[mock trial intro] move 'em on, head 'em up

[consolemods]

Whatever you were doing before you got here, it isn't what you're doing now. What you're doing now is waking up in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room with... unfamiliar glasses on your face. No matter what you can do, you can't take those glasses off... but if you roll your eyes down, you'll be given a rundown of what's going on here.

Hmm. Well, that's probably a little unnerving. Maybe you should... leave? Fortunately, your room's not locked, but as you go downstairs and try and ask the locals what's going on, you'll find they're... less than cooperative. And if you go outside the inn and try to leave into the town... well, you'll find several locations around the town, but you'll also find that you can't seem to leave.

Well. Maybe you should talk to the other people who just showed up here. All the locals are going to tell you is an explanation is forthcoming, so you might want to kill some time getting to know each other.

Comments

CAT HERD (kind of literally)

[exclusiverelease]

[Once the sheriff hears Zero, something changes: he still has the cool look on his face, but the condescension in it softens into something like cordiality.]

It seems like we're having a misunderstanding. All of you. You're the first visitors who weren't willing contestants. In that case: Let's start fresh.

[He pulls his pistol from his holster and fires, this time not a warning shot, but directly over the crowd towards the courthouse. Flames disappear. Fallen townspeople suddenly stand again, arms out at their sides before they drop back into their normal selves.

He looks down at the players again and starts to walk along the gate's roof, spinning his gun in his hand with a complete lack of trigger discipline.]

You're here to play a game. A melee, a battle royale. If you don't know the rules, look at your feet. I didn't write these rules, I didn't propose this game. But you're still on my land, and you follow my law as well. The only way out is through this gate, and the only way through this gate is through me.

[monotonality]

[Zero is probably not the best person for this chat but she gets it. The idea of it anyway. But--]

I don't give a damn about your little game. You said it-- I didn't consent to this little free-for-all. That's a nice little trick but I've got bigger fish to fry.

[Like some sisters.]

And if you get in my way then I'll kill you too.

[exclusiverelease]

I'll tell you what I told the other young lady. If you win this game, I'll let you walk right on by me. You seem like you're not afraid of getting your hands dirty, it shouldn't take you too long.

[monotonality]

...ugh. Fine. So I just gotta kill one of these idiots, is that it?

[Zero no.]

How about I just kill them all and call it a day. Then will you let me the hell out of this dump?

[flagrants]

As much as I wanna see you make these fuckers into a bloody mess, Z, I think I'm gonna have to protest that "all." Don't think you it would be better if you said, "all but one?"

[monotonality]

[Oh yeah. That one's here. Well... it's not exactly a bad time to have a disciple around though.]

Fine. But you better make yourself useful then.

[exclusiverelease]

Now you're catching on, but you're still missing something. Look at all these witnesses.

[monotonality]

[Oh my god you are literally making the ONE THING that comes naturally to her difficult. What the hell.]

So either I have to kill them all or lure one of them into a trap without getting caught by the others?

[ (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻ ]

Who came up with these shitty rules?

[absentminds]

Hm...in that case, will you please let me through the gate, Mr. Sheriff?

[exclusiverelease]

[goodness, if he had a heart you'd be pulling at its strings.]

I'm afraid I can't until you come out on top. If your bow isn't just for potting rabbits, it won't take you long.

[absentminds]

Ah...is my bow around here, then?

[exclusiverelease]

Not unless they changed their policy on keeping your kit with you, but necessity's the mother of invention. If you want to start inventing, check in at the store.

[absentminds]

Hm...well, thank you for talking to us anyway...

[stavros]

Kidnapped... to kill. And you're overseeing this to have us all disposed of?

[exclusiverelease]

Not all of you. Not unless someone wants to win by default.

[stavros]

...And you're certain that everyone else you've put through this wasn't abducted to do it.

[exclusiverelease]

[And this is his first real laugh the entire time, low from his stomach, vibrating the ground in its mirth.] You win the game, you never need to ask for anything else in your whole life. The glasses send everything you see back East, and it's- it's better than the stage, they're saying. Why would they need to take you by surprise unless they wanted to show people something new?

[stavros]

Never ask for anything... You sound more like a demon than anything else.

[cantread]

[Ok look. Sissel isn't really one to judge the weird shit humans do, but. You know. He has to ask.]

You really expect me to kill someone here?

[He's a PHANTOM DETECTIVE not a murderer, what do you take him for?]

[exclusiverelease]

[oh. it's a cat. that is a quite nice bandanna, cat.]

You know what people say about a black cat crossing someone's path.

[so. yes.]

[beguiledcard]

[ JESUS CHRIST??

... but all panic fades as soon as the people are back to their feet.

This guy had some questions, but honestly? Either other people have already asked them, or some of the questions feel insignificant at this point.

With the sheriff repeatedly making it clear he isn't the real one in charge of these games, the one Akira really wants to talk to still isn't here. Supposedly.

So this guy is just going to quietly glare in the sheriff's direction... ]

[popemobike]

[Makoto creeps up behind Akira and puts a hand on his shoulder. She's got your back, Joker.]

[exclusiverelease]

[He looks at both Akira and Makoto, sizing them up, and-]

I know what the two of you are thinking.

[popemobike]

... you do?

[Is he a mind reader as well as everything else?]

[exclusiverelease]

It doesn't take a mind reader to see the two of you are real close.