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@allaboardthemetro-blog
Howdy everyone
Itâs Rev here with a little video for you all.
https://youtu.be/cjgxzSW9yj0
I just share my thoughts on the absolute wonderful journey All Aboard was.
Thank you all so much for following this game through to its end.
I look forward to many more of these fun moments with you all in the future.
Peace out, friends.
Thank You For Riding With Us, Have A Nice Day
There was very little time to survey your surrounding once you all passed the two stoic figures. You were around a⊠Museum? There was a large parking lot with cars, and people were coming and going from the door. There was a large black van in front of you all, and it was in that moment everything started to fade.
What was⊠Going on� Where.. Did that⊠Engine.. Come⊠From�
When you woke back up, you had a black sack over our head, tied around your neck. You couldnât see anything as the material was too thick. Were people talking about anything? You didnât really have the capacity to tell. All you could tell was the vehicle you were in was moving.
When you finally came to a stop, you hear the doors open. Of course, where the door was, was a mystery, but that's besides the point. You feel someone grab your shoulder and escort you out. Soon after, you hear the doors close, and the voice of an unknown individual tells you âTake off your own bagsâ. Then, the vehicles drove off.
After a few minutes of untying the knots, and removing the bags, it seemed that you all had been moved below some bridge. The strange individuals presumably from the company Akira mentioned were no longer here.
âI-Itâs really you...â All that stood before you was the image of Oliver Matthews. He seemed just as confused as you were. The fact was he was still here.
No one is holding you back now.
You can do whatever you want.
What will you do with this second chance of life?
The rest of your storyâŠ
Is up to you.
Final Stop
The train ride went at the same speed as it usually did. There was no real difference in anything, minus of course the fact that you all are one short. That, and the fact that you all are supposedly about to exit this living hell.
It was strange. While you all had seemingly won, there was no fanfare. No moments of happiness, or congratulations. Simply silence hung in the air as the benefactors to your captor dragged you along wherever.
When the train stopped for what was said to be the final time, the doors slid open with their normal creak. Peering out revealed a place you had been only one time before, back when Alastair, or rather Oliver, had been granted a chance to leave. The barren space hadnât changed in the slightest. All that mattered though was that you could see the same staircase as before. The key difference this time compared to the last was that the steel chain link gate Jenova had summoned was no longer there.
Peering up you saw the light of day shimmer down towards you. The ray of hope you had all been waiting for was now visible. Two figures decked in black suits and sunglasses stood at the top of the stairs. They beckoned you to come along.
You all take your first steps to freedom.
Please Board
Not even a moment was spared for you to take in what all just happened to Akira Saitou before the intercoms sprang to life once more. âYou all have passed. Our plan ended prematurely due to him killing your host, but we will still abide by the rules. There may be four of you instead of the one who was supposed to be Saitou, but it will do.â
A million questions were probably flying through your head. So much information had been dropped in such a short time that you needed to process it all. Your time was cut short, however, once you could hear the engine of the subway train roar from the platform. âYour time has come. Enter the subway car as per usual so you may be transported to the exit.â
Should you follow what the voice said? What about your things? What are you gonna do with these pagers?
âI see your hesitation. Let me make this clear: You must board now. There will be no returning to your lodgings, and there will be no waiting for you. You have one minute to board the train before you will be trapped down here for the rest of your lives.â
Well... having such a small window to board brought everything into sharper perspective, didn't it? With little time to lose, you all make your way to the train entrance.
[S] Demise
The moment everyone had been waiting for now came. As Akira stood silently, the ever traumatizing sound of the chain rattling chimes through the air. With its usual ferocity, it shot out towards the Reserve Course student, and latched itself around his neck. Akira did not try to pry it off himself, nor did he scream in opposition.
He just accepted his fate, as he was dragged away like those who came before him.
The camera opened on a room that was small, and nearly bare. Its only notable features were the circular grates that lined the walls, and the tall, thick pole in the middle of the room. And the mastermind, clad in his mostly black suit.
[âȘâ«âȘ]
Akira took a moment to inspect the pole. Sturdy rungs jutted out from it, as if the pole was meant for climbing, and a word was spray-painted next to them, right at his eye level:
ESCAPE ‎
Akira glared at it warily. An execution and its escape being that simple? Unlikely. Still, he stepped closer to the pole as he turned his attention to the grates. They looked welded to the wall, with blackness behind the holes. That probably meant they led to something, and if that something wasn't gasâŠ
He had his foot on a rung a split-second after water began gushing from the grates. He wasnât about to let it catch him and pull him under. Akira wasnât going to die in fear, drowning in the drink, if he could help it. The water lapped at his shoes as he climbed up the rungs, but he reached the top before it flooded. At the top was a platform with a single red button on a smaller pole. He raised an eyebrow, but walked towards it anyway. If he hesitated for much longer, the water would rise up and submerge him, and everything heâd done in this room would be for nothing.
With a single hand, he pressed down on the button. Almost instantaneously, Akira stepped backwards from it, recoiling as if it had shocked him. He looked with bewilderment at the button. What was that all about?
He didnât have a moment to notice that the water flowing into the room had stopped before the platform forcefully tilted on its axis. The reserve course student was sent flying onto a different platform outside of the room heâd started in, landing on his back. Akira started to push himself into a sitting position, but a rapidly-growing shadow overtook him. CRASH!
