Danganronpa F6: Beneath the Surface- End

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:23 pm

"If there were oats scattered around then cable then it might bite through it all by itself," Seb conceded. "Perhaps there's no deeper meaning behind its missing tail; at least it let us identify it later."

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:43 pm

Enola hopped on the rim of one of the deceased' and podiums and shouted at Belphegor. "Hey, lazy asshole. No one here is interested in your opinion. I'm not even sure why you're here. So just stick to your death threats and wheezing, and we'll handle the rest."

Enola jumped back down to the floor. "That's a little stupid though...Why would they use the rat unless they wanted to bring early nightfall from outside the attic? If they scattered oats around...they'd have to be up there anyway...there's no point."

Enola stopped and stared at one of the empty podiums for an unnervingly long amount of time. "Good idea..." she mumbled, pacing around the trial room and waving her hands in the air. "Two people could have spilled the oats before the blackout without being spotted...Daniel, and that other guy. And judging by his scorched head, Daniel was missing his crown..."

She paused for a moment and then said. "So someone wearing Daniel's hat possessed him and...used him to cause the blackout. And that can was bruised...so maybe Daniel threw it down from above? I dunno..." She trailed off, losing her train of thought.

Doctor Nanjo · Post by **Doctor Nanjo** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:53 pm

"It does not matter whether or not people care about what I say. Certainly part of this challenge is getting yourselves to care."

"THE RAT DID NOT EAT ANY OATS."

"Additionally, had the hat been used to possess Daniel, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSUMED IN THE SPELL."

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 4:27 pm

"Well... there is another alternative, I suppose," Seb said reluctantly. He'd been quite attached to his rat possession theory. "There's a difficult-to-spot length of fishing line going up through the bedroom floorboards into the attic. In the attic the end was tied to a simple mechanism that would drop the jar of acrid liquid when someone down in the basement pulled the dowel. So perhaps the liquid was some kind of powerful acid or similar, which burned through the cable and also the floorboards. The blackout might not have even been intentional, if the real aim was weakening the floorboards so the weight of the heavy boxes would finish the job, breaking through and landing on anyone down below.

"On a related note, the bear trap in the library was rigged up with some copper wire that goes up through the ceiling into the attic too. Up there it connects to a power source. I'm not quite sure of the specifics of what it does, however, as it sounds like the trap sprang independently of the blackout: it wasn't until after the blackout that Brandy touched the book and the trap activated, and then Oliver was able to pry it apart without needing to wait for the power to come back on again."

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 5:14 pm

"In that case, perhaps the fishing line was run through the lampshade?" Enola said, "It had a wooden dowel on one end. Whoever saw it would have attempted to turn the light on, only to spill the acid and drown them in darkness..."

"But that doesn't explain why Daniel had the actual cord in his hand...or why the fishing line was above the dresser."

Doctor Nanjo · Post by **Doctor Nanjo** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 5:26 pm

Belphegor shakes his head.

"Hmm, well don't worry. Sebastian you testified you were close to the jar of acid before the lights went out. As such, you know that it could not have fallen over, traveled to the cable, and eaten through it in such a short time. Somebody would have had to move it on purpose."

"Or... the acid eating through the cable is just the wrong idea."

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:02 pm

"Hmm... Well, at the very least it explains how the boards broke," Seb said. "I saw a gouge in the floorboards near the heavy boxes. By pulling the fishing line and tipping the acid, the gouge made sure it flowed along the floor in the right way, causing the boards to weaken and then break under the weight of the boxes. That's why no-one saw the gouge when investigating, it probably formed one edge of the hole. Of course, this means whoever set the trap up did so in advance, before I went up there.

"As for the power cable... a rat biting through it still sounds reasonable to me. I'm just not sure how the killer could have made sure that happened if they didn't possess it or lure it with oats. Maybe it just did it all by itself, and the blackout was a complete coincidence? But that just sounds far too unlikely, especially when you consider how small a time period this murder took place over."

Doctor Nanjo · Post by **Doctor Nanjo** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:16 pm

"If you think a rat was set to the task on purpose, surely then you must be able to produce some sort of evidence of a magic circle existing then? If not, then maybe it's best you leave the subject of the blackout alone... just a strange coincidence."

