Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

DAY 1.

It's dark. ⬙

Well, duh. The lights are off. He feels stupid for the momentary lapse in judgement, but his head feels cloudy. ⬙

Though something feels weird, too. ⬙

He can barely move his arms, can barely move his legs, barely open his mouth. ⬙

Everyone is suddenly bathed in light. Eleven people of varying ages and backgrounds sit around in fancy red chairs. ⬙

The light seems to be coming from chandeliers that look fuckin' old as hell swinging from the ceiling. ⬙

When he tears his eyes from the chandeliers, squinting, everyone seems to be sharing an uneasy glance. ⬙

To his left is Gentarou Yumeno. ⬙

To his right is Doppo Kannonzaka. ⬙

While everyone’s dazed and confused, and even though he is too, he’s (unsurprisingly) the first one to speak up. ⬙

DICE: Hey, the fuck? ⬙

Everyone stares at him like he’s grown three heads. He turns to Gentarou, waving a hand. ⬙

DICE: “Hey—” ⬙

Gentarou turns away. ⬙

DICE: “...” ⬙

Hifumi Izanami, sitting across from him, gives a nervous laugh. ⬙

“Hey, hey... What’s, like... goin’ on here?” ⬙

DICE: “You think I got a fuckin’ clue?” ⬙

HIFUMI: “I totally didn’t say anything like that! S-So, c’mon now...” ⬙

Jakurai Jinguji brings a finger to his face. Although this guy’s normally cool and collected, something about the way his eyes are dull makes Dice feel uneasy. ⬙

“Interesting,” he says. ⬙

Riou Mason Busujima, effectively across from Jakurai and thus to Dice’s left, stands up. He walks over to the windows behind him, which Dice realizes are from ceiling to floor. ⬙

They’re barred. ⬙

Dice jumps to his feet. “What the fuck...?!” ⬙

SABUROU: “Is that all he says?” ⬙

JIROU: “It ain’t like you’re any better.” ⬙

SABUROU: “What? Get your ears checked. I’ve never said f—” ⬙

SABUROU: “...” ⬙

JIROU: “What haven’t you said, huh? Huh?” ⬙

SABUROU: “Shut up, idiot. Don’t be so carefree... Can’t you read the mood at all?” ⬙

ICHIROU: “Oi, you two.” ⬙

The two brothers turn to their eldest brother, who’s risen from his chair. He joins Riou, as well as Dice since he’s made his way over, at the windows. He raps a knuckle against one of the bars. ⬙

They watch him with rapt attention, but Ichirou doesn’t say anything further. ⬙

SAMATOKI: “Oiii... This is your fuckin’ doin’, isn’t it?!” ⬙

Ichirou turns on his heel, just in time to dodge a full-blown punch from Samatoki. ⬙

Samatoki’s hand goes right into the bars, and he grunts in pain. That doesn’t stop him from swinging again, though. ⬙

Ichirou dodges, knocking backwards into Dice. Dice grunts, now, and hoists the other up, shoving him partially away. ⬙

“Calm the fuck down!” ⬙

Samatoki practically growls, though. ⬙

“How ya expect me to be calm in a situation like this?!” ⬙

JUTO: “Shouldn’t you be used to bars, Samatoki?” ⬙

SAMATOKI: “Oi, I didn’t ask for your fuckin’ input!” ⬙

JUTO: “Just calm down. Let’s think for a moment. Riou, any observations? Where are we?” ⬙

RIOU: “... We’re up high. That’s where.” ⬙

Dice turns his head, letting go of Ichirou to stare out the windows. The bars are an inch thick, with half an inch in between them. What he can see, though, is all white. Just clouds upon clouds. ⬙

DICE: “... Fog?” ⬙

ICHIROU: “Is it fog...? Kinda looks like we’re flying in a plane but like... in a building.” ⬙

