Kyuu beamed at Annabelle, as she watched the survivors load onto the boat.
“Wait, Auntie Annabelle, we get to hang out forever?! Yaaaay, I’m so exicted! ...well, bye lovebirds! We’ll send you postcards~!”
♫♫
Once goodbyes were said, and you all boarded the boat, the engine began to rumble and sputter, and the journey away from Island Amour began. All of you watched the waving figures of Kyuu and Annabelle grow smaller and smaller, until there was only water in sight.
The sight of Island Amour was gone, but for many of you, the memories would never leave. So many lives lost crossed your mind.
Misa Nishimurya, Harvey Roseblade, Monty Belanger, Yuriko Sae, Gael Baez-Flores, Theodora Reed, Arisa Rie, Cherry Summers, Graham Rye, Holly Thorne, Rhett Marshall, Basilio Nangisit, Luther Umberlin. All of them were gone, likely with families and friends who would never know why they had disappeared.
And of course, Norman Person...the robot who had set this all up in a bid for freedom, in an attempt to understand human emotion. You all felt the effects of his deceit and what he had taken from all of you.
The losses were painful, but perhaps...that pain was part of what it meant to be human.
Annabelle Langley had wanted to avoid feeling because of all the negative possibilities, and Kyuu had called emotions nothing but trouble. Maybe they were right.
Loss had changed you all, taken things you would never get back, but despite it all...Mitsuki Hasegawa, Kai Toutsu, Minoru Usokami, Lily Amoretti, Imogen Dunbar, and Mizuo Suido were still alive. At least you had that.
Change, too, was a part of being human, for better or for worse. You still had the chance to move forward, to take on your new lives back home.
Even in the worst pain, there was still something worth loving.
Annabelle stayed quiet as those who had anything left to say spoke their piece, and of the three, only two actually spoke to her (thank god.) There’s a flash of something on Annabelle’s face when Mitsuki says Eli’s name -- something that breaks through what is now clearly a facade -- but she regains her neutrality quickly enough. Almost as if she feels that she’s been slighted by it, she regards Minoru first.
“Go home, then. See your sons again. The only thing keeping you from ending your involvement is you. It’s not like one little man can take down a group capable of covering this up by asking to talk to their manager. Or asking anything, really. They’re --”
Annabelle’s lit eyes go dim for a moment -- nearby, the camera trained towards the dock flickers off, before her eyes return to normal.
“...only going to leave you alone if you leave them alone. It’s bullshit, but that’s life, lol.”
Finally, she looks at Mitsuki. For a moment, she simply… Stares, which is incredibly uncomfortable with the whole inhumanly lacking a real expression thing, but -- after the moment passes, she smiles with her tongue out, and knocks her hand against her head, voice and demeanor suddenly returned to what it was in the beginning, very long ago.
“And I like, hate bullshit! Sooo, I’ll be in touch if that’s what’cha want, ‘kay~? Now get goin’, before I get bored and start shootin’, heheh! Say bye bye now to our BFFs, Kyuu!”
A pause, and the act dies away -- in its wake, the energy seems to drain from her as her shoulders and posture slump. There is an unmistakable look of genuine, drained exhaustion on her face when she motions off into the distance with the gun. Something in her voice is unmistakably melancholic, but it’s hardly worth sympathy -- not that she’d want yours anyway.
In the end, Mizuo had been right. Not being right didn't always equate to a good feeling. Did he feel good about sending one last person off to their death? Certainly not. It did, however, give him a mortality check. He'd had a lot of those these last few months. Norman and Anabelle are not human...But to him they were.
Mizuo didn't speak for the duration of the trial. The yelling, the screaming, the inevitable demise... Everyone had it figured out, why have any input now? All of those bad emotions, it was all dead weight that had lifted once he realized he could go home.
Home...
The overwhelming feeling of relief. Mizuo did his best not to smile climbing into the boat. The others were still in, what seemed like, mourning. Mourning for the people who had died for the experiment they were all part of. There was no way he'd be able to forget about what had happened here. At least Rhett would rest easy...
Sitting himself down into the boat, Mizuo pulled out the notebook he had hidden in the boat a day prior and threw it out into the water. The loose paper floated into the water and the words began to bleed into the water before disintegrating and disappearing for good.
It made him feel good...
There was a newfound hope in him that he'd be able to save the one person he cared for, instead of writing his last words of love to the boy he couldn't save...
