đ©·đBlind Date or Die Episode 4, Starring Ellis, Riposte, Antonia, Tylwyth, Mark, Angle, Jeff, and Hits!đđ©·


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đ©·đBlind Date or Die Episode 4, Starring Ellis, Riposte, Antonia, Tylwyth, Mark, Angle, Jeff, and Hits!đđ©·

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DROS CH6 First Impressions
Itâs here! The end of the journey! And what a journey itâs been. Many laughs, many tears, and a whole lot of flirting. And murder and horror, of course. Letâs honor Graceâs memory by not wasting any more time; may the show begin!
CWs.
Viva las Vegas, huh? I guess it makes sense. You know, I donât know if Iâve ever questioned Ellis being a gambler when the setting was goddamn Vegas. Was that the initial prompt for the character venus sent accirax? Weâre on chapter 6 and Iâm still fascinated by this format lmao.
âIt wouldâve been really cool if Iâd woken up in a flash, struck with an amazing idea of how to get out of here. Iâd be overjoyed if the smart part of my brain, difficult to access as it may be, was working overtime as I rested and cracked the code of this Resort. I could go down to breakfast and greet the four people left with a smile and a plan. Mark would be ecstatic. Vanessa would be super grateful. Davis could cast his worries aside, and Aidan might even crack a smile. Thatâd be a pretty great morning.â
Ah, fantasies. Well, at least Mark has a plan, right? Still excited to see whatâs up with that.
âBut, no. Instead, it was a dreamless night. Iâll just have to live with that.â
Weâre really poetic, huh? Fitting start to the grand finale!
âMark: âŠThree people died yesterday. Three people who couldâve survived.â
I⊠was worried heâd take that badly. Hold your head up high, my guy, at least the others are probably going to survive thanks to you!
âMonoquin exits the Buffet. I take a look at the updated BDA rule, just to see what the exact phrasing is; apparently, prospective killers pay attention to those kinds of minute rules details now. It says, âA Body Discovery Announcement will play when two or more spotless students see the body.ââ
Two or more? Still kind of a lot when thereâs only six people running around. You kill one, thatâs five, and youâre a blackened⊠so half the spotless would have to see the body. Yikes.
âEllis: Thatâs still⊠really bad odds. Kill one person, two people set off the BDA⊠thatâs one versus one.â
Well, good to see that my mental link with Ellis is as strong as ever, lol xD
âAidan: I guess itâs true that, if we lived here forever, they probably couldnât do a seventh killing game. Thatâd be some kind of good, at least.â
Kinda depressing, but I guess it works.
âDespite the fact that Monoquin said there wonât be any more motives, I peep my head into the Show Room to see whatâs up. Looks like it was cleared out. Everything checks.â
Sick. Makes you wonder why the hell it was called the âshow roomâ. Is it because it âshowsâ motives? I donât know why Iâve never questioned that name up until now lmao.
âMark holds out their hand, a USB drive in their palm. I take it curiously. Mark: Thereâs a video on here. I need you to watch it and then meet me in the Grotto.â
Alright! Weâre really moving like itâs the final chapter, itâs very exciting!
âMark: Thereâs a computer in my room. Thatâs probably the best place, and you already have access to it.â
Convenient. I guess he probably requested that at some point?
âMark: Itâs an explanation of where I was yesterday.â
:O
âEllis: Mark, were you⊠vlogging??? Mark: ⊠Mark stifles a laugh. Then, they laugh some more. Mark: Sorry, Iâ pff. Sorry. I cross my arms and smile. Ellis: Aw, come on. You finally remembered your past as the Ultimate Vlogger! Thatâs nothing to laugh about.â
Thank you Ellis Ortiz for being the greatest ever.
âMark: Thanks for⊠everything. Ellis: âŠYouâre welcome?â
That is⊠ominous! Please donât die Mark. For me? For Ellis?
âWhy couldnât we just watch it togetherâŠ?â
Thatâs kinda what Iâm wondering too. I hope Mark isnât planning to, like, kill themselves, or otherwise do something Ellis wouldnât approve of. Iâm very nervous now.
âThe video opens on a shot of an empty chair in the Conference Room. Mark walks into frame and sits down in the chair, looking away. Theyâre wearing their formal outfit.â
Fancy.
âMark: Hey, Ellis. I want to do this one more time. They sigh before facing the camera with a smile. Mark: Hi! My name is Marcos Miranda, but please feel free to call me Mark. I use they/he pronouns. Itâs nice to finally be able to introduce myself to you.â
uuuaaAAAAHH!!! Name reveal!!! And payoff to the âmultiple introductionsâ bit we had going on!!! Iâm losing my mind and the chapterâs barely started. Also kinda convenient their real name is something that actually works with âMarkâ lmao. Unless Vanessa knew his name already when she gave him the nickname because sheâs the mastermind, a possibility Iâm getting more worried about the longer I think about it. I canât freak out about Ness now, though, Iâm already freaking out enough about Mark! Marcos! Whatever!
âMark: You might already be able to guess where this is headed, though⊠So, I guess I should start by saying that Iâm sorry.â
Donât die donât die donât die donât die donât die-
âMark: I wish I could come up with a different way, but I couldnât. I didnât⊠I donât want to do this to you. I know how much it hurts. If it were just the two of us, Iâd stay here forever instead. Thatâd stop another killing game from coming in and replacing it, at least, and Iâd get to spend my time with you. But itâs not just us, is itâŠ?â
Donât die donât die donât die donât die-
âMark: I⊠shouldnât have made it this far to begin with. And, this killing game⊠I never really intended on making it out alive. If I couldâve, I wouldâve, and maybe someday Iâd be able to put it all behind me. The way it is, though⊠These killing games are my past, present and future. If I can save all of you, itâs worth it. Thatâs what Iâve been hoping for the whole time.â
Head in hands. Itâs Marcover. You were supposed to be safe, my guy! Youâre supposed to be fine if you make it past CH5 and arenât the mm! I am in a lot of pain.
âMark: I want you to be happy, Ellis. To get out of this cycle of torture and death and grief and to find a place in the world where you can be happy. You deserve to have a future. You deserve everything I could give you. So, Iâm making this video to tell you. I need you to know that you are worth it. You do deserve this. So, please⊠donât blame yourself for any of this. I want to do this. And I donât want anyone else to blame themselves, either. Itâs not just you. I want everyone to escape this place.â
Iâm devastated. Why are they this nice.
âCRASH! Mark stands up from his seat and looks around, frantic. Mark: I⊠donât know what that was. Iâll be back.â
Oh great. And the murder interrupted this suicide note of a video. Jeff how could you.
âMark: Thatâs three more people who wonât get out of here, even though they shouldâve. Maybe, if I hadnât retaken this video a hundred times, theyâd still be alive⊠I really need to wrap this up.â
Yikes :(
âMark: These killing games donât end. Not unless you make them. Thatâs why⊠I have to do this. I canât let these deaths keep happening. And, I donât want to win again. I donât want to forget you. He takes a deep breath. Mark: So, I guess this is goodbye. Iâm sorry again. I know I donât have any right to say this after what Iâm about to do, but⊠end this thing for me, okay? They stare at the camera for a long moment. Mark: âŠBye, Ellis.â
Pain and suffering and misery. Venus why would you do this to us. Accirax why would you pick this character to max out FTEs on. Evil. Evil people creating this fangan /silly I love this Iâm just really sad now.
âNote Obtained: Markâs Video.â
âŠYay.
âLaying on the stone floor of the Grotto, blood trailing from the wound in their stomach⊠is⊠Ellis: MarkâŠ!â
Ouch.
âI check for a twitch, a breath, a pulse, anything. ⊠⊠âŠItâs faint. But itâs there. Itâs⊠itâs beating? Holy shit, that means Mark is still alive!â
Wait what the fuck?!?! Is Ellis the clutchest person alive?!?! Come on, let this be a trick of some kind. Remember the Bonus Scene, Mark, youâre supposed to think of what the others want, too!
âI canât ask the staff, can I? Itâs⊠itâs probably not part of a murder, per se, as defined by the rules. So, i-if it wouldnât interfere with a Class Trial, the Resort wouldnât want one of their participants to just drop dead like that! Especially one whoâs definitely a fan favorite, after winning last time.â
Oh theyâre a fan favorite alright. At least, one of this fanâs favorites. Weâre losing it so much that Ellis is stuttering in their inner monologue lmao.
âExcept⊠if it was self-inflicted, then⊠whereâs the murder weapon? I look around. The only bloody things here are Mark and the ground.â
Did he just⊠how the fuck did this happen?!?! Did they have stitches they pulled?!?!
âWas this an actual murder, then? What was up with the suicide video in that case?! Also, who the hell would have done it?â
AAAAAAAH-
âSo, thatâs it. Iâm going to watch Mark die out right in front of me, and not be able to do anything about it. The cards are stacked. Ellis: ⊠âŠBut that doesnât mean I canât go for a gamble.â
Ellis Mark is dying stop aura farming in your own inner monologue. Iâm joking your aura farming is actually very engaging I just need to cope with the Horror with humor real quick ha ha ha⊠ha.
âAfter a moment, some staff members enter the Grotto, probably from some sort of back entrance.â
Thatâs⊠weird. What do you mean back entrance? Is it something we should be taking note of?
âEllis: More like a suggestion. You see, I happen to know that this murderâ even if your ally was at the forefront of itâ totally plays into Markâs hands. They were planning for it to happen. And I have proof!â
Uhm, I donât know what weâre doing, but I hope it works?
âEllis: So, hereâs what Iâm thinking: Mark has been working tirelessly to end your stupid killing game. And, evidently, he decided that the best way to do it was to find himself dead in this very Grotto. I take a deep breath. Ellis: Therefore, if you want the killing game to continue, youâd better do something to reverse the effects of this murder. Because, mark my wordsâ I glare at the staff. Ellis: If Mark dies, I will figure out exactly what they were planning and burn your whole operation to the ground.â
Hell of a bluff. I just hope it works.
âI know what youâre thinking. âArenât you throwing away a golden opportunity to end the killing game?ââ
Iâm actually not thinking about that at all, Ellis. Even if this is part of Markâs plan, you have absolutely no clue how to enact it, so your threats to the Staff are pretty empty. But because you have no instruction, itâs also possible something went wrong with Markâs plan, at which point itâd be better to just save them so they can try again. Or hopefully you can convince them to try something else. Or maybe his plan is for you to do exactly this. Letting Mark die here feels like a really unnecessary risk.
âUnfortunately for all the haters, Iâve made my stance quite clear. Whether by being the last man standing, being a winning killer, or coming up with a plan that sacrifices part of the team to succeed, winning the killing game isnât a win unless you can do it without throwing anyoneâs life away. If weâre ever going to break this cycle of violence, we have to take a stand at some point. This is mine. Iâm not letting anyone throw away their future.â
Hell yeah, tell them Ellis!
âStaff: âŠRight away.â
Oh hell yeah. Master gambler pulls off a master bluff. Or maybe she genuinely believed what she was saying, which would honestly be more impressive in terms of ballsiness alone.
âThe problem with this kind of gamble is that I wonât know how it turns out until later. I donât want to consider the possibility, but⊠even if the staff complied with my wishes, thereâs still a chance that Mark was already too far gone. What if that was my last chance to see him, and I wasted it yelling at the staffâŠ?â
Donât worry, Lucky Student privilege. We win these.
âDespite my bravado, I also feel a little guilty for going against what Mark wanted. They did come up with what was, presumably, the best plan for how to get the most people out alive. I ruined that. But, no. Even if Mark is mad at me, itâs better mad than dead! If we live here together forever, Mark will realize that I was right, and forgive me eventually.â
Tell âem Ellis! I love him so much.
âEllis: pls meet in lower common room asap Vanessa: Ok! Davis: Sure thing Aidan: ^â
Hell yeah, letâs talk about this.
âAidan: Mark wasnât on the message thread. Why?â
Lmao. I guess he would notice that, huh?
âEllis: Thatâs because, um⊠Well⊠Do you want the bad news or the good news first? Vanessa: Um⊠good newsâŠ? Ellis: Alright. Uh, does anybody have any good news to share?â
Jesus fucking christ Ellis why are you this funny even in the face of the Horrors.
âEllis: If you swim under the bridge outside, thereâs a secret space called the Grotto. Mark showed it to me, like, two weeks ago. Anyways, I got a⊠really concerning message from them right before we were supposed to meet there. And when I showed up in the Grotto⊠he had a massive wound in his stomach.â
Well, everyone knows about the Grotto now! Yay! :,D
âEllis: I⊠I think Mark had a plan to end the killing game by doing this, somehow. So I⊠told them that, and said that Mark dying was probably counter to their goals. Davis: And they actually complied? That confirms that whatever Mark was doing wouldâve been a problem for them, right? Ellis: âŠI know. Although, Iâm not sure how it wouldâve worked.â
Way too many variables unaccounted for here, yeah.
âEllis: We could make welcome back cards? Like they do for kids whoâre sick enough that they miss months of class. Honestly, I donât know if my hands are steady enough to write anything at the moment. Aidan: âŠWaitingâs probably the only thing we can do right now.â
Aidan really said âfuck your cardsâ. Why are these people still so funny.
âAidan: Though, I mean⊠no offense to Davisâ medical skills, obviously, but youâd think someone on the staff would be an actual medical professional, right? Ellis: Why? Itâs not like they want us to live⊠Aidan: But staff members would get sick or injured too. With how big this place is, Iâd have to imagine someone on hand would be equipped for medical emergencies, even if itâs not intended to benefit the players.â
Thanks for being smart and rational Aidan, really needing stuff like that rn.
âMonoquin: Greetings, contestants. I ask you all to gather in the Foyer at your earliest convenience.â
Ooh boy.
âMonoquin: Investigation has begun. A Class Trial will begin shortly. The Monoquin File has been sent to your e-Handbooks now.â
Motherfucker.
âEllis: So, Mark⊠Mark is⊠Monoquin: Contestants are encouraged to read the Monoquin File for case-relevant information.â
Please donât be dead and the file be something else?
ââThe victim is Marcos Miranda. They died due to blood loss at 9 AM in the Grotto.ââ
Motherfucker. I wonât fully believe it until I see a body, but this is bad.
âTruth Bullet Obtained: Monoquin File #6â
YayâŠ
âAidan: âŠMonoquin. How are we⊠How are we even meant to do this Trial? Thereâs no body. Thereâs no BDA. You canât really expect us to just go in there and start pointing fingers over nothing. Monoquin: There is still evidence to be found. Additionally, one of you did see the body and may provide an account. Should you have any questions, you may ask me, and should I determine them to be fair, I may answer.â
Well thatâs⊠bad. Thereâs a part of me still hoping, butâŠ
âEllis: Yeah⊠According to Mark, we were the only ones. He only knew about it due to the previous killing game. Mark said it was okay if I said stuff about them. He, very pointedly, said that the point of all of this was to end the killing game. Sharing what I know is probably the best idea.â
Having other people at the Grotto almost feels weird. And Ellisâ inner monologue is right, sharing info is pretty important rn.
âAidan: Iâm⊠here if you need anythingâŠ? Or somethingâŠ?â
I can see youâre trying very hard, Aidan. Thanks Aidan.
âEllis: I⊠Aidan, what am I supposed to do? I donât know exactly to what level, but I know Mark orchestrated some of this themself to end the killing game. If this is our one shot, I have to help. I just⊠IâŠâ
TITLE DROP!!!!!!!!! Iâm way too excited over that considering everything, but Iâve been wondering about it forever sue me xD
âI canât hold back the tears anymore.â
Yikes. Poor Ellis :(
âIn the end, this was Markâs choice. Itâs the worst gift Iâve ever received, but a gift nonetheless. I canât give up now. If I did, and these killing games don't end, then thereâll just be another one right after. I could win, enter a second time, befriend an Ultimate ???, and give up in front of them, too. Mark may be gone, but⊠Iâve inherited his will. Lucky me. Now, itâs time to do what I do best: turn that will into a win.â
Letâs go. Letâs lock tf in.
âTruth Bullet Obtained: Last Sighting of Markâ
We really are going into a trial immediately, huh? I guess it makes sense, thereâs not much else to do, but geez this is going to be a long Trial, huh? Thereâs five damn parts to this chapter lol.
âAidan: Iâll see you when we head to the Trial. Ellis: Right. Please, still be thereâŠâ
Wow, okay, so weâre doing horrible, got it.
âHe gestures to a pile of dry towels waiting by the entrance. Davis: Those were there when we got here. I assume Mark probably ordered them, or somethingâŠ? Ellis: For us, I guess. Davis: Yeah⊠Ellis: W-well⊠I guess thatâs more evidence that whatever was going on here, Mark did plan for it.â
Well, thatâs something, I guess.
âIt seems like Vanessa is still looking at that e-Handbook. What gives? Itâs not like the File was that longâŠâ
Vanessa stop catching mm allegations challenge level impossible. What are you looking at? Is something going wrong and you have to check in with the Staff or something?
âVanessa: You can take a look, if you want. Itâs Markâs.â
Never mind oops.
âVanessa: âŠThe e-Handbook has a lot of notes on Markâs day to day life here. From what I can tell, none of it is really that⊠important? But, itâs there, so I guess it counts as evidence. Ellis: Mark was using the e-Handbook like a journal?â
I remember that, yeah. From a Bonus Scene, I take it, as Ellis doesnât seem to remember it.
âTruth Bullet Obtained: State of Markâs Body Truth Bullet Obtained: Markâs e-Handbook Dun, dun, dun, dun!â
⊠Are we deadass? We have like five Truth Bullets. Weâve been investigating for five minutes, tops. The hell?
âEllis: âŠI-I still wanted to check the Conference Room, and watch the video again, and⊠What do you mean time is already up?â
Okay, Iâm not insane, this investigation was too short. I guess knowing this is the final chapter, it makes sense Monoquin and maybe the mm are panicking, but still.
âOne day. Itâs been one day since Harper, Noah, and Jeff died. Less than that, even. Less than 24 hours. Even if Mark really had to do this for the sake of the world or whatever⊠Why now? Couldnât we have had a minute to breathe? To mourn? âGoodbyeâ hadnât even left my lips. I guess the problem was that, in the end, Mark didnât trust Aidan, Davis, or Vanessa not to do anything in that one day. Same with the mastermind, or the traitor, or Monoquin, whoever those people may really be. I wonder if the others felt the same way. Not that they were going to commit some terrible sacrifice in the same way, but that they donât trust anyone to not pull something. Since when did I get in contention for the most trusting person here? Iâd say it was Markâs influence, but then, weâre back to square one.â
Mark really said âfuck all yâall the ending starts NOWâ huh? Still crazy they did that.
âMark forgave me. I have to forgive them too. Itâs the best way I can make peace with this situation. The most motivation I can have to wage this war against the mastermind. I still donât know what Iâm supposed to do to⊠Unmask the mastermind? Force a rules violation, somehow? On which rule?â
Glad weâre not super mad at the guy, at least. But yeah, more instruction wouldâve been appreciated.
âIf the outside world is an uncaring concrete jungle, what world are we meant to fight for nowâŠ? The one we live in. The one that allows us to live. If life is something worth having, and if goodness is something to strive for, then I have to prove it. If Iâd proven it earlier⊠well, maybe a certain someone would have changed their mind. I donât know if the dead are listening, but⊠Iâll scream it loud enough so they can hear. I bet youâre real jealous of what weâve got right now.â
I wonder who Ellis is talking to at the end there. The audience? âMarkâ feels weird. The blackeneds? Interesting to think about.
What a fucking roller coaster, and weâre barely getting started with this chapter. Iâm still kinda processing that Mark may really be dead. It kinda feels like weâre gonna see him alive and well when the trial starts, but I kinda doubt it. Letâs not waste any more time.
Part 2
[Class Trial: Start!]
Letâs lock tf in.
[Rules read out] Everything seems the same as usual so farâŠ
âEllis: Ha. My podium is still warm.â
Yikes.
âAidan: Ellis, you said you got a concerning message from him. What did they say? [Evidence Select]â
Accidentally saw this was âMarkâs videoâ, but it was pretty easy anyways.
âAidan: Back to the actual topic, though⊠That means Mark⊠intended to die, right? So, itâs possible no one else was involved. At least, until Ellis got there. Ellis: Thatâs what I wouldâve thought, except the rules paint a different story. A Class Trial is only held if a murder occurs, and suicide doesnât count as a âmurder.â Aidan: Suicide doesnât count as a murder for the purpose of clearing a motive or blackening a contestant. That means it does count as a murder for anything else.â
Well, the only regulation about what starts a trial also mentions murder directly, but there may be some grey area on suicides.
âAidan: The best approach is probably thinking about it like any other murder. Start with the case facts, figure out why later. [Mixed Matches]â
Makes sense, thanks Aidan.
Victim -> C. Mark, whose full name is apparently Marcos Miranda. Cause of death -> B. Bleeding out, according to the File. [Reasonable given the stomach wound and pool of blood.] Murder Weapon -> E. Unknown. Location -> D. The Grotto. Hypothetically, only Mark and I should know of its existence. Time -> A. I found Markâs body at around 9 AM. It took a little while for Monoquin to bring us to the Trial Grounds, though.
Have we ever had one of these that goes up to E? Kinda cool.
[Answer: C - B - E - D - A] I wonder if Iâve ever gotten one of these wrong. Theyâre usually pretty easy.
âAidan: Youâd think the murder weapon would be easier to identify. If Mark really did⊠do all of this, I donât know why or how theyâd get rid of it. It should still be in the area.â
Yeah, this is still very strange.
âEllis: I know Iâm probably pretty suspiciousâ Aidan: Youâre not.â
Damn. Confident on that. I guess it makes sense; killing someone in a place only you know about is pretty silly as a murder plan, even beyond the obvious emotional argument that Ellis probably wouldnât kill Mark.
âAidan: You have no motive; it would be a weird move for you to ask the staff to heal Mark if you stabbed them; it would be an even weirder move on the staffâs part if they actually healed them after you stabbed them; and youâre not a good enough actor to pull any of this afternoon off. Thereâs no way youâre the one who killed them, so we can just all move on.â
That too, yeah, but youâre still technically taking Ellisâ word for it that she actually asked the Staff to heal Mark, instead of hiding their body in some other place herself.
âDavis: Or why Mark would still be alive when Ellis got there in the first place. If the mastermind were really trying to kill Mark for some reason, wouldnât they ensure Mark died?â
Thatâs also a concern. Thereâs a lot that doesnât make sense here.
âVanessa: Run where? Wouldnât it be a rules violation or something for the mastermind to use the staff exit during the killing game? Ellis: I dunno, theyâre the mastermind! Do the rules really apply? Vanessa: âŠProbably??â
The double question mark of âwe really have no fucking idea whatâs going on anymoreâ, huh? And thereâs still four parts of Trial. Weâre so cooked.
âAidan: The point is, it doesnât make a ton of sense if the mastermind did it, either. So, for now, we should probably assume it was just Mark. Davis: But then we still have the same problem. [Nonstop Debate]â
Where is the weapon? And other questions Iâm dying to know the answer to.
âVanessa: Weâre pretty sure Mark did it. That means thereâs no way they couldâve hidden the knife right after they used itâŠâ
Maybe the stack of towels here? Surely theyâd have found the knife, though. Maybe Mark asked a Staff member? Not technically related to a murder, after all.
Maybe take:
âAidan: He thought this would end the killing game. The video said as much.â
And shoot:
âAidan: Not to mention thereâs no reason why theyâd hide it.â
Question mark? I kinda agree with Vanessa that I donât see how the murder method would relate to ending the killing game, but still.
[Answer: Regulation 10 + Kennedyâs Escape Theory â âmurder method couldnât relate to ending the killing gameâ]
Oh wow, I kinda figured weâd wait a bit more to bring up Kennedyâs escape theory. Also, kind of a jump to âthe Headmaster may not involved in a murderâ, no? How does accirax figure out some of these? Iâm impressed :O
[Nonstop Debate] Alright we ball.
âVanessa: Can Monoquin even hold a knifeâŠ?â
Uhh⊠Monoquinâs Hands here?
[Answer: Monoquinâs Hands â âdonât have any clue about the actual weaponâ]
Uh⊠I guess theyâd have to be sharp to open locks. Still feels like a bit of a jump lol :v
âDavis: That⊠might work, if you could actually manage it. So, could Mark just grab Monoquinâs arm and use his hand to stab themselfâŠ? Aidan: No, that wouldnât work. If you grabbed Monoquin first, they could try to spin it as violence against the Headmaster, and then itâd be your fault. Itâd be too likely to fail. Vanessa: But then, how would Mark actually pull that off? [Evidence Select]â
Accidentally saw this was VIP Files, but how the hell were we supposed to get that? Itâs not going great gang, and the Trialâs barely started T_T
âEllis: It would be just like how Jeff unlocked the VIP Area. All Mark would have to do is summon Monoquin to them, stand close by, and ask Monoquin to stick out his hand.â
Okay, I see how one connects that to VIP Files, but geez, this final Trialâs rough.
âVanessa: Then, um⊠I donât think Monoquin can be the blackened, but a rule was broken, so⊠now what? Ellis: âŠWe ball?â
Pfft. Ellis truly is my spirit animal.
âVanessa: âŠThe part about it being a murder weapon? Monoquin: Your assertion that a rule was violated is incorrect. [Nonstop Debate]â
Ooh, is Monoquin hopping on the Nonstop, Shit going crazy. Iâm guessing Monoquinâs angle is that he was an instrument in a suicide, and the rule only forbids murder?
âMonoquin: Mx. Miranda did use my hand in order to commit suicide. Vanessa: Youâre just saying that?! Monoquin: However, suicide does not count as murder within this killing game.â
Called that shit. Wonder what the justification for the Trial would be, then.
I really donât know what Iâm supposed to do here, which probably isnât surprising considering Iâm not exactly on my A-game today. Though checking over the e-Handbook did make me notice that not only is Markâs real name there (and was his birthday always there? Donât remember), heâs also listed as the âUltimate Amnesiac.â Neat, though I wonder what their original talent was, I kinda doubt they were always amnesiac (or maybe they were? Who knows).
Maybe shoot:
âDavis: You killed a contestant, as the Headmaster.â
With Monoquin File #6, with the idea that since Markâs blood loss killed him, Monoquin is absolutely the killer? Idk man.
[Answer: Regulation #9 + Regulation #10 â âsuicide does not count as murderâ] That⊠doesnât really disagree with anything. Regulation #9 says it doesnât count as murder for some purposes, and reg #10 says the Headmaster doesnât murder. I guess the idea is that Reg #9 doesnât say suicide isnât murder at all, but rather, that thereâs specific things it doesnât count as murder for?
âEllis: Itâs like Aidan said earlier. In the rules, it says that suicide only doesnât count as murder for the purposes of satisfying a motive or blackening a player.â
Fair. But I guess the argument is that the âkillerâ of this âmurderâ would still be Mark, not Monoquin.
âAidan: You broke the rules. Your move, but I donât think itâs going to work out well for you to keep breaking them. Monoquin: âŠâ
Never mind, counts I guess. We ball indeed!
âEllis: I guess this is what a screenless blue screen looks like.â
Damn. Monoquin getting obliterated over here.
âVanessa: But, what? Mark used Monoquinâs hand to stab themself in the Grotto. Thatâs, like, the whole mystery, right? [Evidence Select]â
I really gotta stop accidentally seeing what the Evidence Select is, especially since I may have guessed this was Monoquin File Lies. At least let me get ahead of it: the cause of death and victim seem right, the time of death doesnât look unbelievable, but Mark didnât die in the Grotto, but rather in whatever room they put him in to try and cure him.
âEllis: I guess if the cause of death wasnât actually bleeding out, itâs possible we could have something wrong. That could be whatâs tripping him up.â
I guess âmedical mismanagementâ might count as a different cause of death? Or something else happened behind the scenes?
âDavis: If Monoquinâs hands are the murder weapon, I donât really see how anything other than bleeding out could be the cause of death. Similarly, I donât think the listed location would be anything other than the Grotto. Even if the staff brought them off-site to try to save them, I doubt they could really give us a location that isnât within the Resort. Plus, then you would probably have to question the timing.â
Okay never mind. I personally think weâre moving away from the location too fast, but who am I to interrupt the plot :v
[Lie Detector] Alright, letâs see if I can get this right, at least.
⊠Huh. âThey diedâ is separated. Copium? Or⊠But why wouldnât it be separated?
Alright we ball:
The victim is Marcos Miranda -> Markâs Profile + Markâs e-Handbook [possibly either or, or also the state of Markâs body].
They died -> Monoquin File Lies [we ball we ball we ball- otherwise this is probably the regulation about a class trial following a murder, reg #3, under the idea that there wouldnât have been a trial without a death at least]
due to blood loss -> State of Markâs Body + State of the Grotto [alternatively Monoquin File Lies if Mark is dead]
at 9 AM -> Last Sighting of Mark.
in the Grotto -> State of the Grotto
[Answer] Okay, more or less. It was State of Markâs Body instead of Markâs Profile in the first one, and the last two also included Markâs Video. Most importantly, the lie is that Mark died!!! Are we back chat? Is it possible???
âEllis: That means⊠The only part of the File that could be wrong is Mark being dead!!! Davis: Markâs⊠not deadâŠ? Vanessa: Yippee!â
Holy shit weâre going crazy. Also Vanessa thanks for your whimsy sorry Iâve been suspecting you of being the mm aim just running out of options here.
âAidan: Hold on. Are we 100% sureâŠ? Not that I donât want it to be true, but⊠I donât want to start believing it if weâre just going to figure out weâre wrong later. I donât⊠want you to go through that, Ellis. Ellis: What else would be wrong, Aidan? Aidan: I just⊠want to make sure. Vanessa: Then, why donât we go through it? Just to make sure that everything is 100% right. Aidan: âŠYeah. Okay. [Closing Argument]â
Part 2 out of 5 btw.
1- The Grotto. [Mark learnt of the Grotto several chapters before anything else]
2- Markâs Video. [Mark recorded the video before going to the Grotto. Could be swapped with 1- if Grotto refers to Mark going there as opposed to finding out about it]
3- Monoquinâs Hands. [Mark stabs himself with Monoquinâs Hands]
4- Last Sighting of Mark. [Ellis sees Mark in the Grotto]
5- Monoquin File #6. [The Monoquin File is made and given]
6- Monoquin File Lie. [Markâs not dead. I have no idea if this is supposed to go before or after the File itself].
[Answer: Last Sighting - Video - Grotto - Hands - Lie - File] Okay, I guess the video refers to Ellis watching the video, and Last Sighting referred to the sighting before that. Iâm gonna call it close enough seeing as Last Sighting does also mention Ellis seeing Mark bleeding so itâs ambiguous :p
âEllis: He couldnât directly ask this entity to kill him, so he had to get creative. Using the same technique that Jeff used to open the VIP room, Mark asked this being to extend their arm, and they did. Their sharp hand stabbed into Markâs stomach, causing Mark to collapse to the ground.â
Itâs funny to hear Ellis talking about Monoquin with the identity obfuscation usually reserved for blackeneds lmao.
âThe doors to the Class Trial Grounds open and a few staff members come in. They walk up to Monoquin, pick up his frozen body, then take it out of the room with them.â
Oh shit, everythingâs really breaking, huh? I wonder why Monoquin even initiated the Trial then.
âDavis: If Mark didnât die, does that mean that the rule wasnât technically broken? Becauseââ
Yeah that. Also: {I don't know what I was going to say here, I think I got distracted by the next lines???}
âVanessa: Hello, everybody! Davis: VanessaâŠ? Vanessa: Contestants of the Sixth Killing Game, congratulations on making it this far! Youâve managed to do the impossible: force the killing game to its end. So, as a result, letâs make it a finale worthy of this amazing castâ
What the fuck??? Vanessa you being the MM was a joke!!! What the fuck???
âVanessa: In order to progress to the next stage, youâll have to answer one very simple question. You all know that thereâs always been a mastermind among your ranks. The question is: who? Lock in your votes when youâre satisfied, and good luck! Ellis: Vanessa, what are you doing? Vanessa: It told me to say it, okay?! She shows us her e-Handbook, which has words on its screen like a teleprompter.â
Okay, so, not immediate mm reveal there. Still, at this point, who the hell? The only thing I can think about is something I said earlier, that itâs mighty convenient News chose a name for Marcos which matched their actual name. But, is that it? The hell is happening right now?
âEllis: Okay, but how are we supposed to do that? I mean, I guess it turned out okay the last time I had to make a random choice, but⊠that was only between two people! Plus, we had way more evidence! Aidan: From your perspective, arenât there only three peopleâŠ? Thatâs not that different. Ellis: But⊠it is!!!â
I mean. The mm could be dead. Kennedy didnât think the game would end with the mmâs death, after all.
âVanessa: Though, itâs not like weâre completely in the dark either, right? Weâve talked about this before. [Evidence Select]â
Kennedyâs Mastermind Theory is bad, letâs be real here.
âVanessa: I just meant that itâs something we should at least talk about⊠Plus, isnât it kinda weird that theyâre both still hereâŠ? Aidan: Iâm pretty convinced Vanessaâs the mastermind. I donât know why itâd be Ellis or Davis, and I know itâs not me. Vanessa: Aw, come on! Thatâs not fair! Of course youâre gonna believe, like, your boyfriend and your best friend over meâŠâ
Wow, we turned fast! But yeah, Iâm getting more convinced of the Vanessa!mm angle the longer this goes on.
[Third Party Analysis] Letâs ball.
Concession: âVanessa: I get that you guys are super close to each other, and Iâm not, but that doesnât mean I have to be the mastermindâŠâ âAidan: Sure, Kennedy thought I was the mastermind.â [Btw: âKennedy thought a lot of things, like that killing Vivi was a good idea. I donât agree with that.â is just fantastic. Beef so generational itâs downright posthumous].
Defense: âVanessa: Youâve all seen how Iâve been trying to end the killing game too, rightâŠ?â âAidan: Iâve always been trying to stop the killing game, even if I went about it wrong sometimes.â
Attack: âVanessa: And, um⊠at least someone suspected Aidan.â âAidan: Sheâs the one whoâs acted the weirdest the whole time, and has just⊠been on a different emotional wavelength.â
Proposal: âVanessa: Is it so crazy to believe that maybe Kennedy was right all along?â âAidan: Besides, if anyone here was going to use their talent towards the killing game, wouldn't it be Vanessa? Iâm sure you could do something with âUltimate Announcer.ââ
Inquire! Not too sure, unsurprisingly. Maybe âKilling Game Explanationâ to agree with Aidanâs Proposal? I donât know how else we would use that, and you could argue that presenting the killing game through a movie instead of a more standard explanation is a sort of Announcer-y move. Maybe the Tragedy Article to Vanessaâs Defense, saying that maybe she ripped the article herself and thus hasnât really been âtryingâ? I donât like that one too much though.
[Answer: Got the Distill part right.
Inquire! âKilling Game Explanationâ â âAidanâs Proposalâ] Finally! I got one! Yay :,D Though Iâm still worried about Ness actually being the mm because Iâll be really sad :(
âEllis: I gotta say, I agree with Aidan on this point. Monoquin specifically described the Resort as âan attraction.ââ
Not the exact reasoning I used, but I did also consider that.
âVanessa: Like I said, Iâve been trying to end this thing! And I havenât been going along with the killing game the whole time! What about, um⊠the article on the Tragedy?â
Oh hey, we did bring it up. Though now we can question why Vanessa got the paper at all. Ellisâ requests for information were never actually answered, right? I donât remember if that was 48 hours before this point, thoughâŠ
âEllis: Vanessa showed me an article about the Tragedy right before the dinner party last night. I meant to tell you guys about it, but⊠well, you understand why it was quickly deprioritized.â
Never mind, the Staff was just taking its sweet time with Ellisâ request xD
âI toss the paper in Davisâ direction. Since I didnât crumple it or anything, it floats for a few moments before awkwardly falling on the floor. Somehow, Davis manages to make even picking up this stranded paper dashing.â
Thanks for the levity, I think Iâm entering a sort of denial phase of grieving Vanessa :,)
âAidan: Has it been helpful? Itâs nice to know about the outside world, but it hasnât actually helped with anything while weâve been here. Maybe you got it for the sole purpose of having something to point out.â
Yeah, it really has done fuck all for us.
âVanessa: If I were the mastermind, why would I do that? Like, try to shoot someone but then be unable to and freak out? Thatâd be, like, a weird move, rightâŠ? Ellis: Freaking out⊠could freak other people out. If Robert hadnât already died and word of your panic had spread, it mightâve motivated someone who was panicked and on the fence to act out.â
⊠Huh. Oh oh, that makes a lot of sense. I⊠do you think Antonia was the traitor, then? Kicking off the killing game with a horrendous murder to kickstart the despair, even at the cost of her life? Would explain Ness hanging out with her a lot. Though maybe Ness was only doing that because she figured Antonia would kill fast, which would allow Vanessa to stray from the group due to âgriefâ and thus not have to deal with socializing with her victims? HmâŠ
âEllis: Jeez, I wish there was something we knew for sure that the mastermind did. Like, that they couldnât do from amongst the students, or with Monoquinâs help. Then we could ask you about, like, alibis and stuff.â
Well⊠Markâs nickname is still a thing.
âAidan: Thatâs another point against you, though. You left first when we were waiting, right? Maybe you were going to talk to Monoquin. Vanessa: Oh, come on! It was a stressful situation! Weâd been sitting there for, like, an hour!â
Okay yeah thatâs actually not that great of a point Aidan lol.
[Freestyle Feud] Part 2 out of 5 btw. I canât actually process that this is happening, what the fuck?
Vanessa: I promise you guys, Iâm not the mastermind. Weâre running out of options, and you seem fit for the task.
Vanessa: What do I have to do to earn your trust? Bring up some evidence to prove your innocence, or your defense wonât last.
Vanessa: You havenât even given me anything to defend myself against! Process of elimination is your damnation; unless you can point to someone else, you wonât put our doubts to rest (?)
Vanessa: Arenât all arguments for me or someone else the same? Not for your talent, as far as Iâm aware.
Oh I was supposed to bring up Ness giving Mark their name oops. Well I called that out frame one of learning his real name so Iâll give myself some credit lol.
âVanessa: Oh, duh! If Iâm the mastermind, who do you think my traitor is?â
Antonia? Thatâs really not that hard of a question, if Iâm supposed to point at one person.
âEllis: Huh?! Wonât that just make us suspect you even more??? Vanessa: But it means you canât vote yet, right? So, this is something you have to figure out first! Davis: I have to say, this doesnât really⊠make me suspect you lessâŠ? Ellis: Way to steal my line but say it way cooler and sexierâŠâ
Bruh.
[Puzzling Pieces] Was wondering when weâd get one of these!
âVanessa: Iâm not! Like⊠would I have helped you guys catch Monoquin just now if I was the mastermind? Aidan: Did you really help that muchâŠ?â
My guy really said âyou were kinda uselessâ lmao. I love Aidan so much.
God, even this is super hard. Usually you can kinda tell what the answer is from sentence structure, but this oneâs somehow both too open and not open enough. I feel like âtraitorâ would have to go there, but I donât know how. And thereâs a lot of options for every blank word otherwiseâŠ
âSuspecting Vanessa was what Monoquin did not wantâ? I donât know what that would refer to.
âVanessaâs role was what both did not know?â What are we saying?
âVanessaâs traitor was what Monoquin did not need/know/want/sayâ? Fuck would that mean.
âTrusting Vanessa/Monoquin⊠Suspecting Vanessa/Monoquin⊠Vanessaâs game/traitor/promiseâŠâ followed by âwas what Monoquin/Vanessa/we/you⊠was what promiseâŠâ and finally âdid not say/know/promise/need/wantâŠâ etc. I genuinely have no idea. This is not my trial bruh T_T
[Answer: Vanessaâs role was what Monoquin did this game.] OâŠkay, I see the idea. Vanessa being the announcer of the rules and stuff before Monoquin makes sense. This relates to the traitor⊠how? Is the angle that Monoquin is the mastermind and Ness is only the traitor?
âEllis: Hmm⊠Monoquin is a host, isnât he? And he kindaâ no, he really sucks. Personality-wise, for sure, but more importantly, technology-wise. If heâs a new piece of tech, a new addition to the show, then maybe Vanessa used to play the role of the host. And we know that Vanessa had a little vendetta against Monoquinâs emceeing skills, too.â
Oh yeah, I remember that lol. Iâm sad and nostalgic now.
âDavis: So Monoquin is just some sort of prototype? We all pause. Davis: Yeah, I see it.â
My guy catching mad strays this trial ToT
âAidan: Itâd also make sense as to why Mark didnât come up with the same plan in the Fourth Killing Game. I mean, it was plausible enough that they just hadnât thought about it, but if Monoquin wasnât there before, the opportunity wouldnât be either.â
Makes sense! Still no idea who the traitor is, thoughâŠ
âVanessa: Well, you, uh⊠You still havenât answered anything about⊠the traitorâŠ? Ellis: Did you just⊠basically confirm you were the mastermind???â
Thatâs what Iâm saying, Ness! But yeah, thatâs kinda sounds like an admission oops.
[Progressive Deduction] Can I get one minigame right this trial please?
1- What was Vanessaâs role in the previous killing games? a) Building Monoquin b) Choosing the winner c) Hosting the events of the killing game d) Nothing
c), obvs.
2- What does that mean? a) Vanessa is entirely innocent b) Vanessa must be the mastermind c) Vanessa wasnât a contestant in the previous killing games d) Vanessa is working against us
I guess c) is the most rigorous follow up. Everything else is more of a logical jump, even if they are reasonable things.
3- What does this raise a conflict with? a) Ending the killing game b) Markâs actions c) The VIP Files d) Vanessaâs lack of friends
âVanessaâs lack of friendsâ is crazy. c) was already highlighted in the standalone document Iâm assuming by mistake, so Iâm guessing thatâs the right answer, but itâs also sorta the only one that makes sense. I guess the issue that it raises is that there would be no need to hide the second killing game, as Vanessa wasnât the winner but the host of that one?
[Answer: c - c - c] The guessing studentâs dream lmao. But hey, I got it right! Even if it was slightly fraudulent with the pre-highlighted answer- look, Iâll take any win I can get at this point.
âEllis: Alright, well, hereâs a thought: we still donât know who the winner of the Second Killing Game is. If Vanessa was being Monoquin at the time, she couldnât have been a contestant, too. Maybe the traitor is whoever that winner was.â
Yeah, that was my other thought. Not that itâs immediately obvious who that would be lmao.
âVanessa: I wasnât âbeing Monoquinâ!â
I know sweetie, you were probably better.
âŠIn case it isnât obvious by my tone, I seem to still be processing that Vanessaâs actually a horrible person whoâs done unspeakable crimes against humanity. It just doesnât feel real. She was literally nice D:
âAidan: Because you were doing something else, or because you were better at the role?â
Oh hey Aidan! Itâs been a while since Iâve been more mentally linked up with you than with Ellis lol.
âVanessa: Maybe, uh⊠the second game didnât existâŠ? Aidan: Convincing. Ellis: It obviously did? If it didnât exist, then the third game would just be the second game, and you would be terrible at numbers. Vanessa: Why would it be my fault!!!â
I love how unserious this whole thing feels. Everyoneâs just making fun of the mastermind, what a bunch of meanies :(
âDavis: I feel like thatâs kind of obvious at this point, but⊠doesnât it seem a little obvious? I mean, at this point itâs clear sheâs guilty of something, but she seems tooâŠÂ Ellis: Too⊠what? Davis: Too⊠all over the place? [Nonstop Debate]â
Bitches make it to Trial 6 and suddenly feel comfortable shit-talking the mm because they know their survival is almost guaranteed, I see how it is xD
âAidan: It really seems like [the mastermind] have to be here, thoughâŠâ
I mean, wasnât Kennedyâs Escape Theory all about how thatâs not necessarily the case? Iâm shooting this with that Note.
[Answer: The Mastermind â âtheyâd have to be hereâ] You know what Iâll take it. Both notes talk about how the mastermind isnât strictly necessary, which is what Iâm assuming the point is.
âEllis: Alright, then we should all agree he was telling the truth about the prior killing game. Mark didnât think that they or the second place finisher were the mastermind. That means that thereâs a precedent for the mastermind not being amongst the people who make it to the end. Davis: But, what happened to the mastermind in that case? Were they in the Fourth Killing Game with Mark to begin with? [Hangmanâs Gambit]â
Locking in âAntoniaâs poisonâ- Just kidding xD
Hangmanâs is hard without letters. âThey survivedâ fits, with the idea that the mm could have faked their death or something (not that I recall any of this gameâs deaths being particularly fakeable if thatâs the argument). âThey werenâtâ doesnât fit even with the apostrophe, and that would have kinda been my guess. I donât really know.
[Answer: Fake Executed] I thought about âfake executionâ but that didnât fit lol. Iâm giving myself partial credit, which is kinda the best I can hope for in Hangmanâs usually anyways lol.
âAidan: You think the same thing happened this game? Davis: That would make the mastermind Antonia, Grace, Kennedy, Taylor, or Jeff, wouldnât it?â
I mean, Antonia was friends with Vanessa⊠And I canât lie, I did see she has a weirdly strong presence in post-game art. But⊠there no way. My favorites die in CH1, I canât be hoping Antonia made it. Also I donât remember her execution being easily fakeable. I donât remember Kennedyâs well enough to rule them out⊠but sheâs kinda ruled out because sheâs the one who came up with the idea to end the killing game in the first place, no?
⊠If Antoniaâs actually alive Iâm popping off, I donât even care about the circumstances. Just so weâre aware.
âVanessa: ⊠Aidan: Seems like weâre on the right track.â
Yeah⊠someoneâs quiet, huh?
âEllis: Well, I donât think itâd be Jeff. The motivation doesnât line up at all, and their death was⊠too close for comfort to be a fake.â
Alright, one down.
[Question completion] Come on these are easy, I need one non-fraudulent win.
âWhere did the VIP Files come from?â Itâs an interesting question. I mean, it kinda rules out Jeff maybe, but we knew that. I⊠is the point that the VIP Room was next to the Casino? Are we really Antoni-back?
[Answer: Where did the VIP Files come from?] Donât call it a comeback B) Mostly because these are always beatable through sentence structure alone and thus arenât really representative of me actually being back in my A-game B)
âEllis: The VIP Files mightâve been written by the mastermind, right? Does it sound like any of their⊠writing⊠stylesâŠ? Aidan: Iâm not convinced it was written by the mastermind.â
It seems not even Ellis is sure of what the point heâs trying to make is lol. Relatable.
âAidan: Why would the Resort ever want the VIP Files? [Puzzling Pieces]â
Thatâs⊠actually a really fair question. What is the point of them? Just as record-keeping? Seems odd.
âVanessa: You think that someone from outside the killing game would be able to learn all that?â
âŠYes. This is televised. Had we not established that? Am I losing it? Possible.
âSomeone outside the Resort figured out the informationâ? Kinda what was being said anyways. Iâm going with it anyways, fuck it we ball.
[Answer: Someone outside the Resort figured out the information] Now you can call it a comeback B) Though tbf there werenât that many words that could have gone before âoutâ but shhh⊠Call it a comeback anyways B)
âEllis: Really, shouldnât we just be believing whatever the opposite of what Vanessa says, anyway? Aidan: Or we could ignore her altogether. If you say that out loud, sheâll start playing mind games. Vanessa: Wait, donât ignore me! Iâm raising valid points!â
Sheâs trying so far I kinda feel bad for her, even despite all the human rights violations :(
[Nonstop Debate] Next step, can I actually get one of these right?
My first instinct was to shoot:
âAidan: We donât know whoâs watching this thing. Maybe itâd be plenty easy to get in.
⊠with Balcony View. However, this caught my eye:
âVanessa: I think someone would have to be pretty talented to pull that offâŠâ
Wasnât one of the previous winners a Mountain Climber? So Iâm shooting VIP Files here.
[Answer: Cassâ Profile â âpretty talentedâ] Okay, never mind! Wrong Ultimate! I guess I got a little hung up on the Balcony and forgot the info gathering part lol. Well, at least it was the right thing to shoot, I gotta take what I can get at this point. Also, hell yeah, first victim haunting the narrative, one of my favorite tropes in these killing games >:)
âDavis: Cass was researching the Resort to try to figure out more about its operations. The mastermind probably didnât like that. If thatâs all true, I think weâre all on the same page. [Select the Person]â
It has to be Antonia. I have the biggest fucking smile in my face right now. Please tell me sheâs coming back for the finaleâŠ?
[Answer: Antonia Cisneros] Now thatâs a name I havenât heard in months. Outside the poison anyways.
âEllis: Antonia⊠you have to be the mastermind.â
Present tense? :D
âVanessa: Whaaaaaaat? Oh nooo, that's reeeeally badâŠ! Davis: âŠUm? Aidan: I donât even know what sheâs doing anymore. Iâm pretty confident in our answer. Unless you guys arenât?â
Nice try on the reverse psychology, Ness, youâre doing great sweetie.
[Vote - Antonia Cisneros] Never been more excited to have a character be revealed as the mm. Venus if you bring back Antonia for the finale I take back every time Iâve called you evil this entire reaction series.
âAntonia: Hello, contestants. Itâs wonderful to see your darling faces again~â
And the crowd goes wild!!! Sheâs back!!! The way I had to hop out of my chair and walk off some of the giddy energy overtaking me. My baby! My sweetheart! My favorite war criminal!!! Sheâs here!!!
To be transparent, I did see Antonia featuring in the post-DROS artwork and tags of the Halloween post as possible indication she was the mm/traitor, but I didnât want to get my hopes up in case she was just doing a particularly impressive bit of narrative haunting and not actually coming back. And I havenât forgotten the implication that Antonia has killed a lot more than just Cass from all the way in the CH1 Bonus Scenes, so it stands to reason sheâd be talking about being the mm or even just the second game winner. Anyways, Iâm still super happy to have her back! Letâs waste no more time, thereâs new Antonia Cisneros content to consume, and I never thought Iâd see the day that would happen!!! :D
Part 3
âOf course it would be so complicated, yet so simple at the same time. Doesnât it make sense that the mastermind would be the only one ruthless enough to strike the first blow? Doesnât it make sense that the mastermind would be the one to order a custom weapon so strong, two other killers took it for their own? Doesnât it make sense that the mastermind of the killing games in the literal goddamn Casino would be the Ultimate Dealer? Antonia is the mastermind, and it all makes too much sense.â
It makes so much sense that I donât think anyone I know in the prediction game got this right, precisely because of how âobviousâ it felt. I wonder what the rules are for the score regarding her now⊠Well, thatâs a mystery for the end of the post!
âAntonia: You knew all along one of the contestants was the mastermind. Are you truly surprised that responsibility is mine?â
Iâve missed you so much⊠Please talk more my favorites usually donât make it to this chapter.
âAntonia: Once you're done speaking, we can move on to more pressing topics. I hold information thatâs of interest to you. For example, I know Marcosâ current status.â
Oh yeah, she disliked nicknames! I remember that! :D I remember a not-really-surprising-but-still-probably-too-much amount about her :D
âAntonia: Marcos is currently recovering under Resort care and should be fine. Of course, that means that no rules were violated, given that Monoquin wouldnât qualify as being involved in âmurderâ if there was no death. Aidan: And? You didnât get executed. Thatâs enough of a rules violation on its own.â
Ooh, get her ass.
âAntonia: No one involved in the killing gameâs production considers my survival problematic. I was removed from the player base and didnât impact the game further. Besides, this is fairly standard protocol.â
Never mind, get his ass! I donât consider your survival problematic either honey :D
I am⊠way too happy about all this. I⊠donât really care, though. Iâm just really glad Sheâs back :D
âAntonia: Of course. Aside from the second gameâ which I wonâ Iâve been falsely executed in every other killing game.â
Queen shit.
âVanessa: Thatâs⊠just how the killing games have gone. Itâs not Toniâs fault⊠Ellis: How?! Sheâs the mastermind! Vanessa: But, that doesnât meanâŠ! Antonia: Vanessa, itâs alright. Focus on the task at hand, please.â
What kinda fuck shitâs going on here? What kinda relationship do they have that Ness is willing to go to bat for shit like that? Theyâre not, like, actually sisters, right? Thatâd be kinda weird.
âDavis: âŠAre you two actually sisters? Antonia: Naturally.â
Never mind xD
âAntonia: I knew it would be difficult for Vanessa to pretend to be strangers, so we simply claimed each other were âsimilarâ to our respective sisters to explain our closeness. Itâs more than mere similarity, though.â
Thatâs crazy. No trust that Ness can play it cool, so we just appealed to Danganronpa syndrome of people getting attached way too quickly, and no oneâs the wiser! Itâs fucking genius!
âAntonia: Three remaining âsurvivors.â Four, if you include Vanessa, and five, if you include Marcos, whoâs been exempted from the remainder of the killing gameâŠÂ Ellis: Exempted? Antonia: Let me explain. Marcos did outsmart the killing game, even if the end result wasnât quite what he expected. Between that and the fact that we healed them, it would be unfitting to return them to the killing game upon regaining consciousness. Thus, Marcos has simply âescaped.ââ
Damn. Markâs just gone? What a legend.
