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slasheddreams · 8 months ago

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Chapter Zero: The Emerald Gemstone Casino Grounds - The Murder Mystery Collection

This is the original, unaltered story for the Emerald Masquerade. The contents of this story is not for the faint of heart. Read the context warning list very carefully. You've been warned.

content warning for: [ themes of gambling, smoking, and drinking, themes of sexual abuse and assault, themes of violence and exploitation against minors, themes of loss and death, implications of self-harm and disordered eating habits, themes of murder/death, and more. ]

[ read moderator ame's note about the emerald masquerade here please ]

… we live in a world filled with so much blood and regret, and it’s too late to turn back now.

Blood dripped from the edge of the bottle, his crimson blood mixing with the fine, crimson wine. His chest squeezed, his chest ached, and his chest burned. Mangled white hair, stained red with wine, a slumped body on the ground. Unmoving.

Why wasn’t he moving?

---

Chloe paused a moment, her fingers gently clasped around the small, golden entrance ticket. The Emerald Gemstone Casino, the world’s largest gambling casino venue, home of the elite and the powerful, a symbol of wealth and power. The golden edges of the casino glowed like heaven in starlight, Chloe thought. What a beautiful White Night it was, the perfect night for the Emerald Casino’s “Emerald Masquerade Ball”.

Tucking a strand of her light brown hair behind her ear, she couldn’t help but marvel at it. The golden fountains, the glistening porcelain tiles, the lovely greenery… everything about this casino screamed grace and elegance.

Gently, she tucked her hand behind her head, a soft hand laying against the golden ornaments in her hair. Pinned to a teal headband, completed with a brown bow and white pearl beads, it was something simple yet, one of a kind. Hand sewn by Chloe herself.

Her gloved hand gently smoothed down the creases in her vest, clearing her throat nervously as she nodded. Rehearsing a greeting in her head, drafting potential responses to potential questions, preparing for the ultimate social death… awkwardness. Oh, how she loathed social contact. She spoke too much, too quickly, always having too much to say but never enough substance to say it with. In short, she was a yapper and she knew it.

A young, attractive blonde man stood by the side of the reception desk, with the most mesmerizing set of purple eyes. A light blush on his cheeks, the most gorgeous set of eyelashes (Chloe wondered what mascara he wore.), and a smile that would melt the ice in even the coldest of hearts.

“Welcome to the Emerald Casino, dear guests. I’ll be your guide for tonight’s masquerade, may I see your tickets?”

The guest in front of Chloe, a young woman in a rather gorgeous pink sweater dress and the loveliest, caramel-colored hair, dug through a small, heart-shaped bag resting on her hip. Chloe watched as she pulled out a small, golden ticket from the bag with an infectious grace. White gloves passed off the ticket to the blonde-haired desk attendant, who responded with a light chuckle.

Chloe paused, her eyes falling on the beautiful woman’s long hair. A caramel blonde at the top, fading into a rich coffee brown at the bottom, pulled back into an utterly gorgeous French braid. (It was so long, she wondered how long it took the woman to grow it. Was it dyed? Extensions? She was so, so curious.) And the love-struck pink of the woman’s dress? Paired with the comforting material of a knitted sweater, combining fashion with comfort? As an aspiring fashion designer, she respected the creative force behind it. And the eggshell fluffy boa and those pink stockings? Chloe debated asking the lady about the designer, but she didn’t want to come off as a creep.

Shifting on her heels, she peeked over the woman’s shoulder. She was the next in line… and glancing at the reflection in her phone, she was the last to arrive. She wasn’t late… but everyone else invited seemed to have come rather early. (And she thought being fifteen minutes before the start of the party was excessively early.)

Nervous, Chloe took a step up, rubbing the golden ticket between her fingers. She was far, far from home. A little countryside girl in the grand city. She always thought the protagonists from the south, freaking out over the big city was always a little cheesy if she was being honest… but no. The big city was mortifying. She understood it now.

“… you must be Chloe Medena. You’re the last person left on my waiting list.” Holding out his hand, the blonde man smiled warmly. A little too warmly, Chloe felt like a witch melting from its warmth.

“Uhm… y-yeah! That’s me! Ehehe…”

God, you’re so awkward, Chloe. Who laughs like that? Someone who’s lying, that’s who! She wanted to hit herself for being so dumb, but that might only make her look more suspicious for no apparent reason.

“… is this your first time to our fine establishment?”

Raising a brow slightly, the man chuckled, covering his mouth with his white glove. Chloe was sure she looked positively baffled. A rich man’s laughingstock, surely. She couldn’t even manage to say anything, not with a single yapping bone in her body, only manage a small nod. Like an utter fool. Ough, I’m so embarrassed. They’re gonna submit me onto America’s funniest home videos, I’m sure of it!! nooOOOO-

“I see I see…” Gently, he took the tickets from her hands with a soft smile. “I’ve been there too, once a really long time ago. The atmosphere is a step above, and you wonder if you really belong here.”

Placing the ticket down, the blonde man held out his hand towards Chloe, his soft smile feeling like sunlight after a cold night of rain. Something about it felt so soft and homely… she reached out hesitantly, her gloved hand hovering just above the man’s gloved hand. Taking initiative, he reached up, gently clasping his fingers around hers. Then, lifting it to his lips, he planted a firm but light kiss against the back of her hand with a chuckle.

“But you were invited here tonight for a reason, darling. So, I implore you to have a little more faith in yourself.”

She was going to pass out. Okay, no she wasn’t. She was just being dramatic. (I think?) Was her face getting flushed? She must have looked as embarrassed as she felt, surely. The casino certainly has a smooth talker on their hands… haha…

“The ballroom is down the hallway there, through the third door on your left and a right turn around the hallway. Did you catch all that?”

Nodding eagerly, Chloe responded in silence. A little too eager to escape her embarrassment, she stumbled off towards the hallway. Covering her face with her hands, she groaned silently.