A huge pile of debris had just been dumped on the mastermind. Some of the garbage shifted, and he poked his head out of the pile. His arms and legs followed shortly after, with a cueball-white helmet in his right hand. A familiar-shaped visor wrapped around the eyes of the helmet, along with fringes above the visor⊠Akira pawed around at the Visor White helmet, pressing a switch on the helmetâs right side that turned on its two lights. He turned it around, shining it on his surroundings; seemed like the way heâd come had been walled off, leaving only one exit out. He got to his feet, kicking trash out of his path, and set off at a run down the hall.
Akira never bothered to put the helmet on as he dashed through the twisting hallways. The only sounds that could be heard were the muffled clap clap clap of his shoes on the cold tile floor, and the whirring of the air vents. After a few minutes, another sound mingled with them: Akiraâs tired gasps for air. The helmet in his right hand lifted slightly as Akira raised his left arm, and you could just barely make out the sight of him wiping sweat from his brow. Just how long would these hallways go on? There had to be an exit somewhere, so where was it? And would he have the energy to even get there?
He let out a short, frustrated sigh, shaking his head. He couldnât think like that, he had to get out. He would get out! No way there wasnât some kind of out or escape clause, and all he had to do was find that door. Taking a deep breath in, Akira started to run again, at the same pace as before.
As he ran again down the seemingly never-ending hallways, the ventilation system made an ominous clunk. Akira didnât seem to notice it; all he seemed to hear were his own desperate breaths and his blood rushing in his ears. And since it faded as quickly as it came, it was easy to assume that it had just been your imagination, that it was a meaningless fluke. That is, until the air illuminated by the helmet started to darken. Well, darken wasnât quite the right word. It looked more like there were black specks in the air, drifting to the ground, disturbed by movement of the mastermindâs run. Despite them floating in the air in front of him like black specks of dust, Akira didnât spare any time or thought, still throwing one foot in front of the other just to get out.
It was only when he started coughing that he really began to pay it any mind. But it wasnât exactly the coughing that caught his attention, that would happen with any kind of particle mass in the air. Rather, it was the taste of iron in his mouth, and the blood now staining his lips, that made him slow down. As he walked down the hallway, he panted to catch his breath, then hastily covered his mouth with his hand -- that black stuff now filling the air had to have something to do with this! The sudden lack of air intake made him stop to double over and cough, blood now seeping through his fingers. His face went pale and his eyes widened, but he stood up and scanned the walls for any signs of an exit. Even windows heâd have to jump up to and squeeze out of would work for him at this point. But the walls were bare. Nothing except the vents, which were spewing out those spore things that were making him sick. (Itâs not like he wouldâve fit in those, anyway.)
It looked like the only way out was forward. Taking a deep, careful breath through his hand, Akira pushed onward, running through the subway halls, the light from the White Visor helmet now joined by dim, flickering overhead lights. Onward, onward, onward the hallways seemed to go. At some point, he realized that the helmet he carried might provide some relief from the spores in the air, and stuck it on his head, turning off the lights as he did so. After all, the hallways were lit now, there was no need to wear out the lights.
Just as he rounded a corner, the hall went completely dark. You heard the sounds of Akira stumbling forward, fumbling with his helmet as he ran. A second later, he cried out in pain, and something large crashed to the ground. Immediately the lights came back on, to reveal the dreadful scene: he had run headlong into a very familiar-looking statue, sending them both to the ground. The statue had shattered into multiple pieces, the sugar limbs detached and askew. Akira lay facedown on the torso, moaning in pain and pressing his hand to his side. The too-large Visor White helmet had flown off, and was now clattering on the floor as it rolled. As the mastermind crawled backwards off of the sugar sculpture, cringing as he moved, you could see blood staining his pristine white shirt beneath his hand. You could also see that the sculpted torso heâd crashed into now had a blood-soaked spike on it. Perhaps this could be considered poetic revenge?
He didnât have the time to think about that, because after he pulled himself into a squatting position, another sound echoed through the halls. You almost didnât hear it, it was so far away. Akira heard it clearly, and he tensed.
It sounded distant, and behind him. But it sounded like a flamethrower.
He was off, running as fast as he could, paying as little mind to the toxic spores as possible. He coughed and ran and tripped and wheezed. Blood leaked from his gritted teeth. The stain on his shirt grew and spread. And all the while, the sound of flames grew closer and closer.
Akira felt growing heat on his back, but he didn't dare turn around. You didn't need him to; you could clearly see the glow of an inferno hiding behind the corner he had just turned. He stopped in the middle of the hall. It could have just been to pant and cough, but then something glinted. On the floor, illuminated by the coming fire, was the handle to a trap door.
He didn't have a moment to hesitate. Akira threw open the trap door, and half a second after he'd gone through and closed it, the flames rolled through the hallway, leaping from spore to spore to set the hall ablaze.
His impact with the train tracks had been painful. He was still lying on the ground when your view finally went back to him. Groaning with agony, he pushed himself onto all fours. The air around him was clear, and he took deep, relieved breaths. He wasn't burning, he wasn't being chased by anything. He could get out. He was alive! Akira got to his feet, clutching his bleeding side as he stood upright.
[âȘâ«âȘ]
Suddenly it started getting brighter. Akira looked around with wide eyes looking for the light source when:
WHAM!
The subway train sped onward. And just like that, the mastermind was gone. After all the pain he'd created, all the suffering he'd drawn out, he was dead in an instant. He'd wanted a normal life, and he'd gotten an average, unassuming death: just another victim of a train accident, a bloody smear on the front of the subway.
