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Post by madsinzero on Mar 21, 2019 22:39:06 GMT
I'm so glad to hear we're back baby! Heck yeah. I love how much this feels like a Danganronpa case already, keeping guard on the box, plus the fact that it gets locked in the cafeteria every night... It'd be hard for the killer to do much without incriminating themselves... well, assuming they're smart and do a full inventory of the weapons every time the shifts change.
But hey, if their system would perfect, the game wouldn't move forward (insert obligatory upupupupupupu here).
Anyway, as for the Question of the Day, I'd have to say my fave talent might be our protagonist, Masakazu's. I've had some experience playing chess myself, so I'm a little biased. But overall I think it's a great talent for a DR protagonist, being pretty mundane while still making sure they have critical thinking skills.
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Post by AgentZ46 on Mar 23, 2019 17:32:50 GMT
Yeah it's back! I'm happy and excited to see this story again. This part in particular was actually nerve wrecking, I think I kinda emphasized with the characters felling nervous and paranoid. It really had this vibe of any of them could give in and try to kill someone. btw picturing Risa clutching her hat just looked super cute for some reason. QOTD:Admittedly I'm struggling to remember all the talents. I went back to check, ever consider doing a page listing every character and their talent? Might be really convenient for those who need a refresher after breaks. Anyway I'll go with Ultimate Philosopher. It's just a really fascinating talent to see and an unexpected one.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Mar 24, 2019 2:51:48 GMT
Yeah it's back! I'm happy and excited to see this story again. This part in particular was actually nerve wrecking, I think I kinda emphasized with the characters felling nervous and paranoid. It really had this vibe of any of them could give in and try to kill someone. btw picturing Risa clutching her hat just looked super cute for some reason. QOTD:Admittedly I'm struggling to remember all the talents. I went back to check, ever consider doing a page listing every character and their talent? Might be really convenient for those who need a refresher after breaks. Anyway I'll go with Ultimate Philosopher. It's just a really fascinating talent to see and an unexpected one. You know, I think I actually got another request to list talents but it's been so long that I forgot. Let me go do that real quick. P.S. Risa clutching her hat is 100% cute. Glad to hear that I'm capturing the classic Danganronpa feel to it already, makes me more excited for the future...
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Mar 26, 2019 22:05:22 GMT
Three rooms had flashed to life upon Masakazu’s Electro-ID once the initial message had appeared, showing two on the ground floor and one on the second. Tiny icons popped up above each room, showing a top hat, a dumbbell, and a book. Deciding he had nothing better to do, Masakazu decided to check on the newest room closest to him, which resided in a nearby hallway. Once he got to the location on the map, he immediately noticed a difference than when he was investigating earlier. In contrast to the rest of the hall’s bland, brown doors, a bright blue door stood before him, with a design of a dove coming out of a top hat plasted on the front of it. I definitely don’t remember seeing this door here the past few days...someone would’ve commented on it if they saw it, too. Did Monokuma put this here last night as well as the box?As Masakazu pondered the origins of the strange door, he heard the sounds of a conversation from within the room itself. He reluctantly cracked the door open, revealing the voices to be Risa and Jirou. They didn’t take notice of his presence right away, and Jirou continued talking. “Seriously though, this is super impressive! And you know how to work all of these tricks? That’s incredible!” Masakazu took a second to look around the room in response to Jirou’s statement. Immediately, he noticed what the comic book artist was referring to. Inside the strange room were several objects such as a glass cage, several vividly colored closets and boxes, and even an iron maiden. The room also had a small birdcage with a dove in it, as well as a large stage area that took up half of the room. The walls and floor were just as flashy, as red curtains adorned the walls and velvet carpets lined the floor. Flattered by the compliment, the magician giggled and twirled her hair around her finger. “Well, I suppose I can accept your praise and recognition. Just wait and you’ll see even more of my amazing skills in action one day!” She then twirled her cane around, unintentionally pointing it in Masakazu’s direction. Her face briefly flashed with surprise, only to be immediately replaced with a big grin. “Oh, hey there Masa! Whatcha up to?” The chess player gave a nervous chuckle before walking up to the two ultimates. “Not much, just exploring the hotel as per the usual. Sorry for not involving myself in the conversation until now.” “Nonsense, we’re all friends here after all! I bet you wanted to check this room out just as much as I did, huh?” The magician giggled as she walked up to the various objects piled in the room. “So many tricks, so little time! I’ve never felt so excited before, this place is like a real magician’s studio!” “Really makes you wonder why it only popped up just now though, huh?” Jirou questioned, closing his eyes in deep thought. “I mean, this was just a normal, locked room with a brown door like the others a few days ago, so what’s up?” “Upupupupu...I wonder...” Jirou’s eyes opened wide in response to the voice that came from right behind him, and turned around to point at the monochromatic bear. “You! What the hell are you doing, sneaking around like that!”
The bear continued to chuckle to itself. “Why, I’m your headmaster, after all! It’s my job to patrol school grounds...just like it’s my job to inform you of new changes and arrangements in both your new lives in this hotel...and your new lives in this killing game.” “New changes? Explain yourself.” The chess player took no time trying to get an answer out of the Monokuma, much to his disappointment. “Man, you really are a stick in the mud, huh? And after I take the time out of my busy workweek to make sure you guys know…” “Just get on with it.” “I get it, jeez! Basically, this is an Ultimate Research Lab, or Ultimate Lab for short. Notice any similarities with the atmosphere and little miss Houdini over there? In a nutshell, Ultimate Labs are made for their respective ultimate’s talent in mind. It’s meant to help them practice and perfect their talents, and that in turn will help that individual grow. This is extremely helpful in a school environment...but even more so in a killing game!” After the explanation, Monokuma broke into another fit of malicious laughter, to which Risa reacted with fatigue. “Man, leave it to him to take something I love and twist it into something cruel…” “And what about Jirou’s question? Why put it here only just now?” Masakazu inquired further, not satisfied just yet with the monochromatic bear’s explanation. “About that...just like the weapons for the motive, I had to plan these labs out and gather specific resources for them. Running a killing game is harder than it seems, I’ll tell ya!” “And what of the other Ultimate Labs? Surely there’s supposed to be 16 of them, since there’s 16 of us.” Monokuma tilted his head at the chess player. “Don’t you think you’re pushing it a bit too much there? I don’t have to answer everything you ask me, chess boy.” He then waddled towards the door, ignoring the question entirely. “Don’t bother telling those other schmucks about the Ultimate Labs, by the by. I already let them know. Be seeing ya!” As soon as Monokuma left, Masakazu clenched his fist in frustration. “Sorry you guys, I got a bit carried away with getting as much information out of him as possible. I got too greedy…”
Jirou looked to the chess player with a confused expression. “Dude, why are you apologizing like that? You got more out of him than I did, anyways. Don’t worry so much over the small stuff!” “Yeah, totally!” Risa nodded in agreement with the comic book artist’s words. “You did your best, so don’t worry.” Caught off guard, the chess player could only give a halfhearted smile in response. “I...thanks, you two. I mean it.” He then checked his Electro-ID for the time, which ended up being 2:20 PM. “I was planning on checking out the other two labs before the day ended, do either of you feel like accompanying me?” Jirou took a look at the map on his own Electro-ID, and his eyes immediately lit up. “You can go look at that one, but I got a really good feeling about the one upstairs! Sorry, but I gotta check this out for myself! See you guys later!” The comic book artist then sprinted out of the door, nearly tripping on a small crate on the way out. While Masakazu silently questioned Jirou’s bizarre behaviour, Risa simply laughed. “Whatever he’s thinking about that room, it must have gotten him extremely excited. I wonder…” “I guess we’ll find out later. Did you want to investigate the other room with me, Risa?” The chess player extended the invitation once more, to which the magician replied with a slight frown. “Aww man, I’d really love to, but this room is like...super cool to be in right now! I just have to explore and discover all the secrets it’s got! You don’t blame me, right?” Masakazu shook his head, the prospect of getting upset with Risa over anything seeming incredibly unlikely to him. “Of course not. Maybe you could show me some of these tricks later on instead?” “Why, it would be my pleasure as the greatest Ultimate Magician who ever lived! You’re in for a treat, Masa!” Risa gave an exaggerated bow to Masakazu and then began messing around with the various mechanisms in her lab. He took this as his cue to leave, and checked his map for the location of the next Ultimate Lab. Just like Risa’s lab, this next one proved easy to find. A bright green door with a dumbbell design on it was very out of place in this hotel, after all. Masakazu stepped inside the new room to discover what awaited him within. If Ultimate Labs reflect the talents of ultimates, then having a dumbbell design on the door must make this…
Masakazu’s suspicions were soon confirmed once he stepped inside. The room was much bigger than Risa’s lab, and contained numerous amounts of sports related equipment, such as treadmills, weightlifting equipment, punching bags, and of course, dumbbells. Some mirrors were placed on the walls of the room, which were made of the same wood as the floor. This has got to be Ryoma’s Ultimate Lab, no doubt about it.
As he walked around the room, he noticed the figure of someone he certainly didn’t expect to find here. “Oh, hello there Kasumi.” He greeted the girl, who turned and waved with pretty much no effort in her greeting. “Hey.” “Um...so, what’s up? I didn’t really expect you to be here, in all honesty.” Kasumi stared blankly at the chess player before responding. “You know, I do enjoy physical activity just as anyone else. And exploring new rooms could help us all get out of this damn place.” “Right, of course...sorry, I didn’t mean-” Before he could finish apologizing, Kasumi shook her head. “It’s just a joke, dude. Chill out.” “Alright, if you say so...hey, would you mind if I asked you something? It’s been on my mind, honestly.” Kasumi stared at the chess player for a moment in contemplation. “I guess so. What’s up?”
Hang out with Kasumi?
[Yes] [Nah]
Masakazu: I’m not sure if this is a touchy subject for you but...why is it that you have no idea about what talent you have?
Kasumi: I...had a feeling someone would ask that eventually.
Masakazu: It’s alright if you don’t want to explain, it’s just strange to me.
Kasumi: So you think I’m strange, then?
Masakazu: N-no, I’m not trying to say that at all!
Kasumi: Another joke. But I can see where you’re coming from. Since you’re someone who knows what they want to be and what they’re capable of, it must be strange to come across someone so completely different.
Masakazu: Completely different? I’m not sure what you think I believe about you, but that’s certainly not it.
Kasumi: I’m not so different from you after all, huh? Does that make you strange, then? Do you also have no future?
Masakazu: No future? Hold on, you’re losing me a bit…
Kasumi: ...I assume I was right then, we’re leagues apart after all. Like night and day, in a sense.
Masakazu: Slow down, you’re not making any sense. Nothing you’ve said has told me about your talent so far.
Kasumi: Then it seems that you’re just not paying attention. Bad trait for a supposed chess player, in my eyes.
Masakazu: What do you saying…?
Kasumi: Maybe I’ll explain some time later. I’ve got some other things to do.
She then brushed past Masakazu, giving him a light pat on the shoulder as she exited the Ultimate Lab.
Kasumi’s Profile Card: 1/5
When asked about her talent, Kasumi began a tangent about her future and how different she was from me in several ways. She never quite explained as to what she meant, however.
Having fully examined the entirety of Ryoma’s Ultimate Lab, Masakazu decided to follow up with Jirou about the last lab. After making it upstairs and finding the orange door with a book design on it, he walked right in.
The first thing that caught his eye was the multiple rows of shelves that covered the lab. Each shelf was filled to the brim with books, some of which Masakazu recognized from their covers and designs alone. There were comprised of different types of comic books and manga, instantly making Masakazu understand just what caused Jirou to become so excited.
As Masakazu scanned the room while looking for the aforementioned comic book artist, he caught sight of Jirou in the back of the lab placing several frames and posters upon the walls. Once he got done, he wiped the sweat off his brow and stepped back to admire his work.
“I can see that you’ve been busy.” The chess player called out to Jirou, who turned and smiled.
“Hey there, Masa! Welcome to the best place I’ve ever been in my life!”
“You’re that excited, huh?”
“Of course I am!” Jirou exclaimed, grabbing a handful of books off a nearby shelf. “Look at all this source material! All the great works of our generation, right here at my fingertips! I can just feel the writer’s block inside me melting away, inch by inch…”
“All the great works? What do you mean by that?”
“What do you think it means? I’ve got the best comics ever made collected in this room, and there are even ones that I’ve only dreamed of ever even touching, let alone reading!”
They’re that important and rare, huh…?
“That’s all well and good, but...why is it that they’re here, of all places?” Masakazu asked aloud, placing a hand to his chin in contemplation.
“Well, Hope’s Peak is one of the best places to cultivate talent and they earn tons of revenue, yeah? It’s not that far fetched to think they could afford all these.”
“That may be the case, but I’ve been thinking lately...is this hotel really connected to Hope’s Peak?"
“Whatcha mean by that, Masa? Like I said, they’ve got tons of money. They can buy all the hotels they please. Besides, Monokuma said it himself and in the letter, remember? We’re here on Hope’s Peak business. Well, initially, anyways.”
“That’s just what I’m trying to say, though! What if...” The chess player continued, trying his best not to upset the comic book artist with his next words. “What if we were never here on Hope’s Peak business? Would they really put us in this hotel and fill it up with expensive comics and manga just for one new student? For just 16 new students? It just doesn’t make sense…”
Jirou’s energetic smile soon faded, and he carefully put away the books in his hands back to their respective places. He didn’t respond to Masakazu’s theory immediately, instead opting to sit at a nearby desk and hold his head in his hands.
After a few moments of silence, Jirou finally spoke. “H-hey, Masa...can I ask you something?”
“Hm? What is it, Jirou?”
“Do...do you remember how you got here…?”
The question seemed trivial at first, but something eventually clicked inside of Masakazu’s head.
“...I...I don’t…? W-why don’t I…?!”
