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No. Red didn't say how we were going until I walked out to see his dragon friend. [He doesn't get why Hinata's tone is like that.] By then it would have been rude to refuse.

...Why do you sound like that?

It's not important. [ In regards to the whole 'why he sounds like that', at least. He can't help but sigh, though. ]

Even if it would have been rude, you could have at least explained that much to him, couldn't you?

[ Komaeda, please... ]

[There's a faint hum of static as his confusion is translated into the link. Why is Hinata focusing on this?]

What's done is done, Hinata. It all turned out fine.

[He decides to change the subject, to escape whatever the hell is going on here.]

Anyway, as I said before. Giving you a copy of these notes is going to be delayed a little longer. Have you heard of the Arehtei Representatives system they're attempting to implement?

...

[ Maybe I shouldn't pry any further. There's no point in lingering on this subject. If Komaeda could see him right now, his look would be completely flat. ]

That's fine. [ At least he told him. ] I heard a little about it. Are you planning on trying to become one?

Yes. [This is one of the big reasons he had contacted Hinata in the first place. Nagito takes in a slow breath, schooling his mind into calm.]

There's going to be challenges and tests for who would be suitable for the representatives. I... [He hesitates. In the past he'd have said he wasn't worthy of anything like it. But-]

Peromei is my friend. I think I have a good chance of explaining and helping her bond with people. ...it's not just because I owe her so much.

Ahaha, I just. I care. [It's the surest sounding thing he's ever said. There's a certainty in that. The moment he says it, it feels like the road ahead is clearer than ever.]

That's good. I'm... glad you feel that way. Towards Peromei.

[ He might sound like a doting father at this point, but he really doesn't care. ]

I feel that way towards all of my friends. [He sounds a bit flustered. Nagito is a bit on the embarrassed side. Something in Hinata's tone made his heart thud a little faster.]

...

Hinata. When they call for the tests...I want you to come observe. ...not because I feel like I have to prove anything. Mmm, it's more...

[At first, he almost leaves it right there. But the words rush out.]

I want you to see who I am today.

...

[ Silence hits the air and Hinata can't help but be secretly glad that this is audio, rather than image. He can't see him, or vice versa. Although the teenage boy might hear the fluster in Komaeda's voice, he doesn't even register it; however, he does note it down, in case it becomes relevant. Not that he expects it will. ]

Yeah, I'll come. Do you know who else will be competing? [ Just in case something happens. ]

[He holds his breath when the silence descends, and he wonders if speaking up had been a mistake. Nagito waits, unsure if there will be a rejection ahead or affirmation. When it comes there's a flicker of shock followed by a wash of relief.

Komaeda takes a moment to calm down and breath. It's just...Hinata being willing to see. There's still the chance he'll avoid him once he sees what Komaeda is about these days. Except...except somehow he doubts that. Hinata won't leave him be. Never has.

Ah. That feels...warm.]

Well, I only know a few of the others of my alignment. I worked with one to keep Peromei from falling during Sosyne's attack...but other than that.

Enoshima is. She said so when I ran into her at the Charity drive.

[Peromei would never choose Junko. Never. But there is one who would be true competition...] ...if Sanae decides to take the tests, she'll win.

[He smiles unseen, unaware his voice has softened further. He talks about Sanae is an easy, light tone full of affection. Not the obsessive type from the islands. Just, one person fond of another.]

Have you met her yet? She's been very busy! But, she's always sees the good in others. No matter how terrible that person might be she's there for them. [She'd held his hands and remained his friend despite knowing what he'd been.]

To clarify. She knows what I was, seen it even in my ghosts during that night, and yet...

[He trails off, quieting.]

If Enoshima is going, then you better win.

[ His answer is immediate and full of HA HA FUCK ENOSHIMA (but not in that way) that Komaeda will honestly understand, being from the same world and all. ]

I know someone like that, from our world. [ No, he's not talking about Nanami. ] He was someone who decided to jump into the Neo World Program, even knowing the consequence of his actions. He saw the good in all of us, and even believed in everyone.

...you're referring to Naegi Makoto. Kirigiri told me about him when we had an in-depth discussion on the Night of Selenium. [And that's where he went after their really distressing argument. Essentially turning himself in.]

