House of Horrors: Isle of the Damned
Prelude 1
Welcome to the Island of Nightmares
Location: Grand Library (1st Floor)
Time: 6:23PM
Date: ?
xxx
"Why do you insist on bothering him so much? It's clear to me that he doesn't wish to speak about this." Sonia said, sounding rather annoyed. Alejandra remained silent for a moment, glancing away from the Ultimate Angel.
"I understand, it's clear that he doesn't wish to share this with me. However, we might gleam something useful from his previous endeavors on this island. It may be callous, but it has to be done. You're the only one that can get this out of him." the young woman said. Sonia frowned, her eyes focusing on the doors that lead into the Grand Library.
"I cannot...he's been through a lot, lost so many. He cares about Shiro and Mackenzie, despite what they've become. I doubt he wants to speak about that, even to me. Have you perhaps tried speaking with them instead?"
"Speaking with those two is nigh impossible. It's clear that they've changed far too much. Makes me wonder what they were like before all of this." Alejandra said, tapping her chin with a finger.
Sonia sighed, feeling her wings stretching slightly behind her back. Alejandra did have a point, she had been out of the world for awhile. She didn't know exactly what was going to happen, so it would be best to be prepared. She hadn't been present when it happened, but she knew already, one of the victims had been attacked by the creatures that ran rampant through the island. She needed to know, what horrors lied in that forest. She nodded to herself, glancing at her fellow Ultimate.
"Alright...I shall take your request. However, I am only going to share with you the things that will pertain to this island. Nothing personal, is that understood?"
"Yes of course! Remember, the more graphic the better!" the young woman replied. Sonia rolled her eyes, slowly entering the Grand Library.
Saino glanced up briefly from her book, a look of annoyance on her face. She said nothing as she returned to her reading, scanning the room, she found Daisuke sitting beside one of the windows. He was holding a worn looking tome in his hands. She vaguely remembered it, back in Hope's Peak, she wouldn't see the boy go a day without it. She smiled slightly, at the fond memories she had of the academy. Before everything went to hell. She slowly made her way towards him, he didn't even stir when she stood before him.
"Good evening Sonia. I wasn't expecting you to come here of all places." the young man said softly, his eyes pouring over the pages he was reading.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked curiously. He looked up from his book, brow quirked.
"It's not hard for me to notice that angelic glow. Not to mention your wings rustle a bit when you walk." he said. She flushed brightly, glancing away from him. She cleared her throat, adopting a poised look, one she hadn't taken in quite awhile.
"I do hope I'm not bothering you. Um...I have something I'd like to ask you...if you wouldn't mind that is."
"She put you up to this didn't she?" the Storyteller asked, causing the Angel to stiffen.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Alejandra, she got you to ask me about the last game didn't she? That one is quite persistent. Give her a pen and she takes the well."
"I'm sorry...I'll take my leave." Sonia said, giving the young man a bow. He grabbed a hold of her hand as she turned around, causing her to stop.
"I never said I wouldn't tell you. I've been meaning too...but I haven't found the time, nor the ones I truly trust. There's so many that blame Shiro and Mackenzie for what's happening. That isn't the case, they're victims, his victims. It's a damn shame he died before I was able to get my revenge."
"Daisuke...I know a lot of things have happened but...stewing in those emotions isn't healthy. Perhaps it's time you let them go." Sonia advised, giving him a small smile. He sighed, glancing out the window, gesturing for her to sit beside him.
"Fine, I'll take your advice. I'm not going to talk because Alejandra put you up to it, but because I've been swallowing this for awhile."
"Are you sure you want to talk about this?" Sonia asked. She briefly glanced toward Saino, who despite reading her book, had a look of interest on her face.
"I'm gonna have to talk about it, especially with how things are currently going. Despite everything being written in this book, its words are lost to the winds. They don't carry the same charm when read by someone else."
"Now that's just you being pompous."
"Is it though? You seemed to love that story I wrote about the Dark Devas back in the day." Daisuke said, giving the former princess a smirk. She flushed, glancing away from him.
"I like hamsters, is that a crime?"
"Not really. Regardless, I suppose I should start at the beginning. You can consider this a prequel of sorts, especially if our current game is the third in the series." the young man said, suddenly becoming serious. The frown on his face deepened a bit as he glanced out the window, noticing the oncoming storm. He was silently hoping it wasn't Cthulhu again.
"Daisuke, are you alright?"
"Mhmm...it's just...I'm being forced to remember her."
"Her? Oh...you mean Hiyoko? You two were engaged, before this happened correct?" she asked.
"Yeah...I didn't think Junko would get her mitts on her. She changed her into something so sick and vile. I knew Hiyoko could get on everyone's nerves, especially mine. But...forcing those kids into a Killing Game? Using that game to warp the mind of an innocent child? I hate to say it, but she deserved what she got."
"Sweetheart, maybe you shouldn't."
"No, I think he should."
"Saino...sorry, are we bothering you?" Daisuke asked, his eyes scanning the Ultimate Dragon, who had decided to join them. It was rare for her to do this, but she was curious about what the young man had gone through, despite her being present for it all.
"You aren't...it's as Sonia said, these things need to be shared. I locked the door, so that no one bothers us. Would you like some tea? It'll help you relax."
"That would be lovely, thanks Sai."
"No problem, Royal Milk Tea happens to be a favorite of mine as well." she said, leaving to prepare their drinks. Daisuke took a deep breath, grabbing a hold of his worn looking tome, flipping to what looked like the middle. He pulled out a silver colored piece of foil, placing it in the middle of the book. Sonia eyed it curiously, but said nothing as she focused her attention on the Storyteller.
