Chapter Text
Hinata found himself seated across from an anxious Yukizome, who was busy sorting through folders. She then pulled out a singular folder, flipping though it. Hinata felt an odd sense of dread. This wasn’t about him remembering something, was it?
“...So, this isn’t actually about helping you remember something,” Yukizome said, Making Hinata do a double-take- could Yukizome-sensei read minds now? “We gave Nanami a list of circumstances in which she would send you to us, saying that we would help with something. For example, if you were acting distant, or talking to someone we deemed dangerous more than the others, she suspected you were being manipulated, et cetera et cetera. We didn’t tell her why, exactly, as that would ruin the entire purpose of what we were trying to do. It would happen regardless, however if she sent you to us before the decided date, then we’d do it earlier, and-”
“Woah, woah, hold on,” Hinata held up a hand, cutting Yukizome off, “Is this about Komaeda? Look, he’s not manipulating me into hanging out with only him, if that’s what you’re hinting at”
Yukizome blinked, “Well, I’m not hinting at anything. I haven’t spoken to Nanami about why she sent you here, have I?” she looked thoughtful, “Though, you and Komaeda have been getting oddly close, and he *is* the most known for manipulation among the group. Rumor has it that he was the ‘true mastermind’- of course, proof of that is very slim. However, he did play a big role in the affairs of the Warriors of Hope, according to a few hints dropped in their ‘Despaircasts’, as they call it. They have become…Quite a large threat, actually.”
“What do you mean?” Hinata blinked, confused.
“Well, a few days after you left Towa City, the bridge the led to it fell down. Any helicopters that were sent there to see if they were alright never came back. Communication was seemingly completely cut off. Phones, radio stations, everything…The only things we know come from the ‘Despaircasts’...I suppose showing you it would explain better. However, be prepared to be a little…Disturbed. AE! Display ‘Despaircast 1’.”
Suddenly, a hologram popped up, and a picture of en eye showed up, “Is it oooooooonnn…?” a depressed-sounding voice said, dragging out the word ‘on’- it sounded like he had a stuffy nose.
“Yes, you dumb camera hog!” a whiny feminine voice said, and the eye was pushed out of the way, replaced by a new one. Then, the eye backed up to show that it belonged to a little girl, no more than 8 years old, standing in what looked like a break room in an office. She wore a black and white dress, pink hair, and a headband with pink horns sprouting from it, “Hellooooo everyone!” She called out cheerfully, “I’m Utsugi Kotoko, the fighter in the Warrior of Hope! Also known as the li’l actress by my adooorbs fans!!!”
“And I’m Jataro….Kemuri Jataroo…” the voice from the beginning said, and a young boy with baggy clothes and a mixed leather full-faced mask covering all but his mouth and eyes, “I’m the priest in the Warriors of hope…! Ohh…And I guess I’m also the li’l artist! Heyy, did you know that jellybeans are actually covered in bug pooop…?”
“Eww! Gross, Jatarooo!” Kotoko whined, bonking him on the head, “No one wants to hear thaaaaat!!!”
The sound of a door opening was heard, “Heyyy! Why’d you start without me?! I’m the leader, y’know!” an annoying boy’s voice called out, and in walked a red haired boy with a bandage on his cheek, “Hey, demons! I’m Daimon Masaru! The li’l athlete! Also ther hero in the Warriors of hope!”
“Hey- What’s going on here?!” another boy walked into the frame, with oddly styled blue hair and white clothing, “Didn’t we agree we wouldn’t do this?”
“Awww, c’moooon!! Pleaaaase?” Kotoko gave the blue haired boy puppy eyes. Before the boy could respond, a grown man came running into the room, screaming his head off as a half white, half black bear ran after him and promptly unsheathed large claws and stabbed it through his neck. The bear giggled, and waddled out, leaving the body on the ground, where the people watching could still see it. It made Hinata’s stomach churn. That was..A dead body. A bleeding, losing warmth body. What the *fuck*?
Seemingly unphased, the blue haired boy rolled his eyes, moving so he didn’t touch the blood. Jataro, however, started happily skipping in it, “...Ugh. Fine. I am Shingetsu Nagisa. I am the li’l scholar, and the sage in the Warriors of Hope.”
“And Monaca is Monaca!” a cheerful voice called out, and a rosy-cheeked girl with green hair rolled in, sitting in a wheelchair, which drove right over the dead body with a sickening crunch, “Monaca is the li’l politician, and also the mage in the Warriors of Hope! Now, you probably have a lot of questions! Why are mechanical bears attacking me? Why are my children wearing helmets that look like the mechanical bears? Why aren’t my children listening to me?” she grinned, “That’s simple! Monaca is making a paradise for children, and adults- or demons- are all gooone!! Think of it like Monaca is Peter Pan, children are the lost boys, and adults are the pirates!! Hehe!”
“Kyaaa! You’re so cute when you’re giving our evil plan!” Kotoko cried out excitedly, and then the screen went black.
“....What the fuck?” was all Hinata could bring himself to say.
“And, they mention him often. Here,” Yukizome slid a letter in messy handwriting over to Hajime, ‘Mr Servant told us that Mr Togami would be a great hostage, so we have him! Send anyone after us, and we’ll kill him~! -Monaca’ “Mr Servant- most likely referring to what Komaeda went by during the Ultimate Despair. Servant.”
“...Huh,” Hinata said quietly. Right. Even if Komaeda was a good friend now, he still did horrible things. Togami Byakuya, one of the most prestigious people in the world, and one of the most valuable members of Future Foundation, was definitely a good choice for a hostage. Komaeda was right about that. However, being right doesn’t mean you’re *in* the right. Taking someone like that as hostage was horrible. But..Komaeda was getting better. Right?
