Part 32: Your Right Hand Comes Off?

'Instant' is a relatively meaningless word considering the pacing of the writing.

But I don't feel the rush of inertia, either. It's almost as if I'm not moving at all. That's certainly counterproductive. Especially if I was need in Terra.

I hear a voice, and I feel my feet touch the ground. Was someone calling out to me...? I quickly face the direction that it came from. It sounds like someone panicking -- calling for help.



Looks like the invisible peanut gallery is making their thoughts heard.



Voices. And not the good kind of voices that tell you to pay your taxes and make funny shitposts.

Are these the voices of people I have to save? Or could it be something else? What's going on!?

I scream -- begging them to stop, but nothing happens. The cacophony of voices continues to assault me. It feels like an eternity before they start to subside.

But when they do -- I'm utterly confused. The sight before me hurts my mind even more.



Why can't people in this damn game stay dead?



I like how Rocker is so unimportant that Rabies isn't even sure if he was dead.



Fun fact: there's a scene that's removed now where we actually see the leadup to Max killing Rocker. The long and short of it is that Max keeps strongly ominously threatening Rocker and getting ready to kill him while he just stands there like an idiot. It's hilarious.



I can almost see the watermark on this background image.



A running tally of how many times a character has told Rabies they're important without it actually being shown would be nice.



There's no Heaven or Hell. Everyone just merges with Rabies when they die.

But I've been hearing all these voices, too. So I don't think I'm the only one.

Seeing things through my eyes. That doesn't make any sense to me.

There are way too many voices. But sometimes -- you can make them out. They're definitely watching you as well.

It's one of the reasons I'm not scared. I don't feel like I'm really dead. Like -- perhaps I can get out of here.

Do you know anything about that? I would really like to go back home. A lot of people miss me right now.



Sorry Rocker, when Max strangles someone she doesn't half-ass it.



Rabies isn't your personal info booth!




The chode who sold you half a leather jacket?




Because we sided with Shock in that argument a while back, our bond isn't strong enough with Rocker to bring him back.

Just to clarify: Our "bond" with Rocker is dependent on one choice involving him.



Rocker. Gone but not forg-wait who were we talking about?



Who is the Batman?



My main question is how people can play through this mess and honestly feel like they've gotten their money's worth. I spent ten dollars on this game and I can pretty authoritatively say it's the worst ten bucks I ever spent.




This game is just a long parade of characters saying stuff and then in the very next scene revealing they lied.

Excellent. The trap is sprung. I have to say, I'll relish in their deaths. Caylen and Kabu have been a major thorn.

But it gets even better than that, Plair. Righty is on route as we speak. Same goes for Endymion and Konrad.

All of the opposition -- in one place. It won't be too hard to take them out. And you think I wanted you to get caught.

I'm sorry for that, Riley. The evidence just lined up. I see now that you only wanted to help.

Today -- all of my enemies will perish. You are a master strategist. I couldn't have done this alone.



It's wonderful how quickly Plair recovered from accusing Riley of trying to betray him to being totally trusting of him in the span of, what. one chapter?

And I am grateful to serve. But we can't just stop at them. Your entire prison is full -- remember?

Right. All of those immigrants. We must ensure that none of them are freed. If they get out -- they would testify.

What would you advise? We can't have them talking.

I'm glad that you asked. And I've come up with a great solution.



That seems...unnecessary. Also, aren't all the immigrants in the basement? As in, probably the place most protected by the fire?



What the hell is Riley going to plant? A hastily-scribbled note that reads "i did it - king v" ?

People will quickly desire his death. And this time, he won't have any protection. Not from Righty -- or Endymion and Konrad.

When he is murdered -- the throne is yours. You'll be King before the week is out.



Why isn't Plair objecting more to the plan that involves burning his goddamn house down?

Precisely. It required some very careful planning. But everybody has a weakness of some sort.

Righty was a weakness for Caylen. Caylen has a weakness for Kabu.

And that special Earthling in our cell? Well, that's Endymion and Konrad's weakness. It didn't take much to line everything up.

So with that, there are no more obstacles. Why don't you join me for a drink? To the reign of our new King -- Plair.



And how exactly would Velasquez dying automatically make Plair king? Is Plair the designated successor for no apparent reason?




