Tomorrow's World
Based on official 999 art. How far was Hongou willing to go for the Nonary Project? He did not spare even the kids of the Cradle Pharmaceutical Heads and made them participants, his own son and daughter included. Now, 9 years down the line, his resentful son, Keiichi, join forces with Akane and Aoi to orchestrate the second Nonary Game to and his father's downfall. Follows canon.
This was posted on Ao3 in 2017 for 999 week and wanted to post it here, too. This story came about when I was going through the Zero Escape Wiki and I saw that the four of the five other participants on the Gigantic reminded me of the four Cradle Pharmaceutical heads. I realized that they must have been children or relatives of the heads. One boy in particular stood out to me, since he looked just like Ace, and, thus, this story idea was born. I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is copyright © 2017 Turnabout Writer. All rights reserved.
Chapter 1
- - October 29th, 2018; 3:43PM - -
"And, we're home!" Papa's voice echoes through the grand, marble hallway.
The boy feels his jaw drop. It seems like a still from an American home magazine. It's nothing like the traditional mansions he has seen on TV. Brilliant, large arched windows light the white, marble floors with the sun's warm, soft beams, and give a stunning view into the estate's huge garden. He can see a gazebo nestled between a few cherry blossom trees, painted red and orange in the fall foliage of late October. It's a breathtaking view.
Before he can stop himself, Keiichi exclaims, "It's beautiful!"
"Wow! It's sooooo big!" he hears his sister, Keiko, too, marvel in awe, right before their father lifts her onto his shoulders. "Papa!" she squeals in surprise.
He smirks, as he sets Keiko back down on the floor. "It's a beauty, isn't it? I bought the house this summer. There's a indoor and outdoor pool for you to play in and a home movie theater – "
"A movie theater?" Keiko gasps with her wide eyes and open mouth.
Papa laughs. "Not as big as an actual theater, my jewel, but yes." He pauses for a moment, as if he is choosing his next words carefully. "The next 11 days will be full of fun and games for you both . . . I promise."
.
"Yori," Papa calls out to the raven-haired servant, who is dusting the indoor poolroom's table. "Come here for a moment!"
It's been two days since Keiichi and Keiko first arrived at Papa's giant mansion. Their father has been nothing but kind to them, but for a reason he can't determine, Keiichi has been on the edge, feeling bad that something is going to happen.
"Silly Papa! That's not Yori!" She giggles, splashing Papa with the water.
"It's Norio," says Keiichi, who is sitting at the pool's edge in his swim trucks, his feet dangling over the edge. That's strange that Papa would confuse the two servants – yes, they are brothers who both have black hair, but their faces both look completely different from each other.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Master Gentarou. I am Norio."
"Oh." His father looks taken aback, but then shakes his head and gives a little chuckle. "I apologize, Norio. You and your brother look very similar."
Norio smiles back at him. "It's no worry, Master . . . Yori has gone to pick up the groceries you've ordered, but what can I do for you?"
"I needed to tell Yori something important, but it's alright. I'll tell him when he returns. Since you're here, though, can you get us a few towels, please? I think our skin has been pruning for enough in the pool now."
He nods dutifully. "Yes, Master."
After they leave the pool, Keiichi goes up to his room to shower – he and Keiko have their own rooms with their very own bathrooms in them! – and change into fresh clothing.
He looks down at Keiichi with a look of both pity and disgust. "What does your mother do with all of the money I give her, that she can't afford to buy you a pair of proper jeans?"
"They're supposed to be in style, Papa," he replies defends. It's a lie, though. He doesn't know what his mother does with the money his father has given for him and Keiko.
Understanding begins to dawn upon Papa's face as his eyes soften. "I'd like to take you both shopping while you're here and get you some nice clothing."
He feels his father's palm smooth over his hair once. "We'll get you a proper haircut, too, cub. Now, let's go eat."
And eat they do.
Keiichi and Keiko feel stuffed beyond belief, since their father has overfed them with such delicious food – a feast, really, satisfying even the picky Keiichi, who finds many foods to be bland and tasteless. Their dinners thus far have been more than what they eat at home with their mother, but today's dinner was massive. Yori cooked up all of Keiichi's and Keiko's favorite foods. Their father watches them dig into their food, amused.
After dinner, the three of them head up to the game room Papa has made for them, with video game consoles and table games Papa has brought back from his recent trip to America. They play for a few hours or so, with Papa watching them silently, until they're in the middle of their second game of air hockey.
"I forgot my phone."
