IX
"Endless."
"Wait!" I called after him.
The door shut behind Ray and the smallest noise indicated that the solid wall was now locked from the outside him.
"Ray, come back!"
"I don't... understand why you can't listen to me."
"...Please?" I pressed my fist against it and called after him, but it was to no avail. He wouldn't come back to this place... no matter how much I wanted him to come. Again and again, I called after him but he didn't come. I couldn't let myself just believe that Ray wasn't coming back - but that was what had happened. Ray had left my locked tight in his workroom so he could go and warn his - Rika about what had happened. He was going to talk to his Savior about this incident: Incident meaning that V had shown up.
I pressed my hand against the door and - "He's not going to come for a while, is he?" I asked, hoping there might be an answer from the thin air but there was nothing but my own voice echoing back at me.
If I was going to be trapped in this room then I needed to take advantage of the situation. My feet spun me around and I started to look around this room. There was really nothing here except for his computers and a makeshift sleeping cot in the corner of the room where he might be able to sleep if he had exhausted himself enough.
I stared down at the shattered remains of the elixir on the floor with dread. That bottle of unknown chemicals had almost been forced down my throat. I couldn't be sure if Ray would have done that, but he -
He had almost convinced me for the smallest moment that it was my only option and I was to blame for that though. I should have known better than to trust him wholeheartedly - I just should have been warier of what he was capable of when it came to pleasing Rika.
Carefully, I stepped to the side of the broken glass and moved past it. That memory would be shoved to the back of my mind for now. I approached the monitors and let my eyes run across the screen. I pressed my hand to my mouth, "He left this unlocked? Are you kidding me? There s two master hackers related to each other and the one I'm stuck with didn't even think to block my access from his computers?" I sat down in his chair and looked over the monitors.
What kind of guy in his position would leave this to lock after being left alone for a few minutes?
He might not have known what was going to happen.
I would have to thank V for that one.
My fingers rested against the keyboard for a moment and I -
hesitated.
What if it was a trap?
"He didn't know V was going to be here. He wouldn't have thought ahead like this. He was too busy trying to stop his panic attack, what am I even worried about?" I shook my head.
"This is my only chance."
Most of this system looked like it had been jerry-rigged from the bottom up to its creation. It wasn't shocking - Rika had been grilling his mind for quite some time to make sure he knew how computers worked inside and out. Some of its functions only made sense after I circumvent a few options, everything was hidden or put somewhere I couldn't reach. Most things were locked behind passwords that I could only assume were much longer than the usual eight character length websites usually made you choose - but I could see where the surveillance cameras were located at least. This place was loaded with them - I wasn't wrong to assume that there was more than just one nearby my room.
Someone thought ahead in this game.
I would never be able to mark out all of the blind spots and keep to them.
At my own lament, I closed the cameras and decided that I would have to try something else. What it was? I wouldn't know. I would have to just wait for the right moment -
if it ever came.
Upon further speculation, there was only one folder that was unlocked besides the one for the cameras and against my better judgment - and the fact that I would never have another chance like this, I opened it.
When it sprang in front of me, I couldn't believe my eyes.
"What the hell?" I breathed, unsure of what I was staring at just then.
Inside of this folder was the screen for Mystic Messenger - some of the pieces of coding were from the game itself, I could see the fragments of the buttons and some of the sound bites but other than that - a lot of what made it a game was missing. Ray had managed to rebuild some of it but much of the history or words within it were not there. I attempted to open the application from the computer but the moment that I clicked it, it errored itself out. It gave me a code that indicated that it didn't exist.
Error 404.
Unknown.
Laughable, almost.
It apparently didn't exist anymore then I didn't exist in this world.
I could see that he had managed to get these little things. When I searched for any of the images that should have been in it, they couldn't be found. Alright, that was a relief. I don't know what might have happened if he had managed to see his own face - and the faces of the other members of the RFA on his screen. He couldn't have known about the game. But then again, Ray had been able to somehow get into my phone. Which, was supposed to be impossible because our worlds weren't supposed to be connected.
He was supposed to be fiction.
I was the one who was real.
Right?
I stared at the screen, trying to understand how he could have gotten this without me knowing. Wouldn't have had to get into it physically to be able to do anything? But, he had never been out of this place... right? My thoughts betrayed me. If I had been able to get here, then -
It wasn't much of a stretch to think that he had been able to do the same feat.
A memory suddenly flooded back into my mind at that moment:
"Beautiful, isn't it?" I didn't turn around but I hear someone stir from behind me. The voice wasn't familiar, so I chalked to a stranger that had seen me painting from afar and wanted to learn more or even see what I was doing. "You don't see people painting out in the open like this, forgive me for being forward but I like what you've done with the flowers."
