At this point, I'm not even gonna write out the attractions because they aren't that much important to the story-
Also, this chapter is gonna be a long one. This has 2000+ words-
Day 1 Night
We walk inside the Lobby. Keiji and Gin walk to two seats and talked with each other. In the background near the windows, Nao was looking "outside" of it.
I felt someone tug my uniform sleeve. "Hm? Oh, Sara, what is it?" I asked. "Reko wants to talk to us..." She told me. I slightly tilt my head as I look at Reko, who was staring at us. "Well, let's talk to her. It looks like she really wants to tell us something..." I said. Sara nods.
We walked to Reko. "Y/N, Sara, can you come with me for a sec?" She asked. "W-What is it?" Sara said. "I found a weird place. Wanted to show you before telling everyone." I tilt my head as I raised an eyebrow. "A weird place...?" "C'mon, follow me." Reko said as she started to walk away.
Me and Sara looked at each other before following Reko.
She lead us to a pretty dark place. The only light that lit up the space was at the top of the stiars we were standing in front of. Near the light was a green vending machine with the number '200' in blue above it.
"What is this place...?" Sara muttered. "Told you... Weird, yeah?" Reko spoke. "The most suspicious part is those stairs. There's a vending machine at the top."
Me, Sara, and Reko walked up the stairs to the vending machine. 'There's nothing in it... What's the vending machine even for...?!'
"Hm? The power is on..." Sara said. "A vending machine with no clear merch or prices... The hell's its deal, you think?" Reko asked. "The bill acceptor slot is plugged up... But it looks like you can put in coins." Sara told her. "Coins..." I muttered. "Tokens are like coin..." I said to them.
"W-What should we do? Put in some tokens...?" Reko wondered. "H... Hold on a second...!?" Sara trailed off. "I don't think we should mess with this... This might be a trap...!" I said. "Sure, but like... Before the others come in and get all curious." Reko said as she pulled out her wallet. "D... Don't do it, Reko...!" Sara told her. "In the end... somebody's gotta investigate it!"
Reko swiftly inserted a token.
I excepted something bad to happen but, nothing came.
"...Nothing's happening." Reko acknowledged. "Maybe... One token isn't enough??" Sara said. "Hrmm..." "I mean, there is the number '200' above the vending machine... I think we have to insert 200 tokens." I told them.
"H-Huhhh?! Who's gonna earn that many?!" Reko asked. "That'd better be one goddamn tasty soda!" She added. "Maybe there's no need to worry about it..." Sara considered. "Got a point... 200 is just unreasonable. No problem ignoring it, then. Well, ain't that a relief. Let's ditch this creepy place." As Reko started to walk away, Sara called out for her.
"Oh... Reko." Reko turned back. "Hm?" Sara took the token Reko inserted from the return slot, and gave it back to Reko.
"Hey, thanks. Now let's move guys." "Right." The three of us left the area. Me and Sara stayed together while Reko went a different way.
We went to the Ruined Corridor first and saw Q-taro, Sou, and Kanna. "This hallway... 'Scomplicated as a maze." Q-taro muttered. I look at Kanna and Sou.
"There's wood fragments here, too. I wonder if the weapon Sou got hit with was taken from here..." She said. "H-Hey... Can we rest a little?" Sou asked. Kanna looked up to look at him. "...We'll hardly get any exploring done if we keep resting so much." She told him. Sou nods.
Me and Sara left the area and went to the Relaxation Room. We saw Alice sitting at a table. "Hmph... Y/N L/N and Sara Chidouin... What of Reko's tokens?" He asked.
"Sara got them for you." I told him. His eyes widen. "Huh?! So fast?!" "We fulfilled our end of the promise. Now it's your turn, Alice." Sara said.
"Hold on, please! I need more time to mentally prepare!!" Alice keened. "Then I'll hand these over first. Tell me when you're ready." Sara gave Alice the tokens. "G... Got it. I've taken them... I am a man, and shall not flee...!" Alice said. As we were about to leave, I look back at Alice. He was looking at the tokens in thought while sweating.
We both left and went to the Monitor Room. We saw Reko and the Mishima AI, who was always there. "Seems like this floor's still got plenty of hidden areas..." Reko said to herself.
