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sanguinesorceress · 7 years ago

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Marked for Death (Part 1)

Magister Found Dead in Dalaran Home

Authorities suspect foul play is the cause for the sudden and unexpected death of Magister Jadex, a Quel’dorei member of the Kirin Tor. The esteemed magister had been recently commended for his effort to ‘clean up’ the Dalaran sewers by evicting several black market operations that had been squatting illegally on the premises. Having earned a name for himself, Magister Jadex was due to receive a promotion from the Kirin Tor Council. In its stead, the Council has elected to create a memorial park bench to be placed in one of the city’s designated green areas.

"Alright, beasty. Gimmie your word that you are not going to be causing problems for My Kingy... and we can both pay him a visit, nn?"

The Sorceress found her choice of wording to be most intriguing. The declaration of ownership was something the King typically lorded over his subjects and not the other way around. A hint of a smirk brought a wrinkle to her sunken cheek as she observed the Doll with renewed interest. One thing had become abundantly clear, this was no ordinary 'Rat.' With a curt nod, the Sorceress acquiesced to the Doll's request while waving a slender hand in no particular direction, bidding for her lead the way. "You have my word."

It gave Mora pause. She was unsure but this woman looked like the sort of being her king would want to see. "Wait here just a moment beasty, don't want everyone to get excited now.”

Mora entered the tent and placed her hands on her hips. "You've a visitor Kingy... down that way there,” she pointed over her shoulder and waited.

The Inner Circle members, who were paying attention, felt the uncomfortably familiar presence they had encountered in the sewers once before. Teriaan tried to approach the tent, but soon realized Mora had already entered. Dammit, he thought.

Meanwhile, inside the tent, Sarinna sat off to one side and looked up when Mora entered. The weakened Rat King opened his eyes and turned to look at the Doll. With a smile, he said, "I seem to be getting visitors, hm? Who is it?" He turned his head and covered his eyes. "Are they worth my fucking time?" he asked. His voice seemed tired, fragile, but still as dominant.

“This one might be; ‘I have come to pay his Majesty a personal visit,’” Mora mocked sweetly the mannerisms of the other woman. "Dressed in red, reeks of death, and makes all the Ratz hide,” she laughed some, though her jealousy was already leaking into her tone. "See her or don’t,” she gestured toward the Inner Circle members before crossing her arms, “or send one of them.”

He smirked at her mockery until she got to the red and reeking of death part. The smile quickly vanished and he opened his eyes, trying to sit up. The frail elf turned to Mora. "The Sorceress is here? Where... where is she?" He turned to look at Sarinna, who was already armed and coming to stand beside the King. "Is she outside?"

She didn't like the way he was acting and glanced back out to where she had left her. Mora's hands rubbed together as she nodded, "nnnnnmmmhh down that way, right before the camp,” and her brows furrowed. Having no way of knowing who this woman really was or her ties to Ratty, Mora was conflicted. "The Sorceress...huh, why is she so special to you?" The question was only that as the Doll was trying to connect the dots more clearly. "Do you not wish to see her?"

The King placed his feet on the ground and looked up at Mora. "Will you shut the fuck up and get her in here?" he snarled, his unsteady growl appeared tame compared to when he was feeling well. "Don't leave her outside the fucking camp! Hurry the fuck up!" Even Sarinna looked worried and she was ready to go out herself if Mora didn’t move.

"The fuck?” She glared at him. “Don't get your dick in a twist,” she muttered. Who the fuck was this that made him act so strangely? Mora made a disgusted noise, walked out of the tent, and headed back in the Sorceress’ direction. She took her time if only to make her Kingy stew.

Returning, Mora stood in front of the woman with her hands resting on her hips. "You make a lot of people nervous here, why’s that red beasty? Is it only the obvious?" It wasn't that Mora was concerned around the woman, but death was death. She respected this figure’s status, but she did not know her.

Charcoal lips peeled back to reveal an ivory landscape of unnatural perfection. Flawless. Everything about this creature was unsettling from the way she moved with eerie fluidity to the harmonious intonation depicted in her voice. "Perhaps it is... but that would imply you are capable of evoking a similar response, wouldn't you agree?" Content to leave the Doll to her own assumptions, the Sorceress would offer no further elaboration on the matter. "Will your 'Kingy' be seeing me this afternoon, or shall I leave him a message?"

She got Mora to smile, genuinely. "He wants to see you, he might be the only one though,” Mora lingered for a moment then nodded. “Alright, knock em dead… OH… not my Kingy, but anyone else, meh.” She waved a hand dismissively and started to guide the creature toward the tent.

Following in the other's footsteps, the crimson horror became Mora's shadow, moving soundlessly in her wake as they approached the largest among several tents. While the Sorceress had been accused of being a 'monster,' she was certainly not uncivilized, and so she waited patiently for the Doll to announce her arrival before the King and his court.

"The Red Beasty,” Mora tilted her head back at the Sorceress and turned her nose up slightly, displeased with how the king had acted but she let it alone. She walked further into the tent and took a seat near him, waiting to hear their exchange.

Clawed fingers parted the tent flaps down the middle, making way for what could only be described as a harrowing sight draped in scarlet. No entourage of rodents would accompany her this time, however there would be a growing sense of unease bristling with all the gentleness of steel wool against the nerves of onlookers. It was the sort of intuitive sensation one experienced while in the presence of a predator after discovering their alarming proximity. How long had her arrival gone unnoticed? Why was she even here to begin with? What was it she wanted with their King?

Emaciated hands folded patiently at her waist as she anticipated some form of snarky remark, which had become customary for their encounters. It was not unwarranted of course, but from any other, such blatant disrespect would result in the removal of one's tongue. It was a courtesy provided solely for His Majesty and for no other Rat. A small price to pay for a man who got the job done— no matter the cost.

"Sorceress,” the King managed to say loud enough, although that burst of strength was momentary. “I'm surprised to see you here in this humble abode of mine. Do you like it?” He looked tired and so he got straight to the point. "What do you need?"

"I am never in need of anything, your highness." It was an overwhelming sense of greed that inspired this ravenous monster. "When last I spoke with your pregnant little Rat, she claimed to have no knowledge of your whereabouts."

"I was treated like royalty by the Kirin Tor in their fucking Violet Hold. Nice place. Cold, loud, filled with mad lunatics." He chuckled weakly. "I managed to escape not too long ago, and here I am."

The Sorceress canted her head in a manner akin to that of a raven examining a handful of shiny pebbles. With only two words he had managed to seize her undivided attention. “The Kirin Tor, you say?” What was once a stoic expression contorted into an overly amused grin. Concerning the incident involving Jaina Proudmoor’s unlawful imprisonment of the Sunreaver loyalists, it was obvious their claims of neutrality had been completely falsified. “Who among the magocrats would dare to violate their pledge to sustain a peace keeping standpoint?” Evidently it was something that they chose to enforce only when it suited their agenda. Perhaps the time had come to remind them of the consequences to be had for meddling in the affairs of others, black market or otherwise.

"Jadex." The Rat King remembered the name well. He gazed up at the Sorceress and smiled faintly. "You seem interested in the Kirin Tor. I hope this interest benefits us." He chuckled and leaned his head against Sarinna. His body seemed to grow tired much quicker than usual. "He kept me alive, Sorceress. He kept me alive for who knows what reason. While the others wanted me dead, this one kept me alive, and when I'm alive I plan my revenge." He smiled and licked his dried lips. "What I wouldn't give to see what you could do with this Magister Jadex."

Sarinna glanced between the Sorceress and the King. "Someone alerted the Kirin Tor. We knew they were coming. We had heard the rumors. Someone had to have said something to trigger their attack. We lived there for years and the Kirin Tor did not care. We provided them with their goods. Why now? Because they said Khadgar demanded it? He never cared for the sewers." The Kaldorei shook her head. "No. Someone must have said something."

