Loop Oneshot

L∞P, Oneshot (Jump Square, August 2009)


<1>
Tomorrow, I'm already dead...


<2>
BWHIP
Memories of a brutal murder...!

=ACK...
THUD

=Huh!?

=L-Let go!! Bastard!!!

=Don't even think about it!!

THUD
=AHHHH


<3>
UCK

=AH-
[x2]ZZT
=AHHH!

=You're not getting away!

=This is the end of the road for you—!
GRACK

=Jean!!!

THUD


<4>
=Damn it...
=I can't fight it. No matter how hard I try.
=I guess I really am gonna have to die...


<5>
=HEE-HAH-HAH...

=So it begins...
=Each year, on this very day... HOO-HOO

=And tonight marks the hundredth time... HEE-HEE-HEE

PSHHHHH
=Till the sorrow disappears...

=This is the fate, of those who have left this world with regrets...


<6>
PSHHHH

=Uh...
=Uhh...

TICK
=Again...?

=The day I was murdered,
=Is happening again...?


<7>
=Burglars broke into the mansion that night.

=They trapped me in the cellar...
=And now 2 others will be arriving to kill me.

=Slitting my throat...

=That's right. I was murdered.
=No doubt about it...
=But I've been brought back to life countless times, just to relive it all over again...

=I fight back, and manage to get away for a while, only to be killed again...//Damn it... How did I get dragged into something like this...
*wobble..*

[x2]GACHUK

=HEE-HAH-HAH, we got permission!//It's over for you now—
=Jean!!


<8>
=Thanks for hanging out with us.//It was fun.
=HEE-HEE-HEE
GRIP
=We are gonna miss your rich-bitch attitude though.

=That's right... The burglars,
=Were the guys I used to hang out with in the city.

=Don't look so sad.
=We'll send everybody in this mansion to hell after we're done. You'll feel right at home.

=They... Think this is a joke!!
=I'm gonna kill these bastards!!!

=I'm not gonna die again—!!
CRACK
=AHHHHH—!

=Stop jerking around!!
THUCK


<9>
=It'll all be over soon.
ZZT
=And this estate is gonna be ours—!

=Shit! No way—!
[x5]THUMP
=I'm gonna die again!?
=No—//I'm not gonna go through this again!!

=AHHHHH—!!!
THUD

GRUCK


<10>
BWHA—CK

GRICK

CLA—NK

=B-Bastard—!

=You're dead!!

<11>
[text upside down]AHHHHH!!!
*sound effects indecipherable*


<12>
=ICK... ACK... GAHH... AH... AHH...
CRIIICK

[x2]HUFF

BRIP
=Y-//Yes...!

=I made it.
=I finally made it...!

=Hah-hah-hah...
[x2]*wobble*
=Hah-hah-hah-hah!


<13>
=AH—HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!
=I did it!
=HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!
=Serves them right!!!

=Now I'm going to escape—
ZZT..
=Outside...!!

=No wait,//There's 5 of them total... Which means there's 3 more.
=And this is the basement...

=I'll have to start all over again if the others find me.
=...And besides...


<14>
=No... Right now,
=I just have to escape...
=Escape... From my own house.

G-GONK
GONK

CRICK
CREEAK

=Miles!!//Daria!!

=Master Jean!
=You guys were alive!?
[x2]BRIP

=It's a relief to see you safe, Master Jean...
[x2]PLICK


<15>
=It's hardly been a year since your father and mother died in that accident,
=And now burglars, with you alone in this mansion...

=Sorry... Those are the guys I used to hang out with.
=!!? What...?

=We weren't close friends, but...//I didn't expect them to turn into burglars either.

=Good thing you two were the only ones on duty tonight.
=There's been no casualties yet...

S-SWISH
[x2]SWISH

=This will help stop the bleeding on your leg...

=...Yeah.
=Thanks...


<16>
=I've gotten rid of 2 of the 5 men.//We've got to get out of the mansion before the others notice anything!!
=...Gotten rid!?

=U-Understood, sir.//Please follow me. I shall lead the way.

=...Didn't want to be rescued by someone like me, huh?
=Daria.

