VIDEO

[khajidont]

[ Good evening, Mask or Menace! Jaime's back, and while he doesn't look any older, he certainly looks tired and a little sour to boot, like someone just fed him a nintendo switch cartridge real bitter pill. It was a long month. ]

So, um... hey! I'm back. That was definitely the longest I've been ported out for, but I gotta ask: what happened while I was gone? Because I got back, and all of a sudden, like, half of the people I know are gone. Dick's gone, Tadashi's gone again, Fuu's gone, Sarissa's gone, so's my Mom...

Was this just the Porter, or what?

[ It probably is - people tend to leave in waves - but it's left him feeling a little shellshocked, and it's worth searching for answers at the very least. He raises a hand to rub at the back of his neck, playing a little with the hair at the nape. ]

Um, anyway. Good to see you guys who are still here. And for all the newbies, I'm Jaime. Nice to meet you.

Comments

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[incogneto]

I don't know, I like to think your mother ported out looking for you.

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[khajidont]

Heh. If anyone could manage it, it'd probably be her.

It's probably better she's back at home anyway. I just could have used, like... another week or something, y'know?

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[am_i_a_monster]

[Abigail gives a sympathetic look.]

I'm sorry you're missing people, especially your mom.

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[khajidont]

Thanks. It happens. I mean, I'm pretty used to it by now, and they - most of them are probably better off at home anyway, but it's like going on vacation and coming back to see that everyone's suddenly moved away, y'know?

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[snarkbot]

While it doesn't appear your return was a happy one for you, it's good to see you, sir.

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[khajidont]

Oh. Hey, Skeets. Good to see you're still around, and -- and we should probably talk, actually, 'cause it has been a day. Where are you from, time-wise?

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[fridgeflower]

[ Relief and concern, all in one, right here pal. ]

February's just a cruddy month, I guess. March is looking up, though.

Knock on wood.

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[khajidont]

[ Jaime actually leans over to knock on his desk, because screw it, he's not taking any chances here. ]

Knock on wood, [ he echoes. ] I'm, um, glad to see you're still here. Was February a cruddy month in more ways than one, or was it just the whole imPort exodus thing?

[deadkord]

That's quite the list. But hey, a number of us thought you were gone for good, and here you are.

[ The fact that he's trying to be reassuring instead of cracking a joke is a sure sign that he's super relieved to see Jaime, because it's not like he can just say that he missed him. ]

[khajidont]

Here I am.

[ He's glad that he had a moment to compose himself, because -- what does he say, exactly?

Hey Ted, good to see you. I fought you as a zombie, and Booster had, like, a mini breakdown. Then Max came back, and he's obviously just as evil as you told us he was, except last time, you probably had a decent chance at taking him down yourself, and you sure didn't involve any civilians, but our whole team is like, super incompetent, and nothing's gone right, and even though you died to save us from Max, he just straight up killed a thousand people. Still happy to see me?

Awkward. ]

I was, um, really glad to see your name still on the network too, Ted.

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[tacticianing]

I'm sorry that happened.

[He wishes he could find more to say than that, but what is there to say?]

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[khajidont]

Thanks, Kidou. It happens, but hey, still sucks. How you've been doing this month, anyway? It's been a while.

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[h2no]

[this video is fairly emotionally heavy, it seems. anyways:] There's a guy called Dick?!

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[khajidont]

Yeah. It's a name. My friend's name. Dude, keep up.

[earnedmystripes]

Damn, that really sucks.

[khajidont]

I mean, it's not that anyone who's been here long as I have isn't used to it by now, but... it's weird coming back to it, is all.

[quemar]

[ruh roh :(]

You need anything, the door's still open, even without your mom here.

Door. Not window.

[khajidont]

Hey, so long as it's not a Reyes household anymore, I'm honor bound to use the door.

[ He hasn't realized that they're both Reyeses quite yet. ]I might come over later today, actually. I should pick up some of her stuff before the government nabs it. Is that okay?

[akito]

It's always really depressing when you make a list of all the people who you care about that are gone now. But then it would also be depressing not to remember them, ne?