“God… why do you have to be so awkward, Chloe? Stupid, stupid, stupid…”

Shaking her head furiously, she attempted to pound the embarrassment out of her head. Of course, not literally. Her therapist always told her that hitting herself wouldn’t solve her problems, and that she didn’t need to “punish” herself to “make up” for her mistakes. These were only words, however. It was up to Chloe to practice it, and to bring meaning of her own. She balled her hands up in frustration, trembling as she resisted the urge to hit herself. A devilish temptation and an easy solution to her self-made problems, she thought. But it wouldn’t really fix anything… would it?

Taking deep breaths, Chloe’s trembling fists slowly unclenched, and then, fully relaxed, laying flat against the deep brown fabric of her dress pants. A weak sigh escaped her lips, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She was such an embarrassment. She should just go home.

"Grandpa..."

A loving last gift from a man who loved her so dearly. She wasn’t his granddaughter by blood, but she was his granddaughter by choice. He loved her like she was always one of his own, and she loved him equally in turn. He always supported her dream of being a fashion designer, even when she didn’t believe it would ever be viable. She always felt like she was letting him down.

Even now.

“… are you lost?”

A deep voice snapped Chloe out of a memory ditch, a weak sniffle escaping her throat. She felt pathetic. Standing up straight, she lifted her hand, messily trying to wipe the tears from her eyes before they could have the chance to further embarrass her and fall.

“Are you crying?”

Nevermind then. Kill me now, she thought. Her vision blurred slightly, and her eyes ached ever so gently, however, she couldn’t help but hone in on the man’s striking features. His pale skin, adorned with a soft pink blush, that deep, curly purple hair, and those striking, cold red and yellow eyes… sniffling again, Chloe tried to speak, to respond to the odd man. However, her words choked in her throat, a gargled "noOo..." coming out instead. She couldn’t stop the tears from rolling, the hiccups from emerging, the sobs from starting… she felt so pathetic.

The man sighed, a cold "tsk" emerging from the depths of his throat. (It reminded her of her father when she announced for passion for fashion.) Then, reaching into the breast pocket of his dust green suit, he pulled out a small dust purple handkerchief, placing one hand on his knee as he bent down.

“There’s no need to be crying over something so trivial. Everyone gets a little lost sometimes. There’s no embarrassment in it.”

Gently patting the tears dry with his handkerchief, the man shook his head solemnly. Sniffling, Chloe’s fingers gripped onto the edges of her vest, crinkling the once pristine fabric.

“Okay…”

“There. No more tears. You’re going to be okay.”

She felt like a little kid again. She felt so useless. But… the guidance felt nice. A little bit. His hand gently brushed up against her brown bangs, pushing them to the side softly as he wiped the remainder of her tears. Then, reaching for his coat, he reached his hand inside, rummaging around. Why was he doing…?

“… huh?”

Cocking his head to the side slightly, he grumbled as he rummaged around on the inside of the coat, before pulling out a small, travel-sized blush pallet from… nowhere. Did he have an inner coat pocket…?

“Here. Your tears ruined your makeup. You’d at least be able to do minor touch-ups with this.”

“… oh!”

Gasping, she carefully took the travel blush from the man’s hands, popping it open and glancing into the small mirror. Her eyes were slightly red and puffy… not too noticeable, she thought. Her mascara was okay (thank god for waterproof mascara, she believed), but her blush… tear streaks were not a style she wanted to rock.

Gently pulling out of the travel blush applicators, Chloe’s brows furrowed. Finding the closest match would be hard… but she could do it. Grandpa’s love and this stranger’s kindness couldn’t just be ignored…

“Wait!” Looking up suddenly, Chloe’s eyes fell on the man in front of her, her brows furrowing in frustration at her own rudeness. She was so caught up in her own nonsense that she completely neglected the first rule of etiquette.

“I’m so sorry!! I never asked what your name was, kind sir!”

“… Hyde Williams. You can just call me Hyde though.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mister Hyde! My name is Chloe.”

Holding out a shaky hand, Chloe attempted a friendly smile. Keyword… attempted. If he rejected her… she might unravel and fall apart all over again. Nervously watching as the man shook his head, her hand trembled even more. Please please please please, please. She never craved the validation of a random stranger so badly before.

Reaching his hand out, he gave Chloe a quick but firm handshake. His hand felt rather warm in her gloved hand… she wondered if the entirety of him was just as warm.

“Your makeup, Chloe.”

“… oh yeah! Let me get on that… heheh… heh…”

You have got to stop laughing like that, Chloe.

…

Gently tapping her fingers against her cheek, she observed her face in the small mirror of the pocket palette. You could barely tell she had been crying. Closing the palette gently, Chloe looked up at the purple-haired man, who found himself a comfortable spot against the wall to lean on as the disheveled girl picked up the broken pieces of her dignity. Hyde Williams… it was a name unfamiliar to her, as was everything else in the casino.

He seemed kind enough, though. She wondered if it would be awkward to ask a man who she had met under… rather mortifying terms if he could be her friend. Despite his younger-looking appearance, he carried himself with the wiseness of a saint… or a monk.

"... thank you for your help, Mister Hyde."

"You can just call me Hyde."

Taking a step forward, she held out her hands with a smile, the small pocket palette resting in the center of her palms. Sighing gently, the man took the palette from her expectant hands. Cocking his head to the side as he opened his coat pocket, slipping the pocket palette inside his pocket. Then, holding out his hand to Chloe, he nodded. Hesitantly, she stepped closer, wrapping her arm in his own.

"I'll take you to the main ballroom. The masquerade ball is going to start soon, you shouldn't miss the opening to the dance."

...

A man stood on the large, grandiose stage, laced with gemstones and gold. Dressed in a soft red suit top and pristine pearl pants, the man chatted with the emerald-suited man from the entrance. All smiles. Chloe's neck craned slightly as she looked around. The room was huge, much bigger than she ever imagined.

