Danganronpa F4: One-Way Ticket to Ride (Epilogue)

[Southern Corn]

James arrived back at the scene, bored by the lack of others anywhere else. When people started discussing the mastermind again, he added, "Perhaps we should find this malevolent individual who's supposedly hiding among us. They may know an alternate way to escape that we don't."

[Cesar Zero]

Raul simply sighed and shook his head as Keri explaibed herself. He didn't seem particularly mad.

"A malevolent individual, huh? Do we know of anyone like that?" He glanced at James as he said that.

[Southern Corn]

Raul simply sighed and shook his head as Keri explaibed herself. He didn't seem particularly mad.

"A malevolent individual, huh? Do we know of anyone like that?" He glanced at James as he said that.

James scratched his chin, not grasping the meaning behind Raul's statement. "No, that doesn't seem to be the case. You all seem quite moronic. If the conductor of this cursed cruise is with us, then they must be faking their foolishness fairly fluently."

[lcarus]

"Quite the articulate cover-up for 'I haven't the foggiest.'" Oscar quips, none too impressed by the director's evaluation. "But if you could come up with anything new, us 'morons' would all very much appreciate it. "

[Southern Corn]

"Quite the articulate cover-up for 'I haven't the foggiest.'" Oscar quips, none too impressed by the director's evaluation. "But if you could come up with anything new, us 'morons' would all very much appreciate it. "

"Do I have to spoonfeed everything to you daft idiots? Obviously the boss of this place would be subtle about their identity. Though…" James tilted his head in thought. "Given the fact they bought this blimp, they must be someone's with money and power." His eyes went from Irene to Raul to Oscar sceptically.

[Datamatt]

"Quite the articulate cover-up for 'I haven't the foggiest.'" Oscar quips, none too impressed by the director's evaluation. "But if you could come up with anything new, us 'morons' would all very much appreciate it. "

"Do I have to spoonfeed everything to you daft idiots? Obviously the boss of this place would be subtle about their identity. Though…" James tilted his head in thought. "Given the fact they bought this blimp, they must be someone's with money and power." His eyes went from Irene to Raul to Oscar sceptically.

Irene tilts her head. "Are you perhaps implying that I would be able to orchestrate all of this while also maintaining my nation without anybody batting an eye as to where all the required funds are going?"

[Southern Corn]

"Quite the articulate cover-up for 'I haven't the foggiest.'" Oscar quips, none too impressed by the director's evaluation. "But if you could come up with anything new, us 'morons' would all very much appreciate it. "

"Do I have to spoonfeed everything to you daft idiots? Obviously the boss of this place would be subtle about their identity. Though…" James tilted his head in thought. "Given the fact they bought this blimp, they must be someone's with money and power." His eyes went from Irene to Raul to Oscar sceptically.

Irene tilts her head. "Are you perhaps implying that I would be able to orchestrate all of this while also maintaining my nation without anybody batting an eye as to where all the required funds are going?"

"All I know of your country is entirely from you, Your Maliciousness. Perhaps you could have been lying about that entirely. Maybe you have a secret inheritance from your parents you used to purchase this blimp. Who knows?" James shrugged. "I am but raising a very real possibility."

[lcarus]

"Do I have to spoonfeed everything to you daft idiots? Obviously the boss of this place would be subtle about their identity. Though…" James tilted his head in thought. "Given the fact they bought this blimp, they must be someone's with money and power." His eyes went from Irene to Raul to Oscar sceptically.

"Is that... suspicion in your eyes, Mr. Clement?" Oscar gasps in faux shock. "I could see a certain big-shot director setting this whole thing up as an ambitious publicity stunt..."

[Southern Corn]

"Do I have to spoonfeed everything to you daft idiots? Obviously the boss of this place would be subtle about their identity. Though…" James tilted his head in thought. "Given the fact they bought this blimp, they must be someone's with money and power." His eyes went from Irene to Raul to Oscar sceptically.

"Is that... suspicion in your eyes, Mr. Clement?" Oscar gasps in faux shock. "I could see a certain big-shot director setting this whole thing up as an ambitious publicity stunt..."

James glared at Oscar, finally realising his insinuations. "Unlike you plebeians, I don't see the need to waste my talent on a publicity stunt on this scale. Besides, trapping myself with all of you?" He spat on the ground. "I don't think I would ever willingly do that to myself for all the money in the world."

