Petal 6 - Video

[onceaweiss]

[The video comes on to show Aya and Umi sitting back to back. Wrapped around them are wires meant to look like rose vines with long thorns. Along the vines are red and white roses. Both are already bleeding. Aya is the first to stir and look around. His eyes narrow as he glances back to see Umi.] Umi. You need to wake up.

Wha...? Ouch. Eh

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[soulofocean]

[It'd happened again... She'd almost allowed herself to forget the last time it'd happened. This once it was even more horrible. What it involved...

Shaking her head, Umi tried to hold back the rage and anguish that the sole idea of what the City had done... what the curse itself had just suggested she should do... No, it was far too much! She gritted her teeth as both the loss of blood and anger made her feel dizzy. She'd NEVER let it end in that way! What she'd promised Ken burned inside her mind. She wouldn't let herself get killed here, and least of all lose Aya to this...!

Still turned to face him, she did her best to gather her determination and hold his stare without seeming faint.]

So much for magic, then... [She bit her lip at the thought.] Dammit! This place... It really thought of EVERYTHING...

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[onceaweiss]

It would have.

[Umi was losing more blood than he was due to her smaller size. He had to get them out before she lost too much. Forcing himself to clear his head, he looked at the trap carefully.]

Do you have a lock on your side?

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[soulofocean]

...Ehh? [For the first time Umi broke eye-contact with Aya (even if she was almost afraid to do so) to have a look at the trap wrapped around them. She grimaced.] ...Roses... What sort of sick mind-?!

[Then her eyes widened.] Yeah! ...Here, among the petals of this one!

[Impulsively she turned to Aya again, and immediately regretted it as the thorns were driven deeper into her side.] ...Damn! ...D-do you have one too?

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[onceaweiss]

[That movement drove the thorns deeper into him as well and he winced.]

Try not to move so much, Umi. Just stay calm. [Then he nodded.] Yes. I have a lock too.

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[soulofocean]

[Umi noticed, and automatically sat still. This was thought in a manner that was meant to do just that, wasn't it? Making them hurt each other.

It was hard to clear her mind off the rage at the thought, but Aya was right. They needed a to think as calmly as possible to figure this one out.]

I'm sorry... Okay, so... that's a start, right?! How do we get these open? Keys... Are there keys??

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[onceaweiss]

Stop yelling, Umi. You'll bleed out faster if you don't keep your heart calmed down.

[Looking around, he searched for keys. They had to be around there...somewhere. Hopefully within reach since that was the best chance they had of getting out.]

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[soulofocean]

[Breathing deep, she closed her eyes for just a moment, to calm herself down as best she could. Aya was right, she couldn't afford to panic or let anger get the best of her. Not when both their lives depended on how fast they solved that trap.]

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[soulofocean]

Fine... They have to be around somewhere... If I can't freeze the stupid locks and... break them... There have to be damn keys.

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[onceaweiss]

...

[He fell silent for awhile. He knew what it would mean but....]

You could try freezing the locks again.

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[soulofocean]

...But you just felt what happened!

[Umi's voice let on that she'd have none of that. She'd never heard Aya outright scream from pain. It was nothing she felt ready to endure once more. She couldn't even begin to imagine how strong that jolt must have been.]

This thing's... set up so that my magic hurts you, isn't it? ...I'm NOT doing that to you.

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[onceaweiss]

Umi...if we freeze the locks, we can get out faster. I can endure the pain for that.

[Nevermind the fact that he was, you know, already bleeding out and stuff.]

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[soulofocean]

I don't care what you can endure. I'm NOT doing that to you! Don't ask me--!

[She pauses to hold her breath. True, hurting is better than dying. And her promise to Ken binds her above all things. But NO. She simply can't go that way.]

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[soulofocean]

Aya, if do it like that... [Her voice gains a new strength.] ...we'll be playing this nasty game. Hurting each other. We'll get out... but not like that.

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[onceaweiss]

[He had to smile to himself because she couldn't see his face anyways.]

You're right. I'm sorry I asked.

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[soulofocean]

Wh-? Don't apologize! How can you...? [Yes, she even has the spirit to lecture him in times like this.]

You just want us out of here! And we WILL get out. Together.

[She glares at the lock.] Somehow.

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[onceaweiss]

Then what we should do is find the keys.

[And he looked around again until he thought he saw...]

I think I see mine...