|
 BGM: Metis    Is this cacophony related to what he was trying to tell you before dying? No. I just don't give a poo poo about any of you. Should you pursue this unreasonable course of action, I suggest we remove you from the group promptly, and set you aside, outside of the rooms we shall be investigating, without a ME-card for the subsequent voting session. You guys can't vote without me anyway, so you'll have to hand one over sooner or later.Ira's fists were closed in anger. Looking at the others, Ancora realized she had to do something, or else a fight was going to break out. In order to mediate the group, Ancora...  Based on our current TRUST stats, this choice is irrelevant to us, so I'm gonna take this opportunity to call Superbia out on her bullshit   What the hell is going on here? Are you guys fighting, at this time? Bia, seriously, you should hold off, we don't have the time for this kind of thing. Shut up, idiot. Don't get caught up into this, or you're going to eat the back of my hand. No, we really do not have the time, so you have to settle for now. Bitch at us after we're free from this hellhole.The rest of the people had gone silent at their altercation. Even Superbia understood what Ancora meant after a while, and she relented, making a movement of her hand as if to dismiss the entire conversation altogether. Okay, thanks. I think you're best coming with Lux and me. The girl's proposal went rather flawlessly. The entire group was glad to not have to deal with Superbia anymore, so they didn't have any issue pawning her off to Ancora. Only Ira didn't change his stance for a few moments, before he reluctantly agreed to it. Very well, then. I'll be going with Ira, and Ula will be going with Ava. Are you certain of this? The teams seem moderately unbalanced... I'm afraid I cannot accept a mere thoughtless endeavor. No, it's not unbalanced. You and Ava are smart, but I think I'm able to piece things together better. That way, I should go with the most... cognitively challenged individual, in order to round it out. Wow, cool, thanks Trist! I'll be leaving the group now, okay? Bia, come. We'll go have a look at what Luxuria wanted us to check, and then we'll go.BGM: Medius The rabbit-themed girl shrugged and went with the bear-themed girl, after a brief goodbye thrown to the others. Joining back with Luxuria, the two girls noticed that the smaller one had been in the process of examining the machine already. Lux, we've got to go soon to solve a room. The timer's ticking down, and... The two girls approached, curious. Luxuria was examining the ninth station- the one that belonged to the person the two others hadn't seen.  I think... we can do something here.She pointed at the mechanism behind. The shotgun that had been propped up was held by a tall pillar to match the console, which one could open by applying pressure onto the inside panel, not visible from afar. And what does that all mean? I don't know yet, but it opens...  We can mess with this one, and it won't matter too much, but the others won't open. This is dangerous territory to cross, though. I want to look at it too. Think it's fine if we gently caress around with this stuff, or will ME roll over us all like “what up?” It might be good to look at the others... maybe they open like this one. There shouldn't be any harm in just having a look, but I think ME will get mad if we break this stuff.Ancora stood back up, and let Superbia look inside the box. While the rabbit remained there, the other girls searched the rest. As much as Ancora tried, no box opened like that first one, except for... the one behind Invidia's console. So they can open after they fire? Something doesn't feel right, must be a problem with the mechanism. None of this should be accessible under normal circumstances. That's the mechanism to release the gun. This will give a very huge advantage over the others. But it will also make it much harder to garner their trust. Either way, it's not loaded. None of them are; what happens when they fire is entirely from the helmet's side.Her thumb brushed against the switch, and after a small push of her hand, the mechanism began moving. Very quickly, the bear-themed girl pulled her arm out of the box, just as the clasps released the instrument of death. BGM: Metis The question remained: either Ancora took the gun, or she left it there. On one hand, the gun would give her protection. ...as if it was left here to act as a shield... With the stress of the moment getting to her head, Ancora...  Every time someone took the gun in the previous game, things went to hell. I say we just look at it this time. She rose back up to merely examine the gun. Soon, Superbia glanced over, keeping her distance still. What's up with the gun? Found anything special? No, nothing...She reached for the gun before Superbia could do it, lifting it up and off the slot. As she did so, Superbia took a step back, looking surprised enough her body reacted instantly. Oh, well, I guess it didn't matter! I'm just looking at it.She flipped the gun over, trying to figure out how to open it. After doing so, she confirmed to Superbia the shotgun had no shells. Luxuria arrived at that moment, noticing that fact too before Ancora put the gun back where it was. See? They're not loaded.It didn't feel too reassuring, but Ancora didn't feel like she had to explain herself any further. She was actually eager to move from the voting stands, since the boxes could be opened if the person in question died. The last thing I'd want is for anyone else to grab one of the shotguns, even if they aren't loaded. BGM: Medius On the way towards Wing A, Superbia asked the two girls a peculiar question. Hey... let's say you had a shotgun, and it was loaded... who would you shoot? Huh?Her tone made it clear the question took her by surprise. Time was ticking, but the three of them came to a standstill near the entrance to Wing A. Are you sure we have time for this...? Well, we need those ME-cards... Unless someone dies during this hour slice.Luxuria's knees shook a little. Ancora could tell that she wasn't a fan of the upcoming plan of assassination. Those guns aren't loaded anyway... Umm... Maybe... Tristitia? He's a little creepy...Ancora looked at Luxuria with surprise. The girl had been quite scared of bodies earlier, and now she was answering Superbia. Though, I do agree, he is a little creepy. Ancora thought about it for a moment. She figured answering either Superbia or Luxuria wouldn't be a good idea. Gee, you think? Given the choice, she would shoot...  Since we're talking hypotheticals here... I don't want to say Ira, because we (the player) know that he and Superbia are a couple, so it'd probably also piss Superbia off. If we answer Tristitia, Superbia will probably call us a copycat since that was Lux's answer. So I'm picking Gula here. I'd probably go for Gula. Her speech is far too distinguished not to be a sign of her involvement.Those words caused a moment of silence between the girls. It was as if the two others were considering it, until Superbia shrugged, as if it didn't matter to her.  The rabbit-themed girl gave a nod towards the open hallway. Ancora stared at Luxuria, who said nothing, though she averted her gaze. Following up on their marching order from before, Ancora took the lead. BGM: Meridianus  The metal plate at the top was far too high for her to look inside without jumping, and either way, it was covered by said metal plate. Even if she could reach it, it was useless. This door's closed, so there's no point in sticking around.The girls set off again, finding a second door that was much like the first. The other two groups had gone for the closest ones. I wonder what kind of subject each group is learning about now...She murmured to herself, but no one answered her. The two girls must've been thinking about it too. She assumed they were too stressed out by what they might have to solve in their room.  BGM: Metis Luxuria and Superbia were gone. Fudge nuggets, since when have they left? This is very much not the time. The door's going to lock in the next 39 seconds.A bad feeling spread through Ancora. Leaving the door aside, she retraced her steps to find the tallest and the shortest girls of the group. Solving it alone would cause more issues than problems it would resolve. There's no helping it, then. Someone's gonna have to die without a voting session. Where have you gone...? We have to solve this, fast...! They couldn't have gone too far; there was only one way to take. Even though there were a few twists and turns to Wing A, the entirety of it had just been one long hallway. But now, she was at a crossroads. Fitting, for this middle area of the school was often nicknamed “The Crossroads” by the students, as it stood between all four wings. Where did they go? Did they go back to the voting machine? Did they go back to the first hallway?Ancora wasn't sure, but ultimately...  I figure we probably would be able to hear something if they were upstairs, so we should check out the first hallway again. Ancora figured they might have further split up, so she started investigating. Once she arrived at her first destination, she saw no one. Puzzled, she waited a few minutes. If she'd been mistaken, then maybe they would come by sooner or later. After waiting for entirely far too long, Ancora went back to the Crossroads. Even her patience had limits, and they had been breached.  Did they already leave? What's going on? Nobody should be able to leave this place right now, so where the heck are they?But her thought process stopped there when she noticed a shadow from behind. She turned around to greet them. BGM: Mestitior  Everything disappeared from Ancora's vision, despite the shotguns not being loaded. Something still happened as a result of their use, but her mind was far from that now. And finally, everything went absolutely black. I wonder whose shadows those were. The most possible explanation would be Luxuria and Superbia's shadows, but there are two problems with that. The first problem is obviously that both shadows were somewhat tall. That excludes Luxuria from having taken part in it, unless her shadow magically grows taller than most others. Superbia was definitely one of the two of them, though. That means Superbia took the shotgun. As for the second shadow... I don't know whose it is. I can only guess. It was a little shapely; a little defined, like muscles, so maybe... Without Ira, Superbia probably would be as defenseless as a little bunny. Looking at the consoles too closely had been a mistake, too. I still can't wrap my head around the state of the shotguns. Something strange is going on here... not that it matters to me anymore. Near endless darkness awaits.BGM: Silence    
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 01:17
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 3, 2024 08:48 |
|
|
Junpei posted:If it's not a spoiler, have we moved on the flowchart to the segment above our previous death, the one immediately below it, or the one at the very bottom with the lock? Normally I would've answered this but the update already answers it for me In future updates though, I will show where we are on the flowchart if it's relevant to something, no worries.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 01:19
|
|
|
