All For A Few Cards ➺ Alice in Borderland

episode 31 || a helping hand

They began talking, debating who the witch was and who wasn't. But as expected, the crowd eventually began to panic. Niragi was the one who pulled the trigger and began shooting people. The rest of the militants followed from there. They all started parting, going their own way. I watched carefully for Kuina and Chishiya.

There were too many people running around like bugs. I decided it would be a better idea to go up to the second floor. So I started walking towards the stairs. I didn't get far before I felt someone grab my hand.

I turned around to find Usagi standing there, alarmed as everyone else. "Aria! Thanks for the distracting earlier with Niragi," she started, talking quickly. "Uh, you're welcome?" I say. "You know where Arisu is, don't you? Please tell me you do!" She looked as if she were pleading for a positive answer. Unfortunately, I didn't have it.

"No, I don't know. I wasn't there when they left with him." I told her. She sighed desperately. "His visa ends today. I need to find him." She said. "Okay. Why are you telling me this again?" I ask her. "Because I need your help looking for him." She said. "Um," I looked around at the people running. Should I help her? Or should I look for Chishiya and Usagi instead?

"Asahi is already helping me look. Please, Aria, you know more about the militants then we do. Maybe you have an idea of where he could be." She said. "I don't." I simply stated. "But we could always use an extra hand," she said. She grabbed my hand and dragged me up the stairs with her, not waiting for my response.

I didn't try to hold back. I'd find them eventually. There was no way Kuina not Chishiya would die getting shot. So I followed Usagi, letting her lead the way. We found Asahi who looked scared. The three of us went into a hallway full of rooms. We stopped at one and Usagi put her hands on Asahi shoulders.

"Quick, hide inside this room." She told her. "Where are you going, Usagi?" Asahi looked scared. "I have to look for someone. Aria is going to help me." She responded. I never vocally agreed to this, but whatever. "Please bring me along! It's either Game Over or death for me if I wait here." Asahi said.

We suddenly hear heavy footsteps turn the corner. It was Tata and some other dude. "Hey, it's me!" He said, coming over to us. "Let me help you. You and Arisu helped me in a game before." He said. "Help me look for Arisu." Usagi said. They all nodded.

We heard gunshots and screams follow close to us. We all shot our heads in the direction. "Those guys are serious about that." Tata said. "They're closing in." Said his friend. "Let's hurry!" Usagi said. We all followed her as she began running, searching for Arisu.

We ran through a bunch of hallways, poking our heads inside each room and yelling for Arisu. "Arisu?!" Usagi yelled into one. "Arisu?" I mocked her with a slight sing-song voice. "He's not in here." She said the obvious. "I guess you're right." I said. "He's not in this one either!" Tata called from another room. "Come on, let's keep looking!" Usagi said, running out the room and going into a new one.

I sighed and walked out, leaning against the wall and watching them frantically yell Arisus name. I pulled out a cigarette from my pocket and lit it. "We could really use your help here, Aria." Tatas friend told me. "How do you know my name?" I asked as I put my things away. "Everyone at the Beach knows your name." He said. "That's creepy." I responded.

A sudden smell of gas hit my nose just then. It seemed like everyone else smelled it too as they scrunched their noses up due to the smell. "Was that you Aria?" Usagi asked, eyeing my cigarette. "No. Cigarettes don't smell like gas. Someone must have put out some type of fire. Probably to lure everyone out." I said.

"Okay, whatever. Let's keep looking!" Usagi told everyone. They all nodded and began searching once again. I stayed still in my pose, smoking my cigarette and thinking. "Aria, please help us." Usagi said. "I'm using my brain to think of a solution. That's what you wanted, right?" I asked her. She sighed. "Could you maybe think and search at the same time?" She asked me.