RIOU: “They do look like clouds, huh.” ⬙

HIFUMI: “E-Eh?! D-Doppo—?!” ⬙

Dice whips around, and Doppo’s behind his chair. Hifumi’s at his side, and they’re both kneeling. Jakurai’s stood up from his seat too, walking briskly over to the both of them. ⬙

Dice glances at Gentarou, whose eyes are blank, staring at the ground, hands in his lap. ⬙

JAKURAI: “Doppo-kun?” ⬙

DOPPO: “Just leave me alone! What is this?! I hate it, I hate it, we’re all trapped here because it’s my fault, a-and it’s so loud...” ⬙

Jakurai kneels behind the chair too, grabbing a hold of Doppo’s wrists, hoisting them high. Doppo drops his tie, which he apparently took off. ⬙

JAKURAI: “Doppo-kun. Listen to me.” ⬙

DOPPO: “Doctor! It’s all my fault, isn’t it? We’re here, and there’s bars on the wall, and this is going to be bad... I feel so awful... it’s my fault, it’s my fault...” ⬙

JAKURAI: “Doppo-kun,” Jakurai says, a bit more sternly. ⬙

DOPPO: “It’s my fault, it’s my fault... It’s all... my fault...” ⬙

HIFUMI: “Doppo, c’mon... S-Snap out of it... please?” ⬙

Hifumi shakes Doppo’s shoulder, and then Jakurai pulls Doppo into an embrace. Doppo slowly calms down, matching his breathing with Jakurai’s own, while Hifumi looks on nervously. ⬙

Everything falls into an uncomfortable, tense silence. ⬙

What should Dice do?

• Approach Gentarou

• Search the room

Dice may be stupid, but he’s kind. His friend looks troubled, so he’ll go to him. ⬙

“Oi, Gentarou.” ⬙

GENTAROU: “...” ⬙

DICE: “... Gentarou...? Oi, anything in there?” ⬙

He leans forward, pouting his lips.

GENTAROU: “... Nothing but jelly!” ⬙

Gentarou perks up, though he’s still not looking right in the eyes, and he’s avoiding Dice’s gaze. He waves a hand nonchalantly. ⬙

“Oops, did I space out? Sorry, I was just joking around with you.” ⬙

Dice narrows his eyes. He may also be an idiot as well as stupid, but he can tell something’s going on. ⬙

“ — Wait, so your head ain’t full of jelly?” ⬙

GENTAROU: “Oh, that part’s true. Very, very true.” ⬙

DICE: “... What flavor?” ⬙

GENTAROU: “Strawberry, of course. My favorite.” ⬙

DICE: “You said you hated strawberries!” ⬙

GENTAROU: “That was a lie, you know.” ⬙

His lips turn up in a fox-like smile. Dice frowns. ⬙

DICE: “...Whatever. ‘s’long as you’re alright.” ⬙

GENTAROU: “Right as I can be! Except I’m dying.” ⬙

DICE: “— wait, what?!” ⬙

GENTAROU: “Just kidding.” ⬙

JUTO: “What a touching reunion... Well, anyway,” Juto adjusts his glasses, “everyone seems to be alright, except...” ⬙

ICHIROU: “... We’re down one.” ⬙

SAMATOKI: “... One’s missin’.”

JAKURAI: “...Amemura-kun is not present.” ⬙

They speak at the same time. ⬙

There’s another uncomfortable lull. It’s so tense, and Gentarou turns his eyes down again. But Dice looks away, looking at everyone else’s faces. ⬙

Just when he opens his mouth up to say something, something on his wrist—and everyone else’s wrists—makes a ding noise. He likens it to a microwave. ⬙

A little hologram pops up from the watch-like screen. He’d never be able to afford this, what the hell? ⬙

???: “Kon, kon! This thing on? Huh! Oh, it is!” ⬙

Dice immediately tries covering the hologram’s bitchass face with his other hand. It just phases through. “Tch.” ⬙

???: “Dice-tan! I can see you, you know! Kon, don’t try to hide me up or anything?!” ⬙

JAKURAI: “... Interesting. Please, tell us what you know.” ⬙

???: “I was getting to that before I was so rudely interrupted... Really, I might cry, kon!” ⬙

SAMATOKI: “Start talkin’ before I beat your ass!” ⬙

???: “Eh, eh! Go ahead and try! I bet you can’t, kon!” ⬙

SAMATOKI: “Why you...!” ⬙

What should Dice do?

