Camp: private conversations

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

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Why do you want to know?

[velocirainbow]

... 'Cause I'm scared.

[ He answers honestly, wiping at his eyes a bit. ]

My comrades, dey're all I got, sista. We're... we're all we've got. Dey're precious to me. An' if anythin' happened to dem, an' I wasn't dere to help dem, I... I dunno dat I could ever forgive myself. ... But I'd rather know. Den sit here hopin' I'd see 'em again.

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...

You'll see them again, Cielo.

[velocirainbow]

... Dat ain't an answer, sista. I appreciate you sayin' dat, but it ain't a straight answer.

[ He frowns. ]

If you know somethin', anythin', can't you jus' say so? I ain't gonna gang up on you or nothin'. I jus'... wanna know.

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I can't. The truth would be too much for you to handle. I can't give you that kind of a burden to carry here, it's too cruel.

[velocirainbow]

[ Leveling his gaze at her. ]

... I ain't made a glass. It might hurt, but it would hurt more to not know. Sista... if you ain't gwon tell me, I'm gwon jus' keep botherin' you or figure it out myself. An' I can learn plenty from what you don't say, an', well, dat.

I ain't entirely stupid. Who was it? What happened?

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[She just. Sighs. And looks defeated.]

...Alright. But if it's too much, I can remove the memory of this conversation from your mind.

[velocirainbow]

... Listen. I lost a lotta people. Dat's my burden to carry too, ain't it? But it's better den not knowin'. An' if what I think about all'a us was right, we was livin' on borrowed time anyways.

[ He smiles, even if it's a little weak. ]

Thank you.

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Everyone dies. Every single one of them.

[It's blurted out quickly, like she just wants to get it out, but then she goes back to fill in the details.]

Your team, I mean. Regardless of if you survive here, you're going to die in your own world.

...I'm sorry.

[velocirainbow]

[ He pauses, blinks, then laughs. It's... it's weird. Should he be upset? Surprised? Grief-stricken to know this? Somehow, he just... seems to be almost... relieved, perhaps. They fought so much, after all. ]

... Somehow, dat ain't surprise me one bit. We always fightin'. Had to happen eventually. Long as we managed to help somebody, I'm okay wid dat.

[ A pause. ]

... How you know dat, though? Seems like de kinda thing someone would only know if dey were dere.

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Because someone was there.

One of your teammates came here once. One who has already seen everyone else die. I saw it in their file.

[velocirainbow]

... One of de Embryon, den? Was it Serph? Gale? Argilla? Heat?

[ He has to ask. ]

It can't have been Sera.

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[She shakes her head.]

It wasn't Sera, thankfully.

[velocirainbow]

... She's too kind and gentle. I'm glad about dat. But den, who was it?

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If someone is showing off previous years at camp, then I'm sure you'll find out soon enough.

[velocirainbow]

[ He hangs his head and sighs. Okay. So she's gonna be dodgy. Fine. ]

... Awright. I guess I'll accept dat for now. Thanks, sista. If you need any help wid anything, jus' let me know, 'kay? I imagine your job gotta be hard.

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[Yep, she halla dodgy. But she does smile a little at what Cielo says.]

I'm the one who's supposed to be helping you, you know.

[velocirainbow]

[ A small laugh. ]

I know dat, but you prolly got a lot to do! It can't help havin' people interrogatin' you all de time. I jus' wanna help out if I can. Even if it's somethin' simple like carryin' stuff or somethin'. Jus' lemme know, okay? I ain't fishin' for support or anythin' like dat, I jus' figure you could use de break now an' again.

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I get the rest of the year as a 'break', honestly.