BlueShadow
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The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Jan 9, 2019 21:37:54 GMT
Chapter 1: The Initial Plunge ~Daily Life~ The next morning came quickly, far too quick for the chess player’s liking. He awoke from his slumber after a very loud announcement played on the tv in his room. He stared at the screen as it flickered to life, revealing Monokuma holding a very ornate looking glass full of champagne. “Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 am, and nighttime is officially over! Let’s start the day off with a ton of energy and give it our all!” After those words, the screen went dim once more, leaving Masakazu to ponder if that cheerful announcement was meant to poke fun at the students and their despairful circumstance. Regardless, he found himself getting out of bed and readying himself for whatever the day provided him. As he opened the door to his room, Kai appeared from behind the door. “Whoa, you’re actually awake?! I was just getting ready to wake you up and stuff!” His face was filled with surprise, and Masakazu reluctantly sighed at the over the top reaction. “You know, I’m not always a heavy sleeper…” The surfer crossed his arms and gave a warm smile. “Sure thing, dude, whatever you say. Anyways, I just came to let you know that the rest of us were planning on meeting in the cafe to talk about...you-know-what.” Kai’s smile soon faded at the mention of their shared fate. He cleared his throat a bit before continuing. “Well, I gotta go get whoever else is just now waking up. See ya there, Masa!” Before Masakazu could get another word in, the surfer ran towards what appeared to be Yubiseiharukana’s room and began knocking profusely on her door. Masakazu decided it was best to leave before she woke up. Before making his way to the cafe, Masakazu wanted to explore the hotel a bit to find some of the windows Ryoma mentioned. He eventually found some, and sure enough, the strongman was telling the truth. A long sheet of metal covered where the glass panes would be, bolted to the wall with huge screws. He didn’t want to linger next to the window for too long, and decided to head to the cafe as planned. Staring at that window was starting to depress him, anyways. As he was walking through one of the commons areas towards the cafe, a voice caught him off guard. “Psst, hey, you there! Chess boy, hey!” Monokuma’s head popped up from behind the corner, a hand waving him to come over. Reluctantly, the chess player acknowledged the bear and walked towards him. “What do you want? I’d rather not talk to you if I had a choice.” He dipped his head in a depressed expression, staring at the floor. “Aww, you’re so rude. And here I thought I’d let you know that I did you a favor…” “Well, what is it? Tell me.” Masakazu crossed his arms, growing more annoyed at the bear’s antics with each passing second. “Well, I saw you and that Stan Lee wannabe messing with that machine over there, so I decided to work on it overnight so that you could all use it.” He raised his head and pointed to the machine Jirou was fiddling with the day before. “I expected praise for your kind and considerate headmaster, but all I get is impatience and harsh remarks...really makes a bear wonder why I do so much for the lot of you, ya know?” The chess player glared at the monochromatic bear. “If you really want to do something nice for us, you could start by letting us go.” Monokuma blankly stared at Masakazu for a few short seconds before letting out a small chuckle. “Now now, you know I can’t do that. Looks like I can’t get a kind expression out of you though. Ah well, can’t blame a bear for trying.” With those words, the bear left Masakazu and the machine behind, waddling away down one of the hotel’s hallways. Deciding it best to find out what Monokuma did to the machine, he examined it. The machine looked almost exactly the same, minus the Monokuma inspired paint job. Masakazu pressed one of the buttons on the console, and the whole thing buzzed to life, lighting up a colorful title on the display that read ‘Mono-Machine Music Box’. Upon pressing the button again, a set of instructions flashed on the screen. Have you ever had an experience that felt lacking, or that you thought needed some extra spice added to it? Have no fear, the Mono-Machine Music Box is here! Designed entirely to help you all relax in this hotel, this machine will play a variety of songs and music tracks to match any circumstance. After all, what’s a good killing game without a good soundtrack? Upupupupu…
Masakazu pressed the button again in frustration, exiting the instruction menu and leading him to a list of music tracks. As much as he liked music, he felt reluctant to use anything provided to him my Monokuma. As such, he left the machine alone and resumed his walk to the cafe.
Once he made his way to the cafe, Masakazu opened the double doors and walked inside. Several people were crowding around one of the long, rectangular tables, conversing with one another. Ryoma heard the cafe’s doors close and waved Masakazu over. “Looks like you managed to roll out of bed early today, huh?” The strongman asked with a smile. The chess player only nodded in response as he took a seat next to Risa and Tetsuya. “So, what’s going on with this meeting?” Risa turned towards him to reply. “Ryoma wanted us to talk about what we discovered, since Monokuma kinda interrupted us before.” Jack leaned forward, sprawling his arms on the table. “We’re never gonna get this done if Yubs and the rest take so freakin long to get here…” “I’m sure Kai’s doing his best to gather them, we’ll just have to wait in the meantime.” Ryoma assured the forger, who merely sighed in response. After a few tense minutes, the doors to the cafe opened once more. A cheerful Kai walked forward, with a drowsy Kimiko and irritated Yubiseiharukana in tow. Once the three of them sat down, Ryoma stood up and began talking. “First off, thanks for coming here first thing in the morning, everyone. I’m sure it was no easy feat, with how sleepy some of you look. However, it’s important to discuss our findings from yesterday, as well as our...situation.” He turned to examine our reactions to the mention of the killing game before sitting back down. “Who would like to begin?” Sumire immediately spoke up. “The front door to this hotel’s covered in metal n’ protected by a freakin’ machine gun, so make sure you guys don’t mess with it, yeah?” This sudden announcement caught several students off guard, who weren’t aware of the presence of the minigun. Masakazu decided it best to alleviate their concerns by explaining the minigun’s purpose. “T-To be more specific, the machine gun is set to attack anything that only tries to open the door itself, so if you were to simply pass through or examine the door, you’d be fine.” “There’s also nothing suspicious in the entrance hall, atleast not that I could find.” Kimiko added. “N-Nice to hear, I guess? Um, who else has something to report?” Jirou attempted to steer the conversation away from the minigun. “There’s a pair of elevators at the top of the grand hall, but they didn’t seem to be operational.” Kenji responded with crossed arms. “Elevators? I haven’t seen any stairs myself, but there’s elevators? Isn’t that strange?” Kasumi asked. The rest of us looked at eachother, hoping someone would speak up about finding a set of stairs. When no one replied, she sighed. “Thought not.” “Anyways...there’s a laundry room upstairs, but nothing out of the ordinary about it.” Konomi said, adjusting her headphones once more. Risa nodded furiously in response. “Yep, just boring old clothes and laundry carts. Nothing worth reporting.” Yubiseiharukana scoffed upon hearing the magician’s report. “So, you pretty much did nothing the entire time you investigated? Am I hearing this right?” Hana tilted her head and looked down the table at the detective. “And what did you find during your investigation, nya?’ Yubiseiharukana smirked and crossed her arms. “I’m pleased to announce that there’s nothing fishy about any of the restrooms or hallways in this hotel, and no hidden passages exist.” Jack’s sunglasses drooped down his nose as he gave the detective a bewildered look. “Wow Yubs, you really didn’t do anything useful either, huh?” This remark didn’t go well with her, and she began glared daggers at the forger. “And I’m supposed to take that kind of talk from the guy who wasted his time telling pointless lies to everyone while they worked hard investigating? And quit calling me Yubs, damnit!” Jack didn’t respond to the detective’s response, instead opting to slide back into his chair and avoid eye contact. “...There’s three commons areas on this floor, all of which contain the same amount of seating.” Yuuki attempted to give his report, probably in an attempt to change the subject. “And speaking of this floor, it looks like that bear was telling the truth about our food shortage.” Tetsuya announced after Yuuki finished speaking. “I checked it this morning, and there’s been a ton of food added to the freezers.” “And several packs of bottled water and soda line the bottom of the fridge, too.” Takako added. As Takako finished talking, Ryoma stood up once more. “Sounds like everyone’s had a chance to talk about their findings. While our situation is quite grim, it’s good to know that we have a stable source of food and drink.” “Atleast until the bear decides to cut us off.” Yubiseiharukana remarked, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t think he’d do that, especially if he’s serious about this ‘game’ of his.” Kimiko spoke, rubbing her eyes. “Why do you think that?” Masakazu turned to the reporter, who finished waking up. “Well, it just makes sense, doesn’t it? If he’s so adamant about us killing each other, then he wouldn’t risk us dying of starvation.” Kimiko’s thinking was logical, but it still made Masakazu sick to his stomach. In a situation where they’re forced to kill each other, starvation might’ve been preferable. “That brings me to my second point of discussion.” Ryoma continued. “I still think this whole thing is some kind of sick joke, but if it alleviates your fears somewhat, I request that we all meet up here each morning to discuss this game and hang out. I’m sure that after a few days, whoever is doing this will get tired of us not freaking out and release us. We’ll just have to run the clock, you hear me?” No one replied, except for a few nods in the crowd. “Then it’s settled, morning meetings are now a mandatory part during our time here. Besides that, you can enjoy whatever else this hotel has to offer. I’m looking forward to working with you all!” Ryoma gave a wide grin after finishing his speech, which gave Masakazu a warm feeling in his heart. Even with Monokuma’s sinister declaration yesterday, many people still had hope that everything would turn out alright. Masakazu decided to keep that optimism with him. Once everyone in the cafe finished their discussions, the room quickly emptied itself out as the students left to do their own thing. Masakazu found himself with nothing to do, so he decided to find someone to talk with. I wonder who I should try talking to...
And with that, the true beginning of the story begins! At the beginning of each chapter is a segment for "Free Time Events", (or FTEs, for short) where the readers and Masakazu discover traits and backstories for the other students of this hotel. Below is a straw poll, where you may vote for 5 of the 15 students. The five students with the most votes will get a free time event, and each student can have a maximum of five. Don't worry if your character doesn't get any votes, because each chapter will have five FTEs. Besides that, I plan on writing all free time events for all of the students in the event of...well, death. www.strawpoll.me/17200307Besides that, how do you all feel about the inclusion of the Mono-Machine Music Box? I was mulling over including it for quite some time, as listening to the ost of Danganronpa V3 while reading through past posts just felt...right to me. Of course, if it's not a popular addition, I'll gladly take it out. QOTD: If you were in Masakazu's place, who would you choose to hang out with first?That concludes this ending segment, see you in the next post!~ -♞ Chess Boi
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Post by madsinzero on Jan 9, 2019 22:08:12 GMT
Nice nice nice! It's great to finally start Chapter 1, and with musical accompaniment to boot, yay. I think the V3 OST really melded well with the scene you showed, so nice job!
As for the question of the day, I think I'd wanna hang out with Risa first, she seems both interesting and cute! Or maybe, on a similar notes, Konomi. She was introduced alongside Risa, and I'm also a fan of headphones/music.
I'm excited to see how you adapt Free Time Events, and other DR gameplay. I think that's always a highlight of fic that adapts games.
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Post by mattyboy on Jan 10, 2019 4:36:38 GMT
OHHHHHHHHH, I am nuts! I would've read this on my lunch break, but I thought it'd still be the same thread, start to finish. Clearly, I am a genius.
This gone be my before bed reading~!
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Post by madsinzero on Jan 10, 2019 7:24:32 GMT
As a side-note I forgot to mention, this entire exchange is gold.
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Post by AgentZ46 on Jan 10, 2019 9:52:19 GMT
I really like addition of the music box. It's really neat and is a real mood setter while reading. QOTD: I personally would probably hang out with Ryoma. Seems like a friendly guy. Though I'd also really want to hang out with Risa Really liked the part btw! I'm actually really nervous while reading, wondering who'll be the first to commit a murder.
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CJ
Junior Member
Spent too much time writing all the lore / Can't quite tell what I'm hoping for
Posts: 73
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Post by CJ on Jan 11, 2019 4:55:19 GMT
Man. Between "Stan Lee Wannabe", Jack and Yubi arguing, and Masakazu not bein' able to shake his sleepy reputation, this chapter cracked me the hell up. Really lookin' forward to the FTEs - focusing on some individual characters seems like a great way to learn more about the cast! RE the QOTD: I dunno, honestly. I think I'd be a little too nervous to socialize with people I'd been told were gonna try and kill me. At least for the first few days. And I'm a big fan of having some music! Even if you don't always find a way to work it into the story, a link to a track is a good way to set the mood. (Plus I never actually played V3, so it gives me an excuse to finally listen to the soundtrack. Eheh...)
Edit: Oh, and while I think of it - would you mind including each student's talent in the next FTE strawpoll?
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Post by madsinzero on Jan 11, 2019 10:10:25 GMT
Y'know, your music box made me realize that Cool Mornings and Beautiful Lie (a song I've listened to way too much) share a common musical motif/theme. Nice.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Jan 11, 2019 16:18:32 GMT
Edit: Oh, and while I think of it - would you mind including each student's talent in the next FTE strawpoll?
