Chapter 8: The Island

8:20 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Courtyard

The group remained silent for a moment longer, taking in everything that had been revealed to them. Then, Victoria stalked forward, stopping a few feet away from the still-present Alchemist.

"Yes, Miss Mummy?" He asked mockingly, "Did you have something worth saying besides inane questions?"

Ignoring him, the Ultimate Mummy turned around and addressed the rest of the group. "Ok, things may not have been what we expected, but things aren't hopeless yet. There might be something the staff missed out here that we could use to escape."

"Doubtful, but by all means continue the false hope routine." Kinsei was still ignored.

"And regardless, it would be for the best to learn exactly what is out here so as to avoid being blindsided by anything. So, I'd suggest that we split into pairs and explore the surrounding areas."

"Ooo, perfect, that way if anyone dies, you'll know who the murderer is right away." Kinsei added 'helpfully'. "Kinda boring that way, though I guess you're thinking more to dissuade each other from killing at all. Of course, the point's moot either way if they die to a monster attack. Still, A for effort."

Gloved fists clenching, Victoria finally turned to look at the annoying Alchemist. She breathed in and out deeply before speaking again. "Kinsei. Is there anything you can tell us about the area around the mansion? The rest of us would like to know if there's anywhere specific to look at."

The Alchemist smirked at her for a couple of seconds, before deciding to play along. "Well, to one side," he gestured to the iron gate, "is the graveyard. It holds all the assorted dead people on this island … well, most of them … well, some of them, for certain. I'd advise staying outside of it at night, though the Undertaker might be safe(ish) depending on the circumstances. Anyways," He pointed to the fifteen-foot high entrance made of bushes and the occasional thorns. "That is the hedge maze. Feel free to try and explore it, but I can't guarantee that you'll be safe in it." Walking past Victoria, he pointed out a path that led around the mansion. "That path leads to the outdoor pool. The gill-girl will probably enjoy the area, however you'll all need to provide your own swimming attire." Ignoring the glare that Brooke was giving him, he backed up near the fountain and looked up over the mansion, "If you continue around the mansion - or just use the other exit, I guess - you'll find a large lake. Less sanitary for swimming in, probably more lethal too, but it is 'pretty', I suppose." He looked back around at the maze. "If you go around the hedge maze and walk a little ways to the east, you should find a large bell tower, which I'm sure you've already heard. Currently it's not available to anyone outside of the staff, but it's still nice to look at, I guess." He crossed his arms behind his head, smirk unwavering. "And that covers everything in a 'safe' distance from the mansion."

"Uhh, w-wha's through tha' pathway there?" Kelley asked, pointing out an ominous-looking path leading into the forest.

Kinsei turned around, looking at the pathway in question. "Oh, that? Eh, just the way to the beach." He shrugged, hands still behind his head. "I wouldn't bother with that way, there's nothing on the shoreline to help you, and the more active monsters running around will probably snatch you right up." He lowered his hands, folding them behind his back. "So, what's your plan now, bandage wrap?" He asked Victoria, who again ignored his jab and turned her attention back to her fellow participants.

"Brooke," she said, "I want you and Kelley to look around the pool for anything worth noting. Sabi, given your talent, you might be the most adept at seeing anything noteworthy in the graveyard, so I'd like you and Eric to head there to investigate. Now, are there any volunteer's for checking the hedge maze?"

After a moment of quiet, Elle and John raised their hands.

"Thanks, you two look through the maze, and if you can-" she stopped herself, before turning to give what could only be called a stink-eye to Kinsei. "This maze doesn't magically change or anything, does it?"

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…" The Alchemist hummed for an extended period, before finally answering. "It didn't do that the last time I checked, so you're probably good there."

Scowling at his antics, Victoria turned back to the others once more. "Right then, while you're in the maze, I want you to try and map out the whole place, or at least the path to the center or any other exits there might be. Teresa, Adrien, I'd like you to head over to the bell tower. We might as well check that it really is inaccessible to us." She looked to the Egyptologist. "Gary, I would like you to accompany me to that lake to the north. I want to see for myself if there's anything useful - or dangerous - out there." Her gaze turned to the Markswoman. "Clarisse, out of everyone here you seem the best suited for fighting something off if necessary. I'd like you to take that path through the forest and investigate the shoreline. If there's anything even remotely of note out there, you tell us when you get back." Finally, her eyes settled on the only two who hadn't been assigned. "Alexis, Shawn, would either of you like to volunteer to help Clarisse?"

