eleventh truth | video

[endofdaydream]

[ The feed opens, but the sight is a bit blurry - as if the communicator is being waved around rather than being held still. After a few moments of green and blue blur the communicator settles on the sight of a coat close-up, as if the owner is just holding it and doesn't realise it's recording just yet. ]

I told you I can walk! [ The voice is

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[offline] 1/2

[heavyheels]

[ange. ange was back.

chie feels a huge weight lift from her chest, a weight she hadn't even realized she'd been carrying until it was gone ...

and then a new pang of guilt, twisting deep in her gut. ange wouldn't have died in the first place if chie hadn't failed so completely at dealing with adachi.

nevertheless, chie feels compelled to speak to the other girl.]

[voice]

[heavyheels]

Ange-san. It's - it's good to have you back.

[voice]

[endofdaydream]

[ It takes Ange a few moments to process that voice, to place it - but then she vaguely remembers hearing it before, at that party--

... oh. She had been there too, hadn't she, when Adachi had.. ]

Satonaka-san, right? [ She pauses for a moment, unsure on what to say. A little awkward, even though she tries to keep her voice close her regular deadpan one. ] How long has it been..?

[voice]

[heavyheels]

Ah, yes, I'm sorry - Chie Satonaka. Souji-kun's friend? We met at Yosuke's birthday party.

[and then i stood around and watched adachi's persona butcher you horribly like a complete moron. her stomach twists a little tighter.]

It's - um, it's been about a week since ... [since adachi murdered you. she opts not to finish that sentence and instead lightly clears her throat.] A little more than a week, I think.

[voice]

[endofdaydream]

Hmm, I remember. There was that.. unfortunate thing with the cake.

[ Mentioning that might be a little awkward, but it's still less awkward than talking about what happened with Adachi, right? ]

A week.. [ She breathes out, and it's a little heavy. She's kept everyone waiting, hasn't she, even though she had no control over it. ... She shakes her head though, that's not the matter right now. ]

Satonaka-san, about what happened-- I rushed in, sorry for interrupting. [ Her voice sounds rather casual (although there's something more grim behind it, perhaps a hint of grim determination) considering she's talking about her own death. ] It was my fault, so.. I'm sorry you had to see that.

[voice]

[heavyheels]

Ahaha, yeah ... [punching her way out of a cake was not chie's best entrance ever.

and chie takes a long breath. she'd been wondering how to broach the topic of adachi and ange's death since her first reply, but since ange brought it up first ... ]

Ah, please, call me Chie. [you're dating one of her best friends, after all.] And, um ... [her voice grows quieter and a touch more somber.] Please, don't apologize. I - I actually wanted to apologize to you. For, um ... [failing? standing around like a useless dope? watching adachi murder you?] ... for not doing more. To stop him, I mean.

[smooth, satonaka. real smooth.]

[voice]

[endofdaydream]

Chie, then..

[ She pauses for a moment. ]

That's nothing to apologize for. I doubt anyone could have done much against that thing.. [ it had passed by so quickly, it had ripped her open so easily-- ] I honestly don't blame you.

[voice]

[heavyheels]

[there's plenty to apologize for, chie thinks, starting with the fact that she could have fought harder, hit harder, attacked smarter, taken adachi down before he'd had the opportunity to butcher ange - why was it so hard? she'd fought him before, she should've known what to expect, should've been quicker on her feet, should've dodged the damn fear spell that had rendered her powerless - but she's reluctant to press the issue, under the circumstances. ange might not blame chie, but she blames herself enough for the both of them.]

Well ... it's good to have you back, at any rate. [a slight pause, and chie makes a marked effort to sound more upbeat.] Souji-kun will be so happy to see you. Everyone will be happy to see you! Are you ... [oh yeah, wasn't there someone else on that transmission?] Oh, sheesh, is that guy bothering you?

[voice]

[endofdaydream]

[ Souji-- that's right, Ange hadn't particularly minded the dying part (she was used to that by now, right? In fact, if it wasn't so gruesome she might have even found herself lucky for having a slightly better death this time, if there was such a thing as better gruesome deaths), but if she wouldn't have been able to return here, if she wouldn't have seen everyone again, wouldn't have seen Souji again..

The last remark snaps her out of her thoughts though. ]

... Ah, that guy? He's sort of bothering me, I guess, but it seems more like it's part of his nature. You know, the kind of guy that refuses to stop helping you even when you ask him to.

[voice]

[heavyheels]

I could come punt him for you.

[because violence solves everything, amirite.]

[voice]

[endofdaydream]

Don't bother. I already punched him and he barely winced.

[ Of course it does. ]

[voice]

[heavyheels]

I kick really hard. Ask Yosuke!

[voice]

[endofdaydream]

Oh, do you mean he's been used as a training exercise before?

[voice]

[heavyheels]

Ahaha, yeah ... something like that.

[her trial of the dragon ;~;]

[voice]

[endofdaydream]

Well.. thank you for the offer, but I'll be fine. He can't keep stalking me forever, after all.

[voice]

[heavyheels]

All right. [if you say so, ange ...

and chie pauses a bit awkwardly. she feels like there's more she should probably say, just ... how to say it, and what exactly, is eluding her.]

Um ... is there anything I can do for you?