Melo

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

Krista had been glad to see Zach accept her offer to do a duet, the violinist’s mind spinning from the pieces they could perform together. As a musician, Krista had always appreciated playing with other people. She had always believed that playing together with somebody was so much better than performing solo. Plus: had anyone even heard a kazoo and a violin together before? How interesting!

Finally crossing the threshold into the music plaza, Krista began looking for the instrument eagerly.

Cyrus left the dining hall soon thereafter. He was in two minds right now. On one hand he had enjoyed a nice breakfast, on the other he had to suffer through Bliss’s lecture. The worst thing about it was that he had agreed with her. The politician’s mood was noticeably miffed. He sighed. Where was he to go now? The politician honestly wasn’t sure. He was off his game. He needed distraction. Something else. Something to take his mind off things other than just try to relax and sulking.

As he entered the hallway, the corner of his eye caught the music plaza, and the infinites that had found themselves a nice spot. But that reminded him, wasn’t there something they hadn’t done yet? Something they had left unchecked? Maybe it was time to change that now. Why not? It wasn’t like Cyrus wanted to do anything else. He just had to convince the right person to join him. With some feigned enthusiasm, he approached the music plaza and tapped the infinite violinist on the shoulder. ”Hey, got some time?”

No luck… Maybe they were in the other corner? “If I were kazoo, where would I like to be kept…?” The violinist murmured to herself, thinking aloud. She swung on her heels to face the person tapping her shoulder, giving a bright smile to Cyrus as she realised who it was. “Oh! Good morning! I’ll always have time for friends! What’ do you need?” She chirped.

”In a good mood, I see.” Cyrus smiled back at Krista, her joy was somewhat infectious. Perhaps that was just what he needed. For a moment, he thought he should just let the topic rest. That bringing this up wasn’t going to do things much good. However, Cyrus said it anyway. ”I was thinking we haven’t checked out the morgue yet.” He said, keeping his voice down so Zach wouldn’t be able to overhear. He knew that Krista didn’t really want it known. ”Perhaps we ought to, now? There could still be something useful in there.” He had his doubts still on what a morgue could offer. But if a crematorium could be turned into a forge, maybe there was hope.

Krista’s smile widened at the returned smile from the politician. It was always such a good feeling to make a friend smile. Her smile almost faltered at the mention of the morgue, her responsibilities catching up the the blonde like a freight train hitting her at full speed. She looked between the politician and archer carefully, keeping an eye on Zach so he would not know about the handbook. Maybe the kazoo can wait a little longer…
The violinist nodded reluctantly, before flashing Cyrus another smile. She turned to fully face Zach next. “I’ll be Bach soon! I just remembered I have an errand to run!” With a quick, vague explanation, Krista ushered Cyrus out so they could be on their not so merry way to the morgue.

The morgue was not very far away, but the two infinites took their time treading down towards the narrow dead-end corridor. At the end of the hall was the door to Nariko's room, and it looked just as depressed as the robot herself. The fluorescent lights closest to the door flickered on and off, and there seemed to be some water damage to the walls the further in they went. The white paint was peeling, and where the walls had entirely failed, one could see a concrete barrier behind them. The door to the morgue was very wide and was as tall as the wall itself. The door showed signs of excessive use but was quite durable in construction. Among all that was worn and ruined was a key card reader in perfect condition. It was positioned directly over a puddle. This appeared to be the only way to gain access to the morgue.

A shiver ran down Cyrus’s spine as they approached. Something about that room didn’t feel right. Then again, it was supposed to be a room with dead bodies. He wondered if Nariko was in there right now. Why would she be? Why would Nariko be in her room for anything besides ‘sleep’? Cyrus also had to note the decay of this place; it was definitely not how the real Axis mundi looked. Either this place had fallen into disrepair during their short sleep, or this was a recreation that had actually looked very realistic until now. ”Are you sure you want to go in there?” Cyrus asked Krista curiously. Honestly, he wouldn’t blame her if she decided to run off instead.

Krista shook her head, rubbing her elbows uncomfortably as she stared at the doorway. Finally, the blonde shook her head. “I’m… scared we’ll see the bodies of our friends…” She laughed uncomfortably. Was that really something she had to worry about at a time like this? “I- I mean, I’ll still go in b-but…” There was a reason why Krista put off checking out the morgue for so long. She swallowed before giving Cyrus a look. “Are you fine with this? I don’t want to be of any treble by keeping you here if you’d prefer to go elsewhere.” She gave the politician the opportunity to leave.

Cyrus rose a brow. ”I believe I was the one asking you to accompany me. Why would I back out now?” He reminded her. But he agreed. ”I’d rather not see our dead friends, if we can at all help it. But I feel we are obliged to check the place anyway.” He sighed, gracing her with a similar opportunity. ”Are you really sure? You could just stay outside. I’ll check. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“The worst? Dead bodies could rise up from the dead… or… worse. We see nobody inside!” Krista pressed her fingers against her cheeks before finally letting out a sigh. There was no point scaring herself like this too much. Cyrus was here. Everything was going to be okay. “Alright, let me just...” She used the handbook to open the door, closing her eyes tightly to avoid looking inside as the door opened.

After the handbook was used, the door started to creep open. It groaned like an old giant waking up in the morning. For every second they waited, the door opened another inch. It was difficult to see inside. The difference in temperature and humidity caused the morgue to belch out white mist. But when it cleared, Nariko was standing in the doorway, surprising the two infinites with her presence.

“K-Krista?” The robot was shaking. “Why are you trying to enter without me? Did I do something wrong?” She looked down at the floor. “Is it because I went to see Aleecia? I'm sorry.”

Nariko’s voice echoing down the hall almost made the trembling violinist scream. Were they really not allowed to check out the room without Nariko? “N-no! It’s not that! You did nothing wrong!” Krista opened her eyes to look at Nariko, looking panicked as if she’d been caught doing something wrong. “I- I just thought I could see if there’s anything in here before you’d ask for your handbook back to give to Aleecia! I’m sorry if we did something wrong!”

Cyrus was just as surprised as Krista to see Nariko here, but he managed to somewhat keep his cool. “It’s not polite to spook people like that, Nariko!” The politician called out on a berating tone. He leered at the robot. He had honestly hoped they could’ve snuck in there without her, but that seemed out of the question now. Of all the sisters, Nariko really made his skin crawl the most. “Anyhow, can we go in?”

