Act 3-5: All Your Basement Are Belong To Us
Level unlocked: Basement!
Basement
1st Floor Aft
2nd Floor Aft
Selected Level: Basement
Meeting Room
Selected Area: Meeting Room
A fairly spacious meeting room, complete with projector, round table and seventeen swivel chairs. If I were in a better mood, I'd take one of them and zoom across the floor.
Then again, this was a Despairship. Expecting the unexpected was par the course.
"Zhere's a golf course in ze basement?" Jackie asked to my right.
...That was an expression.
"I guess at least we have a proper place to hold our meetings now." Hideki remarked, crossing over to check the projector. "It's functional, but unless either of you have VGA or HDMI cables…?"
That last question was directed at Nico and Sasha, who both shook their heads. "My computer's mainly for music," Nico explained with a sheepish smile, "I've only got your standard MP3 jack."
"I don't even know what a VGA cable is," Sasha muttered.
"Well, in any case, Cyclops is right."
I turned. In the short time we had been here, Maya had already put herself comfortably on a swivel chair, and was now resting her legs on top of the table lazily. "Y'know, I could get used to this," she commented, leaning backwards.
We all stared at her, before Hideki sighed and motioned for all of us to sit down as well.
Johan raised an eyebrow. "We're having a meeting right now?"
"I was going to address you all after breakfast, actually," he replied, "Circumstances - the Pilots - led us here instead, so I figured we might as well take advantage of it."
We all took a chair each, and I noted with a pang of guilt that five of them were unoccupied when we were done.
"So...the motive." Hideki grimaced. "I'm very well aware that almost everyone sitting here has someone left on the airship that they care about. As such, there's no opportune way to ensure that we abstain from murder in lieu of the consequences."
"Unfortunately." Maya drawled. "Even if you tried to get us to pair up, you run the risk of any of the pairs cooperating to pull off at least one successful murder - hell, maybe two, and then four of us would get out."
Matthew shrugged. "That, and there's eleven of us. We can't exactly guarantee that all of us can or will stay in our assigned groups after being paired up too."
"Which brings me to the point of this meeting." Looking at each and every one of us, Hideki's eye landed on me. "If we are unable to set any rules to prevent murder, which I think we are seeing how the last few attempts worked out, then can I at least trust in you all to confess whether or not you have the urge to murder purely because of the motive?" He turned back away.
Sasha nodded from their chair. "...I do not have the urge to kill over the motive, because I am good at suppressing such urges. But I confess that this motive is more convincing than the others, if only marginally." They looked rather annoyed for whatever reason, but I shrugged it off. More important things to worry about.
"I do not have any such urge," Jackie muttered indignantly from where she sat.
"Neither do I." Matthew agreed. Looked like we were circling around the table.
Maya just stared at Hideki. "Me? Nope. Not a chance."
Eric looked mildly insulted by that last one, but he also piped up. "Not unless a very good opportunity presents itself. Though I'd be hard-pressed to find one while holding crutches."
"Aidan is outside the airship, not inside it. So that's a no from me." Nico nodded.
"I have been trained to resist temptation. I should hope that this one is no different." Faen acknowledged, though he looked uncertain. He caught my eye, and sighed. "Do whatever you must to restrain me should the thought persist in my mind."
Johan hugged him. "Don't worry, Faen, you have me," he said. "I'll make sure we'll get through this together without having to resort to violence."
"Ava has long since perished." Lucille intoned, looking away. "As such, I do not think I have ze urge, though I ask zhat you keep an eye on me as well, s'il vous plaît."
And then it was my turn.
My answer was the same as it ever would be. Regardless of the time and place, my survival and that of one of my friends did not justify the need to kill another. "None whatsoever."
"Good. This meeting can be concluded, I suppose. Let's take the time to explore this basement. If what the Pilots say is true, then the bodies of our friends are in here somewhere as well." Hideki waved, before standing up.
We all got up as well, and proceeded to go our separate ways. I myself followed Sasha down the hallway marked 'Shrine'.
Area unlocked: Shrine!
Meeting Room
Shrine
Selected Area: Shrine
An ethereal, silent place. While every other room we've been to has at least some form of background noise, like the waves of the swimming pool's water, or the tinkling of the chandelier in the atrium, there's nothing to be heard here.
It's what's there to be seen that takes the proverbial cake.
"..." When I arrived Sasha was staring at a coffin, a blank look on their face. There were five of said coffins, three of them closed, two open. The one Sasha was staring at was open wide.
