Pearly

Pearly
Played by:	Bokkunthechoa
Appearances:	US;CR2
Debut:	US;CR2 (2019)
Full Name:	???
Sex:	Male
Age:	Mid-30s (Exact Age Unknown)
Height:	6'6" (195 cm)
Weight:	178 lb. / 80.7 kg
Birthday:	???

Pearly is a mental patient that is a regular participant in the Circasino's deadly games. While he's won quite a few, or at least survived all of them, he's never able to hold onto his money for long. Pearly doesn't care about the cash rewards, and seems to compete for little more than entertainment. It is unclear whether Pearly suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, or if he just likes fucking with people, but he often takes on a variety of other personas.

Background

Much of Pearly's history, such as his name, where he came from, what made him the way he is, etc., is unknown.

At some point however, Pearly did participate in a Circasino game, and at another point, he was admitted to a mental ward for the very first time. These are indisputable facts, though the order of which came first could be called into question. When not engaged in the Circasino games, Pearly can often be found in a mental ward. He's considered a "problem" patient by doctors, and significant precautions have to be taken when engaging with him for any reason. Failure to do so has lead to a number of deaths already.

Pearly seems easily capable of escaping whenever he wants, often doing so to participate in Circasino games. It's therefore unclear why he stays in the asylum at all.

Leading up to US;CR2's game, Pearly was warned by co-host Helena DeVyne that he shouldn't participate in her sister's next game. The format would be different, and Helena didn't want to play against him. With this warning in mind, Pearly was 100% committed to being in that next game. Before he could break himself out, a nurse broke into his room to release him herself. She wanted half his winnings, which was a deal Pearly agreed to.

Before entering into the game, Pearly partook in his favorite meal. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, and apple sauce. It's one of the few consistent things about Pearly. He always enjoys the same meal before entering a game, likely in case it is to be his last meal.

Personalities

All of Pearly's Personalities
1st row: Preston Mills
2nd row: D6, Jebediah Stone
3rd row: Chickenwing, Cary Ó Dubhghaill, The Man Behind the Mask, Fillmore Focals, Captain Thomas "No Face" Skipper
Bottom two: Dexter Gaines, Kenneth Ares Gervaise

• Kenneth Ares Gervaise: The Meek Murderer
• Fillmore Focals: The Serious Sleuth
• Jebediah Stone: The Humble Farmer
• Captain Thomas "No Face" Skipper: The Swashbuckler
• Duke "D6" Daniel Devin Donatello Deedee Deltoro: The Prideful Prince
• Cary Ó Dubhghaill: The Manipulative Mastermind
• Chickenwing: The Merciless Gang Leader
• Dexter Gaines: The Silenced Test Subject
• Preston Mills: The Commanding Leader
• [REDACTED] "Pearly" [REDACTED]: The Man Behind the Mask

US;CR2 Backstories

Kenneth's Backstory

Kenny is a baker by day and secretly an assassin by night. He is also very awful at keeping this secret. It had to have been a strange combination of luck and and possibly baking stupid pills into the goods he sells that has kept him in business up to this point.

Born to the Gervaise family, his career in assassination was guaranteed from the moment he could walk. His father, and the previous leader of the family, Plato Gervaise, taught him the skills of the trade. His mother, Aphrodite Gervaise, helped him develop the talent which he would use as his cover. Since he'd shown a deep appreciation for the sweet treats she'd often made for him, she gave him guidance on how to bake pastries that would far surpass anything offered in a store. Kenneth took to their lessons well, and while there were a few stumbles along the way, he grew into a fine adult, strong enough to take on jobs for the family. He wasn't good enough to be the heir, that position went to his brother Hermes, but he wasn't one to complain about something like that.

After getting a business license, he opened up a small bakery by the name of "Delightful Delights". While the shop is merely a cover for his true money making talent as an assassin, he puts his heart into running it well and preparing scrumptious sweets.

Why the Straightjacket?: Kenny was caught near the scene of one of his crimes, and needed a quick alibi. He accomplished this by faking a head injury, and pretending to be a loon. This backfired spectacularly, as it got him put in a mental institution. Whoops. Thankfully, a nurse who had connections to his family got him out of there, and helped him find this game to solve his financial problems.