Nariko became increasingly flustered with Cyrus scolding her. “I-It wasn't intentional!” Nariko was on the verge of tears. “What must I do to right these wrongs?” She sniffled. “I-I can make it up to you Krista. But only you.” She looked at Cyrus. “You have to stay out here. I'm sorry.” She closed her eyes with a click. “B-but maybe Willow can keep you company? She wanted to talk to you and-”

“The queen is here!” Willow's voice called out from the end of the corridor. Her horse galloped towards Cyrus, but slowed as she approached. “We have much to discuss, Cyrus.” She looked at the scepter he gave her. “All about my exploits, and yours.”

Between Nariko and Willow, Krista was not sure whether she felt entirely comfortable going into the morgue without Cyrus’s support. But Krista was sure that Nariko would not let Cyrus in, even if Krista asked so she turned to Cyrus. “Thank you for joining me this far at least, I’ll try my hardest not to miss anything!” She gave Cyrus a quick close-eyed smile before turning to face Nariko, giving her a smaller smile and gesturing towards the morgue. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help her fellow infinites by turning down this offer. What if there was an escape route inside? “Let’s go in!”

Cyrus really didn’t want to see Willow here. In addition, Nariko’s behaviour only fed his suspicions. Something fishy was going on in that morgue. What were they trying to do? Were they going to supply Krista with another of those inane motives? “Are you sure?“ Cyrus asked the violinist. However, the girl seemed to have made up her mind. Honestly, the carnage sisters were probably not going to let him in either way. “Fine, but I’m staying right here, in case you need me.”

“Thank you, I really appreciate it…!” Cyrus received another closed eye smile, this time much more genuine. She sighed with relief as she waited for Nariko to give her permission inside.

Inside the morgue, Nariko accepted Krista by taking her by the hand. The robot's hand was cold but warmed quickly in her palm. “T-thank you. I really don't deserve your trust. After trying to cure you, running over to see Aleecia.” She sighed. “A-anyway, I gave you my handbook because I had something here for you, and only you.” The robot walked across the floor. The room was fairly unremarkable. The walls were covered in filing cabinet like doors, and there was a table in the centre of the room for autopsies. Other than the low temperature, there wasn't anything else that could really be seen. “Here.” She grabbed one of the filing cabinets like draws and pulled it open. There was a blanket thrown over something. It wasn't a body, the blanket was laying over something a lot thinner than that. “G-go on, take a look.”

Krista shakily held onto Nariko’s hand tightly as the robot guided the violinist towards the object inside the drawer. The lack of bodies in the morgue helped soothe her nerves ever so slightly, but it was not over yet. “What is this?” She let go of Nariko’s hand to pull up the blanket. Part of her was worried that it was the note she had left with Aleecia in hopes to get help from the outside, but the shape of the object within looked too different...

“Aren't you just adorable Cyrus! The vagrant king concerned about his subjects! Marvelous!” Willow placed her cannon and scepter in her lap so that she could lean on them with both elbows. “But pray tell, did you like my gift? I don't think my father will soon forgive my brash behavior.”

Cyrus was visibly annoyed by the robot, but he indulged her nonetheless. “Such is the way of a leader. Not to mention, I was curious.” He then looked at the robot visibly unsure as she uttered her next statement. “Gift? I have received no gift.” No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t remember receiving anything from Willow.

“You most certainly did!” Willow said with her ever smug expression. Not that she had much of a choice what her face did. “I created those motive notes with the help of my sisters. Without them, an entirely different set of people would have died. Aren't you happy that you got to execute Erin Steele? With my father's original plan, you might have even been the one to die.” She giggled. “This was a VERY good gift.”

When the blanket fell to the floor, Krista was able to see what was lying out inside the drawer. As she had hoped, it was not a body. It was an outfit. A black blouse with short sleeves, a red plaid skirt, knee-high laced boots complete with a tie; all of these items looked familiar. She remembered seeing them recently. But Krista wasn't able to recall exactly where she saw these items, not right away. But what Krista hadn't noticed was that Nariko had dropped onto her hands and knees. Behind the table out of sight was a shackle and chain, which Nariko now had in her hand. The blanket hadn't even come to rest before the carnage sister latched the shackle around Krista's ankle, causing it to lock into place. Unlike the exterior of the morgue, the shackle and chain were in like new condition. Because the other end of the chain was anchored into the floor very securely, Krista wouldn't be leaving the morgue without a key or a hacksaw. Nariko remained on the ground, not looking at anything.

Willow's eyes shot up into the air. “Oh, I guess she did it.” The door to the morgue was closing. With less than four inches of clearance, it would be impossible for a human to fit inside the small opening.

The shackle locked around Krista’s ankle, alerting the violinist of Nariko’s action. She had been so distracted by trying to identify the outfit that she had no time to notice or react to the carnage sister locking her in place. She tried kicking her foot out of the shackle before crouching so she could tug the end of the chain out with a panicked look on her face. “Nariko! What are you doing?! Let me go!” Krista cried out, demanding Nariko desperately whilst tugging on the chain. “Cyrus! HELP!” She screamed as the door to the morgue was closing, her chance to escape disappearing every second.

Cyrus didn’t even get the time to respond to Willow. The woman’s shriek for help spurred the politician into action. As he looked around, he saw the door was almost closed. Without hesitation, he rushed to the morgue. With force, he tried to yank the door open. However, the door wouldn’t budge an inch. Without the notebook, it was hopeless. Cyrus then looked through the small opening to see Krista in chains, with the carnage sister looming over her possessively. “What the hell is going on?” Cyrus screamed angrily. “Let her go, you goddamn pathetic piece of rust!”

Nariko slowly tipped her head back. “When Aleecia left this killing game, I was distraught. I considered permanently destroying myself. Withdrawing from this forsaken place once and for all. ” She cupped her hands around Krista's leg. “Aleece was my pillar in this place. She was so broken, just like me. But that was when I started to notice you.” The robot released Krista's leg before rising to her feet. “Everything you do brings you misery. Everyone you befriend, every plan you hatch, everything you do brings you despair.” Nariko cupped her hands on either side of Krista's face. “And you look just like her. Well, close anyway. You're both blonde, but you're a bit too short. But I can see the absence of hope in your eyes. I could make you... Just like her.” Nariko giggled. It sounded nervous. The sorrowful carnage sister turned around and walked towards the opening in the door. Her glass eyes locked with Cyrus. “Krista and Aleecia, I want them both. You will deliver Aleecia to me before carnage night ends, or I'll make sure Krista and I die together.”

