01 – Video (backdated a little, to the start of the month)

[unit31]

[ Labrys' first attempt at a video uhhhh doesn't go great. In fact, it's hard to tell it's even a video of Labrys at all, because all that's really visible of her is her eye and part of her hair falling into her face. In fact, she doesn't seem to realize that she's recording right away. Then it abruptly cuts off.

A few minutes later, a second video pops up with a fairly embarrassed looking Labrys on camera. Going by the angle and the slight jitter of the frame, it looks like she's holding the communicator up as she paces through Havenwell so she can double dip on exploring and putting a message out to anyone who might see it. It's also more obvious from this angle that while her face might look human enough, her body looks a little more like the native residents of this world. Hm! ]

Oh – hey, looks like this is workin' now. Second time's the charm, I guess...

[ She gives the camera a nervous grin. This is definitely pretty different from the last two times a lunatic thought kidnapping her was a good idea and while she's not loving it, at least no one seems to be in immediate danger. ]

Uh... man, I don't even know where to start, really. Guess I should just go with my name, huh. I'm Labrys... and I guess this is me just makin' sure I'm the only one wrapped up in this. If any of you guys – Yu-kun and your pals or Mitsuru-san and them... heck, I'd take Sho-kun at this point... if any of you guys are here, hurry and drop me a line, yeah? We've gotta stick together. And if you ain't here... I guess I'm just talkin' to myself!

[ She laughs, but there's no real mirth to it and she quickly lapses into an uncomfortable silence. ]

For everybody else... I've got a question, kinda. Are any of you folks not... used to all this huggin' and touchin' stuff? [ She goes a little red, even as she says it. ] It's kinda new to me. I ain't really sure how I'm s'pposed to get used to it.

Comments

[audio]

[gatescostmoney]

I haven't done any of that physical touching the gods and locals want us to do, and I haven't been punished for it. I've been doing other things to help out, so who knows? Maybe they're fine with me doing that while others hug it out.

[ Never mind that he did those things more because he was bored and wanted to do something with his time here. ]

[unit31]

Oh, huh. So it ain't like you've got, uh... what's the word? A quota, or somethin'?

[ "you must have one (1) awkward-side hug per quarter" or something like that. ]

Guess that does take the pressure off a little...

[gatescostmoney]

If there is one, they haven't told me about it.

[ There's a lot of things Sasuke thinks the locals need to tell people, but they don't. ]

And given that it's supposed to be all nice touchy-touchy, I feel like forcing it wouldn't work.

[ Just his opinion. Sometimes getting stuck to another person forces it, but he hasn't experienced that yet. ]

[unit31]

Yeah! Exactly!

[ Even through audio, it's clear how strongly she feels about this ]

It really kinda ruins the whole idea if you're just makin' you and other folks feel weird about it. But how else are you s'pposed to get used to it in the first place, y'know?

[gatescostmoney]

[ There's silence on the other end as Sasuke thinks. That is a good question. His own experience is varied and may or may not help Labrys. And does it even apply here? ]

Let me ask you this first. Do you want to get used to the idea of physical contact?

[unit31]

[ By contrast, her answer comes back almost immediately. ]

Yeah! I do! I mean– I got brought here for a reason, y'know? If the folks here need my help, I wanna help 'em any way I can.

[gatescostmoney]

Then the first step is probably to find someone you trust. The rest will probably follow.

[unit31]

[ She gives a half-hearted, full exhausted laugh. ]

You really went and made that sound a whole lot easier than it actually is, y'know?

[gatescostmoney]

If you don't trust that person, then it's forced, and you're just a tool for what they want.

[ It's a little hypocritical coming from him, someone who thinks he's a tool to be used and thrown away. ]

[unit31]

H--hey, that ain't what I meant!

[ She sounds a little flustered. ]

I just -- when you say findin' someone to trust, doesn't that take a little bit? You ain't just gonna jump on and trust someone one hundred percent right away after meetin' them, right?

[gatescostmoney]

Right...? So why jump even further ahead with the touch stuff?

[ The whole learn to walk before running thing. ]

[unit31]

[ She opens her mouth to respond, but then she pauses, turns over his words in her head and then blinks, looking a little wrong-footed. ]

... Huh. I was gonna say you were gettin' me all turned around, but uh– you're right, I guess. This is gonna be a baby steps kinda thing.

[gatescostmoney]

Now you're getting it. There's no need to rush.

[ To hell with what the locals and gods want. If they wanted instant cuddlers, they should have brought people who already have that mentality. ]