-Omezo's room-
*knock knock knock*
Once again, the sound of knocking woke me up. I got up and got a good stretch in. I quickly got dressed and approached the door. As I thought, it was Norito.
"Time for some more shenanigans with Sukey, Ace!" Norito informed me.
"I'm right with you," I told him before I let out a yawn.
I'm kind of vying for it to be way less of a taxing activity. All that cleaning was getting unbearable. I'll never get how he's able to enjoy it as much as he appears to.
I followed him out of my room and towards the kitchen in the cafeteria.
-Kitchen-
"Now that we are all here, we can begin on this delectable food," Norito said, clasping his hands together with an eager smile.
"Why are we cooking exactly?" I asked tiredly, rubbing my eyes. "We already have all our food prepared for us."
Which is just about the only good thing Monotokage gives us. So, if she's not cooking the food anymore, then there's nothing to appreciate her for. Not that I wanted to in the first place. We could probably dish out better food than her, since we actually have our comfort in mind.
"I asked Monotokage to allow us to cook this time and she gave me permission," Sukey explained, smiling sweetly. "It's mainly because I wanted to make what little we can eat as enjoyable as possible and I figured it'd be a decent bonding activity for us as well. We will be making bacon and scrambled eggs."
"Alright, what will our roles be in this activity?" Kaiya questioned, tapping her chin.
"Omezo will be cutting the strips of meat, 28 of them, two pieces for everyone, Kaiya and Norito, you'll be cracking the eggs. I will be in charge of cooking the scrambled eggs," Sukey answered, taking out some bowls and plates. "Once Omezo is finished with his job, we'll decide on what spices and such to add to the bacon."
Bacon, the golden child of all the meats. Everyone loves it and those that hate it are shunned for it. That said, I honestly don't really love it that much as it's super greasy, but it is quite appetizing nonetheless.
"I could just use my handy dandy ultra cooking gadget, it can cook anything perfectly in no time flat!" Kaiya offered as she peeled a strip of meat from the pig meat on the counter. She took out a strange device that was rectangular in shape, it had a slot on the front and back, and a few blue and red buttons situated on what I assume to be the front. She stuck the piece of pig meat she had taken into the slot. The machine made a high pitched ding sound as she grabbed the meat from the other side. It was completely and perfectly cooked. She then popped it into her mouth with a pleased expression.
"It's a work of wonders," Kaiya remarked, swallowing her small snack with a proud smirk.
Norito looked impressed. "I'll say, didn't think something so small could cook like a pro!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"No no, we are in no need of that device," Sukey said, turning down the offer while she placed some pans on the stove.
Kaiya seemed a bit disappointed as she pondered for a moment. "Oh, well, I also have an automatic flipper for the eggs and bacon!" She whipped out another gadget that had the appearance of a pan, with a white glove forearm holding the pan's handle. She activated it with a button, causing it to fling the pan upwards with a lot of force creating a fwtang sound.
Sukey wagged her finger in disapproval. "There will be no usage of gadgets in this kitchen," the band director denied with a light smile. "We will do this the old fashioned way, as there is no need to rush the process. Otherwise, how can we properly work as a team?"
"Now you sound exactly like my mother," Kaiya mentioned, a pleasant smile grew on her face as she placed the gadget on the counter in front of a bowl of exotic fruits. "She always wanted me to do my chores with my bare hands so I'd never grow lazy."
"That's the second time someone told you that you were similar to their mother," I pointed out, with an amused grin.
"I don't have a problem if people find me motherly, as that usually means you love me, since most mothers deserve to be loved," Sukey remarked in a warm tone, flashing an infectious smile as she began to muse. "Besides, my students always accidentally call me mom, so I'm used to it."
"That's true, I do love you after all," Norito commented with a knowing smirk, his brown eyes fixating on Sukey.
Sukey's face turned a deep red. "N-norito! That's a rather bold statement," she stammered sheepishly, hiding half her face with a hand.
Norito offered an indifferent shrug. "What? I thought it was pretty obvious," he said with a playful grin. "As you said, you're motherly, so it's hard to not love you."
Real smooth, Norito, you might as well tell her that you wish for her to kiss you on your cheek like your mother while you're at it.
"A-anyways, let's get to work now shall we," Sukey announced, hugging herself lightly.
I began digging into the slimy pig meat with my knife. The smell of raw meat invading my nostrils as I did so. I chopped a total of 13 slices of meat until I accidentally popped a large cyst full of crimson liquid. Unfortunately, my face was just close enough to get a face full of recently frozen pig blood on it.
I grimaced in disgust. "Agh, how fantastic…" I sighed, grabbing a rag that was nearby.
Just my luck to manage to pop a random blood clot that the butcher did not remove. What ever happened to professionalism? Definitely not a product from the Ultimate Butcher…
"Ahahaha~ someone could mistake you for a psychopath with that look!" Kaiya playfully teased me.
Norito studied my bloodied face with a contemplative look. "Yeah, you could be like... the Bloody Gary of this world," Norito added with an impish smirk.
"Real creative, consider my socks laughed off…" I sarcastically replied as I finished wiping the sticky blood off my face and placed the now bloodstained rag in the sink.
Sukey cutely giggled. "Luckily, the showers are available, so you won't need to have the smell of iron trailing behind you for that long," she informed with a cheery expression.
A while later of flesh slicing and egg cracking, I had finished my duty.
"There you have it," I announced, washing my hands in the sink. "all 28 slices of meat on the plate, ready for the transformation into scrumptious bacon."
Sukey nodded her head. "Job well done, Ace, now Norito and Kaiya just have to finish with the last 3 eggs and we can begin experimented with the bacon,"
Suddenly, a wild grin spread across Norito's face. "Hey, watch this you guys," He took up an egg in one hand and a knife in the other. Then, he tossed the egg into the air above the large bowl of yolk and swiped his knife through it, cutting it in half. The yolk fell directly into the bowl beneath it as he swiftly caught the egg shells. "Pretty outstanding huh?"
Leave it to Norito to try to add flare to egg cracking… At least he did not screw it up like he does when he gets fancy with that mop.
Kaiya tapped her chin. "Eh, decent, I give it 5 stylish points out of ten," the secret agent adjusted her bow-tie with a smug look. "I, on the other hand, have something even more skillful to show off."
Kaiya picked up a knife and an egg much like Norito did. Except, she handed Norito the egg. "I want you to toss this into the air when I tell you to,"
"Aye aye," Norito saluted in agreement.
Kaiya positioned herself on the other side of the kitchen, directly across from the bowl, knife in hand. Seeing that she was most likely going to throw the damn thing, I made sure to stand on her side, fearing a knife getting lodged into my body.
I'm not sure why this has become a competition, but I'd rather play it safe by staying out of harm's way. Not that I don't trust Kaiya's skills, I know what she's capable of. However, I won't take my chances.
"It's cool that you are getting stylish and all, but please don't attempt dangerous stunts…" Sukey requested, seeming a bit worried.
"It's not dangerous if a professional is doing it," Kaiya assured her in a careless manner. "Alright, Norito, toss that egg will ya?"
Norito did just that, as the egg flew upwards, Kaiya lifted the knife behind her shoulder, preparing to throw it. The moment when the egg hit the peak of its height, Kaiya launched the knife, it cut straight through the egg's center and lodged itself into a wooden cupboard. The yolk landed in the bowl below, and the shells fell to the side.
That was pretty jaw-dropping if I had to say. In fact, it almost breaks the laws of physics. Normally, you would think the egg would just be either knocked away or explode.
