002. [video]

[rodeforthefall]

[The video feed flickers on. Ikutsuki's sitting at what appears to be his kitchen table, left sleeve of his turtleneck rolled up to display some mild scrapes; it looks as though somebody's had a bit of a tumble!]

It's still absolute chaos out there, even during the daytime. [He shakes his head.] Why, just coming home from work ... well, it wasn't

Comments

[madeinoblivion]

Don't worry. Most places close down with plenty of time to give people commute space. Because of...um....lawsuits or something, and unions, I've heard.

Unless you work off the books, like some of us newcomers do

Anyway. I know some things about the darkness, and the monsters. What do you want to know about?

[rodeforthefall]

Well, I just thought that in a population where a majority of the population have special powers, it would be assumed that they have a way of managing traveling through the Darkness -- but I suppose not even the natives want to have to deal with it when it's truly unnecessary; that, or some people will initiate a lawsuit for almost anything!

Actually, for now -- I'm most interested in where they disappear to during the daytime hours, and what is it, specifically, that enables them to stay there.

[madeinoblivion]

Well- Well sure. I mean. I'm out there almost every night, at some point. But some people are afraid of the darkness. Or have powers that aren't useful for fighting monsters.

The Core, everyone says. I think in the day they just- Well it's not just the monsters, either! Everything changes outside at night. It's like the city's dead. And the water's rusty, everywhere but downtown.

[rodeforthefall]

I have observed what happens to the water, and honestly, I find that rather intriguing as well. What is it, exactly, that causes the degradation of the outside world during nightfall, and how is it so easily reversed by morning?

[madeinoblivion]

No idea. That's not how the darkness works in other worlds.

[rodeforthefall]

...In other worlds? Nightfall, you mean.

[madeinoblivion]

Well, night, yes. And the darkness.

[rodeforthefall]

[A pause, because, well, there was the Dark Hour ...]

I'm assuming it was completely normal where you are from?

[madeinoblivion]

No. I'm from someplace in between.

[rodeforthefall]

'In between'? And what do you mean by that?

[madeinoblivion]

Between the worlds of darkness and light.

[rodeforthefall]

[Now starting to think you're some sort of freakish Shadow mutation. :|]

... were you able to travel between them?

[madeinoblivion]

I didn't get the chance. But other people did.

[rodeforthefall]

So you stayed in this, ah, in-between place?

[madeinoblivion]

Yeah. Castle Oblivion.

[rodeforthefall]

...Which is located ... where?