Entry 15: Video

[scentbombed]

I know some of you have been in this place for a very long time, and there are some of you who've gone and come back again, so I thought I might ask: was going home really, really strange for any of you?

It's only, well, chatting with some of the lot from my world, I realized it was a bit difficult to explain a lot of what's gone on here.

I mean, it's definitely a bit of a puzzler, trying to start a conversation with, "Well, there was the time I died," or "once I turned into my brother." And that was only once we'd gotten past things like electrics and undergarments.

Comments

[most_feared]

I generally don't talk about the specifics of it too much. [Though 90% of what he can't talk about is the interpersonal relationships.]

[scentbombed]

That doesn't get a bit...?

[most_feared]

Not that big of a deal. It's sort of a strange thing to bring up in some regards, so why bother explain months that didn't actually happen?

[scentbombed]

But they did happen for you. What if you've got an opinion that's drastically changed, something like that?

[most_feared]

Parker told me usually when she goes home, she didn't remember anything specific while she was there. Just those changed feelings.

So I don't know. But I probably wouldn't explain myself if I changed my opinion on something, so I can't say.

[scentbombed]

We don't remember this place when we leave?

[no_fastolfe]

I have little to no personal communication with other humans on Aurora, and my robots accept what I tell them, but the culture shock was intense and has been no less so at my return.

[scentbombed]

Culture shock here or there? Or both?

[no_fastolfe]

Both. Aurora is a planet of some two-hundred thousand people and it is no smaller than Earth, if you have gained a sense of Earth's size during port?

From total exclusion unless one desires company, which I rarely do, to a population density unheard of on any spacer world-- there is a certain recovery period necessary. And vice versa, once I have become accustomed to continuously being surrounded by others.

[scentbombed]

Something of one, yes. [It's a damn sight bigger than the Disc, that much she's sure of.]

Do you mind if I ask -- have you come to prefer one or the other?

[no_fastolfe]

I have lived almost three centuries on Aurora, from my birth-- I can acclimate to the barge, but do not prefer it.

[Vasilia shrugs awkwardly.]

Unfortunately, most of the genuine personal attachments I have formed are here.

[video]

[deadliestviper]

This "once I turned into my brother" conversation, let's have that. What the hell happened? [B's still having some trouble coming to grips with the quirks of life on the Barge.]

[video]

[scentbombed]

Er, well. Once, I turned into my brother. That was more or less what happened.

Sorry, are you new? I don't recognize you.

[video]

[deadliestviper]

I thought that's what you said.

Yes, hence not answering your question. Adjusting to everything here's hard enough already, going back and forth must be murder. [She lifts her hand and waves a little sheepishly.] Beth. Nice to meet you.

[video]

[scentbombed]

Oh, right. Well, welcome aboard, then. I'm Angua. Has anyone explained the floods to you? Because that goes a long way towards explaining it.

[video]

[deadliestviper]

Thank you. I'd heard about the floods, just not the... extent they reached.

[trenchcoatedly]

Those that would care about my disappearance - if there are any, anymore - would accept 'multidimensional redemption barge,' without question, though this doesn't necessarily suggest they actually believe it.

Or they wouldn't care where I've gone.

[scentbombed]

Er. [Well, she doesn't know what to say about that. There's a whole lot of awkward there.] All right. Thank you for your... input, Mr. Castiel.

[trenchcoatedly]

[Castiel is a master of awkward.]

Just Castiel. And you're welcome.

[strangehistorian]

I don't... tell anyone at home where I've been. It wasn't really a choice, it's just never come up.

[And now she's wondering if she should.]

[scentbombed]

Do you think you're the same person now as you were when you started? If that's not too personal, I mean. It's pretty personal.

[strangehistorian]

Well, I like to think I've learned some things and expanded my horizons! But I think I'm mostly the same.

[sharpememory]

I went home, but I couldn't remember being here while I was there. So yeah, I didn't have any of that.

[scentbombed]

That's awfully convenient, isn't it. [She sounds oddly wistful.]

[sharpememory]

Yeah, I guess so. Either that or the Admiral just likes messing with me.