see right through your beautiful lies ( semi-open )

[dolosa]

[ When you awaken, you're in what seems to be an abandoned warehouse; it looks like the place hasn't been used for its original intent in ages, though the smell of copper permeates the area. The carcasses of corpses lie around here and there - some dismembered, some completely intact - along with creepy, oversized masks of rabbits.

The warehouse itself isn't that big -- there's two floors, and many doors. However, each door is locked, and the only way through is to find a key.

However, you're not alone. There's a girl who seems to be panicking nervously, fiddling with her skirt anxiously as she sits on her wheelchair, glancing every now and again at you, not all that certain as what to do. At least, that's before you awaken, which is when she gasps in sheer surprise. ]

You're-- you're finally awake.

Comments

[dolosa]

Um...

[ Her voice is hesitant at first as she lowers her voice, but she then looks up at him, trying to sound calm and brave, even though there's coherent fear in the tone of her voice. ]

I don't where where we are, but I haven't seen your friend. W-- we can look for him, though.

[courageousbonds]

[ Ash frowns, concern completely shown in his expression. He's rarely without Pikachu and when he isn't it's usually because of Team Rocket. But a situation like this, where he doesn't know where even he is?

But after a moment determination appears in his eyes. He'll find Pikachu. He always does. And after a brief look it doesn't look like his other Pokemon are with him either so finding them are also a priority. ]

Could you? This place looks dangerous [ and still makes him queasy ] but I'm not gonna stand here while Pikachu and my other Pokemon aren't with me.

[dolosa]

...!

[ She's caught a little off guard by his sheer determination, surprise slowly flickering in her own eyes as she nods. ]

Yes, of course! I mean they're your-- [ Wait. She stops at that, tilting her head to the right. ] Pokemon?

[courageousbonds]

Uh-huh. A Frogadier, Hawlucha, and Fletchinder. Their Pokeballs must have been taken. They're all my friends, so I'm not gonna leave here without any of 'em.

[ But hmm... how to get out of this room so they can start searching to begin with. ]

[dolosa]

Frogadier, Hawlucha, and Fletchinder...

[ She nods as she repeats those names; mostly to herself than to anyone else in particular, trying to memorize those names to heart. ]

If they're taken, they may not be in this room. And this room is actually really scary. Maybe we should find a way out.

[courageousbonds]

Y-Yeah. The sooner we can get outta this room the better.

[ At least he hopes. Looking anywhere in the room has been difficult since the moment he woke up and the smell has become increasingly overwhelming.

But that's not going to stop him. Not when he has Pikachu and his other Pokemon to find. So the moment he spots the door he rushes over and tries to open it. ]

[dolosa]

Y- ... yeah.

[ She's not all that confident, actually. Though if Ash tries the door, he'll find that it's completely shut closed, not permitting entry. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ Ash will juggle the handle for a bit hoping that maybe it'll open. After that fails he'll give it a tackle or two before deciding that no, it's not going to open that way.

He sighs a little and looks around. ]

The door won't open. Do ya see any other way we can get outta here?

[ Or maybe there's a key but that's not his first thought. First thought is alternative route. ]

[dolosa]

Not that I know of.

[ Those words are empty, coming from her. There's no windows in this part of the warehouse, and she definitely hasn't been checking any of the dead corpses, either. ]

But it's kind of difficult for me to navigate...

[courageousbonds]

Huh? ... oh.

[ After a better look he realizes what she means by that. He smiles and shakes his head a little. ]

It's okay! I'll try and find a way out for the both of us. Let's see...

[ He'll start looking around the room the best he can all while trying to avoid the corpses. He'll even look around all the creepy rabbit masks than the dead bodies, as any time he even accidentally looks in their direction finds himself looking away as quickly as her could and shaking his head. He needs to keep focused if he wants to get them both out and find Pikachu and his other Pokemon. ]

C'mon, there's gotta be something somewhere...

[ He's checking behind one of the masks. Maybe he should try breaking down the door again... ]

[dolosa]

[ There aren't any keys in the rabbit masks, though Ash will definitely find a note that may be a little unsettling in one of them. It's crumpled and written in the messiest handwriting.

"The liar must die.
If you can find where the liar sleeps, you will be set free.
The key outside of this first room is hidden in the pockets of the liar."

At least it's something, right? And there's a little picture of rabbits surrounding a wolf being burned at the stake. ]

... Um, did you find anything?

