.]

It's just that some people have been unhappy and upset about whatever they may be remembering, or what changes they're going through. I want to help.

[Pen can relate a little, smiling to herself at the concern.]

Don't worry. I'm not unhappy. Weirded out, remembering being friends with a lizard guy, but...I'm okay.

[Seriously, it's not the end of the world for her. Most of what she's remembered is pretty nice, all in all.]

I'm not even sure what I've remembered is...possible. Or I wasn't, until something happened. Which is where you come in. I want some evidence that it is happening. We're almost there, too.

[prompto makes a face at the lizard guy mention, turning to face penelope but decides not to comment about it... prompto is sure he'll get answers for it soon enough.]

I get the feeling you're going to show me some cool trick. Am I wrong?

You're not wrong. It is cool.

[Actually it's really cool. Slowing down she pulls into a parking garage.]

Nobody parks on the top level, so we're heading up there.

[without a doubt, prompto is curious. he wants to know what this is about, and make sure penelope is also fine--all things considered. he's getting a bit of an impression that she's a mighty strong girl, from what little he's gotten to know of her.]

[prompto leans towards the dashboard, looking out the window and around the parking garage]

The lighting might suck up there... but I'll make do. Have you told someone else about this?

[Rolling along she goes, round and round...]

Just a few people who saw it when it first happened. It's...kind of a weird thing, but not something that's easy to keep a secret. Freya, Dante, and a high school kid named Leo saw it by chance.

[the anticipation is growing in him]

...do you intend to show the evidence to others? Or is it just for yourself?

I'm going to show it to people that it'll be relevant to. Friends, y'know?

I think maybe it'd cause a panic if it was widespread.

[Pulling out onto the roof, she parks and turns off the car.]

Let's get started, yeah? Go ahead and get set up.

[prompto makes an affirmative sound, getting out of the car and popping open the trunk to take out his gear. he doesn't need everything--he knows--so he just brings out one of his cameras and tripod.]

[just in case he ends up not being behind the camera]

[he sets it up facing a relatively free area in the parking lot, and once his camera is set down and turned on, he gives penelope the okay]

Whenever you're ready.

[Pen nods and steps in front of the camera, holding up the little crystal around her neck. It's green with a red center, and there's something not quite right about it.]

This. This is what I'm showing you. It's called Auracite. At least, that's what I remember hearing it called.

[She closes her palm around it.]

Now don't freak out. Nothing will hurt you.

[Squeezing it, there's a brief flash of soft light and on the ground in front of Penelope appears a creature. A tomato with a mouth, attached to what looks like a ragdoll's body. It looks around warily, spots Prompto, and promptly flips it's lid and runs around to hide behind Penelope's leg.]

He's...kind of shy.

[prompto's making sure the camera is recording this--which it is--but he definitely startles when an oversized tomato appears]

Wuoh!?

[he hangs back for a bit, realising that the creature is afraid of him. it takes prompto some time to calm down, too, before taking a few steps forward]

No kidding. What is this thing?

[trying to catch a glimpse of it...]

[As animated as always, Prompto...]

This is an Alraune. I...think it's a kind of thing called a Yahri, at least, that's the word I remember. But it's definitely a subspecies called Alraune. Which after looking it up apparently means Mandrake in German. And that's a weird can of worms that involves Alchemy so I didn't dig too deep.

[Stooping, she scoops the little guy up and lets him sit in the palm of her hand. He's about the size of a Barbie doll, and when he realizes Prompto isn't going to like...squash him...he settles in and makes a weird chirping sound.]

I want you to take some pictures of this guy. Just. In case something happens, I think it'd be good to have proof he's real.

[she doesn't even have to ask; he's already picked up his camera from the tripod and is zooming in on the creature, snapping several shots.]

You're talking about some kind of magic here, aren't you?

[he may not be big into science, but alchemy sure rings familiar]

[prompto sets the camera onto video mode]

Does this have something to do with what you did with your necklace?

Sort of. Alchemy isn't magic so much as it is pseudoscience.

[Good thing he's snapping away, because once it realizes what's going on, the Alraune hops out and starts...posing. Arms out, like it's deliberately trying to look silly. Maybe because it is.]

It was like...trying to turn lead into gold and stuff, or make stones that you can eat to make you immortal. All debunked by modern science but something people thought was real up until about the turn of the 18th Century.

[Holding up the stone, she nods at it, poking the now empty center.]

Remember how it was red in the middle earlier? When I summon this guy out, that goes away. I think it's sort of like a Capture Sphere from the Pocket Creature games or something. I remember the rock being called Auracite though.

[cute!]

[prompto grins and continues snapping a few posed shots]

Yeah, it definitely feels like something out of a video game. Did this come with a memory before, too?

I actually got the memory afterwards. I spent a whole day chasing this little shit around town, and I remembered how to put him away when I cornered him.

[Okay, now the little thing hops up onto Pen's shoulder and strikes yet another pose, pretending to be off balance and spinning his little arms.]

Kinda weird, huh?

It's kinda weird that it exists when this is technically something we'd only see in video games, or movies. I've never heard of someone being able to do this kind of thing.

[not to say that it isn't cool, because it is incredibly so--]

But you don't know where it comes from, do you?

I hadn't either. It's really fantastical and outlandish and yet here we are.

[Frowning a little bit, she takes a breath, trying to think more about that memory.]

And no...not really. It was kind of a jungle landscape I remember seeing him in, but that's all. And I don't think it was South America either.

[prompto hums, curious and equally perplexed. it seems convoluted, to be unable to put down exactly what your memory is supposed to be about or from.]

[he raises the camera in his hands]

Would you like to record video of what you do know? Just to have it filed somewhere, other than pictures and videos of your friend there.

[She spins back to him and looks a little surprised. Because...]

That is actually a really, really good idea. I mean, I have a recording of myself, but the LOCKSS philosophy is probably safest for this kind of thing.

You willing to listen for a bit to all this again?

Hey, I'm here for whatever you need me to do.

[prompto shrugs, then smiles. he's an easy guy like that.]

If you need me to stay with you all night recording every singe piece of evidence, I'm alright with that. Whatever helps.

Let's just start with the basics. And I'll send you copies of mine too.

[And let's call it there!]

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