Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hope's Peak Academy,”   Hajime thought to himself as he peered upon its gates. “I can’t describe the overwhelming sense of joy I felt when I was accepted. The feeling that I was going to be part of something greater to myself. Well, enough thinking. I should probably step inside.” With that, Hajime walked through the gates, and into the main entrance. Inside, the school was dark throughout. There was only one door that was illuminated.

“Huh, that’s weird.” Hajime thought to himself. “I thought there would be a lot more visible to this school than I thought.” After a second of contemplation, he finally stepped through the door, and was greeted by light.

“No, I shouldn’t worry. It’s my first day, I’ve been dreaming for such a long time to come here. What do I have to feel uneasy for?”

He was expecting the room to be a classroom, but as he looked around, he realized that he was in a gym.. He heard that there were only sixteen students per class, but by the look of all the other students that stood there, it was more like three times that number.

“You see? Atua has told me another student will come!” A voice calls. Hajime looked back, and sees that the door has already closed behind him. He took a second to let himself settle in, as his eyes darted around the gym. Many students, of all different appearances, stood around impatiently.

“Nyeh, another one showed up?” A small voice says in the background.

“Hmph, another degenerate male,” another voice says dismissively.

“You’re another freshman at Hope’s Peak, aren’t you?” Another voice asks. He tries to respond, but can barely let his words escape his lips.

“Ah, um.. Yeah, I am.” Hajime stutters in confusion. For some reason, this place doesn’t feel right at all. “It's everyone's first year here too, right?”

“See for yourself. We’re all in the same position as you are,” another responds. “But it sure is weird that forty-seven of us are going to be enrolled this year.”

“So, everyone in front of me right now… They must be the Ultimates?” Hajime continued to look around the gym, and heard many voices swirl around the room in conversation.

“I assume that for our first day, everyone’s been gathered here in the gym.”

“Are we gathered here because there will be an opening ceremony?”

“Listen, we shouldn’t worry too much about why we’re here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Instead, we should be worrying about why we can’t leave!”

“Huh? What do you mean we can’t leave?”

“I tried to open the door I came from earlier when I needed to take a shit, but it wouldn’t budge, even with all my might! If someone like me couldn’t open it, then there’s no way all of you could either.”

“Wh-what do you mean we can’t leave? There’s no way we’d be trapped here!”

“That’s strange.” Hajime thought to himself. He had just been able to enter with no problem, and now he can’t leave? Before this revelation could stir desperation in anyone, the suspense was finally broken.

“It looks like everyone is accounted for!” A high pitched voice said.

“Hey, did you make that voice just now?” a voice said to another.

“No, that voice wasn’t mine.”

“Then whose voice was it? Where did it come from?”

“It appears as if it came from the podium.”

“Yep! You guessed right! Now let’s begin!” Everyone turned their bodies to the stage of the gym, and eyed anxiously to see the source of the voice reveal itself. After a few moments, a rabbit shaped figure with a heart shaped staff jumped onto the podium. Hajime, and he was sure that a few other students could only stare at the rabbit with their mouths agape. All of their anticipation has been replaced with confusion and astonishment, and the tension hasn’t died one down one bit.

“What… is that?”

“It looks like a stuffed animal to me.”

“That’s right, I’m a squeezably soft stuffed animal! Magical Girl Usami, A.K.A, Usami! I may not look like it, but I’m your teacher!” Hajime rubbed his eyes at the sight in front of him.

“There’s no way this could be real right? Is it just me hallucinating?”

“No, it’s not just you, because I’m seeing it too.”

“Damn, I’m getting some real regrets from coming here already.”

“Disregarding the fact that this is a talking stuffed animal, it seems like it knows about our situation.”

“Of course I do! I’m the leader of this school trip!” Usami said

“School Trip? Why would we be going on a school trip if it’s our first day here?”

“Now let’s depart for our fun school trip!” With a flick of a wand, the gym around Hajime began to disappear. Before anyone could react, the room was overcome by the glow of white light, and Hajime covered his eyes to avoid being blinded.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that he definitely wasn’t in a gym anymore. He and the other students were outdoors. More than that, he knew that he wasn’t in Japan anymore, let alone anywhere in the Hope’s Peak Academy campus. The sun shone on his back without a cloud to block its light. Though the stage and podium Usami stood upon remained, they were surrounded by sandy white beaches and palm trees. He heard the waves crashing upon the shore, and the chirping of seagulls

“I couldn’t believe my eyes…” Hajime tried to recollect his thoughts, but the scenario was just so overwhelming. “Not just my eyes, but my brain too. All of this was abnormal. Absolutely unusual. Utterly crazy. Blatantly wrong.” All around him, calamity started to spring. Exclamations of pure disbelief and shock filled the atmosphere.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me right now!”

“This is a joke…. Right?”

“Kukuku, it seems as if our predicament has taken an interesting turn…”

“Wh-where are we?!”

“W-what’s going on ?!”

“Everyone calm down!” Usami continued cheerfully, as if ignorant to the complaints of the students. “There’s no reason to panic! See? Look around! Feast your eyes on this beautiful ocean… It’s like your heart is being washed clean, isn’t it?”

“Where in the world are we?” A voice cut in.

“Where are we?” Usami echoed. “Down where it’s wetter, down where it’s better, down by the sea!” Usami replied, dodging the initial question.

“But we were just at school and now we are by the sea… That’s impossible.”

“Please do not worry. The school trip has just started! That’s all!” Usami said, trying to calm the panic in the students.

“On a school trip? What about all the stuff that comes first?!” Another voice snapped back.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Hajime agreed. “We’re all supposed to be attending Hope’s Peak Academy right now!”

“So you’re still thinking about Hope’s Peak, aren’t you? Usami replied nonchalantly. “Well I say, please forget about Hope’s Peak, because that’s why we’re here in the first place!”

“The hell do you mean we’re supposed to forget about it!?” another voice shouted.

“What are you… What are you scheming?”

“I’m doing all of this for your own good!” Usami retorted with an offended tone. “I’m praying from the bottom of my heart that hope will grow within everyone’s heart! There’s nothing dangerous on this island, so please, there’s no need to worry at all!”

“Wait, did you say island?”

“Yep! We’re on an island that’s free of other people and dangers, so you’ll never get hurt!”

“Are you saying this island is uninhabited?” Hajime questioned, but before he can get an answer, another voice cut in.

“D-did you bring us to this island, to make us kill each other?”

“Ha-wa-wa, kill each other?” Usami sputtered in shock. “Nuh-uh! No way! Bloody business, like violence or causing pain, is a big no-no on this island! Even the word kill just horrifies me!”

“Then what do you intend for us to do on this island?”

“Well that’s what I’m getting to right now,” Usami returned to her original cheery tone. “While you relax in this island paradise, you must get along and strengthen your bonds with each other. That is the main rule of this heart throbbing school trip!”

“Heart throbbing school trip? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Spend these peaceful and relaxing days nourishing hope and lazing about, free from pain, free from suffering…” Usami chimed. “Truly, this lovey dovey school trip is everyone’s homework!”

“Now I’m really confused.”

“With all that out of the way, let that heart throbbing school trip begin!”

“It should go without saying, but I really don’t know what’s going on.” As Usami walked away and left the students in awe of what just happened, Hajime, as if a curtain slowly lowered, his mind ground to a halt.

**

Elsewhere, Kaede was utterly speechless of what just happened. Her purple eyes darted around to observe the surreal situation before she could bring herself to walk.

“There’s no point in standing numbly.” Kaede thought to herself. “Before we try to escape, we may as well get to know everyone here.” Immediately, she eyed a boy in a black pinstripe uniform,who wore a black hat that covered his eyes. Kaede approached him.

“What a situation we got ourselves into,” Kaede said, trying to start a conversation. The boy froze up for a moment in nervousness, before collecting his thoughts again.

“Y-yeah,” the boy responded. “I didn’t think that being an Ultimate would get me involved in this.”

“Speaking of Ultimates,” Kaede said back “I think it’s best that we meet everyone here, don’t you think? My name is Kaede Akamatsu, I’m the Ultimate Pianist.” Kaede greeted with a warm smile. The boy tried his best to give his own smile as he introduced himself.

“My name is… Shuichi Saihara. They call me the Ultimate Detective, but…”

“Whaaat, you’re a detective? That’s pretty amazing!”

“Well, I’m just an apprentice. I don’t think I can be called the full out detective,” Shuichi tried to brush off her compliment.

“Now don’t say that,” Kaede said back to him. “If you weren’t an Ultimate, you wouldn’t be on this trip with us. If you got scouted by Hope’s Peak, you have to be a pretty great detective.” Shuichi adjusted his hat, trying to hide his flustered state.

“I just happened to solve a case by accident, and now everyone calls me that.” Shuichi didn’t want to waste time telling his whole story, but he thought it was best to leave it at that.

“Whoa now, not a lot of people just solve a case,” Kaede retorted. “You should be more proud of your skills.”  

“Well, uh, moving on.” Shuichi said trying to change the subject. “I’m still trying to figure out why we’re on this trip. First, I was walking through the gates of Hope’s Peak, and now we’re all on this island without a hint of how to escape,” h,e recounted.

“Forty-seven students on an unannounced school trip…” Kaede mused. “It’s only a matter of time before our family is wondering where we went right? I know my parents won’t let any of this slide. I bet that you’re figuring things out already with your detective skills!”

“Well, uh, I’m trying to get an idea of why we’re here…” Shuichi thought aloud, “Maybe it'll come to me once we get to know everyone, or after exploring this island?” Kaede peered at the scene, as the other students began to disperse on their own. All of them went to explore their area, except for a small group gathered around a spot at the beach.

“Hey Shuichi, we should check out what's going on with those people over there.” Kaede instinctively took the boy's hand and began to trek towards the point of interest. When the two of them went to the scene, they saw a tall, average looking boy in a white shirt and green tie, unresponsive on the ground. He was surrounded by a boy with shoulder length, messy white hair and a green hoodie. There was also another young man with scruffy green hair, with a relaxed look, who wore a dark green sweater. A look of concern spread across Kaede’s face as she went to get a closer look at the unconscious boy.

“What’s going on here?” Kaede began. “Is he going to be alright?”

“Though I’m sure he’s not in bad health” the pale boy responded, “I’ve been trying to wake him up for a bit, but it doesn’t seem to be working.”

“We should probably bring him out of the sun,” the green haired boy added. “Whatever it is, it won’t be good for him to stay out in the open.” Just as he finished, the young man on the ground began to stir.

“Wait, he’s beginning to wake up,” Shuichi said. “I think that we should give him a bit of space.”

“I want to see how he turns out,” Kaede added, rubbing the back of her head. “But you’re right, we wouldn’t want to make things awkward by surrounding him.”

**

“Hey, can you hear me?” A voice called to Hajime. His thoughts began to collect again. It took him a moment for his vision to return, and what he found was a pale boy in a green hoodie standing over him. Finally, Hajime was able to raise his head and respond to him with a tired nod.

“Yeah, I’m good now.” Hajime said slowly as he got up. The pale boy stretched out his hand to help Hajime up, which he promptly took after a moment of hesitation.

“I’ve been trying to wake you up for a bit now. After the rabbit told us of our situation, everyone began to explore the island, but you just… blacked out…” Nagito recalled to Hajime.

“Damn, so this crazy situation isn’t a dream.” Hajime said. He remembered how they all just teleported to this island, with zero explanation of how or why they’re here, apart from how he was to “strengthen his bonds” with everyone. “Well, uh, thanks for looking out for me, I guess.” Hajime said, trying to shrug off his loss of consciousness. “My name’s Hajime Hinata.”

“Oh, how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself,” the boy in the hoodie responded. “My name is Nagito Komaeda, and I’m the Ultimate Lucky Student.” Nagito gave a small chuckle as he finished his sentence. “Though I’ll admit, that’s a pretty worthless talent to have.”

“Lucky student, you say? What does that even mean?”

“I don’t blame you for being confused about my talent. Every year, Hope’s Peak creates a lottery where one student is drawn to represent the school as a lucky student. Apparently, it’s part of the academy’s research toward luck, but I’m not sure if they’ll get anything of worth out of me.” Hajime returned the chuckle, trying to shrug off Nagito’s self deprecating remark.

“I can’t help but notice,”  Nagito continued, “You haven’t told me your talent. Care to tell me what it is?” Hajime winced internally to remember what his talent was.

“That’s weird.” Hajime thought to himself. He could remember his parents, his old high school, and that he was accepted. But he couldn’t remember why he was accepted, his talent. Nothing that he remembered said anything about his talent.

“Um, it might seem strange, but I can’t remember my talent right now.” Hajime said sheepishly.

“That… is weird” Nagito thought aloud. “But don’t worry about it, I’m sure it will come to you by the time we meet everyone. Come with me, we can introduce ourselves to the others together.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Hajime agreed to the offer.

“Hold on a sec,” Nagito interrupted. “You didn’t get the chance to look at your E-handbook yet, right? I think now’s a good time to brush up on the rules.”

“E-handbook? Rules?” Hajime questioned. He patted his pocket, and when he reached in, he pulled out a touchscreen device reminiscent of a Kubs Pad. When he turned it on, it had a few features that he could read. The first was his own name, and measurements?

“Though I know Hope’s Peak took my measurements before enrolling me, it does seem like a pretty weird thing to put in a handbook.” Hajime thought to himself. Along with that, he saw the names of the other students that he hadn’t met yet. There was also a map detailing the entire island that he was on.

“Hey, before you get sidetracked.” Nagito said. “You should look at the rules the rabbit gave us.” Hajime promptly opened the rulebook feature, and gave its instructions a look.

• Rule #1: Extreme violence is prohibited on this island. Please live peaceful and relaxing lives with your fellow students.
• Rule #2: Be considerate of each other and work together to obtain Hope Fragments.
• Rule #3: Littering is not allowed. Let us coexist with this island's bountiful nature in "mutual prosperity".
• Rule #4: The lead teacher cannot directly interfere with the students. An exception to this rule is made if any student violates a rule.

“Hope fragments? This all makes even less sense...” He closed his rulebook, and turned to Nagito.

“Well, I gave them a good look. I think it’s time that we met the other freshmen here.”

He looked around the beach, and already saw a few people still standing around. He eyed a pair of students, a boy with a black striped uniform with a hat, and a girl with blonde hair and a pink sweater vest, and approached them. By the looks of them, they saw him wake up from his previous, well, zoning out, he’d put it.

“Hey, mind if we introduce ourselves to you two?” Hajime began, trying to break the tension.

“Ah, I was getting worried about that little nap of yours” the girl responded, “but now that you’re awake, I’m excited to meet you.”

“I’m Kaede Akamatsu, and I’m the Ultimate Pianist.”

“I’m Hajime Hinata. I don’t remember my talent just yet, but I’m sure it will come back to me.”

“You don’t remember your talent?” Kaede echoed. “Well, don’t worry about it, because I think Shuichi can decipher it with his detective skills!” she said, pumping her fists in encouragement. “That guy’s a detective?” Hajime thought. “Though he has the looks of one, the aura he gives off isn’t all that strong.” he continued. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t be mouthing anyone off, given that I don’t even remember my own talent.”

“I’m Shuichi Saihara”, the boy in the hat took his turn to introduce himself. “I’m called the Ultimate Detective, but I still consider myself an apprentice.”

“Those two talents are wonderful.” Nagito said, eyes shining at the prospect of their talents. “Oh, we’ve talked, sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier.”

“It’s all cool, now that we all know each other.” Kaede responded to his apology. “Well, we’ll catch you later, I’m sure we can talk more once we get to know everyone.” she concluded.

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to that.” Hajime can’t help but return the smile Kaede gave her. Her presence radiated a unique confidence and spirit that brought him out of his doubts, if only a moment.

“Ah, so you’re finally awake!” A loud voice called to the both of them. The owner of the voice had cropped black hair, red intense eyes, and wore a white military uniform. “Fainting on the beach is unprofessional! It doesn’t make a good impression at all! Perhaps you must reevaluate your sleep patterns!” The young man boomed towards Hajime.

“He’s already scolding me and we’ve just met…” Hajime deadpanned in his mind. He definitely is… well, loud.

“Don't mind the commotion back there.” Nagito smiled. “Just let us introduce ourselves.”

“An introduction? Of course! My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the Ultimate Moral Compass! I do whatever I can do to uphold the morals in our society! I hope that we can work well in our educational efforts this school trip!” Kiyotaka then promptly shook the hands of both of the boys. “However, you can call me Taka!”

“Part of me thinks that he’s always this loud…. This can’t be good for my ears.” Hajime thought to himself nervously.

“I’m Nagito Komaeda.” Nagito cut in, “I’m the Ultimate Lucky Student, though it’s not much of a talent.”

“Another Lucky Student?” Taka thought aloud. “That is most interesting, as I’ve run into another one. However, I hope that you are studious and can set a good example for the future of Japan!”

“My name is Hajime Hinata. I don’t quite remember my talent yet, however.”

“You don’t remember your talent?” Taka responded. “The talent you are titled doesn’t matter anyway, in the face of hard work! You don’t need to worry about whether you remember it or not as long as you strive toward greatness!” Hajime felt both annoyed by Taka’s loud voice, yet strangely uplifted.

“However, concerns me…” Taka said with a rare low voice. “Is that we’re on this school trip already with no apparent concern for our academic success!” He raised his voice to an even higher level yet again. “We cannot waste our time fooling around on this island when there’s things to study, work to do!” Hajime had zero enthusiasm towards that prospect. What kind of person would be excited to study on a tropical island?

“I think it’s better to move on before I get dragged into doing work…” Hajime thought, and Nagito seems to have caught onto that.

“It has been an honour to meet the Ultimate Moral Compass” Nagito said, bowing deeply. “Well, it’s time for us to meet up with everyone else.” he concluded.

“I suppose it is!” Taka said, returning the bow. “I shall see you again after we’ve explored this island!”

Up ahead, they saw another boy, who had short green hair, pierced ears, and a striped dark blue sweater.

“Hm, what a strange situation we got ourselves into,” the boy mused. “But I could get used to this island. It reminds me of how I explored the coasts of Jamaica a while back.”

“Ah, so you’re well traveled?” Hajime replied.

“Yeah. Still, the rabbit seems suspicious about her true intentions, but there’s no time to worry about that. Glad to see that you woke up before it became a real problem.” Rantaro smiled as he gave a glance at the now fully awake Hajime.

“Seriously, can you all let go of that now?”

“Hey now, I’m just teasing you. So you’ve already met Nagito, haven’t you?”

“Yeah, now we’re just going to meet everyone.” Hajime replied. “I’m Hajime Hinata, though I don’t remember my talent.”

“Not remembering your talent?” the green haired boy thought deeply at that claim. “Why does it feel all too familiar?” But he snuffed the thought as quickly as it came up.  “Well, my name’s Rantaro Amami, and I’m the Ultimate Adventurer.”

“Rantaro has spent most of his life abroad, traveling to other countries, and getting to meet all kinds of people and places.” Nagito explained.

“So I guess tropical islands are nothing new to you, the most adventuring I’ve done is through the mall outside of my apartment.” Hajime joked.

“Well, being teleported here by a stuffed rabbit is the new part to me.” Rantaro humoured back. “Anyway, I’ll catch you later.”

“So that’s all the people at the beach. I think it’s time we moved on.” Hajime said to Nagito. “There’s a lot of the island we have to explore.”

“I agree with that.” Nagito said. “Now let’s not waste any time.” The two left the beach, to see what other places the island had.

**

It had been a little bit since Usami left Makoto and the students to their own devices. Makoto was eager to meet his new classmates. It felt weird that he searched up the new Ultimates the night before his first day, but it’s cool that he could finally see them in person. He felt like his talent as the Ultimate Lucky Student seemed lackluster compared to actual talents. 

“All I did was get picked out of some lottery.” Makoto thought to himself. “Next  

thing I know, I’m on this wild field trip rather than on the campus of Hope’s Peak.” Soon enough, he made his way to the main road before he saw someone catching up with him. It was a girl with long, sapphire blue hair, who wore a blue and white sailor uniform and a pink bow. 

“Hey, Makoto. Didn’t think we’d meet again here.” The girl said with a cheerful smile. Makoto turned and the memories came rushing back. 

“Of course I wouldn’t forget, Sayaka.” Makoto grinned back at the pleasant sight. He had looked up her profile as the Ultimate Pop Sensation. She was always so popular in middle school, and he was just a normal kid. He couldn’t believe that he could see her again in person.

“She’s even prettier than I remembered… her  face looks so perfect, like a doll.” Makoto thought to himself, trying to think of a good metaphor.

“Hey, Makoto, I’m not a doll, I’m alive!” Sayaka laughed as he went red with embarrassment.

“W-wait, how did you read my mind?” Makoto stuttered back.

“So that really was what you’re thinking?” Sayaka proclaimed playfully. “Well, I knew because I’m psychic.” This time, she said that with a serious face.

“H-huh?” Makoto said, surprised by her sudden claim.

“Oh, I’m just playing with you,” Sayaka giggled. “I just have really good intuition!” She took a moment to let Makoto’s embarrassment.

“Hey, Sayaka,” Makoto began. “Maybe we should hang out sometime, once we figure out what’s going on?” 

“W-Well, why don’t we get to know everyone together?” Sayaka offered.

“R-Really, you’d want to do that?”

“There are a lot of people to meet on this trip. It’s better if we’re on the same page, right?” Sayaka smiled. 

“I-I wouldn’t mind at all.” Makoto didn’t know whether to feel unlucky or lucky to be whisked away on this surreal island, but with a pop idol he knew from middle school accompanying him.

“I’d say we’re lucky to have met again!”

“H-Huh?”

“Is it intuition, or am I really psychic?” Sayaka giggled. “I’m lucky, because I never had a chance to talk to you while we were in middle school.”

“Well, that’s just because I was as normal as ever, and you were already a celebrity.”

“You never even tried to talk to or look at me.”

“How would you know I never looked at you?”

“Well… I was always looking at you.”

“I remember during our first year in junior high, a large bird, the type that came once in a thousand years, wandered into our school’s pond.”

“The crane, right?” Makoto recalled.

“It was so big, and the teacher had no idea what to do. But it looked like it trusted you… and you helped lead it out so seamlessly. Ever since, I’ve wanted to meet you again.” 

“Us meeting here isn’t the worst place for that… But it sure isn’t the best.”

“Well, we can make the most of it, won’t we?” Sayaka grinned. She beckoned Makoto as they walked through the idyllic shining island.

“This would’ve been a nice dramatic place to find each other… If we actually flew here on a trip we agreed to.” 

 The two continued to walk down the path before they arrived at the airport. The outside had a few airplanes and private jets. 

“I don’t think we landed here with those planes,” Makoto pointed out.

“Do you think there are any pilots?” Sayaka asked. 

“Well, all I’ve seen are students. I’d hope one of them is in fact The Ultimate Pilot,” Makoto said. 

“Maybe the person over there can help!” Sayaka pointed out. 

 One student was at the runway, eyeing the vehicles thoughtfully. He was a young man in a yellow jumpsuit. He wore a dark brown beanie, and under it was messy, long pink hair. The boy fidgeted with a wrench as he carefully inspected each of the planes. When he came to get a closer look, he found that he had narrow, pink eyes and had a scary array of sharp teeth that adorned his mouth. 

“Have you found out anything about these planes?” Makoto asked. “Is this what the island uses for transport?”

“Nah, man, it looks as if these planes were just for show. Pretty weird, since this airport was clearly meant for travel.”

“Just for show? What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that none of them have engines. If they were damaged, I could easily fix them, but there isn’t one in sight.” 

“That’s weird…” Makoto thought to himself. “Why would Usami, or err… whoever’s controlling the situation, put an airport in this state? That means that no one’s gonna come here while we’re here either.” 

“So I take it you’re really good with vehicles?” Sayaka smiled. 

“The best there is around, miss. Kazuichi Souda, at your service.” The young man boasted, as he gave a toothy grin. “If you need anybody to work on a bike, car, or boat, I’m your guy!”

“If we’re fortunate enough for any of those, I’ll be sure to rely on you! I’m Sayaka Maizono, by the way.”

“Despite his appearance, he’s a pretty chill guy, I guess.”

“Well, I won’t be able to demonstrate anything here,” Kazuichi continued. “There are no engines… Only someone who planned this thoroughly would think of that.”

“Well, that is strange, isn’t it?” Makoto responded.

“Relegating these planes to just display sounds like a lot of work,” Sayaka said. 

“Yeah, but it’s not like I’d worry about it. The rules are keeping us safe. So far, it’s a lot like any other school trip.” 

“Not worrying about it? Though this situation is weird, I wouldn’t say it’s bad just yet.” Makoto said. 

“He doesn’t seem to let our situation get him down,” Sayaka said. “I hope every can be as relaxed as he is.” After that conversation, they moved closer to the interior of the airport. 

 They peered inside, and saw a few  more students also observing the area. The inside was fairly small, as there were only a few gates and seats. There wasn’t even a bathroom. Clearly, this island was reserved for a small number of people.

“This isn’t like any airport I’ve seen,” Makoto said. “It’s the kind for ultra private events with how lax the security is…”

“This is new to me as well,” Sayaka said. “Normally my group gets around by train, and when we do go by plane it’s with a bigger airport. Let’s see what everyone has to say about this!”

Their entry caught the attention of one of the students. A towering, burly man approached them. It was hard to believe that he was a teenager with his massive build. He wore a black jacket with a white tank top under it, with blue sweatpants and sandals. He had a small goatee, and his eyes were sharp and had an overwhelmingly intense energy to it. Each step he took was thundering, and Makoto had to gulp back the urge to run.

“You two. You haven’t told me your name yet!” The man bellowed. “My name is NEKOMARU NIDAI! AND I AM THE ULTIMATE TEAM MANAGER!”

“Uh, my name is Makoto Naegi. ” Makoto could only muster a squeak. “I-it’s nice to meet-” 

“Hold it! Your voice is too soft! PUT MORE ENERGY INTO IT! SAY IT LOUDER!” Nekomaru roared, his voice shaking the floor and causing the other students to jump. 

“My name is Makoto Naegi!”

“C’MON! I KNOW YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT! SAY IT AGAIN, WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT INTO IT!!!!”

“My name is Makoto Naegi!!!!” he responded, trying to put in whatever remaining lung capacity he had left. 

“THAT’S THE SPIRIT! MY NAME IS NEKOMARU NIDAI!” Makoto had to cover his ears as his voice continued to ring through the airport. “AND YOU, LADY! WHAT IS YOUR NAME?!

“~~~My name is Sayaka Maizono~~~” Sayaka sang. Her voice caused Makoto’s anxiety from the manager’s shouting to melt away immediately. 

“Hmmmm, NOT BAD AT ALL!” Nekomaru said. “IT’S A NAME I WON’T FORGET EVEN IF I GO TO HELL! HOW ‘BOUT YOU REMEMBER MY NAME IN TURN?!”

“Don’t worry, Nekomaru, I won’t forget it…” Makoto replied sheepishly.

“It is a striking name, Nekomaru,” Sayaka agreed. 

“Oh, and by the way…” Nekomaru said. “You’re looking pretty thin! Perhaps I can help you get into shape!” In all honesty, Makoto was afraid of the prospect of training with a man like him. 

“Well, uh thanks for the offer….” Makoto said nervously. The two of them moved away from the coach.

“There’s no hiding how small I am compared to him.” 

“I think you look fine the way you are,” Sayaka complimented. “Though, I can teach you a thing or two if you don’t wanna learn from him.”

“R-Really?” Makoto jolted at Sayaka’s intuition.

“Dancing on stage while singing will build your endurance really fast!” Sayaka explained. 

“Haha, I don’t think I’ll be at your level, though.”

He moved on and saw another man, who wasn’t quite as muscular or tall, yet no less intimidating than Nekomaru. He had a long, black overcoat, with a dragon design printed on its back. The man had a unique pompadour hairstyle that almost made his hair look like a cob of corn. Underneath his overcoat, he wore a white t-shirt, and also wore a black belt and pants. He was talking to… strange enough, a petite girl. She had short brown hair, a green jacket, brown skirt, and ribbon tied around her collar. 

“Though the planes appear new, none of them had any hardware in them,” the girl said. “The dashboards were devoid of radio, navigation, and other things you’d see come with a plane.”

“Damn, that sucks.” The man replied. They have all these planes for fucking show, but they ain’t even got a motorcycle?” Makoto realized that he was going to talk to the leader of the Crazy Diamonds. He knew that he was going to attend Hope’s Peak, but seeing him in person was another spectacle. 

“D-Do we really have to introduce ourselves to him?” Makoto wondered. “I guess we have no way around it since we’re stuck here…” 

“Ahem, excuse me you two. Do you mind if we introduce ourselves?” Sayaka called the two.

“You’re the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader, aren’t you?” Makoto gave a nervous look to Sayaka, but she was looking politely, unfazed.”

“Damn straight, dude. Name’s Mondo Owada, nice to fucking meetcha.” 

“I’m Makoto Naegi… nice to meet you too.” Makoto responded. 

“And I’m Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation!”

“Oh, you haven’t meant Chihiro yet haven’t you?” Mondo asked. The girl stepped forward and introduced herself.

“I’m Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer.” She greeted them. “I hope that we can all get along.” She paused for a moment. “Sorry, I just get a bit embarrassed introducing myself like this,” she said before giving Makoto a shy smile. 

 “Heh, I’m not good with introductions too. But I look forward to getting along with everyone,” Makoto said, returning the smile. 

“I get it. I didn’t expect to meet such a big class today.” Sayaka said, which slightly elated Chihiro’s demeanor. 

“You’re gonna introduce yourself to the others here, right?” Chihiro asked. “I-I’d love to talk more after.”

“Same. We’ll fucking catch ya later.” Mondo said. Makoto knew that this was someone he should choose his words carefully around.

Moving on, Makoto saw a girl, with long lavender hair with a single braid running down the side of her head. She wore a purple leather jacket and matching skirt, a zipped up white shirt, and a brown tie that hung loosely from her neck. She emanated mystery, without a doubt. Makoto approached her, but she gave no response to him… only silence. 

“Excuse me, but can we introduce ourselves?” Sayaka spoke up, unfazed by the coldness of the girl in front of him.

“My name is… Kyoko Kirigiri.” The girl said, before going back into silence, eyeing the two of them.

“Er, you’re an Ultimate too, being on this school trip, right?” Makoto said after a brief pause. “Well, what’s your talent?”

“You haven’t told me your name, have you? I thought this was supposed to be mutual.”

“Oh right, sorry… I’m Makoto Naegi, Ultimate Lucky Student.”

“And I’m Sayaka Maizono, Ultimate Pop Sensation.”

“Ultimate Detective,” Kyoko said curtly. After that, she returned to her usual silence.

“She’s pretty tight lipped, isn’t she?” Makoto thought uneasily. “I hope there’s something for us to talk about…”

“Are you trying hard to find something to talk about?” She asked. 

“I think you guessed it…” Makoto was a little taken aback by how she read through him. 

“A detective? How cool!” Sayaka gleamed. “That’s like something right out of a mystery novel!”

“That makes two people who read me like a book”

“Talking about my cases certainly isn’t something I want to talk about on the first day. You don’t need to concern yourself with dreary thoughts like that,” she said coldly, shutting down any further attempts of interaction. 

“S-She’s a bit unwelcoming, isn’t she?” Makoto asked.

“But she looks reliable. My intuition says that she’s a real smart friend to have around. I’d say the people we met so far are nothing less than what I expected.”  

“No doubt you’d clear Usami’s expectations of getting along with everyone.”

“I’m sure they’ll come around to you quickly as well.”

The next person they saw was a girl, shorter than Makoto, looking to the shore outside the window. She had dark, tanned skin, and platinum hair tied into twintails. She donned a frilled bikini, and a matching skirt, and a long yellow coat that reached her knees.

“Yah-hah! How are ya? My name is Angie Yonaga, the Ultimate Artist!” Makoto was taken aback by how cheerful she was.

“My name’s Makoto Naegi, and I’m the Ultimate Student.” Makoto replied.

“And I’m Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation.”

“Coming to Japan I thought wouldn’t be comfortable, but it feels a lot more like home here!” Angie chimed. 

“So, you’re not from Japan?” Makoto asked.

“In my island, I paint paintings and sculpt sculptures, and I was just looking out for inspiration. Well, it’s really Atua doing the work, I’m just his vessel.”

“Uh, Atua?” Makoto repeated. “Wherever she’s from, she’s certainly bizarre.”

“The god of my island, Atua, watches over me, and speaks with me in his divine voice. And I’m his humble oracle.”

“So you’re both creative and spiritual,” Sayaka said. “What a nice combo!”

“Atua tells me you’re the creative type yourself…” Angie said. “If you let him into your heart, then you can also be the latter!”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Angie.” Sayaka smiled back. 

 Makoto moved onto the last person in the airport. It was a boy with a fairly athletic build, with spiky red hair, and his face was covered in piercings. He wore a white jacket and t-shirt underneath, and dark grey pants.

“Yo! The name’s Leon Kuwata! What’s up?” The boy introduced himself energetically. Makoto remembered him also from the forums he searched; The Ultimate Baseball Star.

“Wait, you’re The Ultimate Baseball Star? I saw a picture of you online!” Makoto said. However, he looked almost nothing like he did in the photos. He used to have a buzzed haircut, and didn’t have any piercings, a contrast to his styled red hair. 

“Aw, crap, you saw that photo?!” Leon groaned in dismay. “Seriously-” The student immediately shut himself up when he saw the blue haired girl smiling at him, standing next to Makoto.

“I’m Sayaka Maizono, Ultimate Pop Sensation, and that’s my friend Makoto. W-We forgot to tell you your names. Sorry for interrupting!” Sayaka beamed. 

“I-I mean, name’s Leon Kuwata, yo. That dude’s right, I’m the best there is when it comes to baseball… No need for pictures or rumours, just raw talent right here.” Leon gave a pleading, almost threatening look at Makoto to not elaborate on what he saw online.

“You’re also really relaxed about this, aren’t you?” Makoto pointed out.

“I don’t have to worry about schoolwork or baseball, am I right? That’s what being in a resort is all about!” Leon grinned.

“Maybe there’ll be a match on this island,” Sayaka said. “And you can show how good you are!”

“Honestly, I don’t like baseball. Though I might be good, I have my own dreams, and my own future.”

“A new dream? What could that be?” Makoto asked. 

“I want to be a singer. I mean, look at me. I just have a path that’s gonna lead toward music! It’ll be super cool, and I don’t worry about being all sweaty and dry on the field.” Leon paused before rubbing his forehead. “Though, I heard they already have an Ultimate Musician, but maybe I can get her in my band, don’t you think?”

“I think you might have the chops for it,” Sayaka said simply. He wasn’t sure how Sayaka would respond to such a strange statement, but she didn’t seem fazed at all about Leon encroaching her territory of talent. “I’d also love to meet this Ultimate Musician as well.”

“I mean, you’re the Ultimate Pop Sensation as well, I heard!” Leon said. “I don’t mind talking with you about this if you’re interested.”

“Maybe so, once we’re done meeting everyone else,” Sayaka said before Makoto parted ways. It looked like Leon had more to say to the Pop Sensation, but he visibly deflated as Sayaka followed Makoto. 

“This guy can’t be serious…” Makoto thought. “Though I was gonna say he didn’t look like a baseball star, I didn’t expect that to come out of a baseball star’s mouth either.” He knew that there’ll be more interesting characters than him on this school trip.

“Well, we’re still young… Having a lot of ideas like him isn’t such a bad thing,” Sayaka once again read Makoto’s thoughts.

“So you don’t think he’s in over his head with this?” 

“Oh, Makoto… it’s not like you to think that,” Sayaka said. “Sure, there might be three music type Ultimates out there, but it’s not like we’re trying to outshine each other.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“You don’t have to worry so much about me leaving your side either,” Sayaka teased as she brushed her arm, causing Makoto’s heart to skip a beat.

“I-I didn’t think that at all!”

_____________________________________________________________________

Shuichi and Kaede made their way to the gate that said Inn on its sign.

“Hm, there are people in there too,” Kaede said. She opened the gate and walked in, and saw that inside, there were many rows of cottages, each of them with the nameplate of a student on the mailbox. In front of the cottages was a large pool, with plastic chairs and umbrellas lining its sides, and what appears to be a reception building in the front. The first person they met was a young woman with short red hair and freckles across her pale face. She wore a green jumper with a white collared shirt and checkered tie underneath. She had a cameera that was strapped over her shoulder.

“Hey, you should stand up straight!” The girl scolded Shuichi, startling him. “That’s no way to stand when you’re with another girl, right?” Kaede was also surprised by her assertiveness.

“No, really, it’s alright…” Kaede said to her. The girl gave Shuichi a judgemental look, but her eyes softened again.

“It’s a man’s job to protect the girls, I wanted to make sure you’re in good company.” Mahiru said. 

“We haven’t introduced ourselves, right?” Shuichi spoke up. “We’re here for just that.”

“Oh, that’s right,” the girl responded. “I’m Mahiru Koizumi, I’ll be counting on you from now on.”

“You’re a photographer, aren’t you?” Kaede asked, noticing the camera on her side.

“Yeah, that’s my talent. In all honesty, I’m glad that the both of you look like reliable people. There sure are a lot of weirdos out here.” Kaede couldn’t help but snicker at that remark. “I’m not sure if some people here are Ultimates, or are just crazy. Well, I’m hoping to get along with everyone here so we can get off this island.”

“Heh, I think we should get down to that.” Kaede said. “Well, I’m Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist.”

“Hey!” Mahiru said, again to Shuichi.

“What is it?” he responded, confused.

“We’ve been talking this whole time, and you haven’t introduced yourself to me yet.”

“Oh, sorry, uh, I’m Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Detective.”

“Jeez, you’re gonna have to be more confident than that if you want to earn a girl’s trust,” she said, while eyeing Kaede. Now that’s something that Kaede had to feel flustered about.

“Whoa, Shuichi’s a good guy, Mahiru, trust me.” Shuichi went red at that comment. He was someone that Kaede had just met, and she’s already sticking up for him like that?

“Well, if you say so,” Mahiru said. “Anyway, I gotta get back to talking to everyone.” They both walked around the cottages, before running into another duo, a boy and a girl. The boy was tall, with spiky purple hair and a small goatee. He wore a white t-shirt, a left open buttoned shirt, and a light purple overcoat. However, one of his sleeves hung loose over his shoulder, revealing its space patterned interior design. He also wore matching purple pants rolled to his shins, and slippers. The girl was short, yet lean in build. She had long, dark brown hair held in twintails by red scrunchies. Her eyes had an intense red gaze, and she wore a red and dark green sailor uniform with a white star patterned ribbon.

“We haven’t met the two of you have we?” the boy spoke in an enthusiastic voice.

“Honestly, I don’t have any intention in knowing any of you.” the girl said in a sharp tone.

“Maki, c’mon. Learning to have trust in your friends is never a waste of time!” the boy said. “Anyway, I wasn’t expecting a trip this soon into the year. How Usami got us here was a surprise, not even astronauts knew of that kind of travel.”

“Wait, you’re an astronaut?” Kaede said.

“Oh wait, I haven’t introduced myself, have I? I’m Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars! Even crying children adore the Ultimate Astronaut!”

“I’m Kaede Akamatsu, and this is Shuichi Saihara! So you’ve been to space?” Kaede continued, and Shuichi gave a wave to the two.

“No he hasn’t, he’s apparently only a trainee.” the girl cut in. “He forged his way in, but they kept him for being so devoted.”

“Hey, don’t go taking down my thunder, Maki.” Kaito said sheepishly. “And this island does nothing hold to me back when there’s the vastness of the universe waiting to be explored.”

“My name is Maki Harukawa,” the girl cut in in a low voice. “I’m the Ultimate Child Caregiver.”

“Child caregiver?” Shuichi asked.

“Yeah, I know I don’t look like one, do I?” She said, brushing her hair aside. “Truth be told, I don’t really like kids. They just… cling to me, ever since I could take care of the younger ones in my orphanage.”

“Well, if kids trust you, you must be a real good person, right?” Kaede said.

“Hmph, well I’m not all that good at taking care of kids either. It’s not like I have a choice in that.”

“Anyway, I can’t wait to meet up with everyone else here.” Kaito continued.

“Think what you want, but you’re all being idiotic if you think it’s as easy as that.” With that, Maki walked away without a second glance.

“She’s… a real tough one, isn’t she?” Shuichi said.

“Take my word for it, I know that she’s a real caring person underneath, especially if kids trust her.” Kaito gave a thumbs up. “Well I’ll see the both of you later.” he finished before walking off.

“That was an interesting duo.” Shuichi said.

“Heh, hopefully we’re making a better team than the both of them are.” Kaede laughed.

“Hey now that’s being mean to Kaito.” Shuichi said, returning a small laugh. “I can tell that he’s trying hard to keep people together.”

“That’s where your detective deductions bring you, huh?” Kaede thought aloud. “I’m interested to hear your thoughts on the others.” The two of them moved closer to the pool, and saw a girl. She had dark skin, with brown hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a red track jacket, a white t-shirt, and blue shorts.

“Heya! My name is Aoi Asahina, but my friends just call me Hina. Sup?” the girl said.

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Kaede Akamatsu.” Kaede said.

“I’m Shuichi Saihara.” Shuichi introduced himself.
“Kaede and Shuichi….” Hina echoed as she made a hypothetical note on her palms. “I’m not good with names, so I just have to write it down somewhere.” Hina explained as she gave a smile. “Well, I was afraid that there wasn’t going to be a good pool at Hope’s Peak, but this is way better!” Hina exclaimed. “There’s beaches, and pools, I’m super pumped!”

“So you’re really fond of swimming?” Kaede asked.

“Yeah, they don’t call me Ultimate Swimming Pro for nothing!”

“I’ve heard that you’ve competed in countless swimming competitions since elementary school, and you’re very close to becoming an olympic candidate.” Shuichi said.

“Aw, so you know that much about me reaching for the gold,” Hina chuckled. “Hey, Sakura, there’s more people you should meet!”

“Sakura?” Shuichi thought. “I don’t see anyone arou-oh my god.” A tall woman, with a gigantic frame, and a fearsome expression walked over to them. She had long white hair that ran down her back, dark skin that was covered in scars, and a white sailor uniform. It was then that Shuichi realized that it was Sakura Ogami, proclaimed to be the strongest human alive. She competed in over 400 tournaments, and won every single one of them, despite her age.

“I’m Sakura Ogami,” the girl said simply.

“Ah, my name’s Kaede Akamatsu. It’s nice to meet you. And this is Shuichi.” Sakura eyed Shuichi, inspecting him thoroughly with her eyes.

“Remember that you should treat your spirit as well as your physique,” Sakura said. “You could stand to improve on both.” Shuichi will admit, he doesn’t do all that much exercise, and people tend to consider him quite skinny. But spiritual fortitude, she says? Moving along, they ran into another boy. He was very tall and thin. He wore a dark green military uniform with a matching cap, and had narrow, golden eyes that glinted. Most interestingly, he had a black zipper mask that covered his mouth and nose, and his hands were wrapped in bandages.

