You can't say you truly 'know' Rolle. All that's left of her inside IN LIMBO is a husk, a shell, a trace impression of her. For the longest time, you didn't even know the anomaly could even <span class="mu-i">talk</span>.
You do know enough about her to say this: This is no way for someone to live. Constantly rotting away, dreaming an impossible dream, escaping from reality. It's the same kind of pathetic escapism that would drive someone to drink NOWHERE'S SOMMELIER's wine.
The real world might suck, but at least you have the balls to face it head on.
"Your dream's not possible anymore." You admit that you humored the idea of letting IN LIMBO stream online, but you doubt ARC would approve it. "B-"
The anomaly interrupts you with nervous, chittering words. <span class="mu-i">"Noitcan Stillbeachieved. Iknowit Can."</span>
<span class="mu-i">"Ineedmore TIMEicankeep DREAMING thatsallIhaveleft"</span>
You snap your fingers. "You didn't let me finish. Does it matter if it's not possible? It's just a dream, right? We all have dreams."
"I-I h-had a dream last night."
IN LIMBO 'stares' (or what constitutes for it) at Lucy. Now THAT got the anomaly's attention.
Lucy mumbles as she recounts her dream. "W-where I-I was in a giant field t-that went on for miles. I-It was nice. T-there wasn't a lot to do, but I didn't need to do anything."
"I could relax. I-I could just be. At peace." She sighs wistfully.
"I-It wasn't real, but I wanted to stay there. I-I hope that I can move to a place with a field like that some day, y-you know?"
"See? She had a nice dream, she enjoyed it, and then she moved on to live her life."
Lucy nods. "I-It g-gave me the motivation to get out of bed, at least."
"It's okay to have a dream. Ideas should be strived for." Even if you don't know how to dream yourself, you hope your words will offer the anomaly some kind of peace. "They still have merit even if they just stay that: dreams."
"This? You're living a nightmare, Rolle." Your face scrunches as you take another look at the desiccated corpse. The lights inside the containment cell are flickering like crazy now. You're not sure if you should keep talking, but fuck it.
"I can't enable your delusion anymore. This is hurting you. You know it, I know it, and Lucy knows it. You have to face the music sooner or later, Rolle."
IN LIMBO slowly drags itself back onto its feet. Every movement it makes is clumsy and drawn out. Its legs struggle to hold IN LIMBO's weight. A sharp, electric hiss crackles from the light above. You swear that at any moment, that light is going to shatter.
<span class="mu-r"><span class="mu-i">
[email protected]...</span></span>
<span class="mu-r"><span class="mu-i">...13951....hhzzzzzz...</span></span>
The hair on your arms and on Lucy's head stands on end. The overpowering stench of ozone hangs in the air. Oh god, did you just piss this thing off?
"I-IN L-LIMBO, please, l-listen to him! t-this...is this what you actually want?"
"You can lash out all you want, but you know that I'm right." You're not going to freak out now. You're going to stand your ground.