[Joker]

"Hey now, don't you think if Irene's kingdom was really behind somethin' like this, some information would have leaked?" Alex asks, trying to defend the queen. "This isn't something that can be easily covered up."

"And no offense now to Oscar, but I don't think just one person could afford all of this..."

[KamiPanda]

"You said it yourself, 'obviously the boss of this place would be subtle about their identity'. I do not think they would so flagrantly flaunt their ability to host something of this magnitude." Keri pointed out to James.

[Southern Corn]

"Hey now, don't you think if Irene's kingdom was really behind somethin' like this, some information would have leaked?" Alex asks, trying to defend the queen.

"How do we even know that she's really a queen?", James questioned. "Other than the dress, there's no proof to support this. Perhaps she's the Ultimate Con Artist instead. That would make a lot more sense."

"And no offense now to Oscar, but I don't think just one person could afford all of this..."

"Well, our captors appear to claim so, apparently. It seems likely only one person could be behind this. A tad cliché, if you ask me." He snorted.

"You said it yourself, 'obviously the boss of this place would be subtle about their identity'. I do not think they would so flagrantly flaunt their ability to host something of this magnitude." Keri pointed out to James.

"Would they, now? Perhaps their strategy would be to invoke the reverse psychology card. 'I couldn't be the mastermind, I wouldn't have given myself away so easily!' It's a pathetic tactic, really, but one they could potentially get away with."

[KamiPanda]

"Yes. Which proves... that it could be anyone. We are back where we started, with only an increase in hostility to show for it." Keri said. "This discussion is heading nowhere. Should anything new arise, please do contact me, but I would like to focus my time elsewhere now." With that said, she headed for the elevator.

[Southern Corn]

"Hmph. Perhaps so. I should be going then. See you buffoons later. I have some important business to attend to." With that, James followed brusquely into the elevator with a hint of frustration.

[lcarus]

"Ah, and I was so enjoying the circular arguments, too. Rich and secretive, let's see where that gets us." Oscar shrugs. "But if we're all done here, then I'll be on my way as well. I can't stand this tense atmosphere. Do call if you need anything, and good day." Following the rule of three, he saunters off to the elevator as well.

[Planetbox]

Spoiler: 7:50 P.M.

Bryan gathers everyone to the ballroom, stopping people in the hallway, going through the blimp, and cafeteria. Apparently he has an important announcement.

“Hola, amigos y amigas!” he begins, in a cheery gratuitous tone. “I was thinking, there’s gotta be something we can do! I mean, so much bad stuff is happening, and I thought, well maybe we should do something to get our minds of off it, just seize the day a little! So… I’m throwing a dance! Here, in like an hour!”

An awkward silence drips from the last words from Bryan. The room looks a little unsure of how to react.

“Well, sounds good to me, should we start preparing?” Raul becomes the first to jump on the idea.

“Ooh! Sounds wondrously delightful!” sings Florian. “I shall help out with it!”

“I’ll help too!” Oscar shouts, “This could be a lot of fun!”

“Well, you can most certainly count on me to attend!” Jerry says, “As long as there will be ice cream there, that is!”

“Well, that’s settled, get to it Bryan, if you’ve got what it takes,” Mitzi seems to take it upon herself to end the meeting, and begins to leave. A few stay behind for preparation.

Party Responsibilities List:
Oscar - Balloons
Florian - Setting up the buffet
Raul - Setting tables with chairs, tablecloths, and centerpieces
Bryan - DJ

Spoiler: 6:05 A.M.

“Does anyone else have this feeling… that something terrible has happened?”

It was the morning after the party. A small gathering of passengers had convened in the ballroom when Oscar made his comment. A few quiet murmurs fill the room before Boetius replies, “What makes you say that? Do you know something we don’t?”

“Well, no, not really…” Oscar replies, “But… But Jerry wasn’t in the cafeteria this morning, and he’s usually eating ice cream there around this time… Not to mention that there are a bunch of other people missing right now too…”

“That is true,” Irene remarks, looking around the room to do a quick head count. “It seems that along with Jerry… Circe, Jack, Abby, Keri… and Raul are also missing… Has anyone seen them?”