My little laugh left my lips. That wasn't a new experience. People had watched me before so it didn't bother me too much when someone wanted to see or make a little comment. It was nice to hear something positive after the morning that I had. "Thanks for saying so, but it's not precisely representational of the scenery. I took the liberty of adding some more native flowers to make it feel a little more striking."
The man leaned a bit closer, not enough that I wanted to flinch but enough that I could feel his presence. "Yes, the dogwood gives clarity to your canvas. It holds many meanings, but might I guess that you mean to use it as a sign of rebirth or hope?"
"Regret," I murmured. "Actually."
"Interesting, I wouldn't have expected that to be your choice." The man commented. "You don't seem like the type to have experienced that kind of a pain in your life."
My pencil continued to rake across the paper as I added a few details, making sure to note things my eyes might miss when I was to begin painting. I pursed my lips. "That's the funny thing about people you pass by every day. You might not know anything about that person but they're going through something you wouldn't believe. It's like that flower there," my eyes fell on the bud that yet to bloom. "It hasn't bloomed like the rest of its friends for a number of different reasons, but it'll sprout it leaves one of these days and be just as beautiful as the rest."
"The other flowers are blocking it from receiving the adequate amount of sunlight. It might not ever bloom without a delicate hand to guide it to its full potential. " He said.
I set my pencil down and took a closer look. "Oh, wait, you're right. If they trim back some of the tops it'll reach it a lot better right now. I can't believe that missed that and I call myself a girl with a decent green thumb, hah. I come to this spot pretty often because I can't go out to the Lancelot Gardens every day, have you ever been?"
"No, but I've heard a few things about it," the stranger replied.
My smile widened at the thought of getting any more strangers to visit the place. I was always advertising for my Grandparents when I got the chance and I wasn't about to stop doing that just because I didn't see them as often as I would like anymore. "Oh, you really should if you ever get to the interstate. They're just right of it down a clay road. I grew up on those gardens and they still never fail to take my breath away. I'd be pressed to say that there isn't another place like it in the world." I could see it in my mind when I shut my eyes. "There's just about anything you could imagine down there, but there are sprawling fields of Wisteria out there. Some people call it invasive but lemme tell you, seeing it cover the landscape and treetops is awe-inspiring. It's a page right of the storybooks."
"I could show you one better," He began to say. "But hearing you speak so fondly of the flowers makes me wonder what you might think if you could see the spot I often visit."
"And where might that be?" I asked, curious.
When I turned around to see the man he was gone. I thought for a brief moment that I had just hallucinated the entire encounter but left on the ground was unrest in the dirt, a footprint impression on the ground told me that there had been somebody these speaking to me that time. It was odd to just some idle conversation with someone and then just disappear before it could be finished. I hadn't had such a calm conversation with someone about the flowers since I ran some of the tours back at my Grandpa's gardens. I almost felt a little sad I couldn't ask him his name. My phone was sitting on the ground behind me as well, I raised an eyebrow at the sight. I thought I had set it in my bag. Why was it sitting on the grass?
Suddenly, I gasped and realized that the voice that belonged to that stranger that day was -
A voice suddenly spoke behind me.
"Anything interesting?"
My soul left my body as the voice behind me spoke up. I forgot how to breathe as I looked over my shoulder at Ray. I stared at him with wide eyes. It was like I was the kid that had been caught with my hands in the cookie jar. "Ray!" I breathed, trying to hide my panic. "I didn't think you would be back any time soon. A -"
"Are you okay?" I tried to change the subject.
There was a panic attack in my gut just waiting to envelop me but I couldn't let it swallow me whole. I counted numbers, letters, things that I knew that could keep my mind occupied for the night. I didn't turn around but when he spoke my heart compelled me to do otherwise. He looked like he was more put-together then he had an hour prior. He wasn't upset anymore. His eyes weren't loaded with hate or filled with fear. I almost felt my lips curl into a smile to see him back to normal. He wasn't screaming or shouting. There wasn't a con here in his looks... He was just Ray. With his collared shirt and bright suit at his body, the only small difference was his gloved hands were covering some wrappings.
Had he hurt himself?
When did that happen?
"I'm alright," he said. There was no sound that indicated what was once a crying boy, trembling and shouting at his demons that he wished would go away. He had just shown up out of nowhere on his own. I wasn't sure how much he had noted of what I was doing. He didn't say. "The Savior... helped put things into perspective for me and I'm feeling much better about everything. I handled everything as I should have, and I didn't mess it up. It was that traitor." When Ray spoke of V, there was such scorn and anger in his eyes that it betrayed the soft eyes I had grown to know.