"Yeah, count me out of the search missions, lady." The Scarecrow responded. He tuned around and started back to the mansion.

"Well, in that case, you can help Elle and John search the maze." Victoria called out, stopping the boy in his tracks.

"Excuse me?!" He asked, surprised and angry. "I ain't signing up for thi-"

"Well I'm signing you up for this myself, alright?!" The Mummy loudly announced, looking annoyed at the antisocial scarecrow's stubbornness. "You're going with them, and that's that." She looked to Alexis. "So, I guess that teams you up with Clarisse."

"No complaints here, I assure you." The Brazilian answered, her eyes briefly casting smug look in the complaining straw-man's direction.

Victoria addressed the whole group again. "Alright, everyone knows where they're going, so one last thing to everyone. All of you keep an eye out for anything monstrous, inhuman, lethal or otherwise dangerous. The last thing we need is someone being killed by some supernatural beast from the forest. We all can discuss what we found over dinner tonight at the latest, depending on when we all get back to the mansion. And we will all make it back, right?" She eyed everyone sternly on the last point, like a strict mother caring for her children. Seeing no complaints or problems with the current set up of things, The Ultimate Mummy nodded once. "Alright then. Now let's get to work, yeah? Go!" She clapped her hands together once sharply, before turning on her heel and heading off, Gary following after her. With that, everyone split off.

Kinsei remained at the fountain, watching the whole display with amusement. "Well, let's see if they actually get back in one piece. The manticore's the last group brought with them finally moved on from the area, so they might actually have a chance." He chuckled. The game was sure to only get more fun.

8:45 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Pool

The large outdoor pool was surprisingly well-maintained, and surrounded by several marble statues. While Brooke was loathe to admit it, she did find herself drawn to the crystal clear waters.

"Well, this place looks refreshing, at least." She noted, kneeling down to gaze into the crystal clear waters of the pool. "Might be a nice place to hang out or something."

"Agreed." Kelley concurred cheerfully, standing on the other side of the pool, arms crossed behind her back. "I've always want'd ta own a pool. Heck, I'd settle fer jus' swimmin' in one, honestly."

Brooke looked up at the other girl. "Oh? Were there none near your home or… ?"

Kelley looked down, her smile fading slightly as she scuffed her boot along the concrete. "w-Well, there is that, yeah. But mostly it's, well uh," she looked off to the side, "… I, I can' swim. Ne'er learn'd." She seemed either embarrassed, sad, or ashamed about that admission; Brooke couldn't tell, and Kelley might not have known for sure either.

Brooke considered this, then nodded, unsurprised. "I'd guessed that might tie into it." She stood up, making her way around the pool. "Well, I'd offer swimming lessons, but this might not be the best place for it," she looked around, taking in the area around them, "even if there were any swimsuits around, which I somehow really doubt." She looked back over at the Banshee girl, "Though, we can have those lessons after we get off this island. How's that sound?"

Kelley glanced over to her friend, a surprised and happy smile adorning her face. "r-Really? Tha'd be great! Thank ya!"

The Floridian waved her off. "Eh. Anything for a friend and all that." She walked around the Irish girl, waving her forward as she did so. "Now come on. Let's check the rest of this spot and head back."

9:00 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Graveyard

The first thing the Undertaker and Cryptozoologist noticed about the graveyard was how huge it was. Hundreds of headstones lay scattered around. What little foliage was present was in the form of dried and dying moss. In the distance, a large mausoleum could be seen. Presumably, the trial room from yesterday was located there.

"Whoa." Eric whispered, looking over the sea of stones. "Just how many people died here? Where did they even come from?"

Sabishī broke her gaze from the mausoleum to look down at the nearest gravestone. "Well, going by this grave, at least some of them were from that World War II battle Kinsei mentioned. Surprised that anyone even bothered burying them at all, honestly."

"Question is, who?" Eric asked. "Did the surviving soldiers, was it that SCP group, did the Despairs actually bother?"

"I'm not sure," the Undertaker responded, looking over more stones as they got closer to the mausoleum. "But it had to be a long time ago, given the plant growth on a lot of these." She pointed to a stone with less moss on it. "This one's from a few years ago, pre-Tragedy. It might be from that SCP group. Maybe." She sounded less than sure on that. Eric couldn't blame her.

Eventually, the two found something unexpected: a bare section of ground, with a small pile of pre-cut stones off to the side. More concerning, however, was the small group of gravestones with freshly dug soil around them. As though they had only recently been made.

