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sanitized…
operational…
defective…
operational…
operational…
operational…
defective…
defective…
sanitized…
operational…
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defective…
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sanitized…
defective…
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operational…
Executing Trust Barter Sub-Game…
"... Gin… He won't… shouldn't have to…"
"Horrible… Mai and… Can't imagine…"
Gin felt far away from himself; water-logged and soaked to the bone. Exhausted beyond measure.
There was no moment of merciful amnesia.
'... Big Sis Mai… Mister Mishima…'
A soft, calloused hand combed through his hair, softly trembling.
"... Gin?"
He… was warm. Safe.
Yellow…?
The thoughts fell away, though they did not dissipate.
Gin fell back asleep, immersed and floating; the water warmed.
No dream tormented him.
"Gin…?" came Big Sis Anzu's squeaky voice, soft and rough at the same time.
Gin said nothing, nestling further into the blankets. He shuddered, feeling a weight rest upon the edge of the bed.
"... I- I saw you move, you know," she coughed. "E-Er…" She sighed, lowering her tone. "Man… What am I supposed to say…?"
"... My… costume," Gin risked after a long moment, still curled in a tight, bundled heap. "Wh-Where is it…?"
"Huh…? Oh!" The weight sprang from the bed, jostling Gin. He mewled in discomfort.
"Right over…" Gin heard a loud rustling of fabric, "here!"
A beat passed.
"U-Uh… I'll just leave it here, then…" Big Sis Anzu giggled nervously. "S-Sorry…"
Gin moved slightly enough to be imperceptible, blindly tugging the pieces of his costume to himself.
He hugged his mittens and cloak close to his chest, yet made no move to put them on.
"... Big Sis Anzu…"
"Huh? O-Oh!" Gin heard a frantic scuffling of carpet. "I'm being weird…! I'll give you a bit of privacy!"
"W-Wait…!" Gin begged, struggling with the covers until his head peeked out at the teenager. "P-Please… don't go…"
"A-Ah…?" She turned, hand on the doorknob. They were in some sort of ritzy hotel room: elegant white drapes and carpets complemented by simple, comfortable furniture. "O-Of course…"
She wet her lips, fiddling with a tassel on her jester hood.
Gin sniffled, feeling suddenly overcome; his chest felt paradoxically full and empty, aching terribly in either regard.
"G-Gin…?" Big Sis Anzu stepped forwards, eyebrows twitching nervously. "Are you-? D-Dumb question…!" She chomped on her fingernails, quivering with indecision. "U-Um…"
Gin pulled the covers tighter around his shoulders. "Big Sis Anzu… Why are you h-here…?"
She blinked. "B-Because…!" She deflated. "W-Well, I don't really wanna say it… I'm terrible with scary stuff like that…"
'... Even after she punched Giggles?'thought Gin.
"B-But! I just… wanted you to see a friendly face, I guess…" She rubbed her shoulder, face red. "I know I would, if…"
"Th-That's not what I- I meant…" he whimpered. "Wh-Why are you e-even… bothering…?"
"Huh? What… What do you mean?"
"... I'm…" Gin's voice broke, shudders rolling down his spine. "... I'm useless… I- I got Big Sis Mai k-killed… and M-Mister Mishima… a-after…"
"Gin… That's not-!" Big Sis Anzu wobbled on her feet, stumbling back towards him.
"I-It is…!" he choked, squeezing Mew-chan hard enough to warp the fabric. "B-Big Sis Megumi t-tried to warn me, b-but I didn't listen…! And I- I killed Mister Q-taro, too! M-Maybe if you'd… voted f-for me… At least Mister Mishima-"
"Stop!" Big Sis Anzu pleaded, grabbing the boy around his shoulders and pulling him tight to her chest. "D-Don't cry, Gin…" she sniffled, "o-or I'm gonna start up, too…"
"Oh," he swallowed, struggling to break her grip. "I- I'm just making y-you sad, aren't I, B-Big Sis Anzu…? I- I'm just making things w-worse, agai-"
"That's not what I meant!" Big Sis Anzu cut him off, voice wobbly. "You're not useless, Gin… You just being here made me feel brave enough to face any of this…"
"H-Huh…?"
Big Sis Anzu sniffled again, something wet and warm dripping onto his hair. "D-Darn it," she muttered. "I gotta stop bein' such a crybaby… I'm supposed to be comforting you, aren't I? Gin," she pulled away, grabbing his shoulders, "if you're useless, then what the heck am I…?"
"Wh-What are you saying…?" Gin asked, watching helplessly as Big Sis Anzu cried.
( )
She swallowed. "I'm sorry… I'm not really a role model, am I…? Wh-When I woke up yesterday… I came really close to- to…" She bit her lip, hard. "Y-You know… A few more seconds and… I- I wouldn't be here. When I managed to escape, I couldn't even believe it… A part of me felt like, 'maybe I really d-did… die,' you know?" She moved a hand from his shoulder to rub her own, awkwardly. "When I met everyone here… I kinda- I don't know… My head hurt, and I felt all floaty. I think I was too terrified to even, like, recognize it anymore."
"B-But you were fine, weren't y-you…?" Gin asked, eyes wide. "I- I knew you were s-scared, but… I'm sorry…"
"S-Stop…!" Big Sis Anzu flicked him on the nose.
"Ouch!" he gasped, reeling in bewilderment more than pain. "Wh-What was that for…?"
"S-Sorry…" she coughed. "Y-You were apologizing again… My dad used to do that when I'd start to form bad habits…"
"H-He'd flick y-your nose…?"
"Yup!" Big Sis Anzu beamed, before quickly withering. "Uh, I think my nails might be a bit too long, though… I didn't hurt you, right…?"
"N-Not really…"
"And you're not thinking of apologizing, right…!?"
"N-No…?"
"Yahoo!" Big Sis Anzu pumped her fist. "It really does work, then!
'... Maybe Big Sis Anzu is concerned in her own way. Is she like me? Not… normal?'
"... What did you mean…?"
"H-Huh?"
Gin swallowed, shivering into Big Sis Anzu's sweater. "Wh-When you asked, 'if you're useless, Gin, then what am I?' Y-You're not s-saying…"
"I-I'm not saying you're useless!" she yelped. "I'm saying that you're not! I mean, if you're useless, then I'm a downright… downright detriment, huh?" She wilted, jittering.
