"K-KYAAAAAAAAHHH!" Lithe, calloused hands pushed Gin off of the bed, awakening him with a rough bump to the noggin.

"M-MEOWCH!"

"G-G-Gin…!?" Anzu yelped, pulling her blankets tight over her chest. She heaved a shaky sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god…"

"Wh-What was that for, woof!?" Gin whimpered, rubbing his head. It didn't really hurt that much, but still!

"I- I thought you were a pervert! Like- Like maybe that Alice guy o-or Ranmaru!" Her shoulders slackened. "H-How the heck did you get in here, anyway…?"

"The door wasn't locked, woof…" Gin said, a singeing rush of embarrassment coming over him. "I-I'm sorry, Big Sis Anzu… I was being a baby…"

"Huh…?" Big Sis Anzu wiped some grogginess from her eyes, looking at him sympathetically. Her head looked tiny without her hood, he thought. "Gin… Was there a reason you came into my room…?"

"... I- I didn't wanna bother you, nya… but I couldn't sleep last night…" His jaw quivered as he admitted it, feeling overheated and foolish. "I- I was gonna wake up and leave before you, meow, but… that didn't work out."

"... It's okay, Gin," she sighed, managing a smile. "J-Just ask, if you're gonna do something like this, okay…? My heart's still pounding…"

"I-I'm really sorry… but I- I saw them…"

Big Sis Anzu sobered immediately. "Oh, no… D-Don't tell me…"

"M-Mister Q-taro a-and Mister Mishima," he choked out, stumbling on the words as they pushed past his honey-thick throat. "B-Big Sis Mai…"

Big Sis Anzu threw off her covers, scooping him in a hug until his shaking calmed.

"S-Sorr-" She raised her finger and thumb in warning, ready to flick. Gin coughed out a laugh.

"H-Hey, Gin…" she said as she threw her hood on, having slept in her sweater and skirt. "Why… did you choose me, anyway…? To help you?"

"... You're the only one who's seen me without my costume, nya," he admitted, rubbing small circles in Mew-chan's fur. "... It used to be really bad, woof, and I- I still don't really like to be seen without it… but yesterday, it felt… it felt alright."

"Hey, Gin," Big Sis Anzu started, hiding her watering eyes with the brim of her hood. "How about I ask Safalin for some extra blankets…?"

Gin beamed.

"Hey, Gin…" (Big Sis?) Shorty grabbed his shoulder.

"Mreowr!?" He whirled around, hackles raised. "Whaddya want, Shorty!? Don't spook me, unless ya wanna get mauled, woof!"

She quirked an eyebrow. "I'm terrified. Look, I found something interesting over here… You mind helpin' me check it out?"

"Mew…?" Gin quirked his head in the direction Hinako had nodded towards. Sure enough, there was a small entryway tucked in the room's nook, hard to notice even with Cat Vision. "That's… really weird, woof."

"That's what I was thinking. C'mon." Shorty ducked into the entryway.

'I should follow her. Shorty's gonna get herself hurt…'Vibrating with nerves, Gin swiveled his head around, looking for any watchers. Finding none, he scuttled after Shorty.

She stood before a dimly lit stairwell, neck craned to stare at the vending machine at its precipice; a great "200" lit up above it.

"Woof…!?" Gin edged up the steps behind her, sniffing for anything suspicious. He blinked; there was airflow to their right.

"Whaddya think that machine's for?" Shorty asked, not moving an inch from her spot halfway up the stairs. "Rhetorical question," she barreled before Gin could respond. "My bet is… that's the escape ticket."

"E-Escape ticket, meow…?"

"Yup." Shorty chuckled, pulling a hand from her pocket to scratch her nose. "I was checking out all the prizes in the exchange… Turns out, there was an exclusive 'escape ticket' for anyone who could rack up enough tokens. Wasn't anywhere behind the counter, though."

'Escape Ticket…?'

"I don't trust it, myself," she continued. "I figure it's best if we ignore that thing. Don't go giving out your tokens freely, Gin."

"Was that… all you wanted to show me, woof?"

She grinned. "Perceptive, huh? Of course, it'd be dumb to pull you in here just to tell you to steer clear of something. What I really wanted to show you…" Shorty pointed to the wall opposite the airflow, "was this."

There on the wall, obscured by the darkness, was a switch.

"'Bonus attraction,' mew…?" Gin blinked, reading the text.

