[ XXIII | Video ]

[lunchpenalty]

[The communicator clicks on. The floor and pantlegs are moving and an arm is swinging the communicator slightly. Clearly, Kyon lacks the skills to keep his hands away from the video button.]

[He lets out a heavy sigh.]

What are we doing, exactly?

[The booming voice of Haruhi speaks up from up ahead:] I already told you! We need more club members

Comments

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

[he sounds a bit irritated; there is a maddening creaking noise in the background]

I take it this isn't normal in this building?

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

D-Definitely not!

Is this happening where you are, too?

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

I believe I am in a different area of the same building; and yes. The pipes here seem to have taken up a marching beat.

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

I wonder what the hell is causing this "paranormal activity." If it's happening in more than just one room, then....

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

Perhaps someone who has recently had their chip removed?

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

Who in the world would waste their time trying to scare us like that, though?

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

... If they have recently had their chip removed, they may be doing it unintentionally.

It is only a guess, though.

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

Ah, that's true. I never considered that. And, those who accidentally do things with their powers after their chip is removed tend not to want to step forward and say, "It was me. My bad."

Especially not when some people would be quite ticked off at them.

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

Inconvenient, but it means the problem will pass. If it does not, we will have to find a new explanation.

And if the blame lies with both sides, both sides are getting what they deserve, are they not?

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

Mm. It seems like the problem has mostly passed already, considering the effects seem to be the memory loss but we're actively recording new memories as far as I am aware of.

And yes, I would have to agree with that.

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

I am not sure what you mean; what does memory loss have to do with the current strange happenings?

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

Well, I'm assuming if someone had their chip removed and they had some sort of psychic power or something related to memory, the reason we wouldn't remember those two days is because of that.

So, if someone else also removed their chip and had some kind of weird... levitation ability or whatever, telekinesis?, then that would explain the "ghosts."

Just... trying to relate two "similar" incidents.

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

Are chip removals common, nowadays? I have heard there are some troubles with the location being moved.

Moreover, it is alarming if there is a psychic strong enough to affect everyone in the city on such a level.

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

I believe that chip removals are far less common than they were a couple of months ago. Still, someone could have gotten fairly lucky and cut themselves deep enough somewhere that it might just pop out. But... that's very unlikely.

And you're right.

[voice]

[pagesniffer]

Yes. Moreover, I hear that this mass memory loss is a regular reoccurrence, which makes the likelihood of the chips being involved even lower.

[voice]

[lunchpenalty]

Mm, yes. As far as I know, it's happened three times in the past year and a half, and each time everyone was left with the vague impression that the city's population had increased.

And, everyone had lost exactly two days' worth of memories.