"I- I mean," she continued, "I was no help when we were investigating, or during those puzzles, a-and especially not in the Main Game… I-It's not normally a big deal that I'm not too smart, but… here?" She shuddered. "It's gonna get me killed… I-If I'd died yesterday… My dad would be a wreck…"
'... Big Sis Anzu's… just as frightened as I am…'Gin's head felt too heavy for his neck.'She's got people waiting for her… just like Mister Mishima…'
(So, are you just going to wallow in self-pity?)
"Hey, Big Sis Anzu," Gin said weakly, looking up to meet her teary eyes. "I won't cry i-if you don't, okay…? S-So please…"
She nodded quickly. "Right! Please, don't cry anymore, Gin… Not when we've still got a chance…"
Gin hummed in confusion.
"W-We've got smart people like Sara and Shin, right…? And I'm sure Megumi wants to help us, too… Even Hinako, she's acting like she doesn't care, but," Big Sis Anzu lowered her voice, peeking over her shoulder as if the middle schooler would materialize behind her. "I saw her take Mishima's glasses before she left. If even someone as blunt as her would have hope…"
"... Th-Then we've gotta be there, too, right…?" Gin swallowed, hands quivering and chest slowly knitting back together, attaching the seams from where it had been split in half. "For the g-guys like Big Bro Shin a-and Shorty…"
Gin looked down at the pieces of his costume, Big Sis Anzu holding his hand. "... Big Sis Anzu… I'll be th-there for you, t-too, okay…?"
He grabbed his hoodie, sliding it over his shoulders.
Big Sis Anzu beamed.
"Gin…!" Big Bro Shin jolted in shock, eyes comically wide upon finding the boy up and about. He stepped forward, hesitant. "Are you… No, of course not. I'm glad you're with us. I was… really concerned."
Gin sniffled, glad for the curtain of his costume hiding his full face now that he was surrounded: Shorty and Big Sis Megumi both staring at him with varied degrees of surprise.
"I'm… I'm okay, nya." Despite his reassurance, Gin still felt weak and sick, like he'd just broken a fever. He marched forward, clinging to Big Bro Shin's legs.
"A-Ah…" Thin hands awkwardly patted his head. "... I'm sorry, Gin. I should have…" He trailed off. "No. No sense in asking 'what if?'"
"Where," Gin began, detaching himself from the man's legs, "are we, anyway…? I don't recognize any of this, woof."
"Third floor," said Shorty, idly picking at a loose thread in her jumper. "We haven't seen any cards yet, though... Makes me more nervous than anything."
"I tried to get everybody to stick together, but…" Big Sis Megumi sighed. "It seems my suggestions don't hold as much weight as they did yesterday."
"Maybe that wouldn't be the case if you didn't bullshit us," sniped Shorty.
Big Sis Megumi's jaw clenched, but she remained silent, back straight.
"W-Well, I'm… sure she had her reasons?" Big Sis Anzu didn't sound too terribly confident in her words.
"I'm sure…" Big Bro Shin repeated, side-eying the stoic policewoman. "If you don't mind, could we poke around a bit?" he asked Big Sis Anzu, posture slinky and twitching. "I don't feel right just sitting around. Especially when we haven't seen our captors…"
"W-Well…" Gin caught Big Sis Anzu's eyes flickering to him, as much as she tried to hide it.
He tugged on her sleeve, chest growing a hot with mild embarrassment. "It's okay… I wanna explore, too, nya."
Big Bro Shin sniffed, eyes glinting with pride. "Well, that settles it, then. C'mon." He turned on his heel, stalking off towards the nearest exit, Big Sis Anzu stumbling to catch up with him.
Big Sis Megumi sighed as Gin began to pad after them. "Just me and the kid, huh…?"
"Nope, just you," Shorty snickered, scuttling off to the opposite entryway.
The policewoman groaned, tailing her.
The room Gin found himself in laid decrepit and forgotten, at least until the survivors found themselves inside. The stone walls grew thick with moss and mildew; faint sunlight streaming in from the cracks in the ceiling.
Stripey, poking at a sizable chunk of rubble with a bare toe - eliciting an involuntary wince from Gin - turned to greet them.
"Shin Tsukimi, Anzu Kinashi, Gin Ibushi." He nodded, carefully blank-faced. "How do you fare?"
"... Alice." Big Bro Shin nodded back. "I'm well. Are you looking for an escape room? I can't imagine what other use this ugly old hall would be…"
The larger man scoffed, prompting Big Sis Anzu to step back nervously. "Ha!" he barked out. "I suppose I had better, considering the patience you all must have for me. There's nothing here of any use, however." He jerked his head towards the entryways on either side of the group. "These openings are sealed off. I'm not sure what purpose they might have served."
Big Sis Anzu swallowed. "Th-That sucks…" She lowered her tone, edging towards Big Bro Shin. "Hey… Should we really be hanging around this guy…?"
Subtly, he waved her off, continuing the conversation. "So this hall is practically useless. Great…"
"My apologies, Shin Tsukimi," Stripey sniffed. "I'll continue to poke about, though I'm uncertain as to what avail."
"Thank you, Alice," Big Bro Shin said, turning to head back to the common room. "Let's hope we have better luck somewhere else, huh?"
"I hope so, meow…" Gin agreed, kneading Mew-chan's fur. "I've got this really uneasy feeling about this floor…"
Neither of his companions said anything in reply, though Big Sis Anzu inched ever closer to his side. Their scents mingled in his nostrils pleasantly; hints of cinnamon and furniture polish and nickel weaving together in the stagnant air, filling it with new life.
A low thrum hummed behind him; a whir; a hiss.
His jaw quivered imperceptibly as Big Sis Anzu and Big Bro Shin idly discussed which route to take next. Gin clamped down on the urge to turn around; the urge to think at all. His thumbs worked harsh circles through the constraints of his mittens, flattening Mew-chan's fur.
"Wait," he started, swallowing as they turned to him as one, expectant. "What about that door, meow…?" he asked, pointing at a door in the far corner of the room, nudged just slightly ajar. "It's the only one I can't see into, so we should investigate, right?"
