VII
"Sheep."
"Oh, you look like you're busy this afternoon, Ray."
Ray could feel Claude's presence before he even opened his mouth to announce his arrival into the room. The man had been gone for the past week on important work, and he hadn't dropped by in quite some time. He assumed that Claude had been working on solidifying the bridge between this world and the other world, or possibly searching for other openings that might exist. It was unbelievably important in the eyes of the Savior, and only Claude could be trusted with that mission as of these days.
"Yes, I've destroyed the confidence of the RFA thanks to Lila. It's only a matter of time until the Savior has what she wants." Ray replied, his fingers finishing this row of code before he lifted them for a moment to direct his attention to Claude.
"I'm glad to hear this news," Claude said. He approached Ray with that impossibly kind smile, the same that the Savior had so strongly. "And what's better than that, I've come to supply you with information that might make you happy."
Ray cocked his head to the side, curious. "And that would be?"
Claude rested his hand on the back of his chair. "The Savior wants you to complete Wisteria's ceremony this evening by yourself. Of course, we'll have some Believers stationed outside the room in case of any... mishaps. But, she's proud of what you've accomplished thusly. Isn't it grand? You'll get to bring your first person to Paradise, and it gets to be the one you've sought after for so long."
Ray had been lead to believe that while he would be completing the formula for Lila, the Savior would be joining them to take care of Lila. This news was alarming to him, but it also filled him with a strange feeling in his gut. If he was in control, then he would be the one that could make his Lila hurt, or transcend. It would all his fault for how the scenario played out and that filled him with fear. He couldn't imagine being the bearer of such pain... but in the times of need, you had to swallow your pride and do what you were told.
He had never been in a position such as that before and it meant all eyes were on him. For the Savior to give him this amount of power meant that she saw worth in him once again, despite his screwups! She did care for him! This knowledge in it of itself made him quell any fears that might have been in his mind prior, and he shook his head to confirm that he understood the information.
Ray bowed his head. "Thank you."
"Oh, you needn't thank me. It wasn't my idea." Claude said, simply. Claude accented the importance of the plan, once more for him as if Ray hadn't been keenly aware. "After all, she's entrusted you to bring a very important someone into our precious family. You know important the bonds of family are to the Savior and she wants to welcome her baby sister to Paradise properly once the measures have been taken to assure the status of Mint Eye. The fact that she wants you to work closely with Wisteria means she expects much more out of you."
He didn't hesitate to lay out his words. His kind face betrayed his words. "Given your record, I'm not sure that I feel the same, Ray. You have a weak heart. I fear that rather you leading Lila to the path of success, she may lead you astray. Quell my worries, boy, how is it really going?"
"I - I will do whatever it takes to please the Savior," Ray swallowed. "Lila isn't leading me astray from the path we follow... she's done everything and more that was expected of her. The RFA expects nothing."
"Good. That's what I like to hear." Claude chuckled and turned direction by a hundred and eight degrees. "Now, have you managed to unlock that application yet?"
Ray pulled up the files that he had and proceeded to show Claude what he had done thusly. There wasn't a lot of pieces yet, but he had gotten icons and backlog undone by fifty percent. What he uncovered told him what the application appeared to be, but not what it was about or how it worked. It had slipped his mind for the past day and a half. "Somewhat, sir. It doesn't appear to anything more than a dating sim, though. The functionalities of what I've unlocked are no different then what I used to get Lila to play our game. I don't... understand why the Savior would be interested in something like this, but I can give you the drive with what I've decoded so far."
"So, you haven't been able to do it completely yet?" Claude finally said after a short silence.
Ray clicked his tongue. It was a bit of frustrating process, and he had to admit, it was time inducing. When he stopped making progress in taking care of it, he turned his attention back to the RFA and destroying what he could on his end to further the main plan for the Savior. "It became near corrupted when I tried to tamper with it. I have a feeling there's more inside of it then what's I've found if it errors out every time I make any progress, but after Lila's ceremony, I hope she will be willing to help me."
"She might just very well be. Every time we've tried to bring that application over, it's been lost on this side. The Savior needs to see much of the information firsthand before it's too late. We expect much of you as you've managed to even get this far into it." He tsked, "Alright, good, I'll inform the Savior. We expect you to take care of Lila, and we'll be seeing you once she's recovered from her first blessing of Paradise." That was clear to him as it had been the other times.
Yes, good.
The Savior was expecting everything of him and it was important that he didn't fuck up. Just like with assignment and everything little thing that was expected of him. There was still this feeling in his gut that betrayed him. Ray hesitated for a moment. What was it he was worried about a moment ago? The dull ache in the back of his head kept him away from his thoughts far too long and it was lost to the wind, again. Fickle, how his brain worked these past few months. It wouldn't matter, of course, the only things that mattered were given to him.
A bottle was placed on his desk. Claude tsked, "Just a small dose for you today, Ray. Try not to lose yourself. You need your full cognitive ability to take care of our precious Wisteria."
"Of course," his gloved hand gripped the bottle and he swallowed the whole thing.
Wisteria has entered the chatroom.
Ray has entered the chatroom.
Ray: Lila...!
Wisteria: Huh..? Oh, Ray, you're back. I was getting worried.
