"How about you take a sec to take a breath to calm down?"
Lapis figured that having someone go all ballistic and out to attack anybody, well, it wasn't a great thing to have right now. She saw what Monokuma was capable of, and seeing how Tarlotte wanted to beat that bear up, that was a definite "no" on Lapis's part.
@Hospes @BarrenThin @york @Others
Continued from here.
Chapter One DEAD END
"Marked for Death"
"Hey, come on now...!" Monokuma stood from the diving board, flashing his claws. "If you don't stop acting violent, I might have to eat you all up! The slightest provocation and you're at each other's throats yet again! And doing so with guests under our roof! For shame!" Monokuma cleared his throat, retracting his claws and clasping his paws together above his head. The bear took a dive off the board, flipping through the air to land gracefully on the ground below. "Ta-dah!! Hopefully that display will distract you junk food addled youths long enough to listen to me! And don't tell me again you're not youths, because I see a lot of childish behavior from where I'm standing!"
The bear's mood shifted as he turned and gave Darv a sweet smile. "Oh, you silly thing. Why in the world would I expel the rat? He's doing such a good job getting you so worked up! You want to kill him for, what, hurting your feelings? Awwww... are you okay? Can Monokuma make it all better? I wonder..." Behind the diving board rose the familiar electronic screen. "Now that you've all chosen a target, let's see if it's the right one!"
The display changed to a moving image of a slot machine, the suspects' faces on the reels.
Klim was reeling, leaning back against his podium after having been sucker punched by Rant. He watched the slots above with wide eyes, wondering just how life had become so topsy-turvy. Any reputation Klim had managed to uphold throughout his life was about to take a startling nosedive, minutes before what was apparently to be the loss of his very life. As fast as the reels moved, Klim's life flashed before his eyes.
The slot machine eventually stopped, landing on Sigma Klim's face three times in a row. The text below flashed...
GUILTY
"Maybe congratulations are in order! Although, if I gave you all the offer of exterminating Rant over killing off this chump, some of you I bet would be interested."
"Y-Yes!"
Klim was gripping his podium so hard, his knuckles were going white. "Don't do this. Don't do this to me! This isn't right! You can't just kill me...! You're not judge, jury, and executioner... You're barely even a sheriff! You can say I did this, but you still have yet to provide physical proof!"
Bullet spat in Klim's direction. "Scum!" She would have jumped him by now if not for Jude holding her back.
Monokuma looked innocent as he stared back at the doomed principal. "What was that? Do you think anything you say matters now? Did you think I was... being serious? Upupu..." Monokuma started to laugh. He slapped his belly. "No matter how much they want to give into their blood lust and kill the rat, they voted for you, after all! That's how this works! If you want evidence, I got it!"
Monokuma casually tossed a camera that landed on the ground in front of him. It was busted, presumably having fallen from the roof. Not only was there a camera, but a photo too, seemingly taken moments before Max's fall.
Victoria gasped. "Are you saying...?"
"There's your proof! You don't have a say any longer! Prepare to be gobbled up!"
"You..." Victoria shook her head, staring at the photo. "You kept this from us? You had proof of the killer all along? We didn't have to do any of this?" Monokuma ignored the girl.
"Ugh..." Diana looked disgusted as she avoided everyone's gaze. "He had access to the whole school and all its secrets. He left after helping us with the body, putting him in an easy position to burn the journal. Fuck..."
Klim stumbled backward from the podiums as a mechanical hand rose up from the center. "No!" he cried, body shaking. "You don't get it... Maxine was going to slander the face of our school! Blackwell Academy has a reputation to uphold... I am Blackwell! We go down together, so I could not simply afford--"
"Wait!" Jude yelled toward the man. "Tell us, what was Max going to say? What was she going to tell us?!"
Klim froze, watching as the hand moved closer to grab him. His gaze shifted to Jude for just a moment. His expression told Jude all he needed to know: The principal was ready to bury his secrets with him.
The hand took hold of the principal, dragging him down into the depths below.
"And she liked to be called Max," Bullet said, talking to the principal who could no longer here her. "Never Maxine."
The monitor above turned on to display Klim dropping into an empty room, left confused and dazed. As the man stood to his feet, metal clamps came up from the ground to secure his feet in place. Tiny mechanical limbs reached out and grabbed at the man's arms, pulling them so he was standing in a T-pose.
