Let the murder- I mean, fun, begin!

DAY ONE

Eleven speeding purple limousines screeched to a halt at the edge of a long gray runway in the middle of an overgrown field. The car doors flew open. Eleven Cbers, seven AEs, and seven CAPTCHAs came out of them, then gasped and burst into excited chatter when they saw the jet.

"Wow," Marie whispered.

"Goodness gracious," Squeak exclaimed.

"OMG!" Nougat squealed.

It was long and sleek, smaller than a normal passenger plane, but quite obviously more luxurious. It was a flawless, shiny white, painted with blue sillouhettes of palm trees. 

The passenger door slowly slid open, and stairs unfolded from beneath the doorway. A tall young woman who looked around twenty years old stepped out. She was dressed in a royal blue business suit, a white blouse, and a pencil skirt with a pair of two-inch high-heel sandals. She had short auburn hair pulled back into a no-nonsense ponytail. She also wore a pair of tinted wayfarer glasses. She walked towards the CBers and smiled. 

"Welcome, CBers, Alter Egos, and CAPTCHAs," she said in a loud, clear voice, one that sounded younger than the CBers expected, and didn't seem to match with the person before them. "I am the Island Manager, and this is the jet on which you will be transported to the Island Paradise Resort. You may sit wherever you want on the plane. When you find your seat, please fasten your seatbelt. Do not unbuckle your seatbelt until I announce you may do so. Any questions?"

September raised her hand. "Who are you?"

The Island Manager cocked her head. "I'm the Island Manager. I've told you that already."

"No, I mean, who are you really?" September persisted. "What's your real name? What are you hiding?" 

The Island Manager grinned mischeviously. "September here is very observant. She has uncovered a little of my...secret." Mutterings arose from the crowd. "However, it is only the tip of the iceberg, and I am not going to let you see beneath the surface just yet." She paused, and the CBers leaned forward, waiting for the Manager to continue. "Yes, September, you are right. I'm not exactly as I seem. I am...a CBer." 

"A twenty year old CBer? That's...weird," Bumblebuddy said.

"Oh no, I don't really look like this. I don't really have red hair, and I'm not really this tall, and I'm not this old. I only appear this way for security reasons, and also to add a bit of a twist to this trip. What enables me to look differently is something I'm wearing. Can you guess what?"

"Your glasses?" Clouded Leopard guessed. 

"That's right. If I take these off, the glamour-"

"Like in Lunar Chronicles," Hermione said.

"No, not quite. Anyway, if I take these glasses off, you'll see what I actually look like-"

The disguised CBer was interrupted not by a Lunartic this time, but by a loud bang as Masked Piester threw down his suitcase and flew into the air.

"TO INFINITY AND BEYOND PIES!!!" he yelled as he dropped in front of the Island Manager and grabbed her glasses.

They didn't budge. And the red-haired woman didn't even flinch.

The AE tugged at them again. They still didn't move.

"What the pumpkin pie..." he muttered. 

The Manager looked him in the eye and said calmly, "As I was saying, Masked Piester, only I can take off these glasses."

The AE scowled then flounced back to Brookeira, who appeared rather annoyed by her AE's outburst.

The Manager brought her hands together. "Well then!" she declared briskly. "That'll be enough for today. Everyone, please board the jet."

So the CBers and their companions filed through the passenger door. When they were all inside, the door closed, and soon the plane took off. 

Little did they know that at that moment, their fates were sealed.

********** 

Hm, you mentioned Lunar Chronicles. So you must have been here before I left for a while. That means you can't be someone like Leeli, who came to the CB after that.

Are you Scylla or Mei-xue?

DAY ONE, continued

********** 

The Island Manager emerged from the cockpit and announced, "It is now safe to remove your seatbelts." She turned away and started to leave, but Hermione tapped her on the shoulder.

"Pardon, are you Scylla or Mei-xue?" she asked.

"I am neither," the Manager replied, then left.

"Look at the clouds! They're glowing!" Tulip shouted. Everyone pushed up their shades and looked out their windows. Indeed, the sunlight was shining through the snow-white clouds, illuminating them. 

"That makes me think of a poem I once read, titled 'Heaven's Light,'" Shadowmoon remarked. "How does it go..."

"Oh, I know that poem too!" Hermione said excitedly. "Hmm, let me remember...oh yes, it goes like this: 'I'll hold you close/with all my might/as you guide me/through Heaven's Light.'"

"Very poetic!" Mirax mused. She nudged her seat partner. "Don't you think, Kate?"

Kate-the-Great didn't reply. Instead, she rose from her seat. "Hey, I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

She walked down the aisle towards the back of the plane. The sign on the "Lavoratory" door read, "OCCUPIED." So Kate turned around and found that someone else was there too, leaning against the emergency exit across from the "Lavoratory."

"Waiting for the...uh, lavoratory?" Kate asked.

The killer nodded.

