Like Falling Leaves

## Background

### Episode description

> Two weeks ago, the living planet of Quire used the instantaneous streaming device built into Gig Kep-hart to send a broadcast to everyone in the Mirage. Its contents? The arrival of the divine Independence\*, and the personal alienation, civil strife, and cultural annihilation that followed in its wake.
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> Today, though, the Beloved Dust have business. Fourteen Fifteen continues to perform as Worthy of Grace, adapting to their new body (and the responsibilities of a Virtual Kei star). Meanwhile, while investigating the effects of the strange cloud’s effects on Belgard, the excerpt Signet embarks down a risky path. Looking for a place to clear her mind, the (exiled) priestess Tender Sky turns towards her faith… and her creativity.
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> Couple bishops in the city building mansions
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> **This week on Twilight Mirage: Like Falling Leaves**
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> *The Living Library of Memorious // VOLUME 00:*
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> *Entities: Divine: Unresonant*
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> *There is nothing left to say. -Kamala*
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> *This entry remains empty in deference to the One Of Her Kind, Kamala Cadence, First to Kneel Among the Stars, First to Stand.*
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### Cold open

Gray... I mean, Satellite. Confirming that I've returned to Primary Capsule DF298. I registered our... visit with K-upside. There will probably be repercussions when all this is over, but until then, they're pretty much letting us be.
They felt it too, y'know, through us. Independence. They felt what we felt. Alone. Lost. The whole Fleet felt it too. Some of the details were blurry. There's debate on a lot of the ships now as to whether what they saw was history, prophecy, fiction, propaganda... Some folks point to it as proof that they should stay away from Quire. Others see it as evidence that they should go immediately. The By-and-By is in the process of establishing orbit as we speak.
But mostly, it's just put everyone in a real funk, Satellite. This place already felt like it was on the edge, y'know? It's been a week and everyone just feels really vulnerable, really tender. No pun intended. I just can't tell what the effect of all of this is going to be in the long run. Agents like us have watched countless cultures fall into nothing, but those cultures don't usually have this perspective. They've never seen another civilization erased. But now the fleet has. I--it isn't our job, but I can't help but wonder if this could pull them back from the brink.

## Plot summary

Signet reminisces on her past. Belgarde speaks to her and says that Chthonic has offered to strengthen her with components; Signet feeds Belgarde a component on Morning's Observation. Signet's Exuvia is described.

Fourteen has been performing as Worthy of Grace every other day or every three days, while also carrying out assassinations. They're doing all right, considering they're not a trained singer. Their singing career has been surprisingly useful for getting information. Tender has been working on the temple she's building. She successfully managed to keep the room built even when she's not present.

The Beloved's ship signals everyone to come aboard. Fourteen and Tender go up to the ship together. They've apparently met up a couple times, once for dinner and once for a show. Tender also attended a few shows in disguise.

Fourteen goes through fan mail and Tender reads aloud a letter to them from Miss Castlerose about an incomplete assignment: "One of your clients is concerned about the length of time it's taking you to pursue one of your objectives. Get in touch." Fourteen asks Tender for help learning to work with the Mesh.

Fourteen and Tender reach the ship along with Signet. Shoghig Salon, Morning's Observation and Chiron are playing Castles and Dragons. Sho is uncomfortable with Fourteen's presence but Fourteen provocatively asks her to give back the pistol they lent her. While she's gone, they try to help explain the rules of Castles and Dragons to Chiron.

Sho returns with the pistol and reveals to Fourteen that she is uncomfortable both with their return from death, as she feels it undermines the sacrifices the Beloved makes. Fourteen tries to explain their position, noting that they are not immortal and will die. However, their revelation that due to their affliction they no longer remember why they became a bounty hunter upsets Sho so much that she returns to her room.

Tender tries out a new skill, to read the emotional history of the room, but instead of successfully doing so she is hit with a detailed understanding of Sho's emotional state and upset. Chiron thanks Signet for helping him during the attack on Composure's Coliseum and asks her for advice. She assures him that he has the training to do well in the Beloved. Then she asks about the waveform Morning's Observation is working on and Pure Cascara enters the room to usher everyone into the command deck. The Friends describe the interior of the command deck.

The Sky Reflected in Mirrors is currently on the dark side of the gas giant Benthos. Privign's body, a temple and mining station, is built into an asteroid on a decaying orbit around the planet. Privign was the first third-generation Divine, and one of the first Divines of the Fleet to be killed, about a thousand years ago. The agents of the New Earth Hegemony, fleeing after their attack on Gumption, are likely headed there. The Beloved Ivy was sent to investigate and no one has heard back from them.

A several thousand-year-old message, seemingly unintelligible, was recently retrieved from the system. Morning's Observation suspects that if the Beloved could scan the rocks of Benthos from Privign, it could be decoded. He thanks everyone for their support.

Cascara adds that they will also be attempting to recover the Beloved Ivy and capture or kill any New Earth Hegemony agents. She reveals that the color of the Benthos system is disappearing, and no one knows why.

## Cast

* Austin Walker (GM)
* Ali Acampora (Tender Sky)
* Janine Hawkins (⸢Signet⸣)
* Jack de Quidt (Fourteen Fifteen)

### Other Appearances

* Beloved Ivy (mentioned)
* Pure Cascara
* Miss Castlerose (mentioned)
* Chiron
* Morning's Observation
* Shoghig Salon

## References

1. ↑ Episode 17, 0:05:00.
2. ↑ Episode 17, 0:46:30.
3. ↑ Episode 17, 0:53:25.
4. ↑ Episode 17, 1:01:10.
5. ↑ Episode 17, 1:17:13.
6. ↑ Episode 17, 1:27:20.
7. ↑ Episode 17, 1:32:12.
8. ↑ Episode 17, 1:48:30.
9. ↑ Episode 17, 1:54:45.

## External links

* Episode page