Don't know why I didn't think to do this earlier, but good idea! Not everyone has memorized the talents like I have, so apologies for that. I'm glad that you all seem to enjoy the music box, so I'm gonna leave it in for the rest of the story. I believe that it'll help spice up the later parts of the chapters as well. I'm gonna close the voting off at around 5 PM EST, so make sure to get your votes in before then! Remember, you can vote for 5 people each. Until next time!
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Post by AgentZ46 on Jan 11, 2019 16:33:14 GMT
I may have messed up and only voted one person
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Jan 11, 2019 16:35:21 GMT
I may have messed up and only voted one person Will the strawpoll let you vote again? If not, you can just reply with your votes or PM them to me. It's no problem ^^
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Post by AgentZ46 on Jan 11, 2019 17:09:42 GMT
I may have messed up and only voted one person Will the strawpoll let you vote again? If not, you can just reply with your votes or PM them to me. It's no problem ^^ I tried again and it said "You're vote is counted! You have already voted on this poll." So I'm assuming it didn't let me vote? It be a bit weird if it said that and then counted my vote anyway. Should I PM you or leave it just to be safe? Don't want to accidentally cheat the system.
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Post by Tales93 on Jan 11, 2019 17:22:26 GMT
Will the strawpoll let you vote again? If not, you can just reply with your votes or PM them to me. It's no problem ^^ I tried again and it said "You're vote is counted! You have already voted on this poll." So I'm assuming it didn't let me vote? It be a bit weird if it said that and then counted my vote anywayr. Should I PM you or leave it just to be safe? Don't want to accidentally cheat the system. He just said you could pm him your other choices. I don't think it should be a problem.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Jan 11, 2019 17:49:56 GMT
I tried again and it said "You're vote is counted! You have already voted on this poll." So I'm assuming it didn't let me vote? It be a bit weird if it said that and then counted my vote anywayr. Should I PM you or leave it just to be safe? Don't want to accidentally cheat the system. He just said you could pm him your other choices. I don't think it should be a problem. Just like Tales said, reply with your five or PM them to me if you want them to be a secret. I'll try to make the future strawpolls allow people to vote again to prevent this from happening.
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Post by AgentZ46 on Jan 11, 2019 17:57:08 GMT
He just said you could pm him your other choices. I don't think it should be a problem. Just like Tales said, reply with your five or PM them to me if you want them to be a secret. I'll try to make the future strawpolls allow people to vote again to prevent this from happening. Sure I'll PM you. Though I wouldn't recommend allowing multiple votes. Could be used unfairly.
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Post by mattyboy on Jan 11, 2019 21:18:34 GMT
Everything about this update has me a mess with anticipation!
I keep wanting to take a few week break from reading so I can just binge a few chapters in one go on my day off, but then lunch break comes around and my excitement cannot be contained, so my resolve breaks almost as quickly as it formed!
Basically: I continue to find my appetite for this story to be as voracious as I'd imagined!
Also, to whoever created Jack: your boy is winning me over right now.
I won't lie that he rubbed me wrong on his introduction (a fact I suspect was VERY intentional), but much like Hiyoko in DR2, their 2nd impression has me howling!
Anyone else doubt very much that his name really is Jack btw? I don't know yet if he's genuinely dangerous, but I have little doubt in my mind that he's also not nearly as inept with disguise and subterfuge as he'd want everyone to believe.
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Post by AgentZ46 on Jan 12, 2019 5:13:11 GMT
I wonder what would upset a reader more. Their character being murdered or their character resorting to murder? This is bound to be an emotional ride. I'm so excited.
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CJ
Junior Member
Spent too much time writing all the lore / Can't quite tell what I'm hoping for
Posts: 73
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Post by CJ on Jan 12, 2019 12:21:55 GMT
i've got a couple more sketches of the cast, but a) i need to clean them up and b) i don't wanna clog the thread, so in the meantime here's this,
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 12, 2019 16:59:35 GMT
First of all, I may have messed up in the vote. I did not vote for five at first, but only for one, which is Jack. Yesterday, I realized that we can vote for five and since I was not at home, I was able to do it, but I kinda messed up and picked Jack again, alongside four others. So, technically you probably should reduce the amount of Jack votes by one. But ah, this continues to be brilliant! As you can guess by me picking him twice, Jack is my favourite character so far. Him calling Yubiseiharukana "Yubs" gave me a chuckle, because her reaction to that is priceless. But the entire cast continues to be developed nicely, I like them all. One thing I am struggling with (which is why I second the request to include their ultimates in the poll), is, however, the names. I have to admit it right here before it gets embarassing, I am bad with japanese names. Sure, I can remember Masakazu because he is the protagonist, Kasumi and Ryoma because I submitted them, Jack and Kai because they really don't have hard names and Yubiseiharukana, because there is absolutely no way I'd ever forget that name. But with the rest, I'm having a way easier time remembering them by their ultimates, so I might need some help to make the connection between their names and their ultimates. It's my fault, really, but I have never been exposed to that muany japanese names at once before. My anime knowledge consists of the german dub of Yu-Gi-Oh and One Piece, so this is all very new to me. I'll probably need some time and practice and repeated rereads of the Prologue to get the full picture, but on the positive side, it means I get to reread the prologue several times, so there's some benefit to it ^^ Also, I think mattyboy brings up a very interesting theory, so I'm going to say I think the same. Jack is the Ultimate Forger, so come to think of it, it wouldn't really be far fetched to assume that he forged his ID. After all, if he is really as easy to read as he makes it seem, he wouldn't be much of a forger, would he? I could see it all being part of a trick and that he actually has a completely different name. That in return makes me wonder just why he does it. Maybe just for shits and giggles, but I would not be too surprised if he has more sinister motives. We'll see, but for now he is easily my favourite character. Shady he might be, but so damn enjoyable
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Jan 12, 2019 21:49:42 GMT
While Masakazu leaned back in his chair, deep in thought about who he wanted to spend time with, he noticed a slouched figure in his peripheral vision. As he turned towards the figure, he recognized it to be Jack. The forger didn’t seem to take any notice of him as he stretched and straightened his baggy blazer. While Jack wasn’t necessarily the first person that would’ve come to mind for Masakazu to chat with, he found it quite rude to just leave without even giving him the time of day. After all, everyone else had already filtered out of the cafe by now.
The chess player got out of his seat before walking towards Jack and taking up the seat beside him. The forger must’ve been unaware of his existence, because the action completely caught him off guard. “Umm...can I help you?” “Sorry for disturbing you, I just saw that you were sitting alone here and wondered if you wanted to chat?” The forger stared at him with a blank expression for a few short seconds before clearing his throat. “Well, uh...sure, I guess. If that’s what you want.”
