((Alba Reyes continued from Family Reunion))
Alba traced her hand along a cafeteria table. The cafeteria was empty as far as she and Fiyori could tell, but that didn't mean they were alone. After making the memorial for the Art Therapy kids, they had spent part of the night wandering the asylum, but didn't manage to find anyone. They turned in early, and tried their best to sleep the night away.
The announcement this morning said they were among "the elite survivors" of their group, which must have meant they were really close to the end. Alba couldn't believe that it was that close to the end. Maybe she would reach nightfall at this rate.
The names were upsetting to hear. They confirmed Fiyori's killing of Caedyn, reminding Alba of the horrible duel from yesterday. Even worse, they revealed that Jon had died. Jae killed him, making that another person Alba cared about that Jae took away. She had wished she had gone with Jon, but she knew there was a chance she would have died as well. She couldn't dwell on what-could-have-beens at this point. She just knew Jae had to go down if she saw him. If anything, she now wished she didn't leave Jon's jacket in the radio tower. She should have kept it as a tribute to him or something.
Alba's murder of Emma Luz was then announced. Emma was revealed to have killed Keith, one of the other bodies in the art therapy room, and the announcer called her their "resident paranoid." It looked like they were making Emma to be the worse person in this situation, but Alba couldn't believe that. Paranoid or not, Emma didn't deserve to die like that.
The Danger Zones also revealed that the kids wouldn't be able to leave the asylum anymore. Now they were more likely to find anyone left. Jae, Kimiko, and Bryony would have to be somewhere in the asylum. The chances of finding anyone were greater now.
Alba turned to Fiyori.
"Do you think this place is clear? I don't know if there's anyone hiding here."
Battle Royale
Private, Day 11
Fiyori thought the announcements were some good pieces of news. She'd have hazarded a guess that Alba felt different. Because Alba liked to feel different than Fiyori in matters like these, but that was alright. Fiyori was fucking hyped and she didn't need anyone else for that.
They were called 'the elite survivors'. A sarcastic remark, to be sure, but it meant something important. It meant that Fiyori was really right about her assumption. This was the last stretch of the game. No, this was the last day of the game. Come sunset, there would be only student standing and that was the greatest thing Fiyori ever looked for.
The anticipation was killing her almost as good as any bullet did. She'd have never thought that this painful pounding of her own heart could be so pleasant at the same time.
Either way, the even better news was that every area outside the asylum was off-limits. That was good. No, that was great. In fact, the greatest. Now it was only a matter of hours, and then Fiyori would finally find that mute cunt and that goth loser and kill them dead.
She was getting jittery.
[Fiyori Senay, continued from Family Reunion]
Alba has asked Fiyori whether anyone could have hidden somewhere in the cafeteria. Now, Fiyori was the resident expert on this room. It was her who spend the most time here among the tables and benches, even if she wasn't able to see shit most of the time.
Fiyori grasped the edge of one table to stabilize herself. She lowered her high head - pain flaring up in her side as she crouched down - and looked under the tables themselves. Among all the rows, she couldn't find a single person hiding. Her glasses were sliding off. Fiyori readjusted them before they fell.
"Nope, not here. Maybe look if someone's in the kitchen."
They were called 'the elite survivors'. A sarcastic remark, to be sure, but it meant something important. It meant that Fiyori was really right about her assumption. This was the last stretch of the game. No, this was the last day of the game. Come sunset, there would be only student standing and that was the greatest thing Fiyori ever looked for.
The anticipation was killing her almost as good as any bullet did. She'd have never thought that this painful pounding of her own heart could be so pleasant at the same time.
Either way, the even better news was that every area outside the asylum was off-limits. That was good. No, that was great. In fact, the greatest. Now it was only a matter of hours, and then Fiyori would finally find that mute cunt and that goth loser and kill them dead.
She was getting jittery.
[Fiyori Senay, continued from Family Reunion]
Alba has asked Fiyori whether anyone could have hidden somewhere in the cafeteria. Now, Fiyori was the resident expert on this room. It was her who spend the most time here among the tables and benches, even if she wasn't able to see shit most of the time.
Fiyori grasped the edge of one table to stabilize herself. She lowered her high head - pain flaring up in her side as she crouched down - and looked under the tables themselves. Among all the rows, she couldn't find a single person hiding. Her glasses were sliding off. Fiyori readjusted them before they fell.
"Nope, not here. Maybe look if someone's in the kitchen."
Gervais Frans Lambotte 
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
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Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
"Okay, we can check the kitchen next," Alba said.
Alba walked down the rows of tables in the direction of the kitchen doors. She continued to trace her hand along the tables. The tables were old, covered in dust, and continuing to waste away in this space. Touching them just reminded her of how old this place was, especially looking around at some of the wall ornaments.
