Hinamizawa Hell

Author's note: Hey everyone thanks for the reviews so far. I'm really getting into writing this story, and I hope everyone continues to give feedback.

This chapter will focus on the gameplay consisting from the game "Zombie" for the group. The latter of the chapter and the story thereof may take a time jump to spring for the first story arc. And later in the story, another time jump may take place for summer, if you remember the previous chapter's "key". Till then, enjoy.

Ch. 6: All or Nothing

She ran for what seemed like hours down the dark street. The carnage of the city around her was more than wanting, as bodies and pools of blood lay amongst the ruins of destroyed cars and broken street corners. The moon shown crimson red on that night, an unsightly omen for what lay ahead.

However, this girl smirked as she formulated such devious plans in her mind. Carrying a flamethrower, she hurried along with her movements, all detailed with precise precision in her plot. And once she finally came upon the checkpoint, her plan formulated into action.

"Screw me over like that, eh Rena? Fine, but your actions will make you suffer…NOW!"

"Aww…I almost had 25 zombies! And they were such cute ones too!"

Rena had fallen into Satoko's trap the moment she turned on her former alley. In procession of the gameplay, Satoko had cornered Rena into a dead end, and moved her zombie pieces to face off Rena in a never ending cycle of dice rolls. In the end, Satoko remained the victor, leaving a dead space where Rena's pawn piece once lied. She lost half her collected zombies in the process, and returned back to the center tile to restart.

The game "Zombie" is an interactive, multiplayer strategy game. The rule is simple: make alleys, break them, and screw over each other in various ways. The game involved players starting out on a center tile, from which they would pick up other tiles and create a city board with. Every player is given three event cards, which could either be weapons, skills, attacks, or special event happenings that could affect the game. The rules of the game are simple: Each player must first clear their space of any previously moved zombies, then draw a tile and place it on the map, and from there draw any cards to add up to three in a hand. Furthermore, each player started with a movement phase by rolling a die, then the same with a zombie movement phase. The player is only allowed to play one event card per turn, limiting certain types of onslaughts on any single player.

In addition, special rules apply: each player is given three bullet counters and three heart counters. If a player didn't kill a normal zombie with a dice roll of 4 or higher, then they could use bullet counters to make up a kill score. Heart counters allowed players to reroll a die if they couldn't meet the same 4 or higher level to kill, but once used either the player died by using all heart counters or survived and immediately ended their turn. Also, all tiles held certain requirements, such as placing a zombie at the end of each street tile, and filling a tile with whatever zombies can be placed in certain buildings, such as the Lawn Care or the Toy Shop areas. Bullet counters and heart counters can be found in buildings to help a player survive longer.

The object of the game was included two methods: kill 25 zombies and collect all the pieces or escape to a special tile with an escape helicopter on it. And along all these rules, anything can happen to every player, whether positive or negative. It was an all or nothing game.

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Mion certainly picked an interesting game for the group, one that would be a major favorite for their club activities in the future. Everyone seemed to have a blast with the game, and skills from their previous club games certainly came in handy. Though Mion was thoroughly skilled in the rules and gameplay, she was still rivaled by Keiichi and Satoko.

Satoko laughed in her victory at screwing over Rena. She happily ended her turn, leaving Komoto to his. Though he was entirely new to this board game, his merits with war and tactics still came to pass. He picked up a tile, placed it, and decided to draw an event card. Once looking over the board, he smiled as a plan came to mind.

"Hmm…Hanyuu, I warned you before about going into that Gun Shop. Children shouldn't play with guns, you know. I'll play the event card "They're Coming For You" on your tile, thus, filling all available spaces with zombies. I'll move my character onto this street corner…then kill these remaining zombie pieces to add to a total of 13 for me…then I'll move 5 zombies onto your space, Satoko's, and Satoshi's, Mion and Keiichi's tiles. I'll discard one of my cards, and then end my turn."