Sharing a look, Eric and Sabishī ducked down to look at one of the fresher stones. "Riku Ito, Ultimate … Neko?" Sabishī read, confused by the wording (never mind that there was an Ultimate that they didn't know buried in the cemetery). "What's a Neko?"

"I, think it's like a cat-person, or something, from anime?" Eric answered, as confused as Sabi was. "Though how someone could have that as an ultimate talent is beyond me."

Looking over, the Undertaker noted two gravestones looked the freshest, but the ground before them was undisturbed.

Ryan York - Ultimate Gargoyle

Logan Acker - Ultimate Golem

Her eyes widened in realization. "I … I think that these are for … victims of another killing game."

Eric looked shocked. "There was another one? Here?"

"It would explain some things." Standing up, the pale girl gestured at the graves. "Some of these might just be stand-ins for participants that couldn't be buried here. The ground seems undisturbed for a few of them."

"S-so the people in charge here have already played out a killing game?" The Cryptozoologist looked sick at the thought. "w-Why would they do that? Why have another game if they already played through one? Did they just like it that much, did they not find whatever they were after with the first group they had butchered, what?!" He was looking angered, but mostly horrified. It seemed the prospect of others already dying, of the staff being so cruel as to set up a killing game twice, was getting to him more than he'd've wanted to admit.

"I don't know." Sabi said quietly. "Even knowing how cruel people can be, I just don't know." She stood up. "But, call it undertaker intuition or something, I don't think we'll find anything helpful or important going through here now." Stepping forward, she grasped the boy's hand, "s-So let's get back to the mansion now, alright?" A light pink coloration crossed her cheeks as she looked at Eric. "We can try and get more answers from Sebastian, like you thought yesterday, okay?"

Eric looked down at the young girl, surprised she even remembered that. Calming himself down and smiling slightly, he squeezed her hand slightly (prompting another small burst of pink) before saying, "Yeah, sounds like a good idea. And," he added, starting to lead them back to the entrance, "no offense to your new profession, but this place is giving me the creeps. Could we spruce it up next time we're here, maybe add some bright colors?"

Sabishī giggled at that. A cute smile accompanied it.

9:20 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Hedge Maze

Almost immediately from the entrance of the maze, the path split into three separate hallways. Scattered throughout were bushes with disturbingly humanoid shapes to them. The center path led to a long corridor that split off into another fork in the road at the end. At that fork, a small bundle of what appeared to be clothes could be seen.

"Welp, we've looked in here, now let's go." Shawn declared, trying to turn around. Elle and John, not bothering to look, grabbed an arm each and (lightly) pulled/pushed the Scarecrow forward. This had the unintended effect of knocking the light straw-man down to the ground. He was unharmed, but he still scowled at the couple all the same.

"Sorry," Elle stated (it sounded kinda insincere, but it was hard to put up with the scarecrow after awhile), "But we still need to actually go through the maze before we can call this a job done." Looking at the different paths, she pointed down the center path. "Now, I say we head down this way; try and keep things going straightforward if we can for now."

As they got closer to the fork, they saw the pile of clothes more clearly. It was a light-blue blouse and a knee-length black skirt. They were just plopped down on the ground like someone had undressed and forgotten - or not come back for - the garments afterwards. It was a rather ominous scene.

Elle gazed upon the clothes with apprehension and a small amount of fear. "S-so," she spoke up, getting the attention of the others, "does anyone think that we aren't the only ones to have been dropped into this mess before?"

Shawn muttered under his breath, "Gee, what gave you that idea;" louder he asked, "can we just go already?"

With no more warning than some foliage rustling above them, something abruptly dropped down in-front of the trio and screeched, producing high-pitched screams of shock and fright from Elle and Shawn. The creature was short, only reaching up to about knee-height. It had dull-gray skin, yellow eyes, only nostrils in lieu of an actual nose, and a downturned, beak-like mouth. It had only three clawed digits on each hand and foot, though there was a thumb present on each hand as well. It was dressed in dark-green rags with the appearance of a hood over it's head and a tunic. It stared at the humans (and straw-man), before turning around to focus on the clothes on the ground, kicking them slightly.

As the trio stared in shock and fear at the creature, a second one emerged from the hedge wall nearby. It look similar, almost identical to the first one, but it had visible strings of long (gray) hair on its head visible from under the hood and a vaguely … feminine figure. Eyeing the first creature, the thing let loose its own screech before jumping into the air, landing on top of the male. Both screeching now, they started scatching at each other, rolling back-and-forth on the clothes as they did so. As they fought, the clothes - already scratched up slightly, though otherwise in surprisingly good shape all things considered - were repeatedly scratched, ripped, and torn up by the flailing appendages. Eventually, the boy knocked the girl off and ran into the foliage; she followed, leaving the torn up clothes behind.