"I have to hand it to you, that was far more impressive than my mediocre stunt," Norito complimented, genuinely impressed.
"So I win then?" Kaiya questioned with a proud expression.
"Well, I did not say that," Norito responded, grabbing the tip of his teal hat. "I can do what you just did, but better and more heroically at that."
"Have at it then." Kaiya allowed, gesturing to where she stood for the stunt.
The same process was repeated, just with the role's reversed. Norito flipped the knife around in the air, catching it every time.
If I was worried before, I'm scared now. As long as I remain over here, surely I can avoid anything terrible.
"Launch that egg, Peppermint! Then witness the stuff of glory." Norito commanded, finger gunning the turquoise haired girl.
Sukey and I watched on as Kaiya tossed the egg up and Norito threw the knife from it's blade. While it did make contact with the egg, it did not cut it. Instead, the egg got knocked to the side and splattered on top of Kaiya's automatic flipper gadget. It short circuited and made that same fwtang sound. Suddenly, I saw nothing but darkness.
I felt quite sore for some reason. I slowly blinked my eyes as I overheard a bunch of muffled voices. Each time I opened my eyes, it was all a blurry haze. I could make out human figures and some colors, but didn't recognize anything. Eventually, I came to my senses and my vision restored itself. Suffice to say, my head was positively pounding with pain.
"Ugh, what just happened…?" I asked, feeling very dazed at the moment as I rubbed my head where I felt a bump at. I noticed that I was sitting against a wall, still in the kitchen.
I imagine that this is what having a hangover feels like...
Norito heard me and turned, regarding me with a nervous smile. "Oh, welcome back to the land of the conscious, Ace," he greeted.
"Excuse me? What?" I questioned, confused. "I was knocked out?"
"Yeah, sorry about that…" Norito apologized sincerely, rubbing the side of his neck. "You got a firm blow from an unidentified flying coconut from a pan flippin' device as a result of that stunt I pulled."
Are you kidding me? There just so happened to be a coconut that could be flung by that machine, and I just so happened to be in its trajectory? What kind of crap is that? It's like rolling a one on a D20...
"First, I get squirted by pig blood, then I get knocked unconscious by a coconut of all things," I recounted, still rubbing that bump on the side of my head, I weakly smiled. "Not the best run I've had…"
"It was quite the unlucky string of events," Kaiya commented.
"Are you alright though, Omezo?" Sukey asked, staring at me compassionately. "I hope the injury isn't too bad."
"I'm fine, just a little sore," I groggily stood up onto my feet. I then saw that all the food was finished and lying on plates. I felt my mouth water as my nose caught the smell of the bacon. "I can see that you guys finished while I was out of it."
"Oh yes, I think the bacon turned out great," Sukey said with pride before her expression turned giddy with excitement. "You should test it out for us!"
I shrugged and took a piece of bacon. Taking a decent sized bite out of it, and almost immediately an explosion of flavor soon followed.
It smelled as flavorful as it tasted. I don't have the taste to proficiently identify the ingredients, so I cannot pinpoint what they added.
"Wow, that was single handedly the most delectable thing I've eaten for as long as I can remember. You guys did a fantastic job," I commended, genuinely shocked.
"That's good news to hear," Sukey said with a bright smile. "Come on, let's deliver the others their meals!"
-Cafeteria-
Sukey, Norito, Kaiya, and I placed plates of two slices of bacon and a bit of scrambled eggs on the tables in front of everyone. The strong smell of crispy bacon permeated throughout the room.
"And breakfast is served," Kaiya announced, bowing in a similar fashion to a butler presenting a fine dinner to his master. "Let us dine like, well, I would love to say kings, but you know, it's only two measly pieces of bacon and some eggs, so I guess it's fine dining for peasants that get leftovers, except that also has a negative connotation, which is not what we are goin-"
She's going for way too long there.
I raised a palm to gesture her to stop."In a more short and concise statement, we hope you all enjoy this 'meal,' while it may not be large, the desire is for it to be the most palatable meal," I stated as I stuffed my hands into my suit pants pockets.
"We did pour our heart and soul into those pieces of meat, so it should be the best slabs of bacon you've ever tasted!" Sukey exclaimed confidently with a bright smile..
Leiko tapped her lips. "I know that souls, especially innocent ones, are a five star meal in hell, so this should be at least 5.5 stars," She deducted as she studied the strips of meat on her plate.
"Oh yeah, it should be a clean sweep of your favorite meal list!" Norito declared proudly, offering a flashy grin.
"If this meal does not live up to your words, then we will be seeing if you can take the crown on our list, morsel," The twins forewarned, their narrowed eyes prying into Norito's, causing him to gulp fearfully in response.
Norito always seems to be the target of their frightening statements. I wonder if there's a reason or if he's just as unfortunate as I am.
Arishige, using a fork, took a small bite out of a strip of bacon. His eyes lit up with genuine astonishment. "Aaaahhh~ How wondrous! Something this succulicious has never laid upon my tongue!" the flamboyant cosmetologist remarked with a pleasant expression. "If fantabulous was a flavor, this would be it," he then kissed the tips of his fingers.
"It's unlike anything I've ever tasted before back where I live," Nene commented as she swallowed a bite of her bacon. "Modern cities do have their perks, don't they?" she mused thoughtfully.
Anzai pushed his glasses up with a finger. "For the second time and probably never again, I can... congratulate you plebeians for something," the genius commended with reluctance as an arrogant smile found its way onto his face. "Of course, I'm a genius in the kitchen, so I could outdo this with little effort. Nonetheless, an admirable job well done, you four."
Heikichi shrugged. "It's to be expected, bacon alone is the ruler of all food in this universe," he mentioned, pinching his visor.
"Eh, Imma be real with y'all, I'm not a fan of bacon," Jurobei admitted, biting his lower lip. "There's just too damn much grease, not even that much meat and I prefer my meat not so crunchy."
"What heresy!" Masakado remarked in revulsion as he looked over at Sozen. "May I be granted permission to slice this heathen's tongue off, he won't be needing it with such faulty taste buds."
Never thought I'd see Kado get so pissed over someone's preference over bacon. Well, I suppose he could be faking it, but it seems too genuine. Again, he may just be an amazing actor… All I can say is, Juro better run for the hills as he did when I first met him.
Sozen smirked. "Permission granted, but make it quick," he responded as he took out a key.
Juro's eyes widened in fright. "Woah! Hold the fuck on my guy! That was just a joke! I swear to all hell," the soccer player clarified as he began to sweat profusely with a nervous grin. "I need my tongue for many reasons and one of those involves offering variety in the bedroom."
Sozen crossed his arms across his bulky chest. "You're right. it was indeed a joke," the sheriff said with a stony expression.
"O-oh, crap, nice one dude, you really had me going for a fucking minute," Jurobei said as he rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin.
Sukey offered an infectious smile. "I'm very glad that you are all enjoying it this much," the band director commented with gratitude, delicately clasping her hands over her heart. "It truly does soothe my heart…"
"And you have our thanks for making the most of what little we can eat," Sozen said while he wiped his mouth clean with a napkin after finishing his plate. "It would be greatly appreciated if you cooked from here on out to make the rationing more bearable for us. Although, I won't force you."
"I'd love to, anything to increase our comfort and general happiness," Sukey agreed with a beaming smile.
"And I'll assist you!" Norito volunteered, flashing a toothy grin. "Cause, what's a chef without their cooks? Also, I just don't want you to overwork yourself for our sake, I know how tough it can be."