The two ultimates stared at one another for what felt like the longest time, not able to utter another word after their revelation.
They stared in silence, afraid for what this would mean for the future.
And thus ends today's post, courtesy of more frequent updates! Ultimate Labs finally make an appearance, a subject brought up in the 'third' game, Danganronpa V3. They were just too appealing to leave out of this story, so I just had to add them! We also have our fourth FTE in this update, meaning that we only have one left to reveal! Will it be in the next update...? Perhaps, perhaps... QOTD: Today, I want to hear some theories. What do you think will happen, what twists do you anticipate with suspense?Thus ends today's closing segment. See you all in the next update!~ -♞ Chess Boi
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Post by madsinzero on Mar 26, 2019 22:31:06 GMT
Once again I have to compliment your choices in music! Even if they're all V3 tracks, your writing really fits the tone each song sets (I think I remember you saying you played each track as you wrote? It very much shows, and I know it's a good technique because I often write the same way).
Now, as for the QotD, I'll admit I'm terrible at coming up with theories as I read (or at least, before I bother to start looking... I'll try and read future updates more carefully for hints I suppose). However, I think with the V3 vibes you're setting up... it's going to end up being something different!
After all, you know some of us know the plot of V3, so I feel you feel it'd be too obvious... Of course, now I'm hitting the "you know I know that you know" point of theorizing, so I should stop before I sprain something...
As for character's I'm (for some reason) making the guess that Kasumi has some form of precognition. She talked a lot about "the future", and herself having none. Maybe she knows she's fated to die? This is a pretty off-the-wall guess, but hey, Danganronpa is all about going off-the-wall.
One final theory: I'm assuming the killer will be guarding the weapons, take a smaller one (such as a knife) and wait for a few more shifts to pass. That way, suspicion would be more likely to fall on the person with the most recent shift. It's a fairly simple way to frame someone and one of the first loopholes I thought of when I heard this set-up.
Haha, look at that, I complain that I'm bad at theories and then drop my longest reply yet... That seems pretty on-brand for me honestly...
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Post by AgentZ46 on Mar 27, 2019 5:13:40 GMT
Man, I didn't expect to enjoy Risa this much. She's so damn cute! I'm really enjoying this story. It's got some good lighthearted bits followed by the ominous ones. QOTD: I'm really not sure what to expect. Beyond that someone will end up dead, though I'm not sure how close or far that will be.
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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 Mar 27, 2019 12:57:17 GMT
SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TIME TRAVELLER LET'S GO LET'S GO-ahem- Welcome back, BlueShadow! Glad to see the story moving along, and I hope everything's going well at college too. But anywho... RE the QOTD: I find it a bit hard to go into grand overarching theories without spoiling the hell outta the previous games, so I won't go doing that in public. In any case, I'm a little suspicious of our protagonist having the Chessmaster talent. Being able to think one step ahead of your opponent is as useful for a detective as it is for a mastermind.
Stepping back a bit, having the magician's lab open at the same time the murderbox appears is definitely fun to think about. If someone doesn't swap a prop knife out for a real one, then I'm putting my money on Risa pulling a Trucy Wright and disappearing some evidence at an inconvenient time.
(Also on a totally unrelated note -- Takako's last name is typo'd on the class list right now. It's actually spelled Kokubo.)
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Post by Tales93 on Mar 27, 2019 19:24:53 GMT
I do have a theory, but I'm not sure if it is right. What if the eventual killer already took a weapon from the box, but no one noticed.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Mar 28, 2019 4:46:25 GMT
Hngh, I failed to comment on the last part in time Sorry, it has been a busy weekend, but I shall comment on this one in time, because I enjoyed it greatly. Can I just say, real quick, I support the consensus that Risa is super cute. WAY too excited, given the circumstances, but in a very endearing way I hope she can keep this up a bit longer, I feel like it'll be necessary soon. Also, Jirou is growing on me. I like how you are slowly fleshing out each of these characters, there really remain very few whom I don't have much of an opinion of so far and I am sure they will be fleshed out soon. Now, I am also very excited to see more of Kasumi! I was wondering in which direction you'd develop her and I gotta say, I dig this. The talk between her and Masakazu was perfectly as I imagined their first talk would happen. This sarcastic, somewhat apathetic side of hers, the slight teasing, the fact that she actually replied to his question in the least helpful way ever, that was greatly enjoyable. She is right, in a way, they were complete opposites here and it made their talk really enjoyable. Her mentioning of having no future, that intrigued me. I feel like I know what she means, but then again, I feel like that can be interpreted in a lot of different ways and it's super ominous. Anyways, I look forward for what is in store! As for the Question of the Day... for last part (yes, I reply to that one as well, shame on me ^^), there's several talents I'd appreciate to have, Strongman being one of them. I started some intense workout a few months ago and though I am dead serious about this, I'd still appreciate to speed up the time I have to spend on building up all that muscle and would prefer to head straight into the powerlifting. I also like to imagine the ultimate strongman doesn't have to be too strict on his diet, eh? Also, Ultimate Forger sounds like a super useful talent to have. I mean, imagine being able to forge almost anything, just think of it. The possibilities are tempting. Finally, it's not just because I am a Risa fan, but Ultimate Magician sounds like a fun thing. Gotta say, I look forward to see what she can actually do with it. Is it, like, actual magic? Probably not, but it is probably also something that can be exciting. And the current question... I think the first death will happen quite soon, maybe after every character got a bit of a chance to shine. No theory on whom it will be though, I got the remarkable talent of jinxing myself and in the end, one of my favourites is dead. LiquidChicagoTed, Ultimate Jinx, at your service. Now, I also have absolutely no idea how Danganronpa usually goes (just that people get murdered a lot), so I cannot go into any deeper theories and I feel like I don't know every character yet to know who has a motive. But I am reading carefully, especially looking at the way the characters interact with each other. And I am suspicious of those who outright seek to hang out with other characters so early on. Could be nothing, but it could also be them studying potential weak targets.
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Post by AgentZ46 on Mar 28, 2019 11:06:59 GMT
Can I just say, real quick, I support the consensus that Risa is super cute. This comment makes me so happy
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Post by madsinzero on Mar 29, 2019 9:55:50 GMT
Y'know, not to say too much about my darlings, but I find this current motive of getting to take along an extra person if you graduate is really perfect for my two characters, Hana especially. She's a philosopher to the point of playing things in a utilitarian way I feel. Of course, even this Plus One rule would probably work better on her in the late game, as 2/16 survivors is a worse deal than, say, 2/7 for instance, if that makes sense.
It may not be the QotD, but I'm curious... without spilling too many beans, how would you expect your characters to deal with this motive?
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Post by AgentZ46 on Mar 29, 2019 17:25:43 GMT
Y'know, not to say too much about my darlings, but I find this current motive of getting to take along an extra person if you graduate is really perfect for my two characters, Hana especially. She's a philosopher to the point of playing things in a utilitarian way I feel. Of course, even this Plus One rule would probably work better on her in the late game, as 2/16 survivors is a worse deal than, say, 2/7 for instance, if that makes sense. It may not be the QotD, but I'm curious... without spilling too many beans, how would you expect your characters to deal with this motive? At the moment I don't think Yukki is close enough to anyone to consider any of them in favor of murdering someone. Of course that could change. And saying anymore than that would be a spoiler considering how little is known of him at the moment. As for Risa... I dunno. I'm sorry, despite knowing it's a very real possibility it's hard to imagine how she'd handle it. My precious Risa...
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Apr 11, 2019 21:19:13 GMT
Masakazu awoke the next morning feeling significantly more drained and paranoid than usual. Calming down a frightened Jirou proved much harder than he had initially thought, and the chess player barely had enough time left to return to his room and get a restful sleep. Troublesome thoughts of his missing memories of the hotel plagued his mind during the night, further adding to his restlessness. Eventually Masakazu peeled himself off his bed and checked the time on his Electro-ID. 10 AM, much later than he’d usually prefer to wake up. Dreading the consequences for sleeping in any further, the chess player managed to dress himself and slowly make his way to the cafe for the morning.
Once he arrived, his sleep deprived eyes instantly opened due to a delightful smell coming from the kitchen. Several people sat around the room and various tables, talking amongst themselves while Tetsuya delivered plates of food to anyone who wanted them. Masakazu walked over to a nearby table that Kai and Kimiko were seated in, smiling at the two ultimates as they scarfed down a plateful of eggs. “Good morning, you two. Enjoying your breakfast?” Kai nodded vigorously, finishing off his food before replying. “Oh dude, you’ve got to try some of this food, it’s the best I’ve ever had! This makes my taste buds feel like I’m going through a washing machine after hanging ten during a closeout...except in a good way!” “I...assume that’s a good thing? Where can I get some from?” Masakazu asked, his hunger assisting in his attempts to avoid the surfer slang during the conversation. “Just ask Tetsuya for a plate next time he comes around, or you could sit at the counter next to the kitchen I guess. Ryoma should get done with the next course soon enough.” Kimiko advised, nearly done with her plate as well. “Just be careful, he’s adamant that anyone who eats the bacon has to work out with him!” Kai added. “He’s already tricked me, the sly dog! Who in their right mind could resist such a delicacy?” “Ryoma? Cooking breakfast? This I have to see. Thanks for the help, guys.” Masakazu thanked the two ultimates before relocating to an empty seat at the kitchen counter. Takako and Konomi were seated nearby, eating their own platefulls of breakfast. Tetsuya eventually exited the kitchen with a plateful of eggs and bacon, eying the people around the cafe for someone without a plate. Once he saw Masakazu, he headed straight for him. Before Masakazu could get a word in edgewise, the ultimate waiter lived up to his reputation by swiftly presenting the food and silverware to Masakazu quicker than he could lift a finger. By the time he blinked, the table was set in a way that screamed elegance and skill. “Whoa...that’s pretty impressive, Tetsuya. Where did you learn how to do that?” The chess player inquired, genuinely awestruck by what he had seen. The waiter simply shrugged. “I may hate the damn job, but atleast I’m the best at it. By the way, make sure you don’t leave once you’re done eating. Ryoma wants to talk to you.” After that Tetsuya left for the kitchen once again, leaving Masakazu to his breakfast. He eyed it with curiosity at first, then took a fork and brought a piece of bacon to his mouth. He chewed it for a bit, then held his breath. It...it was the best food he had ever tasted in his life! In about no time at all, he had demolished his plate, feeling only slightly embarrassed for his energetic burst. “Enjoyed the food, huh?” Ryoma asked, washing his hands in a nearby sink. “I must say, I didn’t expect you to be the cooking type, let alone that you could cook something that good.” Masakazu admitted, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. “Where did you learn to cook like that?” “Well, when you get the reputation and status as a strongman, you need the food and bulk to back it up. Plus, it helps that I usually do the cooking for Kasumi as well. So it really benefits the both of us. That about sums it up.” Masakazu nodded in acknowledgement before taking his plate to another sink to clean it off. “Tetsuya told me that you had something to talk to me about?” “That’s right. I had something big planned for tomorrow night, and wondered if I could trust you to help me with it.” Ryoma revealed, trying his best to keep his voice down so that only Masakazu could hear him. The chess player raised an eyebrow, curious of the strongman’s plan. “Of course you can trust me, what’s going on?” Ryoma took a look around, making sure no one was looking at the two of them. “I’m planning a party tomorrow night. A really big one for everyone.”
“A party?” Masakazu repeated, caught a bit off guard. “With everything that’s going on?” “That’s exactly why. Everyone’s so stressed and paranoid about this whole killing game fiasco, a party and some good food is exactly what they need to stay sane around here.” Ryoma revealed. “I also think it’d do a lot for Kasumi, she seems so bummed out recently.” Masakazu’s calm demeanor soon faded as he considered the killing game. “Don’t you think that’s a bit dangerous? I mean, everyday we’re here more situations threaten us, just like the weapons-” Ryoma frowned in response to the chess player’s concerns. “Don’t tell me you still think this is all real, Masakazu. This is at best a joke that is too far over the line, and at worst a mass kidnapping. We all need to get out of here, and to do that we need group morale at an all time high. Besides, we have a plan for that box of weapons.” “Really? What kind of a plan?” “Pretty much Konomi’s initial plan, except that I added on a little bit to it. I explained it to the others earlier this morning, but you were the only one who didn’t show, so I’ll explain again. Everyday, we choose a volunteer to guard the box for safekeeping for the entire day until the cafe’s doors automatically lock for the night. Then in the morning, we check the weapon inventory with a catalogue of all the weapons we made previously, and if anything is gone then we know who took what.” Ryoma explained, drying his hands with a nearby towel. “It’s pretty simple, and allows us to make sure no one does anything they might regret.” “I...I suppose that system would work in helping the weapons stay out of anyone’s hands.” Masakazu agreed, placing his clean plate on a rack to dry. “Well, if you’re sure it’ll help...I guess I can assist you in your party endeavours.”
