lovefool

Aiko Sato, SHSL Wedding Planner. || ALIVE ||

[danganousama-blog]

First Elimination Round | Aiko | Chapter 2 Start | Closed

“…What…”

Aiko had scarcely had time to react to the announcement that it would be Yurie who was leaving them. Honestly, she hadn’t quite finished processing that anyone would be leaving them. She had been scared, but death and tragedy had never played a part in her life. Having it happen so suddenly, to her roommate, to the only person she had known outside of school, was a shock.

She snapped back suddenly, tears still falling, but as soon as the doors opened she was pushing Hiromichi through them, completely on autopilot. When they ended up in Aiko’s room she had already taken her shoes off and sat on the futon before she became aware of Yurie’s side, conspicuously empty. As it would be from now on. This had been a bad idea. She didn’t know what she was doing, she didn’t know where to go, she was reeling…

“…Are…are you okay..?”

[danganousama-blog]

Violent Media || Trial One Conclusion + Chapter Two START

… What was that…?

You’re too stunned to even muster up a shout, unable to believe what you’ve just seen. Yurie Takai… She’d just been feet away from you a few moments ago, and now she’s gone. As the screen flickers off and the washi retracts into one of the poles with a zip, you’re still reeling from the shock.

Despite apparently having just been on the screen, Ouji pops out from behind his throne again, smiling and clapping. He’s not at all affected by the grisly sight you were all just forced to witness. If anything, it’s just made him smile all the brighter.

“Breathtaking, isn’t it? An execution, tailor made just for her! What a sight you’ve been lucky enough to behold. I wonder what all of your executions will look like? I’m sure we’ll be finding out veeeery shortly, ehehe.”

“But we shouldn’t dawdle around here. There’s so much to return to in the village! Not enough kids these days appreciate small-town living and how enjoyable it can be. I sure didn’t until I came to Yonakimura! Everyone who voted will find a coin in their rooms, so you can get yourself a new treat from the vending machine. Plus, a new part of town has been opened up for exploration! There’s so much to be done, so I’d like to ask everyone to politely head on back.”

None of you want to stay here for much longer. Before you all leave the clearing, however, Ouji abruptly pulls out his phone. His face lights up with a grin as he starts to address you all. 

“Oh, and just so you know, the Ousama Game is still on. The King’s orders are absolute. Student number four will not be permitted to sleep for the next twenty-four hours. Failure to follow this order will result in punishment.”

There’s a buzz on your phone, and… Yes, that’s the same order as the one he just read. All of you are going to be in for a rough day.

[danganousama-blog]

✩ DIGITAL KILLED THE TELEVISION STAR ✩ || Execution Pt. 2

The scene opens on a somewhat normal sight: On one side Ouji  lounges in a comfy chair, and sitting on the couch opposite him is none other than Yurie. Her carefully crossed legs and lips pursed to the point of paling do nothing to hide the nervousness making her heart slam against her ribs and sweat trickle down her forehead. For once it’s not the bright lights bringing the heat- it’s too normal, this scenario, and that makes the knowledge death is coming all the worse.

A blackened figure, dressed in full technician’s garb, straps some cables to Yurie’s arms before flashing a thumbs-up to Ouji.

“Live in 3… 2… 1… Action!”

“Takai-san! What do you think of the idol industry?”

The question is shot out and stuns Yurie as much as a physical hit, and it takes her a moment to mutter out a “I- Well, uh-”; A moment too long, as she is given a shock through the cables for her trouble.

Shouts of boo! rise from the invisible crowd. Ouji is not deterred, only shouting out questions faster and faster to the tarento. Hard as she tries to answer, it seems she’s always too slow, shocks pulsing through her arms and stinging the nerves in her body with every new question.  Ouji keeps going, speeding up until his voice is unintelligible and her insides burn under the fresh jolts of electricity.

Finally, Ouji pauses. “Everyone give a round of applause for our lovely celebrity!” He shouts towards the audience. The applause is deafening but only lasts for a moment before Ouji speaks again, voice filling the room.

“And that’s all for today! Thank you for your time, Takai-san, and goodbye!”

