#smiling devil

Devil in Disguise

Marino

She said, “You think the Devil has horns?

Well, so did I.

But I was wrong, he combs his hair

And he wears a suit and tie.

He’s nice, polite,

He’ll take you by surprise.

A smile so bright

You’d never bat an eye

I'm not going to bother with the entire song, since Tumblr butchers songs and poems. But while I may have first associated the song with Dazai Osamu, it really fits smiling, polite Sebastian even better.

by unofficial

smiling devil

somewhere near the river with Antoni

Three days, the Smiling Devil had said. Three days to choose between murder or losing your memories, your very sense of self. For some of you the full gravity of the situation still hasn't processed, for others it's an abstract horror, but will anyone kill for it? Would that even be such a terrible thing, knowing as you do now that the dead may rise again? Well, some of them. Noriko certainly wasn't making a reappearance, nor would Lucielle, or Aelois, apparently. So what will happen? Will someone cave, or will you all pay the price? Well, the third day arrives, so you're about to find out...

From the moment you wake up in the morning, it's on your mind. Your trepidation grows as the day continues without incident. When will it happen, if no one dies? The end of the day, at the stroke of midnight? Or the afternoon, when the motive announcements are usually made? Is anyone missing? That's strange...

Each of you, those of you still considered 'players' in the game at least, are approached in the afternoon, a card similar to the ones that always summon you to the theater is handed over. Except this one is different. These instruct you to meet at... the church on Ladybones Road. The devils who deliver them seem inclined to guide or shoo you in the right direction if necessary, and though you're loathe to discover what it is you're being called to, sooner or later you all find yourselves at the door to the locked building.

Or rather, the previously locked building. The door is open now, just a crack, and the Smiling Devil stands near it.

“Go on, don’t be shy now. Go on in.” She gestures at the door invitingly, the smile on her face slim and smug. None of you wants to humor her, but you clearly won't be allowed to leave until someone does. Finally, at long last, one of you ventures forward and is the first to push the door open and head in. Caught up in the moment, the curiosity, the dread, or perhaps just the desire to get this over with, the rest of you follow and see...

As usual, you aren't given long to take in the sight of the body before the Devil steps forward to catch your attention once more.

It’s the third morning since the return of Nono, Satoshi, Subaru, and Yukiteru. That makes it nearly an entire week since the last trial, the longest amount of time that has passed without a motive in effect since you all got here. Perhaps the delay has made you hopeful, has the cycle been broken? Has the Devil become bored? Or perhaps it has simply made you anxious, apprehensive about the respite, dreading its end. Whatever the case, when you wake up to find a familiar card summoning you to the theatre, you know the wait is over.

Nightmares, secrets, mazes, loved ones... what next? There’s only one way to find out. You arrive at the theatre, your classmates gathering around you. Although it was said that the motives won’t be affecting the returned ‘dead’, no one prevents them from attending the announcement if they choose. However you don’t have much time to scan those assembled, because the Smiling Devil is already waiting on the stage for you when you arrive.

“I’m so glad to see all of you, I think you’re really gonna appreciate what I have to tell you today. I’d apologize for the lateness, but I figured it’d have more of an impact if you’d adjusted to your new distractions first.” She pauses to glance at any of the returned kids in the crowd, there’s at least one since Nono had made an appearance. “Let’s just get right to it though, shall we?”

“By now y’all shoulda realized that you’re missin’ memories. Was pretty obvious since you first woke up, right? A year of your lives, just gone poof, right outta your heads, like it never happened. I’m sure that must be strange, it probably bothers you a lot, the wonderin’, the sense of a gap. But it’s just a year, ain’t it? And y’all have managed to carry on, makin’ new memories, connectin’ with each other. I gotta say, it’s downright admirable how you’ve adapted, formed little support groups and whatnot. Be a real shame if somethin’ were to ruin that, wouldn’t it? Somethin’ like...”

“Losin’ all your memories. Hey, we could do that, not like it’d even be hard. Actually it’s easier to wipe someone blank than to isolate a specific time period like we did, even one as large as a year. Now this might sound like a great idea to some of you, a fresh start, a clean slate, all that. An' if you wanna look at it that way, well, I ain't gonna stop you. But I reckon most of you would prefer to keep your memories. They're what make you who you are, after all. Imagine it... all the training and studying to learn your talents, all the people you've met and cared for, your families, your friends, even the relationships you've formed here... gone forever from your mind. The very person you are now, permanently erased. You would lose everything. Wouldn't that be fun? Of course, if you don't agree, one a' you is gonna need to step up to the plate and commit a murder. So look around, decide who you can live without... or get used to the idea of bein' a full amnesiac, I guess. Your call. I’ll give you... let’s see, three days should be enough time. Have fun."

