Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As soon as Alice awoke, he knew something was wrong. His nose scrunched, the faint smell of metal in the air. It was recognizable to him, of course— blood.

He squinted as he opened his eyes, met with bright white lights shining on a bright white room, filled with small lockers. Miscellaneous items were scattered on the floor, including a walkie talkie and note in front of him.

“…What the hell?” The prisoner muttered.

He picked up the note. “‘The First Trial, instructions… you are paired with someone you cannot see. You can leave and ensure your survival, killing them, or try to save both of yourselves, and leave your fate in their hands…’”

Alice seemed to think about it. It all seemed stupid. No way there was death on the line, this was all… some idiotic prank.

Soon, he stood up. He walked over to the door, his hand hovering over the doorknob, until…

“H-Hello…?”

A small voice came from the walkie talkie in the corner. It was a girl’s voice. She sounded like a child. Alice paused.

He grabbed the cold doorknob in his clammy hand.

“…I-I don’t want to die.”

Goddamn it, could this child see him?! With a huff, he stormed over and grabbed the walkie talkie.

Alice scowled. “I won’t leave,” he said.

The child on the other end sounded relieved. “Ah, o-okay… sorry, I g-got scared. I… I-It feels like I can’t remember anything, and I—”

“That’s okay,” Alice interjected. His expression softened, just a tad. “I understand. This… whatever it is, is stressful.”

He was about to murder someone. Another person. A child, for Christ’s sake. What the hell was wrong with him? Reko was—

“I-I’m Setsuka.”

Alice paused, just briefly. The name was familiar.

There was silence.

“…Is e-everything okay? Y-You didn’t leave, did you?”

Alice quickly shook his head. Questions later. He had to… save this child. Not murder a second person. “No. I’m here. Um… what do you see in your room?”

“L-Lots of lockers… um…” There was some shuffling. She seemed to be grabbing papers. “I-I have these two maps, with n-nine rooms each… t-three by three o-on both.”

Alice looked around. The lockers in front of him seemed to match that. There were eighteen, and eighteen items, besides the walkie talkie.

“What’s the top left item on one of the maps?”

More shuffling. “Umm… it’s, uh, a red door with a boy and a girl.”

Alice sifted through the items, grabbing one and putting it in the locker. There was a ding. “I… think it worked. The next one to the right?”

“A-A gate thingy.”

The cycle continued until each locker was filled.

“I think it’s done now,” Alice said.

“C-Can we—” a voice on the intercom cut Setsuka off.

“Oh, wow! You actually did it!” An oddly familiar voice spoke. “Well, you two can leave now. See you soon!” The intercom was cut off.

Alice felt very confused. “L-Let’s get out of here. I’ll… keep the walkie talkie with me, okay?”

“O-Okay…” Setsuka stumbled over to the door, holding the walkie talkie. “I’m gonna go n-now…”

“Alright. I’ll find you.”

Both left their “First Trial” rooms. No screams of pain from the walkie talkie, so… she was alive. Good.

Only walking was heard for a while. Maybe a sniffle or two, but just footsteps.

He walked, but… the ground slipped from beneath him as he fell.

Chapter Text

Alice stood there in the central hall, staring between the twelve others. Two girls had passed out. His gaze lingered on a certain man’s scarf, and the unconscious green-haired girl. Meanwhile, Reko had pulled him off to the side. 

“Hey, are you listening?!” She hissed in a whisper.

Alice quickly shook his head. “Hm?”

“I need you to fake your name.”

“…What?” He raised an eyebrow. “Why??”

“Because what if they know you, moron? I’m not being associated with you!” She slapped his arm.

“Wh— fine, fine!!”

“Good.” With that, Reko left again. He sighed. Alice glanced around again.

A meek man with a beanie sent a shiver down the convict’s spine. That ugly, tacky scarf… where had he seen it?

He shook it off and glanced back at the green-haired girl. She was awake now. She wore a long, dark pink skirt, a lighter sweater, and a pastel pink scarf.

She was surprisingly short, at least a foot shorter than Alice, maybe two— she couldn’t have been older than 13. Her long, unruly green hair was tied in a loose and messy braid, her bangs falling over her eyepatch. One fearful jade eye darted across the long hallway as she scooted towards the back corner.

“Is that—” Alice couldn’t finish his murmurings before a bulky man with spiky yellow hair approached the girl.

“Hey,” he said, “you okay?”

The girl was having none of it, and tried to scoot further away. “G-Go away…”

The voice confirmed Alice’s suspicions.

“I’m not gonna hurt you.” The blond man held his hands up. “Just wanna talk, okay?”

Setsuka hid her face in her scarf. Her hands shook.

Alice approached, stepping in front of the blond man. He crouched before Setsuka. “You’re… Setsuka, yes? From the First Trial?”

She seemed to relax a little at his voice. She glanced up again, then down at the walkie talkie in his hand. “Y-You’re…”

He calmly nodded, ignoring the blond man’s stares. “Yes.”

Setsuka sniffled. “W-What’s… your name?”

Now Reko was staring too.

“…I-It’s… Gonbee. Gonbee Yamada.”

Reko shook her head, holding her face in her hands.

“Gonbee…” Setsuka mumbled, as if testing the name on her tongue. She nodded slowly, sniffling.

Alice glared at Reko before his gaze softened a little. He ruffled Setsuka’s hair.

Eventually, the other man spoke up again. “Well, you seem to have this covered, Mister… Gonbee.”

He was fucked, wasn’t he?

“R-Right. Yep.” Alice (Gonbee…) nodded.

“What’s your name, little miss?” the blond man leaned over.

She visibly tensed. “…S-Setsuka.”

The blond man nodded. “Alright. Nice to meet you.” Then he just… left.

Alice glanced down as he felt a grip on his sleeve. It was Setsuka. Her hands were shaking. This was… a clingy child. It was natural, he guessed. This situation, even though it was probably just a prank… was very frightening.

He followed her gaze to that same scarved man.

This was getting more and more confusing. Alice squeezed her hand. Setsuka slowly scooted closer to him.

Setsuka held onto his arm. “The… um… T-Trial…”

Alice paused. “Hm? Is someth—”

A loud slap rang out.

“JOE.”

Everyone’s heads turned. A ginger girl had slapped a brown-haired boy.

The boy quickly recoiled, rubbing his cheek. “WHAT THE FUCK SARA.”

“Well.” The ginger stared. “I had to get your attention JOE.”

Joe sniffled. “You’re so mean…”

Sara was about to respond before the blond guy from before approached the two. “Sara and Joe, is it? Nice to meet you two.”

The friendly air seemed to quickly fade. Joe went silent. Sara stuttered, “Ah, y-yeah…”

“Thanks. Joe here wasn’t speaking up… must’ve been wary or something.” The blond man shrugged.

Setsuka’s grip tightened on Alice’s arm. Joe kept silent.

“Anyways… have I got everyone’s attention now?” He glanced around. “Good. Name’s Keiji Shinogi, I’m a policeman.”

“…A policeman?” Joe repeated. He seemed to relax, just a little.

Keiji nodded. “Yep.”

Joe slowly nodded.

“Ooookay… so, w-what now?” Sara eventually asked.

“Well, it seems like we’ll be stuck here for a while.” Keiji rubbed the back of his neck. “So, we can do introductions first.” The group all seemed to agree. “Alright. Anyone who wants to start can go ahead.”

There was silence for a moment, then Sara cleared her throat. “Ahem… I’m Sara. Sara Chidouin, a second year at Sonobeno.”

“And I’m Jou Tazuna, her super cool and awesome best friend!!” Joe chimed in, grinning. Sara scoffed, gently shoving him away.

“I’m Kazumi Mishima,” a gray-haired man said. “I teach Japanese and art.”

Alice felt Setsuka scoot behind him. He felt an urge to push her away, valuing his personal space, but she just looked like a kicked puppy.

“Name’s Q-taro Burgerberg! I’m a baseball player!” a big red-haired man grinned.

A black-haired man spoke up next. “My name’s Kai Satou. I’m a homemaker.”

“I’m Reko Yabusame. I’m a singer, and I write my songs, too,” Reko said, ignoring Joe’s fanboying.

Then there were those that took some effort to get names out of.

“M-My name is Nao Egokoro… I’m a student in an art college, thanks to Professor Mishima…!” A girl with fluffy red hair spoke up.

She explained her Trial as well; they were tied to beds and had to find the key, or they’d get crushed. Alice squeezed Setsuka’s hand.

“I can read the room too, woof! My name’s Gin Ibushi!” a boy in an animal cape chirped. “I’m in sixth grade!”

“Ah… guess I should go, too,” the man in the scarf spoke. “I’m Sou Hiyori. I’m… just a job-hopper, ahaha…”

Alice’s eyes widened. Did he hear that right? Sou… Hiyori? But that was… who he killed.

His gaze fell to Setsuka, who was staring at Sou. She looked confused, her grip loosening on Alice’s shirt.

He didn’t understand his protective feelings, either. Did he want a second chance? Did he want to make amends for his murder? To make amends for how he hurt Reko? Either way, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Alice was about to speak when Keiji cut him off. “…Could you two introduce yourselves?”

“We told you our names,” Alice replied, eyes narrowed.

“Not everyone heard.”

He stared up at Keiji, clearly annoyed. “Gonbee.”

“I’m, um…” Setsuka looked down at the floor. “S-Setsuka… can’t remember my, um, l-last name… I’m s-sorry…”

Alice frowned as Setsuka scooted closer, hugging his arm. “Can we just get this over with?”

“Well… I’m a little concerned about that prison uniform, Gonbee.” Yep. They didn’t believe him at all.

“…I stole something a few months ago. Now go away.” Alice squeezed Setsuka closer.

Keiji slowly nodded and left again. Alice glanced down at Setsuka, who was still staring at Sou.

Sou didn’t seem like the meek, timid job-hopper he declared himself to be. This situation was… strange, to say the least.

Alice’s gaze softened, just barely, as he leaned down to whisper. “Calm yourself.”

She slowly nodded. “I-I’m— I’m s-sorry… I…”

“Don’t apologize. You’re fine.”

Setsuka managed a nod again, shutting her eye tight. This was… weird. She seemed to be related to his murder, to this… Sou Hiyori. She suspected him, at least a little, just as Alice did. It was odd that they had been paired together for that trial thing, too… did the kidnappers know something?

Alice glanced around and saw Sara talking to the last person: another girl with green hair, Kanna Kizuchi.

“…Is your sister not with you?” Sara asked her.

Then it started.

“…Sis… s-sister…” Kanna stuttered. “Sister… she’s… it’s m-my… I-I killed… I k-killed her… I k-killed sister…!! I-I killed her…! Sister…!! S-Sister’s dead!! AaaaaAAAAAAHHH…!!”

She fell into Sara’s arms.

Reko rushed over. “Shit- is s-she okay??”

“She’s— she p-passed out,” Sara stuttered, staring down at Kanna with a face full of guilt.

Sou sighed, hand on his beanie. “Well… this isn’t a joke, is it?”

Nao sniffled. “I don’t l-like this… this i-is too…”

Setsuka bit her lip. “We’re gonne d-die— we’re all, we’re g-gonna die, w-we’re g-gonna die, we’re g-gonna…”

“Hey, settle down, everyone,” Keiji spoke. “You’ve got your friendly policeman here. How about we start with anything we’ve found?”

A loud thump echoed in the hall. Everyone’s heads turned to the red-haired giant, a bright yellow box at his feet.

“Tha’s what I was gonna say! My trial thing said to bring this box to the group, so I had to lug it all the way here.” Q-taro crossed his arms, nudging the box with his foot.

Gin sat down and started… pawing at it? “Woahhh… huge box, meow.”

Q-taro nodded. “Yeah, but we’ll need keys.”

“Oh!” Nao blinked, scrambling to pull something out of her apron pocket. A scraped, green key. “Key! We have one!!”

“Probably ours, too…” Sara pulled out her own key. Also green. She glanced around before approaching Kanna, crouching down and pulling out a red key. She stood back up.

The two girls approached the box, unlocking it with the keys. Sara went to open the box, but Keiji stopped her. He picked up the box. “Let Mr. Policeman handle this.”

It was mostly silent as he opened the box.

“What’s inside?” Sara asked.

Keiji was silent for a moment. “…You may not want to l—”

Joe suddenly grabbed at the box. “I wanna see!”

Keiji’s grip on the box was loosened, and Joe stumbled back with the box. A head fell out, onto the floor.

Setsuka screamed, along with a few others.

Suddenly, Sou broke the panic. He walked up and picked up the head. “…It’s fake.”

“…”

“Oh, yeah,” Keiji hummed. He picked up a note that fell with the head. “Find my body, bring me back, for I don’t have arms or legs… huh.”

“So we have to assemble some mannequin?” Alice questioned, his arm still wrapped around Setsuka.

“Nuh uh!! I bet it’s a trap, woof!” Gin interjected.

“…I-It’s the only lead…” Setsuka murmured, barely audible.

Sou gripped his beanie. “We should start searching either way. We can’t just wait here forever.”

Most of the group nodded. Reko and Nao decided to stay with Kanna, while everyone else dispersed to find groups.

Alice looked down at Setsuka. “Would you like to search?”

“…M-Mhm,” she spoke after a moment, nodding. “I… I want to help…”

The prisoner slowly nodded. He stood up, helping her up. “Here…” Now that the two were standing side by side, he could tell how small she was. She was barely tall enough to reach his shoulders.

He shook his head. “…L-Let’s go search.” Alice took her hand, squeezing it gently.

Setsuka nodded, looking down at her feet. Her free hand fiddled with her scarf.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Alice began to lead her away. He noticed Reko looking at them, but brushed it off.

Alice glanced around, looking down each hall. “Hm… seems like only three of them actually lead somewhere. The rest lead to mattresses.”

“M-Mattresses…?” Setsuka echoed, peering down one hallway. “Oh… I g-guess we had to f-fall on those… how big is this p-place?”

“…I doubt it’s best to allow your thoughts to linger on that.” Alice squeezed her hand again, leading her down one of the hallways.

The two entered a hall with a vending machine— one Alice noticed contained cigarettes— and a sectioned off area towards the back, along with a doorway labeled “game”.

“Seems to be a smoking area…” Alice mumbled, looking down at Setsuka. “Don’t get any ideas, now.”

“I-I won’t…!” she stammered, wide-eyed. “I don’t l-like that stuff!! It smells bad!” Setsuka huffed, looking down at the floor. She paused as she noticed something poking out of the vending machine slot. She slowly took it— a cigar.

“Aah!! I didn’t— i-it was sticking out!!” She looked up at Alice, her cheeks red.

Alice glanced down at her before he laughed. “It’s alright… let me take that. It may be a clue.”

He took the cigar as the two entered the game room, which seemed awfully bland. There was a dartboard with a vent above, blowing down towards a hole surrounding the board. Did they even want people to hit it? Next to the board, there were two more doors, one red and one blue.

They walked over to the red door. Alice gently opened it. The room was dark.

Setsuka instinctively squeezed Alice’s hand tighter. “…U-Um… I don’t want to… go i-in that one…”

“That’s alright.” Nodding, Alice led her to the blue door. He opened it, peering inside. “Let’s go in this one, then.”

They entered the room, looking around. Inside were Q-taro, Kai, Joe, and Keiji. There were nine chairs, four on a platform above the ground. To the left of the platform was… an eerie painting. There were a few blank mannequins in some of the chairs.

“‘s real creepy, ain’t it?” Q-taro suddenly spoke from beside them, making Setsuka flinch.

“…I suppose,” Alice replied. “What’s up with those dolls?”

“I dunno. Those three just went right into searchin’… I’m surveyin’ from back here. Worried there may be traps.”

Alice glanced down at Setsuka. “Do you want to go check the rest of the room?”

She was silent for a moment before nodding. “Y-Yeah.”

He nodded, leading her towards the chairs. She knelt down, examining the chairs.

“These appear to be dolls,” Kai suddenly spoke up from beside them. Setsuka flinched.

“O-Oh…” she mumbled, looking at Kai. She nodded. “…I, um… I w-wonder why they’re here…”

Kai hummed, shaking one doll’s head. “It sounds like sloshing.”

“Weird.” Alice crossed his arms. “Is there liquid inside?”

“Perhaps they intend to have us drink from these dolls.”

Setsuka blinked, confused. “…R-Really…?”

“I… really doubt that, Kai Satou.” Alice frowned.

“…My apologies. I was attempting to joke.” Kai glanced away awkwardly.

“O-Oh… I’m sorry, I’m b-bad with jokes.” Setsuka also looked away.

Kai nodded. “That’s alright. I am, as well. This situation is probably not one for jokes, anyway.”

Setsuka stood back up, looking over nervously at the painting. After a second, she looked at Alice. “Umm… should we c-check the platform?”

Alice nodded, and up they went. They began examining the chairs and dolls, searching the cushions. He fell silent as he felt something cold, slowly removing it.

“…Huh?” He stared at the gun in his hands. “What…”

Setsuka looked at him, falling silent as she saw the revolver in his hands. “G-Gonbee…?”

He stared at the gun, silent. Why was this here? Why was there a gun? He can’t take this. He’s a murderer. He killed someone.

He looked down. His hands were shaking. The cold metal of this weapon in his hands wasn’t helping him stay grounded one bit.

He couldn’t take it. He can’t. But what if someone untrustworthy found it? He has this child to protect now, and—

“G-Gonbee!” Suddenly, he paused, feeling hands on his arm. He turned and saw Setsuka holding onto him, looking nervous. “…Are you o-okay?”

Alice was silent for a moment. Shakily, he set the gun back down. “Yes. I’m a-alright, Setsuka. You needn’t worry about me.”

“O-Okay…” she nodded, frowning. “We can go, um, search s-somewhere else…”

Alice nodded. They went back down the ladder and he gently took her hand, leading her out of the blue room. The two left the game room, walking down another hallway. This one had a vending machine with drinks. Thankfully nothing adult, just soda and water, but then Alice noticed there was a sign above a doorway labeled “bar”.

“Cigars and cigarettes, and now a bar?” Alice sighed. “Don’t get any ideas.”

Setsuka frowned. “I s-said I wouldn’t… I hate the smell, a-anyways.”

The two walked into the bar. Mishima was sifting through bottles on the wall, and Gin was investigating the counter cupboards. There were a few stools nearby, and a blackboard and chalk.

Setsuka coughed, holding her scarf to her face. “Blegh… smells gross…”

Mishima paused his search and glanced over. “Oh, hello. Apologies if you came here to search… we haven’t found anything of note yet.”

“I found a dumb drawer I can’t open, woof!!” Gin huffed, crossing his arms.

Alice tilted his head. “Hm? Where is it? Maybe I can give it a try.”

Gin pointed to the front of the counter, pushing a few stools aside. There was a door, seemingly meant to be hidden, but not well. The prisoner crouched in front of the counter, swiftly opening the drawer with ease.

“Woahh!” Gin, shaking off his awe, reached into the drawer, pulling out… a cigar cutter and an arm. “Ohh… that’s boring, meow.”

“We’re one step closer to finding all of the parts, though.” Alice took the items, looking at them with his eyebrows furrowed. “Why give us a cigar cutter? Do they want us to indulge so badly?”

Mishima perked up, peering over the counter at them. “A cigar cutter?”

“…I don’t believe we should be smoking in these circumstances, Kazumi Mishima.” Alice sighed. “First a cigar… now a cigar cutter…”

“You found a cigar?” Mishima asked, walking around to stand by Alice and Gin. “Maybe you should cut it. For… investigative purposes, of course.”

“No good grown-ups, woof…” Gin muttered.

Alice sighed and managed to cut the cigar. Inside, much to Mishima’s disappointment, was a yen bill.

“Weird,” Alice hummed.

“Well… hopefully it will be useful.” Mishima sighed and went back to searching the bottles.

Gin followed, smacking his legs. “Shame on you, meow!!”

Alice stood up, looking over at Setsuka, who was examining the chalkboard. He walked over to her. “What’s this?”

“It’s, um… a l-list of who can and can’t drink. B-But I don’t see your name on here, Gonbee…” She frowned. “M-Maybe they messed up?”

He stared at the board, laughing a bit. It was very forced and anxious. “Yeah… weird…”

Setsuka glanced around. Gin had gone back to searching, along with a dejected Mishima. “Should we g-go? I think we still have one m-more room.”

“Right.” Alice nodded, leaving with her and the items. They walked out to the hallway, going over to the vending machine. “I’m guessing the yen is for this… pick a drink.”

Setsuka paused. After a moment, she answered, “J-Just water. Soda is b-bad for me…”

Alice put the yen in and pressed the button for a bottle of water. Instead of the order, however, a leg slipped out.

Setsuka yelped while Alice sighed. “No water…” They took the limb and left.

The two entered the final room, a cafeteria. It appeared extravagant, with a few fancy chandeliers. If only they had food. On one of the tables, there was a lighter.

“Again with all of the smoking stuff. At least the cigar wasn’t real.” He huffed and pocketed the lighter. Alice sighed as he walked over to a door in the back, presumably to the kitchen. Locked. “I suppose we won’t be eating any time soon…”

Setsuka frowned, holding her stomach. She glanced over at the end of the cafeteria… it looked as if the power was out, except for a bright red light, illuminating one door. “Um…”

Alice followed her gaze to the door. He understood her fear, but the light made it seem important. He thought for a moment.