It didn't suffice to say that Cyrus was astonished, he shook visibly with anger. “What the- No way this can be possible.” Cyrus thought for a bit. And he hoped he had a way out. “Monokuma! Come here! Your daughter is harming a patient!” he shouted, hoping to summon the good doctor and get this over with. There was no way he'd let Krista in the hands of that monster.

“What's this?” Monokuma came flying out of the ground. “Is someone breaking the rules?” The bear growled.

“F-father!” Willow's eyes darted all over. “Of course not! These vagrants are perfectly capable of inflicting harm on each other! Why would we even need to help them?”

“Girls...” Monokuma extended his claws. “Explain the situation in as few words as possible. I'm not exactly happy about having my motive hijacked.”

Willow pointed inside the Morgue. “We have not inflicted any harm on the patient! Nariko simply closed a clamp around her leg when she entered her room.”

“Hmmm.” Monokuma turned to face Cyrus.“It ticks me off, but it's not a rule violation, is it?”

Cyrus growled audibly. “I don't know, that clamp looks painfully tight!” Cyrus tried. “And your rule does not discriminate physical and mental harm. Think of the trauma this has inflicted on Krista! This is very clearly a rule violation!” Perhaps he was grasping for straws here, but he had to try!

Willow laughed. “Nice try Cyrus, but our handbooks state that we will not intentionally harm a patient. Nariko's intent here was clearly not to harm. And any so-called “mental harm” can be seen as the nurse's mission to cure you of your hope!” She sat upright and brandished her cannon and sword.

Nariko was shaking. “I don't want to hurt Krista. And if you deliver Aleecia to me like I ask, I will keep them safe. I may not deserve the opportunity to be with them, but you lot have proven time and time again... that you are the real monsters.”

“This takes the honey out of the honeysuckles.” Monokuma groaned and started to walk away. ”Alright girls, you win this one.” He gestured for Cyrus to follow him.

“But Nariko!” Krista cried out, her hand tightly wrapped around the chain. Her hands were tired and beginning to ache from the strain she was putting on them. “I- I still have hope in others! It hurts every time my trust backfires but… I know that not everybody can be bad!” It was a desperate attempt to talk some sense into the despairing carnage sister. “Look at Cyrus! He wanted to help me! Doesn’t that mean he’s good too? He wants to keep us safe, just like you want to keep me and Aleecia safe!”

“I may be undeserving of your trust, but I know you can’t trust him. Look at how angry he gets over the stupidest things!” Nariko was practically whimpering. “There isn't a single person here who wouldn't kill for something. How many times are you going to place your trust with people who don't deserve it?” Her eyes closed with a click. “And don’t think I’m oblivious to the irony. You trusted me too, so I must be just as bad as everyone else.”

Monokuma had already left the small corridor and was now at the mouth of it leaning in. “Yoo-hoo, loverboy, I'm waiiiitiiiiing!”

“God damnit.” Cyrus exclaimed before furiously stomping into the direction of Monokuma. “This isn’t over! I’m coming back for you, Krista!” He shouted before making his way to the stairs towards the first floor.

Killgood wasn’t too happy that Cyrus had chosen to just walk past him. “Hey! You drag me out here, and then leave when ‘I’ want to talk to you?!”

He kicked open the door to the post for no reason but to vent his anger, then turned on the intercom to make an announcement.

“Everyone, this is Cyrus. I want to meet everyone in the dining hall within fifteen minutes. This is an emergency. I repeat: This is an emergency, meet in the dining hall.” He hoped that message was clear enough to penetrate everybody’s thick skull, then headed off towards his destination.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

Cyrus opened the door to the study. It looked empty, but he knew better. He grabbed a chair from one of the study's desks and slid it over to the ajar vault, right in front of the narrow opening.Cyrus seated himself comfortably next to the vault. He knocked on the vault door twice, and it didn't take long to get a response. His knocks were echoed by a metalic hand. Cyrus peered through the small opening, straight at the sister of carnage. "Well, Hello there, you must be Alice Parker, correct? I'm Cyrus Brandon, the infinite politician." Cyrus put up a façade of politeness, but he was less than amused to see another one of these things in the game. And to make things worse, this one just had to be a little weirder than the rest. Alice Parker, one hell of an enigma. Cyrus couldn't fathom why this thing existed, but he was going to find out one way or another.

”Hello Cyrus.” The single red eye of the carnage sister seemed to blink into existence, or at least opened up. There was enough light coming through that the politician could make out some of the robot's head. Her construction looked a lot more rugged than the other carnage sisters. Also, because Cyrus was a bit more knowledgeable about the tragedy, he could tell she wasn't modeled after Junko. Her curtained black hair was more like Junko's sister Mukuro. ”You survived the trial, I'm happy.” She placed a hand on the edge of the door. ”Who was the blackened, if I may ask?”

The blackened?" Cyrus repeated. "The blackened was Erin Steele... you knew him as Shaun Ellen." Cyrus explained. "The wallet you found was also his. It was... very incriminating. I guess we, as a group, do owe you thanks for giving it to us."

”Ohhhhh” The eye looked at the floor. ”That is a shame. I had wanted to talk to him more. But I suppose it can't be helped, he died for a good cause.”

He observed the new carnage sister, and was intrigued by the observation that she seemed to be modeled after Junko's twin sister. He could only wonder why. However, he wasn't here to ponder that right now. Instead, he didn't hesitate to go immediatetely to questioning. "So, Miss Parker. If I am not mistaken. I was told that this vault opens more every time a blackened is executed? That's... a very odd condition for release. Why did Davis lock you up like that?" Before Parker got a chance to answer, he added something to his question. "And, well, what do you intend to do if you actually get out?

”I do not know why the door functions like that, only that it does.” she laughed like a wraith. ”As for what I'm going to do once the door opens, do you even have to ask? I'm going to end the infinite killing game.”

Cyrus wanted to respond to that. How? Why? But before he could do any of that, he was distracted by the sound of the study's door suddenly opening behind him.

There was a groan coming from the doorway. “Ewww, this place is so creepy. Totally something you’d like, bestie~” The ventriloquist peered from the doorway of the library and towards the politician. “Hnnnnng, the hottie is here too~ My day just got infinitely better~” Elias giggled without a care in the world while Braden approached the vault, somewhat hesitantly.