The King smiled and patted Sarinna's thigh. "My pet has a point, Sorceress. Perhaps the Kirin Tor are not the only ones who need to be taught a lesson.” He chuckled softly.

"Jadex..." she repeated deliberately, as though committing it to memory, and the name fell from her lips with the weight of an executioner’s axe. The lilt in her voice was momentarily encumbered by the burden of what was soon to become the man's fate, and it dipped an octave as she continued. "The answers you seek shall be uncovered, one way or another." A subtle twist of malice stretched the corner of her lips, and one could only imagine what was in store for the victim he had named. "Is there a message you would like to relay to your tormentor, your Highness?"

The King smiled at her and simply said, "Tell him one day I will return and he won't be around to see me rise again.”

( Co-written by @loveherdekay and @hmratking playing their respective parts. )

@safrona-shadowsun @lazraelbandtherion

#sanguine sorceress #The Little Dahlia #The Rat King #canon rp #sorceress literature #Plot: Marked for Death

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vgckwb · 7 years ago

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Danganronpa: Away Chapter 1: A Smiling Face Betrays the Truth (Part 1)

In my dream last night I was with my grandfather. He was a big man, with an equally big heart. He was distracted by work often, even after he formally retired. This was one time were it wasn’t. It was just me and him at a restaurant. It was peaceful. Unlike this killing game. And unlike what was about to happen.

I heard an alarm go off and then I heard Monokuma say “Good morning everyone. It is now 8 am, day time. I hope you enjoy your teenage days to the fullest. Happy killing!”

I woke up to that. “8 am, huh? That stinks” said.

“Yeah, well, get used to it” Monokuma said popping up in my room.

“GAH!” I screamed. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?”

Monokuma just stared at me for a second. “To be honest, this was just a coincidence. I just finished installing this monitor” he said, gesturing toward the monitor just below the security camera. “This is my last stop.”

“How?” I asked. “I’m not even on an end room.”

“Yeah, well, I just like antagonizing you” said Monokuma. “So I made an exception to efficiency to see you first thing in the morning.”

Great. On top of being trapped in his psycho death game, he has a special interest in making me mad. This is going to be a long process. “Why are you even installing this thing anyway? Didn’t you do everything you needed to last night?” I asked.

“I did not” Monokuma responded. “Technically, I’m still not done. I have a whole school to renovate.”

“Why couldn’t you have done that when you came here yesterday?”

“Because, even though I’m a super powerful bear, I can’t do everything in one night. I’m not Santa Claus, you know.”

“You certainly have the Claws part down.”

Monokuma looked embarrassed. “What’s this? Someone making a bear pun before I could do it? I feel so ashamed.”

Monokuma continued to sulk. I asked him “So, what do these monitors do?”

“Oh yeah” he said, snapping out of his sadness. “They’re there to make announcements.”

“Announcements?”

“Yes, you heard that it was morning now. Stuff like that.”

“You’re going to be doing that every day?”

“Yep. Mornings start at 8 am. Nights start at 10 pm. I was more relaxed with this yesterday because I had just arrived and you were basking in my greatness. But from now on, there will be day time and night time.”

“What’s the difference between the two settings?”

“Well, for now, there’s only one difference that matters. During the night, you aren’t allowed in other student’s rooms without their permission.”

“Isn’t that a bit detrimental to your endgame? If you want us all dead, wouldn’t it be better to let us sneak into their rooms and kill them unsuspectingly?”

“Yeah, but that’s kind of boring, don’t you think? I’d rather the game be interesting than easy. Besides, I didn’t say there was no way into their room at night, right? You just have to be invited in. Whether it be for killing or… other things… I’ll let that be up to you.”

“Other things?”

“Yeah, I know how teenagers get. You’re just a big bag of hormones right now. What you feel is natural.”

Ah. So that’s what he was talking about. “I wouldn't feel comfortable doing those things with a security camera in here. Especially with you on the other side.”

“I get it. Performance issues?”

“Wha? NO! It’s just creepy that you’d be watching.”

“Oh, that. You don’t need to worry about that. I’m the one reviewing the footage, not the Ultimate Killer.”

“Like there’s a difference.”

“There is. The Ultimate Killer is a human. I’m merely a robotic puppet. I have not been programed to feel any of those teenage emotions. I only know of them.”

“That’s… reassuring…”

“Anyway, the night rule has been added to your Monopads, along with another rule that was added at the behest of Cassy. You should look it over.” Monokuma then disappeared without a trace.

I looked at the new rules. Sure enough, one of them was the new night/day system, along with the rule he explained to me already. The other one, the one added at the behest of Cassy was as follows “The game of mutual killing will end when there are only two people remaining or if I get bored.”

“Well, he did say he didn’t want the game to be boring.”

Just then a chime sounded, and Monokuma came onto the monitor. “Attention everyone! Along with the new day/night system, two new rules were added. One of them by the request of Cassy Williams. Anyway, be sure to look through them. Happy killing!”

Was he going to end all of his announcements like that? No matter. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, got dressed, and headed out.

When I walked out, I saw Troy there. “What was keeping you, good sir?”

“Monokuma was chatting me up” I answered.

“I see. That foul villain, certainly is troublesome. No matter, I stayed behind to get you.”

“Get me for what?”

“The rest of us agreed to meet for breakfast every morning to discuss our situation. I thought you would want to do that too, so it was a unanimous vote. Come on, good sir, everyone is waiting.” I followed Troy down to the dining area.

When we got down to the dinning area we saw everyone sitting down. A slew of breakfast food was laid out. I grabbed some pancakes and bacon, put them on a plate, and started eating.

“Now that we’re all here, good sirs and madams” said Troy, “shall we begin discussing our current situation.”

“I suppose we should” said Rachel. “So, where do we start?”

“First, I think we should talk about the new rules Monokuma added” said Cassy.

“You mean the night rule and your rule?” said Andy.

“Yes” said Cassy. “Moreso the rule I asked about. It seems like Monokuma will get bored after a while and end the game there.”

“So, what does that mean, exactly?” asked Jay.

Cassy sighed. “I suppose, since this is the Ultimate Killer we’re talking about, the most likely outcome is probably that he’ll just kill us all.”

“Hold on, one fuckin’ minute!” shouted Buck. “Monokuma did say that we could all take him on if we teamed up! We have a chance!”

“He also said that the Ultimate Killer will send a new one. We’ll run out of energy at some point” Cassy replied.

“True, but he didn’t say how long it would take” I said. “Besides, if the game is over, we wouldn’t need to follow his rules, and those machine guns wouldn’t be going off. We’d stand a much better chance that way.”

“So, we just gotta wait it out” said Roman.

“It’s not that simple” I said. “Monokuma is desperate to make us play his game. It’s why he hasn’t killed us yet. He’s got something planned if we don’t start. I just know it.”

Everyone looked solemn. I know what I just said was harrowing, but it is the truth. “Um, what about escaping?” asked Sophie.

“It seems prrrrrety hard to escape from this place” said May. “Almost impossible, I’d say.”

“I could probably disable everything,” said Tammy, “if I had the blueprints for it. But I don’t think Monokuma would be willing to hand those out anytime soon.”

“Plus, Monokuma seems to be continually adding stuff to this place, which I assume would only make things harder” said Maria.

“Don’t remind me” said Tammy. “The thought of him being in our rooms creeps me out.”

“At least you didn’t wake up to him” I said.

“So, we’re just going to wait it out then?” asked Elliot.

“It seems that way” Duke replied.

“So, what do we do then?” Elliot said.

“I guess, if we’re stuck here for a while, we might want to get to know each other better” said Pierce.

“That’s a great idea” said Annabelle. She eagerly got a notepad out. “So, what’s everyone’s favorite color? Their favorite food? Favorite animal?”

