VIDEO

[khajidont]

[Look at who's back! Jaime adjusts the angle a little before appearing on camera. He hasn't been gone long enough to age any more than he has living in Heropa, which means that the only tangible change is that he's looking awfully tired... but that could just as easily be because he's facing finals back home. Either way, he's offering the screen a little smile.]

Hey, everyone. I'm back... and it looks like I've missed Thanksgiving too. Which means it's a good time to say thank you. I, um, saw that post that Wally made once I went missing, and you guys said a lot of nice things. So thank you, it meant a lot to me, and I'll have to do my best to live up to all that. I'm thankful for you guys too, y'know?

[Like Wally predicted, he definitely cried. A lot. It was a mess. He coughs into one hand, looking slightly embarrassed for having had to openly confront all those nice things, so he's quick to move on.]

Anyway, does anyone else here think we hafta just stop trying to keep track of our age when we keep getting Ported in and out like that? 'Cause I dunno about you, but I have no idea how old I'm supposed to be anymore. I'm just graduating grade 11 back home, but here, I'm taking college classes.

I say we give it up and I can just start going by twenty-one.

[ SENT AS A TEXT MESSAGE TO ALL HIS CLOSE CR PRIOR TO THIS POST: ]

I'm back now. Sorry I took so long.

[ ooc: to anyone who wants to thread out returns or anything else, please hit me up and I'll write a starter for us at my open log! Or you can drop a starter there yourselves -- either one works! ]

Comments

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[quaerit]

Perhaps you're as old as you feel. Though I'm not sure the owners of any local drinking establishments would subscribe to that notion, if that's what you're after.

[ He's smiling. It's a bright smile, which is to say it's not remotely real. But he's good at behaving like it is. ]

I am sorry, though. I'd hoped you had managed to escape, but it seems that was premature. Despite that, it is good to see you again, Jaime.

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[khajidont]

Hey, I'm an imPort. I could just be from a place where they age slower.

[He smiles back, a little lift to the corner of his mouth.]

But you don't have to say sorry to me for something like that. I want to go home eventually, but... not yet. We still got too much to do here. [He looks at the screen a little curiously.] I guess you're ready to leave whenever you get the chance, huh?

text; comm tag is "Tadashi"

[tadeadshi]

[He'd gotten Jaime's card, went over since Jaime's a quieter friend and that's about what he can handle right now, but no one came he wasn't there.

This would be the answer to that then.]

I agree, at this point I'd ask how old do you feel and go with that.

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[khajidont]

[HORRIBLE SQUAWKING NOISE]

Tadashi! Wait, that is you, right? Not just some jerk using your name?

[Yeah, that's all Tadashi's getting WHERE IS HIS HUG]

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[infomodder]

It's an individual thing, I think. Your choice what age you are. Or say you are. Or if you give up and just say you're in your early forties.

[oh wait empathy wow]

...twenties, as the case may be.

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[khajidont]

You can stay in your early 40s for the next ten years, Will, and I won't judge. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to swing anything past 25, though.

[jaime you look like a teenager stop that]

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[youbastard]

Welcome back. It's a shame you missed Thanksgiving but at least you came back to something very nice like that. [ She gives him a smile. ] I'm not sure about the age thing. I guess nobody can stop you if you want to pick that one.

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[khajidont]

Just means I'd be legal pretty much everywhere. I could buy my own booze! You know, if I wanted to.

But... thanks. I'm happy to see you're still around too.

[video]

[timecapture]

Wait, you disappeared after we volunteered together on Thanksgiving?

[She knew he'd been gone, but not that fast. Wowser.]

Are you alright?

[video]

[khajidont]

Yeah, it always goes pretty quick. One second you're here, the next... poof.

[She gets something of a puzzled look at her next question.]

I'm fine. Why d'you ask?

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[pobrecisco]

Hey, uh, welcome back?

I was only Ported out for like a day, and I don't remember anything new from home, so I don't know if that actually changes how old I'm supposed to be. But hey, I say go with how old you feel, but maybe don't argue the case with, like, a bouncer at bar.

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[khajidont]

Hey, if I can't use my age to my advantage, there's no point in changing it up.

[LIKE JAIME WOULD EVER DRINK ANYWAY]

...wait a second, you ported out for a day, and you didn't remember anything from home? What's the point in that?

[It's another weird pattern anomaly to add to his chart.]

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[hoboagogo]

Here I thought you'd take another month off, and I wouldn't have to get you a christmas gift.

As for the age thing: hell if I know. Just make it up as you go. Not like anyone's gonna argue if you're an imPort.

[a beat.]

Good to see you back, man.

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[khajidont]

[shinji what the hell man DON'T JINX HIM. HE DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE A MONTH OFF.

He raises a brow at Shinji.]

Too bad for you. Better start Christmas shopping now; I got you a really good one last year.

[...if you count cooking supplies to be a great gift.]

But thanks. I'm glad I came back as soon as I did.

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[deadkord]

Glad to see you're back. We're not in the awkward position where you've forgotten the time you met me that I forgot, are we? Because I think there's only so much we can push that before it's ridiculous.

