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]

...you're blackmailing them, aren't you? Finding their lies, and holding them over their head. That's how you get your kicks, isn't it? Rubbing peoples' untruths in their face.

[dolosa]

I've never done such a thing.

[ Her words are completely truthful and calm as they come off of her lips. It doesn't seem like she's actually lying. ]

[wright_idea]

Then how? What could you possibly be doing to manipulate these people?

[Manipulate...]

...And for that matter, what did you do to Mitsuki?

[dolosa]

Mitsuki just thinks that her father's still alive. So if I called her right now, she would believe that I'm her father.

[ She's still not saying the how just yet. ]

[wright_idea]

Her father is... dead...

[He shakes his head.]

Unbelievable. You condemn the world for lying, but you lie worse than anybody else here.

[dolosa]

I never told her that I was her father. She just simply believes that I am. But I didn't kill her father, if you're wondering.

[wright_idea]

And you think that absolves you?! A lie of omission is still a lie!

[dolosa]

Do you think I care? [ Hint: she doesn't. ] It doesn't matter what I do in order to achieve my goal. If I have to die in the end, then so be it. That doesn't change anything.

[wright_idea]

[Ugh... it's no good. There's nothing there. She's completely insane. If there was just some way to tap into what humanity there is left...]

So... what? You won't be happy until you've punished the world? Until you've screwed with so many minds that the truth no longer exists? Do you even know WHAT your goals are anymore?

[He begins moving slowly. He might be heading towards the control panel...]

[dolosa]

To make this a world where no liars exist -- to reset the world back to zero. That's my ultimatum. Besides, happiness doesn't exist for someone who's lost everything.

[wright_idea]

[Man, and I thought Dahlia was nuts.]

Then you're only lying to yourself. There's no way you can remove deception from the world altogether. Even nature deceives sometimes.

And... you're lying to yourself in other ways, as well.

[Nearly there...]

[dolosa]

...

Then why don't you explain to me how I'm lying to myself.

[wright_idea]

[He shakes his head.]

You're here. You're alive. As long as you survive, and find potential to live on through things, then you haven't lost everything. You've lost what you had, but things can be built from the ashes. Everybody has the potential to turn things about.

But if you keep doing this, keep encouraging this killing, this destruction, then you really will lose it all. And eventually, you'll truly have nothing left, and realize what you had.

More importantly, the opposite of lying isn't oblivion. The opposite of lying is the truth. And I don't think you know what the truth looks like anymore.

[Right next to it now. Let's see how she reacts...]

[dolosa]

What good would the truth have done? It wouldn't have prevented the deaths of the only members of my family. You can't rebuild something that no longer exists.

[wright_idea]

No. It wouldn't have brought them back. But neither does any of this. All of this killing, this ruining of minds... what good does it do to destroy? But if you fought for the truth instead, fought for a purer, kinder world, then such losses may not happen anymore. And... you might have found new family, new people who cared for you.

[dolosa]

That was impossible. After all, people called me a fake. Everyone knew who I was. Nobody would want someone like me.

[wright_idea]

[He shakes his head.]

I'm sure somebody out there believed in you. Maybe someone you didn't even realize. Even if the whole world is against you, there's always someone out there who cares about you for who you are. Even if that means searching sometimes.

[After all... isn't that how I got where I am now?]

[dolosa]

If they believed in me, they should have done something. But nobody did.

[wright_idea]

People do stupid things sometimes. Maybe they're afraid of being found fake themselves. Maybe they just don't realize the full gravity of the situation. But I'm sure somebody out there still believed in you.

[He pauses.]

Hey. That puzzle. Did you enjoy it?

[dolosa]

Why would all of them do that? The one who had to suffer all the backlash was me. If someone believed in me, they should have seen that long ago. But it's already too late for me now.

[ She clenches her hands into tight fists, frustrated. Both at herself, and the world. Rei can't find herself to do anything as she freezes up at the question. ]

Why... are you asking that...?

[wright_idea]

I'm just curious. Did you have fun with it?

[dolosa]

It was... interesting.

[ That's not what fun means, Rei. ]

[wright_idea]

I guess what I'm saying is that if you can find enjoyment out of one small little thing like that, then that's something I'd be willing to believe in.

1/2

[dolosa]

[ .........oh.

So that's what he meant by that. ]

[dolosa]

[ But then Rei laughs. It's not innocent laughter that comes off from hearing a joke, though. No, it's that ominous laughter that only an evil villain can do.

Her expression shifts, from one of curiosity to an empty one, her words filled with regret, yet at the same time, nothing. ]

Is that all you had to say?