((Big big sdra2 chapter 6 spoilers read at your own risk))
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..
...
......
"...y.."
"...ey..."
"...hey..."
"....injo..."
"...ake up..."
"....wake up, Kinjo!"
"Kinjo, wake up!"
The light blinded his vision for a moment, causing him to hiss in pain as he lowered his hands to cover any seeping light. What had happened? Tsurugi couldn't understand what had happened, but he was feeling numb right now.
Sooner or later, his vision began to clear, and it was noticeably a more purplish hue all around the place.
Was that ones and zeroes floating?... in the air?
No, that shouldn't be his main priority, his biggest surprise was seeing the person in front of him, the supposed person that was calling him, telling him to wake up.
"....Kisaragi?..." Tsurugi called out, a hand reaching out to the inventor but stopped suddenly.
"...what..?" He spoke out slowly with bewilderment as he stared at his hand for a moment, twisting and turning it as he examined it further.
It was... dark?-- no... he was wearing something.
He had gloves on.
He traced his eyes lower, his sleeves were a darker shade of grayish blue.
"What--- argh--!" Tsurugi winced in pain as the headaches came so suddenly, he put his hand to his forehead, unable to soothe the pain.
It came one after another, the memories flooding like two metal bats continously hitting against his skull.
He was...
Tsurugi Kinjo.
Tsurugi Kinjo, the executive of the Kisaragi Agency.
One of the survivors of the 79th class killing game.
"The headaches will begin to get the worst it's ever been now, since the limits are off, but just try and bear with it, Kinjo. It'll be over once you fully regain your memories." The inventor reassures in a lighthearted tone, standing up from his kneeling position that was loomed over the executive and extended a hand to him. With a trembling wary reach, the retired officer took hold and let himself get hoisted up.
"....Yamato... is it really you?..." Tsurugi asked, there was a small amount of desperation in that voice, but that's to be expected. He was getting his memories all suddenly, affecting his thinking and clouding it with the emotions he's felt with every memory that began to blossom in his mind.
"And much as it can be, Mikado took me to use as a guide for this killing game. I really honestly thought I was a goner when the foundation was destroyed and sunk, I didn't know Mikado could rip me out from ther--" As Yamato was beginning to explain his side of what seemed to have happened, the other suddenly went to embrace the inventor in a hug, he wouldn't have done something like this if he was feeling his normalcy but too many things has been happening, and he's glad to have at least met Yamato like this again, the one he remember back at Hope's Peak Academy. The one he would always have a game of Chess with.
The inventor gave a surprised gasp from this gesture, but nevertheless chuckled as he returned the hug even tighter.
"Missed you too-- well, as much as an Ai based of a real person can.... nice uniform by the way." The inventor added with a laugh before they took another long moment in the embrace then broke away from the hug. Tsurugi continued to nurse his aching head which felt like it was on fire.
"It'll be a bit painful here on out, but hopefully you can manage, right?" Yamato asked with a raised brow, to which Tsurugi nods.
"Of course. I can feel my memories slowly returning, but... my memories of this place, it's still a bit foggy..." Tsurugi mumbled, and the frown became more noticeable on Yamato's face.
"You don't remember what happened...?" Yamato asks, which made the other man stare back at him for a moment.
'............Maybe this will make you proud....--'
Like a glass shattering, the impact was hard, rough and harsh. Tsurugi could feel the air get punched out of him as the memory flashed vividly in his mind. More than any of the other memories slowly returning back to him.
No, this was fresh. Unbelievably fresh.
No.
No. No. No.
Tsurugi can't believe it.
This can't be happening to him.
Tsurugi gripped on his chest, the side where his heart lies was becoming unbelievably uncomfortable as the air felt tight in his lungs. His heart ached at that memory.
"Y-yuki... yu-yuki..." The words trembled out of him softly and quietly, and Yamato could tell that it just now occurred to the captain, a hasty noise escaping the inventor's mouth.
"Kinjo-- you need to calm down!" Yamato spoke up, a firmness to his voice as he held the captain's shoulders, squeezing them with enough pressure to try and ground the man before he started to hyperventilate from the unbearably overwhelming image in his mind.
"Y-y...u...ki..."
"Maeda--" The inventor hissed, having no choice but to shake the captain in his hands harshly as he shouted out to him.
"MAEDA'S NOT DEAD!!!!" The inventor shouted out as he shook the captain violently.
There was a silence as Tsurugi stilled after being shaken, and his breathing was still heavy, but his trembles got noticeably less intense.
"...what?" The executive asked, making the inventor shake his head with a sigh.
