...I Know it Isn’t Right || Motive
Kumi’s shoulders slumped as they caught sight of the students - they shut their eyes and took in a deep breath, before snapping their fingers so that a holographic screen appeared a few inches over the palm of their hand. This flickered on to reveal the screen of what seemed to be an ONIbook with Kumi’s own face plainly visible - sans bruise, much like the first time you recall seeing it. They took a pace forward, and began speaking in their usual monotone, though there was a slight tinge of sadness to what they said.
“Have you enjoyed the motives so far? Have you enjoyed experiencing motivations you never thought you and other people would fall for? I know about what makes you tick. I know what each of you holds dear, ah… and I know that it can be hard to imagine anyone falling for what I have told you so far.”
They paused, collecting themself.
“Thus, people kill. And obviously I cannot get too upset as they are victims of circumstance. Something pushed them to kill, something provided by me. So I am a monster, correct? Someone you can scapegoat to make yourselves feel better, much like the culprits? Isn’t it far easier to blame somebody who is not yourself…?”
They stared down at their hands at their last comment, before clearing their throat.
“Please remember… this fact. Good people can do bad things, bad people can do good things. Which am I? I believe that is up to your judgement. But a lecture on morality is not what I am here to give you. No, I am here to give you…”
Pausing, they snapped their fingers and the screen shifted to reveal a map of what seemed to be Japan.
“A small peek to your home. Do you miss it? Well, just because I cannot get you back quite yet doesn’t mean that I don’t have a means to contact it. You see, I know the whereabouts of your loved ones. Is that not nice?”
Another finger-snap, and the screen displayed an image of a brown-haired man who seemed to br a little older than Kumi. This, Aoiko gasped at, covering her mouth.
“Y you… c cousin? Kumi-sama, how could you have-”
“Ah yes, your cousin. Family bonds, bonds forged by friendship - all are important, no? As I said, I know where they are. Perhaps you didn’t hear me, What you heard me say was that I am able to contact them, and inform you of their whereabouts. To prove this to you, please look down at your ONIbooks.”
The sound of a collective pinging happened, and you looked down at your electronic handbooks to see… they… they couldn’t have known. But no, there it was - the locations of your loved ones where you remembered you saw them last, right down to the city and street address. What was Kumi planning?
“Maybe… if I know all of this, I know much more about them? Their names, relationship to you… darkest fears? Their… illegal deeds? Perhaps there would be other people who would like to know this information… the police, for instance? Ah, but I feel as though that isn’t enough - not all of you have had people in your lives who have done illegal deeds. No, rather…”
They bared their fangs, violet eyes staring the students down.
“It would be an awful shame if something were to happen to them, correct? You see… if you do not kill within forty-eight hours, all of the people important to you will be injured, killed, maimed… would you want that to happen? But how could you do this, you ask? Well, I am kind and have picked someone… insignificant to make a demonstration out of.”
Snapping their fingers once more, the water screen expanded and shifted to reveal an image of a girl with long, curled brown hair, lying down miserably in a stone cell. A shout came from the crowd, and Akemi broke out once again to screech to a halt and stare at the image.
“F fox… Fumi-chan? Let her go, please…”
Taking a hesitant step back, she watched, affixed in horror as a shadowy figure came from somewhere off to the side. What seemed to be a blade appeared, and this was enough to cause the ??? to bolt forward and stare up in horror at what was happening, shouting at Kumi.
“S stop this… Don’t do it, please, she did not do anyth-”
The next moment, the red of blood had appeared on the screen and whoever it was projected was lying down on the floor, a puddle of… something quickly spreading around her body. Akemi let out a choked sob and knelt to the floor, hands shaking unsteadily.
“Why… was it necessary… why did you do that. I don’t understand.”
A softer, quieter “I don’t understand” was repeated under her breath as she knelt on the floor, tears and sweat beading down her face. Kumi showed concern in their expression for a brief second before snapping their fingers again and ignoring the girl on the ground once more, turning towards the assembled crowd.
“Apologies for that interruption. Either way, please consider this carefully. It might weigh fairly heavily if you choose one over the other… ah, you don’t kill, and you know that you’re responsible for the deaths of your loved ones and those of your peers, though you can easily displace the blame. You kill, and you, directly, have the blood of someone here on your hands.Think carefully, you are all dismissed.”
And they were gone along with the screen, leaving Aoiko shocked stiff, and Akemi with a different sort of wound afflicted
