M
Mason Moretti
Guest
Continued from here.
The story so far... At a dinner hosted by Wanda Maximoff, nothing was as it seemed.
Agatha Harkness arrived to crash the party and threatened Wanda, telling her she was not herself. Wanda lashed out in anger and attempted to cut off Agatha from her powers, her actions ending up removing everyone of their abilities.
"Daddy" then arrived and attacked the group. He slammed Josephine's head against the table, killing her, while Kyoko pleaded with Wanda to end this. Seemingly at odds with herself, Wanda commanded everyone to go and enveloped them in some kind of spell that teleported them to an old building.
Here, the group split up to find a way out but ended up coming across many traps and puzzles along the way. A group in the basement found a slot machine that took strange coins. The machine rewarded both prizes and punishments, inconveniencing the group until they found a fuse. This fuse allowed the group to open up a stairwell to the attic where they encountered some kind of monster.
Another group found a strange tape in the living room and, upon playing it, learned the footage was backward. Phil ended up playing a song found hidden behind a portrait backward in order to open a secret passage, which led down into an undiscovered part of the basement. A group ventured down, where they had to face a passage submerged in water. It was here they discovered the dead body of Josephine. Her body had a key on it, which opened a cell in the basement, freeing a man named Shane. He didn't seem to remember anything, but he did recall a set of four numbers.
A third group went to the bathroom where, after solving a puzzle, found a key to a cabinet in the kitchen. In the cabinet was a dummy hand that had another key hidden inside of it. The kitchen group also found a tree sapling statuette by using bolt cutters on a padlock.
A few of the groups converged to watch the tape after Billy fixed it to play forward. The tape showed footage of two males, Makoto and Jude, both of which Kyoko knew. The two briefly discussed their situation, alluding to a code the group would need. The tape ended when the pair were attacked by some kind of enraged woman.
Using the various codes and items found, the group unlocked a passage in the attack and opened a door to a bright light. This light enveloped the group and they found themselves inside a ballroom filled with dancers who refused to show their faces. Makoto greeted the group here, apparently now married to Kyoko and with memories of a pleasant life.
The group was unsure how to proceed, but eventually, they try to mess with the evening, which caused the dancers to attack them. After enough chaos was made, crossbowmen appeared to shoot members of the group, which signaled the entrance of a bear named Monokuma. The bear taunted the group, who believed him now to be the mastermind of all this. He assured them he wasn't, but when they tried to flee, he ordered his lackeys to attack the group.
Chapter Two
"Don't Keep the Man Waiting"
At a time indeterminate...
"Check the old house, Genji! Margaret, keep an eye on the others. Jack, go to the guest house!"
Ruby rushed into the greenhouse as she heard shouting echo from somewhere nearby. There was no doubt Wanda was on her heels. Ruby ducked for a low hanging wall, just so she could peek over it to watch Wanda as she entered the greenhouse carrying a large pair of shears. She moved slowly and called out in a soft tone.
"Oh, Ruby... Where are you? I know you and I had our words and maybe Jack got too handy on you. The man is strict and you'll be his daughter soon, you know? It should be water under the bridge, so... Come on out!"
Getting closer to Ruby, Wanda kept talking. "The boys, they want to see you. They love 'Aunt Ruby.' I know you enjoy playing with them..."
Suddenly, Wanda lashed out with her powers and knocked over Ruby's covering.
"So why won't you just accept her gift!?"
With her cover gone, Ruby knew there was no use in hiding, not anymore... Never in her life, had she expected for it to come to this with Wanda, but considering the situation at hand, It looked like she had no other choice...
"I... didn't! I couldn't!" she cried out in vain.
Her hand reached for her trusty Crescent Rose, stowed away on her back. With the whole family around, it didn't seem feasible before, but now... Drawing her weapon, Ruby aimed it at Wanda. She didn't want to have to use it on her friend, but she knew she might just have to.
"Please Wanda... Wake up... Don't make me do this...!" she said quietly.
Though in the end, if her words didn't do the trick, she still had her semblance and her Crescent Rose to rely on. Though even that might not have been enough for the Scarlet Witch.
Wanda stood for a moment, staring. Eventually, she slowly walked toward the girl. Ruby's powers were useless. Wanda only had to make it a reality with just one thought. With a wave of her hand, the Crescent Rose was sent flying out of sight. Wanda stepped forward and grabbed at the girl's neck. Ruby fought back, but Wanda was strong. Lifting the girl in the air by her neck, Wanda plunged the shears into Ruby's gut, her eyes fixed on her former friend.