"Maeda's not dead-- this is a whole VR game-- NONE of this is real-- what more do you want me to say?!" The inventor spoke up to the captain in his hold, who just blinked at him; still trying to process everything that's happening with his growing headache and new information getting put into his mind.
"Wait... Maeda... he's not...?" Tsurugi asked, unsure whether to believe those words or not. The inventor sighed as he crossed his arms, furrowing his brows.
"I can't physically prove it but, I'm basically also connected to this simulation. I can sense him, somewhere. He's somewhere in this building. Like Mekaru and Otori and the rest..." Yamato states, making Tsurugi blind at him with a shock filled expression.
"He didn't bleed to death, Kinjo! He's fine I can sense him here! He's alive!"
Yuki... survived? Tsurugi couldn't believe it... but he also wants to believe it.
Yuki, who'd shot himself in the head and bled out in front of them. Is alive.
"W...what..." Tsurugi still looked shocked yet relieved from this information. Though he needs to know. He needs to know everything.
"I'll explain it on the way, we're on the first floor of the K building right now, we'll have to find the others." Yamato replies, and Tsurugi had finally gotten a chance to get a good look of his surroundings.
That sickly bloody color staining each wall. Truly it was the first floor of the Kisaragi foundation, or in other words, the 5th floor of the supposed 'Hope's Peak'.
"How did I get here...? I remember being at the first floor near the cafeteria and laundry area..." Tsurugi asked, taking in his surroundings even further.
There were multiple ones and zeroes floating about in no pattern around the place, and he wonders if something happens if he ends up getting touched or grazed by one, but hopefully it's merely a visual bug.
"I'll explain on the way, care to join me?" Yamato asks, which makes the executive lower his head as he pulls his cap lower down his face, covering it with the brim of his hat.
"Of course."
The walk through the building was silent for a little while, the only noises were their footsteps before the inventor took a deep breath.
"Okay, so it's... a whole thing..." The inventor started, clearing his throat.
"You're trapped in a simulation of one of the Kisaragi buildings, which was made to look and go through the entire killing game again. When I crashed the system and caused the simulation to use the backup data of this place, the system got confused and flinged everyone all over the place basically." Yamato explained, making the captain nod.
"I know most of the first parts. I remember Kurokawai telling me that much." Tsurugi responds, making the inventor halt as he stared at the other man with a raised brow.
"Kurokawai?"
"It's Kurokawa's Ai. She broke her algorithm to tell us some stuff about the simulation." The captain states, and Yamato's gaze is filled with astonishment.
"She was looking for you, actually." Tsurugi adds, to which Yamato nodded his head before they started walking down the stairs.
"Since she broke through her algorithm, she must've been able to sense me... or... theoretically, she used some of the mastermind's information to figure out that I was here." Yamato responds, making Tsurugi hum as he tries to soothe his headaches. He gripped on the handrails as he walked down the stairs with the inventor's aid.
"I've been meaning to ask, if it's really you, how are you here? I'm aware you gave me a small explanation before but I wasn't in the right mind that time." Tsurugi asks, making the inventor hum in thought for a moment.
"Well, to start, the mastermind took my memories in order to connect the full events of the game. My memories were basically used as a guideline to know how the entire simulation was supposed to go." Yamato explains, earning a hum of understanding from Tsurugi.
"The mastermind didn't expect that I'd get taken into this simulation with my memories, though. And we've been fighting ever since. I couldn't do anything rash since it could risk me getting deleted, and knowing that the mastermind was going to do all this, I couldn't let that happen." Yamato gave a long defeated sigh as they walked down the second flight of stairs.
"I've been trying to shut the simulation down since the start of the game... but..."
Tsurugi looked at the inventor with furrowed brows. He could tell that there were information that seemed like a sensitive topic, and wasn't sure whether to tell him or not.
"That bastard... he messed with Maeda's code. Everything was deadlocked behind him." The inventor grumbled as they descended to the 4th floor, Tsurugi could feel anger and anxiety bubble under his skin.
"Maeda was lucky that it was set to just preventing him from getting injured. If it wasn't, I don't think I would've been able to crash the system like this..." Yamato explained, constantly flicking his wrist at the floating ones and zeroes in the environment.
Tsurugi felt himself pale at that.
The thought that, if the mastermind hadn't made that mistake, things would've been different.
Very, very different.
But, the mastermind also couldn't afford Yuki dying, right? So it does make sense that he wouldn't code in a lock that requires Yuki dying to unlock.
"That scum..." Tsurugi could feel his blood boil at the growing anger under his skin, but he had to be calm. He needed to find Yuki.
"How much could you do, then?"