• Tell Samatoki to stop
• Watch in uneasiness
• Try covering fox again
• Check on Gentarou

Dice takes a step forward. “Oi, oi... The fuck you fightin’ a watch for?” ⬙

SAMATOKI: “Shut the hell up!” ⬙

DICE: “It ain’t like it can hear you!” ⬙

???: “Actually, I can, kon! Weren’t you paying attention?!” ⬙

SAMATOKI: “Yeah! So, I can KILL it!” ⬙

???: “Go ahead! Don’t be a coward!” ⬙

JAKURAI: “Samatoki-kun, I don’t—” ⬙

Jakurai’s beginning of a warning falls on deaf ears. ⬙

Samatoki grabs at the watch, pulling at it, grunting. Exerting all his force, he looks like he has almost all of it off when— ⬙

“Agh—!” ⬙

He collapses to the ground on his hands and knees, and Riou takes a few steps towards him. His face is completely covered in sweat and flushed, and he runs a hand through his hair. ⬙

He slumps on the ground, still kneeling, but pressing his face against the wooden floor, by the time Riou gets all the way over. ⬙

JAKURAI: “Samatoki-kun?” ⬙

RIOU: “Samatoki?” ⬙

ICHIROU: “Tch... Had it coming, dumbass.” ⬙

“Shut the hell up!” Samatoki snarls, attempting to crawl over to where Ichirou stood. He got about three inches before he slumps again, and Riou pulls him over, half cradling him in his lap. ⬙

JUTO: “My, my.” ⬙

SAMATOKI: “You too! Bitch! Fffuck! That hurt, what the hell?!” ⬙

???: “Kon, kon! You’re just as stupid as everyone says, huh?” ⬙

Samatoki’s sweating all over, face even more flushed. He can’t even say anything back. He just falls mostly limp in Riou’s grasp. ⬙

Dice feels sweat rolling down his back, and he looks back down at the hologram. ⬙

ICHIROU: “Before that idiot wants to try something that’ll really get him killed, tell us what’s going on.” ⬙

???: “Hey, that’s a great idea actually!” ⬙

ICHIROU: “Huh? What is?” ⬙

???: “Kill him! Kill him, kill him, kill him!” ⬙

ICHIROU: “K-Kill him? Right here?” ⬙

???: “Yeah, totally! Right here and now? Why not? If you do, I’ll let everyone else go!” ⬙

Ichirou’s eyes glance from the hologram to Samatoki, who seems to be having trouble breathing. ⬙

Jakurai’s left Doppo in the care of Hifumi and now kneels next to Samatoki, hand covering his forehead. He’s mumbling something that seems to be soothing, calm words, but Dice can’t hear it. ⬙

Ichirou looks back down at the hologram. “I-I can’t do that.” ⬙

???: “Huh? Why not? You’re always saying you want to kill him, right?” ⬙

ICHIROU: “Yeah, but...” ⬙

???: “What’s the difference, kon, kon?” ⬙

ICHIROU: “...” ⬙

SABUROU: “... Ichi-nii. You shouldn’t listen to him.” ⬙

JIROU: “Nii-chan, you can’t really kill someone, can you?” ⬙

???: “How touching! Get used to killing. Maybe you’ll even see your own brother’s corpse! Kon!” ⬙

All three of the brothers pale. ⬙

???: “Oh, oh! Kon, maybe you’d like it if Saburou-tan died, Jirou-tan?” ⬙

JIROU: “W-What...?” ⬙

???: “You hate him, don’t you? So kill him!” ⬙

DICE: “Come on, quit this kinda shit... What’s your deal? Why’re you so obsessed with killing?” ⬙