âAntonia: Thatâs what weâre getting to, isnât it? Putting it simply, Iâm going to offer you all an opportunity. You have just one chance to win in unison, or none will win at all. If itâs a game of chance, then thatâs definitely my arena. Then again, âthe house always wins.â I canât help but feel like thatâs particularly true this time, given who Iâm up against.â
Just one chance, you say. One Shot, perhaps? Letâs fucking go.
âAntonia: Answer three questions, one for each of you. If you get them all correct, youâll win. Davis: And, those questions areâŠ? Antonia: You can answer them in any order. The questions are as follows: who is âMarkâ? What are the killing games? And, finally, what is the world outside of the Resort?â
Ooh, interesting questions. Iâm gonna guess weâre going back to trial format soon. Maybe after an investigation period? We still have two and a half parts to answer all of this, and I actually am very curious about the answers lol.
âVanessa: It shouldnât be too hard, right? If you guys can just figure out the answers, youâll all get to leave, and the killing game will be over! Ellis: Somehow, I canât help but imagine youâre really rooting for the home team. Vanessa: âŠI really do want you guys to get out of hereâŠâ
Hm⊠Unwilling traitor, then? Whatâs going on here? Thereâs some fuckshit at play here. I wonder how this whole thingâs gonna play out.
âAidan: Makes enough sense. I think one of them is pretty clearly less all-encompassing than the others. [Nonstop Debate]â
Well, fuck a final investigation, weâre going straight back to Trial format lol. And Iâm guessing weâre gonna talk about Mark, which makes sense as a starting point.
Speaking of:
âDavis: Then, I guess our best bet is to try to come up with a starting point of some kind.â
Maybe shoot this with Markâs Profile? Feels like it makes sense to start there. Or maybe Markâs Profile + VIP Files or something like that?
[Answer: Markâs Profile â âa starting pointâ] Holy shit I actually got a Nonstop right. Antoniaâs back and suddenly Iâm locking in. This is crazy chat.
âEllis: We finally learned their full name, but we still donât know their Ultimate talent. We could start there.â
Do⊠they not see Ultimate Amnesiac? Or I guess they mean before the amnesia, which makes more sense lol.
âVanessa: But, itâd be super hard for you guys to completely fill out their profile on your own! Like, how are you supposed to know their birthday is February 7? Antonia: âŠVanessa. Vanessa: Oh, right! Haha, mustâve let it slip on accident!â
Okay so maybe they donât actually see that, because I definitely remember their birthday being there lol. Also Vanessa is clearly on their side and Antoniaâs very much stacking the deck if she wanted them to land a 1 in 366 answer for Markâs birthday alone. InterestingâŠ
âEllis: Aquarius, huh? If I remember correctly, thatâs pretty compatible with a Leo⊠Aidan: Stay on track, Ortiz.â
Bruh.
âDavis: Markâs talent probably refers to something in their past, right? Itâs a talent theyâd have coming into the killing game. We donât know that much about that, though⊠[Evidence Select]â
I mean⊠I have no idea, but if weâre supposed to land on Amnesiac, âMarkâs amnesiaâ?
[Answer: Markâs Killing Game] I guess that works too.
âAntonia: Not that Lucky Students have the greatest track record for survival⊠Ellis: The⊠huh? Antonia: You already knew that, didnât you? From the Files you all managed to read. Herbalist, Mountain Climber, Couponer. Dealer and Marcosâ talent as well, clearly. Ellis: Well, yeah, but⊠uh, surely Iâm only the second Lucky Student youâve had, then? Vanessa: Um⊠thereâs a Lucky Student every killing gameâŠâ
Ooh⊠You know, Ellisâ original plan of coasting on luck alone had already been pretty much completely taken down, but itâs cool to get one last stab at it now with the reveal that it wouldnât have even worked at all.
âIf my âluckâ canât actually protect me or anyone else⊠is there a possibility that weâre going to make it this far, and still die?â
Oh yeah, also good for suspense :)
âEllis: âŠWell then, your choices were totally bad and out of order! Clearly Iâm the luckiest of the Lucky Students, because Iâm the one who has the good fortune to survive. With three other people. Vanessa: Wait, am I included now?â
Or Ellis means Aidan, Davis and Mark lmao.
[Nonstop Debate] Letâs see!
âDavis: We donât know anything that happened before the killing gameâŠâ
Not sure how this helps, but theoretically you can shoot this with Tragedy Article. Itâs something we know preceded the games, assumedly.
[Answer: Tragedy Article â âdonât know anything that happened beforeâ] I apparently did in fact lock in the moment Antonia came back. Crazy of me.
[Nonstop Debate] Letâs hope I stay locked in then!
âAntonia: Which major Mark may have had, should Mark have attended college, is irrelevant to the Resortâs question.â
I⊠respectfully disagree, but itâs interesting that their talent isnât related to a major. But I feel like that may be unanswerable, so I probably shouldn't exist lmao.
âDavis: Is there⊠really nothing else that could be a leadâŠ?â
I mean. We can always shoot that with âMarkâs Amnesiaâ, assuming Iâm really meant to arrive at Ultimate Amnesiac. Not confident in this one though.
[Answer: Markâs Amnesia â âYouâd think youâd have to rememberâ] That⊠okay fair. I guess the statement felt so trivially wrong I didnât think to argue against it lmao.
âDavis: Does that mean we think Mark was the one survivor the article mentioned, thenâŠ? Aidan: Itâd give a reason why the end was ripped off, at least. Thatâs something.â
Ah, okay, I see that. InterestingâŠ
âAidan: It does make some sense, though. The article seems like it canât actually confirm a lot of what happened in the attack, right? Youâd think theyâd have been able to ask the one witness, but if that witness forgot everything, thenâŠâ
And thatâs where Amnesiac comes in! Awesome.
âVanessa: âŠThe student was Mark. Antonia: Vanessa! Vanessa: What? They, like, basically figured it out, right? Iâm not even really helping that muchâŠ! Antonia: âŠâ
Damn, Antoniaâs about to crash out. Has she ever used an exclamation point before? Weâre going crazy, itâs whatâs happening.
âEllis: I⊠donât know. There was an entire killing game between the one Mark won and this one. Maybe they were just so out of it the whole time that the Resort decided to delay his re-entry? Vanessa: But, winners arenât typically re-entered⊠All: ⊠Aidan: Maybe something happened that made Mark forget again. Davis: After they won? I guess itâs possible, but⊠how many times can Mark forget everything about themselfâŠ? [Hangmanâs Gambit]â
Yeah, the timelineâs a bit funky if Markâs Lucky Studentâs suicide is the amnesia trigger. But, if not that, then what? And what the hell do I write for this Hangmanâs? I mean, Iâd like to write âtwo timesâ, but that doesnât fit. Fuck it, letâs write âUltimate Amnesiacâ, since thatâs been my answer to the last several minigames lmao.
[Answer: Ultimate Amnesiac] Bruh. I wasnât really expecting that to work xD I really do perform better with Antonia on the screenâŠ
âDavis: Do we know that Mark forgot things regularly, though? I mean, besides the major points where they forgot their identity. After arriving in the killing game, itâs not like Mark ever forgot who we were or anything.â
Oh, the notes! Yeah, he probably does have bad amnesia usually!
[Evidence Select] Like I said, the notes in his e-Handbook!
[Answer: That] Yay!
âDavis: So then, Mark really is the Ultimate Amnesiac? Thatâs the last answer we need for this question, right?â
RIP to the theory of them being the Ultimate Gamer or something lol. I guess he was just always cracked at games, talent notwithstanding :p
âEllis: We filled out the entire profile. What more do we need? Antonia: One last thing you donât have an explanation for. [Puzzling Pieces]â
Alright Toni, letâs see what you want us to cook.
âVanessa: I thought we agreed that filling out Markâs profile was okay! Antonia: The contestants agreed that that would be sufficient. Antonia: On behalf of the Resort, I would argue that deciphering why a previous winner would make a repeat appearance is a reasonable request.â
The conflict between these two is fun. But yeah, this is an interesting one. And holy shit thatâs a lot of blank words.
âMark was part of the Sixth Killing Game because they agreed toâ? Donât really think I can make anything a lot more complex than that. I guess he might have agreed to it in an attempt to end the games? Maybe Iâm wrong, though.
[Answer: Mark was part of the Sixth Killing Game because they agreed to] Never mind. It really is that simple.
âAidan: Iâd believe Mark would rather go into another killing game than make someone random do it instead. Maybe they even went into the game with the intention of ending it, and thatâs why they were so fixated on accomplishing something.â
I was betting on the latter, but I guess the former also makes plenty of sense.
âAntonia: Then, youâve succeeded in the first question. Marcos, dubbed the Ultimate Amnesiac, became noteworthy as the lone survivor of the attack on UNBC. From what analysts pieced together, it seems Marcos escaped the campus in the direction of Lake Mead, although not without struggle against members of Ultimate Despair along the way. After winning the Fourth Killing Game, they resided in one of our luxury suites for the duration of the Fifth before volunteering for the Sixth.â
Hell yeah, go Mark! And go Ellis, Davis and Aidan for figuring all that out! And luxury suites⊠so I guess the other winners might be around, too! Guess it makes sense for them to be labeled VIPs, then.
âVanessa: I mean⊠I donât know if he really wouldâve done any better watching another killing game happen from the sidelines⊠Ellis: Man, if only there was a way to prevent there being another killing game in the first place. Vanessa: âŠâ
Vanessa the Ultimate L Taker this chapter, itâs crazy xD
[Evidence Select] Killing game now. I guess⊠can I just submit the entire e-Handbook? lol. I guess they want me to pick Killing Game Explanation.
[Answer: Killing Game Explanation]
âDavis: If itâs an attraction, that means people are probably watching it, right? Vanessa: Right!â
Okay so this hadnât been 100% confirmed, got it. Itâs a little hard to keep track of what people know and what they donât when Iâm following several fangans with similar premises but different amount of info for the characters :p The DRDT cast knows theyâre in a TV show, P:EG hasnât mentioned anything like that, gods know what the hell was going on in Tetro⊠itâs a lot xD
âDavis: Maybe the Tragedy isnât as widespread as we thought? Aidan: Or the worldâs recovered more than we mightâve expected.â
Guys I donât think people would be watching if it werenât peak Tragedy time lmao. Youâd be rescued otherwise. I guess Iâm probably supposed to use something like Balcony View to make that pointâŠ
âAidan: If itâs really the Tragedy out there, how many people would take the time to tune into a killing game?â
Wait is it not the Tragedy? Iâve sorta assumed it was just because thatâs the only way I saw of this actually working, but I can only think to shoot this with Balcony View.
[Answer: Balcony View â âwho that audience isâ] Okay, so. Probably still Tragedy time. At least I got the bullet right lmao.
âDavis: Would there really be people who would want to watch it, though? I canât imagine genuinely enjoying this kind of thing⊠[Evidence Select]â
What, Tragedy Article? To bring up how insane Tragedy people are?
[Answer: Staff Members] That was my second option, bringing up how there being people willing to staff the killing game would mean thereâs people who are okay with letting it happen.
âDavis: Actually, that makes me wonder⊠who is running this place? Antonia is the âmastermind,â but does she really run the whole Resort? Ellis: Even if she tapped out early, somebody had to be running things behind the scenes before the First Class Trial. No shot Monoquin was up to that task. Vanessa: Monoquin canât do anything. If it was just Toni and Monoquin running the place, the whole thing wouldâve shut down by now.â
Plot twist! The real mm behind the scenes was Junko all along! Again! xD
âDavis: The point is, someone else might be responsible for keeping these killing games going, beyond just you. [Evidence Select]â
Staff members again? Maybe Tragedy Article now to bring up Ultimate Despair?
Fun fact, while going through the e-Handbook to see if anything jumped out at me, I remembered that thing I brought up about Rule #7. âThe blackened may only kill a maximum of two people during any single killing game.â The wording is made specifically to allow people to kill more than two others over the course of several killing games, which I thought might have been there for Mark, but apparently was there for Antonia lol.
[Answer: VIP Files] Oh, the previous participants? I hadnât considered that. What a twist! :O Or, wait, are the VIPs actually not the previous participants? Now that I think about it, we never quite got that explicitly confirmed.
âAidan: We still havenât really figured out why these games were held in the first place. Ellis: Yeah, they seemâ full offenseâ really pointless and bad to me. [Puzzling Pieces]â
Wow, asking big questions already! Letâs see where weâre going with this.
Considering all the talk of Antoniaâs talent as a Dealer linking back to the purpose of the game, Iâm assuming the answer is âPeople in the Casino bet on the killing games for money,â though maybe replace âpeopleâ with âVIPsâ.
[Answer: People in the Resort bet on the killing games for money.] Okay, âResortâ instead of âCasinoâ, I guess it makes sense. Weâre calling it good enough!
âAidan: I know Iâm the one who said the thing about money in the first place, but⊠itâs the Tragedy out there or whatever. Is money still⊠a thing?â
Hm⊠are we thinking people bet their lives or something? Would be funny if the Ultimate Lucky Students actually get into the games through betting on them.
[Nonstop Debate] *humming Nonstop music*
âVanessa: The Resort offers high quality lodging and safety fromâ Antonia: Would you stop pretending to advertise the Resort? Antonia: Do so sincerely or focus your attention on narrating the game. Vanessa: Right. RightâŠâ
Dude, Toniâs getting pissed. Itâs kinda interesting to see Ness getting on her nerves.
I feel like I want to use the Customer Service Desk to make some kind of point about the resources, but I have no idea what the point would be. MaybeâŠ
âDavis: The Resort could be wealthy and just⊠purchase everything they need.â
Shoot CSD here? Because purchasing all that is kinda impossible. Not confident on this, though.
[Answer: Antoniaâs Profile â âthrough some kind of back channelâ] ⊠What? Is Antonia just single-handedly funding the Resort? I donât know what weâre trying to say here actually.
âEllis: That âback channelâ could be right in front of us. The Ultimate Dealerâs abilities donât have to be strictly limited to cards, yâknow. Davis: Then, the thing theyâre betting on is resources, more or less?â
Huh, she really is. Holy talent, goddamn.
âEllis: I think so? The killing games are a marketing scheme that people bet on. Because of the areaâs immense resources, some of which come from Antoniaâs history as a dealer of all varieties, money still has value, despite the Tragedy going on.â
Thatâs crazy. Marketing, huh? So itâs for profit. Harper rolling in ver grave right now.
âAntonia: That is correct. I must say, youâre all doing quite the impressive job deducing all of this. With a little bit of help, that is. Vanessa: Haha⊠uhâŠâ
The beef is still crazy :O
âAntonia: In any case, as Iâm sure youâd expect, you all have quite a few fans who might like to see you. Mechanical whirring echoes through the Class Trial grounds. I search for the source and spot the panels of the ceiling, retracting, opening up the sky above us. Just beyond the ceiling of the Class Trial Grounds is a covered stadium filled with onlookers, watching us and the screen with our faces on it intently. A few signs stick out from the crowds. âIâLL BET ON ELLISâ âLETâS GO AIDAN!!!â â#MARKSWEEPâ âMARRY ME DAVIS!â The increase in the surrounding noise is nearly overwhelming. Hundreds of pairs of eyes look down at us from above.â
Holy audience. I find the #Marksweep sign very funny considering the guyâs not even here.
âIâve never felt so⊠small, before. Iâm not one to run from a crowd, but this is different. People here have hopes for my future, but I can hardly call them my fans. Those who are rooting for me to win still want me to win a killing game. Meanwhile, the combined forces of those who want Aidan, Mark, and Davis to survive would prefer if I were dead. These signs feel like tombstones. Weâre more than six feet under. Davis: Thereâs⊠so many people⊠Ellis: Every private moment⊠every time we stumbled⊠they saw it all. Aidan: âŠIt doesnât matter. Nothingâs changed. We still have to answer one more question. Thatâs it. Vanessa: âŠHey, everybodyâŠ! Um⊠welcome back. Iâm⊠glad to see you all⊠This is the shakiest Iâve heard Vanessaâs voice in a long timeâ probably since I found her holding the gun in that Villa.â
Damn, this is hitting them pretty hard. I mean, obviously, but geez. Aidanâs trying to be nonchalant about it, Iâm impressed heâs succeeding so well. Even Ness is nervous, and who could blame her? After all the death and suffering, weâve finally reached the most horrific thing in this entire story: the Danganronpa fandom (/j).
âAntonia: Thereâs one question left. What is the rest of the world like? Davis: âŠRight. The questions. We need to answer them⊠Vanessa: Just one more, okay? Then this whole thingâs over and done withâŠâ
Ness do you need help? I feel like we should try to get you out of here too damn.
[Nonstop Debate] Reaching the final question here. Interesting, considering thereâs two more parts after this. It worries me that I have no idea what those two parts might actually hold.
âAntonia: Contestants forfeit their memories of the outside world for the sake of preserving the spirit of the original killing games. Antonia: After all, ours are modeled after Junko Enoshimaâs~â
Wow, just out and saying it, huh? We really canât escape her.
âDavis: Without the killing game, B/I donât know if Iâd have met you⊠Crowd: Awww!â
Damn, we doing crowd reactions now, What in the sitcom is this?
What are we supposed to realize here? Everything here feels more or less like stuff we knew already, barring the Junko killing game comment as thatâs something the contestants probably donât have memory of, seeing as it happened so late in the Tragedy.
I could see the point in shooting Antoniaâs statement about the spirit of the og killing games with something like the Tragedy article or âany memories of the Tragedyâ, with the point being that the og participants of THH knew nothing about the Tragedy, as opposed to our cast having some knowledge of it. That feels weak, though. Maybe just:
âDavis: What if that same destruction spread through the US?â
With Balcony View? I donât really know how dire things looked from the Balcony, but it doesnât sound awful in the e-Handbook note.
âVanessa: At least the Resortâs given you a nice place to stayâŠ?â
I mean I feel like I wanna disagree with this on principle with something like Killing Game Explanation, but I donât think that gets us anywhere.
Eh⊠Iâve given enough options, letâs see if any of them are right.
[Answer: âa nice place to stayâ â âsame destruction spread through the USâ] Oh! I guess thatâs a fair argument. The Resort existing at all means things arenât 100% awful, I guess.
âDavis: There canât really be a government or any sort of regulatory institution though, right? I canât imagine that this Resort would be allowed to operate like this if there wasâŠÂ Ellis: Unless the government is in on it, too.â
Watch it, Ellis, I felt Kennedyâs ghost growing stronger for a moment there xD
[Nonstop Debate] Letâs go!
âAntonia: That thereâs no one else with any semblance of society?â
Uh⊠maybe CSD here? Like, you gotta have something going on to get all the stuff people can ask for, especially on a 48 hour time frame.
[Answer: Customer Service Desk â âno one else with any semblance of societyâ] Yay I got one! :D
âAidan: You mean there are a lot of places like this, where people make their own mini-societies? I guess itâs not too far-fetched, if the Resort already exists. What would you even call them, thoughâŠ? [Hangmanâs Gambit]â
Accidentally saw the answer to this one is âStrongholdsâ. Thatâs pretty interesting, though. And realistic, people would probably form strong local communities in the face of such a catastrophe, I feel.
âDavis: Is that really it? If the killing game is an âattraction,â it seems like people do more than just tolerate it. It would make the most sense if itâs something that brings people to this stronghold over others. Aidan: If youâre basing your entire infrastructure on betting, having more people to bet and keep things running is probably good. The Resort would want basically as many people as possible.â
This operation really is quite insane, especially taking in the context that it has to happen after Makoto Naegi hits Ultimate Hope status. I know itâs not by any means a fix all for society, but geez, not even a single US Future Foundation equivalent trying to stop these killing games? Or are they trying and failing? Crazy.
âDavis: Itâs at least a lead, right? Though, I donât really know why people would want to go to the stronghold that advertises killing people. It seems like that would be a factor that would send people away. Antonia: Thatâs a question youâll have to answer, isnât it? [Puzzling Pieces]â
Alright, lock in.
Maybe⊠âThe bettors believe if they win big theyâll become happyâ? A little silly sounding, but Iâll roll with it.
[Answer: The bettors believe if they win big theyâll become VIPs.] Oh! That actually makes a lot more sense lmao. I got decently close, though!
âI⊠couldnât have been a bettor, could IâŠ?â
Ooh, Ellis is asking the same question I did, once more⊠Crazy stuff to think about.
âAntonia: Have you come to your final answer? Davis: I think so.â
Bro what happens in parts 4 and 5???
âConfetti blasts from nearby jets as the crowd goes wild. Antonia turns to the crowd with a smile. Antonia: Here at the Resort, thereâs always a chance to find a better life, if luck favors youâ just like it did our winners today! Everyone, give them a big hand!â
Woohoo!!! ⊠Why did this turn into an advertisement!!! Now Iâm imagining all the previous winners seeing Antonia come out of the shadows to advertise while everyone else is getting executed, and I canât imagine thatâs a pleasant experience.
âThe three of us, alongside Vanessa, follow Antonia out of the Class Trial Grounds.[Class Trial End]â
Ooh boy. Iâm⊠very worried for what the next parts might hold, I feel like weâre not quite out of the woods yet. What a chapter this has been so far! So many reveals one after the other⊠holy damn. Letâs keep going!
Part 4
âAntonia: Through these doors are a hallway. There will be fans from the stadium who are trying to greet you. Donât interact with them too much. Other than that, just follow me.â
Thatâs⊠uncomfortable, geez.
âAs we walk, I notice hundreds of people sporting pink, heart-shaped sunglasses. They look far better on me.â
Thereâs damn DROS merch out here, itâs getting dire. This does an incredible job of selling how uncomfortable it all is, damn.
âEllis: Oh yeah? And what ânormallyâ happens after somebody wins? Vanessa: Well, thereâs the initial reception, and then the interview, and then the coronationâŠâ
Goddamn exit interviews. And fuck you mean âcoronationâ? This is way more like a show than any other fangan Iâve seen and itâs awful (in a good way).
âAntonia: There will be no such thing. Youâre all members of the VIPs now, with all the perks that come with it.â
The winners are VIPs! I feel like Iâve bounced back and forth on that a little lol.
âAidan: Thereâs no way we volunteered for this because of that or anything. Antonia: No, you didnât.â
You know, I was worried about that, but itâs good to hear thereâs no V3 pregame stuff going on here lmao.
âAntonia: It varies depending on the person. In your case, though, we simply picked you off of the Tragedyâs streets. There really isnât much thought that goes into selecting a Lucky Student. Ellis: âŠâ
Weâre really hammering home the point, huh? Good xD
âVanessa: I didnât [care about people not dying]. But I donât think I really understood what it was like until I was there with all of you. Now⊠I donât really want the killing games to exist anymore.â
Woohoo! Development! Come on, Ness, we still need to do the âend the killing games for goodâ part of the climax! Which Iâm hoping happens but you never know!
âAntonia: No. There arenât any cameras here. Thereâs no need to worry.â
That⊠feels like it might be important. Anyone up to just jump Antonia right here? No? Fair.
âAidan: Would running actually accomplish anythingâŠ? Iâm not opposed to it, I just⊠donât see how it actually helps anything. Ellis: It⊠it would at least be something they werenât expecting! Unless they do.â
I think theyâre probably expecting it unfortunately :/
âAntonia: Thank you for joining us, Vanessa. Though, Iâm sure weâre all used to seeing you in the interviewerâs chair rather than the intervieweeâs. The crowd laughs.â
Iâm still not used to the whole âfilmed in front of a live studio audienceâ bit lmao.
âVanessa: If youâre just watching it⊠Even if youâre there in person, it doesnât feel the same. You donât really think of the contestants as real people. But, when youâre there, as one of the participants⊠You start to realize, you know? You understand what theyâre all going through⊠Antonia: I see⊠The ghost of a frown twinges Antoniaâs lips. She glances between Vanessa and the rest of the crowd.â
Iâm very scared of Antonia btw. Girl called up a poison so strong it got used in two different murders after hers, and she still had the most gruesome murder probably. Iâm worried for Vanessa, donât die girl :(
âAntonia: âŠWell, our crowd already knows who you are, so I wonât bother you with the specifics of the interview. Iâm sure you could use some rest. Congratulations on joining the winnersâ pantheon, Vanessa.â
You know, I wouldnât have minded if Toni asked a few more questions lmao.
âAntonia: Congratulations to you as well, Aidan. Youâve certainly earned your fair share of fans over the course of the game. Aidan: I have? Antonia: Of course! People love your sharp wit and your rough charm~ The crowd cheers loudly. Aidan: Good for them. I donât care. The crowd laughs. Aidan scowls.â
I am fans, btw. Aidanâs one of my favorites. Really funny seeing how he reacts to being a fan favorite though, actual worst case scenario for him Iâm sure.
âAidan: It feels like the Resort should stop inventing life or death situations for their crowdâs amusement. Antonia: ⊠Though she masks it well, itâs not hard to tell that Antonia is annoyed.â
You know, I wonder if Vanessaâs more used to people shittalking the killing games to her face. Surely, most of these interviews have to go somewhat like this.
âAntonia: Then, let me ask a bit of a lighter question. Letâs talk about you and Davis. Did you find love in this game? Aidanâs cheeks immediately redden. Aidan: Why do you careâŠ? The crowd gives a loud, âaww!â Aidan winces like he wishes he could punch someone.â
The audience has to be going crazy over the non-doomed yaoi, surely. First time thereâs multiple winners, and two of them are yaoiful? Some of them have to feel like theyâre eating good.
âAntonia: Why donât we talk to both of our lovebirds at once~? Davis Love, please join us on stage!â
Oh wow, this is about to be a clusterfuck :D
âDavisâ face is pale. Aidan glances over at him, then back to Antonia.â
My guy is. Not doing good! Understandable.
âAntonia: Iâm sure youâre eager for some alone time, but the fans are dying to hear about your experiences! Iâm sure you had to be afraid of losing each other as the killing game progressed. Davis: âŠI was⊠Aidan: Isnât that kind of question obvious? Whatâs even the point of asking it?â
Antonia and Aidan are two seconds away from getting into a fistfight this is awesome.
âAntonia: Isnât it important to question the way things are? After all, thatâs what you did to change the Fifth Trialâs verdict. Aidan: I spoke up because you were wrong, not because I cared about what some crowd of people would think! Antonia: Thereâs that rebel spirit we all know and love~â
God, sheâs such a piece of shit, I love her so much. You have no idea how many details I want on that second killing game, I need to see a girlboss winning and covered in blood.
âAntonia: Is there anything youâd like to tell the crowd about your relationship? Aidan: Yeah. Leave us the hell alone.â
Thanks Aidan, youâre awesome.
âAntonia: Well Davis, Iâm sure youâre quite aware that you have many supporters out there. Youâre the fan favorite, after all. He laughs nervously again. Davis: Yeah, uh⊠I figuredâŠ! The crowd laughs along with him.â
The poor fucking guy is living his worst nightmare out here ToT
âAntonia: Now, weâve already heard a bit on your relationship with Aidan, but I think what a lot of our fans are curious about is your relationship with Jeffery. Were you aware of the feelings that he held for you? Were they at all reciprocated? Davis: I, um⊠I didnât realize the extent of it. Because itâs pretty common with me, I knew that there was a possibility he was attracted to me, but I hadnât realized it had gone that far. Antonia: I see. And, how did you feel about them? Davis: Well⊠at first, I obviously didnât like him very much. Then, as I got to know them better, I started caring about them and trusting them. I donât think it was at all romantic for me. I just⊠enjoyed his company as a friend. Antonia: I see. It must have been quite surprising when you found out what he did, then. Davis: It was and it wasnât. Once they said it, I realized how much sense it made. I had hoped that anything related to my talent could stay out of the killing game, thoughâŠâ
Oof. I guess we needed to talk about this at some point, yeah? Still, kind of a nightmare situation, that one. My guy Davis at the center of the trauma storm goddamn.
âAntonia: One last question. Iâm sure everyone would like to know: do you have love advice for any hopefuls in the crowd? Davis: ⊠He freezes up. Davis: Just⊠keep looking for⊠the right⊠personâŠ?â
Bro save him. He needs to get out of there geez.
âAntonia: Last but not least, we have this gameâs Lucky Student, Ellis Ortiz!â
Welp, time to face the music!
âWhatâs the most impactful thing I can say to the audience while I have this platformâŠ?â
Good, good, weâre trying to go in, I like it.
âPlay it cool at the start. I think thatâs the best way to find my footing before I leap. I emerge on the stage, waving to the audience with a smug smile. When I sit on the chair, I fall back, putting my arms behind my head.â
Alright, alright, I like the strat. This is the one shot, the one opportunity, letâs do it.
âEllis: Since the very beginning, I knew that as long as I trusted in my luck, I could coast my way to the finale. I hadnât realized that I was gonna do it with anybody else, but, hey, Iâm a go with the flow kinda guy.â
Wow⊠I wonder what his angle is here. Excited to see what theyâve got cooking.
âAntonia: Are you excited, then, to return to the high life that youâre accustomed to? Iâm sure thereâs plenty of nightlife to keep you satisfied~ Gross. Ellis: Naturally. Whatever the other winners did, Iâm going to be way cooler than them.â
This is fantastic. Iâm excited here, letâs see.
âEllis: Actually, how did past winners feel, once they got here? Iâm sure they wouldnât handle it as well as me. I mean, you can already peep the quality of my interview versus the othersâ...! I roll my eyes with a smirk, and use my thumb to point backstage. Some of the crowd laughs, some of the crowd boos.â
Alright, alright, weâre cooking!
âEllis: They didnât get onstage and describe in visceral detail the scent of blood? They didnât think to mention the heartbroken eyes of the people who examined their loved onesâ fractured bones after their corpses fell to the floor? You want to pretend itâs all fun and games, but your ratings on that front are absolutely tanking. I look out at the audience, aware that my time on screen may already be running short. Ellis: I may have been picked off the street, but in a way, that means Iâm just like you. And let me tell you, there is nothing here to aspire to. Anything you think you want, you will not find it here. Your life might be bad now, but let me tell you, a mountain of broken bodies on top of a stack of margaritas is not worth the entrance fee. The crowd is silent.â
Tell em Ellis! Cook monarch! Hit em! :D
âAntonia: Are you finished?â
I still love her, though :)
âI stare at the people in the front row. Ellis: This is how a winner feels. You want in? Antonia: Is there anything else youâd like to say to the crowd? Ellis: Yeah. Iâm disappointed in you.â
Oh hell yeah. Ellis crashout, you love to see it. Weâre close to a breakthrough, I can feel it!
âAntonia: I swear, you all wanted to make that as hard on me as possibleâŠÂ Ellis: No shit?â
Pfft-
âAntonia: I admire your protestations, but Iâm really not the one youâre up against. Consider me a messenger for Mr. and Mrs. Crown themselves. Aidan: Mr. and Mrs. Crown? Antonia: The Casino owners. I worked for them before the Tragedy even started. Ellis: Damn, way to lick your bossâ boots. Antonia: The professionals among us would call that seniority, but I doubt youâd understand thatâŠâ
Alright, so we got master-masterminds, holy damn. Also Antonia is incredible as always, Iâve missed her so deeply :)
âAntonia: Any questions? Ellis: Yeah. Why are you like this? Antonia: If youâre more specific, I might be able to answer you. Ellis: Aidan, Davis, and I, we all hate you. How can you not hate yourself? Antonia: âŠSome of us are comfortable with doing what we have to do. I suppose itâs not terribly surprising to me that you donât understand. After all, life granted you an easy out.â
Ooh, Antonia implied trauma dump? Crazy stuff. I guess she has effectively lived through the Tragedy, canât be too nice.
âAntonia: Vanessa? Are you coming? Vanessa: Yeah⊠Iâm coming.â
Get Ness outta there bro ToT
âEllis: What we should do next. Davis: For now, probably go talk with Mark, right? It seems like they should be a part of thisâŠÂ Ellis: Alright, cool. Thatâs what I think, too. I just didnât want to be the âletâs always talk to Markâ guy.â
Pfft- Funny. Still, I miss Mark, letâs go talk to them! :D
âMark: I told you to leave me aloneâŠÂ Ellis: No the fuck you didnât!â
Yay!!!! And weâre still hilarious!!! Oh hi Mark! :D
âMark: Ellis⊠Aidan: Hey, that might not be good for your very recent stab woundâŠ? Ellis: Wait, yeah.â
âOh yeah, youâre brutally injured!â Lmao.
âMark: I thought I was the only one left againâŠÂ Ellis: Donât worry. We made it.â
Oof. Did no one tell him? Poor guy.
âEllis: Vanessa was included as a winner, even though she was the traitor⊠Mark: âŠShe used to be the host, right? I think I remember that nowâŠâ
Your memory is very inconvenient, Mark. I love you anyways, Mark.
âMark: Itâs⊠complicated. Itâs not just her fault, or Antoniaâs, either. Thereâs a lot that goes into the killing games, and the Resort as a whole.â
Man, what a clusterfuck.
âEllis: Do you have any idea how long it usually takes them to start a new game after the last one ended? Mark: âŠAbout a month, I thinkâŠ? Maybe a little more. Davis: Thatâs⊠pretty fast. Mark: Part of it depends on how long the game lasted. They can start recruiting for the next game during the previous one, if it goes on for long enough.â
A month is absurd. Speedrunning crimes against humanity, these people, damn.
âMark: Well, my best idea last time was to join the next one and try to do something about it, but that didnât work out all too well. Though, I guess you guys did end up surviving, so thatâs⊠something. Ellis: What did I say about not hurting yourself anymore? Mark: âŠI wonât do it again. I promise.â
Ooh boy, thereâs trauma in this conversation!
âEllis: âŠAre you mad at me for ruining your plan? Mark: No, Iâm not mad. I was just⊠worried. I wanted to make sure youâd all be okay. Ellis: We didnât end the killing games, though. I put my palms on my forehead. Ellis: I tried so hard. I pulled every trick I could think of. None of them seemed to do anything, though. Mark: I know how you feel. I donât really know what weâre supposed to do, either.â
Man, itâs⊠getting a little dire out here, huh?
âMark: âŠAre you mad at me? I understand, if you are. Ellis: ⊠Itâs hard to say. Given that Mark is alive, the main thing that I feel is immense relief. If theyâd died, itâd be a different story. He would have taken his own life. I could be mad that heâd made that objective call without thinking about how we would feel. That they did, in theory, put our lives on the line for the sake of their plan without telling us what was going on. But on the other hand⊠I doubt I wouldâve been able to find it in me to have hated Mark if he was really never coming back. It doesnât make sense to be mad at Mark because theyâre alive though, right? Ellis: âŠNo. Iâm just⊠tired.â
Holy self reflection! Ellis has usually been good at it when she tries, nice to see her keeping it up :)
âWho cares about a crown when I could have Markâs hands playing with my hair?â
Well, thatâs romantic. I love these two so much :D
âMark and I discuss what kind of food we want to order before I leave the room. Itâs a surprisingly normal conversation, given the circumstances.â
Itâs nice imagining them talking about food when the entire world is on fire, yeah. Dystopias are interesting like that.
âEllis: Will you really? Be fine, I mean. Davis: With the food, sure. Ellis: But, otherwise? Davis: âŠI donât feel safe here. I donât know if I ever will.â
It really isnât going great, yeah.
âDavis: Not⊠in that way. Thereâs just⊠a lot of people who know about us. They probably want things from us. They want things from me. You saw what happened with JeffâŠÂ Ellis: Yeah, but⊠regardless of whatâs actually going on, the people in the audience seemed to believe you were with Aidan, right? So, maybe theyâll lay off.â
Youâre saying that with a lot of confidence. Iâd be more worried about crazy people going after Aidan out of jealousy, if anything.
âDavis: After, do you think we can avoid talking to them again? Or encountering them in any way, shape, or formâŠ? Ellis: I⊠really donât know. The fact that we havenât seen any of the other previous winnersâ well, besides Mark and Antonia, anywaysâ might be a good sign, though.â
Hopefully! Hopefully this wasnât straight up televised, eitherâŠ
âEllis: Sadly, my brain is not big enough to contain so many thoughts at once. I have to complain out loud, much to Antoniaâs chagrin.â
At least Ellis is still funny :)
âAidan: Not just because we lived. The two of us⊠we didnât really lose anyone we were that close to, right? I mean, youâre alive. Davis is alive. Thatâs really all I could ask for. Ellis: You might wanna set your bar a little higher. He could have asked for everyoneâs survival, but itâs not like I wouldâve done that at the beginning, either.â
Yeah, huh. Thatâs quite interesting, how that needed up working out.
âEllis: To be fair, though, a lot of people wound up taking out the person they were closest to. Itâs not really âluckyâ that we avoided that fate.â
I mean, youâre thinking of Kennedy with Vivi and Taylor with Paris, not much else. Noah and Harper just happened to die together. Still counts, I guess.
âAidan: Sure. Ending the killing games while weâre stuck within a hellish, high-glamor hotel run by Antonia. Glad to see how much things have changed. Ellis: Hey, things have changed! Now weâre stuck in smaller rooms with less stuff to do!â
Progress! Ha ha⊠haâŠ
âEllis: There was still the threat of a Class Trial. Although, as a plus, we arenât being publicly broadcasted in here⊠I hope. I look around for cameras and monitors. I donât see any.â
Yay for privacy! Hopefully!
âAidan: I wish I could do something that would actually help. Not like I know what that would be, or how to do it. Ellis: Werenât you, like, hugging him after the interview? Aidan: I donât know how much it actually helped, though. Ellis: Iâd guess at least a little. Aidan: Maybe. Itâd be nice to do more than a little for once, though. Ellis: We already did something big today just by surviving together. We can do something else awesome later.â
Itâs kinda crazy seeing how much Aidan cares now. What good character development does to a mf.
âEllis: I bet I know who we were supposed to expect, though⊠I stand up and open the door. Itâs Vanessaâ go figure.â
I still like Ness, I hope she gets a happy ending too honestly. Even with all the crimes against humanity and all.
âVanessa: If thereâs anything you wanted to ask me, Iâll answer.â
I like how weâre just checking up on everyone now, itâs nice :)
âDavis: âŠDo you hate the killing games? She frowns. Vanessa: âŠI do now. Ellis: How much of what happened in the Villas was real? Vanessa: All of it. Like I told you, I didnât plan on winning the Trial or anything. I knew the execution wouldnât have been real. I just⊠wanted to stop everyoneâs loved ones from dying. And I didnât want to be a part of it anymoreâŠâ
Oof. Apparently that motive was so brutal it even started hitting the game runners, huh? Crazy.
âAidan: Are you going to host the next killing game? Vanessa: ⊠Vanessaâs eyes move to the ground. Vanessa: I donât want to. But, if I donât, theyâre just gonna get someone else to do itâŠÂ Ellis: Wouldnât you defecting⊠I donât know, have some kind of effect on Antonia? Vanessa: Itâs not like they couldnât replace her, too.â
Yikes. Talk about an unwinnable game. The house always wins, even against the houseâs own Dealer, huh?
âAidan: Sheâs probably just covering for the fact that Antonia wouldnât do anything, even if she stopped. Vanessa: Thatâs not true. Toniâs not⊠I know you guys wonât believe me, but sheâs not evil. She really does care.â
Kind of insane thing to say. Fuck running the killing game, she was brutal even as a participant, what.
âDavis: Itâs kind of hard to believe that when weâve seen the body she dismemberedâŠâ
Yeah that.
âVanessa: âŠSheâd stop it if she could. I know she would. Aidan: If she hasnât ever tried, does that really mean muchâŠ?â
Yeah, itâs⊠not great. Antonia seems pretty remorseless, but I could see that being purely a defense mechanism against the trauma of being forced to run all this. Not that that really helps her case much.
âVanessa: I, um⊠I wanted to apologize to you most of all. For putting you in here. Ellis: âPutting you in here?â Vanessa: The Lucky Students are just random people we pick out. Antonia usually asked me to do that part. So⊠Iâm the only reason you ever had to deal with the killing game. Ellis: ⊠Iâm staring face to face with the entity that traumatized me for life. She looks really, really sad, like those pictures of sad dogs you see online.â
Ouchie, heart hurtie.
âEllis: If youâre Antoniaâs little sister, then I want you to leave. If youâre Vanessa Bravo, survivor of the Sixth Killing Game, maybe you can stick around. Vanessa: âŠI can stick around for a little bit, at least.â
Ooh, big changes coming up. Iâm very interested in how this whole thing is going to resolve. It seems like weâre aiming for a Vanessa redemption, but Antonia still feels a little out of reach. Weâll see, though!
Onto the finale, now! Exciting times. I donât know if Iâm fully prepared for it, but⊠things have to end eventually. Letâs give it up for the climax!
Part 5 - ENDING
Hype!!!
â???: âŠshouldnât have without consulting us first. Antonia: With all due respect, the game was already headed towards its close. I chose what I deemed to be the fairest ending, for both the contestants and the bettors.â
Ooh⊠the return of the mysterious triple question mark people! Probably one of the Monarchs, exciting. And Antonia acting on her own, huh? CuriousâŠ
âAntonia: I understand the need to receive your approval, Mr. Crown, but the audienceâ Mr. Crown: I know that the audience gets rowdy, but we can handle them. Whatâs harder to handle is your overstepping. Do you have any idea how much more money has to be paid out for five winners instead of one?â
I mean. Presumably just 5x. I canât imagine thatâs too bad of a burden, considering all the shit you people buy, right?
â???: Eh, does it really matter? Youâll make it all back next killing game anyways. None of âemâll actually hold onto the extra earnings. Itâs all going back to the betting pool at the end of the day. ???: More money to bet with opens the possibility for correctly bidding individuals to earn an astronomical payback though, right? If thereâs more money out there than thereâs supposed to be, that could be a problem. Although, we could just raise prices across the board⊠???: Is it so bad if they just have a little more money? Itâs not like weâre close to running out or anything. So, if we just let them⊠???: I, for one, am thrilled to have five winners! The old format was getting a little stale, wasnât it? Sure, it costs a bit more, but think of all the new possibilities it opens! Damn, it sounds like thereâs a whole committee in there! Are these the people behind all of the killing games?â
Alright, so we got even more people going around, shitâs getting crazier by the second.
âMakani Kahale, the first winner, Jack Paradis, the third, and Emma Xu, the fifth. At the center of the table are a well dressed man and woman, presumably Mr. and Mrs. Crown.â
Damn⊠the VIPs :O
âMr. Crown: And that is exactly why you should have consulted with me first. Antonia: âŠI apologize. Iâll⊠endeavor to do so, in the future.â
Itâs a little weird hearing Antonia be apologetic about stuff after all this. Really helps put this Mr Crown character into perspective.
âNote Obtained: VIP Meetingâ
!!! Wait are we gonna have a last minute trial or something??? The hell are we getting notes for?
âToo late. Antoniaâs already leaving the room. She subtly gestures for me to follow her as she takes a turn down the right hallway.â
Oof. Spooky situations out here.
âAntonia: âŠYouâre not very stealthy, you know. My flip flops flip and flop down the hallway.â
Yep, still as funny as ever xD
âAntonia: I doubt any of them noticed you. Iâm quite perceptive, though. I canât complain too much. After all, thereâs no way Iâll ever be as sneaky as the Ultimate Agent was.â
Yeah, I guess. First Victim callbacks always have such a weird feeling to them, donât they? Almost nostalgic. Always gets me.
âEllis: Youâve been in a killing game six times, and you havenât tried to end them. Ever. Antonia: I donât think it would be very wise of me to compromise my position in such a manner. After all, Vanessa and I are provided for. Weâre safe. There isnât anything to change. Ellis: So you havenât learned a single thing throughout months of work? You didnât change your perception of reality at all when the world got flipped on its head? Antonia: You act as though the destabilization of the world would be a reason for me to lean into uncertainty. In reality, it only lessens my options. If this is the only safe option, itâs the option Iâll take. Ellis: Yup. Sticking to your guns. No wisdom at all. Antonia: Are you hoping to accomplish anything by mocking me? Ellis: Mocking you. Itâs working, it seems. Antonia: If you want to mock the person responsible for saving your life, go ahead. Still, I wouldnât recommend trying your luck on anyone higher up in the rankings.â
Oh hell yeah, fight! I love how confident Antonia is that sheâs in the right, it almost convinces you she isnât completely horrible. I mean, dismemberment + dozens of deaths via killing game, and Iâm out here rooting for a one chapter redemption arc speedrun. Probably because of the Bias, but still.
âEllis: Fine. Thank you for saving my life. Now, will you stop insulting me for trying to save yours?â
Ooh, I love this angle. Come on, Ellis, tell her how her life sucks so she should strive to change it!
âEllis: Even if you really donât care about the people who are dyingâ which, believe me, can change in an instant; caring kinda slaps you in the face when it walks into the roomâ you donât really want to be stuck here, right?â
Ellis is such a perfect protagonist for this damn game, Iâm still amazed at how well she works when she was designed separately from the rest of the cast lmao.
âAntonia: Vanessa has always been happy here. Thatâs always been enough for me. Ellis: So youâre only staying here âcause of Vanessa? Antonia: In some ways. If it were only myself I was worried about, I might still arrive at the same answer. Ellis: You know, Vanessa is only staying here âcause of you. Antonia: âŠIs that so? Ellis: Vanessa cares about you more than anything. She came to us tonight arguing how, even though you were working for the bad guys, you could totally change.â
Damn. Itâs crazy how different this sister duo is from Junko and Mukuro, huh? I wonder if that was in any way intentionalâŠ
âAntonia: This place has existed long before you arrived, Ellis. I wouldnât be surprised if it lasted long after. Ellis: I know that. I was just starting to hope that you wouldnât have to roam these halls anymore. Antonia: âŠGood night, Ellis. Ellis: âNight, Ms. Cisneros.â
Ooh⊠go Ellis, get under her skin you monarch! One part redemption arc speedrun letâs go!!!
âThey really did assimilate into this fucked up society, huh? If Iâd somehow won at the beginning, that couldâve been me. Now that I, Aidan, Davis, Vanessa, and Mark have won, thatâs who weâre supposed to be. I canât imagine any of us enjoying it, though.â
I mean, theyâre all blackened winners, so I guess it makes sense. Still, it really is a little fucked.
âAidan hates this entire killing game on principle, as he should. If he were in that meeting, he mightâve gotten some joy from shooting down everyoneâs ideas. Doing so would cause their group some trouble, sure, but Aidan is smart enough that heâd inevitably point out some legitimate weak points, too. He might help the killing game do better, so he'd have to be quiet eventually. Thatâd be no fun.â
Thatâs a very funny assessment, and very accurate. Of course Aidan would be good enough at shittalking to accidentally help them lol.
âStill, though, as long as Antonia is there, Vanessa might revert back to her old ways. Under the pressure of her former allies and the perks of victory, she might crack. In that case, Iâm not sure if we could count on her.â
Itâs interesting weâre spending so much time on these hypotheticals, I wonder if theyâre gonna be relevant beyond showing good character reads from Ellis.
âSo then, what am I supposed to do?â
Oh, wait, Ellis is actively planning something. Shit, time to lock in my guy! This is your One Shot(TM)!
âWould the best anti-killing game speech I can muster do anything other than cause people to leave my fanclub? Not that I care about having more supporters than the others, but having people start stanning Mark or Davis instead of me wouldnât really accomplish anything other than getting Ellis-related merch discontinued.â
Hope speeches hurt merch prospects, you heard it here first folks ToT (?)
âI may not have any real powers of luck that I can rely on in troubling times like these. However, that just means that the Ellis Ortiz is someone who can survive to the end of their own merit, their own determination to survive, their own willingness to change. Ellis Ortiz, with all their bumps and bruises, is a person who can exist. A person who exists is someone who can impact reality. I just need to convince the others that they exist, too.â
Oh weâre popping off. Goated internal monologue yet again, it just never misses.
âMark: Yeah. Seems like Iâm more or less recovered to the point I can walk around and whatnot.â
Yay for recovery! :D
âMark: Iâm going to have a check in with the doctor before the coronation, though.â
Yay for responsible recovery! :D
âVanessa: I thought it might be nice if I brought you guys breakfast. Sooo⊠Iâm here!â
Thank you Ness. I love you Ness.
âMark: Basically, you go up on a stage. You wear a crown for a bit, you get your picture taken. They congratulate you on joining the winnersâ panel. Then, thereâs a party with some of the richer people where they ask you a bunch of personal questions that you kind of just have to smile and nod through.â
Bruh. Sounds horrible.
âMark: The party dies down, and you get to go back to your room. Then, you just kind of⊠exist. Get whatever you want, do whatever you want. Watch the killing games, sometimes⊠Ellis: And thatâs it? Mark: Yeah. Thatâs it. All: ⊠Ellis: Wow. Just like the royal family. Aidan stifles a laugh.â
Who the hell could possibly resist? xp
âVanessa: Yeah, but⊠what else can we really do? Itâs basically impossible to convince the VIPs to do anything. We canât really change their minds. Ellis: What if we convinced them all to be in the seventh killing game? Then they could go die.â
Brilliant! I see no issues with this plan!
âAidan: There has to be something we can do. A thing we can sabotage, or a person we can convince, or⊠something. [Evidence Select]â
This might be the last minigame in DROS⊠letâs go VIP Meeting!!!
[Answer: I mean we got that note for a reason, come on]
âEllis: Um⊠Oh, what if we just straight up told them that this was the last killing game? I heard the VIPs talking last night, and they were mad at Antonia for announcing that the killing game ended when it did. They said it was because once they tell the crowd something, they canât take it back. So, if we tell the crowd that there wonât be any killing games anymore, they wonât be able to take it back!â
This is the funniest possible plan I can imagine. Zero notes, this is perfect.
âMark: Iâm not sure if theyâd believe anything any of us said at all. Itâs not as though they think we speak for the VIPs. If we said something, the VIPs could just say we didnât know what we were talking about and get rid of us.â
Unfortunately, logic and reason often conflict with whimsy and joy (_ _///)
âEllis: Maybe youâre right. That specific plan doesnât work. But if we just keep gloomily shooting down every idea, then time will be up, and weâll lose the golden opportunity weâve been given to talk to the crowd as winners. If you donât think that thereâs anything we can do, youâre admitting that thereâs no way to beat these people. But thatâs not true! Weâve already beaten them in some small ways, like keeping Mark alive, or having multiple winners. I take a deep breath. Ellis: You guys are bright, sharp, caring, and amazing people. I trust in all of you to come up with a plan if you give it your all. So you canât give up, and I wonât either. We have to imagine that our goal is possible. We have to have hope that we can actually change things around hereâŠâ
HOPE SPEECH!!!!! You knew it was coming, you knew it was gonna be awesome, and it delivered!!! Yay for hope!!!
âVanessa: Well⊠what if Toni said it?â
Weâre even getting Antonia involved??? What kinda shit could we possibly be cooking???
âVanessa: Maybe we could⊠do⊠somethingâŠ? That makes it less of an economy-killing, all-at-once announcementâŠ? Aidan: What would that even beâŠ? [Hangmanâs Gambit]â
Oh shit, we really are doing halfway trial, huh?
Well⊠shit, I have no idea what this would even be, though. âMake a newâ? Like, âmake a new gameâ? But why wouldnât âgameâ be there? âKill a VIPâ? Unrelated, very extreme, bad idea. âMock a VIPâ, since Antonia mentioned that they wouldnât take that well? Hm⊠Iâm gonna go with âMock a VIPâ as my answer, though I donât quite know if it works in context.
[Answer: Make a Bet] Oh⊠that makes sense! Ooh, thrilling!
âEllis: We could make it a bet. If we win, then the killing games end. That would make them think that they have the power until we take it away from them.â
Always bet on Ellis⊠genuinely really excited to see what they pull here.
âEllis: âŠDo you think they would like it if we participated again? Or would that be bad for business? Vanessa: Theyâd probably like it. Mark and Antonia were both pretty popular this time around as repeat winners. If, like, half the cast were repeat winnersâŠâ
All Stars season⊠thatâs a way to get a crowd excited!
âAidan: At worst, if it got down to us again, we could live it out inside the Resort this time. If the game never ended, thatâd be another way to stop it.â
Donât love the backup plan, but Iâm glad everyoneâs on board. Letâs do it.
âVanessa: Toni will be the one coronating us. All we have to do is challenge her when weâre in front of everyone and on camera. I know sheâll accept.â
The moves are crazy.
âMark: âŠEllis. Youâre the lucky one here. Is it okay if youâre the one making the bet? Ellis: I⊠donât know how lucky I actually am. I glance at Vanessa out of the corner of my eye. Davis: Just because the Resort didnât put much thought into what a Lucky Student is⊠That doesnât mean you arenât, right? Youâve had your whole life before the killing game to prove it. Ellis: If you guys all want me to do it⊠then, yeah, Iâll do it.â
Always bet on Ellis!!! We hit these bets.
