[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Inzj52m.gif[/img][/center] Cyrus opened the door to the study. It looked empty, but he knew better. He grabbed a chair from one of the study's desks and slid it over to the ajar vault, right in front of the narrow opening.Cyrus seated himself comfortably next to the vault. He knocked on the vault door twice, and it didn't take long to get a response. His knocks were echoed by a metalic hand. Cyrus peered through the small opening, straight at the sister of carnage. [color=D1c2bf]"Well, Hello there, you must be Alice Parker, correct? I'm Cyrus Brandon, the infinite politician."[/color] Cyrus put up a façade of politeness, but he was less than amused to see another one of these things in the game. And to make things worse, this one just had to be a little weirder than the rest. Alice Parker, one hell of an enigma. Cyrus couldn't fathom why this thing existed, but he was going to find out one way or another. [b]”Hello Cyrus.”[/b] The single red eye of the carnage sister seemed to blink into existence, or at least opened up. There was enough light coming through that the politician could make out some of the robot's head. Her construction looked a lot more rugged than the other carnage sisters. Also, because Cyrus was a bit more knowledgeable about the tragedy, he could tell she wasn't modeled after Junko. Her curtained black hair was more like Junko's sister Mukuro. [b]”You survived the trial, I'm happy.”[/b] She placed a hand on the edge of the door. [b]”Who was the blackened, if I may ask?”[/b] [color=D1c2bf]The blackened?"[/color] Cyrus repeated. [color=D1c2bf]"The blackened was Erin Steele... you knew him as Shaun Ellen."[/color] Cyrus explained. [color=D1c2bf]"The wallet you found was also his. It was... very incriminating. I guess we, as a group, do owe you thanks for giving it to us."[/color] [b]”Ohhhhh”[/b] The eye looked at the floor. [b]”That is a shame. I had wanted to talk to him more. But I suppose it can't be helped, he died for a good cause.”[/b] He observed the new carnage sister, and was intrigued by the observation that she seemed to be modeled after Junko's twin sister. He could only wonder why. However, he wasn't here to ponder that right now. Instead, he didn't hesitate to go immediatetely to questioning. [color=D1c2bf]"So, Miss Parker. If I am not mistaken. I was told that this vault opens more every time a blackened is executed? That's... a very odd condition for release. Why did Davis lock you up like that?"[/color] Before Parker got a chance to answer, he added something to his question. [color=D1c2bf]"And, well, what do you intend to do if you actually get out? [/color] [b]”I do not know why the door functions like that, only that it does.”[/b] she laughed like a wraith. [b]”As for what I'm going to do once the door opens, do you even have to ask? I'm going to end the infinite killing game.”[/b] Cyrus wanted to respond to that. How? Why? But before he could do any of that, he was distracted by the sound of the study's door suddenly opening behind him. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/oCiKgIL.gif[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/IIbr2Lj.gif[/img][/center] There was a groan coming from the doorway. [color=82a327]“Ewww, this place is so creepy. Totally something you’d like, bestie~”[/color] The ventriloquist peered from the doorway of the library and towards the politician. [color=82a327]“Hnnnnng, the hottie is here too~ My day just got infinitely better~”[/color] Elias giggled without a care in the world while Braden approached the vault, somewhat hesitantly. Next to Braden, an audible facepalm can be heard from Alice, as she turned to Elias with her usual unamused look. [Color=red]"Ya think?"[/color] The recon sarcastically asked the puppet, before turning to Cyrus. [Color=red]"Suprised to see you here, Mr. Brandon. Curiosity got the best of you?"[/color] [color=D1c2bf]"Caution."[/color] Cyrus responded. [color=D1c2bf]"Unlike some fools, who just accept the existence of every aberration and move on with their business. I'd actually like to know what we're dealing with."[/color] His response was fierce, but he had little regard for how the infinite recon had handled Alice Parker's existence. How could someone with her credentials forego a proper threat assessment? This he would never understand. Perhaps someone in the infinity initiative had been sleeping when they scouted her. He greeted the ventriloquist with a silent gesture, not entirely sure how to respond to him and his puppets. At the very least he was putting up a good performance.[color=D1c2bf]"So, you were saying..."[/color] He turned back to the carnage sister. [color=D1c2bf]"When this door opens, how exactly will you end this killing game?"[/color] [b]”I'm actually not sure.”