"I - I'm glad you're alright," I said, instead of buying into that idea. I didn't know if I should think for a moment that V was to blame - but, I knew that he had more to do with the situation then he had let on. "I didn't know how long you would be gone."
"I'm sorry I made you wait. But, you've kept yourself plenty amused, huh? It's infuriatingly complex for a mobile app," he commented, coming forward to grab the back of his chair. I held my breath and he kept talking. "It might not be a good moment to inquire of you on this subject, but what can you tell me about it?"
"How did you get this, exactly?" I asked, instead.
Would he be honest?
"It was something that I found on your phone, and I hope you don't mind that I was playing around with it. Some of its functions are similar to the RFA's messenger - and I wondered how a girl like you might have access to it since you're not of this world." He said. "I didn't think you might have that capability considering this creation is from this world."
"Um," I strangled the words out of my throat. "Ray, I have a - have to ask you something."
He looks -
guilty -
apologetic?
His eyes look away from me, and I can tell he's not going to talk about it. "This might be not the time. I know you might not be ready to talk about where you're from like this just yet," Ray decided. "We can speak about this subject later when the night has calmed down and we've recovered from the circumstances." Just like that, I wasn't getting answers out of him and he wasn't getting out of me. Ray took my hand in his, it was so gentle compared to the tight grasp he had on me before when he refused to let me leave.
His eyes on the connection between the two of us - our hands - rather than meeting my gaze. "Now, now we're together and no one can bother us. It feels like this is all a dream. You're going to make your contract tonight and become a real member tonight. The Savior told me that as long as I listened to her and did everything that I could, I would be useful and blessings such as this would be my reward." He spoke so brightly of this woman, this person that had twisted him so wrong, that it almost made you think that she wasn't a raving cult leader.
"When I was young, I was good for nothing. But now, Lila, I can entertain you at least for a moment. I'm... so happy. I'm so happy I'm not sure if this is real or not. I'm so happy to see your face again. That's why I'm afraid it will all go away like a dream. This isn't a dream, is it? I'm not going to wake up to find myself alone in my cold, dark room with nothing but computers, am I? You're here in this place... Right?"
My breath was caught in my throat.
"This isn't a dream," I said.
I know very well this is real.
Ray slowly nods his head. "I feel safe thanks to your warm hand. It assures me this is real. Please keep doing that. Hold onto me when I'm not sure what is happening. I don't want you to disappear here." He begged of me, the desperate look in his eyes plain as day. "Lila... Like I told you before if you officially take the pledge according to the Mint Eye's rules, you're free to roam around this place."
He helped me back onto my feet.
Ray turned his head away, then, trying to make up his mind. "To take the pledge, you must go through a certain procedure - but that procedure might be painful. I know you're frightened... It's okay to feel scared of something you don't know and it was painful for me. You might not like it knowing that... I know." He trailed. "Oh wait, why don't we talk somewhere else? I'm sure you were frustrated to stay locked in here this whole time. Let's look at the flowers and chat."
"A-Alright, Ray." I felt winded. Everything was a blur for me and I couldn't make sense of anything. There was so much that had happened to the both of us this evening and Ray was acting like it hadn't really just happened. Like, he hadn't been shouting at V and trying to make me drink poison. He was denying everything that had just occurred to some extent. "Fresh air is always good."
If he spoke of it, would he crumble into pieces again?
What had she done to him?
His own lips curled into a smile. "I want you to feel safe here, with me. I don't want you to be scared of this place or me. I'll take you somewhere nice... and you won't feel trapped anymore. Not again. You won't be trapped anymore after tonight."
As he began to lead me out of the door and down the familiar corridors towards the gardens; I almost thought I heard him whisper something to himself. "I don't want you to be in pain after drinking the elixir... like me."
"What was that?"
He looks far away from me at that moment. "Oh. I'll tell you in the garden."
Ray and I spend a few moments not saying anything to each other. It's just us, quiet in the moonlight, trying to make sense of this all. Ray looks nervous, but he holds me close. "Lila, I want so badly to come with you during the day to the gardens. I work so hard all day that by the time I finish you're asleep and in bed. I know it's not something that makes you happy. But, still, you think of me kindly and tell me to take care often. You take my flaws and hold them tight. You don't shove me aside because of them. I've never had someone wholeheartedly trust me."
"I was wondering, would you trust me no matter what happens? Even if I told you something that might be against the rules of this place - would you still trust me no matter what I say?" He was looking at me expectantly.
