A Battle of Hellish Forces || Ch.3 Motive Event II
Not long after the most recent untimely end of your classmate, things have started to settle down. Supplies were dwindling, however. While several of you had great luck with finding the medicine that would stave off the vapor’s symptoms a little longer - those little vials were becoming more difficult to find as time went on.
At this rate, you all were destined for death.
Luckily, to distract you a bit from your fleeting time left on this mortal coil, a commotion can be heard coming from the lobby. Several voices (one in particular) were loudly talking and you all found yourselves wandering over to see what was happening.
Caplet cast over her shoulders and hands brazenly on hips, you all saw the prominent figure of Rowena Christine St. Bathory standing proudly before your three Judges.
“So we meet once again, you hateful chimera… I have been preparing for the day when we finally do battle. Plotting, toiling… all as you stave the others off this mortal coil. You disrupt the natural order!”
“These deaths are not noble! They are not even for the sake of strife of morbidity, but for something so vapid as fashion? The backs of those who toil away tirelessly in sweatshops for your precious ‘looks’ are not enough, and you must take more tortured spirits for your cause? For shame?”
“And not only that, but you stripped me of the chance to defeat the great Demon General… my long-fated rival! You may have already humiliated me with these dalliances you call fashion shows, but this is the final straw! You take my destiny, so we shall do battle, once and for all.”
“These… are the true last rites of Rowena Christine St. Bathory, the vassal of darkness! And to the darkness shall I return!”
Rowena puts her hands together, taking on a wider stance with her legs, and cracks something in her wrist. In the moment, you swear that you feel the chill of wind, and see an unseen breeze tousle Rowena’s hair. She mutters something, at first quieter, and then getting louder with her brazen chanting. You see her eyes begin to glow-
“Nyat so fast.”
Miryo-ke’s eyes narrowed at the interloper, and they appeared almost… bored with the goings-on.
“My, my… quite a birdbrain we have on our hands, huh? This should be fun~!”
The cockatoo giggles into their wings, watching the girl with bemusement as she fires up what appears to be a spell.
Modelkuma puts a paw to their cheek and grins. They’d been silent for a while, just watching the girl deliver her speech. The pink cub seems mildly amused-not so much so, but there’s clearly some sort of ‘playfulness’ behind their glassy, robotic eyes as they glance towards their fellow hosts. Their smile isn’t a cheery one- it’s eerie and unsettling.
“I’m never one to say no to giving the audience what they’ve asked for! If you’d like to have a word with Momoke, who am I to refuse?”
With building, chaotic laughter, the three Judges jump into formation. With a flash and a bit of smoke magic of their own - the very same beast that had started this killing game stands before you all now. Momoke’s voice rumbles with distortion, the three distinct voices of the Judges speaking in unison.
“Wh̯̔at̡̃ a ̤̎bold ͍̏s͍̃tance̠̕…͔̎ ͖̍w͙̽e͙̊l̛̼l,̘̑ yọ͡u k̤͊no̗͛w̟̚ the ̟͘ru̖͆les!̘́ If̬̿ y̦͒o̻͆ú̱ ch̺͂al͇͐leṋ̆ģ̆ę͡ ̗̑ủ̬s̗̎…͈͝ ̬̏we̡͑’̮̏ll ret̯̍ur̜͌n̻͡ ̙̓i͚͠n kind̰̃~͈̍!̢̂”
[CW; Gore]
Leaping through the air, you all know what’s coming next. With the same terrifying power that took the former SHSL TV Show Host’s life, The Abomination bares its technicolor claws and sends Rowena off to the side with a powerful swipe - causing her to leave a trail of flesh and blood in her wake. Landing with a weighty thud, the beast grins at the sight of crimson covering its paws. Flicking its tail, Momoke approaches the injured Spirit Photographer with a distorted cackle.
Whatever magic she had been trying to cast seems to have failed.
“Upu̟̔pup͢͡up̆͟upu͈̚p̞͝ù̱.͔̆.͔͐.“
It only takes a couple of seconds for the creature to be upon the unfortunate girl once again. With a sickening laughter and it’s sharp talons, they make swift work of tearing into your classmate. It wouldn’t even be a stretch in saying it was enjoying itself.