“Whoa, calm down for a second” said Pierce. “I think we should do this more naturally.”

“Naturally?” asked Annabelle.

“Yeah. You know, just hang out with each other and see what happens” said Pierce.

“Oh” said Annabelle, dejected. “I guess that works too.”

“So, just do what we’ve been doing?” I asked. “OK. That seems like a fair plan.”

“Then it’s settled” said Cassy. “We wait for Monokuma to get bored, and then strike.”

Of course, the obvious danger of saying out plan aloud like that was that Monokuma was listening to it all. But on the bright side, he didn’t interrupt us to say anything, so I assume that what we said is at least somewhat viable.

I wanted to have a look around the school to see if Monokuma added anything else. I also needed to ask Monobird something as well. I looked at the front entrance. Monokuma seems to have set up a store. There’s a bunch of items on display.

“Welcome” said Monokuma popping out from behind the counter.

I was somewhat used to this by now. “So, what’s the deal with this store?” I asked.

“Well, it’s here that you can buy things.”

“I know what a store is. Why is there one set up here?”

“To buy things.”

“Why?”

“Come on, this is a game. Games are fun. This is supposed to be a fun little addition.”

“You say ‘fun,’ but this game is meant to kill us.”

“That’s what makes this game REALLY fun.”

I didn’t want to debate this with him, because he really derives fun from our pain. “So, what does this store have?”

“Well, it has tools for murder!” Monokuma said menacingly. “Or, if you’re boring, you could just get stuff to decorate your room with. Or other games to play.”

“I don’t suppose you take the money in my wallet, do you?”

“Nope. For this game, you get a special type of currency: The Monocoin.”

“How do we get them?” I begrudgingly asked.

“I’m glad you asked” replied Monokuma like he was an infomercial salesperson. “Starting tomorrow, I will give you a daily allowance of 100 Monocoins. Also, you can find some around the school. But the way to get the most is to be a spotless and win a trial!”

“I see, and these coins just pop into our rooms, right?”

“Yup!”

“So, I just need to wait until midnight to try this out.”

Monokuma seemed shocked. “Wait just a moment” he said, leaving in a panic. “Attention students!” he said over the monitor. “There is a new rule. Please look it over on your Monopads. Happy killing!”

I looked at my Monopad. The new rule was “The Monokuma Mart part of the Monokuma shopping district will be closed at nights.” “That’s weird” I said.

“What is?” said Monokuma.

“The rule implies there’s more to this storefront than the store.”

“There is. It’s right over there” Monokuma said, pointing to a machine that you would see at like a pizza place, or a gas station.

“What is that?”

“That is the MonoMono Machine. Put some Monocoins in and test your luck for fabulous prizes.”

“What kind of prizes?”

“Eh, nothing much. Just little things really. Maybe you can pawn them off on others.” Monokuma then disappeared.

What a strange bear. He is encouraging everyone to kill each other, but he wants to make it fun. I can’t even begin to comprehend why someone would think this is fun. Anyway, I made my way over to the gym. Interestingly no one was really doing much. I saw Elliot and Buck looking around for something. I paid no attention to it. My focus was on Monobird. “Hey Monobird!” I called out.

“Yes?” Monobird answered.

I walked toward him, and as I did, I looked up to see Monobird’s cage was dangling from something from the ceiling. “OK, first of all, what is that?” I asked pointing up.

“Oh that?” said Monobird. “Monokuma installed that. He says he’s going to make a full system so I can move around at my leisure.”

“That’s one hell of a consolation prize.”

“I know it’s not much, but it is better than being stuck in here.”

“I suppose.”

“Is that all you wish to ask me?”

“No. I have a few other things I want to know about.”

“Fire away.”

“What’s the deal with the phones?”

“Ah yes. They are for contact the rooms of other students. Each phone has a button that when pressed will allow you to call another student’s room.”

“I see.”

“It was a way for you to keep in contact, and also know what someone wanted to do without having to go and knock on their door.”

“Does the phone have any special features?”

“Yes. All calls are automatically recorded. However, it does not have caller ID. I assumed it wasn’t needed because you would get to know each other well enough to know who was on the other end.”

“How do we access the recordings?”

“You just hit the button at the bottom and it will display on the touch screen. Tap a message to hear it.”

“Is it possible to delete the recordings?”

“Yes, but for a week the phone will display a ‘Message Deleted’ message in the touch screen.”

“Hmmmm. One last question. If a situation were to arise where one of us kills someone else, can we count on you to help us?”

“Certainly” said Monobird.

“Absolutely not” said Monokuma popping out again.

“Wha-WHAT?!” said Monobird.

“Sorry, but since Monobird isn’t playing the game, he isn’t allowed to help anyone who is” said Monokuma.

“That would be really helps to have in the rules” I said. “At least I caught it before one of us needed to depend on it.”

“Bear-y well then” he said, vanishing. Another announcement played “Attention students! There is a new rule on your Monopads. Be sure to look it over. Happy Killing!”

I looked at my Monopad. “What does it say?” Monobird asked.

“Um, let’s see” I said. “It says ‘Monobird is not a credible witness, nor a credible alibi. He can assist in investigations, as long as he does not know any aspect of the murder before the body is discovered.’” I could see Monobird was displeased. “Sorry about that” I said.

“It is alright. It is Monokuma’s fault, not yours” Monobird replied.

“Well, thanks anyway. I’m sure what you’ve said will prove to be useful.”

“Does that mean you’re finished?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Alright then. He’s all yours, Buck!”

What?

“Thanks Monobird!” said Buck from behind me. I turned around to see Buck, Jay, and Troy. “So Justin, are you ready?!”

“Ready for what?” I asked.

Buck smiled. “Glad you asked” he said. “We’re holding a 4-on-4 basketball game; Boys vs Girls. You’re our fourth. Let’s go!”

“WHAT?!” I shrieked. “But I don’t think I’d be a good fit. What about Pierce?”

“Pierce said he prefered to be the ref, good sir” said Troy.

“It’ll be fine” said Jay. “We got your back. Although, I am surprised that you don’t think you can keep up. You seem fit.”

“I’m fine at sports, it’s just I don’t think I’d be as good as three Ultimates with athletic abilities.”

“IS THAT ALL YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT?!” shouted Buck.

“AH!” I shouted back.

“DON’T WORRY ABOUT A FUCKIN’ THING! THIS IS JUST FOR FUN!” Buck continued.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhh” I stammered.

“BESIDES, MAYBE YOU’LL FIND YOUR FUCKIN’ AWESOME TALENT IN THIS GAME! YOU’VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE!”

I stared at them for a second. “Alright, I’m in.”

“YEAH!” said Troy, Jay, and Buck.

“Who we playing?” I asked.

“Right over here” said Elliot. I looked over to see her, along with Rachel, Sophie, and May. “You boys ready?”

“YOU KNOW IT!” Buck shouted.

“Ha! This’ll be easy” said Jay.

“Don’t I know it, good sir” said Troy.

“I don’t think so” I said. Jay and Troy turn to look at me. “Elliot can wear down Buck. She’s probably going to try and wear us all down. May has a lot of energy in her as well. On top of that, she’s good at reading situations. Rachel is similarly analytical, and is a force to be reckoned with when she gets serious. I wouldn’t be surprised if she pulled off some sweet moves this game. And Sophie is something of a wild card. She might seem average, but remember, she’s Ultimate Good Luck. That could mean things get very interesting, very quickly.”

“NOW THAT’S SOME GOOD ANALYTICAL SHIT YA GOT THERE!” said Buck.

“Still,” I continued, “I think we can win. We just can’t let our guard down.”

“NOW THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!” siad Buck. “THINK YOU CAN BRING THAT SKILL TO THE COURT?!”

“Yeah!” I shouted.