'I'm coming home, Himawari...'
Mizuo would do everything in his power to make sure of it.For the first time in a while, Mizuo beamed at the sun. He was going home!
You just killed a whole sentient person– the words ring hollow in Imogen’s ears. Maybe she’s a bad person. Maybe that makes her a monster, but she doesn’t much care, because it felt good. The snap of the plastic under her hand was satisfying, even if it couldn’t make up for the death of Theo, or Eli, or Holly–
So maybe she was a bad person now. She’d never considered herself particularly good, so it didn’t much matter to her. Always, she’d been the sort of person who’d step over anyone and anything in pursuit of success. And here she was, successful. She watches Norman’s final death blankly, without a thought in her mind except for I’ve won.
Somehow, it was a much less satisfying victory than the ones she’d achieved in the past.
Silently, she follows the procession up to the boat and listens to Annabelle’s parting words. None of this mattered, she thinks. It’s a hollow victory. Even in the end, it wasn’t worth anything.
She’d been trying to make plans for what she’d do when she left. Be greeted by her loved ones, maybe– but did she have any of those? Her parents wouldn’t have even noticed her absence, and her team knew she’d be gone. At least Luca’s safe, she thinks miserably, shuffling at the back of the group as Annabelle speaks. Maybe he’ll come to see me. She was going to win the Olympics– but could she? Though she’d grown used to the pain by this point, her hand was most certainly severely damaged from using it while broken for weeks on end. She’d been neglecting her knee for years. Her neck was burned, maybe lingering with infection, with the possibility of damaging something like her voice. Could she play? She was going to go tell Theo’s family what had happened, and maybe Holly’s and Eli’s, if she could find them– but could she? She couldn’t tell anyone what had happened here. None of it mattered. A game with no victor.
Without another glance to Annabelle, she troops onto the boat. The only acknowledgement to anyone else she gives is a clap on Kai’s shoulder before she takes her seat.
Look to the future. Could she? Everything she’d wanted was slipping away, and everything in front of her was unsteady. She leans forward, resting her head on her hands for a moment. What kind of success could she find in a future like this, if that was the only thing she worked for?
…Maybe a peaceful life would be enough. She had at least one person who could support her in that, now, and she’d promised to try. Even if it was just a dim light, it was more than the blankness she’d been living with for the past few weeks. All she could do was latch onto it.
She leans back, staring at the open sky for a moment, and then closes her eyes.
The world has changed, as it always does. Things are always moving busy-busy back and forth, all over. But Gardenia - the one who gets interviewed by magazines, who appears in the background of red carpet photoshoots, all champagne and caviar - does not. She stands her ground, her stilettos digging into the earth, and stays solid as a rock.
But that rock has crumbled. Now there's only Lily - ol' Lily from Brooklyn, the scholarship student, who conned herself into a lavish life and spent the rest of her days trying to claw her way out of the hole she'd spent so long digging in the first place.
What was left?
She can't help but feel guilty as she leans over the edge of the boat, staring out at the open sea. She can go back. She has a family. A family she may have hated, but a family nonetheless. Lily feels a slight pain in her gut. All this time, she only thought of what she wanted. They must want things too. And for once in her life, she wants them - she wants to go back.
And her mother... after all this time, maybe it was time to forgive her.
After all, nothing at home could be as bad as what happened on the island, right?
To no one in particular, Lily says,
"I think I'm going to try some couples' therapy when I get home. I owe it to him, don't I?"
She rests her elbow on the boat's railing, and her hand on her cheek, and lets herself drift away with the waves.
Minoru's world had been stripped from him once again. He thought he had found a home in his wife, the mother of his children. But she was a murderous monster who destroyed all in her wake, like a typhoon that only hit him. And now, he again thought he had found love, only for the man... the machine he had known, to turn out to be just as much as a heartless monster as Minoru refused to believe. He had no shame, no regret. We went out cackling at the prospect of leaving all he cared about in a final death. Minoru just watched this man whom he thought he loved die. Killed by Annabelle's hands. And honestly? It was for the best. Norman had to die for them to be released. For Minoru to go back to his lonely life working every day all day.
For Minoru to be without any friends or loved ones. For Minoru to hide from the news outlets, the prying neighbors, those who had obsessed over his past and his unfortunate life. Now they have more to ask about. Where did he go? Why did he seem tired? Are his children okay?