Ray: Yeah. I wanted to see you.
Ray: Actually... I'm not doing so well right now... This headache is just killing me and my meds don't seem to be working much either.
Wisteria: Does it hurt a lot? You have been taking care of yourself, haven't you? I already told you that I wanted you to get some actual rest.
Wisteria: I'm worried about you.
Ray: Yeah... this headache comes and goes once in a while.
Ray: My body has probably grown used to the painkiller. I've been taking it as much as my daily meal most days.
Wisteria: That's not so good to do. Too much of something can actually make things worse.
Ray: ...You think? It's never been bad to this extent in a long time.
Ray: Is this a side effect of thinking of thinking too much...?
Ray: Or... It is because my willpower isn't strong enough?
Ray: Lila, I hope you'll tell me if you're sick... I'd hate and rather die to see you going through the same pain I did.
Wisteria: I would, Ray. But I'm doing well lately, compared to the past.
Ray: That's good... I worry about your well-being.
Wisteria: A lot of people worry about me, but I fear not many fear about your sake.
Ray: Yes, I know better than anyone else what it's like to be sick... alone, even. It's unfortunate, but that's the way things work sometimes. I have one person who cares... but, to think that you worry about me as well makes that count go up to two.
Wisteria: Ray...
Ray: You've seen the log right? Looks like AI 707 found my trace, and he's apparently investigating like a madman.
Wisteria: Um, Yes. About that, Ray...
Wisteria: He made it sound like you're... a threat to the RFA, Ray.
Ray: Hahaha I'm the developer and controller of the game. Of course, they might think I'm a threat because I control the game.
Ray: Those AIs have no idea that they are running all in circles in the palm of my hand. So that's probably why they sound like that, Lila. They're complete idiots... But no need to mind them! This is all just a bug that arises because I made them too realistic. One day... I'm gonna fix all those bugs.
Ray: Oh, I noticed from your last log that V logged in a moment ago, didn't he? I see he's trying to gain your trust and use you to find out what he wants again... when he's still hiding loads of things from you, Isn't that how you feel?
Wisteria: He's going through a lot, as far as I can tell.
Wisteria: I don't think he's a bad person, Ray. He just seems unsure of his next step. That's not a bad thing, it's a problem a lot of people have.
Ray: I set him to speak in a kind manner... so that's probably why he seems kind to you. I programmed him like that on purpose. While I was making a variety of characters. So he's actually not a kind person.
Ray: So don't let him get to you, Lila...
Ray: I'm starting to get a little annoyed by it. My head is trying to kill me, and those AIs are also acting like idiots again.
Ray: Huh, I'm the developer of the game, but I'm annoyed by my own game... Perhaps you wouldn't like that!
Wisteria: It's not easy to like everyone... even your own characters. There are ones you might get along with and others you wouldn't, but they all serve a purpose in life and matter in some capacity, even if it's not to you.
Wisteria: But, I am curious.
Wisteria: ...Who you think is the most favorable, Ray?
Ray: I think Jumin is the least unfavorable one among the RFA AIs. Though it bothers me a little that he's friends with V. Jumin is running a gigantic company... so his analytic and calm way of thinking will be of great help to us in the future?
Wisteria: Us? What do you mean by that?
Ray: Oh.
Ray: I mean... he'll be useful in my research in analyzing the data. He's the type of the AI that's easy to draw out the patterns, so he'd be good for research for future projects.
Ray: Anyways, watch out for V, Lila. As I said, he's not one you should lean towards. He's untrustworthy.
Ray: It bothers me that he's trying to dig information out of you. If you trust him and do as he tells you... He'll eventually betray you and lead you to do a bad ending... I'd hate to see you sad with the game suddenly over in the middle...
Wisteria: There's always a restart... right? I mean, that's the whole point in a game. It has a start and an end that can be repeated.
Ray: But it'd be so sad if the data is all gone... you devoted all your time and heart to them... but they'll forget you... Since you started playing... you should have a happy ending.
Wisteria: That's a good point, I guess. But I'm sure there's plenty of other settings they'll be to test after this, right? So... I'll be here for a while.
Ray: I hope you'd continue staying here if possible. I'll be able to do that if you agree. Did you think about what I asked of you this morning? About that contract... that will let you stay here.
Wisteria: ...And the benefits that come from that are, what, exactly?
Ray: You're free to roam wherever you want in this place and you'll be able to take part in what we do to make someone happy. I really... really want to stay here with you. Forever on and on.
Ray: Could you give it a thought... by this evening...?
Wisteria: I'll think about it...
Ray: Good! Actually, there is an AI that's even worse than that guy V. We already talked about this, so perhaps you already realized who it is.
Wisteria: By my assumption and what I've heard from you, I would say 707.
Ray: That's right...! I knew you would feel the same. I'm so glad... 707 is the worse AI... 707 is a monster... He's incapable of feeling sorrow. He was programmed entirely different from me.
Wisteria: If you didn't like him so much, you could have just... removed him from the equation, he's just a character, remember?
Ray: ...I wish. I wish I could do that right now. When I think of all the trouble the AIs have made... But I'm going to wait. I'm going to wait until l I come up with a plan to get rid of him in the perfect possible way.