Akira Saitou, the mastermind of the metro station killing game, has been executed.
[Art by Mosey!]
> Akira: Realize Your Fate.
Akira scoffed. All of this anger, directed right at him. It was honestly kind of funny at this point. There wasnât anything they could do, anything they could say to tear him down, so what else was there to do but smirk? Strange how they all thought he was jealous. Yumie mightâve been, but he wasnât. Whatever. Nothing he said could change their minds, just as nothing they said could change his. They thought he was a horrible person; he thought they were a bunch of jerks. They were probably right, but it wasnât like they were going to matter to him in a few hours. He could leave all this behind him, go home, start on the life he was meant to live.
And Airi thought -- oh, that was adorable! Thinking he was subject to the exact same rules as them! Ha. That'd be a lot more threatening if she still had the knife. Time for him to set the record straight.
âYeah, see, the thing is, I'm not subject to the same rules you all are. Why do you think I've got the gun so long after that first motive? It was in case any of you tried to kill me. I can't be killed. Why would they want to kill off their inside guy? Besides, it says on my contract -- in writing, mind, so it's legally binding -- that after all this, I get to live a normal life. I made good on my end, so they have to make good on theirs. Right?â
The speakers crackled to life again. âYou seem not to be aware of a certain caveat.â
Akira's grin stayed on his face, but his face grew paler. âHuh? Was there a change or something?â
âNot necessarily. Airi Ayame wasnât wrong with her assertion of your death.â
â...What? B-but, but, the contract! It says in there, that things are gonna go back to normal for me, and --â
âYou will be. Itâs just youâll be a normal civilian, living a normal life, who just so happened to befall a certain accident.â
âI didn't even implicate you guys! I made sure not to mention your name! Nothing can be traced back to you!â
âYou told everyone here that you were backed by a company. Theyâll already be speaking about that fact plenty in interviews.â
âAh, IâŠâ Akira leaned forward onto his podium, his breaths coming fast and his legs now quivering like jelly. He was going to die. They were going to kill him. He'd fucked it up at the last second and now he was going to die for it. It took a few seconds for him to collect himself enough to speak again.
âWould IâŠh-have made it out alive if I hadn't told them why?â
âEven if you didnât have any loose lips, we still would have had to check your possessions. If any trace were to be found, which there were, you would be terminated.
Well, that made it a bit easier to face. Taking a deep breath, Akira stood up straight again, adjusting his coat. He turned to the speakers directly again, a scowl on his face. âHey. You'd better keep your end of the contract with Yumie, alright? Make sure she gets what I wanted her to. Even if I won't be around to see it!â
âOf course. You did fulfill your laborâs needs. Her accommodations are already being filed.â
He nodded, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked back at the students standing around him. Akira's mouth curled into a grin, though his pale face was a hint that any mirth was a facade. âSo, eheh. Enjoy the media train waiting for you when you get outâŠâ He raised up his hands, then flipped his classmates two shaky birds. âWouldn't wannaâŠbe in your positionâŠâ
Constructive Anger | Airi | MM Trial | RE: Akira | ATTN: Assholes Behind The Speakers
She'd thought she'd ended off this bullshit rather strongly, what with her decoration of war, on the people that had been behind this whole thing. Striking fear into the hearts of people is something she does well, something she's perfected over her time as a Journalist/Conspiracy Theorist. She'd thought that, nothing could anger her further then finding out there were bigger fish to fry in order to avenge her dead girlfriend... She'd thought that nothing would get her to loose focus on her goal... and then smaller fish opened his damn mouth again, and her vision goes red with anger.Â
She instinctively reaches into her pocket, to grab her knife, but finds not the familiar grip of a knife, but something metal... without thinking much she takes it out and throws it across the room angrily, it misses Akira landing at his feet with a loud CLANG. Her other hand stays in the pocket of her hoodie, digging into her side as she tries to satiate her anger somewhat.
Her head aches, everything aches, the anger is overwhelming, she needs to do something to let it out before it consumes her... she's literally shaking with anger as it radiates through her. "FUCK YOU YOU INHUMAN PIECE OF LITERAL TRASH"Â Her voice echoes off the walls of the courtroom, leaving her panting at her voice hoarse... she leans over against her podium and lets out a loud cough, she doesn't look to good, but it looks like she got some of that anger out of her. Time to direct it.
"I have never in my life heard of a shittier reason for doing something as horrible as this, and I take down corrupt leaders for a living!" She slams her fist on the podium, as hard as she can, causing a loud BOOM to echo throughout the room. It takes a moment, but the hand on the podium starts shaking a bit, but her stare remains absolute. "Sure I've heard of jealousy for doing , but not for mass murder... I'm speechless by how incorrigible and appalling you are, you're by far one of the worst, people I've ever had the displeasure of meeting, and I've met the scum of the Earth. You're fucking repulsive, I swear to god, you don't deserve any type of recognition for anything you did, you don't deserve to be recognized you don't deserve to live, you don't deserve anything, you are a waste of space, a waste of oxygen, a waste of life."