“Kukuku, our captors seemed very keen on making us comfortable here.” the boy said in a creeping tone. “I look forward to getting to see the history behind this uncharted island.”

“Captor, you say?” Kaede asked, cautious of Korekiyo’s tone toward Usami, and well, whoever’s controlling her. But admittedly, who can blame him for thinking that.?

“Yes, us being brought here without any explanation or previous documentation of this occurrence. What could be a more fitting description?” Korekiyo paused and saw the dumbfounded looks at the two. “Oh, my apologies. You two must be wondering who I am. Well, my name is Korekiyo Shinguji, and I’m the Ultimate Anthropologist. But please, call me Kiyo.”

“You’re an anthropologist?” Kaede asked.

“About that, would you like to hear a simple explanation?”

“Yeah, sure…”

“Anthropology is the study of customs, legends, folk tales, songs, and anything that stems from culture. It is my duty to analyze the history and social connotations of the things we do in our daily lives.”

“That sounds like a lot to take in,” Kaede responded. “But that sure sounds like a lot of fun.”

“Fun? Of course it is. Nothing is more fun than being able to study humanity, for I believe, humans possess infinite beauty.”

“Uh, what?” Kaede said, being slowly unnerved by the boy’s behavior.

“I find all aspects of humanity, even the ugly parts, to be beautiful. I am intrigued, what beauty am I to witness here.” Korekiyo gave out a laugh. “Kukuku, people, truly are wonderful…”

“This guy looks like a creep… and is one too, as it turns out.” Kaede thought to herself.

“Well, do not let me disturb you, for your interactions with the other students, no matter how they turn out, will be beautiful.” Korekiyo finished. As soon as they finished talking to him, they came across another student equally as unnerving. The girl that stood before them had two long, black drill pigtails. Her skin was deathly pale, and her eyes were a blood red shade of colour. She wore a gothic Victorian style dress, and had an armor ring on her right hand.

“I do not believe we have met.” she began. “I am Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler.”

“Ludenberg?” Kaede repeated.

“But simply Celeste will do.” she said as she gave a polite curtsy. Both Shuichi and Kaede gave their own introductions.

“Celestia Ludenberg… That can’t be her real name, can it?” Shuichi thought to himself. “But of course, I feel like I shouldn’t just bring it up like that.”

“Wait, you made a talent out of gambling?” Kaede asked curiously.

“And why not? Simple minded people believe that gambling is all about luck. But it’s far more than that. Manipulation, lies, I have mastered it all.”

“Well that’s honestly, pretty cool.” Kaede said. “You must have made a fortune!”

“The thrill of gamble, the promise of wealth, I’d say I’m content with what I do,” Celeste said as she framed her face and smiled, before walking away. As they both rounded the pool, they spotted two boys, where one was chasing another. The chaser was short, and had messy purple hair. He wore a tattered all white uniform, and a checkered scarf around his neck. The one being chased was also fairly short, and had a full mechanical body. He had pale white skin and hair, with an ahoge that pointed directly upwards. He had two black streaks going down each of his eyes, and had a body that resembled a dark uniform, with golden buttons.

“Stop it! Do not come any closer!” The metallic boy shouted, trying to shake the chaser off his trail.

“C’mon, can’t I touch your body a little? I always wanted to meet a robot!”

“What’s going on here?” Shuichi asked, perplexed at the sight.

“Whoa, you shouldn’t run around at a pool, you might slip and fall.” Kaede said, wary of the potential danger of the situation.

“Don’t worry about that, I think the tile will break first if he ever falls, since he’s so heavy,” the boy in purple smiled.

“That’s highly offensive! I’ll have you know that my body was made with both sturdy and lightweight material so I can function while causing minimal harm!” The robot said defensively. “And who are you two? Another group of robophobes?”

“No, of course not…” Kaede replied. “We’re here to introduce ourselves, not to make enemies. But wait, you’re a robot, for real?”

“What a scene, and we haven’t even met anyone. And I know we’re in modern times, but robots at this complexity, I’ve never heard of...”

“So are you like Usami?” Shuichi asked, trying to make sense of him.

“Ooh, maybe he’s working with her to round us up and force us to kill each other!” The other boy exclaimed.

“How can you say something like that with that much enthusiasm…”

“Do not compare me to that toy! I’m not just any old robot. I’m Keebo, the Ultimate Robot.”

“Hey, that’s not fair! I also have to make an introduction!” The other boy pouted. “I’m Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader!”

“A supreme leader… and a robot? This doesn’t make any sense…”

“Wouldn’t it be such a shame if someone pushed you in the water and you short circuited?” Kokichi teased.

“Though I run on electricity, I am fully waterproof!” Keebo gritted his teeth, offended.

“Neeheehee, I’m just messing with ya.”

“You’re not funny.” Keebo deadpanned.

“Of course you wouldn’t think that, robots have no understanding of human comedy to begin with!” Kokichi laughed. “I knock em dead, don’t I?”

“Do not mock me! I have studied the full history of stand up comedy! Plus, though I have the appearance of a robot, I am a student, just like you.”

“You’re a highschool student?” Shuichi asked.

“I was created by Professor Idabashi, the leading authority in the field of robotics. He created me, a strong AI, capable of learning and maturing like a human brain. At the time of my creation, I didn’t know anything, like a baby. But he raised me like his own child, until I was enrolled in high school.”

“How long did he raise you for?” Kokichi questioned.

“It only took me five years to develop the mind of a highschooler,” Keebo boasted.

“So you’re not even old enough to be in high school! And I’m calling the cops on whoever thinks dirty things about you!”

“The time of my creation isn’t important! What matters is my mind and personality, is it not?!”

“Hey, do robots have dicks?” Kokichi asked, completely ignoring his previous remarks.

“Don’t ask such ridiculous questions!” Keebo exclaimed, trying to dismiss Kokichi’s comments.

“Hey,” Kaede butted in, interrupting Kokichi’s endless cycle of insane questions. “Kokichi, I don’t understand the deal behind your Ultimate Supreme Leader talent.”

“Oh, I’m just the leader of an evil secret organization, that’s all.” Kokichi responded with a finger on his lip. “It has over 10,000 members. In fact, I run this island and resort, and brought all of you here.”

“Seriously? The supreme leader of a secret or-”

“Well, the first part was true. I am the leader of a secret organization. That’s why they gave me my talent, riiiight?”

“So were you not being truthful with the second part?”

“Who knows? Since I’m a liar.”

“What’s the name of your secret organization?” Shuichi asked, trying to make sense of Kokichi’s wild claims.

“Well, it wouldn’t be secret if I told you, wouldn’t it?”

“I haven’t heard of a secret organization like that before…” Shuichi thought aloud.

“Of course you haven’t. But, I would expect more from an Ultimate Dete-”

“Ignore him,” Keebo interrupted. “You can’t trust anything a liar like him says. All I’m saying is, he’s far more suspicious than I am.”

“Well of course you aren’t a suspicious person, because robots aren’t people!” Kokichi laughed. Keebo can only growl at that.

“Oh, are you getting mad? I didn’t think robots could feel emotions at all!”

“I swear, I will see you in court when we get off this island!” Keebo was barely holding in his frustration at this point.

“What a weird boy... he’s like a mischievous little kid. Just starting trouble like that… Unless, he really is an evil supreme leader?” Kaede gave one last thought before entering the hotel lobby.

____________________________________________________________________

Hajime and Nagito made their way over to a particular site off the main road. It appeared to be a ranch, with pens and fields for domestic animals, along with a barn. The sign had Usami Corral painted crudely on it.

“A tropical island seems like a pretty weird place to put a ranch,” Hajime mused

“Well, I presume this island has been around for quite a bit of time, so it should be fine.”

“Apparently, Usami’s a rabbit, yet she runs a farm? The more I question things, the worse it gets.”

“I think we should meet the students over there,” Nagito said. As Hajime entered, he came across a tall man, with pale skin. He had black hair, with streaks of white that was slicked upwards. One of his eyes was red, and another, grey, with a scar across one of them. He had a long black jacket, with a white t-shirt underneath, with black pants and boots. Most of all, he wore a long, purple scarf that reached the floor.

“Stop right there,” the man said with a very deep voice. “If you value your life, do not come any closer.”

“Huh?” Hajime thought to himself as he went to get a better look at the strange looking man.

“Did you not hear what I just said? I said stay back!” The man continued to speak. “Hmph, very well, I cannot tell if recklessness or courage drives you forward, but I shall accept it. In honour of that courage, I shall reveal to you my name!” he said as an evil grin spread across his face. “May you never forget it!” After a moment of suspense, he began.

“You may call me... Gundham Tanaka. Remember it well, for that is the name that will one day rule this world!”

“What do you mean rule the world?” Hajime asked.

“It is my turn to ask questions now. What is your power level?” he said in a serious tone.

“What do you mean power level?”

“Who is the beast that you have struck a blood pact with for eternity?” Gundham replied, even more dramatic than before.

“I think he means, what pets have you owned?” Nagito whispered.

“Well, I never really owned any pets at all, my parents never let me keep any pets around.”

“Kch, most unworthy.” Gundham scoffed. “Trash like you should beware those who have truly mastered the arcane art of beast taming.” As he finished, four hamsters hopped out of his scarf and onto his shoulders.

“Wait, what were those things that just moved?” Hajime asked in astonishment.

“Those “things” are part of my Tanaka empire, The Four Dark Devas Of Destruction. Beware, for we do not forgive those who cross us. Fuahahahahaha!”

“Wait, so is he able to talk to animals or something?” Hajime asked Nagito.

“It seems hard to believe, someone like him would be more fitting in a nature show or anime. But that’s fitting of the Ultimate Animal Breeder.”

“He certainly is strange. No ordinary person would even attempt to raise hamsters in their own scarf…” Hajime thought to himself. Moving on, the next person he saw was by far, the shortest person he had seen on this island. He had the height of the child, yet his build was quite muscular. His eyes were large, yet had an empty look to it. His cropped, red hair was covered by a black beanie with two points on top of it. He wore a black leather jacket over a black and blue striped uniform, and had a chain attached to his foot. He also had a piece of candy that his lips curled around, that could be mistaken for a cigarette.

“Hmph, what kind of a bad joke is this? First, someone like me gets accepted into Hope’s Peak, and now I’m on a ranch of a tropical island,” the short boy thought aloud, his very deep voice cutting across the air.

“Jeez, I was a second away from being relieved that there were kids that weren’t Hope’s Peak students. I’m glad I dodged a bullet there.” Hajime thought to himself.

“Hey, it looks like you’ve explored this place, haven’t you?” Hajime said.

“Well, I never thought I’d see a place like this ever again, but it’s a lot nicer compared to prison.”

“Wait, prison?” Hajime asked, dumbfounded. “But you’re an Ultimate, aren’t you?”

“Ryoma Hoshi, the man called the Ultimate Tennis Pro, no longer exists. I’m nothing more than his empty shell.”

“Ryoma Hoshi was actually all across the paper a while back,” Nagito explained. “He’s the tennis prodigy who single handedly took down the mafia.”

“I know that there are some weird people here, but this really is pushing the boundaries…”

“Hmph, so you heard that much?” Ryoma said. “Well, what do you think of the loser before you who used his talent to kill?”

“But wouldn’t that mean throwing away your future?” Hajime asked.

“Damn, this guy destroyed his own future… is it worse than not having one in the first place?”

“I didn’t need one anymore.” Ryoma replied bluntly. “It’s not like me to talk so much. I’m warning you two not to get so close to a killer like me.” With that, Ryoma turned his back to them.

“This trip is getting weirder, not just our situation, but our classmates…” Hajime thought to himself. He’s a little glad that he and Nagito were kinda normal people, for once. The next student he saw was crouched on the ground, with his eyes focused on the grass. The man, even while crouched, was still gigantic. He had long, wild brown-green hair, and wore a brown suit and green tie, and was barefoot.

“Hey, can we introduce ourselves?” Hajime asked cautiously. The boy quickly sat up, and his serious face turned into a smile.

“Thank you!” he said unexpectedly.

“Um, for what?” Hajime asked, confused about the response.

“Thank you for talking to Gonta. Most don't talk to Gonta, cuz Gonta looks scary.”

“Seriously, it’s nothing.”

“Oh, right! Gonta needs to introduce himself. Gonta’s name is Gonta Gokuhara. Gonta’s talent is The Ultimate Entomologist. Gonta’s goal is to be a true gentleman!” Gonta outstretched a colossal hand and gave Hajime a handshake.

“You’re the Ultimate Entomologist?” Nagito asked in curiosity. “I’d be glad to hear more about your talent.”

“Ever since Gonta was a kid, he made friends with bugs, because kids didn't talk to Gonta.”

“Sounds pretty sad, but that’s no surprise for someone his size.”

“One day, Gonta got lost playing with animal friends, deep in the forest with no way to get home.”

“But now you found your way out since you're here?” Nagito asked.

“Yeah, it only took ten years.” Gonta said with a bright smile on his face.

“Ten… years?” Hajime asked.

“I don’t doubt that someone like him can take care of himself if he got lost in a forest, but this is too surreal, almost as much as our current situation…”

“No need to worry, Gonta wasn’t alone. He was raised by another family; family of wolves.”

“I know that I’m not in any place to question that, but that’s just unbelievable…” Hajime thought, trying to hide his astonishment.

“Cuz of his forest family, Gonta can now speak bug and animal. To repay his forest family, Gonta vows to become a gentleman!” Though Hajime was thoroughly in shock by the large student’s story, Nagito still had a composed smile, yet he didn’t have a single sign of disbelief.

“How truly inspiring, how you managed to turn the despair of being lost into inspiration.” Nagito praised without any mockery in his voice.

“Erm, Gonta doesn't get that, but he would be happy to talk more about bugs!” Gonta offered.

“I once raised a hermit crab with my classmates back in elementary school, but I wouldn’t translate that into me liking bugs… But of course, I should keep any disdain I have for them secret…”

“Maybe once we talked to everyone, then I can take up on your offer. But it was truly wonderful of you to ask that of someone like me,” Nagito said as he excused both himself and Hajime. The two continued to stroll around the ranch, before walking around the barn. There, they saw a window that on the other side, housed a chicken coop. Peering into the coop hungrily, was a tall girl. She had dark skin, wild brown hair similar to Gonta’s, wore a red skirt, and a white shirt that exposed her ample chest.

“Just wait until I get my hands on you…” the girl muttered hungrily to the chickens. “I ain’t got a problem with eating ya raw, but maybe I could ask the cook guy to grill up something good!” Though hesitant to interrupt her “contemplation”, Hajime approached her. It took until they were right next to her that she was able to take notice.

“Hey! who’re you dudes?” The girl asked as she wiped the drool off her mouth.

“I’m Hajime Hinata, and this is Nagito Komaeda.”

“Gotcha” Akane responded casually as she stretched her arms upward. “The name’s Akane Owari, Ultimate Gymnast, nice to meetcha.”

“Ultimate Gymnast? Well she certainly has the body for it. She’s not like a high schooler at all, more like an olympic athlete…”

“You like what you see?” Nagito chuckled, causing Hajime’s face to red. “Didn’t think that you’re the type to eye bodies so readily.”

“Stop it! I know you’re doing that on purpose.” Hajime said, hoping that Akane didn’t hear those remarks. Hajime observed the chickens Akane was just eyeing.

“For a ranch, there sure aren’t many animals.”

“Oopsie, you got me!” a squeaky voice called. Hajime looked and saw Usami standing before them once more.

“Wha- how did you get here?”

“I’m a very elusive bunny rabbit! I can appear wherever and whatever I want on this island, all thanks to my magical stick!”

“Magical stick… that ridiculous toy she’s holding?” Usami peered around the ranch, surveying the relatively empty lifeless landscape.

“But, this is indeed troubling,” Usami began again. “A farm without a cow is like Japan without a representative!” She aimed her magic stick at a chicken, and gave a quiet chant. All of a sudden, a ray of pink light shot out of the staff, and transformed the chicken into a cow.

“What… the hell?” Hajime rubbed his eyes to see if he was hallucinating, but the cow was all too lifelike. Usami smiled contently, before disappearing once more.

“Did that chicken… turn into a cow?”

“It’s no big deal. Chances are, she prepared this illusion in advance,” Nagito theorized. “Maybe it was her way of trying to make us happy. You seem even more shaken up, on the contrary.” Nagito was correct. Hajime felt even more unnerved than when he first arrived. However, the tension was broken by a sputtering laugh.

“Pffft, you shoulda seen the look on your face!” The voice belonged to a diminutive girl, who looked far younger than a high school student. She was a girl with long, blonde hair tied into pigtails, and she wore a long, orange kimono with a floral pattern.

“What is this kid doing? She seems too young to be on a field trip so far away by herself, to say the least.” It seemed as if the scene Usami made momentarily distracted her from her previous task. Her fingers had black smudges on them, and it appeared as if she was crouched down too.

“Ah, I don’t think we’ve met, have we?” Nagito asked.

“Hmm? I’m Hiyoko Saionji, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer.” She then went back to pushing her fingers onto the ground, making squishing noises whenever her finger hit the ground.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” Hajime asked.

“I’m squishing!” she exclaimed with an unsettling amount of excitement.

“What… exactly are you squishing?”

“I’m squishing Mr. Ants. There are lots of them to squish,” Hiyoko replied as she picked up an ant, before crushing it between her fingers. “If you press their tummies just right, they make this awesome sound!”

“She’s very lucky that Gonta can’t hear her…”

“Wanna do it together?”

“What? Hell no!”

“Pfft, I knew you were a wuss anyway,” Hiyoko scoffed before going back to crushing ants.

“Where did that come from? She’s definitely not just a little girl…” Hajime turned around the corner, and saw another girl that looked young, but not as young as Hiyoko. She had short red hair, and wore what resembled a witch’s costume, complete with a pointy hat.

“Nyeh, none of these animals would make worthy familiars…” the girl muttered tiredly.

“Familiar?” Hajime asked.

“If this academy wants to house a mage like me, they’re gonna need animals with stronger power levels than that.” She gave another glance at the chickens and bugs on the ground, before shaking her head.

“Wait, you said you’re a magician?” Nagito asked.

“No, I’m not a magician. I’m a mage, because mages do real magic.” The girl corrected. “Oh. That’s right, I haven’t told you guys yet. Prepare to be amazed, fall to your knees. I am Himiko Yumeno, the Ultimate Mage.” There was silence for a few seconds. Both Hajime and Nagito didn’t know how to react to her proclamation.

“But officially, Hope’s Peak calls me the Ultimate Magician.”

“Er, You should’ve said that in the first place, because magic isn’t real.” Hajime finally responded.

“Magic is real!” The girl said suddenly. “You saw it, so you gotta believe it! The rabbit used some powerful teleportation magic to bring us all here. Of course, it’s not as powerful as mine.”

“If you are magic, then maybe you could show us some of your power!” Nagito said enthusiastically.

“Nyeh, magic isn’t all powerful… I can only do so much.” Himiko responded lazily.

“I don’t doubt your talent, but maybe it could help us find out more about our situation.”

“Hey! You degenerates leave Himiko alone!” Another girl’s voice shouted. Out of seemingly nowhere, another girl rushed up to them, causing Hajime to jump, and hit his back on the wall of the barn. The girl was an inch away from punching Hajime, and narrowed her expression. He looked at her, and saw that she had long, black hair tied into twintails, and a blue sailor uniform. Strikingly, she had a purple headband on her head, along with a green pinwheel tied at the back of her head.

“Hey, what’s with all of this?” Hajime asked nervously.

“It’s my duty to use my Neo-Aikido to protect girls from degenerates like you!”

“Hold on, we just want to introduce ourselves.” Nagito said, totally unfazed by the girl’s assault. The girl gave another dirty look at Hajime before stepping down.

“Fine. I’ll refrain from breaking any male’s bones while we’re here unless you make a move on a girl.” she said harshly. “I’m Tenko Chabashira, and I’m the Ultimate Aikido Master.”

“I’m Hajime Hinata.”

“And I’m Nagito Komaeda,” Nagito smiled, still not worried by Tenko’s disposition.

“Wait, did you say Neo-Aikido?” Hajime asked curiously, though he wasn’t sure if he should say anything.

“Of course an ignorant male wouldn’t know true martial arts,” Tenko scoffed. “My master and I use Neo-Aikido, an extra powerful version of Aikido that we made up ourselves!”

“Okay, so you’re totally self-taught…”

“I’m keeping my eye on you Hajime. Though you may try to come off as plain and average, your male tricks won’t work on me.” Tenko finished before walking off.

“That… was intense.” Hajime said, still recovering from Tenko’s aggressive introduction. If the remaining students were anything like Tenko, he didn’t know if he’d survive the trip here.

**

Makoto and Sayaka continued their way to the hotel lobby. When the sliding door opened, he saw that its floor was carpeted with a reception counter, though no one seemed to be on its helm. There were a few couches for guests to seat themselves, and windows overlooking the cottage area. There were also a few games to keep people entertained, including some arcade machines, and a pool table.

“This place looks really neat,” Makoto said. 

“They say service is king… and this lobby proves it.” Sayaka said. “It’s hard to get bored here if you’re waiting for your luggage, or if the concierge has a problem with booking.”

“Sounds like you had your fair share of problems traveling.”

“They’d be half as much of a problem if every lobby was as comfortable as this one,” Sayaka patted down one of the couches. “And even less of a problem if I traveled with you.”

“H-Haha, thanks… I have a feeling this won’t be the first time,” Makoto said meekly. 

“You’ve picked up intuition on your own?”

"W-Well, we will eventually have to get out of here." Makoto said, confounded at what he just said.

 One of the students he saw when he went inside was a tall man, with light brown hair, and glasses in front of his blue eyes. He wore a black suit, and Makoto knew that he was anything but ordinary just by looking. Makoto approached the man, who looked deep in thought. 

“Hey, can I introduce myself?” Makoto asked uneasily. He didn’t appear to even acknowledge him at first, as if Makoto wasn’t worth his attention. 

“I’m Sayaka Maizono, Ultimate Pop Sensation.” Sayaka spoke up.

“And I’m Makoto Naegi…” He followed uneasily. After a few seconds of silence, the man spoke.

“Name’s Byakuya Togami.” 

“Togami? Of the Togami corporation? That would mean that he’s the famous heir of the richest corporation in Japan… To have someone as successful as him at such a young age be enrolled in Hope’s Peak…”

“I wonder why Hope’s Peak would dare put me with lowlifes like you, and suggest such a ridiculous prospect. As if I’d want anything to do with you commoners.” Byakuya said harshly. Makoto didn’t know how to respond to that. Already he’s received a severe verbal lashing from him. 

“I know this situation is alien to us, but I don’t think being rude will get anywhere,” Sayaka said warily. 

“You should know better than to waste your time exchanging pleasantries when there are none,” Byakuya glared at her. 

“Then we’re going.” Makoto said with a strangely high amount of conviction, urging Sayaka to leave as well. 

“He’s probably not used to this situation. Not everyone can be as relaxed as Angie or Leon, you know. It doesn’t mean we can’t get to know him better in the future.”

“What he said was out of line…” Makoto sighed before conceding. “Still, you have a point.”

Their hasty retreat was fast enough they almost bumped into a short boy, with cropped blonde hair and intricate designs shaved into them. He had freckles on his pale face, and wore a black pinstripe suit.

“Watch where you’re going, dumbass!” The boy turned, scowling at Makoto. 

“Though he doesn’t appear all that tough, he’s already in a bad mood…”

“Well, what’re you looking at? You got something to say, bastard?!” 

“Sorry, we just wanted to introduce ourselves,” Sayaka said. This student clearly gives off a far more aggressive disposition than most.

“Introduce yourself? Hmph.” Fuyuhiko scoffed dismissively, but he seemed to be paying attention. 

“I’m Makoto Naegi, it’s… nice to meet you.” The boy’s anger died down a little, and he crossed his arms. 

“And I’m Sayaka Maizono. I feel the same.”

“Name’s Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu. Just so we’re clear, I’m not here to act friendly and shit with anyone here.”

“Kuzuryuu? You mean, he's the heir to the leading Yakuza clan? He’s definitely not someone to be messed with.”

“Well, if we’re done here, how ‘bout you make like a tree, and fuck off?” Fuyuhiko was in no mood to say anything further, and turned his back on them. This time they didn’t have time to process the aggressive student. Just when he thought the lobby couldn't get even less welcoming, he encountered another scary looking student. She had long, silver hair bound into twin braids, and red eyes with glasses. She wore a dark turquoise sailor uniform, and had the sheath of a sword on her back.

“I haven’t seen you two before… Is an introduction in order?”

“Exactly,” Sayaka Maizono said uneasily. Even she seemed to be affected by how sour everyone in this lobby seemed to be.

“Very well. My name is Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordsman.” 

“I’m Makoto Naegi, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I guess that would explain the sheath around her back…”

“I’m Sayaka Maizono. What a cool talent!”

“I apologize if my demeanor hasn’t done you any favours. I’m just expecting that everyone will remain civil.”

“Well, I feel a lot safer if your goal is keeping the peace,” Sayaka said. “You look really reliable!”

“I wouldn’t want to resort to killing for the sake of it.”

“Wha- what do you mean kill someone?” Makoto said, caught off guard by Peko’s remark.

“But you do not seem like someone who’d try anything.” Peko said, as she looked at Makoto, who was standing awkwardly at the swordswoman’s staredown, to Sayaka who was smiling in awe at Peko, then back to Makoto. 

“It doesn’t seem necessary at all… Especially not with that blade of yours,” Sayaka said.

“I’ve never underestimated what a blow from this could do,” Peko said. “Well, don’t concern yourself with that.”

“She seems to have quite the sense of humour,” Sayaka said when they were away.

“I think she’s actually on edge,” Makoto recalled. “Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fuyuhiko and Byakuya were the first people she met on this island.”

“Then I like her patience as well!”

Makoto looked around uneasily to see if there were more welcoming people to introduce himself to, but that prayer wasn’t answered. The next person they approached was another girl with piercing, grey eyes. She had short, black hair and wore a simple white shirt with a red ribbon tied around her collar, a black skirt, and boots. Most interestingly, she had a black tattoo of a wolf on the back of her right hand.

“Hey, I don’t think we met. Can we introduce ourselves?” Makoto asked. “I’m Makoto Naegi, Ultimate Lucky Student.” The girl glanced at him, as if trying to read him. She then glanced at Sayaka for a much shorter time. 

“I’m Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier,” she said simply.

“The Ultimate Soldier? That’s insane… a high school student actually fighting and shooting in a war?” He tried his best to hide the intimidation he felt by such a title.

“I’m Sayaka Maizono.”

“I hope we can get along,” Makoto finished.

“The fact that we didn’t get rebuffed immediately is progress.” 

“Yeah…” Mukuro responded simply, before quickly hurrying off. 

“What was that about? What is she thinking just now? I didn’t expect such a reaction from The Ultimate Soldier.”

“She’s interesting, isn’t she?” Sayaka asked.

“Probably more so than anyone else here.”

“That’s a story that I’ll be telling my group… A real soldier, attending Hope’s Peak Academy…”

They continued to walk along, and saw a sleepy looking girl playing a game at the arcade. She had pale brown hair decorated with a Galaga pin, along with pink eyes. She wore a green hoodie with ears on its hood, along with a pink coloured backpack.

“Hey, can I introduce myself?” Makoto asked the girl. She said had no response to that.

“Excuse me? I-I promise it’ll be quick if you want.” Sayaka was a little louder. This time, her words caught her attention.

“Oh sorry, I was a bit too focused on my game, wasn’t I?” Chiaki managed to say, despite being totally engrossed in her game. 

“I’m Makoto Naegi, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I’m Sayaka Maizono, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh right, introductions. Got it… I’m Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer. Video games are my hobby, and I’m a fan of all genres.” There was a small window of silence, with only the quiet beeps of the arcade machine being audible.

“So, what do you think of this trip we got put in?” Makoto said, trying to start some conversation. Chiaki continued to say nothing.

“Sorry, are we making you uncomfortable?” Sayaka leaned over to get a read on the silent girl. 

“It’s not that I’m quiet or shy,” Chiaki said, breaking the silence. “It’s more how I need time to gather my thoughts in my head before speaking. I make sure I prepare everything in my head before I begin. Because of this, conversation is a little difficult when speaking to new people, but as I get to know others, it gets a bit easier.” Makoto was surprised by her swing in coherence. She said all of that without even batting an eye at them.

“Well, I hope you feel at ease quickly,” Sayaka said. “What kind of game is that?”

“Wack-Man… It’s an old game, but I’m just playing to see if being placed here messed with me or my abilities.”

“Not a bad idea,” Sayaka nodded. “Maybe I should do some throat exercises.”

“...I’m sleepy,” Chiaki said, returning her full focus to the game.

“W-Well, I hope playing wakes you up,” Makoto said awkwardly, leaving the gamer alone.

**

Kaede and Shuichi rounded up the stairs of the hotel, and entered the restaurant above it. They saw that the restaurant was expansive, as if it expected to fit such a large number of students. There was a staircase that lead to the lobby, and the windows lead to balconies with more seating. The interior had wood floors and furniture, along with potted plants and ceiling fans. There were huge arrays of food tables, not unlike a buffet. The first student they saw was a tall, sophisticated looking woman. She had green eyes, pale skin, and short silver-green hair that covered one of her eyes. She wore a maid uniform, complete with a headdress.

“These foods look rather unhealthy. If we are to stay here, then I must think of a way to make some better alternatives,” the girl thought aloud with a gloved hand to her chin.

“Excuse me, can we introduce ourselves?” Kaede asked.

The girl turned to Kaede and gave a formal curtsy. “I’m Kirumi Tojo, the Ultimate Maid. I am honoured to make your acquaintance.”

“I’m Kaede Akamatsu, it’s nice to meet you too.”

“Wait, you’re Kirumi Tojo? I’ve heard all about you!” Shuichi said, coming to realize the feats of the Ultimate Maid. “Your services are sought after by even the most powerful people in the world! It’s rumoured that there isn’t a request you can’t fulfill.”

“That’s an exaggeration. I do not fulfill every request given to me. For example, someone once hired me to escort an important person through dangerous territory. I had to decline, because I’m a maid, not a bodyguard.”

“You’re that famous?” Kaede asked. “It’s no wonder that you’ve been enrolled in Hope’s Peak.”

“I’m humbled, but I’m here to serve everyone here to the fullest,” Kirumi said with an air of confidence. “So please, if there’s anything you need me to do, don’t be afraid to ask.” With that, Kirumi walked away gracefully. They had little time to process what they had just heard, as there are more students they haven’t met. One of them was a short student, who had a carefully combed set of brown hair, and wore a chef’s outfit and hat.

“Hello, I don’t believe we’ve met, have we?” the boy said in a sultry tone.

“Already, he’s giving me creepy vibes…”

“I’m Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Detective.” Shuichi said uneasily.

“And I’m Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist,” Kaede introduced, sharing in his wariness.

“The name’s Teruteru Hanamura, the Ultimate Cook. But please, call me chef. It has more of a big city flavour to it, don’t you think?”

“You seem pretty happy about our situation,” Shuichi asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be? This is a good place to show off my cooking ability, not to mention that I’m surrounded by cute girls,” Teruteru said.

“But you seemed pretty out of it while we were in that gym…”

“Hey, let’s just forget about that and think about where we are now. Say, you’re the Ultimate Pianist, aren’t you?” Teruteru purred as he turned his beady eyes to Kaede. “How about you show me your fingering ability sometime soon, hmmm?”

“If there were a piano, I’d love to play some songs to everyone,” Kaede responded warily.

“With your experience in playing, it makes me look forward to our stay here even more…”

“Sorry, I gotta go,” Kaede finally had enough of the perverted boy, and walked off.

“Kaede, wait for me!” Shuichi called out, following in her footsteps. He also didn’t want to be left alone with Teruteru. Kaede soon after, bumped into another girl. Like Kaede, she wore pink and had long, blonde hair. However, she had mechanical goggles fastened on her head, had a pink sailor uniform that barely contained her cleavage, and had black boots and gloves with studs.

“Hey, don’t sneak up on me, bitch!” The girl said as she gave a glare.

“Sorry if we surprised you, but we’re here to introduce-” Shuichi tried to relieve the tension, but to no avail.

“What, you couldn’t get enough of that blonde bitch’s tits so now you gotta look at mine? Well, take a good look, because it’s the best that a virgin like you could ever get!” The girl cackled at Shuichi as his face turned red.

“Hey, I wasn’t starting, my eyes are just scanning my surroundings,” Shuichi said, trying to defend himself.

“In a way, she seems even more perverted than Teruteru…”

“I’m just fuckin with ya, virgin!” The girl continued to laugh.

“With that aside…” Kaede said, annoyed, “how about introductions?”

“You mean you haven’t heard of me? I’m the gorgeous girl genius whose good looks and golden brain will go down in history! Miu Iruma!” Miu finally managed to stifle her laughter, before looking out the window. “Forty-seven students sounds like a better range of test subjects than just sixteen, but that rabbit is probably too much of a prude to let me try anything.”

“Whaaaat? Is that what you’re using your inventions for? You can’t do that!”

“Heeee!” Miu squirmed at Kaede’s objection. “H-how else am I gonna test my famous inventions, like the Pervjector?”

“Are all of your inventions gonna have weird names?”

“But that’s not all.” Miu said, returning to her previous demeanor. “My most useful ones are the ones that let you do shit in your sleep. Like read while you sleep, eat while you sleep, shit while you sleep…”

“There’s a fine line between genius and crazy, but Miu is crazy.”

“Anyway Kaeidiot, I’ll talk with you later. Just make sure your boy-toy Poo-ichi doesn’t go ogling other pairs of tits.”

“I have a feeling that this trip will be anything but normal with someone like Miu around…”

Just when Miu walked away, Kaede saw another girl who looked far more grounded in comparison. She had long, blue hair that ran down her back. She wore round rimless glasses, and wore a dark blue jacket and skirt with an orange ribbon.

“Having a resort would be an interesting place for an anime. There could be a beach episode or one where…” the girl continued to think aloud.

“Hey, we haven’t met. Mind if we introduce ourselves?” Kaede said.

“Oh, I didn’t see you there. I didn’t think anyone would notice me, since I’m so plain,” the girl said, breaking out of her train of thought.

“What do you mean plain? You’re an ultimate aren’t you?”

“To be honest, I don’t know why Hope’s Peak would pick someone like me…” she lamented. “ ...I haven’t introduced myself have I? I’m Tsumugi Shirogane, and I’m the Ultimate Cosplayer.”

“Do you make or wear cosplays? I wouldn’t be surprised if you got your talent just by wearing them. I bet everyone would be ogling those curves of yours.”

“Kaede, did Teruteru rub off of you, because you’re sounding like a creepy old man…” Shuichi deadpanned.

“I don’t like people looking at me like that…” Tsumugi explained. “I mostly like making them, but I’m fine with others wearing my work. But I don’t mind wearing cosplay if I had to choose between that or letting someone cosplay for fame or money.”

“Seems like you’re pretty passionate about cosplaying.”

“It used to be difficult by myself, but with sponsors it got a bit easier to make expensive cosplays. But Hope’s Peak will be able to fund my creations further in the time-being.”

“You’re looking forward to that, yet we’re stuck on this island…” Kaede reminded her of the situation.

“About that, Usami seems pretty strange, like the mascot for an anime,” Tsumugi continued. “But whoever is in charge of her really is pushing it, with her magical talk and all. Hopefully, that isn’t the only memento of anime around here. Well, are you worried about our situation?”

“Though our trip is suspicious, I’m sure that things will be settled soon enough by Hope’s Peak, so I’ll stay relaxed for now.”

“I think that’s a smart choice,” Tsumugi finished, before returning to her thoughts.

**

Hajime and Nagito opened the doors to Rocketpunch Market, where they found the last of the students. Inside was an array of different goods, far beyond what would be in a normal supermarket. There were foods, both packaged and raw, and tools of all sorts of purposes. There were a few over the counter medicines, DIY tools like ropes, hammers, tape, knives, and wrenches, and a vast aisle of drinks in the back. There were also many goods for sports, both aquatic and land, including swimwear, flip-flops, parasols, and surfboards. There were baseball bats, gloves, balls of all kinds, and nets. There was also a peculiar vending machine that sold some strange items, including a golden replica sword, a nut titled “A Man’s Nut”, and a magazine targeted at teen girls. Souvenirs and clothes of all kinds lined the store too, but most strangely, there was no cashier, or even a counter.

“Now that’s something I can’t overlook,” Hajime said. “None of the stuff here has any prices, nor is there a cashier or any security… You’d think a resort would have a bunch of overpriced merchandise.”

“Did Usami prepare all this? If so, that would explain why everything’s free…” Nagito answered.

“I knew Hope’s Peak was wealthy, but if this was their doing, their school trip must really be expensive…”

Soon enough, Hajime found another student browsing the aisle for chips. The boy was tall, and had a rather heavy set build. He had light brown hair, hazel eyes, and wore a brown suit. He clutched to a tablet that had a stylus to his side, and looked very interested at what to get. Despite his appearance, and mild expression, he still had an overwhelming presence.

“It’s a good thing there’s a lot of tasty food at this resort… I was worried it’d be like those movies where we’d be stuck on an island without anything to eat.”

“Hey, do you have time for an introduction?” Nagito asked.

“Oh, sorry, I was a little lost in thought back there…” The boy said, finally turning his attention to the two.

“I’m Hajime Hinata.”

“Well I’m Ryota Mitarai, the Ultimate Animator,” He rubbed his head sheepishly. I thought I’d get all the time I want to draw more anime, but this trip really put a hole in my plans…”

“Ah, so you create anime as a talent? How truly fascinating, bringing visions of hope to life,” Nagito praised. Ryota eyed Hajime up and down, before putting a finger to his chin.

“Are you sure you’re okay with being this skinny? When we make it back from this trip, the winter will do a real number on you,” he said, turning his attention to Hajime’s lean build.

“He seems really proud of his weight…” Hajime thought.

After that conversation, out of the corner of Hajime’s eye is a girl that nervously eyed him. She had long purple hair that was cut in awkward spots, and wore a nurse uniform along with bandages on her left arm and right leg.

“She’s looking at me funny…”

“I’m sure she just wants to introduce herself to us.” Hajime approached the girl, and offered his introduction.

“Hey, we haven’t met yet, haven’t we?” Hajime smiled, trying not to make things more awkward.

“Um… well, you know…” the girl stuttered for a few seconds. Suddenly, she burst into tears.

“I’m sorry….” she cried.

“Bullying a girl… not cool Hajime.”  Nagito said with a look of disappointment.

“You saw what happened there, I didn’t do anything,” Hajime whispered. He looked around to see if Tenko was anywhere near him, hoping she hadn’t come in and heard that.

“So your name is Hajime…” the girl said through her tears. “Is it okay if I remember your name?”

“O-of course I don’t mind you remembering it. I hope that we can be friends.” Hajime thought he had low self esteem for seeming normal, but this girl is on a whole other level.

“Friends… from the bottom of my heart, I hope that too.” After another second, she began to cry again. “I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself didn’t I? I’m Mikan Tsumiki, I’m t-the Ultimate N-nurse. Please forgive me for that, I’ll let you do anything to me!”

“C’mon, there’s no need for that…” Hajime said, trying to console her crying. “What’s up with her?” Hajime said to Nagito.

“The Ultimate Nurse, huh? It’s a good thing that she’s here, since we’ll need her help if you got injured. If you were ever hurt, you’d need someone like her to treat it, or you’ll get sick and die.”

“For someone who’s looking so forward to our trip, you sure are morbid…”

“Um… you know…” Mikan said, trying to continue the conversation. “I’m sorry! I practiced all morning trying to think of conversation topics, but I’m drawing a blank right now!”

“Don’t worry yourself,” Nagito smiled, trying to console her. “Take the time you need to remember it. We’ll wait as long as it takes. We can wait forever if we have to.” Mikan only cried harder at Nagito’s words.

“I feel like you’re putting more pressure onto her…”

“I don’t remember the first time anyone wants to be friends with me… I’m so happy…” Mikan said, saying something positive for once. “But if you’re ever injured, I promise I’ll help you the best I can.” She gave a nervous smile.  After they parted ways, another student came forward to make an introduction. He was heavily built, even more so than Ryota. The boy wore glasses in front of his beady black eyes, and had short brown hair that turned into a tip. He wore a grey cardigan with a white shirt and orange tie, along with a backpack.

“I am Hifumi Yamada. But you can call me by my nickname, the Alpha and the Omega!” He said, offering a handshake. “Say, how much do you know about 2-D art?”

“Name’s Hajime Hinata,” Hajime said as he returned Hifumi’s offer. “By the way, what do you mean about 2-D Art?” Hifumi’s eyes lit up at Hajime’s question, eager to give a thorough explanation.

“I am known as the Ultimate Fanfic Creator, and I can teach you all about the world of 2-D. In fact, I’ve sold over 10,000 copies of my work in a school event.”

“By 2-D he means anime, huh? I didn’t know it could become such a big deal…”

“Wow, I didn’t know fanfiction could hold so much power,” Nagito said. “Truly, Hope’s Peak saw great potential in you to enlist you as such.”

“Most people don’t get my work,” Hifumi rambled on. “I say they don’t appreciate the true power of 2-D! Their words don’t mean anything. I’m an artist, severely underappreciated in his time. But I’m sure, Mr. Hinata, that you’d know good work when you see it.”

“I would?” Hajime asked, unsure of where Hifumi is bringing the conversation.

“For my work is filled with great meaning, about embracing our basest urges. And you see, that work titled Man’s Nut will help me find just that!” Hifumi pointed at the screen of the vending machine.

“How will a nut make you embrace your, uh… deepest urges?” Hajime asked incredulously.

“Just you wait, Mr. Hinata. If you ever get your hands on one of these, you’ll thank me for bringing it up!” With that, Hifumi walked away, satisfied with having spread the word of 2-D.

“Hmph, that’s a lot to be worked up about a worthless nut.” Hajime eyed the price, and it read 50 Monocoins.

“Hey Nagito,” Hajime asked. “Did Usami mention anything about currency?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“Since everything here is listed in Monocoins…” Hajime thought. “It’s weird, how everything in the isles are apparently free, yet this vending machine has a price on its items.”

“It would be funny if the currency of this island were Monocoins, right?”

“Would it, Nagito? Would it?” Hajime deadpanned.

“There had been no mentions of Monocoins before this, not even by Usami, and everything here is apparently free for us students…. So why would this vending machine exist?” Hajime had little time to think about it, as he noticed a girl with long, dark purple hair tied into pigtails. She wore glasses, and had a scowl on her face, watching him from a distance. She wore a long, purple sailor uniform and fidgeted with her fingers as she stood. He approached her to make an introduction.

“N-n-not that y-you’ll remember my n-name, but I’m T-Toka Fukawa…” she said nervously.

“Hello, I’m Hajime Hinata…” he said. Toko’s lack of confidence seemed to drain him as well.

