A Farewell to All Futures

Broken Minds, Broken Hearts

Warning: mentioned death/suicide/human experimentation/dissociation, implied rape, PTSD, panic attack, depression, breakdown

***

As Mikako finished organizing her office, she reflected on what was supposed to be happening today. As the head of psychiatry treatment, her brother had entrusted her with administering therapy to those caught up in the Utsuroshima killing game. Of course, she had many patients.

"...And in the end, Nikei told me that he never got my note." Setsuka sighed. "Apparently, Kanade had burned it in front of everyone just before her execution."

"Even if she did, you had still made an impact on everything." Mikako explained. "According t Ayumi, who was previously Monocrow, Despair Mikado had panicked and gone into damage control mode after the trial to try and salvage his plan, changing passwords and all, which gave Nikei the opportunity to give information to the survivors and sabotage his plan while he was distracted."

"...Well, at least my death was useful for something!" The billiards player grimly joked.

***

"Listen, I would've never actually sided with Mikado if I knew his plan from the beginning." Syobai insisted. "I suppose he predicted that, and that's why he kept the information hidden from me."

"What did you notice that something wasn't adding up?" The exorcist asked.

"Hm, it was probably after my memories were returned at the fifth island, and Sora kept going on about how she was Akane Taira and shit like that. Of course, that was entirely fucking wrong." The broker recalled. "Akane Taira was her own sister, not that she remembered anything to begin with. In fact, even when I knew she'd have memory problems, I didn't expect Mikado to drain her mind like that. I guess her emptiness was my first clue."

***

"After the fifth trial, things began to go downhill rapidly for us." Yoruko sighed. "First, our memories haven't even come back because our reset codes hadn't been activated. Then, we find out that our friends were in grave danger, but we actually thought that they were dead before Mikado clarified it for us. Third, my girlfriend was basically in a coma when we went into the outside world! And that's basically the tip of the iceberg!"

"Yoruko, how about you take a deep breath and a drink of water before you continue?" Mikako offered a water bottle to the hostess. "I think it would be for the best of both of us if you calmed down a little before we continue."

***

"I still can't believe that my memories had been removed in that simulation." Yuri sulked. "It was such a shameful lifestyle I lived then, only believing what my father had taught me, which was nothing more than lies and weakness. But that wasn't the worst thing I have experienced in that game."

"Would that 'worst thing' be your avatar death, by any chance?" The exorcist inquired.

"Well, yes, but that's not what I'm getting at." The spaceman continued. "My own AI, who at least was an AI at the time, got turned into a puppet for Junko's puppet! At least she is free and happy now, thanks to Kokoro and her aunt!"

"Even if she may be happy now, don't forget that is just as traumatized as the rest of you." Mikako reminded.