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Rainbow Game, Room 10
Murderer
Duffle vanished in among the library shelves and before long, Ghost had
done the same. Snaggle was staying relatively close, her search aimless and distracted by the way Lolo kept following her, a scowl on the old mare’s face.
And no matter which of them she thought to approach, Viola couldn’t do it. What if she asked help from Ghost or Duffle only for them to be the killer? What if she asked Lolo or Snaggle and the other overheard, and THEY were the killer? Even if she asked around, even if the killer was honest, how was she supposed to find the victim?
Did the victim… even know they were the victim? Tears welled up in Viola’s eyes. She didn’t know. She couldn’t figure out any of this. If only there was a fluffy she knew couldn’t be bad, someone that she knew couldn’t have been given a role …
There was Snaggle, she realized. Not exactly Snaggle herself, but the way she was seeking emotional support from something that wasn’t there made something click into place. The ghosts. If the ghosts had seen something…
“Snaggwe,” Viola called and walked to the red earthie, careful not to be too obvious and feeling Lolo’s stare turn to her. “Do ghosties know who kiwwew am? Did dey see anyfing…?”
“Um…” Snaggle looked to her side, hesitating, but before she could speak Lolo cut in.
“Viowa, nu go too cwose.” The old mare walked up beside Viola, glaring daggers. “Nu twust Snaggwe.”
Huh…? But why not? Why was she acting so hostile now? Viola looked between the two helplessly, not knowing what to do - she needed to talk to the ghosts, but if Lolo wouldn’t let that happen, then …!
Snaggle whipped around, turning from side to side with wide eyes. “Wha? Toy Boat?!”
“…?” Viola’s ears twitched and she leaned forward, puzzled. “Snaggwe? Wha’ about Toy Boat? Am ghosties otay?”
The red mare sat, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “… Smawty jus’ say to nu wowwy,” she finally admitted. “But… Nu know why, but Snaggwe think Smawty stop Toy Boat fwom tawkies.”
Not to worry? So did that mean Snaggle wasn’t the victim, then? Viola tried to think; it made sense. Snaggle didn’t have to worry if she wasn’t the victim… and the killer had to worry about lots of stuff too, so it meant she wasn’t the killer either? But why would this Smarty not let Toy Boat talk? What possible reason was there-?
Lolo scowled and pushed Viola back a little. “Wiaw. Yu am muwdewew!” she accused, head lowered as if to attack.
“Wha, Wowo?!” Viola protested. She’d just deduced Snaggle wasn’t it! Lolo was much smarter, she should understand it too, right? “Why am yu so maddies at Snaggwe? Nu undewstand!”
The old mare’s glare deepened. “… Daddeh show Wowo wast vote’s wesuwts as a hint,” she muttered through clenched teeth. “Wowo noticed, Bunny nu vote Indigo. Onwy fwuffies tu vote Indigo wewe Bwue, and Snaggwe.”
Snaggle flinched back as if stabbed. “Nu - nu wanted -” she protested lamely, glancing to her dead smarty for help, but none came and Lolo stepped closer.
“Yu knew what wud happen. Yu nu cawe if yu huwt any fwuffy.”
“Nu! Was Smawty’s idea-!”
“Stop bwaming ghosts!” snapped Lolo. “Thewe nu am ghosts, yu am jus’ twying tu hide what yu did!!”
Viola just sat there, mute with horror, the argument fading into static. Snaggle had killed Indigo. It had been her fault. She was the only one to… The one to…
Bunny hadn’t voted Indigo, Lolo said. It was only now Viola realized that when Bunny had been crying, he never actually said Indigo’s name - just that he voted “purple”. The color of Indigo, but also the color of the mare he’d mentioned … and of Viola.
A whisper in the back of her head said he had voted for her. Bunny had voted Viola. Snaggle had killed Indigo. Had Ghost noticed? Was that why he hadn’t trusted anyone, because nobody could be trusted? And Lolo …
Lolo couldn’t be the killer. She’d rather die than kill someone, Viola’s mind reminded her, desperately trying to shove the filly back on track. Her breath hitched and her eyes burned with unshed tears, Viola repeating her thoughts aloud just to remember them.
“Wowo nu am kiwwew, Snaggwe nu am kiwwew ow victim,” she murmured. “Viowa am de-tective…”
Okay. None of these three were the killer. Viola sniffled and rubbed at her eyes. That left Duffle and Ghost, right? Did that mean one of them was the killer? She looked around to confirm, searching for hints of their black or white fur.
…
Where… were Duffle and Ghost?
Viola’s heart crashed into her stomach. They weren’t there. If Lolo or Viola was the victim then the killer would be nearby - but - neither was there.
They were gone and one of them was going to kill the other.