Minoru felt a tear roll down his cheek in mourning for a man he wish he didn't love. More tears began to fall as he thought of his friends he had made. People he had met. People he wanted to have better lives than the one he had. And they were gone. They were gone and Minoru was left to live. Was this survivor's guilt finally catching up to him?
He followed robotically as he went to the boat, his heart heavy, his eyes puffy and red from silent, tired tears. He heard Mitsuki speak up, pain in her voice, tears in her eyes. She was such a beautiful woman, and as horrid as it sounded, something grounded her. Maybe it was Kai. Minoru didn't want to remember any of this, but he was the type to linger. He was the type to hold onto long forgotten feelings for years and years. He'll never forget Norman, nor will he forget his friends, or this place, or the things that he saw and the things he did. All he wanted now was to go home and escape from it.
But then a thought occurred in his mind as his pale blue eyes lit up. He turned to face Annabelle, raising a hand. He didn't want to interrupt anyone, and was trying to be polite, even in such a small pool of people left. He had always hated burdening people with his issues, rather wanting to be the solver of problems than the source, but this laid heavily on his heart.
"Hey, um. Hello. Miss Annabelle? Would it be possible if I could get Equilateral's information? I have quite a long list of grievances that I wish to file against them and would like the first step on how to do that."
His voice wavered as he sighed,
"This has been such an awful time... I need to talk to them... I need to get an answer. I-I need..."
He ran a hand through his hair as he inhaled shakily.
"I just want to end this... I-I want to go home. I need to see my sons again."
They're all he has left that he can guarantee won't disappear.
In the beginning, she is selfish. Every thought that comes through is a thought that wonders what the benefit of something is to her. She is bright lights and rosy lipstick and dates at sunset. She is Heather Chandler demanding corn nuts and wearing a bright red scrunchie. She is Cher Horowitz and she cannot drive for the life of her, but goddamn is she beautiful.
In New York, she is selfish. She is forced entry. She is homewrecker. She is heartbreaker and shit talker and greedy and powerful.
In New York, she looks up at those bright lights and sees herself.
Time Square can only be so beautiful the first couple times at night.
Once, gazing up at the helicopter and radio tower lights, her mind wanders intrusively. She thinks about car accidents. She thinks about a backed up highway. She thinks about loving parents. But she doesn’t feel anything. After all that time, she doesn’t feel anything.
But right now, in this moment, she feels something. She doesn’t know what to call it but it’s something she decides she doesn’t want to dwell on. She’ll ride with it. It’ll carry her and take her somewhere with purpose. Like the ocean. Like...
Mitsuki’s tears are backed up and confused. Blinking back into the living world, she’s on the boat and—she sucks in a big breath and leans over the boat rail at Annabelle, gun in her face.
“You better give me those fucking documents! You don’t get to handle all of it on your own, you fucking tin can bitch. If you still care about Eli, too...!” She sucks in another big breath. “You let me do something for all of them, okay?!”
Bright colors. Concepts they didn't understand. Death, death, death. They killed someone, fairly directly this time, by advocating for Norman's death. Wonder how things would've turned out if they didn't do that. Would he be with them now, in someone's hands, ready to face a new life dictated by ideals of justice.
How funny. They didn't feel bad.
They should feel bad, shouldn't they? It's been such a rocky, hard path. People died. People got their lives ruined. They had their life ruined in many ways. When they walk and when they listen and when they get onto the boat, they do so silently and without a word, empty eyes staring forwards. They survived, though.
Did they deserve that, though?
So many people had bright futures. Ellie... Holly. They'd trade themselves for either of them. For any of the others. They were the world's strongest. They'd reached a peak already, so they had no purpose. Or so they thought once- now they had a purpose... With someone they love. With a friend they care for.
But they can't help but to feel bittersweet as they take a seat, staring off into the ocean and the horizon and all the lost souls dancing across the waves, eyes so empty and tired. It all returns to zero, and so, none of this ever happened.
The screen cut to complete static, leaving you all in still silence. Norman Person was gone. Apparently that meant the game was over, but for now you all were still on the island.
With the execution complete, Annabelle carelessly tosses the now useless tablet in her hands to the floor. Staring at the static filled screen, her wide grin fades, and soon enough, her expression is blank -- a pure, inhuman sort of blank.
