babermetrics | IC OVERFLOW AND MISC.

[Nnnn. There's a lot to read into what Tanaka's saying. Leon doesn't say anything right away; he can't decide if it'd be welcome. Who is he kidding? Of course it's not. It's not like he wants to talk about it, either. But he has to admit that if they're both in the same boat, and both don't want to talk about it . . . that kind of makes it easier to talk about. How backwards.

He gives the little clone one last look, then turns again, going back to ignoring them.]

It ain't like . . .

How much did you hear, huh? All of it?

[Honestly? Gundam doesn't mind talking about it. Not with someone who could technically be considered a classmate. Perhaps not from the exact same class, no, but the same school? It's close enough. Considering he's likely Leon's upperclassman, there's a chance he'd know about it anyway.

It's not like he's ashamed of it, after all. He's fully accepted what he did, and the only reason he'd avoid talking about it would be the sense of respect and loyalty he has for the other students.

If he talks about his part in the murder game, whoever he's speaking with would eventually wonder about the others.]

Enough to know you required assistance, but it would be hard to tell if I had heard "all of it" without knowing what "all of it" entails.

[Damn, does Leon ever hate when people make him say stuff out loud. He can't think of a way to explain that isn't awkward as hell, not to mention a dead giveaway, which he doesn't want to do if Tanaka didn't hear him.

Not everyone's accepted what they did back then, yet.

Finally, he just shrugs, cagey.]

Ah, forget it . . . if you heard you'd probably say somethin' about it, so no need to go into it, huh? And I was totally fine.

[But he says that weakly. Even he's not convinced enough of that to make it sound honest.]

Would I?

[That was a pretty weak statement, Leon. He's turning to give his head to give the man a side glance, just watching him for a moment or two. He can make a guess to what this is referring to, and what he might want to talk about.

The subject is, literally, following them right now after all.]

I do not make it a habit to pry needlessly. Are you asking me to make an inquiry?

What? No!

[He hadn't been, in fact, though it's embarrassing anyway to have his uncertainty called to attention.

. . . Or maybe he had been. Because that's the issue, is his uncertainty; he doesn't know if Gundam heard, and it's going to bother him until he does, even though he doesn't particularly want to be asked about it or discuss it.

He's starting to realize he can't have it both ways.

Sigh.]

--Look, when you said all that inner demons stuff, what were you gettin' at? Like, you think this is . . . for real, tryin' to make us confess to--something?

Perhaps.

[Real helpful, right? Gundam comes to a stop, turning back to look at their two tag-a-longs.]

More than likely, though, this is CERES attempting to harm us again. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Attempting, perhaps, to turn allies against one another as well. It's easy enough to deny what a small child conjured up by this hellish company is saying, but there is no way to be certain if your companions are telling the truth. Did they kill someone? Should you have to worry about that? It would be one thing if only we could see our own copies, but the fact that everyone else is clearly capable of viewing these creatures as well tells me they are likely trying to accomplish that too.

[It's not like this is the first time he's been through that kind of thing. Monokuma was all about turning people against each other with whatever he could dig up or do. Turning back to face Leon.]

There is no point in attempting to force us to confess to anything. They know more about us than they should. I've viewed what they know about me, and if they know that information but not that I have committed murder, I would be astonished.

[Yeah just mentioning that in passing like it ain't no thang.]

By viewing them as inner demons, however, it may make it easier for you to handle them. View this as what it has been labeled - a health program. There is nothing healthy by continuing to persecute yourself for wrong-doings you have committed in the past, whatever they may be.

[So not saying you're a murderer, but if you are, maybe you should move past that.]

[Wow. That's a lot to take in.

The mention of Gundam having killed someone sets Leon on edge for a moment, but--what had he expected? He'd figured all along that the other class must have been into something like that in Hope's Peak, just like his class was. And when it comes to being a murderer in that situation . . . Leon can't throw stones. Thinking about it logically isn't easy. There's a certain reaction you have to I'm a murderer, no matter what, and Leon feels it there in his gut despite everything. He trusts Tanaka. He's a killer himself. But he can't control that moment of dizzying shock--only try to force it away.

He looks away for that moment, but that means looking back at the doppelgangers. Nothing but a chilling reminder that he and Tanaka are in the same boat, in all of this. Leon swallows, gets over himself, and looks back at Tanaka's face, only a little cagey.]

. . . There's no way they give a shit about our health, or me gettin' over anythin' I did.

[He sounds defeated; he's angry, at himself, at CERES, but he's tired of being angry, and Tanaka makes sense.]

It ain't like it was my fault, anyway.

So . . . what, you think they're tryin' to make shit worse for us by turnin' us against each other? Damn, where've I heard that one before? Why do we have to go through this kinda thing again?!

[Leon gets plenty of time to think on that, process that information. He's not going to say anything, just wait for a reply. If that reply is against him, so be it. If he just leaves, that's fine too. He wouldn't blame him, but it's nothing to hide from him either.

When he does reply though, Gundam can't help the smirk that worms its way onto his face. He's amused, though not in a "funny ha ha" kind of way. It's entirely in a "where have we heard that one indeed" kind of way. Because that damn bear.]

I could not guess as to why they would wish something like that upon us at this point in time, but it is the only reason I could fathom having this transpire. Breaking trust is one of the greatest ways to gain advantage, as I assume the both of us know well. That may be their aim.

[Here, how about the two of you start trying to find the end of this hall again.]

Then again, it could be that our benefactors are simply that sadistic that they wish to watch the emotional pain something like this can cause. It is hard to tell just yet what their intentions may be. These are all speculations.

[He follows along when Tanaka starts walking again, easily enough. This conversation is at least very distracting from what's going on behind them. In fact, the more they discuss it, the less apprehension Leon feels about his doppelganger, until he's starting to wonder why he ever freaked out in the first place. Stupid virtual ghost.

He's cranky, angry down to his bones at CERES for all of this, but he feels normal again. It feels good even as the rest all feels awful.]

This is fucked up. There ain't no question about it . . . we got kidnapped by some freaks who just wanna see us suffer! If it ain't that, they can prove it to me! I don't buy it when they do shit like invite us to their offices and then screw around with us and set monsters on us! Stickin' stuff in our bodies, forcin' us into these things, they ain't even tryin' to be subtle! I thought it was just a mistake when I first got here. Like, maybe it ain't always like this. But it is!

IC OVERFLOW AND MISC.

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