"... What did you mean by 'brave souls?'" A bead of sweat appeared on Samurai Girl's forehead.

Giggles giggled. "A chosen 16… Oh," she put a hand over her mouth, gasping, "is it only 11 now…? How,snrk,unfortunate…"

Big Sis Megumi growled. "Don't make light of that." A shadow crossed her face. "This is personal, now."

"Hahahaa… I'm so very afraid…" Giggles chortled. She procured a tablet and handed it to the policewoman. "Please, take this…"

"Huh?" Brows knitted, Big Sis Megumi grasped it. "What… Is this for?"

"It's for the Main Game, of course. A great trial, to see who shall escape this place…" Giggles sneered. "A game of the inferior versus the superior. Certainly, not all of you shall leave this place alive."

Stripey swallowed. "You're serious…? What a disgusting sentiment!"

Giggles crossed over to Gin, causing him to flinch violently backward. "G-Get away, woof!"

She snickered. "Oh, my… No need to be so alarmed, Gin Ibushi." She held out a voting tablet. "Please, take this." Terrified of what she would do should he not, Gin swiftly grabbed the voting tablet, growling at the doll.

She glided away from him, handing a voting tablet to each member of the room, giggling all the while. "Everyone has one? Good. Ehehehe… I'd like to test their functionality, so everyone, please, pick a face. It doesn't matter whose."

Samurai Girl swallowed, backing towards Cotton Candy. "Okay…!"

Big Sis Anzu moved over to Gin. "Hey, are you alright…? When your collar started screeching…" She rubbed her shoulder.

"I-I'm okay, meow…" Gin had never been scared of anyone who wasn't his father before. He couldn't say he enjoyed the experience. He looked down at the tablet in his hands.'Just… Pick anyone? Okay…'

"Big Sis Anzu… Is something bad gonna happen if we vote, meow…?"

She winced. "Honestly, Gin… I think something bad'll happen if we don't vote. I mean, Miley said it was just a test, right?"

He nodded. "O-Okay…!" He looked down at the screen. 11 faces stared back at him.

Gin, not thinking too hard about his decision, selected the face that had made the loudest impression in his mind.

"Okay…! I voted, meow!"

Giggles giggled. "Oh, my… How interesting… I never would have,snrk,expected this…!" she grinned. "Looks like some of you are well-prepared for the coming brutality…"

Hipster frowned. "What do you mean? Isn't this just a test…?"

Giggles let loose a full-blown cackle. "Oh, it certainly is…! Allow me to announce the results of the voting."

Samurai Girl's brow furrowed. "What's the point? Haven't you gotten the data you wanted? Obviously, the tablets work."

"Ah, but what fun is there in keeping the results a," Giggles broke into a fit of chortling, "se-hee-heecret…!?"

She gathered herself. "At zero votes: Gin Ibushi, Shin Tsukimi, and Ranmaru Kageyama!"

Cotton Candy blinked in surprise. "Huh? But I didn't…"

"At one vote, the overwhelming majority: Mai Tsurugi, Kazumi Mishima, Sara Chidouin, Megumi Sasahara, Hinako Mishuku, and Anzu Kinashi!"

Big Sis Anzu gulped. "Gin…? You didn't vote for yourself…?"

So? It was just a dumb test! "No, meow… Should I have…?"

She wet her lips. "I've just… Got an awful feeling in my stomach, all of a sudden."

"At two votes," Giggles' eyes flashed with intense mirth. Well, even more so than usual. "Gonbee Yamada!"

He scoffed. "... As I'd thought."

"And finally, our grand winner, with a whopping three votes: Q-taro Burgerberg!" Giggles burst into a fit of cackles.

"S-Seriously…? That many people…!?" Muscle Gorilla took off his cap to scratch his head. "Wh-What did I do?"

Hat Lady sweat. "W-Well… She said you won, right? Maybe it's something good…? If I'd thought that, I would have voted for you, too…" Hat Lady didn't seem terribly confident in her words.

Muscle Gorilla sighed. "Aw, whatever… What 'appens now?"

Giggles snorted. "Are you sure you want those…?"

Muscle Gorilla blinked. "Want those… What?"

"Want those to be your last words?"Giggles sneered. "Way to secure your legacy as an airheaded moron."

What? Muscle Gorilla's eyes widened in panic. "H-Hey…! Are you gonna seriously fuckin' blow me up…!?"

"Oh, no… You won't explode… Heehee…"

Cotton Candy gasped. "Wait a sec…! Can't somebody help him…!?"

Hat Lady's eyes bulged in terror. "W-Wait…! Don't hurt Q-taro…!"

It was too late. Muscle Gorilla was already clasping at his neck, face red.'What… What's going on…? I didn't want this…'The baseballer clawed at his collar as it clamoured with a horrible whirring sound. Deliriously, Gin thought of his last dentist appointment. "Gah… Fuckin'...! Cut it out…! Kuah…!"

"Q-taro…! NOOO!"