“I’ve heard of her… she’s the Ultimate Writing Prodigy!” Nagito said to Hajime. “Her hit love novel, So Lingers The Ocean , was an instant masterpiece. It would be crazy if any love starved teen hadn’t heard of her works.”

“So, she’s the one who wrote all those sappy teen romance novels? I didn’t expect the author to be the gloomy type… Wait, did he just call me a love starved teen?”

“H-hey! W-what’re you two whispering about?!” Toko said, her expression growing fierce. “I bet you’re both laughing about how filthy a creature I am! You think it’s so funny, don’t you?”

“I’d never think badly of an Ultimate like you,” Nagito said, completely unaware of Toko’s ire.

“Nagito, I think it’s a bad idea to ad-”

“D-don’t try to deny it!” After a few moments, she turned from fierce back into gloomy. “W-whatever, I’m used to it…” she finished, before storming off. The next student at the market was a tall boy, with dark skin. He had a long, wild set of hair that pointed out in every direction, and a bit of stubble on his chin. He wore a green coat over his shoulders like a cape, and wore a white unbuttoned shirt with his sleeves rolled, revealing another yellow shirt underneath.

“Hey, dudes!” he said to Hajime. “I hope you’re taking things as easy as I am.”

“Well, it seems hard not to here,” Nagito agreed.

“Looks like this guy is taking this even less seriously than Nagito is…”

“Oh, by the way, I’m Yasuhiro Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant. But you can call me Hiro.”

“I’m Hajime Hinata…”

“I was just browsing this place to see if we could have some brewskis, but no such luck.” Hiro shook his head.

“But we’re high schoolers, I wouldn’t expect that there’d be any alcohol here…” Hajime said.

“Well, I’m 21. I’ve been, uh, held back a few times, and it’s a long story.”

“It sure seems like it...”

“Eh, I’m pretty excited about our trip. I thought we’d have to do some lame schoolwork, but it seems like we can spend our days relaxing.” Hiro gave a relaxed sigh. “Yep, no school, worries, or anyone coming after me.”

“Wait, what’s that last thing you just said?” Hajime asked.

“Um, forget I said anything about that… anyway, catch you later, bros!” Just as Hiro walked off, another student approached Hajime. She was a tall girl, with long, blonde hair with intricate braids, fastened by a black ribbon. She had pale skin, with blue eyes, and an extravagant green and white dress with a red ribbon around her neck.

“Ah, so you’re the last person I haven’t introduced myself to,” the girl said. “Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sonia Nevermind.”

“I’m Hajime Hinata.” He couldn’t place his finger on it, but he felt a radiant presence emanating from her.

“I’m a foreign exchange student from a small European kingdom called Novoselic. I may cause some trouble here and there, but I truly hope we get along well.”

“Yeah, so do I…”

“Do you feel enchanted, Hajime?” Nagito asked rhetorically. “Because that’s the Ultimate Princess you’re talking to. She’s actually Novoselic royalty.”

“Everything about her was something else, before he even said that. It’s not just her beauty, but her grace, her charm, it gives off both a certain command and a feeling of ease…”

“It may be rude of me to say,” Sonia said with a flustered smile, “But I’m truly happy.”

“Happy? About what?”

“Ever since I was a child, I was never given the opportunity to befriend others of my age,” Sonia lamented. “But all of this is a completely new experience for me.”

“I guess that isn’t surprising, with her being raised to be a future ruler.”

“I look forward to speaking to you again soon, Hajime,” she finished with a regal and authoritative tone.

“I-I’d be glad to… your majesty.” Hajime said, astonished. All of a sudden, he felt the urge to get down on one knee and bow.

“Please, there’s no need for that,” Sonia smiled. “Refer to me as your friend and classmate.” With that, his introduction with Sonia was finished.

The last student he saw was a girl who was energetically looking up and down the isles. She had long, black and white hair with blue and pink bangs. Her hair was tied up into horns, and she wore a black and white sailor uniform with pink and blue thigh highs.

“Peeking… peeking…” The girl said to herself.

“Hey, can we introduce ourselves?”

“Oh hiiiiiiiiiii who’re you two?” she said with a wide grin.

“I’m Nagito Komaeda.”

“I’m Hajime Hinata…”

“Hold it! Your energy’s super low! Are you feeling alright?”

“This girl’s energy.... certainly is something.”  

“Oh right, introductions! I! Buki! Mio! Da! Put it together and what do you get? Ibuki Mioda!”

“You’re the Ultimate Musician, right?” Nagito asked. “Your hit single from your band sold over a million copies!”

“Like Bach, Edison, Da Vinci, Socrates, Shakespeare, I too am a famous musician!” Ibuki boasted.

“She must really be passionate about music…” Hajime thought.

“Wait, most of those people aren’t even musicians...”

“Don’t sweat that, Hajime!” She smiled.

“Hey, after everyone we’ve met, have you remembered your talent yet?” Nagito asked, still anticipating Hajime’s ultimate ability.

“My talent?” Hajime just realized that even after all this time, he still hasn’t remembered. “Crap, after all this time, I still don’t remember.”

“How odd…” Nagito mused. “But I’m sure Hope’s Peak wouldn’t just lump in a talentless student in with us, so keep trying.”

“What’s that? You don’t remember your talent?” Ibuki cut in.

“Wait, you heard us?”

“Like I said, Ibuki is the Ultimate Musician!”

“So you have good hearing, that’s what you're saying?”

“Even if you’re worried about our school trip, troubling yourself with your talent won’t make things better. It’s best to enjoy yourself while you still can.”

“Um, well… I’ll try to think about that,” Hajime said, not expecting such a line from her.

“Whoops, was Ibuki running her mouth off?” She asked. “Anyways, it was nice meeting you, Hajime! I’ll catch you lateeeeer!” With that, Ibuki trailed off, eager to look at whatever the island had in store for her.

“47 students… that seems to be all of them, right?” Hajime asked. Just as he finished, an announcement appeared from the monitor of the market.

“Can I have everyone’s attention please?” Usami said through the monitor. “I hope that you're looking forward to getting along with your classmates! I know I am! However, I'm sorry to interrupt, but please gather at the beach!” After she finished, the monitor went dark yet again.

“She wants us to meet at the beach?” Hajime asked inquisitively. “What does she want from us now?” He felt worry swell up in his body, yet again. Even after meeting everyone, he didn’t feel his suspicion die down.

“We should head over there just to see what's going on,” Nagito said. “I don’t think it could be anything dangerous.”

“I hope you’re right about that,” Hajime said, still unsure of what to make of this island. With that, the two made their way to the beach.

Chapter Text

Makoto and Sayaka having finished their introductions, made their way back to the beach.

"I thought it would take forever, but we learned the names of all the students here."

"Some of them have made a big impression already," Sayaka said. "I can't wait to learn more about them."

"Is your mouth dry? I felt like I've been talking for hours."

"I get used to both singing and talking a lot... Meeting up with fans and talking to the presses of course. But more importantly, you've already remembered the names of everyone here, right?"

"Don't put me on the spot... but I guess that's what happens when you do your homework beforehand."

"Hehe, having a good memory is almost as good as being psychic, huh? I think I was right to be excited to see you again."

"S-She really isn't pulling her punches, huh?" Makoto asked. "I-I guess she took me more than just a familiar face." Finally, they were greeted by Taka, who was more than eager to corall them in with the rest of the students.

“Makoto!” Taka shouted. “You two are the last people to arrive! Don’t waste time on idle chit-chat when there’s much to discuss about our situation!”

“But isn’t the whole point of being here apparently to idly chit chat?”

“Don’t worry about it, Makoto.” Kaede assured. “We’re just going to talk about what we discovered on this island.”

“I think it’s best that we know our surroundings before going forward.” Shuichi added. “We don’t have a lot of time to discuss until Usami shows up.”

“Have any of you visited the central island with the park and statue?” Ryota asked. “There seem to be bridges that branch off to other islands, I’d presume.”

“But what is  indeed strange is that most of the bridges are gated,” Sakura mused. “What purpose does it serve to bar us from exploring the rest of the islands?”

“Could it be because the islands are under maintenance?” Chihiro thought aloud.

“Hmph. If so, Usami, or whoever put us on this trip isn’t very good at planning.” Ryoma said.

“Aside from that, this island’s pretty cool isn’t it?” Leon smiled. “Joining Hope’s Peak ain’t half bad if this is where we’re gonna be.”

“About what’s on the island, all of us have cottages,” Mahiru stated. “It’s fairly high quality and fancy, so bedding shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Gonta found a ranch! Gonta is happy, cuz he can make many bug friends there!” Everyone tried their best to hide their revulsion.

“What is most perplexing…” Gundham began. “Is that this island, though uninhabited, has no wild beasts running about. What cataclysm could’ve left this land forsaken?”

“God, listening to you is embarrassing,” Hiyoko winced at his speech. “This trip’s gonna suck if I have to hear you talk like that all day.”

“I doubt anything bad happened to this island,” Peko cut in. “Maybe Usami arranged for its inhabitants to be cleared?”

“The hotel has a large restaurant upstairs.” Kirumi said. “However, if anyone isn’t satisfied by the food here, I’ll be more than happy to cook, as there’s also a kitchen in the restaurant.”

“Ibuki looked through the market!” Ibuki chimed in cheerfully. “That place has everything! Snacks, food, drinks, sporting stuff, everything that you can think of!”

“There’s an airport here too…” Mondo said. “But it’s pretty fuckin useless; none of the airplanes there work.”

“There’s an old, beat up building too.” Kokichi said. “But when I tried to go in, Monomi told me it was under renovation and I couldn’t go in. Of course, that didn’t stop me,’ he grinned as he put his arms behind his back.

“You haven’t even been on this island for a day, and you’re already causing trouble?” Mahiru scolded. “Jeez, boys like you are the worst, always looking for a way to shorten their lifespan.”

“Well, Kokichi, what did you find in there?” Shuichi asked.

“I’m not telling you…” Kokichi said slyly. “You were ready to accept not knowing what was in there before I snuck in. So if you want to know, then look in yourself.”

“Guys, guys” Teruteru said. “I think we’re all missing the important thing here, because I found…” Teruteru’s eyes lit up. “That this island is full of cute girls!”

“Quiet, you degenerate male!” Tenko shouted upon hearing his words. In a swift motion, she dashed through the sand and threw the boy onto the ground. “I’m surprised that Hope’s Peak would ever let a pervert like you in!”

“This is even better than I expected…” Teruteru said with enthusiasm “Being dominated by an adorable yet strong woman like you is making me really excited!” It looked as if Tenko’s assault did nothing to stifle his pleasure. That was enough to make Tenko recoil in disgust.

“A fight’s breaking out?!” Akane yelled suddenly. “Count me in! This is what vacation’s all about, right?”

“What a group of simpletons,” Byakuya stated, having already regretted gathering here. “Not even an hour here, and you’re already making fools of yourselves.”

“T-this is already getting too weird for m-me…” Toko muttered solemnly. “What’s the p-point of sunshine and clear skies if I’m still gonna feel like crap…”

“Come on, why are you all spending all of your time fighting when there’s beach all around us!” Hina exclaimed. “I found some swimming gear in my cottage, and I’m totally pumped!”

“Speaking of cottages,” Sakura added. “Has anyone else taken a look at their rooms?”

“I found mine to be comfortable.” Celeste remarked. “It does not suit my image to stand around in the sun all day, so it’s nice to have somewhere to retire when I need to.”

“I ALSO FOUND MY COTTAGE TO MY LIKING!” Nekomaru roared. “THE BATHROOM IS VERY HIGH QUALITY!”

“Nyeh… whoever put us here designed our cottages to be unique,” Himiko said. “It’s pretty impressive they found some arcane equipment to put in my room. It’s not easy to find good mage gear.”

“Moving forward…” Taka said, taking the reins of the conversation. “Has anyone figured out just where on earth are we?”

“This island is most certainly part of Atua’s domain,” Angie said. “So there’s nothing to worry about.”

“So you know where we are?” Makoto asked.

“Nope, nope, but this place is kind of similar to where my island is.”

“I think I have an idea,” Rantaro said. “An archipelago of five connected by a central island. That reminds me of Jabberwock Island.”

“An excellent deduction by the Ultimate Adventurer!” Nagito praised. “Are you saying you’ve been here before?” Rantaro closed his eyes, and thought deeply for a moment. He shook his head.

“Damn… I don’t remember ever traveling here.” Rantaro grimaced. “I remember researching this place, and I’ve explored many different islands in the Pacific Ocean. It’s odd that I haven’t been here, and it’s one of the more famous ones.”

“I too have studied the geography and history of this island.” Keebo said. “But what worries me that is if really was Jabberwock Island, then…” Keebo scratched his cheek in thought, before looking away. “It can’t be… never mind.”

“Never mind?” Miu said. “You can’t just leave a girl like that and never finish!”

“I assure you,” Keebo said nervously. “I will talk more of it once we know more clearly what’s going on.”

“You do not have to talk if you are uncomfortable.” Kirumi assured. “Regardless, it appears that we’re going to live together on this island, right?”

“Living on a tropical island sounds sooo exciting! Ibuki’s looking forward to this!”

“Are you kidding? This place is far better than being at school and doing work!” Hina chirped.

“I’m not gonna lie, this island seems like a pretty nice place to stay,” Makoto said.

“Why’s everyone…” Hajime couldn’t believe that there were so many people just accepting their situation.

“I like this island a lot!” Hiyoko beamed. “But the people here are a different matter.” Hiyoko’s face darkened into a condescending sneer.

“Don’t you all find this a little worrying?” Hajime asked.

“Though… it’s true this place is a little worrying,” Mahiru began. “There’s no real danger here, and it seems like we can do whatever we want, so I think we should make the best out of what we got.”

“We were all supposed to enroll into Hope’s Peak, aren’t we? And now we suddenly have to live on this island?”

“I agree with Hajime on this one,” Kaede said. “Just being stuck here worries me.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s suspicious here…”

“I’m also gonna hop in and say that they can’t just keep us stuck here.” Mondo said. “Something fucked up could be going on…”

“The Luminary of the Stars can’t be holed up on this island, when space is on the horizon!” Kaito joined in.

“Your fears are irrational,” Gundham stated. “I suggest you should calm down for a moment.”

“Besides, Mr. Hinata.” Hifumi said. “It’s not like we could escape if we wanted to.”

“We already saw that there are no boats, and no planes either,” Kazuichi recalled.

“And it looks like we’re cut off from the outside world,” Sayaka said. “There’s no Wifi no phones, nor is there any reception here. I just figured that the phone I brought with me disappeared.”

“How interesting that they took away our means of communication…” Korekiyo thought. “Yet they allowed us to keep other items with us. Gonta’s insect cage, Angie’s toolbelt, all remain untouched.”

“Can’t we just swim back?” Akane asked.

“Yeah,” Hina agreed. “If I ever get bored of this place, I can just swim back to the mainland!”

“I-I can’t swim that far!” Mikan cried.

“Can’t?” Nekomaru asked. “WHERE’S YOUR FIGHTING SPIRIT?!”

“T-there’s no w-way any of us can swim that m-much!” Toko stuttered incredulously.

“Maybe we can cut down some of these trees to build a raft?” Hajime proposed. Immediately after that suggestion, Usami once again appeared.

“Whoa! How did you get here?” Kazuichi said, startled.

“You can’t do that! I’m very serious!” Usami scolded. “Remember our rules from the guide! Throwing garbage and damaging the environment is forbidden. Let’s live in harmony with nature on this beautiful island. All I wish for you is to live with your friends peacefully on this tropical island!”

“We never agreed to following your rules!” Hajime retorted.

“C’mon dude, stop arguing.” Leon grumbled. “You’re just gonna get us all into trouble and ruin this trip if you keep this up.”

“I get that you’re worried, Hajime.” Nagito said, trying to reassure Hajime. “However, I think you should calm down.”

“Come on, we can’t just accept being stuck here!” Kaito said, still arguing for escape.

“But it seems as long as we gather the so called hope shards, we can go free, right?” Chiaki argued.

“Do you really fucking believe that?” Mondo asked.

“I-it looks like there’s nothing we can do but believe it…” Mikan said.

“Nothing we can do? That’s only something you say if you’ve given up!” Kaito retorted.

“Usami, why have you gathered us here?” Peko inquired.

“Oh that’s right! I haven’t forgot!” Usami said. “Here they are!” She presented the entire group  with keychains with her design on it.

“Erm… what exactly are those supposed to be?” Makoto asked, not expecting to receive such a thing.

“Hehehe, those are my Usami charms!” Usami boasted. “They speak when you push their belly!” She pressed one of them, and with that, the charm played a jingle;

“My name is Usami… Magical Girl Miracle Usami! I’m a tiny sweet milky girl!”

“This is plebian filth,” Byakuya scoffed.

“A-as if anyone would take something as trashy as t-that!” Toko scathed.

“I didn’t expect or want anything from you coming here,” Ryoma sighed. “Yet I can still clearly see everyone else’s disappointment.”

“I’m… ashamed of myself for looking forward to it,” Teruteru winced.

“Really? I think they’re actually pretty cute. Especially the rabbit ears.” Chiaki commented, defending Usami for once.

“Well that’s because I am a rabbit!” Usami responded. Nevertheless, a few seconds later, almost every Usami Charm was lying on the ground. As expected, as soon as everyone got theirs, they threw them away.

“Hey, leaving garbage on the ground is prohibited!” Usami said, unamused.

“Um, I think you just admitted to your products being trash…” Tsumugi said. Usami, crestfallen, proceeded to pick up the charms that everyone left on the ground.

“Uu…” Usami cried. “I even prepared another present. But you’re all horrible children and I don’t want to give them anymore…”

“What? So you’re saying you have something else?” Maki said, her patience thin with Usami’s antics.

“Well, compared to Usami charms it’s not a big deal, but I prepared a motive for all of you…”

“A motive?”

“That’s right. A motive for everyone to become friends. As long as we’re by the sea, I figured we’d do something for the occasion.”

“A welcoming party, is this where this is going?” Kaito asked.

“Bingo!”

“A festival?” Sonia’s eyes glimmered. “Is there going to be mikoshi? How wonderful?”

“If we’re by the sea,” Ryota mused. “We should have a barbecue! No beachside trip would be complete without sausages and steak sizzling in the ocean breeze.”

“You know what, staying here for a bit doesn’t sound so bad,” Mondo said, finally letting up. “We could get a sick ass bonfire here too.”

“I KNOW! WE CAN DO SOME BEACH VOLLEYBALL TO IMPROVE OUR COMPETITIVE SPIRIT AND TEAMWORK!” Nekomaru suggested.

“I know you all have your wishes,” Usami said, breaking the speculation. “But since we’re at sea, this is a good start.” Two bags for sportswear then appeared in front of her.

“Swimming bags?” Nagito thought aloud.

“Bingo! Love, love! I prepared swimsuits for each of you! They’re school swimsuits, but please put up with em!”

“You see?! There’s no better way to start an island vacation than to go for a round of swimming!” Hina exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement. “I’m getting changed into my personal one right now!” She bolted off to the change rooms, without looking back.

“You want us to wear swimsuits right now?” Hajime asked, still suspicious.

“I’m not ordering you to do anything,” Usami said, hurt by Hajime’s words. “ I-I just thought some of you would like to swim.”

“Normally, I hate getting all sweaty in the sun,” Leon said, relaxed. “But hell, this is pretty neat!”

“Wooohooo! Ibuki is super excited!”

“Though I’m still concerned about our studies,” Taka pondered. “There’s no harm in honing our aquatic skills.”

“The weather’s pretty great. I wouldn’t mind going for a dip,” Rantaro lended his thoughts.

“I agree with that fully…” Teruteru said, a perverted grin on his face. “My lower body is also in agreement!”

“I’ll make sure no dirty degenerate touches or even looks at a girl!” Tenko shouted.

“You virgins won’t even last a second looking at my busty ass body!” Miu laughed.

“It’s been years since I last swam in the ocean,” Mahiru said, also excited to swim. Soon enough, many of the students took their swimming suit, and ran to the hotel to change. However, Hajime still felt apprehensive. Even with the cheers of his classmates, he still can’t bring himself to relax.

“Hajime, are you alright?” Nagito asked. “I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t want to say anything out of line, but I’d be happy if you joined us when you feel like it.” With that, he too, walked off. He turned, and saw a good chunk of students still at the beach. That group consisted of Kaede, Shuichi, Kaito, Maki, Ryoma, Gonta, Korekiyo, Kirumi, Hiyoko, Byakuya, Toko, Ryota, Fuyuhiko, Celeste, Chihiro, and Kyoko.

“That goes for you too, Shuichi, Kaede…” Nagito said. “I know you’re trying to figure out why we’re here, and how to escape, but from the bottom of my heart, I’d appreciate it if we can spend our time here being friends.”

“I also want to be friends with everyone here,” Kaede responded. “I guess I wouldn’t mind joining in. Shuichi, are you coming?”

“Sorry,” Shuichi said nervously as he pulled his hat. “I’m just… not suited for swimming.”

“Well, what about you Kaito?”

“Don’t get me wrong, believe me, astronaut training made me quite the swimmer,” Kaito boasted. “But… my muscles are cramping, so I’ll sit out for  now.”

“He’s a little full of himself, isn’t he?” Kaede thought.

“I also wouldn’t waste my time swimming,” Maki said sharply.

“What’s wrong with swimming?” Kaede asked in response to her cold tone.

“Nothing’s wrong, but you can all count me out.” Kaede turned to Ryoma. “Aren’t you gonna swim as well?”

“As you can see, I’m not the kind of person who goes swimming,” he deadpanned, gesturing to his lack of height.

“There’s nothing wrong from sitting back and observing,” Korekiyo chuckled under his mask. “As an anthropologist, many times you use your eyes alone to witness beauty.”

“Is this guy getting joy out of watching people swim?” Kaede thought.

“Though swimming is fun, Gonta must watch bugs and make sure no one steps on them.” Kaede eyed Hiyoko on the other side, crushing ants and crabs. If Gonta ever found out, then Hiyoko would be in big trouble.

“I’ll give massages to anyone who requests,” Kirumi said. “And I will make sure no one drowns.”

“Pathetic,” Byakuya scoffed. “That rabbit must truly be dull if if thinks I’ll ever use the same water as these nobodies.”

“W-what’s s-so good about water anyway?” Toko muttered. “It’s all overrated.” Kaede decided it was best that she changed now, before she was left behind by the others.

____________________________________________________________

Soon enough, Makoto arrived back to the beach after changing. His bare feet touched the sand; it was warm, but never burned his soles. He felt the sunlight brushing his back, and the salty ocean breeze upon his face. But more importantly, he could hear his classmates run past him, eager to set foot onto the waves. He saw a variety of activities; Gundham and Himiko drawing on the sand, apparently trying to practice magical rituals. Teruteru was “volunteering” to give sunscreen to the girls, only to be given dirty looks by all who passed him. Hina, Mukuro and Peko were swimming through the waves, with Ibuki tasting that the water was undeniably salty. Other students like Hiro and Leon sat lazily on the beach, relaxing. Nekomaru had even set up a volleyball game for some of the students to join in. Makoto laid down a towel, and took a seat near the shade of trees. There, Sayaka approached him again. He restlessly eyed her body up and down.

“Sayaka looks really pretty,” Makoto thought. “Even when wearing a plain school swimsuit, her curves are displayed really well.” He paused for a moment before realizing what he was truly thinking. “Damnit, I shouldn’t be thinking about stuff like that.”

“As a pop star, I’m used to people looking at me, thinking weird thoughts,” Sayaka began, breaking Makoto’s train of thought. “It really makes me uncomfortable, honestly, but I know that you’re too pure to think about stuff like that, right Makoto?”

“Y-yeah…” Makoto said, hoping that his face doesn’t turn red with embarrassment.

“So, how do you feel about our trip now?” Sayaka asked.

“Well, at first I was a bit suspicious about why we were here…” Makoto said. “I think a lot of people felt that way too. But a normal guy like me, hanging with real ultimates like you like this is pretty exciting.”

“Speaking of ultimate, you haven't really explained your talent, have you? I'd love to hear what it means.”

"Crap... this is gonna sound so uncool. And it's not like anyone was terribly interested either, especially compared to... the other luckster."

“I wouldn’t say it’s really a talent…” Makoto said sheepishly. “Being the Ultimate Lucky Student isn't a dedicated interest.”

“If it's not about an interest or skill, what is it really about?”

“Well it’s just some lottery that Hope’s Peak pulls every year, and they just so happened to pick me.”

“Well, if you’re lucky enough to get in a school like Hope’s Peak, I bet you’re lucky wherever you go.”

“That ain't th case. I’ve always had bad luck for as long as I can remember. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve tripped, lost my things, or been hit by-” Just as Makoto said that, he saw Nekomaru spike a ball to Akane, which she tried to bump with her wrists. The ball shot in angle, ripping through the air toward Maki who was leaning by a palm tree.

“She’s gonna get hit!” Makoto thought. But just then, like lightning, she struck the ball away with a quick reflex, causing the ball to ricochet off Hifumi, and straight toward Ryoma.

“Yow!” Hifumi yelped. “Just because I look like I can tank doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt!”

“It was pretty lucky that she could deflect that even with the force of the ball. But I’d hate to be Ryoma, who’s about to get hit real ha-” Ryoma almost dropped his cigarette as he quickly grabbed a nearby stick on the ground, and volleyed it to the ground. However, the ball tore through the sand, like a snowball down a hill, straight toward Makoto.

“Crap, why do I always have to get in situations like this!” He frantically crawled out of the way, the ball narrowly missing him. He could feel the sand being thrown up and sprinkling his hair and back, and the ball finally came to a stop when it hit a nearby rock, tearing a crater in it.

“What… the,” Makoto said, out of breath, still trying to relay what had just happened.

“I see what you mean when you were talking about luck,” Sayaka smiled. She too was in awe of how Makoto almost took a huge hit from the ball.

“Yo, sorry dudes, sometimes I just hit things way too hard!” Akane grinned.

“Akane, being in control of your energy is an essential part of being an athlete!” Nekomaru scolded. “You won’t be able to put any of it to use if you can’t control yourself! Makoto, I have to commend your reflexes there! It takes more than a normal person to dodge a hit amplified by top athletes!”

“Wha- don’t get the wrong idea,” Makoto said. He clearly wasn’t in the mood for being recruited by Nekomaru for more sport. “I was just lucky enough to dodge it.”

“When you say that you’re unlucky, at least you’re lucky enough to get yourself out of bad situations, right?” Sayaka said.

“I… guess you’re right about that,” Makoto said. “But I’d rather not be in situations like these in the first place.”

“Hmph… Thought I could stop the ball by hitting it to the ground.” Ryoma said. “But it hit someone instead.”

“Maki, I didn’t know you can hit a ball like that. You really must have THE INNER WORKINGS OF AN ATHLETE!” Nekomaru said.

“Don’t think anything of it.” Maki deadpanned. “Sometimes, kids make me play their sports, that’s all.” It was certain that Makoto almost died, but he can’t help but think about the fun his classmates were having.

“Makoto!” Mikan cried out. “I saw what happened, and wanted to check if you were hurt!”

“Thanks for the concern, Mikan,” Makoto said, trying to console her through her tears. “I didn’t get hurt at all.”

“Are you sure?” Mikan prodded. “Sometimes, adrenaline can suppress the pain of even grievous injuries, allowing one to act even when their life is in mortal danger.”

“Don’t worry, Mikan, it looks me to like he’s okay,” Sayaka assured. “But thank you for your concern, it means a lot.”

“I-it does?” Mikan laughed nervously. “T-thank you, no one has ever said that to me.” She smiled, with a tint of rose lining her face.

“Keebo, I want to explore the ocean!” Kokichi shouted to the robot as he ran up and jumped on his back. “Turn into a boat!”

“That’s robophobic!” Keebo said, trying to get the boy off his back. “I’m not equipped with aquatic exploratory functions!”

“Jeez, you’re pretty useless,” Kokichi said in disappointment. “How am I going to conquer the ocean now?”

___________________________________________________________________

Kaede was also eager to spend the day relaxing on the beach. She looked over and saw Angie, sculpting with sand. She was still wearing her normal attire without her jacket, which is understandable because she always seems to be wearing swimwear.

“Do you craft with sand a lot, Angie?” Kaede asked.

“Though I usually sculpt with wax, I used sand a lot back on my island,” Angie replied. “But the sand on my island was a lot higher quality.” She set her pail and shovel down, and let her eyes met Kaede’s. “You’re the Ultimate Pianist, are you not? We should totally totally make art together!”

“Art together?” Kaede echoed. “Though I love the idea of playing piano at the beach as long as sand doesn’t get everywhere, I don’t know if there’s a piano anywhere in this resort.”

“I’ve talked with a lot of people here, and a lot of them are artists! Sayaka, Ibuki, Mahiru, Toko, even Hifumi, all of them must have been gathered by Atua!”

“By Atua?” Kaede asked.

“It seems like Atua gathered artists to his domain from all over Japan. His divine power must be concentrated right here.”

“I’m not sure about that, but I think it would be fun to get together and make well, something.” Kaede replied. She wasn’t sure if anything good would come out of everyone’s style clashing together, but she is eager to getting to know everyone better.

“Well, how does Atua drive your art? Well, Kaede how, how?” Angie asked, swaying herself left to right.

“What do you mean by driving my art?” Kaede asked, perplexed.

“Everything I do, it is actually Atua doing the work. I’m just his humble vessel,” Angie explained. “When you play piano, don’t you feel his divine inspiration too?”

“Well, no… I play the piano with my own motivation.”

“It sounds like you haven’t been introduced to Atua yet! He would love to hear you play!”

“I won’t lie, she really is starting to sound like a door to door missionary…” Kaede thought. “Thanks for the offer, Angie, but I’m good with how I make art now.”

“How unfortunate,” Angie sighed. “But remember, Atua will always welcome you when you’re ready! The same goes for everyone else here!”

“I’ll see you later, Angie; don’t let me interrupt you any further from your sculpting.” With that, Kaede walked off, closer to the waters. She dipped her feet into the shallow waves. The water too, was strangely warm. It was more like the kind found in an indoor pool than one in the ocean. It was almost eerily comfortable, if such a thing existed. That’s how this whole island felt to her. Though it was relaxing to be here, hopefully there is a guaranteed way out before she got too used to this life.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been 20 minutes, and Hajime continued to sit on the sand, and observe his classmates, swimming and frolicking at the beach. It was clear to him that his fellow students were living like there wasn’t a care in the world. But for some reason, Hajime just can’t bring himself to get up, run to the hotel, and change without worry. Something deep inside still gnawed at him. Were they too carefree, or is he to uptight, he wondered.

“Kukuku, are you also a man who derives pleasure from observation?” Korekiyo chuckled.

“Dude, don’t word it like I’m some sort of creep or anything,” Hajime grumbled as got up, brushing the sand off his pants.

“I don’t mean anything by that. As an anthropologist, observation is the key to knowledge. But now I see that you’re put into unease, despite our accommodations.”

“Well I see you aren’t exactly running around in the sand like the others. Don’t you feel the same way?”

“There is beauty in uncertainty, Hajime. Moving forward is all that we can do right now.”

“Yeah I know that,” Hajime said. “But still, everything about it, I just can’t help but feel wary.”

“Hmmm, very interesting,” Korekiyo pondered. “Perhaps, you could be possessed by a spirit? Could that be why you feel all these negative thoughts?”

“Hey, cut that crap out,” Kaito said, with a drop of sweat going down his forehead. “Ghosts aren’t real! Especially not on this island!”

“What would make you think that?” Korekiyo asked. “If some terrible tragedy did befall unto this island’s inhabitants, perhaps their spirits still roam this innocent looking resort?”

“C’mon! That’s  really uncool, dude!” Kaito said, appearing more uneasy at Korekiyo’s remarks. “There’s no way any bad shit happened here.” Hajime can’t help but chuckle at the banter.

“For the Luminary Of The Stars, you sure are scared of a lot of things.”

“Not you too, Hajime,” Kaito sulked. “When I go to space, I won’t have time to worry about crap like ghosts.”

“And for that reason, that is why I’d rather remain on this world,” Korekiyo disagreed. “I find even the dead here more vibrant than space.”

“Those are some fighting words right there,” Kaito bickered. Hajime excused himself before an argument can break out. Strangely, Korekiyo’s words got to him. He wasn’t in any danger. What reason does he have to worry? And even then, why would he sit around and sulk about everything?

“I’m wasting my time acting all uptight, but that won’t solve anything. It won’t make me happy.” Hajime got up, ready to join everyone else on the fun.

“So, I see you’ve made up your mind,” Nagito said.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be left behind at a time like this,” Hajime replied. “I don’t think I’m gonna change, since it’s a bit late for that, but there’s a lot of stuff to do at the beach.”

“Well, I’m glad to see that you’re at least gonna try to have fun.” As he finished that, clouds started to rumble and blocked the skies. The beach was bathed in a grim darkness.

“What was that?” Hajime asked. “I swear it was sunny outside the whole day.”

“Surely, it can’t be anything more than my bad luck, right?” Nagito asked.

“See, Kaito? I told you the supernatural has more of a hand in our life than you think.”

“Gyah! N-no way! Th-this is all a coincidence!” Kaito was pale, on the brink of tears.

“Yo, what gives?” Akane asked, annoyed by the sudden change of atmosphere. “The beach party can’t be over, can it?”

“This is starting to get a little eerie,” Mahiru observed. “Usami, did you know about this?”

“Wh-wha?” Usami stammered. “What’s going on, what’s this?” It appeared that she, too, was unsure of this situation. “This is impossible, this sort of thing shouldn’t happen!” Then suddenly, the monitor next to the palm tree crackled into static. After a few moments, Hajime could barely make out a silhouette.

“Ahem, mic check, mic check. Can you hear me?” That voice, it was far different from Usami’s despite being light and high pitched. It seemed easygoing, but Hajime could sense a bottomless pit of malice. He couldn’t help but shiver at those words. He knew that his other classmates could feel it too.

“Gh, w-what’s this?” Miu cried. “Who’s this weirdo killing the fucking mood?” Despite her profanity, Miu visibly grimaced and shook.

“Puhuhu, I’ve kept you all waiting for far too long. Let’s end this boring opening act… It’s time for the main event! Please gather at Jabberwock Park, you bastards!”

“That voice!” Usami said in realization. “I-it can’t be! But that’s terrible! If I don’t do something…” Usami grabbed her staff and began to walk away. “I must do something!” With that, she disappeared yet again.

“That was unsettling,” Chiaki remarked, still seemingly calm about the situation. “I think we should go too. To Jabberwock Park.”

“What was that supposed to be?” Maki deadpanned. “Another farce?” She began to walk at a brisk pace, not sparing a glance at those who are still in swimwear.

“Wait, Maki, don’t leave us behind!” Kaito ran after her. He was clearly shaken up by the situation.

“Kukuku, something grim, yet interesting has unfolded before us. I too, shall make my way there.” With that, Korekiyo walked off.

“What the fuck was that?” Fuyuhiko said, agitated by the announcement. “I swear if this is some joke, I’m gonna cut someone.”

“It looks like I should get going too,” Ryota said. Hajime saw that more and more of the people who haven’t changed were walking away.

“Hey, what about the people who were still swimming?” Hajime asked, concerned for what would happen to those who didn’t come.

“They should be able to handle themselves” Ryota replied.

“W-who cares about them anyway?!” Toko asked. “I-if they want to continue flaunting their bodies i-instead of seeing what’s going on, they deserve to s-stay in the dark.”

“Aw, and there are so many crabs around,” Hiyoko pouted. “Well, I hope there are at least some ants to trample at the park!” With that, Hiyoko also took her leave. Hajime saw the other students quickly making their way to the hotel to change.

“Nyeh, and  was so close to finishing my incantation…” Himiko said.

“It probably sounded like a degenerate talking, anyway.” Tenko said, despite looking uneasy. “I doubt it’s anything important.”

“Damn, this is a mood killer,” Leon grumbled. “And I thought this would be a good time to meet up with some of the ladies here.”

“Dude, as if you had any luck in the first place,” Mondo responded.

_______________________________________________________________

Makoto was one of the many who took the detour to the hotel to change. He left his cottage, once again donning his hoodie and began to make his way to the park. There, he ran into Hina.

“Hey, Hina,” Makoto said.

“Sorry, Makoto, not in the mood.” Hina looked noticeably irritated. “When someone interrupts my swimming, they’re gonna pay real hard.”

“Looks like things have gotten even weirder here,” Makoto said. “Hopefully, nothing bad comes of it.”

“Dude, this is obviously a prank,” Hiro joined in. “They obviously wanted to scare us while we were  having fun at the beach.”

“Oh? And what about the change in weather?” Hina challenged.

“Of course they predicted it would rain today, and decided to make something around that.”

“Predicting?” Hina asked. “If what you’re saying is true, then looks like there’s already someone better at predictions than you are.”

“Hey, don’t be mean!” Hiro said defensively. “I’ll have you know that I’m right 30% of the time, 100% of the time! That’s better than any weatherman you’ve ever seen, right?”

“This guy’s… kinda in denial, isn’t he?”

“Well, said normal weathermen have a better chance than The Ultimate Clairvoyant,” Kazuchi teased, joining in on the fun.

“Now you’re just teaming up on me,” Hiro said, defeated. Soon enough, Makoto arrived at Jabberwock park. At that point, most of the other students were already there. Usami’s yells reverberated through the air.  

“Where are you? Where are you hiding?!” Usami yelled to nowhere in particular, waving her staff.

“Who’s hiding?: Makoto asked. “Who’s there?” Not a moment too soon, a mocking laugh rippled through the air.

“Puhuhuhuhu!”

“That voice is one most fiendish!” Gundham said. “Even my diabolical dark devas are wary of its wielder!”

“Hey, hey! Where are you? Show yourself!” Usami said, trying to entice its owner out.
“Ahahahaha!” Makoto noticed where the voice came from. He looked at the statue all the other students gathered around. It was one with a large, stone base with a towering figure of a tiger, a horse, a snake, and a man with a spear. Perched on the man’s wrist was a large, exotic bird. When everyone’s attention had been gathered, finally, the owner of the voice showed itself. It was a plush of a bear, not too unlike Monomi in size and proportions, but a bit taller. Its right half was white and looked innocent, but his left half was dark, and had a wicked grin and red eye.

“Have I kept you waiting?” The bear asked rhetorically. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I, am Monokuma. And I am this school’s headmaster!” Monokuma leapt from the base of the statue, onto the cobblestone ground.

“What are you, and what the hell are you doing here?” Kaito shouted.

“You seem a lot more confident now that you know that a bear’s in control, not a ghost. But wait, that’s not the problem!” Hajime thought.

“Explain what is happening at once.” Sakura demanded, unamused by his appearance.

“As I thought, it is you!” Usami shouted. “But why, why is Monokuma here?”

“Wait, so you know this… bear?” Byakuya inquired.

“Quiet!” Monokuma shouted with his claws beared. “I hate this tepid, lukewarm mood that you bastards are putting on! Heart throbbing school trip? Don’t make me laugh! Give me something despair inducing, something that the people really want! Despair! Suffering!”

“U-um, those sound like bad people.” Mikan whimpered.

“What the fuck is this stuffed toy?” Fuyuhiko spat. “What’s this bullshit that he’s spewing?”

“Indeed, this sounds really troubling.” Kyoko said, seemingly unfazed by Monokuma’s appearance.

“Careful everyone, he’s dangerous!” Usami said. “I don’t know why Monokuma is here, but as long as I have this magic stick!” Just as Usami mentioned that, Monokuma pounced her. It was like a whirlwind. Monokuma clawed and kicked at Usami with all of his might. Though the confrontation must have only lasted a few seconds, it felt like an hour. However, when the dust cleared, Usami was on the floor, beaten, the stick in Monokuma’s hand. He laid the stick onto the ground, and with a swift stomp, he broke the stick into two.

“What… the hell is going on here?” Makoto couldn’t believe what was in front of him.

“Fuwaa! My magic stick!” Usami cried, though she was unable to fight anymore.

“And for the finishing touch,” Monokuma eyed the defeated Usami. “I’m about to remake you to my liking!” He once again pounced onto Monomi, and after a few more seconds of scuffle, Usami had been changed. Her once uniform white fur colour was now pink on her left side, and her right side had a pink ribbon. To top it off, her magical girl outfit had been replaced with a white diaper.

“What’s with this terrible outfit?” Usami cried in protest. “Change me back right now.”

“Your premise was too iffy,” Monokuma said. “You’re now my little sister, Monomi.”

“I never agreed to that!” Monomi yelled. “I can’t let you make all of these changes.” She looked at this page. “W-wha? Now I’m even being written as Monomi?”

“You’re pissing me off, little sister,” Monokuma scorned. “You think you can fight back against your big brother?!” Monokuma winded up his arm, and punched Monomi, throwing her onto the floor.

“Uwaa! Being punched hurts so much!” Monomi sobbed.

“Gonta is confused…” Gonta cut in. “Why are two stuffed animals fighting?”

“H-hey! What’s going on w-with this discount p-puppet show?!” Toko stammered in disbelief.

“Beats the shit out of me…” Mondo said.

“It’s too much. I can’t bear to see even Usami get hurt like this,” Chihiro said. It looked like the violence got even to her.

“It looks like, something bad is taking place.” Chiaki said, trying to keep everyone calm.

“What do you mean something bad, Ms. Nanami?” Hifumi said, worried by the increasing sense of dread.

“Ibuki even saw her turning into those trashy colours!” Ibuki shouted, astonished by the sight.

“What’s going on? This black and white raccoon is creating such a commotion!” Even Peko was finding t difficult to remain calm in this situation.

“I’m not a raccoon! I am Monokuma!” Monokuma shouted, offended.

“Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?” Miu asked. “Now this new fugly ass stuffed toy’s showing up, everything’s dark, and I gotta take a shit.”

“I’m not a stuffed toy! That’s no way to talk to Monokuma, your headmaster!”

“What do you mean by headmaster?” Makoto asked. He couldn’t believe that this bear would even claim to be the headmaster of Hope’s Peak

“Yeah, your headmaster has an announcement for you bastards. Our Killing School Trip begins… now.”

“Mutual killing? This is a joke, right?” Hiro said, worrying deeply for his safety.  

“Making friends is something so despairingly boring!” Monokuma explained. “Wouldn’t you agree that something like this is more fun?”

“What do you mean mutual killing?” Taka asked. “Explain yourself at once!”

“It’s just as it says on the box!” Monokuma grinned. “What could be less clear? Getting to leave the island after making friends is just too boring! That’s why I’m changing the rules. If you want to leave, then please, kill one of your friends! Then, overcome the school trial successfully.”

“Kill? School trial? This is outrageous!” Keebo protested.

“It’s not outrageous!” Monokuma responded. “It’s really simple. In case a murder happens between you bastards, the survivors must participate in a school trial. The school trial is between the culprit and the innocent students. During the trial, everyone will try to deduce who the culprit is, while the culprit tries to remain hidden. And then there will be a vote to accuse who the culprit is. If the culprit is voted correctly, the culprit is punished, and the rest of you get to continue your school trip. But if the culprit successfully gets everyone to pick the wrong bastard, the culprit gets to leave! And the rest of you will be punished instead!”

