Onwards

[Nephrite]

Moore takes in a breath.

"You may have to repeat yourself a few times." Moore says. "Can you remember everything you do here, Elena?"

[Anastasia]

Elena makes a sound roughly equivalent to, "Huh?" before saying, "What do you mean, Moore?"

[Nephrite]

He takes in a deep breath.

It's now or never.

He breathes in again.

Out.

In and out.

"After Benfal was saved," Moore begins, "I was tasked with investigating what happened. I spent a lot of time here in Aurora trying to find the answer."

He smiles brightly after saying that. "The funny thing is, I don't remember... finding an answer, or what the answer was." Here he pauses to look over towards his door, then back to Elena. "I think I told you once about where I came from, and my lack of memory from coming out of there. I... made a promise to myself to not forget anything that happened after that. It was very important to me to not forget anything." He says.

"So, color me surprised when there was something that I couldn't remember, even knowing everything that led up to it. I know I did the research, I know I spent the time doing it... and yet, my memory says that I must've come up with nothing... even though there's just no way that's possible." He pauses again here to seem to collect his thoughts.

"Ever since I've been in Celestia, I've tried to get stronger -- to better understand myself and the power I can control. I... have had glimpses, bits and pieces of something that I can't remember." He says. "Like a memory that I'm trying to solidify, but I just can't."

Here he breathes again. "Until just a bit ago. I was watching some people who seemed to be talking about a gate... a Celestial gate." Moore says. "And... for some reason, all I could think of was you." Here he looks at Elena in the face, his expression serious. "I understand what anathemic knowledge is, enough to trust my gut that whatever this is falls into that category. So, Elena, I'm going to ask you -- do you remember the conversation we had?"

[Anastasia]

To this Elena slowly shakes her head, "I don't remember a conversation like that, Moore. Are you sure you didn't overwork yourself and forget it? Anyone can push themselves too far."

[Nephrite]

"Elena." Moore repeats, his shoulders sagging slightly.

He takes in a breath. "So either you don't remember it either, or for some reason you won't tell me. Let me ask you this, then; Medi did a lot of research, did he ever try and overcome anathemic knowledge?"

[Anastasia]

"I wouldn't like to you," Elena says, "I'm sorry, I really don't remember. Anathemic knowledge...yes, I believe I remember him working on it once or twice. It was early in Medicant's time, before things got busier."

[Nephrite]

"It all comes back to you." Moore says. "I know it does. Please, try and remember yourself -- I think if we work together we can do it."

[Anastasia]

Elena closes her eyes and lowers her head, silent for perhaps twenty seconds. "Sorry," she finally says, "I really don't remember anything. Anathemic knowledge does that, so I may have forgotten it along with you."

[Nephrite]

"I don't think you did." Moore says, with a shake of his head. "Surely, Medi had a way to access it... I mean, wouldn't you do that if you had an omnipresent assistant around? If you really can't remember, that's okay, but... I don't think you or I have really forgotten. I think it's there, we just have to remember."

[Anastasia]

A long pause from Elena, "I really can't. So...do you have any idea on how to actually remember?"

[Nephrite]

A breath in. "I have some idea. But I wanted to ask you something else -- did you know Medi returned? I...mean, to... er..." He gestures absently away from himself. "I mean, he probably didn't return here, but... I mean to say that he isn't dead."

[Anastasia]

Elena's words die in her throat as she stares one unguarded moment, "W-what?" she asks, "Medi's back? Medi's ALIVE?!" She reaches out and grabs at you, ghostly hands going through your shirt and chest with nary a sensation.

[Nephrite]

"...I had a feeling he hadn't come to visit you." Moore says with a sigh. "Yes, he... well, he doesn't know that I know, or... maybe he does now, I don't know what kind of spells he had cast on this place to monitor it."

He looks up at the ceiling. "If you're listening, you ought to just show up, on that note. Don't try and admonish me later for telling her if you won't."

He looks back at Elena at that. "It's a bit of a long story, but I can explain how I met him, if you'd like."

[Anastasia]

Elena still grasps for your tunic in vain, before saying, "Tell me everything," she says, eyes watering with tears, on the verge of spilling out. "Everything!"

[Nephrite]

How does a ghost even cry?

You know what, nevermind.

"It was several months ago that I met him for the first time." Moore says. "Ironically, it was when I was trying to brute force my way to understand anathemic knowledge. He visited me in a dream... somehow. He didn't tell me who he was, but he gave me some information and I went about my way."

He rubs his chin and looks thoughtful for a moment. "The last time was just a few weeks ago. He showed up at Hope's Landing, which surprised the heck out of us, especially since I'm pretty sure he was just... there one moment. Anyway, he talked to us a bit about making sure we stuck to the goals of getting stronger to fight against Shar. It... seems that whatever group he's with is focused on opposing her in whatever capacity they can. He seems to be bound by some sort of non-interference agreement, though... or something like that, anyway."

A small smile after all of this. "He didn't tell me it was him, but... something in my gut... I don't know." He shakes his head. "I think it was because of you -- something reminded me of you, which in turn triggered the memory of this... thing that I've forgotten. I don't know, it just... all sort of made sense in the moment."