Part 22: Stacking Up

[BGM: Lucky Foot]


Dragon had the right idea in looking in places that were likely to be impactful. An auditorium seemed to fit that sort of bill.



As soon as I entered I realized that such a large room would definitely take some time. That was fine. I didn't have to rush. I began my methodical search. During that search, I decided to open my tablet and push the RUN button again. I trusted that I wouldn't need to change my action. I would stick with the plan in Round 6. And I definitely didn't want to cut it close to the wire this time.

I took my time going through the auditorium, making sure no place was left unturned. Eventually, I found a safe under a seat. Yes! This could be something! That excitement shattered when I realized the safe had already been opened. Fuck. This was the problem with not communicating well- some of us were going over space that others had already looked over. But this sort of setback wouldn't stop me!



I moved on to a hallway full of classrooms. I made sure to inspect each one to the fullest! ...Unfortunately, it was no dice after no dice. As I approached the next classroom, I noticed something odd looking through the window. It appeared that right next to the door, someone had stacked textbook on top of textbook into a tower. The textbooks were on their ends, which made the tower a real balancing act. But hold on a second, if someone built this, then there was no way they could actually exit the room, right? In that case, someone must be inside this room. But who would-

A horrid feeling swept hold of me. These books made it so that someone should be inside this room. If the only person I could find in there was dead... It would be another impossible crime. It couldn't be, right? Snake had said that people would be on their guard! I opened the door, and the books fell to the ground.

[BGM: Rat's Awakening]


And as I looked into the classroom, to my left, I saw her.

Dragon.

Dead.

Wait, wait, wait. I didn't know that yet. Quickly, I needed to confirm that! I ran over to her and checked her pulse. But I didn't feel anything. After looking for a bit, I realized she also had an injection mark by her neck.



Another origami cat was laid right next to her body. Sheep's killer had struck with the poison again. And left her in this apparent locked room. Unlike the other deaths, I couldn't afford to crumple. I was sad to see Dragon like this, but at this point, I was starting to get used to victims. I needed to make sure there weren't any more.

So that means I needed to figure out what the deal was with this room. Those books should've made it so that no one could enter the room. Did that mean the killer was still in here? I looked around the room, but there wasn't anywhere to hide. ...No, there was actually one place. I tried to open the closet, but it wouldn't budge. I figured as much. Plenty of the classrooms had had closets, and most of them were locked. It was probably unrelated to the game- rather, the school generally kept those closets locked and Brian saw no need to open them. That was besides the point. I needed to alert someone about what I had found.



I left the room and started calling out for people as I walked down the hallway. Before long, Bunny and Ox ran over to me.

Mouse, what is it?

Someone else has been killed.

For real?

Damn it. I thought people would be more careful.

Well, who died?

Dragon.

Seriously? Out of everyone, I thought she wouldn't get killed!

Horrible.



Where's the crime scene?

It's in a classroom over here.

I led them to the gruesome scene. Bunny winced at the sight. Ox approached the body and started to inspect it.

She's been injected with the same poison that killed Sheep. And there's another origami cat by her.

Wait, if it was the same person, does that mean this room was locked too?

Sort of? The killer stacked up a pile of these books end to end in a little tower right next to the door. I don't see any way they would've been able to do that and then open the door to leave.

Is that door the only exit?

Well, there are those windows, but those lead out of the building. I'm pretty sure no one can go through those.

Right, right.



Bunny had crouched down and started examining the books lying on the floor.

What are you looking at?

I'm trying to see if there's anything off about the books. If they really were tenuously stacked, then it is an issue. But if there was something like glue that kept them stuck together, it might be possible to set this 'locked room' from the outside.

That makes sense... but the books all fell apart when I opened the door.

Correct. I'm also not noticing any traces of something like that, so I might be wrong about this.

You know, there is a simple solution to this locked room.

What?

The pile of books was never stacked up in the first place.

You don't suspect me, do you?

No, no I do not. I'm just warning you others might.

