The Masked Moonlighter

The End

Once Masuku had gotten to say his final piece, Manager-san stepped down from her podium and laughed loudly at him in a way uncharacteristic of her. 

“Snrk…Ehehehehehe! What, don’t act so shocked, you’re the one who crucified a girl! I can’t just not let you get executed, dummy! You’re just as lousy and dead as the rest of these idols!!” 

The ugly laughter died down a bit, and soon she recovered, Manager-san was back to her normal cutesy attitude.

“Aaaaanywaaaaay…because I like you, I’ve got a very special final performance ready for you, my little insider! Let’s get the party started right now~!”

Following execution ritual, Masuku is restrained before being taken away. His downfall now becoming the screen’s newest spectacle.

For the duration of the second vote, Masuku had kept silent. At this point, he had already resigned to the fate that this would be his end. After all, this is exactly what he expected.

The results came and Manager-san informed them all that his fate was sealed. Masuku chuckled to himself, either out of irony or disbelief.

“After everything I did for your ratings and whatever you cared about, you’d cut me loose just like that? How brutal, Manager-san.”

Masuku shrugs before placing his hands on the podium as if to make a declaration to those still alive.

“Would you look at that vote? I knew idols were always disgusting. I should have known much sooner that you all would murder me–”

“–but not only are you all just filthy vermin, you lot are also incredibly stupid! Your best bet to figuring out the other contestant behind this was me. Let’s say that this person was the one who set us all up here, you just silenced the man who had the most intel on them. It’s a shame. I really wanted to know who it was.”

The Masked Moonlighter lets his eyes move from each contestant until he’s looked them all over.

“Whichever one of you I’ve been working with, it’s been a pleasure. If only we could’ve talked things over… anyway, one final request: don’t let these rats back into society to spread their disease.”

“Alright, alright, has everyone gotten their opinions in? Man, you guys are a little more quiet, it’s almost like someone died! Oops! Too soon? Let’s see those results!”

The board behind Manager-san once again lights up, showing the results.

NAO - 5

Masuku - 9

The Masked Moonlighter will be executed.

With that, both of the culprits had been revealed. Masuku and Nao had been the killers in two completely separate murders. Manager-san clearly couldn’t be more pleased.

“Look at that! You got it right! Twice! What a big exciting case this one was, huh?! Not only two victims, but two killers!”

“Gasp! And I just got the biggest, best idea! Why don’t we have two votes as well?! Let’s shake things up!” 

Two votes? What was she talking about? There couldn’t be anything more to decide now that the cases had been solved…could there?

“I mean, I’m not about to lose two big huge ratings grabs at once if I can help it, so I have a really fun plan in the name of frugality! You see, the eight of you get to decide between Nao-chan and Masuku-kun for this execution! Which of these bloodthirsty murderers would you rather see die?!”

So, you had found one of the culprits: Nao had indeed killed Zy, but most of you already knew that.

“Alrighty, with our first killer settled, it’s time to see the results of who killed Nonoka-chan next! Here’s what really happened!”

Prompted into action by the most recent motive allowing them to potentially go home, the traitor of the idols began to prepare for murder at around 2:00. They made several stops for their plans, grabbing a laundry bag and towels from the laundry room, a knife from the kitchen, and some rope from the tool shed. 

The planning in place, the traitor met with Nonoka in the park at 3:00 and walked with her, chatting about nothing in particular. It was around 3:33 when they dropped their signature mask into the pond and requested for Nonoka to get it. However, the moment she complied, the traitor approached her from behind and held her head underwater until she had completely drowned.

The traitor didn’t leave it at that, however. After stuffing Nonoka’s corpse into the laundry bag, they dragged her to the ice cream stand, and with a tracksuit on to protect their clothes from getting bloody, stabbed her eight times and slit her throat to disguise the method of murder. They then stuffed her back into the laundry bag again and began to walk back to the Cantata Studios area, but at 3:37 the body discovery announcement for Shinsuke Zaikawa played. With no one in the area to see them, the traitor quickly tied Nonoka’s corpse to the Manager-san statue with the rope they had on hand.

Trying to clean up as quickly as possible, the traitor tossed the knife used for the murder into the pond, and stuffing the bloody tracksuit inside the laundry bag, hurried to the theater and left the bag containing the bloody clothes there. From there, they simply acted as if they were washing their hands in the theater when the discovery announcement payed and showed up at the same time as Makaze.

And the traitor who had been working with the Idol Experiment staff from the beginning and the culprit of the murder of Nonoka Kashino?

Well, damn.

Since Masuku last spoke, he was all sorts of emotional. After hearing what Makaze said, his expression started to grow a little more neutral. After Rinji spoke, it became even more neutral. After Nao spoke? Okay, now he looks bored.

Before he could respond, Manager-san broke in to announce that it’s time to vote. She spoke of traitors and something special happening as well as voting for more than one person. 

