[Day 2 Morning]

I wake up and rub the sleep out of my eyes.

Man, I actually feel well rested surprisingly enough...!

I look over at Sara who's still asleep with her arm around me.

She looks peaceful.

I'm glad she was able to get some well deserved rest. Lord only knows if she'd get any without my help.

"Hey, Sara. Wake up." I gently nudge her awake.

"Hmm?" She yawns. "Good morning..."

I smile. "Good morning! How did you sleep?"

She thinks it over for a slight second and her face lights up in realization. "Actually... I feel really good...! Thank you." She smiles genuinely.

"Glad I could be of service!" I take the covers off of me, get up and stretch. "Ready for another day of attractions with a bit of investigating sprinkled in?"

The ginger girl giggled and also stoop up. "As always."

The two of us did our morning routines and I made my bed since the two of us had just thrown the covers off of us.

It's strange how calming this morning is...

It's almost like we aren't stuck in a deadly hostage situation.

Just two girls getting ready for the day after a sleepover.

It's nice.

When we finally got out of our room, we noticed three people in the lounge. Gin, Reko and Keiji. Gin seemed to be in his own little world, just playing with Mew-Chan. Meanwhile, Keiji and Reko were talking off to the side.

"...Yep, I don't know crap." Reko ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

The blond let out a small "Hmm..." as he examined Reko for any signs of unrest.

"Guess he's questioning her about the Mishima AI incident." I state. 

Sara scratches her chin. "Yeah, guess so." She turns to me. "Ready to talk to them?"

I nod. "Yep!"

We do just that as we see Reko shrug at Keiji.

"...Got nothing else to say." She sighs.

He runs a hand through his hair. "Okie-dokie. I'll trust you."

Keiji finally looks in our direction and notices us. "Oh, hey you two. Need something from me?"

"Err... Learned anything?" Sara asks as she plays with her bangs. 

Keiji shakes his head. "Nope, don't know a thing. It's a real pickle. Seems Q-taro and the Receptionist Doll don't know either..." He shrugs and smiles. "I'll keep up the investigation. See ya."

As soon as he turns around a courner, Reko sighs in relief. "Whew... He's gone." She turns to us. "Guys, I've got something for ya. Could you come with me for a sec?" 

"Can't you just tell us what it is?" I ask.

She glances in the direction of one of the hallways before shaking her head. "It'd be better for you to see it. Just trust me on this."

Sara shrugs. "Fair enough, lead the way."

Reko nods and starts walking as Sara and I follow along.

Soon enough we made it to the dark staircase with the green vending machine.

Reko stops at the left wall. "I found something curious here."

"What is it?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"It's hard to see in the dark, but... Check it out." She pointed to the wall.

I cautiously scan the wall before noticing a small hole with a button inside. "There's a red button!"

Sara turned to the singer. "What is it for?"

Reko shrugged. "Dunno... But there was an interesting note covering it." She stuck her hand inside her pocket and handed me a black sticky note with white ink on it.

--------------------------------

Bonus Attraction

--------------------------------

"Bonus Attraction...?" Sara looked at the note over my shoulder and hummed in thought. She stepped up to the button. "I'll push it."

"Wait what!?" I shriek. 

Despite my outburst, Sara pressed the switch anyways.

*Click*

Reko's eyes widened. "Wha!? You just went and pushed it, Sara!?"

*Bzzzzzzzzzz*

With a mechanical buzz, a panel in the wall opened. 

A new door appeared!

"Woah, what the heck!?" I exclaim.

"Is that...!?" Sara stepped up to the door and grabbed a piece of paper from the blurry window.

Reko and I look over her shoulders at the paper.

---------------------------

[Room of Lies]

Reward: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Don't be fooled. If entangled by lies, you'll die.

Warning: The bonus will close once someone clears it.

---------------------------

"Room of lies...?" Reko mumbles warily.

Sara's head snaps up in realization. "It's a tenth attraction...!"

"Okay I am MAJORLY suspicious..." I confess and bite my thumb anxiously.

Reko starts pacing. "Yeah! The hell's going on here? Shouldn't there be 9 attractions?"

The ginger haired girl starts playing with her bangs. "Y...Yes, we heard that, but..."

"And...6 Clear Chips...?" The brunette stops in her tracks.

