Murder XIX: Trouble in Paradise

[thatguyinthestore]

"Ooh, I'm scared!!" Mary gasped, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I-No frowned at Luigi. "Excuse me, darling. I never tricked you. The student council was the one doing that. And yes, Rita, that is exactly what I'm saying. Like I said, I can give you all your memories in a moment-but a girl needs a breather before round two."

@thatguyinthestore @LuckycoolHawk9​

Rita Hanson

Rita paused and had a second question. " Did you tell us you were going to murder the student council? I mean, was there no other way to stop them other than killing them? Is there a reason we couldn't arrest them or something?" She asked.

@Yun Lee

"Well you were-a working with them! And that Kirari lady didn't seem to know what was going on, and she's-a the head of the council, isn't she?" Luigi shot back, though he immediately regretted saying it after, which was noticeable by his very audible gulp and his slight shaking.

"You should be! My dad's gonna rip your stupid head off for leaving me with those dummies!" Bowser Jr yelled before Rita dropped her clipboard right on his head. It wasn't enough to knock him out, though he did feel some pain. "What was that for?!" He shouted, rubbing his head before picking up the clipboard and "accidentally" throwing it across the room.

Whoops :' )

@LuckycoolHawk9 @Yun Lee​

 

[LuckycoolHawk9]

Rita Hanson

Rita retrieved her clipboard from across the room. Thankfully, it was a good clipboard and she hadn't lost anything on it. " Sorry about that, lost my grip after you kneed me," she replied. Okay, maybe it was a little on purpose, but the brat deserved it just a little bit.

@Yun Lee @thatguyinthestore

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Mary was a little preoccupied at the moment.

"I knew it wasn't you! The Mary I know never gives up like Sayaka kept doing!"

"Yeah, yeah...but you can be happy to see me without the physical contact, y'know." Lookimg at Bowser Jr. Mary merely shrugged. "I was busy. I was brought on to help with some plans during this whole thing, so-"

"Eh?! You were working against it all the whole time?!"

"Yep. I was contacted by I-No, just like all of you."

"That's right. Unlike the rest of you, though, Mary was the only one who remembered she was working for us. The rest of you had to...conveniently forget that. But I can give you that memory back in a moment-just getting you all here was quite the workout."

@LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore​

When Rita didn't respond to Bowser Jr, this only seemed to get him more riled up.

"Grrrr... DON'T IGNORE ME!!!" Bowser Jr shouted before delivering a kick right to Rita's knee. He then looked at Mary and crossed his arms again. "Just wait until I tell my papa on you! He's gonna be so mad!" Bowser Jr exclaimed angrily.

Meanwhile, Luigi had made his way over to Yusuke and attempted to apologize to him. Maybe if he smoothed things over with Yusuke, Alesha wouldn't be so mad at him?

"Hey uh.. I'm-a sorry for lying to you about the whole 'show' thing. If I had-a known that I-No was tricking us all along, then I wouldn't have agreed to do it." Luigi said, hoping that he could at least smooth over things with Yusuke.

Shantae had since made her way back over to Maria, kneeling down to the younger girl with a smile so she could make eye contact with her. "I told you that I'd be alright." She said with a smile. Shantae had felt rather guilty about leaving Maria behind like that, especially because it was partially her fault for falling asleep. But, knowing Maria, she hoped that the younger girl would forgive her for that. She was only human.

Well, half human.

@Yun Lee @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Gummi Bunnies @LuckycoolHawk9​

Also ignoring Bowser Jr, Yusuke instead replied to Luigi, tilting his head in confusion. "What do you mean 'show' thing?" he asked, entirely baffled. "What happened after we died?" he added, still in the dark about everything that the 'living' group had learned. "I do hope regaining our memories will shed some light on this..."

@Takumi @Midnight Maiden @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9​

 

[Yun Lee]

"We didn't actually kill them." A pause. "Okay, so we did, but they wound up alive all along, just like you! Instead of sending them here, though, we sent them straight to jail. And don't ask me why Kirari acted so strangely, because I don't know."

