Chapter Text
???: Ngh…
???: What…?
Daisy blinked her eyes open, groaning at the bright florescent lights. Ugh, she felt awful. There was a crick in her neck and she had a pounding headache, which the buzzing from the lights was not helping. Groggily, she pushed herself up from where she'd been sleeping: a desk, apparently. Well, that would be the cause of her neck pain.
Daisy: (Why am I sleeping on a desk anyway?)
Daisy: (Last I remember…)
Daisy: (Right! I was golfing with Mario and Luigi!)
She'd been winning, with Luigi in close second. Mario had been good natured about the whole thing, but she could tell he was slightly bitter about losing. Golf wasn't Daisy's favorite sport, but sometimes it was nice to do something a little less intense for an afternoon.
Daisy: (Where are those two anyway?)
Daisy: (…)
Daisy: (Actually, where am I?)
Daisy had a proper look around, keeping an eye out for any red and green plumbers. This place definitely wasn't anywhere in her castle. In fact, she was pretty sure she'd never seen this room in her life. It looked to be a classroom, with rows of desks and an old fashioned blackboard at the front. Drawn on the board in chalk was a picture of some kind of bear, half of it coloured white and the other half left black.
Daisy: (What a weird drawing…)
???: Oh good, you're finally awake!
Daisy was snapped from her thoughts when she heard a voice. She looked around frantically as a cloud of smoke drifted in front of the blackboard.
Daisy: Hey! Who's there!?
???: Me, silly!
Daisy watched as the cloud of smoke began to move, morphing into a vaguely human shape. A smiling blue face appeared where its head would have been, and a blue spark emerged from the chest of the creature.
Smoky Creature: Boy, you sure were out like a light! Even with me yelling super loudly, you didn't wake up at all!
Daisy watched as the creature lazily drifted around the room, making vague hand gestures as it spoke.
Daisy: (Is it drooling? Ew, that's gross!)
Daisy: Sorry, but, who exactly are you?
Smoky Creature: The name's Ecolo, Ultimate Anomaly. Nice to meetcha!
The smoke creature, Ecolo, stuck out a hand, and Daisy tried to shake it, only for her hand to pass right through his like mist.
Daisy: Oh…
Ecolo: Oh, don't worry! I know a trick for that!
With those words, Ecolo did something unusual. His form shifted again, glowing brightly for a second before reforming in the shape of a tall human with long green hair. Daisy would have been shocked, but honestly, she's seen weirder.
Ecolo: Tada! Now we can shake hands for real!
Ecolo took Daisy's hand and shook it enthusiastically.
Daisy: All right! I'm Daisy, nice to meet you too!
Daisy: You said you were the 'Ultimate Anomaly'? What's that all about?
Ecolo: Well, to be honest, I don't really know what it means! It just said it on the little paper I woke up with, so I assumed it had to be important.
Daisy: (A paper?)
Daisy checked herself over, and sure enough found a folded paper on the desk she'd woken up on.
Daisy: All right, let's try this again…
Daisy: Hi, I'm Daisy! Ultimate… Princess?
Ecolo: Surprised?
Daisy: Well… No? I am a princess, but I wouldn't say that's my best talent. I'm way better at other stuff, like sports for example!
Daisy: (Ultimate Princess? I mean, I guess I get kidnapped a lot less than Peach, but that isn't really a high bar…)
Ecolo: Well, anyway, I'm gonna go explore! See ya!
Daisy: Hey, wait up!
Daisy ran out of the door after Ecolo, only to run straight into someone exiting another door opposite her.
???: Oof…
Daisy: Aw geez, sorry!
Daisy brushed herself down, while the person she'd run into got their bearings. It was a man with purple hair, wearing a beat up purple hat and carrying some kind of massive metal stick.
Purple hair: Hey, don't worry. I shoulda been looking where I was going…
Purple hair: I'm Plight, by the way. Ultimate Lamplighter, according to this paper.
Daisy: Daisy, Ultimate Princess! Nice to meet you!
At that, Plight flushed bright red.
Plight: O-oh, your majesty… I am SO sorry-
Daisy: Psh, don't worry about it! I don't really care much for all the formalities.