"It's been hell to keep this damn thing bound. Erika used to help me, but...heavens, I don't know if she's even alive."
"She is...I'm sure she is." the Angel said, giving him a reassuring smile.
"You're right, no way in hell Snowflake would let her die. Regardless, I suppose it's time to begin our little tale."
xxx
Location: Hora Beach (Southern Hora Island)
Time: 3:30PM
Date: August 1st 2020
xxx
Daisuke's eyes slowly opened, and he sat up, finding himself on what looked like a beach. He shook his head a bit, finding a bit of sand lodged in his hair. He quickly shook it, as he forced himself to stand up. He didn't know how he had gotten to that island...he remembered, Hope's Peak Academy opening, and deciding to head there when everything went black. Just how long had it been? He moved his arms a bit, feeling as if they hadn't been used in a long time. He felt a presence behind him, and quickly turned around, reaching for his katana, only to find it was missing.
"So, we meet again, Mr. Del Rio." the voice of the Ultimate Biologist said, making the young man growl.
"Jibo Momota...I thought you were in space?"
"I was...but I returned to Earth. I had a little project I needed to take care of...do you remember that offer I made you?" the man asked. Daisuke narrowed his eyes, a memory flashing through his mind. He was heading toward Hope's Peak, and intercepted by an odd looking man. He had made him another offer, to join the AUP. He refused again, and that's when it all went black. He growled angrily.
"So...you brought me here against my will?"
"You were refusing. I didn't bring you here because I wanted too, I brought you here because I was asked too. That little dove of yours turned into quite the mastermind...she's no longer with us. Her body must be floating somewhere in space." he said. Daisuke looked up at the sky, seeing it was an odd mixture of red and blue, almost purple, as if Despair was raging against Hope, and slowly being trampled by it.
"She killed herself didn't she?"
"That's right...betrayed by her own son. The boy took a lot after Enoshima, it was her egg after all...I had a relatively feisty sperm cell given to me for the fertilization. I'm certain you know where it came from." the man said with a sneer. Daisuke spat on the ground, glaring at the man.
"What do you want? Why bring me here?" he asked.
"Oh, my reasoning is simple. Some of my...experiments, are running wild on this island. Alongside them, are others like you. You already had an interesting talent, so I just gave you something else. It should start coming in soon, but you now possess several modifications. I wish to see how these modifications help you in a survival situation. Simply put, you'll be in your own little killing game."
"What?" the young man asked, his voice becoming rough and angry.
"That's right...I was going to let someone else explain it to you...but what can I say? You've piqued my interest. More than the other subjects at the very least. Just know that you cannot leave this island...if you try to...well you'll be torn apart by a particularly nasty creature. Now, if you wish to make it to tomorrow, I would hurry along. The creatures on this island become a lot more dangerous at night." the man said, turning away from the young man, taking his leave. Daisuke wanted nothing more than to destroy the man, to kill him where he stood...but that wouldn't solve anything. Not when he was trapped on his island, and turned into who knows what.
"I'm getting out of here...and when I do, I am going to destroy you Jibo...I promise you. I will kill you with my own hands." he said softly.
The Ultimate Storyteller glanced over his shoulder, hearing the waves slowly slamming into the shore. The water was a dark inky blue, nothing like the crystalline waters he was used to seeing. He half wondered if what Jibo had said had been true. He however didn't want to find out. He glanced back to where Jibo had been, seeing the man had practically vanished. He was on an unknown island, without a map and without a means to defend himself. He looked at his hand, clenching it into a fist. He felt a bit stronger, he didn't know what it was but it was as if he had been working out for a long time. As if he could lift hundreds of pounds without a single ounce of strain. The young man frowned, glancing at the sky.
"Does that mean he made you real? Is that even possible? Heh...if he's capable of creating clones, I wouldn't call it impossible. This island...it must be crawling with them, innocent victims turned into abominations by him. I should get to safety, if any modicum of safety even exists."
He started walking toward the forest. The trees were a sickly brown color, the bark looking as if it was on the verge of death. Some of the branches lacked leaves, while others were a dark green. There was nothing tropical about these trees. In fact, he didn't spot a single palm tree on this island. He jumped onto a small ledge, seeing the path that cut straight into the woods. He shivered a bit, the canopy was so thick only a few blades of sunlight actually made it through.
"I can't believe this is happening. Well...maybe I hoped for too much, I was so focused on what I was doing that I wasn't paying attention." he thought to himself. He continued walking slowly through the woods, the hooing of owls could be heard, echoing through the forest.
He didn't know why, but he felt like he was being watched. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end. After all of the things he had seen in the world, Daisuke didn't exactly get scared. But he didn't know why he was starting to feel fear. He didn't know the full scale of what Jibo Momota could accomplish, but he didn't want to find out. He took a few more steps forward, spotting something not far from where he stood. Hanging from a tree, was a messenger bag. Not any bag, his bag. He started running toward it, grabbing a hold of the strap, sighing with relief.
"Gracias a Dios, you're still with me." he said softly, as he took the bag into his arms. He slung it over his shoulder, pulling the zipper open, taking a look inside.