Hanyuu looked to Rika then to her friends with worry; however, all she got in return were evil looks. They smiled devilishly at her, cackling in laughter. In her next turn, the zombie pawn managed to finish her off, and from which she had to move back to the starting tile and lose half her zombie pieces.

"Auuuuuu! Everyone is so mean to me, auuuuu!" Hanyuu sighed and slumped her head onto the table, from which Rika merely patted her in consolation, along with her usual "Nippah" tone.

The game seemed to be getting real intense. Satoko managed to take the lead in the game, by sheer skill screwing everyone else except her brother in traps and plots. Rena and Hanyuu, along with Rika, had managed to eventually form an alliance to dupe the others. Keiichi and Mion, as expected, rivaled against Satoshi and Shion in a contest to see who the better couple was. Komoto, however, teamed up with no one, and remained a loner in the game. Unexpectantly, he never seemed worried.

"Sis, I'm sorry, but you can't survive this duel! Satoshi and I have all the right playing cards here, and as much as I like to say it, I don't think Keiichi is man enough to protect you!" Shion grinned evilly at her twin sister, laughing about. Satoshi smiled with her, a bead of sweat going down his forehead. He knew how Shion could get riled up sometimes, and was even scared of it.

As Shion scoffed about in her usual fashion, she noticed how no response came from her rivals. She looked at Keiichi and Mion, and was surprised by their shadowed faces.

"Um…Sis? Kei-chan? Something wrong?" Shion was starting to get a little nervous.

"Why, Sister….what makes you think you have all the playing cards? Heh…hehhhehehehee…"

Mion and Keiichi shot crimson, evil glares at Shion and Satoshi. They gulped at their rival's response, causing a sudden chill to go up their spines. Sweat beaded down their faces, anticipating doom on the horizon. Shion starting trying to laugh, regaining a little of her composure, but it wasn't until Satoshi looked at the board again that she heard an "Uh Oh".

Shion looked to where Keiichi just placed his next board tile, which was a new dead end to the street they were on. Furthermore, Mion placed an even card called "Government Enhanced Zombies", causing the now placed zombie pawns around Satoshi and Shion's figure pieces to become super hard to kill for an entire turn. Keiichi moved his piece towards where Mion's was, and in the end of his turn moved all the zombie pieces onto their rival's spots, causing an impossible chance for the two to survive their next turns.

"Komoto…how did you…"

Everyone looked on in terror as Komoto decimated anything that stood in his path. His plan seemingly went into action to destroy as much as possible in the streets of the board game. No zombie that met his dice roll even survived a guaranteed 6 result, thanks to his special weapon cards. Furthermore, a special rule applied that once he managed to enter a special military base area did he have the advantage of doubling his movement spaces. He was unstoppable, managing to make it to the end of the board area. He ended his turn and looked at the others.

"Kinda reminds me of urban combat. Well, I have 24 zombies and all I really need to do is get the helicopter tile for my escape or kill one more zombie. My plan is…"

"Epically Failed!"

Komoto looked to an unusually grinning Hanyuu. He wondered what made her so excited, and only realized why once she placed the cherished helicopter tile on the exact opposite side of the board from where Komoto was. Komoto's jaw dropped wide at this change of events, and couldn't help but feel a bit of fear at seeing Hanyuu's revenge. Rika even spit out her sake once Hanyuu started acting completely unlike herself. She seemed like a war god now.

"Fear the mighty karma of Hanyuu! Revenge is a sweet cream puffed served big!" Everyone laughed at Hanyuu's misconception of a quote.

"Damnit! I underestimated you! But all I need is another zombie and…."

Hanyuu didn't give Komoto a chance to realize his utter loss of ever winning the game. She happily moved her pieces, as everyone else looked at Komoto with evil eyes glowing.

