Chapter 4
10:20 AM Day 2
Hall 4B
Rumiko struggled with yet another locked door. Room 464. Nothing she did could get it to open. "V-v-v-very strange..."
Edwin army-crawled his way out of Room 463, his clothes slightly singed. Clutched in his gloved hands were a wad of $100 bills and a golden key with black, beady eyes. "Flamethrowers. So... many... flamethrowers."
"465 is clear," said Makika, who had found a yellow ticket with a treasure chest design on the front. She helped Edwin stand up. "That key looks exactly like the ones in the Item Shop. The ones labeled 'S. Keys'."
"That probably stands for Skeleton Key," he said. "It unlocks pathways in Mario Party. I don't think it's the one we need to win this game."
"L-Let's test it out." Rumiko swiped the key and held it against the door to Room 464. The key BEEPED at the door, which retorted with a CLICK, before imploding into shimmering dust. "I-I-It worked! It u-unlocked!"
The redhead swung the door open with all her might, her resolve unwavering, her spirit stronger than ever!
Only to see a brick wall on the other side.
"O-Oh... I s-s-see..."
Edwin could literally see her deflate. "That's a special kind of cruel. But hey, at least we now know how to get those doors open. I'm sure they won't all be dead ends."
"He's right, Rumiko. Do not let this discourage you. If you do, the GM will win for sure."
"...Y-You're r-r-right. I'll f-focus on what we h-have... like your t-ticket. W-Which one is th-that?"
Makika inspected the back of the yellow paper and read the words aloud. "Plunder Ticket. Submit this to an employee with a Guest's name written on the line below, and an item of theirs shall become yours."
"So it's basically a way for someone to steal without getting their hands dirty. Good to know." Edwin wrote everything into his notebook. "Moreover, items and tickets are not exclusive to the shopping area. Through pure chance, you can find one for free in any of the rooms."
"You're quite right. That will make it difficult for us to keep track of who has what. If someone wanted to get ahead in the game, at the expense of the others, one lucky find is all they would need."
"At the s-same time, we could f-find a Trial R-R-Request T-Ticket, or any other r-rare item, without having t-to pay m-millions. It's a d-double edged s-sword."
Kazooie stepped out of Room 465. He was holding onto a substance encased in a cigarette wrap. "Hey, Edwin. Could I borrow your lighter? Gotta seal this blunt."
"I'll light it for you." The Investigator held out an ignited flame.
"W-W-W-Wait a minute! Where d-did you come from, K-Kaz?"
"Uhhh, the bathroom?"
"How could that be? I had checked Room 465..."
With his blunt fully sealed, Kaz inhaled a large puff of it. "Good shit. Thanks, man."
"Sure thing. Where are you headed now?"
"To my room. Gonna enjoy this in peace."
"B-Be c-c-careful around the t-traps."
"Yeah, yeah." The Kazooist walked several feet to reach the elevator. On the way, he had activated nearly every trap in that stretch of the hallway.
Spears! Spikes! Sawblades! Bullets! Jets of fire!
All of them emerged from the walls as Kaz continuously stepped on floor triggers. Even portions of the walls rushed out, trying to crush him!
But hardly any of them touched him. The dude just walked, not really trying to dodge anything, and the most damage he got was a few tears in his hoodie.
He entered the elevator without comment. The doors closed before the other three could ask any questions.
"I-I-I don't u-understand..."
"He's certainly a bizarre one..." said Makika. "How much do you know about him, Edwin? I assume you two spent most of yesterday together."
"We did, but there wasn't much I could gather. Doesn't even remember his old name. He's not an Ultimate Lucky Student, if that's what you're asking for."
"And how can you say that with such certainty?"
"Simple. I saw his account when he used the ATM. The only title listed was Ultimate Kazooist. If he had any extra or hidden talents, they would appear on the screen, under the 'Registered User' section."
"Th-That makes s-sense. The k-killing games have always been t-truthful with the p-participants' p-p-personal information, no m-matter what. Even w-when there's a m-mole."
"Very well. I will concede and ask a different question. Do either of you believe there is a mole in our midst?"
Edwin and Rumiko spent a good while thinking to themselves. Eventually, the boy said, "It's too soon to say."
12:37 PM Day 2
Room 650
"It's just polygons on a screen, Kiet. They can't hurt you." Gai sat with him and Mya by the TV. He presented himself tapping the blue A button on his N64 controller. "If you do this, you can speed through it."
Shiki lied on one of the beds, watching the ceiling and making Kuroko dance.
Kiet's red eyes would not move from the grinning Boo hovering before his player avatar, Luigi. Like the aforementioned plumber, he trembled and shivered upon seeing it. Like a jackhammer, his thumb pounded his A button. Faster than the game's dialogue.
When the last line vanished, the ghost flew onto Luigi, trapping him inside its essence.
"HÃY TẮT NÓ RA CHO TÔI!"
Kiet threw his controller and backed away in a second. He was too busy hyperventilating to notice his character's coins carry over to the computer-controlled Wario, who responded with his iconic cackle.
Shiki joined in on the laughter for about three seconds. Would have been longer, had Kuroko not objected with, "Don't be rude!"
"Note to self. Never use the Boo Bell on Kiet." Gai stopped Mya from standing up. "Let him be. He wants time to himself."
"Alright," she said. "...I have a question for you."
"Shoot."
"I'm having a fun time playing Mario Party with you... but why are we playing it? Didn't Makika ask you and Shiki to teach us about the Hope's Peak killing game?"
"I'm teaching you everything, Ms. Wilson, not just history. It's your turn now."
Mya's player character was Mario. After pressing A, he rolled a 1 on the dice block, and moved to a blue space on his right.
Then a cube with a question mark appeared above him.
The textbox read: "You found a Hidden Block!"
