003; voice

[denies]

Tch, how is this thing supposed to work either way, I just have to press--

[ The voice - or rather, it's more like a mumble, as if she's just talking to herself (and a fair bit more hurried than her usual calm deadpan, really) might seem familiar to some people, even if it hasn't been heard in a while. There's the sound of the clicking of a mouse, and then a faint laugh in the background, causing her to raise her voice at the source. ]

Go amuse yourself somewhere else, Amakusa..! I'm trying to get this thing to work already. Just go sit outside or something like that or I'll have your pay being cut!

[ There's some retort, but it's too far away to hear, and then there's the sound of footsteps fading away - although it doesn't seem to settle the voice's frustration. ]

Come on.. It's connecting to the community, isn't it? [ The voice's tone changes a bit-- almost to a point where it's pretty unsure and insecure aside from being softer. ] I.. it's not like it was really all a dream, right? Someone tell me I'm not just going crazy..

[ There's a pause, but then there's a loud beeping sound. ]

'A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 013'-- ugh, work, stupid machine..! [ okay, nope, it's back to frustration, apparently. ]

Comments

[video] I CANT BREATHE-!! I CANT---

[chestboard]

[Is that.......

He knows that voice anywhere- and the last time he heard it... she had been right beside his ear, breathing heavily as she tried to talk in her final moments but..

...How can she be alive...?!]

A..Ange....?

1/?

[tenminutes]

An--

jokes just 2/3 it's not gonna be a ton

[tenminutes]

[ ..Should she say anything? She was going to, then she realized..

She probably shouldn't, should she? ]

[voice] koz, you have to live..!! 1 / 2

[denies]

Onii-chan..!

[ Ange was practically busy trying to kick the computer, but her attention is completely caught up by the message once she hears his voice. When she had just woken up there, it felt like everything before had just been some sort of dream, like vague memories, but.. it was real after all, right? Fighting by Battler's side, the community, everything..

Slowly but surely that feeling of sheer relief starts to settle in for her, especially since.. she called him 'onii-chan', but despite that.. no hot pinchers this time, she's just fine. ]

Urgh, where's that stupid option--

okay done

[tenminutes]

[ Still, Ange is.. or is she dead? Yuri knows that dead people can have access to this thing. ]

Are you okay?

[video]

[denies]

[ After a brief struggle she manages to turn on video as well, and.. even if she looks a bit out of it thanks to her momentary confusion, the relief is visible on her face throughout the surprise. ]

Onii-chan.. Yeah, it's me.

wow what if I'm not satisfied!!

[denies]

I'm fine-- ah..

[ She replies almost out of instinct, but it doesn't hit her until a moment later that she probably should see who's asking, but.. that voice sounds familiar, right? ]

Yuri? That's.. you, right?

[video] PUKES BLOOD AND WRITES THROUGH THE TEARS

[chestboard]

[He doesn't know what to say at first- really. There she is... his sister, and for the first time, he's actually looking at her not as Gretel, but as Ange... as his Ange, his little sister that he had apparently left alone for so long.

Battler gets up, and he comes closer to the camera. He stares for a second- and then he reaches out, placing his fingers on the screen before putting his palm down against it.]

Ange.... it's... really you right...? This .. this isn't a trick is it..? If it's a trick I don't think I'll be able to--... kuh..!

[tenminutes]

Yeah, it's me. [ She clears her throat just slightly, then manages to keep a steady, calm voice. ]

Are you alive or dead and just hanging around like me?

[video] that's rough, buddy.

[denies]

[ Just the sight of him like that is almost enough to make her tear up too - especially since she thought she wouldn't see him again ever, that she would just die and he would go back to the six year old version of her, but.. yet here she is, even if she's not sure what's going on, and she's talking with her other brother like it's nothing - but she holds it back, biting her lip for a moment. ]

It's not a trick. I promise. [ She sees that hand, and.. well, what else is there for her to do but move her own hand towards the monitor, as silly and childish as it almost is, just to have it touch where his palm is too. ]

See..? It's really me, isn't it..?