WinterCoat · Post by **WinterCoat** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:49 pm

"Say, let's try switchin' gears for a minute. I've been givin' Belphegor's second question some thought for a lil' bit, now," Brandy said. "If we needed fresh blood from a murder victim to summon him, then it'd be logical to assume it was Carrie's blood, right? The problem is, the only one who could have taken her blood would've been Lavender, but that jus' don't seem right with me. So, I guess my question is: is it possible there was a third party involved with that murder?

"I mean, look, it seems pretty clear that this whole trial was planned out long ago. I find it hard to believe any of us could've set up this shit while we were all hangin' out here. Meanin', of course, that the killer in this case is the one pullin' the strings behind the whole game.

"Also, Daniel's hand was glued shut for a reason, perhaps because there was a big clue he was holdin' onto. So, realistically, what we should be lookin' for is the person that could've summoned Belphegor in the first place, I think."

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:20 pm

"Conversely... Doesn't it seem possible that Enola summoned him?" Seb said. "After everything we found in her box, it would make some sense, though I'm not sure of the feasibility of her actually doing it."

Doctor Nanjo · Post by **Doctor Nanjo** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:39 pm

"ENOLA DID NOT HEAR CARRIE'S WEEPING. SHE WAS TOO FAR AWAY."

"Anyway, if you want to figure out who summoned me, who had the opportunity?"

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:00 pm

Seb sighed, not quite wanting to pursue the line of inquiry but knowing he had to. "Nail. Nail had the opportunity. Whoever did the ritual that night had to have done it after 5:50 or so, after Micah had fallen asleep. They also needed to leave the camp despite Daniel being on watch. A few others might have had the opportunity, like Ciro, but that seems less likely and besides he's dead now. Nail, meanwhile, was seen leaving the camp well after all the dust had settled. Daniel saw him leaving at around 7, then returning looking satisfied sometime after.

"Given what I just said, now is probably the best time for me to reveal the other worrying thing I noticed. The book on demons included four of note: Belphegor, Satanael, Ha-Satan and Lucifer. Those middles two... Satanael - Nail. Ha-Satan - Haley. There always were strange rumours going around that Nail was Satan, and now too many coincidences have lined up."

WinterCoat · Post by **WinterCoat** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:10 pm

"It... It can't be that easy, right?" Brandy asked incredulously. "N' then I s'pose, even in this case, it kinda adds to the coincidence that Nail was the one to introduce the crime scene to us. Not that that's indicative of anythin', but it jus' adds to the complexity of things. Even Ivan was surprised when he wasn't in the bathroom. Also, this could be why Belphegor is so interested in this trial... Haley was always kinda a prick to 'im."

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:13 pm

"His actions today are very questionable as well," Enola added, walking over to Nail's podium and staring at it with head tilted slightly. "He assigned everyone to investigate, meaning he had the most power over the entire crime. And then he disappears during the entire moment of darkness, supposedly in the bathroom...which conveniently lacks any trace of his presence. No one saw him or his other self the entire time."

"It seems like he must have been doing something demonic..." she mumbled.

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:14 pm

"It wouldn't surprise me if Nail isn't the actual killer here though," Seb said. "Ha-Satan thrives on providing adversity, what if that's all this was? Going back to the rat again, what if the 'coincidence' of it biting the cable was merely Ha-Satan providing another obstacle?"

WinterCoat · Post by **WinterCoat** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:16 pm

"I guess that's possible, too. Even if Nail ain't the killer, applyin' this logic certainly helps to understand why things happened."

SaizotheSixth · Post by **SaizotheSixth** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:18 pm

There was only silence from Nail, his head bowed, his expression dark. Then his mouth twisted into a macabre grin.

"Heh... heheheheheh... heheheheheheheh.... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"

He looked up, and his eyes were alight with a mad fire, his face twisted into something inhuman. "Amusing! So amusing! I never thought you'd get so far on so little information! I see now that I underestimated every single one of you! Ahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!"

He leaned over the podium, grinning at Seb. "So tell me, what gave me away? Just the name, or was there more to it, like the rumors that I was Satan? Oh, I am so interested in hearing how you figured it out!"

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:19 pm

"Well there's also the fact that you're a magical shapeshifting teleporting inhuman freak," Seb explained drily.

WinterCoat · Post by **WinterCoat** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:24 pm

"Yeah this really ain't the farthest leap in logic we've had to make down here."

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:24 pm

Enola flinched and covered her ears at the sound of Nail's laughter. She stumbled backwards, leaning against one of the podiums until it was over.

"So, you're not actually Satan?" Enola asked, "You're just a Satan wannabe? That's a shame..."

