Game 105 - Results 4

[crazynuto]

Now we stand for the final time.

A gambit made, coupled in rhyme

Will the winners finally break free

Or will they end up just like me?

---

Q1 - Who killed Amos Henry? [20 points]

MCLA (Most Common Living Answer): The Caretaker

MCDA (Most Common Dead Answer): The Caretaker

I had worded this question very specifically for a reason, and you all effectively cut through the inconsistencies and found the truth of who actively took Henry's life. It was indeed the Caretaker. 20 points.

Q2 - Why were there no signs of a struggle? [20 points]

MCLA: Henry was high as a kite on a mixture of Opium, Belladonna, and Nightshade. He didn't have the faculties to resist.
MCDA: Same as above.

This is 100% true. Whether Henry willingly took the medicine, or was unknowingly snuck it was deliberately left to interpretation. Henry was, via his own volition or not, incapacitated. 20 points.

Q3 - Why was Henry killed? [20 points] 

MCLA: Amos had been bribed by Remaclus Brume into assisting in falsifying the mayoral election results. The Caretaker murdered Amos and framed Brume for it to punish them both.
His murder also acted as the catalyst for His awakening.

MCDA: Henry assisted in tampering with the election results so Brume became Mayor instead of the Caretaker. She wanted revenge on both of them.

Impressive work deducing Henry's involvement. Due to his frequent...liaisons to the Courthouse, Henry was put in a good position to alter the election results. Of course, he didn't do it in a very subtle way, hence why it was eventually discovered.

As for my awakening...that was a...happy little accident so to speak. 20 points

Q4 - What is The Mayor's secret? [20 points]

MCLA: He falsified election results, and has been lurking about ever since his death as The Fog Walker.
MCDA: He falsified election results, and bribed the Judge to hide his crimes, as they were rather obvious.

Brume's true secret is of course the fact that he was part of a conspiracy to falsify election results. His even truer secret is he is the source of the Fog that plagues this town, and prevents outsiders from leaving. 20 points

As for who he bribed... the Mayor had actually intended to bribe Amos. He was unaware the Judge had figured out his scheme. Yet the trap was set regardless of Brume's actions. Henry was just too high to care. 19 points

Q5 - Why was Henry specifically hanged at the Town Hall? [20 points]

MCLA: A twofold reason: 1. To incriminate the Mayor more, as he was the one with access to the Winch Key, and 2. To symbolically show the Mayor that his secret was known.
MCDA: Same as above.  

This is in essence, correct. The Mayor was framed as the guilty party (with an almost overwhelming amount of evidence, which you all successfully realized was too convenient.) There is one small aspect you neglected to consider however. As the Caretaker was a rather small woman, she likely wouldn't have been able to hang Henry's body on her own. So she used the winch to assist her, as it was known for being strong. 18 points

Bonus - Did Amos Henry deserve what he got? [0 points, He is curious] [10 points]

MCLA: The punishment was far too extreme.
MCDA: Jailtime maybe, but hanged? Definitely not.

Ultimately, it does not matter if he deserved it. In the eyes of his executioner, this was a suitable punishment. I for one, believe Henry deserved his role as a catalyst of what was to come.

Points Required 80/100

Points Obtained: 98/100
Points Obtained: 97/100


Verdict:

You far exceeded my expectations. You deserve to be...rewarded for this venture. If Monika wishes, she will be returned to you, and you shall take your place at my throne as equals. We shall rule over this domain for all eternity, should you will it.

(Monika has successfully been bargained for, and will come back to life if she chooses to, regardless of your final choice)

Here is your final choice. Do you accept the Cat's offer and become equal to Him? Or do you attempt one last pitiful, useless, choice of defiance?

Ultimately, the choice is yours.

---

One last choice, awarded to the Living and the Dead.
Before their souls are finally shed,
One last guess, per person or for all
Who gets it right will choose what will fall.
Free us from this tormented place
Else you'll vanish without a trace.

Ultimately, the choice is yours.

[Vulpix]

"We... we did it! We really did it!"

"I was scared for a minute, but I knew we could do it."

"S, you know what this means, right? You survived. After everything, you survived, just like I said you would."

