Chapter 14: Anarchy: Act Four
6:00 P.M Day Seven
Amusement Park
Paintball Maze (Crime Scene)
The Ultimate Punk Musician sat slumped against one of the labyrinth walls. He stared with a furious expression at his phone, which displayed the files of the crime.
Kuma Kuma Land Case File #2
Victim #1: Kanade Kanaka
"The victim has suffered extensive trauma to various organs through her abdomen that is now missing.."
"Cause of Death is unknown"
"The time of death was approximately 5:24 P.M"
"The body was discovered inside the paintball maze in the Amusement Park District at 5:50 P.M by Laris,Naruhiko, & Chloe."
After several agonizing moments, Naruhiko lifted his chin as he stared at the bloodied form of Kanade and at the three other individuals that occupied the room. Even the realization of Laris' true gender had done little to detract his attention from its current course. "What the fuck is taking so long? Stop dicking around and tell me what the hell happened to her!"
Laris bowed her head solemnly. "Naruhiko, you have my word that Lady Kanaka will have justice. You mustn't rush the process, though. I'm sure our comrades are doing everything in their power."
Soo Yeong let out an exasperated sigh behind his surgical mask as he traded glances with Annabelle. "This is not only a gruesome scene, but quite a peculiar one. I can't find any typical weapon, but clearly something powerful was used to cause this much trauma. Any thoughts, little investigator?" TRUTH BULLET
"Hmm... Well, I think that if it wasn't a traditional weapon, it must have been something like a powerful acid," Annabelle said. Her brow furrowed as she looked over Kanade's stomach. TRUTH BULLET
"Acid? Believe me, I've tried some crazy things, squirt, and none of them did that!" Naruhiko said as he weakly jabbed a finger at the Composer's still body.
A sigh escaped the Knight as she shook her head. "Naruhiko, that is not what Lady Annabelle is likely suggesting. I believe she's referring to actual acid."
"Intriguing. It would explain the mysterious scent that hangs in the air. However, to cause this much damage, it would have to be extremely corrosive. Now that I think of it, I recall there being a chemical cabinet in the infirmary building, though it was locked the last time I checked." TRUTH BULLET "Annabelle, do be careful. We do not wish to harm ourselves in the process," he said before pulling out an extra pair of surgical gloves and handing them to the girl. "Since you were bright enough to suggest it was an acid, care to hazard a guess as to what kind could cause this much damage?" Soo Yeong asked before raising a slender brow.
The Investigator gladly took the gloves and slipped them on. "It would definitely have to be a superacid, so something way more powerful than sulfuric acid. Looking at how much it ate through her body..." The girl's sentence trailed off as she pondered the possibilities. Her eyes lit up as she beamed at Soo Yeong. "It must have been something powerful like fluoroantimonic acid!" Annabelle exclaimed. TRUTH BULLET
Naruhiko clenched his jaw. "So how the hell did someone use that shit on her? And why target Kanade? She wouldn't hurt a damn fly!"
Laris' gaze flitted from the bloodied body before her lips pulled into a fine line. "Would it have been possible for something like that to have been fired from a paintball gun?" TRUTH BULLET
A thoughtful expression appeared on Soo Yeong's face. "I suppose if kept in the right container, it wouldn't be impossible."
"Ooh! That's a great idea, Miste-Miss Knight!" Annabelle said as she walked up to Kanade's body. She pointed at a stain on the girl's clothes. "See, look right here. She got hit by some paint. Maybe someone took the acid from the infirmary and added it into a paintball?" the young girl asked, walking back towards Soo Yeong. TRUTH BULLET
"Good catch, indeed," Soo Yeong remarked as his visible eye widened. "I'll message the others and make sure someone checks it out. Since Kurokuma doesn't intends to give us much time for this case."
