Tap tap tap. That's the only sound that could really ring into my ears at the moment.

I kept cautiously slipping my shoes down the stairs, which in turn slid my own body down it. Soon enough, I passed by the second floor, starting work on the flight to the ground floor.

And while all of this was going on... Richard was still stuck in my GODDAMN mind.

Damn...

...Maybe I just need to distract my thoughts... With food?

Yeah. Good plan George, good plan.

I blinked a few times, almost in sync of my feet making contact with the ground. My head naturally turned around in the half controlled search for the presence of another person.

My eyes did managed to land upon one person, wandering in the curved direction towards the storage room and nurse's office, clutching a few carrots her paw.

...Rebecca.

I instinctively waved at her, hoping to earn some kind of response from the older of the two rabbits. Instead, all I got was a soft nod, before she slowly jogged down the hall towards the storage room. Giving myself a small shrug, I wandered into the open of the ground hallway, momentarily flicking my head to the side, and back.

...Wait, hold on. Rebecca's not there.

It was just an empty hallway. The two doors to the two existing rooms, and a solid wall.

Or so it seemed. The wall did appear to be a bit... wonky.

But either way. Rebecca wasn't there, and that... confused me.

She was only walking! Well, a bit faster than walking. She is the Ultimate Track Star. But still, she couldn't have just disappeared into thin air!

...Actually... Maybe she just went into one of the two rooms that's there.

That would make more sense... Wonder what she needs the carrots for, though.

My mind was screaming in discomfort, unfortunately. Most likely from the surprising event of Rebecca going absent all of a sudden. So, to try and calm it down, I decided on searching the two rooms.

Starting with the nurse's office.

Uh... Jeez, someone should put those scalpels away... No Rebecca though.

Ok, now storage room...

...

...What the?

She- She isn't here either?

Jesus Christ... In the storage room of all places, she isn't here? I'm pretty sure Peppa told me that Rebecca was a fan of going to the storage room... Something to do with backgammon...

So why isn't she here? Did she really just... disappear?

...Ok, I'm really confused now. Like, REALLY confused.

Taking some soft, shaky steps out of the storage room, I naturally let my body direct itself towards the nearby wall ending the part of the hallway, soon enough leaning onto it with a collapsed sigh.

...

...Hold on.

...Walls don't move like that.

Lifting my head up at the seemingly normal wall again, I gave it a good look over, soon following it with a secondary push as a small experiment.

The wall gave in again, barely moving. A soft creek called out.

...Ok, now something's up.

The wall... Somehow moved?

...Is there a secret door here?

Is this where Rebecca disappeared from sight?

I-Is this a possible way out?!

The various questions in my mind started taking tight control of my limbs; My body leapt forward into the wall again, budging it softly, and jutting a good chunk of it out of... The rest of the wall, I suppose...?

To be honest, I wasn't sure. It definitely wasn't a normal thing that one would expect to see after hearing hollowness within a wall.

However... The chunk that jutted out was aligned at a specific angle: Making the imposing wall piece face a little to the right of the rest of the wall.

So in that case... Maybe it is a secret door!

That's amazing! We finally managed to find a way out of here!

Okay, FREEDOM HERE I CO-

I launched myself into the angled wall, hoping to separate it from the rest of the wall and reveal it's hidden open land behind its hinged disguise.

The piece of brick moved a bit. Determination pumping through me, I soon threw myself into it once again.

This time, the hidden door fell free from the wall, swerving away to the right on it's hidden hinges.

I smiled to myself in glory, almost chuckling. I could already feel the soft breath of air flying onto my skin, as I began to take my first few steps out into the new, outside area. I slowly let my eyes open, allowing them to feast on the scene in front of us.

...Oh.

The skies were still navy blue, but they seemed the exact same as before.

There wasn't much grass. Rather, it was majorly stone and asfalt.

And to top it all off...

...There was a high wire fence surrounding the whole thing. Just like in the courtyard.

In all, it wasn't a way out after all. Rather, it was a weirdly hidden... Running track. With the lanes and all.

...DAMMIT!

"Oh, hey George."

I didn't need to look up to know it was Rebecca. I didn't even need to recognise her voice. Just basing off of common sense, I figured out that THIS must've been the place she disappeared into earlier.

...That still doesn't explain the carrots she had though. Why'd she need carrots? There's no dirt here-

*PING*

I stiffened immediately.

"O-Oh jeez- Sorry George!"

I blinked a few times, shielding my eyes for a few moments at a time. Eventually, terrified curiosity tempted me to take a look at what whizzed by my ear, barely not clipping it in the process.

...Wait, hold on. A carrot?

H-How did Rebecca throw a carrot so hard it managed to wedge itself into the wall???

Snapping my head back around, I laid my eyes upon the rabbit staring down on me with apparent extreme fear. Her ears trembled softly in accordance with the rest of her fluffy, cream body, her knees slightly bent. And in her paws, a seemingly familiar crossbow was gripped, obviously being recently fired.

