Chapter Text
"Hey Cara, I still think about you sometimes."
"What are you?"
"A Reason?"
"A Hunt?"
"A Sacrifice?"
"A Wish?"
"A Change?"
"A Cycle?"
"A Hope?
"............."
....
20XX-X-XX
Life has no real meaning. We simply exist just by chance...it's up to the best of humanity to give the world a purpose.
Standing on a railway track waiting for the train, carrying a medium sized suitcase as he internally gave out a monologue. Finally, after what felt like an hour, the train arrived, it didn't looked as fancy as he thought a prestigious school like Eden's Garden Academy would have. But still ignoring his doubts and ignorant of what had awaited for him he boarded the train.
Well, people like me for example. I am Damon Maitsu, the ultimate debater. Unlike others I am a shinning example of talent. A prodigy among prodigies, Someone who simply can't be outmatched, and from today onward, I'd be amongst the students who would be on the same level as me.
"Look! someone just arrived-!"
"Wait..somebody?"
"Heyyyy!! Welcome to Eden's club! or more likely Eden's Garden Academy club..but Eden's club sounds better."
This is a prestigious academy, Eden's garden. As the name itself suggests, the it is a place filled with opportunities for talented students such as myself. So i am not amongst those sea of mediocrities.
"Hey there! New Guy!"
But...
"Hey...can you hear me? So like I was just going to ask-"
"Woah! wait did that Masked guy just passed out?!"
I...I was so wrong.
"Crap this must be happening because of that-"
That place...which I thought was my sanctuary....
"Bag.."
Turned out to be..
...
An absolute Eviction of our life and death...
....
"It is quite simple, just try to remove the trinket."
Snakes tend to have no emotion and In a biological aspect, it is true. Damon believed himself to be relatable to one of them. But boy wasn't he so wrong. He did cared, the killing game has changed him, made him more emotionally vulnerable. But at least he somewhat felt safe, Diana and Kai. Both of them influenced him in such a way that he himself can't understand it. Sure Kai's talent to influence was understandable, but even Diana?
Which is what brings us to the present 6th trial.
Damon was a boy with the personification of an emotionally constipated guy that's for sure but it didn't mean that he was a complete shut off person. People can change, for better or for worse. He got to learn that after so many trials, so many murders and executions. That he was just in fact a boy. A boy who may have ambitions, his dreams and hope....but nothing mattered to him more than his home, a place where he finds warmth and now his fellow allies, even. He hoped to find the mastermind as soon possible but the anxiety of that lunatic being one of them is definitely eating up his mind.
Diana, Ulysses, Eloise, Toshiko and...Kai. Since this trial is to find the culprit of Mara. Tozu, at least in his way of avenging her explained that this would not only be their last trial but also explained that the one whoever killed Mara was also the one who conducted this killing game. One by one, he started started to inspect the watches by checking weather the shocking mechanism is really working out or they are just pretending. First he checked Diana's then Eloise, Ulysses and even Toshiko. Matter of fact that none of them were the culprits...which only leaves him with...
"Kai..give me your hand.", Damon deadpanned extending his palm standing just behind the podium of the pink haired. His brows furrowed further as he saw the influencer's reluctance as he shook his head frantically.
"Shit! N-No way- Dude! Don't you know how much dangerous this is?! What if the shock is too much and I just die?!", Kai was shouting in an erratic tone, Diana seeing this commotion just walks towards his podium closer to them.
"Kai..", she mutters in an empathic tone but Damon interjects "Even Toshiko did it so you'd be fine. Besides, this is our last resort to find the culprit. This is our supposed last trial too you know, and I assure you your brain won't be suffering from any further damage.", He mumbled but it was quite loud to hear as the pink haired shrieked.
"Further?! The heck-", he accusingly pointed his index finger at the blond as Diana just punches Damon's shoulder, as he looks away
"Sorry..", the boy mumbled quietly as he looked back at kai with a sigh he explains, "Kai we don't have time so-", he forcefully grabs his wrist and tries to yank the trinket, there was....
No shock?
Damon's frown turned into an absolute horror as he gritted his teeth as he tries again, and yet there was no shock- rather there was just a faint vibration. Damon looked back at Kai's eyes to see any indication of explanation, he expected a surprised yelp and bewildered expression as he may say 'What the?! this is a glitch?!' as he cries with his notable sniffs. But...