Muscle Gorilla choked, blood pouring from his mouth. An expression of rage crossed his face, lip pulling back, eyes wide and bloodshot. He lunged at Giggles, massive fists swinging.

She cackled and ducked out of the way. Muscle Gorilla crashed into the wall with an ear-shattering pound. He slid down towards the ground, all energy drained from his enormous frame.

Q-taro expired.

"Aaahhh…" It took Gin a moment to realize the groan was coming from his own mouth. "A-Aaahhhh…" He backed up into the corner, heart pounding in his ears.

Giggles cackled. "Oh, dear… How brutal. He must have had a drill collar. Such a shame." She sighed, still grinning. "And he shows, er, showed such potential…"

Hat Lady could only gape. "Q-Q-taro…? That's…" Her jaw quivered. A vein pulsed in her forehead. "What… What the fuck is wrong with you!?"

Giggles sneered. "That's the point of the game. You will all hold a majority vote, and whoever you select…" She gestured at Q-taro's bleeding corpse. "... Will die."

"Hah… You're really gonna kill us, huh?" Shorty's fists clenched. "... You're scum."

Big Sis Megumi looked utterly bewildered. "Just… Why Q-taro…? Who voted for him? If it had to be anyone, I thought it would be Gonbee…"

The man in question jolted. "Good to know you hold me in such warm regards, Megumi Sasahara!"

Gin couldn't take this anymore, the low moan emitting from his throat building up and up and up until it was a scream.

"G-Gin…!?" Big Sis Anzu reached out for him. He ducked away.

Gin fled the room.

He didn't want her to die, too.

"Hey, Mai… I was thinkin'..." Q-taro rubbed the back of his neck, fingers sliding over the cold metal of his collar. He shuddered at the sensation. "Once we get outta this shithole… You wanna come see one a' my games…? I'd be glad ta have ya."

She giggled. "Oh, Q-taro! Is this your way of asking me out on a date~?"

He blushed. "N-Nah, not really. I-I mean, if ya wanted ta go on one, I wouldn't say no…! Just figger watching some big ol' meathead smash some balls into oblivion ain't a lady's idea of romance…"

"Q-taro. I'd be delighted." She beamed. "And if I wanted to see a movie after…?"

He grinned, teeth shining like the sun. "What'd I tell ya!? I wouldn't say no!"

Gin panted as he sped up the newly formed stairs in the main hall. He was, in no way, equipped to think about the logistics of a magically formed set of stairs, then. His brain buzzed with millions of tiny thoughts, like mosquitoes sucking his blood. A hole had opened up his chest, just like the ones he had drilled in Q-taro's throat.

On the second floor, Gin bolted for the first door he saw. Inside was a blank, empty room. Gin stared at the sparse walls and unfurnished floor. "D-Dreary, mew…"

He collapsed to his knees.'Mu- Q-taro… I killed him… I didn't know… I swear…'Gin wasn't sure who he was pleading to. God? He inhaled, shuddering and reedy.

A cage sprung up around his body. "Mreowr!? H-Hey…!" He bolted to the edge of the cage, clawing at the bars. "Somebody! Help, meow!"

The cage began sinking into the floor, taking Gin with it. He whimpered in despair.

"Gin!" Suddenly, Hipster tore into the room, Big Sis Megumi filing in after him. "Oh, crap!"

"Hipster! Help me, woof!" He sniffled. "I-I don't wanna die, meow…"

Big Sis Megumi swallowed. "You'll be okay, Gin." She turned to Hipster just as the cage sank fully into the floor. "See that ladder…?" The floor turned ceiling cut off her voice.

Gin shivered.'It's… Really dark. Does this pit even have a bottom…?'He'd been suspended above a wide, black chasm, with a small platform elevated slightly below his cage. A ladder extended downwards over the platform, leading to a control console of some sort.

Big Sis Megumi descended first, followed by Hipster. "Guys! Help, nya!"

Hipster inhaled sharply. "We'll get you down, Gin…!"

Big Sis Megumi busied herself by examining the console. She pulled a flashlight from underneath the machine. "Birdcage…? Shin, you press the button. I'll shine the light."

"Huh…?" He came over to examine the console. "... Shit. Okay." He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Alright! I'm starting it…!"

Hipster broke into a flurry of button mashing as Big Sis Megumi stood rigid, shoulders loose.

Gin mewled in terror as phantom faces emerged from the blackness of his surroundings. Big Sis Megumi quickly dispatched them with a steady hand.

Ninety seconds later, the ordeal had finished. Hipster stood in front of the button, looking oddly proud of himself. He must have had a lot of experience doing nothing but pushing buttons…

Gin quivered in relief as Big Sis Megumi pulled him out of the now unlocked cage. "Are you alright, Gin? That must have been quite the terrifying experience."

Gin swallowed, tongue thick.'Mister Q-taro… Did I really deserve to escape…?'

He trembled, and tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. "I'm sorry, meow… I'm totally useless…"

Hipster blinked, stricken. "... Huh? Why do you say that, Gin?"