“ALRIGHT THEN! LET’S FUCKING DO IT!” screamed Buck. We all cheered as we pumped our fists in the air.. As we set up, I noticed that Annabelle and Andy were sitting at a table outside the court. Behind them in the bleachers was Cassy, Duke, Maria, Roman, and Tammy.

Once we were in position I heard Annabelle say “This game is certainly going to shape up into something fierce.”

“Totally” said Andy. “It hasn’t even started yet, and I already have goosebumps.”

“Truly, this will be a battle of the Ultimates” Annabelle stated.

“Ready to get dunked on?” asked Buck at the tip-off.

“I think you got your roles backwards” said Elliot from the other side.

“I’D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY AND BEAT US!”

“I’d like to see you try at all.”

Pierced walked up to the both of them, holding a basketball. “Save it for the game, you two” he said, putting the basketball in front of them. “Are you ready?” They both nodded. “Then here...we...go!” he flung the ball into the air.

“AND WE’RE OFF!” shouted Andy.

“It looks like Elliot won the tip-off” said Annabelle. “And now she’s passing it on over to Rachel!”

“Heh” Buck scoffed. “No matter, WE GOT THIS!”

We played our game of basketball. It was certainly the most intense game of basketball I’ve ever played, but also the most fun. I guess this is what happens when Ultimates clash. Buck’s reflexes are nothing to sneeze at. One time, when Elliot came charging in for a shot, Buck stole the ball from under her nose before she even knew what was happening. He made a three-pointer after that. That’s not to say Elliot wasn’t impressive. Due to her being a contestant, she knew what skills to pull out when. I hate to admit it, but she got through our defence a few times just by using her beauty on me. Though when it comes to using other skills for this, Jay was second to none. He used his speed and maneuverability to get to the hoop faster than anyone else could. It wasn’t always the best course of action, because May was able to pick up on Jay’s pattern after a few times and steal the ball back.

Troy had the most steals of the game though. No one could feel his movements before a steal and the way he dunked was amazing. Rachel was also really good at dunking. Her dunks were stylish too. And just as thought, Sophie had a lot of good luck this game, and scored the most three-pointers. A lot of them were on accident though as she was prone to tripping. Annabelle and Andy kept up the play-by-play really well. They knew what was going on no matter what happened, and a lot happened during the game. As for me, well, I think I did alright. I had the most assists, and some of them were well planned out. I once shot the ball outside the girls and Buck went in, snagged it, and made a dunk. I also made some shots, but I think I had the least points in the game.

By the end of the game we were all tired. When the last buzzer sounded all of us hit the floor, just needing a break from all the excitement that just happened. Our team won, but it was close: 157 to 156. After laying down on the court for a few minutes, the eight of us got up and high-fived each other. We then decided to go to the dining area and eat a hearty lunch.

None of us talked for about 5 minutes. That’s when everyone else joined us and they all began talking.

“MAN! That game was incredible!” said Annabelle. “I had so much fun announcing it.”

“So did I” said Andy looking the calmest I’ve seen him since we got here.

“Yeah, how did you manage to keep up with some of those stunts?” I asked.

“I found it kind of easy to keep track” said Andy. “In trivia contests, a few seconds could make or break you. So you always have to be on the ready not only to answer, but keep up with everyone else.”

“I thought it was easy to keep track as well” said Annabelle. “I’m used to reporting on all sorts of sporting events. Stuff like this doesn’t phase me. Although this is the most exciting things have gotten in a match I was watching.”

“I see” I said. “So Andy, is trying to keep up with people in a trivia contest the reason you’re so on edge all the time?”

Pierce gave me a look, but Andy said “I know I get nervous easily, but a trivia contest is the one place I don’t get nervous.”

“Really?” I said, as Pierce turned to him as well.

“Yeah” said Andy. “I actually feel really confident during trivia contests. Because I know what to expect. Like, in general, I mean. I don’t know the questions beforehand. I’m not the Ultimate Cheater, you know. But, like, walking in, I know I’m to expect questions, and that I’m to give answers, and I know who’s all there. I get nervous is most situations because a lot of that information is unknown to me.”

He’s a really good kid. “Well, I hope you’ll get to know us better so you’re not so antsy when we talk to you, OK?” I said.

“Uh, sure” Andy replied.

“Anyway!” said Buck.

“AH!” said Andy, getting nervous again.

“How about celebrating our victory?” continued Buck. “And celebrating this game in general? It is not everyday that I get to work with, and compete against, such amazing players. I mean, both of us got into the 150’s! That doesn’t happen very often. To our amazing teams” Buck said, holding up his glass.

The rest of us players clinked our glasses with Buck’s. “I’m amazed that even with me on the team, we still managed to win” I said.

“What are you fuckin’ talking about?” asked Buck. “You contributed to half of our baskets made.”

“I only got 30 points though” I said.

“Yeah, but you also assisted a lot!” said Buck. “Basketball’s a team game. You can’t expect to make all the shots yourself.”

“That’s so true!” said May. “It’s impossible to be good at anything if you’re the only one doing it. I could put the fiercest beat down, but if no one wants to dance to it, then nobody's partying.”

“I guess that’s true” I said. “Your team did really well too.”

“Yeah, well, we try” said Elliot. “But fair’s fair, and you still won.” She put her finger under my chin and pushed my head up. “So, how do you want to celebrate your victory?”

I started blushing. “Probably not the way you’re thinking of” I said. “I’m still worn down from the game.”

“I guess I should have distracted you more” said Elliot. “I knew the plan I can up with at halftime would have worked.”

“IT WOULD HAVE, BUT I WASN’T GOING TO DO IT!” said Sophie, who also started to blush.

“What was wrong with it?” asked Elliot.

“YOU WANTED US TO PLAY IN ONLY OUR UNDERWEAR!” shouted Sophie.

Troy did a spit take. He then coughed. “Sorry...it’s just that…” Troy also started to blush “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I don’t think anyone was” said Jay.

“I also would not have allowed it, good madams” said Troy. “I would become to weak willed, and I couldn’t protect any of you if something were to happen.”

“Then, I guess it’s fine we didn’t do it” said Elliot. “After all, Superman can’t be Superman if there’s kryptonite around.”

“I’m surprised you were still on alert, so to speak” I said.

“Well, I technically wasn’t, good sir” said Troy. “Even heroes need to relax sometimes. But I still need to be able-bodied in case something comes up suddenly.”

“I get ya” I said.

“I’d love to see you in action sometime” said Rachel. “I’d love to know how you use what inspires you.”

“Speaking of,” I said, “who inspired you to pull off serious dunks like that Rachel?”

“I second that questions, good madame” said Troy.

“Dr. J” said Rachel.

“What?” I said.

“Dr. J is the nickname for basketball legend Julius Irving” said Andy.

“Oh...I see…” I said.

“You do know that basketball history is still history?” said Rachel.

“...Right” I said. I didn’t even consider that when she said history, it meant stuff like this as well. Man, she really is amazing. They all are.

“JUSTIN!” Buck called out.

“AH!” I called back.

“When we’re done, can you meet me in my room?” Buck asked.

“Uh, sure” I said.

“Great!” said Buck. He then kept eating. I did the same.

Buck finished eating and he put his dishes away. I looked at Cassy, and the back at Buck. “Hey Buck!” I said.

“Yeah?!” he replied.

“Um, do you mind if I stay behind and do something first?” I asked.

“Go ahead!” said Buck. He then left.

I then walked up to Cassy. “So, thanks for showing up” I said. “It doesn’t seem like the type of thing that you would do.”

Cassy looked at me weird. “Pierce made me come” she said.

“Ah” I said.

“It’s not like that” she said. “I usually enjoy going to sporting events when I can. But, I’m still dealing with a lot of mysteries. I don’t like being distracted from work.”

“Still, it doesn’t hurt to take a break, once in a while” I said. Cassy seemed steamed. “I know this situation isn’t ideal, but to get through it we have to work together. It’s not enough that we wait out Monokuma, we have to wait him out as a unit.”

