7:28 P.M., Saturday, 10th November

   As they drove near it, Jason gawked at the magnitude of the manor. The manor itself was on a small cliff side, only accessible by a stone bridge, and with water surrounding it below a steep drop onto sharp rocks. The manor itself was large and imposing. It was made out of a brown material that Jason could not identify and the roof was of a deep black color. Large windows overlooked the entrance, each bathed in a yellow glow from the light emanating from inside. The entrance was a beautifully decorated garden - exotic flowers Jason had never even seen adorned the pathway to the house, giving the area an almost tropical feel. Contrasting this were the large marble statues depicting a griffon with a rose twisting around it. These were on either side of humongous fountain in the center of the pathway. It was currently spewing out jets of water, one large one from the top of the fountain and four smaller gushing from the mouths of griffons in the center of the fountain. The water glistened from the light inside the manor. Jason sensed a recurring pattern with the griffons - first on the letter, now on these statues… The cab stopped right in front of the stone bridge. After paying the driver, Jason walked up the stone bridge. He noticed bits of ivy growing here and there. Walking towards the manor only augmented its dominance. A clap of thunder in the distance made his already tense nerves jump. Finally, Jason reached the two large oak doors at the front of the manor. Jason looked down at his black suit and red tie, praying he was formal enough. He had even styled his normally messy brown hair into a nice curl! Finding the doors slightly ajar, he pushed them open.

    Jason did not know what he had expected for such a party, but it definitely wasn't this. Apparently, the host was not the only eccentric at the party. One girl had flowers covering her dress, another was dressed in a Hawaiian dancer’s outfit, and one man had worn nothing but skin-tight shorts, shoes and a boxer’s belt. Everyone turned to look at the newcomer. After everyone had politely waved, they returned to their conversations. Jason was initially taken aback by the decor of the house. The floors and walls were a milk chocolate brown, and there was a bright red rug with golden borders covering most of the floor. A gigantic glass chandelier hung above the center of the rug. Stairs on either side of the walls curved around and ended in an upper hallway, leading to other parts of the house. Other rooms were to the left and right of him. To the right, large glass doors let everyone see what appeared to be a dining room. An impossibly large table stretched throughout the entirety of the dining room, with about twenty chairs spread along its sides and one at either end. Each one had a plate with a name tag neatly placed on top of it. Jason could see the names Mikad Sharp, Lelina Beauvencourt and Ariana Beverly at the corner of the table. At the end, the name tag read Francis Helmsburg. Napkins were neatly folded next to it, although Jason noticed that there was no silverware on the napkins. On the left, large oak doors that were only slightly smaller than the entrance door prevented anyone from seeing through. Jason approached the glass doors and turned the handles. To his surprised, the doors were locked.

   “Don't bother.”

   Jason turned to see who had spoken to him. The soft yet confident voice belonged to the girl in the Hawaiian dancer outfit. Next to her, the girl covered in flowers had come to see as well - although her eyes were currently fixed on a poppy flower she was holding. Her scarlet dress was completely covered in varying kinds of flowers. Her hair was also flooded with them. She wore her jet black hair in two ponytails that she had arranged to resemble a vertical crescent moon. Her eyes were a scarlet red, and she wore the same shade of lipstick. Next to this weird display, the Hawaiian girl almost seemed normal. Wearing the traditional grass skirt and bikini top along with a flower headpiece, the only thing that was remarkable about her were her lavender-colored eyes. She had a tanned skin and jet-black hair that went down to her hips. She nudged the flower girl, who finally gave her attention to Jason.

   “My name’s Lavender Greenwood,” the girl introduced herself. “Everyone knows me as the world’s best Hawaiian dancer. We tried to open the doors, but every door aside from the entrance is locked. And you are..?”

   “I'm Jason Harlon, the world's best…” Jason thought of a talent he could use, then thought of Ariana. “Detective! The world's best detective.”

   “Oh, a new guest!” The flower girl looked at Jason as if he were a dream. In fact, her voice had a very mystic, dream-like quality, and her gaze seemed to be in a perpetual daydream. “You look nice. My name is Vivian! Vivian Moredy. Nice to meet you!” With her introduction complete, she returned to staring absentmindedly at her poppy.

Jason looked around at the other guests. This time, he got a good look at everyone at the party. He counted twenty-five guests at the party aside from himself.

   “Not a lot of guests, are there?” Lavender remarked.

   “I guess not,” Jason replied. “Were there supposed to be more?”

   “Probably. The invitation went on and on about talent, so you'd assume he'd find more useful talents than a Hawaiian dancer and a gardener. That’s Vivian’s talent, by the way. Speaking of which, where did she..?”

Lavender scanned the room for Vivian, who had wandered into the center of the room, doing a waltz with her poppy.

   “Bit of a weird one, that one,” Jason noticed. Lavender nodded. “I hope the others are less… Interesting.”

   “That depends on your definition of interesting,” Lavender chuckled. “Why don't we introduce you?”

Not waiting for a reply from Jason, Lavender took his hand and dragged him over to the nearest guests.

   Standing at the bottom of the right stairwell were two men currently engaged in a conversation. One of them was dressed in a white tuxedo with a black tie, and the other had put on a checkered shirt and navy jeans for the occasion. The former had buzz-cut blonde hair, while the other had brown hair that was heavily gelled to one side. There was one thing in common about the two, however - both were holding a firearm. The one in the tuxedo was holding a sleek, silver pistol and the other was holding what Jason recognized as a sniper rifle.

   “Why do they have firearms?” Jason inquired.

Lavender simply shook her head and cleared her throat to get their attention. The two looked at Lavender and then at Jason. Jason introduced himself to the two guests.

   “A detective?” The one with the rifle inquired. His voice was deep and harsh. “Don't get in my way, then. The name’s A. I'm a bounty hunter, got it? Yeah, just A,” he added, seeing Jason’s curious glance. “And I'm the best damn bounty hunter you've ever seen. I better not see you stealing my cases.”

   “Relax, relax! A, buddy old pal, why are you always so serious?” The other laughed a very hearty laugh, and his voice echoed the heartiness of the laugh. A did not seem to share his enthusiasm, and glared at him. “The name’s Mikad Sharp, for those interested, which why wouldn't you be, am I right? As my name suggests, I'm known around the world for my sharpshooter abilities. I can gun down things a mile away without even trying! Impressive, isn't it?”

   Lavender made a gagging motion, which got a chuckle out of A. Mikad stared indignantly at A, who just shrugged. Lavender pulled Jason away from the two gunmen and towards the next guests.

    To his horror, Jason noticed the person they were headed to was the man in the skin-tight shorts. He was currently engaged in a conversation with two women. One was blatantly staring at his biceps and the other seemed to be chastising him. The one chastising him was wearing a completely white dress, with no frills or ornaments of any kind. In her hand she held a wooden cross, the kind used by the religious. She had straight, rigid, brown hair that went down to her hips. The other woman was dressed in a red dress that did nothing to hide her voluptuous curves. She had blond hair tied back in a ponytail, and bright red lipstick that Jason saw her sneak back into her black purse.