 content warning: suicidal ideation, suicide It's time for a new path. Starting from the beginning of the flowchart: Ancora “wakes up” in the classroom (after activating our own helmet) and, after speaking to the others, she introduces herself to Superbia. After solving the classroom and leaving, they meet three other participants- Ira, Tristitia, and Avaritia. This time, we're going to introduce ourselves to Ira... BGM: Meridianus The situation had come to a standstill between the two teams of three. All of them looked upon each other as if judging each other's potential threat level. The entire scenario was playing out similarly to a pack of predators sniffing out who would be the first to go, regardless if their given animal was a carnivor, herbivore, or omnivore. This really can't last any longer. I can't blame anyone here for hesitating this much, because it's hard to tell who can be trusted... if anyone can even be trusted. The thing is, not even I know which one will be most useful... But there's no point in hesitating, then. It's a gamble, and that's all there is to it- so it doesn't matter.As Ancora contemplated her options, Invidia and Superbia moved forward. Deciding to not fall behind, the girl did much of the same. Within the next moment...  Um... hi. Hey. Not much of a talker, huh? Ira moved his arm to flex a little, showing off to Ancora. From up close, he seemed even more built than he looked from afar. He's stuttering? It's kinda weird... Is he afraid or something? Or maybe it's genetic... A-anyway, I bet you want to know my name? It's I-Ira. Short and to the p-point, isn't it? Not that I chose it, t-to be fair... It just sort of p-popped into my head. Like, “t-that's my name” and then I knew. So much for not being chatty. Maybe he's shy, and he's making efforts to get over it.Ira scratched his helmet a little, which made it look like he was scratching the back of his head. The fact he was wearing the helmet didn't seem to hinder him much. And you, uh, w-what's your name? According to what we found in our room, I'm Ancora. I guess you guys found the list of names, too? Yeah, with the w-website address. I'm not too g-good at all that stuff. Oh, don't worry about it, it's fine! I figured that part out already, no problem here.  I d-don't suppose you know anything about these helmets? I wanted to take it off, b-but when I tugged on it, that weird little girl appearead again a-and I was told if I tried that again, it would c-... cut my head off. Sorry, I'm... in the dark, too. T-that sucks... L-Let's talk about it later, then.With a nod towards the others, he turned to the side a little bit, making it clear he was done talking with Ancora for now. Yeah, he's a little rude. Then again, “Ira” takes after the sin of Wrath, so one can't expect otherwise.Ancora you literally made fun of him to his face for not being good with computers, you're literally on the same level here when it comes to rudeness. After everyone introduced themselves to each other, they all took a few moments to sort everything out. From here, the six group up again and discuss their predicament, as well as wondering on the status of the last three participants- just for Gula and Luxuria to exit, alone. After another video message from ME, the two explain the third person with them died before they could get her name. The group begins introductions once more, and while Ancora thinks they should handle the puzzle first, she ultimately ends up talking to Gula. Afterwards, she solves the puzzle attached to the hallway exit, which allows the group to enter the Crossroads. In the process, Superbia hits her head and falls over, and this time we are going to follow Ira to see if she's okay... A loud clank echoed from behind. Superbia fell down onto her rear end, screaming some profanities. Are you okay? Interesting that he'd be the one to ask, given how Superbia treated him just before. Either way, there can't be any harm checking up on them... maybe?Looking around, Ancora noticed Luxuria wasn't staring at the happenings, but at her instead. Not too far off, Invidia had his arms crossed, deep in thought. Presented with those options...  Superbia was holding her head, muttering profanities while trembling. Ancora understood what happened very quickly, after looking at the doorway and noting Superbia's height. It looks like she hit her helmet's ear on the doorway. Serves her right... Yeah, I'm fine! This- ugh- Pandora is a total dumbass for giving me that helmet. I'm already tall- I don't need even more height, and especially if I can't see the drat things. T-that's good then, you're okay... Hah, you think I need your pity? Um... I think he was just trying to be nice. The rabbit shrugged, one hand still holding the helmet. And it won't make this loving helmet stop vibrating so hard, anyway. Vibrating?Ancora and Ira stared at each other. Yeah, like it's resonating... holy poo poo, just can this noise! Ah... it's finally slowing down.The rabbit took a few uneasy steps, before setting straight again. Just as though nothing happened, she walked back forward with the other students. From here, ME returns with another message explaining that the group will need nine keycards to be able to initiate the first round of voting- and that if they don't, they all will die once the hour is up. The group splits up to look for a few remaining keycards, giving Ancora the chance to find a quiet corner and hack into someone's helmet. She can only hack helmets whose frequencies match her own (as they change frequencies semi-regularly); of the options she has, she decides to hack Ira's helmet. The conversation she listens in on reveals that Ira and Superbia know each other from outside of the game, as they are a couple, but that they are hiding this information to not seem suspicious to the others. They agree to work together to escape alone, leaving the others behind, and Superbia wonders about what each of the group's crimes were. Ira and Superbia confirm that they both have lost their memories to an extent, but before any more information can be gleaned, the frequency changes, and Ancora disconnects. Ancora regroups along with the others and they examine the strange cylinder in the Crossroads where the voting is to be held. The group insert keycards into the nine slots, and the cylinder retracts into the ground while another video message plays from ME. The eight all attach their helmets to their respective terminals to begin the voting process. Superbia immediately goes on the offensive by stating she believes Ancora to be the mastermind. Ancora responds in turn by stating that, from a logical perspective, if she was the mastermind she wouldn't pick the name that immediately sets her apart from the group- it'd be too risky. Some of the others are swayed by this, but not everyone, which means Ancora must go on the offensive even further... BGM: Mercedis Mellitus   She said she's among us, but she could be lying. I don't see why she'd want to put herself in danger. Also, Pandora being a girl's name is dangerous to assume, too. The most likely scenario is that Pandora isn't a girl, but instead a boy, and we've been misguided from the start. She does bring a good point with this... Due to that name, it was easy to think Pandora was a girl, but it's possible she's a guy pretending to be a girl. Maybe he'd think he's less suspicious that way... Yeah, h-huh... I mean, that makes sense, but we're really o-out of time soon... Wait, y-you don't actually think that, do you? gently caress off, Ava. He's stupid, but he's not Pandora. S-stupid, huh... Please don't insult each other, this isn't going anywhere... Maybe Cora's right... I'm just saying it how it is, and I already know he's a bit of a dunce. Just a little bit more, and we'll get it. Ira seems to be getting very angry, and Lux is getting on the train. Time to drop the bomb and secure this outcome. And how do you know all that about him? You two seem really familiar with each other. It's almost like you've got a relationship together... Something you don't want us to find out. Bia... No, shut up. I won't have any of it, this is stupid. You can either vote with me, or die like everyone else, because you'll be dead wrong. Cora is grasping at straws. Is that why you're suddenly way nervous about it? You're a bad liar, Bia. Is that the truth, then? Speak up, bunny. That's not the truth at all! Just a stupid lie! B-Bia... Shut up, say nothing, you imbecile. You're dumb if you think... Okay so, let's assume we do... what then? What does it matter? Is that gonna turn us into the mastermind or something? Bia, we should tell them... No, stop talking! The only reason why you're not a barefoot hobo is me, so you're gonna listen!At that point, Ira closed his hands in fists and punched against the console, causing Superbia to shut up after releasing a small cry of surprise.  L-look, before this starts degenerating, yeah, we're dating. Not only are we dating, b-but I can assure you that she's the real d-deal. She's not an impostor. I k-know her well enough for that. She's like this all the t-time. But me? I'm an accomplice. What are you saying? Just vote for Cora... No, I'm not voting for Cora. I'm voting for myself.Ira went against Superbia, which clearly was making her increasingly angrier as the seconds passed. I'm an accomplice, so vote for me. A-all of you, vote for me. It's a better future than living it out with you like this! Consider this... my personal choice, my decision. No, you're not! I'm not voting for your dumbass self, you're just- I'm just what? No, Bia, you're just mad because this is my choice. That's been my crime, anyway. My crime is that I'm an accomplice to all the bad poo poo going on here, and I won't let you kill Cora, too.For the first time, Superbia seemed to be at a loss for words. His tone had definitely changed. He wasn't even stuttering anymore. No one dared interrupt their discussion. How can you say that...? I've never... I can say it because I'm tired of it. Maybe you'll be less of a sad sack in the future. I'd rather die and teach you that life is poo poo when you're alone. I'd rather die, die than vote for someone who doesn't deserve it, Bia! This is what I can do... this is all I can do in defiance! You... you did this to yourself, Ira... loving idiot... You won't... make me feel bad over it... We'll see about that after I'm dead. And for everyone else, I'll see you in the afterlife. Our lives, being toyed with like this... heh, just what we deserve, isn't it? But I won't stand for it, still! Find that rear end in a top hat and kill them... that is my wish.Calmly, Ira pushed the button. From Ancora's view, it wasn't clear who he voted for, but from his tone, it had been crystal clear; he voted for himself. Silence settled in until everyone realized they only had a few seconds to spare before the shotguns were going to fire. Immediately, everyone voted. Seems like they're voting for Ira. Invidia, Tristitia, and Superbia probably voted for him just now. With their votes, that's four. This is going to be a majority vote. Well, I don't know if he was the traitor, but he didn't feel like it. Time to vote, for what it'll matter. Sorry, Ira, but I can't let your wish come true. It's like she says, our vote doesn't actually matter here. We already know how this is going to shake out. Which is why I voted for Superbia again.  The screens above the voting consoles settled onto Ira's symbol. It was clear what was to follow: it was his execution. Every shotgun but the victim's released their hold, leaving the participants to witness the macabre outcome. BGM: Silence  Time slowed down. Eventually, everything froze. BGM: Memoria                                                                   Lock #7 obtained.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 17:01
|
|
|
...drat, I feel bad for Ira.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2021 02:37
|
|
|
 BGM: Mestitior Well, that's done now.  After everything settled down, they were expecting to see a limp corpse. The result wasn't too far off the mark, but instead of being merely a corpse, it was a headless corpse. There was nothing left above the shoulders. Aaahhh!!The smallest of the bunch immediately averted her gaze to disappear to the other side of the consoles, where there was no dead body and no explosion. Where there was no pool of blood marring the ground in its deathly crimson hue. The flood from the neck had caused the floor to take on a reddish tint, with rivulets of the liquid scattered as would drops of rain. Unlike rain drops, which washed, these drying spots remained; a reminder that this was real, and that someone had died. Escaping death was lucky. An opportunity like this won't repeat itself. Next time, it'll be harder. Yes. Ira's dead.The dust slowly cleared as the seconds passed. Superbia's hands were closed in fists, and she was trembling. Despite her previous countenance, it was clear the rabbit had been affected by the outcome. While it was lucky, he wasn't my primary target. A clean waste. At least Superbia's lost a pawn. Let's go... we have more cards to find, and so little time. I agree. This scene is... The smell is particularly terrible, too... The reality of the situation was slowly sinking inside. Superbia looked at Invidia, while the boy was accusing her. His blood is on your hands as much as all the people you've mistreated. You drove him to this point. I... that is... none of your concern. Mind your own self.Invidia shook his head and walked away, prematurely interrupting the conversation. It was clear that Superbia wouldn't be winning anybody's trust any time soon. The prospects did not please her at all. BGM: Memini Meminisse Ancora looked around; Avaritia had gone missing as soon as she went free, most likely to search for another ME-card. It was the same for Gula, who left just then. The only ones remaining around the consoles were Superbia, Ancora, Luxuria, and Tristitia. You don't seem really... affected by it, Trist.Tristitia finally stared back at Ancora, shrugging.  