Chapter 35: The Returned
8:16 A.M Day Fourteen
Techland
Monorail
Unlike the former districts, which were far more grounded, Techland possessed a greater sense of verticality.
A large monorail system connected to every main hub in the district; it was raised some hundred feet into the air and was accessible through an elevator system. As a result, each of the main attractions were raised even higher into the sky and had platforms for the monorail.
The survivors found themselves seated aboard a luxury train car with plenty of refreshments. It even possessed stereos and television screens. From their windows, they could observe the rest of the district as well as the other areas of the park itself. Situated at the front of the monorail car was none other than Meijikuma.
"Behold, boys and girls! Welcome to Techland! It's the land of tomorrow, a true pride and joy of the Towa Group. This monorail system is completely solar powered. It can run up to two years just on the reserves the solar panels have collected since its creation," the green-tinted bear offered cheerfully.
Naruhiko yawned as he slumped in his seat. "Blah blah blah! Who really cares about any of that junk? Can you just get this spiel over with?"
Meijikuma's sickly-sweet smile wilted for just a moment before rebounding. "Did you all know that this monorail can move at speeds well over two hundred miles an hour? At those speeds, and from this height, anyone who fell would be crushed into paste. It would be just like what happened at the beginning to those other poor souls, but with even less bodies to recover. Though I'm sure no one would ever do or say anything to make that kind of action be taken, right?"
"Heh, of course not!" The Musician laughed nervously while rubbing the back of his head. "I was just telling Zoku and Shi that I love this freaking train!"
"Aye, the lad was just saying he admires the craftsmanship of this district," the Sailor said with a forced grin as he threw an arm around Naruhiko's neck.
Tomoko rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "Can you please explain what we can expect to find here and how to use the monorail?"
"Tehehe, that's pretty simple. I've uploaded an app to your phones. It's linked to the AI on the monorail. All you have to do is choose your destination or press a button to summon a car," the floating bear explained.
Chloe offered a quiet nod before speaking. "And what about the locations? What kind of nightmares can we expect here?"
Meijikuma giggled. "Oh, there aren't any nightmares here. Just the fruit of a lot of labor and scientific marvels that most adults couldn't even dream of, though you're probably looking for a real answer. Techland includes a state-of-the-art science lab, a sprawling technology museum, and a colossal indoor mall with more gadgets and luxuries then you could imagine. It even has a food court. Finally, there's the command center, where the real magic happens behind the scenes. You could say it's the head of operations."
"Four major hubs in total. Maybe we should split up and spend the day checking each of these locations out," Shiho said.
Annabelle practically hopped out of her seat. "Ooooh, I wanna check out the science lab! Pleaaaase!"
The Parental Figure smiled fondly as he laced his hand over Tiana's. "Why don't you, Tiana, and I check it out? That is, if everyone else agrees with that."
"Aye, I don't have any problem with that. I reckon Shi, Naru, and I can take the mall since it'll be bigger and we can cover more ground."
"Then that just leaves four people unaccounted for: Tomoko, Seikatsu, Dolly, and Chloe. If you four split up into pairs, we can cover the last two locations," Tiana suggested as her gaze flitted around the car.
"What say we go for the head of the snake and investigate the Command Center?" the Tarotologist asked Chloe in a serious manner.
The Femme Fatale offered a low chuckle. "Normally, I would prefer the mall, but now more than ever… I'd prefer to get to the bottom of this, so why not?"
Dolly fidgeted with her hands, seemingly uncomfortable with having left Becky at the hotel. "Uh, so I guess that just leaves us to check the museum? Do you mind me tagging along?" She glanced over at the Shogi Player.
"It matters little to me, so long as we cover every inch of this place," Tomoko said coolly as she shut her eyes.
Meijikuma grinned while looking around the group. "Teehee, you have a busy day ahead of you. Take your time. I wouldn't want you to miss anything important."
Ignoring the bear, Tiana cleared her throat. "Why don't we meet in the mall's food court at six? We can discuss our findings then."
"Hah, works for me! I wonder if I can find a new guitar since Tomoko went rockstar on my last one." Naruhiko grinned.
The Shogi Player blushed and her eyes snapped open. "I-Idiot, you're the one who encouraged me to do it! You don't get to tease me now!"
The Musician laughed raucously. "I wasn't teasing you, cause that was freaking badass. You've come a long way. I bet Lachlan would be freaking proud of you."
