Despite her assurances, @Azura Kynold was not able to decide which of the shadows we caught were hers. She narrowed it down to five, so I sewed them all on. Hopefully the right one will stick! But they might end up giving her a bunch more confusing memories - ones that aren't even hers. Each shadow has its own map of the mind it comes from, and I suppose each one will try and overlay its layer on the other and it could be a bit messy for awhile, till the right one matches up. Then the other shadows should fall off like husks, or scabs, or tail transplants that don't take. But that's a sewing lesson I already learned.

I think it's hardly my fault that I don't know what I look like, or that there were five nigh identical shadows. Maybe a few of them were mimicking me so I'd pick them. Wouldn't put it past them.

Today is the start of a weird feeling. At least, I'm pretty sure it's today.
I never can tell, even now.
-BeanBean

Well, I have some good and bad news.
The bad news is that my shadow has been slowly slipping away from me, and now it's attached by only a few threads.
The good news is I know how to sew, so I stuck it back on, mostly. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at sewing, so now it's upside down. I don't think this is going to be very conducive to my attempts at befriending my shadow.

Shadow Sewing Circle!!!

Got a shadow? Need a shadow? Join the Shadow Sewing Circle! We're meeting outside the library at noon this Tuesday. @Rubellite and I will demonstrate techniques.

All it takes is faith and trust - and a needle and some sturdy thread from Michaels. Bring your own if you have it - we'll provide some too. We'll also have a number of extra shadows on hand to practice on, and a report from @Azura Kynold on what it's like to have multiple shadows attached to you at once - something I personally think is going to be a big fashion hit this summer. Bigger than The Alteration Society - even bigger than @Matching by Mattie!

See you tomorrow!!!

I've had multiple shadows for some time now. I don't remember how long, really. Having shadows does nothing to reconnect me to Time, but it certainly does reconnect me to Shadow.

That sounds a little bit evil, but I promise it isn't at all. Shadows come from the absence of light, according to 'science', but if that were true, then how would you explain all of the things they have shown me?

They show me memories and dreams, hopes and recreations of events too far gone for any living being to still remember. They show me more than I've ever seen before. Having multiple shadows, shadows other than the one who has been by my side for most of my life, has shown me new worlds... and old, ancient ones.

The shadows whisper to me. They whisper about you, too, you know. They know what you did. Don't worry, we won't tell anyone. Only I, you, and the five shadows attached to me know. We won't tell if you don't.

I was told that the shadows that aren't mine would fall off in time, but I think not. They know me too well now, and I know them. We can't separate. That would be horrible.

They grow stronger. Aren't they sweet?
--BeanBean

@Azura Kynold It's good to hear you're making new friends, even if it is with dubiously sentient entities, the nature of which we are not sure!
Unfortunately, I haven't been having as much luck with my shadow. It is now refusing to respond to anything when it knows I'm watching, which is unfortunately always, as it is after all connected directly to my soul. It keeps ignoring everything I do, choosing instead to wait until I fall asleep to explore my room, putting everything in different places and entirely disrupting my organizational system.
I'm not sure what to do now, if indeed I can even do anything! Shadows are very troublesome creatures, it seems.

@Rubellite that sounds like a worrisome thing. Have you ever considered trying out someone else's shadow? Maybe you two will get along better that way.

My shadows have been telling me many things. One of them did mention yours. They seem on... Friendly(ish) terms with one another. Maybe I could ask the little one to talk some sense into your shadow?

Or maybe you two need a break from each other? A break from my shadow gave us both time to sort out so many problems, and grow as people.... though, I feel that my shadow may have grown in general, not just as a person. It learned so many things while it was away from me. It's really no wonder that it was hesitant to come back.

A word to all of you out there, let your shadow explore. Maybe swap shadows with a friend, or get someone to sew more shadows onto you, to share stories. Maybe let your shadow free entirely. You've been stepping on it all your life. Maybe it's tired of living in the shade that your accomplishments cast. Maybe it's tired of you, and its safer to let it go before it decides to let YOU go. Permanently.
-BeanBean

Shadow Sewing Circle!!!

Our first meeting was SUCH a success we're having another Shadow Sewing Circle -- tomorrow, same time, same place.

Everyone was soooo stoked about getting shadows sewed on, we used up all the extras I had in the mason jars but DON'T WORRY there will be enough for all because I found a cheap place to order them online and a big envelope of them is supposed to arrive today.

All of you with multiple shadows are looking totally cool, and if you want more we can sew more! Can you have TOO MANY SHADOWS? Let's find out!

And if it's your first time for shadow modification, that's fine too. ALL R WELCOME!!! See u tomorrow!!

@Azura Kynold I followed your suggestion, and you were right! It feels so much better with a new shadow, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
I'm learning so much from my new shadow, too; it remembers so many things from forgotten days.
Thanks to my shadow, I'm now moderately fluent in several dead languages, and familiar with previously unknown cultures. Perhaps we should consider the possible benefits of shadow-sewing in education?

@Rubellite absolutely! Having a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth....) shadow can help with so many things! Shadows remember things from before we even existed in this world, and unlike humans, who forget, shadows do not.

Shadows can show us oh so much, mine have been showing me things that I never would have considered until they let me in on the little secrets. Entirely two dimensional beings, that's what they seem on the surface, but inside that flat, malleable plane, they have hidden things that we could never even consider... not alone, anyway. Not without them.

The only problem is that it gets a little loud. Five of them, and sometimes they talk over each other, fighting to make themselves heard.... but it's worth it. I'd imagine that two shadows is a more manageable number, but now that I have five, I'd never change it. Not ever.
--BeanBean