Inbox

[hypomeneo]

[The recording begins regularly enough. A deep voice intones with all the enthusiasm of a call center operator giving their rote pitch:]

Hello, this is Waver Velvet. Leave a short message with date, time, and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

[Suddenly there is an excited voice in the background clamoring for Waver's attention and not going to let up until Waver completely gives them exactly that.]

Stop! Idiot! Can't you see I'm trying to record something?!

... hold on! Hold on!

[This thing still on? Yes? Okay then...]

Give me your number! I'll call you back when I bloody well can!

[More excited cajoling and Waver squawking before the recording goes click!]

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

[Oh dear. Oh dear. ... Waver hasn't gotten around to changing this, has he? You're hearing it, after all. Maybe you should... remind him to change his voice mail message. After you leave your message.

Remember! Leave a number!]

Comments

May 27th

[unlucky7]

[Whatever business Ginia was going to message Waver with is immediately forgotten when she sees the name change.]

Um

Zhuge Liang?

[If it's the same number and their conversations haven't changed, then she knows it's still Waver. But she has to hear it from him too.]

[hypomeneo]

[... this is the awkward that results in having too many names, everyone knowing a name that's literally become dead to you over the years and now you're in the process of coming to terms with again, and this.]

It's Waver. Don't worry.

This is going to be awkward to explain, but yes, I'm Zhuge Liang as well. You've always been speaking to Zhuge Liang.

[unlucky7]

Okay.

Before we dive back into how you're Zhuge Liang, can you confirm something else for me?

Are you a god now?

[hypomeneo]

Yes. I am.

[unlucky7]

[Oh.

Okay.

There's a notable pause as Ginia processes things. She should be happy for him; she is happy for him. But there's a cold pit the remains of her still heart drops into and an overwhelming feeling of sadness too.]

Are you okay?

[hypomeneo]

[...

...

Is he okay? Not completely yet. But he will be.]

It's been a journey. But I'm closer to fine than I have been in a long time.

[unlucky7]

I'm happy for you.

[She can still say that with honesty even with her own conflicted feelings. Maybe it's not sadness. Loss? Grief? The selfish wish for things to stop changing?]

Do you need anything?

[hypomeneo]

Give Terumi and Natsumi a heads up? I'll be telling them myself soon, but for the moment Iskandar and I are taking time for ourselves.

[unlucky7]

Will do. Where are you living? You know they'll want to make you some attire fitting your new status.

Take all the time you need. 

Do you want me to tell Chris too or are you going to handle that yourself?

[There's so much more Ginia wants to ask, but that can with. It must be a recent change. No doubt there's a lot to adjust to between him and Iskandar. But as both gods now, it's better this way. It has to be.]

[hypomeneo]

Better give her a heads up too. I'm going to talk to her soon too, but given everything, it's better she knows sooner than later.

[It possibly has to do with that also always secretly Zhuge Liang thing. Right?]

With Iskandar right now. I don't want to be far from him right now.

[unlucky7]

I'll let her know.

Can't blame you. You two take care.

[A small pause.]

Hey, drinks and food on me the next time we have a chance.

[hypomeneo]

Thanks. We will.

[He can feel the awkward and the struggle to come to terms with this shift in him. It's awkward on Waver's end too. He wants to say nothing's changed - it's still him.

But everything's changed with the return of his memories. He's still himself but also someone new again. Waver Velvet died in Chaldea, he's not quite that man either. If anything, being shinki has let himself see himself a little more truly. See truths covered up by all the insecurity and self loathing and bitterness.

That changes a man.]

I'm looking forward to it.