[#spoiler=Part 1]
After their previous murder attempt, the killer lurking among the players had stayed quiet. Everyone remained healthily paranoid and mostly stayed in groups for safety. That would soon change.
Most of the players were hanging out at the bar. Caitlin was drinking far too much, as usual. Korrigan, who was manning the bar, slid one last drink over to her. "No more for today. I've been lenient until now, but I worry someone with murderous intentions might find you an easy target."
"Suit yerself," Caitlin replied with a shrug, before casting
Gwlad Hud (Wonderland) on the bottle and its contents. It grew larger, and she took an awkward sip from the oversized rim. Korrigan sighed in defeat.
"Huh, why didn't I think of that?" Faye said in mild surprise. "Would have made sourcing whiskey for Jack easier."
Just then, Monokuma dropped down from a hatch in the ceiling. He took a look around at the gathered players, grinning more menacingly than usual.
[Monokuma dark theme:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpkl30bTHhw]"Good, most of you are here already. One moment," he said, waddling over to the body discovery alarm and giving it a whack. A few minutes later, the remaining players had all gathered in a panic, before finding that it was another false alarm. "Upupupupu... Now you're all here. It's time to play... the Rat Race! Yaaaaaaaaay!"
He threw up one arm in cheer, but was met only by stares of bewilderment and suspicion. He cocked his head curiously, not having expected that reaction. "You know, the Rat Race? I've been hard at work setting this up for you guys! Is this... are you bullying me?"
"We have no idea what this 'race' is," Hawk replied coldly.
"Ugh, seriously? I have to explain it
again? I don't get paid enough for this... Okay, well, I'll explain the rules properly in a moment, but in short, it's a game you'll all be playing in this Monokuly facility! Run around the board, complete challenges, win money and avoid bankruptcy! That's it in a nutshell."
[You don't need to memorise the following specifics. A summary of the relevant details will be provided later; the rest won't be important.]
[#spoiler=Rate Race Rules]
"Every one of you starts with a generous loan of
M1000 (one thousand monobucks) in your accounts. Of course, now you gotta pay interest on that loan, at a rate of
M10 every 12 seconds. In other words, your starting
M1000 lasts you 20 minutes. The aim of the game is to earn more money by completing challenges and minigames I've set up around the facility! Money you earn is kept on your person. You gotta deposit it into your account if you wanna avoid going bankrupt!"
A large metal arch suddenly dropped down from the ceiling around the entrance to the Free Drinks space as Monokuma explained this. "When you walk through that scanner, some of the money you're carrying will get automatically deposited into your account."
"Uh... why the bar, of all places?" Ige asked.
"Look, I'll be straight with you here. Free Parking? What even is that? No-one even knows what the space is supposed to be for! I figured I may as well do something with it," Monokuma explained. "Now, put these on, everyone!" A space in the floor opened up, and a table rose out of it, carrying a collection of metal bracelets. They were uniquely tagged to each player. Everyone found theirs, though they didn't all put them on immediately, rightly feeling suspicious about the whole thing.
"Those bracelets store your 'cash on hand'. You'll see they're all currently at
M0. Scan your bracelet at a Challenge Station to initiate one of a number of challenges. Win the challenge and you earn money! But... it's also possible to
lose money if you're not careful. Upupupu! Some challenges have a buy-in, some involve gambling, a few penalise you if you lose. You'll see what I mean when you try them! Oh, and my favourite: some challenges are PvP! A head-to-head fight, where the winner takes money from the loser! You'll also earn a free
M200 when you pass GO.
"There's Challenge Stations all throughout the facility. Most of them can only be played by one person at a time, so the rest of you'll have to move on and find your own challenge to try. Those Rat spaces on the board have special Challenge Stations with even higher payouts! Competition for control over them will be very fierce, so watch out! There's also bonus challenges you'll get notified of on your bracelets from time-to-time. They'll direct you to a specific Challenge Station somewhere on the board, with a high-payout challenge just for you waiting to be attempted!
"Once you're done completing challenges around the board, you'll end up back here. As I said, some of the money on your bracelet will be automatically deposited into your account, staving off bankruptcy for a little longer. Once it's deposited, the money is safe! You can't lose it to any challenges. However! Your accounts can only hold
M1000 at most. If you have more than that, you'll only deposit enough to reach
M1000, and the rest will stay in your bracelet until you make another loop back around to here."
[/spoiler]
There was silent for a few moments as the players processed the rules. Then Nico asked the question on everyone's minds: "So... what happens if someone runs out of money in their account?"
"You go bankrupt!"
"But what happens if we do?"
Monokuma grinned. "Don't go bankrupt. You won't like what happens. The aim of the game is to avoid bankruptcy! The Rat Race ends once 2 hours have passed, or earlier if one of you does go bankrupt. Any more questions?"