That was when it really began. Shocks were administered to the man, causing his whole body to spasm. If he hadn't been held in place, Klim would have fallen to the floor, writhing in agony. The shocks weren't enough to kill him, however, for the execution was far from over.
Sharp blades then descended from the ceiling, cutting down quickly to slice through Klim's arms. The man screamed and blood poured. The clamps released him and the man fell forward-- right into an open box. The door on the box closed behind him. It was then lifted upward into a standing position, where only Klim's face could be seen behind a glass panel.
The man screamed more and more. Soon, flames could be seen licking up at the man's face. He was being burned alive.
The display shut off, mercifully shielding the group from the rest. Those new to this could only stare in horrified awe. Even Meira looked up at the blank screen with pain and sadness.
"Dude..." Bullet whispered, falling out of Jude's grip and stumbling forward. She slammed into a podium, where she had to hold herself up. "You just fucking murdered our principal."
"Oh?" Monokuma seemed pleased as ever. "I thought this is what you would have wanted? Would it have been better if it was the rat? At what point does violence become not okay? Everyone uses violence every day to get what they want! Don't think the rest of you are any better! Our poor principal had to get punched on his way out too... talk about adding insult to injury!"
"Oh, god..." Victoria moaned, burying her face into her hands. "No... this is so wrong. This is disgusting. I don't care what he did to Max, he didn't deserve that."
"Oh, boo hoo! A killer is a killer! Well, I know some of you are guilty of that in the past, but I can look past that now that you've become my students. For getting this one right, I have a present for you... one more clue I decided to keep for myself!"
Monokuma produced a note ripped from Max's journal and tossed it off to the group. It read: Wow, okay... I found Jefferson's password. I can't forget it, just in case. TPFTHLK
"With this... we can access the computer in Jefferson's office." Jude took hold of the note and nodded at the words.
"H-Hold on... what is the school going to do with a dead principal?" Meira asked, sounding shook up for once. "I mean, I'd volunteer, but it seems a little... cursed."
"I'm glad you asked!" Monokuma exclaimed. "With the power vested in me as town sheriff, I shall grant one of my students their new role! Dadada-daaa!" A spotlight fell on the one and only, Old Man McGucket.
"Weee-hehehe! The power! The powerrrr!!"
The old man lifted his trusty skewers in triumph.
Meira could only shrug. "Eh. Works for me."
***
Jude led the group to Jefferson's office to check out his computer using the password provided by Max. It was found that a large amount of the files on the computer had been deleted, though a few remained. The files were pictures and information about girls across Blackwell Academy, including the five missing girls. While it was still unclear why Jefferson had these files, he was at the very least keeping tabs on the girls, indicating a clear connection between them.
It seemed that to find out who killed Mark Jefferson, some investigating into the missing girls would be required as well.
Monokuma then informed the group that their investigation of the school was over and that they would continue tomorrow. "But we won't be driving all the way back up to the camp!" he declared. "No, we're heading to a motel!"
As the group was forced to climb into the bus, Corrin was momentarily stopped by Bullet. She seemed not entirely happy with how everything had turned out, but she managed a tough smile for Corrin. "Hey. Just wanted to thank you for... uh, you know, agreeing to help find Rachel and all. I'm gonna keep looking too, and uh... Good luck."
Bullet gave one last look back before she was gone for good.
***
As night descended on Bright Falls, the school bus was on its way to an isolated corner of town. Snuggled on a hill was The Majestic Hotel, where Monokuma planned to have the group stay the night.
"Remember, students, maximum four to a room... and no frick-fracking!"