"And it means you can finally get revenge. For all the lives the Judge has taken over the years. All the cruel trials, the executions... he has no power anymore. Your gun is the only one with bullets, so go ahead and do it. For all of us."

[crazynuto]

Mar 10, 2024 13:02:23 GMT -6 Vulpix said:

"And it means you can finally get revenge. For all the lives the Judge has taken over the years. All the cruel trials, the executions... he has no power anymore. Your gun is the only one with bullets, so go ahead and do it. For all of us."

Speaking of the Judge, they haven't taken this whole situation well. They are currently groveling, begging for forgiveness. It's rather pathetic.

"After all I've done, surely I deserve mercy? Everything I've done, I've done for You, my liege. Please, I will do anything."

The Cat locks eyes with your group. If you don't deal with this whining worshipper, He certainly will. It likely wouldn't be pretty.

The Survivor looks to Natsuki and asks her to turn away, levels the gun at the Judge's head and...

"This is for everyone you've taken."

BANG

The Judge falls to the ground, your tormentor, captor, and enemy finally dead.

The Survivor sighs, lowering the gun.

"Taking a life is never an easy task. Ultimately the Judge reaped what he sowed. Good riddance."

[Ktoasty]

They did it. Together, they're really going to survive this disaster. Well... almost together. MC can't be sure of Monika's choice anymore, especially after the deeply buried resentment emerging in trial.

But he also knows, this isn't really what they want. Survival is a miracle on its own, but by becoming equals with Him, the club members will all lose their humanity and sense of self. They'll never be the same.

"Cat! Or Him, or whatever you're called! We passed your trial, but I'm not letting my friends submit to you without one last face-off! I'm going to invoke your Power Word."

"The Sanitarium held the answers to escaping this place. We didn't have the time to solve all its mysteries before, but I'm going to try now."




He takes out two items in his pocket, a book and a gnarled nail. He also motions Yuri to take out a claw on her person.

"There was a secret hidden in each soul's face. That was the clue the voice there gave to us. And while searching for anything that could relate to our escape, we found three such items. The book 'Caged Law Volume 1' from the Library, a gnarled trainyard nail with a 5 engraved in it from the Hotel Tram Station, and a claw with a 7 scratched into it from the Central Tram Station. Each item was different, but they all had a number, so what if there's more meaning to why that number was chosen?"

"I think the first connection that I noticed was the Hotel Tram Station. The Conductor's accident resulted in the deaths of five different religious figures. He also held his position for 14 years, and took a 23 day trip to Alderman fields. The digital root of both of those is 5. It makes perfect sense that the trainyard found in that part of town would have a 5 engraved into it."

"Then there's the Central Tram Station. The Attendant there worked in a casino car, and she always would play the slots hoping for a lucky break. The number you'd most commonly associate with winning big in the slots is 7's across the board. That's why Yuri found a 7 scratched into her claw."

"The Library book had the number 1 in it. The Librarian from the Sanitarium had a deep interest in magic and witchcraft from a book written by Gi Caiman. I wasn't certain at first, but that author's name is an anagram for Magician. I can think of tarot having a strong association with the occult, and the Magician represents the number 1. That's why the book I found in the Library was Volume 1 specifically."




Laying his items front and center, he moves on to the rooms they hadn't solved yet.

"Then there's the Arcade. The Gamer there played a game called 'The Empire's Fall', and she was always behind the players called EMP and PRZ. She was always stuck in third place, which makes me think the Arcade's number is 3. Not only that, the third tarot card is the Empress, which sounds almost exactly like EMP-PRZ."

"In the Theatre, the Director's magnum opus was set to perform on June 6th, 1966. The tarot for The Lovers is also 6, relating closely to his play 'Darling Venus' all about the goddess of love. His number is clearly 6."

"The Prison's Warden received a haiku from a serial killer. Normally you'd associate haikus with the pattern 5-7-5, but this killer used the word 'fifth' in the middle stanza. On a second glance, it looks more like 5-5-5 now, giving their location the number 5."

"The Executive in the Office Complex embezzled money over the course of 7 years. His new business, 'Coach Caleche', strongly points to tarot 7 for The Chariot. Along with his rainbow-colored tie and calendar left on July, everything about him points to the number 7."