"Apparently. Whaddya think? Should I press it?"

"Wh-Why are you asking me, woof!?"

"Because," Shorty's gaze sharpened into something dark and lethal, "I don't trust the judgement of adults."

Gin swallowed, shrinking back.'I feel like… there's a story there. I'm… afraid to ask what it is…'

"W-Well," he managed. "I- I think… we should just ignore it, woof."

Shorty blinked, clearly surprised. "S-Seriously…? Just ignore something like this…?"

"It's not worth it, woof!" Gin surprised himself with how loud his voice came out, Shorty flinching back like she expected him to slap her. Forcefully, he calmed himself. "I- I mean… The attractions all give us enough Clear Chips, right…? And with the two extra at the prize counter, meow, that's… 86 Clear Chips total. More than enough for everybody to survive, woof!" He swallowed, rubbing more little circles in Mew-Chan's fur. "I… don't want you to risk yourself, Shorty. Not when we don't need to, nya…"

"... M-Maybe you're right." Shorty brushed past him, hair curtaining her eyes. "Never mind, Gin. I was just… being a dumbass, again."

She made for the exit.

"Shorty!" he cried, halting her. "... P-Promise me you won't get yourself hurt, meow…"

"H-Huh?"

"Please… Maybe I'm being selfish, woof, but… I don't want to see anybody get hurt… and the things you said during th-that… game…" He swallowed, hands shaking imperceptibly beneath his mittens. "It makes me think… that maybe you think… you deserve to get hurt."

Shorty waited for a long, long moment, locked in an electric silence, before responding. "... I don't make promises, Gin."

She left the stairwell, leaving Gin alone in the soft green light of the vending machine's sign.

Gin sighed, chin in his mittens, as he stared at his long since cold bowl of udon. He had thought the day was off to such a good start, - leaving aside his rude wakeup call and the issue of Shorty - but he found himself with absolutely nothing to do. Everybody was busy.

Big Bro Shin, when prompted, told him that they'd check out his info in due time; as soon as the man's stomach ache wore itself out, that was. Gin felt bad for making fun of him before, when he saw him huddled miserably over the toilet, clutching his belly like how a pitcher held a ball.

He couldn't hang out with Big Sis Anzu, either. He had planned to spend some time with her after dismissing himself from the bathroom, leaving Big Bro Shin with a gentle pat on the back, but she was totally engrossed with Samurai Girl; having an intense, animated conversation about kebabs, lackadaisical uniform policy, and poor traffic cone placement. Gin didn't really get it. Maybe it was a high school thing. Regardless, he left them alone.

Shorty had already blown him off earlier, and didn't seem in much of a mood to talk when he cautiously approached, leaving him struggling to stitch a conversation together with monosyllabic threads. He was lucky to get a real word, rather than a noncommittal grunt.

He didn't really know Cotton Candy that well, though he resolved to fix that eventually. He had slid in right after Gin gave up on talking to Shorty, however, to much greater success. Gin wasn't afraid to admit that he was a little miffed. How rude could Shorty get!?

That left him with the options of either Stripey or Big Sis Megumi; the former of whom used words way too long-winded and ostentatious for Gin to really care about what he had to say, and the latter being absolutely nowhere in sight.

Gin sighed again, pushing away his bowl.

"Oh, do finish…" murmured Melon Soda Lady, right beside him.

Gin leapt from his chair in a flash, toppling it to the floor. "Melon Soda Lady!" he hissed, baring his teeth. (Quite the futile gesture, if one considered his facemask.) "Get the heck away from me, woof!"

She sniffled. "Oh, if that's what you wish… I'm afraid I have to ensure that all participants finish their meals, though… Waste not, want not, and all…" Her lips wobbled. "It'd be such a shame to punish you after you've come this far…"

"P-Punish, meow…?"

Gin, sharp chills swiping up his spine, awkwardly reset his chair and sat back down, heart thumping. He pulled his mask down, resuming his meal as Melon Soda Lady watched on. Funnily enough, her presence did little to whet his appetite.

( )

The noodles tasted rotten, like fryer grease and mop water.

"Oh, dear…" Melon Soda Lady murmured. "You haven't been having an easy time at all, have you, Gin…?"

"M-Mreowr…?" Gin swallowed, resisting a retch. "I-I'm eating, okay? Leave me alone already, nya…"

"Gin, don't you," Melon Soda Lady pulled a seat out, sitting beside him, her warm breath tickling his cheek, "want to be free?"

