Beta Read by Lupus Overkill
It probably hasn't even been thirty minutes since Shizu left her room, but it feels like an eternity to her. With all of the strong personalities around her, she hasn't had any time to herself. In that regard, there's something refreshing about walking alone in these hallways, despite the distressing circumstances.
She knows that this calm will end soon, as she needs to find the bag-wearing person as soon as she can. From Chouki's comments, there's a good chance that they may have already fled. That being said, she isn't rushing herself.
Her footsteps create a rhythmic echo off of the tile flooring and metal walls. Now that she thinks about it, it is odd how empty this building feels. There's nothing lining the hallway walls. No windows, no paintings, nothing. She hasn't seen any furniture out here either, not even the occasional fake potted plant. Everything looks clean enough, so it's well cared for. However, the lack of substance makes her mind race. What could it mean?
Shizu's train of thought gets interrupted as she passes by what she assumes is the dining room. There's quite a racket coming from the doors. Weren't they closed before? They're currently ajar, letting her peek inside. She can't see anyone from this angle, but she is certain someone is inside. While it could be the person she's looking for, she would rather investigate the stairwell first. Also, there is a small part of her that does not want to deal with the potential chaos in that room. Thus, she moves past it.
Eventually, she arrives back in the room with the stairwell and elevator. She takes a deep breath before converging towards the stairs. Looking past the empty door frame, she furrows her brow when she sees that the stairs go up and down. Would it be possible to reach the first floor by using them?
She can't see anyone hiding here, so she decides to investigate downwards. The possibility of exploring more of the building is enticing. Her hopes get dashed slightly when she quickly comes to a blockade after a few seconds of descending. It looks like a wall used at a construction site, and it's been stamped with an image of a bear, half-white and half-black. Its twisted red eye makes her shudder.
Her journey is not for nothing, as there is someone else here, facing the wall. One glance at the bag on his head tells her that this is her target. She can make out a purple braid falling out of the bag, though the rest of his head is a mystery. The rest of his body is covered up as well. He's wearing both a brown sweater and, over his shoulders, he's got a big coat that's colored white and purple. He also has a pair of checkered capri pants that stop at his knees and a purple pair of sandals.
She can hear him muttering to himself under the chattering of his teeth, too distracted to hear her approaching footsteps. Once she clears her throat, he gasps and spins around on the spot. From this angle, she can see that his bag has cutouts for his blue eyes and mouth. "Who the hell are you?!" he demands.
"Shizu Saneyoshi," she replies calmly, holding her hands up to show that she isn't hiding anything. "I believe we're both in the same situation."
She can barely make it out, but she thinks he's narrowed his eyes. "Right. Okay. Why exactly should I believe you? And which Ultimate are you supposed to be?"
"I'm the Ultimate Strategist." She sense a possible counter accusation, so she continues, "If I wanted to attack or subdue you, I would have done so when you had your back turned. I'm not your enemy. Now, would you please introduce yourself?"
He still has his doubts, however. "Why didn't you lead with your Ultimate talent? If you're really a strategist, then you should have released that saying it right away gives you more credibility. For all I know, you just needed some time to think up a fake talent!" He clenches his fists. "I'm not about to give away personal information to a suspicious person like you."
Exasperated, Shizu pinches her forehead and growls, "Look, if I was behind your kidnapping, then I'd already know who you are. Either I'm faking my confusion or I legitimately don't know. So just tell me already so we can stop wasting time."
He pauses, possibly to think of a counter point, until he finally relents. "…I guess that makes sense. I'm Takumi Haruko, and, if you really need to know, I'm the Ultimate Cover Artist. Satisfied?"
"Almost. May I also know your gender?" Shizu is tempted to pull out her notepad but thinks better of it. Takumi would definitely react negatively.
The question alone proves to be suspicious to him, as he's back on the defensive. "How much more do you want anyways?"
Her patience is quickly wearing thin. "Do you want me to accidentally misgender you or not?"
"I'm male. Now, would you leave me alone already?" Takumi's hands are clenched once more.
At this rate, she may need to physically drag him back to the briefing room. Well, she wouldn't be able to because she lacks physical strength, so she hopes it doesn't come to that. "I actually came to fetch you." Before he can start panicking again, she keeps talking. "If you were not aware, we're all supposed to meet up in one of the rooms for some kind of announcement. Most of the others are already waiting. Continuing to linger here only delays the inevitable."
"You're all just playing along? Maybe you came to wherever this is willingly, but I got kidnapped. This whole thing screams "suspicious". There's no way I'm going anywhere." Takumi takes a step backwards. Though he stumbles slightly when going down the stairs, his back now pressed up against the strange wall. "Either you're dumb enough to walk right into a trap or you're in on it."
