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For the poll: 1. Valentine's TIP on Valentine's day, please.
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Feb 12, 2017 22:31
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| # ? May 14, 2024 02:58 |
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Rodyle posted:cast your mind back to the easygoing days of hitting on your cousins I miss the lightheartedness of the first updates.  Sindai posted:I like the Ange has reached enlightenment. It does seem like that doesn't it?  oath2order posted:Speaking of the easy going romantic comedy shenanigans amongst cousins, I would like to take a poll of the thread. 1. Valentine's day please. Glazius posted:I'm not sure to what degree it's been formally said and to what degree it's just been speculated, but isn't the state of things right now that magic can't be ruled out as a cause? You're right. It's tough to keep in mind there's no actual concrete evidence on the table. But the message bottle accounts and Maria's diary together paint a terrible story, one that definitely underlies what happened on the island. Which is why I believe that Shannon is Beatrice and that Beatrice murdered everyone; after rereading the episodes and putting together all the pieces I think it's the only theory that still lines up. Lycaeon fucked around with this message at 22:54 on Feb 12, 2017 |
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Feb 12, 2017 22:47
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Roses are Red, Violets are Teal, Battler's incompetent, But Magic's not real. Also voting yes to Valentine's Tip SardonicTyrant fucked around with this message at 23:53 on Feb 12, 2017 |
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Feb 12, 2017 23:49
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HAPPY VALENTINE'S TIP FOR MARIA
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Feb 12, 2017 23:52
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SardonicTyrant posted:Roses are Red, Surely, Violets are Blue, which explicitly denies the witch because there were never any roses, and they only appeared to be red roses because everyone had been drugged. They were in fact violets, and everyone died because of the drugs, no magic involved? EagerSleeper posted:HAPPY VALENTINE'S TIP FOR MARIA CottonWolf fucked around with this message at 00:25 on Feb 13, 2017 |
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Feb 13, 2017 00:20
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Ok, I get the message. I will post the Tip Tuesday Night, so you have all day to discuss the official post. Please look forward to The Seven Sisters' Valentine's Day Special Update VVV as I said, it's pretty much a way for the thread to blow off steam and have fun. I Promise oath2order fucked around with this message at 00:33 on Feb 13, 2017 |
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Feb 13, 2017 00:30
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There is no way an update with that title cannot be tremendously entertaining. Also, hopefully, not bleak as all hell?
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Feb 13, 2017 00:31
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CottonWolf posted:There is no way an update with that title cannot be tremendously entertaining. Also, hopefully, not bleak as all hell? Let's hope it follows after Ange's stake sisters and not Beatrice's. Edit to below:
Lycaeon fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Feb 13, 2017 |
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Feb 13, 2017 00:33
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Even Beatrice's stakes are cheery in a sadistic way!
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Feb 13, 2017 00:37
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oath2order posted:Please look forward to The Seven Sisters' Valentine's Day Special Update  Sister! You can't use REAL hearts for a Valentine's Day card! But we already had them lying around! It would be a waste not to use them!
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Feb 13, 2017 01:57
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  October 4th, 1986, 9:48 PM  Even the rose garden that had looked so beautiful midday... was beaten down upon by the fierce winds and resisted with all its might, undulating and trying to keep the flowers from blowing away... In that rose garden... was Shannon in the lead, Battler holding up an umbrella, Jessica, and George carrying the sleeping Maria on his back, all heading for the guesthouse.   "Don't worry, seeing you off is also part of my duty..." "The family conference is going on inside, and Mom and Genji-san are probably getting stressed. If we keep you, they'll misunderstand and think you were being lazy." "That's right. Just graciously accepting our offer might be the best way to avoid burdening people. Thank you, Shannon." "Not at all. Certainly, as Milady has said, it is very tense inside the mansion today. Therefore, coming with all of you allowed me a breath of fresh air, and I've been able to relax a bit." BGM: Lure  "Probably. I'm sure there's nothing we can do to help out. Just trying to stay out of their way is probably the best way for us to be useful." "Feh...! I'm sure it's all just 'Money money money!'. Even though they act like they're so rich most of the time, when it gets tough, they all start getting pushy. Why don't they just be graceful and split it evenly between everyone?" "Ihihi. That'd be awesome. It'd be nice if I got a share too. If I got some too, I'd split it with Shannon-chan right away." "Th-Thank you very much... Well, I appreciate the sentiment." "Shannon isn't greedy at all. Normally, girls of your age would have tons of things they'd want to buy." "I guess. But none of the things I want can be bought with money." "Ooh! How unselfish! If you lined up all the things I wanted, all the gold in the world wouldn't be enough." "That's if you're talking about things that can be bought with money. I wonder what these 'things that can't be bought with money' that Shannon wants are. Do you have any idea, George nii-san?" "W-Well, I wonder. I'm not Shannon, so how could I know?" "I-I don't know either."George and Shannon looked down, their faces red. Battler had also heard about what was going on with them, so he knew what Jessica was teasing them about.  "George-aniki is a person I respect. I think you've met up with a really great person, Shannon-chan." "Yeah. I also feel relieved that we can leave Shannon to George nii-san." "St-Stop teasing. It's a serious issue for us. More importantly, what about you, Jessica-chan? Have you been able to get a little closer to Kanon-kun?" "Whaaaaaaaaat?! So, you and Kanon-kun are like that?!" "Ah, um, well!! Th-That's dirty, George, twisting the conversation around like that's dirty!"As they had an animated discussion with ups and downs, the four kids headed for the guesthouse...  Apparently, the Family Head, Kinzo, was personally going to be making a very serious announcement, and everyone other than the adults had been strictly ordered to leave. Battler hadn't attended the family conference in six years, so he didn't really notice, but according to Jessica, there seemed to be a very tense atmosphere tonight, completely different from a normal year. Common sense made it clear that Kinzo, whose remaining life was short, was going to make some big announcement about the succession of the Headship and the distribution of his fortune...   "...I see. So, this is the witch's counterattack." BGM: Golden Sneer  "drat. My theory that Grandfather was dead since the beginning, and a different 18th person had snuck in, is now suddenly torn apart." "I had foreseen that you'd begin to doubt Kinzo eventually...! Yes, now your reasoning has all gone back to square one again, right?" "With this, your theory that Kinzo was dead at the very beginning and I was hiding as the 18th person goes poof! *cackle*cackle*cackle*!" "...Goddammit... But no way I'll lose heart. That's only one theory gone. I'll attack you like a storm, like a tornado..." "*cackle*cackle*! I'd have it no other way! Even the first twilight has not yet begun. It is far too early to give up." "That's right. And, it's not like it was denied with the red truth. At this point in time, Battler's theory hasn't been defeated. It's too early to say that you've won."  "...Uncle Krauss might be trying desperately to hide the fact that Grandfather really is dead until the last second." "Ha...! I see, I see, you could also think of it that way. Do as you please. It will be resolved soon. Very soon... *cackle*cackle*...!" BGM: None Nanjo sat alone, quietly watching the wind and rain outside. Krauss sat down in the seat of his own rank, with Natsuhi standing motionlessly at his side. The other siblings were gathered at the opposite end of the long table, whispering to each other...  "...Is that true?"  "What in the world...? In other words, our strategy has collapsed from the roots...!" "Not just our strategy. Since Father is healthy and has said that he'll make an announcement himself, our trivial bargaining with Nii-san was completely pointless." "Yep... That old bastard. Why couldn't he have just shown himself right away without making a show of it? Thanks to that, we've just been quarreling with Aniki uselessly." "...Or maybe he wanted to test us on that point. I might not be one to talk, since we aren't related by blood, but your Father is very intelligent, correct?" BGM: Stupefaction Eva uncharacteristically held her head, dejected. If, as Kyrie had said, everything had been going according to Kinzo's plans from the beginning, and if this was a huge setup that had been kept up for over a year, trying to find the siblings' true intentions, then they had fallen for it completely...  "...We still don't know for sure that it's reached Father's ears." "No, it definitely has. Everyone but Nii-san claimed that Father was dead, and none of us believed in Father's good health...! Aaah, it's already over... Father will make an announcement. Nii-san will become the Successor, and he'll say we aren't even qualified to wear the One Wing... Oooh, I..." "Nee-san, get ahold of yourself..." "...Rosa-san, I wonder if Maria really received that umbrella from Father." "Huh? What do you mean...?" "...Maria-chan might have seen Father. However, we haven't seen him. Maria-chan only claims to have seen him." "What are you saying...? Are you saying Maria's lying?!" "Calm down, Rosa. Maria-chan didn't necessarily lie. Still, she's an innocent kid, right?" "...For example, if Genji-san came up to her and said something like 'I was told by your Grandfather to hand this to you, Maria-sama', then even if Maria-chan hadn't met Dad, she still might say that she got an umbrella from him, right?" "...Th-That's right. That trick could work...!" "But what was it Maria-chan said? 'Grandfather came and handed me the umbrella'." "Yes, that's what she said. She clearly said that she received an umbrella directly from Grandfather." "...Directly, huh? Then we're stuck." "...They often say that bad thinking is no better than sleeping. If you think about it a bit, all of this about the umbrella is a trivial problem." "Why's that? Couldn't Maria-chan have been bribed by Nii-san to lie and say something that made it seem like Father was in good health?! There is no evidence that Father actually handed the umbrella to her...!" "Regardless of whom Maria-chan received the umbrella from, assuming she was even given an umbrella in the first place, Father will appear very soon. Once Father's in front of us, the problem with the umbrella will become completely trivial." "...In other words, this is not the time to gossip about the umbrella issue." "What do you mean, this isn't the time?" "...I see, I got it. This is probably what Kyrie-san's sayin'. Father is supposed to come here very soon, but the chance still remains that he'll get mad again and won't show up, right...?" "...I-I see. That's true... Maybe Nii-san just said Father was going to appear at random in a desperate bid to buy time against our investigation. Father really is dead already, and Nii-san is still lying and saying he's healthy...!" "In short, if Father appears, then no schemes will be effective. There's no need to even think about that case. We're fish on the chopping board. We'd have no choice but to leave fate to the heavens and negotiate directly with Father. That means we'd have no choice but to let him clobber us with his fist, then prostrate ourselves and beg for money." "...But on the other hand, if Father doesn't appear, then our primary strategy isn't hampered in the least." "...I see. In short, no matter which way it goes, there's absolutely no need to get flustered now." "That's it. If Father shows up, we just have