"U-Um..." Ririka stepped forward. "...is she okay...?"

"Oh yeah, she's just fine. In the custody of cops, but fine."

Yumeko turned to Yusuke. "Oh, as it turns out, everything here was a reality show!...or at least, it was supposed to be. I'm still kind of confused..."

@thatguyinthestore @LuckycoolHawk9 @Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[LuckycoolHawk9]

Rita Hanson

" I am just convinced that this island is strange without that knowledge. Maybe nobody can die here or something... it wouldn't be the strangest thing I have heard or experienced," she admitted. Living February 2nd over and over again had taught her that little bit of knowledge quite well. She hoped the memory back would make things better.

@Yun Lee

 

[Yun Lee]

"People can die here, actually. That idiot driving the van? He's actually a fairly good scientist. We combined my magic and his science to bring you all back. It's rather complicated, really."

@LuckycoolHawk9​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

Also ignoring Bowser Jr, Yusuke instead replied to Luigi, tilting his head in confusion. "What do you mean 'show' thing?" he asked, entirely baffled. "What happened after we died?" he added, still in the dark about everything that the 'living' group had learned. "I do hope regaining our memories will shed some light on this..."

@Takumi @Midnight Maiden @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9​

"We didn't actually kill them." A pause. "Okay, so we did, but they wound up alive all along, just like you! Instead of sending them here, though, we sent them straight to jail. And don't ask me why Kirari acted so strangely, because I don't know."

"U-Um..." Ririka stepped forward. "...is she okay...?"

"Oh yeah, she's just fine. In the custody of cops, but fine."

Yumeko turned to Yusuke. "Oh, as it turns out, everything here was a reality show!...or at least, it was supposed to be. I'm still kind of confused..."

@thatguyinthestore @LuckycoolHawk9 @Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

"The council continued to be twisted in their games, and claimed that we were willing members of the events. That our memories were taken to prevent us from breaking the illusion of this game... all so we could win one million something or another. Our memories will hopefully prove enlightening to the truth."

Without waiting for Ritsuka to return her blade, Alesha had snatched the slightly turned scimitar from her hands with a scowl, having collected her blade's scabbard along with a recurved composite bow and quiver of arrows as well. Sheathing it with a relieved sigh, content to finally have her weapons on her belt and over her back again, the khan was finally ready for true reunification with the others. With that in mind, she turned to all present with a polite smile... before growing truly jubilant once her eyes fell on Yusuke once again.

"It seemed the spirits were truer guardians for you than for many of clan, my friend..."

@Minerva @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore​

 

[LuckycoolHawk9]

Rita Hanson

Rita didn't even want to ask what I-No meant by that. " So, between his science and your magic you bought them back from the dead? Some of us actually died and came back..... wait, did we all die in the plane crash when we arrived here"

@Yun Lee

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

"We didn't actually kill them." A pause. "Okay, so we did, but they wound up alive all along, just like you! Instead of sending them here, though, we sent them straight to jail. And don't ask me why Kirari acted so strangely, because I don't know."

"U-Um..." Ririka stepped forward. "...is she okay...?"

"Oh yeah, she's just fine. In the custody of cops, but fine."

Yumeko turned to Yusuke. "Oh, as it turns out, everything here was a reality show!...or at least, it was supposed to be. I'm still kind of confused..."

@thatguyinthestore @LuckycoolHawk9 @Klutzy Ninja Kitty

"The council continued to be twisted in their games, and claimed that we were willing members of the events. That our memories were taken to prevent us from breaking the illusion of this game... all so we could win one million something or another. Our memories will hopefully prove enlightening to the truth."

Without waiting for Ritsuka to return her blade, Alesha had snatched the slightly turned scimitar from her hands with a scowl, having collected her blade's scabbard along with a recurved composite bow and quiver of arrows as well. Sheathing it with a relieved sigh, content to finally have her weapons on her belt and over her back again, the khan was finally ready for true reunification with the others. With that in mind, she turned to all present with a polite smile... before growing truly jubilant once her eyes fell on Yusuke once again.