"If they wanted to do something to us, they've have done it when we were on unconscious. There's no point in fighting this particular issue aside from pure stubbornness," Shizu argues.
It's not her best point, and she definitely should have worded it better. Still, she's grateful to see Takumi slowly easing the tension in his body. He takes a few deep breaths and then looks at the ground. "…Okay. Let's get this over with."
Shizu leads the way, albeit slowly in case he decides to run off again. She also takes the time to jot down a few more notes.
Takumi Haruko
- Male, seems young but could be mistaken
- Ultimate Cover Artist (makes covers of popular songs, possibly without revealing face judging by the bag)
- Very paranoid, converging on rudeness, frustrating to talk to
- Possibly has social anxiety, which would explain why he hides his face
She's in no rush to keep the conversation going with him, so they climb the steps in silence, back to the second floor. She hears a low rumbling noise coming from above them. Is someone using the elevator?
Her question is answered, as, the instant she and Takumi reach the top to the stairwell, they see the elevator doors open. She feels Takumi tense up and instinctively grabs his arm to keep him from scampering away.
A very tall woman steps into the hall. Her strawberry-blonde ponytail sways as she moves forwards. Her sharp, brown eyes are scanning the area. She's wearing a short-sleeved, navy blue shirt that's been tucked into a black pair of dress pants. She also has what appears to be a black pouch around her waist. Shizu can tell that, whoever this person is, she's in top physical shape. She looks vaguely familiar to Shizu… She may be the person in the room next to hers.
It's possible that this woman has the same feeling of déjà-vu, since her eyes light up when she notices Shizu. Technically, she also sees Takumi standing completely still as well, but her eyes are locked onto Shizu's. She walks towards them, and Shizu, dragging Takumi along, meets her halfway.
"Hello there Miss," she greets. "I believe that we're both staying on the same floor."
"The fourth floor, correct?" Shizu replies. "I think that we are neighbors, actually. My name is Shizu Saneyoshi."
The woman nods. "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sawako Kido, the Ultimate Riot Police Officer."
Shizu's heart skips a beat.
She doesn't think that her panic is noticeable, but Sawako says, "I'm not going to arrest you, if that's what you're thinking. Unless you plan on giving me a reason to…" She trails off at the end of her sentence. Shizu's not certain whether that was a threat or a poor attempt at humor.
Takumi starts struggling to escape Shizu's grip, evidently wanting nothing to do with this situation. Sawako sees him, and says, "I apologize for not addressing you earlier. May I have your name?"
Upon being spoken to directly, his struggling doubles, but Shizu refuses to let go. Perhaps her own panic has turned her hand into a vice. Still, she pushes past her fears and speaks up for him, "…He's Takumi Haruko. He's the Ultimate Cover Artist. Sorry about him."
He glares at her from under his bag-mask. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you telling me that you're actually going to trust this cop?!"
Sawako holds her hands up in surrender. "I promise that I will not harm you unless you have actually committed a crime."
That's… not exactly comforting given Shizu's recent past, but it appears Sawako is none the wiser. Instead, she finally steels her nerves and forces herself to take control of her body back. Easier said than done, but she somehow manages. "Then we should be good. I'm spotless, and the only thing Takumi has done wrong is refuse to go to the meeting location. So, if you would stop tugging…" She grits her teeth and pulls.
"Hey, watch it." He stumbles while trying to get his bearings. "I already said I was going. I just don't like being near her is all."
There is a brief flash of something in Sawako's eyes, but it's gone before Shizu can register what emotion it is. "I am sorry for making you uncomfortable. I must also go to this meeting, however. If it is not too much trouble, may I accompany you there? You speak as though you know the way," she asks Shizu.
"Of course. It's no bother," she lies. "…If it isn't too much of an issue, could you please tell me your gender?" She relinquishes her grip on Takumi to pull her notepad out for the umpteenth time. He rubs his wrist but, true to his word, follows behind them as they make for the briefing room.
"I am female," Sawako answers. "You are female as well, correct? And you are male, Takumi?" Both of them nod in affirmation. She then says, "Now, this may be my fault, but I don't believe you've told me your talent, Shizu. If you did and it slipped my mind, then I am truly sorry."
It helps that Shizu is writing away, as she answers on autopilot, "Ultimate Strategist."
Sawako Kido
- Female
- Ultimate Riot Police Officer
…Not that she has much that much to write anyways. She pretends to write more in order to keep the silence going, but Sawako apparently didn't get the memo. "Might I ask what the two of you were doing coming up the stairs? I didn't think the first floor was open."
She pockets her supplies back into her blazer pocket with a sigh. "It isn't. The stairs down there were blocked. Takumi was trying to hide himself, so I came to bring him back."