Gin's eyes flickered between her and his noodles. Maybe if he finished quicker, she'd go away. He shoveled them into his mouth as fast as he could without dirtying his costume or Mew-chan.

"Free from the burdens of the dead? The weight that they've laid upon you with their passing? I know… that all you candidates are strong-willed. So strong, I feel, that you couldn't possibly escape from something so intangible…"

Chew. Chew. Swallow. The noodles were soggy and disgusting, but Gin couldn't taste them. He raised his utensil. He chewed. He swallowed.

"I've found a solution; the ticket to happiness," she sighed, voice rumbling with low pleasure. "In my research, I've devised a wonderful machine. One which would allow you to forget all the guilt and sacrifice of the past, leaving only warm, fuzzy nostalgia." Melon Soda Lady practically vibrated in her chair, leaning in. "Would you like that, Gin? I feel like we could benefit each other greatly…"

A hand came down on Melon Soda Lady's shoulder. "How delightfully symbiotic."

The Crying Doll flinched backwards as Big Sis Megumi's vermillion eyes bored into her. "A-Ah…! You…?"

"Leave the boy alone," the policewoman grinned. "Can't you see he's trying to eat?"

Gin chewed and swallowed, sweat pouring down his brow, his ears ringing with the hollow thuds of his own heart.

He sipped the broth.

"I was only… being considerate, Miss Megumi."

"Consider his feelings, then. Don't go dredging up the past; it's poor manners."

Gin slammed his bowl upon the table, grabbing Mew-chan and sprinting away.

"Gin," Big Sis Megumi's hand hovered over his hood, before falling back to her side. "Speak to me."

The boy shivered in the artificial sun. "B-Big Sis Megumi…"

"What she was saying to you… I didn't like the sound of it." Her back straightened with the innate rigidness of a woman in uniform. "Don't let them mislead you."

"... I wasn't, meow." Gin swallowed, sweat gluing his hands to the inside of his mittens. "I don't… want to let things like that get to me anymore, woof."

Big Sis Megumi's lips quirked up, eyebrows raised. "Huh. You're… awfully strong, Gin. I'm proud."

He leapt to his feet, the shudder-inducing sounds of his own chewing drowning out the whirs and hisses. "Don't underestimate me, woof! I'm doing my best, just like everybody else, meow!"

The policewoman hid a wry frown behind her hand. "... Maybe noteverybodyelse." She sniffed, rolling a shoulder. "Alright. How about we do an attraction together, Gin? It's about time, I figure."

"Right, woof! I won't let you down, Big Sis Megumi!"

Gin, despite knowing the counter-productiveness of such a desire, hoped the attraction would be tiring.

His mind felt much clearer when he had something to focus on.

"A good ol' fashioned showdown, hmm? I'm game."

"It'll be like the wild west, woof! Or a test of might between samurai, drawing their blades at lightning speed, meow!

"Ha. Not sure I'm fast as lightning, but I'm handy with a gun."

"Cool…"

The challenger appeared.

"... Why does that thing have a hammer, meow?"

"I… don't know."

Big Sis Megumi marched out of the attraction, nursing a hefty bruise on her scalp.

She snatched up her Clear Chips, flicking one towards Gin. "... I'm getting tired of these attractions. Very tired."

"S-Sorry, Big Sis Megumi…"

She sighed. "It was my fault for getting distracted; could have been worse." She winced. "I'm going to go see if there's any ice around, though… I'll catch you later, Gin."

"Bye, Big Sis Megumi…"

He sighed, watching her leave.'Now I've got nothing to do again.'

"What's up with that 'Big Sis' stuff, anyway?"

Gin was tired of being snuck up on, he thought as his heart decked his ribcage. "M-Mraowr! Would everybody just cut that out, woof!?"

"Uh, sorry," apologized Cotton Candy, scratching his head. "I thought you knew I was here… I've been sitting in this chair the whole time."

Had he? Gin's senses really were shot, if that was the case. The boy flushed in embarrassment. "O-Of course I knew, woof! I was just… gonna address you, 'sall…"

"Sure you were," he chuckled, sipping on whatever it was he was drinking. "Don't suppose I'm gonna be 'Big Bro Ranmaru,' at any rate?"

