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Calvin stepped out of the crematorium, his face pale as ash. As he moved through Axis Mundi, he tried to still his mind, though little came of it. It wasn’t until he found himself in front of the POD room that his feet - and thoughts - came to a halt. He gingerly pushed the door open, taking a deep breath as he did so.

Even though he knew Aleecia would be in the room, there was still something surprising about seeing her there, surrounded by Nariko and Rika. For half a moment, he felt as he had when the game had started. Back then, he had had no idea what was to come. He felt his shoulder clench up as he looked at the two infinites. [color=#40E0D0]“I’m... glad you guys are alright.” [/color] He took a step towards them, before stopping himself.[color=#40E0D0] “I mean, are you alright? What’s it been like?” [/color] He turned to Rika, but his eyes passed over Aleecia with more than a glimmer of concern.

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Aleecia had been rather enjoying herself after waking up. She hadn’t left the room and re-entered the killing game yet, or at least, that’s the way she thought of it. Her time with the robot and Firebug had been quite enjoyable, even if Ice had apparently had a bad time. As the door opened, Aleecia brought her head up, her eyes still closed and listened to try to figure out who the new arrival was. She hadn’t been able to properly categorize the different footsteps of the Infinites here, so her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she tried to place them.

When she heard the voice, she smiled, [color=lightblue]“Oh! Hi Calvin, how are you? It’s been awhile, I do hope that you are doing better after... That night. Oh, me? I’m well!”[/color] Her smile grew brighter, [color=lightblue]“Better than ever before, actually.”[/color] She walked closer to where Calvin was standing, she reached out a hand to grasp his.

Calvin breathed a sigh of relief at Aleecia’s smile and reassuring words. He nodded, then realized the futility of the gesture. [color=#40E0D0]“I wish I could say the same. I’m. I’m getting there.” [/color] Something about seeing these two infinites again made Calvin wilt a little. He had though, hoped that something might change. But here they were. In the same building with the same infinites, and they seemed to have learned nothing. He was glad Aleecia couldn’t see his face, though he was intensely aware of Rika and Nariko’s presence.  As she approached, she offered a hand. Calvin removed a gauntlet and took it, squeezing slightly.[color=#40E0D0] “You were supposed to get out of here.” [/color]

[color=lightblue]“That may be true, but now that I am here, I’ll be able to support you all, right? So I’ll just leave it up to fate, because I don’t want to believe that anyone here has it in them to kill.”[/color] She brought her head down, mulling over different experiences and scenarios in her head, [color=lightblue]“And... A-And if I do die... I’ll know that I’ve at least touched someone’s life, right?”[/color] A small tear slipped down her cheek as she thought of the people who had died for them, and the people who had felt the desperation to escape. Mondatta had been kind and caring, and Shona had been an entire world above her. If she could just make a difference, that was what she wanted. Something better than standing at the sidelines, something better than just doing what she’s told and awarding people with ulterior motives. 

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After Aleecia spoke about how if she were to die she’d still touch someone here and her memory would live on with them, Rika let out a soft bletch away from her blind friend. The smell of Bliss’ bacon emerged from her mouth and filled the air near her, once she wiped her mouth with her hand she pressed the play button on her recorder.”[color=firebrick]Excuse me![/color]” The very moment that Aleecia had a tear slide down her face, Rika went to hug her in a tight hug wiping away her tear as she squeezed her tight.

	Nariko, dressed again, also wandered up to Aleecia and hugged her for no particular reason. [b]”Without love, dying is the only thing that can give souls like ours meaning.”[/b]

“[color=firebrick]Robot![/color]” Rika’s tape played.”[color=firebrick] Machine, cold uncaring.[/color]” It continued. As the robot joined the hug, Rika turned to the machine disliking how she joined the hug and speaking about love, she stared at the machine with her good eye glaring at her, she felt the robot woman’s cold steel press against her skin, the new hug felt uncomfortable with the third wheel added into it and if Nariko didn’t have one of her arms around Rika too, she’d let go. 

	Calvin stayed a few steps away. He wanted to join them, hold them close and assure them things would be alright. But he couldn’t. Something about the way Aleecia spoke put him on edge. [color=#40E0D0]“But they can. And they have, Aleecia.” [/color]He looked at the group intently. [color=#40E0D0]“Living through this is the only thing that matters here. We can take care of each other, but nothing is worth your life. Or any of ours.” [/color] He was sick of martyrs. If he was responsible for any more, he wasn’t sure what he would do.

“[color=firebrick] Take care of.[/color]” Rika’s recorder spoke up.”[color=firebrick] Rika will.[/color]” She played it again.”[color=firebrick] Rika will take care of, Friend.[/color]”

As the two girls surrounded her, Aleecia’s eyes peeked open, before she smiled again. She nudged her head against Nariko’s and patted Rika’s arm with her other hand. As Calvin spoke up, her eyebrows furrowed again. Really, Aleecia had never done much in her life meaningful, which is the reason she was so ready to be a martyr. The girl bit her lip, trying to keep more tears from falling, trying to focus on both the reality of this killing game and the girls’ embrace at the same time. [color=lightblue]“Okay,”[/color] She smiled at the sound of Rika’s recorder, [color=lightblue]“And I’ll take care of you, Friend.”[/color]

[b]”If your heart is filled with love, it will yearn for nothing..”[/b] Nariko’s eyes closed with a click. [b]”But my body will always be cold and hollow.”[/b]

With the robot’s words, Aleecia let go of Calvin’s hand to wrap her arm around the robot’s waist and give it a squeeze. But before the girl could say anything else, a loud howl of outrage echoed throughout the room, seemingly coming from the poor Dice Master’s stomach. [color=lightblue]“So... Anyone hungry?”[/color]