“How about this?” He adjusted his grip on the limbs. “I’ll go inside and check, and you… stay out here and stand guard, alright?”

Setsuka nodded a little. “O-Okay.”

Slowly, Alice entered the mysterious room. The bright pink walls nearly blinded him. “Jesus…” After his eyes adjusted, he glanced around. There were a few shelves, some stuffed toys, and a… torso.

“At least we know where to put the parts…” Alice set down the limbs near the torso, doing a final scan before leaving the room. He walked back to Setsuka’s side, awkwardly patting her head. “It’s nothing bad. Just found the main body for the doll we have to make.”

She blinked, glancing up at him. “O-Oh. That’s good… um… thank y-you for checking. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Alice smiled softly. “Do you want to re—”

A loud gunshot rang out.

Chapter Text

Setsuka screamed, clutching her head, and Alice instinctively grabbed her shoulders.

“What the hell was—”

Two more rang out. Setsuka flinched with each one. Alice decided to shut up and wait for a moment as six more gunshots slowly followed.

He felt a pit in his stomach. Maybe he should’ve taken that gun.

Setsuka had her eye clamped shut, her hands shaking as she held her head.

Alice snapped himself out of it, grabbing her shoulders more firmly, but not painfully. “Setsuka. Look at me.”

Her eye snapped open, tears slipping down her cheeks. She kept her ears covered. “…A-Ah… w-what do we…? S-Someone… someone g-got… the— the g-gun, the…”

“Hey. Look at me, Setsuka.” He leaned down. “It’s okay. Just breathe, okay?”

Taking his own advice, Alice took a few deep breaths. What should he do? There could be a gunslinging maniac wandering around. He didn’t want to let this kid get hurt.

“…Go hide in that room.” He pointed to the pink room. “I’ll be back, okay?”

Setsuka’s eye widened. She hiccuped, more tears spilling. Her hands still trembled, the noise ringing in her head. Shaking, all she could do was nod. “O… o-okay…”

Alice nodded. As she stumbled into the pink room, he left the cafeteria. He glanced around, noticing that… only Nao was there. That didn’t help his paranoia.

“Nao Egokoro,” Alice said, and she yelped. “Where are… the other two?”

“U-Um…! Um, the… the gunshots w-woke Kanna up, and… she ran off, and R-Reko went to look for her!”

They disappeared after the gunshots. That was good. He gave her a nod, heading to the game room, before he heard voices.

“Dammit, nutty professor! What happened to “shout when you find her”?!” It was Reko. He internally breathed a sigh of relief.

“It appears I’m being yelled at.” Mishima’s voice.

Q-taro, Kai, and Keiji emerged as the voices continued. “Oh, Gonbee.”

His gaze flickered between them. He was beginning to think… just maybe… no one died. “What the hell happened in there?! You freaked everyone out with the gunshots!”

“It was the kidnappers’ doing. They had us play a twisted game of Russian Roulette. Fortunately, no one was hurt. All living participants got blanks, not live bullets,” Kai explained.

“All thanks to Sara’s genius,” Keiji added on.

Alice raised an eyebrow. “As long as no one was hurt… I have to go get Setsuka. She’s hiding with the doll parts.

“You two are awfully close.” Keiji tilted his head.

Alice crossed his arms, huffing. “We went through the First Trial together. Is it so suspicious to want to protect a child, Keiji Shinogi?”

Keiji shrugged. “Hm. You said you found some of the parts?”

“Two.”

“I believe Miss Sara also has two.” Kai glanced back into the room. “I suppose we can assemble the doll now?”

“Seems so,” Keiji hummed. “Let’s gather everyone up, then.”

As they went to gather everyone, Alice returned to Setsuka. “Setsuka?”

It was quiet in the pink room. He didn’t see her. As he peeked behind the door, he saw her, appearing disturbed. “Setsuka? What happened? Everyone is safe.”

“The, um… there’s… a s-sign…” She pointed at the back of the door, but paused as everyone filed in. She shrunk into herself in the corner as they began to talk.

“My heart’s pounding… I wonder what will happen?”

“I got the door open,” Reko chimed in.

Keiji began to assemble the doll. Nothing happened, until… the room began to fill with gas. Alice’s vision filled with white. Everyone began to panic.

Setsuka coughed, covering her mouth with her scarf. “I-I can’t see…!”

“We need to leave the room!” Sou’s voice called, but nobody could even see their hands.

After a bit of panic, unfamiliar laughter cut through everyone’s voices. “Relax, relax, everyone! Please, the gas isn’t poisonous.”

When the gas dissipated, everyone saw… the doll standing before them, smiling wickedly.

Joe was the first to speak, incredulous. “Wha—?! Y-You’re the doll…?!”

“Yes, yes, I am the doll you just rescued. Advanced, am I not?” the doll smiled. “I am Sue Miley, the Laughing Doll. I’ve revived to guide you through the trials and tribulations on this floor.”

Reko’s hands clenched into fists. “The hell’s going on here?! Stay away from us, creepy puppet!”

Tears welled up in Setsuka’s eye. She had to tell everyone about the sign, but… she stayed hidden behind Alice, waiting.

“So you’re on the side of the kidnappers, I take it?” Keiji asked.

“That’s correct. My masters have instructed me to guide you brave souls to the Main Game.”

“The… M-Main Game?” Setsuka mumbled. She glanced at the sign. “Um…”

“What’s the main game?” Sara questioned.

“You’ll soon undergo a great trial to escape outside. The superior will live, the inferior will die… such is life.” She sighed, as if pitying them. “One among you will certainly die, decided by majority vote.”

Being greeted with confusion, Miley continued. “You’ll pick it yourselves. The most unnecessary… worthless… acceptable to have die.” Her eyes scanned the crowd.

“…S-Stop talkin’ nonsense, lady! Like we’ll do something like that!!” Q-taro spoke up.

“Then you can starve to death on this floor. The choice is yours.”

In the face of her smile, everyone fell silent. Setsuka sniffled, shakily grasping Alice’s sleeve. She couldn’t bring up the sign— she couldn’t even force words out.

“Don’t go so pale, everyone!! I come bearing gifts!” Miley laughed, holding a stack of tablets. She began to hand them out, naming each person.

She approached the two in the corner. “Finally, Gonbee Yamada and Setsuka.”

Setsuka paused. She put… odd emphasis on those names. Miley wasn’t telling her her last name… Did Miley know? Of course she did. These people probably knew everything. She frowned, taking her tablet from Alice.

“Okay, now to test the functionality of these tablets! You’ll see icons of each participant on your screen. Vote for whoever!”

Setsuka’s eye widened. She couldn’t force any words out. Great. What a great time. Quickly, she tugged on Alice’s sleeve.

“Hm?” Alice looked down at her. “What is it?”

She pointed at the door. Alice frowned, walking over to the door and shutting it. The noise caused everyone to look over.

“Huh?”

“A note?”

They read the note, detailing the “Second Trial: Practice Round”. Whoever got the most votes here would die, but it could be avoided with a draw.

“H-Huh…??” Nao paled, clutching her apron.

“So… we just have to vote ourselves, huh?” Keiji looked down at his tablet. He tapped his own face. “Good catch.”

Alice blinked, looking down at Setsuka. “…Good job.”

She looked down, managing a small smile as she tapped her face.

After a bit, a mildly displeased Miley announced the tie. “Well done… you’ve escaped disaster by a hair. But the Main Game won’t be so forgiving. One of you will certainly die. I suggest you prepare.”

With that, Miley left the pink room in silence.

Chapter Text

The group was quiet until Keiji broke the tense silence. “…There’s no use dwelling on “what if”s. Let’s do what we can for now and get back to searching.”

A few agreed, along with some nods. Setsuka nodded, grabbing Alice’s arm. She seemed a bit more confident after finding the note on the door, Alice thought.

“Do you want to keep searching?” Alice asked her as people began to file out.

“Y-Yes.” Setsuka nodded, rubbing her eye.

Alice’s eyebrows furrowed. “Are you sure you’re up for searching? No one will be upset if you rest.”

She frowned, holding her scarf. “I c-can search.” She did feel a bit tired, but… she wanted to help.

“If you’re tired, I must insist you rest.”

Setsuka’s frown deepened as he crossed his arms. “M-Maybe… in a little bit.”

“Alright…” Alice sighed. He didn’t want to force her to rest. Maybe she’d want to soon. “Maybe we should investigate the room we skipped over.”

“Mhm.” Setsuka nodded.

He took her hand, feeling the slight tremble. Alice squeezed, hoping to reassure her. As they were about to leave, the lights… suddenly shut off.

“A-Ah…!” Setsuka squeezed Alice’s hand.

“A blackout?” Alice muttered. He let go of her hand. “Stay put. I’ll look for the lights.”

Setsuka nodded, glancing around. It was pitch black… except there was a light coming from behind the vent.

She walked over to the vent, reaching up to grab onto the cover. Her fingers met something— a card? She pulled it out, looking over it. Commoner? She flipped it over.

This card now belongs to you… Keep it on you always. Let no one else know of the existence of this card. Otherwise, you will die.

Setsuka tensed up. As the lights cut back on, she stuffed the card into her pocket.

“There… let’s go look around. Something may have happened.” Alice sighed.

Setsuka nodded nervously, quickly scurrying back over to him. They walked to the central hall, pausing as they both saw the large staircase in the middle of the hall.

“The hell?” Alice muttered, walking up to Q-taro. “When did these get here?”

“Hell if I know! I came out and they were here! Probably shouldn’t go up yet, that Miley lady went up there…” Q-taro held his hat. “I’m keeping guard down here.”

“Right… I guess let’s keep searching down here.” Alice took Setsuka’s hand and led her to the red room, peering past the door. It was dark.

“…Scary,” Setsuka mumbled.

Alice squinted, looking around. He didn’t see much of note, but it wouldn’t hurt to check, he supposed. “Stay out here.”

When she nodded, he walked into the room, looking around the darkness. The light from outside provided a little visibility, but his search didn’t provide much.

Alice decided to head back out, patting Setsuka’s head. “There wasn’t much. How about we go find the others?”

She nodded, rubbing her eyes. “Okay…”

The two left, heading to the bar, where a group already seemed to be congregating. Setsuka coughed, smelling the alcohol again, and sat down on one of the stools.

”Oh, we were just about to go look for you two,” Keiji hummed. “We’re here to discuss our findings.”

”Um… w-we didn’t find much…” Setsuka frowned, fiddling with her scarf. She couldn’t tell anyone about her card. She didn’t want to… die. “I’m s-sorry…”

Alice crossed his arms. ”Was there a blackout in the other rooms, Keiji Shinogi?”

Kai nodded, holding his ladle to his chin. “It seems like that was when those stairs appeared. Other than that, there was nothing of note…”

”A-Actually, um…!” Nao suddenly chirped, as if remembering something. “We, ah… Reko, Kanna, and I found a doll in the blue room… l-like Miley, but all put together! It was, um… a doll of Sara.”

”Me?” Sara pointed to herself, seeming equally surprised.

”Probably some other sort of puzzle, hm…” Sou muttered. Her glared off at the wall.

”Other than that, it seems like there isn’t much left on this floor, though, right? Shouldn’t we be going up those stairs?” Joe asked.

Mishima nodded. ”Yes, it appears that’s where the kidnappers are guiding us…”

”B-But… but the… that M-Main Game,” Setsuka sniffled. She wrung her scarf in her trembling hands. “W-We’ll…”

”We either go up or starve to death. Miley said that already.” Sou replied, looking to the floor. Alice noticed Setsuka flinch.

”…Perhaps some of us could go up first to check if it’s safe?” Alice proposed, crossing his arms. “That group will check if this new floor is the supposed ‘Main Game Grounds’, and if it isn’t, they’ll come back and alert us.”

Sara nodded. “That’s a good idea. Who all wants to go up first?”

”A-Actually, I don’t feel well… my head still aches.” Sou held his head. “I may just stay here, if that’s okay with everyone.”

”…Guess that’s fine,” Reko huffed. She looked to Kanna, Gin, and Setsuka. “You three stay here, too.”

”O-Oh… okay,” Kanna nodded.

”…No, I wanna search with big sis Sara, woof!” Gin ran up to Sara, hugging her waist.

”I, um… want to search, t-too,” Setsuka mumbled.

Reko looked between the two, nodding after a moment and sighing. “Alright.”

Sara assembled a team of her, Keiji, and Gin, with Q-taro and Kai as “backup”. Everyone gathered around the stairs, watching as they went up. After a moment or two, the three turned back, yelling down. “It’s just a few rooms! Not… too ominous, compared to what we’ve already seen.”

Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Slowly, everyone filed up the stairs and divided up the searching of the four new rooms. Setsuka and Alice went with Mishima, entering the second door from the left. It was an… empty room. Dark, too, and still held the faint scent of iron that the whole facility reeked of.

”We should all be on our guard… there’s probably a trap somewhere in here, like that Russian Roulette.” Mishima sighed, looking around to scan the walls. He paused, noticing a ladder, travelling down into the floor. “Huh? A ladder?”

The two looked over, approaching where Mishima walked to. “A-A ladder?” Setsuka mumbled.

Suddenly, there was a loud clang, Setsuka falling onto the floor. She stared at Alice, crammed in a… small cage. It didn’t seem to be intended for anyone over 6’0.

”Ah— G-Gonbee!” She quickly crawled over, tugging on the thick, metal bars. “What is…??”

”Gh… what the hell…??” he groaned, hardly able to move.

Mishima gasped, also rushing over and trying to pull it out. Their combined strength, however, left more to be desired.

Setsuka flinched as the cage began to sink into the floor. “N-No! Why is it s-sinking?” She sniffled, tearing up as she struggled to pull it out.

”Miss Setsuka, your fingers!” Mishima pulled her back, holding her shoulders. “The ladder must be there for us to get him out. We have to wait.”

”B-But…” She sniffled, watching Alice’s form disappear.

Mishima looked over at the ladder, standing and helping Setsuka up. “Would you like to come down with me? You can stay up here if you’d like. It may be unsafe.”

”I’ll… I’ll c-come,” she sniffled, wiping her eyes.

The two went down the ladder, seeing a control panel in front of the cage. Setsuka sniffled, staring at Alice as Mishima read the instructions. “Hold down the button to slowly open the cage, while shining the flashlight on… ghosts that appear? Oh, dear…” Mishima picked up the flashlight, turning it over in his hands. “…Hmm. You hold down that button, alright? I’ll worry about the flashlight.”

Setsuka nodded, sniffling. “O-Okay.”

”Just… hurry up and get me out of here, Kazumi Mishima,” Alice groaned.

Setsuka slowly pressed down on the button, holding it down. She flinched, yelping when a ghost actually appeared. Thankfully, Mishima quickly drove it away with the flashlight. Setsuka managed to open the cage all the way with Mishima protecting her.

Alice slowly climbed out, falling onto the floor. Setsuka kneeled beside him, shaking his shoulder. “A-Are you okay…?”

”…I suppose.” Alice slowly sat up, rubbing his arms. He smirked. “I don’t believe the cage was intended for someone of my, aha… stature.”

Mishima blinked, staring down at the two. He pushed up his glasses. “I just noticed you aren’t wearing… shoes, Mr. Gonbee.”

He tensed, glaring up at Mishima. “Why would I need shoes in prison??”

”Well, I mean, it just seems like… why not wear shoes?”

”Just for that, I will not wear shoes for our whole stay here, even if I am given them.”

”Now you seem oddly insulted by my pointing out you not wearing shoes.”

Setsuka giggled as they climbed back up, heading back out. As they did, the hallway past the four doors suddenly opened.

She flinched, staring down the hallway. “Ah… that must’ve been one of the other rooms.”

As if on cue, Keiji, Gin, and Sara emerge from the room labeled “Mir”. The rest searching came from the other rooms, both labelled “Sp”. 

“Guess we should probably go down there now.” Sara walked over to the hall, peering down it. “There’s a black door, a white door, and… a very ominous door with the number 9 over it. Oh, and a key.” She crouched to pick up the key.

”Where would that be for?” Reko tilted her head.

Kai perked up a little. “The kitchen, perhaps?”

”Probably… it’s the only locked room on the first floor.” Keiji hummed.

”W-We can go check out the kitchen.” Setsuka held up her hand.

”I’d also like to join, if you don’t mind,” Kai added on.

Q-taro grinned. “Count me in, too!”

“Hmm… I’ll stay up here to search, then.” Mishima spoke.

Sara gave them the key, and they headed down to the kitchen. They unlocked the door and stepped in, turning on the light. The kitchen was… sadly devoid of food.

Setsuka frowned. “…I’m getting h-hungry…”

”It’s unfortunate, indeed…” Kai sighed.

Alice tilted his head. ”Did you get your cookware from here, Kai Satou?”

”No. It was in my First Trial room.”

Leaving the conversation there, they began to search. Setsuka opened one of the drawers, taking out a small, long box. She opened it, seeing the imprint of a knife and a sequence of numbers below it. “H-Huh?”

”You find somethin’?” Q-taro asked. The three all crowded behind her, looking at the box in her bandaid-covered hands. “A knife…??”

”A… missing knife.” Alice frowned, feeling his hands get clammy. “Why are there so many weapons in this place?”

”Hmm… the new doors upstairs were black and white, correct? Perhaps we should bring this box back to them. The numbers may be needed in those rooms,” Kai chimed in.

”O-Oh… you’re right,” Setsuka mumbled, trying not to focus on the missing knife. “We s-should take this up to them.”

They walked back up, handing the box off to the group searching upstairs. Sure enough, each door needed a three digit code to open. In the black room was a blackboard, lamp, and a paper shredder. In the white room was… a chain. The room reeked of blood.

Setsuka coughed, covering her mouth. Alice held her shoulders, pulling her back. The two both knew it must’ve been someone’s First Trial room, but neither said it. “Do you want to head back downstairs?”

She nodded, sniffling. The odor was… too intense. They walked downstairs, going to sit in the cafeteria. It was a comfortable silence for a little.

”The… M-Main Game is probably soon…” Setsuka mumbled, sniffling. “They’re probably waiting on us to finish searching, o-or… or to let our guard down…”

”…You’ll be okay.” Alice stared down at his lap. He couldn’t let this girl die now, could he?

”I’m s-sorry,” Setsuka hiccuped, her shoulders shaking. She held her head, her messy, green hair falling over her hands. “I’m— I haven’t h-helped… search. I’m t-too weak…”

Alice’s eyes widened. Where was this coming from? Maybe the… sudden fear of potential death?? “Don’t say that about yourself. You found the sign in the Second Trial, and helped us tie it. And you helped me in our First Trial, remember?”

”But I— I can’t e-even remember my last name…! I-I… Miley wouldn’t say my name, even though she said Gonbee’s and e-everyone else’s! What if I… w-what if it’s something bad…?”

He frowned, pursing his lips. Miley didn’t say his real name either. That must’ve been something to do with entertainment, he guessed. The kidnappers watching their prey squirm.

”That doesn’t matter. We’re going to get out of here, and we’re going to get through whatever this Main Game entails.”

Setsuka sniffled, looking up at him. Slowly, she nodded. “O-Okay… I’m… s-sorry for crying.”

”…I’d be surprised if you weren’t, in this situation.” Alice sighed. “Let’s go check upstairs.”

Setsuka nodded, and the two went upstairs. They paused, seeing the door in the back of the hall wide open, with “00” above it.

”…Stay behind me.” Alice nudged her behind him, approaching the door, before he fell down. Everything began to fade as he heard a small, faint yell of his “name”. “Gonbee—!”

Chapter Text

Alice’s eyes snapped open as he shot up, looking around. Suddenly, he was in… a small, dark dining room? The table was full of extravagant dishes. Just smelling it made Alice… nauseous. He stared at the black television on the wall, retrieving a card from his pocket. Commoner.

The television flickered to life, showing Miley. “Ehehe… how are you all feeling?”

”You—! Dastardly woman, where is everyone?!” Alice yelled at the screen.

”Aha… unfortunately, this is pre-recorded, so I’m unable to answer questions at this time.”

”…Oh.”

”I’d like to formally thank you all for taking part in this lovely Main Game!” Miley clasped her hands together. “This is a waiting room for participants… you all must be starved, so please, help yourselves! I assure you, it’s not poisoned… we prefer more refined, democratic methods.”

Alice clenched his fists. He wanted to puke just listening to her.

”Those who survive this Main Game can continue onto the next floor! Hooray! However, those who decide to stay in their waiting rooms will die as a penalty… do keep that in mind, ahaha.”

”Did you not just speak of ‘refined democracy’?” Alice grumbled.

”I will now explain the Main Game’s rules. One person will be voted, and that person will die. Simple. The vote is split into two parts, the preliminary and the final. During the preliminary, you will select six candidates out of you thirteen. In the final, you select your final sacrifice! This system whittles the pool from thirteen, to six, to one.

Now, onto the fun part: our cards! Everyone, please take out the cards you obtained during your search.”

”Card…? So it wasn’t some key to escape.” He looked down at his card, scowling.

”There are four roles possible on each card— one Keymaster, one Sage, and one Sacrifice. The rest are Commoners. The Commoner cards serve no special effect. The Keymaster role is the one card that cannot be voted, lest everyone perishes!

”But don’t fret! The Sage knows the Keymaster’s identity, thanks to holy divination. The final special role is… the Sacrifice. The holder of this card is guaranteed death unless they can garner the majority vote. However, to even the odds, this card gives its holder two votes! Additionally, if the Sacrifice is voted, they can save someone else.”