[courageousbonds]

[ Ash reads the note and frowns. This doesn't help the unsettling and nauseous feelings that he's been feeling this whole time. But he swallows and turns to Rei, nodding his head. ]

Y-Yeah. I found this note. Here.

[ He'll walk over to Rei and hand her the note so she can see it. ]

I ... I think it's telling us that there's some kinda key to get outta here.

[ No he's not really thinking through this. Like how there are only two people in the room. The liar couldn't possibly be one of them right? ]

[dolosa]

"In the pockets"...? I didn't have anything in my own pockets.

[ She doesn't even have any pockets to begin with, having worn a skirt. ]

But where would the key be?

[courageousbonds]

I dunno. I'll look around, but first...

[ He should check his own pocket more carefully in case they were slipped in, right? So let's do that first. ]

[dolosa]

[ It's not there, unfortunately! Most of the corpses are near rabbit heads -- with the exception of one, naturally. ]

Is it in your pockets, um...? [ She never got your name. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ Oh, right. They haven't even done introductions yet, have they. ]

I'm Ash, and no, it's not in my pockets. But if they're not in my pockets and you don't have pockets whose pockets are they in?

[ He looks to see if maybe there's a third person in the room when his eyes land on one of the corpses he's been trying not to look at. Wait.... ]

[dolosa]

I'm... Rei. Hazama Rei.

[ Her eyes follow his own as sweat drips down the side of her cheek nervously. ]

You don't think--?

[courageousbonds]

Nice to meet you, Rei.

[ Though it would be nice if they were in better circumstances....

Ash swallows before he responds while trying to keep his voice as steady as possible. ]

M-Maybe. But... which one...?

[ The note says which one, right? But how can he tell which one is the liar? The last thing he wants to do it search though all the corpses until he finds the key. He doesn't even want to search through one. But he's also not going to make Rei get out of her wheelchair so ... ]

Which one do you think is the liar, Rei..?

[dolosa]

I think... there might be a wolf. Or someone without a rabbit. The picture on the note is based on a game I played on my cell phone, so maybe it's like that.

[ She says this nervously, almost anxiously. As if she's afraid that she might be wrong. ]

[courageousbonds]

Someone without a rabbit...?

[ He hasn't seen any wolves in this room, but he has seen rabbits. Those rabbit masks in particular. They are rabbits right? They're a lot like Buneary the rabbit Pokemon so they must be.

He gathers the courage to look at the corpses around the room. Eventually he gets to the one without a rabbit mask.

Is that it...?

After a deep breath he slowly makes his way to the corpse and kneels down to search for the key, the only thing going through his mind is please be right. ]

[dolosa]

[ Rejoice and listen to that music as Ash finally manages to get...

a key! Which, of course, causes Rei to heave a sigh of relief when he does find it because that looks scary.

Which is why she'll ask: ]

A-- are you okay?

[courageousbonds]

[ Yes, a key and complimentary music! Now hopefully we don't have to ever do something like that again.

Once he has the key Ash closes his eyes and stands up with a small stagger. He takes a moment to compose himself before he turns to give Rei the best smile he can manage. ]

Y-Yeah... I think I'll be okay.

[ He's still shaking from the ordeal, but even so he starts to make his way to the door to open it. Time to get out of this room. ]

[dolosa]

That's... that's good.

[ Rei tries to give a reassuring smile as she wheels herself towards the door. She's ready to leave this place. But of course, it's not going to be easy as the hallway splits two ways in the next area. ]

Sh-- should we split up, or pick one at random?

[courageousbonds]

[ Ash looks down each of the halls. Well, it's probably not a good idea to split up, so the best choice should be to just pick on at random right? ]

Let's... go this way.

[ He points to the left side. What could possibly go wrong. ]

[dolosa]

[ Left it is! ... Which leads to, gasp, a room with more paths. Three, in fact. However, in the room that they are in is actually a chair with a masked man - who is actually wearing a wolf mask - staring at various monitors that seem to show the entirety of the warehouse.

And let's not mention that he's still alive and moving, although he doesn't seem to be saying anything.

As for the hallways, however: the one on the left leads further into crossroads, having two separate directions that lead into a bedroom and a bathroom. The center hallway seems to lead into a locked door with a scanner and a key lock. While the rightmost hallway seems to lead to a rather spacious, but empty area. ]

... This is creepy. [ Along the backside of the room they're currently in, there seems to be various weaponry, specifically axes, chainsaws, knives, and the like. There is even a shelf full of those unsettling rabbit masks from the previous room. ]