Ray: Though it's kind of sad... but then my headache will get better. Yes, that's right! I've got an idea. Lila, do you like surprises?
Ray: I'm the administrator of this game so I can control the situations for the AIs whenever I want. It's a kit for surprise events. I am the creator of that game so I can insert whatever information I want.
Wisteria: That means more work for you, Ray. You know I don't want you to push yourself.
Ray: It is, but I'd like to keep you entertained! But the details are secret!
Ray: You'll get to see a very surprising event related to the 707 AI ^^ I'll make sure you won't get bored... Not for the AIs but for this game I made... I hope you'll continue to stay by my side.
Wisteria: You know games like these are only great when you can hold good relationships with the AIs...?
Ray: Yeah... that's the irony.
Ray: You'll have to get close to them to find out what they're hiding... But... I hope you won't get too attached to them. Oh... I think I gotta go now, Lila. My painkiller sees to have arrived.
Ray: But I feel a little better... Maybe it's because I told my heart to you? You said that's what friends do for each other. We confide our feelings to one another to get closer - and to feel better.
Wisteria: Are you sure you're going to be alright? If you're already feeling unwell you should take a break and not think too hard. I'm worried.
Ray: Keep me in your thoughts. Please. I feel that I'll get better in no time thanks to your energy. I'll get going now. Don't forget - be careful of the bad ending, alright?
Wisteria: Don't worry too hard.
Wisteria: It's alright, Ray.
Ray: Bye, Lila.
Ray has left the chatroom.
In the midst of all his work, Ray realized that Lila had been logged on the chatroom for a long time now. He set down the chemical formula as it had now been completed and flicked through the backlog to see who she had been speaking with. With a raised brow, his green eyes coasted over the words.
Yoosung Kim and Zen, she had been chatting amicably with them about her work as they had inquired of her background.
He could see in the way that she talked when she was happy. She would go into detail about things, however small they might have seemed to anyone else, and her words would go on for paragraphs. When she was apathetic or else, she would keep her responses short and to the point when she spoke. It was a little quirk that he liked seeing.
Those kinds of things weren't what worried Ray. It was alright for her to play around and keep herself amused at the cost of those people - those weren't the ones that he wanted to get rid of. So, he didn't even bother checking the log for anything else. The most recent conversation was betwixt she and that traitor, V. He had been trying to con information out of her by playing the nice man but Lila would never fall for his lies. She told him this or that, never enough to implicate where she really was or anything about this place. It was a sense of good judgment on her part but she was only one person, and V was a tricky player to stop.
Line after line, he tried to sway his Lila.
It was too much for him; Ray feared for her safety.
He left the computer where it sat and he headed for the restroom to splash some water on his face. The cold water against his skin was enough to snap him out his terrifying fantasy. The image of her getting hurt as he had gotten hurt was too much. Lila would get hurt if she spoke to him at length any longer then she already had. V hurt him. V hurt his Savior. V could very well be planning on hurting Lila.
He wouldn't allow it.
He wouldn't allow such a thing.
It wasn't like V could come to this place where they were... But, he feared. Ray feared the worst. Like a bit of acid in his throat making his eyes well up with tears kind of bad. If V dared even try something - Ray would - Ray would... What would he do? He was weak. How could he protect Lila? Even protect the Savior? Or better yet, himself? He was too soft, too scared.
What could he even do?
Ray stared at his reflection. It was twisting itself into the image of the other persona that inhabited this body. His eyes were hard on Ray, and there was a laugh behind his lips. "We would destroy him. We would hurt him worse then he hurt us, isn't that right? You have the ability, marshmallow boy... You could kill him if you wanted." The dark voice beckoned him again, this time, he had manifested in the physical realm to torment him for another time.
"I'm not like you," Ray clutched his aching head in his hands. "If Lila found out we - I hurt somebody... even someone as despicable as that traitor... she would never trust me."
Arguments were futile against that voice when he didn't have enough elixir to make him go away. He didn't have enough to make it stop that morning, but he needed more and more. "It's that traitor, you idiot. You already want to destroy him. It's no different than killing him where he stands. She's no better than you. She doesn't understand what's fucking good for her."
"I'm not like you. I do things my way!" Ray argued.
The reflection snorted at him, "That's where you're wrong. You and I both know that underneath the terrified face you're making that you think the same way I think. Why try and pretend any longer that you're a good boy for her? You're too scared to touch her but at the same time, you're thinking about how nice it would be to fuck... Pathetic marshmallow. I'm going to take my plaything sooner or later."
"She doesn't belong to you... Lila isn't your toy."
"We'll see about that."
His own reflection glared back at him in the mirror and he trembled. He smashed his fist into the glass and the piece of glass shattered in front of him and clattered to the ground and all around him. His hand was starting to bleed from the shards that embedded into his fingers - but the voice was gone for now as he fought it. He was Ray, that was the personality he was. He wasn't Saeran. He wasn't Saeran anymore. That name didn't belong to him. He wasn't vicious and angry. He didn't want to lash out at everything to solve his problems. He was Ray. Insignificant and soft. He liked flowers. He wanted to sit underneath the sun with Lila while she smiled softly at him.
And yet, he destroyed this mirror.
Was the voice all that wrong about him?