   “Um, hi!” Lavender greeted the others. The blonde girl barely seemed to notice, but the man and the other woman turned to greet her.

   “Ah, hello!” The religious-looking girl had a very formal voice that was toned with patience. She almost sounded as if she were speaking to children. “Perhaps you can help me solve something. I was just telling Michael here that wearing such an outfit to an event like this is highly blasphemous, and he dares tell me otherwise! Surely you must agree?”

   Jason, unsure of what to say, turned to the man named Michael for explanation.

   “Hey, don't look at me! She started it,” he said. His voice could have passed for a bear’s. It was loud and exuded power. “I'm just minding my own business and in storms Ms Priestess over here acting like we're in Church all of a sudden!”

  “Nothing can escape the touch of God… We should therefore always be trying to please the Lord…,” she said, talking more to herself than anyone else. “Oh, how rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself. Forgive me, Lord!”

  “Yeah, no, I think He’s fine,” Michael said just softly enough so that she did not hear him. “The name’s Michael, by the way. Michael Ferrin! The best boxer in this world!”

Now Jason realized why he had looked familiar to him. Michael Ferrin appeared many times on TV, either as a fighter in the ring or as a special guest commentator. In his entire career, he has never lost a single fight. Many people, rather inevitably, have tried to claim otherwise, but since their evidence was proved false, no one has yet to dispute the title.

  “As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, my name is Mary Saint-Claire,” the girl said firmly. “I'm known as the best priestess in the world. There isn't a man on Earth I can't show the light of God to. My name itself brings me closer to Him… Isn't it just wonderful?” The religious girl introduced herself as such.

   “Totally cuckoo, that one,” Michael said, making a swirling motion with his finger near the side of his head.

For the first time since they had come near her, the blonde girl actually seemed to notice their presence. Coming out of the trance she seemed to be in, she clumsily walked over. Jason noticed she was wearing heels that matched her dress. Perhaps she was not used to them.

   “Oh Michael, you're so funny!” She giggled, her voice bubbly and high-pitched. “And who are they?”

Her voice immediately lost the bubbly quality the minute she started speaking to Jason and Lavender. After they had introduced themselves, she laughed. This time, the laugh wasn't a light giggle, but it was filled with malice. It became immediately apparent that she knew full well how to walk in heels, but was doing it for attention from Michael.

   “A detective and a Hawaiian dancer? What kind of talents are those? Well, maybe I should justify my being judgemental. I am known as the top model everywhere in the world. I have redefined the standards of beauty worldwide. My name is Lola Jouvence. The pleasure is all yours,” she said with a wink.

Jason stared blankly and Lavender rolled her eyes. It was true - Lola was very pretty. But to Jason, it became immediately clear that her beauty was very much skin deep.

   “So back to what I was saying,” Mary resumed as if nothing had interrupted her, “you can't wear that! It's sacrilegious!”

   “Oh no, not back to you!” Lola grumbled. “No one wants to hear you talk, you stupid excuse of a human!”

   “How dare you speak that way to someone whose sole purpose is to spread the word of God!” Mary, indignant, turned to face Lola.

Jason and Lavender slowly backed away. Michael mouthed help me to the two, who just shrugged and moved on.

   “You're a pilot? Wow-wee! Think you can bring me up in your plane?”

Two men were currently engaged in conversation. The one who had just spoken was dressed in a pale blue and yellow wingsuit. He was very short, probably around five foot four, and had short, spiky black hair. His voice sounded like a child on Christmas - very excited. The other wore a brown leather jacket and navy jeans. The most notable thing about him was that he had an aviator cap on his head - one that might have been worn by pilots several decades ago. He adjusted his goggles and turned to speak to the other man.

   “I mean, I don't have a plane to myself… You'd have to book a flight and everything-”

   “Not for travel, silly!” The man in the wingsuit laughed. “For jumping out of!”

The pilot gave the other man a shocked look.

   “Oh, don't worry! I've done it plenty of times before. What do you think this is for?” He asked, showing off the flaps in his wingsuit.

   “Jumping out of a plane? What kind of twisted mind would enjoy that?”

   “Someone who loves adrenaline and fun!”

The two then noticed Jason and Lavender standing in front of them. The pilot cordially waved and the other took Jason’s hand and vigorously shook it. He then proceeded to do the same to Lavender.

   “Hi! Hello! How are you! Wow, so many people at this party! I've never been somewhere so huge before! Oh, guess I should introduce myself, huh? My name is Dahinko Harvey. Pleased to meet you!”

He was talking so fast that he was practically out of breath when he finished speaking. His blue eyes sparkled with excitement. Dahinko then turned to the pilot.

   “Hey Skyler, you gonna introduce yourself? Oh, forgot to mention my talent! As I'm sure you've guessed, I'm the daredevil of the century! No man or woman craves adrenaline more than I do!”

   “I figured as much,” Skyler replied sheepishly. “In any case, it's also a pleasure to meet you. My name is Skyler Zephyr. As my attire would suggest, I'm the ace pilot known worldwide. And you two are..?”

Jason and Lavender introduced themselves. Dahinko nodded fiercely as they were talking and Skyler simply answered cordially. After they were done, Dahinko lost all interest in the two and started once again speaking to Skyler.

   “Do you follow the latest plane models? I'm a big fan myself.”

   “Um, actually, I don't really… I've got one plane and it does the job.”

   “Really? Boy, are you missing out! Have you heard of…”

That was as much as Jason heard of their conversation, as Lavender was already pulling him away towards the next guests.

    There seemed to be an endless amount of guests at this party, Jason soon realized. The next two guests were currently pointing and talking about a girl who had secluded herself from the other guests. She was busy intensely reading a novel, with a pile next to her. Most interesting of all was the way she sat - she sat mostly on her knees, her knees extended outwards at 45 degree angles. Her brown skirt spread out in a perfect circle around her legs, and she wore a white shirt with a fuschia bow tie to match. Jason noticed she was the only guest at the party to wear glasses (hers were the same color as her bow tie).

   “Who is that?” The female guest inquired.

   “Don't you know, darling? That’s Vicki Ingrid, the world's best writer! Every book she's written has been a massive success! She puts other writers to shame!” The male guest answered.

   “Gary, Audrey - how are you doing?”

The two guests turned to look at Lavender, and Jason got a proper look at the two. Audrey was a short woman with bright, almost unnaturally red hair and brown eyes. She wore a dress almost as red as her hair, adorned with a single white rose above her breast. Gary had a much more outlandish appearance. Wearing a beret, adorned in what Jason could only describe as a smock thrown onto a plaid shirt and cargo pants, he gave the impression of being a total snob. An accusation that was proved true the minute he opened his mouth.

   “And who, pray tell, are you? Not that it matters. Darling, what are you doing with that outfit? It's so 2014, you look like you just walked out of a time machine. No, no! This is all wrong!”

Jason could not help but smirk at the irony that Gary was critiquing his sense of style considering the atrocity he was currently wearing. Audrey also laughed, throwing her head back as she did so.