???: “Oh! Kon, that’s right! Let me introduce myself before I get too carried away~” ⬙

“My name’s Tenka! I’m super cute, right? Kon!” ⬙

“I’m your host, but not like Hifumi-tan. Girls are cute!” ⬙

“Welcome to the Skyrise. That’s where I’m your host!” ⬙

“You’ll be living here until you’re all dead. Isn’t that gonna be so fun?!” ⬙

The room goes quiet. ⬙

Dice looks at everyone—they all seem to be in some sort of disarray or uneasiness, even that Juto. ⬙

Well, no. There’s one exception. ⬙

Jakurai’s got Samatoki’s shirt off now, lying him on his side on the floor. The Yamada brothers are moving closer to the eldest, near the window. Juto’s been cleaning his glasses for the past ten minutes. ⬙

Riou’s searching the room for something, looking through some drawers for whatever it is. Hifumi and Doppo are sat next to one another, shoulder to shoulder, on the floor next to Doppo’s original chair. ⬙

But Gentarou Yumeno is... ⬙

Sitting calmly, though he tugs at one of his sleeves gently. There’s even a small smile upon his face as he does so. ⬙

“Alright! So, totally listen up, alright?” ⬙

“There’s seven floors total up here that you can go to. You’re in the dead center! On floor number four.” ⬙

“There’s a kitchen through the door to the right of the windows. Through the door on the left is a stage.” ⬙

“The one opposite the windows takes you to a hall, and in that hall is an elevator, that’ll take you up or down.” ⬙

“Matenrou has top floor, at Floor Two, and below that is Buster Bros!!! on Floor Three.” ⬙

“Then here! Below here, at Floor Five, is Fling Posse, then at the bottom is Mad Trigger Crew, Floor Six. Got it memorized?” ⬙

“At the tippy-top, at Floor One, is a pool area! Super fun! It’s a wave pool, too! Huh, isn’t that fun?” ⬙

“And at the verrry bottom, at Floor Seven... is a recreation room! Tons of board games and anime and novels and card games! You’ll have TONS of fun, trust me!” ⬙

Everyone stares at their watches in awe. Riou’s still rifling through drawers before giving up, heading through the door that Tenka indicated was the way to the kitchen. It slams behind him, as if on hinges. ⬙

Jakurai’s taken off his outer coat, pressing it against Samatoki’s forehead. ⬙

“You can stay here and live out the rest of your lives, all the way up here, peacefully together! Or you can—” The hologram glitches red. “Kill.” It goes back to its normal greyish-white. ⬙

HIFUMI: “T-Totally not creepy at all... Jeez...” ⬙

“But living peacefully is so boring, right? Look at Samatoki-tan, he’s already half dead, and I’m having the time of my life!” ⬙

SABUROU: “Who... are you?” ⬙

TENKA: “Tenka! I said it already, you know?” ⬙

ICHIROU: “Quit fuckin’ around already.” ⬙

SABUROU: “...” ⬙

TENKA: “Oh, right! On each of the Division’s floors, there’s a small community room and three bedrooms for each of you. You gotta share a shower, though!” ⬙

“And only each of you can open your bedroom doors! State of the art technology with fingerprint scanning!” ⬙

Riou comes back into the room, holding what appears to be a bowl of water and some cloth. Jakurai takes it, dipping the cloth into the water, squeezing it, and applying it to Samatoki’s neck. ⬙

Juto’s standing now, overlooking the scene, from behind Jakurai. ⬙

“And every night, from eleven until four in the morning the next day, this floor’s totally off limits... The elevator will just skip right over it.” ⬙

DICE: “For fuck’s sake, stop fuckin’ around, you’re really killing him, aren’t ya?!” ⬙

TENKA: “I didn’t kill him! That was totally all him, him, him!” ⬙

GENTAROU: “He won’t die.” ⬙

DICE: “Hah?” ⬙

Dice turns his attention away from the watch, back to Gentarou, who isn’t even looking at anyone in particular. He’s just staring at his lap.