***
CAST LIST
@C.T. as Arya Stark "Ultimate Killer" [Game of Thrones]
@Yang Lee as Bolin "Ultimate Earthbender" [The Legend Of Korra]
@Kaykay as Chikage Kushinada "Ultimate Jujutsuka" [History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi]
@Chewy Rabbits as Catbug "Ultimate Cutie" [Bravest Warriors]
@Minerva as Corrin "Ultimate Protector" [Fire Emblem]
@DapperDogman as Darv "Ultimate Saltborn" [Salt & Sanctuary]
@Yun Lee as Edmond Honda "Ultimate Sumo Wrestler" [Street Fighter]
@BarrenThin as Genji Shimada "Ultimate Forgiveness" [Overwatch]
@Krieg as Isaac "Felix" Gates "Ultimate Bounty Hunter" [Red VS Blue]
@The Tactician as Jack "Ultimate Samurai" [Samurai Jack]
@york as Jack Frost "Ultimate Funhouse" [Rise of the Guardians]
@Verite as Kyoko Kirigiri "Ultimate ???" [Danganronpa]
@Gummi Bunnies as "Lapis Lazuli" "Ultimate Crystal" [Original Character]
@LuckycoolHawk9 as M. "Stiles" Stilinski "Ultimate Sarcasm" [Teen Wolf]
@Crow as Morikubo Nono "Ultimate Wallflower" [THE iDOLM@STER]
@Archwar as Noble Six "Ultimate Lone Wolf" [Original Character/Halo]
@Jeremi as Poison "Ultimate Manager" [Street Fighter]
@ShiroKiyoshi as Rant T. Mouse "Ultimate Rat Mouse" [Original Character]
@Josh M as Scarlet Witch "Ultimate Witch" [Marvel Comics]
@Crimson Spartan as Seamus "Sledge" Cowden "Ultimate Breaching Charge" [Rainbow Six: Siege]
@Hospes as Tarlotte "Ultimate Tantrum" [Kyoshiro to Town no Sora]
@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Tekhartha Zenyatta "Ultimate Teacher" [Overwatch]
@The Spartan Potato as Terezi Pyrope "Ultimate Justice" [Homestuck]
@DBZ7 as Tharja "Ultimate Hextress" [Fire Emblem]
@Nater Taters as Tomoko Kuroki "Ultimate Loser" [WataMote]
@Atomyk as Victoria Maribeth Chase "Ultimate Bitch" [Life is Strange]
@Takumi as Yurick "Ultimate Arcanist" [The Last Story]
@Klutzy Ninja Kitty as Zinnia "Ultimate Lorekeeper" [Pokemon]
The rampage that always came when one tried to help Tarlotte in her struggle for words quickly came to life as Jack once again whispered to her. Even despite the fact that he had kindly offered to help her attain some cake later. As for Genji, his warnings were completely unheeded as well. Who cared if that dumb bear had managed to off a few pathetic humans? Tarlotte could pull the same off with her eyes closed, hands tied behind her back and fast asleep! Regardless of her thoughts and opinions on the matter, though, her little fit was cut short, her attention pulled away by a particularly dull bear.
Head turning to look at the plushie in question, the catgirl tilted her head slightly, ears and tail perked up attentively. What was the thing rambling on about, anyways? And what was up with those weird slot things? Ah, whatever- she had more important things to be doing, like finding some cake or a way out of this place. But the older guy that must've been Kilm caught her gaze with his protests, causing her to frown. "Would mew two shut up already?! Your stupid voices are makin' me wanna--"
Huh?
Next thing Tarlotte knew, some sort of mechanical hand appeared, and the principal was pulled out of sight- good riddance! Until he appeared on some sort of monitor, anyways. Curiosity piqued, the female stared, unsure of just what was going on. Golden eyes watched with interest, unsure what to make of what was going on onscreen. She was just on the verge of merely shrugging it off, too, when it all started. The shocks didn't appear to faze her at all- she had witnessed much worse, though the sight certainly wasn't pleasant. Not even to her. But as the display went on and on...
...Even she donned an expression of horror, though it was ever-so-brief.
After all of this, the girl was surprisingly quiet. Her expression had faded as quickly as it came, replaced with an almost unreadable one. Sure, humans had always treated her poorly, going as far as to lock her away for ages until Sojiro came to her rescue. She was treated like a monster, so a monster, she acted. But when it came down to it all, it was doubtful she'd ever kill anyone, despite her threats. Not on purpose, anyways. None of this meant she wanted people to die, or thought people deserved.... this.
Even on the ride, the girl kept to herself, looking as though somewhat distant. She didn't want to speak to any of these people... She wanted out! She hadn't signed up for any of this, none of it at all! And by the time they had reached their destination, she was hardly able to hold it back anymore.
"...I don't like this! I don't want to be here! I want Sojiro!" she began to exclaim, each word accentuated with a punch and/or kick of furniture and objects around. "I want Sojiro...! I hate this place, and that stupid bear, too!"
@Nobody
Now, Tarlotte briefly cast her gaze to Genji, pausing once more in her onslaught. His words had managed to catch her attention, if only briefly. What was he talking about, anyways? And what was with him calling him a freak? Was that really supposed to bring her some sort of comfort? Before she could call him out on it, though, he had removed his mask... And it made sense.
He wasn't human, either.