Yamato suddenly flicked his wrist and a small outline of a blue square appeared before him. Stunned, Tsurugi almost missed a step accompanied by the multiple headaches and new memories pushing its way into his brain.
Fortunately, they were already at the last step down to the 4th floor.
"I managed to hack the Administrative rights from him. Theoretically, I can do just about the same things he could other than some PO and force shutdown rights, which he locked with a password. I only have one try so... I'd rather not risk it unless I really need to. Which... technically... I... do need it... later..." The inventor spoke with a growing awkwardness by the end. Truly they were in a screwed up situation. But they mustn't lose hope.
"Though if Mikado tries something, I'll be there to stop him." Yamato states, earning a trusting nod from the captain. Suddenly, the sound of rustling could be heard.
Alert, the two put up a defensive stance as they walked through the 4th floor. Someone's here? Who could it be?
Tsurugi and Yamato couldn't risk it being Mikado. They needed to be sure.
Slowly, they scout the 4th floor, before their attention is snapped to the room with trees at the entrance. Slowly, Tsurugi lowers his hand at the holster-- oh, he wasn't aware at the time that he actually does have his gun with him. He did get to shoot Syobai when they fought before he fell unconscious.
Pulling out the pistol and glancing at the inventor for a moment, the two nod their heads to a countdown before kicking the door down.
BAM!
"Ahh!!-- wait-- wait--! I'm sorry!!"
A voice cried out, it sounded familiar, yet relatively lower and older in tone. Tsurugi took a moment to examine the room.
By the desks, someone was braced behind it. It was fairly obvious with that brownish hat and grey goggles--
Tsurugi took a second to register was he saw, blinking in surprise at that. It was familiar, very familiar to him.
Where has he seen that? Where has he heard that voice?
He probably took a while to register what had happened because the figure peeked out from their hiding spot, the green haired figure lighting up once they saw the captain.
"Ah-- Tsurugi!"
Of course, that's why it was so familiar.
"Teruya?" Tsurugi's eyes widened in recognition as the retired merchant waltzed over to them, shaking hands happily with the inventor.
"Kisaragi, you're here too? But-- eh?? Weren't you dead?" Teruya asked, tilting his head as he did so. Yamato sighed as he adjusted his cap to show more of his face.
"It's a long story, but first off, you guys use your first names?" Yamato asked, looking at the two older men. Teruya blinked as he exchanged glanced with the captain, grinning as he did.
"Well, it's been four years, you know?" Teruya said with a chuckle, before pausing as he tapped his chin with a finger.
"Ah, well I guess the change is sudden, since my memories are just beginning to flow in... that being said, it's really painful..." Teruya groaned after speaking, nursing his aching head.
"You also stopped using your accent." Tsurugi pointed out, making the other blink before giving out a laugh.
"Well, I do like to keep it professional, you know?" Teruya laughed.
A thought crossed his mind, making him pause, he examined himself for a moment, patting his coat and scarf.
"Say, do you know why we even look like this?" Teruya asked, and that was the question Tsurugi had been needing to ask, but forgot about it due to the situation.
"I would understand getting our memories but I thought we were stuck as the past..."
"I can explain that as we walk, we have to find the others." Yamato states, making the two nod as they make their way to the stairs down.
"You see, the mastermind was trying to make it accurate to the first killing game, in order to do that, everyone needed to be as they were in that killing game." Yamato explains, making Teruya hum in understanding. It made sense, it would be odd to keep them as they are now, since they're older and didn't look like this during the first game.
"So, Mikado put your consciousness into avatars that look like that. It, along with your other memories were locked behind an administrator code." Yamato explains.
Tsurugi gasps in recognition. He patted his pockets, unsure if he still has it, but surprisingly so, he does. Pulling out his handbook, he booted it up.
ADMINISTRATOR CODE
>ACTIVATED<
"I unlocked them when I broke the simulation. I was hoping that I was able to break it but... I wasn't given permissions to shut down the simulation." Yamato explains as Teruya leans over to check what Tsurugi is looking at, he gives out a gasp of awe before checking if he had a handbook himself. Looking at it, he gave another gasp.
"You're right, it's green on mine too!" Teruya exclaimed.
"I see... so that's why our avatars got reset to how we look like currently..." Tsurugi hummed. He wondered if the same happened to the others.
Yuki... he wonders how he looks now...
He can barely remember, it feels fuzzy. But he was so sure he caught a glimpse of him before. The entire memory with Syobai was hazy.
He hoped that it isn't bad.
"Do you know why Mikado even did all this?" Teruya asked as they walked down the stairs, having to take it slow from their continous headaches.