A gracious smile flitted to the band director's lips. "Your assistance is much appreciated, Scrubby, thanks so much for your constant consideration!" she happily thanked as a look of determination formed upon her face, gazing at the janitor. "I'm confident that we'd make an amazing duet in the kitchen as we did while we cleaned yesterday."
Norito gave a modest expression as he met her gaze. "Just another usual day for me, creating smiles left and right!" the cherry locked boy remarked, adjusting his hat. "'Bout time I got back into that business down here."
One thing's for sure, I can now look forward to any future meals, if they are anything like that bacon. Maybe this rationing won't be so bad in the end.
"You have our deepest gratitude for contributing to our overall comfort, Sukey," Shuuyo piped up with a pleased smile.
"However, it is now our turn to contribute to the efforts of unification and pleasantry," Rikako declared.
"We are plotting to host a grandiose show of entertainment for everyone," they proposed, both of them holding an arm outward. "Our wish is for this show to be quite the awe-inspiring experience for all."
"I was wondering when you'd make use of the theatre," I remarked, stroking my jawline.
"This is a rather surprising development coming from you two," Nene commented with a bit of shock, glaring at the twins with a glint of suspicion in her sky blue eyes.
"We realize the importance of bringing us together and this is what we bestow upon all of you to assist," the twins explained as they each twirled a single strand of their hair. "Furthermore, we've been lacking in entertainment and we could think of no better option than a performance of grand proportions. Plus, from our own experience, performing with others is an efficient way to bring folks together. That said, would any of you like to join us in this trek into the spotlight? We can all have our very own performance to display. We haven't decided an exact time, but it's guaranteed to happen tomorrow. For all that join, we shall discuss the plans later today."
Sukey blinked rapidly in succession. "I am astounded, yet also in adoration of this idea," she commented, tapping her chin for a moment with a warm smile. "So, I'll be joining in for sure! I just need to find an instrument or two somewhere and I should be able to deliver something grand on stage."
"Ooo! Ooo~ count me in!" Leiko exclaimed, eagerly waving her hand. "I can pull off a totally fun and fantastic performance, also, I'm just too bored all the time. I needed this."
"I could never pass up an opportunity to create a fabulous spectacle for all to witness!" Arishige dramatically trumpeted, flicking his fluffy white bang back.
"I would love to join in the fun, but I'm not sure what I could do as a performance…" Norito mentioned, pondering his options. "Cleaning probably isn't the most entertaining thing to watch."
"You can play the role of the on stage announcer, as we do need one." Shuuyo said.
"Sounds good to me!" Norito agreed with a wide smirk, giving them a thumbs up. "Happy to help in any way."
"Anyone else so willing to partake?" Rikako inquired as her and her sister's magenta eyes flitted to all our faces. "We can fit in one more performance into the schedule."
"You should join, Sozen!" Kaiya exclaimed excitedly, shaking the sheriff's broad shoulder lightly.
Sozen gave her a strange look in response. "Excuse me? I'm not exactly the show business type of guy." he refuted, crossing his arms indignantly.
Kaiya puffed her cheeks in annoyance. "Who cares? You are always focused on keeping us under control and never let yourself enjoy life, and that doesn't bode well for your psyche. You really need and deserve a break," the secret agent persuaded. "This would offer some desperately needed fun for you."
Sozen simply tapped his foot as he offered her a slightly displeased look. "Mind informing what I could even do to entertain anyone?" the light gray haired boy requested, then he let out a puff of air through his nostrils. "I'm no dancer or singer after all, unless eye wrenching and ear bleeding is the goal here."
"If you give us the chance to survey your capabilities, we should be able to sort something out for you," the twins answered with neutral expressions.
"See? Just give it a try, Sozen!" Kaiya pushed, playfully socking Sozen's arm as she offered him an encouraging grin. "As your deputy, I will cheer for you the entire time!"
"It's not like there is shame in failure here," Heikichi assured, tapping at his wrist device. "None of us are serious critics or anything."
Sozen let a short sigh leave his mouth. "I suppose I'll give it a go," he complied as he crossed his arms and looked to the side. "Since I'll be out of touch, I need someone to volunteer to keep watch over Kashiwa until this show business is over and done with."
That's rather shocking to hear. I am not sure what kind of performance to expect from him. Regardless, I am in agreement with Kaiya, he does need to take a load off before he overloads himself with responsibilities.
"I'll take care of the swine for you," Nene offered, placing a hand on the tip of her rapier's handle. "He won't be able to do a thing under my eye, and his words mean nothing to me."
"There you go, welcome to the show, Sozen!" Sukey greeted him in a warm tone.
"I better not regret this decision…" Sozen mused with uncertainty in his expression.
"Relax, nothing terrible is going to happen during the show," Norito doubted, trying to offer comfort. "We've already taken care of our main issue and the motive isn't that much of a problem."
Juro looked mildly angry at the statement. "Oi! Don't fucking say that shit! Cause when you do, some shit will go down!" he shouted assertively, clenching a fist.
"We shouldn't be assuming the worst, but if anything happens, we'll be able to push through it as we did before," I rationalized before grinning awkwardly as I scratched the back of my neck. "In theory anyways."
"Speaking of motives, I am reminded of secrets," Nene brought up, tapping the hilt of her rapier. "I believe it was you, Kaiya, who brought up the idea for all of us to let our secrets out ourselves. After giving it some thought, I feel as though that's the best course of action."
"It's still a really iffy subject…" Heikichi mentioned, frowning as he gazed at the fencer with prying eyes. "There may be some secrets we don't want to know, and some that would bring out the worst in people. Do you really want to risk bringing another unstable factor into this group?"
Nene's eyes narrowed slightly. "I won't deny the possibility. However, all of our secrets will get out into the light eventually," the blonde woman reasoned in a firm manner. "At the very least, we can eliminate most of them now, when we are in good chemistry, and take care of the consequences without Monotokage's influence."
"Well, since I was the one who pitched the idea, allow me to be the first to tell of my super secret secret," Kaiya volunteered, she then cleared her throat and messed with her black bow-tie for a second with an uneasy expression. "Believe it or not, there was a moment in my career that I'm not the proudest of, in fact, I wish I never bothered. The fact of the matter is that I had to essentially pretend to be the sex slave of quite the deplorable pimp, by the name of Bakin Iwayama, in order to gain info on him and his mafia. I was forced to participate in some really disgusting and taboo sex acts. Things like scat, child sex, gore, etc. I'll spare you the details."
None of that is right in any way. I've seen a lot of sickening things during the ongoing tragedy, but this outmatches a good bit of that stuff. I would never want to be forced to do unspeakable things. Makes me feel terrible for Kaiya.
Juro's face contorted in revulsion. "Scat is the shit with the shit, right? Shit, and children too! That's nasty as hell!" he ran a hand through his hair as he shook his head in disappointment. "Makes me feel great that I'm just a masochist…"
The color drained from Arishige's face. "Yeah, please leave it at that, I'd rather not lose that delicious meal I just had," the fuchsia haired man requested, covering his mouth.
Masakado's brow furrowed. "Hmpf, can't believe someone out did me on the atrocities in life…" he stated as a malicious sneer formed on his face. "I might need to change that…"
I shook my head with a sigh. "Kado, just shut up; anyways, that is really screwed the fuck up what he made you do," I remarked, staring Kaiya with curiosity and confusion. "What possessed you to make you want to take that kind of mission anyways?"
Kaiya made a sound of disgust. "I don't know, look, I thought it wouldn't get that sickening for me. In hindsight, I should've done my research beforehand," she replied, placing a hand on her hip as she looked down, ashamed.