Fillmore's Backstory

Fillmore's a private eye with a vendetta against a certain group's games. At one point in time, he would have considered the group heroes. The idea that he could get out of his debts through a simple game gave him hope. Him and his brother, Petey, shared an apartment to make ends meet, but they were still coming up short. Fillmore's job as a cop, and his brother's teaching gig weren't paying out enough to keep them afloat. So... they went for it. They joined a game. They'd always said they would, so they were just living up to what they had always said.

They were wrong. The games weren't a chance at redemption, they were the final straw that drove men to madness. In the heat of things, people were forced to do things they couldn't live with. There were some things that money couldn't fix. Those that couldn't cross the line would die, and those that did would lose themselves. There was no winning.

Petey wasn't willing to make those sacrifices. Fillmore was. He left the game alone. He was rich, but changed. A hatred within him grew for the bastards who'd lost him his brother.

But Fillmore was a smart man. He knew he couldn't do something rash and expect anything to change. No... he'd need the world on his side.

So he studied up on law, more so than he'd ever done before as a streetcop. He talked to people with some better legal knowhow, and did some research into how these games managed to skate by without the law breaking through their door. The problem with wealth was that they had a lot of influence, and they'd been able to get the laws changed to legalize their activities. However, it all hinged on three details.

• 1: All participants sign up for the games willingly.
• 2: All participants are of the age 18 or older, and sign the appropriate waivers.
• 3: The contents of the sign up forms are never breached. This means that all events take place in the designated facility, and that the rules of the game are followed as they're stated.

With all of this understood, it became clear what he had to do. Fillmore would enter one of these games, and prove that these rules were being broken. With a surgically implanted eye camera, and some rerouting of his funds to make himself appear to be in severe debt, he signed up for round two against this game. Either he'd die, or he'd change the world. That was a gamble he was willing to make.

Why the Straightjacket?: Ever since the lost of his brother, his nights have been restless. Spectacles of betrayal, despair, and death are the images he sees in his nightmares. His mental state deteriorated for a period, and he was admitted to an asylum. With the help of a kindly nurse, he was able to continue studying the case of these games. He was eventually released after a number of sessions with a psychiatrist determined that he wasn't a harm to himself or others. The nurse who'd been so nice to him was the same woman who gave him his special eye, and was willing to risk her own life playing the game with him.

Jebediah's Backstory

Jebediah wasn't Amish, though his grandpapa was. The name's a bit of a carryover from back then, but don't mind it nothin'. He ain't against tech, though he can't really afford all the best stuff these days. Didn't bother him too much, since farm life didn't call for many doo-hickeys and gadgets.

He'd worked the land since he was a kid. His pop worked it before him, and his pop's pop did before then. Field work was rewarding, and gave him a purpose in an unclear world. Jeb's a bit of a thinker, and liked to consider the particulars of life while he worked. Sitting on that tractor deep in thought was a good way to pass the days away.

Sadly, tractor makers are pretty not-hospitable people. The warranties you have to deal with when you buy one of those things really have a way of laying you out on a metal roof on a clear-skied Summer afternoon. He couldn't just raise the prices on his food, he knew that most folks didn't have enough to buy it at the price he'd already been selling it at, he didn't want to leave out even more folks who were just trying to get by.

This game's the best chance he's got at saving his farm. Once he has enough to make do, he could start giving away his crops as charity. No point making cash when he'd have more than enough already.

There was only one little hitch in that plan...

Why the Straightjacket?: May sound crazy, but Jeb would swear it was true. Not too long ago he'd seen a strange light in his cornfield. It had been a restless night for him, as the heat had been brutal. So, he went out to investigate. May not have been the smartest idea, but leaving it alone seemed just as ill-advised. There in the field, with the Lord as his witness, he saw the ghost of a lady in tears. The mood around her was tense and frightning, and he'd been scared for his life for more than a moment there. It looked up at him, and a cosmic horror filled his head, messin' him up bad. He told everyone who would listen, but all that did was get him locked in a nuthouse. He'd managed to get a nurse lady to listen, and was able to get out with her just in time for the game.

The Captain's Backstory

AVAST! What be this? A landlubber's challenge? Pathetic. PITIFUL! HA HA HA! The sea may be his home, but a Captain's gotta hold up whether the ground be shakin' or still.