   “Look who's talking, eighties Picasso. That outfit is so bad I just want to burn it where it stands!”

After saying the word ‘burn’, Audrey’s eyes lit up, burning with a fiery passion.

   “Darling, this is from my new line of clothing! Winter in 2019 will mark the return of smocks, mark my word!”

Audrey rolled her eyes and turned to Jason.

   “Don't mind him. He's just… Special, in his own way.”

   “Darling, what you call special is what I call vision!”

   “He calls himself Gary Shields, the world's greatest fashion designer, but honestly I think a more fitting title is the world's best recycler.” Gary glared at Audrey, offended.

   “Coming for, Audrey Burnswell, the quote “pyrotechnic”, those words have very little meaning, darling.”

   “Speaking of which, Jason,” she turned to address Jason, “do you think Francis will be ok with me testing the new fireworks I've been working on? I brought a few hundred with me tonight in hopes that he would.”

Jason looked at Lavender and mouthed fireworks? Lavender only shrugged. Jason slowly backed away from Audrey, as once again her eyes burned with a desire to make something explode. Audrey didn't seem to notice, too engrossed with the concept of lighting up the sky (and possibly other things too).

   Suddenly, Jason heard a loud CLANG! coming from the center of the room. Two people had just clashed swords with one another. Everyone else turned to look at the two fighters (aside from Vivian, whom Lavender had dragged away from the duelers). Jason pinched himself to make sure he was not dreaming. As far as he could tell, a ninja had just begun fighting a knight in armor. A ninja and knight? This was no fantasy novel. And yet, despite this, here he was - watching a ninja and a knight fight. The two collided once again, their swords echoing the loud sound he had heard earlier. The ninja was swift and powerful, but the knight raised his shield to block every hit, then swung again using his falchion. The two continued for a while, ignoring the commotion their fighting had caused. Finally, the ninja stopped fighting and noticed everyone around them. The knight did the same, lowering his sword.

   “Be thankful I am only using a replica sword, or else my katana would have cut through you like butter,” the ninja said, his voice deep and powerful. He was adorned in a completely black outfit, his hair and eyes the same color. He had shaggy hair and a cold stare. The knight did not respond immediately. Sensing the fight was over, the ninja put his katana onto his back, where it fit nicely into its sheath.

   “I apologize to everyone for the commotion. We had a debate about who would win between a ninja and a knight and, well, it just so happened that we were the world’s finest ninja and knight.”

He bowed deeply, and everyone returned to their conversations as if nothing had happened. Jason, however, went up to the ninja.

   “A ninja? How do you get awarded such a talent?”

The ninja turned to look at Jason. Jason was forced to look up, since the ninja was a lot taller than he first appeared.

   “Simple. Wielding this honorable weapon and being the most proficient with it. Why do you ask?”

The ninja looked deadly serious, as if Jason wasn't asking how on earth being a ninja was considered a talent. Laughing it off, Jason introduced himself.

   “Jason, huh? Your name sounds familiar… Oh well. I'm Dexter Sato. It's a pleasure,” he said whilst bowing.

   “Dexter Sato. I'll remember it well.”

Jason turned to see who had talked. The knight had walked up to Dexter. Seeing the two, an immediate height difference was noticeable. The knight was far shorter than Dexter. His voice was also rather peculiar - it was high-pitched and very feminine. Surely this couldn't be the voice of a tough knight, could it? Jason’s doubts were quickly answered when he took off his helmet and Jason could observe that he was in fact a she. She had short, black hair tied in a ponytail at the back and green eyes whose gaze was so sharp it seemed to cut right through someone.

   “If you know my name, then surely it would be appropriate for me to make your acquaintance as well?” Dexter spoke calmly.

   “With pleasure,” the knight answered.

Without her helmet, her voice came out a lot more clearly. She sounded feminine but powerful, and had a voice that gave off one impression - don't piss her off.

   “My name is Sir Arthur Kingsley. I have been knighted by several monarchs around the world for my services to them. I am also a master swordswoman, hence my title.”

   “Sir Arthur? No wonder everyone thinks she's a guy,” Lavender whispered. “In any case, isn't the title of knight generally for men?” Lavender asked her.

   “Yes, but they made an exception for my case. However, I was forced to keep the title of sir, despite my gender,” Arthur answered.

Jason couldn't help but notice the irony of calling a knight Arthur, and yet he also thought that this had to be some sick joke by her parents - who named their daughter Arthur? Jason knew that it must have been a fake name, used for the appearance rather than being actually her real name.

   “Very well, Sir Arthur. We shall duel another day. Farewell,” Dexter said.

Dexter then proceeded to walk away. Arthur walked in the opposite direction.

   “What a crazy fight, huh?”

A girl had just walked up to Jason and Lavender. ‘Crazy’ might be better suited to describe her appearance - she looked like a character straight out of a fantasy novel. Wearing knee-high socks of a bright pink color, platform shoes with little cupcakes on the ends and the same sickening pink color, a frilly white dress, her almost-white blonde hair tied up into two ponytails that made long arcs above her head and were tied with gigantic butterfly hairpins and holding a staff with a blue orb on the tip, she would be right at home at a convention, not a fancy party. The shock must have been evident on Lavender and Jason’s faces, because she laughed and explained.

   “I made this costume especially for tonight. Figured I would make myself look like a fantasy character, you know? Show off my talent just a little! Oh, sorry. I should introduce myself. My name is Navini Porter. It's a pleasure!”

She did a small curtsy with her dress. Jason raised an eyebrow, wondering what talent she could possibly have to warrant wearing such a costume.

   “Forgot to mention my talent, didn't I? Sorry, you two are the last people I have to introduce myself to, and I'm forgetting some things. Have you met all of them yet?” Jason and Lavender both shook their heads ‘no’.

    “There are some pretty interesting people at this party, wouldn't you agree? I mean, a knight and a ninja, a famous writer, a world-renowned actor and… Whatever Vivian is, I guess. Who'd have thought I'd be invited here?”

Jason thought that she hardly had a right to call anyone else ‘interesting’, given her attire. He did, however, make a mental note that there was an actor here - one that he hadn't met.

   “So, back to what I was saying. Officially, I'm known as the best costume designer on Earth, but most people call me the best cosplayer on Earth, and to be fair I prefer that title. I mean, making costumes is fun, but isn't wearing them so much more fun?”

   “Hey, Navini!”

A man was rapidly approaching Navini. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants, with a red bow tie and a chef’s hat on his head. In his hand was a comically large fork. Navini groaned.

   “Not this creep again…”

   “Here's where you ran off to! Oh, good evening, you two!”

The man spoke with a suave, deep voice that contrasted heavily with his looks. He had greasy, black hair that was styled to one side. He was somewhat overweight, and beads of sweat lined his face (presumably from chasing after Navini).

   “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Henry Suntor. If you must know (since apparently everyone here does), my talent would be eating. I am a world-renowned eater, and I've won several global competitions last year alone! I'm also a fan of pretty much all dishes.”

   “Hi, Henry..,” Navini sighed, her voice bitter.