“When you talk about punishment,” Ryoma asked, unfazed. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“In simple terms, execution!”

“Execution?!” Sonia echoed, horrified.

“Punishment time is the keystone of any killing game! I can’t wait to see what  bone chilling punishments we’ll have! Remember, I’m not all fussy with how you kill your target. Stabbing, slashing, strangling, burning, poisoning, crushing, whatever tickles your fancy. There isn’t even a time limit to prod at you bastards. That’s what the Killing School Trip is all about!” With that, Monokuma let out a spiteful laugh. Makoto felt his stomach turning sick. He wasn’t someone who felt ill too easily, but he could feel his legs buckle, as if his muscles were being stabbed by thick needles.

“I’ve had enough of this.” Mondo spat. “Don’t fuck with me!” He made his way forward, in an attempt to grab the bear, but Monokuma disappeared from sight, and reappeared at the base of the statue once again.

“What the fuck is this?”

“Ah-ah-ah! That’s no way to treat your headmaster! I’ll let you off with a warning this time, corn-head, but who knows what will happen if you bastards try to lay a finger on me again!”

“B-but no one’s gonna kill anyone, right?” Chihiro cried.
“Hey now, I’m not ordering anyone to kill. That’s all up to you guys. But remember that youth goes away with a blink of an eye. You’ll regret it if you wait until you’re all old and grey before you start killing.”

“I don’t believe this,” Teruteru said, anxiously fidgeting with his comb. “Won’t believe it… I don’t believe anything.”

“Are you implying that no one leaves if no one kills anyone?” Rantaro asked.

“I hope you all understand, and enjoy this Killing Field Trip. I know I will!”

“Hold on!” Mahiru shouted. “Why do we have to kill each other, anyway?” She pointed an accusatory finger at Monokuma.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Monokuma tilted his head “You bastards already have every reason to.”

“Alright,” Nekomaru said. “We stood here, listening to your nonsense long enough! I don’t like direct violence, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S OUR ONLY OPTION!”

“A battle, huh?” Akane said excitedly, cracking her fist. “I bet I can take this black and white joker out in a second!”

“I sure don’t like violence either,” Ryoma said. “But if it’s to stop a killing, I can’t help myself.”

“Gonta will also protect everyone!” Gonta said, ready for a fight.

“I don’t know what a degenerate like you is up to,” Tenko said, taking a fighting stance. “But I’m gonna stop you so the girls here can all live peacefully!”

“Anyone thinking about murder will be stopped with force.” Peko said, reaching for her sword.

“Yeah, count me in on fucking this guy up,” Mondo cracked his knuckles.

“There’s no way the hero would let someone like him run the show!” Kaito said.

“I also must join in, to protect everyone,” Sakura said sternly.

“Yeah!” Ibuki cheered. “Our group of jocks would never let someone like you say such screwed up things!”

“It looks like our group of adventurers are chipping in on the final boss,” Tsumugi said.

“Monokuma’s just a bear, right? There’s no way he could take on all of those ultimates at once, right?”

“Ah, so that’s how you’re gonna play?” Monokuma said with his claws out. “If you’re gonna be violent with me, I guess I’ll have to use some of my own homemade violence.”

“Violence?” Usami asked, filled with dread. “What do you intend to do?”

“Monobeasts! I bid thee! Rise!” When Monokuma finished, the statue behind him rumbled and cracked. After a moment, robotic forms of the statue broke out of it, scattering stone onto the earth. A massive robotic tiger, bird, snake, and horse rose from the ruins of the statue, and convened behind Monokuma.

_________________________________________________________________

“I will admit, this island is pretty weird.” Kaede thought. “But this… is just too much!”

“Wh-what’s going on? Why are the statues moving?” Sonia cried, her face pale and blue in fear.

“What’s this? This goes beyond the reasoning of Atua!” Even Angie was mortified by the beasts that stood.

“They’re not statues!” Monokuma corrected. “Those are the Monobeasts!”

“GAAAAAH! MONSTERS!” Kazuichi shrieked. Kaede looked around herself, and saw the horror that befell her classmates. Most of them were frozen in terror, and only a few of them looked on, scowls on their face. This shock was enough to render everyone speechless. She could feel everyone’s hopes falter around her.

“W-what the hell? This can’t be for real, can it?” Miu cried, sweat and tears lining her face.

“I don’t like this at all! This is so, so wrong!” Mikan covered her face with her hands, unable to keep the tears from flowing.

“Gyaaah! I’m not prepared to fight any of this!” Even Tenko cowered at the sight of the monsters.

“C’mon, whoever’s in charge,” Hiro said, his hands clasped in prayer. “This prank has gotten beyond unfunny at this point!”

“Kyahaha!” Hiyoko laughed. “You must be dumb if you truly think that!”

“Honestly!” Monokuma said, grated. “Are you bastards still trying to pass this off as a dream or illusion? You bastards are all so quick to reject whatever doesn’t fit your tiny frame of common sense, that you’re blind to what’s RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!”

“This is all too hopeless!” Nagito said, in shock.

“Everyone, stand back!” Monomi said. “No matter what, I’ll protect you all!”

“That rabbit has a death wish, doesn’t she?” Kaede stood in disbelief, and in a little bit of admiration in how cowardly yet brave, or stupid that this rabbit can be.

“Too bad, looks like I’m gonna have to make an example out of you, Monomi!” With Monokuma’s command, the Monobeasts revealed their arsenal of guns and artillery, and pointed them all on Monomi. It didn’t even take a second of firing to obliterate her with a swift barrage of gunfire, sending stuffing and sharpnel everywhere. Kaede didn’t even notice a stray piece of debris from the broken earth barreling towards her cheek, until a hand pulled her out of the way.

“Kaede are you alright?” Shuichi asked, his hand on her backpack.

“Y-yeah, I’m alright,” Kaede responded. She couldn’t do anything but stand and look at the blackened spot where Monomi once stood. That silence was soon replaced by screams and shouts.

“Ablublublub!” Ibuki cried, foaming in her mouth. “We’re not even two chapters in, and we already have a casualty!”

“Kyaaaaah!” Tsumugi screamed in terror.

Kirumi grimaced at the carnage that transpired. “This is just too brutish.” she said. She could also feel the stabbing feeling in her body that Monokuma’s despairing  presence gave off.

“This is only something you’d find in anime right?” Ryota asked. “Nothing in real life could have something so terrifying...”

“What the fuck?” Fuyuhiko said, horror being apparent in his eyes. “This is a dream, right?” Mukuro can only bow her head, unable to process the brutal sight before her.

“What kind of devilish work is this?” Gundham said, astounded. “Or perhaps, a weapon from the distant future?”

“No need for an explanation!” Monokuma laughed. “They’re just some good ol’ fashioned slaughtering machines!” Despite the monsters that appeared before everyone, no one tried to run away. It was like everyone was faced with something just so bizarre and unbelievable, that no one can judge how to respond to it. But it looks like hesitation here, can only bring death.

“See? Such a brimming feeling of despair! That’s how you make an example of someone!”

“I could only stand there, unable to do anything. It was like there was nothing we can do. There is nothing we can do, but look on, horrified.”

“So it seems you bastards finally understand that you can’t oppose me. There will be no excuses for anything you do. A bear feels no pity. But to celebrate our exciting beginning to the Killing School Trip, I’ve updated your e-Handbooks! Read the rules well, since ignorance of the rules is no excuse; not here, not in any society. Now then, enjoy this cruel, gruesome, tropical trip!” With his one sided speech out of the way, Monokuma and his beasts disappeared, leaving the dumbfounded students to stand in shock.

“I’m so exhausted,” Kaede thought. “If I’m the protagonist of this crazy story, then where’s the ending?” She saw that everyone else was still pale blue from what transpired.

“I won’t believe it,” Teruteru fidgeted with his fingers, and looked away from everyone. “Nothing else is gonna happen.”

“I’ve handled animals and people, but…” Nekomaru clenched his fist in sorrow. “What am I gonna do against those giant monsters?!”

“It seems as if shock has overtaken everyone,” Ryoma said grimly. “It happened a lot to people in prison, but this… is just a whole other level.”

“Wh-why is all of this happening?” Himiko said. “Even magic can’t explain all of this.”

“Speaking of monsters, what if Keebo is part of them?” Kokichi asked. He was seemingly unaffected of their woeful circumstance.
“D-don’t throw out such accusations!” Keebo yelled. “I too am perplexed by our predicament.”

“We… we were all having so much fun before,” Sayaka whimpered. “Why? Why do we have to go through all of this?”

“It seems like those Monobeasts are being controlled by someone,” Kyoko presented. “A similar case can be made to Monokuma too.”

“If so…” Chihiro stepped in. “Why would they make us do such terrible things?”

“Yes, who would spend so much with the sole purpose of making us suffer?” Celeste questioned.

“As long as we have Atua, we can all figure out this situation.” Angie said in prayer, trying to keep herself calm.

“It doesn't matter, right?” Teruteru asked. “I don’t believe it. No way do such unbelievable things happen actually.” He tried to change the subject. “A-aren’t you guys hungry? Maybe we should leave everything alone, and eat.”

“Get ahold of yourself,” Mukuro said finally. “You won’t get anywhere if you keep thinking like that.”

“It doesn’t matter who put us here,” Byakuya said coldly. “What we should be concerned about is as the bear said, ourselves.” He looked around himself warily. “You heard him correctly, did you not? The only way out is for us to kill each other. Truly, you must understand the danger you’re all in.”

“As much as I didn’t want to believe it, Byakuya was right. Everyone looked around each other, their faces of horror compounded with one of suspicion. Who was going to kill each other for the promise of escape? Not only did this make us fear our classmates, but ourselves.” That was the beginning of the Killing School Trip, on this tropical island.

“I-I think it’s best that we looked at our handbooks, and took in the rules, right?” Shuichi asked, reaching for his pocket.

Kaede looked at her handbook, and she saw that her rules have been updated immediately.

Rule #5: Once a murder takes place, a class trial will begin shortly thereafter. Participation is mandatory for all surviving students.

• Rule #6: If the blackened is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be executed.
• Rule #7: If the blackened is not exposed, the remaining students will be executed.
• Rule #8: As a reward, the surviving blackened will be forgiven of their crime and allowed to leave the island.
• Rule #9: The Body Discovery Announcement will play as soon as three or more people discover a body for the first time.
• Rule #10: Destroying any property of this island without permission is expressly prohibited. This includes the surveillance cameras and monitors.
• Rule #11: You are free to investigate this island at your own discretion. Your actions in this regard are not limited.
• Last Rule: Additional School Trip Rules may be added at the headmaster's discretion.

Everyone decided that it was best to retire for the night, and everyone went their separate ways. Kaede staggered her way back to her cottage. She looked at the mailbox, and it was a pixel recreation of her. She fumbled to open the door with her keys, and stepped inside. She locked the door behind her, and when she peered in, she saw that her dorm was stylized towards her. It was creepy, that whoever brought her here optimized her residence, even if her talent is public. There was an upright piano in her room, and when she inspected it further, it was perfectly tuned. There were many sheets and books, with a plethora of music sheets. She would never run out of things to play here, she thought. If only her circumstances were less grim. The bathroom had a sink, toilet, and shower, all perfectly functioning. The bed was clean, and well made.

When she looked into her closet, she saw that there was nothing but multiple copies of the exact uniform she arrived here with; a white dress shirt with a pink sweater and orange tie, with a purple skirt with black music staves weaving through its pleats. A white backpack, with purple knee length socks and brown shoes were also present. However, there was one copy of a uniform she didn’t recognize. It consisted of a white dress shirt, a brown blazer and skirt, and a red ribbon. She never remembered going to a school with that kind of uniform. So why is it here, in her closet? She never even saw someone here wearing that either.

Everything here seemed tailored to her. But that only made things all the more terrifying. How could she feel at home here, when she had been displaced so far from her life? She didn’t see any pajamas, so it looked like she’ll be going to bed in her uniform tonight. She laid down, without a word, and drifted into a dreamless sleep. Dreamless, like she couldn’t even fabricate a reality in her head away from this nightmare.

_______________________________________________________________

When Hajime entered his cottage, he didn’t even bother to look around. Not that there was anything, his cottage seemed so standard; nothing there signified his talent. He immediately laid down in bed in frustration.

“Damn it!” he shouted. He didn’t ask to be in this hell. He could only yell at himself. He didn’t want to see anyone. There was no one he could trust. He didn’t know anyone, how can he trust them? He was unsure if he could even trust himself now. A part of him felt like he would do anything to leave. He continued to shout in unbridled frustration. What did he do to deserve this? Why him? He shouted until he was too tired to make another sound, and even then, there wasn’t complete silence. He could hear outside. Though there are no footsteps to drive his paranoia upward, the crickets that chirped and the waves that crashed mocked him. It screamed of madness.

“My troubles were right all along,” Hajime thought in frustration. “Everyone was thinking how we were safe and nothing’s gonna happen to us; what a joke.” Suddenly, the monitor in his cottage came to life, similar to how the one at the beach came to life. This time, the full form of Monokuma appeared at the other side of the screen, a cocktail in hand. Just looking at that bear sickened him.

“This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak School Trip Committee. It is now 10 PM. Night brings out the worst in people, so it’d suck to be you if you came across a killer by accident! Remember to lock your doors tight before going to bed. You never know who’s prowling about, scheming a murder, Puhuhuhuh! Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite…” With that, the monitor shut off. Hajime closed his eyes, trying to take even a small break from this unending madness.

__________________________________________________________________

Makoto also didn’t feel well, walking into his cottage. He wanted nothing but to go to bed, also. It was late, and the day seemed to drain every fiber of his being. He looked around his room, and saw shelves stacked with books, magazines, DVDs, and CDs. He picked one of them up, and saw that they were just things that were trending. If these movies and shows weren’t in front of him, he  would’ve forgotten that the outside world existed at all. Of course, they were all just normal tastes for a normal person like him. He would chuckle, if the situation wasn’t so grim. Suddenly, he heard a sound that he never would’ve expected; a ring from his doorbell.

Makoto approached his door, unsure of what to expect. Could it be someone out to murder him all along? He gulped before putting his hand on the knob

“Who is it?” Makoto asked.

“It’s me, Sayaka.” A familiar voice echoed through him. If the cottages were soundproof, chances are, he would never respond to the ring of the doorbell.

“C’mon, it’s just Sayaka…” Makoto thought to himself uneasily, trying to muster the courage to open the door. “She’s been nothing but kind to you this whole time…” He finally opened the door, and saw that she was unarmed. Her eyes looked a little red from crying, though she did her very best to hide it. The paleness in her skin and the darkening in her eyes haven’t completely disappeared either.

“Sayaka isn’t some perfect model,” Makoto thought.

“Sayaka, what are you doing up this late?” Makoto asked.

“I just can’t sleep very well, Makoto.” Sayaka replied.

“Yeah… I mean, who can?” He didn’t want to be reminded of the gruesomeness of that evening, but he can’t take his mind off of it.

“It’s just all so terrible, Makoto.” Sayaka said. “I know that I’m not supposed to show my emotions too much as a pop idol, but it’s difficult to stay strong.” Makoto could relate to the later half, he couldn’t understand how he was able to stand, how he hasn’t already collapsed in despair.

“Sayaka, I know our situation is difficult,” Makoto tried his best to reassure her. “But you won’t get any better if you can’t sleep. I promise that I’ll protect you wherever I can.”

“Makoto, do you really mean that?”

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t,” Makoto replied, taking her hand in his. He wasn’t sure if he could protect Sayaka. He wasn’t physically strong like a lot of the others, but he wanted to do everything in his power to keep her safe.

“I knew I could count on you,” Sayaka said, having calmed down a bit. “I think I feel a little bit better because of what you said.” She gave Makoto a smile. It wasn’t a strong one, not the one she gave to him at the beach, but it was a sight for sore eyes.

“We can talk about this more in the morning, Sayaka. I know that.”

“Thank you, Makoto.” She stood up and turned away to leave.

“Hey, uh, Sayaka? Do you need someone to walk you back to your cottage?” Makoto asked. He wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into. How would Sayaka respond to that? Would she think of him a creep or a killer? He obviously didn’t want Sayaka to get into any trouble… “The girls’ cottages are pretty far from here, not to mention they are pretty expansive by themself.”

“Thanks for looking out for me,” Sayaka responded. “But I made it here fine, so I think I can make it back fine. I wouldn’t want to put you into danger, Makoto.”

“O-okay,” Makoto responded. With that, Sayaka exited his cottage, her footsteps fading away as she retired for the night. When Makoto first saw Monokuma take over the island, he thought there was no one he could trust. But Sayaka proved him wrong. There’s no way Sayaka would betray him, right? He laid down, eager to get some sleep. With the comfort of her words, he slept a little better than most that night.

Chapter Text

Hajime’s sleep had been broken by an alarm. *Ding Dong Ding Dong*, it went. Soon after, the monitor flickered to life once more. Once again, Monokuma appeared behind the monitor.

“This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Academy Field Trip Executive Committee… Good morning, you bastards! It’s another perfect, tropical day! Let’s give it everything we got!” Hajime wanted nothing more than to destroy the monitor, though he’d probably get punished over it. He sat up groggily, and held his hand to his forehead.

“It… wasn’t a dream, wasn’t it?” Hajime thought. The memories flooded back. How he was abducted to this island, how Monokuma took the place over, destroying Monomi in the process, and plunging everyone into a despair filled killing game. Though his sheer sense of hopelessness from last night had dissipated from his brain, he still knew he was trapped more than anything else.

“There’s nothing for me to do but to go outside…” Hajime turned his attention to the window. Once again, the sky was clear. However, it did nothing to alleviate his situation. He walked over to the shower.

“I haven’t taken a shower since I got here. It won’t take my mind off of our situation, but at least I won’t smell like sweat,” Hajime thought.

After the shower, he finally stepped outside, and immediately saw Mahiru.

“Hey, Mahiru,” Hajime greeted.

“There you are, Hajime,” Mahiru said. “It looks as if you’ve slept in. I can’t blame you for that at least.”

“Really? I was out that long?” Hajime asked. “I didn’t think I’d get any sleep last night.”

“Anyway, we’re having a meeting at the restaurant,” Mahiru explained. “I’m rounding up whoever didn’t show up yet. It’d do you some good if you weren’t late.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Hajime grumbled. He didn’t want to argue with Mahiru, so he left it at that.

“Who else didn’t show up?” Hajime asked.

“We didn’t see Kazuichi either.”

“I’m sure he’s just slacking off or sleeping in. I wouldn’t blame him for that, though.” The both of them walked for a few more seconds, before finally running into the man of interest.

“Hey, Kazuichi!” Mahiru shouted to get his attention.

“GYAAAH!” Kazuichi screamed, startled. “Oh… it’s only you guys,” Kazuichi said, regaining some of his composure. “Jeez, don’t sneak up on me, Mahiru.”

“Hey, what’s the hold up with you?” Mahiru scolded. “You should be at the restaurant by now!”

“Wow, you’re starting to sound a bit like Taka, you know that?” Hajime thought.

“I wasn’t there, because I went back… to the park.” Kazuichi admitted.

“The park?” Hajime asked. “Why would you go back there?”

“Didn’t you notice? Kazuichi asked. “The bridges? Y’know? Massive gates?”

“All of us saw them,” Mahiru deadpanned. “What are you getting to?”

“Those monsters, they’re standing at the gates now, blocking them…” Kazuichi said, his face went pale again like it did the last day.

“Those aren’t monsters!” Monokuma said, appearing once again. “They’re Monobeasts!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Kazuichi shrieked even louder this time, causing Mahiru and Hajime to both jump back.

“Those Monobeasts are there so you bastards don’t sneak off, going off to the other islands.” After the explanation, Monokuma once again, disappeared.

“I guess that means we shouldn’t go walking off unprepared,” Hajime said.

“H-how am I supposed to live on this island, when those monsters are gonna eat me?” Kazuichi cried, holding his beanie for comfort.

“Hey, keep it together!” Mahiru scolded, her hands on her hips. “Aren’t you a man?”

“There you are Kazuichi!” Taka shouted, approaching him on a brisk pace.

“AAAAAAAAAAAH! Someone else is here!” Kazuichi screamed again.

“How the hell has his throat not worn out?” Hajime thought.

“We’ve been kept waiting long enough by you!” Taka said. “It’s not orderly to be late, even in the face of struggle!”

“W-whatever it is,” Kazuichi whimpered. “I want nothing to do with it! I’m RUNNING AWAY!!!” Kazuichi immediately turned around, and began to ran off.

“Hold on, there’s nowhere to run to!” Hajime said, but like that, Kazuichi disappeared further into the cottage complex.

“Ah, so it seems as if you found Hajime!” Taka said, turning his attention to the other two. “It looks like I must take responsibility for my carelessness! You two can go ahead to the restaurant, I’ll find Kazuichi, and bring him to the meeting!” Taka began running to the direction Kazuichi fled towards at a surprising pace.

“Well, to the restaurant, right?” Hajime asked.

“Yeah, let’s just get back to the others,” Mahiru said. Together, they began to make their way to the restaurant.

“Mahiru,” Hajime began. “Have you slept well last night?”

“I haven’t,” Mahiru responded. “I’m more surprised with the people who did sleep soundly.”

“I wouldn’t mind hearing what the others have to say.” Truth be told, Hajime still stood by how he couldn’t trust anyone. However, with a night’s sleep and the sun returning, he felt like he could think more rationally.

“I have a feeling that breakfast is gonna be a bit chaotic,” Mahiru said. “Just with all these people, and we’re all feeling pretty stressed right now.”

“I guess we should enjoy the quiet outside while we can.” They spent the rest of the walk silent, the sound of birds chirping and waves splashing in the background. It was strange, because Hajime saw no birds since getting here, yet their song still rings out. When he slept, those sounds mocked his every moment, but in the morning, they give a whole different light. They entered the lobby, and saw Chiaki, her eyes trained on the arcade machine.

“Hey Chiaki, aren’t you supposed to be at the meeting too?” Mahiru asked, a bit annoyed.

“Well, I thought I could get a few games in, since Taka didn’t start it yet. But now that you’re here, I guess we can move on…” When Hajime moved to the restaurant, he saw the rest of the students scattered across the dining area. The tables at the center had a myriad of food, more than enough to feed 100 people. There was a good variety of options too. Pitchers of orange juice, milk, and lemonade were filled to the brim. There were plates ranging from pancakes, toast, and cereal to pickled vegetables, rice, and fish.

“Good to see you’re here, Hajime,” Kaede began.

“Great, now that Hajime’s with us, can we start talking about what the heck we should do?” Leon asked, impatient.

“If I recall correctly, shouldn’t Kazuichi and Taka be with you as well?” Celeste inquired.

“Ah, Kazuichi ran away, so Taka’s going after him,” Hajime explained.

“Who cares about that degenerate?” Tenko stepped in. “I think it’s best that we start our game plan, now.”

“Someone can fill him in later,” Kyoko agreed with the second part. “For now, let’s not waste anymore time.”

“Ooh, maybe Kazuichi ran away, so he can lure Taka off and kill him?” Kokichi asked. “That’d be pretty early for a first blood.”

“Kokichi, I’d advise that you refrain from making such remarks,” Sakura reprimanded.

“You know what, that shouldn’t happen, because that’d be way too easy. We’d already know who the killer is with all of us here.”

“Dude, it almost sounds like you’re enjoy this situation,” Kaito looked at the boy suspiciously.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do but wait for Taka. Maybe we should begin breakfast?” Ryota suggested. With that, Ryota started to fill his plate with an enormous amount of food from the table.

“Yeah, I agree with Ryan or whatever, I’m starving!” Akane began to dig in with her bare hands.

“Absolutely barbaric,” Celeste muttered just loud enough for people to hear. However, Akane didn’t care about that remark, her attention focused undivided on the food.

“Well, my Four Dark Devas of Destruction,” Gundham said to his hamsters. “It is time to feast! Go, my demons, regain your energy so we can continue our warpath!”

“So about the food, where did it all come from?” Hajime asked.

“I woke up early this morning, expecting to make breakfast. However, when I arrived, all of the food was already prepared,” Kirumi explained. “However, if anyone has a request outside of what is being served, do not hesitate to ask.”

“I-If we’re gonna be stuck here, at least we have good food,” Mikan said.

“What good is food when I have to look at your trashy skank face?” Hiyoko scathed.

“Wh-where’s all this coming from? Why are you so mean to meeeee?” Mikan cried.

“Pff, you’re probably used to it by now, aren’t you?” Hiyoko snickered.

“Hey, that was uncalled for.” Mahiru scolded.

“What, she probably enjoys it anyway, just look at her.” That caused Mikan to only cry even harder.

“Hey, could Teruteru have made this food?” Hina theorized.

“You insult me, dear,” Teruteru winced. “I’d never make food as low quality as this.”

“What you mean? Gonta thinks this food is very good!” Gonta said.

“The food I make has been labelled the Tastiest Food In The World . By comparison, this food is terrible.” Teruteru pointed a finger out, and his expression turned to that of a furious one. “I’m offended to even be compared to this worthless trash!” He shouted.

“Okay, this guy’s kinda scary when he’s mad…” Hajime thought.

“But when you finally get to try my food,” Teruteru chuckled as he raised an eye at Hina. “Mark my words, you’ll be astounded.”

“What do you mean by astounded?” Hina asked.

“What I mean it’s not just you jaw that drops! Your underwear will be on the floor as well!”

“Food that can make my panties drop?” Miu thought aloud as drool went down her lip. “I’m getting excited just thinking about it! Not bad from a lowly pig like you.”

“Wait, so if isn’t Teruteru or Kirumi that made all this,” Makoto started. “Could it be that Monokuma himself made this?

“Yeah, it’d be a bit sketchy to eat food made from the bear that almost gunned us down,” Mondo remarked.

“Worry not, my friends,” Keebo said with a finger pointed up. “I’ve evaluated all of the food and can conclude that none of it has been laced with poison.”

“That’s pretty good news,” Ryota said, taking a brief pause from his eating. “I was gonna test the food for poison before everyone, but your function seems pretty useful.”

“Well, Ryota sure is eating a lot… if the food was poisoned, even a big guy like him would at least be feeling something.”

“Wait, can you even eat, Keebo?” Kaito asked.

“Are you assuming that I can’t be here with all of you just because I can’t eat?” Keebo accused angrily. “I’ll have you know that I take enjoyment out of seeing food being consumed! That’s a robophobic statement!” Before Kaito could respond, Taka ran up the stairs, carrying Kazuichi on his back.

“I apologize for the use of force, Kazuichi,” Taka said. “But me carrying you like this is for the safety of both of us!”

“What is he, a policeman or something?”

“Hey, cut it out!” Kazuichi yelled as he tried to struggle away from Taka’s grip. “You’re gonna rip my sleeves!” When Taka finally let him down on a chair, he immediately sulked his head onto the table, defeated.

“Don’t lay your head down like that!” Mahiru scolded. “Aren’t you embarrassed to be a man by being like that?”

“Hahaha I get it!” Hiyoko cheered. “You try to look you’re tough, but you’re actually a huge coward underneath! You look like perfect material for a first victim you know!”

“Hey, you shouldn’t joke about things like that,” Rantaro said. “The situation we’re in is serious.”

“First victim? I’ll be just fine if I lock myself in my room, right?” Kazuichi said defensively.

“I don’t know why you’re all worrying,” Hiro said nonchalantly. “All this talk of murder, it’s obviously a prank.”

“Jesus Christ, you’re fucking clueless,” Miu spat. “Forget about that grease monkey being the first victim, it’s obviously you!”

“Even after those machines gunned the rabbit down, you still foolishly believe this to be a farce?” Byakuya scorned.

Just then, Hajime heard a loud crash and a shriek from a girl.

“Kyaaaaa!” Mikan screamed. When he turned his attention to her, she was in a… somewhat compromising position, as she tripped over some cables.

“I-I fell down, and can’t get up…” she cried. Gonta and a few others immediately turned his head away, flustered at the sight.

“Falling down is a bit of an understatement isn’t it?” Hajime said in disbelief.

“Oh, things are getting heated up…” Teruteru said with pleasure.

“What a fucking creep…” Fuyuhiko responded.

“Nooo! This is so embarrassing! Someone help me!” Mikan cried.

“This has gone on long enough.” Kirumi finally stepped in. “Mikan, please sit upright and close your legs,” she said firmly. She put her hand on Mikan’s shoulder and helped her up.

“Are you able to stand?”

“I’m fine, though I still feel a little wobbly…” Mikan said, still reeling from her fall.

“Well, now that… that’s settled,” Taka once again leading the conversation. “All of us can begin discussion now that everyone’s hear!”

“Tch, this better not be a waste of my precious ass time!” Miu grumbled. “I have better things to do than sit around here all sweaty.”

“Hey, quiet down!” Mahiru said.

“Heee!” Miu whimpered. “I’m sorry… I’ll be quiet and listen…”

“I know yesterday’s ordeal has been a tough one!” Taka shouted. “But if we want to maintain order in this environment, do you know what we all need?”

“Most important?” Himiko pondered. “Keeping your mana up is pretty important…”

“Food and sleep would be something of utmost importance,” Akane offered. “You can’t live without it.”

“Tch, you’re forgetting one thing…” Nekomaru said. “IT’S TAKING A GOOD SHIT! EAT WELL! SLEEP WELL! SHIT WELL! THAT’S WHAT WE ALL NEED!”

“K-keep your d-disgusting words in y-your big mouth…” Toko said, disgruntled.

“Perhaps, bonds between Ultimates are what matter the most,” Nagito lectured. “If all of us high-schoolers work together as one, then there’s no way and despair can overcome our hope!”

“I must say, Mr. Komaeda, your voice truly has the workings of a true fanfic writer…” Hifumi remarked.

“Such wishful thinking is going to get you killed,” Maki deadpanned.

“Oh, sorry, was that a little too melodramatic?” Nagito backpedalled.

“I think he has a point,” Sakura offered. “It will only be more dangerous for us if we continue to be paranoid. Monokuma is obviously trying to pry us apart.”

“Exactly!” Taka shouted with enthusiasm. “We must remain ordered as one if we are to be successful!  

“What, are you trying to make yourself leader or something?” Mondo guessed.

“No, making one person command a group this large is a fool’s errand! We need a few people who can take the responsibility of keeping everyone together!”

“Well, every team needs a captain,” Nekomaru said.

“Kukuku, the uncertain position of leadership,” Korekiyo said. “An empire is broken or made by its emperor…”

“Maybe I can help you with that, Taka,” Kaede suggested. “I want everyone to do their best keeping together.”
“An unexpected candidate,” Tsumugi commented.

“I’m in full favour of Kaede leading!” Tenko endorsed. “She’s gonna help us out of here, and she’s certainly going to be better than any degenerate male!”

“Maybe big sis Mahiru can help out too!” Hiyoko said. “She’s been scolding all of us non-stop since we got here!”

“W-well, I know leadership can be quite the responsibility,” Mahiru pondered. “But, I guess if no one objects, I’ll try to help…”

“There’s a time and place where decisiveness is needed,” Sonia spoke up with a serious, regal voice. “And I think now’s the time. I volunteer to also lead the way.”

“The Ultimate Princess really does seem like someone who could lead. From the silence of no one objecting, I think most people here are in an agreement…”

“Being lead by a real princess, huh?” Kazuichi commented. “Heh, I guess I could get behind that.”

“Yahoooo! Being in a kingdom sounds super exciting!” Ibuki cheered.

“Ah, your spirit is inspiring, Sonia!” Nekomaru commended. “I too, won’t sit down in this perilous situation! I too must take the lead!”

“The Ultimate Team Manager leading our group…” Nagito said, “Truly, we must be in safe hands.”

“Yeah, that’s if our ears survive this.” Leon said. No one was excited to deal with Nekomaru’s shouting.

“Then, it’s settled!” Taka said. “We will do what we can to keep everyone safe!”

“Hmph, so you sheep can follow what you call your leaders,” Byakuya scoffed. “Such a manner of thinking will only get you killed in this game.”

“Don't say things like that, Byakuya!” Kaede refuted. “We’re all gonna make it out of here alive.”

“And, calling this a game is just too cruel…” Chihiro said.

“Am I wrong? There's nothing like a high stakes game of death… And it isn't one I'm going to lose.”

“Such hubris shall only earn you a spot in the pits of hell…” Gundham scorned.

“As expected from a degenerate like him.” Tenko said.

“You sure talk a lot of shit,” Mondo said with clenched fists. “Let's see how tough you are after I fuck you up.” He stalked out of his seat and approached the progeny. Most people were too shocked to intervene with what's unfolding.

“Such ignorance, I expected as much. You're nothing compared to a Togami.” This only furthered Mondo's anger. Makoto looked at the scene with wild eyes.

“Crap, someone's really gonna get hurt!” Makoto thought. “I have to do something about it!” But before Makoto could get up, another person walked past him to break up the tension.

“Please, nobody fight!” Gonta put his massive frame between Byakuya and Mondo.

“You got something to say to me punk?!” Mondo growled. “You know that fucker deserves an ass beating.” Though Gonta was even more towering than Mondo, Mondo continued to have his fists raised.

“Gonta doesn't want anyone hurt! Mondo, calm down!” It looked like Mondo was going to shove past Gonta, but suddenly, Nekomaru shoved Mondo back to his seat and pushed Byakuya out of Mondo's sight.

“ENOUGH!” Nekomaru shouted with enough force to shake the tables. “NO ONE ON THE SAME TEAM WILL BE FIGHTING UNDER MY WATCH.”

“Tch, you know that bastard was pissing me off.” Mondo muttered. However, he didn't want to push the scene further, especially with Nekomaru involving himself.

“You touch me again and you'll die.” Byakuya threatened. But the affluent progeny also knew that it was time to hold his cards.

“Phew… and I thought things were gonna take a turn for the worse…” Makoto thought, relieved. “But being the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, you’d think that there would be at least some leading qualities to him, right?”

“Anyway, Kazuichi,” Sonia commanded with her noble voice. “To get back on topic, tell me more about what you've seen at the park.” Her voice was enough to cease further tensions from rising, but Byakuya's cold words lingered in the air

“Sure, Miss Sonia…” Kazuichi had to take a moment to snap out of his infatuation. “We should check out the statue, too, since it also changed.”

“The statue?” Ibuki echoed. “But we all saw that yesterday, it got blown to bits when the beast appeared!

“Still, it seems important. If you don't believe me, check it out.”

“I guess, if we're all done eating, we should head over to the park.” Mahiru agreed.

“Yeah, yeah…” Akane said in between bites. “Guess I need to come back after, then.” Together, everyone began to move toward the park. Though anyone could break away from the group at any point, everyone was too curious to deviate from their destination.

Everyone made their way to the park, and saw that Kazuichi’s testimony was indeed, correct.

“Shit, that grease monkey was right,” Miu commented. “Those Monofucks or whatever really are gatekeeping. But their tech is nothing compared to what I build.”

“It’s truly a shame that the statue was destroyed by that bear,” Korekiyo lamented. “Even the rubble had been swept away, without a trace that it ever existed.” As the group made their way to the central park, they found that the statue had been replaced with a giant, black clockwork mechanism.

“What the hell is that?” Leon and several others stared bewildered at the device.

“Could it be one of an OOPart?” Hiro theorized. “I wouldn’t be surprised, since this island seems full of those!”

“Obviously not, dumbass!” Hiyoko jeered. “Only an idiot would think that’s just some worthless artifact.”

“Hey, at least I have some ideas what it is!”

“M-maybe,” Kokichi stuttered. “It’s a bomb that’s gonna blow us all up!” He burst into tears, and buried his face into Kirumi’s chest. “Mom, I don’t wanna die here!”

“First, I’m not your mother…” Kirumi said, disgruntled. “Second, I suggest you evaluate the situation first before jumping to conclusions.”

“Aw, I was really hoping for an exciting premise,” Kokichi said, drying his tears immediately.

“Hold on everyone, we should get a closer look at that timer,” Kaede said.

“That’s a great idea, Kaede!” Kokichi agreed. “Maybe we could get Kazuichi or Miu to climb up and inspect it!”

“Dude, there’s no way I’m getting close to that thing!” Kazuichi retorted.

“I’m not gonna waste my life getting blown up by some fucking bomb,” Miu said, also angered by Kokichi’s remarks.

“Awww, but if something does happen, nothing of value gets lost, you know!”

“Heee!” Miu whimpered. “You vicious little…”

“But, if they wanted to simply destroy us, they would’ve done so, don’t you think?” Keebo asked.

“Perhaps if it was armed, it would be to punish us for not participating in the killing?” Celeste brought up.

“Like a motive to make us kill?” Rantaro mused. “Hm, how mysterious.”

“The clock is counting down as we speak, with 40 days left apparently,” Peko observed.

“Hm, this is all perplexing,” Chiaki commented. “What do you think it’s counting down towards?”

“Every second that passes, it seems that the evil in the air seems to grow stronger,” Gundham said. “I’d say that it is a fitting addition to this park.”

“I wouldn’t worry ‘bout it, it’s got nothing to do with me,” Teruteru said nonchalantly, brushing his hair with a comb.

“So, in the end it’s all up to speculation.” Kyoko concluded. “There’s nothing we can do about it right now, so there’s no point fussing over it.”

“Curioser and curioser,” a high pitch voice called. Everyone turned their attention to its source, and there stood Monomi, unscathed.

“WHAT THE FUCK?” Kazuichi screamed at her arrival.

“Kyaaa!” Monomi recoiled back at the reactions of the others.

“Monomi?” Hajime echoed. “Why… are you here?” Seeing Monokuma destroy her was one thing, but her coming back added a whole new level of bizzare.

“Well, I was just strolling around the park, and heard everyone talking, so I came to see what’s going on.”

“But, we saw Monokuma blow you up like BOOM!” Ibuki said, confused by the revival.

“Oh, so that’s what you’re all surprised about…” Monomi said. “Heeheehee, you shouldn’t be worried! I can’t die, after all.”

“Attempting to escape from the underworld is a sure sign of overconfidence and hubris,” Korekiyo lectured. “None who are eaten at the hearth of Yomi ever return. You invite death wherever you go…”

“Y-you’re a ghost?” Kaito stuttered. “Quit fooling around! I bet, this is just some spare copy of her or something.”

“That seems like the most logical explanation!” Taka agreed. “After all, this is a mechanical stuffed doll that isn’t technically alive.”

“Is that a robophobic remark?” Keebo asked accusingly. “Are you saying that killing a robot wouldn’t count as a murder?”

“Well, it would make sense that Monomi would have spare parts,” Shuichi pointed out. “Unlike Keebo.”

“Are you saying that if I were replaceable, it would be acceptable if I were to die?” Keebo didn’t calm down a bit at their remarks. “That is undermining my personhood!”

“W-well, I’m glad that you’re here,” Chihiro said to Monomi. “Can you tell us what this timer’s about?”

“Huh? What countdown?” Monomi looked behind herself and saw the giant device perched upon the podium.

“Oh… so that’s where the shadow was coming from.” Monomi said calmly. ‘Huh? That thing? Where did that come from? This is… difficult for me to understand.”

“Well that claim of yours is an embarrassment to lying.” Kokichi said.

“You have to believe me, I don’t know what Monokuma’s doing!” sweat dripped from Monomi’s fur.

“Hey, didn’t you say you’re his little sister or something?” Hina asked, confused.

“I’m not my big brother’s little sister!” Monomi’s shouts only perplexed everyone even more.

“Make up your mind. Are you gonna roll with that or not?” Hajime thought.

“Anyway, I know you can all overcome Monokuma together!” Monomi cheered.

“Kch, so you don’t know shit about anything,” Fuyuhiko scoffed. “You should never have come here.”

“Um, but together…” Monomi whimpered.

“Yeah, get outta here.” Akane joined in.

“Kya!” Monomi was thoroughly intimidated. “I’m sorry…” Once again, as quickly as she appeared, she retreated into nowhere.

“Hm,” Tenko pondered. “Perhaps we were a bit too harsh with her? I mean, she was a girl, I think?”

“Sympathizing with someone associated with Monokuma is asking for trouble,” Mukuro assured.

“Yeah, who cares about them? What about the timer?” Mondo said, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

“It’s a bit strange isn’t it? How this contraption was built overnight?” Ryota pondered.

“Yes, Mr. Mitarai, that Monokuma must be quite the engineer,” Hifumi said.

“I know it’s not the only question we had in mind,” Rantaro said. “Like I said, Jabberwock Island was a tourist spot, so how did it get deserted? And none of you would just believe we teleported here or something like that, right?”

“Perhaps this is the fate of a doomed civilization?” Korekiyo brought up.

“A-are you saying, they were all destroyed?” Mikan whimpered.

“That is common among civilizations and empires,” Byakuya mused. “Surely, if that were the case, this island was full of people unfit to lead or live.”

“You’ve seen those Monobeasts,” Hiyoko said. “Monokuma probably just crushed everyone that lived here with those!”

“All of these backstories seem really outlandish,” Tsumugi commented.

“What you’re saying is, all of these are a great chain of mysteries, right?” Kyoko asked.

“Yeah, we’ve been given more questions than we can ever find the answer to…” Rantaro responded.

“It seems clear that not just a single person could’ve orchestrated this. Perhaps a very powerful organization was behind all this?” Kyoko speculated.

“That seems plausible,” Shuichi considered. “The Monobeasts, the facilities, Monokuma, they’re all highly sophisticated.”

“Not to mention expensive.” Byakuya said. “Not just any commoner can organize this game.”

“Is there really an organization that would go this far to put us in this situation?” Sakura asked.

“All of us know some very powerful connections. The Togami Corporation, The Kingdom of Novoselic, The Kuzuryuu Clan…” Kyoko went on.

“Hey, don’t forget my super powerful evil organization!” Kokichi cut in. “Who knows if they were behind this?”

“So, are you suspecting me?” Fuyuhiko said. “Psh, I’m used to it…”

“There’s no possibility that the Togami Corporation would waste its assets to create this event,” Byakuya said.

“Hey, she was just giving examples,” Makoto defended. “There’s no reason to start blaming each other.”

“Byakuya did bring up a good point. Who would go out of their way to set this up?” Kaede wondered.

“We don’t have any leads on who they might be…” Maki said.

“The best course of action is to investigate the identity of our captors, then!” Taka forwarded. “There must be clues somewhere! We must leave no stone unturned!”

“Gonta got it! He will go search for clues!”

“I doubt that we’ll find anything,” Ryoma said. “But it’s a better use of time than wallowing in sorrow.”

“Fear not,” Gundham boasted. “I have taken on foes mightier than any earthly power.” The hamsters in his scarf crawled out to take their places. “With my four dark devas of destruction, my foes will all be scattered to the wind!”

“Aah! Your hamsters!” Sonia cooed. “They’re so cute!”

“C-cute?” Gundham stuttered. “T-thank you.” He tried to hide his face in his scarf as his face went red.

“I guess… every magic user has their weakness,” Himiko commented.