Peromei will pick anyone else before she'll go for Junko. She hates her as much as I do. But I have no intentions of proving less suitable than that, [He growls but he has his anger and hate under control. Not even a flicker gets through.] woman.

...

I still don't get why Enoshima said I was the sort of candidate she'd vote for. I've turned it around in my head and I can't figure out what her aim is.

That's right. When we were in the Neo World Program, during the final trial, Naegi showed up, along with Kirigiri and the real Togami.

[ NAEGI IS A REAL BRO.... under any other circumstances he's pretty sure they would have been friends. The truest abroges. ]

Well, I don't know, either. I'd probably have to get to know Peromei myself before I'd be able to figure that out. But it sounds like she's up to something. I'll keep a careful eye out.

Have you met any of the Arehtei yet? [He hadn't heard Hinata speak of them. But, he could bet not.]

Anyway, Junko is...odd lately. Ever since I got the better of her in an argument back in January.

Not yet. [ Which is rather unfortunate, really. ]

Perhaps I should talk to one of them sometime, though... but, do you think Enoshima is planning something, then? I've been keeping my distance from her for the most part, but if you think she's acting strangely, we should keep an eye on her.

[ Not that he plans on not doing such a thing. ]

She's always planning something. [Komaeda sighs, he's so exasperated with Ultimate Despair.] I just can't figure out what her agenda for the city is. The challenges will get her direct access to Peromei.

But that means the being that hates her more than anyone else and wants her dead, has access to her. It's possible she wants to die.

...but if the challenges are in showing we can experience and understand the aspects we're aligned to...hm.

Edited 2016-03-31 02:16 (UTC)

... Wait.

[ He heard about the challenges, but direct access? That's definitely a cause for concern as his brows shoot into his hair, mouth agape. ]

What if that's what Enoshima wants? If they have direct access to each other and she knows that Peromei hates her - what if she's trying to provoke a reaction that way? Rile her up to get her angry enough to do - I don't know, something. I mean, from the bits and pieces of things I recall from the real world, Enoshima died of her own volition, right? It's possible that she might wants to relive that.

Since Peromei is an Arehtei, similar to a god - [ but not quite, anyway ] it's possible that if they're connected during the challenges, Peromei could push despair into Enoshima, couldn't she?

[ ... ] Although that means that the opposite could happen, too.

[Silence. There's a faint flicker - images too faded to make sense of as Komaeda looks back over his own encounters with Junko. Threads of concern mix with anger to spin into a snarling wind before it all quiets down.]

It's possible she wants to die. I'm wondering if she just wants to see what Peromei will do. ...she's harassed me in similiar ways. [That's putting it politely. But he hasn't stopped to consider he's been bullied for months.] She's incredibly intelligent and thinks ahead.

Mm, she knew exactly what was doing when she gave me that copy of a Hope's Peak ring at Christmas. At the time her aim was to find a loop hole in Silver's conditions for her to attend 'Don't harrass Nagito'. If I caused a scene instead she was still keeping her word. I didn't.

But the damage was done and she seemed...gleeful with that.

In our recent fight, she told me she wants to see us grow and change. I assume it follows a similiar theme. Grow strong so it's that much more despair inducing if she drags us down.

She what?

[ No, he doesn't believe that it was just some simple harassment. Maybe he should be glad that he's not hearing this in person, because he can practically feel the dark emotions swelling up inside of him. ]

No, never mind - I know the significance of the ring. To an outsider, it would have probably seemed like a normal gift, even if you knew better. But Enoshima... I feel like she was always good at that. Bringing people to their highest points before dragging them all the way down to hell.

It was like that in the final trial, too. [ She'd give them a way to leave, escape, but then rub the truth into all of their faces to make them almost choose 'despair' over 'hope' before Hinata decided, along with everyone else, to choose neither. ] I won't allow that to happen.

We can't have a repeat of what she did to our world happen to this one. None of us will ever go back to despair ever again. I- [ A beat. ] We all have to believe that. That we can create our own future and never be used by her ever again.

Ugh! She's so disgusting! Hope is a promise to ourselves and others for the future! It's the bonds between people and ha, knowing where you stand. It's a thousand things and none of it meant to be a weapon against the person feeling it! [He can't hide anger. It's like a heat haze in the air. He forces it down, slamming the proverbial lid on it so he doesn't hurt Hinata.]

