We've escaped from the casino... (With out losing any of our money to the One-armed Bandit!) ...and reached C Deck. Well, let's see... what happens next, shall we?
Warning!: This is based upon a game that's rated M for Blood, Drug
References, Strong Language, Suggestive (read 'Sexual') themes, and
Violence. If any of these things offend you, don't click on the link.
'Junpei ran down the stairs a little farther, in hopes of checking on the deck below. When he reached the water, he called back up to Snake and Seven.'
Junpei: Just what I thought. D Deck is completely underwater.
([sarcasm] Hey! Just because the owners of D Deck owe more than D Deck is worth doesn't mean you have to comment on it. [/sarcasm]) (That's not what that means!) We know it doesn't, that's the joke!
Seven: Just like the bottom of the central staircase.
'The surface of the water below them was flat, like a mirror. That it had not changed too greatly since they'd last seen it was a great relief. Junpei quickly retraced his steps, and headed back to C Deck. In front of the stairs were a pair of elevators. They appeared to be identical to the ones from the upper floor. Between them, attached to the wall, was another card reader. And next to that was another strange symbol...'
Yeah, I definitely know that's the symbol for Mercury. (...!) And NOT just because of something you shouldn't mention now, but also because Mercury just happens to be the ruling planet of my sun sign: Virgo.
Junpei: Hey, check it out... It's the symbol for Lotus.
If Lotus herself were here to hear that, he'd be... ("Cruising for a bruising", yeah. I mentioned that before as well.) (Monster! Don't make up garbage that never happened!) (See, it's fine if I mention that sort of stuff! The Pansy's denial of anything that doesn't fit her world view is ignored or treated like a lie.) Well, let's just hope this doesn't start another rampage.
Seven: What?
Junpei: See? It's got the woman symbol, and then it's got devil horns, right?
Seven: Hahahahaha! Yeah, I see it. No two ways about it.
(Of course SEVEN'S going to find that funny...)
Seven: That was a pretty good one, kid.
'Seven tousled Junpei's hair in what he likely thought to be a friendly manner--Junpei feared his neck might break, even though it was clear Seven had kept his strength in check. Thankfully, Snake interrupted.'
(Thank goodness...) Even when his gag is viewed favourably... (The kid and his hair just can't catch a break.)
'After Junpei's observation, he'd gone over to examine the card reader.'
Snake: This is a [Mercury symbol].
Told ya.
Snake: The marks you mistook for horns are a stylized version of the wings and staff of Hermes.
Fun fact! What you get when you mix the name of Hermes, a god, and Aphrodite, a goddess, is... "Hermaphrodite", usually used to refer to someone who's both a man and a woman. (Shimohi! That "fact" wasn't "fun"! That was just gross!) (Aw, Pansy, you believe everything fun is "gross", "sinful", if not both at once.)
Junpei: Wings and a staff, huh... So she beats you with the staff until you die and go to Heaven?
*face fault* (*face fault*) (*sweat drop* Hey! Why am "I" joining in on this nonsense!?)
Junpei: Sounds like Lotus all right.
Seven: Hahahaha! Hahahaha!
'Seven shook Junpei's head even more vigorously, and the younger man began to feel as though his brain was being jostled about inside of his skull. He began to feel rather...ill.'
(Better truck out the barf bag...)
Snake: Unless we can activate this device, I doubt the elevator will function.
Seven: In other words, we gotta find a key card with a [Mercury symbol] on it.
Snake: So I would assume.
'They decided to leave the elevators alone for the time being, and headed back to the stairs. To the left was another hallway. There were a great many doors lining both sides of the hallway. They seemed to stretch on forever, and all 3 men suddenly felt very small.'
Seven: Ah shit... We're not gonna have enough time to check all of these, are we?
Junpei: Maybe we can come back here later. Let's check out the other side.
'They turned around and went back the way they'd come. To the right of the stairs, another hallway stretched out, reaching deep into the bowels of the ship. After a few moments of moving briskly down the hallway...'
(When will we finally get to that hospital room!?) (You don't know that there's going to be a room like that!?) Actually it makes a "boat-load" of sense for there to be a medical bay on a ship...
'They emerged into an area roughly the same size and shape as the on at the top of the stairs. On the left side of the room were 4 French doors.'
Seven: Well, let's open 'em up.
'Junpei nodded, and grabbed the one closest to him. He gave it a small tug and felt it move. It was unlocked. Thrilled to have found another unlocked door, he threw it open. Junpei didn't know what to make of what he saw.'
(Hospital room? Maybe?) Yes, we found it...
'He simply stood, unable to speak.'
(...) Looks like Junpei's not the only one... Still nothing!
'Seven's eyes opened wide, and his mouth gaped. After a few long moments, Seven at last managed to speak.'
Seven: Hey... What...what is this place...
'A massive room stretched out in front of them--more a cavern than a room. Its vastness was oppressive, and it bore down on Seven and Junpei.'
(Not Snake, of course, because he can't see.)
'It was not empty, however. The entire room was filled with lines upon lines of beds. They were simple things, little more than pipe and thin mattresses.'
Junpei: Is this...a hospital?
(Finally! He finally got it!) (Hey! This is my first time seeing it too!) ([sarcasm] Right... [/sarcasm])
'He had at last been able to put a name to the harsh scent that pervaded the room... The room was full of the clean smell of antiseptic solution. In the center of the room were shelves stacked with medicine, and a number of medical devices the function of which Junpei did not know. More importantly, however, on the back wall of the room where 4 doors. 3 of them were emblazoned with large single-digit numbers, made with thick, red paint.'
It's paint, not blood. (But that is the sauce of my favorite food. *munch* *crunch*)
'The door on the left was labeled [3]. The second door from the left had no number, but the third door had been given a [7]. The door on the right bore an [8]. There could be no doubt--they were [numbered doors].'
And Door 7 was the one we picked the first time, so... (When Snake "disappears" we know exactly where to look! Besides, all options have the door to before. No harm, no foul.) That's why we went with Snake, to hopefully prevent this. (You know that's not going to happen.)
'It did strike Junpei as strange, however, that the door between [3] and [7] should be blank.'
(Our "Door to before" everybody! Shimohi, why are you having us still say that? No one reads this at all.)
'What, he wondered, could it mean...'
Yeah, as usual, no one involved in the story can hear us.
Junpei: Let's take a look at those doors.
Seven: Yeah, good idea.
'The 3 of them threaded their way through the beds, toward the back of the room. Upon reaching them, they proceed to investigate each door in turn, but to no avail.'
Junpei: Yup. Locked, just like I thought...
Snake: Naturally. After all, there are rules to the Nonary Game, and to allow these doors to open easily would violate those rules. Unless we can authenticate ourselves wit the RED, the numbered doors will--
Seven: Whoa, whoa, check this out...
'Suddenly, Seven spoke up, interrupting Snake.'
Hey Niyagi! Knock knock! (*sigh* Who's there?) Interrupting cow! (Interrupt...) (Moo!!!) *LOL* (*LOL*) (That wasn't funny at all!)
Seven: Look at the RED...There's nothing on it...
