Mai leaned against the wall for support. She had been running around the orphanage that the mad man had made. If that wasn't bad enough, she was being chased by the children.
"Gene!" Mai shouted. Ever since Gene was thrown out the dream, Lisa had been playing her own games. Mai sighed and walked down the hall. She's on the fifth floor, so she had no where to escape now. Well, if she were up to it, she'd jump out the window or down the stairs. The girl sighed and looked around. She heard the faint footsteps around her. "Who's there?"
"Onee-chan. . . Where's my mummy?" Mai looked down to see a child. She didn't look like any of the children chasing after her, and she wasn't in the group either.
Mai bent a bit to reach the kid's height. "Where did you last see your mom?" The kid shrugged. Tears threatened to escape the kid's eyes, but she was trying to keep it in. "How about this, we'll look for your mom, but promise me you won't cry." Mai extended her pinky finger toward the girl.
"I promise!" the child cheered. She extended to her pinky to complete the promise. After that, the two walked in a comfortable silence. Each room they went to, they felt eyes following them. Mai glanced at the kid from time to time to make sure she didn't walk to far back behind her. Her gut told her not to trust the kid, but she couldn't just leave her all alone, right?
"What does your mommy look like?" Mai asked. The kid just stayed quiet. Mai stopped and turned to the kid. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, but will you be, young woman." The kid looked at Mai with ice cold eyes. Her gut was right. She can't trust the kid. Mai started to run as fast as her legs can take her, trying to create some distance from the kid. "Onee-chan, don't you think it's rude to break a promise? That's why adults are mean. They always break their promises."
Before Mai could blink, children appeared before her. They were slowly closing in on her, backing Mai into the corner.
"The next thing I knew, there was a noose on my neck." Mai felt the rope marks on her neck. "They tied the other end of the rope to the window near us. I. . . I tried my best to escape, but it was futile. Before tightening the noose around my neck, they gave me a doll. A worn out, creepy doll. After that they threw me out the window, and then you and Gene came. . ." Tears flowed down Mai's cheek. Naru had no idea on what to do now.
'YOU IDIOT SCIENTIST!' Gene shouted. 'Don't leave a girl crying, comfort her!' Naru sighed and put his hand on Mai's had.
"You're okay now at least." Naru said. He seriously had no idea what to say after. He really wanted to comfort her more, but had no idea how. After a while, Mai finally calmed down. "Come out of the shadows now." Mai watched as Krimson and Leon emerged from the shadows.
"Ah, we've been found~" Krimson sang. How long have they been there, Mai thought. They still should be setting up the mics and cameras. "I've got to say, Luella and Martin will definitely love this picture Noll! I mean well if I bother to send it." Naru shot a glare toward Krimson before going to the monitors.
"Don't mind the Fatass' last sentence, it was already sent." Leon bluntly said before sitting on the couch with Krimson.
"If I may ask, how did you guys do that quickly?" Mai asked.
Krimson looked up from his phone. "Well, when Leon and I used to work with Naru and uncle, we always placed the cameras and mics where the activity happens."
Mai's curiosity spiked. "Who's your uncle?" Leon got her laptop and ignored the conversation of the two.
"Professor Martin Davis," Naru replied in Krimson's stead. "My father once brought Leon and Krimson on a case before."
"Yep. Me and Nol aren't related by blood of course. I was adopted by Luella's sister while Noll and Gene were of course adopted by Martin and Luella. We spent 5 months in the orphanage together." Krimson explained. Slowly, it sank in. "That means I can tell you more about Noll's past and give you exclusive pictures." Mai's face slowly turned pink at the thought of having a secret album of Naru.
"Save it til next time, Fatass." Leon snapped. "Last time you and Luella had a plot, I was involved in the scolding." Krimson stuck his tongue out and said some things in Russian or Belorussian.
Mai sighed and went to the kitchen part of the room. She had nothing else to do, so she decided to busy herself in making tea. She placed the kettle on the stove and sighed. The thing Krimson asked her the day before bothered her. He is a boy right? Crossdressing is a possibility, but he looks nothing like a girl. Sharp features and the voice of a normal boy, so why had he bothered to ask her?
"Mai, hurry up!" Leon demanded. She hadn't realized that the kettle was already whistling. With haste, Mai had prepared tea for everyone. She heard other voices, so she assumed Masako and John were finished. Once done, the brunette came into the next room with a full tray of tea. Mai passed it out, but made sure that Naru was the last one to receive his.
"John, do you wanna hear a funny story from long ago?" Krimson asked. John, not knowing how to reply, just nodded. "Long ago when a pair of twins lost a bet, they had walked around in the mall in pink dresses and wigs. An hour later, they were both hit on."
I have a bad feeling about this, Mai thought as she felt the glare being sent to them.
The circle of friends each shared funny stories for the next hour or so. After Leon's story about Krimson getting lost in France, Mai told the story of how she had gotten lost in England once. Meanwhile that was happening, two twins were sharing a small chat.
'Noll, why don't you join them? I mean, bond with Mai.' Gene complained. 'I swear, you really aren't making much progress.' Naru glared at his brother through the mirror.
'I'd rather focus on work.' Naru said. 'Unless you're here to give me advice, scram.' Gene made a hurt face before replying.
'Noll, I have a bad feeling.' Gene warned. 'Just don't let your guard down.'
'Whatever.' Naru cut the connection off and hid the mirror in his pocket.