Alright alright, sit down, and I'll tell you a tale of a landlubber who'd dreamed of better days. A poor boy whose mum couldn't support him or his sister, and was too young to take up a trade. And then, HOPE! The laws of the land banned the sale of boys, but those who've spent their lives at sea don't spare two shillings for the landlubber's laws. The Cap' before him, Cedric "Peg Leg", had been lookin' for a sweeper boy. When he came to that young'un's home with a bag filled with more coins then he could count, he went behind his mum's back to take on a new life as a member of Peg Leg's pirate crew.

Ah, the adventures they'd had from then. NOSTALGIA! The first time they'd raided a ship, and he nearly kissed the bottom of the ocean floor; the first time he'd fired a canonball; and when he'd earned his promotion from ship sweep to navigator were all happy times. T'WAS SWELL! Ay, but things can't last forever. T'is not the way of the sea. Soon, Captain Peg Leg met a watery death, taken in by the sea during a storm. For him, there would be no better way to go.

Men argued for days about who should lead, each good crewmates, but none a fitting leader. When the next storm hit however, and it looked like their ship was soon to be swallowed, but IT WAS NOT TO BE! Thomas took lead of the situation. By his guidance, they'd made it out of the storm alive, though short on rations as they'd been forced to dump much of it to stay afloat. The decision was UNANIMOUS! Thomas, dubbed "No Face" for an expression scary enough to strip a fully grown sailor of sleep for a week, was the new captain of the ship.

...Wait, how does this lead to him being in a Circasino Game?: Last he can remember, he and the ship's medic had been dragged under by the sea. She'd fallen over during a fight, her swimming skills about the same as a fish's gallop, so he'd jumped in after her. LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND! Unfortunately, a sudden waterspout was more than even No Face could outswim, and the sea had claimed two more victims. At least, that's what he'd thought...

Why the Straightjacket?: BEATS ME! This be no way for a pirate to dress! Where be his jacket, torn from battle and trimmed with their ill-gotten gold? Where be his boots, heavy enough to keep you steady, and tight enough that you'd be needin' peg legs after just a day in them? WHAT SCALLYWAG WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!?

D6's Backstory

Duke was- "Actually, dear, I'll handle it from here. After all, when it comes to me, who better to ask than myself? Some may call my brand of self-love narcissism, but I say that there's no harm in it if you're right. And in my case, I have quite a bit to offer, so listen closely so that you can fully understand the skills I bring to the table."

"Now, let's start from the beginning. I am the heir to The Derik Deltoro himself. In my future, I'm destined for a life of luxury, running these games that are meant for peasants like you. However, my father is a harsh man, and won't live to see his son growing up ungrateful. Thus, when I turned 16, I was forced to move to a small townhouse by myself and live a modest life until I had proven my worth."

"Obviously, I succeeded at every hurdle put before me, and my skillset is so vast that to list them all would require me to talk your ears off. However, I suppose a small taste wouldn't hurt, right?"

"While most trillionaires these days have servants to do tasks for them, I do not have such a luxury. Therefore... I have learned to use a washing machine and dryer! It took months of practice, but eventually I perfected the techniques needed for the job. Patience, planning, a strong memory, and determination are all traits I exhibit in spades. Beyond that, I've even learned how to take the bus! Public transportation is so simple, I can't even relate to those who don't understand it anymore. I learned this skill after a month of riding, and have never gotten off at the wrong stop since then (save one incident). And as for school, dealing with peasants is so simple. I have not one, not three, but two peasants who I can call companions. And on top of that, I have maintained a clean C+ grade in all of my classes. My greatness need not be expressed further, though believe me when I say that it could be."

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering what could have placed me in a game like this, right? Heh heh, well, if you put even a molecule of thought into it, it would make perfect sense. My father wishes to see that I am not spoiled, so I shall best this challenge and prove my value in one clean swoop. How hard can a game such as this be to a man who can do his own laundry?"

Why the Straightjacket?: "Why, it's simple intimidation. Lunatics are known to be barbaric and frightening, so by bearing the clearest icon of one, then I will intimidate them into making simple errors and failing. Genius, right?"

Cary's Backstory

Cary is scary. As a young girl in Ireland, she was a straight A student in school. This was partially due to her innate intelligence, and even more as a result of coercing the smarter students to support her. She'd studied up on people rather than schoolwork. Some could be bought out with things that were of no value to her, such as her virginity or cafeteria lunch. Others needed to be forced through blackmail or by exerting social pressure. She maintained these grades all the way through highschool, up until she got her own diploma.

