towerofanimus

Characters: Kyouko Kirigiri, anyone wandering about.
Setting: May 9, anywhere in the tower.
Format: Either's good.
Summary: Arrival.
Warning: Not a happy canon.

The collar. That's the first thing Kyouko Kirigiri notices before she opens her eyes. Thirty seconds is an eternity of waiting when the prospect of being killed by someone you knows seems so real, but its severity is lessened with time, which quickly indicates this isn't an attempt on her life. She rises the moment she is able to, keeping the paralysis that afflicted her in her mind. A drug of some sort? From the infirmary, maybe?

The thought is put on hold. The room is completely different from the one she had fallen asleep in. Four beds. No other people. Unexpected, given her previous suspicions. The lack of mirrors extinguishes her hopes of verifying what she feels to be a collar around her neck, yet she's unwilling to touch it. Could be a new rule. Before even leaving her bed, she peruses the letter left for her.

Her expression does not falter. Not in the least. This is exactly the sort of trick Monobear would attempt. Is this his new 'motive' for everyone? Seems underwhelming, compared to the effort put into the last ones. Then again, the surroundings could very well be a part of the charade, if it really is just that.

But there's the unsettling fact that this wasn't announced.

A nightstand. Kirigiri looks inside, failing to find the sewing kit she had been previously supplied with. It's not her former captor's nature to take away what he has already given. Looking into the trunk proves a bigger success, providing her with not only said tools, but her usual clothing. All she had on her before being taken here.

She's unwilling to discard the possibiility that this is Monobear's doing, but at the same time, she can't rule anything out. She leaves the room. First priority is finding the other students. If an announcement has been made without her knowledge, improbable as that possibility is, then it wouldn't be wise to keep the person in charge waiting. The location, even the mastermind may have changed, but that doesn't necessarily mean the rules have.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Ehh. Kyouko Kirigiri, please report to the principal's office. I repeat, Kyouko Kirigiri, please report to the principal's office."

A cartoony voice speaks from behind Kirigiri. If she glances behind her, she'll have to look down to find the source of it. Standing at two and a half feet, the ever beloved Principal Monobear is looking up at her with a mischievous grin.

"... but the truth is, I don't have an office here, so. Just report here."

"...This doesn't seem to be another one of your motives."

After all, the rules clearly indicated that more trials meant more facilities available to them. This goes directly against that tradition. Not only that, the aforementioned letter would only serve to encourage students to strive to remain in their current situation. The opposite of what Monobear would want.

Most importantly of all, there wasn't an announcement. Monobear likes his showmanship.

"So, what is it?"

"What do you think? I'm trying to do an end of the world roll call here! Just because the apocalypse hit doesn't mean our schooling's over, you bastard." The bear shakes its arms at Kirigiri, steaming a little just before sighing and calming down.

"Why aren't you happier to see me? The world ended and we're still alive."

"..."

No use in giving unnecessary information, such as the letter, to explain how she heard of the event. Besides, the answer to his question is obvious enough that she doesn't need to respond. She really wishes she had found someone, anyone else before Monobear, to gain more knowledge on the situation. Still, if what he wants is information that can only be obtained by isolating members of the group, he didn't pick the right person.

"The end of the world. That sounds like something that would change the conditions of your game."

It's not a taunt. Rather, it's the implication that his three motives have suddenly lost a large part of their meaning. Could this stop the other students from continuing his game? Are they even here at all?

"Oh?" That's true. With the world having ended, it's clear that there's nothing outside to go to. Normally, this would be an incredible disadvantage, but Monobear was confident. So confident that he has already been preparing for the upcoming trials.

"The world may have ended, but we're all still alive, right? And lots of people are being saved everyday, right? Don't think this is a reason to slack off, you bastard. We still don't know what happened to our world either. Our forever school life just became more interesting!"

"Then, is it safe to assume you will come up with new motives? I wonder... do you really have the resources to provide them for so many people?"

Not a dangerous thing to say. Matter of time until Monobear does so, anyways. Rather, it would be ideal to see his thought process in case this is the first time the idea is presented to him here. See if there's anything she can infer of future events. Account for it.

"Pupupupu! Have faith in your educator. That's the trouble the youth today. You're always so cynical and apathetic."

That's right. The issue now is "when" not "if". He had confidence that he could turn this entire tower upside down given the time and resources. As of this moment, the only thing he has trouble doing is getting a leg up over those that are magically empowered.

"I know that I can still use the same motives against you, so why bother asking?

"I didn't say I would provide opposition." Which is not to say she'll play along with the killing, of course. Winning whatever contest Monobear came up with would be for nothing if she couldn't leave this place. Like he said, Kirigiri's not void of wants.

"I'm just interested in the rules of the game you'll eventually subject us to."

_{[Kohaku woke up and strayed out a few hours before Kyouko had even been around to stir, hence the apparently deserted room. Her timing coming back is such that when Kyouko is set to leave herself, Kohaku's just returning - the doorknob turns itself open practically seconds before Kyouko can reach it.]}

Oh, excuse me. Must've picked the wrong door.

[She quickly ducks from the doorway to look at the nameplate, then returns a second later with her smile unaltered from the fact check.]

Or I must not have. This is 2-07, so you must be one of the other names on there with me.

[By now, Kirigiri has done some research of her own, having acquired information and seen signs in her room pointing towards the fact that it is not truly vacant. Of course, she's still completely unaware of who the person in front of her is.]

......I am. Kyouko Kirigiri.

[Not great at casual conversation.]

Identity, get! Then it's just two people that are still a mystery!

_{[It's okay, Kyouko. She'll provide the faked enthusiasm for both of you.]}

[A nod. Kirigiri still feels uneasy about sharing a room, in no small part thanks to her previous circumstances. There's no reason to kill here that she knows of, but in her experience, you don't just get carried to a new place and expected to live peacefully.]

May I ask who you are?

You may! _{Ahah.. I'll skip the joke of waiting for you to ask a second time. My name's Kohaku, but I'm afraid I don't have a surname to provide.

_{[Surnames are for chumps!!]}}

I see.

[The lack of a family name is interesting, but not really relevant to her current predicament. Not her place to ask. Kohaku's enthusiasm is refreshing, though. Haven't seen much of that lately.]

Have you been staying in this room for long, Kohaku-san?

_{[Oh sweet, she gets a san. Better reciprocate that thing.]}

Not at all, Kirigiri-san. Just since earlier today. It doesn't really look lived in, right?

It doesn't... Whoever brought us here seems to have taken care of it until now.

How hospitable of them.

_{[This might be what a hotel room is like, huh...? Not that she's been to one before, but if this sterile feel is what's normal for one, Kohaku supposes they're a real hit with hypochondriacs and doctors.]}

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