"I'm not some kind of lost child," he complains from behind them.
"If you didn't want to be found, why not go back into your room?" Sawako wonders.
"You don't think I tried that?" he grumbles. "The door locked behind me while I was scoping everything out."
Shizu supplies, "I don't think we have the card keys necessary for unlocking our rooms. They'll most likely be distributed after the meeting has started."
Sawako opens her mouth to speak, but, at that moment, they pass by the dining hall once more. The noises are still ongoing. Apparently, someone else also had no plans on showing up at the briefing room.
Shizu turns to Sawako but refuses to look at her eyes directly. "Could you please escort Takumi to the briefing room? I want to check this out."
Sawako argues, "It could be dangerous. I should go instead. Besides, you are more familiar with this building's layout than I am. It makes more sense for you to go."
"That may be true, but you will have to find your way there if I leave you here. Takumi will also have a harder time getting away if you keep an eye on him," Shizu counters, already walking away at a brisk pace. "Just look out for a room with a podium displayed overhead. You can't miss it."
"You're leaving us just like that?" comes Takumi's angry cries. Sawako, however, is silent, though it doesn't sound like she's going to follow her.
The dining hall itself is devoid of life. It's pretty large, all things considered. There's a single large wooden table in the center of the room. Around it are several ornate wooden chairs, though she doesn't know the exact number. Normally, she would guess sixteen, but there are four smaller, plastic tables in each of the corners which have two folding chairs a piece. Either they have options on where to sit, or some people will be forced away from the larger group.
She can make out some clattering and voices now that she's closer. The racket is coming from a room at the back of the dining room, past another set of double doors. Hopefully, this person will give her less trouble than the previous two, though she isn't getting her hopes up. Before she can second guess herself, she walks inside.
It turns out to be a fairly large kitchen. In the center, there's an empty marble counter. The back wall is lined with all sorts of cooking devices. She can see a microwave oven combo in the corner, a back countertop with a stove, sink, toaster, and dishwasher, a fridge, and several cabinets on top. It's pretty well stocked, which is a bit worrying now that she thinks about it. They may need to make their own food… Putting that thought aside, she finally sees two doors on opposite ends. To her left, the door is wooden, but the right door is metal with a small window on the front.
Of course, she probably should have mentioned the source of the noise first, rather than the scenery. Apparently, it's coming from a pair of people. One of them is loudly munching down on a handful of graham crackers. The other is standing on a stool and appears to be shaking the toaster violently, while whining, "Come on! Do something!"
The girl eating is the only one to notice Shizu's entrance. She looks at her wide eyed and finishes scarfing down her cracker. She looks like she wants to say something but then gasps a little and shoves another graham cracker down her throat.
Seeing as she doesn't seem ready to talk, Shizu analyzes her. She's a pretty chubby person, with her body only really slimming down around her legs. Still, she looks cute, what with her puffy face and squinty salmon eyes. Her strawberry-blonde pigtails tied up with smiling bee hair ties also help complete the look. Her shirt is white, short-sleeved, and decorated with yellow flowers, but it looks a tad small on her. It doesn't fully reach her black and yellow striped skirt. Even her footwear has a bee theme to it, as her socks and shoes are both covered in bee stripes.
During this time, she has run out of graham crackers and almost bites her finger when going for another one. She takes a deep breath before calling out to her companion, "Hey, Soraru? There's someone else here."
Soraru is too busy shaking that toaster to acknowledge anything around xem. Once more, Shizu takes stock of what's in front of her. The most striking thing about xem is xer short height. Xe are almost a foot shorter than Shizu is. Xer skin tone is almond, which goes well with xer curly black hair that goes down to xer shoulders. As xe are turned around, she can only make out what looks to be a white apron over xer pastel purple shirt and blue jeans. At the very least, xer pastel purple bandanna wrapped around xer hair, long rubber gloves, and tall brown boots are all visible.
Not content with being ignored, the bee girl stomps her foot childishly and yells, "Soraru! Quit being a meanie and talk to our new friend!"
This is loud enough for Soraru to hear. Xe throws the toaster back onto the countertop and then turn around. Xe blinks xer golden eyes curiously before asking, "A new friend? Are they hungry too? Well too bad, because nothing in this dumb kitchen works!"
Shizu shakes her head. "My name is Shizu Saneyoshi, and I'm here for you two, actually. You were making a lot of noise, so I came to investigate. Could you two please introduce yourselves?"
"Huh? Investigate?" Xe scratches xer head. "Are you some kind of super detective?"
"…Ultimate Strategist, actually," Shizu concedes. "Now, your names, if you wouldn't mind."
