townsville's going downsville tonight

[snapsnapsnap]

THE MASTERMIND AU
NICK V. CN EDITION

It's time for Nick vs. CN's mastermind meme!

To those who aren't familiar, this is essentially an AU where your character is the one responsible for Nick v CN's Mutual Killing Game, and all of the carnage that came with it, from the kidnapping to the motives to the trials to the executions! And now, they have chosen to reveal themselves before the remaining members of their class at the final trial!

As such, you are free to play around with this as much as you would like; was your character just another pawn in the grand scheme of things, or did your character put everyone in the Killing Game for a different reason? What is your character's motivation for bringing despair? What do they intend to get out of this seemingly senseless killing? And what does the rest of the class have to do to stop the madness and go home?

There's probably going to be quite a bit of AUing from your character's original canon happening here to make them into the best harbingers of despair they can be, so feel free to go as nuts with it as you want to! And, of course, feel free to tag others with your character's reaction to their classmate's big reveal; it doesn't matter whether or not your character made it to endgame, have fun and mix up the survivor pool as much as you'd like!

Oh, and feel free to describe your character's sweet new Monobear-themed duds, too!!

Original meme text borrowed and modified from loveisanopendoor!

Comments

[luckyspots]

[Why you little--

Her fists clench but she doesn't lash out, though her teeth are grinding in protest. There were some things she could tolerate but that was just over the line.]

None. He's not a cat.

[He knew full well he was pushing the one and only button that could potentially upset her more than the current nightmare she was facing. Well she wasn't biting. Not now...]

Try again. Or was that the best you can do?

[trustyboomerang]

[A snake. That's what she is. A snake. You just need to cut its head off somehow.]

Like they'd listen to you. Even with Steven under your thumb, they'd fight you. If you killed Steven, this house would go down.

[Great. There's a literal wall of people. Staring. Creepy. Very creepy.]

... So how did you convince Jorgen to take you as his godchild? Threaten him? Make yourself seem like some pathetic little girl who needed someone to make her life easier and happier? Couldn't have been your charm.

[apeopleperson]

I was so miserable that he just couldn't help it. I seemed to be just the kind of child who would need his personal intervention. Monobear helped, of course.

[Looking very pleased with herself, while Jorgen just...is red. Super red.]

You know as well as I do, if Steven dies you would all fall apart. And I'm certain Steven will see reason when I'm done with him. Others have before. Others much stronger than you ever will be.

After all.

Where do you think the survivors of the previous class went?

[trustyboomerang]

Was, is, not. Does it make a difference? The guy was a furry! May as well have been a real cat!

[The bear looks at Sokka before continuing.]

Cats are better than bugs anyways. Wanna know something fun? My master staged that entire last trial! He knew the coaches would turn against him. Just had to give them the right push. You were a perfect catalyst. So thank you! As for the coaches... Those cowards... oh well, they're just scrap heaps now.

[Sokka chuckles softly before opening his eyes to look straight at Marinette.]

I gotta thank you for getting rid of Lapis, too. Made my job a lot easier. It's better to have other people do dirty work like that. Oh, and thanks for the "care" you gave me. I lied about not being able to read you. You were one of the easier ones to manipulate.

[trustyboomerang]

[Don't get mad? Of course the little bug had a point. Getting mad would get them all killed.]

I don't believe that. There's no "truth" that would make the real Marinette do something like this. Make her want to kill people she loves. Who's the real mastermind?

[He wants to ask her... if she planned on having Adrien die...]

[trustyboomerang]

So he fell for your act. Gotta say, if you weren't so evil, you'd be a popular actress.

[He looks over at Jorgen.] Why were you dumb enough to make a godchild out of a girl who can electrocute people?

[At that question he stiffens and looks at the people in front of him. No... how... wait.]

So you're trying to follow in the footsteps of Long Feng. [Wasn't there a bit about 20 individuals who were influential?] You're training people for assassination... or worse.

[apeopleperson]

We only had baseline information on this universe! We don't exactly go off into other universes outside of ours on a normal basis!

The weak always mistake vision for evil. But enough of that.

[That smile on Azula's brightens up. Now he's starting to get it.]

I can't say I'm not relieved you survived to this point. Now, I can give you an excellent demonstration of what I plan to do. At least, for our world. Long Feng's methods were as short-sighted as he was.

[Then, sharply to her left:]

Number 5. Front and center.

[At this, one of the cloaked figures - about Azula's height - jerks up, and leaves their place in line. They quietly stride over to Azula, who looks just as pleased as punch.]

Number 5 was a particularly difficult nuisance in the previous class, but they've been outstanding in their loyalty to me since I managed to...convince them my side was right. Isn't that right?

[There is a small nod from the cloaked figure.]

Since I've discarded those annoying hallucinations and falsehoods about the world from my mind, I figured it would work wonders if I did the same for others. You'd be surprised the literature on the subject! What you found was just a little bit of what I read.

