animus_network | second ❅ video;

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second ❅ video;

Hi, everyone. It's me, Yukiko.

I wanted to check on everyone who was on the machine the other day. Are you all right? I hope the nightmares haven't been too bad.

If there's anything I can d--

[One second, Yukiko is there, talking into the terminal screen. The next second, she's gone. The terminal keeps recording, though all it catches is ambient background noise and video from the terminal bank in the dorms.

She'll eventually be back to answer any 'where the heck did you go?' inquiries, but it won't be before the terminal cuts off.]

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*Thankfully, not as long as it takes to idle him out. It's only a couple minutes. After blinking around in almost-numb confusion, he looks up at the monitor again.*

Perhaps it was...fortunate that I was already nearly asleep every time.

*And once he knew he'd come back he just kind of resigned himself to it. Easy to do when all your body wants to do is basically nothing.*

Maybe so. Are you okay now? Other than - well, you look really tired...

Well....we've had most of the energy drained from us. I'd expect we're all tired.

*Riki had even said as much.*

That's true. Still, I can't imagine getting zapped off to nowhere while you're trying to rest helps that.

Mm... This was the first time I've been fully awake for it. I suppose knowing I would be returned was of some help. *For some reason, Reno's words about traumatic events come to mind, and he goes on, tired mind not really thinking to keep it from his tongue any more than what he's said before.* ...Or perhaps this tower has simply jaded me such that I don't mind "nothing" so long as it is neither dangerous nor forever.

[She nods.]

It's six of one and half a dozen of the other, I guess. I know now that if it happens again, it's - hopefully - not going to lead to months stuck in the middle of nothing.

...sorry. I'm still not quite over that, I don't think.

Your world? ...I'd call that worse than nothing, in some ways. I'm sorry you experienced it.

That's right, my world, and for about three months. I don't know if I'd call it worse than nothing, but they're bad in different ways? Going home was a constant reminder of failure, but being in that nothing place is just as lonely, only without those reminders.

At least in the void, you may have company. There is only one of it, after all.

*The loneliness was the worst. The loneliness and seeing everyone dead...as far as he's concerned the void is preferable.

Three months, though... He could hardly stand a week.*

That's true. It's not nearly as lonely. Still not fun, but not as bad...

*Enoch nods.* ...so long as it doesn't persist.

*He's not sure what to make of this. Either way...it couldn't persist if their souls weren't on this world. All they had to do was make it.*

...right. As long as it doesn't go on for too much longer, and as long as no one's accidentally stuck there permanently, it should be okay.

I'll hope for it. Living in fear of possibilities has delayed me long enough.

[Yukiko gets a contemplative look on her face for a moment before nodding agreement.]

I know that feeling. I know it all too well. So, I'll keep being as positive as I can be. This is no time to go back to being afraid.

That's right. We can do it.

*Because they had to do it. Death may be justified for people like him, like Naoya. But there were those here never meant to die. Never made to die. He wasn't going to let them face mortality they were never meant for. He wasn't going to force all these young people to face an early grave. They had to carry this through somehow.*

I'm sure we will.

[For everyone's sake, she almost says.]

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