   “Oh, chérie, don't be that way! I can promise you a magical evening if you would grant me the honor of your presence.”

   “And I can promise YOU a shoe in your face if you don't quit stalking me!”

With that, Navini stormed off, Henry chasing after her, panting.

    Jason had no trouble finding the actor that Navini had mentioned. Near the left staircase was world-renowned actor Erick Orbison. He was currently wearing an overly-polished, dark red suit with a matching tie and a white shirt underneath. His hair was shaped in the style of his well-known idol, Elvis Presley. His chocolate-colored eyes had been the topic of many women’s gossip and swooning. He was currently talking to a girl holding a box full of what seemed to be children's toys, including a rattle and several building blocks, amongst cars and dolls. She had pale purple hair, tied back in a swirl, and she wore a yellow apron with a purple flower on it, partially covering her blue t-shirt and jeans. Her blue eyes were staring intently at Erick, who was telling her a supposedly thrilling story.

   “So… What does this one do?” Erick asked, pointing at the rattle.

Oh. Erick had not been telling her a thrilling tale. Rather, she had been staring in disbelief at a man who did not know most children’s toys.

   “S… seriously? That's a… a… a rattle, dimwit, she said.”

Her voice was full of spite towards Erick, and Jason could not decide if the stuttering was natural or just a way to tell Erick to piss off. Apparently, Erick did not get the hint.

   “A rattle? Fascinating! Tell me, what does it do?”

He picked up the rattle and began shaking it, producing a jingling sound.

   “Y… you've got to be kidding… H...how does someone n… not know what a f… freaking rattle is?”

Completely ignoring her complaints, Erick put back the toy and looked in the box.

   “Well, that's all of them! Thank you infinitely for imparting this knowledge onto me, Lelina.”

   “W… well… You're welcome, I… I guess… Weirdo…”

Jason recognized the name ‘Lelina’ - he had seen it on the tags in the dining room. She must be Lelina Beauvencourt - although what her talent was was still a mystery. She walked away awkwardly, getting as far as she could from Erick. Seeing a famous actor in front of him, Jason mustered the courage to go talk to Erick.

   “Oh, why hello! And who might you be?”

   “Um, I'm Jason Harlon. Aren't you Erick Orbison, the world's best ac-”

   “SHHHHHHH!”

Erick clasped his hand on Jason’s mouth. Jason, in shock, stopped talking.

   “Yes, yes, that's me, but could you keep it down! Nobody here recognizes me and frankly, I prefer it that way. To them, I'm simply Erick Brown, the world’s finest waiter, and I'd appreciate it if you could keep it that way!”

Jason didn't know what to respond with. He had always pictured Erick as being someone who relished in fame, not someone who strived to escape the limelight.

   “Um… Okay then…”

Jason, unsure of how to proceed, politely excused himself and returned to Lavender, who was talking to some other guests.

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    Lelina had excused herself from talking to Erick in order to come talk to Lavender and one other woman. The woman was far taller than Lelina or Lavender. In fact, if Jason had to guess, she was probably the tallest woman here. She wore a stylish purple dress, which reached all the way down to her ankles. She had black high heels and a flaming red lipstick, along with emerald green eyes and blonde hair that fell to her shoulders.

   “So let me get this straight. You're the world's best thief, right?”

   “Uh-huh.”

   “And this rich guy invites you to a party in his own home?”

   “That's right.”

   “What on earth was he thinking..?”

   “Hey, don't look at me for answers. I just followed the invitation.”

The thief smirked a little at her reply. Lavender rolled her eyes and Lelina merely stared. Then, they noticed Jason.

  “Oh, Jason! There you are! Girls, this is Jason Harlon, the best detective on earth. Jason, this is Lelina Beauvencourt, the best babysitter on the planet, and Rose Stravor, the, uh..,” Lavender seemed to hesitate before saying it. “Uh, the thief.”

   “Hey, you better not arrest me, bud,” Rose pointed an accusatory finger at Jason. “Only joking, of course. You'd have no grounds for it anyhow! I know my way around the legal system, don't ‘cha know.”

Jason smiled sheepishly, which seemed to satisfy Rose. Now that he knew Lelina’s talent, her carrying around a box of toys seemed less weird.

   “Hey, Lelina? Why are you carrying a box of toys around?”

   “W… well, I'm an old f… friend of Francis’... And he told me that h… he was throwing a p… party and he needed s… someone to look after kids but so f… far I haven't seen a s… single kid here…”

   “Kids? This was a party for the talented! Did he think we'd bring our damn kids along?” Rose asked.

   “This party is bringing up more questions and yet no answers…” Lavender inquired.

   “Where's our host anyways?” Rose asked.

Jason hadn't noticed that before. Amongst all the guests, Francis Helmsburg was nowhere to be found.

   “I'm sure he's just planning a big reveal. You ever met the weirdo? He's very… Strange,” Rose confirmed.

Jason wasn't so sure. For the first time, a wave of dread washed over him, but it was gone as quickly as it came. Perhaps Rose was right. In any case, he didn't have much time to think, as Lavender was already dragging him towards other guests.

   Currently, three guests, one woman and two men Jason hadn't met before, were observing a girl doing something that Jason couldn't see immediately. The girl was wearing a plain black dress, with white shoes and a white-jewel necklace. Her eyes were almost pitch-black, and she wore no lipstick, unlike a majority of the girls present at the party. What intrigued Jason most about her was her hair. It was perfectly split down the center of her head, one half white and one half black. While it was clearly dyed, for a second Jason thought it could have been natural. The black half curled off at her neck while the white half kept going all the way to her hips. She was currently focused on a plant pot sitting on an end table near the staircase. The others were all watching in silence.

   “What is she doing?” Jason asked.

The other three were surprised at Jason’s sudden appearance.

   “I'm not sure,” the girl answered. “We asked her what her talent was and she just said to watch.”

The girl was dressed in a typical cheerleader fashion (minus any kind of logo on her top). Her dirty blonde hair was tied up into two ponytails on the top of her head. In her hands, she held two gold-and-white pom-poms. Her outfit had matching colors - a white top and a golden skirt. However, despite having the appearance of a cheerleader, she seemed to be nothing like one - her deep blue eyes looked profoundly bored and tired, as if she had stayed awake for several days doing something she had no interest in. As if reflecting Jason’s thoughts, she yawned loudly.

   “Yawn… In any case, who are you?”

   “I'm Jason Harlon, the-”

   “Detective, right?”

Jason was taken aback. How could this girl know his talent before he had even told her? It was clear she was more observant than she looked.

   “Well, I'm Jessica Pearly. As I'm sure you could have guessed, I'm the… Yawn… Best cheerleader in the world. Boring, I know.”

Jessica yawned once more, covering her mouth with her pom-pom. She seemed to already be bored of Jason, and turned around to face the other girl.

   “Interesting one, isn't she?”