The tears broke. Gin's shoulders shook. "Mister Q-taro… I killed him, woof… My vote…"

Big Sis Megumi gasped, at a loss. She couldn't meet his eyes. "Gin…"

'She must hate me now… I didn't mean it…'

Hipster straightened. "Listen to me, Gin. You didn't kill anyone. Miley did."

"B-But that's not true, nya… Mister Q-taro… He wouldn't have gotten hurt… I-If I didn't…"

"And then Gonbee would be dead, too. He had two votes, remember?"

"A-ah…" Gin sobbed.

"Look…" Hipster sighed. He turned his gaze to Big Sis Megumi. "Could you tell the others we've found Gin, please? If they've stopped arguing, that is…"

She nodded. "... Take care of him, okay?" Turning, Big Sis Megumi ascended the ladder.

Gin sniffled. Hipster sat down beside him, leaning his back against the machine. "Truth is, Gin… If anyone killed Q-taro by voting for him… It'd be me."

What? Hipster voted for Q-taro, too? "M-Meow…?"

He sighed. "I feel awful about it. I wasn't thinking of the consequences and… I guess nerves got the better of me. So I picked the biggest guy here." Hipster met his eyes. "If you'd known Q-taro was going to die, would you still have picked him?"

"No, woof!" Gin burst through his tears. "I would have voted for myself, meow! I… Didn't want anybody to die… Not even that weirdo, Stripey…"

"See? The kidnappers did it on purpose. They wanted to confuse us. If we'd known the consequences…" Hipster looked away. "... I don't know what would have happened. It was a 'practice round,' apparently. If we'd tied… Nothing would have happened."

Nothing? Was that what Q-taro had died for, then? "Mister Q-taro… Died on a fluke, meow? That's… Awful…"

Hipster frowned, looking off into the deep abyss surrounding them. "It is. That's why we can't let them get to us like that. They wanted you to hurt somebody, Gin. Don't let them turn you into someone who would do that."

"I… Don't wanna hurt anybody, meow… But…" Gin looked at Hipster, tears staining his facemask. "Does that mean I'll die, woof?"

Hipster waited for a long moment before answering. "... No. We'll look out for you, Gin. Anzu seems to like you. I think Megumi wants to protect us… And I will, too." He chuckled. "Though I'm not sure how much use I'll be. I can't say I knew Q-taro too well, but… I don't think he'd want us to destroy ourselves. I know I wouldn't, if it had been me. Maybe he is angry at the two of us, but everybody else?" He scratched his head. "I just can't imagine Q-taro as that kind of person."

"Hipster…"

"Huh? Is that what you're calling me?" Hipster pouted. "That's hurtful."

"I… Want Mister Q-taro to be the last, woof!" Gin felt a flame burning in his gut. "All of those people who died in the First Trial… I don't want anybody else to die, meow! I'm gonna make it up to Mister Q-taro! You need to, as well, Big Bro Shin!"

Big Bro Shin blinked. "Hah… Okay." He grinned. "If you insist. How about we poke around on this floor a bit, then? See if we can find something for the others?"

Despite his words, Gin still felt a gnawing pit of guilt hollowing out his stomach.

He hoped this new flame would fill it.

"Big ol' iron bars, huh…?" Big Bro Shin swallowed. "Looks like we aren't getting back there…"

"Let's just… Investigate the other rooms, meow…" Gin padded towards the door on the furthest left side of the floor, labeled with a sign reading "Sp."

"Alright, then." Big Bro Shin slinked after him. The other side of the door held a massive spa, with several makeup mirrors lined up on the side of the room. Gin groaned. "Why is this even here, woof…?"

Shin smirked. "Hey, I might need to powder my nose. Don't be rude."

"What does that even mean, nya!?"

Sensing that this room was a bust, Gin barged back out of the door. He didn't even have his swimsuit, anyway! He put a mitten to his chin.'"Sp" or "Mir," huh…?'

Big Bro Shin crept up behind him. "How about we take a glance at the "Mir" room? My intuition says that the other 'Sp' room'll be a bust…"

"Your intuition, nya? From what, video games?"

Big Bro Shin turned red. "... No." He was totally lying…

They entered the "Mir" room. Inside was a room split in half down the middle. The left side of the room featured a vase with four flowers sticking out of its water; A scale tipped to the right with a bath stopper, of all things; two blacked-out windows; two light bulbs affixed to the ceiling; a crystal clear mirror; a painting of a hand holding a gun; and an absolutely adorable ice statue of a dog.

The right side of the room held a few key differences. There were two flowers in a vase; the scale was balanced with two bath stoppers; one of the windows displayed a scenic, cloudy view; there was a hole for a light bulb to be affixed, but no actual lightbulb; the mirror was all foggy; there were two portraits, one identical to the other, and the other of a man being gunned down, a strange red liquid pouring from behind the crevice; and Gin's heart broke at the sight of a puddle of warm water opposite the ice statue.