"So, what? You were fine with the idea of being a sex slave?" Heikichi questioned with disapproval.
Leiko glared daggers at the hacker. "Hey! Being a sex slave is no crime!" the demonologist exclaimed in anger, furiously pointing at the boy.
"Just, don't dig into it," Kaiya implored, hiding her red tinged face in embarrassment. "It's not my proudest moment for a reason…"
"Hopefully, that man got his deserved punishment for those kinds of repulsive acts," Norito commented, gripping his soap bar that hung from his necklace. "Villains, human or not, are stains that sully the world, and all stains should be removed."
"Men like that deserve nothing short of a gruesome and agonizing death," the twins remarked, their expressions intense. "Perhaps having a drill slowly penetrate the cranium and through the brain."
"Fortunately, I was given permission to end his miserable life. Naturally, I did," Kaiya mentioned, leaning on the palm of her hand. "So, I can be proud of that at least."
"Alright, with that out of the way," Nene began, she gazed at the rest of us. "Who else wishes to share their deepest secret?"
"It's time I add mine into the mix," Sozen frowned tightly, his stoic deep blue eyes fixating on us. "I killed a child."
Well, this whole secrets thing went full throttle suddenly. We've gotten into child murder territory. Except, there's no way he willingly killed a kid, that's not like him, I want to believe anyways...
"What?!" Sukey's eyes widened in shock as she cupped her mouth.
"You can't just leave it broad as the ocean like that," I rebuked, frowning and crossing my arms while leaning on a foot.
Sozen shut his eyes tightly, he seemed to be holding something back. "I won't, just… give me a moment and I'll explain," he let out a shaky breath of air, beginning to seem out of character. "Yes, I killed a child, an innocent child, 6 years old, had a loving family. This was back in my rookie days. The poor kid was held captive by a terrorist who had bombs set in an city. I did not know where, but he was dead set that it'd kill hundreds, maybe thousands, of people. He warned me that if I made a move, he'd hit the detonator. He gave me a gun and emptied every bullet besides one, and forced me to aim it directly to the child's forehead. Then, he gave me a choice, to either shoot the kid or let the bombs go off. There was never a moment where his finger was not above the button, so I thought I had to make a choice. Despite the kid's tears and pleading, I shot him."
Not a decision I envy to be forced to make. As sad as it is, he made the correct and logical choice. I'd done the same.
"Jesus…" Sukey said in a somber manner as she folded her hands over her lap.
"I ended his life in one shot, but his teary, fearful green eyes and soaked face from his tears that streamed downwards haunts me. Not to mention, his words of pure terror as he tried to beg me and the terrorist to stop. Looking back on it now, I knew that I could have done something to save the kid's life and kept the bombs from going off," Sozen lamented as he palmed his forehead, his fingers digging into his light gray hair.
Anzai scoffed. "Typical commoner, never scrutinizing all the details to come to a proper, intelligent decision," he chided, rolling his eyes.
"We both have ended a child's life, hmm, seems we are not as different as you thought," Kado mocked with a devilish smirk.
"I suppose in that regard, we are alike, however, this doesn't change my opinion of you," Sozen remarked, his facial features tightening as he regarded the cult leader's words.
"What of the terrorist?" Heikichi asked, furrowing his brow. "You couldn't have let that asshat get away with that."
"He set the detonator down and just jumped out the window, 10 stories up," Sozen explained, his expression turned thoughtful. "Suffice to say the fall killed him, a suicide at it's finest. My guess is that event was his final fireworks, he must have expected me to save the child."
"Since this is your secret, I imagine that nobody else knew of your choice," Nene assumed.
"Indeed, I told the press that the kid was dead on my arrival," Sozen confirmed, slowly shaking his head. "I wish I had just told the truth, but I didn't want to face the public on the matter of a kid's life, let alone his family's wrath."
"I for one, think you made the right choice," I proclaimed, a sincere look on my face. "It was one kid's life over hundreds of others."
"0010 1001010 0110," Heikichi frowned, pressing a hand on his side.
Judging by Heikichi's expression, he doesn't agree with me. I can't fault him for it, it's hard to imagine killing a child even unwillingly like that and not feel remotely sickened.
"A kid who could've had a great future, he hardly got to see all the good the world had to offer," Sozen said, throwing in a mirthless chuckle. "All because of my foolhardy young self."
Sukey offered him an earnest expression. "Well, I won't despise you for it, we all make mistakes, some worse than others," the band director remarked. "The only thing to do is to make up for it and better ourselves as a result."
"Yeah, Sozen, you already seem like you've learned from that experience," Kaiya added with a warm grin. "It's better to see it as a stepping stone that made you who you are now, the Ultimate Sheriff."
"That's always the most intuitrous course of action," Arishige commented, pulling at his fluffy bang. "I've done it myself in fact."
Sozen's head dropped low. "It'll never feel right, no matter how hard I try to forget it. I just can't shake that lasting image that ingrained itself in my mind,"
"For all the lives you've saved and the justice you deliver, that mistake is a moot point now," Kaiya persuaded, resting her hand on the sheriff's shoulder. "It's nothing that'll blemish our opinion of you, well, I speak for myself in that regard. But, I can assure you that I'll always remain your deputy no matter what!" she exclaimed with a supportive smile.
"Yeah man, I'm sure none of us will hate you for it," Norito commented, grabbing the tip of his hat with a wide smirk. "It's nothing but a speck of dirt that's easily brushed off."
"Fuck dude, I wasn't planning on being depressed today…" Juro's shoulders slumped as his dispirited expression grew.
Nene's eyes flicked at each of us. "Do we have any more secrets to hear?".
"I've got one to get off my chest, and I'm not about to let it bring me down!" Norito boldly exclaimed, appearing determined.
*Ding dong, bing bong*
"As much as I'm lovin' this despairing story-time, I felt like upping the difficulty more! I want to see all your beautifully ugly mugs in the announcement room ASAP! Gahahahahaha!"
I was waiting for this to happen. I can only beg for it to not be a troublesome motive. But, why would it be anything else? Monotokage has made it clear that she isn't going easy at all.
"Seems the secret will have to wait until tomorrow then," Nene said, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Crap! And after I just finished pep talking myself in my thoughts..." Norito pouted with disappointment.
-Announcement room-
"Time for some fantastic news from our very cool and generous host," Heikichi said in a sarcastic manner.
"It's going to be another motive and it's going to pile on even more pressure on us," Sozen predicted, closing his eyes with his arms crossed.
"She's putting way too much in our bags…" I voiced with worry. "We won't be able to carry them if things continue to go her way."
"We'd never have to worry about being crushed under all that pressure. As long as we have all hands on deck and put our heads together, we could lift that weight and toss it away!" Norito heroically claimed, confidently posing with his mop.
"I love to break it to you, birdbrain, but that's not a valid hypothesis in this game," Anzai coldly remarked, scowling. "It's simply improbable that teamwork is all that is needed to stop death."
As much as I hate to say it, he's not without merit. Anyone could easily take advantage of our trust without us even realizing.
"Those words only ring true to your very own ears," Sozen countered with a stern look. "As the rest of us are willing to test it."
"Oh no, I'm sure our recent prisoner isn't all that willing," Anzai smirked, gesturing to Masakado whom was within arms reach of Sozen and Leiko.
"He's out of the question," Sozen asserted, pursing his lips. "There's nothing he can do to easily throw us off course at the moment."
"I'm not out of the picture until my voice is eternally silenced," Masakado piped up with a malicious smile.