"I'm always willing to hear you out, Ray." Ray wanted me to listen to his every word. I looked down at the pavement and counted the lines ahead of us. "I want to trust you. I don't think you'll intentionally hurt me - I don't think you want to hurt me. I want you to know that I want you to think the same of me in that regard. So - I'll trust in you no matter what happens. Would you do the same for me?"
Ray was startled by my words. He slowly nodded his head. "I'll trust you too, Lila. I'll trust you more than anyone else."
"Then I want you to be honest with me, Ray," I whisper and -
He's listening to me now and I just ask him. "Have you ever visited the town where I live?"
"..." Ray looks away again.
"I'm not going to angry, Ray. I just want to know if we've met before." It's not a lie. I tell myself.
He only spoke to me about my painting and nothing more during these instances. I just wanted to know that if that voice was definitely his, that I could try to piece together the mystery of why I had wound up here -
why this was happening to me specifically -
how Ray had picked me for this -
how he had managed to get into my phone.
"Yes." He whispers.
"Okay."
Ray's hand is trembling. "You're not... upset?"
"No, Ray, I'm not upset," I say. "I want you to be honest with me about some of this when I ask. That's all I'm asking."
He goes quiet for a moment. If this has registered in his head, I'm not sure. But I'm glad that some of this... is out in the open at last. As long as I know that I can trust in some part of him, I know this place isn't as awful as I want to make out to be. Most of the people here aren't here by choice - they get wound into this system and it warps them behind reason. They needed help - not people who judge them or push them aside because someone was making them do something that they might not have done otherwise.
He decides to speak about what he told me he wanted to speak about. "Lila, don't you wanna know what this place is? You're supposed to take a pledge after a special ceremony, but you also get a rundown on what this place is really about. And for the ceremony... you get to drink that specially made elixir for clean... I mean, for an orientation. Yes, that's it. And then you officially become one of us. But to some people, the sides effect is just too strong, so it could be painful."
"To be honest... I'm scared you'll be in pain after drinking the elixir, like me... If you're in pain, my heart will be in greater pain. I can't stop thinking about your fearful eyes... We make people drink the elixir in order to show them the truth. Then they'll believe in us and become faithful followers. But you... You already trust me and believe in this place so much... even without the elixir. So I think you don't need the elixir or the orientation. But if someone asks you, you must tell them that you took the elixir, alright?"
I looked at him, strangely.
What?
He wasn't going to make me do it.
Ray wasn't going to force me to take the elixir.
I couldn't believe that he was going against Rika for me.
"Ray... Is it that painful when you take the elixir?" I gripped his hand tight. If it was this bad - if he was suffering this much already I couldn't even think of the future that may lay in wait for him. Flashes of him struggling against his brother after withdrawal symptoms popped into my mind. His shouting and sheer unadulterated rage towards the world. His obvious distress. His confusion... His anger. Him lashing out at everyone that he had once ever known. He fought against the RFA so viciously with a smirk on his face. He forgot who he once was and became a brutal person who toyed with others. Him blowing up the apartment with MC inside. His fear of V not even an hour ago as he withdrew into himself.
Him being so upset at the sight of V that he... that he would kill him.
I couldn't see him like that now.
That wasn't him.
It couldn't but -
That wasn't the person he was now but if he stayed on this path it might be the person he became.
"Yes. I want to honest with you and you alone, my princess. I think the side effect is really bad for me, personally. My head hurts, my heart throbs... It's so difficult to work while the elixir is in effect. So I used to take it a lot in the place, but now I take it only when I really, really need it." Ray admitted to me in his soft voice. "It's painful for me. I don't want to think about you in pain. I - I don't want you to be like that. I shouldn't have tried to make you do that - not when I know you trust me so much."
Dependency.
"Anyways, it's our secret that you didn't go through the orientation, okay?"
He waited.
I slowly nodded my head.
"Remember what I told you before? I told you this place makes games. But honestly... there are more things going on in this place then games we play with people. One of our activities that is close to a game would be... Ah, yes. Providing delight to people tired of life, should I say? We do something fun and very meaningful in this place. The name for this place is Magenta; And, people here call this place Magenta, the paradise of dreams and hopes. Sounds like a world in the games, right?" He paused, just to chuckle a little.
"This is where people wounded from the outside world gather. Magenta is the only place they can happy at. I, too... had a terrible wound when I first came here. But after the cleansing, I learned how to push behind the trauma of the past and step forward. And at the end of that pain, I was able to meet you at last. Everyone at Magenta is like me. They ended up here like destiny with profound wounds and traumas. We all were born as the weaker in the world where only the fittest can survive and the stronger preys on the weaker." He said.