Hang out with Jack?
[Yes] [Nah] Jack: So, what kinda chat did you have in mind, exactly? Masakazu: Well, I don’t really know a whole lot about you, do I? I suppose that would be a start. Perhaps you could explain how you got your title of Ultimate Forger? Jack: That’s quite the tall order, Masa. But since you’re so eager, fine. Jack: I’ve always been something of a copycat throughout my life, but I was an upstanding and generally decent kid growing up. Honest. Masakazu: I wasn’t exactly implying that- Jack: Ok, maybe I might have copied all of my assignments off of wikipedia, and yes, I might have gotten all three of my online artistic accounts closed for tracing, but what kinda kid hasn’t been guilty of that atleast once in their lives? Masakazu: Well, I’m not quite sure, but- Jack: Point I’m making is, that was all a learning experience. I just...learn better from following other people’s leads, that’s all. Theory isn’t my strong suit, but memorization sure is! Masakazu: I-I’m glad that’s the case, but… Jack: Phew, that felt good to get off my chest. I feel a little better now. So thanks for that, Masa. Masakazu: I guess that’s a preferable outcome...say, can I ask you something, Jack? Jack: Hm? What’s up? Masakazu: How come you’re being so casual and polite with me? You’re not usually so...approachable. Jack: … Jack: I think this chat’s over, chess boy. Go throw your nice guy charade somewhere else. The forger then stood up and stormed out of the cafe without a second word, leaving Masakazu behind to ponder his outburst. Did I say something wrong…?
Jack’s Profile Card: 1/5 Jack seemed to always have a problem with cheating and lying when he was a kid, but chalked it up as a learning experience when asked about his talent. Before he could go into further detail about it however, he got upset at the mention of his calm demeanor.
Feeling unfulfilled after the result of his talk with Jack, Masakazu decided to find someone else to talk with before the day ended. Hopefully, someone a little more down to earth this time. He strolled through the halls of the hotel, searching high and low for any of the other students. At the end of the corridor, he finally spotted someone. They had their back to him, investigating the wall with great interest. When he got within earshot, they quickly turned towards him, revealing themselves to be Yubiseiharukana. The chess player gave a nervous chuckle and a short wave to the detective, who began to quickly stride over to his position. Masakazu tried his best to stay optimistic, but Yubiseiharukana had already proven to be quite the handful when it came to...pretty much anything, really. As much as he would’ve preferred not to, the chess played steeled himself for conversation with the aggressive detective. Before he could even react, Yubiseiharukana rushed over to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pushing him up against a nearby wall. “H-Hey, what are you doing…?!” The chess player asked, completely unaware of the detective’s intentions. “Just what were you planning on doing, walking up to me like that, huh?” “I was just looking around for someone to talk with, then I saw you!” “Well then, let’s talk, shall we?”
Hang out with Yubiseiharukana?
[It's not like I have a choice...!] [No, really, I don't have a choice!] Yubi: Since you’re so keen on talking, let’s do just that. Masakazu: W-Where are you going with this…? Yubi: I’ve got some questions for you, so you better get ready to answer them and fess up! Yubi: First things first, and you better tell me the goddamn truth...are you in league with that bear? Masakazu: Excuse me?! Yubi: The bear! You know, the one holding us all hostage here and telling us to commit murder, duh! You might as well admit it, I saw you talking with him earlier! Masakazu: Are you insane? Why would I work with that sociopath?! Yubi: I don’t believe you. First you’re the last one to wake up, then ‘coincidentally’ that bear shows up and starts a conversation with you away from the rest of us? You expect me to buy that? Masakazu: He just wanted to tell me about his stupid music box contraption, that’s it! I didn’t even want to talk with him! Yubi: …! The detective then released her grip on Masakazu, and the chess player quickly slid to the floor. Yubi: Forget it, you’re not worth my time after all. Go run along and make friends or some shit. She then turned around and quickly rounded the nearby corner, leaving Masakazu on the ground to catch his breath. Is she out of her mind?! For her sake, I hope she doesn’t do that act to anyone else…
Yubiseiharukana’s Profile Card: 1/5 Instead of having a normal discussion, Yubiseiharukana assaulted and interrogated me, believing that I was working with Monokuma. After vehemently insisting otherwise, she let me go and we went our separate ways. Just who does she think she is anyways, acting like that?
The chess player picked himself off the floor and dusted himself off before turning back around in the direction he came from. He prefered to avoid Yubiseiharukana for awhile after that stunt. Masakazu was very careful when navigating his way around the hotel after his interactions with Jack and Yubiseiharukana. While he didn’t believe anyone would be as bad to interact with as those two, he wouldn’t dare risk it. He soon found himself in the commons area closest to the dormitories, and decided it best to take a break to relax. He took a seat from a nearby desk and sat down, the comfortable atmosphere of the quiet and serene environment quickly soothing his nerves. Before he knew it, the chess player had dozed off. His peaceful respite wasn’t destined to last long however, and a voice eventually filled his ears. “Going back to your narcoleptic roots, nya?” Masakazu’s eyes quickly shot open, the unanticipated sound of the philosopher’s voice giving him quite a fright. “Ah, ahem...I guess, haha…” Hana raised an eyebrow as she examined him, her sharp eyes gazing into him. “But are you certain it’s wise to sleep out in the open here, nya? Even with the killing game and everyone else, nya?” Masakazu’s heart skipped a beat. He had wanted to ignore the very idea of the killing game, but the philosopher’s words carried a very real weight to them. What if he had been killed, just like that? He’d never get the chance to better himself or the others, never- No, I can’t think like that. Not right now. Stop.
The chess player gave a halfhearted nod to Hana and stood up to stretch. “Well, thanks for waking me up, then. I guess I should head back to my room then-” As he began walking away, the philosopher quickly sidestepped him, blocking his path. “Oh no, I don’t think so, nya. Have you forgotten your purr-omise, nya?” Masakazu stared at her with a confused expression before remembering his words from the other day. “Oh, right, I had promised to talk about philosophy with you if you told me where any other students would be…” The philosopher jumped up in glee as she celebrated Masakazu’s acceptance. “Yes indeed, you purr-omised to discuss the intricacies of human nature with me, nya!” She then took out her notepad, flipping to a new page with a devious grin. “But considering our circumstances, I think it’d be better to talk about this killing game, nya.” Masakazu sighed. He was very reluctant to even acknowledge their situation, but found he had little choice. He nodded once more, signaling his involvement.
Hang out with Hana?
