[01] [Video]

[complexdisorder]

[Rose has managed to get settled into her apartment in the Pisces district. It is still fairly bare, but she has hung up the few clothes brought with her in the closet and has a few nick-knacks on the shelves near her bed. She is seated at the foot of the bed, legs delicately crossed as she surveys the watch camera--much preferring already to the strange glasses.

She is still not certain that this isn't just a trick of the dream bubbles or perhaps Lord English--or simply SBURB itself--but her intuition tells her it's somewhere completely new. And that is precisely what worries her. Rolling a small white ball in her other hand, she addresses the video with a small smirk, projecting an air of nonchalance and confidence that is not entirely faked.]

Greetings, my name is Rose Lalonde. I am new to the city and this world, and I would appreciate any advice or information you might have--especially as it pertains to returning to our own worlds. I am afraid I do not have much time to trifle about here. There is much work to do in my own universe.

I would also be grateful to hear if anyone has seen my friends. Their names are John, Jade, and Dave. If you have not seen them, my other companions might have been easier to spot. They are an alien race of trolls with gray skin and horns. I would be willing to barter for information about their safety and location

Comments

video;

[tastestherainbow]

[ Uh. But. She just saw Rose the day before. But this one is...normal. This is getting peculiar. Maybe the confusion has simply abated and Rose changed her outfit.

... ]

Rose, this may be an unusual thing to ask and if it is please disregard it, but what is the last thing you remember that I happened to also be involved with?

video;

[complexdisorder]

Kanaya, you are here as well, then. Have you seen any of the others, yet?

[Rose blinks at the question, coughing delicately behind one hand as she looks off to the side.]

Ah, yes. I suppose I should apologize again now that I am... sober. I did not mean to be late nor to be quite so intoxicated.

video;

[tastestherainbow]

Oh thank god.

[ Wait. Did she just express relief at being reminded of Rose's insobriety and the stair-related blackout that occurred after? ]

video;

[complexdisorder]

[Yes, she did. And Rose is going to call her on it.]

Thank god? ... I was under the impression that my behavior would be considered quite improper in most social circles.

Is there something wrong, Kanaya? Excepting the obvious.

video;

[tastestherainbow]

Well yes. I mean.

[ Improper? Kanaya got her first kiss. ]

Not improper exactly. It was ok. Not that falling down the stairs was a I thing I thought was ok, that was bad. I--

[ GOD DAMN IT STOP RAMBLING. ]

Rose, I think a doomed timeline twin of yours is here.

video;

[complexdisorder]

Just okay? I am surprised at you, Ms. Maryam. I had thought myself to be quite the dashing romance novel heroine... excepting my hasty exit down the stairs, of course.

[She laughs softly, but purses her lips at the mention of a doomed timeline.]

Whatever makes you say something like that?

video;

[tastestherainbow]

Well it was, uh. You were. It was romantic?

[ TOPIC CHANGE TOPIC CHANGE ]

I spoke to you yesterday, but you were clad in lime and also seemed confused. I had attributed it to your, uh. Exit at first.

video;

[complexdisorder]

I assure you that I spent yesterday digging a small candy-covered girl's equally as candy car out of a pile of trash.

[Rose frown quietly.]

Another me? That is most disconcerting, though. The idea of doppelgangers, while intellectually stimulating is actually quite strange in reality. Much like the uncanny valley effect, I would think.

Video

[all_wound_up]

It's nice to meet you, Rose.

[Nano bows politely at the camera.]

I'm afraid there's no way to get back home right now, though.

Video

[complexdisorder]

I had the strangest feeling someone would tell me that.

[She sighs, but it doesn't seem too put-out.]

I suppose it would be too much to hope that there was an effort to return to our homes already in progress?

Video

[all_wound_up]

I'm sorry.

[Even still, she knows it's not an easy thing to hear, so apologies all the same.]

I'm actually not sure. I'm sure some people have been trying, but I haven't heard anything.

Video

[complexdisorder]

Do not apologize. Unless it is, in some yet unknown way, your fault that I cannot return home.

[It isn't an easy thing to hear, but Rose has grown used to bad news.]

I suppose there is nothing left to do but explore this world for the moment then. Have you been here for long?