The trio remained frozen for a few moments afterwards, still processing what they had just seen - the blatant appearance of actual monsters - ones that they hadn't been exposed to yet or turned into, ones that, for all they knew, might not have even been the mastermind's work - and the creature's just as sudden disappearance after fighting, all right in front of them, without even giving them a second thought. It was a lot to take in.

"… w-w-Well, …" Shawn finally spoke up, getting the attention of the couple with him. "T-t-that was definitely … a thing … I guess." He looked to the couple. "Can we leave now?"

Elle blinked a couple of times, before shaking her head to clear it (squeezing John's hand for reassurance). "n-No," she finally stated (to the visible disappointment/annoyance of the recovering Scarecrow), "w-we were asked to explore this place as much as we could, and we've barely started. We can't give up now. I know I won't." She strode forward, pulling her lover with her down the left path. Scowling, Shawn followed them.

The group continued through a large pumpkin-filled room, before heading down some winding corridors. Eventually, they passed through a room lined with more humanoid hedges, these a more detailed type that looked like they depicted people dying. From there, they continued down more corridors. Shawn, having somehow gotten to the front of the three, groaned. "Look, we've gone this far, can we go back now? I was planning on seeing if we're allowed to check anything out of the library; kinda wanted some reading material before I boarded myself up in my room again."

"Ignoring the paranoia bit," Elle responded, scowling at the boy's continued desire to turn back, "I stand by what I've already said: we search the whole maze if we can. Besides, there's plenty of other things John and I would like to be doing right now, you don't see us complaining."

"Oh, I'm sure I can guess," The scarecrow grumbled, before turning back to look at the humans. "And look, next time you get some 'quality time', can you at least keep it quiet for everyone else's sakes? Seriously."

The couple blushed at the Scarecrow's words. Embarrassed and angry at the boy's constant attitude, Elle stepped closer before speaking up, frustration coloring her tone. "Do you have to be an uncooperative ass all the time?! Seriously, you need to learn some actual tact before talking to people."

The Scarecrow, with a speed that could best be described as 'unnaturally fast by human standards', spun back around to face the paleontologist, a genuinely furious glare etched unto his face. Shocked by the sudden action, Elle backed up, pressing against her lover as he took her hand. Not letting up on his glare, Shawn spoke. "I spent most of my life in a hospital bed, waiting for a disease to finally kill me. The only family - heck, the only person, period - that actually cared enough to even bother visiting me was my aunt; my own folks decided I was apparently too much of a burden to continue interacting with by the end. So excuse me if I have some difficulty actually talking to other people! It's not like I got any tutoring on the damn subject." Turning back, he stormed away, fists clenched at his sides. Elle and John turned to look at each other, concerned and understandably worried, before moving to follow the loner.

As they continued onwards, the trio eventually reached a large rectangular room, filled with hedge animals. From lions to wolves, snakes to bears, multiple animals of lethal intent were on display for all who dared to see. It proved quite unnerving to the three viewers.

"Right, I say we burn this place down before these things decide to come to life and eat us." Shawn declared. "All in favor?"

"I don't think the folks in charge would let us set their property on fire without cause." Elle pointed out, John nodding in agreement. "Plus," she added, "call me an optimist, but I somehow doubt that we'll get eaten by these things."

Before they could leave, however, Elle noticed something. "Um, guys," she asked, somewhat concerned, "where did that come from?"

Embedded in the side of one of the hedge lions was a scythe. A farmer's scythe to be precise, with a cold-gray head and a smooth black handle. Moreover, it appeared to have been lodged in the hedge's side some time ago.

"D-do you think the people who came through here first left this?" Elle questioned as she started moving closer to the scythe. Suddenly, the Scarecrow moved in front of her, blocking her path (and surprising the Paleontologist yet again).

"Yeah, how about no one goes near or touches the big deadly scythe, alright?" Shawn suggested/demanded, glowering once more at the two others with him.

"What, would you rather we just leave it here for anyone to grab?" the Paleontologist asked, frustrated.

"I'd rather not let it be grabbed by anyone who could decide to bury it in my back." The Scarecrow stated. "I don't plan to see if I could survive something like that in this state."

