the mastermind meme

[monomods]

 

You asked for it, we're finally giving it to you! Say hello to the mastermind meme!

What does this mean exactly? It means your character is the one responsible for everything! They've been controlling Monobear from the shadows (or maybe they have an assistant to help them, possibly even one of your classmates!), they've been putting forth the motives, running the trials, all of it! And now they've finally chosen to reveal themselves and their true motives.

What are their motives? Why do they want to spread despair? Are they somehow connected to the late Junko Enoshima? And most importantly what is their snazzy Monobear-themed look like? You decide!

Threading reactions is highly encouraged and feel free to AU things up to mix up our current survivor pool as much as you'd like.

Comments

[timelymaid]

[ The thing about time travel is this: the things that will happen have always already happened. Not walking the path of what is will only lead to a doomed timeline. All it takes is a single person not doing what they're meant to do; a single event not occurring how it's meant to occur. Even if the outcome is better in some way, it is no less doomed. "Better" isn't what defines the Alpha timeline. What defines that timeline is what was always going to occur.

Of course, sometimes doomed timelines were always going to occur. Sometimes they're necessary - looping back from them dooms the player, but, well - how many thousands of Aradiabots had there been by the end of the sgrub session? Every single one of those robotic Aradias had been from a doomed timeline. An ending that couldn't be permitted, which they had looped backwards to fix.

Exactly how many times had Aradia told people over the course of the game that the mutual killings had to be part of a doomed timeline? That they couldn't be permitted to exist? Oh, she'd mostly said it to John and Roxy, of course, but...it had come up once or twice, hadn't it?

Exactly how many times had she lied? Even before the game had started, she'd told half a lie to John.

but i am not nor will i ever be the monsters handmaid
Perhaps that's only a half-lie, though. In the end, Aradia's loyalties are where they have always been: to the alpha timeline, and to completing her role, regardless of the personal costs. Or of the costs to others. She is the Maid of Time, and if time dictates that she must work with the monster she'd spoken of, well. There was no use arguing with paradox space, and Aradia Megido knew that better than anyone. What was going to happen was going to happen. She may as well make the best of it.

For whatever reason, these games are required. For whatever reason, these players are required. The timelines dictate this much to be true, and so Aradia plays the game, quietly, perfectly calm and happy in her interactions with others up to her "death". That was never really required in order for her to manipulate events, however. However many selves she needs, she has. Aradia's Monobears can watch everything even as she moves about freely herself, and they do so as long as that is what time requires of them.

And eventually the truth will come out, won't it? As it was always going to; as she knew it always would. On that day her soulbots are everywhere, because what point is there in hiding them any longer? These are the thousands of Aradiabots who have, under cover of night and time, restocked all the locations around the island since the first day. They are the janitors, the caretakers, and they have cleaned up every murder and every crime scene after the fact, all unseen by the students. They are all committed to one thing: the preservation of the alpha timeline, and all that requires. None of them impede any of the students as they go to Monobear Rock, or enter the elevator. In fact, few of them seem inclined to acknowledge the students at all, though they will defend themselves if attacked.

It shouldn't be terribly surprising who awaits them in the courtroom below, given the soulbots and all the students have likely learned throughout the game.

This courtroom is bright and colorful - nearly garish, really, with neon green accompanying the black and white and red theme that seems requisite. The walls and floor are that green, the ceiling white; the streamers draped all over the room are twists of red and black, as are the clocks. There are many clocks. Standing clocks, hanging clocks, all around the room. All of them counting away the seconds, perfectly in sync. And all of them, upon entrance to the courtroom, will be at the exact same time: thirteen past four.

The most impressive of these clocks sits at the head of the room, across from the elevator. It is gold at times, and purple at others. It changes, every time the pendulum swings. The symbol shown is not that of breath, but rather a white version of time's gear. In front of this particular clock is a delicate crystal chair, reminiscent of a land none of the students - except one, if he managed that particular jump - had ever seen. And in that chair sits Aradia Megido, not so dead after all. Although she had said (repeatedly!) that she was rather done with dying. Gone are the brilliantly red time player's pajamas which she had worn during her time as a student and a player. As the mastermind, as the principal, she wears something else entirely, borrowed from an ancestor not quite in her past. Dark green skirt, bright green shoes and shirt; three buttons, black, white, black. The red aries symbol emblazoned on the right side, over her chest; that isn't rust-blood red any longer, any more than her nail polish or lipstick is. Now her reds are Monobear-red, though she's done away with all the bears. Instead she's flanked by more of her doomed selves, as she sits patiently with her hands clasped in her lap, waiting for the end of this particular loop.

Of course, she probably doesn't see this the same way any of her surviving classmates do. The sweet, calm smile - the same one she'd worn in the game, before "death" - is enough to imply that. And she's said as much before, although she'd been speaking of something else (or had she?).

they consider this to be a great clash between good and evil
but i prefer to look at the coming battle as a matter of housekeeping
in the end all loops must be tidied up
even his
And even hers. Tick tock, heroes. Tick tock. ]

[voidedrogue]

[ Tick tock on the clock but the party don't start till I walk in

Fuckin goddamn typical that the troll ends up being one who caused this all.

Now, Roxy's not a speciesist-- many good times were had laughing it up with Fefeta, who was made up of two dead trolls. But then you have the Batterwitch, or that Serket gal. Roxy knows that trolls have a violent streak right in their DNA, that they're of a different mold than humans. Much like her carapacian neighbors, but very different from them as well. It really shouldn't surprise her that Aradia had some sort of fucked up idea to do all this.

But it does surprise her. Moreover, it hurts. Aradia had been one of the people she was closest to, even if their conversations were never incredibly deep. Roxy trusted Aradia, like she did John and Jimmy. She'd been in the Top Tier of Roxy's ranking of how well she liked people.

Also, the green and red with the black and white is making Roxy think of a funeral at Christmas, and it's fucking with her head a little. ]

So, what the fuck is happening here?

[ It screams SHENANIGANS but Roxy would like an explanation before anything else, of course. ]

[timelymaid]

[ The hurt, the surprise. How Despairing. The girl who had come up with these games first would eat those emotions right up.

Aradia, for her part, smiles brightly at Roxy, not making any move to stand from her chair. Instead, she gestures to the podiums around the room - set up in the same circle as always, photos of dead classmates included. ]

Isn't it obvious what's going on, Roxy?

[ Her voice isn't notably different from usual. Calm, lively, affectionate; it's all still there. ]

Though I'm afraid you're going to have to take your spot before we proceed, as usual. There's no reason to go off-script. In fact, there's every reason not to do so.

[ Aradia points to Roxy's usual place, although Roxy ought to know which podium is hers by this point in time. This is Roxy's seventh time in the courtroom. ]