Junpei: Huh?
(Oh snap! Ace must've gotten here first!)
Seven: Don't you remember the RED back at the main staircase? If there wasn't anyone in it, it said [VACANT] on the little screen, remember?
Junpei: Oh...yeah... Yeah, you're right.
Seven: But this one...
Junpei: There's nothing.
(*Looks up* Why are you insisting that Ace caused this?) (Because he did.)
Seven: Right? ...You think it's broken?
Junpei: Only one way to find out.
'... ... ...Junpei and the others put their hands on the panel, but nothing happened. The RED refused to change. The tried pulling the level, and still nothing. As they soon discovered, it wasn't only the RED on door [8] that seemed to be malfunctioning. The RED on door [7]... And, the RED on door [3]. None of them worked. What, the wondered, did it mean?'
Seven: They've gotta be broken. Man, that bastard... I didn't think Zero was the kinda guy who'd screw around with something like this.
Junpei: Whoa, whoa...Zero's been prepared for everything so far... And you're saying he's gonna make a mistake now?
(Like I said, this isn't Zero's work, it's that of Ace's.) (Monster!) Well, thus far, it's a guess rather than an established fact.
Seven: Well, that's the only thing I can think of. This thing ain't workin' at all.
'While Junpei and Seven talked, Snake busied himself with examining the RED. After a time, he lowered his hands and spoke.'
Snake: It seems as if some of the internal hardware has been removed.
Junpei: Internal hardware...?
Snake: That is what I said.
(Were you not listening at all.)
Snake: Take a look at the underside of this RED, if you please.
'Junpei obliged, and bent over to look at the underside of the device. A long, thin slit ran along the bottom of it. As he looked harder, he realized it was more of a slot than a slit, and that it was clearly meant to accommodate some manner of electrical device. The other 2 REDs were the same. Something had clearly been removed from all 3 of them.'
Junpei: I get it... So the REDs aren't working because somebody pulled out their guts.
(Exactly! And I already know that this "somebody" is Ace.) (Will you stop blindly accusing Ace!) Actually, I agree with Akurei. Like a certain someone in meat space who stole a lot of money from me...
Snake: So I assume.
Junpei: But... Why? And who? I mean, it doesn't really make sense...
Snake: I have no idea. Why on Earth would I know something like that...?
'Just then--They heard the sound of a door opening. The 3 of them turned, and saw... Akane! Oh, no, Junpei thought, it's...'
("June", yeah, yeah, we know.)
Junpei: June!
'She stopped short, surprised to see them, and was very nearly bowled over by the rest of her companions, who were coming through the door behind her. Ace, Santa, Clover, and Lotus all poured out of the door, each of them as surprised as the last to see Junpei, Snake, and Seven.'
(Yeah, but something seems... Odd with Ace, I just don't know what yet...)
'Junpei and Seven were, for the moment, at a loss for words.'
Junpei: What are you guys doing...?
Seven: Why are you...?
'... ...After a moment of silence and surprise, everyone suddenly began to talk, desperate to exchange information. They talked about the rooms they's been through, and how they'd ended up in the same place. Of course, none of it was very useful information, but that hardly mattered. They were happy to simply see one another again.'
I know those two bitches will soon be happy to see me... (Wait, Shimohi, did you hear that voice!?) Wait, is it that strange voice that... Oh wait, Junpei's name hadn't been mentioned... (Yeah, it's another voice altogether, one I only heard as a very quiet whisper.) Now that's really strange. Where're all these voices coming from?
'Although the level of cheer varied greatly from person to person, each one of them was wearing some manner of smile. Almost as though they had already forgotten about the death of the 9th Man...'
(I certainly won't forget that, I mean, his death gave me my favorite food! *munch* *snap* *crunch* Damn it, another bone fragment.)
'No, thought Junpei, perhaps that wasn't it. Perhaps thoughts of his death were what drove them to smile at one another. Not in a morbid or hateful way, no. The 9th Man had died...'
So, they're all being Stepford Smilers together. (Hey!) Akurei...?! (That strange voice from before just said something about how all women everywhere should be his Stepford Wives.) This time, I didn't hear it. (Sorry to borrow a staple question of yours but, "define 'Stepford wife'?") Check the trope link. ("...catchphrase used to describe female homemakers who were sexually repressed and only concerned with domestic chores." But the mainstream says that's what all women should be!) *facepalm* Can we save your female misogyny for some other time...
' But they were still alive, and that was something to be happy about. A sort of simple, uncomplicated joy, Junpei thought, the joy of being alive. Still alive...'
"And believe me I am..." ("Still alive.") "I'm doing science and I'm... ("Still alive.") "I feel fantastic and I'm..." ("Still alive.") "While you're sleeping I'll be..." ("Still alive.")
"And when you're awake I will be..." ("Still alive." Hey! It's that voice again!) Okay... "Still alive. Still alive." But not for long, obstacle to my two future bitches.
'He felt sorry for the 9th Man, but more than anything Junpei was just happy to be alive.'
June: This is bad, though... If the RED isn't working, we can't keep going...
Junpei: What about that big hallway? Maybe there's somewhere in where we might be able to go.
Ace: No, there's nothing there. The 5 of us had a quick look. There were a great many rooms, although none of them appeared to have held patients for quite some time.
Seven: Patients? You mean all those doors are for hospital rooms?
Ace: Yes. Apparently, they have a number of individual rooms, in addition to this large central room.
Clover: There was a door down at the end of the hallway too, but it was locked.
Santa: It had one of those solar system mark things on it.
June: It was the [Jupiter symbol].
Snake: Jupiter...
Lotus: I wonder what it means...
'Confusion seemed to be the consensus.'
I'm confused about where those voices are coming from. First that one voice from the previous playthough, and now this new one. What's going on here?
Junpei: That reminds me, what's the deal with this big room anyway? What is this thing...? Was this some kind of huge passenger ship?
Yeah, but medical emergencies can happen at sea too, you know.
'No one, not even Snake, appeared ready to offer an answer until Seven unexpectedly spoke up.'
Seven: I bet it's a hospital ship. In fact, it's probably the [Gigantic].
Junpei: The...Gigantic...?
'Junpei looked at Seven, shocked both by his knowledge and the apparent identity of their prison. He was not the only one.'
"Hey June!" (*sigh* The song is called "Hey Jude"!) I was making a pun. ([sarcasm] So, you're not trying to avoid having to stand corrected? [/sarcasm])
Lotus: What's the Gigantic?
If this was a game of Jeopardy and the "Question" was "This ship is the 'sister' of a well known ship of 'Titanic' proportions." Lotus would've been correct.
'Seven nodded to Lotus and began to speak.'
Seven: The Gigantic...
'He explained that she had been a sister ship to the Titanic, built in the early 20th century. The Titanic had 2 sister ships, who were identical to one another in nearly every aspect. The Gigantic was said to be 1 of them. She was initially intended to be a passenger liner, like the Titanic, but soon after the ship was launched the First World War began, and she was pressed into duty by the British navy as a hospital ship.'
Well, except if that theory mentioned during the first "tin-foil hat time" is true...
