[Video]

[neverfeltthatway]

Hello, everyone.

I'm sorry if I alarmed anybody this last jaunt. For those of you who don't know what happened, I started as an investigator - and, two weeks in, abruptly became an infiltrator.

I'd been trying to delve into my mind, to gain access to the memories I knew I had from the last time we were here. I guess I succeeded a little too well. But, well... I think I could do it again. Turn into an infiltrator. And I think I could probably do it to someone else too, if they were willing. [Strangely, he's not going to address whether he thinks he could do it to an unwilling subject, and instead leave the implied answer as is.] More than that, I think it's probably possible to do the opposite - to turn an infiltrator into an investigator. But I haven't figured out how, yet.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Apart from that, I... I have the list of Travelers who are no longer with us. Wherever they are now, they're not in this liminal space. The list may not be quite comprehensive, but I did the best I could.

Jack Badd. Lila Zarchov. Batman. Mason. Ryuzaki. Natasha. Souji Seta - or, um, one of them, anyway. Erwin Smith. Dargor. Shuu. Mai. Dorian. Winnifred. Hijikata. And Pitch.

I'm sorry.

Comments

[neverfeltthatway]

She is. [He doesn't even bother asking if they'd been friends - Mai made friends with everyone.] She was like a sister to me.

[He's quiet for a moment. He's not sure home is where she'd want to go - she'd told him about her amnesia, and how many times she'd died, and found herself in a different world. She's not safe, home.] ...I just hope that she's happy, wherever she is.

Umm. Yes - I'd been trying to recover my memories, and somehow instead of unlocking them I submerged myself in them. It was something I did to myself, but it hadn't been what I intended.

[littleladyluck]

I adored her to bits and pieces. How could anyone resist, honestly?

[More quietly, more concerned.] Is home not the best place for her? I... I retract my previous statement, I simply want her to find somewhere peaceful.

Really? So you'd been there before, then? I haven't been here long enough for any repeat experiences. Consider me intrigued!

[open] -> [private]

[neverfeltthatway]

[That raises a small smile.] They couldn't, of course.

[Armin seals this portion of the conversation, not wanting to broadcast something Mai told him in confidence. He's not sure how much he even wants to tell Genevieve, to be honest. But he also doesn't want to lie.] I-I'm not sure she had much of a home, from what she said. At the very least, if she were brought back wherever she'd been taken from... I'm not sure she'd be safe.

I hadn't known it before. But once we got here, all the pre-Moebius veterans started having deja vu about it. And several of us were recognized by others. That we'd been there before was the obvious conclusion.

[littleladyluck]

Sweet to the core. Hopefully she's happier elsewhere.

[She's panicking just a little bit in actuality, but her mental voice remains calm.] Oh, no. I wish I knew sooner... If she's sent back home, I sincerely hope that she finds a way out. She deserves better than that.

Pre-Moebius? I'm sorry, but I was never told that bit. That's both... fascinating and a relief. At least the worlds that were headed in a decent direction get to continue on in some way!

[neverfeltthatway]

I'm sorry. We'll keep an eye out for her, and for dungeon portals, but I'm afraid there's nothing else we can do.

Oh. Have... have you heard about Moebius before? [Thinking about Moebius gets in the way of anything else, so he doesn't respond to the rest of what she says.]

[littleladyluck]

Times like these make me wish that I could visit some of your worlds. I'd like to show those who've mistreated my friends what for!

Not a word, no. I'm guessing it was vital and before my time here, then?

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin doesn't say anything, but while he agrees with her in Mai's case, he's quietly glad nobody can visit his own world.]

It... it had a big impact on everyone who experienced it. [Understatement of the century.] And yes, it was... almost two years ago. Something happened there. None of us quite remember what. And many of us have evidence we'd been Travelers before that point - but none of us remember anything that happened before that point.

[Their memories, yes - that's the part that's relevant to this conversation. He doesn't have to tell her about how terrible Moebius was, about how what little they remember - well, they wish they couldn't.]

[littleladyluck]

It wiped your memories of any possible Jaunts before it, then? That's... fascinating and a bit terrifying, Are your memories of home still there?

[neverfeltthatway]

As far as I know... [After all, if they weren't, how would he even tell?]

[littleladyluck]

Thank you for letting me know. The more armed with knowledge we all are, the better, right?

[neverfeltthatway]

Of course. Ignorance is dangerous.

And, um, about Moebius... it was hard on us. Be careful about bringing it up to veterans.

[littleladyluck]

I will be. I know how to deal with veterans of any sort who have experienced difficult things. I am a Nation, after all!

[neverfeltthatway]

[Blink, blink.]

You're... a nation?

[littleladyluck]

I am. My world has entities who are humanoid representations of nations or territories who live for as long as their land and people survive. I'm the Principality of Monaco, but... going by Genevieve is a bit more comfortable for most humans. Call me whichever you'd like!

[neverfeltthatway]

So... you're literally a country?

[Coming from a world with no borders except the walls, Armin still sometimes has trouble with the concept of countries in the first place - or rather, what separates a country from the rest of humanity. This? This is a step too far.]


Umm. I may just be misremembering how you define a country, but... i d-don't think I understand.

[littleladyluck]

No, no, along with the governments ruling over a certain amount of land, there are beings who represent those entities! I, and others of my kind, are affected by everything that happens to our country. My country's economy is healthy, so I am as well. Things like that.

[neverfeltthatway]

But... [He frowns, trying to work through it in his mind.] How does that even make sense? A country is just a political division - there's nothing inherent about the distinction.

[littleladyluck]

It doesn't, really. It tends to confused a lot of non-Nations when they're told about us. It's become even more of an emotionally turbulent thing for them since photographs came around; "How do you look the same as you did in my grandfather's pictures?" sort of things.

Sometimes we aren't all officially independent when we apppear. Cultural differences shape us into who we are, often before we're officially anything but another's territory,

[neverfeltthatway]

Oh. [So not even the nations themselves understand it? Well... Armin supposes he's seen weirder.]

Well... it's nice to meet you, then, Genevieve. I'm Armin.

[littleladyluck]

[They've seen talking mochi and alternate universes where they've been gendershuffled, they have stranger things to examine!]

It's wonderful to meet you too, Armin! Any time you need some help or someone to listen, keep an eye out for ribbons and you'll find me. I can make any place soundproof, and I can keep secrets for centuries.

[neverfeltthatway]

Thank you. [He looks a bit surprised by the sudden offer, but it's not as if he isn't gratified. He consider a moment.] Umm. The same goes f-for you. If you need help, or someone to listen...

[littleladyluck]

[It's a bit out of nowhere, but...] You have a good heart, Armin. If I ever feel the need, I know that I can trust you. [Leave it to a Romance nation to mane unnecessary, sweeping statements about hearts, right]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin ducks his head a little, flushing pink.] I'm g-glad.