Wanda stopped. She tossed the shears to the wall.
"Run..."
Without her semblance, aura, or even her Crescent Rose, the odds were stacked against Ruby. When Wanda dropped her, she fell to the ground in a heap, defeated. Her body was filled with pain, but yet... even when Wanda told her to run, she found that she couldn't.
Instead, she gritted her teeth against the intense pain and got herself up with a defiant and almost stubborn look in her eyes. Perhaps some aspects of Sophie had rubbed off on her after all...
"No! I... won't... let you... hurt... anyone else...!" she said through gritted teeth.
Raising her hands as she began to stumble forwards, it seemed that she was dead set on fighting until the very end.
Wanda teared up as she watched the Red Reaper. Ruby was ready to fight, but Wanda seemed tired. Instead of lashing out, she ended up doing something surpising. Wanda picked the girl up and into her arms. Craddling her, Wanda slowly moved to a rocking chair in the corner of the greenhouse, a trail of Ruby's blood following in her wake.
Ruby's body was battered, but her spirit had yet to break, and in Wanda's brief moment of what looked to be lucidity, Ruby reached out a hand to grasp Wanda's.
Fixing Ruby's hair, Wanda stared into Ruby's eyes. Turning her head slightly, Wanda spoke in whispers. "I know you and I, we didn't know each other long. I have always admired you. I saw you as someone with limitless potential. I always enjoyed eating with you, and working with you... God, I'm sorry..."
Still fixing Ruby's hair, Wanda frowned.
"I curse you, Ruby Rose."
Hissing could by heard. As Ruby turned her head, she saw that her blood trail had begun to steam.
"May your blood boil for your betrayal!"
A sad smile crossed Ruby's face and a searing pain began to fill her body. "Wanda...!" Ruby hissed. "Keep fighting it...! I know you can...!"
Her vision was beginning to blur as the pain only worsened. Blisters were beginning to form on her skin, and it felt like her veins were being set on fire at this point. The smell of burning flesh was starting to permeate the air.
"Where I failed... someone else... will succeed... I promise..." she said, weakly.
It wasn't long after that her body stopped showing signs of life and she went completely limp.
At a time in the present...
As all hell broke loose in the ballroom, the lights began to flicker off and on. A humming could be heard and suddenly the arrows aimed at T'Challa and Noembelu burned in some kind of great fire. It was then that the Scarlet Witch appeared in front of the group and she matched glares with the bear.
"Monokuma."
The witch frowned, looking about to snap.
"Go."
"Wanda!" Kyoko called out, attempting to hold up Makoto through all the confusion, "What's going on here?!"
"Oh, look, a jibber-jabbering little witch." Monokuma stared Wanda down, looking unafraid of her threats. "Don't you know who I am, sister? I am the big bear on campus! The grand poohbear! Where I go is my domain, that's how this goes! Monokuma is always the chess master, never the pawn! If I am here, then that must mean I am the orchestrator of these events! The one who is spreading despair!"
Teleporting in front of the bear, Wanda looked down at him, malice in her eyes. "My family has no time for your games. You're a liar."
Flames surrounded the bear and Wanda slowly walked into the inferno. The woman glowed, bathed in light and fire. She was miraculously unharmed.
"You're nothing, bear. Nothing but an unfortunate byproduct. You hear me? I am the one who to be fear now! Not you anymore! Now, burn and die!"
"W-W-W-Whaaaa?!"
Monokuma was helpless before Wanda's might. The bear let out a very confused cry as the flames consumed him, melting down his parts into scrap.
The dancers and crossbowmen started gunning for her, but Wanda was like a lightning storm, throwing magical spells to cut down all that would do her harm.
"...!"
Kyoko could only watch as the bizarre display unfolded before her; the sudden appearance of both friend(?) and foe, and just as suddenly, the death of one. Her legs were frozen where they stood at the given moment, weighed down by Makoto's weight as well, but she was no fool. She knew well enough how powerful Wanda was, and given how unstable she was the last time they had spoken, it was best that the Coalition leader didn't risk getting caught in the crossfire, so she bolted for the exit along with everyone else.