"Perfect timing," said Gai. "As the game says, that is called a Hidden Block. It will always have coins, a Star, or an item. But it's invisible, and placed on a randomly-selected blue space, so you won't know where it is until you land on the exact one it's at."
Mya tapped A again. Mario hit the block, and out came a Star. Seeing her rank jump to first nearly made her spring back like Kiet. "Oh my! I must be very lucky to come across that!"
"Remember how you found that black ticket in this room, out of all the ones you've searched through today?"
"Yes, I do."
"Same concept."
"...I see."
"I think...think I am done with...with this so-called party..."
"Alright, alright, you win." Gai turned the console off. "It's lecture time, so listen close. Forty-seven students. Trapped inside Hope's Peak for two months by a monochrome bear, Monokuma. Only seven survivors. The mastermind was a sadistic teacher named Chisa Yukizome. A member of the terrorist group, Ultimate Despair."
"Only seven?"
"Afraid so."
"How awful... I'm still not sure if I should or shouldn't feel bad for not watching it. I don't think it's good to ignore tragedy, but at the same time, I might've lost myself if I had been exposed to one of such... scale..."
"Can't really blame you for that. That's how they usually 'recruit' new members."
"It doesn't matter what you think is good or not," said Shiki. "Both options lead to you hating your own existence, wishing for it to end."
"That's enough nonsense from you, young lady!"
"Why does...does she keep doing that with...with her doll?"
"I stopped asking that on Day Zero, my friend. Any other questions?"
"How could one teacher get forty people to kill each other? And in just two months?"
"Two factors, motives and moles. The motives were usually designed so a murder would happen no matter what. Exposing personal secrets to the public, holding loved ones hostage, starving them, poisoning them and locking away the cure. There was no low the Despairs wouldn't stoop. When those somehow didn't work..."
"No, don't say it!"
"What...what is 'it'?"
"Some of the students were also members of Ultimate Despair. They started stealing lives sometime after the halfway point. Before then, they used every manipulation technique to make the innocents do it for them."
"I know about Mikan Tsumiki, but I refuse to believe there were more. Shiki, please tell me Gai is lying."
"Gai is lying. Truth is, all of them were Ultimate Despair. Every single one. Same goes for all the people in the other games. They had to be for their choices to make sense. Those masochists played straight into the mastermind's hands every time, constantly falling in and making love with each other. Then lying about staying together. In a death game, of all places. You'd have to be me to find that romantic. Like, what did they think would happen next? It's baffling!"
"...Kuroko, please tell me Gai is lying."
"I'm very sorry, my dear Mya, but he is not. Counting Mikan, there were six Despairs inside Hope's Peak."
"I see..." The Fortune Teller fidgeted with the sea glass pendant on her necklace. "I have no more questions. I'd like to be done now... if that's alright."
"Hold...Hold on! There is still...still so much we do not know, like...like the names."
"You really want the names of everybody in that game? All forty-seven of them?"
"Yes, I want...want every name and talent. Living and dead. Mole and...and not-mole."
Gai lifted his hat to scratch his head. "That's gonna take forever, but sure. I'll start with the survivors. One of them is-"
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Hold that thought." He sprang up to answer the door.
One the other side was a Bell Guy with a cart carrying a whole Black Forest Red Velvet Cake.
"Finally!" Shiki rose from her bed like the undead. "Bring it here."
"I got it!" Mya snatched the cart and rolled it to the Doll Maker, parking it right in front of her. "Enjoy!"
"When did she...she order Room Service?"
"Beats me." Gai watched the Bell Guy wordlessly walk down the hall in its unique way, waving as he did. Then he closed the door. "Alright. Where were we?"
1:01 PM Day 2
Hall 4A
Misham strode out of Room 412, grasping on gold bars. He held them high like they were trophies. "HUZZAH! Another room cleared! How are you making out, my similar-dressed friend?"
Jaleh exited Room 415, frowning at the card in her hand. It showed a royal crowned clown, cackling back at her. "The only thing I've found is evidence that the mastermind is mocking me." She said bitterly, ripping the Joker in two. "This entire game is a waste of time."
"Ahaha! It certainly is a fascinating one, at least!" The Excavator swung his arms, like usual, even with the shiny weights in his hands. It's a miracle he hadn't clubbed himself doing so. "Whether we play the mini games or explore the resort, we receive some form of monetary gain for it! I wouldn't be surprised if that card you shredded had a hidden value to it."
The Scientist raised an eyebrow, obviously unamused at the sight. "Is that all Monokame has to do to make you play along in this farce? Offer you shiny trinkets? Unless we find anything valuable enough to buy back my invention, then I couldn't care less for them."
"Come now! It's not the trinkets themselves that matter, but rather the end-result of owning them!" Misham stared at the gold like it was a crystal ball, its reflection ready to reveal a fortune of the future. "Surely a woman of science, such as yourself, would appreciate the sheer progress we're making! It's a pity about your ray-gun. If it was in our hands, we could uncover this island's secrets in seconds!"
Jaleh naturally smirked at the compliment. "I could easily escape this island if I had my tools available to me, but someone of a lesser intellect wouldn't understand how I'd go about it. I doubt you got recruited at a Mensa meeting to dig up dirt for a living."
"Ohoho! You wish to know my exciting excursions in excavating, do you? Very well!" He proceeded to go on and on about the harrowing journeys he's experienced, underground and under sea. The artifacts he's uncovered. The crew mates he's lost. He was spewing all of his knowledge and history onto the girl, seemingly oblivious to her face begging him to stop, until he shouted "Shut up!" at himself without warning. "You really should stop me when I'm going overboard like that. More to the point, I'd love to understand more about you and your profession! Tell me all about Nuclear Science!"