to carry out the normal family conference. If he doesn't, we just have to keep on investigating Krauss-san." "We can't let him talk his way out of it, like if he says Father's mood has suddenly gotten worse." "...It seems what we really should be trying to figure out... is what scheme Nii-san is going to try and trick us with. The way he just doesn't know how to give up is something I know better than anyone." "If Father is well, we'll prostrate ourselves and beg for money. If it's a farce of Krauss-san's, then we'll continue our ugly sibling fight. It sounds like this year's family conference is going to be just wonderful." "Yep. So, bad thinking is no better than sleeping, huh? It's almost 22:00. Should we press Aniki?"Rudolf and the rest looked at Krauss. He was sitting down firmly... and looked like he was awaiting Kinzo's arrival with an air of composure. They couldn't tell if he really was composed, or if he was scheming about how to tie together his lie.   "...Calm yourself. We won't get anywhere by making a fuss after all this. Let's leave it to Genji-san." "It's almost... 10:00, isn't it?"That was the time that had been set for tonight's family conference to open. And, it was the time that the Ushiromiya Family Head needed to appear... Right then, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching from the hall. There were multiple sets. Natsuhi raised her head, relieved... But because of the sound of a knock, her expression was filled with disappointment. Because Kinzo probably wouldn't have knocked.  It was Gohda and Kumasawa. Unlike the powerful Gohda, it was rare for Kumasawa, with her old body, to be forced to work this late. Of course, Krauss also seemed to know that. "Indeed. Good work. My apologies for making you work at such a time, Kumasawa-san." "Oh, it's nothing. I may not look it, but staying up late is still one of my specialties. Hohohohoh...!" "...Wouldn't it be okay to at least let Kumasawa leave without being an observer? It really will be difficult on her body, I imagine." "...The order was to gather all of the servants as well. I cannot disobey."Tonight's family conference was clearly different from normal. On a normal year, no one was allowed to attend except family members. To have the servants present for such a thing... was unthinkable. But this year was different. All of the servants were told to attend. Of course, they were not allowed to talk. They were there as observers. Just what in the world was happening that needed to be observed by five servants? Even Krauss didn't know.  "Hohohoh. I don't look it, but I'm good at staying up late. If you stuff yourself with mackerel too, Krauss-sama, you'll be more manly at night." "Hahahaha. I see you're still in high spirits. I'm sure you'll be working in such high spirits until you're a hundred." "Madam, forgive my arrogance, but I have prepared a light snack. I can serve it at any time, so feel free to order it." "Thank you. You really are considerate. Please offer refills of coffee to the others." "Certainly."After nodding, Gohda took the pot towards the relatives gathered at the other end of the table. As he did, more footsteps approached from the hallway. It was a single set. And it was light. Even before the knock, they could imagine who it was.  "Good work. Tonight is a special evening. Make sure you stay alert." "Y-Yes. Certainly, Madam..."Genji had gone with Kanon to meet Kinzo. There was still no sign of their return. The hand of the clock passed 22:00 slightly. Once sure of that, Eva spoke to Krauss.  "...Nii-saaan? It's time. Are you still not going to start the family conference?" "...The arrival of the guest of honor has been delayed. Wait a short while." "How long? Sorry, but time's up. I won't have you saying 'Father hasn't quite shown up yet' over and over until dawn." "How could I make a promise about the time Father shows up? Why are you in such a rush? Why not drink some tea and calm down for now...?" "Aniki, we're gathered here for a family conference. Not a farce. We'll wait 30 more minutes. But if that doesn't work, you'll let us break into the study, okay?" "B-Break into... Such an action would be quite lacking in respect for the Head!" "Oh, right, our apologies. We'll be good for 30 more minutes. Hehheheheh..." "...Hmph." "...I look forward to seeing if you can keep that same smile up 30 minutes from now." "...So, you honestly believe that Father is dead?" "I have no desire to discuss that now. We can wait until Father comes here. There's absolutely no need for me to argue you down, Nii-san." "The Ushiromiya Headship will be passed on to the proper person in the proper manner. No matter what you may scheme, you cannot resist. Of course, the same goes for me." "What are you trying to say? And after bragging all these years about being the Successor yourself...!" "I'll turn your own words back on you. I have no desire to discuss that now. All that matters is for Father to come here and proclaim it with his own mouth. There's absolutely no need for me to argue you down. Right? Heheheh!"Krauss casually turned Eva's words back on her. Of course, that added oil to Eva's anger. But it didn't ignite.  Both Genji and Kanon were usually very reserved when they knocked. They wouldn't hit the door with such a violent strength. It was like a judge's gavel slamming down in a call for silence. So, everyone went quiet... The door opened slightly, and Genji showed himself. Then, he spoke with a serious tone different from his usual one. It wasn't the tone he used when carrying out his duties. It was the tone he used when speaking for Kinzo himself. So just by hearing Genji speak like that, the siblings were struck with a sudden tension.  At those words, the dining hall was wrapped in total silence, and everyone hurriedly returned to their designated seats. It was as though students who had been bustling around just before homeroom had suddenly returned to their seats when the teacher came, and it might even have looked humorous. But there was no way anyone would joke about it. Everyone sat in order, and Shannon, Gohda, and Kumasawa stood up straight in a row by the wall.  "...The Head of the glorious Ushiromiya family and lord of Rokkenjima, the island that sparkles gold, Lord Ushiromiya Kinzo has arrived."Of the double doors that led to the dining hall, Genji opened the right door from the inside, and Kanon opened the left door from the outside. 
