Part 60: Hamartia

It's time to get started on another route!

This next one's actually also going to be very straightforward to start, as it's a path we've already seen...very recently! Stop me if you've heard this one before:

In Round Two, Mouse will go explore with Sheep and Horse in the workout room and find a Major Trinket, and then the group all votes to RUN once again. After this, Mouse goes with Pig and Monkey to the room with the kangaroo words puzzle, where they find a Major Trinket. After this, once again, the group all votes to RUN once again, and reconvene in the cafeteria, where we get Brian's end of Round Three message once again:

DESPERATE can only win if they finish first with no more than two other people, and CONTENT wants to finish last, which will result in only the two of them surviving.

The group is in disarray for a moment, but Monkey steps forward and confesses- she is the CONTENT personality. After comforting Mouse, who is distraught by this news, Monkey is tied up to prevent her from being able to hurt the group in secret. The DESPERATE personality does not come forward. With that settled, Ox encourages the group to split up once more to continue Trinket hunting, but Monkey speaks up, saying she feels it is unsafe to split up considering one of the traitors is still unknown.

Mouse thinks about it for a moment, but ultimately decides that Monkey is right. She suggests they search in pairs, to keep things safer. The groups pair up, with Dog staying as the solo party due to their odd numbers; Mouse finds herself with Pig. The two start investigating classrooms, but after some conversation they realize that Monkey being tied up like she is will result in her dying from being unable to vote if someone doesn't go to untie her. Pig offers to go by herself quickly to handle it, but Mouse isn't so sure about that...

[BGM: Silence]


I didn't love the idea of Pig going off on her own.

You know what, I can handle this.

Really? You're sure you don't want to just let me handle it?

Yeah, it's fine, I can just do it. You stay here in the meantime.

Before she could get in a word edgewise, I left. I stopped by a nearby classroom to press the RUN button on my tablet. Then I made my way to the cafeteria. I went over to where Monkey was tied up.

[BGM: Mourning Crow]


Hey there, Monkey.

Ah, Mouse. Are you here to allow me to input an action on my tablet?

Of course! Something I planned to do this whole time.

Naturally, naturally. Not for a second sitting here did I think that people might have just forgotten about me and let me die to execution.

Right.

Indeed.

Okay, so here you go.



I undid Rooster's surprisingly good tying job to let Monkey free.

You can go input your action in the restroom nearby.

I shall do just that.

And like that, Monkey left to take care of business. I stood by, waiting for her return.

So, is everything fine?

Indeed, thank you Mouse.

Great to hear.

Now, please tie me down once more.

I still think this is stupid.

As do I, but I'd rather not stir the pot at this point.

Alright...



And at Monkey's behest, I tied her down to the chair again.

It still feels so... so horrible that this is the last time we'll get to talk to each other.

It is truly tragic, is it not? But it must be so.

I just can't accept that. Maybe we could try and get the collar off, maybe we could barter with Brian. There's gotta be something we can do to save you!

You're so determined, Mouse. It's your 'hamartia'.

'Hamartia'?

It's Greek, for fatal flaw. In Greek tragedies, as in life, everyone has one. You have a stubborn determination. It will get you far, but when you get like that, you lose sight of the bigger picture, and refuse to back down when you really should.

I don't think that's true...

It is.



We all have a hamartia, Mouse. It's important to learn what yours is, and to be aware of it.

Well then, if everybody has a hamartia, what's yours?

Mine? Hmm... I suppose it would be... curiosity?

Curiosity? That's not a fatal flaw.

Ah, but Mouse, curiosity killed the cat. Don't get me wrong, curiosity has taken me far in life. In fact, I became a therapist because I was curious about the human condition. But it's also gotten me in trouble before.

When I was much younger, I made many mistakes out of curiosity. Some, I dare not repeat.

Like what?

I dare not repeat them neither in my actions nor aloud.



Oh come on, you can't just say that and then expect me not to want to know what you're talking about!

Another time, perhaps.

...You know there won't be another time.

...Then I guess I'll take the stories to my grave. Perhaps then, you'll know the curse of curiosity.

How rude. ...Anyways, I'm going to get back to searching for Trinkets.

You do that. Oh, and Mouse?

Yes?

You know you can trust me, right?

[BGM: Silence]


This is arguably one of the earliest choices you can encounter on a route in the entire game, so I really had no good way of taking a vote for this one. That said, Mouse absolutely trusts Monkey, so no reason to stop now.

Of course. More than anyone here, I know I can actually rely on you.