Keiichi gasps, startled by his father's voice and immediately looks up at Papa - whose face is pensive - releasing his paddle. He then hears the puck fall into his slot, and Keiko cheering.
He turns back to her with a pout. "Hey, wait, no fair!" he whines. "I wasn't paying attention – "
Papa stares at him intently. "Keiichi, get my phone from the kitchen, please."
"Just one minute, Papa, please!" he pleads, before turning to his sister. "Keiko, you – "
His eyes narrow at his son. "Keiichi, I asked you to get my phone from the kitchen." His voice is calm, but also icy enough to make Keiichi stop speaking and straighten up his back. Keiko, too, stops giggling.
Keiichi bows his head down. "I-I'm sorry, Papa," he stammers. "I'll get it now." He quickly runs out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.
Papa's high-tech, advanced phone is on the marble countertop, where they ate. Keiichi immediately grabs it. Unable to resist, he unlocks the phone and opens the game application he always likes to play on Papa's phone.
In the middle of his game, however, he hears a hissing sound from his right somewhere. It makes him look up from the phone. In his peripheral vision, he sees a blur of black. Is that Yori? He turns his head to see, but can't find anything or anyone.
A strong scent hits his nostrils and he feels his eyelids grow heavier and heavier – but where is that sound coming from . . . ?
The phone slips from Keiichi's hand as he feels himself lose consciousness.
He drifts between in and out of consciousness, with no idea of what is happening, but the next time he fully wakes up, he's in a flooding cabin on a ship, with a Number 9 bracelet on his wrist.
.
- - November 2nd, 2018; 12:23AM - -
"Papa!" he cries out happily, running to the familiar figure that looms in front of him. He has just escaped the cabin with the Number 9 door painted on it. Narrowly escaped, actually. Whatever the case is, Keiichi feels so relieved. The water in that flooded the cabin was getting past his knees, causing half of his pants to get drenched. But now that he sees Papa, he can go home to him and Keiko and change out of these uncomfortable jeans.
He is about to hug Papa in relief, but his smirks stops Keiichi from doing so. It's a scary place, and now, his father seems to be acting scary, too.
"Keiichi. There's my boy."
"Papa! Papa, what's going on?!" he asks frantically, holding his hand hesitantly. "Where are we? Where is Keiko?!"
Without any answer or prelude or worry for Keiichi, Papa speaks in a dark voice. "Listen to me, Keiichi. This ship is about to sink. You only have 9 hours to get off. Follow the rules in place and you'll be off before it happens . . . think of it as a game of sorts."
"What?!" Keiichi shrieks. "Papa, no, I don't want to play this game!" He holds back his cries, knowing Papa will get upset and rebuke him for his tears. He holds his father's forearm and tugs on it. "Take me off this ship – please, Papa, please!"
"Keiichi," Papa says softly, but his smile doesn't fade, "Nothing will happen to you as long as you follow the rules. You're my son. I won't let anything happen to you."
He sniffles, but doesn't say anything.
Papa smiles, pleased. "Now pay attention. One of the rules that won't be told to you, and that you have to keep to yourself is that you must keep tabs on Participant 5 . . . whatever door she goes through, you will go through. I want you to learn what you can about her. I've given you an advantage that will help you in the game and help you follow that participant. Do you follow what I am saying?" His father's eyes take on a crazed, unfamiliar look as he smirks.
Keiichi gulps and nods shakily.
"My eyes will be on you at all times. Nothing will happen to you and you will not get hurt, but you mustn't fail this task, Keiichi . . . after all, Keiko's trapped, too."
His eyes widen. "What?! Where is she?!" he cries, grabbing onto Papa's arm again and shaking it slightly.
Papa gently removes Keiichi's hands from his arms. "She's stuck like you." He sounds calm, but his eyes are wildly lit up.
Keiichi gasps. "K-Keiko!" he calls out, as his head moves around, desperate to find her. "Keiko!"
"She's not here. She's in a place similar but in a different place. The only difference is, she's in a building on land, and you're on a cruise liner in the water."
He gasps. "Why? Why is she there? Why are we here? Why are you doing this? Tell me," he pleads in a whimper.
"Shh, shh. No questions, cub." Papa's voice is nearly mocking, and it unnerves Keiichi. "She's safe for now, but in order for her to stay safe, you need to follow my directions. Finish the game and you'll both be back with me at home soon enough. It's only 9 hours, Keiichi."
Keiichi wants to argue with Papa, but the man's steely gaze stops him from opening his mouth. He nods curtly. "Yes, Papa. I won't let you down." Tears fill his eyes, but he does his best to keep them from falling. 9 hours. He could do this. For Keiko.
