#ds plot post

Hope’s Peak University is everything it purports itself to be. The grounds and buildings are lavish and large, even the on-site dorm rooms are spacious and conveniently located, situated around campus according to one’s academic interests. Altogether it’s really larger than it would even need to be, considering the exclusive nature of the student body, but the school doesn’t feel empty. Offering a range of degree options up to and including doctorates, with fully equipped facilities to cater to any potential career path, Hope’s Peak is the dream school to end all dream schools. The numerous helpful staff can be found easily, and some of the students from older classes can occasionally be seen walking about, though most haven’t arrived yet. 

It is not the first day of the school year. That will come on Monday, and today is Friday. Today is new student orientation, campus tours for those who hadn’t yet had the chance, and then a whole weekend to move into your new dorms. Hence why your class is here, and most older students haven’t arrived yet, so you largely have the expansive campus to yourself for the next three days. It’s plenty of time, to be sure - even if you’re busy or perhaps a little hesitant, anxious even, don’t worry, it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed. The orientation itself is fairly uneventful. The whole thing lasts about thirty minutes total and consists of the Dean of students, Mizuhara-san, who is himself a former Ultimate, giving a brief introduction to the University and an overview of the various and sundry facilities on offer. Most of the really important information is in the new student packets that were already mailed out weeks ago, though there are spares available at the orientation for anyone who misplaced or didn’t receive theirs. Maps of the campus, the key cards that double as library cards and will let you navigate your dorms and areas restricted to your respective majors and talents, lists of staff members to contact for whatever questions or issues you may have while adjusting, course catalogs and schedules, that sort of thing.

Perhaps you lingered in the auditorium after orientation, perhaps not, but either way once it’s over… you have some freedom. Breathing room, a whole weekend before the first day of the rest of your lives. There’s a palpable sense of anticipation in the atmosphere. The air is crisp, the sun is bright, and the days ahead shimmer with potential - and possibly something more sinister, though that’s not something you need to concern yourselves with right now. No, right now you’re free and the weekend is yours. Take advantage of it! Carpe diem!

--

It’s only been a few hours. Enough time to have a conversation or two, or three if you’re the fast-talking type. Time to check out the dorms that are apparently yours, and feel some alarm at finding your belongings already there and ready to be unpacked, as if it were your room back at the school, where you’re supposed to be. It may even be enough time to look around a few of the other rooms in the area, enough to note the total lack of windows or exits, enough to see that while all the essential basic needs are covered, Jamie was right. You’re trapped here.

The closest thing to a way out is the set of doors in the area you all first woke up in. And that’s what you see flickering on the screens of your ElectroIDs when they vibrate to get your attention and light up. The doors, and the Kurita twins. Kiki is fussing with a panel she’s clearly pried off the wall, while Kazuya stands a few feet back, warily watching the entrance to the hallway.

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea…” They say in an anxious but resigned manner that gives the impression this is not by any means the first time they’ve said it.

“Still waiting for you to come up with a better one, Zuzu.” Kiki replies without looking up from her work. “Less nervous talking, more letting me know if that creepy blonde is coming.”

“No…” Kazuya says, leaning to look right and left down the corridor, and failing to notice the metal plating on the wall behind them sliding open. Jamie steps out of the hidden passage, and straight up to Kiki, who jerks away even before the taller woman’s robotic hand closes on her shoulder.

[CW: Throat Trauma, Implied Choking, Blood + More Throat Trauma in Picture]

Of course she had to get wrapped up in this. All he had to do was take whatever happened, and she’d--no, they’d all be fine, but of course! Things can never go that easily, can they!? Ugh. Nevertheless, the words about killing them all if they resist rung in her head. She didn’t have a choice, did she? If she made a big point about not doing it, then one of those robots would probably just gun her down and call up the next person.

Like hell she was laying her life down. No, she’d just figure out how to get through this. If she was lucky enough, she’d maybe leave without having some big bombshell about her life dropped to everyone around. They wouldn’t...know. Right?

She clenched her fists, walking up to the wheel with all the confidence in the world. She rested her left hand against it, muttering something under her breath before spinning.

For yet another time the wheel spins, the clicks that much more ominous now despite the lack of bloodshed. Was Teddi’s result a relief, or only a greater concern? Yellow didn’t seem to be quite the safe harbor one might think, if his tears are anything to go by. What else could the people running this know about all of you? What else might they be willing to reveal?

It doesn’t seem like you’re likely to find out just yet, because this time the wheel coasts to a stop on… Cyan.

[CW: Finger Trauma/Hand Trauma]

When the wedge lights up, it shows a silhouette of a closed fist with one finger extended - the pinky finger, by the looks of it. There’s probably not much need to explain what that means.

