the_campus | [MINGLE]

...I really doubt that will be an issue. But is all of this stuff truly safe? It mentions poison on the board.

It means the cafeteria food. It's... terrible enough to be classified as poison, and let's leave it at that.

For food, you can make your own -- there's plenty of supplies in the Home Ec room, and there's a fridge in the dorms so once you pick a room you can store it there. Or you can get snacks from the vending machines in the lounge. There's also a card pack there, so you can keep improving your decks or making new ones if you're really bored.

[She pats her pocket where the Samurai rest as an example.]

I guess you haven't been given the full explanation yet?

I got what I could from the nurse and this FAQ. But all of this is a little hard to take in.

[Though cards are tempting... He can't get distracted.]

Do you know who made this?

Rin Kagamine, I think was her name. I saw her fixing it earlier.

[Right... okay.]

Well, let me add a few things. Firstly, there's no way off this island. People have tried everything you can think of, but there's a dome barrier that stops us from leaving, for whatever reason.

Secondly, this place draws people from multiple points in time and multiple dimensions. There are a lot of people here from completely different worlds, so it might be a little hard to find duelists among everyone. I wouldn't mind sometimes, if you felt like it, though you'd probably beat me without breaking a sweat.

[She sounds more amused at that than anything.]

Let's see, what else... the North Wing IS magic, like it says, but that magic can do... almost anything you can think of. It spawned a bunch of dogs at one point and made everyone dress in lolita fashion at another.

[Hm...]

That's all I can think of... do you have any questions?

You can't play a duel in your head. I'll take you up on that sometime.

[He doesn't question the fact she knows he's a duelist. The duel disk on his arm probably makes it quite clear. But all of this... different worlds? Sudden appearances of dogs? Magic-caused crossdressing? It makes no sense. Still, he files it away. Even if Yugi's listening in, they can go over it later, when it's quieter.

Kagamine Rin, too, he files away for later.]

How long have you been here?

Great! I'm sure the Samurai will be happy, too.

[But that question makes her smile fade as she frowns, musing carefully. How long has it been?]

I... think I've been here about... half a year, maybe? At least a month of that is... fuzzy, so it could be longer.

Half a year...

[The thought is chilling. If people have been trapped here that long... no, that just means they have to try harder to find a way out, right? There's always a way. There's always a solution. Maybe he should try to duel the intercom... No, it's not going to be that easy.]

It seems like, maybe, you can return back to where you came from if you somehow get released from this place. So it's probably okay for your friends.

[Not that it matters for her either way.]

No, that's not my concern. It's true that I'm worried for them, but I'm sure they'll be alright.

But for people to be trapped this long... does nobody ever leave?

Not unless whoever runs this place chooses to let them leave. When people do, they just... disappear, with no trace. But people who are trying to leave and have been for even longer than I've been here are still here.

[This is troubling. He was close to unlocking the truth... after finally deciding to do it, after everything they'd been through in Battle City, and now this had happened. He has to bite back the urge to grit his teeth in irritation.]

I suppose worrying about it is pointless. If there's a way out at all, we'll find it.

That's right. There's a lot of people here trying, so it can't stay hidden forever.

[...She almost sounds sad about that.]

You don't seem happy about it. Is something wrong?

Ah...

[Well, it's not like he's asking for anything complicated. She never made much of a secret of it.]

...I don't have anything really to go back to. That's all. For me... this place was a blessing, even restricted as it is.

...I see.

[In a way, he can't blame her. Back then, before he'd made the decision to go on and seek his memories, he'd been on the verge on leaving them behind to stay with Yugi and the others. Would it have been a bad decision? Most likely... as good as it would be, it would be little more than cowardice.]

But, Karasu... could you really be happy here forever?

Forever? No, not at all. I know that.

[She freely admits that much.]

But I'm happy here now, and if I went back, I'd be unhappy there. That's what I know, too.

I know it can't last. And... truthfully, I don't want it to. So many people want to go home, back to their friends or family or whatever it was they left behind... it makes me hope that it's found for them.

I'm just... the odd one out.

This isn't where you're meant to be. But there's no shame in being happy here until you leave. If nothing else, you'll always have your memories. And happy memories are worth more than a lot of things.

But the world outside doesn't need to be an unhappy place. If it's unhappy now, then you should try to make it a happier place for you.

...I don't even know if I'll have those.

[Make the world a happier place for her, huh... If only it were that easy.]

And... I don't think I'm the kind of person who can do that.

It's not a matter of what kind of person you are. In the end, it comes down to what kind of person you want to be. It's not easy, but it's always possible, if you're willing to work at it.

Maybe that's true, but... I haven't had much luck alone so far.

You're not alone now.

[He smiles at her.]

Even if your memories fade, as long as you have people supporting you, even from afar... That will give you strength.

[...It's hard to feel gloomy with him smiling at her like that. That's right, isn't it? The friends she made here... Bakura-kun, and Kai-kun... and even Saft...]

Yugi-kun... do you live in Domino City?

Yeah, I do. That was a good guess.

[Who knows? Maybe she's seen him around before and that was why she was so confused at first.]

I remembered recently that I live there too. You're trying hard to encourage me, so I have to ask...

Maybe we could be friends. Both here, and not here.

I'd be happy to be your friend, Karasu.

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