Her hands fidgeted slightly as she looked around the room. There was a bar on one side, a tall pink-haired man and a shorter, blonde-haired girl chatted on the other side of the bar, the girl holding a bar glass with a confused expression. If Chloe had to garner a guess, bartender and... maybe a bartender in training. Her eyes shifted, to two giant casino tables with two distinctive people standing by their sides, thick black hair curling against their shoulders. Dealers... Chloe found it all so interesting.

Being such a regal and classy place... it felt surreal to her, something only possible in your dreams. Reaching out slightly, her fingers entwined along the satin green fabric sleeves of Hyde's suit. His red eyes fell on the young girl standing beside him. Sighing slightly, his eyes shifted to the side.

"Ahem…” The man on the stage cleared his throat and like a king in the castle court, everyone turned their head to face the tall, elegant red-suited man. “Thank you everyone for coming to the annual Emerald Gemstone Casino Masquerade night. Tonight is a special night for everyone here, is it not? Filled with regulars…”

During the pause, the blonde attendant waved to the people in the crowd, and Chloe couldn’t help but look at the people waving back. A fair-skinned, pink-haired woman in a short, love-colored dress… something about Hyde’s side glance gave her an odd feeling… animosity, but she wasn’t sure why. A blonde-haired woman with longer, choppy hair in the back and a lilac blue suit also waved back with a smile, elbowing a young, brown-haired man sitting beside her. A dusted blue-haired male sitting at the bar glanced up, nodding slightly as he raised a hand in salute. His yellow eyes were almost captivating to Chloe, something so unique and so… decisive and striking.

“Filled with new guests…”

This time, the man in the red suit clapped his hands gently, waving to additional folks in the crowd. A blonde-haired woman wearing a boa, wearing a fancy red dress waved hesitantly back. It looked like satin, Chloe believed. The caramel woman with the heart-shaped pocket bag also waved with hesitance. A scruffy-looking man, sitting next to the woman in the pink dress that her new companion seemingly showed for earlier raised a glass in… was it salute? The countryside was never this uptight about etiquette… it made her shudder.

“New staff working the masquerade… and lively they are.”

As if on cue, the girl at the bar counter waved towards the men on stage, the pink haired man belting out a hardly laugh in response. The girl seemed nice… Chloe enjoyed her energy. She should visit the bar later on tonight. (Maybe she could buy Mister Hyde a drink or snack as a thank you gift for helping her earlier?)

“This masquerade ball is made up of different, unique faces, all here tonight. It’s very exciting, the chance for once-in-a-lifetime memories to be made. Saae, would you mind doing the honors?” Chuckling, the man in the red placed his hands on the golden microphone, scooping it into black-gloved hands. Then, handing it off to his attendant, the blonde-haired man smiled. Tucking a piece of his blonde hair behind his ear, the man cleared his throat briefly before bringing the microphone to his lips.

“Welcome to the Emerald Gemstone Casino’s yearly event, the Emerald Masquerade, dear guests! This is your host for the evening, Frederick Kronos, and I am your co-host, Saae Avente.”

His voice sounded like what you’d imagine a thick but velvety honey would taste like. Rich and choked full of a sweet, distinctive flavor, the kind that coats your lips and leaves a deep impression on your mind for days to come. That thought was… actually extremely weird, she thought as she reflected on it.

“Slots, drinks, games, and more… this golden hour is your opportunity, and we’re here to bring your wildest fantasies into a reality. But, the two of us could not do it alone.”

Watching as the emerald attendant, named Saae Avente, stepped off of the stage, Chloe couldn’t help but fully note Saae’s attire. The tall white sharp heels he strutted around the casino grounds in, with a degree of balance that made Chloe just the slightest bit jealous (for she was positive if she wore the same exact heels, she would fall and bruise much more than her already sullied pride.) The split paneling on his suit in general was something Chloe had never seen before, it intrigued her so dearly. (She wondered how it was achieved, such suits didn’t exist in the fashion world in its current era. Did he make them himself, tearing through the seams of different fabrics and stitching them into the current fashion he wore? She would have to ask him later. It was possibly the prettiest thing she had seen in a while.) But the thing that caught her eye the most was the peacock feather-themed trail, something hidden from behind the counter he had stood behind since she arrived. They floated behind him with an airy elegance, and Chloe almost wondered if they were really there.

“If you’re looking to play games tonight-” Saae placed his free gloved hand lightly against the casino round tables, leaning over as he chuckled. “-then our two most trusted dealers will be here to make your wildest dreams come true. To my right is Lady Roxanne Tiye , our jack of diamonds and new dealer for the evening, and to my left is our betting round dealer for our masquerade events, Lee Wittlestein. Don’t be afraid to come pester them for a game, they won’t bite.”

As if it were on cue, the two dealers lifted up their heads, waving into the small crowd of onlookers. One of them, Roxanne (as Saae had introduced her as), was a bored looking lady, Chloe noted. With thick, long black hair and a visible yellow eye, Roxanne looked… she didn’t want to say displeased nor discontent, but she noticed that Roxanne didn’t seem as thrilled as some of the others. Chloe’s gaze shifted slightly to the figure standing to Saae’s left side. Standing tall and composed, they exuded an aura of calmness, as if this were just an average friday evening for them. Similar to Roxanne, Lee’s hair was long and black in color, worn in a high ponytail, a red eye poking out of beneath messy bangs. Chloe couldn’t gain a solid read of Lee’s gender, even with the aid of the black vest and frilled white and red shirt they wore. She would have to ask them about their pronouns later on. (Their style reminded Chloe of a vampire… or something a little more specific… the words “betting round” echoed in her head. Betting round… betting… nope. Whatever thought she had, she lost it. Oh well.)

“Uhh… we’re happy to be your dealers tonight?” A white hand reached over, tilting the outstretched microphone to the left. “We’re both delighted to make your acquaintances this evening, and hope to see you guys at one of our tables later in the evenings for a friendly game. Saae.” (... their voice only left Chloe more confused. I’ll just narrate with they/them in mind, I literally cannot tell.) Taking back the microphone with a snicker, he shifted slightly as he stood up tall. Then, making his way over to the bar, Saae hummed.