Again, Tristitia shrugged. What you see here is just a result. A real result, mind you. It was a result brought on by what we percieved was real, like the Thomas theorem: If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. It's a little like a placebo. We didn't really know if this entire... thing was real. If it was a joke or not. Maybe some of us didn't take it seriously. He pointed at the lack of a head. We were all in front of a shotgun. The one in front of him fired, but there were no bullet wounds. Those guns might not really shoot, but we still die when they get us. It doesn't matter. We didn't get the mastermind...The others looked at her; it was a real worry. With the timer ticking down again, they had a job to fulfill. Truth be told, the game will really only end the moment I find out the traitor. Anything to manipulate them into thinking they won. I suppose we'll just have to keep the train going. Hopefully, I'm not next to die. It's not as though death is this terrible. We've been dead for like an eternity before we were born. Dying is just returning to that state... for all eternity this time. For Ira, that just came earlier than the rest of us. And the dead don't give a poo poo about what their corpse looks like.He sighed after talking, leaving the surroundings shortly thereafter. His tone had been completely void of any care for the deceased. Superbia left after him, most likely to search for a new ME-card, but not without looking at the dead body one last time. BGM: Medius The only remaining one was Luxuria. Ancora approached her. The girl was sobbing lightly into her mask. Despite her nature, Ancora was having issues ignoring the girl while she was clearly distraught. Um... we can go elsewhere if you want... Ahh... hahhh... I... I guess... I can't believe this actually happened... Twice now, twice... twice a beheading... The other's from when that girl got the wrong guess, most likely. Want to help me put in the cards into the slots in the middle? We have to do it at some point, so we may as well fill nine cards in. Okay...The angle of her helmet showed she gave a glance towards the headless corpse before she set off to work alongside Ancora. The two of them began collecting the deactivated cards from the consoles, careful not to wander in front of one of the shotguns. It would be too stupid if one of them fired by mistake. It's obvious they can't fire unless a vote is cast, and that they don't shoot real bullets. Lux, do you trust me?Ancora asked the question, though she didn't expect any real answer out of the girl. To her surprise, she nodded while they were putting in the cards into the bomb.  I see... Well, I trust you too, Lux. You're right, we should team up. As for Bia... maybe... Getting some allies is vital for the next round, whenever that will be. Do you trust Ula, too? I noticed you two went off together earlier. Yeah! Ula is actually really nice, even if she looks a little odd... She gave me the ME-card we found, you know? That sounds nice, right. In that case, maybe Ula could be part of the team... though I don't know much about her, myself. We should talk with her later.Ancora tried to think of who else they could trust and add to their team. Judging by what they've been told, they were going through the same thing over and over, and the others most likely considered that process, too. Solving a puzzle room. Getting ME-cards. Voting. Opening the way further in. Repeat. Isn't this what insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results? Did she have an issue removing the card? I think Vidi could be a good member of the team, too. Yeah, okay, that sounds good...But Ancora could tell her mind was elsewhere. I'll go check with the others. Put the rest of the cards in, okay?She gave a half-hearted wave that Luxuria didn't even reply to. It's probably a better idea to get to the others and help them with the puzzle, just so things keep going smoothly.  I'm not very good at this. I only know what I know.BGM: Silence Before either of them could do anything else, their visions turned into the familiar fake environment once more. ME wasn't done giving them instructions. BGM: ME Mori   The carnage isn't over yet. Far from it. Fortunately for you, now you have an hour of respite. Please use your time well. We will be heading towards more of those education rooms now. If you'd remember the room you woke up in, they're a little like that. All the ME-cards are hidden further inside. To progress, you will have to unlock the door leading to the hallway, much like how you've unlocked the previous one. That is correct; another puzzle awaits you. The timer inside of Ancora's helmet read exactly four hours remaining. Once you've made your way inside, you will have to split up into three groups. You may be one, two, or three in a group. The very moment four people enter the same classroom, they will surrender their right to live. Each room has an assigned subject for you to study, and a question to answer. The subject and question will be given to you personally by me after 39 seconds have elapsed since the room's door has been opened, which is also when it will close and lock. Please remember that once you enter a room, you will also only have 39 minutes before you surrender your right to live! Time is of the essence, and I will stop taking it from you for now. From now on, I will only appear to give you each room's subject as you enter them. I wish all seven of you good luck, and don't forget... BGM: Medius  Anything the matter? No, it's... just thinking. Feel free to solve the puzzle, something just caught me by surprise. Yeah, I guess it would be a shame if the best puzzle solver would be dead, huh?Without further ado, Ancora set off to solve that puzzle and open the doors for everyone else.  BGM: Mens Metis  And now we get to solve the puzzle, unlike last time. The solution is... We've already solved a puzzle with a similar solution; rather than getting hung up on what words are “valid”, the actual answer is to spell the phrase “valid words around” going clockwise.  BGM: Meridianus With the puzzle solved, the doors were now operational.  They arrived at a split with the road. One led to the left with many classrooms and another fork with one direction blocked by more metal plates, while the right side led to a few more classrooms as well as a locked set of doors. Let's have a look at the long hallway. Indeed, more interesting I say.The three of them went down the hall, looking at each door. Some of them were stuck, bolted in place, while others were only closed. The difference could only be felt when Ancora pressed onto them with both hands. Three of them are accessible. Those are the next puzzle rooms. Only two are down this way, though.After a while, the hallway turned to the left.  I'm not so sure about that.The teacher proceeded to try peeking into the familiar classrooms, to no availa. The doors were all closed as per usual, and all of them had a high rectangular window covered by a metallic plate.  This is a dead end. There's a door, but... it's got a lock I haven't seen here yet. Judging by where we are, the metal plates separate us from the very first hallway we went into.Thinking back to the map, Ancora knew he was correct. While they spoke, Avaritia pushed onto the doors, but they were all completely bolted down. No use for all of these doors, either. They're all completely shut. I don't think any of these are going to unlock. It's almost like they're just... walls. Like most of them in the first hallway, huh...He spent a moment thinking about what it meant, before he shrugged it away, motioning for the others to get a move on.  The group agreed to the proposition, and they went back to the split, where the others had conspicuously arrived seconds later, including Luxuria. After a brief discussion on what to do next, the group split back up. Luxuria, Invidia, Gula, and Superbia were checking out the classrooms down the hall, while the first trio went over to the closed door they'd spied earlier. Within seconds, they were standing in front of it. Much like the previous two doors, this one had a puzzle next to it. However, it wasn't lit up yet. We might have to do another voting session to force this panel to light up. That's a guess if I've ever heard one. It just makes sense. Everything so far has been methodically built to bar our way when we go too fast. This door isn't going to open anytime soon, then. So what now? They didn't have much time. The clock was ticking. A few seconds later, the other group joined back with them again, and the discussion about how to split up was delayed once more when Luxuria mentioned the possibility to form a voting group. No, that's not a good idea. People grouping up ahead of time to decide on voting others out would jeopardize the normal decision-making process.Someone needed to chip in, so after some consideration, Ancora...  Even though we were talking about teaming up with Lux literally like 5 minutes ago, we're going to agree with the rest of the group here. Maybe it's better to forget about it, then. They're right, Lux.She looked at the smaller girl, who averted her gaze. In a way, Ancora felt bad about denying her. But on the other hand, if the opportunity came again, maybe she could go back on her word. It just wasn't a good time right now, especially because four could outnumber three, but... After they'd vote out all three others, what then? How would the final death be decided? If things turn bloody, it certainly won't look good for anyone again. Exactly. I am exceedingly grateful you could understand our tormenting dilemma.Luxuria and Ancora looked at the others. Avaritia, Tristitia, and Invidia were all nodding their heads. Gula didn't seem to be truly sharing their opinion, but all she could give was a slight shrug towards the two, considering she was outnumbered.  Plainly understood. I am certain this endeavor would serve only to truly and well drive a wedge between all of our personages.She stared at her nails, making no eye contact with anyone... or helmet contact,a s it were. With no chance of making any additional alliances, Ancora gave up on the idea for now. For now. It's a little too dangerous when absolutely everyone is around, because who are we kidding? Of course there's going to be a vote group, sooner or later. I guess that's that. What about ME-cards, did any of you find any more? Actually, we haven't.Luxuria looked quite bothered, but only Ancora seemed to notice.  Of course, we won't need all those cards to vote... And the first rooms didn't even have nine cards, either; that came later. Probably the same here, too. But we're going to need them to finish discarding in the slots of that weird hexagon or whatever, either way. Yeah, so there's no chance for us to slack off. The doors to the first rooms haven't opened again since we left them, so if we don't get those cards, we're completely stuck.BGM: Memini Meminisse  Balanced teams, huh?Ancora knew what that meant. It meant that, since she'd already proven herself to be smart, she wouldn't have much of a choice with whom to go. Going with Tristitia seemed out of the question. Precisely. Each set had a specific individual better poised to solve these infernal contraptions. As a result, it would be best to split up according to said skillful lot. Cora, Ula and I are the ones who did the most. From what the others said, those who did the least were Ira, Lux, and Vidi... No, that's wrong.Ancora interrupted him while shaking her head. In our room, Vidi did a good amount of stuff. Bia bitched and moaned the entire time, and barely helped. BGM: Metis The entire group noticed that the girl was gone. Did she even come back with the other group? Hm... she might have remained in the hallway, come to think of it. First, let's get the groups made, then whoever ends up with her will go fetch her. Okay?Everyone was in agreement. BGM: Meridianus That means we should form the teams something like... Ula and Ava, Vidi with me, and the three others which would be Lux, Bia, and you, Cora, would go together. I'm aware. Maybe she won't hate you as much if you're both put in the same team. Huh, strange teams... you're putting girls with girls and boys with boys. Now that you mention it, you're right. Still... I think this is our best lineup to force some differences to fall... before the next voting session...Something was definitely nagging at Tristitia. The more he spoke, the more his tone became a little detached, as if he was thinking about something. Huh...Ancora let it be for a moment, because her objection to grouping with Superbia hadn't been entirely shot down.  Ah...He was caught short, still halfway in his thoughts. I guess that would be fine, too. I don't really have an objection. It does unbalance Bia's team, though. Then I'll take Bia with me, and Vidi will go with Lux, if that's your choice, Cora. With those group compositions in mind, Ancora went with...  Not a vote, but you're free to discuss which of these is going to be the more obnoxious pairing we end up with!