=I know you dislike me.
=Hmph...//Not that it matters now.


<17>
=Then why did you rescue me, Master Jean?
=You told me to "Quit,"//Or, "Look for another job," every time you saw my face... I thought you found me repulsive.

=Doesn't mean I'm cold enough to leave you behind.

=...I,//Actually feel uneasy about being rescued.
=I thought I was going to be killed by them again...

=But this time I've been rescued, and...

=Again?

=And did you say this time?


<18>
=Daria!! You've been...//Going through this too!?
GRIP
=Repeating this day...//Over and over again!!?

=Tonight is my hundredth time...//You too, Master Jean?

=I've been murdered in that room every single time up until now.

=No... I think I really was murdered.
=But...//Our feelings of regret won't allow us to accept death...

=We're really dead!?//...What does that mean!?
ZZT..
=No... It's...

=Quiet, please.

=There's sounds up ahead.


<19>
=It's coming from beyond that door.
=They must have placed a lookout nearby.//After all, that door is the only way back to the 1st floor of the mansion.

=I shall go and take a look.
=Please hide in this cabinet underneath the stairwell until it's safe.

=No, I'll go!
=Not with that injury.

=You'll have no chance of escaping if they find you.

=Besides, this is my duty.


<20>
=I've been fortunate enough to serve this household from your grandfather's generation.
=I must make myself useful.
=Mr. Miles...

=Listen carefully, you must remain inside until I return.

=If it appears as though I have been caught, come out only after you've made sure the men have gone to check the other room.
=Understood?

=Miles!! Have you also been repeating "today...?"
=Huh...?

=No... Nothing.
=Just concentrate on escaping for now.

[x2]GREAK


<21>
GR-GREEAK
PATHUMP

=Damn it... If I could only walk normally with this injury...

=Does it hurt?
=...Maybe if I had a splint...

=I know where to find one...
=I'll go and get it. Please wait here.
=!!?... H-Hey.

=I'll be back soon!
T-TAP
=Hey! Where are you going!?

GRUCK


<22>
=Hup!!!
CRACK

=This should be long enough.

[x2]GREAK

G-GREAK..

[x2]GREAK

GRAB


<23>
=You idiot!!!
=Don't run around on your own!

=We're finished if they find us alone!
=I-I thought this would make it easier for you to move...
=That still doesn't mean—!!

=I'm desperate too!

=I can't have you hindering my chances of escaping!!

=...S-Same here!!//I'm also in danger if you run around like that!


<24>
[x2]CLACK

=Will you be alright?
=Yeah...
CLACK

=Umm... I'm sorry about before.//I was being terribly rude...
=It's okay.//I understand.
[x2]CLACK

=Just tell me more about that "regret" you mentioned.
=What exactly were talking about?

=It's a legend... From my grandfather's land.
=Those who die bearing strong feelings of regret,//Are bound to this realm.
=Their souls are unable to travel to the other world...


<25>
=As long as the mind bears those sentiments, the soul continues to suffer.//For all eternity.
=Never-ending.
=Until the regret disappears.

=So that's...
=What's happening to us right now?

=True... Even now,//That feeling of being killed is somehow coming back,
=All too vividly...

=I should be dead,
=But for some reason, I keep coming back to life...

=So my soul is suffering...
=From that sentiment I held the moment I died...?

=And it's going to continue forever unless it disappears...!!


<26>
=Therefore, I think the only way we can truly be saved, eliminating our regrets...
=Is by safely escaping from this mansion.//So we have nothing more to regret.

=Not to live...

=But to secure a peaceful rest...

GR-
GREEAK
=Shh!! Quiet!

=Damn it!!!


<27>
CREEAK..

[x2]GREAK

=They're coming...!
[x3]GREAK..
=Shit... They found Miles...!?

=We won't stand a chance going head-on.
=But there's nowhere to hide...
=What should we...
[x5]THUMP

TURNS


<28>
ZUP

=Die!
WHIRRR

[x2]CRACK
[x2]BRIP

=!!?//What the—!? There's nobody in here!
=It's empty!!

=What the hell is...!

