001; video;

[letoldthingsdie]

[As Kylo Ren (if that name could even be considered separate from him at all) he had never used the network. He hadn't bothered really talking to people other than the occasional response. He kept to himself. Perhaps if he had made an effort someone besides Rey might have cared when he disappeared a few days ago.

When he had left it hadn't been during Sanguis. Now that he was back, he was sitting in Rey's apartment - her plants hanging up and sitting in pots in the background. He had questions that needed answers.]

I haven't introduced myself before, though some of you I've spoken to may know me as Kylo Ren. Those who I've met can continue to address me by that name, though I'd prefer to go by Ben Solo. For those who I've yet to meet I can't say I'm terribly sorry for being so antisocial.

[There's a hint of a smile, just the subtle curl of his lips at the edges.]

I'm sure I'm not the first, but has anyone here been able to experience being sent away because of a lack of Chroma being generated? I feel as if I've come back differently, in some ways.

[He won't go into detail, but he's remembered things he didn't know before. For him a year has passed and now his scar is gone. He has experienced death. Part of him is still trying to process it all, how he spent nearly a year here and just like that he had returned home - or what he thinks is home. He's not entirely sure he can trust it. The memories changed him, though.

While his clothes were still the same black as usual, he looked and felt more at ease. His posture had become less tense. For all intents and purposes he was different but still the same.]

Private Message: Finn

Rey isn't here. I can't feel her anymore. Did she speak with you at all before she disappeared?

[He's hoping it's the same as his situation. He needed her to be back so that they could sort out a few things. It was also good that Finn was here too. He could ]

Comments

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[therewillbeorder]

So you're back as well.

text;

[letoldthingsdie]

I didn't even realize you left. Interesting.

[Nor did he care but Hux didn't care he left either so that was definitely mutual.]

Did you learn anything interesting?

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[therewillbeorder]

Interesting would be an understatment.

How much time passed for you in our galaxy?

private text;

[hatejakku]

[ What the hell is going on here? Why did he look like that? What did he mean by Ben Solo?

Finn's familiar with people vanishing and sometimes coming back, sometimes very different. This, though. He never expected something like this... ]

No, not anything out of the ordinary. She left not long after you.

[ He'd been telling himself that he was just thankful he got to see her at all. ]

private text;

[letoldthingsdie]

She could come back as I did. It's Sanguis already so I'm going to assume it hasn't been more than a few days since she disappeared?

[Right to business it is, then. He's much happier with that. If Finn started asking questions about the name he might have to actually be honest about it.]

We've been here almost a year but haven't experienced anything like this.

private text;

[hatejakku]

It was rare where I was before but it happened. I'm guessing you were home for a lot longer than you were gone?

Considering the name change anyway

[ haha of course he's going to mention it

Finn has no idea how he feels about this. Suspicion, certainly. But is he happy that Kylo-Ben appears to have renounced the dark side? Or is he angry that it took this long?

Or just angry that he's taking up the name Solo again- Probably just angry, in general. ]

[Text, UN: bardic_uncertainty]

[have_hat_will_travel]

Well, thank you for confirming that a lack of Chroma making me feel like I'm starving when I don't normally hunger has potentially horrific consequences, at least for someone like me for whom going home's a death sentence.

[letoldthingsdie]

Glad I could be a source of knowledge, then. Chroma shouldn't be allowing you to go without food, if that was your understanding. It's currency, nothing more.

[have_hat_will_travel]

While true, if I don't generate any of it, I start hungering, which normally does not happen for me. The not hungering default comes with what I am... The suddenly hungering, though. It's sort of terrifying.

It is good to meet you, by the why. I am Pidonus. My story runs long and I'd rather tell others most of the time.

video;

[cadeuces]

( The woman on screen is clearly in some professional function, with her white lab coat and the relatively sterile-but-decorated setting behind her done in ivories and golds; the Second Nature clinic if he's ever been along the beach in level 2 and has seen it. But she's in a sweater beneath the coat, coffee in hand as she begins her reply. )

It's a pleasure to meet you now then, Ben. I'm Angela; I can't say I've been removed from this place myself, but having been of the first group to arrive, I've seen... quite a lot of people disappear, and some having reappeared, with memories of time having passed back home or no memories of this place whatsoever. I don't believe the reasoning is ever quite known. Were you told as such by the Scientiae? That it was for lack of chroma? And you've not crystallized or anything, have you...?

[letoldthingsdie]

It wasn't so much as I was informed about it, but I could feel it waning no matter what I did.

[He was just glad he hadn't crystallized, that he can recall. Now that he was back it was with a head full of questions. Thankfully she seems to be willing to speculate and confirm that he's not the only one who experienced this.]

The next thing I knew I was home - though I can't say for sure if that was a trick or not. I woke up again here, feeling as if a greater period of time had passed there than it has here.

[He still felt out of sorts and was happy for the distraction. He's never seen her before but he recognizes the clinic. It isn't far from Rey's residence, also not far from the beach.]

Your guess is as good as mine as to the reasons why it happens and why I didn't crystallize. I just assumed there were others who knew more than I did on the subject.

[cadeuces]

I see; how long was it you were here before you'd disappeared? There are some here who went through chroma particularly quickly as well, under the Cordis moon. They had to moonlace far more frequently. Unless you just didn't participate in it much, regardless...? You don't have to answer if that's a bit intrusive, but it is something to think about.

But those who have gone and returned with their memories have often experienced quite a stretch of time "back home", for them. I don't think I would call it a trick when it's been quite normal. But it's also just as likely that the act of "travel" can lose memory of either place. Sometimes people return home, then are summoned back here, and have no recollection of having been here before. Timespace is... a very tricky science, and one that is very shallowly understood, at that.

