[ 004 | VIDEO | BACKDATED: 07/20 @ 3AM ]

[em0phones]

. . .

[ -- He can't sleep.

Maybe it's because the room used to belong to Joshua. Maybe it's because, after rooming with someone as loud as Kida, the quiet is jarring and unfamiliar. ... or, hell, maybe it's because one of his closest friends got stuffed into stasis and no one will tell him what the hell that is. Whatever the reason, it's 3AM and he's

Comments

[Video]

[not_the_pastry]

Neku! Are you all right?

VIDEO.

[em0phones]

... I'm okay. [ He's shaking his head, even though the gesture is barely visible in the gloom of his room. ]

It was just... [ Deep breath. ] ... the beacon freaking out, or something.

VIDEO.

[not_the_pastry]

[She catches the gesture and bites her lip, frowning.]

Do you--want to talk about it? I mean, well...You didn't look okay. Especially on the beacon.

VIDEO.

[em0phones]

... Dunno if there's much to talk about. I think... I came to terms with what happened, but.

I don't really think about that much, I guess. [ He shrugs, a little uncomfortable. It's hard for him to be... open. ] So, seeing it again like this...

VIDEO.

[not_the_pastry]

Was that video of you...dying?

[She whispers then--] I know what that's like, I think.

1/2 VIDEO.

[em0phones]

[ There's a pause, and then he pulls his knees up tighter to his chest -- it's a gesture reminiscent of a child-like defense. ]

... For the second time. I had to pick. Shoot him and... save Shibuya, or... let him shoot me and... let Shibuya get erased. [ And he'd tried to do what he had to do to save everyone ( to save himself ); he'd tried. But, even though he'd gotten the gun aimed at Joshua and tightened his fingers around the trigger, he just --

... couldn't. ] ... and you saw what happened.

[em0phones]

[ ... but the whisper makes his head snap him; he focuses back on the NEXUS with a blink. ]

... You... do? ... but... [ He bites down on his lower lip. ] ... You're here.

1/2

[not_the_pastry]

[Her voice is very quiet as she speaks; she's barely discussed this even with Lumiére, but this has been a pretty surreal night.]

I was sent on a mission to a planet called Dardanos. There was a radio signal being used to brainwash the population...we stopped it, but it...did something to me.

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[not_the_pastry]

I keep having dreams. About my predecessor--the person who had the codename Éclair before me. And I've been putting things together, and what people have said to me--

I've been told that I've died, many times. And people I've never met remember me.

I think...

I think she's me.

1/2

[em0phones]

[ Neku stays quiet for a long time; thinking, processing...

He's not the best person to discuss something with, but... he's a pretty good listener, when he wants to be. ... from hearing people like Shiki and Beat spill their guts to him, he's... starting to get a little bit of experience when it comes to stuff like this. He's growing. ]

[em0phones]

... If... that's really true, then... how do you keep coming back?

[ He wonders if there's a Game in her world; does she keep winning? But, no... that's not the way it works, right? His memories weren't all jumbled up once he returned to his life, and things picked up like they'd never been interrupted at all. ] ... You think, even if the virus gets you here, you'll... come back?

[not_the_pastry]

It's...part of my work. We come back with new appearances and keep doing our jobs.

...I don't know. It's possible, but I think it might not work without help from ES.

1/2

[em0phones]

... Do you... know how long you've been coming back like that?

And, I mean. Why? Can't they just find new people to replace you if something happens, like a normal job?

[em0phones]

... ES?