His precious tome, the one that contained all of his stories. He pulled the worn looking book from within, turning to the first page. He saw a picture of his family. His mother Maria, a beautiful woman who had always encouraged him to be the best writer he could. She had been his rock for most of his life. Always wishing him luck, and congratulating him when he did well. When he had gotten his acceptance letter for Hope's Peak Academy, she had started crying. She was proud that her son was accepted in the world renowned "Academy of Hope". Who knew that a short time later, that very academy would be turned into a battlefield. A battlefield for an Ultimate Death Match, one that he was glad he wasn't a part of. He shook his head, trying not to remember those moments.
His little sister Erika was in the picture as well, a brilliant smile on her face. Sitting beside her was her best friend, her Siberian Husky, Snowflake. The dog was playfully licking the girl's face, the cause of her smile. Daisuke stood next to his mother, his arm wrapped around her waist. He had a grin on his face...he had remembered the day this picture had been taken. It was the day he had received his award for New York Times Best Seller, for his book titled Distrust. This was the only picture he had of his family. They had scattered to the wind, the moment the world had ended. He placed his hand over it, taking a deep breath before closing the book.
"I'll find you...I know you guys are alive, I can feel it in my heart." he mumbled. He stuffed the book in his bag, feeling something else inside it. He pulled out a small brown pack, the letters MRE printed on it. It came with a small note, along with a flint lock and what looked like a map.
He quickly opened the map, trying to see if he could find out where he was. He looked over it, frowning a bit. Hora Island was written at the top in what looked like crayon. The map itself showed the entirety of Hora Island. It was perhaps a couple hundred square miles across, with what looked like miles of forest. One thing that stood out about this map, was the fact that three fourths of it was shaded in black. The only thing that was on his map was the beach behind him, and miles of thick forest, aptly named "The Dark Woods." there was a path that lead to what looked like a settlement. However, he didn't know what kind of settlement it was, or what he would find there. He swallowed hard, folding the map and stuffing it in his bag.
"Looks like there's only one path. Where that leads, who knows? I guess I have nothing to do but walk forward." he thought to himself. He glanced back toward the beach, seeing the dark waters that kept him prisoner on the island.
He walked forward, knowing there was nothing to go back too. He needed to find a clearing and make a camp. One thing stuck in his mind however, Jibo had said there were others like him. Not only that, but there were experiments lose on the island. He didn't want to be outside, not when he didn't know what horrible abominations could be laying in wait. While he wasn't particularly worried, he was terrified of what could be out there. After everything that had happened, the killing games he had witnessed, and the friends he had lost, he just wanted everything to end.
He heard something snap next to him, causing him to jump slightly. He glanced through the woods, straining his sight a bit. The canopy didn't let a lot of light come though so it was nearly impossible to see anything. He reached into his bag, looking around for a flashlight, or something. However, all he found was a flint lock, which wouldn't help him at the moment. He bit his lip, curiosity getting the better of him. He walked off the beaten path, walking through the woods. As he did, he found a thick branch, that had fallen from one of the trees. He didn't think it would make a good weapon, but it would do. Grabbing it from the ground, he brushed some of the dirt and mud off of it, holding it tightly in his hand.
"Well Daisuke old boy, guess this is it. You are on an island you don't know, with nothing to defend yourself with. There are monsters out in the woods, you have no light and will most likely get eaten. What a shitty way to go, I bet that bitch is laughing her ass off right about now." he thought, as he made his way through the thick tree line. As he walked, he noticed an orange glow cutting through the trees. He could smell burning wood, a fire! There was someone else nearby. He quickened his pace, almost running at a full sprint. He stumbled over a broken branch, falling into a clearing.
"Oh...dammit." he mumbled, groaning in pain.
"AAAHHH! A monster!" a female voice cried. He looked up, about to say something when he felt something strike the top of his head. He blacked out a second later.
xxx
".ey...re yo...kay?"
Daisuke groaned slightly, his eyes slowly opening. His vision cleared a bit, showing him a bit of his surroundings. He was facing straight up, being on his back. He could see nothing but thick foliage above him. He felt someone beside him, and slowly turned his head, eyes focusing on the young woman that was kneeling beside him.
She had long light pink locks, with streaks of aquamarine flowing through it. Her hair fell freely down to her waist, and she wore a large white bow on the back of her head. He noticed her face, she bore a worried expression on her face. She had soft looking skin, and brilliant aquamarine eyes. She had lightly tanned skin, her cheeks being covered by what looked like scales. He noticed she was clutching her hands tightly, and he could see the light pink fins growing from her wrists, the edges shining in a glimmering gold. Her dainty fingers were topped with sharp looking manicured pink nails. He also noticed the webbing between her fingers.
One thing was clear for Daisuke, whoever this young woman was, she wasn't human. Not anymore at least. He slowly sat up, clutching his head as he backed away from the girl, hitting a log behind him. He figured she had been using it as a seat or something. She backed away, a fearful look on her face.
"You aren't going to kill me are you?"
"Huh? What? No why would I kill you?" the young man asked, clutching his head. He felt a bump on the side of it, which was still a bit tender. The girl sat down on the grass, a sheepish smile on her face. She scratched her cheek with a finger.
"Um well...I kinda hit you with a frying pan."
"Ay carajo. That's why my head hurts so goddamn much." Daisuke said, gritting his teeth slightly. The girl slowly stood up, walking over to the other side of the camp. He noticed her take a hold of a leather satchel.
His eyes fell on her body, taking it in now that she was standing. She was wearing nothing but a white tube top, with black frills on the edges. It had thin straps, one of which was falling off her shoulder. He noticed her thin hour glass shape, and what looked like gills on the side of her body. She was wearing a matching skirt, black in color with several layers, reaching down to her knees Her legs were covered by a pair of long black boots , caked in mud from the trek she had most likely taken. She turned around to face him, holding a small packet in her hand, along with a bottle of water.
