[Video] UN: Komaeda

[despairing_hope]

[The video starts with a close up of Komaeda's face as he's messing with the settings. It's advanced technology he's not familiar with, but it didn't take him long to get it going. Nothing ever takes him long to figure out when he tries.

He leans away and offers a smile, but it's a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's tired. There's a weight there. People who are familiar with him might notice it's a little less carefree than he usually is. But then it's only to be expected.]

Hello! This is quite the interesting thing to be suddenly rushed through. They said anomalies were the cause, but isn't that a bit curious? "Anomaly" is such a vague term. It's the sort of thing you see on TV used to hand wave fantastical concepts they don't want the audience to think of too much. So is there something not being explained here?

[Of course he barrels straight to the delicate question.]

But, what do I know? There's a lot of surprising things happening all at once. In fact, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if I was told we were in some sort of MMO! Being in some sort of elaborate program would make more sense than not anyway.

[He goes quiet for a moment, his expression far away lost in thought. It takes him a moment to remember the camera and go back to his train of thought.]

Ah, since I was just recently welcomed to this little expedition, I should introduce myself. My name is Komaeda Nagito. There's not really anything else to say, I'm a bit luckier than most people?

Comments

[despairing_hope]

[Even after everything Hinata still wanted to talk to him? It would be easier to just ignore him and have nothing to do with him. Or be angry, at least more outwardly angry. He could tell at the very least Hinata was mad.

He frowns a little, his eyebrows curling up. It was more a confused sad expression than annoyed or angry. He wasn't really sure what to do. It was an effort to try and be mad still, and a further effort to try and be mad at Hinata.]

If you insist, I'll talk to you in person. But, you're wrong about it not being dangerous.

[mobilized]

Tch.

[He knows he's being baited. That doesn't really stop him from rising to it, as much as he tries not to.]

Good enough to get around your bullshit "plan." What's your point?

[despairing_hope]

Oh? Did you really? I'm interested in hearing what it is you did. Did you figure out who the traitor was?

[mobilized]

[Nuh-uh. No. He's not playing that game. Nanami deserved better, and Fuyuhiko refuses to be the one who spills the beans on her.]

Yeah, you'd fuckin' like to know, wouldn't you? Guess you're gonna have to keep living in suspense.

[despairing_hope]

Of course I would, the traitor was the only good person among us.

I doubt it was Hinata kun, that seems too good. The idea of it being Souda kun or Owari san is laughable. The way you're acting makes it doubtful it's you. Which leaves Sonia san or Nanami san. Correct?

Nanami san is here though, but then so is Nidia kun. Not that it really matters who died in the end.

Video; UN: Nanamicchi

[partyleader]

You... Komaeda-kun!

[Nanami's expression immediately slips into a relieved smile. She's concerned about the tiredness weighing heavily on his face, and she doesn't want anyone else to be stuck in this situation with them, but... Nanami would be lying if she said she wasn't glad to see him.]

There's definitely some weird things going on here... Some of it is really concerning, too. [And more than just the strangeness of what the people in charge told them upon their arrival. She thinks back to the things she's heard about the past few weeks but has not seen... About the dead bodies that had apparently been showing up.

But she pushes that out of her mind, at least for now, because she's more concerned about Komaeda at the moment. Even if Nanami can be bad with people, she still has a knack for picking up this sort of thing... And even if she didn't, it's easy to see that something is wrong.] Are you okay, though? You look like something's bothering you...

[despairing_hope]

Bothering? Not at all! Why would anything bother me?

[His tone went low at his last few words. A clear contradiction. Not that he was going to share it openly, not any time soon at the very least. If peopke wanted such details they could figure then out themselves.

But, before continuing he had to pause, to really look at the video. It was Nanami... and yet... there was something different he couldn't quite place. Well, ignoring the different username!]

But before you think there's a reason to care about the feelings and wellbeing of trash, is it safe to say you're the other Nanami that has been mentioned to me?

[partyleader]

No... There is something, isn't there? [She knows how Komaeda is, though, even if something about him is a little... different right now.] But... If it's something that you don't want to talk about it, I understand.

[Nanami wants to tell him "You're not trash," as she's wanted to in the past but never has before. Maybe she should change that while they're stuck here, but she knows it's probably something to not jump into right away. But-] Ah... You must've spoken to Nanami-san before me, then?

But yes... For some reason there's two of us. It's another confusing thing we've been trying to figure out, but... Even if it doesn't make a lot of sense, Nanami-san is a really good person.

[despairing_hope]

I know she is.

[He completely ignored the statement about what may or may not be wrong, even the offer to understand him not talking about it.]

I know her decently well. So I'm curious, how are you different from each other?

[Figuring out that would answer why.]