“Hm. I guess the odds aren’t in my favour anymore. Really, it’s a shame that Makaze, or should I say the worthless sleepyhead who doesn’t even deserve to be here, suddenly remembers something smart. I’m proud of you… not.”

Masuku sighs, but winks at Makaze. He really hated that man, honestly. Next, his eyes drift towards Rinji.

“You’re so pathetic. Seriously, you annoy the shit out of me. If you were the traitor then you’d actually be worth something. I mean–”

The Masked Moonlighter suddenly puts a hand over his mouth. A moment passes before he chuckles.

“I have no way to work myself out of this one, huh? Guess it’s out in the open even if I deny. I did murder Nonoka Kashino. It was sad, really. She was probably my closest friend here… well, I guess I do like Banri-kun.”

A shrug.

“I’m sorry Rinji-kun. You know, I’ve had theories about you being the traitor. It’d be very unexpected and no one would see it coming. I’m pretty certain Nao is the other culprit. From what he’s saying, he’s not the traitor which would make my own personal ideas of you working against us this whole time much more concrete It’s also awfully inconvenient you don’t have a solid alibi for Nonoka-chan’s…. murder.”

Masuku gulped saying that last part. Still kind of tough to accept apparently. Anyway, it’s now that he looks to Nonoko once again. The further this trial goes on, the more he’s beginning to feel like Nao and Nao’s a bitch. He’s not a bitch, is he? How rude.

“My hands were wet because I had just went to the bathroom. I didn’t really have much time to dry them since we were being ushered by Manager-san. I was in the garden because I’ve been paying respects to the dead in the locations we found their bodies. I just happened to be making my rounds to Concerto and Tougarashi-san at that very time. It’s not in my idol persona to show great concern or sadness over the lost of others so it’s already pretty damaging to my reputation to even be bringing this up right now, I–”

He pauses to take a deep breath. Which turns into a couple of breaths before he speaks again. 

Did the rooms even have windows?

Anyway, Masuku couldn’t help but sigh once again as Nonoko of all people continued to grill into him. It was starting to feel personal.

“Nonoka… I last saw her around 3. I saw Rinji in the garden area before 3 but after 2.”

The Masked Moonlighter’s eyes shift towards Rinji, who’s already given his alibi.

“You were at the pond dock for quite a while, right? That’s a prime location given where evidence was. Are you sure you didn’t see anything else weird? Perhaps… you didn’t go back to your trailer like you said you did.”

So he can’t explain the evidence away? Or even defend himself? ALiCE’s comment makes sense to him– is this a roundabout way of confessing to his involvement?

Anyway if Nonoko hadn’t attacked Nao, Masuku would be verbally tearing into him. The expression on his face was angry, but not to the same degree as the victim’s twin sibling. He was completely supportive of her would have told their Goddess to critique her reaction, but he felt a bit blindsided by Nonoko’s questioning him. Did she really think he did this?

“Actually… it’s very strange now that I think about it. Nonoka had asked me about my mask and how different it was then the ones in the gift shop earlier today. Besides that… I was in the garden. I remember seeing Rinji-kun while I was there in the garden if that helps anything.”

The Masked Moonlighter sighs after giving his testimony. He looks to Banri now.

“What makes you think we can’t get the traitor’s identity revealed without letting them go? If we work together, I think we might be able to pull it off…”

Was Nao trying to call him out for being a part of some monstrosity? The Masked Moonlighter’s gaze burned into his accuser and his eyebrows furrowed. Before he could lash out at Nao, some more people spoke up to calm him down a little.

“Two culprits would make the most sense… that or one culprit and an accomplice.”

Masuku’s eyes flicker back to Ran.

“Remember what happened two trials ago? My mask, or at least a replica of it, had shown up then too. It’s getting old that my mask showing up at crime scenes automatically puts me under suspicion. If I were someone else, I’d throw in something obviously planted like that just to get people to look towards someone else even if it is just for a moment or two.”

A sigh as his gaze shifts from Ran back to equally looking at everyone else.

“Why would the cause of death even be corrupted?”

Masuku crosses his arms before looking back to Nao. He looks rather upset after talking about Nonoka’s passing.

This is now the fourth time they’ve held a Murder Mystery Live. Looking around, there are so many people that aren’t at this trial that had attended the first one. So many lives lost… taken… for motivations that didn’t even really matter in the end. This was all just for the entertainment of whatever sick audience was paying attention.

The trial began with The Goddess, which gives Masuku the strength to carry on through this. Since then, the conversation speakers has shifted to Nonoko and Nao.

Masuku couldn’t help but keep a watchful eye out for Nonoko. Of everyone still here, he was most concerned about her. He waits until Nonoko finishes speaking before he joins in.