"It seemed the spirits were truer guardians for you than for many of clan, my friend..."

@Minerva @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Yun Lee @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore

"A... reality show? What?" Yusuke asked, dumbfounded by what Yumeko would say to him. He blinked a few times, as if he were trying to shake away a daze that fell over him after hearing this news. "I've never heard of any such reality show, but then again I don't often watch television." The boy frowned, suddenly a bit irked over this.

"This was a rather cruel television show, wouldn't you say? You forced us to think that our comrades and friends were sent to their deaths. You forced Hiyori-san to think her lover had died. You made her suffer with misery. You made us all frightened and miserable." Yusuke shuddered, recalling the moment he lost the dice game. "Before I was to die myself, I had been horrified upon learning I was to be killed, plagued with fear for several minutes before they finally ended my life. ...or so I thought. It was one of the worst things I've ever gone through, and you're saying this was for the amusement of others? Frankly, I'm disgusted," he said, tightening his arms against his chest. He may have said more, but felt calmed for a brief moment upon finally seeing Alesha.

Yusuke waved to his friend casually, not moving from his spot until she spoke. Once she did, he stepped closer to her and smiled. She was alive. All of his friends were alive. At the very least, he should be grateful for that, he supposed. Not that it made the television show any more of a moral event...

"It seems the spirits protected you as well," Yusuke replied back, his gray eyes resting upon Alesha in relief. In fact, he was far more relieved than he could even express. "You're alive," he stated softly, mostly for himself. It made him feel good to say it. She hadn't died. She was right here smiling back at him. Though he wouldn't say so, this was probably the happiest he had been since he was allowed to paint for the competition. The safety of his friends was important to him. "Did you fare well in the game?" he asked, hoping she hadn't gone through anything horrible that he missed. Last he saw, she had been doing pretty well in the game, but he hadn't any idea that she had actually won.

@Takumi @Midnight Maiden @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9
​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

"A... reality show? What?" Yusuke asked, dumbfounded by what Yumeko would say to him. He blinked a few times, as if he were trying to shake away a daze that fell over him after hearing this news. "I've never heard of any such reality show, but then again I don't often watch television." The boy frowned, suddenly a bit irked over this.

"This was a rather cruel television show, wouldn't you say? You forced us to think that our comrades and friends were sent to their deaths. You forced Hiyori-san to think her lover had died. You made her suffer with misery. You made us all frightened and miserable." Yusuke shuddered, recalling the moment he lost the dice game. "Before I was to die myself, I had been horrified upon learning I was to be killed, plagued with fear for several minutes before they finally ended my life. ...or so I thought. It was one of the worst things I've ever gone through, and you're saying this was for the amusement of others? Frankly, I'm disgusted," he said, tightening his arms against his chest. He may have said more, but felt calmed for a brief moment upon finally seeing Alesha.

Yusuke waved to his friend casually, not moving from his spot until she spoke. Once she did, he stepped closer to her and smiled. She was alive. All of his friends were alive. At the very least, he should be grateful for that, he supposed. Not that it made the television show any more of a moral event...

"It seems the spirits protected you as well," Yusuke replied back, his gray eyes resting upon Alesha in relief. In fact, he was far more relieved than he could even express. "You're alive," he stated softly, mostly for himself. It made him feel good to say it. She hadn't died. She was right here smiling back at him. Though he wouldn't say so, this was probably the happiest he had been since he was allowed to paint for the competition. The safety of his friends was important to him. "Did you fare well in the game?" he asked, hoping she hadn't gone through anything horrible that he missed. Last he saw, she had been doing pretty well in the game, but he hadn't any idea that she had actually won.