Plight: Are you sure? Oh, and I ran into you as well! Oh god, is that like treason or something…
Daisy: (This is getting old. Maybe I should just start lying about my ultimate talent..?)
Daisy: Yep! It's totally fine! How'd you end up here anyway?
Plight: Well, I was working, I'm a lamplighter. You, uh, probably gathered that. But anyway, next thing I know I wake up here. That was probably the most sleep I've had all year…
Plight: Oh, I've gotta get back to work! Lamps to light, you know. See you, your highness.
Plight patted a canister of some glowing red liquid at his hip, and began to scurry down the corridor.
Daisy: Hey, wait a sec! (What is it with everyone trying to run off?)
Plight stopped and turned back to her, seemingly caught between the desire to get back to work and Daisy's authority as a princess.
Daisy: I don't know where we are, and neither do you, right? So why don't we look around together and try and find a way out of here? Then you can get back to your work and I can get back to my kingdom!
Plight: Oh, sure. As long as you don't mind my company..?
The two continued down the corridor, poking their heads into the rooms that came off of it. Most were classrooms like the one Daisy had woken up in, with some minor differences. Daisy did notice, however, that all there were no windows in the rooms, only metal sheets bolted to the walls where they should have been.
Daisy: (Weird… why are the windows covered over like that?)
Eventually, Plight pushed open a door to a classroom that had someone else inside. The person appeared to be a teenager in a striped sweater. They were hunched over in the corner of the room, clutching at their chest and laughing in a way that could only be described as… incredibly unsettling.
Daisy: …
Plight: …
Daisy opened her mouth to ask if the kid was alright, but before she got the chance to say anything Plight grabbed her wrist and started pulling her further down the corridor.
Plight: Youknowwhattheylookbusyletsgosomewhereelse
Daisy allowed herself to be led down the corridor, if only because she was also kind of weirded our by that kid. Plight lead her into what looked like some kind of lobby or foyer, immediately dropping her hand and muttering out a string of apologies as he realized he was still holding it. As Daisy stepped inside the foyer, she heard a sound from down near the floor. When she looked down, she saw a tiny blue girl in a waistcoat scowling up at her.
Blue girl: Ugh, more organics. I'm getting sick of all you humans.
Plight: Um..?
Daisy scowled back at the blue girl.
Daisy: Hey, kid. Isn't it past your bedtime?
The blue girl scoffed at her.
Blue girl: Oh, you think I'm a human, don't you? Well, for your information, I'm a Gem, and you're lucky to be in my presence.
Daisy: Well, I'm Daisy. And I'm a princess. The Ultimate Princess to be precise.
The blue girl rolled her eyes. Frankly, Daisy was getting sick of her attitude.
Blue girl: I have no regard for your silly human hierarchy. But if you insist on doing these silly introductions, then I'm Aquamarine. Ultimate Commander.
Aquamarine: Now, if we're done here, I have more important places to be.
Before Daisy could get another word in, Aquamarine sprouted what appeared to be fairy wings and flew away down the corridor they'd just come up. Daisy stuck her tongue out at the gem's retreating form.
Daisy: Wow, what a piece of work.
Plight: She was certainly… something.
Daisy sighed and took a look around the foyer. There were a few more corridors leading off of it, but the thing that interested Daisy most was a massive steel door that took up almost the entire far wall. It had a massive bear face painted on it, that looked pretty similar to the one drawn on the blackboard in the room Daisy had woken up in.
Daisy: Hey, this must be the way out!
She ran over to the door and started pulling on it, but the solid metal wouldn't budge an inch. Plight came over and tried pushing against the door with his shoulder, but still nothing happened.
???: If you're trying to get the door open, it won't work.
Daisy looked around as two more people entered the foyer. The person who had spoken was a teenage girl with sausage shaped hair, and she was accompanied by a woman in overalls and a straw hat.
Straw hat: Yep, we already tried that! And I'm pretty strong, even if I do say so myself.
Plight slumped against the door with a crestfallen expression.
Plight: But, there's gotta be a way out of here, right? I've gotta get back to work...
He frowned, then tried kicking the door to get it to open.
Sausage hair: Oh, please don't do that! You might hurt yourself!
The sausage haired girl ran over to help Plight, who apparently had hurt himself trying to kick down the door. The lady with the straw hat came over to stand next to Daisy.
