video, un: j.k. [post-butterfly effect]

[aeturnus]

[ On the screen is one Cain, also known as Romulus, commonly known in the city as Jacob Kane. He looks normal. Normal as he's ever looked, really, but the confidence that he lacked during the recent event is back in full force and he's very nonchalant about it all. He's at a flimsy-ish table with a laptop off to the side where the camera is obviously his propped up phone instead. ]

Hey! Long-time no talk, Riverview Quarantine. Just a few things. If you met me over the last week and a half or so, that was... technically me but not. You know that thing that was going on? Yeah, that. Don't worry about it. Forget about all that.

Quick catch-up for those who have (or haven't!) met me, I go by Jacob Kane nowadays. [ Not Romulus. Nope. This total 180 is completely normal considering he hardly looks any older or different at all. ] My job while I'm here is designing phone apps. I've been here for about two months now and I think this is my first actual post on the network. Anything interesting happen while I wasn't looking?

to Doom; Still good for lessons?

to Shai; Thank you. For everything you did.

to Natsume; Seen anything like our colorful friend lately?

Comments

[scholiast]

(Har har.) Okay, you got me there. It was a very different Cain experience, that's all.

(Oh, she totally gets that it was more... subservient than politeness, but it's an awkward topic to try and bring up, okay.)

[aeturnus]

Yeah, I was only twenty back then.

[ Which sounds fairly benign to those listening. Not so much to those who know the truth of it. ]

I'm not too keen to linger on the past. How was your... experience?

[scholiast]

Oh. Aw.

(He did seem fairly young.)

It was positive. We had a nice chat.

[aeturnus]

Yeah, cute and tiny and all that.

[ Scared out of his mind, on the perpetual brink of a nervous breakdown. You know. Young. ]

Right, it went pretty well. And the rest of that whole—change?

[scholiast]

(She taps her fingers thoughtfully on the desk, unsure of how much to divulge. She'd found aspects of his younger self quite sad, but- well, there's nothing that can be done about it now, of course, so.

She wrinkles her nose at him.)

Are you talking about me? I was... old. I don't know.

[aeturnus]

[ Yeah, his past is tragic. He's moved on. Hopefully everyone else does, too. He just doesn't feel like dealing with it anymore, nor does he feel like he should have to. ]

So you actually went... forward?

[scholiast]

Yes. I finally looked my age.

(She smiles ruefully.) I don't remember anything else outside of that, though.

[aeturnus]

Ha. Guess that's true. Actually, same for me.

[ Weird! They caught up with themselves by going the opposite directions. ]

What do you mean?

[scholiast]

(She sniggers.)

Well, I can't remember anything about myself that far ahead in the future. (She's a bit gutted about it, actually.)

[aeturnus]

Huh... like the memories went back with it?

[scholiast]

Yeah, like...

(She gestures uselessly with her hands, brow furrowed.)

I suppose the chalice took the memories back with it.

[aeturnus]

Well, not like they belonged here. [ Much as it sucks, knowing the future is probably worse. ] Doing okay with that?

[scholiast]

I...

(She sighs, and shakes her head.) I don't know. I feel like something... happened. But I'm not sure what.

[aeturnus]

Like something on the tip of your brain?

[ He has moments like that. Not of things from the future, but memories that have come and gone by virtue of how old they are. It's why he started writing journals. ]

[scholiast]

Maybe...

(It's clearly frustrating for her: she's chewing her lower lip, scowling at something off-screen. In all honesty, she thinks it might just be connected with the way that Taako has been acting intermittently towards her ever since she got here. Strange and secretive. She doesn't like it.

Lucretia gives her head a little shake to clear it.)

Sorry, it's... it's really not important. It's good that everything is back to normal.

[aeturnus]

Not important, but frustrating. I get it.

[ He shifts, hand raising to wave it off. ]

How's everything else been?

[scholiast]

(She's grateful.)

Well. Taako has been introducing me to all of his friends. Yourself?

[aeturnus]

Yeah? He got a lot of those?

[ He doesn't know Taako that well but the guy seems friendly enough. ]

Just getting caught back up on all the things I missed. I was pretty cut off from things.

[scholiast]

Yes. I know one of them is the boyfriend but I can't figure it out. He's flirty with everybody.

(Don't get her wrong: her tone is very fond.)

Yeah, of course. It must be good to be back.

[aeturnus]

[ He laughs, just a quick bark. ] Well, that's a problem. Thought of just asking?

[ Oh no, he gets it. Still a strange issue to have. ]

Definitely. I much prefer me now.

[scholiast]

I've tried, but he's being mysterious about it on purpose, I think.

(Probably just hoping she'll make another wrong assumption again, the big jerk.)

Well, I prefer me now too, so. Cheers to that.

[aeturnus]

What about asking the friends?

[ Well, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Or however the saying goes. ]

Absolutely. Always good to live in the moment... to an extent.

[scholiast]

Yeah, I... I don't think so.

(She's too nervous to skin the cat either way, Cain. Nice try tho.)

What do you mean, to an extent?

[aeturnus]

Then may you ever live in wonder.

[ He's just gonna shrug, not interested in forcing her. Maybe another day. ]

Well, if you don't look forward or forget what you came from... that's pointless.

[scholiast]

That may be exactly what happens.

(She's not entirely gutted about that, though, as she's nervous to meet Taako's boyfriend.)

Oh. Yes, well. (She smiles wryly.) You're quite wise when you want to be, Cain.