Xe tilts xer head before saying, "But what if I do mind? What should I tell you then?"
She blinks for a few seconds. "Let me rephrase that: Please tell me your names."
"Geez, you're really fickle aren'tcha? Make up your mind already." Xe says these words with a big grin on xer face.
Shizu has no idea what her face looks like, but it must be intense, because the other girl interrupts. "It's really really nice to meet you Shizu! I'm Hachi Hachimitsu. I'm the Ultimate Beekeeper. Can you tell?" She's all smiles even as she stands a little shyly, her foot tapping nervously.
"It's very nice to meet you, Hachi," Shizu says. "Your outfit is lovely." She normally wouldn't be so forthcoming with compliments, but, right now, Hachi's seemingly innocent cheer is just what she needs.
Hachi beams all the brighter. "Yay! Thank you! It's my favorite! A lot of this stuff was hard to find, but bees this cute are totally worth it." She glances at her feet again as she said this, and Shizu realizes that her shoes actually have smiling bee faces on them. Perhaps they were custom made.
"Ooh! Ooh! Do you have a big ol' fuzzy jacket too?" Soraru chimes in. "Then you could be a real cuddle bug!"
Shizu inwardly steels herself and then asks, "Hachi said your name was Soraru, correct?"
"Hey, you noticed!" Xe stands on xer tiptoes, still on the stool, and proclaims. "I'm Soraru Kishinuma! Now, you have to notice my talent as well!" Before she can even reply, xe shouts, "Bzzz! Time's up. I'm actually the Ultimate Baker!" Xe reaches into the left pocket of xer apron and throw out a handful of flour as though it were confetti.
There's a great many things that Shizu could say, but she settles on, "…Do you always carry about flour, or is this a special occasion?"
Xe snorts. "Nah, I snagged some from the pantry." Xe gestures to the wooden door to Shizu's left. "It's one of the only good things about this kitchen."
"This place is super well stocked," Hachi agrees. "There's rows and rows and rows of food, and it all looks brand new!"
"I see." Shizu clicks her tongue in thought. "Before I forget, could you please both tell me your genders?"
Upon hearing these words, Soraru's smile seems to become the most genuine that xe's given yet. "Wow, most people don't even bother asking. Super thorough of you. I'm agender, and, before you ask, I use xe/xem pronouns."
"I'm just female," Hachi responds.
"Now you gotta tell us yours!" Soraru demands eagerly.
Shizu is already jotting down their information when she answers, "Female. Moving on, I would like to ask you something. Both of you mentioned that you went into the pantry. Is that why you came in here? Were you hungry?"
Hachi tugs on her pigtails nervously. "Kinda? This whole thing's got me really nervous, and, y'know, maybe I thought that a little snack might cheer me up."
"Right! Hachi came to stress eat, and I came to stress bake!" Soraru says gleefully.
"H-huh? That's not it at all!" Hachi shouts.
At the same time, Shizu says, "Stress baking? I'm sorry, what?"
Soraru chooses to address Shizu. "Yeah, you've never heard of it? Baking can be soothing to the soul. Ultimate baking can be ultimate soothing too!" Xe then turns to scoff. "Or at least it should be. Nothing in this dumb kitchen even works. If the lights weren't on, I'd say that someone cut the power just to spite me. How rude!"
Cutting the power, huh? That reminds Shizu of something. "… You may not be off the mark with that guess. I don't think that the doorbells to our rooms were working either. I tested them out while the door was still open, and I confirmed that they didn't make a sound."
Hachi sounds taken aback by this. "Really? Why would someone do that? Do they want us all on our own?"
"No way, I was right! They don't want me baking anything and will that by any means necessary!" Soraru points dramatically at this declaration.
That is probably truer than Soraru thinks. Baking is a time consuming process, and their kidnappers may have anticipated that xe would neglect going to the meeting in favor of messing around in the kitchen. Still, there's more tactful ways to put it. "I'm not sure if either of you are aware, but there was an announcement earlier. We're all supposed to go to the briefing room. They may have cut power in key areas to ensure that there were minimal distractions."
"Then, we have to show up for the meeting before we get to do other things, huh?" Hachi looks towards the pantry nervously.
"What're we wasting our time here for? C'mon slowpokes, let's blow this popsicle stand!" Before either of them knows what's happening, Soraru has bounced off of the stool and is already at the door.
Narrowing her eyes, Shizu says, "Hold on. You were the one who decided xe needed to "stress bake". Don't pin this on us."
"Pssssh," xe scoffs. "That's old news. Keep up with the times, Shizu! Otherwise, you'll make Big Brother mad, and nobody wants that!"
"Wait, what?" "Huh?" Both Shizu and Hachi can fully register what was just said, Soraru has charged out of the room.