“No,” Alex remarks, “Haven’t seen any sign of ‘em…”

“Oh… Oh dear… This isn’t good,” Florian says, wiping sweat from his brow. “P- Perhaps we should split up and look for them…”

“Bzzt, such a plan would have a high probability of success.” V.A.L. remarks, “There are twelve of us, so by spreading out we could effectively search the entire hotel.”

“You do realize that there’s just two hours ‘till another of those bombs goes off, right?” Mitzi says, “You’re basically askin’ for someone to get whacked.”

“Well, we have to do something! For all we know, one of them might already be dead! We can’t just stand around here!”

“I agree,” Bryan says, “C’mon, guys. We’ll just take a quick look around and meet up here in about an hour or so.”

Mitzi scoffs. “Fine. But if I get bumped off by some serial killer, I’ll haunt the shit out of you.”

“Oh, I hope none of them are hurt or anything…” Rinea laughs.

“You lot can walk yourselves to death if you want,” James says, “But I’m staying here… in case one of them finds their way here on their own, of course.”

“Fine, suit yourself,” Bryan replies, “I’m gonna search the blimp. Vamanos!”

Bryan walks off, and the rest of the group follow his lead, spreading out in various directions to different parts of the hotel and leaving James alone in the ballroom.

Spoiler: 7:05 A.M.

As they had planned it, everyone reconvened about an hour later. The first person they notice is Keri, lying unmoving in Urumi’s arms, seemingly unconscious.

Alex raises an eyebrow at the girl. “What’s up with her?”

“Uhh…” Raul shrugs and replies, “Honestly, I couldn’t tell ya’, but apparently she’ll be fine. She can explain it herself later.”

“Basically, Keri did something batshit weird again. Big surprise, I know.” Mitzi says, “I think we’ve got better things to worry about. Take a look around.”

At Mitzi’s urging, everyone scanned the ballroom, quickly counting the passengers who arrived. It didn’t take them long to notice it… Four people were still missing…

The passengers mingled about the room as they tried to identify who hadn’t turned up.

“Ah, crap,” Bryan says, “No one found Jerry or Abby then?”

“Not only that…” Irene adds, “But Rinea and Boetius have disappeared as well.”

“What the hell? They were here an hour ago!” Koichi says, looking around the room frantically. “D- Did they desert or something?”

“Nah… they woulda been blown to smithereens if they had…” Jack mumbles, “They’ve gotta be in this building somewhere…”

“Umm… G- Guys?” Oscar’s voice drifts over from near the windows, too quiet to be heard.

“Hmm… Maybe in the stress of their friends’ disappearance, the two found comfort in each others’ arms?” Circe suggests, “We certainly shouldn’t interrupt them…”

“Could you at least try to take this seriously?” Urumi asks.

“G- Guys! Guys!” Oscar continues, his voice trembling. Once again, his words are swallowed up by those of the other passengers.

“Is there anywhere we haven’t searched yet?” Florian asks, “M- Maybe we should do another sweep of the building?”

“Ugh, this is absolutely ridiculous!” James shouts, “How did you simpletons lose a guy as large as Jerry, anyway?! He can’t be that hard to find!”

“G- Guys, seriously!” Oscar shouts, “Get over here!”

Something about the urgency in his voice immediately silences the room. Everyone turns over to Oscar, who’s standing next to one of the windows and pointing outside, his face white as a sheet.

A feeling of dread courses through the room, freezing everyone in their tracks. No one can shake the feeling that whatever’s out that window isn’t something they’d ever want to see.

And yet, everyone eventually finds themselves walking up to the windows and staring out into the great beyond.

Spoiler:

The jagged lightning rod pointed straight into the air, shining crimson against the clear blue sky.

His twisted, bruised limbs were spread across the gently sloping roof of the skyscraper. His head was tilted sideways, eyes closed as if he was simply taking a nap.

The lightning rod stabbed straight through his gut like the skewer of a shish-kabob. A deep red stain covered his jacket, trails of dried blood streaking down the roof.

Jerry Hagendaz, the Ultimate Ice Cream Taster, was dead.

...

His wool hat teetered precariously on the edge of the roof. A sudden gust of wind picks it up and carries it skyward… off into the great beyond.

Spoiler: Investigation

“Oh… Oh god…”

“What… What is the meaning of this?”

