GALANT'S POV

There was something different in everyone's personality yesterday. The motive Sam had given us seemed to work; the group's idea of whether we should try and escape or not is split.

Sammy was the only sign of hope we've had so far—not including the garage door. To think that maybe, just maybe we'd be able to find a time to break out through the garage area.

Even with that in my mind, I can't help but remember the note Sam had given me:

"Galant has never stayed loyal to anyone, choosing to only respect his father's teachings and betray any potential friends."

If that was read out to everyone...who knows who'll trust me? Even I didn't know that about myself. Is this amnesia such a bad thing after all?

If I was untrustworthy and ignorant, wouldn't it be better to have that stay forgotten?

Whatever, I couldn't think about that now. No matter what happens, I have to keep going. Not only do I want to survive, but I also want everyone else to survive with me. To be able to do that I have to be as efficient and careful as possible.

I'm going to try and be a leader; someone reliable and trustworthy.

First...I need to get out of bed.

With hazy eyes, I managed to take a glance around my room. Next to me—covered in pillows and blankets—was Vince. He seemed to be used to warmer climates, and it didn't help that our rooms were air-conditioned without our control.

Trying not to wake him up, I controlled my steps to silently move across the room and through the main door. After closing it behind me, I was greeted by a low and smooth voice.

"Good morning, Galant." Leon greeted me while nodding his head at me.

"Morning..." I slightly waved.

"I hope you had an amazing sleep." The jackal grinned. Looks like he was finally catching onto my sarcasm.

"Yes, I did." I offered him a small laugh as he proudly chuckled.

The Lucario crossed his arms and glanced around the room.

"Sam said our motives were going to be revealed today." He muttered. "I don't think anyone is happy about that."

"Yeah, from what I could tell, everyone was affected by what they read." I scratched the back of my head in shame. "If things were to be revealed, it could change everything."

"It could also cause a murder." The jackal warned. "People are more likely to assume than try and reason."

"My main issue is we have no recollection of what the writing says." I shook my head, my eyes locking onto the Lucario's. "For all we know, we could be good people that were kidnapped into this mansion."

"But no matter what happened or who we were, we still are stuck here." He huffed. "We're forced to follow instructions until the time is right."

I nodded in affirmation before pausing.

"Wait...you didn't say 'we are'..." I narrowed my eyes at him with a small smile.

"I've been learning some things." Leon couldn't hide his smile from my remark.

"Indeed you have." I teased before my comment was acknowledged with a small pair of laughter.

Suddenly, a door swung open.

"Laughter?" Zantai chuckled. "I almost thought I wasn't here."

Behind him came Sherwood with a groggy expression. He chose to just wave at us and disappear into the kitchen.

"It's best to make light out of the worst situations." I shrugged in response. "It could be our only way out of this despair."

After Zantai and Sherwood's door closed, another door opened.

"Good m-morning everyone..." Aubra's soft voice uttered.

"Good morning, Aubra." Leon waved his paw to catch her attention. "You're awake quite early."

The Absol could only nod in response. "I just...couldn't really uhm...sleep after r-reading that note."

"I understand." The jackal mirrored her nod.

"We gon' fuck around and get our notes revealed today, huh?" Zantai groaned. "That sucks."

Another door behind him swung open.

The moment the group witnessed Inu they were prepared for another loud morning...but all she did was calmly step forward and sit on a chair.

"Morning." Zantai lifted his head to greet the Infernape.

She could only slightly wave at him. Did the letter hurt her that badly? It affected everyone...but to have Inu completely silent whenever she couldn't stop talking in the first few days?

"You good?" The Blaziken tilted his head in confusion.

"Yeah...just not feeling good." Inu muttered, her eyes never meeting the other fire type's.

"Ah...all good, girl. Take your time." Zantai reassured and glanced at the new door that had just opened.

"Everyone ready?" A very spiritually empowered Loki marched through her door. "No matter what is in those cards, I will not think less of any of you!"

"Unless it's awful..." Grace mumbled from behind the Zoroark.