There is hardly a second between the farewell and the collapse of the couch Yurie sits on, the girl plummeting through a hatch in the floor and down into the pit, a scream erupting from her lips. Down, down she falls, getting steadily closer to a giant screen beneath showing none other than her own face.

The impact is hard; glass shatters with a loud CRACK, Yurie falling through the pieces and disappearing into the dark depths of the screen.

Up above, Ouji takes a bow, and the camera stops rolling.

YURIE TAKAI, SHSL TARENTO, HAS BEEN EXECUTED.

{Art by Ley!}

[danganousama-blog]

Never Your Strong Suit || Execution Pt. 1

Ouji returns from behind the throne moments later, a large woven basket with a lid in his hands. Moving to sit on the throne, he holds it in his lap, looking over all of you with a smile as he removes the lid.

“Let’s see who’s our unlucky victim, shall we?”

Without further ado, he reaches in, pulling out a single small scroll amidst the rustling of paper. Holding it out, he loosens his grip to allow it to unravel, showing the name written in beautiful calligraphy…

Yurie Takai.

There’s an abrupt crash of thunder amidst the trees, stunning you as the air around you seems to turn to ice for a moment. However, as the thunder subsides and the air returns to the way it was before, you can’t help but notice one new empty podium- Yurie is gone, vanished in the moment of panic just beforehand. From two of the poles, a stretch of washi paper has been placed, stretched out like some sort of screen. Abruptly, it lights up with a countdown- is something projecting onto it? You look around anxiously, but can’t find any sort of projector. That certainly doesn’t stop the washi screen from lighting up, showing some sort of video…

[danganousama-blog]

Cliffhangers || Class Trial One End

Throughout the entirety of this trial, Ouji has been watching with the biggest smirk on his face. Nothing seemed to phase him, not even the brief scuffles of violence that broke out. If anything, he seemed delighted to watch you all fight. When the deadline has been reached, he finally stands, looking over the podiums with a smile.

“Wow, talk about exciting! You’re certainly a spirited group, I can tell that much. Unfortunately, you’re not a particularly smart group.”

“Sorry to break it to you, but Chie Tsukino did not kill Nobuteru Asanuma. Rough, isn’t it? I totally thought you guys would get it, but I suppose the killer outsmarted you! Though given their history… Ahaha, it’s not actually surprising! Now, normally if you voted for the real killer, we’d be executing them. But since you voted for the wrong kid… We’ll just execute one of you at random!”

“Aw, don’t look at me like that! I’m not the one who messed up. But it is your first trial, so don’t be too sad. How about instead of bickering next time, you try and actually solve the case? That’s my best advice for you all! Anyways, I’m going to be preparing the execution, so take this time to talk among yourselves and wonder why you all overlooked a key piece of evidence! I’ll be ready soon, ehehe.”

And with that… He moves behind his throne. Though he can no doubt hear you, for a moment… You’re alone with your errors.

[danganousama-blog]

Aiko votes for Chiemi.

Nobuteru Asanuma - 1

Aiko Sato - 1

Ava Alkaev - 1

Chiemi Shinozaki - 1

[danganousama-blog]

There! Right! There! | Aiko | Trial 1.2 | RE: Hiromichi, Emiko, Chiemi | ATTN: Chie, Emiko, Chiemi

Aiko still looks kind of grumpy, but honestly, as far as angry outbursts went, this one was going pretty well in her book. Chiemi had stopped hurting herself and stopped screaming at everyone, she had a definite suspect, and it seemed like everyone was ready to move on. Hiromichi had expressed concern, but everyone else had been keeping it to themselves, and so she was largely oblivious.

“Emiko-chan is correct. We’re running out of time, and Asanuma-kun deserves that we find out who killed him. We might as well follow Kano-kun’s suggestion from earlier, if we have nothing else to check. Chie-chan, please turn out your pockets. Emiko-chan, would you be able to check Shinozaki-san’s, and make sure she refrains from hurting herself further and minds her manners? My only intention was to stop her.”

Well, I guess Aiko has decided that she’s in charge now. She heads back to her podium, Hiromichi in tow.