@Takumi @Midnight Maiden @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9
​

It seemed their separation had been hard on him... the relief with which he spoke hinted at the worry he had had for as long as they were apart. A true companion indeed, one Alesha was glad to have in her company. "As well as any khan would fare, my friend," She replied back with a casual shrug, treating her victory almost as if it didn't have any real meaning. Then again, in the grand scheme of things, victory had no real value in this spectacle; only survival held any true worth, and it seemed that both of them had maintained their lives in this game.

"But enough about me, my friend, worry should be paid more to you and the others who were sent away," She cocked a brow with a concerned expression, eyes looking him over for any injuries, "Given our collection of weapons here, I'm to assume that it was not a peaceful time?"​

 

[thatguyinthestore]

"A... reality show? What?" Yusuke asked, dumbfounded by what Yumeko would say to him. He blinked a few times, as if he were trying to shake away a daze that fell over him after hearing this news. "I've never heard of any such reality show, but then again I don't often watch television." The boy frowned, suddenly a bit irked over this.

"This was a rather cruel television show, wouldn't you say? You forced us to think that our comrades and friends were sent to their deaths. You forced Hiyori-san to think her lover had died. You made her suffer with misery. You made us all frightened and miserable." Yusuke shuddered, recalling the moment he lost the dice game. "Before I was to die myself, I had been horrified upon learning I was to be killed, plagued with fear for several minutes before they finally ended my life. ...or so I thought. It was one of the worst things I've ever gone through, and you're saying this was for the amusement of others? Frankly, I'm disgusted," he said, tightening his arms against his chest. He may have said more, but felt calmed for a brief moment upon finally seeing Alesha.

Yusuke waved to his friend casually, not moving from his spot until she spoke. Once she did, he stepped closer to her and smiled. She was alive. All of his friends were alive. At the very least, he should be grateful for that, he supposed. Not that it made the television show any more of a moral event...

"It seems the spirits protected you as well," Yusuke replied back, his gray eyes resting upon Alesha in relief. In fact, he was far more relieved than he could even express. "You're alive," he stated softly, mostly for himself. It made him feel good to say it. She hadn't died. She was right here smiling back at him. Though he wouldn't say so, this was probably the happiest he had been since he was allowed to paint for the competition. The safety of his friends was important to him. "Did you fare well in the game?" he asked, hoping she hadn't gone through anything horrible that he missed. Last he saw, she had been doing pretty well in the game, but he hadn't any idea that she had actually won.

@Takumi @Midnight Maiden @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9
​

"I-I'm-a sorry..." Luigi muttered sadly, not being able to muster up anything else to say.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Khan of the Mardu @whoever​

 

[Yun Lee]

"I do wish we had known the truth about this all...I would've had far more fun gambling had I known there was no death involved!"

"You really have a one-track mind, don't you..." Mary smiled a bit, however, as she said that.

Ririka took a hesitant step towards Alesha, head bowed. "It...it was quite scary...s-some creature arrived, and we found life schedules..."

"Life schedules?!" Mary's sudden outburst caused Ririka to jump. "I should've known Kirari would do something so twisted..."

"Hey now, don't blame the folks involved." Axl finally spoke up. "Like I said, the Piantas had no idea. Kirari and the council convinced them all it was acting. They thought every death was faked, and that you were all in on it."

"Little Miss Momobami had a way with persuasion," I-No added. "Everyone involved was completely fooled."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @thatguyinthestore @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

"I do wish we had known the truth about this all...I would've had far more fun gambling had I known there was no death involved!"

"You really have a one-track mind, don't you..." Mary smiled a bit, however, as she said that.

Ririka took a hesitant step towards Alesha, head bowed. "It...it was quite scary...s-some creature arrived, and we found life schedules..."

"Life schedules?!" Mary's sudden outburst caused Ririka to jump. "I should've known Kirari would do something so twisted..."

"Hey now, don't blame the folks involved." Axl finally spoke up. "Like I said, the Piantas had no idea. Kirari and the council convinced them all it was acting. They thought every death was faked, and that you were all in on it."

