[Envy is a homunculus on a mission. He's gotten separated from France in all the confusion of nighttime monster attacks, and he can't even find the stupid door with his color sigil on it. But he's seen other people who've found their missing Pokemon behind those doors, and he'll tear the whole castle down to find his own if he has to.]

[He almost walks right by the closet where Heather's trapped, and would have if he didn't hear her cursing. He stops mid-step, and turns to the broken-as-hell door, banging on it a few times.]

Heather? Is that you in there?

Working on it!

[He tries just pulling the door...but nope, definitely jammed. So he takes one of the knives he got from the kitchen and works it in between the door and the frame to see if that will loosen it any. He's trying to work fast; he doesn't want any monsters sneaking up on him while he's doing this. COME ON, DOOR.]

How'd you even get trapped in there?

[There's a quiet snort.] You're telling me.

[C'mon c'mon...the knife is helping, and he yanks on the door again. This time, it stutteringly scrapes open an inch or two before stopping, caught on the floor. But now he can use his fireplace poker to get in there and start levering.]

Help me push, I think it's just about ready to give.

[Good thing! Because as suddenly as the door crashes open, and with Heather falling out after it does, he completely loses his balance, falling down backwards.]

AUGH--oof!

[WHY HELLO HEATHER. But why does all this being trapped and bursting out of closets and falling all over each other feel so familiar? Oh wait, that's right.]

...we really need to stop getting stuck in closets.

[He takes her hand readily, pulling himself to his feet.]

If it happens again, then it'll be a habit. [He gives her a quick grin. It's more strained than his normal one, but with all that's going on that's to be expected.] But I have to say, it's nice getting to be the one doing the rescuing, this time.

[A low, raspy growl sounds from farther down, in the dark where the source can't be seen. And the one growl is shortly joined by others. Envy tenses, tightening his grip on the fire poker.]

You have a weapon?

A few.

[And by that he means he hasn't been counting. But it's been more than just a few. He's keeping his eyes on the shadows in front of them; he's wary, but there's also something anticipatory about his posture and expression. He wants to kill every monster in this place, and it's easier when they come to him.]

[There's a howl, and the creatures charge forward. Envy sees them as something like chimeras from his world, in this case a mix of reptile and dog and porcupine. He swings the poker to connect with the head of one of them, knocking it on its side.]

Shit!

[There's not many worse places to be than right in the middle of two approaching monster swarms with nowhere to go. The new set of approaching feet could be other people, but he doesn't want to take chances guessing.]

[Envy backs up closer to one of the walls, covered with an unraveling, decaying tapestry...and when his elbow knocks into it, it makes a hollow, wooden thump. Not at all like what it should sound like if it was solid stone like the rest of the wall. He turns, trying to yank at the tapestry.]

Help me with this thing!

Maybe!

[The monsters that were behind them sound like they're gaining every second. But with the two of them both pulling on the tapestry, it finally tears loose. And behind it, the wall is indeed made of wood instead of stone...and it's the right size and shape to be a door. And there's give when Envy shoves against it, like it's some kind of Scooby Doo rotating door panel.]

Should we just hope it isn't a closet?

[But no matter what it is, those monsters are getting closer.]

[The doorway finally gives way, swinging open. Envy doesn't bother trying to peer into the dark space beyond it before hurrying in. Once they're both inside, he shoves the door back into place behind them. Soon after, there's scratching and growling from the monsters outside.]

...you don't have a candle or anything, do you?

[And...they're not in a closet! Thank goodness. Instead, it's some kind of hallway, with a corner up ahead.]

Yeah, much better.

[The shadows seem alive enough in this place without candle flickering making it worse. Envy leans back against one of the walls, running a hand back through his hair in frustration.]

But this whole castle can go straight to hell.

[He nods, starting to walk down the hall. He's sticking close to her though; she's the one with the light.]

Right. Hey, maybe we've found the bad guy's secret hideout and can get this whole thing over with.

[Pausing at that corner to check around it before continuing, but it's just more of the same narrow, rickety hallway beyond that.]

[Without a flashlight of his own, Envy just looks wherever she shines hers. Two sets of eyes are better than one, even if they're looking in the same places.]

I guess not.

[He thinks more on what might be hidden in a place like this. Last time he found a secret passage, the only thing at the end of it was a spooky patio and nothing else. Hopefully this will be different.]

...Have you gotten inside any of those glowing doors, yet?

I wonder if we got enough people, we could just knock them down...I thought these things on our hands might do something, but mine didn't help with the ones I tried.

[They weren't the same color, but he hadn't been able to find a pink one anywhere.]

[Although they have found the end of the secret passage, which comes to an abrupt dead end ahead of them.]

Oh, fantastic.

[GONNA KILL WHOEVER BUILT THIS CASTLE. GONNA MURDER THEM RIGHT IN THE FACE.]

[Envy grits his teeth and scowls. Hell if they're going to walk all the way back and get eaten by monsters. Because with their luck lately, those monsters would still be waiting for them. But maybe...he goes up to the dead end, giving it a solid kick with the flat of his foot. It budges, just a little.]

I think it's the same kind of door that was at the other end. Here, help me out.

[And again, with two people, the door starts moving. Thank goodness there's not a puzzle, right?]

It stopped being amusing as soon as we got here.

We'd better find something good back here.

[Like, say, the pink sigil door, which is conveniently right across the hall from where the secret passage lets out.]

[Have you been picking up every random item you see, Heather? You never know when you might need tongs.]

[Envy slips out after her; it's a good thing they're both so small. He looks up when she mentions the door, and immediately holds up his hand to look at it.]

[Yep. Matching color.]

Finally. I was starting to think mine was a color that didn't match any doors just to screw with me.

[He nods, and moves to the door. He's cautious as he reaches out to try the door, in case it zaps him or something grabs his arm, because you never know in this ridiculous place. But no, all that happens is the mark on the back of his hand changing color when he touches it, and a click as the door unlocks. He pulls it open quickly before it can decide to close again.]

Guess this one's not brok--

[And behind the door is the Fairy Bedroom. And wow does it not look like the rest of the castle, except for being so overgrown. But even if it is cutesy, it's unsettling in a way...Envy hangs back, not entirely sure he wants to go in. Might be a trap.]

The fuck is all this fairy princess stuff doing in this place?

[When she steps in and the vines all over the room don't all come to life and attack, Envy follows her. Very quickly. WHO WAS UNNERVED? NOT HIM, NOSSIR.]

[He'd never admit it, at least. But in spite of him putting on a totally calm face, there's an edge of tension under it. Stupid, creepy room.]

[He pokes around at all the trinkets on the shelves, looking for anything useful.]

There's got to be something in here, with all the trouble it took.

You might be right.

[Envy picks up a few things on the shelves, turning them over in his hands and puts them back down in frustration at how completely useless they are. He's got a big chunk of smoky crystal in his hand when he turns towards her to ask if she's found something, and when he goes to set it down without looking...misses the shelf.]

[The crystal falls and smashes against the floor with a loud shattering sound and a puff of almost glittery dust. Envy freezes for a second, then sighs.]

Well, it's not like it was useful anyway.

[A shadow rises up from a dark corner of the room, looming into angry existence.]

[It seems to be wearing a ragged tutu.]