Naruhiko pushed himself to a standing position before pacing back and forth slowly. "What I don't get is how the heck someone did this shit! I mean, we didn't even know we were playing until the damn bear brought us here. How could one of us have pulled a fast one? I mean, even if someone found out beforehand and rigged some shit, all the guns look the same. How could they know they'd get the right paintball gun?" TRUTH BULLET
"He actually raises an excellent point. How could someone have planned this ahead of time? Weren't we all in the dark about this motive?" Laris asked as she folded her arms across her tunic.
"Well, I can actually think of two things it could mean," Annabelle mused as she took off her gloves. "Either they didn't care who got the gun, or they got some insider information so they could be ready," she explained. TRUTH BULLET
The Ultimate Plastic Surgeon finished texting before rising to his feet. "An interesting theory. Perhaps it's one or the other, or it could be both. After all, someone would have had to possess prior knowledge to have staged this."
"Woah, you're saying this was a big setup, then?! What about that freak who attacked the squirt?" Naruhiko asked as he gestured at Annabelle. "Maybe he had something to do with it?" TRUTH BULLET
Laris frowned slightly. "That is a distinct possibility, but we don't have enough information yet. I'd suggest we pick over this scene before moving on. I'd rather not leave anything to chance in the trial."
6:09 P.M Day Seven
Amusement Park
Paintball Maze (Entrance)
Lachlan's brow knitted together as he crouched to examine the stack of discarded paintball guns and body armor. "I don't know why, but I had a hunch we might find something here. I didn't get a real close look, but the wound on Kanade certainly didn't look like it was caused by any weapon found in the maze."
"I know what you mean, lad," Kaizoku mused as he rummaged through the same pile. "Whatever caused that ghastly of a wound couldn't just have disappeared, could it?"
The dirty blond offered a low grumble as his gaze flitted through the gear. "Disappear? How could a murder weapon do that kind of damage and disappear? It was like something ate away at her midsection, though there's something else that bothers me. Why didn't we hear her scream?"
"Aye, there's no way the poor dear suffered that kinda fate quietly," the Sailor said as he moved onto a different section of the gear. "I could hear an alarm or two from people nearby every once in a while. Nothing that sounded like a murder taking place..."
"That's just my point. Even with an alarm, there's no way it should have been able to muffle that sound, right?" the Journalist asked as he glanced over his shoulder at the other boy.
Kaizoku made eye contact with the boy and gave a nod. "Agreed, the alarms aren't that loud. I'm not sure exactly what, but do you think something else could have happened to make her not scream?"
Lachlan frowned. "As I see it, either she was muffled by her killer or she died before she was capable of even letting one out. Either prospect is troubling, but it doesn't seem to provide a clear answer to how she was killed." TRUTH BULLET
"No kidding, especially with the face she made. Such a damn shame," Kaizoku muttered as he looked back to the guns. After a few moments, he came across an interesting sight. "Oi, lad! Think I got something!" the Sailor called out as he held up a paintball gun that was missing small pieces and had its barrel warped. TRUTH BULLET
A rare smile graced the Journalist's face as he loosened his collar. "Heh, son of a bitch. Good eye. I could kiss you right now," he said with a bemused chuckle as he leaned in to examine the gun. His eyes widened marginally and his nose twitched. "There's a sharp scent coming off this. There's something else mixed with the paint. Acid, perhaps?" TRUTH BULLET
The pirate let out a chuckle as he sent Lachlan a wink. "Well, that would explain the damage to the gun, alright, and the disappearing murder weapon, too..."
"Great, now we just have to figure out who fired this weapon," Lachlan said as he glanced over the pile of weapons, his smile quickly flitted away. "Except they all look alike. The paint used by each team was identical, and the guns were haphazardly discarded here after the body announcement. There's no way of determining who held which gun..."
"Well damn. At least we were able to find it." Kaizoku sighed while scratching at his burn wound. "What's our next step from here, lad?"
The Ultimate Investigative Journalist was quiet for a moment before responding. "Time is short. We take another quick sweep of the area, and then head towards the hotel. Hopefully, we'll find some way of narrowing down our list of suspects."
"I got your back," the Sailor said with a nod.