"Little Miss Momobami had a way with persuasion," I-No added. "Everyone involved was completely fooled."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @thatguyinthestore @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9​

"Whether or not they were aware, that does not absolve them of guilt for complacency."

That was all Alesha would say on the subject of the locals, a heated scowl shot towards anyone who might try to correct her. After a moment of thinking, she then spoke once again, directing a question Mary's way, "What exactly is a life schedule?"​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Well, she had chosen the right door. Somehow. She actually almost smiled at the fact, briefly glancing upward to something unseen, deep in thought. Maybe Yato was still watching over her, wherever he was...? Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he hadn't been truly eradicated from existence as Kofuku seemed to think he would if he died. Maybe he had reincarnated, as the gods allegedly did as passing on? She didn't know. All she knew was that somehow, he had to be with her still. And the jacket she still clutched tightly to her skin was a reminder of that, as was the scent painted across it.

Still. As she looked around, pinkish-purple eyes roaming over the others, she felt her heart sink. She may have chosen the correct door, but what about them...? She couldn't bear it if she had to witness any more death. She wished she could trade her correct choice to allow them their lives--

W-wha--?!

Suddenly, things had changed. It was like they were back at the start, and it was revealed that... This was all fake? Hiyori gawked at the revelation, eyes wide and heart hammering as she blankly stared on at the student council, at a total loss. Her mind struggled to catch up with the information being dumped on them, and suddenly, a wave of relief and simultaneous anger flooded over her. If this wasn't real, then Yato, Yusuke, all of the others.. They were all alright. But on the other side of the coin, they had been deceived at every turn, tricked into believing- at least in her case -that they had lost everything. All for some sick game.

She didn't get to speak her mind on the matter before things took another turn for the worse, though. As upset as she may have been that they were tricked, she had no desire to see the ones behind it all die. The sight made her heart clench, her gaze averting with a pained intake of breath. She couldn't bear it. She was slightly calmed to learn that they hadn't really died and had been taken to jail, rather, but that did not change the graphic scene or how it would haunt her or how wrong it all was. Everything here was wrong.

Or, it was. Up until they found their way somewhere new and...

"Y... Yato....?" she murmured, voice quiet and choked at first. She was at a total loss, heart frozen in her chest and death grip on the jacket loosening as she stared at what she was certain was the form of the man she held so dearly that had died before her very eyes not long ago. For a long few moments she stared, simply gawking with wide eyes, taking in every little detail of the god. From his slightly shaggy dark blue hair, to those brilliant light blue eyes, to every curve of his body and the clothes he wore and the shape of his face.

There were no words to describe it, the things that overtook her heart in that moment. There was relief borne from seeing him okay, and elation from the same. Sadness as she recalled what had transpired, the memory of his corpse hitting the ground overtaking her. Feelings of affection. But relief was truly the one above all, though her features far from reflected it as her lip began to quiver, heart beating hard in her chest and tears beginning to cloud her eyes.

"Yato!!!"

And suddenly she was moving, tears flooding her eyes and she unwittingly calling out as she all but ran towards him, almost tripping over herself as she did. She slammed into him with incredulous force, arms throwing themselves around him the instant they collided and her face burying itself in his chest as the tears flowed freely from her eyes. She squeezed him tightly, unable to hold back sobs full of a mix of relief, happiness, and devastation as she held him as close as she could, trapping him in a vice grip that only a wrestling fangirl could manage. She tried to speak, but no such luxury was managed as she snuggled him, crying all over his chest. But one thing did manage to pass her lips.

"..I-I'm so glad you're okay!"

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Whoevs​

 

[LuckycoolHawk9]

Rita Hanson

" Is a life schedule what I think it is? Is it a schedule that plans out your whole entire life for you?" She asked for herself and to confirm what she thought.

