#fp chapter 5

[fallenpeak-blog]

The Mail Man || Chapter 5 (Execution Reaction) || Yukiteru

It felt like a while, waiting outside the Embassy quietly, but Yukiteru didn't mind standing around to see how things turned out. This one felt longer than the others, he can't help but wonder why... But, hearing the group approach, Yukiteru stood at attention and waited, listening in on what he can hear.

People got their souls back.. oh, that's cool. They lost those? And more importantly-

"Ohh, we get to go home? Awesome!"

Yukiteru claps his hands together, scanning the crowd. Who's missing... Oh. Asa? He'd only faintly knew them, but were they the traitor? That's a bit sad to imagine, people seemed to like them- but, well, bad guys die. That's what happens in stories, so there's no point dwelling on it now. Freedom!

He stops, tapping his chin while remembering something before announcing to the group.

"Oh oh, uhh, if you guys are staying behind cause you died or cause you wanna and want to send a letter or something back to the surface, I'm your man!"

"Yukiteru's Inter-Continental Postal Service is here in business, nya!"

[fallenpeak-blog]

Everyone’s a Critic | Coroner’s Report

Roughly an hour after the discovery of the body, the Necromancer begins approaching each of you to deliver the folder containing the black and white photograph of the body and crime scene, and the sheet of paper that serves as an autopsy report. He moves on briskly, apparently keen to get the reports distributed, though he doesn't neglect to make a polite, albeit brief, greeting and farewell.

Victim Name: Atsuko Minami Cause of Death: Catastrophic Damage to the Heart Time of Death: Approximately Midnight Body Discovered: 12:36pm Location: Church Injuries: -Gunshot wound through the torso, bullet penetrated the heart. Entry wound on the chest, exit wound on the back.

-Healing break in right foot -Healing sprain in left hand

[fallenpeak-blog]

Take Me to Church | Body Discovery

Three days, the Smiling Devil had said. Three days to choose between murder or losing your memories, your very sense of self. For some of you the full gravity of the situation still hasn't processed, for others it's an abstract horror, but will anyone kill for it? Would that even be such a terrible thing, knowing as you do now that the dead may rise again? Well, some of them. Noriko certainly wasn't making a reappearance, nor would Lucielle, or Aelois, apparently. So what will happen? Will someone cave, or will you all pay the price? Well, the third day arrives, so you're about to find out...

From the moment you wake up in the morning, it's on your mind. Your trepidation grows as the day continues without incident. When will it happen, if no one dies? The end of the day, at the stroke of midnight? Or the afternoon, when the motive announcements are usually made? Is anyone missing? That's strange...

Each of you, those of you still considered 'players' in the game at least, are approached in the afternoon, a card similar to the ones that always summon you to the theater is handed over. Except this one is different. These instruct you to meet at... the church on Ladybones Road. The devils who deliver them seem inclined to guide or shoo you in the right direction if necessary, and though you're loathe to discover what it is you're being called to, sooner or later you all find yourselves at the door to the locked building.

Or rather, the previously locked building. The door is open now, just a crack, and the Smiling Devil stands near it.

“Go on, don’t be shy now. Go on in.” She gestures at the door invitingly, the smile on her face slim and smug. None of you wants to humor her, but you clearly won't be allowed to leave until someone does. Finally, at long last, one of you ventures forward and is the first to push the door open and head in. Caught up in the moment, the curiosity, the dread, or perhaps just the desire to get this over with, the rest of you follow and see...

[Art by Dani, shading by Crow]

The body of Red Tux, looking fragile and strangely vulnerable without their mask or their coat, lays before the steps leading up to the altar. In a macabre way, the scene is beautiful, like an old painting, the light from a stained glass window flooding over them, casting color and shadow. Perhaps it's fitting that the graffiti artist's death looks like a work of art.

The Artistic Activist has been Murdered!

[fallenpeak-blog]

My Blood Knight | Event Reaction| Alice | Open

There was a high pitched scream that echoed in Alice’s head. 

It took her a moment to realize it was her own voice even as she was already running towards Aelois. 

She wants to fight, she wants to kill, but she can’t run past Aelois’ to the Devil. Alice is forced to stop moving and fall to her knees and her pants get soaked in blood. 

There is so much blood, and Alice stretches her hand out as if to brush Aelois’ hair out of her face, but she pulls it back as if an invisible barrier keeps her from touching the beautiful red hair. 