"The last room is the Courthouse. The Archivist there quit their job after 72 days because of a man who lived in seclusion. Considering the digital root of 72 is 9, and the 9th tarot is The Hermit, I can only think of their number being 9."




MC takes out a pen and marks down everything he's noted so far.

5 - Conductor - Hotel Tram Station
7 - Attendant - Central Tram Station
1 - Librarian - Library
3 - Gamer - Arcade
6 - Director - Moonlight Theatre
5 - Warden - Prison
7 - Executive - Office Complex
9 - Archivist - Courthouse

"We found all the numbers, but that's not the last step. It's how we use the numbers that's important, isn't it?"

"Each room had its own person inside, a lost soul within Alderman Fields with only a title left. By combining the numbers with their titles, I can get a new set of letters. The 5th letter of Conductor is U, the 7th letter of Attendant is A, and so on."

He writes down the series of letters gained by this method.

U, A, L, M, T, E, I, T




"It's the final puzzle for us. One last anagram to solve."

"There's one word I feel embodies Him completely. An Entity with unlimited power at His disposal. He takes our names last and leaves His victims with only Titles."



















"Him! Your power word, is Ultimate!"

[crazynuto]

Mar 10, 2024 13:47:58 GMT -6 Ktoasty said:

"Him! Your power word, is Ultimate!"

As that word, the final word, the source of all this madness, pain, and strife leaves your lips, time freezes.

The Cat, mid-claw swipe on MC, looks on confusion and fear evident on it's face.

You're...correct. You've done it.

You've won.

The Entity / The Cat

Power Word: Ultimate

Active Ability: Once and For All - Your Word is Law. As long as you wake, you rule over the cosmos.

MC has the power now. Just what shall he do with it?

[Ktoasty]

They've won. The Entity's power word is in their grasp, at least until the next day. Before that comes, MC needs to put a stop to Him.

The first thing he does is change the name of Ultimate. If a vengeful ghost stole the word from him now, who knows what could happen.

With time still frozen, he spawns a cat carrier and puts The Cat inside it, shutting the door. Then he unfreezes the moment to speak to his friends.

"So, I... I have His power word. It lets me rule over the cosmos apparently? It seems like I have the ability to change a lot here."

"I could take down the fog that's keeping us bound here. Even remove Him and end the rituals forever."

"Is there anything you guys wanted?"

He has his heart devoted to his friends, but that includes the one who hasn't spoken a word to him since she got here. MC turns to Monika.

"Is there anything... you wanted? The choice to revive, it should be yours, Monika."

[Vulpix]

"Well... I think more than anything, I don't actually want to go back home. I know that sounds crazy, given everything we've been through, and all we've done to escape... but we have the chance to make this place into whatever we want it to be, right? At home, I'm nothing. I'm small, and weak, and my dad is so strict, and—"

"Hey, what about a ball pit? I've always wanted to go in a ball pit."

[Peregrine]

"MC! N—"


Yuri lunges forward in tandem with The Cat's desperate attack, the thrill of freshly-spilled blood heating her own and coaxing her into action. Even with no plan, she can't ju▅▚▒░

Ktoasty said:

Then he unfreezes the moment to speak to his friends.

[...]

"Is there anything you guys wanted?"

In the incongruous moment between time slowing and starting, she stumbles and slams her heel into the ground upon seeing MC having contained Him.




"You... did it?"


What... does she want? For days, the notion of merely survival has been the priority. She herself proved how easy it is to be robbed of it. She's barely thought about what might happen after it was over.

Vulpix said:

"Well... I think more than anything, I don't actually want to go back home. I know that sounds crazy, given everything we've been through and all we've done to escape... but we have the chance to make this place into whatever we want it to be, right? At home, I'm nothing. I'm small, and weak, and my dad is so strict, and—"

"..."


Yuri holds her tongue as a thousand visions she'd rather have left unseen beset her imagination.




"...If this land has really become yours to control, even briefly, then maybe it isn't unreasonable to make something good of it."

"I... don't know if I'd want to stay here for too long at a time though, personally. Would it be possible to leave some kind of pathway back here? Something only we'd know of, to come and go as we please."




"I just, erm... I wouldn't like for us to be permanently separated, I suppose."

[Skullmaster4]

"W-Wha- The Cosmos? Really?? That's incredible, MC!"