@Yun Lee

 

[Yun Lee]

"Our school has a curriculum that revolves around gambling. When you're in debt to the student council, you become a housepet. You remember that nametag Yumeko was asking for in the plane? When you're a housepet, they give you one of those. You're like a slave. And if you can't pay them back, you get a schedule detailing your entire life, so that the student council can have more power and influence than in just our school alone. I had one where I was going to marry some pedophile senator and have three children."

"Thank God I got out of that..."

@Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9 @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @thatguyinthestore​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

It seemed their separation had been hard on him... the relief with which he spoke hinted at the worry he had had for as long as they were apart. A true companion indeed, one Alesha was glad to have in her company. "As well as any khan would fare, my friend," She replied back with a casual shrug, treating her victory almost as if it didn't have any real meaning. Then again, in the grand scheme of things, victory had no real value in this spectacle; only survival held any true worth, and it seemed that both of them had maintained their lives in this game.

"But enough about me, my friend, worry should be paid more to you and the others who were sent away," She cocked a brow with a concerned expression, eyes looking him over for any injuries, "Given our collection of weapons here, I'm to assume that it was not a peaceful time?"​

"I-I'm-a sorry..." Luigi muttered sadly, not being able to muster up anything else to say.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Khan of the Mardu @whoever​

"I do wish we had known the truth about this all...I would've had far more fun gambling had I known there was no death involved!"

"You really have a one-track mind, don't you..." Mary smiled a bit, however, as she said that.

Ririka took a hesitant step towards Alesha, head bowed. "It...it was quite scary...s-some creature arrived, and we found life schedules..."

"Life schedules?!" Mary's sudden outburst caused Ririka to jump. "I should've known Kirari would do something so twisted..."

"Hey now, don't blame the folks involved." Axl finally spoke up. "Like I said, the Piantas had no idea. Kirari and the council convinced them all it was acting. They thought every death was faked, and that you were all in on it."

"Little Miss Momobami had a way with persuasion," I-No added. "Everyone involved was completely fooled."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @thatguyinthestore @Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9​

"Whether or not they were aware, that does not absolve them of guilt for complacency."

That was all Alesha would say on the subject of the locals, a heated scowl shot towards anyone who might try to correct her. After a moment of thinking, she then spoke once again, directing a question Mary's way, "What exactly is a life schedule?"​

Rita Hanson

" Is a life schedule what I think it is? Is it a schedule that plans out your whole entire life for you?" She asked for herself and to confirm what she thought.

@Yun Lee

"Our school has a curriculum that revolves around gambling. When you're in debt to the student council, you become a housepet. You remember that nametag Yumeko was asking for in the plane? When you're a housepet, they give you one of those. You're like a slave. And if you can't pay them back, you get a schedule detailing your entire life, so that the student council can have more power and influence than in just our school alone. I had one where I was going to marry some pedophile senator and have three children."

"Thank God I got out of that..."

@Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9 @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @thatguyinthestore​

"I see, and how would a khan normally fare?" he asked, genuinely curious. Admittedly, he was curious about how they had done--Hiyori included, but he didn't care to interrupt her reunion with Yato at this time. He sighed, however, when Alesha would ask about their time spent here. "It truly was not peaceful. Before you arrived, we fought in a battle. We were victorious and uninjured, but it was still a hassle," he said, glancing to the sword he had used before.

When Luigi would apologize, Yusuke hardened his gaze. He was still somewhat upset, but kept his voice at a neutral tone. "If you're truly sorry, you should assist us in returning home as soon as possible. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I've had enough of this trickery."

"Ah, yes, the life schedules," Yusuke remarked when the others would speak of them. "The book said I am to marry next week," he added with a frown. "We are not expected to live by these schedules, are we?" he asked.

@Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee​

 

[thatguyinthestore]

"I see, and how would a khan normally fare?" he asked, genuinely curious. Admittedly, he was curious about how they had done--Hiyori included, but he didn't care to interrupt her reunion with Yato at this time. He sighed, however, when Alesha would ask about their time spent here. "It truly was not peaceful. Before you arrived, we fought in a battle. We were victorious and uninjured, but it was still a hassle," he said, glancing to the sword he had used before.

