backspacing | Camp: private conversations

[by the time the door opens, Mitsuru has. . . calmed down somewhat, although she still breezes into the room as quickly as she can. when Red responds, she hesitates. because now that she thinks about it, this is a little awkward to bring up]

. . .

You knew Mochizuki?

[better get right to it, then]

[Upon hearing the name 'Mochizuki', Red's eyes go wide with surprise. She clearly didn't expect to ever hear that name spoken again.]

...

[Red will take a moment to close the door before talking to Mitsuru. Time for some privacy.]

You are not the first to come to me asking about people I might possibly know. What happened?

[the surprise is noted, and it makes Mitsuru's stomach twist with fear. what happened to Ryoji?]

Zaberisk returned to us alive, just as you said she would. She is not well, however. And she was carrying a CD made out of stone.

On the advice of Amamiya, I placed the disc into the Wii, and it played us a video of you and several other campers. Mochizuki was one of them.

...

[Before answering, Red lets out a small sigh. It seems to be one of resignation, too.]

I wonder how she came into possession of that. It certainly explains the questions everyone has been asking me today, though.

You mean to tell me you didn't know she had it?

No. I don't make a habit of sharing private memories with others, I wouldn't have given it to her in the first place.

[that's. . . surprising. although in hindsight, Mitsuru realizes it was probably silly to assume that Red had purposefully given the disc to Lilith, to share with the living campers]

. . .

I know Mochizuki was the one who gave you that bracelet. [ah] Can you tell me how much you knew about him?

His existence was unique.

[Her hand immediately goes to cover it, and she looks down. There's definitely sadness and regret on her face.]

He was a very sweet boy. Too kind for his own good. Out of everyone who ever came here, he's one of the ones I wanted to make it out of here the most.

But...knowing what he was, it's probably for the best that he didn't.

[She doubts herself even as she says those words.]

[. . . ah]

So you knew his connection to Nyx. No. . . of course you did.

The "incident ten years ago" you brought up with me is the incident involving my grandfather, isn't it? You know. . . quite a lot about us.

It was, yes.

I was trying to be subtle, to get your attention without alerting the others that I was trying to do so.

I missed it. But that was before I realized what you all knew.

[. . .]

[she isn't sure if she wants to ask the next question, but. she does anyway]

. . . what happened to Mochizuki?

...

An accident happened, and a camper died. The other camper involved was technically the 'culprit', but hadn't meant to cause the death.

Ryoji convinced everyone to vote for him, to spare the other person.

[her chest suddenly feels tight]

. . . yes.

[that. that's Ryoji, all right]

That sounds like him.

He went peacefully, though. I couldn't-

[She couldn't be cruel to him, in the end. Despite her orders.]

I got in a lot of trouble for that.

How. . .?

[she feels like her heart is being squeezed]

How could they punish you for showing someone mercy?

Because we're not supposed to get attached to the campers. We're supposed to remain neutral. Getting attached- crying over them- that's what gets you pulled from this job.

Compassion is not a weakness, Red.

[she lifts a hand up and clutches her arm, fingers tightening into the fabric]

Did Mochizuki turn into whatever Zaberisk is as well?

Yes, he did.

[She looks like she wants to say more, but she stops herself there.]

[Mitsuru notices, and she hesitates before pushing forward]

What happened to him afterwards?

[she's pushing, she knows she's pushing. but she has to know. for Ryoji's sake. . . and for Lilith's sake, too]

You have seen Lillith. I think you know what happened.

I know.

[god, she doesn't want to think of someone as bright (and annoying, admittedly) as Ryoji turning into something like Lilith]

But after he was turned into. . . that. What happens to those people? I don't see any others like Zaberisk around the camp.

They're dead, Mitsuru. What do you think happens to dead bodies after a while?

They decay.

[the answer is curt and blunt. so even then, Ryoji hadn't been allowed to continue existing. it seems fate would never be kind to him, no matter the universe]

Or get eaten, or sink to the bottom of the lake and never get found.

But you get the idea.

I do.

[god]

You know. . . quite a bit about me, don't you, Red?

Camp: private conversations

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