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2021 15:39
|
|
|
I would absolutely rather deal with Superbia's aggressive bullshittery than ever read anything Gula said, ever again, so "which team is more irritating" seems like a no-brainer for me, at least.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2021 17:08
|
|
|
Leraika posted:Ugh, Gula This is basically my response whenever she joins a conversation and I have to transcribe her dialogue, which sucks because her actual character and personality isn't that bad it's just The Fact She Talks Like That 
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2021 17:30
|
|
|
Mix. posted:This is basically my response whenever she joins a conversation and I have to transcribe her dialogue, which sucks because her actual character and personality isn't that bad it's just The Fact She Talks Like That Then you have to transcribe people being really gross about her appearance, too!
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2021 23:27
|
|
|
Thing is, from what little of her dialogue she has in this update, it looks like Superbia is showing... remorse???? so yeah, I'll take that, it could be interesting.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2021 23:56
|
|
|
Leraika posted:Then you have to transcribe people being really gross about her appearance, too!  that's coming up in the next few updates, just you wait
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2021 00:08
|
|
|
I eagerly await the death of gula, good lord.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2021 03:57
|
|
|
I personally have far more tolerance for the "overly wordy" character trope than the "needlessly stuck-up and bitchy" trope.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2021 04:12
|
|
|
Yeah I prefer Gula over Bia so far, trying to be pleasant counts for a lot!
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2021 04:48
|
|
|
I got this during a sale because the premise was super interesting but gave up not too long after this part when I couldn't find the right trust levels to continue. This is making me want to try and figure it out on my own tho. As for the choice, while my eyes do glaze over Gula's lines, every now and then she gives off a good one which is more than I can say of Superbia. It helps that Gula's quirk is on the sillier side while Superbia is a much more realistic (and probably a better character for it, now that I am thinking about it) character.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2021 14:32
|
|
|
 Last update, we ended on a choice of who to partner with for the next puzzle room. This time, we're going to be going with... BGM: Meridianus I'll go with Ava and Ula. I think that's what I'd like most, and the teams can be balanced anyway, right? The silence that followed betrayed the lack of objections from the entire group. You know... this may seem a little sudden, but I've had a thought. A thought? A sudden thought? Yes, an epiphany. You know what an epiphany is, right? An epiphany is the specific moment when your mental prowess shines and arrives at a conclusion, or when you attain an extraordinary idea. It is, to put it simply, a short moment of utter clarity. Well... all of that seems a little bit random... We don't even know what it's about.Tristitia changed the subject, deciding to leave that matter up to another time. Alright, then. I'll go fetch Bia; you guys can go to the rooms in the meantime. Remember, we're not exactly rich in time here, so we have to hurry a little.As if to prove that fact, he left right afterwards. Ancora could understand his desire to not waste any time, given how more than two hours already went by. The next rooms shouldn't be too bad, either. The last triad is the one I'm more worried about. For the time being, 39 minutes is ample time- we'll probably be done with it in a half hour. For the last ones, though... maybe it would be best to take some insurance. We need two deaths in the next hour again, somehow, so that we have two hours of respite. Shall we, as they say, get a move on? Need not I remind you both that as Trist has eloquently put, our allotted time is substantially diminishing in these moments of inertia. Yes, well, I was waiting for you to be ready to go. That is quite the coincidence, as I was doing similarly. Politeness indicates that the eldest should step for the lead, after all. The eldest? Are you calling me old? I'm not as old as I look, trust me.Ancora took the lead, understanding that time was working against them. The two others followed, focused in their exchange. Perhaps you would prefer sharing your progress in our common countdown to termination? Do you mean my age? It's awfully hard to understand what you're saying sometimes... even as a teacher. Oh, pardon me. I was not entirely certain of that fact. Now that I know, I could not help but find its notion hilarious, for this means a student has surpassed the master, has she not? If you mean that a student is outclassing a teacher in speech patterns, yes, I would assume so. But a more flowery speech pattern doesn't necessarily make it better. Would you care to elaborate? What good is talking in such eloquence if no one understands you...?Ancora listened to the two of them banter about the elder student's choices of wording. However, after Avaritia's question, the two of them had fallen silent. It appeared Gula was taking those words into consideration. The entire time, the group had been on the move. The room closest to the next set of doors already had occupants. That's where Invidia and Luxuria had gone. The other two rooms were to the left; Superbia and Tristitia were about to enter the one furthest away. Hey, good luck! I'm not sure if Superbia was her usual self... or if she was ashamed of herself. Either way, let's go already! Our time's so short.After casting a glance to her fellow companions, Ancora led the way inside. She could tell the others were anticipating the discovery of what was inside of the room. Was it another classroom? BGM: Silence The short answer was “no”. BGM: Medius  Oh, joy. Apologies, Ancora, but you are not permitted to be here, so I shall have to demand your departure. Hey, why? What about you, huh? You're not allowed here either! Myself? Your reasoning is erroneous. I am legal, eighteen years old, thank you. Not in the US, legal age would be twenty-one. The group set off in their own separate ways for the free 39 seconds they had to explore, before ME appeared again to tell them all about the subject of this classroom. Even though it's not really a classroom. By now, they should wise up to the fact their environment isn't like the school they're used to. If they can even remember the school itself yet. However, something is nagging at me, but I can't still put my finger on what exactly. Just an... odd feeling.A long, low table was positioned in front of the couch. On it was an unfinished drink, but taking it betrayed the fact it was entirely plastic. The television in front of the table was in a lamentable state. There was a door in the back, but a cursory exploration proved it was locked.  Figures we might have to unlock it to solve this entire room. What a bother...BGM: Silence And then the 39 seconds elapsed. On the dot, their visions were all taken by ME, just as the door leading outside of the room locked. BGM: ME Mori Welcome to a crash course in explosives! This room's theme has to do with bombs and the like. Why is this important? It will become more apparent later. Because there is a terrorist. Did you see the state of the school? Awful, so very awful. The animal who destroyed part of it took no one in consideration. All they had was blinded rage. Thankfully, most of you aren't involved in that blast. For the one who is, however, they would most likely be very annoyed if this information came to light! As a specification, I am not asking about their nickname. I want their real name. That is what you must figure out. I'll see you later.BGM: Metis The entire speech was much shorter this time around, lasting only a minute or two. The group of three looked at each other from various points in the room, having been interrupted while they'd been split up. Well, I hope there will be some kind of hint about their real name here. These rooms were built fairly so far, but I don't relish the idea of finding myself at an impasse. Then again, is it really fair to do that...? We've picked those nicknames... Actually, we did not so much “pick” those nicknames as they were forced upon us. It became so very easy to go along with it once it popped into your head. Popped? That's kind of a strange way to put it, for her.Clearing her throat, Gula continued, uninterrupted.  I do want to live, so yes. Where do we start? I... will be investigating the area surrounding this beverage-clad surface. Ancora? Yes? Pray remain as far as you can manage from this corner. Alcoholic beverages are not suitable for minors. You're barely older than me... But, fine. Though, if there's no alcohol, I want to be let in to investigate that place, too. Very well, I shall take your plea into consideration. I'm woefully uncertain as of now, however my opinion may be differently constructed in the coming times. This meant that for the next 35 minutes, Ancora would have more or less free reign over which area she investigated. Don't forget to bring everything you find to the same spot so we can go over everything easily. We can't let any clue pass by before we deduce the answer. I am also in agreement with this consolidation of found treasures. Let us away towards the vastness of this proletarian establishment. Her vocabulary's back. Something's going on with her speech patterns, and I can't make heads or tails of it. And I wouldn't really call them “treasures”... BGM: Mendosus  We've got a lot to look at in this room, but first things first I want to get the conversations out of the way; this time, we can question them about the bombs. Might as well rip the bandage off first and talk to Gula.  Do you know anything of those bombs? Which bomb? The one presumably situated at the epicenter of this ruined school? I'm afraid your search is in vain with me. Is that so... Yes, it is so. That is what I said, and I do not believe I have stuttered. Something feels off about her. It's like she's found something in this room, but refuses to talk about it. Situating ourselves into an investigating mindset is more valuable than idle chatter. You're right, let's go back. At once.One down, one to go. Next is Avaritia.  You remember what ME said, right? About surrendering our right to live? Yes. I already have my idea on how it'll end after these six hours. We're looking for a terrorist, right? As far as we know, only Wing A and the Crossroads are still standing... meaning bombs destroyed the other wings. What do you mean? If you hide as far as you can from it, then maybe it won't get you. How strong of an explosive it is, I wonder... I'm not actually sure how strong the blast would be. It's not like I really could test it or anything. But it's also possible Pandora saw it to make sure they would use explosives strong enough to reach across the entire school. I guess it doesn't need to reach too far either, if bombs really destroyed three wings already... If it's one of us, that means they were probably young... so I guess they could have screwed up, yeah. Oh, even older people can screw up, trust me. One thing's for certain, though; I have nothing to do with it. I mainly teach low-grade psychology- I don't have one ounce of knowledge about anything related to bombs and explosions. I think we'd need a motive of some sort to pin it to anybody, anyway. We'll get a name, but... But the name means nothing, that's what you mean? I agree. Even if we figure out who it is, what does it matter? What is the purpose of all of this? So many questions, so little answeres... makes me feel so incompetent...Avaritia sighed, clearly a fair deal annoyed by that fact. We should focus on the search unless you have something else to say. I'm out of topics right now. I'll be around here.And that's that; time to start investigating properly. I'm going to start with the bookshelf on the left.  After a few seconds, it was clear she wouldn't find anything new in there. It didn't help that she couldn't reach the highest shelf, either. How much longer do I have to endure this? I dunno... Talking to yourself? Oh, uh, no, not really, sorry. There's nothing in the bookshelves. Are you sure, or are you simply too short to reach the higher ledges?She gave a cursory look over it, and then she grabbed something out from behind a few books.  Ancora chose to ignore that for the most part and instead focused on the object. It's a box with colored faces. Six faces... and they all have a lock in them. I guess we have to find six keys for it. That's a lot! But it seems to contain a bunch of things too, so I think what's in here might be our key out of here.Shaking it a little, she nodded. Meanwhile, Ancora was wishing the first vote would've gotten her, after that awful pun. I think there's one of those ornate keys in here, and... a few ME-cards, too, judging by the noise. Either that, or other stuff... It all looks really solid, so I don't think we can break it. Sounds good to me. I guess we found what we're looking for now. Six keys... why the number six again?The door on the left side is the one we just came in from, so there's no reason to investigate it; instead, we should see if Gula's found anything at the bar.   I'll touch the bottles if I want, and you can't stop me! Cease, or there will be dire consequences.In defiance of Gula's demand, Ancora grabbed a nearby wine bottle. A long inhale escaped from the cow-themed girl's helmet, which had its sides held by the girl's hands in a state of utter horror. Sacrilegious! Heathen! Your spirit shall burn everlasting in the twisting abyss for this trespassing! Calm down, it's not even alcohol. This bottle just has water in it. And that's all she has to say even if we return to the bar. Next up, the ceiling fan. That looks way too high for us to be able to reach it. Think there's anything up there that we need to get? I don't think so... but even I can't reach it. Unless we use something else to get up there.After a few attempts, Avaritia managed to sort of rearrange the furniture in order to reach it. With her hand up there, she shook her head.  