"Eheh~ I want the kitty! Preferably a version that's less evil- I've always wanted a pet!"

"Also- Can you make me forget what I did the last couple nights...? I was a lot happier a couple days ago-"

Mar 10, 2024 17:51:40 GMT -6 Vulpix said:

"Well... I think more than anything, I dont actually want to go back home. I know that sounds crazy, given everything we've been through and all we've done to escape... but we have the chance to make this place into whatever we want it to be, right? At home, I'm nothing. I'm small, and weak, and my dad is so strict, and—"

"Hey, what about a ball pit? I've always wanted to go in a ball pit."

"Natsuki..."



"I-kind of just want to go home- But if that's really what you want, you should do it!"

"Yuri has the right idea- I'll make sure to visit you every day! I won't let you be lonely, ehehe~"

[crazynuto]

Mar 10, 2024 17:27:37 GMT -6 Ktoasty said:

"Is there anything you guys wanted?"

The Survivor looks out at their friends, holding their customary broom-cane rather tightly.

I...don't know what is out there. I've been trapped in this town for decades. What sort of world awaits me?

There's a part of me that wishes I could go back, but there's nothing for me there, and nothing for me outside the walls of this town.

S looks surprised at Natsuki's declaration, and is lost in thought for a few minutes. When they finally speak, it is slowly.

If Natsuki wishes to stay, then I would like to be...a guardian to her. I owe her my life of course, but more than that, I owe her the freedom from the shackles of my mind.

And perhaps we can turn this terrible place into something better, together.

[Ame]

A wish. In a single moment, everything has the power to change.

There, Monika was. Her friends seemed to know what they wanted.

So many ideas of what it could be. A life of prosperity and love could await them all. Perhaps she could be free of her curse. Maybe she could leave everything behind, like she had wanted to all those nights ago.

"MC..."



"I-"

There were too many things she wanted. All of them seemed to important.

"I would like to atone."



"These past few days... have been so much. I wanted to break up my mundane week of life. I saw an opportunity to do it, and I took it."

"I brought all of you along with me. Without consult."

"Ahaha, what am I talking about? You wouldn't understand. Well, except you, Yuri."

"Once I found myself here, I found myself powerless. In a world far scarier than I had expected. And then forced into a killing game of sorts, no less?"

"I should have known. Or done more research before making my decision. I just thought it would be my doorway out. How wrong I was."

"I knew I had to protect you all. I couldn't bare to watch any of you die again."

"When Petra blackmailed me, I was scared. But, I knew I had to. Even if she lied about her powers, I couldn't risk any of you becoming a victim."

"Come night two, I had been pushed out. It's, hard for me to believe — that you forgot me."

She shoots a glance at Yuri, if only for a moment

"Something changed. Call it a miracle by god, if you want. But something changed. And for the first time, I had someone who understood me. Someone to talk to. Someone who I could be friends with you understood my struggle in a way you never could, Toasty."

"I was sad to disappear. It was hard not to. But if that is what my friends willed, then that is what it would be."

"I've always believed that you should make the decisions you do because you believe in them, regardless of the consequences, after all. You all had no way of knowing my deal. That was my goal. I wanted to know how you all really felt. No amount of reading code or giving commands would tell me that."

"After that... I can't tell you how happy I was to see that through the third night, none of you had joined me. It was as though everything was right. Everyone was happy, in a world where I am missing."

"Everyone but me."

"It's hard to say goodbye to people you love. I should have known I wouldn't let myself do it so easily. And so I visited you."

"...Was that a mistake? I'm not sure, but, one thing is that it lead to us being here now."

"I must admit though, it did feel like you all weren't particularly happy to see me. You shot me. A fine how-do-you-do if you're into southern hospitality, but I can't say it's for me."

"And so that was it. I would move on. Except you wouldn't let me. You dragged me back from the edge, to satisfy yourselves. Ultimately, I suppose that was your doing then, you; who never forgot me. Peregrine Fu."

"And that brings us to 30 minutes ago. Or, if you're reading this, four days ago."

"I, couldn't control myself. I was so overwhelmed by my emotions I wasn't thinking straight. I couldn't stand to see that everything I had been through, and done for you, be thrown away. As much as I disagree with the decision, it does seem to be the right one."