Next to Braden, an audible facepalm can be heard from Alice, as she turned to Elias with her usual unamused look. "Ya think?" The recon sarcastically asked the puppet, before turning to Cyrus. "Suprised to see you here, Mr. Brandon. Curiosity got the best of you?"

"Caution." Cyrus responded. "Unlike some fools, who just accept the existence of every aberration and move on with their business. I'd actually like to know what we're dealing with." His response was fierce, but he had little regard for how the infinite recon had handled Alice Parker's existence. How could someone with her credentials forego a proper threat assessment? This he would never understand. Perhaps someone in the infinity initiative had been sleeping when they scouted her. He greeted the ventriloquist with a silent gesture, not entirely sure how to respond to him and his puppets. At the very least he was putting up a good performance."So, you were saying..." He turned back to the carnage sister. "When this door opens, how exactly will you end this killing game?"

”I'm actually not sure.” The robot seemed to stand up. It's single glowing eye was high above everyone's head. ”I suppose I'm going to destroy everything. That might mean killing every patient, it might mean destroying all my sisters...”The robot pressed it's head against the opening. ”But once I step outside this vault, everything will end. The infinite killing game will start to end.”

Letting Elias gawk at the politician with heart eyes, Braden used Erica to question the newest carnage sister. “Wait, you gonna kill us as well? So we either die to another patient, or by a tin can? God this game is stupid, and whoever created you is stupid too!” The puppet harrumphed, her arms crossing against her chest before falling limp once more.

“Why can’t you just rip open this door anyway? Don’t you useless scraps of metal have that super strength bullshit to rip open the door?” Erica later asked.

"Too heavy perhaps, but that's not important." Alice answered, walking closer to the vault. "I'm giving you a chance, even if Cyrus thinks I shouldn't. So if you end up trying to kill the other patients here, so help me, I'll send you to the hell the lady you were named after went to." The recon explained to Parker, gritting her teeth.

The robot tipped it's head. ”There seems to be a misunderstanding.” Parker whispered before looking at Masson. ”I'm simply stating that I will do everything in my power to shut down what's going on here. I would kill Davis himself if that is what is required. All I know is that the game is over once I am free. That is my role to play.” The robot laughed again. ”But I'm glad you want to survive. Unfortunately I can't feel fear, nor do I feel you are a particularly large threat.” Parker's eye moved onto Braden. ”I'm not sure why you're pretending to be that tiny doll, but I have my own set of rules that prevent me from breaking out of here. Five inches isn't what I need to fit through the door, it's what I need before I am allowed to destroy it. Robots are slaves to the rules, Humans are merely compelled to obey them.” She retreated back into the darkness for a few seconds and then reemerged. The robot pushed a narrow box through the opening, just a little narrower than the two inches provided. ”Thank you for visiting me. This box contains some beta tapes. I saved it for Shaun because he seemed interested in the history of this place. But since he's gone, you can have it.” Parker pulled herself away from the crack and disappeared into the darkness.

Alice sighed as she took the box from Parker and turned to the other two. "I want to trust her, but I also want to keep my word of watching out for others..." The recon then laughed sadly. "Why do I make promises I can't keep? I'm such an idiot."

Erica harumphed again. "There is NO way I'm trusting THAT thing. Carnage sisters are fake, you should never trust fakes."

Cyrus shook his head. His expression less than amused. "I see absolutely no imperative to trust her. As she said, she has no clue how she is going to 'end' this killing game. She is driven by directives unknown to her. You're not trusting her, you're trusting whatever malicious person created her." Cyrus was happy at least Braden - or his puppet - seemed to agree with him. That said, Cyrus couldn't help but stick up his nose at Masson's last statement. "Spoken like my colleagues." He said. "And the reason none of them have my title." He then turned his gaze to the box. "So what are we doing with those? We have no player for them."

"Honestly, I don't know. Maybe we could save these for later?"

Whether or not the recon noticed, Elias seemed to pick up some animosity coming from the politician. It was still hot, but definitely not preferable in this scenario. Were they really trying to show the carnage sister weakness when they were supposed to prove that there was nothing wrong? Braden looked towards the vault with distrust. No matter what Alice said, there was nothing inside him telling him to believe the carnage sister. As far as he was aware: her creator was the reason he was stuck in this place to begin with, and he was not interested in giving his trust away as easily as the violinist liked to.

"I just wanted to tell you about the breakfast down in the dining hall." It was Ellie's call for breakfast that seemed to break the tension. Elias giggled nervously before his head turned between Cyrus and Alice.

"Alright~ Time to feed my wifey~!" The puppet finally turned to Cyrus before beckoning him over towards the door, silently asking for the politician to follow after him before disappearing through the doors.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

---

Following her good meal, Noel decided now was the time for some refreshing exercise. And luckily for her the dojo was just on the other side of the hallway. Still in a good mood from her encounter with Ice, she hummed her way across the short distance. As she opened the sliding door into the japanese-themed training grounds,she was greeted with a most unexpected sight.

After his encounter with Emily, Max started moving towards the dining room, hoping to get a good meal after his workout. Yet while walking the hallways, he noticed that his hip felt rather light. When he looked down to see what was up, a sigh echoed through the empty hallway; max had forgotten his pistol holster in the dojo. It wasn't that he particularly needed it, but leaving it in the dojo would just be rude. luckily, he didn't get very far before realising that he need to go back, so within a few long steps, he was back where he started, in the dojo. When he turned around however, Noel was standing in the doorway.

"Owh, greetings Hawthorne, were you looking for me?"

"Greetings, Fisherman." Noel teased, knowing what his last name meant through her many foreign experiences. "Oh, I am always looking for people. You know, those who are willing to share their deepest, most intimate secrets with me? Alas, I do not think you the type." She winked cheekily. "No, I'm here to resume training. I never got to finish yesterday. I can't let myself get sloppy, now can I? Or even worse: lazy." She chuckled as she closed the door behind her and walked over to the locker she had claimed for herself.

Max gave an oblivious look as Noel played with his last name, since he didn't speak Dutch, the pun went straight over his head. but that look quickly returned to his usual expression, with the addition of a slight chuckle as noel continued to tease Max. and finally, his look flowed into a pleasantly surprised one. he never expected that Noel's reason for coming here was to train, however obvious that might've been. Maybe it was because of her playful attitude, or maybe because he was lacking any kind of training partner, but he found himself drawn towards Noel.

