"Yeah. It didn't kill everyone who got it, and not everyone exposed got it, but there was nothing to be done about it - there's a vaccine now, they check babies for marks when they come into creches..."

"I'm sorry that happened to, uh, your past self. If that's what this all means."

"That seems to be the upshot, yeah."

"I am delighted that there's another avenue by which you might not die, though. In case my father can cure aging but not accident, or something like that..."

"Yeah, then you just have to wait six years and go to every creche in the world asking if anybody can tell you what the three questions are, that's easy!"

"The three questions?"

"One of the more askable-of-a-six-year-old commonalities between me and Aly, we - I organize my thoughts by writing them down and the three questions are 'what do I want', 'what do I have', and 'how can I best use the latter to get the former'. I can't think of anything that would be nearly as good a bet nearly as early as six, I didn't have my first Aly dream until I was fifteen or so and it didn't seem like a remarkable pattern until there had been lots."

"Good to know. I'm not sure if 'the reincarnation of Kib' would be a sufficient specification that the Valar could just pull you back."

"Eonwë did not actually say what amount of specification would be enough." Man, if it's awkward that I'm eighteen imagine how weird it would be if I were six.

I am pretty sure I'd stop having romantic feelings for you if I'd raised you from early childhood.

And then one day I would have that one dream and it would be awkward! Let's just see if I can keep this body. However convenient it would be for my social acceptability if next time I landed in a girl one again.

Yes, definitely, though if you have preferences about how we should try to find you and raise a younger you should you die...

I honestly don't have a better finding mechanism than the one I just outlined unless the Valar can scoop me up on nothing but personality continuity.

I meant more, if that works and we find a six year old who thinks like that - bring them back to Valinor and give them a stellar technical education?

Yeah, I guess, if you can avoid growing them sideways.

Might be best. Or, you know, creches are actually fine? I do okay in a creche environment, twice?

That's why I asked. If you'd rather stay in your world until you're an adult we can wait until then.

Not necessarily till I'm an adult, but till I'm - stably opinionated. Maybe scoop me up when I'm nine or ten and then give me all my notes. - I have no idea if sexual orientation is "stably men only" or, like, "random", Aly was straight.

Let's try not to find out. Unless discreet enquiries to try to find others like you in your world seem worthwhile.

I will brainstorm ways to ask without looking insane enough to sabotage all nearby projects. Maybe I'll write a novel or something.

Sure. It's a good game.

I am very much enjoying it.

One day I intend to beat you at it.