accidental voice;

[lovelydragoon]

It's just strange, don't you think?

[Judith needs to get over this habit, of spewing random thoughts aloud to Ba'ul while not realizing her device has turned on.]

Yuri said I've even been here before. You too, but you don't remember anything, either, right?

[A slight pause.]

That's what I thought.

[And a longer pause. She sounds unusually wistful when she speaks again.]

I wonder if Karol was ever here...

Comments

[vesperian]

You think that's weirder than trading bodies?

[lovelydragoon]

[...oh. Her device turned itself on again, didn't it? There's a slight delay as she processes that, then she laughs quietly.]

Well, no. I just wonder why so many of us are here.

[And also why not the others...]

[vesperian]

Don't know. Karol's not been around, though. Only during those weird days when everyone's in the City.

[lovelydragoon]

I guess that's for the best.

[othersdie]

You don't remember anything at all?

[lovelydragoon]

Not a bit.

What about you? You said the same thing happened to you, right?

[othersdie]

It did, but memories came back. Not quickly, and I'm not sure if I have all of them, but they did start coming eventually.

[lovelydragoon]

Hmm. [It doesn't bother her too much either way, but she wonders if her memories will come back, then.]

[negativegate]

Yeah...You were here back when I first got here. So was the old man.

[lovelydragoon]

I wonder if he'll show up again, too...

[negativegate]

Probably. Everyone else comes and goes...including us.

[lovelydragoon]

Doesn't it seem strange to you that this many of us are here at once?

[negativegate]

Of course I think it's weird! I just...I haven't figured out why.

[lovelydragoon]

[Oh Rita... She didn't mean it as a criticism. She hardly expected anyone else to have much of an idea of what logic might run this place.

She doesn't immediately reply, and when she does it sounds thoughtful.]

I'm kind of glad, though.

[negativegate]

[And Rita knows that things here just don't make sense a lot of the time...Of course, that's the frustrating part.]

Huh? You're glad we don't know?

[lovelydragoon]

No, that there's so many of us here.

I don't want us all to be stuck here, but it would be harder alone, right?

[negativegate]

Oh--well, I guess...I mean, it's not like it's a cakewalk even with everyone here.

[oceantrauma]

You...don't remember being here, Judith-san? [Yeah, he's a little sad about that.]

[lovelydragoon]

I remember everything since I got here a few months ago, but nothing from before. [She doesn't know why you're sad. It really doesn't bother her that much.]

[oceantrauma]

Oh! [That's what she meant. You scared him, Judith!]

So, you mean you're one of those cases you were here some time ago, but you don't recall it. I thought...I thought you didn't remember anything NOW.

[lovelydragoon]

[She laughs a little.] I can see why that would be concerning.

[oceantrauma]

[He looks embarrassed at that.]

It was hard to tell with your conversation. Perhaps I should have asked first.

[lovelydragoon]

I'm sure it wasn't very clear. I didn't even realize my device was on.

[oceantrauma]

Well, I'm glad you still remember me, selfish as that might be.

[lovelydragoon]

I don't think it's selfish. [She'd be sad if he suddenly forgot about her, too.]

[oceantrauma]

Maybe not. I'm still glad it's not an issue.

But I wonder how often this happens, where one doesn't remember a prior stay in the City.

[lovelydragoon]

It's happened to at least a few other people. It seems like some get their memories back after a while, and some never do.

[oceantrauma]

Then I hope if I ever leave and return I retain my memories, or get them back, at least. It would be a little sad, even if I didn't know it, not to remember everyone I've met here.

[lovelydragoon]

I guess I don't mind too much if I get my memories back or not. Not many people have mentioned meeting me before, so maybe everyone I knew already went home.

[oceantrauma]

When you put it that way, it doesn't sound so bad. As long as you're fine with it.

[lovelydragoon]

I don't see a point in worrying about it, do you?

[oceantrauma]

No, you're right. And like I said, I'm just happy you remember me.

[lovelydragoon]

[Slight smile.] Of course.

[intheblanks]

Did you arrive recently? This time around.

[lovelydragoon]

A few months ago.

[intheblanks]

Me too. Not including the two years I don't remember.

[lovelydragoon]

I'm not sure how long I was here the last time.

[intheblanks]

Have you run into many good friends you've never met before?

[lovelydragoon]

No one's said anything. The only people who've told me I was here before are people I knew from home.

[intheblanks]

Are you usually anti-social?

[lovelydragoon]

I wouldn't say that...

[intheblanks]

Then it's reasonable to assume you weren't here too long, the first time.

[lovelydragoon]

I guess so. I'm sure Yuri could tell me, I just never thought to ask.

[intheblanks]

Must bother you less than it does me.

[lovelydragoon]

I guess I just don't mind too much.