caughtinanetwork | [Voice] Puzzle II

[Guess who's been reflecting on various things since waking up and all of that jazz..]

The past is a curious thing. No matter how hard one desperately seeks to escape it or keep it from affecting just who you are... it's still there and it still can influence you, you views, your personality... everything about you.

People can change, this much is true. But how much? One can not actually change their past. No matter how much they crave to, it remains to haunt them.

A person can claim to not fear their past or their past actions, while actually still being held very much in the grip of terror over it affecting them once again, allowing that fear over it to affect their current actions, despite any claims that they've dealt with it and it doesn't control them any longer.

And while a precious few can actually place their past actually in the past and not allow it to haunt them, have actually moved on from it... what of those who still remember their past deeds? What if they can't let go of those actions themselves? Because sometimes its not just our pasts which haunt us and affect our lives and our views... some times the past actions of others can have a ripple effect, touching many. And people tend to judge others by the actions they've seen.

Those impressions are just as hard to shake off without considerable work...

Some reside in darkness, while claiming to to be free of it. Sometimes it is easier to lie to yourself than face the truth of things.

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I'm not so worried about persecution as I am just keeping this freedom...

[Her memories of Zexion are hazy at best, and despite knowing he was part of the Castle Oblivion team that was wiped out, the simple fact he knows her name is enough to leave her a bit shocked.]

Aside from that, you remember who I am?

Since there seems to be no obvious manner to control whether we stay or leave, it would seem all we can do is just take advantage of the time we do have here.

[At the question, thus a pause and then the following answer.]

I believe so, Xemnas introduced you to us all some time before I left for the castle if my memory serves me right.

I hate that it's out of my control, though. I want to take advantage of the time-- I am, but the idea that everything is just as out of control as before... [She trails off, unsure whether to keep going on the subject with him.]

Anyway, that doesn't seem like bad advice. I'll just have to keep it in mind.

He did. I suppose I'm just from further ahead on the timeline then.

[The bubble's timline discrepancies were another thing that had her interest out of genuine curiosity, and it shows in her tone.]

[The phrasing is curious, but he doesn't pry, since he's got so little to go on. Even if its about the future, it won't do him any good really to pry, so why bother. Thus he comments on the last bit of her reply instead.]

This place does seem to like messing with us via pulling us from different time-frames. Most of those I have met have been from my own future. I wish I could find out how they're capable of that.

I wish I could say it was the only thing about this place that bothered me, but like you said, I'd rather take advantage of my time here while I have it.

You're the first person I've talked to that's from my past, actually.