Days and days pass in the underground bunker. It’s hard to tell how many when the sun doesn’t even greet you. The mental wear and tear begins to nag at you, claw at your mind. There’s very little to do down here. Everything’s so... regimented. Your food changes, only a little. Everything is on a strict schedule, the boredom begins to tear at you and slowly, you begin to feel number and number.
Maybe it’s almost a welcome sight when you spot LISE there in the front room, glowing that usual blue light.
“Good morning. Evening. Afternoon. Night. I am searching_for_mood... pleased to inform you all that your stay here might be over soon as the threats have almost been extinguished. But I will have to ask that you continue to stay down here until it is 100% Condition Green. But do not worry. It is in my programming that humans get bored easily. The underground must be weighing on you. So I have brought you an offer. Something with which to occupy your minds.“
The words appear on your devices and LISE’s soft words sound in your ears. Soon, there’s another new tab on your devices under the name: TRUTH OR ULTIMATUM.
“It should have finished downloading by now. This is entertainment I have created for you. It is split into Major and Minor. Each person will either have a Major Ultimatum and a Minor Truth or a Major Truth and Minor Ultimatum. I suppose what you choose to do with your truths is up to you. But if you do not complete the ultimatums given, you should expect a punishment in turn. This is how this game works, after all. Feel free to speak about your truths and ultimatums. But I wonder if everyone is better knowing those or not. It is your decision at the end of the day. You are the only one with the right and responsibility. Well then. There is more work to do. Process. Complete. Good morning. Evening. Afternoon. Night.”
And just like that, LISE fizzles out before your eyes once again. Your new tab on the device is bouncing. In the case of one Chuichi Genda, a replacement card has been sent to his room. It definitely looks shoddier than everyone else’s but it still works... generally speaking. It seems to cut out and stop working on occasion.
You could always not check your card at all. Perhaps that’s the safe pick. But the curiosity will always nag you...
The explosion of the Camellia Guesthouse has left many of you shaken. Two bodies becoming one body and the mysteries of this island have some of you utterly baffled. But things still need to be done and so work you must. You do so until LISE’s voice can be heard, beckoning you over to the facility, as they are wont to do.
“Good morning. Evening. Afternoon. Night. Are you suitably prepared for your changed living conditions? You should be. You do not have a choice in the matter, after all. This is the reality of your situation. Even if you dislike it. Even if you would rather not. This is something you must accept, if you are ever going to get anywhere in life.“
A pause and LISE fizzles a bit, as if something is interfering with them before fizzling back to their perfect square shape.
“If you have anything to deposit, please place it on the . Only solid, non-living items will count. Do not think about trying to escape the proceedings. It is easier when you comply. When you are done, please enter the elevator so we begin. Do you not want justice? This is, after all, what society says is ‘correct’. Therefore, we must.“
There’s nothing else to say. Any of you that wish to bring items with you down to your apparent ‘new life’ have the option of sending it down a little ventiliation shaft pointed out to you by LISE. For the rest of you, the elevator beckons. One by one, you all enter the elevator and can’t help but notice the emptier spaces that much more...
You are led down a corridor, to another sleek room, this one a bit dimmer than the last one. Beyond that, it’s near impossible to tell the difference. All of these corridors and rooms begin to look the same. You all step by your podiums and prepare yourself for what’s coming next...
Yet something might enter your mind.
Is this... right?
Can murder and execution be considered any kind of justice?
An uncomfortable air settles in as thick plumes of grey begin to devour the white clouds above. And yet, there’s no sign of any autopsy reports. And there’s... no sign of LISE in general. There’s just this sharp silence that almost stops you from moving as a whole. As if you’re waiting for something.
After a small pause, LISE flickers to life in front of those around the Guesthouse. Or... what used to be the Guesthouse, anyway, as smouldering pieces of wood continue to sizzle and blacken away into nothing.
“I must spare you the usual morning, evening, afternoon and night. There have been some... complications. If we are to obtain truthful results, what we are doing cannot be interfered with. Every outside force contaminates the validity of what we are doing here. I cannot risk my data being corrupted. So the threats that have now suffered must be taken care of.”
The words LISE share are repeated in your IDs. That means no matter who you are or where you are, you see what is written.
"Unfortunately, due to my energy being diverted, I have delayed on giving you the necessary information to solve this particular matter. One of you, once again, did what was natural to you. You murdered. As calculated. If you do not want to die getting it wrong, then, no matter the outside circumstances, you must investigate.”