Ryoma immediately smiled, patting Masakazu on the back with a bit of force. “Attaboy, I knew I could count on you! Make sure not to tell anyone who doesn’t already know, it’d ruin the surprise. Let’s see…ah, I know! Could you help Kai work on decorations?” “I can handle something like that, yeah. I’ll go grab him real quick and get that taken care of today.” Masakazu waved a small goodbye to the strongman before walking back over to Kai’s table, where he was finishing off a second plate. Kimiko seemed to have already left, so it was just the two of them. “Hey Kai, could I get your help with something real quick?” The surfer held up a finger in response, before shoveling the last of his food into his mouth and leaning back in his chair with a satisfied expression. “Alright Masa, what’s up?” “Ryoma asked me to help make decorations for the party, could you help me?” “Ahhh, so he trusted you enough to help too? Then how can I say no?!” Kai grinned before standing up and throwing an arm around Masakazu’s neck in a friendly embrace. “So, what the plan? How’s this going down?” Masakazu reacted to the surfer’s enthusiasm with a slight smile while slowly removing his arm from behind his head. “I’d suggest grabbing some colorful paper from Risa’s Ultimate Lab while she’s away eating breakfast, I’m sure I saw some there the other day. After that...perhaps it’s best to work in one of our dorms, where no one could find the decorations unprepared and figure out we’re planning a party.” “Ohh, good idea man! Then that settles it, let’s head to Risa’s lab!” Kai replied, pushing Masakazu forward with one arm while pointing to the cafe’s doors with the other. It didn’t take long at all for either of the two ultimates to find fitting materials for Ryoma’s party, and the two soon left the magician’s lab with armfulls of colored paper. As they began their slow and careful walk towards Masakazu’s dorm (least anyone catch them), the chess player turned to the surfer. “Say, can I ask you something Kai?” “Hm? What’s up?” Kai asked, peering over the mountain of paper covering his chest. “There’s something that’s been bugging me for awhile now. Can I talk to you about it?” Kai grinned from ear to ear, eager for Masakazu to explain himself. “Heck yeah you can, dude!”
Hang out with Kai? [Yes] [Nah]
Masakazu: Ok then...what exactly does it mean to be an Ultimate Surfer? Kai: Sorry, I don’t quite understand what you’re getting at, dude. Masakazu: I’m not trying to be rude, but it’s just kind of a strange talent in comparison to those of everyone else’s here. I don’t know much about it, so I was wondering- Kai: Ohh, is that it? You could’ve just said so if you wanted the rundown on surfing! Kai: I’m pretty sure you already know about the basics, like how the premise is to ride a wave with a surfboard, but it’s so much more than that! Kai: There’s different types of waves and situations, a multitude of tricks and stunts you can do, and a lot you need to know to keep from falling right off your board into the water below! Masakazu: That’s not exactly what I’m getting at. I’m just slightly confused how that’s a talent, with all due respect. Kai: Well...why is playing basketball a talent? Or soccer? What about tennis? Masakazu: Hm? Kai: If you just think of it as a sport, it kinda gets easier to envision why surfing could be considered a talent. It’s not exactly easy, and it takes a lot of time to perfect. There’s even competitions for it! Kai: But it’s so much more than that! Surfing is like...the best! I love it! It’s something I’m enthusiastic about, and I use that energy to get better at it. It’s fun! Masakazu: I...I think I see what you’re saying now. Please forgive me if I came off as rude. Kai: Don’t sweat it dude! Just think of your enthusiasm for chess, and swap it for surfing. That’s why surfing’s a talent! That was...actually very well worded. Masakazu: Thanks for explaining surfing to me, Kai. I appreciate it. Kai: No problem dude, just come to me whenever you have any surfing related concerns!
Kai’s Profile Card: 1/5
I asked Kai about what made surfing a credible talent, when compared to others. He responded with a pretty well thought out answer, even likening his enthusiasm and attitude towards surfing towards why it’s considered a talent.
The two ultimates soon reached Masakazu’s dorm and piled inside, their precious cargo in tow. They placed the paper in a huge pile on Masakazu’s bed and stood back. “So...how are we doing this?” Kai questioned, looking at the pile.
“I mean, there’s several ways we can go about it. Star designs, clovers, spades, diamonds, hearts...anything, really. Just make sure to avoid anything that’d make people uncomfortable.” Masakazu explained to the surfer, grabbing a pair of scissors he found in Risa’s lab.
Kai slammed his fist in an open palm and cheered. “Alright, let’s get to it then! We’ve got this!” He then grabbed a similar pair of scissors and began haphazardly slicing through several sheets of paper while Masakazu reluctantly turned his attention to his own work. The two of them cut and pasted pieces of paper together throughout the rest of the day and into the night, the thought of the killing game absent from Masakazu’s mind for the first time in days.
One illness, two birthday parties and a crap ton of schoolwork later, and here's the next part! Not as long as I'd like it to be, but I had to save some room for the next one. With this new part came the last FTE for this chapter, so we're all done on that front! Just as a reminder, I plan on reposting old FTES and unseen ones in a different thread after the end of every chapter, so you can look forward to that once chapter 1 is through. QOTD: How much do you admire Headmaster Monokuma What is your favorite type of breakfast food? Bit of a different type of question today, I know...but writing and rereading that part with Ryoma made my stomach start to rumble, haha. That ends today's closing segment, see you all in the next update!~ -♞ Chess Boi
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Post by madsinzero on Apr 11, 2019 22:52:48 GMT
QOTD:
Headmaster Monokuma forces people to kill... but at the same time, he's so soft and cuddly, that's why we love him, that's why we admire him!
Breakfast food is certainly a new question! I have to say, it's probably corn-flakes, with (probably too much) sugar on top. Maybe some Orange or Apple Juice if there's any in the house, but otherwise just a glass of milk... or water, depending on the mood. And of course, I can't forget medicine... that's part of my morning routine too.
Of course, all that said, I think I know how to make this question a little more interesting...
Yubiseiharukana would probably have a very traditional Western Breakfast. Y'know, bacon, eggs, buttered toast, and really strong black coffee... but me being Australian, I don't know if this comes across as more British Breakfast or American Breakfast. The point is, Yubi likes simple flavors, but larger portion sizes. And coffee, as rich as possible (her brother, Akiyoshi, disagrees with her on this point. He tends to do for very milky, creamy, sugary coffee, much to her dismay).
Hana on the other hand... (come to think of it I've never thought about her breakfast habits before) I feel like she doesn't really have a set "favorite" breakfast. (Re-heated leftovers? Sure. Corn-flakes or other cereals? Why not? Something pre-made from the local corner store or cafe? Well, once in a while can't hurt, right?) Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so as long as it's filling, it should be fine... It's the rest of the day that's for snack food you see.
I hope to hear about y'all's breakfasts too!
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Post by AgentZ46 on Apr 12, 2019 6:16:31 GMT
Ima cry if someone dies at this party. Anyway... looking forward to it anyways! Should be fun and I can even imagine it being the perfect habitat for Risa. This part was good as well. Lucky Masa avoided working out. I kinda chuckled imagining Ryoma trying to convince Yukki to work out with him. XD
QOTD: My favorite is always gonna be vegemite & Chesse on Toast. It's so good! Sometimes Melted cheese on toast, that's amazing as well.
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Post by Tales93 on Apr 12, 2019 17:17:40 GMT
I enjoyed his free time event with Kai. I'm glad they are getting along so well.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Apr 15, 2019 2:45:42 GMT
“Do you think the others will like them?” The surfer asked, holding the array of decorations in front of him to examine.
Masakazu took a look at his own handful of decorations. The two of them had crafted several kinds of designs and patterns in preparation for Ryoma’s party, due to neither of them really coming up with any distinct theme.
“I’m sure that everyone will love them, Kai. Besides, it’ll help keep their minds off our...situation.”
“I guess so, dude. Let’s head to the cafe now to prevent anyone else from seeing them, yeah?”
The chess player nodded in agreement, and the two ultimates made another long and cautious trip to the cafe. As they arrived, Masakazu was surprised to see several people talking with Ryoma.
“Yo, Ryoma, we’ve got the goods!” Kai announced out loud to the group, apparently unaware of the newcomers.
Ryoma gave another of his warm smiles and waved at the two of them to come closer. “That’s great, because it looks like we’ve got some new volunteers!”
An energetic Risa joined Ryoma by waving to Masakazu and Kai while Takako talked with a tired looking Jirou and an attentive Konomi.
“I didn’t think you’d tell this many people about the party, but I’m glad regardless.” Masakazu remarked as he and Kai placed their decorations down at a nearby table.
Ryoma reacted by crossing his arms with a frown. “Well, I didn’t actually tell any of them about the party exactly.” He turned his head towards the rest of the group and gave Jirou a friendly pat on the back. “But I’m glad to have the help regardless!”
Not expecting such a response, Jirou lost his balance for a bit until regaining it before falling. “N-No problemo, Ryoma! Happy to help and stuff.”
Masakazu gave Jirou a curious look after hearing Ryoma’s statement. “Wait, if you didn’t tell them, who did?”
“Oh, that would’ve been me, sorry.” Konomi explained, turning to the chess player. “I was there with Ryoma when he asked Tetsuya to help him with the initial preparations, so he asked me to help too. I thought that we were a little short handed with five people, so I asked Risa if she wanted to help. After all, she’s experienced when it comes to parties and groups of people.”
“I sure am! The Great Risa has performed all over the globe for extravagant balls, famous concerts...and birthday parties!” Risa exclaimed with a twirl of her cane.
“I...see. What about Jirou?”
“Oh, right.” Risa continued, readjusting his top hat. “I thought he’d want to help, so I told him about the party too.”
“You could’ve atleast made it sound like it was more than a decision based on a whim…” Jirou complained, rubbing his back from where Ryoma pat it.
Takako turned to Masakazu as Risa finished her explanation. “And Tetsuya brought my name up when Ryoma was looking for another helper. Since I was useful to him when we investigated initially, apparently.”
“Eight people in total, when we count the two of you and Tetsuya.” Ryoma summed up, glancing at the group of ultimates. “I’d prefer to have kept it a little more exclusive, but it’s fine this way too. Just make sure to not tell anyone else...alright?”
Ryoma starred at Risa slightly longer than the rest of them after that last statement, and the magician began whistling while looking away from the strongman.
“So when’s the big party, huh Ryoma?” Kai asked, placing his hands behind his head. “I’m totally stoked for it, I can’t wait!”
Ryoma turned to the surfer with a reluctant expression on his face. “The party’s later tonight, but it’s your turn to guard the weapon box today, Kai. Remember?”
The surfer’s excited demeanor slowly deflated as he frowned. “Aw man, you’ve got to be kidding me, dude. I totally forgot since I was working on those decorations for so long. Do I really have to guard some old box with such an exciting party coming up?”
“You agreed to it when I had asked you to help with the party. I’m sorry, but you knew ahead of time. Besides, everyone here will be busy with the preparations.” Ryoma explained, placing a hand on Kai’s shoulder. “But guarding that box really means a lot to me, so thank you. Besides, we’ve got a workout session planned for tomorrow morning, so you can look forward to that.”
The surfer starred at the hand on his shoulder before shrugging. “I guess that makes sense. But this means extra food delivered to me during the party, dude! No take backs!”
The strongman laughed at Kai’s terms while Konomi explained the rest of the plan to Masakazu. “Since Kai’s gonna be guarding the box, Risa and Ryoma will need your help setting the decorations up. Jirou helped set the catering carts ahead of time, so he’s too tired to be of any help to you. Think you can handle it, Masa?”
“Got it. Thanks for the rundown, Konomi.” The chess player nodded in response, heading to the table he set his decorations down on.
“Jeez, atleast be a little more grateful. You know how heavy those damn things can be?” Jirou asked the audio technician, who rolled her eyes in response.
“Just try not to get in our way. I’m gonna set up the best decorations!” Risa playfully told the comic book artist as she raced over to Masakazu’s table and grabbed an armful of decorations.
For the next few hours, Masakazu helped Risa and Ryoma with the decorations he and Kai made while the others performed their own tasks. Tetsuya chose which food Ryoma was allowed to cook in the back of the kitchen and Kai kept watch on the weapon box and its dreadful contents, all the while Konomi and Takako guarded the front doors of the cafe and prevented any of the other ultimates from coming in. Jirou took breaks from massaging his tired shoulders by helping Masakazu with decorations here and there, and Ryoma eventually left his duties to cook the food for the party while Tetsuya tidied up the kitchen and set the cafe’s tables. Once everything was in place, a majority of the volunteers were feeling exhausted.
“Looks like that’s everything…” Masakazu said as he took a step back to admire his work.
“You know, this place is starting to look like a real restaurant.” Tetsuya remarked. “Minus the childlike wonder the decorations provide.”
“Well, I for one think the decorations provide a certain charm and sophisticated detail!” Risa argued, sticking her tongue out at the waiter.
“Didn’t they come from your Ultimate Lab?” Tetsuya asked, running a hand through his hair.
“...No comment.” The magician said in response, turning away from Tetsuya.
“That doesn’t matter. Jirou should be back with the rest of the group any time now, so get ready everyone.” Ryoma cut off Tetsuya before he could reply, turning the lights to the cafe off.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, dragging us off for no reason?”
“Because I told you, there is a reason!”
“Then tell us, comic nerd! You keep ignoring us!”
“Calm down. You’re giving me a headache.”
Masakazu heard some voices in the distance as he waited for Ryoma’s cue. Once the cafe’s front doors opened, Ryoma flipped the lights on and everyone inside gave a loud cheer. The group entering the cafe shared surprised and shocked looks (Jack especially, who looked as if he would’ve died of a heart attack right then and there).
“What’s going on here, nya?” Hana asked with a tilt of her head.
“A surprise party, that’s what!” Ryoma declared, crossing his arms with a smile.
“A surprise party, huh? What’s the occasion?” Kimiko pulled out her notepad and looked towards Ryoma before writing anything down.
“There is none...other than just to relax and have fun, that is.” Ryoma explained to the journalist as she jotted something down on her notepad. “Just go in and have some great food with some great people!”
“Food…? As in, food you’ve made specifically?” Kimiko asked, staring at Ryoma with wide eyes.
The second he nodded in approval, the journalist sheathed her notepad and ran for a nearby table. Several others took this as the cue to be seated, and Masakazu decided to mingle with them. Tetsuya delivered food to each table, eventually sitting down with a plate himself once he was done. As he ate, Masakazu overheard several conversations from the people around him.
“Holy shit, this food’s amazing! Best I’ve ever had! I...I actually can’t stop eating it!”
“That’s good and all, but make sure you leave some for me! Hey!”
“Don’t fight, you two. If I need to, I’ll make more.”
“You two enjoying the party?”