I shake my head. "This has to be bait. I don't know if we should trust it..."

Reko turns to Sara and I, looking very serious. "Guys, did you check all 9 attractions?"

Sara raises an eyebrow at her. "Hm?"

"Uhhh...no, not really." I rub the back of my neck. "Why?"

The singer sighs. "Specifically, how many Clear Chips you get from each attraction." She starts counting on her fingers. "7 give 2 Clear Chips, 1 gives 3 Clear Chips, and 1 gives 4 Clear Chips."

"Right..." I motion for her to continue.

She does just that. "And all the attractions gotta be done in pairs."

Sara nods. "Right!"

"You noticed yet? There's nine of us when we consider the two of you as one person... That's an odd number." She runs a hand through her hair. "A person can't re-enter an attraction once they've already cleared it..."

"Meaning...?" I tilt my head.

Reko clenches her teeth. "Meaning each attraction will always end up with one person who can't do it."

"Oh fuck." I cover my mouth in shock and Sara gasps.

"Even if everyone who can form a pair goes around to every attraction... The number of Clear Chips we can get...is 84. And for all of us to win...requires 90...!" Reko points out. "So we're short 6. At least one person'll die from not having enough."

Suddenly my brain catches on. "Shit! That means we have to clear this attraction if we want everyone to live!"

Reko nods. "Exactly!! Beating this Bonus Attractions means we'll have enough...!! Ain't no logic avoiding this place, guys."

I actually didn't expect Reko to have thought all this through.

I'm really impressed with her foresight!

"Now it's just...who does it?" She gestures to the door with her thumb.

Sara rubs her chin. "...Who...?"

"Of course, I'll do it." Reko says matter of factly.

"B-But Reko...!" Sara tries to interject but the brunette stops her.

"And who to pair up with...?" She looks up at the ceiling in thought. "Well, Sou can't be trusted for shit. Gin, Kanna and Nao...don't wanna put 'em in danger. Q-taro...probably needs compensation to convince. That guy's a realist."

"What about Keiji...?" Sara proposes.

Reko's train of thought cuts off. "No offense, Sara..." She looks right at her. "But I can't trust that guy... He's hiding something."

I mean... I can understand why she'd say that.

Still, after the Main Game I've come to trust the guy. He may be suspicious as hell at times, but he helped Sara and I snap out of our panicked states when we thought all hope was lost.

I'd say that's enough of a reason to think he means well.

I turn to Sara. "Would you be up for this with me?"

She nods. "I don't even have to think about it. We'll pair with you, Reko."

"...You guys can't do that." Reko frown at us.

"Why not??" I ask.

She scans us up and down. "You're both overworking yourselves. You've saved our asses again and again." The singer runs a hand down her face in frustration. "And I'm supposed to be older... I'm pathetic..."

"No you're not, don't say that Reko!" I step closer and look at her in concern.

Reko frowns. "I want to be equals with the two of you." She crosses her arms and looks down. "It won't satisfy me to just keep getting saved."

"Reko, we ARE equals!" I exclaim. "You've been a great help to us throughout this whole thing. Especially during attractions! Sara and I wouldn't have been able to pass Memory Dance without you."

Sara nods. "Don't be so modest, Reko. You've done a lot for us as well."

There's silence for a few seconds.

Reko bites her bottom lip and nods. "Got it... Then nuts to modesty." She looks us both in the eyes. "Sara, (F/n)... Can the two of ya be my partners?"

The ginger girl smiles. "Of course."

"You got it! We'll be right beside you!" I assure her.

The brunette grins. "Hell yeah!" Her expression turns bashful. "I'm in your debt. 'Cause really, I couldn't imagine anyone but you the two of ya!" She put her hands out for seperate handshakes. "Screw how awkward this looks, we gotta seal the deal together. Let's beat this and come out safe, partners!"

I giggled. "Of course!" I took her hand and shook it.

Sara grabbed her other outstretched hand and gave Reko a firm handshake.

Suddenly, I see her eyes widen.

She scanned Reko's hand in hers as well as the singer's arms and face.

Reko tilted her head in confusion. "What's up, Sara?"

Sara pulled her hand back and cradled it to her chest. She shook her head and forced a smile. "Forget it. Let's go...!"

The brunette just shrugged and let go of my hand. "Alright then." 

