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truthliesinspace

[INSERT THE MOST OBNOXIOUS YET INSPIRATIONAL VOICEMAIL BULLSHIT HERE also for continuations if need be]

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From:

truthliesinspace

Alright, good. If I let that guy eat you or something, I wouldn't really have any right to demand any explanation. [also she'd be like, dead.]

. . .

So, anyway. You said 'you,' just now. In that memory, you kept saying things like "The Real Kaito" and stuff.

Until now, you seriously didn't see us as real people?

From:

cosplayed_out

I... kinda had to in order to keep the killing game going, Kaito.

I mean, no one was ever really paying attention to me. I made sure I had an alibi each time. That I wasn't anywhere near the murderer...

From a meta perspective, the audience probably knew it was me before Shuuichi.

From:

truthliesinspace

Maybe that was my bad. If I had given you as much attention as Shuichi and the others, you might have come to your senses before things got too crazy. . .

Why was it so important to you?

From:

cosplayed_out

Oh... probably not. I have sponsors, and they don't pay me to think.

[...]

You didn't understand?

[she blinks]

When danganronpa first started, it was just harmless anime and video games. A little violent, but there's plenty of violent media involving high schoolers. Battle Royale, GANTZ... just for examples. It was only later it became reality shows with the Ultimate Real Fiction premise tied to the flashback lights.

I grew up watching them. Playing them. I was a huge fan. My dream... was to work on the show. As a creator.

So, I put my heart into it and was able to get hired as a writer, and then as the mastermind to keep everything on track in the game itself. You know. Sort of like the more loyalty you show to the company, the more they reward you?

From:

truthliesinspace

No, I get that much. You made that. . . pretty clear. [FIVE HOUR ENDING UNSKIPPABLE--tho thankfully in memory time it didn't take that long.]

I mean, afterwards. As fucked up as it was, you got to do your dream show and mastermind the whole thing. And then the audience turned on you.

And to add insult to injury, the production didn't even bother to save you even if by then. . .probably, no one was watching.

So why give your life to something that threw you away so easily when you could do so much more? Why not find a new dream?

From:

cosplayed_out

[she winces] Sorry...

[...]

I don't know.

From:

truthliesinspace

Then, let me try asking this instead. . .who do you think you are? Are you real, or are you just the 'girl who made the 53rd killing game?'

Cuz right now, it doesn't sound like you think you're even worth a writing credit.

From:

cosplayed_out

I guess... I'm the girl who wrote the fifty-third killing game. The girl who made people murder each other.

...You're saying I can really move on, even from that? If... if I can get the sponsors to agree to it, the dating game would bring everyone back. Kaede, Rantarou...

From:

truthliesinspace

. . .Tsumugi, they're dead. I'm dead. There's no going back to that world for any of us now. Even if you could, it wouldn't make it right. Those wouldn't be the same people that suffered. You'd just be running away from the truth, from reality. And more importantly. . .

We wouldn't be us.

[For better or worse, the Kaito she's speaking to now is a culmination of all the experiences he remembers, real or not. And frankly, he's fine with that. He sighs.]

So. . .yeah, I do think you can move on. Otherwise, you wouldn't be talking to me. Even with all those memories, I still don't know what is and isn't true. But I can tell, that you know me enough to realize I was never gonna say hitting the rewind and redo button is a good idea.

From:

cosplayed_out

...

Hah... that's really chilling. But, you're right.

How... How do I know I won't backslide into the same mindset? Some... sometimes when our teams are forced into killing games... all I can think is "Why are they trying to be so nice? Don't they know doing the harsh thing is the only way we're going to survive and win?" ...The really sad part is I'm always right.

Kraken is such... good people. It really feels like I'm the token evil teammate.

From:

truthliesinspace

[that gets...a genuinely baffled look]

What's so evil about wanting to protect your new friends?

From:

cosplayed_out

...Huh?

From:

truthliesinspace

I mean it. Look, I don't like hurting folks, but I still killed Kokichi to help him with his plan, protect Maki Roll, and give myself a shot at surviving. It was wrong, but it's what made the most sense at the time. And well, it paid off.

You're doing the same thing in order to protect your team. That ain't evil. Hearing that. . .it kinda sounds like you're changing already, since wouldn't it make for better drama if you all ate shit?

From:

cosplayed_out

...So you're saying...

I can use my power of anime, cosplay, and killing games for good... instead of evil?

From:

truthliesinspace

[unsure if she should take it THAT literally but--]

. . .yeah, basically. I mean, you already are. Mizuki and the others loved what you set up for the butler cafe.

From:

cosplayed_out

Wow.... I... I never thought of it that way...

[she takes a breath, starting to look relieved. Like anxiety is drifting away.]

I really can? You're sure?

I mean, you met my Junko! She's... not the best person, but I sorta interpreted her as nice as I could under the circumstances.

From:

truthliesinspace

You know I don't say anything I don't mean.

And I only saw that cosplay once, and she was uh, kind of a lot, but maybe there are folks out there that like that kinda thing. But what's important to remember it's you under the cosplay. As long as you put your own heart into it, it'll shine through, and folks'll get that!

From:

cosplayed_out

That's right! The cosplay is always me. And if my role play of the character isn't one-hundred percent faithful to the source material, or stretches the limits of characterization... that's still me.

Because I can make those decisions.

From:

cosplayed_out

[she stretches her arms a bit, looking much more calm. But then... a shiver of anxiety.]

...There's one final step.

[a long sigh.]

I must confess... to Kokichi.

From:

truthliesinspace

[That gets a light snort from him.]

Heeeh. . .good luck with that. You really put that little bastard through the wringer. Wouldn't blame 'im if he really laid into you.

[Then, a pause, considering, but he continues.]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't upset too--I mean, I still got a terminal illness to deal with no matter what I do now. Kinda sucks! [that and All My Friends Are Dead but at least they decided that themselves,,,]

. . .but I don't hate you. Cuz you've changed. I didn't become friends with Tsumugi the mastermind. I became friends with just, Tsumugi. A girl who's way too into nerdy shit.

Pretty big difference.

From:

cosplayed_out

...You're still sick?

To be fair, Kaito, I've always been very into... otaku interests.

But, thank you... I don't think I'm done, either. But I know this has definitely been a good thing.

... I don't have to pretend anymore. I don't have to think there's a wall between us anymore.

From:

truthliesinspace

Oh yeah, whatever brought me here brought that along, too. I've died like, twice from it in the last few months! The whole monster in my head thing keeps it in check most of the time, but kinda don't wanna have to choose between coughing up blood and a bloodthirsty wolf living inside me, y'know?

[Said just a bit TOO casually, he's gotten used to the whole body constantly rebelling against him thing, oops.]

Anyway, yeah, I agree. When I was in your palace...mind thing, I saw you and some friends at some sort of otaku cafe. You looked really happy. And I think ultimately? That's the real you.

From:

cosplayed_out

That's... disturbing.

[Should she say he was given it basically to guarantee he wouldn't win the killing game? ...No. There was such a thing as 'too honest'.]

Oh... my mind palace. I've heard a little talk about that.

You didn't meet Maki, Keebo or Junko?

From:

truthliesinspace

[YEAH DON'T PUSH HER LUCK THERE--]

Nah, we all split up, so I never saw anyone else outside of some folks from here.

Though come to think of it, when we first got there, we were in a trial ground, and you were ranting about something. I kinda zoned out and figured you were putting on a show. Guess I should have put it together sooner.