heartboobs | city of ariel ic "inbox"

[He debates how to bring this up gently, but Angeal has always been terrible at beating around the bush, and moreso lying.]

Could you tell me how re-education works? Or put me to someone who does? I'm not sure who else to ask.

[... Oh. Of course he'd be asking about that. Zack must have told him.

Really, she's more surprised he doesn't already know more about it. What have his friends been doing? Genesis? Sephiroth? Zack? They all knew.]

... Yes.

I've been in it as both a volunteer and someone being re-educated. [She pauses, letting that sink in.] I just got out shortly before you gave me that massage, actually.

[Which should hopefully explain her extra nervousness and antsiness at the time?]

[Most of them had never been in, except for the one currently. But he does know a little, that it is for not cooperating, and breaking laws, but not much else otherwise. They had sheltered him from the worst, until now.

At finding out, though, he tries to soothe it over.] If now isn't a good time, you don't have to Maya.

[But already he is learning something. Volunteering? With how this place is he might have a slight idea of what that means, but that does not stop the sinking feeling in his chest the more he thinks about what his friend could be going though.]

No, it's fine. Really. I want to tell you.

[If she couldn't come to grips enough with her re-ed experience to talk about it by now, she would have some major problems. Besides, Angeal needs to be aware, and she's fine with being the one to make him so. He's friends with Sephiroth, isn't he? Good friends.]

They take you in, they pinpoint your weaknesses, and they use them to convince you to act in line with the mindset of the city. They have drugs at their disposal. More bodies and people than you'd know what to do with. The sex can be almost constant, and when you're not having it, you want it anyway.

[It takes him a good few minutes to respond, and even then it is just;]

I'm still here. Just... trying to take it in.

[Because it is only then he realizes the magnitude of wrong this place is, how very quickly with the encouragement and nudging of his friends he had eased into it with no problems. He was on the lucky end of things, already dead and surrounded by friends and encouraging people. ...What about just any regular person? People who still had lives back home?

They are experiments in the most violating of ways. Just like back in ShinRa. He feels sick to his stomach.]

[Maya doesn't know so much about Angeal just yet to guess exactly what thoughts he's going through. But he had asked her for an explanation of re-education. She trusts him to be strong enough to stand up to it.]

I regret ever doing what I did to get put there. I don't remember a full three weeks of my life in Ariel because I was so messed up. Waking up at the end of it all was one of the most frightening experiences I've ever had.

They talked to me about back home.

It's... difficult to say what I feel about home right now, but part of me is very, very scared. More scared than it was before.

They have no right.

[It only makes him angry, thinking about this. But he has to hold it off, compartmentalize, find a plan of action before he can work on it. Angeal takes a deep breath, then texts her again.]

Is there anything we can do now? Or do we just have to wait for his release?

[Naturally. She believes that herself, though she hesitates to say so.

There's nothing but textual quiet from her side of the link until Angeal sends her more.]

Just wait for his release, unfortunately. I've been going to the building every day and asking to see him and help out with the re-education. They won't allow me in.

[He has a feeling that he won't like the awnser to this, but he trusts Maya. All the same;]

How do you help with re-education? Is that something I can do?

It's something anyone can do, yes.

As for the helping, it's exactly what you might think. We don't get to set the course of re-education and what happens or what drugs are used, but if we willingly volunteer to help, we can offer whoever's in re-education our bodies.

It's sex, but I've always thought it might be nicer to have it with someone who genuinely cared about you, if you were being re-educated, as opposed to a stranger. Someone who wanted to make the experience easier for you.

Actually

[But she stops there. Her thoughts just literally cut off. It's for a reason, and one she hasn't especially mentioned to him yet.]

[He is suprised when she cuts off like that, especially with such important information. Was it something he was not suppose to know?]

Maya?

I'm sorry.

[Not exactly. Perhaps, even, it's something he should know. So she keeps talking.]

I helped you in re-education, once. When you were here before. You were in that place...

That's where we first "met".

[There is a moment's pause.]

Maya, I'm not sure how to say this, but I've never been in re-education before. Are you sure you aren't thinking of someone else?

I'm sure. We don't remember the other times we were here, sometimes, if we get brought back. So you don't remember it. But I do.

So you're saying I've been here before? How long ago was this? Is it a normal thing?

[You've kind of blown his mind, Maya.]

[Sorry. But it had to be blown. She'll take it slow.]

Yes.

I think at least a couple months ago.

It's... not normal, exactly, but it's close. It's happened several times, the leaving and the returning.

[He appreciates it, he is trying at least to keep up with this information. It was just... so much.]

What happened to [Him? Me? He isn't sure.] them before I got here?

That I don't know. Something to get "you" thrown into re-education, is all I can say. And I came in and acted out a nice fantasy.

I'll take your word for it, since I don't remember.

[This place doesn't have doubles of them hidden around somewhere, do that? Wouldn't that be a surprise.

But back on topic;]

I am going to check on him too, when I can. I'm really worried about what a place like that can do, now that I know.

[He can't just let things like this happen, there has to be another way.]

I wouldn't lie about what I do know.

Even if I tell you not to, you're still going to do it, aren't you?

[Copies are as possible as anything else. That's just plain scary. It doesn't change the fact Maya would rather she go instead of Angeal. He's too new. He's never experienced it.

But he's also kind of like her, she feels, and in that case, there's really no changing his mind.]

Would you be able to help him, like I helped you?

city of ariel ic "inbox"

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