Ray looked upwards to the sky. The night sky was clear - there wasn't a cloud in sight and the moon shown brightly down upon us while the stars twinkled in that familiar way that normally would have left me floundering to count them all... tonight I couldn't focus on the universe above us. I couldn't even bring myself to look at the flowers. The only thing I could watch was Ray as he tried to make sense of our situation. He looked like he was hurt by the notion he was speaking about, "Only the strong ones can survive in the outside world. Do you think those born weak should live as prey until death? This is the one and only place for such people. That's why we call this place Magenta the paradise. People from the outside world are completely different from us - they don't understand how hard it is."
"So I understand why they can't understand us. I was told that it's only logical - by their standards - that there are so many people who deny us. So that's why everyone has to live according to their rules. The strong ones live by their rules, and the weak live by theirs. And this is the rule we've chosen. Only those who follow our rules will get to join the Mint Eye and live here at Magenta. Each of us has a role in this place. And my role is to protect the Magenta and Mint Eye's belief from the strong ones from the outside world."
"So this means that - I'm a part of Mint Eye now?" I whispered, unevenly.
The thought was enough to make me sick.
"Yes. You're supposed to take the elixir for the clean... I mean, orientation. But like I said, I trust you, and I'm sure you trust me... So you don't have to go through the procedure. And about the people... from that messenger, you're doing. I mean they RFA, they are real. And they're a threat to Mint Eye. The people from the RFA are actually existing people... Uh, but not all people of the RFA are dangerous."
"There are only two people who are dangerous there. They're the ones named V and 707... You should beware of them. Those two hurt me and savior even before the Mint Eye was created. We came to this place because we couldn't take the pain they gave us. I'll give you the details later... This story is very painful for me to remember." Ray says, broken.
Now he was the one gripping my hand for moral support.
I looked at him and he met my gaze only to look away. "Ray..." I began to say.
He thought about those words for a moment and then told me his answer with bated breath. "I want to tell you everything someday. The reason why I hacked the RFA chatroom was to protect this place and to save the members of the RFA. They're being tricked by V. You've seen V making secrets to the rest of the RFA, didn't you...? He's a liar. You should never trust him."
"At first, he pretended to save me... but that wasn't his plan. He was planning to throw me into the bottom of the abyss. I realized that only after suffering a near-death... I would have lost my will to live if it weren't for my savior. I don't know the rest of the RFA very well... but I kind of agree with my savior. I agree that any foolish soul who being exploited by V deserves salvation. That's why we decided to make an innocent person, a person who knows nothing about the RFA or Mint Eye, to contact them."
Ray looked at me, his words clear.
He didn't need to confirm what I knew but he did it anyway. He nodded, "And that person is you, Lila. You had to move them in order to figure out how the RFA collects information and data. Thankfully, you've done so well, so the RFA decided to hold a party. And all the data related to the party, which is the core of the RFA, started to move. I'm so, so sorry I told you this was all a game. But I know you aren't angry with me about that, right?"
"Not exactly," I said. "There's more to it than that. Like I said, you weren't honest with me about other things, Ray." Logically, I should have been upset about what was happening. I was in the midst of a cult of all places and I wasn't panicking like I should have been. I wasn't sure what I was angry about. I was upset that I didn't have the information that I needed. V was out here and he could tell me so much about all of this - what had gone wrong in the past? I couldn't think straight because - I didn't know what the hell was going on.
Ray stopped walking and I stood behind him. "The Savior thought you knew more than you should have and that it would benefit us. You're very smart and intuitive, I don't doubt you know how to speak to those outsiders as if you've known them for years. I've seen it firsthand. So, when you played this like a game, it was ideal for the cause." He turned his head to look back at me, "Lila, I know you have information that could be crucial to my Savior. Now that I know you can help us - our goals have aligned. You're special and I understand why the Savior and Mr. Claude were delighted when I chose you for this mission above your sister. You're the kind of person who belongs with us here."
I was staring at him, wide-eyed.
"What did you just say?" I whispered, unsure that I had heard say what he said.
That was my Dad's first name of all things. It was one thing that Ray had somehow lead me to this world, and it was another that he had been able to pick into my phone when - when that shouldn't have been possible. But now, something was starting to register inside of my head. That haunting memory that I had of my Father falling off the edge of a bridge into the water down below was starting to slip away - it was being replaced by the image of Rika standing next to him with malicious intent.
Ray seemed to realize that he had made a mistake.
He cursed himself underneath his breath. "I keep screwing up..."
"What do you mean Claude told you about me?" I demanded.
That was when Ray turned around and approached me, trying to apologize for saying more then he was supposed to, apparently. He flinched when he heard the name come out of my lips. "Oh. My apologies, princess. I shouldn't speak about things I don't have permission to reveal to you. I don't want to make you upset - so I promise, I promise I'll be honest with you when I can." He brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear and tried to smile away the issue, he didn't appear much better than I did when the name was mentioned.