Big Bro Shin scratched his chin. "The 'Mir' room… I think I get it."

"Another puzzle, woof…? Let me handle it, Big Bro Shin! I'm really good at these!"

He blinked. "Well, okay, then. I'll be here if you need help, okay?" Gin smiled for the first time in about half an hour.'I won't, but I appreciate it anyway, Big Bro Shin!'

Gin's first order of business was to mess with the scale on the right side of the room. When he tried lifting the bath stoppers, however, they didn't budge. "S-Seriously, meow!? It's stiff as a rock!"

Big Bro Shin hummed. "Maybe you have to make the right match the left, instead of adjusting both of them?"

Gin groaned. "That's annoying, meow…" He looked up at the paintings.'Haven't I seen a painting like these before…?'

He scampered over to the left side of the room. He spied a spray bottle filled with water on the floor. "Well, at least I know what to do with that, meow…" He grabbed it and spritzed the mirror. Soon enough, it was just as cloudy as the one to his right.

Sensing another easy fix, Gin plucked one of the flowers from the left vase, placing it in the vase on the right. Three flowers each.

'Okay… Now what? I guess I should get the lightbulb, but how will I reach it…?'His eyes drifted over to Big Bro Shin, leaned up against the wall.

"Need something, Gin?"

"I need a piggyback ride, meow!"

He blinked. "H-Hwah? Oh, for the lightbulb, right?" Big Bro Shin sweat. "S-Sure…" He squatted down, arms held out behind him.

Gin jumped onto his back. He collapsed to the ground. "O-Oof…! Ouch…"

Gin blinked, bewildered. "You're… Really weak, Big Bro Shin…"

The man flustered. "I'm not weak…! You just caught me by surprise…!" He crawled back to his feet, panting. "Just don't…Leapon me, this time…" He crouched again.

Very carefully, Gin climbed onto the man's delicate back.

"Ough…! Gah…!Huff…"Gasping and red-faced, Shin lifted the 35.5 kilogram child onto his shoulders. Hurriedly, Gin unscrewed the unmatched lightbulb.

Once he had let Gin back down to the floor, Shin collapsed. "Blargh…"

Gin stared at him, disturbed. "How are you even alive, nya…?"

"... Shaddap."

Content to leave Big Bro Shin in his self-constructed misery, Gin decided to wait a minute before asking for another piggy-back ride to screw in the lightbulb. He pushed it into his pocket.

He mewled.'There is one thing I can do on the right side of the room…'Pawing up to the scenic window, Gin was quick to realize that the view was just some cheap wallpaper plastered over it. It felt good to let out some frustration by clawing it to pieces.

Suddenly, Gin startled at the sound of a loud draining sound coming from another room. "Mreowr…!? Big Bro Shin…?"

The man was standing over by the scales on the left side of the room. He had tipped the scales to the left. "Looks like I did something, huh? Let's check it out."

"O-Okay, meow… I think I need to find some stuff outside of this room, anyway, woof."

They trailed out of the room. "That sound came from the room we were in last." Big Bro Shin gestured towards the red "Sp" room.

Walking inside, the two discovered that the water in the spa had been completely drained, leaving a decline on the side of the room. There was something in the bottom.

Gin pounced on it. "A… Bath-stopper, meow?"

Big Bro Shin grinned. "Looks like we've got what we were looking for."

Gin nodded, pocketing it. "Let's find the other stuff first, okay, meow…?"

Big Bro Shin nodded, and they walked back onto the second floor platform. A quick glance in the yellow "Sp" room revealed nothing but a clone of the other "Sp" room. Gin didn't particularly want to go back into the "Ro" room, either…

"Looks like we gotta go back downstairs. You ready, Gin?" Big Bro Shin looked at Gin, worry dancing in his eyes.

"I… Can't keep running away from everybody, mew… I gotta tell them what I did, woof…"

Big Bro Shin looked away. "You don't have to tell them, you know."

Gin reeled. "Huh!? B-But, the votes, meow… Everybody knows already…" He gulped. "M-Me and you and Ranmaru…"

Shin sniffed. "Ah, but then who voted for Gonbee?"

"M-Mreowr…?"

"Think about it. If you, me, and Ranmaru all voted for Q-taro, then where did the extra vote come from? He must have voted for himself. If you claim you voted for Gonbee…"

Gin swallowed. "B-But wouldn't Cotton Candy do that, meow…? I'd feel even worse if I tried to run away again, woof…"

Big Bro Shin inhaled, the words dying on his lips. "Ah… You're right, Gin. I'm sorry. I just don't want anybody to hold it against you." He coughed. "O-Or me, at that…"

"Big Bro Shin… I'm ready, meow. Are you?"

The man blinked. "... Yeah. I'm ready." He held out his hand. "Let's go."

Gin took it.

"Gin…!" Big Sis Anzu tackled the boy, scooping him into a hug.

"B-Big Sis Anzu…! Stop, meoooww…" His face felt like it was on fire.

