1st Song // Computer [webcam]

[wordsgate]

[Hello all you crazy reincarnated people. Have a really confused looking young man with bleach-blond hair staring at you. He hesitates for a moment, looking a little speechless, before he takes a deep breath and gets up the nerve to say something.]

This is not at all what I expected to find when I Googled that number.

Sorry, I know I must be interrupting a lot, but can anyone tell me what's going on? I tried looking at a few posts around here but I just got more confused. Something about a death, and security concerns and...a general?

[He sighs and rests his chin in his hand, mumbling the last bit of this to himself.] I didn't just accidentally hack into something I wasn't supposed to see, did I?

Comments

[wordsgate]

No...there's no images in the memory I have. Just sounds. A song, and some words in my voice.

[secondcomingof]

But it's your voice.

[wordsgate]

I think so. It sounds like me, and like it's coming from me, but at the same time...like it's not. I mean, I can hear it in my head but I can hear it like I'm listening to a recording at the same time...

[He pauses for a moment to analyze what he just said.] Maybe through some sort of recording set-up? I could've been wearing headphones...

[secondcomingof]

You're missing the point.

[ Somehow, Casval's not surprised. ]

Your voice. This world that seems familiar, and yet isn't. You haven't figured it out yet?

[wordsgate]

N...no? [frowns] What are you getting at?

[secondcomingof]

A you from another life.

[wordsgate]

[He laughs in disbelief.] I wasn't aware that the British believed in reincarnation...

[secondcomingof]

[ And Casval just stares in disbelief because what. ]

Well, we've risen from both literal and proverbial ashes more than once, that's for certain.

Still not entirely sure what being British has to do with it, however.

I'm sorry, your edit reason made me cackle. I KNOW THAT FEEL

[wordsgate]

It's simply surprising to hear it coming from someone like you. Sounds more like something my grandfather would say!

[secondcomingof]

[ ...are you calling him old. Oh my god.

He actually has the dignity remaining (somehow) to look offended. ]

I'm thirty-three.

[wordsgate]

[He's a bit confused for a moment, since he was actually aiming for "superstitious." But once he figures out what the other man thinks, he gets a mischievous look on his face. Hey, if annoying the paranoid British military dude allows him to not think about uncomfortable topics for a while, he'll do it. This guy hasn't given him a reason not to.]

Oh? My mistake. You seemed much more...experienced.

[secondcomingof]

[ What the hell does experience even mean in this conte



















waitagoddamnedminute. ]

We have diverged considerably from the original discussion.

[ Read: congratulations you have embarrassed the Captain and win the pleasure of seeing him red muttergrumblebloodyidiot. If only because wow that sure reminded him of certain ladies of the evening he visited last night and that's not exactly a comfortable topic either. ]

[wordsgate]

[He's actually completely oblivious as how he managed to pull that off, really. He was just accusing you of being old, so the reaction is not quite what he was expecting. 33's a little young for a mid-life crisis...

He responds with a shrug.]

I find this discussion more interesting!

[secondcomingof]

[ IT WAS A MID-LIFE CRISIS THAT OCCURRED TWELVE TIMES IN A ROW and he is still recovering from the trauma thank you. Shut up. ]

Regardless— [ huffing ] —this isn't a joking matter. Lives are at risk, so you should take care to protect yours.

[wordsgate]

[He does get a little serious at that. His smile fades, and for a brief moment his eyebrows drop down in worry.]

...Only my own life?

[secondcomingof]

We're all in danger. Not just you. [ Tentatively: ] ...some of us more than others.

[wordsgate]

Mm...

[And now he's thinking about his mother again, and the danger she's now in. He's got to get her out of the city somehow.

He takes a deep breath.]

Would it be a security risk to ask for an estimate of how many of us there are?

[secondcomingof]

Several.

[ Also known as more than a few and potentially a lot in addition to yes I know I'm being super helpful right now you're welcome. ]

[wordsgate]

[Okaaaay, a more specific question is obviously needed.]

If our families all suddenly, say, decided to go on an extended vacation...would that be too obvious?

[secondcomingof]

It's hard to say.

[ Translation: probably. ]

[wordsgate]

[Shit.]

But one person leaving wouldn't be too bad, right? It might call attention to me but that'd be fine. As far as I can see nobody that I would be reasonably connected to is involved in this, so...

[secondcomingof]

[ Yup. ]

Do you now understand the gravity of the situation? That this is no game you're involved in?

[wordsgate]

I never thought this was a game. But yes, thanks to everyone answering my questions I understand it a little better.

[secondcomingof]

You're welcome.

[ ...he's actually not usually this much of an asshole, he's just. Seen some shit lately, alright? Give him a break. Or don't. Certainly not expecting one from anyone or anything right about now. ]

[wordsgate]

[Sam might be a little bit more understanding later, when he's not anxious and afraid for the life of his mother. But he is, and he's starting to feel himself run out of what little patience he has left.

He gives the camera a look of tired frustration, then sighs and shuts his camera off.]