"No way!" Gin balked. "What do I need to protect you from, meow? The fashion police?"

"R-Rude little…" Cotton Candy grumbled, lips dropping nearly off his chin. He recovered quickly. "So that's what it is? Some sort of… oath of protection, or whatever?"

"Of course it is, woof!" Gin yelped. "I wanna protect everybody, but some people need some extra care, nya!"

"... I can see Anzu and Shin." Ranmaru scratched his chin in thought. "But Megumi? You're more likely to need to protect people from her."

'Big Sis Megumi's fear scent… isn't something I should share.'Gin blinked. "... 'From her'?"

Cotton Candy chuckled. "Yeah. She scares the crap outta me, honestly." He muttered something under his breath, somehow too quiet for Gin to pick up, much to the boy's frustration. "... Hey, I was wondering."

"Nya?"

"I need an unbiased source for something." Cotton Candy gnawed on a knuckle, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you think of Hinako?"

"Shorty…? What about her?"

"Just… what do you think? What's your, like, impression, y'know?" Cotton Candy cleared his throat. "She's been hanging 'round me ever since yesterday. Sara kinda ditched me for Anzu, so I'm glad for the company, but…" He frowned. "That Main Game… She kinda freaked me out."

Suddenly, the projected weather felt too scenic. "I don't wanna… talk about the game, woof."

"N-Not the game," Cotton Candy backtracked quickly, eyes wide. "Just Hinako. Do you… think she's cool? She likes to make fun of me, but… it's not like anybody besides Sara wants to hang out with me."

"... Why're you asking me, nya…?"

Cotton Candy shrugged. "You're a kid. Kids're pretty honest, I guess. I don't know. There's no, like, significant reason that it's you. You're just here."

"... I think… that Shorty should have a lot more friends, meow." Gin thought back to the stairwell. "Shorty cares, too. She's just weird about showing it, woof."

"Huh." Cotton Candy leaned back in his chair, polishing off his drink. "'Kay. Thanks, Gin. I appreciate it. See me later, and we can do an attraction or something."

Cotton Candy waltzed out of the room.

Gin blinked. "... B-Bye, meow?"

'Why is everybody so weird?'

A few hours later, Big Bro Shin had recovered enough to tell Gin to meet him in the prize exchange. (Tastefully choosing not to mention the necessity of diving through the monitor room beforehand. Gin still felt ugly shudders run down his back at the sight.)

He crept up, stumbling across Big Bro Shin and Stripey engrossed in an intense conversation. It would be incredibly rude to eavesdrop, Gin thought, but even ruder to interrupt them. Rear wiggling like a cat's, Gin stalked across the floor.

"... I know, Alice, but I can't give you these tokens. Try to understand, please?"

Stripey huffed. "You gave me your word, Shin Tsukimi. I dare you to cross me; renege on our agreement and you'll come to regret it."

"I'm not reneging," Big Bro Shin hissed. "I just need a little more time. Tomorrow, we'll do it. I'll have more tokens, then. It's not like it matters whose you use for those, anyway."

Stripey scowled, shoulders square. "See to it. I'm choosing to trust you, Shin Tsukimi. I'd like to believe it is not misplaced."

Flipping on his heel, Stripey stalked off with surprising grace for somebody wrapped in 50 pounds of iron chains.

Big Bro Shin sighed, leaning back against the counter.

'What was that all about? I thought Stripey and Big Bro Shin seemed kinda familiar yesterday… What kind of deal are they making…?'

Gin stepped into the light. "Big Bro Shin! I'm here, woof!"

Big Bro Shin blinked, craning his neck towards the boy. "Oh, good. You're awfully punctual. You should keep the habit."

"We're gonna buy my info, right? You'd better let me look at it first, meow!"

He grinned. "Why? There wouldn't happen to be anything…embarrassing,now, would there?"

"N-No!" Gin yelped quickly.'He absolutely can't know about my botany phase when I was nine!'

"Right, right… I believe you." He turned to the creepy receptionist doll, clearly hiding a snicker, much to Gin's consternation. He pointed to the pictures on the wall. "I'd like to purchase Gin Ibushi's information, please."

"Certainly," the doll responded, head crooked on its axis. "You have the necessary payment, yes?"

"Of course." Big Bro Shin dumped 50 of Gin's tokens onto the counter. Counting them out, the receptionist doll pulled them into a drawer at his waist and produced a disk.

