Slim M&P 3

[Railen]

Tha lightning-fast version of M&P. Who joins and who hosts?

One additional rule, but that'll only be for the host.

[Guest]

I' m in

I think I know what's that rule is gonna be.

[SeeMeInTheShadows]

I'll play again.

[AelitaBelpois]

I think Binary is hosting this one (I think he asked to host one M&P about a week or two ago), and I'm in.

Edit: Never mind. He asked to be the host of M&P 2.

[Stella Luce 333]

I'm in!!!

[SnowPrincessMossy]

I'll play

[Coto524]

In. With cake.

[Railen]

Anyone wanting to host? If not, I'll do it again.

[Railen]

Bump! Tomorrow morning (my time) this game will be started. If there are any more willing to play, now is the time to pounce along!

[Kittyclaw]

I'll play! And I guess I can host [someone will just have to explain what M&P slim is].

[SnowPrincessMossy]

It's pretty much the same as M&P, but the killer doesn't know that they are the killer, pretty much the host picks someone to be a killer and leaves clues pointing to that person with each kill.

[Kittyclaw]

Ah, so you avoid all the issues we had before with keeping every one in contact?

[Coto524]

Pretty much. It's M&P's simplified baby.

[Kittyclaw]

Okay boys and girls, Kitty's hosting! And we're getting started on Monday, so everyone who wants to play needs to make sure they're signed on, cause Sunday at midnight is the cut off. Just to make sure, the list of players so far is as follows:

Railen
Legend
Shadows
AelitaBelpois
Stella
Snowy
Enzo

Did I forget anyone?

[Railen]

Yourself.

[Kittyclaw]

'flails at Railen'

First post tomorrow! Details about voting and the like will be released then.

[Kittyclaw]

Double Post because I can no longer bump, but I want everyone to know we've started. Also, this post's a long one.

Okay boys and girls, here’s how we’re doing this. You guys know how it goes: I write about all of us in some kind of secluded situation, where we can be picked off one by one without being able to escape. Throughout the piece, I layer in clues to try and help you figure out who’s killing you all off. Some are really obvious, some are so obscure it’s ridiculous. It’s up to you guys to figure out what’s a hint and what’s not, and figure out who you need to boot from the game—and fast, because every time you get it wrong, another of your number will fall to the killer. When you think you know who did it, send me a pm with your guess. All pm’s are due by 8:00pm est the day after the kill (I would go with midnight, but unfortunately I don’t have time to write these scenes in the morning). The next day I will post the results: either we get to watch the killer be chased away, or we watch as another of our group is spirited off. Any questions about gameplay, just drop me a pm.

And so it begins…

Turquoise waves splashed against the side of the boat, foamy caps bouncing spray up into the air. At the boat’s bow, Stella and Bells lean over the rail, trying to see who can touch the tips of the waves first. Appearing between the two, Shadows leans way over the railing, encouraged by her friends to reach as far over as she can. When the boat hits a particularly large wave, Shadows is bounced up out of her seat, shouting in surprise as she suddenly finds herself jerking forward over the edge of the boat.

“Not so fast!”

A hand grabs Shadow’s belt, jerking her back over the rail, and she and her savior topple together to the boat’s floor. For a few moments Shadows blinks in surprise, and then she turns to look over her shoulder.

“Oh, sorry Enzo!” she yelps when she spots her friend sprawled out beneath her. She quickly scrambles off of him, while Stella and Bells laugh at the pair’s antics.

“Crazy kids,” the boat’s driver laughs, shaking his head while watching the group at the front of the boat as Stella shrieks and joyfully points out that both Shadows and Enzo are blushing.

“Because you’re any better, John,” Kitty says, rolling her eyes when he gives her a shocked look. “You know it’s true.” For a moment John continued to look shocked, and then he shrugs.

“It’s true,” he says. Kitty struggles to swallow her laughter.

“So, John,” she says around giggles, “where exactly are you taking us, anyway?”

“You’ll see soon enough,” John says, sounding like it’s not the first time he’s answered this question.

“Yeah Kitty,” Rena says, tossing an arm around her friend’s shoulders. Kitty sighs, while Snowy and Railen, sitting across from her, laugh at her exasperation.

“I think the surprise is half the fun,” Snowy says brightly. Kitty just sighs again.

“Hey, is the boat turning?” a new voice asks. “I feel like I’m in the shade.”

Four pairs of eyes turn to look at the boat’s last passenger. For a long moment no one says anything until their last companion, believing he’s being ignored, cracks open one eye to look around.

“What?” Legend asks, when he realizes everyone is staring at him. “I don’t want to tan unevenly.”

“Don’t worry about your tan,” John assures him, “you’re going to have plenty of time to work on it this week.” Legend quirks a curious eyebrow, but before he can ask John what he means he’s interrupted by excited shouting from the front end of the boat. While everyone else looks startled and confused, Rena and John share a grin.

