Camp: private conversations

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Respond here for a private conversation with Red! All comment threads are screened.

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[fallbymyhands]

They must have very little faith in you, despite your experience.

[hm. . .]

What would happen if they were to activate this "final protocol?"

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Everyone in camp would die.

[So yeah don't do the final protocol.]

[fallbymyhands]

[SO YEAH DON'T DO THE FINAL PROTOCOL]

And they would use one of the campers "suitable" for it to accomplish this?

[backspacing]

They would use the most effective method of doing so, yes.

[fallbymyhands]

[quiet for a moment as she wrings her hands together, gaze flickering down]

And. . . what is that most effective method?

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[She shakes her head. It's probably something Mitsuru doesn't want to know.]

[fallbymyhands]

[it's definitely something she wants to know. but unlike before, she doesn't press harshly or firmly. she's trying a gentler approach, after all]

If you're capable of telling me, I'd like to know, regardless of how bad it may be.

[she did face Nyx, after all. she did spend some time being terrified of her own death]

But if you're restricted in some manner, I of course can't force you.

[backspacing]

Thank you for understanding, then.

[Yes, she's restricted. Sorry Mitsuru, she can give general ideas but not step-by-step instructions.]

[fallbymyhands]

. . . I've been attempting to be better at that.

[she looks away, brushing her hair behind her ears]

My frustrations are hardly your fault, and I shouldn't have taken the out on you before. I refuse to do that now.

[. . .]

If I may change the subject, are you able to tell me what happened in this camp one year ago?

[backspacing]

[Mitsuru? Apologizing? Color Red shocked!]

...of course. What did you want to know specifically?

[It went on for eight weeks, so there's a lot to tell.]

[fallbymyhands]

[she is capable of it!! her pride isn't that much]

The profile the hunters wrote for me referenced that they wished to "avoid a repeat of last year." Do you know, perhaps, what they meant by that?

[backspacing]

That was probably referring to Ryoji.

...I almost broke protocol, to save him. I needed a reminder of my duties in order to fulfill them.

[fallbymyhands]

[oh. . .]

I had no idea Ryoji was here so. . . recently.

[:( :( :(]

What reminder did they give you after you broke protocol for him, Red?

[backspacing]

[Yep, it's a fresh wound.]

They played his final words to me, on repeat, over my computer speakers for a week.

Along with the warning that 'next time' they would erase the camper's presence from camp entirely.

[fallbymyhands]

[WOW. WHAT ASSHOLES. Mitsuru's expression hardens]

Your superiors have no ability to feel empathy or sympathy, I see.

[those words are harsh, but definitely not directed at Red herself]

Despite doing this for the "good of the universe," they seem rather cruel.

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Why do you think I keep coming back here, year after year? I can handle their cruelties, but I don't want to subject any of you to them.

[That is only a taste of what they can do.]

[fallbymyhands]

You're quite kind, Red.

[and she means that]

To put yourself through this, year after year, to mitigate the damage. [. . .] We found something else, along with the hunter profiles. A video of two scientists in a lab, talking about you and this camp. One was a normal looking human, but the other man looked. . . strange.

[very strange?]

They both mentioned you were immune to this camp's mind effects, and the strange-looking man mentioned he wished to experiment upon you. I found it all extremely detestable.

[backspacing]

[Luckily she heard this from Lenka already, so it's not such a surprise to her. But she still looks bothered by hearing about him again.]

All those times I said 'you don't want to meet the men in charge'?

He's one of the ones I was referring to, and I bet you can guess why.

[She seems not bothered by the mention of experiments, though. Probably because she doesn't think they will happen.]

[fallbymyhands]

[Mitsuru doesn't blame her, truthfully]

Yes, I can. The way he talked so casually about "experimenting" on someone. . .

[a sharp exhale of breath]

Amamiya brought up a curious proposition to me earlier this week. Is this camp. . . part of a larger experiment, run by that man and the other scientists in his lab?

[backspacing]

...

[This is getting close to stuff she can't say, Mitsuru.]

I wouldn't say he runs it, no. He's a madman doing his own thing.

[fallbymyhands]

[which means she's on the right track]

Doing his own thing. . . "for the good of the world?"

[she feels like it always comes back to that]