“Honestly, Shinozaki-san is still my main suspect. She lied and threw suspicion at me, and I don’t see any other reason to do that other than guilt. Nor does it seem likely that she was so confused her mind invented meeting me at some point while wearing gloves.”

[danganousama-blog]

Taking Charge | Aiko | Trial 1.1 | RE: Chiemi, All, Glove

[some weight mentioning, suspecting someone of faking mental illness]

“That is ENOUGH!”

Aiko’s loud voice booms over the courtroom, the short girl seeming absolutely livid. What have you been doing all this time Aiko? We’ll assume she was trying to keep to herself because of her lack of investigating, because the reasons are purely OOC. Whatever was going on, however, she’s seemingly over it. Aiko marches right over to Chiemi’s podium and, with surprising strength, drags the other girl away from it and tosses her to the floor.

“Your behavior has been completely unacceptable, young lady. So far all you have done is throw tantrums. It is unbecoming, childish, and insulting to Asanuma-kun for you to behave as such and I will not be tolerating it any longer.”

‘Young lady’? Aiko, she’s a year older than you. The wedding planner doesn’t seem to care as she pauses a moment, still incensed, considering where to go next. Chiemi’s behavior and words were troubling, obviously, but Aiko…wasn’t quite sure she believed that the other girl was doing it out of illness. She didn’t know, of course. She wasn’t going to accuse the other girl of faking anything because of it– if she was sick, doubting the veracity of her illness would only make it worse. In the context of everything so far, however, Aiko couldn’t help but feel that it may be a manipulation.

“Also, for pete’s sake, Ava-chan and I may be of similar heights but I am twice the girl’s size! I am not fitting into any of her clothing, much less a pair of non-flexible gloves!”

Aiko holds up her chubby hand to prove it, a little red in the face. This might be why she didn’t speak up earlier– it is embarrassing to say out loud that she’s too fat to be the murderer. She seems to direct this into anger, however, and turns back to glare at Chiemi, laying dazed and listless on the ground, as she addresses the court.

“And another thing I would like to make abundantly clear: I do not wear gloves. Mittens, during the cold months, but gloves are a hassle to find in the correct size and not practical for my purposes. Nor have I never met Shinozaki-san. Either she is so confused she has lost all sense, or she is lying in an attempt to throw suspicion at me. My suspicions lie with the latter, which means that Shinozaki-san is likely the culprit.”

[danganousama-blog]

Trial One Start

Your investigations are inturrupted by the buzzing of your cell phones. Once again, it’s Ouji. Can anyone else even message you?

Hihihi! The investigation period is over, thank you for your hard work! Like I said before, meet me by the Southernmost point of the village. I hope you’re ready!

Could you ever be fully prepared for something like this? Certainly not, but you don’t really have much of a choice here. With some difficulty around directions, you eventually find your way to the Southermost point, and there’s Ouji by the fence. He’s smiling brightly, waiting for all of you to gather.

“Great, we’re all here? Just follow me! By the way, we’re going out into the woods. It won’t be long- and for the reference, I wouldn’t try running. If you’re close enough for us to catch you, it won’t be pretty, and if you aren’t… think you can survive a couple weeks lost in the mountains with the animals? Ahuhu.”

With that worrying statement, Ouji inserts a small key into the little lock on the fence. A door, previously almost entirely disguised in the fence, swings open. With a look back at all of you, he starts off, leading you with no choice to follow him through the cavernous forest. The trees reach high into the drab, grey sky, and even as you walk in a group down a small dirt path, you feel a little nervous as you look from side to side into the wilderness. You swear you hear rustling in the bushes, but maybe it’s just your imagination.

Regardless, you soon find yourself in a clearing, the tall trees making space for a circular area. It’s a mockery of a circular trial setting, the podiums made of red, painted wood and decorated with ofuda dangling from the sides. On the fronts, you can see names painted in gold- and yours can be found, too. The boundaries of the area are shown not only by where the forest begins, but also by long wooden poles, small fairy lights and what looks to be paper from an onusa streaming from pole to pole.