Straw hat: Oh, I just realized, we haven't been introduced! I'm, well…
She sheepishly scratched the back of her neck.
Straw hat: Everyone just calls me Farmer! And I'm sure you can guess what my ultimate talent is?
Daisy: I'm Daisy, nice to meet you! Who's the other girl?
Farmer: Oh, that's Lila! She's the Ultimate Good Person.
Daisy: Ultimate Good Person? That seems pretty broad.
Farmer: That's what she told me! Apparently it's because she does a lot of charity work, or something like that.
Daisy looked back over to the door. Lila did seem pretty intent on making sure Plight didn't hurt himself, so she supposed the Ultimate talent of 'Good Person' didn't seem too out there.
Daisy: Oh, hey, I just had an idea! There's lots of people round here, right? I bet if we all worked together, we'd have more chance of getting that door open!
Farmer: Hey, yeah, that's a pretty good idea!
She turned back to the door and cupped her hands around her mouth.
Farmer: Hey guys! We're gonna go find more people to help open the door!
Plight: Okay, I'll stay here and, uh, keep trying other ways to get the door open.
He looked like he was considering kicking the door again.
Lila: And I'll stay here and make sure he doesn't injure himself.
Daisy and Farmer set off down another corridor, and quickly heard raised voices coming from another room. They turned to look at each other, before picking up the pace and turning through the open doorway. The room they stepped into seemed to be some kind of cafeteria, with a few round tables scattered around the room. There were three people inside, two who were the source of the commotion and one who was sitting calmly at a table, sipping what looked to be a cup of some kind of tea.
The people making the noise appeared to be a man with a large top hat that cast his face entirely in shadow, and a tiny, strangely flat person with pink hair and cone shaped headphones. The man with the had was holding the flat person in the air by their wrist while they used their other hand to swipe at him with claws that looked like they were made of some kind of cake. The blonde person with the tea didn't seem bothered at all, watching on and taking occasional sips from their cup.
Top hat: So, you aren't a rare, undiscovered psycho gingerboy variant?
Flat person: No! I told you that already!
Top hat: And you also expect me to believe you aren't some kind of moshling?
Flat person: I don't even know what that is!
They squirmed in the top-hatted man's grip, managing to dig their claws into his purple gloved hand, but he hardly seemed to notice, only holding the flat person slightly further away from his face. The person with the tea chuckled slightly, taking another sip of their drink.
Farmer: So, what exactly is going on here?
Top hat: I'm trying to investigate this pesky moshling, but they aren't making it easy for me.
After realizing their claws weren't having any effect, the flat person had put them away (where, Daisy didn't know) and was now trying to climb the hatted man's arm. They managed to wrap themselves around his hand and started gnawing at it. The top hatted man let out a sharp gasp.
Top hat: Ah! Absolutely not!
He released his grip and the flat person fell to the ground, landing reasonably gracefully and scurrying behind a chair. They stuck their tongue out at the top hatted man, who sighed in exasperation.
Top hat: Goodness, you're nearly as annoying as those incessant super moshis.
Top hat: Ah, but where are my manners, we haven't been properly introduced. Dr. Strangeglove, Ultimate Glumpodynamacist. The pleasure is all yours.
Daisy: Glump-o-what?
Strangeglove: Glumpodynamacist. A scientist involved with the study of glumps.
Farmer: And a glump is..?
Strangeglove sighed.
Strangeglove: This isn't exactly a recent development in monster history, you know. A clump is a round creature created when a moshling is passed through the Glumpatron 3000, a machine of my own design. And since I created the glumps, I have aptly been given the title of Ultimate Glumpodynamacist.
Flat person: Psh! I bet I could build a way better Glump-o-whatever machine than you, easy peasy!
The flat person had climbed onto a table,
Strangeglove: Oh?
Flat Person: Yup! I'm the Ultimate Engineer for a reason! Hey, maybe we can team up! I can build the machines and you can do the glumpodynamacising! Wouldn't that be fun?
Daisy: (That was a quick turnaround…)
Strangeglove: I am not teaming up with a moshling.
Flat person: Ugh! I told you, I'm not a moshling! I'm a cookie! Strawberry Crepe Cookie!