After a minute or so, the fusion steps back with blood dripping from it’s maw and nails. Behind them, a gruesome scene of gore crops the picture of your brave classmate who has fallen in battle.
With a swish of its tail, The Abomination goes running off and leaves you with the terrifying sight before you. No matter how you look at it, Rowena is dead.
Are you ready to join her?
[ ██████ ████████ (Rowena Christine St. Bathory), SHSL Spirit Photographer, has been PUNISHED ]
The monitor flickers, and the scene is finally visible...
[cw stabbing, mild claustrophobia]
Raketsu Hachimitsu is dragged off to meet his doom… For a moment all is in darkness. But soon, light surrounding Raketsu snap on, revealing his location. A large empty room, with what look to be spotlights attached to the ceiling. There were a lot more than he was used to… he wasn’t understanding exactly what was going on here.
In an instant, the lights all snapped on, and he covered his eyes quickly. It was too bright… but what were all these colors? They weren’t typical spotlights, more like stage lights. Blues, greens, reds, pinks, all sorts of colors. And just as quickly, something else occured.
From the floor surrounding him, panels opened up, and out popped what seemed to be endless cardboard cutouts of people. All dressed for the club, and posed mid-dance. Being in the middle of such a sudden and huge crowd unsettled him, was this supposed to be some sort of fake night club? But all that was missing was the--
Music.
Just as everything before had come without warning, so did the loud, overly obnoxious thumping beat of some hip club dance music. Raketsu felt an incredible pain shoot through his head, and clasped his hands over his ears.
“SHUT IT OFF!!” He tried to yell, but he couldn’t ever hear his own yelling over the music. The fake clubbers began to dance, the cutouts shimmying about the dance floor, and Raketsu began to panic.
This was just cruel, he thought. Was he just supposed to stand there and cringe to death? That was when he felt a sharp pain in his back. He yelped and stepped away, trying to look back and see what had happened. All he saw was the sea of dancers, but he could feel something warm and wet on his back. Then he felt a sharp pain in his side. He jumped away, almost catching a glimpse of something glistening in the crowd. He looked down to see blood staining his shirt. He was getting stabbed… wasn’t he? That’s when he saw something dangerous coming at him from the front. He moved away ust in time, but could see that a cardboard hand had reached out from the crowd, with a knife taped to the hand.
There was a scratch to his arm that he couldn’t react to in time, and he saw that it was from a dancer with a broken bottle. The dancers were attacking him! And he could barely defend himself… because his hands were glued to the sides of his head, unable to stand the music. In his panic he tried to push through the crowd, in an attempt to find some sort of exit out. Anything, anywhere he could escape from the pain and the sound. The deeper he went, the thicker the crowd became, and the more dancers seemed to have it out for him. Every corner lead to another attack, and when he’d stumble away from one blow, he’d trip into the blade of another. Dizzy, hurting, scared, and disoriented, Raketsu had no idea where he was running, and he was breathing faster and faster. He started to run, but that only weakened him more, and the wounds kept piling on. Eventually… eventually he would…
[art credit: keri! thank you!]
He began to notice that everything began to sound… quieter… like he was slowly being lowered under water. All sound faded away into a dull hum. It felt almost relieving… and then Raketsu fell to the floor. A long streak of blood trailed behind him showing the long tangled path he took trying to escape from this prison. He bled so much that in the end, he ran out.
....
The monitor fades to black and the mascots stand silently in front of the crowd. After a moment, Modelkuma speaks.
"... Quite exhilarating, huh?.... Well done everyone!... Go ahead and enjoy your free time now... While you still can!..."
With that they wheel away in eerie silence, the other mascots following closely behind.
The room rumbles and quakes as the center of what used to be the runway opens up, and long metal tendrils shoot up out of the ground to drag Raketsu away into the darkness. He’s there and, in a sudden flash, gone again, lost to the deep, black pit that lead to god knows where. Nevertheless, everyone was aware of what was about to happen.