Well gee, thanks.

[BGM: Dog Days]


Anyways, we should probably let the others know about this, right? This will sound morose, but we don't have time to gather and mourn like before. I'll go around the school and tell everyone individually, but I'll also tell them to keep looking.

Do you really think people will keep looking, given the circumstances? There's a limit of how much murder people can see before they snap, and I fear some of them might be approaching theirs.

You'd rather hide this death?

What they don't know won't hurt them.

How pragmatic. I wouldn't have expected it from you.

Oh, I'm just throwing things out there, it might be really stupid, I don't know.



It's not stupid. But it's not what we're doing.

In that case, should I get back to looking for Trinkets?

Yes. Now we only need 9.

But how will we know when we have enough as a group if we're all split up like this?

I told everyone to meet back up in the cafeteria at the start of Round 8 when we were all around Dog's body. I hope that we'll have enough by then.

Well then, I'll see you around.

Ox left the room, leaving me and Bunny by ourselves.

[BGM: Silence]


Say, Mouse, things are getting pretty dangerous, huh?

I'll say.

Would you feel better if you looked for Trinkets with me? I think we'd be safer as a group.

I mean, don't feel like you have to, of course. I just know I'm scared to look alone, and I was worried you might be.

Um, well...

Should I search with Bunny?



Oh hey, a choice! And this time it's a real one! The thread voted to go with Bunny, so that's what we're going to do.

Sure, that sounds like a good idea.

Great!

[BGM: Lucky Foot]


So, where do we want to start looking?

Hmm... How about we try looking more on the third floor?

Sure thing. Lead the way.

A bit uneasy, I led Bunny up the nearby staircase and to a nearby classroom.



This is as good a place as any to look, right?

Yeah, right. Let's try giving this place the sweep.

Bunny and I worked together to look through the classroom for any clues that a Trinket might be here. I made sure to keep some distance between the two of us. It wasn't that I distrusted him, but better safe than sorry. Unfortunately, it looked like I chose the wrong place to search.

Nothing, huh?

Damn.

Well, it's not unexpected. At this point, it's more likely we don't find anything than we do.

I guess that's right.



Still, I'm glad we're working together.

I don't know what would happen if I ran into Tiger right now.

Tiger?

I mean, she's the killer, right?

I thought you said the killer was Dragon!

Yeah, well, that's before Dragon wound up dead.

Now that she's gone, I've no choice but to think the killer has got to be Tiger. Even if it's obvious, that's the only way the locked room with Sheep makes any sense.

You don't think that there's a chance Dragon killed Sheep and someone else killed Dragon?

No way.



This might sound like a silly reason to believe that, but I don't think more than one person here would know how to fold an origami cat. I mean, that's a pretty obscure skill I'm surprised even one person knows how to do.

That's your reasoning?

I said it was a silly reason.

Well, you were right.

Say, what time is it? Are we on Round 7 at this point?

I checked my tablet.

Yeah, Round 7's started.

Should we just input our actions now?

What if we find the Minor Trinkets? We'd have to wait an extra round.

And?



We're going to meet up at the start of Round 8, right? I don't imagine we're going to use the Trinkets before then anyways. So might as well input now, you know?

I guess you're right.

Great. You can input in here, I'll put mine in in another room.

Got it.

Bunny left the room, leaving me to input my action. I just had to click Run, right? No reason to think any further. I input my move then left the classroom.

[BGM: Silence]


Bunny was also standing out in the hallway.

So what now? Want to look at more classrooms?

We should be smarter in how we search. Where are these Trinkets likely to be hidden?

Couldn't they be hidden anywhere?

They could, but let's search some key places first. Hey, has anyone looked around the main entrance to the school? That seems like a good place to search, right?

Sure, that makes sense.

Okay then.

With a new searching area in mind, we headed out with high hopes. What could go wrong? I entered the stairwell with my head held high.



So then why did I find Tiger's limp body leaning against the railing?