"I was given these pills with my survival kit, along with several bottles of water. I wasn't able to get food, but at least the water keeps me from dying." she said, handing them both to the Storyteller.
"What are you? You have webbed hands, and fins growing out of your wrists." the boy said, after he had taken the pills. He had drained the water bottle, he hadn't noticed how thirsty he was. At least until he felt the water on his tongue. The young woman frowned, as she sat down on the log across from him. She grabbed a hold of a nearby stick, poking the fire a bit.
"Well...I guess you could say, I'm an "Experiment". I craved talent...I wanted to become famous. However, I wasn't very good at my chosen profession." she said. She licked her lips, grabbing some sticks and tossing them into the fire.
"And that profession is?" Daisuke asked, having sat up a bit more. He was leaning against a nearby tree, looking for his Messenger bag.
"Singing...I wanted to be a singer. I took inspiration from the big names, Sayaka Maizono, Ibuki Mioda. The girls from AKB48, Larval Stage Planning. There wasn't a day I wasn't listening and admittedly, terribly singing along. But I loved singing, I wanted to be a professional singer. But my voice wasn't the best...I finally had enough one day and decided to quit. At least...until I heard about a special singing program."
"A poster?"
"That's right...despite the tragedy happening, I didn't give up hope. Sure, things were bad, but the entire world didn't end. I tried to use my voice to calm the people down, but they only became irate. There was this man, handing out posters for a program. He said he could guarantee me a talent." the pinkette replied, grabbing one of the bottles from her bag.
"Jibo." Daisuke mumbled under his breath. He knew exactly what that was. The poster was for the AUP, the Artificial Ultimate Program, something that the Ultimate Biologist had been trying to get him to join.
"But it isn't all that bad! Sure I'm not human anymore, but I can sing beautifully. Oh right! You asked me what I was, well...I'm the Ultimate Siren now!" she said proudly. She took her half drank bottle of water, holding it to her gills.
"What? Siren? How the hell is that even possible? That's a mythological creature, they don't exist!" the storyteller cried out, eyes widening in shock. The girl shrugged, as she capped her empty bottle.
"I'm not sure...the old man explained something to me. That he had wanted to create a race that far exceeded humans. He wanted to create the perfect species...I guess he used his talent to create something. He also said something funny but, I fell asleep right after." she said. Daisuke frowned, not exactly knowing what to say.
"What are you up to old man? Didn't you get your sick kicks in Space? Why would you come back here to experiment on random people?"
"Hey, what's your name?" the girl asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.
"My name? Oh right...I guess I haven't told you. My name is Daisuke Del Rio, I'm the Ultimate Storyteller. It's nice to meet you miss."
"Ah! I know you, you're that famous writer...the one who wrote Distrust, and that Fire Emblem spin off! I'm a huge fan! My name is Charlotte Loire by the way." she said, in the blink of an eye, the girl had taken a hold of his hand, shaking it violently.
"I have so many questions! What was your inspiration? Are any characters based on real people? How did you decide which characters would die? What about Fire Emblem? Did you base "The Masked Marauder" off any bullies?"
"Callate callate, que me desesperas!" Daisuke cried out, causing the girl to stop. She let go of his hand, watching him rub his shoulder.
"S-sorry...I didn't mean to do that. Guess I don't know my own strength."
"Yeah, it's fine...ew, your hand is slimy!" he said, shivering a bit as he wiped his hand on his pants.
"Ehehehe, sorry! My hands secrete this goo to keep my scales moist." she said, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.
"Anyway...are you alone here? I met the old man not that long ago, he said there were others like us." he asked, trying to change the topic.
"Well...no we aren't alone. I actually ran into someone else, this really cute girl. But she's out searching for wood."
"By herself?" the storyteller asked, tilting his head in confusion. Charlotte giggled, shaking it off.
"Trust me, she's tougher than she looks." she said. Footsteps filled the clearing, signaling the arrival of another person.
She was a rather short girl, standing around five feet, six inches in height. She was wearing a rather odd ensemble, she wore a white short sleeved button-down shirt, with golden accents. Each accent formed a different shape, flowers and even butterflies. The shirt was tucked into a blue layered skirt, with frills and white embroidery on the hem. Over her shirt, she was wearing an oversized blue sleeveless jacket, with a hood. The jacket bore a golden zipper, gold pocket linings and other small accents. Thigh high socks adorned her legs, and she wore pastel blue sneakers with golden laces. She finished her look with dark blue leg warmers.
If her attire was something that stood out, then her hair and make up absolutely popped. She had long hair with light blue extensions, her hair being tied into a lengthy side ponytail. She wore an egregious amount of eye shadow around her eyes, a bright white in color. Small dots adorned her face, mostly around her cheeks. Light blue lipstick adorned her lips, giving them a brilliant glow. He noticed the matching ribbon that held up her hair, bright blue, white and gold. Around her wrists she wore scrunchies that were also blue and gold. This girl had a fascination with bright pastel colors, colors he hadn't seen in awhile. Even the tie around her neck matched with her outfit.
"At least she's coordinated." he thought, holding back a snicker. He noticed the bag that was slung across her shoulder, which housed several bundles of sticks within. He also noticed what she was reading, his Storybook. He was up to his feet in seconds.
"Pfft...this is gold! I can't believe he writes such pervy things in here!"
"Hey! Who said you could read that? Give it back!" Daisuke said, retching his book from the girl's hands. She blinked for a second, surprised by what had happened. She looked up at the boy, giving him a grin.