Ouji waltzes around the area, stopping in front of what looks like a golden throne. It’s situated right in the center of a small torii, and when he moves to sit down, he looks like he’s exactly where he belongs- a prince atop his throne.

“Go on, stand at your podiums. Your job is to debate the murder, present your findings, and ultimately? To decide which one of you killed Nobuteru Asanuma. Once you’re certain you have it right, hit the button on your podium with the guilty party’s name on it. Votes cannot be changed after you send them in, so be careful! Got all that? Good. The Ousama has demanded a trial, and of course…”

“The King’s orders are absolute.”

TRIAL ONE START!

[danganousama-blog]

Is This Your Card? | Aiko | DO Chapter 1 Body Reaction | Closed

This wasn’t fair. Somehow, despite the situation finally dawning her, Aiko had never considered that someone would stoop to their captor’s requests. Surely there was some other way out of it? Surely everyone was focusing on that, rather than plotting some diabolical deed?

No, it seems not.

Nobuteru had been a sweet boy. A fraud, almost certainly, but there was a talent involved in acting. He didn’t strike her as an extortionist, and so Aiko hadn’t resented him, even if she did find her own fortune being read an irritating experience. He didn’t deserve this.

“They’re not getting away with this…”

Who Aiko? The murderer, or your captors?

[danganousama-blog]

The Prince Smiles || Body Reveal

You’re all slowly processing that the boy in front of you isn’t just asleep when someone pops open a low window. Climbing over and in like it’s the most naturally thing in the world, Ouji enters the room, closing the window behind him and smiling at the group.

“Fantastic! Really, I was starting to think maybe nobody cared about their families and friends. But lo and behold, someone finally decided to play. That’s fantastic.

“So this is the first investigation, and that means I’ll give you some guidance if necessary. For starters, here’s a reminder: you should investigate with the intention of finding out what and who killed this fellow! Now isn’t the time for coin hunting. All the homes have been unlocked in order for you all to check inside everyone’s rooms. Be thorough! At the end of the investigation period, everyone should meet at the furthest Southern point of the village by the fence. We’ll be heading to the trials together!”

Seemingly satisfied with his explanation, Ouji hums as he figures out what else he should say.

“Ah, right! One last thing: check that neat little app I put on your phone. There’s another page past the class roster with some information about the recently deceased. I think it’ll be helpful! Yoko and Hasumi will be hanging around to keep order, so please listen to them. Anyways, I’ll be taking my leave. See you at the class trial!”

And with that, Ouji turns back, reopening and leaving through the window once again. Now it’s just you, the other students… and Nobuteru.

[danganousama-blog]

A Disquieting Realization || Body Reveal

It’s the morning of the fourth day since Ouji gathered all of you to show you that damned bingo square. You were overwhelmed with stress at the beginning, and as more and more loved ones showed up, it only got worse. Even if you didn’t fully believe that it was real, there was something immensely worrying about watching faces- whether familiar or strangers- appear on that screen.

Today, when your phone buzzes, you’re expecting it to be another video. But it’s not- it’s a text from Ouji.

Hello everyone!

One of you finally did it! Someone is dead. Normally, we’d wait for one of you to find the body, but this is the first time it’s happened yet! Ah, the first of many bodies, I assume! I’m really happy~ So! We’re just going ahead and helpfully pointing out exactly where you need to go. Why don’t you head over to Building Two? It’s the first room there that you need to check out!

Attendance is mandatory. Can’t wait to see you!

… What?

Even if this is just a sick joke, you don’t waste any time in rushing over to see what was happening. The door is unlocked, and you and the others quickly make your way into the small space, feeling uncomfortably cramped with everyone surrounding you. 

But that feeling is quickly banished and replaced with a cold terror as you see what Ouji gathered you here for.

Keep reading

[danganousama-blog]

As If..? | Aiko | Chapter 1 | Motive Reaction | Closed

Aiko’s heels really hadn’t cooled in their time sitting idly in the village. She’d been grumpy and more than a little snappish to anyone who was taking this whole thing seriously, though she wasn’t going out of her way to be rude. The “orders” had never failed to sour her mood, especially when they were followed by “Obedience confirmed”. This whole thing was ridiculous, and Aiko knew for certain that if she was on the receiving end of any of those orders, she would be telling the ouji exactly where he and the mysterious ousama could stick them. Luckily or not, the situation never came to pass. Instead, the ouji saw fit to get the ball really rolling.

