Disclaimer: All characters and game elements belong to NetEase. I own nothing but a will to write.
Time seems to be in a stagnant state in the manor. Everyone knows the date every day but it doesn't really matter. Especially since they're all stuck in a seemingly endless loop of survival.
Helena sits down pensively in the waiting room. Time does fly so quickly when you keep doing the same things every day. But that doesn't mean that her determination has diminished one bit. In fact, it just makes her all the more resolute to win. She has risked so much in this endeavor that to go home empty-handed would be inconceivable. Even if she had to lose over and over again, she'd do it just to win.
But there are matches that aren't as routine as the regular ones in which she wins more and loses less. The owner of the manor might have decided that a one-versus-four match everyday all day will get boring so they've introduced a game of two hunters versus eight survivors. Helena participates in those games as much as she could, sometimes mandatorily and sometimes not. It is arguably more fun in 8v2, especially because of the telephone service that comes with it, allowing her to carry more than just her cane. What's so distressing though, is the fact that both hunters would sometimes team up to capture her, even if she isn't so much of a threat in any way. There are other versions of 8v2 where the rules are different, but decoders are banned in one and untouchable in the other; there are even marathons and roleplays where the hunters would be completely nice and friendly.
The amount of friendliness they display outside of the normal matches was quite jarring to her that at first she purposely avoided them, traumatized by the countless times they'd mercilessly target her. It took a lot of spinning and emoting for the Geisha and Wu Chang to even make the Mind's Eye approach them; the blind woman was reminded of just how this is all just a game for everyone, especially for the hunters who have nothing to gain whether they win or lose, and that the way they act in the matches may have little to do with their real personalities. And with that realization, she felt relieved, enjoying these special matches more than ever.
Yet, if one were to ask her if there's anything she finds disappointing in 8v2, it's that the Photographer isn't allowed to participate. They said that it has something to do with his special skill with his cameras, which would make it 16v2 instead and a lot 'bloodier'. She had hoped to find him there as seeing him in regular matches is quite rare for her, but to her disappointment she's never met him since. Tracy has jokingly advised her to visit the hunter if she wanted to see him that badly, but that would be too forward of her to do. Besides, she doesn't really know what she'd say to him even—a glimpse would be alright but admittedly, getting to know him would satisfy her more.
She shakes her head abruptly; she's thinking too much about him again! Endearing the thought of him excessively would be wrong for the simple reason that he's a hunter and she's a survivor… but it seems his own word 'charming' applies more to him than to her.
"Hi, Helena," a feminine voice greets beside her, effectively pulling her from her wayward thoughts. She turns to find the Priestess gently tapping the table in front of her.
"Hi, Fiona," she smiles, happy to be having a conversation with someone she's not too close with. Moreover, teammates don't always speak while waiting, but when they do it will be about their persona builds or some other form of small talk that don't include her.
The violet-hooded lady smiles at her. "We don't always get to talk, but I've heard that you're a nice person."
"Well, I try to be… as much as I try to be a good teammate," she admits nervously. "Please bear with me."
Fiona chuckles in pure delight. "I'm sure you'll do fine. After all, you're the fastest decoder here. I, on the other hand, can't hit the calibration mark even if I wanted to." The Mind's Eye giggles along with the Priestess, a rather unlikely sight in a horror game.
The timer is now ticking down to a few more seconds when a thin card starts to float around and over their heads. Helena's teammates visibly pale as they follow its trail, but she can only listen to its swooshing sound in confusion. "What's that, Fiona?"
"Dear Holy Key, it's him," the lady murmurs as she groans in her hands. "This will be scary."
"Why? Who's the hunter?"
The Priestess sends her a confused stare, as if she should know by now who it is. "Just hide first before you do anything. I don't think he'll be kind to you again."
"Again…?" Before she can further ask, the glass sounds and the match finally begins.
Once her mobility returns, the Mind's Eye stomps her cane on the ground. To her great surprise, she finds the Photographer not too far from where she is, just a second before he activates his camera. She smiles in spite of the warnings in the back of her head telling her to focus on the match and not on the hunter, glad that she gets to glimpse him once more. Now she wants to show him how he's affected her, how he gave her something so precious that she would never forget, by being a braver and better survivor. With that resolve, Helena immediately runs to the nearest cipher machine.