“Tch, how can he just talk with Sonia like that?” Kazuichi snarled.

“I thought the atmosphere would be a lot more nervous…”   Hajime thought. “But it’s far better like this. That must be the confidence of the Ultimates lifting their spirits. But, can I really have the same power as they do? Damnit. I still can’t remember...”

“Yeah, we finally have something to do,” Kaede said. “There’s no way there’ll be a killing, when we have to investigate. Even if you feel as if there’s nothing you can do, just pushing on would be enough.”

“I agree!” Nagito said. “We shouldn’t waste our time thinking about hopelessly pointless things. We, as friends, must work together without anything holding us back!”

“You’re… sounding like a shounen protagonist again, Nagito.” Tsumugi said.

“Oh, aha, I guess I was being a bit dramatic.”

“Friends, huh?” Hajime thought. “I wouldn’t think that in the situation we are now, but, it’s just as he said. Believing in my friends, is that something I’m able to do?” With the atmosphere noticeably less tense, everyone went their separate ways.

___________________________________________________

“Hey, hey! Shuichi!” Kokichi ran up to the young detective.

“What is it, Kokichi?” Shuichi was wary of the supreme leader. Even though he hasn’t been dangerous, his words should always be taken with a grain of salt.

“Since you’re the ultimate detective, you should know who here definitely looks suspicious, right? Their talent, personality, none of it seems in place.” Kokichi questioned.

“Part of me is thinking Hajime, but it sounds like you got something else in mind.”

“What? Of course I wouldn’t suspect someone so cliche. Someone not remembering their talent? How lame would it be if they were the traitor? Though I would say that there are a lot of people with iffy talents.”

“Iffy talents?” Shuichi repeated. “That’s a little amusing, coming from you.”

“Don’t disrespect my supreme leadership!” Kokichi pouted. “You shouldn’t mess with someone who has all the major crime syndicates in his pocket! The Kuzuryuu clan being one of them, of course.”

“You would’ve lost your fingers if he heard you say that…” Shuichi thought. “Just talking to this guy is making me dizzy.”

“Of course, there’s Kaito, who says he’s an astronaut, but I don’t know why Hope’s Peak would take a fraud astronaut like him.”

“Did you talk to me just so you can make fun of the others?”

“Well, the point that I’m getting at, Sushi, is that out of all the people here, Maki is definitely suspicious.”

“Maki?” Maki wasn’t exactly his vision of the Ultimate Child Caregiver, but he gave her the benefit of the doubt. “What about her makes you think she’s suspicious?”

“C’mon, Mr. Ultimate Detective? Don’t you see? For a so called Child Caregiver, she seems so mean and uncooperative. If someone was gonna get murdered, everyone would definitely suspect her.”

“I get why you see she should be more the nurturing type, but all of us had different stories on how we got accepted. What, are you judging her because you look like a kid?”

Kokichi’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea, Shuichi! How about we get an actual kid to test her talent?” The purple haired boy immediately began to run off.

“Hey, wait! What’re you doing?” Shuichi stepped forward to run after him, but like that that, Kokichi sped down the path like lightning.

“Meet me at the park in a bit! Don't be late!"

“I sure hope whatever he’s planning, it doesn’t kill him…” Shuichi thought.

________________________________________________________________________

Nekomaru stood on the beach, stretching his body after a good breakfast. He could see that a few other athletes were also training themselves.Hina swam energetically, alternating between different strokes. Sakura accompanied her at the shore, as she meditated. Tenko laid down a mat from the supermarket, and was practicing her Neo-Aikido.

“As a Team Manager, I can’t wait to see what feats all of you can achieve…” Nekomaru thought.

“Hey, Nekomaru! Think fast!” Akane shouted, as she lunged through the sand toward Nekomaru. Despite his size, he dodged Akane’s swift kick with amazing agility.

“Ah, a surprise training session!” Nekomaru laughed. “I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE!” The both of them exchanged blows at a pace far beyond a normal athlete, catching the attention of a few others at the beach.

“Ach! Is a fight breaking out?!” Hina said in surprise.

“Hmm, the best way to improve as a fighter is through application,” Sakura commented.  Akane’s flurry of fists continued to barrage Nekomaru, but he blocked everyone of them.

“I see that your strength and agility is formidable,” Nekomaru said.

“You bet! And once I defeat you, I know that I’ll be able to defeat Sakura!”

“Defeat me? THAT’S QUITE ABSURD!” Nekomaru shouted. With a swift blow, Nekomaru managed to kneel Akane in the gut. She crumpled onto the ground, clutching her stomach.

“However, your technique is way off! What good is your strength if you don’t have good form! Bad form is a waste of energy at best, and it permanently damages your body at its worst!”

“Oh my gosh…” Hina said as she covered her mouth. “Don’t tell me Akane is…”

“AKANE DEFINITELY ISN’T THE TYPE TO DIE TO A WEAK BLOW LIKE THAT! Nekomaru assured, though it didn’t sound the least bit comforting. Akane let out a cough, before trying to get up.

“Gyah! Akane got beat up by a degenerate male!” Tenko screamed at the scene. “I’ll show you my Neo Aikido!”

“Hah! Another challenger!” Nekomaru laughed. “I LIKE YOUR SPIRIT!” Tenko charged at the Team Manager, and started her own barrage of blows while shouting intensely.

“RIGHT FROM THE BOTTOM OF YOUR STOMACH! THAT’S HARD WORK IF I’VE EVER SEEN IT!”

“I… don’t need to be lectured by the likes of you!” Tenko growled, as she leaned grabbed his shoulder, hoping to flip him. However, with his other hand, Nekomaru grabbed Tenko, and threw her off her stance, causing her to land hard on the sand.

“I see your technique is refined…” Nekomaru praised. “But your focus is easily lost, and your strength is lacking!”

“My spirit is decreasing from having a male speak to me…” Tenko cursed.

“I’ll admit that maybe Sakura would be a better fit for you, but I remain true to my word! You’ll remain an amateur if you cannot keep your spirit up! If you cannot beat a simple team manager, your Neo Aikido will die with you!”

“Amateur?!” Tenko gasped, shocked at his comment. “What should I do, master?” Tenko thought to herself. “I don’t want Neo Aikido to die, but I can’t be taken down by a male!”

“I must meditate on this,” Tenko said, before walking away at a brisk pace.

“Kch, you’re pretty good coach…” Akane said, having regained her composure. “I haven’t been taken down a peg in a while. But that’ll make beating you even sweeter!”

“Heh, I’ll be waiting for that day!” Nekomaru said.

“Hey, Tenko! That was pretty cool of you!” Akane smiled as she walked by the girl, giving her a pat on the back “You also look like a real good fighter!”

“I-It was nothing really,” Tenko stammered, flustered.

_______________________________________________________________________

Mahiru stood at the beach, with her camera in hand. Her cottage had a lot of camera film for her to use, far more than she brought with her. She had taken a few photos here and there yesterday, but there was yet to be a gathering where she could capture everyone’s smiles. She looks back toward the path, and saw Hajime walking along it.

“Hajime!” Mahiru called out. “Stay right there.” She took her camera and pointed it toward Hajime. *SNAP*

“There. That’s one for the books.” Mahiru gave a small chuckle.

“Hey, what’s with the picture so sudden?” Hajime asked, perplexed.

“That’s the first one I got of you. I had some pictures of a few others before all of us gathered at the beach the other day…”

“Do you have a lot of fun taking pictures?”

“Well, it’s always refreshing to see everyone’s smiles when I take pictures. For now, They’re definitely to record our time on the island.”

“Recording our time?”

“Yeah. I want to record every day we spend on this island, making sure we don’t forget. It’s easy to lose track of the days you spent, right? Once the past is done, you can’t go back, so the next best thing is recording it, right?”

“That’s a good idea,” Hajime agreed.

“Heh, what a way to start your record…” She took a moment to inspect the picture she took. “Yeah, that is a dumb looking face…”

“C’mon, that’s only because you took it really suddenly.” Hajime began to turn and walk away.

“Hey, are you going somewhere?” Mahiru asked.

“Not really, I was just going to the park for a walk. Do you wanna come?”

“Well… I haven’t had a good look at it, since you know we were busy checking out the statue. I guess I wouldn’t mind taking a few pictures…” Together, they made their way to Jabberwock Park.

“I’ve spent a lot of time trying to take a picture of either Monomi or Monokuma you know. It’d be a pretty big thing to capture that I wouldn’t want to miss, but they’re pretty slippery.”

“So you’re interested in photos of that, too?” Hajime inquired.

“Sometimes, when there’s something interesting, I can’t help but snap a shot.” Mahiru put her hands on her hips. “Hey! Don’t make me out to be someone like Hiro who takes “pictures” of cryptids or whatever fake stuff! This, and the monobeasts, they’re real news!”

“Yeah, but I’d have to see it to believe it…” Hajime said. He tried to shrug off just how unreal their situation was. It’s true, if he were an outsider, and he saw the photos of the Monobeasts, he’d call it a joke. But now that they’re here, it’s surprising that Mahiru would want to remember even the ugly parts.

______________________________________________________________________

“Hey, Keebo!” Kazuichi said as he approached the robot. Keebo was sitting on a seat at the restaurant, with Miu across from him.

“Ah, hello Kazuichi,” Keebo said.

“Do you want a turn with him? Well fuck off, grease monkey! Only a genius inventor can truly work on Keebo!”

“Hey! Don’t hog him!” Kazuichi said in frustration. “You know that I want to look at him as well!”

“Do not treat me like I am some object!” Keebo objected. “I’m keeping an ear out for any robophobia you exhibit!”

“So what the hell are you doing here with Keebo, anyway?” Kazuichi said, taking a look around the restaurant.

“Well, Miu and I were just talking about technology over some tea. I can’t actually eat, but I am very interested in learning about tea, and the sight of beautifully crafted food.”

“Yeah, I’m just thinking about what functions I should jam into Keebo! He can use a lot of sprucing up!” Miu said with a glint of excitement.

“Hey, don’t leave me out of this!” Kazuichi said as he took a seat beside Keebo. “I haven’t had a chance to look you over!” He began to poke around Keebo’s outer body.

“H-hey, what’re you doing?!” Keebo said in confusion.

“Heh, you’re pretty cool! You’ve got a ton of functions! I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“S-So you’re interested in me?” Keebo asked hesitantly.

“Why wouldn’t I be? This is amazing, you’re pretty incredible!”

“H-hey!” Miu whimpered, her confidence lost. “I-I won’t let a virgin like you t-take the spotlight! What can a shark-toothed brainlet like you ever offer?”

“I can probably take Keebo apart and put him back together!” Kazuichi said in amusement. “So I get to really understand how he works.”

“How about you don’t do that?” Keebo said in protest.

“Or, I can probably install something real neat, like a jetpack function, or something that can make him turn into a boat!”

“Keebo, you mentioned you can’t cry, right?” Miu asked. “Maybe I can install something like a crying function! Maybe filling your ducts with juice or tea, so I can grab a drink whenever!”

“I think that would be a little unsanitary. My body doesn’t function all that well when it is sticky inside. And I wouldn’t be able to eat or taste anyway, so it wouldn’t be all that useful.”

“O-oh… I-I guess the first part’s a shame...” Miu said. “But, you said you can’t taste, huh? Well that’s not a problem for a genius like me! I can think of something you can taste!”

“R-Really?” Keebo repeated. “You’d do that for me? I-I’m actually quite touched, Miu… It means a lot to me.”

“Y-You’re touched?” Miu asked. “L-Let’s just get back to talking more about tech and shit.”

“In love with a robot?” Kazuichi commented. “I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about this relationship…”

Chapter Text

Shuichi was still sitting on the park bench when he saw Kokichi running back toward him.

“Shuichi, guess who’s back?” Kokichi smiled triumphantly. He held out two cat shaped hairclips with green ribbons on them.

“Wait, isn’t that Hiyoko’s?” Shuichi asked.

“Get back here you panta-drinking bitch!” Not far behind him, was a much angered Hiyoko, with her now flowing hair. Kokichi sped right past him, and ran up to Maki, who was sitting contemplatively, looking out to the sea.

“Hey, look Maki! A child in distress!” Kokichi pointed frantically at Hiyoko who was running towards him.

“I swear, once I get my hands on you, I’ll bop you on the head ‘til you die!”

“I don’t want anything to do with this…” Maki thought. She immediately stood up and began to walk away.

“Hey! Don’t ignore her! If only there was a child caregiver to calm her down!” Kokichi shouted at the top of his lungs, gathering the attention of several people around the island, including Hajime and Mahiru.

“Jeez, that Kokichi always looks like he’s up to something,” Mahiru stated, unamused by what’s unfolding in front of him.

“Hm, he’s definitely the trouble making type, that’s the only truth that we got out of him…” Hajime deadpanned.

Maki stopped in her tracks for a moment. Begrudgingly, she snatched the clips from Kokichi’s hands walked toward an aggrivated Hiyoko in a brisk yet non-threatening pace. She took Hiyoko’s hands into her grip.

“There, there,” Maki took Hiyoko into her arms and began to sway her gently. “There’s no reason to be angry…”

“Hey!” Hiyoko shouted half-heartedly. “D-don’t treat me like I’m some kid!” Already, Hiyoko’s tone had grown more soft.

“M-Maki’s Ultimate ability is so moving…” Kokichi sniffled, before bursting into tears. “I’m so touched by her kindness!”

“Hmm, I guess there’s a lot more to her talent than her title,” Shuichi commented.

“Listen, we can get some sweets from the supermarket…” Maki continued. “Just, calm down.”

“Okay, big sis Maki…” Hiyoko responded. “We can go and get gummies!”

_______________________________________________________________

Day 2, 4:30 PM

Gundham made his way to the ranch, and looked at the flora that surrounded the area.

“This land is barren of many of its demons, but its overgrowth is abundant. Perhaps my Devas can get some use out of the stalks that call the ones that sting.” He made his way to the sunflowers on the ground, and sent his Devas to inspect it. As he further observed the area, he saw another expert of animals.

“Hm, so what brings the colossus into the forsaken acreage?” Gundham inquired.

“Ah, hello, Gundham!” Gonta replied cheerfully. “Gonta is also wondering why farm is empty!”

“So, you’ve seen right through the astral veil of the Supreme Overlord of Ice… not bad.” Gundham remarked.

“Uh, actually, San-D tell Gonta that.”

“Your astral level matches those of the Dark Devas?” Gundham said in mild shock. “I didn’t expect that.”

“Gonta says hello to all hamsters that live in your scarf!”

“Gonta, it’s clear that you’re another beastspeaker. How did the goddess of fate bestow upon you such an ability?”

“Uh, Gonta got lost in the forest one day. He learn how to talk to animals through that. Gonta is just glad he can be friends with people, also.” Gonta set his finger to the ground, and allowed a beetle to crawl up his massive hand. “Gundham, do you like bugs?”

“The devils that crawl are as essential to the wilderness as the towering giants. I respect that about them.”

“Gonta knows not many people like bugs. Think they gross or scary,” Gonta lamented. “People think Gonta is scary, too. But Gonta glad someone appreciate bugs.” Their talk was interrupted, as someone unexpected made their way through the Corral’s gate.

“Gundham, do you have a moment?” Peko asked.

“So the wielder of Asura’s blade enters my presence,” Gundham announced. “What gives you the audacity to disturb my domain?”

“I’ll get to the point,” Peko went on. “I require your advice.”

“My path as a swordsman has been difficult. Because of this, I’ve lost some things that can never be replaced.”

“Sacrifice is as integral to life as eating or sleeping. There is no doubt that you’ve given up a lot to walk the path you do…” Gundham responded. “I wouldn’t mind listening to your sacrifices, if it entertains me at least.”

“Fluffiness…” Peko said, a little embarrassed.

“What?” Gundham repeated, taken aback.

“Over the course of my life, I’ve witnessed many things that were warm, fluffy, and soft. My neighborhood had many cats, dogs, and birds that frolicked about…” The swordsman’s face turned into a frown. “But, I was never able to touch them, for all of them wouldn’t dare go near my presence.”

“Gonta feels the same way,” Gonta added. “Many people stay away from Gonta, leaving Gonta feeling lonely and sad.”

“How interesting… so you want to seal a pact with the beasts…” Gundham said. “Fine. It won’t get in my way to let a mortal know a bit of this knowledge.”

“I’ll listen to what you say…” Peko said. “I am eager to learn how I can overcome this challenge.”

“You mentioned that your aura strikes fear into every creature you encounter? If you ever want to lay a willing hand on them, you must snuff that. Let them know that you mean no harm…”

“Yes, I understand. But it seems everything about my presence will undeniably come off as predatory.”

“Repeatedly speaking to them, incantations such as “good girl… good girl…” are other ways than just appearance to make them lower their guard.”

“Or, you can do what Gonta does! Walk up slowly and give smile! Animals know when Gonta means no harm!”

“Smiling?” Peko grimaced. “It is regrettable that I find difficulty in doing that…”

“Peko not able to smile?” Gonta put his hand to his chin in thought. “Gonta not much help in that, but think about things that make Peko happy!”

“That will require some work…” Peko said, unsure of how to apply that knowledge.

“So, those are good places to start when you want to make the perilous journey of attempting to understand such creatures… But know this, if you ever try to use this knowledge to bring harm, I will personally send you to the depths of hell…” Gundham finished.

“I wouldn’t ever mean harm to a fluffy animal…” Peko responded.

“Then, one last thing. Be prepared to make sacrifices, like you said,” Gundham said as he gestured to his bandaged arm.

“Thank you for the advice Gundham.” Peko said curtly. “I will make use of this knowledge as soon as we can get off this island.”

“Gonta will be happy to see Peko make friends with animals!” Gonta agreed.  

________________________________________________________________

Day 2, 5:00 PM

Tsumugi and Hifumi were at the airport, and they spent the afternoon talking about anime. Though the presence of planes that were grounded mocked their hopes of escaping, they can’t help but think about all the anime with dogfights and space battles.

“Miss Shirogane… I’m glad to have a fellow person of culture on this island,” Hifumi said. “Though I do not mind educating people about the wonders of 2-D, it’s been a while since I’ve come across someone as knowledgeable as you.”

“I’m not surprised you’re here, to be honest. I’ve seen you a lot at cons, selling your fanfics. I’ve been to a lot of cons too, to help my friends.”

“So you’re well versed in all the ins and outs of 2-D,” Hifumi said. “I’m glad to hear that as well.”

“Though there isn’t much of an audience here, there’s a pretty big workspace so I can work on my cosplays.” The cosplayer sighed. “However, it seems like I gotta go off of memory a lot, there isn’t a lick of anime or manga, not even at the supermarket.”

“I understand how you feel, there also isn’t much reference when I’ve been working on my fanfic. The tools are there, I tell you. I got a tablet, paper, and pencils, but like you said, no references.”

“I don’t know how long I can last when I’m not keeping up…” she said. “But I think I’ll manage with what I have.”

“I rely on my passion as much as my sources,” Hifumi said. “But as long as the market has diet coke, things won’t be so bad for me.”

“If only I could get a quick fix like that…” Tsumugi said. “But I have to keep up my cosplayer form, so I can’t eat too much or out of boredom.” Hifumi felt a bit depressed at that, he couldn’t imagine how it would be to keep track of what he’s eating, or even exercise. As long as he had a youthful body, he should be fine, he thought.

_______________________________________________________________________

Day 2, 7:00 PM

Dinner came, and spirits were higher than ever, despite no one finding any information about their situation. Kirumi made tea and other drinks for everyone, while Teruteru baked custom treats for those like Hina and Hiyoko, who had high standards when it comes to sweets.

“These doughnuts are awesome, Teruteru!” Hina cheered. She stacked her plate high with the fried food.

“Ah, cher, so you think my holed sweets are delicious, huh?” Teruteru said slyly. “Heh, if you want, I can show-” the cook took a moment to look behind Hina, and saw Sakura staring daggers at him. He took a step back, where he moved toward Hiyoko. “Um, moving on, ah, Hiyoko, here are your gourmet gummies.” Hiyoko hesitantly placed her fingers around a strawberry one, before putting it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up.

“Hmph, not bad for a pig like you.” The dancer said. “You better feel good about it, because that’s probably as much praise as you’ll ever get in your life.”

“Hmhmhm…” Teruteru chuckled. “You won’t be saying that if you give it a few more days.”

“That’s enough, Teruteru,” Mahiru said sternly. “I think you should sit down now, I think everyone has enough for the first round of food.” She looked toward Kirumi, who was still standing. “Kirumi, aren’t you going to eat with us?”

“As a maid, I must stand by in case anyone has a request.”

“But, you’re one of us too, Kirumi,” Mahiru said. “It’s not fair that you can’t eat while everyone else is pigging out.”

“It really doesn’t bother me. I can always eat later, before cleaning up.”
“Is that what you really want?”

“I get satisfaction out of filling a request. I am telling you that I will be alright.”

“O...Okay…” Mahiru conceded. “But remember to take care of yourself, and don’t push yourself too hard even if it is your talent.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Mahiru,” she said before attending back to her duties.

_________________________________________________________________

“Shuichi, you’re really telling me Maki roll did that?” Kaito said in amazement.

“Don’t call me that,” Maki said sternly.

“Yeah. After Kokichi stole from Hiyoko, Maki calmed her down in an instant.”

“See? I told you caregivers can’t be bad people! And she managed to get through Hiyoko…”

“Stop it…” Maki said, her face turning a tint of red. “It was nothing, really.” Their conversation was interrupted by Miu loudly stomping up the restaurant stairs.

“Muahahaha! Everyone kneel before my genius!” She yelled triumphantly with her signature goggles fastened on her eyes.

“What’s with that intense expression?” Shuichi asked, a little bewildered.

“Well thank my fashionably late arrival with this!” She pulled out a few metallic looking squares. “I spent all day working on these!”

“Wow, so you spent all day making metal squares…” Kazuichi said. “Can we get back to eating now?”

“H-Hey! T-Those aren’t just squares!” Miu sauntered her way to Keebo. “I’ve done the impossible! I’m able to make a robot taste!”

“Miu, I appreciate it a lot,” Keebo said. “What did y-” Keebo was interrupted by Miu ramming a square into his robotic mouth.

“Yeah, take it and be filled with ecstasy!” Miu laughed. Keebo’s expression of anger turned into one of amazement. He took a moment before removing the square from his mouth.

“Wh-what? Is this what taste feels like?  Th-This is amazing! I never felt like this before! I can see or hear, but this is new!” Keebo could barely contain his excitement.

“W-Wow!” Chihiro affirmed. “T-That is pretty amazing, Miu! Making an AI feel something as human as that is something else!” Keebo was too amazed to go in on the programmer’s remark.

“H-Heh…” Miu gave a nervous laugh. “W-Well it’s only natural for a genius to be amazing!”

“Miu, can I ask, what erm… flavour is this?” Keebo asked as he held up one of the squares.

“Well, I made a few flavours. I gave you some sweet ones, like apple pie, chocolate, brownies… But there are also some salty ones like miso soup, tonkatsu, and even shoyu ramen!”

“Wow… I’ve seen all of those foods before… I never thought that it could taste this good!”

“Yeah… and with the flavour mix I added a bit of my bloo-”

“I also think it’s pretty cool!” Akane added in. “I thought your existence would be worthless because you couldn’t taste or eat anything, Keebo! But it looks like that problem’s solved for now!”

_______________________________________________________________

Makoto took a seat next to Sayaka, with Kaede and Korekiyo on the other side of the table.

“Hey Sayaka, how was your day?”

“I have a lot more energy now today, especially now, with everyone working together.”

“Yeah... have you tried Kirumi’s green tea?”

“It’s pretty good. I’ve traveled to a lot of tea shops across Japan when I needed a pick-me-up during tours. But this is far beyond anything I got there.”

“I guess things aren’t so bad right now, when you think about it.”

“At least we have some order around here,” Sayaka said. “I can’t wait to try some of Teruteru’s sweets after.”

“I don’t get how he does it…” Makoto said. “I remember making sweets with my sister, it was pretty tough. I can’t imagine making this stuff at such a large scale.”

“Yes, it must be a laborious process…” Kiyo commented. “Like this mochi here, traditionally, it was created through glutinous rice that was pounded by a mallet against a mortar. Even with modern equipment, it still takes a lot of work.”

“Heh, and even baking cookies seemed like a real chore,” Makoto said.

“That sounds pretty cool, Makoto,” Sayaka said. “I’ve always gotten offers to be guests at cooking shows, so I definitely want to sharpen up my cooking skills.”

“By the way, Makoto, did you say that you have a sister?”

“Yeah, I do…” Makoto said. His heart sank a little. She must be so worried about him, yet he didn’t want to do anything drastic. “She’s sweet and supportive, and she must be worried sick about me.”

“I think we all feel the same about the ones we care about…” Sayaka said. “My idol group must be wondering where I am…”

“Yes, we all have people that we want to return to,” Korekiyo said. “I too, would like to see my own sister again, though I wouldn’t resort to anything to do so.”

“Of course not!” Makoto said. “There’s no way that would happen!”

“My sister always didn’t have the best health…” Korekiyo reminisced. “But perhaps, when we get out, our sisters could meet?”

“Komaru would love to meet new people!” Makoto agreed. “Maybe they should.”

“If you’re thinking about having a big reunion when we get out of here, I wouldn’t mind introducing you all to my idol group!” Sayaka said.

“Kukukuku, I look forward to it…” Korekiyo said.

________________________________________________________________

Day 2, 8:00 PM

After the dinner, everyone began to funnel out, and leave.

“Hey!” Mahiru shouted suddenly. “Don’t just leave here, we have to help clean up!”

“As if I’d do something as lowly as that…” Byakuya said, and left before anyone could object.

“Mahiru, it is not a problem…” Kirumi reassured. “I can handle this by myself.”

“Still, it would be unfair to leave her alone! We’re all responsible for cleaning up, right?”

“That sounds like communist propaganda, but okay…” Kokichi said.

“Ah, this is exciting!” Sonia said with a strange amount of amazement. “I have never partaken in the ritual known as cleaning! I cannot wait to see how it is like!”

“No, we can’t let the princess dirty her hands like this…” Kazuichi said.

“Besides, how are we gonna split the work?” Leon grumbled. “Kirumi said it was alright, so why not just leave it at that.”

“Oh, uh, I have an idea.” Chihiro said as she pulled out her laptop. After a few clicks, she opened a program. “This is a very simple program, but it is a random number generator who will say who’s going to clean with Kirumi.”

“What, you had a laptop?” Hifumi said in realization. “Couldn’t you just signal for help with it?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t…” Chihiro said. “There’s no reception, wi-fi, or ethernet anywhere in this island. “I found it in my room, I’m sure all of you have some items related to your talent, right?”

“Yeah, it’s a little weird…” Kaito said. “But anyway, back to your program.”

“Alright, I’ll just input everyone’s names and then execute it.” With blinding speed, the programmer typed the names of everyone but Kirumi and Byakuya, and executed the program.

“So, how about we get 3 people to help Kirumi?” Kaede said. “It’s not too big of a mess, so four can cover for forty-seven.”

“So, the first 3 names are… Gundham, Nagito, and Tsumugi.”

“Wow, Nagito…” Hajime commented. “For a lucky student, you don’t seem all that lucky.”

“Well, at least cleaning is one of the things I’m good at…” Nagito said.

“What is this?” Gundham roared. “Have the gods of fate forsaken me?! Impossible!”

“Hey, it shouldn’t be bad for you, since your hamsters could help,” Ibuki deadpanned.

“Hamsters?!” Gundham shouted. “Those are the Four Dark Devas of Destruction! They will incinerate you if you ever address them as such again!”

“Excuse me, Gundham, but I’m sure they’re really smart, and capable of doing this.” Sonia said. Gundham after a moment, calmed down.

“Since I’m so plain, it doesn’t surprise me that I’m gonna do all the work no one wants to do…” Tsumugi said.

_________________________________________________________________

Day 2, 8:30 PM

Ryoma sat on the stairs of the restaurant’s balcony, watching the sun set over the island. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a candy cigarette. Though it didn’t feel right for him to go back his store brand candy right after tasting the culinary skills of Kirumi and Teruteru, it was more than he deserved, he thought. He felt an overwhelming presence walk up behind him, and take a seat on the chair.

“Nekomaru…” Ryoma muttered, already knowing who watched him. “Never thought we’d meet again here.”

“I’m not surprised.” Nekomaru said. “I can’t think of anyone but you that Hope’s Peak would’ve picked as the Ultimate Tennis Pro. And trust me, I’ve trained quite a few tennis players in the past.”

“Hmph, tennis has nothing to do with me anymore,” Ryoma responded. “How many games have you seen from the so called Tennis Pro lately?”

“I’ve heard about what all my athletes have been up to,” Nekomaru said.

“Well, look at me now, using my tennis skills to become a murderer,” Ryoma scoffed.

“It’s a manager’s duty to look after an athlete, even after they step off the court.”

“Hmph, we both know you’re not my manager anymore.”

“Even so, I’m still worried about what you will do now,” Nekomaru said.

“I’m not so stupid that I’d throw away my life if that’s what you’re thinking, but what is there to do except try to survive?”

“Well, you are a lot more responsive than another athlete I’ve talked to…” Nekomaru said, before turning making his way down the stairs, passing Ryoma. “But you still have some of that spirit in you.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but think what you will,” The tennis pro gave a small smile before making his way back in the restaurant. There, he ran into Nagito.

“Are you finishing up your cleaning?” Ryoma asked, noticing how all the plates had been cleaned up, and the floor being wet from the mopping.

“Yeah, we’re just about done and ready to go back to our dorms. By the way Ryoma, I heard your conversation with Nekomaru.”

“Are you another person who’s gonna try and convince me to go back to tennis?” Ryoma asked. “If so, cut it out.”

“Aw, and I thought I could say something inspirational for once…” Nagito said. “But truly, it would fill everyone with hope seeing the tennis pro on the court again.” Ryoma gave a small laugh, before walking down the restaurant stairs.

“If people need to turn to me for hope, they must be out of options…”

_____________________________________________________

Day 2, 9:30 PM

Kaede was walking with Shuichi. The sun had set, and they were both ready to go back to their cottages. They stopped at just at the branch that divided the male and female students.

“Not bad for a first day, right?” Kaede asked.

“Everyone’s spirits are up,” Shuichi remarked. “I’m sure we’ll figure out something soon.”

“I’m confident in that,” Kaede said with a smile. “Especially with two detectives on the job.”

“Seriously… don’t lump me in with true detectives.”

“What? You are a true detective, Shuichi, don’t let anyone say otherwise. Don’t a lot of people turn to you for your skills?”

“Sure, I’ve solved a few things here and there, like missing pets, items, but the only case that truly mattered… it was just by chance.”

“You’re saying that it doesn’t matter that people rely on you? Look at the smiles on their faces the next time you solve a case. They’re happy that there’s someone like you out there.”

“I get what you’re saying,” Shuichi said. “It does make me feel happy, that I could help someone out.”

“Then be a detective with pride, Shuichi. You definitely earned that title from what you’ve told me.”

“Yeah… thanks for encouraging me, Kaede.”

“By the way, do you specialize in anything as a detective?”

“I’m not at that point yet, though a lot of detectives specialize in different things, like kidnappings, terrorism… even murder. I just hope I never have to solve a murder on this island.”

“There’s no way, no one’s gonna kill each other,” Kaede said. “We have a purpose, and we’ll see it through.”

“I hope so,” Shuichi said, before turning towards his cottage. “Good night, Kaede.”

“Good night, Shuichi.” With that, the two parted ways. Kaede made her way to her cottage, but just as she entered, the monitor in her room came to light yet again.

“Crap, what does Monokuma have to say now?” Kaede thought. Though the sun had set, it was still around half an hour until 10.

“Ahem. Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make.” Monokuma said. “Everyone, please make their way to Jabberwock park!” Kaede felt like she shouldn’t ignore Monokuma’s orders. She’ll have no choice but to listen to him. She began to make her way to the park yet again, and ran into Celeste.

“Hey, Celeste…” She said to the gambler.

“Oh, good evening Kaede…” She said nonchalantly. “Were you having a good evening?”

“Before that bear interrupted me? Well, going over the games my cottages provided me, I hope I could find someone who would dare wager against me…” Celeste furrowed her eyebrow. “But truthfully, this tropical weather isn’t suited for a lady like me at all.”

“I wouldn’t blame you for wanting to stay indoors.” Kaede smiled.

“That’s where I intend to stay without my parasol. And referring to the quality of food here, it is… acceptable.”

“Yeah, it was pretty good, especially with Kirumi and Teruteru helping out a bit.”

“Kirumi’s skill is commendable. Her tea is exquisite… she would make a good butler if she were a man.”

“What’s wrong with her being a maid?”

“Oh, nothing, forget I said anything about that…”

“But one thing that was lacking was Gyoza, though I am usually accustomed to European foods.”

“Gyoza?” Kaede asked.

“It’s surprising, isn’t it? For someone like me to be attracted to it. But still, I absolutely adore them.”

“Maybe next time, you can ask Teruteru to make them?

“Though I detest him and his vulgar perversion, I wouldn’t mind commanding him to make me some.”

“Teruteru’s a bit of a creep, but I don’t think I’d go that far…” The two made their way to the park without another word.

“It’s a bit comforting,” Kaede thought. “That I’m able to talk about something aside from Monokuma’s announcement.”

___________________________________________________________

Day 2, 9:40 PM

When Hajime got to the park, everyone else was already looking around uneasily.

“What is Monkuma going to say this time?” Hajime thought to himself.

“So it looks like everyone is here!” Taka shouted. It was strange that he’d have this sort of energy so late at night.

“I doubt that bear has anything worthwhile to say.” Byakuya mused. “But it would be amusing if there was something to make the game less boring.” A small, but malicious smile started to spread across his face.

“Tch, there he goes again, acting all tough with his game…” Mahiru said. “Jeez, doesn’t he have even a little bit of tact?”

“Your words are irrelevant,” Byakuya said sternly. “Things like kindness and compassion are ultimately worthless in a killing game, just like in life. Soon enough, you will learn that harsh truth.”

“Hey, you leave her alone!” Hajime shouted. “Look at you, acting like you’re unstoppable on this island. But whatever you are outside, you’re nothing more than any of us.”

“That’s rich, coming from a commoner like you,” Byakuya retorted. “If you can’t remember your talent, then you are by all rights, talentless. People like you should know your place in this world.” Hajime felt his blood boil and his fist clench at the progeny’s arrogance. He could feel himself moving towards him, but he felt a gloved hand grip his wrist tightly.

“Stop this,” Kyoko said in a quiet but stoic manner. “He only wants to get a rise out of you.” After a moment, Hajime unclenched his fists and walked away.

“Hajime,” Mahiru said. “Though I don’t like boys fighting to prove their toughness, it was pretty cool of you to stick up to me” Hajime felt a bit flustered, but he felt at ease with Mahiru.

“I had to call that guy out…” Hajime said. “God, I wish there was someone to get him off his high horse.” Hajime moved forward, and saw that a stage had appeared in the park.

“That bear won’t even let us sleep in peace?” Leon grumbled. “Damn, he’s annoying.”

“Pff, standing here is a better use of your time than jerking yourself at the cottage!” Miu sputtered. “But an inventor like me has better places to be.”

“Hajime!” Taka shouted. “Once again, you’re late! Haven’t you learned anything since the day you got here?”

“Give me a break…” Hajime muttered.

“Are you nervous, Hajime?” Sonia asked, though in a compassionate tone rather than a mocking one. “I am not surprised, because I am too.”

“Now that I think about it, she’s right.” Hajime looked around, and saw that the carefree mood from the day was replaced with an eerie, tense atmosphere, the same as when Monokuma first appeared.

“ So it looks like everyone’s here!” Monokuma appeared, donning a blue suit.

“What’s… with that getup?” Tsumugi asked.

“Well I thought it was best to dress for the occasion, because you’re all about to hear of a gut busting two man comedy routine!” Monokuma chortled.

“You say two man, but it appears that there’s only one of you,” Keebo said in annoyance.

“Of course, I can always make an after image of myself to fill in for me, but it’ll be a lot more fun if I brought a partner.” As he finished that, Monomi also appeared.

“How predictable…” Byakuya scoffed.

“Now that everyone’s here, please put your hands together for Monokuma’s side splitting comedy show! ” Monokuma laughed.

“Huh? I didn’t hear anything about this? Do you mean that I’m supposed to improvise?” Monomi cried.

“...I’m not sure how I’m supposed to respond to this.” Tsumugi deadpanned. The two animals took their places on the stage and began their routine.

“Monomi! What’s your least favourite trope in fiction?” Monokuma asked Monomi.

“Um…. I actually haven’t been catching up with the times.” Monomi admitted. “This old rabbit has only been reading the classics.”

“Pff, so you’re one of those old coots who can’t appreciate the modern works…” Monokuma said. “However, you know what I hate? When a franchise runs a game to the ground with the same tried, old cliches! Double murders at the exact same chapter, or a dumb old plot twist including memory loss.” Fabricated laughter echoed through the speakers of the stage.

“Enough with your games, Monokuma!” Taka shouted. “What are you getting to?”

“I’ll save you bastards at least six chapters by telling y’all up front, that Monomi isn’t the saintly angel she makes herself out to be. In fact, not only is she responsible for bringing you here, but she’s also responsible for taking your memories!”

“Hu-wa-wa?” Monomi stuttered in fear.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Mondo asked with contempt. “You’re really starting to piss me off.”

“Hold your horses, pompadour! What I’m getting to is that all the years that you’ve spent at Hope’s Peak academy have all been erased!”

“Erased?” Ibuki repeated. “But that’s totally impossible! There’s no way our memories could’ve been stolen!”

“Ibuki’s right!” Hajime added. “I was at home, ready to go to this academy a day ago, and then Monomi abducted us once I entered!”

“That’s only how you remember it,” Monokuma went on. “Did you feel a little drowsy before you entered the classroom? Well that’s the exact cutoff point for when you lost your memories!” Hajime took a step back in shock. In fact, he did feel himself going out of consciousness, not just at the beach, but when he first entered Hope’s Peak.

“Puhuhuhu! Looks like I got you from the look of your face! You’re not freshmen in Hope’s Peak at all, despite what you believe!”

“You seriously expect us to believe such a hopeless prospect? That our memories were taken? That’s impossible!” Nagito said, trying to maintain a steadfast tone, but even he looked like his heart was sinking.

“Jeez, you are only not believing it, because you’re blocking out whatever’s inconvenient to you! You’re in denial, because this doesn’t fit your fragile shell you call common sense. However, that is very subjective, as you have just found out.”

“Nyeh… it’s a lie…” Himiko said warily. “Only a master level caster could ever tap into memory erasing… I won’t believe it.”

“You know, two years is a lot of time that has passed. Maybe you should get on with the times! So in the end, your memories were stolen, and you have to thank Monomi for it!”

“This is bad… This is seriously, really, really bad!” Monomi cried.

“Don’t fuck with me!” Fuyuhiko spat with a shaky tone. “What the hell did you do?”

“So, you want to get your memories back? Well it’s good news your pal Monokuma is here to offer you a way to get them back! But of course, there’s just a tiiiiny catch…”

“Don’t tell me it’s…” Chiaki said.

“Yep! I figured that you slowpokes are making things run a little dry, so maybe a little motive can get you to get your hands dirty! Whoever makes a kill will be rewarded with their memories!”

“Quit fooling around!” Kaito shouted. “There’s no way anyone would kill each other for something as ridiculous as that! You have no proof of this.”

“So closed minded… But think about how much you’ve missed after two years, especially for young’uns like you! Have you wondered about how worried your friends and family must be! That is, if they’re even alive after two years…”

“I won’t believe it… There’s no way I can believe that…” Teruteru said weakly.

“For a chance to find out what happened during your lost memories, you know what you gotta do! A penny for your thoughts, a memory for your murders, as they say! Ahahahaha!” Monokuma’s cruel laugh echoed through the night air.

“I-I c-can’t take this!” Toko shouted. “This is t-too much!”

“I just wanna go home!” Mikan sobbed.

“And if you think that’s a real kicker…” Monokuma chuckled. “Then just wait until you hear the next zinger! Did you know that there are not one, but two traitors?”

“Traitors? No! No one is betraying each other!” Gonta said in refusal.

“It must’ve been quite the hussle bringing 47 students here. That’s like 3 whole classes worth of students! But, out of the 47, only 45 of you actually came here from Hope’s Peak.” That caused Hajime’s blood to run cold. It’s hard enough to live knowing that people like him were trapped in the exact situation as him, itching to get out. But the prospect of someone watching him, living like they’re outside the hell they’ve been put in made him feel weak.

“D-don’t listen to what Monokuma says!” Monomi yelled, throwing her arms up in panic. “Y-you must focus on building your friendship!” Her protests were met by a winding punch from Monokuma.

“Grrr, I had it with your backtalk, little sister!” Monokuma growled.

“Aaah! His charged punch couldn’t be protected or evaded against!” Monomi cried as she landed on the stone floor.

“So, a parasite lurks among us?” Gundham mused. “Come forth, cowards! Or else I shall burn this entire island to ashes!”

“Enough.” Kyoko stated. “If the traitor had any intention of revealing themselves, they would’ve by now.”

“Doesn’t that fill you with despair?” Monokuma asked. “No matter how much you try to get along with each other, they’re only letting you know what they want you to know. How can you be sure that your best friend on this island is actually a traitor?” Everyone fell silent. Hajime waited for someone to argue with him, but nobody said a word. They just stood there.

“And doesn’t knowing that there’s a traitor really get your knickers in a twist? How they pretend to be your ally, and then deceiving you? You wouldn’t feel any shame killing them, would you? C’mon, if you make a pre-emptive strike, that’s a double bonus for everyone! Ahahahaha!” When Monokuma was finished talking, once again, he disappeared, leaving his sadistic laugh echoing through the park, and the bewildered set of students standing there.

“Hmmm, things just got a lot more interesting from here,” Kokichi said, seemingly unaffected by Monokuma’s tirade. “Well, looks like the cat’s outta the bag, I’m the traitor you guys.” Everyone turned themselves towards Kokichi.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Keebo asked. “Because there’s no time for games, Kokichi.”

“There, the traitor admitted it!” Akane shouted. “Let’s beat the crap outta him!”

“I was hoping that Monomi would cover for me, but it looks like Monokuma spoiled the reveal for all of us.”

“Don’t believe what Kokichi says!” Monomi said, still in a state of panic. “There is no traitor among you!”

“Kokichi, enough with this foolishness,” Kirumi said sternly.

“But he just admitted it, didn’t he?” Akane asked.

“If you know Kokichi, take everything with a grain of salt…” Rantaro said.

“Jeez, why do you have to ruin all the fun, mom?” Kokichi grumbled. “But it looks like Akane’s the traitor.”

“Huh, why me?” Akane growled. “If you keep making things up, then I’ll really pummel you into the ground.”

“Wouldn’t the real traitor agree to have me killed if I said I was?” Kokichi asked. “And Akane looked so pushy to get rid of me.”