"Here you are," he said, handing it to Big Bro Shin. An eerie smile crossed his face, fanning out his crabstache. "Do enjoy."

Wordlessly, Big Bro Shin took the disk, retreating to the monitor room with Gin in tow.

"A disk…?" he muttered. "It's like I thought, then." He turned to Gin. "... I'm going to have to use the monitors. If you don't want to…"

"I'm fine, meow," Gin assured, swifter than could be considered natural. "A-As long as… I-I'll be fine…"

Gravely, Big Bro Shin nodded, fiddling with the middle device. "Okay. Here goes."

After a few seconds, a monitor near the center lit up a deep green. Gin's heart clenched in his chest, like he had eaten nothing but grease that day.

"... Meow? Who're you?" Gin did not say, because the words came from the monitor on the screen. "What's happening? Do you wanna play, woof?"

"... F-Freaky…" Gin muttered.'Is that really what I sound like?'

"Ha…" Big Bro Shin tugged his scarf over his mouth. "I'm afraid… that there's not much we can play while you're stuck in there."

"Mreowr?" (Screen) Gin blinked. "Oh! That's right, woof… I'm an AI program of Gin Ibushi!" He blinked again, looking at the real Gin. "Woah! Cool, meow! It's nice to meet me, heehee…"

"... I- I guess, nya." This was weird. This was so weird. Surely, Big Bro Shin thought this was just as weird, right?

"Hey, Gin." Gin perked up. "Er, not you, Gin. That Gin." Gin wilted. Big Bro Shin cleared his throat. "Uh, what's your directive? What purpose do you serve?"

"J-Jeez, nya," Screen Gin frowned. "That's kind of a cold question… but I gotta answer it, woof… 'Cuz thatismy directive! Anything you need to know about me, meow, I'm obligated to tell!" He went quiet for a moment. "P-Please don't ask about botany, woof…"

Big Bro Shin's brow furrowed, and Gin could see him soundlessly repeat the word 'botany' to himself. Gin sweat, desperately waving his mittens in front of his neck while the man wasn't paying attention.

"Right…" Big Bro Shin started. "So, how about… your history?"

"History?" Screen Gin blinked. "Whaddya wanna know, woof? That's kinda vague…"

"J-Just what you usually do, I suppose."

"You know you could just ask me, right, Big Bro Shin?" Gin huffed.

"Yes, but I'm curious." Big Bro Shin grinned. "You're here to help me check his answers, after all."

"M-My answers, woof!?" Screen Gin balked. "Nobody told me there was a test, mraow!"

"Th-There's not," Big Bro Shin deadpanned. "Just be honest, and you'll be fine."

"Okay… I'm Gin Ibushi, from Heiwa Elementary class 6-3! I'm 12 years old, and I take care of the animals, meow!"

Big Bro Shin glanced at Gin. He nodded.'That's all true, but… anybody could find that out, right? Just how… much do these people know about us?'

"Is school interesting?"

"It's okay," replied Screen Gin. "There're some guys I don't like, woof, and the teachers are kinda condescending, meow. But it's not the worst, I guess."

That was all… true.

"Do you wear your outfit to school?"

"No, woof," Screen Gin huffed. "Everybody gets mad, so I can't. I always wear it at home, though, meow! And I've got an extra if it gets dirty! My mom made it for me, so they're two of a kind, woof!"

Gin's closet had been full of exact copies of his costume, down to the stitch. Gin figured he probably shouldn't let Screen Gin know that, though.

Screen Gin bit his lip, though Gin doubted Big Bro Shin could tell through the mask. "... It's kinda hard to talk without it, mreowr. I get all uneasy and stuff… B-But that's not important! Was that good?"

Big Bro Shin looked to Gin. Hesitantly, Gin nodded. "... Yeah. It was good, Gin. Thank you."

"Anytime, woof!" Screen Gin beamed. "It's, like, my job, I guess!"

Big Bro Shin hummed. "Well, I can always ask some more questions later, I suppose. What do you think, Gin? Anything you'd like to ask your doppelgänger before we go?"

"... What's," Gin started, staring at his own face bearing wide eyes and a clueless smile, "most important to you, meow? M-More than anything else, what… do you want to do?"

"You're giving me a hard question, me!" Screen Gin protested. "Is this some sort of soul-searching thing? 'Cuz I'm just an AI, woof!"