"Oh hey! You're finally awake, you took a nasty bonk on the head didn't you? You aren't dizzy are you?"
"No I'm fine. Now give me my bag back, please." he said. She giggled, pulling the sticks she had brought out of it, handing the bag over to him.
"Sorry, I was just using it to gather some firewood. You're an awesome writer Mr. Del Rio, I really liked that Fire Emblem story. I was getting to the good part!" she said, as the boy hugged the tome closely to him.
"I'm glad you like it, but I don't like when people read my stuff without permission. Just ask next time okay miss?" he asked. She remained silent, giving him a wink.
"Sure thing! We haven't introduced ourselves, my name is Shiro Hayashi, it's nice to meet you Mr. Del Rio!" she said, holding her small hand out. He looked at it, noticing it looked relatively normal.
"It's nice to meet you Shiro. You uh...love pastel colors huh?" he asked, shaking her hand.
"Yup yup! I look so cute in this right? Pfft, why am I asking, of course I do!"
"Hehe...Shiro is...an odd one. She's like us, got a talent and everything, but it's an iffy one." Charlotte said.
"Iffy? What's more iffy than a siren?"
"How about an Executioner? That's right! For the low low price of free, I'll design your death trap! What do you fear the most? I'll start designing one right away!"
"Okay...this one is definitely crazier than the Siren. At least she didn't hit me with a frying pan." Daisuke thought, deciding to stay silent. He backed away from Shiro, forcing a smile onto his face.
"I'm all set Shiro...I uh...am allergic to death."
"Pfft...sure, whatever. Anyway, I brought us more wood, but it isn't going to keep the fire going for longer. We're gonna have to find some shelter soon." Shiro said, sitting down at the nearby log. She crossed her legs, fiddling with the end of her ponytail.
"Why do you say that Shiro?" Charlotte asked curiously. The girl giggled, twisting the strand of hair around her finger.
"Because, there are spoopy creatures out here trying to murder us!" she said ominously.
"Come on, are you honestly believing that crap?" Daisuke asked, once he had made sure his bag was clean of sand and dirt. He noticed his MRE was missing, most likely having been eaten by the Executioner.
"Of course! I mean...when I was gathering wood, there was this thing watching me. I have no idea what it was, but it made my head all fuzzy. I kept hearing a buzzing noise too." she replied, her golden eyes focusing on the flames before her.
"Buzzing?"
"Oh my god! There's a giant hornet out here! I'm like deathly allergic, maybe we should find a house or something?"
"Charlotte, come on now. I doubt that's it...but what Shiro said does sound familiar. Whatever the case, perhaps it would be easier to pack up and move along. I know we don't know each other that well, but let's at least stick together. For all we know, we might be the only humans left on this island." the Storyteller said, zipping up his bag.
"Hehe...human...I doubt we're even human anymore. Charlie sure as hell isn't." Shiro said, earning a frown from the siren.
"That's beside the point...did either of you get a map? The one I got only shows the forest."
"Same here, it's rather odd...it's as if Jibo wants us to follow the path. I wonder if there are other places on this island. It can't be all forest." Daisuke said, crossing his arms.
"Maybe there are, maybe there aren't. Whatever the case, let's go find some place! I gotta take a number 2 and I am not digging a hole in the ground!" Shiro said firmly. She grabbed one of the thick sticks she had brought, pulling out a piece of cloth from her pocket.
"We can't exactly go anywhere, at least not without a fire." the storyteller said.
"Way ahead of ya. That MRE you had brought some packaged meat. Charlie fried it up and saved the grease, it should help us with a torch. At least for a little while." the Executioner said. Daisuke watched with interest as she dipped the cloth in the grease, wrapping it around the end of the branch. She put it in the fire, her eyes sparkling as it caught fire.
"Hehehe...yes! I have made fire!"
"This is my life now isn't it?" Daisuke said softly, earning a sigh from the Siren.
"Yup...let's put out that fire and get out of here. I don't want to be outside when the sun goes down." Charlotte said, earning a nod from her two companions.
xxx
"What do you think is out there?" Charlotte quietly asked, after twenty minutes of silence. The small group of three had been mostly silent as they walked, staring at the ominous path that lay ahead of them.
"Who knows? The creepy woods set up is kind of overdone if you ask me. It's one of the most overused plot devices ever. If this were a story, a scary monster would have tried to kill us by now." Daisuke replied, arms crossed as he walked forward.
"Oh, you mean like the man I saw earlier?" Shiro asked, causing the storyteller to look at her.
"What are you talking about?" he asked. She jabbed a thumb behind her, holding the torch away from her face.
"There was a guy back there, tall and lanky. He was wearing a coat and had a hockey mask. I think he was holding a machete in his hand." she replied. Daisuke stopped walking, turning to face her.
"Shiro, don't fuck around with me. I know we're on a spooky island with who knows what out there. But this is not the time for that kind of joke."
"Uh...D-Daisuke, I don't think she's joking." Charlotte shakily said. The young man looked up at the siren. He followed her line of sight, eyes widening a bit.
The figure stood, several hundred feet away from them. A tall imposing figure, dressed in what looked to be worn black pants. They were wearing black grimy boots, that looked to be glistening with water. Their upper body was covered in a disgusting looking tan jacket, the arms looking torn, the inner fluff being dark brown in color. It looked as if it had been submerged underwater for a long time, years even. The last notable thing about this figure was the hockey mask they were wearing. It was old, covered in brown stains and seemed chipped on the sides. A piercing gaze could be seen underneath it. The figure rose its hand, a bloody machete in his grasp.
