Underground Lab (part 2)

"So… We must… kill Hope…?" Naegi asked, already knowing the answer

"...Let's talk in our way to the Morphogenic chamber…" Kirigiri answered.

They walked toward where the chamber was situated in the underground lab, in the opposite direction of their exit. Wernicke was certainly right: they couldn't leave with the Walrider around. As they walked they found a cafeteria, but all the food was covered with guts and blood.

As in any other room, there were corpses of guards. Sometimes there was a body in a pool of their own blood, sometimes it was just organs on the floor, wall and tables.

"We're in big trouble." The lavender haired woman suddenly said.

"I think I know what you mean… There's no way Wernicke will let us leave alive."

"Correct… We know too much. I'm sure he'll find a way to trap us and eliminate us after we're done with Billy Hope. I suggest that once we kill Billy, we run as fast as we can towards the Exit. Wernicke probably expect us to come back to him and tell him about Hope's death. We must avoid him at all cost." She explained, biting her thumb, they were in a tight situation with their back against the wall.

There was no choice but to kill Billy.

After a minute of walking, they reached a door leading further down inside the lab but closer to the Morphogenic engine. They were about to open it but the Walrider appeared in front of them. They quickly ran in the opposite direction as it started to chase them and looping around the room, they ran around the entity and managed to reach the door they tried to open a minute before.

But the Walrider was still tailing them, after a few rooms and going up some stairs they reached a decontamination room. Somehow it stopped the ghost.

Then they remembered what Wernicke told them that the Walrider wasn't a ghost but a swarm of nanomachines. They left the decontamination room and reached what looked like a small entrance hall as there was a security check… with a dead guard holding a confidential document. Kirigiri grabbed it anyway and started reading it.

It was a message from Wernicke to all personnel. Telling them not to follow the patient example into praising the swarm, the Walrider. That they were smarter than that.

They walked down the last corridor separating them from Billy Hope… A large metal automatic door presented itself in front of them. There was a big red button with the word 'OPEN' written on it next to the door. Naegi pressed it. The door opened.

And they entered the maintenance room of the Engine, behind the windows was the engine itself. Before approaching it, they looked around the room. They looked for an instruction to stop the machine, on the screens, documents but found nothing. They'll have to do it alone. They finally opened the door to the Engine and entered the large circular room. In the center: The Morphogenic Engine.

The machine was like a giant ball reaching the ceiling, with a tube coming out of its bottom, planted on the ground. The metallic ball was emitting electricity and on the cylinder, was big screens and a control panel under smaller screens, showing data's. The big screen was showing the film they saw in the theater. And in front of those screens were capsules… there was at least 5 screens, so 5 capsules. In one of them was just blood… But in another… Was Billy Hope.

They approached him. He was naked, and a myriad of tubes were plugged on him in all his orifices: ears, nostrils, mouth and anus. From what they read from the patients reports of him, he's supposed to be around twenty-three years old, just three years older than them. But now he looks like fifty years of rough road, pain scratched deep.

"Oh my God…"

"I hate to say it… But killing him would be an act of kindness…"

Kirigiri saw a document, grabbed it and started to read it.

The Maintenance instructions of the Morphogenic Engine. It seems that to keep the patient alive, the Life support fluid circulating in the tubes comes from the 'Life Support Fluid Reservoir' right next to where they were, so this was the first thing they must disable. Then the electric supply came from the Sublab Generator. Another place to go that wasn't too far from the room they were. Most importantly, it seems that if those two vital systems were in a catastrophic state, the life pods will go into failsafe. They'll have to disable it from the control panel screen only when it's on. That will result with the patient's immediate termination.

They walked towards the Life Support Reservoir and saw that it was just less than ten meters away from the room, Naegi approached it and saw that there was a light in it. He was thoughtful for some seconds before turning to Kirigiri.

"Kyoko, this is what we're going to do."

"I know what you're going to say. You want us to split up the work. I'll go get the Generator."

"What? No! I'll go to the generator! It's further away from here and-"

"There's no time to argue. We don't know how much time we have left before the Walrider reach us. Just go there, find the valve and cut of the circulation of the life support fluid. But wait at least one minute and a half. If I understood the pattern of this place, the moment you'll do this, the Walrider will know where you are and will start chasing you. We have to do it at the same time and meet up at the Morphogenic engine." she said.

"B-But… I know! But… Please. Be safe Kyoko…" he sighed and pleaded.

"Of course, you too." she smiled before hugging him tightly, "This is the final straight line."

"It is…"

She tilted his head up so she could kiss him. It looked like a goodbye kiss… but they both knew that it won't be one. She let go and he wished her good luck as she turned around and started running towards the Generators.