“Oh heck yeah, this is great!”
“It’s pretty good. You guys did great on decorations.”
“Hey, someone make sure Kai gets some more food. He asked for seconds.”
“Don’t worry Tetsuya, I’ll get it.”
Masakazu was halfway through his plate of food when Kenji approached him. “Hey. Mind if I ask you something?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Not here. Over there.” Kenji replied, walking over to a corner of the cafe that was relatively unoccupied. Masakazu took his plate with him as he walked over.
“What’s up?” Masakazu asked the kendo fighter, taking another bite from his food.
“You helped Ryoma set this party up, right? Did you notice anything suspicious?”
“Suspicious? Like what?”
Kenji sighed. “Like with Ryoma. Has he acted strange recently? Said anything weird?”
Caught a bit off guard by the question, Masakazu took a step back. “Of course not. What are you getting at?”
“I’m trying to ask if you think he has any intent to kill. If you think he’s planned anything malicious.” Kenji explained.
“What the hell, Kenji? Why would you ask that?”
“It’s a legitimate question. Think for a second. You’re trapped in an unfamiliar place and told that to escape, you need to kill someone. Throw that motive Monokuma gave us into the mix…”
“You mean the weapon box? We’ve had a plan for that for a long-”
Kenji shook his head. “No. Not the box. The other motive Monokuma gave us, the Plus One clause. Who do you think has the most to gain from it?”
Masakazu’s heart stopped for a moment. He had forgotten all about the secondary motive Monokuma gave them, he was too focused on the dangers the first one presented them all. “You don’t think that he’d kill someone just to escape with Kasumi, do you?”
Kenji shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just calling it like I see it. In this situation, you need to be suspicious of everyone. It’s looking especially bad for Ryoma lately. I just wanted to ask you first, I fully intend on talking with anyone else who planned this party. Goodbye.”
Kenji walked away, leaving Masakazu with newfound suspicions and stress. Could Ryoma be using this party to plan a murder? He just couldn’t believe it. And yet...the possibility was there. Finding his appetite lost, he sighed and walked over to a trash can to throw away his leftovers. On the way there, he overheard an angry Tetsuya cursing under his breath.
“What seems to be the matter?” Masakazu asked the waiter, who turned to him with an annoyed expression.
“That damn detective went up to me and chewed me out for not telling her about the party, so when I told her off she grabbed some food and bolted with it! And earlier, Yuuki came in and took a plate without even attempting to talk to anyone and left too! I worked my ass of for this party, the least they could do is appreciate it…”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Tetsuya. I don’t know about Yubiseiharukana, but maybe Yuuki just needs some time to himself.”
“Yeah, maybe. I’m going back to the kitchen for more food. Let me know if you see anyone else being problematic.”
Tetsuya rubbed a hand through his hair and walked away, leaving Masakazu by himself yet again. Paranoid thoughts plagued the chess player, who decided to spend his time studying everyone else during the party. The rest of the party proved to be uneventful however, and by the time people began feeling full and lethargic Ryoma declared the party officially over.
“Alright, time to clean it up people. Anyone want to help out?” Konomi asked, scanning the room for volunteers.
“Too full...can’t help…” Kimiko replied, holding her stomach with one hand.
Takako rolled her eyes and raised her hand, as did Tetsuya. Jack whistled as he tried to walk out, only to be stopped by an annoyed Tetsuya who grabbed the collar of his shirt. “You want to volunteer to help since you spilled three glasses of soda on the floor, right Jack…?” Reluctantly, Jack’s shaking hand raised to join the cleanup crew.
Kai’s hand went up as well after he finished his third plate of food. “I’ve gotta stay here anyways, so I could help out.”
“That’s five then. Do you think you guys could handle it alone? I’ve gotta start my workout routine if I want to be in bed by 10.” Ryoma asked Konomi, who nodded and gave a thumbs up.
Masakazu yawned as he pilled out of the cafe with the others who didn’t stay behind to help clean. Trying to keep an eye on everyone there while also looking for suspicious behavior was a lot for him to keep up with, and it didn’t help that the amazing food Ryoma made was starting to make him feel tired. He made his way to his dorm room immediately, falling onto his bed right after slipping his shoes off. As he dozed off, he could only think of how foolish he was for thinking anything bad was going to happen.
*ding dong, dong ding!*
“Attention all students, it is now 10 pm. As such, it is officially nighttime, and some hotel facilities-”
Masakazu awoke with a sharp pain in his back. He sat upright and rubbed the part of his back that hurt, cursing his bad sleeping posture the night before. He opened his Electro-ID and checked the time. It was 6 am, an hour before anyone was usually awake for the morning meeting. Feeling completely refreshed, the chess player decided to take a short walk around the hotel. As he left his dorm, he noticed that the hotel’s lights were dimmer than usual.
Most likely because it’s still nighttime…
After taking a moment to stretch, Masakazu started to make his way around the hotel. He stopped at the cafe for a short while to check for himself if it actually remained locked during nighttime, and was relieved when the doors refused to open for him. Unsurprisingly during his walk he neglected to run into anyone, and he soon found himself in one of the commons areas reading the same type of magazine Yuuki was reading when he first met him.
“Oh, what a surpurr-ising development, nya. It seems he’s actually awake early, nya.”
Masakazu closed the magazine he was reading and rolled his eyes in response to Hana’s teasing. “Is it really that surprising?” When he turned to face her, he also noticed that Konomi was standing next to her.
“I mean, it’s a little shocking. But anyways, what’s up Masa?”
“Just reading something to pass the time while I wait for everyone else to wake up. What about you two?”
Konomi sighed. “Risa wanted me to see something ‘cool and exciting’ in her Ultimate Lab before the morning meeting, but she must’ve overslept. I also tried telling her that it probably was locked during nighttime, but she didn’t listen to me.”
“And I wanted to talk to anyone about the killing game, nya. New insights and thoughts are always welcome, nya.” Hana explained, fiddling with the pencil in her hand. “I thought that purr-haps you and Konomi could discuss your thoughts together, nya?”
“Maybe later, but for right now I’d prefer not talking about the killing game right now.” Masakazu told the philosopher, who tilted her head again.
“Why’s that, nya?”
“Because I’d just like not talking about it. It’s too dark in my opinion, actually.”
“I understand that purr-fectly, but in this situation-”
*ding dong dong ding!*
“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!”
The morning announcement cut Hana off, and Masakazu used that to his advantage. “Look, could we talk about this later? The cafe should be open now.”
Hana reluctantly sighed and the three ultimates began walking towards the direction of the cafe. On the way there, an exhausted looking Kai ran up to them out of breath.
“Kai? What’s going on, you look horrible.” Konomi asked the surfer, who couldn’t answer between the large breaths he was taking.
“C-commons...commons...are…” Kai tried to answer the audio technician, coughing harshly.
“Kai? Calm down and take a deep breath. What’s wrong?” Masakazu grabbed the surfer’s shoulder with his hand and stared at him with a serious expression. Something was wrong.
“...Commons...The commons area! You guys need to...get there!” Kai managed to sputter out, before turning around and running back the way he came. “Come on…!”
Masakazu turned to Hana and Konomi, who looked just as scared and confused as he was. Without a second thought, the three of them chased after Kai as he led them to the commons area. Something was wrong.
Masakazu ran faster than he had ever run in his life. His mind was racing as well, every thought a negative emotion that he tried desperately to empty out of his head. Something was wrong, something-
*ding dong dong ding*
...Huh?
“A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!”
An announcement played over the hotel’s speakers, but no one in the group dared stop to make sense of it. They were too busy catching up to Kai, who had stopped at the entrance to the commons area.
Masakazu caught up to Kai and grabbed both of his shoulders as he shook the surfer. “Kai, what the hell is going on?! Answer me! Hey!”
Kai was still trying to catch his breath, and only responded by pointing at a nearby table. Masakazu ran towards the table, almost stumbling over Tetsuya and Takako, who sat on the floor. Takako had a hand over her mouth, and Tetsuya tried desperately to maintain his composure.
Masakazu was about to ask the two of them what was wrong when he noticed the white tablecloth that usually covered the commons area’s tables was flipped on top of it. His eyes slowly moved towards the floor, which had a thin stream of pink flowing from under the table. With as minimal movement as possible, Masakazu kneeled down to the table’s height and gulped.
What am I doing? There’s no way anything’s wrong. Yeah...of course not! There’s…
There’s no way that...there’s just...
There’s...
As he peered under the table, Masakazu’s thoughts ground to a halt. Right there under the table, with a knife stabbed into his neck…
Was the Ultimate Strongman, Ryoma Takeda.
Before I say anything else, I'd just like to take a moment to thank LiquidChicagoTed for submitting Ryoma. I really enjoying writing him and the dynamics between him and several characters, but unfortunately someone's gotta be first blood in situations like a killing game. I'm truly sorry that it had to be him.
Just as an fyi for those of you unfamiliar with Danganronpa, the games are pretty notorious for the fact that blood in that game is pink, not red. It's a stylistic chose that I'm gonna stick with while I write this, since it's unique.
So, there you have it, our first casualty of this cruel game. And now for the QOTD...
QOTD: Who were you expecting to be the first victim? Any ideas on who the killer could be?
I haven't got much else to say except...see you in the next update!
-♞ Chess Boi
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Post by madsinzero on Apr 15, 2019 3:15:43 GMT
QOTD:
For some reason, I was expecting Jack. I guess my guess was a little off since he hasn't had much spotlight in the recent party scenes, and victims tend to get focused on in Danganronpa, right before they die (usually to make up for the fact that they're about to...). Still, I'm glad my guess was off the mark, as unpredictable death orders are more fun for a killing game (fictional ones at least. I don't endorse trying this).
As for my guess at the killer... well, I always stink at mystery solving, despite how much I love the detective fiction genre, so my hunches are more based on personality... and since I know my own characters best, I'd say either of them are... probably in the clear! This is a tempting motive for both of them, but Yubiseiharukana wouldn't do anything so early in the game, and Hana probably wouldn't consider killing 14 people worth saving 2. (If it was something like "kill 3-5 to save 2", she'd probably go for it... end-game stress yo').
Another person I think is probably not the killer is Risa. She had that suspicious moment of possibly having told someone else about the party (which might actually lead to the killer being someone who wasn't on the party prepping squad.) But that seems so obviously guilty that it's gotta be a red herring in my book. (You can tell I've played these games before, I'm already imagining what's going to be discussed come trial time).
Anyway, finally, I don't want to speculate too much more. As Yubi might say:
"Tch, you're doing it backwards. You're not fucking supposed to work backwards from your conclusions, that's just goddamn circumstantial! Work forward from the fucking facts!"
In short, I doubt this case will be fully solvable until we reach the trial. It's very rare for the canon Danganronpa cases to give you enough clues to fully work it out before then. But hey, I'd be excited for bucking some traditions!
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Post by AgentZ46 on Apr 15, 2019 5:54:39 GMT
Oh shit!!! I did not expect a new part this soon (I love it though!) nor did I expect a death. However as tragic as it is I'm glad to see the story get going. Oh boy, things are about to get exciting. Ryoma was such a good guy too! ...possibly. Anyway I'm excited to see everyone else's reactions beyond just Masa's. A murder of someone you know isn't an easy thing to swallow. Even if you're the one who did the deed.
QOTD: So I was actually panicking when I realized someone was dead, because I was convinced it was gonna be Risa, since she was noticeably absent even after making plans. But because of that now she looks pretty damn suspicious and could be the killer! :I But... I can't imagine it was her, she seemed so happy not too long ago and having a great time, I can't imagine her murdering someone so shortly after. It could've been Yukki as well, since he's been noticeably avoiding everyone but that's part of his character, not enough to suspect him. Maybe Kenji was right and Ryoma was going to kill someone. Maybe someone found out and got to him first? Maybe even Kenji himself. Kai also looks pretty suspicious since he was on guard with the weapons. Then again Ryoma could've been killed with a simple kitchen knife, that and someone could've outsmarted Kai and gotten a weapon anyway. This is hard! I can't point the finger at just any one person.
So obviously I really enjoyed this! Such a great part that hypes up the rest of the story. Lighthearted fun to paranoia to a devastating murder with presumably more paranoia and distrust to come. Characters might suspect even Masa! I'm so hyped!
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Post by Tales93 on Apr 15, 2019 16:56:59 GMT
QOTD:
So, I wasn't sure who I thought was going to die first, but I did not expect it to be Ryoma. I was getting a little nervous that Kai might die because he was being separated from everyone else, by him guarding the weapons alone. At first I thought Ryoma might commit a murder so he and his sister could leave, but Kenji pointing it out made me doubt my theory because then it would be too obvious for this series. Anyways, Ryoma reminded me of Taka from DR1 and he will be missed, RIP Ryoma.