"B-big Brother? You don't think-" begins Hachi.
"No, I don't think, and I don't want to think, honestly," Shizu interrupts. They share one last look before exiting the kitchen.
Hachi Hachimitsu
- Female, definitely the youngest person I've met so far
- Ultimate Beekeeper (completely comfortable around bees, possibly raising them for breeding, honey, or conservation reasons)
- Sweet and childish, as evidenced by attire
- Has nervous habits, some possibly unhealthy, and may get defensive about them when confronted
- Hard to imagine her lying but can never be too careful
Soraru Kishinuma
- Agender (xe/xem), unable to determine age
- Ultimate Baker (note: baking is different from cooking, uses dry heat to make food, usually bread)
- Annoying gremlin child
- Either says whatever xe wants in hopes of provoking a reaction, or has a disorder that prevents xem from correctly interpreting social situations
- For future Shizu: Initial impressions are important. No matter how xe may make you feel later, remember not to underestimate xem
It's only been a few seconds since the two of them entered the dining hall, but there appears to be a commotion already. There's a loud crashing noise coming from the hallway. In Soraru's haste, xe may have collided with something or someone.
Rushing out into the hall, they find Soraru hunched over on the floor. Not too far away from xer is a slightly tanned young man sprawled out on his back. It's a wonder that he got knocked down that far, considering that he looks pretty lean and athletic. His seaweed colored hair is spread out on the floor with the fringe completely covering his left eye. His outfit looks a little messed up too, though whether it's from the collision or from wear is anyone's guess. He's got a pale-green chiffon-like blouse with a navy blue cravat on which looks slightly ruffled. Even more torn up is his light-brown waistcoat, clasped over his shirt by a mermaid broach. The floor around him is littered with contents from his khaki bag and his sandals.
"Oww…" Soraru moans. "Watch where I'm going next time. How am I supposed to run freely in the halls if people are just standing around?"
He blinks his turquoise eyes and Shizu notices teardrop shaped face paint on his cheeks. Then, he slowly says, "I… apologize… for my lack of observation… I truly hope that you… are unharmed."
Xe also blinks upon hearing this. "Huh. I didn't actually expect an apology. You're either way too forgiving or too much of a pushover." Perhaps taking pity on him, xe helps pull him off of the tile flooring.
"Do you need help picking up your things?" Shizu bends over and glances at the mess. There's loads of sketches, test tubes, and… is that a plush turtle? Who is this person?
He nods graciously while putting his sandals back on his feet. "I would… greatly appreciate that."
Hachi also joins in, though she handles each of the items as though it would shatter in her grasp. "You're okay, right? No bruises or anything?"
"Everything is… alright." He then gains a look of mild revelation in his eyes. "Where are… my manners? I should have… introduced myself earlier."
The three of them wait for him to actually do that, but he seems lost in thought. After a few seconds, Soraru says, "Yes. You should have."
A few more seconds pass until he finally sounds ready. "I am known as… Palaemon Katsaros. My talent… is as the Ultimate Oceanographer… and as a loyal member of… the blessed Siren people."
…What.
"Blessed siren pe-" Hachi starts to question, but her comment gets pushed aside by Soraru.
"Nice, nice. Oceanographer and a Siren. Big Brother would be very impressed." Before anyone can linger on what xe just said, xe presses on. "But you did take a little while with your intro, so I'm gonna rapid fire through the rest of us."
Xe points to xemself. "Soraru, baker extraordinaire." Next up is Hachi. "Hachi, fuzzy bee."
"Beekeeper," Hachi corrects nervously.
Finally, Shizu is up. "Shizu, super detective."
"…Strategist, if you don't mind," she mentions, mostly for Palaemon's sake.
Despite the glaringly obvious mistakes in xer statements, Palaemon is content. "I am… very fortunate to… meet each of you… even in… such-"
"Pardon me, but could you please tell us your gender?" She feels slightly bad about cutting him off once more, but he is taking a while, and she does need to know.
"No… that is… no trouble. I… am male," he responds calmly.
Now that the distraction appears to be out of the way, Hachi decides to ask her question again. "Also sorry about this mister, but what was the thing you said about being a siren thingy?"
"The Sirens are… creatures of the sea," he explains. "They wait upon… rocky shores… and sing their songs to… attract sailors. Their ships get caught in the rocks… and they sink to their doom. However… these incidents… are only in the past… and now… sirens… are able to live in harmony… with humanity." His eyes have taken on a strange, almost dream-like gaze throughout his speech. "I… am one of them."
Pinching her forehead, Shizu struggles to make anything out of that. Hachi's eyes have gone wide. Even Soraru looks taken aback by that, xer smile looking more awkward by the second.