She knew from the start that menial labor wasn't for her. No, she was meant for great things, and simple work wasn't the way to get there. When she'd heard about these games, she'd known it was the perfect shortcut for her to acquire wealth. Wealth opened up many doors, so becoming rich was goal number one.

Of couse, these games were meant for a certain type of person. Those with great debts, desperate to acquire a fortune they'd otherwise have no chance of earning. All she had to do was lose money, which was hilariously easy. Doing so gave her a better understanding for how the idiots around her managed to wind up in such poor circumstances.

Her idea for cash loss was simple. She took out a loan she'd never be able to pay off and spent the money on others. She bought friendships and connections with lawyers, doctors, politicians, and even simpler jobs like artists and plumbers. When she won the game, she'd have both wealth and allies. She could take over the world if she wanted to. Actually... that's not too bad of an idea.

Why the Straightjacket?: It was what she wore. Perhaps it was some mental disorder, but she felt comfortable in the garment. She felt naked without it.

Chickenwing's Backstory

"GYAHAHA! Chi-Chi-Chi-Chickenwiiiinnnnnnggggg'sss here! Wild Wings! Let's ride!"

Chickenwing, formerly Jack Ripper, is the acting leader of the Wild Wings. The Wild Wings is a gang of manly men supporting each other through hard times. They bike from city to city, harass non-members into donating to their men's club, swipe goods from people who look like they have more than enough, and get into fights with anyone who questions their strength.

Manlienss is the most important thing for a man, but second to that is love, and Chickenwing lucked out there. He roped himself a real nice gal, all gentle and sweet. His little Sammi would wait for him at home, and go out on rides with him on the weekends.

"Shucks... just talking about her makes Chickenwing feel dizzy inside. Sammi, baby, she would light up the night with her smile. Mmmm~"

Happy times don't last forever though, not in these times. Nah, it was never meant to last. The problem with livin' the way Chickenwing lives is that some losers get ticked off. Since they were usually scrawny unmanly losers, they didn't care about fighting with fists like real men. Nah, they pulled sneaky bullshit.

About a year ago, they got him good. They hit him right where it hurt most, and... and...

"THEY KILLED CHICKENWING'S BEAUTIFUL SAAAMMMMMMIIIIII! OH SAMMI! HOW COULD THEY!?"

The Wings wouldn't stand for it. An indirect strike against the leader was the worst crime possible. It was an insult to their whole group! While before they rode carelessly, going wherever the wind took them and taking what they felt like, their gang suddenly had a purpose. Finding the ones behind Sammi's death, and making them wish they were dead.

Why the Straightjacket?: "Medical people don't get it! They called Chickenwing crazy, and locked him up." After losing his lover, Chickenwing became more violent than ever before. After a run in with the law, and a state-assigned lawyer arguing insanity, he wound up locked in a nuthouse for a couple months. He only got out because a nurse set him free, in return for playing some sorta game with her. He didn't exactly follow, but the point is that he's here now.

Dexter Gaines' Backstory

Dexter was kidnapped at age 4, alongside his brother Marcus.

At age 20, they were found.

In this period of time, Dexter had not spoken a single word. His cries had been too loud on the day of the kidnapping, that the man had stitched his mouth shut to keep him silenced. The pain he'd experienced over these years-

Okay, I think we get the point. Dexter's was a life of suffering. No point dwelling on it.

The past few years of his life has been a major adjustment period. After successfully removing the stitches, doctors admitted Dexter to speech therapy to help him relearn how to speak. After many sessions, they've helped him to the point where he can speak acceptably well. Sadly, he's uncomfortable with talking, and rarely makes use of his vocal chords. His doctors have at least managed to convince him to recite a few sentences each day to keep his vocal chords from wearing down from lack of use.

There's a lot about the world that Dexter doesn't understand. He was taken as a boy, and has only had access to a small portion of the world. He's skittish around others, and is easily frightened by... well most things. Still, with time, he's slowly being integrated back into society. It's been 3 years since he was freed, and Dexter's latest breakthrough has been finding a healthy interest in origami and supervised papercraft.