Suspucts
In order to solve this case, we must first determine if the weapon used to kill Ryoma was from the box of weapons or not. If so, then unfornately Kai looks suspicious since he was the last to guard it. However, there is a possibility that no one might of thought of yet, and that involves miss Ultimate detective Yubs. She was the first to open the box of weapons, if she was careful enough she could have slipped herself a weapon when she first opened it; before the rest even made their inventory for the weapons in the box. Speaking of the inventory, they should check the inventory for the box during the investigation. If the knife was not from the box, then it could have come from the kitchen. If that's the case, the ultimate waiter Tetsuya had easy access to the knives in the kitchen, while preparing for the party.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Apr 17, 2019 14:12:45 GMT
Yikes, my first busy week at university was perfectly timed with me missing a really exciting part and this is what I come back to! Oh man, oh man, to say this is unexpected would not be entirely true, because he got a lot of exposition in these first few parts, but I still wouldn't say that Ryoma was high on my list of first targets. As a matter of fact, I got death flags for Kasumi after her talk with Masa, so this is a minor relief, but still, holy christ this is unexpected. Thing is, I was actually pretty certain that Ryoma would end up killing someone at some point down the line and it seems, I am not the only one who expected this. This would have likely made him a suspect for every single murder to come. Poor Ryoma, I really greatly enjoyed him and would have hoped he lasts longer. And poor Kasumi, I really dread seeing her reaction to this. Gonna break my poor heart She'll definitely want blood after that one. As a matter of fact, so do I. When it comes to suspects, I agree that Kai looks suspicios. He is pretty much the Ultimate Bro though, so I hope he is not responsible for this, because naturally, I can only hate Ryoma's killer with all my heart and look forward for their execution. Kai is a suspect though, he had access to the weapons. In general, everyone with skill in handling knives is also suspicious. This means Tetsuya, being the ultimate waiter has to come with something like this. Technically, it'd also mean Risa, because the Ultimate Magician should have skills in knive throwing, but I am risanably certain that she's not responsible here. Unless she really put on an act, which I doubt, I actually think she'd have to get pushed really far to even consider killing someone, so she won't be on my culprit list for quite some time. I don't know that much about Tetsuya, so I can't exclude him the same way. Someone whom I would also explicitly exclude here is Kenji, because he talked about this with Masa. I think he is way too smart to kill Ryoma right after voicing his suspicions against him, because it'd make him a prime suspect. However, if we consider the worst, maybe he tried to manipulate Masa into killing Ryoma, ridding himself of two dangerous people at once. At worst, he might be indirectly responsible by having the same talk with others and making Ryoma's eventual killer paranoid. Unless it was done with the specific intention of getting Ryoma killed, I cannot even blame him for that though. So, this means the people I exclude for certain are, aside from Masakazu himself: Kenji, Risa and naturally, Kasumi didn't kill her brother either. Mads brings up a good argument for Hana as well, so I doubt she's the first killer. Once the numbers thin, though, she might be capable of anything. Meanwhile, the list of actual suspects only includes Kai and Tetsuya right now. The rest of the cast didn't give me any particular reason to be suspicious of them so far, but I can't exactly cross them off the list either the way I did with the five characters above.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Apr 18, 2019 5:48:05 GMT
Chapter 1: The Initial Plunge
Masakazu immediately reeled backwards and crawled away from the gruesome sight. Ryoma, who had been perfectly fine and in great health last night, lay dead right in front of him. The chess player held a hand to his mouth in terror, not noticing the sound of several footsteps from the opposite side of the room.
“The hell’s going on here?! H-Holyfuckingshitwhatthellisthatblood?!”
“Oh my God, Ryoma! Is he alright?!”
“Everyone, just calm down! We’ve got to stay calm-”
“...What’s…”
“Kasumi…? Oh shit, don’t look!”
Masakazu snapped out of his daze long enough to stare in the direction of the voices, just in time to catch the look on Kasumi’s face. The chess player never even considered how she would react in this situation. Her eyes appeared blank and empty for a split second before she bit her lower lip and swiftly made an exit from the room. Several of the people around her turned back to look at her, but no one dared attempt to stop her.
Masakazu propped himself on his shaky legs before bending over and offering a hand to Takako and Tetsuya, who remained on the floor. Tetsuya accepted his assistance after a moment of hesitation, and Takako eventually snapped out of her stupor once the two of them moved her away from the body.
The remaining 14 ultimates stood there in silence for a while afterwards, each with their own expressions of shock or suspense. Eventually, Monokuma popped up seemingly out of nowhere, with his usual cheerful personality.
“Upupupu, hello there, everyone! I see that you’re starting off your day with a bang! Or...I suppose it’s more of a ‘stab’ this time around, huh?”
“I can see you have as much tact as usual. Don’t you have any shame?” Kenji asked as he glared daggers at the monochromatic bear.
“Oh, how scary! Please don’t hurt me, Mr Kendo Man!” Monokuma mocked the kendo fighter before quickly giving up the act. “I’m just as surprised as you all, you know. I mean, Mr Takeda was pretty much the glue of your operation, right? So why’d one of you off him?”
“Yeah, right!” Jirou countered, clenching his fist in anger. “I bet you’re the one who killed him, aren’t you?!”
“Swing and a miss, dummy. This is totally the work of one of you bozos. Or have you forgotten the motives and rules of this killing game? Need a refresher?” The bear asked, unsheathing his claws.
Masakazu could see Sumire trembling with rage in the corner of his vision, so he took the initiative and took control of the conversation. “You mentioned something about an investigation and trial in the rules. What exactly are those about?”
Monokuma tilted his head in confusion before retracting his claws. “Ehh? Oh yeah, right. That’s actually the reason I’m here. You all better get the dirt out of your ears, because I’m only gonna explain this once!”
No one in the room said anything further, and a quick check on a subdued Sumire gave Masakazu enough closure to listen to his announcement.
“As you all know, Rule #7 designates that once a murder is committed, an investigation and class trial has to happen. I’m sure this sounds pretty self explanatory, but an investigation is the time used to examine and discover clues in the crime scene! After all, not all of you are Ultimate Detectives or whatever the hell. And since that’s the case...”
Monokuma paused before pushing a random button he had behind his back, causing all of our Electro-IDs to buzz. Just as when the ‘Rules’ section appeared, a new tab had fizzed into existence just under it, called ‘Truth Bullets’.
“The hell? What’s a...truth bullet…?” Jack asked out loud, twisting his Electo-ID around as if that would help him understand the phrase better.
“That, my dear little forger, would be the place you’d catalogue all your clues and findings. You might as well just call it the ‘evidence’ folder. The whole truth bullet thing is just an old Monokuma Killing Game tradition.” Monokuma explained, his voice full of pride. “You should check it out soon, because it may have a surprise in store for you…”
Masakazu clicked on the tab as instructed, only to find a mostly blank page aside from a strange option titled ‘Monokuma File #1’. He reluctantly clicked on it, opening up a huge file that presented pictures and text about Ryoma’s body.
“That right there’s my little present for you newbies in the field. It’s chock full of all the best and most interesting facts to the case...most of the time.” Monokuma then wiped some imaginary sweat off of his forehead. “Man, can you believe I used to hand these damn things out personally? Technology sure is a blessing!”
“Sure, whatever you say you psychopath. So can you leave us alone to investigate in peace yet?” Yubiseiharukana asked once she finished reading her file.
“Wow, kids these days sure are hardcore. Not only are you willing to murder that fast, but investigate too? Man, I think I’m in for a treat once trial time comes around!”
“Hey wait, come to think of it you never told us about that part.” Jirou mentioned, holding his chin in thought. “What’s the deal with that?”
“...Nah, I’ll tell you later.” The monochromatic bear deadpanned before disappearing from view. Jirou cursed under his breath at the lack of answer before turning to the rest of the group.
“So...what do we do now?”
Konomi grabbed her arm while desperately trying to avoid looking near Ryoma’s body. “I guess we have no choice but to investigate...right?”
“It appears that way.” Yuuki replied, biting his thumb before Masakazu took notice of it. “What should we do first?”
“Well obviously, you should check the damn Monokuma File for starters. That’s just basic logic.” Yubiseiharukana said as she nonchalantly walked up to Ryoma’s body. “Then you’ll need to look around for clues and shit.”
Masakazu decided to take the detectives advice, so he opened his Electro-ID again and reviewed the file.
Monokuma File #1:
The victim is Ryoma Takeda, the Ultimate Strongman. The corpse was located under a table in one of the common's areas. The cause of death was a stab to the neck, which was almost immediately fatal. His estimated time of death is 10:20 pm. No other injuries could be found on his body.
"Gotta say, this doesn't give us a whole lot to go on..." Kimiko complained, reviewing the file.
"Tch, if solving crimes were easy we wouldn't need detectives. Just work forward from the fucking facts." Yubiseiharukana told the journalist as she looked around at the rest of us. "Well, what are you waiting for? Investigate, damnit! Go look around!"
A large majority of the ultimates slowly shuffled out of the room, glad to use any excuse to escape the grisly sight. Only a few people remained, including Sumire, who walked up to the detective.
"I'm not really the best at this but...do ya need someone to guard the body? They do that in cop shows and stuff, yeah?"
"Not exactly the best criteria for judgement, but...eh, fuck it. Although..." Yubiseiharukana narrowed her eyes as she examined the tattoo artist. "You're not gonna try anything funny and hide evidence, are you?"
"The hell are you tryin' to say?"
"Look, I'm just saying that the opportunity would be there if you were both the killer and the guard." Yubiseiharukana shrugged.
"If it's that much of an issue, what if I helped guard the body?" Kimiko asked. "Besides, the two of us have hardly spoken together, so it's not suspicious...right?"
"I guess that works. Whatever." Yubiseiharukana turned back to investigate the body. Before he could decide any further actions, Kai walked up to Masakazu, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.
"Hey Masa, what's the plan?"
"Huh...?" The chess player reacted, caught off guard by the surfer's enthusiasm. "W-Why are you asking me...?"
"Well, you're a pretty smart person, yeah? So I thought that the best way to help investigate would be with you, dude!" Kai responded, grinning ear to ear.
"I...suppose that makes sense. Alright then, let's get started." Masakazu told the surfer, trying his best to sound confident. The entire situation rattled his very core, threatening to prove his true nature.
I have to do this...for them. For Ryoma.
Investigation Start!
"I guess the best place to start would be Ryoma's body..." The chess player said to Kai as he approached the crime scene. Sumire and Kimiko stood nearby as Yubiseiharukana examined the corpse of Ryoma, turning over the body to investigate further.
"Find anything yet, Yubiseiharukana?" He asked the detective, who picked up one of the strongman's hands.
"Nothing much besides a bloody hand so far. I'd prefer to take some pictures of the body beforehand, but we don't have that luxury. It's strange though..."
"What is it?"
"The file said that he had no other injuries besides the cause of death, so this blood can't be from any other wounds. Why's it only on his hand?"
Masakazu starred at the hand in question. The entire palm of Ryoma's right hand was covered in blood, along with the undersides of his fingers.
Bloody Hand:
Ryoma’s right hand was coated with blood. Neither his hand nor his fingers appeared to be injured. "That's quite strange indeed." Masakazu admitted, before turning his attention to the rest of Ryoma's body. "What about the wound itself?"
Yubiseiharukana turned the body back around before getting a good look at the knife stuck in Ryoma's neck. Without any warning, she grabbed a hold of the weapon and pulled it free, much to the shock of everyone nearby.
"Whoa, isn't that...going a bit far?" Kimiko asked, trying her best to ignore the new flow of blood from the wound.
"Can't get a good look at the stab would with it in the way, that's all. I've seen my fair share of dead bodies, this is nothing special."
"Even though you used to know that dead body?" Kai asked, which earned a dry laugh from Yubiseiharukana.
"Like I said, nothing special."
"Let's get back to the topic at hand..." Masakazu said, trying his best to overcome the sight of Ryoma's wound. "Anything strange about his knife wound?"
Yubiseiharukana glossed over the area several times with her fingers, eventually shrugging. "Doesn't look like it."
"Wait...look back at the cut." Sumire suddenly said as she peered down at the body. "Right there, at the line the knife made. Don't ya see somethin' strange?"
"Can't really tell, honestly. What do you see, Sumire?" Masakazu asked the tattoo artist, who pointed at the area in question.
"If ya look real close, doesn't it look kinda like a second cut? Like it's kinda comin' out of the other one or somethin'?"
After a more careful inspection with Sumire's guidance, Yubiseiharukana and Masakazu eventually found what she was talking about. Perpendicular to the cut caused by the knife was a smaller cut that was barely noticeable.
"The hell is this little cut? It's not even close to the size of the knife!" Yubiseiharukana exclaimed.
Strange Cut:
Besides the knife wound, a strange cut was found on Ryoma’s neck. It was inconsistent with the knife that was found. "That's pretty weird. Couldn't it just be an extra cut from the knife or something?" Kai asked, scratching his head in thought.
"Regardless of what caused it, it's clearly a contradiction of the Monokuma File." Masakazu explained. "It might be important to the case, or just an oversight."
"Guess we'll fucking find out eventually." Yubiseiharukana remarked as she grabbed the knife again. "This thing look like one of the kitchen knives to you? The kind that are usually right there smack dab in plain view when you enter the cafe?"
Masakazu examined the knife himself, ignoring the shades of pink blood upon it. "It just might be, actually. I'll have to check the kitchen out later to see if one's missing."
Kitchen Knife:
The knife found in Ryoma’s neck, presumably the murder weapon.
"I can't find anything else strange with the body or crime scene. Apart from that small cut, everything seems to be pretty typical." Yubiseiharukana mentioned to the others as she checked her Electro-ID. Afterwards, she turned to Kai and Masakazu. "I'm going to go find out some testimony and alibis, you two should do the same. And for God's sake, check the kitchen already. The body should be safe with these two guarding it, so don't worry too much."
Without much of a second thought, the detective sped off around the corner, leaving the two ultimates behind.
"...Looks like the kitchen's next, then." Masakazu remarked, which only provoked a slight shrug from Kai.
Upon arriving at the cafe, the two were immediately met with a concerned looking Risa and a contemplative Kenji. The little magician was on the verge of tears as she walked up to the pair.
"Oh Masa, Kai...this is so awful! How could someone do something so horrible to Ryoma of all people...he was so nice! What's going to happen to the rest of us?"
The chess player's heart grew heavy after listening to her concerns. "I'm not sure on either of those, Risa. I'm trying to come to terms with it myself, but...do you have any information that you think could be helpful? Something weird you noticed?"
"N-No, not really. Everything was pretty normal all morning, up until Jirou and I found Ryoma's body while we were on our way to my Ultimate Lab..."
"W-Wait, come again?! You saw the body twice?" Masakazu asked the magician, who took a step back due to his reaction.