6:14 P.M Day Seven
Amusement Park
Infirmary
The Ultimate Mathematician rubbed at the contact that was stinging her eye as she trailed Chloe and Sigmund into the small infirmary. "I-I can't believe Kanade is gone. I ran multiple probabilities in my head, and I truly believed odds lay with the game being concluded. Why would someone resort to such means? And why her, of all people?"
Sigmund used his shoulders to prop the door open for the two girls before peering into the sterile white room. "I hate to come across as callous, but this game by its very nature inspires treachery. People aren't always who they seem," he mused, his gaze lingering on Chloe momentarily. "In any case, Soo Yeong was convinced it was worth checking in here, and I'm inclined to agree."
"Of course, Siggy. And would you look at that, he was right to be suspicious," Chloe said as she stopped at the threshold of the door. The Designer gestured down to a spill just past the doorway. TRUTH BULLET
Maddie tilted her head before crouching slightly to examine the blue liquid. The shards of a glass bottle lay near the spill itself. "D-Do you think that could be the acid itself?" she asked in a slightly nervous manner.
"I can't rightfully say, but I'd suggest we exercise caution in the meantime. Chloe, would you care to go first?" Sigmund suggested as he eyed the buxom beauty.
She offered a soft chuckle in response as she slowly walked into the room, side-stepping the puddle on the ground. She slowly turned her head and let her eyes scan her surroundings. "Ooh, what have we here?" Chloe mused as she walked over to a cabinet and held out a broken padlock. "I believe we have found the source." TRUTH BULLET
Sigmund let out a low whistle as he carefully avoided the puddle on the floor. The tile had even been corroded heavily by the substance. "Yes, it seems our Surgeon's instincts were right. However, it does raise another point of contention. How did someone know to collect this before the motive began? Something feels off about this."
"Yes, the odds of someone acquiring this and utilizing it without realizing the motive seems incredibly low," Maddie mused softly.
"I must agree with you there, darling," Chloe said.
The Paralympic Athlete moved forward with his crutch before eying the damaged padlock. "The only other theory that comes to mind is the notion that we may have a traitor in our midst. From my understanding, it wouldn't be a new concept for a killing game."
"W-Wait, you think one of us had the inside track to begin with?" the Ultimate Mathematician asked.
"It would certainly explain this situation. Wouldn't you agree, Chloe?" the boy asked as his gaze lingered on her.
The girl in question placed her finger against her lips in thought for a bit. "That is very true, but did they join with Kurokuma before or after the rollercoaster? As that makes me wonder just how randomly the people were thrown out." Chloe shifted her gaze between her two companions.
Maddie's brow furrowed. "If there is a traitor, and they've been with the mastermind since the beginning, then there was probably only an illusion of danger on the ride itself."
"Hm. There were a number of you who survived due to sheer reflexes and acrobatics. If memory serves, Chloe, you were among those four, were you not?" Sigmund asked.
The Designer let out a low chuckle. "It would seem if the roller coaster wasn't left to chance, someone didn't want me here, as well as our sweet little Annabelle. Given she was the target of that horrid man in the fun house, it just may be true."
Maddie frowned slightly. "Who else narrowly survived the coaster? It might be important if it wasn't random."
"If I'm not mistaken, the other two who were nearly ejected were Utano and Shiho, though I doubt any of the four could be hypothetical traitors. If there is a person like that, it is more likely they are someone who was safe all along. This is mere speculation, though. This individual who attacked Annabelle seems like a more plausible suspect."
The Mathematician's face seemed to light up as she regarded the broken bottle on the floor. "I'm not sure if the numbers support this, but perhaps none of us are the blackened. It could be that Nagito guy. He did try to kill Annabelle, right? Maybe he just stumbled upon Kanade instead."
"I'm sorry, darling, but I am not sure we can trust that. That disgusting Kurokuma seems intent on his game taking place, so I don't know if he would be making us go through with a trial if that was the case," Chloe explained as she placed a hand on Maddie's shoulder.
