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
Chapter 15: Anarchy: Act Five
6:37 P.M Day Seven
Resort District
Hotel
Basement (Trial Room)
"Bahaha! Let's check the scoreboard, shall we? Looks like the red, blue, and yellow ended up in a tie. That's okay, though, because the real loser is is Miss Kanaka! She's really not stomaching the news well, either! I guess you could say she was gutted by the news. Sorry, I could do this all day. Unfortunately, you guys don't have that long. Nope! I'm not as lenient as my brother, so I suggest you get the lead out!" Kurokuma exclaimed with a malicious grin.
Naruhiko cracked his knuckles against his podium. "Then let's fucking do this shit! One of you better fess up, or I'm gonna do what you did to poor Kana!"
"Naruhiko, I appreciate your fervor, but no guilty party is going to likely come forth due to your threats. Not when there's so much at stake," Sigmund pointed out.
"Aye, lad. All we can do is ride out the storm, no matter how rough the waters get," Kaizoku added.
Churi rested her hands on her sides. "But, like, how do we even start? I mean, I can't think of why anyone would wanna hurt Kana. She was, like, the sweetest person here."
"Unfortunately, M'lady, that does not afford anyone safety in this situation," Laris said with a grim expression.
Lachlan shook his head. "This has nothing to do with the case, but are we not going to talk about the elephant in the room?"
"Elephant? I thought there was only a bear," Shiho responded with a confused expression.
Tomoko shook her head. "Fool, he's referring to our Knight, who is clearly not a boy. I have no qualms with your gender, but why did you go to such lengths to hide it?"
Tiana shook her head. "That is Laris' business and hers alone. She doesn't owe any of us an explanation."
"I thank you for your kind words, M'lady. I assure you that me being a girl holds no bearing on this case. I simply discarded my armor, because I felt it would leave me over-encumbered in this motive," the Knight explained as she tapped the pommel of her sword.
Kaizoku scratched the back of his head with a sigh. "Aye, I was there, so I can attest to the captain's words. For now, we really need to focus up. The Scallywag will not give us much time to waste on this."
"Blackbeard is right!" Kurokuma snorted as he offered a gleeful smile. "Tick tock!"
"That is true. We shall leave Laris alone for the time we are in the trial, and focus on the poor dear. Shall we start with the cause of her demise?" Chloe suggested, ignoring the bear and turning her gaze from Kaizoku to Soo Yeong.
The Plastic Surgeon offered a curt nod in response. "Yes. I believe Annabelle can attest to it as well. There can be no doubt that the cause of death was a highly corrosive acid. Our suspicion is that it was mixed with a paintball that connected with Kanade's abdomen." TRUTH BULLET
"Wait a moment, you believe she was killed by acid? What kind of chemical could cause that kind of damage? That just seems hard to believe," Haruto mused as he thumbed at his chin.
"Based on the state of the her stomach, it was definitely a superacid, so something at least one hundred times stronger than sulfuric acid," Annabelle called out. "So if it was something like fluoroantimonic acid, which is known to be able to eat through almost any organic material, a human abdomen wouldn't stand a chance."
Maddie's eyes widened. "O-Oh my. Fluoroantimonic acid? That stuff is the strongest acid known to man. I believe we found evidence that something of that nature was taken from the infirmary." TRUTH BULLET
"Who the fuck leaves something like that lying around in the first place? You'd have to be a pretty big bonehead!" Dolly said as she held up Becky.
Chloe gave a smirk. "It is quite odd - the state of the clinic, that is. Whoever was in there certainly wanted us to know what was messed with." The Fashion Designer smoothed out a wrinkle in her dress. "There was a broken lock, a puddle of acid, the bottle, and a ruined shoe." TRUTH BULLET
"I pointed this out earlier, and I don't mean to make an accusation without proof, but it is suspicious that it was Soo Yeong who lead us there in the first place. He would have likely been the only one among us who also knew about the contents of that room," Sigmund said as he eyed the Surgeon.
Utano offered an indignant expression. "Don't you dare say something like that about him! He only makes the world a more beautiful place. He'd never hurt anyone!"
"I don't know about beauty, but I do know about knowledge and lack thereof. What kind of moron accuses someone of a crime simply because he knew of said item? In fact, I'd argue it's less likely, because the real blackened would never want to tie themselves to anything related to the crime. If Soo Yeong was the killer, why would he hand us vital clues in this case? The answer is simple. He wouldn't," Seikatsu said in a cold manner. "Fucking idiot."
The Paralympic Athlete actually offered a low chuckle. "Okay, maybe I deserved some of that. I just found it suspicious that he never alerted us to the cabinet in the first place."
"Why would I?" Soo Yeong asked with an indifferent shrug. "Let us face facts for a moment: this is a killing game. Removing all of the hazardous items is simply impossible. I saw no point in broadcasting it, because I didn't want to give anyone ideas."