"I never said -" I began to protest this idea that I was going to leak the information about the RFA to the Mint Eye - but Ray stared down at me, unwavering in his gaze and his thoughts. "Ray, if you know something about my Dad... you need to tell me! You've heard me talk about him, you know how upset it's made me that nobody could find him!"
"I'm sorry Lila." He pressed a finger to my lip. "I can't just yet... I don't want to lie to you, but everything is going to come together very soon and it'll be okay. I promise."
I pressed my fingers against his shoulder. "Ray, please. There's so much that I don't understand and you won't let me know - aren't we supposed to be partners in all of this?"
He looks pained. He looks left, and the right. "Once I tell the Savior that you've completed the orientation, and she confirms your status as a member... I'll be able, to be honest with you." Ray whispers as if he's bound by something - if he admits what he's thinking that he might be struck on fire for opening his mouth. "They made me - told me to promise not to tell you."
"...Ray, you shouldn't have to -" I try to argue with this idea - I don't want him to listen Rika the way he has.
He's not only being hurt by them - he keeps lying to me because they told him to do it. My shoulders sink. "Okay. Okay. I'm not going to argue with you, Ray. I know you've been through a lot tonight and I don't want to fight with you-you're already putting a lot on the line for me." If someone knew that I hadn't taken the elixir before V showed up then, then...
I'm not sure what might happen to not only me but Ray as well.
"You don't have to do that for me, Lila." He said.
"You're doing a lot for me, Ray. I'm grateful for that."
Ray starts to say. "I never thought I would be able to meet you, much less thought that I would be able to be like this with you."
"Huh?"
He bites his lip. "I'm so happy that I got to meet you at all. I didn't know if they were going to pick you for this mission - there were others my Savior had in mind. But, you got to come here despite that. Because I wanted more than anything to meet the girl with kind eyes. I know I've done some things that you don't approve of... but I want to make this right. There was nothing but endless struggle in my life, but now I have a place of solace with you. If we work together, we can save the RFA. Don't you think I can prove my worth? You can help me prove out struggle was worth something. My Savior said this fight won't last forever."
Ray took a step forward towards me and cupped my face in his hands, his face was lightly dusted with a coating of pink. "Can you please play this game a little while longer? If you can help me open that app, my Savior will have what she needs. But, the RFA still need to hold their party no matter what cost so paradise can flourish. Once the party is held, my Savior's goals and my goals will be completed the moment that happens."
"I can't believe that that this is what you've been doing." A voice cut off Ray before he could complete his thought. The voice was the same one as earlier in the evening when the chaos all started. It belonged to a man who I assumed had had the smart idea to get the hell out of dodge before it was too late. He actually wanted to try and get me out of this place at the cost of his own health.
"So that's what she's been making you do," It's V's voice that speaks to him. "Saeran, you've been through too much."
Ray, something in his face shifted, he let go of me and began to search around the area. "Who's there?" He demanded through the darkness that the lamp post didn't reach.
The voice spoke again, "Saeran... Lila, I've come to rescue you but it appears I'm too late."
Ray cried out in frustration when the figure stepped out from the darkness and revealed himself. He appeared as though he wanted to pounce on the man, he wasn't far away from it either. To think that V hadn't run away when he had the chance - Ray would hesitate. He gripped his hands at his sides and growled at him. "You...? How come you're...? Ugh. I knew it. I knew it! I knew this wouldn't go well, No matter what I do, there will always be someone getting in my way. This happens all the time!" He stomped his foot against the ground.
It was like he was a child who hadn't gotten his way.
It was V, alright, the hood was lowered from his head and his shaggy mint locks cascaded around his face as he stared at the two of us. He should have left this place. I thought. They would drag him to Rika if he wasn't careful - and she would hurt him. I had no doubt about that. "Saeran... please calm down." He advised, his tone gentle.
"V," I whispered. "It's really you. I can't believe you're here."
V's attention was torn in my direction when he heard me whisper his name. He didn't look as frazzled as he did when he tried to rescue me not even two hours prior, but he was worse for wear. "You remember my voice. I'm terribly sorry this is where we meet, Lila, was it? You look alright. I figured that Wisteria wasn't your real name but I didn't have any hard evidence to prove it. I infiltrated this place because I believed that you were in serious danger; But I believe taking you out of this place at the given time is impossible. It's out of my hands." He said.
His frown was evident and he looked dismayed. "According to what I overheard... you already believe more in him then the RFA."
"I..."
I wanted to say otherwise... but I couldn't.
