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]

[...Apparently I'm going to have to agree with her. So much for being cool on my departure.]

Lovely. The "wolf," huh?

[But... it's not really that difficult. After all, we have two "wolves," and only one of them seems to be obsessed with being in control.]

...You have it, don't you.

[dolosa]

I have the key for all of the rooms. Mitsuki has a key, but it only opens one. So I guess you can say that I have the master key.

[wright_idea]

[And she's already locked one door, so that would have ruled her out anyway.]

I suppose you're probably not too willing to cough it up, either.

[dolosa]

I don't plan on giving up that easily. Besides, you're not violent enough to get it off of me. [ But! ] I will let you borrow it at a price.

[wright_idea]

...a price.

[I'm positive I'm not going to like her terms.]

[dolosa]

Don't worry. It's not going to kill you.

[ She's trying to reassure him. It's probably not helping that she's smiling through all this. ]

[wright_idea]

[Then who IS it going to kill?]

Just tell me. What is your price?

[dolosa]

Cut yourself off from Maya Fey altogether. That is my price.

[wright_idea]

...

...

...

[The axe drops from his hand. He sits down, his arms around his legs.]

...if you're going to kill me, do it quickly, please.

[dolosa]

So are you saying you're not going to take my offer? Cutting yourself off from her doesn't mean you have to die. I'm being quite generous, you know.

[wright_idea]

...

What you have just asked me to do... is no different than dying to me. You are asking me to commit myself to a terrible lie for the rest of my life: that I value my own life over Maya's happiness. To become a "wolf" to save myself.

[His voice shakes; it could be fear, it could be despair. Either way, a tear drips down his cheek.]

I would rather die as a sheep than live as a wolf.

[dolosa]

I see. So that's your answer. It doesn't really matter to me, considering that I was planning on taking Maya away with whatever option you choose.

Sorry, but it looks like you won't be escaping from this place, unless you find a way to get the key from me. But that's too bad. It's physically impossible to steal it from me.

[ A laugh, as she gestures at him. ]

Mitsuki? Go ahead and kill him. He's no use to me anymore.

[bystandering]

[Mitsuki is finally able to move, grabbing the axe. It would be easy to kill Phoenix now--but she stops.]

...Not yet.

[wright_idea]

[Maya... I just wanted to protect you. But it seems I've failed...

...? Did she... say "not yet?"]

[dolosa]

[ A stern, cold reply; ]

And why's that?

[bystandering]

Why are you so interested in that Fey girl?

[Her father wouldn't have any interest in Maya Fey, other than killing her. He shouldn't have any interest beyond that. Forcing Wright to break contact with her... didn't make sense. The Feys were frauds and deserved to be punished. That... that didn't mean something like that. Right?

Her head was protesting every thought. It was wrong to disobey. She was a good girl. She'd--she had to do something.]

It doesn't make any sense at all. I don't want to believe him but... this can't be right.

[wright_idea]

...

[Something seems to be happening... I'd better bide my time and see what that something is.]

[dolosa]

You want me to explain myself? I want to punish her in the worst way possible. That's all.

[ She takes a quick glance at Mitsuki, but starts to walk again, away from the door. ]

Unless... you don't want to punish the liars.

[bystandering]

She's a fraud, so of course she needs to be punished. They need to be executed.

[She doesn't stay where she is. She follows.]

Why would it make any difference at all if Wright broke connections with her or not? We kill him here then I go hang her later. It doesn't make any difference at all.

[No... this wasn't right at all.]

You tell me how to punish the liars. That's how it's always been. This... is different.

[wright_idea]

...She's not a fraud.

[There's a low tenseness in his voice, an obvious anger.]

[dolosa]

[ She takes a glance at Mitsuki, as she lowers her own voice. ]

It makes a huge difference. I want her to break down to the point where she'll admit to her lies. It's no good if they don't.

[ And then she turns to Phoenix. ]

Say that again? What was that...? [ She heard, but she's obviously provoking him. Maybe it'll get a rise out of him, and maybe it'll cause Mitsuki to revert back to wolf mode and kill him. ]

[bystandering]

Then we'll just show her his corpse. That should be enough.

[She noticed Phoenix's words but she ignores them until she hears Rei's question.]

It doesn't matter what he said.

[wright_idea]

I SAID, she's not a fraud -- and that you're a complete hypocrite to accuse her of that considering what happened to YOUR family when the same thing happened!

[He hits his fist on the floor.]

Do you have any idea what those accusations did to them? How it tore apart Maya's family? Her mother disappearing, her sister leaving the profession to fight for the truth, to the point where she lost her OWN life fighting for her beliefs! The doubts, the lingering distrust of their abilities, the ideas that she was just a charlatan!

Well let me tell you something: when you've seen her transform practically in front of your eyes into a dead-ringer for her sister, when you've seen an entire courtroom convinced she was a sister of a dead murderer because she was channeling the murderer and looked exactly like her? When you've seen said spirit VISIBLY fleeing her body when she realized who it was who actually channeled her?

When you've seen her trying her best even when she does't fully understand the situation, or throwing herself onto the cage of a woman about to be dropped into flames and seemingly losing her life in the effort to save an innocent woman from death?

You would NEVER! EVER! Call her a FRAUD!

[That said, he seems to shrink into himself, as if expecting that to be his own death sentence]

Maya is the most genuine person I've ever met... do what you want with me, but please, please, please don't ruin that authenticity... please...

[dolosa]

[ Oh, Rei knows full well that Maya's not a fraud. Which is why she never outright told Mitsuki that she wasn't. She only showed her the various newspaper articles and make her own judgment. But she only wanted to provoke him.

That was her plan all along.

Rei takes a quick glance at Mitsuki, before throwing her hands in the air, not really caring anymore. ]

Mitsuki, deal with him however you like. I'll watch and then clean things up.

[bystandering]

[Phoenix's shouting only makes Mitsuki's headache worse. That makes her angry but she listens anyway. Something sticks out to her--]

That never happened to my family. [What happened to Mitsuki's father was a betrayal of a very close family friend, not some wide spread shunning. She's still paying more attention to Rei herself.]

Who are you?