"Hey Sara," I whisper. "Hm?" "Wanna go talk to Professor Mishima?" I asked. "Sure. I actually wanted to talk to him." She told me. We both walk to the AI. "Ah, you are... Miss Y/N and Miss Sara, wasn't it? Nao told me about you two. She said you both were very brave and kind." Mishima said.
"And Professor Mishima, you're a kind, cigar-loving teacher as well." I say. "C-C-Cigar...? A teacher should not smoke! Don't make such strange suggestions!" Mishima expressed. "But you really looked like you wanted to smoke..." Sara said. "My original did...? Mmmmmgh... Perhaps our personalities differ..."
'And know he's denying himself...?'
"...Professor Mishima, err... You're an artificial intelligence, right?" Sara spoke. "Yes, it seems so. I have a memory telling me I am an AI... Perhaps if I didn't have that memory, I would think things like "I'm trapped in a screen! Let me out!"... and so on." Mishima said. 'He was... created by the kidnappers, right? Yeah, surely.... There are a lot of things I could ask.'
"Please, ask me anything. I will answer as much as I remember." Mishima told us. "I have a question." I told him. "Oh? What is it?" "I have a lotta questions but I'll just ask you one of them." I said. "So, it's about the original Professor Mishima..." "He's died, hasn't he...? In such a situation at this, I should have protected miss Nao, yet..." Mishima remarked.
"...You became a victim in order to protect Nao." I tell him. His eyebrows were raised. "Is that true...? " He asks. I nod to answer.
"...No human wants to die." He began. "The survival instincts that kick in in desperate situations... can at times result in demonic actions. I protected miss Nao. But even so, I do not know if it is right to commend myself..."
"...You were a good person, Professor Mishima. You were thinking of others more then yourself." I stated. "...I believe... I just did all I could... Perhaps I wasn't suited for living. But in truth... I wanted to live, and see miss Nao and my other students' growth... I'm sure... I had those thoughts."
'Oh wow...'
"Miss Y/N, miss Sara, none of you can give up. Please live, and make it home." He told us. I nod. "Alright Mishima. Oh! I meant, uh, Professor Mishima." I corrected. "Are you okay with me referring you as just "Mishima"?" I ask. "Yes you may, Y/N."
'Man, I wish we saw the massage before we voted...'
"Well, that's all I wanted to ask you today. Sara, do you have any questions?" I asked. "Yes, I do actually... Professor Mishima, how far back do your memories go?" She asks. "I believe I remember becoming a teacher... miss Nao's graduation... and all the life I led..." Mishima answered.
"Then what about your memories after being brought here, or when you were abducted?" "...I have none. Yes, that's true. I'd actually met with you all already, hadn't I? However, any memory before my abduction, I believe I do have."
'Memories from before the abduction, huh...'
"And also... Subconsciously, I know that I am an AI, and should answer as many questions as I can. Perhaps I am just programmed that way." Mishima acknowledged. "Hm... Well, that's all for now." Sara said. "We'll see you later, Professor Mishima." Mishima waved as we walked out of the room.
We last went to the Medical Office. As we stepped in the room, I stopped. I saw someone in one of the glass...
It was Joe.
'No... not again...' I clench my fists. 'Just gotta... calm down... It's just a hallucination...'
Hallucinations worsened by 20.
I went to grab Sara by her sleeve but she wasn't next to me. I raise an eyebrow. 'Where...' Then, I heard her voice.
"Don't tell me, this is...! Joe...?!" 'Wait what?-' I look about at the glass to see Sara standing in front of... Joe...? 'Huh?!' I went to next Sara and stared at Joe. "What the..." I mutter. "Sara, where did you-" I got cut off.
"What are you doing?!" Someone wailed. Me and Sara turned around to see Safalin. "Don't go opening doors without asking, please!" She told us.
"Safalin...!"
"If you need something, please just let me know! And don't go searching around on your own..." Safalin said. "Safalin...! Tell me...! What in the world is this?!" Sara questioned. "Sniff... Well, um... What's in there... is a doll." Safalin said. "A doll...?!"
"You both must have seen them before as well. A doll of miss Kanna, a doll of yourself, miss Sara..."
'Now that I think about it... I do remember using a doll that looked just like Sara in the mirror room.'