There was only one way that he could make this stop. He looked underneath the sink for he spare bottle that he placed here for this very purpose. They told him that he didn't need to drink his normal dose but he needed it like he needed to eat and drink. He needed to be himself for Lila. Ray grabbed the bottle of elixir and took a long hard swig. He kept drinking until he couldn't think about it. He was breathing hard, "I'm Ray, I'm Ray, I'm good for nothing Ray. I'm not him... and I'm not like him."
Wisteria has entered the chatroom.
Ray has entered the chatroom.
Ray: Lila! I've been waiting for this moment.
Wisteria: Hi, Ray.
Ray: Good evening, Lila!
Ray: Thank for your patience. Now it's time to make the contract to become our official resident... Have you given a thought about it...?
Wisteria: ...I haven't made my decision yet.
Ray: I heard that taking a little walk is good for you if you have too many thoughts. I'm constantly haunted by my anxiety attacks whenever I curl up in silence... So I tend to move around a lot. I even force myself to move if I have to.
Ray: Make your contract, and we'll be able to walk every day! Listen, Lila. You know what? I heard that the thought that lasts just before you fall asleep determines how you feel the next day. I'm reminded of the person I hate the most before I fall asleep. And that thought tortures me even till the next morning... to the point, I don't want to open my eyes.
Wisteria: That must feel awful, Ray.
Wisteria: You shouldn't focus so hard like that if it makes you upset. You seem to have this problem a lot.
Ray: Yes, it is. It's so horrible that I wake up to find myself depressed and painful every time but I hope that's not the case for you.
Ray: I want to make you fall asleep every night with happy thoughts once you start living here.
Ray: Because... I've actually... I think I've... fallen for you.
Wisteria: This is very sudden, Ray - I don't
Wisteria: What?
Wisteria: I don't know what to say.
Wisteria: Do you even know what that feels like...?
Wisteria: You said you never even had a friend before, and suddenly you think you like me more than that?
Ray: Oh, I'm terribly sorry if I was rushing, princess. I'm just... nervous. I don't want you to go...
Ray: I'd really like you to make your contract tonight...! Lila...You're not gonna betray me, are you? I hope you won't trust those AIs more than me, for example... I hope such a sad thing won't happen...
Wisteria: I won't betray you. You always seem to jump to that same answer. Why would I do something like that to you, Ray? I promised I wouldn't hurt you. We're friends.
Ray: You have no idea how glad I am whenever you tell me that. Please keep our promise, Lila.
Ray: Throughout my life, all of the people who betrayed were unwelcome and uninvited guests... But you're not one of those people, Lila... You came here for chose to. So... now I can hope, right? I can hope that you're nothing like those who betrayed me... right?
Wisteria: I think you should trust in yourself more than be expecting me to trust you to boost your confidence, Ray. What I think shouldn't matter as much as what you think.
Ray: Trust me...?
Ray: I don't think I can... do that yet. I'm not sure if I'm good at anything other than computers... I've tried other things but I'm just not great like others... I'm just good at these few things. Though, I feel like I'm a fantastic person if I think that you like me! Do you know what I think every day? I want you to be by my side... I want you to give me all of your sadness and pain.
Ray: I want to stay here forever with you.
Ray: If you stay here... I want to protect you... from everything bad. From the morning when you wake up right until you fall asleep...I want to protect you. I really want to protect you... Do you understand how I feel?
Wisteria: Ray...
Ray: Oh.
Ray: I knew it. You can also see how pathetic I am on the inside. I didn't want you to see it. But I... I'll try to be a better person. I'll try to be a stronger person, Lila. I'll try much harder to become a braver person...! I wish you stay with me... I'll come for you now... Tell me your choice, Lila.
Wisteria: I'll think about it...
Ray: Okay... I'm coming for you...!
That was right, it was starting.
Her scattered thoughts and unsure plight sure weren't what he wanted to hear but he knew very well that she was just nervous about the first step in the right direction. He wasn't one to talk. His mind was always a million a minute, and sometimes it was hard to focus. If he didn't think hard about what he was doing when his mind was weak from lack of medical aid, things would slip away.
He wouldn't allow that tonight.
No, not when he had everything he ever wanted in front of him. Well, not everything. There was still the matter of that damned redhead and V, but they would get what they deserved in due time, but for now, he had what he thought he wanted. The delicate touch of Lila's hand, and her eyes on him. He wanted to believe that she liked him for him.
Ray wanted so badly for her to join them here, so she could stay close to him.
If the Savior would allow it.
Ray closed the chatroom down from his phone and shoved the device back into his pocket as he headed down the familiar path towards Lila's room with a determined look on his face. There were a few Believers that he passed along the way, but he didn't pay them any mind whatsoever. He had plans for the evening and nobody was to disturb him and Lila. Ray was so thrilled, riled up by the feelings swirling around in his head that he didn't even knock on her bedroom door; Instead, he walked inside with a smile on his face.
Lila was startled by him, to say the least. When she read his message, she likely didn't believe that he was going to be to her room within a few minutes but he had practically had run here to see Lila. She dropped her phone into her lap and stared at him with a perplexed expression. She was wearing a simple dress from the closet of things provided, it was blue with white dots. The color flattered and was a delightful change to the black outfit she had been wearing when they first met. Her hair wasn't carefully tucked out of her face this evening, rather, it was down and swirled around her face. Despite how focused he was, Ray wondered for a moment what it might be like to run his hand through it.