She takes a deep breath and lets out a bark of laughter. "Honestly you're pathetic, everyone here worked their-selves to the fucking bone, to get where they are now, dedicated their lives, we weren't born with these talents, we worked for them, slaved away for them. I WAS TORTURED BY MY OWN FATHER TO GET MY TALENT, I STARVED TO GET MY TALENT, I SACRIFICED MY SAFETY AND HAPPINESS TO GET WHERE I AM TODAY. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK OVER AND OVER AGAIN, GO DIE IN A GODDAMMED HOLE YOU ENTITLED PIECE OF SHIT! I WILL MAKE SURE YOU DIE A PAINFUL PROLONGED DEATH!"Â
After all that screaming she doubles over her podium, her anger still radiating through her, as she slams her fist into the podium again, trying to ground herself in reality with the crushing pain that comes afterwards, she probably broke her hand, but all it does is earn a grunt of pain from her.Â
A thought enters her mind, and a smile crosses her face, one everyone here should know quite well... she's got an idea, and she's feeling cocky.
She pushes herself up slowly and shakily, her free, non-broken hand coming up to point at the ceiling, wherever the speakers are, she's speaking to the people behind this. "HEY ASSHOLES, I'VE GOT A DAMN QUESTION." She puffs her chest out, and glares up at the ceiling. "You said that if I killed Akira, I'd be executed right on the spot for killing someone, I'm assuming that's because the Killing Game is still going on."Â
A dangerous glint crosses her eyes as she side-eyes Akira. "That means the rules are still in place." She takes her free hand, no longer pointing at the ceiling, and instead pointing at Akira. "He killed that Asshat Jenova, according to the rules of this game, he should be executed for his crime! Since he is technically a participant of this game, so he is a blackened killer! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THAT! You should stick to the rules of this game you pieces of shit! Don't make exceptions, or else this whole game is a farce! Just senseless killing with no purpose." Laughter escapes her lips. "What do you have to say about that huh! I'm calling you out on your bullshit!"
A Philosopher's Resolve | Talia | RE: Akira | ATTN: Akira
Talia was speechless. This entire killing game had been nothing but an act of petty revenge? She couldn't believe it. All those young people who could have gone on to do great things in this world...snuffed out by a jealous little boy.Â
She was so angry her entire body was shaking. She wanted to scream and cry and tear into Akira. She wasn't usually a violent person, she abhorred violence, but if Billy or Airi were to start attacking him right now she wouldn't stop them. Despite all of these feelings, she stayed in control. She didn't want to give Akira the satisfaction of seeing her completely lose her mind. Â
Taking a deep breath, she spoke in a calm albeit shaky voice, her accent returning back to it's original state.
"...so you're telling us you did this out of spite? You murdered innocent people so you could shut down the school, all because Hope's Peak wouldn't let you join the main course? That's so...pathetic. Utterly pathetic."
Talia glared at Akira. If looks could kill, the reserve course student would be dead before he hit the ground.Â
"Setsuko is correct, we gained out titles. To say we got here through luck alone is both insulting and incredibly foolhardy. Do you really think I woke up one day with an extensive knowledge of philosophy?! It took me years of tireless dedication and effort to get me where I am today, and I'm certain the same could be said for all of us! We all had to make difficult choices to get here, and I for one do not feel like luck had any part to play in it!"
Despite her best efforts to stay in control, Talia could hear the volume of her voice rise. She gripped the podium tightly in her hands as bitter tears stung at her eyes.
"I want to feel sorry for you Akira...I really do. You're obviously so broken inside that you could only gain happiness by ripping innocent people apart physically and mentally."
Talia sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"It is true that I suffered down here, but through the pain I gained so much more."
The philosopher gazed at every other person in the room with her before locking eyes with the reserve course student.Â
"So you may think you won, but you haven't. Hope's Peak may shut down, but we still have our talents. We have suffered and most likely will continue to suffer, but we still have each other. At the end of the day, that's all that matters to me."
I Hope You Burn || Setsuko || Re: Akira || ATTN: Akira
Setsuko was already boiling with rage as she listened to Akira jabber on about why he did this entire thing. She was having a hard time refraining from just socking their mastermind in the face, having a hard time refraining from just taking off her shoes and throwing them at him, having a hard time refraining from strangling Akira. With each word he spoke her face only grew even more red with anger.
âYOU BASTARD!â she screamed, pounding her fist on the trial podium. âYOU ALL DID THIS BECAUSE YOU WERE JEALOUS AND UPSET, AND SO YOU DECIDED TO GET INNOCENT LIVES TO KILL. IâM SORRY. BUT ARE YOU REALLY THAT SPITEFUL TO ACTUALLY DO THIS. FUCK. YOU. I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU MYSELF YOU BITCH!!!â
She stepped back, âI donât believe in good and bad people. They just make good or bad decisions. But GOD DAMMIT I think I can make an exception for one person.â
Her voice was seething with hate, her face pure scarlet and the tears in her eyes.
âYou donât know how difficult it was for some of us to gain our titles. Youâre naive to think itâs been sunshine and rainbows in our paths to get to our titles. I canât speak for the rest of us but I know FOR SURE my life up to my invitation to Hopeâs Peak was littered with loneliness and isolation. I spent DAYS awake with only coffee as the thing to keep me awake, trying to script, study, watch and play and read, act, EVERYTHING! I had no friends growing up, only media to keep me company because my audience was all I had. AND SO MY ENTIRE LIFE WAS DEDICATED TO THAT, AND IT MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL. BUT I STILL DID IT. AND I EARNED MY TITLE. YOU DONâT JUST WORK HARD TO GAIN A TITLE.â
âIâm SORRY your friend isnât doing well enough to gain a fucking title. But just because YOUâRE upset at this, doesnât mean you need to destroy an entire group of peopleâs livelihoods down the drain. Youâre a disgusting human being who deserves a fate worse than death. And youâre LUCKY, Iâm refraining from strangling you to death.â She gives a pointer finger at Akira, âI hope youâre happy with yourself, you absolute monster. I wouldnât feel sorry for you if Airi stabbed you to death here and now. You deserve it. You deserve it all.â
Entering the Final Act || Akira || ATTN: All Passengers
His smirk grew slowly as everyone reacted.  He was glad to see Airi put the knife down; getting stabbed would really put a damper in this moment he was savoring.  The anger, the fire everyone was spitting out⊠Heâd even gotten Billy to snap. And here heâd thought the guy was too foolhardy to actually crack.  This was beautiful, honestly. If only there were more people to see it.
