Mini 62 - RESULTS

[crazynuto]

The Great Magikuma has heard all.

"So you think it's Nero who killed our ratty companion? Well why don't we all peer into my Crystal Ball as it reveals the truth..."

He flicks a switch on the side, and "CCTV CAMERA 01" flashes up near the top. You wonder why he didn't lead with this camera footage but well...where's the fun in that? Strangely...this shows a stage and...wait where did the Great Magikuma go? Damn he really is good.

---

A Rat Caught in a Trap

By The Great Magikuma

Cast

Narrator - The Great Magikuma

Other Roles - Unpaid Interns

Intro: The Mezzanine Bar

(Enter Stage Left, Man of Mystery.)

Narrator - "Our story begins with one very unlucky man. He knows in his heart that he won't win the Great Magikuma's drawing, so he hatches a terrible plan. He goes behind the bar and empties two bottles of Vodka out onto the floor, then hides them up his sleeves. The man notices a cheese platter on the bartop and snags a chunk of gouda. Is he hungry for cheese?

Nay. He's hungry for murder."

Act I: Here's a Little Lesson in Chemistry

(Man of Mystery cackles to himself, and walks over to the Restroom, passing the Tiny Giant Rat on the way.)

 

Narrator - "Our humble homicidal hero locks the door behind him and gets to work enacting his devious scheme. He recalls an episode of Doctor Vikkel's Vault of Value in which the good doctor taught kids about cleaning safety.

(The camera pans to a nearby TV, which begins to play a clip from the episode)

Doctor Vikkel - "Zis is very important children. Be very careful with zhose chemicals. If zou mix Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar together, zou will create Paracetic Acid. Zomething zimilar happens if you mix ze bleached based and ze hydrocloric acid drain cleaners. Zhose mixed will create Chlorine Gas. Not za fun time. If you were to zomehow combine the two then...ze Paracetic Acid could reach it's boiling point and zertainly explode, given ze right zirucmstances..."

(Man of Mystery mixes alongside Dr Vikkel's explanation)

Narrator - "This cruel concoction was mixed into two separate bottles, sealed shut with a rag. The pressure already begins to build but what will crack first. The bottles or our hero's resolve?"

Act II: Tying up Loose Ends

(Man of Mystery enters Dante's Room and begins searching for something.)

Narrator - "Our hero grabs a rope and a knife, testing the sharpness against his thumb. Oh it's sharp alright. He quickly hides them on his person as Sueharu steps in, none the wiser to this devious deed our hero is about to commit. The two hear an explosion by the Palace Bar. Sueharu rushes to investigate but our hero sneaks out and heads upstairs. They wait at the office entrance until it's occupants are fully distracted, then slips into the Library.

(Man of Mystery ties the two bottles up against the bottle of a chair, then digs out a leg with his knife)

Narrator - "And so the trap was set. Now all that remains is the bait. Our hero places the Gouda on the chair and seals our victim's fate. Everyone knows a rat can't resist such delicious dairy. Now all that remains is..."

Final Act: A Patsy Problem

(Man of Mystery leaves the Library and heads downstairs, looking for someone)

Narrator - "All that's left is an airtight alibi, or so our hero hopes. He meets Sueharu at the Palace Bar and the two friends fraternize until the wee hours of the night. Our hero smiles to himself when he sees a rat make his way upstairs, entranced by the aroma of cheese. He sits by the Terrace with Sueharu and awaits the trap to be sprung. Suddenly, another Tiny Giant Rat comes out of the Cherub Room. Our hero's heart leaps to his throat! Is his plan a failure? Will he be outed of the magic community and never perform in Vegas ever again? But nay, a large CRASH booms from upstairs. He can't help but grin. Gone off without a hitch. But who is this man exactly?"

SPOILER: Click to show

{(Our Hero steps into the spotlight, revealing...)}
NERO.

Narrator - "That's right. He is..."

SPOILER: Click to show

{If you are just too lazy to read and want to know who did it}
GUILTY.

---

Execution will be up shortly!

[Evie The Bat]

The Giant Rat That Makes All Of The Rules II stares at Nero and says

“Rat justice”

He says this over and over, chanting

[Peregrine]

Doctor Vikkel balls his fist and shuts his eyes tight.


"Why... ze natural sciences... used for zis evil? It stands against everything I worked for all zese years!"

"If ze natural sciences could inspire one to murder, zen perhaps... I shall go on to teach ze unnatural sciences! Psychic phenomena! Ley lines! Toast landing buttered-side down! Ze world of infinite mystery is mine to command! No more shall my lessons be practically applicable... I swear on zis life of mine!"

[crazynuto]

Nero tries to escape but a trapdoor opens from beneath his feet. He falls a long way down, his screams echoing from the hole. The Great Magikuma holds out his arms and beckons the rest of the group towards the Palace of Mystery.

"I am not a monster. I say we give you one last chance to redeem yourself. A bit of...Magician's Justice if you will. Now...

LET THE SHOW COMMENCE!

cw: Restraints, Drowning, Blood.

---

The group sits as a crowd of guests come in. Oh looks like the Magic Castle is open to the public again. A few valets urge everyone to take their seats as the show is about to begin.

The lights dim as the Great Magikuma steps out on stage. He greets the audience with a large sweeping bow, which is responded with a roar of applause.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN DO I HAVE A SHOW FOR YOU! WITNESS A DEATH unDEFYING STUNT

PERFORMED BY THE GREAT HOUDINI'S SUCCESSOR, THE MARVELOUS NERO!