He ran for what seemed like hours, making his way towards his only chance of survival. They were gaining fast on him; clawing at every chance they could at his body. Their stench of rotting flesh was almost sickening, making him want to vomit his meager lunch. No matter how many rounds or attacks he sent in their direction did his enemy falter or lose numbers. They grew and grew, choking any escape he had. However, the lights were in view of the Helipad, his only means of escaping a city filled with the living dead. Komoto ran up the stairs, watching his new friends all get onto the copter. As it took off, Komoto made a last ditch attempt to survive. He jumped off the landing pad, soaring through the air, stretching out his arm towards the landing gear bar of the copter, and….

"And the copter flies off, leaving Komoto as the only victim left to join the army of the undead. Doesn't even matter if the copter had a spare chain ladder to let you ride on, we left ya behind!" Mion joked around at how the tide of the game twisted on Komoto. Though it was a bit cruel, the games of this unusual club always ended with suffering. Komoto sulked at his loss, blaming errors in tactics. However, it was all fun and games for them.

"Damn. I surrender. You kids and your skills are far better than mine. Hmm…oh, my, look at the time; it looks like I better get going…"

Komoto smiled weakly and sweated a little. He got up, and tried to make his way for the door, but halted at the eerie sounds of the others.

"Where do you think you're going, Hagara-san?" spouted Shion.

"You know, its kinda weird Hagara-san. You played so well, but your eyes were blindfolded the entire time. I wonder what you're hiding, I wonder…" creeded Rena.

"Hehehehe…you lost the game, Komoto-kun. Time for your punishment…"

The others were clearly joking around. They were having their kicks when it came to dishing out a penalty game, and filled the room with laughter. Mion got up and decided to go easy on him, merely taking a black marker and aiming to draw random things on Komoto's face. Everyone else began to surround him, as he stood halting and hesitant near the corner of the room.

However, Komoto seemed almost scared to turn around. He pressed his back to a side of the wall, almost seeming like he couldn't breathe. The other's halted, especially Rika, and looked on. He seemed like he was murmuring something.

"Rika…my bag…please…"

Rika looked down to his things, and didn't question his motives. She picked up his rather heavy bag, and handed it to him. During this time, he seemed very hesitant to even turning his face towards them; rather, he looked down to the floor or out into the distance of an empty room. Rika watched on as Komoto fumbled out some weird looking device, almost like a syringe. He popped off the cap using his mouth, and stabbed himself straight into his neck.

"Hagara-san, what the hell are you doing?" Keiichi seemed worried, and tried to stop him, but Komoto raised his hand to Keiichi, preventing him from reacting.

After a minute, Komoto seemed to really calm down, as he slid sideways into the wall and slowly onto the ground. The others looked at each other, worried and confused.

"Komoto-san…why did you do that? What's wrong?" Rika was the first to speak up, seeing as she knew him better than anyone else. She walked to his side, facing him, and bent down to check on his health. Komoto seemed almost dazed, and dropped to the ground what looked like a syringe device. It was crude in design, spouting a rather long needle and a pre-filled injector, though, now empty. She placed her palm on Komoto's forehead, and noticed how cold he suddenly became. Komoto, after some time, picked his head up to her and smiled.

"Nippah…Rika-chan…"

Though he was joking to her, it didn't put a smile on Rika's face. She just stared at him in wonder, confused as to what happened. Komoto recognized this, and looked back to the others, seeing an equal expression of worry. He sighed and sat up, going back to the table.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to put a damper on the festivities…" he murmured in response, trying to sound as lively and functional as possible. His response, however, didn't reassure the others.

"Hagara-san…what just happened?" Mion was completely direct in her tone, wanting a clear answer from him. He didn't look at her, and just tried to eat some of the desert that was leftover on the table.

"I just needed…some medicine…"

"Komoto-san…you don't need to hide anything from us. Anything and everything we say here stays between friends. You can trust us…" Keiichi, as always, proved a valid point in his argument. Komoto took this to heart, and sighed again. After a few more moments of silence, he responded, this time, with a better answer.

