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]

I don't know... maybe a toy factory?

[wright_idea]

Hmm? That's an interesting suggestion. Sure would humanize this place.

[Wonder where she came up with that one?]

Think there might be anything here useful?

[dolosa]

You think so...?

[ And then she nods in response; she looks happy that her suggestion was taken into consideration. ]

I don't see anything, as far as I can tell.

[wright_idea]

Doesn't hurt to be thorough, I guess. I'll do a quick check around. Otherwise, we'll move on.

[He moves around the room, doing a sweep for anything out of place.]

[dolosa]

[ There is a box full of keys. Lots of keys. And the whole mechanical things that can actually be operated from some sort of control panel near the door. ]

[wright_idea]

[...What? Why are there so many keys here? Are they all for different doors? Does this mean this place... is actually still active?]

[He frowns, then looks at the control panel.]

[I wouldn't know where to begin to operate this... With my luck, I'd probably just make a mess of things. Probably better just to leave it be.]

[He pockets a few of the keys for good measure, then heads back to Rei.]

Call me crazy, but I think this place might actually still be operational.

[dolosa]

Huh?

[ She looks at him with curious eyes, unsure what else to say. ]

... Why would it still be operational?

[wright_idea]

I'm not sure. But I found an almost ridiculous amount of keys in a box. I saw a control panel too, but I didn't want to touch it in case something went wrong. Unless someone is just storing keys here for the heck of it, I'd almost swear this place produces them.

[dolosa]

Mass producing keys...? For what reason?

[wright_idea]

Hmmm...

[Hang on. Haven't we been hunting for keys this entire time? And based on the nature of this place...]

[A horrified look slowly grows on his face.]

...Rabbit Doubt.

[dolosa]

You mean-- for other games?

[wright_idea]

[He nods, swallowing.]

What if this whole setup is to make enough keys to run other scenarios like this? Anywhere, everywhere. There's more than enough here that even if somebody survived, there'd be no reason to worry about them being able to cheese things with the keys they got.

[And if that's the case... how many other people are going through the exact same thing we're going through right now?]

[dolosa]

I... see. So they could be doing another game elsewhere.

[ Which is worrisome, to say the least. ] But we didn't get anywhere with that, Wright-san. That door down there's locked, and we haven't gotten the key to unlock it.

[ What did she just say? ]

[wright_idea]

[...What?]

[He turns to look at her slowly.]

How... could you possibly know that?

[dolosa]

Because I checked them myself.

[ She's not going to lie; it's pointless. Besides, it's not as if she cares much about anything anymore anyway. ]

[wright_idea]

[Oh hey. That cold sweat is developing again.]

That's impossible. I would have noticed if you'd moved to check on them.

[dolosa]

[ You know that sweet, sweet voice that she was using earlier? The kind of voice that is shy, uncertain, and scared? Rei's completely dropped it in favor for a more condescending tone. ]

That all depends on when I checked them, doesn't it?

[wright_idea]

[No... no way. This can't be happening...]

If you were unconscious when they brought you downstairs, there would have been no way for you to get upstairs in order to check things out. The only way you could have checked these doors before we met up is...

[Oh my God...]

You... you've never been trapped here at all, have you? You've just been pretending this whole time.

[dolosa]

You get a gold star for figuring that out, Wright-san. Thanks for the lift, by the way. I honestly didn't think you'd actually do that. But now that I've been found out, I suppose I don't need this anymore.

[ She stands up with a cruel smile on her lips, walking around the room idly, as if searching for something. Rei then goes to where the keys are and moves them all over so she can pick up her precious plush rabbit. ]

Because you see, I'm a wolf, too.

[wright_idea]

[She can... walk...]

So this whole time, when I thought you were trying to help me, when we were trying to find a way out together... you were just PLAYING with me?! Why?!

[dolosa]

To bring punishment to the liars.

[ She says those words as if it's a fact, and to Rei, it is. ]

You see, I want them to feel the exact pain that I felt.

[wright_idea]

So you're saying you're trying to get back at me for lying? For bluffing in order to find the truth? Are you telling me there's absolutely no difference in lies? If you punish everybody who's ever told a lie, you'd have to punish the whole world, yourself included!

Anyway, what're you talking about? What do you mean "the exact pain you felt?"

[dolosa]

I was already punished when my parents died.

[ She speaks these words in a bored tone, neither upset or pleased, though she soon shifts to a more interested voice. ]

I mean exactly that. To have someone close to you die... that's the ultimate punishment, wouldn't you agree? Of course, I already know it's happened to you once. I've read the files, after all. But you persevered. Because you're not alone. Maya... Fey, wasn't it?

[wright_idea]

...I remember now. That newspaper article. The one about the celebrity. That was about you, wasn't it? You put it there for some reason.

[His whole body tenses. He responds, but in a low voice.]

...What about Maya.

[dolosa]

That's right. They committed suicide after everyone thought I was fake. Of course, I was supposed to die as well, but I miraculously lived. That's when I concocted my plan.

[ . . . ]

I was thinking of using her.