Big Sis Anzu jerked slightly, a sickly sheen of sweat glossing her pale forehead. Rapidly, her mouth worked up and down minutely, imperceptible to a lesser child than Gin. "H-Haha… Wh-Whaddya mean, Gin? There's not even anything in there! It's just a dumb ol' closet…!"
He narrowed his eyes. Her twitching worsened.
Big Bro Shin was much subtler with his nerves; a slight stiffening of his posture, a sharper lilt to his jaw. "Right. Won't find anything useful in there."
They were lying. Gin blinked, hurt.
Why would they lie to him?
"C'mon, Gin," urged Big Bro Shin. "Let's keep exploring."
For a slow, boiling moment, Gin debated breaking off from them, kicking down the door to the 'closet' and discovering whatever secret they felt they needed to keep from him. Of exposing whatever vile machination was tugging on their strings, forcing them to keep him in the dark.
"Gin…?" Big Sis Anzu prompted, painfully sincere, and the simmer cooled to a sharp chill.
If whatever was in that room scared Big Sis Anzu, scared Big Bro Shin…
'Then what chance do I have…?'
Gin rocked his head hard enough to crack the bones in his neck. "Th-This one's fine, mew…" Dully, Gin paced into the nearest opened door.
When Gin broke past the threshold of the doorway, however, he was immediately greeted by an unfamiliar face: a slender woman with wavy green hair mixing various liquids together into a slim vial. Her color scheme reminded him uncannily of melon soda.
When he fully comprehended her outfit, his heart stopped in his chest. She was wearing an outfit much akin to Giggles'; all sweets and ribbons and sour intent.
( )
For a sweet, silent second, she remained occupied with her vials, not noticing him. He stepped backward, retreating to the safety and comfort of his big siblings; any wrongdoing of theirs cast into the roaring waves of terror building in his chest and rising to his throat.
A drop trickled out. Gin squeaked, feeling like a mouse staring down a barn cat.
The sound was enough for the woman to spot him, blinking in surprise. "H-Huh…? Y-You're not supposed to be in here, yet…"
Gin yowled.
In a matter of mere moments, the room flooded with Gin's companions, Big Bro Shin and Big Sis Anzu comprising the front line.
"Hey, what's-!?"
"Gin…!"
Gin stumbled backwards into them, braced by their weight; more so Big Sis Anzu's than Big Bro Shin's, judging by his strained grunt of effort to keep the boy upright. The woman before them flinched heavily, the ribbons twirling around her arms fluttering in the artificial breeze.
"Wh-What's up with this place…?" Big Bro Shin muttered, staring at the tropical scene displayed right outside of the windows, though Gin had heavy doubts as to its authenticity.
Big Sis Anzu stepped in front of Gin, a hand firmly gripping his shoulder, enough to quiver. "Wh-Who the heck are you…!? Why haven't we seen you, yet!?"
"A-Ah!" the strange melon soda weirdo squeaked. "Y-You weren't supposed to… Did I really forget to seal this door…?" She wilted. "I- I had a whole introduction planned, too…"
"What's going on in here…?" Shorty announced her presence with narrowed eyes and tense shoulders. "Is somebody else dying?"
( )
Gin shivered in the temperate room.
"Hey!" Big Sis Megumi tensed, marching into the room. "You! You're one of our…?"
"H-Hrm…" The woman squirmed in discomfort. An ugly, snarling piece of Gin licked its fangs with delight at the sight. "M-Might as well wait… I suppose this will h-have to do…"
"H-Hey!" Stripey stumbled into the room, eyes wide. "I heard this, like, awful screech, man!" He cleared his throat, flushed. "I- I mean… What was that hideous sound, just now?"
"Yeah…" Cotton Candy shuffled in, tailing Samurai Girl. "It sounded like a dying animal or something…" His eyes widened. "Don't tell me that's really what it was…!"
Gin scowled, embarrassed.'Was I really that loud…?'
"Hey," Samurai Girl began, eyes wide and back stiff. She addressed Melon Soda Lady directly. "Who are you? I'd recognize that ugly style of outfit anywhere… You're our new Floormaster?"
Melon Soda Lady shuffled a bit, eyes flickering between the expectant participants. "W-Well, I am, yes…" She fiddled with the straw sticking out of her hat. Gin didn't really understand the dessert theme: were these goofy costumes meant to taunt them? To show just how little these people thought of their lives? "I guess there's no point in ceremony, huh…? You're sharp enough to r-recognize patterns."
Big Sis Megumi stiffened. "... Another game, then? You're going to have us kill each other."
'Please… Please stop…'Gin tried to hide the raggedness in his breath, painfully aware of his big siblings just around him, separated by bare inches.'I can't… take it, again…'
"W-Well, we're not just going to jump into the Main Game," Melon Soda Lady said, smiling shakily. "You all had a tough time on the first two floors: you deserve a bit of, er, recuperation. So, we're going to play a Sub-Game first." She held her arms out placatingly as Big Sis Megumi tensed, hand gripping for an invisible gun.
'When did she lose her revolver…?'Gin wondered, though the thought didn't seem terribly important at the moment.
"A Sub-Game?" Samurai Girl asked. "This… Don't tell me this is like the Second Trial!"
"N-No!" Melon Soda Lady waved her arms frantically. "I- I assure you, if you play with enough skill, then you c-certainly will not die…!"
"'If we play with enough skill,'" Shorty quoted, shoulders stiff. "So we're still risking our lives, then. Don't sugarcoat it, Miss Gum Disease."
"'M-Miss Gum Disease…'" Melon Soda Lady blinked. "R-Right! I haven't told you my name, have I…?" she hissed, biting down on a knuckle. "Okay… I'm Tia Safalin: the Crying Doll. I'll be in charge of the proceedings for the Sub-Game, so…" She set her ingredients to the side, abandoning whatever concoction she was cooking up. "Please follow me!"
She squirreled out of the room, ignoring the raising protests from the group.
"Damn, she just stone-walled us…" Cotton Candy said, huffing in disbelief.
"Quick, after her…!" Samurai Girl commanded, marching in hot pursuit.