'Some time later, the Gigantic was damaged by a German mine in the Aegean Sea. She managed to run aground after the incident, and consequently was not sunk. What, then, happened to the Gigantic after her fateful encounter in the Aegean Sea? One theory ran that a man named [Lord Gordain] purchased her.'
(Actually, it was the Olympic that was switched with the Titanic in that theory. Not the Gigantic.)
'Lord Gordain, it seemed, had been one of the few survivors of the Titanic tragedy, and that trauma had turned him into an obsessive collector of all things related to the Titanic. As his obsession deepened, he began to desire the Titanic itself. That, of course, was impossible--the Titanic lay at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.'
"Once I went swimming, in the Atlantic Ocean." (No you didn't.) "I Thought, that I'd cool off a bit. When *cough* suddenly, I... *cough* ...swallowed... *cough* ...some water... *cough cough* Let me tell you it tasted like sh..." ("...aving cream! Be nice and clean! Shave every day and you'll always look keen!)
'The Gigantic, however, had not suffered such a dire fate, and as she was identical to her sister ship, she caught Lord Gordain's eye.'
Junpei: So, you're saying this [Lord Gordain] bought this ship...?
Seven: Yeah. At least I think I am.
Santa: That's impossible! No way we're in some boat that's almost 100 years old!
Lotus: Pipe down. Just pay attention. ...What, that's it? Well, have you got any proof?
Seven: Proof?
Lotus: Proof that this ship is really the Gigantic.
(The most obvious way to "prove it" would be to go outside and look on the side of the ship, but if that were to happen...) I'm going to stop you there before a certain spoiler leaks out.
Seven: Well, uh... This ship's got stuff that's like the Titanic and a hospital ship. So I just figured--
(Plug your ears everyone!)
Lotus: Oh for goodness... Don't tell me that's your only reason?
Seven: N-No, I've got more...
Lotus: Like...?
Seven: Well, uh, I mean...
'Seven looked around desperately, doing anything to avoid meeting Lotus's piercing stare. He scratched his head for a moment, then gave up. Finally, he opened his mouth.'
Seven: I dunno...
(That doesn't sound like a good sign.)
'Lotus sighed and shook her head...'
Lotus: I guess your memory isn't back yet, is it?
Seven: No, sorry...
'Then, almost as if to save Seven from further embarrassment...A bell began to ring from far away. It sounded as though it was the clock at the main stairway. Junpei counted each chime, carefully. 10... 11... 12.'
June: It's midnight...
(Or noon, take your pick.)
Clover: Then we've still got 6 hours left, right?
Seven: Let's just get moving. We gotta find that hardware the REDs are missing.
(I say we frisk Ace...!) What is it? (That same voice from earlier just called me a "retard" for even suggesting that Ace be frisked! If only I can find the bastard who's creating that voice, then he'd be the next ingredient in my nacho dip!)
Lotus: That's all well and good, but where are we going to look?
Seven: Well, we've already searched the big patient room...
'They had been examining the room as they talked.'
Seven: ...But we haven't found anything.
Lotus: Right.
Was that supposed to be sarcasm?
Seven: Well, there's only one thing left to do.
Lotus: Just one?
Seven: Uh, well, not just one...
Junpei: ?
Later...
Lotus: W-Wait a minute! Are you telling me we have to search all of these rooms?!
Seven: Well, you already checked some of 'em out before you came here, right?
Ace: We each checked a single room, so... 5 rooms in total.
Seven: All right then, that's 5 rooms we don't have to search.
Lotus: ...
Seven: If we split up, it won't be that bad. If each of us can do 6 rooms a piece, we'll have the other 48 rooms cleared in no time.
Lotus: There are 48 other rooms?
'Lotus did not seem excited by the prospect.'
Neither am I. (That'll give Ace a chance to be alone with Snake...) (Eww! Gross Monster!) Huh... yeah, that's what Akurei meant. Niyagi, slash like that is fine if it rocks some ones proverbial boat.
'Seven fidgeted nervously before responding.'
Seven: ...Uh...maybe?
Lotus: ...
'After some discussion, the 8 of them decided which room to begin with, and in what order they would go. Junpei was chosen to search the rooms on the starboard side, moving from fore to aft...'
"Starboard" is a sailing version of "Right". As for what "fore" and "aft" mean, I'm going to need a refresher... *a look on Wikipedia later* Ah, okay, "front to back". Got it!
'They also determined when they would return to report their findings: The next time the clock sounded the time. When it did, they would meet back in the large central room full of beds. If, during their search, any one of them were to locate the missing components, they were to yell for the others. If this strategy failed, they'd return to discuss their options later.'
No... NO! (We couldn't save...) I know the readers know what I'm talking about, but we have to hide this one detail from Niyagi. For now.
'The details decided, they left to begin searching. Out into the hallway they went, each to the rooms they'd been assigned. However...'
Mission Failed.
'... ...From far away, Junpei heard the bell ring. It did so only once--it was 1 a.m.'
(In the morning, p.m.!) (Once again using a gag from a stupid home movie Shimohi's little brother and his friend made one time.)
'He jogged through the entrance of the large hospital room to find 6 of the others already there. Ace, Santa, Clover, June, Seven, and Lotus.'
(But note, no Snake.) Snake? (Snake?) SNAKE!!!
'They had gathered in front of door number [8]. Or perhaps, to be accurate, they had gathered in front of the RED next to door number [8]. Had one of them found the missing piece?'
Junpei: What happened, guys?!
'It was June who answered him.'
June: Jumpy, look!
'She was pointing at the RED. He pushed though the others until he stood in front of it. Immediately, he knew what she had meant. The display on the front of the RED read "VACANT". Junpei sighed.'
Junpei: C'mon guys, who was it?
(Will that bastard Ace please stand up!? I repeat, will that bastard Ace please stand up?) "We're gonna have a problem here..."
Junpei: I thought we're supposed to yell if we found it.
June: Well...
'Junpei wondered why she was hesitating. The others looked as confused as June, but kept their mouths shut.'
Junpei: What the hell? What is up with you guys?
'They all knew something he didn't and Junpei wasn't about to leave things that way. Finally, Lotus frowned and spoke.'
Lotus: Well, that's the thing... We don't know.
Junpei: You don't know?
Lotus: When I got back, it was already like this. There was no one else here... That means I was the 1st one back, but... The missing parts were already back in the RED.
(*sigh* Ace did it, he fixed the REDs, and then lured...) I think that's enough out of you. (...Oh heaven yes, he did something wrong!) What is it that voice again? *sigh* Seriously, when is there going to be any answers to these mysteries...
'Junpei looked at the bottom of the RED again, just to make sure. The slot that had been open on the bottom was now covered with metal. Clearly, whatever had been missing had been returned.'
Junpei: What about the other 2...?
Lotus: They're the same.
'Junpei quickly examined the other 2 boxes. Satisfied that they were also repaired, but still very confused, he returned to the others.'
Junpei: All right, I just wanna be sure here. Nobody has any idea what the hell happened here, right?
'Ace and June nodded silently.'