She decodes peacefully, but now nervous after learning about his ability to navigate around undetected. It makes her curious about his Camera World, where colors allegedly don't exist except for humans' and his. As much as it is tempting to try entering the dimension projected by the camera nearby, not knowing how that world would affect her vision makes her focus on the task at hand instead. Perhaps, if he's feeling friendly on a different match, she could ask him about his world.
No sooner than she finishes that thought, her heart suddenly begins beating wildly and her ears pick up on the sounds of heavy breathing right behind her. Gasping upon learning of his presence, she takes her fingers off the keyboard and turns to run away like he instructed, until the familiar deep voice stops her with one word.
"Helena."
Halting in her step, she turns around to face the man. "Sir Joseph?" She can't help the hopeful tone her voice emanates. Despite her and everyone else's better judgment, she feels happy to see him.
He seems to have noticed it, for his lips curve up in a smile. "I just want to talk. I won't hurt you, don't worry."
"Oh, alright…" She steps closer to him, just a cipher machine away. It's a big relief that she doesn't have to be the first victim in at least one match. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Are you still having trouble with the game?" his gentle voice asks, a far cry from the usual taunting she hears from the others.
The tenderness is reason enough for her surprise, but the question itself takes her aback. Is he neglecting his duty to hunt just so he can ask about her well-being?
"Well, I've hardly run around since I was a child so all this is quite intense for me, but I'm getting used to it. I always try to anticipate hunters and run away as fast as I can when they get near," she goes on as she fiddles with her cane. "But I guess they like to pick off the weakest in the team. I've already caused so much trouble to my teammates for trying to help me."
"The other hunters do like targeting you first," Joseph voices with sympathy. "But there's no other way apart from getting used to it as quickly as you can. Also, you shouldn't go to the nearest cipher at the start of the game. Some hunters already memorized the areas survivors will begin in, so don't be surprised if you get caught so easily."
"Oh…" she exclaims, absorbing the new information. "Thank you for the advice! I'll keep that in mind."
He becomes silent, contemplating something while his gaze remains on her face. Helena begins to feel embarrassed at his constant stares, knowing how she probably looks so plain and uninteresting to him.
"Tell you what. I won't eliminate you in every match we'll be in, not until you get better at kiting."
Her eyes widen in disbelief. Could her ears be mistaken? "Are you serious? Wouldn't that be against the rules?"
"There aren't any rules about sparing or not sparing any survivors; hunters and survivors can do whatever they want in the game," he helpfully explains. "I'm giving you this privilege so you can rest from running and focus more on decoding. Don't be too complacent, though," he warns with a finger wagging and mouth smiling. "I'm not the kindest hunter when I want to be, so you better prepare yourself."
This is probably the best gift she'd ever receive from anyone, second only to the cane in her hands. The Photographer continues to surprise her with every word he says that she wants to hug him in joy.
"Thank you, Sir Joseph! I won't let you down!" she beams brightly. Then, the question pops up in her head. There has to be a reason for this. "But, may I ask why you're helping me so much?"
He looks at her with those warm eyes and gentle smile, something that she can't fully see but only know of from his next words. "Because I like you, Helena."
She blushes at the response, her face almost as red as her hair. "O-Oh…"
As she tries to hide her embarrassment, something clicks inside her befuddled mind. He has given her so much, even the word she's been looking for to describe her feelings towards him. And to top it all, he feels the same way.
His delightful laugh puts her mind back to the present. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll have some work to do," he bids her before turning around to walk to another survivor. But the little woman halts him with a call.
"Sir Joseph…" her voice trembles with the words. She wants to tell him the truth, let him know how she sees him. They may be feeling different degrees of the same emotion, but its existence is undeniable.
"I like you, too!" Helena blurts out in a voice that's both soft and confident. It may be the only thing she can offer, but it's the whole genuine truth she understands of her sentiments. For his grand generosity, she gives her simple sincerity in return.
Then, being exhausted by her emotional confession—and unready to know what his reply would be—she sprints away from him, almost tripping on her hurrying feet.
But with everything that's happened, no matter how much she runs, she knows she will never escape from him.
Smiling to himself, he relishes the memory of her sanguine flustered face, wanting to see more of that bright spot of color.