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[waitingforplayer2]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, CHIAKI NANAMI.

FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX

*** galagamer has joined XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
<galagamer> This is Chiaki Nanami.
<galagamer> I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Comments

[knifemonopoly]

It's the worst kind of trick...

...the kind where the feelings are real.

[Mana gives them coins to encourage interpersonal connection, engagement with what happens, and they fall for it...they form bonds, and learn new ways to be hurt, or they make enemies, and generate suffering for free...

It's a neat, tidy, efficient system. As neat as the god factions, that reward division and revenge.

But he doesn't say all that out loud. She's not listening, she's not going to join him in despair, and maybe that's good, or maybe it's bad, but it's out of his hands. She's written him off as so tired he's become upset, so...

He looks down at the three-quarters empty glass by his hand.]

I could sleep.

[waitingforplayer2]

Come on...

[ She gets to her feet and tugs him over to the couch. It's closest, and from underneath she pulls out a spare set of blankets, kept close by in case of any humans or monsters who need to take a nap.

Gently she takes the glass from him too, and places it on the table. She busies herself with laying the blankets out. ]

If it's a trick... maybe we can figure it out. If it's a rigged game... maybe there's still a reason to play. It's what we do, right? We make a good team... the King of Games, and the Ultimate Gamer...

[ She never uses that title for herself. But she will for him, to try to reassure him.

She sits down next to the spot she's laid out. Either way, she'll keep him company. ]

[knifemonopoly]

[He almost never uses that title, either...it's technically from his future, and the only thing he likes about it is that it matches Nanami's...and Sonic had been so excited to use it on the Twinge stream, with the possession gimmick, that Atem hadn't had the heart to tell him no.

They're both experts at games, the highest-level players in their respectibe worlds. But...]

Why play...when the game is designed to hurt us?

When the rules can be broken against us at any time, but we can't break them back?

[He sits down on one side of the couch she's made up, not quite going under the blankets yet. Instead, he pulls his knees up, and leans sideways against the couch arm, a little ball of cow with a tucked-in tail that doesn't have it in him to stay upright under his own power.]

[waitingforplayer2]

[ It's a very general question; and they've talked about this before, without really coming to a solid conclusion. Nanami hasn't really figured out an answer to it in the meantime; only answers to other questions, more personal ones about what she should do with her time here.

The itch in her brain doesn't like the idea of guessing, of making up some sort of idea to comfort Atem; so she takes a deep breath, and moves closer to him on the couch. ]

I... don't think I can speak for everyone... but, for me, I guess it's because... I want to. It's really just like that...

[knifemonopoly]

[He doesn't seem to object to her presence, even if he doesn't move towards her. Subtle body language cues; a lack of increased discomfort gives it away.]

....but, even if I don't want to anymore, I don't have a choice.

[Well. He has a choice. Go numb, and let the game happen to him, and let his friends continue to spiral, losing more and more and more of themselves, or...

...or, take matters into his own hands, and end it. For all of them.]

[waitingforplayer2]

[ She hesitates. And then she shakes her head.

Because that is the awful truth. There is no way out of here, if somebody really wants to leave.

That's what Sonic has already figured out. ]

I'm sorry...

[knifemonopoly]

[He stays where he's sitting, his eyelids lowering, as though they couldn't keep themselves up anymore with their own power.

He's really tired, all of a sudden...

He's going to have to decide what he's going to do about this. Just enduring isn't an option. Kaiba said himself, he had no idea when he'd be back: time might work differently, outside of Ryslig. Atem can't wait for him. Not any longer.

For now, though, what he needs is sleep. Atem wants to stop thinking, for a while.]

...it's not your fault.

[He seems to settle further into the couch cushions, not relaxing so much as sinking.

Not being alone, though...that helps. If she weren't here, it would be terribly easy to give in to the itch behind his eyes, the tightness in his skull, and cry uselessly. It's a good thing she's here...]

[waitingforplayer2]

[ She sits with him, as long as it takes until he falls asleep.

Her eyes are droopy. She's pretty tired, herself...

As she finally drifts off, the last thing she sees is the doorway where he entered, holding his wine glass and looking manic and upset.

She's going to have to talk to Ryou later, and find out what exactly happened... ]