She gave a strong push onto one of the blades, sending the whole thing spinning. A thunk echoed from the side. Ouch! Something collided with my cranial armor! It must have fallen off while you both were toying with the ceiling fan.Gula exposed the object to the two other girls by lobbing it back at them in a quiet show of fury. Avaritia caught it, showing it to Ancora momentarily.  Next, the couch. This couch looks pretty drat comfortable. I'd say its comfort level is perhaps... 5. What's a comfort level got to do with anything? The comfort level is supremely important. Say,w hen you go buy a couch, you want it to be really comfortable, so you'll test it out. At least, that's what I've been told by a man who looked like he worked in a circus. But you didn't even sit on this one. And then, after you sit on it, like this... Wait a minute... This isn't a couch.She stood back up and reached for the armrest. After grabbing it, she lifted the side of the couch like it was nothing. It's fake! It's made of plastic! It just looks good! Something fell out when you lifted it.It was a piece of paper.  It was added to the rest of their inventory. The poster on the wall. What's this a poster of? It's like a giant eye, but there's nothing written on it. It's kind of creepy, honestly. I am not any more certain than you on this one, I'm afraid. Unfortunately, and as you may have surmised, I very only seldom attend such shows. A show? So you do know more about it?  If you remember, in the first game, there's a poster with a similar eye on it in the sleeping quarters. It's for a performer called the Magnificent Zachary. This is a callback to that. Anyway, if we try the door on the right, it's locked, so all that's left is the trash bin... Not another bin... At least Bia isn't here this time. Pray explain yourself. Oh, nothing, just... she blew a fuss about having to search that. I'm not squeamish about getting my hands dirty.She gave a wave in the air, as if dismissing the thought of that girl. She laboriously investigated the contents of the bin, to no avail.  Oh, uh... it was because of Vidi, I think. It's been so long, it feels like a lifetime ago by now, even if it's really just been a few hours. Wait, one singular second... Aha! My unmatched sense of observation told me there might be some hitherto undiscovered aide to our exploration underneath it. Well, that's good.Gula put the key on the table, leaving it for others to decide what to do with it. This key is the one that will unlock the door on the right side. Open, says me! Actually, the quote goes 'Sesame'. Isn't it a misheard speech kind of deal, and it's just “says me”? No, it comes from French, and Sesame is a name, or something like that. Doesn't matter anyway, let's open this door and see what's beyond...With a satisfying click, the lock came undone with a perfect fit by the purple key. Ancora threw it behind her without any second thought.  Avaritia, why would one key open two locks? That's silly, come now. Then we can just get it again.The group entered this new room, which was a hallway. It led to another door, this time without a lock to undo, and inside was...  Another place with alcohol...Avaritia and Gula were already searching through the alleys following Ancora's words. The latter of the duo was extremely interested in the boxes full of bottles. She's probably going to sneak out a few of those bottles. Well, she's going to be surprised when she tries drinking some of them, then. They're all empty. There's no new conversation options even with a new area, so we're just going to start investigating, this time starting with the fire extinguisher on the right side. There's a piece of paper alongside the fire extinguisher. I can almost see what's written on it...Ancora banged a few times on the window to try and get it to move around. What in the world is this insane cacophany? Can't you simply open the extinguisher's containment area? No, it's locked... Must I accomplish everything? It was just a 3D object pushed into the wall that looked like a fire extinguisher case. Now that it was dislodged, Ancora could pull it out.  The same can be said for this tool, as well. It is absolutely insubstantial. Behind this block is written... 'En cas d'urgence, boiser la vitre.' I happen to be knowledgeable of French, and that sentence is mistaken on a grammatical level. Or perhaps, it is simply an error in typography. “Boiser” should be “briser”. So it's important, then. Oh...She pulled out something from the rectangular hole left behind.  She put the block back where it was, reminding herself about this “boiser” business. The key went with their stuff. Next, let's check out the shelves, starting from left to right. Those sure are a lot of boxes. What do you think they contain? I'm not sure. Normally, this is what you call a “cellarage”. It contians wine bottles, and it's generally refrigerated due to the temperature the bottles must be kept at. But it's not any colder here...? Correct, it's not any colder. I'm not exactly sure why. It also does not look like an actual wine cellarage anymore, or perhaps it was never meant to do so. Well, let's open one of these boxes... Should you lift one, it is quite clear they contain glass-made containers. Wine bottles, to be precise. It does make me ponder upon the absence of a frigid temperature.While holding a box in her hands, Gula took a step back, looking down to the ground. Within the folded opening panel of this cardboard-made contraption was a metallic object. Is that a yellow key? No, it looks golden. Not exactly yellow. Maybe it can pass for one. Let's keep it in mind and search more of these boxes.Yet, nothing else turned up in this section. Middle shelf. Looking at more boxes, huh? I gotta double check everything to make sure we didn't forget anything...Shortly after, Ancora exclaimed in surprise when she found something in between two boxes.  So, does Pandora expect us all to search every single box here...? That's kind of... a little much. Well, I guess we have a fair amount of time left, anyway.Without too much of a fuss, Avaritia searched through the area while accompanying Ancora, but the two of them didn't find anything else worthwhile within this stack. Right shelf. Rejoice! I've unveiled the presence of a locked box here.Gula omitted the part where she'd been pointlessly examining the bottles on the ground, given that they were all empty. Or that she seemed rather sad at that fact. The lock is golden. Thankfully, we found a key just for this.After fiddling with the lock a little, the box unlocked and then it could be moved, which Gula took advantage of by taking it off the shelves. Inside were a few wine bottles, and near the bottom was a key.  And now, our spoils.She uncorked one of the bottles, but it quickly became apparent that what was inside the bottle was not wine. In fact, the bottle had already been opened before. What is all this?Ancora examined it a little more closely. Seems like... Drugs.The trio stared in light surprise as they all realized that fact. The box was then subsequently closed and put back where it had been. I mean, wine isn't that far from drugs, is it? It's still a substance that affects your body... Expensive, huh? How do you know all this is worth a lot? Oh, come on, it's no rocket science. Drugs can go for a lot, that's not a secret. If every bottle here was full of drugs... Then we are witnessing a stashed, hidden, illegal fortune, full of nothing but gratuitous larceny.After a few seconds to take it all in, the group went back to their search. This is all dirty money. Even if it's a lot of money, it's dirty, so I don't get why anyone would want to profit from this. I guess some people do what they can to survive, huh? I think the real question is: why is it still here? I'm not actually too sure. All of this should have been emptied long ago... It's probably the last of this drug, too- all of it.There's a shelf in the middle of the room with a bunch of stuff on it, but it turns out to just be cleaning supplies- not even a real discussion to be had. In the far corner of the ceiling, there's a wheel we can attempt to examine...  Or a stepladder at least... That's good, but... That's not enough. We need a real ladder, not just a stepladder. Does she understand me?! Recurring references to other games aside, the ladder we can use is in the back behind the shelf. Is that what I think it is? It is precisely one ladder, yes. A plethora of proverbial doors are now open to us. Probably the most useful thing we could find here... Other than the answer to ME's question, at least. I'll carry it over if needed. No, I can reach this, so I'll do it. The ladder was added to their inventory. ...kind of. And with that, we can now reach the wheel. It's kinda high, but... Here, there's a ladder.Reaching to the wheel after climbing the ladder, Avaritia turned it, only to pull on it too hard. It broke, and it took a few seconds for Avaritia to regain her foothold on the ladder. Ancora moved forward as if to help, but the woman dismissively waved, already coming back down with the prize.  Isn't that dangerous? Leaving that socket empty of the wheel? Dunno. But this wheel actually has markings on the outside. It says... “jest over linguist ingrate”. I can't make heads or tails of what it means. Oh, well. Let's bring it with the rest of our stuff, anyway. It's clearly a hint.And that's everything to be found in this room! We can now return to the bar area, as we've given Gula enough time now that we can return to the bar... So, have you found anything here yet? It happens that I have. Upon its presentation, however, you must promise to take no duplicitous action, such as wordlessly taking possession of it. I promise, then. Its location was... hey! Release my quarry this instant. Sorry, but I have to put it with the rest of our stuff. Consider it confiscated. I'm the older one here! You can't just do this to me like that! Her speech definitely gets worse when she's flustered.And with that, we have everything we need to escape this room! The first step is pretty obvious- use all the keys on the strange box we found at the beginning.  Inside of the box was a piece of paper. Unfolding it revealed a much larger diagram, containing multiple sections. Think that's related to the name we have to give? No doubt about it.Gula didn't seem all too interested by it, instead sitting on the couch and paying little attention. The two other girls focused to try and understand what it meant, but the more they thought, the less sense it made. It seems like this name is in four parts. For the first part, it says... “_ _ _ (K)”. I wonder why those underscores are there. Parenthesis? The second part says... “+ Common 4”. I'm guessing the two of those together make one name, since they're on the same line. Let's just keep it in mind... There's other stuff in this box, and we can come back to the paper at any point.Ancora pulled out two ME-cards next. Avaritia took one, while Gula snagged the other. Hey!Gula simply shrugged. It is, as we say, shotgunned. Perhaps it is karma, or payback. It does not matter, regardless; there is a key you are entirely free to obtain.She was right- in the box was yet another thing.  Now we have to give our answer...Decidedly, she wasn't too happy about having to do it. Normally, one would be eager to leave, but... it is clear that due to the way this is set up, if you don't get it right, you die, so maybe she's just stressed because she might have to say it, being the older figure. And here I thought she loved lording her age over the rest of us. Granted, she did dsay she didn't want to be treated any differently before... When you get an idea, let's gather at the door to make our exit. With that second slip of paper, the answer is solveable! I'm going to spoiler the solutions, in case you want to try it yourself So, you have an idea? There's actually no time to waste. While we're not at the time limit yet, we have a vote to do, talks to share, and also, we need to try and figure out how to buy some time.Ancora stepped forward, with her mind already set. The two others stopped all of their actions and simply stared as the shorter girl inhaled deeply, readying herself. Let ME out! The terrorist is... So, for the first name, we know the solution is “_ _ _ K + common 4”. The first half of this solution should be relatively obvious, as it relates to the sign above the bar- in other words, the first three letters of the first name are LUC. The second half is a bit trickier, but it's connected to one of the slips of paper we found- the one that sais “bille quille ville trille”. It's asking for the four letters each word has in common. Thus, the first name of the terrorist is...   This one's solution is “_ _ _ _ (ER) + Wheel Firsts”. The first half is connected to the fire extinguisher we found in the second room- Gula said that one of the words was incorrect, “boiser”. This tells us this word was intentionally changed, and thus, the first four letters of the last name are BOIS. As for the second half, the wheel had a phrase engraved on it: “jest over linguist ingrate”. The clue wants you to take the first letter from each word, which gives the last name of our terrorist...  Lucille Boisjoli!The door unlocked. Everyone released a breath they most likely didn't realize they held before. After that, a shaky laughter came from Avaritia. Well, that's not my name. I don't care about who the terrorist is either, personally. Let's just go.She was the first one out, clutching her ME-card. Ancora looked as she left, expecting Gula to take the steps to go too, but she'd frozen in place. Hey, Gula? The door's open, let's go. Ah, yes, that is... correct. Very well.Gula left without adding any other words. Finally, the blond girl followed behind them. A lot cleaner of an exit than last time, that's for sure.
