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[cattack]

Cleo Ritter

This is Cleo Ritter. Leave a message.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

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[cattack]

[IT'S SO HARD NOT TO LAUGH but cleo's keeping up easily.]

I imagine it would help you not think about him if you don't chant his name.

[complementing]

[This is Minako giving Cleo the most wounded puppy look ever.]

[cattack]

Even if you give me that look, it's true.

[complementing]

Ugh, you're right, you're right, but it's really hard to not think of him.

[She falls silent for a moment, the only sound from her the rhythm of her heavy breathing. The words finally come from between her pants.]

He was. A part of the other Minako's team, too. He fought with her. It's hard to...reconcile the two versions of him right now. The fighter and the senpai.

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[She tilts her head, like she's thinking hard about what Minako said.]

Do they need to be reconciled?

[complementing]

[She's silent for a long minute, thoughts turning inward as they turn a curve on the track.]

...they probably don't have to be, if it were the other Minako. She lived with them and fought with them. She was used to that life, and used to seeing them like that. But the me right now, thinking about my classmates and my friends going into battle like that, it makes me uneasy. I don't want everyone to put themselves in danger.

[cattack]

... That's true.

[She thinks.]

But they chose to go into that battle of their own will, didn't they?

[complementing]

The other Minako's team did. All of my friends now? Not so much. Not all of them.

[cattack]

... I see.

[She looks at Minako, concern on her face.]

You're worried for us?

[complementing]

How could I not be? Nobody was ready for weird memories and weird powers. Nobody asked for any of this.

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... It's true.

[She slows down, facing Minako more fully.]

But it isn't as though we have no choice.

[complementing]

[Her shoulders slump, and she comes to a complete stop.] I know. It's just...I can't get over how everyone has to make that choice to begin with. All this time, everyone has been doing their best...but it's only been so long and it's changing us, Cleo.

[cattack]

[Cleo stops as well.

It's changing them... Well, yes. The ears on her head are more than enough proof of that. But beyond the physical... She's been more hurt, more scared, more anxious than she ever has been ever since Retrospec came into her life. Her confidence has been shattered a dozen times over. She hates it. She hates herself for not being stronger.

But her friend needs her now.]

It is. But people change no matter what. We don't need to be afraid of it.

[complementing]

[She sighs and bows her head, breathing heavily over her knees and just. Thinking, as she tries to catch her breath.]

No. I guess not. Fear is what ruins the good things that change might bring anyways, right?

[cattack]

That's right.

[she takes a moment to think, but...]

Ah. This may seem a digression, but... Do you believe that these visions we receive are truly our 'past lives'?

[complementing]

It was hard to believe at first, but now it's hard to imagine any other explanation.

[Especially when Ryoji has become exactly what he'd been in his visions. Thanatos is...an anomaly, for all that he is part of her.]

[cattack]

[Cleo doesn't believe it. Or rather, she doesn't want to believe it.

But, her friend needs support.]

The woman in my visions was a knight of some sort. Then, that being the case... I'll swear an oath as a knight to you. I won't change, and I'll stay as myself. Even if I'm in danger, I'll stay alive, and I'll stay as myself, so you'll have that to rely on.

[it's cheesy, but... if she can be useful for Minako in that way, then she wants to.]

[complementing]

[She gives Cleo a small smile, reaching out to take her hand and give it a quick squeeze.]

Asking you not to change is a bit much...but I'll take that oath to stay alive.