[Video | Action to the Orchard]

[gentlecuteside]

[Amamiya appears in front of the mirror, sitting on her knees. She waits a moment before taking a deep breath and beginning to speak:]

I'm sorry to bore all of you with this, but I had to be sure it's gone. If it isn't, this could be the last you hear from me, and if that happens I'm sorry for dying in such a stupid way.

My name is Amamiya Sakurako, and I've been to the future.

[She cringes as though waiting for something bad to happen. When it doesn't, she straightens up, breathing a sigh of relief, and continues.]

I answered the wrong phone call, and got trapped in a game called Psyren. I was sent back and forth from the present to the future, a future where Japan is a desert wasteland inhabited only by monsters.

[Her voice starts to waver, but she presses on:]

I fought. I survived, sometimes by skill, sometimes by chance. Sometimes I was the only one who survived. I got stronger because I had to, not because I wanted to.

And I couldn't talk about it. If I so much as mentioned Psyren, or Nemesis Q, or the W.I.S.E. to anyone who wasn't part of the 'game', I would be killed instantly. Even here in the Gardens, it was the same thing.

[Okay yeah she's crying a little now.]

Until now. I can talk about it now, thanks to the Healer.

[She wipes her eyes and nose quickly on the back of her sleeve, covering it up.]

Thank you for your time. I just...had to tell my story, now that I could.

[She makes a gesture with her hand, and the video feed cuts off. Unseen to any watching over the Vine, she covers her mouth with her hand and cries real, powerful tears of joy and relief.]

Comments

Re: [video]

[persical]

You're welcome. It sounds like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. [she sounds genuinely happy for the other girl.]

[cascadetomboy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but- This is what you used your favor for, right? To talk about this without getting killed.

You shouldn't feel so bad about being able to say what you want to. Especially under such awful circumstances.

[video]

[body-horrible.livejournal.com]

Cute sob story kid. You want a medal or something?

[gentlecuteside]

Yes, the Orchard.

[gentlecuteside]

I feel much better now. I don't think I can even properly describe it.

[gentlecuteside]

Yes, please do. I think it'll be good for me.

[gentlecuteside]

That's true, I suppose. Thank you for saying so.

[gentlecuteside]

Yes, I want a medal for finally being free from having my life hijacked by a crazy woman from the future. Are you always this repulsive?

It's the glasses. Those frames are apparently a recipe for time-travel suffering.

[gentlecuteside]

...oh? What do you understand?

[She's thinking that this girl's maybe got the same thing going on.]

[heartovertime]

[It's a moment before Homura speaks, though it isn't due to reluctance that she would not be believed, for once. But the memories are painful ones too, something like a dream turned nightmare prior to coming to this place.]

For several weeks prior to coming here I fought monsters too. They were called Witches and they fed off of negative emotions and caused all sorts of accidents and suicides. [She pauses, briefly.] There was a worse one too...who easily tore skyscrapers in half with her magic. And only a few of us could even fight them.

We couldn't tell anyone about them either. It wasn't as serious but...more just that they wouldn't laugh at us or think we had gone crazy. [Pause] They wouldn't have been able to have even seen them.

[And there's more to the story, her eyes say, but she's hesitant.]

[cascadetomboy.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

... What are you going to do after this?

[gentlecuteside]

Oh, I see. Are you friends with Mami, then? She told me a story very much like that one.

[gentlecuteside]

Get on with my life as best I can, I suppose.

[heartovertime]

Mm...That's right. Tomoe-san and I have been through a number of the same things together. [But many more different.]

Video > Action

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Right! [Zenobia takes off, appearing in the orchard in a few minutes.]

[She runs over to Amamiya. She thinks of just hugging her right away, but actually hesitates, looking the girl straight in the eyes.]

[gentlecuteside]

It sounds like a very hard life. I hope everything works out for you.

[gentlecuteside]

[Amamiya looks like a mess. Her nose is running, her face is ruddy, her hair falling over her face messily, her cheeks still wet...but she's smiling.]

[heartovertime]

Mm... It's...kind of nice being here, without that all to worry about. My friends are here and alive, so...

I hope you can find some peace now too...

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

[Oh, what the hell. Zenobia goes up and hugs her.]

[gentlecuteside]

[She returns the hug, clinging tightly to her. She hardly knows this girl, but...well, right now she wasn't going to be too picky.]

[gentlecuteside]

I think I will. I hope I will. It's been so long, though...no matter. I'll recover, I'm sure of it.

[heartovertime]

I'm...Homura Akemi, if you should need anything...

[headedforhope]

All right. [she's quiet for a few moments, thinking.] Why didn't you give up? Did you really fear death so much...or did someone give you hope?

[The question isn't asked out of idle curiosity, but intense interest.]

[gentlecuteside]

I...well, I didn't have a choice, really. I'd still keep getting pulling into Psyren, even if I'd wanted to give up. I guess I could have died, but that just never really occurred to me. My teacher was waiting for me at home, so I had to get back. No matter what it took.

[headedforhope]

Ah, I can understand that. [...] And now you're here, instead, but it's better now....mm. What sort of person is your teacher, Sakurako-san?