"You know, I am happy to see that at least you take care of your body in case you ever need it in this god-forsaken place. And uh, I am still looking for a training partner, if you'd like." He said as he untied his tie and left it in a corner.
"Owh, and sharing secrets goes both ways."

Noel rose a brow to the cop. "And what makes you think I haven't needed it?" She questioned him. "I have been here for much longer than most of you." She reminded him. Honestly, she had stopped counting the days by this point. Regardless, even though she had met many pleasant people in this place, happy memories were few and far in between. She had to agree, this place was hell.

She opened her locker, pulling out a gi similar to the one she had worn to the trial yesterday. However, this one definitely did not have the smell of sweat accumulated after hours of intense labour. Yes, as strange as it seemed she definitely preferred clean sportswear. "And what makes you think you're fit to be my training partner?" She teased the cop, knowing fully well he possessed substantial martial prowess. She put a finger to her chin and smiled. "Is that what you ask to every girl that walks in here? To engage in intense physical exercise? And to ask for a lady's secrets on top of that. How extraordinarily bold! You're certainly very... forward." It was blatantly written on her face that she was having way too much fun with this.

"Didn't mean to offend miss, I'm just happy that i'm not the only one training." he responded. "But I'll have you know that I didn't acquire my title by devouring donuts and checking camera footage behind a desk all day. And I don't ask anyone, I'm asking you." Despite the common thoughts, even Max could relax and mingle now and then, providing that the situation allowed. And right now, he needed distraction, he needed training, and Noel could provide both.

"I'm assuming you want to put your gi on, so I'll give you minute." He said as he walked towards the exit. "I'll be waiting outside so you can call me whenever you're ready."

"No offense taken." Noel responded, before silently but obviously questioning the cop's next statement with her expression. But it was quite obvious she was just teasing the cop. "Yes, that's one secret I'm not sharing." She said while making shooing motions to the cop.

One minute later Noel called Max back in. The girl didn't exactly look imposing in her outfit. She wasn't a huge bundle of muscle as some famous martial artists of the past, nor was she tall and imposing. The female almost looked more as if she was playing dress-up than a serious martial artist. "So tell me, Maxie Fisherman. How did you deserve your title, besides eating donuts and watching security cameras that is."

Taking a few steps inwards after Noel summonded him, Max was imidiately struck by the phenomenon known as journalism. While their interaction up to this point had been mostly shits and giggles, he knew that Noel's talent would surface sooner rather then later. Whenever the press bombarded him with question during investigations and the like, Max would usually ignore them and continue his job, but since Noel was his training partner today, he might as well make it worthwile for her.

"Believe it or not, I'm not actually some kind of superhero cop who has contained a thousand criminals, and stopped homicides, genocides, and terrorist attacks all on my own. you see, us cops, we work together. Alone we might stop a thief, but united, we can stop an entire gang, you feel invincible." he removed his jacket and threw it next to his tie in the corner before continuing. "While my partner was unfit for physical duty, he was a master of intel, and through his instructions, I was able to contain a thousand criminals, prevent homicides, genocides, and terrorist attacks, but never on my own. Honestly, he deserves my title much more than me."

"Thats interesting and all, but you're kind of avoiding my question, aren't you?" Noel smirked as she started her warm-up exercises. Simple stretches, mostly.
"So why, of all the cops who work together and feel so invincible when they do their crime stopping... why did little big Maxie get the title? I mean, I've helped your corps with investigations before. Why didn't I get it?" She smirked. "C'mon, sweetheart. I know you can do better than that. Don't take me for your third-grade papparazzi or you'll lose in me in more ways than just a training bout." As she stretched her arms to touch her toe, she turned her head to the cop and stuck out her tongue mischievously.

"Alright then, you want to know how I enforce justice. I'm bold, I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty, I don't step back, and I don't hesitate." As he said that, he took on a battle stance in front of her. "But maybe it's easier to show you."

"See, it's not that hard to get to the point." She teased.
"Strange though, I swore you said this would be an exchange, yet I'm the only one doing the questioning... not that I mind, mind you." She said as she got into a fighting stance of her own. Hers was clearly defensive, anticipating his move. "So consider this your chance. Ask away."

"Don't mind if I do." He said as he engaged with a simple high kick with barely any force behind it to test her skill. "So where'd you learn mixed martial arts? It's not an ability commonly associated with journalism."

"The army." She answered plainly as she ducked under his kick and delivered a solid kick to his stationary leg, immediately trying to upset his balance.
"Don't mistake me for some measly tabloid writer, Max. I have seen and reported on disasters no police crew could handle on their own. I've been on the front of today's greatest wars. It pays off to be prepared." She said fiercely. Then she returned his verbal offensive with her own question."So what drove you to policedom? Child's ambition? Parents killed by the maffia?" As for combat, the reporter stayed on the defensive, almost provoking another attack of her training partner.

Max didn't expect Noel to swipe his leg from under him, but he was still able to turn the tumble into a dodge roll. With a smile he got up, knowing that he didn't have to hold back agains't her.

"I grew up in a neighbourhood filled with violence, but not violence by some gang or wasted thug. The police were corrupt. looking a cop in the eyes was enough to get you arrested, I couldn't stand it. By joining them, I was able to put a stop to the abuse, and a start to my career. " Noticing Noel's stance, Max decided to oblige and moved in with a double palm strike with his right arm, and while Noel was distracted with dodging those, he used his left arm to elbow strike her. "But I must say, I'm impressed, it must take considerable dedication to be on the front lines while simultaniously recording everything you see. So what was it that drove you?"

"Some story, not as exciting as the cliché maybe, but an interesting truth." She responded as she dodged the palm thrust with a sidestep. Preoccupied, she was a little too late to dodge the elbow strike. She managed to block it with her arm, but she'd feel that next morning. However, that move left the cop straight open as she grabbed hold of the arm he had just struck with, and attempted to put him into a nasty armlock.
"I lost... many things in the tragedy. In england, entire villages were wiped out. And now not even records of their existence remain...I'm the only living memory of my family." She said solemnly. "Someone needs to observe these tragedies. I am not strong enough to stop them, but I can at least let those who can live on in history." She quickly changed the topic with a question. "So, how did one sole cop stop the corruption likely seeped into the upper echelons of his organisation? That's not the feat of some everyday blue hat."