Strawberry Crepe: And I don't want to team up with you anyway, you're super boring!
Crepe pouted and folded their arms. The person drinking tea chuckled and put down their cup.
Tea drinker: Well, I think the whole endeavor sounds fascinating. If you're even in need of some magical assistance, I'd be happy to provide.
Farmer: Magical?
Tea drinker: Ah, it seems I haven't properly introduced myself either. Morgyn Ember, Sage of Untamed Magic. Ultimate Sage in fact!
Farmer: Oh, so you're a wizard! I thought Rasmodius was the only one.
Morgyn: Not quite. I'm a spellcaster, and I can't say I've heard of a 'Rasmodius'.
Daisy: Anyway, if you can do magic, we could use some help! Actually-
Daisy turned to Strangeglove and Crepe, only to find that at some point they'd both left, leaving her, Farmer and Morgyn alone in the cafeteria.
Daisy: Ugh. Well, there's this big door in the lobby that we need to get open, so we're trying to find as many people as we can to help!
Morgyn nodded.
Morgyn: Oh, I can definitely assist with that. Let me finish my tea and I'll be right over.
Farmer: Awesome! Thanks so much!
The two waved goodbye to Morgyn, and after being informed that there was no one in the kitchen connected to the cafeteria, went back out into the corridor. Opposite the cafeteria was another pair of double doors, and inside was a large hall that appeared to be a gym judging by the various courts marked on the floor.
???: Hello!
Something jumped in front of Daisy's face, and both she and Farmer screamed before Daisy punched it square in the face, sending it flying across the room.
???: Ow! Hey, that wasn't very nice!
The thing flew back across the room, this time staying a fair distance back from Daisy. It was a small yellow bear dressed in a purple wizard's outfit, complete with a little star shaped wand. Daisy frowned at the bear.
Daisy: Well, what do you expect, scaring people like that?
Flying bear: Hey, hey, don't be like that! We're all just trying to make friends here, ri~ght? Let's do some introductions!
Farmer: Sure. I'm Farmer, Ultimate Farmer. Nice to meet you!
Flying bear: A farmer, huh? According to my research, the countryside outdoorsy girl aesthetic is super in right now, so you must attract loads of dates!
Farmer: Well, I guess-
Flying bear: And what about you? Double the info is double the opportunities for potential clients! Not that I'm looking for clients right now, but still!
Daisy: (Potential clients?)
Daisy: I'm Daisy. Ultimate Princess.
Flying bear: Oh, a princess! Now that is romantic! Is there a special someone in your life? Ooo, a handsome prince, perhaps? Or maybe you have a forbidden relationship with a village peasant?
Daisy: Special someo- Hey, that's none of your business! Who are you anyway!?
Flying bear: I'm Riri the wizard, Ultimate Matchmaker!
Daisy: (Ultimate Matchmaker? Well I guess that explains why they're so obsessed with romance.)
Riri: Anyway, do you know how to get out of this place? I've got a special someone of my own who I'd rather not leave waiting!
Farmer: Well, there's a door in the lobby that probably leads outside. We've been trying to get it open but-
Riri: Say no more!
Riri twirled their wand and disappeared into a puff of smoke, presumably off to help open the door.
Daisy: (Why don't they just… teleport out of here?)
Farmer: That was one of the weirdest things I've ever experienced.
Daisy and Farmer left the gym and entered the one remaining door in the hallway. Inside was a changing room full of cubicles and lockers, that absolutely stank of chlorine. At the end of the changing room was another set of doors which, as Daisy had guessed, lead to a pool.
Farmer: Oh, this reminds me of the bathhouse back in the valley!
Farmer: Hey, maybe we can get everyone together and have a pool party or something?
Daisy: Sure, that sounds fun! Just, will we be able to come back to this pool after we get out of here?
Farmer: Oh, I guess you have a point…
Daisy: Hey, don't look so down! Maybe we can find some other pool and have the party there?
Farmer: Yeah, alright!
The two did a lap around the pool, taking extra care not to slip on the pool tiles. There didn't seem to be a lifeguard of any kind, which was… concerning to say the least. After determining there was no one anywhere in the pool area, Daisy and Farmer headed back to the lobby to explore the other side of the school.