"Oh. I guess I'll wait next to you."

There was an awkaward moment of silence. Then the killer said, "Look." It moved aside so Kate could see the window of the emergency exit. "What a view, huh?"

Kate stepped towards the emergency exit and looked out the window. It was a remarkable view. She moved closer, leaning against the exit and pressing her hands against the glass.

The killer pushed open the door.

Kate-the-Great fell forward and tumbled out of the plane, into the pale blue sky and the glowing clouds.

**********

R.I.T.P. Kate-the-Great. Rest In The Pacific. 

DAY TWO

It was the next day, and Kate-the-Great still hadn't been found.

"She couldn't have just disappeared...could she?" HAB wondered.

"The Manager said the plane's been checked twice," Danie said.

"Uh, guys?" Bumblebuddy called. "There's something I think you should see."

Everyone walked towards the sound of Bumblebuddy's voice. She was pointing at the emergency exit. "The door...it's not closed all the way."

"She must have leaned on it and fallen out!" Brookeira said. 

"It's the only possible explanation," the Manager said. She grabbed the handle, pulled it down, and closed the door, this time completely. "What a horrible accident!"

"But if she had fallen out, wouldn't the door be open more?" someone asked.

The killer frowned. This one was too smart for their own good.

"The air resistance up here would have slammed the door back. But A) it wouldn't have been fast enough to catch Kate, and B) the door technically can't be fully closed unless you pull down the handle, like I just did, and air resistance doesn't do that," the Manager replied.

"I hope there are no more accidents," Saphira shuddered. 

**********

At last the plane landed, and everyone filed out of it. They were on a large landing pad. To their left, they a tall, modern-looking hotel. To their right, some buildings in a row. In front of them, the sparkling ocean. 

"Somewhere, out in that big ocean, Kate is there," Cortana remarked very loudly.

Everyone turned to stare at her. It was a disturbing thought.

"She can be a bit...blunt sometimes," September said. No replies.

"So we really are on an island," Shadowmoon said softly, holding a large teacup with her bunny AE inside. "Isolated from the rest of the world.

That, too, was a vaguely disturbing thought.

The Manager laughed. "The way you say that makes it sound so foreboding! No fear, Shadowmoon, maybe in terms of geography we are separated, but not in terms of communication." She pointed at the jet. "If there happens to be any danger on this island or we need to evacuate the island, which is highly unlikely of course, this jet plane will return, along with an emergency helicopter or a team of retired SWAT agents, depending on who we call, will immediately fly to us. All we have to do is give them a call."

"Are they going to be coming and checking on us? Or requiring that we send updates?" the killer asked.

"No, we don't have to worry about them bugging us. They're not going to do anything unless we bug them.

"What about WiFi?" Danie asked. "I have a computer."

"Yes, there will always be WiFi."

"So! I'm going to take you on a brief tour of the island..."

**********

The Manager guided them to the hotel, the beach in front, then the amusement park (though they didn't go inside), then they walked across the field behind the hotel, where they were also able to see the pool in between the wings of the hotel. Then the Manager showed them the restaurant, the gift shop, and the relaxation area where there were benches and tables to relax on. The Manager pointed out the three waterslides then said, "There is also a forest, which is..." She hesitated. "Safe, we believe. But there's nothing to do there, and we still haven't fully checked it out yet, so please don't go in the forest, or anywhere besides all the areas I just showed to you."

"I'm hungry! I'm hungryhungryhungryHUNGRY!!!" Sprankje whined. Luna howled in agreement.

"No problem! Let's head to the restaurant right now," the Manager declared.

**********

"Mmmmm, these are my favorite!" Clouded Leopard said, blissfully sucking on an Orange Cream Popsicle.

"These muffins are AMAZING! So warm, so soft," Shadowmoon sighed.

"These. Look. De. lish," HAB decalred, stariing at his plate with valomilk, snickerdoodles, and banana creme pie.

"Do you have any Blue Moon ice cream?" Tulip asked.

The Manager frowned thoughtfully.

The killer smiled.

"Blue Moon Ice Cream? We don't. I mean, I don't remember having any...we have other brands, if you'd like."

"I WANT BLUE MOON PLEASE PLEASE CAN YOU AT LEAST CHECK?" Tulip begged.

"Okay, but I'm telling you it won't be there," the Manager replied, and went into the kitchen. She opened the freezer.

Sitting right there was a mini container of Blue Moon ice cream.

The Manager returned to Tulip's table, and set the ice cream down, along with a spoon.

"Wow! There was Blue Moon ice cream after all, and just enough for you!"

"Hm, I've never seen them in mini containers before," Tulip mused. "Oh well, still ICE CREEEEEEEEAM!" 

She grabbed the spoon and dug in. In less than a minute, she had eaten the entire thing.

Suddenly her skin turned a pale shade of purple. She started shaking violently and fell to the floor.

"TULIP!" Spirit-Rain shrieked, suddenly realizing what was happening to the AE.