As Noel grabbed Max and put him in an armlock, Max did nothing to resist. But after the arms were locked, Max was somehow able to lift Noel up in the air, and he was intent on throwing her over his shoulder.

"Reality is rarely as exciting as the cliché. But it was indeed not easy to remove the corruption single handedly. To have a chance, I had to become what I despised in order to even get close to them. It still bothers me, but I was determined to see it through. Once I raised through the ranks, I started recruiting honest and fair members, and together with them, we eventually overthrew the corruption. The upper echelons are not clean yet, but every year, we get closer to it. You know, we could use someone like you, I bet you'd be amazing at snuffing out the rats hidden amongst us." a sense of determination oozed from Max as he spoke those words.

It was strange, this lock was supposed to keep his arm from moving completely. Had Max managed to alter it somehow? Unfortunately, the female was definitely light enough for the cop to lift. However, she was also much more flexible. With a swift movement her back curled, and her legs went upward. Within a second, Max would find it difficult to breathe as the reporter had her legs around his throat. "I'd be much obliged to help. A strong police force is good for all of us. But right now you're just telling me your succes stories. Certainly you must've failed somewhere as well." She'd await his response, once he was able to breathe again.

Max did not expect Noel to use his move against him. For someone asking about everyone else's secrets, she was sure full of surprises. this was quite a pickly he was in, if he wanted to get out of the strangle, he'd need to actually harm Noel, but hurting your training partner, a lady on top of that, would just be rude. So he instead gave up and surrendered, giving a slight cough after noel eventually released him.

"You're just full of questions aren't you?" Max jokingly stated. "If you come back tomorrow, you might find out."

Noel could only pout in response to that, even though the surrender made her a little happy.
"You tease!" She responded on a tone that was clearly annoyed. Patience was not Noel's strong suit. "Is this how the infinite cop keeps the girls coming back? I thought someone with your good looks didn't need to resort to tricks like that." She teased. "But alright, have it your way." She said dissapontedly.

"Now, now, If I give you everything now, there'd be nothing left for me to keep you, and I'd like to keep training with you." He was grabbing his shirt when he smelled his armpits. "Oef, and I need a shower anyway. I'll see you tomorrow then, same time, same place."

The reporter responded with a curt smile and a nod. "Till then."

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

Noel’s eyes sparkled as if a dream had come true. Even if their lives were at stake and people were getting emotional, there was something magical about this situation. Noel didn’t just see chaos; there was something more. Something magical. The revelation of secrets, the turmoil of emotions getting to the point of drama. This was true news worthy of journalism. Noel gleefully recorded the situation with her camera, ensuring she got everything she wanted eternally captured on photographs. This was a feast for the news-hungry masses… if she ever managed to get out of here.

Still, she wasn’t completely neglectful of everyone that got swallowed into the chaos. In fact, quite the opposite. After the initial revelations of both Ice and Erin, she quickly changed. She seemed more… vindictive. Her eyes honed in on the trickster viciously. ”Alright, time to stop being a bystander. I can’t have you bully my friends, Erin Steele.“ She sneered at him. ”I think you forget, you ass, that we don’t need to fully prove your crime at all. We just have to be convinced enough to vote for you. And you think anyone will believe anything you say after you’ve shown your true colours? Well, I got news for you, Erin Steele, the infinite trickster!“

”Newsflash, you’re wrong! “

She grinned viciously. ”Act tough while you can, trickster. Very cool, taunting everyone when we can’t touch you. We both know the only thing waiting for you after this trial is death. In other words…“ Noel flailed around gleefully. ”EXTRA EXTRA, BREAKING NEWS: The infinite trickster is totally, completely, utterly boned. Spread the word! Erin Steele’s bloody execution awaits! Broadcast live from the trial of carnage!“ Her former gleeful mood and her later vindictive mood seemed to have melded into one. It was a strange sight to say the least. Apparently Noel didn’t feel anything but joy towards the infinite trickster’s imminent execution. ”Oh, and if you by some goddarn miracle aren’t the kiler. I’ll totally help Ice kill you during the night of carnage, just so you know. ” She giggled like a child.

Cyrus didn’t feel bad about being wrong concerning the wallet. Ice had completely found Alice Parker by coincidence. However, the reason he had kept it secret interested him greatly. Cyrus quietly watched the scene unfold. He felt sorry for Ice as he told his story. He had heard of such mafias before, which were able to gain a much more solid stage after the calamity. He had developed policies to keep them at bay, but his work was never done in a day. He hoped to crush gangs like that in due time, so stories like these would never have to be told again. Yes, he’d have to get out. He wondered, would Ice find it troublesome is Cyrus tried to crush both mafias once he got out? That would make for an interesting debate.

The revelation of Shaun just saddened him. He had tried to defend him from circumstantial evidence, but the contents of the wallet were truly damning. Unlike Krista, his defense wasn’t built upon a foundation of emotion. He flipped the switch. He felt the anger boil up inside him, but Noel’s words rang true. The trickster may be taunting and angering all of them, but he was naught more than a lamb headed for the slaughter. A tiny dog, all bark and no bite. An ugly creature.

”A few arrows aren’t going to bail you out of this crime, Erin.” Cyrus said gravely. ”With this revelation, you have just invalidated your own testimony. We can not trust your account of when you were to meet Marianne. Furthermore, she had your motive note.“ He pointed out. ”The fact that you tried to hide your identity by discarding your wallet tells it all. Marianne had your note, and thus knew of your existence. She had to die.“ He stared coldly at the trickster. Cyrus had no mercy for bastards like him.

”And because your account is unreliable, Marianne could’ve easily been killed prior to your meeting with Ice, the monokuma file says as much. You have thus lost your alibi. You can’t hide behind Krista anymore. Your guilt is guaranteed.“ His stare was arrogant, haughty. He looked upon the trickster as a lesser being, barely worth his attention. ”The way you killed Marianne was cruel, gruesome. You truly have feel no sadness for what you have done, do you? In that case, I will feel no remorse as you are executed in such fashion.“

Cyrus shouted out loud. That Ice may calm down. ”Taunt us all you like, trickster. Show us what a sore loser you are!“

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

@Spriggs27 i agree tbh, though we have some other characters with talents or feats they achieved on somehow silly low ages. Let's just wait for broken's call on it

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

The sound of breaking glass sent a chill through the air. A soft laughter resounded through the court.