"H-Hey, Sara, wait up…!" Cotton Candy sighed, running a hand down his race. "That girl's gonna kill me…"
Shorty snickered. "From the looks of it, you don't really mind, do you?"
"H-Hey!" he choked, turning all blotchy and red-faced again. Gin didn't find it as funny the millionth time. "Don't talk down to me, kid…!"
"How could I?" Shorty shrugged, lips curling upwards. "I'm the only person who's shorter than you, 'sides Gin."
"D-Dammit, stop distracting me!" Cotton Candy marched after Samurai Girl, defeated.
Shorty giggled, pacing after him.
Big Sis Megumi and Stripey had already left - stoic and tense juxtaposing with hesitant and bewildered - leaving Gin alone with Big Bro Shin and Big Sis Anzu.
The former swallowed. "Well… No good to leave ourselves in the dark. C'mon."
"Why do I feel like you're my boss or something…?" Big Sis Anzu sighed, though she obeyed. "I don't like this at all… That Safalin lady's confusing."
"She's just pretending, meow," Gin broke his silence, forcing words through the thick blockage in his throat. "Anybody who's involved with this… They're evil, woof." His lip wobbled. He bit it back. "Melon Soda Lady's just trying to lower our guards."
Big Bro Shin grinned. "That's the spirit. Keep your guard up, Gin. Any chance we have to defy them, without getting… hurt, we should take it."
"I guess…" Big Sis Anzu replied. "My stomach's still all queasy, though."
He snorted. "So's mine. Don't hear me whining."
She huffed. "Well-" Her eyes widened upon spotting where the rest of their companions had gone. "A-Ah…!"
"Nya?" Gin cocked his head, feeling vindicated. "But I thought that was just a 'dumb ol' closet.'" He turned his gaze up to Big Sis Anzu, prompting her to plaster a wide, fake grin across her face. "That seems reallystrange, meow."
"A-Ah…" She wilted. "Y-You didn't really believe us, huh, Gin…?"
Gin said nothing, frown warping his mask.
"Well," Big Bro Shin started, pulling his beanie low enough to shadow his eyes. "Nothing for it. Just… be careful in this room, Gin. I don't want-" He frowned. "Just… don't take anything in there at face value."
'Face value… What's he even talking about…?'
Tearing his eyes away from their hesitant faces, Gin followed the rest of the group.
Inside the room was an imposing machine, overlooking an array of monitors: eleven in total.
"... What's so scary about this place, woof?"
"A-Ah…" Big Sis Anzu blinked, staring at the monitors. "They're off, now…"
"... I think I get it," Gin said, head low. "They were showing something awful on these monitors, weren't they?"
"S-Something like that," admitted Big Bro Shin, scarf pulled over his lips. "... I'm sorry for lying to you, Gin. Don't blame Anzu, okay? It was my idea…"
'Big Bro Shin… He really wants to protect me, right…? That's… all backwards.'Gin swallowed, trembling. He stared at the carpet aimlessly, no words of explanation gracing his tongue.
"Hey…" Big Sis Megumi called, from the back of the room. "Hurry up, you three. Safalin here's waiting to lay down the law." She snorted. "Doesn't feel so nice on the other side…"
"At least you're coming closer to understanding Alice, right?" Big Bro Shin grinned wryly. He turned to Big Sis Anzu. "You're not gonna call me bossy again if I say we should get a move on, right?"
She rolled her eyes. "That'd be reusing material, man…"
Big Bro Shin snorted as they arrived at the entrance to the back room. "I guess you've told all your best jokes already, then?"
Huffing, Big Sis Anzu kept her silence.
"Is that everybody…?" Melon Soda Lady cleared her throat, quailing before the eight sets of wary eyes.
"Yes…" replied Big Sis Megumi, eyes glued to the new individual standing behind the counter. This new room was some sort of prize exchange, it appeared. Gin stared up at the items on display, as well as the paintings of every living participant's face hung upon the back wall.'What kinda place is this…?'
"Okay!" Melon Soda Lady clapped her hands, jittering in place. "So, the rules for the Trust Barter Sub-Game are very simple. One: you must clear attractions, scattered around this floor, for these," she held up a small, blue star for them all to see, "Clear Chips. If you've failed to collect ten by the deadline…"
"We die, don't we?" asked Shorty, hands shoved angrily into her jumper pockets. "Ha. How do these attractions work, anyway?"
Melon Soda Lady nodded shakily. "They're a test of teamwork and skill. Hence the first part of the Sub-Game's title. Each attraction must be completed in a group of two. As there's an even amount of you, this shouldn't be a problem."
'A group of two?"Gin thought. "... I'm not… gonna be a burden this time. I swear…'
"How many of these attractions are there?" asked Shorty. "Feel like that's important info."
"There's nine in total… So please don't save them for the last minute…"
"N-Nine…!?" Cotton Candy yelped. "How the hell are we supposed to do that many…!?"
Melon Soda Lady raised her hands placatingly. "P-Please don't worry… You have three whole days to complete them. You all have accommodations as well, so you can properly recuperate…"
Big Sis Megumi sighed. "Okay. That should be doable. What's the second part of this game?"
"Two," Melon Soda Lady continued, "is the 'Barter' portion of the game… Essentially, you will exchange trust with each other. Please, take these." She made rounds, passing each participant a small leather wallet. Gin frowned upon taking his, hoping that the material was fake. "Inside you'll find 100 Me-Tokens. Please, trade them freely with each other…"
"And what's the point of this?" Samurai Girl asked, pulling out a handful to observe, seemingly unnerved by her own engraved face staring back at her. "Do these tokens have anything to do with this room? This is a prize counter, right?"
"Yeah," Cotton Candy followed, staring at the man attending the counter. "Who is this creep, anyway?"
"Th-That's just the receptionist doll," Melon Soda Lady replied. "Don't mind him… A-And to answer your question, Sara: those Me-Tokens are, indeed, used for this prize exchange. The only catch is… you can't purchase anything using your own tokens. You'll have to trade for someone else's…"
"'Trust Barter…'" Stripey hummed. "I suppose the title is indeed self-explanatory." He grinned, turning his head towards Big Bro Shin. "I'll not tarry, myself. Would you terribly mind helping me to find these 'attractions'? I'm not terribly excited to be executed, after all."