“What makes you say that?” she asked.

“Well, Monokuma wants us to kill each other” I began. “That means he wants to stir distrust between us. It becomes easy to stir distrust between us if you’re locked in your room all day. Monokuma could say ‘she’s plotting to kill you all’ or something.”

“I guess…” said Cassy. “I’m just so frustrated by this whole situation.”

“And this is where relaxing can help” I said. “You ever relax and then the answer you’re looking for becomes crystal clear?”

Cassy seemed shocked. “Yeah. I do that all the time.”

“It’s like that. Even though I could not imagine a situation more stressful, it helps to relax. A lot of that stress will just go away, and we all will benefit from it.”

Cassy stared at me for a moment. “Thanks” she said, finally relaxing. “In all of this confusion, I forgot what makes me a good detective. A calm and cool analysis is what is needed for situations like these.”

“Glad I could help” I said.

I started to put my dishes away, and then Cassy said “By the way, that was a great game.”

I was taken aback by that. “Thanks” I said. I put my dishes away and headed over to Buck’s room.

When I got there I knocked. He answered the door and said “You can come in, it’s not night time yet.”

“I just didn’t know if you were decent” I said.

“I’M FAN-FUCKIN’-TASTIC!” he shouted, clearly not getting what I meant.

“Sure, but I meant I didn’t know if you were dressed or whatnot” I said.

“Oh” said Buck. “ Usually take a shower after games, but I’m waiting to talk with you.”

“Oh?” I said coming in. I looked around, and his room was pretty much like mine. He sat on his bed, and I sat at his desk. “So, what are we talking about?” I asked.

“You” he replied.

“I beg your pardon?”

“WE’RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT YOU!”

“Um, OK. Why?”

Buck sighed. “You seem to lack confidence. As a member of my team, I have to make sure everyone is at the top of their game.”

“But, the game is over.”

“YOU MORON! I’M BEING GENERAL HERE! Look, even if the game is over, we’re still trapped in this school. We’re on the same team when it comes to not dying at the hands of a psychotic killer.”

“I get you. But I feel so outclassed by everyone because I don’t have a talent.”

“MORON! You HAVE a talent. It’s just unknown.”

“Well, THAT makes me feel better.”

“LISTEN STUPID! I know having an unknown talent is probably hard, but I know you. You are an Ultimate for a reason.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because we played basketball together.”

“Huh?”

“I’m the Ultimate Basketball Player. So, playing a game with someone helps me get to know someone better. I can tell that after playing with you, you are indeed an Ultimate.”

“But I can’t possibly keep up with you.”

“And you don’t need to. I will note that your talent might not be a more physical one, but what I saw on the court wasn’t nothing. You read people and situations like nobody’s business.”

“But Rachel Troy, and May also are good at reading situations. Plus, some people that didn’t play can read situations well too.”

“Yeah, but you acted on what you read faster than anyone else. You saw openings and then immediately knew what to do with them. Your analysis skills are different from everyone else’s. They change depending on the situation, and that’s a really useful skill to have. Honestly, if I was the Ultimate Killer in this situation, I’d be the most afraid of you.”

“Really?” I said. I think I get what he’s saying.

“Of course. You’re the one who took stock of everything after Monokuma showed up. If it wasn’t for that, we’d all be letting our guard down.”

“It’s just frustrating not knowing what your talent is. Everyone else here knows what their talent is. I just want to fit in.”

“You already do. Listen, I’m not sure we could have won our game without you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Remember, before the game Troy and Jay thought this would be an easy win. You stepped in and said that despite them seeming like they don’t know what they’re doing they actually did. And you were completely right. I’ve played professionals before, and this is still the most exciting game I’ve played, because everyone was so different, and used their talent in interesting ways.”

“I guess I did.”

“Not only that, you stayed behind to get Cassy out of her own head. You knew something was up and acted on it right away.”

“You noticed that?”

“Of course I fucking did. We’re all teammates here. You gotta have a sense of what your teammates are up to. Look, I know it seems like a struggle, but you will find your talent, OK. Until then, you just have to be more confident.”

I thought about what he said for a second. “OK!”

“That’s more like it!”

“Is this confidence building the actual reason you wanted me to play?”

Buck looked at me for a second. “Nothing gets past you. You’re right, I did just want to boost your confidence. I thought playing a game of basketball would do that.”

“Well, it worked in the end.”

“I guess it did. As long as I’m being honest, we actually didn’t ask Pierce to play.”

“Why not?”

“Well, don’t get me wrong, he seems like he would do well on the court, but I just feel like he’s better at making sure everyone is remaining orderly.”

“I know what you mean. It does make sense for his talent though. He explained to me that if someone is doing something rash with a weapon, he knows how to calm them down and disarm them. I assume that can apply to other situations as well.”

“Makes sense. Listen, it seems like your confidence is pumped. So, can you get out of my room so I can take a shower?”

“Oh. Of course. Seeya later then” I said, leaving.

“Seeya” Buck said as I closed the door.

With my confidence boosted, I decided to explore the school a little more to see if anything new was constructed last night. I searched as much as I could, but there was nothing new. So, I just headed toward the art room to see if I could relax a little bit.

I saw Tammy at the desk she was usually at in this room drafting blueprints and throwing them out. “Um, is there anything I can help you with?” I asked.

“GAH!” shouted Tammy. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there. I guess you can help if you want.”

“What are you working on?”

“I’m working on a way to de-electrify the cage Monobird is in. So far, I haven’t come up with anything good.”

“Freeing Monobird is against the rules though, isn’t it?”

“Freeing Monobird? Yes. Getting the cage in a condition where he can free himself? No.”

“I get ya. That seems tough.”

“It is. It’d be easier if I had the blueprints of the cage.”

“You said that about the school too, didn’t you.”

“I’m a technician. I work in blueprints.”

“I see.”

“Still, this would also be easier if Monobird himself didn’t conduct electricity. Finding a way to short circuit the cage isn’t that hard.”

“That is tricky.” I thought about the problem for a few minutes with Tammy. “Hey wait!” I said. Tammy looked at me. “What if we didn’t worry about short circuiting Monobird?”

“What do you mean?”

“What if we ask Monobird for his blueprints? Then we can short circuit them in a way where Monobird falls out of the cage and then we can reset Monobird.”

“That’s a great idea! Let’s go!” We headed toward the gym. We found Monobird in his usual place. “Monobird, we’ve come to set you free!” said Tammy.

“That’s against the rules, Ms. Sparks.” said Monokuma popping out of nowhere.

“GAH!” said Tammy.

“Well, we found a way around that” I said.

“Oh, do tell?”

“We-wait, why do I need to say anything? You’re watching everything through a camera. You should know this.”

“I don’t” said Monobird.

“Yeah, do it for bird brain over here” said Monokuma condescendingly.

“Well, OK” I said. I don’t enjoy being theater for Monokuma, but Monobird deserves to know the plan. “Basically we need to short circuit the cage in a way so you just fall out on your own.”

“Wouldn’t that also short circuit me?” said Monobird.

“Well, yeah” said Tammy. “But this is where you can help. If you give me your blueprints, I will be able to reset you. So what do ya say?”

Monobird just stared blankly at us. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that�� he said.

“Wha?” said Tammy. “But why?”

“My circuitry is very complicated. Even with your skill, it will take at least a week to get me back online. I don’t want to not know what’s going on in here for that long.”

“But still! A week is nothing compared to the rest of our lives! That’s in no way not a reason to do it” said Tammy

“But there’s something else” said Monobird. “Part of my blueprints includes a fingerprint scanner that only reacts to certain fingerprints.”

“Psh!” said Tammy. “I’ve worked my way around those before. Do you also want me to walk and chew gum at the same time?”