That's good to hear. Remember that. I am frightful of the unrevealed traitor. If things go south, know that I am on your side.

Of course, I know you're with us.

...Listen carefully, Mouse. I am on your side.

...Right.

I wasn't entirely sure how to take Monkey's last comment. Regardless, I was done here. I made my way back to the room Pig was at.



Ah, Mouse. How did things go with Monkey?

It was, uh, good. Helped her not get executed, which is a good thing.

Cool, cool. So, uh, where should we look next?

How about we look around the first floor some?

If you want to, sure.

Great.

[BGM: Cock a Doodle Doo]


And just like that, we were decided. We made our way down to the first floor, and began to search through some of the classrooms in that hallway. We searched for a while, before moving onto another nearby classroom. It was a silent, but well-paced search. Before I knew it, it was midway through the fifth round.

Might as well help out Monkey again.

Already? There's still quite a bit of time.

Yeah, but why delay it to the last second, you know?

Alright, sure.

And so, once more, I left Pig to her own devices. I pressed the 'RUN' button on my tablet in a nearby classroom, then made my way to the cafeteria. I greeted Monkey once more, untied her, and let her go to the nearby restroom. Then, when she returned, I tied her up once more. It was a lot more silent this time. Then, I went back to the room with Pig.



Monkey's good?

She's good. Thank God for that, you know? She's giving up her life for us. The least we can do is treat her right.

That's really considerate, Mouse.

Well, you know, I don't think it's anything special. I just don't want to view anyone differently because of this stupid game. Even the unrevealed traitor... I don't think they're evil or anything. I don't think they're plotting our downfall. I think they're scared.

They were put in an impossible situation, and they don't know what to do. I pity them.

What an empathetic position.

Yeah, well, maybe it's a dumb take. But it's just how I feel.

…

[BGM: Silence]


There's... something I want to tell you. Something I know.

Something you know?

I didn't expect this development at all, but I was more than ready to welcome it. Pig hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should speak. She gripped her tablet tightly to her chest, holding it like a life preserver. Then, she opened her mouth to speak the truth that she felt she nee-

*bang!*

… What?

[BGM: Steadfast Gallop]


I couldn't register what had happened even after Pig's body hit the floor. But something had just flown in through the door. Through Pig's chest, through her tablet, through a nearby desk. No, not something. A bullet. Pig had been shot.

Pig!

Once I had regained my senses, I rushed over to Pig's side, to try and help. My first instinct was to stop the bleeding, but I had no idea how exactly I could do that.

Y-You're going to be okay, y-you're...

I trailed off, not knowing what to say, not knowing what to do. My brain had completely shut down on me. Someone lay before me, dying, and I had no idea how to save them. I had no ability to save them. I just flailed around, helpless.



As she lay dying, Pig locked eyes with me. She looked... oddly content? At peace? Still, she opened her mouth and tried to get across something to me. She struggled to speak, but she wasn't able to get out the words. Then, after much struggle, she closed her eyes.

She was... dead.

It was a cold, empty feeling that inhabited the pit of my stomach. Someone had died. In front of me. I didn't know how to cope. I was in denial. But then, in an instant, I moved on to anger. Who had just done this? Who had killed Pig? I burst out the door, looking down the hallway both ways. I hoped the catch the culprit in their flight from the scene, but alas, I was too late.

Damn it! What was I doing, trying to save an already-dead Pig? I bet what she was trying to say was 'forget about me, go catch the killer, dumbass!'. Damn it, damn it, damn it! I failed you, Pig. But it wasn't too late. One of the traitors was tied up, the rest were in pairs. Surely this was done by a traitor, there'd be no other reason to kill. Which meant... that the murderer must've split away from their pair. And if nobody did that, it must've been Dog, the only person by himself.

I couldn't waste any time, it was imperative I narrowed down everybody's movements as soon as possible. Right away, I ran into the cafeteria.



Mouse. What's wrong?

Monkey was still tied up in her chair. Thank God for that. I really didn't want to have to suspect her.

Pig... she's been shot.

Seriously? That's... Mouse, are you sure you're even okay?

No, but we don't have time for that. Monkey, did you see anybody heading through here recently?

I'm sorry, but I can't say that I have. If she's been shot, shouldn't you gather everybody as soon as possible?

That's exactly what I'm planning on doing.

Very wise, Mouse. Just like you.



If you're looking to find everybody, why don't you start with Tiger and Bunny? I believe they're in a classroom right at the top of those stairs to the right.

Alright, I'll do just that. Thanks for the advice, Monkey.

Don't mention it. I'm only here to help.