Okay. Okay. Deep breaths. She could spin again, theoretically. She already got screwed over by someone else, did it matter if she did the same thing? But…

She couldn’t get the last spin out of her head. Did they know? Could they know? Would anything stop them from saying it, right here? Would she be willing to lose a pinky to avoid the risk? Well, the answer was fairly obvious. She could still write, take calls, do all kinds of things without it. It can’t be that big of a deal. “Sure, fine, whatever. Take it, assholes.” She holds out both of her arms, looking both angry and tired.

Instead of Kazuya saying or doing anything this time, they simply nod, looking away as tears continue to roll silently down their cheeks. One of the metal plates on the wall slides open, but there’s no time for anyone to make a break for it before a line of androids are rolling in. They’re clearly made for function rather than form, having blank faces with a single robotic eye like the lens of a camera in the middle. Their legs end in simply shaped feet with roller skate type wheels that allow them to move quickly across the floor. The wall slides shut again behind them. Five in total. Three move to surround Mariko, while the other two park between her and the rest of the students, as if to prevent any potential interference.

What happens next is… more or less exactly what everything that’s led up to this point would have you expect. Regardless of her level of cooperation, Mariko’s left hand is seized by an android’s metal fingers and pulled out straight ahead of her. A second android stands on her other side, keeping the rest of her held in place so her ability to struggle is minimized. The third android is the one to step up, small sharp blades sliding out of joints in its fingers and beginning to spin quickly enough to make a sound like a low hum.

It separates her little finger from the rest with its other hand, and then brings the blades up, closing them around the base of her finger.

As Mariko shakes, so does Kazuya, obviously avoiding looking in her direction. But they wipe their own tears away and take a few rough, steadying breaths before they answer, keeping their voice as firm as they can. 

“Yes, that’s... it’s over, for now. If you want more medical attention you can, um, follow us... otherwise...”

One of the androids pops open a compartment in its arm and turns it to drop a few packages on the floor. Boxes of bandages and tubes of antiseptic.

“Someone will check on you later.” This is directed at Mariko, though they still can’t seem to bring themself to do more than dart their gaze at her and away again.

For a moment they look back up at all of you, their gaze coming to rest on Kiki, who has stood like a statue throughout the process. But now she speaks, “I’m sorry, but why... Zuzu, I never asked you to-”

Kazuya interrupts her with another shake of their head.

“You didn’t have to. You’re my sister, Kiki. This... isn’t your fault.” They look back over the rest of you. 

“There will be another announcement later, a... a motive that will start taking effect tomorrow. But for now just... please just go.”

 The androids beep and start rolling towards the wall, which slides open again, and after a moment of hesitation Kazuya follows them through, whether or not Mariko accompanies them. The plate slides shut behind them, and a section of metal on the other side of the room slides open, leading you all directly back into the short hall between Rooms E and F. There are no other turns, no other exits. There’s nowhere else to go.

But like Kazuya said, it’s over. For now...

--

[Reaction Posts may now be Submitted. Motive will be posted tomorrow, Sunday the 23rd, at 1pm PST. It will be announced on the 6th IC Day, or the ‘1st Day’ of the New Cycle/Five-Day period, so you’re free to start some post-Suffering Game threads that take place on Day 5 Evening.]

The wheel itself looks simple enough, grab the edge, give it a spin. Without the full context there wouldn’t be anything sinister about it, but knowing what the colors mean lends the whole thing an unsettling, tense atmosphere. The colorful wedges continue to blink, lighting up in a steadily alternating pattern. Occasionally when they light up little images are visible, just for a moment. A hand. A syringe. An eye.

Probably best not to think too much about what that means, right now.

Teddi eyed the wheel as well as Kazuya, His hands clenched and unclenched. He wasn’t scared he was pissed off. With bold steps forward Teddi approached the wheel. He wouldn’t show whoever was doing this the satisfaction of seeing him sweat. Kazuya wasn’t doing this of their own free wheel and Kiki was standing right there. So Teddi held in the desire to deck Kazuya in the face as he reached up and grabbed the wheel. He heaved and the wheel spun.

Click click click click… It’s not hard to imagine that sound will quickly take on some very negative associations. Around and around the colors go, the spinner at the top dragging against the pegs sticking out of the colors until finally it coasts to a gradual, harrowing stop.

Magenta.

The wedge lights up, showing the silhouette of a disembodied arm.

Teddi’s face dropped from cold defiance to something uh…… Distraught. He took a wild guess what the punishment showing a disembodied arm would be. Absolutely not. He understood that there was a chance he could die but he would literally rather die than relearn how to do basically everything if he was unlucky enough to lose his left hand.

“Pass, I think the Fuck not. You can kill me but you’re not taking my fucking arm. May i just fucking say Kazuya, I know this isn’t your fault. But. Bitch.”