"Do you remember now...?" Safalin asked. "...Yeah." Sara replied. "Safalin, what are the purpose of these dolls...?" I asked. "...They are... one of the experiments done by our organization. I cannot say anything more than that..." She said. I nod as I look back at the Joe doll. The more I looked at it, the more it looks real and it'll start moving.
'It's almost like... Joe's really in front of me...'
"If it pleases you... do you want to borrow it...?" Safalin asked. My head snapped to Safalin. "Wait, what...?!" "D... Don't be ridiculous! Who would... want this thing...!" Sara choked. "One of the purposes these dolls were made for... is as mental relief. A precious person you can no longer meet... You can talk to them, or have them beside you..." Safalin explained.
"A doll is a doll...! I won't need it for that...!" I said. "But you're distressed, aren't you?" Safalin said in a creepy tone. Her green eyes were red. My eyes widen.
"Please be honest. You two need salvation. You both have regrets. If you desired it, you could have joined hands with Joe and escaped together. You gave that up and killed Joe. And you mourn that fact."
"Stop it...!!" Sara pleaded but Safalin didn't stop. "Facing Joe Tazuna... That is your only path toward salvation." "That's not...!!"
"Stubborn, I see... Then just for you... Allow me to show you a wonderful function that will make you feel even closer to this doll..." Safalin reached to get something but a voice stopped her.
"Quit it, you." I look to the entrance of the Medical Office to see Keiji. 'Keiji...!' "Isn't that a little too much interference?" Keiji said.. Safalin just stared at him, her eyes weren't red anymore. Keiji started to walk towards us. "Maybe you're not a villain... But you're sure not normal."
Safalins' gaze went to the floor.. "I apologize... I went too far. I won't speak any more about dolls. However, if I may at least offer a suggestion..." Safalin looked back up and stared at me and Sara.. "I have a device for healing mental wounds. Please... come here before your hallucinations become so intense as to destroy your mind. That is all..." Safalin begins to walk away. "...Well, so long."
"Are you two okay?" Keiji asked us.
"Pant... pant... I-I'm fine now..." Sara replied. "I'm kinda exhausted..." I said. "Can't say I'm surprised..." Keiji said. 'Wow-' It was silent. "...Want to sit down for a bit?" Keiji asked. "...Okay." The three of us went to the couch in the room and sit down.
"...Y/N... Sara... did you... Did you... like Joe?" He asked. 'That came out of nowhere-'
"He was... a close friend... No one else... was as foolish, softhearted, and cheerful as him." Sara said. I nod in agreement. "Yeah, even when any of us were down, he'd always end up making us happy." "Yeah... I'll bet." Keiji responded. "...He was someone important to you. Regardless of "liking", or "love"... right?"
"...Yeah." 'Wait, come to think of it...' "Hey Keiji, I remember you saying that you had someone important to you too, right...? You said you'd tell us about it if we survived the Main Game." I reminded. "...I did." Keiji took a deep breath.
"It was back when your good old policeman was still in grade school. All I had was a single mother. We weren't affluent. So when I went to visit friends... I had to borrow my mom's errand bicycle. The brakes on it were busted. So one day, I fell off, and the bike went sailing into the river without me. The embarrassment of being laughed at by my friend, and the pain of losing my mom's dear bicycle, got me weeping like nobody's business. And there on the scene... was the friendly neighborhood policeman. He lept into the river and fished out the bike, and even spent hours at the police box repairing it." A small smile appeared on Keijis' face. "Soaking wet and awkwardly cool... He was my hero."
'Aww...'
"So he... was the person important to you." Sara muttered. "He's what made me want to be a policeman. I'll never forget it... It's a precious memory." Keiji said.
"Y'know, I feel like I've learned something about you for the first time, Keiji." I told him. "Huh? Oh, really?" "Yep! Thank you for taking us!" "Yes. Thank you very much." Sara thanked. "Don't mention it."
'I wonder if they got to meet again...'
Keiji got up for the couch. Me and Sara follow. "Okay, that's the end of that story. You two calmed down a little?" Keiji asked. "Yes... Thank you very much." Sara thanked again. I slightly bow to thank him. "See ya. You can always depend on Mr. Policeman." Then, Keiji walked out of the room.