Not seeing many options, Elle backed down. The scarecrow really was paranoid, that clearly wasn't going to change. Besides, someone could always grab it later (not that she currently had any plan on how to get rid of it, but the armed suits in the common hall were weapons enough by her standards).

Continuing on from the hedge creature's room, the trio made their way deeper into the maze. Eventually, they reached a circular room with a small stone pillar, about four feet in height, in the center. Vines were growing around the base, but the top was surprisingly clean.

Shawn stepped around the pillar, making note of the spot on top that could hold something circular. "Well, I don't se any other doors," he noted, looking around the room. "I think we might've found the center." He shrugged. "Not that difficult, actually."

"Oh sure, now he has no complaints." Elle muttered to the Paleobotanist. She shrugged. "C'mon," she said, louder this time, turning back to the hallway, "let's check the rest of the maze, make sure this really is the center, then we can finally go."

10:01 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Forest

The young women had been walking though the woods for over an hour at this point, and so far all they'd seen was multiple trees, stretching as far as could be seen, with a canopy that seemed to mute the light all around them. Thankfully, they'd yet to see any monsters either, though some of the prints in the ground had been decidedly unlike any normal creature either of them knew of.

"How far do you think it is to the shoreline?" Alexis asked as she looked up at the canopy, voice lowered slightly (best to not risk alerting anything that might secretly be in earshot).

"I'm not sure," Clarisse answered (also speaking in a lowered tone for the same reason), not taking her eyes off the trees, "though if we couldn't get back before sundown, I suspect the Mastermind would've said as much. He might not show it, but I think he genuinely doesn't want us to die to the monsters out here, surprisingly."

The Brazilian looked over at her traveling companion, "You seem rather good at reading people, I've noticed." She raised an eyebrow as Clarisse looked over at her in turn. "What, may I ask, have you gotten about me?"

The Markswoman stared silently at Alexis for a moment. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I think that you're more dangerous than you might let on." Her gaze dropped briefly down to the other girl's waist before swiftly returning to her face. "And not just because you have a knife strapped to the back of your belt today."

The Latin-American Mythologist smirked a bit, crossing her own arms behind her back as she responded, "Well, I'd wondered when someone would notice that. It's not like I was hiding it."

"I suppose even the guys were too distracted by today's announcement to notice anything concerning your body, though the fact you always tried to stay at the end of the group where no one would be able to look at your back probably helped." The platinum-blonde girl noted, somewhat sardonically.

"So," Alexis asked, "you now know of my not-so-concealed weapon." She stared the North American in the eye. "What shall you now do with this information?"

Neither girl was oblivious that the other currently had at least one hand on the handle of a blade.

After a tense moment, Clarisse finally responded. "As long as you're not planning to use it against me or any of the others, I might be willing to leave it unaddressed." Her eyes emitted a hard stare. "Though I would like to know where exactly you got that thing to begin with. You didn't have it when we all first woke up."

Alexis shrugged, turning her gaze back to the path. "I managed to find it amongst the foliage of the Conservatory. Seemed to still be in good condition, so I appropriated it. Thought it best to have and not need it, than ultimately need and not have it, Acordado?"

Clarisse could tell part of that was likely a lie, but couldn't necessarily disagree with the 'have and need' sentiment (it was one of the reasons she continued to wear her throwing knives, after all). "Either way, let's not try and lose sight of each other while we're in this forest, alright?"

"Justo, minha querida." The Brazilian agreed, a smirk on her face as she moved out of arms reach of Clarisse. Neither one dropping their guard (against the forest or each other), they continued onward to the still-unseen coast.

10:32 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Bell Tower

The Sphinx and the Opera Phantom approached the large bell tower. It appeared to be a much older structure than the mansion, or anything built in the last fifty years. A large padlock kept the iron door at the base shut tight.

"Well," Teresa commented, tapping a clawed finger against the corner of her slightly-smirking mouth as she eyed the lock, "they don't seem to want us in there."

"So I noticed, actually." Adrien replied, gazing up at the top of the tower. "Think you could reach up there?"

"Mmm, I could certainly try." The Sphinx stated, looking to the top as well. Stretching her wings out, she started flapping the appendages. Soon enough, she was airborne.

With some minor difficulty (this was higher up than the library bookshelves), she made it to the top of the tower. Looking around, she found the area mostly bare, save for a couple of blankets, a couple of mostly-used candles, and the occasional discarded food wrapper. There was also a spiraling staircase that led from the top to, presumably, the door at the tower's base.

Looking back down, she called out to Adrien, "Nothing of any real interest here, but I think someone might have used this spot for a romantic getaway. Recently, too."