Modelkuma turns to the crowd one final time, and the mascots all let out a laugh in unison,
“Upupu!~
“Raku-chan’s been quite the bad boy, hasn’t he? Though I suppose we didn’t give you much choice, huh? Someone was bound to murder eventually, too bad it had to be the class baby!”
They squish their cheeks and laugh- it sounds a bit more shrill than normal.
“Tata, then! Let me go ahead and get this show on the road!”
Before the floor hatch can close, Modelkuma jumps down into the pit, and with a startling thud the doors are shut once again, leaving only a monitor to display what could possibly be happening down there.
Hopping off of their chair, Modelkuma’s metal arms extend and grab hold of Rika, beginning to drag her away to her punishment.
Rika felt alight with terror, but it quickly diminished with something new.
This was what she wanted, right? This was always what she wanted. To die in a brilliant way in front of a crowd. In that sense, she should be happy. She shouldn’t be so afraid. Even if they hated her, they still had to watch.
It was difficult to speak with Modelkuma dragging her so hard, but there was something she had to say, no matter the cost.
“Make sure to watch it until the end, okay? You fools will be the ones who get the final honor of watching the Great Rika de Silva’s execution! Don’t take your eyes off me!”
Before the girl can get another word in, she’s being thrust into a large hole, descending to her doom. Modelkuma makes a hat-tipping motion towards the others before they too jump in and the hole is sealed again. Silence falls over the courtroom, and after a few moments a monitor descends from the ceiling. The execution was about to start....
Thank You For the Music || Ch. 2 Body Discovery III
There he was. Though no one truly deserved to die, killing Izumi seemed like a particularly cruel offense. Having already lost his voice, being murdered was just adding insult to injury- or perhaps the other way around. Poor sweet Izumi, who had done nothing but be kind, had suffered quite a nasty fate.
However, lying in the arms of Ryou, he seems rather peaceful. Hopefully his passing hadn’t been as rough as the large wound on his midsection implied.
Ryou, who’s still gently cradling Izumi, has a sort of hollow look of disbelief plastered on his face, and large teardrops are gently spilling over his cheeks and onto his apron. Next to him is E.ve, who- in a strange turn of events- looks more bothered by this particular case than any other so far.
If things weren’t as serious the first time around, they definitely were now.
It isn’t long before you hear a familiar echo of laughter coming up from behind the group, and the sound feels particularly grating today. Just as expected, Modelkuma and the gang wheel to the front of the scene.
“Well, well, well! Things are moving along just as smoothly as expected, aren’t they? Upupu! Isn’t this such a moving sight? To die in the arms of a friend... I know that’s how I’d wanna go!”
The mascots all coo at Izumi in a sickly condescending way. It feels disrespectful- though that’s to be expected at this point.
“Curious, isn’t it? Which one of you conniving little brats broke under the pressure? Hopefully it’s an actual student this time! The clock is ticking, so go ahead and get to searchin’! We ain’t got all day!”
“With that said, Let the Investigation Begin!!~”
Modelkuma and the gang wave their arms to invite the students to commence the search for the culprit, before speeding off and leaving everyone alone with the gruesome scene before them.
Though the death of Yuuna Kumagae had only been a few hours ago, it felt as though time had been moving in slow motion during investigation. It was hard to imagine that the killing game everyone had been convinced wouldn’t come to pass had been officially kicked off. Like dominoes, it was only a matter of time before the next student was knocked down, then the next, and so on. Now was truly the time to be afraid.
Almost as soon as it had begun, the investigation period was over. Just as Miryo-ke had foretold, your Modelpad suddenly began to emit a familiar chime, and Modelkuma’s face popped up on screen.
“Hello hello! Hope you’ve been suuuuper busy searching for clues! Didjya figure it out? Either way, it’s time for a Class Trial!~ Meet me down at the Runway to get started!”
With that, their visage fades, and the only thing left to do it follow their instructions and hope for the best.