"What the fuck?"
"He's walking towards us!" the siren cried.
"Ooh, I wanna shake his hand!"
"Shiro, come the fuck on!" Daisuke cried, taking a hold of her hand. He pulled her along, breaking out into a sprint. Charlotte followed along, glancing over her shoulder.
"What the...he's just walking?"
"Huh?"
Daisuke stopped running, looking back at the man. Charlotte was right, he was just walking at them. It wasn't a brisk pace, it wasn't a speed walk, it was just...normal walking. He looked at him oddly, narrowing his eyes.
"Wait a minute...he looks familiar."
"Well duh, that's Jason Voorhees! Or...at least someone pretending to be him. Knowing the old man, he probably convinced this poor sap into thinking he was the real deal." Shiro replied.
"So...he's like us then? Another experiment? Maybe we should talk to him, he could help us."
"Yeah, I don't think someone who wears that get up wants anything other than our heads. Let's keep walking, and put out that torch. As long as it's dark he won't be able to find us." Daisuke said. Shiro nodded, dousing the flame, tossing the torch aside. They continued speed walking up the path, making sure not to veer of course.
"Guys can we stop? I'm having a hard time breathing." Charlotte said, after a few minutes. Daisuke had glanced over his shoulder, noticing the hockey mask wearing murderer was gone. He slowed to a stop, sighing a bit.
"You sure you're okay? The last thing I need is you croaking on me." he said.
"Hehe...I don't croak silly! I'm a siren. I just have to keep my gills wet so I don't choke. Give me a minute and I'll be good to go." the pinkette said, grabbing one of her bottles. Daisuke sighed, giving her a bit of space as she started pouring water down her sides. He leaned back against one of the trees, crossing his arms.
"We've been walking on this path, and haven't come across a single building yet. The blades of light are starting to shift, won't be long until the sun goes down."
"Should we set up camp then?" Charlotte asked.
"If you wanna get killed by Voorhees, sure. I dunno about you, but I don't feel like dying yet. We should at least find a building or something." Shiro said. Her gaze drifted to the side of the path, lips pursed in thought.
"Good point...let's talk supplies. I had an MRE in my bag, one that was already consumed. Charlotte had water and a frying pan, am I to assume you also had a flint lock? Because I had one."
"No, Shiro used a lighter to start our fire. She had a knife with her, no food or anything. The only thing we've eaten is what was in your MRE...sorry about not leaving you anything." the pinkette said, giving him a sheepish smile.
"Don't worry about it, I wasn't exactly that hungry to begin with. However, we at least have a weapon to defend ourselves with, which is good. Shiro, do you still have that knife?"
"Hmm? Oh yeah, it's right here." she said, pointing to her left leg. Sticking out of her stocking, was the handle of a black survival knife.
"Are you planning on hunting something for us? Is the man of the group going to risk his life for us women?" Charlotte asked jokingly. He rolled his eyes.
"If I find a boar or something, I'll go after it. We can use that knife to make some weapons, a spear at least. It would be better than not having anything to defend ourselves. We should keep going, if you see any sturdy sticks, don't hesitate to grab them."
"Sounds like a plan! But what should we do about the glowey stuff?" Shiro asked, causing the boy to quirk a brow.
"Glowey stuff? What stuff?" he asked. She pointed to a neon green splotch on the ground. It was glowing a bright neon green, trailing into the forest.
"That right there, it kind of looks like blood." she said. Daisuke walked forward, kneeling before the splotch. He dipped a finger in it, before inspecting it. He held it up to his nose, eyes narrowed.
"Smells like...paint...glow in the dark paint. What's this doing here?"
"Maybe someone else is on this island. Someone like us, they could have used that as a trail. Y'know, to leave a trail back to the main path." Charlotte said.
"Seems likely...normally I wouldn't do this, but it might be prudent to check it out. If there's someone else, someone like us, I believe we should lend a hand. Keep your eyes peeled, and stay close to me." he said. Shiro giggled, wrapping her arms around his, giving him a wink.
"Let's go! I'll keep you safe Dais." she said, earning a sigh from him. He didn't say anything, grabbing his bag strap tightly as he walked forward.
They didn't say anything, the only sounds in the forest being their own breathing and their footsteps. The hooing owls seemed to be getting closer, their hoo's sounding rather ominous. It was almost a cliché, that every haunted forest needed to have owls. Daisuke wondered if that had been deliberately done. He had never heard of an island having owls on it. The paint before them had been glowing brighter and brighter than the one at the path. As if it was more recent. After a few minutes of walking, they reached a building.
It was a shack, a medium sized abandoned shack. It was a ghastly looking building, made out wooden logs. Said wood was rotting, due to the years of abandonment. The roof was angled and covered in broken tree branches and rotting leaves. The windows had all been broken, glass strewn about. The wooden steps leading to the door had been broken, the wooden planks having sunk down from the strain of being snapped. What was once the front lawn, was a mess of overgrown grass, various patches having long dried out. Some of the nearby trees were missing their leaves, adding to the ominous surroundings. The Storyteller frowned, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Of course, the first building we run into is a stereotypical creepy house. Fantastic."
"Hey, it's better than being out here right? Should we check it out?" Charlotte asked. Daisuke was about to reply, when he heard something crash within the house. All three of them jumped slightly, having been taken by surprise.
"Ooo...sounds like someone died!"