(Both of them are lying, but for different reasons.) (Monster!)
'Seven raised his hands as if to say "not me", and Santa just shrugged. Only Clover lowered her head and did nothing.'
(Of course Clover's going to notice the fact that her brother is missing.)
Junpei: Huh? ...Wait a minute...
'That was when he noticed...'
(Oh, only NOW do you notice!)
Junpei: Where's Snake?
Exactly! (But we know where he is!) (You do?) (Yeah, but it'll be a while before we actually see him.) *sigh* *facepalm*
'Junpei swept his eyes across the room a second time, but Snake was nowhere to be seen.'
Junpei: Does that mean he found them...?
Ace: I've no idea.
(Liar.)
Ace: I've no idea. There's nothing to suggest it, but nothing to suggest he didn't either.
Lotus: I don't suppose we'll know until we can ask him in person.
Seven: Well, whatever he did or didn't do, he's pretty damn late. What the hell is he up to?
June: Maybe he's lost...
(Or lying in a...) Akurei! Do I have to give that nacho ultimatum regarding spoilers in general? (No...) Good, make sure I don't have to do that.
Santa: Yeah, well, that seems likely. Dude can't see. I don't know how he gets around in the first place...
(...) First there's the senses of touch and hearing, based upon that last one, there's also human echolocation. (That was creepy, that sounded like a reaction to both Santa AND that strange voice.) (Again with that strange voice, are you sure you aren't going crazy?)
'Clover raised her head.'
Clover: No, that's impossible!
'Suddenly, she was shouting.'
Clover: Yeah, my brother's blind, but he's got really great hearing! He can get around as well as anyone who can see! So he...he couldn't get lost... That's impossible...
(No, even he doesn't know where he is!) (NO!!! Wait?! Why am I screaming that to the heavens?) Probably because of the heavily paraphrased Star Wars reference. (Oh yeah. NO...YOU MONSTER!)
'Clover had started to shake, and the knuckles of her hands had gone white. She spun around, but before she did Junpei noticed tears welling up in her eyes.'
Clover: I'm gonna go look for him!
'The words were barely out of her mouth when she began to run.'
No! Wait! We know where Snake is! Stay here, okay. (You know Clover, or anyone else, can't hear us... Wait, maybe that's why that voice was being such an asshole. Because he's assuming we can't hear him either! ...Yeah, I'm talking about you! And, as Shimohi said once, a "hole" that spouts nothing but bullshit and hot air is an "asshole"!) I'm not sure why I can't hear this voice you keep hearing, Akurei, but let's get on with the game already.
Junpei: Hey! Hold on, Clover! Wait!
'Junpei cried out to her, but he was too slow. She kept going, and before anyone else could react, she was gone.'
*blue shock* Once again, the game's ignoring us...
Junpei: Damnit... What should we do now?
Lotus: Well, the RED is working now...
June: No, we're not leaving 2 people behind! We should go look for them!
Seven: Aw man, this ain't good...
Santa: Oh, yes, what an excellent idea! We just wasted a bunch of time looking for some piece of electronic junk, now let's waste some more by looking for a couple of idiots!
Ace: Then remain here, if you feel you must, but there's no time. We've only 5 hours left.
'Junpei and the others nodded to one another, and took off at a run.'
(Yeah, Snake is doomed.)
'... ...In front of the stairs that led to B Deck, they decided to split up. They quickly assigned search areas, and went their separate ways. Soon only 2 of them were left. Those 2 were Junpei and June, who had been a few steps behind the others.'
Junpei: All right, we should go too!
June: Yes! Let's go! But...where should we start?
Junpei: Let's see...
-The casino (B Deck)-
-The 1st class cabin (B Deck)-
-The hallway with all the rooms (C Deck)-
-Back to the large hospital room (C Deck)-
Well, the casino option was greyed out, so let's go for the 1st class cabin first! (Fine, fine, whatever...)
Junpei: What about the 1st class cabin on B Deck?
June: All right! Sounds good.
'They took off up the stairs at a run.'
(Let me "guess", we're going to find Clover. And on our "first try" no less.)
'Outside of the 1st class cabin, they found Clover. She was standing in front of the wall. She was staring at a meaningless point on the wall, her eyes blank.'
<<What should Junpei do?>>
-Talk to her.-
-Leave her alone.-
(We know what's going to happen if we talk to her, so let's appear to be "psychic" and leave her alone this time.)
'Something told Junpei that Clover probably wasn't in much of a mood to talk.'
(Shimohi, you shouldn't have to have "psychic powers" to figure out simple stuff like this! You should just...know it! Okay!) No, I actually have trouble with this kind of stuff! Let's just move on...
'He leaned over and whispered quietly to June.'
Junpei: Maybe we should leave her alone...
June: Yes... I think you're right...
'They turned, and walked quietly down the stairs. Clover had driven home the misery of their situation, but Junpei told himself that getting depressed would get him nowhere but depressed. For Clover's sake, they had to find Snake, and fast.'
(Then let's get this over with!)
'He did his best to push away the misery and depression, and forced a smile.'
Junpei: So, where do you think we should go next?
-The casino (B Deck)-
-The hallway with all the rooms (C Deck)-
-Back to the large hospital room (C Deck)-
(Hallway, we already know if we go to the casino, Lotus will just pull the same Survivor-style alliance bullshit.) Whatever...
Junpei: Hey, why don't we go back to C Deck? We can take a look at that hallway with all the rooms.
June: Okay. Let's get going, then.
'Together, they ran down the stairs. Ahead of them, farther down the hallway, they spotted Ace.'
Ace: Hey! Snake! Where are you?!
(You very well know where he is!)
Ace: Answer me if you're there!
(It's no use, he's just a...) Nope! One more strike, and your nachos are gone! (Grr.... *munch* *crunch*)
'Junpei paused.'
<<What did he want to do?>>
-Run to Ace.-
-Let Ace handle it.-
(*sigh* Why not?)
'With June in tow, Junpei jogged up to Ace. Hearing their footsteps, he turned to greet them.'
Ace: Ah, hello there. Snake is... Well, that's obvious, isn't it? I assume you haven't found him yet either?
'Junpei nodded.'
June: I really wonder where he could have gone.
Ace: Well, wherever he's disappeared to, we must find him as quickly as we can, for Clover's sake.
June: Right.
'June's face looked kinda enraptured.'
June: By the way... Do you think Clover and Snake are really siblings?
Ace: Ah... Why would you say that?
'"Why would you say that?"'
(That sounds like a really dumb question.) (Actually, that could mean that Ace has some sort of... "disability" as well...)
'The question seemed somehow...odd to Junpei.'
(No kidding.)
Junpei: Why? Well, it's obvious, isn't it? They don't look alike at all.
'Ace looked at him for a moment, and then spoke.'
Ace: Yes, you know, now that you mention it, they don't.
("Now that you mention it"?! For heavens sake! He really is some kind of "Special Snowflake"!) Niyagi, now you're just being the Alpha Bitch.
'"Now that you mention it"...?'
Ace: Still, there are a great many siblings who do not look like one another. It certainly isn't rare.
