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

[bystandering]

Exactly.

[Her voice is clear and sharp but at this close range. Yet...something is off. She's shaking ever so slightly.]

[dolosa]

I-- I'm sorry.

[ She apologizes politely yet again, but it soon becomes a repeated chant in a mere whisper. She's scared, frightened, and hoping from the bottom of her heart not to die.

Or so it seems. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ "Why does it matter" was something Ash almost said, but stops when he hears Rei over and over again. And that catches his attention more. ]

R-Rei...

[bystandering]

[She glances over to Ash briefly before saying something.]

Liars can't survive this game. If they do, then I can't go back.

[dolosa]

Go... back?

[ Rei's words are breathy at best, barely able to speak as she tries to wheel herself back, trying to protect herself, yet at the same time, still afraid that Mitsuki might attempt to grab her again. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ There's the unsettling feeling again, and it's worse than before. ]

Back?

[ He says it at about the same time as Rei. But what bothers him more is what she first said. The reason for this bad feeling. ]

[bystandering]

Home. To Papa.

[The wolf had to win. If she didn't...]

That's why I'm going to win.

[dolosa]

[ There's slight discomfort in her expression as she backs up even more. Her gaze shifts from Mitsuki and then to Ash, lowering her voice to a mere whisper as she speaks to him, as privately as she can. ]

Do you... think there's a way out? W-- we just have to get to those stairs, right?

[courageousbonds]

Y-yeah. We just.. need to get to the stairs.

[ Usually at this point he would have Pikachu help, but his friend is still in his arms unconscious. And as long as Mitsuki is holding that gun he doesn't want to make any sudden movements or let any of his other Pokemon out.

So they're going to have to do this subtlety.... not exactly something he's good at. But maybe just casually backing up might do the trick. Maybe. ]

[bystandering]

You can go to the next room. Hazama stays with me.

[She can't hear them but she doesn't need to. It's obvious what they want to do.]

[dolosa]

[ She gives a worried glance at Ash, but doesn't say anything. If there's something he wants to do, something he wants to say... he should probably do it now. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ Not this again. What can he even do to prevent it? He finds himself looking at the gun in Mitsuki's hand as he speaks. ]

I... I don't want to leave Rei behind. But...

[ He pulls his eyes away from the gun and to Rei. Is she still going to agree to that? There wasn't anything he could do last time... ]

[bystandering]

She can't get up those stairs by herself, you know.

[It's said in manner of fact kind of voice.]

[dolosa]

[ Rei's silent at first, thinking. She knows she can't get up those stairs on her own, but she knows that having Ash carry her is probably not an option either. ]

I'm sorry. ... Go on without me.

[courageousbonds]

[ ... Right. Stairs. Even he feels that, in his condition and with Pikachu condition as well, getting Rei up the stairs by carrying her or something would be near impossible. So would somehow bringing that wheelchair up the stairs.

He's silent for a moment, fighting to look for another idea. But ... there is none. ]

I ... I'm sorry Rei. Please be careful.

[ And stay safe. Though even after he says those words he's hesitating. He might need a little push to actually start moving to those stairs. ]

[bystandering]

[Her head begins to ache dully. This was going slowly. She...she had to do something. She steps to the side, placing a hand on the wheelchair. She doesn't say anything.]

[dolosa]

Ash... O- once you're done with that room, you'll come back for me, right?

[ It's a question that she wants a direct answer to. It's one that she needs the answer to before Mitsuki tries anything. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ The wheels in Ash's mind seem to start actually turning once he hears that question. He looks at Rei, and nods. ]

Yeah. Maybe there's a way to get you through in that room. But no matter what I'll be back.

[ He's not leaving anyone behind before getting out of this warehouse. And that seemed to have been enough of a push for him to actually start heading to the stairs. He glances back a few times to make sure Mitsuki isn't already trying anything, but he needs to press on, doesn't he. Standing around helplessly isn't going to do anything; maybe going to the next room will help Rei.

He can certainly hope. ]

[bystandering]

[The door at the top of the stairs is unlocked, of course. It was the room that Mitsuki had woke up in. Not that she's paying much attention to him. Instead she leans forward and whispers so only Rei can hear her.]

Where should we start first, hm?

[dolosa]

[ In the room that Ash finds himself in, he'll notice that there is yet another set of doors in the center of the room, along with various equipment and machinery that belonged to this factory, whatever it was.

It's not as empty as the room prior to it, but there's definitely something ominous happening in this room. And you know the whole problem with the keys? There's a bunch of them in this room. Tons. Enough to make you sit here for days.

And painted on the walls is a single phrase:

"The wolf will kill all the liars."

When he's finally gone from her line of sight, Rei just speaks a single sentence, two words. ]

Do it.

[ Plan to Kill Rei Hazama is in motion, while Ash is still... working in that other room of his. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ KEYS WHY SO MANY KEYS. How is he going to figure out what key works for these doors.

But his train of thought on the keys stop when he sees the message painted on the wall. He stares at it for a moment. He's heard and seen this how many times now?

A moment passed and something seemed to click. Didn't... didn't that girl say something about being the wolf? And she kept insisting that Rei was a liar.

Oh no.

He grits his teeth before deciding to go back down the stairs to the other room. He shouldn't have left to begin with.. !]

[dolosa]

[ In the time that he gets back to the room he was originally in, there seems to be no signs of life at all. Both Rei and Mitsuki have managed to disappear. You'll have to keep searching, Ash. Maybe if you're fast enough, you'll still have enough time to save her. ]

[courageousbonds]

Wha?

[ Well that was quick. But before Ash decides to do anything else, such as going back to the other room he'll check around a big. It might be empty, but maybe they're in the shadows somewhere. And when he doesn't see them anywhere he'll even try and go back to the last room. The one before the warehouse.

But when all of that doesn't work he'll decide to head back to the room with the keys. If he can't go back then the only chance of finding Rei then would be to go forward. Hopefully he can make it in time. ]

[dolosa]

[ And you'll definitely find something, that's for sure. In the room before the huge warehouse room, there's something rather familiar on the floor, placed sideways. It's Rei's wheelchair.

And there seems to be a trail of blood leading off to the right side.

If he does follow it, he'll find a familiar face staked onto the wall with empty eyes staring at nowhere in particular. ]

[courageousbonds]

[ no.

no no no.

Following that trail was a mistake. A huge mistake. The moment he sees Rei he freezes in place. ]

R-Re...

[ He cries out her name and collapses, clinging to Pikachu as he finds himself in tears again. If only he did something. Then maybe this wouldn't have happened. He said he would be back but he was already too late.

Damn it. damn it. ]