Quinn2win fucked around with this message at 15:57 on Feb 13, 2017 |
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Feb 13, 2017 14:27
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Rejoice, thread! The long wait is over. We have finally made it back to Murder Central, Rokkenjima 1986.
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Feb 13, 2017 14:28
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The weirdest thing is that I don't really know if I'm surprised or not. I guess Kinzo being dead would be too convenient both for the meta-Battler and for the scheming siblings. On the other hand, until Battler himself sees Kinzo or at least some proof he's alive or until we are told that in red this remains in the same area of dubious credibility as the family meeting Beatrice in the chapel back in Episode 2.
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Feb 13, 2017 14:59
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ProfessorProf posted:
Glad to see we've made it back to the home of storms and murder.
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Feb 13, 2017 14:59
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What the hell? That bastard's supposed to be dead!  Edit: Well, him being alive means he'll probably die horribly during the murders.  Edit2: No guarantees that he's actually alive. The servant conspirators (And Shannon) are there too so if they kill everyone for the first night and leave there would be no witnesses. As they say, nobody will notice if there's nobody to notice. Lycaeon fucked around with this message at 15:17 on Feb 13, 2017 |
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Feb 13, 2017 15:07
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It doesn't matter if Kinzo is dead or not. Beatrice is definitely among the 18 people on the island. It's just a question of figuring out who Beatrice is.
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Feb 13, 2017 15:39
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"That's if you're talking about things that can be bought with money. I wonder what these 'things that can't be bought with money' that Shannon wants are. Do you have any idea, George nii-san?" Praise starts playing here  "Why's that? Couldn't Maria-chan have been bribed by Nii-san to lie and say something that made it seem like Father was in good health?! There is no evidence that Father actually handed the umbrella to her...!"This is Eva
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Feb 13, 2017 15:55
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ProfessorProf posted:
Huh... So it seems Maria is completely abandoning the notion of Beatrice handing her the Umbrella this time... and she says Kinzo gave it to her? Well, that makes sense, and fills in a lot of holes about who could have done it- Kinzo was one of the ones available at that time... even though it is a stretch to imagine him doing that, or that Maria would mistake him for Beatrice, even if he said so. It also clears up the mystery of the ring- he either never threw it outside, or threw it out and picked it up later. The question is why, though- does this mean Kinzo was the corroborator with Maria all along, and learned about magic from him? That clashes with what everyone said he thinks about Maria, including his own thoughts, but to be fair, we've never seen the grandkids and Kinzo in a room together; we don't know how he would act. And since he has already been portrayed this episode as having the galloping crazies, he perhaps does believe that he actually is Beatrice periodically other than publicly pining for her- that sort of thing has already been implied by Evatrice. The only problem is how seriously we can take the scenes where he throws Krauss around the room, whether they are actually happening or only happening in someone's head. Suddenly my theory that the massacre was by "Kinzo with the help of the servants" becomes really good... And it would explain why Beatrice gets so freaked out by Shannon showing love to George, or love in particular as a concept- love has passed him over, so naturally he'd get pissed by showing it.
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Feb 13, 2017 16:54
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ProfessorProf posted:
Ok, now I can really believe that Shannon would kill George.
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Feb 13, 2017 17:28
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Tender Child Loins posted:Ok, now I can really believe that Shannon would kill George. George: "Women, eh? Who knows what goes on in their heads. Am I right, fellas?"
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Feb 13, 2017 17:37
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Tender Child Loins posted:Ok, now I can really believe that Shannon would kill George. He's completely clueless. Why did she fall in love with him?
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Feb 13, 2017 17:47
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Lycaeon posted:He's completely clueless. Why did she fall in love with him? Lack of options.
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Feb 13, 2017 18:41
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bman in 2288 posted:Lack of options. Good point. And looking back on things he's still a great guy. The date and his marriage proposal were utterly heartwarming. Just...clueless enough to not notice that his fiancee might have been taken over by a psychotic murderous witch.
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Feb 13, 2017 18:48
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Lycaeon posted:He's completely clueless. Why did she fall in love with him? He's, he's kidding around because Jessica is making fun of him. She's basically putting him in a position where he'd have to say YES, I KNOW WHAT SHANNON WANTS, IT IS I, GEORGE!! to bully him, because she knows it's kind of a hush-hush thing and also they both seem to be pretty private people? He's deflecting and joking at the same time. Gosh I don't know what COULD Shannon want HA HA well I guess only she knows!!
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Feb 13, 2017 22:00
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He's still a dork though.
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Feb 13, 2017 22:01
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I'm seeing a lot of speculation on Shannon recently, but I feel like Natsuhi has looked suspicious from recent events.
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Feb 13, 2017 22:02
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Amidiri posted:He's, he's kidding around because Jessica is making fun of him. She's basically putting him in a position where he'd have to say YES, I KNOW WHAT SHANNON WANTS, IT IS I, GEORGE!! to bully him, because she knows it's kind of a hush-hush thing and also they both seem to be pretty private people? He's deflecting and joking at the same time. Gosh I don't know what COULD Shannon want HA HA well I guess only she knows!! If George had instead answered "Oh, Shannon? She wants to kill everyone on the island including us, and use our bodies in an occult ceremony", he'd be right but it would kinda kill the atmosphere. Also, yay, Beatrice is back!
