#ds2 chapter start

It’s startling how loud a gunshot really is. Several have gone off now, one in the room with you, more on the screen, and it’s difficult to say which is still ringing in your ears. Maybe all of them.

So many have died today alone that it’s perhaps difficult to grasp the full scope of it. How does the saying go, again? One death is a statistic… what’s thirteen? And what is Frost’s death, or Lioness’, compared to people who were innocent or who were your friends?

There are ten people left alive in the room. Bullseye, Chimera, Cue, Friday, Labrat, Maestro, Selene, Starling, Tomahawk… and Onryo.

“Congratulations for making it this far.” Onryo’s performative cheer is nowhere to be seen, melted into the sarcastic resignation that they’ve been slipping into more and more as time goes by. “I imagine you’re all even more exhausted than I am, and now that Chloe’s dead I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before one of you does something stupid like try to come at me again. I won’t go down as easily, I promise, but just to avoid embarrassing any of you in that way, let me tell you right now it won’t be necessary.”

Onryo steps away from the Wheel, moving towards the back of the room, giving the blood on the floor where Chloe had been a wide berth.

“There’s no more floors after this. And frankly, I’m not interested in continuing anyway. I feel like we’ve reached a natural narrative peak here. Things are just starting to lose impact, you know? So we’d better quit before we fall too far behind. Of course, I can’t just let you go - that wouldn’t be satisfying for any of us. Very anticlimactic. So instead we’re going to play one last little game. I’ll give you all the rest of today and tomorrow. Then, in the morning of the day after, we’ll all meet back up here, and you can try to pick out who the Mastermind is. What am I talking about? For those of you who never received a full briefing on the last projects or bothered looking into them, I’ll explain - I’m only the host. Someone else instigated this, someone else planned it, someone else picked who would spin, someone else laid out the motives, the executions, everything that’s been happening. You’ve all had plenty of practice finding clues and putting them together at this point, so I’m sure that if you look hard enough around this place you’ll be able to find everything you need. Investigate. Prepare. And we’ll have one last trial. If you win, you go free, I’ll call the rescue team myself. If you lose… well, then the Mastermind gets to decide what to do with you. I cannot emphasize enough that you do not want that. This isn’t an opt-out kind of deal either, so I suggest you really give it your all.”

A panel in the wall behind them slides open, and Onryo steps back into it, the shadows seeming to swallow them, leaving them unseen as their voice calls out, “Happy hunting.”

The panel shuts again. The elevator dings, doors sliding open. You’re alone in the Wheel Room, and free to go… at least, free to go back down to the other levels. But if Onryo can be believed, then maybe as soon as the day after tomorrow, you’ll be free entirely. Does that give you hope? Does the thought of finally escaping renew your motivation? Or are you apprehensive? Is it daylight at the end of the tunnel, or a train?

At this point, maybe you don’t even care anymore.

Either way, this is the beginning of the end… better rest up and get to searching, unless you want to resign yourself to a loss, and everything that entails.

[BONUS CHAPTER 5: MASTERMIND INVESTIGATION BEGIN]

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As always, the day after the trial provides you all with a newly accessible area! The grates surrounding the stairs and central railing on White Level have lifted, granting full access to the floor below. Your ElectroIDs have likewise updated to include the new level on your maps.

The morning after trial has a somewhat somber feeling to it. Checking your ElectroIDs shows that the maps have been updated, a new floor is now accessible. The way that the space available to you keeps expanding while your numbers gradually dwindle is an unpleasant sort of irony. At least now you have a few more distractions from your stressful (to say the least) circumstances, should you want them.

But at what cost?

Your thoughts - or your sleep, if you’re not an early riser - are disturbed by your ElectroID suddenly buzzing and beeping with a new announcement video. The alerts have definitely taken on bad associations, enough that it wouldn’t be surprising for your stomach to lurch even before you tap the screen to begin watching and listening. It’s too soon for a motive, isn’t it? So what now…?

“Good news, everyone. Your benevolent overseers, in their infinite magnanimity have seen fit to grant someone the opportunity to win immunity to the next upcoming motive. That is, assuming no one kills beforehand and saves you all a lot of trouble.” Onryo’s voice is flat and dry, colored with sarcasm, an unusual contrast to their usual playful theatricality. This delivery feels… oddly forced. Or maybe resigned is a better word.

