But on the Other Moon
A sea of white, glistening dunes sit in front of two Ohmes and a Cathay. Above them is a glowing orb where gears rotate slowly, numbers and symbols appear as clouds across it. Some parts still have bits of sea and land, though they are few and far between.
"So. That was our home?" the left Ohmes stated.
"It's what they say" the right Ohmes replies.
"That's why the books were written? That's why the people died? That's why Singarvi was founded to begin with?"
"It's hard to see why it's important now. It used to have all sorts of wonders on it. I think. Right in the centre there used to be a huge golden arm that held a living heart in its fist in the sky."
"Why?"
"Don't know. Nirniit must have been weird. We already know the ones who keep the traditions are a bit weirder than us"
"It was still important, being different doesn't change that" The Cathay interjects.
"Truth. You know how it goes: Two moons, two paws, ten claws. Take but one away and you--"
"Are you saying the proper version?" The Cathay asks
"No, I'm saying the short one, the original." the right Ohmes states firmly.
"Don't say it then."
"Whatever. Anyway, you know it means."
"Would we miss it?" the left Ohmes asks
the right Ohmes gives the quick ear flick, the Cathay's face stays still.
"Should we miss it? We've wound up here because it's the next step in a long dance" the Right Ohmes replies
"I think I'd miss it." The Cathay states
"Maybe they were just different back then, but I think losing a home is bad for all, no matter what condition it was in. I know you talk about what the Mothers and the priests and the Thirdies say; but think about it for yourself. Nirni has become a sad sight. She is a cosmic tragedy. With each second, each sound, she sits and can only think of the beauty she once had. The love she once had. The life she once had. She asked them all to please stay, even for just one last moment to share until they would be torn away; knowing that they were gone because she wanted them close for one last time rather than out of reach forever. That it was her fault, but she couldn't stop it even if she tried again."
"Found a partner for the Alterpajjo?" The Cathay asks the left Ohmes.
"I don't have to tell, you wouldn't be able to see me there anyway" he replies in a joking manner
"That might just stop you from getting more once you're in" the right Ohmes pipes up
"Exactly. I'll be what I want, how I want. That's the whole point" the left Ohmes states.
"Will you at least say what type you may come as?" the Cathay asks
"I'm not sure. This time I'm thinking of maybe being a Senche, see what it's like to be big and strong"
"Enjoy trying to dance like that" the Right Ohmes says
"Then I'll pay for another change on the night"
"And for another outfit? Come once as something unique, not a hundred times as everything"
"At least you won't notice me"
"We will when you can't afford pipes"
Left Ohmes snorts, disregarding attempts to restrict his expression
"Fine. I'm going male again, that's just how I feel"
"I went as a female before. I didn't really enjoy it at first, but the second and third time it got better. I'll probably go as a male this time, those times were just testing things out really."
"How about you?" the left Ohmes asks the Cathay
"I'll be a male again. Maybe as an Ohmes-Raht, I've never tried those legs before" He responds
"I guess we'll see on the night. We might all go our own ways but that doesn't stop friends from laying around together. Unless you're an asshole."
"I was thinking of trying out in medicine. Good money, people always need you; what do you two think?" the left Ohmes asks
"What kind of medicine? Will we be seeing you around Zurjilda at night in the Lost Alkosh will we?" the right Ohmes asks
"No, just stuff like muscles. The higher paying jobs take years I don't want to spend anyway."
"Do what you like, it's not as though there aren't plenty of places for the miners and sugar-layers if you need to find something that pays more. Or you could always try selling stuff on Masser, if you could find a good way to get there."
"They can't be in love with the old stuff as much as everyone says, maybe we just make better things here since we're not ducking in and out of caves all the time."
"Give it a good name, look interesting and you can sell anything to them. We could probably open up a dancing school and make a fortune from that alone."
"Until those weird, robed guards come along and kill you. Those Dunmer are as rigid as the rock they live on."
"And there are better things to live for anyway. But I guess we need to make a living before we live it."
"You know the old saying, even he does. You make a living from what you earn. You make a life from who you're with."
"I still don't know if I like that thing or not" the Left Ohmes states
"I don't care much. There are more important things to look at than this." the right Ohmes states
"It's still important." the Cathay responds
"Well it might be important, but it's not the best part. Not anymore at least." the right Ohmes says
"It's still here for a reason though, that's what I can't get over. Look at it, if it ever were anything good that time is up; but it's still here, still trying to do its own thing. Why? 'it's important' isn't good enough for me. Why do we even care so much about it?" the left Ohmes asks
"Things like this can move us more than you think. A painting may be smaller than a house, but it can stir up thoughts and feelings in a thousand people in one day." the Cathay answers
"Is it art then? a cosmic masterpeice? Or a wreck that doesn't go away?" the left Ohmes replies
"You would stay too if you had loved like she did. It's true, she's not that important anymore; she could go if she wanted to. But she doesn't, or at least she hasn't yet, because it still matters to her. You can say something can just 'go' and it doesn't matter anymore, but making it happen in a way that's good for all isn't that easy."
"I don't care for it. How does it have feeling? Look! It's a machine! It probably did to people before what it does now. People were a cog in the machine and made it run better, but once they were done they were thrown away for the next life to come in. It's cruel, it's just a machine that we can't see blood on anymore"
"Is it? Or is it just a very elaborate music box?"