Murder Game IX: Right Hand of the Crimson Moon

[Khan of the Mardu]

"Huh, something wrong Sir Minato?" she asked after the male took an awkward pause. "Yeah, I've been with these two skeletons, my friends Sans and Papyrus! They're going to teach me some cool things! Like how to cook and use special attacks!" she chirped excitedly.

@The Tactician @Atomyk @coralprime​

"Well, I mean, people do usually laugh at my jokes, Mister Skeleton," The Persona user shrugged before grinning at what Ilona said, "Eh? Dang, I'm gone five minutes and I'm replaced as your teacher? You're too cold, Ilona-chan, you've broken my heart~"​

 

[Kaykay]

Meanwhile, after several moments into the investigation, a set of footsteps would be heard in the distance. Behind Kinuhata, a wounded woman, barely able to even stand, let alone walk as she was right now, would appear, holding her rib cage and with a regretful face, would appear. It didn't take very long for Shizuri Mugino to come to, but perhaps that was to be expected of a Level 5.

"Kinuhata... What's going on here?" She could only ask, looking around in something of a daze. It appeared that now, she suddenly had no intention of fighting, but even if she did, it didn't look like she was in much condition to anyway.

"Are these... your new allies?"

@Kaykay​

Kinuhata turned around to see the woman they'd just fought slowly moving towards them. This time, though, she seemed a lot more reasonable, and a lot less likely to start shooting lasers.

"Ah, Mugino. Super welcome back. Basically, someone super got murdered, and someone here did it. So we have to super decide who we think did it and then vote on them. It's kind of a super pain in the ass to not just beat the super answer out of someone, but," Kinuhata just shrugged rather than finishing her sentence.

"I super guess so," she shrugged again. "If I'm super honest, I only really know a few of the others here, but they're not super hostile so...allies, yeah." She took a glance around, taking a second to think about who might've done it, before looking back to Mugino. She was pretty tough to be up and about after being punched not once, but twice by Kinuhata.

But then, it wasn't like Kinuhata didn't already know that.

"Mugino...you super good now?"





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[Verite]

"Kuroko, it's just... complicated."

Misaka wasn't sure she enjoyed the implication they'd essentially been sent on a wild goose chase. Whether it had been a test or just a distraction, it bugged the young electromaster. Electricity sparked and rolled along her knuckles, as if reacting to her growing emotions. She felt as if she was being pulled along a track even more than ever, her choices meaningless in the long run of this adventure. They'd managed to vote out three traitors at this point, but had that been on them, or the people pushing them along? "I'm not sure it's my place to say. I'm not..." Your Misaka, she wanted to say, but the young girl relented. She had to keep up the illusion just for a little bit longer, just in case the alternative was beyond something she could handle.

"I'm going to help you with the investigation, because we're so close now. Help me find the killer." She smiled at her friend, lingering for a small moment that felt far longer. Misaka would keep this Kuroko safe, as well all the other Kurokos that may have existed. "So, hey... traitors. Any of you guys willing to make up for your dumb choices?" Misaka turned away from Kuroko now, hands flaring with electricity. She intended to be threatening.​

"Onee-sama..." Kuroko could only utter in surprise. Even in a grave matter like this, it looked like Misaka could stay calm, collected, and in charge. If this were any other person, Kuroko might have even been jealous of them taking charge, but with someone like Misaka...

"As expected of Onee-samaaaaa!~" Kuroko exclaimed, abruptly hugging Misaka. So much for intimidation.

"So... To recap and go over what I've heard from passing from the rest of these people, the leads are that the person is not only extremely fast, but they're also adept at close quarters combat and is good with blades? What a macabre scene this is... I'm just glad you didn't get hurt, at the very least."

@Atomyk​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

A silent train of thought raced through the detective's head, and thus... resulted with a small but pleased smile on her face.

"... maybe I should've followed Battler-san's vote from before... because you still fit the evidence..."

Erika mumbled with that confident look on her face, seemingly talking to no one at first before she would accusingly point her finger towards Deoxys!

"Don't lie now. I can always rip the truth out of you if I must."

With that said, she promptly placed a vote on Deoxys. Oh boy...

@Verite @CrunchyCHEEZIT @everybody​

 

[BarrenThin]

Seeing votes being placed, Frank was satisfied. He withdrew his vote, for the moment​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

A silent train of thought raced through the detective's head, and thus... resulted with a small but pleased smile on her face.

"... maybe I should've followed Battler-san's vote from before... because you still fit the evidence..."

Erika mumbled with that confident look on her face, seemingly talking to no one at first before she would accusingly point her finger towards Deoxys!