“But that’s just Akane being Akane,” Tenko said in her defense. “No way she’d do that because she’s the traitor.”

“B-by the way, I-I’m not the traitor!” Mikan cried. “I may look suspicious, but there’s no w-way it’s me!”

“They are obviously making things harder by keeping this charade up…” Taka said. “I know! Everyone close their eyes, and whoever is the traitor, put up your hand!” This earned the facepalms of numerous students.

“I-idiot…” Toko scowled. “Th-there’s no way they’d do something as dumb as you suggested!”

“Hey, we should take a moment to calm down.” This time it was Ryota who spoke up. “We shouldn’t waste our time discussing something as foolish as traitors. It’s obviously Monokuma trying to divide what we built up.”

“H-he’s right…” Teruteru said half-heartedly. “There’s no way we should believe it, there’s no reason for us to believe it in the first place…”

“Hey, doesn’t Monomi know who the traitor is?” Hiyoko said. “Hey Monomi, tell us who the traitor is or I’ll pour ants down your ears!”

“Huh?” Monomi responded.

“Yeah, she’s right…” Mondo said. “Tell us who the damn traitor is if there is one!”

“E-everyone needs to look to the future. That’s why, you shouldn’t look back at the past…” Monomi said, sweating in fear. “Keep your eyes on the future! Let’s do our very best!” With that, Monomi too, took her leave.

“This has been a waste of time…” Maki said.

“Memory loss, traitors, it’s all fictional…” Fuyuhiko muttered, though he had a notable look of discomfort on his face as well. “I won’t deal with any of this bullshit!”

“Fictional… that’s how this all felt.” Hajime thought. “The thought that my memories have been stolen, it’s completely detached from the reality I know…” Before Hajime could speculate further, another announcement played.

“This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak School Trip Committee. It is now 10 PM. Please return to your designated rooms at the hotel. Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite...”

“Hey…” Chiaki began after a brief silence. “What should we do now?”

“It’s best if we all got some rest…” Kaede responded. “We need to keep ourselves calm during situations like this, right?” Chiaki nodded solemnly.

“Hey, don’t think of anything unnecessary…” Mahiru spoke up. “We should talk more about this at the restaurant, after Monokuma’s morning announcement.”

“Eh, screw this, I’m gonna grab some snacks at the supermarket…” Akane said. “You can’t feel calm with an empty stomach.” Without another word, she took off back towards the first island.

“Hmph, this game won’t be so mind-numbingly dull now that I can get to work deciphering who these traitors could be…” Byakuya said with a sly smile, before making his way back.

____________________________________________________________

Day 2, 10:15 PM

Makoto also didn’t feel too well. However, his mind focused remained on Sayaka, who remained frozen in shock.

“Sayaka, are you feeling al-”

“No… I don’t,” Sayaka said with a tear running down her cheek. “This is all so terrible, Makoto.” She grabbed the luckster’s hand. “I can’t bear to think about what happened to my dream, but more importantly, my idol group while I was gone…”

“It’s like Ryota said,” Makoto said. “Monokuma said all that nonsense to divide us! There’s no way we’ll know while we’re on this island, so we can only do our best.” That seemed to calm Sayaka ever so slightly.

“Hm. Y-You sounded a bit like Monomi there…” Sayaka said. “If anything, I know you can’t be a traitor with how honest you are.” Makoto decided to take that as a compliment.

“Thanks, Makoto… you made me feel a bit better…”

“Any time, Sayaka. I think it’s best that we got some rest, okay?” Together, they walked back to the gates of the hotel.

“Well, you know the drill, Sayaka. We can talk more at the restaurant tomorrow.”

“Heh, how could I forget the drill with Taka around?” Sayaka let out a small giggle. Makoto gave a small laugh back.

“Well, I guess there was no reason to tell you that,” Makoto said. “Goodnight, Sayaka,” Makoto said.

“ ‘Night, Makoto,” Sayaka replied. Makoto was still shaken by Monokuma’s revelation, but as he went back into the cottage, he still felt like the resolve of his friends won’t break, even with this motive. As he walked, he saw Akane running by.

“Hey, Akane?! What’s the hurry?” Makoto called out.

“Well, the need for food is pretty important, but I better take Nekomaru’s advice to heart too,” she replied. “I’m going to the supermarket after I’m done my business, so don’t go hoarding while I’m gone if that’s what you’re thinking!”

“I wouldn’t dare do that, I’m pretty scared of what Akane would do if she didn’t have her food…” Makoto thought to himself.

___________________________________________________

Day 3, 6 AM

Kaede woke with a loud banging on her door. She looked at the clock, and saw that it was 6 AM, a full hour before Monokuma’s morning announcement.

“Who could be making all this ruckus at this time?” Kaede thought to herself. She managed to rouse herself out of her sleepy state, and took a moment to fix her hair clips, and put on her backpack. She opened the door and there stood Hina. Her eyes were dilated in terror, and her body trembled.

“W-what is it, Hina?” Kaede asked cautiously.

“Why was she so scared? It c-can’t be murder, can it?”

“Kaede, you have to come with me, quickly!” Hina said, her voice filled with desperation. Kaede couldn’t ignore her plea, so she followed her without question. As she stepped out, the light of sunrise shone at her face, with the scent of morning dew in the air. Still, these normally calming signs of morning are pierced with the feeling of dread.

“What happened?” Kaede asked.

“Y-You’ll have to see it for yourself…” Hina responded, her voice filled with horror. The two reached the main path, and made their way to the pool. Sakura stood surrounding the pool, her stoic face lined with sorrow. She felt her body freeze in apprehension as she stood.

“Why am I so scared?” Kaede asked herself. “What am I doing? There’s no way someone would commit a murder, right? C’mon! Get yourself together...”

She moved closer to the pool, enough to get a close look. The pool’s water had turned from a clear to a… strange blue colour?

“ No, that’s not blood, so why were they so worried?” But her fear was confirmed, when she saw the body of Keebo, The Ultimate Robot, at the bottom of the pool. With that, the monitor sparked to life yet again.

“Puhuhuhu, looks like one of you bastards took my advice after all! Day three and a body is already in the gutter! Now, everyone report to the Hotel Pool! After an investigation, the class trial will begin soon!”

Chapter Text

Kaede could only stare in shock at Keebo’s body.

“There’s no way Keebo could be dead?” Kaede thought to herself. “He’d chew me out for being robophobic, but how?” Her thought was interrupted by Gonta, who looked in horror at Keebo’s body.

“Keebo, no!” Gonta shouted with tears in his eyes. “Keebo can’t be dead, right? Gonta will save him!” Gonta took a step back, about to jump into the pool, but before he could, Sakura grabbed him.

“Don’t try anything foolish, Gonta,” Sakura said. “Who knows if the water is safe to touch? Keebo runs on electricity, right?”

“Gonta is sorry… Sorry he couldn’t save Keebo…” Gonta apologized solemnly.

“Don’t blame yourself, Gonta…” Kaede tried her best to comfort him, but she was at a loss for words.

“But, if it’s not oil, what is that?” Hina asked. Kaede felt like they’ll get the answer soon enough, with Kazuichi and Miu rushing up.

“KEEBO!” Miu cried out. “This… This can’t be happening!?”

“If the body discovery played, then he must certainly be dead,” Byakuya walked up with a smile. “It seems like the games have begun.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Kazuichi yelled. “None of us wanna be in this crappy situation!” More and more people gathered around the pool, with looks reflecting the despair. Many of them were not fully dressed, or sloppily so. Kaede couldn’t blame them, as this was a very early time to be interrupted. She saw that people like Angie,  Mondo, Taka, Korekiyo, Shuichi, Gundham, they didn’t have their jackets on. Sonia, Sayaka, and Himiko’s hair were all fairly messy, as none of them had their clips or braids.

“Apologies for my appearance, but it appears that the grimness of our situation has taken precedence…” Korekiyo said.

“A-Ahh!” Toko screamed. “I-Is that… blood?” She looked like she was on the verge of fainting. When she nervously went and got a closer look, she calmed down a bit. “Oh… it’s not… Wait, someone’s dead?!” She shouted in realization.

“Oh my gosh… this is terrible!” Sonia said, growing pale at the sight. “Keebo was our friend… he had aspirations like we did, only to be snuffed out.”

“What the hell is going on?” Mondo asked as he made his way over. He was the next one to see the fallen student. “Shit… so it did come down to this…”

“Atua accepts all souls that pass…” Angie said with a sign of prayer. “Robots are no exception.” She took what looked like a wooden needle and placed it pointing at Keebo.

“Maybe she’s doing an afterlife ritual? Wherever she’s from, it is pretty different.”

“Teammates, they aren’t supposed to do this to each other…” Nekomaru said grimly.

“AAAAH!” Ibuki screamed. “Keebo, Ablublublub…” she began to foam at the mouth. “This is too much…”

“Hey, since it’s a robot that died, what’s gonna happen?” Kokichi asked.

“Is that, what I say… a robophobic remark?” Monokuma came out of nowhere.

“What the fuck do y-you want?” Miu said angrily.

“Whoa, no need to be feisty!” Monokuma said. “Well, I’m here because y’all need to remember the rules. After an investigation, there will be a trial determining Keebo’s killer!”

“You mean one of us killed Keebo?” Nagito asked. “How hopeless… This is so hopeless…”

“So why the hell are you here?” Kaito growled.

“C’mon, this ol’bear is here to help you out! I don’t think any of you amateurs can just solve a mystery like this by yourself, so I present to you something that’ll give a bit of a boost. Ahem, introducing, the Monokuma File!”

“What file?” Hajime repeated.

“Just open your e-handbooks, you’ll find out soon enough.” Kaede pulled the handbook from her handbook, and when she opened it, a new section appeared. This is what it read;

“Monokuma File #1: The victim is K1-B0, the Ultimate Robot. The body was discovered at 6:05 AM, in the hotel pool. The estimated time of death is 11:30 PM. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. There were no signs of short circuiting, corrosion, or fire damage to the body.” As Kaede finished reading it, Monomi appeared yet again.

*Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #1*

“Hu-wa-wa?!” Monomi said in panic. “This… this is so terrible! Students aren’t supposed to hurt each other!”

“But w-what are we supposed to do now?” Sayaka asked.

“You gotta believe in each other! Don’t believe Monokuma’s lies saying that Keebo was murdered!”

“Wait, if you could just teleport anywhere,” Hajime said. “Why couldn’t you just stop the murder?”

“Monokuma would never let me do that…” Monomi cried. “I’m so sorry for being so powerless…”

“I think there’s only one thing left to do,” Kyoko said. “Investigate the murder.” The detective proceeded to take the reins of the conversation. “We know that it’s currently too dangerous to retrieve Keebo from the pool by ourselves. So there we must find another way to retrieve his body.”

“I know of a fishing net at the supermarket…” Akane recalled. “I’ll go get it!” Akane sprinted off to the market. After a few minutes of waiting, she returned with the net.

“Alright, let’s get him out of the pool,” Akane said. She lowered the net into the pool, and after a lot of pulling, managed to take Keebo out. Keebo lay there, his eyes were closed and unmoving, like the rest of his body. The light that ran through his collar and his buttons will forever be dark.

“Sheesh, he’s pretty heavy…” Akane said. “For a pipsqueak like him, it took more than usual to lift him up…” Kaede looked at the e-handbook and at Keebo’s profile.

“She’s right…” Kaede said. “Keebo is pretty heavy for his size. 89 kg… Akane must be pretty strong to just haul him up like that…”

*Truth Bullet: Keebo’s Weight.*

“I’m so sorry for being useless…” Mikan cried. “I can’t perform an autopsy on Keebo, since he’s a robot and not a human…”

“I thought there was some tiny hope that you wouldn’t be a useless pig when a murder happens, but looks like you’re useless here too.” Hiyoko snarked, making Mikan sob even harder.

“So… I guess it’s up to me,” Kazuichi said, taking the wrench from his pocket. “Sorry, dude, but I gotta get a look into ya,” he said to the robot’s body. He turned Keebo over, and began to inspect him.

“What we do now?” Gonta asked.

“Maybe we should take a look at the Monokuma File…” Kaede said. “I think that’s a good thing to read over first.” She thought back to the file.

“11:30 PM… That wasn’t too long after night-time began. Crap! I wish I was awake to stop it…”

“With the cause of death, I think we can wait for Kazuichi to confirm it…” Nekomaru said.

“We should look around…” Kyoko suggested. “Investigate the scene of the crime, preferably in pairs. That should prevent the lone culprit from destroying any evidence…”

“The murder took place at night, so we’d get little use out of alibis. However, perhaps we can piece together what happened… before 11:30 PM…” Shuichi said.

“What the Monokuma file said was right…” Kazuichi said. He pointed at the back of Keebo’s head, there were multiple indents on his head that were deep enough to see his internal workings. “Whoever struck him hit him really hard… multiple times.” It twisted Kaede’s heart that Keebo had to suffer multiple swings before he died.

“What do you think caused a wound like that?” Kaede asked.

“My best guess would be something small, yet heavy…” Kazuichi replied. “They’re pretty concentrated dents. It’s about one inch in diameter, but around four inches deep. Something huge like a sledgehammer would straight up destroy Keebo’s head, so it can’t be anything too big...” Kazuichi turned Keebo’s hand over as well.

“Take a look at his hand,” Kazuichi said. Kaede was sort of glad that Keebo was a robot, as it would be a truly grisly sight on a human. Keebo’s hand suffered similar dented wounds, its glovelike form, broken and twisted in many places. “Whoever the attacker was, they also got his hand as well… He must’ve fought back or something or the culprit gave a few less than stellar shots.”

*Truth Bullet: Kazuichi’s Autopsy*

“Also, another thing I have to say…” Kazuichi began. Keebo has a lot of glass embedded onto his body.” He pointed out the pieces of glasses that were stuck on Keebo’s back.

“Glass on Keebo’s body…”

“Hey, Kazuichi… what were the blue fluids in the pool?” Makoto asked.

“I’m pretty sure it’s cooling fluid…” Kazuichi said. “It runs through his body to prevent him from overheating, but it looks like when his head was bashed in, it spilled some of it all over the place.”

“Hey, what does that button do?” Kaede asked, pointing to the back of Keebo’s neck.

“That? I don’t really know. I pushed it, and nothing happened. He didn’t tell us about it either… will we ever know?”

“Would Miu know about this?” Kaede thought to herself.

“Cooling fluid?” Makoto thought, listening in on Kazuichi. “Perhaps there are other places where his cooling fluid spilled.” He got up and went over to Sayaka, who obviously looked like she’s been crying.

“Sayaka…”

“Sorry, Makoto, for looking like such a mess…”

“It’s alright, Sayaka. You look beautiful as you are right now,” Makoto said, brushing away the hair on her face.

“You’re a… lot more forward than I thought, Makoto.” Sayaka said. “But that’s not a bad thing.”

“Hey, you’re giving me too much credit,” Makoto replied sheepishly. “I  just want to help you feel better.”

“I think it worked…” Sayaka said. “Sorry, my talent doesn’t include investigating. I can’t leave Keebo’s body alone like that, even with Kazuichi being there. It sounds weird, but I don’t want him to be alone.”

“O-Okay,” Makoto said. “I’ll talk to Kyoko for more about the case. She’s the Ultimate Detective, right?”

“That’s being mean to Shuichi, but I think she could use could an assistant.”

“So I’m the assistant now…” Makoto thought as he walked away.

_____________________________________________________________________

Hajime walked toward the hotel, hoping for a clue.

“Hey, Hajime.” a voice called out.

“Hey Nagito…” Hajime said.

“Are you worried? Disheartened?” Nagito asked. “Don’t be... We have to move forward in the name of hope…”

“And the only way to do that apparently, is that someone’s gonna be found out as a killer.”

“There’s no way anyone could be the killer…” Nagito said. “We can prove that there isn’t one when we get to trial…”

“Is this guy… in denial?” Hajime thought. “Nagito is so nonchalant, and he seemed pretty steadfast when he said there is no killer…” Another person came up to Hajime.

“Hajime…” Chiaki said. “Do you mind if we investigated together?”

“I wouldn’t mind us investigating…” Hajime said. “But first, we’re gonna need some leads.”

“Did you notice the scrape marks leading to the pool?” Chiaki asked. Hajime looked toward the floor, and saw a long series of scratches on the tiles, that ended beside the balcony of the restaurant.

“I haven’t…” Hajime mused. “I was so busy with the commotion Monokuma put up…”

“Hey, don’t you think there’s something weird about these scrapes, too?” Nagito brought up. Hajime saw that in contrast to the grey tile floor, the scrapes were a blue colour, similar to the colour the pool was tinted with.

“The scrapes are coloured blue… What could that mean?” Hajime asked himself.

*Truth Bullet: Scrapes on the tile floor.*

“Ah, maybe we should investigate the balcony as well…” Hajime walked up to the floor beside the balcony, and saw a small crater, and glass covered in blue liquid scattered on it. The handrail and glass that surrounded the balcony, some of that was broken too, and a table was flipped over.

“It seems like something heavy has been pushed out of here…” Nagito said. “And left a crater like that.”

“Yeah,” Chiaki agreed. “And that heavy object was dragged, creating those scrapes, I think…”

“That seems to be the case,” Hajime said. “It almost looked like a huge struggle broke out here, it’s a mess…”

*Truth Bullet: Crater And Broken Balcony.* Hajime went to the pool, back to the balcony again, to make out the path of the scrapes. He walked up the stairs to get a closer look.

“Don’t hurt yourself, Hajime!” Chiaki called out. “There’s a lot of glass scattered everywhere!” He looked at the table that was flipped over. It was spotless, and so was the floor when it came to the blue coolant. However, he saw a white scrap, and it caught his attention.

“What is that?” Hajime thought to himself. He picked up what looked like a broken piece of white plastic. “Could this be a part of Keebo?”

“Chiaki…” Hajime called out. “I found this bit of plastic here.”

“A piece of plastic?” Chiaki asked as she gave a look at it. “I’m not an expert of robots, but I don’t think it’s a part of Keebo.”

“Perhaps it’s a part of his hair?” Nagito asked.

“No, his hair, apart from that cowlick thing, it was very life-like.”

“Hmmm, perhaps this could be a clue belonging to the culprit?” Chiaki wondered aloud.

*Truth Bullet: Broken Piece of Plastic*

“I think I’m getting an idea of where this is going, but… I think we’ll have to investigate more."

________________________________________________________________________

“Shuichi…” Kaede said as she approached the detective. “I think we should investigate together.”

“Yeah…” Shuichi said. “It feels pretty terrible, having to use what skill I have to uncover a murder. I hoped it would never come to this…”

“None of us wanted this…” Kaede grimaced. “But we have to move forward, and solve this for Keebo.”

“Yeah… you’re right…” Shuichi said. The two moved up to the restaurant, and began looking.

“I don’t know if there’s anything relevant here…”

“We should search this place anyway for clues…” Shuichi said. He began to look around the restaurant. It seemed mostly untouched from last night. It felt strange, that if he just sat here, he could forget the murder even existed. There was no food on the tables either, so breakfast hasn’t started yet. He went into the kitchen, and saw Kirumi going over the supplies.

“Hey, Kirumi…” Shuichi said. “You were cleaning last night, did you notice anything out of place?”

“For the most part, everything was untouched…” Kirumi said. “Save for one thing. In the kitchen, there is a stack of spare tablecloths. It seems like one of them is missing, however…”

“Huh? Why would a tablecloth be missing?” Kaede wondered aloud.

“Wherever it is, it is likely the killer used it for some reason…”

*Truth Bullet: Missing Tablecloth.*

“Thanks, Kirumi…” Shuichi said. “If we find where it is, it would be a huge clue.”

“The request I have been given essentially is to uncover the culprit,” Kirumi said. “I will fulfill it to the best of my abilities. However, I must continue to watch the restaurant so no one can tamper with the evidence.”

“Did anyone else other than us, you, and Gundham come by?” Shuichi asked.

“No, it was just us,” Kirumi said.

“Is there anymore we can find here?” Kaede asked. There, back in the dining hall, Gundham was walking with his Devas on his palm, all of them erratically looking around.

“Hey Gundham, what’s going on?”

“I was investigating with the servant with the devourer’s lair on her chest, when one of my devas picked up a scent!” Gundham said. “Perhaps this will lead to Keebo’s murderer…” He set one of them on the ground, and they scurried toward one of the tables. After a minute, they came back holding a metallic square in hand.

“Ah, so they found something…” Gundham said. “Good work my devas. Truly, your deductions triumph above these pathetic mortals.”

“Hey, can I get a look at that?” Shuichi asked, taking the square from the Devas. He adjusted his hat to get a closer look at the square.

“Hey, it’s one of those flavoured squares that Miu gave him,” Shuichi said. “Why would it be here? Did he forget it?”

*Truth Bullet: Flavoured Square*

“Hey, Gundham! You were helping clean last night, did you forget this while you were cleaning?”

“Do you take me for an ignoramus?” Gundham said angrily. “There’s no way we missed something like that, it clearly must’ve presented itself after we were finished…” Shuichi knelt down to get a closer look under the table the devas found it. He found that the cloth under it had been splattered by Keebo’s coolant, but the tables and floor were wiped clean.

“I think I’m getting more and more of this mystery…” Shuichi said.

“Are you getting a hunch at who the culprit is?” Kaede said.

“Not yet, but perhaps we can bring our evidence together at the trial.”

*Truth Bullet: Coolant Splattered Tablecloth.*

_______________________________________________________________________

Makoto and Kyoko walked, continuing to survey the scene.

“Do you think we should find some alibis?” Makoto asked.

“I doubt that anyone can account for each other at night, we can still obtain some answers,” Kyoko replied. They walked up to Akane, who was sitting on a pool chair, furiously eating chips.

“Hey, Akane, mind if we ask you some questions?” Makoto asked.

“Oh, hi Mark,” Akane said between her bites. “What’s up?”

“My name's Makoto… But that’s not the important part. You said you went to the market to eat after Monokuma’s tirade yesterday, right?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t feeling too great, so I went to get something I can bring to my room, like these bags of chips.” She pointed toward the multitude of snacks that she was protecting with her body. “You’re gonna have to get your own…”

“How long were you at the market?” Kyoko asked.

“Huh? If you’re accusing me, I didn’t do it. When Monokuma ended his show, it was around 10 PM. I said I was going to the market, but I had to use the bathroom first, so I went to my cottage first. I got to the market at 10:30, and stuck around until probably 11 PM.”

“Did you see anyone enter the market during that time?” Makoto asked.

“Nah, I didn’t see anyone…” Makoto suddenly remembered what Kazuichi told everyone.

“Have you gotten a look at certain tools at the market while you were there?” Makoto asked.

“I took a good look around the place while I was there. I think I can answer.”

“Can you go over what’s in stock?” Kyoko asked.

“That’s a weird question…” Akane muttered. “There were around like, eight saws, the fishing net, a harpoon gun, four hammers, a sledge hammer, probably five hatchets...”

“Did you see anyone on the way there and back?”

“I caught Makoto walking back to his cottage. But it looks like everyone else was in the cottages or something, since the courtyard was pretty empty.”

“Oh, yeah…” Makoto recalled. “You were in a hurry.”

“But what about on the way to the supermarket?” Kyoko said, turning back to the subject.

“Nah, I didn’t see anyone on the way from the hotel to the market.”

*Truth Bullet: Akane’s Account*

“I think we know our next destination, at least...” Kyoko said.

“Thanks Akane for your info,” Makoto said.

“Yeah, whatever. I’ll get back to eating now.” The two made their way to the supermarket. When they arrived, they surveyed the tool rack, and found that everything that Akane described was in place, save for one thing… there were five carpenter’s hammers.

“So, if what Akane said was true, the culprit must have put the hammer back where it was after the murder...” Kyoko said.

“Yeah, looks like the culprit took the hammer before Akane entered the supermarket, and put it back after.”

*Truth Bullet: Hammer.*

“You know what is interesting?” Kyoko asked Makoto.

“What?”

“Akane didn’t see anyone else during the investigation. And you know what else? The layout of our cottages.”

“What do you mean the layout of our cottages?”

“Well, have you figured that the order that each wing is laid out is alphabetically by our first names? The people whose first names are closest to Z are near the main walkway, and the people whose names start close to A have the longest distance.”

“Yeah, that explains why I’m pretty middle of the pack, even by alphabet letter…” Makoto said. 14th letter in the alphabet, M for Makoto.

“Akane ran a pretty long way, with that being the case.”

*Truth Bullet: Cottage Layout*

_____________________________________________________________________

Kaede and Shuichi returned to Kazuichi, who was still watching over Keebo’s body. Now, Miu is with him.

“Fuck, why didn’t I back Keebo up?” Miu cried. “That way… he could still be alive even if his body died…”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up… All we can do now is get justice for Keebo…”

“Kazuichi…” Shuichi began. “Do you know anything more about the coolant in Keebo’s body?”

“Well… this stuff can wash off of stuff like wood, tile, and metal, but the it’s really hard to get this stuff out of cloth,” Kazuichi explained.

“Did you figure anything out about Keebo?”

“Well…” Miu spoke up. “Keebo told me about this emergency button he had on the back of his neck. It was pretty useless, and I wanted to remove it, but he said it was only meant for emergencies.”

“Did he tell anyone else about it?” Kaede asked.

“If he had half a brain, he wouldn’t…” Miu said.

“Did the culprit use the emergency button or not?” Kaede asked herself. “I guess we will find out soon enough.” Kaede realized there was still one more thing to go over. She walked over to Hina.

“Hey, Hina, we have something to ask you.”

“I don’t think anything I say will bring us closer to finding the culprit, but fire away…” Hina said, in an uncharacteristically depressed mood. She wasn’t surprised that she’d feel that way, considering that she woke up to find a dead body.

“You were the one who woke me up, right? Sakura was there too… Can you tell me what happened leading up to those events?”

“Well, I woke up around 5:30 today. It took me around 20 minutes to get fully ready for today. I went to get Sakura, since we do some morning exercises before breakfast. After she left her cottage, we went to the pool, and that’s…” Hina sighed. “That’s when we found him… I ran to get you quickly, since you're one of our leaders, right? I woulda knocked on every door I went to if you didn’t answer so quickly.”

“I can attest to this,” Sakura said. “It’s truly grim to see everyone shaken up like this.”

“So, that’s what happened…” Shuichi said. “Thanks, Hina, your account will be a huge help.”

“Really? Well, I hope you find the culprit with it!” Hina said, with some of her energy regained.

*Truth Bullet: Aoi’s Account*

Kaede walked back to the inventor, who was still heartbroken by Keebo’s death.

“Miu, we’re gonna need your help,” Kaede said.

“What the hell do you want, Kaeidiot?”

“We should search Keebo’s room for clues. There’s probably gonna be something that will point us to the culprit.”

“Fine, I’ll come with you…” Miu said. “But you better get on your knees later, I’m only doing this so you idiots don’t bumble yourselves to death while in Keebo’s room.” They walked over to Keebo’s cottage, and found that it was locked.

“It’s locked…” Shuichi said. “Just as I suspected.”

“Is there no way to get in?” Kaede said. “Actually, there might be one way.”

“And what would that way be?” Shuichi asked.

“Hey, Monokuma!” Kaede shouted. After a few seconds, Monokuma appeared.

“What?” Monokuma grumbled. “Can’t you see it’s still early morning? I know you bastards have a murder case to solve, but this bear needs some shut eye.”

“Just shut the fuck up and let us into Keebo’s room!” Miu growled.

“My, my, how rude of you!” Monokuma said, feigning offense.

“It’s crucial for the investigation,” Kaede said.

“Fine, fine. If it’s for the trial, I won’t refuse.” Monokuma muttered. “There is a magical incantation I know that can unlock any door.” The bear clasped his hands together for a moment, before throwing his arms in the air.  “Va-Va Valuse!” A click followed.

“There, have fun investigating you bastards. Now, I need a nap before the trial begins…” Monokuma disappeared once again. The three of them entered Keebo’s room. It had a bed, a desk, chair, and surprisingly a bathroom like all the other students. However, there was a large charger attached to the wall, with a cord that likely attached to Keebo.

“What’s that cord for?” Shuichi asked.

“Keebo needed it whenever he charged. He never needed to sleep, so he could just sit around while he waits to recharge.” Shuichi walked around the room, and came across Keebo’s flavoured squares.

“Hey, Miu… are all of Keebo’s squares accounted for?”

“What? Let me see!” Miu went over to the desk where Keebo kept his squares.

“Huh? One of them is missing!” She said in exasperation.

“So, Keebo must’ve left it at the restaurant…” Kaede said. “Which explains this,” she said as she pulled out the flavoured square from the restaurant.

“So there’s the missing one!” Miu said. “But what did Keebo… really forget about what I gave him?” Her heart sank.

“No… chances are, the culprit must’ve taken it from him when he wasn’t looking. He probably didn’t realize it until he was at his cottage, which is why he went out.”

“But how would the culprit know when Keebo would go to the restaurant.”

“The best thing we can pin it on now is patience…” Shuichi said.

*Updated Truth Bullet:* Flavoured Square.

“We’ll get justice for Keebo. I’m sure of it,” Kaede said.

“ Everyone, please gather at Monokuma Rock, which is the mountain at Jabberwock Park. The trial will begin very soon.”

“So it begins…” Shuichi muttered. “There’s nothing to do but go there, right?”

“Yeah…” Kaede said. The two of them made their way to the rock. When they reached the rock, they saw all the other students, standing nervously. It appears like most of them have cleaned themselves up since discovering the body, they looked ready for the day.

“It looks like everyone has gathered here…” Mukuro said.

“Is the trial gonna start soon?” Sayaka asked.

“Where’s the trial gonna take place?” Everyone asked questions no one knew the answer to.

“Hey, where’s Fuyuhiko?” Mahiru asked. “He didn’t help at all with the investigation, and now he’s not gonna show up?”

“Stop talking about me, dumbasses,” Fuyuhiko spat as he too, gathered at the rock.

“So it seems that everyone has arrived!” Taka shouted. “Monokuma should begin the trial soon!”

“Well, the show is about to start!” Monokuma laughed, appearing out of nowhere.

“Whoa!” Kazuichi screamed. “I can’t get used to you just appearing like that.”

“Y’all must be wondering where the trial is gonna take place. Well, allow me to reveal what Monokuma Rock truly is!” As he finished that, the mountain crumbled away until it bore the faces of four Monokumas.

“Aah!” Hiro screamed. “What the hell was that?”

“Just something to spruce up the island, don’t you think? Now, as soon as possible, please enter through the secret entrance. ” A massive escalator stretched from one of the carved Monokuma’s mouth onto the beach.

“I can’t let you do that!” Monomi shouted. “I can’t let you execute anyone!”

“Oh, Monomi, you’re here too?” Monokuma growled in annoyance. “I wasn’t expecting this, but if you want a special place in the trial, a special place you will get!” Angrily, the bear pulled Monomi with his paws and dragged her up the escalator.

“S-So, we’re supposed to climb up that escalator?” Hifumi asked, worried.

“It appears we have no choice…” Ryoma said, being the first to step on the escalator.

“C’mon, there’s nowhere to go but forward…” Chiaki followed. One by one, everyone stepped on the escalator, and once they reached the top, they found an elevator. All of them crowded into the dark, metallic elevator. Though its size was above average, they can’t help but feel trapped, as forty-six people are now standing on its floor. It began to descend, its creaks ringing throughout the shaft.

“Makoto… I’m scared.” Sayaka said quietly to him.

“I am too… But we’ll get out of here alive, right? We’ll find who killed Keebo.” Makoto brushed Sayaka’s hair aside yet again, as some of it covered her eyes.

“I hope so… It’s cruel that someone else has to die so the rest of us can move on.”

“The best thing to do is to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We have to do our best to make sure we never return to this elevator.” Elsewhere, Kaede and Shuichi talked quietly.

“Shuichi… I know we can get through this,” Kaede said.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t feel right, knowing that we’re on the elevator with the culprit. And if we survive, there will be one fewer person coming back up with us, if what Monokuma said was true.” Shuichi said, his obscured eyes darting around the room.

“Oh, right… his threat of execution…” Kaede said. She didn’t want anyone here to be punished. It was painful losing Keebo already, but having to confront that someone actually did such a terrible thing, can she look them in the eye?

“Some leader I’ve been, right?” Kaede said solemnly. “It’s only been 2 nights, and one of us is already dead.”

“I-I’m no good at motivation, that’s more of your thing,” Shuichi began. “But it wasn’t your fault this happened. You kept me together during the investigation, and that already proves you’re a good leader. The best thing we can do now is making sure this doesn’t happen again, right?”

“Y-Yeah…” Kaede said.

“Shuichi,” a deep voice called out. It was Ryoma speaking.

“Yeah, Ryoma?” Shuichi replied.

“Do you have a clue of who the culprit is?” He asked, his hypothetical eyebrow furrowing.

“Yeah… I do.” Shuichi said. “Of course, it’ll take a lot of argument presentation to get down to my suspicion, but… I do.”

“Are you afraid of revealing it, detective?”

“It’s not easy having to point fingers, but if that’s we have to do so the rest of us survive, it’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“Hmph… so you’re not deterred…” Ryoma said. “Well that’s pretty good news. Maybe I asked the wrong person.”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked. The elevator grinded to a halt, and its doors opened, revealing a massive ring of podiums, big enough that there’s one for everyone.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Ryoma said as he adjusted his hat. “Looks like your job has begun.”

“What Ryoma said…” Kaede began as she stepped out of the elevator. “I agree, the only thing that can drive us forward is the truth, right?”

“The trial will start very soon,” Shuichi said, noticing all the people moving to take their places in their respective podiums. “Let’s get to work, I guess.” He moved to take his own place, flanked by both Kaito and Miu. Beside Miu is a portrait of Keebo, with a red X going across it.

“Dammit,” Kaito muttered. “That portrait is Monokuma making fun of us… that bear can really start some shit.” Miu was understandably shaken from the sight. Kaede looked around and saw that Monokuma sat on a throne overlooking the podiums, with Monomi hanging from the ceiling, her body tied up by rope.

Hajime stood upon his own podium, with Mahiru and Hiyoko being adjacent to him.

“God, I can’t wait for this dumb trial to be over so I can go back to eating sweets…” Hiyoko muttered.

“Mahiru…” Hajime began.

“If you’re asking how I’m feeling, I feel terrible just like everyone else here…” Mahiru said. “Someone died right under our noses, and either someone will get punished for it, or we’re all gonna be executed. I didn’t feel like I helped at all during the investigation.”

“We can pull through this,” Hajime said, trying to comfort Mahiru. But he knew in the back of his mind, he felt the same as her too.

Kaede watched as everyone took their places. She was flanked by Gonta, his massive frame easily towering over the podium, and with Himiko to her right, whose tiny hands gripped the podium, hoping not to fall asleep. She saw how Ryoma went on the step stool so he’d actually appear above the podium, with Teruteru and Hiyoko also appearing pretty close to the bases of their podiums.

“So, it all comes down to this. We have to do whatever it takes to make it out of here alive, even when it means condemning a friend. Keebo was different from all of us, but he was no less a person. He deserved to make it out soon, but someone here took that chance from him. I don’t want to believe it’s one of us, but it’s the only way we can live another day. That’s why, I will look forward, and find the culprit!”

Truth Bullets:

Monokuma File #1: The victim is K1-B0, the Ultimate Robot. The body was discovered at 6:05 AM, in the hotel pool. The estimated time of death is 11:30 PM. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. There were no signs of short circuiting, corrosion, or fire damage to the body.

Keebo’s Weight: Keebo weighed 89 kg, far more than the average high school student. It would be difficult to carry his body for most normal people.

Kazuichi’s Autopsy: When Kazuichi went over Keebo’s body, he discovered several small, but deep indents at the back of Keebo’s head, which leaked his coolant. He predicts that something heavy yet small was responsible for the wounds. The victim’s hand also suffered similar injuries.

Tile Scrapes: There was a path of scrapes on the tile floor leading from the restaurant balcony to the pool. The scrapes had a blue colour.

Crater And Broken Balcony: Beside the balcony, there was a crater on the tile floor, and glass was scattered around and on the crater.

Emergency Shutdown Button: Keebo had an emergency shutdown button only Miu knew about on the back of his neck, that would disable him.

Missing Tablecloth: There were spare tablecloths in the restaurant kitchen. However, Kirumi counted that there was one less than how many there normally were.

Flavoured Square: One of Miu’s inventions meant for Keebo, a flavoured square only robots can taste was found under the table of the restaurant. According to Gundham, this square was not there during cleaning. Keebo was missing a flavoured square

Coolant Splattered Tablecloth: Under the table where the square was found, the tablecloth inside was splattered with coolant, but the outer portion remained clean.  

Akane’s Account: Akane went back to her cottage to use the bathroom after the night time announcement, and ran into Makoto. She said that she arrived at the market at 10:30, and left at 11.

Hina’s Account: Hina was the first one to discover the body after waking up at 5:30, and meeting with Sakura at 5:50. After both of them saw Keebo’s body, she went and got Kaede, who triggered the body discovery announcement.

Cottage Layout: The cottages are split from the left and right wing, the left containing the male and the right containing the female students. Students with their first name closest to A have their cottages the furthest away from the main walkway, and students with their first name closest to Z have their cottages the closest.

Broken Piece of Plastic: There was a piece of white plastic found on the balcony. It did not appear to belong to Keebo’s body.

Chapter Text

Truth Bullets:

Monokuma File #1: The victim is K1-B0, the Ultimate Robot. The body was discovered at 6:05 AM, in the hotel pool. The estimated time of death is 11:30 PM. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. There were no signs of short circuiting, corrosion, or fire damage to the body.

Keebo’s Weight: Keebo weighed 89 kg, far more than the average high school student. It would be difficult to carry his body for most normal people.

Kazuichi’s Autopsy: When Kazuichi went over Keebo’s body, he discovered small, but deep indents at the back of Keebo’s head, which leaked his coolant. He predicts that something heavy yet small was responsible for the wounds. The victim’s hand also suffered similar injuries.

Tile Scrapes: There was a path of scrapes on the tile floor leading from the restaurant balcony to the pool. The scrapes had a blue colour.

Crater And Broken Balcony: Beside the balcony, there was a crater on the tile floor, and glass was scattered around and on the crater.

Emergency Shutdown Button: Keebo had an emergency shutdown button only Miu knew about on the back of his neck, that would disable him.

Missing Tablecloth: There were spare tablecloths in the restaurant kitchen. However, Kirumi counted that there was one less than how many there normally were.

Flavoured Square: One of Miu’s inventions meant for Keebo, a flavoured square only robots can taste was found under the table of the restaurant. According to Gundham, this square was not there during cleaning. Keebo was missing a flavoured square

Coolant Splattered Tablecloth: Under the table where the square was found, the tablecloth inside was splattered with coolant, but the outer portion remained clean.  

Akane’s Account: Akane went back to her cottage to use the bathroom after the night time announcement, and ran into Makoto. She said that she arrived at the market at 10:30, and left at 11.

Hina’s Account: Hina was the first one to discover the body after waking up at 5:30, and meeting with Sakura at 5:50. After both of them saw Keebo’s body, she went and got Kaede, who triggered the body discovery announcement.

Cottage Layout: The cottages are split from the left and right wing, the left containing the male and the right containing the female students. Students with their first name closest to A have their cottages the furthest away from the main walkway, and students with their first name closest to Z have their cottages the closest.

Broken Piece of Plastic: There was a piece of white plastic found on the balcony. It did not appear to belong to Keebo’s body.

________________________________________________________________________

“Well, let’s do a brief explanation of the class trial. Your job is to find out who the culprit is, and do a majority vote. If you correctly identify the culprit, they alone shall be punished. But if you pick the wrong person… I’ll punish everyone besides the blackened, and the culprit will gain the right to leave this island!” Monokuma explained.

“Th-That’s such a cruel rule!” Monomi wept.

“Before we begin,” Nagito said. “Are you sure that one of us is really the culprit?”

“Of course there is. Whoever the murderer is, it’s one of you. How unfortunate, how sad, isn’t it? However, the trial will be one hundred percent fair and square between both the blackened, and the spotless! I hate favouritism, injustice, and prejudice, almost as much I hate Monomi...”

“Wh-You hate me that much?” Monomi gasped.

“Hey, Monokuma…” Mukuro asked. “Why is there a forty-eighth podium, when there are forty-seven of us?”

“Hmm, you know forty-seven is a prime number, right? It’s pretty ugly, and this trial room can fit just a little more space. So I went with the nicer number, forty-eight! It can be divided by one, two, three, four, six, eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty-four, it’s a far more beautiful number!”

“And, what about that portrait of Keebo?” Makoto questioned.

“If it was someone else who kicked the bucket, and not that bucket of bolts, then that’s where he woulda stood. I don’t want him to feel left out just because he’s dead! So, just a little something to remember him by!”

“Hey, what’s that screen above you for?” Kazuichi pointed his finger above Monokuma’s throne and saw a large, black screen, big enough that it’d be fitting for a movie theater.

“How about if you get this trial right, I show you just what it does?” Monokuma responded.

“I think that’s enough with the questions,” Kyoko said. “We don’t have all the time in the world to get this case done.”

“I agree! I’m tired of having to answer questions! Well, without further ado, let’s begin!”

“Y-You’re telling us begin, but… what’re we supposed to do?” Mikan said nervously.

“Well, let’s try the tried and true strategy…” Taka began.

“Dude, if you’re about to tell the culprit to raise their hand, I’m gonna have to stop you right there…” Hiro interrupted. Taka opened his mouth to speak, but not a word came out. He hung his head, dejected.

“There’s no need for that, let’s just decide this with our fists!” Akane said, ready to begin a fight.

“Did you even listen to the rules?” Kazuichi responded, astonished by how clueless Akane could be.

“It’ll be difficult to decide who the culprit is, as the Monokuma file said it happened at night,” Mukuro brought up.

“I doubt that any alibis will do us good. I think most of us here would say that we were in our cottages at the time of the murder,” Maki said.

“Let’s just start with the basics,” Kyoko said. “The location of the body.”

“That’s right,” Shuichi said. “How about we discuss why the body was in the pool?”

“Maybe the culprit shoved Keebo in the pool, and caused him to drown?” Himiko brought up.

“Can robots even drown?” Chihiro questioned.

“Not Keebo…” Miu finally spoke up. “He… he was waterproof, so there’s no way he’d drown or short circuit in the water.”

“Maybe he was stuck underwater since he can’t swim, and then his power went out?” Hifumi suggested.

“But that would mean that he’d be out of power, not dead!” Kaito refuted.

“What we can confirm…” Kaede said. “Is what Kazuichi said! The cause of death was from blunt force trauma.”

“Yeah, that’s true…” Kazuichi said. “I took a look at his body, and he had a lot of dents that caused him to leak his blue coolant, which was why the pool was coloured the way it was.”

“Leaking fluids?” Teruteru said with a perverted smile. “Maybe you can tell me what kind of fluids were leaking…” This earned a strike at the back of the head from Peko, who stood beside him.

“Hey! No brawling during a class trial! I don’t mind fighting, but please keep the physical violence to a minimum!”  Monokuma berated.