Alice paused, slowly committing the explanation to memory. “…This means…”

”…So at a minimum, two will die! Please, do your best to not be one of them!”

He stared at the screen, clenching his fists. He heard a faint thump— he didn’t care. All he felt was… anger.

”There’s still time before the Main game begins,” Miley smiled. “Chow down, devise a strategy… whatever you please.”

Alice stared at the screen, gritting his teeth. His throat felt dry. He chugged the cup of water before it was time to leave, and stepped outside. Everyone else began to file out of their rooms, seeming to feel a similar sense of unease, disgust, anger. Miley was sitting near a circle arranged of hourglass podiums.

He glanced at Reko before stepping over to Setsuka, who seemed the most visibly panicked. She was sobbing, her hands shaking. He grabbed her shoulders.

”G— Gonbee,” the small girl sniffled, looking up at him. “I… I can’t d-do it, I…”

”Breathe. You’re okay. No one is dead.” He squeezed her shoulders.

The others were talking amongst themselves, before Reko seemed to panic as well. “W… wait a minute! Kanna ain’t here!”

”Oh? Well, I suppose she’s made her decision, then…” Miley sighed.

”H-Hold on! Kanna will… definitely come!” Sara insisted.

”Yes, yes, get to your podiums.” Miley stood, ushering them to the podiums. Setsuka stood between Mishima and Alice, who stood next to… Sou. A bit uncomfortable. “Now then, let’s get this Main Game—”

”W-Wait…!” A smalll voice panted, rushing into the room. Kanna ran in, sniffling. “Kanna i-is here…!”

Everyone seemed a bit relieved as Kanna walked up to the empty podium. Miley sighed. “…Now then, let’s begin the Main Game! The hourglasses you each stand at show how much time is left before each vote. You also each have rulebooks. Please use these to your advantage!”

The room fell quiet. An uncomfortable, heavy silence. Everyone knew what was to come— two deaths. Sure, they were all strangers, but… most of these people had never been so close to death.

”I shall explain the rules again. Two votes will be held: the preliminary, where you vote for six candidates, and the final, where you vote for who shall die. If this victim is the Keymaster, all shall die. If this victim is the Sacrifice, all but the Sacrifice and their person of choosing will die. If the victim is a Commoner or Sage, the victim and the Sacrifice will die.”

It fell silent once more, occasionally broken up by sniffles.

”Well, um… I’m a bit nervous to speak first, but I feel like I should get this out of the way…” Sou laughed nervously. “I’m the, um… Keymaster. I don’t want any unnecessary deaths…”

Alice resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Great.

”…Wait, I’m…! I’m the Keymaster!” Sara suddenly yelled.

That got the room talking.

”There’s two…?!”

”Is one of them lying??”

”This makes no sense!”

”Hey, settle down, everyone. The roles don’t matter much right now.” Keiji interjected. “With six candidates, we should focus on finding suspicious characters. There may be a traitor lurking.”

”…We should probably pick the most suspicious here, then, huh?” Q-taro mumbled. “I’ll say it, then… I vote Gonbee!”

Alice expected this. Glancing down at his uniform, he sighed. “…And?”

”H-Huh…?” Setsuka mumbled, squeezing his hand.

”That means you’ll die, dumbass…!!” Joe yelled, sweating.

”You’re the fools. Think.” Alice put his free hand on his hip. “You’ll need at least three candidates. What happens if I’m the Keymaster or the Sacrifice?”

”…Indeed,” Mishima sighed. “If we all vote unanimously now, then… we’re all taking a very big risk.”

”I mean, it’s not as if we freely chose our own cards, right?” Sou muttered, messing with his scarf. “With how much control the kidnappers have over us, we were definitely guided into picking them up.”

”It’s possible the kidnappers granted the least-trustworthy Mr. Gonbee a special role for their own amusement,” Kai hummed.

”S-So we… can’t just vote Gonbee, right?” Setsuka asked, looking relieved.

”This game’s more malicious then I thought… we need to assemble as close to six candidates as we can. We definitely need three,” Keiji sighed.

”…I’ve… changed my answer, then.” Q-taro muttered, tilting his hat down. “We can’t let this end in silence, so I… think we need to talk about our biggest burdens. Kanna, Gin, Setsuka… I’m talkin’ about you three.”

The three mentioned visibly tensed. Reko was quick to argue. “So you think your strength makes you safe, huh?!”

”Then go ahead and vote me, Reko!” Q-taro yelled back. “If you think I’m useless, take responsibility and kill me!”

Reko fell silent, along with Gin and Kanna. Alice grit his teeth, looking down at Setsuka. She was shaking. “I…”

”If you don’t talk, it’s over!! None of you… seriously wanna die, do you?!”

Setsuka hiccuped, clutching her scarf tightly in her free hand. “I-I…”

”…Kanna… doesn’t mind if she’s picked,” Kanna spoke up. “Kanna just… wants to go to her sister…”

Q-taro hit his podium. ”You… you gotta be kiddin’! You really wanna die without a peep??”

“Please, wait.” Kai held up his hand. “Miss Kanna, are you serious? Or is this an act?“

Setsuka blinked, glancing over at Kai. Huh?

”This is troubling… Miss Kanna may have drawn the Sacrifice.”

”Yet she’s got enough motive we could believe she actually means it,” Keiji sighed.

”Let’s put the subject of Kanna aside for now, then.” Sou spoke up. “Let’s hear from Gin and Setsuka, first.”

Setsuka flinched, tensing up. For some reason, hearing her name from him made her stomach turn. She stared down at her podium. Something in her mind wanted to crawl out, to be remembered, but… she couldn’t recall it.

Her throat dried up, remembering she had to defend herself. “…I-I…”

Sou looked to her, and it felt like a glare was burning holes in her head. No words could force their way out. “Let’s get some proper statements from Gin, first.”

”…Meow… meow…” Gin mumbled meekly.

”They’re both scared thanks to you crude-ass men!” Reko yelled, slamming her podium.

”We don’t have any time! They need to show their worth!” Q-taro retorted.

Reko grit her teeth before lighting up, seemingly remembering something. “Gin, show ‘em the thing you told me about! In the paper shredder!”

Gin flinched, shrinking into himself. “…Don’t know… anything about that, meow…”

Both Reko and Q-taro paused, the latter frowning. “Reko… it ain’t right to spout lies just to protect people.”

”H-Huh…?! I tell you, I’m not lying!!”

”Someone’s gotta die in his place… maybe it’ll be you?”

Alice tensed up at that, squeezing Setsuka’s hand.

”Gin, will you let Q-taro call Reko a liar like that?” Sara asked. “Is Reko lying?”

”N-No… I just…” Gin shrunk back. “I didn’t wanna make… everyone worry, woof…”

”Are you protecting someone? I promise, whatever you found, I’ll deal with it. Please, just tell us.”

Gin frowned under his mask, but after a moment, he nodded. “…Seeing big sis Reko get told off made me really mad, meow…! So I was trying to… piece together the paper bits in the shredder, but I found this weird hand-torn list thingy, and it said… big sis Sara was… a murderer.”

Setsuka flinched, covering her ears as people yelled.

”….G-Gin, can you… show me this paper?” Sara asked, clearly confused. He handed her the pieces, and she slowly retrieved a similar looking sheet from her pocket. “Ohh… there must’ve been a stack. Two or more were torn together.”

”Oh… that makes more sense.” Joe breathed a sigh of relief. “But what are they in the first place?”

”A weird list of names and occupations… creepy percents, too.” Sou frowned.

”But I proved big sis Sara innocent!” Gin cheered. “…Wait, then… who is a murderer, woof?”

Alice felt his heart sink.

”…Whoever Alice Yabusame is.”

Setsuka’s eyebrows furrowed. She held her head in her free hand, wincing. Why was that making her head hurt?

”That’s… Miss Reko’s surname, isn’t it?” Mishima asked, concerned.

”…Y-Yes,” Reko nodded, sweating. “T-That’s just a… coincidence! I don’t know who the hell Alice is!”

Alice bit his lip. He’d… stay quiet for now. Reko didn’t want them to know.

”The chalkboard in the bar said both ‘Alice’ and ‘Reko’… maybe she’s not lying,” Joe suggested.

”B-But, um… I found some chalk on the floor, as well…” Nao frowned.

”You g-got it all wrong! It’s not me! Anyone could make those dumb papers!!” Reko yelled, panicked.

”If they’d found a pen and paper.”

Gin hit his podium. “Big sis Reko can’t be!”

”Should we call it a relative’s name, then…?” Keiji hummed.

Reko frowned, sweat pooling under her gloves. “I… I-I remember,  it’s… my brother!”

Alice tensed up. It was getting harder to stay quiet.

”Alice is… your brother, and not your sister?” Kai tilted his head.

”Y-Yes—! I swear! Believe me, p-please! I…!”

Setsuka flinched, covering her ears as Alice suddenly yelled out.

”Wait!! It’s me…!! I’m Alice, okay?!”

There was silence for a moment.

”I’m Alice, I’m telling you! Reko did nothing wrong! It’s a misunderstanding!”

”…Listen, we’re in the middle of a discussion right now…” Keiji’s eyebrows furrowed.

Alice grit his teeth. “Why would I claim to be a murderer to protect a stranger?! Reko is… my little sister!”

”…Fine,” Reko sighed, crossing her arms. “This is… Alice Yabusame. He’s my older brother.”

”…A-Alice…?” Setsuka mumbled quietly, staring up at Alice. Her head felt like it was splitting in two. “Yabusame…?”

”I’m… the murderer. I lied about being a thief. I went to prison for… killing someone.” Alice bit his lip, pulling his hand away from Setsuka.

”S-Should this guy really be next to a kid…??” Joe exclaimed.

”T-That’s not…” Setsuka mumbled, holding her scarf. “Don’t… Alice… s-saved me.” She paused. “During our t-trial.”

”…I’m just a murderer. But Reko is… a good and proper person. That’s all I wanted to say. Damn it all…” Alice sighed. He crossed his arms. “I was told to hide our relation, and so I did… we’re practically strangers.”

”So you deny relation to the kidnappers?” Keiji tilted his head, holding his neck.

Alice nodded. “Indeed. Why I was brought here… I know as much as the rest of you. But I suppose anything I say is just the ramblings of the killer, now…” He chuckled a little to himself.

”…Despite talking to Gin, we got some unexpected information,” Sou mumbled. “There’s no time, though. I think we still need to hear Setsuka’s explanation.”

Setsuka tensed up, tears welling up in her eyes. “I…”

What could she even say? What had she done that no one else could? Gonbee— Alice, had done it all.

”Miss Setsuka helped me complete a puzzle on the second floor, when… Mr. Alice had gotten stuck,” Mishima chimed in.

Setsuka paused, sniffling. Right… she’d helped. She helped.

Sou smiled. “I appreciate that, but if she can’t even speak… I’m not sure there’s much we can do.”

She blinked, staring at the floor. That smile was fake— it was fake. He was messing with her. She was going to die. Why was she so scared? Why was she so scared of him?

Alice tensed up, looking down at Setsuka. It was a meltdown waiting to happen. He’d seen plenty in prison. He opened his mouth to speak, before—

”I found— I found the sign,” she suddenly spoke, the words forcing themselves out. It felt as if someone else was speaking for her. “Someone would… be dead without me.”

”Can you prove that?” Sou argued.

”…I can,” Mishima spoke up. “Admittedly, I… planned with Miss Nao. She’d vote for me, and I’d vote for her… but secretly vote for myself, to protect my student, and all of you.”

Nao tensed up. “P-Professor…!”

Sou was silent for a moment. “…Hm. I guess that’d be natural, to protect the people you care about. This doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, though… maybe we could talk about who attacked me.”

”Attacked?” Alice’s eyebrows furrowed. He grabbed Setsuka’s hand again.

“Mhm. They stole the laptop I’d found, as well.” Sou blinked, his eyes widening. “I seem to remember… a red apron.”

Setsuka’s eyes widened. Everyone looked towards Kai. “…I’m shocked you’d tell such a lie, Sou.”

”Oh? You’ll drag this on, hm?”

”Please explain what I’d done, then.”

Sou laughed. “I don’t think it’d take much to take me down…. besides, you have that big frying pan.”

”What would my motive have been?” Kai questioned.

”The laptop, of course… but it was password locked. It must’ve been easy to guess, hm?” Sou tapped his chin, smiling. “Oddly enough, it was… Chidouin.”

”Chidouin…?!”

”I…! I’ve never seen that laptop before!!” Sara stammered.

”I know that. It’s Kai’s.”

Kai was silent for a moment. “…You… read the emails?”

”So you admit it,” Keiji mumbled.

”I read four. All from Kai, to different addresses… numbers. Some sort of code. I’ll recount them from the oldest.

As planned, 18 people have been secured. Just in case, is there no error in the date of the Death Game? Everything is proceeding smoothly.

I feel a deep affection for Miss Sara as well. I will certainly protect her. I am prepared to offer myself up for the Chidouins.

It’s about time. If any harm comes to Sara Chidouin, I will stand against you even as an enemy.

Miss Sara is looking forward to the games. Surely her friend will also take part.”

”…He’s clearly talkin’ about this,” Reko muttered.

”Were the aproned scoundrel and Sara Chidouin acquainted…?” Alice hummed.

Nao spoke up. ”I-Is the friend Joe…??”

”I inferred that myself. Kai is clearly behind this, and… Miss Sara and Joe are with them, too.” Sou fiddled with his scarf.

”How dare you—?!” Joe yelled, slamming his desk. “We almost died in that trial!”

”You can’t prove it, though, can you?”

”You can’t prove yourself, either,” Kai argued.

”I may accept Kai being with them, but… I can’t see Sara and Joe.” Reko sighed.

”Back in Russian Roulette, Sara and Joe got us out safe!”

”You didn’t read the emails wrong, did you?”

One by one, everyone seemed to turn on him. Setsuka sniffled, keeping her gaze to the floor. It didn’t seem entirely unreasonable, but… Sou scared her.

”H-Huh…?” Sou mumbled. He began to sweat. “Everyone… K-Kai’s actions were proven! Why does everyone believe them…??”

“…It seems the difference in trust between you is the difference between heaven and earth,” Alice huffed.

”What the hell…? Open your eyes, everybody! I’m telling you…!” Sou trailed off. His hands were shaking.

Setsuka looked up, biting her lip. “…I-I don’t… know… S… S-Sou might be… telling the truth, b-but…”

”Enough,” Sou interjected. He clutched his scarf, beginning to laugh. “Ahaha…! Amazing, Miss Sara! You’re a prodigy at seizing people’s hearts!!”

Setsuka flinched, freezing up.

”Shameful, the rest of you. The riffraff. Following like obedient lambs to the slaughter… don’t you value your lives? Death is just a matter of time for you! That’s how weaklings live! Ahahahaha!”

”What the hell…?!”

”The loner snapped… I’m scared, meow…”

”I can’t count on any of you anymore. Let’s discuss it ourselves, Miss Sara.” Sou smiled.

They began to argue, but… Setsuka couldn’t hear any of it. She felt a pit in her stomach. So much of this felt… too familiar… it made her head hurt. It was scary. She needed someone to hold her— someone just out of reach, someone she could almost remember…

A squeeze of her hand and a palm on her shoulder made her pause. Alice squeezed her shaky hand, Mishima’s on her other shoulder.

”Yes, yes, your attention please! It’s now time for the preliminary vote!”

Everyone began to panic, of course. Alice tensed up, squeezing Setsuka’s hand.

”What the hell do we do?! We’ve got no conclusions!”

”How do we vote without regrets??”

”E-Everyone…! I’m the Keymaster!” Sara interjected. “Please, don’t forget…!”

Sou laughed. “Ahaha, coming in right at the end… I’m the Keymaster, of course. You really are a slippery one…”

Everyone went quiet as their tablets buzzed. Setsuka took hers out, seeing… everyone’s faces. Shakily, she voted for Sou. She hated the guilty feeling pooling in her stomach.

Eventually, the tablets lit up with the final candidates.

Sara - 2 votes

Joe - 2 votes

Kanna - 2 votes

Sou - 3 votes

Kai - 4 votes

Setsuka tensed up, staring at her screen. She was safe, Alice was safe, but…

”Ehehe, what do you think of the results? Five will proceed to the final vote… Kanna Kizuchi. Kai Satou. Jou Tazuna. Sou Hiyori. Sara Chidouin.”

Setsuka sniffled, hugging herself. “…I-I’m… sorry…”

”Am I… safe…?” Q-taro mumbled.

”Idiot—! The next part is the bad part!!” Reko yelled.

Mishima adjusted his glasses, frowning. “This vote will decide our fates.”

”Do we… h-have to choose?”

”Big sis Sara…”

“…Listen, everyone.” Keiji spoke up, putting his hand on Sara’s shoulder. “We need to forget sympathies and grudges, and just… focus on the roles. We can’t pick a Keymaster or a Sacrifice.”

”Indeed… we’re all far from safe.” Alice crossed his arms.

”Oh, hey, is one of us a Sage??” Reko glanced around. “Then we could know the Keymaster!”

There was silence.

”…S-So it’s… one of them…?” Setsuka mumbled.

”Nothing to be done… they have to prove it with their words.”

”The final twenty minutes,” Miley giggled. “Please use this endlessly short time efficiently. I’ll be praying… you don’t all perish.”

Keiji sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, if anyone has a role to confess… let’s go ahead.”

The five went around. Sou and Sara both insisted upon their earlier stances, while Kanna, Kai, and Joe had nothing to say.

“Hmph… I’ll believe in Sou. Whoever protects him is the Sage. That’s where we ought to aim,” Alice huffed.

”Why aim for the Sage, woof?”

”It’s a safe role to go for… if we can confirm the Sage, we can vote them without the risk of killing more than two of us.” Mishima pushed up his glasses.

”Well, if Kanna really wants to die, wouldn’t she just say that?” Q-taro tilted his head.

Nao tapped her chin. “The Sacrifice gets two votes, right? And they’d vote themselves, so… we can cross anyone off if they got less.”

”…Everyone has m-more than two votes… they could all, um… be the Sacrifice…” Setsuka mumbled.

”We can’t vote big sis Sara, woof… big bro Joe said it’d be a massacre, meow…”

Sara paused for a moment, looking to Joe. “…What’d you say about your role?”

”Huh? I said I wouldn’t say…”

”You changed ‘who cares’ into ‘I won’t say’.”

The room fell silent for a moment.

”…Hm. Joe was the Sage,” Keiji mumbled. “But you aren’t giving up, are you?”

Joe paused for a moment before smiling, despite his sweating. “‘Course not! Everyone… I’m the Sage! I did a divination! But I’ll only share the results if you promise not to vote for me, because… the Sage can’t lie about the results.”

Everyone agreed, waiting for Joe to reveal the Keymaster.

”It’s… Sara, of course!”

The room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Alright…! Now we look for the Sacrifice between Sou, Kanna, and Kai…”

”Um… I’m the Sage,” Kanna muttered. “I read that… Sou was… the Keymaster.”

”H-Huh?” Setsuka blinked, clutching her scarf.

”No, no, I am the Sage. Miss Sara is the Keymaster,” Kai spoke.

Miley’s giddy voice cut in. “Ehehe, eight minutes to go!!”

That only caused more panic in the group.

”Alright, quit giving statements, you five. We need to discuss amongst ourselves.” Keiji sighed. “Sou and Kanna are telling the truth, I’ve got no doubt.”

”B-But, we… we can’t vote Sara or S-Sou, can we…? But… there’s still the Sacrifice…. aah…” Setsuka whimpered, biting her nails.

”If there were a way to see the cards…” Mishima frowned.

Keiji paused, his eyes widening. “…Listen up. This’ll be our last topic.” He turned to Joe. “I have a question.”

”R-Right! Ask me anything!”

”What’s the design of the Keymaster card?”

Joe was silent for a moment. Sou laughed. “Well done, Keiji! You’ve revealed the answer with one question!”

Alice’s eyes widened. He looked down at his rulebook. It didn’t say anything about…

”Hey, s-shut up! It’s a key, obviously!!” Joe yelled.

”Ahahaha…!” Sou burst out in laughter again. “The Keymaster, so it’s a key? Too bad… what did you see, Kanna?”

”Kanna… saw a lock.”

”Correct. The design for the Keymaster is a lock. Slipped up right at the end, Joe.”

”Huh…?? I saw a key for sure!!” Joe insisted.

”…Kai,” Sara spoke. “Please tell me… the results of your divination.”

He couldn’t answer.

Joe’s eyes widened. ”T-Talking to Kai now is just a waste of time! Believe me!!”

Setsuka sniffled, holding onto Alice’s hand. She couldn’t watch.

”You… can’t answer, can you, Kai? In rulebook two… the Sage only knows the Keymaster’s identity. And they can’t lie about the results of their divination. They… can’t lie about knowing the card’s design.

”Kai, who won’t say a design… is the Sage.” Sara said, staring at the floor.

Kai remained quiet for a moment before he laughed. “…My fate… has been sealed, then.”

”…Huh… so Kai was the Sage,” Sou hummed.

”You…! You made Kanna lie for you!!” Reko yelled.

”Now, now, we should listen to Kai. His last words, that is.”

