∞ 49: After the mission [action]

[chikaidestroyer]

Turn down a few torches. We'll rest here for now.

[Albert's voice echoes as he calls out to the rest of the group to stop. It's been a steady walk away from the warehouse even though they had been told by their Malnosso co-conspirators to leave the tunnels quickly. Extinguishing several torches, as they had been every time they rested, would help keep the amount of smoke down.

He takes out one of the sunstones that Sigmund had brought along, activating it and taking a seat against one wall. He then pulls out a notebook and begins writing, keeping an eye on the others moving around in the semidarkness.

Really, the silence following their success was rather unsettling.]

Comments

[chikaidestroyer]

We will have a few disperse through the evening; two or three every hour. We have the advantage of a long period of winter darkness, so we can have most out and back home in one night.

[perplexme]

[just nods as he listens] Sounds solid enough. Think somebody should be watching at the entrance though to make sure everybody's getting out safe and unnoticed?

[chikaidestroyer]

It may look suspicious to have someone standing above ground watching the sinkhole. We want this to look as seamless as possible.

Besides, we aren't looking to be unnoticed by the other villagers, and a watchman will not notice a Malnosso presence.

[perplexme]

I didn't mean above ground but I suppose that's a good point anyway. Scratch that then.

[chikaidestroyer]

Indeed.

[He regards his notes as he speaks again.] I noticed you brought your journal along. I trust you are being discreet?

[perplexme]

As discreet as somebody can be while being underground. No worries, no talk about what's going on down here.

[chikaidestroyer]

That's all I ask. Complete silence may also be suspicious, but with a group this large, catching other voices is a risk.

[perplexme]

Don't you think it's a little suspicious that the town's pretty quiet now with a lot of us here though?

[chikaidestroyer]

Not really, no. We left shortly after a large experiment finished; that downtime is quite common from our captors.

What should be noted is that we had another experiment around this time last year, associated with a holiday called Valentine's Day.

[perplexme]

...so do you think that means they're planning something again for Valentine's Day?

[chikaidestroyer]

It's certainly within the range of possibility. Our captors have also felt inspired by certain holidays, such as Halloween and Christmas, so we should prepare for a possible repeat of last year.

[perplexme]

You've been here a long time haven't you?

[chikaidestroyer]

Four hundred and seventy-two days.

[ooc: Miscalculations ftw :|;]

[perplexme]

Are you kidding me?

[ooc: but at least it was fixed :|b]

[chikaidestroyer]

I wish I were. You see a lot of people come and go in that amount of time. [For a moment, an unguarded look. But it's gone quickly.]

[perplexme]

I've only been here for a few months, five I think. People come and go a lot.

[chikaidestroyer]

You grow used to it. People reappearing with no memory of being here previously -- that is a little more difficult.

[perplexme]

Haven't had to deal with that one yet. How do you even deal with that?

[chikaidestroyer]

If you want to try, you start over. You don't make any presumptions. A person who reappears can be very different from how you last remembered them.

You can also let them go. Dissociate from them entirely.

[pause] The latter is common when it isn't someone from your own world.

[perplexme]

[nods. Well you convinced him you know what you're talking about at least] How often does that happen though, a lot?

[chikaidestroyer]

It's not common, thankfully. But, of course, if you associate with many residents, your chances of having to deal with the situation increase.

[perplexme]

Okay, so what are the chances of like a doppleganger effect, having two of the same person from two different periods in their timeline? Has that ever happened?

[chikaidestroyer]

No, that has never happened. It almost sounds paradoxical, though I'm sure the effects could be created somehow. Perhaps through an experiment.

Are you referring to Sora and his ... shadow?

[perplexme]

It wouldn't surprise me. Though I can't imagine two of everybody running around and there are definitely people I never want two of them around.

No, because by referring to Sora and his Heartless I'd have to be referring to myself as well, in theory.