With that we made our way over to the door.

The ginger tugged at my sleeve and showed me her right hand.

There was a bit of blood on it...

I looked from Reko to Sara and instantly understood why the latter had reacted so strangely.

Did something happen to Reko??

...

...wait...

She can't be the one behind the broken Mishima AI, can she??

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of the door to the Bonus Attraction opening.

Guess I'll have to think about that later...

We walked inside the dark room and the door closed behind us.

The room was almost completely covered in shadows with the exception of a single spotlight in the middle. Under the stream of light there was a small table with a couple items on top.

This is the Room of Lies...? 

No. There has to be a catch.

...

...Right...??

"Pretty dark... You guys there?" Reko calls out.

I look in the direction of her voice. "Yep, no need to worry!"

"Let's look around carefully." Sara instructs.

We make our way over to the table and look down at what was on it. There were the 6 Clear Chips we needed as well as some white rope on a platter with a black cloth and a note.

Sara picks up the note and shows it to us.

----------------------------------------

This is the Web of Happiness.
In the final attraction, it may just save your lives.

----------------------------------------

"Well that's cryptic..." I mumble.

Sara looks over at us. "Let's take the items on the table."

I nod. "Oka-."

"Wait...!" Reko interjected. "In that case, let's do it together."

The younger girl nods. "O-Okay. Well... You two share the Clear Chips."

The singer gives her a thumbs up "Got it." while I nod once more. 

Quickly, Reko and I pocketed 3 Clear Chips each and Sara took the Web of Happiness.

*CLUNK*

The light turned off!!

I look around in the pitch black. "What the fuck!?"

"Huh...!?" I hear Sara exclaim.

...

We stood there for only a few seconds when-!

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!"

"REKO!!!" I shout and quickly reach out blindly for her.

Sara also sounded panicked. "Reko!?"

"Guys!! Run away!!"

"Reko what's happening!?" I yell out. I reached out fo her once more in the dark.

I feel her hand!!

"I got you, don't worry!!" I assure her.

Suddenly I feel another hand grab my own.

"Let's run for the exit, you two!!" Sara called out as she pulled me with her.

We quickly booked it for the door and Sara closed it with a loud thud.

"Pant, pant...!!" The ginger girl tried to catch her breath.

I ran a hand through my hair. "Thank God we got out sa-!"

That's when I realized something...

I looked at the hand which was in my hair... the one that I grabbed Reko with...

Her...glove...

"OH MY GOD!!!" I scream and run for the door once more.

Sara catches on. "She's still in the Room of Lies!?"

I try to open it, but the door wouldn't open anymore!

"It's locked!!" I exclaim.

Sara runs over to me. "WHAT!?" She tries the door handle as well but it doesn't budge.

I start pounding my fist on the wood.

*THUD THUD THUD*

"REKO ARE YOU OKAY!?!?" I yell, followed by more heavy knocking and reaching for the handle.

Sara starts doing the same and brings her face close to the blurry glass. "REKO!!"

*Click*

"EEEEEK!!"

"OHMYGOD!!"

Both Sara and I fall to the ground from shock.

I look back up.

"Reko!?" I call out, flabbergasted.

Reko slammed the door closed behind her and leaned against it, completely out of breath. "Pant...! Pant...! Scary as SHIT...!" She looked down at us. "Huh...?"

Sara stood right up. "A-Are you okay, Reko!?"

"Uhhh..." She rubbed her head and nodded. "...Y-Yeah! I wasn't scared...!" 

My mind drifted off from their exchange.

I scanned Reko's hands.

Wait...

I looked down at my hand.

Her gloove... But if I have it, then wh-?

"Somethin' the matter, (F/n)?"

My attention snapped up to Reko who was reaching her hand out to me.

Her...gloved hand...

...

W A I T

SOMETHING IS WRONG!!

I stand up by myself and take a step back. "Reko...why do you...!?" I pointed at her hand and then showed her the glove I was holding. "I pulled your glove off!!"

She raised a confused eyebrow. "Uh, pretty sure nobody pulled my hand..."

But I did... I KNOW I did!!

Sara tilted her head. "What? Then what's this glove?"

Reko mulled it over for a second before shrugging. "Hmm... Must be one of my spare gloves..."