An awkward silence prevailed across the group before being broken by Meijikuma. "Don't look so sad. Who knows? You might all be joining him soon..."
10:25 A.M Day Fourteen
Techland
Science Lab
After departing the monorail, Haruto, Tiana, and Annabelle found themselves standing in a massive structure filled with dozens of adjacent corridors and rooms. Most of them contained various wild experiments, many of which resembled science fiction rather than real life.
The lobby that connected to the rest of the building was a stark-white room with a tiled floor and a dome-shaped ceiling, as well as a series of windows casting complex geometrical shapes across the floor, due to the sunlight. A couple of kumas floated above the group via jetpacks, as there seemed to be rooms only accessible through such means.
The structure itself was so expansive that a kiosk, not unlike the one found in the nearby mall, could be seen standing several feet away from the lobby desk. Behind the desk itself sat a gray kuma that was typing robotically into a high-tech computer.
Stars practically appeared in Annabelle's eyes. She bolted forward and pressed her face against the kiosk in an almost cartoonish manner. "Woah, this is so cool. We have to check out all of this stuff! I wonder if they have any robotic platypi in here..."
"I'm pleased to see that Anna's enthusiasm hasn't waned a bit," Tiana said softly before sharing a tender expression with her boyfriend. "It feels like we stepped onto the set of the Jetsons or something. Then again, we're on a floating island… Nothing should really be a surprise anymore."
"Yeah." Haruto glanced at everything in the lab. "This place actually reminds me of Epcot. It had these interactive exhibits where children could have fun with science. Makes me wonder if all these experiments here are the same."
The Dominatrix nodded in agreement. "Having grown up in Florida, I have fond memories of visiting Epcot with my family, though I certainly don't recall anything as wild as jetpacks. I just hope this place is more family-friendly than the rest of this park."
"UNCLE! AUNTIE! We've gotta check some of these rooms out!" The Forensic Investigator squealed and jumped in place a moment before grabbing one of their hands. "Come on, I wanna know what the portal room is all about! That sounds like a game my moms let me play!"
"Alright, alright," the boy said with a light-hearted chuckle. "I guess we're going to find out for ourselves, Tia."
Tiana stifled a giggle at the girl's enthusiasm. "With a name like the portal room, I'm grateful I only had a light breakfast. Just don't go running off, alright, Anna?"
"'Kay!" the girl chirped excitedly as she all but dragged the couple through a set of double doors that led into what appeared to be a small sanitarium.
The room itself was about thirty feet in length, width, and height. Its floor, walls, and ceiling were all padded. There was no typical exit visible, but there were a series of five, circular blue-and-black openings. Each were about six feet in circumference. One rested vertically against the floor, another hung vertically from the ceiling, and a third sat horizontally about three feet off the ground. Finally, two more hung from opposite wallsone at about ten feet and another around twenty feet above the ground.
Haruto looked at Tiana and Annabelle before giving a relaxed smile. "Whelp... Here goes nothing." He then jumped down the portal on the floor.
Annabelle watched with a gleeful expression as the Parental Figure disappeared through the portal before reappearing through one of the portals some twenty feet in the air. Once he hit the ground, the floor absorbed his landing like a trampoline and bounced him towards another portal. "IT'S JUST LIKE THE GAME! AHHH! Come on, we've gotta try too!" the Investigator squealed as she released her hold on Tiana. She dove into the nearby horizontal portal and emerged ten feet off the ground before bouncing wildly around the room.
A smirk played upon Tiana's lips as she watched the pair bounce and emerge through several portals. Slowly, she gauged which portals were connected, then propelled herself into the air using the trampoline-like floor. She wrapped her arms around Haruto as he was launched out of the floor portal again. "Fancy meeting you here, Haru." She playfully tickled his sides while they hurtled towards another portal.
"Great seeing you too!" The boy cheerfully laughed. There was not a single trace of anxiety left in him. "I gotta say, this is pretty fun!"
With a mischievous grin, the Dominatrix leaned in and stole a quick peck on his lips. "I'd say we've gotten pretty good at entertaining ourselves, with or without this kind of science." She playfully winked at him and pulled out her new whip. She then cracked it and lassoed a small light fixture. Using the momentum, she sent herself sailing towards a different portal, leaving a slightly embarrassed Haruto in her wake.
"UNCLE! Look at me! I'm flying!" Annabelle laughed as she bounced off the ground and flapped her arms in the air wildly.