“Teruteru, this is not the time for your foolishness…” Peko scolded. “Can you tell us more about the wound, Kazuichi?”

“Well… I found that it was an inch in diameter, and about four inches in depth.”

“That’s a pretty deep wound for something so small!” Ibuki said. “What coulda done that sorta damage?”

“Maybe they used their fists!” Nekomaru shouted.

“Th-There’s no way anyone’s fists could c-cause that kind of damage!” Mikan cried.

“Did the fall from the pool to its floor cause that wound?” Tenko brought up.

“I think I have an idea of what could cause that wound…” Makoto said. “Kyoko and I looked at the supermarket, and saw that maybe a hammer could cause that sort of damage.”

“That is… plausible…” Byakuya said. “A hammer would fit the criteria of a blunt instrument, how how can you be sure? There was no murder weapon present at the scene.”

“Well, that may be true… but we do have someone’s account that can confirm this.” Makoto looked at Akane. “Akane, remember what you said?”

“Huh?” Akane didn’t expect to be asked such a question.

“You said that there were four hammers when you were at the supermarket at from 10:30 to 11. When Kyoko and I searched the market, there were five.”

“Yeah, there were four…” Akane said. “I remember it clearly!”

“Akane was alone, wasn’t she?” Byakuya asked. “As long as she was, there’s always a chance she could be the culprit, and is lying about that.”

“You callin’ me a liar?” Akane growled. “I’ll get over there and beat you up!”

“But that’s the best assumption we can go with, right?” Hajime said. “The hammer goes with the criteria, and it’s not like you can think of a better weapon…”

“Moving on…” Chiaki said. “So if the hammer is the murder weapon, there is more to be discussed.”

“Akane, you said that you were at the market from 10:30 to 11, right?” Taka asked. “And you said you were going to the market at 10, right after Monokuma made his night time announcement. So, what was with that delay?”

“Oh, I had to use the bathroom.” Akane said. “You can’t eat when you have to go, so I went back to my cottage!”

“Ah, so you’re taking my advice…” Nekomaru said. “SPLENDID! NOTHING GOOD CAN COME FROM HOLDING IN YOUR SHIT! BE SURE TO GO WHENEVER YOU NEED TO!”

“Tch, unsurprising of a male to say such disgusting things…” Tenko said as she wrinkled her nose.

“Yeah, I saw her…” Makoto said, steering the conversation back on track. “She ran into me around 10:15, while I was walking back to my cottage after the announcement… I was just done talking to Sayaka, and was ready to rest.”

“Hey, is Makoto the only person you ran into at the hotel courtyard?” Kokichi asked.

“Yeah, he was…” Akane said.

“Makoto, you’ve been taking the reins of this trial real good,” Kokichi commented. “Perhaps you and Akane are accomplices, in on it together?”

“No way!” Makoto said.

“But that’s a good question,” Kaede said. “Monokuma, you never confirmed if accomplices were allowed.”

“It’s always good to work together!” Monomi cut in.

“Um… not that kind of teamwork is good…” Tsumugi deadpanned.

“I hate explaining the same rules in every fic, you know?!”  Monokuma said in frustration. “One, only the person who carries out the murder is the blackened, so no accomplice would benefit from this! And for this case, there are no accomplices! Got it?”

“So we got the accomplices thing out of the way…” Makoto said. “Can we move on?”

“So what we’re getting at is that the whoever took the hammer only had from 10 to 10:30 to do it, right?” Mukuro asked.

“Yeah, but we’re at a brick wall, there, chick…” Mondo said, scratching his head. “No one can say who’s where during night time.”

“That’s a shame…” Nagito said. “However, speaking up night time, did anyone know why Keebo was up at night?”

“Was he going for a midnight walk?” Angie asked.

“Maybe he was lured out some way…” Leon said. “Did he get an invitation from the culprit?”

“Did he forget something and go back to get it?” Hina asked.

“I don’t think we need to discuss anymore of this, because I think I know who did it…” Hiyoko said.

“Who would that be, Hiyoko?” Hajime said.

“Duh! It’s obviously that dumb bimbo girl, Hina!” Hiyoko said as she pointed a finger towards the swimmer.

“Dumb bimbo?!” Hina repeated in offense. “And hey! What makes you think I did it?”

“Say, it’s awfully convenient that you were the first person to discover the body, right?” Hiyoko said accusingly. “What if you killed that robot all along, and “discovered” the body so we wouldn’t suspect you?”

“Hina? The culprit?” Kaede thought to herself. No… something didn’t feel right. She thought back to Monokuma’s rules. “What was the one that’d absolve her guilt?” She looked back, and remembered: The body discovery announcement will play when three or more people discover the body.

“Monokuma, I have something to ask…” Kaede said.

“Jeez, how is asking that bear gonna get us anywhere?” Hiyoko sighed in frustration.

“You said that the body discovery announcement plays when three or more people discover it… Does that include the culprit?” Monokuma sat in thought for a moment.

“This is also another rule I get pretty tired of explaining, okay?!” He groaned. “But no, the culprit doesn’t count toward being someone who discovers a body. Since if you’re the culprit, you created the body, so you can’t discover what you created!”

“Everyone, keep that in mind,” Nagito digressed. “This’ll be useful for any other trials that come up.”

“No way would there be another trial,” Kaito rebutted. “We’ll make sure this is the only time we come down here!”

“I see what you are getting to, Kaede,” Sakura said. “You, me, and Hina were the ones who saw his body before the discovery announcement played.” She crossed her arms in thought. “So, that would mean that none of us three are the culprit.”

“That’s correct…” Shuichi said. “Unless someone else discovered the body and didn’t tell us about it, there’s no doubt that Hina isn’t the culprit.”

“So I’m in the clear?” Hina said. “That’s good.”

“Hmph, so we ruled out three people…” Ryoma thought aloud. “But, there are still forty three that we can’t account for. We still got a ways to go before we can end this.”

“Didn’t we already agree we shouldn’t worry about it?” Nagito said nonchalantly. “Let’s get back to the relevant topic of how Keebo was lured out.”

“Kaediot, Pooichi and I managed to find something,” Miu said. “The… sweets I gave to Keebo, we looked in his room and found that one of them were missing…” The inventor’s tone sank as she finished her sentence.

“That’s terrible… Using something like that to lure him out…” Chihiro said, tearing up.

“The culprit could not anticipate when Keebo would realize this,” Celeste said. “Are you saying they waited in hiding for the entire night?”

“Well, did they have any reason to expect one of us to come out at night?” Kokichi questioned. “Especially going out alone, in the darkness, to the restaurant.”

“It doesn’t seem like a wise idea going out alone in search of something like that,” Hifumi said. “What was going through Keebo’s mind?”

“One of two things, most likely…” Korekiyo said. “Either one, he must think that it would be a relative quick search, as there was only one place he could’ve left it, so he felt confident there would be no murder. Or two, perhaps he thought about the logic; all of us were so paranoid over Monokuma’s motive that all of us stayed in our rooms, thus looping back to the thought that because we think that, no one would be out at night. Poor Keebo, he was too adventurous for his own good.”

“So, he was lured out in search of it? Did you find the missing square, Kaede?” Mahiru asked.

“Yeah… I did. It was at the restaurant.” She pulled out the flavoured square from her backpack.

“At the restaurant?” Tenko repeated. “I thought Keebo died at the pool!”

“Y-Yeah…” Himiko said. “There isn’t anything saying otherwise.”

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede shouted. “While Shuichi and I were investigating the restaurant where we found the square, we saw some of Keebo’s coolant on the underside of the tablecloth of one of the tables.”

“Really?” Tsumugi asked. “All the cloths were clean while we were cleaning…”

“And, as I said… that square was not on the floor while we were cleaning,” Gundham said. “Otherwise, we would have caught that.”

“Also, coolant is basically a stand-in for blood, right?” Kokichi asked. “The more I think about it, that’s where I think it’s leaning towards…”

“Yeah. I believe that the culprit wiped away any spilled coolant on the floor, but either didn’t notice it under the table, or they couldn’t wipe it off.”

“So, the culprit cleaned off wherever they could?” Kirumi asked. “I am surprised it was not more gruesome.”

“Kirumi, remember what you said?” Kaede said. “There was a missing tablecloth! The culprit must have covered themselves with it to protect themselves, and some of the environment from getting dirty.”

“A missing tablecloth?” Kaito asked. “Do you think we’d find it anywhere?”

“I doubt it, the killer must’ve hidden it somewhere.”

“Couldn’t they just wash it off and put it back?” Teruteru questioned.

“If they could’ve, they would’ve…” Kazuichi said. “I doubt that coolant would come off so easily, and even so, a wet tablecloth would also be hella suspicious. So I think they just grit their teeth and hoped we didn’t notice it.”

“That make a lot of sense, now that I think about it…” Himiko thought. “So, the question is, how did Keebo’s body end up at the pool?”

“Were there any signs of him getting moved around?” Ibuki wondered.

“There were!” Hajime said. “Chiaki, remember what we saw while investigating?”

“You mean the scrapes near the path?” Chiaki said. “During the investigation, I did say it could’ve been a sign of something heavy being dragged, but since we know Keebo was at the restaurant, Keebo is the heavy object that must’ve been dragged… I think.”

“What they’re trying to say is that we found some blue scrapes and scratches that lead from the restaurant to the pool,” Nagito continued.

“Hey, it’s not like Keebo had any sharp parts to him,” Leon said. “No way would he have left any scratches like that, even if he was dragged.”

“He had glass shards embedded to his body, right?” Hajime asked. “Those coulda scratched the tiled floor while the body was being moved!”

“The scrapes must be blue, because the coolant was embedded into the them, and the culprit couldn’t clean it off…” Kirumi said.

“W-When you think about it…” Toko muttered. “Not that you’ll care about wh-what I have to s-say, but only a strong person could move K-Keebo around, right? Remember w-what Akane said?”

“That’s a good point…” Kaito agreed. “Keebo was pretty heavy.”

“Ah-Ha!” Miu said. “Then that means anyone who was really strong must’ve done it, because they’re the only ones who coulda lifted Keebo!”

“So, that means people who are athletic?” Sonia asked.

“Hmm, I’m glad I’m off the list…” Hifumi said with a sigh of relief.

“They’re people like Leon, Mondo, Tenko, Ryoma, Peko, Nekomaru, Gonta, Akane, and Mondo.” Ryota said. “You know, the people who are really muscular, without any fat. But we already confirmed neither Sakura or Hina were suspects.”

“Gonta no kill Keebo!” Gonta blurted. “Gentleman no kill people or robots!” Gonta seemed easy to believe, everyone thought. His naivete and honesty leaves no room for lies.

“Gyaah! I’d never kill Keebo!” Tenko cried in fear. “I didn’t know if he was a male or not, since he’s a robot, so I wouldn’t use unprecedented violence!”

“So are you suspecting us?” Peko asked. “It seems unlikely that any of us could’ve done it.”

“D-Don’t turn that l-logic against me!” Toko stuttered.

“Hmph, I think what she’s trying to tell you dumbasses…” Fuyuhiko said. “Is that if someone really powerful killed that moron, then they wouldn’t need to drag him around and leave evidence.”

“That true!” Gonta said. “Gonta could easily lift Keebo, no doubt!”

“However,” Chiaki said. “They had to have some strength to them, or else they wouldn’t be able to budge him at all.”

“Could Miss Tojo have done it?” Hifumi brought up. “We’ve talked a lot about cleaning, so it’s only natural the one whose talent involves just that did the crime.”

“That’s a baseless assumption…” Rantaro said. “If Kirumi did do it, the scrapes and the tablecloth would’ve been cleaned thoroughly. Chances are, Hajime would not have noticed the scrapes had the coolant not seeped into them.”

“And, Kirumi provided us evidence!” Kaede defended. “She was watching the restaurant with Gundham, and saw that the tablecloth was missing.”

“I think I have a prime suspect,” Angie said with confidence. “Atua has come down and told me who it is!”

“Really?” Byakuya said. “And who would you think that would be?”

“Gundham, of course!”

“What?” Gundham said in shock. “Cease your foolishness, before I cast you and your god into the burning pits of hell!”

“Be careful what you say about Atua…” Angie said, her tone darkening. “Or you’ll be cursed for seven generations.”

“As if that dogfucker will make any kids!” Miu laughed.

“Back On Track…” Rantaro said with chagrin. “Angie, why would you think Gundham is the culprit?”

“Well well, he did have to help clean up after yesterday’s dinner…” Angie said. “And we saw that most of the coolant was wiped away, and a cleaner like Gundham would know where that is.”

“Is that your evidence?” Gundham said. “That is truly incorrect to assume such a thing. Anyone would know there were cleaning supplies in the kitchen!”

“And not only that, Gundham…” Angie said. “Keebo’s sweets were taken in secret. Of course, you have your hamsters to help you do that.” The artist put her hands in prayer. “Atua loves all of her creations, but clearly you have trained them to do evil deeds.”

“Though I don’t deny my evil…” Gundham said. “I did not kill Keebo!”

“Gundham, killing Keebo?” Hajime thought. “I see where Angie is coming from, so something doesn’t add up…”

“We shouldn’t throw accusations so early…” Hajime said. “Let’s clear up more about what happened.”

“Fine, fine. We can discuss more of this…” Angie said. “But the evidence clearly points to who that is.”

“Was there even a sign of struggle?” Sayaka asked. “The restaurant looked pretty clean.”

“However, there was a sign of a fight breaking out in the balcony…” Mondo said. “That place was a fucking mess.”

“So, there was no struggle at the area of the initial attack…” Hajime said. “But there was a struggle at the balcony?”

“There was also a sign of a fall,” Nagito explained. “The glass of the guardrail was broken, so we can assume that’s where the glass on Keebo’s body came from.”

“Keebo must have fallen from the balcony…” Kaede said. “That would explain the crater left behind, it must be where he fell.”

“But it still begs the question,” Korekiyo said. “There was more struggle at the balcony than at the dining room, where the attack first took place.”

“So, Keebo died struggling…” Gundham said. “It is no secret in nature that this happens more often than not.”

“T-That is q-quite weird…” Mikan stuttered. “Usually, the struggle is in the first hit, not the subsequent ones… The culprit must’ve felt a rush of bloodlust landing all those blows. I-I sometimes g-get the same feeling, so I u-understand some of it.”

“Alright, that was creepy,” Leon said with a nervous look.

“Ah! I’m sorry for saying something weird…” Mikan cried. “Forgive me! I do that when I’m nervous…”

Shuichi thought for a moment. This was a question that everyone will be throwing in circles at this rate.

“So, I think the culprit must’ve snuck up on Keebo, no doubt about that,” Shuichi said.

“Now that I think about it, the restaurant has no shortage of hiding spots,” Mukuro said. “There were many opportunities to create an ambush.”

“But, there’s one thing I haven’t told any of you. According to Miu, Keebo had an emergency shutdown button on the back of his neck.”

“Yeah, he did…” Miu said. “Only I knew about it, and it could be used to turn Keebo on and off. How I would’ve liked to turn him on a lot…”

“Oh, so that’s what that button did…” Kazuichi said. “I thought that’d turn him into a boat or something, but I guess that’s cleared up.”

“So imagine this situation,” Shuichi explained. “When the culprit snuck up and struck Keebo while he was picking up his sweet, they accidentally triggered the shutdown button. The culprit thought he was dead, so they went straight to moving his body. While they were dragging him out to the balcony, they accidentally triggered it again, causing Keebo to wake up, and begin a struggle. This must’ve lead to Keebo falling over the balcony. It also explains why the culprit used multiple strikes with the hammer, to stop his resistance.”

“Also, that explains the injuries on Keebo’s hand,” Kyoko said. “ While Keebo was trying to fight back, the culprit must’ve struck that a few times.”

“What a horrible way to go…” Monomi lamented.

“Sounds like quite the fight…” Hiro said. “And none of us heard it?”

“It was pretty far away from our cottages,” Teruteru said. “I mean, I didn’t hear anything, and my cottage is pretty close to the center walkway. Be sure to stop by when you get the chance,” the chef winked.

“So, all this trouble at the restaurant…” Ryoma said. “But why would the culprit drop his body off at the pool, and not just leave it there?”

“These questions get thrown along all the time, tennis boy!” Monokuma chortled. “Why didn’t the culprit just leave the victim’s body there? Well, I like to think that the more risks you take, the more reward you take away!”

“My best guess is that the culprit thought we either couldn’t retrieve it because the water might be dangerous,” Kazuichi said, “or, we couldn’t lift it. It’s a good thing we had a net, and someone strong like Akane for both…”

“That’s all interesting,” Angie said. “But that’s even more of a case against Gundham! His Devas could’ve turned his shutdown button during this whole process!”

“Like I said, I did not kill him…” Gundham said. “Stop it with your meaningless theories.”

“I won’t lie, but thinks look bad for you, dude…” Hiro said. Hajime thought about it. “Gundham? Killing Keebo? No, something was off. But there’s no way to get people off of him at this rate.” He knew that he had to say something less than savoury to change the direction of this trial.

“Gundham isn’t the culprit!” Hajime said aloud.

“Oh?” Angie turned toward him. “Why, Hajime? Why didn’t he?” She swayed side to side.

“Because… there’s no way Gundham could’ve taken a hammer in the first place. I saw Gundham enter his cottage at 10:10 PM. I would’ve known if he left, since he would’ve had to pass my own cottage.” Gundham’s eyes widened at Hajime’s claim.

“This mortal… he’s taking an immeasurable gamble to divert the suspicion from me. What is he planning?” In truth, Hajime went to sleep right after getting the announcement. He couldn’t confirm if Gundham left or not. But it was still a half truth, as Gundham would have to pass by Hajime’s cottage to reach the main walkway. There weren’t any other alternate pathways either, as their cottages were basically moats aside from the boardwalk.

“Makoto, what you do you think?” Angie asked. “Like you said, you were also there at around 10:15 PM, while Akane was stopping by his room.”

“I didn’t pay that much attention before I went to bed…” Makoto said. “But, Gundham’s cottage is farther away from the path than mine…” Makoto said.

“I guess there’s no way we can dispute this claim!” Kokichi said with a smile. “We’ll have to pass this off as the empirical truth! Gundham isn’t the culprit!”

“That is truly a relief…” Sonia sighed. “However, where do we go now?”

“A-After all this time,” Mikan sobbed. “W-We’re right back where we started, aren’t we?”

“And it’s not like we have infinite time to do this, right?” Nagito said.

“That’s right! Time runs out when I get bored!” Monokuma said.

“What? Even in trials, you’re being inconsistent with your rules!” Monomi scolded.

“Inconsistent? Grrr, with rules I’m anything but inconsistent! Perhaps I’ll show you just how consistent I am with punishment once we’re done with this!”

“It is unfortunate!” Taka shouted in realization. “We haven’t agreed to not go out during night hours! I’m so ashamed as a leader, not being accountable for everyone!”

“Pfft, as if your stupid rules could’ve stopped anything…” Hiyoko sputtered.

“I think we have time to deal with rules if we get out of here alive,” Mahiru said.

“Hajime, you brought up a very essential point,” Kyoko said. “We can solve this mystery based on who entered or exited their cottages.”

“How the hell are we gonna figure that out?” Leon said. “There’s no way any of us have been paying attention to that.”

“Chances are, Makoto, you were up later than the rest of us,” Celeste said. “I don’t think anyone else outside of Akane were outside the courtyard while you were heading back.”

Shuichi start to piece things together in his head. “The culprit, they were strong enough to pull Keebo around, but wasn’t strong enough to lift him up outright. They had the opportunity to take the hammer from 10:15 to 10:30, and put it back after the murder. I’d argue that they were not caught walking back to their cottage, because they must not have re-entered theirs in the first place! They could not have been selected for cleaning, they must have taken Keebo’s sweets discreetly.” It would be difficult convincing that this person was the culprit, but Shuichi knew what had to be done.

“I think I know who the culprit is…” Shuichi said.

“You do?” Kaito asked. “Then, make sure you don’t hold back!”

“Hmph, that look in your eyes…” Ryoma said. “You look like you’re confident. Select someone.”

“With all things considered… I can’t think of anyone except you!” Shuichi pointed his finger at the person who fit the entire criteria.

Chapter Text

Shuichi’s finger pointed directly toward Sayaka Maizono, whose blood ran cold ran at the accusation.

“M-Me?” She said, astonished.

“What?” Makoto repeated. “There’s no way Sayaka could be the culprit!”

“Yeah, there’s no way a pop idol goddess like her could’ve done such a crime!” Tenko defended. “Only degenerate males would pull a crime like this!” Shuichi knew that he’d be met with resistance, but still, he had to soldier on.

“Why would you think I’m the culprit, Shuichi?” Sayaka asked nervously. “There’s no way I’m the culprit! I was talking with Makoto after the night-time announcement.”

“She was…” Makoto said. “I talked to her at the courtyard, near the gate! She had an alibi while Akane was walking back!”

“That’s the problem,” Shuichi said. “Makoto, you had your conversation at the gate, and not where the wings split off. While you were walking back, did you see Sayaka also walk back?”

“Uh…” Makoto said, unable to answer. It was true that when he walked away, Sayaka didn’t follow him. “No… but that doesn’t mean she’s the culprit!”

“And, Akane came running in very soon after you two parted ways, right?” Shuichi asked. “Akane, did you see see Sayaka on your way back to your cottage.”

“No, I didn’t…” Akane said. “I ran through the whole wing really quickly, because my cottage was at the far end.”

“So there’s no way Sayaka could’ve returned to her cottage before Akane ran in.”

“Hey, maybe she didn’t see me,” Sayaka said. “And it’s not like I could’ve left the hotel gates, she would’ve seen me!”

“Not necessarily,” Kyoko said. “Remember that this island has a ring-like pathway. The market is counterclockwise of the inn, and if you went in the clockwise direction, Akane easily could’ve overlooked you if you left the gates.”

“Wh-What?” Sayaka asked. “Still, just because Akane didn’t see me, it doesn’t mean I’m the culprit!”

“Yeah, you can’t pin this on Sayaka!” Makoto argued. “What evidence is there that she was the culprit? Anyone of the girls could’ve left while Akane was in the bathroom, took the hammer, and hid quickly if they were quick with it.”

“I admit that this alone, isn’t enough to convict her…” Shuichi said.

“So, there a million more assumptions you could make on who the culprit could be!” Makoto said. Hajime watched the argument unfold.

Sayaka, the culprit? Hajime thought. It’s plausible, since she looked strong enough to drag Keebo, but not lift it. But however, there was that one piece of evidence he was forgetting… Yes, he found it at the balcony. Hajime’s eyes widened in realization. How could he not have figured this out sooner?

“I don’t want to believe it either,” Hajime said. “But, I have something else that points toward Sayaka…”

“What could that possibly be?” Makoto asked.

“So, it’s all coming together…” Nagito said. “Hajime, show us what you’ve discovered.” Hajime pulled the white piece of plastic out of his pocket.

“I didn’t know what this was before the trial,” Hajime said. “But, when I look at you, now I know what it is…”

“That looks like, a hairclip!” Kaede said.

“I say it must’ve fallen out while Keebo was having his struggle. He must’ve knocked it out of the culprit’s hair during the struggle, and the culprit must’ve lost it. It could’ve ended a lot worse if Keebo swiped their head instead.”

“C-Chances are… the culprit didn’t bother retrieving the clip even if they did notice it…” Mikan said. “It would’ve b-been too dark and dangerous to r-retrieve a clip amidst a mess of glass…”

“And Sayaka…” Shuichi observed. “You normally have three hair clips. Why do you have two?”

“That’s why… I kept seeing her hair in her eyes…” Makoto thought to himself. “And why I kept brushing her hair aside…” He closed his eyes in pain. He was hoping that somehow, it wasn’t her.

“That’s not the point!” Sayaka said. “Those clips could belong to any of the girls!”

“Isn’t that strange?” Korekiyo mused. “There were no clips in the supermarket, and every girl here has a unique hair clip.”

“That’s a pretty creepy observation from him…” Hajime thought.

“Also, though we came in with multiple sets of clothes,” Maki said. “There was no such thing for our hairclips.”

“That’s true…” Kaede said. “I have music note hairpins, Hiyoko has green ribbons with cats on them, Hina has a square clip, Himiko has a brooch as a clip, Maki has one shaped like an eight… it must belong to you, and only you, Sayaka…” Kaede’s heart sank. She preached how they should never stray from the truth, and now, the truth that’s being formed is not a pretty one.

“What an excellent observation, Hajime!” Nagito praised. “I expect no less from the the Ultimate… Oh right, you don’t remember you talent, do you?”

“That’s not important right now!” Hajime said

“And,” Kokichi said. “You did seem to let off a bit too much back there…”

“What do you m-mean?” Sayaka said, her face growing paler every second.

“Remember what you said last chapter?” Kokichi said. “The restaurant looked pretty clean. And if we look back to what mom said, she said no one but Gundham and her were at the restaurant during the investigation. How would she know that the inside of the restaurant was clean after the murder?”

“Hey! Don’t accuse her!” Tenko said, still defensive. “Maybe she got a look before Kirumi came in!”

“Un-unfortunately…” Makoto said, defeat in his voice. “Th-that’s not possible. I was trying to comfort Sayaka during the first few minutes, while I watched Kazuichi do his autopsy.” Sayaka could barely make a sound at this revelation.

“B-But what about the cloth?” Sayaka asked. “Kirumi said… one of the cloths were missing, and you said the culprit used it to stop themselves from getting dirty. If I were the culprit, where would I have hidden it?”

“For someone on their last legs, I was expecting a more sound argument…” Byakuya said. “Really, pretty disappointing for a first round. The rabbit said littering is not allowed in this island, so you would’ve been punished for leaving it out in the open. If we can’t find it anywhere, it must be in none other than your room.”

“Sayaka… refute me if I’m wrong,” Hajime said. “But, if we looked in the room, would we find the stained tablecloth?” Sayaka didn’t say a word. She hung her head, unable to speak. She began to sob silently, her hands in her face. Everyone stared silently, unable of what to make of it. Was it a confession? They hated to see Sayaka like this, especially Makoto. His knees felt like they were about to give away. He wanted to go over and comfort Sayaka, but the evidence is apparent. He could barely keep himself standing. He felt himself slipping out, before being caught.

“Makoto! Keep it together!” Taka shouted, as he righted Makoto back in place. Makoto put his elbows on his podium for support.

“I think… it’s best if we went over this case one more time.” Chiaki said. “From top to bottom, so it’s clear to everyone.”

“I can’t do it…” Makoto said, his voice was growing weak.

“Alright, I guess I should wrap it up…” Shuichi said. “This whole case began right after dinner of last night. Before our victim, Keebo, left, the culprit took one of the sweets that Miu gave to him earlier, to be used as bait. After the meeting in the park, the culprit stopped by Makoto at the courtyard and talked to him for a bit after 10:00. While Makoto went back to the dorm, the culprit left the gate, and went out of Akane’s line of sight, who was rushing back to the cottage to use the bathroom. Akane passed by Makoto as she ran quite the distance to her cottage. After that, the culprit quickly made their way over to the rocket-punch market, to pick up a hammer, the murder weapon.

The culprit likely retreated to their cottage while Akane was finishing her bathroom break. Once Akane left, they could finally execute their plan. They made their way over to the restaurant with their hammer, and set Keebo’s flavoured sweets under one of the tables in the restaurant. Then, they took a spare tablecloth, and hid in wait, most likely in the kitchen. After Keebo realized what he left behind, he made his way over to the restaurant to retrieve it. When he bent over to retrieve the square on the floor, the culprit struck with their hammer, bashing Keebo on the back of the head, splattering his coolant/”blood” all over the underside of the tablecloth, and likely on the floor. In this process, Keebo’s emergency button that can shut and turn him back on at will, triggered, causing Keebo to go limp. The culprit assumed that Keebo was dead, and began to drag him toward the balcony.

However, when the culprit dragged him outside, they accidentally triggered Keebo’s emergency button again, causing Keebo to awaken again, albeit injured. He began to struggle against the culprit, knocking over the table, and swiping away one of the culprit’s belongings: their hair clip. If Keebo did not do this, I’m not sure if we would’ve been able to do solve this mystery. The culprit struck Keebo’s hand during the fight, breaking it. Keebo ended up falling off the balcony, breaking the glass guard that ended up embedding shards into his back, and leaving a crater on the floor. The culprit moved in, and finished the job by striking Keebo a few more times with the hammer.

When Keebo was fully dead, they dragged his corpse over to the pool. Inadvertently, the glass shards in his back left scrapes on the tiled floor, leaving behind proof that he was moved. When Keebo finally dropped into the pool, the culprit had some cleaning up to do. They discarded the tablecloth they used to protect themself in their room, as littering isn’t allowed. They also cleaned up as much as the wood and tile floor of the restaurant and the poolside as they could. Afterwards, they went back to their room. In the morning, when Hina discovered the body, and the announcement played, they just joined back with us as if nothing happened. And this was all the doing of Sayaka Maizono, The Ultimate Pop Sensation, am I wrong?” Shuichi finished, his tired eyes met Sayaka’s. It was the first time he faced the truth in a while head on. It did hurt, having to see Sayaka like that, and having to face her being the culprit, but he felt like someone else is going to take it a lot worse.

“Sayaka… say something…” Makoto said weakly.

“It… it…” Sayaka sobbed. “It was me… I can’t run from it anymore…”

“Is that a confession?” Tenko cried. “Please tell me it’s not true.”

“You heard from her mouth…” Hajime said. “I think it’s time, that we cast our votes.

“That was quite the summary, I must say…” Monokuma contemplated. “But, the look on your face says that you’re ready to vote! Well, if there are no further objections, please, cast away! Remember that voting is mandatory, and that failure to vote will result in punishment. Will you pick the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one?” One by one, the students pulled the lever to their side, knowing who to vote in mind. Kaede had to close her eyes while voting. Even if it was for her own survival, it felt terrible, being partly responsible for condemning Sayaka. A few moments of silence followed, as Monokuma took a moment to evaluate the verdict. Soon enough, the results came out:

                                                         Guilty.

It was over. Everyone stepped off of their podium, with most of their heads hung low, and their faces pale and drained of life. Makoto was still processing what he just heard.

“Puhuhuhu! Not bad, everyone, for a first trial! The culprit is none other than Sayaka Maizono! I was worried that this game would have to cut out so early!”

“Hey, you just shut the hell up!” Kaito shouted, his own anger swelling.

“Uuuhuu” Monomi cried. “This is too terrible, this shouldn’t be happening…”

“Sayaka… she killed someone…” Makoto thought. “I wanted everyone to get out of here together…”

“Dammit…” Makoto said as he felt tears streaming down his face. “Sayaka… why did you do it?”

“I…” Sayaka choked out. “I’m sorry…” she couldn’t look Makoto in the eye, but he still knows that her eyes are now red, a far cry from the perfect pop idol image.

“Y-You took the motive, didn’t you?” Kaede asked. “You believed it…”

“I… I didn’t want to…” Sayaka sobbed. “I shouldn’t have, but… it gnawed at me, I had to know what happened to my idol group…”

“Gonta wonders what happened to his family too…” Gonta said, on the verge of tears. “Sayaka must be so worried about friends…”

“That’s right…” Makoto said. “Y-You told me about w-what you did for your dream…” Makoto instinctively took her hand in an attempt to comfort her.

“Who knows what could’ve happened in three years?” Sayaka continued. “I had to know what happened, where they were. I was desperate to see them.”

“What the fuck kind of logic is that?” Miu said angrily. “Just because you’re a little impatient, does that mean you get to go on and off someone?!”

“I wasn’t thinking right… I know that I have no right to do that…”

“Oh really?” Monokuma said, his paw raised to his mouth. “Think about how all sweet and helpless you acted during the investigation. You were probably playing everyone like a fiddle the whole time!”

“Not to mention, to commit such an act…” Celeste said. “It would require a lot of pre-emptive thought.”

“I don’t expect anyone’s forgiveness, and I don’t know what to say that’ll make you believe me, but I am sorry…” The blackened turned to Makoto. “Makoto… I’m especially sorry to you. I took your trust, and I broke it beyond repair. You probably think I’m terrible, and heartless, don’t you?.” In truth, Makoto was still hurt by this revelation, but still, he had to remain strong.

“Sayaka…” Makoto said. “You know that I forgive you…”

“Sorry doesn’t mean shit!” Miu continued, scathing. “Keebo’s dead! He’s never coming back because of you!”

“That’s enough, Miu!” Makoto shouted. “It was Monokuma’s fault for doing this! He put us all in this horrible situation!”

“In truth, I don’t expect all of us to remain virtuous during such a perilous circumstance…” Korekiyo observed. “It’s a shame that a noble girl like Sayaka had to fall to desperation…”

“Yeah…” Kazuichi said. “It was fucked up what she did… but I can’t blame her…”

“That’s why…” Teruteru said. “I don’t believe anything he says! Everything’s fine… we’ll get out of here, and everything will be normal…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Monokuma said defensively. “Don’t go blaming this on me! I wasn’t the one who killed Keebo! Sure, I might have given a little incentive, but Keebo woulda lived the rest of his artificial life on this island, if Sayaka didn’t turn him to scraps!”

“Also, didn’t you hear Monokuma?!” Miu yelled. “He said that he was gonna off the culprit too if they got caught.” A surge of fear and dread rushed through Makoto, causing his knees to go weak.

“That’s right…” Makoto thought. “Monokuma would punish the blackened if they were caught… That means that Sayaka-”

“That’s right! The finale to any heart-pounding trial is a punishment to fit the crime! Haven’t you kids heard of an eye for an eye?”

“That’s a terrible rule that only leads to more suffering!” Monomi said angrily. “I won’t allow it!” This earned another punch from Monokuma, causing the rabbit to be thrown off her rope bindings, and onto the floor.

“Don’t go lecturing me, little sister!” Monokuma shouted. “So, now that she got to explain her motive, she now gets the punishment to fit her disrupting your peaceful lives!”

“P-Punishment?” Sayaka said, barely audible, her body going cold.

“I won’t allow that!” Tenko shouted, putting herself in front of Sayaka. “There’s no way I’ll let you do that.

“Sayaka, get behind Gonta!” Gonta joined in. “He will protect you.”

“I ALSO WON’T ALLOW THIS!” Nekomaru shouted. “A CAPTAIN ALWAYS PROTECTS HIS TEAM!” Makoto felt weak, that he couldn’t be one of those people who could stand and say something like that.

“Oh, is that some resistance, I see?” Monokuma said with curiosity. “I could just turn you all into what Monomi’s first body turned out, but I’ll just flex my muscles a little bit…” The trial room rumbled, causing some people to grab their podiums to maintain balance. Then, the winged Monobeast flew down from the elevator’s entrance, and perched itself on Monokuma’s throne.

“Your threats are very scary, muscleheads…” Monokuma said. “You sure protect yourself well, but I’m afraid if you can’t let justice take its course…” The Monobeast pointed its gun towards Kaede.

“Then a lot more blood is going to be spilled…”

“It sickens me that it has come to this…” Kirumi said. “But it is best that we step down to preserve everyone’s lives, than risk everyone’s life to protect one.”

“I admire your hope of defeating the Monobeasts, you three,” Nagito praised. “It’s clear that the hopes of the spotless outshined the hopes of the blackened, but can you hope to protect everyone, even the blackened?”

“It looks like Hope Boy raised a good point!” Monokuma laughed. “It’s quite the risk stepping up to me, when you can just let Sayaka pass and let everyone else live the rest of their lives…”

“Wait, one thing, Monokuma…” Hajime said. “You said that you promised our lost memories when a murder happens.

“I know I don’t deserve forgiveness…” Sayaka said. “But, what happened to my idol group?”

“Well, we waited far too long! I have prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Pop Sensation, Sayaka Maizono!”

“Yeah…” Makoto said. “You’re breaking your own rule, here!”

“Let’s give it everything we got!”

“No, you can’t do this!” Makoto shouted this time, his voice ringing across the course room.”

“It’s Punishment Time!” Monokuma swung his gavel onto the button that appeared on this throne. With that, the monitor above him flashed to life, displaying the words Sayaka Maizono has been found guilty. Punishment Commencing… Shortly after, a manacle launched forward from a previously locked door of the trial room. It wrapped itself around Sayaka’s neck, and began to drag her away.

“SAYAKA!” Makoto shouted at the top of his lungs, he ran after her, his hand outstretched to her’s. But, she was pulled out of sight, the doors closing behind as she was dragged along the dark, unknown halls of the punishment chamber. Makoto felt his body give way. He fell forward, he could feel his knees and hands on the velvet carpet. He felt powerless to stop whatever awaited Sayaka. The massive monitor above Monokuma flickered to life, to show Sayaka’s punishment.

The Pop Sensation’s Final Performance. Sayaka Maizono, Status: Executed

Sayaka’s chains took her to a large stage on the beach, with a crowd of Monokumas appearing before her, but the walls of the stage were lined with spikes. A microphone dropped into her hands, and then, a gauge appeared on stage as well, with a large sign saying SING on it. The walls immediately began to close in, and the Pop Idol knew what she had to do. Even with her voice weak from terror, her voice still sounded angelic. As she continued to sing, the walls abated, and began to retract. It stung Makoto’s heart knowing it would be the last time he could hear her voice. The meter continued to fill up as the crowd of Monokumas started to cheer more and more. Just as the meter was about to be full, Monokuma jumps in with a hammer in hand, and smashes it. The walls shuddered, before they closed together, crushing Sayaka and splashing the crowd with her blood. Sayaka Maizono, The Ultimate Pop Sensation, was dead.

The sight was more than Makoto could bear. He dropped to his knees, feeling that the world would crumble away from him if he closed his eyes.

“Sayaka!” He shouted in horror. He looked around, and saw mixed reactions from his classmates, but each of them reflected despair. Some were on the verge of fainting or vomiting, like he was. Some were also sobbing and crying, while the stoic ones closed their eyes, and bitterly held back their despair.

“Wooohooo! Wasn’t that extreme ?” Monokuma laughed. “My adrenaline is pumping way outta control right now!”

“W-What’s going on?!” Toko cried.

“I d-don’t believe it…” Teruteru stammered, his face pale with horror. “T-This is just a nightmare that I-I’ll wake up from…”

“How can you do something so cruel?” Sonia cried.

“I can’t take this…” Chihiro sobbed. “Do we really have to do keep doing this?”

“Well, I gotta feeling that this won’t be the last time you’ll be down here…” Monokuma answered. “But, that’s just what happens when you disrupt our peaceful killing school trip!

“Hey! You were the one who drove her to do it!” Mahiru retorted.

“Shouldn’t y’all be angry at your dear Sayaka?” Monokuma questioned. “If she didn’t commit such a heinous act, both of them would be alive right now!”

“No…” Makoto mustered. “Mahiru is right. It was your fault! You’re the one who put all of us under this terrible situation!”

“It doesn’t matter what motive it was. Rules are rules.”

Makoto could felt himself moving toward the bear. He was normally a passive person, but he was ready to rip Monokuma apart. However, he was stopped by the tight grip of a leather glove.

“Don’t try anything reckless…” Kyoko said. “If you want to get back at him, there’s nothing to do but to grit your teeth and to keep surviving.” Makoto relented. He felt powerless to stop Monokuma’s cruelty.

“You’re breaking the rules here! W-What about her memories?” Kaito shouted. “As much as I hate to say it, she played your game… You didn’t tell her shit!”

“Yeah…” Fuyuhiko said, his stomach churning. “We all have the right to know!”

“What?” Monomi gasped. “You’re gonna tell them? But doing so will…”

“I did promise that I’ll give your memories back…” Monokuma interrupted. “But I don’t have to tell you right now…”

“Kgh- What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Mondo barked. Even the Biker Gang Leader can barely hold back his revulsion.

“Pulling something like that…” Mukuro said. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I’ll tell you kids someday, but when someday remains, that remains to be seen! Now if you’ll excuse me, I got some cleaning up to do. ” Monokuma disappeared once again, along with his Monobeast. The gates to the elevator opened with a rumble.

“Hwawawa… I have things to do too…” Monomi excused herself.

“They both ran away!” Ibuki said in astonishment. “Snakes! Both of them!”

“All this suffering, yet we are no closer than where we started…” Kiyo commented.

“He’s right…” Makoto thought to himself. They spent all this time trying to find answers, but even after a murder, there were no answers to their situation.

“What… do we do now?” Makoto asked.

“We can’t sulk around…” Kaito said. “We have to continue living, for the sake of both Sayaka and Keebo!”

“I agree…” Chiaki said. “We have to do our best.”

“Do our best?” Teruteru asked hesitantly. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know for sure, but we have to move forward, right?”

“Yeah…” Makoto said. “W-We have to get out of here, to honour them, right?”

“That’s right,” Sonia agreed. “We’ll survive.” Makoto didn’t know what to do, but soon enough, a fair amount of people kept repeating this, that they’ll do their best, and that they will survive. It took a few minutes of having to say it to each other, before they built the collective confidence to leave the trial. When they finally ascended back to the up the elevator, it was dark out, save for the illumination of the stars.

“Huh, that’s weird…” Leon commented. “Were we really in there for so long? I thought it was only a few hours, but it’s already night…”

“Yeah… you’re right…” Nekomaru mused. “I didn’t even have an opportunity to shit today!” The team manager ran off to find a bathroom.

“Has anyone been keeping track of time?” Chihiro asked. “It felt like… we were there forever…”

“I guess it’s best that we get some sleep, right?” Mahiru said, still feeling weighed down by today’s events. “We should get some sleep, and meet back up tomorrow.”

“That’s settled,” Taka said. “I suppose we all need sleep after what happened today.” Everyone dispersed to their cottages, eager to take a rest from the horrors of the island.

_________________________________________________________________

Miu stood blankly, staring at the walkway to the hotel and restaurant. She should be feeling paranoid, seeing as her friend had been murdered just last night. But no, she didn’t care about that at the moment. She looked at the pool, and saw that the water was once again clear, devoid of Keebo’s ichor. His body had been removed, and the damage to the tiled floor and the restaurant balcony was fully repaired. It’s as if nothing ever happened. It seems as if every trace of existence of The Ultimate Robot, was erased. She walked over to Keebo’s cottage. The curtains were closed, and even the ambient noise seemed to soften as she approached it. She put her hand on the doorknob; it was locked, which wasn’t a surprise. She fought hard to hold back her tears, as the reality set in. She felt a tap on the shoulder, which caused her to turn around impulsively.

“What the fu-” Miu said. She stopped herself when she saw it was Chihiro, the programmer’s golden eyes in the moonlight.

“Sorry Miu, if I’m interrupting you, but… I didn’t want to just leave you after what happened.”

“W-What’s this?” Miu asked nervously.

“Miu, are you alright?” Chihiro said. “I know how you feel after what happened, but… I want to say I’m… we’re here for you.” The programmer had a bit of hesitation at the we’re.

“I’m used to having to work alone,” Miu said. “But I guess it ain’t a waste coming from the mouth of another inventor.”

