NPC Code: Red Riding Hood

"You don\'t….trust them?" Match asked, while staring into my eyes. "We\'ve fought a lot of battles together….We defeated bad guys, monsters, and animals...We even ate together. Why did you betray them?"

"Those two people are players, Match. They do what they want without losing anything. And when they do those things, who do you think would be affected the most? Not them, but us, non-player characters or NPCs! We are just nothing to those players and game developers. Nobody would care if we die, because we are not real! THEY MADE US….IF THEY DIDN\'T MAKE US, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE IN THIS WORLD!"

Match fell silent when she heard my explanation. That girl\'s eyes remained glued into mine, while watching my reactions. It was as if this little girl waited for me to take those words back and apologise to her. 

However, I couldn\'t. Match needed to know the truth, which she probably should have had an idea with.

"Once this game ends, those players will kill us all. They think of this world as just a game and nothing else. Even Okami and Ryoshi would think of that, since they\'re no different from the others!" I raised my voice and told Match everything buried inside of me. "Ryoshi was the one who killed Clementine. And until now, I want to exact my revenge on that boy. I want to kill him with my own hands, Match. Sorry, but that\'s how I feel."

It was no doubt that these players thought of this world as their extension of entertainment. I even met those players before this death game happened. They did not mind dying in the hands of their fellow players or the monsters found in the wild. 

Ryoshi was also the one who took away Clementine\'s life. My sister would have lived around a few more years if Ryoshi had not pulled the string from his bow. 

"But you used them so the two of us can escape….Our system told us that if these people die in the game, they would die in real life….Are you okay killing those people? I thought you taught me not to kill anyone?" Match cried, and wept a river of tears. "I know what its like to lose someone you love….But you have me…I thought we\'re just going to tell the game developers that they\'re just bad people! I thought we\'re doing this to make a better world for other NPCs….I don\'t want this to happen to anyone else!"

"Match, Ryoshi killed Clementine...I had to kill him too. That guy is a murderer. And Okami\'s his friend."

"Then you\'re like them. You became a murderer after accepting that offer from Alice."

After Match said those words, my entire body froze. I couldn\'t return Match\'s gaze even if I tried, since my body felt the shame even before my mind. I couldn\'t think of anything else besides those words Match told me.

I couldn\'t retort, since everything Match said all aligned themselves in their perfect places. After accepting that offer from Alice, I killed those two players who protected us throughout this journey. 

I could\'ve done something else and forgave those two players. But instead of accepting those good intentions, my pride never gave in.

"I\'m sorry, Match. I had to kill them. We need these four obelisks to complete the game….And I don\'t plan on only shouting some words at the game developers," I whispered, while gazing at the ground. "If I could turn back time, I would have done this again. I used Okami and Ryoshi as our pawns to escape. They\'re both useless to me now, since we finally escaped Alice\'s citadel. And I\'d rather lose them, not you"

I said those words with confidence while meeting Match\'s eyes. The meaning behind that phrase was enough to tell Match that I would do anything for her sake. 

However, even though I mentioned that, I still cared for the lives of those two players. I even mentioned Alice to spare them if I accepted her offer. The problem pointed at me, since I trusted the words of a puppet and a devil. 

If only I knew this would happen, I could\'ve done something about it. But that situation called for an immediate reaction. If the four of us continued battling against Alice, we would have died before we could reach those minutes.

After a few seconds, Match finally confronted me and shouted, "So If I become useless, will you throw me away too?"

I blinked a thousand times as soon as I heard Match\'s sentences. I couldn\'t believe the words that my ears heard while talking to Match. But the girl had a point when Match mentioned that claim. However, it was not what she had thought it would be.

I shook my head and exclaimed, "No! No, No, No, Match! You got it all wrong! I used Okami and Ryoshi to escape that place! They\'re players, and not non-player characters like us! And I would never abandon you, even if you can\'t help me with this mission!"

"But how can I tell if you won\'t do that again? You just did it ten minutes ago! How can I believe your words when you just did the complete opposite of it, Red!" Match yelled, while letting her tears fall on her face. "I trust you, Red...But you….You lost it….You killed them."

"I won\'t do it on you! I will do it on someone else!"

"I\'m sorry, Red….I, I can\'t trust you anymore."

Upon saying those words, Match dashed straight towards the forest. It was currently night time, which made it arduous for me to see in this woodland. We were also occupying the spaces of Wonderland, a site that none of us knew about. 

"MATCH! COME BACK! I\'M SORRY! I WAS WRONG!" I shouted, but my voice never reached her ears.

Even if it did, Match might have covered her ears with her hands. After listening to my explanation, that girl won\'t hear any words coming from my mouth. 

The sounds coming from the forest also warded my echoing voice. As I continued running onwards, an army of puppets greeted my eyes. These marionettes were familiar images I saw when we first arrived on this island.

But even after facing these puppets, I never stopped and continued sprinting towards the forest. Fortunately, those puppets did not cast any spells even after seeing my figure. It was as if these marionettes had no interest in stopping me from getting to Match.

I did not mind those puppets and ran as my little legs could. My body wiggled from exhaustion, but my eyes kept looking in front of me. With all the last strength left inside my muscles, I charged everywhere trying to look for Match.

It took me a few minutes before collapsing on the ground, with my face kissing the soil. My eyes turned swollen as I buried my face on the ground. I did not want anyone else to see me cry, anyone but Match.

"I need you, Match...Come back….I need you...I\'m sorry. I should\'ve not killed them! I should\'ve listened to your words. I regret what I did! You were right, and I was wrong! MATCH! PLEASE GIVE ME A SECOND CHANCE!" 

But alas, my voice croaked before I could shout everything. The cold floor touched my fingers and slowly covered my body. 

If I could guess it right, Match might have already exited this place out of frustration. Who wouldn\'t after hearing all those words I said before regretting my actions.

I punched the ground and vented my distorted emotions on the ground. The terrain did nothing to piss me off, but my eyes narrowed down and told otherwise.

"STUPID RED! YOU STUPID PIECE OF SHIT! WHAT HAVE I DONE! WHY AM I LIKE THIS! THE ONLY GIRL WHO BELIEVED IN ME, TRUSTED ME, AND ACCOMPANIED ME THROUGHOUT MY PAIN…. I LOSE ALL HER AFTER TELLING ONE LIE!!!" I shouted, while glaring at my front.

The trees entered my view, with blaring sounds of thunder growling in the distance. After a few moments, the thunder clouds finally made their way above me. And when they growled for the third time, the heavy bathed my unclean body.

"That\'s right….Those game developers were the ones behind this….I will kill them….I\'ve started this death game, and I will end it with my own hands! I\'m sorry, Match….But I think this is for the better. It\'s better if you\'re not part of my plan, since I don\'t want you to die with me. I will exchange my life to kill the creators behind this game and stop this madness once and for all!" 

Despite my speech, I resigned my body on this icy ground with the rainpour behind me. But before I could close my eyes, a figure walked towards me. A hooded man that I recognized well addressed my idling body.

"Red, we have met again."