"I've gotten some information on him, but it's not much..." Yamato sighed before continuing.
"From what I know, Mikado was someone that was saved by Utsuro, which is why he's trying to revive him."
Tsurugi winced as the name was mentioned. He had to lean on the handrail to stop himself from collapsing down the stairs. His headache spiked at that moment, it was almost unbearable.
"T-tsurugi!" Teruya exclaimed. And Yamato followed after in calling at the captain in alarm.
"I'm... fine... the headaches are just really painful." The captain hissed as he forced himself to stand upright. The other two exchanged glances of worry before nodding. They know Tsurugi would possibly not want help in getting down, so they'll respect his boundaries.
"A...nyways... I have no idea how he helped the mastermind, but since he died, he's been wanting to meet him. I don't know how long he's tried, but he's adamant that this is the way that he'll meet him." Yamato continues, before shuddering.
"And I'm worried that he's right..."
And immediately, the air becomes icy. The events that previously happened replayed in their minds.
"...I shouldn't have done that to Maeda..." Teruya hissed after a long silence. Rubbing his temples with pained furrowed brows.
"It wasn't your fault, Teruya. You were confused because of your memories." Yamato reassures, giving out a sigh afterwards.
"Actually, that's also my fault. I've been trying to shut down the simulation. In the process, your real memories began to join with the ones you were hard-coded in with. That's bound to be painful. It's why I decided to unlock all your administrator codes. Having all your memories will lessen the pain soon, trust me." The inventor added, to which Teruya nods thankfully.
"Still, I should've at least been able to apologize to him..." Teruya sighs as he spoke those words out. His face filled with guilt and regret.
"Kisaragi says that Maeda is fine, so you can apologize when we get out of here." Tsurugi states, and in an instant Teruya's mood seems to have been boosted.
"Maeda?-- he's alive!?" Teruya asked, jaw agape in bewilderment as Yamato nods.
"He's somewhere in the building, I can feel that we're getting closer to him." Yamato explains, making Teruya sigh in a more light hearted way.
"With my memories coming back... I guess I was wrong, Maeda is a real person..." Teruya said with a more lighter and hopeful tone as they stepped down to the third floor.
Teruya took the chance to study Tsurugi's expression. He isn't sure if the captain could remember the events that happened prior to the simulation crashing.
"...by the way... Tsurugi... ...what you called Maed--"
BAM!
Tsurugi was down to the floor with an aching head and an aching jaw in an instant. Wincing from the pain, the man scrambled to look at the attacker.
"You-- ASSHOLE!" The voice was cracking from how high pitched that scream was, Teruya immediately intervened in front of the woman that was trembling, towering over the captain at a wide stance.
"Rei-- calm down--" Teruya spoke up, trying to calm the woman, but it wouldn't work. Her face was red from anger as she nursed her head once again. Tumbling over to lean on the wall trying to catch her breath.
"You... asshole... I told you..." The woman hissed as she clenching her eyes shut. Squeezing it with two fingers before it made its way to squeeze the bridge of her nose.
"Told you we shouldn't have trusted Hashimoto... look at what happened now..."
"Rei... calm down, I know it seems bad, but it's not all bad..." Teruya tried to reassure, patting the woman on the shoulder.
"We're stuck in a simulation where a crazy Ai has full control of everything. What else to we have over that!?" Rei snapped back, before her eyes darted to the inventor who was helping the captain up.
"Wh... Kisaragi?..." Rei asked, walking closer to examine the inventor, who waved at her.
"Yeah, do you remember me? I helped you three escape four years ago..." Yamato explained, making the woman rub her aching forehead once more.
"You....re... the Ai Kurokawai was talking about...?" Rei's gaze slightly softened as she fixed her hair. The headaches were rough for her especially but there isn't much that could be done.
"Yes, I'll explain on the way. We need to find Maeda." Yamato states, making the woman widen her eyes in surprise for a moment before giving a sigh. Her gaze fixed itself to the captain who wouldn't talk, head turned away in a lightly sulking guilt.
"You're pathetic, you know that right?" Rei groaned before walking past him. Turning back to the others as she waited by the stairs.
"You're lucky none of us actually died because of your mistake." Rei added with spite, but Teruya gripped her by the arm, shaking his head at her to stop fighting already. There were more important things that needed to happen.
"....Well, I'll give a short summary of what we've talked about already," Yamato spoke out awkwardly after a long pause before indulging in catching up on explaining everything they've talked about currently. Rei listened intuitively and asked questions occasionally, which Yamato did answer.
"So this whole place is backup data?" Rei spoke up after everything has been summarized, to which Yamato nods.