"Well...y-yeah, I did. I told Jirou that Konomi was gonna watch me do some magic tricks before the morning meeting, so he wanted to tag along. We were walking there together when we saw the body for the first time...and then we immediately went to wake everyone else up."
"Who did you wake up, specifically? It's very important that you remember."
"Um..." Risa began to tug at her hat as she tried her best to recall the details. "I was with Jirou, so we woke everyone up pretty fast...there's Kenji, Yuuki, Sumire, Jack, Yubi, Kasumi...and Kimiko. Everyone else was either asleep or gone, including you."
Morning Alibis:
Before the body was found, a majority of the students seemed to be resting in their rooms. The only exceptions were Kai, Tetsuya and Takako, Jirou and Risa, and Konomi, Hana, and myself. The chess player smiled and gave the magician a hug. "Thank you very much Risa, you've actually helped quite a lot."
Risa didn't know how to react initially, before smiling back at Masakazu. "Did I really? Wow...thanks, Masa!"
"Why's that help us find the murderer, though? I don't quite get it." Kai asked, looking towards the chess player.
"If we know where everyone was during the morning, we can figure out alibis for everyone involved." Masakazu explained to the surfer.
"Ahah, I get it now! Man, you're super smart, Masa. I never would've thought of that."
I might as well ask him while I've got him here too...
"Say, I've got a question for you, Kai."
"Hm? What is it, dude?"
"Back before we met up, you were by yourself. In fact, you even warned us about Ryoma's body, which means you saw it before us. What were you doing all morning?"
"Well, that's the thing..." Kai sighed as he placed his hands behind his head. "I was supposed to work out with Ryoma this morning before our usual meeting time, since I ate the bacon he made the other day. But he ended up being a total no-show, so I went looking for him and well...you know the rest."
"So you went looking for him and found his body, then looked for us. That about right?"
"Totally, dude. Although it's really a bummer. Now that Ryoma's gone, all of his amazing cooking skills went with him..."
I know his food cooking skills were pretty amazing, but isn't that a little inconsiderate...?
Kai's Account
Kai insists that he spent all morning searching for Ryoma, who promised to work out with him. "Now let's find out if that knife came from here!" Kai announced as he pointed towards the back of the cafe.
Masakazu entered the kitchen and began looking through drawers and cabinets. He had never been allowed in the back of the cafe before, so he was at a loss of where to look. Eventually, he found a small, wooden knife rack. It held a wide variety of knifes, the biggest of which was strangely absent.
"You think that knife holder's big enough for the murder weapon, dude?" Kai asked, tilting the rack at every possible angle.
"We've both seen it, I'm positive that it came from here. The size is almost perfect for it."
UPDATED! Kitchen Knife:
The knife found in Ryoma’s neck, presumably the murder weapon. Taken from the wooden knife rack in the kitchen.
We should check on the motive box while we're here...could be an important clue there.
Masakazu exited the kitchen and made a beeline right towards the box full of weapons, which Kenji was rooting through with a serious expression on his face.
"What's wrong, Kenji? Is something wrong with the box?"
"Not the box itself, but...if this list is right, then we've got a problem on our hands." Kenji announced to the chess player as he picked up the piece of paper. "I've double and triple checked, but I can't find the pocket knife that's listed on the weapon catalog. That means that either it was never there...or someone took it."
"That's pretty strange, I'm sure it was there when I checked it before the party." Kai said to the kendo fighter as he peered over the box. "Plus, Konomi and Ryoma made extra sure to make that list. I'm not sure they'd mess up so easily, dude."
Missing Items:
According to Kenji, a pocket knife was missing from the motive box when he came to guard it. Kai insists that it was there prior to the party. That's actually kind of terrifying to imagine...hopefully it has nothing to do with the investigation.
"We should go talk to some of the others and see if we can't get any more information. Good luck on your investigation, Kenji." The chess player waved goodbye to the kendo fighter, who merely waved back in response. As he turned around to walk away, Masakazu bumped into one of the kitchen's catering carts, catching him off guard.
"Careful there dude, those things are heavy!" Kai warned the chess player, keeping him from falling to the ground.
"Thanks...huh?"
"What is it?"
Masakazu took a second look at the cart and took the white sheet that covered it off. "Kai, you're sure these are all catering carts used in the party, right?"
"Yeah, pretty sure, dude. Tetsuya wanted to use them, since he wanted a nice atmosphere for the party."
"But Kai, that's not one of the catering carts. It's one of the carts from the laundry room upstairs."
"...You sure you didn't hit your head? Or catch a fever?" Kai asked, placing a hand on Masakazu's forehead.
The chess player delicately lowered the surfer's hand. "I've been to the laundry room, so I would know. They kind of look similar, but there's a bottom part under the tabletop, see?"
Misplaced Cart:
For some reason, a laundry cart was placed among the catering carts in the kitchen. "Well, what's that doing all the way here in the kitchen, then?"
"I'm not too sure...but it's pretty unlikely that it's here by mistake."
Kai turned to face the chess player. "You think it's got something to do with Ryoma's death?"
"Only time will tell, honestly. But now we've got a reason to check the laundry room."
Masakazu led Kai out of the cafe and towards the direction of the laundry room on the second floor. After opening the door, two more ultimates were revealed within.
"Oh. Hey there Masakazu. Kai." Takako called out to the newcomers as they entered the laundry room. "What brings you here?"
"We're following a lead from the kitchen. Have either of you two seen anything weird in this room?" Masakazu explained.
Tetsuya sighed. "Not really, no. We haven't had much luck, so we're just searching around blindly in hopes of finding anything useful."
"Darn...oh well." Masakazu went over the details in his head before turning back to the waiter and livestreamer. "Wait, there is something you can tell me. Would you mind telling me what you two did this morning and how you found...Ryoma's body?"
"Well, there's not much to tell." Takako admitted. "We woke up around the same time and walked to the cafe together, and that's when we found Ryoma. Then that weird announcement played, and then the rest of you showed up."
Takako's Account:
As she was leaving her dorm, she met up with Tetsuya and they decided to walk to the cafe together. On the way there, they encountered Ryoma’s body, as well as a strange announcement over the hotel’s speakers.
I had forgotten all about that announcement from earlier. I wonder what that has to do with the case...
"Thank you very much, Takako. Did either of you see anything weird earlier this morning? Or last night, maybe?"
"Come to think of it..." Tetsuya began, before shutting himself down. "Nah, don't worry about it. It's probably nothing."
"Please, do go on. It might be just the information we need." Masakazu urged the waiter to continue his statement.
"Ok, if you really think it's important...Back when we were cleaning up last night, I finished first due to rinsing all the dishes clean. When I left to go to my dorm, I saw Ryoma jogging down the hall with someone. I didn't think much of it at the time, since I wouldn't have put it past Ryoma to drag someone off to do some exercise."
"Did you happen to see who it was?"
"No, sorry. I was pretty tired by that point, so I headed straight for bed after that. It might have been a guy though."
"What makes you say that?" Masakazu asked with a tilt of his head.
"Because most of the girls weren't that tall, and I know for a fact Konomi and Takako were still cleaning up the cafe." Tetsuya's Account:
After finishing up with his cleaning first, Tetsuya left the cafe and began heading to his room. On the way there, he saw Ryoma jogging with someone, but couldn’t quite see who it was. Despite his uncertainty, he’s sure it was a guy.
"Just to make sure, who was on the cleaning crew again?"
Tetsuya sighed. "Me, Takako, Konomi, Jack, and Kai. Did you forget already? It was only last night."
Party Cleanup:
After the party finished, several students stayed to clean up. They included Tetsuya, Takako, Konomi, Jack, and Kai. "I'm just trying to make sure I have the facts right, one slip up might make or break the case for us." Masakazu explained to the waiter. "What about the party? Did you see anything else?"
"That...actually makes a lot of sense. Alright then. If it helps, mostly everyone stayed inside the cafe for the party last night. Well, aside from that troublesome detective and Yuuki, but you already knew about that."
Party Attendees:
Most of the students attended the party, minus Yubiseiharukana and Yuuki, who took food with them to eat elsewhere. "Of course. Thank you again for helping, Tetsuya. It's a very big-"
Before Masakazu could finish thanking Tetsuya for his help, Kai called out to him.
"Hey Masa, you think this is a clue dude?"
The surfer held one of the washers open with his hand while the other beckoned the chess player to come closer. Tetsuya shrugged and they both approached the machine.
"What is it, Kai?"
"Well, I got bored waiting for you to finish talking to Tetsuya, so I poked around a bit and found this." Kai explained as he reached inside the washer and pulled out a white towel that was dripping with water.
"A towel?" Tetsuya responded with cynicism as he looked at the surfer with disbelief. "You honestly think a towel is of any importance in a murder investigation? Really?"
"Well, I dunno...I thought it was in a weird place."
"What in God's name is so weird about a towel being in a washing machine?" Tetsuya asked the surfer, running a hand through his hair.
"Maybe because the towel is the only thing in the machine?" Takako asked, peering inside the washing machine. "Usually you'd wash and dry laundry in a bunch, not just one article of clothing."
"R-Right. That's correct." Tetsuya cleared his throat and offered a hand to Kai. "I apologize for that. You were on the right track after all."
Kai grinned as he took the waiter's hand with both of his, shaking the poor man relentlessly. "No problem, dude! Happy to help!"
Masakazu looked closer at the machine itself while Kai accepted Tetsuya's apology. The digital clock on the washing machine showed that the washing cycle had only just finished, and a closer inception revealed that the towel was indeed the only thing inside.
Strange Towel:
A wet towel was found stuffed in one of the washing machines in the laundry room. The machine itself had just finished a washing cycle.
"I think that's all we're gonna find up here. Good eye for detail, Kai." Masakazu praised the surfer and bid farewell to the two ultimates in the laundry room as they made their way downstairs once more.
After a few minutes of aimless wandering, Kai spoke up. "Where are we heading to next?"
"I'm not too sure, honestly. There's still a lot of ground to cover. Maybe I'll look at Ryoma's room..."
"Oh, then we should totally split up to cover more ground! Got it! Catch you later, Masa!" Before Masakazu could intervene, the surfer had already raced ahead.
Maybe that's for the best, in all honesty. He may find a clue on his own.
Masakazu wasted no time in walking towards Ryoma's dorm, making sure to avoid the room that had Ryoma's body on the way there. Once he arrived, he grabbed the door handle and twisted it...only to find that it was locked. The screen next to Ryoma's door flashed to life, displaying a simple sentence.
'Door locked. Please submit Electro-ID to unlock.'
Of course it'd still be locked. I doubt my own Elecro-ID would suffice, so I would need Ryoma's. Wherever that is...
Ryoma's Room
During the investigation, I was unable to open and investigate Ryoma’s room. Before he could do anything else, the noise of a nearby door caught Masakazu by surprise. The room next to Ryoma's opened, and a tired and drained looking Kasumi stepped out. Her eyes were red, and one she caught sight of Masakazu she froze for a second before turning around. After rubbing her face with her sleeve, she turned back towards the chess player.
"What do you want?"
"I'm just looking around for clues...are you ok?"
"Perfectly fine."
"Kasumi, it's pretty obvious that you're not. If you'd want to talk with me I'd gladly-"
"Thanks but no thanks, I think I'm good." She then turned back and walked inside her room, nearly closing the door only to be stopped by Masakazu's outburst.
"Wait! Please, talk to me. Help me find out what happened."
Kasumi hesitated initially, before finally poking her head out of the crack of her door. "...What is it you want to know? How my brother died? If I had anything to do about it? What-"
"I want to know why he died. And who killed him. Both questions that you can help me find out, if you'd only answer some questions."
Masakazu's answer seemed to sway the unstable Kasumi, who left her room and closed the door behind her. "Ok. What do you need to know?"
"Did Ryoma talk to you at all yesterday or this morning? Perhaps during the party?"
Kasumi shook her head. "Nothing important, just the usual 'how you holding up' or 'are you feeling ok'. Last time I tried to talk to him, he was already asleep in his room."
"What time was that?"
"It had to have been about half an hour past nighttime, since the lights were starting to get dim." Kasumi recalled, rubbing her eyes. "I tried to knock on his door to wake him up but he didn't answer besides making some kind of noise in his room."
"What kind of noise was it?"
"I'm not sure, but I heard something fall. Maybe he was changing his clothes? I honestly don't know."
Kasumi's Account
Kasumi came to Ryoma’s room last night to talk with him, but he didn’t answer when she knocked on his door. She did hear a noise on the other side of the door, however. "That's really everything I've got. Pretty useless, huh?" Kasumi dryly laughed, unaware of Masakazu's contemplation.
"I guess we'll find out soon enough. Thank you immensely for your help Kasumi. I'll check up on you later, alright?"
"Sure thing I guess. Whatever."
I can't really think of any other place that'd be important to check on...except maybe Ryoma's Ultimate Lab.
As Masakazu began making his way to Ryoma's Ultimate Lab, he heard something crunch underneath his shoe. After moving his foot, he found the source of the disturbance. Right there on the floor was a small, dried spot of blood, barely noticeable to anyone who wasn't specifically looking for it.
The hell? There's no way this isn't important to the case in some manner.
Bizarre Blood Splatter: One of the hallways in the dormitory section of the hotel had a small blood splatter on the floor. It was definitely not there earlier. Not much else to investigate about that...on to Ryoma's lab.
Another strange sight awaited the chess player when he eventually made his way to the Ultimate Strongman's Lab. The two glass doors that separated the room from the hallway had something placed between them, leaving them ajar. After Masakazu knelt down and removed it, the object in question turned out to be a dumbbell.
What's this doing all the way out here?
Dumbbell:
The doors leading to Ryoma’s Ultimate Lab were propped open with a dumbell, keeping them open. After fixing the doors, Masakazu stepped inside the lab and began walking around. He examined several pieces of gym equipment and supplies, coming up relatively empty in terms of clues.