“...Just spin again, then. Someone else will go when you’re done.” If Kazuya is judging this decision at all it doesn’t show. They sound and look resigned.

“Eat shit.” Teddi reached out and spun again Making direct eye contact with Kazuya. No muss, no fuss. His face twisting to anger. He didn’t know what Cyan or Yellow would bring him but here we went anyway.

Once again the wheel spins… and spins… click click click click click… and finally, it slows and rocks to another stop. On Yellow, this time. When it lights up, it shows a question mark.

“Fuck it. Fuck this. Fuck your boss. Just fucking, I don’t know what’s this one? Getting hit with a car? Bring it. You can’t hurt me in any way that matters.” Teddi is being bold. Maybe putting on a front for the rest of the class. Like maybe if he just had enough bravado the incoming impact would be lessened. He was a fool but he was a stubborn fool. He stood there arms crossed. Waiting.

For a moment after the result is confirmed, there’s quiet. Kazuya shakily lifts a hand to their ear, touching the device there as if to improve the sound or reception. Their eyes widen. “I can’t - ...” As quickly as they’d started to speak, tone almost frantic, they stop. There’s a silence that stretches for a few seconds but feels longer, and then they take a deep breath, and start again.

“Teddi Tatsumi left his boyfriend, Junpei Takeba, for dead. Because of his association with Teddi, Junpei was attacked and severely injured. He survived, but is now paralyzed from the waist down. Teddi never bothered to check on him after the incident.”

Silence, again. A brief but poignant one. Kazuya is visibly shaking as tears start to quietly fill their eyes.

“One of you will be chosen to spin the wheel.” Kazuya is speaking again, moving with the heavy tread of the condemned to stand next to the wheel, then turning to face all of you - though once again they make it a point not to meet anyone’s eyes. “What it lands on will determine the, ah… s-sacrifice that you’ll be making. I…” They trail off for a moment, gaze going vague and unfocused.

“Kazuya…?” Kiki finally speaks, taking a step forward, but Kazuya’s gaze snaps up finally and they shake their head firmly. Kiki reluctantly steps back again, biting her lip. The look in the archer’s eyes is… hollow and frightened.

“...Someone will have to spin. There’s no… just, trust me, you have to. They will let us go if we get through this, but… they’ll also kill us all if we don’t play. So please… I know it sucks, but… someone has to spin. One person, because there’s one ‘ring’ unlocked. If you land on magenta, cyan, or yellow, you can refuse whatever punishment comes up - but then you’ll have to spin again, and another person will, too. Every time you pass, another person will be required to spin. And if the wheel lands on white, you can’t refuse. You’ll die. And, uh… in five days there will be another game. After that game, the doors unlock, and you get to move on to the next ring. Unless… one of you kills another one of you. It has to be a… subject. Me... k-killing Crowley didn’t count. I…” Kazuya closes their eyes for a moment, their hands clench into fists for just a few seconds, and they take a deep breath. Let it out again.

“I don’t count anymore, either. I have to replace her. That’s my punishment.” They pause. Breathe. Continue. “S-so… if one of you commits a murder, there’ll be a trial instead. Every time there’s a murder there’ll be a trial, and after each trial another ring unlocks, even if there hasn’t been two Suffering Games, so… keep that in mind. Ugh. Alright, um, so… the first person who has to spin… is Teddi Tatsumi. I… I’m sorry. I’m really fucking sorry.”

Now comes the evening of the fifth day of your incarceration here in the so-called WonderDome. Thus far it hasn’t exactly been wonderful. Without even the alleged ‘Proctor’ around to respond to you now, and with one member of your group still missing, tensions are high. What will happen now? Anything? Have you just been left here to slowly go stir crazy or to rot once the food runs out…?

Those concerns, at least, must be mitigated when your ElectroIDs buzz with a message that instructs you to assemble by the metal double doors you all first woke up by. Given what happened there less than a week ago, it’s understandable that you may be hesitant or take your time in arriving, but with no other means of escape or obtaining answers forthcoming, eventually you all do. And once the entire class is finally present, something happens.

One of the metal plates in the wall slides open, and there they are, stepping out and into view.

Kazuya Kurita has returned… although they look… different.

“...”

It isn’t just the metal collar tightly fastened around their neck. There’s a despondency that hangs over them that wasn’t there before. They look… tired. More than that, worn out, worn down, and they don’t quite let their gaze meet anyone else’s. When they tilt their head a certain way it’s just possible to see something in their left ear, like a small earbud. They wince slightly, and then clear their throat.

“...You’re going to have to play the game, now.” Kazuya says in a voice trying to be flat, with a faint tremor that keeps it from quite hitting the mark. They take a breath, wet their lips, and continue. “It’s called a Suffering Game. There’s… information about it on the ElectroIDs. You… just f-follow me.” They turn, tilting their head in an added ‘come on’ gesture, and lead the way. There doesn’t seem to be another option.