"Huh. Who do you think pulled that? The Painter and Executioner?" Adrien called up questioningly.

"Eh, probably. They're on the staff, could get in here, and clearly have the drive for it." The Sphinx called back in response as she looked down the stairwell. Seeing nothing but darkness (and doubting that she could open the door from the inside), she made her way back to the edge. "Well, nothing up here, so, Geronimo!" With that, she leaped off the tower, wings unfurling to slow her fall. She glided around the tower a few times before landing back where she started next to the Italian boy.

Adrien clapped dutifully at the display. "Glad to see you're adjusting so well to your new state, madam." His one visible eyebrow raised as his head tilted to the side. "If you don't mind me asking, why do you seem so fine with your talent? You've been turned into a were-sphinx, or something!"

The Ultimate Sphinx smiled at the Opera Phantom. "To be honest, it was not what I was expecting. I'd actually been hoping to become a lounge singer. However, I find this new form I've been granted," she glanced down at the claws upon her hands and inhuman feet, "despite its so-called faults, genuinely fascinating." She looked back at her fellow participant. "Besides, how many other people can fly under their own power? It's amazing!"

"Yes, I suppose you have a point with the wings." Adrien somewhat begrudgingly agreed. "Wouldn't have pegged you as a singer, though."

"I'll admit, I wasn't very good at it. Hence, the use of the AUP." She looked around the clearing. "In any case, I'd suggest we head back now. There doesn't seem to be much to find around here."

Seeing no reason to disagree, the Italian followed the girl back to the mansion.

11:00 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Lake

The walk to the lake was surprisingly peaceful. The sun was slightly hidden behind clouds and canopy, though surprisingly not in a particularly threatening way. The woods had an ominous feel to them, but it somehow seemed subdued, if only for the moment. It probably helped that the path was fairly clear.

The lake itself was calm and pristine, with a wooden pier leading a ways out to it. Nothing seemed very out of the ordinary here.

"Well, this actually seems rather normal." Victoria said, hands on her hips as she stared out at the landlocked waters. "Maybe I should've asked Brooke to search here, she might be more adept at water-based exploration."

"Well, that can be covered later." Gary noted, prodding the pier with his foot to check its durability. Thankfully, it seemed sturdy. He turned to the Mummy. "Should we check the end of the pier too?"

"Pays to be thorough, and all that." She agreed, smiling slightly as she made for the pier.

The two reached the end of the pier without incident. Staring out into the water, they still found nothing abnormal or suspicious about the general area.

"Well," the Egyptologist commented, gazing at the water, "I guess that we lucked out on searching the calm area, huh?"

"Mmm, I suppose so." Victoria responded, seeming somewhat put out that her self-assigned task had been so easy in comparison to any others (though Gary was pretty sure the pool wasn't that bad a spot either).

"… Soooo," Gary finally asked after a moment of silence, "what do you like to do in your spare time?"

Victoria looked to him, surprised. "What?"

"Just curious," the boy stated, shrugging slightly. "We might as well get to know each other a little better while were here. Me personally, I like reading historical-fiction novels, and, obviously, studying matters pertaining to ancient Egypt."

Victoria smiled a bit before responding. "Well, I like to pass the time by playing checkers, when I can. In terms of reading material, I tend to prefer anything about ancient Egypt as well, actually, particularly documents concerning ancient burial practices."

"Well, that seems both fitting and interesting" Gary noted with a smile of his own. "Favorite Hollywood film?"

"Ugh, please don't bring up Hollywood to me." Victoria groaned out, turning to the other side of the pier as she crossed her arms, "I have enough problems with that stuff as is."

Gary winced slightly, not having expected that reaction. "Not a fan?"

She turned back to him. "It's just … they can just butcher a film sometimes, y'know?" The young woman explained, gesturing with a hand for emphasis. "Like, one film I honestly hate is - ironically, considering my current circumstances - 1932's The Mummy. They just completely walked over any sort of accuracy pertaining to Egyptian history, practices, or its people, and even mishandled the presentation of archaeologists that discovered those tombs. And yes," her voice raised briefly to hold off any potential arguments, "I realize that British explorers and archaeologists were horrible when it came to treating mummies or their tombs with anything resembling dignity - my dad's descended from some, after all - but even so!"

"… Well, I see you feel strongly about this." The Egyptologist stated, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm almost nervous to ask how you feel about the remake films."