Alba finally cleared out of the tables and approached the double doors of the kitchen. Before she went in, she paused, then turned to face Fiyori.
"Hey, can I get some cover?" she asked. "Sorry, just figure it'd help if someone else was with me."
Alba walked down the rows of tables in the direction of the kitchen doors. She continued to trace her hand along the tables. The tables were old, covered in dust, and continuing to waste away in this space. Touching them just reminded her of how old this place was, especially looking around at some of the wall ornaments.
Alba finally cleared out of the tables and approached the double doors of the kitchen. Before she went in, she paused, then turned to face Fiyori.
"Hey, can I get some cover?" she asked. "Sorry, just figure it'd help if someone else was with me."
Fiyori felt there was a great opportunity for a joke passing by. Some kind of word play about 'covers'. Honestly, had she been blessed by a blanket or something she could've made the joke practical. She could've thrown the blanket at Alba and then she'd been 'provided cover'.
And that could've been hilarious.
Well, maybe not. Alba probably would not have been that amused. Just very irritated, or confused. And that wouldn't be a joke anymore, but an awkward moment.
Anyway...
"You know, that reminds me..."
Fiyori trailed off. She drummed her fingers against the tables. She slid her palm over the etched-in names, but didn't pay them any further attention.
Then, she caught up to Alba and leaned against the frame of the threshold.
The kitchen was the place where Georgia Lee and Fiyori had pissed in. Now, all of a sudden, Fiyori started wondering if some of it was still there. She could've sworn she prepared a pan full of her piss for a certain surprise but, well, she might have started switching memories up.
"Nevermind."
And that could've been hilarious.
Well, maybe not. Alba probably would not have been that amused. Just very irritated, or confused. And that wouldn't be a joke anymore, but an awkward moment.
Anyway...
"You know, that reminds me..."
Fiyori trailed off. She drummed her fingers against the tables. She slid her palm over the etched-in names, but didn't pay them any further attention.
Then, she caught up to Alba and leaned against the frame of the threshold.
The kitchen was the place where Georgia Lee and Fiyori had pissed in. Now, all of a sudden, Fiyori started wondering if some of it was still there. She could've sworn she prepared a pan full of her piss for a certain surprise but, well, she might have started switching memories up.
"Nevermind."
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
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Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
"Okay then," Alba said.
She pushed the door open, keeping the rifle held up. She looked around, wondering if anyone would come charging out. There could only be so few hiding spaces in a kitchen. But even she had to know that someone could be in any of them.
Alba sighed a bit and moved in, trying to peer around the nearest corner and looking past the rusted kitchen equipment. She didn't see anyone around, but began to move through.
"Hey, Fiyori," Alba said. "Aside from Jae, Kimiko, and Bryony, who do you think is left?"
Alba peered into a walk-in freezer. It was empty.
"I'm just trying to remember who has been on the announcements and not."
She pushed the door open, keeping the rifle held up. She looked around, wondering if anyone would come charging out. There could only be so few hiding spaces in a kitchen. But even she had to know that someone could be in any of them.
Alba sighed a bit and moved in, trying to peer around the nearest corner and looking past the rusted kitchen equipment. She didn't see anyone around, but began to move through.
"Hey, Fiyori," Alba said. "Aside from Jae, Kimiko, and Bryony, who do you think is left?"
Alba peered into a walk-in freezer. It was empty.
"I'm just trying to remember who has been on the announcements and not."
It was a strange sensation. Fiyori had spend a few days at the cafeteria. For the most part of it, it only remained a blur. She didn't have her glasses, and as such she couldn't make out the details of the room she inhabited. Even when she regained her glasses, Fiyori just got angry and bolted. Seeing the cafeteria and the kitchen, now with glasses and a relatively calm mind was really amazing.
She felt so nostalgic, and yet it is as if a new world opened.
She enjoyed this feeling. She could have used more of it.
"Hm, well. To be honest I've got no fucking clues. There are some names on the tip of my tongue but I just can't get to them."
Fiyori shrugged, and gazed at the cupboards. They screamed at her, cried for her to dance with them. That was all in Fiyori's mind, of course, because cupboards do not dance. She chuckled, and rejected their advances.
"Who knows, maybe that's it. Maybe we... four... I mean, five people are all that's left now."
She felt so nostalgic, and yet it is as if a new world opened.
She enjoyed this feeling. She could have used more of it.
"Hm, well. To be honest I've got no fucking clues. There are some names on the tip of my tongue but I just can't get to them."
Fiyori shrugged, and gazed at the cupboards. They screamed at her, cried for her to dance with them. That was all in Fiyori's mind, of course, because cupboards do not dance. She chuckled, and rejected their advances.
