tenminutes | DDD: IC CONTACT POST

I don't care if you delete this but at least listen to me. It's about Ange.

[Her tone is very serious, quiet, almost sad.]

Talk to Battler-kun. I've said what I wanted to him but I doubt it'll go through. Ange--she wants this whole thing to end. If she wants it to stop then we should respect her decision. You probably won't agree with me either but listen to her.

This is hurting Ange, both you and Battler can see that, right? If you can't then you're blind and a pair of idiots. Tell Battler than he should respect her wishes. If he can't do that... then he's far crueler than even me.

Of course I can see that. She told me what Bernkastel showed her, but.. I trust Battler too. This whole game isn't about beating Bernkastel or winning for the sake of winning or even trying to figure out the truth anymore. It's about saving his family-- about saving Ange. There are things I know that I'm already not allowed to tell her and wouldn't because they're not going to play out the way he thinks, but... if he thinks there's still a way to save Ange-- a way to make her happy, even when she can't see it herself, then I'm going to at least give him a chance.

I would rather Ange grasp at a single chance for happiness than die miserable. It's not any fun. If Battler really can't do anything, then I won't say anything, but he deserves a chance to try. Ange isn't the only one who lost everything that day and I think you know that better than anyone.

[ There's a brief pause before Yuri adds something. ]

You really care about her even if you act like a total bitch, don't you? [ Otherwise she wouldn't have sent this message in the first place. ]

She's set in her ways--I wish it wasn't like that but all that Battler could do is offer her a lie: a pleasant lie but a lie nonetheless. Ange doesn't deserve that. How could that offer any true happiness?

Of course I do. To die surrounded by what you've always wanted but with no way to enjoy it, hated by the world, not having a single person taking your side..how couldn't I understand about what was lost that day?

[There's some anger in that statement but, for once, it's not directed at Yurippe.]

Of course I do. Even a witch like me...I can have things that I regret.

I know Ushiromiyas are stubborn, but you'd be surprised how many times I've broken Battler's stubborn streak. I don't think it's impossible. I think there has to be a way to do it without lying, though. It's not worth anything if it's a lie... the past is already the past, it has to stay that way, and no amount of hiding it or dressing it up to make it seem better can change that. If he lies to her about what happened, I'm not going to side with him. She has to move forward if it's going to be worth anything.

[ Yuri knew that better than anyone.

It sounds like what Evatrice is talking about just meant that what she'd "always wanted" wasn't what she'd really wanted at all, but Yuri decides not to speak on it. It's not really her place, as much as she's usually the first to butt her nose in on Ushiromiya issues. ]

Then give Battler a chance. I'm not saying she'll be perfectly happy when he's done and I'm not saying that I want him to lie to her, but I want to trust him enough that he'll at least give her a reason to try. Death doesn't always mean peace.

She has to understand the past, the good and the bad, to move on. Maybe Battler will actually do the right thing, I have my doubts. How could someone who denies the darkness in his family ever really allow someone else to see it? He won't.

You remember, right? During that first virus, the college one. That's the sort of relationship Ange and Eva Ushiromiya had. Each hated each other. Eva still cursed her on her deathbed. She also cursed herself for blaming an innocent kid for he loss of her family. Ange...probably wouldn't believe that last part and I know that it's my fault.

Lying about it will only make the hate grow stronger. Even Battler should know that.

[It's the truth. It's the reason why Eva-Beatrice still exists, really.]

For now, can you please give Battler a chance to try his way? If he's going to flat out lie to her, I won't stand by and tell him what he's doing is right. I care about Ange too much for that. But I'm not going to tell him he shouldn't at least try.. if he does try lying and he does do the wrong thing, I'll talk to him.

[ She pauses. ] I've had my bad memories nearly rewritten or wiped twice now. If he still tries to feed her some crap after knowing the kinds of things I've been through, I'll give him a black eye.

I don't really have a choice at this point. No matter what I'd say he wouldn't listen to me.

[There's a pause on her end, too.] If Battler will listen to anyone it'd be you.

No promises, but I'll try to at least talk to him beforehand. "If" is kind of a big thing when it comes to Battler listening.

You'll still have a better chance than me.

Aren't you scared though? I know your deepest darkest top secret that you're not 100% a horrible person, I might actually tell someone.

[ She figures she might as well joke a little to end the conversation on a good note. It's better to do that than to go into something feeling like something bad's going to happen. ]