The other two guests had apparently been eavesdropping on Jason and Jessica’s conversation. One was a small, cheerful-looking man wearing a hideous carrot-colored Afro wig. He was dressed in a rainbow polka-dot shirt, with brown pants that did not match with his shirt at all. On his back, he carried what looked like a metallic backpack, and he held a remote control in his hand. What interested Jason was the man’s eyes - they were completely heterochromic, one a sparkling green and the other a dull brown. The other man had a racecar driver-esque feel to him. He wore the helmet for it (visor up, of course), wore a white outfit for the purpose with red stripes along the side, and he seemed to exude an aura of confidence naturally associated with the role. Jason did not need to second-guess his talent. His eyes, which were the only part of his face visible under his helmet, were a dark brown color.

   “She kinda just seems bored with everything. Heck, even my jokes couldn't entertain her!”

   “That's because your jokes are horrible, Bobby,” the driver said matter-of-factly.

   “You too? Jeez, tough crowd, huh? Bobby laughed to himself. Welp, guess I can't work miracles. The name's Bobby, by the way. Bobby Quinn. Nice to meet ya!”

   “Fair warning,” the driver loudly whispered to Jason, “he will make awful jokes. For someone titled the best comedian in the world, the only thing funny about it is how comically bad he is.”

Raising his voice, the driver began to introduce himself.

   “Well, I'm Axel Rider, the best racecar driver you've ever laid your eyes on. Yeah, ha ha, my last name is Rider and I drive cars, never heard that one before.”

Jason hadn't even mentioned anything about his last name and Axel had already gotten mad at him. Jason fathomed that he had heard the joke quite a bit (probably several times tonight from Bobby), and that he was sick of it.

   “Speaking of which, I've got a joke for ya. What do you call a driver-”

   “Don't. You. Even. Start.”

Axel gave Bobby an annoyed glance, which didn't seem to stop Bobby. Lavender chuckled slightly at the interaction. What DID stop Bobby was that the girl they had all been observing finally did something. The plant pot that was sitting on the end table was now hovering about three feet above it, apparently suspended in the air by the girl’s gaze. Axel immediately turned his attention to the suspended pot, leaving Bobby with no audience for his joke. Disheartened, he turned to look at the girl. Even Jessica was paying some attention to her. Seeing that the five were looking at her, she turned to address them. The plant pot immediately came crashing down, breaking with a loud crack!

   “There you have it. My talent is telekinesis. I told you you wouldn't believe me unless I showed you,” she said in a bored tone, as though she had said this to countless other people before.

Jason couldn't take his eyes off of the broken pot on the floor. This girl had just lifted something with her mind! How was such a thing even possible? Jason was not the only one in disbelief - Axel, Bobby, Lavender and even Jessica were taken aback by this.

   “How…,” Jason stumbled with his words, at a loss.

   “How? Practice, that's all. And willpower, I guess, she replied. Oh? I don't believe we've met before. I'm Alexandra Toriah, the telekinetic. Pleasure.”

As she spoke, she remained completely emotionless. With the same emotionless expression, she did a small curtsy. Everyone was still shocked at the display they had just witnessed. Alexandra sighed and walked away. Jason, deeming it was best not to ask any questions, headed towards the last two guests he had yet to talk to.

   “You know, I can't find it,” a lady spoke in a very carefree manner.

   “Can't find what, beautiful? The man replied in a suave and confident tone, a hint of a British accent in his voice.

   “Where I asked for your opinion,” she replied sternly, the carefreeness completely dissipated.

   “Oh, you have shot me through the heart with your arrow of truth!” The man seemed hardly phased by this.

This was the conversation that Jason walked in on. The lady wore an elegant blue dress, and gave off an aura of superiority and grace. She wore black high heels and her brown hair was neatly aligned with her back, falling in a curtain that went to her hips. She had a pearl necklace and matching earrings and bracelet, with a brooch in her hair covered in white gems. Her amber-colored eyes had a certain coldness to them, as if she had never looked at something and thought positively of it. The man seemed to be a perfect counterpart to her. Wearing a black tuxedo and matching tie, he looked like a proper gentleman. Wearing a black, red-rimmed top hat and having a black cane did not hinder the comparison. His chestnut eyes looked at the room as if he owned all of it, and it were all beneath him. However, judging by their conversation, Jason assumed that they were not perfect counterparts.

   “Um… Hello!”

   “Hmm? Oh, hi! How are you?”

The woman suddenly smiled, the smile warm but menacing and venomous. Jason felt chills go down his spine.

   “I'm good… My name is-”

   “Jason Harlon, the world's finest detective, is that right? Sorry, you haven't exactly been subtle about your approach. As someone who can actually succeed at something in her life, allow me to show you how it's done.”

The minute she said that, she put one hand on the man’s chest and shoved hard. He stumbled and fell. Once he was on the ground, she leaned towards Jason’s ear and whispered:

   “My name is Selena Coveny, and my talent is being a linguist. I can speak 25 different languages fluently and about 10 more that I'm shaky on.”

She said all of this in one breath, then leaned away from his ear just in time for the man to get up.

   “See, Jason? That's how you introduce yourself without undesirable people hearing it. This man right here has no idea what my name or talent is, and I'd like to keep it that way, if you'd be so kind.”

   “You really love to hurt a man, don't you?”

The man seemed to not have minded being treated this way. In fact, while it was almost imperceptible, Jason could have sworn he saw a flash of enjoyment on his face.

   “I suppose it would be rude of me not to return the favor. For the both of you, listen up! For my name is one you would be naive to forget. I am Timothy Gladion, and I am the man that will one day become the richest man in the world!”

   “What talent would you have then, you useless waste of oxygen?”

Selena’s smile faded instantly as she spoke to Timothy. Once again, this did not seem to bother him in the slightest.

   “Ah, mademoiselle is curious, then! Well, prepare to have your mind blown!”

He took off his top hat and, bowing in the process, brought it in front of him, directly facing Selena. “I am none other than the greatest magician in the world!” As he said ‘magician’, he pulled out a stuffed toy that looked like a rabbit out of his hat. Selena did not have any reaction visible.

   “What a useless talent to accompany such a pathetic sounding man,” she replied.

   “Oh, how high your standards are, my dear! Very well - this evening, I shall prepare a magic trick that will knock you off your feet and make you soar like a graceful swan!” With that, he walked off, an air of pride on his face.

   “What. An. Idiot! Hopefully, not everyone at this party is so far below me that they have lost any entertainment value. At least you seem interesting,” Selena spoke softly, venom dripping off of her words when she started speaking about Jason. She then pointed at Jason, her eyes meeting his. He noticed in her gaze a certain hunger to be entertained - he began to understand that she was only satisfied when she felt superior to a powerful opponent. To her, a detective was much more worthy of her attention than a magician. Jason slowly began to walk away. “Oh, don't worry. I shall have my fun before long! See you soon, detective!”

With that, she walked away in an elegant stride, leaving Jason to return to Lavender.

   Jason had finally spoken to all the guests in the room. Afterwards, he decided to investigate the entrance hall where they were all gathered. At first glance, nothing was out of the ordinary. The one thing to mention was that all the doors were locked, including the two doors leading away from the hallway accessible by the stairs. In that hallway, a replica painting of The Last Supper hung in an ornate frame, encrusted with various kinds of jewels. Mary and Selena were currently engaged in a conversation about the painting.

