#ds2 ch4

A few seconds later Onryo is straightening up again with a sigh. “Great. Fun. Now we’re without a medical professional. Oh well, guess that’s a bigger problem for you guys than for me. Never liked her anyway.” Did anyone?

The androids not concerned with keeping a hold on Lioness have collected Frost’s body and carried it into the walls, so at least you won’t be having to stare at that any longer, although the splatter and puddle of blood on the floor remains.

“Guess I don’t have to tell you this doesn’t change anything for you. You’ll be joining her in a moment.” Onryo makes a little gesture, and the robots promptly drag Lioness out as well, through a different wall, presumably looking like the cat that caught the canary.

That probably won’t last long.

Once again the screen descends from the ceiling and, moments later, flickers on to show...

The Most Dangerous Game

[TW: Head Trauma, Blood]

“Well.” Onryo says flatly, into the almost ringing silence that follows Lioness’ attempts to mitigate some of the emotional fallout. “You’ve all had ample time to say goodbye, or whatever it is you want to say. Almost surprised none of you took a swing at her, that’s more brains than most of you usually have.” Ouch. Way to kick them when they’re down. Apparently showing some mercy for once doesn’t actually make the host any nicer.

It’s no surprise they’re speaking up now though, the Wheel has fully lit up, the colors as vibrant and dizzying as ever, waiting to seal the spinner’s fate.

“Come on, Lioness. Let’s see what you’re losing this time. For your sake let’s hope it’s not something that makes taking revenge on you easier.” The words are dull, rote, Onryo steps away from the Wheel to give her space.

“What happens happens. I’m ready to take my punishment.” Lioness explains and saunters up with false bravado. She won't upset the others more by fighting it or showing fear.

With her only hand she grabs the spinner and spins it with all her strength.

As the wheel spins, the lights flashing, there’s a sense of foreboding in the room. Whatever happens, it can’t be much worse than what already has, can it? Whatever the result, won’t it on some level be deserved? Coasting to a stop at last, the wedge at the top lights up… White.

“White. Execution.”

There it is, then. Perhaps the numbness following earlier events makes it anti-climactic. Perhaps it even seems fitting. So many have died today, what’s one more death?

One more death…

They probably shouldn’t have let the assassin keep her guns.

Lioness stares at it in something like shock, but then she unholsters her pistol. It looks giant in her small hand, but she holds it with practiced skill.

She smirks and dramatically points at everyone in turn, before setting her sights on Frost.

“I made you a promise Frost. I told you I’m a monster that hunts monsters, and as an expert you are one of the biggest monsters I’ve ever seen.”

She doesn’t wait for a response. She knows her time has run out, and there is no need for the robots to capture her alive.

With a simple press of her finger she fires her pistol, and the bullet rips a hole right between Frost’s eyes and she crumples to the ground dead.

Lioness then flicks the safety on, and holds her arms up in surrender, just in time for the team of androids to grab her by the wrists and shoulders. “Onryo, I can trust you can finish taking out this trash for me, right?”

Suddenly Onryo is moving forward between a few of the podiums left empty either by death or by their proper owners having moved to stand by someone else. They take their place in the center of the room.

“I will level with you, I did not expect that to happen. But all the votes are in, and while I’m sure you’ve all got reactions to what just happened, first you’re gonna hear the results, so listen up. Let’s go in order of body discovery, shall we? For Tama Fukumura’s killer, we have One vote for Operative Maestro, One vote for Operative Friday, One vote for Operative Bullseye, One vote for Operative Chimera… and Seven votes for Operative Cue.

As for the matter of Princess Michiko’s killer, the votes were as follows. One vote for Operative Starling, One vote for Operative Friday, Two votes for Operative Maestro, Three votes for Operative Cog, and… Four votes for Operative Lioness.”

Onryo pauses, briefly, for effect. They are not smiling.

“You were all pretty scattered for this one, huh? Too bad, but…” They spread their hands, cane dangling from one wrist, “Congratulations. You managed to get it correct on both counts. Operative Lioness murdered the Princess, fun fact, you have to study chemistry as part of an environmental biology degree. And then in a true coincidence, Operative Cue killed Tama later that same night. It’s really a shame neither of you is more of a team player. Maybe there could’ve been only one death this time if that were the case, or if either of you had moved faster, or if Lioness had left the body somewhere it would be found sooner. Kind of a fun tragicomedy of errors though, if you think about it. Oh and before I forget - there were Two votes for Executing Michiko’s killer, and One vote for Executing Tama’s killer. The rest were all Spin, though, so mercy rules the day again.”

They stop again, sightless eyes focused on nothing, expression neutral.

“You know what, fuck this actually. I’m tired. I think that’s more than enough for one day. You can all chatter while we get the Wheel fired up, but I’m making an executive decision here. Only Lioness is gonna have to Spin today. Cog managed to jump the gun even after his goddamn death, so I’ll split the difference here. Cue, you’re off the hook. Masque, get that fucking collar off her already, this is stupid.”

The belled collar around Keisha’s neck lets out a beep, and then clicks open with a faint mechanical sound, falling unceremoniously to hit the floor.

The discovery of the second body seems to have prolonged investigation by another hour or two, but whether you utilized that time or not, the period comes to an end with the usual beeping and buzzing from your ElectroIDs. 

In the haze of confusion and stress following a double murder, the routine of assembling at the elevator and riding up to the wheel room goes by quickly, without fanfare. Onryo and Frost are waiting for you, standing in the back of the room as per usual with their accompaniment of robots. Decker isn’t present this time, for better or for worse. 

Ten of you remain, scattered around at your podiums amidst the glaring absence of the dead. Will someone else be joining them today...?