Clenching her hand at her thighs Alice whispered.

“Damn it.” 

Gritting her teeth she reached out again, and pushing Aelois’ hair back. Alice is pained, but reaches into her jacket and starts cleaning the blood and tears on Aelois’ cheeks. 

She just wants to see the fight come back to Aelois’ face.

[fallenpeak-blog]

Beauty is Terror | Investigation Start

As usual, you aren't given long to take in the sight of the body before the Devil steps forward to catch your attention once more.

"Y'all know what to do by now, I won't keep ya long. I will say you should all have a good, thorough look around. I reckon you're gettin' bored with our little game, so... this trial might just end up presentin' a new opportunity. I'll explain more when we're ready to start. In the meantime, put your detective hats on. I've gotta see a man about an autopsy." And just like that, she turns on her heel and walks out of the church. You have about ten, maybe fifteen minutes before the Necromancer arrives to take the body into custody, so to speak, and begin to conduct his examination. He assures you all that he will deliver the autopsy report, as usual, once it is complete. He will also, again, as usual, be available to answer questions in the Mortuary.

[fallenpeak-blog]

A Clean Slate | Motive

It’s the third morning since the return of Nono, Satoshi, Subaru, and Yukiteru. That makes it nearly an entire week since the last trial, the longest amount of time that has passed without a motive in effect since you all got here. Perhaps the delay has made you hopeful, has the cycle been broken? Has the Devil become bored? Or perhaps it has simply made you anxious, apprehensive about the respite, dreading its end. Whatever the case, when you wake up to find a familiar card summoning you to the theatre, you know the wait is over.

Nightmares, secrets, mazes, loved ones... what next? There’s only one way to find out. You arrive at the theatre, your classmates gathering around you. Although it was said that the motives won’t be affecting the returned ‘dead’, no one prevents them from attending the announcement if they choose. However you don’t have much time to scan those assembled, because the Smiling Devil is already waiting on the stage for you when you arrive.

“I’m so glad to see all of you, I think you’re really gonna appreciate what I have to tell you today. I’d apologize for the lateness, but I figured it’d have more of an impact if you’d adjusted to your new distractions first.” She pauses to glance at any of the returned kids in the crowd, there’s at least one since Nono had made an appearance. “Let’s just get right to it though, shall we?”

“By now y’all shoulda realized that you’re missin’ memories. Was pretty obvious since you first woke up, right? A year of your lives, just gone poof, right outta your heads, like it never happened. I’m sure that must be strange, it probably bothers you a lot, the wonderin’, the sense of a gap. But it’s just a year, ain’t it? And y’all have managed to carry on, makin’ new memories, connectin’ with each other. I gotta say, it’s downright admirable how you’ve adapted, formed little support groups and whatnot. Be a real shame if somethin’ were to ruin that, wouldn’t it? Somethin’ like...”

“Losin’ all your memories. Hey, we could do that, not like it’d even be hard. Actually it’s easier to wipe someone blank than to isolate a specific time period like we did, even one as large as a year. Now this might sound like a great idea to some of you, a fresh start, a clean slate, all that. An' if you wanna look at it that way, well, I ain't gonna stop you. But I reckon most of you would prefer to keep your memories. They're what make you who you are, after all. Imagine it... all the training and studying to learn your talents, all the people you've met and cared for, your families, your friends, even the relationships you've formed here... gone forever from your mind. The very person you are now, permanently erased. You would lose everything. Wouldn't that be fun? Of course, if you don't agree, one a' you is gonna need to step up to the plate and commit a murder. So look around, decide who you can live without... or get used to the idea of bein' a full amnesiac, I guess. Your call. I’ll give you... let’s see, three days should be enough time. Have fun."

Without waiting for a response, the Devil steps back, and leaves the stage. She can’t be serious... can she? And yet she's never lied before, never bluffed, never failed to follow through. You are missing memories, you know that, so you must also know she's telling the truth when she says it can be done.

[fallenpeak-blog]

Exclusionary | Event [Part 2]

This didn’t make any sense. And yet here they were, approaching you on the docks like a dream come alive again, and just as your shock is beginning to fade someone else makes a much more unwelcome appearance. The Smiling Devil steps neatly into view, clearing her throat for attention, and dread immediately settles in your stomach. What now…?