“..All I’m saying is keep your guard up around him,” Yukizome said softly, “He’s very dangerous.”
“Yeah..Right…Ok…” Hinata said, a large lump in his throat.
“Now, to the reason you’re here…” Yukizome took the letter from Monaca, and slid the folder she had been holding over to Hinata, “Consent forms to continue with this. However, refusal to consent to the forms will lead to discharge, which means being sent back to jail and losing the money promised. I know, it’s messed up, but it’s all we can do after exposing you to this.”
Hinata winced, nodding as he opened the folder, greeted by a very neat letter.
Hinata Hajime,
Hello, User! Today is your lucky day, as you will be one of the first few people to try out Future Foundation’s latest invention: A Hope Pill! This pill has an AI chip stored inside of it, based around a program you may have heard of called ‘Alter Ego’. With a few changes to the code, we’ve been able to alter it to fit our needs for this particular thing: creating an AI that is designed to help you along the way of the process of helping others heal.
This AI comes with a personalized look and personality, set to fit as best as it can with yours. It has its own opinions and thoughts, however it is all based around helping you, and helping you help those around you. Please note that this AI can only be seen by you, so if you talk to it, think what you want to say instead of actually saying it, unless you want to be seen as crazy. The moment you step off of Hope’s Peak’s premises, the chip will disconnect, and will break. Please pay attention to when you use the bathroom, as the chip will most likely come out that way once you leave.
The following forms are consent forms, as proof that you accept the responsibilities and alters of reality that will come with it. However, please be aware that refusal to do so will result in a discharge from the Reformatory, so it’s more of a formality than anything. Thank you for understanding.
Naegi Makoto
Future Foundation, 4th division.
The rest of the papers were legal documents with a whole bunch of consent forms that Hajime decided to just skim. It wasn’t like he had much choice, anyway, unless he would rather go back to jail. Which he…Didn’t want to do. So, he signed all the forms, and slid the folder back to Yukizome, thinking about how much of an idiot he probably is, mixed in with a bunch of swirling thoughts. The AI was called ‘Kamukura Izuru’, and could only be seen by him- which was weird in itself. Hinata could hardly wrap his head around this entire thing, even when Yukizome handed him a pill, which he took, but nothing happened, “...Uh… I don’t think it- OW!” Hinata cried out, almost falling out of his chair, suddenly in a world of pain.
“PLEASE EXCUSE SOME MILD DISCOMFORT” an echoing, robotic voice said, seemingly coming from his own brain. It made the pain worse.
“M-mild?!” Hinata yelped, before crying out, just barely feeling Yukizome catching him and setting him down.
“CALIBRATION IN PROCESS,” the voice said loudly in Hinata’s head, and Hinata started jerking around, “CALIBRATION COMPLETE. ACCESS PROCEDURE INITIATED.”
Hinata felt the pain subside, and moved to sit up, Yukizome looking at him worriedly, “I-I’m fine, I’m fi- Gh-” Pain suddenly shot up his body again, and he cried out, the voice speaking again.
“ACCESSING: NERVOUS SYSTEM. ACCESSING: NEURAL MEMORY. ACCESSING: MUSCLE MEMORY. ACCESS PROCEDURE COMPLETE. HINATA HAJIME, PLEASE WAIT AS WE FINISH THE PROCEDURES.” the pain subsided, and he sat up, panting.
“F-fuck…Ok…I think…I think it’s over,” Hinata breathed, and Yukizome held out water, which he drank gratefully.
“You alright?” she asked, helping him up.
“Y-yeah, that just sucked ass,” Hinata grumbled, finishing his water.
Yukizome nodded grimly, “I could see that.”
Hinata flinched harshly as the voice spoke again, “PROCESS COMPLETE. HINATA HAJIME, YOUR AI IS COMPLETE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION”
Hinata yelped as a person seemed to materialize next to him, and he stumbled back slightly. The person standing in front of him had long, black hair and red eyes, and wore a plain black suit and tie, looking bored. Hinata squinted, trying to figure out if he should use she, he, or they to refer to them.
“I am an AI, Hinata. I do not have a gender, nor do I desire one. It/its are fine, if you truly must refer to me,” it’s voice was genderless and emotionless. It was almost as if Kamukura was just a blank slate- not exactly anything. Was there a glitch in the personality making? Because Kamukura…Didn’t seem to have any personality at all, “...I am not a glitch, Hinata. This is what the program made me to be. This is the best form I can take to help you on your journey.”
Hinata winced, having forgotten Kamukura could read his mind, “Oh..Um…Ok.”
Yukizome looked confused, “Did it form already?” when Hinata nodded, too bewildered to say something, and she smiled, looking relieved, “Alright…Now, I need to teach you how it works”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a long day, Hinata was was brought back to his division, where he went to his dorm almost immediately. Kamukura had, for the time being, left him to his own devices, and Hinata honestly just wanted to lay down on his bed. However, when he opened the door, he was greeted with a pillow to the face.
“Oh, shit, sorry Hinata!” a voice Hinata wasn’t expecting said- and Hinata blinked as the pillow was removed from his face, and he saw Kuzuryu, “...Kuzuryu…?” he looked behind Kuzuryu to see Komaeda behind a pillow fort, waving at him cheerfully, “What’re you guys doing…?”
“A pillow fight!” Komaeda said brightly, “Want to join? Sakakura-sensei gave us a bunch of pillows, soo…”
“Komaeda wasn’t doin’ so hot, so we decided to play a game ta’ help him get his mind off of it,” he threw a pillow at Hinata, which he caught.
“Well…If that’s the case..” he smiled, “Hell yeah I want to join!” with that he hit Kuzuryu gently on the head, and there began the most amazing three way pillow fight that the world had ever seen, Hinata briefly being able to forget about the AI in his mind, who was watching everything with two red eyes.