Back and Logged

by Nyllone

 

After 41 days, I gave in to the longing and logged in There.  Not in world just yet, but via ThereIM which I downloaded from There’s website.  I hadn’t really used ThereIM before, but if I’m not mistaken, I downloaded it when I first read in the forums that it’s already available for all members.  But since I was almost always in-world, I didn’t see any reason for me to use ThereIM.  Until yesterday.  As I am a newbie to ThereIM, I just tried clicking everything.  Aaah-ing and oooh-ing all by myself.  It was so good to see my avatar again. 

 

After some time, I heard a familiar sound that brought a message at the bottom of the IM.  An event invite!  I never thought I would be so excited seeing an invite again.  I used to hate the endless flashing of those unwanted invites before.  But yesterday, I savored it, let it time-out and found myself still smiling.  I then noticed I missed an IM by Aradriel, that I started IM with her.  It was so cool to see my avatar face to face with her avatar.   

I asked if she was guiding, and she was like, “How did you know?”  Then I started describing what she’s wearing.  “Black IG Tee, nice IG shorts! ‘tu”  I could imagine her spinning round her spot at the Walkway as she replied, “Where are you?!!”  I was so cracking up.  She had to ask paranoically, “Are you a spying little newbie?”  I was ROFLing big time in RL and in ThereIM.  I never thought I could do some emotes on IM as well.  It was so cool. 

Today, I logged in There again.  This time, in-world.  Knowing that I have given up the rights to my house already, I wasn’t sure where I would teleport into.  I can’t remember the last place I was in before I took a break anymore.  I was praying I won’t teleport into my old house with the new owner in.  That would be embarrassing.  When black screen cleared, I recognized the place right away.  It was Phonk’s house.   

I had Ara on IM already when I teleported right outside my old house.  It’s empty.  Still for rent.  Sigh.  But I was glad there are no typhoons in world, as my house would have been swept by a landslide in a second like what happened to some provinces up north in the Philippines.  My next stop was Caldera View Raceway, a funzone that Ara recently acquired.  And since every after my ThereBreak the first thing I always do is to lap on a hoverboard, I tried the track that was on.  Bad luck, it was a tough track, and I am out of practice.  Yeah-huh! 

 

Finally, after almost cussing on IM as I kept falling, short of reaching the gap between two floating ramps, Ara came to the rescue and dropped a beginner’s track for me.  But I wasn’t able to try it.  We just started talking, catching up, ROFLing, doing emotes, patching like crazy. 

 

My heart welled.  It wasn’t just There that I missed while I was away.  It’s my friends.  The crazy things we do, the fun, the bond…  It’s that unexplainable feeling just being back. 

As I am admittedly There-rusty, Ara gave me a two-day-pass for my typos, newbie questions and whatnots.  After that, I should be back in my usual ThereSelf.  Or so, we hope.   

I’m so glad to be back. :)