I guess there wasn't anything here after all.
As Masakazu turned to leave, a sound played over a nearby speaker.
*ding dong dong ding*
"Man, you guys sure are taking your time with this investigating thing, huh? Well too bad! I'm getting tired of sitting here, so it's time for the main event! That's right, it's time for everyone's favorite segment! The class trial! Everyone, please make your way to the elevators located in the grand hall! Remember, attendance is mandatory. Upupupupu...see you all soon!"
The chess player sighed after heading the announcement. He had hoped for maybe a little more time to reevaluate the crime scene, but there was no such luck.
I guess all that's left now is to head to the gran-
Masakazu didn't get to finish that thought before he lost his footing and fell backwards onto the hard ground of Ryoma's Ultimate Lab. He grabbed his shoulder with a pained expression, cursing under his breath.
"Damn...why's the floor wet here? No one's even in here that often..."
As Masakazu clutched his shoulder in pain, something he said caught his attention.
"The floor...I wonder..."
Wet Floor
Ryoma’s Ultimate Lab had severely wet floors, to the point where you could easily slip and fall. No time to ponder that now, I need to catch up with the rest of them.
With as much speed as he could muster, Masakazu ran out of the ultimate lab towards the direction of the grand hall. As he opened the two large mahogany doors, he caught a glimpse of Kai waving at him from the second floor. As he finally made it up the stairs, Kai welcomed him as warmly as could be expected.
"Looks like you made it, dude! Did you catch any more clues?"
"A few. What about you?"
"Erm...yeah, no. Sorry dude." Kai's usual grin was replaced with a frown, but only for a second. "But I'm sure we've got this in the bag. I just know it!"
"Oh boy, if only I shared the enthusiasm of the airhead." Jack sighed as he tapped his foot in annoyance. "Who does that bear think he is, making us wait at the elevators that obviously don't work? The nerve!"
"Just be patient for once in your damn life, Jack." Yubiseiharukana snapped at the forger, who quietly complied.
I guess now's a good a time as any to ask...
"Hey Yubiseiharukana, you checked everything about Ryoma's body, right?"
"Uh, of course I did, dumb ass. you watched me do it."
"And you checked his pockets as well?"
"The hell are you going with this? Again, I did. Obviously. Do you think I'm some two-bit detective or something?"
"N-Not at all! I was just wondering if you found his Electro-ID."
"No, I didn't." Yubiseiharukana answered, looking at Masakazu with suspicious eyes. "...Why do you ask?"
Masakazu gulped. "I'd...prefer to explain during the trial, if that's alright."
"...Fair enough, I guess. Just don't try keeping it away from me or I'll find out the hard way."
UPDATED! Ryoma's Room:
During the investigation, I was unable to open Ryoma’s room. His Electro-ID could’ve unlocked it, but it wasn't on his body. "Trust me, I don't want to get on your bad side."
Suddenly, the monitor next to the elevators crackled to life, showing us footage of Monokuma drinking champagne out of an ornate glass. "Welcome, my lovely despair-induced guests, to the gateway to the trial grounds! If you'd kindly step back..."
Almost immediately after the warning, the two elevators began moving on their own, folding backwards and shrinking into the wall. In their place, a strange looking mechanical elevator rose to the floor and opened itself, as if beckoning them to ride it. "Please step forward into the elevator so we can get this shindig started! Ahahahahahaha!"
The image of Monokuma fizzled out from the monitor, leaving the students alone to make their decision.
"...Fuck it, not the weirdest shit I've seen." Yubiseiharukana stepped forward first, entering the elevator without a second thought.
"I guess it's not that bad...right?" Kimiko asked aloud as she reluctantly stepped inside next.
Slowly but surely, the elevator began to fill up with more and more people until just Masakazu was left. With a deep breath, he stepped onto the elevator to join the others. As he did, the elevator doors slammed shut behind him and they began their slow descent. For what felt like an eternity, the elevator sank lower and lower into the earth, with nothing but the lights on the side of the walls to illuminate the ride. Everyone stood at their own place in the elevator, not daring to say a word. The experience reminded Masakazu just how much had changed in a few days. They used to be a force that worked together to try to escape this hotel...but someone had betrayed that trust. Now no one could be trusted besides themselves.
The elevator doors finally opened, revealing an enormous room with lavish decorations. In the center of the room was a large circle formed with several podiums, as well as a throne nearby that Monokuma sat in with a smug expression.
"Looks like you've finally made it, you bastards! Welcome to our amazing trial grounds, where you'll spend your time doubting and betraying your friends! Please take a seat at one of the nearby podiums that's marked with your name and we'll finally get started!
Masakazu reluctantly did as the monochromatic bear instructed, taking a podium between Kimiko and Risa. He took a look around at his fellow students beside him. They all had the same hopes, the same goals, even the same fears.
But someone had taken advantage of that.
Someone had taken advantage of Ryoma's trust and used it to betray him. To betray everyone here.
For what reason? Why had it come to this? Could they not have ignored Monokuma's motives and tried their best to escape together?
It didn't matter anymore. This was not a world of what if's. This was the cold hard truth of reality.
Someone here had killed Ryoma, and it was up to Masakazu to help uncover the mysteries behind his death.
The curtain for a deadly game of killing had finally risen.
And with it, the dawn of a new class trial.
(SURVIVORS / DEAD)
RYOMA TAKEDA / HANA ANEKOUJI / TETSUYA OBARA / TAKAKO KOBUKO / KAI KALANI SUMIRE ICHIJOU / KIMIKO RYUGA / KASUMI TAKEDA / YUUKI ROIYA / JIROU HARADA KENJI ISHIKAWA / YUBISEIHARUKANA SEI / KONOMI KIRADOU / RISA TORIKORO / JACK MILLER / MASAKAZU KOMURO
Holy shit, this took WAY longer than I thought it would. Perhaps in the future I should chop up investigations in pieces, but for now enjoy the MEGA INVESTIGATION CHAPTER!
I seriously enjoyed writing this chapter (as fucked up as it is that I had fun writing a chapter on one of my favorite submissions dying...). In fact, this may be my favorite one yet!
QOTD: Do you think you've got the case all figured out? Tell me your theory on what happened...upupupu!
Next chapter will be the first section of the class trial, and before that I'll post a list of all the truth bullets for people who want to try and figure out the case as it goes on. Not much else to say besides...see you next update!~
-♞ Chess Boi
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Post by madsinzero on Apr 18, 2019 6:24:21 GMT
QOTD:
Like I sad last time, it's probably too early for me to make deductions. Even when I'm playing Danganronpa or Ace Attorney, I usually just take each deduction as it comes... which, if the scenario was real, would probably be an intelligent way to work (not to toot my own horn...). After all, if you start with a picture of what you think the conclusion is, it'll affect your perception of the evidence, etc etc.
For some reason, I honestly can't explain why, I have an odd hunch that Ryoma took the knife and nicked himself with it? I'd have to double-check some older posts to see if he ever had the opportunity to do so... ugh, I might have to wait for the Truth Bullets to be posted. I'm also interested to see if Hana's lack of focus during the investigation was an intentional plot point, or just because there's only so many things to say. I'm even growing suspicious of her... Exciting! Either way I don't mind the lack of focus, since we got to see Yubi in action!
That said, I loved Yubi this chapter! It really fits how I view her in my head that she'd get a lot less abrasive when in investigation mode. But yeah, other than enjoying seeing her work (and an echo of that "work forward from the facts" line, nice) I don't have much to comment on.
As usual, BlueShadow, you've really nailed the tone of a Danganronpa case. Everyone has bits and pieces and nuggets of wisdom, and no doubt more would be revealed come trial time. Anyhow, I think for the next investigation, once Chapter 2 rolls around, you should aim for another mega update! While breaking the investigation into chunks does mean more frequent uploads, I feel like it'd mess with the excellent pace this update had... though in the end it's up to you, etc etc.
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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 Apr 18, 2019 7:40:40 GMT
Part of me wonders if this is a case of accidental murder.
Ryoma's the Ultimate Strongman, and he's uninjured aside from the wounds on his neck. There aren't many people here who could overpower him and it's pretty unlikely he was drugged, so either he was taken by surprise (possibly by his jogging partner), or somebody slipped (possibly related to the super-wet floor in the lab. Even if that wasn't what somebody tripped on, it could've been someone cleaning up a crime scene. The blood stain in the dorms makes... less sense, unless it dripped off the body as it was being moved via laundry cart).
If it was an accident, that might explain the dual-knife cuts. Maybe the murderer panicked and tried to cover it up with a larger kitchen knife, since there are a lot more people who had the ability to get to it rather than try and steal something from the murder box.
It's not a perfect theory, of course -- if it was an accident, it doesn't explain who stole the pocket knife. If someone paranoid needed something for self defense, the kitchen was right there. Stealing from the Murder Box is an act that implies some level of premediation. ...Stealing a pocket knife is a weird choice if your target is a six foot tall wall of muscle. And Ryoma stealing it to try and kill somebody seems... unnecessary, when you're that buff.
It also doesn't explain who. If it's the jogger, then my initial thought would be Jack... but unless his ankle has fully healed up (which it might have, given the foot-tapping) then it means he was faking injury since before the killing game was even announced. Kai was also on the cleanup crew, so both he and Jack could've had time to steal a knife... but he's kinda doofy and it doesn't seem like his style. Tetsuya and Takako have been hanging out a lot, so they can probably vouch for each other. Kenji was one of the guards for the Murder Box so he could've been able to steal a knife, buuut announcing his suspicion of Ryoma before the party seems like one hell of a dumb plan if you're just going to kill the guy.
And Yubi and Yuuki didn't attend the party, so they totally had an opportunity to yoink the knife while nobody was guarding it. But it's unlikely either of them were tall enough to have been who Tetsuya saw.
h r m.
I dunno. My money's still on Jack, but that's mostly just because I, as a rule, always trust myself the least. (that said, I'd be fuckin gobsmacked if it was takako. she's gone and gotten herself a ridiculous amount of alibis at this point without even trying.)
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Post by AgentZ46 on Apr 18, 2019 12:58:31 GMT
Man you are smashing it with the upload consistency! Well done. I actually really enjoyed the investigation being one long part but I can understand why you might decide to split it more in the future. This was a great part and I really loved seeing everyone's reactions and then the investigation. As for a theory... I actually have one that I'm pretty proud of, I spent at least a couple hours on it too, reading the last two parts back and forth to figure out what each bit of evidence might mean and I think that I have it! The killer is really the only part that I'm conflicted about... enjoy the read! QOTD: So I've reread this part and the previous part a few times now and... I'm pointing the finger at Kai. I rather like him, he seems like a cool dude and I don't want it to be him but I can't shake the feeling that he's the culprit. Firstly there's the obvious being that he was guarding the motive box. Though it wasn't the murder weapon a pocket knife was taken, which Kai himself vouches for. You May think that makes him innocent but I'm not convinced. There's also being that he 'found' the body, he seemed out of breath and distressed when he told Masa and yet afterwards he was completely fine and was the first to offer to investigate with Masa. As a red herring I believe he pointed out bits of evidence in order to appear innocent. The evidence being the missing pocket knife and the towel. I'm actually convinced that whoever was jogging with Ryoma is the killer, which is most likely a guy. Kai specifically is one of the people that Tetsuya can't say for certain was still cleaning. Also Ryoma and Kai made plans to work out in the morning, obviously Ryoma was killed before then but perhaps they instead worked out that night. Another reason why I think it was whoever Ryoma was jogging with is that I believe he was killed in the ultimate lab which is naturally where Ryoma would finish his jog. Notice the wet floor and the single towel in the laundry. The bloody scene must've been cleaned with a towel which wet the floor. Then how did his body end up in the commons area? I believe it was moved there using the laundry cart which is where the killer got the towel from. Which could've possibly left behind the blood splatter found in the hallway which was overlooked by the killer. Since it looks similar to the catering cart, the killer must've chosen to leave it with the rest believing it would go unnoticed. The dumbell must've been holding the door open so the cart could easily get through and the killer carelessly forgot about it. Why was Ryoma moved? I believe he was killed with the pocket knife, which would be the small cut on found on Ryoma's neck. I think so much blood came out that Ryoma in desperation pressed his hand against his neck wound, which is why his hand must be bloody despite suffering no hand injuries. The killer must've sought to hide the fact that he was killed with the pocket knife, if it was Kai then he would have even more reason to hide this since he was the one guarding the motive box. The kitchen knife must've been an attempt to hide the smaller wound, why else would any murderer leave their weapon behind for everyone to find as opposed to hiding it? As for the noise in Ryoma's room it must've been the killer with Ryoma's electro id after he was killed since they ignored the knocking. Not to mention Ryoma's id is missing so the killer must have it. Why they were in the room I'm unsure about. Perhaps to hide more evidence considering you'd need the id to get in? It's not a bad place to hide something crucial. Maybe even the pocket knife? It would be really bad to be seen with it. The noise must've been the killer being startled by the sudden knocking and they dropped or knocked something over accidentally. I may be wrong about the culprit but I'm confident that this is how Ryoma was killed and how the evidence fits together.
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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 Apr 18, 2019 13:53:36 GMT
[...] Another reason why I think it was whoever Ryoma was jogging with is that I believe he was killed in the ultimate lab which is naturally where Ryoma would finish his jog. [...]
You raise a lotta good points here, but I've still got a couple of questions.
Takako, Tetsuya, Konomi, Kai, and Jack were all on the cleanup crew together, and Tetsuya was the first to finish his duties and leave. If the jogger was anyone on the cleanup crew, it would've been difficult for them to catch up without being noticed. (Granted, Tetsuya could've been lying, but I have no idea what that would accomplish.)
