Charles Patricius

Theories about the System were potentially a dime a dozen. If five people had to see that readout, Yugi imagined there would be no less than a hundred ideas within minutes. Contrary to Miko's assertion based on a previous horror movie night, however, Yugi had envisioned something just slightly less sinister... at least in the short term. He didn't respond to her curiosity right away. No, a kiss was occupying his time instead. Only when they were done, with a tongue recently retracted from his mouth, did Yugi think it worthwhile to speak. "Yeah, more of that... in just a bit. As for my thoughts... whatever's in charge of this System needs us ─ us specifically. We're the only useful people to it, so we play its game. Joke's on that motherfucker~" Yugi said, finding it laughable that some unknown entity would put him in a game of any sort.

Meanwhile, Sosuke was sighing at the door. Miko couldn't have made it more obvious what was happening within that room. Worse yet, those slapping, squelching noises hadn't stopped, as Yugi never even slowed his hips. None could be more familiar with her non-answers than he, bar perhaps the woman who commented on nudity and the aftereffects of him seeing it in Miko. "Hardly the point, dear. I'd like to know why this was a good idea, here, now... today of all days," he griped, pinching the bridge of his nose. At that same time, Yugi was leaning toward Miko again. "That's a good question. Why was this a good idea?" he asked first. As for their apparent hardcore cooperative 'playthrough' of whatever caliber, he didn't doubt Miko's reliability. Besides, even having to carry someone through the game of life was nothing new to the lad. What was new, though? The Prime Minister's movement from that office at long last, presently having him near the bottom of the stairs. Something was amiss here, and he... would be inspecting it directly. "I'm choosing to not worry about the double death condition now. If this is like a game, there has to be some sort of respawn mechanic. I'll keep thinking about it," Yugi said as if there were no other issues present.

The System they were now connected to was something which should give many different options and theories based on the people observing them. Still, there was something sinister in Miko's mind and something less sinister in the masked boy's mind at least for the immediate future. Still the first thing he did was agree to more kissing to be done at a later time. After that came the idea that the system needed them. Whatever the needs of the administrator they were an integral part. "Alright, it's us. Dropping anyone with your kind of brain into a game does indeed seem flawed. And even I can work out certain things as long as I have enough information... and time," Miko murmured her own thoughts. Regardless of all else, the pair of them would indeed be something very troublesome eventually but for now there was less to worry about.

At the same time, Risa was leaned against the door frame watching those little shows of frustration from her husband and smiling happily. He wanted to know why this was happening now and she could only assume it was the folly of youth and two equally horny, odd teens making friends in one of the most direct ways possible. "Who knows? She probably doesn't really. You know how she is~" Risa stated earnestly. If there is anything her daughter was, it was rash. She wasn't necessarily impulsive but if her buttons were pushed enough the girl blew up in a way that was sometimes crazy to witness. As for the question asked, Miko heard it twice. "I mean... I didn't know it would get this far. I kind of just committed to being brave, and we were honestly playing a game at first. But I don't like being challenged and after starting I didn't want to stop. This was the outcome, other stuff became irrelevant. Admittedly this is partly your fault, Omen-kun," Miko chided as she talked herself through her own actions. Beyond that there was the issue of dying and not thinking about it... "Okay, older us problem as well..." Miko said willing to set that aside, but as she felt more of a build up again, she was hearing properly again. "Your dad is on the move too... and if I'm being honest that worries me," she mentioned to the masked boy. Her own parents weren't something she worried about their reactions were normal, measured... but the Prime Minister was an unknown and not something she had an idea of how to deal with... there was something odd about him, and she really didn't like the idea of his approach.