“Wow, you guys really went off this time, huh? Two whole bodies. Really making up for that whole ‘only one actual murder’ thing in the last project. Anyway, I’m gonna pre-empt some questions here. There’s been a slight update to the voting system. Since there are two victims, you now have the option of voting twice, once for each body. Of course, if there’s only one killer you can just vote for whoever you think that is twice. Maybe they’ll get double the punishment, guess that’ll be a fun mystery to solve. For now you should probably focus on just figuring out who killed who. Wouldn’t want another failure, would you?”

“I think you’re all practiced enough to know what to do from here, so... have at it.”

[TRIAL START]

-

You should investigate.

I don't want to.

How are you supposed to be of use to anyone is you don't try?

I'm so tired.

When has that ever mattered?

Just let me sleep.

In the end, Kazuko really didn't have it in them to get up and start investigating. Seeing Cog dead, it was just a deep emptiness in them. They had always struggled to care about people whom they were not incredibly close so. So, why would they bother?

But the world punishes you for your sloth, something that Kazuko would soon discover.

As they lay in bed, their ID went off a second time. It must be trial time. they went to take a brief glance at the screen, only to freeze.

That wasn't...

That wasn't...

Static filled their mind and sight. they really didn't know how they got from curled up in their bed to the body. There was someone else here, but the static. The static kept them from seeing anything.

"Mi...Chi..?" Their voice was so weak and tired. Getting onto all fours, Kazuko ever so lightly touched the body. It smelled like... It looked like...

Unfair.

Cruel.

Wrong, wrong, wrong! They couldn't lose Paradigm too. They had already lost Vivi, their light, their purpose. What else would this world rob from them. The cat reached out from under the coat to lightly take her hand. They press their own hand into it, pulling it up and do their forehead.

[♫♫♫]

It was inevitable that someone would die. Reese might have been one of the more soft-hearted people here, but he was no fool. In the end, it was someone here or someone else's loved ones.

Someone else or his twin sister.

Someone else or him.

It was disgusting to think in such a cynical manner. Equally disgusting to feel a sense of relief when it wasn't Paradigm or Chimera. But no one else had to know, right? Only Reese and his loved ones had to know how selfish he could be.

It was fine. Just a bit longer, and they could get through this.

It was fine. He wouldn't get complacent again.

It was fine. It was... it was...

...his ElectroID went off again.

And Reese Bellamy took off, running at full tilt. He didn't stop until... until...

It was a lie, he told himself. It was a lie, his electroID couldn't- Paradigm... Michiko wasn't- there was no way that- it had to be a lie, it had to be a lie, it had to be-

-the cold, hard, truth, laid out for him in stark relief, soon as he arrived in the lab, holding out just until her reached her body, and his legs folded under him yet again.

The tears flowed freely this time, without so much as a token attempt at taping back his emotions from the puppeteer. Reese let them. What did it matter anymore? Nothing mattered, in light of this simple reality:

The motive had been cleared. Reese was still here. Lilian was still here. But Michiko, the Princess Hoshi, was gone. And a bit of Reese went with her.

This wasn't a children's show. Reese couldn't cry Michiko back to life. He had to act. He had to be useful. 

But Reese was a total marshmallow. He'd told Michiko as much on his first day here. He'd never been cut out for anything like this. He'd never honed the ability to be truly cynical or resilient. The motive had already ground any attempts at tamping down his emotions into a fine paste. Maybe this was the inevitable conclusion.

Your ElectroIDs all buzz, just as they had earlier, and no matter where you are you will see, to your horror, the arrival of a second body info file.

It may also be worth noting, distantly, that the motive app is gone. There is now no way to view and check on your loved ones... though comfortingly that means there is also no way for anyone to make further exchanges.

However that is likely a cold comfort as you see the photograph of the newest file.

In the course of his investigations with Maestro, Selene, and Tomahawk, Labrat finds himself on White Level, outside of the Laboratory... when a strange odor coming from the hall to his left catches his attention. He looks that way, down towards the Dark Room.

"Um...I don't think this is the clue room..." 

He looks towards Selene and everyone else, then nervously shuffled towards the dark room. He covers his face with part of his robe as he approaches As he heads down the hall, Seidou sees there are what look like... singe and scorch marks along the floor of it. The closer he gets to the Dark Room the stronger the smell of... burnt hair and flesh is.

As he gets closer to the room, tears begin to form in the corners of his eyes. It was partially the smell getting to him, but mostly it was the idea of seeing a dead body. Please not a fourth, please not a fourth.

"I....I don't want to go in first. I'm sorry...I really am....I-I'll follow behind...it's just...a lot."

Selene presses their lips into a thin, worried line, then nods. "Alright." They don't hesitate in the movement towards where the smell seems to be coming from.

"I dont care for this at all." Maestro says coming up alongside the other two with Tomahawk. There is some more discussion, but ultimately Selene is the one to step forward, and opens the door to the Dark Room as Maestro, Labrat, and Tomahawk crowd up behind them. They draw the curtain aside to look into the room.

The Dark Room looks undisturbed although it is crowded with equipment the way dark rooms are, but more importantly, in the red glow of the dim lighting it’s possible to see...

Paradigm has been laid out on the floor with her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes are closed. Her glasses are folded and set to the right of her head. Her hair has been burnt and some of it has broken off into dust around her head like a black halo. The only thing covering her head is the hair that hasn’t burned or broken off and third degree burns. Despite this her face is mostly intact.

Her face has been mostly covered by a singed lab coat. It covers the rest of her body down to her calves which are bare along with her feet.

The line of succession is broken. The princess is dead.

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