   “Ah, such a classic piece!” Selena exclaimed.

   “Truly, one of the greatest works picturing Jesus Christ himself,” Mary replied.

   “I especially like all of the hidden meanings. Did you know that one of them was supposedly drawn to resemble a girl?”

Selena had clearly intentionally chosen this topic, and it seemed to get her desired reaction out of Mary.

   “No, they are the Lord’s disciples.”

   “But look at this one! Doesn't he seem… Feminine to you?”

   “Nonsense! This is a painting describing his story! Why would there be a woman?”

    “I don't know. Maybe he was married?”

    “Blasphemy! How could you even say such putrid things?”

Jason ignored the remainder of the conversation, as he had noticed something concerning the painting. On the very bottom right corner was a brief message. It read:

“To my great friend Francis, as thanks for the loans.

-Vincent Alfonzo, the best painter in the world”

    One thing immediately stood out to Jason. If Francis had based this party around gathering everyone with a shred of talent, surely his own friend would be invited, especially since he had a talent. However, Jason had spoken to everyone at the party, and none of them claimed to be a painter or to be named Vincent Alfonzo. Suddenly, Jason remembered something. He had heard the name Vincent Alfonzo before… But he couldn't quite remember where.

    “Vincent Alfonzo, huh?”

Jason jumped. Lavender had snuck up behind him and, as if reading his mind, brought up the very topic on his mind.

    “Have you ever heard of him?” Jason asked.

    “Hmm… I've never met him, but the name rings a bell…,” Lavender replied. “Ah! I know where I've heard the name before!”

Jason raised an eyebrow.

  “As a detective, you must have heard of the serial killer known as the talent killer, right?”

   “The talent killer?”

    “Yeah! As the name implies, they go around killing people with a lot of talent. I remember seeing Vincent Alfonzo’s name among the victims… At least, I think so.”

So that was where he had heard the name before! He had watched a short news segment about the victims of the talent killer. Among the victims was Vincent Alfonzo and… It pained him to remember this, but Ariana Beverly was also among the list of people killed by the talent killer.

   Again, Lavender seemed to read his mind.

   “Come to think of it… Another name on that list was Ariana Beverly, the world's greatest detective… You wouldn't happen to know her, would you?” Lavender eyes narrowed as she asked the question.

    “Actually, she”-

Jason never got the chance to answer her question, as in the middle of his sentence, the large oak doors at the entrance creaked open once more.

   Everyone turned to look at the newcomer. He was soaked wet (it had apparently begun raining outside), and it did not go well with his white dress shirt, which now stuck to his chest, revealing that he was a rather thin man with very little muscles, but also no fat to be seen. From afar, Jason could tell that he was very short. His pants were not as affected; he wore pale blue jeans and, visible through his shirt, a leather belt. His shaggy brown hair was also soaked, and the raindrops glistened in the light of the party. His small, brown eyes darted around the room, taking in all of the other guests, most of which have given him a passing glance and returned to their conversations. Jason and Lavender decided to drop the topic of Vincent Alfonzo and go greet the newcomer. Aside from them, Navini, Vivian and Rose also came over to introduce themselves. The man stared at each of them in turn. After they had all introduced themselves, he waited a few seconds before speaking.

   “Oh, um, I didn't know there would be this many people here. Ha, ha…”

He laughed nervously, clearly not at ease around this many people. “Um, well… My name is Cole Dendricks. Nice to meet you all!”

   “Cole Dendricks… Never heard of you.” Navini replied.

   “What's your talent?” Lavender asked.

   “My talent..? Oh, right. Well, my talent is therapy, I guess. I'm very therapeutic, and I've cured several psychological afflictions thought to be incurable.”

   “Therapy?” Rose inquired. “You know, that is NOT what I would have guessed.”

    “Ha, I guess not,” Cole replied nervously. “Most people see me as a shy, introverted boy.”

   “Oh, you're new! How are you?” Vivian, who had clearly not been following the conversation, asked.

The others all looked at her incredulously. Cole, who had never met Vivian, looked at the others for an explanation.

   “She's always like this,” Lavender explained.

   “Oh, I see…” Cole replied. Anyways, when is dinner? I'm starving… I had to skip lunch for, um… An appointment today…”

   “Ya know, that's an excellent question,” Rose added. “I could use some grub myself!”

   “Huh? There's food?” Vivian asked, which resulted in more curious looks.

   “Well, in any case, I…” Navini started, but then she noticed Henry had found her once more. “Dang it! You'd think it'd be easier to blend in with so many people!”

Maybe if she wasn't wearing such a ridiculous outfit, Jason thought, and chuckled to himself. It seems he was not the only one thinking this, as Cole, Rose and Lavender also smiled. Navini did not notice, and instead ran to the other end of the room as fast as she could. Henry brusquely changed trajectory, trying to keep up with Navini.

   Suddenly, the glass doors blocking off the dining room swung open. They swung with such force that the glass panes vibrated for a bit. Everyone’s attention was immediately diverted to the dining room. One by one, whether it be out of curiosity, reluctance to be alone, or simply hunger, everyone shuffled into the dining room.

   The dining room itself was nothing spectacular - it was large, but aside from the dining table, nothing really stood out. The table had a plain white tablecloth on it, with plates, napkins and a name tag in front of every seat. Quickly counting the seats, Jason counted exactly twenty-eight seats - in other words, exactly enough for all the guests plus Francis, who was nowhere to be found. The table was way too large for only twenty-eight people - rather, it could have fit over one hundred people comfortably. Jason noticed that at one end of the table was another oak door, this one smaller than the other, but still large enough for two people to walk through simultaneously with no problem. He went up to it and pulled on the doorknob - as he expected, it was locked. Jason assumed this one led to a kitchen of some kind. At the other end, right above the seat destined for Francis, hung a painting of a man in gaudy attire, presumably Francis Helmsburg. Jason made his way to the seat with Ariana’s name tag and sat down, hastily covering the name tag so no one saw Ariana’s name. Luckily for him, the two people adjacent to her - that being Lelina Beauvencourt and Francis Helmsburg - had yet to take their seats. Almost on cue, Lelina sat down, placing her toy box at her feet. Mikad sat on her left, twirling his pistol in his finger. Gradually, everyone stopped investigating and took their seats. Lavender was the last to do so, sitting in between Michael and Selena. The right end of the table had everyone’s names - the left end, on the other hand, had plates with no name tags on them. Jason could only assume that these plates must have been for people who declined the invitation. However, there was no return address (save for the location of the manor), so how could they decline the offer? It was with these questions that he sat in silence, observing the other guests. A thought then entered his mind - seemingly no one had opened the doors, and they opened a minute after Cole had entered the manor. Could it be that whoever opened those doors knew the exact number of guests that would show up, and therefore opened them once twenty-seven guests had arrived? And what an odd number of people - twenty-seven? Why not an even number like thirty? Jason presumed that there were supposed to be at least one hundred guests, so why had only twenty-seven guests shown up? With Francis, they would be twenty-eight. Where was their mysterious host?