“Looks like we’re here!” Kitty and Snowy look at one another and shrug, while Legend frowns and Railen just blinks in confusion.

“Where’s here?”
--
“Here!” Rena says, throwing her arms out. Behind her, everyone can only cling to their bags and gape.

“This is where we’re spending the week?” Stella finally manages to ask. Rena nods, grinning.

“Do you guys like it?”

The general consensus is a lot of gaping and wordless sounds of disbelief as the group tries to take in the magnificent island spreading out before them. The island that they are getting completely to themselves for an entire week.

“I thought you would,” Rena says, looking satisfied with herself. She allows herself a moment to feel good, and then squares her shoulders, planting her hands on her hips. “Alright, gather your bags everyone! Your accommodations are further inland. This,” she thrusts a map into Kitty’s hands, only to take it back a moment later and hand it to Legend instead, “will lead you to your home away from home. And this,” she eyes her options before eventually handing the compass to Stella, “will help you get there. You might also want this.” Snowy and Kitty light up with joy as they’re finally handed something, only for their expressions to drop when they realize they’ve been handed a bottle of sunscreen.

“Hey, wait,” Shadows says suddenly, getting everyone’s attention.

“Yes?” Rena asks. Shadows frowns for a moment, and then motions to Legend and Stella.

“Why are you giving us a map? Aren’t you going to show us where we’re staying?”

There’s a long moment of silence as expectant eyes all turn towards Rena. For a long moment she stares back at her companions. And then, suddenly,

“Ohmigosh, look!” she shouts, pointing off into the distance. As one, the group turns to gape in the direction she’s pointed, shouting ‘what, what?’ as they squint and shield their eyes against the sun. After a long minute passes, Railen turns back, planning to ask Rena what it was she saw—

Only to realize she’s no longer among the group. Looking around in surprise, he spots the girl just as she leaps back into the boat, which John has already gotten turned around and ready at the end of the dock.

“Have a good week!” Rena shouts, she and John waving merrily as the boat’s engine roars to life and they quickly speed away. The group stares in shock, seemingly unable to take their eyes off of the boat until, eventually, it vanishes from sight.

“…So,” Enzo drawls, the first to turn away from the horizon and back to the group. “Now what?” Everyone looks at one another, shuffling feet and coughing awkwardly, all waiting for someone else to speak first. Eventually Legend breaks the silence.

“I guess we should go find our new digs,” he says, looking down at the map confidently. “I mean, how hard can it be?”
--
“That is the last time I ever let any of you read a map ever again,” Bells says, pushing aside a large palm frond, revealing a clearing lit by the moon and stars above. “See?” she says, motioning ahead. The group behind her looks away awkwardly, a few of them mumbling something that might be a ‘thanks’ as they follow Bells into the clearing ahead, within which sit four little huts—wooden frames walled with mesh screens.

“Aw, they’re so cute!” Shadows shouts. She then pauses for a moment before adding, “I call this one!” and bolting towards her chosen hut. “Come on Enzo!” she shouts over her shoulder, before making faces as the others coo and laugh after them.

“Very funny, guys,” she says. “Would you guys be acting like this if Kitty and Railen wanted to share a hut?” Her statement was followed by silence, as all eyes shifted to Kitty and Railen, who were both blushing furiously.

“Kitty, you can share with me,” Snowy quickly offers, while Railen mumbles something about the hut on the left, grabs Legend, and hurries away. Snowy and Kitty soon do the same, while Shadows and Enzo scurry off to duke it out over who gets which bed.

“O…kay,” Stella says, when she suddenly realizes that she and Bells are the only ones left standing in the clearing. “Want to share?”

“Sure,” Bells says with a shrug.
--
The next morning finds Kitty and Stella crouched over the fire pit situated in the center of the huts, the former enthusiastically rubbing to sticks together while the latter rolls her eyes and decides that Rena and John are jerks for not leaving them any matches.

“There has got to be an easier way to do this,” Stella says, frowning when Kitty snaps her fifth stick in as many minutes. “Maybe one of the others has some matches on them?”

“We don’t have to wake them,” Kitty says, as she grabs a new stick and starts rubbing them together. “I’ve got this, I’m sure.” Stella watches, unconvinced, as Kitty rubs one stick against the other in a sawing motion.

“I…don’t think that’s how you do it. I’m going to go look for matches.” Kitty pouts up at Stella, but when he sixth stick snaps in her hand she relents, pushing herself to her feet. Spotting Stella heading for the boy’s hut, Kitty makes her way towards the one Shadows and Enzo are sharing.

“Morning guys,” she shouts, knocking on the door frame. “Be decent, I’m coming in.” The door slams open, resulting in a yelp of surprise. “Hey!” Kitty greets brightly.