Quietly, Annabelle removes the gun from her skirt, holding it with her finger on the trigger again. She doesn't point it, but with the safety still off, it's unwise to make a move... Even as she walks to Norman's podium and grabs the keys for the boat. When she looks up to address everyone, her voice has finally lost its metallic quality, though it is notably flat.
"I'm holding these so you don't do any dumb shit before you get to the boat. That's all."
With that, she heads for the elevator. It opens, but instead of getting on, Annabelle simply turns her head to everyone else expectantly.
One by one, you all rode up the elevator, then followed Annabelle and Kyuu through the long walk to the boat. Annabelle remained silent once again, but Kyuu began to ramble.
“You know, now that it’s all done, I can say that I really didn’t get what Papa was on about...emotions just make everything harder for you guys, right? I’m glad I’m just a flower!”
Kyuu giggled, seeming satisfied with her epiphany.
Once at the dock, Annabelle stops to the side of the walk onto the boat, once again addressing everyone with lacking emotion.
"You can have the keys once you're all on and I can point the gun so you don't get off. I know your type. You're sentimental. You'll want to go grab things and bodies to take back with you. This wasn't broadcast; nobody knows what happened. If you show back up with dead people and claim two evil robots did it, they'll just charge you with murder -- and it's not like there's any reason to bring mementos of trauma with you. Or maybe I'll mail you stuff. Spooky."
She lets out what sort of sounds like a sigh, maybe.
"The boat should have coordinates. So, like... Go. Unless you have questions or dramatic monologues and want to tell me I'm still going to get mine or whatever first. People who do bad things don't always get their comeuppance, but whatever makes you feel better."
Kyuu stood up on the throne, dusting her skirt off.
“Well, well, I guess that’s it! The little humans won, Papa...does this mean I’m an orphan now? Lol. Anyway, it’s time for our big, heart-pounding finale! You all better keep your eyes glued to this big ending!!”
With that, just like in his last crime, Norman Person was dragged out of the room via chain, and it was time. No fake death, no deceit. Finally, he would get what he deserved.
🎵🎵
An ecstatic smile had spread from cheek to cheek as Norman was abruptly pulled and dragged away by the chain, his maniacal cackles and laughs echoing until it comes to a halt as he leaves the contestants one final time. Holding onto the claw around his neck, his grip tightened, becoming even more excited the closer he got to his death… and on the way, he swore he felt something scrape against his back.
> FLASH!
And here he was again. Dropping into his seat, his surroundings was the same from the last time he had been executed-- the quiz show-like area, speckled with colours of neon, the blacklight causing any hints of white to glow a ghostly blinding blue. His hands were bound together behind his back once more and he was strapped to his seat, yet he doesn't struggle. And unlike the previous time, there was an extra step to this preparation: looks like whatever scraped him earlier ripped open the blazer from the back, Norman's eyes widening as he felt something plug into his now-exposed charging ports.
Suddenly, information overflowed throughout him. So much information, so much code to take in… what was he connected to?
It all looked like… it all read like… what's this-- a video game?
Looking up, his face met the screen that had spouted questions at him weeks ago; ones that lead him to his death. But what was shown on it was not a blank white screen or tricky questions of morality, but rather, a warning. Tilting his head he began to read:
>!! WARNING !!
PLAYING THIS GAME WILL RESULT IN FILES ON YOUR HARD DRIVE BEING DELETED//
And accompanying that… A blue triangle labeled CPU. Despite the name, Norman was able to control it with ease, due to being directly connected to the game. He chuckled.
"...How cruel."
At least this joke was funny.
--
Back in the trial room, Annabelle receives more words from Equilateral. Specifically, ones recommending her to check her tablet.
"We've prepared something we think you'll enjoy."
On the home screen was a nameless app, which icon was represented by a red heart. Upon launching, it boots up the game Norman seems to be playing, except that the warning isn't there.
"You two will be versing each other. If you damage any of his enemies or him directly, parts of his code will be deleted, and the miniguns will start shooting him as well. The game heeds a warning, but it does not apply to you. Good luck!"
Annabelle regards the tablet and its game curiously for a short moment, before a wide, twitching grin breaks across her face again. For a robot, her eyes are surprisingly expressing -- dark and sinister in their intent as she snickers.
"Guess it's finally time for a little 1v1, huh Normie? I've always been a fan of invincibility cheats."
