𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚎.

◇when memories melt◇

"if i break, could i go on break?"

you didn't remember passing out. nor anything that led up to it, quite frankly. "you awake?" swinging upwards, your head hit another. you fell back on the couch you were sitting on, groaning. you brought a hand to your forehead, finally getting a good look at who was standing over you. "..keiji?" the police officer, who was was also holding his forehead, sent you a grin. "you got a hard head. glad you're up." sitting up (slowly, this time.) you looked around the room. you were in the medical office.

kanna and sou stood in the corner, while q-taro and keiji stood next to you. "f/n! yer' awa-!" you silenced him by holding up a finger, as if to tell him to give you a second the baseball player seemed relieved to see you up. now, the question is, why were you asleep?

"ah, yer' mad at me, 'course..." q-taro trailed off, seeminly ashamed. suddenly, the memories came rushing back to you. q-taro, the tokens, the trap, the poison, gin... gin?  "gin, where's gin? is he okay?" keiji chuckled. "don't worry, he's with sara. he's
a-okay." you sighed, nodding. "..and everyone else?" he went silent. "actually, uh, while you were asleep... reko..." he stopped, trying to gather the words. but you understood. "oh." was all you could seem to say.

suddenly, the door opened, revealing sara, alice, gin, and nao. "big sis f/n!" gin pounced on you, tears in his eyes. "you're okay! you passed out, and, and- i was so scared! you risked your life for me! and- and, i-!" he stumbled over his words, holding onto you for dear life. "f/n. you're alright." sara smiled, a thankful look on her face. "i'm okay." you repeated. before you could say anything else, another voice cut in. "so, all of you have assembled." you recognized him as the receptionist doll from earlier.

"i will now begin explanations for the second main game. miss f/n, how are you feeling?" you only stared at him, offering him no response. "you think we're just gonna sit here and listen to yer damn explanation?!" gin nodded at q-taro's question. "you guys are always pulling tricks! we won't trust you, woof!" the doll hummed, approaching you. "m-meow! don't come any closer! you better not touch big sis f/n!"

"fantastic... just amazing, miss f/n! astonishing resilience! why, you're the picture of health already! i suppose not even those five shots could claim you. how brilliant!" still, you only stared. "um, when are you getting to the explanation?" sou asked. the doll- who's name you were unsure of- hummed.

"pardon me, well then. i shall explain this main game. that said, the basic rules are the same. it is a voting game making use of four cards; the keymaster, sage, sacrifice, and commoner. the keymaster is the key-man of destruction, should they be chosen. the one who carries it bears big responsibility, but it also serves as armor. the sage is a super human who knows the one is possession of the keymaster role. but once exposed... it is hard to protect oneself. the sacrifice will die unless chosen. they are the sole person who can turn defeat into victory, or victory into defeat. and the commoners have no power at all, but thus they will fill the role of guiding the discussion in the proper direction. however, this time, we will use data in the place of paper cards."

"d-data?" nao asked. "card data has already been distributed at random to the voting tablets you possess. all that remains is.. permission to access it." you took a deep breath, staring at the doll. "why'd ya haf"ta make it so roundabout?" q-taro seemed.. confused. you wondered if he was good with technology. "very sharp, indeed, mr. q-taro. because this time, you are able to make trades. and forcibly, at that." ...forcibly?  "we can trade our cards?" keiji raised an eyebrow. "indeed. now then, let me show you. come forth, ring-up box!" suddenly, a phone booth popped up from the floor.

"you can trade cards by making a request at one of these ring-up boxes, situated in each room. they are simple to use. simply insert fifty tokens and grab the reciever." that was.. a lot of tokens. "f-fifty tokens?" nao stuttered. "of course, just like the sub game, you cannot use your own tokens."

"what a ridiculous rule!" you weren't sure why q-taro was complaining, given what had happened. "oh? i thought you would be delighted, mr. q-taro. trades are one on one with who you select. please trade freely, with whomever you wish. you have a time limit of approximately three hours. when all hsve returned to their bedrooms, that will signal the start of this trading phase.... do not wear such gloomy looks, everyone. win, and survive. for you were all born to win. so then, please return to your room within five minutes. if you do not.. you understand, don't you?" with that, he left.

slowly, you stood up. "please.." you trailed off. everyones' eyes fell on you. "if you wind up with the sacrifice card, please trade with me."  gin grabbed the bottom of your shirt. "b-but-!" you cut him off. "i'm serious. i'm... fine with dying in any one of your places." before anyone could argue, you left, heading straight for your room. closing the door behind you, you sighed. somewhat relieved, somewhat scared, and somewhat embarrassed. making a scene like that... you shook your head, clearing your thoughts. making your way to your bed, you sat down, staring at the ring-up box in the corner of your room.

you were going to die today. if your plan works, at least. you were going to die.

you were pulled out of your thoughts from a small ding from the tablet on your nightstand. "the trading process of the main game will now begin. now accessing your role card." you grabbed the tablet, anxiously awaiting your card. you groaned upon seeing it, laying back on your bed. commoner. it didn't matter, anyways. just as you turned your tablet off, there was a knock on your door. "come in, keiji." you sat up, staring at the door. sure enough, it opened, revealing your friendly neighborhood policeman. "how'd you know it was me?" he stepped in, closing the door behind him.

"you've knocked on my door before. i recognize your knock. and it didn't really make sense to be anyone else." he chuckled, nodding. "right. well, figured i'd let you know, i'm the keymaster." you stared at him, blinking. "okay...? and?" he stared back. "..want me to prove it?" you gave him a weird look. "no? i believe you. is that what you came here for? to tell me you're the keymaster?"

"harsh.. but no. figured if anyone could come up with an escape plan, it'd be you. any ideas?" you thought for a second before letting out an exaggerated groan, falling backwards on your bed once again. "...that a no?" you felt the bed move as he sat down next to you. "i don't- i just- god, ask someone else for once!" your voice slightly raised in frustration, but you were quick to recognize it. "sorry, sorry. i just.. can't think right now." you couldn't bring yourself to look at him. "...got it. i'll go bother someone else, then. but, y'know.. uh," he trailed off, collecting his words. "you're... interesting, you know that?"

"wow. thanks." you rolled your eyes. "i mean it. putting your life on the line for others.. not something most people have the guts to do. i'd be real upset if you died, though. that's why we gotta find an escape." sighing, you sat up. "i mean, yeah, i'm scared. 'course i am. but... everytime someone dies.. i can't help but wish it had been me instead. i guarantee you, i deserve it more than anyone else here. especially the kids, i mean- joe was still so young and i... god, i don't know."

keiji stood up, nodding. "i think you're good. great, even. so... don't worry too much about it. i'll leave you alone now." you nodded, sighing again as he left. deciding there was nothing else to do, and wishing to get away from your thoughts, you lied down. closing your eyes, you sighed once again.

you didn't realize you fell asleep until you woke up to knocking at your door. "come in." you lazily called out, sitting upwards. sara entered your room. immediately, you could tell something was wrong. "f/n... you had.. the most tokens." she spoke slowly, seemingly out of breath. "..yeah." finally it came to you. "you need some?" the ginger haired girl stared at you for a while before nodding. "...please."  you nodded, grabbing your wallet off your nightstand, counting out fifty tokens. thanks a bunch, q-taro. you motioned her over before dropping fifty tokens in her hands. "remember what i told you, sara." she nodded, scurrying out of the room. within a few minutes, your tablet dinged.

sacrifice.

"the past has no power over the present moment." -eckhart tolle