☣ o15; [video]

[lucycoded]

[The video feed starts with a screen of bright blue; one that only shows itself to be something other than a technical error when a wisp of white rare to the sky today peeks into view. The microphone rumbles with the breeze whipping across it. After a moment of this, things seem to calm, and the camera is turned on Kazuhiko's face

Comments

voice; filtered;

[topslug]

[ First, of course, the relief: ]

Amamiya-san, I'm glad you're doing all right. Ooe-san was pretty worked up.

[ That name, Urick...? No, it's not one which is that uncommon. Maybe it's not the same person... then again, she's seen far too much to believe in coincidence. As to his question... ]

...I have a friend who would say that the line doesn't exist at all.

voice; filtered;

[lucycoded]

Katsuragi-san. I'm sorry to have worried you and Ooe-san, and everyone else, so much. I'm fine, I'll be fine.

[It feels strange to have so many people concerned and while the responses are automatic, they're not without a sense of discomfort and awkward.]

Is that what you believe?

voice; filtered;

[topslug]

Was Mr. Urick... where did he manage to find you, eventually?

[ A pause. ]

Within the limits of what I define as humanity... yes, I do believe that.

voice; filtered;

[lucycoded]

A warehouse somewhere, that's the only thing I can remember.

We can only base our opinions on what we know, you don't have to hesitate. [And a deep breath.] Do you think that all people are monsters, or rather that there are no monsters at all.

voice; filtered;

[topslug]

It's hard to deny the existence of monsters when we're in this city, isn't it? Once you've met a real one, you wonder if calling people "monsters" is unfair or not.

[ Still, her voice sobers. ] There aren't any humans in the world that can really be called monsters, Amamiya-san. There are people who are monstrous... but that's all.

That's both a great and a horrible thing, I suppose.

voice; filtered;

[lucycoded]

Even before this city, I couldn't bring myself to think of any person as a monster. [Doing so would... force him to admit that he is not much different.] Being here just makes it that much more difficult.

[A beat, his voice is soft.] It is.

I don't know what I would do in a world where people could truly be monsters.

voice; filtered;

[topslug]

Well, this is one such world, isn't it? [ She laughs, softly, though she sobers up quickly enough. ]

If it's any comfort-- [ Which she's not sure it is. ] --this place proves that monsters have just as much a chance of being truly human as the other way around.

voice; filtered;

[lucycoded]

No, it's not such a world. Even here, people are still just people. The only true monsters here are the ones who stalk the night.

voice; filtered;

[topslug]

[ It was meant as a joke, of course, but she supposes he wasn't really in a joking mood. ]

Amamiya-san, I'd like to ask you something.

voice; filtered;

[lucycoded]

[Jokes aren't his strong subject, sorry.]

Of course, Katsuragi-san... What's on your mind?

voice; filtered;

[topslug]

What is it that made it difficult for your to see people as monsters?

voice; filtered;

[lucycoded]

[There's a pause. This is filtered and... somehow there's a sense of comfortability-]

Because if I were to see people as monsters, I would be one of them.

[A selfish reason, but the truth.]

voice; filtered;

[topslug]

[ Selfish or not, she appreciate the honesty. ]

Do you think you've done something that could make you a monster?

voice; filtered;

[lucycoded]

I do. [And a breath.] From an outsider's point of view, I am the literal good side to something absolutely terrible. I feel that if I can exist on that literal level, then there must be a figurative one for everyone else.

And every time I've seen a monster of a person, I've been shown a part of them that, were it to stand alone, would be considered good.