"Nope! Sure, everyone has done terrible things in their past, but we all have amnesia, right?" The black fox crossed her arms with a confident grin. "That means we're not the same people we used to be."

"That's a nice way of looking at it." Leon nodded.

"Woah...you didn't say 'that is'..." The Zoroark paused.

"You noticed too?" I chuckled at Loki, earning a nod from her. "He's learned a couple of things."

Before Loki could comment further on Leon's vocabulary changing, another door slammed open.

A silent Vanta stomped through the doorway, a similar Rayne following suit.

"Uhh..." Sherwood peeked through the kitchen doorway—seemingly after hearing the door slam. "Good mornin' to you guys too."

"Let's just get this over with." Vanta groaned. "If we all wake up and rush through this it won't hurt as bad."

"How's that gonna work?" Loki questioned.

"The trick would be to not pay attention." Rayne replied for the Umbreon. "Sam's acts of despair are easily avoidable if we just ignore her. Nothing she does is exactly physical."

Vanta nodded immediately after Rayne finished her thoughts. "This is the best way to avoid being affected by this, Rayne and I thought about it overnight."

"That could work, but everyone has to participate in your plan." Leon mentioned.

Two doors simultaneously swung open after his words.

"Fuck this shit, man." Vince muttered under his breath, slamming the door behind him and leaning against the wall.

From the other door came out both Luster and Lancer.

"Everyone good?" Luster questioned the group.

"A bit worked up but it could be worse." I answered, earning a small nod from the feline.

Lancer was quiet, too. It looks like the letter took a toll on him as well. Arceus, this is so cruel.

"Although, didn't Sam say that she would show us all the motives in the morning?" Luster mentioned.

"Don't we all have to be awake for that?" Vanta turned to the Luxray, who shook his head.

"No, last time she called us all to gather in the living room." The large feline corrected, causing the Umbreon to scoff.

"So wait, why isn't she here then?" The dark type's scarlet red eyes scrolled around the room. "Hello? Sam?"

"Don't fuckin' call her, ya cunt!" Vince spat. "Then she'll know she's late."

"Well, it's better now than later!" Vanta argued.

I felt a paw placed calmly against my shoulder, leaving me to realize I had spaced out listening to the group bicker about things.

"Would you like to patrol the area?" Leon offered.

"Patrol?" I questioned, causing the jackal to nod.

"Yes, I patrol the area every morning just to make sure everything is okay."

"Oh, alright." I accepted.

We both made our way out of the living room to stroll through the long hallways of the mansion. No matter how many times I walk through these places, I feel as if it's a brand new area. Not only am I not used to it, but it's so vast. How could anyone get adjusted to this?

"You know, I felt something really off last night." Leon frowned.

"Didn't everyone?"

"No, but it was different. Someone had malice in their heart."

"What?" I turned to gaze at the jackal. His eyes were closed as we walked forward.

"They no longer have those emotions, so I cannot identify them. However, in the middle of the night, I felt it...very faintly."

"Leon, this could be really important. We have to tell everyone about it." I uttered, causing the jackal to shake his head.

"If said person figures out I know about it...I could be a target." Leon heaved a stressed sigh. "For all I know, it could be you."

My next words were reeled back into my thoughts. He was right, if he reveals that information to the group it would remind everyone that Leon can sense emotions.

"I get it..." I huffed. "Thanks for trusting me, then."

Leon offered me a small smile as we stepped into the garage hallway. "I never once felt any threat from you."

I'm glad...not that I had any other plans, but it's good to hear it from someone.

As we stepped further through the hallway the air around us shifted. A pit in my stomach seemed to form the moment Leon and I took a whiff of the putrid smell inside the room.

"What the hell is that smell?" I coughed out.

"Huh..?" Leon muttered out. The jackal seemed to sharply inhale and freeze completely, causing me to glare at whatever he was looking at.

...and it was enough to halt my body in shock entirely.

In front of us was the most despair-inducing sight possible...