"Just answer the question, meow!"

"I'm gonna, nya!"

"Then do it, woof!"

"Fine, mraow!" Screen Gin cleared his throat, humming. "What's most important to me…? That'd be my mom, woof! Dad, too, if he behaves… Oh, and Mew-chan! I don't wanna forget you, meow! Yeah, making sure they're happy… That's what I want, woof." Screen Gin looked up, eyes narrowed. "You called this hipster guy 'Big Bro Shin,' right? You'd better make sure he's happy, too!"

"... I will, meow," Gin promised himself. "You're… pretty cool, meow."

"Isn't it kind of cheap to compliment yourself, woof?"

"Don't make me take it back, nya!"

Big Bro Shin ejected the Gin AI suddenly, rocking his head. "That's enough of that. From your reaction… I'm guessing these AIs are accurate?"

"... Everything he said was right, mew. It's… kinda disturbing, woof."

"Can't fault you for thinking that." The man patted his shoulder, smiling. "Thank you, Gin. This'll be helpful."

"Helpful…?"

Big Bro Shin chuckled. "No sense spoiling the surprise. Especially when I'm not sure what I'm working with." He shoved the AI disk in his jacket, looking up at the edges of the room. "... Figure it's about time. How about an attraction, Gin?"

'I trust him, but…'Gin agreed wordlessly, leaping from his seat.'Just what are you planning, Big Bro Shin?'

"I don't trust the look of this mineshaft, mreowr…"

"... No choice. Let's hop in."

"I see you sweating, woof! You don't wanna get in this thing, either!"

"I'm fine!"

"... Then why aren't you moving, nya?"

"I-I've got a bit of a stomachache, is all…"

A pause.

"... Oh, wipe that look off your face, would you?"

"Good lord," Big Bro Shin coughed out. "Never again."

"It wouldn't have been so bad if you knew how to use a crowbar, woof!"

The man grunted, dry of any rebuttal. "Here…" he said, handing Gin a Clear Chip. "Fair's fair. We're halfway done, at this point."

"I'm getting really tired, meow," Gin moaned, back and shoulders aching. "Can't this be over already…?"

"If only," Big Bro Shin sighed. "I wish…" He frowned, tugging his scarf up over his chin. "See you later, Gin. I've got some business to attend to."

"B-Bye…?" Gin blinked.'That's the second time today! Why doesn't anybody know how to properly say goodbye!?'

Gin sighed. Maybe there'd be something fun to do elsewhere.

Stepping into the common room, Gin saw a few potential candidates: Samurai Girl and Big Sis Anzu chatting in the corner, for one, discussing whether bells and tassels were the height of fashion; Stripey wolfing down some stir-fry in the corner; and Big Sis Megumi leaning silently against the wall.

"Gin," she said, catching his attention. "You got time for a chat? There's something I've been wondering."

"Sure, woof!" he beamed, surprised at the request. Big Sis Megumi wasn't the time for idle chit-chat, he had figured. "What do you wanna talk about, meow?"

"This token business," she said, and Gin's good spirits took a fierce blow. "Judging from that look, you're not a fan?"

Perceptive! "U-Uh, not really, meow… I don't want to do anything that's like gambling, woof. Makes me uneasy…"

She hummed. "Is there a reason for that, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Well, it's not like I was keeping it a secret, meow… My dad gambles a lot, woof. Both my parents work, but my mom brings in way more, nya. It's not like dad has a bad job, either! He just keeps wasting his money on booze and slot machines!" Gin scowled, squeezing Mew-chan fiercely. "I don't wanna be that kind of useless adult when I'm older, meow. So I'm not gonna get into bad habits!"

Big Sis Megumi remained as impassive as ever. "I see. Would you say that your dad cares for your well-being?"

Huh? That was a weird question. Weren't they talking about tokens? "U-Um… Yeah, I guess. He's only bad when he's drunk, so I don't mind him in the mornings, woof. He's totally intolerable nine times out of ten, though, mraow! I think he cares about me, in his own way, though…" Gin's tone lowered, confidence shrinking. "I hope, meow."

"Hmm." Big Sis Megumi fiddled with her empty holster, fingers tracing the edges of the leather. "You know what the most important thing about being an officer is, Gin?"