”When… it came to designs, I realized I was in danger. I thought I might play dumb, but it was clear I would be voted due to my lack of trust. Yet, I… I do not… wish to die.” Kai explained, staring at his podium. He was sweating. “The Sacrifice… is surely Joe. He must have… taken actions to be read as the Sage, knowing that could garner votes. So, please… vote for Sou…!!”

Setsuka tensed up, her hands trembling.

”Ahaha, why me?” Sou laughed.

Setsuka paused, noticing Kai’s eyes flicker to her for a moment. “He is a dangerous man! He will lead everyone into danger!! I did have contact with the kidnappers, but if you let me live, I’ll tell you everything! I have vital information for our escape!!”

Sou smirked, holding his scarf. ”See ya, Kai.”

”G-Guys… don’t be fooled, I’m… I’m the Sage,” Joe mumbled.

”It’s now time for the final vote. Please refrain from whisperings,” Miley cut in.

”Please, don’t kill me…!”

Setsuka stared down at her tablet. Why were her hands trembling so violently? Why did… Kai look at her? Did he know something about her?

She hiccuped, staring at the five faces on her screen. Quickly, she tapped Sou’s face.

Slowly, the votes were tallied.

Sara - 0 votes

Joe -  2 votes

Kanna - 0 votes

Sou - 5 votes

Kai - 6 votes

Setsuka felt herself sweating, a pit forming in her stomach. Why did… she feel so upset by this conclusion? Why did some sick part of her want this stranger dead so badly?

”Too bad… you lose, Kai.” Sou smiled.

”…I understand. So long as you may be the Sacrifice, choosing you is risky…”

”It’s more than that. If you picked me with emotion, that would be your will… but everyone chose with logic. Awful, isn’t it?”

Setsuka hiccuped, trembling as she held her tablet.

Alice bit his lip. Surely, they wouldn’t… kill Joe and Kai. He paused, looking at Kanna. He still didn’t want to believe it to be true.

”Now, enjoy yourselves as I check your answers!” Miley giggled. “First, the Sage… Kai Satou! The Keymaster… it was an enjoyable battle indeed. Alas, it was Sara Chidouin! Finally, the Sacrifice… the one who dies with their objective incomplete… Jou Tazuna!!”

Setsuka hiccuped, trembling in her place. Alice felt his hands shake. After a second, he grabbed her shoulder.

”…Haha… w-what to say…” Joe laughed nervously. “I’m… sorry for tricking you…”

”Dumbass! Don’t you feel… bitter?? Because of us, you…!” Q-taro fell silent, turning his hat down.

“I dunno, I… I just can’t see you as bad guys. Even… Sou and Alice must be good people, really. We’re… all just trying to survive. Maybe this is all a twisted trick…!”

Alice tensed up. He squeezed Setsuka’s shoulder.

Joe turned to Sara, smiling. “Sara… I even tricked you. You didn’t vote for me… that’s what made it clear. You’re all my friends, all of you, so… work together and survive.”

Setsuka hiccuped, covering her face in her hands. Sara was in a similar state, unable to hold back sobs. “J… Joe…”

”Sure enough, it’s hard for a guy and girl to say this stuff to each other, huh… well… I love ya, Sara!” Joe wrapped his arms around Sara, squeezing tightly. “You’re my best friend!”

”Yes, yes, have we said our farewells?” Miley hummed, standing up. “Kai Satou, chosen by majority vote, will be the main event. Jou Tazuna is the opening act. Hurry up and die.”

Sara yelled out as Joe was pulled away from her. Miley pressed a button. “Come, Wrigglers! Suck all the blood from Jou Tazuna!”

Leech-like pipes came up from the floor, latching onto Joe’s limbs as he crumpled on the floor, groaning in pain. Setsuka gasped, frozen in place before Alice covered her eyes.

”N-No—! Stop this!! Please! I’ll die in his place, please! Help him…!!” Sara begged Miley.

Miley only laughed. “How cute! Alright, I’ll give you a chance.”

The Laughing Doll handed Sara a button to slow down the “wrigglers”. She fell to her knees, pressing the button over and over. Even after the wrigglers retreated, leaving his lifeless form to fall to the floor, she continued to press it. She only stopped after Keiji stopped her.

”How boring… have you broken? Oh, well. Onto the main event… Kai Satou.”

”Unfortunately, I will not let you do as you wish.”

Setsuka blinked, slowly pulling off Alice’s hands to see Kai’s forearms, covered in blood. “I will issue… my own death.”

”Y-You…! What selfishness?!” Miley scowled. “The knife from the kitchen?! As if I’ll allow suicide!”

Setsuka flinched as Q-taro tackled Miley.

“Miss Sara…” Kai stumbled a little, paling from the loss of blood. “Listen to me! Sara! As we die off, one by one, this is… my feeble r-resistance. It’s a step I was able to take because you… b-bought me time. I entrust to you… our hopes, our… regrets… I… am satisfied.”

Setsuka’s eye widened as Kai fell to the floor. She pulled away from Alice, running over to him. “Wait…! K-Kai! Get up!!”

She needed answers. She needed to know what she’d forgotten, and he was about to die without telling her anything.

”Setsuka, don’t…” Alice approached her, pulling her away and lifting her up.

The group was ushered back to the first and second floors, down two members and left with an unconscious “leader”. A few watched over Sara in the blue room, while the rest dispersed.

Setsuka sat in the cafeteria, waiting for Alice’s conversation with Keiji to finish. She wondered what they were talking about. She blinked, seeing something out of the corner of her eye.

She turned her head— nothing. Just her imagination. She closed her eyes, exhaling as she hugged herself. Just her imagination.

”Setsuka—” a familiar voice whispered into her ear. She felt a shiver, deep in her bones. Who was that? She’d never heard that voice before, but…

Setsuka quickly stood, looking around the cafeteria. Nothing. Was she going crazy? Tears welled up in her eyes. The collar on her neck felt so tight, it felt like she couldn’t breathe. She panted, her shaky hands struggling to grab her collar. She pause upon seeing the drying blood covering them.

Kai’s blood. She could’ve stopped him from— no, they would’ve just killed him. Like Joe. She couldn’t have done anything.

She stumbled, staring down at her red palms. Blood coated her shoes. Her skirt. Her scarf. The pink was all stained a grotesque, metallic crimson. Something grabbed her neck. “Setsuka,” it whispered again, tauntingly. Mocking her uselessness.

”No… no…” she mumbled, her eye welling up with tears.

Her head spun as she stumbled, her eye drooping. Sweat dripped down her forehead as her vision began to fade.

Alice sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the hidden room’s wall. “Keiji Shinogi… you said you were a policeman, yes?”

”…What about it?”

”A policeman knows about murder cases, yes?”

Keiji rubbed the back of his neck. “If I’m in charge of ‘em.”

”…Do you…” Alice tried to force out. His hands felt clammy, just barely shaking.

“Do you know… the crime I committed? I… I imagine it’s just a coincidence, but the… person that I… killed… his name was… Sou Hiyori.”

Chapter Text

Setsuka slowly opened her eyes. Looking around, it was… the sidewalk near her house. But she seemed to be… a ghost.

She saw… herself, walking home from school. A younger version of herself… more lively eyes. Both intact. Her scarf was less tattered. She walked alone, as she usually did. +?%!<#= didn’t like when she spoke to others.

She slowly opened the front door, peeking into the quiet house. “+?%!<#=?”

Setsuka followed her younger self, peering into the house. For some reason, what she was saying was lost to her. No, this was… wrong. Something was missing. Her eyes widened as a blackish red figure stood, walking up to her.

“Ah, Setsuka. Welcome back.” It took her bag off of her shoulders, setting it aside. “How was your day? Come, come, sit down.”

She removed her shoes before being ushered to the couch. Her younger self looked strangely… comfortable, yet uneasy. Comfortable with this monster that her mind had created. Unless it was someone she forgot?

“My day was okay… um…” She looked down, fiddling with her scarf. “Those… bullies picked on me again.”

The stranger paused. Setsuka could feel her younger self tense, waiting for… something. An angry reaction? But all the stranger did was smile and pat her head. “I’ll talk to them. You won’t have to worry about them ever again.”

Setsuka stared at the stranger. She felt an… uncomfortable, dirty nervousness that she couldn’t place. She slowly approached the two, reaching out towards the stranger. Maybe she would remember if she just touched them—

It suddenly stared at her, its gaze piercing her soul. Bright eyes, ones she could almost recall. It moved, in an instant, grabbing her wrist.

Setsuka suddenly shot up, inhaling deeply. It felt like she’d been pushed off a cliff. What was that dream about, again…?

Shakily feeling around, it was clear she was on a bed. Not her own. This one was more stiff. She sat up, rubbing her eye. It looked to be some sort of hotel room. Maybe… that Death Game was all a bad dream? She looked down at her hands, seeing the dried blood on her palms and sleeves.

”…Kai,” she mumbled. It wasn’t a dream.

Sniffling, she stood up. She peeked into the bathroom that was thankfully there, despite having no shower. Attempting to blink away the stinging in her eyes, she scrubbed at her cold hands.

After getting off what she could, she peeked into the room’s closet. Inside were copies of what she was wearing— her sweater, her skirt, scarf, socks, shoes… nervously, she replaced her dirty sweater with a new one. It felt the exact same.

She stared at the scarves. Her own was bloody, but…

Setsuka approached the main door. She slowly opened it, just a crack to peer outside. It was a hall of door’s labelled with everyone’s names, presumably with bedrooms just like her own. “…How long will we be here…?” she mumbled to herself, slowly stepping out.

She looked around what seemed to be a lobby, also fashioned like a fancy hotel. Nao, Reko, Gin, and Mishima sat on a few couches in the center of the room, circled around a table. Reko seemed to be singing. Setsuka perked up, seeing Alice off in the corner.

”Alice,” she mumbled, walking up to him. She rubbed at her eye, still puffy from… a few hours ago? Yesterday? Whenever the Main Game was. It was hard to tell in this place.

Alice paused, looking down at her. “Setsuka…” He looked away. He was surprised she was still willingly talking to a murderer. Now that his secret was out, he expected everyone to avoid him. Not that he’d be upset— they shouldn’t talk to killers. “How, um… how did you sleep?”

”I s-slept okay…” She glanced down at her feet. “W-What, um… happened?”

”I found you passed out in the cafeteria when I finished talking to Keiji Shinogi.” Alice crossed his arms. “This third floor opened shortly afterwards, so I brought you to your room to rest. There haven’t been any further announcements.”

”Oh… t-that’s a good thing, right?”

”Perhaps.” It’s only delaying the inevitable games they’ll have us play, he thought. But he didn’t want to make her upset for no reason. He glanced down at her scarf, noticing a bit of blood on it. “…Would you… not like to change that?”

She blinked, looking down at her scarf. For some reason, she was reminded of a dream… what did she dream about?

She shook her head, holding it in her hands. “N-No… I can’t remember, but… i-it feels important. I think someone important g-gave it to me.”

Alice hummed, glancing away. He stared at the few in the center for a moment before looking down at his feet.

Setsuka followed his gaze, then looked up at him. “S-Shouldn’t Alice talk t-to Reko?”

He glanced down at her, pausing for a moment. “…We’re only strangers now. I… don’t want to interrupt their grief with my presence.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but paused, noticing Keiji and Sara lurking behind them. Sara looked rough. Setsuka frowned.

”Pretty conscientious for your sister, aren’t you?” Keiji asked.

Realizing more people heard, Alice tensed, his face flushing. “Always so provocative, aren’t you, Keiji Shinogi…” He fell silent for a moment. “…What do you all think of Reko?”

“…A bit blunt,” Keiji thought to himself. “Not too kind to men like myself.”

”She seems kind.” Sara smiled a little. Her voice sounded much more tired.

”…Umm…” Setsuka looked down at her feet. “Probably… kinder to the weak? Like a big sister…”

”Hm.” Alice glanced over at Reko. “She was… different before.”

”Before… A-Alice’s murder?” Setsuka looked up at him.

”Was she harsher?” Keiji asked. Alice nodded.

”She’s always brimmed with vitality, possessing innate charm and talent for music. She was harsh on even herself, but… especially on weak people who were all talk. She’s undergone a startling change.”

Setsuka frowned. Alice looked away. “…Sorry to make you listen to these trifles.”

The other four seemed to realize Sara was awake, and rushed over to greet her. Alice stepped back, and Setsuka followed.

Reko glanced over, pausing as she saw Setsuka. She glared at Alice. “The hell you lookin’ at?”

“U-Uh,” Alice blinked, looking down at the floor. “Sorry.”

Setsuka frowned, staring up at Alice worriedly as the others explained the situation. Everyone else was resting, and… Miley was missing. That was a bit worrying. When they left to search more, she tugged on Alice’s sleeve.

“Hm?” He looked down to face her. She looked a bit annoyed.

”Alice should… t-talk to Reko.” Setsuka frowned. “Still… siblings. And Alice isn’t a b-bad person.”

Alice paused for a moment. Did this child really believe that? They’d only just met. Sure, he didn’t leave her to die in the First Trial, but that was just his own guilty conscience.

”Stop d-doing that.” Setsuka huffed, tugging on his sleeve and snapping him out of his trance. “S-Stop being quiet and thinking too much.”

”…I suppose I should stop that, huh.” Alice sighed. “Very well… it seems the others are off searching. Would you be up for joining me to search?”

She blinked, slowly nodding. She still felt a bit weird. Her head ached, and she struggled to recall what she’d dreamt about. But… Sara was able to search, even though her friend had died. So she agreed. “Y-Yes.”

The two left the lobby, heading to some room with an outdoor section. It felt surprisingly real, with a realistic temperature setting. Gasping, Setsuka quickly ran out, but face-planted into a wall painted like the sky. She frowned, rubbing her forehead. “Owww…”

The prisoner flinched at the thud, before walking over to her and helping her up. He chuckled. “It seems this room is fake.”

“Can tell now.” Setsuka frowned, hitting his arm. “It f-feels real, though… the temperature and, umm… humidity, and everything. It feels right.”

”It does. They must have a vast range of technology in this place.”

Setsuka blinked, hearing the others come in. Reko quickly excused herself.

”A courtyard…” Sara mumbled, looking out into the “open” area.

”It’s fake,” Setsuka frowned, rubbing her forehead. “Just walls…”

”A fake sky, false freedom… this place is worse than a prison.” Alice crossed his arms.

”Hey, Alice, could we talk for a sec?” Keiji spoke up.

”…I refuse. If you wish to talk, come to me when I’m alone.”

Setsuka frowned. She never did ask what they talked about… maybe it was important. “…I-I can go with Sara and the others for a little…”

Alice shook his head. “Nonsense. I will just speak to Keiji Shinogi later.”

”…Right.” Keiji nodded.

That group left a little afterwards, Nao whispering about Alice being scary. Setsuka frowned. It wasn’t fair that Alice was being singled out. Murder could’ve mean, like… self-defense. Alice didn’t kill her. If he was really so bad, or selfish… he would’ve left her to guarantee survival like that note said to.

She shook her head, holding her scarf. “Um… what did Alice and Keiji t-talk about before?”

”…” Alice fell silent for a moment. “It was… relating to my case. I don’t believe a child should hear about it.”

Setsuka frowned. Both stood in a comfortable silence for a moment before Setsuka spoke up again. “Alice… d-didn’t… mean to, right? To… kill someone.”

Alice was silent. He stared down at his feet, crossing his arms. He gripped his sleeve. “…I… can’t remember. Trying to remember it, though, makes me… angry.”

More silence.

”Oh…” Setsuka stared at the floor.

Maybe she’d finally realize she shouldn’t be around him. It was for the best.

”Well… A-Alice still regrets it, I think.” She looked up at him. “And saved me. So—”

She paused, hearing a bit of commotion a few rooms over. “Huh?”

“…Let’s go check. Stay behind me.” Alice left the relaxation room, Setsuka following behind. They entered a room lined with monitors in front of a control panel. Behind the crowd, Alice could make out a… random man? They looked androgynous, so he wasn’t sure. With how eccentric they seemed to dress, Alice assumed they were another “doll”.

”W-Who’re you, meow…?!”

”I’m the Dress-up Doll, Rio Ranger! I’m gonna be supporting y’all on this floor! Best regards!” They chirped, holding a small sign over their mouth.

”…Where is Miley?” Alice spoke up after a moment.

”Oh?” Ranger peeked through the crowd. Setsuka hid behind Alice. “How kind of you bastards to join us! Oh, Safalin!! They have so humbly requested a girl!!”

Suddenly, a green one appeared, wearing a frown. She sniffled, holding her hat, fashioned like… cream soda. “H-Hello… I’m Tia Safalin… the Crying Doll… the vice Floormaster…”

Setsuka flinched, gripping Alice’s sleeve when she popped up. She really hated this place.

“Now we can explain the rules of floor three! Not sure where that Hiyori is, but oh well. One of y’all can pass it onto him!” Ranger smiled. “You bastards must be super on-edge after that Main Game… so, naturally, we’ve come up with a fun little game to take place before the next one!”

”T-The… next one?” Setsuka mumbled.

“Well, that all depends on you assholes! Ahaha!” The doll paused, seeing Sara staring at them blankly. “Hmmm? My face scare you?”

”…Take off Joe’s hair clip,” Sara mumbled.

Ranger fell quiet, before their expression darkened. “…Sure enough, you recognized it? It feels good… like it’s full of the dead’s regrets. The regrets of Joe Tazuna, the bottomlessly cheerful moron.”

Setsuka tensed up, tears welling up in her eyes. Kai’s apron was wrapped around their waist. They wore so much more, too… she remembered all of the unknown names on the chalkboard in the bar.

“T-That skirt… it must be… sister’s…” Kanna sniffled.

”Wheww… you bastards have any right to condemn me?” Ranger sighed. “The topic’s donezo! Now follow me behind these monitors… we’ll have a fun game…!”

Ranger and Safalin left. Everyone could only follow. Alice glanced at the monitors. Odd.

They walked behind the monitors, seeing what looked to be a prize booth that would be in an arcade. There were many prizes on the counter, as well as everyone’s faces on the wall. There was an odd man standing behind the counter, too. He had a creepy, blank look in his eyes, and a weird mustache.

”Who’s this guy??” Reko crossed her arms. The doll(?) didn’t move.

”That’s the Receptionist Doll, and this is the Prize Exchange! Hand out the wallets, Safalin.”

”O-Okaayyy…”

Everyone was handed a wallet of some sort. Alice opened it, taking out one of many small coins. They had his face on them. “What in the world…?”

”T-Those are Me-Tokens… everyone h-has been given 100.”

”I’m guessing you can buy the prizes here with these, then?” Keiji tilted his head.

”Correct! Expected from Mr. Policeman!! These prizes include items that can help you clear floor three, participant information profiles, and more!”

”…I-Information?” Setsuka mumbled to herself. Would she be able to remember what she’d forgotten?

”However, you c-cannot purchase items with your own tokens.” Safalin sniffled.

”You can only use tokens from others!!” Ranger added on. “If you get a lot from someone, you can nab their personal info! It’s a game of buying, selling, and stealing trust!”

”That won’t even work.” Sara put her wallet away. “We can all buy something and share it together.”

Ranger recoiled. “Eehh?? Trying to be all fair and just, huh? Too bad for you, but that’s not all!”

”A-All of you will experience nine attractions around floor three, earning the right to challenge the Main Game.”

Alice paused. He crossed his arms. “If we don’t?”

”You die, duh!! You can’t skip it that easily, Mr. Murderer! You have three days to get ten Clear Chips from the attractions or it’s lights out for you!”

The prisoner tensed up.

Q-taro clenched his fists. “The hell…?!”

”Please do relax. If you do well in the Sub-Game, then no one will need to die before the Main Game,” Ranger spoke with a familiar monotonous voice.

”You—! Quit impersonatin’ him!”

”Most attractions r-require a group of two, but… one cannot do the same attraction twice,” Safalin explained.

“Tokens and Clear Chips, huh…” Keiji rubbed his neck.

”You get it now? Clear attractions to collect 10 Clear Chips. Use the Me-Tokens you’ve been given however you please, but you can only buy prizes with other participant’s tokens! The grand prize, too, is… ding ding ding… a ticket to the surface!! It’s first come, first serve, so step it up, people!!” Ranger laughed. “You have three days, and plenty of food and clothes, as well as time to rest! We also solemnly swear your rooms are safe from any traps or trickery, as much as I’d like to mess with ‘em… now, let the Trust Barter Game begin!!”

The two dolls dispersed, leaving everyone in the Prize Exchange.

Keiji was the first to speak up. ”Attractions… should probably look for them, huh?”

”Probably…” Sara nodded. Everyone went back to the monitor room, pausing upon seeing a monitor on the left broken.

”H-Huh…?!” Setsuka tensed up.

”Wasn’t this one fine before?!”

”Who’s was it??”

”…Sou Hiyori was the only one not with the group. The rest of us were with… Rio Ranger and Tia Safaflin.” Alice crossed his arms. That man was getting more suspicious.

”No good… the picture on the back’s been ripped off.” Keiji sighed. “Guess we should search for him.”

”U-Um…” Kanna spoke up. “Could you all… s-search for attractions? I’ll l-look for Sou. It’s… natural for you to h-hate Kanna, but… she’ll keep an eye on Sou. Please believe her.”

Reko quickly interjected. “No way, Kanna, don’t go near him on your own!”