A pause.
“However.”
LISE flashes crimson. Although their tone is as neutral as ever, you feel the subject has become more ground.
“You may also wish to keep your eyes open. Because these grounds are now contaminated, you will have to live a bit... differently from here on out. Do not panic. Although this is not a part of the procedure, I have no reason to doubt it will provide enough until the problem is solved. As such, on top of investigating, you might want to prepare some items and goodbyes as, until I have properly eliminated the disturbance, you will not return to this place. You may also be in danger whilst investigating. Of course, this is all moot if you all die. There will only be one of you to assist, in that case. Will you succeed? I wish both parties the best of luck. I will update my files to give you the data you require as soon as I can.“
With those vague and ominous words, LISE flickers back out of existence and leaves all of you with an empty feeling of dread. What threat? Where are you going? You barely have time to consider it when there are two bodies you need to investigate...
Burned Out Flames Should Never Re-ignite [Chapter 3: MOTIVE]
It's hard to tell the time these days.
If the hours could be seen, you'd still likely find yourself lost. The thick mist shrouds around the area, leaving you feeling, at times, helpless. Some nights are colder than others and it's much, much easier to walk for miles and not see anyone. You truly feel the emptiness. A breath comes out in a puff, and vanishes. A word escapes your mouth and fades to silence. As if it never even was.
But a mercy, if you can call it that, arrives in the form of bright blue... in the form of LISE. A message from the AI has everyone's attention as you are invited, strangely enough, to the Replica House. You talk careful steps across the lake, cracked and fractured in places as it is, and you walk indoors. It does little to warm you up. Instead of speaking up, or even texting, LISE instead sends directions in the forms of emoticons. To the living room, it seems, in front of the kotatsu and TV. How unusual. Despite coming all this way LISE appears to be nowhere in sight.
Bzzp.
The TV switches on, without anyone touching anything and LISE makes their entrance, text appearing on screen, their dulcet tone filling the room.
"Good morning. Evening. Afternoon. Night. The wind is, statistically, louder than all of you these days. This is of great concern. If you do not interact; if you do not participate in social relations and events, everything ends quietly. It is of no consequence either way to me. However; this is undeniably not good for research. So I have prepared some footage for you all. Do not panic. This is all real footage. It is because you have forgotten. That is why I must remind you of your position. Of why you are here."
An ominous feeling and oppressive atmosphere weighs down on the room and the channel seems to change, or, at the very least, LISE disappears and a new image can be seen. What seems to be some kind of... news report, currently talking about Hope's Peak. A woman appears on the screen and in the background is... it's a building. It's a building that's seen better days, with people running behind her, smoke billowing up before being smothered.
It's... it was Hope's Peak Academy.
"Earlier Hope's Peak suffered from a terrible inside attack. Upwards of fourty students took arms against their classmates and teachers, seemingly without provocation. The academy has had its ups and downs over the years but no one expected something like this. We are still unaware of just how many fatalities we have on our hands but several students are still missing. If you see anything or anyone, please call the number below."
The channel stays the same but it seems to fast-forward a bit, the woman talking a bit more before it skips to someone else in a different location, someone who looks... absolutely distraught. It's a beautiful woman with darker skin. She speaks in... Indonesian, and subtitles appear below.
"Alya, if you're out there... please, talk to us. There is much to say. I know... I know you are not dead. You are my strong flower. Please. Come home."
---
More fast-forwarding... and more people; a couple, the woman looking much more distraught than the man but both appearing as they hadn't slept for days.
"H-he can't live like this out there, he's in danger, he's--"
"Ellie, Ellie... shh... shh..."
He tries to put a hand on his wife's shoulder. And then turns to the camera.
"We, uh... we haven't seen our son since... since he left for Hope's Peak. Uh... if... if anyone at all sees our Lewis, please, let us know. W-we... we'd like to know. Where he is. And if he's... if he's safe."
---
Two children appear, a reporter appears to be with them. They have sun-kissed skin and hold hands, as if letting nothing get in between them. The boy signs with his hands at the camera.
"Matías we are waiting for you to come home; like you always do. Me and Rosa, we're going to keep waiting. So please come back safely. Just like always, right?"
The two exchange a shaky nod, both barely holding themselves together. Someone else comes onto the scene, an older woman, a mother, perhaps? She says nothing, but wraps both children up into a hug.
---
More children appear, a whole host of girls of varying ages. Many of them share a shade of black hair that reminds you of someone. But you've already figured it out thanks to the previous scenes; these are family members. These are dear faces, worried.