Would applauding a little overdo it? Â It would probably overdo it. Still, it wasnât like he was going to be regularly interacting with these people after this. Â Just some things for the police, maybe a little for HPA, and then home free. And jegus, the urge to clap was just too strong right now.
So, he did it. Â He brought his hands together, his slow claps echoing throughout the trial room. Â Congratulations, everyone, you found the mastermind. You found the one who put you on this train and didnât stop until the station of living hell. Â Bask in your glory.
Here he was, and he was about to talk your goddamn ears off.
âSo, whyâd I do it?â
âIâm sure youâve all been waiting long enough for some sort of answer. Â Youâve watched your classmates die around you, send some of them to their deaths by your own hand, and for what? Â Why would anyone want to do this? And especially to us, just innocent little HPA students?â
He cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath. Â âWell! Youâve heard of the Reserve Course, right? Â Iâd hope you would have, given that Iâve been here this whole time. Â So Iâm not going to explain it for you if you donât. Too bad.
âWhat you might not know is what sort of treatment the Reserve Course students get. Â Long story short, weâre like the red-headed stepchildren of the establishment. Even though we pay the outrageous tuition that funds the whole place, weâre treated like substandard by pretty much everyone on campus. Â Weâre students, but we donât get to use any of the fancy equipment our money pays for, we donât get the benefit of âguaranteed success upon graduation,â and we donât get any goddamn respect.
âAnd itâs not even like we all wanted to be here!  Sometimes, itâs just your parents assuming oh he must want to go!  Letâs uproot him from his friends and isolate him with the person heâs known since forever and see how they improve, hm?  Oh, this is gonna be greatâŠâ
He paused for a few seconds, then cleared his throat.  âBut I digress. AnywayâŠ
âThe one thing I despise most about HPA? Â It gives kids false hope. They sell this narrative about talent, how if you work hard enough, even you, you pathetic little Reserve Courses, you too can join us in the Talent Course! Â The goddamn Land of Milk and Honey. It's all bullshit. Â Like, seriously, that's not cynicism, that's just reality. Â You come from all over the world, have experiences all over the world. Â Taliaâs from Australia, at least, and this is just a sample group. There's so many more. Â There's no way any average Reserve Course student would be able to replicate that sort of world experience and recognition. Â No matter how much they want it, no matter how determined they are, no matter how much money their parents funnel into them. But the academy puts this shitty idea in their head, that maybe if they work hard enough, theyâll be able to compete with these ridiculously lucky people who had all the right opportunities!
âAnd some people actually believe it. Â That if they can run a kickass newspaper on campus, they're sure to become a Talent Student, the SHSL Reporter. Â But they can't. There's no way that can compare to someone else who's had better opportunities. It'll get overlooked, in spite of all the effort she pours into it. Â They just won't care.â
He paused again, but for less time than before. Â After a deep breath, he balled his hands into fists, thrust them down at his sides, and continued.
âSo, pretty damn clear I hate this place. Â But, I'm not alone. Far from it! In fact,there's more than one organization that'd love to see this academy go down in flames. Â One particular organization -- though I'm not going to name them, I'm sure they don't want the authorities on their tail -- had the perfect idea to do it. Â Create a scandal so devastating, something that would be such a blemish on the academy, they just couldn't stay open. And it should be pretty obvious to you what this scandal is: the mutual killing game.
âSo, they have the plan, and they have the means! Â There's just one thing they don't have -- an in. They have no way to get in and legitimately gather some HPA students for this, without the academy getting suspicious.â Â At this, he chuckled. âThat's where I came in. What better place to find a like-minded individual than on the internet? They find me, a genuine student, and with pretty good standing thanks to the student-run paper I'm part of, the Reserve Hope Shimbun. Â I have the connections, they have everything else they need, it's a perfect match.
âSo we make a deal.  As satisfying as it is to bring down the shitshow that is Hopeâs Peak Academy, it's not something I do for nothing.  And I have this friend, you see -- the other founding member of the Reserve Hope Shimbun. She's a good girl, earnest, hard-working, and wants more than anything to be a reporter.  And for some stupid, bullshit reasonâŠâ He took a moment to glare out at the students in the trial room. â...she thinks she needs to go through HPA to do that. But now, that doesn't have to be the case.  Her getting a job as a reporter at a news station somewhere in Japan was one of my conditions. And since I've held up my end of the deal, they're legally bound to hold up theirs. She'll get what she's wanted all her life, and she won't have to stake everything on some shitty school that can't even protect its own students from themselves.