Lachlan rubbed at his forehead in irritation. "This is a waste of valuable time. Let's focus on something more important, like the discovery of acid. Kaizoku and I found the barrel of one of the guns warped near the entrance."
"Oh, well that's some good news!" Churi said as she clapped her hands together. "So who did it? It should be pretty easy to find out, right?"
Kaizoku rubbed at his burned arm. "I'm afraid it won't be so easy, deary. All the guns were discarded into a heap at the entrance, and it's not like we wrote our names on them."
"Yes, and it's unlikely we'd even be able to recognize which was our own without such assistance," Maddie said with a frown. "Here's what I'm curious about, though: Why was she targeted in the first place? Was it planned all along, or did someone panic when they thought they'd lose?"
Naruhiko scowled deeply. "The last one makes more sense to me. Some fucker got jittery when they thought it was curtains, so they killed Kana!"
"I'm not so certain about that. We shouldn't have known about this motive at all, so who could have foreseen this coming? Uh... Chloe, you said you found part of a shoe, correct? Did it resemble any of ours?" Laris asked as she eyed the buxom Designer.
Chloe gave a smirk towards the Knight. "The shoe in question was a running shoe. It was obviously made for a male."
"Whelp, you can look at my shoes! They're specially made, but definitely not for boys!" Shiho said as she hopped on one foot before pulling off a shoe and setting it on the podium.
Haruto offered the Runner a tired smile. "Shiho, I think you're probably off the hook. My question is why would someone have left such a mess behind? It just seems half-baked to me."
"Well, the most likely scenarios I can think of are that either they didn't have time to clean up after themselves, or that is how they wanted the scene to be discovered," Annabelle answered.
Tomoko sighed. "Again, that doesn't explain how one of us managed to be able to prepare something that elaborate beforehand. It suggests some outside force or that one of us has inside information."
"Well, there was that strange man that attacked Annabelle, right?" Dolly asked in a quiet voice. "Could he possibly be behind this?"
Lachlan's eyes widened at the suggestion. "Actually, that's not a bad suggestion. Nagito Komaeda was known as the Ultimate Luck. Maybe he somehow used his talent to account for this motive?" TRUTH BULLET
"That's insane, though. Even if he has some luck, could he have really left something like a loaded a gun with acid and hoped that by chance we'd happen to use it?" Utano asked with a look of disbelief.
"If he did, does it matter? Something tells me the bear would still make the killer whoever got the gun." Kaizoku put a hand against his forehead. "If that's the case, we have an even harder puzzle before us."
Seikatsu sighed dramatically. "Heavens, our charming scallywag is quite astute. If the vagrant is not here, then we must assume he is not considered the culprit of this crime. Henceforth, I suggest we spend no more time on this senseless quest. Nay, we should instead double our efforts to determine who delivered the fatal shot."
Tiana began tapping her fingers against the podium. "Well, should we move onto the alibis? Or should we stay with this conversation?" the Dominatrix inquired as she looked around the courtroom.
After several moments of silence, Laris spoke. "I think it's probably for the best if we check alibis. I think Seikatsu raised a good point. If Komaeda did steal the acid and plant it, then it holds no bearing if he's not here now. Clearly, Kurokuma doesn't consider him guilty, or we wouldn't be here. Perhaps we should start with those who have the strongest alibis," she suggested.
Haruto cleared his throat. "We discussed this earlier while we were compiling alibis. Tiana and I were together the entire time. She's still struggling to get around on that ankle. Unfortunately, we did pretty miserably in the game. We didn't hit anyone and were eliminated early on, so we spent the entire game looking for the rest of our group." TRUTH BULLET
"Shiho and I got chased around by Yushikuma for a while. He had a paintball gun, too. Then Dolly and Becky eliminated us from the game. After that, we were left just walking around. We didn't see anyone else," Annabelle explained.
The Ultimate Runner nodded her head eagerly. "Yup! It was sort of anticlimactic, but spending time with Annabelle was still a blast."
"Congratulations, we've only managed to to narrow our suspect list by four people. That still leaves a total of thirteen suspects. We need to find a better way to narrow our scope," Tomoko pointed out.
Soo Yeong sighed softly. "That may be challenging to accomplish, though not impossible. If this Komaeda tampered with one of the guns, then it means that none of us intentionally planned a murder. Therefore, whoever shot Kanade likely believed they were simply eliminating a member of the opposing team. So, with that in mind, I think it's a pretty safe bet that we can remove her teammates from consideration." TRUTH BULLET
"Agreed, that does seem like the most logical conclusion. Odds are that you're correct," Maddie said with a slight nod.
"Don't be too quick to dismiss us as suspects, darling! Utano stabbed me in the back in the midst of the game. He could have done the same to Kanade in order to ensure that the blue team would win." Seikatsu huffed as she rested her hands on her hips.
