[network] @Zelda; in need of an update; day 36, night [open]

[sageprincess]

[It's past lockdown when a certain name that hasn't been seen in a while appears on the network, video feed showing the young woman trying very hard to keep it together despite being rather perturbed.]

... Hello, everyone. I'm... [Back? Up? Alive? None of the words seem to fit, but she eventually settles for--] ... awake.

[It was one thing to see another die and come back; doing so herself is quite another. Exhaling a shaky breath, she glances just off-screen, as though he wooden floor of the church she awoke in and is now stuck inside until morning will give her an answer for what to say. It doesn't, of course, so she falls back on that faithful standby of facts.]

I'm alright, physically. I still have all my senses, so... it's likely I've lost some memory, if we follow the pattern. I can't say what it might be, though.

[She knows who she is. She knows where she's from. And she knows she's been trapped in Norfinbury for at least a month, if not longer. Which, speaking of--]

... Does anyone know how long I was gone? Has anything notable happened since then I should know?

[Naaaaah.]

Comments

@andromeda; text

[keepscalm]

Good evening. I'm glad you're awake.

I'm afraid I can't help with most of what you've asked, but maybe I can answer that last question. What do you mean by "notable?"

[Maybe something like weird possessions and unfamiliar network usernames. Just a thought.]

video;

[sageprincess]

[She squints a bit at the text and the name attached to it. She doesn't recognize an 'andromeda' but this person is glad she's back? Could this be the memory she's missing?

The situation at hand is more important, though. It's too dark for her to bother typing, so she continues with a video response.]

Well, any discoveries regarding this place and its history, or any strange events that might have happened, to start with.

[keepscalm]

I don't know of any strange events or discoveries recently, I'm sorry. I've been here for a while, so I thought maybe I could help, but I guess not.

[sageprincess]

A while?

[Yet 'Andromeda' still doesn't ring any bells. She has no delusions about knowing every username on the network, but there should at least be some familiarity with those who have been here long enough to count as 'a while'.]

I'm sorry, I don't recognize the name you're using. How long do you mean?

Voice | @DIO

[itsasteamroller]

[Guess who caught the drop in formality? That's right, Zelda's absolute most favorite dude in the world. Although, it could just be that she just woke up after being dead, but still...it's a little off.]

It's possible we have some new guests that didn't think to say anything with the other new arrivals. [And maybe he should formally ask them about that directly, but right now this was catching his curiosity.] And someone ran into a new monster on top of that.

video;

[sageprincess]

[Augh, of course she couldn't have been fortunate enough to forget this guy. But, for information's sake, she'll play nice.]

Regarding the 'guests', I've noticed. [And is probably going to do her own interrogations as she gets her balance. First, though--] I haven't heard about the new monster, though. Can it be fought, or only out-run like the others?

[Priorities.]

[itsasteamroller]

[Please, he's been nothing but nice to you, Your Highness.]

Out-run, but it's incredibly fast. Also, fire apparently doesn't work on it, which they figured out the hard way, so keep that in mind.

Where are you? Do you remember traveling around with Link? [He'd probably know how long she's been gone, they were attached at the hip enough as it was.]

[sageprincess]

[Poison being sweet doesn't stop it from being poison.]

Hearing that someone managed to use fire as a weapon is almost surprising in itself, but... understood.

[More running and hiding, joy of joys. She tilts the tablet a bit at his question, allowing its dim light to fall on the stained glass window above her.]

I'm in the temple to the east, I think. I was traveling with Clem before... [Well, before she left Clem alone.]

@shelleyderricks; text

[averytinyparticle]

Don't worry, dearie. Everyone's memories go eventually. That's just a part of growing older. You never think you'll lose anything terribly important until you turn around and realize they're already gone.

[There'd be a withered sort of laugh here, if the audio was enabled.]

video;

[sageprincess]

[... what.]

That... isn't quite what I meant. Have you only arrived here recently?

[She's so not in the right frame of mind to explain how death and revival here seem to work, but an expositor's gotta exposit if there's exposition to give!]

[averytinyparticle]

Not at all. What makes you say such a silly thing? It's been quite a long time. I'd even venture to say I've been here longer than you.

[sageprincess]

[... what.]

Wh... Longer than a month? Why haven't you spoken up sooner?

audio; @standardissue

[deus_ex_phs]

[Kunsel's curiosity is pinged by the mention of some sort of pattern. Pattern for what?

But first things first.]

I don't think we've talked before. What's the last significant thing you remember, to give me a point of reference?

video;

[sageprincess]

[She closes her eyes in thought for a moment, but the answer comes easily.]