"M-Me?" Big Bro Shin blinked. "S-Sure, I guess…"
"Stupendous!" Stripey dragged him away, towards the monitor room.
"Y-You don't have to push…"
"Welp, there they go…" Big Sis Anzu sighed, scratching the back of her head. "Safalin was right about one thing: at least nobody's gonna get left out. I'm not sure I'm ready to do one, myself…"
"... But how much time do we have, meow?" Gin whispered. "Three days for nine attractions… We all gotta do three a day, right?"
"W-Well…" Big Sis Anzu bit her lip, before her eyes drifted to the prize counter. "Oh! I got it!" She fiddled with her wallet, pulling out 30 tokens, spilling a couple onto the floor. "Here!" She pressed them into Gin's palm.
"H-Huh…?" He stared down at the coins, bewildered. "W-Wait, Big Sis Anzu…"
"Right over there!" she beamed, pointing at the prize exchange counter. There, resting upon the dias, were two Clear Chips, marked at 30 tokens each. "There's Clear Chips right at the counter, so we should be able to skip an attraction, right?"
"B-But you won't be able to, meow… I don't want these, woof!" He pushed the coins back at her, insistent.
She blinked in bewilderment. "H-Huh…? Gin…"
"Y-You're trying to look out for me again, nya…" he mumbled, eyes low. "That's all everybody's been doing since yesterday… You and Big Bro Shin a-and…" He swallowed roughly. "... I don't want you to get hurt because of me, woof. I-If I got a free ride, while everybody around me's getting hurt… It'd feel even worse than if I was actually hurt, mreowr…"
"G-Gin…" Big Sis Anzu pulled her hood over her eyes, gnawing on her lip. "Y-You're a kid… You shouldn't have to-"
"That's not an excuse, woof!" Gin burst, the words flowing out like a firehose, the dam before his thoughts springing leak after leak. "Just because I'm a kid… I shouldn't get any special treatment! What about Shorty…!? Sh-She's weird, meow, b-but she was right… J-Just because we're kids… Th-They're still gonna h-hurt us, nya…" Gin tried, with every frail, failing ounce of strength he had, to stop the tears from flowing out. "Being a kid shouldn't be what saves me, mew… I-If being old didn't save Mister Mishima…"
( )
"Gin…" Big Sis Anzu kneeled down, scooping him into another hug. "I-I'm sorry… I just want you to be safe… I- I wasn't thinking about how you felt, huh…?" She gulped, sniffling. "Y-You're right. I- I wanted an easy way out, but… that's not gonna last, is it? Either way, I'll have to do an attraction, and you will, too…"
Clearing her throat, she stood back up, extending her hand to take his mitten. "C'mon… I'm scared, but… I'll do it. An attraction. As long as you're there to help me… I think I can do it."
Gin beamed, taking her hand. "Th-Thank you, woof…"
She scratched the back of her head with her free hand, grinning far too wide. "A-And I wasn't crying, okay…!? You didn't see that."
"I wasn't crying either!" he yelped, wiping his mysteriously stuffy nose.
"R-Right!" she asserted. "Now, let's find these attractions!"
"Hide-and-Seek…? This should be easy, woof!"
"Alright! When I used to play hide-and-seek, no one would ever find me! I would be out there for hours!" A pause. "Th-Then again… Looking back, I don't think they were really looking for me, huh…?"
"J-Jeez, you're depressing me, mew…"
"Sorry?"
"... Mreowr? B-Big Sis Anzu… Over there…"
"Wha…? Th-That's…? A-AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
"Quick, behind that rock, woof!"
"Wh-Wh-What the heck i-is that thing…?"
'She's shivering like a leaf… Maybe I should take the lead on this one, huh…?'
"D-Don't worry, Big Sis Anzu! This'll only take a minute!"
"I- I really wish we'd bought those Clear Chips…"
Gin stumbled out of the attractions, a pale and sweaty Big Sis Anzu right behind him. "I- I don't think yellow is the best color for blending in, huh…?"
"And you think orange is any better, woof!?"
She chuckled nervously, watching as the Clear Chips dispensed into a little tray beside the exit. "N-Not really, huh," she coughed. "H-Here's your Clear Chip, Gin. Thanks a ton!"
'... I was actually… useful.'Gin glowed under the praise, proudly taking his first Clear Chip. "I didn't take you for such a scaredy-cat, Big Sis Anzu!"
"H-Hey! I didn't sign up for this!" She grumbled. "Besides, isn't 'scaredy-cat' a bit hypocritical…?"
Gin ignored her, bounding out of the room to look for the others, hoping that none of them had been hurt in the attractions.'Big Sis Anzu and me made it out alright, but… I don't know anything about the other attractions…'
Thankfully, they all seemed okay, mingling tiredly in the common room: some collapsed upon the couches and chairs, others leaning against the walls.
"Hey, Gin…! Wait up…!" Big Sis Anzu called, stumbling after him. "Sheesh… You're too quick…"
"Hey, Big Sis Anzu," Gin started, wetting his lips. "... Do you want some tokens, meow?"
"Huh? Like, to trade? But you didn't want my tokens earlier…"
"N-No!" he yelped. "I don't wanna trade any tokens… It's too much like gambling, mew…" He scowled. "I can't even count how much money my dad's thrown away for gambling… You'd think he'd win, if he does it that much, but he sucks, woof!"
"Th-That's…" Big Sis Anzu coughed. "I couldn't imagine having a dad like that… I'm super close to mine…"
"That's nice, meow…"
"I- I don't mean that in a, like, mocking way…!"
Gin blinked. "I- I didn't think you did, mreowr…?"
"S-Sorry," she coughed. "I always gotta think about how I phrase things… I always make people mad on accident…" She stiffened. "B-But what I was trying to say is… I love my dad, but… My mom's kinda weird… So I get it, a little bit…"
"'Weird,' meow?"
"Sh-She's, like, never around, y'know? All'Oh, I'm sorry I missed your birthday party, Anzu! I'll make it up to you next year!' or 'What's up with that stupid hood?'" Big Sis Anzu wilted, trailing off. "I-It's not stupid. It's authentic…"
"... My mom made my costume for me, meow. I-Is that how it is with your dad?"