"Natsuki... I'm sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me, and spoke out of line for it. I shouldn't have blamed you like that, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't let myself speak like that to anyone, least of all people I cherish. But that was what you wanted, wasn't it Vulpix? Someone easy to blame, to make a villain for you to hate."

"And to you, Sayori as well. I shouldn't have guilt-tripped you like that. While it's true that I do trust you as the new president, my goal was more malicious than I had stated. But you already knew that, didn't you, Skullmaster. I'm shocked, to be honest. If anyone was going to become omnipotent, I expected you to make it her. Though it was nice to hear her speak freely, if only for a moment."

Monika looks around, and realises that she had been monologue-ing for quite a while

"Ah- I'll wrap this up, then. I'm sorry, everyone. I hope you can forgive me."

"I would like my wish to be, for the 16 of us who came to Alderman Fields, to be restored to the same physical state in which we were initially in."

"That is to say. For all the dead to be revived, and for the injuries of the living to be undone. If you're capable of reviving me with your powers, I don't see why they couldn't be extended to the victims of our crimes. It hardly seems fair for only me to be restored, despite causing so much death and destruction."

"Oh! And to you, my puppet master. I will be cutting the strings now. Goodbye."

[Ktoasty]

"Natsuki... Yuri... Sayori... S... Monika..."

"I'll make your wishes come true."

MC is brought to tears. It's time to use the ability.




First, he removes all the red fog coating the town. All the gruesome scenes are no longer there, even the Judge's body in front of them vanishes. Phone, internet, and wifi-enabling structures erupt from the ground. By the Hotel station, a functioning bus station is added to the greater area's transport schedule. And within the town, an underground ball pit appears.

Monika is the first to revive from the deceased guests. After she appears with the group, each person feels an item on their person emit a comforting aura. Natsuki's final Parfait Girls volume, Yuri's reading glasses, Sayori's friendship bracelet, S' ring of tears, Monika's piano carving, and MC's Umbrellas II poem.

"Alderman Fields should be in better shape now to start turning it into something beautiful, S. And Natsuki, your ball pit's all good to go at the Inn. I'll do my part to help you guys every step of the way, maybe even build a new home on top of the pit."

"Each of the gifts you have, if you hold it close to your heart, you can move between Alderman Fields and our hometown whenever you want. I also made them unbreakable, so you don't have to worry about wearing them down. Now you'll have a way to come back anytime, Yuri."




He turns to the rest of the ghosts next.

"Monika's wish was to bring all of you back safe and sound. My only condition is that I'm going to take away your memories of Alderman Fields. It's better for everyone this way."

"And for the rest of you. Judge, Hoarder, Caretaker, and Fogwalker. I have nothing for you, but you'll have your own choice to move on to the afterlife when you're ready."

In the same fashion as Monika, the other 11 guests revive together. Qingque, Miku, Haru, Petra, Gary, Sanji, Zoro, Saya, Perv, Tetsuo, and Fu Xuan. The others are still in a dazed state for a few moments, but none of them will remember the horrors they experienced over the past four days, instead feeling like they finished a refreshing vacation and it's time to go back to their respective hometowns. While their consciousness is hazy, MC places Doemu's fishbowl in Perv's arms.




"Sayori, can you take a closer look at your bracelet?"

Spinning her bracelet around her wrist, she notices one change to it.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

"Now, you have all of us. We care about you to the moon and back."

"I'll let you forget the last few nights, I know they were painful. You'll be able to hold onto your memories of our days here, it'll just be like you slept comfortably through the nights. I hope I can answer your confession properly the next time."

"And the cat will be ready for you soon. Make sure you give him a good name, alright?"

He gives her one last hug before using the ability on her. Sayori forgets all of the nights at Alderman Fields, and she's in a short daze of a few moments just like the other guests.




All that's left is Him. MC puts the cat carrier in Sayori's arms and looks at the Cat through the window.

"You've lost, Him. I'm going to get rid of you once and for all, and with it, all the power you cursed to Alderman Fields for centuries."

"Neither me, nor my club members, nor the other guests, nor any of the ghosts will have any power words left at their disposal."

"This is my final wish to be granted. Goodbye, Him, forever."

And with that, the final use of any power word is made. The Entity, Him, is erased from all existence. Power Words are no more.