A grim silence fills the room. Most are too shocked to speak, but some simply don’t know what to say.

Eventually, everyone hears Otto’s voice coming from their bracelets. “Oh, egads! One of our passengers has been murdered! Please gather in, err… I suppose the ballroom as soon as possible! The trial will begin in about an hour, so begin your investigations immediately. Good luck!”

Despite the urgency of Otto’s suggestion, no one is quick to respond. Most of them hadn’t seen anything remotely like this before. Not even the sight of that house exploding compared to what lay before them.

The silence is finally broken by an enraged cry and a loud slam. The group turns to see James standing over an overturned chair, breathing heavily. Upon noticing everyone else’s eyes on him, he points and starts shouting, “What do you lot think you’re doing? We need to get moving!”

A few of the students flinch backwards at James’s display. Koichi, despite being somewhat taken aback himself, replies, “What’s your problem?! Th- This is a crime against humanity! J- Jerry… Jerry at least deserves a proper mourning!”

“Hmm? ‘A proper mourning?’” James replies, briskly walking over to the cadet. “In case you have forgotten, we don’t have time! Don’t you recall what that robot said? One of us will be executed if we fail the trial.” James stops just in front of Koichi, jabbing his finger into his chest and glaring at him. “And I am not going to get killed because you louts are too busy sobbing over that idiotic mammoth to do anything useful.”

Before the argument can escalate, Raul shoves the two boys apart, separating them. “Get ahold of yourself, James! While I do agree with you and think we need to get to work as soon as possible, your tantrums aren’t helping anyone!”

“T- Tantrums?” In a fit of rage, James raises his camera and charges toward Raul. “I’ll show you a tantrum, you brutish pi-”

Without hesitation, Raul knocks the air out of James’s lungs with a punch to the gut. The director falls forward into Raul’s arms, who immediately leans back and chucks him overhead in a single motion. James flips in mid-air as he soars over Koichi and lands back-first on the ballroom floor with a loud thump.

“Can you assholes dial it down over there?” Mitzi says, tightly gripping her IV stand and looking even sicklier than usual. “I think one m- murder is more than enough for now!”

“Of course,” Raul replies, calmly brushing off his uniform. “Perhaps he’ll have learned his lesson now.”

James slowly gets up, clearly quite rattled but seemingly uninjured. He lets out a pained scoff. “You know what? Just forget I ever bothered. If you ingrates wish to play patty-cake with one another for an hour, then fine. Let me not be one to stop you from doing so.” Everyone watches silently as James walks over to the elevator and pushes the “down” button. The doors instantly slide open, and he steps in. He waves and remarks, “In the meantime, I shall conduct my own inspection. Farewell, simpletons.” A few wonder if allowing him to leave is really a good idea, but at the moment no one is in the mood to try to stop him before the doors close in front of him.

“Alright, now that that’s over with,” Bryan says, breaking the awkward silence. “Let’s start the investigation. W- We’ll have to split up to cover more ground.”

“I do hate to bring it up, but we must keep in mind that there may be a killer in our midst,” Irene says, “We should strive to remain in groups of more than two…”

“Well then, uh…” Alex mumbles, “Someone should prob’ly try to catch up to James, right?”

“Uh, yeah… I suppose so…” Bryan lets out a long sigh, either out of annoyance or anxiety… or perhaps both. “So, uh… Any volunteers?”

“Uhh…” Florian says, “I can keep an eye on him! Assuming I can find him, that is…”

“I’m leaving Keri in here, okay?” Urumi says, gently setting her down. “We wouldn’t want her getting in the way…”

“Alright, glad all that’s settled,” Jack mumbles, “Let’s get goin’, or whatever…”

The group discusses how they’ll divide the workload, and then they head out.

Investigation Teams:
Ballroom: Bryan, Irene, Keri.
Roof/Blimp: Koichi, Mitzi, Jack.
Lounge/Gym: Alex, Circe.
Hotel Rooms: Raul, Urumi, V.A.L., Oscar.
Miscellaneous: James, Florian.
???: Boetius, Abby, Rinea.

(Please standby. Shortly after everyone receives their alibis and investigations, the class trial will begin.)