This didn’t make any sense. And yet here they were, approaching you on the docks like a dream come alive again, and just as your shock is beginning to fade someone else makes a much more unwelcome appearance. The Smiling Devil steps neatly into view, clearing her throat for attention, and dread immediately settles in your stomach. What now…?

“Looks like some of you decided to stop hidin’ out and found your way back from the Tomb Colonies. ‘Bout time, if you ask me. Alright, to be fair if you’d shown up much earlier I mighta had some objections, but as it is? I ain’t gonna kick up a fuss. Y’all’re citizens now, so go ahead and go where you like…”

“Oh but sorry to say that once you lose the game, you’re out. You four an’ the ones still hangin’ out in Venderbight just aren’t eligible to play anymore. So no killin’ your classmates- the active players anyway, you can do what you want to each other, no investigatin’ for murders or clues, and you won’t be granted access to the trial room if an’ when one occurs. You could still make a trade though, those of you that got souls anyhow, so feel free to let me know if there’s anythin’ you’d like… either for yourself or someone else. I’m sure we can work out a deal.” Her gaze flicks to Satoshi for a moment. Nono just looks sour that her entrance was spoiled. Rude. However the Devil doesn’t linger for long, in fact as soon as she’s finished with this little addendum she gives them all an amiable wave and saunters off again.

While you’re staring down at the bodies in shock, the sound of footsteps draws your attention up to the stage. The Smiling Devil has appeared.

“Well how ‘bout that, looks like someone gave a shit about their loved ones after all. Good thing too, considerin’ who was on the choppin’ block next... ah, I’ll leave that in suspense though.” The Devil drawls lightly, “Well, y’all know the drill, right? Go ahead an’ get to searchin’, unless you feel like lettin’ the killer here get away with it. I wouldn’t blame ya, after all it’s thanks to them none of the rest of you gotta worry about goin’ through what the poor Dancer over there had to suffer. Mighty considerate, in my opinion.”

He looks down at the duo in the orchestra pit and shakes his head, still smiling, then turns on his heel and heads towards the shadows of the wings.

“I’m off to let the Necromancer know he has two more ‘clients’ to take care of. I wouldn’t recommend touchin’ the bodies too much, he tends to get irritable ‘bout that.”

[TW: (Written) Decapitation, Gore, Blood, Death of a Family Member]

The latest motive has been haunting most of you. Scarcely a day has passed and yet many of you are feeling the pressure. Is it real? It must be, no motive has been false so far, the Devil has made good on every threat. You’ve seen and experienced plenty of things you would have called impossible here already, so can you really afford to disbelieve...?

Whether it’s doubt, or fear, or determination that stays your hand, you all make it to the day after the motive. No one has killed yet... but that doesn’t mean death won’t be playing a part this day. Once more you are summoned back to the theatre, attending out of resignation, or a need to know who it is- or rather, assure yourself who it isn’t...

Surely it won’t be your loved one. Surely the odds can’t be that against you. And yet... it has to be someone, doesn’t it? The hope that this is a bluff can’t last. You all gather in the seats in front of the stage, which for once the Devil isn’t standing on when you walk in. Those of you who arrived first shift anxiously as you await the latecomers to be shooed in.

Only when the final to arrive is seated does the Devil appear, stepping out of one of the shadowy wings. 

There’s something in her hand, something hanging by her side, it’s... a rough cloth sack. You barely have a chance to register it, the size of it, the shape of it, the disturbing stain on the bottom. The horror has only begun to dawn on you when, with her widest, brightest smile in place, the Devil draws a severed head from the sack by its hair and holds it up for a moment.

The features on the face are familiar, quite similar to a certain Dancer, and most of you are able to guess instantly the identity of the young girl’s head even before the Devil tosses it, during the moment of shock, right into Lucien’s lap.

“Too bad you didn’t take that deal, hm? You could have saved her, after all, even without a murder. But ah... I suppose your sister’s life just wasn’t worth your soul to you?” She clicks her tongue in a light tsk, then glances around at the rest of you. “This wasn’t random either. Y’all like to hate me an’ blame me, but I told you on your first day here- I’m just the facilitator. One of you made the deal, one of you is mastermindin’ this little game, and that person chose who would be first. I’m just holdin’ up my end of the bargain here. You really oughta be less concerned about the gun and more about who’s pullin’ the trigger.”

She gives you all a little wave and turns to walk away again, glancing over her shoulder to call back, “Oh an’ like I said, there’ll be another one tomorrow! If you don’t want it to be someone you love, you might wanna do somethin’ about it. There’s murder, of course, or if you’re too squeamish I’m always open to talkin’ trade...”