vivarium | CALHOUN HOUR

Early in the morning of Day 84, an announcement booms from the warehouse speakers:

"All test subjects report to the first floor lobby immediately for your next experiment."

Zero's unmistakable garbled voice goes silent afterwards. Once everyone gathers downstairs, they'll be treated to an unexpected sight: Zero standing in front of them in the flesh. Standing tall (at 5'4"...), they're donned in the same piece of clothing everyone remembers them in: a black raincoat (large and long enough that it covers their entire body, leaving no distinguishable features), a full facial gas mask, and matching black gloves. It seems as if Zero really dislikes showing skin...

"Today, you will be participating in a game of, what you may call, 'Bingo'. I believe most of you have participated in this before. The rules and explanations are on the back of the cards." An arm is raised to motion towards the paper cards scattered on the nearby table, then it falls again.

"Due to some... unfortunate events, I will monitor you in person. However, do not underestimate what will happen to you should you decide to cheat, escape, attack, or do anything that will break my rules. Your bracelets are still very functional and my cameras will continue to record every move you take, so I suggest that you refrain from doing anything foolish."

"Now begin."

BASIC INFO ✖ LET'S PLAY BINGO ✖ TURN-IN ✖ POST-EVENT

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You mean...if it were better for her to kill herself? *Other than the fact she'd escape murdering someone...although in turn the murdered had cause a fire. What a moral quagmire.* Then what happened?

"Yeah. I mean, she lived her life thinkin' that her fiance was this amazing guy. And I guess he was, in a way. He did run in there to save her, while his friend didn't even try. And he was burned pretty badly because of it -- had to keep his face bandaged all the time and hardly ever went out. But still, he hid it from her for all those years. She said she hated him and loved him, but now that she was gone, she ain't have any reason to live."

"But you know what Kudou said? He said: 'A detective who corners a culprit with his logic and drives him to suicide is no better than a murderer himself.'" Heiji laughed a little, though more out of a sense of not being able to argue with the statement than out of any real humor.

"Sounds like somethin' out of a novel, don't it?"

A bit. But you said "Kudou". Is that the name of someone you remembered? *Snake clearly had no idea what he was in for by asking that question.*

Heiji brightened instantly. "Yeah! I finally remembered! He's been in a bunch of my mother memories, too! When that guy fell on the roof of the car I was ridin' in, he went up to chase the culprit down with me! And he was riding on my motorcycle while we were goin' after that jewel thief! Plus he helped me that time I got kidnapped! I was totally his best friend."

His bestest... best friend.

Ahhhh...so this is the partner you mentioned. He must be a fellow detective. *Because who else would join Heiji on the kind of insane adventures he had?* So you'd say he has the same kind of mental acuity that you do?

"I ain't 100% sure, but he is pretty great. I'd trust him with my life for sure." Heiji sounded quite happy now, a distinct change from before.

"Seems like we had all kindsa fun. 'Course, he's a Tokyoite, but I guess I can forgive him for that. Oh, oh, he said one other thing: 'There's no such thing as a perfect person in this world'."

Well, I suppose that is true. *Although Snake kind of excelled at overachieving.* I'm pleased that you've recovered a memory of a good friend.

Of course, Snake sometimes focused a bit too hard on being perfect.

"Me, too!" Heiji literally could not keep the smile out of his voice. "He's my age, too! Around the same height, though he likes those dorky blue suit jackets and red ties."

Actually.......

...Kudou dressed a little bit like Snake.

*See: overachieving.* I like blue jackets and I've been told my tie is burgundy. Are you going to tell me you'd rather I dress like you?

"What?" Too bad Snake couldn't see the deer in headlights look on Heiji's face. Really, it was too bad.

"Oh... now that ya mention it, I guess you do." Wow, that was a little weird. "Come to think of it, he's a little like you... personality-wise..." In the memories he'd gotten so far, Kudou had been rather cool, kind of arrogant... uh.

Hmm.

Really? *What an interesting tone Heiji had to his voice.*

Maybe that's why we got along in the beginning? Because I reminded you of a friend subconsciously? *Once he makes a larger Kudou connection, he will analyze it to no end.*

"Yeah, that could've had somethin' to do with it..." The suggestion seemed logical enough, at least. "But... I dunno. Him and me, we're like badgers from the same hole. I just know it. I knew exactly what he was thinkin', 'cause I was thinking it, too. You're... different."

He slid his gaze away from Snake, rubbing unconsciously at the back of his neck. "I did feel like I could trust ya right off, though. I don't know why. I liked you."

*Did all Japanese detectives work on the same wavelength? Who knew. Snake does preen at the comment though.*

Your way seems to have been the right one, Heiji. So I'm glad I went with your idea. Not only handsome but intelligent as well. No wonder I love you.

Snake was pretty cute when he preened, though maybe Heiji would hold off on telling him that. He smiled warmly all the same.

"I love you, too. ...And no, I don't think you should dress like me. Besides... those button-down shirts are easier to get off." So, you know. That was something in their favor.

Well, Heiji, it sounds like you're becoming an expert in ways to make it easier to get off. *Snake leaned over to kiss what he hoped was a flushed cheek. Heiji sometimes just walked right into things and he HAD to respond.*

Flushed indeed. "Y-you...!" But he didn't sound too upset when Snake kissed him.

"You know what I think? Maybe it's got to do with how direct ya are. Like... when you wanna say something, you say it plain. That's not all that common, y'know." Especially not to a detective, who was quite used to people lying to him about all manner of things, large and small. Maybe years of living as a blind man had simply cut short Snake's tolerance for insincere surface pleasantries.

*Heiji might be secretly onto something there. Direct language helped Snake interact with the world. He could be charming and polite, yes, but never so thick that it choked.*

Or it's just an American way of doing things.

Heiji thought this over for a moment. "Nah," he said, shaking his head. "It's different. Americans have a reputation for bein' direct, but when it comes to a situation like this, it don't matter what country you're from. It matters who ya are."

Which was one of the reasons he liked Snake.

CALHOUN HOUR - BINGO II

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