[Planetbox]

“Attention, all passengers! The trial will begin shortly! Please head to the back of the storage room on the blimp! And be quick about it! Linger for too long, and you may face punishment!”

It wasn’t long before almost everyone had arrived at the backmost section of the storage area, where piles of boxes were stacked on top of each other. Keri, too, was present, though now Bryan was the one carrying her.

The passengers looked around, but nothing seemed to be any different about the room.

“So… what now?” Jack asks, “We supposed to sit on these boxes or something?”

“Maybe we’re supposed to wait on Boetius, Rinea, and Abby?” Florian says.

As if on cue, the students heard footsteps coming from the entrance. They turned and saw Boetius and Rinea walking into the room. For some reason, she was holding a purple bundle of what looked like bedsheets in her arms. Boetius stared at the bundle, though the other passengers couldn’t read his expression through his mask.

“There you are…” Mitzi says, “What took you so long?”

“Oh, we’ll tell you later!” Rinea replies sweetly. “We were just a little… busy. That’s all!”

“Oh ho ho… Is that so?” Circe mumbles.

Before the discussion can continue, the intercom clicks on.

Click

“Please wait just a moment…” Kyle’s voice rings out clearly. “We are currently preparing the courtroom.”

Click

After a few more seconds, everyone hears a low rumble. A section of flooring beneath the piles of boxes slowly begins to rise, revealing a metal spiral staircase leading deeper into the blimp. Eventually it stops, but only just before the tallest stack of boxes touches the ceiling.

Click

“Alright. You may now enter the courtroom.”

Click

A few of the students begin to make their way down the staircase, but before they can make much progress, Bryan interjects, “Hold on, shouldn’t we wait for Abby?”

“If she wants to get blown to pieces, that’s her decision.” James says, “But I am not waiting around until I join her.” He turns and walks down the staircase, and after some hesitation, the rest of the group follow him.

The clanging of their feet on the staircase echoes through the air as they descend. Once everyone reaches the bottom, they find themselves in a dark room with little in it other than a pair of large, wooden double doors. The passengers exchange glances and then push open the doors to enter the room.

The first thing that catches their eyes is the floor to ceiling windows on the other side of the room, which display an impressive view of the city outside. In front of this window is a large metal podium which Otto is currently slotted into. Blue lights pulse down the side of the podium and into the floor, where they go off all around the area. The middle of the room features eighteen wooden podiums shaped like witness benches, which rest on steel platforms that jut out of the floor. One of these podiums has a picture of Jerry’s face on it crossed out in red, a grim reminder of why the group had come here in the first place. Glancing behind them, everyone also notices a large TV screen above the door where they came in.

“Welcome, welcome!” Otto chirps from his podium. “Everyone, please pick a podium! Don’t take Jerry’s, though. That’s a sacred site now!”

Everyone fans out around the room, each picking a podium and stepping up onto it. Bryan gently seats Keri at an empty podium and then takes one for himself. V.A.L. attempts to take a podium as well, but finds itself just bumping into the tiny step, unable to proceed.

Otto rolls his eye. “Oh, please.” The display on his eye lights up, and V.A.L.’s podium lowers to the floor. After V.A.L. rolls onto it, it raises up once again.

Soon, every podium is occupied… except one.

“Okay, now I’m seriously getting worried,” Oscar shouts, “Where’s Abby?”

“She should have heard the announcement go off, yes?” Irene calmly remarks, “I really do not see what could be taking her so long…”

“Sorry, nerds,” Kyle’s voice rings out, this time from two speakers nailed on opposite sides of the screen. “But we’re not at liberty to talk about any of this. You know, client confidentiality and all that.”

“…You are aware that that phrase does not even remotely apply here, correct?” James asks.

“Don’t worry, guys. I can explain everything!” Rinea cheerfully remarks, “Just let me show you what I’ve got wrapped up in these bedsheets first!”

Boetius looks over at her nervously. “N- No, you’re starting to creep me out. Th- This isn’t something to be so saccharine about. Let me do it.”

“And let you take all the glory?” Rinea replies, “Ha, no way!”

“G- Glory? You’re a complete psychopath!” Boetius steps off his podium and dashes over to Rinea’s. “Give me that! At least I have an ounce of goddamn restraint!”