"I'm sick in health and cursed in mind. Even though I have the syndrome, I still experience effects such as paranoia. I knew I had a penalty game to answer to, but…" Komoto looked at Keiichi, Rena, and Mion, remembering the events of when Keiichi succumbed to Hinamizawa syndrome "…when my adrenaline gets too high, the syndrome reactivates itself in me, causing massive paranoia to take place in frequent doses even. That stuff I just injected into me allows me to effectively reduce the adrenaline in my body…" He drank some water, trying to clear his throat.

The others let this information sink in a bit, but it was Rena who tried to lighten the mood.

"Komoto-san, you don't have anything to fear from us. We wouldn't harm you or…"

"…But the question remains would I?" Komoto murmured this loud enough for the others to hear, even stunning them. He drank his remaining sake, sat up and got his things. Rika ran to him, seeming worried as if his presence to the group caused problems.

"Komoto-san, you don't have to leave. We don't mind at all. It's not like this is our first time encountering danger or anything. Nippah!"

Rika tugged on his shirt, but it only scratched at his worry. It was Satoshi who walked up to him and put a consoling hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok Komoto-san. We trust you." Komoto turned to him and sighed, but submitted to not leaving.

"Komoto-san, if you can tell us also, why do you keep blindfolding your eyes? Are you really blind?"

Satoko spoke her mind openly to Komoto and the others. She was curious as to why no one else had even questioned it, and was dying to know the answer. He looked down at her, and surprisingly, didn't give a half assed answer.

"One look into my eyes and you'll be broken. That's just the way it is Satoko-chan…just as it is the way that when I'm under paranoia and look into everyone elses…" He turned and surveyed his face to the group, looking them over "…that I see what real demonic eyes can look like. Those damned eyes and malicious glares of insanity and thrill. Its then that I actually fear for my life…" He moved his hand to his forehead, rubbing his temples and trying to calm down. He actually considered giving himself another dosage of medicine to remain stable, but Rika merely dissuaded him. He looked into her eyes deeply, and for once smiled.

"It's ok Komoto-senpai, we'll never hurt you. Right everyone?" From her response Rika and Komoto received smiles and nods, thus, reassuring his presence to stay at the party. He finally smiled to them, and was happy to know that acceptance in the group was eminent.

However, for Keiichi's sake, he went into another room and looked out a window into the night sky. He gave an excuse to everyone that he was getting more drinks, but only wanted to be alone. Komoto's earlier comment stirred up a fearful memory of his, one that he wouldn't let down to the end of his days. Keiichi remembered the same paranoia that Komoto is constantly forced to experience, and the time of a former life where Rena and his love Mion tried to supposedly inject him with drugs in his room, implying his imminent death, only resulting with his attack with a baseball bat into the skulls and bodies of his friend and lover. These memories rushed through his head a bit, but his resolve in his promise to never doubt his friends again only strengthened his will.

Mion looked in at Keiichi, whom she found at the outside porch. He sat on the wooden floor base, looking up into the stars. She came behind him, and wrapped her arms around his body.

"You ok, Kei-chan?" she smiled, looking down to him. She began to show more signs of playfulness and her girly side to Keiichi, which she didn't mind. He looked up to her, and smiled.

"Yeah…I'm just…remembering a former life's mistake…" Mion instantly knew what he was talking about, but nonetheless didn't feel any remorse.

"If that's really our past lives, Kei-kun, then I suppose it's the past. Move on with it, and live another day of me dressing you in maid outfits, hehehehe…" Mion's joke gratified Keiichi into smiles and laughter. He passed off anymore thoughts on the memory, and sat up to return to the others. However, before doing so he shared a kiss with Mion outside, enjoying what little time they could share with each other under the stars.