The Great Magikuma bows and steps aside as the curtains part, revealing Nero standing on a raised platform, gagged and bound in a straitjacket with a rope tied around his ankles. He looks out towards the crowd pleadingly, but most of them think this is just an act. The Great Magikuma pulls a lever, and a nearby winch starts spinning, pulling the slack rope around Nero's ankles up until it's fully taut. A couple of burly men bring out a milk can filled to the brim with water, positioned on an X on the stage.

"The Marvelous Nero will now attempt to get out of this straitjacket while being dunked headfirst in a large milk can! A classic trick with a modern twist! Hold your applause to the end folks you won't want to miss a second of this!"

He pulls the lever and the rope swings out, causing Nero to whack his head on the platform with a loud CLUNK. The crowd gasps, but the Great Magikuma calms them by saying it's all part of the act. Nero's forehead is bleeding and his eyes are hazy and he hangs upside down above the can. His eyes refocus as he starts to struggle, trying to work the straitjacket off. The Great Magikuma pulls another lever, and Nero is slowly lowered down. He starts to panic as his head nears the icy cold water, his body flailing as he tries to swing away but to no avail. He twists and turns, a sharp CRACK reverberating out into the audience as he dislocates his shoulder. The crowd is silent now.

His hair touches the water. He flinches. It's cold. So very cold.

Then, his forehead. Nero looks out, terror in his eyes, which go under next.

His nose soon follows, bubbles splashing up to the surface. Frantic.

Finally, his mouth is submerged. You're almost certain he mouthed "I'm sorry" before going under.

The rest of his body soon follows, water spilling out from the can as it gets displaced. A crewman comes by and cuts the slack off the rope.

The Great Magikuma steps onstage and holds out a timer.

"Three minutes. That's how long it takes before death is a certainty without air."

Time seems to pass quickly yet painfully slow. The Great Magikuma yells out in 30 second intervals. The crowd awaits with bated breath as bubbles rise to the surface.

ONE MINUTE

Has it been that long already? The bubbles are slowing down now. Soft bangs are heard from inside the can. At times, Nero's legs kick out, still bound by rope as he struggles to free himself.

ONE MINUTE THIRTY

The banging becomes more frequent. The Great Magikuma grabs a bucket of water and tops off the can. A few members of the crowd faint, the stress too much for them.

TWO MINUTES

The bubbles have all but stopped now. Even the banging is faint and weak. Surely they'll stop the act before the three minute mark right?

TWO MINUTE THIRTY

A heavy blanket of silence is draped over the theater. Is it...over? Suddenly, the water starts to ripple, the can shaking as a form starts to rise to the surface. Nero! The crowd gasps. He...somehow did it! Nero's head starts to breach the water when-

  THREE MINUTES

The Great Magikuma slams a heavy lid onto the milk can and clamps it shut. It's done.

Nero has been executed.

---

Epilogue

The Great Magikuma was arrested shortly after the performance was over. Apparently "Magician's Justice" is a form of vigilantism, which is illegal under California law. He is currently awaiting trial for the Murder of Nero, as well as years of tax fraud that the IRS discovered upon searching the Magic Castle. It turns out most of the artifacts in his office were "borrowed" from museums around the world. Most recently he's told interviewers that his "Greatest Disappearing Act Yet" will happen soon, but authorities have him on a tight leash. Metaphorically speaking of course.

The Giant Rat that Makes All of Da Rules II was saddened by his boss's death. The hierarchy of Rat society was changed forever upon him becoming the new Giant Rat. He and his cronies bought out the Magic Castle after the following lawsuit, and decided to live on his boss's memory by making it a toothbrush and cheese emporium. This business model was surprisingly lucrative, and TGRtMAoDR2 lives a quiet life of solitude sleeping on a bed of money.

Sayaka and Nameless Ninja Nick became an unlikely duo after the events of the Magic Castle Murder. They found a new career for the both of them, breaking into rich people's homes and stealing their ill-gotten treasures. Almost all of them were returned to their rightful owners, aside from the occasional sword or fancy ring, which would be "misplaced". Sayaka has to remind Nick of the placebo effect constantly during their outings, as he still believes that magic invisibility ring will work "one of these days."

Doctor Vikkel wanted a career change after his natural sciences were used for such a heinous crime. He decided to cancel Doctor Vikkel's Vault of Value (which the ratings board happily agreed to, it's declining viewership was more interested in pokemon rather than protons) and he teamed up with Paws McFluffy to star in a new, more mature series. Doctor Vikkel's Valiant Voyage in which he and Paws (who had taken a more executive producer role) travel the world, disproving popular urban legends, ghost stories, and mysterious events. The show was an immediate smash hit, audiences loved when Paws would get high on some local drug, and Doctor Vikkel had to corral the coked-out cat.

Sueharu's dream of becoming the first child actor/magician sadly has not come true as of this writing. He realized that there's a lot of money in True Crime though, judging by the audience's rapt attention during Nero's execution. He decided to become a traveling True Crime performer, using his talents to do character studies of famous murderers and criminals. While most would consider it a bit...intense for the average viewer, he did find a lot of success at YMCAs in affluent neighborhoods. Apparently rich suburban moms can't get enough of this stuff!

Nero was succeeded by a duck named Joker, who is living happily at a local pond outside Nero's hometown at the time of this writing.