The male detective turned back towards the reservoir and walked inside… This room was Billy's lungs, his liver, his life support. A machine the size of a stadium to keep one lunatic alive. He must find that valve.

He looked around, looking for a valve with the words 'do not touch' written near it. After a good three minutes and walking up to the second floor, he found it. He took a deep breath. Then he grabbed the valve and started turning it.

A bloodcurdling non-human scream was heard and he felt its presence in the room. It was looking for him. He hid under a desk. He couldn't see the monster, just a dark mist moving around, but it was very discreet. After he saw what he hoped was the Walrider get around the desk he was hidden under, he took a mad dash and ran towards the Morphgenic Engine.

The terrifying ghost whisper behind him made him understand that the swarm was behind him, chasing him.

Kyoko heard the non-human scream. And she was just about to jump from a catwalk to another, the generator were indeed far from the Engine Room. But she must be quick. The Walrider must be chasing Naegi right now.

She jumped over the void and barely managed to reach the other end. Now she was glad that Naegi wasn't the one taking care of the generator. He definitely couldn't make that jump and the fall was lethal. She walked deeper into the underground lab and finally found the electric control panel. She opened it up and started to unplug any cable she could land her hands on, disabling the power.

Another monstrous scream was heard. The Walrider will be coming. She must be quick.

Naegi was 'playing' Tag with the monster in a ridiculous way: he just run around the Engine and the creature was dumbly following him. Suddenly it stopped and screamed before disappearing.

"Kyoko… I guess… You made it… Be careful…" he panted, out of breath. He walked back towards the control panel. Waiting for his fiancée.

She was back in front of the gap between the catwalks. She took some steps back then ran and jumped.

But something she didn't predicted happened: the Walrider grabbed her mid-air out of nowhere and started to throw her up and down as if she was a ragdoll. Her eyes were wide open in terror she couldn't even scream, just gasps. Then it finally let go of her… way too far from the ground. She fell, she tried to spin in the air so she could try to survive her fall. But the Walrider 'saved' her as it grabbed her again then threw her on the floor, slightly slowing her fall.

She grunted in pain, she survived but suffered a lot. She must have broken something.

She slowly got back on her feet, she couldn't hear the Walrider around her. Where did it go?

She needs to go back to the Engine, Naegi's waiting for her. She reached the Engine and saw him standing in front of the panel. It's time to end this!

"Makoto! Disable the Failsafe!" She shouted.

"Kyoko! Alright!" He exclaimed and put his hand on the panel.

He disabled the failsafe, and turned to Billy who suddenly started to squirm inside his life pod. Blood spurting out from every orifice. And in seconds, he slowly started to disappear inside the pod now filled with his blood. They weren't kidding when they said 'immediate termination'.

"MAKOTO WATCH OUT!" Kyoko screamed.

He didn't have the time to react but suddenly he was pushed against Billy's pod. He turned around only to see a black mist immediately grabbing him and throwing him to the other end of the room, his back hitting the wall violently. Naegi spat blood as he grunted in pain. He looked up and he could now see it: The Walrider.

The dark skeleton creature, floating inside a dark cloud.

It was a very horrifying thing to see. And it was a very bad sign.

The creature grabbed him again and threw him in front of Billy. The patient was still squirming inside the pod, the blood was now at his throat. Kirigiri was running towards her partner but the Walrider was faster. It dragged Naegi away from her then lifted him up high in the air, shook him a bit. Then a sudden pain.

He screamed, Kirigiri screamed.

He looked down.

The Walrider just planted his hands inside his belly, but no holes. The pain was unsustainable. He looked up, the creature was staring at him. Then he remembered Wernicke's words.

"Only someone who saw enough horrors can become the Host."

He understood what the swarm was doing! It's Host is dying. It's looking for a new one. And if Naegi can clearly see him… he fits the conditions!

He reached for the Walrider, as if trying to prevent the monster to do what it was about to do. But it's too late the creature suddenly entered completely inside him.

Then Naegi fell and hit the ground hard, spamming, moaning in pain and crying. Kirigiri didn't wait a second to go to his side and help him.

"Oh my God, Makoto! Are you alright? No that's a stupid question. We need to go back to Wernicke!"

"K-K-Kyoko… I-It's inside of me… I-It hurts!"

"I know! I know. We need to go back to Wernicke, he must know what to do." she said, her eyes in tears as she put one of his arms around her shoulder and helped him up.

"Kyoko… I… Want to go home…"

"Me too…"

"Have a family… Maybe two children…" his voice wasn't louder than a whisper.