   Jason decided that it was too soon to be able to answer any of these questions, and therefore decided to listen in to the conversations people were having. He was not the only one to do so - instead of participating to conversations of their own, Lavender, A and Jessica decided to listen to others’ conversations instead. Jason decided to listen to the conversation between Lelina, Mikad and Navini, who sat left of Mikad.

   “S...so… What d...do you think is f...for dinner?” Lelina asked.

   “I don't know, but I wish they'd hurry up!” Navini answered. “I'm starving!”

Mikad, still twirling his pistol around, made the people near him tense that he would accidentally shoot one of them.

    “How long do they expect to keep me- I mean, us, waiting?” Mikad said.

    “I...I'm hoping that we h...have steak tonight…”

    “Ooh, that sounds nice!” Navini agreed.

   “Mmm, a steak would be nice! Wonder what sides we will have?” Mikad added.

Jason knew that this conversation would have nothing pertinent in it. Since he had no one else near him, he decided to investigate the room a little more. He remained seated, since he figured that getting up would only attract suspicion to him. The painting he had assumed to be Francis Helmsburg had a little note written in the bottom right - the same that had been written on the Last Supper. Jason thought that Vincent Alfonzo would probably have counted amongst tonight’s guests had he not met an untimely death. The prospect of a talent killer was slightly worrying - after all, everyone at this party had one talent or another, and having them all gathered in one place seemed like a dangerous prospect. However, the talent killings were fairly recent, and since there was no date on the invitations, Jason assumed that Francis Helmsburg had written them before the talent killer had begun their serial killings. He took out his invitation and studied it once more.

Dear Sir/Madam,

You are cordially invited to a formal party, courtesy of the world’s best investor, Sir Francis Helmsburg. The party will be held at his own manor on the 10th of November. You are to wear a formal attire, but there is no specific dress code. Feel free to wear whatever suits you. Be aware that all the guests at this event are high-class citizens such as yourself - you, along with them, have been invited to this party for your talent in a specific field. It is with hopeful anticipation that I wish to see the world’s best detective at the party. Your skill in cracking the toughest of cases has earned you every right to visit my sumptuous mansion on the evening of the 10th. It would grant me an immense honor to count you amongst my guests.

Hoping to see you there in all your glory,

Sir Francis Helmsburg

That was when Jason noticed something he had not - Sir Francis Helmsburg identified himself as the world's best investor - a title which would surely account for the man’s wealth. If that was truly the case, then did this mean that Francis was also a target of the talent killer? Or perhaps he was the talent killer? Either prospect seemed equally likely to Jason, and he could not gather more information until he either met Francis, or he could investigate more of the household. As if on cue, the door at the other end of the dining room swung open.

   At first, Jason thought the door had opened for no reason. The reason for this was because the person who exited the door was so… Small! In fact, it looked like a baby had just walked out of a room that Jason assumed to be a kitchen. Dressed in a white bonnet and a light blue diaper, it really looked like a baby waddling towards the table. He wielded a small yellow rattle which was humming with electricity, a small band of which was coursing between the tips of the rattle. Once he had reached the chair that was supposed to seat Francis Helmsburg, he hauled himself up onto it, a process that proved to be quite difficult on account of his small limbs. Everyone looked at him with an expression of amused disbelief. Having finally heaved himself onto Francis’ chair, he turned to face the guests. His black eyes seemed to pierce through everyone, and for a brief moment he analyzed everyone in the room. Lelina briefly ended the tension when she got up and started speaking to the baby.

   “Why, hello there! Are you lost?”

Lelina’s voice and attitude had completely changed when she started addressing the baby. Jason guessed that this was how she acted around children in general, and that her real personality was what he had seen earlier.

   “Hmmm?” The baby tilted his head.

   “Where are your parents? Do you know where mama and papa are?”

   “Hmmmmmmm?” The baby repeated.

   “Are you Francis’ boy?” Lelina asked.

   “Hmmmmmmmmmmmm? The baby’s reply did not change.

   “Can you understand what I'm saying?” Lelina inquired.

   “Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Of course I can understand, you dimwit!”

After his brief outburst, he smacked Lelina in the face with his rattle. The electric current cause Lelina’s hair to spike up, revealing the black hair roots, and confirming that the light purple was not her natural color. What surprised Jason the most, however, was the baby’s voice. It was high-pitched and whimsical, but articulate enough to sound like an adult’s. Somehow, the whimsical nature of it made it sound even more unsettling. Lelina, shocked from the suddenness of the blow, staggered backwards. A look of outrage was on her face when she sat back down next to Jason.

   “Well, well, well! Look at all of you! So talented, so skillful! How ARE you all doing?” The baby asked, ignoring the shocked and curious looks he was being given.

Jason looked around the room. Most people had an understandable reaction - shock. Of course, some wore more interesting expressions. Some showed curiosity, plain and simple. Others showed complete indifference. But there was one emotion that was painfully clear on everyone’s face - fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of why this strange child was seated in front of them.

    “You're probably all wondering why I'm here, right? Or maybe you're wondering where your host is, right? Well, allow me to answer both of those questions. To begin with, I'm afraid that Sir Francis Helmsburg has had an… Unfortunate overlay with tonight, and will not be joining us.”

As he spoke, a smile spread on his face, full of malice and evil intent. It was a smile that, combined with the unfitting child persona he had, made this whole situation even more unsettling.

   “But it's alright! You have me instead! Hmm… What should you call me… I don't really have a name, you see. Hmm… You know what? I kinda like the name Brian. So that's what you're going to call me! Got it?”

He waited, as if he were expecting a reply. Again, he received a deadpan silence.

   “Not that it matters. Call me whatever you like! It won't change a thing for me! As for why I'm here, well… I happen to know a secret. Would you like to know what it is?”

Everyone leaned in, even if they didn't realize it. Some leaned in further than others.

   “I happen to know that one of you is a dirty, dirty liar. By which I mean, they're lying about everything. Their name, their talent, maybe even their gender, who knows? Well, I do! But you don't. And here's where I come in. I happen to know their talent. Of course, I'm sure some of you have already guessed what this talent is. One of the twenty-seven of you’s real talent is… They are the best serial killer in the world!”

Jason immediately made the link. The talent-killer. They must have disguised themselves as one of the people here - heck, maybe they introduced themselves as someone who never existed! A wave of doubt washed over everyone - people started glancing nervously at one another, trying to read one another’s faces.

   “So back to me,” Brian said, and everyone immediately turned to look at him. “Here's where I come in! You see, I'm painfully bored right now. So, in cooperation with the best serial killer in the world, we’re going to play a little game… Here's how it works! Every now and then, the killer will kill one of you! Afterwards, you'll investigate the crime scene. Then, after a brief amount of time, you'll enter the large room on the left. I'll be listening and watching, of course! You'll tell me what you think happened at the crime, for example, the cause of death or the time of death, and why the killer targeted that person! It's truly that simple. Of course, a game’s no fun if there are no winners, right? So those of you who manage to correctly identify everything - and I do mean everything - will receive immunity! Why is that important? Well, every time we hold one of these investigations, the person who was the most wrong will be… Punished. So if you're not immune, you should watch out! Because the next person dead could be you!”