No-one had anything else to ask. Monokuma continued, "One last thing: familiars are banned during the game. I like to keep things old school, what can I say? They'll be dismissed until the game is over. I'll give you... eh, 10 minutes to prepare, and then the game will begin!"
After hearing the rules, it was clear the bracelets were necessary to avoid 'bankruptcy', so everyone put theirs on. They fiddled with them a bit to get used to the controls and features. Xhuli frowned as she checked hers, and spoke up. "Excuse me! You got my name wrong. I left Yugi behind in outer space."
Calvin also chimed in. "Same here, ya varmint. This some kind of a joke?"
"Oh, whoops! That data's from when you all first signed the Contract with Aardok," Monokuma explained. "It pulled those names straight from your souls. Zofra sent it over to me a while back, so it's outdated."
"Don't you go beating the Devil around the stump. I go by 'Calvin' now."
"I can fix it, jeez! Come here, both of you. Anyone else?" He paused, but no-one else seemed to have an issue with their bracelet. "Alright then... Kazambo!" He suddenly whipped out a magic wand and tapped the two problem bracelets, which shone briefly before updating.
"What happened to 'no magic'?" Hella asked dryly.
"I was in a hurry!" Monokuma roared. "The Rat Race starts soon. If you've got time for snide remarks, you've got time to plan! Now get to it!"
[/spoiler]
[#spoiler=Part 2]
The players discussed among themselves. Without seeing the challenges in advance, there wasn't a whole lot they could do to prepare. There was however one strategy that was dividing opinions: whether to pair up or go solo.
"L-look, I'm all for safety in numbers," Ige was saying. "But 20 minutes is a really short period of time! It takes... maybe 10 minutes to get around the board already, with all those airlock doors."
"Add to that the time it will likely take to complete challenges. We may only barely have enough time as-is," Faye agreed.
"But if we work together, we can complete challenges faster!" Mikoto insisted. "Just as ants forming bridges, together we thrive!"
"I r-really don't want to be s-stuck on my own," Yves said meekly. "Sure only one player can complete a challenge at a time, but... like Mikoto said, maybe we can complete them twice as fast!"
"Yer all barkin' at a knot if you think this is a good idea," Calvin opined. "I'm sticking it out by myself."
"Actually, you won't leave my side for the entirety of this ridiculous game," Hawk objected. "Not with that gun at play. Too much of a risk, even if it's too obvious a murder weapon."
"Wha-" Calvin was taken aback, and stayed silent in thought for a few moments. "...Tarnation. Fine, partner. I can set with that."
"So, um, what do you say? Want to pair up too?" Felix asked Nico. However, Nico seemed hesitant.
"I'd like that, but... I really don't think pairing up is a good idea," he said quietly. "Like Ige said, the time limit's too restrictive."
"T-true..." Felix agreed, though he looked a little dejected. "Maybe there's some co-op challenges, though! We could work together on those at least."
"Yeah! We can stay a few rooms apart, and meet up if we find anything like that," Nico said, brightening up.
"So... anyone else up for partnering with me?" Hella spoke up. "I'm running out of options here."
"I'd be happy to," Korrigan volunteered. "I'm not sure whether solo or co-op is best, so I'm comfortable with either."
"Sure. Thanks, then," Hella replied with a slight smile.
In the end, there were three pairs: Yves and Mikoto, Calvin and Hawk, and Hella and Korrigan. Ige, Nico, Faye, Caitlin, Xhuli and Felix would stay by themselves.
Now that everything was sorted, the players talked for a little longer, and then the Rat Race began at 14:00 sharp. Monokuma set it up so their individual timers were staggered, with pairs sharing a start time, so that they would leave the Bar at different times and spread out around the board. Over the next 10 minutes, the players all headed out to search for Challenges, unaware of what was to come.
[/spoiler]
[#spoiler=Part 3]
Time passed as everyone played the Rat Race. People moved about the board, often overtaking each other when one stopped to complete a challenge. Challenges were generally meaner than Monokuma had implied, and tensions were high as people struggled to avoid bankruptcy.
A little before 15:06, Felix heard shouting ahead of him as he passed through the West Rat Room. He entered the Workshop to find it a complete wreck, with Caitlin and Faye at each other's throats, both wielding tools as weapons.
"I thought I could trust you!" Faye yelled, uncharacteristically angry.
"I messed up, okay? It's jus' one challenge!" Caitlin shot back, face red from exertion and anger.
"It's more than that! You
Betrayed me, literally! I thought we were past this... I really thought you'd select 'Ally'!"
"I... I jus' thought you were the kinda girl that'd be logical and pick 'Betray' for safety! I was
tryin' to put myself in your shoes!"
"Is that really what you think of me?" Faye shouted, before swinging her hammer at Caitlin. Caitlin swung her own wrench in response, trying to bat the weapon away.