Sigmund eyed the gesture as he shuffled across the room. "Yes, I doubt he would allow us to hold a trial for an outside party. Though, considering his sadistic nature, it's not impossible. In any case, if we operate on the assumption it is one of us, I believe we may have a suspect worth investigating. Who was the one who knew about the chemicals stored here in the first place, and conveniently pointed us in this direction?"
Maddie relaxed at Chloe's gesture before registering the boy's words. "Wait, you think Soo Yeong could be the killer? You'll have to show your math, because it just doesn't add up for me."
"Think about it for a moment. Who else would be better suited to derail an investigation than one of the two people leading the autopsy. He could very well be leading us to believe this is the work of some crazed, gun-wielding maniac while he calmly pulls the wool over our eyes. Annabelle is brilliant for her age, but naïve. If he were the culprit, he could probably deceive her as well," Sigmuned responded.
Chloe gave a sigh. "Non, I can't agree to that. For one thing, it has only been you insisting it was Nagito. Secondly, leading us here alone doesn't connect to that crazed man. Also, I would not be so sure about how easy it is to trick young Anna."
The corner of Maddie's lips twisted into a faint smile. "She does make a good point. Annabelle was pretty amazing in the first trial. Even if Soo Yeong were up to something, I don't think we should count her out."
The Paralympic Athlete sighed. "I certainly hope your faith is well placed," he responded as he peered into a trash can his eyes widened. "Well this is quite interesting," he mused as he carefully leaned forward using his good arm to retrieve a tennis shoe. He carefully held it up, as the bottom of it had been completely eaten through. "It seems our thief was clumsy, hence the footstep we found on the floor. They must have had no choice but to discard it to avoid being injured." TRUTH BULLET
"Well, well, it would seem someone was in a hurry, no?" the Designer mused as she looked over the object. "So, do we go over which boy is most likely to have misplaced his shoe here?" TRUTH BULLET
Madison clapped her hands together. "That's right, you're the Ultimate Fashion Designer, so you'll be able to spot the foot size it fits on. Odds are you probably can eyeball and even narrow down our suspects that way."
"Maybe, though let's not get ahead of ourselves. We need to compare this with any other evidence to have a clear picture. Come on, we're likely running short of time. We should make our way towards the hotel," Sigmund said as he gestured towards the door.
6:22 P.M Day Seven
Resort District
Hotel (Lobby)
"I-It's still hard to believe that someone would hurt Kanade. She was one of the sweetest people here. She had her whole life ahead of her. She deserved so much more than this!" Churi choked back a sob as she wiped at her eyes.
Tomoko rolled her eyes before tapping at her forearm with impatience. "You can sob like an idiot later. We don't have time to waste on that nonsense right now. If we don't figure out who killed her, all of us could end up on the chopping block."
Haruto offered a strained smile as he grabbed at a napkin on the nearby table and offered it to the crying Guru. "I understand the point you're trying to make, but you have to be more considerate of your actions."
"BLAH BLAH BLAH! No one cares about your pep talk, dad! We need to figure out who gutted the dead chick," Dolly said through Becky.
"Well, your attitude is certainly not helping," Tiana said sharply as she gently rubbed at the makeshift splint around her ankle. "Anyway, we need to go over everyone's alibis while we still have time."
Utano quickly sat up in the chair he was seated in. "W-Well, we can remove everyone else on her team, right? I-I mean, there's no way one of us would target her, right? That would just be crazy."
Seikatsu offered him a cold look. "You sure about that? You seemed far more interested in protecting the blue team than any of us."
"I-I told you it was an accident. I didn't mean to shoot you. I just panicked," the Poet stammered.
"Hah, you're full of more shit than a port-o-potty!" Becky howled in laughter before being shushed by her handler.
Shiho kicked her legs back and forth a moment before frowning. "Now isn't the time to bicker. We gotta stay focused, just like Tiana said!" she exclaimed as she pumped her arm into the air.
"Excellent. At least some of you have something resembling a brain. Why don't we start by confirming who was with someone else for the duration of the game?" Tomoko suggested.