When he wore color, it was a punishment.
When she wore color, it looked like it was made for her and her alone.
You can play with her later, a voice hissed in his head. Put your nonsense feelings aside and do what you were told to do, idiot. Ray dug his nails into his palm, the pain grounding him back to his body and it him drove away from the menacing voice that lingered in his mind. The elixir that he had been given earlier wasn't much of a strong dose, not enough to make the other inside of his head go away, just enough to dull his headache and bring his senses back to normal.
Ray noticed that Lila was trembling ever-so-slightly, so he decided to approach her delicately... as she deserved. "Hi, Lila. There seems to be a lot going on in your head... I'm already done with all preparations. You only need to choose, Lila. Will you please stay with me forever and on?"
Ray stared at her, expectantly. He wanted her to hear the words that would allow him to whisk her away from this place.
"No," Lila began to say. "Look, Ray, I'm happy being your friend and doing some work for you but I don't think this is the kinda place for someone like me or someone like you for that matter. I would be better off back home, but..." she had a few more things to say but what they were, Ray didn't hear as his ears were flooded with a sinking sound. She didn't want to stay here with him? It made a part of him want to collapse and cry because he hadn't done what he had set out to do. But... another part of him was angry, upset that she would deny him, deny them.
Who does she think she is? the dark voice hissed.
His face darkened. It wasn't what he wanted to hear from her... but there seemed to be no choice in the matter now. If she didn't want to come with him on that grounds, then he was going to have to matters into his own hands and do something that the Savior... and the voice in his head whispered to him to do when people resisted. "Ah... I see. If that's what you wish. But I worked so hard to make my preparations. So... could you at least take a look at what I have to offer for you? Please? There's something I want to show you - to you only. Could you please come over here for a moment?"
Lila hesitated, as she should have, but she dared to take a few steps forward towards him. "Well... alright. I don't see a problem with that. What is it? What are you trying to do?"
"My savior told me... that sometimes we must force salvation."
Ray gripped her wrist and refused to let go. Lila tugged against him but he refused to release his grip - she stared at him with such, terror... maybe contempt. It almost made him let go. Almost. He leads her out of her room and into the hallway, where they began to make their path down corridors and doorways that went in the opposite direction of the way they usually walked together.
Lila wasn't quiet. "Where are we going, Ray?!"
Ray tried his best to keep her calm, rational. "It's where I'm always working. I've never shown it to you, have I? Maybe you'll have a better perspective on everything that I do if I show you my place. Don't be scared." he shushed her, gently. "I would never do anything that wasn't good for you, Lila. We're friends, after all."
She didn't argue after that.
They entered his room, he made sure that she was inside the room before he shut it and the automatic lock was initiated. Once he knew that they were trapped in that room together - that was when he let her wrist free and he walked free of her to get his things together. He noted the bottle's placement and made sure that he had the right provisions and once that was clear, he nodded his head in approval. Ray smiled, in relief. "Welcome to my room!" he spun around to face her.
Lila was encapsulated by the room. She didn't know a world like this, he knew. She couldn't believe everything that he had at his disposal, he knew. And she was in awe of the power of Mint Eye. She looked less frightened then she had been. She looked beyond him and around him. "There are a lot more computers then I expected..." she blurted out, uncouth. "I didn't even think you could hook up this many without a huge server."
How did she work at home, again? He recalled the set up that he had once seen through her cameras; She had two desktop monitors that looked at least a decade old, but her hard-drive was up to date. Her work on commonly done carefully on that and when it wasn't, Lila would work tirelessly on the laptop that was gifted to her by her sister that was older than her by two years.
She could know much better than that, and he knew it.
"I can't believe it. No wonder you have headaches, there's more blue light here then I know what to complain about. Ray, you know you need way longer then fifteen minutes if you're going to work like this."
Even in the face of something that might hurt her, she was still talking about how she worried about him.
"Yes... This is where I develop the game you're testing and collect information on it." Ray says, pushing the subject to the side. Tonight wasn't about him because it was about her.
"There's no need for a signature for this contract. You only have to take a special elixir developed here at this place.. as a promise that you'll stay here."
Lila had the look of a deer in headlights. "Ray?"
Ray knew there was no turning back. This was what he needed to do. He held himself together, and he continued to talk without answering her shrill whisper to him. "Yes... I worked hard to prepare it for today. Close your eyes, please."
She didn't tear her eyes from his gaze, and he refused to budge. After a moment of silence, Lila closed her eyes and did as she was told. Ray grabbed the bottle from the table and approached her; With one hand he lifted hers carefully placed it into her hands. "On a count of three, open your eyes. One... two... Three! Here, look...!"
It was something he put together just for her sake. The formula for the elixir was something that had ground rules for its construction but as long as you followed that, you could add something to it to make the taste better or worse for the person ingesting it. He knew that Lila had a fondness for things that were sweet, so he was careful when he added the right amount of extract to make it good enough that her tongue would be numb to any pain. He didn't wish pain upon her form.
"But this is the..." she whispered something that he couldn't detect.
He held her hands and the elixir.