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[khajidont]

[For a second, Jaime stares at Ted just a little too long, almost a little startled. It could be played off that it's still a pleasant surprise to have Ted talking to him, but really, it's because the last time he saw the guy, he was a zombie.

Wow. That is weird.]

Oh, uh -- no. No, I think we've got it set this time. I remember both times I met you.

[Three times. Does it count if it's his reanimated corpse?]

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[attainment]

I agree that tracking our biological age here is too troublesome. For the most part, I've stopped bothering with it.

[A polite smile.]

In any case, welcome back.

Re: video;

[khajidont]

You know, I wasn't actually expecting all that many people to agree with me. I think I got a good point, though. None of our timelines seem to match up at all.

...and thank you. I'm glad I wound up coming back after all.

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[rathercommon]

[ Kitty's eyes are filled with emotion. She smiles. ]

Well. This is good.

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[khajidont]

[Maybe he looks tired, but for Kitty, he has a genuine smile. Despite everything, he's glad to see her.]

I'm glad you think so too. I'm sure happy that me getting ported out wasn't permanent.

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[givetheslip]

It's about time. You worried people, you know. Don't do it again.

[Not her. She's ttly getting huffy on behalf of others. For real.]

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[khajidont]

[Aww. Awww. Jaime's expression is a distinctly soft one.]

Sorry I worried you, Maria. I promise I'll try not to do it again, but I didn't have much of a choice this time round either.

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[kanadian]

[ He probably texted back. All excited about you know. Jaime being back.

But you know, he'll pop in here too. ]

And you missed the food too.

Not that it's more important than, you know, how much everyone cares about you. We sure had a...hole. While you were gone.

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[khajidont]

I did miss the food. Probably not a bad thing, 'cause I forgot to make plans anyway.

[Also, he has no idea how to cook a turkey. His expression softens a little at Kaidan's admission of missing him -- or of everyone missing him, but a part of Kaidan must be talking about himself too.]

Yeah. I know how that is. And not that it makes things much better, but I missed everyone too, just... after I came back. Even if that doesn't really make much sense.

[beneathbluerafters]

Oh, good, you're back. You took too long. [ He says it as if Jaime just got distracted at the grocery store or something, rather than disappearing entirely. ]

As to your question, age is relative. It only matters to the people who want to keep you from doing things.

[khajidont]

Hey, I didn't mean to take so long!

[Oh, Klarion.

Now Jaime just remembers fighting him on Halloween, which is a lot more awkward after he's already befriended him and gone shopping with him and gone to the movies. They're pals.

And kind of enemies.

It's like Batman and Catwoman, but with more candy and less smooching.]

How old do you call yourself, then?

[resipiscent]

[He's not sure he's exactly the face Jaime would want to see to welcome him back, so today he's going to stick to text. Maybe Sora's right in calling him shy.]

Seems you kept some people waiting. I think they'll be pleased to see you.

[khajidont]

Plenty of people kept me waiting before. I guess it was just time for me to return the favour

[AH, RIKU... DID MINATO TALK TO YOU YET...

He can't ask. That's too awkward.]

I hope you kept Minato company while I was gone. I feel bad inviting him to come live with me and then disappearing for a week

encrypted

[boobwindow]

[ It's always a complicated feeling when people are brought back into a world they can't willingly leave, but she is glad to see him again. ]

Hiya, Jaime. Welcome back.

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[khajidont]

Hi, Karen. [For Karen, he's got a smile.]

Thanks. Nobody seems to believe me when I say it, but I'm glad to be back.

Permavid

[governorkang]

Don't see why you can't pick your own age. I picked my own hatching day.

[He pauses, thinking.]

I wonder, sometimes, how they decide for those of us that don't age at the same rate as humans. My mate would land someone in the hospital if she was told she couldn't drink.

[khajidont]

Wait, does that mean that you guys just age super-fast? Are you actually only, like, fifteen or something?

[That's a weird thought. Kang certainly looks like an older guy, but it's not like Jaime can judge.]

[inmyothertights]

I try not to think about those details.

[khajidont]

Not a huge fan of the whole thought exercise?

[aggressiveapathy]

Eternal twenty one. It's a plan.

[khajidont]

If you don't tell, I won't. Even if we're here 'til we're ninety, we can just tell people that it counts as twenty-one on our home planets.

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[stealwithit]

Wait, can I say I'm twenty-one, too? Is that how this works?

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[khajidont]

Kasumi, nobody can tell what age you are anyway. I don't think I've ever even seen your eyes.

text; comm tag is "Hiro"

[microbrobotics]

jaime! youre back!

text; private

[khajidont]

[He just switches it to private straightaway. No talking feelings in public!]

Sure am, and I'm glad to be back. I'd ask how you've been doing but I already saw that Tadashi's finally back again

You must be so relieved

[earnedmystripes]

If I ever run into that problem, I think I'm just gonna go with 'old.'

[Man. He's going to be forty in a year. That's so bizarre. Anyway, more important things. He's never sure if 'welcome back' is appropriate, so...]

It's good to see you again.

[Even if they haven't talked all that much in awhile. He meant what he said in the network post; this world is a better place for Jaime being part of it.]

[khajidont]

Or you could just lie and say you're twenty. Win-win.

[Who's going to argue with an imPort?]

Anyway... thanks. It's good to be back.