[blackforestham]

[The elevator this time is a lot more old fashioned, it stops to an old hangar. The ceiling is rusted, giving way to a glass murky ceiling. Sand fills the floor, some more heavily than others. It's obvious that this place has remained untouched by time for a long while. Not the typical place for a courtroom, but there are podiums in place nonetheless. Instead of typical voting ESH, though, there are typewriters.

But perhaps the strangest of all is the massive mech parked in the middle of the courtroom. It's face is black and white, arms suggesting it was once used for flying. In the center of its chest is a cockpit. A voice comes from the small dome.]

Man is a creature that fears the dark. It is that fear that is vital to them. It drives us, moves us closer to the truth.

[Yes. The truth. Like the evidence hinting towards a possible connecting between Madame Foster and a Paradigm Corp or the connection between the tomato project and the ominous Imaginary Friend project. All part of the strange hints left from a reporter calling himself Michael Zaibach.]

It is the truth I pursued as a reporter. But it is fear, the tension between hope and despair that truly drives we pathetic creatures! Without the threat of despair, we are but mindless beings marching to the edge of oblivion!

[The cockpit opens. Out steps a man, covered in bandages.]

Michael Zaibach believed in these things, it is how he burned and was born as Scwhwarzwald, your mastermind above dogs! I hope you're watching this, Mr. Negotiator! Observe these orphans as they reach the edge of despair and burn! For it is the trial of truth that all things burn!

[MASTERMIND TRIAL.]

[Anfang]

[pectoralmutt]

Not thinking enough if you ask me.

[Damnit this is all too tempting, even if he had the backs of everyone else in here.]

Weeeell...you drive a hard bargain! What say I lead these fools in this trial as my special battle whatever and you got a general!

[trustyboomerang]

Hmmm...

[He looks at the Monobear beside him.]

Think he's got the stuff?

I don't know... the others are going to try and tell him that hope will save them. We should test him again!

Sounds good to me. [He glances over at Ren.] Is there any of your classmates you'd be willing to sacrifice without a second thought?

[apeopleperson]

...

[DID SOMEONE SAY BURNING THINGS]

[blackforestham]

[DO IT SCHWARZWALD HAS A LIGHTER IN HIS POCKET.]

Perhaps you have been left truly speechless!

[Guffaws.]

[apeopleperson]

I'm impressed, I won't lie. Someone like you setting this all up.

[pectoralmutt]

[AS IF THAT'D BE A HARD QUESTION.]

Sacrifice huh? Will it be gruesome?

In that case I pick Vegetables!

[blackforestham]

Why, I'm surprised. For an orphan you've been resilient!

But that's the kind of people the world needs when we reveal to them the reality of this world! Those that can withstand the fear and terror of despair are the true heirs of truth!

[pectoralmutt]

That's what everyone else tells me, man.

Why set this up?! What's the logic of making me speak dolphin?!

[trustyboomerang]

You really, really hate him for trying to eat you, huh.

We should have roasted veggies for dinner!

No thanks. Besides, can't roast on dirt.

[Seeing as Sokka really has no plans on them taking him down... a simple snap sends Vegeta falling into a crevice, only to be crushed to death. At least the blood spray was nice. If only Ren knew the truth... Who knows if he realized that Vegeta had been uncharacteristically quiet.]

Anyone else or are you happy now?

[pectoralmutt]

Sounds like a great family, making you do this.

[pectoralmutt]

Forget about that, man.

Just focus on your new life.

Or I blow up a new country!

[apeopleperson]

I'm not actually an orphan, but whatever.

[pectoralmutt]

[Ren is too busy laughing with glee and clapping his hands to notice at first but soon he starts to get thinking...]

That was GREAT.

I'm satisfied. Unless you can kill him again. Can you? Can we see the body?

Body found at four am alongside chocolate pudding mix

[lostcontroloflife]

I get why you'd think that. Everyone thinks I'm a comedian [A joke more like] but it's not really my style.

We don't have time for kidding around. Not anymore. I've got some punishments to deal out.

[blackforestham]

[Schwarzwald breaks into uproarious laughter.]

After all this time, you still don't understand!

You think of this as a tragedy when it's a comedy. You think your memories are your own?!

[trustyboomerang]

You really want to just look at a mashed up puddle of pink goo? Okay!

[Some Monobears dressed as nurses invade the rocky area and start working on shoveling out what was left of Vegeta. There's clumps of black hair, a pink shirt, pieces that spandex blue uniform he had been wearing... it's a real mess. Some of it just can't be recovered!]

As messy in death as he was in life.

[lostcontroloflife]

[Spoilers kid, your life is a joke.]

Of course I'm not. There's no room for dogs in my new world.

[Stu pushes a button on the arm of his chair. A shifting can be felt beneath Ren's podium and soon enough the floor can be gone. Don't worry about not having time to get out of the way so you don't fall into the fire pit. The traps around the room vary in quality. This one isn't very good.]