VIDEO; UN: SMOKING_BOMB

[bakudan_bambino]

[The video starts with a boy at the training ground, sitting and looking at his nails. They are covered in dirt, and there's a large hole in the ground in front of him. He's got the back of one wrist against his mouth and he's looking mildly disgusted. There are a lot of sticks in that hole. It's not been covered up with dirt.]

Does... anyone know how to lift a curse?

[He remembers training, but digging a hole and filling it with sticks? No recollection of that. There's dirt on his face if he moves his hand away from his mouth.]

Comments

[bakudan_bambino]

The last thing I remember was training. I have no memory of digging this hole.

I have had a few of these episodes where I come back to myself after some time and don’t know what I was doing.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Is that normal where you come from? Or is that something that recently started when you came here?

[bakudan_bambino]

It’s only been while I’ve been in this world.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

That's...ominous.

How often do these blackouts happen? Is there anything consistent about them?

[bakudan_bambino]

Sometimes it happens in shops or even when I’m walking around the city.

It’s not exclusively indoors or out but it is happening every day. Sometimes multiple times a day.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

That's...wow.

I mean, I'm learning healing magic but...I don't think I can lift any curses...

Have you desecrated any ruins lately?

[bakudan_bambino]

Ugh I can’t live like this!

[He’s being dramatic, of course. Still hearing and feeling like no one can help him is far from comforting. Gokudera drags a hands down his face.]

No I’ve been staying on the training grounds specifically cause I didn’t want to piss anyone or anything off.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin rubs his chin in thought.]

As far as I've heard, curses are punishments for messing with something sacred or holy...

Why don't we retrace your steps since this started happening? Is that possible?

[bakudan_bambino]

The first time it happened was when we were fighting the black knight.

We got the sword but I don’t really remember anything around how we got through with the fight. I came back to my mind heading back to the city.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Black Knight? Huh, this must have been before I arrived here.

...Did you touch the sword by any chance?

[bakudan_bambino]

Yes. When I came to, I was holding it. Someone I know touched it, too and he’s not having the same problems.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Yeah but...were you the first one to touch it? It might not affect your friend because you took on the entire curse.

[bakudan_bambino]

I'm drawing a blank...

The memory problem started before I ever had the sword. I don't remember touching it, but I remember coming back to myself while we were coming back to the city.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

So, you weren't alone...

Who else was with you? Maybe they can fill in the gaps?

[bakudan_bambino]

Maybe but I don't want to ask him. He said I was acting strange.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...And this isn't strange?!

[bakudan_bambino]

Being in this world is strange! Absolutely everything is fucking strange!

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Yeah but we're talking about a curse! I think wanting to lift it would take priority over finding out you were acting goofy or something!

[bakudan_bambino]

The idiot I was with thinks everything normal is strange! I can't trust him with something like this...

[forgeabettertomorrow]

What do you mean 'they think everything normal is strange?!' How does that even work?!

[bakudan_bambino]

Back home, I'm a part of... an organization that deals in some pretty shady things. The idiot sees that and laughs and thinks it's all a game.

He's an idiot, is what I mean. Plain and simple.

1/2

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...

... ...

... ... ...

Wait...

2/2

[forgeabettertomorrow]

BEING A PART OF A SHADY ORGANIZATION IS BASELINE "NORMAL" FOR YOU?!

[bakudan_bambino]

yes.

some people get to live completely normal lives. Happy ones. Some don't. I don't think it's any of your business.

But yes. That's unfortunately normal for me.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin drags his hand down his face. Okay. Okay.]

Alright, fine. I won't argue that you've got a point.

Anyway, I'm not an expert on curses, but from what it sounds like, this all started with that Black Knight, his sword, and wherever it was you took him on. Is there anything else you can tell me about the knight? Maybe I can...I dunno, walk things back and figure out the real nature of the curse.