"Who knows, maybe that's it. Maybe we... four... I mean, five people are all that's left now."
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
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Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
"Well, it'd be nice if we knew everyone who was left," Alba said. "I guess they're not going to just list off who's still around. That would be nice though."
Alba continued to look around the area. The freezer and the pantry looked clear. She let out a sigh of relief and turned back to Fiyori.
"Okay, I think the kitchen is clear," she said.
She lowered the gun and looked over at Fiyori. As far as they knew, there were five people left. Out of everyone she ran into, Jae, Bryony, and Kimiko were left. Most people like Brendan, Jon, Maxim, Caedyn, and Kaitlyn were definitely dead. There had to be a few more people she ran into who could still be alive. That's when she remembered one.
"Oh, I guess Blair's still alive," Alba said. "Wow, I can't believe I forgot her considering we saw her the day before yesterday- Oh!"
Alba slapped her forehead.
"Candice! I ran into her when I first saw Brendan and Jon. Holy crap, I can't believe I forgot I ran into her. Okay, so that's seven we know of."
Alba sighed a bit.
"Fiyori, if you could bring one person back who has died so far, who would it be?"
Alba continued to look around the area. The freezer and the pantry looked clear. She let out a sigh of relief and turned back to Fiyori.
"Okay, I think the kitchen is clear," she said.
She lowered the gun and looked over at Fiyori. As far as they knew, there were five people left. Out of everyone she ran into, Jae, Bryony, and Kimiko were left. Most people like Brendan, Jon, Maxim, Caedyn, and Kaitlyn were definitely dead. There had to be a few more people she ran into who could still be alive. That's when she remembered one.
"Oh, I guess Blair's still alive," Alba said. "Wow, I can't believe I forgot her considering we saw her the day before yesterday- Oh!"
Alba slapped her forehead.
"Candice! I ran into her when I first saw Brendan and Jon. Holy crap, I can't believe I forgot I ran into her. Okay, so that's seven we know of."
Alba sighed a bit.
"Fiyori, if you could bring one person back who has died so far, who would it be?"
"Ty."
It did not come out of nowhere. Yet the speed with which she just said it surprised Fiyori herself. She had thought she would have answered differently. If not with a different name, but in the way she came up with it. More considerate, more thoughtful. But now she just blurted his name and it felt completely natural.
Fiyori looked at Alba. She chewed on her lips, and let the silence fill the room for a moment. It was almost as if she pretended to come up with a reason.
She did have one, though. There were few things where she had reasons at all. Fewer where she had good ones. But she knew with certainty that Ty should had been among the living.
It was the only 'should' she demanded of the world. And as with everything else, the world did not answer because the world did not actually exist.
"...do... I mean, do you have someone?"
It did not come out of nowhere. Yet the speed with which she just said it surprised Fiyori herself. She had thought she would have answered differently. If not with a different name, but in the way she came up with it. More considerate, more thoughtful. But now she just blurted his name and it felt completely natural.
Fiyori looked at Alba. She chewed on her lips, and let the silence fill the room for a moment. It was almost as if she pretended to come up with a reason.
She did have one, though. There were few things where she had reasons at all. Fewer where she had good ones. But she knew with certainty that Ty should had been among the living.
It was the only 'should' she demanded of the world. And as with everything else, the world did not answer because the world did not actually exist.
"...do... I mean, do you have someone?"
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
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Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
"Probably Brendan," Alba said.
Alba looked down a bit.
"I know that's probably not surprising, but that's who comes to mind."
Alba sighed.
"You know he wanted to find Ty? He felt bad about accidentally killing Bernadette and wanted to make amends. And worse, they both died around the same time, so that will never happen."
Alba pursed her lips a bit. She could feel her body starting to feel weaker the more she talked about Brendan.
"He also told me he loved me, and I really messed up then."
Alba looked down a bit.
"I know that's probably not surprising, but that's who comes to mind."
Alba sighed.
"You know he wanted to find Ty? He felt bad about accidentally killing Bernadette and wanted to make amends. And worse, they both died around the same time, so that will never happen."
Alba pursed her lips a bit. She could feel her body starting to feel weaker the more she talked about Brendan.
"He also told me he loved me, and I really messed up then."
So, that was it then. Brendan had wanted to find Ty. Make amends to him for killing Bee in anger. Truth be told, when Fiyori learned that it wasn't a mere accident, but manslaughter that Brendan committed, she might have had reacted more severely than was usual or proper. Just a tiny bit.
Hearing that this was what drove Brendan was relieving. It did not feel like a stone falling from her heart, but knowing it made things 'feel' right once again. If only for that one particular detail.
Still, she doubted Ty would have felt the same. Not that it mattered anymore.
