[Video]

[neverfeltthatway]

Hello, everyone. [Though overwhelmed when he first returned, now Armin is calm and composed - nearly solemn, almost military in the way he goes about this. He doesn't enjoy this task, but he takes it very seriously.] I'm sorry it took longer than usual, with everything that happened. [Being sent on a different jaunt, not knowing if he'd see any of his friends ever again.] But... I have the list of people who vanished over the course of the last jaunt and haven't come back.

[He takes a deep breath, then begins the list - slowly and clearly, with a small pause between every name.]

Damian Wayne. Jason Todd. Neria Surana. Lucina. Ryuunosuke Ibuki. Sanosuke Harada. Connor Graham. Labrys. Nick Burkhardt. Phèdre nó Delaunay. Oona. Ken Amada. Junpei Iori. Yoon Yoorae. Chizuru Yukimura. Inigo. Takakage Kobayakawa. Janos Audren.

...

I'm sorry. If anyone has any questions, I'll do my best to answer.

Comments

[willyousee]

It is part of Traveling. If portals appear I know there will be no shortage of volunteers to enter. In the meantime...

In the meantime we will do our best to remember and uphold the values they fought for and with luck they have returned home and left this place for good.

[willyousee]

[For a moment the water around her flickers with a view of the head of the stairs in the workshop, looking down the hall toward Joscelin's door. Then it's gone again. It's likely that Alcuin hadn't intended to share that with her.]

I will be all right. Phèdre has gone and returned before. The last time she went home. I cannot begrudge her that even if she did have control over it, which she does not.

[set_your_watches_for_fun]

Call you which?

[prolificarse]

Considering the sheer number of disasters that do seem to have precedent, you'll have to forgive me if I don't find that comforting.

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin gives a thin smile.] ...You'll have to forgive me if it wasn't really meant to be comforting.

[prolificarse]

So what connects these worse months?

[neverfeltthatway]

I couldn't say, specifically. I've only been keeping track these last few months. But in Belljar, the first time we remember failing a jaunt, we lost well over half our number. And though I could give you the numbers, I think we had a worse time of it just before our first trip to Nibiru, about nine months ago.

[purseownerisme]

Darling.

[She just feels weird with it.]

[neverfeltthatway]

[He pauses for a moment at that, responding with quiet deliberation.] We have to keep moving. But whether we're all right is another question.

[Private]

[purseownerisme]

I know we do.

But...I'm not sure if I'll be alright.

[prolificarse]

Was the Jaunt before that a failure, too? Our sentence in Purgatory certainly seems to have been...

[neverfeltthatway]

I'm sorry, I couldn't say - I wasn't around for this jaunt.

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin merely looks down sadly. It's the truth, and they both understand it better than most. Sometimes you lose people. They fall, or don't come back. It was the way of the world - and little different here.

After a long moment, he offers what he can, though he knows it's of little use.] If - if you need anything... even just someone to talk to... [He trails off, a little helplessly.]

[neverfeltthatway]

Oh. I'm sorry, I'm not sure how I missed him.

[Armin frowns as she continues, but doesn't really know what to say.]

[neverfeltthatway]

I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do...

[He trails off. Of course there isn't. How can he help in the face of this?]

[neverfeltthatway]

...As far as I know, Belljar and Purgatory have been the only times we've failed a jaunt. At least, as far as anyone can remember.

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin bites his lip, still confused.] Isn't Nepal a country too? How... how do you tell when the name of a country is being used for nationality and when it's used for ethnicity?

[Private]

[neverfeltthatway]

...Do you want some company?

[At this point, it seems like all he can do.]

[canbebrave]

Oh.

[mysunnydisposition]

There's... No. Probably not.

I just... I never got to tell him I'm sorry.

[creativefool]

Off in the other place? Yeah, that's fair enough. Just somethin' that came to mind. That's all.

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin quietly reviews the list from Sansa's perspective, picking out the names that would be particularly relevant to her. Neria. Phedre. Probably Chizuru. But, as always, there's so little he can do.]

I'm sorry.

[Private]

[purseownerisme]

...yeah, if you don't mind?

[prolificarse]

Only twice? That's...well, it would be impressive, if we had any idea what the endgame is. It may still be, in an unnerving sort of way.

If they're even half as obvious as they were with the murderous metal things, I'd think any other failures would be quite memorable.

[willyousee]

[It takes an effort - more than he's comfortable admitting - but for a moment there's the sensation of fingertips brushing Armin's hand.]

Thank you. If I am in need, I will seek you out. I know where your room is located. Unless you changed it this time?

[Humor is difficult when inflection is limited.]