"Yes, as you can see, it's broken. Which is why there's all these stray binary code floating around. Hopefully I can shut it down soon... I really need to figure out the password..." Yamato mumbles out.
"You're saying we need a password to shut down the Neo World Program?" Rei asks. Yamato nods at that.
"Yes, I almost had it but mid crashing the system, Mikado quickly locked the force shutdown sequence behind a password." Yamato states, making Teruya exhale with relief, grateful about this turn of events.
"I'm glad though, if you were any late and if Tsurugi didn't intervene, Maeda might've fully shot a bullet through his head..."
Yamato raised a brow at the retired ultimate merchant's words. Puzzled by what he's hearing.
"Kinjo intervened?" Yamato asked, making the captain speak next.
"...I didn't get a good look at what happened afterwards but yes. I tried to take the gun away from Maeda, which caused it to move and mess up the direction. When originally it was supposed to go straight through his head, it went off diagonally. Which means that despite Maeda shot a bullet through his skull, it didn't affect the main parts of his brain." There was a lighter feeling of relief in the captain's tone. He motioned his hands to his forehead and the sides of his head to further show the important spots.
"But, if Kisaragi hadn't crashed the simulation, there was a chance that with the limited tools in the infirmary, and knowing Monokuma wouldn't help us since he's an algorithm, Maeda possibly would've died of blood loss."
Truly, he's relieved that Yuki hadn't gotten killed, and he was able to lessen the chance of that by intervening. Hopefully with the whole simulation crashing, Yuki would also get reset, and he'll be fine.
Not like... him.
Not like during that time...
Now so fresh in his mind because of this damn simulation pressing these old memories into his brain. That time at the gym with the gun pressed so coldly in into his forehead.
.....
...
"Live for those who need it, those you care about."
He shouldn't be thinking of the past, it makes him even more anxious than he already was. He can't show weakness. He can't.
He needs to be strong, for everyone. For Yuki.
"There's a chance he's fine, Kisaragi explained that it's an Avatar anyway, I doubt he'd actually be affected like a real bullet to the head." Rei explained, having a similar level of hope that things won't be bad.
Another silence emerged as they walked down two floors. They were being accompanied by headaches but they believe that it's not getting worse than it already is.
"....I'll be honest, as much as this place sucks and things aren't looking good... I'm kind of grateful it happened..." Teruya mumbled to himself softly, making the woman cock a brow up.
"Weren't you the one that was going crazy over being stuck in a simulation?" Rei asked with a humorous sarcasm in her tone which made the other man stammer in panic.
"O-obviously not in that way!!-- also-- my memories were being fuzzy okay!! It was making me super anxious--!!" Teruya exclaimed, putting his hands out to exaggerate his words.
"Just... it was... nice, being able to see them again... even if they weren't real, y'know?" Teruya explained, knowing that the retired merchant is definitely talking about their classmates in the 79th class, and Teruya's old friends. With that, Tsurugi couldn't help but agree. He took a glance back at Yamato who was walking with all of them and gave him a soft smile, to which he smiled back with a wide grin.
"I mean yeah it's cool 'n all but I was hoping our next meetup wouldn't be like this." Yamato spoke up with a snicker. Truly they were screwed but there's more of them and just one of Mikado. He's sure they'll be fine.
As they descended the last few steps to the first floor, Yamato took a small pause.
"Maeda's close, I can sense it." The inventor states, but his tone sounded much more unsure. Tsurugi wasn't sure if he was the only one that caught it, but he's gone on a more cautious mindset here on out.
"You said that the mastermind is using Maeda to bring back Utsuro," Rei started as they continued to walk to what seemed to be the hall connecting to the other side of the school, where the cafeteria and dorms are located.
"How?"
"Well, it put it simply, thanks to Divine Luck, Maeda and Utsuro share the same brain structure, among other things like similar psyche and appearance." Yamato explains. Of course, Tsurugi thinks. It always comes down to Divine Luck. As much as it saved him, he really hates it. Along with everything Utsuro has done. It's ruined his life, and the real Yuki Maeda's life. Such Divine Luck bringing this random person and destroying his livelihood for the sake of feeling something. There were times where he laid in bed thinking about differentiating the two, but before meeting the real Yuki and being in this game, Tsurugi would have to admit it was difficult to. Nor was it easy to accept it.
"This way, Mikado brought Maeda to put him in the exact same situation that Utsuro was in during the first game four years ago to sort of revive Utsuro from within him using this simulation. Supposedly his goal is to create an Ai of Utsuro..." Yamato explains, but with the last part, he sounds borderline unsure.
