♔ 009; [text/action]

[professorcharisma]

[Early in the afternoon on the 23rd, a short and simple text message came from what might have been a familiar D-Terminal.]

I have, at present, two questions.

1) What's the date, exactly?

2) Rider. Are you still here?

[Not very long after that message was sent out, one could find an unfamiliar figure wandering the hospital in long strides as though acquainting himself with the layout. Though he had the decency not to start smoking inside, the oddly tall individual seemed to be mildly annoyed about something or other as he went about his path through the building.]

Comments

[Video]

[bigger_and_better]

Not sure why you're using text, but you've only been gone for a few days, boy.

[permatext]

[professorcharisma]

You know, I want to say 'that can't be possible', but this place is so fucked up I might actually buy it.

While I'm glad to see my second question has been answered, I'm afraid the first still stands. I don't remember when I left.

[text]

[bigger_and_better]

Fine, we'll just text. I just told you though, you just left a few days ago.

[professorcharisma]

It's been a very, very long few days for me in that case.

Meet me outside the hospital. It's something I'd like to explain in person.

[Text --> Action]

[bigger_and_better]

Sure, if you want to.

[A few minutes later, Rider's waiting outside the front entrance, his two partners flanking him.]

[professorcharisma]

Good afternoon, Rider.

[The notably lower-pitched voice held the slightest note of fondness to it, though Waver's expression had turned hard and cold over years of hard work and sleepless nights. If not for the slight accent and similar hairstyle, it might have been impossible to tell it was Waver at all who approached from out of the front door with a cup of coffee in his hand.]

It's...been a long time.

[action]

[needsteaplz]

[Saori returned back to the hospital after a day of walking around. On her way up to her room, she noticed the stranger walking around. There was something both familiar and unfamiliar about him. It seemed early for newcomers to be coming in, but she might as well investigate.]

Do you need help looking for something?

[action]

[professorcharisma]

Not exactly. I haven't been here in some time, so I'm merely reminding myself where everything is.

[...Doesn't that accent seem a little familiar?]

Nice of you to offer, though.

[action]

[needsteaplz]

Wait, what? Hold the phone.

[Saori recognizes accent but still does a quick circle around him. Her jaw drops and she looks at him with wide eyes. ]

No way... Waver?! Is that really... Wow.

[action]

[professorcharisma]

[That earned a slight laugh out of him--it didn't quite seem to fit hardened and cold features, but he sounded genuinely amused.]

Nice to see you too, Saori.

[action]

[needsteaplz]

Waver, I mean...wow. That's one hell of a growth you went through. And you smoke?

[Yeah, she caught a whiff of that. When your powers allow you manipulate smoke, you're able to differentiate one from another.]

Video

[bigsoftie]

[Thank god Duke could read the terminal text for him, because he definitely could answer the first one.]

It is supposed to be when you eat food or go someplace alone with your girlfriend or boyfriend.

Does that help?

[permatext]

[professorcharisma]

While technically correct, points off for using the wrong definition.

'What day is it' is what I should have asked.

[Video]

[bigsoftie]

[There's a faint snicker from Duke.]

...it is the 23rd of January.

Good one, nerd.

[Video]

[professorcharisma]

I appreciate it, thanks.

[Text]

[headup_stickontheice]

[Give him about fifteen second to realize this is the same frequency he got before; give him even longer to realize he'd written it off since it was someone different and not a friend to try cross-referencing it with old frequencies.

Give him a whole minute to figure out the person who'd spoken to him and this text that he sees while looking through the network are from Waver Velvet.]

Waver is this you? Were you the person before? Can you turn on video? You looked TALL.

[video]

[professorcharisma]

[You're lucky he likes you. Geez.]

Good afternoon. I trust you've been about as well as can be expected?

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

[HE'S ON A BOAT!!!

and surprised. utterly surprised wow.]

How long were you gone?

[sorry. sorry waver, questions are going to fly from his mouth sorry.]

[video]

[professorcharisma]

About as long as it looks. Bit over nine years, give or take a few months.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

...No one's been gone that long yet.

[action]

[notmyprophecy]

[As Hollyleaf cannot read the text isn't extraordinary. However, she is checking back at his room, around, wandering, looking after his partners.

WILL YOU APPROACH?]

[action]

[professorcharisma]

[naturally, he had to go looking for Biyomon and Palmon eventually. Not realizing the former had dragged the latter to shove a sandwich in her mouth, Waver entered the room he'd promptly moved into what seemed like forever ago. For him, it really somewhat was.]

Oh--Hollyleaf. Sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything.

[action]

[notmyprophecy]

What, who-- [Wait. Her sense of smell isn't good at all compared to when she was a cat, but.] ...Waver...? Is that you...?

[action]

[professorcharisma]

Of course it is. [Waver was fully aware he probably smelled like cigar smoke and the sharp scent of chemicals, and for the first time that almost annoyed him. Hopefully, Hollyleaf wouldn't be too put off by it.] I think you're the first person other than Rider to recognize me right off.

[action]

[notmyprophecy]

You... You've changed. [She swallows.] You don't even smell the same, but there's... There's something that smells like Waver Velvet-- How long have you been gone? It's been days for us.