"Shut your beautifully corrupted lips, servant! Or else I'll have to whip you into shape," Leiko warned, giving the cult leader an intimidating look as she rubbed her hands together evilly.
The twins let out a short, quiet giggle. "Seems our gleeful demon enthusiast has that under control," they commented, daintily smiling.
"Regardless of what Monotokage has prepared, none of us should be easily swayed by any motive," Nene proclaimed in a serious tone. "We all witnessed what the punishment is for failure to shamefully hide your crime. Do any of you truly want to risk such a grueling demise?"
"I would say that we did a pretty good job figuring out that crime and it wasn't an obvious answer either," Kaiya reminded as she mused, tapping her chin. "Who's to say we couldn't spot out the next killer just the same?"
"As much as I have confidence in us, that's not going to stop anyone from believing they can outsmart us, even then, some people are just that desperate and don't think straight," I pointed out.
Anzai swapped on his horn-rimmed glasses. "You're all lucky I have no intention of murdering you low-lives," He arrogantly remarked, brushing himself off with a cocky expression. "It'd be like easy mode with god mode activated for someone of a superior intellect such as myself. *sniffle*"
Murder is not something to brag about...
"Well fuck you too, dipshit!" Juro ridiculed, fists raised in agitation. "You didn't even fucking help in the trial, you have nothin'! Absolutely nothin'! To support that trash talk!"
"Could we at least save the arguing for after the motive?" Heikichi requested, scratched underneath his beanie. "I mean, seriously, I thought we came to an agreement yesterday."
"I second that, you are all starting to act like a bunch of... snagglepusses!" Sukey shouted in a short bout of anger.
Juro harrumphed. "It's not our fault that the scaly dipshit is taking so damn long!" the blonde boy exclaimed, indignantly crossing his arms.
"Quit the whining you nutheads!" Monotokage commanded, quite annoyed as she was rolling her head. "Sheesh, I'd thought ya'll would've learned the concept of patience by now."
"Cut to the chase, filthy reptilian," Arishige demanded adamantly. "Offer us your specithetic les hors d'oeuvres to our already full meal of motives so that we may brush it off like dirt on a fabulous suit."
Monotokage rubbed her tail as if she were hurt. "Me oh my, what disrespect... Oh well, since you are so eager, allow me to deep-throat you with this motive, Yahehehehehe~" the lizard chortled. "I've nicknamed this one as the "Make a Wish" motive, the deal with it is that I will graciously grant you a single wish. It can be just about anything you want. For example, maybe there's somebody you want to bring back life so that you can speak to them once more, maybe you want all the money in the world or complete control of a nation, yadda yadda. Any of that and the only price is one of your lives."
Heikichi shrugged. "Then I'll just wish for all of us to escape and be done with it, I'm sure a few of us would be willing to sacrifice ourselves for that," the pearl white haired boy profoundly proposed.
"If that's a possibility, then I volunteer to die for all your sakes," Nene offered, resting a hand on the hilt of her rapier with her eyes shut.
Sukey was taken aback. "Wha- really...?" she stammered in shock.
"Dang, and I thought I was the hero in this facility…" Norito commented, rubbing the side of his neck.
I've never respected a person more than Nene at this moment, to show constant dauntlessness and now volunteering to sacrifice herself for us to escape this hell. She must really have nothing to return too… that's almost saddening in a way. It's hard to grasp how she managed to change my opinion of her this quickly.
"No godfricken' way! That kind of valiant shit is not necessary!" Juro exclaimed, attempting to shut down the notion.
"Hold on there bucko, there is no loopholes or shit like that allowed!" Monotokage asserted sternly. "I'm not an idiot, I'd never grant a wish like that. That would ruin the whole point of the killing game!"
"Then what wishes are viable?" I queried, rubbing my jawline.
Monotokage scoffed. "Obviously nothing that helps you or anyone else here escape or survive," the lizard answered. "If you just ask me in secret if a wish is allowed or not, I'll give you a yay or nay."
"You listed resurrection as an example, how are we supposed to trust that such a supernatural occurrence is possible?" Sozen said, posing an interesting question.
"I wouldn't have mentioned it if there wasn't a way for me to do that," Monotokage replied curtly before leaning on a clawed hand. "I have not bullshitted you bozos with my motives yet, had Isoyo not killed, you'd all be talentless for sure. Besides, to finally have that loved one back into your life, is that not something you want to even attempt to gain?"
I felt my brow furrow. "What if there's a catch, like a monkey's paw situation? Where, if we are not specific enough, the wish goes awry,"
"I may have done you dirty before, apologies for the garden by the way, gahahahaha~" Monotokage chortled before becoming serious. "But, I can assure you that there are no catches, no fingers crossed, no jokes with this motive. Your wish will be exactly what you imagine it to be, true as blue. Swearsies."
Leiko's eyes widened in realization. "Then that means I could get the almighty Satan's signature, and then have follow-up, hot lava sex!" the icy haired girl exclaimed excitedly, her tongue lolling out as she began to sweat profusely in a lustful haze.
"Ugh… rotten images now plague my mind…" Masakado grimaced.
You and I both. Sex with a demon goat in lava sounds painful in more ways than one.
"That makes this quite the tantalizing incentive, we must admit…" Rikako remarked in a dull tone.
"To have what one desires the most even when thought to be impossible…" Shuuyo said, trailing off in thought.
"While greatly enticing as it may be, it would be ridiculous and selfish of us to indulge in it, when it's not even guaranteed I might add, and sacrifice 13 lives all for some fantasy dream to come true," Nene proclaimed, the hint of disapproval in her voice was quite evident.
This motive is much like that money one in the first killing game. It's primarily bringing out the greed in people. Apparently, some clairvoyant acted upon that one, and in my father's words "That guy's the type of dude that, when told to spell orange, would ask "which one." So, the evidence is there that only idiots would fall for this kind of motive. However, a wish for whatever you may want with few restrictions is far beyond simple green slips of paper. In other words, we shouldn't treat it like it's nothing.
Masakado's lips pulled into a fine line. "Hmph, I can think of a few people in my life I'd like to have a meaningful conversation with. So that I may chastise them for dying before giving me the chance to see them," he mused with a bit of anger in his tone.
I scratched the back of my neck. "Yeah, I would finally be able to meet my mother. I've always heard that she was a great woman… I'd do a lot to have that chance to show her how far her son has come… and to tell her that I love her," I said, my facial features softening as I remembered the stories my father told me about her and him.
"Your mother was one hell of a woman. Tough as nails, but soft on the inside. She could tell a mean joke too. You would have loved her just as much I do. I know she'd return the affection. She always told me that she was looking forward to seeing your adorable face…" I fought back a tear at the memory.
"You'd really fucking kill all of us for that heartwarming shit?!" Juro exclaimed through clenched teeth. "I mean, I love my Momster a helluva lot and it's depressing as shit that you didn't even meet yours, but fuck dude, it's not worth our goddamn lives!"
"I get it, don't worry," I affirmed, holding my hand up defensively. "I've gone this far without her, I'm sure it'll be just as easy to continue doing so."
Arishige gripped the collar of his coat. "There is a person in my life that I'd certainly love to bring back into the glorious land of the living, so that I may grant them a fantabulous life like no other, such as they wanted," the cosmetologist said before becoming stone-faced. "Yet, I'm confident that they rest peacefully and that's all I require."
"Other than all this resurrection nonsense, anything else would just be needless," Sozen remarked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Seeing that we all already came to terms with death in our lives, we should have nothing to worry about."