She shot him a confused look, but swiftly suppressed it. "One cannot simply explain the gift of the atom in a single sitting, but to summarize it is about harnessing the power of creation. To have the very power of creation in your hands and make it your servant. You would be a god! There are many ways that division could benefit mankind, but too many ignorant fools look at incidences like Chernobyl and believe that is the end result, when the fault was with the the bad maintenance, not the methods themselves. The common man always fears what he can never understand, it's sickening I have to deal with them at all."
"EXACTLY!" Although his body and face were completely concealed, they emitted gamma rays of joy and awe towards Jaleh. She could feel his radiation, tingling her skin, even with her hazmat suit. "I couldn't agree with you more! There's so much potential for the whole world to evolve, but sadly, most of it keeps itself stagnant, using morals and other inhibitors to do so. Such a tragedy!"
"People allow petty morals forced on them. Stone age tablets tell them what they can and what they can't do. It's pathetic. Why allow such things to get in the way to true progress? As far as I'm concerned, that is the greatest evil of them all! Something that very few people understand..." She paused to think, as scholars usually do, then said, "For someone with a talent like Excavator... you are certainly not what I would have expected. I was expecting more beer drinking, redneck Neanderthal, so you have been quite the pleasant surprise to talk to."
"Excuse me, Ms. Mazdaki." A maid had shown up. S-99, to be exact. "Do you intend to keep the card you littered? If not, then I must clean it up."
"I shall keep it!" said Misham. "Could you be a dear and hand it to me? My hands are full at the moment!"
"...Certainly." The girl slowly bent down to pick up the two halves of the Royal Joker. Then she carefully walked to the boy, being mindful of every step she takes.
"There's a pocket in my gear. Please inset the pieces into it."
"As you wish." She eventually found it, and did as told.
"Ahaha! Thank you very much!"
"...It is my plea-"
Misham slammed a gold bar against her skull.
The force of the blow sent her into the wall. She was somehow still standing, but her dizzying consciousness, and the blood staining the carpets, made it clear she wouldn't be for long.
He then dropped the bars and shoved her towards a spot of the hallway she had been avoiding. She staggered onto it, and then...
click
A series of spears spawned from the ceiling, floor, and walls. They pierced the poor maid's body.
S-99 was no more.
Jaleh wiped the blood spray off her helmet's visor. Her eyes swung back-and-forth, between the stains on her gloved hand and the impaled corpse nearby. "A crude form of human experimentation, but effective nonetheless. Did you know the trap was there, or were you just interested to see what it would do?"
"Aha! I'm glad you understand me! I had a slight inkling that there was a trap in that general area, but I needed to know for certain where and what it was. Now we both know it's a spear trap in exactly that spot on the floor!" He pointed to the spot in question, like Holmes would with an important clue. "Also, I needed to test a loophole in the rules. If you'll look at at Rule 5, it states that we are forbidden from destroying hotel property. But it said nothing about harming the employees. Seeing that I haven't been punished in the seconds we've been talking, we can conclude that it is fair game! Huzzah for more progress!"
"I suppose you could call it that." Jaleh granted a glance to the girl's pained face. A peripheral one, at that. "Though I doubt whoever's running this game cares about the employees, so trying to hold them hostage is a moot point. After all, how many stupid women only fit for manual labor and squeezing out children are there in the world?"
"There's also the fact that these maids are all clones of a singular woman! One who had previously died! With there being thousands of them in this resort, and with there seemingly being no other method to locate the death traps, I figured this GM fellow wouldn't mind if we utilized several of them. What say you? Shall we experiment some more?" Misham held out his hand, as if expecting her to grab it. Even though they were too far away for that to happen.
"I suppose some experimentation could increase our chances of survival. Alright, I'll join you for now. I might even be able to teach you something. But keep your filthy hands off me, you are not yet fit to touch my divine armor."
6:34 PM Day 2
Room 829
Sanani emerged from the closet. He walked in on Yuzuki looking under a bed.
The moment she laid eyes on him, she shrieked and backed against a wall.
"Yuzu?!" Naraaki barged in from the bathroom. "GET AWAY FROM HER!"
"Settle down," said Sly with his signature smile and his hands raised. "I haven't done anything."
"Like I trust anything you say!"
"Smart move. Who knows what kind of tricks I'd pull?" After snickering like a fox, the Tibetan boy shifted a few steps to the side. Once he did, Naraaki immediately embraced Yuzuki. "So, either of you find anything here?"
"Why would we tell you?"
"I don't know. Thought it'd be helpful for all of us?"
"You mean it'd help YOU, don't you? If it wasn't clear enough, we're doing just fine, so just leave us alone!"
The Cheater turned his head to the girl. "What say you? I'm sorry for the scare earlier. You want me to go?"
"Um, well I—we have, uh-"
"I TOLD YOU TO STOP BOTHERING HER! LOOK HOW NERVOUS YOU'RE MAKING HER!"
"How do you know you're not doing that?"
"She never acts this way around me! You would know if you cared enough to notice."
"Not sure how anybody could notice when you two are always hiding from everybody. Only times I've seen you are at the group meetings."
"Wait a second, um, how—could you say that? If you've never seen us—then, uh, you wouldn't know if we've met with anybody or not."
"...Well, well, I'm glad one of you has a good head."
"I'm gonna say this one more time!" Naraaki got up to Sanani's face. It would've looked so intimidating, if the former wasn't ten inches shorter. "Stay the hell away from us, or I'll make sure your eyes never open again! GOT IT?!"
"You know, for someone who's into octopi, you're more like a porcupine. Maybe a hedgehog?"
"Uh oh," said Yuzuki. "Now you've done it."
"DO. NOT! USE! OCTOPI! Octopodes is the correct plural! God, it's like you're TRYING to get me madder!"
"If it's that easy for me to, then you should work on making it not."
Naraaki gave a guttural growl at Sly. Had Yuzuki not put her hand on his shoulder, he might've punched him.
"It's not worth it," she said.