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2021 18:43
|
|
|
Ah yes, the room that was my first introduction to this entire series. You can definitely see how the general puzzle solving and room design have really improved from Head AS Code to here.
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2021 19:03
|
|
|
Does anything interesting happen if you-the-player put in the wrong name as a solution?
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2021 19:18
|
|
|
No, it does the thing that ZTD does when you put in a wrong/unusable answer in those kind of word entries (either a hint or just 'wrong answer, dumbass'). Ancora has stated she already knows the answers to these, so she's not going to knowingly say the wrong thing and blow her own head off- she's just going through the motions of exploring everything with whoever she's with to blend in better.
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2021 19:39
|
|
|
I actually really appreciate the dialogue about Gula's dialogue here. The way she reads to me is that she's so desperate to sound intelligent that she talks like a thesaurus, not really understanding how intelligent people talk or what eloquent speech is. But when you're not 100% on the writing of something, it's not clear if that's a character trait or an author trait; the way this update goes, it definitely sounds more like the former, and that is a great deal more tolerable.
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2021 20:04
|
|
|
Man this whole puzzle solving thing is REALLY reliant on somebody not misspeaking, huh?
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2021 00:21
|
|
|
I wonder who Lucille is. Gula or Ava could be faking that they're not Lucille, but it could also be Bia or Lux.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2021 14:32
|
|
|
It could be any of them - Lucille is most traditionally used as a female name but there have been men named Lucille.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2021 14:34
|
|
|
Yeah, this game is definitely more engaging than the first! I'm digging the concept of playing as the mastermind who knows they're the mastermind, though as others have pointed out, it seems like someone else is tampering with things somehow. As everyone has pointed out, Pandora taking one of the others' nicknames seems pretty risky - it doesn't seem like the game was explicitly designed to kill the 9th person, and if two people claimed the same nickname, it seems like that would paint a large target on both their backs, which would be problematic for the mastermind. Now, with the way they've described remembering the nicknames, it's not impossible that something similar to the collar transmitting memories from Head AS Code is in play here and the nicknames may or may not be with the correct people. But I'm also wondering if the murder referenced in the initial escape room might've been the death of the true Ancora, and the unnamed 9th person is a designated red herring of sorts. Maybe that's related to the "betrayal" Pandora-Ancora is fixated on. Either that or they were all connected to the murder in some way. I doubt it's unrelated, with it being brought up so early on and then casually dismissed. I also wonder if My Emptiness is connected to the Empty S brought up in the last game, especially since there's no way a teenage girl (even one who apparently ran her own criminal organization?) could've set all this up alone. Assuming Pandora only refers to one person, of course. Interesting that both Ira and Vidi, in their respective death scenes, seemed to have some info. Vidi had supposedly been instructed to have people vote for him if there was a deadlock - he claims it will end everything and then talks about atoning to Bia for his crime. Ira outright claims to be an accomplice, though it seems like he must be referring to something separate from the game with the way Pandora-Ancora reacts. Unless he's the "hacker/coding friend" she keeps referring to? Seems odd that he wouldn't recognize his creations in that case, though... Lastly, I'm guessing Gula is our terrorist, with the way she reacted throughout that last room. She seemed uncomfortable from the get-go and froze when the name was announced. She also knows French, which (while not saying much if this game is also set in Montreal or Quebec in general) fits the name. I guess it's possible she just knows who that person is, though. Right now, we only have Ira's name confirmed, which I'm trusting given that we have a lock opened following that revelation.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2021 23:30
|
|
|
 BGM: Meridianus The group of three women emerged into the familiar hallway. There was nothing new about this place, so they all waited, thinking the other groups would come out. After a few minutes elapsed, it was clear none of that was going to happen just yet. They had escaped rather quickly, after all.  You can go if you want, but someone needs to stay here to tell them about it.The older woman made a dismissive motion of her hand. Gula waved and left, in a little bit of a hurry to get away from the two others. Ancora stared, slightly puzzled at that behavior, before turning her attention to Avaritia. She's acting really strangely. It's almost suspicious, like she figured something out, and we haven't yet. Anyway, you'll stay here, then? Yes. You can go too if you want. You have a ME-card to find, right? Just go.Ancora solemnly nodded and left Avaritia's entourage too. Her steps brought her towards the room Superbia and Tristitia shared. She had a thought of glancing inside to check up on their progress, but it was impossible; there was that metal plate over the door's window. Not only is this a search for a missing ME-card, it's also a search for someone to kill off, somehow. It would have been so much easier to let someone else try to answer the question! Doing it first was so stupid! This was the back wall of the first hallway- the one they all emerged in from their triple classroom earlier. In the corner was a door. Above it, a sign read EXIT, but naturally, it wouldn't work. First of all, this door was locked, but it led to a staircase that could normally access the second floor. And it has an emergency exit, but it's locked, like everything else. Leaving there is impossible right now.Ancora decided to head back to the others. She hadn't found a ME-card in this corner, but there was one past that door; it just wasn't time to open it yet. On the way back, making sure all classrooms were well and truly locked, she tried the L key, to no avail. They might be mostly empty; some of them have stuff in them, like ME-cards. They're an extra step to force people to split up while outside the rooms. Hey, Cora. You guys made it out first? You work hard. Yeah, thanks. I think we just got a little lucky. Ahh.. well.. we didn't. Uhh... I don't know how to say it, so I'll just say it when we all group back together, I guess. We're going to the Crossroads after we've all left our rooms. Maybe you want to head there now?Avaritia closed the distance, seeing as the two of them had been talking without her.  Makes sense... Oh, yeah, we had one extra, Cora. Here.Tristitia handed over a ME-card to Ancora, who pocketed it without hiding her surprise. An extra card? Yeah... I'll meet you at the Crossroads. Something's wrong. I've been having my doubts every since he came out of the room, but there's something there that's definitely wrong.Without any other words, Tristitia made his way back through the hallway. Ancora cast a glance towards the door he'd come out of; she hadn't been quick enough to look at the situation in the room... I guess it's important. I got my ME-card now, so... With a wave, she saw Ancora off. The blond girl didn't need to be told twice; her steps took her away from the older woman almost immediately. But she didn't go all the way back. She waited close by, around the corner. Something nagged at her, something really bad. The same kind of feeling when you think something is definitely amiss.She just wanted confirmation. A few minutes later, Ancora heard the door to Invidia and Luxuria's room close. She leaned forward a little, after making sure nobody noticed she was eavesdropping.  It's like the answer was just... there.Ancora missed the part where they said what the answer to their room was. Bia still hasn't come out of her room, but the rest are in the Crossroads. Really? Bia's still there? What about Trist? He left a while ago. He's already gone to the shotguns, if I had to guess. We do have a vote coming in... very soon. But... well... I guess this is a worry right now... Even if, maybe, I shouldn't be too sad about it. What do you mean? What's... sad? Look at your timer.A small pause followed, silence from everyone involved. Yes, our vote's in ten minutes flat. Remember what ME said: we only have 39 minutes to escape these rooms, right? The small girl realized it. After a moment, it struck Ancora too. BGM: Metis Superbia! She didn't come out at all, and the timer's over now! She's dead!It seemed like such an abrupt end for her. Yet, even with her dead, something still bothered Ancora, somehow. You know, it's... kind of weird. This means we have another hour, right? But, even so, I feel like... I don't feel sad or anything. I don't feel anything about it. Bia was also not the nicest person... I think. If only we could also... confirm that she's dead. I didn't see her coming out, but she could have come out way earlier, before Trist. And he wouldn't have left the room? No, I don't think so. You said you stood guard here the whole time, right? And no one came out? No one. Then she's dead. Let's go.Ancora heard footsteps coming, so she hurried away. Thankfully, her own boots weren't noisy if she was careful, even on solid flooring. BGM: Medius  The others are coming. Alright, then I'll say what I wanted to say to you two first. I've realized this a little bit ago, but we're nine people in total here. Well, it so happens that there's a thing in psychology called the Enneagram of Personality. Pray tell, which personality would you proclaim you belong to? Ah, you know of it too? Slightly. In my youth, I've perused the dictionary an astounding lot. You don't say? Well... I'd probably be the Peacemaker type, which is the ninth type. No, it's the only one that makes sense. I started categorizing us into the types, and...Before he could say any more, the others caught up with the three who had gathered for the vote. His theory is sound, anyway. We're nine, and all of us correspond to a type or another. Maybe this makes me the Investigator, also known as Observer type, then.For the next minute, Tristitia explained what he was thinking about to the new arrivals, too. BGM: Metis After Tristitia was done, the group came together to decide on what was the next course of action.  