“Oh come on!”

Aiko was, as usual, one of the loudest voices in the crowd. For the unintimidating figure she cut– short, round, pigtails, simple dress– she sure had a set of lungs on her.

“As if this nonsense wasn’t boneheaded enough already– do you think this is a manga or something? Cut it out already!”

Ouji being wholly unruffled by her criticisms, Aiko seemed to resign herself to stewing, keeping the young man in her sights with a fierce glare. She wasn’t letting him sneak off this time. When the motive was announced, her rage reached its peak.

“Pretending to threaten our families is too far! This wasn’t funny to begin with but now–”

She’s cut off by Amaterasu, screaming for her father. This gives Aiko pause, and for the first time, doubt and fear creep onto her face.

“This isn’t funny!!”

[danganousama-blog]

Keep Your Friends Close || Chapter One Motive Pt. 2

There’s a strange video in your messages- how did it come from Ouji? He’s standing right there, and he didn’t even touch his phone… You cautiously hit play, but so far it seems as if it’s just a black screen for a video. You look up curiously at Ouji, who is simply smiling at you.

“I thought we could play some Bingo! With us already playing two games, what’s one more to spice it up? We’re gonna have so much fun, I can already tell! Why don’t you look back at your cell phones? I think something is happening.”

He’s right- the screen lights up to reveal a somewhat darkened room with twenty-five squares translucent squares drawn on the ground. You can see that there’s a person standing inside each square, but at the moment, the collective identities of each individual remain unknown. That is, until the centermost square lights up from below, revealing a bald, muscle-bound man. His mouth has been gagged and he looks around in confusion, but he does not move. A panel slides onto the monitor, revealing his identity: Yuuto Mochizuki.

"Every twelve hours, I will light up another of these squares containing one of your loved ones. When I get five squares in a row… I’ll be executing the five unlucky people whose only crime is associating with students like you. Want to prevent that? Remember what I said about murder! I’ll be updating you with videos letting you know who’s all lit up, so if I were you, I’d get to killing!”

With a final grin, Ouji turns on his heels just as the screen flickers off. By the time you’ve managed to escape your shocked stiffness and move… He’s already entered the building, gone from your line of sight. Surely, they don’t have your loved ones. Surely, this is just a prank.

Right…?

[danganousama-blog]

The Start of a New Era || Chapter One Motive Pt. 1

It’s been two nights since you first arrived in this strange little village. Whether you’ve been anxious beyond belief, completely nonchalant, or somewhere in between, you have noticed one thing- aside from the occasional order, you haven’t seen or heard much of Ouji. The boy has made himself extremely scarce.

Not long after you wake up on your third day here, that changes with a text message.

“Please meet me in front of the dining hall for a very important announcement!”

Are you finally going to get some answers here? You quickly make your way down there, eager to receive some answers about your confusing situation. Ouji is already there when you arrive, though he’s quiet until everyone has gathered. 

“So, now that we’re all here, I can get to explaining. I’m sure you’re all aching for answers by this point. It’s confusing, I know! But let me fill you in on the details. There is indeed one way to escape this place if you don’t want to spend the rest of your life here playing the Ousama Game, but that way requires playing a game of its own.”

Ouji’s face lights up in a smile as he keeps talking.

“And that is the mutual killing game. If you can get away with the murder of a classmate at least two separate times, you will be allowed to leave. Of course, everyone else will be killed. But consider living your prize! Oh, and it won’t be all that easy to get away with it. We’ll be holding class trials here in order to determine who the killer is once one of you is inevitably found dead. If you’re found out… Haha! Well, I won’t give all the answers. Some just have to be found by you.”

The atmosphere has turned completely cold- you could hear a pin drop among the shocked silence of your classmates.