Oh my God! You three are complete retards! (Hey! There's that voice again!) (Stop it, just stop it with these crazy theories!) Actually, this time I heard that as well...
'Junpei wasn't sure why, or even if he was seeing what he thought he was, but he could have sword that Ace's face tightened as he spoke.'
Ace: At any rate, we really must find Snake as soon as possible. The clock is ticking. We really can't afford to waste any time.
Junpei: ...
Ace: Very well, let's get back to the search, shall we? You can leave this area to me.
June: All right. Let's go, Jumpy.
'At June's urging, they left. They found themselves back at the stairs, but Junpei's mind was in turmoil. There was so much to think about, but... No, it would have to be put aside for now. As Ace had said, finding Snake was their top priority. Junpei did his best to clear his mind. All right... Where should we go next...'
-The casino (B Deck)-
-The 1st class cabin (B Deck)-
-Back to the large hospital room (C Deck)-
Well, just in case this really is on the rails, let's get the whole "seeing Lotus at the Casino" part over with.
Junpei: Let's take a look around the casino.
June: Okay. Let's go.
'They turned, and headed toward B Deck. Before they knew it, they were there. So was Lotus. She was leaning against the wall, examining her nails.'
Junpei: Hey, what do you think you're doing?
'She glanced up at him, unimpressed.'
Lotus: Isn't it obvious? I'm looking for Snake.
(I doubt you'll find Snake in you nails.)
Junpei: I'm just not seeing it...
Me neither.
Lotus: Really? Maybe you need to look harder.
More like it's YOU who needs to work harder!
'Junpei didn't think that was the problem.'
Lotus: Oh, by the way... I've got a proposal for you 2... Care to hear it?
-Listen to what she has to say.-
-Refuse and leave.-
Nope, I know where Snake is, and we're not going to find him by standing here "chewing the fat" as it were. Besides, I remember what her "proposal" is... (From the two times you played before starting this LP?) ...yeah, we'll go with that.
Junpei: No, that's all right. Let's go, June.
'Junpei tugged June's arm, and lead her quickly back toward the stairs.'
June: Was that okay? You don't think we should have listened to her?
Junpei: No, I've got a pretty good idea what her "proposal" would've been. We should be looking for Snake.
June: ...
Junpei: Well, where should we go next...
(...Is Junpei actually asking us...?) Nah, most likely he's talking to June; yet, it still applies to us. Strange, huh?
-The 1st class cabin (B Deck)-
-The hallway with all the rooms (C Deck)-
-Back to the large hospital room (C Deck)-
Now the large hospital room is the one place we haven't checked yet. (So, let's go already!)
Junpei: Hey, why don't we go back to the big hospital room?
June: Sure. Let's go.
'They took off at a run, down the stairs. On their way to the large hospital room Junpei and June noticed Santa, standing next to the number [3] door. Junpei paused.'
<<What should Junpei do?>>
-Talk to him.-
-Walk away without saying anything.-
Akurei, I know you want to get this over with. But I want to correct something from the last playthrough. (Well, you're the one in charge of this LP...)
'Junpei and June walked up to Santa.'
Junpei: What are you doing?
Santa: What, you can't tell? I'm checking out the RED.
June: Why, is there something bothering you?
Santa: What, it's not bothering you?
June: ...Huh?
Santa: This... The guts of this RED. Why wouldn't you wonder who the hell put it back in here?
June: Y-Yeah, that's true. Well, I'm curious too, but...
Santa: Who do you think did it?
'Santa's eyes narrowed as he looked at June. She shook her head.'
June: I don't know.
Santa: Well, what about you, Junpei? Who do you think fixed this thing for us?
-Snake-
-Lotus-
-Zero-
-Someone other than the 8 of them.-
(The "correct answer" isn't shown here at all!) I guess we'll make do with the last one...
Junpei: Maybe there's someone else on this ship with us.
Well, that's technically true with the three of us. But, the "dip" of Akurei's Unholy Nachos aside... (I'm a demon, the laws of Physics don't apply to me!) We can't interact with the environment ourselves. We have to use Junpei as a proxy, and he definitely didn't fix the REDs. (Funny... Oh, right, shutting up again...)
Santa: You mean someone hiding here?
Junpei: Yeah. Well, I mean, it's just an idea.
Santa: And you're saying this mystery person fixed the REDs?
There's also the source of that strange voice Akurei's been hearing. (But that's, of course, assuming that Akurei isn't going crazy.)
Junpei: Yeah.
Santa: Why?
Junpei: That's... Um... I don't know.
'Santa shoved his hands into his pockets and cracked his knuckles.'
Santa: Seems unlikely.
Junpei: Why?
Santa: I dunno, just a feeling. Hard to believe Zero'd bring in a secret 10th player.
Or eleventh, or twelfth, or a thirteenth player for that matter...
Santa: I mean, the name of the game is "The Nonary Game", for Christ's sake.
That doesn't mean that the name just hasn't become an artifact title or something like that.
Santa: You know what "nonary" means, right?
Well, that's something I haven't heard in this game yet, so why not explain it to us?
Santa: It means "9".
Of course, the arc number.
Junpei: No, that's not what I meant. I mean more like someone who's been living here for a long time. Or someone who...like...stayed here...
... (...) (...That's seriously creepy.)
Santa: Seriously? That's even more ridiculous. Who do you think Zero would leave them alone?
(Ah... Shutting up again.)
'Junpei furrowed his brow.'
Junpei: So, in other words... One of us is the person who fixed the RED.
'Santa grinned.'
Santa: Bingo. We have a winner.
(Hey! We knew that too, you know! It's just that the correct answer didn't show up as an option!) (You THINK that's the correct answer!) (I KNOW it's the correct answer!) Settle down, we'll properly learn the answer sooner or later...
Junpei: But if that's true, then the person who did it doesn't want the rest of us to know they fixed the RED.
Santa: Yeah.
Junpei: But...why?
Santa: No idea. Maybe if they come clean on that, it means we'd find out something else, something bad.
(Like "murder"!) *children cheering for no apparent reason*
Junpei: Something bad?
Santa: Dunno. But whatever it is, it's gotta be worth hiding.
Junpei: Hm...
Santa: Of course... It could have something to do with Snake's disappearance.
(It has EVERYTHING to do with Snakes disappearance!) Aku... (Hold it! That's something I've said before now! And, of course, the Pansy doesn't believe me. I think you can let that one slide.) ...Fine. (Thank Satan!)
Junpei: You think maybe they did something to Snake?
Santa: It's not out of the question.
'Junpei stared at Santa. There was something about him that made Junpei wary... At first, he'd assumed the other man wasn't terribly clever, but Junpei was beginning to think he would need to re-evaluate that assessment. When Santa spoke again, his voice was quiet.'
Santa: Look, if you trust anybody in this game, you're gonna lose. You've gotta be careful.
Lately, it seems like the universe is demanding that I apply that same advice to the entire world...
Santa: The person you trust the most could turn out to be the one who stabs you in the back.
'With that depressing suggestion, he turned and quietly walked away. Junpei and June looked at one another and smiled awkwardly. ... ...'