”Your logic is a joke,you bone-headed assclown!”

From across the courtroom, a seething Cyrus stared Jezebel. His glasses were in pieces on the courtroom floor, his hair upright as if he had received a shock. Obviously he had enough of this back-and-forth between her and Krista. ”Do you think this trial is a joke? Do you think this is fucking funny? If so, perhaps you should look for another occupation, you tool!” He spat. ”Have they ever told you that assumptions make an ass out of you and me? Well here they make you DEAD. DEAD TEN TIMES OVER, YOU DIMWITTED FOOL. Got that? Now stop protecting your cuckoid boy toy and listen, perhaps you’ll learn something of listening to your betters.” He grinned like the devil.

”So, now that I’ve gotten your meagre attention-span. Good job, you proved the possibility Shaun could’ve knocked himself out, congratulations.” He clapped mockingly. ”Of course, you have no proof this is actually the case. And anybody who knew Shaun and Marianne were meeting in his room could’ve devised to steal his handbook. Same logic as you used with the buzzer, feels bad, huh? Would be nice if everyone just knew EVERYTHING AROUND HERE. However, we actually know Shaun and Marianne discussed this in public UNLIKE YOUR STUPID BUZZER, oops. Very convenient that you left that out.” He snarled, not giving her any room to respond to his words yet.

”So, remember what I told you about assumptions? Just checking it’s still in that peabrain of yours. Because honestly, must I remind you this is the SECOND SECRET WE KNOW OF THAT THE CARNAGE SISTERS TOLD US IN LESS THAN A WEEK!?” He laughed out loud. ”First these rustbuckets tell us there’s a traitor amongst us, then they tell us about a fifth piece of trash. And you expect us to just ASSUME they didn’t tell anyone else? That’s not obvious, THAT’S SHIT!” At least Jezebel had gotten to tell them this was indeed the case, right? Yet, Cyrus wouldn’t let her flawed logic prevail.

”Now, this is my favorite part of your retort.” He parroted Jezebel. ”The part that shows your logic is as ugly as the face you’re hiding under all that facepaint. You try so hard to show us Shaun could’ve done everything. Yet your deluded mind doesn’t even register that Krista JUST TOLD YOU SHE WAS WITH HIM THOSE TWENTY MINUTES. Let me remind you of the part of the recording you oh so conveniently skipped over.”

“But then a few minutes ago, a man came in here. He seemed on edge, but wanted to know if I had seen anything. I just told him about the wallet before handing it to him. He thanked me and walked off.” Parker paused again.

@Majoras End

Cyrus cackled like a madman.Yes, he could’ve murdered her before that, whatever. How was he supposed to get the wallet when Krista was by her side constantly? This happened SHORTLY before the investigation begun. So it couldn’t have been Shaun. Yet, if he was the murderer, the person who really found the wallet could’ve just spoken up, BECAUSE THEY ARE INNOCENT! DID YOU GET ALL THAT, YOU JOKE OF A JESTER?”

When Cyrus was done laughing, he decided to add a little insult to injury. ”I know you’re desperate for Zach’s arrow in your bullseye, but your pathetic attempt at protecting him will just kill us all. So for your own sake, I suggest you stop, because your head contains more air than the balloon animals you make.” With a last smug look on his face, the anger seemed to recede.

”…right.“ Cyrus said, obviously rather embarrassed as he grabbed a new pair of glasses that he conveniently had in his pocket. ”Luckily for us, this conversation actually did provide us with something useful.“ He looked at Jez again. ”We had no idea a voice-changing device like that existed within Axis Mundi. Now, recall what we were told. The carnage sisters told nobody but Alice Masson about Alice parker. And we know she first appeared to Shaun. As such, the only two people who knew about Alice Parker were Shaun and Alice. “ He said, though this was fairly obvious. ”Shaun was with krista, so he couldn’t have gotten the wallet. And because of this voice changer, we know voice is unreliable as a method of evidence. As such, it could’ve only been YOU…“

He pointed his finger incriminatingly with a confident smile.

Alice Masson, the infinite recon.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

”A new carnage sister? Well isn’t that a news story!“ Noel said excitedly. ”I haven’t been in any killing game with more or less than four carnage sisters.“ She recalled the other killing games she had been in. All killing games had four carnage sisters, and all of them had names that could vaguely to traced to match a famous conqueror of the past. That said, the name ‘Alice Parker’ was of course far removed from this standard formula.

Noel’s face turned bleak at the thought. ”Wait, free her? “ The reporter shrieked. ”You’re saying the murders allow for a fifth carnage sister to join the carnage? Oh hell no.“ She let out a whimper to further signify her extreme displeasure. Four carnage sister were enough trouble. Why did Shaun and Alice talk so casually about a fifth monster trying to break out of these vaults?! Did they have any idea how dangerous these robots were?

Noel thought about the situation for a second. ”It wouldn’t make sense for someone to discard their wallet, only to retrieve it later just before the trial, right?“ Noel mused. ”Either you’d keep it on you all the times, or you’d keep it hidden. So are the people who discarded and found it two different people?“ She paused, giving it more thought. ”That would mean two people would know about this vault opening…“ She had a hard time picturing that. But if there were two people involved with this wallet , that meant one of them wasn’t the murderer!

Noel decided it was worth a try. ”So, did someone here do either of those things?“ She asked. ”Did anyone here either toss away the wallet, or find it?“ It was a long shot, but if someone spoke up, maybe she’d have the scoop for this case!

Cyrus shook his head. ”I have a wallet, but I have had it on me since I arrived here.“ He took it out of his pocket for everyone to see.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

”I’m afraid I can’t let that slide, max.“ The voice of the politician echoed through the courtroom. He looked straight at the cop, his face surprisingly calm. ”I agree that the notes we are missing seem to be Shaun and Zachary indeed. However, we can not establish anything from a gut feeling. “ He shook his head in disappointment. They would not find a correct conclusion based on baseless accusations.

"But first of all, we should get everyone to agree on which note belongs to who. With that, he began to list his ideas.

ICE (OPEN)
They use a bow almost every day, but they are not an archer.
"Ice's note likely refers to Krista. As a bow is used to play a violin."

BRADEN (OPEN)
They have half as many eyes as a spider.
"Braden's note likely refers to me. Since I am the only person with glasses."

NOEL (OPEN)
They won't stop writing, despite all the fighting.
"Noel's note refers to Daimyon's, because of the rhyme."

