02: ☾ Video | Day 449

[notbychoice]

[ Nine looks calm, and there's nothing in his expression to suggest that everything's not all as it seems. But either way, his attention's focused outward, on whoever might be listening or watching. ]

You lot, whoever's been here for awhile now: you've probably got little bits and pieces to remind you of home, right?

[ Whether it's bits of stuff that remind people of where they're from, or actual things from their worlds, it doesn't matter. The thing itself isn't important; it's the meaning assigned to it and what it symbolizes that is the thing. Although, sometimes, objects in themselves can be important.

But either way, the Doctor's going somewhere with this. Just give him a moment to get there. ]

And I'm guessing you've got memories of where you're from, things you've done, people you've talked to.

[ It's brief, but the Doctor's brow furrows for a second before smoothing itself out again, almost as if it never happened. ]

What if all of that started going away?

[ Yes, he's only just realized some of his memories have slipped, and it's not making him very happy. This is just sort of a temperature check to find out if others are being affected as well. ]

Comments

voice;

[runningstart]

Hey, none of this applies to me but I'm just kind of curious.

What constitutes as 'a while'? Like, are there people who've been here...I dunno, months? Years?

voice;

[notbychoice]

Well, if you live here, it applies to you, doesn't it? I mean, since we're all stuck here for the moment.

Could be, though, I haven't really gotten an exact figure yet.

[ But he's willing to bet there are some who've been here for that long. ]

[video]

[hisstrength]

...That'd be terrifying. Is... is that what's happening in the city?

[video]

[notbychoice]

Starting to, yeah.

[ Or at least, he thinks it is. He doesn't have anything too conclusive yet, though. ]

You're not in the city, are you?

[Video]

[5thchild]

memories are what make a person, in a way. the reason why you became the way you are now. They are you and they make you.

I assume it'd be rather scary to suddenly lose yourself.

[Video]

[notbychoice]

They are, aren't they?

[ He nods slowly. ]

Bit scary, yeah.

[ Which is why the thing he thinks is happening is just a fluke and not anything long-lasting. ]

[Video]

[okamichild]

Is it happening to you, too?

[Video]

[notbychoice]

It might be, yeah.

[ Read: it most likely is. ]

voice

[performance]

That's... not a hypothetical, is it?

voice

[notbychoice]

Would it make a difference if it was?

Video

[bays]

Eh...how would ya know that it's happening for sure?

Video

[notbychoice]

Simple, really. Well, just little things, like things I know I did but I can't remember why I did them.

[ No, he's not getting into the business about absorbing the Time Vortex here. ]

Strange, isn't it? A person ought to remember why they did a thing, not just that they did it.

voice;

[memorial]

...Even if you forget a memory, it's still there, isn't it? Somewhere inside you.

voice;

[notbychoice]

'Course it is, somewhere. And the funny thing is, not sure if I want these memories to come back.

[ But then again, memories of unpleasant experiences can serve as reminders of what was learned from said unpleasant experiences. ]

text;

[discrepant]

I do. I have been in this city for the last one hundred and ninety-nine days. I even have items that should have been impossible to receive, I believe.

And I believe I do. Some memories of my original world. I suppose. It's getting difficult to remember certain details which I do not mind losing. However, there is a single memory of a sole individual I do not wish to forget. A name and figure I will never forget even if I have to sacrifice the rest of my memories, abilities, and self. Ririchiyo Shirakiin is the only one I need to remain in my thoughts. She is the reason of my existence. [Needless to say, it is exactly what he is currently doing: concentrate so deeply on his master, so he wouldn't forget a single piece of information about her.]

text;

[notbychoice]

One hundred and ninety-nine days, that's a long time. Mind if I ask, are there others who've been here for that long, or longer?

Then that makes two of us, about the forgetting and about the not minding the forgetting.

But, if anything's important here, that one name and figure you'd rather not forget... Make sure you don't.

[ He figures he doesn't need reminding, but he says it anyway. Connections are important, especially if someone or something is trying to take the memory of them away. ]

[anon text]

[snowstormed]

[He'd meant to keep off the network for a few days more, at least, while he got himself settled back into Asgard, but the question cuts too deep and too close to home for him not to answer. He doesn't have much, in terms of memories not related to Asgard, but what little he's managed to gain, he can't afford to lose now.

He switches on the anonymous function first, then types out his answer.]

hold on to what you have left

text;

[notbychoice]

[ Oh, that's interesting: anonymous texts. But he's willing to go along with it. ]

I've got loads left, but I'm not letting go of it that easily, no.

video;

[bratking]

Good. I think I want to forget.

video;

[notbychoice]

Do you?

[ Well, he can sort of understand that. There's a few things (just a few) that he might want to forget. But on the whole, he'd rather not have his memories be tampered with at all, and given what he thinks he knows of Joffrey, he's a bit surprised.

He thought that the young king would be infuriated that someone had the audacity to mess with his memories. ]

Well, I suppose if we're talking about unpleasant memories, then I might want that too.

voice;

[magician_king]

We're being subject to a magic that's beyond our control. It's impressive, and pretty terrifying, actually.

voice;

[notbychoice]

You forgot to mention highly inconvenient.

[ There's a touch of laughter in his voice; it's easier to attempt laughing when things are going badly like this, although the whole thing is very distracting. ]

[video]

[oncomingblonde]

I'd 'spose you might not realize, like when you put something out of sight and completely forget about it. Nothing to remind you it was ever there.

[Her voice falters the slightest bit, and she goes quiet.]

It's happening to you too, then?

[video]

[notbychoice]

Exactly like that, yeah.

[ Leave it to Rose to hit the nail on the head. ]

Rose, tell me it's not happening to you.

[ Her use of the word 'too' is telling, though. ]

[izanyagi]

I've been trying to write it down but...I'm not fast enough.

[After the first instances, Souji had started to write all he could remember, but...the next day when he woke up, he couldn't even remember some of the things he wrote down. Why was this list important to him? Who was this friend in particular?]

It makes me feel more empty...

[notbychoice]

Keep trying, though, fast enough or not. That way, at least you'll have something.

[ And if his memories come back, or even if they don't, and he can't remember the things he wrote down, at least they've been written down somewhere so the memories of the things still exist in some form. ]

video;

[bossily]

I always feel so good after we talk.

[Pause.]

Not that we've spoken recently. Or just now, even. Your memories, though. Are yours being tampered with too?

video;

[notbychoice]

[ Right, that's curious, just a bit. ]

Do you? Suppose I might have that effect, maybe.

[ But he pauses too. ]

Haven't spoken to you yet, I don't think. Not counting right now, of course.

[ He nods. ]

You could call it tampered with, yeah. Whatever it's called, I'm not so keen on it, no.

voice »

[recorders]

[ Nine must you. ]

You'd find a way to get them back. If you can tell that they're lost.

voice »

[notbychoice]

[ yes, he must, and don't make that face at him, Two. ]

Would I really? How d'you know? And I can tell something's lost, or else I wouldn't be talking about it.

Voice

[idem]

There's enough of us around that we could probably sit down and exchange camp stories and figure out what we're missing. Though, never did like having too many of me in one room.

Voice

[notbychoice]

Camp stories?

[ If it were possible to communicate an eyebrow arch via voice, well, then, Nine's doing it now. ]

Hang on a minute, you said 'we', didn't you?

[ Yeah, he's doing a double-take right about now. Not that Tentoo can see it. ]