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

[suncrushes]

How did I what, Roni? How did I find out...?

[There's a derisive lilt in Juniper's voice as she proposes the question, obviously betraying her sinister amusement with the entire situation. Were she another certain mastermind, the despair in the room would have been overwhelmingly gratifying; though, she can't help but feel some kind of satisfaction behind all of this. She leans forward, resting her head on her hand as she idly fiddles with the gavel in her other.]

Oh, Roni... Roni, Roni, Roni. You seem distraught. If it were simply just what you said, you would have no reason to hide it from everyone, would you? If you were simply what you said – a bodyguard – then you wouldn't have any reason to hide the fact that you've killed before.

[Juniper sets down the gavel gently on the desk, giving a nonchalant flourish of her hand as she continues on.]

Of course, there's no secrets in court. My court. Everything is out in the open, so that the verdicts are given fairly. There's no "the end justifies the means" here. My court rides on... justice.

[As twisted a sense of justice it was.]

Riddle me this, Roni. Does killing them make you any better of a person than they are?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Yes. [She answers quickly and without remorse.] It's a bodyguard's job to kill those that try to harm others. Everyone that I've ever killed has been performing illegal activities.

I know justice. Justice is killing a group of pedophiles who were planning to drug you and ship you off in their illegal, human trafficking ring. Justice is wanting to find justice for your friend after they were killed by a group of people, including judges and politicians, who used her as a sex toy.

I know damn well what justice is, Juniper. Do you?

[suncrushes]

[Juniper's silent as Veronica goes on her tirade, and of course she's listening. That was her job, after all. Though, she definitely is not justifying the actions of those that Veronica had described; in all honesty, were they brought to her court, she'd have no qualms with bringing the gavel down along with a guilty verdict and have them sent to death row. But murder, no matter the reason, was not justifiable in Juniper's eyes.]

...I do know what justice is.

[Despite the cold expression on her face, the words are said almost tentatively, as if she's literally taking Veronica's words to heart. She's seen justice be given during the span of her eighteen years, and she wants to ensure that all people's crimes were repaid thoroughly.]

How could I not? What kind of judge do you think I am, Veronica?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

I think you're a new one.

[She stated it honestly, there was no sense in lying about it. Juniper herself had told her she was a judge in training a while back, an Veronica had thought her to be deserving of the title already. Right now, she wasn't so sure.]

You told me before that you were still in training, and I'm sorry but it's easy to tell. But...

[She stepped towards the judge's stand and looked up at Juniper hopefully.]

I think you'll do well. You just need help.

[suncrushes]

[That seems to get Juniper to falter slightly as she gently bites her lip, and for a long time she doesn't say anything else. She knows fully that she's still a judge-in-training and that she really is unfit to be here; she thought she would be able to make a change in the world by convicting those that committed crimes. This was the reason she had this island life of mutual killing: everyone would ultimately end up killing each other, thus sparing her the job of doing so. She'd never be able to do it herself, but this was generally the same thing, wasn't it?]

I... I don't know.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

I do.

[She held out a hand for Juniper, scarred fingers outstretched with their needle points visible. All this time, Juniper was the cause of the murders. Veronica found it hard to believe, but it was true.

And now she was going to do something insane.]

I can help you, Juni.

[suncrushes]

I-I...

[Her voice quivers slightly as she regards Veronica, her eyes falling down to the other's outstretched hand. She's uncertain, very uncertain. There's no telling how everyone else would feel about her knowing that she was the mastermind behind the murders. She's certainly no different from the timid, fragile girl that was amongst them, but...]

...I can't. I-I don't know... How can you help me...?

[She's a disgrace to the entire legal system. She thought she was doing good when she had been doing wrong all along.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[These things happened. Veronica had seen a lot of murder in her day, this was no different. Though, the fact it had been Juniper...]

Together, we can fix it. It can all be changed, if you just let me help you.

[The hand stays outstretched, Veronica staying where she was.]

Please, Juniper.

[suncrushes]

I... I killed people...

[Juniper's mostly speaking to herself now, her eyes downcast as she murmurs softly. In all honesty, now that Veronica was bringing the reality of the situation to her knowledge, she was beginning to realise how horrible of a person she was. How wrong this was. As far as she saw, there was no way to fix the situation, despite what Veronica said. She just... couldn't even begin to fathom a solution.]

People that won't be coming back... ever...

[stitchedupbodyguard]

I know.

[Realizing that she was quickly beginning to lose Juniper to her own despair, Veronica made her way around the judge's seat and up to the girl. Each step up to her was heavier and more difficult than the last, the weight of everything finally reaching its fullest on the bodyguard.]