Utano's face paled. "I-I'm telling you I didn't do that. While it's true I did fire on you, it was only a knee jerk reaction to protect Soo Yeong. I'm just terrible at paintball, I only hit you because you weren't expecting it."
"Fucking bastard! Turning your back on your team is disgusting! Where's your damn pride?!" Naruhiko shouted as he shot the boy a pointed glare. "You better not have hurt Kana, or I'll take that beret and shove it up your ass!"
Sigmund sighed at the exchange. "Enough. This kind of bickering is pointless. If we entertain the idea that Utano is a possible culprit, it leaves us with nine remaining suspects in total: Laris, Maddie, Kaizoku, Chloe, Lachlan, Soo Yeong, Tomoko, and myself. Our goal should be to find a way to thin this list down even further."
Lachlan offered a disgruntled expression. "Unfortunately, Kanade's time of death leaves plenty of possible windows. However, I can confidently say that Naruhiko and I were stuck in a lengthy exchange that lasted about twenty minutes. As frustrating as it was at the time, I think it actually provides me with an airtight alibi." TRUTH BULLET
"Great for you, but that still leaves eight of us out in the fucking cold!" Becky snapped as she was held up to stand on Dolly's podium.
"Maybe not, actually. I think I have a way of providing several of us with alibis," Laris said as her gaze flicked around the trial room. "If I'm not mistaken, Kaizoku and I ran into Sigmund and Chloe at around twenty minutes after five. I don't believe our exchange ended until after Kanade was dead. At least, none of us had enough time to be the culprit."
"That is true, my dear. The incident left both Sigmund and Kaizoku eliminated. When the walls began to shift, I trailed Laris for a short time afterwards," Chloe added.
Kaizoku nodded and joined in. "The Athlete and myself stayed where we were and talked for a bit. After that, we decided to go our separate ways, so we can account for each other until after the time of the killing."
"Splendid! Then there's no way any of you could have done it!" Churi said, clearly pleased as she peered between the group of four. "So who precisely does that leave as suspects?"
Annabelle gave a look around the group. "Let's see... That leaves us with Utano, Madison, Soo Yeong, and Tomoko. By our logic so far, that must mean it's one of them."
"I have to say, I feel much better with finding a culprit among four people versus thirteen," Lachlan said as he offered a dry chuckle. "Here's something I haven't been able to wrap my head around: If Kanade's death was so excruciating, how come no one heard anything?"
"That is quite the question. The poor girl's face doesn't suggest she went very quickly, either," Tiana said as she looked over towards the Love Guru. "However, when we gathered alibis earlier, I believe you said you heard something strange, didn't you, Churi?"
Churi's expression darkened. "Yeah, that's true. After I was eliminated, I spent the rest of the time hiding. I was really afraid someone was going to try and hurt me. I-I... wasn't really paying much attention to the time, but I definitely heard a muffled noise. I think it might have been Kana. Oh my gosh, I was just hiding and she was probably dying not far away. How could I be so selfish?" TRUTH BULLET
"Ya can't be putting that on your shoulders, deary. With how the walls are set up, you may not have been able to get there, anyway, " Kaizoku responded, giving Churi a sympathetic smile.
The Love Guru wiped at her eyes before offering the Sailor a tearful smile. "Th-Thank you, Kaizoku."
"Yes, there's no need to berate yourself, my dear. Even if you'd been there at the time of her attack, there is likely little that could have been done. We're talking about the strongest acid known to man. It is merely a hypothesis, but I did observe blood on her lips and mouth. It is possible she went into shock," Soo Yeong suggested. "It could have been the explanation for why we didn't hear her screaming. Believe me, if someone had been trying silence her with a hand or some other manner, I assure you that they would have left a blood trail in their wake, or at the very least it would have shown on her autopsy. I found no bruising or any other signs of trauma, save the most obvious one." TRUTH BULLET
Annabelle nodded along with the Plastic Surgeon's words. "You got that right! Also, they would have to know ahead of time that they were shooting her with acid to know to silence her."
The Ultimate Punk Musician rubbed at his head in frustration. "Okay, squirt, I get it. We know how she died, but how the hell do we determine who did it? I mean, any one of them had the time to, right? At this rate, we're going to have to draw fucking straws."
Haruto shook his head. "I don't think that's necessary, and please, I know it's difficult, but try to remain calm. I think we can safely remove another person from this list. As it was pointed out at the beginning, if Soo Yeong was the culprit, it would make little sense for him help the investigation along. If anything, he would try to sabotage or withhold information."
Dolly ticked her head to the side. "It could be some sort of strange strategy, but I doubt it. If we do remove him, it still leaves Tomoko, Maddie, and Utano. Any bright ideas how we can make any headway from that?"
"I'm telling you, I didn't do it!" the Poet cried as he pressed his hands against the podium in front of him.