“I bet you could” said Monobird. “However the sensor is also equipped with a bomb. This bomb goes off if someone other than the recognized few attempt to gain control of Monobird.”

“Which is why I haven’t done so” said Monokuma.

“So?” said Tammy. Everyone was taken aback by this. “So what if this bomb goes off? Worst case scenario, I die and everyone else goes free. Isn’t that worth it?” I liked the fact that she didn’t even consider that she couldn’t get Monobird back online before the bomb went off.

“NO!” said Monobird. “I wish to avoid unnecessary death.”

“BUT LOOK AROUND!” screamed Tammy. “This whole situation is filled with unnecessary death” she said, tearing up. “So please, let me try.”

“NO!” shouted Monobird. “THERE’S TOO MUCH AT RISK! I CAN’T HAVE YOU SACRIFICE YOURSELF FOR NOTHING!”

Tammy began crying. “YOU’RE JUST LIKE HIM!” she said, storming off.

“TAMMY!” I called out.

“Wait!” said Cassy. “Leave her to me.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes” Cassy replied. “I think she needs some support, and I think she’d be more comfortable around a girl.”

“‘I’ll come to” said Sophie. “No offence Cassy, but you don’t seem personable at times”

Cassy looked strained. Sophie wasn’t exactly wrong. “OK then” said Cassy. “Let’s go.” The both chased after Tammy.

“Monobird, you cold, heartless bird you” said Monokuma.

“I am sorry” said Monobird. “But I cannot allow her to risk her life like that. I’m supposed to protect her. If she explodes because of me I could never forgive myself.”

“You could have been a bit more gentler” I said. “She wasn’t very warm to you in the first place. You going off on her probably scared her.”

“How so?” asked Monobird.

“Well, she has a distrust of cops” I said. “You barking orders at her was probably too much for her.”

Monobird went into shock. “I-I didn’t know” he said.

“I love that look on your face” said Monokuma. “It just screams ‘despair.’”

“Go away” I said. Oddly enough, that worked. Monobird was still in shock.

I hope everything turns out alright. I looked around the gym. Not much was happening. Everyone who would be doing something was probably still tired from the basketball game. So, I made my way back to the art room.

I entered to Roman saying “And voila. My latest statue complete.” Everyone in the art room looked over at Roman’s workspace. It was a statue of Maria.

“Oh Roman, it’s so lovely” said Maria, looking out from her loom. “It’s better than the last 300.”

“He has 300 other statues of you?” I asked.

“NO! I have 999 other statues of her” said Roman. “This is number 1,000.”

“1,000?!” I said. “That seems a little excessive.”

“Well, most of them are small, action figure sized statues” said Maria. “He only started making bigger statues about 300 of them ago.”

“Is this all you make statues of?” I asked.

“OF COURSE NOT!” said Roman. “I can make statues of anything! I just make statues of Maria to relax.”

“I see…” I said. It seems a little weird. But it makes sense, since Maria is the first person who made him feel alive. “So, do you do anything else to relax?”

“Well, just what Maria does” said Roman.

“What do you do when you’re alone at home?” I asked.

“I sleep” said Roman.

“Roman and his dad don’t get along very well” said Maria. “Roman just hangs out with me after school usually, and doesn’t go home until he wants to sleep. Since we both spend a lot of time in the studio anyway, it works out.”

Roman mentioned him not getting along with his dad. I didn’t know it was that serious. I looked over the statue more closely. I noticed that there are a lot of little details. The statue was not only incredible, it was very accurate. “Well, as this is the first statue I’ve seen from you, I’m impressed.”

“This isn’t the first statue you’ve seen that was done by me” said Roman.

“It isn’t?” I asked. Maria giggled.

“Remember when you toured Hope’s Peak?” said Roman.

“Yeah.”

“You know that statue outside of the founder?”

“Yeah.”

“That was all me.”

“Uh-huh… Wait, WHAT?! That was ALL you?”

“Yeah. Got a problem?”

“No, it’s just, I’m impressed. I didn’t expect that statue to have been done by one person.”

Maria chuckled again. “Roman does all sorts of statues all over town” she said. “But that statue of the founder was sort of his test to get into Hope’s Peak.”

“A test?” I asked.

“Yeah” said Roman. “Before me, they had someone else lined up to be the Ultimate Sculptor. However, I was found instead and asked to make a statue of the founder to prove myself.”

“That statue was pretty big” I said. “How long did it take you?”

“About a week” said Roman.

“A week?” I said in shock. “That seems almost impossible.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you let passion guide you” said Roman. “I had to work hard because Maria was already accepted.”

“I see” I said. I guess he’d do anything for her.

“Well, I’m off” said Roman. “I think I’ll just hang around with some other people before dinner. You’ll come and join me, won’t you sweetheart?”

“Of course” said Maria. Roman left the art room to mingle with some of the other students.

“So, you were accepted first?” I asked.

“Well, yes” said Maria. “My story is a lot like Roman’s actually. They found someone else to be the Ultimate Tapestry Artist, but a recruiter found me and I showed him my latest piece. He was so taken in by it that he recruited me on the spot. I was a bit nervous at first.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I was excited to be selected, but also worried about Roman. He hadn’t been selected yet. I talked to the recruiter about it, and he said he was looking into it. Still, when I told Roman all of this, you know what he said?”

“What?”

“He just congratulated me for getting in. He didn’t seem worried about getting selected at all. He was just happy for me.”

“I’d be happy for you too. You worked real hard, and it is finally paying off. Well, it was until all this happened.”

“Hm. I guess. Still, I owe a lot to Roman. He’s the one that keeps pushing me forward.”

“I bet he feels the same.”

“I think so too” she said. “You know, I think I’ll put my project on hold and mingle with Roman tonight.”

“Oh? What are you working on?”

“I’m working on turning that photo Monobird took of us into a tapestry. It’s going to take some doing, but I think I can manage it by tomorrow or the next day.”

“You both work expediently, don’t you?”

“Roman much more than I, but I like working as fast as I can. It gives me a chance to create more work later.”

“Well you have a good time mingling then” I said.

“Thanks” she replied. “Oh, by the way, nice game. Roman and I loved it”

“Oh, uh, thanks” I said. Maria left. I decided to just sit down for a while until I got hungry. Between the game, and what happened with Tammy, I was a bit exhausted.

When I got hungry, I went into the dinning area. When I got there, I saw Roman, Maria, Rachel, Sophie, Tammy, Cassy, Troy, and Jay all sitting down to eat. I was glad to see Tammy was well enough to eat, but I could still tell she was upset. I went into the kitchen, made myself a sandwich, grabbed an apple, and got some milk. I then sat down close to them.

“Oh hey” said Roman. “Welcome.”

“Thank you” I said. I began eating my sandwich. I looked over at Tammy. She was eating, but just barely. I was worried, but I didn’t want to say anything in fear of making things worse. I think everyone was feeling like that, because no one at the table was talking much.

“Hey” said Tammy. Our attention turned toward her as she broke the silence. “That was a great basketball game you guys had out there.”

“Oh. Thank you, good madame” said Troy.

“What was your favorite part?” asked Sophie.

“I have two” said Tammy. “One from each team. From the guys team, I liked it when Troy blocked a shot, passed the ball to Jay, who ran up the court, and then passed it to Justin who despite being surrounded, passed it back to Buck for a three-pointer. From the girls team, I liked it when Elliot stole the ball, passed it to may, who drove through everyone, and then passed it to Sophie, who shot it up and the Rachel came in for the dunk.”

“Well, thank you” said Jay. “I’ll be sure to tell Buck that when I see him next.”

“I will tell May and Elliot the same when I see them as well” said Rachel.

“You seem to like teamwork” I said.

“*sniff* Yeah” said Tammy. “I like it when people come together. It’s like a well-oiled machine.”