"Sato-nee, mom couldn't make it. B-but she's worried too. She thinks maybe she pushed you too hard. That she wasn't a good enough... Sato-nee, if you're out there, come home. Or tell someone. You have to survive, you just have to! Ruby Sprite Meguru wouldn't lose, so you can't either! The whole town misses you. We'll all help any we can. We can do anything together so just... contact someone."
---
Another couple stand before you, humble looking folks in a peaceful town.
"Uh... er... oh my god, I can't do this, this can't be happening..."
"Asao, w-we're concerned about you. Y-you're always doing the right thing but... b-but we miss you. And... you're not in trouble. We just want to know if you're okay."
The man, the father you presume, nods.
"W-we just want you home, son. We just want you safe."
"Please, if anyone's seen our boy, please just let us know."
And then...
Bzzp.
For a few seconds - nothing. Was that it? Perhaps you were among the people who hadn't seen anyone. What did that mean? Perhaps it was just meant as an example. Perhaps this was targetting only a handful of people. Or perhaps... it simply didn't matter to you. You couldn't be sure.
LISE crept back onto the screen, languid as ever.
"Family. It is something that a machine cannot comprehend. Even my creator is no one I am proud or sentimental of. But home is where the heart is. I consider this home. I consider you family. But I do not care for you one bit. You would surely be happier if I removed that sentimality out of your head as well. But this is easier said than done; and you remain as you are - soft. Emotional. You are ill, and we just want to fix you. If you cannot be fixed, and you remain concerned... you know what to do. I will give you a video phone call. Guaranteed. You can reach whatever number you like. You can say whatever you like - to whoever you like. On my machine's honour, I will not interfere. All you need do is kill someone. And... if you get away with it... you can return to them."
And with that, the screen dulls...
LISE has once again left with quite the bombshell. And yet.
You’re allowed some time to yourself after Kaizou Anzai’s death but it isn’t much; it’s half an hour, an hour at most before LISE contacts everyone through their IDs and summons them to the gate in the Traveler’s District. Everyone does so, at different times, some in tow with others, some strikingly alone. LISE is there waiting for them, as are those huge intimidating doors.
“You have done very well. Data suggests that you have improved greatly after this murder. I hope to see these efforts continue. There is still much to do and much to see. As a reward for your hard work, I have a mandated present. You each can see a small bag in the snow nearby. Find the one that has your name and take what is in there.“
If you do so, you will find 2x Tourist Coins and a novelty LISE-themed cookie. What you do with those is up to you. LISE continues on regardless of your actions.
“There is one other thing. I will now open this door for you. To let you confront everything and come to terms with what you are... this is key to this experience. We would appreciate you entering through the doors; not the hole. That was not a planned part of this.”
LISE flashes a depressed shade of purple and you can almost see what they’re pointing out. There is, indeed, a hole in the wall.
“If you wish to travel into the next area, you need only place your hand against the doors. They will swing open. However, they do take their time. If you have to wait two minutes while they open and shut... that cannot be helped. I have relayed the message. Good morning. Evening. Afternoon. Night.”
And with that, LISE flickers away. Someone approaches the door, placing their hand to it as the AI instructed and watches as they great doors, with some effort, creak open, pushing aside copious amount of snow in doing so.
Area 3. Frosted Dunes
Contrary to the Winter Flatlands you’ve seen and even the Traveler’s District, the Frosted Dunes are a lot more arduous. There are several hills and bumps; a person with clumsy feet will surely fall over numerous times. What’s more, to go with the constant snow fall, the occasional piece of hail will strike your head, especially if you’re not paying attention. The whole area is a little misty and hazy and you find yourself squinting often. Sometimes white and grey rocks can be mistaken for people or even buildings, especially when the hail and snow really picks up in the evening and night.
Crash Site
The embers likely died a while back but on occasion, flecks of orange and sparks seem to catch your eye. A large chunk of snow has been blasted aside and in the centre of this burnt land is the wreckage of a helicopter. It’s missing several pieces, such as the door. It’ll never likely be used again.
Tram Station
Running on rails, this hill tram can take you right past the Traveler’s District and up to Winter Flatlands, leaving you around the Secret Facility. It must, however, have an operator work it in order to move. For those impatient enough and with the balance required, you could opt to walk on top of the rails as well. There are two stations, one at the beginning of the ride and one at the end. The tram itself is a warm and comfortable space, with a lot of room and many sofas.
