Second Thesis | Forward dated to the afternoon of May 17

[intangible_girl]

[The face on the video feed is calm and collected, and the voice is professional but friendly. There is very little personality apparent in either.]

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Ingrid Grimmholtz. I arrived here about a week ago. I have been working with Professor Hastings since that time, and I have a few questions for all of you about your

Comments

[Written]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert promised Ingrid he would fill out the questionnaire, and despite whatever other events may or may not happen for him today, he is filling out that damn questionnaire.]

Name: Professor Robert Alexander Hastings
Date: May 17 (year unknown; clarification on Luceti time?)

Time and date of arrival in Luceti: January 21, early afternoon. It took me quite some time before I was aware of any specifics, being rather at a loss.
Location of arrival in Luceti: Somewhere between ten to fifteen metres from the school; the area was snowy at the time, and it was in a cluster of trees.
Circumstances of arrival in Luceti: A relatively-unceremonial occasion; I awoke sprawled in the snow with my journal beside me. My items were all absent from my position, save my journal.

Time and date of departure in respective world: Sometime in the middle of the night of October 15, 2332 A.D., Standard Terran Years.
Location of departure in respective world: From my bedroom in my residential unit on Terra.
Circumstances of departure in respective world: I

[Written]

[intangible_girl]

Thank you very much for your thoroughness, Professor. I am pleased to note I am getting quite the turnout, though you are quite possibly the only one I DON'T have follow up questions for, unless you have any information regarding persons who have already departed from Luceti?

[Written] | so freaking late. Probably after relevant threads

[semper_cogitans]

[He's glad that this is written because otherwise the loud sob would've been audible.

But his writing is so shaky that it probably makes it obvious.]

My former foster daughter here in Luceti, Ms. Vivi Aislinn, was [- very long pause here -] sent home recently.

I know little about any details involving her arrival or return, though.

[He wants her back. Is that a detail?]

[Written --> Voice]

[intangible_girl]

Oh, Professor... [Ingrid murmurs out loud, and then switches to voice.]

Are you alright? I... I didn't know you had a foster daughter.

[And now she's wondering what else she doesn't know about him. They only met barely over a week ago.]

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[His voice is so small, sad and broken that it might make Ingrid afraid.]

I... I m-met her several months ago here...

...

It... is... v-very difficult...

[There is a lot he has neglected to tell you, Ingrid. Whether by accident or because the muns want drama or on purpose.

He hides his face and sobs softly into his palm. The hurt is still fresh...]

[Voice]

[intangible_girl]

[She's not going to say anything about Vivi being back where she belongs. Because a father's feelings are not something to be brushed off so lightly.]

I'm so sorry. Professor, is there anyone there with you?

[You shouldn't be alone right now.]

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert objectively knows that anyway. It still isn't a comfort right now when the pain is so fresh.]

N-No... I told Don to take me h-home after... after... A-after I collected what... w-what she had... l-left for me...

[More tears that he can't control slip from his eyes, and he shakes.]

[Voice]

[intangible_girl]

Professor, I'm afraid I can't come to you, but if you want company, I'd be more than happy to see you.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Softly, but firmly:] I... I-I think I ought to be... a-alone right now...

[Even if Vivi's letter had explicitly said for him not to be, it's his reflex. It's how he deals with situations. That, and he just got done telling Don he didn't want anybody around. It'd be hypocritical to not treat Ingrid in the same way.]

B-But.

But....

I would... I would like if we... if we spoke.

[She can do that, at least.]

[Voice]

[intangible_girl]

[Kindly:] What would you like to speak about?

[She's happy to do so.]

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[He just wants to talk about something to fill the silence in his home and to make himself feel less alone than he did.]

... I... I-I am... not certain.

... But... something... P-Perhaps the results, if... i-if there is anything interesting...?

[He's dodging his emotions, Don-style, by burying them under something else.]

[Voice]

[intangible_girl]

It's coming along wonderfully. There are already some patterns emerging. Clearly, [She says, rustling some paper as she looks through her notes,] the forest is somehow involved. Though I have no idea how.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

The f-forest... [... he muses aloud, wondering how it might be relevant -] The m-majority of people you spoke to were initially there when they arrived?

... T-To be fair, the forest is... q-quite extensive. [His tone is becoming more normal, slowly. This is easier to focus on.] So it may simply be... due to the ratio.

[Voice]

[intangible_girl]

Hmm... true. But in that case, why did I hear of none that appeared farther away, such as in the mountains or by the ocean? Or in the ocean? If it's simply land ratio, we should be seeing people showing up there as well.

Maybe my sample size is too small...

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert tries to remember if he's heard of anybody ending up in those places.]

I am almost certain that that has happened at some point, but I am not sure of who...

B-but perhaps the Malnosso tend to cluster us in the forest because it is closer to the village? ... Yet, why not just drop us in the village proper rather than at its fringes...?

[Voice]

[intangible_girl]

If they are indeed the ones bringing us here.

I admit, I feel a little overwhelmed. There's so much data and so little chance of finding a correlation.