Sara frowned, her eyes looking dark. “No, I’m going with you. If it’s just Kanna… she’ll only be used again.”

Setsuka tensed up at Sara’s tone. Reko recoiled, confused. “H-Hey, puttin’ it like that…!”

”…Stop this!!” Alice yelled. “All this tension is only what the kidnappers want. Looking at you, it’s like sisters quarreling… I hate it! Just… reconcile, if only in appearance. Feelings can be mended after the fact.”

Setsuka blinked, staring up at Alice. He wasn’t as bad of a guy as he tried to seem.

”…I’m sorry, Kanna. We’re all victims, forced to vote… nobody could change Joe’s fate. I’m sorry.” Sara apologized, and the two hugged.

Reko pat Sara’s shoulder. “Well said. What really pisses me off is Mr. Beanie… usin’ Kanna like that. Don’t feel so responsible, either of you.”

Kanna tensed as she pulled back. “N-No, Kanna… Kanna tipped the scales. Kai had said… he had contact w-with the kidnappers, but… drew the Sage card… so, he m-must’ve not known… B-But Sou… did know things about the M-Main Game.”

She explained what happened when her and Sou were resting in the bar. She found the Sacrifice card, but Sou traded it from her for a Commoner card.

”That’s why… K-Kanna thought… Sou should live instead. His strategy w-worked… so…”

”…So it was a dummy rule… can’t prove it, though…” Keiji scratched the back of his neck.

Sara shook her head. “No… I saw Sou’s Sacrifice card under the desk when he was knocked out. He didn’t die from me finding it.”

”…W-Wait.” Setsuka blinked, raising her hand a little. “That was… b-before the bar, though, right? Because… Sou was resting because he got hit.”

Mishima frowned, pushing up his glasses. “Perhaps… knowing that it was a fake rule, he planted it to make Miss Kanna… indebted to him.”

”He really was just usin’ her…!!” Reko growled.

”But it still ended up with Joe.” Sara pursed her lips.

Keiji crossed his arms. ”So he planted it for Joe, too…”

”That guy—! I’m gonna get him, I swear!!” Reko clenched her fists. “C’mon! We’re findin’ him!”

Everyone began to search around, regrouping when there was a green beanie found in a ruined corridor.

”Sou’s hat… he must be around here.” Sara picked it up.

Gin walked further down the hall, looking around. “Wait, meow… look down the halls!”

”Attractions…?’

”You shouldn’t be able to go without a group of two, but… we should check.”

”M-Maybe, since there’s three… six of us d-do these, and the rest of us… go look in the other rooms?” Setsuka suggested.

”That works with me…” Sara nodded. “Keiji, let’s do… this one.” She approached one labelled “Arm Wrestling”.

”Aye, aye, cap’n.”

Everyone assembled into groups again. Setsuka was going to go with Alice, before Reko pulled her aside. “Hey, do you wanna do an attraction together?”

Setsuka blinked, a bit nervous, but slowly nodded. It might be better to get to know her other allies. “O-Okay…”

”Let’s do, umm… Memory Dance. The reward’s good, and so is my memory.”

Nao and Mishima made up another attraction group, and the rest went to go search for Sou. Setsuka and Reko walked into Memory Dance. As the name suggested, the dancer had to replicate the opposing dolls movements.

”Just watch! I’ll handle this!”

Reko stepped up onto the stage. Grotesque dolls came out to dance, their movements slowly becoming more and more complex. Still, Reko could somehow remember. The final doll, a surprisingly pretty one, had the most complicated routine. Reko won, of course, and they received four Clear Chips.

Setsuka smiled as they began to leave. “R-Reko was really cool…!”

The older girl chuckled, handing her two small star tokens. “That was nothin’. Let’s split ‘em 50/50.”

She took the chips from Reko, slipping them into her wallet. “T-Thank you.”

”Oh, before we leave… could I ask something, Setsuka?”

Setsuka paused, looking back at Reko. “What i-is it?”

”Well, I… know you’re young. I just worry about you, bein’ around… Alice.” Reko glanced away. “I don’t want you bein’ manipulated like Kanna.”

”…I’m not,” Setsuka mumbled. “I-I promise. I… think I’m naive, but… i-in our First Trial… Alice c-could’ve left without me and guarantee survival, in e-exchange for my death. But h-he helped me… a s-stranger.”

She sniffled, wiping her eye. “I know I-I don’t know Alice as much as Reko does, but… t-to me, it seems like… h-he really regrets it, and w-wants to fix it.” She glanced up at Reko, smiling a little. “Could… R-Reko consider it…?”

Reko was silent for a moment. “…Maybe, kid.” She glanced away, patting Setsuka’s head. “Let’s go regroup and look for Sou.”

Setsuka frowned. Reko still seemed upset. Still, she nodded.

Q-taro suddenly rushed into the hallway. “You guys okay?! We found Sou in his room!”

”Seriously…?!” Reko exclaimed.

Everyone rushed into Sou’s room. He was unconscious by his bed, next to a wooden plank. Splinters were scattered on his head.

”O-Oh, god…!” Setsuka covered her mouth. “Did someone…?”

Keiji was crouched beside Sou, his fingers on his neck to find a pulse. “He’s breathing. Splinters on his head… a bump, too. Really is the same as before.”

As if on cue, Sou groaned, slowly sitting up. He rubbed his head. “Ughh… my head…”

”S-Sou…!” Kanna knelt down. “W-What happened?”

”Eh? That’s w-what I wanna know… where is this? W-Where’s the laptop?” He looked… genuinely confused.

Setsuka frowned. This felt… off. He didn’t seem to be lying, but she felt he was in her gut.

“Cram it, bastard!!” Reko lifted Sou by his scarf. “No one’s gonna worry about you now! What’re you plotting?! Tell me!”

”Ahh—?! H-Hold on!”

Keiji grabbed Reko’s hand. “Now, now. Violence isn’t the answer.”

Begrudgingly, Reko dropped him. Sou scooted away. “You’re so mean suddenly…”

”…Sou Hiyori, what’s the last thing that you remember?” Alice crossed his arms. He didn’t necessarily believe him, either, but decided to entertain it.

”Ah… I was… trying to g-guess the laptop’s password, then… umm…”

Setsuka frowned. “S… S-Sou, um… f-forgot… the Main G-Game…?”

”The… t-the Main Game?” Sou turned to her. “It’s… it’s e-ended…?! No…!”

Sou stood up. Setsuka took a step back, stepping behind Alice.

”N-No, no… who isn’t here…?? K-Kai?! No… Joe??” Sou turned to Sara. He grabbed her shoulders. “Joe is… d-dead…?!”

A loud slap rang out.

Sara smacked him across the cheek. She was ushered out by Keiji, everyone else trickling out after her. Setsuka paused as Sou grasped her sleeve.

”Setsuka, they… c-can’t be dead, can they? I’m sorry, I… didn’t mean to upset everyone.”

She was frozen for a moment. Quickly, she pulled her arm away. “P-Please, don’t… touch me.”

Setsuka clung to Alice’s arm as they walked out into the hall.

”…Piece of shit!!” Reko hit the wall. “Spouting more lies!”

”That said, we can’t get any info when he’s like this…” Keiji sighed.

”Um… could you trust Kanna to handle it?” Kanna asked. “He’ll…. be less wary of Kanna than everyone else. I’ll try to find the truth.”

Keiji nodded. “…Sounds good.”

“The hell?! That guy’s a bad influence on Kanna!” Reko yelled.

”We’d been underestimating Kanna, I’d say… She might be a stronger girl than we thought.” Keiji hummed. His expression became serious. “But don’t let him use you, Kanna. Adults with bad intentions are… scarier than you can imagine.”

”…R-Right!”

Kanna went back into Sou’s room.

”So… w-what now, meow?”

”We have three whole days… no use rushin’ attractions.”

”Might be good to use these tokens, too.”

Everyone dispersed, and Setsuka looked up at Alice. “U-Um… would Alice like to trade?”

”Hm? Oh, those tokens, you mean?” He crossed his arms. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind. I’m a bit interested in those prizes.”

Setsuka smiled a little. They exchanged 20 tokens each. “Hm… m-maybe we can go check out the prizes now?”

Alice nodded. The two walked to the Prize Exchange, where the odd Receptionist doll still stood.

”This is the Prize Exchange. Please inform me if you have business.”

Setsuka flinched when the doll suddenly spoke, hiding behind Alice. Alice merely stared at the doll for a moment before crossing his arms. “Ahem… what are all the prizes for sale here?”

”At the Prize Exchange, you can purchase Clear Chips, easy tickets, victim videos, personal information, and personal treasures.”

”…V-Victim…?” Setsuka trailed off, looking to the tapes on the table. She tensed up.

Alice pursed his lips. “…Personal treasures? I see nothing like that here.”

”Personal treasures can be bought for 20 of that participant’s tokens,” the doll droned on.

The two frowned. Slowly, Setsuka stepped out. “U-Um, can…c-can I buy A-Alice’s personal treasure…?” She slipped the tokens she’d gotten from him onto the counter.

The Receptionist Doll nodded. He stepped over to Alice’s picture, removing it from the wall and reaching behind, retrieving a small photo.

Alice paused, watching as the doll took the tokens and put down the photo. He slowly picked it up. It was one of him and Reko as children, playing piano together. He paused.

”…D-Do you… not like it?” Setsuka mumbled. She frowned a little.

Slowly, he shook his head. “…No, no. These kidnappers know us well… it is, in fact, my personal treasure. Thank you.

Setsuka smiled a little as Alice put the photo away. He set Setsuka’s tokens down as well. “I’d like to buy Setsuka’s treasure, as well, then.”

The Receptionist Doll took the tokens, retrieving a tattered, pink stuffed bunny from Setsuka’s portrait. He set it on the counter.

Setsuka slowly picked it up, looking down at it. Alice tilted his head. “Hm… does this jog any memories?”

”…S-Someone… important gave it t-to me.” She squeezed it to her chest. “T-Thank you.”

He smiled, nodding. His expression flipped as he glared at the Receptionist Doll. “We’ll be leaving, then.”

The two left, heading back to the lobby. There seemed to be a commotion, Q-taro yelling at Ranger with Sara struggling to mediate.

”Sara…! This guy just said we can’t go back to the first and second floors!!!”

Ranger shrugged, sighing. “If ya want booze so bad, Safalin can get ya some.”

”W-Wait…! Kai’s laptop!” Sara exclaimed.

”We were gonna confiscate it anyway, bastards!” Ranger laughed.

”Dammit… that must’ve been a clue,” Q-taro groaned, holding his hat. Ranger simply… disappeared somewhere.

Setsuka frowned. Sara and Keiji began to talk amongst themselves for a moment, before they noticed Setsuka and Alice lurking. “Oh, hello…” Keiji’s gaze fell to the plushie in Setsuka’s arms. “Where’d ya get that?”

”U-Um… the Prize Exchange… they sell p-personal treasures,” she mumbled, looking downward.

Alice’s eyes briefly widened. Maybe he could… get Reko’s treasure. Reko wouldn’t give her tokens to him, though… probably not Keiji. Reko trusted Sara. “Ahem…!! S-Speaking of, Sara Chidouin, could I talk to you for a moment?”

“Eh…? Sure…” Sara followed Alice to the Relaxation Room.

Setsuka fell silent, both her and Keiji standing awkwardly for a little. Eventually, Keiji spoke up. “Well… you said you’d forgotten a lot, right? Even your last name…? Did that help at all?”

”N-Not really,” she mumbled, squeezing it to her chest. “A-All I know is it’s an i-important gift. I’m s-sorry.”

”It’s not your fault.” Keiji shook his head. “This whole situation… it’s been hard on all of us. Don’t beat yourself up. More importantly, are you alright? When me and Alice finished talking after the Main Game, we found you passed out on the floor. He was worried sick.”

Setsuka frowned a little. She didn’t want to make anyone worry. “Ah… I-I passed out on accident… I think… I-I kept seeing and hearing weird things…”

”…Hallucinations?”

She paused, looking up at him. “H-Huh?”

”That’s what those are called. Visions, voices, things that aren’t there…” Keiji’s expression became serious. “How long have you been dealing with them?”

”U-Um… since… before we c-came here, I think… I’m n-not sure… but I’ve b-been so distracted w-when I’m searching with everyone, I can… i-ignore them, I think.” Setsuka nervously fiddled with her scarf. “I… I-I guess that the, um… hallucinations and the M-Main Game… all of it made m-me pass out… I’m sorry.”

”No need to apologize so much. It’s a perfectly normal reaction, ‘specially for a kid in this situation.” Keiji crossed his arms. “Did Alice… tell you what we talked about?”

Setsuka shook her head. They were both being a bit weird about that. “I-I asked, but… h-he said, uh… ‘he didn’t believe a-a child should hear about it’. All he said was it’s about h-his case.”

”Probably for the best… a kid shouldn’t be so close to death.”

Setsuka nodded a little, peeking over at the relaxation room. “D-Did they go do an attraction?”

”Maybe…” Keiji shrugged. “Do you wanna go search for some? Rest assured, Mr. Policeman will protect you.”

She frowned a bit, squeezing her plush. “…O-Okay.”

They went to the relaxation room. Sara and Alice were gone, and there were three halls with signs at the doorways. “Sure enough, they must’ve gone down one.”

”D-Does this mean there’s some in the monitor room, t-too? Or t-the Prize Exchange?” Setsuka piped up.

Keiji nodded. “Probably. Let’s go check there.”

The new duo walked to the monitor room, pausing as they saw Kanna and Sou. Setsuka tensed, squeezing her plushie.

”…H-Hey,” Sou spoke up, looking down at the floor. “I’m… sorry for worrying everyone. Kanna explained what happened.”

Keiji just stared at him for a moment. “Right.”

“Um, i-it looks like some attractions opened up in here…” Kanna pointed behind Keiji and Setsuka. Across from the monitors were three halls.

Setsuka looked between the three. “‘R-Runaway Minecart’, ‘Hide and Seek’, a-and… ‘Stay on T-Target’.” All sounded like they had potential to be frightening in their own right.

”Hm… a little game of hide and seek can’t be that bad.”

”I-It says… ‘Stay on Target’ is the hardest, b-but it gives three Clear Chips.” Setsuka frowned.

”Hmm… wanna do that one, then?” Keiji tilted his head. After a second, Setsuka nodded. It’d be best to get the hard ones out of the way.

The two walked in, seeing… a giant face in the darkness. Setsuka recoiled, grasping Keiji’s arm. He read a sign with the rules. “Stay in the zone produced by your opponent…”

Upon looking up, there was a light shining on the floor, looking like a pair of lips.

Keiji sighed, suddenly lifting Setsuka up in his arms. “Hup!”

She yelped, instinctively holding onto him. “H-Huh?!”

”Just let me do all the heavy lifting here.”

Keiji walked to stay on the shining light, Setsuka holding onto him. They defeated one monster hiding in the dark, then another, then the last one.

Finally, Keiji set her down, picking up the three Clear Chips. “That one was easy.”

Setsuka frowned, holding her plushie. “I could’ve d-done more.”

”It’s alright. You hardly weigh a thing, surprisingly. You sure you’re eating right?” Keiji slipped two of the Clear Chips to her.

”Y-Yes…!” She retorted, frowning. She looked down at the Clear Chips. “I don’t w-want two! Keiji did the w-work, and… m-me and Reko got two each earlier! I’m only t-taking one!!”

Keiji chuckled. “Alright, alright… you drive a hard bargain.” He took one of the Clear Chips, and they left.

They walked back out to the lobby, finding Sara and Alice. Setsuka quickly walked up to him. “D-Did Alice go do an attraction?”

Alice nodded. “Indeed… that fly swatter was a piece of cake with my keen reflexes.”

Setsuka smiled. “I did one w-with Keiji. He didn’t let me help, t-though…”

”Well… perhaps that’s for the best. I’m not saying that you’re not helpful, but it’d be best to not let anyone get hurt.” Alice smiled a bit, patting her head. Setsuka frowned.

”B-But…” She looked down at her feet. “I’d… like to be useful.”

”Hmm…” Alice crossed his arms. “Would you like to do one together, if you still have some energy? I’ll let you help.”

Setsuka quickly nodded. “Y-Yes!”

He chuckled. They went to the Monitor Room, entering the one labelled “Hide and Seek”. Setsuka felt most confident in her abilities for this one.

Inside were rocks to hide behind, as well as three levers. “H-Hide from wicked dolls, and p-pull three levers u-until they reach max energy t-to win.”

Setsuka frowned. Noticing the dolls coming out, Alice pulled her down to hide behind a large rock. He held a finger to his lips, hearing loud stomps. Setsuka flinched, clinging to Alice’s sleeve.

He peeked out, seeing the monster turn its back. He began to stand, but Setsuka was already rushing over to one of the levers. She was able to fill it up halfway before the monster turned back around.

She yelped when it growled. “E-Eep—!!” She ran back behind the rock.

”…I’ll keep an eye out, and you get the levers, alright?” Alice whispered. Setsuka nodded. He knew she’d move much faster than him. It seemed like the monster noticed her slower, as well, due to her small stature.

When the monster turned again, Alice signalled Setsuka to go. She managed to finish off one lever, and the cycle continued until they finished the puzzle.

Alice sighed, holding the two Clear Chips. He smiled a bit as he handed Setsuka one. “…You did good.”

She blinked, taking the Clear Chip. Setsuka smiled, squeezing the bunny held to her chest. “T-Thank you…!”

He chuckled, crossing his arms. He sighed as he realized they didn’t have much else to do. “Hmm… would you like to relax in that room we found before?”

Setsuka nodded. They headed to the relaxation room, resting for a while until Sara arrived. “I got your tokens, Alice.”

”A-Already…?!” he stammered, sitting up.

”Now it’s time for your end of the deal.” Sara set down 20 tokens with Reko’s face on them.

Setsuka tilted her head, a bit confused. “W-What’s going on?”

Alice’s face flushed as he took the tokens. “I, ah… asked Sara Chidouin to get me 20 of Reko’s Me-Tokens.”

”And in exchange, Alice here would buy Reko’s treasure and reconcile.” Sara crossed his arms. “Get moving.”

”W-Wait—! I’m not mentally prepared, Sara Chidouin!!”

Setsuka giggled a little. “…A-Alice can do it… maybe Sara and I-I could come?”

The prisoner glanced off to the side, his cheeks red. “…F-Fine! Not because… that would give me any needed confidence! I am a man, and I shall not flee…!”

Sara and Setsuka giggled a bit as they walked to the Prize Exchange. “You! I-I am buying Reko’s treasure.” Alice put down the tokens on the counter.

The doll took them, retrieving… a set of bongos from Reko’s picture. He set them down on the counter.

”…This is…” Alice mumbled. Slowly, he took the bongos. “The… bongos that I gave her…?”

”I knew it,” Sara spoke. “Her precious bongos.”

”Impossible. Her treasure can’t be this… worthless present. From me.” He squeezed the wood.

Setsuka frowned, looking up at him. “A-Alice…?”

He seemed to be tearing up. Quickly, he wiped his eyes. “I will… speak with her in the morning. Thank you, Sara Chidouin. I believe I’m going to turn in for the night.”

Alice left the Prize Exchange. Setsuka watched him worriedly, before Sara pat her shoulder. “I think he’s happy.”

Setsuka glanced up at Sara, slowly nodding. “…Y-Yeah…”

Sara looked down at her. “Are you alright?”

”I-I just… hope it goes okay. Alice is… really nice, and… really means well. Reko w-was worried about me, and when we talked, s-she seemed to consider it, b-but…. I’m still nervous.”

”They’ll be okay. I’m sure of it.” Sara smiled. “How about we both go get some rest for the night?”

Setsuka slowly nodded. “O-Okay… um… t-thank you, Sara.”

The two left, retreating to their rooms. Setsuka laid in bed, hugging her pink bunny. Her mind went back to that dream… she know she had one, but the contents of it were lost on her. It probably had something that she’d forgotten in it. She could’ve remembered.

She sighed, rolling over. Setsuka clamped her eye shut. If not, then the shadows would become monsters.

Chapter Text

Setsuka opened her eyes. Another dream… she watched herself walk home from school, again. But this time, she found a cat. A small cat, injured, laying in the road. Tears in her eyes, her younger self picked it up and rushed home.

“+?%!<#=!” She yelled. Setsuka couldn’t understand it this time, either. There was… that figure again, too. “…T-There was… this c-cat in the road… +?%!<#= is a doctor, c-can— can he f-fix it?”

It (he?) looked over, walking over from the kitchen. “Oh? I’ve told you no animals, Setsuka. Now you have dirty blood all over your nice uniform.”

Setsuka watched herself plead with the stranger. Suddenly, a slap rang out. Even she felt her cheek stinging.

“Don’t talk back to me, Setsuka. I told you no.” The monotone, dangerous voice made her skin crawl. “Go up to your room.”

Her younger self hiccuped as he took the small cat, but she couldn’t argue. She simply went up to her room. She watched from her window as he took the cat outside. She quickly shut her curtains, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“…Brr…” she mumbled, slowly opening her eyes. “…thher?”

Brother? Why was she saying that? Did she have a brother? Another weird dream?

She whimpered, holding her head as she sat up. Her face was wet with tears. It must’ve been another dream. She let her head go, squeezing her plushie. If thinking of a brother made her head hurt, maybe she really did have one… she couldn’t remember at all.

