002 ♚ Video; Disappearances

[skyhiiigh]

My...apologies. I realize it's quite late. Many of you may be in bed already, as I too should be...There's a serious matter I wished to ask about if you'd take a moment and offer me a little of your time.

[Compared to his usual cheerful self, he seems quite solemn as he sat listlessly in his room. Out of desperation, he was turning to the network.

But that was to be expected, all things considered. This wasn't an easy matter to accept. Of course he should be happy that there was a possibility of Ivan having gone home, but he isn't sure. He's rather worried since there's no way of knowing if something happened to him when there were no signs of a struggle. Based on what he's heard before about a rash of kidnappings in the recent past, he cannot say.]

You see, a friend of mine who was roomed with me in Heropa #26 has recently..disappeared. I called the authorities and called them again, to report him as a missing person but they've seen no sign of him thus far. I realize it's only been two nights but. I looked and I looked, but he never came home from work. He was a cashier at KAWAII!! Imported Japanese Goods.

His name is Ivan Karelin, he's a friend and colleague of mine from Sternbild City. He's blond, and has purple eyes, which I hear is a somewhat unusual trait. He loves Japanese culture, and wears a purple jacket with the word "Japan" inscribed on the back.

[Unfortunately he can't exactly give away any more details than that, especially not concerning his alterego as Origami Cyclone.]

I fear something may have happened. I'm afraid I don't know exactly what happened. If you've seen him, or anyone matching that description, would you let me know? Thank you and thank you again.

Comments

video;

[attainment]

[Naturally, the first thing he did was try to contact Ivan over the network himself, only to find that his ID has been disconnected. Once that's verified, he actually responds to Sky High's message.]

I'm sorry to hear that. [And he really does mean it. He respects Origami, and Barnaby appreciates having reliable heroes from home who similarly view their work as a legitimate profession.]

Going by what I've observed in the past, it appears he's been sent home by the Porter.

video;

[skyhiiigh]

[Well, he certainly hadn't expected Barnaby to respond, but. He was happy he did, honestly. This was going to upset and disturb him more than he might let on, given his normally positive demeanor, so having an answer would indeed put his mind at ease perhaps.

That was Barnaby for you. Thorough and efficient as always.]

May I ask...? How do you tell?

[He honestly wasn't certain how it worked, in that way.]

video;

[attainment]

[It takes some getting used to. There's a lot of information to take in. Barnaby has quite a bit of experience with these matters, though, so he's very patient when he explains.]

If you try messaging him with your communicator, you'll find that he's been disconnected. Generally, this means that he's no longer in this world, and that the Porter has sent him home. It's not always permanent, though.

video;

[earnedmystripes]

[Ah, geez. There'd been so much to tell him and Ivan about when they'd showed up, he'd forgotten to mention this, hadn't he. He hadn't actually expected it to come up so soon, which was a mistake, considering how unpredictable the Porter is.]

Oh, uh. He probably ported out. That's a thing that happens a lot.

video;

[skyhiiigh]

I did not realize, although I am happier if that is the case.

[Keith would have been very upset indeed if something bad had actually happened to Ivan.

He pets John's head lightly, his dog evidently sensing his distress.]

I was just worried and worried again...

video;

[earnedmystripes]

It's rough, the first couple times you go through it. After awhile you just kinda get used to it, though.

[He's just glad that when it's happened to him and Barnaby, it's happened at the same time. He coped with this place alone the first couple months, but he doesn't relish doing so again.]

Wanna have some company? We could have beer and pizza and watch trashy movies.

[ video ]

[dualismum]

It's common for people to disappear thanks to the Porter; they are ported back to their world. You can search for their ID on the network - if it's gone, it's usually assumed they are no longer in this world.


I'm sorry.

[ video ]

[skyhiiigh]

I see...I was not aware of that before. I suppose this is one way I had to find out.

[So its nature was truly unknown, in many ways.]

No, it's alright. Thank you...