"Still inaccurate in Egyptian portrayal, obviously," she responded without missing a beat, "but, I'll admit, they do have some worth in how popcorn-entertainment-y they are. But ugh, the CGI, especially in the second film."

"Ooh, yeah, wholeheartedly agree on that one, actually."

"Right?! How hard is it to make a scorpion centaur? And why did they need the CGI head, did they not have the actor himself anymore at the time of filming or something?" She sighed, looking back down into the lake as she scuffed a boot against the wooden dock, "So, yeah, not a fan of most Hollywood films these days. I'd prefer long-form television series."

"Fair enough." The young man agreed, looking to the (still mostly overcast) sky. "Look, I think we should probably head back now, and talk some more afterwards. Sound good?"

Victoria nodded her head, glad to move on from the most recent topic, "Yes, let's. Maybe we can find a checkerboard later." She added with a smile.

Feeling a bit closer now, the two Egyptian-based Ultimates made their way off the dock and back to the mansion.

11:40 A.M. Day Three

Outside

Beach/Shoreline

Eventually, the forest gave way to sand. Before them rested an expansive beach with waves crashing against the shoreline. Several hundred feet away rested a small dock, with a small rundown shack next to it.

"Well," Alexis commented, "it seems we finally found the beach."

"Indeed, though unfortunately it seems the Momota's weren't lying about this being an island." Clarisse noted, taking in the curve of the shore.

"Well, we can't say that for sure until we've followed the shoreline entirely." The Brazilian pointed out.

"Maybe so," The American concurred, "but going by the claims of monsters roaming around, it might be for the best to not risk such a trip." She looked back at the forest. "Besides, with our luck, part of the coast will turn out to be cliffs or some sort of sheer drop. I'd rather we make it back to the mansion alive and intact, if it's all the same to you."

"Justo." The Latin-American Mythologist acquiesced, shrugging. She pointed to the shack and dock. "Shall we go see if there's anything worth finding over there?"

"Let's." The Markswoman agreed, leading the way.

As they approached the shack and pier, they saw something honestly unexpected. An actual, genuinely functional, motor boat, sturdy hull and all. The girls shared a look, before fast-walking over to the boat for a closer look.

"It can't be so easy." Clarisse noted, in a slight shock. "There's got to be a catch, or something."

"You mean aside from this clearly not being large enough to fit all of us?" Alexis semi-sarcastically asked, taking in the small size of the boat. "Well," she followed up by crouching down near a post, "this seems concerning, to say the least."

Moving over and crouching down as well, Clarisse saw what Alexis did: a note stapled to the post, written out for all to see:

WARNING: KRAKEN GUARDING THE COAST! DO NOT LEAVE BY BOAT UNLESS YOU INTEND TO DIE!

… Well, that was unexpected and more than a little disconcerting.

A kraken? A kraken?! There was a giant sea monster camped out on the shore of the island, just waiting for someone to sail in and get eaten?! The Staff had this sort of backing to it?!

"Th-this has to be a lie, r-right?" Clarisse asked, turning to stare at the other girl. "There's no way that there's a k-kraken waiting to kill us if we take the boat, right?!"

"… Either way," Alexis said after a moment. "it's best if we don't take the risk."

"What?!" Clarisse questioned, shocked at the dismissal.

"I'd rather not chance that this is just some fabrication." Alexis responded, standing up while her arms folded over her chest. "Besides, the boat isn't big enough to fit all thirteen of us at once, and we could still get lost at sea or get caught in a storm even if a kraken doesn't kill us before we reach the open ocean. Best not to even bother, I'd say."

… As much as Clarisse didn't want to admit it, those were good points. Standing up, she rubbed at her eyes before running her fingers through her hair. "Okay. So what do we tell the others about this boat?"

Alexis just shrugged, already turning to walk away. "Why should we tell them anything? All it would do is raise and crush their hope's pointlessly, and might prompt some of the more skeptical people to just try and make off with the boat themselves in the hope that there isn't actually a monster out there." She looked back at the Markswoman. "I say we just claim we found an empty pier and some sand. Sound okay to you?"

"…" Clarisse didn't like the idea of covering this up from the others, but she had to admit, Alexis had a point. There really was no guarantee any of them taking the boat would lead to rescue of any sort. And if there was even a chance this kraken claim was true… "Alright, fine. We'll keep it from the rest, for now."

"Excelente." The Brazilian declared. She turned back in the direction she had been walking, only to quickly spin around back to Clarisse. "Oh and if anyone asks, I found my knife in this shack here. Alright?" She gave a cheeky smile, before turning and departing again.