"Easy for you to say, you can't be sure what goes on in everyone else's mind," Heikichi said, rubbing his bicep. "A wish that can give you just about anything you desire is a pretty fucking huge deal."
"At the cost of many lives that would grant you severe guilt throughout your entire life, and with the risk of a gruesome death. You should know the proper decision is to avoid murdering anyone like a coward," Nene proclaimed with a stern expression.
"With all due respect, you are correct, alas, things like this bring out the shallowest in people, the first killing game is a testament to that," Sozen brought up. "We can never play our cards too carefully."
Sukey pressed her fingers into the palms of her hands in frustration. "Guys! Can we please just ignore this?" Sukey desperately pleaded. "Dwelling on all of it isn't going to affect our chemistry positively. We have a good amount of free time now, let's make efficient use of it by bonding with one another."
"I concur, the closer we are, the less likely we'd want to kill each other," Kaiya wholeheartedly agreed. "Cause, nobody would murder their friend… well, actually, never-mind, still makes it difficult regardless," she finished with a nervous laugh.
"It also provides intriguing conversations, and enlightening learning experiences," I added.
"If you're done entertaining me, then I'm outty," Monotokage said before began salivating. "I got a five star lobster dinner to finish, and let me tell you, it's a delicacy that sends your taste buds to heaven's gates! Yahehehehe~ too bad you'll never get a taste of that succulent, juicy, lemony, lobster meat! Unless, you wish for it, of course. Gahahahaha!" the lizard laughed in amusement. "Anyways, have fun ripping each other's heads off, and don't forget to think up of a good wish for me. Ta ta~" She disappeared once more.
In this situation, I'm thankful for my distaste for seafood. She can't inspire jealousy in me with that description.
"Freakin` teasing ass bitchface! Seafood is like my favorite thing ever! I could kill for it!" Juro complained in irritation before nervously scratching his head. "Except, I won't really."
"Let's just part ways for now," Nene proposed as she headed towards the doors.
"Yeah, and hopefully everyone will act upon Sukey's suggestion," Norito said with a hopeful smile. "Ain't nothing better than just hanging out and chilling with someone, sharing stories and the like."
Since I was thinking about it before, I kind of want to see if I can learn of Nene's life.
-Fencing arena-
Entering the arena, I noticed Nene in the back, striking at a dummy.
I approached her with a friendly smile. "Figured I'd find you in here."
"Do you wish to train your fighting prowess some more?" Nene asked in between her jabs with her rapier.
"Actually, I just want to talk," I clarified, placing a hand on my hip. "I'm curious about you, because as much as I have gathered from you, I'd imagine you have an enthralling background."
"My backstory is reserved for those with true strength," Nene remarked with a cold glare. "You have yet to prove as much."
I stroked my chin. "I've always wondered, what even is your definition of true strength?" I questioned as I offered her a perplexed expression. "This may seem ignorant, but when you first met us, you dubbed us all as weaklings without worth, yet some of us aren't without power. I'm afraid I just find myself unsure of your judgment."
She sheathed her rapier and lifted her chin up high. "True strength is when you are admirably strong in body, mind, and soul. Furthermore, you must achieve a perfect balance of all three factors and iron out all imperfections. Only then will you have attained true strength, earned mine and many others' respect, and reach a higher position of power in the ladder of strength," the fencer explained, giving me a serious look. "That is my personal belief."
"I see, so it did have an ulterior meaning to you," I commented before returning her look with a disapproving one. "However, isn't it a bit hyper critical to label people without that kind of strength as pathetic or not worth anything? Not everyone can just achieve that kind of impressive balance."
"I acknowledge how improbable it may seem, and I apologize if I've set an unrealistic expectation for one such as yourself," the blonde girl said in understanding, her eyes averting. "It's simply what I have learned in my life. You see, I've been subjected to ceaseless hammering of morals, traditions, and imposing expectations."
"Sounds like you had a rough life then."
"At first, yes, as reluctant as I may be to admit this. I used to be a scrawny, puny, human being." Nene admitted shamefully.
I quirked a single brow. "So, you were a child like the rest of us? I don't think anyone thought otherwise."
Seems strange to refer to your childhood like that. Then again, this is Nene, and she has no qualms about what or who she calls weak.
Nene sighed, rolling her eyes. "I suppose that's what I mean, moving on," she continued, resting a hand on the hilt of her rapier. "I've lived and breathed the arena life, in a place that you would see as medieval compared to modern day cities. All my life has consisted of rigorous training with a rapier, mastering all manners of fighting techniques, and slaying countless foes in the grand arena, entertaining an immense crowd of blood hungry folks. In order to be victorious in every battle, I had to attain true strength, lest I be executed."
"I gathered as much, you act unlike any other person in a normal society," I said. "Living in an environment like that is a far cry from any experience modern society grants."
"This is my first experience with anyone outside of the arena. As a result, my time down here has been filled with unfamiliarity and uncertainty. You people are vastly different from the often barbaric warriors I've interacted with," Nene said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "To be honest, it's been an intriguing experience, even if I hated it at first."
I gave a dry chuckle. "You certainly despised our very being until recently," I mentioned, shaking my head. "Hell, you even gave Juro some respect yesterday. Tell me, did he get that kiss he desperately wanted?"
She crossed her arms, giving me a judgmental look.. "Must you bring that fool up?" the fencer questioned with a hint of annoyance in her tone.
"Hey, I was just using an example of how you changed," I replied with a shrug of the shoulders.
"To answer your question, Juro kissed the floor instead of my lips," she explained, crossing her arms underneath her breasts then shaking her head. "Nonetheless, he was still determined afterwards."
Sucks for him, but that's par for the course at this point.
"You're the one who indulged in his efforts and gave him hope that he had a chance," I reminded, smirking.
"I'm not regretting the decision…yet," Nene made sure to assert the key word. "I just won't allow him to earn my affection without making him trudge through hell and back first. To test his resolve so to speak."
"Everything is a competition when it comes to you huh?"
"Of course, there would be no amusement without it," Nene reasoned before turning her head away from me, the cold shoulder. "Anyways, you've exhausted your time with me. You'll have to earn your next bit of my backstory."
"Alright… thanks for uh… offering me insight, despite me not having true strength," I thanked, offering her a wave goodbye, even though she wasn't paying attention. "Seeya."
I did not get as much information as I had hoped for. However, I'm not complaining that I got something in the first place. At least now, I fully understand why she has been so cold and judgmental. Hard to imagine a life in some rural city living in the past without technology. From what she told me, that life is a very rough one. Speaking of rough, I plan on attempting to speak with Masakado. This'll either go terribly or horribly.
-Infirmary-
"Omezo, greetings," Masakado welcomed me with a thin smile. "I presume that you wish to berate my ear off like everyone else. If so, you are free to go all in, as it certainly would negatively affect me psychologically, ushering me into a state of depression."
"No, that's not my goal, I just want to try to come to a mutual understanding with you," I clarified, my expression turning serious.
"Ah, keep your friends close and your enemies closer…" Masakado remarked in understanding. "It's a bold move entering a one on one conversation with someone so manipulative as myself."
"Nothing you say will get through to me," I rebutted, deadpanning.
"So you say, I'll just have to take that as a challenge then," Masakado said with an unyielding expression.
I shook my head in a vexing manner. "Whatever, if there is a reason, why are you so supportive of all this?"
"You believe that I support this killing game?" Masakado queried, curiously tilting his head to the side.
"From all that you said and what you convinced Isoyo to do. It gives off that impression well enough," I said, narrowing my pale blue eyes at him.