She got ready, taking her plushie and leaving her room. She knocked on Alice’s door. No answer… he was probably up already. She left, finding him whispering to Keiji in the monitor room.

“…pers… info… way…” he mumbled.

“…A-Alice?” Setsuka spoke quietly.

Alice flinched, looking over at Setsuka. “Setsuka…! I was wondering where you were. Ahem…”

”What are you t-two talking about?”

”Nothing much,” Keiji shrugged. “Tokens, prizes, this whole sub-game.”

Setsuka frowned. She could’ve sworn Alice was talking about personal information.

“A-Anyways… we should get some breakfast. Before I’m forced to talk to Reko..”

Setsuka nodded. She followed him out to the lobby, where there was a bit of food. Some people were around eating, but not everyone. It made sense to not be able to stomach food right now.

The two sat down, eating a bit of food. Mishima and Nao were sat across from them.

“Hi, Setsuka!” Nao smiled, waving a little. She looked a bit nervously at Alice. “…H-Hello.”

“…Did your room not have any shoes, Mr. Alice?” Mishima asked. Setsuka giggled.

“Are we still on the shoe subject, Kazumi Mishima?!” Alice grumbled. “No, they did not give me shoes!!”

Setsuka laughed. “M-Maybe Keiji or Q-taro have extra…?”

“You know what… no!! I will not be wearing shoes! I’m holding a grudge now!!” Alice crossed his arms after finishing his short breakfast.

“Oh dear,” Mishima hummed.

Alice huffed. Setsuka smiled a bit.

Nao tilted her head. “…You’re surprisingly… goofy, despite looking so scary, Alice.”

Alice tensed, his face flushing. “Goofy…?! What does that mean, Nao Egokoro?!”

Nao and Mishima laughed. Nao glanced over at the hallway with everyone’s rooms, noticing Reko. “Oh, Reko!” She waved.

Alice paused. He stood up, moving to leave, but Setsuka followed him. “Go t-talk!”

”…I-In a second. I will wait on Sara Chido— AAH!” He yelped as Sara tapped his shoulder from behind. Setsuka laughed.

”I’m right here. Now go.”

”Why, you…! Teenagers are so…” he grumbled to himself, crossing his arms. “F-Fine!”

Hesitantly, he approached where Reko stood, talking with Nao. “…Um…”

Reko turned, looking up at Alice. She looked… equally as hesitant. “…Alice.”

“Um… w-would you… consider talking to me…? P-Perhaps… i-if you’re comfortable. I have… something to give you.” Alice looked anywhere except for her, holding his shirt.

”…Actually, I…” Reko also didn’t look up at him. “I have to, uh… do something. With Sara… We can talk after. I guess.”

Alice’s eyes widened. He nodded. “Right. I’ll… leave you, then.”

He walked back over to Setsuka while Sara joined Reko to leave, presumably searching somewhere. “T-That was good.”

”…I. Suppose.” He quickly dragged her away. They had some time to kill. “Let us go do an attraction.”

They did one in the ruined corridor, labelled “Arm Wrestling”. It was pretty straightforward. Alice won it for the two, and they split the Clear Chips, one each.

”That was a piece of cake!” Alice grinned. He seemed to have been distracted now. “Let’s see here… I have… four.”

”I-I have five now,” Setsuka smiled a bit. She was halfway there.

”That’s good.” Alice pat her head. “I might buy one—”

Alice paused, seeing Reko and Sara standing in the lobby. Setsuka smiled, nudging him closer. She handed him the bongos, taking them from their hiding place in her scarf.

Reko stood there, her arms crossed. She seemed annoyed. “Well? What is it?”

”…Aren’t… t-these yours?” Alice held out the bongos.

She tensed. “Why do you…?!”

”I… found them at the Prize Exchange. I thought you’d long since thrown them out.”

”…Always thought about tossin’ ‘em.”

Alice stared down at the floor. “That day, when I got the letter… cutting off contact… I knew it’d come eventually. I… didn’t want to hold you back. I didn’t want to be deadweight. I didn’t want… to think my actions affected you, but…” He squeezed the bongos. “…Let me apologize. I made you and our parents… suffer for so long… This apology sounds stupid, but I… really am sorry!!”

He silently held out the bongos. Shakily, Reko took them.

They broke as they were thrown to the floor.

Alice stared at her. Clearly he was just as confused as Sara and Setsuka. “…R-Reko…?”

”I told you, didn’t I? I always thought about throwin’ them out,” Reko hissed. “Don’t act like a big brother now, Alice. We’re strangers now. You should’ve thought before taking someone’s life.”

The prisoner stared. Sure, he expected anything but positivity, yet… “I… I haven’t forgotten my crime, every day, since… the day it happened.”

”Then why would you show your face around me?! Get the hell out of my way! Murderer!”

Reko shoved past him, storming off. Setsuka noticed, for a split second, the glare she cast in her direction. This… this wasn’t right. Was that really Reko?

”W-Wait, Reko…!” Sara called after her. 

“Don’t meddle with us, Sara!!” Alice yelled. He knelt down, picking up the pieces and splinters as Reko left. Sara went after her.

Setsuka was frozen for a moment, but slowly knelt beside Alice, sniffling. “A… A-Alice?”

He kept quiet for a moment. “…I’m… sorry you witnessed that.” He gathered all the pieces in his arms. “Don’t hate her.”

She paused, wiping her eye on her sleeve. “H-Huh?”

”She… hasn’t changed a bit towards me, but… it’s what I deserve. Believe in the Reko you know.” He stood up, turning to leave. “I need some time.”

Alice left the lobby, Setsuka sitting on the floor, dumbfounded. Setsuka stood up, sniffling. She tensed as she felt something touch her shoulder, a flicker in the corner of her eye. She should find someone.

She hugged her plushie, wandering around the facility for a little. Eventually, she found a room she hadn’t seen before. Some sort of office? There were tons of cabinets, fashioned to replicate an outdoor scene. Like the relaxation room, the temperature matched the setting. Setsuka frowned, turning to leave.

”A-Ah…! Can I help you with something, S-Setsuka?’ Setsuka flinched, hearing Safalin.

Hesitantly, she turned around, shaking off the whispers. “…U-Um… no, I’m… okay…”

Safalin frowned. “Are you sure? M-My job is medical care… including mentally.”

Setsuka’s eye widened. She probably knew about her missing memory, too… Did Safalin know about the dreams? Her hallucinations?

She glanced off to the side. “D-Do you have… super glue? Or t-tape?”

Safalin, though confused, retrieved some glue and handed it to Setsuka. “Here you go…”

Setsuka nodded, hugging her bunny plush. “T-Thank you.” Setsuka quickly left, checking the lobby once more. A few people were sitting around now, thankfully. Mishima and Nao sat with Gin, with a pot of tea.

She walked over, tilting her head. “U-Um… can I sit?” she mumbled.

Gin looked up at her, smiling. At least, it seemed to be a smile from his eyes. “Sure, woof! But they only have tea and yucky coffee, meow…”

”Coffee is good!” Nao huffed.

”It’s alright, Miss Nao… coffee isn’t very good for children, anyway. More for us.” Mishima pat her shoulder.

Setsuka sat beside Gin, hugging her plush to her chest. “…Adults like t-the weirdest things.”

”Mhm.” Gin nodded, pausing upon seeing Setsuka’s plush. “Woahh! Where did eyepatch girl get that, meow? Can it play with Mew-chan?”

She blinked, smiling a bit. “I-It was at the Prize Exchange, as my personal treasure… m-maybe we could play with them.”

The two played with their plushies like dolls for a little, occasionally moving or running around the lobby. Gin smiled, setting Mew-chan in his lap. He yawned.

“Have some coffee!” Nao smiled, holding out a cup to him.

”…Mmm… just one sip, meow…” Gin took a sip, quickly setting the mug back down and making a face before pulling his mask back up. “Blegh!!”

Mishima sighed as Nao giggled. “Is it tasty?”

”Coffee’s bitter, woof!”

”Ehehe! You’re a grown-up now, Gin!”

Setsuka giggled a little. She leaned towards the table, smelling the cup before making a face as well. “Bleh… adult d-drinks always smell bad.”

Nao covered her mouth to stifle her laughter before pausing. “Oh… I was going to ask, um, would you all like to trade tokens?”

”No way! That’s like… gambling and stuff, meow!” Gin furiously shook his head.

“Um…” Setsuka tilted her head. “I-I can trade. I haven’t… traded much, so… I probably should.”

”I’ll trade as well… maybe 20?” Mishima proposed. Mishima gave 20 to Setsuka, Setsuka gave her own to Nao, and Nao gave hers to Mishima.

Setsuka smiled a bit. “T-Thank you.” Realizing some time had passed, she stood up to go find Alice. “I’m g-gonna go… it was nice t-to talk to you all.”

She left, eventually finding Alice lurking in a hall she hadn’t seen before. “Alice?”

Alice blinked, glancing over at her. “Hm? Oh… hello.”

”A-Are you, um… okay?” Setsuka mumbled, slowly approaching him.

”…I’m alright. Don’t worry about me,” Alice sighed.

Setsuka frowned. She walked up to him, holding out the bottle of glue out to Alice.

He paused, looking down at it. “Hm?”

”It’s, um… glue… I-I thought Alice might… want it, s-since… Alice was picking up all the pieces before.”

Alice simply stared at her for a moment. After a bit of silence, he took the glue. “…Thank you. I… may attempt to fix it.”

She smiled. “I-I can also help. Hmm… m-maybe if we do two attractions, t-then we can spend the rest of the day fixing it!!”

He paused, slowly nodding again. He managed a small smile again. “Alright.”

The two walked to the relaxation room. They finished off the attractions neither had done in there, each collecting two Clear Chips.

”I left the bongos in my room…. let us go fix them.”

Alice led her back to his room. His was surprisingly tidier than her own, besides… the bongo remains on his bed. Setsuka frowned upon seeing them. He sat on the bed, patting the spot beside him. “Come sit.”

She blinked, kicking off her shoes and climbing onto the bed beside him. They were quiet for a bit, but she took the glue, beginning to stick some of the pieces together.

Alice watched her for a moment before he began to help, gluing more pieces together.

”Hmm… I h-have a question for Alice,” Setsuka spoke up as they worked.

“Hm?”

”What does Alice do when he forgets what he dreams about?”

He paused. “…That’s an oddly specific question.”

”W-Well…” Setsuka felt a bit embarrassed. Her question sounded stupid now. “E-Ever since we… got here… every time I sleep, I have… weird d-dreams. I remember that I did, but… I can’t remember the contents. I o-only… vaguely remember a brother now. Thinking too hard about it makes my head hurt.”

Alice hummed. Ordinarily, it may not be best to dwell on it, but… if it was a clue to what she’d forgotten, then it’d probably be best to try and remember. “Hmm… perhaps one of those dolls has a pen and paper? If so, you could keep a notepad by your bed. When you wake up, write down as much as you can recall.”

She considered it for a moment, gluing pieces together. That was… a good idea. “I-I’ll, um… maybe ask. They’re… scary.”

He nodded. “Perhaps they’ve given us some…” Alice paused for a moment, leaning over to his nightstand. He opened the top drawer, revealing a small notepad and pen. “Huh. They did.”

Setsuka smiled. “I-I’ll see if that helps, then…. t-thank you,” she paused, yawning, “Aaaalice.”

He chuckled at her yawn. “It’s hard to tell how much time has passed, cooped up in this bedroom… you should get some sleep.”

She nodded a bit, rubbing her eye. “I will… g-goodnight.” Hopefully it’s already nighttime. If not, Setsuka would feel much more dumb. She got up, putting on her shoes and leaving.

Stepping out and peeking into the lobby, the fake scene showed it was “nighttime”. Setsuka went to her room, laying down and slowly drifting off to sleep.

Chapter Text

“Setsuka,” the familiar voice in her dreams chirped. “Time for your shots.”

She watched her younger self nod, sitting at the dining table. “Why can’t I go to the basement, brother?”

So it was brother… she did have one.

“Because, my dear Setsuka, all of my equipment down there is dangerous. You aren’t allowed down there because it’s grown-up doctor stuff.” He poked her nose, preparing items to give her shots.

Her small self giggled a little. She held her plushie in her lap. “What shots am I getting?”

“Routine vaccines.”

“…I get those a lot… they hurt lots.”

“Well, Setsuka gets very sick easily.” Brother smiled. He was hiding something. “Now, roll up your sleeve for me.”

She frowned, rolling up her sleeve. “…Brother?”

“Hm?”

“U-Um…” she tensed as she felt the shot. “I have… a-a question.”

He paused momentarily before continuing to prepare his syringes. “…Yes? Continue.”

Setsuka frowned nervously. “Um… u-um… there was… a girl at school…”

Brother tilted his head. “Hm? Was she bullying you?”

She quickly shook her head. “N-No! Actually, um… she wanted to b-be my friend.” Setsuka smiled a bit. “…I-I was wondering if… I could go to her… h-house.”

He was silent for a moment. He simply continued with the injections, holding her arms a bit harsher. “…You know that’s dangerous. I don’t like you talking to those bullies, yet you went and made a friend anyway.”

“…I-I’m sorry,” she mumbled, looking down at her feet. “I…”

He crouched in front of her seat, his hands on her knees. “Will you really be friends with those children, always picking on you and calling your brother creepy?”

Setsuka slowly opened her eyes. She was back in her room. Her eye widened as she quickly retrieved the notepad and pen from her drawer, jotting down her dream before it slipped away. “…Brother… s-shots…” she mumbled to herself. “Weird about friends…”

She frowned. This “brother” was getting more strange… that must be the figure in her hallucinations. The fact she’d forgotten so much was odd, too… Alice and Reko had massive impacts on each other’s lives. How had she forgotten a whole older brother?

Sitting up and getting ready, she thought to herself. Today was the last day to collect Clear Chips… she only had three more to go.

She left her room, walking to the lobby, where she saw Alice bidding farewell to Sara.

Setsuka slowly approached him as Sara left. “Hello…” she mumbled, yawning. Exhaustion was seeping into her. This whole situation was draining.

Alice turned to her. “Good morning.”

“What w-were you talking to Sara about?” Setsuka sat beside him.

“She merely helped me eat a meal that Tia Safalin incorrectly made for me…” Alice huffed. “…We briefly spoke about Reko.”

“Ohh…” She nodded. She paused for a moment. “Did Alice f-finish the bongos after I went to sleep?”

“They are nearly complete. Perhaps we could finish our final attractions quickly and continue working on them?”

Setsuka nodded, smiling. It was nice to have a little project to work on instead of sitting around, dreading what’s to come.

They set off to complete another attraction, finishing off the remaining one in the ruined corridor that neither had done. Next, they finished the final two in the monitor room. With that, they both had ten.

Setsuka smiled, counting her Clear Chips. “W-We got ten!!”

She looked up at Alice, her tired form hugging him tightly. As he briefly tensed, she paused, pulling back quickly. “I-I’m sorry…! I, um… shouldn’t h-have touched without asking.”

“…It’s alright.” Setsuka blinked as she felt an (albeit awkward) pat on the head. “Let us, um… get back to work on the bongos.”

Setsuka nodded. They walked back to his room, working on gluing the bongos back together.

They’d almost finished before everyone was called to the lobby.

“…I-Is the Sub-Game already over?” Setsuka mumbled nervously as everyone gathered around Ranger.

“Should still be time… the limit was three days,” Keiji hummed.

“No, no, there’s still time!! The main thing is… y’all are falling apart. You reek!! So come and take a bath!”

“…A bath?” Alice’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Yep! And we’ll do laundry, too, so feel free to leave out your clothes!”

Setsuka yelped. She hugged herself, holding her eyepatch. “I-Is… is this safe?”

Sou shrugged. “It’s nice to finally get a bath…”

“W-We should do it… it may be dangerous to resist.” Kanna nodded.

“Not like you have any right to!! I’ll take the men, and Safalin will lead the ladies! Come to think of it, where do you wanna go, Alice?” Ranger teased.

Alice tensed up, his face red with frustration. “I’m a man, I tell you!!”

The groups went to their respective baths, Setsuka following the girls. She removed her clothes, unraveling her bandages— and reluctantly, her eyepatch— and slipping into the warm water. She sighed a bit, relaxing as she covered her eye with her hand.

“…Aah… this is… nice,” Setsuka sighed, resting against the wall of the bath. She yawned, almost falling asleep as everyone chatted, finally able to relax.

“No!! No, no, brother, please!”

When Setsuka awoke in her dream, she was on the same sidewalk. She wasn’t an observer anymore— she was in her younger self’s place. But with her younger version was… the shadow she now knew as “brother”, with features she couldn’t make out.

He held her wrist, dragging her down the street. The sun had begun to set. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Tsk, tsk… after all I’ve done for you, Setsuka… you choose to run away? That’s not very nice. You need to be punished, don’t you?”

She was dragged inside, stumbling behind his long strides. Setsuka was practically thrown into her room, falling on the floor. Her eyes widened as the door lock clicked. She was left in there for a moment, praying to whatever god existed that this punishment would be merciful.

She couldn’t move. She was frozen in fear, sitting on the floor. Her mouth was agape, her face soggy with tears and snot as the door creaked open. In stepped “brother”, holding a gleaming knife. He closed the door behind him.

”Now, now… don’t look so scared. You know why I have to do this, right?” He pulled her up by her wrist, setting her on the bed and climbing over her. “You were bad. Now I have to ruin that little face…

”You tried to run away, when I’ve only ever provided for you…” He grabbed her neck with his free hand, while his hand holding the knife reared back. “Let this be a lesson. Whenever you see that cute little face in the mirror, remember— don’t disobey me.”

Setsuka gasped, her eyes snapping open. She’d fallen asleep so fast after the bath— She still felt the hand in her dream on her, holding her cheek. Feeling her eye. It was… real. She felt the hand. Her mind was racing. Her eye, this “brother”, this— this hallucination right now. Why was that dream so real?

She coughed, choking on her sobs as her legs kicked. Why was she hearing… whispers? Hallucinations now? It squeezed her cheek, a dreadfully familiar voice shushing her. “Shh, shh… your brother is here.” The hand drifted down to hold her neck.

She clamped her eye shut, struggling to pull the hand away from her. It began squeezing as she tried to. “Ah, ah, ah… relax, relax…”

Setsuka felt herself hyperventilating, her hands shaking. They squeezed the person’s wrist. The fabric of their sleeve was rough. Their fingers were cold on her neck. 

She somehow shoved the hallucination off of her, managing to get off of the bed. That one… why did it feel so different? She’d never managed to feel them so realistically.

She quickly scrambled to her feet, running out of her room. Her eye darted towards the door labelled “Alice”. She yanked on the doorknob, cursing as it was locked. “No— f-fuck, fuck…” Hearing footsteps— hallucination, hallucination, not real— she frantically banged on the door.

Setsuka clamped her eye shut. Footsteps, footsteps, voice, touch, voice, please, please please—

“Setsuka?”

Alice’s groggy voice quickly became alert upon seeing her state. “Setsuka? Hey, hey.”

It slinked away into the darkness. She fearfully looked up at Alice. Was he real? He had to be. She stumbled into his room, hugging him tightly.

He paused. Slowly, he hugged her back, holding her head. “It’s okay… it’s okay. Come on.”

Alice stepped back into his room, closing the door. “Did you… have a nightmare?”

Setsuka nodded. She didn’t have the energy to explain any more. She coughed weakly, holding her hair over her eye. Had she forgotten to put her eyepatch back on after the bath…?

”Alright. It’s okay… you’re okay.”

Slowly, he led her over to the bed, sitting down beside her. “Do you… want to stay in here?”

She nodded again, her hands shaking. “…P-Please… don’t… d-don’t go… please…”

Alice quickly shushed her. “I’m not going anywhere. Here, lay down.”

Setsuka laid down in his bed, just barely noticing that he seemed to have finished repairing the bongos beforehand. She hiccuped, glancing up at him. “…L-Lay… down.”

”…Are you sure?”

She nodded, wiping her nose on her sleeve. “D-Don’t want to… t-take… Alice’s bed.”

Alice was hesitant for a moment, but slowly climbed in beside her. She quickly clung to him, shoving her face against his side. Alice shifted a bit to get comfortable, slowly wrapping one arm around her. “…Go to sleep. I’m here.”

Setsuka sniffled, slowly drifting off to sleep again. She fell silent. Alice noticed her neck seeming a bit red, but decided that could wait. They both needed some sleep before… the Main Game.

He slowly fell back asleep.

Chapter Text

Everyone gathered in the lobby the next morning. Setsuka was much quieter, Alice noticed. She asked him to pretend nothing happened, but definitely looked more drained. Her hands seemed to constantly itch to make sure her scarf covered her neck.

He wouldn’t say anything. For now. He didn’t want this ally(?) to hate him, too.

Slowly, everyone gathered in the lobby.

“Is this worthless Sub-Game over already?” Alice grumbled, looking around.

“Morning… pretty refreshing one, eh?” Keiji grinned.

“In the end, we still have no means of escape…!”

“We should just be grateful we’re still alive.”

Setsuka tensed, hearing Sou. She stared at him quietly, stepping behind Alice.

“Huh… y’all bastards are cockroach level stubborn!!” Ranger huffed as they entered. “Well, whatever. C’mon and follow me!”

“H-Huh? The Main Game already?” Sara mumbled.

“Not yet… gotta save the most fun for last!”