"So that's his goal... he must be trying to take Maeda to the 6th trial which will further revive Utsuro..." Rei hisses at her words, it wasn't looking good. Even with their memories there was a lessening chance of them to escape the game.
The four continued to walk until the inventor halted in his tracks, stopping right in front of the door to the cafeteria.
The other three looked with confusion, but something was also making Tsurugi anxious in his stomach.
"The cafeteria...? You think Maeda's in there?" Teruya asked, taking a step forward to check but getting pulled back by the inventor, everyone shuffled a few steps back as the two did.
"Hold on... something's wrong..." Yamato spoke out, hissing as his eyes kept fixing to the looming waryful door.
"Wrong...? Do you think--" Tsurugi was going to speak up, before light footsteps could be heard.
"EVERYONE STAY BACK--!" Yamato barked up as he pushed to the front of everyone, shielding them from the forecoming apparent danger that Tsurugi wanted to help in stopping.
BAM!!
the door swung open with a swift and powerful motion, a frustrated groan echoed out from there.
"Those stupid morons messing with the-- YOU!" Anger seeped into every word that came out of this person?... figure's mouth. Everyone had to take a second to examine this glitchy blonde man who seems to be carrying an unconscious Yuki with one arm.
"Mikado!" Yamato hissed as he looked at the figure, before his eyes darted to the unconscious luckster with him. Fortunately he doesn't seem to be bleeding.
"Maeda!!" Tsurugi shouted, his anger rising by the moment as he was about to bolt at this criminal scum. This wasn't able to happen though.
"Kinjo-- hold on!" Yamato gritted his teeth as he grabbed the captain by the arm and pulled him back behind him, causing a confused gasp to quietly emerge from the captain.
"You... so you finally decide to show your face after you ruin my perfectly good performance!" The Ai spoke with much sass and drama with his tone, looking at the inventor specifically with much offense.
"And after my perfectly skilled acting too?"
"What you did is sick-- hand over Maeda!" Yamato commands the Ai, who groaned as he rolles his eyes.
"You think I'm just going to leave him be? I need him for my final plan~." The Ai says with a smooth theater-like tone to his voice.
"You, not so much." His expression turns deathly dark filled with icy sharp malice. Quickly, the figure puts his free hand up and an orange circle pulses and glows from his hands. In a quick motion, the figure swings his arm. Hurling what seems to be a ball of fire at the inventor.
"Kisaragi--!!" Tsurugi called out, and even before he finished speaking, Yamato shifted his heel and whipped his arm up. An array of blue and purple squares build up with great speed to make a large shield.
"W-what!?" The figure stuttered at the sight. Unable to comprehend that his powers didn't work.
"Y-.... YOU!" Rage was consuming the figure's voice as the squares then began to disappear.
"You're not the only one with 'Wizard powers', Mikado." Yamato shot back, making the supposed wizard give a hiss mixed with an irritated growl.
"How much of my power did you steal?-- how much admin powers did you take!" Mikado demands an answer, quickly shuffling up a square to open an ui to check everything.
"Enough to go against you. You know it's unfair to hurt another student. We're still on school grounds." Yamato shoots back, making Mikado growl in even more frustration.
"You're SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! you don't count as another student!" The wizard shoots back, and this time Rei decides to help.
"He isn't the same Kisaragi I met. He would count as another student. Just like you." Rei shot back full of spite, making the wizard stammer his words as he took a moment to look at himself.
Hissing in frustration for a moment, the wizard groans as he drops the ginger onto the floor with a loud thump.
"Maeda--!" Tsurugi gasps aloud, the urge to rush to him was strong, but Yamato wouldn't let him, not when Mikado is a big threat. He needs to get rid of Mikado first. This way Yuki would be safe. Away from that cruel and demonic scum.
"Whatever, the plan's still going ahead anyway. You'll just have to do it without him." Mikado growled out with venom as he raised his hands and clapped out.
With an instant, Yuki disappeared from where he laid.
"W-what!? He's gone!" Teruya exclaimed with anxiety, and Tsurugi had just about enough of the Ai.
"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MAEDA!?" Tsurugi roared out, clenching his fists with his trembling unreleased rage as he demanded to know. Mikado gave a tired sigh as he nursed his painful forehead.
"Chill your gay ass out, will you? I merely sent him away for the time being so he doesn't bother you during your investigation. You'll see him in the trial grounds later." Mikado explains, giving a yawn as he does. This also sends another shock of rage through the captain.