At last, xe breaks the silence. "Well… Your voice is singsongy, so I'll allow it." Then, xe continues with more confidence. "Yeah, I might have to squint a little, but you look siren-ish from the right angle."
Coming off of xer enthusiasm, Hachi says, "You're a nice guy, so I got worried at first… But if you say sirens are good, then I'm totally happy to meet you!"
He clasps his hands together tightly and smiles serenely. "Truly… I am blessed… by the gods… to have met you all."
This… this is actually happening.
"Ooh, can I give you a nickname?" Hachi asks. "I love your name, but I'm having a little trouble remembering it… Is Pal okay? Because you're our pal."
"My siren song… has brought… such wonderful new friends to me. I would be… delighted to receive… your nickname." Something so dramatic has no right to sound so sincere, but Pal has somehow completely sold it.
"Well, c'mon Pal. We've got a meeting to get to! No more standing around! Full steam ahead!" Once more, Soraru has taken off. Luckily, xe'd gone in the correct direction, so Shizu didn't miss her opportunity to intervene.
"W-wait up Soraru! Don't leave us behind!" Hachi also runs off, albeit at a much slower pace.
Shizu just stands there. Her notepad had somehow found its way into her hands, but she has no recollection of taking it out. She should definitely write down her thoughts, but they simply refuse to surface.
She blinks and finds Pal staring at her curiously. "Shizu… have you… noticed something wrong?"
Yes.
"No. I just need to take some notes is all." She fiddles with her pen as she finally manages to force her legs to function.
Pal accepts her answer whilst following her. "Then… I shall do my best… to keep silent… and not… distract you."
"…Thank you very much." Thus, they stroll towards the briefing room in relative silence.
Palaemon Katsaros
- Male, unsure of age
- Nicknamed "Pal" by Hachi
- Ultimate Oceanographer (study of the ocean, such as physical and biological aspects, and sketches in bag may relate to specific areas of study)
- Calm, deliberate, takes time to think about words carefully
- Very polite and patient, could either be a peacemaker or a pushover
- Believes himself to be a siren
- Actually believes himself to be a siren
- Judging from tone, this is 100% genuine, but could be elaborate ruse to obfuscate his true nature
- If genuine delusion, needs immediate psychological help
They don't hear any more collisions on their way to the meeting, so at least Soraru has kept xemself out of further trouble. They do not run into any of Ultimates either, however. It seems likely that the rest have arrived by this time.
When the approach the doors to the briefing room, the noise is much louder than last time. Pushing them open, they find that it's very packed. While not everyone is in a chair, it would be a safe assumption that only one or two people are missing at most.
A main group has seemingly formed around the center area, where Michio is telling a story. Kazuha, Kaixi, and Hachi are all hanging onto his every word, while Morgan looks on with a mysterious smile gracing her face and Sawako laughs politely. Kogi is still leaning in the right corner, though he's now being pestered by Soraru. From xer tone, xe're getting frustrated by his complete lack of a reaction. Chouki is in the same seat as when she left him, glaring up at the empty podium. Looking at the other side of the room, Tsubame is in her seat, still watching the others silently. To her surprise, Takumi is standing close to her. He looks antsy, but Tsubame's calmness must be comforting him enough to make him stay put.
There's only one person that Shizu doesn't recognize. Sitting in a seat near the front of the room is a short woman wearing an aqua headscarf wrapped around her head as a hijab. She's angled towards the podium, so Shizu can make out a few details of her front. While she cannot tell her hair color or style, since her headscarf covers it, she can make out her grey eyes, brown skin tone, and white face mask. Her shirt is rose colored and long-sleeved. She's also covered herself with a thin, loose-fitting black jacket. Remembering everyone else's attire, Shizu is not surprised to see that she too wears black dress pants.
Shizu knows that she should introduce herself as soon as possible, but she should at least say goodbye to Pal first. He is nice despite his eccentricities. "Excuse me, Pal, but there is someone here I would like to meet."
"Of course," he responds. "I… will be able… to handle myself here. Please… do not feel… burdened by me."
She feels like she should give him some direction, however. She points towards Chouki and says, "If you want to start somewhere, you may find luck with Chouki. He's the Ultimate Marine Biologist, and, although he's been hesitant to trust people, you may find some common ground. He can be kind of prickly though, fair warning."
Pal waves her off. "Thank you… for your advice. I am interested… in hearing his tales. Perhaps… he too… has heard the voice of Poseidon."
With that, the two of them part ways. Shizu makes her way towards the unknown woman, giving a quick apology as she maneuvers around Kaixi. As she gets closer, the woman notices her approaching and gives a polite smile.
