001 [video]

[verymuchalive]

[Aradia's in front of one of the library terminals, clutching her brand new teddy bear which is her reward for losing a game she was never signed up to play in the first place. This somehow translates as a win for her, which is why she's carrying it around with her rather than tearing it apart or burying it at the bottom of a trunk never to be seen again.]

So, these little guys are kind of cute when they're not trying to kill us. I feel like I should give him a name but I can't decide...I'm sure it'll come to me.

Is everyone okay, though? I didn't last long into the evening so I'm not really sure what happened for a lot of it but it sounds like things got pretty messy. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know.

Comments

[verymuchalive]

Suzaku!

[Her first reaction is relief that he managed to get out okay but then she registers his appearance]

You look terrible! What happened?

[Ever tactful]

[swordofzero]

[He shrugged, eying the teddy that she had with her warily. He hadn't been given a teddy bear back, he guessed because he had won. Giving people back the creatures that had murdered them sounded exactly this towers version of fun.]

I survived.

[verymuchalive]

Oh! Well, that's a good thing...isn't it?

[It seemed like it ought to be but then why did he seem so down?]

[swordofzero]

[He doesn't look too sure] I guess. [He doesn't want to talk about it.] I am glad you are back.

[verymuchalive]

Me too. Not that death's ever stopped me before so I'm not sure why I'd think it would be any different here.

Is there anything I can do?

[She's not going to push the matter but Suzaku you look so sad and you were so nice to her, she wants to make you feel better!]

[swordofzero]

[He still understands very little of her world, though he's come to the conclusion it is a different one that Signless and Psiioniic came from, still she seems to be used to the fact death is not permanent and she seems as well as can be expected.

At her words he shakes his head.] I am fine Aradia. I promise.

[And he would be, eventually. He always was, guilt was one of those things, it just piled up but you learned to live with it after a while. He fell silent again. She was alright, and that was all that mattered.]

[verymuchalive]

Well, okay. If you're sure.

[She's not wholly convinced but she's not going to push the matter either]

Were there many others who survived the night?

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku was grateful, he would rather not think about it. He shook his head slightly at the question.] I counted eight others.

[verymuchalive]

Only eight others...that's not very many at all.

[That part does trouble her, a little. So much death, and all senseless if they could be brought back]

[swordofzero]

No... It's not. [He hadn't counted how many had gone in, but from the voices over the phones and the deaths throughout the night...

Only a tiny handful had survived...] Not many at all... [And for what...]

[verymuchalive]

Is that sort of survival rate common here?

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku thought and shook his head] Before we have at least had a fighting chance. Or they turned us on each other. But never have they killed almost all of those they decided to torture.

[verymuchalive]

How strange. Perhaps they're trying to test our limits? I mean, between that and the room full of monsters.

[swordofzero]

Perhaps. [He remembered Kanaya's words and her warning.] They are getting steadily worse, and alternate between things that our bad, but we can fight... like the room of monsters and then things that are awful, where they have full control...

[verymuchalive]

But they didn't have full control. We could have refused. We could have betrayed each other. Perhaps they just wanted to see how far we would go to ensure our own survival.

[swordofzero]

[He looked down when she spoke, her words hurt more than she could ever have meant them to. He didn't look back up but he did speak.] Perhaps.

[verymuchalive]

[She peers closer at him through the feed]

Are you sure you're okay?

[swordofzero]

[He was silent a moment but he nodded.] I'm fine... [He doesn't sound it though.] I'm glad you are alright Aradia.

[And then he is gone. Leaving the terminal.]

[verymuchalive]

[And Aradia is making a note to check on him later]