She brightened. "Yeah! My dad's a tailor, so all he really knows is how to sew stuff! He taught me how, so I made the hood all by myself!" Her cheeriness vanished, making way for a frown. "... Honestly, I don't know why he even married my mom; they've got, like, nothing in common. Dad's a real introvert. He doesn't even talk to anybody besides me and mom. And mom's… well, not. She's always at some company meeting or mixer or whatever. So, we never really got that close."
"... I'm glad you told me, Big Sis Anzu," Gin said. "Your dad sounds like a nice guy, woof. I hope I can meet him… once we get out of here."
She smiled, fragile as a thread of silk. "... I hope so, too."
Gin rustled into his pockets, pulling out his wallet. With surprising dexterity, he reached into it, pulling out twenty tokens. He offered them to Big Sis Anzu. "Thanks for hanging out with me, Big Sis Anzu. You can have as many as you like, meow."
She stared down at them, surprised. Her brow furrowed as she hesitantly reached for the coins.
She stopped just short of grabbing them. "... Nah."
"H-Huh…?"
She chuckled nervously. "I don't want you to think that my friendship's transactional, Gin… You don't gotta pay me for something so ordinary."
'It's… not as ordinary as you think, Big Sis Anzu.'Gin re-pocketed the coins. "O-Okay, nya…" He wavered slightly before crashing into her legs, nuzzling against the cotton of her sweater.
"E-Eek!?"
"Thanks… Big Sis Anzu. You're too nice to me, mreowr…"
A warm hand came down upon his head, rubbing gently. "J-Jeez… You're gonna make me blush…"
He nuzzled deeper.
A few all too short hours later, Gin found himself unsupervised, having slipped away from Big Sis Anzu to do some poking around at his own prerogative.
First on the list: the room he hadn't entered yet, apparently titled the 'Relaxation Room.' Some quick nosing around revealed a comfortable room with a terrace, sunlight streaming down upon the grass.
Big Sis Megumi, seated alone at the table, was quick to squash his hopes. "It's cruel, isn't it? To taunt us with our freedom like this." She sighed. "There's no way that sunlight is real. Makes me wonder how they created such a realistic copy, though…"
"I dunno, meow," Gin responded, even feeling an uncanny sense of warmth from the light beating down upon him. "They've gotta be rich, right? Only rich weirdos with nothing better to do would do something like this, woof…"
"No doubt. There're attractions back that way, too. I'm going to wait a bit before doing another, though. Hopefully, somebody else'll have picked up Hinako by then…" Big Sis Megumi leaned back in her chair, eyes closed.
"It'll be the other way around, more likely,"Gin thought. Sensing that he wouldn't get much more out of her, he spent a few more minutes basking in the sun before heading back out to the common room.
Next up: that gross, musty corridor that he'd found with Big Sis Anzu and Big Bro Shin. Roving up and down the entrances on either side - all leading to attractions - Gin took deep, slow breaths, attempting to pick up any strange scents in the stale air.
'Here!'A large pile of rubble closed off a wall on the far end of the corridor, but there was fresher air blowing through a gap about three fourths the size of Gin. With some lithe, graceful squeezing, Gin popped out the other side, nearly falling onto his face.
He twisted midair, landing on his rear, instead. "Meowch…"
The room was nearly pitch black, but Gin's quickly prepared his focus to access his nightvision, eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness.
He looked up. "Wh-Wha…?" In front of him were several computers attached to a large monitor in the center. However, these machines weren't what concerned him in the slightest.
It was the gleaming silver blade of a knife resting atop the nearest monitor.
Swallowing, Gin approached it. Looking left and right wildly, yet seeing nothing, he grabbed it. Hesitantly, he pulled out the knife case from the first floor, and lowered the weapon into the mold.
It fit perfectly.
'... Somebody brought this up with them? Why… would they need to do that?'Gin had a horrible feeling that it wouldn't be for the sake of defying their captors.'... I'd better…'
Gin closed the knife case, pocketing it.
Gin didn't want to explore the medical office. He knew it to be a good idea: it was where Melon Soda Lady lurked, and therefore, where they might find the most information about their circumstances.
Yet… he risked running intoMelon Soda Lady. That was enough to make the boy keep his distance.
Instead, why not explore the monitor room? They'd already discovered three attractions hidden in the dark corners of the room, but Gin hadn't seen what the purpose of the machinery was.
'And if it worried Big Sis Anzu and Big Bro Shin so much…'Gin swallowed, quietly padding into the room.
The eleven monitors were the same as earlier: dark and blank.'... I don't really know what to do. Maybe if I just hit buttons?'
Cautiously, peeking around himself to ensure he wouldn't be interrupted, he fiddled with the assorted knobs and dials on the center console before the monitors.
A monitor in the top-left flickered to life. "Mreowr…? Looks like I did something, woof!"
"Hello…?"
Gin's blood ran cold.
"Oh!" Big Sis Mai raised a hand from off-screen, covering her mouth. "The others didn't tell me they had another kid with them… What's your name, sweetheart~?"
Gin mewled, weak and raspy, locked in place.
(
(clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick)
"Uh, hello…? Can you hear me…?" The… mockery blinked, brows knitted. "Are you put out that I can't remember you? I'm really sorry!" She pouted. "There's only so much I can do as an AI, you know…"
One step, easy.
A second, stumbling.
"Are you alright…?"
Gin fled, tears staining the carpet beneath him.
( )
He ran into Shorty, of all people, in his desperate sprint to the bedrooms. Though she was two years his senior, she toppled like a house of cards upon colliding with him.
"G-Gah!" She shoved him off of her, scrambling away. "The hell's the matter with you…!?"
Gin tried to speak; only a croak came from his throat, thick with mucus and terror.
"Jeez…" Shorty sniffed, expression calming. "What happened to you? You look about ready to collapse."
"B-Big Sis…" he whispered, remaining curled in a ball where he had fallen, legs locked, "... Mai… Sh-She was th-there… In the m-monitor room…"
Shorty said nothing, posture stiffening. She looked away, stuffing her hands into her pockets.
