[Video]

[most_unwanted]

[Things have settled down. Between experiments, amusement parks, abductions and drafts, this is the first nice calm stretch of time he's had in a while. So Mulder's hanging out in the Battle Dome. He's been coming there a lot more lately. The new features interest him, and there are places from home he can't help revisiting. Not always to fight, since it's no longer required, though he throws those scenarios in sometimes too. But mostly he's in there obsessively going back through particular scenes.]

[At the moment, Mulder can be seen sitting in the living room where Samantha disappeared from. The board game Stratego is still set up in place near him, the game left unfinished. It's exactly as the room looked all those years ago. A blinding bright light flashes somewhere in the background.]

I wonder what determines the point in time we're taken from? It appears entirely random from all that I've encountered so far. Almost like someone's throwing darts at a timeline or choosing those times out of a hat. A really ugly hat. I also wonder... why some people are brought here after death. [Jonathan. Gem. ...Sigh.] It doesn't seem fair, to grant someone a new life only to throw them back eventually anyway.

...speaking of that, I've been curious about something for a while. [And needing to expand his files, he's already delved into kidnappings, revival has always been somewhere on his list too.] If anyone who's died before, either here or at home, wouldn't mind indulging me for a couple of questions? I won't ask how it happened or anything, just... some related details on the topic. Thanks in advance.

Comments

[maidenofdemise.livejournal.com]

It wasn't actually dying, but I no longer exist in my world. It is rather complicated to explain, but I would be willing to answer any questions you have.

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

You no longer exist? [Oh man, he's so very pinged by this!] Would you mind expanding on what you mean by that, first?

[Voice - Private/filter 100%]

[no-use-running.livejournal.com]

I died twice in my home world, and once here. I'll talk to you, if you'd like.

[Voice - Private/filter 100%]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ami, I appreciate your willingness to talk, as always. The compare and contrast is exactly what I'm looking for. [He hadn't been sure there would be anyone with both experiences.]

I'll start out with what happened back home... were you brought here immediately following either of those deaths?

Holding place...thing.

[derek-bliss.livejournal.com]

Died here once. It was during one of the drafts, so it was pretty quick.

Holding place thingys are all good!

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

I won't ask you to recount that part in any detail unless you wanted to. I'm mostly interested in the revival process itself. Do you remember anything in the time between it happening and your return here?

[herotypical]

Gee, don't you really like to ask the tough questions.

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

[This place gives him far too many mysterious difficult things to ask about.]

Maybe next time I should ask everyone's favorite ice cream flavor?

[ video ]

[lunas]

Ah, the thing with the timelines really is weird, isn't it? My best friend here - her name is Ami-chan, by the way - got taken from years into the future for me. I don't really get why they did that, so it just seems really strange!

[ video ]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

It is strange... I wonder what makes them choose their timing, or whether there's even any choice in the matter at all.

So you're a friend of Ami's from home?

[Voice - Locked 100%]

[consultmybooks]

...something I can help you with?

[He hates these questions. Hates them. But...there's just enough of him that's too noble and too proud to lie when they come up.]

[Voice - Locked 100%]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

[Just prying into the next thing on his ever-growing list of things that bother him about this place.]

If you don't mind, Giles. I promise, I'm not out to make people relive their worst nightmares... but I'm interested in how their revivals work. You had just the one uh, incident here, right?

[voice]

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

And just what do you intend to do with this information?

[voice]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

It's just a point of curiosity for me. There are so many mysteries to uncover about this place.

[Just the nice standard answer. He takes a moment to throw a filter on for the rest. He's sure that They might know what he's up to, but he may as well be cautious.]

[Filtered; 100%]

That, and I'm storing files on it, in hopes that it'll give some insight into how things really operate around here. It's all confidential, of course. I'm not attaching names to sensitive information.

[Voice]

[mistlegacy]

...you're right, it doesn't seem fair.

It didn't happen to me, but I had a housemate from home. I could try to answer some questions.

[Voice]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

Anything you know would be helpful. This housemate of yours, was he or she taken here from a time immediately following death?

[Voice]

[heavenslament.livejournal.com]

...that really happens here?

[Voice]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's been known to-

Terra? [What an odd thing to say.] Are you feeling all right?

[sundead]

[isn't this the guy who lives down the hall? Ayumu doesn't know a thing about him but that's a pretty weird thing to be curious about.]

What kind of details?

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

[Weird things are his specialty, you'll soon find.]

Details on how it impacts people. Anything they remember about the process, or how they're affected afterward.

[all7seas]

Ah! A ha! SOMEONE NEEDS A DRINK, MULSTON!

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

[You ARE trying to make him an alcoholic!]

What makes you say that, Captain?

[screwthegods]

It's also not fair to those who were accepting of their deaths. When someone is ready to die, it's quite disturbing to suddenly be alive again. What should we do with this new existence, when we had already accepted our end before?

But if you'd like, I'll answer whatever questions you have.

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

[A really interesting perspective. He's come across those with similar feelings in the course of his work, so it makes sense to him.] I can't imagine it's easy to come to terms with.

From what you're saying, I take it that you were revived here upon arrival?

[Video]

[mush-monarch.livejournal.com]

[Lucky for you, this particular princess died back home. And she's more than OK with questioning.]

Well, I did have an... unpleasant experience with death back home.

[Video]

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

I have yet to run across anyone who's ever had a pleasant experience with it. [Though anything at all is possible, he's open to that thought.] Did this happen to you immediately prior to your arrival here?

[talontrot]

What's the big deal about dying? I've died a bunch of times!

[Kazooie has yet to understand the difference between a cartoon's death and the death of the fleshy organics around her.]

Don't we just come back anyway?

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

We do, but I'm trying to get a handle on what makes the difference between other revivals, and... the ones that happen to residents here.

I'm assuming the deaths you refer to happened back in your home? How is it that you came back?

[fierybluebird]

Why are some taken just before I wonder... then again I suppose there are worse points.

[ufo-fanboy.livejournal.com]

Someone could be taken while in the middle of a bath. [Said like it's meant to be serious, but there's a bit of lightness to his tone, before he's all seriously investigatory again..]

Yeah, I wonder, could it be completely random? Or is there some method to that madness after all...