I won't have it! She can't have this world or us. Not ever again. [Except his rage isn't so easily contained. Like a terrible beast in the dark it roars down the link. He has to stop and breath for a few spans before it all settles.] Sorry.

Anyway, there's no doubt she's after something with trying to be a representative. I'll just have to do my best to stop her. I might have the best chance because of what I was and what I am now. Balance isn't just about the positive emotions.

[ Hinata listens with clear intent, although he definitely winces at the anger. If they were communicating normally, he'd be fine. But it's in his head, so he has to let out a heavy exhale, creasing his brow a little. ]

That goes for everyone else here, too. [ Not just "us", as in the members of Ultimate Despair. But "us", as in everyone in this world. ]

I don't disagree with that. I think she's well aware that she won't become a representative, but she's most likely using the system as a means to an end - to gain something out of it.

[Hinata's words spark something in his mind. It races through all the data he has on the subject of Arehtei. Abruptly, everything stills like a pond and faint ripples of calm spread out.] ....I think I know what she's after.

[He speaks slowly, still feeling out his theory and within the mental link nothing can be distorted or twisted.] Yes. I think I do.

As I said before, she's harrassed me in similiar ways. You reminded me, that includes manipulation. She tried to set me on a similiar path of destruction here before I knew anything about her. Now, remember the Arehtei were once like Ultimate Despair - buried deep in despair and dark emotions. Too far down to remember what they once were like and stood for. And if I'm right - they were also murderers.

There are people who fear them and I suspect know some of that history. When the Arehtei appeared again they brought strife and destruction to this peaceful island. They revealed Shaarnath, their sworn enemy survived. People are afraid and a faction is capitlizing on it.

Now is a time that's perfect for her to walk in and stir it up. If these challenges are visible to others and even if they're not...

[He pauses, debating whether he should be entirely honest. He'd come this far. Yet his hestitation is loud and clear in that pause. Should he...?

...yes. If they're to make it as a united front it's all or nothing. His calm sharpens and he speaks,] Even if they're not she can use their fear to her advantage. Much like she's used my confusion over you as a weapon long before you arrived. The thing to remember about Junko is she is always gaining something out of an exhange.

Because even if we don't despair, she will.

[ It's strange that he knows that Komaeda is probably one of the few people who could possibly understand Enoshima's game. Well, perhaps he could too - that is, if he had all his memories back, all his abilities back, as the so-called "Ultimate Hope" that the school cultivated. ]

So you're saying that... what Enoshima is trying to do is provoke Peromei. Making her angry on purpose so that Peromei can attempt doing horrible things to her. Have people see that publicly and cause people to be afraid of the Arehtei by seeing it live, and in person instead of just hearing it from stories.

If it gets out of hand, we might have to find a way to calm the people down. [ Because there are many ways that this can become problematic. ]

I know you would get it. [He replies smoothly. Hinata more than anyone else had understood just like he'd thought he would. Now to lay out his plan.] I've studied some of the data of her agendas from our world. I have a counter for what she intends to do.

I think, I can be a thorn she doesn't expect and mm, I admit I'm going to enjoy it immensely. [He'll be giving her the proverbial finger and visiting with a friend at the same time. It would be a damn good time. Emotional wringer or not.] She gets really angry.

[Considering how she bullies him can Hinata blame him for the giddy glee in his voice? Or the satisfaction rolling through like a pleasant breeze?]

[ He understands it because he has personal experience with Enoshima in person. Well, it was the AI, but who's to say that they're any different? She knows how to build bridges only to knock them down.

Just like they were lego blocks. ]

...

[ But he also can't help but laugh hollowly at Komaeda because seriously? ]

Just don't enjoy yourself too much.

Yes. Well, as nice as sticking it to Enoshima is... [He settles back down fairly quickly. It's actually more comfortable than it has been. There's far less tension in his voice. As if admitting all that eased something in the conversation on his end.]

As I said my goal is to help my friend! The rest is just a bonus. As long as Peromei has someone suitable to help her - I don't care about the rest. [That's the honest truth.]

Everything else can be handled as it comes up.

Edited 2016-04-01 21:02 (UTC)

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