Inside was the body of none other than Xiang Li, looking just as it had when Sasha had first discovered him yesterday.
"...This is just cruel," I found myself uttering.
"Yeah. I know," they muttered dryly as they walked over to Xiang, leaning over to look at his corpse. With a tug, they gently plucked the scarf - which had been replaced - from his neck. "He looks so peaceful. Unlike us living."
"Don't tell me you envy him."
"No. I don't. I don't like the idea of dying." They wrapped the scarf around their neck with a sigh. "I just...miss him, is all. He was my second friend."
"...second?" I hadn't been aware Sasha had ever had friends. I supposed it was inevitable for even the most abrasive of people to make friends, but still. Sasha was different, almost as though they actively tried to push people away.
"Yeah. Some dick in my theater club. Don't care anymore. It was all a mistake." They sighed, and turned to look at the other exposed coffin. JJ, looking identical to when we had discovered him. "Not as bad as Jackson, but pretty bad."
"I see." I looked at the closed coffins, frowning. "This is...weird."
"You mean that Dunham's coffin is closed as if he was executed? Yeah." They sighed yet again, before their eyes perked up. "Something's off." Abruptly, Sasha powerwalked over to what we assumed was Todd's coffin and threw the lid off.
Inside was nothing.
"...They really didn't find him. Huh." They stared at the other coffins. "No use opening those, I'd assume. Not like there was much left of Tremblay or Phuong either way."
"...Yeah." I shuddered, remembering their horrible executions.
"Wish there was a little of Phuong left, though. Now that my sparring partner is gone I could at least use a new punching bag."
Oh my god. Were they saying what I thought they were? "Sasha, you can't punch a corpse!"
"She killed him. She doesn't deserve anything better. Hey, at least I'm not kissing Xiang's corpse or anything."
"...Can we please stop talking about this?" I shuddered.
"...Yeah." They sighed and stared at the ground.
I stood there in silence for several moments, just looking at the corpses. It was Sasha who eventually broke the silence.
"You don't like me, do you?"
"No, of course I do." I frowned. "What makes you think that I don't?"
"I don't even like me." They walked for the door, shoving their hands into their pockets as they did. "By the way, I'd stay away from Kenta if I were you. He's going to break you for sure. But you don't have to listen to me."
They were out the door before I could respond.
Simply put, I was confused. Where was this negativity coming from?
Sigh...Guess I'll try somewhere and someone else.
Area unlocked: Chapel!
Meeting Room
Shrine
Chapel
Selected Area: Chapel
A small chamber, lined with two rows of benches, leading up to an altar of sorts. From where I'm standing, I can see quite a selection of religious items, ranging from a cross, to a copy of the Bible, to an unnerving statue of Buddha, though I can't tell why-
Oh. This one has a Monokuma head on it.
I'm pretty sure there's some unspoken rule against defiling religious idols...
"Ashie?"
I turned my head. A very familiar blonde was seated by one of the benches, hands
"Nico?" Walking closer, I sat down beside her. "I admit I didn't really take you for the religious type..."
"If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When all you have is a prayer, might as well." she reasoned. "I'm a freethinker, so I will admit I'm not devoutly religious, but if a prayer can get us out of this situation, then I'll pray with all I have."
Nodding in silent agreement, I closed my eyes and waited.
Some time passed, before I felt a hand on my shoulder. "I'm done. Thanks for waiting, Ashie, I appreciate the thought."
"No problem." Opening my eyes, I looked around the small establishment - there wasn't anything particularly out of place. "So, what are you going to do now?" I asked.
"I dunno...I might try looking around some more." A thought seemed to jump into her, for she got up with a start. "Actually, what are the chances that Todd might be here?"
Todd? Oh yeah, the pilots still haven't found him!
"It's possible…" I mused. "I mean, he might have figured out a route to get into the deeper portions of the airship without any of us, or them, knowing. He is an acrobat, after all - he might have found an unconventional way around."
"That's just it! Maybe he's just in hiding so that those Pilots can't get to him! I'll see you around, Ashley, and hope I have good news to broadcast when I'm done!"
With renewed vigour and a spring in her step, Nico was off.
I laughed briefly, before frowning. It was hard to believe that this was the same Nico that was bawling her eyes out just two days ago, or asking me to help end her life.
Those scars...I still can't get that horrible image out of my head.
But I perished the thought. If anything, I could count on her to be refreshingly honest about what she was feeling at the moment - and if that meant she was happy right now, by jove, let her be happy for all our sakes.