âAs opposed to the suit I wore a few days ago, this time, the costuming team picks out a short dress for me to wear. Itâs got long, white sleeves that are cut out at the shoulder and a collar that wraps around my neck. With thoughts of the bet on the horizon, I choose some sandals that hopefully wouldnât be too terrible to run in.â
Iâm interested in what this bet would even look like. I wonder if we can get a Dealer vs Lucky Student situation going, only for Antonia to throw at Vanessaâs request. Iâm kinda spitballing in excitement lol.
âIf I say all of those things to Vanessa, to Antonia, to Aidan and Davis and Mark, and then do nothing, Iâll be just as pathetic as the day I first awoke in the Resort. Itâs time to show not just who I am, but who I want to beâ someone who takes a stand against uncaring organizations like these.â
Letâs. Fucking. Go!!!!
âThe crowd is smaller than the ones we saw after the ending of the killing game. Their energy is different, too. Rather than an excited crowd of superfans, itâs more businesslike. Theyâre surveying us, seeing what weâre made of. Oh, how badly I want to flip them off.â
Interesting. Thatâs⊠probably not helpful, youâd prefer a more energetic crowd, since theyâd be more likely to agree to the bet. I mean, the betâs gonna happen anyways, âcuz storytelling, but still :p
âEllis: Yeah. Antonia, you and I are known for frequenting casinos, right? Antonia: Of course. I grin as confidently I can muster. Ellis: Then, what do you say we have ourselves a bet? Antonia: A bet? Whatever for? Ellis: Why, to herald the end of the killing games, my dear. The air turns tense as all the onlookers stare at me. Antonia: And what would the purpose of that be, darling~?â
I almost forgot how much sexual tension there always was whenever these two spoke. Just kidding, I always remembered it quite well, because I always remembered Antonia pretty well xD
âŠNot the time? Sorry, de-stressing.
âAntonia: A rather cocky proposal, isnât it? Though, I suppose I shouldnât be surprised, given that itâs coming from you~ Ellis: Oh yeah, Iâve got plenty of coâ Aidan: Is it a deal or not?â
Ellis. I guess Iâm not the only one de-stressing with humor xD
âAntonia: âŠI donât see why not. The fate of the killing games versus the fates of our beloved winners. Iâm sure the very thought of it is already getting our audienceâs hearts pumping~ The dissatisfaction is clear on our nearby crowdâs faces, but as Antonia gives them her most charming smile, itâs clear they understand the implication of her words. The viewers at home have accepted the deal as valid.â
Hell yeah. All in baby!
âAntonia: In fact, Iâm sure theyâd love to see what happens in real time. Perhaps the Class Trial Grounds are a more appropriate setting?â
Wow, official! Lovely.
âAntonia: I suppose, once everyoneâs settled in, we should determine exactly what weâre betting on, no? Ellis: Makes sense to me. Antonia: Perhaps something simple would be best. Like, perhaps⊠a card flip?â
Thatâs crazy. I was sorta expecting something a little more involved for the climax, but this works too!
âAntonia: Given the severity of your request, Iâm sure you understand if the Resort feels that even odds are unfair to us. Vanessa: And youâre just saying that nowâŠ? Mark: What odds are you looking at? Do they even need to ask? Antonia: One in 52, naturally. All Ellis will have to do is guess which card lies on top of the deck. Oh, and this is a standard deck, to ease any suspicions.â
Thatâs crazy. One in 52 is horrifying. But still⊠we gotta trust in Ellis, surely.
âAntonia: Sequential guesses would drastically affect the odds. One feels fair enough to me. That way, if you win, no one can say that the odds were stacked in your favor.â
Bro one in 52 followed by one in 51 is not that good, be fr. Come on, Toni, cheat, help them out. You know Ness wants that.
âAntonia: Have a choice in mind? This might as well be text flashing before an execution. What is Antonia going for here? It certainly seems like sheâs going along with our plans, what with how she smiled at the VIPs and suggested that we move to the Arena, where the rest of the crowd could watch.â
Oh shit she actually is helping letâs go!!! Maybe sheâll put a card of significance on top of the deck? I donât really know what thatâd be, though.
âBut on the other hand, what if itâs all a ruse?â
Or she may not, but I choose delusion.
âEllis: Well, Iâd obviously choose you, but thatâll have to wait until after the bet is over~ She laughs. Antonia: Very flattering. Pick a card. Sheâs still shuffling. Interesting.â
Well, Ellis will be Ellis until the end, awesome. Despite everything, itâs still them, huh? And Antonia seems like she wants to stack the deck no matter what, letâs hope it pays off.
âMaybe I should pick the ace of spades, like the single spade on Antoniaâs usual dress. To communicate that I want to work together, I could give her that hint. Would that be too good to be true? Would that be too much of a picture perfect finale? Itâs hard to say. I could pick a card for myself, the king of clubs. Or, should it be the two of hearts? In my past, I was certainly the king at any club I visited. But, in this killing game, Iâve been wearing these heart-shaped sunglasses, two hearts atop my head. Iâve grown close to others, connecting their hearts to mine. Two hearts, together: mine and Markâs, Aidan and Davisâ, Antoniaâs and Vanessaâs. Thatâs right, huh? This choice doesnât come down to me or Antonia on our own. Itâs everything. Everything the killing games have been, and everything they will fail to be. Antonia and I are only sticking the landing on this plan we all came up with together. Therefore, I think thereâs only one choice⊠Ellis: The six of hearts.â
Theyâre calling it the most epic card flip of all time. Holy tension. Come on Toni, stack the deck for us. You know Ellis hits these!!!
âI hold my breath, and draw.â
Heart of the cards baby!!! And probably Antonia stacking the deck but thatâs besides the point!!!
âThe six of hearts. The crowd goes wild.â
Weâre popping the fuck off!!!
âMark: âŠThe killing games are over. Thatâs⊠thatâs the deal we made. Antonia: Of course. Would I really be one to go back on a deal?â
Oh hell yeah. Peak.
âAntonia: I suppose thatâs something that will have to be determined later. As for nowâ Chains spring out from behind Antoniaâs podium, locking around her neck and pulling her away. Vanessa: Toni?! Vanessa rushes to the execution area. We all follow. GAME OVER! Antonia has been found guilty. Time for punishment!â
Nah nah nah get outta here. Antoniaâs not dying, this shitâs not happening, not in the last fucking paragraphs of the story.
âAntonia stands in front of us, behind our execution podiums, each with a gun resting on it. Cameras are pointed on all of us, and the crowd watches with bated breath.â
Okay wait wait, itâs cast decision. Come on, you know Toni lives these. She probably just helped you all, and while no one can say that without invalidating the bet, they have to suspect. Come on, please, Toni has to survive. I canât have her dying again.
âMark: The point of all of this is that people donât need to die for our entertainment. They donât have to die at all. If we have the ability to prevent them from dying, isnât that worth it?â
Thatâs right, good, good, I like these arguments Mark. Just stressful that it takes One Shot(TM) to ruin it.
âŠWeâre really getting a lot of value out of that title now, huh? Peak.
âDavis: Besides, after all of this, shouldnât you careâŠ? Antonia is someone youâve seen a lot of and gotten to know. Wouldnât it⊠upset you, if she died after all of this time? For no reason other than to satisfy some arbitrary ending condition? Aidan: Iâm sure you all have lives, or jobs, or families, or whatever. Is this really the best way to spend your free time? Tuning in to people breaking down until they canât take it anymore and killing each other? Wouldnât it be better to watch⊠I donât know, sports? Cooking shows? Some sort of competition or entertainment thatâs actually sustainableâŠ?â
Thatâs everyone, âcuz Ness is not shooting. I love it, I love the determination, I love the moral backbone, peak peak peak.
âVanessa: âŠThis is the real ending of the killing game. Itâs the beginning of a new era for the Resort, where things will be better. Theyâll be just as âfun,â but more humane. But, we wouldnât be able to make all of these changes without you. So, if youâre all supportive out there⊠Let me hear you, Las Vegas!â
Ultimate Announcer letâs go!!!! We win these!!!
âThe chains on Antonia suddenly unlock, releasing her. Mark, Davis, Aidan, and Vanessa⊠they did it. They took their chances, stood up, and fought for what they believed in. When I faltered, they had my back. Thatâs what weâre meant to do.â
Itâs just so unbelievably peakâŠ
âAntonia: If youâre all so eagerâŠÂ Antonia joins our side, voice a bit scratchy from the near-execution. Antonia: Then, let us hear your cheers for the victors of our sixth and final killing game~! I can hardly hear myself over the applause.â
Woohoo!!!
[One Month Later] Ooh time skip! Nice!
âVanessa: So? What do you guys think? Ellis: I like the substantial cuts to the amount of murder. Not so sure about the logoâs color. Antonia: What a helpful way of phrasing your one complaint⊠Davis: On the whole, I think it sounds good. Are you guys going to be ready to start running it soon? Vanessa: Hopefully! With everything approved, all itâll take is recruiting a cast, and Iâm sure thereâll be plenty of people who will be thrilled to be a part of the new games. They should be fun, and then everyone who always looked up to the people on the TVs can be the people on the TVs.â
And now theyâre running the non-killing games! How⊠the hell did this happen, I have no clue, but itâs so feel-good as an ending that I donât really care xD
âMark: And this time, theyâll actually know theyâre going into a TV show before they go on it. Also a major improvement. Aidan: I wish we could do something to cool it on the betting. People would probably riot if we took that away too, though, so I guess it stays for now.â
Yeah, the first partâs probably also important lol. And I like that theyâre trying to cut back on the Casino aspect too, would feel kinda weird for them to be okay with people ruining their lives over these games by betting still lmao.
âIâve spent most of my time this past month (when Iâm feeling strong enough to go out and do something) trying to interact with the people of this stronghold and survey their opinions. Itâs interesting talking to them from the perspective of, in their eyes, a celebrity: even when I had a lot of money before, I didnât necessarily hold peopleâs attention. Opinions differ between those who are still more unsure about disrupting the economy like this and those who admit they were never comfortable with the idea of profiting off of death in the first place.â
Cool world building! You can tell itâs post-Makoto-Naegi because some people werenât okay with the murder :v
âMark has steadily regained some of their college memories and is leading efforts within the Resort to increase its sustainability and its output. Itâs slow going, but once they start making progress, itâs sure to help a lot of people.â
Yay Mark!
âAidan: Other strongholds are starting to hear about the end of the killing games, too. Some of them seem to think it means that we have less bargaining power or something, but weâre making sure that, other than removing the killing games, nothingâs changing too much. Smaller steps. Aidan has found a role helping Antonia out with the operation of the stronghold, pointing out any potential flaws in upcoming plans or telling off other greedy stronghold runners. Itâs not a traditional job by any means, but thatâs probably part of what Aidan likes about it.â
Yay Aidan! Man, who knew a killing game could help one find their calling in life lmao.
âAntonia: Thereâs only so much he can get caught up doing. Considering I already organized plenty of regular trade and management systems, our stronghold is close to being able to function on its own. All we have to do is adjust it for any relevant changes and field any unexpected results.â
âOf course heâs not overworking himself, Iâm so good he canât even find shit to doâ. I love you Antonia. Iâm so glad you survived you have no idea. As promised, every time Iâve called venus evil is officially retracted. This, too, is character development lol.
âDavis has been focusing on returning education to the stronghold. At the outset of the Tragedy, itâs something that fell off of peopleâs radars, but with enough safe space to operate, Davis is working to reinstate it. He believes that if the post-Tragedy future is going to be determined by the youth of today, we shouldnât neglect them because there are seemingly more pressing matters.â
Yay Davis!âŠ? Not what I expected him to do, to be fair, but itâs a very respectable goal. I wonder if his FTEs would have included anything about thisâŠ
âEllis: Well. I wonder who your lucky students will be~â
Pfft-
âAidan: Yeah⊠I hope that the school we create will be a place where they feel safe to just⊠grow up. Be kids. All that stupid stuff.â
Awww :)
âAfter weâre done with our various jobs for the day, we head home. Tonight, we have a stocked fridge, and I get to cooking. Weirdly enough, Iâve turned into the accidental caretaker of our little four person apartment. After enough times yelling at Aidan to do his laundry and shoving Mark into bed to sleep, it kind of fell upon me. Itâs nice, though. I never wouldâve thought Iâd enjoy doing work for other people. I didnât stick around long enough with my own family to see that play through. Luckily enough, Iâve been given a second chance.â
Wow, I would not have expected that! But it makes enough sense, Ellis has always been pretty nice behind all that bravado she used to hide under.
âWith a bit more time to relax, Mark has been recovering well. Although theyâll probably never escape the title of the Ultimate Amnesiac, theyâve been recovering some of their memories across all periods of their life.â
Hell yeah! Go Mark!
âAlthough Aidan and Davis are no longer handcuffed together, they certainly still act like it sometimes. They started officially dating quickly after the killing game ended, and moved into the same room not long after that. Their new jobs do take them apart from each other sometimes, what with Aidan working in management and Davis establishing a new school system, but they still try to see each other as much as possible.â
Everyone, yaoi has won B)
âAntonia and Vanessa have really thrown themselves into their work. Some of it might be penance for their previous employment, but I think most of it is genuine excitement for being able to pursue their passions on their own terms. Antoniaâs cool, calculated head and Vanessaâs bubbly people skills synthesize perfectly to gather the people and resources required to run a large-scale project. Iâm sure that their new game show project will be a huge success.â
Yay! Even the criminals against humanity get a happy ending! :D That sounds sarcastic when I say it, but I mean it, I love these two.
âSomeday, I think the good theyâve caused will outweigh the bad. That day hasnât come yet, but continuing to knock them down when theyâre trying to build up something good wonât get us anywhere.â
Yeah, thatâs a good attitude to have. They did horrible things, but punishing them further will help no one. The Milgram inno sweep mindset, Iâm familiar. Since, you know, I agree with it.
âI went through hell and lived to tell the tale. Does that make me some kind of angel? Nah, probably just a sinner trying to build his wings from scratch.â
Hell yeah. Go Ellis!
âSince I still have you here, I gotta tell you an answer from a long time ago: no, I didnât deserve it.â
Oh yeah! I⊠vaguely remember that. I love a good bookend!
âSince I still have you here, I gotta tell you an answer from a long time ago: no, I didnât deserve it. I didnât deserve any of what came to me. Sure, maybe I deserved it more than some people out there, but nobody deserves this. Needless suffering wonât actually make any changes in the world. You donât have to stab yourself in the chest to be a bleeding heart. You donât need to cope before you care. Iâm taking it easy in my life, and taking it easy on myself. Wherever you are, I hope you can do the same. You donât need a lucky break to make a breakthrough.â
Holy peak. Peak monologue. Peak ending. Peak story. Peak fangan. Just⊠round of applause, itâs so good!!! Danganronpa One Shot is so awesome!!!
-
What a fucking chapter, man. Just peak all around. DROS has been an amazing journey, and Iâve enjoyed it immensely! The characters were all awesome, specific shoutout to my favorites of Ellis, Aidan, Antonia, Mark⊠etc! The cases were fun, the ending was satisfying, just a very good fangan all around! Iâll be patiently awaiting the next entry in the av-multifangan account, which supposedly isnât even that far away now!
And of course, my reaction series can only end in one way. The climax of the prediction game!
When we left off in CH5, we had: me and sewersleuth with 31, Jonas with 30, and accirax with 23. But before we get to the survivor point assignment, weâre gonna need a recount. With CH6 done, we can look at the special rules added for the events of the game. As per the official rules:
-Antonia can count as either CH1 killer or MM, depending on what is better for the board. Vanessa is NOT a valid MM guess.
-Mark is a Survivor officially, but can count as victim because of their little stunt this chapter.
-Harper and Noah are CH5 victims. Impossible to get a perfect score lmao.
I had already counted Harper and Noah as CH5 victims, so thatâs fine, but the Antonia score needs reevaluation. We all thought sheâd die late, so itâs better to count her as mm for all our boards. That means that while sleuth and I originally got 4 chapter points by guessing her as a CH5 killer, but by counting her as mm, we only get one chapter points from her. Thatâs 3 points of our score! Similarly, accirax had her down as CH5 victim. So while she still takes the role points, she also goes down 3 chapter points! Finally, Jonas had her down as CH4 killer, which was 3 chapter points, and the new mm count is only 2 chapter points. So Jonasâ score goes down by one!
You might think that means we can just subtract the right points from people straight from the score I mentioned, but, uh, I may have made an oopsie? For some reason, even accounting for the Antonia thing, I actually counted three less points for Jonas, sleuth and myself than I should have? Donât know how that happened, but then again, this count was done over several posts over the course of an entire year, so Iâm not surprised I screwed up somewhere lol. On a proper recount, the score is: 20 for accirax, 31 for sewersleuth and myself, and 32 for Jonas!
With that, now we get to the big event. Survivor counting time!
We all had Ellis down as a survivor, because the rules of the game told us to lmao. Naturally, zero points here. Only guess we all agreed on, too!
We did get close to agreeing on Vanessa though, albeit for the worse. Accirax, Jonas and I all guessed sheâd die first. Thatâs max points for us: 5 chapter points and 2 roles points for a total of 7, leaving me with 38, accirax with 27, and Jonas with 39. Sewersleuth, meanwhile, nails the prediction with Ness as a survivor guess, so they keep the 28!
But sleuth shouldnât get too cocky, now, because they missed a prediction that accirax, Jonas and I all correctly agreed on. We all had Mark as a survivor, while sleuth went with CH3 killer for him. Not even the special rules can save this guess; itâs 3 chapter points and 2 chapter points for sleuth. 5 isnât as bad as 7, but it still gets sleuth up to 36.
You know who can get cocky, though? Accirax, because she actually guessed both Aidan and Davis as survivors. Perfect score in both of them, and accirax pulls off the massive feat of guessing 4/6 survivors. Her final score is 27, and sheâs already won! Weâre just competing for silver now, damn. Is this the result of knowing venusâ writing style more than us? Or is she simply the GOAT???
As for the rest of us mortals: I had Aidan down as a CH4 killer, which is 2 chapter and 2 role points, and Davis as a CH3 victim, so 3 chapter and 2 role points. Thatâs 9 more points, for a final score of 47!
Jonas had Davis as a CH5 killer (which was almost right lmao, thanks Jeff), which is 1 chapter points and 2 role points. Thatâs better than either of my guesses for the yaoi duo, but Jonas also had Aidan as a CH1 killer. Thatâs another case of the maximum 7 points, which combined with the 3 points from Davis, brings Jonas up to 49!
Finally, sleuth had Aidan as a CH5 victim and Davis as a CH4 victims. Thatâs 2 role points for each, and 1 and 2 chapter points respectively! Thatâs a total of 7 for these two, and sleuth ends up with 43 points!
(Note: in an ask to av-multifangan, sleuth counted their score as 45, but thatâs because they gave themselves 2 points for Graceâs role. However, sleuth guessed her as the mm, and she was a killer. According to accirax in a comment from back in my CH2 part 7 predictions, mm counts as a killer guess. That means they counted two more points than they should have, thus, 43 is the real count :p)
The final standings are:
Jonas in last place with 49! Solid effort, though, congrats on the sub-50!
I was in third place with 47! Thatâs quite alright if you ask me, Iâm awful at these things. In fact, I was the last person to get a prediction with 0 chapter points. Jonas was the first with Grace as a CH2 death (though he got role points from that), then sleuth and accirax with Vivi and Kennedy as CH3 deaths, respectively, and those were actually perfect guesses. My only 0 chapter point guesses were Ellis and Mark, lmao.
Sewersleuth takes silver with 43! Our boards were extremely similar, with 7 out of 16 guesses being exactly the same, but ultimately, sleuthâs proved superior!
And finally, accirax absolutely runs away with the competition! More than 10 points away from everyone else, an entire 20 points from me and Jonas, she gets a decisive victory! Considering how long she spent as the last place early in the killing game due to an unfortunate Cass guess, thatâs quite a surprise!
Here, have a graph showing how the competition went! (In case it's not easy to see, I'm purple and Jonas is blue, sorry if you're colorblind lmao)
It was a pleasure competing with you all, especially with the peak literature attached to the game. See you all in the next av-multifangan entry, and take care!
Now Announcing...
Our new fangan, Danganronpa: One Shot!
Prologue releasing Friday, November 8th at 2 PM PST!
As we've vaguely mentioned before, we (Accirax and Venus) have written a lot of fangans for fun. We're now posting one of those fangans online for the first time! Venus wrote the characters and the mysteries, while Accirax wrote the protagonist and solved them. For a more detailed explanation, please check our About Page and FAQ!
The prologue will be posted on Tumblr as a Google Docs link, as that's the format the fangans will exist in. There will also be a Google Slides e-Handbook to accompany every installation. We will announce further posting schedules as we figure out the pace at which we want to post the chapters.
Our ask box is currently open, so please send in any questions you have about the format, any non-spoiler questions about the fangan itself, or just general thoughts/excitement! We're super excited to share this all with you, so if you're unsure about whether or not to send something in, send it. We want to see it!
Following the prologue, we'll be hosting a character Q&A, as well as allowing for voting on bonus content between the characters. We also may post polls to determine what our future posting schedule will look like, so please keep an eye out for those!
And finally, here's a version of the poster with the characters' pronouns if you want to discuss them!
As well as an easier-to-see picture of our header :)
Have fun, and we look forward to letting you meet the characters on November 8th!
Character Quiz: Which DR: One Shot Character Are You?
Hello everyone! I made this character quiz a while ago and wanted to share it with you. Answer 25 questions to figure out which DROS character I think you're most like!
Take a fun personality quiz to figure out which Danganronpa: One Shot character you're most like! (If you haven't yet, check out the fangan
As with all personality quizzes, the answers might not fit you perfectly. That's true for the characters too! I made these questions to span, like, four fangans' worth of people, so they aren't perfectly optimized for the One Shot people either. Just give your best shot in answering, and hopefully the answers will take you to the right answer!
If anyone is willing to share their results, I'd love to know what you all get :D
And, if you're still here reading, I want to say: thank you for reading One Shot! This is our last planned piece of post-game bonus content (although it's possible more will release later, especially in combination with future fangans' content), but don't go anywhere, because there might be something cool coming up soon! Hm, this is being posted on a Sunday... I wonder what might happen a couple Sundays from now...
DROS CH4 Parts 3 to 7 + Bonus Scenes First Impressions
We're so incredibly back. Iâve decided to condense my reactions per chapter so as to not fill my blog with DROS, because Iâm very happy to be back! Itâs ending soon as of me writing this {and actually has ended as of me posting it}, so Iâve got some catching up to do! Letâs go!
CWs: Daily Life, Deadly Life, Bonus Scenes.
Btw this first part was actually written before I fell behind, so DROS was a bit fresher on my mind.
"...I decide to head to the Nightclub to clear my head. Yeah, yeah. It may not make sense on paper, but I donât want to risk going all emo mode by meditating or whatever instead." The image of emo Ellis is pretty funny lol.
[Aidan FTE 3 Start] Yay!!!
"Ellis: Lightning never strikes the same place twice, but thankfully, I do.
Aidan: Oh. Youâre here.
Ellis: Just like in your dreams~" Good to see Ellis is flirting again, probably a good indication his mood has improved a fair bit since CH4 Part 1!
"Aidan: Itâs not like I really do much of anything outside of the Resort, either." I kinda figured, but I'm still interested in what the guy actually does.
"Aidan: Uh⊠wake up, eat breakfast. Go walk, or look around, or drive to nowhere or something. Go see some city or town where nothing ever happens, because nothing actually happens anywhere. At some point thereâs lunch and dinner, and⊠I donât know. This is what Iâm saying. Itâs not like I had hobbies, or talked to people or anything." Does he have, like, a job? How does he do all this? What?
"Ellis: But, if you didnât enjoy it at least a little, and you werenât forced to do it, why would you do it?
Aidan: I donât know. It wasnât nothing, I guess. If youâre going to do nothing by yourself, itâs nice if thereâs at least something to look at." What is up with this dude? I mean, we've always kinda known he didn't care about anything, but seeing the full extent of how empty his life seems to be is still kinda depressing.
"Ellis: Yâknow, the party life! Or, you could be all artsy and visit landmarks and museums and stuff. You could get a job, if thatâs more your speed? Actually, wait, were you not in school or employed before you were thrown into this killing game?
He shrugs.
Aidan: âTaking a gap yearâ was a good enough excuse for my parents. I didnât intend on actually going to study anywhere, though." Well, that explains a few things at least. LORE!!!
"Ellis: If you didnât know what you were gonna do, couldnât you have spent your time figuring it out? You could search the world for whatever your passion turned out to be.
Aidan: Itâs not like I didnât try. I just⊠came up empty, I guess." Yeah. Extremely depressing.
"Ellis: Thatâs⊠unfortunate. But, hey, youâre the Ultimate Contrarian, right? Couldnât you do something with that? Like, you could be a lawyer, or a critic, or a director, or something!
Aidan: Maybe, I guess. Iâll⊠put some thought into it or something." Well, that's something at least! Maybe.
"Why was he thanking me, though? Sure, I gave him a bunch of options, but I donât think he liked any of them. If a super attractive, cool, and dazzling person came up to you and gave you a pile of trash, you wouldnât have to thank them for giving you that garbage.
âŠDoes that mean that Aidan is just thanking me for being a super attractive, cool, and dazzling person? That seems unlikely." [FTE End] Yeah, he's probably thanking Ellis for trying, if I had to guess. Given Aidan is starting to see the value in giving a shit about things, seeing Ellis actually give a shit probably helps? Maybe? Yeah Aidan continues to be a little confusing xp
"Harper: Aidan, am I correct in assuming that you and Davis have made up?
Aidan: Uh, yeah, I guess? Why?
Harper: Oh, well, I was justâŠ
Harper rubs ver wrist.
Harper: I was wondering what all you did to mend your relationship. Thatâs all." Poor Harper has no idea what to do about Noah, as usual. Let's hope ve gets some ideas soon!
"Aidan: I mean, you saw it. I apologized, he apologized for some reason, and that was that.Â
Ellis: Truly, you have a destiny as a self-help author.
Aidan: Definitely. Thanks for the tip." Pfft. Sarcastic Aidan's fun.
"Harper: I told him that I donât mind anything that happened with Kennedy and Paris, but he still feels⊠distant. Iâm not sure heâs forgiven himself for it." Yeah... Especially considering prior baggage between Harper and Noah, this is a pretty complicated situation.
"Aidan: My advice, though? Just talk to him. Say whatever it is you want to say directly without worrying about how heâll interpret it or what heâll think afterwards or whatever. If you tell him directly, itâs hard for him to misinterpret." Hey, Ellis might have had something with the self help idea, this is actually surprisingly good advice from Aidan of all people! Then again, for as little experience as he seems to have with actually talking to people, he is a smart and straightforward person, so it probably shouldn't be too surprising.
"I could always use some more bling. And, itâs free! Not that I couldnât pay for it myself. (Unlike Paris, hahaâ)" Bro??? I get she's public enemy number one rn, but why is aris catching strays even in internal monologue??? xD
"Nothing murder-y could be happening in the Bar, right? Itâs a safe zone!" All due respects, given the alcohol involved, I would actually classify the bar as one of less safe zones, but you do you Ellis :p
"Donning my luckiest look, I peek inside to see whatâs going on: Noah, sipping a drink! Nothing murder-y, indeed. Wait, when did he get out of the Cellar?!" Yeah what? Noah's not about to catch any mm or traitor allegations, right?
"He turns to me with a smile. Now that Iâm closer, though, I notice his hands are shaking pretty badly.Â
Ellis: Uh⊠how long have you been here?
Noah: Not long. I just got out, like, a few minutes agoâŠ" So probably nothing sinister, but my guy is still looking remarkably awful. Uh, hope this doesn't go too badly?
"And he headed straight to the Bar? On one hand, ayyyyyyyy [...]" Bruh xD
"Ellis: Were you⊠able to tell who was next in line?
Noah: No. Youâre the first person Iâve seen since getting out. Though, they put me in the Cellar early morning rather than, like, now. More⊠morning announcement-ish." Well, good to get some kind of time frame on when the motive victim switches, and info on whether or not they're made aware of who goes in after them.
"Through further conversation, I get the sense that he isnât that shaken up about the experience of confinement itself, unless heâs a better liar than I thought." Wait, then what is up with him? Curious...
"Oh. Ohhhhhh.
Man, I guess there would be some drawbacks to doing keggers since you were 10." Is it embarrassing if I had to look up what "doing keggers" meant? I imagine it's well established in this account that I'm a massive nerd, so probably not that bad. However, this is still an interesting and very worrying conclusion Ellis reached, let's see if she's right about it!
"Itâd be super hypocritical of me to suddenly be the drink police, but I also donât want to feed into Noahâs alcoholism. Then again, is a killing game really the best time to go stone cold sober? Even if Noah tried to quit now, thereâs a decent possibility that he wouldnât live long enough to reap the benefits. Then again, thatâs the same kind of logic addicts can use to convince themselves not to seek help. My grandfather said the exact same with his blackened lungs when he was on his deathbed." YIKES. Yeah, addictions are rough in general, and killing games have a thing for making rough issues even worse.
"Was the winner of the fourth game placed into the fifth? Could it have been Markâs friend, the Lucky Student, who eventually gave up her life for his? Did she regret not saving her closest ally in the fourth game?
If Mark and I were the last two left, and they gave up their life for mine, and I was then put into a seventh killing game, and made it to the end⊠would I do the same?
The other Lucky Student didnât die without her own interference. Could I really be okay, watching my competitors get steamrolled over, and over, and over again?
Some luck, huh." Wow we're just going down a hell of a spiral, huh? That's a very depressing hypothetical, damn.
"Noahâs rejoined us, but Paris is gone. It could be because sheâs decided not to eat with us anymore, but given that everyone else shows up, it seems sheâs in the Cellar." Alright, new victim! Man, we're running through these days, huh?
"Harper: If itâs alright, I was hoping we could talk sometime later.
Noah: Talk? About what?
Harper: I just⊠wanted to check in with you, about the last week or so. Itâs been a while." Go Harper! Sanest person in the cast strikes again, actually taking advice and talking through ver issues!
"It almost sounds like a teacher telling a student to stay behind after class⊠not that that ever happened to me. Eheh." I can't actually tell if Ellis is being sarcastic and this has happened, or if they were actually a somewhat responsible student, given they used to be a very different person than what they are now.
[People Discuss Options] I always love it when people talk about their options in stories :D
"Once again, my genius goes unappreciated. That, or Iâm just being wildly unhelpful. How am I meant to figure out which is the truth, again?" The everlasting Ellis question, isn't it?
"Just as Iâm starting to run the water and take off my jacket, I hear a knock at the door. I turn the faucet off (no need to waste water) and see whoâs outside. Itâs Aidan! Itâs Aidan?" A fair reaction, especially seeing this is the start of an FTE. Usually the protagonist is the one visiting the person they want to spend the FTE with, no? Is this Aidan!RealProtagonist evidence???
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Putting a divider here because this is where I left off when I dropped off the face of the earth, as Iâve been known to do lol. If my memory of smaller details becomes suddenly horrendous, uh, this is why!
That said, and Aidan FTE is just the kinda thing you love to see when youâre getting back into reading a fangan!
âAidan enters my room and sits on the couch upside down with his feet in the air, dangling over the back.â
Guyâs such a contrarian he sits the wrong way round, you love to see it x) Also wow new format for my reactions :O
âEllis: Iâd offer you a glass of water, but I canât imagine itâd be easy to take a sip in that position.â
Pfft-
âEllis: âŠâHey, Hoâ sounds wrong. He lets out a short laugh.â
It is a very funny surname lol. Good to see Aidan hasnât gotten tired of jokes about it by now :p
âEllis: I donât do job interviews. Iâm too pretty.â
Yeah Iâve missed this.
ââŠI looked down the road I lived on. That day, it seemed to go on, straight and empty, for ever and ever and ever. I didnât know where it led, but I knew I was headed there. Until⊠a certain âstroke of luckâ came my way.â
âŠPoetic. I guess Ellis wanted to leave her old life, which isnât really news, but this is still pretty flowery imagery. Wonder whatâs up with that.
âEllis: Concrete. Chipping paint. A free cup of coffee from your office job that isnât totally full âcause you got the last cold part of the pot. Mail with a little rust on it from the inside of the mailbox. Thatâs what I was gonna be doing.â
We are very poetic today, I like it! Yeah this tracks.
âEllis: âŠThe people I wanted in it were the people who told me that there were achievable things out there. Even though I knew there werenât.â
Holy lore Batman! Who are we talking about, Ellis?
âEllis: âŠI think itâs so nice, it makes me mean. Aidan: Really? I look down at the floor. Ellis: You saw it in this very conversation. Aidan: In what way? Ellis: As soon as I started talking about it, you got upset with me. Makes sense, âcause I was upset with myself, too.â
Ouchie. Itâs an interesting perspective about it, at least.
âEllis: Who wouldnât? You get it. You didnât want to be concrete, either. Aidan: No, I didnât. And I didnât have anyone I wanted in my future, or anything I wanted to do, or any plans either. I guess what I mean is⊠He glances away. Aidan: You donât have to cover it up with me. I get it.â
Aw, Aidanâs nice :) And kinda awkward about being nice but itâs cool :))
âMan, why do I keep spilling my soul to every spiky-haired, 5â8â nonbinary he/him user who comes my way? Is that my type now?â
Wait let me check something⊠Alright yeah this is funny.
[FTE End] Funnily enough this felt more like an Ellis FTE than anything, but it was still very cool!
âDavis: Are you [Noah] avoiding Harper? Ve was asking if weâd seen you around a bit ago.â
Yeah, yeah⊠Itâs not going great with those two.
âNoah: Sorry, I just, whatever thingâs going on with you is distracting me⊠Davis: âThingâ? Noah: Yâknow, the wholeâŠÂ He huffs. Noah: Iâm straight, so itâs, like, a weird feeling, yâknow? Davis: What do you meanâŠ? Ellis: Wait, are you saying that youâre attracted to Davis?Ohoho, things are getting interesting. Noah: Isnât everyone? Thatâs, like, your whole thing, right? Ellis: Robert wasnât. Noah: âŠOh. Haha. Hahaha.â
Okay, blatant topic change aside, meeting the Ultimate Mr-Steal-Your-Girl is possibly the funniest way to figure something like this out lol.
âNoah: Yeah⊠yeah, itâs⊠thatâs⊠thatâs totally cool. Iâm fine. Everythingâs fine.â
Though, to be fair to the guy, thereâs probably better places to figure it out than in the middle of a killing game :p
âNoah: âŠDadâs gonna kill meâŠâ
Yeah that was the other thing I was worried about. Uh⊠well on the bright side this will only be a problem if Noahâs a survivor and his father lived through the Tragedy! ⊠Which is not a very bright bright side, but itâs there.
âDavis reached out to reassure Noah, but he flinches away from him, throwing himself backwardsâ And over the railing.â
The way my eyebrows escaped the atmosphere. Are we good?!?!
âUpon closer inspection, Noah seems to be out cold on top of a crushed bed of flowers. Unconscious, but, definitely, thankfully, still alive.â
He better fucking be!
âWe need to take him to the Infirmary. If only Vivi were still here⊠sheâd know what to do.â
Donât⊠fucking remind me about her, Iâm still sad :,(
âHarper: What happened? I only heard the yelling, and⊠Davis: âŠÂ Is it really my place to be the one describing this? Still though, I donât want to leave Harper totally hanging. If nobody says anything, people might start misinterpreting the situation as a murder attempt by Davis, which would not be good. Iâm kinda glad Paris isnât around to see thisâŠâ
Itâs very awkward, this situation is.
âEllis: Iâm sure youâre, um⊠aware of some⊠stereotypes, surrounding frat boys. Noah ran into an⊠internalized bias due to Davisâ talent that made him act⊠erraticallyâŠ?â
That is actually a pretty diplomatic way of putting that, good job Ellis!
âEllis: Right, like Mr. Near-Resurrection via Stitches is gonna make things worse. Davis: âŠIf theyâre both my fault in the first placeâŠâ
That's a funny title, and donât say that Davis youâre making me Sad.
âEllis: That youâre an absolute benefit to have around, especially given that neither instance was your fault? This killing game is making people loopy. Thus, unless youâre the one who started the killing game, then itâs not your fault that the people around you are doing wack-ass things.â
It is a turbulent day when Ellis Fucking Ortiz is forced to be the voice of reasonâŠ
âDavis and I walk out of the Infirmary, and from the looks of it, he wants some space away from everyone, not just Noah. He heads back upstairs, while I, without any other ideas of what to do, continue on my path outside.â
Itâs really funny to imagine this whole fiasco as basically a minor pit stop in the oh so grand plan of âgoing outsideâ lol.
âIt really sucks for him that so many of his deep-seated issues are coming to life in this killing game, of all places. Itâs a terrible way to go through any kind of self-improvement journey. And yet, it seems to kinda be forcing that narrative at the same time. Whatâs up with that?â
Wow wow wow Ellis, calm down with the meta comments or Iâm gonna have to call the fourth wall police on you. That said, it seems the habit of Ellis and I saying the same things has stuck, what with the killing game environment comment and all!
âTaylor: Honestly, itâs been⊠pretty good. Itâs kinda nice not having Paris here.â
Damn. Beefâs kinda legendary. Wonder which of the two is dying this chapter (?).
âJeff: Yeah, itâs pretty nice. I guess itâs new to you, but cutting off people who are weighing you down is a great feeling.â
Yeah, you would say that, wouldnât you?
âTaylor: Itâd be kinda nice, though. To just⊠leave everything behind and start over. Vanessa: Like, here? Or at home? Taylor: I dunno. Itâs just an idea, I havenât actually thought about it. It just sounds⊠freeing, I guess.â
Jeff youâre corrupting them.
âFree, other than that youâre always shackled to yourself.â
Ah, thereâs the poetics again! Was wondering where theyâd gone.
âTaylor: I dunno. I would probably want to finish school first, so that I could have a job and everything, but just having a nice little house somewhere and making tea and reading books would be⊠nice.â
Nice dream Taylor :D
âJeff: âŠIf youâre actually, genuinely considering it⊠you should think about it first. Be sure you donât want whatever youâre leaving behind. Itâs harder to go back than it is to leave. Oof, definitely sounds like thereâs some history there.â
Yeah what? Is that lore I smell?
âTaylor: âŠFor now, I guess Iâll just focus on the here and now. And breaking off from⊠whatever was going on with me and Paris. But⊠maybe someday.â
Yeah you know when you say that the death flags youâre waving are a little harder to ignore.
âNoah: Thanks for helping, though, and⊠making sure I was okay and all that. Ellis: Hey, no problem. We gotta help each other out when weâre struggling, yâknow?â
Nice Ellis :)
âEllis: âŠItâs a nice quilt. I point at the blanket. A small smile returns to his face. Noah: Yeah. Harperâs⊠really amazing like that. Ellis: Iâm glad it wound up coming in handy. That seems like something thatâd make ver happy. Noah: Yeah, probably.â
Nice Harper :)
âNoah: Iâm surprised ve hasnât given up on me yet. Well, not surprised, because I know ver. But⊠ve probably shouldâve. I start to laugh, then I catch myself. Ellis: Sorry. Not funny. Itâs just⊠Iâve heard that kinda sentiment, like, a zillion times this past week.â
It is an oddly recurring sentiment. Itâs almost like the narrative is designed to make the main character stop giving up on themselves!
âEllis: You think youâre weak?Noah: âŠÂ He wonât meet my eyes.â
Man we are Exploring Noahâs character today! Thatâs an almost bigger death flags than the ones Taylor was waving!
âEllis: Although, if you need me to play damsel in distress for you, I wouldnât be opposed to that arrangement. Wait. Shit. Maybe now is not the best time to joke about Noah theoretically being attracted to me. Ellis: I could, like, fail to do something on purpose, and you could come by and be super strong and save the day! I could, like⊠use a hose incorrectly? Or, uh⊠start a grease fireâŠ?â
Theyâre calling Ellis the Monarch of BacktrackingâŠ
âThat turned out better than I expected, to be honest! Like, not that I thought Noah was gonna hate crime me or anything, but⊠I dunno, maybe Iâm just afraid of situations where I have to be the bigger person. Emotionally, anyways. Everyone knows I have a hugeâ Room. When I enter my room, I take a moment to appreciate how big it is.â
AYO?! You canât just hit me with genuine self-reflection, then go to innuendo a line later! ⊠Who am I kidding this is Ellis weâre talking about, of course he can.
â
What a nice little part we got here! Lots of Noah, lots of Aidan, lots of Ellis of course, what else could you ask for? The Mad Duo being alive again? Haha! Donât remind me :(
Onto the next one!
Part 4
âInstead, it seems like Parisâ former bestie is the one whoâs missing.â
Well, poor Taylor.
âParis: What did you all say about me?! Ellis: Uh⊠what do you mean? And when? Paris: I know you were all talking about me while I was gone! Donât pretend like you didnât.â
Yo are we good??? I guess this is what being deprived of gossip for a day does to a woman.
âAidan: If it makes you feel better, none of us really cared that you were gone.â
Bruh.
âJeff: If you want the answer so much, the only one who even mentioned you was Taylor. Paris: âŠTay?â
Ooh⊠Iâm turning into a Paris kinnie I wanna see this drama.
âJeff: Fine. They said it was nice without you around.â
Yikes. Just out and say it, huh?
âParis: âŠMhm. Thanks for telling me~â
Oh I do NOT like that squiggly line. I doubt sheâs planning murder, because sheâd be the prime suspect like immediately, but thereâs still other ways Paris could hurt Taylor and Iâm Worried.
âThankfully, I easily find Aidan in the Upper Common Room of all places. Why the hell is he here? Shouldnât he be on the lower floor, âcause he livesâ Man. Have I really learned nothing about the Ultimate Contrarian?â [Aidan FTE Start]
Yay final Aidan FTE! Also itâs immensely funny to me that the guy walks up the stairs just to live up to his talent, you gotta love the commitment to the bit.
âAidan: âŠThe fact that youâre one of the people whoâs sometimes up here isnât so bad either, I guess.â
YOOO! Friendship!!!!
âAidan: Itâs⊠probably for the best if I learn to be a little less contrary, anyways.â
Ooh, interesting!
âAidan: I could have a future. The kind most people want. But I just⊠donât. Ellis: You donât want it, you mean? Aidan: I donât. I donât want the kind of life a normal, upstanding citizen does. I donât want what my parents wanted for me. I just⊠donât want anything, a lot of the time.â
This explains a couple things. Itâs also nice to see how this parallels characters like Davis, who also has something youâd think most people would love with his whole âeveryone wants meâ schtick yet isnât too happy about it; and of course Ellis to an extent, which is being explored here. Fun!
âAidan: My family and the community I grew up in were always⊠traditional. And they didnât like anyone or anything that didnât fall in line with that tradition. So, from very early on, it was always, âmake sure you go to churchâ; âyou have to wear your school uniformâ; âdonât question what we tell you.â It was awful.â
Ah, classic. Always fun to see one of these ârebels born from stifling environmentsâ characters.
âEllis: Sounds like it. Even if⊠No, maybe I should say this part out loud.â
You know for a character whoâs always been pretty verbose in her inner monologues, Ellis has been pretty damn cryptic as of late. What did you want to say?!?! Please tell me!!!
âAidan: I couldâve been âhappy,â in whatever traditional sense there is. But Iâm not. Ellis: Yeah, that sucks. Iâd say, âat least youâre here now,â but, uh⊠our current situation isnât exactly the place in which most people want to be. Aidan: âŠIs it bad if itâs almost better, in some ways?â
Iâd say itâs troubling, yeah. How fucking horrible does your home life have to be to even consider a killing game an improvement in some areas? Poor Aidan :(
âAidan: Itâs⊠weird. I donât know why this is happening now, but, being here⊠For the first time, I sort of⊠Aidan looks away from me. Aidan: âŠThere are finally some people that I could actually⊠maybe, want in my future. Assuming I have one, which I shouldnât. âŠEveryone keeps saying that to me.â
They do yeah. Not only do I hope that itâs good for Ellisâ self respect that people actually like them, Iâm also very glad Aidanâs saying this in an FTE because otherwise it would be the biggest death flag yet. That aside, yay for character development! Because I assume Aidan is not just talking about Ellis, but also Davis! I⊠honestly forgot where their relationship was last I left off, maybe I should backtrack and check exactly what they had going on.
âEllis: You⊠donât want me around. People donât seem to realize it, but⊠they shouldnât. IâŠâ
Ellis no⊠Maybe we can get some character development out of this, hold on.
âEllis: You deserve a future, Aidan, whichever one you decide to make for yourself. The one where you travel places because you want to see how they live in those parts of the world, and wake up just to see how the sun rises over the horizon on that particular day, and order all the weird, mismatched fashion you could ever want online. I wanted to take that away from you. Just for me. Just âcause I wanted all those stupid, materialistic things that you see no meaning in. How could you not hate meâŠ?!â
Aside from Aidanâs fashion choices catching the wildest stray in history, it really seems like the guilt about how Ellis was thinking about the killing game earlier on is finally catching up to him, huh? Crazy.
âA few teardrops roll down his cheeks.â
Holy shit, Aidanâs even more emotionally invested than I thought!
âEllis: I already made up my mind that I donât want to win anymore. Still, whenever I do anything related to that realization, people laud me as some hero. I⊠My entire life was already built on people thinking Iâm great because of something I didnât even do. You saw what that did to me. So, I wonât let that happen again. Iâm just trying to be honest, for once.â
Fascinating character detail. Ellisâ past factors into her current sort of imposter syndrome, to the point where she thinks literally everything about her that people genuinely appreciate must be their mistake. I fucking love that so much!
âAidan: Ellis, Iâm not an idiot. Itâs not like I thought you were looking out for anyoneâs wellbeing before. Youâre not some master manipulator.â
This is the funniest counterargument possible. âI was being dishonest - Well you werenât good at it anyways!â lol
âAidan: Iâm telling you right now, I donât care. The more you try to convince me otherwise the more sure Iâm going to be.â
You really should have seen that one coming, Ellis.
âEllis: âŠFuck you. Thereâs an argument to be had against that statement, but you know Iâm not smart enough to figure out what it is fast enough to respond to you in a timely fashion.â
This is also just great. Ellis you are a fangan protag debating is supposed to be, like, your thing.
âAidan: You can be a good person or not. I donât really care. What I do is up to me. And, right now, Iâm choosing to spend time with you. So⊠deal with it, or something.â
Aidanâs just so damn goated itâs unbelievable.
âThen, we both remember that we were having this very loud and very personal conversation (in which Aidan actually cried, holy shit) in a completely public area.â
Oh yeah all that just happened in the common room xD
âMaybe I still donât understand exactly who other people think I am. Maybe thatâs âcause I never really figured it out for myself, beyond an aimless shell or a dazzling whirlwind. If you put them together, you get⊠I donât know, a beautiful tropical storm? Hurricane Ellis, landing in a killing game near you. Iâll work on it. I have to, it seems.â [FTE End]
Woohoo! What a fantastic FTE! I loved it very very deeply. Itâs probably my favorite from the ones I can remember. And thatâs quite the note to leave off on, too! I wonder who the next FTEs are gonna be aboutâŠ
âWhen I show up [to the pool], though, Davis and Jeff are already there at the Poolside Bar. Unlike last time, though, theyâre both all smiles.â
Oh yeah, these two! I also kinda forgot where their conflict ended up last time, but I seem to recall them making up a bit during the third trial investigation.
âWhat did I miss? Last time I checked, these two hated each other. I mean, I guess Jeff kinda stood up for Davis in the Class Trial, and Davis told Jeff and I about the nature of his bachelorhood, but⊠that doesnât automatically put you at bro status! What gives?!â
Or the trial. Again, fuzzy on the details because I fell into the void.
âJeff: You want a drink? I look down at my hands.â
Damn, Ellis took Noahâs alcoholism hard. If I recall correctly, I think I ended up giving Ellis addiction governance in the playlist post and Noah Poison, right? Too late to swap those around? lmao.
âI keep to my word of having only one drink as Davis, Jeff, and I continue our conversation. I can't exactly say that they have a lot in common, but in some ways, it seems like their differences balance each other out. Thatâs nice.â
It is! This was a surprisingly drama freee check-in with these guys!
âIn the Buffet, I wind up with an odd crew: Paris, Vanessa, and Aidan.â
That is odd. I donât think I remember Vanessa talking to Aidan outside of investigations and trials, though Iâm probably forgetting something. {Hindsight: How the hell did I forget the entire Gun situation. Point kinda stands, though}
âVanessa: Hey, is everything okayâŠ? Aidan: Whatâre you sulking about? Paris: And why do you care all of a sudden?!â
Okay, so⊠Paris is doing horrible, as expected.
âAidan: Iâm not doing anything.â
Lmao.
âParis: I thought Tay and I were friends. For real.â
Interesting perspective there. I seem to remember getting bad vibes from Paris and Taylorâs relationship from the very start, but I always kinda did it under the assumption that Paris didnât quite see Taylor as an equal, if that makes sense. Like, they were always doing what Paris wanted, I donât think thatâs an entirely unreasonable assumption. But I guess Paris was just sort of entirely oblivious to the issues Taylor was having, and genuinely wanted to be friends and just didnât know how to do that properly, which does fit what I remember well enough
âEllis: If you want to win, thatâs probably what you have to get used to. Paris: âŠWhen I said it, I didnât mean it. Do you remember? I said Tay and I could find a way to win together. But⊠I guess somewhere along the way, I started believing it.â
I⊠really should brush up on what was happening when I left. But, yeah. Itâs actually pretty fun that Paris is just now falling for the trap of focusing too much on winning, just as Ellis escapes that same trap. Itâs one of those parallels that work so well you almost forget that Ellis and the rest of the cast have different creators lol.
âAidan: Look, if thereâs someone out there that makes you happy or whatever⊠donât just give up on them out of nowhere. If you actually care about someone for once, that should matter. If you give up, maybe you didnât actually care in the first place.â
Wonder who Aidanâs thinking about! (Hint: It starts with D and ends in avis. Probably).
âParis: But⊠what do I do? Tay doesnât like me anymore. Aidan: I donât know, talk to them? Apologize? Explain how youâre feeling? Why does everyone keep trying to ask me for advice?!â
Poor Aidan ended up with the reputation of the guy with common sense, and now people actually expect him to be socially competent, a true greek tragedy.
âParis: âŠThen⊠tomorrow, I guess. Iâll⊠Iâll find a way to make Tay like me again. SomehowâŠâ
Woohoo! You know, I think they could actually be good friends if Paris gets her shit together. I just hope we can all ignore that this feels like yet another death flag for Taylor and possibly Paris. I do think weâve got enough time until the next murder for them to talk regardless, so I doubt it is. Hopefully.
âStill, Parisâ plans to do something âtomorrowâ ring a little hollow. Itâs not that I donât think sheâd actually do itâ beats me as to whether Paris really wants to make a change or is just trying to lull us into a false sense of securityâ itâs that Iâm really unsure about what tomorrow will bring.â
See itâs funny you say that because I very explicitly said I didnât want to read that comment as a death flag, and now youâre making me worried.
âTaylor got imprisoned twice in a row, huh? Thatâs rough.â
âŠMotherfucker.
âParis: âŠThey havenât been responding to my messages for a little while. I thought they just didnât want to talk to me, but⊠Oh damn. I kinda forgot that you even could message the people trapped in the Cellar.â
That pretty massive oversight aside, I think we all know why Taylorâs not responding. The death flags⊠they were real.
âWe all get to the bottom before any of us spot it: a body, charred beyond recognition. Is that⊠TaylorâŠ? Ding, Dong, Bing, Bong!â
God fucking damn it. You know, I joke about death flags so often I didnât actually think those ones would come into play, but alas, I was foolish. Taylor no!!!! Also, charred? Yikes! Never something you love to see. I mean, actually I do tend to enjoy fire related mysteries, but I feel like Taylor would get mad at me for saying that lmao.
Anyways, this is sad. I liked Taylor a lot, and now theyâre gone :( Lets try to quell the sadness with some mystery solving!
ââThe victim is Paris Hall. She died of poison in the Cellar last night at 2 AM.ââ
Never mind, first I panic. My heart fucking leapt out of my chest when I saw the wrong victim, then I remembered the file always has a lie, then I saw the poison and Iâm going insane. I guess the first assumption is that the poison and time of death are true and the victim is false (given the location is trivially true), but the missing person does happen to be the Ultimate Impressionist, so I have to wonderâŠ
âParis?: What the hell is this?!â
I do like the question mark after her (their?) name, itâs fun.
[Investigation Start] Woohoo! Iâm back in the building again!!!
-
You know, this is usually where I do the prediction game think, but, uh⊠I donât think I can. Because I donât actually know who the victim is. Again, my first assumption is that the victim name has to be the lie, because while Taylor disguising themselves as Paris sounds possible, in practice the switcheroo would get resolved, like, immediately at the start of the next part. Still, while the possibility of a disguise is on the table, Iâm not gonna get ahead of myself. Letâs go straight into investigation!