As they passed back through the lobby, Daisy noticed that a group had formed around the locked door. Lila and Plight were still there, seemingly trying to keep the chaos that was the rest of the group in check. Morgyn, Riri and, surprisingly, Strawberry Crepe were all gathered around the door, apparently now just trying to break it down instead of trying to get it open.
Strawberry Crepe's cake-like (or, rather, crepe-like, now that Daisy thought about it) claws had reappeared and they were using them to viciously attack the door, leaving scratches all over the silver surface but otherwise not really doing much damage. Morgyn and Riri were talking to each other and apparently comparing wands, judging by the stick that Morgyn was holding. They seemed to have already taken a few shots at breaking down the door using their various spells, since the door was also covered in scorch marks.
Farmer: Hey, Daisy? I'm gonna go see how the door guys are doing. Will you be okay in your own?
Daisy: Oh, yeah, I'll be fine.
Daisy took a glance back over to the door, where Morgyn seemed to be teaching Riri how to cast a fire spell and Plight watched on in increasing panic.
Daisy: Good luck.
Daisy found a door leading out of the lobby and pushed it open, finding a room full of boxes inside. Some were piled up on vaguely organised racks, but there were also more boxes and various items littering the floor. This appeared to be some kind of storage room, but Daisy wasn't sure how anyone was supposed to find anything in this disorganised mess.
???: So, what are we supposed to be looking for again?
Daisy moved further into the room and found a precariously stacked tower of boxes that stretched almost to the ceiling. Balanced even more precariously on top if the tower were two people. One was a tiny pink astronaut with what looked like a giant cherry on their head and the other was a girl with hair that weirdly resembled squid tentacles. They were both peering into an air vent near the ceiling.
Pink Astronaut: We're checking for imposters.
Tentacle Hair: How would they even get in here? This vent is like… basically in the ceiling.
Pink Astronaut: I don't know, but the imposters always manage to get into our space, even with all the precautions we take. They're crafty.
Daisy considered trying to climb the tower of boxes, but thought better of it and decided to just yell from the ground instead.
Daisy: Hey! Are you guys good?
The squid haired girl sat up sharply, banging her head on the ceiling and cursing in a language Daisy didn't know. Her voice was strangely watery. The little pink astronaught paid her no mind and nimbly climbed back down to the floor, jumping from box to box.
Pink Astronaut: Hey! Who are you?
Daisy: I'm Daisy, the Ultimate Princess.
The astronaut looked her up and down, seeming to consider her.
Pink Astronaut: I'm Rose, the Ultimate Crewmate. You seem trust worthy for now, but I'll be keeping an eye on you.
Daisy: Ultimate Crewmate?
Rose: Yep. Us crewmates are in charge of keeping everything running, and getting rid of the imposters.
Daisy: What do the imposters do..?
Rose: They kill us.
Daisy: …
Daisy: (I've never heard of these... imposters, and I hope I never meet one.)
Tentacle Hair: Hey, what's happening?
The tentacle haired girl had made it down from the box stack, and came to stand next to Daisy and Rose.
Rose: Not much, just warning Daisy here about the imposters.
Tentacle Hair: Oh, alright. Well, nice to meet you, Daisy! I'm Agent 4, Ultimate Agent! But, you can just call me Four.
Rose: What does being the Ultimate Agent mean, anyway?
Agent 4: Well, it's supposed to be a secret, but…
She put a hand to her mouth to whisper, but she still sounded just as loud as before.
Agent 4: I'm in charge of protecting Inkopolis from the evil octarians with the New Squidbeak Splatoon. Not to brag, but I helped rescue one of the Squid Sisters from DJ Octavio.
Daisy: The Squid… who?
Agent 4 gasped dramatically.
Agent 4: You don't know the Squid Sisters!? Oh, I'll have to show you their music some time! It's totally fresh!
Agent 4 did a weird pose, where she held both hands in the air and then made her wrists go limp.
Daisy: Right, …fresh. Anyway, there's a door in the lobby and we're looking for people to help open it. Mind lending a hand?
Rose: Gathering in a big group tends to get someone killed, so I'll pass. I'm gonna go check more vents.
With that, Rose quickly left the room, occasionally looking back over their shoulder.