[It was a purr-omise...] [Nah] Hana: First thing’s first, nya. How do you feel about this killing game, nya? Masakazu: Depressed? Angry? All of the above? Hana: Hm...I suppose that’s to be expected, nya. Hana: How about we talk about the structure of this game, nya? Masakazu: I guess so, sure… Hana: How do you believe this game operates, nya? Masakazu: Well...it’s meant to make us distrust one another, certainly. Making us meet each other firsthand before revealing the existence of the game was probably meant to add additional stress and paranoia onto us as well. Hana: Indeed, very observant of you, nya. If I were to liken it to a popular term...I’d say the purr-isoner’s dilemma, nya. Masakazu: The...prisoner’s dilemma? What’s that? Hana: It’s quite simple, nya. Two purr-isoners are caught and each of them are offered a deal, nya. If they rat out their partner, they get a few years shaved off of their sentence, nya. But if their partner talks, the other person gets more years added, and if they both talk neither of them benefits, nya. Masakazu: So the obvious choice is for both of them to stay quiet, right? Hana: Unfortunately, human nature isn’t so cut and dry, nya. The biggest benefit would be to serve less time, and they still have to trust that their partner wouldn’t screw them over, nya. In that case, betraying your partner would be the most logical choice, nya. Masakazu: I kinda understand, but… Hana: Then how about nuclear disarmament, nya? Masakazu: Sorry, you’ve lost me again. Hana: If two countries have nukes, you can't get rid of your own, nya. Because then you’d be put in a position where you’d be disadvantaged against the country that still has theirs, even if they promised to also disarm theirs as well, nya. In this killing game, trust is difficult because the most beneficial and logical choice would be to commit murder for your own gain, nya. Masakazu: I get where you’re coming from, but I can’t agree with the conclusion you’ve reached. I have faith that no one here would possibly resort to murder so easily. Hana: Hm...You have quite a lot of trust in those around you, despite understanding human nature, nya. I look forward to future discussions, nya. Before Masakazu could comment further, the philosopher closed her notepad and strolled away with a bounce in her step.
Hana’s Profile Card: 1/5 True to her talent, Hana is overly ambitious when it comes to discussing philosophical subjects. This killing game seems to have piqued her interest in that regard, as that was all she wanted to talk about today. Despite her arguments, I just can’t agree with her conclusions.
As the chess player stood silent, thinking over today’s events in his head, a noise rung throughout the halls of the hotel. *ding dong, dong ding!*“Attention all students, it is now 10 pm. As such, it is officially nighttime, and some hotel facilities will be unavailable. Now then...sweet dreams everyone! Goodnight!” Monokuma’s announcement reminded Masakazu of the time, and he decided it best to retire to his room for the rest of the night. Perhaps getting some much needed rest would help his conflicted mind and distract him from the negatives of today’s events. And so, the chess player slept. Along with him, 15 others snoozed. And while they rested, a figure began their dark plot...
And there you have it, the first three of the five FTEs for this chapter! I thought about just adding them on, one after the other, but decided that it'd flow better if I sprinkled them here and there throughout the story. I hope these first few FTEs make you all look forward to future FTEs, as I quite enjoy writing dialogues between our favorite chess boy and these colorful individuals. On a side note, please feel free to share and discuss any theories or other things you would like to talk about! One of my favorite things while reading these is to see how you all react to the story and its twists and turns, so it's quite enjoyable to see what you all come up with. (Also on a side note, that Jack sketch is wholesome and very much welcome in this school environment.) QOTD: If you had an ultimate talent, what do you think it would be and why?Until next time!~ -♞ Chess Boi
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Post by madsinzero on Jan 12, 2019 22:03:14 GMT
That was great!
I've deliberately been avoiding checking the character profiles I sent in, so I don't quite remember the nitty-gritty of the FTE ideas I sent in. That's been great, as I'm getting a nice surprise with both Yubi and Hana's FTEs.
As for the QOTD: I think I'd be something like the Super High School Level Comedian. Telling jokes is one of my strong suits (as I hope my friends can agree).
Anyhow, as for some analysis, I really love how you did Hana's first FTE especially. It really nails the rambling, somewhat controlling nature of a conversation with her! Also, I really enjoyed Jack's FTE, he's such a goober, what with getting caught tracing art. Hardly the most air-tight forgery, very amusing!
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Post by AgentZ46 on Jan 13, 2019 3:39:02 GMT
Hana is so damn CUTE! XD I'm sorry, I had to say it.
Anyway I really enjoyed this part, I obviously liked Hana's first FTE. Can't wait to see the rest.
QOTD: It's hard to say, can't really think of a talent that ever really defined me or stood out. Maybe ultimate gamer if my ego was a little bigger.
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Post by haystack on Jan 13, 2019 16:40:21 GMT
I'm a little sad that I missed the voting period, but then again these were the choices I would've gone with regardless because I LOVE... YUBS AND HANA... they just do whatever they want and I admire that... I also love how talking to them affects Masa's responses too... they cannot be stopped, not even by the limits of the user interface...
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 21, 2019 1:06:13 GMT
Oh man, this continues to be great. I did vote for Jack and Yubs and am very pleased we got to see more of them, but while I did not vote for Hana in my last vote, this part kinda makes me wish I did, because she is great and easily among my Top 5 right now! In general, I like the concept and the way you are writing these, this definitely does wonders with fleshing out the characters. Makes me all the more excited to see how the other free time events will be. In here, Yubs FTE probably was my favourite and I am absolutely certain she can be a major ally if Masakazu manages to convince her that he is not working for Monokuma. While I thoroughly enjoyed Hana, I gotta admit I am a bit concerned for her. Seems like she will be one to look out for, because I am pretty sure she's already making the conclusion that she has to kill someone. Jack is the wildcard, I could see him developing into either direction, but at least at this point, I don't think he will be the first to kill someone else. He is shady, but at the same time, he is probably my favourite character right now. As for the QOTD, hm... that is a hard question. I mean, I know what I am good at, but I fully know I am hardly the best at it. I can write, but got miles to go before I can claim masters level. I'd say I'm more than a decent cook, I'm super good with languages and everyone I ever DM'ed for had nothing but praise. So, yeah, I really don't know. I'm good at a couple things, but I can easily think of people within my closest circle of friends or family who are equally good or better. Considering that I have a serious problem narrowing anything down to just one, I'd say... Ultimate Indecisive Millennial, I can identify with that
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Post by madsinzero on Jan 22, 2019 0:23:05 GMT
I'm mildly annoyed that everyone's calling Yubiseiharukana "Yubs", since I usually call her Yubi in casual conversation. Curse you Jack, getting the last laugh! [dramatically shakes fist at the sky].