"Blahhhh, this is getting boring! Time to make your closing arguments." Kurokuma grumbled as he slumped in his chair.
Kaizoku gritted his teeth. "The damned bear has spoken. Prepare yourselves. I fear we be entering dangerous waters. All we can do now is sail by our own judgments."
"It's okay, Captain, we'll make it through this together. You'll see." Annabelle gave a salute with the wrong hand. Her eyes locked intently on the Sailor. Kaizoku sighed before returning the gesture with a strained smile. Silence prevailed over the room as, one by one, each of the students cast their votes. Most of the group found themselves eyeing one another before doing so.
After a minute or so had passed, the screens dimmed and a grin spread across Kurokuma's face. "Ahem! So we have three votes for Madison, four for Utano, and ten for Tomoko. The question is, did you all make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one?"
"Fools!" Tomoko snapped as her nails dug into the podium as she clenched her jaw. "I hope you appreciate what you've done."
"Hehehe, she does a raise a good point, because I have to inform you that you've made a grave mistake. Tomoko is not the blackened!" Kurokuma squealed with glee.
"Son of a bitch! I knew you did it!" Naruhiko bellowed as he stared murderously at Utano, seemingly ready to lunge at the boy.
"D-Don't look at me. I swear I didn't do it!" Utano said as he raised his arms defensively over his face.
The solid black bear giggled playfully. "He's telling the truth, ya know! Congratulations, Maddie, on fooling your classmates and getting away with murder!"
"M-Murder? Me?" the Mathematician asked as her face paled at the implication.
Chloe slammed her fist against the podium. "Non! A cutie like her did such an awful thing? This is unbelievable."
"Hate to break it to ya, but there can be no doubt. Little Maddie killed Kanade without being aware of it. Now that's what I call bad luck or I guess it's pretty good in this case, because you get to leave Kuma Kuma Land. If only the rest of you were so lucky." Kurokuma howled in laughter.
*BEGIN FLASHBACK*
5:22 P.M Day Seven
Amusement Park
Paintball Maze
"Please stop! I've already been eliminated. Just leave me alone!" Maddie cried. She felt her lungs burning as she rounded a corner.
Yushikuma snorted wildly as he fired his paintball gun, nicking the wall near the Mathematician. "Haha, and where's the fun in that? This is a show, and we gotta put on a good performance. Besides, I need to vent a little after what happened earlier. You're just the unfortunate punk who I happened to run into," he replied as he chased her through another long corridor that seemed to converge at a large open room.
Maddie felt her legs growing more and more tired. "I-I haven't done anything to you, though. Just stop!" she screamed as she fired off several shots. One hit the bear in the nose, causing him to let out a roar of fury.
"Oh you're really in for it now! When I get my paws on you, I'll tear you to shreds!" he vowed as he followed her into the large room.
The Ultimate Mathematician thought that she registered a whimper, but she brushed the notion aside as she wildly aimed her gun behind her before letting loose a few more shots behind her.
The Ringleader let out a bellow as he chased her down an adjacent hall.
It was at that moment that Kanade let out a pitiful cry. Her head tilted downward as she stared in abject horror at the cavity that was quickly growing in her torso. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she crumpled backwards. Blood began to pool from her mouth.
What she felt in those moments was the most excruciating pain imaginable. Despite this, try as she might, she couldn't scream. As she felt herself going into shock, only the muffled sound of choking on blood left her as the light began to leave her eyes.
The agony and pain were soon muted as everything grew cold.
After a few more moments, she would know nothing more.
Kanade Kanaka, the Ultimate Composer, was gone.
She was a victim of circumstance and sheer, terrible luck.
*END FLASHBACK*
7:02 P.M Day Seven
Resort District
Hotel
Basement (Trial Room)
"I-I'm so sorry, you guys. I had no idea. I didn't even see her," Maddie said in a half-choked sob.
"What are you apologizing for? You had Komaeda's dumb luck helping you, but you're a winner! That's more than I can say for the rest of these guys. Hope you're ready for a death game!" Kurokuma exclaimed with a malicious grin as he pressed a button. Suddenly, a series of chains began to wrap around everyone except the Mathematician before hoisting them off the ground.
Kaizoku looked over towards Naruhiko catching his eye. "N-Naru, I... I..." The Sailor was flustered as he turned away. "I'm sorry we didn't do the poor lass justice..."
"Don't beat yourself up, Zoku. Ain't no one to blame for this shit. Mad Math ain't to blame either. It was just shit luck. Chin the fuck up, man. We're gonna pull through this," the Musician said with an air of confidence as he struggled against his bindings.
"Annabelle, Tiana, don't be scared. No matter what happens, I'll do everything I can. It's not over yet," Haruto said as he forced a smile, gazing between the pair.
The Investigator looked down towards the ground, tears already starting to trace across her cheeks. "I'm sorry I failed. Now a bunch of us could die."