"Of course," She tried to smile, but it was impossible, his steps were painful to watch, he was about to fall at every step taken. Each moment he put one of his foot down.

They walked back to the control room and were about to open the large metal door. But it opened for them… And behind it was a group of soldier, behind them: Wernicke.

Both detectives quickly raised their hands in the air in surrender. There was a click.

Kirigiri jumped in front of Naegi and took the first shot.

Everything went in slow motion…

Naegi saw Kirigiri slowly drop to the ground, his eyes not letting go of her, widening at each passing moment.

Then she hit the floor and time went back to normal.

"K-Kyo-"

"What are you waiting for? Shoot him!" he heard the old scientist ordering.

Then there was a cacophony of gunshot as the soldiers released a hell of bullets on Naegi.

He felt down next to his fiancée. He saw her breathe slowly, he tried to reach for her hand but he couldn't even move a muscle… His eyes were slowly closing… She was looking at him, her eyes slowly widening, whispering something he couldn't hear.

How could it end like this?... Why?... It's all Murkoff's fault… If they weren't doing all those kinds of horrifying experiments whoever is or was working here wouldn't have sent that mail… They wouldn't have come to this hell hole… He wouldn't have lost his fingers… They wouldn't be dying…

Murkoff…

It's all their fault…

Everything…

Murkoff…

He'll destroy them…

But he couln't…

He's dying…

If only he could at least… Unleash…

"Gott im Himmel. You have become the Host!" he heard Wernicke exclaim.

Soon it was followed by screams, gunshots and flesh being ripped apart… And for the first time in Naegi's life… That actually sounded like a lullaby.

THE END

BAD END

When Naegi opened his eyes, it was all dark. Not black. Dark. He recognized the Underground lab, he was near the Morphogenic Engine Room. But there was something odd… There were way more corpses than before… Soldier corpses… He looked at his hands, his fingers still missing but more oddly, his whole body was covered in black, his clothes too. What was going on?

He suddenly heard whispers and it send a chill down his spine. He looked up and saw the Walrider. He took a step back in surprise. But the creature didn't move. It was staring at him.

He remembers now. Billy's death, the Walrider getting inside of him… The soldiers and Wernicke… Kyoko.

Kyoko!

The new Host turned around and saw his partner lying on the ground, motionless.

No… No… Kyoko… Why?!

Naegi hung his head and slowly walked towards her.

I'm so sorry… I couldn't…

He looked at her one last time before reaching for her wedding ring. As a token of her memory as he'll destroy Murkoff.

But then she moved.

Wh- Kyoko! She's alive! But dying… I-I must do something!

He turned towards the creature that was standing still, staring at him.

You! You saved me when I was getting shot non-stop for ten seconds! She only took one bullet! You can save her! Do it.

The Walrider didn't move.

What are you waiting for! Please do it! W-We can be your hosts together! Y-You don't want to be alone, right? Well help me! I can't control you in a good way alone! But with her… Two heads are better than one right?! So save her and we can both stay with you!

It still didn't move.

SAVE HER!

It moved.

The next morning, someone escaped from Murkoff's Mount Massive Asylum and showed to the World what happened. Murkoff will slowly go down.

Meanwhile, the Detective Duo Kirigiri Kyoko and Naegi Makoto, a couple that were about to get married in a month, were still to this day missing. Their car was found in the survivor's possession and the duo's friends started questioning him.

It seems they were called to investigate Mount Massive Asylum the night of their disappearance.

Police were sent to investigate again and only found piles and piles of corpses inside the building, an underground lab and a strange machine. But there was no corpse of the two detectives.

Thinking they might still be alive, some of their dedicated friends started to search for them around the country. Will they ever find their friends?

The Specimen Walrider fled with two individuals now named under the codes W-M and W-F. Murkoff was searching for their creatures, refusing such humiliating defeat.

Far away from any civilization, two dark figures were standing on top of a hill. One male, the other female. They lost everything that fateful night. They couldn't go back to living in society. They'll miss their friends and family, that's for sure. If only they could leave some sort of message for them…

But they know Murkoff was after them. They couldn't involve them in this.

So they had to leave. The female figure reached for her partner's hand, he held it back, their finger intertwining, a ring orning their ring fingers. Even though the male one had to wear it on his right hand because of the missing ring finger on his left hand.

It wasn't a good ending. It's certainly bad… But at least they're together.

BAD END

Baka's Note: Well! It's not that bad of an end, but it's certainly not a good ending.

Reminder that Miles didn't actually die. The Walrider saved him but he turned into a dark form of himself.

Of course, I'll write a Good Ending. See you soon.