"Don't lie now. I can always rip the truth out of you if I must."

With that said, she promptly placed a vote on Deoxys. Oh boy...

@Verite @CrunchyCHEEZIT @everybody​

Robin simply sighed as he went ahead and voted for Deoxys with Erika. He was getting too old for this voting stuff.

@Verite @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT​

 

[Verite]

Kinuhata turned around to see the woman they'd just fought slowly moving towards them. This time, though, she seemed a lot more reasonable, and a lot less likely to start shooting lasers.

"Ah, Mugino. Super welcome back. Basically, someone super got murdered, and someone here did it. So we have to super decide who we think did it and then vote on them. It's kind of a super pain in the ass to not just beat the super answer out of someone, but," Kinuhata just shrugged rather than finishing her sentence.

"I super guess so," she shrugged again. "If I'm super honest, I only really know a few of the others here, but they're not super hostile so...allies, yeah." She took a glance around, taking a second to think about who might've done it, before looking back to Mugino. She was pretty tough to be up and about after being punched not once, but twice by Kinuhata.

But then, it wasn't like Kinuhata didn't already know that.

"Mugino...you super good now?"​

Mugino looked among the group, spotting Minato and Robin among the crowd. The woman recognized them as the two young men who had gotten in her way while she was out to get Hamazura and Takitsubo, but didn't say or do anything. After all, she had no more reason to quarrel with them. Then again, did she even have one to begin with...?

Looked like the Railgun was also here, and the Number Seven, but Mugino continued to keep a low profile. It was a little awkward, and she didn't know if Misaka was deliberately ignoring her or what, and if that only made it more or less awkward. Then again, not counting herself, something serious had to be going on if there were two Level 5s walking around together.

How irritating.

As Kinuhata would speak, Mugino would grunt softly in pain, stumbling down into a nearby bench where she held her ribs.

"A murder, and the culprit is someone in your group, huh? Sounds like a super pain alright," the woman said with a small sigh, "Right now, I won't ask about why exactly you're with all these people, how you met them... I imagine that's a long story that you don't have time for, but... Wherever you're going next, just come back alive. I wanna hear all about it when you get back. When, not if. And..."

A pause.

"P-Please... protect Hamazura if you find him. And Takitsubo."

A sudden change of heart. But the mentally unstable were prone to being more fickle like that. Was that a shade of red on her cheeks too?

"In any case... I... guess I'm good. As good as I can be in this kind of position anyway," Mugino grumbled, continuing to hold her wounds closely, "Even if I'm the Meltdowner, you could have held back a little, couldn't you?"

@Kaykay @The Tactician @Atomyk @Gibbons​

 

[DapperDogman]

This had to be a joke-- Misaka had to move things away from Gilgamesh and Lon'qu. She imagined she might have to change her vote as she thought more on what laid before her, but actual votes needed to be made.

"Hey, Ryner, right?" Or maybe it was Rynamesh. Misaka didn't really care. "I'm kind of getting tired of how aloof you act. What was up with that last vote...? I'm just gonna vote for you and get it over with."

Meanwhile, Sans was hardly paying attention to any of that nonsense. He peered at Minato curiously.

i think this kid thinks he's funny.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Verite @The Tactician​

"I can't afford to be friendly, sue me" Ryner says bluntly "I make friends, they suffer, and most of the time, they die"

"Maybe I should befriend that skeleton" he says with a small shrug

"If not wanting to go through the pain of losing another friend makes me a suspect, then so be it, I'll sit here and let you all vote for me, but when another one of us is dead at the start of the next round, don't act shocked if I'm not the one sat here bawling my eyes out"

@Atomyk​

 

[Verite]

Meanwhile, Tsuchimikado checked his watch.

"... Huh, would ya look at that. The Agents guessed wrong. Say, you wanna say with the class who you decided to pick out, Lon'qu? Donny?" Tsuchimikado asked, announcing the final investigation from the Agent.

@Everyone​

 

[Hazel-rah]

"Uh..." Did she really just try to say that about him? Goddammit, I really need to be careful with girls... "Well, I was helping Illya-chan in finding that Dress of hers. What about you?" He glanced at Papyrus and Sans, "Just hanging around with spooky scary skeletons?"

@coralprime @Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

WOW, AND I THOUGHT SANS'S JOKES WERE BAD!!!

THAT'S OKAY!! MAYBE HE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TEACH YOU A THING OR TWO, NYEH HEH!!

WOW, IT'S ONLY BEEN A FEW DAYS AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT APPRENTICES!!! UNDYNE WOULD BE SO PROUD TO SEE THIS!!!