"... You knew, didn't you…?" he asked, glaring tearfully up at her. "E-Everybody was k-keeping it from me, nya…"
"... And what would you have done, huh?"
"Wh-Wha…?"
Shorty huffed, crossing her arms. "What were we supposed to tell you? I wasn't exactly glad to see Mishima's face plastered across that screen, you know. And from the looks of you, we all made the right call."
Gin said nothing, lip twitching.
"Hold it against me all you want. I don't care," she said, before averting her gaze. "Just… don't hold it against those weirdoes looking after you. Lotta kids'd kill for that. I won't let you throw that away just because they tried to protect you."
"... I don't… blame them, meow…" Gin swallowed, pushing up enough to sit against the wall. "I-I'm being a wimp, woof… Crying wh-when I've got people depending on me."
"Hmm?" Shorty quirked an eyebrow.
"Y-You said it yourself, Shorty… Being a kid doesn't matter here, meow… I need to help e-everybody or they're j-just gonna end up like- like…"
"... I guess I was trying to prove that," she sighed, running a hand through her curls. "Looks like I got the message across. So why are you just sittin' there?"
"M-Mreowr…?"
"Cryin' never did me any favors," she said, jaw set and eyes dark. "No matter how much I cried… Nobody really gave a damn. None of my prayers were answered." She held out a hand. "It's about time to do an attraction, if ya wanna live. You wanna show them just how useful us dumb kids can be?"
"... O-Okay, mew…" He took her hand and heaved himself to his feet. "I-I'm done crying over things I can't change, woof."
She smirked. "There we go. You make me do that again; I'll charge you."
"M-Mreowr!?"
"This shouldn't be so scary.Spirit Shutter…I'm shivering in my boots."
"Is that a camera, meow…?"
"Looks like. Wonder what-"
"Wh-What the heck is that, woof!?"
"I… don't know… H-Hey…! Get away from me…!"
Click!
"... L-Looks like you got rid of it, nya…"
"L-Lucky me…"
Shorty groaned in exhaustion, snatching the Clear Chips from the dispenser. "What a nightmare… What the hell kinda tech do these freaks even have?" She shook her head, pressing a Clear Chip into Gin's mitten. "There ya are, I guess. Fair pay for fair work."
"... Thank you… Big Sis Shorty." Gin smiled softly, taking the chip.'If even someone like Shorty's trying her hardest…'
"H-Hwuh…?" She stepped back, sweating. "D-Don't make things weird, kid…" She stomped off.
Gin snickered to himself.'I never thought that she'd make me feel better… Shorty- Big Sis Shorty's been nothing but a downer since yesterday. But… she got kinda upset when she saw me putting myself down…'
Moving back into the common room, Gin found his companions mingling once again.
"There you are, Gin." Samurai Girl looked down at him, eyebrow quirked. "Shin and Anzu were worried when they couldn't find you."
Gin looked away, rubbing Mew-chan's fur. "S-Sorry, meow…"
She grinned. "Ha. I bet you just needed some time alone, huh? Don't worry, I won't tattle. It gave Anzu and I an excuse to get to know each other, at least." She wilted. "E-Even if we almost died… Those attractions are rough."
"I'm glad you're okay, woof!" Gin swallowed. "I-I'm really worried about everybody. If someone messes up at the wrong time…"
"Then they won't have to worry about the Main Game."
"N-Nya…" Gin flinched. "D-Don't say scary stuff out of the blue…!"
"Sorry," she sighed. "I tend to be a little brusque, don't I? I can't stop thinking about it, though: who we're gonna…" She cleared her throat. "Well, no sense in losing sleep over it. We have to survive these attractions before we worry about that…"
(
Gin shook his head wildly, clearing his mind. "Right… I'm gonna do my best, okay, Samurai Girl! So don't you slack, either!"
She smiled, wrinkling the skin under her eyes. "Don't worry. I have no intention of getting hurt."
By the time the fake sun in the relaxation room had crept behind the artificial horizon, Big Bro Shin and Gin had reunited.
The man seemed troubled about something when Gin spotted him, padding up to his side on the common room seats. "Big Bro Shin…? Are you okay, meow?"
He jolted in surprise, rocking his chair backwards. "G-Gah…! Don't creep up on me like that…!"
"S-Sorry, nya…"
"It's fine." Big Bro Shin waved his hand noncommittally, recovering quickly. "I haven't seen you in a bit, Gin. Where have you been?"
"... I need some advice, woof," he admitted. "B-But…" He looked cautiously at the others in the common room: Shorty harassing a red-faced Cotton Candy about something, Samurai Girl and Big Sis Megumi idly conversing. "It needs to be private."
Big Bro Shin blinked in surprise, but agreed readily. "I don't think anybody's in the monitor room, righ-"
"N-No!" Gin burst. "A-Anywhere but there, mew…"
( )
"A-Ah…" Something clicked in Big Bro Shin's eyes, gaze growing sharp. "I wasn't thinking. You found the AIs, then…"
"Th-That's what they are, nya…?" Gin rubbed his own shoulder nervously. "I- I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying…"
Big Bro Shin sighed, removing his beanie to run a hand through his hair. "... I'm sorry, Gin. I hope you understand why we kept that from you."
"... Yeah, meow. I- Yeah…"
"Hey," Big Bro Shin started, rising from his seated position. "If the monitor room's a no-go, then how about my room? Should be more private, anyway." He grimaced. "Even if there's no lock on the door…"
"Okay, woof…"
"Hey, did you get a chance to investigate that prize exchange, Gin?" Big Bro Shin asked as they moved from the common room to the hallway. "There was something interesting in there; at least to me."
"... I'm not gonna buy a Clear Chip, woof," Gin deadpanned.
"Ha. That's not what I was talking about," Big Bro Shin smirked. "I was referring to the back wall, actually. After Alice dragged me off, I went back to ask some questions. Turns out, those pictures on the wall? They're prizes, too."
"Mreowr?" Gin furrowed his brow. "Is it like that creepy doll of me from the first floor or something?"
"No," he grimaced. "Don't see what the incentive to buythatwould be. Those pictures actually pertain… to personal information. If you get 50 of a person's Me-Tokens… you can buy their info."
