( colligo ¬ get collected ) → network.

( River's answers )

No identifying features. Generic. Too generic. Frustratingly generic. The flat's the same. It could be any number of buildings in any number of places.

How did I get here?

Quiet. It's too quiet. So quiet it's louder than anything. That's a paradox. Quiet can't be loud except when it is. I don't like it here. The ground feels wrong. It's too steady but everything's shifting. It makes my head hurt. I need to be in the black. It's too solid here. Loud where it should be quiet and quiet where it should be loud. This is why you aren't supposed to meddle with things.

They meddle. They always meddle. Shouldn't meddle, but they do. Can't leave well enough and it all turns to dust and ash. Picking and picking. Tearing at the threads until it all comes apart. Just apple bits left. You aren't supposed to play with things like this. Threads are invisible, but they're stronger than steel and they'll choke you if you aren't careful. We're stuck. Tethered. A different center of gravity. Tried to leave but it hurt. Clawing in my brain like tiny pinching fingers. Digging in and stabbing with little knives.

Not safe. It's not safe to wander off alone, he says. But how can you wander when there's no one to wander from? Logical fallacies and paradoxes. Wandered because he isn't here, but can't wander because there isn't anyone to wander from. I'd follow the breadcrumbs back but there aren't any. The birds ate them all. They'll get stomachaches.

This is not what I expected.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Waking up in bed with a beautiful girl is much more heaven like than my last experience. But still. Confusing.

Anyone want to tell me how I got here and maybe where here is?

I don't understand dressing up, so I didn't. Now I'm starting to think that I should have. It looks like fun.

Well for the most part anyway.

Two by two, hands of blue.

[soft sounds of her whimpering]

Two by two, hands of blue.

Two by two, hands of blue.

Two by two, hands of blue.

They're here.

[there's the sound of a door breaking open and then a scream, probably from River]

This is almost familiar. I like it here.

Can I ride a horse?

I must say I have rather missed this place.

Of course, I do remember people being a touch more polite last time I was here, but I suppose everyone is entitled to bad days.

( Ellen Harvelle )
I have something at my shop that might interest you.

( River Tam )
How have you and Cat been holding up?

Now this feels rather more familiar. I could almost imagine I'm in the more restless districts of the Rukongai with the way the local residents have been reacting to me in the streets.

It's a relief to see everything back to normal, or at least as normal as can be had here. Still, the past few weeks have made me miss home even more.

Pardon me, but are there medical facilities within the bounds of the city? I'm overdue for my next appointment at home, and it's really quite important I make it. As it seems we aren't going anywhere any time soon, I suppose I may as well see the healers here rather than try to go without.

I certainly didn't remember going back in time today.

So what year is it exactly?

I am without someone to look after me.

It is odd, being still alone in this apartment. The only person that I had is now gone.

I do not know how to live alone.

My head hurts.

I am not affected in the same way many of you are--there is no one here from Soul Society whom Asaph can take from me--but I understand that it is difficult to be so thoroughly removed from those you hold dear. It is something I fear my family and friends one day having to face.

Life is a cycle, where I am from, one that must remain in balance. When a soul passes on in the Soul Society, that soul may then be given a new life in the world of the living, one free of memories. Likewise, when a soul passes on in the world of the living, it may find a new life in Soul Society, but over time, it will forget its days amongst the living. There is no promise that loved ones will find each other again, no matter in which direction they travel. Even if they do, there is no promise that they will remember, or that the ties that held them together can be reforged.

I imagine that someday, Kyouraku will be sorely tempted to seek my soul in the world of the living, just as I am tempted to seek Kaien's.

Would someone like to go dancing with me? I'd like to dance. There is so much sadness here, I don't want to be sad.

Can someone help me? I'm looking for my brother. His name is Simon, and he's older than me.

Except that he's very very ill, and I really need to find him. If anyone's seen someone taller than me, with brown hair and looks very disturbed, please let me know.

And please don't call the Alliance

[ooc: River is AU where Simon went to get his brain drilled into and made crazy and River went to get him out]

It's back. It's heavy and there's singing in the trees. Not as quiet as it was.

Don't want to be like this anymore. Someone put me out of my misery.

The voices are gone. I can't feel anyone, I can't sense anything. It's so quiet in my head. I can make whole sentences, and be coherent.

If only my brother was here to see it. This place is extraordinary, I couldn't convey how special it is before, but I am in awe of it.

Hello everyone, I'm River. I like to dance, does anyone else like to dance?

A strawberry-blonde dahlia dies. All that crimson. It's so loud, so loud. Can't you hear them screaming?

Inside-out, round and round they go. All shot dead in a line. Thump thump thump. It's in my head and in my heart.

Not again, please not again. I don't want to, please don't make me.

You can't find me.

This isn't where Am I still This is wrong Vinc Could someone please tell me what's going on?

I can't I keep seeing I'm a little bit confused.

Show of hands, now. Who missed me?

Angel, Adam, I best be seeing your hands front and center.

This place is very confusing again.

I think I need more alcohol.

Where's Serenity?

Simon? Captain?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, this again? Because I've got to say, this place? Is not cool. Like actually negative temperature levels of awesome. Absolute frakking zero!

I miss the black. I miss Serenity and the the open space.

It was all open and clear and I could think. There wasn't so much noise in my head.

But it's nice, being back here. I missed Dr. Claire. But she's changed and I worry it's too much.

I still miss Topher. I wish he would come back, even though I know he makes Dr. Claire sad.

Some days I feel like I've almost worked out this puzzle. And some days I want to break up the pieces. It's easier when you're mad. When you're put together, but still not whole, they get disappointed.

B-Bad men. Bad PLACE.

[ooc: just a reminder that annie is using a voice recognition program; any spelling/grammar errors are due to this]

Back again. In and out we go, like the tides, swallowed up by the sea and sent out to the shore again. Can't stay away forever, except when you can. Not so empty as last time...it's all full of words. Words, words, words. She's captured so many stories now. Wonder how many more she'll catch before the sun goes down.

Claire? The device says you're here. They gave us back the old room. Are you mine or did you forget? Did they wipe it all clean and start fresh?

Did you fall asleep?

So I've spent the past six hours scouring this board and trying to wrap my head around everything. We're all stuck on some strange planet/dimension/world/whatever that none of us came to willingly, we can't leave, the natives are less than helpful, some of you know each other from home, all of us are from entirely different versions of earth it seems with different versions of events. Oh and there's also a good chance you come here to find someone running around with your face who isn't your twin or metal. Did I miss anything?

( Claire )

She's not in the yard.

( Filtered to Topher )

I don't quite understand halloween, but it seems intriguing. And less nonsensical than interpretations of Christian holidays.

( Filtered to River )

Don't rightly know where here is, exactly, but it ain't where I'm supposed to be, and what is up with those walkin' metal suits? And the biggest question is, how drunk was I?

Did I fall asleep?

Topher, will you braid my hair?

Since I've arrived I've eaten six (6) mini-burritos, watched five (5) hours of Stargate, had three (3) major freakouts, spent two (2) minutes considering employment, and built one (1) giant model of the Eiffel Tour out of paperclips.

And now I'm bored. This place just is no fun. And I have a very low standard for general funtimes.

Do you know what we need? Lasertag.