"No, Anna, don't say that. This isn't your fault, sweetheart. Please don't cry," Tiana called out as she shifted against her chains.
"Tch, crying is the last thing that matters right now, Mistress Whips-a-lot! We're about to end up like that hockey goon," Becky quipped as even she was restrained alongside her operator.
Tomoko scowled as she could still hear Kurokuma giggling from below. "If you idiots ever listened to me, we wouldn't be in this position."
"Tomoko, it doesn't matter right now. What matters is dealing with this shit. It's a game, right? Games can be won. That should be our focus now," Lachlan said in a surprisingly calm demeanor.
"Yes, because you made such a compelling argument in your favor." Chloe chastised, sending a glare at the Shogi Player.
"Please, there is no need to quarrel. If we wish to survive, I doubt we'll have much luck if we're at one another's throat," Soo Yeong said in a soothing manner. From his vantage point, it became clear that the boy had severe scar tissue on the normally hidden side of his face. It was a gross contrast from the rest of his perfect features. His normally hidden eye was unfocused and it was clear he was blind in that eye.
"S-Soo Yeong is right, we have to put this behind us. We might be able to survive this." Utano spoke in a shaky voice.
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, kiddo! Yushikuma is raring to go, and I don't think you losers have a chance." Kurokuma snickered.
Maddie shivered as her breaths had become uneven. "W-What if I stayed? Would you possibly spare my friends from this? Please?"
The black bear snorted. "Sorry babe, that ain't how it works around here."
Shiho offered a goofy smile from where she hung. "Hey, don't worry about us, 'kay? We'll be just fine. You get out of here and let someone know about what's going on. You shouldn't blame yourself for an accident."
"Shiho is right. So don't let this weigh on my, M'lady. We're going to fight till the bitter end," Laris said as she tried to reach for her sword that was still attached to her sheath. The gesture was in vain.
"Blah blah blah. Enough dragging your asses. I think I've given you enough time to ponder your fate. Time to face your death game!" Kurokuma yelled.
One by one, each of the students were pulled out of sight before Maddie's tearful gaze. She turned to a large screen that flickered on in front of her. Kurokuma laughed boisterously. "Why don't you enjoy the show? Chances are, it'll be the last time you see them, kiddo!"
7:14 P.M Day Seven
Resort District
Hotel
Basement (Challenge Room)
Suddenly, the lights flickered on, revealing a massive room in which a life-sized chess board was situated. On the far side of the chessboard, representing the black pieces, stood fifteen of the gray Kuma bears that could be found across the park itself. However, in the position of the king, rested Yushikuma, who held a scepter in his paws.
"W-What in the world is this, you guys? Is this actually a game of chess?" Churi stammered out.
"It would seem so. I can't believe it's come to this. Though, if this is a game, then it means there is a chance for us to win and survive," Lachlan pointed out.
Yushikuma giggled from where he stood on the far side of the room. "Of course there's always a chance, but this is a very special kind of death game. In order to win and survive, you'll have to defeat the glorious leader of the Kumas!"
"A game of chess, huh? That doesn't sound too terribly difficult. I think we have what it takes," Haruto said with a look of confidence.
"Oh, I guess I should mention something important!" he said as he gestured with his scepter and one of the kumas swung a sword through the air. "If a piece is taken, it's not as simple as waiting on the sidelines and watching the game go on. Nope! If a piece is taken, it will involve death! Your death! So I'd suggest considering your actions carefully. I'll give you idiots a little time to discuss among yourselves." The red bear grinned.
"It's hopeless. W-We're all going to die," Utano said in a petrified manner as his shoulders began to tremble.
Dolly held up Becky, who scowled at the boy. "If you're going to have a fucking breakdown, can you do it a little bit quieter? You're really pissing me off. Your voice is definitely not the last thing I want to hear."
"None of you idiots have to die. We wouldn't even be in this situation if you'd only listened to me in the first place, so now you're going to shut the fuck up and do what I say. If you can manage to do that, I'll keep you alive," Tomoko said in a sharp tone as she crossed her arms.
Naruhiko grumbled. "Why the shit should we listen to you?"
"Lad, perhaps we should heed her advice?" Kaizoku suggested as he eyed his friend. "Shogi is not that different from chess. In fact, as I understand it, it's more complex by comparison."
Tomoko sighed. "You're not mistaken. Look, I don't have to like any of you, but I need your help. You need my mind, and I need your assistance, or we're all doomed. Let me take the position of the king on our side. Believe me when I say that I'm the best chance we have to survive this game."
The Ultimate Plastic Surgeon nodded his head approval. "I won't argue your logic. We need to put aside our pettiness and make the wisest call. Otherwise, we'll share the same fate as Patrick."
A few moments passed as the group seemed to speak among themselves. They all eventually agreed to the terms.
