It’s been a quiet few days. The Wardens were rarely seen and given the results of the last trial you were not that surprised. There was anxiety in the air as each day passed. You remembered the Warden’s repeated reminder of failing a trial would lead to something bad, yet it’s been over an entire week since Nicolette was wrongly executed and Bridgette was allowed to leave and there still was not a single peep coming from either Warden. In another situation, you might have been glad.
Now?
Now, you were downright terrified of what was to come.
( We aren’t dead...what are they planning? )
You gently bit your lip as you thought about what could happen next, everyone who was poisoned got the antidote and the bracelets were long gone. You knew that the punishment was not related to the last motive, yet...
There was a vibration in your pocket as you pulled your phone out. All previous thoughts were disregarded as you opened the screen and saw SysAdmin appear. She seemed dull.
“Listen up, you dense motherfuckers. Get to the plaza in 15 minutes for a mandatory meeting. I’ll even provide a map since you incompetent fucks can’t seem to notice things right in front of your face.”
You noticed something off about SysAdmin, however you could not tell what was wrong with the AI, though you would admit that the reminder of the failed trial was not needed. A sigh escaped your lips as you made your way to the plaza.
Current Time: 1600
Once everyone assembled at the plaza, you waited for the Wardens to arrive. There was a quiet mumbling between everyone as you waited in anticipation for Marionette and Chat Blanc to appear. What you were not expecting was that the entire staff came with them. Most of them looked irritated, yet Hime seemed to be excited. You couldn’t help but glare at the little she-devil as memories of past punishments flashed through your mind. You knew better than to verbally lash out at her, especially given the presence of the Wardens.
“Good everyone managed to get here. Give yourself a pat on the back and let’s get started,” Marionette spoke up to get everyone’s attention. Just like SysAdmin, you could tell that something was off with the Warden. Unlike with SysAdmin, you were able to pick up on her colder and harsher tone as she stepped forward.
( Is this because we got the killer wrong? )
“For those who have not noticed, all Duelists should have had their decks returned to them. For those who are interested in getting into the game, you can buy starter decks and booster packs from Hang. We are putting the finishing touches on the Turbo Dueling track and Action Duel Arena. Expect that to be available in the next few days. This is your reward for finishing the motive.”
She took a step back to be at Chat Blanc’s side once more. You saw that the others seemed to be interested and in some cases excited about the new development.
( That can’t be it. Ther— )
“Did we say we were done with you dipshits?” Chat Blanc snapped as he glared at the group. The excited chatter quickly died down after; it seemed like he made a full recovery. You were not sure if that was a good or bad thing for you. “There still is that little part about how you guys all fucked up the trial. You are all a bunch of fucking hypocrites and should be thanking us that you still have your pathetic lives instead of killing you for failing a trial. But no matter, there is still that little detail about how to punish you. Hime if you would?”
Hime stepped forward, clearly pleased with herself.
“Of course!” She tapped her chin as if in thought before grinning maliciously. “You are losing all help provided from any staff.”
( EVERYTHING? )
Your eyes went wide in horror by what Hime was saying. It was hard surviving the last motive with the hospital gone, and now it sounded like it was never reopening. You heard that some more people got hurt trying to explore the jungle a few days ago and while the injuries were not too terrible, the thought of no doctors still scared you.
“You know it would have been temporary if you didn’t make it sound like we were the villains.” It was Aisha who spoke up, her voice was quiet and unsure. “I want to help you guys, but not if this is the thanks we get. My surgeon, my nurse and I have worked day and night for you, yet your thanks is horrible, so we are not reopening the hospital.”
“The General Store and Grocery Store will remain open. However, everything will cost credits to buy except for basic food, water, and hygiene. You will have to go through me if you want anything else.” This time it was Hang who spoke up. Her voice was stronger than Aisha, yet she couldn’t make eye contact with anyone in the crowd.
“Now there is one last thing.” Chat Blanc glanced among the crowd looking for one specific person. Once he found them, he started walking towards them. He unzipped one of his pockets and pulled out a small box. You saw the Warden come towards you and you got out of his way, and you noticed a few others did the same. Once Chat Blanc reached Felix Agreste, he made eye contact with him.
“Felix, this is yours.” With that he handed the small bag to the other gently before turning around and walking back to Marionette’s side.
“With that, you are dismissed.”