"You have spares??" I narrow my eyes at her, not buying it.

She nodded. "Yeah. Ranger put full changes of clothes in our rooms, remember?" The singer rubbed her chin. "Though I don't remember bringin' this." She gently took the glove from me and pocketed it. "Well, thanks, anyhow... But I wonder what that was...you know, what was the "lie" part."

"Hrm..." Sara's eyes looked from side to side before she exhales, giving up. "I don't know..."

Reko fidgeted with her jacket. "Maybe it was for real just a bonus? Man, that just makes it creepier..." She pulled out the Clear Chips from her pocket. "Hmm... What are we gonna do with these dubious Clear Chips? I was thinking I'd give them to somebody who was having trouble collecting 'em, but..."

She looked over to us. "Do you guys need one?"

"Huh...?" Sara tilted her head.

"Look, I get being wary... But you've got a right to have some. I'll take the rest so we can give them to Kanna, Gin or Nao."

I don't trust this... NOT AT ALL...!

I look over at Sara and she looked right back at me. I shook my head.

She turned to Reko. "No... Sorry..."

"Guys..." Reko looked at us in concern before shaking her head. "Nah, you're right to be apprehensive of these things. I get how you feel." She smiled at us. "...Tell me if there's anything I can do instead. Feel free to count on me."

"Thanks..." I mumble as I hand over the 3 Clear Chips I took to Reko.

Sara tilted her head at me. "You okay (F/n)? You've been a bit off ever since we got out of the Room of Lies..."

I frantically shook my head. "It's fine!! Just, um, stressed from the expierience!!"

She didn't look convinced.

Reko nodded. "We should get going." She started walking away, Sara on her heel.

I grabbed Sara's arm and pulled her back to me. "You go on ahead, Reko... I need to talk to Sara for a bit." Sara raised an eyebrow at me but decided not to question it for now.

The singer stayed silent for a minute before shrugging. "Alright. Just stay safe, you two." And with a final wave she was gone.

I let out a sigh of relief and face Sara. "We need to talk about what just happened."

"Agreed." She pulled her hand away and played withe the cuffs of her uniform. "What's worrying you? You've been acting weird ever since Reko came back out of the Room of Lies.

I put my hands in my hair and ruffle it anxiously. "That's the thing, Sara! I DON'T think that was Reko!"

She looked at me as if I had grown an extra head. "What are you talking about??"

I grab her shoulders. "Sara, you have to listen to me! I grabbed Reko's hand in the Room of Lies, I know I did!! But this...girl or whoever the fuck she is, just claimed the opposite!! Something is horribly wrong!! "

The older girl grabbed my hands and took them off her shoulders before gently pulling me into a hug. "Calm down. Breathe."

I hadn't even noticed that my breathing became uneven until she pointed it out...

I attempted to steady my breathing while Sara ran her hands through my hair in an attempt to calm me down.

After a while I pull back and manage to compose myself.

"Better?" Sara asked.

I nodded. "Better."

"Alright, how about you tell me what you think just happened at the end of the day when we're in private?" She put stray strands of hair behind my ears as she talked. "For now we can just continue with the attractions and see if Keiji has found the culprit behind the broken Mishima AI. Sound good?"

I manage a small smile. "Yeah, sounds good. I still have to wrap my head around it and come up with possible theories anyways."

The girl smiled back and put her arm around my shoulders before leading the way to the Lounge Area.

However, what we didn't realize was that a certain doll had seen the whole exchange.

To say the least? They were very much not happy about it.

"This is a problem..." They mumbled as they drummed their fingers on their arm. "She knows too much."

They took out a small radio from their belt and brought it to their lips.

"Looks like we'll need a last minute change of plans..."

[Author's Note]

THINGS ARE HEATING UP!!

We're getting close to our first majority vote folks, are you as excited as I am?? :D

I hope you are!!

Anyways, before I finish this chapter I just wanted to give a huge thanks to YourLocalNoob21 for this fanart they made me!!

I never thought I'd live to see the day when people were making fanart for ME of all people!

It's so cute and you made me really happy so thank you!! ;-; 💖

If any of you at all want to make me fanart, go right ahead! I will showcase it all just like this masterpiece!

Alright, I'm done now.

I love you all so much!!

Kaja is finished here ^^

[Word Count: 3246]