"Alright M'lady, we'll follow your guidance. Where will you have us stand?" Laris asked as she adopted a somber expression.
Tomoko eyed the group intently for several moments before she approached the large marble board. She climbed the stairs before taking her place as the white king. "Laris, you will be my queen," she said before gesturing at the spot next to her.
The Ultimate Knight offered no comment on the ironic gesture as she climbed the stairs and took her spot upon the board.
"Kaizoku and Soo Yeong, you both will be bishops. It matters not which of you goes where. Just take a position on either side of us," the Shogi Player ordered.
"Aye, as you wish," Kaizoku offered in response as he and the Plastic Surgeon followed Laris' example. The Sailor stood on the queen's side, while the Surgeon took his place on the king's side.
Tomoko peered over her shoulder at the remaining students. "Chloe and Lachlan, you will be my knights. Again, which side you take doesn't matter. Just get into place."
Lachlan took the king's side position while Chloe took the queen's side, neither offering any response to their assignment.
"Aww and I wanted to be the horsey!" Annabelle pouted slightly. "Nyah, maybe I can be the rook?"
Tomoko ignored the girl's request. "Sigmund, you and Shiho are my rooks. The rest of you? Well, that should be quite simple. You're pawns," she said dismissively.
"Gotcha, I'll do my best. Just let me know if I'm walking too far?" Shiho asked as she approached the board.
Sigmund chuckled lowly as he hopped on his good leg. "I doubt Tomoko will have any qualms with calling any of us out."
The Tarotologist scowled slightly as she moved towards the front row on their side. "Can't help but feel like we're the disposable pieces."
"So long as you all heed what I have to say, I'll do my best to avoid any casualties," the Shogi Player said as the the rest of the group took their place at the the board. Going from left to right, the front row was Naruhiko, Annabelle, Haruto, Tiana, Utano, Churi, Dolly, and Seikatsu. "Alright, bear, is there anything else we need to know?" Tomoko asked with a pointed stare.
Yushikuma waved his scepter around in the air before adjusting a crown that he'd slid on his head in exchange for his normal hat. "This is a special game with special rules, like I said. If you manage to overtake one of my pieces, you can attack them with these," he said as he pushed a button and swords began to emerge from the square they all stood on. "Of course, my pals here are going to do the same. Oh, and I should say that, if anyone makes an illegal move or moves out of turn, they will be killed instantly!" he said as he raised his scepter before pointing at a turret above them. "Play by the rules or you'll be snuffed out in no time! Any questions?"
"When exactly does this game of yours end?" Haruto asked.
The Ringleader chortled as he folded his paws. "Oh, that's easy! It's just like normal chess! Whenever the king is put in checkmate. Of course, in this version, I'll be taking your king's head! " he said as he pointed a blade at Tomoko. "Unless you can do it to me first, but I doubt it. I'm the boss for a reason."
"I bet you'll look pretty dumb when we kick your butt again!" Annabelle giggled sticking out her tongue.
"GAHHH! You didn't kick my butt! I was going easy on you! I won't do it again!" Yushikuma shouted as he stomped his feet like a spoiled child.
"No, we won't be kicking anything. We'll be taking your head off!" Tomoko said as a smirk flitted across her face. She returned the bear's earlier gesture. "Let's see if you're more than just talk. Personally, I think you're a reject. It's obvious that Shirokuma and Kurokuma are in charge. Tell me, do you have to shovel the shit from the zoo?" she asked as she quirked a brow.
Yushikuma growled, clearly frustrated. "ENOUGH! Make your move! I can't wait to take your head off!"
"Aww, look. It's trying to act like a big bear," Tomoko said in a condescending manner. "Let's not let the little guy wait. Tiana, move from D2 to D4."
"Understood." Tiana nodded towards Haruto before striding forward two spaces.
"Bah! You think you're so clever? I'll show you! Pawn from E7 to E6!" Yushikuma exclaimed as one of his kumas moved forward a single space on the board.
The Ultimate Shogi Player clapped a hand against her forearm. "Oh look, baby made his first steps. It's so precious. Kaizoku, C1 to F4. You're moving three spaces, remember to move only diagonally," she said in a firm tone.
"Aye, aye, Navigator." The Sailor hefted his blade as he took off jogging, making sure to only step on the black spaces. "Hurry up now, wee lad. Send us your crew so we can cut them to pieces."
A tick mark appeared on the bear's forehead. "You got a pair on you, huh? I'll wipe away that smugness real quick! Pawn from D7 to D5!" Yushikuma cried. At his command, the kuma waddled forward, sword in hand, before stopping directly in front of Tiana, blocking her advance.
"So far, all I'm convinced of is the fact you can shriek like a banshee," Tomoko mused with a sickly sweet smile. "Lachlan, move from G1 to F3. Again, watch your footing, we wouldn't want to upset little Yushi."