“And, if drinks are the thing you need-” Leaning over the bar counter briefly, he sat on the empty bar stool, wrapping an arm around the blue-haired man with striking yellow eyes. “-Well, some of our guests have already found their way to the bar, it seems~” Another velvety chuckle, and Chloe swore the blue-haired man waved his hand dismissively. (She also swore said man was smiling.)

“Our bartenders for the night are more than happy to mix you the perfect drinks. Isn’t that right, Elliott?” The tall pink-haired man, named Elliott, chuckled as he crossed his arms, puffing his chest with an enthusiastic nod. “You know we make the best drinks this side of town, Saae.” Saae chuckled softly, and then leaning over the microphone, he smiled. “Do you have any drink suggestions for our new patrons, CJ?”

Turning around, the blonde-haired girl gasped slightly, then, walking over, she leaned close to the microphone with a smile. She hadn’t even spoken, but her energy was contagious. “Well, I know Elliott makes a mean strawberry mojito drink, and he always slices the fresh strawberries to per-fection! If you want something iconic but tasty, that’s what I would go with!” Leaning into the mic, Elliott pitched in. “And, while you’re here, why not pick up one of CJ’s iconic amaretto tiramisu cakes to eat with your drink? Soft, fluffy and a delicious snack to enjoy through the night.” “Hey… well, I can make a mean drink and a mean dessert myself, I suppose.” “Of course you can, your menu items are my favorites.”

They had such good energy together… the banter was cute and endearing, and the food sounded absolutely delightful.

“You’ve heard it firsthand, my dear guests. So, make sure to visit our two bartenders later on for a sweet drink… or a sweet treat.” Spinning in the chair, he jumped onto his feet, landing with such precision that she couldn’t help but believe he practiced such a stunt. (If it were her, her ankles would have certainly been a goner.)

“So, everyone…” He took a slow walk around the room, placing a hand on the pink-haired woman’s shoulder, earning a giggle from her. “Welcome to the Emerald Gemstone Casino.” His fingers lightly ran along the shoulders of the brown haired woman timidly sipping on a lime margarita, his fingers trailing along the underside of the blue haired man’s wing shaped earrings, a small fist bump with the young bartender (Was her name CJ?) breaking the oddly intimate(? Chloe wasn’t sure if that was the right word for that.) sensation. “Slots, drinks, games…”

He ran his hands around the casino tables, lightly squeezing the shoulders of the two dealers sat nearby, a gentle hand on the shoulders of the blonde-haired woman and the brown-haired man already planning a game with the smug-looking scruffy man and a grey-haired man, fiddling with a pair of golden plated die.

“This golden hour is your opportunity to live your lives a step above.” His fingers gently brushed against the locks of the hair of the woman with the heart-shaped purse as he passed by, his touch lingering lightly against the fuzz of the dusted pink fur of the blonde woman’s boa. “I invite you all to come and have a dance underneath our emerald-encrusted lights. Have a dance, play games, have drinks with companions, and ultimately…”

He came to a stop in front of Chloe and Hyde, his hand held up, hovering lightly against Hyde’s lips. Chloe glanced up at Hyde briefly, a look present on his face that she couldn’t decipher, yet, extremely evident with discomfort. Her eyes shifted on Saae, an equally indecipherable look present on his face. Secrets locked behind a teasing smile. “... I hope these next few hours will be as blinding as your wildest dreams.” His eyes shifted slightly, his hand lowering as his eyes met Chloe’s. Leaning down slightly, he moved the microphone away from him, a solemn yet… joyful expression on his face.

“Your grandfather would be very proud of you, Chloe. I hope you enjoy the ball and find that inspiration you’re so desperately looking for.”

Nervously, her eyes fell on the clock.

It was 9:00 PM.

---

“That was the perfect introduction to start off the Emerald Masquerade event yet, Saae.”

Placing a hand on Saae’s back gently, Frederick smiled softly. Laughing heartily, Saae gently tapped his wine bottle against the wine bottle Frederick held. Relaxing in the back, as they always do after a masquerade introduction.

“I think having CJ and Roxanne on the team this year did wonders for the public morale to be honest. CJ and Elliott bring a contagious yet light and fun atmosphere, while Roxanne gives Lee the breaks and assistance they need. Even if Rox isn’t the best on the morale, she plays with the love of the game… most of the time.”

Lifting the wine bottle, Saae took a swing of the wine inside, a soft crimson liquid dripping off his lips. Chuckling, Frederick held his wine glass in his hands lightly, white curled hair shifting in and out of his vision.

“We’ve also managed to sell more of those… special packages this masquerade. We’ve made an additional 1500 dollars this year.”

Saae’s face dropped, his eyes frozen on the wine bottle. He could see the back of Frederick’s curly, combed-back white hair in the reflection on the glass, an eerie apathy in his demeanor. He was tired of special packages.

“W… What?”

His words came out breathless, a slight tremble seemingly left unnoticed by the man in the room. His hands trembled slightly as he lowered the bottle, sweat dripping down his face. He felt so clammy.

“... Two of our new guests bought your package deals, the 500-dollar ones, as well as our regular deal buyer. Did Elliott not tell you?”

“No. No, he didn’t fucking tell me. Maybe he did. I wasn’t fucking listening because you know I hate-” Putting up a hand, he cut Saae off. How dare you. “I know. Headquarters denied your request, you’re such a major source of income for the casino it would be catastrophic if we lost it. I’m sorry my hands were tied here.”

His chest ached slightly, a tightness in his chest preventing air from entering his lungs. His hand ached from how tightly he held onto the wine bottle, like it was the only lifeline tethering him to a cold dull reality.

“You’re sorry? You’re SORRY? Frederick, you do realize they touched me even-” “Even when you asked them to stop, I know. And they didn’t stop. They took advantage of you. I know. You’ve told me these stories time and time again, Saae.”