Ray began to explain, "This place develops medicine as well. This elixir will make you happy. You prove you belong here by taking this elixir. Then you can officially become a resident of this place. That's all that it takes. You don't have to anything else to become a member, this is it. You just drink this, and then all of your problems go away." He leaned forward. "You can stay here with me forever, don't you want that?"
She swallowed, dry. "Do you really believe in that, Ray?"
What did she mean?
"There's no way I would make you sad Lila... all I wish for is your happiness. You can become happy and get a glimpse of what paradise is like... if you take this elixir." He echoes words he's heard spoken to him.
"You're not going to make me do this, are you?" She nearly begs. "Ray?"
"The contract to stay here made complete only when you drink it. You don't want to do it? You put your faith into me and came all the way here. Can't you trust me one more time? I only wish to make you happy. Didn't you enjoy staying here with me? You played my game for me, and you talked and chatted with me... and you made happy memories for me. I think we were able to form such a connection... because we're similar in some ways. I thought I could see... all of the anxiety, sadness, and loneliness inside of you," Ray was soft, gentle even, he reached out with these words and made her head spin through whatever crumbling panic she felt.
"That's why I want to make you happier. I do not want you to feel any of the pains or woes I've suffered. You'll get to experience much more entertaining things than that game if you drink this. Drink this and open your eyes tomorrow morning, and your world will be filled with happiness. I'll be there for you if you're scared. You're not alone. So Lila... Don't let your anxiety and fear get to you, too." Ray continued with a smile. "I'm here with you. You said it yourself that we're friends."
"Friends don't make friends do things they don't know about. Why is this the first time you're telling me about this, Ray? I don't understand why you wouldn't tell me about this when we first met." Lila doesn't breathe when she talks. "Is this why you're in pain when you tell me you're miserable? Because you've been taking this?"
Lila doesn't know what she's talking about, a voice tells Ray. She's just scared. She's just a frightened little girl who doesn't know any better. She's no different than - you, Ray. She's just like who you used to be, Ray. Spineless, weak, afraid of her own shadow. If you want to be a stronger person then you do what you were told to do. Don't let her fight you.
Ray reaches out with his free hand and brushes his fingers through her hair. He tucks the loose strand behind her ear and continues talking. "You're afraid. It's okay to be afraid. I know how you feel. You're anxious and scared because you don't know what will happen to you... It's alright, I promise. No need to hesitate. I'll stay by your side. I've always been alone through my time here... but you're not alone. And I'll no longer be alone as well... once you drink this we'll have each other in paradise."
Lila looks at the elixir and then she looks back at him as if she's weighing the cost.
"Lila?" He whispers.
Suddenly, she remembers how to breathe, and she sucks in some air.
"Tell me why you think it's going to help me." She returns, stalling him.
Ray humors it. "I see the pain in your eyes... but I see how much better you could become here, and I want you to be happy. I had someone help me in my time of need and I've never felt more useful in my life. Don't you want to feel that?"
Lila hesitated but kept talking. "But are you happy?"
"What kind of question is that?" Ray asks.
Is he happy? Ray shakes it away. It doesn't matter if he's happy as long as he's useful to someone. As long as somebody needs him, as long as he knows that there's a reason for him to be alive.
"Now, drink it, Lila. I invite you to paradise."
The room was quiet.
It was she and him, him and she, the two of them alone in this room with no windows and only one door. The only sound in this room was their breathing as soft or as heavy as it was. Ray felt like his heart was beating out of his chest at that very moment. Was she going to listen to him? Was she going to take that step on her own? He thought.
"I..."
All of a sudden, there was knocking at the door.
"Who is it at this important moment? I thought I told everyone to stay away from this place, far away from this place. Wait, perhaps she's looking for me... Give me a moment, Lila." Ray grunted. His eyes hardened on the door across the room. His feet collided with the ground as he went to check out who it was. There in the doorway was a cloaked figure whose face wasn't visible. Ray tapped his foot expectantly against the ground as he waited for the man to open his mouth, "Well, what is it?" He demanded.
"We have a problem with the server room. This is an emergency." The figure said.
"What? Of all times... Hang on. I don't think I've ever seen you before."
"The savior is also there. You must go now, Mr. Ray." He urged.
"Wait, this voice... I've heard this voice before." He whispered. "Why do I know this voice?" Why had he heard this voice before? This Believer shouldn't have been any different from the others that he ran into. They were all the same people, people that the Savior wanted, but none of them mattered like her most important circle mattered. And this man? Who was he?
"Hey, this isn't the time to be suspicious, is it Ray? You should hurry up and go if it's that bad."
"Uh... I should but before that. Just who are you? Take off your hood."
"Very well. Just a moment, please." Instead of moving to remove his hood - the figure paused mid-motion to lifting his hand and giving a hardy shove to Ray out of nowhere. Ray staggered a few steps backward but didn't stumble onto the floor just lost his footing for a moment. It was startling for someone to openly attack him without warning.
"Wisteria! You shouldn't drink that thing!"
That was it. Ray realized who the voice belonged to that moment. V was here. V had gotten into the Savior's sanctuary and now he was trying to take Lila from him. It started the rage inside of him and he knew that he had to act fast.
