With the path clear to the serving room and Milly's photo-trick still unattended, the dumb-waiter elevator is left open - with a side-panel pried out. Hooked to the exposed wiring, a small box-shaped item hangs out with a single blue button on it, labeled "recall." Like belonging to "Mantis" as part of her escape - it seems she planned to go back up a floor instead of down. Shiori didn't have the time to interrogate Mantis on what her objective was or her escape route, but she didn't have much of a choice. She pushed the button to see what exactly was awaiting her.

With a short jolt through the bypassed circuit, the dumb-waiter climbed back to the upper level, proving just big enough to accommodate Shiori in spite of her sizable gut. Inside her belly, Kellie was the first to realize there was a steady sound from beyond their prison, gripping Sarah a bit tighter to get her attention; “I… I think that’s… machinery.”

Sarah held her breath as she tried to place the sound, but it was too muffled by the stomach walls and the sounds of her captor’s heart to make out properly. “Damn it, where are you taking us?!” she squirmed, trying again to get their captor’s attention. “What the hell do you want?!”

After a few more moments, the dumb-waiter reached it’s destination, stopping with a light chink of metal on metal as it’s gate slid open. What lay beyond was, as the first maid Lisa had mentioned, a private bedroom - and a rather lavish one at that. Ivory-blue tiling and spacious periwinkle-colored walls with a white dresser and mirrors on the wall ahead, lining a matching wardrobe on one side and a closed door on the other - a door with steam emerging from below, most likely it was a bathroom in use. To the left were two more doors - one of which was closed, the other one open to reveal a sizable and well-stocked closet.

To the right, a large circular bed sat with it’s headboard against the wall, a bit too big for any one person - but perfect for any predators to lay their bellies digest a large meal, implying this room’s guest was one such individual. Further supporting this is the empty serving cart from the kitchen area where Shiroi first entered - the lid now uncovered to reveal an empty plate large enough to fit a human. Next to that was a small case, opened and empty aside from a few stray bits of equipment - interchangeable vision-lenses, a combat knife, two flashbang grenades; Mantis’ toolkit it seemed, confirming she came from this room. On the wall the elevator was set into, another box-transceiver was hooked into the controls - this one with a dial allowing one to set the desired floor; likely how “Mantis” ordered it to stop on the floor below instead of it going back to the kitchen.

Since this was the guest floor, Shiori assumed there was going to be heavier security outside. It would be odd if a strange girl with an obvious large belly walked out of here. Instead she decides to make her way into the closet and hide herself there until the guest comes out of the shower. The guest-room’s closet was rather spacious, enough to comfortably fit even Shiroi’s belly at its current size - more evidence the room was meant to house predators. Adding to this was the many large gowns and dresses inside, many tailor made for predators with large bellies. She closed the door behind her but just left it cracked open enough to peek inside the room.

The room’s occupant soon emerged from the bathroom half-clothed as she’d heard the elevator as opposed to finishing her bath. She was perhaps a little older than Shiroi, fair skinned and roughly 5’10’’ in height. She was clad only in pink undergarments and black leggings - likely in the process of undressing for her bath. Her off-brown hair fell halfway down her shoulders, blue eyes shifting lazily around the room. Her posture was idle and relaxed - despite the large belly hanging off her frame, rumbling lightly as her apparent prey continued to struggle.

The young woman, presumably Emma, burped lightly and rubbed her stomach, looking around the room with a playful smile at first - though it soon became a look of confusion when she saw the dumbwaiter elevator. “Dahlia?” she calls out a name - “Mantis’” real name, most likely - as she glances about.

“Emma, I’m right here.” Shiori said mimicking Mantis - or rather Dahlia’s voice. She took a gamble here in order to pry for information, specifically on escape routes.

Emma’s head turns toward the closet in mild surprise, though it quickly wears off upon recognizing the voice. “Dahlia? Did you already start changing?” A smile graced her lips as she sauntered over to the closet door. “Silly girl, I told you before - you don’t need to go so quickly. Nobody on mom’s payroll would leave her behind.” She nudges up against the doorframe, pressing her weight against it teasingly and tapping against it with her hand. “Besides, I’ve just drawn a bath and I wouldn’t mind the company - plus, it does wonders for digestion.” She rubbed her own bulging belly at the thought, electing another bout of struggles from within.

The conversation also had an effect on the pair inside Shiori’s belly, the voice of her stepsister causing Sarah to freeze in shock. “I-is that… your sister?” Kellie asked meekly, unsure what was happening - her position in the stomach left her pressed up closer to Shiroi’s insides, the assassin’s heartbeat hampering her ability to hear properly. Sarah on the other hand was against the other side… and the casual way her sister spoke of their digestion had left her stunned and confused.

“Does Emma know we’re in here?” Sarah thought. “If she does… they why is…?”

Art by MrMetroid107
Story and characters belong to me.

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