No memories… [ She repeats it, face falling momentarily into a sullen expression. They'd been afraid of that when they'd been talking about people leaving Duplicity— wondering if they'd forget everything that had happened there. Ann had been operating on the assumption that they wouldn't, but… what if they did? What if she forgot everyone, and everything that had happened?
The question snaps her out of it. ] —huh? Oh. Um… not at all, really. I mean, it was pretty high-tech, but we definitely didn't wake up on a moon.
There, we were part of some kind of experiment. They said something about trying to figure out how to do something with a gene…? And the way to do that was for us to…… um. 'Fill a quota.'
[Seeing Ann's sullen expression made her scramble.]
B-but that's just a theory that we'd forget everything for good. It might only be until everybody catches up. We can figure out the nature of what brought us here together.
[Then Ann brought up being an experiment and that made Futaba grimace. She could tell from the way Ann was talking that it wasn't a happy memory.]
You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to.
[After a brief moment of hesitation she walked faster to be right beside Ann and grab her hand firmly.]
No matter what I'm here for you though. Ren and everyone else too!
[ That strange warmth courses through her veins again, and she gently squeezes Futaba's hand in return. The few days they'd been waiting for transport to Lunatia had felt so cold and impersonal— it really is nice to be near a friend again. ]
I think it's probably better if you knew.
[ She can spare her some of the ugliest details; about the executions, about the reprogramming centers. But everything else… it's always better to have information, isn't it? ]
To fill those quotas, we had to… y'know… [ Augh, this is embarrassing. She gets a little closer, to whisper. ]
[Initially a flush forms on Futaba's face. However as the reality set in of what Ann had to endure her expression went from scandalized to sadness as she looked up at Ann.
After absorbing that information for a moment she pulled Ann into a tight hug.]
[It was dawning on her how rough things might have been for Ann so she felt more than a little emotional. She though it was just Ann from a different point in time, but clearly things had been hard.]
Seven months?!
[She hugged harder, as hard as her little noodly arms could.]
I'm glad you had other people, but you were there for me so I wish I could have been there for you when you needed it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
The question snaps her out of it. ] —huh? Oh. Um… not at all, really. I mean, it was pretty high-tech, but we definitely didn't wake up on a moon.
There, we were part of some kind of experiment. They said something about trying to figure out how to do something with a gene…? And the way to do that was for us to…… um. 'Fill a quota.'
no subject
B-but that's just a theory that we'd forget everything for good. It might only be until everybody catches up. We can figure out the nature of what brought us here together.
[Then Ann brought up being an experiment and that made Futaba grimace. She could tell from the way Ann was talking that it wasn't a happy memory.]
You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to.
[After a brief moment of hesitation she walked faster to be right beside Ann and grab her hand firmly.]
No matter what I'm here for you though. Ren and everyone else too!
no subject
I think it's probably better if you knew.
[ She can spare her some of the ugliest details; about the executions, about the reprogramming centers. But everything else… it's always better to have information, isn't it? ]
To fill those quotas, we had to… y'know… [ Augh, this is embarrassing. She gets a little closer, to whisper. ]
Have sex.
no subject
After absorbing that information for a moment she pulled Ann into a tight hug.]
I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you...
How long were you there?
no subject
[ A little taken aback by the hug, she still rests a hand on top of Futaba's head, giving it a gentle pat. ]
I wasn't alone. Ren, Yusuke, Makoto, and Haru were all there at one point! …Ryuji was there the whole time I was, too.
We were there about… seven months? Give or take a week or two, maybe.
no subject
Seven months?!
[She hugged harder, as hard as her little noodly arms could.]
I'm glad you had other people, but you were there for me so I wish I could have been there for you when you needed it.
no subject
Finally, she brought an arm around the other girl's shoulders, giving her a gentle hug. ]
Thanks, Futaba.
no subject
Thank you too Ann.
[She smiles a little more easily and releases her friend.]
Come on the cakes aren't going to eat themselves.