"No… I don't really know much about cops, meow. Sorry, Big Sis Megumi…"

She smiled. "It's fine; the question's rhetorical, anyway. The answer is… responsibility." She straightened. "Sure, it's not the only thing, but its importance is chief over all virtues an officer requires; bravery, loyalty, justice… those sorts of things couldn't sum up my department." Her eyes steeled over, losing any trace of warmth. A rebellious shiver trailed down Gin's spine. "But I will always take responsibility for anything that I've done. That's why… I'm playing along. It's my responsibility to rescue everyone here, even if they choose not to listen to or respect me." She grinned, eyes half-lidded. "I hope… you understand."

"... My mom knows a lot about responsibility, meow. She… always overworks herself, even if I tell her not to, woof." Gin smiled, eyes watering. "I- I hope you guys'll all get along… when we get out of here, meow. You've got friends waiting for you too, right? I want… I want you to see them again, Big Sis Megumi."

Something in the policewoman's eyes froze over, her bones cracking with sudden stiffness.

"... So do I, Gin," she said, looking away.

There was a strange scent in the air; a mingling of freshly printed paper and black cherry wafting into Gin's attuned nostrils. He lowered his mask for a better scent, narrowing his eyes.

It was coming from the long, dark stairwell.

'Shorty…'Gin scampered into the room, a cold sweat slickening his pale skin.

The stairwell was absent of any life; cold, yet enticing, like an empty promise.'The vending machine's still here… so nobody's used the escape ticket. But… where did that door come from?'

Directly across from the switch he had urged Shorty to ignore was an entryway. Gin scampered up to it desperately, finding a note on the door.'Room of Lies,'it read.'Reward: . Don't be fooled. If entangled by lies, you'll die. Warning: the bonus will close once someone clears it.'

Gin heaved a sigh, relief lifting the weight from his shoulders.'If the door's here, then nobody's done it, right…? Maybe Shorty just got curious…'

A rustling came from behind the door. Gin's blood froze.

A thud; a girly scream; the pitter-patter of footsteps turning to pounding as they sped closer and closer. Gin backed away from the door.

Shorty burst out, slamming against the opposite wall and collapsing to the floor.

"Mreowr!" Gin yelped, scuttling over to her prone form. "Shorty!? Are you alive, woof!?"

"... I wish I wasn't," she groaned, rubbing her reddened forehead. Her eyes widened. "Wait!" she gasped, grabbing Gin's cloak. "Where the hell's Ranmaru!? He was with me, right!?"

"C-Cotton Candy?" Gin yelped, afraid to push Shorty off at risk of hurting her even more. "I haven't seen him since this morning, woof!"

"Dammit!" Shorty clenched her fist around a bandage in her palm, eyes squeezing shut. "I… God dammit!"

"I told you, Shorty…" Gin whimpered, backing away from the girl as she vibrated with rage. "I didn't want you to get hurt, meow… Not Candy Candy, either…"

Shorty slammed a fist into the wall, bandage fluttering in the artificial wind. Gin flinched.

A long second passed before the girl made any sound, arm still propped against the brick. "... Ha. You… were right. I was wrong." She wasn't looking at him, back turned and gaze glued to the ground. "Laugh it up. Hinako was wrong again. What a surprise. Hinako got somebody else killed because she was too fuck- fuckingstupidto-"

"Hey," came a voice from the darkness. "Calm down, would ya? Tears don't suit you, pipsqueak."

"... R-Ranmaru…?"

"Who else?" Cotton Candy grinned, adjusting his bandages. Gin suspected that they didn't cover any actual wounds, but the relief sat too heavy in his chest to poke any fun at the boy. "Check it out." He held his arm out, presenting six Clear Chips to her. "I didn't fuck it up!" He cleared his throat, puffing out his chest. "Of course, that's to be expected from a guy like me."

"Y-You… egotistical…" Shorty slammed her foot into Cotton Candy's shin, sending him to his knee with a hiss, "jackass!"

"Ow! What the hell's your-?"

Shorty threw her arms around him, quivering violently.

"Ha…" Cotton Candy swallowed. "C'mon. You didn't really think I'd let something like that do me in, right? Thought you were smarter than that, Hinako."

Hinako didn't reply. Slowly, Cotton Candy returned the embrace.

'They got close really fast, huh? Makes me want to find Big Sis Anzu and give her a hug.'Gin cleared his throat.

Shorty ripped herself out of Cotton Candy's arms like his bandages contained asbestos. She flushed, turning to Gin. "... You saw nothing."