She set him down, sighing in relief. "When you ran off… I was so worried." Her eyes shone. "Are you okay…? That was… Really scary, I know…"

He nestled into her sweater, whimpering.'I… Have to tell her…'He swallowed. "B-Big Sis Anzu… I, I…" He couldn't get the words out…

Big Sis Megumi approached them. "Gin… Are you alright, now?"

"I'm… I'm okay, woof…"

Samurai Girl smiled. "I'm glad to see you well, Gin. We were all worried…"

Gin sniffed. "I'm okay, nya…"

"It's okay." Big Sis Megumi's eyes were kind. "I won't ask who you voted for. There's no point prying into that now. Nobody blames you."

'What about Hat Lady? She really liked Mister Q-taro…'

"Wh-Where's Hat Lady, meow…? I gotta… Talk to her…" Gin's lip quivered, but he bit it back.

"A-Ah… She's in the bar. I don't think she's drinking, but…"

Shorty sniffed. "She was in a pretty awful mood. Kept screamin' at us." Her brow furrowed by the slightest amount. "... You sure you wanna see her, right now?"

"... I gotta." Gin swallowed. "Big Sis Anzu, Big Bro Shin! Let's solve that puzzle, okay? Wait for me, woof!"

Anzu worried her lips. "B-Big Bro…" She shook her head. "Are you sure, Gin? I'll come with you! Mai… Is probably still really angry…"

"It's okay, woof. If she's angry…" Gin's mind flashed to raised voices and shattering glass. "... It's nothing I can't handle, meow."

"I-If you're sure…" Anzu looked to Shin for help.

"We'll be right outside, Gin. Is that okay?" He asked.

'They're… Really concerned, aren't they? I don't wanna worry anybody…'Gin nodded, and padded off to the bar entrance.

The sign loomed over him like an omen of death. Gin's palms felt incredibly sweaty underneath his mittens.'... I can't keep being afraid! If I want everybody else to survive…!'He pushed through the doorway.

Hat Lady was seated, back facing him, her hands on her face. She'd tossed her weird cream puff hat onto the counter.

Gin swallowed, heart beating loudly. It didn'tlooklike she had been drinking, but how could he be sure? "H-Hat Lady…?"

She straightened. "Ah…! G-Gin…?" She spun around on the barstool to face him. She wasn't crying, but she obviously had been, mascara staining streaks down her face. "D-Do you need something~?"

"N-no…" He looked away. The words built like an explosion in his chest. "I-I'm sorry, woof! I didn't mean it!"

Hat Lady flinched. "H-Huh…?"

Gin licked his dry lips. "M-Mister Q-taro… I killed him, meow…" He sniffled. "I'm sorry…!"

Hat Lady blinked. "Gin…" She took a deep breath. "I-I'm not… Angry with you."

"Th-That's a lie, woof…!" He tore. "I know I'm a moron, mreowr! You don't have to try and make me feel better like everybody else…!"

"I-I'm not…" Her expression firmed. "It's not a matter of me trying to make you feel better, Gin. I really, truly do not blame you. Do you understand?"

"B-But…"

"No 'buts!'" She huffed. "What happened to Q-taro is a travesty, but…" She sighed, looking defeated. "He never had a chance. I couldn't tell you why. Lord knows he didn't deserve it, but…"

"Wh-What do you mean, mew…?"

"I mean…" she groaned, lowering her tone. "Should I tell him this…?" She cleared her throat. "I was standing next to Q-taro, Gin. So, I know for a fact that hedidn't vote for himself."

"Huh?" Gin gasped. "B-But… There were only…"

"Three votes? That's what I thought, too." She snarled. "Somebody's lying to us, Gin. Ranmaru claims he voted for Gonbee, but so did Q-taro. So either he's lying, or somebody covered up their vote."

Gin swallowed. "S-Somebody… Got voted for, meow…? And they voted for Mister Q-taro…?"

"Yes." Hat Lady knelt down to meet his eyes. "You understand, Gin? I don't blame you at all." She softened. "You even had the guts to come here and try to apologize…" Her gaze steeled again. "I only blame whoever's been lying to us. That's who I'm so angry at."

'Hat Lady… Doesn't blame me? I don't really get it…'Gin swallowed.'But she's right! If Mister Q-taro didn't vote for himself… Then it wasn't me and Big Bro Shin that killed him…! It was this third person that covered up their vote…! But who voted for them…?'Gin panted. "Big Sis Mai… Thank you…"

"Hah, 'Big Sis,' huh?" Mai smiled. "You're making me feel all young, Gin."

"A-Aren't you, woof…?" Gin blinked. "Don't tell me you're, like, 40, meow! Should I call you Aunt Mai, instead…!?"

She sweat. "No! It was just a turn of phrase…"

'Good. It would have been really weird if she was hitting on Mister Q-taro, then…'Gin sniffled. "Are… Are you gonna come back to the group, nya…? I've gotta solve this weird puzzle… You could join me and Big Sis Anzu and Big Bro Shin!"