Shrugging goodnaturedly, I turned to leave the chapel for another part of the basement.
Area unlocked: Library!
Meeting Room
Shrine
Chapel
Library
Selected Area: Library
A pretty spacious library, filled with shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books. A cursory glance reveals titles in many languages - some that I don't even recognize. The presumable middle of the library, where the door opens up to, has a few sofas and tables, and, as Yukari mentioned, there are three computer terminals hooked up to a power source.
As I stepped in, I saw Johan attempting to turn on one of the computers, to no avail.
"Damnit...Blasted thing won't even switch on," he cursed. "At this rate, the only thing left that sounds feasible is pressing the same button over and over in the hope of yielding some results!"
"Um...Let's just say it's not working right now and leave it at that." I walked forward, checking the desktop for myself. Unfortunately, I couldn't discern what was wrong with it either.
Should have paid more attention in Computer Science class...
"Ah, Ashley, a pleasant afternoon to you." Faen greeted, walking in from between two shelves holding a feather duster. "I bid you both not to stress yourselves over it - it is likely that the pilots have restricted access in order to prevent us from turning it to our advantage."
"Naturally."
Monokuma came strolling down yet another aisle, and due to the self-assured tone in his voice I assumed it was likely Ataru controlling, as per the usual.
"Ataru." Johan addressed, reinforcing my guesswork. "Here to mock us?"
"Well, that, and your boyfriend's missed a speck of dust by that top shelf. But anyways," he sat down on one of the sofas. "Enjoying the amenities so far? We didn't really have time to completely repurpose the airship after we stole it, so excuse us if the reading material is a bit...odd."
Picking a random book off the shelf, I checked the title. "The...Bon Vivant's Companion?" I uttered, slightly confused. "Isn't this a book on bartending?"
"That it is." Faen commented, having swept the offending filth away from the shelf Monokuma had pointed to. "It's one of the 'traveling ten', or the ten titles that all butlers are required to commit to memory, or at least carry on their being. I do believe I had them with me when I boarded the flight, though…"
He looked at the bear. "Like most of my other luggage, they seem to have disappeared."
"Don't look at me. I put Yukari in charge of your baggage." Monokuma froze for a bit, before speaking again, this time with a more flouncy verve to his voice, indicating who it was behind the voice controller. "I dropped the rest of it over the Pacific. Can't have the authorities on our tail, now can we?"
Oh dear.
"You know, if one of us actually graduated, how would you go about explaining their missing stuff?" Johan piped up, unamused.
"..." Monokuma inclined his head. "You actually have a point there. My bad - I was trying to spite the Comrade, and it got a little out of hand. Just for that, and considering I'm in some kinda good mood thanks to your washboard blondie-"
I flinched, remembering the first time they had called Nico that - her violent outburst made so much more sense now.
"-I'll unlock one of the computers for you. Just one, mind you, and no internet."
Walking over to the nearest computer terminal, Monokuma's hand retracted, before a USB drive popped out. Plugging it into the system unit, the desktop immediately sprung to life, showing a 'Monokuma' loading screen.
"These are the Archives. Trust me, there's not much that can help you against us, but what you can find might interest you. Cheerio." Ataru was back in the saddle. Finished with his modifications, he walked away, and in a blink, the bear had disappeared back to parts unknown.
I turned back to the computer. It had reached the desktop screen, and contained a few folders. Clicking on one labeled 'Vault', I arrived to find...student profiles?
Hey, hang on.
Opening the first name on the list, the grinning, blond face of a young-looking boy filled the screen. Scrolling down revealed his name, age...and most distressingly, talent.
Ayasato, Toroi/15/Actor
Status: Executed
"Oh no...I think I know what's going on." I murmured to my growing horror. "These are the archives of past Mutual Killing Games."
The two boys immediately hunkered down beside me, as I scrolled through the rest of the files quickly. More faces, more names, each of them bearing a unique talent. The profiles were meticulously written, and as we read through the biographies of each student, I realized that most, if not all of it, was in praise - there were very few disapproving comments, even about the blackened.
Clearly, someone had a very high opinion of them, and it ended up not being very hard to figure out who it was. The fourth name down the list was a dead giveaway.
Student Profile - Inoue, Ataru
The cursor hovered over the document containing his records.
...Should I click it?
I heard Johan grunt to my right. "Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?" he reasoned, clicking it.
Of course, it was to no avail - Ataru had password-protected his own form.
"Figures." Faen sighed. "Do you want to check out the other files?"
