The game board comes whirling back to life. Even though its purpose is complete, even though there are no more hints or clues to be gained from its continuation, some outside force set the pieces up just as they last stood.

After what seems like months, you focus on your surroundings. Rudolf is pounding against the trap door.

"Kyrie! Battler! Where the hell did everyone go?"

Nobody seems like they know what to do. Pieces without any kind of role. People with no idea what to do.

>>16609
"I think I have an idea."

I tell everyone my theory, not leaving out any detail.

"If that is the case, then that means the password to the trap door is..."

I then enter the number combo into the trap door.

"Ozaki..." Rosa says. "If what you say is true, that means..."

Nobody wants to accept that kind of possibility. That would mean that, from the beginning, everyone should have been suspicious of the others. Had they made some kind of horrible mistake?

You enter the code into the keypad. The trap door unlocks, but before it even opens all the way, you hear something impossible:

A pair of footsteps is walking down the stairs leading to the gold room. You look around. Nobody that you'd expect to see around you appears to be missing.

"Kyrie? Battler?" Rudolf calls.

There's no response.

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)19:34:17

>>16611
I jump into the trap door and wait for someone else to check it out as I take a watch from out of the trap door.

The adults raise their guns. Before the figure comes into focus, you feel your senses fading. It's like you're being brought somewhere else, to a fragment locked away in time...

"Something is wrong," Erika says. "This game should be over by now."

She looks in the sky. "Mas-- Lady Bernkastel, what are you waiting for?"

Erika looks towards you. "What should we do?"

Even if you knew, you can't answer. Your entire body is paralyzed. It seems that she shock from being dead still has a hold on your form. Erika shakes you a bit, but even that doesn't stir you.

A gunshot rings out from across the mansion. An old man screams.

"What in the world? This isn't over? Hey, wake up!" Erika waits, but you make no motions. "Fine, I'll see what this is myself. If it's another closed room murder, I'll just solve it without you."

Erika walks off. Perhaps a minute later, another gunshot goes off. This time, it's closer. What in the world is going on?

The chapel door creaks open. The lights filter poorly into the old building, so you can only see the body of a little girl at the end of the pews. It looks like Maria, and she's singing some kind of song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T81A_YZ8YKE

"How's about you and me go back to my boat and pretend like we never saw this, huh? I've got nachos stored somewhere, probably." Kawabata suggests.

>>16616
"As tempting as that sounds, I have a feeling I need to see this. Call it a hunch."

I slowly walk closer to Maria.
"Maria, is that you? What are you doing out here?"

As you get closer, you can see a considerably larger figure standing behind Maria. The figure puts a single finger on their lip, silently shushing you. They then crouch down.

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)19:57:08

"Don't worry, Maria. I'll protect you," a voice whispers.

The figure takes a knife and cuts Maria's throat wide open. It looks like a wide, ugly grin before Maria slumps to the ground.

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)20:04:34

The figure steps forward. They're holding a knife in one hand and a pistol in the other.

"No way. Is that Ozaki?"

>>16620
Instantly noticing the gun I dive behind one of the pews in attempt to you know... not die.

You dive behind a pew. In your excitement, you forgot that you're still holding a gun!

Kawabata scoffs. "Let me take care of this, Ozaki-boy. I've dealt with punks worse than him in the war."

You're almost certain that he's never been in any war, but before you get to argue, Kawabata snatches the gun from your hands and walks down the pews.

"Now, listen here. I'm going to give you three complicated reasons as to how what you're doing is downright--"

A gunshot explodes. Somehow, you don't think it came from your gun.

"Ozaki, come on out. We're roomies, right? Why would I want to hurt you?"

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)20:28:59

>>16622
"What the hell are you doing here?"

I try to see where the gun that Kawabata had fell.

"It was just a little idea that Nanjo and I had. Rummage a bit behind the scenes, manipulate a few variables, then pop in at the last second and steal Kinzo Ushiromiya's vast amount of wealth. Nanjo never wanted to get his hands dirty. That was his Achilles heel. Well, that and the whole 'being a doctor' thing. He would have been content with springing as much gold as he could carry in those chubby arms and dashing off into the night. I have bigger sights. I want everything. You're like that too, right Ozaki? Show me that I know you as well as I think I do. Come out here and we'll solve the epitaph together."

The gun is sitting exactly two pews ahead of you. Kinjo stands six or seven beyond that. It's just out of your reach.

>>16624
"Heh, I don't believe you."

I throw my vodka bottle that I was saving over the pews in his direction. I then leap between the pews and grab the gun. I quickly make sure there is ammo and attempt to shoot him.

Your bottle makes a critical hit. As it shatters against Kinzo's chest, he releases an uncharacteristic growl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzZO2Y92LM8

You pick up your gun. It surely has ammo in it. You point the gun at Kinjo, but it's too late. A bang snaps from the barrel of his pistol.

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)20:55:24

A man in a white coat approaches you. He holds a pistol aimed at your chest.

"That other girl caused be a bit of trouble. You'll be sweeter, won't you? Hello?"

When you don't move, the man makes a little shrug. "Oh well. Praise my name: GOLD BAR."

He places his arm back up and shoots you through the chest. How hollow.

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)21:05:46

You snap back into this world. You're hanging tight onto the ladder. You can see outside of the latch: the person walking inside of the room...

"Who the hell are you?" Krauss asks. Everyone has their weapons pointed at his chest.

"Good question. Better question: what can I do to you?"

He slightly raises his right hand. There's a black box inside of his palm.

"This is a detonator. If my thumb stops pushing this button here, this whole place goes up in a blaze. I don't think you should scratch those itchy fingers."

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)21:16:11

>>16628
"Here are some even better questions: What are you doing here, and what do you want?"

"I'm here to give the boys and girls at home something they can rally behind. I want to connect the dots and leave you satisfied. I'm ready to wrap the bow-- you might even say I'm here to paint the lily."

"Is that Ozaki? Funny meeting you here, buddy. Want to come out here and help me start loading this gold?"

"You aren't going anywhere!" Natsuhi shouts. "Drop that thing or we'll shoot!"

"Didn't you hear me? I drop it, you die. Simple. How about you drop those guns instead? As a nice reward, I won't blow everyone up."

Last edited at 14/09/08(Mon)21:37:12

>>16630
As he is distracted by everyone else I take out the molotov cocktail that I've had hidden and perform a similar trick that I just recall doing in another word.

This time however I have my handgun which I've saved as well in my other hand, prepared to shoot before I throw the bottle.

Incredibly, you accomplish your improbable goal. The last thing you hear from Kinjo is a wail of unfathomable pain. As his finger releases from the trigger button, nothing happens. It looks like he was bluffing.

K I N J 0 IS T H E T R U E MAS TE R M I N D 0F MY GAMES.

This post exists in order to challenge my opponent, Kinjo Goldbar. Should he accept, he will play a final game in order to try and prove his innocence.

The difficulty is impossible. The truth of the matter has been declared in red ink.

To be continued in Chase of the Golden Witch.

>>16634
I accept your challenge, GreatEqualizer!

Once Reprise is finished, we can begin the game!