Part 5
Weee! Investigation time! Letâs see whatâs up with the victim thing!
âWith Taylorâs talent, itâs totally plausible that they could be putting on the performance of their life as Paris right now. I have no idea how Iâm supposed to prove whoâs who.â
I mean, I feel like even with Taylorâs talent this canât be that hard. Hair dye is probably an option, but thereâs surely other differences in their bodies that would get noticed, right? Thereâs no way they look identical from the face down, right? And I have to check the handbook to see if the height matches. There are a lot of ways to prove this, is my point. Still, I guess weâll keep that mystery going for a while.
Checked. Taylorâs height matches Parisâ, but no one elseâs.
âThe body is burned. Thatâs all I can tell.â
Yep. Worries me that an immediate reason to do this would be hiding the identity of the corpse. Maybe Paris is the killer and is hoping people think sheâs Taylor disguised as Paris? Or, I guess any killer could try to make people think Taylor is disguised as someone else. Because Taylor being the killer disguised as Paris would feel too obvious.
âVanessa picks up the e-Handbook from the body and turns it on. Vanessa: Itâs Taylorâs.â
See, I donât like that this is how weâre doing it, because this is the one identity verification method which can most easily be faked. At least we can make sure âParisâ sent the messages they said they sent (I still donât know what to do with the pronouns lol). Though, speaking of good fortune, it does feel a little odd that the entire body burnt but the handbook is functional. I donât fully remember the handbook specifics, though, maybe theyâre fireproof or something.
While weâre here, if Taylor is currently disguised as Paris, they may have been disguised like that for an entire day, which would mean that the whole Paris conversation about seeing Taylor as a friend wasnât actually Paris. Part of what makes me think Taylor really is dead, and that the evidence they may be alive was planted by the killer specifically to make people doubt that fact.
âEllis: Well, youâre not allowed to steal e-Handbooks, right? So that must mean that Paris is actually alive, and that first statement is a lie.â
I⊠forgot about that rule. Still, I figure taking a dead studentâs handbook wouldnât be a problem, maybe? So Taylor could be disguised and just put their own handbook next to the corpse, carrying the corpseâs handbook out of the cellar. Or Taylor really is the corpse and I should stop worrying about this.
âVanessa: Well, Paris has been messaging Taylor a ton. They responded two days ago, when Paris was in the Cellar, but not yesterday, when Taylor was in the Cellar. If anything, Iâd have guessed itâd be the opposite.â
At least the messages are real. I still wonder about the rules regarding dead studentsâ handbooks, though.
âEllis: Well then⊠maybe the time of death is wrong, and Taylor died way earlier?â
Yeah, the lack of messages on Taylorâs side is strange. This is a clusterfuck lol.
âVanessa: Thereâs⊠another weird thing. Um, I donât know if you remember this setting exists, but in preferences, you can let other people have access to your room with their e-Handbook. Ellis: âŠI did not. Vanessa: Well, it looks like Paris has access to Taylorâs room.â
Surprisingly, thatâs one of the things I did remember, because it always felt like it could come up. This is peculiar, though. I need more evidence before I start going crazier than I already am.
âHarper: âŠI should mention⊠I did ask Monoquin. Contestants were⊠theoretically allowed to volunteer, if they wished.â
âŠHuh. Superficially, this doesnât seem useful, because you can just walk down here in the night and thatâs it. Maybe for setup time? But I have to wonder if it would have been possible for Taylor to impersonate someone and âvolunteerâ them to go down here. Would Monoquin see through that? Questions, questionsâŠ
âThe wall suddenly falls backwards, knocking Jeff into a space I canât see. Thereâs some noises behind the wall that I canât tell the origin of; it sounds like movement. Then, a few moments laterâ Mark: Ow! Mark hits the floor of the Cellar. Ellis: Woah, wife swap. I mean, what?â
I- What? The fuck?
âMark: I was in the Closet up in the Gym. Howâd I get hereâŠ? Ellis: Jeff⊠stepped on something, I guess? He was pulled into some darkness back there, and then an angel fell from heaven right before my eyes.â
I⊠Okay. This is a thing now. ???
âMark: Itâs not that I thought there was [a secret door], itâs that if there was one, I thought itâd be in here. Jeff: And thatâs becauseâŠ? Mark: If you look at the map and think about how the Cellar is laid out and how big it is, the corner basically overlaps with the Closet. Plus, I never understood why this Closet even existed instead of being a rack or something, so I thought it could be relevant.â
Huh. Good reasoning from Mark! Theyâre so goated.
âThe three of us work through figuring out exactly how the secret passage works. Our experiments conclude that the door only works if two roughly human-weighted things swap places. When something is on each locationâs pressure plate, the mechanism activates and swaps the two, albeit a bit roughly.â
I- Okay, this is a little insane, but it works. I⊠donât know what it means yet. Then again, if there really was nothing else in the cellar, it almost feels like the fire has to have happened somewhere else, so maybe this is a way to transport the body? I have no idea whatâs happening here.
âJeff: Whyâs there a swap door in a Resort in the first place? I guess if this was for some kind of underground business, itâs an escape routeâŠ? Mark: âŠRight, yeah, the Resort. I donât know either.â
I mean, I kinda doubt this was an actual resort ever, but I guess itâs never been confirmed whether this was specifically built for the game or not.
âEllis: Anything of note? Aidan: Yes, but only because the answer is no. Davis: Meaning, there isnât anything, even though it feels like there should be. Isnât there supposed to be poison in this caseâŠ?â
That is most curious. People still get told if someone orders something anonymously, from what I remember. But Antonia had already used poison, right? Could someone have gotten hold of that?
âEllis: Uh⊠well, poison can come from a lot of places! Maybe somebody repurposed something like cleaning supplies or pool chlorine that you might already be able to find around here.â
This also works, yeah. I imagine weâll find some evidence indicating that if thatâs the case.
âAidan: Wouldnât need it anymore. With the Salon and Makeup Store, you could change your appearance without having to order it, right?â
Oh yeah, speaking of disguises, forgot those are open now. Also, completely unrelated, âIn Too Deepâ is probably a pun on the cellar being underground I take it, but I am slightly worried about it being some kind of reference to âdeep coverâ (Kotoko reference?!?!- no), given the disguise thing.
âParis?: Oh, hey Ellis. Welcome to Tayâs room. Ellis: âŠThanks. I take it youâve been here before? Paris?: Yeah, a bit. Tay and I usually hung out in my room, though, so I honestly havenât seen it all that much. Ellis: Did Taylor also have permission to enter your room, then? Paris?: Yeah, of course~ It made it easier to hang out. See?â
InterestingâŠ
âBut, no matter how hard I look, it looks like Paris. Am I overthinking this? Does that just mean it really is Paris?â
Yeah I definitely got ahead of myself thinking itâd be easy to tell if this is Taylor or not. Iâm leaning on ânoâ, though.
âHowever, when I check inside [Parisâ room], nothing seems out of the ordinary. There are only two empty hangers in her closetâ one for the jacket and one for the dress, it seems, based on how her other clothes are hung upâ but thatâs just the copy that âParisâ is wearing. The body was so burnt that it tattered the clothes, so the body was probably wearing Taylorâs clothes at the time it was burnt. That, or something really weird is going on.â
Itâs oddâŠ
âDun, Dun, Dun, Dun!â
Wait already?!?! We donât even know how the fire was made! Or what the poison was! I canât even tell who the victim is!
âReally, I was able to retain more from this investigation than I was from any of the past three, because this time, I was paying the most attention. Iâm not going to turn a blind eye to these Trials anymoreâ at the very least, if my luck makes it so I have to win, I want it to be somewhat earned.â
Hell yeah.
âWhy commit the crime at 2AM if it is in the Cellar, and nobody is trapped in there?â
I hadnât even thought about that, but itâs so true. Is it possible it wasnât in the cellar? Iâm losing it.
ââParisâ stands behind Parisâ podiumâ is that something we can use as evidence? Would Monoquin stop Taylor from standing there?â
I mean Iâd assume Monoquin would let them, itâd kinda be pointless otherwise.
[Part End] Alright, time to check over the handbook and see if I can get literally any semblance of an idea of what happened, because right now I have absolutely no guesses!
⊠Thereâs fucking nothing there. I donât know how the fire was made. I donât know where the poison came from, or if there was even poison involved. I canât tell what part of the file is a lie. I donât know why Taylor didnât respond to messages the day they were in the cellar, even though theyâd replied to messages the day before.
Still, I guess I have to do a
Murder Theory
So, letâs start with a simple statement. If Taylor is not the victim, they are the killer. That tracks, right? Because if theyâre not the victim, theyâve disguised themselves as the actual victim and are hiding within the group right now, which is silly unless theyâre the killer. Thus, to know who the victim is, we may need to first ask if itâs possible for Taylor to be the blackened.
And Iâm leaning on âno.â Because, to put it bluntly, it would be insane for the Monoquin file to say the victim is Paris if the killer is really Taylor. Their entire plan would revolve around the hope the class believes theyâre dead when theyâre really alive, so to cast doubt on that would be pointless. Thereâs some kind of reverse psychology 15D chess argument that Taylor could use this exact reasoning to defend themselves during the trial, but we donât have Kennedy here, and theyâre really the only one who might believe that. For now, we leave it there.
So, Taylor seems like the most likely victim here. Since the victim of the Monoquin file would have to be the lie, then everything else about it is true. Thus, âTaylor was killed by poison last night at 2 AM in the cellar.â
Now, at the risk of sounding like a certain Tetro Pink character, the poisonâs gotta be right. Mostly because everything else about this is so absurdly nonsensical that I canât see how that, of all things, would be the lie. Of course, I have no idea what the poison actually was, but we can go with it for now.
Then thereâs the time frame, and this is what actually presents the biggest problem. Already, why Taylor would be in the cellar at 2 AM is a little beyond me, but perhaps the killer knocked them out somehow, dragged them down there, then the poison did the work. But the bigger issue is that Taylor just⊠wasnât responding to messages the day before. Could the killer have stolen the handbook? Thereâs a rule against that, so youâd think it impossible.
So, heres the situation. If it were possible for the killer to stop Taylor from accessing their handbook for the entire time they were locked in the cellar, then I think thatâs what happened. The killer somehow knew Paris was sending messages, so they hoped that Taylorâs lack of response would make people doubt the time of death. If the Monoquin file lied about the time of the death, the victim would have to be Paris, so the killer must be Taylor in disguise, killer gets away.
But thatâs the thing; itâs an if. I have no idea if the killer would actually be able to do that, since stealing handbooks is against the rule. Maybe you can steal a handbook from a corpse under the argument theyâre no longer a âplayerâ, but for that to work, both the victim and the time of death have to be lies, and weâre cooked.
So we need to account for the possibility that the killer canât directly interfere there. And thatâs a gigantic issue, because I have no idea why Taylor wouldnât answer. Maybe the nature of the messages changed? Paris learnt Taylor badmouthed her that day, so maybe her messages got aggressive and Taylor decided not to answer those. But if that were the case, surely weâd get some details about the messages themselves, right? So thatâs a dead end too.
Was Taylor outside the room, disguised as who knows who, and just busy? Insane, though. Surely theyâd be able to sneak in some messages in there somewhere.
And now weâve gone in a circle. Because if thereâs no way for the killer to stop the messages, and I canât think of any reason Taylor wouldnât answer them, something must have happened the day Taylor was supposedly in the cellar. Was Taylor passed out the entire day???
Of course, thereâs the other option. That the murder did happen then, which would mean the victim actually is Paris. So the Paris in the trial is Taylor. Is that possible?
Let me say right now that the clothes arenât an issue. Taylor could have grabbed the clothes from Parisâ corpse and replaced them with their own before burning everything. That works. Any other problems?
The messages are the damn problem, again. It makes no sense for Taylor to send messages and not answer them. Maybe they needed to leave their own handbook with the corpse in case someone found it before this point, but they could just not send messages from Parisâ under the argument that âsheâ was mad about what Taylor said the day before.
So Taylor!Victim fails due to the lack of messages on Taylorâs side, and Taylor Killed Paris fails due to the existence of messages on Parisâ side. I could see some insane plays where Taylor is somehow disguised as someone else, but height difference makes me hesitant that thatâs the answer. Iâm losing it.
Thus, we seem to arrive an impossibility. Taylorâs not the victim, and they donât seem to be the killer. The only option is that someone else is the killer, Taylor is disguised as Paris for some other reason, and just doesnât want to admit that because it would make them look really bad.
âŠBut why??? And how does the killer factor into it??? How the fuck would the cast even find the killer??? What the fuck are we doing???
You know what? I accept defeat. I canât. Venus, you beat me. I have nothing. We have no alibis. I donât know where the poison came from. I have no idea how the gym thing comes into play. I donât know why itâd be important for Paris and Taylor to get into each otherâs rooms. I donât even know how the fire started. I canât even tell who the v i c t i m is. I feel like I could make better guesses seeing what way the trial starts, to see what options get ruled out first, but I canât right now. So, congrats! I have nothing. Sorry about that!
Letâs just⊠Letâs just get to the next part, shall we?
Part 6
Trial time!
âDavis: You did lie last Trial. Itâs not out of the question for you to lie again. Paris?: Hey babe, if youâre saying Iâm lying about being me, then I would be dead! Make up your mind!â
Itâs very confusing to talk Paris right now lol. Glad to see the characters are also having issues with that.
âVanessa: We usually start with the MQ File, right?â [Evidence Select]
⊠Am I just supposed to pick the file?
[Right Answer: MQ File #4] Yeah lol. I guess itâs immersive that you have to do it even when itâs not really a puzzle lmao.
âNoah: Wait, but if youâre alive, why would it benefit the killer to say youâre dead? Doesnât it just make the lie, like, super obvious? Jeff: Itâd probably imply that sheâs the killer. Weâd be less likely to want to vote for the âvictim.ââ
This is part of why this oneâs so hard to think about. Thereâs a million ways the cast could take the file, so itâs not abundantly clear why the file would lie about the damn victim.
âParis?: It could also mean that, shocker, someone is trying to frame both of us! Like, if the only logic you all can come up with for the lie is that either Tay or I is the killer, thatâs probably what the actual killer wanted!â
Yeah, this is kinda what Iâm leaning on in the end, but itâs still hard to wrap my head around the time of death in that case.
âDavis: I think the takeaway here is that we do need to address who the victim is. Thatâs one of the most basic case facts, right? Harper: Yes, thatâs⊠a fair approach. I suppose weâll be debating this now after all.â [Nonstop Debate]
Save me, Nonstops, save me.
âParis?: Tay couldâve picked anyone to impersonate!/Aidan: Taylor is the Ultimate Impressionist. Personality wise, theyâd be able to pull off being any of us.â
Iâm guessing weâre meant to shoot âTaylorâs Profile + Parisâ Profileâ for the height thing, but both of these statements are literally the same so it could be either or. Leaning on Parisâ statement from a vibe check more than anything.
[Answer: Taylorâs Profile + Parisâ Profile -> couldâve picked anyone] Hell yeah! Off to a good start! Iâm glad I remembered composites lol.
âParis?: Isnât it? Genuinely, do you think Tay could fully replicate my face? My charm? Do you really think that they could just become me, just like that? Mark: âŠWe have to account for the possibility. Paris?: âŠâ
She is NOT happy they think that lmao.
âAidan: Itâs a fair point, though. If you assume that Paris or Taylor is the killer, arguing too much one way or the other could be suspicious. Itâs probably better for her if we donât actually know whoâs who. Mark: Or, if she is innocent, she might not want to admit that she doesnât have a way to prove her own identity.Davis: There must be some way to figure it out.â [Nonstop Debate]
Itâs not a great situation. Wonder if the clothes are gonna be brought up.
âHarper: It seems that the body showed no indication that the victim was Taylor.â
After reading the whole thing, it seems like itâs actually Taylorâs e-handbook getting shot at this, maybe?
[Answer: Taylorâs e-Handbook -> no indication] Well at least Iâm doing better in the trial than in the investigation lol.
âAidan: Anyways, I donât think itâs definitive at all. Harper: Because of the possibility of it being planted? Aidan: Right. All it proves is that Taylor, alive or dead, is fine having their e-Handbook on the body we found. That still leaves the option of Taylor being the true victim or impersonating someone else.â
Very true, but Iâd like to talk about âParisâ having Parisâ handbook and the rule about stealing handbooks, because thatâs the biggest thing on my mind right now. Does it count as stealing if itâs from a corpse?
âMark: There must be something we can figure out with this, right?â [Question Completion]
I take it weâre gonna bring up the handbook rule?
Yeah this is pretty clearly âwhere is Parisâ e-Handbook now?â
[Answer: That] Yippie!
âHarper: Is that enough evidence, then?â [Evidence Select]
I take it weâre gonna choose the rule about handbooks, Regulation #13, yeah?
[Answer: Regulation #13] I never miss. Ignore all the times Iâve missed please.
âMark: Itâs true that when I asked Monoquin before, he said that while a dead studentâs e-Handbook could be âborrowed,â it had to be returned before the Trial.â
I⊠forgot that was a thing that had been asked before! Yep, Paris is Paris, thatâs nice.
âParis?: Exactly what Iâve been saying the entire time!â [Select the Person]
Sorry, what am I selecting? The victim? Then, I guess weâre doing Taylor.
[Answer: Paris] âŠThis one doesnât count I didnât know what the question was alright?! Good.
âParis: Thank you, Ellis. I canât believe you all doubted me like that for so long.â
Yay, the question markâs gone!
âMark: Speaking of Parisâ identity, though, that means that we really should know who the victim is.â
[Select the Person] NOW itâs Taylor, got it. [Answer: Taylor]
âAidan: âŠTaylor would have trouble visually and/or vocally impersonating anyone else, and Iâm not really sure what the incentive would be to put Parisâ name in the File if youâre trying to pretend someone else is dead. If Taylorâs impersonating anyone, theyâd have to be the killer, so itâd make more sense to have the File back up your central lie with a truth.â
Yeah, this makes the most sense. Letâs see whatâs up with the messages then.
[Nonstop Debate]
âVanessa: That means Taylor mustâve been poisoned before being selected for the motive, right?â
Itâs maybe a bit bold so early in the trial, but Iâd shoot this with Cellar-Closet Swap Door. Because it was possible to go in and out of the cellar during the day, it wouldnât be impossible for them to have been poisoned afterwards.
[Answer: The Fourth Motive -> mustâve been poisoned before] Okay, so I was right on what to contradict, except the argument was actually that thereâs a two hour time frame between Taylor getting released and dying lol.
âMark: Itâs true that Taylor died in the Cellar either way. That means that, if they were poisoned after being released, they mustâve returned to the Cellar after being poisoned. Paris: But, like, why? Itâs not like anyone liked being in the Cellar. Mark: No, definitely not⊠Vanessa: Then howâd they end up dying there?â [Puzzling Pieces]
This sure is puzzling! Itâs one of the weirdest parts of this case. Letâs see if the pieces help!
âNoah: If it was something thatâd incapacitate them, the killer couldâve just, like, carried them back into the Cellar, right? Vanessa: But, did the killer even have access to the Cellar?â
Yeah, thatâs kinda what Iâm thinking. The swap door is probably the play here.
âAidan: Monoquin wakes you up. Aidan: If youâre too tired to actually get up, though, I donât know what happens.â
Interesting bit of trivia there, thanks Aidan.
Maybe we could go with Aidanâs idea? âTaylor was too weak from poison to leave the Cellar.â Itâs a little janky, and Iâm not confident on it, but it could work.
[Answer: Taylor was too weak from poison to leave the Cellar] Why do I doubt myself? I should lean more into my God complex, that feels like a good step for my character arc.
âParis: But what about the rest of the day? Tay literally couldâve messaged me at any time. There has to have been a time where they realized they were dying before they couldnât do anything, right?â
Thank you! The messages are driving me insane, we gotta talk about them.
[Nonstop Debate] Woohoo!
âJeff: Itâs also possible that, if they were gonna die either way, they didnât really care what happened to us. Jeff: If we fail the Trial, it doesnât matter much for them.â
Thatâs⊠a little harsh, Jeff!
âParis: Besides, given the Customer Service Desk, the poison could be anything!â
Iâm not sure if this is the direction weâre supposed to be taking, but you could shoot Customer Service Order List here, since we know the poison didnât come from there.
[Answer: Customer Service Order List -> the poison could be anything] Man I am on a roll today!
âAidan: Even if itâs, like, a household cleaner or something, where would they get it? The staff does everything around here.â
We brought up hair dye during the investigation, Iâm sure the salon and makeup stores probably have some amount of things that are deadly to ingest.
âMark: âŠUnless itâs not something common.â
I wonder. I did bring up someone potentially having gotten hold of Antoniaâs poison, but that feels a little out there. Also that one might have been too deadly. I wonder if Taylor had any allergies⊠is that what Mark is getting at with that question?
âMark: Thatâs true, but it doesnât really matter, as long as the order description doesnât give away any details on how the poison works. The File tells us itâs poison anyways, right? The killer mustâve had something in mind already for what theyâd use to poison Taylor. Something they could get themself, or just by asking the staff. Jeff: And that mystery poison is?â [Hangmanâs Gambit]
I actually have no clue.
I accidentally saw the answer, though, and I was right, surprisingly! It was Antoniaâs poison! Hell yeah girl, go haunt the narrative!
âJeff: Antoniaâs poison was fast acting, right? Vivi told us, and Cass died from the poison before the stab wound.â
Yeah, that kinda throws a wrench into things. There is, of course, the argument that ingesting it would be less immediately lethal than getting it injected into your bloodstream, but itâs hard to be sure of that without knowing what the poison actually is.
âJeff: Taylor wouldâve had to be poisoned only a short time before they died. Fifteen minutes, maybe? Ten?â
But⊠it doesnât seem like thatâs the argument weâre going with! So⊠idk.
âMark: Between midnight and 8 AM, when no one is in the Cellar for the motive, is the door open? Monoquin: No. It remained locked for the duration of the motive. Should the spotless win, it will remain unlocked for the remainder of the game.â
So I guess we know how the swap door comes into play here.
[Nonstop Debate] Door time! By the way, kind of completely unrelated, but Iâm a little worried that Aidan hasnât been as active in this trial as in others. Surely heâs not the killer, right? Itâs been worrying me for a while now.
âNoah: But, until Taylor died, there was no way to get in or out of the Cellar, right?â
Swap door! Thatâs the bullet Iâm shooting, obvs.
âParis: Though that still doesnât explain why Tay didnât respond to my messagesâŠâ
Yeah this is still a problem btw.
[Answer: Cellar-Closet Swap Door -> no way to get in or out] Woohoo!
âNoah: Even if there is the swap door, though, does that really help? I mean, I guess itâd give a way for Taylor to get back in, but there shouldâve been no one on the Cellar side to trigger it, right?â
Is this implying the killer must be someone whoâd been in the cellar? Since itâs locked at night, the only way for them to put something on the cellar side is for them to have been there as a result of the motive. That might be getting us somewhere.
[Progressive Deduction]
1- What is our best lead on how Taylor died in the Cellar? a) They never left the Cellar b) They walked back in after they were poisoned c) They were swapped in through the secret door d) They didnât
Going with c) here, though itâs interesting the question isnât framed definitively. âOur best leadâ and âthe truthâ donât necessarily have to coincide. I think they do here, but still.
2- What would the killer have swapped into the Cellar? a) Themself b) Taylorâs body c) Me d) Nothing
âMeâ is very funny, but I assume weâre going with b), Taylorâs body. Admittedly, itâs a weird way to phrase that, because Taylor must have still been alive when they got swapped into the cellar.
âŠWait, how? Taylor died in the cellar, but how did their body get burnt? The killer would need to swap themselves in after Taylor to do that, or at least swap in something that could start the fire (even though that would probably leave behind evidence which isnât there). So⊠the killer must have actually swapped themselves in. Final answer will be a), though Iâm not 100% sure on that one. Maybe if the victim could be Paris, and the location was wrong, but we ruled that out because Paris has her handbook. Iâm losing it.
3- What could the killer have swapped out of the Cellar? a) Themself b) Taylorâs body c) The next person selected for the motive d) An object
Itâs gotta be d), an object. The next person wasnât there yet, and both Taylor and the killer have to be in the cellar at the same time for the fire to make any amount of sense, so.
Hereâs what Iâm thinking. The killer gets put into the cellar as part of the motive, and somehow knows about the swap door. They leave a wine barrel or something on top of the pressure plate before they leave. When Taylor gets sent in, the killer uses the gym plate to get swapped into the cellar, with the understanding that the barrels will land on the pressure plate on the gym. The killer ties up Taylor or something (explaining the lack of messages), then leaves via pressure plate, swapping with the barrels again. Night comes, and Monoquin comes to collect Taylor, but they canât leave, because theyâre tied up, so they get locked in. Killer comes through the swap door again, poisons Taylor, burns the body, leaves. This all presumably to confuse the time of death and location, which would raise doubts about what the lie in the MQ file is, allowing for the possibility that the victim listed is wrong, which would incriminate Taylor.
I did tell you Iâd have a better idea when the trial started, right? Still, I could see a lot of this being very wrong. Letâs see.
[Answer: c, b, d] For example, I could get what got swapped wrong. Oops. I still think my theory makes some amount of sense though. Assuming you can reliably get the barrels to stay on the pressure plate after swapping.
âMark: I donât think itâs likely that anyone wouldâve figured out that that swap door existed unless they were in the Cellar. Thereâs no indication in the Closet that itâd swap you, and itâd be a pretty big assumption to make.â
I mean, you could know, given your previous killing game involved this cellar, but still.
âAidan: âŠThe barrels.â
I was right about that, apparently. And Aidanâs being helpful again, yay!
âHarper: I see. You could return the barrel to the Cellar when retrieving the body to burn it.â
I mean, you still have the issue that Taylor died in the cellar. So when we say âTaylorâs bodyâ, we mean âTaylorâs still alive body, but probably very poisoned and thus kind of immobileâ. But that still means Taylor was alive in the cellar, and could have crawled away from the pressure plate, making burning the body impossible. Iâm losing my mind again, I donât know whatâs happening.
âParis: By having Monoquin open the door for âinvestigation?â I guess itâd probably workâŠâ
I⊠forgot that was an option oops. Yeah, that makes a lot more sense then.
âDavis: If thatâs true, then weâre working with a smaller group of possible culprits than before, right?â [Evidence Select]
Fourth Motive, I take it? For the list of people who were in the cellar.
[Answer: The Fourth Motive] Yep. So thatâs Aidan, Mark, Noah, Paris and Taylor. Plus Ellis was in the cellar when it first opened, but Aidan can probably confirm she didnât do anything weird then.
⊠It kinda feels like itâs down to Paris and Noah, right? Taylorâs the victim; Mark helped discover the swap door, which wouldâve been insane to do if he was the killer; and Aidan brought up the barrels and had little motive to leave (outside of FTEs anyways), arguments which by themselves mean little but together theyâre strong enough. Interesting.
[Mixed Matches]
Murder Weapon: Poison, specifically the same fast-acting kind Antonia used. (B)
Location of Murder: The Cellar, as accessed through the swap door. (E)
Time of murder: 2 AM, the night between Taylorâs disappearances. (D)
Victim: Taylor, though the Monoquin File claimed it was Paris. (A)
Other Injuries: Burns, from an unknown source. (C)
[Answer: B - E - D - A - C] This might be the easiest trial minigame Iâve ever seen lol. Itâs funny.
âJeff: Sort of like Antonia, right? Even if someoneâs around, the Resortâs big enough you can probably avoid them at nighttime. So, itâs really just about where you could manage to burn a body.â
I guess if thereâs no fire damage in the cellar, it makes sense for the body to have been burnt in some other place. Hadnât thought about that.
âVanessa: Where, then? If everywhere would leave too much of a trace that we didnât find, whereâd it actually happen?â [Hangmanâs Gambit]
Thereâs⊠no place on the map that matches four letter word + nine letter word, what. Maybe âpoolâŠâ something? Sure, letâs go there.
[Answer: Cafe Fireplace] I forgot that existed lol. But yeah, good call. Accirax clearly didnât forget, thatâs a pretty clean Hangmanâs!
[Lie Detector]
I⊠kinda forgot how this one works. Was it always composites?âŠ
âThe victim is Paris Hallâ -> MQ File Lie + Regulation #13/Taylorâs e-Handbook
âShe died of poisonâ -> MQ File #4 + Customer Service Order List (??? I donât know what the hell you want from me here)
âin the Cellarâ -> State of the Body + The Cellar
âlast night at 2 AMâ -> MQ File #4 + Absolutely no idea.
Yeah I forgot what this minigame actually wants from me. This is probably very, very wrong.
[Answer: 1 -> MQ File Lie 2 -> State of the Body + Customer Service Order List 3 -> The Cellar + Cellar-Closet Swap Door 4 -> The Fourth Motive + Taylorâs e-Handbook]
You know what weâll call it close enough!
[Intermission] Woohoo! Itâs been a nice trial so far, hasnât it? Everyoneâs been pretty agreeable (probably because Kennedyâs gone :(), thereâs been relatively little drama beyond the murder⊠itâs been chill. Letâs see how little that lasts now that accusations are gonna start going around, shall we?
Part 7
âParis: I mean, Markâs totally the most suspicious, right? Mark: I am? Paris: Uh, yeah? Like, think about it.â [Puzzling Pieces]
Wow, that was fast! Letâs see if it holds up.
âHarper: I suppose itâs possible there could be a hidden room on the same floor as the Cellar. Harper: Perhaps that would have a passage that leads outside, or to another place in the Hotel?â
What, like the Grotto? Ha ha, ha ha ha⊠Yeah no. I donât remember where exactly it is, but I doubt itâs that.
Iâm gonna go with âThe killer wouldnât want us to find the swap doorâ, because thatâs what makes the most sense to me.
[Answer: The killer wouldnât want us to find the swap door] Woop!
âAidan: There is⊠something to the Mark argument, I guess. We havenât seen them around much lately. Kinda makes you wonder what heâs been up to.â
Aidan, donât⊠do this. Youâre being silly, and thatâs worrying me. Donât be the killer please.
âEllis: Mark wouldnât sacrifice us just to leave. [âŠ] Paris: They could have memories that theyâve gotten back. We donât know. Ellis: And you got mad at us for throwing you under the busâŠâ
Man, Ellis is getting defensive, itâs fun to see!
[Nonstop Debate]
I have no idea what to do here. Everything everyoneâs saying is true, thereâs not really a lot separating the people who went to the cellar. Iâm leaning towards someone having an alibi Iâm forgetting, but I donât even know what truth bullet to shoot there. Or maybe itâs wrong that âany of them couldâve had their whole plan figured out before leaving the cellarâ, maybe Aidan was missing details due to being first, but I also donât know how to argue that. Is it possible one of them wouldnât be able to get the poison? Why though? I might have to take a wild shot here. UhâŠ
âAidan: Any of us couldâve gotten Antoniaâs poison, too.â
Shoot âstate of Parisâ roomâ here, maybe? The poison wasnât there, itâs the only thing I can come up with.
[Answer: âknown that people are released at midnightâ -> âAny of themâ] I did forget about these bullets! Itâs what I said before, that Aidan would be lacking info because he was first, right?
âEllis: Actually, it wouldâve been a lot harder for one of them to plan the entire crime in advance. Since Aidan was abducted first, he couldnâtâve known that his imprisonment would end at midnight, or that the Cellar would stay empty until 8 AM the next day. Aidan: Thatâs⊠true, I guess.â
Yippie. Also I love how Aidan seems hesitant even about an argument to his own innocence lmao.
âEllis: [Aidan and Davis] got back to good terms right after, so [Aidan] wouldnât have wanted to spring the trap now even if that was his original plan. Not to mention how he feels about the rest of usâŠâ
I love how everyone is defending Aidan all of the sudden, and how Ellisâ own defense seems at least partially influenced by the FTEs!
âVanessa: Itâs just Paris and Noah left as potential culprits then, right?â
As I said, yeah.
[Third Party Analysis] Woohoo!
Concession: Paris: âBesides, even if Iâll admit I want to win the killing game, I wasnât, like, planning to kill about it!â [Closest thing she has] Noah: âI get that Iâve been taking this killing game pretty hard, and that might seem like a reason Iâd want to kill.â
Defense: Paris: âSo, if anything, theyâd probably be more on their guard around me than anyone else.â Noah: âIâll⊠start by saying that I donât think I wouldâve been in the headspace to come up with this kind of a murder when I was in the Cellar.â
Attack: Paris: âNoahâs been all prone to freaking out. If someoneâs gonna snap and kill out of nowhere, itâs him.â [These are short sentences Iâm allowing myself to put two of them here] Noah: âEven if it wasnât her directly killing someone, she was willing to manipulate someone else into killing last Trial.â
Proposal: Paris: âGoing to the Cellar probably totally freaked him out, so heâd be all ready to do something stupid right after he came out.â Noah: âEven if they werenât as close as before, itâs possible that lingering relationship couldâve helped her get away with the crime somehow.â
Inquire! Parisâ Defense/Noahâs Proposal -> Taylorâs e-Handbook + Parisâ e-Handbook [Putting two options because theyâre the same. Either I disagree with Paris saying Taylor would have been on guard, or I agree with Noah saying the relationship could have helped Paris, because they were still talking on their handbooks. Of course, there is the day of radio silence from Taylor which still worries me, but yâknow].
[Answer: Basically the same thing for Distill. Inquire! Taylorâs e-Handbook -> Parisâ Defense] Yeah that works!
âEllis: I donât think you can say that Taylor was that afraid of you. After all, they never even revoked your ability to enter their room.â
That was the other argument, yeah. Probably a bit more important lol.
âParis: Fine! Clear his name too! You think I care?! Jeff: âŠYes, based on that reaction.â
Pfft-
âAidan: What weâve already said is pretty incriminating towards you. Itâs not like weâre going to forget about all of it. Speaking of which, going back to the beginning of the Trial, youâre the one whoâd benefit the most from us thinking youâre dead through the Fileâs lie. Paris: Okay, yeah, but if I really was the blackened, I wouldâve just, like, pretended you were right!â
I was going to bring that up too, yeah. Itâs a bit odd for her not to go with that strategy, though I guess if she got found out, sheâd be immediately cooked, so.
âParis: Oh, and now youâre using that as logic. Not when I say it, but when itâs against me. How thoughtful of you.â
Chat I think Parisâ persecution complex is going stronger by the second. The type of shit that losing your only friend does to you ig.
[Nonstop Debate] Gonna be real, I also have no clue what to do on this one. Maybe Iâm missing something obvious, but Iâll go with my first thought. Earlier in the trial, Paris confirmed that she knew Ellis had been in the cellar when it first opened. Paris didnât name any source. Itâs possible, then, that she overheard them talking when they were investigating. And Iâll say that she was in the gym at the time, overheard them through the passage in the closet, and thatâs how she figured out the connection. Final answer:
âJeff: The killer is the one who figured out the switch door.â
Take this statementâŠ
âParis: Nothing actually links me to the way the crime was carried out, right?â
And shoot this one. Iâm not too confident on it, but letâs see.
[Answer: Customer Service Desk + âthey could have ordered from the CSDâ -> âNothing actually links meâ] Ah, this actually makes more sense, yeah. The killer couldâve ordered poison, unless they needed it delivered in less than 48 hs. Paris wouldâve either needed to order before going into the cellar, or risk not getting the poison in time. Sheâs the only one who wouldâve had this problem, so sheâs linked. Nice!
âParis: No! You donât get to do that! You donât get to suddenly start feeling sorry for me now, after everything! You donât get to pretend like you had no way to see what all of this was doing to me! All: ⊠Paris: The Taylor who was my best friend? Theyâre gone. They donât exist anymore. And every other suspect in this Trial has someone tripping over themself to defend them. Mark and Ellis, Aidan and Davis, Noah and Harperâ all of you have someone! Just because my best friend never actually cared about me, suddenly Iâm the bad person? Even though I cared about themâŠ? Aidan: âŠAre you⊠actually crying? Paris: Iâm a real person too!â
Holy crashout! I always expected Paris to do something evil at some point, but I hadnât expected to feel so bad about it. Of all reasons for her to snap, huh? And again, itâs kinda fascinating that Paris genuinely viewed Taylor as a friend, even though she was a horrible friend to them. Very fun stuff!
âParis: Iâm a person. And I have wants, and needs, and dreams, and just because none of you see that, that doesnât mean that Iâm the villain you want me to be.â
âŠ. *quietly pushes the Paris!mm theory under the rug.*
Who even is the mm at this point? Harper? I got no fucking idea which of these people could possibly be behind this mess, Iâm losing it.
âAidan: Can you come up with one thing that actually disqualifies her from being the culprit? One piece of evidence that actually points to somebody else? For all we know, this is just another manipulation tactic.â
Bit harsh, but fair.
[Scrum Debate]
Oh yeah, we gotta do one of these!
[Paris is innocent: Paris, Vanessa
Paris is the killer: Ellis, Aidan, Jeff, Davis, Mark, Noah, Harper]
Okay wow, I thought these things were supposed to be somewhat equal? Thatâs really funny.
âParis: Youâre totally saying that Iâm the killer for, like, no _____!â -> Mark/reason.
âVanessa: Just because Paris isnât as _____ to the group doesnât mean sheâs the killer!â -> Harper/close.
âVanessa: Paris and Taylor were _____! Itâd be hardest for Paris to kill Taylor out of all of us.â -> Jeff/friends.
âParis: So what if I _____ last Trial? That was for all of your sakes!â -> Noah/lied.
âParis: You all only want to vote for me âcause you _____ me! Itâs not fair!â -> Davis/hate.
[Answer: I got it right :)].
âEllis: âŠLook, I donât want to claim that youâre not a person, âcause you are.â
Lmao.
âParis: Oh, so now you want to listen to me. Aidan: You have ten seconds to start talking or we vote.â
The group is. So done.
[Freestyle Feud] Letâs do it!
âYou just want me to be the killer so I wonât mess up your little friend group.â
Iâd prefer no one be a killer, but the evidence condemns you.
âWhat the hell is the reason that I would kill my friend?â
You had a falling out, and the loneliness you couldnât bear. (?)
âYouâre acting like Iâm cruel, even though it wasnât my fault!â
If youâre the blackened, boo, then Iâd say that is wrong.
âItâs not my fault if she betrayed me first!â
What the fuck.
Uh⊠alright Iâm freaking out but I have to finish the rhyme:
And itâs a twist, Mx. Long, but now I feel, the only things betraying you are your loose lips! (?)
Youâre supposed to shoot a truth bullet at the end, right? Maybe Taylorâs Profile, which states their pronouns as âthey/themâ?
[BREAK!] Okay apparently you didnât need a truth bullet, kinda forgot that. Also:
âEllis: Woah, wait a minuteâ whoâs the âsheâ in your outburst?â
I love that this doesnât even rhyme, Ellis is so flabbergasted it threw off their whole flow xD
âMark: Wait, but⊠that was impossible. We figured out that she had to be Paris.â
One thing that comes to mind is that Paris could have lent Taylor her handbook, so even if she died afterwards, it wouldnât be stealing if Taylor still had it on them?
âParis?: âŠOh, yeah, Iâm like, totally Tay! Canât believe it took you all so long to figure out~â
Letâs go Paris Question Mark!!!
âVanessa: Wait, but if Paris is the victim, then we donât have a lie in the File, right? Like⊠thatâs kind of part of the reason we believed it too, right? Mark: Letâs⊠talk it over. We can figure this out.â [Puzzling Pieces]
You know, the lack of messages for a full day before the supposed murder still worries meâŠ
While thereâs interesting points being brought up about what the lie in the file could be doing to help Taylor, Iâm going with the solution âParis couldâve given Taylor her e-Handbook willinglyâ, to address the main question.
[Answer: Paris couldâve given Taylor her e-Handbook willingly] Have I mentioned how much I love Puzzling Pieces, btw? Because I love it a lot.
âParis?: What, so you could finally vote for me like you want to? Jeff: Guilt trippingâs not going to get you anywhere, considering that whoever you are, youâre definitely the killer.â Thatâs so funny. âI donât even know who you want me to feel bad for but I donât feel bad for you anyway.â
Lmao.
âEllis: âŠIs there anything else we can look at? Like, what about the rule where you can volunteer to enter the Cellar? Could that have anything to do with itâŠ?â
Iâm wondering if weâre thinking the same thing about Taylor volunteering someone else via impersonation. Donât fully know what the point would be, though.
âMark: Itâs 50/50 odds no matter who guesses, rightâŠ? It might as well be you. Ellis: But⊠but, my luck doesnât work like that. It only helps with picking the right stocks to invest in, and getting lucky poker hands, andâŠÂ Vanessa: I, uh⊠I bet you five dollars you pick the wrong answer? Ellis: âŠFive dollars?â
Holy shit weâve cracked the code. Itâs easy! Why didnât Celeste think of this in DR1?
âMark: Take a deep breath. It doesnât have to be right. We can talk about it afterwards, if you want. But, if you had to pick⊠who would it be?â [Select the Person]
Thatâs crazy. Thereâs literally no way to tell what youâre supposed to pick here. I wonder if accirax would have been able to pick either or if there was only one answer. Leaning on on only one answer, but who knows. {After reading the rest, yeah there was definitely a right and a wrong answer lol}. I am gonna go with Taylor, because while I still have many questions, interrogating the Paris idea is sort of a dead end since weâve already talked about it. At least Taylor as a suspect might give us new ideas, and possibly explain the message issue.
[Answer: Taylor Long] Yep. Also: âEllis: Itâs⊠you?â The question mark stocks are Rising this trial!
âTaylor?: âŠâ [Closing Argument]
Wow⊠Taylor Question Mark, long lost sibling of Paris Question Mark! Also, doing a Closing Argument without actually being sure of anything is so funny. Anyways, letâs see if what Iâve gathered makes any sense.
1- The Fourth Motive. Paris got locked in the Cellar two days before the trial.
2- Customer Service Order List. Hereâs where it gets iffy. Iâm gonna claim Taylor picked up Antoniaâs poison by asking the staff for it only after Paris got locked in the cellar. I canât be sure if thatâs right or not.
3- Cellar-Closet Swap Door. After Paris escapes the cellar, Taylor poisons her, and uses the swap door so Paris dies in the cellar.
4- Parisâ Room. Thereâs a clothes swap here. Taylor puts their own clothes on Parisâ body, and grabs one of Parisâ outfits to disguise as her.
5- State of the Body. The body is burnt.
6- Parisâ e-Handbook. Somehow, Taylor had gotten permission from Paris to use her handbook, and so Taylor uses it to send messages to their own handbook. They had to leave their handbook next to Paris in case someone stumbled onto the corpse (thatâs why they couldnât respond), but also needed to send messages to replicate Parisâ recent behavior. Itâd be suspicious if Paris had only sent messages one day, and not the other.
7- MQ File #4. The body is found, the MQ File is distributed.
I feel like thereâs several ways to arrange this depending on what info you take of each truth bullet, but oh well.
[Answer: Motive -> Room -> Handbook -> Order List -> Swap Door -> State of Body -> MQ File] Other than the room and the handbook, I got it right. We call close enough!
âEllis: The case began with the motive, as it usually does. âUsuallyâ... ugh."
Yeah, sorry buddy :(
âEllis: When the killer was trapped undergroundâ one of five people to find themselves in that scenarioâ they planned a murder to enact upon their escape.â
You know, I completely forgot the killer had to go to the cellar before learning of the swap door. Uh, oops?
âDavis: Is it⊠really okay to vote, if we donât know for sure? Aidan: Are we ever going to know for sure? Mark: âŠItâs okay. I trust that this is the right answer. So, if everyoneâs ready, then⊠letâs vote.â [Vote]
This is crazy. You know, Iâve seen a cast almost get a vote wrong before- hell, I know a fangan where the cast does in fact get a vote wrong. But I donât think Iâve ever seen a fangan cast vote before anyoneâs actually sure about the killer. Crazy stuff.
âMonoquin: That is correct. I inhale sharply, and tears prick my eyes. I hide my crying eyes behind my arm. Ellis: Thank god⊠I didnât⊠I didnât kill you allâŠâ
Welp! Thereâs one for the trauma books! Holy stress! And now Vanessa owes Ellis five dollars, lol.
âVanessa: But, why? I mean, things were going pretty well⊠Taylor: Why would I kill Paris? Youâre seriously asking me why I would kill Paris?â
I mean. You were also going to kill everyone else in the process. Itâs kind of a lot.
âTaylor: I hate her. I hate her perfect fucking face and her stupid flawless pictures and I hate the way âIâ was the only one she ever cared about in her entire life, but the âIâ she cared about never even existed in the first place! Davis: âYouâ didnât existâŠ? Taylor: âOh, sorry! That wasnât really me just there. Iâm here to support you, so donât worry about it!â Taylorâs âusualâ smile fades back to deadpan. Taylor: Not all of it was fake. But it wasnât âme,â either. It was the person Paris wanted me to be. The person Paris would actually consider a friend, and the person who Paris would learn to care about.â
Holy! Thereâs some crazy reveals going on here. I guess I shouldâve at least wondered if maybe the Ultimate Impressionist was putting on an act for a while :v
âTaylor: I donât want any of this anymore. The me here, the me with my family, the me at college, the âmeâ anywhere, isnât actually who I am. I wanted to get away from everything. To start over. To take the time to figure out who âIâ amâŠÂ I look at Aidan. He looks back at me, but he doesnât say anything, either.â
âŠTheyâre calling it the greatest timing for an FTE of all time! What are the damn chances it worked out this perfectly with the themes of the chapter? Crazy stuff.
âTaylor: Could I? Paris certainly wouldnât have allowed it. Sheâd be all, âTay, why are you being like that? We were totes besties~!â and youâd probably be weirded out, too. Besides, what kind of a place is a killing game to figure out who you are? Mark: âŠâ
To be fair, Ellisâ inner monologue has kind of agreed with Taylor in the past, but goddamn Ellisâ friends are catching strays in Taylorâs final speech!
âTaylor: But, yâknow, if youâre all living in happy friendship land, I wonât be stopping you, apparently. Continue living here forever, if thatâs what youâd like. Keep hanging with your bestiesâ those of you who have them, anyways.â
Well. Someone was speaking their true feelings while masquerading as someone else, it seems :p
âVanessa: âŠDid you ever care about her? Taylor: Did I? They think. Taylor: âŠYeah, I did. But not enough to try.â
Damn. Kind of a crazy thing to admit, but I respect the ability for self-reflection here.
âEllis: âŠI guess this is what happens to people who want to win the game. Who give up. Who decide that their escape is more important than everyone else. Iâm⊠not like that. I wasnât. And I wonât be. I promise.â
Character development!!! *fire emoji* *fire emoji* *fire emoji*.
âTaylor: âŠI hate the part of me that hates her, too.â
Welp! Thatâs horribly sad!
âTaylor looks out at the crowd and bows. Taylor: Farewell from me⊠and her. âBesties stick together âtil the end~ââ
Fantastically theater kid of them, itâs peak. And I love the one last weird impersonation of the dead for the road!
âWhat would your execution include?â
Damn. Taylor boutta get the 9-in-1 special, their own execution and everyone elseâs! Though, now that Iâm considering this, isnât it kinda crazy the mastermind is able to arrange an execution based on the playersâ vote? Like, thereâs no way to account for every single possibility, right? Unless this is a simulation, which I doubt, or the mastermind is supernatural, which I doubt only slightly less. The mm might just be an Analyst like Junko, very certain of what people are gonna pick, but otherwise I donât know how you pull this off. Or maybe Iâm just thinking too hard about it xD
âWould they take away any input from me, then? Chain me down, prevent me from speaking, block my vision? Would they take away everything I had, everything my luck has given me? Let everyone see the truth behind the heart shaped sunglasses? The truth⊠isnât as harsh as I feared. Everyone else told me that. But, if I were the killer⊠everyone would have shown me that truth, instead.
What would your execution include? YOUR ANSWER: Who everyone else thinks I am.â
Thatâs some pretty interesting philosophizing, especially regarding the truth and all. Still, writing down âwho everyone else thinks I amâ knowing itâs related to Taylorâs execution specifically is crazy lmao.
âIdk.â
Aidan is just fantastic for this xD
âThe floor bucks Taylor backwards, slamming them into a wall. Then, just as fast, another piston fires, and another wall slams into that one with a deafening slam. When it pulls away again, thereâs only the bloodstained impression of Taylorâs body left in the wall.â
YIKES. Thatâs a pretty horrible one, goddamn.
âThe room is quiet. Without Paris, our usual chatterbox, itâll probably never be loud in the same way again.â
Damn. Already missing her, huh?
The usual post-trial conversation with Mark and subsequent monologue are as fantastic as always. Really hitting us in the feels with reminiscing over everyone who was, and no longer is. And also:
âYou never know when there might be another miracle around the corner.â
We end on a hopeful note! Thatâs how you know weâre closer to the end, the protag is getting ready for those hope speeches!
Anyways, thoughts on the trial. Holy damn, it was a rollercoaster. There were enough twists and turns in there that I really couldâve believed anything part way through. And making the seemingly obvious answer, âTaylor in disguiseâ, the correct one is a very bold move for a chapter 4, but I think it works! Thereâs so many other seemingly good possibilities that, even though the first possibility discussed turned out to be the right one, it never really felt like we were going in circles. Not in a bad way, anyways. Plus, Taylor's emotional state, revealed through their speeches as Paris and of course at the end, is a great source of drama and makes them a very fascinating character. Peak!
And while Ellis is busy doing that, we have a game to check up on. Finally knowing both the victim and the killer, itâs time to see where we stand!
Anyways, thoughts on the trial. Holy damn, it was a rollercoaster. There were enough twists and turns in there that I really couldâve believed anything part way through. And making the seemingly obvious answer, âTaylor in disguiseâ, the correct one is a very bold move for a chapter 4, but I think it works! Thereâs so many other seemingly good possibilities that, even though the first possibility discussed turned out to be the right one, it never really felt like we were going in circles. Not in a bad way, anyways. Peak!
And before we go to the Bonus Scenes, we have a game to check up on! When I left off at the end of CH3, bronze had 14 points, accirax had 16, Jonas had 17, and I had 20. Finally knowing both the victim and the killer, itâs time to see where we stand now!
Starting with Paris, we have what I believe may be a first! Three people guessed the exact same thing: CH3 victim! With the right role, accirax, bronze-ocs and I all get 1 chapter point! Jonas had predicted her as the mastermind (which would have been my guess at literally any point other than the prologue lmao), so thatâs 2 chapter points and 2 role points! Welcome to the 21 point club, Jonas :,)
Bronze and I also agreed on Taylor, putting them as a survivor; thatâs 2 role points and 2 chapter points. Jonas got the chapter right, but the wrong role, while accirax got the role right, but she predicted a CH2 kill for them, so they both get two points.
Ultimately, the standings are: Iâm still in last place with 25 points, though I closed the gap by one point, as Jonas now has 23. Bronze-ocs and accirax keep themselves just under the 20 benchmark with 19 points each, tying for first place! Man, remember when accirax had the most points in CH1? The comeback is generational!
Will I manage to get back in the race? Will Jonas pull away from me? And how will the accirax-bronze tie resolve? See all of that, in the next post!
Anyways, Bonus Scene reactions!
1: Aidan & Davis
Oh hell yeah.
âTo state the obvious, itâs dark in here. My eyes have more or less adjusted, but the majority of the light comes from the crack in the trap door.â
Oh, in the Cellar, cool setting!
âItâs not like Iâm new to the sensation of sitting around and waiting for the day to be over. Itâs like a reminder of what Iâve left behind, right when I realized I didnât know what the Hell I was doing in the killing game, either.â
Well, I guess at least Aidan isnât taking it too badly. Still :(
âDavis, then. I guess itâs not that surprising. I did kinda think he would still be mad about earlier, thoughâŠâ
Youâll have to forgive me for kinda forgetting what thatâs referring to, but from what I recall, something about Aidan not caring about certain things enough, or not communicating that he did, anyways.
âDavis: Is there, um⊠anything else thatâs been going on? Aidan: Can we just talk about whatever you came here to talk about alreadyâŠ?â
Lmao. âThereâs not any bushes in this cellar you can beat aroundâ huh?
âDavis: Iâm just⊠worried about you, is all. I missed talking to you. But, if you want, I can leave. Aidan: No, you donât have to. Ugh, what am I even doingâŠ? How do I talk to someone that I actually⊠want toâŠ?â
Bruh.
âDavis: âŠYouâre not the first person Iâve had to worry about like this. I guess Iâm sort of used to it. But, it feels sort of different now. I actually get to talk to you afterwards.â
⊠What? Ominous.
âDavis: Itâs been seven relationships now, each ending more unfortunately than the last. From moving away to cheating to death, or anything else. Iâm used to losing people. I⊠was scared Iâd lose you too.â
Bro??? I guess we kinda knew relationships never work out well for the guy, but I never really thought death was a part of that equation. Poor Davis.