An incredulous and uncertain look was cast upon him by Tarlotte, who seemed momentarily distracted by his appearance. His scars were almost comforting, and perhaps even his mannerisms, too. The 'rational' bullshit she always deflected, the mild kindness he now displayed despite how she acted and what she was. But it didn't bring her comfort. Only more longing. Still, she attempted to shake it all off, clenching her fists at her sides and squeezing her eyes shut tight. "I don't need a listener!"
@BarrenThin
Now, Tarlotte seemed even more frustrated, attempting to seem intimidating even through her almost unnoticeably teary eyes. "So you think I need help meow, huh?? You're gonna need help when I'm done with mew!" Despite her threat, it was clearly empty, and she was too torn up at the moment to really care to make a move. All she really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry if she couldn't have Sojiro, but she'd never fall to that low!
@BarrenThin
Now, Tarlotte seemed even more frustrated, attempting to seem intimidating even through her almost unnoticeably teary eyes. "So you think I need help meow, huh?? You're gonna need help when I'm done with mew!" Despite her threat, it was clearly empty, and she was too torn up at the moment to really care to make a move. All she really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry if she couldn't have Sojiro, but she'd never fall to that low!
@BarrenThin
Continued from here.
Chapter One DEAD END
"Marked for Death"
"Hey, come on now...!" Monokuma stood from the diving board, flashing his claws. "If you don't stop acting violent, I might have to eat you all up! The slightest provocation and you're at each other's throats yet again! And doing so with guests under our roof! For shame!" Monokuma cleared his throat, retracting his claws and clasping his paws together above his head. The bear took a dive off the board, flipping through the air to land gracefully on the ground below. "Ta-dah!! Hopefully that display will distract you junk food addled youths long enough to listen to me! And don't tell me again you're not youths, because I see a lot of childish behavior from where I'm standing!"
The bear's mood shifted as he turned and gave Darv a sweet smile. "Oh, you silly thing. Why in the world would I expel the rat? He's doing such a good job getting you so worked up! You want to kill him for, what, hurting your feelings? Awwww... are you okay? Can Monokuma make it all better? I wonder..." Behind the diving board rose the familiar electronic screen. "Now that you've all chosen a target, let's see if it's the right one!"
The display changed to a moving image of a slot machine, the suspects' faces on the reels.
Klim was reeling, leaning back against his podium after having been sucker punched by Rant. He watched the slots above with wide eyes, wondering just how life had become so topsy-turvy. Any reputation Klim had managed to uphold throughout his life was about to take a startling nosedive, minutes before what was apparently to be the loss of his very life. As fast as the reels moved, Klim's life flashed before his eyes.
The slot machine eventually stopped, landing on Sigma Klim's face three times in a row. The text below flashed...
GUILTY
"Maybe congratulations are in order! Although, if I gave you all the offer of exterminating Rant over killing off this chump, some of you I bet would be interested."
"Y-Yes!"
Klim was gripping his podium so hard, his knuckles were going white. "Don't do this. Don't do this to me! This isn't right! You can't just kill me...! You're not judge, jury, and executioner... You're barely even a sheriff! You can say I did this, but you still have yet to provide physical proof!"
Bullet spat in Klim's direction. "Scum!" She would have jumped him by now if not for Jude holding her back.
Monokuma looked innocent as he stared back at the doomed principal. "What was that? Do you think anything you say matters now? Did you think I was... being serious? Upupu..." Monokuma started to laugh. He slapped his belly. "No matter how much they want to give into their blood lust and kill the rat, they voted for you, after all! That's how this works! If you want evidence, I got it!"
Monokuma casually tossed a camera that landed on the ground in front of him. It was busted, presumably having fallen from the roof. Not only was there a camera, but a photo too, seemingly taken moments before Max's fall.
Victoria gasped. "Are you saying...?"
"There's your proof! You don't have a say any longer! Prepare to be gobbled up!"
"You..." Victoria shook her head, staring at the photo. "You kept this from us? You had proof of the killer all along? We didn't have to do any of this?" Monokuma ignored the girl.
"Ugh..." Diana looked disgusted as she avoided everyone's gaze. "He had access to the whole school and all its secrets. He left after helping us with the body, putting him in an easy position to burn the journal. Fuck..."
Klim stumbled backward from the podiums as a mechanical hand rose up from the center. "No!" he cried, body shaking. "You don't get it... Maxine was going to slander the face of our school! Blackwell Academy has a reputation to uphold... I am Blackwell! We go down together, so I could not simply afford--"
"Wait!" Jude yelled toward the man. "Tell us, what was Max going to say? What was she going to tell us?!"