"I suppose it merits an explanation; although, you will most likely not understand as I've told you before and yet you have forgotten," Masakado began with a dull look. "Our lives simply have no value in this dreadful world we live in. Constantly clawing our ways to prosperity after disasters like the Tragedy. Life isn't worth living for if there's only torture in our future. Furthermore, history seems to repeat itself, we recovered from the first tragedy, and rebuilt the academy that helped cause it. Then, the same events befell us once again, creating a Tragedy even worse than the last one. The sole cause being Ultimates, people like us, becoming corrupted by despair and destroying the world, participating in reprehensible and disgusting acts of sex and violence. Average bystanders suffer in our existence and we pay no heed. Then you have us, the last ultimates in this world, unaffected by the second Tragedy. The only way to stop history from repeating itself, is to eliminate the root of the problem, us. This killing game gives me the opportunity to die a martyr for that cause, therefore, I must encourage you all to follow me unto the embrace of death for our world's sake."
I was not prepared to hear a full on speech like that. The worst part is, I don't know if I can trust every single word, but I have no clue how to separate his lies from his truths. So, I'll just take his speech with a grain of salt. However, I most certainly disagree with him.
"...T-that's… no, just no," I stammered in disagreement, slashing my hand to the side. "If we are to prevent another Tragedy, that's not the way to go about it. I'm not going to sacrifice myself for your twisted methods and neither are the others. Additionally, we are not the root of the problem, it's the people who decided to keep this whole Ultimate charade going."
"So you usher the blame onto the Future Foundation?" Masakado asked with genuine astonishment and intrigue. "They did rebuild the academy after all."
"If they are truly the ones responsible for bringing that crap back and giving me this title of Ultimate Novelist, then yes, I blame them for the second Tragedy and any that may follow," I contemplated before frowning. "But, none of that is our fault. The reason we are the final ultimates is because we avoided the academy."
From what I've gathered so far, I have learned that most of us were not students of that school. Therefore resulting in us being the final surviving ultimates. If that's not a testament to that theory, then I don't know what is.
"Regardless, we have the title now, we are targets for despair whether we like it or not," Masakado remarked with a sneer. "Therefore, we must shuffle off this mortal coil with the others."
"Fuck you…" I muttered under my breath.
"Just be glad that you haven't needed to deal with my more fiendish side that often," the cult leader mentioned, widely smirking. "He's much less complying and all the more vicious. Oh how wondrous it is to cope with him..."
I firmly crossed my arms over my chest. "Either way, only you deserve to perish for all the horrors you've most likely committed. None of us will allow you to drag us into your fate,"
"I'll admit that I deserve a cruel fate for the atrocities that have resulted from my life moving on," he acknowledged in a solemn tone. "I lead a dark cult known to sacrifice many individuals, innocent or not, manipulate good souls into committing deplorable acts, and the most aberrant of them all, consuming pineapple pizza with a satisfied smile."
I nodded. "Right, however, I wouldn't resent you for enjoying pineapple on pizza, that's a far cry from everything else you've done," I said, a bit dumbfounded.
"But, does it not ruin the taste? It doesn't belong on pizza right?" Masakado questioned, raising a brow.
"Who the hell cares? Yeah it wasn't meant to be a topping for pizza, it's still delicious in its own right," I countered, rubbing the back of my neck in response to this strange topic.
"Hmph, so you agree with me on that. There's our mutual understanding you wanted," he commented with a ridiculing smile.
Somehow, he derailed the conversation with pineapple pizza. How did I allow him to do that? I feel like an idiot for even humoring him...
I frowned in irritation. "That was definitely not what I was aiming for. Although, I guess it's something I can't hate you for," I remarked, rubbing my forehead at the absurdity. "Nonetheless, this doesn't change anything, you're still a scumbag."
"How disappointing, I was hoping we'd forge the beginning of a beautiful friendship between us..." the cult leader lamented in a gloomy tone, disappointment evident in his expression.
"That'll never happen," I denied before turning to leave. "I'm finished talking with you though."
"Well, I was enjoying this small conversation, it felt less of a lecture then what I'm used to," Masakado mentioned. "However, I won't look forward to another with you and your in-adequateness."
Well, I didn't accomplish my goal. But, I now know his motivations, if he was being truthful that is. Surprisingly, that still went better than I expected. We even discussed something that normal people would discuss, pizza, which is still absurd. Maybe it's just a side-effect of the chains he's restricted by. I'll have to try again when he's free, if that ever happens. Anyways, I should go take that shower before the pig blood smell sticks to me.
-Men's locker room-
Unfortunately for me, Anzai was also in here nor did he seem like he just left the shower.
"Halt right where you stand, you filthy dolt," Anzai demanded with a disgusted look. "I will not have you sullying up the shower room with the stench of a pea brained troglodyte whilst I relax in the heated comfort of hot water."
"I was not planning on sharing a room where we'd both be without clothing with you or anyone for that matter," I defended, tugging at my scarf. "I had thought everyone had taken their overdue shower already, but I guess you had a similar idea to avoid the crowd."
"I'm so very sorry sir, you are already a lost cause," Anzai said in a sympathetic manner, solemnly shaking his head. "Your brain has begun to deteriorate by the Dunderhead Plague, my deepest condolences."
"I'm sorry what?" I asked, completely clueless.
Dunderhead Plague, Dunderhead… Plague… nope, not ringing any bells. He's gone off the deep end with this one...
Anzai clicked his tongue. "Your confusion is a symptom, so my assumption must be correct," the genius stated, he switched to horn rimmed glasses and raised a finger straight up. "Um, *sniffle* Allow me to explain, try not to let this fly in and out of your empty-headed skull. The longer you continue to breathe the same air as all the birdbrained fools in this world, the more their simpleton influence will corrupt your mind and you will drop in intelligence levels faster than it takes light to fill out a small bedroom."
"I have literally zero clue what the hell you're talking about," I remarked with an addled look. "Whatever this made up disease that you've deluded yourself into believing exists you speak of is. I'm pretty sure my brain is perfectly fine around anyone of varying intelligence."
Anzai now had his sunglasses on as his expression turned furious. "No, ya' ignorant pinhead! Da' Dunderhead Plague is a true as can be infection!" he strongly punched his hand with a clenched fist with gritted teeth. "Am I gonna hafta feed ya' a knuckle sandwich wit' a side of sense to ya bro!?"
I held up my hands defensively. "That would be an unnecessary expenditure of energy on your part, as I'm not afflicted with that so-called disease," I denied, albeit, growing nervous as I spoke. "In fact, I've felt more enlightened than ever in my time with all of you."
It's true, I learned something other than how stupid he thinks I am from this man. Too bad it's some fantasy disease he conjured into existence as a result of how arrogant he is.
Anzai was back to his normal glasses. "Hm~ I shall perform a proper check-up to test your theory…" he informed, pushing up his glasses. He then pressed a finger from both his hands to the sides of his temple, shutting his eyes in the process. He seemed quite focused on something.
I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Uhhh… what exactly are you trying to accomplish?" I queried while scratching the back of my neck awkwardly.
I'm at a loss for words, does he think he's psychic or something? Because, it seems like he's focusing energy into his mind like one.
Anzai's facial features tensed up hard, veins beginning to bulge out. "Hhhhnnnnggghh…" Anzai grunted, then he stopped completely with a sigh. He twisted his medallion around with a thoughtful expression. "Hm~ seems your mind barriers were harder to penetrate with my brain phasers than I had expected… you had been fortunate enough to avoid the surreal affliction so far then."
Insanity and geekness confirmed. He's a total dweeb, first the intense role-playing and now this weird thing.