I felt pathetic as I whispered. "It's not like that."
Was he right?
Did I really believe more in Ray?
Ray looked at me, and then suddenly looked back in V's direction. He put his hand in front of me, to either block me from taking any steps towards him or to keep V from getting close to me - I wasn't sure which was his goal. He glared at V, trying to control his breathing. But it was starting to become unhinged again, he wasn't okay. "Of course, she won't believe you! Why would you even try?! You're not a good person, Lila knows that! You're a liar! Lila, stay back. Don't ever get close to him. He's dangerous. He's a bad guy."
V was cloaked in grief. He reached out towards him with his hand, "Saeran... it pains me to see you, I'm sure this is all my fault." He admits. "I'm sorry you found yourself in this situation."
Ray took a step back -
He didn't V coming anywhere close to him. He wasn't going to run at him, he wanted to get the hell away from him. Ray struggled to say something else, he shook his head at this apology. He didn't want to hear any of it. "Don't say something like that! You don't feel guilty at all! I'm not falling for that this time. Never."
V shook his head.
"I'm not the one who's lying to you. Please, can't you listen to me?" V begs. He walks forward but it doesn't help; Ray begins to stumble back on his feet with every passing second to try and keep himself safe. It's not calming Ray down. It's making him more unhinged, and the only person here that needed help was him.
Ray hisses at him, it's all he can manage as we watch him back up. "Get away! Get away. Get away. Get away from me! Don't come any closer!" Ray nearly begs. I walk him as he comes apart at the seams, unsure of what to do to help him. His feet shake. He crumbles right to the ground where he stands, petrified. "Don't you dare touch, Lila! I will never let you get away with it if you do!"
V took another step in Ray's direction, in our direction, despite the amount of pain and fear that he's inducing into the white-haired man. The space between us was shrinking despite the weight of dread that hung over everyone. It was hard to breathe in the midst of this heavy emotional grief. "You must be the one who hacked the messenger. You learned how to hack after your brother, didn't you...? Why did you have to go that far?"
Ray ferociously shook his head to V's words. He was clawing at the gravel underneath his fingers, trying not to lose himself. "No... I'm going to beat that redhead. My savior told me that I have to!"
"His brother?" I asked outright. Saeyoung, he is still out there, I remembered.
V looked in my direction, and then he spared the terrified Ray another look. There was a heavy weight on his chest that he wanted to let come free, even then, this secret that lay between him and Seven. The biggest lie he had been keeping for what had to be ten years by now, he swallows, dry, and begins to admit some of the truth. "Lila... I'll tell you now. You will find out eventually given this situation. The boy whom you call Ray and 707 are twins."
The mention of Seven makes him lash out. "I have no such thing as a brother, I threw that part away from my life years ago!"
"Saeran, you even brought a complete stranger into this. I promised Luciel you would be safe." He whispers. V sounded pained. His voice was gentle as always - but he was trying so hard not to cry at that moment.
Ray couldn't take this. His body was trembling and he began to cry. "Liar. That's all lies. Get away from me. Please!"
"Saeran..." V started to say.
Ray shook his head, trying to make him go away. He staggered to his feet once again, somehow holding himself upright. "Please, please get away, just go away... from my sight!"
"Saeran." V tried once more, this time, he stood in front of him and held out something for him. There were two bookmarks in his hands, each one bearing a different flower, and a different name. There was one that said Saeran... and the other, Saeyoung. It was a piece of the past that he didn't want to speak of; A past that I didn't know enough about to help.
I held my breath, and so did V.
Ray's breath was uneven and his voice was shaking as he spoke. He took a step back from V -
He could hardly hold himself from falling to his knees onto the gravel.
V tries, tries to reach out to the side of Ray underneath his pain. "I know you were heartbroken as much as you missed him. This is what you really looked like. I hope you would keep that in mind at least."
Ray doesn't want any part of it. "No... No. Don't give me this. My savior will be so mad if I take it. You never gave me this. I did not see anything here," Ray shook his head left and right, a firm no over and over. This time, his legs really give in and he can't get off of the ground because the past is suddenly too real for him. "No, no, no, no. Get away! Get away!"
V kept talking to him despite his refusal to believe any of the words that left his lips. He was pushing very hard but it was getting him nowhere whatsoever; He was only making this worse for Ray. He tried again, this time leaning out. "You're shivering in fear while trapped by her side. My heart is wrenching in pain..."
"You're going to torment us all just like you did to my savior. You won't fool me! You won't fool me again." Ray shouts.
"I'm so sorry things turned out like this, Saeran."