Oh, that...She shivered apprehensively, waiting for the verdict to fall. It was clear what the subject was. Even though we're not meant to “know” yet, but there's been some eavesdropping going on. Yeah, well, Trist... Bia didn't come out of your room, did she? That is correct, she did not come out of the room. Why is that? I don't need to explain my thinking, but I guess I can humor you.BGM: Memini Meminisse  Earlier, I spoke about the Enneagram. Well, I only told you what I categorized myself under. But I'm pretty sure I'm spot on with Bia's categorization- and that's why I made sure she died. That... doesn't make any sense! She was a huge bitch to everyone, but how could you do that? What's her personality type? I'm not sure I should say, but there's more to each personality type than just the name. From what I found out in the room I explored with her, there was a very good reason related to her past, trust me.Obviously, the group didn't exactly know what was up with Superbia's past, or her situation in general. In fact, it didn't seem like anyone really had memories of any time from before they woke up. If I told you what it was, you wouldn't believe me, because it didn't fit. That's because when stressed, her type can grow prideful. Not only was she stressed, but if I had to guess, lording over others is nothing new to her. Remember how she treated Ira. He has a good point about Ira. However, why is the body gone? It doesn't make any sense. So, she was misusing her personality type. She became the corrupted version of it. My theory is that we're all more or less the corrupted version of our type... which brings us to this dilemma. The group looked at each other for a few moments. I tdidn't seem like anyone wanted to speak. Perhaps it was the fear of publicly outing someone that was preventing them. Perhaps it was also because they were debating if they wanted to call out the horse on his dishonesty. The one who broke the silence was Avaritia. I would probably vote for... Lux.Luxuria took her hands up, surprised, almost backing away from that accusation. What... why? Why me? A feeling, I guess. We have to pick someone, and I'd probably go on that feeling right now. Of course, my mind can change on it. But I... I didn't, I didn't do anything... But ME said only six of us would die! That's correct. That means... we already lost three members, so we have to kill three more. Which personality types are the most dangerous when corrupted, you think? Um...Ancora had to admit that she didn't know much about the Enneagram of Personality beyond just the names. She hadn't gotten to study those things yet. Meanwhile, Tristitia seemed to have done a lot of research on the internet. All we have to do is get rid of that trio of most dangerous ones.BGM: Membrana *click*   So that's it, then? That's how this ends?He fired it once. Luxuria screamed. He fired it again. Ancora shielded herself with her arms. He fired it a final time. And then there was silence. Silence for three, while three others fell to the ground. Ancora watched as the scene happened in what felt like a small eternity.  Then Invidia's weight collapsed him to the ground. Finally, Gula ended up a heap, never to breathe again. Every shot of the gun had gotten them square in the heart. What... happened...? Everything happened so fast. He must be really good with revolvers. Dangerous.Luxuria couldn't even say anything. All she could do was stare. She was staring in pure bewilderment. Where before she'd screamed, now she was saying nothing. BGM: Mestitior  Her laughter was broken. The cute voice coming from her helmet spouted such strange laughter. It was going on, and on. It was an uncontrollable laughter. People laugh when things are funny, but they also laugh when they are anxious or fearful. That's why laughter therapy exists; and the kind of laughter coming from Luxuria was not one made from a good joke. She was laughing because if she wasn't, she'd go completely mad. This is... this is insane... isn't it? Hahahaha, hahahaha! Lux! Snap out of it!Ancora suddenly grabbed the smaller girl by the shoulders, shaking her slightly. The girl ceased her laughter, and instead the reality of the situation dawned on her again. After a heavy shudder, the girl began to wail instead. N-no! No! None of this is correct! None of it... Trist! You... you killed them... Just like that! He waved over to the other bodies with an arm, while Luxuria hiccupped in apprehension and fear. That's not making peace!She stood up to the overweight boy, even though he had a gun. That's just killing everyone! BGM: Membrana Another shot rang out. The victim was clear this time; it was Luxuria. Ancora shuddered and suddenly had a nauseating thought. Whoops! He's coming. Run! Run before he shoots again! Revolvers have six bullets! Assuming he killed Superbia, that's five spent! He's still got one! You just have to stall out one bullet! Come on, Ancora!With that thought... nothing happened. It was already too late by that point. Even if Ancora turned around to sprint away... BGM: Mestitior  As life slowly escaped her body, she had a thought... And that final thought became five, ten, twenty. It was as though a voice was talking to her in her final moments. And then she faded.     BGM: Silence      Luxuria directives obtained.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 15:43
|
|
|
For the record, my type is the Individualist
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 15:44
|
|
|
I was thinking about it last update with trists reaction to Ira biting it, and how callous he was being - but man he's a loving psychopath huh?
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 15:59
|
|
|
Ah, yes, the game's starting the batshit insanity this early.  Imagine if there were 12 people and Trist started murdering based on their horoscopes.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 16:04
|
|
|
Leraika posted:Ah, yes, the game's starting the batshit insanity this early. Great, so he's a Homestuck on top of a psycho. (The logic is sound though. If you're not the mastermind and the mastermind is a member of the group, killing everyone will kill the mastermind 100% sure! Let's just ignore the moral implications of that.)
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 16:40
|
|
|
Come to think of it that was A's solution in Head AS Code too, and went approximately as well for everyone involved.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 16:47
|
|
|
And here I thought Trist was one of the more sane members of the group. Welp! Shows my ability to judge another person.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 16:55
|
|
|
Mix. posted:For the record, my type is the Individualist Investigator. Lord, I've done too many of these different types of personality tests in a work context. GiantRockFromSpace posted:(The logic is sound though. If you're not the mastermind and the mastermind is a member of the group, killing everyone will kill the mastermind 100% sure! Let's just ignore the moral implications of that.) In this case, you can also add that he's aware everyone (including him, of course) is part of a criminal organization; it might make him feel more morally justified in killing them all if he can imagine they deserve it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 22:02
|
|
|
Junpei posted:And here I thought Trist was one of the more sane members of the group. "lol" said the Peacemaker "lmao"
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2021 23:23
|
|
|
Well, uh. Didn't expect that.  Trist is definitely not right in the head, though, if he's killing people based on their assumed enneagrams. Especially after just declaring himself the Peacemaker. (iirc I'm a Loyalist based on back when I did the enneagram in 999-days.) Also - LUXURIA directives: alphabet and water? It doesn't seem like that's opened any locks, so wonder what that's all about. EDIT: I take that back - no changes to the top locks, but is there one on the bottom of the flowchart that's been changed? Didn't realize there were two sets earlier.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2021 02:13
|
|
|
I hope this is okay to post here - the final part of the Abime series (Head as Code, Birth ME Code) has been officially announced. Release date is currently set for late 2022.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2021 22:27
|
|
|
Trist has delusions of grandeur. He's just a donkey with a revolver, but he thinks he's a Colt Peacemaker.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2021 22:32
|
|
|
HydroSphere posted:I hope this is okay to post here - the final part of the Abime series (Head as Code, Birth ME Code) has been officially announced. Release date is currently set for late 2022. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2021 22:39
|
|
|
  You, uh, sure there aren't two other games in my library that it might also be similar to, Steam? But yeah, I don't think there's anything on that page that's particularly spoilery for THIS game, but I absolutely would not check out the creator's twitter, since it's been over a year since the game shipped, and there ARE spoilers for this game on there
Mix. fucked around with this message at 23:52 on Sep 8, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2021 23:43
|
|
|
 content warning: misogyny, body-shaming, mild sexual harrassment Tempting as it is to keep exploring the side of the flowchart we unlocked with voting Ira off, instead (with a new file, of course) we're going to open up the other side. As such, that means we have to get someone else voted for, so our starting decisions are going to be different. Starting from the beginning of the flowchart: Ancora “wakes up” in the classroom (after activating her own helmet) and, after speaking to the others, she introduces herself to Superbia. After solving the classroom and leaving, they meet three other participants- Ira, Tristitia, and Avaritia. The three move forward to introduce themselves, and Ancora decides to approach Avaritia first. After introductions are made, the six group up again and discuss their predicament, as well as wondering on the status of the last three participants- just for Gula and Luxuria to exit, alone. After another video message from ME, the two explain the third person with them died before they could get her name. The group begins introductions once more, and while Ancora thinks they should handle the puzzle first, she ultimately ends up talking to Luxuria. Afterwards, she solves the puzzle attached to the hallway exit, which allows the group to enter the Crossroads. In the process, Superbia hits her head and falls over, leading the group to pause once more until she is recovered. While they wait, Ancora decides to speak to Luxuria some more. After their conversation, ME returns with another message explaining that the group will need nine keycards to be able to initiate the first round of voting- and that if they don't, they all will die once the hour is up. The group splits up to look for a few remaining keycards, giving Ancora the chance to find a quiet corner and hack into someone's helmet. She can only hack helmets whose frequencies match her own (as they change frequencies semi-regularly), but there are three frequencies she can connect to at this time... BGM: Meridianus At the moment, matching frequencies include... Ira, Avaritia, and Luxuria's helmets. For now, I'll be hacking... Previously to now, the option to hack Luxuria has been blocked off on the flowchart, and the reason for that is that even with the right frequencies, sometimes she can't actually solve the puzzle and make the connection. The reason for this is because we have to obtain “directives” in order for her to be able to attempt the hack...  BGM: Mens Metis  As you can see here, the Luxuria directives- “alphabet and water”- are the actual literal directives for the hack puzzle. Can't solve a puzzle you don't know the instructions to! In this case, the solution is... You would think that the order it's in already works as a solution (letters in alphabetical followed by H20), but that's actually incorrect. The real answer is to literally spell out 'A 2 Z' (A to Z) and then from there put the rest of the letters in alphabetical order again (H to O, aka H20). This one's mean  BGM: Metis  Gula and Luxuria were together, as expected. The cow-themed girl was deep in the subject of the school's ruined appearance. If bombs went off in three wings out of four, why was the fourth one not destroyed? Perhaps the explosives were defective. I honestly cannot presume to even imagine.The two of them quieted a little as they approached the hallway they'd been in first. Passing by Ira and Superbia, they made it seem like they didn't want the two others to hear what they were talking about. Once they were in Wing A proper, Luxuria changed the subject.  