'That's… really creepy.'Gin frowned. "What's… the point of that, meow?"
"That's what I intend to find out," said Big Bro Shin as he opened his bedroom door for Gin to enter.
"Woof? Are you saying…?"
"Yup." He smirked. "My goal… is to get 50 of somebody's tokens. Doesn't matter whose; so long as there's a lead, it's my responsibility to chase it, right?"
'A lead…?'Gin wondered.'Everybody… should try their hardest, right?'
Gin gave Big Bro Shin his wallet. "Here… Take them, woof."
"H-Huh?" The man blinked in shock. "I… wasn't expecting that. I was going to ask if you wanted to trade, yes, but…"
"I don't want anything to do with this bartering stuff, woof!" Gin huffed. "So, if you need tokens, then you can have mine!"
"Gin…" Big Bro Shin took the wallet, and carefully counting out 50 tokens, handed it back to Gin. "There's no sense in taking more than I need. You're too trusting, Gin."
"... And you're too suspicious, woof." Gin, regardless, took the wallet back, stuffing it into his hoodie. "Maybe we even out, meow."
Big Bro Shin laughed, dimples marring his cheeks. "Maybe so. Thank you, Gin. What did you need to talk to me about?"
"... R-Right…" Gin sobered, chest growing cold. "I need your help, meow…"
Gin slid the knife case out of his pocket, tossing it onto the bed like a thorny, poisonous plant.
"Hmm?" Big Bro Shin blinked, picking it up carefully. "The knife case? What's-?"
He opened it.
"Ah…" Slowly, the man slid the case closed again. "... Where did you find this?"
"The old hallway, meow…" Gin admitted. "I squeezed into some rubble, and found this shady room, woof…"
"And this knife was there?"
"Yeah…"
"... How big was this entrance?"
"Huh? Wh-What does that matter, nya?"
"It matters. Please."
"U-Uh… I didn't have a hard time fitting, woof, but… it would be pretty cramped for even somebody as small as Big Sis Anzu. I guess you could fit if you really squeezed, meow…"
Big Bro Shin hummed. "Thanks. That narrows it down a bit."
"Mreowr?"
"I'm trying to figure out who might've hidden this on us. Good job finding it, Gin."
"Do you…" Gin swallowed, worrying his lip, "really think it was one of us, woof? Not G-Giggles or Melon Soda Lady…?"
"... That'd be convenient, sure. But not even you really believe that, right, Gin?"
"... I- I don't wanna suspect anybody, mew…" Gin whimpered. "I just want you to help me hide that… so nobody gets hurt."
"... You're a good kid, Gin. Never doubt that." Big Bro Shin pocketed the knife.
"Hoy! Gin Ibushi! Over here!"
Gin blinked, staring Stripey down.'... Still not really sure what to think of this guy. He caused a lot of trouble during… the game.'Gin winced, hisses and thrums singing a dirge in the open chambers of the corridor.'But…'
"Can you hear me!? I'm asking after you! It's very rude to ignore your elders, you know!"
'... He seems a lot less dangerous, somehow.'
"Whaddya want, Stripey!?" Gin barked. "I'm trying to explore, woof!"
"Gah!" The prisoner winced. "Why are the children here so damned disrespectful…? I require your assistance!" He gesticulated wildly at the door beside him. "This damnable contraption won't allow me entrance without a partner!"
"What are you trying to do, woof?"
"It's an attraction, boy! Arm Wrestling!" Stripey flexed his, admittedly quite impressive, biceps. "A cinch for an experienced inmate like myself!"
'I'm gonna be useless, aren't I…?'Gin scowled at the thought.'But… I still gotta do it, don't I? Even if I'm just helping Stripey get his Clear Chips…'
"Okay," he said. "Let's go, Stripey!"
"S-Still with the cruel nicknames, I see…"
"Like, what the heck is this thing!? I'm totally getting the creeps!"
"Shouldn't you be used to these freaks by now, woof!?"
"I-It's very hard to get used to this!"
"Just put your arm on the table already, nya!"
"Urgh… Very well! Hup!"
Stripey cackled as the Clear Chips deposited into their tray. "See!? I had rougher challengers in the clink!"
"I bet you still would have lost a fistfight, mew…"
"S-So!?" Stripey snatched up the chips. "Even if fisticuffs is hardly my forte; only a brute solves disputes with his fists!"
"... You're a convict, meow."
"O-On the charge of embezzlement!" Stripey groaned. "Here, just take your damned chip and leave me be."
Gin winced, gripping Mew-chan tighter. "N-No way…! I didn't do anything, woof! I can't expect a hand-out just for being there, nya…"
Stripey blinked, staring at the boy intensely. Gin sweat. "Wh-What, meow…?"
The convict grinned, clutching his chest. "Such stubborn pride… You remind me of someone I dearly wish to see again." He flicked a Clear Chip directly at Gin's forehead, eliciting a yelp of surprise. "Don't say such a foolish thing again. If I deign to reward you for your service, don't insult my fairness with such self-defeating drivel."
Stripey waltzed off lackadaisically.
'... What a weirdo!'Gin stared down at the Clear Chip. 'I just don't get him at all…'
They stood there, in the dark, emptied common room, waiting.
Gin froze in place upon spotting them, heart pounding cracks into his ribcage.
"... Gin…"Big Sis Mai smiled, limp and pale."Come here, would you…?"
Gin stepped forward.
His claws pierced deep holes into her stomach, her neck, her chest.
"Ah, Mister Ibushi," Mister Mishima addressed, neck tilted at an impossible angle for any living being. "Don't be rude to an old man. Get over here."
Gin obeyed lifelessly, burning Mishima's neck straight through, melting every ligament and vein in his way. His head toppled to the floor, rolling under the table. Mishima's body remained standing.
"Hey, small fry! Don't tell me you're forgetting me!?"
( )
The drills whirred in Gin's mittens, sinking into Mister Q-taro's throat.
Gin jolted awake.
Gin darted to the common room, maddened with terror.
It was empty.
Gin stumbled back to the hallway, staring down his own nameplate.
'It gets worse when I'm alone…'
Gin turned away.
Gin opened the door.
Gin curled up beside the warm, oblivious body, trying with all of his worth to stifle his sobs.