<<Where would they go next?>>
-The casino (B Deck)-
-The 1st class cabin (B Deck)-
-The hallway with all the rooms (C Deck)-
-Finish searching.-
(Finally! Let's get on with it!) (*sigh* You know the drill...)
'They looked everywhere they could think of, but Snake was nowhere to be found. ... ...Lotus looked around at 6 frustrated faces and spoke.'
Lotus: We can't keep looking for Snake. Wherever he is, it's not here. We need to keep moving.
'Junpei couldn't disagree with what she was saying. Snake seemed to have completely disappeared. There was no point to wasting any more time. The others seemed to be having similar thoughts, but they stayed silent. Finally, Seven spoke.'
Seven: We don't got a choice... Lotus is right. We're not gonna find Snake. There's a problem, though. We've gotta figure out who's gonna go through which door.
Lotus: Yes. I have a proposal.
'She walked back and forth across the floor, her heels clicking against the wood. Finally, she stopped.'
Lotus: Why don't we decide on 1 person to sacrifice?
No! That's not necessary! (There's doors to before!)
Santa: Sacrifice?!
Lotus: Well, perhaps that's a bit of a harsh word, but yes. You've all figured it out by now, haven't you? We can't all make it through those doors. If we split into 2 teams, of 4 and 3 people respectively, then 3 people will be left behind. If we split into 2 teams, of 5 and 2 people respectively, then 2 people will be left behind. But, if we split into 2 groups of 3, and leave 1 person out, then only 1 person will be left behind.
<<Leaving behind 3 people with 2 teams of 4 and 3...>>
-Not sure.-
-She was right.-
With knowledge gained the normal way, yes, that makes sense...
'It wasn't pleasant, but she was right. There wasn't any way that the numbers worked out... If one group was 4, the other group would always have a digital root that didn't match a door. When Seven spoke, his voice was strained.'
Seven: Then... You're saying we gotta decide who's gonna stay behind?
Lotus: Yes, we do. Given our circumstances, it's logically and morally the best solution. If the other 6 are to survive, then 1 person has to sacrifice themselves.
June: No! That's too cruel!
Given what I know this time around, June has a point as well.
Lotus: What's so cruel about it?!
June: To...to just sacrifice someone like that...
Lotus: Then what's your plan?! Maybe we should sacrifice 2 people, instead of just 1!
June: That's not what I meant! We shouldn't sacrifice anyone!
Lotus: I told you, that's impossible!
Only in the sense you think it is.
Lotus: Wake up!
(No! YOU wake up!)
Santa: Whoa, whoa, calm down you 2.
Bitches always be crazy... (Dude, that's some real misogynist bullshit there!) I didn't hear, what I think was supposed to be the second half of that, but I trust Akurei to be accurate in her reporting.
'Santa stepped between Lotus and June.'
Santa: Look, what Lotus is trying to say is that you should aim to bring the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest amount of people, right?
Lotus: Exactly. That's how democracy works.
But, if executed poorly, you end up with a tyranny by the majority. [sarcasm] Gee, that's never happened before. [/sarcasm]
Lotus: And for that reason, I think the only fair way to decide who'll be sacrificed is through a vote.
Unless someone volunteers, right?
Lotus: What do you think?
June: No, that's terrible.
(Well, if you think about it, the lottery part of the tribute picking process is kind of like a vote, except all the kids are voting for themselves.) (That's awful!) I know...
Lotus: I'm not asking you!
Then who are you asking?
Lotus: Shut up! What about you, Santa?
Santa: Me? Well...I agree, I guess.
Lotus: All right, that's 1 vote for.
Don't forget June's vote against it.
Lotus: Counting mine, that's 2. Seven?
Seven: I can't say I agree with you, but... We don't exactly have a choice. If we don't do somethin', we're all gonna die.
Lotus: Glad to see you get it. If I can get 1 more vote, then it's decided. What about you Clover?
'Clover had moved away from the group, and was sitting on one of the beds. Her whole body drooped. Junpei didn't know if she'd even heard Lotus's proposal. Lotus walked over to Clover, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.'
Lotus: Your brother has to be behind 1 of the numbered doors. We searched everywhere, but we didn't find him. Doesn't that mean he has to have gone through 1 of them somehow?
'Clover slowly lifted her face.'
Lotus: Let's go look for him together, okay? If we sacrifice 1 person, then we can go look for him. You...agree with me, right?
'Clover nodded once.'
Lotus: *Giggle* The motion carries.
'Lotus spun around, and walked toward Junpei.'
Lotus: Now, let's start a vote to--
Ace: That won't be necessary.
'Ace had barely spoken for Lotus's entire speech, and everyone jumped a little. 6 pairs of eyes turned to look at him. He didn't seem to notice, or even care.'
Ace: I will stay. That should solve our problem, yes?
Santa: !
Clover: !
Seven: !
Junpei: !
(!) (Oh yeah... Right. Moving on.)
June: A-Ace! What are you saying?! No, you can't do that! That won't solve anything!
'June's voice shook, and she looked around desperately for someone to agree with her.'
Well, when all is said and done, Ace won't be left behind. But, then again, June still can't hear me.
'Ace simply looked at her.'
Ace: June, I'm afraid you may have misunderstood me. I said I would stay, but I never said I would sacrifice myself.
(Well, the jackass has a point.)
June: ...Huh?
Ace: I trust you, each and every one of you. I believe you'll come back for me.
Seven: Whoa whoa whoa, there's optimistic and then there's just nuts.
Try me, my family tree is full of nuts.
Seven: Those doors only go 1 way--you go in, you don't come out.
Well, not through that same door...
Seven: If we go through 'em--
Ace: You won't be able to return, correct?
Seven: Yeah.
Nope, there's doors to before.
Ace: True, but that will not be the case once you've escaped from the ship.
Seven: What...?
Ace: Please, I beg you, once you've escaped, come back and rescue me. Ideally within the time limit Zero has given us...
Junpei: No, that's ridiculous! There's no way we could get back in time!
'Finally, Junpei could hold his tounge no longer.'
Junpei: We've only got 5 hours left. We don't even know where the hell we are. how on Earth are we gonna find someone to come and rescue you?!
Ace: Then perhaps you would prefer to stay, instead of me? Or perhaps you would be willing to leave June behind?
'Ace's voice was dignified, and without a hint of cruelty or malice. Junpei had no rebuttal.'
Ace: You see? There's no other choice.
(...Hey! Did you see that!?) *looks up* Yeah, who the crap is that standing behind Ace? (I don't know what you're talking about.) (Of course you don't.)
Ace: Then I see we've come to our conclusion. Go on. Don't worry yourselves about me. Go, quickly!
'June bit her lip so hard that Junpei feared she would break the skin. Santa stood against a wall, calm and aloof. seven tore his beanie from his head, and turned it over anxiously in his hands. Only Clover stared at Ace, with an expression Junpei was unable to decipher. Lotus's attitude, however, was different from the others.'
Lotus: Good. Let's accept his kind offer, then.
