Video; UN: smoking_bomb

[bakudan_bambino]

[The device clicks on to show Gokudera sitting at a window and touching the leaves of a grape plant, looking calm and thoughtful before he speaks up.]

I’ve been asleep for a few weeks. While I was asleep, I went back home, and then to two different worlds, and now I’m back. I’ve been away from this place for two... no maybe three years. Time is acting strange, or maybe my familiar, Larry thought that I’d benefit more here with more experience under my belt.

[He glares gently at a semi-transparent reptile sleeping on the window sill.]

Has anyone else left this world for-

[Gokudera winces and puts a hand to the half choke collar around his neck. The skin beneath it is obviously damaged and irritated.] -such a long span of time, only to come back here and find that it was like... you never left at all? I’ve been to Anchor and Amoi, if anyone else has... let me know.

Also, in one of those worlds, I had this put on me. [He keeps his hand on the collar.]

I think it’s malfunctioning. The only person who can deactivate and remove it safely is... not here yet. So in the meantime, I need it repaired or at least looked at by someone with advanced technological experience.

[Gokudera moves to turn off the feed, and his left hand is lightly scarred, but more important in the visual is the engagement ring on his ring finger.]

Comments

text; un: ruffestrabbit

[zunge]

[This is regrettably not the Noiz who knows of Amoi. He does however know about leaving and coming back. Sort of.

More importantly, he's going to stare at that collar in the video clip a bit before shooting a quick text.]

What function does it have that requires "deactivation"?

text; un: smoking_bomb

[bakudan_bambino]

...

[He’s struggling to remember if he has ever seen this username before, but decides that if he’s asking for help publicly, he can at least explain publicly, if not with some careful wording.]

Reward and punishment.

[zunge]

heeeeehhhh.... sounds kinky.

Video

[serpentinthegarden]

I really miss sleeping for weeks.

[ Which might not be the sympathy anyone was hoping to receive but it was his first thought. The second thought had him looking to the collar and the third thought glanced off those injuries and was too dark to really think... ]

Why not just take that off?

Video

[bakudan_bambino]

Is that something you're used to?

[He recognizes Crowley. There was one on Anchor.]

I'm not able to. It's... attached to me.

Video

[serpentinthegarden]

I used to sleep for centuries, if they were awful enough to sleep through.

[ That must have been wet. This Crowley would only recognize an Anchor if it were attached to a ship or if it were a trendy club in SoHo. ]

I may be wrong but I think that's what the buckle is for. Those sorts of things always have a buckle.

Did you forget the safe word or something?

Text; un: player_one

[facepalmchampion]

Are you saying your familiar can dictate when and where you leave? Or is that something I'm reading hopefully in to?

Re: Text

[bakudan_bambino]

It's an assumption I'm making.

[facepalmchampion]

Damn, you had my hopes up. Other than sleep was there any other indicators before you got sent to those other places?

video; un: navi

[nerdism]

[ Advanced technological experience she may have, but seeing a malfunctioning collar would have to be a first for her. She's definitely getting some bad vibes from it... ]

Advanced tech comes in all kinds of forms, especially if it's from the otherworldly kind, ya know? I'm gonna need to know how scuffed your accessory gear really is.

[ Tell her everything!! ]

video;

[bakudan_bambino]

Do you have a way you can come and take a look at it? Either that, or some sort of scanner to check what may be malfunctioning?

[He will not tell her everything. That'd be pointing out a major weakness on his end!]

video;

[nerdism]

Technomancy, son!

[ It ain't just a meme. ]

All I need is a clear view of the collar from your device and I should be able to get a read on it. [ She's still new to this form of magic, but she's had lots of free time to practice... ] But what exactly does it do when it malfunctions? Better yet, how's it supposed to work on a good day?

audio un; Olivia

[blushing_beauty]

Wait, you mean people can leave here and then come back?!

...

Or maybe you never left? No, that's crazy. How would you have a collar if you never left? This place is so confusing!

audio;

[bakudan_bambino]

Yes?

It was more like I lived in a dream? Then when I woke up, it all became real.

[blushing_beauty]

That sounds terrifying!

[Especially with some of the dreams Olivia has had.]

Are you okay?!

text; un: fireprincess

[unstable]

It really is too bad for all of us you didn't stay in another world.

text;

[bakudan_bambino]

Bad for everyone, actually.

[Oh, that username. He can easily figure a guess to who this is.]

I'd go back if I could. This is disorienting as hell...

text; un: tenjikubotan

[irritated]

[Hikaru was going to avoid Gokudera from now on since he's 95% sure that Gokudera is a murderer but how can he after seeing this? Hikaru doesn't trust this place anymore than he trusted Lunatia. He's pretty certain there's some ulterior, darker reason for why they're all here.

And Gokudera only solidified that for Hikaru.]

what? two worlds? you went to two different worlds? are you serious? that is possible?

Re: text; un: tenjikubotan

[bakudan_bambino]

Yes, two worlds. Amoi and Anchor. I wish it weren’t possible. I know I spent at least three years outside of my home world.

video (Nyuu); un:elfe

[scarredhorns]

Eh??? So for you it's been three years, Gokudera-kun?

[Nyuu looks very concerned for him. Sure, they've only met in person once, but Nyuu's a kind soul. She doesn't need to know someone for long to be worried about them.]

I-I'm sorry, but in Avalon, only a month or so has passed. I-I didn't even notice you were gone, but only because I figured you were busy doing your own thing.

[A small pause before she adds:]

I've never been through what you've just experienced, but me and Lucy have also been to two different worlds before arriving in Avalon.

[She does see that ring on his finger, but prefers not to ask about that right away. Not with Gokudera being so disoriented.]

[bakudan_bambino]

Yeah.

[He stares on, obviously puzzled as he tries to remember her. It's her name, but she had two? She's got split personalities, he thinks.]

Right, my boss said pretty much the same thing. You don't need to apologize. I'm a pretty private person regularly.

[Even if something was wrong, he wouldn't have reached out to her. Just because he doesn't know her very well... or remembers relying on her. It's not that he wouldn't. His memory is a bit hazy.]

Hmmm what worlds have you been on? What were they like? [This helps him to take his mind off the realization that he has to settle himself back in again. At least he's been to Avalon before.]

un: prismpink | voice

[prismatically]

[ So there's a lot to take in here. A lot of pretty important information that could potentially be useful to everyone here in Avalon. And also, just, the basic fact that someone Stella considers a friend has pretty clearly been through some shit.

So she chooses to focus on what's obviously the most pertinent question. ]

Holy crap, you got married?!

[ STELLA, NO ]

voice [screened]

[bakudan_bambino]

[Honestly. Stella, YES. This takes his mind off of all the other crap, and it makes him focus on something more emotional that isn't too painful. He puts his palm to his face.]

NO.

[And then just screens this conversation so that some people can't find out.]

Not yet. Just engaged, but... that was in another world, so I'm not sure the feelings will be returned in this one.

video; this is super late but I've been wanting to tag it

[writtendestiny]

[She's used to the idea that she's been dropped in here alone again, and hasn't gone too much out of her way to find those she might know since the first message she posted asking about it. In fact she hasn't gone much out of her way to speak to that many people at all.

But 'Anchor'. That pulls her attention in with almost whiplash-inducing speed.

Poison frowns at the young man as she opens the video.]

Gokudera?

Re: video;

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera jerks and grabs his device suddenly.]

Poison! When did you show up here?!