Big Sis Mai chuckled, but Gin could hear that it was strained. Was she trying to look better than she felt? Gin's heart broke a little. "No… It sounds like you've got enough cooks in the kitchen." She averted her eyes. "I-I'm not ready to go back to the group, yet… Not when any one of them…"

"I-I'm sorry, meow…"

She huffed. "Didn't I say not to apologize?"

He blinked. "No?"

She returned the gesture. "Oh. Well, I'm saying it now!" She waggled a finger, tapping him on the nose. His eyes crossed. "No more apologizing, Mister!"

"So- O-Okay…" He brightened. "I'm gonna solve that puzzle, woof! We're all gonna get out of here, meow!"

Gin darted out of the room, feeling emboldened once again.

He pretended not to hear Big Sis Mai's dry chuckle. "... I wish I could believe that, Gin."

Gin dragged Big Sis Anzu and Big Bro Shin into the cafeteria first. Gin knew he'd need the painting from the room he'd discovered Gonbee in, but he wanted to keep away from that area for as long as possible.'Bis Sis Anzu and Big Bro Shin… They could have died in there… Maybe if they had, I wouldn't have been so st-'He shook his head, clearing the ugly thought.

As long as he stayed well away from the pink room, Gin figured he would be alright. He ignored the twin looks of concern on his companion's faces when. "We're looking for stuff to solve the puzzle, meow! We need to match the two sides of a room upstairs, Big Sis Anzu!"

She scratched her head. "Sounds complicated. I was never any good at puzzles…"

"That's okay, meow! I'll take care of it!" Gin knew he was sorta wasting time by checking the cafeteria, but he'd heard the expression 'Leave No Stone Unturned' enough times from his mom to warrant it. He scampered up to the kitchen door, turning the knob.

It opened easily. "Mreowr…?" Curious, he crept inside.

At that moment, the lights cut out completely. Gin hissed in shock, pressing himself against the corner of the room. Before he could call out for help, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.'What's that glowy thing…?'

He scuttled over and picked it up.'The one who claims this: this now belongs to you. Keep it on you always. This is a key to the truth. Let no one else know the existence of this card. Otherwise, you will die.'Gin swallowed heavily, shoving the card into his pocket.

The lights flickered back on. "... Gin?" Big Sis Anzu appeared behind him. "Are you alright…!?"

Gin jumped in surprise. "I-I'm fine, meow…"

She sighed in relief as Big Bro Shin poured in after her. "So the kitchen's unlocked, now…?" He put a hand to his chin. "How would you feel about doing some poking around? Maybe we'll find something useful."

Gin couldn't see any problem with that. He voiced his agreement and tore off to search the room.

After a bit of aimless searching through the various cabinets, Gin found something alarming. In a storage space for cookware, was a box for a knife. It was empty. Gin swallowed, eyes wide. There was some text scribbled onto the box, as well as the interior where the knife itself should have been.'Please use as you wish'and'361802.'

"What do you have there, Gin?" Big Bro Shin crept up behind the boy.

"I-It's a box for a knife, meow… B-but…"

"The knife's gone." Big Bro Shin's jaw clenched. "That's… Worrying."

Big Sis Anzu swallowed. "M-Maybe… It never had a knife in the first place? What if it's just a clue for a puzzle or something…?"

He chuckled, bitterly. "I wish I was that optimistic…" He sighed. "I like you two, so I'll tell you this: be very careful who you trust."

"B-Big Bro Shin…"

"It's not that I think anybody here is a bad person, but… When we're being forced to do something like this? Anybody could snap, and try to…" His gaze darkened, "cull the herd."

"Y-You're freaking me out, Shin… Do you really think somebody would resort to that…?" Big Sis Anzu's eyes widened.

Big Bro Shin sighed. "Let's hope not. This discovery… Let's shelve it for now." He rubbed his neck. "We still have to solve that mirror puzzle, don't we? The only place we haven't checked…"

"Is the Russian Roulette area…" Big Sis Anzu paled. "I-I think I'll meet you in the puzzle room… It's upstairs, right?"

'Big Sis Anzu…'Gin nodded. "Yeah, woof! It's the door that says 'Mir.'"

Big Sis Anzu nodded. "Right! I'll see if I can be more useful up there!"

Gin's eyes widened in realization. "Woof! Big Sis Anzu, take this!" He handed her the spray bottle he had pocketed earlier. "There's a part of the puzzle… I really don't wanna do, nya…"

She gulped. "R-Right…! I'll take care of it, Gin!" She took the spray bottle and scuttled away.

Gin set off for the game room. "C'mon! I know what we gotta do!"

Big Bro Shin grinned. "Lead the way, Gin."

A few minutes later, and they stood in the game room. "It's in the red room! I'll be right back, woof!"

Gin wrestled the painting into his grip, dragging it out to Big Bro Shin.'I'd ask him to carry it, but… He'd probably collapse. I've really got to look out for him, huh?'