"Sure, woof…" Gin gave his best evil grin. It wasn't terribly evil-looking, he could admit to himself. "Whatever you say, Shorty. I'll even save the 'I-told-you-so,' meow."

Shorty opened her mouth to say something, but cut herself off, crossing her arms with a scoff. "Whatever. Just don't be a dick."

Gin, graciously, chose to ignore her potty-mouth. "Hey, Shorty… I'm glad you've got someone, woof. Even if he can't convince you to not do stupid stuff, nya."

"Sh-Shut up." Shorty sneered at him, pushing the bandage into her jumper pocket. "I've got better things to do than let myself be humiliated."

She stormed off. Gin swore he could see a thundercloud above her head.'Shorty's pretty entertaining, huh?'

"Well, that went about as well as any interaction with her," snickered Cotton Candy. "Hey, I told you we'd do an attraction, right, Gin? I've been waiting to show off my skills…"

"Uh, 'skills,' meow?" Gin blinked. "Sure thing, Cotton Candy…"

"Ugh, still with that nickname, huh?" Cotton Candy scratched his neck, sighing. "Talk about insolent."

"'Insolent,' meow? Don't hurt yourself using big words like that, Cotton Candy!"

As the older boy groaned, pushing along to the attractions, there was one thing Gin couldn't help but wonder.

If Cotton Candy had all of his bandages, then where did Shorty get hers?

"Alright, kid. I'll take care of this!"

"Hey, I wanna dance, too, meow! Why do you get to have all the fun, woof?"

"Fine, Fine… We'll split 50-50."

"50-50!? There's only three of them!"

"Urgh, let's just both do it, then!"

"... Is that allowed, meow?"

"Why wouldn't it be? You better have some damned good moves, though."

"I'll dance you into the ground, Cotton Candy!"

"Quit callin' me that!"

Gin beamed at Cotton Candy as they stepped out of the attraction. "Meow!? They teach you all that in high school!?"

"Ha, not really, but I'm adept at avoiding being shoved into lockers. The howling dogs may call, but I answer to no beast."

"... Huh?"

"N-Never mind." Cotton Candy fiddled with his necklace, a pendant of a shuriken. "Let's just say I was awfully flexible in the hallways."

"... Is that why you wear those bandages, nya?" Gin teased. "Because you keep getting beaten up?"

"No!" Cotton Candy flushed. "Jeez, you're relentless… I wear them because they contain my world-ending, unknowable power. If I took them off, your eyes would melt from their sockets as your mind rends itself apart!"

"... You're just hamming it up because I'm a kid, huh?" Gin deadpanned.

"A little," the older boy sighed. He pushed two Clear Chips into Gin's mitten. "See ya around, kid."

"Hey, Gin! Bandage boy!" Big Sis Anzu called, poking her head into the ruined corridor. "I've been looking for you guys!"

"Hi, Big Sis Anzu!" Gin cheered, waving Mew-chan above his head.

"M-Me?" Cotton Candy pointed at himself. "Ha. I guess my reputation precedes me…"

"What?" Big Sis Anzu blinked. "No, it's just that Sara wanted me to find you." She waved him towards the common room. "Go on! Shoo!"

"Jeez…" the boy groaned, pushing past her, grumbling. "Gin's right there, but she treatsmelike a dog…"

"What did you want me for, Big Sis Anzu? Do you wanna play, meow?"

She perked up, flashing him a thumbs up. "As a matter of fact, I do! I got those extra blankets, Gin! We're gonna have an awesome sleepover! I even got some stuff for my clowning!" she beamed, pointing at some vegetables poking from the brim of her skirt.

Gin gasped in wonder. "No way, woof! I can tell you all about Southeast Asian Civets and Saltwater Crocodiles!"

Big Sis Anzu mimicked him, vibrating with enough energy to melt the ice caps. "Cool…!"

Gin tackled her in a hug, giggling as she scooped him into her arms.

Gin stayed up far past his bedtime that night.

Yet, his mind was as far away as he could have hoped from any death or guilt or hope for second chances.

When Big Sis Anzu listened with rapt attention as he rattled off factoids about his favorite animals, he glowed under the limelight of one, heart a healthy weight.

When his body caught up to him, run ragged and bone-tired from the games his captors were playing with his life and mind, she was right there to rest upon, as warm and yellow as the sun.