The Journalist offered a bemused expression as he slung his sword over his shoulder. He passed Dolly before continuing his movements. "Tomoko, if somehow you pull this off, I'm going to make dinner for you."
"Pfft. Don't be making any future plans. I told you, I'm the boss and I'm not letting any of you leave." Yushikuma sputtered as he raised his scepter. "Bishop, move from F8 to B4!" the Ringleader ordered. The grey kuma waddled forward with a wide grin spread across its face.
"Haruto, move from C2 to C3!" Tomoko ordered sternly.
"W-Wait, but wouldn't that put him in danger of the bishop?" Churi asked with a worried expression.
The Shogi Player rolled her eyes. "You either trust me or you don't. Haruto, make the move!"
"Alright, here goes nothing." The blue-haired boy breathed as he took a single step forward.
Yushikuma scowled as he seemed to stare at the board for a long moment before grunting. "Gah! Bishop, move from B4 to D6."
The kuma blinked a moment before retreating back across the board, giving the boy some breathing room.
"You see? Even in a game of life and death, it would be foolish to sacrifice a bishop just to take down a pawn," Tomoko said matter-of-factually. "I'm pleased to note my instincts were right."
"Instincts? So you didn't fucking know if the bear would do that or not?" Naruhiko asked with a dumbfounded expression.
The Shogi Player shushed the boy. "Relax. There's been no blood spilled yet, so be a good boy and do as you're told. Kaizoku, retreat from F4 to E3."
The Sailor nodded in response as he moved back beside Lachlan.
"Knight, move from B8 to D7!" Yushikuma yelled. The bear waddled around the board before stopping in front of his king's spot.
"Aww, look at him trying so hard. It's precious, isn't it?" Tomoko purred in delight. "Dolly, dear, move one space from G2 to G3."
"Heh, you got it, your royal fucking heiness!" Becky cackled as she and her handler moved forward, stopping on the other side of Lachlan.
"My other knight, move from G8 to F6!" The bear said as he clearly tried to mimic the Shogi Player's wall of three pieces.
Tomoko scanned the board a moment before clearing her throat. "Soo Yeong, move from F1 to H3."
"As you wish," the young man responded as he strode forward, stopping to the right of Dolly to form a row of four pieces.
Yushikuma giggled to himself. "See, I read the instruction manual! It's time to castle me!" he exclaimed as he gestured at the rook that was left on the empty section to his left. Slowly, the two pieces began to shuffle until Yushikuma stopped on G8 and his one rook landed on F8. "Hah! Get to me now, dickwads!"
"Oh, so you can actually read? That's surprising," Tomoko commented as a smile never left her face. "Laris, dear, move from D1 to D3."
The Ultimate Knight eyed the girl a moment before nodding quietly as she strode two steps forward and stopped behind Tiana.
"B7 to B6!" the Ringmaster ordered. Another pawn kuma waddled a single step forward.
"Kaizoku, move from E3 to G5!" Tomoko ordered as she gestured through the air with her sword.
"Understood." Kaizoku dashed forward to his destination. He pointed his sword directly at Yushikuma. "Great plan, hiding yourself in the corner. What a brave boy you are."
The bear laughed nervously before sticking out his tongue. "You can't get to me, you wannabe pirate! We can't dance around all damn day. C7 to C6, Pawn!" The kuma obediently trudged forward to secure the wall the red bear was continuing to build.
"Sigmund, we're going to castle me as well. Move to F1 while I move to G1!" the Shogi Player ordered.
The Athlete offered a cut nod as he balanced on his one leg as he slowly shifted across the board. "I hope you have a plan, Tomoko."
"Plan? Bah that's rich! Rook, move from F8 to E8!" Yushikuma barked.
Again, the kuma in question followed without hesitation.
Tomoko smirked to herself. "Chloe, move from B1 to D2."
"Yes, yes, whatever you say," Chloe mused as she made her way behind Laris.
"Oh yeah? Pawn, move from B6 to B5! You can only put up so many defenses. Eventually, I'm gonna get one of them!" Yushikuma leered at the girl.
The Ultimate Shogi Player stifled a yawn. "Sure you will, sweetie. Annabelle, please move from B2 to B4, or two spaces to be precise."
"I knew that, but okay," the young girl replied. She happily cradled her sword as she advanced forward.
"Pawn, move your keester from H7 to H5!" the bear grumbled. Again, the grey kuma moved forward before stopping next to Kaizoku.
"Kaizoku, block that pawn. G5 to H4!" Tomoko called out as her foot tapped against the marble floor.
The Sailor let out a chuckle as he hopped backwards to land in front of the pawn.
"Hah, corner that jerk! G7 to G5!" Yushikuma exclaimed gleefully as his pawn waddled forward.
A sadistic smirk spread across Tomoko's lips. "Kaizoku, it's time to punish him. Move to G5 and get that pawn! Take his head off!"