âBut, even then, heâs comparing me to previous people heâs datedâŠ?â
Yeah I wonder what that means Aidan, do you have any idea? xD
âDavis: But I was never the one breaking up with them. It was always them, breaking up with me. Even when it was their faultâŠâ
⊠Even for the death ones? Thatâs kinda yikes if so.
âDavis: I donât really blame them for it. This sort of thing happens to me all the time. So, I donât really think of it as their fault⊠Aidan: Well, maybe you should!â
Davis no! Aidan get your guy some better self-esteem please!
âI did the same thing, after all. Heâs right. It is the same thing. I⊠took away everyone elseâs choice in the matter, to go ahead with whatever I wantedâŠâ
Ooh⊠self-reflection! Aidan is so mature and smart and thatâs very cool of him :)
âAidan: Yeah. Just⊠I get how frustrating it is when people donât let you decide how you want to do things. You deserve better than that.â
Oh, yeah, FTE backstory. You know a shipâs good when the narrative foils go crazy.
âAidan: Well, I donât mind talking, if thatâs what you want. I wonder if thatâd make him smile.â
AwwâŠ
âI guess⊠maybe I like talking to him, too.â
AWWW!
That was a very cute and fluffy bonus scene, hell yeah! We love ourselves some wholesomeness in our killing games. Hereâs to (hopefully) two more chapters of Aidan and Davis being cute with each other! :D
2: Vanessa & Mark
Ooh, a very interesting pairing here! Wonder what they could have to talk about!
âI know that this whole Cellar randomizer thing happens every day, and that itâs probably designed to be a miserable experience for whoeverâs inside, but wouldnât it be a whole lot nicer if it wasnâtâŠ? I already feel kind of bad that I didnât try to talk to Aidan or anything, especially after heâs been keeping my secret about the gun this long. So, if Ellis already talked to Mark today, maybe I should pay him a visit too!â
Yay Vanessa PoV! And sheâs so niceâŠ
âMark: That⊠makes enough sense. I definitely donât mind the company, soâŠÂ Yay!â
Vanessaâs inner dialogue sounds like me lmao.
âVanessa: Well, howâs it been going? Mark: ⊠Uh⊠did I ask something wrongâŠ?â
Off to a stunning start!
âVanessa: âŠHey, Mark, what do you think is happening in the outside world? Like, beyond the Resort and all that? Mark: Wouldnât you know better than meâŠ?â
Yeah you kinda asked the absolute worst person Vanessa lol.
âMark: I still donât really remember much about what it was like before, or what happened to it. If your memories are more intact, youâd probably have a better prediction. Vanessa: I guess, but youâre smarter than me. Mark: âŠThanksâŠ?â
Bruh. Ness come on have a little more faith in yourself!
âVanessa: Do you ever wonder⊠if itâs safer in here? In the killing game? Mark: No.â
Wow, immediate. I guess fair, especially if he doesnât remember much about the Tragedy, but still.
âMark: You might be right. I have no idea what the world would be like, out there. All that I know is that the killing game shouldnât be allowed to exist, because itâs too awful. Even if the outside world is worse, the fact that there are more options makes it easier to change for the better. The way youâd move forward outside⊠itâd have to be to change it, right? To find safety, to reinvent civilization.â
Wow. Alright? I see you Ultimate Hope. Lmao.
âVanessa: âŠYou still donât remember anyone, right? From before all of this. Mark: No. Not in the slightestâŠâ
Alright so weâre lying now. I guess unless Mark takes their previous killing game as part of âall of this,â but I donât think Vanessa is privy to that information yet lol.
âVanessa: âŠI sometimes wonder if my parents are okay, wherever they are.â
:(
âVanessa: I just know that theyâre not really⊠resourceful? They donât really problem solve, or take things into their own hands. So, Iâm sort of worried about them on their ownâŠâ
Alright? thatâs⊠a pretty interesting opinion to have lmao. At least sheâs honest about it?
âMark: âŠWhat about your sister? Vanessa: Sheâs really capable, so, itâs a lot easier to trust that sheâs doing fine, wherever she isâŠâ
Thatâs nice at least! Vanessaâs sister sounds cool.
âBeing apart from her now has to be okay. I can handle myself. This is how I can prove that. I can make it through this killing game on my ownâŠ!â
Well, thatâs⊠an interesting motivating factor lol. Works, I guess.
âVanessa: Do you remember anyone well enough to miss them? Mark: âŠâ
Ooh⊠theyâre thinking about the previous Lucky Student :o
âVanessa: Iâm sorry if it hurts that you forgot⊠Mark: âŠIâll be okay.â
Aww :(
That was pretty nice! Fun stuff about the Tragedy and Vanessaâs family, though talking to Mark about anything that isnât strictly killing game related is always gonna be a little awkward. Still, very nice scene!
3: Harper & Noah
Well, you canât go wrong with this duo!
âHow long does it take someone to wake up from a concussion?â
Ooh, and itâs after Noah fell from the railing, fun!
âNoah: I was⊠freaking out, because of Davisâ whole thing, and I ended up falling from the Promenade. Thatâs all. I frown. It seems like Davisâ attractiveness forced Noah into some form of self-acknowledgement.â
Just wanted to repeat that this is an immaculate plot point, fantastic way to figure out oneâs sexuality lol.
âIâm sorry this is all happening to him, and I know he doesnât want to acknowledge it, but⊠I feel as though I can help him. Or, at least, I can try toâŠâ
Go Harper! Good luck!
âHarper: âŠIs your hesitancy towards self-acceptance related to your fatherâs beliefs? Iâve alwaysâŠÂ My phrasing has really gotten away from me⊠Harper: âŠheard less-than-ideal remarks, when Iâve conversed with him.â
Yikes! You know shitâs bad when Harper canât keep ver wording in check.
âNoah: What has he said to youâŠ? Harper: Nothing Iâm not used to.â
Yikes x2
âHarper: Itâs not your fault who your parents are. Noah flinches slightly. Right. His motherâŠâ
God, we are just piling on the family problems for the poor guy, huh?
âHarper: I, um⊠havenât ever met your mother before, and I hadnât heard you mention her, either. Is there⊠a reason whyâŠ? Noah pauses as he processes my words. Then, his eyes begin to tear up, and he tries to stifle a sob.â
Alright, so this oneâs gonna get extremely angsty then, awesome.
âI embrace him as he wipes at his eyes. Noah: S-sorry⊠I⊠Harper: No need to apologize. Iâm here for you.â
At least Harperâs really nice :)
âNoah: My dad⊠isnât a very good dad. Our relationship isnât great, but I have to spend a lot of time with him, âcause of frat stuff. He rubs the back of his neck. Noah: And, um⊠my mom⊠didnât want to deal with it anymore. So, one day, she left. Harper: I see. That makes sense. Noah: âŠShe took my sisters with her. Not me, though.â
Well, thatâs⊠sad. The backstoryâs very interesting, but geez. Kinda rough for his mom to take the sisters and not him, what the hell?
ââŠIâm sure Noah asks himself these questions often, too. And, I can only imagine⊠seeing his mother again, but in the context of the rouletteâŠâ
Yeah, yeah⊠:(
âHarper: I, um⊠understand the feeling, with my own parents.â
I⊠well, thatâs surprising! We havenât really heard much about Harperâs backstory, have we?
âHarper: No one becomes as rich as my parents without exploiting others. Even if Iâm not directly responsible for it, Iâve always felt guilty for reaping the benefits of their wealth.â
Yeah, thatâs what I figured. Do you think Harperâs parents run a vineyard? I still wonder why thatâs listed as ver dislike in ver profile.
âNoah: And, you give a lot of money away, anyways⊠Harper: I do. As much as I can. But, is that because I truly want to help people? Or, is it just because I donât want to feel that guiltâŠ?â
Ooh, interesting questions⊠Harperâs one of the characters which has been explored the least, I feel, so itâs nice to get this much insight on ver thoughts!
âHarper: Yeah. Iâm really glad Iâve gotten to know you better, Noah. He smiles back. Noah: Iâm glad I got to know you better, too.â
Woohoo! Nice talk! Really lovely to get more on these two, since again, I feel like we havenât gotten much about them in the main series. Onto the final one!
4: Taylor & Paris
And of course, I guess we couldnât end it off without the Trialâs main characters! The besties turned worsties⊠I wonder how this oneâs gonna play out.
âIt feels a little strange as Iâm stretching my legs and walking through the Resort again after leaving the Cellar. After all, Iâm not going to be here much longer, one way or another.â
Oh damn, are we gonna get a murder PoV as a Bonus Scene? Thatâd be incredible.
âI guess I donât know how long itâll take them to find âmyâ body, but the whole thing feels like a farewell tour of sorts. Like, look, itâs the Courtyard. Not sure if Iâll ever go back there again.â
Melancholic!
âParis: OMG, Tay! Are you okay? She takes a half-step forward like sheâs about to hug me, but reconsiders.â
Aww, sheâs trying :(
âAll I have to do is get back on her good side for one night. That means telling her what she wants to hearâ grovelling at her feet, admitting how wrong I was to doubt her. I can manage something like that, at least.â
Damn, killer PoV goes kinda crazy.
âTaylor: I just thought you were upset, since you stopped messaging me since yesterdayâŠâ
Oh my god are we finally gonna address what the deal was with this???
âIn the moment, I just didnât want to respond to her. Now, itâs part of my plan. I pick up my e-Handbook, pretending to look at my own chatroom. Taylor: Weird, itâs still not there. Can I have that?â
Holy genius plan! That works so well! Everything makes sense now!!!
âTaylor: Aww, you left my room permissions? I thought you mightâve gotten rid of them⊠Paris: Of course not. Besties always stick together~ Sure.â
Oof. Theyâre mad mad. I mean, given they killed the woman, I figure that should be obvious, but still.
âI run out of the room, quickly ducking into my own. I grab some snacks and two drinks from the mini bar, opening Parisâ drink and pouring the poison inside.â
And thatâs how the poison was administered. Iâm loving this frankly.
âParis: âŠIâm really happy to have you back, Tay. Taylor: ReallyâŠ? Itâs surprising. Her tone is earnest, genuine. She doesnât usually sound like that.â
Oh oh.
âParis: Iâve never really had an actual friend before. So, youâre really special to me, Tay. WhatâŠ? Paris: In high school, all of my âfriendsâ were people I hung out with because we were of similar status. We had fun and all that, but we didnât, like, care about each other. It was all politicking and rumors to stay at the top of the social ladder. Taylor: But, what about before that? Paris: I wasnât really popular before that. I just sort of⊠watched everyone else. If people did go out of their way to talk to me, it usually wasnât good.â
Oh no⊠weâre getting the entire tragic backstory only now that sheâs drank the poison⊠At least the backstory on Paris is great, but Iâm starting to feel sad.
âWhy is she saying all of this now? What purpose does it serve her?â
Though I am living for Taylor not buying it even though itâs clearly the truth.
âPeople donât really change. She seriously expects me to believe she was a totally different person just a few years ago? Even if her reputation was different, Iâm sure she was still the same person deep down.â
Case in point. Itâs so weird to hear âreal Taylorâsâ inner monologue, I donât think Iâd expect the person Taylor pretended to be to say something like this. Cool!
âParis: Because I think I went too far in the other direction. I got used to being in power, and thinking like I was the only one that mattered. But that isnât true. I canât care about no one because I care about you. Taylor: ⊠No, you donât. Donât say stuff like that if you donât mean it. Paris isnât the kind of person whoâs capable of actually caring about anyone, let alone âme.â Besides, she only thinks she knows who I am. She doesnât actually know anything.â
Holy angst Batman! Taylor is now in deep denial to avoid feeling awful for what theyâve done, always a fun thing to see.
âTaylor: What is it that you like about me so much, anyways? [âŠ] Paris: Youâre quiet, but thatâs okay. I like that youâre different from me, and different from the people Iâm used to. Youâre⊠honestly kind of mean sometimes, but I like that too. I mean, how couldnât I? Itâs the same kind of thing I do. It makes me feel like we really are friends who can just be our authentic selves around each other. Her voice is getting softer, quieter, as she continues talking. My heartbeat picks up. Why is she getting closer and closer to⊠what Iâm actually likeâŠ? The kind of person I want to be, but canât, because itâs not what anyone else wants?â
Holy shit this is getting devastating. Taylor is so desperate to keep hating Paris and itâs getting harder and harder the more likable Paris gets. Redemption and angst causing arc all in one conversation, Paris on that speedrun mindset.
âTaylor: Youâre not telling me you like me because you actually like me. Youâre just saying it because itâs what you want to hear about yourself. So, Iâm not giving up on anything real. Iâm just giving up on you.â
Yeah keep telling yourself that Taylor.
ââŠA plan well-started. But I donât have time to dwell on that. I need to move on to the next step. And, once Iâm out of here, I never have to think of her again. I look at her again. She really never saw this coming, did she? âŠNever again.â
Oof.
This was probably my favorite Bonus Scene of all time. I mean, the angst? The explanation of loose threads? The Paris redemption arc? The Taylor denial arc? Itâs peak! What else can I say? Delightful writing, delightful pain and suffering, itâs great.
-
And thatâs all for CH4! Wew, what a ride! To recap: Noah stumbled out of the closet so hard he fell off a railing, also he may be struggling with alcoholism and both daddy and mommy issues, Aidan started looking forward to the future through his FTEs, Davis improved his relationships and explained why Ultimate Bachelor is not Ultimate Boyfriend, Ellisâ self-esteem hit rock bottom and now sheâs confused as to why people actually like her, Jeff accidentally corrupted Taylor with their âfuck this shit Iâm outâ mindset, Paris and Taylorâs friendship crashed and burned in spectacular fashion, the trial had as many twists and turns as Paris had followers, disguises were made that would put the Ultimate Imposter to shame, Antonia did a bit of recreational narrative haunting with her poison, etc, etc. Eventful!
Lovely chapter this was! Iâm looking forward to starting CH5, though by the time I post this Iâll probably have started it already. {Iâm actually about to finish it lol, the formatting takes a while xp}. See you later!

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DROS CH5 First Impressions
And weâre here! Presumably the last regular chapter of DROS, before whatever CH6 will bring! Letâs see what exactly we have going on here, and what could possibly happen to get us into an endgame. We move!
CWs: Daily Life, Deadly Life. Warning: Absurdly long.
âUnbreakable Bondsâ, huh? I donât have too many guesses as to what could happen here, but it sounds fun.
âFive games before ours⊠fifteen victims in each⊠plus the current eight casualties from our game⊠Thatâs 83 deaths. 83 people, likely young stars with bright futures ahead of them, that this Resort has killed.â
I hadnât thought to do the math, but yeah, that number is absurd damn.
âIâm getting pretty sick of meals where not everyone is in attendance, so I cross my fingers and check to see if everyone makes it here. Thankfully, they all show up.â
Yay! No more Cellar motive, obvs.
âVanessa: Itâs⊠about what Taylor said, towards the end of the Trial. How everyone here is super close to someone. I⊠donât feel like I have anyone like that, yâknow?â
Type of shit that happens when your day 1 is the first killer ig. {Also hey last change of format before the finale!}
âJeff: Is that a bad thing?â
Also Jeff lol. I guess he also doesnât have anyone that close, but heâs used to it :p
âJeff: If youâre not super attached to anyone else, you donât ever have to worry about them leaving you behind.â
Of course xp
âJeff: âŠIf thinking about the situationâs not helping, think about how to get out of it. We all want this game to end, right? So, focus your efforts on figuring out how to end it. Thatâs my plan. Ellis: Thatâs what Iâm gonna be doing, too. We canât let this game churn through us all⊠Vanessa: Right. Finding an end to the killing game, without there only being one winner left. Maybe, if we try hard enough⊠Maybe it is possible.â
Back on the âend the gameâ grind! We donât have a lot of time until the end of the story, so we gotta do it!
âIf we can actually all come together, who knows what new innovations that might bring? âŠMan, I really hate how tacky this all sounds. I was never cut out to be an inspirational speaker.â
But⊠But the hope speeches D:
âSo, weâre just going to pretend that getting out of here before anyone else dies is a totally viable scenario. Iâm really crushing this optimism thing.â
Donât worry Ellis sweetie youâre doing great.
âMark: Thereâs just⊠only half of us left. I guess everyone was studying up on their arithmetic last night.â
Ellis and their inner monologue continue being the funniest things alive lmao.
âThe Show Roomâs walls have returned to stonework, though itâs nothing decorative, just bricks. The room is empty, except for the shackles hanging from the walls. âŠHang on. Isnât this the same as it looked the first time I saw it?â
Thatâs⊠interesting. Is it looping? Or is there some connection to the first chapter here? Given the âbondsâ name, I have to imagine the shackles are related. Maybe this chapterâs motive was supposed to be CH1âs, but Antonia killed so fast that a different motive was chosen. Wonder if itâll be anything like Tetro Blueâs first motive. Kinda doubt it, but weâll see.
âWhy would it go back to default? Does that mean there wonât be a motive this time? WhyâŠ?â
I guess âdefaultâ is also an interesting way of seeing it. Wonder what it could mean.
âEllis: Itâs no wonder you came here. This is⊠really abnormal. Aidan: âŠThanksâŠ?â
Bruh xD
âEllis: Yeah. Youâd think theyâd want to ramp up how effective the motives are to counteract everyone growing closer. Unless theyâre trying and failing to prove some point about how weâve only become more desperate over time, thereâs no reason for them to ramp down.â
I like the âtrying and failingâ language- for as much as Ellis makes fun of himself for it, he actually is pretty good at the optimism thing apparently. Also, interesting ideas from Ellis!
âEllis: Maybe weâll get handcuffed together. Thatâd be fun, right, Aidan?â
Oh hey, another case of me and Ellis thinking alike, except I donât think Ellis knows about Tetro Blue lol. Also I hope the first motive isnât considered that big of a spoiler? Idk.
âAidan: If that does happen, I feel bad for whoever gets paired with you. Ellis: Ouch! But, hey, didnât we say you should stop feeling so negatively about yourself? Aidan: What do you mean? Ellis: Well, because we would be paired together, obviously. So stop feeling sorry for yourself. Itâs a blessing. Aidan: ...Right.â
A very particular conversation lmao.
âI walk past the card tables in the Casino in pursuit of finally unlocking whateverâs behind that weird door.â
Yooo!!! Weird door in the casino reveal!!! Hopefully, Iâve actually been really interested in it for a long time.
âMarkâs standing outside said door, but based on their demeanor, it doesnât seem to be open.â
Or I can wait until next chapter thatâs fine too xD
âEllis: Ugh, still? This thing has been bugging me since we got here.â
Dude. I swear Iâm not reading Ellisâ lines ahead of time, we just genuinely have the same thought process a weirdly significant amount of the time xD
âMark: It doesnât open. Ellis: Like⊠ever? Mark: Not in my game. Probably not in this one, either.â
Hmm⊠Well, I guess we have an idea for what may be the trigger for the end of the killing game in CH6!
âEllis: âŠHave you ever tried knocking? Mark: ⊠They knock on the door. Unsurprisingly, nothing happens.â
S-Tier bit. Why didnât we think of this before???
âLooks like I wonât be able to get them to smile with any of my usual antics at the moment.â
Awww⊠Well you tried, and it was a good attempt :( Made me smile, at least :D
âMark: After the Fifth Trial, the dynamic of the killing game shifts. There are few enough people left that everyone starts having to consider what theyâre actually going to do to get out of it alive. So, instead of getting new areas and super pressing motives, itâs more about the group dynamic. Oh, and the BDA rule will change after the next Trial, too. Three spotless is too hard to achieve when there are only six or fewer people leftâŠâ
Thatâs⊠interesting. I guess that explains the Show Room a little.
âMark: They arenât. Thereâll be a new motive⊠probably tomorrow morning. Maybe the day after that. Ellis: Wait, then why would they reset it to look like when we first got here if theyâre just going to change it anyways? Mark: Probably for confusion or a false sense of security. The motives seem to be following roughly the same pattern as before, soâŠâ
Never mind! So thatâs kinda weird. I wonder if maybe somethingâs going wrong on the killing game organizersâ end, that they canât get a new Show Room? Probably wishful thinking, that.
âMark: I remember the fourth and fifth [motives], and the fact that there werenât any afterwards.â
Very, very interesting!
âMark: Itâs true, though. Like I said, once everyone is confronted with the end of the killing game, itâs harder to pretend there wonât only be one winner. People start trying harder to make sure the one winner is them.â
Big oof there. Makes sense, but still.
âMark: âŠI donât want it to get to that point again. I canât let it. Ellis: We wonât. At least if Iâm going to lie to people now, Iâm doing it for their benefit.â
Even bigger oof. I guess Ellis still isnât quite an Ultimate Hope candidate, eh?
âThe double doors open into a dazzling Banquet Hall, a large table set for 16 with china and silver serving as the focal point of the room. Another set of double doors stand at the other side of the room, and smaller doors are worked into the gilded decor on the left and right. Sparkling glass fixtures illuminate the room in bright light along the walls and ceiling.â
Whatâs the point of opening this now? Youâve got half the people you would need to fill that table!
âEllis: Yeah⊠That, or we all did something here before, and we donât remember it.â
Thatâs⊠a noteworthy thought. Jot that down for later ig.
âJeff: I was more thinking⊠this is supposed to be a hotel, right? If you were going to host a banquet for a bunch of guests or whatever, why would you make them walk through other guestsâ living spaces to get there? Ellis: To make them uncomfortable, I guess. I kinda doubt this Resort was built for a purpose other than this killing game.â
Fair points. Weâre getting some more context on stuff, at least.
âThrough the door lies another room with a long table, though itâs much less splendid than the Banquet Hall. A TV display sits on one end of the room, and Vanessa spins around in one of the swivel chairs that make up the seating of what looks like a Conference Room.â
Vanessa go spinny! Kind of a boring sounding room for CH5, no? I wonder if thereâs more to it than meets the eye. Or if the order things get unlocked in is kinda random.
âVanessa: Weird that there are 16 if this place doesnât open until there are only 8 left, right? Aw, come on! Her, too?â
Bruh. Empty space might as well be the main antagonist of this chapter lol.
âVanessa: Itâs gotta be at least kinda soundproof in here then, right? âCause, you were right there.â
Oh, so someoneâs dying here, there. Cool!
âVanessa: Yeah, I guess. Though, I bet I could yell loudly enough to break through it, right? How soundproof can soundproof get? Ellis: Should I plug my ears? Vanessa: Nah, I wonât do it. Still though! I believe I can!â
Interesting theory, If be interested in having her test it :p
âI spin around a few times in the chair for good measure before I head out.â
Good, good, whimsy is important. Weâre learning. (?)
âI guess it makes sense to have another Kitchen next to the Banquet Hall. Similar to the Buffetâs, itâs state of the art equipment, though there arenât currently any staff in here. Harper looks around the otherwise empty space.â
Harper, we have to cook.
âHarper: Perhaps at some point it would be nice to try cooking here. It would allow a brief pause from everything being Resort-provided. Ellis: As long as you donât try to cook anything for the staff. Harper frowns. Harper: The staff are hard at work for our benefit. Ellis: Theyâre complicit in your death!â
Donât cook like that Harper! I love ver so much, this is genuine so funny.
âThe doors open into a grand space with marble arches and polished golden floors. A sparkling chandelier hangs from the ceiling, the diamonds scattering the light into ornate patterns across the floor. On the far left and right, passages to further hallways trail onwards. Davis stands in the center of the Ballroom, twinkling in the light of the chandelier.â
Ooh, fancy!
âDavis: Itâs beautiful, isnât it? Ellis: Yeah⊠After I take a moment to collect myself, I flip my ponytail. Ellis: Just like the two of us. Separately. Davis gives a familiar smile.â
Well at least heâs doing fine!
âDavis: Iâm sure the Resort could provide you with [a suit or a ball gown], if you wanted one. My eyes start to sparkle before I can stop myself. Ellis: Really?! Agh, I shouldnât be so excited! I cross my arms. Ellis: I mean⊠Itâd be a good strategic move to take that suit-slash-ball-gown-slash-multiple-of-those before we leave this place to make them lose some of their resources.â
Bruh. Itâs kinda funny seeing Ellis bashful over wanting to dress up nice, I guess it doesnât really fit her wild and crazy aesthetic.
âOr, I could host one myself, for the rest of us. Iâd only put eight chairs around my table. Then, nobody would have to ask.â
Yes, fight against empty space! This villain will be defeated yet!
âIt leads out onto a small Balcony. Vines with colorful flowers line the white chiseled railing. Noah leans over the railing, looking out beyond it. When I join him, I instantly understand the reason for his troubled expression: there are other buildings, ones outside of the Resort, a little far away. Itâs hard to make it out, but there are people out there, tooâ not staff members, not contestants, but other people, driving cars and exiting buildings, just beyond our grasp.â
Thatâs insane. Thereâs just regular ass people directly outside the damn building, and no oneâs even heard anything inside about trying to break them out? I donât even know if Junko couldâve pulled that off at the peak of her influence, damn.
âNoah: We could get a flare or something from the Customer Service Desk. Set it off here. I doubt it would do anything, thoughâŠâ
Well, itâs a plan, I guess!
âEllis: Not even the loved onesâŠ? Noah: ⊠He hesitates. Noah: âŠMaybe they just⊠didnât know it was us. They probably had no idea weâre here, at least, if theyâre still living normally. Or, who knows, maybe itâs only normal right there! Maybe people somewhere else are still out there looking for everyone. Ellis: I just⊠I didnât think it was possible for not caring about anyone to be the norm.â
Itâs kinda crazy, yeah. I mean, Tragedyâs probably the answer as to how this happened, but itâs still kind of insane.
âEllis: Plus, itâs the Nevada desertâŠâ
Is this still based on Antoniaâs guess from the Prologue, or did we ever get actual confirmation on it? Because I can see the world where weâre, like, on a random island somewhere.
âNote Obtained: Balcony Viewâ
Ooh⊠Now thatâs an interesting place to get a Note! Wonder how itâs gonna come into play.
[Jeff FTE Start] Wow, Jeff? Very interesting pick! I guess thereâs probably a lot to learn here, especially considering the whole âcoming back is harder than going awayâ thing he said at some point last chapter.
âJeff: Beaches have better vibes than indoor places, or, like⊠forest cabins. Ellis: Huh? What, are you afraid of crazy chainsaw murderers or something? Jeff: Itâs not that Iâm afraid of anything in particular. I just like it better when itâs an open area. Hmm. Is Jeff claustrophobic?â
Well, that sure would be something!
âJeff: Well, I still like the outside better. I just mean⊠itâs harder to do whatever you want here. Iâm used to doing whateverâ no responsibilities, no worries. Here, though, I have to actually think about it. I frown. Ellis: Yeah⊠itâs not fun. Jeff: Been happening to you too? Ellis: Yeah⊠turns out your first instinct isnât always your best instinct. Who knew?â
I always felt like Ellis and Jeff were pretty similar in this regard. Not that itâs a particularly revolutionary observation, but yeah.
âJeff: Could be a catchphrase for this place. âWelcome to the killing game, where your actions actually have consequences!â Ellis: "Not to mention, you also have to suffer the secondhand consequences of everybody elseâs actions at the same time you watch others experience yours!â"
Theyâre bonding :O
âJeff: Ugh, tell me about it. This is the reason why I always skip outâŠâ
You know, I guess theyâd always have been a pretty obvious pick for killer with their talent and everything, but Iâm still a little surprised they havenât even considered killing so far. As far as we know, anyways. Maybe heâs just so adverse to responsibility that he doesnât want too much guilt he canât run away from, though thatâs only one option.
âJeff: âŠYou ever wonder about what itâd be like after? When someone does win, where do they go? What do they do?â
I guess they have wondered about it a little bit lol.
âEllis: âŠI canât imagine the Resort would totally let them off the hook. Jeff: What would the audience think, though? Like, oh, this person won. Hope you didnât get too attached to them, though. Ellis: Maybe the people watching this game just want everyone to die. Thatâd explain how they could even be into this kind of thing in the first place⊠Jeff: Fair enough. Not like I understand whatever would have to go through someoneâs head to like watching a killing game. Even aside from, yâknow, the horror of death or whatever, wouldnât it just be⊠I donât know, a downer? Ellis: Maybe itâs for the catharsis, I donât know.â
Interesting philosophizing here. Always kinda funny to see these characters talk about the sickos reading- ehr, watching their killing game lol.
âEllis: Then again, catharsis sucks. Thatâs what Iâve been learning these past few days. Jeff: Amen.â
Thatâs a nice note to end on!
âGiven that heâs clearly wanted to get out of here the whole time, I wonder if he ever planned on winning himself.â
Ellis please let me have an original thought for once in my life.
âEllis: If I pretend that Balcony doesnât exist, itâs going great. Ah, ratsâŠâ
That hit her harder than I thought it would. I guess knowing for certain that people are all around you and not doing anything about the killing game would be pretty awful, huh?
âJeff: Howâre you and Davis doing? Aidan: ⊠Aidanâs face gets slightly red. Aidan: What do you mean by âme and Davis?â Iâm fine. Heâs fine. Ask him yourself, if you care.â
Seeing Aidan flustered is kinda hilarious. Local idgafer found actually giving a fuck, he will never recover from this.
âAidan: What is this, an interrogation? Why does it matter who I spend the day withâŠ? Ellis: I dunno. Some people care~ Aidan: Are you one of the people who care? Because if not, you shouldnât be asking. Ellis: Sigh, I guess thatâs true. No matter how much time we spent together, I always knew I could never replace your first. Aidan: FirstâŠ? Jeff: To be fair, you were also going up against Davis of all people.â
And now theyâre teasing him. You have no idea how hard Iâm smiling. Please no one die :D
âAidan: Why are we talking about thisâŠ? Ellis: What, how attractive and charming I am? Because itâs always the best topic of conversation! Aidan: Youâre the only one who talks about that.â
Thank you Aidan for continuing to be the funniest person alive xD
âJeff: Would you rather talk about how Davis is attractive and charming? Aidan: Shut up.â
Get his ass Jeff!
âIf those people donât care⊠it doesnât make sense. Maybe theyâre some kind of crazy cult that wants to sacrifice non-virgins to some dark robotic god. Maybe theyâve been kidnapped against their will! Yeah, a whole city can definitely be kidnapped. Via⊠mind control, maybe? I donât know.â
Wow we are⊠struggling, huh? Yeah, kinda fucked.
âAnd⊠thereâs nothing that could have changed the global perspective on life and death that much in⊠what, a few days? Months? A year, at mostâŠ!â
I guess if their bodies havenât changed from what they remember too much, it really canât have been that long. Then again, the Tragedy didnât exactly last that long as a whole, anyways. I do wonder exactly where in the timeline we are, though. I⊠probably must have talked about this at some point, but the killing games would have to be based off Junkoâs, right? So⊠idk.
Anyways, next part!
Part 2
âI donât notice any new motive-related happenings as I wake up and make my way to the First Floor.â
Huh. CuriousâŠ
âMark: âŠThere he is. I follow Markâs gaze to the door, through which Monoquin walks into the Buffet.â
Indeed! There he is! Wonder what heâs gonna say.
âEllis: Is there even a point to you greeting us? Nobody is happy to see you. Honestly, why am I even talking to himâŠ? Monoquin: I was informing you of my presence. Noah: Can your presence go awayâŠ?â
Disrespecting mascots is always hilarious lol.
âMonoquin: I am here to inform you that the motive will begin tomorrow. Please meet in the Ballroom by 9 AM tomorrow, and wear appropriate attire for the venue.â
Oh god, I do not have good memories regarding meeting in a specific room in formal clothes. Please donât lock them in the Ballroom?
âEllis: âŠI swear, I was not rooting for this development.â
Pfft-
âEllis: âŠWhat does this have to do with the shackles?â
Theyâre getting locked in the Ballroom. Motherfucker. I forgot about those thingsâŠ
âEllis: Thereâs a chance that we might all get trapped in there together. We should make sure that we already have whatever we might need on us.â
For once Iâm very happy Ellis shares my thought process lmao.
âMark: Itâs a reasonable idea, though I wouldnât⊠expect it to be anything that severe. Theyâll probably want to do something that makes it harder to live here, but not impossible.â
Mark saying that is admittedly very reassuring. Ultimately, they only have five more motives worth of sample size at most, though, so. Hopefully heâs not wrong!
âEllis: Good point! We should all spend the day in the Casino, then. Whoever does best gets a kiss⊠or maybe more.â
Ellis.
âDoes Mark remember what the motive is? Have they figured it out? Or is it just a sign of his resistance dwindling that he wasnât particularly excited at the prospect of spending a day together?â
Oof. Hopefully theyâll be alright.
âI seek out the Spa to relax at the hands of our demented kidnappers (trust me when I say itâs the best course of action I could come up with), finding Jeff there as well.â
I donât think Iâve ever commented much on it, but the Staff are so funny, conceptually. Like, thereâs this weird robot thing thatâs actually controlling the killing game, all the scared participants with a cackling evil mastermind in their midst, and also just these Guys walking around. They intrigue me. What is their deal?
[Jeff FTE] Not that it matters right now! FTE woo!
âWhile I might have agreed with Jeff before, Iâm now unsure if not having any major attachments is something to brag about. Like, yeah, you donât wanna be saddled with a ton of debt, but having at least one friend isnât bad, is it? Iâm sure Paris wouldâve liked to have oneâŠâ
Yay for character development!
âJeff: âŠDepends on what you consider caring, too. Iâm sure there are plenty of people out there who remember me who I donât remember. Just another face in the crowd.â
Interesting. I could see Jeff leaving someone specifically because they were starting to care about him, but maybe heâd remember them then. But if theyâre always traveling around, it makes sense theyâd forget people faster than average.
âJeff: I wouldnât say that. Itâs more⊠I go plenty of places, right? See a lot of different people. Iâm always on the move. But, for people who stay in the same place most of their lives, one day, I show up. I stay for a while, have a good time⊠then I leave. To me, I mostly forget about whoever I met there, because I do this all the time. But thatâs not normal to them, is it? Theyâd be more likely to remember me.â
Exactly, yeah.
âJeff: I try not to think about it too much, âcause for the most part, I donât really care. But, in reality, there are probably a lot of people who hate me out there. Ellis: For doing something bad, or for leaving? Jeff: Leaving. Wouldnât you be upset, if someone you liked disappeared one day without a trace, no goodbyes?â
It must be a weird thing to think about. Iâm glad weâre talking about it, itâs interesting.
âIâve always been the one doing the leaving. And yet, who knows if I was ever a person who was liked?â
Yikes. For as much as I call out Ellisâ development as generally a good thing, we still gotta work on that self esteem my protag.
âEllis: The good news is, if you disappeared from this place without a trace, Iâd probably be happy for you. Not âcause I didnât enjoy your company, but because itâd mean you actually got out of here. I tilt my head back in thought. Ellis: Actually, scratch that. Iâd only be happy if I could confirm you were still alive. Otherwise, Iâd never know if the staff just, like, shot you out back and left you dead in a ditch or something.â
Lol. Ellis still has their awkward moments, you love to see it.
âEllis: But, hey, youâre the Ultimate Absentee! Maybe you have a talent for evading death. Jeff: Made it this far, right? I could say the same to you.â
I did also wonder if Ultimate Absentee would inherently give them a free pass to escape, itâd be funny. Maybe I shouldâve put him down as a survivor in the prediction game.
âEllis: You think that more than just the two of us wouldnât die here? Please. If someone else says it, maybe itâll come true. Jeff: Aidanâs already dodged death once. Who the hell knows whatâs going on with Mark? Thatâs already four people that feel like they shouldnât die. Three of them would have to, if we were to get down to one.â
Jeff is playing their own prediction game, I see! Funny.
âThen again, maybe the disconnect is my problem! Is getting stuck in the cycle preventing me from coming up with better ways to break it? If you believe that the sky is the limit, youâll always be limited by the sky. Everybody else could be planting their flags on the moon right now.â
Poetic. Itâs a nice thought, hopefully Ellis can hold onto it for a while.
[FTE End] What a nice FTE!
âHarper: You wanted to ask me, in particular? Davis: I feel like everyoneâs been struggling lately, but no oneâs really checked in with you. I wanted to make sure youâre doing okay.â
Nice guy Davis. And itâs kinda true. Harperâs always just kinda been Vibing, so I donât usually find myself wondering how veâs doing, but still.
âHarper: To be honest, Iâve actually been questioning my place less than usual. I am, admittedly, typically one to doubt myself, but⊠I feel more resolute than normal. Ellis: Oh? What have you resolved, then? Harper: This entire time, Iâve been unsure of what I could offer to everyone who was suffering. I tried, but I didnât have anything I could give. But⊠Ve smiles softly. Harper: Maybe just being here is enough.â
Well thatâs nice. Unless ve means, like, âthe mm (me) is finally in a killing game and that helps the people suffering outside?â But I only say that because with Paris gone, I really have no idea who the mm is, and Iâm just latching onto the person with what feels like the least screen time lol. Then again, Paris went down without doing anything beyond the third chapter motive thing, so my sus radar is clearly not exactly very strong, I canât be out here accusing Harper fucking Young of all people lol.
âHarper: I suppose thatâs true. If there is one thing, though⊠I do wish Iâd managed to talk to Noah, before he⊠Ellis: Before he fell a couple of days ago?â
Yeah that tracks.
âHarper: âŠThatâs the reason I never volunteered for the Cellar, in the end. I⊠thought it might do more good to be by his side.â
I did wonder about that. Harper not volunteering for at least a day at the Cellar had given me some pause, but I guess this makes sense.
âEllis: Harper, Taylor had so much resentment towards Paris that they slipped up and used her pronouns in a moment of anger when they basically had their survival in the bag. And weâre not going to dwell on that!â
Lmao. Yeah, I guess thatâs kind of a lot when you put it like that, yeesh.
âEllis: Harper, are you the mastermind? Harper: Of course not. Ellis: Did you ever actively want anyone dead? Harper: No, I didnât. I never would. Ellis: Then, I think youâre good. Harper: âŠI suppose⊠maybe I am.â
Lmao at the mm question, considering. And itâs nice to see Harper making some amount of progress on the guilt veâs been feeling, thatâs kinda been a problem for a while.
[Jeff FTE] Yay!
âWhy does nobody want to dance with me? Iâm a great dancer!â
Lmao. Maybe heâll get to show that off in the motive ball or whatever the hell is happening.
âJeff: I wish. But, at the same time, maybe [being forced to stay here is] good for me as a person or something. I donât know. Iâve been thinking way too much lately. I hate how it keeps turning out that way.â
I wonder what Ellis is referring to specifically. The killing game forcing people to improve even despite the despair and likelihood of death? Or just, like, forcing people to think lol.
âJeff: Am I a terrible person? Like, objectively. I laugh. Ellis: Oh man, it just gets funnier every time. The illusion of free choice: be me, be Mark, be Aidan, be Harper, be Jeffâ all paths lead to âam I a terrible person?ââ
Self-loathing seems to be a weirdly recurring theme here lol. I think the only people here I donât remember having any issues with their sense of self (though of course memoryâs fuzzy with my time in the void) were Cass, Antonia, maybe Kennedy and Vivi. So the spy, the possible mass murderer, and the Mad Duo. Not great options all in all lmao.
âEllis: Man, does it make me a terrible person if you ask me a serious question and I laughâŠ?â
Speaking of self doubt lol.
âEllis: Well⊠that is true, people usually say that being selfish is a bad thing. If youâre actively screwing other people over, thatâs an act that most would call evil. But itâs also kinda hard to hate a guy whoâs just, like, following his passions? And causing collateral damage presumably on accident. Jeff: At some point, you become aware of the collateral damage. If you donât do anything to change it, does that make it your fault?â
Interesting philosophical questions here. Thereâs probably an argument that Jeff should try to minimize collateral while still doing what makes him happiest, though thereâs only so much they can actually do about that.
âJeff: You didnât answer the question. Ellis: Uhhh⊠Seriously, why do people keep coming to me for advice?!â
Face your protag responsibilities Ellis!
âJeff: I probably have at least one kid out there. Statistically, I mean. I wouldnât know, though. I think about that a lot. DILF???â
OKAY, hold the fuck up!!! You canât just drop that in the middle of the conversation, and Ellisâ first thought certainly canât be âDILF???â Are we out of our goddamn minds???
âEllis: Damn. Congrats? Jeff: Itâs not like I want a kid. Ellis: Un-congrats. Yeah, having a kid would be hard. Before you know it, theyâre twenty-something, and questioning whether or not theyâre a terrible person.â
âUn-congratsâ is crazy. Also, thatâs the weirdest reason Iâve ever heard for why having a kid would be hard. Ellis and Jeff may just be the worst people who could be having this conversation lmao.
âJeff: I wouldnât be here at all, if I couldâve left. But⊠I guess youâre sort of right. Maybe I am making progress, or whatever it is people who care about growing as a person would say.â
Yay progress! I wonder if these FTEs would be like this if they had happened earlier in the killing gameâŠ
âStill, I canât believe that Jeff is a dad. Other than that I totally can. There could be a mini-Breeze out there somewhere in the world right now. Would they be watching, from wherever they are? Iâd hope theyâd root for their dad. Or, really, I hope theyâd root for all of us. If the town outside the Balcony is like that, though, I have no idea what a naive little kidâs opinion would be.â [FTE End]
Very strange place to leave this, but then, this entire thing was kinda strange, wasnât it? lol.
âNoah: Nah, itâs fine. I just⊠thought Iâd try the Cafe out, for a change of scenery. I really hope it has nothing to do with scoping out the fireplace.â
Yikes. What would he even be looking for?
âEllis: I suppose you havenât spent much time in here before, then? Noah: No, not really. I was always, um⊠taking advantage of other amenities. Ellis: âŠRight. I definitely get the sense that heâs talking about the Bar. But, if heâs tiptoeing around it, I wonât stomp on that strategy.â
Well, yeah. But itâs nice to see heâs avoiding alcoholism as much as he can!
âNoah: I wonder if people back home would even recognize me. Ellis: Hey, youâre the legacy party king! I donât think thatâs a face people would forget. Noah: I act pretty differently here, though. In a good way. I think. Ellis: Oh. Then, theyâd probably say something like, âah, Noah, heâs grown up so muchâŠ!ââ
More character development!!!
âNoah: I see [Harper] maybe, like, once a year? And, only for a handful of years. Ellis: Knowing any of the sixteen people here when we started seemed like a pretty big deal to me!â
Same lol. I guess itâs the idea that pre-killing game relationships are always established in the narrative for a reason, so you kinda expect them to be a bigger deal going in than they necessarily have to be. Though thatâs a meta argument which Ellis canât really consider :v
âNoah: âŠI guess I assumed ve was busy a lot. Plus, I was always stuck doing whatever, so⊠Ellis: You had that many frat obligations? Sorry, Iâm assuming that whatever was holding you up wasnât going to class. Noah: Definitely not. I, um⊠He trails off. Noah: Maybe that can be a story for another day?â
I have a couple guesses of why Noah never went out of his way to hang out with Harper, but I guess weâll have to wait for a bit longer.
âThen again, the more I talk to people, the more I start to believe that nobody would kill. Noah seems to be doing much better after his freak out a few days ago, and Jeff is considering the implications of their actions on others. Like I told Jeff, being a good person is the new black, and good people (typically) donât kill other good people. If weâre all focused on self-improvement, maybe itâll stop anybody from freaking out.â
Chapter fives sometimes have this vibe, donât they? The group feels too close, so whatever happens, itâs gonna feel crazy when it does.
âMonoquin said that we had to be dressed properly. If I wasnât looking my absolute best, I could be executed!â
I found this amusing. I hope this doesnât happen to Aidan or Iâm not gonna find it very amusing anymore lol.
âA pink-tinted, heart-shaped monocleâ presumably meant to replace my sunglassesâ dangles from my left lapel.â
This is a very funny image. Perfect detail, zero notes.
â[Describing Aidan] A red rose boutonniere rests on his chest, matching Davisâ. Black, glossy boot heels complete the look.â
Matching Davis, huh? The mastermind knows what you are⊠also I wonder if people are gonna be paired up in some way. We can have Aidan-Davis, Harper-Noah, Ellis-Mark, Vanessa-Jeff, right?
âThe sleeves are rolled up, and they donât have their usual gloves on.â
Okay, no Kyoko situation with those, good to know.
âEllis: Thank you. I wasnât able to take my eyes off of you, myself. I wink at everyone here in procession.â
Sheâs in her element :O
âMonoquin: Momentarily. However, first, I ask you to each choose a dance partner. Oh no. This canât be good.â
âŠYeah.
âThis is just like their stupid execution questions. You know itâs going to go poorly no matter how you answer, and yet, you canât help but try to answer the least poorly you can. Will people who pair up together have to compete in something together, or will they have to take each other out? Will we be stuck together until a murder occurs, or will we never be able to see each other again? Do people just want to see some fancy footwork???â
Exactly my thoughts, though thatâs probably shouldnât surprise anyone by now.
âMark: Ellis? Ellis: âŠI donât want this to be a bad idea for you. Mark: They wouldnât do anything that forces our hands too much, and Iâd much rather be partnered with you than anyone else. Please? Ellis: âŠFine. At least then nobody else gets to be the first to hold your hand.â
Awww :)
âNoah and Harper, Aidan and Davis, and⊠Vanessa and Jeff?â
Called it!
âMonoquin: This motive will force you to stay in pairs via the use of handcuffs. Each pair, please put out one of your hands each.â
Yep, thatâs one of the options of there being handcuffs in the Show Room alright!
âEllis: Again, I did not know in advance that this was going to happen, nor did I want it toâŠ!â
Lmao.
âAidan: Isnât that counterproductive? Itâd be way harder to kill someone with another person attached to you at all times, and if anyone actually went through with killing their partner, that would be really obvious. Monoquin: What you make of the motive is up to all of you.â
Yeah, this is a little strange. Itâs looking to be a very peculiar trial, thatâs for sure.
âEllis: Itâs weird that itâs the opposite of the last motive. Like, first you arenât allowed to talk to anybody, and now youâre chained to somebody forever. Mark: Iâm sure itâs by design. If one kind of person would kill so they donât have to be alone, a different one would kill so they could be alone. It makes it more likely that someone will be left to actually act on the motive.â
Very good deductions from these two! Theyâre so great :)
âWe all turn to Vanessa. The other half of her handcuffs are open, and Jeff is nowhere to be seen.â
Holy! They really werenât kidding with the Ultimate Absentee thing! The dip was fucking immediate! Thatâs crazy.
âMonoquin: In relation to recent developments, you wonât have to dance, Ms. Bravo. Simply wait in the area.â
Uh⊠what? Iâm losing my mind. What actually is the motive then?
âIn taking in Markâs physical appearance again, I notice a scar on their right arm. It looks pretty deep.â
Thatâs⊠interesting. Very curious about that, wonder how itâs gonna come into play.
âEllis: Do you remember how you got that scar? Mark: No, I donât. It was there before last killing game, I think. I donât know when or how I got it, thoughâŠâ
Well, didnât have to wonder long. Still, itâs very peculiar.
âMark: Itâs⊠something thatâs been on my mind. Do I even want the rest of my memories backâŠ?â
Oof. Thatâs a rough thing to think, buddy.
âIf we could basically eliminate the motive in, like, ten minutes, thatâd be pretty cool. Assuming it wasnât instantly replaced with a new, worse one.â
Yeah maybe keep the handcuffs actually.
âMark: Speaking of which⊠How did you do it? Itâs not like the Resort usually gives out motives that are so easy to avoid. Jeff: Canât say. Monoquin told me that, because I didnât break any rules, he couldnât really punish me. But I canât do it again, and I canât tell you guys how I did it.â
Huh. We donât think this is Jeff!mm agenda, right? I mean, if I recall correctly, his name did come out of the hat when Ellis pulled a paper, soâŠ
âJeff: Itâs still a good thing, right? Even if I canât help you guys break out of yours, it means Vanessa and I are less hindered. Iâll just have to pull a little extra weight in the escaping department. Ellis: Ooh, are you going to bridal carry me? I wish Iâd worn a dress. Jeff: Nothing like that. I might be able to pull something else off, though. Iâve clearly thought of at least one thing the Resort didnât predict.â
Well, itâs⊠progress, at least! We know they arenât all powerful, at least.
âJeff: That stays between me and Monoquin. Ellis: Wow, okay mastermind-slash-traitor.â
Ellis more like echo because they keep saying the same shit I do xD
âMark: Itâll probably be easier if I give you access to my room, right? Ellis: I dunno, when would I be trying to open your door when you arenât there? Mark: Fair enough. Mark opens the door with their e-Handbook. Mark: Thereâs no real reason not to, though. Ellis: Eh, guess there isnât.â
Hm⊠I canât see this ending badly at all! Ha ha⊠ha.
âMark: Did you have something in mind? Ellis: Have I ever?â
Pfft-
âHarper: I suppose it is rather convenient that we have opposite dominant hands, isnât it? Noah: Yeah, it makes this whole thing easier.â
Well thatâs nice!
âMark: Vanessa, when did you get your handcuff off? Vanessa: Oh, I asked Monoquin if he could get rid of it âcause it kept getting caught on stuff. I wasnât connected to anyone else anymore, which sort of defeated the point, and âcause it was Jeffâs fault, he let me take it off.â
Wait did she just have a half empty handcuff on her wrist? Thatâs really funny.
âHarper: I suppose this continues your trend of being unaffected by any of the motives, Vanessa.â
Has that been a thing? Sheâd presumably have been affected by the roulette, even if she never got rolled. But I guess itâs kinda true otherwise.
âMark: Jeff hasnât either, right? Harper: No, I suppose not. Noah: I guess his talent must help him out. Being absent from the motives must be niceâŠâ
Ultimate Absentee is proving stronger than expected, I seeâŠ
âNo one points it out, but itâs hard not to think about the fact that Noah, in contrast, has been affected by every randomized motive. The fact that heâs made it this far despite that says something about him, rightâŠ?â
True! Heâs a trooper, Noah.
âMark: Uh⊠I guess my room is fineâŠ? Ellis: There you go. An excellent pick, milady. My face scrunches up. Ellis: Didnât like that one. Mark: Yeah, not particularlyâŠÂ â
Pfft- Well, itâs Markâs room, I guess. Wonder where the others will be rooming. Im guessing Noahâs room for Noah-Harper, and maybe Davis for Davis-Aidan, but idk.
âEven if this motive isnât as troubling as some of the others, itâs probably the most annoying. Things as simple as brushing your teeth or taking a shower suddenly become much more time consuming when youâve got another person attached at the wrist. I wouldnât be surprised if most of us are extra sleepy tomorrow morning because of all the time lost due to these things.â
Yeah, that shit has to be obnoxious. But oh well, has to be dealt with.
âWhen it comes to sleeping, thereâs really no way that Mark and I wouldnât sleep in the same bed.â
And there was only one bed⊠they could realistically sleep in lol.
âSo⊠things will be fine. Even if things go south, I get to keep an eye on Mark. Iâm not going to kill them, and I really donât think theyâd want to kill me. And, no one would want to mess with the Lucky Student, or the person theyâre attached to! I have no need to feel so nervous. I open one of my eyes and peek at Mark. Heâs sleeping. No reason at all.â
Well, someone seems a little paranoid lol.
What a nice little part this was! Pretty manageable motive, nice little dance⊠so how can there possibly be a murder on part 4? Weâll see⊠right now!
Part 3
âEllis: Heh, you know what else is âa little longerâ? Wait, I should probably refrain from making dirty jokes when Mark and I are sharing a room. I wouldnât want the implications to make them uncomfortable. Ellis: âŠThe amount of time weâre going to be stuck in this killing game! But, like, only a little longer, is my point.â
I donât think Ellis backing down from innuendo will ever not be funny xD
âEllis: What if we seduced the staff? Maybe then theyâd let us out for free. Davis: Iâd really rather notâŠâ
Pfft- Yeah, I guess Davis would be the best bet for that plan, huh?
âAidan: I doubt any one staff member would be able to actually get us out, either. There are too many of them. Not to mention whoever the staff are working forâŠÂ Ellis: Thatâs why we have to seduce all of them, Aidan. Try to keep up. Aidan: âŠRight.â
Of course! The plan is flawless! Letâs just hope none of them are aro/ace, thatâd be kind of a problem.
âJeff: I vote we let Ellis try it, solo. Itâd be funny. Ellis: Sadly, I donât think that would end well. The staff would be so jealous of one another that it would result in a giant bloodbath. Their lust for me would be so incredibly distracting that theyâd neglect to let us out altogether. So many lives lostâŠâ
xD
âIf hotness and money wonât get me anywhere, then my ship is sunk. Iâll have to rely on othersâ skills to get us out of hereâ like Davisâ hotness, or Harperâs money!â
This partâs starting off incredibly funny, which worries me that itâs gonna get a lot worse lol.
Random thought, how are FTEs gonna work? Is Mark just going to⊠be there, for Jeffâs final FTE? Thatâd be funny.
âWhen we enter, Davis and Aidan are already there. Ellis: Haha, nerds!â
Bruh xD
âEllis: Look, Iâm here âcause I like to win. And Iâm great at winning all kinds of things. I pause. Ellis: âŠBut only in non-life-threatening scenarios! Mark and Aidan look at me. I look back at them.â
Bruh x2. The confidence in games hasnât faded, at least!