Misty Chasm
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
You might be attracted here due to the shiny grey and white rocks. The rare bit of green can be seen climbing and moving across the rocks, the smallest bit of life outside the dead white space. There are a variety of natural rock structures complimented by man-made ones including several stone stairs that take you further and further down. Many large rocks and structures block the way... you ought be strong and hardy if you want to go far.
Replica House
There’s a long long winding path to a small house that seems decidedly out of place set upon a frozen lake. There used to be some kind of bridge or steps but they’ve long since snapped meaning you have to walk carefully over the ice to reach the house. It looks... very much like a normal Japanese house, which is unnerving in this place. There are two floors and many normal rooms such as a kitchen, a living room with a nice kotatsu and a girlish bedroom filled with toys, princess-like objects and dancing equipment.
Atonement Facility
An austere and tall building that somehow inspires you with dread before you even enter it. Old murky bricks that can easily scratch an unprotected hand protect the inside, which looks decidedly and more impressively mechanical inside, with silver floors and walls. Blueish green lights and lines decorate and light the building as it remains pretty dark, even inside. For each light, its neighbouring light doesn’t appear to work, shrouding areas in darkness and adding to the unpleasant atmosphere. There is a help desk out front with some other things and a room for each child here.
Research Station
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
A high-tech and fancy looking building, somehow it looks like it’s pumping with power and activity despite the lack of life elsewhere. There is a monitor on a podium in the centre of the first room and some other doors that lead in respective directions. A very cryptic and high-tech place, there are a variety of numbers and coloured lines decorating the area.
Prism Bar
A fancy bar with adults with a variety of drinks (including alcoholic ones) to be had behind the long black counter. You can enter through two doors. There is a general purple and pink colour to the bar due to the special lighting giving it a subdued muted mood. The bar is broken up into booths, seperated by mirrors which can be spun around. Each booth has deep black sofas and clear glass-like tables. The mirrors are aesthetically beautiful but can be confusing and can easily get you lost despite it not being all that large. There are even mirrors just as stands, reflecting a variety of images back at you. A piano sits on a small black stage - it even has a little backstage room covered by purple curtains.
This place, this world they found themselves lost in... was dense and vast and you ended up feeling the emtpiness. Moreso than when you searched for Tsuneko Shiga’s evidence, you felt a numbness as your limbs burned under stress, walking and climbing, searching. Seconds turn into minutes at a grueling pace, both slow and fast. Slow enough to tire you out and fast enough to make you feel as if you didn’t do enough. But when LISE says your time is up... your time is up.
And yet, in all of this, nobody has still seen Shizumaru Kirikubo. Some of you might’ve assumed the worst at this point. Others, perhaps, barely thought of the missing boy at all.
There wasn’t much time to think about it, in all honesty. LISE was calling them; there was little to do but make one’s way to the Secret Facility. However, as people were returning, something... interesting happened.
Ryoka was walking by themselves to the location likely having split up from their group when they feel a tap on the shoulder. Surprised, she whirls around to see...
"Ah! Sorry. I did not intend to surprise you, if I did... I was gone a while so I thought to inform you what happened.”
A little lost for words, Ryoka can’t quite reply right away but eventually she shakes lose the surprise and replies.
“K-Kirikubo-san! Where have you been? We were all so worried... what happened? Where did you go? No one could find you!”
“? ... You were... concerned? I apologize. I knew I took a while. But I am unharmed, I assure you. The wreckage was great. I thought to be thorough and as I wandered around, I saw there was a small hole in the wall... I thought to expand this, and perhaps see what was beyond. And I did but... well... this is quite peculiar indeed. I saw something on the other side. No, not something. Someone. I did not recognize them... so I thought to call out. The second I did, they bolted at some speed. I gave chase but the area was new and I did not know where I was going and... sadly, I lost them. Rather than check anything else there, I believed it best I return with this information...”
“I see... Kirikubo-san, I suppose heard about... the murder. That must be why you’re here.”
“A... murder? What do you mean? Someone else died? When did... ah... I didn’t get notified at all... how strange... what happened?”
“We found Bellerose-chan and--”
“She’s safe?! Oh... that’s such a relief. I was so worried about her out there alone... good news comes with bad, I suppose...”
“... W...well the thing is... she was the one who...”
“Ah... I... I see. So it ended up like that. And one of us did it...”
“You really didn’t hear about it? Usually our IDs notify us.”
“... No, it did not make a single sound while I was away... I guess it is fortuitous I returned when I did.”