Tiana cleared her throat as she adjusted her leg carefully. "I injured my leg very early into the game. Haruto was kind enough to help me get around the whole time."
The Parental Figure regarded the blonde a moment, feeling heat rushing to his face. "I couldn't just leave you behind, Tiana. I promised you I wouldn't," he said as he cleared his throat. "Anyways, it's like she said. After we were initially separated from the rest of our group, I tended to her ankle and we were together ever since then." TRUTH BULLET
Seikatsu's expression shifted as she stared between the two with a dreamy expression. "Heavens, what a beautiful display of tenderness and chivalry. Do you not agree, Churi? Wouldn't they just make the most darling couple?"
Churi blinked a bit, taken back by the sudden shift in the girl. "As much as I love matchmaking, I'm not sure this is the right time, Seikatsu."
"You are correct, Churi." Tiana gave the taller girl a nod before leveling a pointed stare at Seiketsu. "The status of our relationship is not your business, least of all now."
"Ooooh, but you said relationship, which implies there is indeed something there!" Seikatsu said in a sing-song voice before earning an equally sharp look from the Ultimate Shogi Player.
"Enough. I couldn't care less who you spend your free time with. We have a job to do, and I intend to see it through," Tomoko said as her gaze shifted to the Runner. "Shiho, what about you and Annabelle?"
The Runner offered a warm grin. "Oh, that's easy! Annabelle and I were running around most of the time. We got chased by Yushikuma before being pelted by Dolly and Becky. We stuck together until we heard the announcement play." TRUTH BULLET
Haruto leaned forward before resting a hand on his chin. "Well that's a decent start. Tiana and I ran into Kanade and Naruhiko and were eliminated. That was the last time we saw them until after the murder."
"Interesting. Suffice it to say, that eliminates four of our seventeen suspects," Tomoko responded as her gaze continued around the room. "Churi, why don't you go next? Tell us where you were during the game. Give us the account of what happened."
The Guru rubbed at her forearm. "I-I was separated pretty early on from the rest of my group. It wasn't too long at all before I encountered Chloe and Sigmund, who eliminated me. I asked if I could tag along, but Sigmund insisted I would be a hindrance to them. I eventually found a statue in one of the rooms and decided to just hide behind it. I-I began to fear that someone might kill me. I didn't see anyone else, but I did hear a strange muffled sound at one point." TRUTH BULLET
Tiana arched an eyebrow. "A muffled sound? That is odd, but I'm not sure how relevant," she said as she looked over towards Tomoko. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind going next, would you?"
"I would be more than happy to. It's quite simple. I spent most of the game alongside Madison and Soo Yeong. Towards the latter half of the game, we encountered Utano, Seikatsu, and Dolly. it ended in almost all parties being eliminated. It was at that point that I was cut off from the rest of my team, though I continued to search for anyone left in the game. After all, Kurokuma said nothing about us participating after being eliminated. Unfortunately, I had no such luck. Much like the rest of you, I was caught off guard by the body discovery," the Shogi Player responded. TRUTH BULLET
"Tehehe. You sure about that? You sure you didn't run into Kanade and take matters into your own hands to avoid being sacrificed?" Dolly asked as she held up Becky.
Tomoko rolled her eyes. "And you're not in the same position, yourself? Or even Utano, who turned his back on his team? Please don't treat me like the only person with a motive."
"I-I didn't turn my back on anyone, per se. I just didn't want anything to happen to Soo Yeong. I owe him for saving me. Is it so wrong for me to want to repay that?" the Poet asked.
Churi shook her head as she offered a sad smile. "But you turned your back on everyone in the process for one person."
"Enough. There's no sense in squabbling like this. While we still have some time, I suggest we continue gathering alibis. By my recollection of those present, we have Utano, Dolly, and Seikatsu left. Would any of you like to volunteer?" Haruto asked
A low chuckle escaped Seikatsu as she lifted her chin high. "Ah, it's a man that leads through force of will and presence. The Emperor acknowledges your power. As for this one? She was very much irritated following the betrayal of this worm," she said as she gestured at Utano. "However, even though Death searched for a victim, we were mercifully fortunate to avoid any physical contact." TRUTH BULLET
Tomoko's eyes widened marginally. "Wait, are you saying you were searching to kill someone?"