She tucks the gun into the waistband of her skirt, and gives the game her full attention as her already too wide grin twitches to a point of uncanny amusement.
--
So if he wins the game, maybe he'll be able to live and get out of this alive…? ...Fat chance. The rules of this game, combined with abundant damage from the artillery in front of him… there's no way he's going to survive this one. But, it wouldn't hurt to try, right? It'd be pathetic to go out without a fight!
>[P1 HAS JOINED THE GAME]
What was this…? Was he playing with someone else? A human player… or perhaps-- was it Annabelle? He shifted in his seat a little. This pumped him up even more. He was still nervous, but… Could you blame him for being unable to sit still during a big event like this?! Maybe this means Annabelle is receiving punishment too!
Of course, Norman didn't know she wasn't.
Slowly, the screen started to count down.
[ 3 ]
[ 2 ]
[ 1 ]
[ START! ]
And the game had begun.
As soon as they started shooting in-game, the stationary miniguns positioned in front of Norman reacted rather quickly, rotating towards him and opening fire. It went off at intervals-- rather, everytime he or an ally of his was shot, Norman would feel a barrage of fast bullets into his already broken body. And yet, the more the shot, the more it hurts, he couldn't help but smile through it all! In the end, he couldn't feel the pain of it.
With confidence, Norman piloted his character fluidly, the android seemingly enjoying himself and the game. He was very into it, laughing and exclaiming every time he’d take down an enemy, or yelling annoying comments whenever he’d directly shoot at P1. Of course, he was still getting shot all the while, and it did make the guy flinch or lag, but at least it didn’t hurt all that much, right? However, grunting as each batch of bullets shoot right through him, he eventually feels something else kick in.
Pain. Pain inside him.
The robot suddenly wailed and swore, struggling and thrashing in his seat as he felt his code corrupt. No… it wasn't just corrupting. It was getting deleted. This was it… This is was what he was waiting for! He was dying! He was dying and it felt terrible and suffocating and it stung it hurt it hurt it hurt it was UNBEARABLE--
Apparently it hurt so much at one point that Norman was able to break free of the rope tied around his wrists, the slowly deteriorating android grasping at his head and pulling at his head in agony. He gasped and cried and screamed the more he lost his sentience, but not once did he try to escape. Not once did he move from his seat, Norman's face messy and stained with tears and bullet holes as he continued to accept his punishment.
This was the feeling he’d been waiting to encounter! The pure, raw emotion knowing you’re going to die, without any possibility of coming back… The inevitable wonder of where you’re going to go after death, or just become erased from all humanity just like that. The ultimate feeling no one on this island but him can feel right now…! But, it left just as fast as it came in. Now, he felt panicked. He felt scared. He knew he wasn't going to come back… but then, he didn't know anything at all.
Gradually, Norman's reactions of pain started to die down, his expression growing ever so dead.
He couldn't feel anything.
He couldn't… see anything.
He couldn't think, he couldn't speak, he couldn't hear, and he couldn't control the little blue triangle on the screen anymore.
Yet, it still moved.
Norman, broken and dead, was reduced to nothing but a cold, uncaring CPU.
Electric blue eyes barely flickered to stay alive as his last seconds of life were ending, and as soon as P1 finishes him off once and for all, the android loses all light and life, slumping in his chair a metallic mess.
Damage beyond repair, code forever gone. He was finally dead, but didn't die as a human.
He died as nothing but a unhinged machine.
[NORMAN PERSON, AKA IMITAMEN PERSONA V6.2, HAS BEEN DECOMMISSIONED]
With Imogen’s strength, the tablet split in half like a toothpick, little more than a few sparks emitting from it to signify the end of the short life of Norman’s backup.
Norman, with his arms crossed, barely gave a reaction. In fact, all he did was scoff, then chuckle, before setting the keys back down on the podium.
"That's superb. How did it feel? You just killed a whole sentient person. But you probably didn't have to think too much about it, huh? Because it bears no human body. Don't you see?
Killer or not, victim or not-- we're all the same, aren't we? There's many similarities from where we came. You killed him for your own satisfaction, just like how I did all this for my satisfaction. You're all no better than me!"
Like an asshole, he looked rather proud of himself. Looks like the tablet wasn't important after all.
A small gasp came from Kyuu.
“Mini Papa! Man, those are easier to break than I thought…so what happens now, Auntie Annabelle?”