Klim froze, watching as the hand moved closer to grab him. His gaze shifted to Jude for just a moment. His expression told Jude all he needed to know: The principal was ready to bury his secrets with him.
The hand took hold of the principal, dragging him down into the depths below.
"And she liked to be called Max," Bullet said, talking to the principal who could no longer here her. "Never Maxine."
The monitor above turned on to display Klim dropping into an empty room, left confused and dazed. As the man stood to his feet, metal clamps came up from the ground to secure his feet in place. Tiny mechanical limbs reached out and grabbed at the man's arms, pulling them so he was standing in a T-pose.
That was when it really began. Shocks were administered to the man, causing his whole body to spasm. If he hadn't been held in place, Klim would have fallen to the floor, writhing in agony. The shocks weren't enough to kill him, however, for the execution was far from over.
Sharp blades then descended from the ceiling, cutting down quickly to slice through Klim's arms. The man screamed and blood poured. The clamps released him and the man fell forward-- right into an open box. The door on the box closed behind him. It was then lifted upward into a standing position, where only Klim's face could be seen behind a glass panel.
The man screamed more and more. Soon, flames could be seen licking up at the man's face. He was being burned alive.
The display shut off, mercifully shielding the group from the rest. Those new to this could only stare in horrified awe. Even Meira looked up at the blank screen with pain and sadness.
"Dude..." Bullet whispered, falling out of Jude's grip and stumbling forward. She slammed into a podium, where she had to hold herself up. "You just fucking murdered our principal."
"Oh?" Monokuma seemed pleased as ever. "I thought this is what you would have wanted? Would it have been better if it was the rat? At what point does violence become not okay? Everyone uses violence every day to get what they want! Don't think the rest of you are any better! Our poor principal had to get punched on his way out too... talk about adding insult to injury!"
"Oh, god..." Victoria moaned, burying her face into her hands. "No... this is so wrong. This is disgusting. I don't care what he did to Max, he didn't deserve that."
"Oh, boo hoo! A killer is a killer! Well, I know some of you are guilty of that in the past, but I can look past that now that you've become my students. For getting this one right, I have a present for you... one more clue I decided to keep for myself!"
Monokuma produced a note ripped from Max's journal and tossed it off to the group. It read: Wow, okay... I found Jefferson's password. I can't forget it, just in case. TPFTHLK
"With this... we can access the computer in Jefferson's office." Jude took hold of the note and nodded at the words.
"H-Hold on... what is the school going to do with a dead principal?" Meira asked, sounding shook up for once. "I mean, I'd volunteer, but it seems a little... cursed."
"I'm glad you asked!" Monokuma exclaimed. "With the power vested in me as town sheriff, I shall grant one of my students their new role! Dadada-daaa!" A spotlight fell on the one and only, Old Man McGucket.
"Weee-hehehe! The power! The powerrrr!!"
The old man lifted his trusty skewers in triumph.
Meira could only shrug. "Eh. Works for me."
***
Jude led the group to Jefferson's office to check out his computer using the password provided by Max. It was found that a large amount of the files on the computer had been deleted, though a few remained. The files were pictures and information about girls across Blackwell Academy, including the five missing girls. While it was still unclear why Jefferson had these files, he was at the very least keeping tabs on the girls, indicating a clear connection between them.
It seemed that to find out who killed Mark Jefferson, some investigating into the missing girls would be required as well.
Monokuma then informed the group that their investigation of the school was over and that they would continue tomorrow. "But we won't be driving all the way back up to the camp!" he declared. "No, we're heading to a motel!"
As the group was forced to climb into the bus, Corrin was momentarily stopped by Bullet. She seemed not entirely happy with how everything had turned out, but she managed a tough smile for Corrin. "Hey. Just wanted to thank you for... uh, you know, agreeing to help find Rachel and all. I'm gonna keep looking too, and uh... Good luck."
Bullet gave one last look back before she was gone for good.
***
As night descended on Bright Falls, the school bus was on its way to an isolated corner of town. Snuggled on a hill was The Majestic Hotel, where Monokuma planned to have the group stay the night.
"Remember, students, maximum four to a room... and no frick-fracking!"