BSHH—


<29>
THUD

=Wha—!?
=...Jean!!!

[keep typo]=You...!//Fucking assho—!
BWHAP

=AH!
=AHH—!
BSHH
=AH!


<30>
GROCK

=AHHHHHH

BWHOP
[x3]HUFF

=I might not have been able to do something like this when I was alive...
=But...
=Things are different now.


<31>
=Even if I get sent to hell for this,//It's better than staying in this eternal hell.

CREAK..

GREEAK

GREEAK

=Alright...
=We're good.

UCK
[x3]SCRATCH


<32>
[x5]THUMP

[x2]MEOW—

=Nell?
CREAK
SHWUP

T-TAP

=You were safe too, huh...//Run away so they don't find you.


<33>
=...Make it out alive.
T-TAP
=No matter what...

[x2]CLACK
SWUP

=This time it's a person.
[x3]CLACK
=It must be Mack.

=He's the only one left.//And he's probably the toughest out of those 5 guys...
=No... Hold on,//I've heard these footsteps before...!! It's...

=Mr. Miles!

=See?
=You're right!!


<34>
=You're okay, Mr. Miles—!
=I'm so glad!!
=Daria!
=Master Jean! You're both alive—!

=Wait, Daria!

=Miles,

=I didn't get to finish my question before,
=So let me ask you again...

=How many times have you repeated "Today...?"//A committed man like you should remember, right?

=What exactly are you referring to...?
=I don't quite understand the question...


<35>
=...//I see,
=I guess you didn't leave any regrets when you were killed by the burglars...

=Or maybe...
=You were never killed.

=Let me change the question.//The 2 guys who came downstairs just now, knew we were hiding in that cabinet underneath the stairwell.
=They went straight for it, so they must have known.

=You told them, didn't you?
=!!//I'm sorry...!

=They captured me!//I had no choice!
=I couldn't help it! Please forgive me...!

=Then what were you doing over there?


<36>
=How come you were standing there, safe and sound...//Without being killed or tied up?
=It's because they don't see you as an enemy, isn't it?

ZUP

BWHUP

=...Well spoken.
=I was the one that called those men here.


<37>
=It can't be...! Why, Mr. Miles?
=Why?

=Because I thought this was the right thing to do.
GACHUK

=The right thing—!?

=Your late father and grandfather were such talented men...
=They truly deserved to have this splendid estate.//I took pride in being able to serve such a household.


<38>
=But then, you became the sole inheritor to their enormous wealth.

=I found it extremely regrettable,
=That such a fortune would be bestowed upon an individual only capable of squandering it away...

=I would have put it to much better use if I were in charge...

=...But that's...
=Yes, I knew it was foolish nonsense.

=No matter how close I was, I had no business meddling in such affairs.

=However,
=My worst fears were validated...

=You sold off all the family enterprises,
=And have done nothing but fool around this entire year.//Senselessly wasting away the legacy.


<39>
=Be it squandering or a failed business venture... Either way, I knew you manage to use up every last penny of the wealth,//Or somebody else would come along to cheat you out of it.
=What a waste that would be!

=Day by day, my nonsense began to sound sensible.
=Yes!! This was definitely the right thing to do!

=And... You coaxed the guys into doing this?
=Yes... I was planning on pretending to remain in captivity until the very end in case things went wrong.

=You're lucky they haven't betrayed you.
=No need to worry.//Those men won't even be able to open the safe by themselves.

=They shall also require my help to sell off the artwork.


<40>
=You've held out a bit longer than expected, but it all ends here.
GAWHUCK
=EEK!

=Ma—ck!
=Come on down!

=Run!!!
=Master Jean!!

=It will all be over if you manage to escape!!
=I'll be saved too!!

=I know the source of my own regret...!

=I was the one who allowed the burglars into the mansion!
=They claimed to be your friends, and I foolishly opened the door for them...!


<41>
=I was filled with regret till the moment I died...
=Having others die from my own carelessness...//I felt like I'd done something unforgivable...

=My regret will disappear if you're able to escape!
=We won't be bound to this mansion any longer—!

=Please! You've got to make it outside the mansion!