When Luigi would apologize, Yusuke hardened his gaze. He was still somewhat upset, but kept his voice at a neutral tone. "If you're truly sorry, you should assist us in returning home as soon as possible. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I've had enough of this trickery."

"Ah, yes, the life schedules," Yusuke remarked when the others would speak of them. "The book said I am to marry next week," he added with a frown. "We are not expected to live by these schedules, are we?" he asked.

@Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee​

"I-a promise. No more lies!" Luigi declared as he forced a small smile before turning back to I-No and the others. "When can-a they go home? I think that it's about time we let them leave." Luigi said with a nod. As far as he knew, this was all just a way to further publicize Isle Delfino to the masses, which they succeeded in. So what was left?

Meanwhile, Bowser Jr made his way over to Yato and kicked him in the knee right when Hiyori came over to him. Why? Well because he doesn't like Yato.

@Yun Lee @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Takumi @Midnight Maiden @Khan of the Mardu ​

 

[Khan of the Mardu]

"Our school has a curriculum that revolves around gambling. When you're in debt to the student council, you become a housepet. You remember that nametag Yumeko was asking for in the plane? When you're a housepet, they give you one of those. You're like a slave. And if you can't pay them back, you get a schedule detailing your entire life, so that the student council can have more power and influence than in just our school alone. I had one where I was going to marry some pedophile senator and have three children."

"Thank God I got out of that..."

@Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9 @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @thatguyinthestore​

"... Absolutely disgusting..." Alesha sneered at the explanation, fury boiling at the plan they had in mind for those life schedules, "A prison is too good for those sadists..."​

"I see, and how would a khan normally fare?" he asked, genuinely curious. Admittedly, he was curious about how they had done--Hiyori included, but he didn't care to interrupt her reunion with Yato at this time. He sighed, however, when Alesha would ask about their time spent here. "It truly was not peaceful. Before you arrived, we fought in a battle. We were victorious and uninjured, but it was still a hassle," he said, glancing to the sword he had used before.

When Luigi would apologize, Yusuke hardened his gaze. He was still somewhat upset, but kept his voice at a neutral tone. "If you're truly sorry, you should assist us in returning home as soon as possible. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I've had enough of this trickery."

"Ah, yes, the life schedules," Yusuke remarked when the others would speak of them. "The book said I am to marry next week," he added with a frown. "We are not expected to live by these schedules, are we?" he asked.

@Khan of the Mardu @LuckycoolHawk9 @thatguyinthestore @Yun Lee​

"Victorious, that is how a khan would fare," Alesha stated matter-of-factly, before cocking a brow at Yusuke's explanation. She couldn't help but sigh at the missed opportunity for glory through true battle... "Well, at least you are all safe my friend. As for those life schedules... no, you will not," A hand reached out to Yusuke's and gently squeezed it, almost as if the khan was trying to be reassuring rather than abrasive for once, "It does not matter who might attempt to enforce it upon you. I will make cleare that you are as free as any man should be."​

 

[Takumi]

Well, she had chosen the right door. Somehow. She actually almost smiled at the fact, briefly glancing upward to something unseen, deep in thought. Maybe Yato was still watching over her, wherever he was...? Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he hadn't been truly eradicated from existence as Kofuku seemed to think he would if he died. Maybe he had reincarnated, as the gods allegedly did as passing on? She didn't know. All she knew was that somehow, he had to be with her still. And the jacket she still clutched tightly to her skin was a reminder of that, as was the scent painted across it.

Still. As she looked around, pinkish-purple eyes roaming over the others, she felt her heart sink. She may have chosen the correct door, but what about them...? She couldn't bear it if she had to witness any more death. She wished she could trade her correct choice to allow them their lives--

W-wha--?!

