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

TheLetterF · Post by **TheLetterF** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:22 pm

Florian sighs.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I've been trying my best, but recently my skills as a butler have been...mediocre at best. Maybe it's the stress, or maybe I'm just worn out. It gets tiring trying to make everyone happy.."

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:26 pm

"Yes, I was wondering... have you perhaps temporarily lost your talent, like so many others seem to have?" Keri asked, concerned now.

SiRReN · Post by **SiRReN** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:30 pm

"Bzzt, another Ultimate losing their power?" V.A.L. asked. "This is most distubring, bzzt. It cannot be considered a coincidence any longer, bzzt."

TheLetterF · Post by **TheLetterF** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:31 pm

"Lost my talent?" Florian tilts his head. "How would that even be possible? Maybe Otto is up to something..."

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:54 pm

"That is certainly a troubling prospect... But it might, somehow, explain why we were all brought here? Not just anyone, but a collection of Ultimates were brought into this killing game," Keri pointed out.

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:56 pm

"I would not describe my talent as lost," Koichi said. "Back at the beginning, I mean. I felt...almost older, as if my reactions were slowed. I believe Irene felt similarly earlier. Is that what you are feeling right now, Florian?"

TheLetterF · Post by **TheLetterF** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:02 pm

CaptainPancakes wrote:"I would not describe my talent as lost," Koichi said. "Back at the beginning, I mean. I felt...almost older, as if my reactions were slowed. I believe Irene felt similarly earlier. Is that what you are feeling right now, Florian?"

"Hmm...I guess it just feels, I don't know, disappointing? Like everything I try to do, be it cooking or cleaning, turns out to be way too average and underwhelming.."

lcarus · Post by **lcarus** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:10 pm

"Curiouser and curiouser... I really had chalked it up to simply stress, yet it almost seems like an epidemic. How exactly does one go about... well, literally draining the talent out of someone?" Oscar tilts his head.

JesusMonroe · Post by **JesusMonroe** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:15 pm

"Hmmm...well your skills being mediocre strikes me more as a 'talent swap' rather than a complete disappearance." Jack said to Florian.

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:18 pm

JesusMonroe wrote:"Hmmm...well your skills being mediocre strikes me more as a 'talent swap' rather than a complete disappearance." Jack said to Florian.

"You believe...Florian swapped talents with someone?"

SiRReN · Post by **SiRReN** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:22 pm

"Bzzt, Ultimate Rinea seemed very eager to help clean earlier," V.A.L. recalled. "Could they have swapped talents, bzzt?"

JesusMonroe · Post by **JesusMonroe** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:23 pm

"Well I was thinking Florian had my talent but yeah, a 3-way swap is maybe possible."

lcarus · Post by **lcarus** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:26 pm

"...and yet again things get more confusing." Oscar sighs. "So what does that say for you, Jack? Have any sudden interests in medicine or first aid?"

JesusMonroe · Post by **JesusMonroe** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:28 pm

"Hmmmmmmm nope." He rubbed his chin. "Well, only one kind of medicine hehe."

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:45 pm

JesusMonroe wrote:"Hmmmmmmm nope." He rubbed his chin. "Well, only one kind of medicine hehe."

"Hey! You're supposed to refrain from using those drugs, remember?"

lcarus · Post by **lcarus** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:51 pm

"I suppose there has to be one constant to this whole ordeal." Oscar smirks. "But at any rate, where does that leave us? I don't suppose anyone else would fess up to a sudden change in occupation?"

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 6:57 pm

"I seem to posses my talent still," Keri volunteered, sitting down against a nearby post and then briefly stopping her heart to demonstrate.

Cesar Zero · Post by **Cesar Zero** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:02 pm

"Hmm, this is all very strange. I have not felt any different lately though." Raul chimed in.

"Could there be some pattern to this? At first it was just Koichi, then it was James and Irene if I'm not mistaken. Now it seems to be happening to 3 people, though I'm not sure Rinea is actually going through the same thing."

Collin1002 · Post by **Collin1002** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:05 pm

"Welp, I feel the same. Hang on..." Bryan moves away from the group before he swiftly does a backflip, making it look completely effortless. "Yep, still got it! So anyway, I... guess we should ask Rinea if she's feeling any differently, too, yeah?"

Franzise Deauxnim · Post by **Franzise Deauxnim** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:08 pm

"Oh come on, will you all listen to yourselves?" Urumi groaned. "Stolen talents, really? You can't just TAKE skills away from someone and then give them to someone else! Real life doesn't work that way!"