YOU KNOW... ONCE SHE GETS OVER THAT WHOLE "WANTING TO DESTROY HUMANITY" THING.

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @The Tactician​

 

[Bomb]

Ethel and Karin decided to vote for Ryner, based on the act he put before.

@Verite​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

WOW, AND I THOUGHT SANS'S JOKES WERE BAD!!!

THAT'S OKAY!! MAYBE HE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TEACH YOU A THING OR TWO, NYEH HEH!!

WOW, IT'S ONLY BEEN A FEW DAYS AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT APPRENTICES!!! UNDYNE WOULD BE SO PROUD TO SEE THIS!!!

YOU KNOW... ONCE SHE GETS OVER THAT WHOLE "WANTING TO DESTROY HUMANITY" THING.

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @The Tactician​

"Oh, are you the one trying to take my job as Ilona-chan's swordmaster? Well, you at least seem fun at least..."

"Oh boy, someone who wants to destroy the human race? Let me guess, she thinks it's our unconscious wish or something?"

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @coralprime​

 

[Crimson Spartan]

Meanwhile, Tsuchimikado checked his watch.

"... Huh, would ya look at that. The Agents guessed wrong. Say, you wanna say with the class who you decided to pick out, Lon'qu? Donny?" Tsuchimikado asked, announcing the final investigation from the Agent.

@Everyone​

"Well it isn't Ryner so those who placed votes on him take them off. They're useless as of now...."

@Atomyk @Bomb​

 

[Bomb]

"Well it isn't Ryner so those who placed votes on him take them off. They're useless as of now...."

@Atomyk @Bomb​

"So if Ryner isn't the bad guy, can Ethel get rid of him?"

"Ethel, I do't think you should do that." Karin would say in reply to Ethel.

"Kay... kay..." Ethel replied with a sigh to Karin and switched her vote to Cinder.

@Verite @Crimson Spartan​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

"... guess it can't hurt to go with this," Battler thought it over, and then changed his and Erika's vote towards Cinder.

@Verite​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

"Well, I mean, people do usually laugh at my jokes, Mister Skeleton," The Persona user shrugged before grinning at what Ilona said, "Eh? Dang, I'm gone five minutes and I'm replaced as your teacher? You're too cold, Ilona-chan, you've broken my heart~"​

WOW, AND I THOUGHT SANS'S JOKES WERE BAD!!!

THAT'S OKAY!! MAYBE HE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TEACH YOU A THING OR TWO, NYEH HEH!!

WOW, IT'S ONLY BEEN A FEW DAYS AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT APPRENTICES!!! UNDYNE WOULD BE SO PROUD TO SEE THIS!!!

YOU KNOW... ONCE SHE GETS OVER THAT WHOLE "WANTING TO DESTROY HUMANITY" THING.

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @The Tactician​

"Oh, are you the one trying to take my job as Ilona-chan's swordmaster? Well, you at least seem fun at least..."

"Oh boy, someone who wants to destroy the human race? Let me guess, she thinks it's our unconscious wish or something?"

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @coralprime​

"Huh? I don't want to replace you, Sir Minato! I want both of you to be my teachers!" Ilona gleefully exclaimed. "Is that okay? Can't both of you help me learn things?" she questioned.

@coralprime @Atomyk @The Tactician​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

"... guess it can't hurt to go with this," Battler thought it over, and then changed his and Erika's vote towards Cinder.

@Verite​

"Guess so," Robin shrugged as he changed his vote to Cinder as well.

@Verite​

 

[Hazel-rah]

I DUNNO. I THINK SHE'S OVERREACTING, PERSONALLY. I MEAN, ALL THE HUMANS EVER DID WAS BANISH US TO A BLEAK UNDERGROUND CAVERN WHERE WE HAVE NO HOPE OF DOING ANYTHING MEANINGFUL WITH OUR LIVES. WHERE EVERY DAY IS A STRUGGLE TO FORGET THAT WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE SIMPLE AND WELCOME PLEASURES OF LOOKING UP AT THE SKY AND GAZING AT THE STARS, OR DRIVING INTO THE SUNSET WITH THE WIND RATTLING OUR BONES, OR LYING OUT IN THE BEACH WITH THE SUN-KISSED SAND BETWEEN OUR TOES AND THE CLEANSING OCEAN WATERS WASHING OVER US. WHERE EVERY ECHOING STEP IS A CRUSHING REMINDER THAT NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, WE HAVE BEEN DEGRADED TO NOTHING BUT INSECTS IN A CAGE, NOT EVEN BEING GIVEN THE DIGNITY OF BEING GAWKED AT BY UNRULY PASSERSBY, BUT LEFT TO FESTER AND ROT IN A DARK CORNER WHERE WE CAN NEVER EVEN RECEIVE THE COMMON DECENCY OF BEING SPAT ON.

