Maitimo has an abundance of nicknames but they're all the same ones as his alts. And the Bells have all had different names to start with, it's only us who seem to show up in exact form.

Which is weird.

...I have ideas but if you turn out not to like them I will feel very silly.

Feeling very silly is good for the soul, perhaps I will pretend to dislike them.

Then perhaps I shall not tell you what they are.

Snuggle. Facing down that kind of threat, what can I do but concede and promise to embrace my new nickname?

You don't have to use it if you don't like it, I don't actually know how positive the involved associations are for you, but. Pterodactyl.

I suppose that's something the others wouldn't have in common with me, isn't it. 

I guess the alt who saved Maitimo by inventing resurrection is the one that wins, but I have positive associations. He's safe, even if he doesn't believe it.

Yeah.

It occurred to me at some point that technically none of us who don't dream back memories should really be sure we're not in Enemy hands. Then I decided to not take that into account at all. Don't know if that was the right call.

Probably is. If everybody had to avoid doing anything that he'd find strategically useful he'd, you know, find that strategically useful.

Could make minor strategic decisions with a randomizer or something. I just think I'd go crazy, and probably be less effective.

Yep.

Also at some point -

Sorry, I should pick a different topic. Marlatia! Don't try to pet the animals, they're sentient.

...what, all of them, that sounds like a nightmare.

No, no, each person can get one sentient animal as a familiar if they want, lets them do magic, and they'd better take good care of them because if the familiar dies the person goes catatonic. Not even the nice neat way you did it where you'd still feed yourself. Not yet tested: what happens to computer-chip Elves if their familiar is destroyed, Cam might not be able to retrieve them at all.

...well, there's a tradeoff. I assume Iobel has one, what about your alt and Maitimo's?

Yes and yes;  my alt runs his security, and this requires magic, and that world's Fëanáro made all his children do it because each familiar speaks a unique language and he finds it objectionable that these languages die. Iobel finds it objectionable that the familiars sort of fall unconscious if one doesn't decide to become a spellbinder - that's what it's called - and has a persistent interest in figuring out other ways for familiars to get to exist. 

They exist before being familiarized? ...Unconscious?

They're sort of like imaginary friends? Who you can make non-imaginary? And if you don't, then eventually they just curl up and go to sleep? I don't know, I was getting the very quick version. 

Well, that does sound concerning.

Yeah. No obvious avenue for us to help so I just wished her good skill.

Nod. ...Well, if there's a way for them to possess a real nonsapient animal...

Huh. Wonder how the man who got stuck there employed himself, wonder if he could servantmake.

It's a good thing that wasn't you, you'd have been sixty by the time Mitros was even born, and while we'd probably read admiringly about your accomplishments it'd be a bit of a disappointment.

Yeah. Aging: so inconvenient.

Vanda Nosseo was pleased about the anti-aging rings. It's still not a very scalable solution but apparently one of the yous has a daughter who can make enchanted items absurdly fast and who might occasionally be happy to do a few batches.