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Feb 13, 2017 22:06
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oath2order posted:George: "Women, eh? Who knows what goes on in their heads. Am I right, fellas?" Beatrice is Rodney Dangerfield
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Feb 13, 2017 22:06
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ProfessorProf posted:
Shannon may be serious here. Goddammnit George.  Amidiri posted:He's, he's kidding around because Jessica is making fun of him. I know, but his lack of seriousness and semi-confusion here implies to me it's a question he might never have asked her.
Lycaeon fucked around with this message at 22:25 on Feb 13, 2017 |
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Feb 13, 2017 22:20
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ProfessorProf posted:Rejoice, thread! The long wait is over. We have finally made it back to Murder Central, Rokkenjima 1986. Huzzah! resurgam40 posted:Huh... So it seems Maria is completely abandoning the notion of Beatrice handing her the Umbrella this time... and she says Kinzo gave it to her? Well, that makes sense, and fills in a lot of holes about who could have done it- Kinzo was one of the ones available at that time... even though it is a stretch to imagine him doing that, or that Maria would mistake him for Beatrice, even if he said so. It also clears up the mystery of the ring- he either never threw it outside, or threw it out and picked it up later. I'm not sure that we should rule out Maria having got the umbrella from "Beatrice" in the other timelines. Just because she didn't this time doesn't really tell us much about what happened then. Unless you're right, and Kinzo has a secret female personality and promenades around in a dress as "Beatrice" while playing with Maria, which would undeniably be fantastic in every way. E: Taken out my random (if related) spoiling of other murder mystery books. CottonWolf fucked around with this message at 00:45 on Feb 14, 2017 |
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Feb 13, 2017 22:23
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I don't need much: just the childhood I wasted serving on Rokkenjima and more romantic options than estranged members of my family~
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Feb 14, 2017 00:58
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Hmm. So, I will continue to consider the Dead Kinzo theory possible if either of the following happens: 1) The scene immediately cuts away from here after this point and he doesn't ever talk to Battler. 2) Kinzo ends up burned up again. (Nobody else dies consistently, but he's had the same death twice. A third time makes it a pattern.) For the moment, though, I think we have to discard it since the dude is right there talking to everybody. That will probably require some rejiggering of theories, but let's get through some murders here first.
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Feb 14, 2017 02:02
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 BGM: Scorpion Entrails Genji pulled back Kinzo's seat and motioned for him to sit. But Kinzo stayed standing, signaling with his chin for Genji to move back.  "*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle* Fuhhahahahahahahahahaha...!! Welcome to Rokkenjima, ladies and gentlemen. Why the frightened face, Evaa?" "N-No, why would I be frightened...! I'm just relieved to find you in excellent spirits, Father..." "Wahhahhahhahhahhahha...!! Evaa, you're as amusing as ever, aren't yoou? Why don't you just honestly say how frustrated you are at losing your bet with Krauss? *cackle*cackle* You can't say it, can you? *cackle*cackle*!!"Eva realized that their conversation during the day had indeed been leaked to Kinzo, and she hung her head, turning red.  "Well then, my sons and daughters and their companions! Tonight, I shall make an important announcement regarding my inheritance and the succession that you all seem so keen on." "But first! I must tell you how incredibly disappointed I am. After all, until this very day, no one has been able to solve the riddle of the epitaph."  "...I had planned to hand over everything to the one who could solve it. But none have been able to solve it before today, and here we stand, with nothing of mine passed down to anyone." "How shameful...!! To think that not one among you has come forward with the qualifications to succeed me! How truly disappointing, and shameful, and patheetic!! Wahhahhahhahhahhahha!!"The siblings hung their heads in silence. Of course, they would have solved it if they could. True, they couldn't deny that they'd wasted a golden opportunity, but it was just so hard...  "Therefore, I am proclaiming here and now that I will suspend the use of the epitaph's riddle as a method of choosing my successor. In short, time's up!" "This is game over. And what a shame for you all. Even though it should have given you all an equal and fair chance, that's gone now! Gehhahahahah!!"It truly sounded like Kinzo was making a victory proclamation.   "Wha...?!" "..." "...You understand, right, Krauuss? I certainly gave you the title of Successor. But all you did was let it go to your head... Do you know what a Successor is...?" "...It means... the person who will inherit your position after you, Father..." "Wrooooooooooooooooonnnng!! The position of Successor isn't something that's guaranteed by the current Head at aaaaaaaaaaall!" "...Listen up, Krauuss. I won't tell you this again. A Successor... is what you call someone who finds everyone else who's after the Headship, thoroughly breaks their noses, and makes it so they can never disobey him again." "This is not only something that can be said of the Headship. It's the same with money! A 'rich person' doesn't mean someone who has money. It means someone who crushes everyone who had more money than himself, and who scrabbles together more money than anyone else." "It's the same with talent. A genius is not what you call a person blessed with talent! It means a person who crushes everyone with more talent than themselves! A person who can coerce geniuses and all other people to call them that using strength and charisma!! You have a mistaken impression when it comes to all of these things. So, you aren't of the