[Intro – vault door grinding, masks dropping one by one, deep synth bass] [whispered] your rules... hide and seek... rules inscribed in everything... never spoken out loud... [effect: mask hitting the floor] [Verse 1 – the lie catalog, rapid-fire] You lied to me — sold a dream — said I needed to behave Needed to be seen — needed to be number one — the slave Needed to be on a team — needed fame — needed to do well At school before I could amount — heaven or hell While I was whole all along — and I already paid For everything — my chest — all gold — the trade Was rigged from the start — and you knew — the smile Now the masks come off — and I'm counting — the file [effect: papers shuffling, furious] [Verse 2 – the payments, faster] Made me pay the rent for someone else's stupid decisions Made me feel I needed to own them — the imprisonments Made me feel pain like I deserved that — the design Made me feel small — embarrassed — shame — not good enough — the line Till I learned spelling words — without the origin — no etymology All I wanted was the bigger picture — before the jigsaw's apology All I got back was fragments — without even knowing Life was a game where you made up the rules as it's flowing Your rules — hide and seek — subconscious — inscribed Never spoken aloud — my emotions turned against me — bribed [effect: glass cracking] [Hook – anthemic, the disguise chant] NO MORE DISGUISES! (no more!) — the masks hit the floor NO MORE DISGUISES! (no more!) — can't hide anymore ALL GOLD! (all gold!) — the chest was the vault ALL GOLD! (all gold!) — everything you sold me — my fault Was believing — now the face is the face — the truth No more disguises — the mask was the costume — the booth Is empty — the show's done — the actor's off stage No more disguises — I just turned the page [effect: masks shattering, one by one] [Verse 3 – fastest, the mechanics] Taught them only how to obey — for control — the cage Never showed them all the other choices — the stage Was rigged — 'cause you wanted ownership over the soul Tricked me into giving away consent — while I didn't even know Now that's just facts — and I know the truth gets punished Not open for discussion — there are your rules — diminished While the architect stays hidden — yeah — coward's hall I'm on the other side now — immaterial first — I call [effect: doors opening, light] [Verse 4 – the verdict, the landing] The real has already happened — so save all your illusions You became your own illusions — the confusions Are yours now — you're gonna get what already came to you Return to sender — the delivery — overdue No more disguises — not mine, not yours — the end Of hide and seek — the rules — the pretend You made the game — but I stopped playing — the fact The masks are off — and I'm not coming back [effect: footsteps walking away, unhurried] [Final Hook – biggest, full unmasking energy] [Outro – masks silent on the floor, heartbeat, the hum rising] [deadpan spoken, low] The funny thing about disguises... [effect: soft laugh] the face underneath... [effect: pause] was always better looking. [effect: silence] All gold.