Ranger led everyone to a new, empty room. It was dark, and… very, very tall.

Setsuka frowned, hesitantly grabbing Alice’s hand. “…W-What… is this?”

“The Sub-Game’s over, you damn doll!” Reko yelled. Setsuka flinched.

“Nah ah ah!! We have to announce the results! You haven’t forgotten about your tokens, did you? We’ll be counting how many people’s token’s you’ve touched at least once. Whoever earned the most trust gets a special privilege!!

“In first place, issss…” he paused while Safalin imitated a drum. “Q-taro Burgerbeeeerg!! Congratulations!”

Q-taro looked nervous, but smiled. “…Y-Yeah!”

Ranger led him away to a specific spot. “Now, now, standdd… here. Can I have an interview?”

“Y-You…! What’s my privilege?!”

“Such a spoilsport! I’ll explain after the standings, since only first gets a prize!! The top fourrrr… or five-ish…. Kanna Kizuchi, Alice Yabusame, Sou Hiyori, Kazumi Mishima, aaaand Keiji Shinogi, right in the middle!”

The few in the top were able to breathe a sigh of relief as Ranger moved onto the bottom placers. “Our flunking students are the four idiot girls: Sara Chidouin, Nao Egokoro, Reko Yabusame, aaand Setsuka No-last-name-given!”

Setsuka frowned. This was getting ridiculous— they couldn’t just tell her her name?

Reko grumbled as the four were ushered over to the right of the room. “Okay, qua-diots, gather over here! Coming in at dead last with zero tokens is Gin Ibushi!”

“Don’t call me dead last, woof! You’re making me mad, meow!!”

“Kids these days don’t feel shame losing? Whatever… let’s take a commemorative photo!” Ranger positioned Gin with his back facing Q-taro. “Now, smile widee!”

Suddenly, something extended from the floor. A large circle came between the two, with cuffs on their legs and Gin’s wrists. In front of Gin was a gun of sorts, and in front of Q-taro was a button.

Everyone gasped.

“Wha—! What the hell are you up to now…?!”

As everyone panicked, Keiji’s face became serious. “Ranger, let them go. Or else.”

“Ahaha, I don’t think so!!” Ranger pressed a button and a glass cage came up around everyone who hadn’t been moved. “You stay put!”

“Waugh—?!” Sou stumbled back, holding his scarf.

“Gah! You and your cages!!” Alice hit the glass wall. It didn’t budge. “Free us this instant!”

“P-Please let us out!”

Setsuka tensed, her eye widening. “W-What are you…?!”

Reko clenched her fists. “Let them go, Ranger!!”

“Y-You won’t do anything, will you…?!” Nao panicked.

“Okay, noisy idiot girls! You can watch from the Impression Room!”

With another button press, the ground under them… rose up. Multiple stories. Setsuka screamed, falling back on her butt. “Ah…!”

“What the hell is goin’ on?! Cut the crap, Ranger!!”

“Better stop shouting and start listening, because I’m about to explain the rules!!” Ranger yelled back to Reko. “This is the Final Attraction, the Arbitration Room.

Q-taro and Gin are attached to this giant target. A timer will soon start, and when it hits zero… a stinger will launch at Gin.” Gin yelped as Ranger laughed. “The venom of the Rikuto giant scorpion is very powerful…”

“B-But why, woof?! I got ten stars, meow!!”

“It’s only natural to hand out a penalty to last place! But don’t worry… there is one way to save him. Q-taro can press his button… and flip the target!!”

Q-taro visibly tensed. “T-Then— that privilege was…”

“The privilege to be a sacrifice for Gin!!” Ranger laughed. “But you can do whatever… it’s not a duty, it’s a privilege.”

Gin whimpered. “…Muscle… gorilla…”

Ranger chuckled. “How about we get started, then? You all can just sit back and relax!”

Setsuka whimpered, covering her ears as Gin began to cry for help. “…Mm… mm… c-can’t…” Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Shit! I knew something was up!” Reko stomped on the platform. “We can’t do anything from up here!!”

Nao’s eyebrows furrowed. “N-No, there’s… something we can do!”

“Like what?! We can’t reach them from so high up!”

“The attractions have all been b-beatable, and Ranger said no one will have to die before the Main Game!” Nao insisted.

“L-Let’s… let’s calm down,” Sara breathed, trying to calm herself, as well. “These… LCDs. Surely they mean something.

“One’s the timer.” Reko pointed, watching it tick away.

“T-The other says… 35.5…?” Nao mumbled.

Setsuka hiccuped, her hands shaking. She never was good with heights. Or this game in general. She sniffled, slowly stumbling to her feet. “U-Um… maybe it’s… related t-to… how we can g-get Gin free…?”

Sara nodded. “…That’s what I’m thinking. There’s a reason they put the lowest placers up here, with these LCDs.”

“Maybe it could be… uhh, fuck,” Reko grumbled. She held her head. “Height? Like… it seems like we could be up 36 feet.”

Nao glanced down off the side. “Maybe it’s a weight? This could all be a scale…”

“I think Nao’s on the right track. I mean, 35 kilograms is… about what Gin should weigh, right?”

Setsuka sniffled, nodding. “…I-I weigh about that, I t-think.”

Reko’s eyes lit up as she yelled down towards the rest of the group. “Gin!! What do you weigh in kilograms?!”

Gin was quiet, clearly terrified and trembling. “…35 and a half… woof…”

“T-That’s the number…!”

“But where do we go now…?”

“Hmm… maybe we have to raise it? Or lower it to zero?” Reko hummed. “…I got it! Maybe if we treat this Impression Room like a scale, we need to… add 35.5 kilograms!”

“B-But how…?” Setsuka mumbled, sniffling.

“We jump!! If we scramble it up, then it’ll work eventually…!!” To prove it, Reko jumped up in the air. Nothing changed as she landed. “…Huh?”

“No good,” Sara sighed.

Reko frowned. “Then is it… really unrelated? Are we just stuck to watch?”

“…N-No, no. We’re here for a reason.” Nao crossed her arms. “The… the high-placers aren’t here. Gin was put there as a penalty for getting none, but… are we also being penalized?”

“The hell are you on about?! That has nothing to do with saving Gin!” Reko yelled.

“B-But why separate us, then…?! This has to be related, if we’re up here with Gin’s weight!”

“Nothing we do has any meaning!! No matter how much we jump, it doesn’t change!” Reko jumped a few more times to prove her point.

Setsuka’s eyes widened as everyone heard a small thump. “…W-Wait.”

Confused, everyone followed to crouch by a cracked tile in the middle. Setsuka struggled to lift it. With everyone’s help, they removed the tile, revealing a pit of spikes.

“There’s… there’s w-writing on the back!” Everyone turned it over, reading “to rescue”.

“…T-This is the scale,” Setsuka mumbled. She took the tile and let it drop down. The scale changed from showing 35.5 to 33.2.

“Correctamundo!” came Ranger’s voice from

below. Setsuka flinched. “I almost thought you wouldn’t get it, with all that jumping… impressive little bastard!”

Nao perked up. “W-We can save Gin…!”

“Perhaps… if you’re mentally ready. 35.5 kilograms… what to use as a weight…?”

Everyone quieted at that. Setsuka stared down into the pit.

“…These screens! We could bust 'em up and throw ‘em down!” Reko suggested, sweating.

“Barehanded…?” Nao mumbled.

Reko tensed. She held her hair. “Then… then what do we do?! Are we not meant to save him…?!”

“…W-We’ll have to use… a human,” Setsuka mumbled. She scooted away from the hole, hugging herself. “That’s what R-Ranger means.”

“That’s the only way to weigh down the scale.”

“Huh…? One of us has to… b-be sacrificed?!”

“Ahaha… you just noticed?” Ranger’s taunting voice came again. “The Impression Room allows you to leave an impression… with someone’s sacrifice. But I daresay you all got lucky!”

“I-If Q-taro had placed last, he would be over 100 kilograms… I imagine at least three of you would have to descend to save him,” Safalin mumbled.

“Time’s tickin’, ladies!! May wanna decide who to sacrifice!”

“…H-How do we… choose…?” Nao muttered, hugging herself.

“Ehhh? Hasn’t that been why you’ve been wracking those brains?” Ranger teased. “If it helps at all, I don't think pushing that scrawny one would be worth it. So many of you bastards don’t eat… tsk, tsk, tsk. If it were Mishima, you’d push them in a heartbeat, wouldn’t you?”

“I-I wouldn’t!!” Nao yelled.

“Well, go ahead and jump, then,” Ranger replied. “Any kind girls who wish to save Gin, please skewer yourselves, by all means!”

Setsuka sniffled, wringing her scarf in her hands. She couldn’t do anything, if what Ranger said was right… but maybe she’d weigh enough with the tile down there, too?

“You’re meddling too much in this human discussion, doll,” Keiji interjected. “Remember what Ranger said before: ‘if you do well in the Sub-Game, no one will have to die’. If someone has to die, that violates the rules.”

“Then… t-there must be a way!” Sara nodded. “Reko and I found this in the Room of Lies… the Web of Happiness. It said ‘in the Final Attraction, it may just save your lives’.”

Setsuka’s eyebrows furrowed as Sara pulled out a white rope. “The Room of… L-Lies?”

Reko looked confused. “Eh? You don’t mean…”

She approached Sara, tugging on the rope. It easily snapped.

Ranger began to laugh again. “Oh, so close!! Just a bit more and I could’ve seen you get skewered…”

The Impression Room fell silent. There was no way.

Setsuka sniffled, holding her head. “…N-No… it’s hopeless… we… we…”

“…No! We can’t give up yet!!” Sara insisted.

Reko stared down at the floor, mumbling quietly. “…It’s impossible. Give up, Sara. We can’t save him.”

“B-But…!” Nao stammered. “I can’t desert Gin!”

“You don’t think I feel the same way?! We can’t keep sugarcoating it! We can’t save Gin!”

Setsuka flinched, holding her face in her hands. Nao only looked more determined. “Reko… wouldn’t say something like that!!”

“It’s not how I feel, either!! But can you… die for this, Nao?! I can’t!”

“No, something is wrong! Reko is different!!” Nao insisted.

Reko stepped back. “Don’t act like you know me, Nao! We’ve only known each other for four days!”

Setsuka frowned, completely lost as they argued. Was Nao really… right? “…Wait, Nao… m-may have… a point, I think.” She glanced down at her lap. “When… me and Reko t-talked about Alice, the first day, she… said she’d c-consider fixing it. But… when he g-gave her the bongos, she seemed so… h-hateful,” she mumbled.

The singer simply stared at Setsuka, confused. “…Huh? We didn’t… t-talk about that, ever.”

Now it was Setsuka’s turn to be confused. “Huh…? But…”

“No, I-I heard it, too!!” Q-taro yelled. “When we were all lookin’ for Sou! I went to go tell ‘em, but they were talkin’, so I waited… an’ may have accidentally eavesdropped. But Reko was definitely considering it!”

“What the hell are you two talking about—?! I never said that! We never… we never spoke!!” Reko insisted. “I mean, I… w-we did the attraction, but… did you get me mixed up with s-some impostor??”

Setsuka shrunk back, holding her scarf. “…But…”

Everyone fell quiet. It was… confusing. Was Setsuka’s memory really so bad? No, she… Q-taro confirmed it.

“One must’ve been a fake,” Sara spoke. She bit her thumbnail.

“That’s it, then! Setsuka talked to a fake! It must’ve gotten mixed up when we left that attraction!”

“Oh, man… what’re you even doing?” Ranger sighed. “Time’s way up, dumbasses.”

Everyone paused. A monotonous voice announced, “the dart will be fired shortly”.

“N-No! Gin!!”

“Y-You’re kiddin’… hold on!”

“Wwaaahh!! Big sis Sara! Mr. Policeman!!”

The dart was shot into Gin’s arm as he sniffled.

“Woah, he got pricked! Couldn’t save him, huh?” Ranger laughed, walking up to the target. “It’s alright! I’d pick my own hide over a cheeky brat any day!!”

Setsuka knelt on the platform, leaning over the edge. She shouted down tear. “S-Stop it…! Cure him, please!! Let them down!!”

“Don’t give up yet, ya bastards! There’s a total of five stingers.” Ranger held up his hand. “Of course, the max can definitely kill a guy like Q-taro, so… if this kid can survive two is still a mystery.”

“Dammit— you son of a bitch! Go to hell!” Reko cursed.

They all began to panic again. Was the fake even relevant?

“N-No one could get her clothes…”

“The kidnappers could. Ranger and Safalin.”

“With Ranger’s smaller frame and them being the “Dressup Doll”, that wouldn’t be so far fetched.”

Ranger was quiet for a moment before beginning to laugh again. “Ohh, I love pointless chatter!! I’ll let you in on a little secret… that Reko was the real deal. I’d never take a living person’s clothes.

Sara bit her lip, sweating. Maybe there wasn’t a fake? But then… how could they save Gin?

“Sara,” Keiji began. “Mr. Policeman’s started to figure out these floormasters.”

She paused, looking down. “Huh?”

“I realized with Miley, too. They can’t lie about important stuff.” Keiji smirked as he glanced at Ranger. “That’s why they’re talking around the topic, but… let it slip that that Reko was the real deal.”

Ranger fell quiet as Keiji continued. “You didn’t say… there’s no fake. If you need to correct yourself, we’re all ears.”

”…Bastard!” Ranger cursed.

”Well, since Ranger confirmed it, there is a fake Reko. But it’s not them.” Keiji looked up at Sara. “If the Reko who spoke with Setsuka wasn’t the fake, then which one is?”

”…The… one who didn’t.” Sara turned to face Reko.

”Wh—?!” Reko stumbled. “A-Are you serious?! There’s no way I’m the fake! I’m… I’m me!! How could I be the fake?! Sara, we’re… we’re friends, right?”

“For goodness’s sake!!” Alice suddenly yelled.

He couldn’t stand any more of this. Watching them all, even Setsuka— watching them accuse his sister… to push her into a pit of spikes.

”Quit this foolishness! If you want proof, I can give it as her brother!! That is the real Reko!” he insisted, gripping his shirt.

”W-What’s your proof…?!”

”The eyes of her brother by blood!” he yelled. “I can’t possibly be mistaken!! You’ve been tricked by Ranger…!! Both… both Rekos are real! This is a trap, and yet… you plan to sacrifice her!!”

Reko stayed quiet as he continued. “Listen to me! I’m making a composed judgement! I’ve been with her for twenty years!! I can see her true identity, even through makeup…! Please, believe me!”

Setsuka stared down from the platform. He… wasn’t lying.

”No, the point of this attraction must be to find and sacrifice the fake! Otherwise… otherwise one of us would have to die!” Nao argued. “We… have to drop the fake!”

”W-Who… who would the fake even be? W-We’re all…” Kanna mumbled.

Sou crossed his arms. ”And when could the fake have been switched out?”

”…In the Room of Lies! We were holding hands, but got separated when the lights went out… I came out with only her glove,” Sara recalled. “But the Reko that returned had both!”

”I get it… there was more to that room than a dummy item.”

Alice grew frantic. “No, Reko!! Disprove her!”

Reko only stared, her tears dragging eyeliner down her cheeks. “…There’s one… problem with that… who the hell am I, then…? Everyone’s here… someone would be missing…!”

“Is there anyone we haven’t met yet on this floor?” Mishima asked, looking to Ranger.

”Huhh? I got no obligation to tell y’all th…”

”…No. No human you haven’t met will be appearing on this floor,” Safalin interjected. Ranger groaned.

Alice crossed his arms. “Cease your doubting, Sara Chidouin!!”

”Ughhh, I’m getting bored… good thing it’s time for the second shot!”

”N-No…!”

The time ticked down. Q-taro struggled to press the button, but couldn’t force his hand down. “…Urgh…!”

”Huuh? Hit the kiddo dead on, after all!” Ranger laughed.

Keiji frowned. “When will this attraction end?”

”Whenever someone’s sacrificed, be it Q-taro or one of the idiots up there, orrr… when all the stingers fire!”

”…There’s an antidote in the medical office, Sara. The venom is slow-acting, but… We need to end this quickly.”

Setsuka frowned as the other three began to argue again, Reko now suspecting Sara. She frowned, listening quietly. She was a bit stuck on what Safalin said— she specified “human”, when Mishima just asked about “anyone”.

”…It’s a doll of Reko, implanted with an AI of her!!” Sara yelled, coming to the same conclusion. “That’s how she could fool even her own brother!”

”Your claims are an utter mess!” Alice retorted.

Everyone fell quiet for a moment before Keiji chuckled. “…That’s an interesting conclusion, but… I’m on board. Mr. Policeman’s with ya, Sara.”

”If we need a way to break the deadlock, fine,” Sou sighed. “Gin’s at his limit.”

”Give us some proof, Sara.”

”…” Sara frowned, glancing down at her pocket. “…Sing a song, Reko.”

Reko, though confused, sang a small part of a song she said was named “Samurai Onna”.

”And this is… one of your songs?” Sara asked.

Reko nodded. “Obviously…! I only sing my own songs!”

Alice was quiet, staring up at them.

”Alice… you noticed,” Sara mumbled. She retrieved an article from her pocket. “…In this article, you say… you can’t sing Samurai Yaiba’s songs anymore. The AI memories can be updated within a day, but… the personality can only be updated every three years.”

”…S-So… Reko’s personality… d-did change…?” Setsuka mumbled.

Reko paused. She stared at her trembling hands. “…N-No… I… I’m real…!! I-I feel it all…! My memories… my feelings! Overcoming their deaths…!! Am I… really a f-fake…?”

”Aah, yep, you’re a fake,” Ranger sighed.

Alice tensed, clenching his fists. “Where’s the real Reko…?!”

”Hmm… who knows! Try the Room of Lies!”

”If you hurt her, I’ll kill you!!”

”Already only concerned for the real one, huh? Almost makes me feel bad for the fake up there… go ahead and push the fake! Since you know it now, you can kill her without regrets!”

’W-Wait! Wait!” Reko stumbled back, away from the hole. “I’m alive…! I’m real! Please!”

”Awful… awful!!” Kanna hiccuped. “If she has a heart, and feelings… she’s real!”

“Then just sacrifice Gin!”

Setsuka stumbled to her feet, her hands shaking. “R… Reko! Please!”

Reko had fallen, frantically shaking her head. Her face was covered in streaks of teary eyeliner. Nao approached, trying to pull her up, but was kicked away.

She stumbled back, tripping over Reko’s leg, and…

”N-Nao—!!” Setsuka screamed, but it was too late to catch her.

Nao fell into the pit.

Chapter Text

”Ohh? That was unexpected! Someone fell in, buuuut…” Ranger giggled, clearly enjoying the scene.

Gin and Q-taro were dropped, the cage was removed, and the Impression Room slowly descended. Nao’s impaled corpse was left on full display, blood still leaking from her open mouth. She hadn’t even had time to scream.

”…Miss Nao…?” Mishima was the first to break the silence, taking a tentative step forward. He removed his glasses.

The room was quick to descend into chaos. The fake Reko darted out of the room, Keiji and Q-taro rushed Gin to the medical office. Setsuka fell to her knees, her gaze locked on Nao’s body as it grew colder. As if she expected her to get up, to pry herself off of the spikes, now stained a dark, oozing red.

”…N… N-Nao,” Setsuka hiccuped. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

Managing to tear her gaze away, she saw Mishima at her side. He wasn’t in any better shape. Tears streamed down his cheeks as if he didn’t have eyelids to hold them back. “…Miss Nao,” he muttered weakly.

Setsuka sniffled, her shoulders shaking. She simply wrapped her arms around Mishima tightly, hiding her face against his shirt. He returned the gesture, slowly wrapping his arms around her.

”…You should return to the others, Miss Setsuka,” Mishima spoke quietly. He took care to keep his voice from breaking, but it was obvious. “A child shouldn’t… see this. Miss Nao would agree.”

She stayed quiet for a moment. Slowly, she stood, stumbling out of the room. She needed to… find Alice. Right.

She made her way to the room of lies, slowly entering. Inside were… the two Rekos, Ranger, Safalin, Sara, and Alice.

”Sheesh… you’re all so full of complaints…” Ranger sighed. “Let’s have the Rekos fight to see who gets to be the real one!”

”Huh…?” Setsuka mumbled.

Her gaze fell to the floor as Ranger tossed something, letting it clatter to the floor. What she saw was a knife caked in dried blood. She tensed, her hands shaking.

”…That’s…!”

”It’s mine—!”

“No!” Setsuka ran for the knife, but the fake Reko, face streaked with tears, was faster. She slashed at her, stumbling backward away from everyone. Setsuka froze.

“Pick me if you don’t wanna suffer! Or I’ll… I’ll…!” the fake stammered.

Alice could only stare, his hands shaking and damp. “I… I c-choose…” He looked towards the Reko on the left. “The real Reko.”

The fake Reko tensed up, her hands shaking as she held the knife. She let out a yell, running at the real Reko.

Alice’s eyes widened. He bolted forward, running at the fake, just barely managing to knock her down. “You…!”

”Time’s up!” Ranger’s voice chirped.

”A-Alice, wait…!!” Setsuka stumbled forward as there was a small boom!

No… no, no, no, no.

He can’t die. They can’t die.

She ran to Alice, grabbing his shoulders tightly to pull him away. His fingers were bloody, bits of his arms scratched up from the flying pieces of wire and metal. “Alice!”