right caliber to be my Successor. *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*!!" "...I-I'll take your words to heart..."Perhaps that truly was Kinzo's philosophy. As a result of faithfully carrying out that rant-like philosophy of his, Kinzo had glorified the Ushiromiya family to the state it was in today... It may be hard to imagine after his immersion in the occult in recent years, but that brutally overbearing outlook was no more or less than Ushiromiya Kinzo's charisma and aura... "Such an unsatisfactory person is not qualified to inherit everything of the Ushiromiya family. In that case, is Eva, Rudolf, or Rosa qualified?" "And even that scheme was thoughtless! You can't even corner Krauss all by himself! There could be nothing more shameful!" "You lack the avarice to steal away the position of Successor by any means!! In order to get what you want, you should sacrifice everything, becoming as covetous and greedy as possible...!! The goddess of luck smiles upon the greedy!! You three, who don't have that wild spirit, are as unfit for the succession as Krauss is!!"Eva and the rest had no words to respond with. And they couldn't calculate what it was Kinzo was about to say... Was Kinzo actually planning to proclaim that no one would succeed the Headship? If so, that would work to Eva, Rosa, and Rudolf's advantage. After all, in the end, they'd just have to renegotiate everything among the siblings after Kinzo's death, splitting the inheritance evenly. It would surely be more troublesome if a specific person's name was raised and proclaimed to be the Successor. ...But would Kinzo really say something to benefit any of the four siblings after demeaning them so much? "...You don't think... he's going to say that because no one will succeed him, he'll donate all of his fortune to charity or something, right...?" "...I'm afraid I wouldn't put it past Father." "The blood's just risen to his head... We can't do anything but let him talk for now." "...W-Well then, Father. What thoughts do you have regarding the Succession of the Headship?"  "...Th-That cannot..." "The Ushiromiya family was crushed long ago in that earthquake. The current Ushiromiya family is nothing but an illusion of gold I'm glimpsing for an instant. The likes of which will end when I awaken from my slumber. Hehheheh! Everything in this world is a dream, an illusion. Life is but a daydream before the awakening called death. Aaah, yes, that's how it was from the beginning!! That I should lose everything when I die was part of Beatrice's contract, and her curse! Fuhahaha!! As if I'd let you, Beatrice! I will be the one who captures you!! Tonight, that goal will be realized. *cackle*cackle*! Wahhahahahahaha!!"For a while, Kinzo was overcome with cackling, and his eyes bulged. Whenever he talked about Beatrice, it was always both eloquent and insane... "Foolish children such as yourselves truly are daydreams!! It's as though you were never there from the beginning!! Disappear! Wake up!! Disappear from the doze of the truth that I am...!! You failures that have not built up anything that makes you worthy to succeed me!!" "What is it, my friend?"Nanjo nervously raised his hand, asking to speak. Kinzo allowed him to.  "I understand how you feel, Kinzo-san. Because you love your children, you expect a lot of them, and as a parent and grandparent myself, I understand how parental affection can make you feel as though your expectations were betrayed." "...However, you are extraordinary, Kinzo-san. A genius. Isn't saying that it's only natural for them to catch up to you a little too harsh...? Despite that, Krauss-san, Eva-san, Rudolf-san, Rosa-san, and all of their partners have done their very best to catch up with you...? And even so, that has not stopped them from trying - Krauss-san, Eva-san, Rudolf-san, Rosa-san, and all of their partners, are doing their best to catch up..." "Hohoooooooooohhh??? And just how much money have they built up with this 'Doing their best'? After these cowards fail completely in ventures and gain debt, and still try to sponge off me, how can you say that they did their very best...?!!" "Money is the crystallization of everything in this world. If you cannot grasp that, then you cannot grasp the world! If a life cannot strongly grasp this world, it doesn't deserve to live!! Disappear!! Disappear from my life and reality!!" "...That's a reckless argument. With that logic, even I must not live. Even so, I believe the time I spend playing chess with you was worthwhile for both of us, Kinzo-san... You should know better than anyone else that there are many things in this world that cannot be bought with money." "...Hmm. Hmph."As the siblings motionlessly hung their heads, they cheered Nanjo on inside their hearts. Not one of the siblings could offer their opinion in front of Kinzo in a rage, but Kinzo's close friend Nanjo alone was allowed to... Even though Kinzo had raged so fiercely, after being admonished by Nanjo, he nodded several times as though in agreement. This surprisingly obedient side of him might have seemed cute, but there was no one here who could laugh. "It may be true that your children haven't built up as great a fortune as you have, Kinzo-san. Though, even so, they're rich enough to make me jealous." "But besides money, they have also built up many things that cannot be bought with money. When it comes to that, they are in no way inferior to you, Kinzo-san." "Hoh. And what do you claim they have built up that cannot be bought with money?"  "Grandchildren are wonderful. We older people can look at these young grandchildren, who will live on into a new era that we will not even be given a chance to see, and in them, we can imagine an endless future. Isn't that the sole entertainment we have in our old age? Remember, Kinzo-san. Remember your joy when they first brought back their grandchildren...! Your children and your grandchildren... will carry your great works on to future generations, setting an example. That is something that an individual cannot accomplish no matter how much money they have."The siblings all nodded in agreement... Certainly, Kinzo had looked happy when his grandchildren had just been born. Back when he still had some sanity in his heart. However, did Kinzo's heart still contain a Human's warmth...? "In other words, in exchange for the vast riches I created, instead of gaining money, I have gained my grandchildren?!" "N-No, no, that's not what I..." "So, in exchange for the several tens of billions in wealth that I have built up, I have gained a single grandchild from each of my children!!" "Hahhahahahahahahahahaha!! This is wonderful! So, I have created a single life using ten billion yen! That's how it is! Interesting, truly an interesting example in the alchemical sense, riight...?!" "Hooh, what valuable grandchildren! Wonderful, wonderful!! Wahhahhahhahhahha!! Is that right, Krauss? Is your daughter worth ten billion yen...?" "..."Krauss couldn't answer instantly. It wasn't that he didn't have confidence in his daughter. It was because he didn't have a clue what Kinzo was trying to test him with in this question. But when Natsuhi was then pressed for an answer, she responded, breaking Krauss's silence with an answer of her own interpretation.  "Hoh. So, you can state for certain that she's worth ten billion. Hoh hoh! What about you, Eva? What about your George...?"Since Natsuhi had answered that way, Eva naturally came up with her own answer as well. Even though Eva should have known better than to respond to a provocative question like this, she answered as well. "Yes, Father. George is worth ten billion... no, even more than that." "And that's not in the abstract sense of things money can't buy. George will certainly build up a fortune equal to his worth. He'll become a grandson worthy of carrying on your great works, Father...!"Eva sent a glance at Hideyoshi and Natsuhi as if she'd scored a point. When she heard what Eva had said, Natsuhi was about to add more praise for her daughter, but stopped at a glare from Krauss. "Hmm, I see. Then what about you, Rudolf? What about your Battler?" "Compared to George-kun, there's nothing about Battler I can brag about. If he was kidnapped and we were threatened with a ransom of ten billion, I'd feel like sticking a bow on the guy and letting them have him." "*giggle*giggle*..." "On top of that, he's an idiot and reckless. He talks about grand dreams and things that couldn't be done. I guess in that way, he's a super idiot worth the equivalent of ten billion normal idiots."  "...But at the very least, there's no doubt that watching over his life will be more fun than looking at ten billion average people."Eva clicked her tongue at that clever style of speech, which would probably match Kinzo's tastes. Apparently, Rudolf had done that on purpose, so he grinned back at her. "...What of Maria?" "...M-Maria is my adorable and only daughter. Her value cannot be measured with money. That is all." "Hmm. I see. Dreams and the future, miracles and possibilities are the source of my magical power. No magic without hopes holds any strength." "...Heh, I cannot expect any more from you who have proven to be average, but I see, my grandchildren hold future possibilities, and expecting a magical miracle from them may be worthwhile." "If you're saying that, in this way, they are worth more than ten billion... hmm, yes, I can see where you're coming from. Hmmm, hmmmm..."When Kinzo got in a rage, he wouldn't let anyone speak up, but even so, he would sometimes accept something on his own while yelling by himself... and change his own opinion. That's what this felt like to the siblings. Apparently, even though Kinzo had been disgusted by his unsuccessful children and had cast them away as being unfit for the inheritance of his title or his fortune, he wasn't sure about his grandchildren. At this rate, he might soon say that the inheritance would go to his grandchildren instead of the siblings. As the siblings sat in fear of what their fickle and short-tempered father might suddenly think of next, they carefully watched his every move... "...Hmm. Let me change my thinking a little. I have absolutely no desire to hand over all I have to any of you." "And testing them for that would be... yes, it would be a shame to abandon that final side-trip in my remaining life. Hmmmmm, well then, what shall I do...?" "...I-I can, with confidence, recommend George as someone fitting to follow after you!"Eva claimed that right away. Natsuhi looked like she was about to follow along, but Krauss gave her a look telling her to restrain herself, so she swallowed her words.  BGM: Golden Sneer  "...Father..." "Howeeever!! That does not mean that one of you will indirectly receive the inheritance. I am already disappointed in you all. There is no longer anything I have to give you. Not a thing! The ones I will question are my grandchildren. And the ones who might succeed me are my grandchildren. Make absolutely sure that you do not mistake this, understood...?" "...I shall obey Father's decision." "Same here. I'll go along with what he decides. What about you, Aneki?" "O-Of course. I believe Father will make a wise judgement." "I-I will also obey Father's decision..." "I shall think of how to test my grandchildren. Which means this is no longer any business of yours. After all, none of you are involved with the succession in any way now." "...So right here, right now, perhaps we should discuss a different matter that does involve you." "A different matter...?" "Indeed. That is tonight's true purpose, and the true purpose for this final Ushiromiya family conference as well."  "...Your ritual...?" "Quiet...! Father's talking now...!"Rudolf and the rest had automatically narrowed their brows at the occult-like word. Could he be planning to start some strange ceremony involving Beatrice's resurrection again...? And he wanted their assistance...? What in the world was he planning to do? In the past, he had carried out many eccentricities that he called by the same name, such as starting to burn a strange incense and filling the whole mansion with the stench. To the siblings, a ceremony was nothing more than one of the aged Kinzo's obnoxious hobbies. "Father, just what do you mean by that...?" "If we can assist you, we'll do anything. Right, Rosa?" "Y-Yes... But... what in the world... is it...?" "A ceremony as inscribed in my epitaph. A ceremony to revive Beatrice and open the door to the Golden Land. That witch, who escaped her cage of flesh and sneeringly slipped through my fingers, I shall now capture... and force into submission with my