"Hmph. You don't even know the half of it," the masked boy said about being dropped into a game. That would surely come up later, when more information about him was inevitably revealed to the person he was now bound to. Before that came up, however, there was the matter of Miko's good idea of the day: having a sexual encounter with the boy she'd only just met. Of course, he couldn't hate the idea either. She offered a lot of explanatory clauses about what landed her in this situation, but he didn't seem bothered by any of it. In the end, she even gave him part of the blame. "Hmm... no idea what you're talking about~" he stated. A few moments later, though... Miko mentioned his father. If he was moving, even after a long wait for the meeting with Sosuke, it just didn't make sense. The Prime Minister, Akagami Kuroaki, was not a man who lost patience. He would have sat there for several hours just to let the meeting continue. Indeed, there was cause for concern... and Yugi couldn't figure out what it was. That was the case, until...

[Warning: External anomaly detected.]
[Threat level: ∎∎∎∎∎ (Undefined)]
[Defense protocols unavailable.]
[Directive: Immediate evacuation required.]
[Escape. This instance cannot be resisted.]

That alert was delivered through the System, and Yugi's eyes widened. Even his hips finally stopped moving in that moment, as both of their concerns were given proper cause. "Current us problem. Hide and seek just got an upgrade," he said with urgency. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister was encroaching upon Sosuke and Risa, a smile beneath the white moustache of an aged face. "What do we have here, Iino-kun? Does that rambunctious son of mine have your darling daughter in a pinch? If you'll allow me, the boy does often require disciplining. His mother is too soft on him."

Miko apparently didn't know the half of the issue of putting someone like the masked boy into a game. She figured such information would come eventually, after all... he knew her secrets life would only truly be fair if she knew his too. "Uh-huh... we have to come back to that later too~" Miko affirmed. Well, she fully intended to be a reliable person to this particular lad. They'd basically bonded officially by the rites of whatever the system was... she wouldn't leave him to be alone to any aspects of this life. Much the same she'd be taking a few liberties when including him, including while explaining why the here and now were part of this, "Nope. You no longer have plausible deniability here, sir." Miko stated firmly. Of course, there was something uniquely playful to how she spoke, there was nothing to be done about their present situation. Except for the approach of the Prime Minister something that even the masked boy took notice of... and so did that system. Finally the lad slowed to a halt, but only because of what was coming. Moreover the system sent them a series of messages.

"That's not good. Not good at all. Don't like confirmation that my unease has foundations. Why does the System see him as a threat?!" she scrambled in hushed whispers. They were being told to escape, and that it wasn't an option. "This is not my idea of a good limited time event," Miko uttered quickly. She began slipping away, even though for reasons she didn't understand she really didn't want to still. "Alright, we go, but do we just push past him and flee from the front door? Or do we stall and hop out the window?" she wondered directly. Her mind went to planning if she managed a proper separation, she'd be trying to get dressed. Grabbing a backpack, dumping the contents of her recently filled snack box, grabbing her wallet and a few essential before aiming to slip into clothes. "Really don't come in here, I'm trying to get dressed..." Miko asserted for her parents mostly. No one wanted to be seen naked in their own bedroom by relative strangers and since they'd been whispering and planning an escape she definitely wanted as much time to prepare as possible. Beyond that she heard the words spoken by the Prime Minister and they set off alarm bells in her head. Something about those words seemed more threatening than they should and they weren't even aimed at her.

"Prime Minister?" Sosuke said with an upward inflection. That man had little reason to be upstairs in his house. Perhaps he, too, heard all those ridiculous and obviously sexual noises. What he couldn't allow, however, was that man's entrance to Miko's room. "I'm sure things are fine. Just a couple of children being friendly and... bothersome, I'll say," he claimed. Kuroaki's smile had gone nowhere as he looked to the brunette. "Iino-kun. My son is presently inside your daughter. I'm fully aware of this, and it is not something I will allow without proper reprimand," he insisted. Sosuke sighed again. "Be that as it may, this room is not to be entered unless Mimi allows it. We very much value our daughter's privacy," Sosuke stated firmly. Kuroaki didn't seem too bothered by that claim... but one couldn't say he liked it. "Is that so? Well, I'm not in the business of arguing with such a great legal mind. Might makes right, and in terms of rules and law... you are the mightier one among us, Iino-kun. I should be taking a different approach if I ever wish to be the victor between us. . ."