"Look at you, stepping in. Proud of you. Keep that up." Sanani walked over to the bed she was checking earlier, then laid himself on the floor to reach under it. "I've had my fun for now, so let me make it up to you. What were you trying to find earlier?"
His fingers answered that question upon sensing the smooth surface of a switch. When he pressed it in, he heard the desk bark a cli-click. The inseparable duo checked out a drawer that was previously locked.
Naraaki pulled it open. Yuzuki pulled out its two contents. A gold amulet with a 21 printed on it, and a one-page document.
HOPE'S PEAK ACADEMY OFFICIAL REGISTRY: CLASS 78
TEACHER: Satoru Idabashi
STUDENTS:
1. Makoto Naegi - Ultimate Lucky Student
2. Byakuya Togami - Ultimate Affluent Progeny
3. Yasuhiro Hagakure - Ultimate Clairvoyant
4. Chihiro Fujisaki - Ultimate Programmer
5. Kiyotaka Ishimaru - Ultimate Moral Compass
6. Hifumi Yamada - Ultimate Fanfic Creator
7. Mondo Owada - Ultimate Biker Gang Leader
8. Leon Kuwata - Ultimate Baseball Star
9. Sayaka Maizono - Ultimate Pop Sensation
10. Kyoko Kirigiri - Ultimate Detective
11. Aoi Asahina - Ultimate Swimmer
12. Sakura Ogami - Ultimate Martial Artist
13. Taeko Yasuhiro - Ultimate Gambler
14. Toko Fukawa/Genocide Jill - Ultimate Writing Prodigy/Ultimate Murderous Fiend
15. Junko Enoshima - Ultimate Fashionista
16. Murkuro Ikusaba - Ultimate Soldier
All three of them read this paper, with Sanani peeking from behind Yuzuki. "From the looks of this, I'd say it's a clue to this game's mysteries."
"I told you to stay away from Yuzu!" Naraaki pulled the girl close to him. "And how the hell could this be a clue? We already knew all of this before coming here! And only three of these people are still standing."
"Well, uh, there's technically four—because of, um, Sayaka."
"Oh yeah! Good point, Moth-Baby. Still doesn't mean much."
"Actually, it does," Sly said while swiping the paper. "If Sayaka came back to life, who's to say that nobody else did?"
"That's true—since Mikan is here, too."
"Alright, alright! You got me there! Go gloat about it somewhere else, and give us back that paper!"
"I'll take this as your fee for fighting with me. The amulet's yours. I'm sure you'll find some use for it. Ciao for now!"
The Cheater escaped before Naraaki could do anything. Instead of chasing after him, he took his time to ask a single question:
"Hey, Yuzuki... I don't make you nervous or uncomfortable, do I?"
"Of course not, Octo-dork! You know me better than that."
"Yeah, you're right. What was I thinking?"
"It's this game. It's getting to both our heads."
"For sure. Let's keep searching, before it gets any worse."
9:47 AM Day 3
Reception Shops - Bottom Floor (Food Court)
Silas sat at a table, snacking on a slice of pizza. He licked his dirty fingers dirtier. "Hmm, it's good, but nothing like the place back home."
He heard the stomping of neon-blue tennis shoes. One upward glance let him see one Mary Martel taking the seat across from him.
"There you are! I have a question for you," she said. Then the stench of undertaker slithered its way into her nose. "UGH! Make that two! When was your last shower?"
"When I was twelve."
"You've GOT to be joking."
"I can't remember the day or the month. I just know I stopped around that age."
"That's disgusting! Do you know how important hygiene is to your health? You could die from pathogens and infections."
"I know, and that's the fun part. I feel more like a zombie with each passing day." His smile put his crooked, discolored teeth on full display. His greasy pizza breath slipped through the gaps.
"Oh my God! Just being near you makes me sick!"
"You had another question for me. What is it?"
"...You and Hinata were supposed to see Gai yesterday, with Mya and Kiet. Tamaki was the only one excused, because he had Lumoi. So why didn't you go?"
"I knew I wouldn't have fun doing that. And I don't entirely trust Gai."
"But that's the whole reason Makika told Shiki to be with him. She knew you had good chemistry with her, and she needed somebody to fact-check his account in case he sprinkled it with lies."
"That's true, but in that instance, I would spend the whole time talking about death with her. We'd be too engrossed in that discussion to hear anything Gai would say at that point."
Mary couldn't hide her disgust for the life of her. "You really like death, don't you?"
"Of course! That's the other reason I didn't go. I had a feeling he wouldn't focus too much on the deaths. The murders and executions at Hope's Peak. Those are the only details I care about, really."
"Did somebody ask for murders and executions? I'm the right hog for that job!"
The voice came from the turnip store. It belonged to a monochrome animal, who looked more like Monokuma rather than Monokame. His right half resembled the body of a white domestic pig; his left resembled that of a black wild boar, sporting the iconic eye, but not the toothy grin. Taking its place was his singular white tusk.
"Who is this?"
"Yes, Mary, who am I?"
"That... is Monobuta, the mascot of the UCOT game."
"Corrrrrrectamundo! I bet you're wondering what that is, aren't you, Silas? Come closer, and I'll tell you all about it! There are no traps nearby. Promise."
The two Guests made a careful path to the store. Along the way, Silas said, "Oh yeah, there were more killing games."
"So far, there have been three of them. UCOT was the first. It started one year after the Hope's Peak game ended."
"Technically, there were a ton more games. But those don't really count." Monobuta let out a big WHEEZE after saying that. Then he pulled out three brochures and spread them across the counter. "The three that do were dubbed the Despair World Games, for each one was based off a theme park from the Walt Disney World Resort."
Mary picked up an EPCOT brochure. "From what I remember, the Hope's Peak Steering Committee wanted to succeed at what Disney had failed: create their own futuristic utopian city. Given their influence and resources, it didn't take too long for them to do that. The result was the Ultimate Community of Tomorrow."