Placing his glass down, Frederick paused nervously. Clasping his hands together, he moved towards Saae slowly. His open hand twitched, his fingers pulling at his skin. A small groan escaped his lips, annoyance dripping from his lips like blood in a river.

“Do you even care? I mean, augh… this isn’t even about me at this point, Frederick. I mean, what if it was someone else-” Pinching his fingers against the bridge of his nose, his eyes squeezing shut shakily. His hands trembled slightly, his chest ached, the shadows of hands reaching out materializing in his mind. “Frederick, please. Just hear me out for once-” “I don’t have the power to make it stop, Saae. You know that. I can try to put an end to that system, but in the end, I’m just as replaceable as everyone else in this casino-”

His vision blurred, the red and white of Frederick mixing, blurring into nothingness. He felt like a little boy all over again. There was a man, born from the darkest fragments of his frazzled mind, a smug smile on his face. Closing on him like a predator on prey. He felt a slight pressure on his chest, the feeling of ghost-like fingerprints against his chest.

“It’s just so hopeless, day after day after day, and you just don’t fucking CARE-” "Saae."

A slight squeezing, a pressure on his wrists. Saae remembered that night well, it was something that always replayed it on the worst of nights. He remembered crying, pleading with the odd man to stop. His neck ached, the ghostly imprint of teeth burning up against his collar. His fingers scratched absentmindedly against the flaring skin.

“Do you know what it’s like to feel like a piece of meat on a hook, Frederick? To be something less than human.” "Saae... please."

The bottle shifted in his hand. The alcohol in his system, (although not much) perhaps it had clouded his judgment in an emotional high. His emotions burned a hole in his chest, a blinding aching in his brain.

“He took advantage of you, I get it-” “NO YOU DON’T! You don’t understand! You’ll never understand it! Fuck, I don’t want you to understand it!”

… His body felt so far away, like something foreign. Watching a movie from an outside perspective, almost. He didn’t remember moving so much. He didn’t remember flipping the bottle in his hand, still filled to the brim with rich crimson wine, so much so it was rather heavy in his hand. His chest ached, his breaths came out as weak wheezes. His eyes blurred, refusing to focus on anything. He blinked slowly. The bottle felt so light now, he wasn’t sure why.

“... I just…”

Black eyes shifted, falling on the blurred bottle. His breath quickened, yet his chest still felt so tight. Lifting it slightly, there was only broken, jagged glass connected to the handle of the bottle. The rest of the glass was missing. The fine crimson wine was gone.

“... I just wanted you to listen to me so it wouldn’t happen again...”

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he raised a clammy hand in response, wiping the tears from his eyes. A few tears slowly dipped down his face, staining the makeup he wore. He stared at the ground, a blur of colors shaking, and slowly shaping into a scene he only recalled seeing in his nightmares.

... I don’t get it.

Frederick wasn’t moving. He wasn’t breathing. He lay still in a puddle of blood and wine. Saae bent down, trembling hands reaching out.

I always dreamed of harming my abusers.

His hands felt oddly cold. He was always known for being really warm and friendly. Warm and caring, that was who Frederick was. He wasn’t perfect though.

I wanted to hurt them the same way they hurt me.

Saae’s fingers brushed through his hair, a mess of wine-stained white curls. His eyes watered slightly. Pulse… pulse… where was he supposed to check for that again…? His mind, racing with thoughts moments ago, was left eerily blank.

I thought it would help me cope.

His fingers felt so shaky and clammy. He didn’t think he could get a recent reading of Frederick’s pulse, even if he could remember where to check for it at. It wasn’t his fault headquarters was such a demanding piece of shit.

I thought it would help me feel better.

They didn’t care about him. They only cared about profit. As long as people paid good money to touch him, kiss him, get him drunk, to “love” him, to have their way… it didn’t matter. In their eyes, he was nothing more than numbers. A toy to line their pockets.

But it doesn’t.

And somehow, it was his fault when the words “no” would go unnoticed, when it was convenient. Frederick didn’t ignore his cries for help… he just couldn’t make a choice when it really mattered to Saae. And now he’ll never make another choice, ever again. His eyes fell on the clock.

I just feel regret.

It was 11:20 PM.

---

Sitting down at an empty section of the bar, Chloe placed her hands on her lap lightly. Something about Hyde’s expression… bothered her. Even after the masquerade events started up and most of the awkwardness died down, she couldn’t help but wonder…

“Are you alright?”

“Huh?”

Chloe fiddled with her hands nervously, looking up at Hyde. Her brows furrowed in frustration. Her eyes focused on the uneaten tiramisu and the strawberry mojito drink lying on the table. Well, it wasn’t uneaten per se… she had seen him take a bite. And then, he excused himself from the bar for a while, coming back a little paler.

“Are you okay? You seem sad.”

“...”

Shifting in his seat, he leaned on his hands, a complex expression on his face.

“You remind me of my kids is all.”

“You have kids? I’m sorry, how old are you-” Gasping slightly, Chloe slammed her hands over her mouth. That was so rude, Chloe! “- I am SO sorry I didn’t mean it like that you just look so young and-”

Sighing softly, Hyde picked up the fork weakly. Staring blankly at the tiramisu, his brows furrowed in frustration.

“I’m 37 years old. I turn 38 in a week, though. My youngest, Emily, is 10 years old, she overthinks everything just like you do.”

Lowering her hands slightly, her eyes sparkling slightly. A kid, huh…? Reaching out, he gently pushed her messy brown bangs to the side. A weak smile on his face. She felt a little bad for asking.

“But, she’s a really sweet kid. Always brought me food when she thought I needed to eat-” He pointed at the mostly uneaten tiramisu she had ordered for him. “Or asking me if I’m okay.” … was she really that similar to a 10-year-old-

“Oh.”

Rubbing her head in embarrassment, Chloe pouted. However, the pouting only seemed to make Hyde laugh more. A hearty yet genuine smile… Chloe would let it slide. (She says, as if she had any plans of “taking care of it.” to begin with.) Leaning against her hands, her feet swung back and forth on her stool.