"Was this part of the other puzzle, Gin?"

He nodded. "Yeah! I've still got a bunch of cool tools in my pockets because of that puzzle, nya!"

Big Bro Shin sweat. "Right… Glad it's you, with the potentially fatal objects, rather than anybody else."

Gin scrunched his nose up in distaste. "You're too pessimistic, Big Bro Shin!"

"Haha… Sorry."

Gin sobered. "Hey, I'm gonna check the blue room… Are you gonna be okay, meow…?"

"I'll be fine." Big Bro Shin nodded. "It was scary, sure, but I doubt it'll happen a second time. I'm more wary of the second floor, to be perfectly honest…"

"If you're sure, mrowr…"

Leaning the painting up against the wall, Gin investigated the blue room with Big Bro Shin. Both of them reeled in surprise the second they walked through the door.

"I-Is that me, woof!?"

"The dolls… They've been cleaned up already…?"

Sat on one of the several chairs in the room was Gin.'Is that… A doll? Why is that here!? Creepy!'

Gin voiced as much, Big Bro Shin nodding in agreement. "I'm guessing this is for the mirror puzzle, huh? Looks like we need someone standing in the mirror for it to solve."

"So we gotta drag the painting and this creepy doll…!?" Gin growled. "This sucks, woof!"

Big Bro Shin moaned in defeat. "I can already feel my muscles ache…"

Several very annoying minutes later. Gin and Big Bro Shin had finally gathered everything they needed in the mirror room. Gin whimpered when he noticed the melted ice sculpture, courtesy of Big Sis Anzu.

Big Bro Shin wobbled and collapsed to the ground. Big Sis Anzu shrieked. "A-Are you okay…!?" She looked up to see the doppelgänger of Gin standing next to the real boy. "Gwuh…! Another Gin…?"

Gin huffed. "It's just a dumb doll, woof!"

"R-Right…" Her attention turned back to Big Bro Shin. "S-Seriously… What happened to you…?"

He groaned. "Let me die…"

Gin sniffed. "He's fine, woof. I'm thinking I should start calling him Little Bro Shin…"

"Please don't."

Gin perked up. "I just remembered! Big Sis Anzu, can you lift me up to that hole in the ceiling, nya?"

She blinked. "Sure." She lifted him up with ease. Gin pulled the lightbulb out of his hoodie and screwed it into its socket.

"Got it, woof!"

She adjusted her grip. "Alright… Are we almost done…?"

Big Bro Shin sat up. "Almost… How are you able to lift him so easily…?"

She blinked. "Uh, he's really light?"

He groaned in defeat. "How embarrassing…"

"Big Sis Anzu, take me to the paintings, please!"

She walked over, and Gin pulled the painting of the gun on the left side of the wall off of its hanger. He flipped it around to reveal a mirrored version of the same painting. Big Sis Anzu marched him to the other one. He tried to take it off, but wobbled under the weight of both paintings.

Big Sis Anzu quickly set him down. "How about I do it…? I don't want one of these creepy paintings to break…"

He flushed. "O-Okay, mew…"

Anzu took down the painting on the left side of the room, affixing it on the right, so that it pointed at the painting of the gunned down man. She hung up the painting originally in the position on the empty wall, mirrored side out.

Big Bro Shin marched over with the remaining painting. "Here…!" He heaved it onto the wall.

A sinister laugh rang out, and the lights flickered.

A gunshot rang out.

"AAAHHH!"

"H-Hey…!"

"MREOWR!?"

The lights flickered back on, and Gin risked a peek through the mittens covering his face in terror. The new painting now had the same red substance leaking from it, the man in the portrait gunned down.

"Mrowr… How did they…?"

Big Sis Anzu clutched her chest, knuckles white over the yellow cotton of her sweater. "I-I n-nearly had a h-heart attack…" she panted.

"This place…" Big Bro Shin groaned. "I hate it here…"

"L-Let's hope that was the biggest surprise, mew…" Gin fished the bath stopper out of his pocket, placing it on the scale near him.

"Almost done, huh?" Anzu grinned shakily. "I'll put the doll in front of a mirror for you, Gin."

Gin nodded and moved to stand in front of the left mirror. He stared into the misted glass.'... Did I do it right?'

A rumble sounded from just outside the room.

Big Sis Anzu beamed. "Alright! Looks like we won!" She rushed out of the room to investigate.

Big Bro Shin chuckled. "Nice lateral thinking skills, Gin. I'm glad you're not helpless."

Gin frowned. "You're the helpless one, woof!"

He flinched. "Okay, maybe I deserved that, but ouch."

Gin didn't feel very guilty. He followed after Big Sis Anzu, only to be met with the grossest bags he had ever seen under anybody's eyes.'Is that mean…? Seriously, though! Look at those…! How does it even get that bad!?'

Shorty sniffed, looking surprised. At least Gin guessed that's what passed for surprise on the girl's unemotive face. "... You've been proactive, Cat Kid. You opened this gate…?"