âAs for me? Â I want a life away from all of this. Â From all this chaos, all this snubbing, all this talent. Â After I get the fuck out of HPA, Iâm angling for an average job. Â That was the other part of my contract. I'd love a job as an accountant, but, yâknow, I'm not picky. Â Any sort of salaryman jobâll do. Then maybe I can pick up life where it left off. Move up on the corporate ladder, build a nice family, make a good life for myself. Â I've got simple dreams, I'm not asking for much.
âAs for you guys? Â Heh. It's been pretty damn fun watching you all fall apart, and it's gonna be fun watching what happens next. Â This organization I'm working for has their eggs in a lot of baskets, including the media. Useful for getting my friend that job, and useful for making sure Hope's Peak Academy burns. Â Once we get out of here, just about every network is gonna wanna know the details. Â What toils you went through, what depravity your captors subjected you to. Â You'll never be able to get a moment's peace! Â You'll never be allowed to forget what happened here. Â And you'll never be able to say who did this to you.
âBut, at least you'll be able to live your lives. Â HPA won't be so lucky. They send their students off to see the headquarters of a newspaper, and then they do nothing when they're kidnapped along the way. Â I really did take the time to schedule a field trip, by the way. I asked the faculty for permission, set up the outing with the newspaper itself, it all checked out on paper. Â They had no idea it was just a front. Until we failed to show up, of course. Naturally, the organization in charge of this set up the train and the venue. They even set up the conductor!â
The mention of the conductor seemed to remind Akira why they had all gathered here in the first place. Â With a peeved sigh, he looked away, then shrugged.
âOh yeah.  Speaking of Jenova.  Guh, the fucking wimp.  Yeah, I killed him, you're welcome.  He was right, I was sort of planning to kill him, but not from the outset of all this.  He was doing fine at first, but...honestly, if you're going to start a dirty job, you finish the dirty job.  He was getting soft, wanted to wrap this up because âhe couldn't take it.ââ  He scoffed. âCouldn't take it⊠You do what you need to do. Beggars can't be choosers, he ought to have know that better than I did!
âSo⊠Are we ready to wrap this up?  Ready to get back to the rest of our lives in the real world, for better or for worse?  Because I'm sure as hell ready to see what arises from all of thisâŠâ
Rational Anger | Airi | MM Trial | RE: Akira | ATTN: Those assholes helping Akira
The world is red, all she can see is the asshole in front of her, her grip tightens on the knife in her pocket, as he continues to speak, his gun pointed at her. She tenses up her eyes narrowing, her whole body ready to spring into action, but something stops her... She hadn't been paying attention to what he was saying, her entire being was focused on that gun, but the sound of intercom blaring to life, and some unknown voice coming out of it, declaring her doom, brought her back to reality.Â
She... lessens the grip on the knife in her pocket and straightens out her back looking at him as he puts on that ridiculous get-up of his. She takes a moment to bring her hand out of her pockets and wipe away a few tears that had begun to spill down her face. Her expression stays the same up until Setsuko says her piece.Â
"I ought to kill ya." Her voice is low, and her body is trembling. "I ought to torture you to the point where you're begging for death, make you wish for demise..." Her eyes close and she takes a deep shuddering breath. "It's taking every ounce of willpower in my body to keep myself planted here."
She takes the knife out of her pocket and looks at it, her reflection glinting off it's surface. She looks at Akira, and then tosses it behind her, away from everything. The anger is rolling off her in waves, she's never been this pissed off in her life...Â
"But doing so, will cause my death plain and simple... normally, I wouldn't care, the chance to inflict the pain onto you, like you've done to us, would be to tempting." Her eyes look up at the ceiling. "And no, I'm not saying you would've been the death of me, that gun wouldn't be worth jack shit in the hands of a person who literally shot himself when we got guns waaaay back near the start of this. You'd miss, and I'd get my vengeance.... or you'd hit me in the stomach or something and, I'd just shrug it off."
She cackles, her anger apparent. "I'm not going to attack you, because there are bigger fish to fry, you're a pawn." She looks Akira in the eyes. "You're pathetic and weak, and not my problem.... As much as I'd love to decimate you, and have you begging me for mercy, only to receive none... I have a new target now, someone or a group of someones that need to die worse then you... And if I don't make it out of here alive, that won't come to fruition."Â
Her cackling starts to grow. "So go ahead, have your pathetic, moment in the spotlight, explain your machinations, but just know, you're gonna die a painful death, and I'll be smiling."
Airi takes a deep breath. "And you, behind the speakers... Know, that I'm coming after you with everything I've got, when I leave. I've got no other purpose in life other then to hunt you down and make all of your lives a living hell. It's what I do for a living afterall. Even if it kills me, I will make you pay, for what you've done to this group, and everyone else you've hurt."
"I know it may not be the smartest thing I've done to threaten you like I am now, but I want you to know, I will be the reason you fall, I will be the reason you die, and there is nothing you can do about it. Even if you kill me now, that won't change." She crosses her arms and spits on the floor next to her, before looking at Akira. "Now get on with your stupid speech we don't have all day, I've got business to take care of."Â
Outcry | Setsuko | Re: Akira | ATTN: Akira
Setsuko looked deeply annoyed when Akira acknowledged Setsukoâs comment about him being a rabbit, but pushed down her desire to curse at him. Instead she just listened and crossed her arms, looking away.
Although she couldnât help but turn her head back and stare with a face that only screamed in anger, fear, and disgust. All at the same time. She tightened her grip on nothing but her palm, and pounded the trial podium. Deep breaths Setsuko, deep breaths.
Though she couldnât calm down. All her attempts were futile. Rage and rage built up inside her small body, and she could only bark at Akira.