Sunday night, and you sleep. Sunday night and perhaps you didn’t mean to sleep, or didn’t expect to, thought that whatever work you dedicated yourself to or the excitement (or anxiety) of the looming first day of school would keep you awake. And it may well have, for some hours. But eventually you gave in to the siren call of your bed (or a chair or desk rendered deceptively comfortable by exhaustion) and slipped off into the sweet embrace of sleep… peaceful, deep, restful sleep…

…

You wake up.

It is not a comfortable awakening. Your body aches in the way one does from sleeping on a hard surface. Regardless of where you ended your night, you find that your morning is starting on a concrete floor surrounded by more concrete and metal walls. There’s a giant set of metal doors on one side of the room - hall? - and at the other end an entrance into a hallway of the same monotonous gray, running left or right into places you can’t see from your current positions. If there’s any comfort to be found in this jarring situation it’s that at least you aren’t alone. The faces around you are familiar, whether because you’d had a chance to interact with them or only seen them in passing - at the orientation, at least? Yes, these are your university yearmates. The rest of the class of 20XX, or at least a good chunk of it. All of them in states of freshly waking, the same foggy confusion in their bleary gazes as you feel.

There’s little time for more than dragging yourself fully back to consciousness. Some grumbling likely breaks out, a few alarmed reactions or sluggish questions may be started, but before any real conversation or panic can break out a new figure steps into view, coming around one of the turns into the hall.

The woman is beautiful, in a wholesome way that gives you an automatic sense of ease for a moment. She can’t be too much older than those in your group - perhaps thirty at the most - and she’s fairly tall, though not inordinately so. Something about her demeanor is so calm and assured that it draws the gaze immediately. This is someone who knows what’s going on, someone who radiates confidence and competence. Someone with answers. You find yourself instinctively looking to her with expectancy, even before she speaks, which she does, quickly enough to cut off any outbursts.

“I see everyone’s lookin’ bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Good, right on time.” Her voice is a smooth drawl that belongs to somewhere in the Southern U.S. It keeps her words from sounding rushed despite the brisk pace of her speech. “Welcome to the WonderDome, chickadees! Now don’t get too worked up just yet, y’hear? No fuss no muss.” She reaches up with her left hand and taps lightly on one of the walls, producing a light metallic tang that draws your attention to the fact that her left forearm is also metal - a prosthetic, though a very convincing synthetic skin covers it from elbow to wrist, at which point it ends and leaves the pale grey of her robotic hand exposed.

“Wouldn’t want t’have to get rough with anyone.” Her smile, though bright and sweet as sunshine and lemonade, gives you the opposite impression. “Leastways not this early on. Besides, I’m sure y’all want some answers, so let’s get right to it. First things first, my name’s Jamie Crowley, some of you mighta heard’ve me before, but we ain’t here to talk about me. I’m simply a… facilitator, you could say. Or like a proctor, of sorts. You know, like with tests? My job is to monitor you lovely folks an’ deliver information as is seen fit. Don’t worry too much about that either, though. I know it must be frustratin’ not to have all the answers you’re surely chompin’ at the bit for, but frankly, the fact is, there’s a lot about your situation that you really just don’t need to know. Here’s what you do.”

“In your pockets or purse or what have you, you’ll find a cute little tablet called an ElectroID. Looks and works a bit like a PDA, if you know what those are. If not, well, y’all’re the best and the brightest, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Those are gonna be real important, so hang on to ‘em. They got maps of the buildin’, some basic information on y’all, and they’ll serve as the keys for your dorm rooms, too. They’ve also got the Rules on ‘em, in case you ever need a memory refresh, but I’ll go ahead and spell out the real pertinent bit: You’re trapped here. You’ve all been selected to be part of a great undertakin’, and it’s mandatory. Non-negotiable, sorry. The only way out is through, lil darlin’s, so I suggest you save us all some time an’ get used to that real quick. The good news is there is a way out. All you gotta do is play a game, so don’t go panickin’ or whatnot. There, that’s everythin’ you need to know for now. We’re not gonna start playin’ right off the bat, don’t you fret, the rest will be explained as it comes up. For now, why don’t y’all take a chance to process, adjust all nice like, and take a look around. You’re free to go anywhere that ain’t behind a locked door.”

She turns, gives you all a little wave with her robotic hand, and starts trotting out of sight without further ado or any pause for questions or responses, ignoring any reactions any of you may have already begun. “See y’all later! You be good, now~!”

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[Please submit reaction posts to the blog! There will be another Event Post tomorrow, Sunday June 16th, at 1pm PST! This will have plot impact and will occur roughly 3 hours after game start In-Character, so please keep that in mind while planning/starting threads. Maps are now available as well! Have fun!]