...Wait, how does this lead to him being in a Circasino Game?: One of the nurses escorted him out of the building. He didn't know why, but at some point he was left alone. Nobody told him what was going on. Where is he?

Why the Straightjacket?: Dexter is prone to fits in his sleep, and needs the straightjacket to rest without hurting himself. Yes, this persona is actually wearing a straightjacket for its intended purpose.

Preston Mills' Backstory

A good smile and a few persuasive words can get you far. In Preston's case, it got him as far as president of the United States.

And then he died. The circumstances around his death were fuzzy, but he was certain that it was the failure or betrayal of those he was closest to that lead him to his end. Perhaps his Vice President, Louie? No, that didn't quite feel right. A puppeteer killing his own puppet didn't make sense. Whatever it was, he had died.

And yet, here he walks among the living. Well, perhaps living isn't entirely accurate. Seeing how bad things had gotten after his death brought him some comfort. Either the leader that had come after him bungled things up majorly, or perhaps the Wings of Latitude had their way, proving their incompetence on the world stage. Regardless, he couldn't help but feel proud about how much better things had been in his times.

That being the case however, he couldn't truly be happy. Poverty had risen spectacularly, and he couldn't walk a single street without seeing the homeless, the hungry, and the helpless. It seems that the situation has become quite messy in his absence.

Well, there's no relying on others to fix this. If they planned to, they've clearly failed or have given up by now. No, there was only one person who could be trusted to clean this mess, and that was Preston himself. Before he could build a team and begin campaigning however, he would require funding. Thankfully, this society provided an excellent money making service. All he would have to risk is his life, and that is a bet in which he couldn't lose. After all, he had already died, and he came back from that. Nothing would keep Preston from the seat of power.

Why the Straightjacket?: Claiming to be the ressurrected President of the United States in the wrong company will get you classified as a loon. It was an obvious mistake, but one he'd made not long after waking from his years long nap. Thankfully, one nurse had heard his plight, and was willing to let him free to play this game. She only wanted enough of his winnings to pay off her student loans, which wouldn't cut too deeply into his finances.

The Man Behind the Mask's Backstory

At the end of the show, the actors take center stage to bow to the audience of adoring fans. In Pearly's case... it doesn't end. Life goes on, he accrues new identities to fit new scenarios, and the show simply shifts to a new act. Why is this the case? Why the lies? Why the games? Why the identities?

Frankly, it's been so long, that he can hardly remember how it started. Heck, he can't even remember his own name. Ever since the medical staff began calling him Pearly, that was the anchor that it all clung to. While the others played on the surface, he would stay behind, pulling the strings. It's a general rule that when watching a puppet show, you shouldn't draw attention to the puppeteer. Thus, he keeps himself scarce. That doesn't change the fact that he is there. His desires and his emotions are what guide the others. Without Pearly, there is no Kenny, no Cary, no Jebediah... There would be nothing.

Each mask had a compelling narrative, personal tales which were revealed over time to him. Of course, Pearly had to exclude certain details to keep the performances consistent. D6 had never gambled against Pearly and lost his life. Cary had never been out manipulated by Pearly in the group execution vote. Chickenwing never picked the wrong shotgun. The Captain's medication hadn't been switched out by his "trusty first mate". Each story was real, each mask a reflection of the storyteller who no longer walked the mortal coil.

Or was that just today's explanation? Pearly had indeed played many games, but did he truly encounter those players? Was this also a lie? Could it not just as well be repressed parts of his psyche revealing themselves though dissociative disorder? Multiple personalities, each representing a desire that Pearly holds, with narratives constructed to bring them fully to life.

No, that couldn't be it either, right? Perhaps Pearly was simply an expert con artist. He fools the world to acquire perks he would not otherwise earn. Poverty doesn't affect him, as he receives free meals in the mental facility and can win games to earn money. The games provide more than enough entertainment. Most importantly, nobody can hurt him, because "him" has been buried so deeply inside that it's uncertain if he's even there anymore.

All of these are possible, but there's one answer that seems more likely than all of them...

Perhaps Pearly himself doesn't know? After all, the best way to keep a secret is to not know the truth yourself. To understand Pearly, you would first have to accept that you don't understand Pearly.

Why the Straightjacket?: Because Pearly is a danger to himself and others, and if released he can and will kill again. And again. And again and again and again andagainandagainandagainandagainandagainandag-