"You sure are!" Haruto caught the girl when both of them were in the air. "Why don't we do some flying together?"
The Forensic Investigator giggled and hugged Haruto as they disappeared through another portal. "Weeeeh!" the child exclaimed. She and the the Parental Figure were launched out of a separate one before registering a short explicative from not too far away.
"..Shit!" Tiana cursed as she was launched out of an adjacent portal, only to see herself hurtling towards a collision. She let out a muted groan as the pair crashed into her. Soon, the whole trio was tumbling several feet across the floor, bouncing with each few feet.
Silence prevailed for several seconds until a snicker escaped the child as she lifted her head to peer over the tangle of limbs. "That. Was. AWESOME!"
The boy let out a laugh of his own. "Yeah, I have to agree with you. Wouldn't you say so, Tia?"
"Y-Yeah, I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun," Tiana admitted with a sheepish expression.
The Investigator next to her wiggled her eyebrows playfully. "Auntie is embarrassed because she said a bad word!"
Annabelle couldn't stop her giggling which soon became squealing when the Dominatrix began to mercilessly tickle the girl's sides. "Uh huh, but if I hear you using that word, I'm going to subject you to this for an hour. You got that, squirt?" Tiana asked with a smirk.
"Wahhh! I get it. Have mercy! Uncle, save me!" the child said between laughter and tears.
Haruto watched with a warm smile, which soon turned into a playful grin. "With pleasure." He then proceeded to tickle Tiana. "This is for earlier, my dear!"
"W-Wait! N-No, stop! Y-You traitor!" Tiana stammered between playful huffs as she found herself on the receiving end of a tickle torture.
Annabelle squirmed free with an impish grin on her face. "What comes around goes around, Auntie!"
12:09 P.M Day Fourteen
Techland
Technology Museum (Labor Exhibit)
The Ultimate Shogi Player slowly tilted her head around while she and Dolly walked through one of the various exhibits. "So the Towa Group was behind the construction of this floating island. I suppose that makes sense, considering the level of technology needed to make all of this possible."
"And look at all of these," Dolly said near a display filled with dozens of pictures. "There are tons of kids in this. I think I even recognize a few of these figures."
Tomoko wordlessly approached the plexiglass and stared at the collage of photos, simply labeled: "Laborers of KKL." Her eyes slowly narrowed. The exhibit consisted mostly of pictures of various students working on aspects of the park in various degrees of construction. "You're right. I think I can make out Patrick and Kaizoku in this photo. We truly are the ones who built this park."
The Ventriloquist frowned and laced her hands behind her back. "B-But how can that be? The last thing I remember was being at home… then awakening here."
"If this is anything like the first game at Hope's Peak, it's likely our memories have been tampered with. They must have been kidnapping us all over the course of two years, using us as free laborers for building this entire park," Tomoko suggested with a tight-lipped frown.
"No wonder we've been outplayed at every turn. Someone with those kind of resources must be super smart," Dolly murmured.
The Shogi Player sighed. "I can't argue against that. My arrogance has been used against me… multiple times. Nonetheless, even the most gifted are still fallible. There is no such thing as perfect. Eventually, we'll find a chink in their armor."
The frail girl nodded earnestly. "I-I'm not sure if it means much, but we only have three bears left to deal with now that Shirokuma and Kurokuma are gone. Maybe this Meijikuma won't be as bad."
"While it is a nice thought, I don't think we should rely on blind hope. That's not how we're going to bring this to an end," Tomoko mused.
The Ultimate Ventriloquist timidly peered up at the taller girl. "How much longer do you think this game will go? I-I mean, there's not but half of us left… and that's only if you count those of us who survived the coaster."
"I can't be certain, but I believe things are coming to a head soon. This is the final district, which must hold some significance. If there are any answers, they'll be buried somewhere in Techland," Tomoko asserted as her gaze swept across the rest of the exhibits.
Dolly smiled weakly as she hesitantly patted the other girl's shoulder. "Then let's find the truth together. S-So we can finally go home."
Tomoko offered a slightly bemused chuckle as she regarded the other girl for a moment. "You've really opened up since this game began. Then again, I guess none of us are the same anymore. Still, I'm sort of surprised to see you without your vulgar friend."
"I-I only had her around because… I was never able to connect with anyone else. Real people never gave me the time of day; they used to only treat me with disdain. Now that I have real friends, I don't need Becky anymore," the Ventriloquist said as a sincere smile spread across her face.