“Thank you for the worry, but, really. I’m fine. By the way, how old are you? Since you asked me earlier.”

“Oh! I’m 23 years old!” Placing a finger on her chin, she nodded slowly. “You said your birthday was next week. What day is it?” Curious, she tilted her head, clasping her hands together with stars in her eyes.

“... it’s June 23rd.”

Shifting on his arms, he poked aimlessly at the tiramisu with a frown. Lifting his fork, he mumbled to himself, words left unheard. Then, pushing the edge of the container with the edge of his fork towards Chloe, Hyde shook his head.

“I’m… not hungry. You can have it.”

… Chloe felt herself sigh. She wasn’t sure why. Hesitantly, she took the tiramisu in her hands. What did they say was in it again…? She forgot. Not that she wasn’t listening, of course. In fact, Chloe felt she was listening… a little too much.

“Pfft… look at him, pussy footing around good food. It wouldn’t kill him to put on a few more pounds.” “I don’t know, Marianne. I saw him in the bathroom earlier, gross sounds, I’m telling you, the poor smuck looked paler than a starving girl on a Sunday morning.” “Oh, I bet he couldn’t even eat the shitty wine and crackers they give out on Sunday mornings.” “Oh, he’s probably too sensitive to handle it. I bet a burger would send his ass into the 5th dimension.”

Chloe felt a little sick. Her eyes shifted slightly, glancing over at Hyde. He had his hands clasped over his mouth, looking paler than ever. He looked like he was trying not to cry. Chloe felt more sick.

“Can your arteries handle the grease, Dynasty? With all the junk you spew from your hole, I’m surprised you haven’t choked on the sheer audacity yet.”

... huh?

“I bet a burger would send you into cardiac arrest, and your mommy can’t pay your way out of that one. Mind your business, jackass.”

Looking up fully, Chloe turned. A tall woman walked past the gossiping duo without much more than a ounce of attention. In fact, the woman barely looked back. Her heels clicked against the floor as she made her way towards the bar.

Yelping slightly as the woman suddenly reached out, Chloe swayed slightly. Running her hand around Chloe’s shoulder, she came to a stop suddenly, lilac eyes boring into her soul. Glupping nervously, she tugged at her collar nervously. Did she fuck up by eavesdropping? Oh, she might have fucked up. Mama also told her that it was bad etiquette to eavesdrop on things that didn’t concern you but-

“Your foul mouth is going to get you into trouble one of these days, Hermione.”

“Words have consequences. You know that lesson the best. Who’s the kid?”

Tapping Chloe on the nose lightly, Chloe squeaked. Ignoring the strange looks from the woman and Hyde, she reached from her sparkling water to divert from the embarrassment she felt. Talk about drowning in a cringe-filled sea, I mean, really-? Squeaking? What are you! A squirrel??? Damnit Chloe!

“... she’s not a kid-?” “You’re almost 40 years old, Hyde.” “You’re almost 40 years old, Hyde.”

… well, she wasn’t a kid. She was 23 years old! But… compared to Hyde (who was turning 38 in a week), she was still rather young… and 15 years did make a large difference. (At least, all those scientific studies in brain and lifetime development lead her to believe so. However, she was no scientist.) They certainly were in different life chapters. But, she was no kid! … I think.

“My name is Chloe! Chloe Medena!”

Clapping her hands together in joy didn’t quite help her argument, did it? In fact, Hyde almost seemed appalled by the motion. “Really?” seemed to be written all over his face. However, for her efforts, the odd woman returned the gesture with… a headpat. Wow… she really DID feel like a kid all over again. (But, in a good way this time.)

“My name is Hermione Wesker. You can just call me Hermione, though.”

Hermione, despite her sharp tongue and intimidating aura, wasn’t all too bad, Chloe decided. Mama always said never to judge a book by its cover, no matter if it was worn down or encrusted in jewelry and glamour. It was the inside that always mattered. Mama was right about that, but, it was hard not to judge a book by its cover when she felt the book would try to bite her head off if she looked at it wrong.

“So, you guys met in a widower support group…?”

This book just so happened to have Chloe captivated.

“It brings back memories. Some good, some bad… most of them are painful, though. I lost my husband of six years when I met Hyde, but…”

Hyde’s hands laid on the table softly, a gentle expression on his face. His eyes stared down at the wooden grooves on the table, a soft frown on his face. Just like that, he looked like he was going to cry all over again. Chloe couldn’t help but scoot closer, reaching her own hand out. Gently, placing it on top of his own, she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“... I lost my wife to a battle with cancer three years ago. We were together for fifteen years and married for twelve years.” “Oh… I’m so sorry Hyde…”

Lowering his head more, he laughed weakly. Gently lowering his head against the wood of the table, a weak sob escaping his throat. The pain of loss… never fully goes away, does it? The idea scared Chloe a little. She wondered if she’d ever fully heal from Grandpa’s passing, or if she’d be sad over it forever. She wanted to hug him. (She wondered if it would be overstepping.)

She glanced over at the clock. It was 12:10 AM. She didn’t even realize how time flew by. Her eyes shifted again, falling on her drink. She bit her lip. What an… awkward moment to have to use the bathroom. She looked back at Hermione, eyes wide in panic as she swung her legs anxiously.

“... drank too much at the bar, kid?”

She nodded eagerly, a slight pout on her face. I’m sorry! I didn’t see my night going like this, I’m not trying to escape this situation, I sWEAR. Please believe me :(

There was a chuckle as Hermione stood up, placing one hand on Hyde’s shoulder as she leaned over. Getting a glimpse at his face as she lifted it up just enough to free her hands… it made Chloe sad. Sorrow weighed heavy on his features, and even half asleep, pain stained his features, the loss of life etched on his weary body like a curse.

“Thank you…” She felt like she had to mouth it, but she didn’t want her thanks to go unheard.