"Still, does that mean you're the arbiter of...all this death?" she asked.

SaizotheSixth · Post by **SaizotheSixth** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:26 pm

"Well, I suppose I can't blame you for figuring it out so simply, my good sir." He bowed, sweeping his left across to His right. "Perhaps I laid out the breadcrumbs a little too well. Ah, wwll. It's no matter. We are, after all, at the very climax of the game, so it was bound to be revealed in this, the final trial, regardless of what happened."

He straightened, His eyes now fiery pits, and He smiled. "Allow me to introduce myself once more. But first, I think I'll take my leave of these podiums. I am tired of trying to mix amongst you rabble."

[Please wait until the next post.]

SaizotheSixth · Post by **SaizotheSixth** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:35 pm

All at once, every torch and source of light went out, and the only light remaining came from His eyes, a pair of bright coals in the dark.

He stepped outside of His podium, the place that once served as a place of His rest, and He walked, His steps resounding across the stone, and as He walked, the torches lit up again, this time in a purple fire. All eyes were on Him as He walked, and eventually the room was bathed in purple light, the shadows dancing across the walls and the faces of all those present. He looked at the empty space where the altar once was, and pursed His lips.

"Belphegor, I thought I told you to bring My chair here for this trial." He waved His hand around, dismissing the matter. "No matter. It will be a simple enough task to call it here."

He clapped His hands twice, and a ritual circle carved itself into the ground, lighting up with black and gold lines. It flashed, twisting, swirling, opening a portal through to... the castle?

"Come to Me, My throne." He crooned, His hands gently twisting through the air. "Let Me rest upon you once more."

There was a bright flash, and all of a sudden, the golden throne was there, as if it had always been there. Smiling to Himself, He took His seat above the mortals, as was His right.

"Allow Me to introduce Myself properly."

"I am the breaker of chains, the giver of humanity's freedom, Satanael. I am the adversary, the one who blocks the way, the one who opposes you, Ha-Satan. And finally, I am the punisher of your sins, the one who condemns you for your imperfections, Lucifer Morningstar."

He spread His arms wide, with a smile. "Welcome, children of man... to My game."

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:39 pm

Enola stared at Lucifer for a while.

"What the fuck?" she mumbled.

WinterCoat · Post by **WinterCoat** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:42 pm

Brandy stood silent for a moment, both in awe and physical pain from her hand. Eventually, she snapped out of her trance.

"Man, fuck your fuckin' game! You think this shit is funny?! You fuckin' piece of shit! I'll break every other fuckin' bone in my body if it means I can kick your lily-lickin', sun-dried tomato, cock-suckin' ass! You n' your fuckin' game done caused so much trouble. I'm sick of it! Fuck!"

Her little outburst caused her to hyperventilate and feel faint.

"Stupid long-pants man..." she said as she wiped tears from her face.

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:44 pm

Ivan's eyes widened at the sight of an actual demon.

"...T-This is...I don't even know what to say about *this.*"

KamiPanda · Post by **KamiPanda** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:45 pm

"Oh, so you're Lucifer too?" Seb said with some surprise. "...I wonder if Beelzebub liked the taste of biting a chunk out of the first demon," he continued, that apparently being the first thing that came to mind. Maybe he was in mild shock or something.

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:47 pm

Enola looked over at Brandy, then at Ivan, and finally at Seb.

"So...you're seeing this too? It's not just a spectre...It's...real?"

She didn't say anything more. She just walked back to the center of the room and sat on the floor, holding her head in her hands.

She screamed.

Doctor Nanjo · Post by **Doctor Nanjo** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:50 pm

Belphegor bows his head to Satan, cementing the situation.

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:50 pm

"I-I feel like screaming myself," Ivan stammered in response to Enola.

SaizotheSixth · Post by **SaizotheSixth** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:51 pm

He let them react for a moment longer, then cleared His throat. "Ah, before I forget. I should mention a rules change."

"In the place of Belphegor, who is currently doing his best to be one with the floor, I shall serve as your game manager, as I always have. Also, it should be noted that you can still vote for Me, if you so desire."

He smiled at that. "Though I should warn you, that'd be the wrong choice."

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:53 pm

"...Why must we vote up the true culprit in the first place?" Ivan glared. "For completion's sake? Forgive me for my language, but should we even give a fuck?!"

He pointed his baton at the demonic being in front of him.