Papa grins lecherously. "Good. That's my cub." He pats his son's head twice, almost lovingly, and it leaves his son with a sad smile that twists into a grimace not a full two seconds later.
.
"M-My bracelet number is 1." The short boy pushes his glasses up. Keiichi recognizes him as Uncle Teruaki's son, Fumio.
"My number is 2," says the blind boy, Light - he already introduced himself to the group and just prompted them to tell everyone their bracelet numbers.
Ryota Musashidou is here, too. Keiichi has always found him to be a bully whenever they've met at Cradle's company parties. "My number is 3." The burly boy punches a fist against his palm.
The white-haired boy with the blue scarf shrugs. "4."
Keiichi holds his breath as he awaits the next number.
"My number's 5," a voice speaks up softly. Keiichi's eyes immediately meet the violet eyes of the brunette who just spoke. This is the girl who his father ordered him to stay with.
A little girl with reddish-brown hair speaks up next. "I am 6."
"And I am 7."
"My number is 8."
Keiichi takes a deep breath. "9." And then it hits him. This is the advantage his father mentioned. If his math is right, he can go through any door he pleases, since adding 9 to a set of numbers does not change their digital root. That means it will be easy to take whatever door that girl goes through.
"Why don't we introduce ourselves?" Light suggests.
While they speak, Keiichi takes a few steps closer to the girl with the number 7 bracelet. "Rikona?" he whispers, as he pulls Mr. Nijisaki's daughter's arm to drag her away from the group.
"Hello, Keiichi." She nods back, unsurprised by his presence. Does she know what is going on?
"What are you doing here?" he questions. "Do you know what's happening? Why are we here?!" His voice grows louder and desperate with each question.
"Shut up," she hisses back at him. "Shika and Keiko need us to get through this without any trouble." Shika is Rikona's little sister.
"What? You know where they are?!"
From the corner of his eye, Keiichi sees that the white-haired boy with the number 4 bracelet, Aoi, peers over the group of people to see him and Rikona together. "Hey!" he calls out. "What are you two planning over there? Do you both know each other?"
Keiichi steps forward and nods. "Yes. She is my friend, Rikona." That might have been the wrong thing to say, because he feels Rikona pinch his hip. He winces and holds back his yelp, but thankfully, Aoi doesn't notice.
The others begin to speculate on why they're here – and Fumio and Ryota's silence leaves Keiichi surprised, since he would have thought that they'd acknowledge that they knew each other – but Rikona ominously whispers into Keiichi's ear, "Why the hell did you tell them that we know each other?"
Keiichi blinks in confusion, but doesn't turn to Rikona. "What's the point in hiding it?"
She ignores him, and continues on. "At least, Ryota and Fumio had the brains to keep quiet."
Aoi is about to open his mouth to speak but is interrupted by a voice speaking through the intercom.
"Welcome aboard . . . I welcome you all, from the bottom of my heart, to this, my vessel."
A chill runs through Keiichi as he hears the voice explain that – it may well be distorted through a voice changer, but the cadence of speech is his father's. Through listening to his sickening words, Keiichi discovers that each participant has a sibling in a building, similar to this, who is transmitting information to them through some morphogenetic field thing – something that Light promises to explain more about, when the others, except for Rikona and Fumio, of course, express their confusion on. That means Keiko is in Building Q, playing the Nonary Game, too.
After his father goes over all of the rules of this twisted game, the others discuss their next course of action, in regards to the doors. Keiichi immediately takes charge and calculates in his head on how to divide the teammates between doors, so that he can pair himself up with Akane easily. He has never done mental math so quickly in his life, and chalks it down to the pressure of this life-threatening situation he is in, and of saving his sister from their father's clutches.
"Number 2, Number 5, Number 6, and I, Number 9, will take Door 4. The rest of you can take Door 5, because, when we add your numbers, 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8, up, you get 23, and its digital root is 5." He says it all in one breath, and sighs in relief when the others agree to the plan – Aoi does make a face, and the girl in the green dress and the bracelet with an 8 on it, Nona, frowns.
Keiichi isn't sure why Aoi is not completely on board with the plan, but Nona makes her reason known immediately.
She walks up to Keiichi, holding the hand of the girl with the bracelet number 6. "Take special care of her, please. She's only 6 years old, like the number on her bracelet; she is the youngest out of all of us." She lets go of the girl's hand and smiles at her.
"We'll meet again soon."