The dancers blocking the exit were dispersed by everyone's efforts, giving everyone an opportunity to make a run for the exit. Tommy was first to the door, but when he threw it open, he found himself facing an endless white void. A bright light began to envelop the ballroom much like before, though Wanda paid it no heed. Soon, everyone was falling into that endless white abyss...
***
After an indeterminate amount of time, the group woke up.
All at once, they came awake, lifting their heads to find they were in a dark, cramped room. Once their senses came around, it was clear they were in a classroom with the usual classroom amenities: desks, chairs, a blackboard, and various other equipment. Most striking of which was a video projector in the middle of the room.
The next thing the group would notice was that for some of them, their equipment was missing. Aside from weapons brought from home and and the items found after dinner, their inventories had been cleaned out.
What was probably more strange was that everyone had a new piece of equipment: a strange bracelet attached to their left wrists.
It was fastened in a way so that it couldn't be taken off. It appeared to measure one's heartbeat, though it seemed unclear if it was accurate. It apparently told the time as well, but all it showed was 02:20 PM.
In addition, Makoto was still here, but now he was face-down on the floor, the only one still unconscious. The device was on his wrist as well.
"Does... anyone have any idea what just happened?" Billy asked.
"I'm... not sure," Kyoko said. "But if there's one thing for certain that I think we can all agree on, it's that something's definitely wrong, and I think it even extends past Wanda."
As she spoke, Kyoko rubbed her head, massaging her temples as she looked around, taking in the new surroundings and circumstances everyone found themselves in. The questions only kept piling on, and the answers were ever continuously fleeting, like stars. Seated next to Makoto, she attempted to wake up the young man, shaking his shoulder, but to no avail, it seemed.
Without warning, the projector sprang to life, showing off a video. It was blurry at first, but soon the image focused and one could see a man sitting down to face the camera. He smiled wide.
"Hey... Hey! You lookin' at me yet?"
"Yeah, come on... look on right over here. There you go. Pay attention now, y'all." He leaned back slowly, seeming to savor the moment. "I mean, look at all of y'all. I was wondering, which of you has what it takes? See, you, my friends, are gonna play a little game. Or, I guess it's not really a little game, is it?"
The man broke out into giggles. "Friends, let me introduce to you the one, the only, Lucas Baker. The prodigal son in a world gone right mad. You hear me? You all, get to witness, the fruits of my labor. Y'see, I pretty much got the house to myself these days, so I was thinkin', when I get a moment, why not have a little fun? And with y'all so conveniently here to play, well..."
Lucas raised to the screen a smartwatch, the same ones on everyone's wrists. "This? I don't even know what it's called. I think that bitch called it a-a... codex? Right, well, this little codex doesn't quite do what you expect it to. Y'see that green line bumpin' up and down? Well, think of that as your HP... you guys 'ave played a video game, right? Well, any damage you take will affect your HP. That green line will turn yellow, then red, then-- Boom! Eh, not quite so dramatic. For most of you, it's gonna insert a drug that'll kill ya'. Great, right?"
Lucas dropped the codex and clapped his hands. "Now I know some of you got those fancy suits, some of you look like damn monsters, and, hell, one of you is a fuckin' robot! But I assure you, one way or another, when the time comes, that little thing will do you in. You understand that? Stub your toe or get your damn leg cut off, that thing will know, and it don't care what state you're in. Even if those injuries of yours ain't life threatening, it will be over for you, no continues!"
Kyoko could only glare intently at the man on the projector screen as he wildly rambled on, finding the situation depressingly familiar. Another death game, huh? Not something so loose like a "Murder Game," but rather, a more literal sense of the phrase. The lavender detective considered speaking up, but she didn't know what to say and figured that Lucas was the type of man who abhorred being interrupted.
"Now..." Lucas paused, taking a deep breath. "Now if you're wonderin' how you win, well... let me just leave you on pins 'n needles, all right? You probably should work on gettin' out of that room for now. Have a good one!"
The video ended and the projector shut off.
"... Well now this is fuckin' bullshit," Shane said.