If the killer is Kai, I have to wonder why he didn't (or couldn't?) return the knife to the box. The box doesn't need a guard at night since the doors lock automatically, so he could've just woken up early and slipped it back in there before the next person's shift. He already has an excuse to be up early, so he would've had the time. (...And if it wasn't him, I guess it could be possible someone on the cleanup crew nicked the knife while he was distracted with cleaning...)
(...Actually, where is the commons area in relation to the café? A map would really help me figure out how plausible this all is.)
That said, Kai being the killer might explain why he didn't warn Masakazu on the state of the lab. We know it was unlocked thanks to the dumbbell, and if he was up early searching for the guy, wouldn't he think to check there first? And also -- if he was the first to find the body like he'd claimed, why didn't Monokuma's announcement play until Takako and Tetsuya arrived?
Hard to tell what's a clue, and what's Monokuma waiting for the most dramatic moment to launch a corpse at people.
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Post by Tales93 on Apr 18, 2019 18:38:29 GMT
QOTD: I've got to admit, Kai does look like he's the most suspicious to me. If he is the culprit then it is just my luck, one of my characters ends up being the first to kill someone. Agent, makes some good points on why Kai could be the killer. I do agree for certain that the killing happened in a way similar to how he described. The method it happened, makes the most sense. He definitely had the opportunity to take the pocket knife from the weapon box. To me, he also seems like he could definitely be the tall guy that was jogging with Ryoma. He might not have been cleaning, at the time. Unless, Tetsuya saw him cleaning for sure when this was happening. Not only that, if he had been looking for Ryoma in the morning why didn't he tell Masakazu about the strange state of his ultimate lab, unless he didn't notice it. What also bothers me is that he decide to split from Masakazu when he told him he was going to Ryoma's room. Was he going to make sure he couldn't go there or hide evidence. He could have taken his electro I'd when he found him alone that morning or when he killed him. However, there are a couple things about Kai being the killer that don't add up for me. For example, why would he point out evidence in the laundry room such as the towel. If he was the culprit, it wouldn't really make sense to go out of his way to show actual clues. If he wanted to make it seem he was innocent, he might need to point out fake clues. Also, the biggest thing for me is he has no motive. To me, it doesn't make sense for Kai to kill Ryoma here. Unless, this was a case of self defense; I just don't see why he would do it. However, if it was self defense, could he really overpower Ryoma? Perhaps, Kenji telling everyone (including Kai) to be weary of Ryoma because of the motive may have made him paranoid? If so, would he have taken the pocket knife from the murder box for self defense when Ryoma asked him to work out with him? To me, Kai seems the most likely suspect, but he may actually be a red herring for the real culprit. This is Danganrompa after all, things are usually not as they seem. I hope I'm wrong and my suspicion of my own character is incorrect, but right now I don't see who else it could be. That's what the trial is for I guess.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Apr 19, 2019 2:22:56 GMT
Chapter 1: The Initial Plunge
Class Trial #1
Truth Bullets
Pre-Trial Summary:
One fateful morning, the unthinkable happened. Ryoma’s dead body was found, and now Masakazu and the others must face a fierce class trial.
1. Monokuma File #1: The victim is Ryoma Takeda, the Ultimate Strongman. The corpse was located under a table in one of the common's areas. The cause of death was a stab to the neck, which was almost immediately fatal. His estimated time of death is 10:20 pm. No other injuries could be found on his body.
2. Bloody Hand: Ryoma’s right hand was coated with blood. Neither his hand nor his fingers appeared to be injured.
3. Strange Cut: Besides the knife wound, a strange cut was found on Ryoma’s neck. It was inconsistent with the knife that was found.
4. Kitchen Knife: The knife found in Ryoma’s neck, presumably the murder weapon. Taken from the wooden knife rack in the kitchen.
5. Morning Alibis: Before the body was found, a majority of the students seemed to be resting in their rooms. The only exceptions were Kai, Tetsuya and Takako, Jirou and Risa, and Konomi, Hana, and myself.
6. Kai's Account: Kai insists that he spent all morning searching for Ryoma, who promised to work out with him.
7. Missing Item: According to Kenji, a pocket knife was missing from the motive box when he came to guard it. Kai insists that it was there prior to the party.
8. Misplaced Cart: For some reason, a laundry cart was placed among the catering carts in the kitchen.
9. Takako's Account: As she was leaving her dorm, she met up with Tetsuya and they decided to walk to the cafe together. On the way there, they encountered Ryoma’s body, as well as a strange announcement over the hotel’s speakers.
10. Tetsuya's Account: After finishing up with his cleaning first, Tetsuya left the cafe and began heading to his room. On the way there, he saw Ryoma jogging with someone, but couldn’t quite see who it was. Despite his uncertainty, he’s sure it was a guy.
11. Party Cleanup: After the party finished, several students stayed to clean up. They included Tetsuya, Takako, Konomi, Jack, and Kai.
12. Party Attendees: Most of the students attended the party, minus Yubiseiharukana and Yuuki, who took food with them to eat elsewhere.
13. Strange Towel: A wet towel was found stuffed in one of the washing machines in the laundry room. The machine itself had just finished a washing cycle.
14. Ryoma's Room: During the investigation, I was unable to open Ryoma’s room. His Electro-ID could’ve unlocked it, but it wasn't on his body.
15. Kasumi's Account: Kasumi came to Ryoma’s room last night to talk with him, but he didn’t answer when she knocked on his door. She did hear a noise on the other side of the door, however.
16. Bizarre Blood Splatter: One of the hallways in the dormitory section of the hotel had a small blood splatter on the floor. It was definitely not there earlier.
17. Dumbbell: The doors leading to Ryoma’s Ultimate Lab were propped open with a dumbell, keeping them open.
18. Wet Floor: Ryoma’s Ultimate Lab had severely wet floors, to the point where you could easily slip and fall. TRUTH BULLETS REVIEWED
BEGINNING CLASS TRIAL
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Post by AgentZ46 on Apr 19, 2019 13:14:33 GMT
QOTD: I've got to admit, Kai does look like he's the most suspicious to me. If he is the culprit then it is just my luck, one of my characters ends up being the first to kill someone. Agent, makes some good points on why Kai could be the killer. I do agree for certain that the killing happened in a way similar to how he described. The method it happened, makes the most sense. He definitely had the opportunity to take the pocket knife from the weapon box. To me, he also seems like he could definitely be the tall guy that was jogging with Ryoma. He might not have been cleaning, at the time. Unless, Tetsuya saw him cleaning for sure when this was happening. Not only that, if he had been looking for Ryoma in the morning why didn't he tell Masakazu about the strange state of his ultimate lab, unless he didn't notice it. What also bothers me is that he decide to split from Masakazu when he told him he was going to Ryoma's room. Was he going to make sure he couldn't go there or hide evidence. He could have taken his electro I'd when he found him alone that morning or when he killed him. However, there are a couple things about Kai being the killer that don't add up for me. For example, why would he point out evidence in the laundry room such as the towel. If he was the culprit, it wouldn't really make sense to go out of his way to show actual clues. If he wanted to make it seem he was innocent, he might need to point out fake clues. Also, the biggest thing for me is he has no motive. To me, it doesn't make sense for Kai to kill Ryoma here. Unless, this was a case of self defense; I just don't see why he would do it. However, if it was self defense, could he really overpower Ryoma? Perhaps, Kenji telling everyone (including Kai) to be weary of Ryoma because of the motive may have made him paranoid? If so, would he have taken the pocket knife from the murder box for self defense when Ryoma asked him to work out with him? To me, Kai seems the most likely suspect, but he may actually be a red herring for the real culprit. This is Danganrompa after all, things are usually not as they seem. I hope I'm wrong and my suspicion of my own character is incorrect, but right now I don't see who else it could be. That's what the trial is for I guess. I think Kai may be one of the few who could at least go toe to toe (if not overpower) with Ryoma. However I think you make a good point with how he'd need to overpower Ryoma. He was the ultimate Strongman and he was the first to be killed. If the motive was simply to escape the killing game then why choose Ryoma over someone much more physically weaker like Yukki for example? For some reason the killer chose Ryoma who couldn't easily be overpowered. So to me it must be a different motive. Maybe not self defense but I'm thinking along the same lines as you. I think Kenji must've spooked the killer when talking to them about Ryoma possibly planning to kill someone. If Ryoma invited someone to work out after the seed of doubt being planted like that then I couldn't blame them for thinking Ryoma was about to kill them. Perhaps they got scared and sought to get him before he got them.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Apr 20, 2019 22:27:19 GMT
Alright, got to write my comment down in time So, first of all, I really, really dig these theories. Naturally, considering it's Ryoma we're talking about, I thought about this a lot as well. For the most part, I came to the same conclusion as Agent and it unfortunately points to Kai as the culprit. Tetsuya is still my strong second, but there is a lot about Kai that points in his direction. Sure, he might be the red herring, but frankly, I doubt it. At best, he got a lot of explaining to do. Also, I liked this part! Never thought I could say this about a part where one of my characters gets murdered, but this investigation has me hooked! And it is as I expected, Kasumi's reaction genuinely made me pause. I was hoping she wouldn't have to go through this anytime soon, even if I feared that Ryoma's chances weren't the best. But her reaction was hard to read. She claims to be just fine, but it is clear she isn't. I think I know why she is reacting the way she does (but that might be something I should mention in private), but it does not change the fact that she is not, in any way, fine. This'll be bad for her in several ways. First, she lost her brother and closest relative. Second, she lost her protector, who would keep her safe from doing something stupid and from getting killed. I don't think she is beyond saving here, she's tough and hopefully can pull through all of this, the loss of her brother and the entire killing game, but she will need more people around her. So far, it's been just Ryoma and her standing in his shadow. Now, she needs to stand on her own. And honestly, the only person I trust her with is Masakazu, because he is the protagonist and he is the only one whom I am certain would not just kill her when she makes for an easy target. Him and maybe Risa, because Risa is just too precious. But she needs friends, now more than ever and I am genuinely scared for what is to come for her now that Ryoma is not around anymore. Now, on to my theory. As I said, I agree with a lot of what Agent said, this makes a lot of sense and I am willing to subscribe it in that capacity. What I write down here is my thoughts that focus on further aspects of this whole situation. So, it needs to be said, I do not think Kai can overpower Ryoma in a genuine struggle. Neither of them can, this means Ryoma died quickly and without much of a warning before that. Otherwise, he would have fought back and a guy of his size, his killer would at least be injured in that case. So, it had to happen in a way that basically caused a fatal injury immediately. Definitely, he was killed by the smaller knife and the kitchen knife was planted in his neck to frame someone else, maybe even to frame Tetsuya, because he is the one with the easiest access to kitchen knives. Kai was the last who definitely saw it, so unless Kenji took it and immediately used it to kill Ryoma, Kai is the only one who could have taken it. And as I said, Kenji's whole thing about warning people about Ryoma would be far too obvious. If he is smart enough to take the knife and frame Kai, he is smart enough to come up with a better alibi. And Tetsuya, what speaks against him is the fact that this was cleaned up very badly. The Ultimate Waiter has to be good at cleaning things, I doubt he would leave the scene like this. So, Tetsuya might be innocent and I believe Kenji is innocent for certain. Well, almost innocent, that is. I believe Kenji is indirectly to blame here. I got a theory of my own on not just how, but why Kai did it. He seems like a genuinely chill dude. I call him the Ultimate Bro and personally, I think he is the one character I'd be friends with the most out of this cast. So, I hope, I genuinely hope that we are all wrong and that the true culprit will show themselves in the parts to come. I don't think so, though. That being said, no matter who is guilty, the question stands, why would anyone in their right mind pick Ryoma? He is super strong, he is tough, he got a sister who loves him and who would do anything to get justice. Picking Ryoma as the first target without any need is monumentally stupid and as such, I do not think the killer intended any of this. So, what I fear is, Kai was startled by Kenji's warnings that Ryoma could kill someone. Now, I know Ryoma, I know his possible motives and whom he would pick. I know Kai was never in danger. Unfortunately, Kai does not know this. So, he hears that this super buff and potentially dangerous guy has the best motive ever, he wants to save his sister. Then, the very same guy wants to hang out with him and he grows paranoid. Remembering Kenji's earlier warning, he takes the knife from the box, given that he has access to it, hoping to use it to defend himself if necessary. During the training, Ryoma says or does something that Kai interprets the wrong way, he draws his knife, things spiral out of control and Kai only realizes too late that Ryoma meant no harm. In a panic, he hastily cleans up the room, hides the body somewhere else and his shocked reaction is therefore genuine. Alternatively, things might be even more accidental. I am not sure what to make of the wet floor. It might be the result of a botched clean-up, or it might be even more related. What if the water was there before, from a malfunction, or something like that. Kai draws his knife, Ryoma takes a step towards him in an attempt to defuse the situation, slips on the wet floor and literally falls into the knife. One way or the other, I do not think Ryoma intended to harm Kai (or whomever actually killed him) and I believe that the killer, especially if it is Kai, acted not out of the desire to kill Ryoma, but out of a misguided attempt at defending themselves. Now, some of you might know, I loathe accidental kills. There is no kind of murder I hate more than the one that can be genuinely prevented and was never done with killing intent. The effect is the same, a character I greatly enjoy is dead, but it didn't happen for any vile, hateful reason, but out of sheer stupidity. It could have been prevented. Unfortunately, it seems to be the case here. And unfortunately, Kai is such a chill dude that I cannot even properly hate him for it, if he is the killer and if this is actually what happened. It is part of why I hope it is someone else, but I fear that there is simply too much pointing into Kai's direction. And if this is actually what happened, which I think makes a lot of sense, then I cannot even hate him. He is just such a cool guy and in his situation, most of the other characters could have acted in that way. Maybe the trial will offer more aspects to work with, maybe even to prove Kai's innocence and I am all in favour of this, but as it is, there is simply too much speaking in favour of him being the killer, so I think we should focus on him first and see if he either believably explains all this, or if he gets only more suspicious.
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