THE FINALE - 【 ZERO 】 ESCAPE

[vivariummods]

It's been ten days since the so-called "anniversary" on Day 90. Every single trace of a makeshift casino has been cleared out, leaving this suspiciously identical second warehouse empty (and the doors within that lobby locked), and Calhoun has mysteriously stopped dropping by as often as he should have. In the rare times he did drop by, he hemmed and hawed about what was happening and outright avoided answering any questions, shrieking that he's a busy mouse and he shouldn't be harassed by test subjects. Thus, for nine whole days, not a single particular event has occurred. No Calhoun Hours, Ambidex Games, or even a little announcement. It's not until the morning of the tenth day that something finally transpired. A loud siren goes off and the sound of a heavy door being slid open echoes from the second warehouse's lobby. Within seconds, however, both nuances cease and silence returns...

Comments

[toybombs]

[Group Two's most popular member wakes up with a start, her eyes immediately scanning her surroundings. This is...

No...

No, no, no, no.

She gets to her feet with about as much calm as she can muster, quickly and quietly moving away from the group. Her first stop is the tent, where she quickly finds and retrieves a knife. The next is one of the trees, which she quickly climbs up with a dexterity never before revealed to her fellow group mates. It's there she will remain, the knife tucked away in the pocket of her coat as she sits up on a branch that isn't likely to hold anyone who weighs much more than her.

She might not be able to stay here forever. But she can damn well try.]

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji looked through the fence at Rio, expression mildly puzzled but by now used to finding teenagers in trees.

"...Hello? What're you doin' up there?"

[toybombs]

It's one of the unfamiliar faces she'd spotted getting friendly with the others. She's not sure what they might have told him...

"I thought I would sit and enjoy the view for a little while."

Mmhmm. Yup.

[detectiveofthewest]

Considering that everyone else seemed to be in a mild state of panic and/or bewilderment, Rio's priorities seemed a little weird.

"I'm Heiji. I'm with the other group. Can I ask you some questions about what happened?"

[toybombs]

She tilts her head to the side slightly, frowning.

"Huh? You didn't ask everybody else already?"

[detectiveofthewest]

Hmm. Hmm. Heiji thought this response over for a second.

"Are you Rio?"

[toybombs]

And with a smile as bright as the sun itself:

"Right! That's me!"

[detectiveofthewest]

"Then you're the one that betrayed the others." Maria had told him as much.

"Listen, I don't know why ya did it, but you know you can't trust Zero, right? He'll say or do whatever it takes to keep this experiment running."

[toybombs]

Aha. So they had told him after all. Well, that's perfectly understandable; expected, really.

"I realize that now. If he planned to keep his word, I wouldn't be stuck here with the rest of you."

What a jerk.

[elliexir]

[ Rio is one of the first thoughts that Ellie has upon waking up. If it was like before, back when they were "friends", it would have been out of concern and worry, but after that certain incident... She thinks of nothing but wanting to get an answer from her and screaming. Luckily for her, Rio is still within the warehouse and up a tree, and Ellie wastes no time to stomp her way there. ]

Rio! You chickenshit! Get down from there!

[toybombs]

[She swings her legs a little, idly. But only a little, because her perch is somewhat precarious what with the tree being so thin, and the last thing she needs is for it to break under her.]

No, thanks. I think I prefer it up here.

[elliexir]

[ As much as Ellie wants her down, she avoids trying to shake the tree. She doesn't necessarily want to hurt her, as much as that sounds great when Rio practically left everyone for dead. So Ellie will just stand here and keep on yelling. ]

What the hell is your deal?! What happened back there, Rio?!

[toybombs]

We ended up all the way back here, and that's what you want to know?

[Gosh Ellie, she thought you were smarter than this.]

I betrayed you. Zero offered me a deal, so I took it.

[elliexir]

[ Hey, she can figure that shit out later (and honestly, she's a bit glad that she's back here because while it's not outside or whatever, she at least didn't drown). What she wants to figure out right now is why Rio is such a little shit. ]

What I want to know is why you took it!

[toybombs]

Think about it. He made me an offer to betray you. Specifically, to help make sure that robot got trapped in that room with us so he could deal with it.

If he knew that much, do you really think we had any chance of getting out to begin with? Even if I didn't take him up on it, the end result would have probably been the same: we'd all wake up in here, still trapped, and still running around on his whims.

I took the option that seemed like the best chance for my survival. That's all there is to it.

[elliexir]

You didn't have to take his offer in the first place! If you knew what was going to happen, that Zero was going to get rid of the robot, then you could have told us and we wouldn't have ended up in that mess. The piece of shit betrayed us in the end too!

1/2

[toybombs]

If I told you, the deal would have been called off, and we'd still be stuck. He made sure that I was the only one who could be in on it - it isn't like I had much leverage on him to make any other demands.

[It's amazing how calm she remains through all of this.]

Hate me all you want for the choice I made, but when it comes down to it, I'll save myself first. Although...

2/2

[toybombs]

[Her expression darkens.]

I can't exactly let Zero get away with this, either. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure he regrets what he did.

[And she knows she must be able to. There are some instincts carved deeply enough into her habits and mentality, she's sure she would be able to pull it off. If she just got the chance...]

[babel_hacker]

[He saw her figure and quickly followed after Rio. And stopped and looked up at her in the tree. From previous experience, he knew it's a bad idea for him to climb up after her. The trees aren't strong enough to hold both of their weight.]

Hey, Ellie!

[toybombs]

Ah, ah, ah. Are you sure you want to do that? The tree might be able to hold my weight, but I think even Ellie would have trouble getting up here.

[Which sort of factored into why she chose this particular perch.]

[babel_hacker]

I'm not going to climb up. But you should get down!

[He knows that, logically speaking, he won't because everyone else are still angry at her. Atsuro's among them and... he still wants to know more.]

[toybombs]

Climb down... so all of you can get a good shot at me?

[Haha, that's a cute idea. And also not happening.]

I think I'll stay up here for now.

[babel_hacker]

Take a good shot--no!

[Despite his anger, Atsuro doesn't have it in him to harm another person on purpose. And without being forced into it.]

Look, I want answers! After what you pulled, who wouldn't want to know what's going on in your head?

[toybombs]

Isn't it obvious enough already?

[Her voice is calm and to the point. Nothing like the stuttering, timid tone she used before.]

Zero offered me my freedom if I betrayed you. So, I took it.

[There isn't any sense of remorse. She did what she thought was right at the time, and it turns out, it wasn't.]

[babel_hacker]

And you believed him?

[Calhoun did say he would honour his word, so would the same goes for Zero himself? (Or herself).]