***
CAST LIST
@C.T. as Arya Stark "Ultimate Killer" [Game of Thrones]
@Yang Lee as Bolin "Ultimate Earthbender" [The Legend Of Korra]
@Kaykay as Chikage Kushinada "Ultimate Jujutsuka" [History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi]
@Chewy Rabbits as Catbug "Ultimate Cutie" [Bravest Warriors]
@Minerva as Corrin "Ultimate Protector" [Fire Emblem]
@DapperDogman as Darv "Ultimate Saltborn" [Salt & Sanctuary]
@Yun Lee as Edmond Honda "Ultimate Sumo Wrestler" [Street Fighter]
@BarrenThin as Genji Shimada "Ultimate Forgiveness" [Overwatch]
@Krieg as Isaac "Felix" Gates "Ultimate Bounty Hunter" [Red VS Blue]
@The Tactician as Jack "Ultimate Samurai" [Samurai Jack]
@york as Jack Frost "Ultimate Funhouse" [Rise of the Guardians]
@Verite as Kyoko Kirigiri "Ultimate ???" [Danganronpa]
@Gummi Bunnies as "Lapis Lazuli" "Ultimate Crystal" [Original Character]
@LuckycoolHawk9 as M. "Stiles" Stilinski "Ultimate Sarcasm" [Teen Wolf]
@Crow as Morikubo Nono "Ultimate Wallflower" [THE iDOLM@STER]
@Archwar as Noble Six "Ultimate Lone Wolf" [Original Character/Halo]
@Jeremi as Poison "Ultimate Manager" [Street Fighter]
@ShiroKiyoshi as Rant T. Mouse "Ultimate Rat Mouse" [Original Character]
@Josh M as Scarlet Witch "Ultimate Witch" [Marvel Comics]
@Crimson Spartan as Seamus "Sledge" Cowden "Ultimate Breaching Charge" [Rainbow Six: Siege]
@Hospes as Tarlotte "Ultimate Tantrum" [Kyoshiro to Town no Sora]
@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Tekhartha Zenyatta "Ultimate Teacher" [Overwatch]
@The Spartan Potato as Terezi Pyrope "Ultimate Justice" [Homestuck]
@DBZ7 as Tharja "Ultimate Hextress" [Fire Emblem]
@Nater Taters as Tomoko Kuroki "Ultimate Loser" [WataMote]
@Atomyk as Victoria Maribeth Chase "Ultimate Bitch" [Life is Strange]
@Takumi as Yurick "Ultimate Arcanist" [The Last Story]
@Klutzy Ninja Kitty as Zinnia "Ultimate Lorekeeper" [Pokemon]
Having stopped by the vending machines and taken a water bottle shortly, idly passing by Wanda, Honda, and Mike conversing with each other, Kyoko would settle in the first convenient room, which happened to also be occupied by Morikubo. Settling down on one of the beds inside, the purple themed girl let out a soft sigh, opening the bottle with her gloved hand and taking a sip, before taking note of Nono's current state. It was hard to ignore or even pretend to ignore her with all the noise she was making, not that Kyoko would do either one of those things.
That all said, perhaps taking pity on her, Kyoko would stand up again and walk over to the girl, offering her some of her water.
"Here. Have some of this. It's been a long day, after all."
She would have asked if Morikubo was okay out of a kind gesture, but it was obvious; the girl was not alright. She was tired beyond belief and practically traumatized by her experiences today. So with that in mind, Kyoko decided not to waste her breath, believing that her gesture spoke for itself.
@Crow
Seeing three people at the vending machine, one of which was the best friend he had in this odd situation, he decided to go over there.
"No...No...No!"
There was no lost friendship between Tommy and the principal. He had murdered the one person who had sought Tommy out, to try and help him adjust among a community that saw him as nothing more than a freak, a boy who'd been so traumatized by his experiences with Jason that he may as well have stayed in the loony bin. But Max had given him a chance and had helped him with his studies, tried to introduce him to other students so he'd get more friends. Something Tommy struggled with as his battle with Jason as a child had just closed off most windows for wanting to go out and explore friendships with other people.
But this was too grotesque for Tommy's liking. This bear thing seemed to enjoy just how brutal the principal's death had been. Tommy couldn't derive anything other than disgust from this. He could feel beads of sweat running down his forehead as his breathing began to grow heavy. The screaming reminded him so much of something from his past. Something that remained so clear to him even though he wanted nothing more than for it to go away.
"TOMMY! STOP! HE'S DEAD! TOMMY!"
