animus_network | first ❅ video;

[It's been a while since Yukiko has been in the Tower at all - three months, give or take a bit. It shows in her face when she appears on the video feed; this isn't the face of a surprised newcomer. It's the face of someone who has explored enough to know that while she was gone, a lot of her friends have left. Her voice is just a bit shaky when she speaks.]

...hello, Tower. This is Yukiko Amagi. I was here, before, and now I'm back. I think it's been about three months. It's kind of hard to tell time when it passes on a dead world. One day blends into another after a while.

[She pauses, briefly, taking a deep breath.]

I know that there were people from the Japanese town of Inaba here before. They were my friends. I also tried sending them a message. I - I know that they're all gone. The message said 'user not found' for all of them, and so I went down to the graveyard to doublecheck. They're definitely gone.

I'll be okay, though. I know they're gone now, but I can be strong enough for all of them. I know I'm back here for a reason, and that reason must be to make sure they're saved, in the end. Really saved, not just 'saved' as in pulled here again.

...so. What did I miss while I was gone?

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[No, there really isn't. She doesn't laugh nearly as often as she used to.]

It's far too morbid for me. I can't even begin to think about it without a chill running down my spine. I suppose I'm glad that someone else thought of it, but I can't see how they went through with it, personally.

[Some taboos are just too strong to break.]

...has someone told you about what these bodies we're in actually are yet, Jade-san? Explaining that would probably be the best way to answer that question.

[Jade watches Yukiko levelly as she expresses disbelief in how anyone could actually follow through with that. Then he lifts a hand to adjust his glasses, briefly hiding his eyes from view.]

It requires a certain wiring. It's not something normal people would or should understand.

[He lowers his hand to regard her again, then nods once.]

So that is it. I'd thought so, but I hadn't wanted to assume... especially since I wasn't sure of when that little tidbit had been discovered. I've heard the denizens of the Tower had gone quite a long time never realizing the truth--that even the administrators hadn't realized. How accurate that information is, I of course can't say.

Edited 2014-01-19 22:48 (UTC)

I can't even imagine.

[She shakes her head. At Jade's next statement, Yukiko nods. That's it, all right.]

I wasn't sure exactly how common that knowledge was, but yes. The fact I was never in my real body while I was here has to have something to do with it. It's the only explanation I can think of, at least offhand, that makes sense.

To say learning that truth was a shock is probably the understatement of the year. I was here at the time, and suddenly going from looking like myself to being able to see right through my body turned a lot of assumptions about this place on their heads. We didn't know what to make of things, especially given the announcement when the glamour came on. That was last June, and at that point, we had a year to either figure things out or have our souls destroyed trying.

I, at least, can't let that go without a fight.

[Jade shrugs.]

I was given that information my first day here, but it was from someone I knew from my world, so I was probably fortunate. I don't know how common it is for most people just arriving.

[He listens. Last June... If he recalls the local calendar correctly, that would be half a year and change ago--a quarter year in Auldrantian time. He really did miss the party, didn't he?]

I quite agree. If there is a way to restore our worlds, then I want to find it. As the only survivor of my particular version of my world, I owe it at the very least to my less fortunate countrymen.

[...If one can call ending up in the Tower "fortunate." Still, where there is life, there is a way--not that Jade would put it in such terms.]

I'm not sure myself. I almost think it's better to know the truth and get the shock over with earlier, personally. It's better than learning it suddenly after months.

[But she looks sympathetic, having been on the end of that shock.]

I'm sure there is, one way or another.

Having been in that situation, I must say I prefer having learned the reality of our situations right away. Of course, I'm the type who doesn't like to fumble around in the dark; I'd rather know the truth, no matter how unpleasant it is.

[Jade smiles back.]

Then I imagine we may be cooperating in the future towards that end. If nothing else, if you decide to accept Lorelei's offer, we'll be seeing more of one another, because he's already requested my cooperation.

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