“And of course, I know you’ll be curious as to why I’m doing this. Truthfully, I’m not the one pulling the strings! The Ousama has ordered all of this- and you know what’s very fun? The Ousama is one of the students standing in front of me. That’s right, one of you has orchestrated all this! Who could the traitor be, I wonder? Who is the wolf disguised as a sheep? Perhaps you should look for those answers.”

“But you didn’t think that’s all I’d announce, did you? Go ahead and check your messages right now- you’ll want to see something.”

At that exact moment, your cell phone buzzes…

[danganousama-blog]

Now You've Done It | Aiko | Chapter 1 | RE: Game Start | Closed

Upon first waking Aiko had been confused. Confusion quickly morphed into concern, which had been making its way quite rapidly to panic when Ouji appeared. Rising panic morphed, instantly, into rising anger. Who was this ‘Prince’ and the 'King’ he supposedly served to order everyone around? The cocky young man wandered off as Aiko was fuming, before she could properly recover enough to stomp over and give him a piece of her mind. Now she didn’t know where to find him, and honestly she was still trying to recover from this nonsense.

“Whatever this stupid TV show you’re filming is, I garun-flipping-tee you it’ll be cancelled once I’m done suing you into the ground!”

Aiko shouted this at no one in particular, though it likely got someone’s attention.

[danganousama-blog]

Enter The Prince || Chapter One START

Before you have time to become appropriately confused, the sound of someone clearing their throat directs your attention to one of the nearby buildings. A young man- no more than a year or two older than the eldest among you- has exited the building, and is now happily making his way over to your little group. He’s dressed in a kimono, and a very formal one at that. It makes his modern hairstyle stand out when compared to his outfit. The man stands about at the edge of the area where you’re all splayed out, and you start to get to your feet as he talks.

“Oh, everyone is up? That’s great! I was getting tired of waiting for you. The air conditioning in those rooms are just terrible- spring has no business feeling this warm!”

He laughs to himself, either oblivious or purposely ignorant to your baffled expressions as he keeps talking.

“Anyways, it’s nice to meet you all! My name isn’t important. Just call me Ouji for now, okay? Welcome to the village of Yonakimura! I’ll be watching over you for a while. Not too long or anything- just for the rest of your lives!”

… Wait, what? Once again, Ouji ignores your reactions, giggling and walking back and forth a bit, the teeth on his geta kicking up a bit of dust.

“Yep, the rest of your lives! And you’re all kids, so that’s gonna be a pretty long time! We’ll really get to know each other, I think. It’ll be great! I even have a game planned out for everyone so we can enjoy ourselves while we spend time here. You all got that message on your phones, right? I sent it! Pay close attention to that number- it’s how we’ll be playing the Ousama Game.”

“The Ousama Game is simple. I deliver messages to you all on behalf of the Ousama! Wait, we have some foreigners here, don’t we? Just in case you don’t know, we’d call that a ‘King’ in English. The Ousama will be sending orders to all of you. You all know your student numbers, right? They’re in your notes in case you forget. The Ousama will send you orders addressing you by your student number! That way, you don’t necessarily know who is who- mysterious, right? You can tell people the number if you want, but that’s up to you! Aren’t we nice for offering you that choice?”

Ouji stops pacing, turning back to face your group with a smile and a wink.

“If you’re ordered to do something, you can ignore it, but… Royalty doesn’t appreciate being disobeyed. You’ll be punished, ahuhu! To maximize everyone’s happiness and comfort, I think you should follow them. Anyways, in regards to being here forever- you remember that, right?- there’s a way to get out. But what could it be…? I’ll tell you later. Take a while to get settled in and explore your new home, okay? You’ll be living with a roommate for now, and I’ve left a map of this place on your cell phones! I’d recommend finding your sleeping quarters first- There’s two keys in the mailboxes. Don’t lose them, okay? If you need anything until I decide to share the rest of the information- well, you know my number! And until then, I’m going to leave you with an important message…”

Is it just you, or is Ouji’s smile starting to seem… Off?

“The King’s orders are absolute.”

And with that, he happily struts off in the opposite direction, whistling a happy tune as he turns and vanishes around the curve of the dirt road. Right now, it’s just you and your equally frightened classmates.

What does he mean by ‘Ousama’…?