The rose gremlin turned expectantly to Annabelle, who had been silent since Norman’s appearance.
It was easy to forget about Annabelle while Norman took front and center stage; that's probably the only reason the strange silence from her upon his appearance never drew any attention. She was pissed, wasn't she? And as her dim eyes finally flicker back to life and she looks up, it's apparent she still is by the constant metallic tone in her voice.
"Jesus fuck. Finally. Thanks for the weird morally gray distraction, Normie -- connecting to my backup from here took longer than I thought it would. At least your system is easy to get into. Oh --"
Annabelle leans forward on her podium, grinning as she looks at Norman.
"Equilateral says hi, lol. They were trying to get into it while I was. I think we're BFFs now, since we both want you dead. But, more importantly, there was a flaw in your little whatever that just was. The tablet was still you. You were scared. That's the thing about us evil robots, Normie! When we feel, we're the same as humans in one very important regard. We're all scared to die."
The robot gives an uproarious, grating laugh, as she straightens herself and holds her hands out to her sides.
"So! With some help from our sponsors, I'm going to end your stupid fucking monologues, and teach you my favorite emotion in the process: existential dread!"
Norman furrowed his brows, the android obviously irritated but shocked. He laughs again, but it sounds less confident, and more like a desperate cover of trying to brave.
"Scared? I'm not-- I'm not scared. I was n-n-never scared! You're lying. I'm not evil. You're ly--"
Just as he opens his mouth to say more, all that comes out is a gasp as the familiar metal claw that has taken away all murderers thus far latches onto him.
"...This… hey, is this a joke…? this isn't… this isn't funny. Jokes are supposed to be funny…! Hey! L-let go! Let me GO! OY!!!"
He struggled and panicked to no avail, trying to pry off the claw and pull at the chains as he yelled and swore. But it's not long before he gradually calms down, looking back up with an unreadable grin.
"Well… th-that's fine. This… is fine. This is just a new experience, is all. To encounter death without being able to come back… A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! A new feeling to feel! I've already gained my emotions back and experienced them as much as I can… now it's simply time to face the grand finale of feeling! I want to feel that unique dread no one has survived to tell the tale! I-I can't wait!"
Imogen's not really sure why she'd asked for opinions on what to do with Norman-- she knew what she wanted to do, of course, but despite everything that'd happened she maintained some deep-seated inability to make her own decisions. It was deferring to others that had brought her into this game in the first place, and it seemed that it would be what brought her out, too.
That said, no matter how much conviction she had, it wasn't like she could just... look away from the words on the tablet. It was hard to ignore. She'd liked Norman, before all this. But-- though she looks stressed for a moment, was it so hard? It wouldn't be for someone with a stronger will than her. It was good, then, to have people here to agree with her. Her gaze darts from Kai, to Mitsuki, to Lily-- and then to Norman, for a second, as her lip curls-- and back to Kai. That was right. What they were saying... the Norman she was holding had already caused Theo's death, and Eli's, no matter how sympathetic it sounded.
"...You're the one who put us here. I won't let you steal anyone else's futures for the sake of a selfish possibility. ...Maybe it's selfish, too, but I have plans to get to."
As blank-faced as ever, she sets the tablet on top of her podium, one half hanging off. Her broken hand rests on top of it, covering the messages onscreen. Her lip curls again as she looks at it.
"Sorry."
She lifts her hand, balls it into a fist, and brings it down on the side of the tablet, snapping it neatly in half.
save [don't save] || norman || mm trial || re: votes
He swung the keys around his finger as he waited, looking rather bored watching everyone make their decision. He nods or smiles every time someone spoke out their opinion, although raising a brow confusedly at Lily. A look that says, 'why are you looking at me?'
Suddenly he clasps his hands together, as happy as can be.
"Sweet! That's a lotta 'break' votes! I sure wonder why Norman Jr. is all spaghetti regretti since I don't regret a thing, but that doesn't really matter. While this is all so interesting and I'd love to sit down and listen to all of your reasons why, time is a-ticking and I gotta send all of you guys home. Imogen,"
He points to her quite enthusiastically,
"The decision is on you, now. If you choose to break it too, then do it. If not, well, I dunno. I'll fuck off either way."
effective. Power لُلُصّبُلُلصّبُررً ॣ ॣh ॣ ॣ 冗 || gardenia || trial 6.6 || RE: Norman
Despite herself, Lily had to nearly hold back laughter when she saw the messages on her dating pad. It was hollow, instinctive laughter, but... the situation was so ridiculous that she had no idea how else she was supposed to react. The Norman on the tablet's hurried, desperate messages reminded her more of the responses to break-up texts she'd sent her many affairs than anything else.
