𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐌𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 / 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐘 (Y/n X Chishiya)

丅Hᗴ ᎥᗪIᗝM

It was just so strange. Every time I thought I got the hang of this place, it threw out something new for me to struggle with.

Everything else was a dark shade of grey and black, but it seemed to beckon people in. With its bright rave lights and yellow hue, it looked like some sort of party hotel.

'A party? In this place? I guess it raises morale?' I could hear the low bass of music even from where I was across the lake.

I tried to fight against my curiosity. The only places that had electricity so far had been venues. And something told me that this place had more than it led on. But that was just it, the mystery I had to find out. Plus, there would be others there, people who had played the games, people with information. I would just go for a while, have a look at it, and leave. Simple as, right?

But it had electricity. Was it a venue? If it was, then I needed to participate in a game anyway. So if it was a venue, I got to complete a game, and if it wasn't, then I got info. Seemed like a win-win.

To get there, I would have to go around the river. It would probably be around 3 days on foot. I pulled out the phone that was still in my pocket, pressing the visa button once again. '3 days'.

"That's just dandy," I sighed. "How has it already been 2 days?" I asked myself. Time seemed to be going so fast

So, that meant I would need to beat another game before I even got the chance to find any answers. At least it was the start of the third day and not the end. That meant I had a full 72 hours to get as far as I could. With that building as my destination.

I was tired, very tired. But there's a vulnerability in being alone. And for now, it was for the best. It was just about getting there.

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For the next two and a half days, I slowly made my way around the river. I had gotten little sleep, and this place seemed to be doing something to my head. With only half a day until my visa ran out, I was constantly looking around for venues. But they only seemed to turn on in the night when people could see them illuminated, so I just had to hold out hope.

As daylight dimmed and night approached, the hours on my visa were running out. 6... 5... 4... 3...

3 hours were left as the venues finally illuminated. Most were far away, with barely enough time to get there before my visa ran out, never mind before the games commenced. But there was one illuminated in the street I was in. close enough for me to see its large screen. As if the world were trying to help me in a way.

It was an abandoned Arcade, one of the old ones that was already going out of business in the real world, with its strange patterned floors to hide the dust and stains from all its visitors, and large neon signs placed upon the black walls. I sighed and walked in, shaking off the large sense of nostalgia that seemed to wash over me. I seemed to be the first one there, so go figure. I passed the red laser and picked up the phone, and suddenly, I had the feeling that I should've waited for others to show up before walking inside.

'What if nobody else showed up? What if I had to survive it alone? I only survived the last one because of Ann! God, I'm so stupid-'

Just as I was overthinking, a hunched man walked in. He was bald and had tattoos covering his body and around his eyes. He must've caught me staring because he peered down at me like some sort of hawk.

'Scary bitch.' I thought to myself, walking to the opposite side of the room. But as I observed him for the second time, more discreetly. I noticed the same metal thing on his wrist as the people who came looking for the schoolgirl at the building. From my closer view, I could now see it was... a key card? A scanner? Nope, never mind, even with a close look, I had no idea.