Truth, Perjury, and Sacrifice

Death Ensnares

"Hello?" Karen called out, her voice echoing throughout the long corridor. "Can someone tell me where I am?" she called out again. Once she reached the end, a door was awaiting her. Through the door was a room engulfed in a muted white light and a figure waiting inside. "Who are you?"

"Awe, you don't remember your best friend?" Junko smiled.

"Did I go to Hell?" Karen asked herself, glancing around. "I don't see fire or smell burning bodies, so I'm assuming not. So, why are you here?" She crossed her arms.

"You're so mean!" Junko pouted. "Anyway, I'm here because you want me here. So, this encounter is actually your fault."

Karen sat on the couch across from Junko, staring at her red hair and eyes. "You were that Ryoko girl, weren't you?"

"Yup. That was me. I was testing out the memory wiping stuff." Junko and Karen sat in silence for a moment. "Look, I'm not going to beg for forgiveness or taunt you. I'm just here until you decide it's time to move on."

"Move on? Like cross over?"

Junko shrugged, "That's up to you. You could leave everything behind and call it quits, but you're not even twenty-one, so."

Karen rolled her eyes, "Don't act like you care about that. I know better than to fall for that compassion con-artist bullshit of yours."

Junko nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure you do. But how long are you going to fall for that 'the past is in the past' bullshit? Karen, I'll always be there. Everyone who has died and has been killed will be there, watching."

Karen's eyes fell to the floor, "I hate you. I hate you so much. You've caused us all so much pain. I almost killed people I loved because of you! This is all your fault! I got shot because of you!"

"You got shot because you jumped in front of a bullet that was aimed at that rich fuckwit!" Junko yelled.

"Be honest with me for just a minute, then. Were you really my friend?" Karen asked.

"You are such a child. That's what brought me here? You want to know if I really cared about you as a friend?" Junko scoffed. "Yes. I did. Why else would I have worked so hard to make your life a living hell, even after I'm dead?"

Karen stood and approached Junko. With a quick swing, she slapped Junko straight across her face, then leaned forward and pulled Junko into a tight hug. "You're a psychotic bitch, but I still care about you." She didn't look back as she approached the next door.

As soon as she stepped through the door, a figure launched towards her. Sayaka had her arms wrapped around Karen's arms and shoulders, "Sayaka?!" Karen hugged back. They broke apart, beaming. "You're...okay. No wounds or anything." Karen looked Sayaka up and down. Not a drop of blood or gold paint was to be seen.

"Yup! You don't have any scars either," she poked Karen's right shoulder, where the bullet scar used to be. Karen examined her arm and saw no evidence of the marred wound from the spear.

"Hello," Celeste joined in. Although they knew the French accent was fake, it would be weird to not hear it. "Are you taking proper care of my ring?"

"I polish it frequently," Karen chuckled, gently hugging Celeste. "Or I should say I polished it frequently. I'm....dead, aren't I?"

"I'm afraid so," Mukuro said. "Not officially, yet. There's still time."

"So, what does that mean? What's going on?" Karen asked.

"You wanna see?" Leon asked, pointing to the window next to him. He pushed back the white curtain and exposed the inside of a surgery room. Karen noticed it was her who was laying still on the table, her torso open with doctors actively operating. "You took one for the team."

"Getting shot sucks. The first time really sucked, but the second time didn't hurt as bad." Karen ran her hand over where the doctors were operating. "How's Byakuya?"

Leon shook his head, "Sorry. We can't tell you."

"We cannot influence your decision to stay or go," Celeste said.

Karen watched the doctors operate, choosing to sit for a moment next to Leon and Chihiro. "I think I just want a moment. I need some time." With that, the room was empty and Karen sat alone.

"How long has it been?" Toko asked.

"Three hours and twenty-six minutes," Nagito said, tapping his foot on the broken linoleum floor. He had been clutching onto Hajime's hand the entire time. "Maybe I shouldn't be here. She might die if I'm here," Nagito began to stand.

"Stop," Hajime pulled him back down. "If she dies, she's going to die whether you're here or not. We need to stick together right now."

"Hajime's right. We need....to be here for Byakuya if that happens." Makoto said.

"Is he awake?" Toko asked. As soon as Makoto nodded, Toko pulled Komaru along to find Togami's room.

"How is he doing?" Kyoko asked.

"According to the nurse, he's going to be fine, but he's really worried."

"I'm not surprised. I would be the same way if he was in there," Hajime pointed to Nagito.

The operating room doors opened, causing everyone to stand. A doctor walked out, standing in front of the waiting group. "She lost a lot of blood and suffered severe damage to her right arterial branch. Thankfully, the bullet shot threw in a clean motion, so the tearing was easier to attend to."

"But she's alive?" Kyoko asked.

"Yes, she is alive and stable. However, she will need to stay under observation for some time." The doctor trained his gaze on Nagito and Hajime, squinting.

"Is now the time to be judging us and our friend? Last thing I knew she was still on that operating table." Hajime said.

"Right, my apologies." The doctor excused himself and returned to the surgical corridor.

"So, I suppose I'll survive, just with a damaged heart." Karen nodded to herself.

"I suppose so," The room returned to its original full state, only with two more people next to Karen. "You've been through so much, dear. You look so much older," her mother placed a hand against Karen's face. "Dark circles, underweight, and even a few stress wrinkles. This is no way for someone so young to look."

"You can't even see the scars I've earned," Karen tried to laugh it off, but she knew how horribly twisted that sounded. "I'm so sorry," she cried into her mother's shoulder. "I couldn't stop her. I couldn't stop anything."

"It's okay now, Karen. You weren't meant to stop this. You were only meant to endure such trauma. I only wish we could have protected you." Her parents soothed and listened to the worries and guilt their daughter held onto since her escape.

"I almost don't want to go back. I want to be finished with these feelings, with this reality, and with the constant living in fear." Karen stood. "If Byakuya isn't there, then why would I leave? What does going back even do for me?"

"It gives you the chance to...have a life and family of your own. Your friends are waiting for you." Her father said. "But if you decide to stay, then that's okay too."

"You really can't influence me, huh?" Karen chuckled through stray tears. "I'm going to miss you. I've missed you so much already." She glanced around at the many faces. "But this isn't the last time I'll see you, right?" she asked as she went around, giving everyone a hug or high-five.

"Absolutely not! We'll be here waiting when the time is actually right!" Sayaka beamed.

Karen waved everyone goodbye and attempted to open the door, only to find it locked.