"Well then, I've also opened up everything in this place, so good luck to all of you, investigate to your heart's desire. This truly isn't how I wanted things to go, but we're not far off from schedule. I'll be taking over the announcements, and will tell you all when time's up. Sayooonara~!" With a dark laugh, the wizard suddenly exploded in a bright red light before disappearing into thin air.
"That...that bastard..." Tsurugi gritted out. Fists clenching as he does.
"...what do we do?..." Teruya eventually asked after the long silence in the air, Yamato shook his head.
"Dammit... Mikado is sure to take extreme measures if we don't do as he says..." Yamato mumbles out, and Rei nods.
"I agree, I think the best course of action is to figure out how to defeat Mikado while we're investigating and during the class trial. We'll have enough time to do so like this." Rei explains.
Tsurugi needed to calm down. That was a rational choice. He'll figure out this case and save Yuki in the process while going through the class trial. He can't be overtaken by these overwhelming emotions. These raw old emotions. He needs to think rationally.
"What do you think, Tsurugi?" Teruya asks with concern, a hand grazing his chest as he looked at the captain for his order. Tsurugi pulled down his cap lower down his face as he nodded.
"I agree with Kisaragi and Mekaru. We should think of ways to shut down the program while we're looking for clues on this simulation. There's bound to be something. We'll also have enough time during the trial itself." Tsurugi stated. And despite Teruya looking less satisfied, he nodded along anyway.
Hopefully, it's not like they're walking into the Lion's den.
I panted heavily as I now had to gather my thoughts.
“I see my intelligence isn’t the only thing you inherited from me, My little Germ.” He sounds amused.
And then he’s quiet again.
I pray to Athena this time.
I need tactics, I need a plan, I need reason in this fight.
I had to keep moving.
I knew in my gut that if I sat still, Yarnaby will kill me. If Sawyer trained him to follow him to the end, I don’t think I could save him.
It killed me to think that but it was true.
I opened up a nearby hatch and quickly moved the battery to the correct slot to power the scanner.
I hurry along and find a caged area where the door was locked.
“Damn it.” I freeze and duck to the best of my abilities, watching Yarnaby walk by.
Thankfully not noticing me.
I was about to start fiddling with the lock when I see…
A hand.
Heavy looking, stretchy, and bright yellow.
Unlocking the door from the other side.
It clicks open.
“Thank you.” I say to the owner, still catching my breath from my rage earlier,”If you’re listening, my friends are down here somewhere. Mommy LongLegs and DogDay.”
No reply.
They must’ve already disappeared into the ceiling.
I straightened back up, my bad leg protesting as I do so.
The numb pain eating away at me like a million insects to a minuscule crop.
I move forward.
Making my way to a storage room.
I have to duck through a fallen shelf and I’m trying so hard not to make a sound but my rapid heartbeat is going to give me away.
Yarnaby walks through and I am frozen.
What now!?
I hear the Psst of ‘Gimme your attention’ and there’s that bright arm again!
At the other side of the room starting a fire, grabbing the Lion Toy’s attention.
I think I have a new friend!
Or at least someone who wants me less dead than Sawyer.
I hurry to the nearby vent and climb in, just in time to avoid being clawed apart by Yarnaby.
Looking at those claws, too close for comfort, my instincts are correct.
My mind wanders to the ‘How’ and ‘Why’ questions. They’d been sitting quietly in the the back of my mind but now I just want to know.
How and Why were the Toys created?
What goal is this supposed to meet?
Reviving the dead?
There’s plenty of dead people in the world, I’m pretty sure it would be easier to get a dead body than use a child for this monstrous process.
Is it a matter of decay rate?
That a body can only be so dead before it’s rendered unusable?
That still doesn’t answer WHY?!
Poppy’s a tiny thing. What is the purpose of making such large scale living toys?!
I realize I’ve been sitting at the end of the vent for too long.
Hopping down and grateful for the air jets in the GrabPack.
I find a tape.
That means there’s a Tape Player nearby.
Yarnaby is stalking nearby.
I don’t have any pockets deep enough for this thing and I don’t have my bag.
So I have no choice but to stick it between my tits and hope I don’t end up crushing it before getting more evidence.
I hurry across, seeing a hiding place among the walls of servers and slide inside, trying to nurse the building pain as I hear the big cat try and tear down a sheet of chain link.
I don’t think I can sprint that fast to get away so I brace for impact.
But Yarnaby doesn’t find me.
He looks around frantically before running in the opposite direction into a nearby hole.
Not looking a Yarnaby in the Maw, I quickly limp to another nearby hiding place, this one having the tape player.
I pop it in.
It’s a conversation between Leith Pierre, Stella Greyber, and Eddie Ritterman.