[/b] The robot seemed to stand up. It's single glowing eye was high above everyone's head. [b]”I suppose I'm going to destroy everything. That might mean killing every patient, it might mean destroying all my sisters...”[/b]The robot pressed it's head against the opening. [b]”But once I step outside this vault, everything will end. The infinite killing game will start to end.”[/b] Letting Elias gawk at the politician with heart eyes, Braden used Erica to question the newest carnage sister. [color=82a327]“Wait, you gonna kill us as well? So we either die to another patient, or by a tin can? God this game is stupid, and whoever created you is stupid too!”[/color] The puppet harrumphed, her arms crossing against her chest before falling limp once more. [color=82a327]“Why can’t you just rip open this door anyway? Don’t you useless scraps of metal have that super strength bullshit to rip open the door?”[/color] Erica later asked. [Color=red]"Too heavy perhaps, but that's not important."[/color] Alice answered, walking closer to the vault. [Color=red]"I'm giving you a chance, even if Cyrus thinks I shouldn't. So if you end up trying to kill the other patients here, so help me, I'll send you to the hell the lady you were named after went to."[/color] The recon explained to Parker, gritting her teeth. The robot tipped it's head. [b]”There seems to be a misunderstanding.”[/b] Parker whispered before looking at Masson. [b]”I'm simply stating that I will do everything in my power to shut down what's going on here. I would kill Davis himself if that is what is required. All I know is that the game is over once I am free. That is my role to play.”[/b] The robot laughed again. [b]”But I'm glad you want to survive. Unfortunately I can't feel fear, nor do I feel you are a particularly large threat.”[/b] Parker's eye moved onto Braden. [b]”I'm not sure why you're pretending to be that tiny doll, but I have my own set of rules that prevent me from breaking out of here. Five inches isn't what I need to fit through the door, it's what I need before I am allowed to destroy it. Robots are slaves to the rules, Humans are merely compelled to obey them.”[/b] She retreated back into the darkness for a few seconds and then reemerged. The robot pushed a narrow box through the opening, just a little narrower than the two inches provided. [b]”Thank you for visiting me. This box contains some beta tapes. I saved it for Shaun because he seemed interested in the history of this place. But since he's gone, you can have it.”[/b] Parker pulled herself away from the crack and disappeared into the darkness. Alice sighed as she took the box from Parker and turned to the other two. [Color=red]"I want to trust her, but I also want to keep my word of watching out for others..."[/color] The recon then laughed sadly. [Color=red]"Why do I make promises I can't keep? I'm such an idiot."[/color] Erica harumphed again. [color=82a327]"There is NO way I'm trusting THAT thing. Carnage sisters are fake, you should never trust fakes."[/color] Cyrus shook his head. His expression less than amused. [color=D1c2bf]"I see absolutely no imperative to trust her. As she said, she has no clue how she is going to 'end' this killing game. She is driven by directives unknown to her. You're not trusting her, you're trusting whatever malicious person created her."[/color] Cyrus was happy at least Braden - or his puppet - seemed to agree with him. That said, Cyrus couldn't help but stick up his nose at Masson's last statement. [color=D1c2bf]"Spoken like my colleagues."[/color] He said. [color=D1c2bf]"And the reason none of them have my title."[/color] He then turned his gaze to the box. [color=D1c2bf]"So what are we doing with those? We have no player for them."[/color] [Color=red]"Honestly, I don't know. Maybe we could save these for later?"[/color] Whether or not the recon noticed, Elias seemed to pick up some animosity coming from the politician. It was still hot, but definitely not preferable in this scenario. Were they really trying to show the carnage sister weakness when they were supposed to prove that there was nothing wrong? Braden looked towards the vault with distrust. No matter what Alice said, there was nothing inside him telling him to believe the carnage sister. As far as he was aware: her creator was the reason he was stuck in this place to begin with, and he was not interested in giving his trust away as easily as the violinist liked to. [color=cyan]"I just wanted to tell you about the breakfast down in the dining hall."[/color] It was Ellie's call for breakfast that seemed to break the tension. Elias giggled nervously before his head turned between Cyrus and Alice. [color=82a327]"Alright~ Time to feed my wifey~!"[/color] The puppet finally turned to Cyrus before beckoning him over towards the door, silently asking for the politician to follow after him before disappearing through the doors.