Boetius tries to take the bundle from Rinea, but she isn’t willing to give it up. She holds it away from him, over the edge of the podium. “Oh, so now you’re gonna take some initiative? You didn’t seem to care about restraint down in the hotel. How about you get back to your podium like the piece of trash you are!”

Enraged by her comment, Boetius lunges for the bundle, but only succeeds in knocking it out of Rinea’s hands. It plummets to the floor, the blanket unfolding itself partially in mid-air, just enough to reveal the contents.

A human head rests on the bloodstained bedsheet. The soily-brown stubble on its scalp makes its identity obvious. Abby Young, the Ultimate Nuclear Engineer, is dead.

Everyone just stares. It was almost comical, really. No build-up of any sort. Nothing to mentally prepare them. There was just suddenly a human head on the floor in front of them.

“Oh, blast!” Otto shouts, “I’m gonna be late for the announcement!” Otto detaches himself from his podium and suddenly zips out of the room. A few seconds later, the intercom turns on.

Click

“Oh, egads! One of our passengers has been murdered! Please gather in the court-”

“Sh- Shut up!” Bryan suddenly interjects, “Shut up! Just shut up!”

Click

The intercom shuts off, but Otto doesn’t return. He leaves an uneasy silence in the room.

(The trial proper will begin in approximately an hour or two. You have this time to respond to recent events. Do not share your alibis or investigations unless we have personally permitted you to do so.)

[Southern Corn]

James cackled maniacally, unable to control himself.. "I told you all! I told you all there was no alternative! And now not just one, but two of your beloved friends have perished?" He bent down on his podium, trying to control his laughter, but it didn't end. "You…are all…idiots", he managed to say through his chortling. "It's too bad, I hardly even had anything against that Nuclear Engineer. Perhaps that environmentalist did, though", he said, giving a snide glance towards Keri.

[Kachu]

"Look what you've done!!" Rinea shouts towards Boetius. "You ruined the big reveal!"

She crosses her arms and puffs her cheeks out. "Now the floor is dirty too.."

[CaptainPancakes]

James cackled maniacally. "I told you all! I told you all there was no alternative! And now not just one, but two of your beloved friends have perished?" He bent down on his podium, trying to control his laughter, but it didn't end. "You…are all…idiots", he managed to say through his chortling. "It's too bad, I hardly even had anything against that Nuclear Engineer. Perhaps that environmentalist did, though", he said, giving a snide glance towards Keri.

Koichi's shock wasn't enough to keep him away from James, rushing over to confront him.

"H-How can you react that way towards another innocent death? Your behavior...I cannot comprehend it..! It is beyond logic!"

Koichi was still not his usual self, nearly toppling over on his way over to James. He turned to the doctor as well. "A-And how can you treat this so lightly?"

[Southern Corn]

"I would've killed that fat bloke for you, but you made me wait. And now this happened."

James shrugged indifferently, not at all bothered by the two deaths they had just witnessed.

[Kachu]

"Huh?" Rinea puts a finger to her chin, tiling her head ever so slightly, with a confused look on her face. "What do you mean, lightly? Shouldn't doctors be able to stay calm in situations like these, for their patients mental health?" She stares intently at Koichi, seemingly not knowing what he's getting at.

[CaptainPancakes]

Koichi went in for a punch, missing James' head and toppling over.

[Franzise Deauxnim]

"What... the hell..." Urumi choked out. She covered her mouth and looked ready to puke.

[Joker]

"N-Not just Jerry, but Abby too?!" Alex yelled, surprised. "W-What the hell... Why is this happening... 'Pa, I wanna go home now..." She was trembling slightly as she spoke, and looked pale as a ghost.

[DootDootDoot]

James cackled maniacally. "I told you all! I told you all there was no alternative! And now not just one, but two of your beloved friends have perished?" He bent down on his podium, trying to control his laughter, but it didn't end. "You…are all…idiots", he managed to say through his chortling. "It's too bad, I hardly even had anything against that Nuclear Engineer. Perhaps that environmentalist did, though", he said, giving a snide glance towards Keri.

Boetius alternates his glance quickly between James and Rinea.
"Are you two joking...? Two people are dead! And worse, there are people in this very room who did it! We're all standing here among murderers, and you two act like that?! You're crazy! Psychotic! You're... You're..."
He seems to finally run out of things to say, and silently walks back to his podium. He states at every other passenger as he walks, mask unreadable and unchanging.