No, no no no no no! Even as Viola scrambled to her hooves and ran, tripping over herself so much she fell on her face, her mind kept racing with new thoughts. Ghost had been hiding and keeping his distance, like he knew it wasn’t safe. Duffle hadn’t seemed scared but depressed. She had seen Ghost angry before, had seen his steely resolve when ready to fight, but he hadn’t had that here. Duffle was larger, the only one who could quickly kill another fluffy, and Viola tripped again over the plush carpet and scattered books. Her legs hurt, it was hard to see through her tear-blurred eyes, but as she tried to get up something closed around her scruff and pulled her into the air.
“Viowa, am yu otay?” Lolo asked, setting the filly back down on her hooves. “Am sowwy, nu mean tu upset yu…”
Viola shook her head violently, squirming free and rushing onward. “N-Nu haf time! Nee’ find Duffew!”
The old mare blinked in confusion and followed. “Duffew? Why?”
“Duffew am kiwwew!!” It slipped out before she could even think about it, Viola too distraught to recall all the rules and nuances she’d been told anymore. “Am gun kiww Ghost!!”
Beside her, Lolo flinched. “… Nu …” she gasped to herself, then broke away from Viola. “Wiww hewp yu wook!”
Where were they? WHERE WERE THEY? Viola zig-zagged from shelf to shelf, her hooves refusing to land where they should, and she cried out in despair. “Duffew!!”
Finally she found him, almost tumbling into the thick dark tail. Duffle stumbled aside a few steps, staring down at Viola through those mane-covered eyes, mouth slightly open. “Wuh …?” he began, but seeing how jumbled and distraught Viola was he opted not to talk and instead hesitantly licked the tears from her face.
Viola hiccuped and sniffled, trying to catch her breath in vain. Part of her expected to see a white corpse, red-stained hooves and blood staining Duffle’s face like it had Blue’s, but there was only black. Just that big, dark head trying to ease her mind.
Her heart finally slowing down, Viola managed to look around. Had she been wrong? Was Duffle not the killer? But then she saw something; ahead of them, scuffing at one of the books on the floor, Ghost stood with his back turned. Which meant that when Viola ran into him, Duffle had been watching the white fluffy without his knowledge…
She was right. Duffle was the killer. Viola gathered her courage as best she could and steeled herself, calling out at the ceiling. “V… Viowa haf ansew!! Ghost am victim, an’ Duffew am kiwwew!!”
Duffle stiffened, taking a step to the side, his gaze locked on Viola. Then it instantly snapped to Ghost and he sprinted forward; the batfluffy had been alerted by Viola’s shouts but even so only had time to turn before Duffle rammed into him, the white fluffy tumbling several feet away with a shriek.
“NU!!” Viola screamed and ran after them. “Nu!! Viowa gif ansew!! Nu haf tu kiww! STOP!!”
The fluffalo pretended not to hear, but before he could reach to strike Ghost again a bundle of pale yellow fur had come between them. Lolo’s breath was shaky and her limbs trembling, but her eyes made up for it with a glare that stopped Duffle in his tracks. His large head swung between Lolo and Viola helplessly, and finally the static of speakers turning on filled the air.
“The murder mystery game has now concluded!” Daddy’s voice called. “The Detective has successfully deduced the identities of both the murderer and the victim. As such, no contestant will be killed in this room!”
She… She did it. Viola’s legs gave out and she collapsed, sobbing. She did it, she managed to get it right. Nobody had to kill anyone. Everyone would be safe…
“Ghost, am yu otay?” she heard Lolo’s voice. Viola wanted to get up and check on him; even without the massive horns that had destroyed so many barriers, being struck head-on by someone as big as Duffle must have hurt bad… But she couldn’t move. Overcome with relief, her legs had lost all their strength.
“… Congratulations, little Detective. You did well.” Daddy’s voice was lower now. The theatrical tone was gone, and rather than being happy or teasing, he sounded bitter. Then the speakers shut off, leaving the fluffies in a deafening silence.
Ghost was alive, though he slumped back down when he tried to stand and Lolo stopped him from trying very hard. Duffle backed away, large hooves gently stepping past Viola, but she lacked the strength to talk to him right now. Nobody spoke until they caught a whiff of red fur; Snaggle had approached the group, hesitant to come close with her tail between her legs.
Lolo stared at her for a few seconds. “Am sowwy,” the old mare then said, lowering her head. “Fow thinking yu wewe kiwwew. Wowo was wong.”
Snaggle’s ears stayed low and she didn’t answer, but did carefully move closer and look over Ghost. Viola wished she could do the same. But when both mares were satisfied the batfluff would be okay, they finally took notice of Viola and Lolo gently came over, helping the filly along until she found herself lying leaned against her friend’s white fluff.
“Viowa am huwt tuu?” asked Snaggle. Viola shook her head.
“Wowo thinks Viowa am in shock…” Lolo sighed and for a few short moments they sat in silence, watching over each other. Finally she spoke again. “… Can yu weawwy see ghosties?”
“Yus…” Snaggle’s eyes lowered as she nodded.
“Haf seen an’ heawd of many thingies in dis wife,” the old mare murmured, “but nevew heawd of dat befowe… Nu knew how it couwd be twue, then Daddeh showed vote wesuwts… Wowo saw yu had voted Indigo, an’… Jus’ nu couwd think of anything ewse.”