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"
"No..I can't go through this..Not again!"
Turning away from the scene, Tommy fled into the night. With a bottle of pills crashing to the floor behind him. The lid bounced off and the white pills spilled out onto the floor. But Tommy was too caught up in his own fears to worry about that. He had to get away..Get away from all of this death!
Watching Tommy flee, Mike reached out towards him and yelled. "Tommy, wait! You don't have to go! We'll stop Monokuma! Just like you stopped Jason!" But the words might as well have been hot air for all the effect they had on the fleeing teen. He had already been through Hell once with Jason and then an imposter who picked up the hockey mask. Now, he had lost his only friend who's killer had just been put to rest. But he couldn't stand anymore than that. He had to get out of here!
Watching as Tommy's visage faded into the night around Blackwell Academy, Mike frowned as he stood at the front entrance of the bus. He felt bad accusing Tommy of taking up Jason's blade and being the one to kill Max. More so when it seemed like Tommy had been through the wringer and back already. He would have apologized, he wanted to apologize but it didn't seem like he'd get the chance to anytime soon. Gripping onto the door as tightly as he could, Mike frowned.
"I'm sorry..."
Stepping onto the bus so as not to hold the others up, Mike quietly slumped into a seat. How had everything ended up turning out this way? He had saved Will and yet he still had stuff to overcome. Like ending up in some strange cabin and being subjected to the whims of a talking murderous bear. Just as others in their group killed people, Monokuma had the others decide who was guilty and whoever got picked? They'd be the next ones on the chopping block. In that way, Mike couldn't blame Tommy for running off like he had. Mike would have liked nothing more than to get away from all of this. But he knew it wasn't that easy.
They'd keep having to dance to the bear's tune until either they found out a way to defy him that didn't get them killed. Or Monokuma simply got tired of them and wiped them all out. But the latter made Mike's stomach turn over so maybe it didn't bare thinking about. Staying quiet until they got to the hotel, Mike was one of the first to get off. The longer he got to lay his head down and pretend this was all some kind of horrible dream the better.
But much to his frustration, although not his surprise as he figured this would have happened, Mike tossed and rolled around on the bed. Unable to simply let his thoughts be thoughts. All the things he had seen, been put through since coming on this 'trip' had been nothing but nightmare-ish. Eventually whipping one of the pillows against the wall, Mike wandered off. Maybe a soda or a chocolate bar would help to calm his nerves. Or who knows maybe it'd make him even more jittery? He knew sleep wouldn't come easy that's for sure.
Roaming the halls with a somber look on his face and his hands clutched into fists as his side, he stopped upon seeing Honda and Scarlet Witch. He hadn't interacted much with the sumo but Wanda had comforted him when he was frightened and to be fair he still was. So maybe meeting up with her was a stroke of good luck?
Given everything that had happened so far, he supposed that'd be welcomed. But really all it did was remind him of things seemed to be getting worse and worse.
Worse of all though? He didn't even have any money on him for the vending machines.
"Hey...Scarlet Witch, Honda.."
@Josh M @Yun Lee
~~~
Though while Mike tried to keep how he felt bottled up for his own sake and Tommy fled from the scene, Catbug had taken a third approach. Which was to bawl his eyes out as he saw the Principal being roasted. He knew that it wasn't right to take a life. He had learned that much after he decapitated the Jelly Kid and got neutered for his troubles. But this was different. Plenty of people seemed to really like Max and the Principal tried to hide what he had done! Whereas Catbug fessed up to what he had done, Jelly Kid healed himself and left, and life went on.
But there would be no coming back for Max. She was gone and all her friends would have of her were their memories. Some didn't even seem like they could cope with that. Like Tommy who ran for the hills as soon as he got the chance. Catbug flew off Chikage's head and held up Tommy's pill bottle as he called out to the teen.
"Wait! You forgot..You forgot your medicine.."
The bottle fell from Catbug's hand and back onto the floor as Tommy didn't listen. He couldn't understand Tommy's reasoning for having to deal with a serial killer at a young age/watching your family be murdered before your eyes was something Catbug hadn't dealt with. But it still hurt him to see someone run away. Nobody should be alone, least of all when they didn't deserve it.
Quietly fluttering onto the bus, Catbug resumed his spot atop Chikage's head. Doing his best to stifle his sniffling. Even though she didn't let it show on the surface like he had, he imagined this wasn't easy on Chikage either. So he had to try and be strong! Just like she was doing! Wiping at his eyes, Catbug whimpered as he laid his head down and tried to sleep out the rest of the ride to the hotel. Maybe things would be all better when he woke up!