[denies]

[ In a way, she's definitely relieved. Seeing the community again.. no, at first she had feared it was all just a dream with the way she had woken up, that she had just imagined the fact that she had truly been able to make friends, but.. it was true after all. Everything she thought she abandoned when she sacrificed herself.. she can't help but almost smile a little to herself - even if it doesn't show up because of the feed just being voice. ]

I'm.. not sure. [ That's at least an honest answer, even Ange doesn't have any idea of what happened yet. ] I think I'm alive, considering this doesn't seem to be any sort of afterlife..

[tenminutes]

I'm glad.

[ She pauses, but.. ]

I'm sorry, Ange.

[video] omg stop- im like eharmony chick over here with these tears

[chestboard]

[Ah... when she puts her hand against this- even though it's through a screen like this he can't help but let out a sob. The tears are already rolling down his face however... he can't hold it back.]

Ange... Angeeee....! You were.. I thought you were gone for good...!

[denies]

... Sorry? [ wait, that's right.. what did happen after she died, either way, time couldn't have stood still, even though she has no clue what date it is considering how quickly she rushed to find a computer, abandoning her original task.. ]

Yuri, what are you apologizing for? Did something happen? [ She sounds genuinely clueless - see, she's at least not blaming her for her death in the slightest. ]

[video] wait are you legitly crying again

[denies]

... Yeah. Me too.

[ That's the truth, after all - no matter how she got here back alive like this, she didn't expect it. She seriously thought she would just sacrifice her life for Battler's, and in a way she had been okay with that, but.. ]

But.. I'm alive, onii-chan. I'm really here. Even if I'm not with you in person right now.. I'm pretty sure I must be alive.

[tenminutes]

After you died I tried to save Beatrice from Battler. I couldn't even manage that and I couldn't keep any of the promises I made.

I'm sorry I didn't do anything to try to help you either.

That's it.

[sandinmyboots]

Hey, you're back! You missed all the drama with Battler!

[denies]

[ ... Wait, tried to save-- okay, no, let's get the more understandable part out of the way first. ]

I don't know what happened after I died, but.. you at least don't have to apologize for that last thing. There's nothing anyone could have done to help me there, because.. it was my own choice to break the rule to bring Battler onii-chan back.

[ ... ]

But.. you were trying to save Beatrice? Why..?

[denies]

[ ... Wait, what-- cue her blinking at the screen, because that's not the kind of answer she expected, even if she feels glad she at least managed to connect to the community again. ]

Drama.. with Battler onii-chan?

[tenminutes]

It's.. complicated. I won't apologize for trying to save her either, even if I don't think Battler was wrong. I'm sorry I couldn't though.

I think this is one of those things I'm not supposed to talk about where he can read it.

[sandinmyboots]

Not the part with him going "oh nooo my sister is dead and I hate life" because that is normal for a grieving sibling and he'll avenge you sooner or later!

No, no, I mean he broke up with Yuri! Or un-partnered with her. Or something. They never want to talk to each other again!

[denies]

I--..

[ god, this is all way too confusing right now right after she already has her own confusion situation to deal with too, but there's something about Yuri that just tells Ange she has to speak with the other girl, somehow. ]

Listen, we need to talk about this in person sometime, okay? I'm not sure from who I could even get a worldhop, or if I can leave-- well, I could probably leave right now, but.. [ a sigh - it sounds a little tired, but mostly since she's trying to cope with all of this right now. ]

[tenminutes]

I don't mind if Battler hates me, Ange. You're both alive, so just focus on getting him to play the game right now. He's a moron, so he started refusing since Beatrice isn't even playing anymore.

I know it doesn't make a lot of sense, but Battler's probably just going to be more upset if you come over. I just wanted to make sure you were really alright.

[denies]

There's no need to avenge me when I'm alive, you know..

[ The second part is more surprising though, Yuri and Battler did what..? ]

But why don't those two want to talk to each other anymore? I mean.. weren't they friends? [ and a little more, but not really officially or entirely mutual.. ]

[sandinmyboots]

It's the principle of the thing!

And I have no clue. It happened around the same time Battler announced your death, so maybe that was involved?