"Yep! And the Despairs took it over in less than an hour!"
"Can you tell me about your executions?"
"Of course you'd ask that!"
"Certainly! That's one of two things that made my game unique! You see, Hope's Peak was the only killing game to feature standard executions. After that, we switched to punishing the blackened with Execution Games!"
"Games?"
"Yeah, as in they had a chance of surviving if they won. That was the only good change in my eyes. Some of the killers weren't entirely at fault. By living, they got to redeem themselves and become better people."
"Of course, giving them a genuine hope of winning made the despair of losing all the more delicious! Especially when my Execution Games were all Sacrifice-based. Every blackened had to choose between dying and giving up the one thing they cherished most! So they still lose either way!" The hog's laughter was chock-full of sinister SQUEALS.
"To be honest, I'm quite disappointed from hearing this."
"H-Huh?"
"What you're doing is delaying the end with pointless filler. No one's going to greet death with the dignity it deserves if they know they can cheat it."
"I can't believe you. I honestly canNOT believe you! I'd rather drive a stake through my own heart than hear that drivel again!"
"What a great way to go! Very classical! I'd sure like to die that way."
Amarantha released a fiery scream and stormed off.
Monobuta responded with a hefty SNORT. "Whatever. You wanna buy some Monoturnips or not? Once the clock strikes twelve, you'll have to wait a week for me to open up again. Oh, and I only sell in bundles of ten."
"Sure. I'll take one."
"Splendid! Today, turnips cost $90 each, bringing your total to $900!"
"That much, huh? That's almost my entire wallet, so this better be worth it." The Ultimate Undertaker handed him his Handbook.
The swine gave it back, along with a bag holding exactly ten turnips. "You'll have to wait and see. Until then, you better get to playing some minigames if you wanna rebuild your funds!"
"I think I'll stick to searching rooms."
2:00 PM Day 3
Paradise Beach - Volleyball Net
Four people, all in swimsuits. One net, dividing them. Two teams. Two boys on one side. Two girls on the other side. All of them in position.
Shiri's the one with the ball in her hands, ready to serve. "YAHAHA! LET'S PLAY!" She tossed it, then smacked it up with closed fists. The ball flew across the net, towards Shun and Tamaki.
"Ah, I got it!" Tamaki hurried to hop and hit it with his hand. "Hah!" It soared back to the girls' side.
Shiri skipped like a schoolgirl to the shadow signaling its landing spot. "This one's for you, aniki-kun!" Her punch sends it in another arch to the boys.
"First bro-kun, now this?" Shun effortlessly shuffled to the right spot and hit it towards Lumoi.
"A-Ah! Let me...!" She quickly ran into position where she could see the ball falling and hit it with surprising force towards Tamaki. "Hit it, Tama!"
"Ah, great shot, Lu - ah!" He hit it in the nick of time, back towards Shiri.
"Keep your head in the game, Tama-sama! Noooooooooooo distractions!" She punted it back to Tamaki. "You don't want me to use my secret move! Fufufu~"
"Ah...secret move?" Tamaki guessed from trying to read Shiri's lips. Doing that made him miss the hurtling volleyball, almost tripping over in his haste. "G-Gah! Oh...I missed the shot." He sent Shun a guilty look. "I...I'm sorry I missed that shot...I'm not usually ah...one for sports..." He sung those words, as he often did, out of habit. "But ah...I'll try harder for the next round!"
"No worries, man!" Shun picked up the ball. "We'll get'em next time! I'm serving next!"
"Okay...thanks, Shun-chan."
"You played well, Tama!" Lumoi said with a smile as small and swift as a housefly.
Everyone got into new positions. Shun and Shiri were closer to the next, while Tamaki and Lumoi covered the farther ends of the field. Tamaki gave her a reassuring nod from afar.
Shiri had her hands behind her back. They made various signals, eventually settling on two fingers pointing down. Lumoi could see them clearly, as well as one other thing...
Ashe was right. That bikini bottom was too small for Shiri. It squeezed her end like a boa-constrictor, and a lot of fat escaped from the sides and the top. Her choice of wardrobe both crossed the line and revealed one of hers.
The translator frowned from seeing so much flesh. 'Wh-Why dress in such...attire, i-if one can...even call it that! Ugh...honestly, I-I can imagine exactly what Father's expression would look like if I were to dare wear something so...i-inappropriate!'
"WE'WE WEADY WHEN YOU AWE!"
"ALRIGHT!" Shun tossed the ball up. Just as it started to head down, he SMACKED it. Hard. A devastating serve!
It zoomed towards Lumoi. She squealed as it almost made a head-on collision with her, eyes wide and ready to dodge, but Shiri somehow got between them and hit it first! The ball spiraled to Tamaki.
"HIT IT TO ME, TAMA!" said Shun. "HITITTOMETAMA!"
"Go, Shun!" He jumped up to hit it lightly towards him, just about hearing him due to his yelling.
On perfect cue, Shun leapt up to spike it!
Of course, Shiri saved it again. It was a block this time... but she didn't use her hands.
She had turned around and jumped backwards, toward the net. The ball didn't just hit her. It bounced off her. Like a trampoline.
Sand splashed the next second. Another point for the girls.
"That right there, boys," Shiri said with a wink and an air-kiss, "is my secret move! I call it the Cushion-Counter! Tee-hee!"
"What kind of play is that?! That's against the rules... I think?"
"I told you, beach volleyball is a separate beast! You should research it later today, now pass me the ball. We're playing one more round! I want Lumo-chan to have a serve, and you two need a chance to redeem yourselves!"
Tamaki couldn't help but blink, mouth agape, skin flushed pink, at what he saw. "I erm...! That was erm...interesting. I didn't think you could...y-you know, play like that.."