“And how can you attain this glorious prize? The answer is there’s going to be a tournament. You’ll be broken up into teams and put through set VR games to determine the winner. This is mandatory by the way, you don’t get to opt out. The first team for today is going to be Operatives Bullseye, Chimera, and Starling. Report to the VR room in two hours. If you don’t show up, you’ll be punished and then dragged there anyway. The next team will be announced after the first bout is done.”

The message ends there, cutting out somewhat abruptly.

In spite of everything, a new day comes. For most of you, anyway.

And once again in the morning, a little after six, your ElectroIDs beep and vibrate. At first when you tap the screen you’re shown an updated map - an entire new floor of the facility has become available, apparently. But before you’ve had much of a chance to peruse it, a video screen pops up over it, showing… not Onryo.

“Hello, Operatives. My name is Dr. Chloe Winter. Some of you may know me as Operative Frost. I don’t care much for that formality at this juncture, however, I will continue to answer to it if that is how you prefer to address me. More importantly, you will notice on your maps that the Infirmary has now become accessible to you. I will be spending most of my time there, and handling any required medical care and treatment for the duration of your stay. If you are in need of any form of such care I encourage you to come and see me as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention.”

The video ends and closes, showing the map once more. Sure enough, an Infirmary is listed as one of the newly opened rooms.

Apparently you won’t have to go through this game without medical care, but… what does Operative Frost’s presence mean? This probably raises a lot more questions.

At least you know where to go to ask them.

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Thus far the voyage has been a pleasant one, the weather has remained consistently clear and warm, and the facilities on board are all high quality and comfortable. Apart from some of those on board having a few not-so-positive interactions, it’s been smooth sailing. Nevertheless, there’s a certain eagerness for it to be over, to get where you’re going and take care of business, so that you can all go home again and back to your lives that much sooner. 

Tomorrow is the day you arrive, and everything seems to be on schedule. You all bed down for the night, you’ll have a big day tomorrow so even if you’re typically something of a night owl, it’s a good idea to get some rest… besides, it’s not like you have any other pressing obligations while you’re on the ship. Still, perhaps some of you decide to stay up late, perhaps insomnia strikes - but if it does, it doesn’t last. Regardless of your habits or intentions, regardless even of if you actually lay down or change into your pajamas, before midnight has struck all of you have drifted off to sleep…

At least, you have to assume you did, because all of a sudden you’re waking up.

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This is not your bed. This is not your cabin. 

All of you sit up as you regain consciousness to find yourselves laying on a cold tiled floor. The walls around you are a medium shade of blue, and there appear to be lines along them, seams at certain intervals, running from ceiling to floor, as if the walls were built with sections that could be moved or opened if you knew how. The hallway is unfamiliar, although the faces of the fifteen other people around you are easily recognizable as your fellow operatives, the ones selected to form the task force with you.

There’s scarcely enough time to take this in, before a new person steps around the corner at the end of the hall, flanked on either side by robots.

“I understand you’re all finally awake. Good, nice to know we got the timing right. I’m sure you’re all just bursting with questions, so I’ll make this as quick and simple as I can.” The figure isn’t an especially large one, being about 5’4” and with a softness to their shape and features. And yet something about them, the calm they’re carrying themself with under your confusing and alarming circumstances perhaps, makes you uneasy.

“To start with, I’m Operative Onryo. Just ‘Onryo’ is fine, or ‘Ryo’ if you’re feeling lazy. I’ll be your host for the duration of your stay here. ‘Here’, I should mention, is not the same facility you were all intended to be brought to. It’s going to take a long time for you to be found, if at all, so don’t bank on rescue. Which brings me to my next point: You’ve all been abducted! Congratulations. You get to play in your very own murder game, and it’s going to involve a lot of suffering, so buckle up for that. Those of you who know anything about Project Suffering or Project Trial Run? Yeah, it’s like that. Those of you who don’t… eh, you’ll figure it out. Learning through experience is the best educational method, I’ve always thought. Your ElectroIDs have all been updated to serve as keys to your new rooms, and have a set of ‘rules’ for the game on them now, among other things. If you have any further questions, feel free to call me with the Call Host function. I may or may not respond. Oh, and…”

A grin splits their face suddenly, one the Cheshire Cat would be proud of.

“Don’t worry about Decker. He’s in good hands. So, I’ll leave you all to process and settle in. Have fun!”

With that, Onryo turns and disappears around the corner again, the robots following just behind them.

Well, that was…

What the fuck just happened?

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CHAPTER 1 START

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