[ Video ]

[idonthateyou]

[ When Vivian loads the video up, there's a smile that hasn't aged a day. The rest of her, however, is definitely older. Much older. And when she speaks, it's clear time has been kind to her speech development. ]

Hello, friends! Do you remember me?

It's been so long! But I haven't forgotten any of you. Hmmm. I wonder who's still here? [ She hesitates. ] Doctor? ... Taka? Are you still here?

[ It goes without saying that despite the smile on her lips, it's fading fast unless someone answers her. ]

Comments

[awakeningwill]

['Taka'? As in Kiyotaka? That was a name he hadn't heard in months. And the Doctor...

Despite how different she looked, this could only be one person. Zero, unfortunately, hadn't changed very much in his blunt demeanor.]

Taka's no longer here.

[idonthateyou]

[ When an answer draws in, her anxiety fades immediately. Now she looks unfazed by that answer, if anything. ]

Oh. I thought so. [ She continues to smile at him. ] You look the same, Mr. Zero. Grumpy as ever. Hehe.

[awakeningwill]

[Eternal lineface here.]

Reploids don't age. Looks like the same can't be said of you.

[ihateplumbers]

Taka? Spiky hair and red eyes and always yelling about nothing?

Last time I saw that sorry lump of a boy he was unconscious and bleeding from the head.

[idonthateyou]

And whose fault was that?

[ihateplumbers]

Why, I think it was because he sneaked into Robotnik's Egg Carrier and was trying to bomb the place. So, his own fault.

[Video]

[shiest_sunbeam]

[New face? No, returning... Poor girl, returning in the midst of this event... Well, as staff it's her job to greet and assist right? Right.]

Hello, I don't believe we've met before. Then again I've only been here a handful of months. I'm the new engineering teacher.

Ronnae, Ronnae' Mash Belore Ryllos. Pleasure to meet you... barring the current events...

[She offers an appologetic smile and a quick bow.]

[idonthateyou]

[ Smile unwavering, Vivian waves to the camera. ] Hello! Yes, I believe it's - mm, maybe - pointless to meet new people when they're all about to be neutralized. That's okay, though. We can still meet right now!

I'm Vivian.

[shiest_sunbeam]

[Ronnae looked taken a bit aback by her cheerful disposition considering the circumstances but... It also made her smile a bit sheepishly since the action was also endearing.]

Oh, well, y-yes I suppose so. It is nice to meet you Vivian, regardless of what's going on.

Have you been gone long?

[punchtheflute]

Oh woah! Hey! Vivian! Is that really you!? It's so great to see you again!!! We were all wondering where you had gone - I'm glad to know that you're OK!

[She looked quite a bit older. Hopefully she still remembered him!]

How are you doing? Are you hungry? I have muffins! And also, a mountain of candy!

[idonthateyou]

Sonny!! [ Oh, what a pleasant face!! She always loved being with him. ] Yes, I'm okay.

Candy... I haven't had candy for almost fifteen years.

[punchtheflute]

Fifteen years!? Wooooooow! That's a really long time to go without anything!

Which dorm are you in? I could bring you some candy! And also the most recent season of Friendship Ponies on DVD because that released while you were away!

I'm so happy to have you back!

[golonghorns]

[Well, don't that beat all? He definitely recognized her. She was the little girl from the fliers Eggman had posted around town. His missing daughter. However, either the photo he'd been using was WAY out of date, or the strange way time worked between here and other words was to blame.]

I know one guy's going t'be pretty happy to see you.

[Still. It was a shame she came back just in time to see the end of the world. Damn. Poor kid.]

....in any case, welcome back to school. My name's Joel. I'm... I know your dad.

[They were something like friends. Well. As friendly as two guys like them could actually get.]

[idonthateyou]

Hello! Mr. Joel, you're a friend of the Doctor's? [ She clapped her hands together. ] It's nice to meet you!

[ She watched him for a moment longer, then asked - ]

Is something wrong?

[golonghorns]

Yeah. You could say that. And it's nice to meet you too, Ma'am.

[Is something wrong. Well.]

It's a strange time, just at the moment. You've probably noticed the... ah. The moon ain't hangin' as high as it used to. And it has a face on it. Just feels a little weird to welcome someone to the place when I'm not even sure if it's gonna be a... place for long.

[ACTION]

[iamtheeggman]

[Eggman watched the video feed with disinterest, until the girl on screen said his name.

After that, he hopped in an Eggmobile and flew his chubby butt to the Academy.

He found the dorm that Vivian was in, and started to pound at the door with his fist.]

OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW, YOUNG LADY!!!

[ Video -> Action ]

[idonthateyou]

Oh! I have a visitor!

One moment~!

[ It'd been ages since she heard that voice, but Vivian darted from the feed and rushed to the door.

As soon as it flung up, this pretty teenager was smiling at the Doctor. Her eyes lit up when she processed his face. ]

Doctor?!

1/2

[iamtheeggman]

[It took a moment to process that this teenager was the person he thought she was. She looked so much like Vivian, just older. It filled him with relief and anger in nearly equal measure.]

YOU... WHAT... WHERE...

[He tried to sputter angrily, demanding answers for where she disappeared to all this time, and how she just nonchalantly returned. His hands clenched and unclenched into fists several times over...]

2/2

[iamtheeggman]

[Finally, joy won out, and he settled for hugging Vivian off of her feet tightly.]

YOU CAME BACK...

[Was... Was he crying?]

[megabuster]

Vivian...? Is that you?

[idonthateyou]

Rock! [ She scoots her chair in closer to the screen. ] You're still here! My different friend... [ She paused on that. ]

How are you? Are you safe? [ Ah. Someone didn't sound like she trusted he was fine in this place. ]

[megabuster]

Yeah, I'm still here! It's been a while, where've you been?

I'm safe! Well, safe as can be... You kinda picked a bad time to come back here...

[Video]

[trustycrowbar]

... ... ...

[That smile catches him off-guard harder than most things have this month. She looked familiar. Wait, she was asking about Ishimaru and "Doctor"... no. No way. Was that...]

Vivian?!

[idonthateyou]

Mr. Freeman! [ Oh, another familiar face, and one that she absolutely trusted. He had always tried to be on her side in one way or another, so seeing him was a pleasure. ] Yes! It's me. Are you safe?

[trustycrowbar]

As safe as anyone is, around here. [He replies quickly, still a little astonished. Then the statement necessitates another.]

--How did you get here? No one's been able to get into or out of the school grounds for a month now.

[And for that matter, why, OH WHY, did she have to arrive just as the planet was about to be liquidized? Vivian, your timing sucks.]