[anthropophagite]

Well, I was thinking about the people I've left behind, actually. [ kaneki has priorities. Plus he was taken right when he was kidnapped and was probably going to be tortured and killed, so he is conflicted ] If this is like a projection of ourselves into a virtual world, there would be a bigger chance for us to return, rather than being lost in space and somehow having to find the way back. [ that sounds a lot more complicated ]

And yeah, it's a bit. I'm still feeling rather lost.

[despairing_hope]

I suppose you could think that, if you wanted to.

[He felt it was more practical to assume they were all digital copies and they would never return anywhere. But then he had a bias about that.]

But, I don't really care about returning home, I don't think there's anything left for me there.

[partyleader]

Ah, then you must be... You're different from me the way Hinata-kun and Nanami-san are.

[Not her Komaeda after all, then... But she's still worried about him and glad to see him regardless.]

A lot of things we're still discovering, but... She's better at video games than I am. [She says that with a pleased sort of pride for the other Nanami. She'd never lost before they started playing games together.] She also gets more sleepy than I do, and some things she doesn't understand, like certain holidays.

Also... [She thinks about how to phrase it for a moment, then continues.] We seem to have different memories. I thought it might be that all of you are from a different universe, like in a game, but... We still don't know.

[anthropophagite]

Eh...? Really?

[ there is a pause, a bit longer than kaneki wanted, but he wants to think for a moment ] I know that some places aren't so good, but it's still where you grew up and loved, right? And the people you've met are there, too.

[despairing_hope]

Well, different memories is simple, since we should all be missing about three years or so. At least all of our school memories and a bit more!

But, a different universe would explain two of you, at least.

[But he had his doubts, because there was a small something in the back of his mind, he would put it together soon at least. Well, depending on what people might tell him maybe he would put it together instantly!]

But, you're not completely wrong, we were in a game!

[despairing_hope]

Oh there isn't a soul that would welcome me back. And, the world might be some kind of post apocalyptic nightmare! I'm not really sure. Either way it doesn't matter.

[He was far too cheerful about that.]

1/2

[anthropophagite]

[ ?

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?????? ]

2/2

[anthropophagite]

I think something like would matter a lot- [ what the hell Komaeda ]

[despairing_hope]

Does it? I suppose for everyone else, but for me the end result is the same.

It's probably better to be in space traveling around. It's a lot more interesting at least. And if you don't have anywhere to go back to, might as well take each step forward and see where it goes.

[muncher]

That's...That's wrong!

[ She snaps angrily, but this time, it's a different degree than her usual anger; it sounds more like a pained anger, as if just talking about the traitor hurts her. ]

Don't say she didn't win, 'cause she did...! In fact, it's 'cause of her that we even survived!

[ Which is about the closest hint to the traitor's identity he's going to get from her. ]

[anthropophagite]

[ Kaneki doesn't really understand what Komaeda is talking about (naturally, he isn't from his world). But he doesn't think this should be the first thing they ought to talk about, since it sounds like a serious and personal matter and Kaneki shouldn't be prying. So, even if he doesn't understand and is probably making wrong assumptions, he doesn't ask any further ]

Uhm... I don't think many of us wish to be here. But if you'd rather be, then I think you really are a bit luckier than most people.

[despairing_hope]

Ah, so the traitor sacrificed themselves for everyone else? What a pure person!

[Then the traitors hope was for everyone. Ah... if he could have seen it.]

Was it Nanami san? Or Sonia san?

[He pauses a moment to think, his mind going a mile a minute in considering the options. Wouldn't it be better if it were Nanami? Well if it had to be a girl.]

[despairing_hope]

Ah... I suppose this could be luck.

[He sighs a bit, he didn't want to think of luck at the moment.]

But, even if people don't want to be here, it's still a once in a lifetime opportunity. There might be something to gain from this experience.

[virtualbytes]

...

[ She's quiet at first, as if trying to collect her thoughts together. Hearing the word fake hurts her, considering who and what she is, exactly. But she doesn't show it in her expression. ]

I don't know for sure, but I want to believe that this is real. [ But at the same time, that brings many questions to the forefront of Nanami's mind. Things that seemed nearly impossible, but are plain fact here and now. ] Is that... too much to hope for?

[anthropophagite]

Most of us just don't like to be sent to a place without our consent. It feels a bit like kidnapping. [ it feels a LOT like kidnapping; Kaneki would know, he was kidnapped.

Sure, it was an anomaly, but the number of anomalies that happen seem to be pretty high. "Anomaly" implies it's something out of the ordinary, and yet it keeps happening ]

I get to see space, so that's something gained. I've ever only seen and learn about it from television and books.

[muncher]

Shut up. You have no right to even say her name...

[ Is she purposely not revealing the traitor's identity, or is she just too upset right now to be direct? The latter's more likely, given that it's Owari, but he'll figure it out when he does. She does at least think that it's something that Nanami should reveal herself rather than from someone else. ]

She never would've had to sacrifice herself if ya didn't come up with that plan in the first place...!