...Well, there's the answer to my question. Rebecca never threw the carrot.

Rather, she had the bright idea to use carrots as crossbow ammunition of all things.

"I-It's ok... Really." I nodded shakily, strengthening my position once again. "Here's a question worth asking: What the hell are you doing with your motive weapon?"

"I'm... Shooting carrots with it?"

"Ok, but why? Those things scare me."

"I'm practicing."

"...What?"

The feminine figure in the teal dress twisted her body to the side, watching something present in the middle of the running track area, also allowing me to see it. There were a few easels and canvases set up there, with red targets messily drawn onto it. Multiple holes were present in one of said canvases, carrots filling some of them.

It didn't take long for it to click. "Wait... So... Hold on. You're practicing using the crossbow Monopotato gave you? For what?"

"..." Rebecca lowered her arms, soon resting the crossbow on the tough, slightly spongey ground. Bending back up, she turned to face me.

"You saw me earlier crying my eyes out. Remember?"

"Uh... Oh, yeah." I nodded in remorse.

"You want to know why I was using this crossbow? You'll also know why I was crying." The rabbit blinked longingly, "...Danny was more to me than you might've thought."

"Really? I thought you guys were just friends." I questioned.

"Yeah, that's not true. We... We were more or so like Danny and Freddy. Actually, no. All three of us had a relationship of that kind with each other... You know, like more than a crush, but not really dating?"

"Uh... Oh... So when Danny died..."

"Yeah. Not only did it depress Freddy, it also depressed me. I'm better at hiding it for the most part, but... Death is death." Rebecca lowered her head in shame.

"...Yeah... That doesn't explain the crossbow, though."

"It does! I can't let this happen again!"

"Huh?"

"There's no way I can let another murder happen. Not with Freddy's mental state, not in the slightest!" The bunny launched her body back up, grappling her fists. "I don't care what Monopotato has in store for us. He can try to blow up the school, for all I care! I'm not letting anyone kill anyone anymore. Especially not Freddy... He's already lost Danny. We've already lost Danny. If it means I have to stand guard by his side 24/7 just to prevent any more deaths or dilemmas for him, so be it."

"..." I was in slight shock. All I could do was listen.

"But of course... I don't have any good weapons on my personel, except for the crossbow that damned Monopotato gave us. If I took any myself, that'd only throw a spotlight on me. So... I have to make do with what I have. I've already collected actual crossbow bolts and set them in my room for when the time comes. If I can now master the usage of this crossbow... I might be able to become a guardian for us all."

...

...Any good weapons?

...She's trying to protect Freddy. But what if Freddy doesn't have Rebecca by his side at a specific time? Wouldn't he need... His own good weapon?

"...W-Wow. Rebecca, that's- That's extremely noble of you."

"Don't mention it..." Rebecca gave a small giggle, "Anything to preserve our survival until we escape."

"Yeah... Until we escape..." I nodded my head slowly, as Rebecca pondered over to collect the carrot that almost impaled my ear earlier. Yanking it out of the wall, she precariously loaded it into the crossbow that she picked up again earlier. Then, she took aim, and aimed it at the central canvas.

With one click... The carrot flung forward with an immense leap, penetrating itself through the canvas, landing not that far from the large, red dot symbolising the centre of the target.

...Damn. For her first time using a crossbow... She's actually pretty good.

The rabbit slung her head back to face me, a lighthearted but determined face plastered on her.

"You want to have a go?"

"Uhm... No thanks. I think I have something more important to do." I admitted, turning round to leave, my hooves prematurely taking a few steps.

"Oh... Ok then."

"...One last question though."

"Hm?"

"...Have you told Richard about this?"

"..."

The cream, fluffy animal went dead quiet. The simple question had - Or at least, I thought it had - apparently silenced her.

"..."

"...Rebecca?"

"...He doesn't need to know about this. Nobody does, not until the time comes."

"...Oh. Ok then, bye Rebecca." I slumped my hand over my back as a meek effort at a wave. My feet and legs did the rest of the job: Carrying me out of the running track and into the hallway of the school once again. I didn't even bother to close the hidden door behind me. It felt like too much of a task after hearing the info I just did.

...And because of that, I needed to think.

But one thing's for sure: Sometime soon enough, I need to meet up with Freddy with a little 'gift'.

As for the rest... Well...

"HEY! GEORGE!-"

"AHHHHH-"

I slouched to myself, scoffing softly. Multiple television screens buzzed around me in informational annoyance.

...This rabbit thinks she can protect everyone by just learning advanced archery?

...Wow. Her hope is so... Powerful...

...No, no no no. I can't let it be that way.

"...Very well then, Rebecca." I sighed to myself, the age old grin creeping onto my face once again. "Try your best. You can play the game via the side quests. But let me tell you this right now..."

"...It won't be enough to defeat the final boss within you, kehehehehe~..."

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