There were plans to open the hospital in the ice tunnels, but we hadn't met up with the group that had the key yet.

[And she left Clem all by herself-- goddesses she feels guilty.]

audio;

[deus_ex_phs]

[Sorry, Zelda. He's sticking to audio on this end, still not entirely trusting the network at large. Not that he minds seeing the pretty blond on the other end, but...

Wait. Are those her ears peeking through her hair? Kunsel blinks, trying to figure out how to bring the question up. If he's just hallucinating again, questions like that could turn things really awkward.]

I saw someone mention yesterday that they used the keycard to open the hospital. That's about all I know about that, though.

Were you here when that storm passed through?

video;

[sageprincess]

[Perhaps if she came from a more modernized world, she would be similarly untrusting of the network. As it stands, she prefers speaking face to face when she can... even if it means explaining again and again why she looks the way she does.

She's not frustrated at all, really!]

Is that so? It's good to hear we're still making progress on exploration, at least. But yes, unless there was another storm more recently, I remember that awful thunderstorm that kept us from traveling for a day.

[And she was stuck in the school shed during it. 0/10 would not recommend.]

@LINK; video

[tapferkeit]

Zelda!

[ The shout is delighted, with more happiness in it than Link may have yet shown in this place. He beams as the feed picks up, his gaze a wild joy and soft adoration. She's back, he thinks she's back, she's back, she's back! ]

You're back.

[ He says the mantra rushing through his head, unable to think of anything else. All he does is smile, too happy to see her, too delighted to even consider the content of her message, the frazzled way she looks. The delight is too wild, too all encompassing, for him to do anything other than beam at her. ]

[sageprincess]

[Oh... Oh, Goddesses, why does he have to be so cute and happy? "You were quite close," Dio had said, and this display only seems to confirm it. Any thoughts about telling the truth wash away with that delighted smile - no, she'll just try to play along and hope for the best.

She offers a laugh, nervousness only moderately concealed.]

I am. Sorry if I worried you.

[tapferkeit]

[ Nothing strikes him as wrong for now. He's just so happy to see her. Everything that had been bringing him down seems so much less at the sight of her, alive and hale and happy. There's nothing he can say or do to express his happiness.

Zelda had always been close to his heart. Their time together in Nonfinbury had only made it more intimate, a closeness borne of time spent together, rather than allegience against an enemy. ]

It's ok. [ He gives a soft, almost breathless laugh. ] I'm just glad you're back.

Where are you?

video - @claytonator

[dr_unconscious]

[After doing his fair share of eavesdropping on this and many other interesting posts that have happened today, Clayton finally decides to hop in on this one, too. Just listening to Dio in the other room gives him more than enough information to have a general jumping-off point, but there are plenty of other concerns to address. Starting from the ones that Clayton would obviously be most interested in: ]

Zelda? It's Clayton. [Chances seem low that she's forgotten him, since Link appears to be the only odd guy out so far, but you never can be too safe.] I know it ain't great t' think about, but I need ya t' tell me everything you can remember jus' 'fore you woke up. [A beat.] You said you were sick, right?

[sageprincess]

[It's rude to listen in on a lady's conversations. But for better or for worse, Zelda's a little less concerned about matters of propriety, and she nods, solemn.]

Clayton. [She remembers.] I was traveling with Clem around the southwest. We were waiting to hear from Al's group about when they would be ready to try their key on the hospital. And then...

[There's no small amount of reluctance to continue that thought, her pride and the memory of feeling her body give out making her hesitate.]

... Yes, I got sick.

[dr_unconscious]

I'm sorry.

[And he means that, genuinely. He's trying to imagine what made her so ill so quickly and he doesn't want to. He doesn't want to imagine Zelda's suffering and he doesn't want to know that he couldn't help her in time. But naturally, he has to know.]

How sick? Can you remember any a yer symptoms? Anything different y'all did 'fore it set in?

@LELRIC; audio

[armoured]

Y-You... you died?

[He sounds shocked, and also sort of like he's just solved the last piece of a puzzle.]

I saw Link, but he never told me that you-- what happened?!

video;

[sageprincess]

[Meanwhile, Zelda just looks awkward and uncomfortable. There's Link mentioned again, which is an issue all it's own, but recounting what happened hardly ranks anywhere near her favorite things in the world.]

I... fell ill. I may have been pushing myself too hard in these conditions.

voice only;

[armoured]

[This doesn't make sense. Surely if she had fallen ill then she would have called for help, or even Link would have broadcast looking for medicine or a doctor, and he doesn't remember seeing that.]

I'm-- I'm sorry.

[What else can he say to that?]

I didn't realise things had got so bad for you.