I couldn't see why not, so we continued browsing.
Takahashi, Hiro/17/Cult Expert
Status: Executed
O'Malley, Timothy/15/Criminologist
Status: Alive
Fukugami, Miyako/19/Screenwriter
Status: Murdered
Mizushima, Helen/18/Marine Biologist
Status: Executed
Yoshida, Yasu/15/Plane Mechanic
Status: Murdered
Yoshida, Sho/16/Pilot
Status: Executed
...Pilot? That's odd, doesn't that talent belong to one of our hosts?
"Eh, don't think too much into it."
Speak of the devil...Yukari's childish face appeared in a sudden video call, causing the three of us to freak out for a second. "He was in the 'year' above me, so our talents didn't really clash - if anything, you should consider yourself lucky you have a unique talent, chosenjin," she giggled coquettishly.
Uh...translation?
"You're not getting it. Anyways, you might as well move on. Ataru wasn't lying when he said there wasn't much that would help you. Buh-bye!"
The call ended, and simultaneously, we all exhaled breaths I didn't even know we'd been holding. "That was unexpected…" Faen admitted. "However, if what Miss Nishiyima says is right, then I do suppose we should probably move on elsewhere."
"I don't like it, but I don't see anything else we can do." Johan got up, and moved to the door, before turning back and extending a hand. "Faen?"
"Gladly." The Butler took it, and they walked out of the room together.
Aw...That's so sweet.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I moved on too, towards an area that, as I moved closer...feels hotter by the second.
Area unlocked: Engine Room - Boiler!
Area unlocked: Engine Room - Workshop!
Area unlocked: Engine Room - Generator!
Meeting Room
Shrine
Chapel
Library
Engine Room - Boiler
Engine Room - Workshop
Engine Room - Generator
Selected Area: Engine Room - Boiler
A large boiler stands in the middle of what otherwise is a fairly plain room. The steam that leaves is channeled through the vents above - they must be how the airship is being kept warm in the otherwise cold atmosphere.
"Ah, Ashley, ma belle, I see you have found us."
"Hm? Oh, hiya, Ashley."
Lucille and Eric appeared to be in the middle of a conversation as I entered the fairly heated room. "I was just asking about his apparent...friendship, with Maya. It eez curious, would you not admit?"
"Yeah, well…" he groaned. "I seriously don't know anymore. Does she like me? Does she want to tear my bloody guts out? She's so...confusing." He smiled. "I suppose that's the good thing, though. I prefer hard-to-get, otherwise things would just be too easy."
I raised an eyebrow in response.
"I ain't a bloody liar, Ashley. When I say I like hard-to-get, I mean it."
"He certainly knows zhat, at least. If he wants to continue, I do not see any reason to stop him." Lucille shrugged. "Besides, it'll be Maya who shall have ze dubious honour."
Giggling, I stepped closer, and put a hand on the metal contraption in the middle of the room. "This is a boiler, right?"
"Yeah, though it's pretty high-tech. The ones back at the theatres are too hot to even go near, but," Eric placed a hand on the machine as well. "You can feel that it's only warm. Makes me wonder how they managed to afford all of this."
"Eet must be by virtue of connection." Lucille guessed. "Zhey must have some very rich financial backers in order to secure it, or possibly just the one they mentioned during the trial."
I thought back to the events of yesterday. "Mistress Enoshima?" I repeated, unsure.
"Enoshima…?" Eric thought for a moment. "Sounds familiar. Dunno from where."
Sigh. "Maybe it was just a red herring to throw us off?"
"Who knows for sure? In any case, considering we are woefully bereft of anything else to do in zis room, I suggest it is best zhat we move on."
"Word-" he sputtered, before correcting himself - and his accent. "Sure. Tally ho."
Meeting Room
Shrine
Chapel
Library
Engine Room - Boiler
Engine Room - Workshop
Engine Room - Generator
Selected Area: Engine Room - Workshop
A small workshop, filled with crafting equipment and other assorted power tools. A forge of sorts sits in one corner, and the smoke that escapes it is being sucked away by a myriad of fans in the ceiling...But where does it go?
"I'm hoping it gets released from the airship...That would make a pretty good smoke signal, and might be of some use towards attracting help towards our location."
And again, I'm caught talking out loud.
Both Matthew and Jackie waved hi to me, and I returned the favour, before looking grimly at the forge. "Unfortunately, I don't think we're lucky enough for zhat to happen." Jackie cursed. "So far, zhey have taken every precaution necessary to ensure our continued stay here, therefore ze chances of our freedom yet remain low."
