Martin stared in shock at what he had just seen. Lizzie, they're friend and fellow ultimate had just fallen to what must have been a brutal death, and an ironic one at that considering that she had done that to Grian The Ultimate Hang Glider. "That was..." Impulse trailed off, "amazingly well done!" Pearl said all of a sudden sounding as if nothing was wrong.
"The utter look on her face as she fell HAHAHAHAHA it's enough to make me cackle" The Ultimate Huntress collapsed in a fit of laughter, "no wonder you're the ultimate huntress" Tango said after she was done, "you're heartless" "what do you mean?" Pearl asked standing up, "no wonder Scott broke up with you, you're insane" Cleo agreed
"He was just confused, it wasn't like I was going to kill him or anything" "no I think Cleo's right on this one" as soon as Martin said that he wanted to take it back at the amount of hatred and hurt in the look Pearl gave him. "Ye has been named wrong for thee ultimate huntress is thy devil" Ren said positioning himself so that Martin was behind him.
"You, you can't be serious right now, right? Right!?" "Normally I would call this a joke but..." Scar looked away from the girl as he said this, not having the heart to see the damage of his words. "Your sick man" Joel said coldly before the gas came back knocking everyone back out.
Instead of waking up in the gym, Martin found himself in his room with Pesky Bird right next to him. "I guess you'll be staying with me" Martin said as the parrot hopped up on his arm. Pesky Bird only squawked in response.
Martin looked over at the clock and realized how late it was. "Jeez we've been in their for a while, it's 10:00 pm already" looks like it was time to go to bed. Unlike last time though his dreams were plagued with nightmares of Lizzie falling, of him being killed instead of Grian, and of everyone else turning into mangled corpses while monocuma laughed to the background.
When Martin woke up the next day he considered not going to breakfast. Lizzie had killed without much hesitation what was to say the others wouldn't do the same. A knock on his door made him jump. "C-coming!" Martin said stumbling as he made his way to the door with Pesky Bird on his shoulder.
"Hello laddie" Ren said as soon as he had opened the door, "hi Ren" "me hand, ye be scared because of thine events that befell upon thy ultimate protector, but hiding isn't what a thine ultimate would do." "Easy for you to say" an edge slipping into Martin's voice, "you know your ultimate talent, what if I'm just a nobody who got caught up in this mess."
Ren gave him a pitying look and put a hand on Martin's shoulder, "don't say that laddie, ye did great things back there, me hand is worthy of thine ultimate title." "But I killed your sister, you should hate me" "thine kings sister made ye choice to slay thine ultimate hang glider, ye only protected the rest of thine ultimates from dying to."
Martin looked to the ground, "he's right y'know" the voice of Scott agreed, "you realized Pesky Bird could help us find the culprit and instead of keeping it to yourself you told everyone." Martin shrugged, "I was just being a decent human being" "it's takes more then being decent to do what you did there." "Major is right laddie" Ren agreed
Tears threatened to made an appearance as Martin looked at the two of them. "I-I don't deserve you" Martin said finally, "I don't deserve most things" was Scott's only answer and Martin just laughed, "I'm guessing I'm not getting an answer as to why you said that."
"Yep" when the three came into the cafeteria Martin noticed everyone but two people were there, "where are Impulse and Etho?" Martin questioned, "oh, Impulse didn't show up yet so we sent Etho to go get him" Scar explained, "oh cool" there was an awkward tension resting between everyone as talk was few and far between.
Martin sat next to Ren and Scar while Scott sat in between Jimmy and Skizz. Eventually Impulse and Etho came back, Impulse looking like he hadn't slept a wink while Etho seemed unfazed by the situation at hand. Then again he was The Ultimate Soldier so it only made sense that death wouldn't affect him that much.
Impulse seated himself in between Martin and Scar looking like he was going to collapse into the bowl of cereal he had gotten for himself. "Uhm... you ok man?" Martin asked, "that was... horrific what happened to Lizzie, I know she killed somebody, someone we knew and loved but..." "it didn't have to be that painful?" Martin finished and Impulse just nodded.
"Thee ultimate protector made thy choice to kill, ye don't have to dwell on thine masterminds choice of punishment." Ren comforted, "I guess so..." Impulse said although he didn't sound at all sure of what Ren was saying. "At least you're not heartless like those two over there" Cleo said gesturing to Pearl and Etho, "says the literal undead woman" Pearl insulted while Etho just shrugged, "I'm used to violence and death like this so I apologize if I come off as cold hearted."
"Hey Skizz, Jimmy can I talk to you two a bit after breakfast?" Scott asked from out of the blue, "of course!" Jimmy said while Skizz gave a thumbs up. "Aww, look at everyone getting along!" Scar smiled, suddenly monocuma appeared from out of nowhere, "why is he here!!??" Joel shouted, "who me? I'm here to tell all of you to go to the gymnasium immediately!" "And what if I say no?" Joel challenged, "then your fate will be worse then what Martin saved you from!"
