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[loveagain]

[A curious young woman appears on the video as she stares at the tablet in her hands, somewhat interested in the new and different and technology and all--when she remembers that oh right, she'd planned on talking to people. Way to make an impression of being focused and prepared...

She clears her throat.] Er, hi there. My name's Shirley, and... These people--y'know, the Initiative and all--they're really not picky when it comes to people who end up here and all, huh? So I just wanted to clarify something: not everything has to be about fighting, right? I can't say I'm good with anything like diplomacy either, but it's a better start than something like shooting someone...

Sorry if it's a simple question. I just wanted to be absolutely sure; thank you for your time in advance.

... actually, there's just one more thing. [A pause, because this is a lot more awkward of a topic to bring up. Still, she can't help but be curious given her own circumstances.] This is probably gong to seem silly, but this isn't actually some kind of weirdly militaristic afterlife, is it?

Comments

video KAYE..!!

[kindking]

Nice to meet you Shirley. I'm Shu.

No, don't worry about it's not silly and I don't think it's an afterlife. I mean it might seem that way if you died, but...

[Suddenly he considers the possibility.]

You didn't die, did you?

video NAMI!!

[loveagain]

It's nice to meet you too, Shu.

[Ah, but he actually brought it up... She sighs.] I'm pretty sure I did, yeah.

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[peachbaths]

No... Why would you ask that? [ girl you be trippin ]

Anyway, wars are not all about fighting in the front lines or negotiating with the enemy. [ kougyoku has experience in both, though. pause. ] Have you ever given a thought about who feeds our soldiers or who crafts their weapons? When a country is at war, each and every citizen has a role to fulfill.

Exsilium isn't exactly a country, though...

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[loveagain]

Er. I was just a bit curious is all. [Which isn't a lie at least, but talking about how she should be dead would be awkward...]

Oh, I never thought of it like that actually... [It may have been naivety to the point of ignorance, but as she lived her high school days, she really can't say she thought a whole lot on the battles more like one-sided slaughter most of the time her homeland fought.] But it makes sense. In the end, there's something for everyone to do, right?

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[fortissimos]

... I don't think so. I mean, there's no way everyone here is dead. [ AS FAR AS SHE KNOWS?? Maybe they're all just lying.. ] It's okay if you can't fight, though. There's a bunch of people like that already.

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[loveagain]

I just wanted to make sure, thanks. But that's good to hear! Er, I mean it's comforting and all. On the other hand, there's probably a lot of people here who can fight, right?

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[invocation]

There's some dead people here, but it ain't the afterlife. The people in charge say it's the future, if we don't do nothing about it. [She doesn't sound entirely convinced by this, but what can you do.

After a pause, she asks:] Since you can't fight, what can you do? You aren't useless, right?

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[loveagain]

[At least she's not the only one... Actually, she's not sure if that's comforting or just more bizarre.] The future instead of the afterlife? I'm not sure which is stranger...

Uh, well. [She sighs.] That's what I'm trying to figure out right now honestly.

[Video]

[kungfublackfrog]

[She sounds nervous to be put in this position. He can understand others not wanting to fight but the idea of wanting to help out, it wasn't a stretch.]

No, it's not just fighting and talks. There's other things that people can do.

[He has a couple people in thought as he says this. Don't worry, he won't ask about the afterlife bit.]

[Video]

[loveagain]

Oh, that's great! If you don't mind me asking, what are the other things people can do? I'd like to know my options and all, you know?

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[ardor]

[Kallen's face appears, recognition hitting her. Her expression morphs from slightly stunned to utterly blown away.]

S-Shirley?!

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[loveagain]

Kallen?! You're here too? [WHOA MAN she was not expecting to see anyone here that she knew.]

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[keep_smiling]

I don't really think it's the afterlife. [Considering he's immortal and doesn't believe in that stuff.] Also, I'm not a fighter at all. I tried telling the Initiative that they probably meant to grab one of my friends and not me, but everyone told me they sort of pull us here at random.

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[loveagain]

That seems to be the general consensus here. [Which makes it a little more frightening now since HOW DID SHE COME BACK TO LIFE?!] That makes sense as far as I'm concerned, otherwise I don't know why I ended up here. I could think of a million different people who would be better suited to this kind of thing than I am.

[have_hat_will_travel]

This is most definitely not an afterlife.

