Cooro - 20th feather [video/trap]
[Flickering light illuminates the room, now cleared of all furniture save for one chair upon which is restrained a familiar child. A cold, almost mechanical voice can be heard.]
'Which do you choose; life or death?'
" ... I ... w-what?"
'It's simple. Life or death?'
"Why are you saying that?"
'Don't know you know answer?'
[The boy struggles, pulling against what ties him down, but it isn't rope that restrains him. It's wire. The thin metal digs into skin, drawing blood from his arms and neck. In a panic, he flares out dark wings.]
'Now now. No cheating.'
[There were wire coils just waiting. They catch his wings and hold them tight, trails of bright red staining midnight black.]
"Why are you doing this?!"
'Just answer the question.'
"What question?!"
'Do you want to live?'
"Yes!"
'Really?'
[The silence, punctured only by harsh panting breath, seems to last forever.]
'What is it that you really want?'
" ... I ... I want to go home."
'You know that's not allowed.'
"But it's true. I answered the question. So let me go!"
'Answer it properly. Life or death?'
"I wanna go home!"
[There is an audible scraping of metal on wood, accompanied by a series of clicks and a quick gasp of pain as the wires tighten. They don't stay that way long, just long enough to make a point. Then they go slack again, and so does the boy. Crimson blood drips onto the floor with a faint sound.]
'Tell the truth now. Life or death ... fight or surrender ... stay here and hope or end it all ... which one do you want?'
" ... I ... don't know ... "
[There's another click. It's the sound of something sliding into place and locking. The wire is a little tighter than it was before.]
'Decide.'
"I can't."
'You have to. Or I will decide for you.'
'Which do you choose; life or death?'
" ... I ... w-what?"
'It's simple. Life or death?'
"Why are you saying that?"
'Don't know you know answer?'
[The boy struggles, pulling against what ties him down, but it isn't rope that restrains him. It's wire. The thin metal digs into skin, drawing blood from his arms and neck. In a panic, he flares out dark wings.]
'Now now. No cheating.'
[There were wire coils just waiting. They catch his wings and hold them tight, trails of bright red staining midnight black.]
"Why are you doing this?!"
'Just answer the question.'
"What question?!"
'Do you want to live?'
"Yes!"
'Really?'
[The silence, punctured only by harsh panting breath, seems to last forever.]
'What is it that you really want?'
" ... I ... I want to go home."
'You know that's not allowed.'
"But it's true. I answered the question. So let me go!"
'Answer it properly. Life or death?'
"I wanna go home!"
[There is an audible scraping of metal on wood, accompanied by a series of clicks and a quick gasp of pain as the wires tighten. They don't stay that way long, just long enough to make a point. Then they go slack again, and so does the boy. Crimson blood drips onto the floor with a faint sound.]
'Tell the truth now. Life or death ... fight or surrender ... stay here and hope or end it all ... which one do you want?'
" ... I ... don't know ... "
[There's another click. It's the sound of something sliding into place and locking. The wire is a little tighter than it was before.]
'Decide.'
"I can't."
'You have to. Or I will decide for you.'