"Hello there," Shizu greets. "I don't believe we've met yet. If we have, then I sincerely apologize, but getting to know thirteen people in under an hour can somewhat scramble one's brain. In any case, my name is Shizu Saneyoshi."
They shake hands, and she also introduces herself. "If we've met, then I've also forgotten you. I'm Samia Bahouri, and I'm the Ultimate Epidemiologist. It's a bit of a long word, I know."
Shizu shakes her head. "It's fine, Samia. Could you also tell me your gender?"
"I'm female. I should probably also ask you for your gender." Samia pauses before mentioning, "I couldn't help but notice that you didn't say what your ultimate talent is. I'm pretty sure that my particular announcement mentioned that everyone here was an Ultimate."
Steeling herself, Shizu answers, "I am female as well. As for my talent, it merely slipped my mind. My talent is Ultimate Strategist."
Samia clicks her tongue. "A strategist, huh? That's got a lot of implications… If you don't mind me asking, what exactly did you do? I can't imagine you used your skills to only win chess tournaments, after all."
"…I mostly helped put together campaigns for local politicians. Corruption is common in politics, and those that are the least susceptible have a large handicap. That's where I come in." Technically, it's not a lie. That is what she did for a large portion of her time after being scouted.
Samia doesn't look entirely pleased by that response. "So you weren't involved with the election of major government officials then?"
"No." That's also not a lie, but Shizu can feel her hands start to ball into fists.
"Okay then," Samia finally relents. "Sorry about getting intense for a few moments there. You can probably guess that I've got more than a few problems with the Japanese government. And, it's not really an excuse, but this place has gotten me tense."
Shizu accepts her apology quickly. "There is a lot to complain about, so it's no trouble. If I had to guess, your concerns aren't entirely disease related."
That gets a small laugh out of Samia. "Hey, not everything about someone is related to their talent, you know. Although, if you want to discuss diseases, I'm always open."
"Let's hope that such a discussion isn't necessary. I would rather not think about a virus getting into a small, enclosed area like this." Shizu frowns.
Unfortunately, Samia only furthers her worries. "See, I was thinking about that earlier. I was looking around the second floor earlier, and I found a room with a medical cross above it. But the door had this weird cartoon bear head on it, and it was locked when I tried the handle. Whoever brought us here better not be taunting us by putting the infirmary just out of reach."
"So far, everyone has looked in good health. With any luck, sickness won't be an issue for however long we're stuck here," posits Shizu, as she takes a look at everyone else in the room. Aside from some attitude issues, all of the people here seem well off.
However, as she scans the room, she notices someone that she didn't before. An unknown woman is standing in the leftmost corner at the back of the room. Had she always been in there? "Excuse me, Samia, but would you happen to know who that is?" she asks.
Following Shizu's line of sight, Samia squints. "No, I don't. That's weird… I don't think she was there before. I thought I'd have heard the door opening when she came in. Maybe we were distracted by our conversation."
"That sounds reasonable," Shizu agrees. "If you'll excuse me, I should go figure out who she is. It was nice meeting you."
"The feeling's mutual. Anyways, I'm feeling worn out by everything, so I think I'll stay here. See you later." Samia waves her off and goes back to staring at the raised podium.
Samia Bahouri
- Female, probably older than I am
- Ultimate Epidemiologist (studies the spread of diseases, though likely also has good background on diseases and medicine in general)
- Easy to talk to, but possibly highly opinionated (not a bad thing)
- Open about beliefs, perhaps to ensure everyone knows where she stands or so that likeminded people may find their way to her
Before Shizu reaches this new person, she takes in her appearance. She has her silver hair tied up in a neat bun on her left side. She's got a light tan, and her eyes are a light greenish color. She's wearing an olive green peacoat that she's left open over a knee length, white pleated dress. Shizu does find it a bit odd that her choice in footwear is a pair of brown hiking boots, but she's never been one to understand fashion.
She shifts around in place as Shizu gets closer but doesn't make any indication that she's going to go away. Once Shizu is close enough to talk to, the woman finally speaks up. "Can I help you?"
"A little bit, yes. I am attempting to get to know everyone, so I apologize for bothering you. I'm Shizu Saneyoshi." Shizu considers neglecting to mention her talent once again, but, seeing how she's been called out on it every time, that strategy is a bust. "…I am the Ultimate Strategist."
She gives a once over of Shizu, contemplating her words. "I am Fumika Amari, the Ultimate Historian. I hope we can learn a lot from each other, Miss Saneyoshi."
A historian, huh? Shizu wouldn't have guessed that from Fumika's appearance, but she supposes that there isn't truly a standard historian outfit. Feeling a bit guilty for her judgmental thoughts, she decides to ask, "Is there a particular reason that you're standing alone over here?"