Suddenly, things had changed. It was like they were back at the start, and it was revealed that... This was all fake? Hiyori gawked at the revelation, eyes wide and heart hammering as she blankly stared on at the student council, at a total loss. Her mind struggled to catch up with the information being dumped on them, and suddenly, a wave of relief and simultaneous anger flooded over her. If this wasn't real, then Yato, Yusuke, all of the others.. They were all alright. But on the other side of the coin, they had been deceived at every turn, tricked into believing- at least in her case -that they had lost everything. All for some sick game.

She didn't get to speak her mind on the matter before things took another turn for the worse, though. As upset as she may have been that they were tricked, she had no desire to see the ones behind it all die. The sight made her heart clench, her gaze averting with a pained intake of breath. She couldn't bear it. She was slightly calmed to learn that they hadn't really died and had been taken to jail, rather, but that did not change the graphic scene or how it would haunt her or how wrong it all was. Everything here was wrong.

Or, it was. Up until they found their way somewhere new and...

"Y... Yato....?" she murmured, voice quiet and choked at first. She was at a total loss, heart frozen in her chest and death grip on the jacket loosening as she stared at what she was certain was the form of the man she held so dearly that had died before her very eyes not long ago. For a long few moments she stared, simply gawking with wide eyes, taking in every little detail of the god. From his slightly shaggy dark blue hair, to those brilliant light blue eyes, to every curve of his body and the clothes he wore and the shape of his face.

There were no words to describe it, the things that overtook her heart in that moment. There was relief borne from seeing him okay, and elation from the same. Sadness as she recalled what had transpired, the memory of his corpse hitting the ground overtaking her. Feelings of affection. But relief was truly the one above all, though her features far from reflected it as her lip began to quiver, heart beating hard in her chest and tears beginning to cloud her eyes.

"Yato!!!"

And suddenly she was moving, tears flooding her eyes and she unwittingly calling out as she all but ran towards him, almost tripping over herself as she did. She slammed into him with incredulous force, arms throwing themselves around him the instant they collided and her face burying itself in his chest as the tears flowed freely from her eyes. She squeezed him tightly, unable to hold back sobs full of a mix of relief, happiness, and devastation as she held him as close as she could, trapping him in a vice grip that only a wrestling fangirl could manage. She tried to speak, but no such luxury was managed as she snuggled him, crying all over his chest. But one thing did manage to pass her lips.

"..I-I'm so glad you're okay!"

@Takumi @Yun Lee @Whoevs​

Yato, upon overhearing the conversation about life schedules looked upset and would of commented until his name was yelled by the person he had been looking for.

"I-a promise. No more lies!" Luigi declared as he forced a small smile before turning back to I-No and the others. "When can-a they go home? I think that it's about time we let them leave." Luigi said with a nod. As far as he knew, this was all just a way to further publicize Isle Delfino to the masses, which they succeeded in. So what was left?

Meanwhile, Bowser Jr made his way over to Yato and kicked him in the knee right when Hiyori came over to him. Why? Well because he doesn't like Yato.

@Yun Lee @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Takumi @Midnight Maiden @Khan of the Mardu ​

Hiyori slamming into him, coupled with Bowser Jr's kick sent the god toppling back until he fell onto his back with Hiyori falling on top of him. With her vice like grip added, the god was pretty sure his back gave out in the process.

Wrapping his arms around Hiyori without any intention of letting her go any time soon, the god laid there and groaned.

"Is that really how you treat the person that fed you?" he complained towards Bowser Jr, before Hiyori spoke again. Resting his chin on the top of Hiyori's head the god decided to try and soothe her the best he could.

"I'm glad you're okay yourself...if you had died, whether it was fake or not there'd be hell to pay. You didn't get hurt from that fall did you?" he asked.

The life schedules being brought up again caused the god's grip around Hiyori to become more firm.

"I saw our life schedules. Yours said that you'd stay a half-ayakashi and join a circus and eventually marry some gardener and become a mother and never see me again. Well, like hell I'd let that happen." he said before he felt his cheeks grow warm.

"I still have your wish to fulfil."

@Midnight Maiden