Cast List
@Takumi as Amir Halgal [Otoyomegatari] ⇝
@Cromartie Sarkissian as Arno Victor Dorian [Assassin's Creed] ⇝
@Kaykay as Beatrice Waltrud von Kircheisen [Dies Irae] ⇝
@Midnight Maiden as Belle French [Once Upon a Time] ⇝
@dalecOoOoOoOoOper as Dale Bartholomew Cooper [Twin Peaks] ⇝
@Gummi Bunnies as Kiyohime [Fate/Grand Order] ⇝
@Ryu Keiko as Koriand'r [DC Comics] ⇝
@Verite as Kyoko Kirigiri [Danganronpa] ⇝
@Leon Moretti as Leon Moretti [OC] ⇝
@Bomb as Lola [Fairy Fencer F] ⇝
@dark as Marcus Wright [Terminator] ⇝
@Mason Moretti as Mason Travis Moretti [OC] ⇝
@Krieg as Nancy Wheeler [Stranger Things] ⇝
@Yun Lee as Noembelu [Street Fighter] ⇝
@Crow as Nono Morikubo [The Idolmaster] ⇝
@Archmage Jeremiah as Percival of the Round Table [Sonic and the Black Knight] ⇝
@LuckycoolHawk9 as Phil Connors [Groundhog Day The Musical] ⇝
@ShiroKiyoshi as Rant T. Mouse [OC] ⇝
@Gands as Raven Darkholme [X-Men Cinematic Universe] ⇝
@York as Reiner Braun [Attack on Titan] ⇝
@Klutzy Ninja Kitty as Rumpelstiltskin [Once Upon a Time] ⇝
@Minerva as Saeko Busujima [Highschool of the Dead] ⇝
@Otto as Shen [League of Legends] ⇝
@Glostechk as Six [Little Nightmares] ⇝
@Seishin Ryuu as Spartan-B312 [Halo] ⇝
@Jeremi as T'Challa [Marvel Comics] ⇝
@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Tekhartha Zenyatta [Overwatch] ⇝
@J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X as Teth Adam [DC Comics] ⇝
@The Batter as The Batter [OFF] ⇝
@thatguyinthestore as Toffee [Star vs the Forces of Evil] ⇝
"Shit... Shit... Shit..."
The endless stream of swearing came fron Mason, trying his damndest to stand up. He held onto the side of the desk for support, but his legs shook and shuddered. Although Leon managed to remove the bolt and stop the bleeding, Mason's leg was still pretty broken.
"Well, Leon, now I bet you're not so mad about all the time I skipped training to play video games, huh? I always thought we lived in some kind of video game. I just wish it wasn't one like Bio Explorer. I always died a lot in that one. But I got better at it..."
That comment took about the last amount of humor Mason had left in him. Despair was setting in, as this was far different than his adventures in the Illusion Silent Earth. This game had a real chance of killing him, and he wasn't ready for death. His face and his voice both oozed with melancholy. At the very least, his health bar was full.
But he was dead weight with his broken leg. Mason addressed the group to find a solution.
"Hey, guys, I'm definitely gonna need some help getting around. Unless we find something for me to use as a cane or a crutch, I'm gonna need somebody's shoulder to lean on."
@Atomyk @Josh M @Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @dalecOoOoOoOoOper @Gummi Bunnies @Verite @Ryu Keiko @Leon Moretti @Mason Moretti @Bomb @dark @Kreig @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Jeremi @Seishin Ryuu @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
The endless stream of swearing came fron Mason, trying his damndest to stand up. He held onto the side of the desk for support, but his legs shook and shuddered. Although Leon managed to remove the bolt and stop the bleeding, Mason's leg was still pretty broken.
"Well, Leon, now I bet you're not so mad about all the time I skipped training to play video games, huh? I always thought we lived in some kind of video game. I just wish it wasn't one like Bio Explorer. I always died a lot in that one. But I got better at it..."
That comment took about the last amount of humor Mason had left in him. Despair was setting in, as this was far different than his adventures in the Illusion Silent Earth. This game had a real chance of killing him, and he wasn't ready for death. His face and his voice both oozed with melancholy. At the very least, his health bar was full.
But he was dead weight with his broken leg. Mason addressed the group to find a solution.
"Hey, guys, I'm definitely gonna need some help getting around. Unless we find something for me to use as a cane or a crutch, I'm gonna need somebody's shoulder to lean on."
@Atomyk @Josh M @Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @dalecOoOoOoOoOper @Gummi Bunnies @Verite @Ryu Keiko @Leon Moretti @Mason Moretti @Bomb @dark @Kreig @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Jeremi @Seishin Ryuu @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