=I...//Can't do that.

=What's going on!?
=Jean!?

=Mack! Get rid of him quickly!
=Why is Jean still here!?

=The others are dead.//You and I are the only ones left.


<42>
=Not bad... Well, guess that just means I'll be getting a bigger share.
GRUCK
=Quite right. Just think of it as a slight change of plans.

=He can barely even walk. Get it over with quickly.
WHOOSH

ZUP

=We gotta get all the valuables outta here before morning.
=Uck—!
=I don't have time to fool around.

=It was fun hanging out. But now it's time to say goodbye—!
=Jean!!


<43>
GRINK
GRACK

ZZT

=Wh-//Whoa...!
ZZT

[x4]GRACK
=S-//Shit!!!

=Whoa—!?
THUD

WHIRRR


<44>
GRACK

=Now die!!!

=H-He's gonna kill me...!
[x2]ZZT

=No... I'm not scared of dying—!


<45&46>
BWHACK

TUG

[x4]=AHH—!
=As long as I can—
=Make it out of this house!!!
THUCK

BSHHHHHH

<47>
=Ma—ck!!!

=G-GAHHH—!!!
ZUP

=Daria!?

WHUP
B-BLAM


<48>
=Let go!!
TH-THUD
=I won't harm you!
=I was never going to...!
=Listen...!//!??...

WHOOSH

=GAHH...!//AHHHHH...!
DWHUSHHH


<49>
=Sorry about being so heavy...
=Just get me outta here before I kick the bucket.

=Why didn't you run?
[x2]ZZT...
=It would've been easier if you ran away...

=...If I did that,//I wouldn't have been saved.


<50>
=Huh?
=I know the source of my own regret, too.

=Regardless of who was pulling the strings,//It's my own fault if those guys came to kill me.
=I was all high on myself, pretending to be rich.//It pisses me off, but still.

=Well, it wasn't like I wanted to do something with my life.
=I wouldn't have had any regrets dying a normal death.

=But...
=We'll send everybody in this mansion to hell after we're done. You'll feel right at home.

=I couldn't stand having others die because of me.
=The thought of having innocent people in the mansion dying from my own mistakes... It terrified me.//It made me tremble with fear...


<51>
=I might not look it, but I'm a straight-up coward.

=If I left you to die, I would've had to start all over again.

=It was a long-shot, but...
TAP
=I made the right choice.

PSHHHH

=...//We made our escape, and our regrets have disappeared.
=Looks like...
=They've finally come to take us away...
PSHHHHH


<52>
=It's going exactly like you said it would.

=Yes...

=Master Jean, I...
=Never actually disliked you in any way.

=I just didn't know how to interact with you.
=All you did was jokingly tell me to "Quit," or "Get out..." And for no apparent reason...//I was confused and didn't know how to respond...

=Sorry about that.
=I wasn't actually trying to get rid of you.


<53>
=I just wanted to get to know you on equal terms.
=As a woman.

=It wouldn't be fair if you were working for me, right?//I don't like that kinda stuff.

=But I couldn't work up the guts to fire you either,//So I just kept on teasing you whenever I saw you around.

=That's... All it was?
=Yeah. Pretty pathetic, huh?


<54>
=*Pfft...*
=I think I've finally come to understand you a little bit.

=It's a shame I won't have a chance to make it up to you.

=I think we'll be born again sometime.//We were bound by regret, so we should be reincarnated as well.
="Transmigration of the Soul..." It's another legend from my grandfather's land.

=I see...//So I'll get to make up for all this when I see you again.
=Yes,//I'll be waiting.

=Till we meet again.
=Yeah, see ya.


<55>
=They shall remain dead,
=But their souls have been redeemed.


<56>
=I expected them to suffer for... At least another hundred years.
=How disappointing.
=HEE-HEE-HEE

=Don't be so glum.
=There's still countless bound souls in this realm.
=KEE-HEE-HEE, that's true.

=Let's see... Which soul is going to be saved next?
=HAH-HAH-HAH
=HOO-HOO-HOO

[left margin]From wandering souls to triumphant souls... This world may not be so hapless after all...

L∞P—End