But as he sat up as the bus reached it's destination, Catbug realized that no they wouldn't be. Things still looked as bleak as ever. Staying on top of Chikage's head as if it were the safest spot in the world, Catbug didn't have his usual energetic charm as Chikage laid down and Catbug rolled off her head. He wanted to get some peace of mind but just as he felt Tommy had made a mistake by running off to face his troubles alone, Catbug couldn't secure peace on his own. Which is why he crawled over and curled up on Chikage's chest as he purred and smiled at his friend.
"I know things look bad, Chikage. But I promise that they'll get better! I promise..."
@Kaykay
"..."
There was a long pause from the female as Jack began to surprise pet her from behind, and Genji expressed that she shouldn't have to be alone in this. It almost seemed as though she were frozen, the hands of time unable to so much as lay a finger on her petite form. Silent, she remained, as her hair was stroked in a comforting manner, and despite all of her efforts...
She burst into tears, unable to hold back. She felt drained, likely needing to get more mana. But for now, she had nothing- nothing but tears of longing and horror, wanting to be comforted by the one man who'd been like family to her since she met him.
"I want Sojiro!"
@BarrenThin @york
"..."
There was a long pause from the female as Jack began to surprise pet her from behind, and Genji expressed that she shouldn't have to be alone in this. It almost seemed as though she were frozen, the hands of time unable to so much as lay a finger on her petite form. Silent, she remained, as her hair was stroked in a comforting manner, and despite all of her efforts...
She burst into tears, unable to hold back. She felt drained, likely needing to get more mana. But for now, she had nothing- nothing but tears of longing and horror, wanting to be comforted by the one man who'd been like family to her since she met him.
"I want Sojiro!"
@BarrenThin @york
"Kirigiri-san, what was that?" Nono asked in response to the wailing from outside.
@Verite @BarrenThin @york @Hospes
"Sounds like a cat."
Helpful.
Still, with that said, Kyoko would decide to walk over to the door and open it, peeking outside and catching sight of the source, Tarlotte, who was conversing with the comparatively soft Genji.
Aha, a classic textbook case of homesickness in light of being dragged against one's own will into a game of death by a murderous monochrome talking bear. This was normal.
"..."
With a blank expression, like a classic donkan, Kyoko simply spoke after Tarlotte and Genji finished talking to each other about their personal grievances about the situation.
"So... Are either of you going to come inside? It's a little chilly outside after all."
@Crow @BarrenThin @Hospes
Quietly fluttering onto the bus, Catbug resumed his spot atop Chikage's head. Doing his best to stifle his sniffling. Even though she didn't let it show on the surface like he had, he imagined this wasn't easy on Chikage either. So he had to try and be strong! Just like she was doing! Wiping at his eyes, Catbug whimpered as he laid his head down and tried to sleep out the rest of the ride to the hotel. Maybe things would be all better when he woke up!
But as he sat up as the bus reached it's destination, Catbug realized that no they wouldn't be. Things still looked as bleak as ever. Staying on top of Chikage's head as if it were the safest spot in the world, Catbug didn't have his usual energetic charm as Chikage laid down and Catbug rolled off her head. He wanted to get some peace of mind but just as he felt Tommy had made a mistake by running off to face his troubles alone, Catbug couldn't secure peace on his own. Which is why he crawled over and curled up on Chikage's chest as he purred and smiled at his friend.
"I know things look bad, Chikage. But I promise that they'll get better! I promise..."
@Kaykay
"..."
There was a long pause from the female as Jack began to surprise pet her from behind, and Genji expressed that she shouldn't have to be alone in this. It almost seemed as though she were frozen, the hands of time unable to so much as lay a finger on her petite form. Silent, she remained, as her hair was stroked in a comforting manner, and despite all of her efforts...
She burst into tears, unable to hold back. She felt drained, likely needing to get more mana. But for now, she had nothing- nothing but tears of longing and horror, wanting to be comforted by the one man who'd been like family to her since she met him.
"I want Sojiro!"
@BarrenThin @york
He looked at Honda for a few seconds before breathing loudly and saying his idea at a very fast pace. "Ithinkweneedtogeteveryoneoutofhereandescapefromthisbearsowecanallgohome." He then wiped his brow. "Phew, that really feels really good to get that off of my chest."