"Heavens no! Art thou dense? I already decreed that that individual was Death, not I! We simply wandered the labyrinth alone until the sound of the announcement drew forth our attention."
"Can we please move on? Which one of you wants to go next?" Tiana rolled her eyes before gesturing between Dolly and Utano.
Utano seemed to shiver a bit from the excess attention before meekly raising his hand. "I-I'll go. I was with Seikatsu for the entire game up until the point we were separated. I spent most of the time after that being chased by Yushikuma. He seemed furious for some reason." TRUTH BULLET
Shiho scratched at her cheek before sticking out her tongue. "Hah, I think I have an idea why. We sort of ticked him off earlier. Sorry 'bout that!"
Haruto offered a strained smile. "I don't think you have to apologize for that. Dolly, would you like to go next, or would you prefer to have Becky speak?"
The Ventriloquist lowered her puppet a moment as her lips pressed together. "Dolly is never really alone when she has Becky, so Becky can attest to the fact that we didn't hurt Kanade." TRUTH BULLET
"Damn right, we didn't! We were there to win, so why would we wanna cream our own teammate?!" Becky shouted as her head twitched slightly.
Tomoko sighed as she crossed her arms. "I'm not even going to bother arguing with that madness. It's not much, but at least it is a start in regards to alibis. Let's hope our investigators are more focused than the rest of you."
A moment later, a loud chiming sound filled the room.
DING DONG
"Alright, you fuckers should know how this works now. Haul your asses to the hotel elevator, because we've got ourselves a trial. Don't think I'm gonna go easy on you punks, either! I'm nothing like my little brother!" Kurokuma cackled wildly, then silence prevailed over the room once more.
Kuma Kuma Land Case File #2
Victim #1: Kanade Kanaka
"The victim has suffered extensive trauma to various organs through her abdomen that is now missing.."
"Cause of Death is unknown"
"The time of death was approximately 5:24 P.M"
"The body was discovered inside the paintball maze in the Amusement Park District at 5:50 P.M by Laris,Naruhiko, & Chloe."
TRUTH BULLETS
Haruto & Tiana's alibi
Soo Yeong's Autopsy
Tomoko's Alibi
Kanade's Wound
Annabelle & Shiho's Alibi
Fluroantimonic Acid
Churi's Alibi
Dangerous chemicals kept in infirmary
Seikatsu's Alibi
Muffled sound
Dolly's Alibi
Laris' Theory
Utano's Alibi
Paintball Stain on the body
Premeditated Plot or simple chance?
Intruder's involvement?
Damaged Weapon
Silent Kill
Acidic Scent
Spilled Acid
Broken Padlock
Discarded Shoe
Shoe Profile
17 Survivors Remain
*AN* Hey guys! As always I want to thank my betas and my lovely co-writer Pettypunk for helping me with several of the characters in this chapter. The support I've received from you guys is incredible.
Please leave me a review if you can and I'll see you for the trial!
Review Section:
Trust Me I'm Me
I can't wait to see the wheels begin turning following this investigation. You all come up with some of the most creative theories!
Fee5H
As we discussed in DM, when I referenced chorus, I simply meant more than one.
StoryProducer214
Death and despair waits for no one ;)
ThePLOThand
Lol I do enjoy a good pun.
Raz The Giant
Yeah I've been really trying to improve upon the interactions here recently :p
Wintersmith23
Why would skip forward and reveal anything? That would cheapen the pay off.
PettyPunk
I love that your favorite scene involved fixating on boobs. Please never change Petty!
pokemansuperallstar
Painted Requiem. LOL That had me cracking up.
SootyThunder
RIP Cinnamon roll girl!
bellatrixshine
That's the downside of accepting so many cinnamon rolls. More have to die! =(
doomqwer
I guess you could say her death is still eating away at me...