Chill..absolute chill runs down his spine as he makes an eye contact with him. Those vibrant golden yellow eyes lacked it's usual shine and he's never seen Kai amongst all people to give such expression...an absolute malice? Maniac? Damon himself can't make it out, Beads of sweat fell down his forehead. Diana and others too gasp in unison, as they felt the gravity of the situation.
"S-so it was really one among us?!" Toshiko sobbed as she wiped her eyes that were forming tears as Eloise stood there glaring draggers at him, "So it was you huh.."
"B-But how is this even-"Ulysses clutched his note book as he mouthed those words.
Diana just stood there almost speechless as she muttered out "K-Kai what are you even...J-Just tell us this is false!"
Kai looked at Diana just for few seconds with an unreadable expression then at Damon. With a soft smirk he pushed the boy harshly away from himself making the blond to stumble back on the floor with was harsh thud .Stepping down from his own podium he walking away towards where Damon's podium is supposed to be.
"Damon!", Diana immediately scrambled her way towards him. Damon who was still processing what was happening slowly stood up with her help, though he'd most probably rarely admit her help. With the amount of time he was together with everyone he began to learn.
"T-Thanks..", he said quietly.
"Uh..Hello?", Kai spoke up suddenly causing everyone's attention to be drifted towards him. "As much as entertaining and dramatic it was, can you please focus on who you are supposed to?" He said as he slowly pointed his finger towards himself. "AND it's me duh!", He shouted as he gave a dramatic pose and winked towards Up?....
No, Damon immediately looked up to see the direction Influencer was looking at but all he could see was the surveillance cameras an of course he didn't need to use much of an effort as he immediately said.
"You..this Killing Game is being broadcasted?!", he bit inside of his cheek with tension arising.
Kai looked at him with as scrunched up his nose, "Ugh..Man don't you just LOVE to yap? I mean sure you are the ultimate yapper and whateve- hey also at least stand on a podium before you speak? Y'know common court courtesy?"
"You-You imbecile-", Damon immediately scowled as he was about to throw away as many insults as he could but before that Kai interjects.
"Damon~ you just love to disappoint me so much it just disgusts me...", he sighed keeping his arm on his head before continuing, "And here I thought you'd also give a dramatic monologue of 'The mastermind... is you! Kai!' and you'd tell me 'I trusted you' craps and all like you did with that 'mathlete' tsk jeez Damon, Do I mean nothing to you now? What about our so-called emotional talks we had back when YOU had the bed privilege?"
"...", Damon just stood there with bewildered expression. Diana looking by her side gripped his as she firmly squeezed it causing Damon to look back at her before moving his hand away. "I am fine Diana", he gritted out as he walks towards where Kai's podium is, which wasn't much far from his own.
"Fine, So what now..", He spat out glaring at his side then he looked up. "Are people watching this?"
"Well, I have a good news and...a bad news..", Kai spoke in an unusual confidence similar to his online persona as he raised his hand, "Raise your hand if you want to hear-"
"Cut your bullshit!", Damon shouted as he clenched his fist harsh enough to dig his skin. Kai taking notice on this just beamed.
"Sheesh, Take it easy man, I mean of course I can't lie to my dear friend.", he chuckled before pulling out his Trinket, "But first...let me just-", threw it in the ground and destroyed it by his feet, causing a harsh explosive sound to be heard and with a poof smoke filled in the podium.
"Ugh..", both Eloise and Damon covered their faces since they were the closest ones near the podium. The smoke was heavy at first, but within a few minutes it started to clear out and a familiar silhouette can be seen. the smoke keeps on disappearing until there is nothing left and...Kai looked different...really similar but different. There's only one ring on his left arm index finger. his clothes resembled his previous outfit except there was a tailcoat which looked like butterfly wings and his hair clip was different and necklace was replaced with some short of tie?Bandana looked like that of Tozu's infamous 'X' symbol.
"Heh-Haha!...Ahahaha!", he laughed but that wasn't the the laugh of his old companion, this man...no lunatic is what one can call as he announced. "LET THE SHOWTIME BEGIN!~"