Then, Alba mentioned that Brendan had expressed his love for her, and that she messed it up.
"What," Fiyori asked, her voice cracking all of a sudden. "You friend-zoned him?"
Hearing that this was what drove Brendan was relieving. It did not feel like a stone falling from her heart, but knowing it made things 'feel' right once again. If only for that one particular detail.
Still, she doubted Ty would have felt the same. Not that it mattered anymore.
Then, Alba mentioned that Brendan had expressed his love for her, and that she messed it up.
"What," Fiyori asked, her voice cracking all of a sudden. "You friend-zoned him?"
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
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Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
"I mean, I guess..."
Alba groaned a bit.
"Well, he suddenly told me he loved me, and I was so surprised I didn't know what to say. But he took it as a rejection. Unfortunately, in the very next minute Jae shot him, which kind of prevented us from really talking it out. I ultimately just told Brendan I loved him like family, and he seemed happy about that before he died."
Alba sighed.
"We should have gotten that dealt with before we ended up here."
Alba groaned a bit.
"Well, he suddenly told me he loved me, and I was so surprised I didn't know what to say. But he took it as a rejection. Unfortunately, in the very next minute Jae shot him, which kind of prevented us from really talking it out. I ultimately just told Brendan I loved him like family, and he seemed happy about that before he died."
Alba sighed.
"We should have gotten that dealt with before we ended up here."
"Jeez, you are terrible."
Fiyori had remained a deadpan expression for a second or so. But then she cracked a little smile and playfully punched Alba on the arm.
Really, poor Brendan confessed his love and got denied. Worse, he got fucking shot right after. It was so silly and tragic it got funny again.
"Well, you know what they say: hindsight is 20/20."
Supposedly, the perfect moment - or the best moment available - for clearing up any feelings would be the current moment. Fiyori would have liked to add something about that but she couldn't think of anything.
Fiyori had remained a deadpan expression for a second or so. But then she cracked a little smile and playfully punched Alba on the arm.
Really, poor Brendan confessed his love and got denied. Worse, he got fucking shot right after. It was so silly and tragic it got funny again.
"Well, you know what they say: hindsight is 20/20."
Supposedly, the perfect moment - or the best moment available - for clearing up any feelings would be the current moment. Fiyori would have liked to add something about that but she couldn't think of anything.
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
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Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
"Yeah, I guess it is," Alba said. "I probably should have just lied to him at the end. Just to let him die thinking that."
Alba sighed. At least Fiyori wasn't too harsh about this. Alba did have to admit it was nice to be able to goof around a bit and talk like actual teenage girls. It seemed so long ago that she could just relax and talk about something menial like boys and crushes and so on.
"What about you? Did you have anyone you loved or liked that way who ended up here? Or do you have someone back home?"
Alba sighed. At least Fiyori wasn't too harsh about this. Alba did have to admit it was nice to be able to goof around a bit and talk like actual teenage girls. It seemed so long ago that she could just relax and talk about something menial like boys and crushes and so on.
"What about you? Did you have anyone you loved or liked that way who ended up here? Or do you have someone back home?"
Fiyori took hold of a strand of hair dangling in front of her face. She bit her lips. There was some trouble in finding a good answer to that question. It seemed harmless and light-mooded, but the context was still terrible.
Fiyori did not really love people romantically. Maybe she did, and didn't notice but that was semantics. She had really liked Danny. She liked Aiden. She liked Ty, too, even if not in the 'like' like sense of the word. There were too many people she appreciated. And the most of them were gone. There were so many she longed for as well, and those were gone as well.
Then again, she did find an answer.
"You know, I always fancied Caedyn. You know how that ended."
Fiyori did not really love people romantically. Maybe she did, and didn't notice but that was semantics. She had really liked Danny. She liked Aiden. She liked Ty, too, even if not in the 'like' like sense of the word. There were too many people she appreciated. And the most of them were gone. There were so many she longed for as well, and those were gone as well.
Then again, she did find an answer.
"You know, I always fancied Caedyn. You know how that ended."
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
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Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
"Oh...yeah..."
So Fiyori liked Caedyn a bit. That was kind of awkward to think about, considering Caedyn tried to kill both of them.
Alba sighed.
"Well, I guess we could have done better romantically," Alba said. "That's something to think about if we get to go home."
Alba stretched her back a bit.
"So, I guess we're good here. Where should we go next?"
So Fiyori liked Caedyn a bit. That was kind of awkward to think about, considering Caedyn tried to kill both of them.
Alba sighed.
"Well, I guess we could have done better romantically," Alba said. "That's something to think about if we get to go home."
Alba stretched her back a bit.
"So, I guess we're good here. Where should we go next?"