It's kind of funny how Klace attempted to scrub any reference to the weapons Max installed actually being bombs, but neglected to do any kind of editing beyond the initial reveal back in Chapter 4. Dialogue like this makes it sounds like the whole building is ready to become a crater at a moment's notice.

They'll take it as a provocation. We must remain docile and obey them.

Remember what Rabies did, Rook? If he didn't obey, we'd all be dead.

I guess you're right. Speaking of which -- where is Rabies?

Resting. The ordeal was very tiring. I'm afraid they passed out soon after.

It's true what the culprit said. It's up to us to mitigate the damage. Trying to run away would kill us all.



I don't like how Singe is implying anyone actually owes Kila a debt.



For God's sakes, Max can stop time. And since Acheron's apparently not interested in using his powers, what's stopping her from just freezing everyone and stabbing them in the neck? How did Max go from saying she's reluctant to kill to holding an anime death game in the span of about a week?



Why the hell didn't you have him sign anything before he came to Japan?



"I think your dogtags are stupid."

What is it?

I started to dig a little deeper. You know -- into Kila's history. I wanted to notify his next-of-kin.

But I couldn't find any. And he didn't get to fill out any forms. So we don't have emergency contact info.

I guess his family stayed under the radar. That's hard to do in this day and age.

To be honest, it was the same with Acheron. Looking him up gave me next to nothing. It's like we have -ghosts- on the tour.



Are people really going to probe that deep into the shitty otaku fanboy that got blown up?

That's exactly the problem. I've never been more clueless in my life.




LOCAL SQUIRREL BANNED FROM ANIME CONVENTION, 4TH BAN ON RECORD




I still maintain people are probably a lot more confused as to why Singe felt the need to tell the building was rigged with bombs to the assembled press of Tokyo.




So Kila's...double dead?



Could Klace really not even be fucked to get a different background image from Caylen and Kabu's?

I concentrate -- trying to remember what happened. And that's when the unpleasant memories assault me. Attacked by the servant of "Lord Plair". We must've taken me here after he choked me unconscious.

But where am I, exactly? That's what confuses me. As I try and remember -- I bring myself to my knees. I brace myself on a nearby wall for support. I don't think I'm a prisoner, as I'm not chained up.

I look around frantically. My stomach growls. Wherever I am, there's definitely a shortage of food. After a few moments pass, I bring myself to my feet. It took a little while to gather the strength.



About the only thing we need now for this cliche storm to be complete is a fat sleeping guard with the keys dangling on his waist.

A moment later, I see something in the corner of my eye. A shadow slowly walks across my field of vision. I back away -- I don't want them to notice me. My only assumption is that this is some sort of guard.

I can see them turn around, and make their way back. But suddenly -- something intercepts their path.



Today on 'show, don't tell', I'd like to ask the audience just how many words we would have to cut out of this paragraph to make it unbloated.



Rabies is in a dank dark cell where he can't even see the guard completely. How can he tell that a punch is stylish?



To be fair, you did punch him in the goddamn throat.

The guard tries crawling away fearing for his life. But she crouches down and pushes his face into the dirt.

So -- do you have any last words? Something that could change my mind? I'm not -all- about killing, you know.

I watch the guard squirm, and attempt to speak. But it's quite clear that she's mocking him. She pulls out a blade and quickly slits his throat. The floor becomes stained with a fountain of blood.

I hope that you find peace in death.

At this point, my back is against the wall. I see her fiddle with his pocket, and find some keys. After inspecting them closely, she turns to me.

What are you doing all the way back there? Do you not want to get out or something?

Come a little closer. Let me see that pretty face of yours.




I think we've found Max's long-lost sister.




I wonder if Klace directed the artist to have this character be Furry Ada Wong or that was something the artist did on their own initiative.



She's not even wearing panties, is she?

What -- is something wrong? Don't go getting cold feet, dear. Not when we're so close to the end.

I'm not scared, I'm just confused. I have no idea who she is -- or who's paying her. I decide that these are good questions to open with.



I think this is the second time a character has said they don't like wasting time in-between a whole bunch of words that waste time?



Hey, dead guard. You sure like bleeding, huh?