Agent 4: Well, I'd be happy to help! Just show me the door, and I'll show it what I've got!
Four cheered, waving a… was that a gun? Had she had that the whole time? Daisy lead Agent 4 into the lobby and pointed out the slowly increasing group of people brutally attacking the door. Four cheerfully ran over to join them, and Daisy turned to check the next room. Judging by the sign on the door, it was a bathroom, so she didn't really expect to find anyone in there. What Daisy really didn't expect was to find a whole group of people in there, all crowded round one open stall.
???: Let's do a blue one next.
The group consisted of three people, a teenager with pale hair and a his collar pulled over his mouth, a small bug-like creature and someone Daisy actually recognised, the kid with the striped sweater and creepy laugh who'd been sitting alone in one of the classrooms. Daisy took a few steps closer, curious what they could be doing. They had a big cardboard box which the bug creature was rummaging in, and the pale haired teen was holding some kind of blue ball in his hand.
Daisy: Are you… putting bath bombs in the toilet?
The pale haired boy and the bug both stiffened slightly and looked up at her. Only the striped sweater kid seemed unphased, simply shrugging at her.
Striped Sweater: Yep.
Daisy: Why?
Striped Sweater: Why not?
The pale haired kid raised a hand in greeting.
Pale Hair: Kelp.
Daisy: Um…
The bug creature waved a stubby hand at her.
Striped Sweater: I'm Kris.
Daisy: What's your ultimate?
Kris: Dunno.
Daisy: Didn't you get a paper?
Kris: I got it, lost it, and can't remember what my ultimate is. It's not important, anyway.
Daisy: Oh… alright.
Daisy: (It seems more like they don't want to tell me what it is.)
Daisy turned as she felt a nudge on her shoulder. The pale haired kid was holding out a piece of paper to her. On closer inspection, it appeared to be the same kind of paper Daisy had received when she'd first woken up.
Pale hair: Tuna.
Daisy looked down at the paper. It read: Toge Inumaki, Ultimate Cursed Speech User.
Daisy: (Cursed speech?)
She looked back up at the kid, Inumaki, and he gestured for her to turn the paper over. She did, and found a note scrawled on the other side.
Due to my cursed speech I can't speak normally without accidentally cursing people, so instead I speak in rice ball ingredients :)
Daisy: Oh, that makes so much more sense!
Inumaki: Salmon.
Inumaki gave her a thumbs up. Then, Daisy felt another paper being pressed into her hand. She looked down to see the bug creature handing her it's paper. It patted her hand twice with its stubby arm, apparently trying to get her to read it.
Daisy: (I guess they can't talk normally either.)
Daisy opened it up, and it was another introduction paper. This one read: Ghost, Ultimate Knight.
Daisy: (Ultimate Knight? This cute little thing?)
Daisy: Well, nice to meet you, Ghost.
Ghost looked pleased, and Daisy was sure they would have been smiling if they could actually emote.
Daisy: There's a door in the lobby that needs opening, if any of you want to try your hand at that.
The group glanced between themselves, seemingly communicating without the need for words. Kris, apparently the leader of the chaotic trio, turned back to Daisy and shrugged again.
Kris: Sure.
The trio made their way towards the door, Inumaki carrying the box of bath bombs with them. Daisy thought she heard Kris mutter something about 'finding out what happens when you boil a bath bomb', and she hoped she'd at least get to use the pool before those three and their bath bombs got to it.
Daisy stepped out into the lobby, and then turned into the last unexplored corridor. This one was lined with doors, each labeled with a picture and name plate for one of the people she'd met.
Daisy: (That's… weird. And creepy. Are these some kind of dorms?)
She tried the nearest door, but it wouldn't open. Maybe she needed to try the door with her picture? She walked down the hall until she found her own door, and then tried the handle. Still, the door didn't open. Daisy examined it, finding what looked like some kind of electronic lock above the handle.
???: Ah, hey!
A shout from further down the corridor caught her attention. Daisy ran down the corridor, finding two people at the end of it. One was a short, orange, fox-like person with a large mechanical tail. The other was a tall robot with a head that vaguely resembled a cartoon sun. Despite the massive height difference, the fox seemed to be pinning the robot to the wall, pointing some kind of blaster at his face. The sun robot shaped robot had his hands held up in surrender.