Talking about Sawyer.
No regard for human life and a few incidents that he was supposedly involved with.
Out of all these people, Stella seems the most reasonable and compassionate.
Even if she is complicit.
The Bigger Bodies Initiative…
So that’s the Why…..
Money.
The fertilizer of Evil Deeds.
They recommend killing him.
That smarmy bastard Leith shoots it down.
Even I have to agree that his genius is beyond measure.
Sawyer’s not alive, or at least not Human anymore.
Of course he’s not.
They killed everyone during the Hour of Joy.
So if he’s not human anymore, then what is he?
I put the tape back between the girls and limp over to another vent.
I’m lead to another storage room of sorts and find a note.
I just put it in my back pocket to read later. Now’s not the time.
I notice a wall of Doey Dough, coating whole shelves like a tie dye sheet.
A wall of boxes further down.
I need a clear opening, so I start knocking them over from this assumed safe spot.
I didn’t even step out for a MOMENT before I hear that horrible sound.
Not a scream, not a roar. Like a gargled call to attention and pain.
I see Yarnaby and I have to start running as fast as I can.
I’m more speed limping.
I just know I’m gonna die.
I see that Yellow Hand.
Unlocking the door and waving me over.
There’s goodness worth fighting for down here.
I lunge at the door, swing it open, and fling myself inside. Locking the door behind me as I see another vent in this dead end of a room.
My gut telling me that door won’t hold.
So in I go again.
My body is begging for rest but I can’t.
I’m shaking and just wishing Liam or M were here.
I move to some kind of hallway, looks like some sort of Archive…
I drop down, find a key card, and look around.
There’s gotta be more information here.
I see a Pianosaurus cut out, all faded and cutesy.
I never cared for the toy version. I hate to admit.
I didn’t like the programmed songs as a kid and I prefer guitar and drums over piano.
They’re both a bit more forgiving of my immovable fingers than the grand old classic.
I hunt around for the way forward, finding a tv. That means there’s a tape nearby.
After a bit of searching and smashing a few locked doors open, I found it.
It’s about Stella Greyber.
A conversation between her and Leith.
She talks about her sorrow and horror of the experiments on the children.
Her love of them.
How she bawled.
But she found the science marvelous, claiming to see the ‘Bigger Picture’ and ultimately giving her stamp of approval.
Complicit.
I almost was willing to forgive her but she’s just as rotten.
Her rot is just made with sugar….
I decided to leave both tapes here.
I have no choice. I can’t carry both.
I’ll come back if I’m able…..
If I’m able.
The burning pain in my whole body laughed at the word ‘Able’.
“There’s a hole in the world
Like a great black pit
That is filled with people
Who are filled with shit….” I hesitate to finish the line.
The toys aren’t vermin, they’re all victims.
I opened the door with the key card and saw an observation room with a busted wall, an overhang, and another room ahead.
I see Pianosaurus down there.
I hoped and prayed that I would be ok as I tried to slowly climb across.
But my luck only goes so far as the ties around my leg brace gets caught on the exposed rebar and tears.
It all happened in a moment as it tripped me and sent me falling to the room below.
I landed on my brace and the joint falls apart.
“FUCK!”
Pianosaurus lifts his head and sees me.
His teeth lighting up as an out of tune melody echoed in the dark chamber.
I feel tears roll down my cheeks as I see my life flash before my eyes and there’s only one word to describe it….
Lonely.
I’m going to die all alone.
I hear him charging and I brace for impact.
But nothing happened.
I see a multitude of hands holding him back. Red, yellow, and orange.
And a pink rubber one I recognized immediately.
Pianosaurus is smashed against the walls and floor then, dragged into the darkness and I hear M say,”After you, old friend.”
I see her stretch towards me and I just grab her.
She wraps her arms and legs around me in a tight hug and hold on with both arms as tightly as I can.
Desperate to never let go.
Liam was walking across on his hands. My bag slung across his chest and Barb on his back as he too joins in on the hug.
I feel so safe again.
Even as and pieces of the musical beast bounced across the room, along with his head.
“Now that hit the spot!” A deeper voice sighed in relief,”I haven’t eaten in weeks!”
I look up and see a big friendly looking face.
Blue with a very simple smile.
He approaches with a jolly swing of his heavy arms,”Hiya there, Pal!!” He grins, those simple eyes in a happy squint.
“Don’t worry, I won’t eat YOU!” He laughed, holding that big ol belly of his.
His presence made me smile. Even if the joke made me a little nervous.
Something about his energy was just infectious.
He grinned before tipping his hat to me,”I’m Doey. Your friends told me all about you!”