His shoulders slump as he finally stops behind his own podium. His breathing is visibly accelerated from the way his chest contracts.

[Jirou]

Mitzi coughs, her voice hoarse but her tone flat, "Whatever." She coughs more violently this time. "Urk and I thought this trip would make me feel better about my condition..."

[lcarus]

"Th-That... That's a fine joke, Rini! Hahah... It almost looks like you're proudly flaunting Abby's severed head to the rest of us..." Oscar chuckles nervously, sweat suddenly running down his face. "Wh-Where did you pick that- her up? What the hell is going on here?"

[Collin1002]

A heavy silence came over Bryan after he shouted at Otto to shut up. At James's snide attitude and comments, he grits his teeth, doing his damnedest to hold himself back from lashing out at him. "First my roommate, and now Abby... Goddammit..."

[Kachu]

"Th-That... That's a fine joke, Rini! Hahah... It almost looks like you're proudly flaunting Abby's severed head to the rest of us..." Oscar chuckles nervously, sweat suddenly running down his face. "Wh-Where did you pick that- her up? What the hell is going on here?"

"Err, yeah. Joke. Riiiight." Rinea rolls her eyes. Though shortly after, she lifts her arms into the air excitedly. "I'm glad you asked, buddy!"

"See, Boetius and I needed to check out the hotel rooms, yeah? And so we found Abby dead in a room. So we had to investigate ourselves!"

[DootDootDoot]

"Th-That... That's a fine joke, Rini! Hahah... It almost looks like you're proudly flaunting Abby's severed head to the rest of us..." Oscar chuckles nervously, sweat suddenly running down his face. "Wh-Where did you pick that- her up? What the hell is going on here?"

"Err, yeah. Joke. Riiiight." Rinea rolls her eyes. Though shortly after, she lifts her arms into the air excitedly. "I'm glad you asked, buddy!"

"See, Boetius and I needed to check out the hotel rooms, yeah? And so we found Abby dead in a room. So we had to investigate ourselves!"

"Yeah... Sorry we disappeared. But we couldn't go back to tell you guys, otherwise we wouldn't have time to investigate both crimes."

[DootDootDoot]

"Also," he turns his head towards Rinea, and the glare he's giving her is evident even behind the mask. "I would like to add that Abby had her head attached to her body when we found her. Just for the record."

[Kachu]

"Also," he turns his head towards Rinea, and the glare he's giving her is evident even behind the mask. "I would like to add that Abby had her head attached to her body when we found her. Just for the record."

"Hey!" Rinea shouts. "We needed some sort of proof that she died, right?? And you agreed to it! So it's all okay in the end!" Rinea nods quickly, giving everyone a smile.

[lcarus]

Oscar nearly topples over from the news. "...so the rest of her is back in the hotel room? And this was the only way to prove she was dead? Why... how... What actually killed her?"

[Kachu]

"Asphyxiation." Rinea says without any hesitation.

"Oh, and yeah! How else would we prove it? What if you guys thought we killed her?" Rinea frowns, looking over the rest of the group. "Who knows what crazy conclusions you'd all jump to?"

[Franzise Deauxnim]

"Because cutting someone's head off and hauling it around in a blanket isn't crazy at all," Urumi growled. "Where did you even find her?"

[lcarus]

"Ah, yes. Maybe... bring her whole body with you? I didn't think one of you had killed her and brought a trophy back when it was just her head or anything!" Oscar laughs sarcastically. "And yes, please do explain how the discovery process went. We're all dying to hear."

[DootDootDoot]

"We found Abby in a locked hotel room. There wasn't anyone inside," he crosses his arms before nervously adding "or at least I don't think there was. Well, besides Abby."

[Kachu]

Rinea glares at Oscar. "You think I can carry her? I'm not a stupid giant like you, and neither is that Jester. Hell, he's probably wimpier than me!" Rinea giggles at her own comment.

"She was in room.. Um... 3602? I think? I don't know, who cares. We had to kick the door down and everything!" She scratches her head, trying to remember more details. "So then we found her on the couch, tied up and stuff. Already dead."

[CaptainPancakes]

"...B-But why two..? That is beyond comprehension...there's hardly a need to take two lives over one..."