On the other side of the net, Lumoi narrowed her turquoise eyes under her sienna brown bangs. 'How dare she try to discomfort Tama like that...! I swear if she tries that again I...w-wait, did she just call me 'Lumo-chan?!'
"It's Lumoi, please," she said through grit teeth.
Tamaki held up his hands to say, "Hey, Lu-chan...it's okay. It's erm...just a game. Anyway, it's your turn to serve now, right?"
"...I believe so," she signed back.
The final round. Another position change.
The girls are ahead, 2-0. Victory is off the table, but boys could still win. Their pride could still survive!
Tamaki and Lumoi faced each other on opposite sides of the net.
She took deep breaths. He steadied himself.
She stretched her arms. He got into a defensive stance.
She performed practice tosses without releasing the ball. He followed its movements.
"Ooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww..."
A moan too soft for anybody to hear. It came from Shiri, who turned around again.
Her back faced the net. It faced her opponents.
And she. Sunk her hands. Into her "cushions".
There was a spot of red on both of them, moreso the left one.
"Tamakiiiiiiiiiiiiii..." she quietly mouthed. "That bully Shun spiked too hard! Look what he did to me!" She pointed at the red skin. "It's all sore now!" She wouldn't stop massaging it. "Tell him that he owes me an apology!"
Tamaki turned redder than a boiled lobster. The sheer discomfort drove his hands to shield his face. "S-Shun-chan...I think you might have hit too erm...hard...I erm...e-erm! D-Do you need to go to the medic wing, Shiri...chan?"
Lumoi could only see in front of her, so the poor boy's blushing was more than evident. Feeling her own face glowing a little, she spun on her heel. Seeing Shiri shocked her enough to send her back a step. "W-Wha...What...are you doing?"
"Don't worry about me, Lumo-chan. I'm just sending a message. Go ahead and serve, umu!"
"Okay, now I know you're cheating! NowIknowyou'recheating!"
Lumoi sent the girl an icy glare, but her heat was far from out. That heat travelled directly into the ball when she spiked it straight at the boys, giving it way more colliding force than needed.
"I GOT THIS ONE, TAMAKI!"
The Singer might have heard his teammate, but he was too flustered to focus. When he saw the serve, his instinct was to intercept. Anything to get his head back in the game.
The ball crashed into his arms! But the unstoppable force pushed his own fists into his face! He plopped into the sand!
Shun ran as fast as he could to save the ball. He dived into its shadow.
His hand hit leather!
But the ball didn't go high enough to pass over the net. It only touched the top rim, then fell back on the boy's side.
3-0.
"WOOHOO! Awesome serve, Lumoi! You showed them whose boss, wan-wan!"
Shun clenched his fist, like a rejected shonen hero. "Darn it!"
"Tama!" The translator rushed to his side to help him up. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry. It's my fault for hurting you."
The singer groaned a bit, but kept his smile intact. "I'm fine, Lu-chan. I'm guessing you're blaming yourself, but you don't need to do that. Congratulations on winning."
"It didn't feel like winning." She sent another frosty stare to Shiri. "You made me do that, didn't you?"
"It's not a volleyball game without teamwork, you silly-sally! Waddaya say to another game? I'm having so much fun today!"
Lumoi kicked the ball as far away from the net as she could.
The moment it landed in the sand, a metallic jaw sprang out from it!
POP!
The bear trap destroyed it with a single CHOMP. The wind carried shreds of leather off the island.
"...Let's go, Tama." She took hold of Tamaki's arm and walked off.
"O-okay. Goodbye for now, you two. This was fun."
Shun was too busy looking at the volleyball's corpse to respond. Shiri sneaked from behind to squeeze him in a bear hug.
"WOW! What are the odds of a trap being there, out of all the spots on this beach? Good thing we never stepped there, right baby bro?"
The boy squirmed out of her grasp. "We should be more careful next time. Like get a metal detector! Likegetametaldetector! One of the reception stores should have that for sale!"
3:11 PM Day 3
Game Chamber - Sector 2 (Arcade)
Buttons cried their clicks from fingers ferociously mashing them. The joystick zipped to-and-fro by a pale, sweaty hand. A street fight reflected off of Riku's gilded eyes.
The pixelated form of Vega leapt from one end of the screen to the next, repeatedly slashing at his opponent with his makeshift, Wolverine weapons. It was a matter of time until Ryu's health drained away. The Spanish Ninja celebrated with an acrobatic flip, followed by the classic SFX gamers worldwide remember to this day.
"YOU. WIN!" The announcer's robotic, yet somehow booming voice spoke in its nostalgic Engrish.
Another victory for the boy, making his total score 8-5. 'Thank God for computer players', Riku thought with his usual sigh. He wouldn't stand a chance otherwise.
He began his next match. The next opponent: Cammy White.
Like all of his battles, this one was going well at first. Then a haunting set of notes crawled its way into his ears. A ten-second tune trapped in a perpetual loop. Like a drill, digging into the drums, the tune got louder with each repeat, until it drowned all the scores from the surrounding machines.
'The fuck is that...?' He tried to keep playing, but the noise's annoyance became too much to bear. He couldn't even hear the game in front of him. The fighter's voices ceased to exist. "Where the FUCK is that coming from!" He had no choice but to stop. Cammy's victory was guaranteed.
Like an owl, Riku twitched and pivoted his head to find the source of his tormenting racket. It didn't take him long to spot it, cause it was right in plain sight.
An aluminum red cabinet. Its screen displayed a crusty JPEG of Hope's Peak Academy on a cliched dark-and-stormy night. Swirly letters banded into the game's title:
Twilight Syndrome Murder Case 2: The Bloodbath Anthology: Investigation Edition
Riku recognized that name. He remembered the first one, and the truths it shared. The terrible tale of the yakuza family and the photographer. "Why didn't any of us see this before...?"