“Nonoko-chan… let’s not be vague. I made a promise to Nonoka that I would protect her and through that I would also help her keep you safe. Execution or not, her story deserves justice. I’ll say what needs to be said.”

The Masked Moonlighter brings a finger up to his mouth as he scans the room. He turns his head as he looks at the other idols. When his gaze gets to Nao, it stops there. The finger he had on his mouth is now pointing at him.

With two bodies on opposite sides of the studio, there was a lot of legwork to be done this investigation, but at least there was the small positive of getting some cardio in. Soon enough, Manager-san’s voice sounded over the speakers once again.

“Ok, everybody, prep time’s over! Better get ready for the Murder Mystery Live and show up to the stage!”

All of you collectively went to the green room to get dressed in idol outfits, a slightly heavier feeling in the air now that it was obvious how many of you were gone at this point. The heavy feeling of losing people only increased when you arrived on stage in your half-podiums, with the newly darkened podiums of Kei, Ruru, Zy, and Nonoka staring you down. Had the amount of contestants really whittled down to half? 

Not that the dwindling numbers were about to stop Manager-san from kicking off the show with her normal fanfare.

“Well, faithful viewers, it’s that time again! Another exciting double Murder Mystery Live to up the ante! You better be hanging on the edge of your seats waiting to see how this one turns out!”

“Will our idols find the culprit? Will the insider’s identity be revealed? Or will the insider get to go home free? Oh, who’s to say, who’s to say?! The only way to find out is to keep watching!”

Victim : Shinsuke Zaikawa

Time of Death : 3:12pm

Time of Discovery : 3:37

Location : Awards room

Cause of Death : Blunt force trauma

Discovered by : ALiCE, Banri Kondo, Ran Kobayashi

Manager-san’s Autopsy Report : “My money was personally on Zy dying of old age, but looks like someone decided to speed up the process! I hope his daughter gets to watch her daddy finally become a star…after being traumatized at least. Whatever, the real tragedy here is that someone broke the display case! Those are expensive!”

Victim : Nonoka Kashino

Time of Death : 3:33pm

Time of Discovery :

Location: Manager-san statue

Cause of Death :  D̨͘Á͞T̸̀A ̸͞Ć̴OR̢R̸UP͠҉T͢E̢͢D̵

Discovered by: Nonoko Kashino, NAO, Stella

Both Zy and Nonoka were dead, and apparently two people dying at once was the new normal. Someone among you had to be particularly bloodthirsty.

“Alright! Is everybody ready this time? Good! This is going to be a doozy!”

Manager-san’s voice rang out over the dwindling group, far too cheery for the backdrop of Nonoka’s suspended corpse.

“Obviously someone couldn’t have teleported these corpses to different locations, huh? So how did it happen? Could it be that… Just kidding~! I’m not giving anything away! What do you guys think? Better come up with a theory before the Murder Mystery Live happens! Toodles~!”

With a wink, Manager-san toddled off, and you were all left to your own devices. It was time to figure out just who did this… Even if it might be difficult.

[♫♫]

It took a good ten or so minutes for everyone to make their way to the newest, furthest area, with Masuku and Makaze finally making up the rear together. 

Were you really getting used to this? It was hard to tell, but this marked the fifth corpse you had discovered in your time on The Idol Experiment. For better or worse, the surprise… Was starting to wear off.

Manager-san’s plush purple form bounced into the room and in front of Zy’s body, throwing her arms in the air with a grin.

“Yay~! It took you all, like, forever to get here, but that’s okay! Now that everybody’s here, we can get down to –”

Cutting Manager-san off was the sound of Nonoko’s shaky voice as she looked around the room.

“…Huh? Wait a second, where’s…”

Panicked, the girl took off out of the awards room. Stella and NAO were quick to chase after her, and after a stunned moment of inaction, the rest of you followed.

You only had the chance to reach the second area before the gut-wrenching sound of Nonoko’s sudden, shrill, and despaired screams. They only seemed to continue as you entered the first area and discovered the gruesome scene that caused them.

[♫♫]

The couple of days after Manager-san’s reveal of a traitor-centric motive passed by seeming relatively normal, despite all of the questions that still hung in the air. 

Slightly intoxicated despite how early it was, Banri had spent most of his time in the socialite lounge defacing as many pictures as he could, with a scolding but slightly amused Ran nearby. It was around 3:35 that the two decided they’d spent enough time causing mischief in the lounge.

However, they were barely out the door when they saw ALiCE walking towards them, haste clear in her pace and discomfort just as clear on her face. When she was close enough for them to hear her, she pointed towards the awards room in the near distance and frowned.

“…There’s been… Some kind of incident.”

[♫♫]

Vague as she was, the cold familiarity of the situation told Ran and Banri all they needed to know. Together, the three of them quickly made their way to the awards room, the front door to which has been left slightly ajar, and find the scene of the incident that ALiCE spoke of.