Clarisse rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever." she mumbled. Stopping off to quickly check the (mostly empty or decayed) shack, she followed the South American girl back in the direction of the mansion.

3:57 P.M. Day Three

Outside

Courtyard

Eventually, the group reconvened in the Courtyard, with the shoreline investigators arriving last due to distance. In a 'nice' change of pace, it was Kuuma who was watching the group from the door, as opposed to Kinsei. Sharing information, everyone was mutually disappointed to learn there was nothing in the way of viable resources or an escape opportunity anywhere close by. Though a few details did prove disturbing for some.

"So, you're saying there's already been a killing game on this island?" Gary questioned, incredulous and somewhat fearful.

"Certainly looks like it, unfortunately." Eric answered, looking downcast over the matter. "Unless there's some other reason that there were graves marking dead Ultimates in that cemetery."

The Homunculus laughed from his place away from the group. "Pupupu! 'Fraid not kiddos! It's just like it looks; you bastards are the participants of the second killing game to be hosted upon Hora Island. Though, if it makes you all feel special again, this is the first game to start out in the mansion. The last batch never had it so good."

"Well, that's disconcerting, to put it mildly." Elle commented, side-eyeing the dual-toned boy. "A-anyway, we searched through the whole maze, didn't find any other entrances or exits. Did manage to make a map at least." John held up his journal, turned to the finalized map, for emphasis. "Despite the creepy decor, we didn't encounter anything living in there." She paused, seeming to internally debate something, before adding, "w-well, besides a couple of things."

That got the concerned attention of the rest of the group. "What?! What did you find, are you hurt?" Victoria was quick to ask.

"No, we're fine - physically, anyway - it's just that these short gray things popped out of the hedges and started fighting over this discarded pile of clothes."

"Uh, didn' the Doctor say there were clothes-stealin' gremlins around?" Kelley asked, recalling Momota's previous speech.

"And got it in one, Scream Queen." Kuuma called out (he certainly seemed eager to exposit when the moment arose). "Those little kleptos happen to be twins that were failed attempts at becoming Ultimate Gremlins. They're more or less harmless, so they get to just wander the island without issue."

"W-wait a sec," Shawn interrupted, suddenly looking ill and frightened, "you're saying those things, were test subjects like us!?"

"Yep!" the homunculus responded, looking sadistically cheerful over the matter. "There are plenty of failed Ultimates running loose on this island; poor unfortunate saps that just didn't win the coin toss you all did for actually keeping their sanity more-or-less intact during the total body modification that came with their new talents. Off the top of my head there's been a Minotaur, a Moth-Man, a Mole Man, the Manticore duplicated -"

"OKAY, I think we get the picture!" Brooke shouted, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Turning to Alexis and Clarisse, she asked the obvious question, "Did you two manage to find anything?"

"Aside from confirming we really are on an island?" The Brazilian asked, arms and legs crossed. She shook her head. "Not a thing. There was a ramshackle little dock nearby, but no boats anywhere in sight from what we could see."

"So, all in all, probably a waste of time, it would seem." Clarisse said, seeming completely honest in her statement. If any individuals (such as nearby homunculi) found the authenticity of that exchange suspicious, they remained silent about it.

"Drat, was really hoping for something there." Victoria said, snapping her fingers in disappointment.

"Yeah, you should just drop that 'hope' thing while you're here, all it'll do is get you killed." Kuuma 'sagely' announced. Adrien shushed him (how he got away with this would remain a secret to everyone's dying day).

"So, what now?" Teresa asked, looking around the group. "Should we risk searching more of the island?"

"I'd rather not, actually." Victoria shot the idea down. "The staff said this place is dangerous, and it's getting closer to nighttime. I'd rather we not risk running into anything more lethal than a gremlin." She sighed. "I think it's best if we went back inside for now. We can come up with another plan in the morning."

"Yeah, cuz those have always helped in killing games." The Homunculus muttered loudly to himself. Ignoring him, the group made their way back inside, hoping for a chance to wind down after the day they'd had.

They would need to savor it, as the storm of Despair they found themselves in was only just beginning.

[13 participants remain]

A/N: The views expressed by the characters are (probably)not reflective of the views of the author, especially when it comes to films of the 1930s. The author will, however, agree that the special effects of some films have not really aged particularly well, particularly early 2000s films/effects. And no, the most recent Mummy film was never made in this story's setting, given the timeline of the Tragedy's occurrence. I'm sure maybe one person is sad to hear this. Until next time!