Naoto couldn't help but wince slightly at her words. Rise-chan and Yosuke-senpai always got on her back for her lack of tact, and this was proof in point of it.

Then again, would Rise-chan have been able to hold back at such a bizarre proclamation?

"...I apologize, that was rude of me."

Understandable, but still rude. Yet at her next words, Naoto's eyes widened again. D-dead? That icy fear in the pit of her stomach rised again, that perhaps she and Kanji had, during that battle with Izanami...

No. No, she was not dead.. She refused to believe that. Shaking her head to drive that thought from her mind, and looking back at the young woman before her.

"...It does not matter if you were her clone, since that does not preclude to you being the 'original' herself. You are your own person, no different than how identical twins share the same DNA but are themselves individuals."

She glanced down, trying to think of something to say...

"I do not know if I am dead-I merely was following the footprints of a friend to a pond in the forest and found something shining in the water. When I reached in, I was pulled the rest of the way."

This entire day couldn't get more bizarre, could it?