"You...!" Ray cried. He raced towards V to attack him, but he was shoved onto the ground this time.
Lila, poor Lila, she must have been startled by seeing the traitor V in the flesh. She didn't mean to do it, he told himself, but she dropped the bottle. The contents of the elixir poured onto the floor. The rage that he had felt was momentarily distracted by the horror of his work being left to nothing. His eyes snapped back in her direction, and he gasped. "N-no! The bottle broke...!"
The hood fell from his head in one false swoop it revealed to them both that it was indeed who he knew the voice to be. It was in all his false glory; V was looked fearful, but underneath this look, Ray knew it was all some sick game he was playing with all of them. He had infiltrated these holy grounds with his horrible presence. Lila was staring at him with wide, eyes. Her lips were agape, and she appeared as if she wasn't sure what to say. Of all the times for someone like this man to appear, he had to show up when Lila was this close to becoming a member. He had to ruin everything that Ray had worked so hard for, and what was worse, was his trembling body was petrified in fear at the sight of V.
It was like watching a film in his head as the scene in front of him began to play out and he found himself unable to act.
Lila took a step closer in his direction as if she couldn't believe her own eyes. "You're..." she trailed.
He reached out his hand in her direction, desperate. "It's V, Jihyun! This way! We must get out of here now!"
His commands didn't reach Lila as he might have wished. She just stood there, wavering. "V, what are you doing here? How could you be here, at Mint Eye of all places this soon? What the hell is going on?!"
V did a double take and wiped the surprise from his face. "What are you saying? This isn't the time to discuss anything! Over here, fast!" V beckoned her once more, but that was the moment that Ray regained the use of his body. The fear that Ray felt was suppressed underneath the rage that washed over him; He wouldn't ever allow V to hurt or take away another person from him.
He had to do anything, everything, something -
Ray shrieked at him with all that he had. It was his voice that came to the surface first. "...No! You can't take her away from me! Traitor! Why is that traitor in this building?" He was loud. He wasn't even sure how loud he had become. It was enough to draw attention from the others - one believer stood in the door frame after hearing the commotion in the room from down the hall.
"Mr. Ray? What is it!?"
Ray snapped his head in the direction of a voice that he didn't hate. Enough that he could voice the command to make all of this go away right now once and for all. "Traitor..." He began to say to the man, "It's the traitor! This is the man we've been looking for since the breach! Go get the others right now! We have a traitor here!"
That was all it took to cause a commotion.
"Intruder! We have an intruder!" The man called back into the hallway to whoever was in earshot of this side of the compound. Claps and stomps of footsteps were starting to come over this way - if anyone wanted to run there wasn't enough time. There just wasn't enough time and there were too many people here. No way out - No way out for anyone.
"We're getting out of here now. This way!" V urged Lila, once again.
"Stop him! Don't let him take her away...! No. Not her. Don't take her away from me. No!" Ray hissed. It was all of that anger in the back of his head that pushed him to act, instead of laying in wait for someone to do something for him. His gaze was hardened on V like he could ignite hellfire upon him. From the corner of his gaze, he could see that Lila didn't know any better. She looked between him and V as if she was trying to decide which person she trusted more at that moment. She took long to come up with that decision.
He made that choice for Lila.
"Not her! Not a chance!" He grabbed her wrist and tugged her back into his embrace.
This was it for V. Ray knew, he just knew. The man knew that he wasn't going to be able to take Lila out of this place, not on his own, and Ray wasn't going to let him even come close. He cursed with that horrid voice of his: "Damn! Looks like we can't escape together... More people are coming. Don't let them trick you, Wisteria. I'll save you no matter what!" V cursed, a baited promise that he couldn't fulfill.
There were heavy footsteps coming down the hall and they were getting closer and closer to them.
Ray refused to allow Lila to be tarnished by such ill intent. "Don't give that rubbish to Lila! You're the one tricking her!"
V was ignoring him. How dare he refuse to look at him?! Did he feel guilt over what he had done? It was too late for apologies. He only desired pain for what he had done to him, to them. "I'll come back later. Until then, please be safe, Wisteria!" He said.
Ray furiously shook his head. He was shouting at him with everything that he had. "There will not be another time! Don't you dare try to take Lila away from me... I won't let you even get close to her!" Lila was trembling in his grasp. She must have been frightened by V... He wouldn't let him even get close to her. Ray would refuse.
He was looking right at Lila. "Don't ever take the drug they give you at this place... And don't take anything that looks suspicious. I'll come back for you. I'm sorry we can't escape together as of now." V shoved past the others Believers before they could grab him and he escaped into the hallway. These morons, his thoughts hissed.
"Protect Mr. Ray!" One said.
"Understood!" Another agreed.
Ray didn't like that noise. They needed to get all of the doors closed and the gates strung up before that traitor could get off of the property. They didn't need to waste their energy on them, not when he could, he could - "Don't worry about me, and get him! He's the traitor! The one our savior was looking for! You need to get him!" Ray told them as he loosened some of his grip on my arm - it was still firm.
"Mr. Ray! Should we go after him?"