"Tch, don't get all sappy and shit. We're all friends, I guess, but you don't have to be so fucking embarrassing about it." Tomoko huffed as she averted her gaze and folded her arms.
A giggle escaped Dolly, who hesitantly reached out and grabbed the other girl's arm. "Come on, let's turn this place inside out so we can finally get to the bottom of this."
The Shogi Player grumbled, but made no protest. "Lachlan would never let me hear the end of it if I rested on my ass. I just hope the others aren't slacking off."
1:04 P.M Day Fourteen
Techland
Mall
"Uh, can I please have a triple scoop of strawberry in a waffle cone?" Shiho asked with a tiny smile as she rubbed her gloves together in anticipation.
The gray kuma behind the the counter offered a thumbs up, but paused when it realized she couldn't see it. "...Coming right up. What about you two losers?" it asked as it glanced between Naruhiko and Kaizoku.
The Punk Musician cracked his knuckles. "Keep mouthing off and you'll be wearing that cone, buddy boy. I'll have a triple rocky road with a regular cone. Now why don't you drop the freaking attitude?"
"Calm down, Naru. This ain't worth getting upset over," Kaizoku placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Give me a triple scope of mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone."
"Yeah, yeah, it's coming right up. I swear, of all the ways to exist, this has to be the most humiliating. My family would think I'm a freaking joke." The bear grumbled as he began to prepare the confections.
The Ultimate Runner tilted her head to the side. "He's really crabby, isn't he? Then again, I guess I can't blame him. Anyways, it's okay, Naru. If he messes up your cone, I'll always share some of mine," she said, offering the boy a tender smile.
Naruhiko grinned deviously before picking the girl up and hoisting her over his shoulder. "You hear that, Zoku? Shiho is willing to share her cone with me. I gotta say she's pulling ahead right now. How are you gonna sweeten the pot?"
"N-Naru, this isn't a contest!" Shiho stammered out and playfully swatted the boy's back before tilting her head in the Sailor's direction. "Zoku, is everything alright? You seem distracted."
"Huh? Sorry, lass, it's just that bear..." Kaizoku muttered. He rubbed his chin while looking over the kuma suspiciously. "Doesn't he remind you of someone else who was always talking about his family?"
The Musician turned, still holding Shiho like a sack of potatoes. "Oh, you mean the jerkwad who was giving me lip? Now that you mention it, he did sort of remind me of someone. Though I can't place from where..."
"Tch, fucking moron. How you survived this long is beyond me. Then again, what room do I have to talk?" the bear asked as he waddled back up with a strawberry cone. "I was pushed off a balcony by a gap-toothed Canadian. Guess that's what I get for picking a fight with a bigger dog."
"O-Otto?" Shiho questioned with a look of surprise.
The bear offered a haughty look before grumbling. "That's Otto Von Skylar to you, but congratulations. Now take your damn cone!"
"Lad, I can't believe those bastards would go this far. Do you know if any of the others who passed on are around here?" Kaizoku asked. After taking a moment to settle himself, he took the cone and handed it over to Shiho.
A sigh escaped the bear as he continued scooping ice cream. "You don't get it, do you? That's how this place works. Dying in Kuma Kuma Land means you become one of the staff through twisted science or magic. It's not just for those killed in the beginning on that coaster. We're not like Mizukuma, Yushikuma, Meijikuma, or Saishikuma. We are assigned a task and we can't deviate from our purpose. If you look hard enough, you'll find all of us."
Naruhiko sat down with a troubled expression. The Musician seemed to be counting in his head. "...So all nine of us who have died since the game started, they're all here? Even Kana?" he asked with a shaky tone.
"What, did you not clear the wax out of your ears? I said 'all' for a reason," the bear snarked as he held out two more cones. "They probably made me do something like this because they thought it would be funny to see the heir to a company serving people like a commoner."
"Do you know where any of the others ended up? Where they might be?" Naruhiko asked in a surprisingly subdued tone. "Please, Otto, you have to tell us. I know none of us were close, but if you know anything..."
"Look, I was here before anyone else. I'm not exactly allowed to go far, either. I've never left this district since I got here," Otto admitted as his shoulders slumped. "...I did see the Composer chick when she was brought in. I'm pretty sure they shoved her in the karaoke club on the ground floor of this place," he said with a shrug. "...That's all I know, though."
Kaizoku sighed as he slung an arm around the Musician. "Well, we did need to look around this whole place. Not hard to guess where we're going next."