We spent the rest of dinner talking about highlights from the basketball game. After dinner, Sophie, Cassy, and I walked Tammy to her room. She opened the door, and she and Sophie walked in.

“How is she doing?” I asked.

“Better” said Cassy. “It was really rough when we found her in her room earlier. She didn’t want to talk to us for a good while. We finally managed to get her to open up a bit. She was crying really hard. After Sophie reassured her that everything was OK she said she wanted to go eat, so we came down to eat. I was surprised she was willing to talk at all during dinner.”

“Well, the conversation turned out pleasant” I said. “I liked hearing what she had to say about the game. You don’t really get to hear about sports from a technician’s perspective too often.”

“True” said Cassy. “I hope things will be better tomorrow.”

Sophie walked out of Tammy’s room. “She’s sleeping” she said.

Just then, Monokuma made an announcement. “Hello students. It is now night time. Night time rules are in effect. Please get a good night’s rest. You need your strength for killing. Sweet dreams.”

“Well, I should go to bed as well” I said. “I’m exhausted.”

“Good night” said Sophie.

“Good night” said Cassy.

I went to my room and thought about today. Today was a long day, but it was also pretty fun. I could feel us becoming closer. I smiled, laid my head down, and fell asleep.

#Danganronpa Away #danganronpa #danganronpa fanfiction #justin #Troy #Buck #Roman #Pierce #Andy #Jay #Duke #Cassy #Sophie #Elliot #May #Rachel #Maria #Tammy #Annabelle #monokuma #Monobird

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majestrosgh · 7 years ago

Text

Flow Red, River Gambia

"O Conspiracy, shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, when evils are most free? O, then by day where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough to mask thy monstrous visage?"

- Brutus, in Julius Caesar.

7:30 pm. January 20, 2017. Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Momodou had been a bus driver in Boston for close to twenty years, and had recently started driving for Uber in the late nights. The bus company paid him quite well, so he didn't really need the Uber gig. But the truth was, he liked the late-night drives because they gave him time and space to clear his head. His quiet nights were often punctuated by drunken college students who needed a ride home after partying, which made Friday nights as lucrative as they were loud. But every once in a while, he'd pick up a writer or a tourist or a nurse; someone who could hold a meaningful, sober conversation. He liked those passengers because they saw him as a human being rather than a faceless chauffeur. It's not that he had no one to talk to at home; his wife and four children would be happy to hear him ramble about his military escapades from his days in Bakau. But for some reason, he never felt comfortable talking about the Gambia with them. When he did feel the urge to reminisce out loud, he preferred to talk with his passenger-friends for the thirty-odd minutes that their Uber ride lasted. He found it easier to trust people he knew he wouldn't see again. That's how it had been since 1994.

The phone beeped and he saw a young man peering at him through the window. "Hi, I’m the one who called an Uber. Are you Momodou?"

"That's me. You mentioned my name very well — are you also from Africa?"

"Ghana! I'm just in town for a conference though. I'll be spending the night at 44 Dunross Street. Wish I could give you better directions, but it's my first time here."

Momodou smiled, feeling that he had found a fleeting friend for the night.

"I have been to Ghana once, Accra is a very nice city. But not nearly as nice as Bakau or Banjul! And don't worry, I know these roads like the back of my hand."

7:44 pm. January 20, 2017. Cambridge, Massachusetts.

" -- l'ancien président du pays --- El Hadj Yahya Jammeh, s'est récemment rendu en exil --après avoir regné la Gambie pour 22 ans ---- cela met fin aux tensions politiques entre lui et --- Adama Barrow après les élections du mois dernier --- on raconte que Jammeh a volé au moins 11,4 millions dollars et plusieurs voitures de luxe en sortant--- "

Momodou changed the channel in frustration. Only then did he notice that he had been clenching the steering wheel, with deep furrows in his brow and tears of anger welling up in the corner of his eyes.

"I’m not used to the Gambian French accent, but I think the radio presenter said that Yahya Jammeh has finally stepped down. Your country is finally free," the young Ghanaian in the backseat said, breaking the awkward silence that the radio had left.

"Stepped down? No. Escaped. After everything he has taken from us, Captain Jammeh should be escorted into a prison cell, not a private jet. You are Ghanaian; your people always talk about ‘freedom and justice’. What is freedom without justice?”

“It’s half a loaf," the Ghanaian replied. "A glass half full. Enough to save a person from starvation and thirst. Maybe this new administration can bring justice to everyone who suffered under Yahya Jammeh. Maybe they can change everything.”

Momodou smiled, “You are an idealist, I see. You remind me of an old friend of mine.”

10:01 pm. August 19, 1994. Bakau, the Gambia

Momodou opened a second bottle of beer and joined Boubacar and Faal at the open-air bar near the beach. Drinking was frowned upon in that part of town, but they were young soldiers and nobody dared cross them. The trio leaned in closer to the staticky radio on the table, tweaking the antenna and slapping the side repeatedly as if that would somehow make it sound clearer. The low roar of crashing waves made hearing even harder; but at least the breeze was cool and it carried a pleasant whiff of brine.

Everybody at the bar was talking about the 'bloodless coup' from a month ago, and those who had radios strained to hear the news. To the children playing in the sand, the coup d'état was just a foggy memory of their parents not going to work for a few days. To the adult civilians in the bar, the coup was much needed jolt of electricity to a country that had languished for thirty years under the bookish coward, Dawda Jawara, and his cronies. To Momodou and his brothers-in-arms, the coup was the most dangerous decision they had ever made. And they were starting to believe that it was also the worst.

The three musketeers, as Momodou, Boubacar and Faal were called in the army, had been enthralled by Yahya Jammeh's bravura and his talk of “setting the country straight”. They had joined him in the revolt against Dawda Jawara with little hesitation. Luckily, they hadn't needed to fire a single bullet in the process, because Jawara had caved in and fled like a frightened dog. But the musketeers knew that had Jawara put up any resistance, Jammeh and his mutineers would have been ready for a bloodbath. Now styling themselves as the 'AFPRC', Jammeh and his faction were working on solidifying their control over the nation. In the beginning, the musketeers had tagged along, gleefully forcing all of Jawara's corrupt ministers into house arrest. But soon, the AFPRC's blacklist started to include innocent people — journalists, professors and even fellow soldiers — that Jammeh suspected were trying to undermine his government. Momodou had heard the horror stories of Uganda and Zaïre, and he was dismayed to think that he had helped to create another dictator right here at home.

"My brothers," Boubacar whispered, "How can we let that foolish 30-year-old soldier become a god in this land? We who used to eat the same food with him in the mess hall? We have to do something about Jammeh and his goons before they win over the whole country!"

Faal laughed nervously. “Boubacar the ever-passionate! You talk as if you weren’t the first one to follow Captain Jammeh! Anyway, what can we do? Only Jammeh’s inner circle knows what he is up to. No one can trace him, and it's impossible to stage two coups d’état in a row!”

“The Nigerian did that. I think Sani Abacha is his name,” Momodou said, opening his third beer, “The same thing happened in Ghana, with Flight Lt. J.J. Ronson. I hear Ghana even wants to do an election now.”

“Well we won't have such luxuries if Jammeh has his way,” Boubacar said, suddenly very serious. “Look, this thing I am about to tell you…I am trusting with my life. Sadibou Hydara, one of Captain Jammeh’s advisers, has started gathering a few boys to take down the fool. Even the Captain's own inner circle can see that he has been stricken by madness! If we succeed…if we can kill this snake before he turns into Idi Amin or Samuel Doe or that madman in Zaïre…we can change everything. We can finally fix this country up."

Momodou paused before adding, “That’s what all military regimes say.”

“Momodou, you are deeper than a griot!” Faal quipped, trying to lighten the mood “It seems this beer is giving all of us fanciful ideas, but I like it! This calls for a toast. Any enemies?" He raised his bottle for the special army greeting that the three of them had made up during the last war.