Once everyone has gathered around the Runway, Modelkuma hops up onto the catwalk and grins out at everyone,
“Glad to see you’ve finally gotten the job done! It was about time someone killed someone around here, upupu! Now then, let me introduce you to how our lovely Class Trial is gonna work!”
They hop off the runway, and Modelkuma, Momotori, and Miyro-ke begin to usher the students back to the outer corners of the room. Once everyone’s been shepherded away, Modelkuma claps their hands and, with a whir and a sudden clanking of machinery, the runway begins to shape-shift.
It breaks off into 20 separate parts, all centered around one plush pink chair and an alarmingly red button. After the metamorphosis has taken place, Modelkuma hurries over to plop themselves down in the armchair,
“Ahhh, that’s better! Like the home makeover? Each of you will take your places at one of the podiums situated around my chair!~ They’re not labeled, just make sure you’re standing at a podium that matches the color of your team, and you’re set!”
They motion to Miyro-ke with a playful grin,
“I’ll let my adorable associate explain the rules while I get settled!~”
Once all of the students have completed their runway walks, Modelkuma clears their throat and pulls their mic close, tapping it gently to get everyone’s attention.
“Congrats on completing your first Group Fashion Show, everyone! I know it’s hard getting your footing when you’ve never done a big fashion show like this before, but a few of you have definitely impressed me a bit!”
They nod, humming softly to themself.
“Alright then, now for my final thoughts!
de Silva-san! For me, it felt like you were trying a bit too hard this time around. I loved your moves a few days ago when you walked the regular fashion show runway, but this time.. It’s just not cutting it! You’re going to have to try a bit harder, okay? Only a 12 from me this time!
Bathory-san! Though I wasn’t floored, I liked this performance better than your last! That first move was delightfully cute! I think when you take on a sort of whimsical aura, you can really shine! Unfortunately, your last two moves didn’t really pique my interest. You get a 25!
Fujimoto-san! Your walk wasn’t as show-stopping this time around as it was before, but I can imagine this kind of thing would make one nervous! Still, you performed well enough! A 28 from me!
Fujimoto-san number two! You really sucked this time! Your performance put me in a bit of a bad mood. I think you needed a lot more practice for this one, and you just didn’t deliver! I’m disappointed. I’m only gonna give you a 5! Boo!
Mazawa-san! I understand that this theme was probably a bit difficult for you, but I appreciate that you did your best! You clearly tried hard, and I can always respect that! A 27 from me!
Fukumoto-san! Your performance was fine, and your first move was stunning! The other two didn’t impress me all that much- in fact, I think your first move sort of out-shined them in the end! Guess I’m a sucker for those pretty eyes, huh? A 26 from me!
Fukuyama-san! Hahahaha!~ I loved that costume! You really embody the essence of Chiitan, don’t you? It was a bold move, and not one without praise! I definitely loved it!~ You get a nice 37 from me! Bahahahahah!~ So cute!~
Aikawa-san! You don’t seem to have improved at all since your last fashion show! Then again, I guess it’s a lot to ask for you to improve in such a short amount of time. It’s not a bad thing, I guess- your performance was pretty good! I’m just gonna give you the same score as last time! A good ol’ 29!
Amashiro-san! Mmmm, I wasn’t impressed. None of your moves really stood out to me, it was all just sort of boring! I think you need a little more practice- sorry! You only get 12 from me.
Imamiya-san! You have experience in this field, and you haven’t disappointed me yet! This category isn’t really your forte, but you rocked it anyway! For a cute-themed runway, you did the best you could, and I’m satisfied! A 30 from me!
E.ve-san! I know I’ve been hard on you during these past few days, but I was truly inspired by your runway performance today! It’s good to see you shying away from your goofy style and giving us something with a little more spunk! So much enthusiasm and charm, I was blown away by your talent! It just goes to show that when you put yourself out there and show us everything you’ve got, you really steal the spotlight! Upupu! You’re getting my highest score yet! A whopping 40!~
Kyou-san! You started off strong, but really blew it there at the end! You’re undeniably cute, and that’s a fact! Next time just try not to overdo it, alright? I think if you practiced a little bit more, you could’ve saved yourself from the disaster that was your last pose! Keep that from happening again, okay? I give you a 24!