'She smiled, her eyes bright. Ace answered with a smile of his own.'
Ace: Good. I think this is the best for me. Perhaps I'll be able to take a nap. Perhaps it's my age, but I get tired so easily these days.
'As he spoke, Ace lowered himself down to the floor next to one of the beds. From somewhere deep in the ship, Junpei suddenly heard the screeching of metal on metal. It was almost as if the ship were screaming. Would it really hold until their time limit was up? Already, D Deck was flooded... In the sudden silence, the only sound was the sad metal wail of the ship. Unsurprisingly, it was Lotus who spoke first.'
Lotus: Well, what are you waiting for? We're wasting time. Why don't we hurry it up?
'As if a spell had been broken, the others all began to talk at once.'
Seven: You're right. We should get goin'. That's all we can do right now.
June: Seven...
Santa: Seriously. Honestly, I was getting kinda sick of listening to you guys talk.
June: You too, Santa...?
Clover: I...I have to find my brother...
June: W-Wait! All of you! Let's just calm down and think about this! There has to be a way to get everyone out! There has to be! R-Right, Jumpy?! Say something!
(Don't you dare use that Code Lyoko gag!)
Junpei: Y-Yeah, let's think... There's...gotta be another way...
'His words sounded hollow and fake...'
Yeah, Junpei, you really are a bad liar... Again, no mysterious voice. (...Not you, you ass!)
June: Fine! Forget about it! I'll figure it out on my own!
'She spun around, and ran toward Ace. He had slumped down next to the bed when June grabbed his arm and pulled.'
June: C'mon, Ace, please stand up! You can't give up yet! We just have to sit down together and think about this! We'll figure out a way that we can all get out of here!
'Then it happened. Ace fell forward. He slumped over onto the wooden floor, his body folded in half like a boxer out cold.'
June: Ace!
'June cried out and dropped to her knees beside him. She put her arm around his neck and did her best to lift him up.'
June: What happened, Ace?! Say something!
'She shook him, frantically. His eyes fluttered open.'
Ace: I'm all right...
'His voice was weak, and slightly slurred.'
June: How are you...fine?
(Nope, he's..."low" on drugs. *LOL*)
Ace: This...
'He held out his left arm, and slowly opened his hand... In it was a syringe, and a small vial. The vial was empty. It had only recently been emptied--a few drops clung to the sides. There was a label taped to the side of the container... It read [Soporil-Beta]. "Soporil...Beta"...? Junpei had no idea what it meant, or what kind of medicine it might be.'
June: Did...did you use this?!
Ace: Yes... It's just...anesthetic... I'll be...fine...
June: Anesthetic?
Ace: I found it...earlier... While we were searching the...hospital rooms... I thought it might be useful...later... Ha... I didn't think I'd be...using it on...myself...
June: Why did you do this...?
Ace: Didn't I...tell you? I'd like to take a...nap... I really am...very tired...
'Junpei knew that wasn't why he'd done it. Ace had injected himself with anesthetic to forestall Junpei and June's attempts to bring him along. If he couldn't move, there was nothing they could do. He'd injected himself so that they would be forced to leave him behind.'
June: Ace...
Ace: Hm...? Is there something you want to...say? I'd just like to sleep...a little... Could you...keep it down...?
June: No! Don't, Ace! Don't fall asleep!
Ace: Ah...you feel...warm... So...comfortable... I think I'll have...a nice...dream...
(...And the asshole's at it again.) (I'm surprised, Monster. You actually have standards.) (Of course I do, even evil has standards. *munch* *crunch* This stuff is really good.)
'Ace's eyelids drooped further and further... Almost as though he were...dying...'
Naw, he'll be fine. (Unfortunately.)
June: Ace! Ace!
'She shook his shoulder, again and again... But this time, he didn't respond. Only the gentle rising and falling of his chest told them he was alive. Junpei was relieved to see he was, in fact, still breathing. He lifted Ace up off the floor, and laid him on the bed he'd been leaning against. When Junpei turned around, Lotus gave him a look of pity.'
Lotus: Well, we really don't have a choice now. We can't let his sacrifice go to waste. ...Right?
'She wasn't feeling any remorse, Junpei was sure of that. Still, he held no grounds upon which to oppose her. it felt wrong, but he had to agree. Then suddenly, Santa spoke.'
Santa: Yeah, but we're not done choosing yet, are we?
Lotus: Huh? What do you mean?
(You know! Who's going into what door?)
Santa: Well, we haven't decided who's going in what door.
Lotus: Ah, yes, that's true.
Santa: Well, enough of this screwin' around. Let's decide. You 1st Lotus. Which door do you want?
Lotus: I...um...I want door number [8]. It's the same as my bracelet number.
(Yeah, of course you're going to pick that door.)
Santa: Got it. You're [8]. You're next, Seven. Which one do you want?
Seven: I'll take [7].
Of course, that's the door we took last time.
Seven: I can't get along with that old lady.
Lotus: What?! What did you just say!?
Oh dear, time to break out the riot gear. (Hey, that rhymed.)
'Her face distorted by rage, Lotus took a step toward Seven. He threw up his hands, and made a face like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.'
Lotus: Ugh! You're going to get it next time!
'She shot him a glare that would have melted steel, then turned and stalked off.'
Santa: All right, who's next...
'Santa's gaze moved across the 3 people left. Finally, they stopped on Junpei.'
Santa: Junpei, which door do you want?
'At last...'
We can finally find Snake! (Or so you think.) Hu... Oh, never mind.
'Junpei's mind was already made up.'
-Door [3].-
-Door [7].-
-Door [8].-
Junpei: I want to go through door number [3].
Santa: No. You can't.
Junpei: Huh? Why?
Santa: Because it's impossible. If we split ourselves into 3 and 3, then we give up on going through door [3].
Junpei: Why...?
Santa: The bracelet numbers for the 6 of us are (345678). There are 2 combinations that can go through door [3] with 3 people: (345) or (678). That's it. Of course, 2 teams can't go through the same door.
Junpei: I see... That means 1 team would get left behind.
Santa: That's right.
Junpei: That doesn't happen if we go through door [7] or [8]?
Santa: No, they're fine. We've got 3 options.
'Santa began to explain.'
'--Plan A--'
'Go through door [7] with (358), and go through door [8] with (467).'
'--Plan B--'
'Go through door [7] with (457), and go though door [8] with (368).'
(We went with Plan B the first time.)
'--Plan C--'
'Go through door [7] with (367), and go through door [8] with (458).'
Santa: Those are the only 3 options. That's it. At least, if we want to get all 6 of us out of here.
'That was when Junpei realized... Plan A divides into 2 teams: (358) and (467). Plan B divides into 2 teams: (457) and (368). Plan C divides into 2 teams: (367) and (458). There was one thing they all had in common... In every single combination, (5) and (6) were never on the same team. In other words, if all 6 people were to move forward, [Junpei and June would be separated]. June and Junpei had been friends when they were kids. He trusted her more than anyone else on the ship.'
(Yeah... Remember what...) *ji...* (Okay, fine...)
'If he chose [7] or [8] he'd be taken away from her. Was that something he was prepared to do...?'