( But it's good he hadn't crystallized; she just hopes he has ties in this place so it wouldn't happen again, tempting that fate by avoiding the moonlacing. But yes, without a doubt, she is happy to speculate and offer what information she has on the matter with him, if he's worried. Her demeanor in general is quite gentle, her interest mild and tone friendly for the perfect storm of "happy to help". She shifts in her seat, likely crossing one leg over the other. )

I would imagine even things as simple as walking through a crowd and bumping into another Moonblessed here would have been enough to keep you from sinking below the threshold, even if you didn't particularly spend time with any partners. But I'm very glad to hear you'd avoided it all the same. It isn't pleasant. Everyone's experiences in this place are quite different, so I wouldn't necessarily say there's any authority. Just similar situations that may offer another facet.

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[doingtalking]

[ Sorry, what did you say? She's a little stuck on that particular point; given. Well. Everything. Kylo Ren. The First Order.
Her sister... ]

You're Kylo Ren?

[letoldthingsdie]

[The way she says it - he can hazard a guess either she knows Finn and has heard of him that way or she's one of his mother's people. He might take a stab in the dark and guess it's the latter. Finn undoubtedly didn't care enough to talk about him with other people.]

One in the same.

[He shrugs, preparing himself for whatever she has to say.]

[doingtalking]

I see. [ She swallows; Rose has never thought she'd be speaking with him, but here we are. He doesn't look (or seem) like someone who could command an army - he's a lot younger looking than she'd expected.

He's hardly what she would've expected, but it's not the forefront of her mind: not like the fresh anger and grief.

As she speaks, Rose clasps her medallion. ]

Is that all you've got to say? After everything...

text; un: idontknow

[huaisang]

Lack of chroma can have funny effects, what were you like before leaving?

[letoldthingsdie]

As far from a good person as one might get. I don't think leaving makes me any better than I was but the amount of time that's passed is taking some getting used to. It was a year there and a few days here.

[huaisang]

Are you a criminal? A runaway fugitive? Are you dangerous?

voice; un: daisy

[hearstheblood]

They say I went into stasis for most of last month, and my chroma was running low before that. I haven't seen any changes since I woke up.

[letoldthingsdie]

Maybe it's just different for everyone? I feel like I'm trying to puzzle it all out without having all of the pieces. If they're able to send us back, why is no one else finding out how? That's why I'm still half convinced it wasn't even real. It felt real.

[If it was real, then that was honestly the worst thing about coming back. He had nowhere to go back to and his family were just gone.]

[video]

[zohvin]

[Zohvin has heard one of those names before, though he hadn't been told anything more beyond that Kylo was a Force user. That was all the more reason to say hi - and to see if he couldn't glean a few more details.]

You're lucky to have returned, you know. Most moonblessed that vanish don't come back.

I can't say that I've seen any rhyme or reason to why those disappearances happen. I've known people with perfectly steady sources of Chroma that simply weren't there the next day. The Lunatians will tell you that it's down to the whim of their gods, if you consider that theory useful at all.

[letoldthingsdie]

[Most moonblessed who vanish don't come back. That gave him pause. With Rey not being here, that had been his exact worry. Hux had disappeared for a time too. He frowns, thinking on it.]

No one really explained it to me. I know when I came back my injuries from the time I spent away were healed and I was sent on my way back here from Iris. Other than that I've just been trying to piece together the reasoning. If it's their gods, then I suppose there really isn't a reason.

[He runs a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face.]

Where I come from we don't have so much as a god as we have what's called the Force.

[He, of course, has no idea that this man can use it too, that he's familiar with it. Were they closer in proximity he would be able to sense it.]

There are different planets with cultures that have their own gods, but essentially the Force is what we all had in common, I think.]

[zohvin]

Whether it's down to inattentive gods or an overabundant source of power might not matter in the long run. What happens to us is unpredictable either way.

[Zohvin settles back into his office chair, looking mildly amused. This is the second time someone's tried to explained the Force to him - he can't imagine how often they must have to explain themselves to the locals or other moonblessed.]

Oh, I'm familiar with the concept. We may be from the same galaxy, if not the same era. I've ran into that little wrinkle before.

video | un: druidic

[arrowroot]

[Oh, these things do moving images as well! Fascinating! And they're not holographic, either.

Moments when Ana wishes she was an Asura so she could fully appriciate the intracacies of this place and what they've managed to do with tech.

But she's not, she's human and she has other things she's curious about.

Apologies for the too-close view of her bright green eye in the first few seconds before she finally realizes she needs to sit back.]

That seems a bit-- [a mumble of "oh, sorry" and she readjusts the camera] That seems a bit counter productive to this place though, doesn't it? I would imagine if they're in a constant deficit any chroma is good chroma and sending someone away for lacking wouldn't be helpful at all.

[A shrug as she tucks some hair away from her face.]

I am new, though, so I could be way off.

[letoldthingsdie]

[There's a small twitch of his mouth that was almost going to be a smile while she adjusts to the camera. He was always a little entertained by how little people here understood technology and wondered how they had come to adapt to functioning in this place that was so abundant with it.]

I don't think it's anything intentional on their part. If we run out of chroma we crystallize so in a way its a safe measure to prevent it, I think.

[He nods, contemplating. She has his sympathies honestly. This place took him a long time to adjust and even nearly a year later he's only just now using the network for the first time. He'd never cared to before.]

How long have you been here?