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

[wright_idea]

[...! Did she say note? Does that means she's being manipulated by somebody else? But then, who?]

Mitsuki. I want to help you. But I need to know all the details. When did you get this note? And what exactly did it say?

[bystandering]

I--can't tell you! You might be the one who gave it to me.

[Pain sears in her head. No. She has to be firm on this. She... She's stepping backwards more. And then slams the door, which locks with a click.]

[dolosa]

[ Rei's eyes widen at Mitsuki's words as she jerks her head towards him in confusion and shock. ]

You didn't, did you... Wright-san?

[wright_idea]

What?! Of course not! I hadn't even heard of this horrific game until I came here!

[He runs open to the door, jiggling at the doorknob. Locked, of course. He hammers at the door.]

Mitsuki! OPEN THE DOOR! MITSUKI!

[bystandering]

Shut up! Just shut up!

[She kicks right back at the door. It was a bad move. Her foot begins to throb in sync with her headache.]

You surround yourself with liars and fakes! Why...why should I believe either one of you?!

[dolosa]

[ Rei swallows nervously, unable to say a word as she backs up in fear. Are they going to be stuck in this room forever? There has to be a way out of here, but she doesn't see it. ]

[wright_idea]

[It's no good... She's only seeing things in absolutes. Even if I tried to explain to her about my work, I don't think she'd listen.]

Rei, do you see a vent or anything around?

[He's backing up at the same time, though. Hmm.]

[bystandering]

[She gives the door one last final kick before backing away herself. She...she needs a weapon. Something. They probably can hear her muttering to herself as she leaves.

She'll be back, though. She's not giving up.]

[dolosa]

[ Rei takes a glance up near the ceiling before she shakes her head. ]

There's no vents, Wright-san...

[wright_idea]

Looks like we have no choice then!

[Good thing I've broken down sturdier doors than this!]

[He charges right at the door with his shoulder.]

[dolosa]

[ And it looks like the door opens. It was pretty old, after all. But Mitsuki's nowhere to be seen. Where could she have gone...? ]

W-- we've got to be careful.

[wright_idea]

[He rubs his shoulder a bit.]

Yeah...

...I wonder. What other sorts of clues are hiding in this place?

[dolosa]

Clues?

[ Her voice grows curious as she looks up at him. ]

Are we really going to... look for them?

[wright_idea]

You heard her, right? Somebody had given her a note. And the way she acted... she sounded confused, as if she herself wasn't entirely sure what she was going for. Somebody is masterminding all of this, and unless we figure out who that mastermind is, this is going to continue regardless of whether or not we escape or die in the process. The only thing that's going to stop these killings is the truth.

[I'm terrified, of course. We're pitting ourselves against insanity here. But I can't let this continue.]

[dolosa]

You don't think the mastermind is here, do you?

[wright_idea]

[He shakes his head.]

I don't know for certain. Maybe yes, maybe no. But there has to be some sort of evidence here of who's behind all this. Even if it just ends up being a start, we need to look. If we leave now, any evidence might just get destroyed forever.

[dolosa]

Okay, I'll help out.

[ If it's going to stop this, then she might as well assist a little bit. ]

Where should we start looking...?

[wright_idea]

[Hmm... where to?]

There's some stairs up, but it looks like I'm the only one who can go up there, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable leaving you alone down here...

[dolosa]

But don't we have to go that way to get out?

[ There doesn't seem to be any other doors, after all. Uh. ]

[wright_idea]

[Well, she has a point...

...? Hang on a minute.]

That can't be right... If stairs ARE the only way out of here, then how did they get you down here in the first place?

[dolosa]

[ Rei looks rather surprised for a moment, thinking things through. The stairs are the only way out of here, but as for how she got here-- ]

They could have carried me and the wheelchair down. My wheelchair's the foldable kind, after all, and it's not that heavy.

[wright_idea]

[I suppose that makes sense... but somehow that makes me want to press things a little further.]

Seems like an awful lot of effort. Actually, I'm curious; clearly, whoever's in charge has what they think is a good justification for bringing me here, but what about you?

[dolosa]

. . .

[ Rei's silent at first, but then she speaks up, rather ominously, yet in a soft voice. ]

They think of this as a game, right? I guess... they didn't want to immediately leave me here to die. As for a reason to bring me here, there's a good one. I was actually famous, three years ago. I was a TV celebrity. But my show got cancelled because they believed I was too "fake".

[wright_idea]

[That's odd. Why does TV celebrity seem familiar to me somehow?]

So you're saying whoever's in charge thinks you somehow deserve to die just because they didn't think you were genuine enough? That doesn't make any sense. I mean, most celebrities are pretty fakey, and THEY'RE not down here.

[Although I guess "rationality" isn't the name of the game here.]

Either way, it's going to make it pretty difficult to get you back up. Sort of reminds me of that old puzzle with the fox, the chickens and the farmer.

[...And also makes me think Mr. Layton rubbed off on me.]

[dolosa]

... A lot of people had grudges after the show got cancelled. I was bullied in school during that time.

[ She isn't lying - for once - since her voice seems genuinely upset and distressed. But then again, she's been trying to be "genuine" this whole entire time. ]

..." Fox, chickens, and the farmer"? [ Cue headtilt to the right. She's rather curious about the puzzle, but he doesn't have to tell her what it's about. ]