I sighed. What else is new?
Matthew walked over and picked up a set-square from the workshop table. "Still, it feels like there's something off...Why would the Deadly Duo give us access to all of these materials? Like, what's the point if we're not going to be able to use them for any good, eh?"
He frowned. "I'm just...I feel so helpless to prevent anything anymore. I only came on this trip because I wanted to have an identity for myself - a Super High School Level to call my own. Why is it that everything has to go wrong so badly? I just can't even-"
He was cut off as Jackie pressed her lips against his.
"Do not fear, ma chérie, you will have your title soon enough. We cannot be trapped here forever - zhere will be rescue teams, I just know it!"
And with that, both dived in again, kissing each other ferociously, and leaving a sordidly-embarrassed me watching from the sidelines.
Okay...this is getting awkward.
Excusing myself from the premises, I walked down yet another hallway.
Meeting Room
Shrine
Chapel
Library
Engine Room - Boiler
Engine Room - Workshop
Engine Room - Generator
Selected Area: Engine Room - Generator
The main source of power on the airship, featuring a giant hunk of metal that I have no idea how to describe in full detail, but appears to be dotted with levers, dials and handles of all shapes and sizes, plus a few stairs to maneuver around it.
I'm surprised they let us access to it so easily...then again, I don't think anyone's foolish enough to sabotage the only thing keeping us afloat-
Huh? What's…?
As I walked closer, I saw Maya bent down beside one of the dials. I wanted to approach her and ask what she was doing, but as I made to move forward-
"Tch." Abruptly, she got up.
I ducked behind the doorway, unsure if whether or not I was intruding on something I should not have been privy to. A few tense moments passed, before I ducked my head around ever so slightly.
She was gone - probably left by one of the other doorways.
I stepped closer, crouching to get a look at what she had been fiddling with.
...I have no idea what this is supposed to be.
Shaking it off, I got up. No use trying to figure out something I didn't understand.
What I did understand, at least partially, was Maya. And right now, I wasn't sure what to think. What was she doing that could have been related to the generator in any way?
Sighing, I went on my way to the last room I had yet to visit - for some strange reason, there was only one passageway that led to it, going directly from the engine itself. It wasn't the one Maya left for, so there was no need to confront her yet.
But it was still curious all the same.
Area unlocked: Replica Class Trial Room!
Meeting Room
Shrine
Chapel
Library
Engine Room - Boiler
Engine Room - Workshop
Engine Room - Generator
Replica Class Trial Room
Selected Area: Replica Class Trial Room
A very familiar sight indeed - sixteen spots, one large armchair, and one roulette machine. A closer look reveals indentations on the wooden stands, and that they encircle an area of floor with grooved lines, as if it can open up to something.
...But what? And why is it here of all places?
This is...very odd. Don't we have a trial room under the casino's roulette table already? What's another one doing here?
I jumped in fright as Hideki appeared to materialize by my side. "The question on everyone's mind, I'm sure," he mumbled, before turning to me. "Sorry, did I scare you? I didn't mean to, but I thought you already knew I was here."
"I did know you were here…" Yeah, that lie isn't going to be fooling anyone.
His one eye lit up in amusement. "Of course you did. But since you've been so honest with me so far, let's drop the matter."
Gesturing to the room, he continued, "I should hope that I don't need to explain what's so special about this room, but I can tell you that I've been poking around it ever since we split up from the meeting room. For example-"
He walked over to the massive, gilded armchair situated to the side, and lightly pressed against the seat. Instantly, the circular grooves in the middle of the stands folded back on themselves, and the orange light that started glowing was confirmed our guesses.
"Do you think it's here in case they needed a backup?" I asked.
"Possibly...I cannot fathom why they would need one, however. This is their airship, after all, who do they expect will sabotage our first trial room?"
I found myself agreeing with Hideki. Really though, if it's here just as a backup, why would they give us access to it so freely?
What exactly is the purpose of this trial room?
Curiouser and curiouser...
Act 3-5 FIN
11 Students Remaining
A/N: Well. We're back. Again. It seems like our updates are painfully slow, what with SD and my conflicting schedules and the fact that we're busy with school and modding an RP group respectively (I'm playing Sasha in the group I'm modding, in fact. Or rather, a totally revised version of them).
We're really sorry for the slow updates! We'll try to update more frequently. Next up is free times - vote in the poll on my profile and desperately hope that you get one with the upcoming victim and murderer!
-Lime