Part 20: anaplAStic

The other option in this situation is to get directly involved with Jasmine instead of E, so we're gonna see what happens if we focus on the person with the knife!

BGM: Accelerated Scuffle


BGM: Abyssal Snarl


Well...I guess that does the job!

It hurt to do this to my friend, but I had no choice. It was either knocking her out, or risking her damaging someone else. Or even herself, even more than a simple knock out! Something in her caused her to go out of her mind.

At last, she dropped the knife on the way down, as she crumpled to the floor in a heap of Jasmine. The weapon was covered with a red, drying bloodbath. I panted heavily, calming down after that altercation. It had drawn a lot out of me just to do this much.



Hah... hahh... This whole business, it's... what even happened...? I don't know... but we have to treat her. We need to bring her back.

Bring... her... back?

She looked at me, strangely bewildered. I spoke about Jasmine, but perhaps she misinterpreted it. I corrected myself, to not give her false hopes.

I mean- we have to restrain J. So that way she won't hurt us...



She clenched her teeth. The sadness in her voice was impossible to mistake. I approached her to console her, but she glared at me.

Don't come closer!

She stood up and hesitated, before grabbing her sister's body and carrying it off. I watched it all happen, unable and unwilling to get in the middle of them. I waited a few minutes, though I knew I didn't have all the time in the world. Jasmine was knocked out, but she'd come awake sooner or later.



Looking around for anything to help me, I noticed that when G carried H's body away, she left something behind. The other twin once carried a map on her, and now it was on the floor. I found it strange that G didn't come back for it, but I wasn't going to complain.

I took it and looked it over. There were the names of every station, and a map of all of them, separately, in a pile. One of them was an infirmary.

Ah! I can use this to keep Jasmine bound, and treat her if needed. Didn't A say that he came back from the infirmary earlier? That means it's solved and vacant!



First, I needed to clean it. I loathed doing this, but I used A's body to do so. I wiped it off with a piece of his clothing.

...Why does it have to be clean if you're planning on disposing of it???



I had a passing thought for G while I was cleaning the knife. She was the only one apart from Jasmine and me who knew what transpired here. And she was on the loose. The twin would definitely be different the next time we met. Once she'd processed everything, it would change her. Something like that could break someone.

Perhaps she was already broken. It was... partially... my fault.

Okay, first order of business done. Now, let's leave the knife somewhere no one will find it.

I put it in my outfit and lifted Jasmine from the ground to carry her down the stairs. I needed to take the train with her to head to the infirmary.



I made sure the twins weren't downstairs before I stepped out of the little lobby.

The train must've passed... I don't know which direction she took. Perhaps she went the same way. That wouldn't be good.

I spoke aloud to organize my thoughts. I needed to find a place where no one would take the knife anymore.

That's it! The rails. No one would cross them for it. Especially if I threw it into the darkness... No one could see it! That's such a good idea.



I couldn't see a thing beyond this room. Perfect. It was pitch black. I threw the knife, which echoed as it landed with loud clanks and then nothing.

It's gone now. No one will make use of it again.

It was as if I spoke to reassure Jasmine, but she was still out cold.



What a mess...

BGM: Silence
I set Jasmine in a seat. She looked like a disarticulated marionette. I made sure to position her in such a way to have the momentum work with her posture.

The train set off. I had to count the stations not to miss my stop, but I also wanted to think about the situation.

So let's make sense of all this fuckery...

I felt like Ray, swearing so much.

We all came back from our stations, except for the twins. Marco, Ray, Jasmine, A, E, and myself were there. Wait, fuck. E was there. I completely forgot about her.

Oops!

I slapped my face. Shit! In the moment, I didn't realize I left her there, since she was so quiet. I'd go back for her later, I thought.

Whatever, right now let's just focus on this. I'm not seeing Marco or Ray anywhere at the moment. That's so weird. They're not on any of these stations, either. It's like they just... vanished.



I ruffled my hair rapidly, making a mess of it. The more I thought about Marco and Ray, the harder my head hurt! It was like reality didn't want me to think about it.

Did I mistakenly see them? Was I hallucinating? Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I shook my head, to clear it all up. Thankfully, the train stopped at the station I wanted to go to. It had stopped a few times prior, but I didn't pay any attention to those, only mentally counted them.

BGM: Ambient Strain


Ugh! I had to get used to this, especially if I needed to carry her upstairs. I needed to be quick, before the train departed again. Finally, I was on the station.

I didn't take too long, before heading to the lobby... And then right up the stairs. One step at a time, I ascended with great effort, but I managed. Panting on the halfway mark, I remained there for several moments before resuming my trek.



Ugh... this would've been easier with someone else, but... that would be kinda hard right now. Our entire group is somewhat dysfunctional. What a mess.

I repeated the words I'd said before taking the train. For some reason, it helped me cope with it.

Okay, what now...?

I got rid of the knife, so I was safe. I wanted answers, but I also wanted her to be alright first, so I could even get those answers. I went to the sink. With some paper towels in hand, I wet the lot and folded it to put on her forehead. At least this would alleviate the pain I caused her by knocking her out.

Nothing to do then but wait.

BGM: Silence


After a while, I remembered what Smiley said, and I quickly fixed my predicament. I attached a post-it note from one of the stacks I found in the infirmary to the doorframes at the bottom. On them was the indication to yell if they would go up, as this place was occupied by two already.

BGM: Ambient Strain
At least this will prevent some kind of shitty tragedy...

While I'd been waiting, I'd investigated the area but I found nothing of use. Jasmine was taking a long time to come back to her senses, so I decided to examine her again. I took her temperature, but everything seemed normal. It was when I pulled my hand away that I noticed something weird.

BGM: Anaphora Solution


Or maybe that was a habit she had when she'd been younger, and she no longer had it, whatever. What I was seeing didn't make sense. I noticed her hair could sort of... fall. With a hand, I curiously reached to the scalp, and pulled.

What... was this...?

I could remove her hair? Underneath was more hair. Did she switch to wearing a wig instead of dyeing it? What was the point of this?

This doesn't make sense. Did you try dyeing your hair another color? What happened after I left you, to attend the University of Montreal? Fucking... knew... I should have stayed...



Underneath her pink wig, her hair was blond-colored. It wasn't brown, it wasn't pink: it was blond. The strands couldn't lie.

What the fuck happened to you, Jasmine...? You dyed your hair... blond?



Something was definitely wrong with this. I backed off and went downstairs to think about it. I'd removed the whole wig, and the hair underneath was... blond. It wasn't long, either. It was kept short. Maybe that was so it could fit under the wing better?

Why is her hair blond...?

Whose hair?

BGM: Agoraphobic Sloth


I jumped back in surprise, as G came out of nowhere. She'd arrived at the station while I'd been upstairs, and she surprised me by coming out from the little dark hallway with a gate.

Uhh... Jasmine's hair is blond. I don't know why. It's not supposed to be blond. Oh- sorry- I was insensitive, are you okay?

Yeah, I'll be fine...

BGM: Advancing Shadows


It's a pretty spacious place here, huh.

Maybe it is... So uhh, what did you do with your twin sister? Did you bring her somewhere?

Kinda.



As soon as I showed any signs of detachment, G shoved me backwards.

Wha-!

BGM: Accelerated Scuffle


I heard those words as my world fell upside down. I fell onto the space between the stations.

Your sister's de- GGHGHHHNN!!

BGM: Silence








_{With this, we have the first half of necessary information to unlock a lock we haven't encountered yet. What it actually was will remain a mystery, for now...}