"Shiro! Don't joke about that. I'm going in to investigate, you two stay out here. If I'm not out in 5 minutes, assume the worse and leave. I'd rather it be me than you two." he said.
"What? We can't let you go in there by yourself!"
"So that means you are going in with him? No offense Charlie, but you look ready to piss your pants." Shiro said, having taken notice of the Siren's shivering. She grit her teeth, glaring at the shorter girl.
"I a-am not s-scared!"
"Okay, go in the house then."
"U-um...m-maybe D-Daisuke should go. He is a m-man after all." she replied.
"Riiiight...whatever. Here you go Daisuke, if you find anything creepy in there, stab the shit out of it!" the Executioner said, handing him the survival knife. He drew it from the sheathe, looking at the blade.
It was in fact a bayonet, bearing a round black handle. It had a thirteen inch blade, with several teeth on the dull end of the blade. It had been sharpened to a razor sharp edge, silver in color. He noticed the emblazoned emblem near the hilt of the blade. A six pointed star with the image of a wolf on it. He also noticed a name being engraved at the top of the blade.
"Fenrir...that militia group I heard about. I guess this bayonet belonged to one of them. Does that mean one of them is here? I hope so...I think someone with their military experience would be useful. Though, the name Alice seems familiar. Hmm...Alice Bailey...where have I heard that name before?"
"You going in or are you chickening out?" Shiro asked.
"Oh uh...right." he said. He took off his bag, slinging it across the Executioner's shoulder, giving her a smile.
"Keep an eye on that for me. If I come back safe, I'll let you read some of it, if not, burn it."
"Okay, but I get to ready before I do." she said.
"No you don't, Charlotte if I die in there, make sure she burns that thing." he said firmly.
"No problem Chief!" she said, giving him a salute.
He steadied his breathing, walking toward the abandoned house. He had a bit of trouble climbing onto the porch, due to the broken steps. The wooden board creaked under his weight, as he walked toward the open door. He passed through the threshold, noticing a flashlight on the floor. He knelt down, taking a hold of it. He flicked it on, being slightly blinded by the light. He crossed his arms, keeping his knife blade outward, while shining his light forward. He had done this many times while braving the world after the Tragedy had begun. He shone his light around the entrance, swallowing hard.
"This house looks bigger on the inside than the outside." he thought. He shone the light to the right, into a room with boarded windows. It was pitch black inside, the worn looking furniture having been month eaten. It smelled dank and damp, the ceiling had a huge hole in it, giving him a clean view of the second floor. He took a step toward the living room, glancing around for a moment.
"I'm gonna die of black mold poisoning in this shithole."he thought to himself, holding back a chuckle. He stumbled a bit, almost falling to the ground. He shone the flashlight at the floor, eyes widening a bit.
"Shit." he muttered, kneeling down. He placed the light on the ground, balancing it so it shone upward, brightening the room a bit.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, shaking the young woman a bit.
She looked to be seventeen, with long waist-length platinum blonde hair, currently splayed all around her. She had porcelain skin, and soft facial features. She was wearing a short sleeved pale green tee shirt, with paint splotches on it. She was wearing long gray trousers and matching shoes, both being covered in paint. She had a bright green ribbon tied in her hair. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but the small bit of blood on the side of her forehead proved otherwise. He slowly stood up, walking toward the entrance.
"Hey, there's a girl here. She seems hurt, mind giving me a hand?" he called out.
"Okay, be right there!" Shiro said happily, skipping toward the house. The Ultimate Siren shivered slightly as the breeze picked up, shaking the trees slightly. It was as if the wind had a mind of its own, the forest was too thick for it to blow in the forest, and yet it was. She quickened her pace, catching up with Shiro.
Daisuke checked the girl over, thankfully not finding any other injuries. She stirred a bit, her eyes slowly opening, meeting his gaze. He gave her a smile, backing up slightly.
"Hey there, you okay?" he asked. The girl suddenly sat up, backing away from him.
"W-who are you? Are you going to kill me?" she cried fearfully.
"What? Of course not! I heard a crash and came to investigate. You have a cut on your head, and you're bleeding." he said. The girl seemed to calm down a bit, but she still looked a bit shaken up.
"I dunno what's going on. I woke up in this scary forest, all I had with me was a flashlight and some power bars. I found this house because it was getting late. I heard something behind me and then everything went black."
"Ooo, so this girl got the frying pan treatment! Guess there's a notorious serial killer out there. And they use frying pans!"
"Shiro, take this seriously okay? If this girl was hit on the head, that means we might not be alone." Charlotte said firmly. She knelt down before the girl, checking her over.
"You have a cut on your head, sadly we don't have any medical supplies. I can at least clean it out for you." she said softly, giving the girl a smile. She pulled out one of her many water bottles, along with a piece of cloth from her satchel.
"So, you got a name? I'm Shiro Hayashi, it's nice to meet you." the Executioner said, giving the frightened girl a smile.
"Oh um...my name is Mackenzie Alaestar. It's nice to meet you too."
"I'm glad that you're okay Mackenzie, our situation is a bit dire. Regardless, my name is Daisuke Del Rio. The pinkette is Charlotte Loire."
"Ultimate Siren, are your service!" Charlotte said, giving Mackenzie a wink.
"S-siren? Those are real?" Mackenzie asked, giving her a once over. She noticed the scales on her cheeks along with the fins coming from her wrists.
"Seems to me like our benefactor brought us together for some reason. All of us are Ultimates, well...I was an Ultimate before being on this island." Daisuke said.
"Benefactor? Oh...you mean the old man...he told me I was an Ultimate Painter now. He gave me a bag with some paint supplies and left me in the woods."