Ray nodded his head. His voice had stopped shaking at last from the fear. V was away from him, and that made him feel a little safer but his adrenaline was still pumping in his ears. How had this even happened? How long had he been planning on trying to take Lila from them? "Yes! You must get him no matter what and we must take him to the savior! Then we can finally find peace... Then I can keep Lila safe." His voice was low once again. He wasn't shouting - no more yelling and screaming of orders - just firm and direct.
"Understood!"
The few at door headed to join the others that were in hot pursuit of V across the building. They would try to stop him before he could do something that would hurt the Savior. Good, good... that's what they needed to do. V needed to be taken care of before he... before he. "I shouldn't have opened the door. Why now...? Of all times, why now...?" Ray whispered. His legs were growing weak from the over the display of energy he had exerted. "Why, why did he come here?"
He couldn't find it in him to let go of Lila's hand but he sank to the ground, breathing hard.
"...Ray? You're panicking," he heard Lila's voice whisper at him. "You need to catch your breath."
Ray lifted his head to see Lila leaning over him with worried eyes. She appeared unscathed from the mess. She was alright. "Lila, are you hurt? Ah... Thank heavens, you're okay. But... the bottle broke. It was for you... Everything's ruined... Why do things like happen when happiness is just within my grasp? I only wished to make you happy... I only wished to be happy with you."
Her brown eyes are soft. But he sees pity within them. "Ray, the RFA was real this whole time." She whispered. "I kind of knew they were but it was... shocking to see him here."
Did she know?
How could she know?
"What...?" he wasn't thinking straight.
Something in his gut was telling him that the app that the Savior wanted him to unlock had something to do with it. But -
That's right. The Savior... she was going to punish him for screwing up. They expected him to take care of everything on his own and he had proved that he wasn't capable of such things.
"It's a long story -" Lila began to say but she cut herself off. Her own voice was trembling as she spoke to him. "The thing is, it has a lot to do with where I'm from. But, some of it has to do with how real the RFA is... nobody's capable of that kind of intelligence in games yet, but, I'm just confused right now about a lot of things... but, I can see that you're too worked up to answer some of those questions."
"You're shaking, Ray."
"Did he scare you that badly...?"
"What did he do to you...?"
"Ray...?"
None of her words were reaching him.
Ray felt a burning pain in the pit of his stomach. "The savior told me that this is what I should tell you to bring you here... They told me that I had to lie to you to make sure you came at all costs and..." He lifted his head up just enough to look to look at her to make sure she wasn't crying like he was starting to do. His eyes flickered up and down for a moment as he looked for something but didn't find it. "I'm s - sorry, Lila. I didn't want to lie to you, please don't hate me for lying."
She gripped his hand. "Ray... we're friends, remember?" she said. "I'm not going to hate you. But I'm not... you almost made me do something I didn't want to do."
She could hurt him and he wouldn't care.
He just couldn't bear the thought of hurting her of people.
"...I want to protect you from the darkness," he whispers.
"There's got to be other ways to do that," she replied.
"There... isn't..." he trailed.
She stops him before he can finish the thought. "Ray, this isn't right."
"Would have really taken it if I asked you to do it?" He asked her, honestly, out of nowhere. He thought that she was about to do it. That would take the plunge despite her fears.
She didn't answer him.
All that he wanted for Lila to come to their side without harm but if she didn't drink... if V hadn't shown up and scared whatever she had been thinking... it was all wrong... all wrong...! She couldn't be here if she didn't... if the Savior knew... his mind was racing. Ray lifted himself up - uneven but solid stance with his legs against the ground. Lila was just being nice to him because she pitied how his crying face looked to her. "So you're not going to trust me anymore? Now RFA is the good guys for you instead of me...? The savior told me that I had to do that to make everything go smooth... I'm sorry for lying to you. But please don't doubt what the Savior thinks does well for people like us. Please. Just... rest for the night. I should go report this to the savior."
"Who is your savior?" Lila demanded. "Why would she make all these demands of you?"
Too soon, it was too soon for Lila to know any of this. "You'll soon get to see her in person. I don't want to leave you right now. I'm too anxious, and I'm so sad. But if I don't report to the savior, an even greater disaster might befall. Lila, can I trust you? No, No... I will trust you. I'll trust that you won't betray me. You'll be safe here."
"You aren't making sense right now, Ray! I do trust you!" she said.
Her voice had been loud enough that it weighed on his brain. Nothing was making sense to him. He just - couldn't think.
V could still be around the corner like the monster he was and Ray had already hesitated once -
If he came back would he be able to protect Lila?
He could... couldn't he?
The Savior was going to be so angry.
She would be so mad at him for letting this happen...
What was he supposed to do?
He failed.
He began to walk towards the doorway to go and repent his sins to his Savior as he prayed to not feel the sting of his punishment. "I'm sorry... I'm just too nervous, so even I don't know what I'm saying. Why can't I be better? I want to give you a definite answer so that I can make you feel safe... but it's so difficult. I must go to the savior. She'll be able to give me the right answer. Just give me a moment, I'll be right back Lila. Don't think of anything sad... while I'm gone. I'll get going. I'll get my answers from the savior. I gotta get that villain too... I must do something before he comes for again. No matter what...! I'll keep you safe. So stay here. Don't go anywhere. You must stay here... until I'm back, Lila."
The door shut behind him and he could hear Lila calling after him but he didn't answer.