Fumika gives a pained smile. "Can you blame me for not feeling very social right now? I just woke up in a strange place and immediately get ordered to play some game that I know I didn't sign up for. If anything, it's bizarre that everyone else is acting like everything's fine."
"Everyone copes in different ways," Shizu argues. "I imagine that many people here have either used denial or hope to help themselves function normally. Also, we have all been put in the same situation. Sometimes, shared misery can create unity."
Thinking over her words, Fumika replies, "That could very well be true, but that doesn't take away my own uncertainties. They're all probably lovely people."
"They are." Shizu hopes that her expression sells her half-truth. Most of them are perfectly fine, however… She cuts of her train of thought before it can go anywhere too dark.
"You seem very lovely too, Shizu. Even if you are probably trying to analyze me right now." Fumika taps her temple, and Shizu notices that she's wearing a pearl ring on her finger.
"That's… not entirely inaccurate," she admits. "I prefer to think of it more as an extended first impression."
Fumika laughs. "Well, it does give you a bit of charm." She pauses for a second before saying, "I hope my "extended first impression" was good, at least."
Shizu neither confirms nor denies her comment, instead choosing to tilt her head downwards. "Hmm… Well, I'm grateful that I didn't accidentally insult you."
Fumika waves her off. "No worries. I wasn't looking forward to talking too much, but…"
When she pauses in her speech, Shizu says, "I am sorry for interrupting your alone time. If you would like, I could leave you alone now."
"Thanks, but I hope you're not that desperate to get rid of me. You're a very interesting person, Miss Saneyoshi. I don't want to keep you if you have something else to do, but, if there's something else you want to ta-" Fumika gets cut off suddenly.
A loud ringing noise fills the room, as if someone is turning on a microphone with the sensitivity settings wrong. Everyone flinches or covers their ears. A familiar voice rings out, "Attention! Attention! Everyone's finally here! Please take a seat so that we can get this meeting under way!"
The room goes silent again, but it quickly gets filled with the sounds of footsteps and chairs scraping against the floor. Fumika starts to move towards the chair closest to her, but Shizu holds her back. "Sorry, but, very quickly, what's your gender?"
Fumika answers, "Female." Shizu nods, gives her a thumbs up, and makes her way back to the front of the room. She wants to get a clear view of what's about to go down, but the only available seat is between Kaixi and… Sawako. She doesn't have another option, so she takes it, pulling her notepad from her pocket as she does so.
Fumika Amari
- Female, most likely older than me
- Ultimate Historian (studies all eras of history, probably a jack of all trades rather than specializing in a specific time period)
- Initially either nervous or standoffish but seems to have a nice disposition once conversation is underway
- Seems to be either perceptive or intelligent, could be useful to get to know
There's a bit of nervous chattering in the briefing room until the loud ringing noise starts up again. Once more, the high pitched voice from the announcement speaks up. "Looks like you brats are good at following instructions, huh? Okay then, without further ado, let's get this party started!"
From behind the podium, something jumps out, doing a few flips in the air until it finally lands. It appears to be… a bear? Shizu's eyes widen as she remembers the picture on the wall blocking the stairway. This bear is half white, half black, just like the picture. Its left eye is black and beady, but its right eye is twisted and elongated, glowing an eerie red color. And its smile… the left half is normal, but the right half is jagged and cruel. She can feel her heart start to beat.
It clears its throat and shouts, "I'm Monokuma, and I'll be your game master! Who's ready to have some fun?!"
There's about one second of silence before the room explodes into shouts.
Shizu's Notes
Character Profiles/Impressions
- Group seems more like a mixed bag after meeting the others
- Can already sense possible friction among certain members, including with myself
Dining Room/Kitchen
- Large enough to seat all sixteen people trapped here
- Could be a good meeting place, has both enough room and food to lure in potential stragglers
- Lots of tools for cooking, though none of them work (may get turned on after meeting)
- Has a pantry and other unknown room (metal door seems strange and one of a kind)
- May also have easily available food, so cooking may be unnecessary
- Time here could be limited by the amount of food we have, unsure if it will ever get restocked
A/N: Hello again folks! I hope you enjoyed seeing all of the characters that got submitted. Maybe you've already picked out your favorites? I've really enjoyed seeing everyone's thoughts on the characters from last chapter, so thank you for all of your reviews. It means the world to me. I hope I've done at least as well with this next batch. If I've messed something up, please do not hesitate to PM me and yell at me. Whatever the case is, we're finally ready to get on with the actual story part of this... um... story. The next chapter, again, may take some time since I'm back at college, but I should hopefully find some time to write. As usual, I hope you all have a fantastic day.