Before either weapon could make contact, Felix slipped between them and grabbed both in his hands, before swiftly disarming the two girls. He set the tools down on a nearby workbench and eyed the pair nervously. "Okay, um, I-I know you're both pretty worked up about this, but... we have more important things to worry about right now! We're all on the clock."
Caitlin flicked up her bracelet to check the total, before cursing. Without another word, she ran for the door so she could deposit what money she had at the Bar. Felix turned to Faye. "Come on, we should go too."
"...Yeah. Right," Faye responded, scowling. She and Felix headed after Caitlin, and the game continued.
[/spoiler]
[#spoiler=Part 4]
Some time after the altercation in the Workshop, another incident occurred. People started to congregate in the Just Visiting corridor around the Jail. Stuck inside, calling for help, was Xhuli.
"I stopped to check my bracelet in the Go To Jail room," she explained hurriedly. "Someone snuck up behind me, and pushed me down the chute! You've got to help me! I'm going to go bankrupt if I stay in here!"
The gathered players glanced around at each other, wondering what to do. They tried opening the door, but to no avail. Xhuli began to grow desperate as her timer ran down. Faye cast
Gwlad Hud on the bars, trying to shrink them, but the Jail was impervious to magic. Xhuli drew closer, clutching the bars so tightly that they creaked, pleading for her release. She may have remade herself, but she was still Yugi in many ways, like a familiar actor playing a new character. No-one wanted to find out what happened to her if she ran out of money.
"How much time you got left?" Calvin asked urgently, stepping forward.
"Not long!" Xhuli replied, showing the display on her bracelet to emphasize the point. Calvin nodded grimly.
"Everyone, stand back! Gonna try something," he called out, making some space around the cell door. He levelled his revolver at the lock, before firing a few rounds at it. This seemed to have no effect. "Dang it! I ain't gonna throw up the sponge. Hang in there, Xhuli!" He cast his eyes around the room, before spotting the metal chairs lined up nearby. He grabbed one and cast
Metel (Metal) on it, shaping it into a crowbar. This he inserted in between the door and its housing, trying to wrench it open.
"Oh, give that here!" Xhuli snapped, grabbing the crowbar through the gaps in the bars and trying to force the door open herself. Her magic-enhanced muscles strained, and the lock resisted with all its might, but only one could win and ultimately it was the lock that threw in the towel. The door slammed open and Xhuli barrelled out, heading straight for the door to the next room.
[/spoiler]
[#spoiler=Part 5]
[Theme:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=grKfOY02Puo]Xhuli waited impatiently as the airlock processed her, sweating more and more and constantly checking her bracelet. There was no way she could make it in time.
She charged through the Gym and made it to the next door, repeatedly slamming the button to open it while cursing up a storm. Once she made it inside and began opening the secondary door, her money ran out.
The lights in the facility suddenly all dimmed to a harsh red. Monitors popped up on the walls in every room, all displaying camera footage of Xhuli as she ran through the West Rat Room. The players, unable to look away, watched as snakelike mechanical arms burst out of walls and tried to grab her, but she skilfully evaded them all and reached the door to the Workshop, opening it up and ducking inside as a giant arm flew overhead and smashed into the wall nearby.
There was a brief respite inside the airlock, and then the door opened and Xhuli resumed her sprint, now so close to her goal. However, another arm shot up from the ground in front of her, barring her passage. As she turned to try and get around it, additional robot arms surrounded her and succeeded in pinning her in. She searched for a way out, but there was no escaping what was to come. One final arm, wielding an oversized administrative stamp, positioned itself above her. It then slammed downwards with a sickening crunch, red blood splattering the other arms around it.
There was a horrified silence for a few moments. Then the surrounding arms pulled away, and the stamp was lifted off the ground. All that remained of Xhuli was blood and gore, stamped into large, bordered text reading BANKRUPT.
[/spoiler]
[#spoiler=Part 6]
The lights returned to normal, and the monitors switched off, taking the image of Xhuli's death away. Monokuma spoke up through speakers all around the facility. "And that's a wrap! The Rat Race is now over! Thank you all for playing; good game everyone! Ahahahahahahaha!"
By 15:35, everyone still alive had gathered in the Jail area, shrouded by an uncomfortable silence. It was one thing for someone to be killed, but watching it happen and being powerless to stop it was even worse. No-one could find the words to say.
Eventually, Yves broke the silence with a nervous yelp. "W-wait... where's Ige?"
The players looked around them. Ige wasn't present. Another cold sensation washed over them all, and they quickly set about doing a lap of the board to try and find him, searching each room as they went.
When they reached the Workshop, everyone skirted around the blood-red BANKRUPT stamped onto the floor, trying not to look. It was here that someone found something, when they checked the only cabinet in the room.
[/spoiler]
[#spoiler=Part 7]
[Theme:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hn3gBV-nYc]Slumped against the back, black eyes weeping a black liquid, was Ige. His veins bulged unpleasantly, the same black as his eyes. He was dead.
[/spoiler]