Other than that, I'm really thankful that people are liking Hana and Yubi! They're both a lot of fun to write when I'm writing them, so I hope BlueShadow enjoys them as well.
Anyhow, I think I should make a prediction: I think Jack's going to die first, as he's hardly made himself look like he's competent. Kinda an easy first target me-thinks.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Jan 22, 2019 22:02:47 GMT
Once the morning announcement had gone off and enough time had passed for Masakazu to fully wake up, he decided to go to the cafe where he assumed the others would’ve been. As he opened the double doors to the massive cafeteria and walked inside, he immediately noticed a very different vibe in the room. The students who made it there before him were crowding around a different table than usual, all of them standing around one another. The chess player could barely overhear what they were discussing from across the room, and eventually decided to walk towards them.
As he got closer, he spoke out to the crowd. “Good morning, everyone. What seems to be the matter over here?”
Kai turned towards him, his face a mixture of confusion and worry. “We’re not sure ourselves, dude. When Ryoma and I got here, this weird looking box was just kinda...there and stuff.”
Ryoma crossed his arms and nodded. “Indeed it was. What I find most concerning is how Monokuma reacted to me trying to open it.”
Masakazu peered between the two ultimates, trying to catch a glance at the strange box in question. It seemed quite large, taking up the entirety of the round table’s surface. Its grey surfaces looked untampered, with a long strip of yellow tape covering the top flaps.
“Monokuma stopped you from opening it?” The chess player inquired, before the bodybuilder simply nodded again. “Is that supposed to be his box or something? Why’d he put it out in the open here?”
Jirou stopped his discussion with Risa and Konomi as he turned to Masakazu to shrug his shoulders. “Hell if we know, honestly. We tried getting answers out of him, but he just blew us off and teased us by telling us to ‘wait for the others’ to gather first.”
Masakazu took another look around the room to see who wasn’t in attendance. Most of them were there already, minus Yubiseiharukana, Jack, and Kenji. “I suppose we’ll just have to wait then, huh?”
A few collective sighs were all the answer he got as the rest of the students continued on with their previous conversations and activities. Masakazu took this time to examine the box further, trying his best to discover its purpose without tampering with it, to no avail. After what seemed like forever, the remaining students finally arrived. The doors slammed open, with an annoyed Kenji keeping the argumentative pair of Yubiseiharukana and Jack at an arm's length from each other.
“Sorry to be late, I had to deal with these two troublesome excuses for ultimates.” Kenji immediately released both students once he walked in, leaving them to fend for themselves. As he walked towards the group, he took note of the strange box. “What’s the deal with that?”
As the detective and forger kept arguing amongst themselves, Monokuma made his grand entrance by popping up from under the table. “Hello, hello, hello there my brilliant (and yet overly irritating) students!”
“Hey, who’re you calling irritating, you build-a-bear reject?!”
Monokuma waved off the insult from the forger before continuing. “Now that I have most of your attention now, I humbly thank you for coming here for this special announcement!”
Yuuki tilted his head before interrupting the bear’s speech. “But we didn’t come here for that. If anything, you came here for us.”
This statement seemed to depress the bear, who bowed his head in a dejected expression. “Well...yeah, I did. You all seemed so enamored with this room that I didn’t think you’d want to even go near the grand hall anymore…”
“So you’ve been spying on us? Otherwise you wouldn’t know that we decided to meet here in the mornings.” Ryoma spoke up, frowning at the bear.
“That’s a no-brainer though, right? I mean, of course I’d be spying on you all. I’ve got a killing game to run, after all. Speaking of which…” Monokuma then gave one of his signature chuckles before continuing. “That’s the reason why I’ve gathered you all here. These last few days have been pretty unproductive, what with the lack of murder and all. It’s really bumming me out, you know?”
Kasumi rolled her eyes. “Then cut it out and release us already. Find someone else to do your sick idea of a game.”
“But that’s just it, I can’t! You guys are perfect! This scenery, it’s perfect! Everything in this damn place screams ‘prime killing game material’, I just couldn’t for the life of me understand why no one had off’d anyone else yet! But then it hit me…the one thing that I had neglected to think about…”
“That we’re not a group of psychopaths who’d kill at the drop of a hat?” Masakazu remarked, glaring at the bear.
“No, my dear chess boy...it’s motive. Of course you guys wouldn’t resort to murder so easily, there’s no incentive to! So I worked up all night gathering stuff and formulating plans...for this moment specifically!” Monokuma then turned to the box and sliced the yellow tape right down the middle with his claws. In the same motion, he took something out from behind his back and slapped it onto the front side of the bizarre crate.
The top flaps of the box flung open, revealing itself to be filled to the brim with all manner of weaponry and other instruments of murder. Horrified by the sight, Masakazu turned his eyes towards whatever Monokuma stuck to the front of the box. It appeared to be a large sticker with a colorful design, which had a sickening phrase on it.
The sticker read ‘Murder Party Fun Box’.
The rest of the students must have been as shocked by the reveal, because no one spoke a single word. As Monokuma stood there, laughing in response to the horror on our faces, only one person dared speak.
“What. The. Fuck.” Masakazu recognized the voice as belonging to Sumire, but couldn’t turn away to check. “WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!”
“Upupupu...didn’t I just say what this is? It’s a motive! Or are you all too stupid to figure it out on your own?”
“That does it, I’ve had enough of your bullshit! This is the last straw, you fuckin psycho!”
Masakazu heard the loud footsteps of Sumire as she made her way towards Monokuma, who was completely unfazed by the tattoo artist’s anger.
“Last straw? But we’ve only just begun! I haven’t even gotten to the good parts yet.”
“And ya never will, ya hear me?! I’m ending this right now!”
“Oh, looks like I’ll get a second chance. Go ahead, lay a single finger on me. If it takes a scapegoat to make the rest of these losers understand the deadly seriousness this game possesses, I’ll gladly work with 15 instead of 16!” Monokuma bared his claws once more, pointing them at Sumire as she approached.
“Nah, you won’t get the fucking chance to. I’m ending this nightmare right here!”
Quicker than he would think possible, the tattoo artist leaned back and threw a punch at the monochromatic bear. It carried a lot of weight and power behind it, and Masakazu prayed that her strength would’ve been enough to prevail over Monokuma. Afraid of the result, he closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he realized there was an absence of an impact noise, or of any noise, actually. He slowly opened his eyes again, discovering the reason why.