“Good…morning,” Shadows says, staring wide eyed at Kitty, while holding down the hem of her oversized night shirt with one hand, a pair of sweatpants in the other.

“Morning,” Kitty says. “Me and Stella have a question. Do you or Enzo happen to have any matches?” Shadows blinks, then opens her mouth to respond, when a piercing shriek cuts her off.

“What was that?” Shadows asks.

“I don’t know.” Turning, Kitty throws the hut door open, eyes scanning the clearing. Across the way, her own hut’s door opens, Snowy’s head peeking out and looking around in confusion. Bells, who is in the middle of exiting her own hut, freezes, eyes going wide.

“That was Stella!” she exclaims, followed a moment later by Stella’s voice, shouting shrilly, “Someone get over here right now!” All three girls who are looking out over the clearing exchange looks, and then together bolt towards Railen and Legend’s hut.

“What happened?” Bells, the first to arrive at the boy’s hut, shouts as she bursts though the door, Snowy, Kitty, and Stella right on her heels. The sight that met them was one no one could have imagined.

Stella was sitting on the floor, back against the edge of Railen’s bed. Railen was sitting up, his blanket pooled around his waist, his hair tousled with sleep and his wide eyes bleary with sleep. But it wasn’t Stella or Railen that had captured everyone’s attention. It was legend, lying sprawled atop his bed, glassy eyes staring up, unseeing, at the ceiling.

And it was the knife, protruding from the center of Legend’s chest.
--
Everyone was silent as they sat together around the still unlit fire pit. Enzo, who had returned from exploring the nearby woods soon after Legend was found, was sitting beside Shadows, who’s head was resting on his shoulder. To their left was Stella, who was picking absently at a spot on her arm, and Bells, who was poking at the ground with one of Kitty’s snapped sticks pieces. Across the fire Kitty sat with an arm around Snowy’s shoulders while Railen toed the dirt.

“So, what do we do now?” Shadows asks quietly, turning every one’s attentions her way. A few people looked at one another, and someone shrugs.

“We need to protect ourselves,” Enzo declares. “We don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

“How?” Stella asks. “We don’t have anything to protect ourselves with.”

“And we don’t know what we’re protecting ourselves from,” Railen adds.

“What is there to protect from?” Kitty asks. “The only ones on the island are…” she trails off, eyes going wide. Bells finishes the sentence for her.

“Us.”

[Railen]

Sure left much clues, that killer!

[Guest]

Won't complain or make a constructive post... this is just way too fun to read

[Kittyclaw]

A note: I'll close the voting at 8pm tomorrow, since I figure not everyone can get online before 8 tonight, and I want you guys to have a chance to discuss first.

[Railen]

I think it's someone who has knives at home.

[Kittyclaw]

A quick reminder: Voting closes tonight. I've only recieved two votes so far, so everyone who hasn't voted, please do so. I'm extending the deadline to midnight, so everyone has a chance. Even if you don't know who it is, don't be afaid to take a wild guess--it's better than no guess at all.

[Kittyclaw]

This might just be the shortest round of M&P ever. Only one person voted, and she voted correctly, which I've decided makes her the winner. So, congrats! On another note, the reason for the killer killing Legend is something I made up completely. I don't actually think Legend would ever do what I accuse him of here.

So, without further ado, the finale of M&P Slim:

“What is there to protect ourselves from?” Kitty asks. “The only ones on the island are…” she trails off, eyes going wide. Bells finishes the sentence for her.

“Us.”
--
The group sits around the fire pit, no one saying anything as they stare discreetly at one another. Yet, even in the silence, alliances are being formed. On one side of the pit, Enzo gave Shadows’s hand a reassuring squeeze, earning himself a small smile in return. Across from them Snowy scoots a little closer to Kitty, who is whispering something into a pensive Railen’s ear. Stella keeps her head bowed, possibly still in shock from discovering Legend. Bells continues to poke at the ground, her gaze shifting between the two tiny groups. She can sense the tension building around them, and she knows that the last thing she wants is to pulled into the impending explosion.

An explosion that starts with, surprisingly, Stella.

“Who do you think did it?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I think it was Railen,” Shadows says, causing everyone to turn to her in surprise. “He and Legend were sharing a hut, after all,” she continues, when she realizes she has everyone’s attention, “so it would have been easy for him to do it without waking anyone.”

“I didn’t—” Railen starts to say, looking shocked, but he’s cut off by Kitty.

“Look at you, throwing the blame around,” she says, pointing at Shadows. “It seems kind of strange for someone who’s innocent to so quickly throw the blame around.”

“She’s just trying to figure out what happened,” Enzo says, scowling at Kitty. “Just because she wants to find out who did it doesn’t mean she’s a killer.”

“But it is suspicious,” Railen reasons, only for Enzo to turn his frown on the older boy.

