"He kind of freaked out when he saw Edie and has not been overwhelmingly communicative since?"

"That makes sense. I thought he had at least told you that I spent objectively-fifty-years subjectively-countless-centuries in Angband."

"...on the Ardas with cyborgs people in Angband are destructively uploaded and I've never heard from someone who had memories of the experience so I don't have even an analogue of what to expect there."

"I remember at least twelve instances of being rescued or released or escaping or dying and going to Mandos. The first eleven were all a lie. This one's gone on longer but I don't have much confidence in it. I will not participate in activities that could be of use to the Enemy though this setup is sufficiently bizarre that I can't imagine what he'd be getting out of it and I will be as helpful as I can. I do not like expressing what makes me comfortable or happy. I will have a hard time volunteering explanations for strange events other than 'whoever is running this thought it would be funny' and I will be delighted if anyone can figure out a way for my kind of Elf to stop existing entirely. Given a little bit of time I'll figure out how I should act so you can interact normally with me."

"...okay."

Cam writes this up and relays it to his Maitimo and are you the Only Sane Maitimo??

That would be kind of inconvenient. Though I think anyone'd be insane under the conditions described.

I mean I don't blame him but it's getting really weird that all yous have their own brand of what-the-fuck going on.

I promise I really actually don't have any brands of what-the-fuck going on!

You have been pleasingly void of same! But your alts, oh my god!

I like this one better than the last one but his hair really creeps me out.

That it's short or that he's trying to look older?

Short. I am pretty sure it is physically painful to keep it that way, for us.

Oh.

He asks Bar for today's Wall Street Journal and sits there quietly, reading it.

And a moment later, the other demon comes back through the door--

--followed immediately thereafter by an all but identical woman.

Who he throws himself at with something of an anguished shriek.

"Dearheart? You--oh--oh, love, I'm here, I'm here--"

"You are, you are, you are, it's you - how - are you safe, are you happy, are you okay -"

"I'm fine, I'm safe, I was perfectly happy except for missing you..."

"How are you alive -"

"Dunno. Reincarnation, not naive resurrection, no idea besides that."

"Oh dearheart--I love you, I wish I had come back sooner--"

"I think I shall be glad you didn't," he says drily, setting down the Wall Street Journal. "Idaia - how old are you -"