“Looks like some of you decided to stop hidin’ out and found your way back from the Tomb Colonies. ‘Bout time, if you ask me. Alright, to be fair if you’d shown up much earlier I mighta had some objections, but as it is? I ain’t gonna kick up a fuss. Y’all’re citizens now, so go ahead and go where you like…”

“Oh but sorry to say that once you lose the game, you’re out. You four an’ the ones still hangin’ out in Venderbight just aren’t eligible to play anymore. So no killin’ your classmates- the active players anyway, you can do what you want to each other, no investigatin’ for murders or clues, and you won’t be granted access to the trial room if an’ when one occurs. You could still make a trade though, those of you that got souls anyhow, so feel free to let me know if there’s anythin’ you’d like… either for yourself or someone else. I’m sure we can work out a deal.” Her gaze flicks to Satoshi for a moment. Nono just looks sour that her entrance was spoiled. Rude. However the Devil doesn’t linger for long, in fact as soon as she’s finished with this little addendum she gives them all an amiable wave and saunters off again.

Leaving you with four not-so-dead classmates.

[fallenpeak-blog]

The Dead Will Walk | Event [Part 1]

Morning of the fourth day since trial arrives, and you all wake up feeling an almost instinctive apprehension. From the pattern that has been previously established, you realize that there should be a new motive introduced either today or tomorrow. What could it be this time? Actually, perhaps you’re not in the mood to speculate. Given that many of you had thought surely there was nothing that could follow the maze, but then… well, the memory of Lucielle’s fate is still fresh in your minds, even nearly a week later.

But there’s no summons awaiting you when you wake. No devils attempt to herd you towards the theatre, and the stage, should you choose to go and peek, is free and clear. It’s also clean. The remnants of the last murder had been tidied up without so much as a stain while you were still in the trial, and by now there isn’t even a lingering scent of cleanser. You should be relieved, shouldn’t you? And yet a sense of wrongness permeates. Something foreboding is in the air, a tension, a sensation that Something Should Be Happening, and your experiences in this place naturally incline you to believe it must be something Terrible.

Many of you take breakfast, a few don’t, but all of you are preparing to disperse for the day, either leaving the boarding house to explore, returning to your rooms to brood, or on some other mission, when a loud, piercing whistle coming from outside catches your attention, followed by shouting.

“HEEEEEEEY!  Come out, come out!”

That is not the Smiling Devil’s voice.  You go outside, curiosity piqued, and there stands the Cheerful Daredevil, smiling her own trademark smile and all but hopping up and down from sheer excitement.  She hadn’t exactly brought happy news with her presence the last time you all saw her.  Will this time be any different?

“There’s something you haaaaave to see down at the Docks!  The Flippant Zee-Captain’s ship has come in early, and--  I can’t say anything more because it would compleeeeetely spoil the surprise.  But it’s the fun kind of surprise, I promise!  Come on, follow me!”

And with that, she skips off towards the docks.

What is going on? Her energy is almost infectious, despite everything, and for once you’re getting the impression that whatever she’s talking about really isn’t a bad thing. But can you trust that? Whether you think so or not, your curiosity, or perhaps just a desire not to be left out, compels you to follow her. When you arrive at the docks, you see her bouncing on her heels and pointing excitedly towards one of the ships that looks like it’s recently docked. Already deckhands are unloading the old cargo and loading up the new, with a fiery-redheaded woman in the garb of a Captain occasionally barking an order at them. You catch sight of the Necromancer waiting by the dockside, and he visibly lights up as a tall scarred man disembarks with the assistance of a cane and heads towards him. However it seems this isn’t what the Daredevil intended you to see, because she’s still gesturing towards the gangplank as…

Four familiar faces begin to descend.

Nono Kurosawa, arms and legs swathed in bandages, long pink hair tied back in a ponytail, leans on her cane and grins down at the stunned lot of you even as Subaru Ueda, fading bruises on his neck, steps up beside her and accompanies her to the shore. Not far behind them are Yukiteru Bushida and Satoshi Miyasaki. Satoshi seems a little anxious, and keeps raising a hand to the bandage still around their neck, but doesn't look too unhappy to be here. Yukiteru, compared to the rest, seems exactly as he looked while alive. Or… alive(?). It's hard to say, but either way he seems happy and excited to see everyone again.

It takes a few minutes for Nono to be close enough to be heard over the busy ruckus of the docks, but as soon as she’s within earshot she calls out, “Surprise, assholes! Bet you thought you’d seen the last of me!”

You certainly did.

A Twist in your Tale! - You may now interact with four of those you thought dead!