Or, at least, do again.
'...'
Santa: Anyway, that's the deal, so think it over. You've got 2 choices: [7] or [8]. You can't choose [3]. If you choose [3], you're gonna be leaving 3 people behind to die.
No! I know what happens! We'll just come back by that door to before, it'll be all right. Trust me. (...Hey! Hopefully Niyagi didn't hear that or we're all going to be in great danger!) (Hear what?) (Thank Satan!)
Santa: So, what are you gonna do? [7] or [8]. Time to choose.
'Junpei thought hard.'
<<After thinking it over his conclusion was...>>
-Door [7].-
-Door [8].-
-Take the risk and choose door [3].-
Let's do this chums! (Leeroy Jenkins!) (When are you going to stop doing that!?) When I'm six-feet under and pushing up daises!
Junpei: Sorry, Santa, but I still want to go through door [3].
Santa: What?! That's nuts!
As I've said before, my family tree is full of nuts. Deal with it!
Santa: You've gotta be crazy! Why the hell are you so obsessed with that door?
(Because we'll find one more scene of..."murder"!) *children cheering for no apparent reason* (Why are you so obsessed with those "hiimdaisy" comics?) Because they're funny as hell, that's why.
Junpei: I'm just...
'Junpei paused. He swallowed the words he'd been about to say.'
Junpei: I'm just curious about door [3]. That's all.
Santa: That doesn't explain shit!
Junpei: I've got a reason. I'd be be happy to explain it if you'll just come with me.
What's that number combo that's needed for door three again? (*looks up* 54...3. I'm seeing what you're doing, Junpei.) *listening for something* Still nothing.
'With that, he began walking toward the door. Their curiosity likely getting the better of them, the others followed. A few of them looked a little suspicious, but Junpei told himself that wouldn't matter. He kept walking and kept silent. Eventually, they arrived at the number [3] door. Junpei stopped.'
What's the digital root of 356? (5.) That means... DAMN YOU ACE!
Junpei: I'm curious about the RED.
(Wait! How about 956?) Huh? Okay... 2 (Oh yeah, forgot something. How about 950?) ...Still...5? Now that's interesting... Akurei, why those numbers in particular? (Oh, no reason. I was just curious.) [sarcasm] Right... [/sarcasm]
Junpei: Seven, would you mind authenticating for me?
Ah, I see... 756 is... 9? Dang it! (You forgot the three.) Right... Oh, now I see. (Let me borrow the calculator for a bit, thanks. 7509 is... Yeah, that works as well.)
Seven: Huh? Why?
Junpei: Please, just do it.
'He stared at Junpei for a moment, then grunted and laid his palm heavily on the scanner.'
Seven: Happy?
Junpei: Yeah, thanks.
'The number (7) had been entered into the RED.'
Junpei: Next is June. Please touch the RED just like Seven did.
June: Jumpy... What are you trying to figure out?
'Junpei thought about his answer for a moment.'
Junpei: I think I think I might have found another way out.
Seven: Huh!?
Santa: What!?
Lotus: Really?!
'That got them excited. ...Just as Junpei had intended.'
Junpei: Now please, June...
June: O-Okay...
'7 + 6 = 13 [insert arrow here] 1 + 3 = 4'
'With those 2 numbers in the RED, Junpei had what he wanted. He casually placed his own hand on the scanner, and the 3rd asterisk blinked on.'
'4 + 5 = 9'
Junpei: All right... The only people who haven't authenticated now are Santa, Clover, and Lotus.
Lotus: So? What's your point?
Junpei: You don't get it? Think about it.
Lotus: ...?
Junpei: What's the sum or your number and Clover's?
(I think that's going to run a fowl of one of Zero's rules...) Max limit of 5 people per door. (Exactly!)
Lotus: 12...
Junpei: And what's the digital root of that?
"Three." But that smacks a fowl of the Min limit of 3 people per door!
Lotus: 3...
Junpei: Which is Santa's number.
Three. (Nine.) (I think the Monsters memory's getting real bad here.)
Junpei: By the way Lotus, what's the number that's currently in the RED?
Lotus: 7 + 6 + 5 = 18... It would be (9), right?
Junpei: Yes. And what will be the digital root be if you add (3) to that?
Lotus: (3)... The door's number.
Junpei: There you go.
Santa: Hey! Wait a minute! What the hell are you up to?!
Junpei: I'm not up to anything. I'm just waiting.
Santa: Waiting for what?
Junpei: I'm waiting for the balance to shift. Santa...
(*takes two drinks of...something*) Akurei, We're not watching Game of Thrones so, there's no need to play the Drinking Game of Thrones... where did you get that... whatever it is? (Klingon Bloodwine.)
Junpei: Or Lotus and Clover... Once one of you moves, the others won't have a choice. So I'm waiting.
'Junpei laid his hand almost casually on the lever.'
Santa: Y-You son of a bitch! You tricked us! Then all that stuff you were going on about is all bullshit!
Junpei: Bullshit? I don't think so. Didn't I tell you I'd figured out another way to get out of here? This is it.
Santa: Why the hell would you do something like this?!
'Junpei glanced at June.'
June: Jumpy...
Santa: You did this just so you could go through the same door as June...?! That's it?!
Well, he didn't last time. So...
'Santa was furious. His face was red, and flecks of spit flew from his lips as he spoke. Junpei closed his eyes calmly, and then opened them again.'
Junpei: So, who's it going to be?
Like I said, it's going to have to be...
Junpei: Santa...?
It won't work with...
Junpei: Or Lotus and Clover...?
Santa: Shit...!
Lotus: ...
Clover: ...
Santa: ...
Lotus: We're going! Clover!
'Lotus leapt forward. She grabbed Clover by the sleeve, and ran for Junpei and the door. Caught by surprise, Santa froze for a moment, then shot forward like a bullet from a gun. Lotus had a headstart, but Santa had the advantage in size and speed. Almost immediately, he passed Lotus and Clover--'
Lotus: No! Wait!
'Santa did not hesitate.'
Santa: Rrrrrrgh!
'He slammed his hand down on the RED.'
Santa: This is insane! This isn't right!
'He glared at Junpei, his chest heaving.'
Junpei: Yes, well... You may be right.
'Junpei's voice was cold, but not without effort. He turned to the RED and pulled the lever. With the sound of metal on metal, the door opened. It would only remain so for 9 seconds--there was no time to think.'
Junpei: Go!
'Junpei and his 3 reluctant companions jumped into the door's gaping mouth, one after another. No sooner did they enter than an all-too-familiar moise sounded from theri left wrists. The detonators had activated. Junpei looked back only once, and saw Lotus and Clover on the other side of the closing door. They stood still, stopping where they had been when Santa reached the RED. The defeat and desperation on their faces tore at Junpei's heart.'
(I guess you can say that this whole situation has left them in..."DESPAIR"!) (*facepalm*)
'Then the door closed, and they were gone.'
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Well, time to finally end this post and once again deal with the reference jar. See you next time...
Monty Python Reference Jar
Akurei: $29
Shimohi: $14
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