Season 3/ Suzune Gikou - "Counting Sheep" [The Third Trial Projection]

Emily Lewenhock

Kaoru Naito “Uh, yeah, I ’sn’t gonna punch it, if I wanted it t’ go off ’d reach in ’nd find the starter ’nd–”

“Great, good to know.”

Emmy | Akemi “….enjoy your reunions while you can, but be mindful that we are apparently on a time limit. And…given what I know of what happened to land Gikou-chan here…I– would recommend trying not to become too attached to whoever you’re seeing.”

“If you’re right, then I’d think it’s a little late for us there.” Noted, though. Whatever the heck that was implying…

Her mannequin bobbed a bit, tugging on its end of the cuffs.

“You are five entire years old.” Likely not literal considering its height. Regardless, she returned to a decent area for it to pull off a backflip onto an empty spot of the dining table without immediately upsetting anything besides Emily.

“7.5. Didn’t incorporate me into it very well.”

Chula - Suzune

Emily Lewenhock Regardless, she returned to a decent area for it to pull off a backflip onto an empty spot of the dining table without immediately upsetting anything besides Emily.

A fancy mahogany dining table that’s been polished to a beautiful sheen. The table is surrounded by four chairs, with enough room to support an odd little board game in the center that seems to be missing its pieces. Also on top of the table is a blue plate that’s been wrapped in plastic wrap, featuring a delicious-looking home cooked meal in the form of chicken, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. A purple sticky note has been set on the wrap, reading “I love you, make sure to eat well during your busy times.”

Robert McCay

Robert bristles a little at Akemi’s suggestion, even if she’s got a point. “I know, I know, it’s just… thought I’d never see him again, yeah? I’m keepin’ my wits about me…” The mannequin baps his cheek again. “Yes, we can go look at the bomb, love.”

After observing the clock enough to satisfy the mannequin’s curiosity, Robert tries the back porch door again– locked.

“It does look nice out there, doesn’t it? But we need a key… one fer the bomb, too, I guess. Help me look around?”

Having seen everyone inspecting the photographs, he carries the mannequin over there next. Almost all of them are holding keys… Can he take them off the wall? He starts with the man with glasses, the one intact chain.

Chula - Suzune

Robert McCay Can he take them off the wall? He starts with the man with glasses, the one intact chain.

Weirdly, the photo seem to be pretty attached to the wall despite your ability to wiggle them. The chains shake a bit as you wiggle it, though, creating a pleasing jingling sound, almost like sleigh bells.

Emmy | Akemi

Akemi sighs. She expected about that level of dismissal, if these people were truly that important to them. She’d only said as much to save them some small amount of grief down the line, but she can do little more for them at this point.

“That much is apparent. I…simply would not want anyone to suffer needlessly by allowing themselves to believe too much that it is real.”

Arm still linked with that of her mannequin, she approaches the open bathroom door.

Chula - Suzune

Emmy | Akemi Arm still linked with that of her mannequin, she approaches the open bathroom door.

It’s a high-class bathroom that is both clean and tidy, and also highly decorated with items that make it feel a little more at home. Though the countertop is marble, there’s a framed textile art piece on the wall that uses a quilting method, the towels hanging up are plush and a soft green color, whereas the hand towel by the sink features decorative quilting on the end. The storage shelf above the toilet for fresh toilet paper also features some neat knicknacks, like antique wooden dolls in custom outfits and snowglobes featuring various animals in the snow. The thing that gathers the most attention is the frosted mirror placed above the sink, however.

Robert McCay

Chula - Suzune Weirdly, the photo seem to be pretty attached to the wall despite your ability to wiggle them. The chains shake a bit as you wiggle it, though, creating a pleasing jingling sound, almost like sleigh bells.

Robert persists, trying each of the other photos in clockwise order, ending with Suzune in the center. The mannequin starts nudging him again.

“Hm? Yes, I can get ya some water, gimme juuuust a sec…” Maybe this is a red herring, but…

Emily Lewenhock

Might as well check out that board game. While her mannequin plotted out the right front-flip to undo whatever it had wrought to their chains.

Chula - Suzune

Robert McCay Robert persists, trying each of the other photos in clockwise order, ending with Suzune in the center. The mannequin starts nudging him again.

Similar to the glasses man’s portrait, they all wiggle, but none will be removed from the wall!

Kaoru Naito

Remembering the Wardens exist, he swivels to look at them, each with their own mannequin. holy shit.

“Yo, wait, who’re y’all stuck with? I’ll tell you miine if you tell me yers– it’s literally lore!”

He won’t press that too much though. He just needs them to know they’re on his radar.

Then he has his arm tugged by his mannequin as it asks for something, so he walks over to the record player to look around it and see if it can be turned on or anything.

Chula - Suzune

Emily Lewenhock Might as well check out that board game.

The “board game” here, appears to be a 10×10 grid on a raised and thick wooden block. The spaces on the grid are carved to create grooves where something may be placed, but no pieces are placed around the board. Numbers have been written on two of the four margins of the grid, and look as such.

Chula - Suzune

Kaoru Naito Then he has his arm tugged by his mannequin as it asks for something, so he walks over to the record player to look around it and see if it can be turned on or anything.

An antique crank-based record player sits attached to a table with a storage cabinet for organizing records underneath. There appears to be no lock to the cabinet, and the record player itself is in excellent condition and capable of playing records, so long as you put the crank work in to listen. Opening the cabinet underneath the table reveals two records in solid color sleeves: A deep purple sleeve and a mauve sleeve.