'Whose story does this one cover?'
Every pixel was an unblinking eye. Each one pleaded for his answer.
The notes of the tune turned to whispers, asking if he'd like to know more.
He slowly, but surely, approached the machine. His hands nearly pressed Start.
BAM BAM BAM!
"Damn, this track blows! What happened with the other games?" Hinata SLAMMED his hand against a nearby Pacman cabinet, like that would do anything, then strolled his way over to Riku. "It's like they're all on mute! Wat'chu playing, Shade?"
Riku jumped slightly at this outburst. "Uh, nothing, really, at the moment." He cleared his throat, trying his best to hide his anxiety. "Just, seeing what they have, is all." Then he realized what he heard. "Um, Shade?"
"Yeah, that's you. You got that dark hair, and those shadows under the eyes. You're dressed in black, and I've only seen you indoors. Really, everything you got has that brooding, emo-type vibe about it. You're like a human shade, dawg."
"I guess that makes sense..."
The Twilight Syndrome theme died down, until the arcade's audio atmosphere returned to normal. "That's more like it! Anyway, I ain't seen you at all yesterday. You been here this whole time?"
"Yeah, I've been in and out of here." Riku dug his hands into his pockets, his eyes looking at anywhere but Hinata's. "Just trying to pass the time, get my mind off of... everything, really."
"Bro, that's what this whole place is for! Can't be worrying about everything when there's a gorgeous beach just a short walk away. Don't get me wrong, video games are dope, but I'd lose my mind if I was stuck with 'em for days."
"How can you act so... relaxed with all this? We were dropped here with no explanation, this place apparently has death traps all over the place and that... thing said there's an incentive for killing people. I don't know... maybe I'm just being paranoid."
The stockbroker sighed his soul out his body. "Look, man, I've already dealt with Dollface and Dampe more than enough times. Don't be the third to get all morbid on me. It ain't healthy, and it's probly that turtle's goal. I sure ain't giving it the satisfaction, you hear me?"
"I guess you're right. I tend to, um, worry a lot about things, if you understand. I'm just... not used to being content with things, is all."
"Tell you what, I came here cuz I hadn't checked the place out yet, and I'm itching for some action. Let's play some games! After a beat-em-up or two, we can go swimming. Trust me when I say you need the sunlight."
As Hinata was saying this, Riku glanced at the Twilight Syndrome cabinet once more, while scratching the back of his neck.
That's when he spotted three reflections in the screen. The first was his own. The second was Hinata's.
The third belonged to a black shy guy.
"LOOK OUT!" Riku grabbed the flashy-clothed boy and yanked him close.
"What's gotten into you, dawg?" Looking over his shoulder, he saw the little thing. Merely looking at it made him stop struggling. "Yo... that's the guy who gave Ruru a scare."
Riku released Hinata and stepped towards it. He knelt to its level against, so he could study its mask. "Just what are you..." he whispered. "Why do you have black tear streaks?"
He should have known better than to get an answer. The small, hooded creature did not do anything. Not more, or speak, or even flinch. The only thing it did was watch.
Hinata got closer, but didn't crouch. "Honestly, I don't get it. Seems just like any of those other fellas, but with a different color. And no hat. What makes this one so scary?"
The realization slapped him upside the head. "Oh shit! Get away from it!" Riku scrambled back, dragging Hinata with him.
"Again with the grabbing, bro? Chill! It ain't doin anything!"
True to his word, it did nothing. Its head followed them as they backed away, but its feet seemed glued to its spot.
"See? All spy and no bite."
Riku refused to take his eyes off it. "No, you don't understand! That thing... Have you ever played Paper Mario, the original one on the N64?"
"That an RPG? Those drag on for too long. They make bank in sales, tho."
Riku would have rolled his eyes if they weren't so fearfully focused. "There was... an optional boss in that game called the Anti-Guy. It was the most powerful thing in the game, stronger than Bowser, the final boss... I know I sound crazy but, this Shy Guy... looks almost exactly like it."
"That so? Then, you telling me..."
Before Hinata could finish, the "Anti-Guy" began its languid march towards the arcade's exit.
All he and Riku could do was watch.
7:16 PM Day 3
Conference Hall
Ivy had dozens of gemstones splayed about the table. A rainbow of rocks glittering from the ceiling lights. She held her black opal as far up as she could, admiring every color dancing on its surface. "Paradise Beach... fuckin' perfect name!"
Using a dry-erase marker, Ashe drew formulas on the window wall. Upon glancing at Ivy's collection, she said, "You found all of those from digging in the sand?"
"Sure did! If I had known there were so many here, I'd have flown here months ago."
"I may not be a Geologist like yourself, but I find it odd to find stones like those on the beach, where anybody could dig up with just their feet. Aren't some of them only accessible in the deeper regions of the Earth?"
"I get what you're saying, but these are all the real deal. I checked every one of them to be sure. I guess Monokame dug them up from someplace else, then buried them on here for us to find. Y'know, like a treasure hunt."
"It's exactly like that," said Kirika, who had been examining the ATM the whole time. "Which brings us back to the question of why he did that. He said this room was where we used the treasures, which makes me believe this machine is involved in some way, but I'm not sure how."
"Have you inserted your e-Handbook?"
"I have." The Caregiver stepped to the side, so Ashe could view the screen.
WELCOME TO THE KOOPA BANK
REGISTERED USER: Ultimate Caregiver - Kirika Shinohara
ACCOUNT BALANCE: $10.00
What would you like to do, Kirika?
DEPOSIT / WITHDRAW / EXCHANGE MONOTURNIPS
"As you can see, I deposited ten dollars from my Handbook, using the keyboard it provides me." She pressed DEPOSIT, revealing the aforementioned set of letters and numbers.