“The coast is clear!” they cheered, clinking bottles one last time. Momodou noticed Faal’s bottle was still full.

5:11 am. November 2, 1994. Abuko, the Gambia.

“Brother Momodou, where are the guns? How can you be called a musketeer without a gun?”

Momodou ignored the over-eager teenager and continued peering through one of the storehouse windows. He was stationed on a ledge near the highest window in the building, and had been monitoring the town for any suspicious movement.

The teenager, nicknamed P.T. or ‘petit tirailleur’, was the latest member of Sadibou Hydara’s small rebel faction. They were a motley crew of about twenty who were now cooped up in the Old Abuko Grenier, an abandoned grain mill in the outskirts of Serrekunda. The millhouse smelled of dank moss and fermenting grain. Except for the few rays of eoan light filtering through the high window where Momodou was stationed, the place was completely dark. It was the perfect hiding place. Today, the rebels were disguised as farm hands and trying to avoid the attention of the Abuko townsfolk while they focused on the day's mission. Since Sadibou Hydara himself could not risk being seen with them, he had been providing them with with intel, funding and matériel from afar. Today, he was sending them a special present.

According to the plan, a truck was supposed to arrive at the mill at 5:45 am and the rebels would then offload the shipment of grain that Sadibou Hydara had imported from Mali. Of course, there was already enough grain in Abuko to feed the town; the incoming boxes were actually filled with assault rifles, hand grenades, ammunition and other military gear. Once the rebels had everything they needed, they would wait for an official government vehicle (commandeered by one of Sadibou Hydara's allies), drive straight down the highway into Banjul and storm the AFPRC headquarters. After they got rid of Captain Jammeh and his henchmen, Sadibou Hydara would immediately lay the groundwork for a transition to democracy. This was a noble coup, Momodou convinced himself. The good kind of coup…

“Hey P.T.! Foolish boy! Remember, we are using the guns to scare the AFPRC swine, not to kill them!” Boubacar chided in his abrasive but cheery tone. He was the de facto leader of the rebellion, since Sadibou Hydara was only guiding them from the shadows. Boubacar's deep sense of conviction had kept all of them motivated over the course of the harrowing coup planning process. P.T. and young boys had joined the movement for the thrill; they really couldn't care less about politics. Momodou was doing it because he didn't want the Gambia to end up in the ash heap of history. But for Boubacar, this rebellion was what he was born to do.

"The trucks are here!"

Over the horizon, two elongated dust clouds were making their way towards the millhouse. Momodou calculated how many guns that the two trucks would be bringing them. He had sat in on the logistics meeting and he remembered that all the guns were supposed to fit on one truck. Perhaps Faal, who was in charge of smuggling the boxes in from Mali, had gotten a good deal on the weapons. Sincerely, Momodou hoped they wouldn’t have to use them — this was a coup, not a war. But he knew in his heart of hearts that Jammeh wouldn’t go down without a bitter fight.

Boubacar rallied the young rebels, now dressed as farmers, to go out and receive the first truck. Faal had parked further away than they expected, so the boys had to file back and forth with the boxes like worker ants. Momodou stayed on his perch in the storehouse and kept an eye on the waking villagers to make sure no one came near the truck to investigate. It was worrisome enough that the second truck was a few minutes late; it was probably manned by some Bambara mercenaries that Faal had coaxed along the way.

Momodou and Boubacar inspected the crates, and noticed that the two boxes which had been specially marked for bullets were filled with millet, fonio and other grains. Boubacar yanked open the last crate and tallied the weapons. "So we have 20 AK-47s and two boxes of grist! P.T., make sure you bring spoons and forks with us to Banjul; maybe Sadibou Hydara wants us to feed the AFPRC fools until they burst!" The young boys erupted with laughter. Momodou chuckled to himself, noticing how Faal's sense of humor had rubbed off on Boubacar. Wait...where was Faal? He climbed back up to his vantage point near the high window to see whether Faal had stayed in the truck. That's when he saw the second one rolling in. It didn't look like a cargo truck; it had at least a dozen passengers in the back. Passengers who were wearing AFPRC uniforms, arming their rifles and pointing them towards the millhouse...

“EVERYBODY GET DOWN!!!”

The first spray of bullets burst through the wooden doors of the Old Abuko Grenier, and the boys standing guard collapsed in pools of blood. The AFPRC soldiers stormed the building, shooting down the rebels before they had time to react. Momodou had never shrunk from a battle in his life, but for the first time ever he was completely petrified by fear and disbelief. Outside, the villagers had been thrown into a frenzy by the sound of gunfire. Momodou turned his gaze back down to the floor of the millhouse, realizing that the soldiers hadn't noticed he was up there. He remained frozen as they tied up the remaining rebels and kicked them around on the ground.

A tall, stern-looking soldier swaggered casually into the millhouse, his bandolier jangling menacingly. "So you monkeys are the ones Sadibou chose to betray our great country? Ah ah, I could have finished you off myself!” He knocked P.T. down with the butt of his gun and placed his heavy boot on the terrified boy's throat. "Now tell me where to find Boubacar Cissoko and Momodou Hassoum, or I will break your neck."

"I am here, Commandant. I am the one you want. Leave the boy alone," Boubacar said, emerging from the darkness.

"Boubacar Boubacar Boubacar," the Captain smirked. "To think one of Captain Jammeh's own musketeers would turn against him. Did Sadibou Hydara promise to make you president once your little scheme was over? In that case, let me show you how to kill a president!" He put the barrel of his gun between Boubacar's eyes. "Do you have any final words, President Cissoko?"

With sweat pouring down his face, Boubacar said to P.T. "...Can you see it?"

"Yessir," PT whimpered from underneath the Commandant's foot.

"Is it empty?"

P.T. nodded feebly.

Boubacar smiled and raised his voice slightly "Then the coast is clear, Brother."

Suddenly realizing what was going on, Momodou leapt through the window in a spray of shattering glass. He landed roughly and ran like a maniac towards the second truck, which P.T. had just confirmed was unoccupied. He heard shouting and gunshots as the remaining rebels wrestled with the AFPRC soldiers to prevent them from getting a clear shot at him. With a few bullets whizzing by his ears, he dove into the truck, slammed the accelerator and drove like he had never driven before. Veins bulging, head pounding and lungs aching, Momodou charged down the dust road, with the frightened Abuko townspeople scurrying out of his way. It was worse than any nightmare he had ever had, and even if he managed to escape from Abuko, he would never be able to escape this moment. He knew full well that every single rebel would be killed; and they would have died because of him. He drove faster and faster, trying to get far away from the madness and carnage. He would never go back to military life, he swore. He would leave this godforsaken country and never look back.

Several miles away, he parked to catch his breath, sweat still pouring out of his body, teeth still chattering. Far ahead of him, he caught a glimpse of the first truck disappearing over the horizon.

8:08 pm. January 20, 2017. Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“Look out man!!”

Momodou slammed the brakes, frightening the life out of a gaggle of college students who were crossing the road. He was breathing raspily and tears were streaming down his face. The Ghanaian passenger, realizing he had just prevented a bad accident, was equally shaken. He regained his composure first "Well, the upside is, this is 44 Dunross Street. It's been a quite a wild ride, Momodou, in more ways than one. I'll be sleeping on a couch for the next few nights, but I think you should go to your real home. To the Gambia. Your body may be driving an Uber here in Boston, but it seems your spirit still yearns for Bakau. Which, by the way, is not nicer than Accra."

Momodou sat quietly, staring vacantly into the night.

"Well...have a good night man, and don't stress yourself out!" the Ghanaian called out as he dragged his suitcase away and disappeared from view.

"Sleep well, Boubacar," Momodou whispered. "The coast is finally clear."

#creative writing #historical fiction #the gambia

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