âEllis: Iâm not thinking about anything! I donât even know what youâre talking about! Aidan: Game on, then? Ellis: Oh no, you look way too excited about thisâŠâ
As funny as it is to imagine Aidan as secretly being a god gamer, it just occurred to me that Iâve theorized in the past Mark might genuinely be the Ultimate Gamer or something like that. Are we about to find out their talent in the funniest way possible? Or is that theory about to die for good?
âDavis, Aidan, and Mark (who, despite having lost their memories, somehow still knows more about arcades than I do)âŠâ
You donât say.
âAidan: It is fun to watch Ellis lose. Aidan holds up one of the potential prizes, a mousepad that says âGAME OVER. Try again?â on it next to my head. I swat it away.â
Now Aidanâs teasing, what has the world come toâŠ
âEllis: L-look, just because Iâm using my non-dominant handâŠ! Mark: Youâre notâŠ? Ellis: W-well, when I held the steering wheel, I put my left hand on it, too!â
Bruh x3.
âDavis looks between Aidan and Mark who, unlike usual as of late, are both smiling.â
Aww :) I hope no one here dies :))
âDespite being on the team that performed worse, Mark wound up with the most ticketsâŠâ
You donât sayâŠ
ââŠand selects a giant penguin plushie as their prize.â
Oh yeah, werenât penguins his favorite animals outside of Bulbasaur? Or am I confusing that for someone else?
âEllis: You got a name in mind for this penguin? Mark: I didnât even have a name in mind for meâŠÂ Ellis: Mark Jr. it is, then. They laugh.â
That is extremely funny. Fantastic bit, no notes.
âMark: Itâs⊠nice to forget where we are, even if itâs only for a little while. I donât think I ever really went to the Arcade last game. Ellis: No Ultimate Gamers amongst your ranks? Mark: None that I remember, anyways. Definitely not by the time the Arcade was revealed.â
Ah, maybe not, then. Still, itâs interesting they seemed to be into a lot of this stuff.
âMark: I guess itâs probably something I used to enjoy, before all of this. Ellis: Hmm. That makes it extra special. I got to see a piece of Markâs past~â
Yeah, that.
âMark: I donât remember the concept [of a mastermind] coming up. I donât know if there was a mastermind or not in my game, but I donât remember the concept being mentioned. I guess it makes sense, given that we only became aware of them this time because Kennedy kept talking about it. Ellis: Huh. I mean, I guess that could make sense. The mastermind, at least, seems like itâd be a hard position to refill. And the mastermind of this killing game couldnât have been in yours, because then, well⊠they wouldâve had to die.â
That is a very interesting revelation.I wonder what it could meanâŠ
âEllis: What is the Resort gonna do if the mastermind dies this time? âCause, like, thereâs no way that they could guarantee that it wouldnât happen, right? Does that mean that theyâre willing to make this one the last oneâŠ? Mark: If the mastermind is confident in their ability to avoid getting murdered, they could probably rig an execution if needed. But, itâs also possible the mastermind is more like the staff or something, right? That the whole killing game isnât actually their fault, and theyâre just some random person being forced into it? They pause. Mark: I wouldnât be surprised if thatâs true for the traitor, at least. Ellis: It has to be someoneâs idea though, right? What would that person be called if not the mastermind?â
It gets weirder the more you think about it, which is why I havenât talked about mastermind guesses much at all.
âMark: âŠIt probably doesnât matter. Kennedy was right when they said that getting rid of the mastermind alone probably wouldnât be enough to end the killing game. There has to be something else we can tryâŠÂ Ellis: Like getting them to break the rules? How? Mark: If I knew, Iâd have done it already. I donât have any other big picture ideas, though, so figuring out how to get them to break a rule is the best thing we can try to come up with.â
Well, itâs at least nice to see Kennedy haunting the narrative a little. I miss them.
âEllis: Ready to murder someone but make them not hold a Class Trial for it, for some reason? Mark: Thatâd be great, other than the fact that thereâd have to be a murder in the first place.â
Yeah. Itâs not looking great. Then again, itâs still not CH6, so.
âNote Obtained: The Mastermindâ
Ooh, ominous! Weâre really in the endgame now, getting this kind of notes.
âI wonder if that means that Mark will want to tell everyone else about what happened last game soon, so that they can have all the information and approach it from their own perspectives.â
Itâs gotta happen eventually, right?
âItâs an interesting thought about the mastermind, though, that they could be relatively faultless in this situation.â
It opens up possibilities, at least, but I got no clue what it could mean in the end.
âEllis: So, you two just canât keep away from each other, huh~? Jeff: What? No. Vanessa: Since everyone else is sitting next to the person theyâre linked to, the open chairs in the main area are kinda paired up at this point. I guess I couldâve sat on the edge again, but I didnât really want to.â
Come on Jeff, you could be a little nicer my guy ToT
âVanessa: Man. I guess itâs kinda fun to have a partner everywhere you go, huh?â
Uh, Vanessa⊠are you, like, good? You seem to be taking this whole thing kinda badly. Iâm worried for you girl.
âJeff: The staff arenât gonna let us out of here on their own. At least, not intentionally.â
Not intentionally? What are they cooking???
âBut pretending to have a plan could also be a manipulative tactic to make us think that theyâre on our side, so that they can then betray us with a heartless murder to get out of here. Ugh, I canât keep assuming the worst in peopleâŠâ
Well, at least heâs catching himself!
âBut, no matter how hard I try [to get the handcuffs off], I canât figure out how to escape. Maybe Jeff just has thinner wrists than I do, or some surprise lockpicking skills.â
I get he canât say how he did it, but the more impossible it looks to escape the handcuffs, the more Iâm worried about it. What could it mean that they were able to dodge the motive so easily?
âIâm jolted awake by a strong tug on my wrist.â Nightmare? âEllis: You sure? Usually when I leave people breathless in bed, itâs not⊠I yawn. Ellis: Not when I was fast asleepâŠâ
Only 5% of Ellisâ neurons are firing, and theyâre all in flirt mode. Thatâs very funny.
âMark: I canât remember.â
Well, that sure is something.
âEllis: You want a hug or something? Might be kinda awkward with the handcuffs⊠Mark: Oh! Um⊠Theyâre blushing. Mark: Maybe? I guessâŠ? I open up my one arm in a hug-like gesture. Mark hugs me with his free arm.â
Weâre really âawwâ-farming this chapter, huh? Well, itâs working. Awww :)
âHarper: It would be rather nice if we had found some sort of solution to our entrapment, though. Mark: There has to be something we can do. Jeff: I have an idea.â
Ooh, weâre locking in, hell yeah!
âJeff leads us to the Casino. Specifically, in front of the locked door.â
:O
âJeff: Monoquin!â
His hands open all doors! Is that the plan?
âJeff: Stand here and extend your hand. Jeff gestures, and Monoquin follows suit. His hand slots directly into the lock of the door. Jeff: Turn your hand. Monoquin does so. Jeff: Thanks. Jeff grabs the handle of the door and opens it.â
Oh hell yeah! I wasnât expecting it to be that easy, but I guess we ball???
âMonoquin: âŠMx. Breeze, I believe I instructed you not to share with the rest of the contestants.â
Oh, thatâs how they got out of the cuffs! Smart!
âMonoquin: If you continue to break the rules so blatantly, there will be consequences. Because it is not in relation to the motive, I suppose I cannot execute you, but there will be a punishment involved.â
Yeah, that⊠doesnât sound great.
âDavis: Iâm honestly a bit surprised that itâs⊠that easy? Youâd think something in his programming or whatever would realize whatâs going on, but I guess notâŠÂ Ellis: Heâs a robot, through and through. Vanessa: A dumb robot, if heâs that easy to order around. Good for us, though!â
Yep! Seems like weâre balling even harder than expected!
âPlush couch cushions line the room, interrupted only by a counter with barstools in the corner. A table sits in the middle of the room, holding a manila folder on it. On the wall, a neon sign reads âVIP.â I guess this is some sort of a VIP Area.â
Ooh, fascinating! I really thought this was a CH6 thing, but itâs cool to see it now!
âAidan picks up the file and opens it, Davis peeking over his shoulder. Aidan: ⊠Harper: What does it sayâŠ? Davis: âŠItâs the past winners.â
Oh shit. Iâm already seeing the image below. This sounds really cool!
[Files] These are kinda crazy. Wonder if Makani was a double killer, given the Trial 3 win. Jackâs kinda crazy on the sticks, first trial win? Blacking out Markâs name and talent is genuinely crazy stuff. And what do you mean there was a killing game between Markâs win and this one? And what happened in killing game #2? So many questions! Iâm loving it!
ââŠThere arenât any Lucky Students whoâve won, either. C-clearly, there must not have been a Lucky Student in every game, rightâŠ?â
Ooh, Ellis, I think your plan wasnât as great as you thought!
âEllis: But also, if they thought youâd [Mark] never see it, why would they scratch out your name?â
Yeah, thatâs what I was wondering. Surely they at least considers the possibility, but that doesnât exactly answer every question.
âDavis: âŠMark? Mark: âŠYes? Davis: Did you know? Mark: ⊠Jeff: Thatâs a yes, then.â
Well, guess it had to come out sooner or later!
âDavis: Thatâs⊠good to hear, I guess. But⊠thereâs really only ever been one survivor per game, hasnât thereâŠ? We all stare at the Files for a moment. Noah: Well⊠guess itâs good that weâll just be the firstâŠ!â
Thank you Noah :)
âAidan: Where did the second one goâŠ? Ellis: That one⊠Iâm sure the same answer is on all of our minds. That the winner of the second killing game has something to do with either the mastermind or the traitor of this killing game⊠Is that really true? Was there more than one person in this killing game whoâd done it all before?â
That would be the first guess, wouldnât it? Wonder what it could mean.
âEllis: Maybe they spilled something on it.â
This optionâs a lot funnier, though xp
âVanessa: Yeah! Anything the staff doesnât expect has to be a point in our favor. So, weâre moving forwards! [âŠ] âNote Obtained: VIP Filesâ
Oh weâre really in the endgame now!
âAlthough I kind of want to stick around and play damage control on Markâs reputation, there are more important things to do at the moment. Most importantly, checking on Mark himself.â
Yeah, probably a good plan.
âMark: I⊠I feel like, somewhere, I knew that I was the only one who won without killing someone. Itâs⊠worrying, to think of what that might make other people think. I donât want any of them to start⊠considering thingsâŠÂ Ellis: I hadnât even thought of thatâŠâ
Yeah, thatâs not⊠great. Then again, we always knew thereâs still one trial left, I guessâŠ
âEllis: So⊠you really did think you were in the fifth killing game, rightâŠ? Mark: I didnât know. It seemed like it made the most sense, but I guess it was the fourth. I donât know what I was doing during the fifth game, thoughâŠâ
Yeah, thatâs really strange. I have no idea what it could possibly mean.
âEllis: Yeah. So that means that we gained the information that the mastermind or traitor might have something to do with the second killing game. Thatâs something, rightâŠ? I pause for a moment. Ellis: Or⊠hey, what if the second game ended weirdly? There was more than one survivor, but on the off chance we found the documents, they didnât want to give us any ideas.â
Yeah, thatâs an interesting question. The second killing game seems to be the key to all this, but how?
âEllis: That doesnât really make sense, either. If you had VIPs coming to visit, why would you want to lock them up in a room where they canât see anything? There was no screen there. Maybe if we were doing something in the Casino, theyâd be able to overhear something⊠But, that doesnât seem like the kind of treatment youâd want to advertise to your special guests.â
It would make sense that the VIPs refer to the winners, right? That the area is to commemorate the VIPs, instead of being for them to stay in. Though that raises the question of why winners are considered so important, and why Mark would be brought back in that case.
âMark: I should know this. I should be able to helpâŠÂ Ellis: No, you shouldnât! Itâs not fair that you have to bear this burden by yourself. Mark: But thatâs how it is, isnât it? None of you have the ability to remember. None of you know this information. I know it, but I just⊠canâtâŠÂ Ellis: If you canât, then stop! Stop torturing yourself!â
Yeah, poor Mark. Itâs not going great for him right now :/
âEllis: Thereâs more than one way to sacrifice yourself, yâknow? And I donât want you to do any of them. I⊠canât take that.â
Oof. Ouchie.
âIf we start making excuses and having people hurt themselves to get out of here, the more things could spiral out of hand. Suddenly, it could seem justified to kill somebody else just to make the escaping party easier to ferry away. It could make sense to sacrifice someone for the sake of knowing just where the rules end. A survival isnât a survival if the people who get out donât even want to live. Iâm a gambler by trade. Iâm willing to risk staying here a little longer if it keeps everyone safe and sane.â
The convictionâs awesome! Letâs go Ellis!
âHarper: Mark, I wanted to let you know⊠I donât want you to feel pressured to share your past with us if you arenât comfortable, no matter how much of it you may or may not remember. I trust you either way.â
If no one else got me, I know Harper Young got me.
âEllis: Jeff did some good work figuring out a way to bend the rules, and⊠if thereâs one fault in the Resortâs plan, thereâve gotta be others!. I havenât come up with any others yet, but⊠Iâve been trying! Thatâs not a lie, and yet, it feels like it is.â
Yikes. Yeah, itâs not looking amazing.
âThe tears are flowing down [Noahâs] cheeks now. He wipes at them. Noah: Sorry, I donât⊠know whatâs wrong with me⊠Harper: Thereâs nothing wrong with you. This situation⊠It's hard, but weâll get through it. Together. Noah: âŠMaybe. I hope so.â
Poor Noah :(
âAfter saying goodbye to Noah and Harper, Mark and I settle on tracing our familiar walking path around the Resortâs exterior. Itâs not nighttime yet, but hopefully itâll provide him with some familiarity.â
Thatâs nice. It really worked out great that Markâs were the first FTEs accirax chose to complete, huh?
âDavis: Iâve been doing alright. When you think about it, nothing really changed, right? We already knew that there were five other killing games, and the Resort already told us that there was only ever one winner in each. Itâs all stuff we knew already. Aidan: It just means weâll have to go against what they expect. Find some way to be the first group to get out together.â
Hell yeah. Use those Contrarian powers!
âJeff: Well, I wish all of you luck with whatever youâre getting up to tomorrow. I, unfortunately, have to do chores for Monoquin all day. Ellis: Oof, that sucks. Any chance youâll be wearing a maid costume? Jeff: No. Ellis: Dang.â
Pfft. Well, the consequences for fucking with the motive could have been a lot worse, I guess.
âDavis: Do you know what youâre going to be working on? It seems like a lot of the staff arenât active all day every day, so if they want extra hands, something might be happening. Jeff: Canât say. Sorry. Youâll know some time tomorrow.â
Well, thatâs⊠worrying. Letâs hope nothing horrible happens.
âEllis: Wouldnât it be nice if he just had an emergency stop switchâŠ? Mark: Would that really do anythingâŠ? Itâs not like Monoquin himself is that important to the actual killing game environment. Ellis: I meant, âemergency! Stop the killing game!ââ
A guy can dream, I guess.
âEllis: Huh? Oh, well⊠I guess Iâm feeling confused, mostly. Thereâs a lot to think about. Iâm not going to say that I wish I could have done more. Thereâs too much of that going around already, and I donât wanna be a hypocrite. Ellis: Just trying to focus on making sure nobody freaks out, mostly.â
Well, yeah. I guess sheâs already gone through a lot of the revelations the others are having now, so she can be a little calmer facing the VIP Area.
âWho here, exactly, is a Very Important Person? Obviously, we areâ weâre Ultimates, chosen for standing out in our particular fields (although, most of the people with actual jobs seem to have fallen out by this point, for some reason).â
Thatâs nice actually is very funny. Are Announcer and Philanthropist really the only, like, actual activities we got going on anymore? Thatâs kinda crazy.
Ellisâ final considerations are fun to read, but without more info, thereâs not much we can really say here. I guess itâs time for the next part! Where there definitely wonât be a corpse discovered at the end! Ha ha⊠ha.
Part 4
âThe sun rises, and as I gain consciousness, I stretch my arms high above my head. Another day of the killing game⊠Wait, how did my arms get up there? Shouldnât they be attached toâŠ? I look to my side, and see that Mark has disappeared.â
Well thatâs not good. I can think of few more ominous ways this could have started.
âThereâs also a note lying on Markâs pillow. With shaking hands, I unfold it. âHey Ellis, Sorry for disappearing so suddenly. Iâm okay, but I need to do something today (canât say what). Iâll probably be back around dinner. -Markâ My head whips around the room. Dammit, why donât I have examples of Markâs handwriting? How am I supposed to know if they were really the one who wrote the noteâŠ?â
Wow, we are going kinda crazy. I mean, fair, because how and why the hell would he get out of the cuffs, but stillâŠ
âWhat am I supposed to do? Why didnât I keep my eye on themâŠ?â
Yeah, Ellis is not taking this well. Poor Ellis :(
âJeff: Whereâs Mark? Ellis: Uh⊠Câmon, whereâs a witty remark when I need one? After a few desperate, grasping moments, I come up with a shrug.â
You know itâs bad when Ellis canât come up with anything.
âAidan: âŠEveryone, hands empty and above the table. Though confused, the group follows suit. Aidan: Message them. None of us can respond in his place if we can see that none of us are holding an e-Handbook. Ellis: Good idea. Thanks.â
Aidanâs so smart :D
âEllis: blink twice if you miss me <3 Mark: Uh? Mark: *blinks twice*? Ellis: :) ;) :) ;)â
Thatâs a funny way of doing that, at least. Also nice that theyâre not dead.
âMonoquin: Greetings, contestants. Monoquin walks into the Buffet. Bitch.â
Well, shit. Ellisâ inner monologue is as eloquent as ever, at least.
âMonoquin: I am here to announce another festivity, similar to the dance we held earlier. Tonight, in the Banquet Hall, the Resort will be holding a dinner party. At least a momentary appearance is required from every surviving participant. It will begin at 7:30 PM.â
Alright⊠very worried here, but weâll see.
âMonoquin: And, of course, Mx. Breeze, as weâve established, you will be assisting the staff. Jeff: I know. Ellis: Ooh⊠butler Jeff.â
Bruh. Well, at least that doesnât sound so bad.
âMonoquin: I ask you all to dress formally once more for the event. Please let Mx. Mark know.â
⊠Why canât you tell Mark? Where the fuck did he go???
âEllis: Maybe itâs just a re-cuffing ceremony? Their motive is currently only 50% as effective as they were probably hoping for.â
Hopefully!
âI wonder if the âVIPsâ will be thereâŠâ
Thatâd certainly be interesting, but I donât know if itâll happen.
âVanessa: It should be fun, hopefully! I mean, if itâs just all of us hanging out and the Resort doesnât do anything, we could make a good time out of it. I bet thereâll be music in the Ballroom again.â
Yay, itâs all fun and games and nothing bad will happen ever!!!
âItâs just another gamble. I could fold now, and try to ensure Markâs safety. But, if we never take a gamble in the other direction, the odds of getting all eight of us out of here alive dwindle to nearly zero. Jeff already put their life on the line multiple times for the sake of our survival. I just have to trust in my partner to make his bid so that we can all win the jackpot.â
Weâre panicking so hard weâre looking for comfort in the talent, which is maybe not the greatest sign, but still.
Also, we ended up having no FTEs while bound to Mark, which I guess makes sense lol. Wouldâve been kinda awkward otherwise.
âVanessa: Ellis? Ellis: Hwuh?! Oh, hi Vanessa. Vanessa: Is everything okay?â
We are doing bad, huh?
âVanessa: I was thinking about what Jeff said, about thinking of ways to use the Resortâs tools to get us information and all of that. So, I requested information on the Tragedy from the Customer Service Desk.â
When you put it like that, it feels a little silly that no one ever asked for a newspaper or something. I guess the complete isolation from the outside world kinda makes one think they wouldnât give you one, huh?
âTerrorists in black and white bear masks, known as âMonokuma masks,â attacked the University of Nevada: Boulder City campus.â
Oh great, the USâ involvement in the Tragedy started in Nevada! Where Vegas is! I guess that explains the location.
â8 students thought to be on campus at the time of the attack are still missing. There is only one known individual who survived the- The page is torn, cutting off the rest of the article.â
Huh. 8 students missing, possibly the Ultimate Despair who started these killing games. And who survived? That sounds important. Wonder if the survivor is the mm. That would kinda point to Noah, maybe? Who else would go to university? Vivi, probably, but hard to see them as the mm. Robert, maybe, on the idea that being Despair is technically ânormalâ nowadays? Antonia is confirmed Nevadan, but I kinda doubt she went to uni. Unless itâs Antoniaâs sister, I guess, but at that point we could point fingers at whoever. Maybe I should chill lol.
âIf they attacked UNBC on June 3, 2012, then⊠it must be after that date now. So Iâm missing all of my memories from that day until the start of the killing game, at least. What day is it now? What yearâŠ?â
I forget if we ever established when most peopleâs memories cut off, oops.
âEllis: Have you told Noah about this yetâŠ?â
Yeah, seems like weâre in the same headspace, as usual. I donât think Ellis is calling mastermind, but you say âuniâ and of course youâre gonna think of the Ultimate Frat Bro.
âVanessa: I think Noah said he went somewhere farther from Vegas, thoughâŠ? Ellis: Ah, alright. Then, the eight students must be other people.â
Alright, cross that one off the list. I guess itâd have been too easy lol.
âI try to think back about if anybody else could have gone to that school. Iâm guessing Vanessa didnât, given that she hasnât admitted to it already. I know that Aidan didnât attend college, and I would bet Jeff didnât, either. Taylor went to college⊠and I think Robert said he had a job? There are definitely people it could have been, including some people who are still alive. Davis could have attended UNBC, and thereâs really no way to prove that Mark didnât.â
Forgot Robert said that oops. Still, nice to see the options laid out.
âEllis: What the hell is a âMonokuma maskâ?â
Oh so weâre uninformed uninformed, got it.
âEllis: Yâknow, I didnât think of it at first, but⊠why would they attack UNBC? Like, if the Tragedy really was coming to the US, shouldnât they attack, I dunno, the White House? Why did they choose some college on the brink of summer vacation as their ground zero? Vanessa: Well, from what I heard, the Tragedy started out as, like, a Hopeâs Peak thing, but then people started agreeing with the sentiment. Things didnât get really bad until a bunch of random civilians joined in. They probably couldnât start with something as big as the White House, so they took down a pretty well known institution that was a little more accessible. As for why UNBC specifically⊠She scratches her head. Vanessa: âŠMaybe there were more supporters there or something? Or, itâs possible that it had less security than other well-known campusesâŠ? Coastal places also couldâve been more on guard for Tragedy stuff too, I guess, so maybe they thought theyâd do better a little more inland?â
Good ideas from Vanessa. It is a very strange place to attack, I didnât even know it existed before just now lol.
âI wonder if theyâd be willing to answer any questions about the operation of the Resort itself rather than the Tragedy as a whole. Is that the kind of thing that people would be writing news articles aboutâŠ?â
I assume thereâs articles on it, but I donât think weâre getting those :v
âNote Obtained: Tragedy Article.â
Weâre going crazy on the notes. I wonder what weâre gonna do in CH6 if weâre getting so much info right now.
ââInformation about the construction of Hopeâs Oasis Resort and Casinoâ âInformation about past killing gamesâ âInformation about the second killing game winnerâ âInformation about the VIPsââ
Well, it canât hurt to ask x)
âI arrive early enough that pretty much nobody else is here, but thatâs to be expected. [âŠ] However, Jeff is already buzzing around, setting up silverware, placing nametags and pouring water when I arrive. Itâs weird to see them at work like this. [Jeff FTE]â
Yay, we get to finish these! This might very well be the final FTE in this story, letâs enjoy it while it lasts!
âJeff: Honestly, I donât hate it. Iâm not used to getting to know people that well. Iâve talked to you a lot, so itâs more⊠familiar, I guess. Ellis: Yeah. Taking the time to really get to know a few people⊠It's kinda nice. Jeff: Iâve always sort of wanted to try itâ
I wonder why heâs never stuck to one place for a while, then. I know their whole âbad vibe detectorâ thing would probably make it annoying, but still. Nice that he enjoys Ellisâ company, at least.
âEllis: Why do you have such a thing about leaving, anyway? They shrug. Jeff: Instinct, I guess. Thereâs not really much more to it. I didnât want to be stuck places that were making me unhappy, and Iâm good at reading when thatâs about to happen. There was never anything stopping me, so the best solution was always to pack up and go somewhere else.â
Yeah, that. Though the way he says he leaves when things are âabout toâ get bad makes me wonder if maybe heâs just paranoid, and actually heâd be just fine if he stayed. Who knows.
âJeff: In some ways, this killing game hasnât been all bad. Itâs made me finally look at myself. Maybe itâs finally been enough for me to turn my life around and actually do something with it.â
The usual dilemma of these things. On one hand, character development. On the other, incomprehensible trauma and horror and death. Not the greatest deal, but you take what you can get.
âJeff: Nah, not really. Hard to say what lifeâll look like outside of here, right? So, Iâm just focusing on the whole killing game thing for now. And, I guess, thinking a bit about the person Iâd like to be. Ellis: Any plans for him, then? Jeff: Iâve always kinda thought⊠Someday, itâd be nice to care about someone else more than myself. Wasnât really sure if it was possible, but it was something to think about. Not very specific, though.â
Jeff has proven to be a surprisingly sensible guy. Makes sense not to make any specific plans before leaving, but itâs nice that theyâre still angling towards a nice goal.
âEllis: Nah, I like it. Caring⊠is kinda scary. Bravery doesnât have to be specific. Jeff: You think so? Ellis: Yeah. Honestly, the ability to be brave in any scenario is probably better. Means you wonât get blindsided. Jeff: Yeah⊠Jeff hands me the last plate he was washing. Jeff: I guess how it turns out is a question for the future. [FTE End]â
What a way to end it! Jeffâs arc ends up similar to Ellisâ, which is a great parallel, and the looking forward to the future is a hell of a Hope thing. Letâs see where we go from here!
âMark: Going to be late, but Iâll be there. Donât worry. Ellis: um, why? :P Mark: This is taking me longer than I thought it would. Iâm okay, though. Ellis: kk, see you soonâ
Mark please donât die. Youâre raising more death flags than CH4 Taylor, which would be impressive if it wasnât so horrifying.
âJeff: Ellis, mind grabbing plates? And Davis, can you pour the rest of the drinks? Davis: Sure thing! Aidan: Iâm right here too, you know⊠Jeff: Would you have actually said yes if Iâd asked youâŠ?â
Bruh. The Jeff-Aidan banter is actually insane, Iâm loving how much of it weâre getting recently :D
âNoah: Also, if youâre worried about Mark not showing up on time, we should just make the party last longer, right? If weâre doing more stuff, Markâll have plenty of time to show up. Ellis: Yay! Letâs party! My mouth is dry. All: âŠâ
⊠So weâre not doing great. Unfortunate!
âEllis: hey!! dinner is almost over so you should get some food before itâs all gone :)))))) (Mark currently has notifications muted.)
âWHY???â
AAAAAAH- Iâm okay. This is fine. This is perfectly normal. Mark will survive. Mark will be alive. Theyâre just gearing up to be this chapterâs red herring, not the victim. Mark will survive.
âŠWeâre getting really close to the BDA and everyone else is accounted for, but thatâs fine. Because Mark will survive.
âNoah: Care to dance? Harper: Oh! Iâd love to.â
Well thatâs nice at least.
âEllis: Parties usually have singing, right? We could do some karaoke! Pass me the mic, and Iâll sing my classic: Die⊠Young⊠All: âŠâ
Yeah not the greatest song maybe. One because thatâs a very real possibility, two because thereâs someone actually called Young around lol.
âDavis: Yeah. Thingsâll turn out okay. Take a deep breath, okay, Ellis? The breath is noticeably large and loud. Davis: âŠFeel any betterâŠ? Ellis: I love oxygen.â
At least sheâs still funny :,)
âAnd all I can do is wait. And wait. Andâ CRASH!â
Yeah, see? Someone else is about to die, and Mark will be the red herring. Mark will survive.
âIn front of me, necks in ivy nooses attached to the fallen crystal chandelier, are the bodies of Noah Walker, the Ultimate Frat Boy⊠and Harper Young, the Ultimate Philanthropist.â
I⊠was joking??? But it works! Also double murder in CH5??? Weâre going crazy. I guess someone needed to account for the fact there havenât been other double murders yet. Also holy shit, brutal. Hanged by a chandelier that then dropped? Crazy work.
âMark rushes into the Ballroom, handcuff still dangling from his right hand.â
Why did he keep the handcuff?! Iâm losing it.
âEllis: Mark! I look at Mark, tears in my eyes. Adrenaline comes crashing down. In the end, they really were okay. Theyâre here, and alive. Iâd run over and give him a hug, but⊠I donât want to leave the bodies behind. Why⊠Why on earth would somebody kill Harper and NoahâŠ?!â
Well, at least weâre not doing that horrible. Mark is alive! And theyâll probably survive if theyâre this big of a red herring!
âMonoquin: I suppose you are all curious about the File for this case, given that there are two victims. The simple answer is that there will be two Files. I have sent them to your devices.â
Cool, thanks Monoquin :)
[Investigation: Start] AAAAH-
Well, thatâs a hell of a lot. Fantastic part, the tension built up with Markâs disappearance and the newfound knowledge of the Tragedy culminating in a double murder is a hell of a way to kick off the final (regular) class trial! I canât wait to read the rest of the chapterâŠ
After updating the Prediction Game standings! Though, fun fact: itâs been so long since the start of this thing, that Iâve noticed the person who used to go by bronze-ocs now has âsewersleuthâ as a Tumblr url! So, I donât just have to update the points, but the board as well!
Last we left off, sewersleuth and accirax had tied for first with 19 points, while Jonas had landed on 23 points, and I had trailed with 25. How are we doing here?
First of all, none of us thought Noah would be a killer! How interesting. Me and accirax agreed on the CH4 victim guess for him, giving us one chapter point each. Jonas only got one extra chapter point by predicting Noah as a CH3 victim, and sleuth takes three: one chapter point, but also two role points by predicting Survivor!Noah.
Faith in Harper was a little shakier, as both accirax and sleuth figured ve would be the CH4 killer; thatâs one chapter point and two role points. And the point I gained on Jonas with Noah, I lose to them on Harper; I predicted ver a CH2 victim, while Jonas predicted very a CH3 victim. Thatâs 3 chapter points for me, and two for Jonas. Props to accirax for guessing these two would die in the same chapter, and extra props to Jonas for specifically guessing they would both be victims the same chapter!
In the end, accirax, Jonas and I got four points each, while sleuth got six. So the standings donât change much, beyond accirax finally gaining a lead after a generational comeback! Iâm still last with 29 points (still sub-30 though!!!), Jonas is ahead of me with 27, sleuth drops to second with 25, and accirax leads with 23!
But watch out! The standings will change again at the end of this post, when we learn the CH5 killer! Though a heads up, Iâm not going to be counting up survivor guesses until the end of my CH6 post. Gotta keep the suspense :) Ignore that you could just calculate them yourself :) I mean accirax and venus have always been able to calculate them from the start but still :)
Letâs not dilly-dally any longer: Investigation time!
Part 5
âThe first [MQ File] says, âThe victim is Noah Walker. He died of strangulation in the Ballroom at approximately 8:20 PM.â The second reads, âThe victim is Harper Young. Ve died of strangulation in the Ballroom at approximately 8:20 PM.â Truth Bullet Obtained: Monoquin File 5.1 Truth Bullet Obtained: Monoquin File 5.2â
So either the time is slightly off, or the cause of death is wrong. Easy to check.
âVanessa: I didnât want to have to do this again. I thought this was all over with alreadyâŠÂ I didnât, exactly. I guess, even at my peak, I couldnât muster as much optimism as Vanessa could.â
Vanessa the optimist goat. I love you bbgirl please donât die.
âEllis: I doubt that the blood loss from these cuts would have killed either of them, though. Vanessa: Yeah. The nooses probably wouldâve gotten to them first. There are marks on their necks.â
Can we check the time please. They could have died from landing wrong, if they got pulled up high enough and the chandelier broke.
âNoah and Harperâs necks are each in their own noose, which are attached to the main frame of the chandelier. The materialâ vinesâ appears to be the same kind strung along the railing of the balcony. Vanessa: Theyâre still handcuffed together, tooâŠâ
Interesting.
âTruth Bullet Obtained: State of the Bodies Truth Bullet Obtained: Nooses Truth Bullet Obtained: Broken Chandelierâ
Ooh boy, thatâs a lot of TBs already. The trial boutta be Difficult.
âI stand up, bidding Noah and Harper goodbye. This might be the last time I ever see either of them. To Noah, I wish youâd gotten to become the person you wanted to be. To Harper, I wish youâd had an easier time realizing that the person you already were was as worthwhile as any friend could be. Iâll miss you both. At least youâll look pretty in your coffins.â
Oof, and weâre getting sentimental. The trial boutta be soul-crushing.
âMonoquin: The motive has officially resolved.â
Woo!
âDavis: I guess we were the last surviving pair⊠Aidan: âŠItâs an alibi, right? Though, Ellis and Vanessa were at the dinner party the whole time, so Iâd say theyâd have alibis, too. It was 7:30 when we started, but 8:30 when we found the body. We probably finished dinner at, what, 8:10? And the File says they died at 8:20âŠâ
Alright, thanks for the time check. So it wasnât strangulation. The straightforward idea is that they got pulled up and died on the fall, but I have to wonder how hiding that would help the killer. Maybe the File couldnât lie helpfully, so it just picked something at random to lie about. And Iâd be more careful about alibis, Aidan. Traps exist, and this kinda looks like itâs gotta be something of the sort.
âŠUnrelated, but I was thinking of either Noah or Harper killing the other then themselves to get Monoquin to break a rule (he needs to execute the blackened, but canât if the blackened is dead). But thereâs better ways to go about that than leaving the rest of the people to figure out the murder themselves, so Iâm ruling it out.
âEllis: Uh⊠I think I showed up to the Ballroom at about 6:00. And, I have an alibi with Vanessa before that, too. They werenât directly back to back, âcause I took a break to change clothes in the middle, but I know where those two were at those points in the day. Aidan: Iâll ask around to make sure, but I get the impression that thatâs about it for alibis today, outside of handcuffed pairs. You were with people, we were with each other, and everyone else was doing whatever unchecked.â
Well⊠itâs something!
âTruth Bullet Obtained: The Fifth Motive Truth Bullet Obtained: Alibis Truth Bullet Obtained: Dinner Party Truth Bullet Obtained: Body Discovery Announcementâ
Jesus fucking christ. Also, the BDA didnât really get brought up, but I understand four people saw the corpse at about the same time, right? Vanessa, the Aidan-Davis pair, and Ellis. So, not particularly useful.
âI follow the cord itâs attached to back to its starting point in the Hallway. Jeff is looking at it, too.â
Hm.
âJeff picks up a pair of rope cutters off the floor. Jeff: Subtle.â
Yeah. Itâs good that Mark is being this big of a red herring, at least!
âEllis: Well, what else would you use to cut a rope? Jeff: Oh, I meant the part where they left it next to the rope. Guess it doesnât mean much, though, given that itâs clear the rope was cut. Doesnât really matter how it was done if everyone could do it equally easily. Ellis: Yeah. Itâs not like you could do it from afar, either, so the location is kind of obvious.â
Iâd⊠be careful with those assumptions. Evidence couldâve been removed and the cutter could have been planted afterwards.
âJeff: Well, like I said before, I had to help out in the Kitchen. I knew that last night. âCause of that, I didnât do much else today. You showed up around 6, and from then on, I was working on the Banquet and all that. He pauses. Jeff: I guess thatâs about it. Ellis: So after breakfast, you just headed straight here? Jeff: Not quite. I had the morning to myself. I headed up here after lunch, so⊠maybe 1 PM or so? I wasnât with anyone before that either, though.â
Yeah thatâs not the greatest alibi known to man.
âTruth Bullet Obtained: Cut Cord Truth Bullet Obtained: Jeffâs Accountâ
Dude we are physically incapable of getting one Truth Bullet at a time, huh? Weâre cooked.
âOn a hunch, I check the Customer Service Desk and see them there. Theyâre sitting on one of the chairs in the room, looking through the clipboard that holds the order information. Time to cash in that hug. Heâs surprised, but hugs me back.â
Awww⊠Ellis was so worried :(
âŠHow am I this far down the document? These damn investigations are so short ToT
âMark: Mystery solving time. Um, I looked through the Order List. It looks like the only anonymous orders were heavy duty rope cutters and chloroform. So, those are all on the table. Ellis: Chloroform? When was there chloroform? Mark: I have no idea. I guess Noah and Harper were probably incapacitated somewhere along the wayâŠ?â
Fuck do you mean chloroform? I guess it could explain how their necks ended up in the nooses, but still.
âEllis: Thatâs⊠another piece of evidence that makes it seem like the killer must have physically been in the Ballroom sometime between 8:10 and 8:30. Mark: Yeah⊠Mark looks at me. Mark: I still canât tell you where Iâve been all day or what Iâve been doing. I know that Iâm super suspicious, but Iâm just going to have to ask you to trust me, okay?â
Not giving me a lot of confidence here, Mark. Though, to be fair, the fact weâre setting up something heâd have to reveal in CH6 makes me feel even more confident he didnât do it by meta reasoning.
âMark: Um, what can I tell youâŠ? When the BDA played, I was in the Conference Room. Thatâs how I got to the Ballroom so fast. And, there wasnât anything special with the handcuffs. I just managed to pick the lock. Ellis: Impressive. Mark: If I won a killing game and thought I might get put into another one, I figured it might be a skill Iâd try to learn. Not that I rememberâŠâ
The hell were you doing in the Conference Room? But itâs nice to know the guy can just pick locks if needed, cool.
âMonoquin: The investigation period is over. Please proceed directly to the Monorail Station.â
Bro.
I mean, we have a fair amount of Truth Bullets, just not many substantial ones. I feel like the blackened kinda has to be Jeff; four of these people have alibis, thereâs not much reason for a murder suicide, and I feel like Markâs got too much going on to be the killer from a meta perspective. But weâll see!
âEllis: Well. Ready to go prove your innocence? Mark: Hope so. Letâs go.â
Well, at least Ellisâ faith is unshaken, despite everything. Good to know.
The kill graphic for Taylor just being a pink splash is killing me. Thatâs so disrespectful ToT
âItâs kind of funny. I never imagined Iâd have anything even resembling this problem. Not wanting to catch a killer because I care about them too much? Donât make me laugh. In the end, I have to place Ellis Ortizâs life at the highest value⊠because, as a spotless, Ellis Ortizâs survival means the survival of the majority, too. I donât think that Mark is the killer, but⊠if they are, I have to remind myself to do whatâs right. We have to get this right.â
Ellis Ortiz, Ultimate Monologue Aura Farmer. Letâs look at this e-Handbook, and lock the fuck in!!!
Murder Theory
So hereâs the thing. Noah and Harper definitely died at âapproximately 8:20â (Iâm assuming the 8:10-8:30 range counts as approximately 8:20). Iâm also gonna assume that the lie isnât the victim (like, âoh, 5.1 was actually for Harper and 5.2 was actually for Noah, but the names got swapped!), because why. I canât see them dying outside the Ballroom (carrying them would take a while and they probably wouldnât just leave for no reason), which means the lie would be the strangulation. Obviously could be wrong on that, though.
So, how? Poison? They donât really have other injuries. Nothing even says their necks are broken from the fall or anything. Is Antoniaâs poison back at it again? The chloroform could be a misdirect, as thereâs technically wasnât any evidence it got used. Hell, maybe it got ordered by a different person, but that feels a little out there.
⊠Wait, the CSD. If the killer asked for the objects there, even though most people were handcuffed⊠either they asked for them before the motive, which feels like a lot; Harper and Noah made a suicide pact, which feels unlikely; or itâs Jeff/Vanessa, right? And Ness has an alibi, soâŠ
Anyways, yes, my killer pick is Jeff, but the how still baffles me a little. How did the killer even get up to the chandelier to cut the rope? Or am I misunderstanding how it was positioned? Plus, the chloroform: why did they ask for it? Surely they couldnât have used it, since I struggle to see how youâd apply chloroform to both Harper and Noah at the same time. Surely one of them would have at least screamed for the others to hear. That means the only reason theyâd ask for it is to make it look like the killer was in the room when they werenât, framing Mark. Not Jeff, as you need to pass the Banquet Hall to go from the Kitchen to the Ballroom, and while the same can be said of the Conference Room, thereâs no guarantee Mark was actually there. But the killer must have been in the Ballroom if the rope was âcut, not snapped.â
âŠUnless, it wasnât the killer who cut the rope.
You see, thereâs this funny technicality in the rules, which states that the Headmaster and the Staff âmay not be involved in murders.â It doesnât technically say anything about covering up evidence, just that they canât be involved in the murder itself. Of course, itâs a massive grey area, as the cleanup could technically be considered part of the murder, but we know Jeff has been thinking a lot about what they can get Monoquin and the Staff to do for them.
At that point, things start to maybe fit together a little. Poison Noah and Harperâs food (which would be easy for a guy working in the kitchen), and once they drop dead in the Ballroom, get Monoquin or Staff to hang them up for a bit, then cut the rope and flee through the Balcony or something.
Of course, thatâs all on the hypothetical that you can get Monoquin or Staff to help you covering up evidence (and Iâm like 90% sure the actual murder method would have to be different because how the hell would Jeff guarantee they go in the Ballroom in time for the poison to work correctly), but itâs honestly my best guess. Noah and Harper canât have cut the rope, so the chances of a murder suicide or suicide pact are even lower than they first seemed, and thatâs impressive considering how low those chances always felt. The person (or thing) who cut the rope must have been in the room to do it, but the only exits off the Ballroom are the Banquet Hall (which would have led them straight to the others) and the Balcony. Since Mark and Jeff presumably came in through the Banquet Hall (I hope; technically itâs never stated, but coming out of the Hallways would have been extremely suspicious so I canât imagine itâs the blackeneds plan), they would have needed to go out the Balcony, back into the building and into the Banquet Hall again before returning to the Ballroom. Way too slow for Mark and Jeff.
So, I can only think a staff member/Monoquin did it and escaped through the Balcony on the blackenedâs orders. Of course, at that point anyone could have done it; except Aidan and Davis couldnât have placed the orders on the CSD, Ellis has protag privilege, and Mark is the one getting framed. So itâs between Jeff and Vanessa; and not only did Ness seems genuinely distraught in a way Jeff didnât, she also had less knowledge of what would happen that night going in, and never had time alone in the Kitchen to communicate with Monoquin/Staff. Ultimately, Jeff is gonna be my guess for blackened.
Letâs see how wrong this all is, and how the blackened probably actually cut the rope without staff help at all, in the trial!
Part 6
âAidan: It sucks. We all know that. But⊠the only option we have is to solve their murder. Then, we keep trying to get out of here. Mark: Thereâs only five of you left. And, after this Trial, thereâll only be fourâŠâ
I wonder why Mark is separating himself from the group here. They said âsix of usâ earlier, so⊠idk. Probably nothing.
âJeff: Well, thereâs an obvious place to start this time. Why the hell are two people dead? Mark: Probably because of the motive. Itâd be hard to isolate Noah or Harper, so the killer decided itâd be better to just kill both. Davis: In that case, wouldnât it make more sense to target one of the people who was by themself? That way, you wouldnât have to kill both. Aidan: There arenât that many suspects left. The killer probably wanted to keep people without built-in alibis, because theyâre the best plausible alternate suspects.â
Yeah, yeah⊠I wonder if the motive was partly made to get a double murder going, it feels kinda like something that wouldâve had to happen had everyone been cuffed together.
âDavis: Weâve been together since the motive, so I have no idea how one of us could be the killer without the other knowing. Mark: Technically⊠If one of you wanted the other to get away with it and you covered for the other... thatâs how it could still be true. Vanessa: But, they wouldnât do that, right? Like, that would mean theyâd die. Mark: âŠYeah. Youâre right. Thatâs probably not the case. At this point, whoeverâs killed probably wants to win. That would make the most sense, given that they killed two people.â
Hopefully we can in fact rule them out!
âJeff: So, itâs not Davis or Aidan. The rest of us arenât totally covered though, right? [Evidence Select]â
I accidentally saw that this was âAlibisâ, but thatâs kind of easy enough that I wanna say Iâd have gotten it :p
âEllis: I mean⊠Vanessa and I kinda are covered too, no? We were with Aidan and Davis in the Banquet Hall when Noah and Harper left, and we stayed there until all four of us discovered the bodies. I donât know how any of us would have tied them to the chandelier, at the very least, while sitting there.â
Iâm gonna be so fr chat, I think Jeff is the death Iâm the most okay with. I like the guy and all, and Iâll be sad if he dies, but Mark, David, Aidan, and even Vanessa dying would all kill me dead. So, uh, you know. Just mentioning it now because I realized I should probably say it at some point lol.
âMark: If you were all together for that time, then thatâs good. It eliminates a lot of options. The killer seems like they were active within a short time frame, so I think the alibis hold up.â
I will say, itâs impressive how chill and helpful Jeff and Mark have been so far. This fangan in general has had people be pretty reasonable even when theyâre getting accused, which is cool. I guess people freaking out over it would get kinda tiring after canon dangan and all the games the writers made before One Shot lol.
âJeff: Though, for the time being, I assume youâll all be most suspicious of me and Mark. Reasonable.â
Yeah, look. Perfectly chill about it.
[Nonstop Debate] Letâs run it!
So thereâs a couple things we could look at here, like maybe using the Monoquin File Lie to question the idea they were strangled, but that kind of thing is probably getting ahead of myself a bit. Iâm gonna go with:
âMark: There are ways to get around Noah and Harper alerting bystanders. Mark: Incapacitation, for example.â
Shooting âincapacitationâ with Customer Service Order List, to bring up the chloroform, even with my doubts about it actually being used.
[Answer: Customer Service Order List -> âIncapacitationâ] Off to a good start!
âAidan: That answers that, then. Davis: If they were knocked out, it would be a lot easier to hang them up.â
Not sure I love how quickly weâre accepting that answer.
âEllis: Itâs still kinda weird, though. Even if chloroform would let you dodge some of the problems with killing both of them at the same time, shouldnât those same problems pop up when trying to drug them? Like, if you held a rag up to Noahâs mouth, wouldnât Harper say something? Jeff: Itâd be easier to cover both of their mouths with rags at the same time than it would be to keep a rope tight around their throats at the same time. I believe that someone couldâve done both at once, as long as they have two hands. More points against Davis and Aidan, I guess.â
Nice to see Ellis and I keep agreeing on things. Iâm still not convinced, especially because itâs Jeff bringing up the counterargument, but I will accept the explanation if it turns out the chloroform was actually used. Even if we ignore the issue of the killer having to ask for it 48 hours before the party to make sure they could actually receive it.
âAidan: Honestly, the bigger problem to me is how the killer tied them to the chandelier. Vanessa: Wouldnât that be pretty easy, if Noah and Harper were both unconscious? Aidan: No, I mean⊠How did they manage to reach it? [Puzzling Pieces]â
Iâve been wondering that too! Letâs see how this goes⊠Oh god itâs a goddamn rope physics murder. Not again T_T
So⊠Iâm not actually confident in this, but Iâm gonna go with either âThe killer raised the bodies with the chandelierâ, or âThe killer raised the chandelier with the bodiesâ. The idea is that the killer lowered the chandelier, attached the bodies, then raised the chandelier again before cutting the cord. Leaning on the first option for wording, but I also could be entirely wrong, thereâs a good number of options here.
[Answer: The killer lowered the chandelier with the cord.] âEllis: The killer probably lowered the chandelier using its cord before they tied Noah and Harper to it, right?â
Okay thatâs⊠kind of the same thing I said, I think? I guess it makes more sense to focus on the actual lowering of the chandelier than the raising of the bodies lol. Anyways, Iâm calling it close enough!
âDavis: If thatâs the case, it seems like Noah and Harper were probably already dead by the time they were tied to the chandelier, right? Vanessa: Huh? Why? Davis: I know that theyâd be knocked out and everything, but would you really want to leave Noah and Harper unguarded to go lower the chandelier, tie them to it, and leave them again to raise it up, all before they died? Youâd have to wait for them to actually die before you cut the cord, too. If they woke up at any point before dying, youâd be screwed.â
Makes enough sense, yeah.
âMark: If thatâs the case, we can probably take a pretty reasonable guess about what the Fileâs lie is. The time is fairly shortly after Noah and Harper went into the Ballroom, which is in keeping with killing them before the hanging process, and the cause of death seems likely given the neck wounds. It should be the location, right?â
So they probably died in the Balcony/Hallway. You know, I hadnât considered the possibility of someone going from outside into the Balcony, but that would explain a lot of things. Still doesnât explain the rope cutterâs vanishing act after the chandelier fell, but yâknow.
âVanessa: Do the Files have to have the same lie? There are two of them, after all. [Evidence Select]â
I saw the answer was a Note, so Iâm assuming Monoquin File Lie. The Handbook says each file contains a lie, but doesnât say anything about the lie being the same in cases like this or anything. I assume it is, simply because both the murders seem to have been basically identical, but still.
[Answer: Monoquin File Lies] Yep.
âMark: Thatâs⊠true. Itâs definitely possible that the idea was to kill two people who are chained together in different ways, in order to make us assume they were killed in the same way. Thatâd be a reason to go to the trouble of hanging the bodies, tooâŠÂ Jeff: Does it actually matter, though? With them being handcuffed together, itâs hard to believe that theyâd have different killers. The blackened doesnât change if their murder methods are different from each other. Davis: Is it at all possible that one of Noah and Harper killed the otherâŠ? That would be the most likely way that the crimes could be different, in my opinion. ButâŠâ
Weâre going insane. Like, donât get me wrong, I definitely gave the idea of either Noah or Harper killing here a lot of thought, but itâs very hard to justify, so doing that only on a hunch that the lies in the files might be different is a little crazy.
[Lie Detector] Wow, early.
âThe victim is Noah Walker/Harper Youngâ -> Noahâs Profile + Harperâs Profile
âHe/Ve died of strangulationâ -> State of the Bodies + Nooses
âin the Ballroomâ -> Monoquin File Lies
âat approximately 8:20 PM.â -> Dinner Party + Body Discovery Announcement
[Answers: State of the Bodies + The Fifth Motive; Nooses + State of the Bodies; Monoquin File Lies; Alibis + Dinner Party] Eh, close enough. My reasoning on using the BDA and the party was to establish an upper bound of 8:30 (BDA) and a lower bound of 8:10 (party) for the murder, but the other thing works too.
âVanessa: Does that really benefit the killer, though? Itâs not like the murder happening in the Ballroom versus the Hallway actually matters much. Jeff: Does it have to? If the killer set up a crime that doesnât point to them in any way, thereâs not much need for the lie. âSides, if you can tell who the killer is by solving the lie, it can be more of a liability than a help, right? Vanessa: Still, they couldâve lied about the time or something, right? Considering 4/6 of us have an alibiâŠÂ Aidan: We all saw Noah and Harper. Itâs not like it wouldâve been productive to say, âhey, Noah and Harper were both dead before dinner!â We wouldâve instantly known it was a lie, and then weâd just suspect the people without alibis even more than we already did. This way, thereâs at least the possibility we overthink a simple truth.â
Itâs cool that the MQ File lie isnât a big deal in this one. Itâs always been a pretty big point of contention for the other trials, which is perfectly fine, but the variety is appreciated.
âDavis: That all makes sense, but⊠why drop the chandelier at all? Why bother moving it? Why would the killer do any of that instead of just strangling them and leaving the area? The whole thing seems really risky. Mark: If itâs a risk the killer took, there must have been a plan behind it. The reasoning shouldnât be too difficult to figure out⊠[Progressive Deduction]â
Are we positive? Because I got no clue. Letâs see if the Progressive Deduction helps here.
1- What odd behavior are we trying to justify from the killer? a) Dropping the chandelier b) Murder c) Not utilizing the MQ Fileâs lie d) Using strangling as the murder method
âMurderâ lol. Yeah, going with a) here.
2- What happened when the chandelier broke? a) Noah and Harper died b) People gained alibis c) The killer fled the scene d) We rushed into the Ballroom
Like three of these things actually did happen. Iâm gonna go with c) because itâs the most pressing issue in my mind, but I doubt cutting the rope had anything to do with the escape. Unless the killer was, like, hanging onto a rope on the Balcony attached to the cord of the chandelier, and got catapulted when the cord was cut. But thatâs. Insane. So, not likely.