She crossed her arms and snorted to emphasize how ridiculous the conversation was. "You're probably just burned out after everything we've been through. Maybe hungry, too. Speaking of, I thought we were cooking something. Let's go already."

JesusMonroe · Post by **JesusMonroe** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:11 pm

[Might be wrong but I don't think anything actually happened to Irene and Matt mentioned 'not feeling well' as the IC excuse for suddenly remembering info given to him by the GMs]

lcarus · Post by **lcarus** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:40 pm

Franzise Deauxnim wrote:"Oh come on, will you all listen to yourselves?" Urumi groaned. "Stolen talents, really? You can't just TAKE skills away from someone and then give them to someone else! Real life doesn't work that way!"

She crossed her arms and snorted to emphasize how ridiculous the conversation was. "You're probably just burned out after everything we've been through. Maybe hungry, too. Speaking of, I thought we were cooking something. Let's go already."

"It's a bizarre concept, yet we've seen many strange things on this trip." Oscar points out. "But... you have a point. Can't expect us to think clearly on an empty stomach. Suppose we could scavenge anything classier than insect seasoned yogurt on our own?"

Southern Corn · Post by **Southern Corn** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:55 am

"Simply unacceptable", James said angrily. "More and more talents are being taken as we speak, making you lot even more mediocre. Who is this grand larcenist, in any case?"

Franzise Deauxnim · Post by **Franzise Deauxnim** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:29 am

lcarus wrote:
Franzise Deauxnim wrote:"Oh come on, will you all listen to yourselves?" Urumi groaned. "Stolen talents, really? You can't just TAKE skills away from someone and then give them to someone else! Real life doesn't work that way!"

She crossed her arms and snorted to emphasize how ridiculous the conversation was. "You're probably just burned out after everything we've been through. Maybe hungry, too. Speaking of, I thought we were cooking something. Let's go already."
"It's a bizarre concept, yet we've seen many strange things on this trip." Oscar points out. "But... you have a point. Can't expect us to think clearly on an empty stomach. Suppose we could scavenge anything classier than insect seasoned yogurt on our own?"

"Well, there should still be some canned stuff in the mess hall. I know I'm not eating anything we find in the woods unless someone who actually knows about that kind of stuff can tell whether it's even safe or not," she answered, throwing a hopeful glance at Keri.

Doctor Nanjo · Post by **Doctor Nanjo** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:10 am

Crack!

Raul’s foot rockets through the floor of the boys’ cabin. Koichi quickly gets up to go help him. Jack lazily watches from nearby.

After a moment of trying to get his foot out of the floor, Raul stands up straight, and as if he was making an announcement, he yelled, “Quick, everyone! I have found something very interesting.”

Soon, the whole group is gathered near the hole in the floor. They quickly and methodically tear out the floorboards until the floor is wide enough for most everyone to get down. The new widened hole reveals a small, gloomy grotto beneath the cabin, which seems to have not seen sunlight for a long time.

SItting against the far muddy wall is a skeleton, gripping some small rectangular thing. Well, it is most of a skeleton, but not quite all. The skull’s dome is completely missing, and a splatter of black ooze cakes the wall behind where the back of the head would be.

Once the group manages to get a light into the dank chamber, it becomes clear that the item in the hands of the skeleton is an eldritch leather-bound tome. Additionally, a second book, a book of spooky short stories in extremely good condition, sits nearby the ancient-looking skeleton.

Florian snatches the leather book, and begins to read it, “Wow, this things got some real wacky spells in it!”

Bryan leans over Florian’s shoulders, “What?! They really are magic spells!”

Looks of disbelief are exchanged between the group members. James scoffs, “Typical, you neophytes fall for every gaudy prop here.”

“Teleportation Circle, The Curse of the Stake, and… The Feast of the Immortal?” Raul reads the list of spells aloud. “Wow, if that last one can really make us immortal, it’s very important that we look at it! We must know the scope of its power!”

Unfortunately, upon further inspection, the spell requires a human heart in order to be completed. Not only that, but the heart must be eaten by the user of the spell. The entire thing seems otherwise pretty easy, aside from that one glaring issue.

This book is clearly filled with some kind of twisted magic.

Southern Corn · Post by **Southern Corn** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:13 am

"How cliché." James shook his head, clearly unimpressed by this. "Magic spells now, of all things? Utterly preposterous. I don't think any of you even have the literal guts to digest another's heart, even so. Just keep it back into that cursed chamber and return to what you were doing previously. Pondering over this will do everybody no good."