Someone had stepped between the furious Sumire and the bloodthirsty Monokuma, and that person had blocked the tattoo artist’s punch with their own open palm. It was quite easy for them to do so, considering their height and talent. Ryoma stood between the two, giving Sumire a fierce glare. Sumire’s expression swiftly swapped from anger to surprise, and eventually shock.
Ryoma’s grip tightened over her fist, and he sighed. “Sorry. I gave you a chance, but now I have to step in.”
Before Sumire could even react, Ryoma quickly grabbed her arm and twisted himself behind her back, keeping the arm at an uncomfortable angle. “The hell, dude?! Cut it out!”
“Not until you stop putting yourself and the others in danger. If you hit him even once, I don’t doubt that he’d end your life.”
Monokuma leaned over, his claws still brandished. “You know, you should listen to this guy more often.” He then retracted his claws. “You should keep her like that for her sake, bodybuilder. I have more to say, and the next physical interruption won’t be stopped so easily. Got it?”
Ryoma glared at the bear and nodded, keeping a firm grip on Sumire’s arm. She cursed under her breath, but didn’t make an attempt to resist the grapple.
“Now, where was I...of course, the box!” Monokuma then turned back towards the box, making an exaggerated looking pose next to it. “I dubbed this bad boy the ‘Murder Party Fun Box’, as I’m sure you can read. It’s got everything a wannabe murderer could ever need! Knives, hammers, swords, duct tape- the list goes on and on for infinity!”
Kenji, who seemed to be unfazed by the weapons, looked at the bear. “And that’s all you’ve got? I thought you said you had motives for us and shit. A few knives and tape won’t make us commit murder when we’ve already proven to be above your previous perceptions about us.”
Monokuma tilted his head. “What’re you trying to say, exactly? That not only keeping you trapped in this hotel isn’t enough to commit murder, but that providing weaponry is equally as ineffective?”
“I’m 90% sure that’s exactly what he’s saying.” Kimiko spoke up, tearing herself away from her notes.
Monokuma then broke out into another bout of laughter, stopping only briefly to explain his amusement. “Then I guess it’s a good thing that’s not the only motive!” The rest of us looked at him in confusion, and he gladly elaborated. “Normally, I’d only give you schmucks one motive at a time, but the weapons seemed to be mandatory. Plus, it’s a totally boring motive by itself. What sort of self respecting bear would I be if I only gave you that as incentive, huh? So that brings me to our next motive…I call it the ‘Plus One’ clause!” The strange title didn’t elicit much of a response from us, and Monokuma sighed.
“Basically, it means that if you commit murder, you get to take someone with you to the outside world.”
“You really think we’re gonna take that seriously, man? Even your rules states only one person can leave if they commit murder!” Jirou complained, turning on his Electro-ID to the rules section.
Rule #9: If the blackened can avoid detection during the class trial, they alone will have the right to leave the hotel. The remaining spotless will also receive punishment.
“Why do you think it’s called the Plus One ‘clause’, dummy? Obviously, it’s an exception to the rule!”
“An exception?” Yubiseiharukana inquired.
“And a temporary exception at that. If one of you bozos misses out on it, don’t come crying for an extension. This isn’t a damn college essay, after all! It’s a bona-fide killing game, with all the sweet perks!”
“Yeah right, ‘perks’ my ass! You’re just trying to get us to kill, what’s so great about taking someone with us, huh?!” Jack spoke up, his eyes darting to each of us as he spoke.
“Don’t you want to save someone?” The monochrome bear asked with another tilt of his head.
“Huh…?”
“Well, I guess that’ll be enough incentives for now. You guys play nice, alright?” Monokuma then turned to leave, but suddenly stopped and faced the 16 of us, his red eye glowing with malice. “I’ll be watching the carnage, everyone!”
With that, the bear left the students alone to ponder their options.
Masakazu looked upon the menacing box once more, its contents spelling doom for their collective futures.
Hey there! It's been awhile since the last update, huh? College has started back up recently and that eats away into my free time, so unfortunately the only times I'm able to update from now on will be on the weekends. I could try to aim for one update per week, but we'll see what happens.
With that out of the way, time for the question of the day!
QOTD: What are your thoughts on the motives presented by Monokuma? Would you be enticed to commit murder if these two incentives were revealed?
Until next time!~
-♞ Chess Boi
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Post by madsinzero on Jan 22, 2019 22:44:29 GMT
It's good to be back on the Update Hype Train! And dang, the music really helps set the scene. Having played Danganronpa myself, it really helps me picture everything going on.
Anyhow, as for the QotD: I think I'd be tempted by these motives, especially if I had a friend in the killing game. I still doubt I'd kill (of course, everyone probably doubts it) but this game is based on paranoia, so who knows? Maybe my anxiety would win out...
Funnily enough I was discussing something similar to this Plus One Clause the other day. If Yubi's brother was in the killing game with her, I think both of them would jump at this chance. Hana might be tempted too, since being able to take one more person with you sweetens the pot, if you think in pure numbers.
It's like the Prisoner's Dilemma. Changing the amount of points you gain or lose in the different scenarios can have a huge impact on the winning strategy... (You might see why I wrote Hana the way she is, I adore thought experiments... nya~).
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Post by mattyboy on Jan 23, 2019 2:29:39 GMT
Mads is talking in character again, which means it's probably a good thing that I'm reading it at my desk. I don't think a grown man squeeing in public is exactly the right look!
On the whole, really interested in the direction this is going! I'll be frank, the motive seems a little weak,at least in the context of MOST people in the game. That being said, we do already have one confirmed pair of siblings in this game, and I'm growing increasingly certain that we have another set hiding their existence from us. One of whom has been doing a very poor job of avoiding suspicion thusfar...
But that's the name of the game, isn't it? Thrills, chills, and kills! It's an all out Monokuma Mayhem of monstrous proportion! The mystery and the magnificent malevolence of this murderous malcontent only manages to mount and magnify!
QOTD: Oof...I dunno if this one would get to me. Being 100 with you chief, I don't think there's a lot MK and the MM could really do to get me to kill someone. Not out of any kind of sense of right or justice (though I like to believe it would be partially the reason) but mostly because I'm very stubborn, and the motives would feel like a challenge or almost an attempt to force me through emotional exploitation to commit murder. Therefore, I would probably find myself the first one to die because I would likely force myself to behave rationally and normally despite the circumstances, and try to stay trusting and caring in an attempt to spite Monokuma.
Probably not a good thing considering it basically forces me to adopt the mannerisms of the trope "Good is Stupid", but you know. Turned out alright for Naegi, maybe lightning would strike twice?
