luckybreaks | cerealia ic inbox;

Do you think we should use it more often...? [ But hold the phone, we're frowning now. ] Dangerous...what happened?

The level we were in was split into two paths—two members of our group went to go investigate what sounded like a monster in the distance, while another group member and I went towards a small town.

The town itself looked normal but when we went inside one of the buildings, everything was white. There were other characters inside, and they passed through my group member, which caused him to almost glitch out of existence.

[ She pauses, looking at Naegi for any input he might have. ]

Who all was in your group? [ He figures she would have mentioned if Kuwata or someone else from home was (probably), but he's curious about that first off. Naegi's always been more concerned with people first, though. ]

So...that's the kind of glitch they probably had you there testing...?

Oona, Cinder, Zero, and I. Are you familiar with any of those names?

[ She shakes her head at his question. ] I don't know. While we were in the level, all of us experienced difficulty breathing and we began to slowly disappear, starting with our fingers.

No, sorry. [ Oona sounds a little familiar, but he doesn't think they ever talked - he just saw her talking on the cerevices once. And holy hell, that gets him to tense up again, even though Kirigiri's clearly there and breathing and - glancing down - still seems to have her fingers. ]

But you escaped the level before you disappeared...?

Yes, we did.

[ There's a small pause. ]

...I was worried our time was running out. [ It's hard to know with ViViD—especially a beta level—if they'll come back in one piece or now. ]

[ ...And that statement does absolutely nothing to help relegate his heartbeat and stress levels. Naegi bites his lip. ]

...Did anyone retain any injuries from this test thing, do you know? [ If they'd run out of time, would they be having this conversation? Does a death there mean something, or not...? ]

I don't believe so. My own issues resolved the moment we stepped out of ViViD.

[ Which hopefully is somewhat of a consolation. ] Needless to say, I believe ViViD may be dangerous.

[ It's kind of a consolation except "my own issues" sounds equally ominous. He probably doesn't want to know, but...no, he really wants to know. ]

Were your issues just the fading away and breathing, or did something else...? [ He can move on in the conversation when he ascertains just exactly how bad it was for her, apparently. ]

Nothing else. There's no need to worry so much.

[ Although, she does appreciate the concern. ]

All right...

[ That does look like it gave him a little bit of relief. But if Kuwata or Kirigiri dies in an event anytime soon, Naegi's nerves are going to be shot, clearly. ]

So...do you think we should avoid going into ViViD? I agree it's clearly dangerous - but did you manage to learn anything that would make it...I don't know, worth the risk?

[ It's pretty clear he's going to defer to her opinion on this, but when doesn't he defer to her opinion when he asks for it? Up to and including throwing himself under the trial bus because she didn't want him to talk about something. ]

That may be best for now.

As for what I learned... It wasn't much, so I would not say it was worth the risk. [ She sighs. ] In fact, I'm more confused now than before.

[ But maybe this confusion is on the path to enlightenment... Maybe not, but at least she knows that ViViD can pose a threat, even if the only dangerous part is the beta stage. It's still worth being careful. ]

What you learned...? You mean about ViViD being dangerous?

[ That is kind of confusing, really. ]

If we do decide to risk it again, at the very least we shouldn't do so alone.

Yes. That was the only piece of information I could really process.

[ But she nods. ] I would like to go back in at some point, but definitely not alone.

It's possible that some of the others went on tours, too...maybe they got something.

[ which they apparently did and which they will explain at the group meeting, but ]

...I really wonder about these Ceres people. Their actions don't really make any sense at all to me.

As do I. I wonder what motivates them. If we could find that out, maybe their actions might make sense.

[ But who knows at this point... ]

If we could, we'd at least know something, but...for all they say they want to stop those Flamines, I don't really see how anything they're doing here is useful for that...?

[ Unless he's missing something obvious. ]

They also need our help to do stop them, correct? How is putting us in danger every so often helping us?

[ Unless it's some sick or strange training regimen. ]

Supposedly...that's why I don't get how the things they're doing are helping that cause at all. I mean, since we got here...everything they've done has pretty much only put us in danger or seriously annoyed people, right? Have they done anything at all useful that I missed?

[ Christmas nightmare, that photoshoot with soul stealers, and so on and so forth... ]

Not as far as I am aware... Part of me wonders if CERES does it for fun, just to see our reactions.

Eh...I wouldn't really be shocked. After all, that sort of thing...

[ Wasn't that kind of Enoshima's motive, too? It's not like people doing terrible things for the sake of it is anything new to them. ]

It's more common than we'd like it to be, yes. If that's the case, I have to wonder what other goals they have.

I'm not sure. As I've said, I don't really see how they're accomplishing the goal they told us they have. ...Well, we're doing our best, though. I'm sure we'll figure it out!

[ She nods. ]

I have confidence that we will. Everyone seems determined to find out what CERES wants with us.

...I'm glad you made it back safely from ViViD, by the way. Are you tired...?

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