So no matter what, it kind of sucks a lot.

[khajidont]

Well, yeah.

Not a great takeaway from all this overall, to be honest. I'd prefer things not to suck.

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[dejerate]

Your mum, huh? I haven't seen mine in years.

[Still, Yuu doesn't need to dwell on his own parental situation.]

But ah, as for what you missed? Depending on how long you were back home, there was the perfume thing.....that was weird.

Re: video;

[khajidont]

Yeah. She was here for a few months after me being stuck here for like, a year and a half, but... well. [ He shrugs. ] I'll get to see her back home again. It would've been nice to see her one more time, is all.

[ Especially after he'd lost the opportunity to do so back home - man, after this whole mess with Max is over, he's taking a break from this superhero bullshit and just spending time with his family. ]


So? What happened with the whole perfume thing?

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[darkpants_warmfeeling]

Damn, Jaime. That's a long list. I'm sorry to hear it- especially about your Mom.

[He'd liked Bianca, even if they'd only really spoken at Thanksgiving.]

Is there anything I can do to help?

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[khajidont]

I appreciate the thought, but I'm pretty sure the only way to get over this kind of stuff is just to suck it up, [ Jaime says with a wry little smile, not entirely genuine, but it's not entirely false either. ] You've been here long enough to know how that one goes. If there's nothing we can do about it yet, then that's that, y'know?

[video]

[timecapture]

Hey, Jaime. I missed you!

Re: [video]

[khajidont]

[ Okay, Max gets a little smile. ]

Hey, Max. I promise I would've missed you too, if I'd remembered you. How've you been? It feels like it's been forever.

[aggressiveapathy]

Need a drink?

[khajidont]

I - yes, a little bit? [ He huffs out a little laugh. ] I'm mostly joking.

[ (He could probably legitimately use a drink right now.) ]

That does seem to be most people's go-to for this kind of stuff, though.

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[pummelgranite]

Sorry about your mom. She seemed cool.

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[khajidont]

Thanks.

She is. I'm pretty sure I haven't met anyone who hasn't liked her. But it's probably better for her to be at home anyway. Less kindapping and murder goes on directly around us there.

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

I'm sorry your friends aren't here anymore. The Porter always does this.

How are you?

[ Video ]

[khajidont]

I've, uh... been better, honestly? [ He has to laugh at himself for that one, if not a little self-deprecatingly so. This number of disappearances isn't the worst he's weathered, but that was not a fun trip back home... for a number of reasons that he can't actually talk about. ]

How about you? I've heard that February was actually pretty dang quiet, for what it's worth.

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[aboveand]

I'm sorry to hear that you lost your friends. And especially your mom.

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[khajidont]

Thanks, man. It sucks, but... at least I'll see her back home. How about you, how've you been since the whole, uh, blackout thing?

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[storyseeker]

And here I thought I was finally rid of you.

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[khajidont]

Nah, you guys aren't that lucky. I'm just one of those people who keeps on coming back here, no matter how hard I try to leave!

[beneathbluerafters]

... I didn't realize your mother had left. My sympathies.

[khajidont]

Thanks, Klarion. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed yet. Didn't she lecture you a couple times?

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[aojona]

I'm sorry to hear about your mom. [ A beat. ] How was it going back?

VIDEO.

[khajidont]

Honestly? Kind of tiring.

[ It wasn't a good time. ]

Thanks for the thought, though. Uh... I wasn't going to mention it, but was it you who gave my room a paint job? Last I remember, I didn't do quiiiiite this much decorating.

voice; slams this down here

[sassguard]

For what it's worth, we're still here. [ That's him and Kaidan, that is. ]

Good to see you back.

[ Though he can't offer much comfort with the rest of that, he figures ... Jaime knows the score, he doesn't need more apologies. His appearance, however, is something to note. ]

Rough trip back?

voice; HEY YOU

[khajidont]

And I was really glad to see it, I swear.

[ And as for a rough trip? He has to laugh, but the sound's a little hoarse, a little tired. ]

Man, you have no idea.