[ Some kind of horrible knot ties itself into place around Ai's heart – it strangles her lungs, her throat, silencing her so completely that she doesn't know that she could make any words come out even if she knew what she wanted to say. It was already an act of unimaginable cruelty to bring a girl like Yasu here, but in between everything else this place asked of them the sharpness of that cruelty had dulled its edge somewhat. But now it pierces her again as she looks at Yasu and thinks – to bring her here not just once but to steal her after she'd already survived another when she's so small and she's so frightened and–
And what it must mean for the rest of them, that even if they escape from this then there's no way to be sure it's all over. Even if a game is packed away, it can be laid out again and the pieces forced to reassemble whether they like it or not. The thought that Ai could someone survive this, reclaim her future and return to Aqua and Ruby, to have that miracle granted only to return to a hell like this again–
Ai opens her mouth. No words come out, so she closes it and swallows before trying again.
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And what it must mean for the rest of them, that even if they escape from this then there's no way to be sure it's all over. Even if a game is packed away, it can be laid out again and the pieces forced to reassemble whether they like it or not. The thought that Ai could someone survive this, reclaim her future and return to Aqua and Ruby, to have that miracle granted only to return to a hell like this again–
Ai opens her mouth. No words come out, so she closes it and swallows before trying again.
Her voice rasps on the way out. ]
... Then... h–how... how did you get out?