Emmy | Akemi

Akemi’s mannequin tilts its head at the mirror, then looks at Akemi as if asking her a question. Akemi tenses a little, growing somewhat frustrated by the continued interruptions– then again, that is likely the point, to some degree. She turns toward her mannequin and gives it a look over, reaching out as if to fix some stray hair.

“Your make-up looks just fine, Gikou-chan.”

Then she turns her attention to the frosted mirror.

Chula - Suzune

Emmy | Akemi Then she turns her attention to the frosted mirror.

The mirror itself features frosted edges that almost gradient into a clear reflective glass in the center, style with a still clear function. Though the reflection… Well… You don’t see yourself. You see an exhausted Suzune, with heavy bags under her eyes, mirroring your posture and actions wearing a perpetual frown. Attached to your handcuff is a large blur, you’re unable to make out who that is.

Kaoru Naito

Oh sick, he will look at the records inside the sleeves and see if he can tell any difference between them?

Chula - Suzune

Kaoru Naito Oh sick, he will look at the records inside the sleeves and see if he can tell any difference between them?

The records themselves within the sleeves are unlabeled and look ordinary, but perhaps they could be played?

Kaoru Naito

Perhaps so! The bias that’s obvious from looking at his head makes him play the dark purple one first.

Robert McCay

With a sigh, Robert leaves the photographs for now and fetches some water from the kitchen for his beloved. It’s a little crowded in here though– he’s gonna snoop around the bedroom doors while Kaoru puts on some mood music or whatever’s going on there.

Chula - Suzune

Kaoru Naito The bias that’s obvious from looking at his head makes him play the dark purple one first.

You turn the crank on the record player after sliding the purple record onto the wheel. Surprisingly, the crank takes quite some muscle to turn, giving the user a real workout to play it.

This record begins with the sound of a babbling toddler, and evolves into rudimentary words of a young boy. Soon enough, more complex thoughts begin. Thoughts seem to be separated by gaps, as the voice grows older and older over time, deepening from a young boy’s voice to a deeper, but nervous adult man.

“Suzune-tan, want to try my crayons?”

“Suzune… Look…! A birdie.”

“Akiraaaa…. Stop bullying me..!! Suzune’s right there!!”

“Oh, what a relief… Mama said we get to go to the same school with the same teacher!”

“Do you want to do homework together? I can help you with the math part.”

“Mmm… you know, if you’re struggling a bit, I could try tutoring you?”

“I don’t know how you don’t… get tired of Akira and Noboru. They’re so… loud. And I guess I have to live with them? It’s kind of exhausting.”

“Wait… really? You’re… giving this to me? But… Sewing machines are expensive, and it was your birthday gift– Ah… I… I couldn’t possibly..! … I guess.. If you’re really ok with it… Want to try to make something now?”

“I made this for you to wear, um… If you want to try it. I know you have a hangout with some friends later, but… I think it would look… cute on you.”

“… I… I can’t. I can’t put up with school anymore, it’s so… So loud a-and… I can’t… handle the way people look at me… I’m a fucking freak, Suzune, and everyone knows it. I’m just…. Tired.”

“I… alright, since you keep asking. I’ve been… trying to not bother you about it, but.. It’s… started getting physical. And I… don’t… want to go back. I’ll just finish schooling at home… ok? Oh! But… ! Please, you can still… come to visit, if you need help with schoolwork or… want to try some new clothes?”

“Wow, yeah. They… really did it. Both of them, getting scouted for sports right out of high school. It’ll be easier on mom and dad for tuition. Do you think they can get into the big soccer leagues? .. It’d be nice if they made it onto teams close to home.”

“Suzune, I… Wow. Did we… really just kiss? Is that… um.. Can I do that again? Please?”

“You know, we got that offer from this new idol group for my clothes and I… I was kind of wondering if maybe you wanted to make this sort of like a joint thing? For both of us. I don’t know… broadcast stuff seems to make you a bit… unhappy, sometimes.”

“.. Is… there a camera? Is this a prank show? … I-I… I’m at a loss for words, of course I’ll marry you!”

“Alright, I… I know you really want an outdoor wedding. I’ve been… trying to steel myself to go outside for the first time in years, and… I think I can do it. So let’s… together… try to go somewhere? … Nearby please.”

“I do.”

“A–Auuaa… Already? We’ve only been married for a few months? C-Can we… really manage a kid? This young? This early in the company’s operation?”

“… You know, Suzune. I’m… sure I’m a pain to deal with sometimes, but… You mean so much to me. And I think… I’m at my calmest and happiest with you and Hazuki. So… thanks for being there.”

“Oh, Otsuka-san? Yeah… she can um. Stay. for a while. I’ll just… try to stay out of her way.”

“… Listen, Suzune, I… trust your decision, for what you think is right, so… I’ll follow what you choose.”

Chula - Suzune

Robert McCay he’s gonna snoop around the bedroom doors while Kaoru puts on some mood music or whatever’s going on there.

As you approach the doors, you get the strong feeling that you should not open them. These are bedrooms, you know that. As you approach what you know to be the master bedroom you hear a soft, low rumble of a snore. Just loud enough to qualify as a snore, but surprisingly quiet enough to be calming white noise rather than irritating. Another bedroom features soft, high-pitched breathing, and the occasional babble of a sleeping baby. The third bedroom, which you know to be the guest room, is silent. You can’t bring yourself to enter any of them. You can’t bring yourself to disturb the spaces.

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