the canary in the cage | video

[timesaving]

[The vid feed shows nothing special. A rather bland room, not even lived in, and a girl sitting inside of it. Her expression is faintly troubled.

After sitting alone in her apartment for several hours trying to make sense of the situation, she still has some questions. Nothing she's drawn up makes sense. It's incredibly frustrating. Adding to all of this is her complete inability to reset. Why now? Why, when Madoka was about to—

She forces herself to take a deep breath. Her fingers still tremble as she holds her phone, but she clenches them tight in an attempt to make them stop.]

What happens if one is "imported" in the middle of something important?

[Having no idea how to broach this subject, she pushes forward anyway. It's endgame, everyone's already dead or knows.]

Additionally, I would like to speak to anyone experienced with timelines.

Comments

voice;

[glowsferatu]

It waits. I can attest to that personally.

And while I may not be an expert on Time, I know a few things about it, I guess. [ some of these things are very possibly wrong. ]

video;

[timesaving]

[You tried, Kanaya.]

Did you remember anything?

[She hesitates to continue, at least for a minute.]

Have you heard of anyone's timeline collapsing in on itself because they were imported? It's a difficult question. I understand if you cannot answer.

voice;

[glowsferatu]

Once you leave here? No, you recall nothing. Which is...sometimes a thing that is preferable, all things considered. Any such memories may not only affect the progression of your native timeline in a way that would doom it, but it could also toxify your interactions. [ like turning your best friend into the ex-girlfriend you weren't talking to because you're being a brat. ] They generally return once you do, at least sometimes. Don't ask me the mechanics involved or the likelihood of that occurrence because none of it actually makes sense.

If you are returned those lost memories, especially after residing on your native timeline again for a long period, they can tend to blend together and be a bit of work to sort.

But I've never heard of one collapsing due to one's absence. They simply don't move while we're removed, and carry on from that same point once we return. Of course, not remembering being away or knowing the future, any differences that may occur would be impossible to recognize. But timelines always seemed like fragile things to me, so if they continue undamaged then it must be a thing that doesn't happen.

video;

[timesaving]

[She listens patiently. Maybe this girl isn't a time brat, but she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. She's right, none of this actually makes sense, and that bothers Homura a lot. She may not be in her original timeline anymore, but that doesn't make this any less aggravating.]

There must be a great deal of power involved. [She doesn't like it.] Timelines do tend to be fragile, which is why I asked. I understand it now.

Thank you.

video;

[glowsferatu]

You're welcome, of course. I like to be some help when I can.

I can't quite speak to the exact level of power involved, but it certainly seems to be of a great enough degree to preempt the power of those it brings in, both individually and, as I assume, collectively. There have been attempts to overcome it, I think, but none have ended well.

[timesaving]

Do you know any details about these attempts?

[glowsferatu]

No, not specifically. Just a general storming of the opposing stronghold that ended in the inconvenient displacement of those attempting, from what I can tell.

[timesaving]

They were transported outside?

[No wonder they're having trouble.]

[glowsferatu]

Not outside, just...elsewhere.

[timesaving]

Attacking it head-on is counterproductive, then.

[glowsferatu]

Or at all, from what I can tell.

[timesaving]

Do you think it is guarding something?

[glowsferatu]

Herself, her operational components, her command parameters, her secrets. I'm not sure that it's protection exactly so much as it is an aversion to being conquered or understood.

[timesaving]

All are plausible theories.

[glowsferatu]

Well, I'm at least reasonably convinced that it's more than mere shyness.

It's really just a pointless matter to even attempt to conquer. This is where we are, so we may as well make of it what we can.