Getting up, Chloe clamped her hands together nervously. Suddenly, one shining, glaring issue presented itself… where WAS the bathroom? She didn’t remember if the attendant (Saae? Sae? Say????) mentioned it… her eyes darted from side to side as she walked up the bar nervously. The young bartender (CJ) skipped over, holding a pair of metal cups in her hands with a smile.

“Hi Chloe! What can I get you this time?”

“Uhm, actually… I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the restroom?”

Why did she sound like a young Victorian girl? You’re in the twenty-first century, Chloe, not the seventeen hundreds. What’s next? Asking “Mister Potter” for just a singular crumb to eat? You don’t even know a “Mister Potter”, Chloe!

“Of course, it’s-! Wait, actually, I don’t know where the closest bathroom is.”

“... oh!”

Turning to her right, CJ reached up, tapping Elliott on the shoulder with a wide-eyed stare.

“El. Where are the bathrooms at?”

“Huh? They’re upstairs, why? Did you need to take a break and go?”

Pointing at Chloe (who squeaked in embarrassment. again.), CJ laughed nervously.

“Well, Chloe has to go, but now that you said something… I kind of do too.”

Pausing a moment, Elliott nodded. Holding up a finger, he turned and walked down the bar, moving over to where Saae had been sitting. She watched as he leaned over, whispering to him. There was a nod, as then, Elliott made a motion to CJ, who walked over to the edge of the bar. Opening the gate, Saae walked into the bar, while the two bartenders walked out. Oh, swapping places.

“Come on Chloe! I’ll lead the way.”

Following Elliott and CJ up the stairs, Chloe glanced over at the clock.

It was 12:15 AM.

Walking up the stairs, she fiddled with her hands, glancing around. Stopping at the top, she glanced over at the event coordinator silently. He had been standing there, leaning against the golden railing, his phone up against his ear. She didn’t remember when he came back to the party, but he had been up here the entire time… she found it odd. Everyone else was enjoying the masquerade, even the co-host, Saae. Yet…

He hadn’t moved an inch.

Glancing at the man as she walked, she could feel her mind wandering again. As she followed Elliott and CJ down the hallway, she wondered, what was he-

Click!

With a slight stumble, Chloe tripped over… something, bumping into CJ. Yelping, CJ stumbled in turn, both of the girls ending up dizzy on the floor. Groaning, Chloe squinted her eyes. She had tripped over… something. But, she couldn’t see what that something was.

BANG!

The sound of a loud gunshot tore through the air suddenly, a sound equally jarring and menacing against Chloe’s ears. Her hands trembled as they shot up to cover her ears, her eyes squeezing shut in panic. There was a muffled thud! that followed, and shortly after… screaming. Lot of it.

“Huh-?!”

Watching- well, not really watching, her eyes were still closed shut from terror- listening to CJ stand up, Chloe yelped as she felt CJ’s hands on her shoulders (well, she assumed it was CJ?), pulling her up off of the ground, and into the bathroom behind them. Her heart raced, and she swore she could hear her heartbeat in her fingertips. Cracking her eyes open hesitantly, the bright lighting of the bathroom flooded her vision, stinging her eyes slightly. The sudden shift brought tears to her eyes.

“... it was only one shot?”

Chloe wasn’t positive in herself, after all, so much of her energy was spent in an attempt to make sure she didn’t shatter underneath the fear she was feeling. However, looking back, CJ nodded in agreement. One shot. It sounded like it came from the second floor, the floor they’re on right now… yet Chloe never hear anyone running.

How odd.

Hestiantly, Chloe popped her head, peering into the hallway. Nothing unusual… I think. Gunshots aside, Chloe really couldn’t wait any longer.

…

Linked arm in arm with CJ, a grizzly sight greeted the girls’ eyes. At the bottom of the ballroom floor underneath where the railing he had been standing on since the ball started was the mangled corpse of Frederick Kronos. Grimacing, she covered her mouth. She had just left the bathroom… yet she felt like she was going to be sick.

“Oh goodness me!”

Running over to Chloe, Hermione grabbed the girl by the shoulders, frantically checking her over before letting out a worried sigh. After letting go of her, she crossed her arms with a shake of her head.

“Way to go and leave at the worst time… Are you two okay?”

Reaching out, her fingers briefly ran over CJ as well, a glint of concern in her eyes. CJ nodded hesitantly, however… Chloe’s eyes began to wander. The entire masquerade party was in shambles.

Her eyes shifted to the body of Frederick. It wasn’t that long ago when… they all saw him alive. She felt like she was going to be sick.

Bending down next to the corpse, a ponytail of long black hair obscured most of her view of the body. Never had Chloe been so thankful for a bad angle before. Red gloves moved around the body, pulling the coat open to reveal a single gunshot wound, directly positioned in his heart. Chloe couldn’t see much else, but she imagined his blood blossomed in the white silk fabric, like a stain. A disease.

She looked at the gaming tables. Roxanne seemed to try and calm the players of the game. Judging from the blonde woman’s reaction, it wasn’t working. The man with the angel wing earrings was also over there. He looked like he was talking to the man with the brown hair.

Her eyes shifted to the bar, which was all but empty… of course, to no surprise, she thought. The bartenders weren’t there, Hermione was over here, those bad mouthing bar guests were observing the body with Lee. The only two people that weren’t elsewhere was…

He sat calmly by Hyde’s side, Chloe thought. A hand on his back, hunched over, whispering to him. Perhaps calming him. Although, she noticed he didn’t seem too conscious at the moment. His mannerisms… he looked confused.

Her eyes trailed back to the body. His lifeless eyes looked at Chloe, a haunting last image. His lips were pale, they were almost blue in color. Like the life was sucked out of him. She squeezed her eyes shut, clinging onto Hermione like her own life depended on it. Maybe it did.

“Is boss…”

CJ’s voice cracked, and Chloe could hear the terror in her voice. An eerie silence followed, she could hear the sounds of CJ trying to hold back tears.