Kaizoku raised his sword with a grin. "First blood goes to us, then." He dashed forward with the blade leveled and made a quick stroke. He stopped and stood over the slain Kuma. Its mechanical innards and oil lay pooled on the marble floor. "You sure showed me, wee lad," the Sailor taunted, pointing his sword once again at Yushikuma, the same as before.
"GAHHH! WHAT?! You old people suck! Queen, D8 to E7!" Yushikuma cried. The kuma looked exactly the same except for having excessive makeup and lipstick on. It slowly shuffled on space diagonally before stopping.
"You're breaking my heart," Tomoko said with a mock look of hurt. "Lachlan, F3 to H4!" she ordered.
"I'm all over it." The boy chuckled dryly as he moved across the board before blocking one of Yushikuma's pawns that was next to Kaizoku.
The Ringleader who seemed even more agitated pumped his scepter into the air. "Bishop, move from C8 to B7!"
Tomoko continued to smile sweetly as she pointed at a square on the board. "Chloe, move from D2 to F3. Feel free to put on a show, so long as you land on the right square," she chuckled.
"Hmm, I don't see why not. " With that, the Designer took a step back before launching herself forward. She jumped over the others, doing a full flip through the air. She landed perfectly on her feet on the designated square.
"Bah! You think you're so special, huh? You all are really ticking me off with all this bullcrap! Rook, move from A8 to C8!" Yushikuma cried.
"Laris, move from D3 to E3," Tomoko ordered.
The blonde nodded before silently marching a space across the board.
"Uh? Ah crap, I don't know anymore. Rook, C8 to D8?" Yushikuma said as the two rook kumas now rested next to one another.
"Kaizoku, move from G5 to H6!" Tomoko shouted.
Kaizoku saluted before quickly moving behind the pawn kuma.
"Bishop, move your butt from B7 to A6!" the bear cried as he was clearly becoming more and more impatient.
"Laris, move from E3 to G5!" Tomoko ordered.
The Knight swiftly strode across the distance before Yushikuma let out a little yelp.
"That's check, Yushikuma," Tomoko called out with a cheerful smile.
"N-No! There's no way!" Yushikuma wheezed as he moved from G8 to H8 before sighing deeply. "It's not over yet."
"I'm afraid that's where you're wrong," Laris responded as she didn't even wait for Tomoko's order this time. She stalked across the board, before stopping directly across from the bear at G7! "This is checkmate, Yushikuma," Laris said as she raised her sword over her head.
"W-What? No! I can take you, and I won't be in checkmate anymore!" the bear sputtered as fear began to show in his eyes.
"Looks like someone should have done more research. You can't take a piece if doing so puts you in check, meaning you can't take Laris because it would put you in check by Kaizoku. You personally saw to cornering yourself. I'm afraid this is where this ends. This is game over, Yushikuma!"
"Ha ha, good job, Captain, and especially to you, Tomoko." Kaizoku cheered as he looked between the two with a wide smile.
"Thank you, Kaizoku, but Yushikuma made this very clear. This only ends in one of two ways. I intend to finish this," Laris responded.
A look of terror filled the bear's face. "N-No, please. Don't do it. I'm sorry for picking on all of you. Just let me g-" His pleadings were silenced as Laris brought her blade down in one swift motion.
The room fell very silent with what followed.
The bear's head rolled to the ground. A grotesque, viscous-looking blood poured out of its body as it slumped to the floor. A loud chiming sound filled the room a moment later.
"FUCK ME! I didn't see that coming. I thought you guys might win, but a clean sweep? I would be more pissed, but hey, it just gives us more chances for murder. Am I right?" Kurokuma's laughter filled the room. "Congrats on surviving your class death game. It means you all can continue to be denizens of this wonderful park! Believe me when I say the games are only beginning."
16 Survivors Remain
*AN* As always, I wanna thank all of my betas for churning this bad boy out so fast. This was one of my favorite chapters I've written. I'm actually really proud of the death game so I hope you enjoyed. Petty you're my rp partner and I can't thank you enough for all that you do for me! Love ya =)
Review Section:
Blazerxz
It's funny with Nagito things can be random and planned at the same time haha. That BS luck!
ThePLOThand
Honestly it took me a while to feel comfortable with writing my own OC's openly. So that's why.
BouncingFish
Hah looks like I haven't be unfriended yet on facebook! ;)
Fee5H
Congrats on your promotion to Theorist Knight!
doomqwer
Don't tempt me fam! =)
Pokemanallstar
There's never any method to my madness when it comes to updates haha.
bellatrixshine
Well I hope I didn't keep you waiting long! =)
PettyPunk
Yeah KKL has marinated longer, but considering how many offscreen deaths happened I think it balances out. Sort of haha
StoryProducer214
Good guess but no dice!