Video

[all_wound_up]

For about two months now.

Video

[complexdisorder]

Ah, I see. Not very long then at all.

I will admit that this is quite the change of scenery for me. I had grown used to being one of the last of my kind.

[That is not something that should be said so nonchalantly.]

Video

[all_wound_up]

It feels even longer. I've never been outside the town I lived in at home until now.

[But hey, wait a minute.]

...The last of your kind? What happened?

Video

[complexdisorder]

We played a video game that ended the world.

[Way to be blunt and not spare anyone's feelings, Rose.]

Or the world ended and the game was just a coincidence. I haven't yet determined that.

voice

[threadspinner]

[ Oh no -- wow, this is so. Disorienting. And strange and...she's not quite sure how to react so for about three solid minutes she sits there watching the video again and again attempting to decide how to respond.

No she's not really sure how to handle this at all. But when she switches on the voice option, she seems just as composed as her other self. ]

I don't think you would have to barter much; I doubt that most people have seen any trolls around.

voice

[complexdisorder]

[Rose noticeably furrows her eyebrows at the sound of her own voice coming through the small watch, biting her lower lip.

A few moments of introspection and remembering Kanaya's advice, that they were indeed just like Dave and Davesprite... if this did not turn out to be a strange prank, she answers in a collected tone.]

Indeed, I believe that Kanaya might be the only one.

You must be the other me that Kanaya spoke of?

voice

[threadspinner]

[ Other? She has a moment of indignation -- because, of course, at home and in Aather there was ever only one -- before shutting that away to deal with later in the privacy of her bedroom. ]

I could say the same of you. But yes, I suppose in context I would be the other me.

[ There's a pause. . . ] Generally I'd make more smalltalk, but I feel like a situation such as this might require a little more indelicacy, as I'll admit that I am quite confused.

voice

[complexdisorder]

I apologize. I should have been more careful in my phrasing. In any other position, I suppose I might be the other you.

[She nods, even though she knows it won't be seen.]

I am confused as well, even if I know that I should not be. After all, space-time hijinks are common to our universe. It was really only a matter of time before I met another Rose Lalonde.

voice

[threadspinner]

I'm afraid I don't remember many hijinks, but there might be a few in the crevasses of my knitting bag.

[ Hah, she made a joke only she understands. That's...remarkably sad, actually. Moving on. ]

It's quite alright. There was only one Rose where I came from.

Backtagging!! <3 Sorry I'm just getting over the flu!

[complexdisorder]

In your knitting bag? What a novel place to store memories.

[Nope, not moving on. Rose's curiosity is piqued.]

Where are you from in the timeline precisely? It might make any future conversation a bit more straighforward if we are sure of what the other remembers or has not yet experienced.

it's okay! <3

[threadspinner]

Well, I wouldn't want to leave them around. What if someone took them? It would be a shame to have impersonators, particularly bad ones.

[ She thinks about it for a second before answering. It seems like she doesn't mind talking about amnesia, but she's definitely not extremely comfortable considering she's the only amnesiac around. ]

The last thing I remember was finding a strange girl that was presumed to be my mother in the furthest ring. However, that memory feels far from complete, and I have a certain feeling that there were more past that that I have yet to uncover. Being here, of course, sets a few drawbacks in that sturdy plan.

I still have about nine memories sitting in my bag that I haven't taken, but I doubt they are of utmost importance.

[video]

[sageprincess]

Ah--

[There's a bit of fumbling before the woman on the other end of the line comes into focus. Seems like someone is still getting used to the technology of this place.]

Likewise, I am also new and also have much to do in my world, but all I have heard thus far is that the only way to return home is to complete whatever that butterfly masked man wishes for us to do. There is also a theory that time in our home worlds is stopped during our stay here, but... I do not know how much I believe that.

[Sorry, Pit.]

Unfortunately, I have not yet met anyone with those names or descriptions, but I would be willing to notify you if I ever do.

[video]

[complexdisorder]

That is unsurprising news. It always seems that those with near unlimited powers cannot take care of the most simplistic of tasks. Such is their predicament.

[She shrugs lightly.]

I would be grateful for any assistance you might provide on that front, though I have already made contact with one of my companions.