âYou horrible fucking monster you made everyone kill. So many deaths are on your hand and you donât seem to fucking care! I feel awful, the people did the deed yes, but it was YOU who drives them to it! And you donât seem to feel any remorse or regret for what youâve done.â
Scorn | Billy | Re: Akira | Attn: The True Mastermind
So all this time... It was Akira.
Billy was gritting his teeth as he glared at their snazzy looking tormentor, having a smug look that Billy wished he could punch right off his stupid face. It really was taking all his will power to keep himself grounded at his podium and not attack the bastard for causing his friends so much pain while keeping the facade up that he was on their side. So instead, he resorted to having an iron grip on the podiums railing, shooting daggers with his eyes at Akira.
Usually when somebody already pointed out the flaws and evil-doings of someone else already in the trial room, Billy would've just left it at that. Especially when his girl just went full Aussie. But Akira? This bastard? He deserved a fate worse than Airi.
"Ya absolute despicable bastard. WE THOUGHT YOU WERE OUR FRIEND! But instead, ya stab us in the back like this? Yer the reason why we had to go through this torment? The reason why families ain't gonna be seein their kids no more?" Billy would point a finger pretty threatening finger at Akira. "Boy, I outta lay you out and let Airi do whatever she wants to ya!" Hell, given the chance, that's exactly what Billy was gonna do.
Billy clenched his hand into a tight fist, trying his best to control his temper.
"Ya know, and to think. I actually thought of someone like you as a friend. Ha, whole lotta good that did me in the end, huh? Ya absolute fuckin rat. I'd have more words to say about an absolute fuckin horrible person like you, but I don't even think ya even care like the fuckin heartless bastard you are..."
Yeah, Billy didn't consider himself a violent man, but when it came to people like this? Billy was chomping at the bit just to get his hands on Akira and make him pay for what he's done to them. But instead, he couldn't do anything about it... Jesus, how many times more did he have to feel so damn powerless in this situation?
Without warning, Billy slammed his fist down onto the podium.
"WHY!? Why would ya do somethin like this, huh?! What the hell was even the point of all this?!"
A Philosopher's Abhorrance || Talia || RE: Akira || ATTN: Akira
Talia felt her blood turn to ice when Airi brought up the whole pronoun situation. Of course...how had she not realised that before?! How was it even possible that Akira knew the gender of the mastermind, especially with the majority of them being girls? Logically, it would have been safer to use her or she pronouns, or to use none at all. Akira knew what to say, of course...because he was the one who was behind it all.
His grin was a frightening sight to behold. It only got worse when he pulled the gun out of his hoodie. Talia flinched back when he pointed it at Airi, covering her mouth with her shaking hands. No no no, not more guns! She shot Airi a concerned look, hoping that she would think logically and not try to attempt anything dangerous. Anything any of them attempted now would have very severe consequences. When the lights went out, the philosopher felt her anxiety skyrocket. What was happening now?! She held her breath and closed her eyes, bringing her hands to her chest. She found the carved wooden heart that was hiding there and clutched it tightly. If she died here, at least she knew she wasn't going to be alone...she was surrounded by loved ones. In the end, that's all that mattered to her.
Once the room brightened, Talia slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Akira standing in his new attire and with that smug grin on his face, she felt...disgusted. He was acting as if all of their pain and suffering had been nothing but a show to him and the organisation he worked for. Was that all this had been? For their amusement? How could someone do that?! She'd watched innocent young people die, some of them her friends, and for what?! Just so Akira could get his kicks? Twisting the front of her sweater in her hands, Talia muttered out a few words in a surprisingly cold tone. "H-how dare you."
Tears were already beginning to form in her eyes as she glared furiously at the mastermind. She had never felt so angry before in her entire life.
âHow fuckin' dare ya harm so many innocent people. What was the point of doin' all of this?! What possible reason could you have for causing so much agony?! Was this fun for ya? Did ya enjoy this?!"
Oop, here comes her broad drawl of an accent. The philosopher wiped her eyes and clutched her podium before half yelling and half sobbing out to Akira.
âWas your life so empty of meaning to ya that the only way you could gain a purpose was hurt others?! You're...you're a bloody terrible human being! Believe me when I say your actions will have consequences!! We're...we're goin' to make you pay for this, Akira!!"
Well, so much for acting logically. Talia didn't care though, she was absolutely livid. One way or another, Akira was going to get his comeuppance.
Prince of Blood || Akira || RE: Everyone || ATTN: All Passengers
Words, words, words. Akira's only response to Billy was an eye roll. He'd explained how many times now that the blood might not be fresh? He wasn't about to explain it again. The only thing that he might've felt the need to say was, "Fuck you, fish tacos are delicious when you do them right," but the others quickly swept that topic under the rug. Talia still seemed like the smartest of the pair, pointing out how the mastermind clearly couldn't have called this trial.
And then, Airi decided to...oh boy. He had said that, hadn't he? How careless, not watching what pronouns he used. His first thought was that he'd be more careful next time, but he quickly realized that there wouldn't be a next time, there wouldn't need to be a next time. It ended here!
Everyone had said their piece. Now it was his turn.
"You know, of all the compliments I've gotten in my life, I've never had anyone call my face 'innocent' and 'bunny-like.' That's honestly a new one for me, really. I'll remember that one, Setsuko."
He wouldn't be surprised if she got pissed off, since he only seemed to have taken that away from her whole tirade. He didn't care. Actually, that wasn't quite true. He'd enjoy it if that frustrated her.