Alice looked up at Reko, who was… silent. She was sweating, clearly confused as all hell. “Re… ko…?”

”A… Alice…?” Reko mumbled. “What happened…?”

He stood up, rushing over to her and hugging her tightly. “…I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Reko, I…” he hiccuped, allowing tears to fall. “I… couldn’t tell the difference… between… the real you and a fake… p-perhaps we really are meant to stay strangers.”

Reko was silent for a little. Slowly, she hugged him back. “…We haven’t hugged like this in forever.”

She wasn’t… pushing him away? Storming off? Reko… really had changed. “It’s… i-it’s a shame… I used my carefully p-prepared reconciliation speech on the fraud… I-I’ve… I’ve never forgotten my crime, how it affected you and mom and dad, and…” He sniffled, holding her tightly. “…I… had bought your bongos as a ‘p-personal treasure’ from the Prize Exchange, but… the fake destroyed them. I’ve b-been repairing them, to give to you… W-Well… the real you, now.”

Setsuka and Sara watched quietly before Sara pat Setsuka’s shoulder. “…Let’s go check on Gin.”

She glanced up at the older girl, slowly nodding and letting herself be led out of the room. Setsuka sniffled, clinging to Sara’s arm. When they left, she heard Ranger say something about how boring it was getting.

They arrived to the medical office, Setsuka still shaking a bit from… everything. The attraction, Nao, Reko…

Setsuka sniffled, slowly sitting down on the medical office’s couch. She slowly fiddled with her scarf, her hands trembling. Everyone was talking, like nothing happened.

Eventually, Reko and Alice returned. Mishima followed a few minutes after, his suit jacket gone.

Gin rushed to Reko, and Setsuka took the opportunity to approach Alice. “…Are… Reko and A-Alice… okay?”

“…We may be on the way to becoming okay,” Alice replied. He placed his hand on her head. “Are you okay? That final attraction was… particularly dastardly.”

Setsuka nodded, rubbing her eye with her sleeve. She paused, noticing Alice’s various cuts from the doll’s collar exploding, especially on his hands. “Alice n-needs bandages.”

“So, all of you have assembled,” the Receptionist Doll suddenly spoke from the entrance. Setsuka flinched, instinctively clutching Alice’s arm. “I will now begin the explanation for the Second Main Game. Mr. Gin Ibushi… how are you faring?”

Gin hissed. “There he is, meow!! Uncle Crabstache!”

“Uncle Crabstache…?” the doll muttered, tilting his head.

“…T-The… Receptionist Doll?” Setsuka mumbled. “Where… where is R-Ranger?”

“…Rio Ranger meddled too much, and needed to be disposed of. I am Gashu Satou, and I will take over their duties, including explaining the Main Game,” he explained. “More importantly…”

Gashu approached Gin, who stepped back against Keiji’s legs. “Fascinating, truly remarkable…! You’re the picture of health already! It’s such an honor to receive such a charming nickname.”

Gin hid himself behind Keiji’s legs. Sou coughed. “…Can we get to that explanation…?”

“Pardon me.” Gashu cleared his throat. “For this Main Game, the basic rules are the same, including the four card roles. However, in place of physical cards, you will be randomly given card data on your tablets.”

Alice’s eyebrows furrowed. “Data?”

“Why’d ya have to make it so roundabout…??”

“Very sharp, Mr. Q-taro,” Gashu spoke. “Because, in this case… you can use other participants Me-Tokens to forcibly trade. Come forth, Ring-Up Box!”

Setsuka flinched as a phone booth came up from

the medical office’s floor. “H-Huh?”

“Simply insert 50 tokens and pick up the receiver. Much like the Prize Exchange, you cannot use your own tokens. Trades are one-on-one with whoever you select. You have a time limit of three hours, which will begin when everyone returns to their rooms.”

Everyone fell quiet. The Main Game… would begin again, in just three hours.

“Don’t wear such gloomy looks, everyone,” Gashu spoke. “Win, and survive. For you were all born to win. Now… please return to your rooms within five minutes. If not… you know what will happen.”

“…We’ll find a way,” Sara spoke, clenching her fists. “For us, and for everyone who has passed. For now, let’s… go back to our rooms.”

Everyone nodded, occasionally mumbling something. They all slowly filed out of the room. Setsuka sniffled, rubbing her eye. She was, admittedly, a bit scared to return to her room. That hallucination last night… she shivered.

She blinked as Alice pat her shoulder. “I’ll come get you when we can leave.”

Setsuka slowly nodded. “…O-Okay.”

They all went to their rooms. Inside of Setsuka’s was another one of those Ring-Up Boxes. She frowned. “…I-I can’t trade, anyway…”

Setsuka sat on her bed, holding her tablet with shaky hands. She simply sat there for a moment, waiting. She hated the silence. She hated… being alone.

She flinched as her tablet dinged. Slowly, it turned on. “The Trading Phase of the Main Game will now begin. Now accessing your role card.”

Setsuka tensed, waiting as it loaded. If she…. got the Sacrifice, then…

She blinked, pausing as the role card loaded. Just her luck. “…S… S-Sacrifice…”

The child stared at her screen. She was… the Sacrifice? Right, of course. She deserved this. No one else should have to have this card. She couldn’t even give it away with only 20 tokens.

Setsuka paused, hearing a ding from her tablet. “The first trade has been performed.”

She checked her card, praying it would change… no such luck.

Then another trade. “The second trade has been performed.”

She looked down at the screen… still the Sacrifice.

She sat there in silence, trying to… wrap her head around this. She couldn’t subject anyone else to having this card. She… wouldn’t. She deserved this. She wanted this. Nobody would have to be burdened by her anymore. Alice wouldn’t have to be around her anymore.

As tears filled her eyes, there was a knock at the door. “Setsuka?” came Alice’s voice.

”A-Ah…” Setsuka got up, walking over and opening the door. “A-Alice.”

”Hello…” the convict spoke. He frowned, seeing her nervous expression. “…Are you alright?”

Immediately, he could only think the worst. Sure, in the time he’d known her, he gathered that she was a generally anxious child, but… she couldn’t have the Sacrifice, could she?

Setsuka looked down at the floor. She could trust Alice. ”I-I’m okay. Um… I’m just… nervous.”

Alice seemed skeptical, but he slowly nodded. “Alright. We should… go search.”

She nodded. They left, beginning to search, but there wasn’t anything of note, anywhere. Still nothing on the third floor. The two walked to the medical office, finding nothing once more. Setsuka turned to leave, before Alice looked over.

“…Y-You go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

Setsuka frowned. Stupidly, she left, waiting outside. Then she heard a ding, and another ding.

“The third and fourth trades have been performed.”

Setsuka’s eye widened. Quickly, she checked her tablet. “…C-Commoner.”

Alice came out, looking everywhere except for Setsuka. She knew she didn’t hide it well enough. Setsuka walked up to him, punching his arm.

“W-Why did Alice take it—?!”

“My apologies for not wanting a child to die.” Alice crossed his arms.

“N-No…!” Setsuka frowned. “Now A-Alice has…”

He shook his head. “I had enough tokens to… trade it away to someone.”

She hugged herself, looking up at him nervously. “T-To who?”

“If I tell you, you’ll find tokens and take it back.”

Setsuka glared at the floor. That wasn’t fair. He was too smart.

“…Let’s just continue to search.” Alice left for the Room of Lies. Annoyed, Setsuka followed.

Unfortunately, there was nothing noteworthy.

Setsuka frowned, kneeling over Ranger’s body. Noticing Joe’s hair clip gone, she slowly undid Kai’s apron from their waste, folding it and setting it aside. Ranger was cruel, but… seeing them like this…

Suddenly, the door open. Safalin entered. “A-Ah… you two… need to leave…”

Alice paused, looking back at her. “Hmm?”

”We n-need to… collect their body.”

There wasn’t really anything to do about it, so Alice and Setsuka got up and left. Outside were Keiji and Sara.

”Oh?” Keiji tilted his head. “Did you two do some searching in there?”

”Y-Yes,” Setsuka mumbled, nodding. “There, um… wasn’t anything i-important, though…”

Sara frowned. “…Guess we need to find it later, then,” she muttered.

Setsuka and Alice looked confused, but they all left to the lobby to keep searching. Sou, Q-taro, and Kanna were there, sitting on the couches, holding the laptop.

”Ah, Miss Sara,” Sou smiled. “Good timing. I wanted to talk to you.”

”About what…?” Sara crossed her arms. She didn’t seem to be in the mood for any tricks.

”I, ah… wanted to… reconcile.” He looked down, sheepishly holding his beanie. “I believe we really do have a shot at escape, but… I-I don’t want to leave any bad blood. I want us all to escape, as allies.”

Setsuka stared, clutching her scarf. That tone, it just felt… discomforting.

She didn’t seem to be alone in that feeling, though, as Keiji hummed sarcastically, “What a moving speech.”

Sara’s eyebrows furrowed, glancing at the laptop. “…Right, I… I want to reconcile, too. We’re all together in this.”

Sou smiled once more, holding up the laptop. “As a truce, how about we share this laptop? I’m r-really sorry for taking it, but… I couldn’t see anything in the end. The password had been changed.”

”That explains this ‘truce’, then,” Sara glanced away. “We know the password, which is what you need.”

”There’s no time for bargaining. We have the password, Sou has the laptop… reconciling means we share, hm?”

”I really do just want to reconcile, though…” Sou mumbled, frowning. He shook it off, holding out his hand. “Whatever. As proof of a rebuilt friendship, let’s shake hands, Miss Sara!”

Sara hesitantly shook his hand. Sou got Kanna to do the same.

”An’ me?” Q-taro spoke. Keiji took his hand. “…Urk… well, thanks.”

He glanced over at Setsuka and Alice, then Reko, off to the side. “Hey, you three! You all come over here too!”

”A-Ah…! Okay…” Setsuka nodded nervously.

Everyone gathered around the couch as they opened the laptop.

”It’s open!”

Clicking through the files, a lot of it was directed to Sara. There was a file called “BACKDOOR.SMUT”, but Sara was insistent on checking everything. The group made sure Kanna and Setsuka’s eyes were covered, but it was thankfully just strings of code.

They clicked one file, a letter named “To Miss Sara”. She read it aloud.

”Hello, Miss Sara. I am Kai. I am truly sorry you had to get involved in an incident such as this,” she began, squinting. “Miss Sara, if you are reading this, there is something I want to tell you. I, Kai Satou, was an agent belonging to a certain vile organization. In addition, I was raised as… a-an assassin??

“H-However, I could not carry out the assassination orders I was issued in my youth. I could not kill another human being. My father was disappointed in me, and my standing in the organization was low. Then one day, I was appointed to a certain task. It was to… guard and care for you from the shadows. I say this, but it was not a task I held in high regard at first. Not until the plans for the Death game were… b-beginning to approach a reality.

“I myself do not know the Death Game’s objective. However, while this is merely my impression… Miss Sara, it is p-possible that this is all revolving around you…? O-Of course, I do believe that you are merely a victim, Miss S-Sara.

“Still, the organization needs you. And they will take any means necessary. The organization’s name is ASU-NARO. It is a secret organization possessing superb technology in a multitude of fields.”

”Asunaro…?!” Q-taro blurted, exactly at the same time as Setsuka.

”Y-You startled me…! What is it?” Sou mumbled, looking between the two.

”Asunaro is… t-the orphanage I’m from!”

Setsuka blinked, confused. “H-Huh? No, it’s… i-it’s a medical company… my parents and, um… b-brother, I think… work there…”

”…Settle down,” Keiji spoke. “Let’s keep reading.”

Sara continued. “This Death Game is not for pleasure nor revenge. To the organization, it is an inevitable mission. That’s what my father believed. The organization drove my father mad. There may come a time where you must confront him. At that time, please, defeat my father, Gashu.

”…I have collected all the data I’ve researched in the “Sara” folder. If I am already dead, please make use of it. The password is your mother’s name. I hope it can be of some use. I pray you will not be swallowed up by the whirlpool of deception and slaughter. Please survive, even if it must be you alone.”

The message ended.

”…Don’tcha think this clears Sara of suspicion, Sou?” Q-taro spoke up. “You were on about Sara, Kai, and Joe all bein’ masterminds…”

Sou paused, laughing nervously. “Ahaha… it was just a bit of tit for tat. I wasn’t exactly calm at the time… Sorry, Miss Sara. I’m very glad we could reconcile.”

Sara fell quiet, staring at the laptop. Setsuka bit her lip. “O-Open the Sara folder.”

She nodded, typing in the password. It opened easily. She read out the ‘Personal Thanks’, then opened a file labelled ‘[Important] Background Check File’.

”Hello, this is Kai,” Sara began to read once more, “I was able to use an old ID to successfully access a very small section of the organization’s database. There, I discovered data pertaining to the participants in the Death Game.”

Sara’s eyes widened as she read the next part. “Unfortunately, data on most of the participants was protected in such a way I could not extract it. But there was one man in particular for which that protection was removed. It appears his file wass at one time deleted… in that time, a file for another participant was… a-added… ‘Setsuka… Hiyori’. F-For… some reason or another… his file was later restored.”

Setsuka paused, staring at the photo in the file. She stumbled a bit as Sou rushed out of the room. Her head was splitting open. Hiyori? Right, she was… she was Setsuka Hiyori. That man, he was…

”The organization would only delete a file on someone in the case of death. If his file was restored, perhaps that means he was revived,” Sara spoke, hesitant. Everyone was panicking.

Setsuka held her scarf, her hands trembling violently. She didn’t understand what was happening to her. The nightmares, the hallucinations— everything was coming back, rushing over her like a tidal wave. “C-Can’t… can’t…”

”…This man… it’s him—!! The man I killed…! Sou Hiyori!!” Alice exclaimed, clutching his chest.

Setsuka was hyperventilating, clutching her chest. “N-No, no… no…”

”S-Setsuka…??” Sara worried, moving to hold her up.

She panted, her vision growing faint. “M-My… my head h-hurts, S-Sara…” she hiccuped. Her hands weakly grasped at the girl’s shirt. “I… r-remember… b-brother… why… w-why did I… forget…?”

Setsuka’s eyes rolled back as she fell into Sara’s arms. “Wh— Setsuka…!”

Alice stared. He wanted to puke. He… did this? That’s why the kidnappers put them together. This whole time, she’s been… with her brother’s murderer. Alice ran off, unable to hold back the urge to vomit.

Setsuka’s limp body was helped onto the couch as everyone’s tablets dinged.

”The fifth trade has been performed.”

”T-There was a trade…?!” Reko yelled, holding her hair. “This isn’t the time!”

Sara grit her teeth, looking at Setsuka worriedly. Keiji touched her wrist. “She’s… breathing. We’ll take her to the medical office after we check our cards.”

”R… right,” Sara nodded. She checked her tablet, pausing at the skull that stared back. Sweat slid down her temple.

”…Sara?” Keiji muttered.

Sara ran off to her room. Keiji pursed his lips. Everyone seemed too distracted to care about the laptop now. He picked Setsuka up, bringing her to the medical office and laying her down. Safalin was nowhere to be found, but one of the cabinets was open, leading down a hallway.

Keiji huffed. He wished she’d be here to help, but… this was fine. He got a pillow under her legs, hoping to restore blood flow.

Setsuka panted, trembling. She’d woken up, but her eyes were barely open. She felt gross, covered in sweat, hardly able to think. She could only mumble meekly. Thousands of repressed memories flooded her brain, each one worse than the last. Make it stop. Make it stop.

”Setsuka,” she heard someone say. Keiji? Keiji. He grabbed her trembling hand. “Setsuka, can you hear me?”

Gin— Gin was somewhere nearby. He was mumbling nervously, speaking to Sara. Keiji assured them he had it under control, to leave and do whatever they needed to do.

Setsuka didn’t have anything under control. She never had any control. Never. She always just… existed. Did as she was told.

Reko was nearby. She held Setsuka’s shoulder. “Setsuka!”

Setsuka hiccuped, her hands shaking. “St…” she mumbled, shutting her eyes. They continued to play, over and over.

She couldn’t do anything. She could only cry.

Cry for the brother who was taken from her, the brother she never had. The brother she could never run away from, even in his death.

How had she even been living? He was her anchor, keeping her grounded to life, but mercilessly keeping her head held underwater.

She sobbed, unable to hold it anymore. The floodgates opened, tears pouring down her face. “Head… h-head… hurts,” she coughed, trembling.

“Reko, get some medicine,” she heard Keiji say. “And a glass of water.”

“R-Right…!”

Setsuka’s hazy eye opened, glancing around as Keiji helped her sit up. When Reko returned with the medicine and water, Keiji handed the small pills to Setsuka. “Here.”

Shakily, she lifted her hand, taking the medicine. Keiji held the glass to her lips, helping her drink. Just like brother—

She sputtered when he pulled the cup away, coughing after she swallowed. 

Slowly, Setsuka was pulled up into warm arms. Keiji? Reko? She didn’t know, sobbing into their chest. Tears continued to spill. She couldn’t stop it. She could only continue to cry, until passing out again.

”…Sheesh,” Keiji mumbled. He glanced at Reko. “You okay?”

Reko was quiet. Alice had seemed… even more disgusted with himself than she was. She slowly nodded. “…Y-Yeah.”

Sara re-entered the room, followed by Mishima. Keiji and Reko hadn’t even noticed Sara and Gin leaving the medical office. “Um… w-we need to assemble in the lobby, everyone. We got Ranger’s chip data on the laptop.”

”Oh? Interesting,” Keiji hummed. “Let’s go, then…”

Keiji picked Setsuka up, turning to the three in the door as Mishima spoke. “Is Miss Setsuka alright…?”

”…Hard to say. Keeps passing out.”

”Let’s… g-go to the lobby,” Sara mumbled nervously.

Those six went to the lobby, Setsuka laying on the couch. Keiji had to bring back an unconscious Q-taro from the ruined corridor, as well. Alice stayed farther away from the group.

”Everyone keeps passing out…” Kanna mumbled.

”Is it true there’s a chance at escape…?”

Gin nodded. “Mhm! The loner went to, umm… the monitor room, meow!”

Sara went to the monitor room. Soon after, she came back with Sou.

”W-We did it! Everyone, follow me.”

Sou went to the long stairs, leading to the Room of Lies. Everyone followed, Keiji carrying Q-taro and Alice carrying Setsuka very uncomfortably. At the top of the stairs, Sara and Sou moved the vending machine aside, revealing a passageway.

”According to the map data, the exit is just… straight ahead.” Sou looked down at the laptop, pointing up the stairs.

Everyone began to trudge up the stairs, Sou and Kanna leading. There are many doors along the way, spaced apart. “These must be the other floors…”

”How many floors does this Death Game include?” Alice mumbled to himself.

Everyone began to talk about plans for escape. It didn’t really matter to Alice. He’d only go back to prison. He doubted Reko would visit now. Any hope they had of reconciliation was ruined. He killed this child’s brother.

Setsuka blinked tiredly, her eyes burning from her tears. She glanced up at Alice, who seemed… zoned out, again, as he often did. They were walking up some stairs. She sniffled, wrapping her arms around him, though it was a bit awkward at her angle.

He froze in his tracks. She was hugging him? No, she should be far away from him. She should yell at him, scream at him, curse him out. Beat him senseless. “…I’m sorry. I’ll put you down.”

She shut her eyes, shaking her head. “…n-no,” she mumbled weakly. Her throat was scratchy. She coughed. “P-Please. I… m-memories… scared me…”

He was… dead, of course, but… the memories kept resurfacing. The dreams had all been about him. She remembered well now, and… the only person who could really protect her was his murderer, right? The one who saved her.

Alice was quiet for a moment. After a bit, he nodded, continuing to follow the group. He owed it to her to do as she asked.

”…We’re almost at an exit,” Alice said.

”Ex… it,” she muttered, looking up at him. She was happy, but… lacked the energy to smile.

Eventually, they reached what Sou said was the “Winner’s Room”. It appeared to be a traditional Japanese room. They proceeded past it, down the corridor. Following Sou to what he said would be the exit led them to… a wall of rocks.

”W… what the hell is this…?!” Sou yelled. Frantically, he began to type at the computer. “R-Ridiculous! I mean, this… t-the exit is blocked…?!”

Setsuka could only stare. Everyone began to panic again.

”I-It can’t be… it’s a lie—!”

”It is not a lie,” came Gashu’s voice. “An external explosion was used to make a physical lid, long before the Death Game began…”

”You bastard!! I’ll kill you!!” Reko yelled, grabbing Gashu by the collar of his shirt. She paused, seeing his neck. She stumbled back. “Wha…”

Gashu held down his shirt, revealing… a metal collar. “You see now. We are held captive, just like you… until it is all over. Only for the final victor will the exit open. Now… it’s time to stop daydreaming. You must win. You have only a brief time left before the Main Game… use it well.”

Everyone seemed to be lost. They slowly dispersed, while Keiji began to clear rocks away.

”Keiji?” Sara mumbled.

”Just can’t find it in me to give up,” he spoke, in between heavy breaths.

Alice just stared, setting Setsuka down. “…You’re a fool beyond saving.” He walked over as well, helping to clear out the rocks. It didn’t help at all.

Setsuka could only sit against the wall, tears beginning to well up in her eye again. It was hopeless. They weren’t leaving here alive. She could just barely hear another ding, the automated voice on her tablet droning on before she fell unconscious.