Datamatt · Post by **Datamatt** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 8:52 am

"I am... not sure we should trust a random book we found in a basement," Irene adds. "Perhaps for the best."

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 11:12 am

"It speaks nonsense anyway," Keri said dismissively. "Everything it talks about is unnatural, impossible to be true. You also found a book of horror stories, yes? So presumably the two are simply a pair, a couple of fiction books to match the theme of this camp."

Franzise Deauxnim · Post by **Franzise Deauxnim** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:24 pm

"M-maybe we should burn it," Urumi suggested uneasily. "You know, just so nobody gets any funny ideas..."

JesusMonroe · Post by **JesusMonroe** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:26 pm

"Yo, haven't you ever heard of Farenheit 451?" He winced at the idea in disgust. "We're not burning it."

Southern Corn · Post by **Southern Corn** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:54 pm

Franzise Deauxnim wrote:"M-maybe we should burn it," Urumi suggested uneasily. "You know, just so nobody gets any funny ideas..."

"In these woods?" James scoffed. "You'd have to find a good place to do so lest you start a forest fire."

Franzise Deauxnim · Post by **Franzise Deauxnim** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 1:09 pm

"Uh, we HAVE a fire pit, you know," Urumi sighed. "And I'm pretty sure we don't need a fire that hot to burn a book," she added, frowning at Jack.

Southern Corn · Post by **Southern Corn** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 1:12 pm

"Well then." James beckoned to Bryan, who was holding the book. "Care to give it to the flames, parkourist?"

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:16 pm

Tired of waiting for Bryan, who I don't think even has the book, Urumi steals it and heads off to the campsite, everyone following close behind.

...

The campfire blazes brightly, flickering in the daylight. Urumi takes the book and begins to take it over to the flames.

Alas, her platform sandals get caught on a tree root or something and she falls over, accidentally hurling the book into the forest.

"Well, if we can't take the book to the fire, then we should take the fire to the book!" Koichi shouts.

The cadet quickly grabs a burning log from the fire and tries to throw it into the forest. Alas, his foot gets caught on the same root Urumi tripped over, and he accidentally drops the flaming wood onto a patch of dry grass behind him. Within an instant, the clearing ignites.

"No worries," Jack says, "We just have to cover the source of the fire right? I got this."

Alas, he doesn't have it, as his effort to throw his jacket over the fire only increases its intensity.

"Whoops. Good thing I've got spares, huh?"

"Good lord, have I walked into a Three Stooges routine?" James says, "Quickly now, get some water from the bloody lake and put that thing out!"

Everyone scatters, running off in every direction, and eventually the fire is put out. With that dealt with, they return to the clearing and head off in the direction of the book. However, it's nowhere to be seen!

"A pity, but not a huge surprise," Jack remarks, "That thing seemed pretty important, after all."

Southern Corn · Post by **Southern Corn** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:19 pm

"You cretins!", James yelled frustratedly. "Is that how you burn something?! It was so simple, yet you couldn't even manage that?! Now what do we do?", he sighed, turning to see if the cabins were alright.

JesusMonroe · Post by **JesusMonroe** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:44 pm

"Oh well." Jack didn't seem too bothered. "Bad things happen when you burn books anyway. Let's not lose any sleep over this."

Datamatt · Post by **Datamatt** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:49 pm

"While nonsensical, it does seem we are unable to burn the book. Perhaps it is best to leave it alone, not that anyone would find it now."

Franzise Deauxnim · Post by **Franzise Deauxnim** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:05 pm

"I-it's not my fault!" Urumi sulked. "How was I supposed to know there was a root there?"

She sat on a nearby log and tenderly rubbed her ankle now that the wackiness was over. "Great, someone probably grabbed it in the confusion..."

Southern Corn · Post by **Southern Corn** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:18 pm

Franzise Deauxnim wrote:"I-it's not my fault!" Urumi sulked. "How was I supposed to know there was a root there?"

She sat on a nearby log and tenderly rubbed her ankle now that the wackiness was over. "Great, someone probably grabbed it in the confusion..."

"You're quite right", James suddenly agreed. "That oaf who thought that 'bringing the fire to the book' was even a somewhat noteworthy idea is the one to blame."

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:31 pm

"It was... certainly reckless, given the danger it posed to the forest," Keri said, a little tired from all the running about she'd done trying to put out fires. "But I am not in a position to judge that, given all I've done in the past."