But they do seem to know how to cast Raise Dead.

[loveagain]

Cast...? Like some sort of magic spell, or something like that?

[video]

[galactically]

[Sheryl recognizes Shirley from the last time they met at the welcoming party, but from the question... she can't help but frown.]

Afterlife? No, this can't be it. That'd be too depressing to think about, right?

[video]

[loveagain]

Yeah, you're right, and that seems to be what everyone's saying anyways. [She laughs it off.] I was just a bit curious.

audio | I could split this into multiple comments but I don't want to

[kingside]

[The fact that the Initiative possesses the technology to bring back the dead is not news to him, but that doesn't stop Lelouch from lapsing into muted shock the instant Shirley's face appears on his tablet, her eyes bright and clear despite her confusion. There's no pain to cloud her expression, no tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, and most important of all, none of the pallor that had accompanied the loss of her blood, her life. She's entirely unmarked. To Lelouch, however...

His grip on the tablet tightens, the girl's image wavering as his hands begin to shake. Shirley. Why had she been brought here? Why had this happened? On a purely intellectual level, the answers are obvious, but on an emotional one...

The room is silent for several minutes after the entry has finished, Lelouch himself locked in place as though paralyzed. What should he do? What can he do? Shirley will no doubt learn of his presence sooner or later, and when that happens, what does he say to her?

When he moves next, it's to play the entry again, then again as he tries to acclimate, make himself believe that this is somehow normal. He can't alarm her, not when she has to be having a hard enough time adjusting to this place. He can't let her think that anything is somehow amiss. Why this should matter when she has died, seems aware of her death, and knows about Zero remains a mystery, but surely he can... behaving as though everything about the situation is ordinary will help her, won't it? He can't give her too much to process all at once. A better way to avoid that would be to avoid her, go back to playing strangers, but how long would that last? Would it be kinder? Would it only end the same way it had before, making no difference at all? How can he protect her this time?

He delays his actual response further still by sifting through the entry's responses, but beyond revealing the fact that Kallen has already made contact, it isn't helpful. He can't hold off much longer.

Curling his free hand into a fist, he sets his tablet to audio and prepares his reply. This will go more smoothly if she can't see him.]

... Shirley.

audio | it's okay multiple comments are for the uncool kids

[loveagain]

... Lulu? Is that you? [She wouldn't mistake his voice for anyone, but it doesn't hurt to make sure given that she can't see him.]

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[isprepared]

[ Humans are so gullible, Maiev decides as she watches this broadcast. Normally she's the type to cut it off without bothering with a reply, but she did express little interest in fighting. So have a completely armored woman on the screen... ]

The clinic. [ Realizing that's vague, she'll flesh it out. ] Help those who have been injured recover well and keep them company. Lifts in morale are often undervalued.

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[loveagain]

[That's not scary at all I MEAN--She lights up at the suggestion.]

Oh, that's a great idea! I can't believe I couldn't think of that.

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[gunsling]

Having had a first hand look at the afterlife I'm almost certain that's not what we're dealing with here! ... Maybe. I guess it could be someone's memory or however that's supposed to work though, but I think the scenery would have changed at this point.

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[loveagain]

A first hand look...? [If that's not interesting sounding nothing is... Though this is getting a bit more confusing.] Wait, a memory? As in this whole thing is just someone else's memory?

[video]

[flamberge]

Though fighters are imperative to any army, medics and other non-combatants can be said to hold equal, if at times more, importance.

[After all, if you're bleeding to death and there's no one to patch you up? Yeah, not fun.

As to her other question, Kratos doesn't dwell on why she may wish to know, but doesn't hesitate in providing an answer.]

And no, despite what you may believe, this is not the afterlife.

[video]

[loveagain]

[Even more importance? Daaang.] Really? I guess I just never stopped to think about it like that. An army must have a lot of different parts that make it up.

Alright, I'll take your word for it. [And it seemed to be what everyone else was saying at least.]

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[lovesgod]

There's always a chance this is the afterlife, but I'd say that chance is extremely, extremely, extremely small.

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[loveagain]

If it's that small, I'll assume this isn't the afterlife. [But hmm...] What makes you say there's always a chance though?

[audio]

[miiracles]

...mii. What gave you the idea that this may be some kind of afterlife?

[audio]

[loveagain]

Ah, well... You could say it was just my own circumstances. It made me curious.