I beg you not to endeavor in revealing our actions to everyone. Refrain from speaking of that sordid outcome! Don't worry, Ula. Nobody can hear us here; we're way too far from the rest of them. In that case... perhaps she has tricked us? No, that's impossible. The girl with us definitely died, beheaded like that. Perhaps your tour-de-force has shrunken the opposition down by a ninth, yet we should not squander the advantage we hold upon that personage.BGM: Medius  Changing the subject once again, Luxuria adressed Gula while pointing at the door. I want to get in there. You should do something about it. Do you truly believe I could remove this obstacle simply by wishing for its disappearance? Just... use your giant chest to break through the door. ughhhhhhhh this entire conversation sucks and honestly I won't blame you if you scroll past it, if it wasn't the bulk of this hack I would've honestly cut itGula held an arm across her chest as if to block its view; an action that was bound for failure simply based on its size. Your fixation with my bust is becoming quite a nuisance, Lux- never mind the fact you're definitely the real culprit behind the darkened areas of this article of clothing! Can you blame me for wanting to have a little fun? Besides, I didn't see you complaining before now...What this means is that Luxuria drew the cow print on while she was still asleep, probably with a sharpie or something. Also, I haven't mentioned it before now, but Luxuria is around the same age as the rest of the students, just, you know. Smaller. Gula hesitated a little before holding her hips contemplatively.  If it means anything, I'm super thankful for that. Still, we should focus on the main thing at hand... Is that main thing just how cute you are? I still cannot get over how cute you are. Is it on purpose? Cute things such as you are dangerous, so I should really not let you play me like a fiddle, but I can't help it... So cute that you're forgetting your usual vocabulary. Ah! That is... correct. Apologies for that; I shall endeavor in not exposing myself so readily. That'll be hard with the clothes you have, I think.Gula was definitely embarrassed at those words, both of her arms uneasily crossing under her chest. The girl even averted her gaze for a short moment. These clothes... I am fully aware they are not very flattering. You won't see me complaining, Ula. Besides, I like girls like you. I like them a lot, do you understand what I'm saying?The cow-themed girl's embarrassment grew tenfold at that, and a long pause followed the admission. Luxuria noticed, eventually clearing her throat.  No, n-no it's okay! It's perfectly fine, though, I um... I don't really... swing that way... Did you ever try? Someone like me, I mean. Ahaha, umm, not... really? Life is full of possibilities, Ula. If you haven't tried, can you truly say you don't like that? Besides, I'm cute, right? It should be fine, then. What am I even watching? Same Perhaps... You truly are dangerous, aren't you? But I believe we have more important things to focus on, such as the unearthing of an escape route. Let's talk about it again later, then. Pinky swear? P-pinky swear, I think.The duo resumed their search by entering a nearby unlocked classroom. Looking around the place, the two of them turned everything over. They did find a ME-card hidden inside the teacher's desk. How strange... but maybe I should leave it here. I'm thinking we could use it to our advantage. This is an additional ME-card for us later, and if not... then at least it's a way to keep everyone in here, since we won't get thirty-nine cards without this one. To keep everyone incarcerated I could understand the thought, but for which purpose? ...It feels like it would be more fun if we make full use of these six hours, no? I find myself somewhat reticent. Your inactions never cease to bring me the utmost worry, Lux. Both for the others, and my own self... And are you sure you don't want to date me still? I can guarantee you just one date will let you know all about what it's like with people like me, too! Worry not, Lux. I... suppose I can ponder on that embarrassing subject, just for you. I remain unconvinced for now however, so please, pardon my self-imposed exclusion.BGM: Metis Luxuria is proving to be a proverbial thorn in my side. Perhaps it's a good idea to try and steer the group towards voting her out. She's clearly winning Gula over already. They are too close, and she's the boss. And just like Gula keeps repeating, Luxuria is looking extremely dangerous right now. She's the reason why the ninth one died, huh? Thank god for that.From here, Ancora regroups along with the others and they examine the strange cylinder in the Crossroads where the voting is to be held. The group insert keycards into the nine slots, and the cylinder retracts into the ground while another video message plays from ME. The eight all attach their helmets to their respective terminals to begin the voting process. Superbia immediately goes on the offensive by stating she believes Ancora to be the mastermind. Ancora responds in turn by stating that, from a logical perspective, if she was the mastermind she wouldn't pick the name that immediately sets her apart from the group- it'd be too risky. Some of the others are swayed by this, but not everyone, which means Ancora must go on the offensive even further... BGM: Mercedis Mellitus  What are you talking about? In detective novels, when you get to the end, the culprit is always someone you don't suspect. If you think about it that way, this means someone in our group is much more suspicious than they originally appeared. And I know three things that make that person super suspicious. Which would be...? Out with it, already! Time's a-ticking!The entire group was willing to give Ancora's theory a listen, since no one interrupted her other than Superbia. Well, umm... I don't know how to explain this... but someone in our group has already committed murder. To be more specific, I mean like, not long ago. Earlier, in fact. Do you remember how Lux and Ula left their room without a third party? Are you perchance accusing us of having committed the villainous crime of murder?Superbia answered promptly, interrupting Gula. I always thought that was super suspicious. She is quick to agree. That's a little strange, and merits investigation, but that's for later. There's a bigger fish to fry right now. The puzzle wasn't even that hard to put together, either. The answer was clearly My Emptiness, so why did they get it wrong and die? Is it because someone hid parts of the answer? I don't know about that, but... I think, at best, someone caused that death to see if things were dangerous for real. Like a guinea pig. Anyway, there are two other things.Gula quieted again. She was possibly weighing her options in opposing that thought. Luxuria said nothing the whole time, not being one for confrontation. The second thing is that Lux and Ula are quite close together. So close that I think they're forming a team, and that's dangerous, isn't it? For the votes. It means they have power. No, we're not! We only explored the school together earlier, and... Even if I'd do that, I wouldn't do anything bad, I swear!Superbia cleared her throat and spoke. She was still jumping at any opportunity to pin votes on anyone other than her. It was slightly grating to Ancora, since she wanted to finish putting forth her arguments. We can't be sure of that. Reminder, we're all in My Emptiness, here. You're the calmest, coolest, most innocent butterfly of the group. Like hell! Cuteness is a weapon too! We can't say how it'll go, that's correct. Sorry Lux, but we have to think about that too. Unlike the rest of the ones talking to her, Luxuria adopted a stance based on emotions. Sometimes you can't deduce everything with logic. It doesn't make a lick of sense! Like just how you're making these wild guesses about Ula and me, too. You can't know any of the things Cora says, can you? While that's true, aren't you confirming them now?Luxuria took a small pause to mull over that. Ancora was right; she was falling for the bait. So what, then? What does it matter if I confirm it? Maybe I like Ula. I'm sure you people like others too, and that doesn't make you into a murderer.Superbia remained silent, not wishing to get in the way of the little debate. Everyone had forgotten they were on a tight leash, time-wise.  Gula tried to quiet Luxuria, almost visibly embarrassed, but she wanted to hear none of it. And besides, why am I under such scrutiny right now? You still haven't answered that, huh! I'm small, is that why? You're picking on me because I'm small? No, it's because you've been meddling with this thing we're a part of! For all we know, you two murdered the ninth in cold blood, but I'm suspecting you way more than Ula. What's it to you, big tits?Insults threw at Ancora, all of which quickly grew into a tantrum. You blond normie girl with big tits, what do you want, picking on me like that? You really wanna pin this on me that bad, huh? You found a ME-card, didn't you? Yes, I used it! BGM: Metis A chilly pause so glacial it could have rivaled the North Pole settled after Ancora said those words. It took a few moments for her to understand that she said something she definitely couldn't have known. Whoops! Oh, no. I shouldn't have been thinking that much about what I've seen when I hacked into Luxuria's helmet. Now it's too late, since the topic's already brought up... Guess I'll just have to think something up.As they all hesitated, Gula silently pushed a button on her console, as if to vote early. It wasn't clear for whom, yet. Luxuria eventually broke the awkward pause, but the time it took her to refute it was already telling its own story. I never said that! Renounce to it, Lux. She's clearly aware of the events that transpired. I know not how nor why, but even you should admit defeat where due.BGM: Mercedis Mellitus  The small girl smashed her hand against the console, the sheer strength behind it causing a worrying cracking noise. Maybe it's best to sit back and watch how things go, now. You were using your cuteness to manipulate us, and I don't like that. But only if all of that was true. I can't see why Cora would lie. Because her stupid big chest is under fire. That's why she needs to lie! I'll a-agree with whatever Bia is proposing. G-guys, we have twenty seconds l-left! Sorry, but all we have is stuff against you. And if she lies about it, we'll deal with her too, just like we're dealing with your little bitch rear end.The horse and the lion entered their vote, followed by the rabbit after a brief pause with her hand on the buttons. With this many stacked against her, Luxuria lost her mind. This isn't what it was supposed to be! You're making a big mistake!Invidia put his vote in. And just like that, everyone had voted, except for Ancora and Luxuria, the latter still screaming bloody murder. This isn't fair! I'll... I'll get you for that! I'll take you all on, I'll break you, and I'll make you take your last breath! You're all going to die, even if I die! I'll come back and- Would you please shut up? You're digging your own grave even deeper. Cora, vote and let it be done. And you! You, Cora! Not even hell has a place for what I'll do to you!Deciding to ignore those words, Ancora voted.  Just like with Ira's vote, it's, uh, irrelevant who we vote for here. But I still voted for Luxuria. The screens above the voting consoles settled onto Luxuria's symbol. It was clear what was to follow: it was her execution. Every shotgun but the victim's released their hold, leaving the participants to witness the macabre outcome. BGM: Silence  Time slowed down. Eventually, everything froze. BGM: Memoria                                                             Lock #4 obtained.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2021 15:28
|
|
|
Okay so that incredibly stupid conversation aside, the ninth one got murdered right off the bat by Lux and Gula, that explains a bit. And it looks like the locks are getting the other people killed in votes?
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2021 15:37
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 3, 2024 08:48 |
|
|
The things I said about the writing of this game in the last thread continue to be true, ughhhh
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2021 15:41
|
|