the other side of paradise | bsd x gn!reader

thirty.

You have to get out.

You don't really want to leave, despite your own voice protesting in your head. Drinking that tea was a bad move on your part, and even that part of you that doesn't want to leave agrees. However, the two of them drank that same tea in front of your very eyes, so it never even crossed your mind... Who would expect that a cup of tea could be linked to a manipulating ability? When you finally regained some sort of clarity in your mind, it felt different. Like it was split in two. A part of you is screaming at you to leave and do something, and the other is forcing your legs to stay in place. Everything has a minty coloured haze to it. You are floating in your own body, disconnected by it like you're trying to reach for a helium balloon that escaped too high. But it's nice. The weight of everything is off your shoulders.

Listen to me. Get away from these people.

Even if you wanted to, you can't just get up and leave, can you?

Are you stupid?! You have a teleporting ability, use it!

True, but... you really shouldn't though. It would be rude to Rika and Sasaki. They made you tea. They're nice.

They are insane cult members. Who cares if it's rude? You promised Jouno you'd get out if something was off, didn't you? Well, something is off!!

Rika smiles at you expectantly and Sasaki stands up, offering you a hand. "Thank you for your cooperation. I'm sure this is all very confusing to you and we'll explain as much as we can."

"My apologies for using my ability on you," Rika says. "But doesn't it feel nice?" You nod. "You don't have to worry anymore. Just let us lead you and write your story for you."

It's not nice. You're being manipulated and it's all because you drank that tea.

It's annoying, but the voice in your head is right. You really shouldn't have drank that tea because now you have a voice in your head, making no sense. You hope it shuts up soon. You shut up. It's the opposite actually. You're the one making no sense, but okay whatever. Go and get sacrificed, see if I care. It'll be some good angst at least.

The hotel manager places a hand on your lower back and starts leading you out of the room. The three of you walk through the maze-like halls for what seems like forever. You stop in front of another painting. This is getting pretty repetitive. The painting is one of the more plain ones in this hotel. It simply depicts a set of stairs, leading into a dark abyss.

"Ah, you're admiring my painting, yes? It's probably about time I told you a bit about my ability. It allows me to create and rearrange the Begonia Hotel. And the paintings... Well, the paintings are like my eyes. I can see through each and every one and at night, every time an outsider enters our sanctuary, I use them to move the walls around. I wouldn't want them discovering our secrets before joining our organisation, you know?"

"And why are you so sure they'll join? Because you'll use that ability-laced tea again?" Your hands cover your mouth as soon as those words slip by. A flash of confusion crosses their faces, but they clearly haven't understood a word of what you just said. Sasaki shakes his head.

"Anyway, let's move forward. We have so little time and so many preparations to do. After you," he says. You don't want to, but your legs move into nothingness either way. It's not a dark abyss like you previously assumed. There is something. A dim light emitting from the candles placed along the walls. Wax and condensation drip down in a haunted rhythm, and like they're singing lyrics, Rika and Sasaki start to once again speak about their organisation. You try to understand what they're saying, but nothing really makes sense. They talk about Messengers, Vessels and Otto; their Creator, their group and their goals. They speak in rhymes with an almost melodic giddiness in their voice, a complete opposite of their previous speech patterns. Sasaki's eyes are usually dark and almost soulless, like black paint on a canvas, but they light up every time he talks about Otto and the Creator. Rika's sharp eyes turn hazy, almost love-struck. You get the feeling that these two don't care about anyone else except Otto Symons and whoever the Creator is; the two that they believed have gifted them with a new and meaningful life.