Hanyuu was completely smashed as the hours passed on into the night. Rika, tipsy as well, knew that her special connection relating to their senses made Hanyuu's night of limited drinking into a full on drunken fest. She got up on the table at one point, dancing and ranting about random things to everyone, causing laughter to fill the house once more. Rena, observing all of this, had gone into Kawaii-mode, almost wanting to take Hanyuu home with her. But as the night went on, and as midnight grew near, the group decided to call it quits. Shion and Mion left for their home with Keiichi as their escort, but not before making Komoto the newest member to the gaming club. Apparently, Komoto's penalty game was to now join the club and submit to more devious games at the hands of Mion. Overall, he looked forward to it.

Satoko and Satoshi finished cleaning the house up as Rena started to pack up. Hanyuu was put onto her futon to sleep off her drunken stupor for the night, and Rika and Komoto engaged in another private conversation.

"…So these shots reduce adrenaline? Then what about these ones?" Rika asked.

"I'm supposed to use those only in extreme times. If you remember what Irie told you before, the syndrome affects me in both positive and negative ways. I rarely ever even need to use these adrenaline stimulators. The depressers I use to lower adrenaline and my heart rate…" he concluded to Rika.

"If that's so, then you're really controlling this obstacle. I'm glad then. Now as for the club, what do you think of everyone?"

"Your friends are unique. I'm glad to have met them, and I think we'll be great friends. But I can't guarantee I'll make all the club meetings when your school lets out. I have odd jobs around Hinamizawa to complete for a living." Komoto seemed honest, and Rika left it at that.

"Rika, Satoko, I'm leaving. See you in school Monday!" Rena began to leave, but fortunately was held up by Komoto for a few more minutes.

"I'm leaving too Ryuugu-san. If you hold for a bit, I'll walk you till we separate our paths…" he stated. Rena happily obliged.

After saying their goodbyes, and Komoto reminding Rika to come visit his home sometime in the near future, the two left the household and walked down the snowy path towards the main road. The silent night and the ever present moon and starry sky illuminated their travel, making the scenery almost serene and peaceful. They silently walked down the pathway, over the hills and past the bare trees of Hinamizawa. Rena enjoyed the quietness, but almost wanted to engage in conversation with her companion.

"Hagara-san, you really are quite interesting, you are…" she stated. He looked over to her, and smiled a bit.

"Thanks. But all of you are far more interesting. You all have so many stories to express, and I kinda enjoy seeing all of them come alive…at least, the good ones…" Komoto realized he was getting too symbolic, and stopped for a bit, trying to elude any discussion or mention of his eyes. However, Rena didn't mind, but continued with her questions.

"So you left the village and came back to Hinamizawa. I too left once, but this place is so much better than the city. At least, I was forgiven and allowed to stay."

Rena's comment stopped Komoto dead in his tracks. She turned around, and saw Komoto almost expressing anger in his facial features.

"Did I say something wrong, Hagara-san? Did I?" she responded.

"You're mentioning the one you call Oyashiro, am I correct?" he seemed stern in his tone of voice, but remained calm.

"Actually, Oyashiro-sama, the guardian deity of Hinamizawa. I believe in him. He protects us all, and lets only those worthy to stay and remain in Hinamizawa…" Rena, for once, was caught off guard as Komoto moved past her, uttering his opinion to her.

"Oyashiro…is no deity or god. How can a god let children such as you and the others suffer like you did? Oyashiro…is nothing more than a false existence…" He walked past her, clenching his fists in his pockets. Rena stood stunned to the spot, but as he moved a distance ahead, she responded to him.

"If you don't believe in Oyashiro-sama, bad things will happen…."

"…and if Oyashiro isn't forgiven…then who is to say he can allow bad things to happen."

Rena looked at him, almost confused by his statement. How can a god need forgiveness? She looked at him more sternly, catching up with Komoto. By this time, they reached the cross-section leading to different directions and their respective homes. As he made his way home, Rena asked one more question to him.

"Tell me…and don't lie…but who does Oyashiro-sama need to be forgiven by?" she looked at him with some anger in her eyes, but was only stupefied by his small response.

"Me…"