He beamed. "I did, woof! It wasn't even that hard!"

She smirked. "I'm sure…" Her eyes trailed upward to Big Bro Shin, and she raised an eyebrow. "No… Outside help?"

Big Bro Shin smirked. "Only to carry things, I'm afraid. Kid almost made me feel dumb."

Shorty's brows raised. "Really?"

Gin huffed, indignant. "I'm not some dumb kid, meow! I can do puzzles and stuff!"

She snickered. "'And stuff?' How eloquent."

Gin pouted. "Don't act all superior just 'cuz you're in middle school! I'm in sixth grade, you know!"

"And I'm in eighth. Not like that means anything, here." She puffed out a quick breath. "Clown Girl ran ahead already. Are we gonna keep yammering, or are we gonna investigate?"

"Investigate," said Big Bro Shin as he headed towards the newly opened gate in the middle of the hall. He sniffed. "A black door and a white door, huh? Gin, do you still…?"

Gin blinked.'Black and white…? Oh! Those numbers in the knife case!'He slid it out of his pocket, hissing when he accidentally poked himself on one of the tools.

Shorty quirked an eyebrow. "A knife case…? Where the hell'd you get that?"

Big Sis Anzu sighed. "The kitchen… We're hoping nobody's…" Her lips twisted downwards. "You know…"

Shorty laughed. "... You can hope for all you want. Won't change the truth." She scowled. "I've had enough of hoping for things that won't come true."

Big Sis Anzu, not seeming sure how to respond to that, changed the topic. "What happened to the weird old guy, anyway…? Wasn't he with you?"

"I ditched him. He was busy trying to comfort Mai, so it's not like I'm missing out."

Meanwhile, Gin had re-read the black and white numbers in the knife case, and plugged the white numbers into the black door. '380…'The door slid open.

Shorty sniffed. "Well, would ya look at that? Let's take a peek, shall we?"

As soon as they walked into the room, Big Bro Shin's face paled. "This… This is…!"

It was a small room, with computers and monitors lining each wall. Decoration was incredibly sparse. Bis Sis Anzu swallowed. "Don't tell me…"

Shorty's eyes could have burned a hole right through Big Bro Shin's beanie. "This is your First Trial Room, isn't it?"

"Y-Yes…" He exhaled, shuddering. "Let's… Not spend too much time in here, please…"

Shorty sighed. "I guess. Couldn't there be something valuable on one of these computers?"

Big Bro Shin grimaced. "Most of them are dummies. I had a hell of a time finding the one that was real, and getting the door to unlock…" His brow furrowed. "It's funny, though… When I escaped, it wasn't to the hallway we just came in from…"

Big Sis Anzu blinked, confused. "Maybe you're misrembering." She shivered. "I-I almost puked when I escaped mine…"

Shorty puffed out her upper lip. "Didn't need to know that."

Gin frowned. "If this room's just for that awful First Trial, then I don't see the point of sticking around, woof!" He stomped out, inserting the code into the white door.'612…'The door slid open just as easily as its complementary twin.

As soon as Gin stepped in, Shorty trailing after him, a shudder ran down his spine.

"Hah… You feel it too, huh?" She chuckled.

The room was even sparser than the other, with only a single trashcan and handcuff attached to a long chain extending down from the ceiling.

Shorty continued. "Even to us kids… We can tell. Something awful happened in this room." For the first time, Gin noticed just how hollow Shorty's eyes looked. "Reckon it was one of us that didn't make it?"

'No…'

She sniffed. "Reko, maybe? Shunsuke? I memorized their names: the people who we outlived. Figured it was only right."

Gin's mind whirled with the sound of drills. Tears pricked at the corners of his vision.

Shorty didn't notice. "Naomichi? Kanna?" She turned to face him. "Kei-" Her eyes widened in shock. "Y-You…?"

A warm, firm hand placed itself upon Gin's shoulder.

Big Sis Megumi's hard voice projected throughout the room. "No point wondering about things like that, Hinako. Let the dead rest."

Gin's breathing slowed. "R-Right… I d-don't wanna know, meow…" He blinked. "W-Wait, Big Sis Megumi? How come I didn't hear you come in, woof?"

She grinned. "I can be quiet if I want. The real question is: why are the two children in our group standing around unsupervised?"

Shorty furrowed her eyebrows. "'Unsupervised?' Shin and Anzu should be right in the hallway…"

Big Sis Megumi stiffened. "Really…? I didn't see anybody…"

Gin's eyes widened. "You didn't…!?"

"No…"

Gin's heart pounded in his chest. Big Bro Shin was kind of weird, but Big Sis Anzu wouldn't leave without saying anything. He shoved past Big Sis Megumi, ignoring her confused shouts.

'Big Sis Anzu! Big Bro Shin!'The hallway was completely empty.

Gin turned around, facing the massive doors leading to heaven-knew-where. He swallowed.

Fearlessly, Gin raced forwards into the bright white light.