The situation had escalated far beyond what V had intended. Ray was petrified at the sight of him. He was on the verge of a panic attack because V kept showing him his face. Whatever Rika had done to Ray in the time since V had seen him last, I couldn't be sure of but I knew that something had gone wrong and it wasn't going to be fixed here. I didn't know what or when it had changed for the both of them, but V wasn't going to be able to change Ray by apologizing. If he wanted to get him out of here, he should have tried to grab him after knocking him out. That was likely the only safe way to get him out of here, but even that seemed impossible.
Everyone was on high-guard and V would be lucky to escape this time. We wouldn't be able to get out of this place together. It wouldn't be now and I wasn't going to let Ray suffer like this. He was muttering to himself, trying to hide, trying to make sense of what was happening to him. I couldn't stomach the pain that flashed inside of me.
I stood in front of Ray, protectively.
I swallowed. "You're making him catatonic. This isn't the right way to handle this! I don't know what happened in the past but whatever it was, you can't fix it by apology with just words. You're making this worse, V. I know you don't want to hurt Ray but you are. Can't you see that? I'm not going to let you drive him into a corner."
The man was surprised at my action. But deep down, he seemed to understand what I meant. "Lila... I'm terribly sorry this is how our encounter turned out, it's not what I intended. I think I can see that you've been pulled into this mess somehow through your own troubles. I thought you were a bystander, but Ray made it seem like there's a reason she picked you." V frowned, his eyes flickering between the both of us with dismay. Had he expected me to just let this happen? "I had hoped to get the both of you out of here without any trouble. But this is beyond the scope I expected... they're getting better at keeping this place tight from outsiders and I should have known."
"I know. We'd never make it if we tried now." I whispered. "I appreciate that you tried to do something. But I'm not going to leave him here alone. If I have to stay here a little longer, then I'm ready to fight. I want to keep him safe too."
"Yes. I want the same." He says, quietly.
"I want him out of here, so please keep in touch," I tell him.
From behind me, Ray began to scream once again. He gripped his head in his hands and -
A voice came from over a nearby hedge.
"Over there! It's the intruder!"
There wasn't much time left. V looked in the direction of the voice and then looked back at me as he prepped himself to run. "I'm sure that we don't have the same ideas about what is right. But I hope you continue to see this place for what it is, never lose that faith in your mind. I.. I heard everything that you spoke of with him. I understand that you have the right to waver in your faith in all of us. Please, pretend that nothing happened in the chatroom. It is for Saeran's sake. I hope to see you again."
I frowned. "I hope so too. I'm sorry."
The sound of feet hitting the pavement was all I could hear as V retreated from this place and the Believers began to chase after him into the darkness of the forest.
I turned my attention back to Ray, immediately. He was clutching his head and tears were spilling from his eyes. The feeling of panic still lingered in the air, but he was so desperately afraid of V. I wasn't surprised to see how bad he felt. I crouched down onto the ground next to him and carefully touched his shoulders. It was a soft touch - He was startled and he nearly yelped at the touch. He almost reached out and shoved me back -
only to stop when he met my eyes.
Ray froze, and his hands fell back to his lap. His pain had no bounds Ray's face looked of a frightened child who knew nothing but misery. He looked around, desperately, trying to see if V was hiding around the corner just waiting to get him. "Is he gone? He's gone, right...? Lila, you're safe, right?" His eyes began to trickle with wet tears.
He threw his arms around my shoulders, clinging to me as I was his lifeline.
"We're safe? Please tell me," he begs.
"He's gone, Ray. It's okay now. You're okay. I promise." I whispered to him -
my touch as gentle as I could manage. The sensation would be enough to remind him that we were together; He wasn't alone and he wasn't feeling this pain in his head. He seemed to relax when I promised it was okay. "I won't let anything bad happen to you as long as I'm here, never. You wouldn't let anything bad happen to me, either. Remember?"
Ray was quiet for a few minutes. He didn't say anything else and neither did I. We just stayed like that; He needed to calm down before he tried to get up again. It took all of ten minutes to ease his quaking heart. Ray didn't dare look me in the eyes again after that, he just cast his head to the ground and refused to look up. "I... I'm too weak. I hate myself... I'm so useless. I really hate myself. Why did I fail again? Maybe I can never... make you happy. I understand even if you hate me... because of how pathetic I am."
"Ray - no, you're not useless. We've talked about this before and..." I started to say but he shook his head.
He wiped his eyes free of the wetness and looked down in shame. Ray staggered to his feet and offered me a hand. I took it, the tremors he had were still pumping through his muscles. He let go of it almost as fast as my feet touched the ground. "Forget it. I'll walk you back to your room. Please calm down in there, and let's talk again once you're feeling you're up for it. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you, Lila."