GENTAROU: “I said he won’t die. ... And I’m not lying.” ⬙

ICHIROU: “And why the hell would you know?” ⬙

GENTAROU: “Haha. It’s written in his fate... or something.” ⬙

Obviously, no one but Dice in the room trusts Gentarou Yumeno. ⬙

Jakurai sits back, though, using his outer coat to wipe more sweat off of Samatoki. Another cloth has been pressed to his forehead, Juto kneeling and holding it. ⬙

Ichirou turns his narrowed eyes from Samatoki’s unconscious body to Gentarou, who looks down nervously. The air is tense, so thick. ⬙

DOPPO: “Wh... What happens if someone does die?” ⬙

TENKA: “I did say you’d all be here until you’re dead... but you’re all a bunch of cowards, kon! So if one of you dies, you all can be let out! Though that’s only if you catch the killer, too! Kon!” ⬙

ICHIROU: “What...? Isn’t this like that game—?” ⬙

TENKA: “Nope, not at all! This isn’t a school, in case you didn’t notice.” ⬙

Jakurai looks back towards Doppo and Hifumi, who seem to be huddled even closer, now. Dice keeps watching Gentarou. ⬙

Juto and Riou are sitting next to their leader, both looking strangely worried. ⬙

Ichirou has both of his arms wrapped around Jirou and Saburou, who truly look like children in such an instance. ⬙

TENKA: “So chop chop! Got it? Do it anytime at all, anytime you feel! Kon!” ⬙

TENKA: “This floor’ll be closing in about ten minutes, though! So everyone get out and get to their rooms!” ⬙

DICE: “W-Wait! I got a question, too!” ⬙

TENKA: “I might have an answer... might not, kon kon!” ⬙

“Where’s Ramuda?” ⬙

The room comes to a screeching halt, almost. The air freezes, and so does Dice’s blood. ⬙

TENKA: “Maybe you should cut some strings and find out.” ⬙

“So go on and leave! I’ll see you all here tomorrow morning, okay? O-kon!” ⬙

The hologram shuts off. ⬙

Jakurai says something to Riou and Juto, who nod to him, and he stands up, going over to Doppo and Hifumi. He extends a hand down to both of them, coat bunched up under his elbow. ⬙

They wordlessly take his hands and stand, and they’re the first out of the room. ⬙

Uneasily, a few seconds later after the door shuts, the Yamada brothers follow, in a line, with Ichirou leading. ⬙

Juto and Riou pick up Samatoki, and several minutes later, they exit. ⬙

Dice is left with just Gentarou. ⬙

Gentarou stands up silently and laughs. He doesn’t say anything, though. He just laughs, and without waiting for Dice, he leaves. ⬙

Dice stands there stupidly for a few seconds. He looks at the spot where Samatoki was just lying, where he nearly just died. Water drips off a cloth that’s laid half in the bowl. ⬙

What’s going on here? ⬙

With a sigh, he leaves, and just as the door is closing behind him, he sees the lights dim and extinguish. ⬙

He feels a chill run up his spine, so he jogs to the elevator, just as Gentarou’s getting into it. ⬙

They ride the elevator down in silence. Once the doors open, they’re met with a simple common room. There’s a sofa, a table, and a few other things, like a bookshelf, but it’s mostly barren. ⬙

There are three doors along the wall opposite of them, each with plaques that have their names on them. To the left is a door that’s clearly labeled as a shower. ⬙

Gentarou doesn’t wait for Dice. He crosses the room and enters his assigned bedroom, and shuts the door behind him. It locks with a click, and a ding, and a green light above the door comes on. ⬙

The lights above the other two doors are off. ⬙

Dice enters his assigned room. All that’s in here is a bed and a dresser. Not even a closet. Better than what he normally had, at least. ⬙

He flops into the bed, just like that, and shuts his eyes. ⬙

He wonders what he’ll dream about. ⬙

Choose the next number.

And one more, for good measure.

• 42
• 14
• 73