Chapter Text
Niko picks the lightbulb back up and wanders ahead, leading them to what you recall to be the gas-vented areas. They carefully navigate the small path, expecting you to accompany them. You do.
"So..." They pause, scanning the area. "Where do we go?" They turn to face you.
You gesture off towards the big factory building in the distance. "Presumably where we went the first time around. Do you still have the other things for the... rust solution?" At least you remember that part.
"Of course! But... don't we need a mask to get through the gas vents?" Ah. You'd forgotten about the whole 'gas is toxic here' part. This would be harder than you imagined. Craning your neck, you barely get a view of the safe containing the gas mask... singular, you think. It doesn't matter, as it is just as closed and locked as it should be.
"Yeah." You put a hand to your face in thought, cautious of the billowing smoke ahead but nevertheless forging ahead. "Do you remember the code for the safe?"
"Yes..? Well... uh... no..." Niko stutters. "D-do you?"
You wrack your brain for the code, but you're in an oddly lethargic state. You don't think you'd remember it even if you were all there. "No, not really." By then, the two of you are standing directly in front of the gas vents, the air already thick with smoke. Even a short inhale makes you instinctively clear your throat. You take a few steps back into a less dense area, and Niko quickly follows.
Squinting into the fog, you blow out a sigh. "We're not going to make it over there easily. Niko, can you breathe through your scarf?" You throw your shirt over your nose. No, it won't protect you - but do you see another option?
"Yeah... there." Niko looks up at you with their scarf smoothed out over their nose.
This... might not be a great idea, but the gas zone isn't too long, right? And there's only one way you know how to progress. "Okay, good. Hold still." You swoop up Niko, who is surprisingly light, and begin carrying them like a football. Your feet carry you through the thick smoke, only narrowly avoiding giant gas vents as they enter your view. You can't hear Niko's protests (if any) over the constant KSSSSSHH of the vents, but you can see their eyes looking at you, visibly distressed.
Your shirt falls down your face and lands back on your chest, but you have no arms to fix it. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot the old factory - the dormitories are left from here, right? You keep running.
Your body begs for air, and you instinctively take a breath. What a horrible idea, you think, your lungs now coated with a painful feeling. You cough, finding your legs slowing down. The smoke is getting less and less dense. You're so close...
At last, you're out of the vents, taking a vastly relieving breath of fresh air. You drop down a knee and put Niko down next to you. They immediately unwrap their face, inspecting you with great concern. You're feeling intensely drowsy all of a sudden. Without hesitation, you stumble towards a circle of smooth rocks. Maybe, if you take a quick nap, all the little pains will numb... but somebody is shaking you. You flip on your side.
It's Niko. "H-hey, are you okay?" A quiet urgency in their voice, yet you still close your eyes. "Are you... alright..?" You feel...
[Welcome back. Are you going to let me finish this time?]