"Are you serious? That was your freaking check-up?" I asked, perplexed.
"You lack insight, but indeed, I am serious, as always," Anzai confirmed with a smug look. "With that, I can safely say that your brain remains safe, therefore, your intelligence levels have risen from 6 percent to 8."
I shook my head in a careless motion. "Marvelous, does that grant me permission to ask a single question then?"
"Ask away~" Anzai sang.
"How do you and your personalities manage to switch to the appropriate glasses for each personality?" I questioned.
He propped his chin on his thumb, holding it high with a smile. "Ah~ good question, my sixth sense allows me to predict exactly when the switch in personality will occur," the slate haired boy explained with a cocky smirk. "Something only my superior brain could master of course, I do not expect you to comprehend such a magnificent accomplishment."
"Right, what I don't get, forgive my ignorance, is why someone with a personality disorder is held in high regard and has an excellent stature in society?" I pried, rubbing my jawline. "You and probably the people who judge your intelligence see imperfections as non-efficient and a blemish. Is a disorder not an imperfection?"
"Ignorance unforgiven," Anzai said in an offended tone. "My disorder is less of an imperfection and more of a testament to my genius mind's capabilities. I am not locked to one measly personality like many other plebeians such as yourself. I exceed on every single front, even personalities, as I have more than one, all of which share the same superior intelligence, quadrupling my levels tenfold! No other mindless fool with the same disorder is capable of obtaining the ability to predict the switches of personality nor do they share the same memories and IQ. Thus, establishing my mind as top of the line in the universe in all categories."
"I suppose you're correct in a way," I agreed, rubbing my jawline with a prying look. "However, the more I think about it, the more I begin to think this isn't a disorder you have, but a ploy to appear above others in every way."
"Enough! I have remained in your presence for far too long," Anzai said with a scornful look. "I must make haste so that I can cleanse myself of all that ails me. Begone!" he forcibly gestured for me to leave with a swish of his hand.
So, from that experience, I've learned that Anzai is a complete dweeb and has his head past the ozone layer, to the point where he believes that supposed lack in intelligence is a disease just to dissociate himself with all other humans. What a nice guy.
I obeyed, for the most part, since I re-entered the locker room after peeking to see that he had gone into the shower room.
I approached the locker that was slightly ajar and gently opened it. Looking inside, there was only a single object of note, a small framed picture. The glass was scratched to all hell so I couldn't see what the picture even was.
How peculiar…why is there a framed picture in some random locker here? Did one of the employees leave it in here before whatever happened to them happened? If that's the case, then why was this locker not ajar when I first searched this room? Someone had either opened it at some point or I just missed it. Maybe I'm too obsessed with detective stories, but I feel like I should take the picture out. As I know that secret messages tend to be on the back of photos and paintings.
Taking out the picture, I was left speechless at what it was. It was Junko Enoshima, posing with a giddy smile and holding out the piece sign. I began to feel a bit queasy as her seemingly innocent eyes stared back at me.
Who in their right mind would frame a picture of this monster of a girl? Not to mention, this is a facility created by the Future Foundation, how and why would this be down here? Well, I guess that does not matter too much, considering that we are also participating in a killing game down here, something the Foundation would never support either. In fact, I would imagine this picture has something to do with the mastermind. Although, they do seem to despise Junko, so them having a framed picture of her is strange. Then again, it's also scratched out…
I flipped the picture over and as I was expecting, there was writing on the back in black ink. In quotes, it read "Search for the one that shares the bloodline, they shall be the next heir to the throne."
I'm not sure what to make of those words. It doesn't explicitly state anything other than a demand. Seeing that this is on the back of an out-of-place picture of Junko, it's possible it's referring to her in some way, such as the throne refers to her title of Ultimate Despair. One thing's for sure, I'd need more details to make sense out of this. If this does indeed belong to the mastermind, it may be a clue to their goal. I'll be keeping this to myself for now, not like it's important enough to warrant me telling everyone. For all I know, one of us may be the mastermind and letting them know I found this would possibly put me at risk.
I heard the sound of a mechanical door sliding open, so I quickly pocketed the picture. "What are you doing back in here?!" the unmistakable voice of Anzai exclaimed angrily. "Ugh, no matter, just keep your head facing away from me."
That was a surprisingly quick shower.
"Don't worry, I had no plans on peeking, not one bit," I told him, keeping my face centered on the red lockers in front of me.
"Best remain that way," Anzai commanded. "Not that there's nothing impressive to see."
Don't think too much about it, don't think too much about it...
After waiting a bit for him to change and leave, I decided that I'd take the opportunity to shower like I had originally planned, then I'd head back to my room to hide this picture.
-Omezo's room-
After taking a rather relaxing, hot shower, I hid the picture between the center pages of my journal.
I'm feeling pretty tired right now, more than usual at this time. I have to hit the hay earlier this time. Tomorrow should be a great day, as I have a show to look forward to that'll be quite the spectacle to witness. I want to believe that nothing will go haywire during it, but I just can't be entirely confident. Ugh, I guess I'm not done being pessimistic after all. It'll be fine, we were getting along nicely today and the motive isn't the most anxiety inducing one. I am curious about that esoteric message on the back of that picture. It has to be a piece to some puzzle, but I'm not even sure what the completed puzzle even looks like… Anyways, I've got to get a long rest in, what better way to prepare yourself for a wonderful day?
With that, I slumbered into the dream world.
Monotokage's nonsensical theatre of nonsensical shit
You know what really grinds my gears? The misuse of words.
And I don't mean overly complicated words, just common lingo like edgy and weeb.
Both of those words have been puked out constantly by stupid children, misusing them every time and always as an insult.
I mean, come on, edginess isn't always a shitty thing, only when it's handled poorly. I myself am edgy and I'm a fucking beautiful prodigy!
If some dude is just torturing people for the sake of torturing, then that's poor man's edge. You gotta have a reason, like, you torture people so that they can enjoy pain, one of the grandest emotions that is so complex, it has so many different forms and everyone expresses them in a different manner.
The real problem is, kids call everything remotely edgy, edgy as fuck. I could fucking accidentally cut myself, begin to bleed, and they'd call that edgy as fuck, as an insult! Blood equals edgy, ew, or "oh, you wear black socks, you edgy fuck!" Screw those damn kids!
Then you have weeb, let me inform you of the definition. A weeb is when someone who isn't Japanese becomes so obsessed with their culture, and begins to think they're Japanese. In other words, people who have rooms littered with anime body pillows of their waifus.
However, kids call anything Japanese "weeb shit" Even in Japan! With Japanese people! As an insult as usual.
So what if I enjoy anime?! I don't fucking delude myself into believing I'm an anime protagonist or antagonist! I just appreciate the animation! That doesn't make me a damn weeb, just someone who respects Japanese animation. It's not my fault that Japan is the ruler of that industry.
In short, kids are stupid shitheads and if you use those words like that, than go fuck yourself with a dragon dildo, hope it ruptures your anus, have a good day.
Review response(s):
ThePLOThand: It would if it was explicitly stated. Otherwise, the usual rule is that any three people other than the killer see the body at any time.
Katastic Writer: I would love to make that a series, allow me to find some skilled animators and pay them millions for it, and I'll make it happen. I don't know man, Leiko's a savant in the bedroom, Kado could not complain after a night with her unless he was lying, which he does all the time, so I guess nobody wins. I am surprised that I am writing the twins as good as I have been. Originally, I thought I wouldn't be very good with them. Glad I was wrong, as people seem to love them as much as I do. Happy holidays to you too!