"Not only has your identity been revealed, but earlier, you stated that this was the 'final trial.' Are you simply going to let us walk away after this?"

SaizotheSixth · Post by **SaizotheSixth** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:55 pm

"And why wouldn't I, Sir Ivan?" He taunted, crossing His legs. "As far as I'm concerned, My mission here is complete after this trial. So I am perfectly fine with letting everyone who survives go. After all..."

His eyes closed slightly, and He smiled. "The price is your head if you vote wrong. And that goes for each and every one of us... though as is My wont, I shan't be voting."

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:58 pm

...

Ivan through his hands up in the air as if to say, 'well shit!'

"...So this game was just for your amusement? What goal have you accomplished through this?!"

Planetbox · Post by **Planetbox** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:01 pm

"Your 'mission'...?"

Enola rose to her feet and stared at Lucifer. She was still trembling, but her face betrayed no fear.

"What possible mission could you have?" she asked, "Did you just show up to dick around for a bit and then run home again? What was the fucking point? Why should I care about you?"

Collin1002 · Post by **Collin1002** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:03 pm

"So you're the mastermind behind this game," Oliver mumbled. He trembled a bit at Satan's reveal, but stood strong. No time to be a coward now. "... I suppose Daniel was right on the bloody mark with his calling you Satan all the time, huh?"

He scoffed and glared at him. "Nail. Haley. Satan. Whoever the fuck you are. Why did you force us to participate in this damned game? Just for your amusement, or whatever this oh so important mission is?!" he hissed. "For coming this far, the least you owe us is a bloody answer!"

SaizotheSixth · Post by **SaizotheSixth** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:07 pm

"Amusement, and a test." He put a finger to his chin. "Should I use those words...? No, it's more interesting if I don't."

He smiled again. "My goal in all of this was a test. Humans, by nature, are vile, selfish creatures who tend to look after themselves more than each other. Simply look at Enola as an example. In your small town, all anyone saw was a girl who was quite clearly mad. 'Such a shame,' you thought. 'I hope she gets better,' you thought, and yet none of you did anything. So, I did. I found her here, and made a deal with her. She would be allowed to make her own version of Rattlewater, and I'd get some bait for a game... a game to test the strength of the human will and their morals. Fifteen people entered, and of those, only five have managed to stick to their morals and persevere." He paused, then shook His head. "No, My apologies. Four of you have. Congratulations on making it this far while proving your faith in your humanity. You know who you are.

"Regardless, that was My goal. My amusement, but furthermore, something resembling... I'd believe you'd call it hope? Along with you faith in humanity. That all of you had it... and could keep it, despite all the terrible things that happened to you and those around you on a nigh-daily basis." He frowned. "Though I am disappointed in this group. I honestly thought it'd do better. Unfortunate."

CaptainPancakes · Post by **CaptainPancakes** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:14 pm

"..."

Ivan snapped at Nail.

"You underestimate Rattlewater! You underestimate my town..! What a farce of a game..! Your morals are twisted and disgusting...any metric you had was false!"

Collin1002 · Post by **Collin1002** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:16 pm

"... So it was a test of our wills, then," Oliver affirmed, still glaring daggers at the demon with his scarlet red eyes. "All those people died for the sake of a goddamned test..."

Tempted as he was to fly into a rage, he held it back.

SaizotheSixth · Post by **SaizotheSixth** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:20 pm

"Was I, now, Sir Officer?" His eyes narrowed. "Out of all the people in the town, you were perhaps in the best position to help Enola before it was too late. So do not speak to Me about twisted or fabricated morals, or the metrics thereof. So tell Me, did I truly underestimate your town and you..." His eyes became sharp, and He glowed with power. "Or perhaps, was I right on the mark?"

WinterCoat · Post by **WinterCoat** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:21 pm

"Motherfuckermotherfuckermotherfuckermotherfuckermotherfucker-" Brandy repeated. "You're the reason Charlie ain't fuckin' here no more! I'm gonna fuckin' kill you! Have a shit-kickin' trial for that!"

She reflexively slammed her fist on the podium, which only shot more pain through her arm and caused more bleeding.

"Worst part of all of this is, you ain't even the fuckin' killer, so we can't even vote for you to end it! Lord have mercy on me, because I'm gonna die before 40... either in here or out there... Fuck you!"

Turns out the key to turning Brandy into Little Ms. Swears-a-Lot is to reveal yourself as the mastermind.