"Joel don't argue with the stuffed bear" Scott said dryly, "it won't bode well for you in the future" monocuma disappeared after this and everyone got up individually to go see whatever monocuma had planned for them. As they all filtered back in the room Martin couldn't help but notice how tense Ren seemed to be.
Then again it made sense that he'd be like this considering he had watched his own sister die. "Now I didn't get to do this considering how eager Lizzie was to kill, buuuuuut I can do it now!" "Do what now?" Scott asked staring the bear down, "why give you your motive of course!"
A motive. How sick could this bear get. "I have set up traps all around the school on all floors that will kill anyone who sets them off!" "All floors?" Jimmy echoed, "why yes didn't you look on your monopad? I've given you all access to the second floor!"
"Wait I have a question?" Pearl said raising her hand, "go on" "if the school is trapped why has no one died yet?" "Simple! I had them deactivated, but now that you all know about them I'll activate them!" "How is this a motive though?" Etho questioned, "simple! I'll deactivate the traps as soon as someone dies!"
After that monocuma left leaving everyone speechless. "What do we do now?" Jimmy asked, "let me see if the doorway to the gym is trapped" Cleo said walking with confidence, Martin looked over at Scott and saw him freeze up as if he knew something Cleo didn't.
All of a sudden spiked poles shot out from where Cleo was with her ducking in the nick of time. "CLEO!!!" Bdubs shouted trying to run to her but Etho stopped him, "there could still be traps here, we must keep our guard up at all times." "Does this mean I'm stuck here?" Cleo asked, "oh poor little Cleo, if only she could escape without her skin peeling off." Pearl taunted.
"Oh I can't wait to see you end up just like Grian and Lizzie!" Cleo shouted making Impulse flinch. "Ye be best not to listen to thy devil's taunts" Ren said wisely, "at least I'm still alive" Pearl threw a knowing look at Cleo as she said this to which the undead glared at her.
"Let's go explore the rest of the school" Impulse suggested clearly trying to do damage control, "like what we've already explored the majority of it" Scott pointed out, "I was kind of talking about the second floor" "that's rather dangerous don't you think?" "What do you mean?" "There are traps everywhere and we don't even know what the second floor even looks like."
"Well we can't just stay here" Joel pointed out, "c'mon Scott, what's the worst that can happen" Jimmy said, Scott lowered his head effectively hiding his face, "fine..." the group cautiously made their way through the halls carefully watching their steps as they went.
When they got to the stairs that led to the second floor they reached a dilemma. "This might be harder to figure out" Etho said, "but I'm willing to try" "just don't end up like Cleo, Grian, or Lizzie!" Pearl giggled, "quiet devil!" Ren snapped. Etho examined the staircase before grabbing a hunting knife and tossed it on the stairs.
Almost instantly a barbed wire net grabbed the weapon and shot into the air. Etho shrugged before walking up the stairs and gesturing for everyone else to follow him. The group kept exploring until Martin noticed Scott getting a little ahead most likely lost in thought.
"Uhm... Scott?" Martin called out just as a clicking sound started up making everyone freeze. Scott only had time to turn and give everyone a terrified look before a giant crater opened up to swallow Scott whole.
"NOOOO!!!!!" Jimmy screamed diving into the hole along with him, "JIMMY!!!" Tango shouted actually sounding panicked, "nobody move!" Etho ordered, "did they both just die in front of us?" Bdubs asked, "no! I refuse to believe they're dead! Jimmy has wings for gods sake!" Martin said stubbornly.
As soon as he said that Jimmy shot out of the hole with a terrified Scott in his arms. "You're alive!" Impulse cheered, "oh thank goodness" Tango said sinking to the floor. "I nearly had a heart attack back there I'm not gonna lie" Martin chuckled weakly.
Scott was holding onto Jimmy as if he was a life force. Martin had never seen the cyanette so shaken before. "I think that's enough exploring for one day" Mumbo said and everyone nodded. "Want me and Skizz to take you to your dorm?" Jimmy asked and Scott only nodded.
The group went back to the first floor after that, relieved and shaken. "Hey Martin wanna help me find traps?" Joel asked and Martin nodded. The two spent a good hour finding traps and either throwing something at them to activate them or marking them with a piece of duct tape he had in his room.
"Hey Martin" Joel said after marking the tenth trap they found, "yeah?" "I just wanted to apologize for how I treated you" "what do you mean?" "When we first met I immediately assumed you and Ren were some sort of evil duo, and despite that you saved my life and even avenged Grian's death. I don't know I guess I just wish I could be like you."
