Mary opened her eyes to find herself in a darkened room. "Where am I?" she asked, looking around. The room was empty, except for a small vase with a yellow flower in it. "Why does this seem so familiar?" she wondered aloud, walking over towards the flower.
"I suppose I should let you remember," Ib said, her eyes glimmering. Mary froze, memories of the exhibit flooding back. She picked up the rose, staring at it.
"So I did become human," she said, staring at the room. The vase's color began to drip, and the liquid began to form a door.
"Yes, you did. You took my place," Ib whispered. "I hate you!" she screamed. Mary sighed.
"Two things should be told to you, even if I can't see you," Mary said. "One, you willingly let me out, sacrificing yourself to let me and Garry free. Two, I know why you're doing this." Ib frowned.
"What are you talking about? I'm doing this because you jerks left me here to rot. You were disgusted by the sight of me!" Ib shouted. Mary shook her head.
"None of that happened," Mary murmured. "And you can show yourself. I'm unarmed." The door began to change colors, and opened, revealing Ib.
"What are you talking about?" Ib asked. "Of course it happened!" She appeared to be struggling, her arms twitching.
"It was your fears, mixed with psychological collapse," Mary said. "Once you enter the painting world, the gallery amplifies your mental breakdown. Usually in the form of a person." Ib glared at Mary.
"You liar!' she screamed, her twitching arm pulling out a large knife. She lunged at Mary, who ducked out of the way. "I hate you!" she shouted repeatedly, continuing to try to attack Mary. Mary's eyes turned a deeper blue.
"I didn't want to have to do this," Mary said. Still dodging Ib, she put her hands in a triangle shape, murmuring words to an incantation. Her hands started to glow, and she shouted, "Reveal your true nature!" as a beam left her hands. Ib, who was running towards Mary, and took this as an opportunity to fling her knife. She then got hit by the beam, and flew backwards. Mary, too focused on the energy concentration, let the knife sever most of her petals. She collapsed.
"I hate you!" Ib screamed once more, colors starting to fly from her body. The colors swirled into a woman shape, which Ib recognized as Iris. Leftover color from Ib lit up, and a black rose dropped down.
"You…see…" Mary whispered between clenched teeth. "The gallery…amplifies your…breakdown…" Ib looked up at Iris, her eyes showing confusion.
"She's lying," Iris said, her eyes glimmering. She started to glow and exploded in a burst of light, along with the rose. Ib smirked.
"I knew it," Ib said, walking over to Mary, trying to crawl over to the vase. She picked Mary up, each glaring into each other's eyes.
"I know you're still in there," Mary said.
"You'd lose that bet," Ib said, ripping the remaining petals off of Mary's rose. Mary screeched, collapsing to the floor. Mary looked up, her eyes turning yellow.
"Release!" she screamed, exploding into a burst of yellow petals. Ib paled, realizing what she had just done.
"Mary, I'm so sorry…" Ib said, tears welling in her eyes. Her irises turned black, and she added, "but it's too late to stop now."