"I really wanna know what he wants from us. Why bring us here? Why bother giving us these talents?"
"He wants us to kill each other!" Shiro said, a look of excitement in her face.
"What?"
"That's not funny Shiro." the Siren said, glaring at the girl.
"I'm afraid she's right. Jibo told me why he had brought me here, he said he wanted to see if we could survive here. There's other experiments on this island, I'm willing to believe you are all successful talents."
"Does that mean he did something to you too?" Mackenzie asked, cringing a bit as Charlotte continued to clean her cut. Daisuke remained silent, glancing away from the girl.
"Should I tell them? I'm not exactly sure if Jibo did anything but...maybe I shouldn't risk it. Then again...I think it would be better to keep it to myself, at least for now."
"No...as far as I know, he's doing this to get back at me." He replied firmly.
"Get back at you? You've met the man before?" Charlotte asked, earning a nod from him.
"I had a run-in with him a few years back. Remember the Killing Game? Being run in Hope's Peak Academy? I was almost in that game." he replied.
"R-really?"
"Yeah, but I decided to remain on the outside. When the tragedy started, I wasn't exactly a fan of locking myself in. I had to watch my friends die in that damn game. My fiancee, she turned into an Ultimate Despair...the reason I'm here, is because of her." Daisuke replied, shaking his head.
"I seriously doubt that. The old man looked like he wanted us to just survive out here right? Why would he go through all of that trouble? To bring you here?" Shiro asked.
"That's how despair works I'm afraid, right now I don't know where his allegiance lies."
"Not that this isn't interesting but...what are we going to do now?" Mackenzie asked, earning a sigh from the Storyteller.
"Dunno, this is the only place we've found. We might just have to rough it here for the night...it's better than being out there."
"We don't have any food, just water. I think we should ration it a bit. But...I'll die if we do." Charlotte added. Shiro was about to say something when a loud slam echoed through the house. Daisuke was instantly at his feet, clutching the knife tightly in his hand. He slowly made his way toward the entrance, noticing the door had been tightly shut. He frowned, glancing over his shoulder.
"Girls keep your guard up...we're not alone."
xxx(End of Prologue 1)xxx
Remaining Test Subjects: 4
A/N: Hello wonderful readers and welcome to this, the first Prologue for House of Horrors: Isle of the Damned! That's right, this story is a prequel of Crit Fail's story House of Horrors. It will detail the events of the First Killing Game on Hora Island, and how Daisuke, Shiro and Mackenzie ended up as the sole survivors.
While we may know the end result, we don't know the entire story. That is the purpose of this fic, to explore the secrets of Hora Island. To explore the horrors that the cast of House of Horrors are unaware of. To see the things that Daisuke has experienced in this world. We'll get to see how Shiro and Mackenzie became who they are in the future, and how this Killing Game changed them. I'm very excited to be working on this project.
First of all, I would like to thank those who have gotten an invite from me. It's because of you that I'll be able to do this. You guys are creating the characters for this story, characters that everyone knows are dead in the future. So thank you so much for helping me with this. I would like to thank Crit Fail, for allowing me to be a part of Legacy of Despair. I've wanted to do something like this for awhile now, to add to that long series of wonderful stories. Now I get to bring my offerings to the table, and hopefully make a unique experience that you'll all like. (I hope so anyway haha). I would like to thank those who have read my own stories, this one is for you all!
Now, I will be working on the prologue whenever I have a chance. As you know, I'm working on Oasis of Hope, as well as House of Horrors and my own series. I don't know when I'll continue The School Life of Mutual Killing, or Morning Hope Academy. I kind of want to take a break from those stories (Not from Danganronpa, just my AU haha).
What can you expect from this story? Stuff and things of course! The best stuff and things in the world! It's the best kind of stuff too, the kind of stuffy stuff that's filled with lots of things. So I hope you look forward to this.
I will be sharing the profiles for the characters in the next update. The reason why, is because I want to have them all prepared. The next chapter will introduce 4 more characters, giving us half of the 17 member cast. I'm still working on Charlotte's profile to add her to the cast. She's my precious baby for this story. (She's already dead, there's no saving her), so I want to get her profile right.
Finally, the start date for this story. I'm looking to officially start this on May 15th. Yes it may sound like a long time, but bear with me. I am working on Oasis, House of Horrors and my own stuff. Not to mention there are things about Daisuke that I don't want to reveal here ahead of time. I'm working closely with Crit to make sure things are as smooth as possible. This is the perfect date for me to start. Though if I get all the profiles ready, I'll be working on it, I just won't post it until then. For those that I have personally invited and are working on Ocs, the deadline is April 29th. But I know you guys will most likely finish before that date. Godspeed, and seriously, thanks for accepting my invite. It means the world to me.
TL;DR
This new story is part of Legacy of Despair, it starts May 15th, the Deadline is April 29th. Don't let memes be dreams, Shitposting gives me life, read up on Crit's stories, trust me, they're amazing!
Also, shoutout to my fellow author WinterSmith, who is working on the Second Hora Island Killing Game, called Creatures of Despair. I have no idea when he'll release his, but look forward to it. My second shoutout goes to MudkipOfDespair, who is helming another Legacy side story called Central City of Despair, one of my OC's is in that one and I am excited for it! The final final shoutout goes to TheKoboldNecromancer, who is also helming his own story, Mists of Penjar, also for Legacy. Man...I can't believe there are this many side stories haha.
Well...see you all later
Embrace Despair!