Sun Robot: N-new friend, this doesn't seem very safe-
Mechanical Fox: We are not friends. How'd the Chaos Council find me?!
The fox glared, shoving his blaster closer to the robot's face. His mechanical tail came apart, revealing it to actually be multiple mechanical tails disguising two organic ones. Two of the metal appendages moved to point threatingingly at the sun robot.
Sun Robot: I don't know about any 'Chaos Council'! And, just because we aren't friends now doesn't me we can't get to know each other?
The fox ignored him.
Mechanical Fox: Don't lie to me. All the robots in New Yoke work for the Council.
Sun Robot: New Yoke? Look, I'm just trying to find my way back to the daycare! No funny business, no nothing, I promise!
Mechanical Fox: Daycare?
The fox frowned and started muttering to himself. The sun robot let out a sigh of relief as the blaster was moved away from his face.
Mechanical Fox: This is entirely unlike the Council's usual style. Could I have entered some other shatterspace..?
Daisy: (Shatterspace?)
Daisy decided now was a good time to make her presence known.
Daisy: Um, hello?
The fox turned and glared at her, while the robot gave her a big wave.
Sun Robot: Oh, good, another new friend!
He rushed forward and aggressively shook Daisy's hand.
Sun Robot: I'm Sun, the Ultimate Daycare Attendant!
Daisy: (Sun? Isn't that a bit too on the nose?)
Mechanical Fox: Nine. Ultimate Survivor.
Daisy: (Ultimate Survivor? What has this guy been through to earn that title?)
Daisy: Well, if you aren't busy, there's a door-
There was a sudden buzzing of static, before Daisy heard a loud voice.
???: Testing, testing! Is this thing on? I sure hope so, because everyone should make their way to the gym for a special announcement! Step to it!
Daisy: What was that?
Nine: Some kind of tannoy announcement, obviously.
Sun: Should we, ah, should we do what it says?
Nine: Do what you want.
Nine pushed past them and stalked off down the hall. Sun put his hands on his hips.
Sun: Someone needs to teach that fox some manners.
Daisy: Anyway, should we go after him? Maybe the announcement will mean we can finally get out of here?
Sun: Sure! Let's go!
The two walked down the corridor together, chatting merrily about whatever came to mind. Eventually they made it to the gym, where everyone else seemed to have gathered.
Aquamarine: This announcement better be worth my time.
Strawberry Crepe: When's the announcement happening, anyway? This is boring.
Morgyn: Be patient. I'm sure we'll know what this is about soon enough.
Ecolo: Heya, flower pal!
Daisy turned to find Ecolo waving at her from across the room, still in his human form. Daisy walked over to stand next to him, hands on her hips.
Daisy: Ecolo, why'd you run off like that!?
Ecolo: Oh, wow, you actually remembered me! Anyway, I had stuff to do! What about you, did ya have fun looking around?
Daisy: I guess so? I think I met everyone here, actually.
Suddenly, a loud drum roll started playing over the speakers. The lights dimmed, two spotlights appearing and scanning the crowd before both focusing on a podium that had been set up on a stage at the end of the hall. As the drum roll reached its peak, a black and white bear suddenly sprung up from the floor, doing a flip before landing gracefully on the podium with its arms outstretched. The bear was split down the middle, one half white and the other black. The white side had a cutesy button eye, like a toy bear, while the other side had a jagged red eye and a row of sharp looking teeth. Now that Daisy thought about it… it looked almost exactly the same as the drawing she'd seen on the chalk board when she'd first woken up.
Two Tone Bear: TADA!
Lila: Is that… a teddy bear?
Morgyn: A walking, talking, teddy bear?
Two Tone Bear: That's right! I'm an adorable teddy bear!
Agent 4: Really..?
Nine: No, it's obvious it's some kind of robot.
Two Tone Bear: Right again! But I'm not just a teddy bear or a robot. Im your wonderful headmaster, Monokuma!
Plight: Head… master?
Monokuma: Yes-sir-ree! I'm the headmaster of this school, and overseer of your new peaceful school life. Get acquainted with the place, because this is where you'll all be spending the rest of your lives!
Daisy: What!?