“Snaggwe nu mean tu.” The reply was quiet, accompanied by hoof scraping against carpet. Viola frowned as she listened, nuzzling into Ghost - his breathing was a little shallow, and he hadn’t spoken yet. She hoped he hadn’t hurt anything important. Duffle sat some distance away, torn on whether to stay at all.
“Why did yu vote Indigo?” asked Lolo. There was no accusation in her voice this time, only sadness.
“Smawty’s idea.” The red mare’s ears lay against her skull. “Snaggwe nu couwd pick, was tuu much an’ nu couwd think… But Smawty was getting angwy at Indigo’s noisies, an’ said tu vote Indigo as a wesson. Snaggwe voted wiffout thinking, thought othew fwuffies wouwd vote Wowo ow Duffew, but… but…”
Tears welled up in her eyes and she didn’t finish. Viola couldn’t think of anything to say, and it didn’t seem like anyone else could either as silence hung over the group once more.
“Duffew,” Lolo finally spoke in a whisper as the fluffalo started to leave. “Why did yu vote Ghost …?”
The black mass that was Duffle slumped in defeat and his voice was timid, laced with guilt and sorrow. “Duffew wasted vote. Wanted tu win vote, su voted on fwuffy nu othews wouwd think of.”
Someone nobody would think of… Viola’s heart ached. What if he had picked Viola because ‘nobody would think to vote her’? What if he’d picked Bunny? Viola’s blind vote would have gotten him killed, then. And if Viola had been voted out because of an accident, because Duffle wanted to fudge the results and Snaggle acted on someone else’s command, then …
She buried herself in Ghost’s fluff. She couldn’t think like this, could she? Ghost was alive. Everyone was alive. So why was the mood still this sad? Why was their relief tainted with all this pain?
“Am sowwy,” Duffle whispered, lingering on the batfluff. “Duffew… Duffew was towd, haf tu kiww Ghost… but if any fwuffy finds out Duffew am kiwwew, Duffew haf tu kiww dat fwuffy instead. Su when… when Viowa knew…” He trailed off, voice cracking under the weight of his guilt, and his final words were barely audible. “Nu couwd huwt Viowa.”
… He hadn’t been told? He didn’t know there was a way to avoid any deaths… Viola pressed against Ghost’s side, feeling the way he shuddered with pain. Daddy hadn’t told Duffle all the rules, and he had given Lolo a ‘hint’ that made her turn on Snaggle… Had all of them been told different things? As Duffle walked away, she finally forced herself to speak. “What did Daddeh teww Ghost ow Snaggwe…? Did daddeh teww wuwes?”
“Yus, but…” Snaggle’s voice was soft and hesitant. “Daddeh… said othew fwuffies knew what Snaggwe did. Tu be cawefuw.”
Other fluffies, plural? Lolo was the only one who’d mentioned knowing, so why would Daddy say he’d told everyone? Just what was going on anymore? It was all too much to understand.
“What about Viowa?” Lolo asked gently. “What did Daddeh say …?”
“Daddeh said…” Her voice felt too quiet, but Viola couldn’t raise it. “Daddeh said Viowa… am fwuffies’ heawt. Said Viowa had tu be de-tective… and dat onwy Viowa couwd stop fowevah sweepies.”
“Detectif?” asked Snaggle, sharing a look with Lolo and then Ghost. “Did Ghost heaw 'bout a detectif?”
The batfluffy huddled a little. “Nu,” he murmured, the first thing he’d said since the attack. “Onwy dat one fwuffy wouwd gif fowevah sweepies tu anothew.”
So he hadn’t been told he was the victim, either.
And none of them had been told about the detective role… Viola’s head hurt and she huddled into Ghost, letting out a soft whine. This was all an adult thing! Why was it pushed onto her?
“Yu just west, otay Viowa?” Lolo assured. “Ghost, tuu. Snaggwe an’ Wowo wiww find exit and pwess buttons tu open doow.”
Oh. Right. There had been a challenge to press a bunch of buttons in this room, somewhere… In all that happened, Viola had forgotten. She nodded gently and closed her eyes, nuzzling against Ghost’s foreleg as she heard Snaggle and Lolo leave.
“… Am Ghost otay?” she asked quietly. “Nu weggies bwoken …?”
“Onwy huwts,” Ghost confirmed. “Nu think anyfing is bwoken.”
“Dat’s gud…” Viola exhaled in relief. “Was su scawed fow Ghost… Thought wouwd be tuu wate…”
The batfluff didn’t answer. He just laid his head down against hers and closed his eyes. “Thank yu fow cawing about Ghost.”
Of course she cared. Why wouldn’t she? Just because he wasn’t as social as the others? Viola frowned, trying not to think about Duffle’s reasoning.
The weight of another’s life on her back was too heavy, and she didn’t want to ever feel it again. Not in a vote, not in a challenge game, not in keeping her fraying friend group in one piece. Not in anything.
She just wanted to go home.
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