Yasu slammed the door open, causing the group to nearly jump out of their seats."We're back!" Mai sighed. Her heart almost jumped out of her chest.
"What did you gather?" Naru asked. Yasu sat on the chair beside Leon.
"I don't think you'll like it though." Yasu said.
"Why?" Mai asked.
Yasu shrugged. "A feeling, I guess."
"Quit stalling," Naru stated. Yasu cleared his throat and started.
"20 years ago, a man owned this building and used it as an orphanage. The funny thing is, once a kid comes, they don't come back out." Yasu paused, letting it sink in. "Some people who pass by at night claim to hear sounds like screaming or crying, but they ignored it. The man who owned the orphanage, Robert Williams, had a child who stayed at the orphanage to 'play'." Mai stiffened.
"Was her name Lisa?" Mai asked. Yasu nodded in surprise.
"Yeah. She was around six at that time. Her mother had passed away when she was three, so she was left with her father." Yasu explained. "Now, here's what caught my eye, Robert Williams was a former scientist at America. He was fired for killing people and dissecting them for experimental uses."
"That's sick. . ." Krimson muttered. Everyone agreed with that statement.
Yasu continued, unfazed by this information. "He moved here to start anew with his daughter, but his sanity was spent by the time they got here. He gathered his assistants with him and opened up a fake orphanage to use the children as their test subjects. To determine who they dissect, they divided them into three groups. Whoever loses the game the groups are fixed with will be the subject. Ring Around the Rosie, London Bridge, Jack and Jill - those are their games."
"Did anything happen?" Mai asked. All eyes were fixed on her. Usually, she'd keep quiet while Yasu explains.
"Um, yeah. Here's where it gets bad. Sometime 15 years ago, Lisa lost a game. The man really didn''t care if it was his own daughter. When the children were undressing, Lisa slipped out the room and hid. Robert didn't really notice her slip out until it was her turn. When he realized this, he went on a rampage. He beat the children asking them where was Lisa. When Lisa's best friend, Jin, was killed, the girl revealed herself. She wasn't killed at the spot, but in the empty lot behind this building. At that time, the building there wasn't in construction yet until 2 years after Lisa died." Yasu paused to catch his breath. "He had beaten her until she couldn't move. He then brought her to the empty lot and hung her. To make it worse, he burned the wooden box he hung her in."
Mai wiped the sweat off her brow. After hearing Lisa's story again, she vomited. Hearing the story made her remember Lisa and her dream. She hated it. Being useless like that. . .
'Mai it was the past, don't think hard on yourself.' Gene comforted. Mai jumped at the sound of Gene's voice in her head.
'Gene, since when did you get in my head?' Mai asked.
'Since from the start.' Gene replied. Mai could imagine the goofy smile on his face. 'Anyway, as I was saying, Mai you shouldn't worry. You can't change the past. But you can decide to change an outcome.'
'Never expected you to say something that deep.' Mai teased. She heard Gene huff.
'At least give me some spotlight Mai.' Gene said. 'Anyway, comforting done, I'm out!' With that, Gene left Mai's thoughts.
Mai walked out the bathroom and went to base. Everyone turned their heads to her, minus Naru and Lin. Leon gestured for her to take a seat which she gladly took.
"Now that Mai's here we'll pick out everyone's rooms." Krimson cheered. "You guys will draw numbers from here." The blue haired boy took a tissue box from the table that has already been set.
"Here is how the draw will go, boys first then girls." Leon explained. Krimson stood from his seat and walked to Lin first, then Yasu, then John, then Naru. Then he proceeded to the girls.
"Open the paper." Krimson instructed. "Then the boys will say their number. Girls with the said number will approach them."
"I guess I'll Start first." John unfolded his paper. "191." Masako raised her hand then walked to John.
"194." Both Lin and Yasu said. Well, it was expected. Yasu didn't have a partner while Lin doesn't have Madoka at the moment.
"193." Naru muttered. Mai couldn't believe. Her hear was jumping for joy and she did't know what to say. She walked to Naru's side, heart still pounding.
"Now that we know each other's room, we'll go ahead and set-up your rooms." Leon left the room, Krimson behind her.
"Um, Krimson quick question." Yasu spoke up. Krimson stopped in his tracks and looked at the boy. "Where are Ayako and Monk gonna room at?"
"Hm? Since they weren't here when we drew numbers, they'll automatically get room 192, whether they like it or not." Krimson replied. With that, the boy left the room.
This place is pretty cool, Mai thought. She had permission from Naru to roam around the place for a bit while the rest did what they were instructed. At first, Naru had rejected saying that Mai would just cause trouble or get herself hurt. After he told her to just sleep and gather information. She begged until he gave in.
Mai eyed the painting beside her. It was a portrait of a girl. She was wearing a white lolita-like costume and holding a stuffed toy. She then remembered the legend of the White Lolita, and after reading that, she couldn't even throw her garbage out for a week. After a while, the lights began to flicker. Not again,Mai thought. Why does this always happen to me? Mai didn't realize that she was looking at her shoes. She raised her head and looked at the painting once more. This time, the lolita was looking straight at her, eyes bloodshot red. Mai wanted to scream, but nothing came out when she opened her lips.
"Girl. . . Will. . . Help. . .?" the lolita asked. Mai didn't answer. She just stood there frozen. When Mai blinked, she saw that everything was back to normal. The lolita in the portrait held the same smile from before she moved.
Mai was broken out her thoughts when a scream filled the air.