ITP: Aftermath

[fracta_anima]

Characters: Minami, various others.
Setting: Meadow floor
Format: Prose, but will match replies.
Summary: Minami finds out her fear was broadcasted. Considering that is a huge part of her fear? Not good. Also, Princess Zelda gets a Rank 10 S. Link by kicking her out of the angstbucket.
Warning: Mentions of suicide, self-harm, gore, angstangstangst, and a lot of bad stuff. Read at your own discretion.

Avoidance had been the name of the game the last few days. Ever since she'd woken up from that nightmare and had a nice long hot shower during which she'd scrubbed herself raw. Even then, she could feel the blood on her skin, the chunks of flesh and blood crusted under her fingernails, hear her own insane laughter in her ears. Then there was the sense that everyone knew hanging over her. That had been the crux of her fear, right? Because that had to be why they'd been asked about it last month, why she'd been compelled to answer so honestly: she was afraid most of people finding out.

And when a day or two had gone by and she started to relax, had decided to make a post on the Network about having a check in for the Watch to give herself something to focus on besides the labyrinth, she'd checked the archive.

It had been recorded.

A lot of people's had been recorded, but the only one she looked at was her own. Was she--no wonder the others had turned away in disgust. She looked like a madwoman, no better than Takaya had been, no better than those scientists--

--and this was broadcasted?!

Minami had backed away from the console and fled, everything feeling like it was crashing around her. How many people had seen it? How did she get it off--stupid question. It didn't matter if she had gotten it off the network or not. No. People had already seen it. Who wouldn't look at it even if out of idle curiosity? She could already feel her brother's disgust, what Shinjiro and Minako would think of her.

Zelda. Coleta. Oh god. They must think she's utterly disgusting, too.

She'd run the stares. Anywhere. She'd jumped from one of the outdoor floors once, while exploring. The floor itself had compelled her to, hence why she avoided leaving the staircase on that particular floor. The inhabitants of the Tower couldn't die here, but just the sense of freefall would do well enough. As terrified as she'd been the first time the cartwheeling feeling of being weightless had been kind of cool, left her dizzy and barely able to think beyond the sense of it's going to all stop. Maybe, some small part of her thought, maybe if she did it enough times it would stick. If nothing else, it couldn't hurt to try, right?

That was why, when she came to the floor with the peaceful meadow, she carefully approached the edge, her hands shaking. This was stupid, she knew. She shouldn't be running like this, she couldn't exactly escape just by one jump. Her kneejerk reaction shouldn't be to jump, but Minami just needed to get away.

She took a deep breath, decided to pace around the perimeter. She had to think. Was this really a good idea, in the end? Even for a moment of weightlessness?

Comments

[sageprincess]

[The Princess of Hyrule has not exactly been a ray of sunshine these past few weeks, either, but when is she ever, really? What she had seen down within the bowels of the Tower and the confirmation that, yes, the administrators of this place truly do hold an immense amount of power over those they've captured has not done great things for her morale.

But in an odd and probably unhealthy way, Zelda has found it so easy to "deal" with her own problems by throwing herself into aiding those who (she had failed to save) had been trapped within the labyrinth. They all need help healing a great deal more than she does, after all. And, admittedly, Minami is one of the ones she is most concerned about, despite not seeing her "punishment."

... Seeing the other girl skirting around the edge of one of open floors does not quell her anxiety, either.]

Minami...?

[There is no disgust in her voice. No hatred. Merely quiet worry.]

[complementing]

[The meadow is where everything is peaceful. She's had the pleasure of coming here before to experience that. But as Minako steps in through the door, she is hit with a sense that the place has been visited by all those dealing with the aftermath of the labyrinth, replacing the peace with anxiety and pain.

Seeing Minami, she realizes she must be one of those people.]

...hey. Are you okay?

[imperialsun]

The meadow floor had become a ritual for Naoya to visit, but he was surprised by his Personas tugging him towards a direction when he went on, only to discover Minami close by. He didn't know her...well, truthfully he had seen the whole ordeal, been responsible for getting their powers back in the maze, but he hadn't met her face-to-face.

The shaking and walking around the edge only gave him an idea of what she must be experiencing. Maki had experienced it herself during the whole SEBEC incident. There was no hesitation when he spoke, just a calm, smoothing voice with a single word.

"Stop."