greatest hidden art. For that purpose, I must offer 13 people as sacrifices." "...Hehheheheheh! Gathering 13 people's worth of sacrifices is no easy feat. But tonight is the family conference! Many adults have gathered on Rokkenjima. There could be no other day on which to carry out this ceremony."Taken literally, it sounded like he was telling them to become human sacrifices for his dark ceremony and die. Ridiculous. Was it some kind of metaphor...? But they didn't even have a clue what he was trying to illustrate. The siblings whispered together about what Kinzo was saying... "...What's Dad going on about? Is this his usual sickness...?" "Probably. Listen silently for now." "..." "I'm sorry, Father... I don't understand what you mean by that." "What is it you don't understand? I am making this extremely simple. I told you that I'll choose 13 of the humans on this island and offer them as sacrifices in a ceremony to revive Beatrice." "Even worthless people like you can be very useful as sacrifices in my ceremony. Wahhahhahhahha!!" BGM: Organ Short #600 Million in C Minor "There are now more than 13 humans on this island. In short, that's a head count that can easily satisfy the massive number of sacrifices I require! Become the sacrifices for my ceremony!!" "...Kinzo-san, you weren't... serious about what you said back then, were you...?! It wasn't a joke...?!!"Unusually for him, Nanjo's face changed color as he stood up and shouted. It seemed this wasn't the first time Nanjo had heard all this dark talk about 13 sacrifices. "Sorry, my friend. That was no joke nor anything of the sort. It is what I bet my life on, the final ceremony, the final game that I will attempt." "Yes, this is a game! If gaining my fortune and leaving the island is your goal, then there are only two ways to achieve it! Will you escape being chosen as one of the 13 sacrifices and spectacularly survive, by finally solving the riddle of the epitaph and stopping the ceremony, or will you kill me?! And thereby stop this ceremony. Those are your only two options!!"By now, everyone wasn't just whispering, but chattering and muttering away. Even the siblings had noticed that Kinzo was beginning to act abnormally... "...Father, are you a little tired? Genji-san, has Father been drinking?" "...No. The Master is sensible." "Sorry, Dad. I don't have a clue what you're talking about... Dad's free to start up any weird ceremony he wants to revive the witch he loves. That's his hobby. But getting wrapped up in that... ahaha... and being made into a human sacrifice is a little more than I can handle." "Rudolf, are you trying to interrupt Father?!" "What are you talking about, Aneki?! You expect me to listen to something that shady and say 'Oh, really?'?!"Was the 'ceremony' Kinzo had mentioned literally something disturbing, or was it some kind of test to choose the Successor? It seemed that Rudolf had taken it literally, but Eva apparently still believed that it was something like a test or examination to find a proper Successor. But Kinzo responded with a clear smile. "Well then, that is all I have to say. Nooo objections or opinions are necessary from you...!! I will simply awaken from my dream of having four unsuccessful children. To all of you, what will occur now before your very eyes may seem like a dream, an illusion, something that couldn't conceivably be of this world, and a world that defies understanding." "But that itself is my reality!! Now, I will finally awaken from the shallow, useless dream that all of you are!!" "Come, the game has already begun, see? With this many of you here, I can take lives starting with anyone...!!" When Kinzo raised his arms high like an opera singer and yelled as though towards a packed audience, the air shattered like glass, and the outlines of three people who supposedly hadn't been invited to this island appeared...  "Chiester 45, right here...!" "Chiester 410, riiiight here!" BGM: Dance of the Moon Rabbits Three girls with strange forms suddenly appeared behind Kinzo. Where from? When? Who? Who were they?? The Humans were thrown off balance, and their minds went blank. Because they spent all that time thinking, they lost their last chance to survive. "You have permission to shoot six to death. I leave the choice of targets up to you. Begin your attack."
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Feb 14, 2017 14:28
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idonotlikepeas posted:Hmm. So, I will continue to consider the Dead Kinzo theory possible if either of the following happens:
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Feb 14, 2017 15:08
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Oh. Alright, I was getting slightly worried, but it seems that we're back to normal. Everyone who has seen Kinzo has also seen the rabbit squad, which means that they're dead as gently caress. And with no one to confirm that Kinzo's alive, it remains not only possible but probable that he's been dead all along. Also, happy Valentine's Day, thread.
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Feb 14, 2017 15:16
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Yeah, as I was reading it, I was actually convinced this update proved him to be alive until the goddamned bunny girls showed up. Now I don't know what the heck is happening. Guess it's wait and see time.
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Feb 14, 2017 15:26
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Did this just get added? Yeaaah Goldsmith!  
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Feb 14, 2017 15:39
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 WROOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG GOLDSMITH is amazing
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Feb 14, 2017 15:48
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Be careful what you wish for, Battler
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Feb 14, 2017 15:56
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| # ? May 14, 2024 02:58 |
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Rune Full Moon posted:Be careful what you wish for, Battler To be clear, it is totally awesome.
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Feb 14, 2017 16:10
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