She nods in understanding and the two go to the facility together where everyone else is gathered. There’s no time to explain the situation as LISE is there and waiting for them.
“Good morning. Evening. Afternoon. Night. And... oh? I see you survived. I lost contact with your card. I suppose you went off course. I will prepare an update to make sure this mistake does not happen again. In any case... I see you are all gathered and ready for our next proceeding. Please, come into the facility and walk in an ordered line.”
As you all filtered in, one by one, you couldn’t help but notice the absence of Ji-hyun Hwan all the much more. But there’s nothing to be done about it. She’s gone now. The victim of fear and desparation, lost to them all. Worse yet was the knowledge someone would likely soon join her... someone in this room. But who? And why did they do it?
These thoughts are silently stirred in the brains of many as the elevator hums down.
The corridor is smooth and clean this time, with no bodies or distractions. The kids are all neatly led into a room, a different one this time. It has the same decor as last time, but some cake-like decorations hang pitifully on the ceiling, looking a tad out of place. You all take your seats and realize that it’s time once again.
As many of you head to the clinic upon getting the news on your ID, you realize something a little unusual. Perhaps not too unusual, you suppose people might not come here straight away or that they might just be doing something else. Some people could be slower than others. But regardless, perhaps it seems strange that Shizumaru is nowhere to be seen. You’d expect him to be here rather quickly considering his sense of justice.
But it’s nothing to think about now.
LISE appears, as ominous as ever, glowing over Giselle’s corpse.
“Another one falls. You cannot tell me you are surprised. You are simply giving into your nature. You could say it was designed this way. But truthfully, you were the ones designed like this.“
“Remember. There is a difference between ‘it cannot be helped’ and ‘I can’t help it’. In any case. You know what comes next. You know the rules. The prices. The stakes. Nothing has changed. You gave into your demons and did what you were always going to. It will end the way it should. Still. Good luck, I should say. To everyone. Good morning, evening, afternoon, night...“
LISE flickers away, just like always, leaving you with a body and a sinking feeling in your stomach. The bracelets gently can be removed now but at what cost...
Can you really say it’s worth it?
Perhaps. Perhaps not. The thought haunts some of you nonetheless.
The dream wakes you up in a snap. You don’t have the time the think about what you saw for long; LISE’s voice sounds across the area and their words appear on your IDs, as always.
“If you are not awake, you ought to be. 6:00 AM is a fine time to wake up. I am in the middle of some preparations. Please make your way to the Crystal Cafe.”
At your own paces, you arrive at the cafe, some early, some late. Some of you can’t help but notice the missing faces all that more. Not just Giselle, wherever she is, but both Ji-hyun and Tsuneko. Lost. Gone for good.
Despite calling them all here, LISE doesn’t seem to be here... some tempers begin to flare at being called for nothing when they suddenly appear, fashionably late, a chef’s hat sitting on one corner of their cube body.
“I meant to make breakfast. Whoopsy. I made a little mistake.“
Their tone is as neutral as always. The silence that follows is awkward.
LISE blink the chef’s hat away out of existence.
“This line of dialogue was designed as ‘comic relief’. After something terrible, it is best to wash it down with humour. You all saw something that could be described as that, did you not?“
Despite their cadence, somehow LISE’s tone seemed more knowing. Uncomfortably so.
“It is also great to set a mood. The calm before the storm, as it were. Ah. Did you notice the bracelets?”
Perhaps you did, but if you did, it left your mind within seconds. There were, indeed, some bracelets laid out on the tables around the cafe. It seemed like there were... sixteen in total. For all fifteen of you... and someone who wasn’t here.
“It seems Bellerose still isn’t here to collect hers. That’s alright. You can leave one. I would like for you all to pick one and put it on. You can resist, if you want. I won’t be shocked. But I imagine you will be. Wordplay. There is no need to panic. I will reward you properly for your compliance this time. You all have questions. This must be so. Who are you people without your memories? What are you? Why are you dreaming these things... and feeling these things that cannot be explained? You are incomplete. Or perhaps, you are something else as a whole. I am offering you a multiple choice. And I guarantee you an answer. You must all come to a consensus, however. Ask one question of the following:
>> What is this place?
>> Why are we here?
>> Who is responsible?
What. Why. Who. Those are your options.
Take your time and consider it. Think carefully. What do you truly want to know? What do you think will provide you the most relief? Once you all have your bracelets on... and you all have decided on your question... I will answer. And we will proceed onto phase two.”