While that exchange took place outside, the teens were indirectly granted some extra time within. There was no room for hesitation, though. Yugi allowed Miko's freedom and sought his own, exiting her folds and rolling off the bed to collect his own articles. Deviant as he was, he also kept Miko's panties and tights while dressing himself. "I'm not here to wonder why the System sees anything as a threat. When magic computer screen says threat imminent, there's only one thing to do!" he argued. His mind raced, seeking a potential exit strategy. There had to be something. Going through the window was dangerous and obvious, but if there was such a mighty threat being issued... going through the door would be suicide. Actually... suicide. "... Trust me," was all he had time to say. Pants, shirt, mask all equipped, the lad placed a foot against the windowsill and pulled it open. In doing so, he extended a hand to Miko with every intention of... throwing himself out and dragging her with him.

Risa was an observer while the Prime Minister and her husband chatted away about the children. She was content to give them time, but she was able to hear the scrambling taking place. One might have thought they were actually just getting dressed but that wasn't all that was going on in there. At the same time, Miko was able to hear her father's defense of her and it made her a bit sad to be leaving in the moment. 'Gomennasai Papa. You're being really cool right now♪~' Miko mentally congratulated her father while packing a quick bag with mostly snacks and preparing to leave. Once again, she slipped into that dress but didn't manage to gather anything else. According to Yugi it wasn't for them to question the System registering a threat, they simply had to act against it.

And then there was something. In a moment... a second even there was a choice. they were on the second floor and they didn't have many options. Miko fully recognized this, but with just that little dress on, and her special pair of panties, she had nothing else to show for her day but that bag full of snacks and whatever cash and essentials were packed into her bag. By the time the masked boy was extending his hand to her, and asking if she trusted him she could only feel her heart beating way too hard. "Absolutely♪~" Miko chimed as she took his hand. If they were both going to be chucked out of the window, whatever the lad had planned she'd go along with. She was small, worst case scenario she'd break a leg or something so long as she didn't manage to land directly on her head all should be okay. Still, if there was one thing she had it was faith, enough that this lad wouldn't just throw their lives away without a good reason. She didn't know why she felt that way, but it seemed to be the truth to her, she wouldn't believe in someone who didn't deserve it.

Miko reached out to accept the lad's outstretched hand. In doing so, she acknowledged her own faith in his decisions. Well... there was no better moment for proving trust, nor was there a better one for proving why said trust was worthwhile. He took the girl's hand and dragged her through the window, pulling her into a firm embrace mid-fall. True, they weren't very high. Broken bones and bruised bodies should be the worst they experienced as such, but... that wasn't Yugi's plan. No, they'd be careening toward the ground head-first. Certain death lay ahead as he ensured they were both in position to have skulls crashing the pavement. One of many moments involving 'eternal instants' would be taking place as the ground drew closer and closer. They'd even have the opportunity to see the pavement mere millimeters from impact... and then...

The Prime Minister appeared at the very same window those teens recently jumped through. Whatever happened with the Iino parents would remain a mystery for some time, but Kuroaki had managed to make his way into Miko's room regardless. He knew the pair took a leap of faith. He expected to look out and see the route by which they traveled... but there was no one in sight when he looked down. They couldn't have escaped that quickly. No, he couldn't even sense that unknown energy they were so recently touched by. Why? Well, a suicide attempt so soon after gaining System access had been Yugi's plan for a reason. Their landing took place in... water. It seemed they were inside a lake in a small field surrounded by forest. Naturally there was no such thing where they were meant to be, but stranger still... it was midnight.

[SPECIAL QUEST — "UNKNOWN HORIZON"]

Quest Type: Special (Unrepeatable)

Description:
You have escaped the preceding threat.
The System has relocated you to a hidden training field.
Regain strength. Endure. Observe.

Objectives:
• Survive until further notice
• Maintain synchronization and health

Reward: Shadow Dungeon Key
Failure: Player death

[Time Limit: None]
[Navigation: Disabled]

The System is monitoring your recovery.