“Come on… you two should sit down… a lot has happened…”

Hermione held onto the two girls, slowly moving them away from the body. Chloe didn’t know where they were going. She was too scared to open her eyes. She wasnted to say something.

But all she chould choke out were weak cries of terror.

…

“Are you ladies okay?”

Chloe sniffled as she sat down at the bar, trying furiously to wipe away her tears. It only proved to be futile in the end. She wished she were stronger in times of tragedy.

CJ looked roughly just as deshevled as Chloe herself, and she felt a tad bit guilty for being glad she wasn’t the only hot mess there. It was okay to be a hot mess though… there was a literal corpse in the room with them. They remembered Frederick, smiling so brightly just hours prior.

All that was left of him was a cold, clammy corpse.

“It’s okay… My name is Nuxi. I’m a retired police officer, I’ll just be asking you two a few questions about what happened while you were gone, okay?”

She nodded in silence. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t want to speak. She wasn’t guilty, she didn’t kill him. But, everyone always said that silence speaks volumes. Maybe she was worried if she spoke, she’d only start sobbing all over again. CJ seemed to feel the same.

The angel earring’d man pulled up an empty bar stool, sitting across from the two girls. Opening up his coat pocket, he retrieved a small pen and notepad. Then, looking at Chloe, he sighed.

“If you don’t think you can talk, don’t try and force yourself to. You both can simply nod yes or no to my questions, okay?”

They nodded silently. Sniffles occasionally broke the silence.

“Alright… around 12:15 AM, you two alongside bartender Elliott went upstairs, correct?”

Chloe nodded slowly, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

“We were going to the bathroom… but when I- I got up there, I tripped over something and-” She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her hands trembling. “I fell. I fell and I knocked over CJ. I was looking for whatever it was I tripped over and-” “That’s when we heard it. The gunshot.”

Nuxi was quiet, yet, he seemed attentive, noting down each part of their story. Even as they struggled to get the words out. Even as terror gripped their voices.

“So we- we hid out in the girls' bathroom… and eventually, we came down and that’s when we-” A sob cut CJ off, burying her face in her hands as she sobbed weakly. She sobbed, and she sobbed… and she sobbed. That was when they came across that grizzly sight. That corpse.

Why did this happen?

Nodding slowly, he placed his hand on his chin slowly, his brows furrowed in contemplation. Chloe could tell, something about the story bothered him. She wasn’t sure what. She was too scared to ask.

“Did either of you happen to catch what time it was when you heard the gunshot go off?”

Pausing slowly, Chloe scratched her chin. The time…? She wasn’t sure, she didn’t remember seeing a clock while upstairs. Or, well, she wasn’t looking for one, at least. She shook her head no. CJ answered the same. Nodding slowly, Nuxi wrote… something down in his notebook.

“You said you tripped over something, Chloe?”

“Uhm… yeah. But, I couldn’t see what it was. And, then the gunshot went off and, I got so scared I couldn’t move. CJ dragged me into the bathroom, assuming the person with the gun was upstairs with us. But, we never heard anyone run from upstairs, since we were really close to the stairs.”

Nodding again, Nuxi mumbled something to himself quietly, his brows furrowed again. Then, closing his notebook, he looked up with a soft expression.

“Thank you, you two. I have to go question Elliott… have either of you seen him?”

Shaking her head no, Chloe frowned. So caught up, she didn’t see where he went. By the time she had come back to reality, she only saw CJ. She had no idea where Elliott had gone to.

CJ paused, rubbing her head in confusion. Her brows furrowed, her tongue sticking out as if she were searching the depths of her memories for something.

“If I had to guess, El went to… probably the employee break room that’s nearby the bathrooms. He kept yawning so… maybe he went to get a cup of coffee while we were in the bathroom?”

The break room… interesting. Chloe noted it in her head. Coffee… coffee sounded nice right about now. She was never too big on alcohol anyway.

“Right. Thank you, CJ.”

Nodding slowly, Nuxi placed a hand on his chin. Then, turning away Chloe and CJ, he leaned over. His voice lowered to something, barely above a whisper. Hunching over, he mumbled something she couldn’t catch. Chloe tilted her head slightly.

Shifting in her chair, her brows furrowed. Her eyes fell on the corpse in the middle of the room. Her eyes watered slightly, she couldn’t help it. Her hands shook slightly as she buried her head in her hands. She was so scared, she couldn’t help it.

Her brows furrowed. She remembered his words when the ball started, they echoed in her head. They were so nice and comforting in the moment, but now… they’re nothing but ironic last words. (Or well, not maybe his last words but… the last words Chloe ever heard.)

“Thank you everyone for coming to the annual Emerald Gemstone Casino Masquerade night. Tonight is a special night for everyone here, is it not? Filled with regular, new guests, and new staff working the masquerade (and lively they are.) This masquerade ball is made up of different, unique faces, all here tonight. It’s very exciting, the chance for once-in-a-lifetime memories to be made.”

Memories… memories certainly were made, Chloe thought. However, memories that weren’t… all too pleasant. Not all memories were good, not all memories were pleasant. Closing her eyes softly, she sighed. Covering her face, she couldn’t help but want to cry. She felt so overwhelmed. She wondered if it was over, or if this was just the beginning of a long, long line of tragedy.

...

Welcome to the Emerald Gemstone Casino Masquerade. Slots, drinks and games, this golden hour is your opportunity.

Come and dance under emerald skies, let these last hours of your life be as blinding as your wildest dreams.

... she wanted to go home.

[ CHAPTER ZERO COMPLETE. CHAPTER ONE COMING SOON? ] [ 1/?? DEATH FILES UNLOCKED ]

#[ rain_candy // moderator ]#[ ☒ // data recollection ]#[ the murder mystery collection ]#writing #oc writing #[ sorry that its so long but uhm. i explode. ]#[ please check out the note linked it's important (shaky thumbs up) ]#[ kind of mortified to post this ngl but yknow we uh. we came this far-? ]

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