Afterwards, he erupted in a fit of laughter. Like his voice, it was high-pitched and whimsical. However, there was a certain cruelty to the way he laughed. No one reacted immediately. Then, slowly at first but picking up rapidly, complaints started erupting.

   “What?”

   “No way!’

   “As if we'd believe that!”

   “I'll just go, then!”

   “Who's child is this?”

   “You have piqued my interest.”

This last comment made everyone freeze momentarily and look at Selena, who seemed dead serious.

   “However, as entertaining as your game proposes to be, my dear Brian, I have to ask - where's your proof that we can believe you? Because, without proof, I'm afraid I won't be playing this game of yours.”

   “Hmm? My proof?” Brian answered. “Well, you'll see in just a few days!”

He winked at Selena, who did not show any reaction. Instead, she stood up and walked away from the room. Many followed, including Brian himself. Eventually, everyone followed Selena’s lead and headed to the main entrance. Selena was the first to arrive at the entrance, and she gave the door a hefty push. However, the door did not budge.

   “Oh, how clichéd. The door is locked,” she said.

   “Locked?” Michael pushed his way to the door, and give it a massive push. “Huh. It really is locked.”

   “Isn't that just tragic?” Everyone turned to look at Brian, who stood a good distance away from the group. “You can't leave, so I guess you have to play! Boy, this should be entertaining. Oh, and if you're wondering, I unlocked all the doors on the second floor. They lead to your dormitories! Boys on the left, girls on the right. I've provided plenty of spare clothing for those of you who survive that long. In any case, I'll be leaving now. Have fun!”

Brian began to head off, but found his path blocked off by Dexter and Arthur, their swords brandished.

   “Do you honestly think we shall allow this to happen?” Dexter asked.

   “I swore to protect freedom and justice,” Arthur added. “I will not allow this!”

   “Oh? Isn't that just thrilling? You think you have a say in the matter! Well, have fun with that.”

Not waiting for a reply, Brian tried to go around the two. In a flash, Dexter’s katana was in front of Brian’s neck. Momentarily taken aback, Brian stumbled back. Then he flashed his ever menacing smile.

   “Oh, you're being serious! Well then, come at me! If you're sure you can stop me, that is.”

Dexter did not need more. With a swift movement, he swung his sword right through Brian’s neck.

    It literally went through his neck, seemingly cutting through air. Dexter stumbled forward, surprised at his attack missing. Brian’s neck fuzzed for a moment before it returned to normal.

   “Oh, how silly of me! I didn't tell you that I can actually think! Tell me, why would I actually put myself in the face of danger when there are two swords people, a boxer, and two people wielding firearms? That's right, I wouldn't. What you're seeing right now is a projection that I'm broadcasting. Of course, I'm really mimicking the movements you're seeing, but I'm not actually right in front of you. What a shame! I was hoping you'd try this kind of stuff after we'd at least had one death! Oh well. Can't be helped, I guess. Well, I'll leave you be now. Bye bye!”

With that, Brian vanished, the broadcast having seemingly ended. Time seemed to stand still. Everyone looked at each other, doubt written on their face. Even Selena, who had previously noted her intrigue, looked at the other guests in a manner of doubt.

   “Um… What do we do?” Navini was the first to break the silence.

   “Try to force our way out, obviously!” Michael replied.

   “Doesn't that seem a little… Dangerous?” Mikad, the bravado completely gone, looked worried.

   “While I hate to cower in fear, it seems best to try to understand our situation before openly defying it,” Dexter added.

   “Screw that! I'm getting out of here,” A said.

He then lifted his sniper rifle, seemingly aiming at the door. Everyone moved out of its trajectory - everyone, that is, except Lavender.

   “A, please. We have been locked in here with very little knowledge as to what is happening. Openly defying our captors would only put us in more danger. I agree with Dexter - we should try to understand our situation first,” Lavender explained.”Besides, I'm sure Brian anticipated us breaking out eventually. If I had to guess, I'd say the stone bridge leading to the mansion has probably been destroyed as well. Unless you want to take a dive into the ocean and try to swim away?”

A considered what she was saying, not lowering his gun. After what seemed like an interminable amount of time, he finally lowered his gun.

   “Very well. I'll play his game. But let me be clear - I fully intend to survive it, killer be damned”,”A retorted.

Afterwards, he walked off to the staircase. Once he had reached it, to his surprise, the door opened nicely. He went off to the left, where the boys dormitories were. Everyone followed suit. Jason lagged behind, hoping to get a chance to finish his conversation with Lavender. Lavender, however, had already walked off in order to help a girl with an enormous pile of books. While he had not spoken to her, Jason recognized Vicki Ingrid from the conversation that Gary and Audrey had had on her. Vicki gladly accepted the help from Lavender, although even with her help, there were still a bunch of books left. Jason decided to help as well, and picked up the books that were left. He headed to the right to drop off Vicki’s books in her room. On the doorknob of the door labelled ‘Vicki Ingrid’ lay a key for the room. Vicki took it and unlocked the door to her room. Jason couldn't get a proper look inside before Vicki turned around and grabbed the pile of books from Lavender.

  “Thanks a lot, Lavender!” Vicki smiled at Lavender.

  “It was nothing. If we're going to stay here for a while, we should at least try to get along.”

  “Yeah, I agree!” Vicki answered.

Jason put the rest of the books on top of the pile. Vicki’s eyes narrowed.

  “Oh, um. Thanks too, I guess.”

Her voice lost any cheerful demeanor when she started talking to Jason. In fact, she seemed hostile and cold.

   “You're welcome?”

   “Um. Anyways. Good night.”

Vicki gave one last death stare to Jason before she politely smiled at Lavender and slammed the door shut.

   “What is her problem?" Jason asked. 

   “Beats me,” Lavender replied. “Anyways, I think I'm going to go to my room - make sure everything's in order. Good night!”

Jason did not mention that she or he might not survive the night. He thought better of it. In fact, there was no proof that anything Brian had said was true. But, for now, Jason thought better of it and headed to his room. He heard Lavender’s door click behind her. Headed towards the hallway, he saw some of the other men talking amongst themselves. Henry, A and Mikad were currently in a discussion about tonight’s events. Suddenly, Jason felt a huge wave of fatigue wash over him. He felt no desire to join in on their conversation. Instead, he walked to his room at the very end of the hallway and grabbed. Before he went in, he noticed that there were no windows of any kind in the hallway. Instead, a crudely drawn picture of a landscape hung instead. He opened the door to his room, walked in and closed the door behind him. The room itself was fairly average - it had a bed with light blue sheets, a slender desk and chair, and a bathroom off to the right. Quickly peeking into the bathroom, he saw a bathtub with a shower above it and a sink. There was also a closet at the very end of the room. Too tired to do anything else, Jason collapsed onto his bed and fell into a very deep sleep.