Thanks for the new post! Very excited for more!
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CJ
Junior Member
Spent too much time writing all the lore / Can't quite tell what I'm hoping for
Posts: 73
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Post by CJ on Jan 23, 2019 9:08:05 GMT
"Hmm, you know, I've thought about it and I just can't think of any reason either of my characters would want to commit murder. It's just too early in the game--" [motive drops] "Oh that'll do it."
Anywho - solid stuff as always, and good luck with your college work! Trying to find a balance between assignments and fic is a nightmare, but we can wait as long as ya need. P:
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Post by AgentZ46 on Jan 23, 2019 9:29:40 GMT
Oh boy, it's about to go down. I wonder how long it'll be before someone gives in and tries to off somebody. And I imagine any characters in pairs will be significantly more suspicious now. Don't know if two would work together to kill someone but if someone is noticeably close to a specific character they may be motivated to save them.
QOTD: I don't think for me personally that's enough reason to kill someone. It's certainly significant but I don't think I'd do it.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Mar 21, 2019 22:23:19 GMT
“We can’t leave this box unattended. You all know this, right?” Kasumi spoke, eyeing up the motive box with just as much suspicion as Masakazu. “Well, no shit Sherlock. But what exactly do you plan on doing about it?” Yubiseiharukana pushed through to the box, immediately gazing inside and sifting her hand through the contents. She soon retracted it and adopted an annoyed expression on her face. “Fucks sake, there must be tons of weapons in here. Shit’s like a damn armory!” Despite his usual cheerful demeanor, Kai seemed to be visibly upset by the description. “That’s seriously not good, you guys. With all that weaponry...someone might actually end up getting hurt.” Masakazu looked around the room, trying to gauge everyone’s reactions and feelings. A large number of people looked just as frightened as Kai, and the few that didn’t either had stone cold expressions or were doing a good job of hiding it otherwise. As people began to mutter and talk amongst themselves, a voice rang out over the crowd. “Please, everyone. Calm down for a moment.” Ryoma’s voice ceased all the other conversations, and all eyes fell upon him. “I understand your concern. This is truly a situation of great importance for all of us, and any fears you may have are not unwarranted. However…” He paused for minute before taking a very deep breath. “No harm will befall any of you here. Not only will I not allow it, but the people who stand beside you feel the same way. We all want the same thing here, so let’s keep on at it and not fall for Monokuma’s traps.” “You really think this is a trap...? Why’s that?” Risa asked, clutching her top hat in a nervous grasp. “He said it himself, didn’t he? We’re not doing any of that ‘killing’ he wants us to do, so he’s gone out of his way to prepare this box for us. So if we just find a way around it and not give in, we’ll be set.” “Then what do we do to get around it then, huh?!” Jack asked, desperately trying to adjust his sunglasses to prevent his eyes from being seen. “What solution do you have?” Ryoma turned towards the forger in response towards his sudden outburst, his confidence turning to surprise. “I...well, I had thought that-” “What if we were to keep watch on the box?” Both pairs of eyes stared at the newcomer in the discussion, which turned out to be Konomi. “If we keep someone on guard to watch it and make sure to check if anything’s missing...then that would work, right?” “But what about at night? No one can stay awake 24/7, after all!” Kimiko questioned. Tetsuya folded his arms before answering. “The cafe’s doors automatically close themselves after 10 pm to coincide with that stupid nighttime rule. Have you seriously never noticed?” Kimiko frowned as she crossed something off on her notepad and tore a page out. “My apologies, I’m not as engrossed in food culture as a waiter would be, so I didn’t know.” “How the hell does that even-” Tetsuya tried to respond to the journalist, but instead groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, whatever. But that’s cleared up now, atleast. As long as whoever’s guarding that box gets out before 10, they won’t get locked in with it.” “Then that just leaves two tasks, choosing who guards it and cataloging the contents.” Yuuki spoke up, before exiting from his seat and making his way towards the exit. “I’ll leave that to you all.” “The hell? You’re just gonna get up and leave like that? Yuuki!” Sumire called after the puzzle solver, who only stopped to glance back at her and the rest of the students. “I just trust you guys, that’s all.” He then left the room, leaving Sumire with a conflicted look on her face. No one said anything at the puzzle solver’s departure until Jirou cleared his throat a bit to gain some attention. “So...who’s gonna guard the thing?” Sumire almost immediately raised her hand before locking eyes with Ryoma. She reluctantly refrained from doing so, and eventually just sat in a nearby chair to hear the results. “I...guess I’ll volunteer? It was my idea, after all. Sort of.” Konomi looked around at the remaining faces, looking for disapproval. No one said anything. “Ok then. Who’s gonna help me write down these weapons on a list?” In contrast to Sumire’s initial response, Ryoma immediately volunteered. “I’ll do it. The rest of you should go relax and enjoy yourselves, in the meantime. Is that acceptable?” A few of us turned to Jack, expecting the forger to interject with another complaint. Instead, he had his hands in his pockets, trying hard to appear as calm and collective as Kenji, who was standing next to him. “Yeah...yeah that works. Totally. Go right ahead and stuff. I’m just gonna go head out now…” The forger then swiftly made an exit, shortly followed by several students, Masakazu included. Before he could leave however, Ryoma’s voice called out to someone in the group. “Actually Tetsuya, I’ve got something I wanted to ask you. Could you come help us while I inform you?” The waiter turned and shrugged. “Not like I’m doing much else at the moment. What’s up?” Not wanting to eavesdrop, Masakazu left the three ultimates in the cafe to their designated task and walked out into the common’s area. Once he was alone, his Electro-ID began buzzing constantly. As he opened it, the ‘map’ tab opened up automatically, showcasing the enormous size of the hotel and flashing a phrase in the middle of the screen. -NEW ULTIMATE LABS AVAILABLE, PLEASE VISIT DESIGNATED LOCATIONS!-
It's back, baby! IT'S FREAKING BACK! Time to continue this crazy story, at long last! I apologize for the two month long hiatus this story's been in. College and writer's block may have taken its toll...but now's the time for a counterattack! I know this comeback post is a bit tiny compared to the rest, but I just couldn't fit in the next few FTEs without it turning into a behemoth of a post. So you'll just have to wait for the next one I hope you're all as excited for this story's continuation as I am! From today on, I will be updating this story much more frequently. With that done, time for today's question... QOTD: Out of the 16 talents shown in this story, which is your favorite and why? And now, time to put a lid on today's ending section. See you in the next post!~ -♞ Chess Boi
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