[ video ]

[dualismum]

Yeah.... it's one of those things. It's hard to get used to, I imagine.

video

[khajidont]

Well... other people have already told you about the Porter. I'm sorry you had to find outs this way -- it's never easy when the Porter takes someone. But he's your friend from home? Not from here?

video

[skyhiiigh]

Ah. Yes. That's correct. We were colleagues in Sternbild, where I'm from. I would say I considered him a friend.

[Keith is sorry too, but not for himself exactly. He just didn't enjoy losing a friend, even in this capacity. True, he hadn't lost him really since he was back home but. It's hard when you're in one place, and the other person is in another.]

We had Ported in together. It was just unexpected, being so sudden. I understand now that these things happen. Thank you...That's very kind.

Re: video

[khajidont]

No problem. And, I mean, at least that's kind of good news. If you're from the same place, then you'll get to see each other again!

[Unless one of them is dead, which is also the case more often than not. Please don't be dead...!]

[Video]

[monge]

[And just like that, his little heart aches. It's not like Komasan hasn't answered late night videos before, but none of them have ever been so sad. How could he possibly go to sleep after hearing the cries of a distressed golden retriever that?]

Your friend is missing, zura?

[Well...that's sort of obvious, he's not even really sure why he'd ask that.]

D-Did anyone tell you...about how people disappear, zura?

[Video]

[skyhiiigh]

Yes. Not until now, I'm afraid. I must have missed that information somehow.

[Unfortunately that's just the way things are, evidently. Keith was willing to accept it, but it was still kind of a blow.]

[Video]

[monge]

It's very sad, zura... I would've told you if I knew you didn't know, zura...

[Please forgive him.]

Um...I-I'm gonna throw a party soon at my house, i-if you want to come over, zura. That way you don't have to be all alone, zura.

[voice]; ID reads Kaito Kuroba

[tuxedo_magician]

Yeah... it sounds like what everyone else is saying, that the porter sent them home. It happens around here, although there is a chance that they could come back. It's happened to a couple of friends of mine before.

[ In fact, Kaito is the only one of the group that arrived here and hasn't gone home at all. ]

[voice]

[skyhiiigh]

Oh. I see. I was told I shouldn't have false hopes about that.

[Still this is good information to know.]

But, thank you. I don't mind if Ivan was taken home, really. But somehow it's a little bit lonelier.

[fourscores]

I am sorry Keith. Is there anything I can do?

[skyhiiigh]

It's alright, Jhin. I don't mean to trouble you...

[In truth he wouldn't even know what to ask for.]

I saw we have a new roommate. I haven't even greeted him yet. I feel rather rude and rude again.

audio;

[rideme]

Maybe he went to Japan.

[Bull that doesn't help. You're not as funny as you think you are.]

audio;

[skyhiiigh]

He would have told me if he had...

[Sorry Bull. The joke is lost on him.]

video

[monster_san]

Ah... I'm sorry to hear that he's not with you anymore, Mr. Goodman. Are you in a good situation back home, at least?

video

[skyhiiigh]

Yes. As far as I'm aware. Of course there's criminal activity, but that's to be expected. I imagine Ivan will be better off that way.

[Not that he wasn't sad about it but he can come to terms with it logically.]

video;

[valuemeal]

Can't he have been sent home? [ Since apparently randomly pulling in and sending away people is just.. a thing that happens here. Even though it seems pretty weird to do it so randomly to Hyunsoo, but he sure prefers it over thinking of what else could make people mysteriously disappear in a place like this.. ]

I mean, do people disappear here in a lot of other ways than that normally?

[ Half-asking, half-wondering to himself.. because he's a wuss.. ]

video;

[skyhiiigh]

Apparently it has been brought to my attention that he has indeed been sent home.

[Keith was happier knowing that, in the end. It was a far cry better than the alternatives, all things considered.]

I do not know about that. I was simply told that there had been some kidnappings in the past.