3- Why might the killer have dropped the chandelier? a) To confuse the murder method b) To distract everyone c) To draw people to trigger the BDA d) To kill Noah and Harper
Certainly not a) or d). My first instinct is distracting everyone so the killer can slip back in unnoticed from the Hallway, but that doesnât make much sense. If the got in by the Balcony, they couldâve gotten out from the Balcony, which would have been safer as it doesnât carry the risk of people seeing them walk out the Hallways. So Iâm going to change my answer from 2- to d), âwe rushed into the Ballroomâ, and answer c) on 3-, trigger the BDA.â It makes sense; we know this cast has thought to use the BDA to clear people, so if, say, Ellis walked into the room, they could use the BDA to rule out either Mark or Jeff, the only people without alibis, which would immediately fuck the killer over. Makes sense.
[Answer: a - d - c] Hell yeah. Took a bit of backtracking, but we take those.
âMark: There were four of you. No one got cleared of suspicion from the BDA. If youâd found the body on your own time, you mightâve intentionally used it to clear someone.â
See, Mark gets it. Good job Mark!
âDavis: âŠIf the killer werenât one of the two of you, there wouldnât be a point to dropping the chandelier. It would be better to pretend to find the body on accident. Then, you could âtryâ to clear one of the two suspects, with you, the actual killer, being one of the three in the group. Itâd make the suspicious person who saw the body look like the killer when the BDA didnât trigger. Vanessa: Thatâs just more confirmation, then, isnât it? That it has to be Mark or JeffâŠâ
Welp. Itâs gonna be real hard to argue otherwise at this point.
[Third Party Analysis] Goddamn, this also feels super early for this. Usually this gets done right before the culprit starts to unravel, but this isnât even Part 7. Iâm loving the shakeups to the formula this chapter!
Distill!
Concession: Jeff: âLook, I know that youâre probably suspicious of me already because Iâm the one who wants to leave this place the most.â Mark: âIt makes sense that you would suspect me, considering I canât tell you what Iâve been up to all day.â
Defense: Jeff: âThere isnât really any evidence that points towards me, though, right?â Mark: âI promise you, Iâm not the one who killed Harper and Noah. I canât fathom why Iâd ever do that.â [Itâs kinda sad Markâs defense is basically âI have nothing to return to anywaysâ woop]
Attack: Jeff: âMeanwhile, Mark is⊠refusing to say anything about where theyâve been all day? Thatâs the worst excuse Iâve heard in one of these Trials.â [The next two lines could also work] Mark: âJeff⊠at least heâs always been someone whoâs been very motivated to leave this place.â
Proposal: Jeff: âCouldnât they at least mention where they were at some point today? The only possibility I can think of is if they were planning for the murder all day.â Mark: âItâs possible that, after confirming that thereâs only ever been one winner, he was finally inspired to act.â
Inquire! Jeffâs Account -> Jeffâs Defense. The idea is that Jeff knew more details about the event than the others, so there is at least some evidence pointing to them.
[Answer] So the Distill section is more or less the same. I sometimes use two sentences, which I know isnât technically right, but itâs more so the context is clear for the post.
[Inquire! Markâs Killing Game â Markâs Defense] Oops. I donât think my idea was terrible, but clearly it was wrong!
âEllis: I⊠I know that it doesnât sound that concrete, but I really do believe Mark when they say that theyâd have no motive to kill anybody. You guys all saw that Mark won a prior killing game by being the last man standing, right? That means they got through an entire killing game without ever hurting anybody. That takes a lot of fortitude that wouldnât snap now, of all times. Thereâs more to it than that, but⊠Iâll leave any further detail to Markâs discretion.â
Itâs⊠not the greatest argument ever, but I guess we ball.
âMark: We can call it neutral, if it makes you all feel better moving forwards. Given that Iâm innocent, there should be more ways to prove it if we keep thinking. Jeff: Or, alternately, there could be more things that point towards you. Davis: Either way, it seems like the best move is to keep talking about it from a point of neutrality, right? It could be either of them. Letâs think more while keeping that in mind. [Puzzling Pieces]â
Neutrality is cool. Also what is this Puzzling Pieces even about? Are we finally gonna talk about how the killer actually left the room after cutting the cord, or�
Jesus christ this oneâs making me write a damn bible. Maybe⊠âthe murder method had no blood because Markâs gloves would get stainedâ? Not saying Mark did it, as Jeff wouldâve needed a bloodless method too so as to not get caught for this very reason, but I think it fits with what theyâre all talking about.
[Answer: Got it right :)] Yay! Iâm back, baby!
âMark: Iâm not wearing my gloves. Iâm in my formal outfit, like all of you guys. See?â
I was wondering about that, but Jeff wouldâve had no way of knowing that. Still, blood could have stained any clothing, so itâs kinda nothing.
âJeff: Mark wouldâve had a better opportunity to clean it up though, right? âCause none of us knew where they went. Mark: Is that really trueâŠ? [Hangmanâs Gambit]â
[Answer: Kitchen Sink] Listen, itâs very hard, especially on mobile, to click the Hangmanâs link before seeing the answer. Still, Iâm ass at this one, so I can confidently tell you my ass was not guessing âKitchen Sinkâ ToT
âEllis: Either of them would have committed this crime barehanded, but only one of them would have had a good opportunity to wash any blood off. Jeff had access to the kitchen sink, were his hands bloodstained. Aidan: Thatâs all good and whatever, but there wasnât actually any blood. Is this productive?â
Aidanâs still so funny. Everyone else talking about blood that wasnât there and heâs just questioning his sanity.
âMark: The original point was that the murder method couldâve been bloodless because it would be harder for one of us to hide any incriminating blood. Given that, you could say the bloodless murder method is suspicious on my part, because Jeff wouldâve been fully able to clean up any blood. Conversely, you could say that, had I been able to find a way to get rid of blood, it mightâve made more sense for me, because Jeff would be suspected above me if I managed to conceal it.â
So ultimately âless blood is easier to deal withâ, as a general statement, ends up being the answer after all lol.
âVanessa: What part of the murder method, though? We already figured it out. Ellis: UmâŠÂ Aidan: âŠWhatever. Letâs just do this again. [Nonstop Debate]â
You know, we still havenât talked about how the killer got in and out of the room. I feel like thatâs something we gotta address at some point, yeah?
It seems like weâre kinda on track, but Iâm struggling to see what Iâm meant to be doing. Here, look:
âAidan: The killer probably just started out in the Ballroom or the Balcony or something. Aidan: In that case, theyâd just have to avoid causing suspicion until the body was actually discovered. Vanessa: But, is that actually easier for one or the other? Jeff: I mean, I was in the area, at least. Mark: I was, tooâŠâ
Like, obviously thereâs a problem with what Aidan is saying, because Jeff went to the Kitchen at 8:10 (Iâm assuming the cast have eyes and wouldâve seen them going into the Ballroom if they had), and the only entrances to the Ballroom are the Banquet Hall and the Balcony. So, maybe I should shoot Map of Floor 4 + Jeffâs Account at either Aidan or Vanessa to say that Jeff couldnât have been waiting in the Ballroom, or that itâd be easier for Mark to be there. But I could also grab âstarted out in the Ballroomâ as a synthesizer bullet to shoot âeasier for oneâ, with the idea that only Mark would have been able to start in the Ballroom as Jeff wouldâve needed to start in the Kitchen. Or maybe shoot a combination of âI was in the areaâ as a synthesizer bullet plus Map of Floor 4 to âstarted out in the Ballroom.â And thereâs even more ways to argue my point. Basically, I know what I want to say (âMark could have been in the Ballroom all along, Jeff couldnât go from the Kitchen to the Ballroom directlyâ), I just donât know how the game would want me to argue it lol.
[Answer: Jeffâs Account â âeasier for oneâ] Yeah, thatâs a way to do it. Iâm pretty sure itâs what I wanted to say.
âEllis: Well⊠it would have been less suspicious for Jeff to be seen around the scene of the crime. Jeff was working for Monoquin during this event, so if Noah and Harper saw him in the Ballroom, they mightâve just thought Jeff was doing another one of his chores. If theyâd seen Mark, they mightâve reacted more strongly and loudly, given how big of a deal Markâs absence was.â
Never mind! Thatâs not the argument at all!
Am I just stupid? Did no one actually see Jeff go into the Kitchen? Are there doors that arenât clearly seen on the map? Can we talk about the logistics of entry and exit of this goddamn room?
âDavis: At the same time, though, wouldnât it be easier to get away with a crime if no one knows where you were? What if, at some point, one of us had gone into the Kitchen and Jeff was gone? Thatâd be really suspicious, too.â
We are actually going nowhere bro what is this.
Save me, [Puzzling Pieces], save me.
âVanessa: Maybe, uh⊠something with the BDAâŠ? Vanessa: âCause, the killer wouldâve had to join all of us without messing anything up eventually.â
VanessaâŠ? Holy shit sheâs bringing up the points I wanna bring up! Thatâs kinda rare for her, but awesome! You go girl!
âAidan: Given that they were probably in the Hallway by the chandelier cord at the time, it is true they wouldâve had to sneak in without us realizing they were coming from the wrong direction. Aidan: Itâd only take a second or two to get from the Hallway door to near the main door, thoughâ
Really hoping the answer isnât just âtheyâre all blindâ though lol.
Maybe âitâs easier to join the group when arriving secondâ? So maybe the guy did just sneak back in. Well, it doesnât rely on weird loopholes in the rules, so we take it.
[Answer: Got it right :)] I love Puzzling Pieces.
âEllis: If you arrive second, youâd have more time to get there. Jeff: I guess, but thereâs also the advantage of showing up first when everyoneâs still looking at the bodies, right? No one would really be tracking where you came from in the first place.â
I kinda agree more with Jeff here, though. If we really assume no one was looking at the doors at first, Mark could have snuck in kinda easily. But after he arrived, Ellis at least was presumably at least facing the direction of the doors, given they rushed to hug him.
âMark: Well, no. Theyâd have to have been in the Hallway. But, I donât understand why theyâd do that if theyâd have to enter the Ballroom from the Hallway instead of the main door. [Hangmanâs Gambit]â
Hangmanâs is really hard without letters. Itâs six then four, so itâs hard to talk about Balcony shenanigans⊠âsecret doorâ? It feels silly, though.
[Answer: Secret Door] Never mind, apparently Iâm a genius. Iâm more impressed accirax guessed that with only Es, like surely youâd at least go for O as well right? xD
âAidan: From the Hallway to the Kitchen, probably. Makes enough sense. If you want staff to be able to bring drinks or appetizers or whatever to the main Ballroom area, itâd be convenient to go straight from the Kitchen to the Ballroom. Jeff: The Fourth Floor is pretty symmetrical though, right? Seems just as likely to me that there could be a matching door in the Conference Room.â
Here I was, imagining some kind of Mission Impossible wall scaling from a window in the Kitchen/Conference Room, around the building and into the Balcony, and turns out thereâs just a door there. Ngl, Iâm a little sad now /lh xD
âVanessa: So, since we canât actually investigate the doorsâ theoretical existence, it doesnât tell us anything. Iâm shocked, reallyâŠÂ Ellis: Man, even when weâre straight up inventing evidence, it still isnât a tiebreaker!â
And now Iâve run out of arguments too! How the fuck do you solve this one, anyways? Well, thereâs still the timing of the order in the CSD, I guess. Jeff had more time to place it, as Mark was chained to Ellis up until this morning.
[Nonstop Debate] Letâs do it!
âMark: Maybe the Order List could give us something to work with?â
Wow, speak of the devil xD
âDavis: That means that the killer probably planned out what theyâd do ahead of time, right?â
Fifth Motive here, I guess? With the idea that Mark couldnât have been sure heâd get the implements by the time the Banquet started? Though maybe weâre getting ahead of ourselves, and I should shoot Customer Service Desk at this one, to actually agree that the items must have been requested in advance.
[Answer: Jeffâs Account â âahead of timeâ] Oh, yeah, thatâs works too. Only Jeff could have known to ask for this stuff in advance.
âAidan: Or, it makes me think that you were hiding it because you had something planned. Jeff: ⊠Davis: Do you⊠have anything to say? Or any points to make? Jeff: Do you want me to? I guess I can try. Mark: âŠGo ahead? Jeff: Alright, sure, whatever. Letâs do this. [Freestyle Feud]â
Props to Jeff for the chillest Freestyle Feud entrance of all time lol. This is Part 6, right? So itâs still kinda early. What the hell could possibly happen from here? Anyways, rap time.
Jeff: Thereâs no actual evidence that points the crime to me.
You had the opportunity, the knowledge and the means.
Jeff: Youâre only accusing me because you wonât believe itâs Mark.
Iâll believe it when you tell me when he couldâve come up with the plan.
Jeff: They were just as free as I was at the time of the crime.
Yet when the orders were placed, their hands must have been tied.
Jeff: Even if I was free of my handcuffs first, Mark couldâve done plenty of things youâd have missed.
Today, thatâs the truth, but they werenât always free; certainly not two full days before the dreaded double kill!
If I had to shoot a bullet, itâd be Fifth Motive + CSD Order List btw. To be fair to Jeff, I donât know if heâd been able to know about all the details 48 hs before the kill, but he could have still been planning something along those lines, and ordered the stuff before figuring out all the details. Also, Iâm not convinced it wasnât Jeff themselves who asked Monoquin to hold a party, as technically that isnât inherently helping with the murder.
[Answer] Hey, thatâs the same argument I was going for! Cool.
âJeff: Iâm not going to be able to change your minds, right? Itâs not like Iâve had any idea of how to prove anything for this whole Trial. All: ⊠[Question Completion]â
I am still worried about the timing. This is still part 6, and weâre about to hit the point which would usually be intermission. Whatâs this Question Completion gonna give us?
âWhy was the killer so obvious?â is gonna be my answer, and Iâm a little worried about the implications. Does Jeff have a plan to get Monoquin to rule break somehow?
[Answer: Why was the killer so obvious?] HmâŠ
âAidan: On that point, how would Jeff have even known that Harper and Noah were going to leave early? That seems a bit coincidental, right?â
Oh. I see where weâre angling actually.
Regulation #8: If two victims are killed by two different killers in the same Trial, only the killer whose victimâs body is discovered first is the blackened.
This regulation has been on the back of my mind since I checked the handbook for the murder theory. I didnât think it would matter at the time, but I always knew it could cause issues. Both bodies were discovered at the same time, the BDA specifically mentioned two bodies. That means, if Noah killed Harper/Harper killed Noah, the blackened would be impossible to assign, thus breaking the killing game. Maybe the chloroform wasnât used after all⊠maybe Noah and Harper were in on it.
âDavis: Iâm saying that if Jeff were the killer, he shouldâve done it⊠I donât know, during the afternoon? Tomorrow? Some time when not literally everyone would be together. Vanessa: But⊠the murder did happen at the dinner party. What does that⊠mean? Jeff: Hell if I know. I only know my side of the story.â
Wait, does Jeff not even know the plan? Or do they know but donât want to say until Monoquin declares a blackened? What in the V3 CH5? Also, the murder happened at the party to guarantee a double BDA, but I think itâs obvious Iâd think that by now.
[Intermission] Ooh⊠this is gonna get good >:) Not that it wasnât great already but still >:)
Part 7
[Nonstop Debate] Starting strong, letâs do it!
âMark: Thereâs really no reason why that [Noah and Harper would kill each other], and Iâm not sure how possible it would be anyways.â
So⊠I feel like Iâm getting way ahead of myself here, but maybe shooting this with Kennedyâs Escape Theory? Iâm hoping bringing up the possibility of ending the killing game with this murder in a general sense isnât thinking too many arguments ahead lol.
[Answer: Markâs Account â âget their handcuffs offâ] Alright yeah I was getting way ahead of myself there. Apparently weâre just gonna say they could have picked the locks lol.
âEllis: Well, it is possible to take handcuffs off. Mark was able to pick the lock on ours, and I was none the wiser until I woke up. Mark: Thatâs true, I guess, but how would you lock them again? If weâre saying the partner had no idea this ever happened, itâd have to be while they were asleep. It wouldnât be convincing at all if your partner woke up and the handcuffs were open. Vanessa: You could probably get the staff to lock them again, right? Like, Iâm sure if Jeff and I had agreed to it, Monoquin wouldâve been happy to lock us back together again.â
Yeah weâre not even thinking about Harper and Noah doing it lol.
âEllis: This killer would be taking a ton of chances on all fronts. But, donât use that as an argument to say I did it!â
Pfft-
[Nonstop Debate] Alright, letâs go!
âJeff: Iâm just as confused as the rest of you are, if not more.â
Is⊠Jeff really not in on this plan? I- Well, I guess I could be entirely wrong on the plan is, but if Iâm not, it just seems weird that the other two wouldnât have talked to anyone else.
âAidan: Unless youâve got a way to get around one of them being complicit.â
Staff Members here with the same loophole as before? But I feel like that doesnât make much sense. I really donât know. Is it a synthesizer bullet?
[Answer: Markâs Account + The Fifth Motive â âcover what they needed toâ] What? I⊠donât actually know what weâre arguing lol.
âEllis: If weâre trying to leave Jeff out of things⊠Well, itâs still possible. Mark and Vanessa could have been working together. Vanessa, who was un-handcuffed, could have gone to the order list at any time. And then Mark, who didnât attend the dinner party, could have done all of the stuff with the chandelier. Jeff: I guess that is possible. Vanessa: Okay, yeah, but, like⊠why? All: âŠâ
Yeah, right? That oneâs kinda fucking insane. Also how am I only now realizing how similar Vanessaâs speech patterns are to my typing style. Girlie is actually my spirit animal lol.
[Nonstop Debate] They were not kidding! The debate sure ainât stopping! Not for more than a few paragraphs at a time, anyways.
âDavis: If Jeff is the only one who couldâve hung them, he must be the killer, rightâŠ?â
Holy orange! I think thatâs the longest weak point Iâve ever seen, itâs the entire sentence! xD
I feel like I want to disagree, too. Like, my entire theory at the moment is that Jeff hung them without being the killer. Or, rather, without being the only killer. Maybe shoot that with Harper and Noahâs Profiles? Or take something like:
âMark: Besides, the fact that weâre all contributing so much to figuring out what the trick is makes it seem unlikely that one of us is the killer.â
That, and shoot the weak point. I really donât know. Man, I am⊠not doing well, huh?
[Answer: Monoquin File Lie â âIf Jeff is the only one who couldâve hung them, he must be the killerâ] I⊠what? Is it that the lie doesnât help them? Idk.
âEllis: Thatâs⊠not necessarily true. The person who hung the bodies doesnât have to be the killer as long as hanging the bodies wasnât the direct cause of death. I donât know why somebody who wasnât the killer would hang the bodies, but⊠we were just discussing the potential of an accomplice, right?â
Okay, yeah, I was on the right track. I donât know how I was supposed to get MQ File Lies out of that though :v
âVanessa: Um, question? If weâre saying that the hanging or strangling or whatever during the dinner party wasnât the cause of death, then what was it? âCause, it doesnât really matter if itâs something else youâd have to be in the Ballroom for. But, if youâre saying you could kill them from the Banquet Hall, then⊠[Hangmanâs Gambit]â
Eight and six⊠you know, âAntoniaâs Poisonâ fits here lol. I donât really know how you would kill someone from a different room, so⊠I guess? Sure, fuck it, letâs go for the repeat.
[Answer: Antoniaâs Poison] It actually was a repeat lol. And I love that accirax didnât hesitate much either xD Hey, at least I got something right!
âEllis: âŠIâm going to fucking kill Antonia. I donât care that sheâs already dead.â
Ellis apparently canât handle a narrative haunting bad bitch, who knew.
âIf somebody forced Jeff to poison Noah and Harperâs food, would Jeff count as the killer, or that other personâŠ? Mark: What would their leverage be? Jeff dies under this plan. I donât understand what youâd threaten them with.â
Weâre losing our minds, is whatâs happening.
âVanessa: If itâs not some sort of forcing thing, then how did anyone else poison Noah and Harper? Ellis was with Jeff in the Kitchen the whole time, and no one else made the food or poured the drinks or anything, right? Davis: Thatâs⊠not true. [Select the Person]â
So I accidentally saw that this is Davis, but I would not have remembered that lmao.
âEllis: Davis⊠Davis, Jeff asked you to pour the drinks⊠Davis: ⊠Aidan: âŠThat doesnât make any sense. [Nonstop Debate]â
Well, I guess Aidanâs coming to Davisâ defense! I wonder where the hell this is going.
âAidan: Besides, itâs not like Davis would want to win this game. Why would he agree to it?â
I donât like that heâs saying this like this. Like, obviously at this point, Davis wouldnât have known about the plan.
âAidan: We shouldâve just voted for Jeff ages ago. Theyâre probably just acting weird in the hopes that we make evidence up out of nowhere. Aidan: Letâs just get this thing over with.â
Yeah, weâre⊠really desperate here lol.
Ugh⊠another one Iâm stuck on. I donât know if Iâm just being silly today, or if the trial just got incredibly hard for this part. I feel like I want to shoot:
âAidan: Neither of them would want Davis to win. It just doesnât make sense.â
And argue that maybe Jeff wanted Davis to win even if Davis didnât. I mean, I feel like that contradicts the FTEs, so I donât think thatâs it, but it kinda seems like the direction weâre going down. Maybe shoot that with Jeffâs Profile to make the point of who actually wanted it? Or grab:
âMark: Call me naive, but Davis doesnât seem like the type.â
It doesnât even work, but idk. Iâm just off my game rn.
[Answer: Davisâ Profile â âNeither of them would want Davis to winâ] I⊠guess this was the right way to make the argument? lol.
âEllis: I⊠could it have something to do with Davisâ talentâŠ?â
Oh. I⊠didnât consider that. I guess thatâs a way to argue it.
âDavis: âŠWhat is it that you wanted? Before you met me. Jeff: ⊠Davis: Answer me, Jeff. Jeff: âŠI wanted to care about someone else more than myself for once. Someone who deserves it.â
Ah, God fucking damn it.
âMark: Wait, so⊠your talent makes people care about you and want things from you. But, it depends on the person. Jeff wanted to care about someone else more than himself, so⊠Davis: So Jeff cares about me more than himself.â
Fucksâ sake. Here I was, visualizing an epic martyr conundrum where Jeff valiantly fought against the killing game alongside the victims⊠and the situationâs worse than I ever couldâve imagined.
[Mixed Matches] âŠ
Using the Order List -> D. Timing of use was meant to single out Jeff as the only possible culprit.
When the Order Happened -> C. Shortly after the VIP Files, likely relating to the true motive of the crime.
Riskiness of the Crime -> A. Actually low risk overall due to the visible culprit not being the blackened.
Obviousness of the Killer -> B. Meant to divert votes to Jeff, concealing Davis as the true culprit.
[Answer: D - C - A - B] Yay, I got it right! Iâm in incredible emotional pain! :,D
âAidan: Thereâs just⊠no way⊠[Closing Argument]â
Iâm sorry Aidan⊠I feel really bad about this too ToT Iâve never been more devastated to read the words âClosing Argumentâ before. Venus you evil evil writer you >:( /lighthearted.
1- Fifth Motive. Everyone gets cuffed together. 2- VIP Files. The motive behind the murder. 3- Customer Service Order List. The orders are set up two days in advance. 4- Jeffâs Account. Jeff learns about the Dinner Party a day before it happens. 5- Dinner Party. It happens. Davis unknowingly pours poison to Harper and Noah. 6- Nooses. After Noah and Harper die, Jeff ties their necks to the nooses. 7- Cut Cord. The cord is cut. 8- Broken Chandelier. The chandelier breaks. 9- BDA. Everyone rushes in, BDA plays. 10- Monoquin Files 5.1 and 5.2. The files are handed out.
[Answer: Got it right] Well, hey! I may have done awful on the Nonstops, and I may never emotionally recover from whatâs about to happen, but at least itâs the first time I ace a Closing Argument, I believe! Yay me :,)
âEllis: The killer escaped the cuffs almost immediately, which made the motive less intimidating to them.â
Itâs interesting that Ellisâ recounting labels Jeff as the killer, even though the argument is that Davis is the blackened. I guess heâs still as in shock as I am :,)
âEllis: The poison must have been pretty diluted, as they made it through almost the entire extended dinner party alive. It was only when they walked into the Ballroom for a dance that it kicked in, incapacitating them.â
Actually, yeah, what was the plan if Noah and Harper dropped dead in front of the others? If theyâd waited just a few more minutes before dipping, everyone would know they got poisoned, and it wouldnât have been hard to point to Davis at that point. Everyone knew who poured those cups. Incredibly risky plan from Jeff, especially knowing how lethal this poisonâs proved in the past. Pretty reckless, this Jeff guy.
âDavis: Iâm sure. Am I the blackened, yes or no? Monoquin: âŠYes, you are.â
God fucking damn it. And Jeffâs just going to walk after this? How the hell are we resolving that plotline in one chapter?
âAidan: âŠWhy would you do that?!â
Well, at least weâre getting an Aidan crashout! Thatâs always fun. I say, in great pain.
âAidan: You realize what this means, right? You put him in danger. Heâs going to die because of you! Jeff: Would you calm doââ
âWould you calm downâ is crazy work, geez Jeff.
âJeff: Do you want Davis to die? Aidan: Obviously not! Jeff: Davis, do you want to die? Davis: NoâŠ? Jeff: Well, I donât want Davis to die, either. Hey, look at that! Thatâs half the votes. Thereâs no problem here.â
Yoo??!? Thatâs insane work actually. Manipulating the votes for the cast to lose plurality on the blackened is crazy. Itâs not gonna work, obviously, but imagine having so much game that this is a genuine possibility being thrown around.
âMonoquin: It seems youâre rather at odds. Truly, this is a split down the middle. Vanessa: Oh, come on! Is now really the tiâ Monoquin: Take your sides. Iâll prepare the Trial grounds. [Scrum Debate]â
Weâre going to Scrum over this?!?! Not only that, but a Scrum after the Closing Argument?! Weâre losing our minds. Actually insane ending here. I wonder what side Davis is gonna be on. I guess this wouldnât be happening unless he ends up on the âdonât vote Davisâ side, though.
âŠSorry, is this Scrum Debate already solved? Like, thereâs missing words on the right hand side, but I kinda thought there were supposed to be words missing on the left and nothing on the right. The right answers are highlighted and everything already. Uh⊠oopsie lol xD I guess something like this was bound to happen eventually :p
âMark: âŠDavis. Winning⊠Itâs not what you want. You donât want to have to think about this for the rest of your life, thinking about all the people you lost, and about the people who cared about you who died to save you. Itâs not worth it. Iâm so sorry itâs come to this, but⊠please, trust me. Davis: âŠOkay.â
Man, this cannot be good for Davisâ trauma, huh? Really interesting, how Markâs, Davisâ and Jeffâs situations all kinda play off of each other in terms of abandoning and being abandoned, huh? Crazy stuff. And good guy Davis asking to be voted for :,)
âAidan: No, itâs not. None of this is okay! Itâs⊠no. Thereâs no way. None of us should vote for Davis. Ellis: Aidan, youâ Aidan: It doesnât make any sense. Vanessa: Aidan, I know it sucks, but we really have toâ Aidan: No, we donât! Ugh, why wonât anyone⊠Monoquin! Monoquin: Yes, Mx. Ho? Aidan: Davis isnât the blackened. He shouldnât be.â
Aidanâs going through it, man. First person he ever gave a shit about, and only one aside Ellis. Come on, fight for your doomed yaoi! You can do it! I believe in you!
âAidan: Youâre wrong. Monoquin: âŠIâm wrong? Jeff: Uh, Monoquin already confirmed heâs the blackened⊠Iâd be happy to hear he wasnât at this point, but it seems a little late for that. Aidan: Jeff should be the real blackened. Or, if not that, it should be Noah and Harper. Thereâs no reason why it would be Davis. Vanessa: Noah and HarperâŠ? Monoquin: âŠWould anyone care to explain? [Progressive Deduction]â
Wait hold on. Heâs actually doing it. Why would there be a ProgDed after the Closing Argument if there wasnât a last minute twist after the last minute twist?! Is he cooking?! Is the Ultimate Contrarian about to go against the doomed yaoi-ism of fangans?!?!
1- What did Davis do to kill Noah and Harper? a) He intended to poison Noah and Harper b) He poured poison into their glasses c) He poured poison into their mouths d) He requested Antoniaâs poison
Obviously b).
2- What didnât Davis do to kill Noah and Harper? a) He didnât intend to poison Noah and Harper b) He didnât pour the poison into their mouths c) He didnât pour the poison into the pitcher d) All of the above
Thatâs d)âŠ
3- Who should be the killer? a) Jeff, for pouring the poison into the pitcher b) Noah and Harper, for pouring the poison into their mouths c) Davis, for pouring the poison from the pitcher into Noah and Harperâs glasses d) Not C, Iâll tell you that much
Pfft- I have to go with d) just because of how iconic that is xD
[Answer: b - d - d] BDD sounds like it would be an acronym for something. Donât know what, though. âBlackened Deference Discourse?â Sure. What the hell was I talking about? Oh yeah. Weâre so incredibly back!!!
âEllis: If Jeff had put a bear trap two feet from the Ballroom door, and then I accidentally scooted it one foot closer, and then Noah or Harper stepped on it, would I really be the one at fault? Davis didnât even know that the hypothetical bear trap was there!â
Uh. Strange analogy, but I guess it works.
âMonoquin: âŠThat⊠makes sense. Davis: âŠ! Ellis: That also means⊠that Monoquin lied to us. Would that give us any kind of leg up in stopping the killing game?â
Shits getting spicy! Then again, thereâs no explicit rule against Monoquin lying I donât think, but still. Getting Davis off the chopping block is fantastic either way.
âMonoquin: I did not lie. At that time, Davis was the blackened. Changing the blackened is unprecedented and should not happen.â
Damn. I guess thatâs also not against rules? I mean, it could be, depending on what lawyer you get, but yâknow. Again, more important things happening.
âMonoquin: I suppose⊠I will make an offer. If all contestants unanimously agree, it will be so. Davis: And⊠what is that offer? Monoquin: I will switch the blackened from Mr. Love to Mx. Breeze. As such, you will be able to vote for Mx. Breeze and win the Trial, and he alone will be executed. This will only occur if everyone involved agrees. Is everyone in agreement?â
Wow, crazy development. Masterminding by the seat of our pants, we got no fucking idea whatâs going on. And I kinda have to hope that Jeffâs infatuation with Davis makes this a little easier on the âunanimousâ department.
âJeff: If weâre at this point, then⊠yeah. Thatâs fine.â
Fuck it we ball!!!!
âJeff: I am the blackened. Please confirm. Monoquin: Yes, Mx. Breeze, you are the blackened who the spotless must vote for should they wish to win the Trial.â
Theyâre calling Aidan the clutchest person alive. Actually insane gambit, fantastic play, zero notes.
âMonoquin: And, Mx. Breezeâ if you manage to use your talents to escape your execution, I will execute Mr. Love in your place.â
Pfft- Thatâs funny. Theyâre the Ultimate Absentee, not Escape Artist. Still, really funny we have to clarify that xD
[Vote: Jeffery Breeze] Crazy. Holy shit we did it. Davis lives!!!
âDavis: âŠYou knew. You knew about everything, and how I felt about it, and you still⊠Jeff: âŠYeah. I guess I did. But, hey, itâs like you said, right? Iâve always been a selfish person. Itâs always about what I want, not you. Even if itâs for your sake.â
Crazy stuff here too. Jeff is kind of a fascinating character, huh?
âEllis: âŠYou can care about more than one person at once, you know. Jeff: Can I? Have I? Itâs not like Iâve ever been much of a caring person. Mark: You couldâve tried. You couldâve done something that didnât kill two other innocent people along with you.â
Big truths here. A big theme around these parts seem to be about trying, and how not trying hard enough leads to shit like this. First Taylor not being genuine friends with everyone as their real selves, and now this. You could say⊠you only have âone shotâ, so you gotta make the best of it? He he⊠Iâm reaching really hard because I still donât really know what the title is about xp
âVanessa: When did you even start caring about Davis so muchâŠ? Werenât you guys fighting with each other, like, two weeks agoâŠ? Davis: âŠThings changed. We werenât anymore. I guess⊠his feelings towards me shifted more than I thought they would. I probably should have guessed. Aidan: Donât even try to blame yourself for this. This is all his fault. Jeff: Guilty as charged.â
Yikes. Davis and his talent, an eternal struggle. Also ha ha âguilty as chargedâ, ha ha, my brain is rotting .^.
âJeff: What was the plan, Ellis? Did you have some special plan to get all of us out of here? If you do, Iâd love to hear it. I hope you guys do manage it, even if Iâm not here to see it. I just donât believe it. Ellis: IâŠÂ âŠI donât have a plan. Ellis: Maybe Noah or Harper had a plan.â
Ooh, get their ass!
âJeff: âŠDavisâŠ? Davis: âŠIâm sorry.â
Oof. Just oof.
âJeff: Go ahead. Iâm not going to run this time.â
Why are you aura farming your plan failed spectacularly ToT
âWhen we arrive, thereâs no bulletproof glass barrier, no podiums to input answers, and no elaborate platforms or mechanical devices. There are only five chairs surrounding a large square cavity.â
⊠Donât love the complete lack of protection lol.
[Execution] Fuck this oneâs brutal. Forcing the Ultimate Absentee to sit still of his own volition is horrid enough, and itâs extremely painful on top of that. Also:
âAt one point, I have to duck away to ensure I donât get a sandal to the face.â
Crazy how close they were to that!
âAidan: âŠI should apologize. Davis: Apologize? For whatâŠ? Aidan: You can probably tell by now, right? You only started hanging around me in the first place âcause I was unaffected by your whole talent thing. And, here I am, considering putting everyone elseâs lives on the line for you. You couldnât trust me, either.â
Oof, rough. Still, nice to see that Aidan still manages a cool head at the end of the day.
âDavis: You donât have to apologize, if you like me in that way. I like you too. Aidan: Oh. Aidanâs face is redder than Davisâ. Aidan: RightâŠâ
On the one hand, definitely not the time. On the other, holy shit we managed to Contrarian our way into having the most doomed relationship of all time actually survive to CH6. Insane work, damn.
âVanessa: Uh⊠allâs well that⊠ends wellâŠ? Mark: I wouldnât say it ended all that well, when you look at the numbersâŠâ
These two are so funny there. What the fuck are you supposed to say after⊠all that?
âI arrive at the fourth floor. Itâs just me.â
Damn. Poignant.
âWe may have negotiated our way out of Davisâ death, but that only proved that the rules are flexible. That, therefore, makes trapping them in a game-ending error harder.â
Yeah⊠thatâs kind of an issue :/
âI thought we mightâve just gotten closer, but⊠it didnât matter. Not every friend you make is one for life. Sometimes, you send them to their death. Itâs a two-way street.â
Well, 2 out of 3 maxed FTE-ers made it to CH6, Iâd consider that a pretty good ratio!
âWe have to find little victories somewhere. Otherwise, the bigger ones will be hung out to dry.â
Ellisâ monologue stop being peak challenge level impossible.
-
Hot damn what a trial! There were twists on twists on twists! Definitely a worthy climax for the regular trials, thatâs for damn sure! I really loved both the plan and the way we reached the conclusions of Davis actually being the blackened. And of course, my heart was racing the entire time the cast was arguing with Monoquin about who the blackened should be. I wondered if maybe theyâd try to argue a blackened was wrongly executed, but I donât really think thatâs viable. All the other ones were kinda cut and dry; only Taylor because of the poison, but the same reasoning which condemned Jeff would condemn Taylor, so. Anyways, itâs a very fun way to resolve the issue!
Iâm very happy with this CH6 cast, too! Vanessa and Ellis are great spots of joy in contrast to the other, more serious people; Mark obviously has had a pretty massive arc, and now has a pretty huge unresolved plotline to go into in CH6 with the question of what the hell they were doing during the Dinner Party, and Aidan and Davis have gone through a lot of development on their own right. Itâs always nice to have at least one pair survive, keeps âem guessing.
And speaking of guesses and survivors, Predictions Game! As a heads up, I will hold off on a full recount until the end of CH6, when I can safely read the special rules without getting spoiled. But, Jeff is easy to assign points to; letâs see what we got!
Earlier in the post, we established the standings after the victims were: me with 29 points, Jonas with 27, sleuth with 25, and accirax with 23. And it seems the rich get richer, because accirax absolutely nails the prediction! Zero points for her, and sheâs running away with the lead!
On the other side, Iâm the first to surpass thirty points, as I figured Jeff would be the CH3 killer. Thatâs two chapter points for me, putting me up to 31.
However, Iâm not alone in the thirties, as Jonasâ prediction was slightly worse than mine. A survivor prediction nets Jonas one chapter points and two role points, putting them up to 30!
But it was sewersleuth who was hit the hardest, predicting Jeff as the CH1 killer. Thatâs four chapter points and two role points, and suddenly sleuth and I are tied with 31!
Overall, me and sleuth are tied for (fittingly considering sleuthâs old url) bronze, with 31 points each; Jonas is just ahead of us with 30; and accirax is absolutely running away with the competition at 23 points. Tune in next time for the thrilling conclusion to the Prediction Game!
For now, though, Bonus Scenes!!!
Bonus Scenes
Jeff & Mark
Cool duo, letâs see where this goes!
âUgh. Stale air. Silence. Tension in your neck from a stressful situation. The dead time at the end of a Trial day is never fun, but for whatever reason, Taylorâs death seemed to get to people more than usual.â
Damn, directly after the Taylor trial? This is probably the earliest in a chapter a Bonus Scene has started! Actually, CH5 hadnât started! lol.
âIâd love to shrug it off and say itâs not my problem, like I usually would. Unfortunately for me, somewhere along the way, Iâve started to care.â
Jeff⊠Aough.
âEverything feels sort of aimless in the sense that nothing has actually changed. Weâre still in a killing game. Weâre still all stuck here. Iâm still stuck here. Heâs stuck here, too.â
Wow. That early, huh? I guess itâd need to be pretty early for Jeff to actually go through with it.
âMark: Just taking some notes on everything that happened. Jeff: Notes? Why? Mark: I donât want to forget any of the details. Trials are more important than the usual happenings at the Resort, right? Even if I kind of doubt it would happen, were there to be information that could help end the killing game, it wouldâve come up today.â
Smart guy Mark! And of course they have a thing to help their memory of things like this, it just makes sense!
âMark: [About plans to end the killing game] âŠNothing concrete. But, Iâm going to keep trying, obviously. I need to get all of you out of this killing game. Iâll figure it outâŠâ
âGet you out of here?â Mark, Mark listen to me. You gotta make it out too, yeah? Please.
âTo be honest, I still canât really get myself to care all that much about everyone here. Like, if I could choose between having just a few of us get out or letting all of us escape, Iâd pick all of us, but I definitely donât have the same drive as he does. Still, I want to see Davis get out of here. I want to get out of here. Itâd be good to try to work with Mark, if heâs got a similar enough goal.â
Well, thatâs one didnât last long at all!
âJeff: Wouldnât it just be easier to outsmart them? Mark: What do you mean? Jeff: You donât need some loophole if you can just trick the Resort into doing your bidding anyways. You just need to figure out where their weak point is.â
Interesting perspectives. Mark, who only has memories of killing games, tries to play within their rules and look for a contradiction in their rules to escape them. Jeff, who is much more used to doing things on their own terms, thinks outside the box and looks for ways to go right over the killing game rules. Fun contrast!
âJeff: How much time do you spend thinking about this kind of stuff, anyways? Mark: I never stop.â
Yikes. Take a break, dude.
âJeff: Iâm sure Iâll come up with something, though. Iâm resourceful like that. Mark looks at me with those sad eyes of his. Iâm not really sure whatâs running through their head. Do they want my help? Are they jealous of my confidence? Is it something else entirely? I lean back in the seat. Jeff: Thingsâll work themselves out in the end. They always do. Mark: âŠIf you say so.â
I wonder if that kind of âeverything will work out for me in the endâ mentality is reminding Mark of Ellis, or possibly even the Lucky Student in the fourth killing game.
Interesting scene, for sure! Cool to see the thought process that lead to Jeff being Like That in CH5, all the stuff he did to go against the mastermind and how he ended up doing the Davis plan anyways. Neat!
Davis & Vanessa
Cool pairing! Iâm always down for more Vanessa, I miss her.
âDoing my best to set my nerves aside, I grab a plate and take a seat next to Vanessa. Sheâs shrunk in on herself a bitâ itâs something she tends to do when sheâs feeling down.â
Good on Davis to notice stuff like that! Guess itâs part of what makes him the Ultimate Bachelor.
âVanessa: Just the usual. Killing game sucks. Motive tomorrow. Everythingâs been happening, and I havenât done, like, anything to try to actually stop it. I never do enough. Iâm always just⊠following other people around.â
Yikes! Just, right out the gate with the trauma, huh? I mean, Iâm down.
âVanessa: Back home, I was always just following my sister around. I mean, Iâd invite her to things and ask her to do stuff, but in the bigger picture, sheâs always been the one running the show. Davis: And, in the killing game? Vanessa: Itâs the same sort of thing. I-I mean, I ended up just going with whatever Kennedy said, back when he was trying to run things, and I still kind of just do whatever while other people handle all the heavy lifting. I want to help. But, I donât really know how to.â
Yeah, makes sense. Poor Ness :(
âVanessa: The answer is that I need to come up with something on my own. Itâs not like Iâm really that close to any of you, so⊠I should be able to do it on my own.â
Not⊠the healthiest mindset, letâs hope it doesnât go too wrong.
âVanessa: Do you think itâs bad that I always depend on other people? Instead of learning to do things for myself?â
I mean, you donât need to know how to do everything, you can ask for help on stuff. Having your own skills is valuable too, but youâre an Ultimate, Vanessa, you got something going on.
ââŠItâs a complicated question. I donât think itâs a moral failing or anything; some people prefer to be followers, and thatâs good for society. Everyone can follow what makes them the most comfortable, and things fall into place. But in this killing game, when Vanessa is sharing with me that she wants to make progress in her outlook? I donât want to tell her to settle and get complacent. I want to encourage her. But, Iâm not sure how to encourage her without making her feel like sheâs been doing something wrong the whole time.â
Yeah, itâs hard :/
âDavis: Iâve felt really out of control of my own life for a long time. Iâve already more or less said it publicly at this point, but⊠Iâve had a long string of failed romantic relationships that always fall apart a few months in. Sometimes, really terrible things happen to the people who I fall in love with. Vanessa: Right⊠My smile shakes. Davis: âŠIf I know all of that, does that make it my fault when those things happen? Because I canât stop myself from falling in love with them?â
Poor Davis has that Teruko Tawaki-coded guilt over his luck, itâs sad to see :( But yeah, at least heâs pretty good about staying open to new relationships! I know thatâs hard for some people.
âVanessa: âŠYouâre always doing your best to try to lessen the harm, right? Youâre always thinking about other people and how you affect them. She drums her fingers against the table. Vanessa: I mean, this is a bit of a guess, but⊠is that why you were able to save Aidan? Because you learned first aid in case something happened? Davis: âŠIt⊠wasnât actually one of those situations, but that is why I learned.â
Huh, interesting! I guess that explains some things.
âVanessa: You canât help the way you feel. But, youâre doing your best to take into account what the people around you want and how to keep them safe. She fiddles with her bow. Vanessa: As long as youâre only dating people who want to date you, especially if they know everything, I donât think thatâs your fault. I exhale. Davis: Thank you. But, isnât it kind of similar? Youâre worried youâre not doing enough to counteract forces out of your control. Sure, itâll never hurt to take a few more precautions and learn a few more skills to try to oppose the things that are keeping you down. But, I wouldnât fault you for not having figured that out yet. As long as it feels like weâve been here, itâs only been a little less than a month.â
Theyâre both so nice :) Good on them for talking about the things that trouble them!
âVanessa: But, youâre so good at taking into account how youâre affecting other people. My inaction⊠hasnât it hurt people? Davis: Has it? Vanessa: By letting the killing game continue. Davis: None of us have managed to end it. Itâs not just you. Vanessa: âŠI guess so. Itâs just⊠hard not to feel like Iâm the only one who isnât helpingâŠâ
Itâs⊠hard not to read this as unwilling mastermind talk, what with so few options left going into CH6. Like, the angle is there: Vanessa feels particularly guilty because, as the mastermind/traitor, sheâs uniquely positioned to do something about the killing game, but canât because sheâs being forced to do mm/traitor duties in some way. Iâll choose to believe thatâs not the case and Ness is just insecure, though, for my own peace of mind :v
Very nice Bonus Scene! These two had a surprisingly deep conversation for two characters who havenât really interacted much from my recollection, thatâs always lovely to see.
Noah & Harper
Remind me, is this the third Bonus Scene which features these two, specifically? I guess the readers love their chemistry that much, huh? (Itâs me, Iâm readers :> )
âIf thereâs anyone Iâd want to spend my time with, itâs Harper.â
Tell me about it xD
âThe information in the VIP Files definitely rattled me.â
So thatâs when we are, cool!
âHarper: âŠIâve spent my life trying to help people. People⊠need to be helped. There are many, many out there who, for whatever reason or circumstance, donât have the ability to help themselves. Harper looks out the window at the Resort below. Harper: This is my first time being in a position where I⊠âneedâ help, rather than being the one who provides that help. Thereâs nothing I can do to ease the suffering of those in the killing game beyond offering my support. And Iâm⊠not really sure how to feel about everything.â
Hmm⊠interesting dilemma! Weâve seen signs of Harperâs restlessness since, like, CH2 maybe? So this has been bubbling under the surface for a while now.
âNoah: I might be a little biased, but I think youâve been doing a ton for everyone else in here. Things would be way worse without you. They always are.â
âThey always areâ, huh? I guess Noahâs being a lot more open about his issues back at the frat now, which is nice.
âHarper: Everyone keeps telling me the staff is complicit. But, is it really their fault? How do we know theyâre not here under threat of death as well? They could be executed if they disobey. Maybe they were forced into the position in the first place.â
This has always been a possibility, though I hadnât given it much thought. With what we know about the Tragedy from canon (and what we saw in the Balcony), itâs entirely believable everyone in the staff is enthusiastic about the killing game. And even if they arenât, itâs not something you start to consider until⊠well, until the latter chapters, I guess. You know theyâre not going to do anything until at least the point where weâre going to go against the mms, so :p
âHarper: âŠWhat worth do I have to the helpless, without my parentsâ patronage? Am I complicit, if I have no way to stop their tyrannyâŠ?â
Come on Harper. If you have no way of stopping them, obviously you arenât complicit. Or are you also complicit in every bad thing someone does somewhere in the world at any moment, since you canât stop them? SmhâŠ
âNoah: Youâre exceptional, yeah, but youâre not the only one. Like⊠Iâm living off my dadâs money. Itâs not exactly the same, but the idea is kind of there. Harper: What do you mean? Noah: My dadâs not rich-rich like your parents, but heâs well off. And, since heâs been a big donor at my college, I basically got in without having to try because I was a legacy.â
Nepo babies unite!!! *fire emoji* *fire emoji* *fite emoji* Kidding, obviously, but yeah thatâs a fun parallel. A fun parallel with Mx. âGrandpaâs moneyâ Ellis too, while weâre at it.
âNoah: Iâve kind of been, um, failing my classes on purpose? I was sort of trying to, uh⊠flunk outâŠ? Because I figured that was the best way to try to get space from my dad without having to fend for myselfâŠ? But, it didnât really work, because the university just wonât kick me out. Seems like they canât upset my dad, eitherâŠâ
My guy is actually trapped in university, itâd be funny if it wasnât so sad. Education chases him.
âHarper: What are you planning to do, then? Noah: I donât know. I hadnât really figured it out. If I really got the courage to actually leave my dad behind, I donât have the money or skills or drive to really go out there on my own. I canât exactly make a career off being a frat boy. Harper: Well⊠if you ever need assistance, Iâm here to help.â
Well, thatâs even sadder, though at least Harperâs nice :) Not that it really matters, considering recent events, but still :,)
âNoah: Well, for one, weâre in a killing game, so everything else is kind of a lower priority. But, what I mean is⊠weâre both still kids, at the end of the day. We still hopefully have our whole lives ahead of us. And, more than that⊠I donât think thereâs anything to feel bad about for being a kid whoâs still dependent on your parents, no matter who they are.â
âWe still hopefully have our whole lives ahead of usâ Yeah about that one. Anyways, itâs an interesting common theme around these characters that theyâre still figuring out what the hell they want to do in the future, like Aidan and now Noah. Parallels and shit.
Very nice Bonus Scene! At least itâs a wonderful send off for these two,given their tragic end in the killing game. Fly high, Nepotism Duo!
⊠The duo name could use some workshopping xD
Aidan & Mark
The full FTE guys! Well, minus Jeff. Wonder what kinda stuff theyâll talk about!
âMarkâs temporary disappearance. Noah and Harper, hung from the fallen chandelier. Davisâ brush with death. Jeff, accepting his execution. Is the killing game really going to continue on like this forever?â
Wow, two Bonus Scenes taking place directly after a trial? Weâre getting spicy today!
âBesides, I⊠think I trust the people left, more or less. I definitely trust Davis and Ellis. Whatever. I donât like indecision. I walk over to the Desk.â
Aww, he trusts people :) Also 'I donât like indecisionâ is a very articulate way of saying âfuck it we ballâ.
âMark: Canât sleep. Too much to do. Or, too much I couldâve done.â
Ouch. Hope he doesnât feel too bad about not being able to save the last three deaths by being a little faster with whatever heâs got going on.
âAidan: No. Weâre talking now. You need to tell me what you were doing. Mark: I canât tell you that.â
Mark is really adamant about this staying secret. Iâm kinda excited to start reading CH6 to figure out whatâs going on with them.
âAidan: Iâm not worried about that part. But even if you are trying to end the killing game, thatâs not the only factor at play. Mark: Such as? Aidan: Ellis was really worried about you. All day.â
Wow, interesting angle from Aidan. I guess he cares enough about Ellis that heâd notice stuff like that.
âAidan: When I stabbed myself back around the Third Trial, I was just doing whatever made sense to me on behalf of everyone else. But, I donât think anyone else really wanted that. I was missing their opinion, that⊠they kinda wanted me to live. I fix them with a deadpan stare. Aidan: Other peopleâs opinions are important. It helps you realize whatâs actually the best plan. That applies to you too.â
Character development!!! *fire emoji* *fire emoji* *fire emoji*
âAidan: âŠDo you not trust me? Mark: âŠI do. But, at the same time, I canât trust anyone. Not even Ellis.â
Damn. Thatâs⊠kinda crazy to hear.
âMark: I trust Ellis emotionally. I know that he would never want to hurt me or anything. But, I donât trust her decision making when it comes to ending the killing game. I canât risk it. Not after last timeâŠâ
Damn, he really said ânone of you fuckasses are qualified for thisâ. Iâm really curious what exactly theyâve got going on that is so specific to them.
âAidan: Well⊠donât do anything stupid. Remember to think about what everyone else wants, even if you wonât listen to us. Mark: Right. Aidan: And⊠good luck. They nod. Mark: Iâll do my best.â
Ominous way to end the Bonus Scenes, I like it! This one wasnât so big on the character aspect, but these two have definitely been explored enough by now, so it makes sense to talk more about the situation and highlight some of the development that theyâve already had. Fun stuff!
-
And thatâs all! Geez, I wonder if this might be my longest post ever, just on how much stuff I quoted. Thatâs kind of impressive, considering. Still, it was a hell of a ride! Extremely interesting reveals on the killing game lore department, very engaging case, lots of twists and turns, just absolute peak! I canât wait to get to CH6, Iâm super intrigued at where the story is going. What is Mark cooking? {As of posting this, Iâve finished reading chapter 6. Expect that reaction post sometime this century, as I try to process all that lmao}.
Anyways, see you later, on the final reaction post to DROS! What a ride this has been!!!
Happy April Fool's Day from the cast of Danganronpa: One Shot!
...I think...?
DR: One Shot Character Playlist Explanations
Hello everyone! Itâs Venus here with the answers to the DR:OS full character playlist! Basically, each One Shot character has both an English and Vocaloid song that I picked out for them that fits their backstory, story, personality and/or vibes. I sent them out into the world in a randomized order so that people could guess if they wanted to. And now, I will go through the answers and explanations for all the songs on why I chose them!
If you missed the other posts or are just running behind, you can definitely still take a swing at the playlist before reading the answers. But, if youâre ready to know, just look below the cut!
Please be advised that this post will contain extreme spoilers for all of One Shot. Youâll also want to expect content commonly seen in One Shot Trigger Warnings, such as death, murder and suicide, as well as betrayal, conservative values, alcoholism and other mental health struggles. With that being said, letâs begin the explanations!
Cass Torres â
âI Knowâ by Cut Capers / âID Smileâ by toaÂ
Cassâ songs heavily relate to her true identity of being the Ultimate (Secret) Agentâ someone who, even before the killing game, was investigating the Resort and trying to put a stop to its villainous activities.Â
As quick context for Cass, Iâll also reveal some backstory information that wasnât contained within the free time document we recently posted.Â
Cass grew up loving detective and spy novels, and it became her dream to become someone who possessed a multitude of skills and put a dramatic stop to crime like her childhood fictional heroes. While a lot of the effects of this on their life were positive, leading to them studying and learning extra skills to further their pursuits, they also decided to take a step back from their family and friendships; after all, having loved ones they were attached to would give them an exploitable weakness. What began as a child playing pretend turned into a serious life decision before she knew it, and she always felt separated from her peers.