You have.... I'm sorry but... they're gone.

[suncrushes]

[That only prompts Juniper to get out of her chair, moving away as much as she can from Veronica, as if she's currently repulsed by the idea of contact.]

I... I'm a terrible person...

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[And Veronica simply follows. She's not going to let her be alone now.]

No, you're not. You're just... you made a mistake, Juniper.

[suncrushes]

But we can't fix it!

[The words just barely come out of Juniper's mouth, her voice cracking as she says that. She lets her body fall to the ground, sitting on her knees.]

We can't fix any of this, Roni...

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Watching as her girlfriend went through a meltdown caused by her own crimes, Veronica was left without much she could really do.

What could she do anyways? Juniper was right, she couldn't fix this.

Kneeling down in front of the judge, Veronica pulled the girl into a close embrace. Whether she was okay with it or not, it didn't matter at the moment.]

...You can't, but... maybe I can.

[suncrushes]

[Juniper seems to stiffen when Veronica hugs her, but she doesn't make any motion to move away. Instead, she just sits there listlessly in Veronica's arms, sniffling, before finally raising her head up to look at her.]

You can...?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

My sister. She could.... she could probably save everyone.

[It was a small hope, but that's all she really had. Her gaze shifted to Juniper, her eyes full of concern and... confusion.]

But... there's still you...

[suncrushes]

...Yeah. There's still me...

[Though, Juniper doesn't know what to do now. She definitely isn't continuing the mutual killings, but... what would become of her now?]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

....I could kill you.

[Veronica tenses, her grip on Juniper suddenly hardening.]

I should. You've done a horrible thing.

[And as quickly as it does, it immediately slackens.]

But I can't. I can't, because I still love you.

[suncrushes]

[Juniper can't help but smile at that, though she shakes her head.]

It's what I deserve though, Roni. A murderer should be met with death... and I've killed many people.

[She places a hand on Veronica's shoulder, her smile growing slightly.]

You've defeated me, after all. You can leave. You and the others. You can find your sister, bring back everyone, but I... I don't deserve life. Not anymore.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Her eyes met Junipers and she shook her head.]

I-I can't! You've done this... horrible thing, and you deserve it.

[Veronica's face was the picture of distraught. For once, she was torn between what she had to do and what she should. The combat knife in her boot weighed a lot more suddenly.]

... For once, I can't bring myself to do it. I... I don't know if I can...

[suncrushes]

...I can.

[She replies firmly, her gaze stern as she regards Veronica.]

I'm a criminal. It's what I deserve. Just... Get everyone out of here, please.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

You...

[Wordlessly, she runs a hand through Juniper's hair, brushing a few, delicate strands from her face. She wasn't sure what else she could do.]

...A judge giving her own sentence. [There was almost an acidic laugh in her voice.] I... I knew you'd be a good one.

I promise I'll get everyone out of here. I swear.

[suncrushes]

I wouldn't be very much of a good one if I let a crime go unpunished.

[Even if it were her own. Juniper takes a breath to ready herself for what's to come, before nodding to Veronica's words.]

...I love you, Roni. I'm sorry things turned out this way.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Quietly, as a reply, Veronica leaned forward and kissed Juniper. It was only a split second, but it still felt appropriate.

Then she stood up and took a step back. She wasn't sure what the woman was planning, but she knew it was going to hurt if she was too close.]

...I love you too, Juni. I... I wish things could have been different.

cw: suicide

[suncrushes]

[That kiss does seem to put Juniper at ease, preparing her for the sense of death, but... it doesn't completely quell her anxieties. Nonetheless, she stands up onto her feet and moves towards her desk once more, reaching in one of the drawers. She pulls out a knife, one that she had just in case she had to use it in trial. Who knew that she had to use it on herself?

She moves to sit down in her chair, deliberately keeping her back towards Veronica to spare her the tragic sight. Another breath leaving her lips, she tightens her grip on the knife, speaking once again.]

The court finds Juniper Woods...

[With all her strength, she plunges the knife into her stomach, a choked gasp leaving her lips as pain begins to take over her abdomen. Blood begins to spill over her fingertips as she still clutches the knife sticking into her. Her vision begins to blur the more blood escapes her, and after a while she manages to say one last thing.]

...g-guilty.

[With those words spoken, she takes one last breath and her head lolls downward. At first glance, it would appear as if she's nearly resting in her chair; though, her pink-stained fingers and clothes would tell otherwise. Juniper Woods is no longer existent.]