[Accept Quest?] — [YES] / [YES]

A single moment of trust was one which was going to be one of the biggest tests for the pair so far. Why? Well, a single trust fall in this case, wasn't about the landing it was about the extra. Whether his thoughts were correct, and the like. Strangely Miko had all the time in the world as they fell head first from her second story window to consider the options. That fall almost seemed to occur in slow motion as she was embraced and embraced him in return. Even if she'd launched a protest of any sort, the System had claimed if they failed it would be together. Technically speaking this was an all or nothing kind of situation so... this was the best course of action. 'Sou ka... we live together or we die together. Tested to the extreme...' that was what would lead to them not feeling their heads crashing against the ground.

Interestingly enough, there was a wet feeling. If they'd died in slow motion that feeling would have encompassed their whole bodies. Ah, they were in water... She had to move... they had to go up. They weren't dead, and it was dark, but calm. When they'd crest the water, Miko would tread it, keeping her head above water with relative ease with that backpack still attached to her person. She could see their new quest objectives popping up and their apparent completion of things. "Whoa, isekai scenario... And we're alive. Trust well earned♪~" Miko uttered quickly. The sounds of this place were vastly different. The time of day as well was remarkably different to the midday they'd been at when they'd departed the house Miko grew up in. She continued to read the screen while taking in information, it seemed there wasn't an option to reject their special quest but that was fine. A quiet grinding scenario was probably for the best, so they could figure out how the System actually worked.

Just as Yugi theorized, his little suicide leap with Miko did not end in any sort of death. He would have preferred not sinking suddenly into a lake, but beggars couldn't be choosers. No, he had to deal with water slipping right into his lungs and ruining the one pair of clothes he had on hand. Oh well. It wasn't too difficult to surface, only to find Miko in a similar, yet better situation. A fit of wet coughing would take over the lad's first moments at the surface, and then... it was time for gloating. "Ack! Take that... you mystery motherfucker! I win!" he announced to the open sky. In the next moment, however, the masked lad was right back to coughing. "Fuck!"

Coughing and bragging to unknown entities aside, there were observations to make. They certainly weren't in Tokyo, or even Japan. If they were even on Earth, the only explanation would have been the pair of teens teleporting to the western hemisphere. From midday to midnight, they'd shifted. How? Yugi fell silent, floating at surface level as he gazed at the open sky. "Alright, what's the deal... let's see..." he murmured, entering a state of deep thought and observation. "It's not a true isekai. Look," he said, pointing to the night sky. "We can't be on Earth though. There should be a waxing moon out now, and it should be visible throughout the night. No moon. The constellations are the same, but... I don't think these are supposed to be visible this time of year either..." he rambled. "That's weird. Fuck it; still winning bitch!"

Death did not reach Miko and Yugi after they hopped from her second floor window head first. Odd as that was, the girl holding her breath even in faith as they descended, is the only reason she wasn't currently hacking her water-filled lungs out. She had odd instincts, but they usually kept her safe. She'd be reaching for for Yugi, giggling as he bragged on himself to their unknown god. "Ehehe♪~ You sound really pleased... it's nice~" Miko claimed. It was good that her faith was rewarded with a not death. "So did you just all in with your mouth open?" she wondered as she patted his back trying to help him clear his lungs as they floated on the surface. She was also looking up into the night sky, and the sights were ones she recognized but they were also unfamiliar.

Miko would float in the water, listening to the lad thought as he entered his deep thinking moment. He after a few moments of observations and the like, came to the conclusion that this wasn't a true isekai scenario. That things were similar but also different from their understanding. "Well, I'll take your word for it. I don't know the truth f the isekai scenario bu, my ears feel weirder than they do at high altitudes and at low sea levels..." she murmured her own observations. 'I could listen to him talk all day~' she thought and she might just get the chance. "Definitely still winning... I won't argue that... should we get out of here and dry off. I don't know what the temperature is going to be like but wet clothes is a survival no no..." she said willing to cover the basics, while thinking something bad likely happened that simply wasn't at the current front of her mind. Whenever it was decided that they'd move, she'd swim a bit like a frog, keeping her head above water and using her tiny body's motion to propel her towards the shore.