[video]

[lightinside]

[The smile that Laurel gives to the camera is not as bright as it usually is, but it's still friendly and warm.]

I'm curious about something - has anyone here ever recorded a message for themselves? You know, in case you get sent back home and forget your time in this world. There might be things you want to remember. People you would want to have memories of.

[A brief pause.]

I've been around for over two years now and a lot has happened in that time. Good, bad and in-between. I think I would want to have some kind of record, even if it's just a short video. [She's been taking notes, but only for personal research in setting up a business.]

Anyway. Thanks for taking the time to listen to me. I'm interested to hear what you all have to say about this.

Comments

video;

[smugler]

[ Well, hello, beautiful lady. ]

No, but I'm really starting to wish past-slash-future me had met some kind of notes on who everyone he knows is, because apparently he knew a lot of people.

video;

[lightinside]

I'm sure notes would have been useful.

[ She gives him a friendly smile. ]

What exactly happened to you? Can you expand upon your situation?

[smugler]

Apparently I was here before, but that was fourteen years into my future, so of course it hasn't happened for me yet.

[eloquentness]

I've considered it once or twice - not just for myself, but also for those I've left behind.

[ Kind of like a video will, now that she's really thinking about it. ]

We've made a lot of friends during our time here. Even if our usernames disappear, they'll still have our voicemails and video records, you know?

[lightinside]

I know. [ Laurel says with a nod, offering Iris a smile. ] Even pictures. I'm glad that they'll have some kind of memento - it's a comfort.

[ She can make her peace with that. ]

Maybe I could keep a diary or something. Leave it in a safe place and have instructions somewhere for me to find it upon my return.

[eloquentness]

That could work. What about putting it in one of the bank boxes? You don't necessarily need it to be valuable in the monetary sense, and you could put me or Major down as "next of kin," so to speak.

video;

[romancekiller]

You know— I've never really thought about that before but I do think it's a good idea.

video;

[lightinside]

Thanks, I'm glad to hear it. [ She gives her a smile. ] Who knows? Maybe I will start a trend.

Have we met before?

video;

[romancekiller]

Yeah, maybe— I know I would definitely want to know especially since I've made friends here too.

Ah— no, we haven't met before though. My name is Clarke Griffin.

video

[girlybruiser]

[ The idea of being confined to this world for two years is a daunting prospect and it shows in how Haru's brows curve downwards in deep thought. ]

A message... what a clever idea, to be honest. My only question is how would we discover the video if we were to return without our memories? A storage?

video

[lightinside]

That's a very good question. [ Laurel says with a smile, glad that someone has decided to ask it. ]

I would leave instructions with people I trusted here to direct me to the place where I kept the recordings. Hopefully that would be a good start.

video

[girlybruiser]

That's good to hear you have people like that here. I do, too. I think... I may do something similar.

video

[am_i_a_monster]

You mean in case you come back and can't remember anyone? I hadn't thought about it before. I will now. The friends I've made here are my family now.

[She glances at her cats, playing in the background and then back to the video.]

Maybe I'd make some kind of a will too. Make sure my cats are okay.

video

[lightinside]

Exactly. If I formed close relationships with people here, I'd want to remember them.

[She would consider some individuals as family.]

A will? I guess if you'd like to keep your cats safe, it's a good idea. [A beat.] How long have you been here for?

video

[am_i_a_monster]

I've been here over a year. It'll be two years in September.

video;

[reexamined]

Yes. I've made several, and update them every 6 weeks.

video;

[lightinside]

Have you found them to be useful?

video;

[reexamined]

Very.

I have never been 'ported out,' but I have lost my memory once. I needed to reboot from old storage drives. Watching a summary video I set out for myself would have helped, but I hadn't made them at the time. Now I do it, in case it happens again.

Voice

[liverletdie]

I record one periodically just to make sure my assets aren't lost, in case I get ported out.

About once every few months, or so.

Voice

[lightinside]

That's a smart idea. What kind of assets are you protecting then?

Voice

[liverletdie]

Oh, my business, my holdings, my stock and controlling interests in my corporation... As well as my secret holdouts and labs.

No need for any future mes to be lost in the dark, when they arrive.

video »

[perfectible]

That actually seems like a good idea. It would be an interesting thing, to have a database or video library or something. To be able to give people if they showed up again.

video »

[lightinside]

Ooh, now I haven't thought of that. If people were willing to put their videos in a database, I guess it would be a good idea. You could make it searchable, or in some kind of order.

I'd need help with it.

voice;

[shutterbugged]

...You know, as long as I've been here, I've never even thought about it? When I first got ported in--that I can remember--I had a few people, total strangers, tell me that they'd not only met a previously imported me I had no memories of being, but that we'd been good friends. And look, it's not like I've never had amnesia before, it's practically an everyday job hazard, but the person they described, whose posts I could read on the network...sometimes he sounded like me, and sometimes it was like hearing stories about a stranger who happened to live next door to me. Not bad, but kind of freaky, if we're being honest.

I've been an imPort for more than seven years, now, so if I recorded a message, left and came back without my memories...I might as well be watching someone else's vlog. I guess I can only speak for this self in the end, but that's not really my thing.

voice;

[lightinside]

[ Laurel listens carefully to what he has to say, interested in it. The topic at hand is something that she hasn't really discussed at length, and she was keen to hear different perspectives. ]

First of all, thanks for taking the time to respond to this. I appreciate any kind of input. Secondly, you've given me something to think about and I'll have to consider how I'm going to make this work - especially after what you've just shared about your own experience and feelings.

Lastly, seven years? I think you're the first imPort I've spoken to who has been here for that length of time.

How has that been for you?