"I would think you need to type a word here. Why else would we have a lettered keyboard, instead of just a numbered one?"
"I'm no fool, Ms. Langdon. I had already tried that." Kirika entered multiple words:
'Gold'; 'Pearls'; 'Treasure'; 'Cash'; 'Coins'; 'Gems'; 'Gemstones'
Each and every one led to a big 'ERROR' obstructing the screen with an obnoxious BUZZ.
Ashe pinched her nose bridge once more. With her free hand, she pulled out the treasures she had found. A few rubies, several dollar bills, and a handful of pearls. Some of them larger than others. "Could you be a dear and show me yours?"
"Yes, ma'am." Kirika showed her stash. A bunch of pearls, big and small, with another bunch of bills and an emerald. "I haven't been as fortunate as you, but it seems that pearls and dollars are the most common of the treasures."
"Interesting... take a look at our pearls. They may vary in size, but my small ones are exactly the same as yours. The large ones are a perfect match, too."
"So you're saying there's a set size for them. Which could mean..."
The Caregiver typed 'Small Pearls' into the ATM.
In response, a hidden compartment on its left side opened up, and out came a small funnel. Attached to the bottom of it was a pipe going into the machine.
The screen changed to read:
SMALL PEARL DEPOSIT
Insert the Small Pearls you wish to deposit, then select CONFIRM.
Select CANCEL to to end the transaction and retrieve any Small Pearls you have inserted.
NOTE: This is a permanent transaction. Once you select CONFIRM, you will be unable to retrieve your Small Pearls.
CONFIRM / CANCEL
"Well, it's a good thing we have a few language experts on our team," said Ashe.
Kirika took a single pearl from her pile. She dropped it into the funnel, then pressed CONFIRM.
The funnel retreated into the ATM. The compartment closed. Then the screen said:
CONGRATULATIONS, KIRIKA!
You've earned $1,500.00!
ACCOUNT BALANCE: $1,510.00
The Caregiver nearly dropped her stash. "Excuse me? Fifteen hundred? That can't be right."
"How so?"
"I know the worth of pearls like these, and I promise you it's much higher than that. This machine is scamming us."
"Or this killing game treats money differently," said Ivy.
"Oh, now you decide to chime in."
"Fuck off."
"She has a point, dear. Monokame never said the currency here was one from the outside world. If these pearls are worth more, as you say, then this experiment confirms it. I suppose we should call it 'In-Game Currency' from now on."
"I guess so." Kirika packed her treasures into her apron, then removed her Handbook from the ATM. "My apologies, Ivy. My remark was uncalled for."
"Whatever."
"Speaking of..." Ashe inserted her Handbook, pressed DEPOSIT, and typed 'Black Opal'.
A different compartment opened from the machine's left side. This time, a drawer slid out.
The only thing on it was an indentation, one whose shape perfectly matched that of the gem in Ivy's hand.
"Ivy, darling, would you donate your opal so that we know its in-game worth?"
"Hell no!" She hugged it like a Hobbit with a precious ring. "Go find your own!"
"Alright, I'll take my Handbook out and let you put yours in."
"That's not the point! When I escape this island, I'm taking all my gemstones home with me. In no way am I feeding them to that machine!"
"I'm in full agreement," said Kirika. "It makes little sense to throw away things with value in the outside world, so I'll be keeping my treasures from this point onward."
"Well, we need in-game money in order to escape, but you do you." Ashe began the arduous process of depositing everything from her stash into her account. It would take a lot of typing, a lot of inserting, and a lot of compartments opening & closing for her to finish.
During this period, Ivy moved her collection, one rock at a time, into a bag she got from the shops. She stopped when she picked up an oval-shaped, pure black gem. She held it up to her face, let her fingers prance on its surface, and tossed it to sense its weight. "That's strange. I don't recognize this one from any of my books."
11:55 PM Day 3
Caretaker's Office
Monokame sat at a Maplewood desk, the fancy kind a mob boss would own, working on various papers.
Across from him was the Anti-Guy. All he did was look at a wall clock.
"This game's going pretty smooth so far," said the turtle. "I can't wait for noon to come! When the Guests receive their Truth Bullets, things will get much more interesting!"
The Anti-Guy stayed silent.
"Wait... all the other mascots said that, right? Now that I think about it, the word 'interesting' is used a lot in these killing games. I'm supposed to be unique, dammit! And here I am acting like everyone else! But there's no other word for 'interesting', is there? It's like that perfect word, where no synonym could ever compete, so I'm stuck with using it... Oh, the life of a mascot is misery!"
The Anti-Guy said nothing. Not a word came out of that mask.
"Ah, well. You're doing your job right, so keep at it. Enjoy your stroll, Ante!"
Upon hearing that, the hooded creature hopped off his chair to leave the office.
The clock struck twelve.
Challenge Event Begins in 1 Day; 12 Hours; 0 Minutes.
To Be Continued
Author's Notes: Special Thanks to Superguy, Birb, and Abitat Eco for roleplaying as their characters for these scenes. I had lots of fun doing them! =D
That said, I must emphasize that RP will NOT be used on a regular basis. I will only use them for special occasions, which is why I shall call them Rare Roleplays (RRPs).
To everybody who submitted a character for this project, if you would like be involved in these RRPs, please send me a private message saying exactly that.
If I do not receive such a message from you, then I will assume that you do not want to partake in one.
I thank you all again for being so patient with my updates. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you look forward to the next one! That's when the Truth Bullets will affect the course of the game!
Happy Fourth of July! Love you all!
Author's Replies:
logal
The elevator scene was one of my favorites to write. I promise there will be more like it in the future. ;D
TheRoseShadow21
Thank you very much! I hope things have been well on your end. If you've been job hunting too, I hope you found a good one!
El Torro
I can't wait to see what you find this time around. Hope this chapter was worth the wait, too!