You lift your shoulders slightly, that
damned interface helpfully chiming in on your change of status from 'Scared' to 'Terrified'.
Yes, thank you, I already knew that. Another ping from your quest log not so helpfully reminds you of your objective, currently labelled 'Do as you are told', the 'Or die' was unspoken only long enough for you to catch a glimpse of the failure state. "What do you want to know?" The ability to always sound perfectly composed has been invaluable over the past few days, despite the fact that it was only your nebulously (un)helpful power keeping you from passing out.
The child, the only one whose level wasn't a flaming skull, bounced upwards in her seat, a quiet chime alerting you to a sudden increase in attention.
Yes, I know that. "What is-" Her mouth is promptly covered by what you guessed was her big sister, if only because the only title you could get from her was 'The Big Sister'. Said sister glances towards Gaia, who's name was
literally overflowing from the title box, her level completely absent. The... fake body? taps her finger on her chin, before smiling.
You already know more than I do. "Quite to the contrary, I know everything you know, but your memory really is quite terrible. You never did return that pencil did you?"
You can't resist the shiver that snakes down your spine, repeating 'Do as you are told' over and over again in your head as you nod. "No Ma'am, I didn't."
How do I address you in a way that doesn't end up with my brain in a jar oh my god why is this so stressful. The only thing keeping you calm is your strange ability forcibly calming you down every time you started hyperventilating.
She nods, humming and beckons you forwards with a finger. You don't immediately step forwards, an attention ping from the girl who was dripping blood onto the sofa hastening you into motion. "Ah." You flinch, but Gaia just turns to said girl. "On that note, Cerys dear, you are getting blood on the sofa." Her name suddenly filling out her name bar, Cerys blinks, attention meter fading away as she does
something that makes your interface fizzle and the blood covering her disappears. "Thank you." You stop next to her and she pats her lap, apparently determined to make this as awkward as possible for everyone involved.
Not like I'm safe across the room. You bite your lip and sit back on the arm on the chair, a quiet tut coming from behind you, but nothing more. "Now dear, would you please tell us exactly how you know what you do?" Your quest-log updates, becoming 'Reveal your Origins', the failure conditions not changing.
Okay, okay I can do this. Just need to reveal the fact that where I come from they don't even exist.
"In my... dimension?" You pause, waiting until the woman next to you nods. "This universe is a story." Blank faces stare at you from the sofa, only the child bouncing in her seat. "That I read." The midget in...
is that a Seifuku? What the- A sudden ping on your hud lets you know of increasing aggression from your staring and you hurriedly continue. "And I know stuff."
The Big Sister leans forwards, resting her elbows on her knees and finally releasing her sister, hands pressed together in a pyramid. "You know... Stuff?" You nod, getting the distinct feeling that she is unimpressed. "I also happen to know stuff." She looks at you in a way that makes you feel incredibly unintelligent, you get the feeling that this is something that comes to her naturally. "What happens to make your stuff so special?"
Before you can respond, Seifuku Girl speaks, her name bar now helpfully naming her 'Seifuku Girl'. "Yeah, what's with your staring?" The French accent makes you blink as she spins the sword that is suddenly in her hand, the blade blurring faster than you can follow it. "Got a problem?" She smiles, teeth and all as she halts her spinning, running her tongue along the edge of her blade. Big Sister snorts, reaching across the pretty Asian to punch her in the arm hard enough that you
felt the displaced air from across the room. Seifuku lets out a whine, rubbing her arm as she glares at Big Sister. "What's that for?" Big Sister sighs, leaning back in her seat as she looks back towards you.
"I get that you haven't really had a chance to menace someone properly, but can you cut it out? She's shaking." Your interface helpfully chimes in that you have gained the 'Intimidated' status.
I can't help it, she licked blood off of her sword. The same sword she used to cut up Averice and Johnas. Your interface doesn't respond, but it helpfully highlights Seifuku trying to discretely spit out the blood, rubbing her tongue with her arm.
This doesn't make me feel better. A small screen opens, showing the crinkled eyes of Seifuku as she tries to get the flavour off, the words 'regretting decision' at the top of the screen.
Alright, that makes me feel slightly better.
A ping brings your eyes back to Big Sister just before she speaks. "I'll say it again, what makes the knowledge you have so special that Mother went out of her way to have us grab you?" You try to find the
best answer to her question, the words that match up to the intention graph that appears before you. When a ping alerts you to growing hostility, a flicker of flame ghosting across Big Sister's shoulder for a second making you panic.
"I know the future!" You don't sigh as the hostility ping fades away, reluctantly accepting the small hand on your back that keeps you from slumping backwards, Big Sister nodding her head in a 'go on' fashion. "Umm, I kind of know the future, as it was written, ish."
Little Sister is not to be denied this time apparently. "I MUST KNOW!" She squirms out of her sisters lap, bouncing in place in the middle of the room. It would almost be heart-warming, if not for the heavy stare coming from above her head. "DOES MY SISTER FINALLY GET TOGETHER WITH HER DESTINED LOVE?!" You lean back sharply as she jumps in your face, interface glitching as she passes through it.
Thankfully she steps back, a ringing that had been slowly building fading from your ears. "I umm, I don't know you or your sister, you weren't a part of the story." The girl only lets her disappointment show for a moment, jumping forwards with a new question.
"DO THE GOOD GUYS WIN?" Considering what little of this
warped version of the world you knew about, you really don't know
who are the 'good guys' in question.
Ping. Your objective changes again.
Alright, fine. A quick jolt to your system helps you calm down enough to answer.
"I don't know, the story wasn't finished when I was..." You don't really want to remember what had happened to bring you here.
Shiva-Sil was not gentle. The fingers on your back tighten, digging into your skin painfully for a moment before relaxing, a small part of your health depleted.
Oh. Your hud kindly alerts you to the fact that you now have all of Gaia's attention on you.
I really shouldn't have thought that. Your hud pings you intently with your objective, reminding you to continue.
I am so fucked. "Yes, the good guys were winning." The Sister hums happily before nodding, stepping back as she thinks of her next question.
"Actually." Your body freezes, the tone of Gaia's voice completely overriding whatever calming methods your power used. "Questioning is over for now." She stands up, pushing you up with her, your body moving like a puppet as a whimper escapes you. "My dear here will be coming with me now, for a
private chat." Your eyes beg the Big Sister, breath coming short as a dainty hand secures itself on your shoulder.
Please. She looks away, pushing herself closer to the Asian girl and closing her eyes.
No. No No No it wasn't supposed to be like- Your surroundings blink, suddenly replaced by a blank void.
Breath tingles on your neck, despite your hud telling you that you are alone. "Now." Something burgeons around you, cracks spreading through the void.
[You will tell me what you know, one way or another.]
/LINE BREAK\
Daiyu stokes your hair as you look at the spot the girl had stood, a lingering feeling of sheer
terror hanging in the air as if it were a tangible thing.
[It would be for the best if you put her existence out of your mind.] You let Daiyu slip an arm over your shoulder as you shiver, feeling cold for the first time in months.
[This is not a suggestion.]
[] I have to know
[] Listen to Mother