Shiho licked her cone before leaning up on her toes and kissing Naruhiko's cheek. "Come on, Naru, we'll find her and hopefully everyone else. It's gonna be alright."
"Yeah. It's just surreal, ya know? We may get the chance to say goodbye to everyone," the Musician mused before lifting his chin to stare at Ottobear. "Hey, dude, for what's it's worth, you're alright. Thanks. We're gonna get to the bottom of this, I promise."
"...Great, because I think I prefer death over serving you losers ice cream forever." The bear snorted before waddling back behind the counter and out of sight.
2:53 P.M Day Fourteen
Techland
Command Center
The Femme Fatale sighed dramatically and rested a hand upon the swell of her hip.
The pair had been searching the two-story building almost the entire day with little to no luck. The upper floor, which likely held the most crucial functions, was still inaccessible. That left only the ground floor, which consisted of maintenance, engineering, and storage rooms. The stairwell leading to the second floor was sealed by a large metal gate.
"I should have expected that anything of consequence would be beyond our grasp. It's like they dangled this in front of our faces just to taunt us," Chloe said.
Seikatsu huffed and crossed her arms. "That is most likely the case. We will need to find our way forward as soon as we can. The merging of my other personalities has continued. It will only be a matter of time before Death is able to take control."
"Death? That sounds promising," Chloe said in a deadpan tone as her eyes examined a nearby vent. "Say, this might sound like a strange question, but what are your measurements from top to bottom?"
The Tarotologist began laughing as she stepped closer to the Designer. "Well, color me surprised. I would have thought a woman like you would have been able to tell. Don't tell me you haven't looked at me that way, not after our fun at the costume shop," Seikatsu mused as she pressed her chest against Chloe's.
"Devil, I don't have time for your bullshit right now," the Fashion Designer said bluntly before wordlessly tracing the other girl's body from top to bottom. "Ça n'aide pas que nous soyons toutes les deux des femmes voluptueuses."
"God, it's so fucking hot when you speak French. If you're asking me to scissor you, I'm down!" the Devil persona exclaimed with a wide grin.
Chloe rolled her eyes before shaking her head. "Enough! Do you think you can support my weight? I think we're both toss-ups when it comes to our builds, but I clearly have more experience with this kind of work. I just need you to help me reach that vent above us."
"Ahh, you kids are all a bunch of prudes. I've got a war waging in my mind. Don't you think I need some help blowing off steam? Whatever..." Seikatsu muttered as her demeanor shifted.
The Tarotologist wordlessly stepped back from the other woman before looking to the same vent Chloe had noticed. "Please allow me to make up for Devil's foolishness. I cannot tap into the same power as Death, but I am certain I can lift you."
Chloe shook her head. "It's fine, I know you can't help it. If this is like everything else, it'll probably be a bust, too. However, I just can't bring myself to not try. I've never felt so desperate in my whole life, but I'll keep trying to my last breath," she said as she rested a hand on the Tarotologist's shoulder. "You ready? Just lift me as high as you can and I'll do the rest."
"Understood. If there is anything else you need, do not hesitate to ask," Seikatsu said with a nod.
"Just don't drop me," the Designer said as she offered a smirk before springing onto the Tarotologist's back. "If I don't come back, just tell the others I died fighting the bears. I'd rather not be remembered for dying because I got trapped in a vent."
10 Survivors Remain
*AN* As always, I'd like to thank my betas for all their help and Petty/Fee5H for helping with some of these scenes in this chapter. I appreciate everything you guys do!
Review Section:
Blazerxz
Hah yeah I thought it was a nice way of having them try to rally together, in an attempt to take some of the power the mastermind has over them. Though it's probably in vain regardless :P
Guest
I do? Well mission accomplished I guess lol
The Kobold Necromancer
Hey everyone needs a pick me up, Haruto is just getting a special kind of pick me up hehehe
BirblordAlmighty
Some of the deliberation had something to do with connecting and relations to the WoH, though some of it fortunately just fell into place.
pokemansuperallstar
Hehe, I guess they're in the end game now ;)
bellatrixshine
EVERYONE GETS A HUG! :D
NSPunny
Yeah everyone needs to vent in their own way, god knows these kids are gonna have baggage even if they survive.
MudkipOfDespair
Well I thought a bonding moment near the end was a good way of rallying the group together ^^
doomqwer
Disturbing is what I was going for! ^-^