Riri: The rest of our lives!?
Rose: What do you mean by that?
Monokuma: It is what is sounds like! You can never, ever, ever leave! You've gotta spend the rest of your days here till you're old and grey!
Strawberry Crepe: No way..!
Inumaki: Fish flakes!
Strangeglove: You can't be serious.
Monokuma: Oh, I'm completely serious! No more worrying about your boring daily lives. We're completely cut off from the outside world! Here, you can just relax to your hearts content! Do whatever you want!
Agent 4: Stop trying to paint this like it's a good thing!
Sun: I can't stay here! Who'll look after the kids in the daycare!?
Plight: A-and I have lamps to light!
Aquamarine: I'm an asset to Homeworld. The Diamonds won't allow this!
Daisy: You can't keep us here!
The crowd devolved into panic, everyone yelling and talking over each other. Monokuma chuckled, a paw to his mouth.
Monokuma: Puhuhu… So ungrateful. Well, if your serious about leaving, I suppose there is one way to get out of this place…
Sun: What is it? What is it!?
Monokuma: If someone were to disrupt this peaceful school life, well, I'd have no choice but to remove them from the school!
Kris: Disrupt… how?
Monokuma: By killing another student!
There was only shocked silence. No one moved. No one breathed. Was he being serious? He wanted them to…
Monokuma: Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, drowning, poisoning, I don't care how ya do it! If you want to leave, you've gotta kill someone!
Daisy was stunned into silence. She was supposed to… kill someone? Her heart clenched uncomfortably in her chest. No! No way was anyone going to die! She'd make sure of it!
Daisy: No way! No one's gonna kill each other, thats absurd!
Strangeglove: But, can you really be sure of that?
Daisy: What?
Nine: Think about it. None of us know each other. How can you be sure we won't resort to killing?
Daisy: (I guess… he has a point.)
Aquamarine: So, if I killed someone right now, I'd be allowed to leave?
Monokuma: Thaaat's right!
Aquamarine: Okay then. I was fed up of this place anyway.
Aquamarine took the ribbon from her hair, flicking it violently and somehow turning it into a blue wand. She pointed it at the person nearest to her, Crepe, and a blue beam of light shot out, surrounding them.
Strawberry Crepe: H-hey, what're you doing!?
Aquamarine: I'm getting out of here.
Before Aquamarine could do anything else, Monokuma jumped in front of her.
Monokuma: Hey, hey! Don't kill anyone yet! You haven't let me explain the rules! It's no good having a murder mystery without the mystery part!
Aquamarine glared at him, but thankfully lowered her wand, releasing Crepe from its blue glow. They were dropped to the ground, Sun and Lila both running over to check on them. Daisy blanched. Had Aquamarine really been about to…
Aquamarine: Go on then. Explain.
Monokuma: Well, when three innocent people discover a dead body, the body discovery announcent will play! You'll have some time to investigate, then a class trial will begin. During the trial, you've gotta figure out the identity of the murderer. If you get it right, the murderer gets punished! But, if you get it wrong, everyone else gets punished and the murderer goes free! Pretty simple, right?
Morgyn: A class trial…
Monokuma: Alrighty, one more present before I leave you to it!
Monokuma spun around on his podium, before brandishing two stacks of small black boxes.
Monokuma: Tada! These are your Monopads! Handy dandy little gadgets to help you get through your school life! Don't lose 'em, cause you won't get a replacement!
Monokuma handed out the Monopads, giving one to each person.
Monokuma: Alrighty then! Happy killing, everyone!
With a final bow, Monokuma vanished, leaving the stunned students alone in the gym.
Agent 4: He can't really expect us to kill each other… right?
Farmer: Yeah, there's no way any of us would do that!
Strawberry Crepe: You don't know for sure! That crazy blue lady already tried to crumble me!
Daisy frowned, her earlier conviction wavering. Could she really trust that no one would resort to murder? Nine was right, she didn't know any of these people… As she looked around the room, she saw everyone else doing the same. Sizing each other up, trying to predict who would be the first to break. The first to… kill someone else. Daisy felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, as the cold chill of despair looked over her. Any one of these people could be out for her blood. Was she really sure that no one would die here? Could she really be sure she would survive this?