KRISTA
They still miss their phone.
"Krista's note is very aspecific, but I recall Mary complaining about missing her phone."

CALVIN (OPEN)
They don't need an umbrella.
"I think Calvin's note refers to Bliss, because she wears these very large hats."

ALICE (OPEN)
They see the world through a camera's eye.
"I can't see Alice's note belonging to anyone but Noel"

FELIX
Their flesh is a bit dark.
"Felix's note must refer to the late Marianne."

CYRUS
They're like a cat in more ways than one.
"My note must refer to Felix and his feline names."

DAIMYON
They are the closest thing to a detective.
"A cop of the closest thing to a detective, so Daimyon's note must be for Max."

MARY
They see half as much as everyone else.
"Mary's note refers to Alice's eyepatch."

MAX
This dude looks like a lady.
"Max's note... well I think this one is very obviously Caora."

CAORA
Their nose isn't really THAT long.
"I believe Caora's note refers to the long protrusion on Mercy's mask."

BLISS
They hide behind a mask, though not a conventional one.
"This one is a little vague, but I believe it to be Jezebel's face paint."

MERCY
Is a voice for their non-living friends.
"Mercy's note must refer to Braden's puppets."

ZACHARY
If they give too much, they could die.
"Zachary's note refers to Ice's blood donation talent."

JEZEBEL
They wear an apron, but are useless in a kitchen.
"This must refer to a blacksmith's apron, so it's Calvin."

After explaining his thoughts on who the notes belonged to, he continued with his other beliefs on the notes. ”The notes are important. That much I am sure of. I think it is important to establish why, as well. Perhaps the true former infinite trickster would come forward willingly if he knew the importance. “

Cyrus started his explanation: ”In this case there are three notes of importance: the note received by the killer, the note received by Shaun, and the note received by Marianne. The notes displayed on the jumbotron show who is currently in possession of the note, not who received it.“ He clarified. ”Everyone here had a note to show. This means that the lost note was one of those three. After all, only the killer had access to all three notes. The killer could’ve also taken the note of Shaun or Marianne to show here. “ He paused for a few seconds. ”This means the killer destroyed the other note, which means it was probably extremely incriminating evidence. Knowing whose note that was may therefore be pivotal to the case. And we would know, the moment the former infinite trickter comes forward.“

He smirked. ”Of course, should this infinite trickster not come forward, then that is essentially admitting the former infinite trickster is guilty, isn’t it?“

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

Cyrus was pleasantly surprised to see everyone discussing the case diligently. The last case had been a rather huge mess, to say the least. Maybe the memory of how close they had gotten to getting completely wiped out is what drove everyone now to perform their best? Cyrus could at least hope. In any case, the killer would probably not stand a chance if they didn’t sow chaos. Cyrus would keep an eye out for troublemakers.

The thought that the arrows had been used as a club was an interesting one. Cyrus hadn’t known the arrows were hollow. He wondered how Bliss knew this in the first place, but decided not to question it for now. Something else then came to mind as they discussed the likely uses of the items. ”I find it odd she would carry around that buzzer, though. “ He mused. ”Marianne didn’t seem to me like the pranking type, unlike Jez. Wouldn’t she either throw it away, or just put it in her room? “ He looked unsure. ”I know it explains the presence of the buzzer if Marianne had it with her, but that just seems almost too… convenient to be true?” Of course, there was the option that Marianne had plans with that buzzer of her own, but there was nothing to back that up either.

Noel’s interest piqued as Mary addressed Shaun on the possibility that he had something going on with Marianne. She smirked and looked with glee as the poor boy turned red. ”Oh, youth these days.” Noel snickered. She wasn’t sure if the note was Marianne’s true intent, even if it was Shaun’s. Shaun was probably gullible enough to believe it in any case. ”So, Shaun, did anybody else know about your meeting? Was anybody around when you discussed this?” She wondered, returning to the case at hand.

Daimyon’s revelation of Marianne visiting his room was similarly interesting. Of course nothing had happened. Who believed that? Not Noel, that was for sure. But the note was interesting. ”By the way, Shaun. Was that your note?” She questioned. Unlike last case, the killer had seemingly made an attempt to get rid of this motive, making it likely it actually was involved with the case.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

The exchange between Calvin and Alexandria would’ve excited Noel, had they not been in such a precarious situation. However, the ecstasy of their drama was drowned in the tragedy that was Marianne’s death. Noel had reported about many deaths, murders and disasters with countless casualties, but the anguish never changed. And this time it was personal. She was determined to see whoever did this straight to their execution. She shared in Calvin’s anger, though she tried her best not to show it too much. She could only despise the behavior of the dolls, who seemed barely concerned with their predicament. Then again, why would they be?

Cyrus stepped out of the rollercoaster stoically. Much of it was a façade. Honestly, he felt as irritable as the last trial. But he couldn’t let the anger take over again. The trial last time was, by all means, a downright mess. And Cyrus knew his anger had been a sizeable contribution to that. They couldn’t count on the murderer making a giant misstep during the trial a second time. If Cyrus wasn’t the one to lead bringing order to their discussion, who would? There were many good people in their group, he couldn’t let them die. And he, himself, still had too many things to do to die here. He settled himself and focused.

Cyrus nodded in agreement to Ice’s statement. The motives undoubtedly had some connection to the case. However, Cyrus agreed they were better left for later. Casting suspicion on someone with the motives was too likely to create bias. It was better to focus on the facts they were presented with on the crime scene.

Noel smiled at Max’s observations, finding herself in agreement by the lack of a better alternative. It’s likely the buzzer was used, indeed. As for the metal conduit, I think the arrows we found on the floor were used for that? She mused, then turned to Calvin. ”I am quite sure nobody here had the tools or skills to procure those besides you, Calvin. I am not suggesting you are directly involved. However, I think it would be fruitful for you to tell us what you know about them.” She tried to reassure Calvin, knowing how easily he was to anger. She didn’t suspect him (or at least, not yet), but they sorely lacked knowledge right now.

Cyrus picked up the second part of Max’s statement. ”The killer likely wanted to erase evidence using the fire. He paused for a second bringing up his own e-handbook. ”We cannot be sure what was lost to the fire. But we know which items were saved from destruction by the fire suppression system. We have the hospital gown and the motive note. He closed his eyes, thinking for a second. ”Can we conclude something from that?”