“It’s also suspicious that you’re the only one who doesn’t have anyone who can account for their actions last night.”

“Just because someone was sleeping in the same hut as you doesn’t mean your actions can be accounted for,” Kitty snaps. “I couldn’t tell you what Snowy did last night, just because we slept near each other.”

“Are you saying it was Snowy then?” Shadows asks. Kitty’s eyes go wide.

“I’m not saying that at all!” she shouts

“Geeze, Shadows,” Bells says, suddenly joining the conversation, “you seemed pretty keen to jump on Snowy there.”

“At least she’s trying to find out who the killer is,” Stella says, scowling across the fire pit. “Unlike some people, who seem to be only shooting down everyone’s ideas.” She looks to Kitty and Railen as she says this, the former bristling when she realizes what Stella is implying.

“So now you think I’m a killer?” she demands.

“No one is saying it’s you,’ Bells says, “Stella just means we need to not be so quick to ignore all possibilities.”

“Way to defend Kitty,” Enzo says, now glaring at Bells. “For someone who thinks we should look at all possibilities. So far the only possibility you’ve looked at is Shadows! And she was with me all night, so it’s not even like she could have done it.”

“But she wasn’t with you this morning.”

All eyes turn to Snowy, who has spoken up for the first time. Snowy, however, only has eyes for Shadow.

“This morning, when Enzo left to go explore, that was pretty early in the morning, wasn’t it?”

“What does that have to do with—”

“Enzo,” Snowy says, “Please. I asked Shadows.” Shadows blinks, glancing nervously from Snowy to Enzo and then back. Then, slowly, she nods. “It was because of what Legend said during the last sector competition, wasn’t it?”

Looks of understanding cross everyone’s faces, accept for Bells, who asks a confused, “what are you talking about?”

“The ice sector won the last competition against the forest sector,” Snowy explained. “Legend was frustrated, because the win brought the ice sector back into the lead. Shadows happened to be the first member of the ice sector he ran into after the competition, so she ended up bearing the brunt of his frustration. He said some mean stuff, but apologized soon after. Shadows had told me everything was okay between them.” Snowy paused, meeting Shadows’s eye. “I guess it wasn’t after all.”

Silence followed Snowy’s announcement. For what seemed like a long time, everyone simply stared at one another, no able to think of anything to say. Eventually Shadows broke down, admitting that yes, it was she who killed Legend, and confirming that everything Snowy had said was true. Afterwards the group locked her inside one of the huts, explaining that even though they understood her pain they couldn’t risk her being out with them while they gathered their things and headed to the shore. There they found a radio on the dock, which they used to call back John and Rena (who were less than amused at their own vacation being cut short). After John and Rena arrived, the girls began loading the belongings back onto the boat, while the boys went back to collect Shadows.

When they arrived at the clearing, they were shocked to find the place in chaos. The fire pit was filled with ash—apparently someone had managed to get it lit—and the remains of the burnt wood were scattered everywhere. All of the huts screens’ had been shredded, and all of the huts’ doors were hanging awkwardly from twisted hinges. One of the doors had been removed entirely, gone from the clearing without a trace. Some of the bed sheets and pillows were scattered about, the sheets torn and the pillows ripped open, their stuffing floating about. A few sheets were missing, along with one of the mattresses.

Also missing were Shadows and, when the boys checked for it, Legend’s body. There were no tracks or markings to indicate where they’d gone, or how they’d even left the clearing. The boys spend a few hours searching the jungle all around, but all they managed to turn up were a few scraps of pillow stuffing and a bit of material that might have come from Shadow’s nightshirt.

When the sun began to sink from view and the first stars lit the sky, the boys called their search quits and returned to the shore. There they explained to the girls what they’d found. Although no one wanted to leave Shadows to whatever terrible fate awaited her in the jungle, John declared that remaining to search would only but everyone else in danger.

Making sure that everyone and their things were secure within the boat, John directed the vehicle away from the dock, quickly taking everyone away from the island that had been meant to be a week of paradise.

Back on the island, waves lapped at the shore, their motion almost unnaturally calm when compared to the chaos that had just taken place. Somewhere in the dense thickets of the jungle, a piercing shriek rang out. A few bird, squawking in surprise, lifted into the air, flapping about a little before settling back in the treetops.

The waves, dark and glistening, continued lap gently at the shore.
--

Mysterious ending because of short game play :] So, if you couldn't tell from the post, our winner is SNOWY! Yay, birthday win! The killer was indeed Shadows, and my clues telling you as much were that Legend ended up shadowed while tanning on the boat trip, and he died during the night.

Thank you all for playing! Railen has asked me to open a new sign up for the next round, so I will be going and doing that now.

[Railen]

See, Shadows probably has various knives in the kitchen.

Cheers on the story!

[Stella Luce 333]

Wow...M&P Slim is way fastr then norml M&P, lol...

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