âI Knowâ focuses primarily on the investigations into the Resort. It opens with Cass finally being able to act on the skills theyâve been learning since childhood:Â
Time seems to be evolvin' here on out My dreary days have turned to playgrounds In oh so many waysÂ
Investigating the Resort was Cassâ first real objective, and she was thrilled to finally be on the scene, acting as the person she always dreamed of being. Her talent fulfilled, she set to investigating, learning important truths about the Casino.
And I know, you know and he knows and she knows That it doesn't just fall in your plate and To get what you want, see it through it's your show Go against the grain don't emulate
Cass learns about the internal workings of the Casinoâ the way itâs structured, how the economy there works, how Antonia is at the center of everything. They try to put a stop to it, but are halted by being put into the killing game.
I could probably pick a few choice lyrics out from the rap, but for the most part, theyâre nonsense when it comes to Cass. Itâs hard to find songs for some of these people that are 100% accurate, so having the right gist is usually what I shoot for. Donât worry though, plenty of the songs coming up later on this explanation will actually make sense the whole way through.
As for âID Smile,â it focuses more on Cassâ vision of herself as an Agent first and a regular person second.Â
Thatâs right, as always This is an identity Iâll never yield
Their identity as an Agent characterizes everything they do, both in their past and in their present. Even in the killing game, theyâll risk their life to try to solve the mysteries around them, going against their own safety advice.
I canât proceed, but even faced with this dead end, If I want to connect with you, then I canât part with my secret
Cass knows the killing game isnât an environment to trust others in, so even when surrounded by people of her age sheâd love to get to know and make friends with, she canât give up her identity so easily.
Obstructed by faint expectations, I plug my ears and make a vague face of feigned indifference
If we could've stayed connected, just like this⊠Would it have hurt, or would I have wanted to stay?
But no matter how much she wants to reach out to the others, sheâll stay within her role and solve the mysteries. Itâs the life they chose for themself, and itâs the life they committed to. Still, they donât know how things might have turned out if they had let others in and connected with them a bit more truthfully.
Robert Smith â
âNothing to Sayâ by Dom Fera / âInfinitely Grayâ by SuriiÂ
Honorable mention: Knock Knock (Vinyl Theatre)
Robertâs songs are, predictably, about how he experiences the killing game while just being a normal guy.Â
âNothing to Sayâ takes a more lighthearted tone with it, explaining his mannerisms while contrasting their normalcy with his heightened stress under pressure.
I think I need to have a drink, I mean I had a pitch-black coffee full of dopamine I had a couple bad times but I think I'll be fine I'm always tracking what happens when I lose my mind
Robert tries to keep an upbeat demeanor within the killing game, mirroring the people around him who are much more talented and capable than he is. Still, internally, heâs always thinking about the ways heâs in danger and the ways he doesnât measure up to the others.
And I watch a lotta clips full of good advice They're never for me but they sound real nice You gotta start spending what you wanna be paid And I guess that's just all to say
The others in the killing game (like Grace, for instance) tell him to try acting a certain way or try out certain advice, but whenever he tries them, he always feels like heâs just going through the motions.
If I had got what I'd been looking for You'd see me right now looking more and more And what I do got now got me on my way So I'll talk but I got nothin' to say
He tries his best, but doesnât feel like he produces many results. In the investigations, Trials, and even daily life, he values everyone elseâs contributions more highly than his own. Thus, while heâll maintain pleasant conversation and do his best to pitch in, he feels as though his words contribute nothingâ thus, he has nothing to say.
âInfinitely Grayâ has a lot of the same types of points raised, but in a much angstier and more dramatic tone.Â
I donât have the talent so I suppose Iâll just remain here crying all my life I was envious of the shade of blue in the scene before my eyes
Rainy Rainy I wished to be strong My voice scattered unfeelingly, playing a melody of loneliness All my fingers would convey was the colour of lifelessness âWonât you recognise me?â
The lyrics spell it out very plainly: Robert feels he lacks the talent that those around him have, and he wishes he could match them and contribute.Â
On the path of retreat thatâs closed off, Put aside that talent you were so envious of for a moment Just having done something is considered a win, yeah? This is no time to be holding your breath!
The song ends on a nicer note, saying that doing anything in the face of adversity is worthwhile. Robert embodied this by continuing moving forwards in the killing game; he did what he could for as long as he could.
Grace Thomas â
âCounter Clockâ by JAWS / âLowerâ by nulutÂ
Graceâs songs tend to relate to Justin and their feelings of loss in regards to the Chapter 2 motive, leading into their decision to kill.Â
âCounter Clockâ paints a picture of consideration followed by sudden, decisive action.
Words, Iâm thinking all about these words Fantasizing how you say it in your words Get your head going and squeeze in some work
Grace takes in all of the information theyâre presented at the beginning of the killing game and sets to work on escaping, seeing as theyâd much rather return to their previous life.
Have you thought about removing these walls? Tick tock, tick tock goes the counter clock
The desire to leave is something Grace has throughout the story; even in the early stages, Grace considers attempting to escape by the killing gameâs rules. Though they donât act on the idea, the thought echoes in the back of their headâ the ever-ticking clock that urges them to leave.
Boom, boom, there goes the boomerang Spin around in the air while your phone rang Is it tear Iâm smelling Or is it the fĐ”ar that keeps dwelling Donât let it tick, let it tick you off ThĐ” boomerang will come around, and you are falling
Eventually, the killing game catches up to them, striking them in their weak spot: the person they love. Still, even as Justin dies, Grace knows that they need to be slower, methodical enough to win the Trial. They bide their time in irritation, waiting for an opportunity.
Impossible is never the case we are working on Itâs the dreamer and reality face off So let it tick, let it tick you off Punch a hole in the wall, and you are out of here right Right now oh
Not too long after, Grace takes their shot, letting the ticking of the clock dictate their decision to get out sooner rather than later. Unfortunately for Grace, the Trial doesnât end in the way they want it to.
âLowerâ focuses more on the feelings of loss than Counter Clock does.Â
As the curtainâs raising up Weâll leave this quiet meeting place and bid farewell.
Lower is, in Graceâs terms, a song entirely about Justin. The killing game begins with their separation.
I canât even bear to the accept the things I want to come to terms with Iâm holding onto something thatâs too much for me to handle. My hazy voice burns my parched throat to a crisp I didnât know what I was supposed to say
Justin dies, and Grace is overwhelmed with grief. While they do their best, they canât grapple with the feelings of loss within the killing gameâs environment.Â
If we are to be separated, if we are to lose our way, Iâll make sure weâll be connected this time, no matter how many times it takes
Crying with you, laughing with you, getting angry with you Singing with you, dancing with you, talking with you
What-ifs and memories cloud Graceâs ability to think, taking over their usually logical demeanor.
Whispering the same thing, always the same: âHow much longer will this last?â So I may never forget the air you carved out I wonder how many times Iâll be made to remember it again
The grief is what made Grace kill. The inability to escape from Justinâs memory or to heal from the loss led to them killing Robert, then failing to escape themself.
Grace was always aware of time passing them by, and the confines of the killing game both kept them from their desires and forced them to idle in grief instead of moving forwards. These songs encapsulate those feelings which made them kill.
Vivi Mitchell â
âThe Chattering Lack of Common Senseâ by Ghost and Pals / âI Nandesuâ by ReruliliÂ
Honorable mention: Doctor = Funk Beat (nyanyanya)
Both of Viviâs songs focus on her status of being different from her peers. While âThe Chattering Lack of Common Senseâ examines that sentiment in terms of her social connections, âI Nandesuâ emphasizes her worldview through concrete beliefs and actions.
The Chattering Lack of Common Sense, when interpreted without any of Ghostâs own stories and symbolism, reads to me as a song about the contrast between the singersâ inherent strangeness and the opinions of society.Â
Basically, I bet you'll see At first I'm not quite what I seem Every day is just the same Picking names, repeating faces I could never understand How first impressions go unplanned
Vivi doesnât enjoy the whims of ânormal societyâ; sheâd much rather be herself and interpret the world in the way that makes the most sense to her. As they meet the other students, theyâre forced into the role of someone playing along with a social script.
Nonetheless, we're all the same There's many things from where we came Show a smile, we're rather bored Nothing lines up anymore
Still, Vivi has high hopes when meeting the other Ultimates. If everyone here is talented, everyone is different from the norm. Vivi was hoping that, amongst the talented, sheâd find more people who understand her views, prioritizing results and helping others over consensus opinion of whatâs okay.
"Just accept the things you know" Well, maybe so... Wait.
As things progress, though, theyâre disappointed with how willing many of the other contestants are to just roll with the punches of the killing game. To boot, many of them donât take her or her talents seriously.
I'm allowing change, so Take a good look This is me This is what I've come to be
While Vivi recognizes theyâre different from others, theyâre confident in their way being correctâ theyâre the one who helps others, who brings change into the world. Vivi has never been one to take othersâ judgments of her as fact; sheâll have faith in her, even if no one else does.
I Nandesu shows off Viviâs perspective throughout the killing game, as well as indicating her specific views and how they shape her experience.
All life is ridiculously pretty Not being able to be what we are It's an unprecedented battle in human history Thatâs what âIâ am
Vivi believes in the value of all lives and in the value of all individuals. Still, she knows that, with the way the world is, lots of people arenât able to show off exactly who they are comfortably. They want to fight against that notion, to be unapologetically themselfâ thatâs the battle that they fight every day.
Joy, confusion and thirst You can't run away from the choices you've made Turn it around, make an epic recovery Come on, raise your voice in the night
At the same time, Vivi knows that irreversible things can happen if youâre not vigilant. Still, she believes in her abilities, and knows she can turn anything around if she puts her mind to it. Their determination is their greatest strength.
All life is ridiculously pretty Being upside down and godlike Height of hubris Well, it canât be helped
While Viviâs immense confidence can also be a weakness, itâs a decision she makes in the fight to be who she wants to be. If no one else will have faith in them, Vivi will have faith in themself. Even if the world wants her to be someone else, Vivi believes in her own talents and merit outside of it.
Kennedy Rey â
âMonster Townâ by Go! Child / âLiterary Nonsenseâ by Eve
Honorable mentions: Witch Hunt (Andrew Stein)
Kennedy is very assured in his thoughts, believing that the best way through a situation is to outthink the competition and embrace every possibility so as not to overlook the solution. Still, at the bottom of the madness is the underlying fear of what would happen any time she canât figure out the answer.
âMonster Townâ looks into Kennedyâs persona as someone who can defeat the extraordinary in contrast with their feelings of mortality.Â
I tear through this town! I swear that something is chasing me down Maybe a specter who can't make a sound Maybe a werewolf preparing to howl
Even as Kennedy enters the killing game, defiant and confident, heâs always aware of the dangers around him. He can more or less dissolve the threat in his mind by dispelling it with theories, but the potential truths of the situation never leave the back of his mind.
So farewell to a friend Hello to the end! I won't be a pretend Ghost hunter
As people begin dying within the killing game, Kennedy has to step up. She wonât be a pretend ghost hunterâ sheâll be the singular force propelling them towards their successful ending. Kennedy resolves to find the mastermind and find a way out of the killing game.
The clock isn't set to last My time is fading fast I can't keep running into spirits of the past
Still, Kennedyâs paranoia and inability to get concrete answers out of the killing game is a time bomb, and it keeps ticking in the back of Kennedyâs head with every passing death.
One single sight! Was everything you would need to decide To make a villain of your own design And that's the last that I heard from my Frankenstein
Kennedy eventually snaps, becoming a killer in the face of Parisâ fake mystery motive. Itâs a fast decision; they pivot from trying to solve mysteries to killing their closest friend (their âFrankenstein,â Vivi) overnight, but itâs the result of the paranoia thatâs been brewing finally bubbling over.
I'm about to break out and leave this lodge So I can get myself out of a dodge
While Kennedy wants to solve the mysteries and know the answers to the killing game, much like in a haunted house, his priority has to be on escape, not understanding the supernatural. Kennedy giving up on the Resortâs mysteries is a sign of their resolve crumbling; for Kennedy to accept not knowing is to accept defeat.
âLiterary Nonsenseâ better shows off the way in which Kennedy can get caught up in the fantasy of their theories, believing in them even when they contradict possibility.
Unable to become sentimental, become cowardly again Tenderly cradling a sharpened blade of words, laugh
The majority of this song âtakes placeâ in Chapter 3, when Kennedy has the most social power. They utilize their theories in order to pin the blame on Aidan for being the mastermindâ a move that both gives themself a particular avenue to focus on and shifts the groupâs worries away from the unknown and onto a concrete target.
Iâm sick of you and your contrariness
Guess who :)
We become idiots, dance in midair And forget about the present, rat-tat-tat (rat-tat-tat) Letâs dance âtil itâs light, letâs heat up the night So we can give tears the heave-ho and not sleep So that it doesnât end up becoming a lie
Kennedy embraces her own ânonsenseâ as the truth to rid herself of worries about the present. Just like her childhood friend she forgot the fate of to protect herself from that truth, she pinpoints specific theories that give her control over the present. Then, he has to prove it thoroughlyâ if he can prove the acceptable theory as truth, then the truth of the world is the one he can handle.
âSince you and YOU are begging me like this You must each have your own thoughts Theyâre all wrong; thereâs no right answerâ Iâve been made a fool of, huh?
Kennedy feeds off the group, accepting their ideas into the group of possible truths, wanting their validation that the way she sees the world is correct. Over time in the killing game, though, Kennedy realizes that his truth and the real truth are concretely different, and that they lost their control over the situation.
I wonât be sentimental; Iâm not afraid anymore With a sharpened blade of words, nothing is useless Before the spell is broken and we wither away Letâs be reborn
Kennedy takes action to escape while some of the others still believe in the beautiful lies they wanted to live in. Itâs his only remaining course of action, so itâs what he must do.
Kennedyâs theories act as a lens into their psyche, allowing them to paint the world the way they want to see it. Still, they meet their end when encountering the ways in which the world wonât bend to their perception.
Paris Hall â
âIn Love With a Cameraâ by The Struts / âPhelesâ by Hachiya NanashiÂ
Honorable mention: Great Big Party (eyeamki)
Paris, outwardly characterized by her slay aura and girlboss energy, has two songs that closer outline her internal view of things.
âIn Love With a Cameraâ is a fairly simple song about Parisâ relationship with social media and others. (I donât really know who the guy singing would be in this situation; Paris is the âsheâ in the song.)
She don't need no one, she runs the world She got that lightning, come strike me, girl Call out to her, she don't hear a word (oh)
Paris loves to flaunt her status and show off, acting like her life is perfect. Sheâs effortlessly perfect, someone for her fans to admire and be envious of.
She love lookin' at herself And she don't need no one else Yeah, she's in love, she's in love with a camera
She doesnât need support from anyone else; she doesnât care about anyone else, as the Loved Oneâs Roulette described.
See how she plays up to the lens She pretends it's her only friend No, it don't tell her any lies Satisfies, but I can't catch her eyeÂ
However, the truth of the situation is that Paris really does want friendsâ she just canât get herself to trust the people around her. Before Taylor, everyone was someone to stay ahead of. She had to ensure they didnât reach her level. While it might have been lonely, she could fill that feeling with the adoration of her fans who would love her no matter what her life was really like.
âPhelesâ shows off Parisâ more cutthroat side, reveling in her mastery of secrets and rumors in order to progress the killing game forwards.
We haven't been able to see the sunlight for a long while now In the underground, the downtown of the garbage dump As for discussion, let's talk loudly about it after the violence is over The iron scraps have gone rusty, thereâs value in rumors
As the killing game is a tense situation, people are more likely to jump to conclusions and believe in the lies she spins. Paris recognizes the killing game as an environment where she holds a lot of power and sets to work.
(Also, as a side note, in a lot of songs, the idea of night is used to represent the killing game. It wasnât really intentional, but in general, if any lines about nighttime show up, assume theyâre talking about the killing game.)
Hide even your desires behind a mask Donât you ever expose your real intentions
Paris plays her cards close to her chest. She doesnât like giving out information about herself, nor does she tell others her strategy.Â
When you get fed up with even people's deaths, Just like a gum that's lost its flavor, You would spit out and throw them away, wouldnât you?
Everyone is surprised at Parisâ apathy, but to her, it feels natural. The people around her donât have much meaning to her, considering that, like most people she encounters, she doesnât have much personal attachment to them, and they donât have much personal attachment to her. Itâs only Taylor that she actually begins to care about.
Because you laughed at me with that unappealing, twisted face of yours If I've balanced this body of mine on the scales, Then, well, I'll inherit that heart of yours
Even as Taylor mocks her, Paris canât bring herself to hate them or disregard them like she does everyone else in her life. Sheâs caught between her usual demeanor and the fact that she actually cares about someone for the first time.
Let us cling and take hold of it Letâs steal away that extremely absurd future Even if I can't see the end of it, I don't mind.
By the end, Paris wants to win the killing game with Taylor or dismantle the whole thing. She wants to cling onto the affection she feels for them. Even without a plan to move forward, sheâll take a chance on the feeling.Â
Both songs tie into Parisâ desire for connection, although they reflect on her differently as a result of being before and during the killing game. Once she meets Taylor, she wants to try to be close to someone. Unfortunately for her, her bestie didnât agree.
Taylor Long â
âFake Ass Friendsâ by Set it Off / âBitter Choco Decorationâ by Syudou
Honorable mentions: Morph (Twenty One Pilots), Stupid Intruders (The Vincent Black Show), Drama Queen (Weathers), Paparazzi Murder Party (Vane Lily)
Taylorâs songs feature their resentment for their peers and people-pleasing persona that hides it.
âFake Ass Friendsâ describes Taylorâs impressions very clearly.
You're turnin' into who you wanna be tonight You cherry-pick opinions you don't even like Chameleon, you're switchin' up to save your life
Taylor picks up phrases and mannerisms from others to turn into the ideal person of those around them. In Chapter 4 specifically, itâs with their life on the line, although their usual behavior still plays a heavy impact on how they feel their life runs.
You'd put a foot on my throat For a foot in the door, I found out That you'd kick me down to the rocks Just to climb to the top so now
This section specifically relates to Paris and how sheâs willing to backstab and sacrifice anyone else in the killing game. Taylor, understanding itâs in Parisâ nature, assumes that the same outlook applies to them and their relationship.
Show them what they want Social camouflage Mirror everyone in sight Such a charming way to lie
Again, Taylor crafts a fake persona based on what the people around them want, specifically by mirroring others and doing impressions.
So here's a toast, to the greatest actor that I know Put on a show and never let the curtain close You sold your soul, to who you thought you needed most
While Taylor considers Paris to be an actor with her fake behavior, this line also applies to them well. They put on a masterful act to fool those around them, but âsell their soulâ-- or rather, act outside of their natureâ in order to gain the favor of those around them.
So good luck with your fake ass friends
Both Paris and Taylor end up dying as a result of Taylorâs resentment over Parisâ âfakenessâ and Taylorâs genuine deceit.Â
Bitter Choco further represents Taylor keeping careful control over their persona.
I try not to hurt anyone, Not to pick on anyone, not to kill anyone On the other hand, I try not to let my hypocrisy be seen, Not to get on my high horse
I try not to forget to add in a few light-hearted jokes and a touch of lip service I try to smile and show off my charisma whenever I can
Despite Taylor having some harsh inclinations towards the people around them, they always make sure to put on a smile and tell a joke so that the others around them will be more comfortable.
Bitter Chocolate Decoration Eat it all without saying a thing
They endure everyone else despite not enjoying their company much, and they stomach their own false behavior as part of their nice persona.
I try not to pointlessly expose myself, Not to talk about myself, not to understand myself
Taylorâs charade becomes so ingrained in them, however, that they start to fail to recognize what exactly sets them apart from the way they behave. Who they really are and what they want to do is something they lose sight of.
A life sentence of group participation, Sucking up to others yet again, saying things like "Hey, your bangs look totally super fresh and awesome right now!" And so on, despite never meaning a word of it, Every morning, every night- I've reached my breaking point
Taylor grows tired of appealing to those around them. Their breaking point is the point at which they decide to kill Paris, to no longer suck up to her and take back their life as their own.
And thus concludes the tale of two ill-fated besties. If anyoneâs curious, Buried Alive by Rory Webley and Cute Girlfriend by Syudou are two Paris/Taylor coded songs that I didnât quite think made sense for either of them individually!
Noah Walker â
âPoisonâ by Jet Black Alley Cat / âGoodbye Heaven, Come Back to Hellâ by JohnÂ
Honorable mentions: Bored (Rasti), Brad Pitt (COIN), Forever Stuck in Our Youth (Set It Off)
Noahâs songs focus on his difficulty with accepting his own struggles and weakness.
âPoisonâ uses a casual tone and simple sentiments to build a pretty good image of what Noahâs thoughts look like.
And oh, good Lord Think I'm buried in too deep And all my luck Has been making faces at me
Noah has a pretty bad time in the killing game altogether, and itâs in no small part due to lack of luck. The Loved Ones Roulette and Cellar motive, notably, both hit him despite only hitting a minority of the cast.Â
Let's bounce all night We're turning off my memory Oh, this club is our house Will my momma ever forgive me?
While Noah struggles pretty much immediately in the killing game, he prefers not to think about his problems, instead keeping up a lighthearted party atmosphere. Still, his doubts linger in the back of his mind. Both in his backstory and in the killing game, he certainly has doubts about his motherâs opinion of him.
Man, I clearly lost my track And all day long I've been trying to straighten my act
The farther he gets into the killing game, though, the more he starts to realize the problems with his philosophy. He starts trying to straighten himself out and tackle the issues that have been brewing in his life for a long time.
And I guess the snake got free 'Cause we got the poison on our tongues
While the titular line of the song is, in context of the song, meant to be about alcohol in the context of alcoholism (which works for Noah), it can also be about literal poison! Get you a song lyric that can do both.
âGoodbye Heaven, Come Back to Hellâ is a closer look at how Noah feels at the end of his story in Chapter 5.Â
I laughed, feeling on top of the world I guess I was pretty satisfied But before I knew it This city had changed so much
Noah initially keeps up the lighthearted vibe, but the seriousness of the killing game hits him near immediately.
Kick after kick, Iâm still thrown back by the same wall Once more, I find myself in this pitiful state After drowning in your rotten dream-drunk haze If youâve got some cheap petty payback in mind, then be my guest
The killing game continues to beat him down, and his normal state of being is challenged day after day. With every loss, he tries to smile through it to ignore his own weakness, but he canât convince himself.
Iâll grow stronger through the tears I shed I want to protect even this clumsy, awkward weakness of mine
Throughout the story, when Noah struggles, he doesnât want to accept that it reflects on him being flawed. But by the end of the story, though, he begins to accept his emotions, wanting to use them to grow and survive through the end of the killing game.
To the countless fools out there who shine so brilliantly Iâll sing this with love So that I too can belong In a future where that place shines so brightly
He wants to become someone who can confidently stand alongside the others and face the future without so much fear.
Both of these tell Noahâs story pretty accurately. His hope for the future, insistence on refusing any negative emotion, and eventual recognition of his struggles are what tie these songs together.
Harper Young â
âPushing Daisies (Oh My My)â by Friday Pilots Club / âSToRYâ by DECO*27 and Kemu
Harperâs songs tend to fixate on ver feelings of not being enough when trying to support others.
For you, I'd give the whole damn lot But tell me, what good is all I got?
Harper is used to helping others by giving to them, providing what they cannot provide for themselves. Within the killing game, Harper has lost access to ver most common solutions. In that situation, ve isnât sure veâs enough. Still, ve tries ver best to support others, making it ver sole goal.
Yeah, he was shakin' a bit I kinda think that I was makin' him sick
Although Harper tries to support many people over the story, ver main focus is on Noah, both out of affection and out of recognition of his need for support. Noah, though, trying to not acknowledge anything is wrong, pushes Harper away. Harper then worries that Noahâs struggles might be exacerbated by ver presence, or, at minimum, that ve isnât enough to counteract his strife.
'Cause I'll follow 'til I'm pushin' daisies You're on my mind Oh my, my
Harperâs endless dedication could be considered following âtil veâs pushing daisies. This can also be read literally, given that Harper and Noah die as a pair. Either way, Harper remains unwavering in ver goal throughout the story.
Speaking of the story, âSToRYâ conveys a feeling of mutual care, where the singer offers reassurance to another by admitting their own struggles. This fits Noah and Harperâs dynamic well, given both of their hesitance with acknowledging that they, too, need support.
Youâre carrying so many burdens, encouraging us on with a smile, supporting us, But Iâm the one who hasnât been able to give anything back to you, and for that, Iâm sorry.
Harper feels ve canât give enough to reciprocate othersâ friendship or kindness towards ver. Despite being a kind and giving person verself, ve sees othersâ actions as more genuine and worthwhile than ver own.
If the sight of someone dazzling is too bright for the current you, Then itâs okay for you to look down and be dejected. By the way, is it okay for me to cry as well? It seems like you wonât be able to get all those pent-up emotions out by yourself.
By the end of the story, Harper understands that just by simply offering ver time and support, ve can give those around ver enough. Ve isnât limited to material offerings from afar; ve can sit with them and wait out the negative emotions together.
Patches of motivation sewn on with needle and thread
There are things I want to give, things I want to deliver
Iâll keep going until you cheer up, and Iâll be saved by that too.
Aside from the overall message, there are small moments in the song that fit Harper well too. The quilt ve sewed as the emblem of ver determination to help, ver longing to give others happiness, and ver eventual happiness with what ve can offer in the form of friendship embody the songsâ lyrics.
Jeff Breeze â
âAddiction Governanceâ by Six Kid / âBeat Eaterâ by Police PiccadillyÂ
Honorable mentions: Insurgents by the Poolside (Denny), Stuck in Love (William Beckett), Daft Pretty Boys (Bad Suns), run run (sockittome), Crashing Into You (Eggtan)
Jeffâs songs make frequent references to the way his story ended â compelled to action by someone else/an otherworldly force. However, they also more specifically show off Jeffâs initial detachment and contrast it with taking action.
âAddiction Governanceâ is typically a song that discusses the singerâs addiction, likely to gambling or a substance, but for Jeff, the lyrics are reinterpreted to be about the dangers of the killing game and the lures of Davisâ talent.
Thought I could roll the dice Thought I could pay the price Saying it won't take me
Jeff, at the beginning of the killing game, believes in his instincts and abilities to evade bad situations. They donât expect the killing game to be the end of them; theyâll make it out smoothly.
I know I walked in sin Addiction governing I feel them breaking in Temptation always wins
The lines about addiction and not resisting temptation have to do with Jeffâs overall worldview and behavior. He does whatever he feels like and doesnât often use restraint. Whatever they want, theyâll take.
Think you were here all along Cause that taste been a chase Even when nothing is wrong
However, what Jeff wants eventually gets tied up in Davisâ talents, causing him to prioritize Davis over everything else. The want that selfishly drives his behavior shifts from himself to Davis, changing the way he interacts with the killing game, even when everything is otherwise peaceful.
I hear you calling out my name Don't worry I've always been this way I thought I'd take back everything And say I was out But here you are now
The end of the chorus depicts the scene of the Fifth Trialâ Davis is distressed at Jeffâs actions, but Jeff insists it isnât Davisâ fault. Theyâve always been motivated by whatever they want. While he initially thought heâd escape the game, detached from everyone else, he finally found something he canât run away from.
âBeat Eaterâ begins with more of Jeffâs usual groove.
I just realised that Iâm now rollinâ Donât wanna stop, thereâs no need
Jeff is cruising through life, and even if the killing game is keeping him in, it doesnât pose any real threat to him.
I get it, just because I was fascinated I have no intention to fall into such a crude trap Iâm scared that this mundanity won't stop And if you think it frustrates me too then youâre correct
âBeat Eaterâ depicts Jeff at the beginning-middle part of the killing game where he and Davis are on worse terms. While theyâre still attracted to and fascinated by him, theyâre more at a distance, hoping that everything will pass. The feelings of attachment are an inconvenienceâ he should just be allowed to do what he wants without consequence.
Tell me, tell me To what extent are you going to save me? Speed those echoing voices up
However, as time passes, he starts to fall for Davis more and more, viewing Davis as an opportunity to turn his selfishness around. Is it possible Davis is the one Jeff has been looking for, as someone who he could really, truly care about?
Where did this all begin? Furthermore, such a merciless power too A fulfilled ambition takes over my body
Davisâ power takes them over and causes them to act.
The lightâs overlapping, Iâll get comfortable with the pain I donât want you to disappear somewhere
Jeffâs central motivation for his murder plan is the fear that Davis will die or otherwise be stuck in the killing game forever. They only want the best for him, and if that means breaking him out of the killing game no matter what, thatâs what theyâll do.
Darlin' darlin' It's a style that I toughly chew over Iâll raise the curtain as I please âWhat is going on?â you say? Itâs nothing surprising I fix my appearance, make that my answer and begin to make an impact
As with Addiction Governance, Beat Eater shows off Jeffâs attitude towards the entire situationâ itâs his decision to prioritize Davis over himself and the others.Â
Both songs focus on that central truth Jeff believes about themself: they will always selfishly choose whatever it is that they want, without regard to the others. In this case, itâs out of care for Davis, manifested in the Chapter 5 Trial.
Antonia Cisneros â
âVegas Lightsâ by Panic! at the Disco / âHeaven Dopeâ by NILFRUITSÂ
Honorable mentions: Queen of Spades (Darwin Deez), KING (Kanaria)
Antoniaâs songs both go into more of what was going on in her head throughout the killing game(s), both on and off screen.
âVegas Lightsâ is a song that makes sense on a surface level for a first killer, but a lot of the lyrics develop additional meaning when you know Antoniaâs role as the mastermind.
Oh, if you only knew What we've been up to I guarantee you'd keep it secret
From the very beginning, Antonia possesses more secrets and authority than anyone else in the game. Her and Cass fighting is no surprise; itâs the mastermind and the target she most wanted to eliminate through the gameâs violence.
So give it to me now We're lost in a dream now Do it (five, four, three, two) one more time
Antoniaâs role is to keep the killing games going and maintain the attention of her audience. She enthralls everyone into experiencing the killing game as entertainment, over and over again.
In the Vegas lights Where villains spend the weekend, the deep end We're swimming with the sharks until we drown
Antonia is always putting herself into high-risk situations; even though she generally can handle herself, any killing game could result in disaster for her. Still, her profession of choice has always been high risk, and she prides herself on her ability to stand in the ring with the other VIPs and their influence.
And we're all not here for nothing And we're bored with looking good We gotta be starting something Would you change it if you could?
However, Vanessa starts to falter, and asks Antonia to consider stopping the killing games. After the Sixth Killing Game concludes, Ellis questions her in the same way. What is she accomplishing by letting this continue? Doesnât she want to stop it? Itâs these questions that prompt Antonia to finally act.
The Vegas lights The lies and affectations, sensation We're winning 'til the curtain's coming down
Antonia can use her knowledge of how to work the crowd, the ins and outs of the killing game rules, the laws of the society she helps run, to get the ending she wants. With the other survivors, she puts a definitive end to the killing game; sheâll be on the winning side no matter what.
âHeaven Dopeâ gives more insight into how Antonia views the Resort and the people inside it.
There are no saints here, Only those who hold the power of life and death And patrons who hard-sell paintings of the "good guys" for cheap.
The Resortâs stronghold is a very money-oriented society. The killing games are at the center of it all, giving a focus to the shady dealings and exploitation that run rampant.
Did you think that after you struggled and went down, you'd finally get rewarded? Even such shallow and miserable souls, "all of them are welcome here".
Antonia views the cutthroat society as one that rewards victors and punishes losers; those who have lost will only continue to lose further. She has a position of stability for herself and Vanessa, and sheâll hold onto it.
While prevention is better than cure, even prevention could contain poison. It's the end of the other world! Just stay here forever.
Within the killing game, Antonia takes on the role of the first killer, encouraging others to follow suit to get the game going in a dramatic fashion. She punches through the groupâs attempts at preventing any death from occurring, leaving them without other methods for escape in the Resort.
This life is peerless, it's all or nothing. This contest is do-or-die, don't depend on someone else for everything. It's about time you realized that No matter where you go, there's no peace.
The killing games progress, but Antoniaâs resolve doesnât waver. Life will always be a series of challenges, but sheâs resourceful. She can overcome them and build her own sense of peace amidst the chaos.
Oh, how delightful and thrilling it must be. Then isn't that enough already? What more do you want?
Despite how perfectly she pleases the VIPs and the crowds, though, they always want moreâ something new, innovative, unexpected. Her resentment for them creeps, but she keeps it in check. That is, she tries her best to.
You don't need anything. [They complain, but do nothing.] Forget about the next life. [They can't even come up with an alternative.] Play your heart out as an innocent child. [To erase the abominable being from their sight,]
Antonia does everything for the VIPs, but they all only want more, only keep indulging in their vices. They critique and control her, yet they depend on her to keep everything running.
I'll protect everything that you are, [Even though they are sinners, they cry into their pillows when others speak ill of them.] When you turn to worthless, silent ashes. [From the safe zone, they say, "life is precious and ultimate".]
Heaven Dope ends when Antonia is still assisting the VIPs fully. Still, her resentment towards them lingers, there to be ignited when Vanessa calls her to action.
Vanessa Bravo â
âNo Handsâ by Attica Riots / âLuka Luka Night Feverâ by Samfree
Honorable mention: QUEEN (Kanaria)
Vanessaâs songs centralize around the feeling of playing along with whatâs going on around her, but eventually breaking free of that interpretation, mirroring her experiences with the killing games.Â
In âNo Hands,â the song begins at the onset of that feeling:Â
When this first started, I couldn't get enough I fell in love with living just a little too much But nothing lasts forever, you've heard it all before The brutal winds of change are knocking at your door
While Vanessa initially enjoyed being an announcer for the killing games, once put into the killing game herself, she realized that her worldview as it existed couldnât possibly hold upâ the brutal winds of change, as it were, forced her to reconcile with the despair caused by the killing game.
No hands! I just keep riding around again to these broken-hearted beats, man
The chorus echoes Vanessaâs feelings of helplessness throughout the killing game; despite the fact that she realizes she doesnât support it anymore fairly quickly, all she can do is follow along with everyone elseâs struggles, hands off the wheel. In the same way the other contestants donât know how to stop the killing game as participants, she doesnât know how to impact it from the position of only being a helper.
The clocks are ticking, they talk behind your back They echo every second that you've wasted in the past But nothing lasts forever, you've heard it all before It's time to face your demons, they're knocking at your door
As her time in the killing game passes, though, she starts to feel the hands-off approach wearing on her, reminding her of all the killing games she didnât even think to oppose. By the end of the story, she faces her demons, asking Antonia to help end the killing games for good.
In âLuka Luka Night Fever,â Vanessa moreso starts off before the Sixth Killing Game, back when she was hosting the other five.
Words flow from right to left You stare at the screen looking bored I'll always come to meet you across the dimensional wall So get your heart ready
Vanessa gets a lot of joy out of announcing because it allows her to connect with the audience and share the fun times with everyone. Sheâs the face of the killing games to the audience, and sheâll meet them on their screens to connect with them.
I understand you better than anyone So leave everything to me Don't be scared, let's dance together
Antonia comes to Vanessa with the VIPsâ idea to have Vanessa compete in the killing game. Although Antonia is hesitant, Vanessa encourages her; sheâll be there with Antonia to help, and theyâll be fine together! Because of her naivety, she assumes everything will go fine once the game begins.
Luka Luka Night Fever Keep time with the popping rhythm Forget everything that's bad
Vanessa willingly submits to the killing game, choosing purposeful ignorance to move along with its wishes. The crowds and excitement from the ânight feverâ compel her to keep moving forward.
My overflowing feelings are for you While it lasts, etch this time in your heart When the morning sun rises, it's goodbye Even looking at me with lonely eyes like that won't work
As the song progresses, Vanessa becomes more attached to the other contestants of the killing game. Still, she feels powerless to stop it.
I understand you better than anyone So reveal yourself completely Let's find together the reason we were born
By the end of the song, she commits to convincing Antonia to put an end to the killing games, appealing to their connection.
Both songs focus on Vanessaâs shift from spectator and commentator to active participant. They echo her involvement in the greater plot, as well as her feelings of helplessness shifting into the will to fight alongside the others to end the killing games.
Mark Miranda â
âVeilsâ by Moonfall / âMelty Land Nightmareâ by Harumaki GohanÂ
Honorable mentions: Smoke Damage (Hi Iâm Case), Red Windows (nostraightanswer), Cutlery (Yuukisan), Shoujo Rei (Mikito P)
Markâs songs both start after the events of the Fourth Killing Game, which they previously won.
Burning up, overexposure You're pulling me close before itâs over Already drowning in deep thought When all the bridges collapsed between us
Markâs friend, the previous Ultimate Lucky Student, sacrificed herself to let Mark win the Fourth Killing Game. Mark mourns the closeness they had, but as heâs left alone afterwards, his mental state becomes fuzzy once again.
Hiding in your perfect picture The loving go broke, thĐ” mad get richer All you can do is be sorry For living insidĐ” this allegory
Living within the Resortâs society was extremely difficult for Mark to stomach. After suffering so much at the hands of their captors, they had to play nice with them and watch as the killing games continued.
I don't want to think about it I know we've been left behind by your absent mind And we're crawling in line And we're crawling to find a dead end
Though Mark struggled when thinking about the previous killing game, the inaction was about as bad. Mark searched for a way forward, no matter how detrimental.
I keep falling into the night To look at what goes on out of our sight Lift the veils that cover our eyes Forget about death to fight for your life
Mark dives headfirst back into the killing game, looking for answers or a way to stop it all. Mark forgets both the death in their past and the fear of death in the future to fight for the lives of all future killing game contestants.Â
(Also, Genius lyrics has the line listed as âforget about death and fight for your life,â but I cannot hear it that way as opposed to âtoâ so I changed it.)
Burning up, overexposure You're pulling me close before it's over
But, the end of the killing game starts the same way as the previous one endedâ Mark sacrificing themself for Ellis and the others.Â
âMelty Landâ roughly begins at the time Mark âwakes upâ when the BDA for Cassâ body plays.
One, two, three and up, one, two, three Itâs about time you got up Iâll know if itâs your astonished face Itâs the one you always make after all
Mark repeats the same experience theyâve done before: hearing the Body Discovery Announcement, investigating the crime scene, solving the Trial. Once theyâre back up and in the rhythm, they set to work on ending the killing game.
One you canât help but doubt, This inviolable starry night My fantasies from long ago Are the present youâs daydream
Itâs in Markâs nature to doubt the killing game and try to break it apart. Acting on their past desires they forgot, they work tirelessly to find the solution.Â
Today makes the 5000th time with you You saw a nightmare again, didnât you
Over the killing game, Markâs past trauma resurfaces, and they slowly regain their memories of the previous killing game. Each additional memory he recalls increases the pressure on him; he has to find a way for things to end differently this time.
One you canât help but doubt, An extraordinary dinner time Donât ever forget me for the rest of your life, okay?
The Chapter 5 feast takes place while Mark films their goodbye video to Ellis. Instead of things going as planned, though, the sound of the crashing chandelier alerts Mark to another round of heartbreak.
Even if time comes to a halt, itâll just be a one-sided selfishness The 6AM alarm bell will be our time over
Mark sets out the next morning with sacrifice on the brain, saying goodbye to Ellis in person before enacting his plan.Â
I loved you but youâll wake up Turn into zero, turn into zero I loved you but youâll forget about me Turn into zero, turn into zero, turn into zeroâŠ
And, uh⊠as mentioned in the original character creation and death order document, Mark was originally going to die in Chapter 6 before I realized that sucked. So, the song kind of ends on the POV of Mark losing consciousness in the Grotto, just as Veils ended on Markâs decision to sacrifice themself. But that didnât happen! We are staying in the good timeline!
Davis Love â
âValentineâ by COIN / âHIBANAâ by DECO*27Â
Honorable mentions: Cruel Power (The Happy Fits), No More Love Songs (Ottawa), Golden (Elysewood), Donât Know How (Ricky Montgomery)
Davisâ songs, fittingly, are romance songs with an edge of doubt or tension contained inside of them.Â
âValentineâ paints a picture of someone whoâs used to heartbreak and struggling to reopen themself to that world.
So you really wanna break my heart Keep me burning on the back light I saw you running around, that's fine But it's never that simple
Davis is used to preparing himself for heartbreak. Even seemingly simple situations can become reasons to worry, given his talent.
Believe me when I say I've tried You ever love something so much it hurts? You ever love something so much it hurts?
Davis repeatedly falls in love with others only for them to suffer tragic fates or leave him. Heâs grown so fed up of trying that itâs difficult for him to open himself up to others.
Excuse me when your tattoo's fading away But you still wanna take your time You kidding me? you can't flip on a switch all at once
Second guessing all for nothing (yeah)
Eventually, though, Davis finds someoneâ Aidanâ who doesnât disappear, even as time passes and things change. His second guessing becomes irrelevant; Aidan proves Davis can trust him to stay.
âHIBANAâ is a bit more assertive, drawing boundaries on love and on wanting someone who knows what theyâre about.
Knock knock, a gentle knock, Embark on my heartâs recapture match. Delusions alone flash before my eyes, Pulse accelerating, just where could an answer be . . .
Despite Davisâ aversion to romance, he canât help but get drawn back in by his strong emotions. When he first meets Aidan, heâs aware that heâs taken by him. The border between lovesick nerves and intense anxiety is hard to distinguish for Davis.
I donât want to harbor a love that will never end â Come on, properly fill me more with anxiety. Iâd like you to act your part at peekaboo â Come on, answer to {what I ask} more properly!
Davis still doesnât want to take another chance on finding a love that has no expiration date, but still, as his relationship with Aidan progresses, he canât help but feel some hope along the nerves. Heâs contradicting himself; he wants Aidan to care more, to take things seriously, but also to leave the situation before it becomes irreversible for the both of them.
Aa, I don't like this. âThereâs no way thatâs true!â Aa, I don't like this. âYouâll understand, wonât you?â Shoot up that head -- just shoot it up!
The quoted lyrics in this part best fit the Chapter 5 Trial, with the first line being from Aidan and the second being from Jeff. Davis is uneasy the whole way through, and sees the inevitable loss finally knocking on his door.
Itâs âincompleteâ, Iâll say it time and time again. Amidst a love that missed hitting âNOâ.
However, despite his expectations of his romances ending in tragedies, the verdict changes. Aidan turns the tides, and they both survive another day. Their love fails to fail; the expected ending never comes to fruition.
Davisâ songs reflect on his expectations and the way in which theyâre dismantled in the story, allowing him to live freely and with love.
Aidan Ho â
âANTI HEROâ by SEKAI NO OWARI / âGehennaâ by WotakuÂ
Honorable mentions: Bored (sockittome), Traffic Jam (NILFRUITS)
Aidanâs songs both give insight into his very particular worldview. âANTI HEROâ focuses on his dislike of conformity and obedience.
You know I donât give a damn about what's "right" Or pleasing everyone around me Cause I know this world that brought us life Wasn't made to keep everyone happy
Aidan determines what he does and what he believes for himself, no matter what anyone around him has said. The society he grew up in wasnât for him, and he couldnât find any joy in it. If thereâs no happiness there, why should anyone follow along with its arbitrary rules?
You see I'm tired of trying to justify Every decision that I make If it's to save the people that I stand by You better believe what I say
Despite his aloof attitude, Aidan does want to help the others in the killing game to escape and resume their lives. Heâs willing to make hard or controversial decisions to âensureâ the best outcomes, but he doesnât like justifying it. He acts on their behalf without asking for approval.
Righteousness is a thing that I hate 'Cause it doesnât do any good for anyone And everyone thinks everything is OK If they just obey
Aidan dislikes anyone who acts as an ultimate authority on anything (such as, say, Kennedy). He wants discussion to stay open and for people to be able to draw their own conclusions. Other people are content to just follow the leader, but the truth (in his mind) is that everyone needs to make each decision for themself.
"Stay in the lines, don't make a scene" Heroes try to tell us whatâs right But when push comes to shove You'll know what I mean Iâm ready to start a fight
This part best fits Aidanâs confrontations with Kennedy, although Aidan is definitely willing to fight for what he believes in in any circumstance (such as to Ellis in his fifth free time, or for Davis in the Chapter 5 Trial). Heâll always speak up for what he believes in, consequences be damned.
âGehennaâ focuses more on Aidanâs apathy and depression, as well as his arc to learn to care about his own life.
Hey, how are you? How's it going? Yeah, well, I've quit doing that kind of thing already Yeah, well, it seems like there's no prospect of recovery anymore Don't ask me anything
Aidan has more or less given up on trying to be a functional member of society, instead retreating into himself, believing thereâs no path for him to be happy.
I wanted to realize the plain and simple And kill the ideal of what things are supposed to be
Aidan wants to believe that anything can be anything; assumptions and standards are just created to box people in. He tries to live with this core philosophy, though his results often arenât what he wants.
Irrationality and loneliness, you don't have to hate them They all mean nothing We have to live
Aidan views life as something required of him. He learns to weather his negative feelings, though they never go away; they only make him feel emptier.
Happiness, the universe, you don't have to be skeptical about any of them They don't change We don't have to know
Over the story, though, Aidan begins to find things that do, in some way, make him feel and bring him joy. He isnât sure what to do with those emotions; being apathetic is what comes naturally to him. Still, he does his best to examine the feelings as they come.
"I want to stay alive" I don't know why, but "I want to stay alive" It's this Bible called DNA You don't have to hate on your instinct and fears Nothing will ever change, anyway
Aidan, despite his confusion, learns that he does, in fact, want to live. He wants a chance to explore all the new experiences he didnât believe heâd have. And, somewhere within him, thereâs a base desire not to die. The killing game may be threatening, but he gains that resolve.
And thatâs it for what I have to say about the One Shot castâs songs! For the end of the playlist, Iâll pass Ellisâ section off to Accirax.Â
Ellis Ortiz â
âBreakout Starâ by Shiabun / âLone Sheepâ by PegÂ
Honorable mentions: Chopsticks and Champagne (First in Flight), Rich Life (Eric Nally)
Whatâs up, everyone? Itâs the Accirax coming atcha to write up the musical section of our beloved protagonist, Ellis. This is mostly because Iâm the one who wrote Ellis and ultimately chose her songs, but also, just to help take a bit of the work off of Venusâ plateâŠ
So, âBreakout Starâ and âLone Sheep.â Both of them contrast the glory of fame and success (exemplified by a swinging rhythm) with the panic and guilt that comes from accomplishing a monkeyâs paw dream-come-true.
What is this I don't know what I've landed in Suddenly you care, she cares I care? Yesterday I was not a thing
Starting with âBreakout Star,â the lyrics are quite literal. Ellis doesnât truly understand the danger of the killing game at the beginning, not realizing what heâs landed in. As the plot progresses, Ellis recognizes all of the hopes and fears their competitors in the killing game are experiencing, and, surprisingly, finds themself sharing in those feelings.
Ellisâ self esteem prior to the killing game was strikingly low, to the extent that he saw himself as more of a force of nature or loose collection of stereotypes than a real person. Itâs only through learning how much they care about their friends in the killing game, as well as past and future victims of it, that they can really feel themself becoming âa thing.â
Ooo the lights are getting brighter There's too few DILFs here for my liking Keep losing track of time, all-nighter I think my tie is getting tighter right now
Some of âBreakout Starââs lyrics fit Ellis comedically well, both in the sense that itâs comedic how well they fit, and that the ways in which they fit are comedic in nature. âThereâs too few DILFs here for my likingâ harkens back to when Ellis immediately thinks âDILF???â after learning of Jeffâs potential parenting, and âI think my tie is getting tighterâ perfectly calls to mind Ellisâ pre-Trial portrait.
Am I turning into someone I'm proud of Far from the ground I'm losing touch Am I happy or just feeling I should be Time's passing through me, while I'm stuck
The sadder, slower breakdown near the end of the song is also very Ellis. Having a random drop in energy in which the singer communicates with the listener in complete honesty threw me back to Ellisâ more genuine monologues and conversations in Chapters 4 and 5.Â
Furthermore, the actual content of this section also fits Ellis: it wonders about her future and the kind of person she should be, as well as where her true emotions lie. Ellis expresses to Mark his feelings of being âstuckâ in the Chapter 4 Grotto conversation. Itâs more so the killing game that they feel is passing through them more than time itself, but given that the killing game is a chronological event (and even had the Ultimate Clockmaker as a killer), it works well enough.
Quit the dreaming, honey We just got the one life Live it with me Feel that kick We're alive
This refrain plays out three times throughout the song, and I find it an excellent encapsulation of Ellisâ growth. At the beginning of the game, the lyrics would read more like this: âquit wasting your time worrying, âcause you only live once! And I donât know about you, but Iâm kickinâ it, living my life well~â Living life is about feeling those kicks, and âwe just got the one lifeâ is nothing more than an excuse.
But, by the end, Ellis has their priorities straighter, and is dedicated to ending the killing game. The lyrics transform: âquit wasting your time getting lost in a fantasy, because we have to protect our valuable lives. You feel that kick, telling you to persevere? Weâre alive, and we have to keep it that way, together.â
As for Ellisâ vocaloid song, well, if youâre at all confused about what it means in the context of Project Sekai, you can read the explanation I laid out here in this reblog. Was it too obvious that I had a perfect defense locked and ready to go? :P Well, Venus was actually the one who originally scoped this song out for Ellis, but Iâve definitely adopted it since then.
To paraphrase my reblog, âLone Sheepâ tells the story of a character whose exceptional skill sets her apart from the rest of her peers, but the miserable loneliness she feels after reaching such an accomplishment have her regretting her position.
I want to pretend to be a desperado âYou think you could do that?â my self-hatred creeps Such a roar, so to speak, is a scapegoat Itâs as if a curse has clung to me
In Ellisâ case, this success (or curse, as this lyric block puts it) is being the Ultimate Lucky Student. Although we learn by the end of the story that Ultimate Lucky Students are by no means guaranteed to survive a killing game, Ellis spends most of the game under the impression (or self-induced delusion) that they are. This immediate dismissal of her mortality is what allows her to spend much of the beginning of the game not fully acknowledging herself as a person or coming to grips with the killing gameâs stakes. In turn, his talent is what later fuels his self-hatred with regards to callously letting his castmates die.
I think that the âscapegoatâ mentioned throughout the song would be Ellisâ talent as well, if not the entire veneer of âthe Ellis Ortiz.â âBeing Ellisâ is what Ellis uses as an excuse at the beginning of the game, when things are going wellâ âthese people are crying or whatever, but not me, because Iâm the Ellis Ortizââ and what they cite as their greatest failure later onâ âIâll never be able to reach anyone, or end this killing game, because all I am is a fabulous, useless husk.â
What do you want to do after you end up all by yourself? This version of myself is a lonely one, so can you just let me be for now? Youâre a solitary oneâ Right now, go far beyond them.
âWhat do you want to do after you end up [winning the killing game]?â is a big thematic question raised by One Shot, immediately implied by Ellisâ plan to win and brought to the forefront by Mark in Chapter 4. Ultimately, Ellis realizes that the fate of a solo winner is a lonely one that they want to avoid at all costs, but they fear that their fate in that regard is already sealed as the Lucky Student. Ellis doesnât want to âgo far beyondâ Mark, Aidan, or any of his other friends; just like in the original tone of the song, surpassing the others is framed as a bad thing.
What do you want to do after you end up all by yourself? Youâre still one of them, are you tryinâ to get cursed for the rest of your life? Youâre a solitary oneâ Right now, go far beyond them.
Iâm also happy to note that this block of lyrics changes right at the end of a song that reflects Ellisâ story excellently. Instead of being a lonely one, Ellis has cemented her place as âone of them,â no matter what curses she may face because of it. Literally, said curse is the threat of the survivors being forced into another killing game by the VIPs if Ellisâ gamble failed. But, because Ellis is a solitary oneâ the only one with the luck required to pull such a gamble off*â heâs able to go far beyond the VIPs to end the killing games for real.
(*I know that the story makes it pretty clear that Antonia is helping Ellis to make the card pull less of a âgambleâ and more of a sure thing, such that luck isnât actually required. However, Ellis is still the only one who has the reputation for having good enough luck that the VIPs would buy that the survivors might try the ploy without Antonia/until it was too late.)
Okay, thatâs probably enough rambling from me. I hope these choices made sense now that I explained them. And I also hope that youâve enjoyed listening to both of these songs. They are bangers.
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Thank you for reading! This ended up being pretty long, but hopefully it was an enjoyable kind of long. The One Shot content is going to be drawing to a close soon, but I'm hoping this was a fun way to reflect on all the characters :)