Kanta-san! Your entrance really knocked me off of my wheel! I was so amazed at your charm, that coy smile was just to *die* for! Unfortunately, that was the best it got! Next time I think you should try and keep up that charm throughout your whole walk, alright? You get a 28 from me!
Kumagae-san! Wahahahaha!!~ Wowee!! I think I’ve fallen head over heels! You sure are a cutie, aren’t you? Your pure charisma on the runway blew me away! I don’t think I’ve seen such a performance in a long time! Perhaps I should have put you in the cute category, huh? Upupupu! Even though it got a little dodgy in the middle there, you picked it right back up in the end! I truly loved it! An astounding 44 whole points for you, Yuuna-chan!~ Woooo!~
Hamaguchi-san! It’s clear we have an experienced young model in our midst! It’s easy to see your years of stardom giving you the one-up here on the runway! You may have fumbled a bit in the middle there, but overall your walk was a delight to watch! Keep up the good work! I’ll have to be a bit stricter with you next time, knowing you come from an experienced background!~ That’s a 39 from me!~
Ng-san! I should have expected the same sort of routine from you. The ‘too-good-for-modelling’ shtick is getting old, and you’ve completely abandoned the theme! It wasn’t cute at all! I can admire your captivating stage presence, but that’s about it! Find a new act, okay? You’ve got 19 points from me! Next!~
Oh-san! I suppose I was a bit too harsh on you during your first fashion show, wasn’t I? Your performance was delightfully cute and I found myself enjoying all of it for the most part! Sure you may not have been outstanding, but you’ve got plenty of experience and it really shows during your walk! You’ve earned a comfortable 38 points!~
Sada-san! I can understand that cuteness isn’t really your forte, right? Still, you did your best and I can appreciate the effort! Even though you’re not what a lot of people would describe as ‘cute,’ I still found myself liking it all a lot! The whole walk made me feel happy, upu!~ That’s a 29 from me!
Red-san! Hmmm, while it was a creative technique, I have to say I wasn’t a huge fan of the signs. Where’s the action? Where’s the pizzazz? I’d venture to say you barely moved a muscle! Next time I’d like to see you engage in some actual posing, okay? You get a 21 from me!”
They pause, and for a moment they hold their cutesy smile. Then, slowly, they turn to Raketsu.
“.... But it looks like there’s still someone left, isn’t there? Someone whose decided to boycott this little fashion show of ours, huh? Well, I’m sorry to say, Hachimitsu-san, but you’ve earned 0 points!”
They then glance to their fellow judges in anticipation for their scores.
One week.
It had been one week since your arrival at HPME, and it had gone by as slowly as ever. Hours had been spent waiting and anticipating the arrival of a rescue team, but no such team had surfaced. Friends had been made, rivalries had surfaced, and plenty of coins had been found, but the threat of murder seemed to have held no weight. After all, it was going to take a little more than an empty order to get you to kill each other, wasn’t it? Considering the bounty of resources allowing your stay to feel comfortable and safe, it was hard to feel any pressure to do something so drastic just yet.
However, things were about to change- for better or worse.
Most likely for worse.
With the day of the Group Fashion Show having arrived at last, many were anxious about the commencing of the event, especially considering how finicky the judges appeared to be. For those who had participated in regular fashion shows over the course of the week, it was clear to see that the judges were quick to make their opinions known on any pose they found to be unsatisfactory, and it was nearly impossible to predict what their reactions would be. All that could be done was to prepare an outfit suited to the theme and hope for the best.
Around 7 PM, a voice sounds out through the speakers of your modelpads, and Modelkuma’s smiling face pops up on the screen.
“Gooood evening everybody! I know you know what time it is!~ Go ahead and head on down to the Runway, you have one more hour to get yourself all gussied up in the dressing rooms before the Group Fashion Show begins! Good luck lovelies!~”
The announcement then shuts off, and you’re left with your thoughts as you begin to make your way down towards the Runway.