"And now, Airi, are you absolutely sure you wanna try that?"
He looked down at his hoodie pocket, bangs covering his eyes as he rummaged through them for something. As much as his hair covered his face, you could see a grin creep across his face once his hands stopped -- looks like he'd found what he was looking for. The shit-eating grin stayed on his face as he raised his head and took his hands out of his pockets. The black, bent shape in his right hand stood out. Either he'd just pulled something incredibly vile out of his pocket, or...
He raised his right arm, pointing directly at Airi. Yeah...Yeah shit that's a gun in his hand. And he was holding it correctly this time.
"You said it yourself. No Jenova here, nothing stopping me. But, aha, fun fact, there is something here that's stopping you. Touch with me with that knife, and you'll be executed. Not like you'd get close enough to get with me with it anyway, I'd shoot you first. But if I end up with a knife in me before we're done here, the organization's gonna know exactly who did it. And do you really wanna take that chance? Or you gonna wait a few minutes and make sure you get out alive?"
He gestured with the gun for Airi to put the knife down. It didn't matter whether or not she complied, though; he wouldn't have to worry about it. "Hit the lights!" he called out. A second later, the room went pitch black.
In that moment, the intercom speaker blared to life once more. âOrder confirmed, and it is as he says. You will die if you go against him.â
The sounds of rustling could be heard through the darkness. A minute or two passed in almost-complete silence; then Akira's voice could be heard again. "Okay, bring 'em back up!" All at once, the lights flared on, forcing you to shut your eyes from the sudden brightness. As you opened them, you might notice first the heaped pile of clothes at the foot of Akira's podium. Then you would look to the owner of the clothes standing before them. His shoes and pants hadn't changed, but he'd changed out his blue button-down shirt for a white one, and an unbuttoned black tuxedo jacket now covered his arms and sides. Above those, a green bow tie wrapped itself around his collar, and above that was a cocky, infuriating smirk.
"Now then. Shall we begin again?"
End Rollâs Beginning | Setsuko | Re: Akira, Airi | ATTN: Akira
Honestly, given the entire situation and how much resentment she felt toward Akira, and as much as she wouldâve been the one to do this, she probably shouldnât mess with Airi at this very moment. Besides, given how she had her own bone to pick with Akira, she could care less about how he ended up. As long as if he dies, it shouldnât matter.
She pursed her lips, almost tempted to go into that sick and twisted grin she gave others. â...Ya know I usually donât believe in good and bad people, cuz everyone is the fucking same, but Jesus Christ dude, if I did youâd be at the very bottom. I recommend you better watch your tongue because if you let it slip even more than it already has, then itâs game over bitch.â
âIf we take out the fact that you seemingly know the gender of our mastermind, and we knew from the beginning that itâs a he, well fuck, youâd still be guilty. Given how three out of the five of us are are girls, and two of us are boys, then itâd only leave us at you and Billy. I donât think we have to explain why Billy isnât guilty at this rate, due to having all the fucking evidence pointed against you now. But if you want a reason why I donât think heâs guilty at all, Iâll be willing to provide it all for you. Thereâs no reason fighting it now though, itâs all over for you mastermind.â
She let her face twist into an innocent, yet evil smile, âWho knew the rat among all of us was you? I enjoy your faces⊠but in reality youâre just a traitor in the end. No face can make up for what youâve done. And as youâve seen in the past, I hate people like you.â
âYou gain nothing but peopleâs trust, let them have a false shoulder to lean on when they need it most⊠and shatter it all with a simple word or action. You speak in a snakeâs tongue, hiding that with a simple, innocent bunny like face. You took what I loved, what Airi loved, what Talia loved, what Billy loved, and stolen it away from usâŠâ
â...and I can never forgive you. I wholeheartedly believe, you deserve what you having coming towards you.â
Nail in the Coffin | Airi | RE: Akira, Talia | ATTN: Akira
Airi snorts, letting out a bark of laughter. "Oh my god... how are you this stupid? I can't even begin to comprehend the thoughts going through your mind right now. How much of a fuck-up do you have to be, to out yourself in a such a stupid way? Talia put it into words perfectly, I couldn't have said it any better myself... well I probably could've made it more humiliating for you, but I digress. She however left out a small thing, even if it's something small... you called the Mastermind a him, if you were innocent, you wouldn't know the gender of the person behind this..."
She puts her hand over her face and laughs... it's really creepy. "You literally.... I can't believe you were ever a problem to begin with, I've dealt with corrupt teachers who put up a better fight then you are now. Honestly it's laughable... the person who manages to do the most damage to me, is by far the dumbest person I've come up against."Â
A wicked smile flashes on her lips as she lets out a sort of cackle. "This game fucking ruined me... gave me my hope and smashed it into the ground, cutting it all to pieces." She crosses her arms and lets out another bark of laughter, her hand sneaking into her pocket to pull out... oh no... it's the knife she's been holding. Looks like she's got something else to say.
"Now that there's no Jenova around time for me to spread my wings a bit, I hope you have a very good reason for me to not stab you to death right now~" She looks at the knife and back at Akira. "Any defense you might have has to be fucking legendary, or else this blade is going right in your legs... trust me, I'll make it fucking painful... It'll only be a smidgen of how much pain you've brought to this group.. Go ahead... Defend Yourself, refute our statements. Change my mind, otherwise, you're in for a world of pain."Â