Martin smiled at the compliment, "I don't really know how to respond to that imma be honest." Joel laughed, "yeah that's understandable, I was being quite sappy" "indeed you were"
Joel waved goodbye and Martin left to go take a nap as he was incredibly exhausted. Just as he was passing Scott's room thought he heard something. "Just because we only met a few days ago doesn't mean you don't deserve kindness" Jimmy's voice said, "but still, you told everyone we talked when that was a bold face lie without knowing wether or not I was the culprit."
Scott's voice was confused as he said this, "and you Skizz, you allowed suspicion to be put on yourself just so more suspicion wouldn't be put on me, why?" "Well, call me stupid for this but I had a feeling you weren't the culprit" Jimmy said honestly, "and I know what it's like being accused of murder while going through some shit" Skizz agreed, "my talent got me accused of murder three times all of which I was going through incredibly traumatic stuff myself. I guess I just didn't want to see anyone else go through the same thing I went through."
"H-how did you know?!" Scott asked now alarmed, "even a blind person can see the amount of trauma Pearl's put you through" "what he said" Jimmy agreed, "I appreciate your concerns but I've protected myself just fine up until now." "Scott it's ok to ask for help" "Jimmy's right Scott, we're always here for you no matter what."
"You people are confusing" Scott muttered which marked the end of Martin's spying. When Martin woke up from his nap it was late in the afternoon. Pesky Bird chirped at him as a sign of greeting. As soon as Martin stepped outside yet another clicking sound went off.
With a scream three black mambas fell onto both him and Pesky Bird. Martin froze, he didn't know much about these snakes except that they were extremely deadly. Thankfully the snakes didn't seem to realize he was right under them.
Unfortunately though both Ren and Scar came running at the sound of his scream. "OOH MY GOD" Scar shrieked as soon as he saw what had happened, the snakes whipped their heads around towards both Scar and Ren and Martin's blood froze.
"HELP, HELP, HELP" Scar shouted making their situation worse. "What's happening?" Joel asked before stumbling back in shock. Martin heard more footsteps. The black mamba's slowly slithered off him and Martin looked up to see that Bdubs, Scott, Jimmy, Skizz, and Etho had joined them.
"Nobody move" Etho said his voice calm as ever before he slowly drew out a sword that looked to be made out of pure diamond and in the blink of an eye slicing each and every one of the snakes heads off.
Martin slowly reached to put Pesky Bird back on his shoulder. "Were you bit?" Etho asked Martin leaning down to face him, "no not that I'm aware of" "we should still take you to the medical bay just to check, Bdubs come with me."
"Alright" Bdubs said shrugging helping both Martin and Etho back up. It turned out that Etho knew a surprising amount of black mamba facts to the point where Bdubs had to smack him on the head to shut up.
"Looks like both you and Pesky Bird made it out of that encounter alive along with everyone else" Etho said nodding in satisfaction. "How'd you set it off?" Bdubs asked, "I don't know! All I did was walk out my room and the next thing I knew that clicking sound that we heard on the second floor before Scott fell was playing in my ears."
"How'd you get in your room then?" Etho asked, "the same way I went out of my room" Martin said, "phuhuhuhuhu" a laugh rang out and suddenly monocuma was there bouncing up and down. "That's because I make new traps every time a trap is set off but no one dies!"
"What?" Martin echoed, "you heard me!" Monocuma giggled, "oh shut up you stupid bear!" Bdubs shouted, letting out one last laugh monocuma left to most likely terrorize another person. "That bear is quite unusual" Etho noted, "for one thing it doesn't act like a normal bear. It also most likely lacks stuffing like we've all assumed." Etho shrugged "I guess I'll have to look more into it."
"Well you do that I'm probably going to sleep in Cleo's room since she's kind of stuck" Martin said, "cool, I'm gonna go bug Scar" Bdubs said waving goodbye. Etho and Martin sat in awkward silence for a bit. "So... you've seen any great movies lately?" Etho asked, "well not really, we're kind of trapped in a killing game y'know."
Etho chuckled, "yeah you have a point" "you don't talk a lot do you?" "I guess you could say it's something I'm not used to" "why's that?" Etho shrugged, "my commander wanted everyone to never speak when he's around, I guess it affected me a lot more then I thought it did."
"You're talking a lot now though" "well... yeah but that's because you're asking me stuff" "fair point" a scream echoed through the hall and Martin and Etho instantly stiffened before running out of the medical bay to the source of the scream; the gym.
Along the way they passed Skizz who seemed to be frozen in fear until the reached the gym doors. Both Etho and Martin looked at each other both hoping they wouldn't see it again. Martin gestured for Etho to open the door too scared of what he might find to do it himself. As Etho opened the gym doors they saw something that was both unexpected and horrific at the same time.
There was Cleo, standing over the dead body of Jimmy Solidarity.