But those elicited a pang of sympathy from her, at least a small one. Those came from men who, though pathetic, had the good sense to not endanger others. Not in a way like this.
Lily had vowed to become a nicer person after leaving the island, in order to atone for the things she'd done and to feel like her survival had been earned...
...but she supposed that just this once, she could be mean again. A grand sendoff to the old her. She looks Norman dead in the eyes, the man who she'd once regarded as simple, pliable, who had been the one controlling her and the others all along. Someone who had managed to outsmart her.
Her skin feels like it itches all over. She has to read off of someone, anyone nearby with the pad. She asked for something real, but what did she get other than more questions?
This has been going on for far too long. It hurts, it hurts it hurts to still be standing here in front of him. Her eyes and her throat feel raw. It's all dizzy and she wants... to scream. To rest. To ask more questions.
But what good does asking more at this point do? Kai and Imogen, kept in limbo. Minoru, exhausted. Gardenia, steadily irritated. Mizuo, speechless. Everyone else, long gone. She has the name of Equilateral and she has the documents. She clearly still has the power to fight, but she knows she's in pain. This betrayal and confusion is like nothing she's ever experienced.
...she knows everyone is right. What else is there to say? If iNorman were kept alive, what would even happen? No one wants to keep him and no one knows what to do with him. What sort of existence does that call for? One where even if Mitsuki wanted to house him, what a fucking burden that would be to her future.
She wants Norman, but not this one. Not any version after this.
Is that selfish?
She looks at Kai.
Is it selfish to just want to leave at the end of a moral dilemma? Is it selfish to just want to a life with your loved ones? The ones that are left?
Mitsuki turns her head lazily and with defeat towards Imogen.
Feeling blue (and not in the funny frog way) | Kai | Chapter 6 | Re: Norman
Kai stares at the messages as they come in, although they flip their tablet over right after. Their opinion on the situation hasn't changed much. Sure, Norman doesn't want it now when he's in danger of dying. He doesn't want this after he's already ensured the deaths of multiple people. He didn't want any of this now, when he's been tampered with to a point where it's logical he wouldn't want this.
But what of the future? Norman had the will, the potential, to choose to attend a killing game with innocent people. Just because he wanted to be free. What if one day in the future he wants something else? What if he wants to, say, be powerful? Who knows what he'd do then. One could argue the desperation of his situation had 'forced' his hand to make this choice, but could a good person ever just choose to kill innocents?
Perhaps people deserved redemption. Kai had always abhorred the idea of killing. When you train in martial arts, when you compete in them, accidents happen. They've never taken a life, but they've been close a few times. They don't advocate for death. Usually, at least, but now...
Whenever they close their eyes, they can see those empty podiums filled with people. People with hopes and dreams. Misa and her kids. Wren and his future that got stolen away far too quickly. Sae and her musical talent. Arisa and her gentle personality. Slater and him... Being himself. Gael and his expertise with computers. Cherry and her sad, yet curious existence. Damien and his duty of saving lives. Rhett and his brutally honest, yet sometimes paranoid nature. Theodora and what she could've achieved, and what Imogen thought of her. Holly and her farm, not to speak of her potential to stand up again. Ellie...
Yet when they open their eyes again, everyone's gone. It's just them and the few remaining survivors. How're they supposed to just forgive someone for taking away that much life? How can they possibly?
"You say you regret it... Maybe you do. Perhaps everything you say is genuine. Maybe you could be forgiven, tried in court, and eventually reinstated to society. I don't believe in the possibility. How could I, after everything you've done? After all the damage you've caused?"
They don't look at Norman or the tablet when they speak, sighing. "Regret doesn't matter when it's death that you're begging. Go and join everyone else and ask them for forgiveness." There's a pause, as they look across all the other living people left. "Or, that's what I believe. If everyone else wishes to spare you, I won't stop them. My opinion is my own, and mine alone- But I firmly believe we should break it. But, if everyone else chooses that you're somehow worthy of the chance... I will try to believe. I owe it to everyone else."
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