YOU KNOW... SILLY LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.

NEVERTHELESS!! OF COURSE WE CAN BOTH BE YOUR COOL STRONG TEACHERS!!! JUST AS LONG AS EVERYONE AGREES THAT I'M THE CHEF AROUND HERE, NYEH HEH HEH!!!

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @The Tactician​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

I DUNNO. I THINK SHE'S OVERREACTING, PERSONALLY. I MEAN, ALL THE HUMANS EVER DID WAS BANISH US TO A BLEAK UNDERGROUND CAVERN WHERE WE HAVE NO HOPE OF DOING ANYTHING MEANINGFUL WITH OUR LIVES. WHERE EVERY DAY IS A STRUGGLE TO FORGET THAT WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE SIMPLE AND WELCOME PLEASURES OF LOOKING UP AT THE SKY AND GAZING AT THE STARS, OR DRIVING INTO THE SUNSET WITH THE WIND RATTLING OUR BONES, OR LYING OUT IN THE BEACH WITH THE SUN-KISSED SAND BETWEEN OUR TOES AND THE CLEANSING OCEAN WATERS WASHING OVER US. WHERE EVERY ECHOING STEP IS A CRUSHING REMINDER THAT NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, WE HAVE BEEN DEGRADED TO NOTHING BUT INSECTS IN A CAGE, NOT EVEN BEING GIVEN THE DIGNITY OF BEING GAWKED AT BY UNRULY PASSERSBY, BUT LEFT TO FESTER AND ROT IN A DARK CORNER WHERE WE CAN NEVER EVEN RECEIVE THE COMMON DECENCY OF BEING SPAT ON.

YOU KNOW... SILLY LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.

NEVERTHELESS!! OF COURSE WE CAN BOTH BE YOUR COOL STRONG TEACHERS!!! JUST AS LONG AS EVERYONE AGREES THAT I'M THE CHEF AROUND HERE, NYEH HEH HEH!!!

@Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @The Tactician​

"... Okay, yeah, I can definitely see why she's pissed at the humans of your world... Though are there just no good humans at all? Seems a little too black and white for me."​

"Huh? I don't want to replace you, Sir Minato! I want both of you to be my teachers!" Ilona gleefully exclaimed. "Is that okay? Can't both of you help me learn things?" she questioned.

@coralprime @Atomyk @The Tactician​

"Ilona-chan, I was joking, you know? It's not like being a co-teacher really rattles my bones."

The right to punch Minato in the arm for that stupid joke is definitely a thing, guys.

@coralprime @Atomyk @Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[Atomyk]

nah, you humans just exiled us. don't worry about it.

anyway, excuse me, you three...

Blink and you'd miss it-- Sans was now next to Misaka. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked amused as he stared at Ryner.

that's cool if you wanna befriend me. always nice to have more pals.

though, i mean, it sounds like you want me to have a bad time.

heh heh heh heh heh...

that's actually pretty funny. maybe you're not as bad of a jokester as i thought. not sure what you're really talking about... not sure you even know yourself, huh? just some part of you wants to say something dramatic, i guess, right?

but, you're kind of excessively distracting. you probably like the attention, even if it's negative, huh?

anyway...

Then, Sans was next to Eve, casually chilling next to her.

i'm sure you guys had your reasons. probably ones you thought were pretty reasonable. but, you killed nonetheless. kind of selfish, if you ask me.

Then he was gone, standing next to Pyro.

at the back of your minds, there was probably a voice guiding you, a voice that just wanted to see how far you could go. that part of you didn't really care about right or wrong, but just about...

And then he was next to Kizaru, a grin plastered on his face.

about 'winning', right?

heh. well, you tried, and now you're protecting the last one in hopes that their success will mean something for you. you've been caught, but there is that voice speaking to you. y'know, that exact same voice, hoping that their success will validate you.

... it won't, you know. you'll always remember you were caught. you won't be remembered for 'winning' anything at all.

Sans turned to Misaka now, looking a tad less serious now. He offered the young girl a shrug.

you've done good so far, kid. sorry for messing with your votes. this one's all on you.

Misaka stared at the skeleton with her mouth open, surprised to see so many words pop out of Sans' mouth at once. Clearing her throat a little awkwardly, Misaka could only shrug. "... Cinder, I guess."

@york @DapperDogman @The Tactician @coralprime @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Wedge Antilles @Jeremi




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