But it was too late. Tulip stopped shaking. Her eyes closed.

"Poison," Shadowmoon whispered. "She's been poisoned." Her voice rose. "Why else would there just happen to be a container of Blue Moon ice cream? Why else would she...would she...look like that..." 

There was a long silence, the air so tense it barely felt breathable.

"This was no accident, and neither was Kate-the-Great. This was murder," the Manager said. "There's a murderer in our midst."

********

R.W.I.C. Tulip. Rest With Ice Cream. 

A Map of the Island Paradise Resort.

In case you were wondering how stuff was placed. 

Note: In the story, you guys don't know about the Cliffs, except the killer...

DAY THREE

Everyone gathered in the lobby. The Manager was to make an announcement. 

"CBers, Alter Egos, and CAPTCHAs," the Manager said. The emergency helicopter will be informed of the...fatalities. The jet will also be coming once I call it, to pick up those of you who do not wish to stay."

"That'll be me," September said immediately. "A CBer and an AE dead? I didn't sign up for this. You'd have to be crazy to stay on this island." The CBers murmured in agreement. 

"Well, I don't agree!" Squeak piped up.

"What?!" September replied in disbelief.

"We came to have a vacation, to have fun. That is what we did sign up for! And when do you think is the next time we're going to get to go on a FREE trip to a luxury resort that takes up the whole. Freaking. ISLAND! This is a once in a lifetime chance!" Sprankje declared. The AEs murmured in agreement.

"I second that thought!" Nougat cried. "You said we'd have to be crazy to stay. That's both true and fine with me, because we AEs have always been a bit crazy..."

"That's an understatement," Brookeira muttered.

"They're right, Shadowmoon. I'm staying," Saphira told her counterpart.

"Saphira, how could you say that? Tulip died. She was your friend!" Shadowmoon choked in disbelief.

"Then this is the best way to honor her memory. By not letting fear take hold of us. By being brave!" Saphira shouted passionately. 

"Brave!" Squeak echoed.

"Pies!" Masked Piester said.

"This isn't bravery, this is stupidity!" September said, almost screaming. "There's a difference! If we stay here we are going to die." Her voice shook. "I can't stay. I'm leaving and Cortana, you're coming with me."

"I won't!" Cortana yelled.

The air filled with cries of "I'm not going!" and "You can't make me!" as AEs started arguing fiercely with their counterparts.

The Manager attempted to quiet them, but the noise was too loud. Eventually she left returned with a megaphone covered with photos and quotes from a particular musical, along with the words "I GOTTA HOLLER JUST TO BE HEARD" in large letters.

"EVERYONE BE QUIET," she said through the megaphone. Silence.

"Thank you," the Manager sighed. "Now-"

Clouded Leopard raised her hand, jumping up and down.

"Yes?"

"I think I know who you are."

"Guess away, then."

"Are you Bibliophile?"

"No."

"St. Owl?"

"No."

"Then who..." Then Clouded saw the Manager's megaphone. "Are you Owlgirl?"

"Yes."

With that, she took off her glasses. In a split second, she changed before the CBers' eyes. Suddenly she was no longer a tall red-haired woman. She was a 12-year-old girl about 5 feet tall with dark brown eyes. Her hair was a light brown, still pulled back in a ponytail, this time with a headband as well. She wore a blue tank top with with the words "Island Paradise Resort" and in smaller letters "Manager."

"How'd you know it was me?" Owlgirl asked.

"I had my suspicions when you knew I loved Orange Cream Popsicles, but I wasn't sure until I saw your Hamilton megaphone."

"My Hamilton what...shoot, I forgot it was a Hamilton megaphone! What a giveaway."

"It's a really cool megaphone. 'I gotta holder just to be heard'...that's so perfect."

"Thanks! I made it myself." 

"Uh...sorry to interrupt your Hamilton-ing, but can we get back to the jet plane and leaving the island?" Brookeira said.

"Right! Sorry. Let's get back to that."

BOOM! 

Everyone screamed. Squeak instantly turned o to a mouse and cowered underneath the table.

"People, take cover and STAY DOWN. Either a bomb went off or something fell," the Manager said. "I'm going to check it out."

Owlgirl got outside and promptly dropped her megaphone, which fell to the ground with a loud crack.

The others rushed outside.

"Owlgirl, what happened?" Bumblebuddy asked, but she received no answer; she didn't need it. They all saw what Owlgirl was staring at. The huge "central telephone pole, of sorts" that the Manager had told them earlier functioned as a satellite dish.

"The communication..." Marie faltered.

The CBers realized in that moment that no rescue helicopter would going to come and save them. No SWAT team was going to protect them. No jet plane was going to take them home.

They were stuck on the island.

September began to cry silently. 

You know what I should have put for Day One?

R.I.H.L. Kate-the-Great. Rest in Heaven's Light.

(Those repeating themes tho)