SDRA2 Redux: Trouble on Jabberwock Island

Chapter 4 - Part 4

POV - Mikado

I awoke with a start, the remains of my dream blinking out of existence as I sat up, gasping for air. I had another moment of panic as I looked around the room, my surroundings murky and unfamiliar. I rubbed my eyes and was finally able to focus. My confusion faded as memories of the previous night came back to me. I flopped back onto my pillow. I really was here, on the island.

Yesterday... we had found out that Nikei might be the traitor, and we were given our latest motive - eating rotting corpses. What the fuck. I would rather have a repeat of the starvation motive than eat the corpses of my fallen friends.

I didn't want to eat another rotting corpse because this motive was so disgusting.

But I decided to go to breakfast.

I decided to head for the store, to buy Nikei a little gift.

A good luck charm, since I've seen Nikei having a lot of bad luck ever since we got there.

When I arrived at breakfast, Nikei was picking at a pancake.

He was silent. He had collapsed after the execution five days ago, and the effects were clearly still reverberating through him. Setsuka was gone, made into a smoothie, and never to be seen again. To say he was visibly traumatised might have been the understatement of the century.

"Nikei's so silent today..." Hibiki said. "I think the motive's taken a toll on him."

I agree with that, Hibiki. Though, I have to say, Setsuka's death the other day may have done enough psychological damage to Nikei....

"Guys?" Teruya asked. "Something's wrong with Nikei."

"When we first came to the fourth island, Nikei was clearly sad over Setsuka's death the other day... but he insisted that he was okay and went to explore the fourth island with us." Kokoro added. "And then the day after that, Nikei took the day surprisingly well. And the day after the day after that... he was still calm! Something's not right."

"Nikei's been cursed, or something..." Sora said.

"Nikei, I've got a gift!" I said, giving Nikei the good luck charm.

"Oh thanks, Mikado!" He spoke. It was the first sign of cheerfulness I had seen from him since the day of the execution.

"We're going to have an all-girls baking session," Hibiki said. "And you, Nikei and Teruya are invited!"

"Thanks for inviting me, Hibiki..." Teruya said. "I know deep down that none of us want this killing game."

"That's right!" Hibiki said. "That'd be so fun! Come on Sora and Iroha, let's go plan it!"

The three girls left.

I headed to my cottage, sitting down on my bed.

Just three hours. Three hours before the baking session began.

So, I decided to pop to the Store and get a gift.

I waited for Kokoro to come.

They came soon enough.

"Hi, Mikado." They said.

"Let's talk!" I said.

"Kokoro, what aspired you to get into cosplaying?"

"Well," Kokoro said, their lips twisted into uncertainty. "I already told you about my past on the third island, so you don't need to be reminded again. You can look like a different person with makeup, though! So that's why I look like a girl. I just added some makeup to my face."