“Inventor?” Chihiro said, flustered. “I wouldn’t call myself that, but… I hope that you’ll feel better in the morning.” Miu felt herself becoming flustered as well. With a deep breath, she let go of the doorknob, and began to make her way back to the cottage.

“‘Night Chihiro,” Miu said, in a rare warmth in her voice.

“Goodnight, Miu…” Chihiro said. The programmer began to make his way back to his own cottage. He was glad that Monomi was willing to keep his secret, as his cottage was firmly on the girl’s side. He knew that he had to get stronger, but he didn’t know how, exactly. Maybe on this island, he can figure that out. He opened the door to his cottage, with laptops, monitors, and computer parts neatly organized around his room.

“I know I should get some rest…” Chihiro thought to himself. “But… it can’t hurt to spend a few minutes working on my project right?” He opened his laptop, its pale green light radiating.

________________________________________________________________

Mukuro entered her cottage, shutting the door behind her. She untied the ribbon around her neck while unbuttoning her shirt. Though her room had a bed, bathroom, desk, and whatnot, it still looked more like an arsenal than a place of rest. Her closet had a bulletproof vest, and her walls had an assortment of knives hanging from it. If she were not the Ultimate Soldier, she would’ve fumbled and ended up stabbing herself by now. There were also a few guns, devoid of bullets, along with uncharged mines and grenades, a reminder of her violent talent and past.

“The murders, the trial… this game…” The soldier thought to herself as she sat down. “All reminiscent of my sister’s plans, right down to the mascot…” She laid down, and thought hard. It hurt just thinking about their bizarre situation. “Where is Junko? I always knew she had plans for despair, before even entering Hope’s Peak. Is this part of her plan? If so, why am I part of it, as a student in the killing game?” Mukuro shuddered. It would give her unfathomable despair if this was Junko’s plan, sending her own sister to a killing game without even telling her. Yet, she continued to love her as any sister would, beyond that even.

“Why? Why am I so attached to her?”   Mukuro said, rubbing her forehead. Even in her old mercenary group, fenrir, she didn’t feel much attachment to any of her colleagues. And now, in Hope’s Peak, she made no attempt to connect with anyone. Perhaps it was her soldier instincts speaking, but there wasn’t a doubt that she can’t trust anyone. She closed her eyes, and drifted to an uneasy sleep.

_________________________________________________________

Ryota entered his room, anxiously closing his windows with his curtain. He took a look at his room, anime posters, manga, and DVD strewn about. A highly advanced tablet also came with the cottage.

“It almost feels like I’m invading someone else’s home,” He thought to himself. In this room, where no one can see him, he isn’t Ryota Mitarai, he is the Ultimate Imposter, he who has no identity. He looked in the mirror, seeing the pale, enlarged reflection of that who he imposes.

“I may have gotten myself into a very perilous predicament…” The Imposter thought to himself. “Ryota must be wondering where I am… will he be okay?” In truth, he was more worried for the real animator than anything else. He was worried if he was eating enough, if he took care of himself. He takes solace in the fact that the true Ryota didn’t have to participate in this horrific game, even if the Imposter had to suffer for it. It’s not like anyone would care what happened to him; he had no identity, no family, nothing that wasn’t a lie.

“No, it’s not time to think about that,” The imposter said. “I have to stay strong for all of my friends, and escape alive for Ryota.” He laid down, his massive form pressing against the mattress. “Hopefully, our escape will come soon.”

_______________________________________________________________

In Jabberwock Park, Monokuma stood before the giant mechanism that was counting down.

“Not a bad first trial, huh?” Monokuma said to himself. “I’m pretty confident there will be many more to come. Yep, there are plenty of opportunities.” The clock continued to countdown, its timer reading: 38.

45 Survivors Remain.

Chapter Text

Day 4, 7:00 AM

When the morning announcement played, Makoto covered his ears with his pillow. Getting up in the morning is the last thing that he wanted to do. However, he knew that he had to move on. That’s what Sayaka would’ve wanted, right? He’ll never know, now that she’s gone. With reluctance, he pushed himself out of bed and rubbed his eyes. He looked out the window, and saw that once again, the bright morning light was shining. He stepped outside, and headed to the restaurant. He made his way through the pool, and saw other people were moving to the restaurant, none of them really stopping to talk to each other. After last night, who could? He made his way up the balcony, which was repaired. Not a trace of the struggle remained; it was as if he was walking up a brand new set up stairs. When he reached the restaurant level, he found a pair of lilac eyes looking at him attentively.

“Makoto,” Kyoko said. “How are you feeling, now?”

“Oh, morning Kyoko…” Makoto said. “Of course I’m still sad that… she’s gone.”

“So, you’re still in mourning?” Kyoko asked. “Do you feel fear? If you do, that’s good.”

“Good?” Makoto repeated. “Why would you think that?”

“If you can feel things like that, then your imagination is still functioning. Frankly, I feel bad for whoever can’t.”

“That’s true,” Makoto said, scratching his head. He didn’t know why Kyoko was having conversation with him.

“She’s an enigma…” Makoto thought. “She seems like one of the last people I think would console me about something like this.”

“What about you?” Makoto asked, breaking the silence. “You act like you’re not affected at all by this.”

“Are you suspicious?” Kyoko asked. “Any feelings I have, I’m just good at hiding them. What good can come from letting others know your emotions?”

“Hiding?”

“Well, I’m not as openly foolish as you are, to say the least.” Kyoko said.

“Foolishly open?” Makoto said in offense. “Well… I guess you can’t be helped from being a detective, right?”

“Indeed. Being a detective requires being able to deduce what’s in front of you, while keeping yourself composed even under the most stressful situations.”

“Jeez, that sounds like a lot to take in,” Makoto said. Chances are, Keebo wasn’t the first murder that Kyoko had to deal with, and neither will it be the last, even if they did get out of here.

“Makoto… I see you still have doubt.” The detective put a gloved hand to her chin. “Well, doubt what you want, but I assure you that I still have feeling, if you are worried for me. Those who feel nothing, they become empty husks who can’t acknowledge what’s in front of them.” Kyoko said. “I suppose it’s good that you are able to feel, after what happened to Sayaka.”

“Sayaka…” Makoto said. Her name, everything about her, continued to sting and haunt him. “The best thing I can do for her, is move on and survive, right?”

“I see… I think that’s what she would want too.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Well,” Kyoko said with a small smile. “Take it from a detective. Now, shall we go in?”

“We should…” Makoto said, his mood, and appetite lifted. “Thanks, Kyoko.”

“Indeed…” They both entered the restaurant, and saw the rest of the students, all of them sitting anxiously.

“Everyone,” Kaede spoke up. “I know times seem tough right now, but moving forward is the best thing we can do, right?”

“For someone who’s our leader, you already let a murder slip under your nose, right Kaede?” Kokichi smirked. As much as Kokichi was twisting the knife, he was right, Kaede thought. She failed as a leader the moment Keebo’s life ended.

“I won’t try to hide where I failed…” Kaede said,  her voice heavy. “But we have to do our best so no one else becomes a victim”

“And how many times are you going to say that?” Maki said. “Murder after murder, are you going to say that you won’t let another killing happen?”

“C’mon Maki Roll,” Kaito said. “You’re being pessimistic about this.”

“I’m not,” the Caregiver shot back sharply. “I'm simply being realistic.

“Why are all of you sulking, anyway?” Hiyoko chimed in.

“You can't be serious!” Kazuichi retorted. “Two of our friends just died, you know?!

“Tch, they weren't your friends, dumbass…” Fuyuhiko scoffed

“What the fuck do you know about Keebo?” Miu spat.

“Well what I know is that you didn't know shit about him. How long was he around, like two days?”

“He was more than a virgin like you will be to anyone!” Miu continued to berate Fuyuhiko. “When you eventually die, you’ll be alone, got it?! No one will miss you!” The inventor continued to shake in rage. Normally, she would recoil easily in the face of opposition, but Fuyuhiko was pushing it.

“That’s enough,” Peko said, breaking up the fight. “There’s no reason to pick unnecessary fights.”

“Unnecessary?” Miu shouted. “That fucking shota is the one stirring shit up!” The yakuza winced at Miu’s comment.

“Tch, friendship doesn’t mean shit on this island,” Fuyuhiko muttered before sitting back down. “Soon enough, you’ll figure it out by yourself.”

“It is a disservice to our fallen friends to create such discord,” Sonia spoke up. “They would not want us fighting amongst each other.” Silence once again went through the restaurant, but of course, someone had to make things worse.

“You know, I get why you’re all sad about Keebo,” Hiyoko said. “But why are you sad about Sayaka?”

“W-What do you mean?” Makoto asked. “Why wouldn’t be I sad about Sayaka?”

“Don’t you get it?” Hiyoko’s face turned dark. “She was more than willing to throw the rest of us under the bus so she can go back to her dream or some shit.”

“Don’t blame her for that! It was Monokuma’s fau-”

“So what?” Hiyoko continued. “That doesn’t change anything! Not only did she kill, which is one of the lowest, scummiest crimes anyone can commit, she betrayed you! How much of a doormat do you have to be to let that slide?”

“Makoto, I know you and Sayaka were tight,” Kazuichi said uneasily as he adjusted his hat. “But, man, betrayal… I don’t know how I’d respond to something like that.” Makoto felt the pain rise yet again, how even his classmates turned against Sayaka.

“Makoto…” Kyoko said calmly. “You don’t have to prove anything to anyone here.” Before anything can be further escalated, Monomi appeared.

“Students, I have really good news for you!”

“T-Tch… what does that naked mole rat w-want now?” Toko stuttered in aggravation.

“Mole rat?” Monomi cried. “I-I just wanted to help you everyone out…”

“We’ve observed your constant powerlessness…” Gundham mused. “What can you possibly offer to us now?”

“Well, I figured that all of you might get bored if there are the same old things on this island, so I decided to make a few improvements!”

“Improvements?” Hajime echoed. He didn’t know what Monomi had in store for them, but coming from someone like Monomi, he was very cautious.

“Well, you can see for yourself,” Monomi boasted. “I’m sure all of you will use what I’ve given you to get along even more!” Before anyone can steal the rabbit’s thunder, Monomi disappeared once again.

“So…” Hiro began after a period of silence. “Should we get going?”

“Continue your meaningless exploration if you so desire,” Gundham said. “However, it is the time of feeding for my Devas…”

“Well, the best course of action is to investigate, obviously!” Kiyotaka shouted, his voice reverberating through the restaurant. “We should explore and report our findings at our earliest convenience!” Makoto still felt a little downtrodden, but at least there was something new to do that’ll take him off his mind. After everyone finished their breakfast, the students began to branch off, finding what has changed about the island. Said change was immediately noticeable as they exited the gates. In the area that the circular walkway that was once just grass, a new area has appeared overnight. The island began to look more and more like a proper resort, as a baseball field not unlike one that could be seen in a park encompassed the area. In addition to that, a tennis court has appeared.

“This was Monomi’s doing?” Chihiro asked. “I definitely don’t remember all of that being here.”

“Nyeh… what kind of magic did Monomi use make this appear overnight?” Himiko said with a finger to her chin. “You know what, it’s best that she didn’t reveal that, because magic is a closely guarded secret.”

“Whatever happened,” Ryota said. “This further cements that quite the organization was behind this, right?”

“That seems pretty likely…” Rantaro said.

“I think the best thing to do here is to check all of this out,” Kaede said.

“Hm, I doubt we will get anything of use out of a tennis court and a baseball field,” Celeste dismissed.

“Ah, maybe we could check the park again!” Hiro said. “Maybe there could be some cool stuff there, too.”

“I hope there’s something interesting in the park,” Hifumi agreed. “Maybe there’s something for a virtuoso like me there.” Without further ado, the group broke off to check out their new installments.

____________________________________________________________

“Excellent, THIS IS GREAT!” Nekomaru shouted as he paced around the baseball field. There was a large score counter, some seats on the bleachers, and several baseball diamonds in a square pattern. It wasn’t nearly as large as a professional baseball field, yet it could still make for a casual baseball game. “I can’t wait to see all the games we can have, don’t you agree, Leon?”

“I told ya, Nekomaru, I hate baseball,” Leon grumbled. “I hate getting all sweaty and dirty, I thought I didn’t have to do any work here.”

“Is that so?” Nekomaru asked. In a burst of speed, Nekomaru removed his sandal and threw it at Leon at blinding speeds. The baseball star was caught off guard but at the last second, he still managed to catch it.

“Dude, what the hell was that for?” Leon asked as he looked at the wooden sandal in his hands.

“GAHAHAHA!” Nekomaru laughed. “It seems like your skills haven’t diminished at all since the last time we met!”

“So? Just because I’m good at baseball doesn’t mean I want to! Life isn’t about sports, I got dreams myself!”

“How many times have you given your “dreams” a real thought?” Nekomaru said. “There’s nothing wrong about having a different dream, as long as you have real passion for it.”

“Tch, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about being a musician,” Leon said. “Just you wait, once we get outta here, I’ll be a real punk rockstar.”

“I bet Ibuki would have something to say about that,” Nekomaru laughed.

“H-Hey,” Leon said. “Just because Ibuki’s the Ultimate Musician doesn’t mean that I can’t have dreams about music too! Talent doesn’t mean everything!”

“That is a wise thing to say coming from you, Leon.”

“See?” Leon smiled. “I knew you’d understand.”

“Ah, this all looks very interesting!” Sonia said as she entered the field, her eyes glimmering. “I did not get to play many sports when I was young.”

“So, are you curious about baseball, Sonia?” Nekomaru asked.

“I do not know if I can play to an Ultimate Level like Leon’s, but it’s part of the authentic summer experience, right?”

“Heh, give it a while and you’ll learn to hate it,” Leon chuckled.

“Crap… I can’t make myself look two faced now,” Leon thought to himself.

“I’m interested nonetheless,” Sonia smiled. “If I don’t like it, I’ll move on, but if I do, that’s good, right?”

“Alright, but can I have my sandal back?” Nekomaru said. “Standing on one foot for this long makes me need to take a shit.”

__________________________________________________________________________

Kaito, Ryoma, Maki, and Kazuichi were walking along the tennis court. Its floor was rubberized, and there was a large net and a seat for the referee. On the side was a machine that shot tennis balls, used in training players.

“It’s been a while since I played tennis,” Kaito said. “But I think I’ll get back into the groove, since that’s what the Luminary of the Stars does.”

“Cocky as ever, aren’t you?” Maki deadpanned.

“Hey, you’re pretty athletic as well, aren’t you?” Kaito said. “Maybe you could play a few rounds.”

“I never got to play, professional sports since I spent so much time taking care of the kids,” Maki said.

“Still, you could get into it since tennis is pretty cool, right Ryoma?”

“I guess you can say that,” Ryoma said. “But, it’s got nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Jeez, when have you ever said a positive thing when we first arrived here?” Kaito said. “Pathetic, the Ryoma I’ve heard about would be up for any challenge, no matter what!”

“The Ryoma you knew about?”

“I heard a lot about you back in my old school,” Kaito said. “I thought I’d be amazed to finally meet you, but look at you! You’re basically like a walking husk, now!”

“Well, you’re not entirely wrong about that, I guess,” Ryoma responded as he took out a cigarette and place it on his lips.

“There you go again, putting that cigarette in your mouth, trying to ignore the world,” Kaito berated. “Hmph, what’s your deal? Don’t you know that there are a ton of aspiring kids out there looking up to you. Can’t you put up a nice face for tennis for once?”

“Well, to be honest, I don’t know why they Hope’s Peak accepted me…” Ryoma said. “If some kid wants to become Tennis Pro, heck, they can come get it.”

“Giving up without a challenge,” Kaito said. “Is that all you do?”

“You two arguing like that,” Kazuichi commented. “Are you two like husband and wife or something?”

“I’m getting real worked up, am I?” Kaito said. “Yeah, I’ll go cool off now. I’m basically talking to a brick wall.” The astronaut walked away, his jacket trailing as he went along.

“Well, uh, Ryoma, is it okay if I took this tennis launcher with me?” Kazuichi asked.

“You aren’t gonna kill anyone with it, are you?”

“What? No!” Kazuichi said defensively. “Do you really take me as that sort of person? It’s always good for a mechanic to see and work with new cool shit, you know!”

“Hmph, you really do have a passion for your talent, huh?” Ryoma said. “Well, if it makes you feel better, then go ahead.” Kazuichi excitedly took the launcher, dragging it along with him.

“Wait, this isn’t even my court, does he even need my permission?” Ryoma asked himself.

______________________________________________________________________

Some of the students arrived at the park, seeing that a new area has opened; it was what looked like a changeroom that led to a hot spring that was gated off from the outside with a wooden fence.

“This island has everything, doesn’t it?” Hiro whistled.

“Hmmm, this new facility makes me very excited,” Teruteru said, his beady eyes lighting up. “Very excited…”

“Heh, you virgins can only dream about getting a peek at a smoking hot bod like mine,” Miu boasted. “I’ll use it to my full pleasure, and y’all are gonna get blue balled thinking about it.”

“Jeez, can you all stop with that nasty talk for one moment?” Mahiru scolded.

“Heee! I was just joking…” Miu whimpered.

“...Nonetheless,” Celeste continued. “This is a fine addition, I suppose.”

“T-Think for y-yourself…” Toko stuttered. “I d-didn’t shower at all since w-we got here.” Celeste took a cautionary step away from the writer.

“Yikes, yeah the air here is pretty rank,” Hiro said, crinkling his nose.

“D-Don’t act like you’re above anyone just b-because your clean!” Toko retorted, growing more angry.

“Hey, I take pride in keeping clean!” Hiro tried to come up with a good comeback. “It’s one of the few things I  have!”

“I do not think keeping clean is an achievement…” Celeste said. “More like an expectation of human decency.”

“This is an… underwhelming discovery,” Byakuya said, unimpressed. “I doubt that this frivolous addition will get me any closer to finding whoever is responsible for this.” Hiro walked toward the changeroom entrance to get a closer look, and found a machine gun mounted on the ceiling between the two entrances.

“Gyah!” Hiro recoiled in surprise. “What the hell is that?” This signalled the appearance of Monomi.

“H-How did you get here?” Toko said. “You think I’m too dumb to know how to bathe?”

“I-I didn’t mean any harm coming here…” Monomi whimpered. “You have to swipe your Monopads at the correct door to get in.”

“So that’s the only way we’re allowed in?” Celeste asked.

“Yep! You gotta enter through your respective doors! Your teacher won’t her students doing shameful things in the locker room!”

“If you’re not gonna let kids be horny here, they’re just gonna find a way to jerk off somewhere else!” Miu said.

“But did you have to include that mounted turret?” Hiro questioned.

“I-I wouldn’t go that far if you broke the rules…” Monomi moped. “It was all that awful Monokuma’s doing.”

“Oh well, there’s always mixed bathing,” Teruteru said in slight disappointment.

“This is a small solace,” Celeste commented. “It’ll make my life here a little bit easier.”

“W-What do you mean your life here?” Toko muttered.

“If it didn’t get through your head already, there’s no way out. I’d say the sooner you accept that we’ll spend the rest of our lives here, the better it will be for you.”

“That just sounds defeatist…” Hiro said. “It’s really making me depressed.”

“The fuck do you mean we’re gonna spend the rest of our lives here?” Miu said. “A gorgeous genius like me can’t waste her time in this shithole!”

“Tch- you truly are dull,” Celeste scoffed. “Those who adapt are the ones who survive. If adapting is accustoming myself here, then so be it.”

“Can’t you be just a little positive?” Hiro said. “Someone’s gonna find out we’re missing, right?”

“For all we know, the only way out is murder. If you want to leave so badly, is that what you’re going to resort to?”

“Hey, you shouldn’t spend all your time groveling!” Mahiru said. “Or else you’ll make everyone depressed.”

“I’m being realistic.” Celeste said. “But I’ll leave the lot of you to your devices,” Celeste began to walk away, leaving the others to take in her harsh words.

______________________________________________________________

“Shuichi,” Kaede approached the detective, who sat uneasily at the park bench, staring off into the distance.

“Hey Kaede,” Shuichi said. “I didn’t see you there.”

“Have you looked at all the new places on the island?” Kaede asked as she also took a seat next to him.

“Well, I took a quick look at everything, but I haven’t really used any of it,” Shuichi responded. Kaede noticed he hadn’t turned to meet her eyes.

“Shuichi, is something wrong?” Kaede asked.

“W-What do you mean?” Shuichi said. “It’s nothing…”

“It’s about the trial isn’t it?” Kaede asked. It pained Kaede to talk about what happened, but she knew that she had to support Shuichi.

“This is what comes with being a detective,” Shuichi said. “I think we can agree… that the truth hurts for everyone.”

“All this time, you’ve been hearing painful truths,” Kaede said. “But you know what else I know is true? Is that all of us trust you, Shuichi.”

“Thanks for trusting me,” Shuichi replied. “But, I don’t want all that trust to come from me solving murders. Is it worth a murder just so you can assure me of my talent?”

“That’s not what I meant, you know that!” Kaede said. “What made you so afraid?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a reason why you sell yourself short, why you wear your hat, right? Well like I said, being a detective is about giving your compassion to others, right? Seeing the faith they put in you?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate you saying that, but I don’t want to burden you with my story at a time like this; especially when you already got a lot in your hands already, being a leader and all…”

“I guess you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Kaede said. “But hey, I didn’t come here just because of that, I’d be happy just spending time with you, you know?”

“Really?” Shuichi said, adjusting his collar. “There isn’t much for a guy like me to do here, but I appreciate it.”

______________________________________________________________

Hajime’s mind continued to race with questions. It was true that the more he questioned this island, the more it hurt his head. Despite the new luxuries that appeared this morning, he couldn’t look at them. It didn’t feel right to indulge in something that two of his classmates had to die for. He decided to revisit the airport, seeing if anything that was already there changed. He looked at the runway; the dormant planes were still there, as if to mock their despondent situation. He walked through the entrance, the cool air piercing the normally hot atmosphere. He looked around, and saw that nothing was out of place. Save, for one person being there.

“Hey Hajimeeee!” Ibuki shouted, her voice echoing in the empty airport. Ibuki was riding the luggage pickup belt, and immediately she stood up to wave.

“Ibuki, isn’t that dangerous?”

“Hajime, isn’t that a bad way to greet a friend?” Ibuki pouted as she sat down, cross legged. “Ibuki just wanted to see where this thing cycles to.” She got off the belt, walking towards him in her usual manner.

“So. What brings you here?” Ibuki asked.

“Didn’t feel like checking the new stuff, so I just came back here.”

“Well I was trying to see what building created the best echoes! The changing rooms put up a good fight but the airport still reigns supreme!” She skipped in circles, shouting and hearing the resonation the steel walls gave off.

“Do her ears ever hurt?” Hajime thought to himself. For her size, her ability to make noise rivals that of Nekomaru.

“But, but, it seems that fate has put together, hasn’t it?” Ibuki mused.

“Is it really that rare that the two of us would be in the same building?”

“Ah! I know! You know what you should do? You should totally join Ibuki’s band!” Ibuki cheered.

“What? But I never played in a band in my life, let alone held an instrument.”

“Psh, who cares about that? You know there was once a time that even the great Ibuki never played an instrument! If you never try, then when will you ever know if you like it?”

“But I’m never gonna be on your lev-”

“It ain’t about playing well, Hajime!” Ibuki reprimanded. “You gotta stop thinking about what you’re doing and just do it for once! Jamming out is super fun once you really get into the groove!”

“How can she still be so energetic?” Hajime thought.

“Alright, alright, I get it,” Hajime rubbed his temples. “I’ll dip my toes into music if you insist. Is it really what keeps you so upbeat even in this crappy situation?” Ibuki’s normally wide grin seceded.

“To be honest Hajime,” Ibuki said, scratching her head. “I miss Sayaka, and Keebo too. She really wanted to see her bandmates again.” She put her hand on her chin in thought. “Ibuki definitely thinks killing is bad, but not everyone can say the same when they say their bandmates are worried for them.”

“Is she talking about her former band?” Hajime thought to himself. “Ibuki…”

“But enough worrying,” Ibuki said, striking a pose. “You face Ibuki, and she challenges you to run and shout at the top of your lungs at the same time!”

“Wait up! I never agreed to-” but Ibuki was already out the door.

“Quit talking and more moving! How else will you become a truly good player of music?”

“Damn, who knows what she could be up to?” He sprinted out the door, after the Musician.

______________________________________________________________

Makoto was taking a walk along the beach, the afternoon sun still shining.

“Still got some time this afternoon,” Makoto thought to himself. “Hmm, maybe I should talk to-”

“Yo, Makoto!” A voice called out to the Lucky Student. It was Leon, his stride quickly approaching the Lucky Student.

“Hey, Leon,” Makoto greeted back. “What’s up?”

“Well, me and a few others, we’ve decided that so far, we haven’t been making use of this tropical island, you know?” Leon explained. “Maybe we can get something out of those coconuts you see on those trees.”

“Let me guess, you want to knock em down, and have some coconut juice or milk?”

“Yeah,” Leon responded. “Wouldn’t it be pretty cool, seeing a punk star like me having a sip right from the coconut. All the girls would think wow, he must be living a real luxurious life, right?”

“I think you’re overthinking it,” Makoto said.

“Well, what I’m getting to is that you should totally join us! Don’t worry about stealing my spotlight, I don’t think someone your type isn’t even capable of doing that.”

“Okay, you don’t have to go that far,” Makoto said with a bit of chagrin. When the two arrived, a few others were standing at the beach, eyeing a tall, coconut laden tree.

“Hey, we’ll find a way to get them!” Kazuichi said. “It’ll be worth it! The tallest trees have the best coconuts, right?”

“These fruits up there are fairly young,” Teruteru said. “Which is most ripe. Its flesh and juice will be really valuable to a chef like me.”

“Kirumi, you’re here too?” Makoto said.

“Did you not expect someone like me to be here?” Kirumi raised an eyebrow in slight offense. “I received a request to witness this, but I am also thinking about how we could use these.” Makoto looked down, and saw some coconuts lying on the floor.

“What’s wrong with those coconuts?” He said, pointing at the fallen fruits.

“Nonono, there are a lot of things you can eat in the world, but not those,” Teruteru said. “Fallen coconuts usually mean that they’ve started to rot. It’s best to take them from the tree.”

“Now that you mention it, I should clean those up…” Kirumi said. “Since the ecosystem in this island has obviously been uprooted, it’d be dangerous to have rotting fruits on the beach.”

“Are fallen fruits even considered litter?” Makoto thought to himself.

“I expected it would come to this…” Peko sighed. “Step out of the way, I wouldn’t want any coconuts on falling anyone.” Everyone heeded Peko’s words and took a step away from the tree.

“What’s she gonna do?” Makoto thought to himself. Peko closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Then, with blinding speed, she drew her bamboo sword and struck the tree with overwhelming force, its trunk reverberating its power. After a moment, the fresh coconuts from the tree dropped to the ground.

“Holy crap,” Leon said. “You’re a pretty scary chick.”

“Is your blade even bamboo?” Teruteru said. “With the way you swung it, I bet it must’ve been much harder.”

“It’s usually not very good for the blade to strike it bluntly…” Peko said, ignoring . “But, I’ve trained for situations like this…”

“You’re sounding pretty tired, Peko…” Makoto said.

“It’s nothing. A lot of people ask me if I could cut open fruit or other objects with my blade. It gets old really quickly.”

“Oh, so you’re not gonna show off your skills…” Leon said.

“It’s quite alright, a chef like me would never resort to such barbaric practices when it comes to opening coconuts.”

“So I guess that’s not how you open them,” Makoto thought. “The more you know…”

“Are you gonna pull out a knife and show us here?” Kazuichi asked.

“Tch, a good chef always keeps his knives in a knife stand,” Teruteru scoffed. “But, you’re more than welcome to see how it’s done by an expert.”

“That’d be pretty cool, actually.” Leon said. “So we’re going to the restaurant?”

“I prefer my room, but that’s fine,” Teruteru commented.

“Hey, Makoto! Aren’t you gonna tag along?” The baseball star called out.

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind.” Makoto said, also taking his leave to the restaurant.

_______________________________________________________________

“Thanks for inviting me, Chiaki. I really am excited to play some games with you,” Chihiro said as she stepped into the gamer’s cottage. Hina and Tsumugi were also there, Tsumugi intently perusing Chiaki’s collection.

“Hey, Chihiro! Glad you came, too!” Hina greeted.

“It’s always nice to get people into playing games,” Chiaki said, giving a smile to the group. “But I guess with you, Chihiro, you seem pretty familiar.”

“Though I have played games on my laptop when I was bored, I’m more familiar with programming than gaming.”

“You really do have my respect, Chihiro.” She invited the programmer to sit down on her bed.

“Ah, you don’t have to be like that,” Chihiro said.

“Games don’t exist without programmers, and being in front of The Ultimate Programmer is amazing in its own right,” Chiaki said.

“I don’t know if I’m comfortable, just sitting and having a chat with all these girls,” Chihiro thought to himself. “But I can’t get embarrassed in front of them.”

“All this talk about your talent makes me feel plain in comparison,” Tsumugi said.

“Tsumugi, don’t feel bad. If they start going into tech stuff, I’m also out of the loop.” Hina reassured. “Still, it sounds pretty interesting!”

“So there are four of us, so I think some co-op or competitive games will be fun,” Chiaki thought aloud. “Hina, what kind of games do you like?”

“I haven’t played many video games, but I know that I’m not good at puzzle games or anything that requires that much thinking,” Hina said. “Maybe something fast-paced will get me going!”

“Tsumugi, do you have an idea?” Chiaki asked the Cosplayer.

“Sorry, I’ve been busy judging-er looking over your collection rather than actually thinking about what to play. But you really do have it all! Even the obscure games no one will get references of!”

“Do you play games a lot, Tsumugi?”

“Well they often give me cosplay ideas,” Tsumugi said. “Though my ideas usually comes from anime shows and movies, it doesn’t hurt to look around.”

“I think that’s pretty cool, using your cosplay to show more people games,” Chiaki said.

“Speaking of games, it doesn’t look like we’ll stand much of a chance against you, huh?” Tsumugi said.

“Games aren’t all about winning,” Chiaki said. “Having fun with your friends is just as important.”

“It’s just the same with sports, too!” Hina spoke up. “It’s not about winning, it’s the struggle to the top is what matters!” Chihiro looked on as despite their situation, he could still see the bonds that can be made. He could feel the weight lift off his shoulders.

“Maybe… just maybe these are people who I can finally reveal my secret too…” Chihiro thought to himself.

________________________________________________________________

There was still about an hour until dinnertime, but five students were gathered at the restaurant. Mahiru, Kaede, Sonia, Nekomaru, and Taka, all of them circling the largest table.

“I won’t beat around the bush,” Mahiru began. “We gotta make some improvements if we want to keep everyone safe.”

“That should be our number one priority as leaders,” Taka said. “Everyone has entrusted us with this, so we must do our best to prevent any further killings!”

“Maybe we can come up with some rules for everyone to follow?” Kaede suggested.

“Hm, I don’t know how much authority they’ll live down…” Nekomaru said. “They wouldn’t want us interfering with their lives, even if it is to protect them.”

“Inevitably, when there are leaders, there are politics…” Sonia thought aloud. “It is… a fine line that we have to walk between leadership and tyranny.”

“Well we have no choice but to impose them!” Taka shouted. “Rules are the best way to keep the order around here!”

“I think one rule that we should add is that no one should go out alone at night,” Kaede said. “T-That’s when Keebo was killed, right?”

“Alone?” Taka asked for elaboration.

“I don’t think there’ll be a risk of murder when it comes to a group, since accomplices aren’t allowed.”

“And how are we gonna enforce em?” Nekomaru asked.

“I don’t think we really need to stand outside and guard during nighttime or anything like that,” Sonia said.

“Oh yeah… we can hear outside for anyone’s footsteps,” Mahiru recalled. “And what’re we supposed  to do if we catch them?”

“Do we even have to do anything?” Kaede asked, her doubt rising. “No one’s gonna go out at night, right?”

“If we create rules, but fail to enforce them, then no one will take our leadership seriously,” Sonia said.

“Well perhaps we could take shifts staying awake and watching!” Taka suggested. “And if we catch someone, we must escort them back to their rooms and reprimand them in the morning!”

“I think split among the five of us, we’ll all get enough sleep.” Mahiru said. “But are we gonna be safe standing out there?”

“We shouldn’t need to cover a lot of ground, since the layout here is pretty straightforward,” Nekomaru said. “Maybe you can find a second to pair yourself up with if you don’t feel safe.”

“I don’t want to make this feel like a conscription, but maybe there are volunteers.” Sonia said.

“Are we all in agreement? Excellent! Let us announce this plan when everyone is gathered for dinner!” Taka concluded.

_____________________________________________________________

At the restaurant, everyone was once again gathered. Nekomaru wasted no time once he saw everyone settled.

“ALRIGHT! YOUR TEAM MANAGERS HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE!” He shouted, effortlessly gathering the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

“We can hear you from here you know that?!” Mondo growled in annoyance.

“To keep everyone safe, everyone will have to avoid going out alone at night time,” Kaede explained. “It’s to prevent any further killings.” She braced herself for the resistance that was sure to come from laying down such a rule.

“...Personally, that rule is for the best,” Celeste said. “Frankly, anyone who goes out at night is asking for death.”

“I don’t think we’ll be missing a lot with a rule like that,” Tsumugi said.

“Nyahaha! Atua says that this will keep the peace on this island!” Angie approved.

“I also don’t have any business breaking it, but do you really think that will stop the killings?” Maki asked, her tone laced with disapproval.

“Hey, it’s better than doing nothing and grumbling!” Kaito said. “But it’s not gonna get in the way of our workout plan.”

“What do you mean our?” Maki said.

“So you’re all just gonna them walk over you like that?” Fuyuhiko said contemptuously.

“What, are you planning something Fuyuhiko and did this rule throw a wrench in it?” Mahiru said in suspicion.

“Well I’ll do whatever the fuck I want.”

“Damn, you’re stirring a lot more shit than I ever can,” Kokichi said, a carefree smile on his face.

“If you give people power and trust them so freely, you’ll be dependent on them. Then they’ll be able to control you.”

“Are you saying this from your Yakuza experience, you degenerate?” Tenko said.

“I am afraid that it would come to this discussion,” Sonia stepped in. “But I assure you that we’re all students, equals working together in the darkest of times. We will not get anywhere standing divided and bickering amongst ourselves. You are not a follower to us, we are standing united in the face of the threat greater than anything we have ever seen.”

“A saying that’ll go down in history!” Nagito adolated. “I expect no less from the Ultimate Princess!” Despite Nagito’s ramblings, it seemed like the dissonance has quieted down.

“I am not well versed in speeches,” Sonia said with a sheepish smile. “However, I am glad that you can all understand.”

“With that out of the way, we request assistance!” Taka shouted, breaking the soothing atmosphere Sonia created.

“Barking orders as soon as you get the chance…” Mondo grumbled.

“We will have to keep watch over the night, so if anyone can volunteer, that’d be appreciated!”

“Is that a request?” Kirumi said. “If it is a night watch that you are planning, I do not mind lending you my assistance.”

“Really? You’ve done so much for us already, you don’t have to-”

“If you’re worried about my wellbeing, I assure you I can handle myself.”

“I know!” Mahiru explained. “Hajime, how about you volunteer with me with the night watch?”

“Me?” Hajime repeated. He wasn’t in the mood for having less sleep than he already does.

“Yeah, you!” Mahiru put her hands around her hips. “You’re the kind of guy who takes naps rather than sleeping anyway, so why not?”

“Is she referring back to when I first got here? Jeez, some things will never let up…”

“Hajime, I see you’re getting whipped already,” Nagito chuckled.

“Fine, being unable to sleep in fresh air is better than doing that in my cottage anyway.”

“My, My, Atua has spoken to me,” Angie said. “And he will lend a hand to your cause.”

“Does that mean you’re gonna help us?” Nekomaru asked. “Then maybe you can pair up with Taka.”

“Yep, yep. With Atua on my side, he sees all.”

“I suppose you can accompany me for my shift,” Taka said. “An extra pair of eyes is always appreciated!”

“Is a chick like you really up for the task?” Mondo asked. “I mean, you do seem a little-”

“Atua is the only protection I need. And do you doubt your classmates, thinking that they’d bring upon a killing?” Angie shot a dark look at the gang leader.

“Tch, do what you want,” Mondo said. “If you’re up for that kinda work, then it’s on you.”

“Miss Sonia, you can pick me to help you out!” Kazuichi said, giving her a wide smile.

“Ah, I know, Gundham can accompany me!” Sonia said.

“Crap!” Kazuichi thought to himself, clutching his chest. “Is she seriously gonna take that sleazy breeder over me?”

“Wh-What are you saying?” Gundham said, taken off guard by her suggestion.

“Your hamsters are good lookouts, are they not?” Sonia asked. “I think we must work accordingly to our strengths, and I think your help would be appreciated.”

“Hm, though it is true that my Devas are beasts of the night, capable of spotting anything. However, even demons must rest, and disrupting their slumber will-”

“If you don’t want to burden your hamsters, can’t you just leave em in your room?” Kazuichi brought up.

“You fool! My Devas are not mere hamsters! If you bring such disrespect to me again, then I shall have you incinerated! Besides, I am not some fool who would leave his companions behind...”

“But Sonia just referred-” Kazuichi thought.

“Do not worry Gundham. If you join me, it will be for the third, so you will have time to rest.”

“Then, I will accept your terms…” Gundham said. “Perhaps I shall find the devils that lurk in the dark during the watch. It would forward my dark research, to an extent.”

“Is that really the only reason you accepted?” Hajime thought.

“Hmph, so it’s settled,” Nekomaru said. “I will take the first shift, Sonia and Gundham will take the second, Mahiru and Hajime will take the third, Angie and Taka will take the fourth, and Kirumi and Kaede will take the last shift.

“Coach, are you all good by yourself?” Akane asked.

“Psh, I can handle myself,” Nekomaru said. “I don’t want anyone else to lose sleep.”

“Wait, don’t you have to use the bathroom all the time?” Mondo said. “Seems like you might leave your post a lot.”

“Don’t underestimate me! A man knows when he needs to hold his shit in!”

“Typical male thinking he can go on his own…” Tenko muttered.

“Those terms are… agreeable,” Celeste said. “I advise that you follow them, unless you want to end up as the next victim.”

“Well, what if I don't want to? Kokichi asked.

“Then when you get caught, you will have the luxury of explaining to everyone just why you were out at night time.”

“Celeste… I see what she’s doing. She’s using group pressure to keep us in our dorms…” Hajime thought. “She doesn’t seem like the type to care much for our wellbeing. What could be her motivation for this?”

“Sounds like a good risk to me!” Kokichi said, unfazed by Celeste’s words.

“Kokichi,” Rantaro said, putting his hand on his shoulder. “Your trust with everyone is already thin. Do you really want to push it?”

“So you’ve already seen through my plot to murder someone…” Kokichi muttered. “But of course, that’s a lie too!”

“So all of you got Celeste’s message,” Rantaro said, returning back to his seat. “I’ve dealt with kids in the past, but Kokichi really is something…”

“Well that settles it! Now that that’s over, everyone can eat!” Nekomaru said.

_____________________________________________________________________

It was after dinner, and most people have retired to their rooms for the night. Nekomaru leaned back on the wall of Hiro’s cottage with a bottle of water in his hand, much to the clairvoyant’s annoyance. However, Fuyuhiko stood with his back to the side of the old building. Peko approached him, making sure nobody was looking.

“Hopefully this spot should prevent anyone from seeing us,” Peko said.

“Tch, I don’t think anyone’s gonna bother us here,” Fuyuhiko said. “So is there a reason you called me here?”

“Young master, we should discuss your safety.”

“I can handle myself,” Fuyuhiko said, his arms crossed. “And stop calling me that! You know what I told you! As of setting foot on this island, our professional relationship is over!”

“I cannot ignore my duty,” Peko said. “I know my purpose is to protect your life.”

“Wait, you’re not gonna try anything stupid, are you?” Fuyuhiko said.

“Who knows who could be a threat to you? Many would be willing to sacrifice a Yakuza to survive.”

“I don’t trust any of those bastards, but they aren’t gonna lay a finger on me.”

“Hmmm, perhaps the Mondo sees you as a rival. I’d also watch Ryoma, also. He had a lot of experience taking out gang members. The soldier is an obvious threat…” Peko mused. “However, Toko and Maki exhibit a greater danger than they appear to.”

“You think so? I guess you aren’t the only girl holding in your killing side if your gut is right.”

“Though I won’t kill without your command, I won’t hesitate to strike if you’re in danger.”

“Like I said, you shouldn’t have to bother with me,” Fuyuhiko said. “You’re not my hitman now, even in this shitty situation.”

“I’ll lay low for now,” Peko said. “I think it’s time to disperse, or we may be caught.”

“Yeah, it’s time to leave. I don’t want anyone to know we’re connected.” Fuyuhiko whispered. Fuyuhiko stepped out towards the pool area, Peko vanishing out of his peripherals.

____________________________________________________________________________

Nekomaru’s shift passed without incident.

“ I think we should’ve brought chairs,” Hajime said. “I don’t know how Nekomaru could stand out here for so long without getting bored.”

“Well it’s too late for that now, we can’t just leave our shifts,” Mahiru said. “But don’t worry, Hajime, I can already see it’s building your character.”

“Damn, we really should’ve packed chairs…” Mahiru thought, but of course, she wasn’t going to say that.

“Are you gonna take a picture to celebrate it?”

“Even if I wanted to, my camera isn’t too good right now, even if the nights here aren’t too dark.”

“I guess we shoulda packed a lantern, too.” They both had a laugh at how they can have banter at a supposedly serious job like this. Their shift winded to and end, with Sonia and Gundham approaching Mahiru and Hajime.

“Ah, so I guess it’s time for us to hit the hay, right?” Mahiru said as she saw the two.

“Yes, I hope everything has gone well,” Sonia replied. “Allow us to take it from here.”

“So, I guess I’ll head back,” Hajime said, also beginning to make his way back.

“Hold it, Hajime…” Gundham called out.

“Gundham, what is it?” Hajime approached Gundham, unsure of what news the eccentric breeder had for him.

“I suppose you remember that little trick you displayed in the trial…”

“Oh yeah… I defended Gundham, even though I didn’t have any evidence. It was a miracle that no one pressed me for it…” Hajime recalled.

“How did a mortal like you manage to play such a bold bluff?” Gundham said. “If they found out your deception, surely the trial would’ve fallen apart that instant. Do you possess some power beyond what you let on?”

“What I do know is that there’s no way you would’ve murdered someone, Gundham. I guess sometimes, I just have to trust that in someone.”

“Putting your faith in the Supreme Overlord of Ice like that… There is a difference between courageous and foolish. You walk the line quite well.”

___________________________________________________

After Sonia and Gundham, Taka and Angie took watch.

“Now that there is an opportunity, it is my duty to spread the word of Atua,” Angie said. “Are you interested, Taka?”

“It is my responsibility to be well versed in all subjects,” Taka said. “Though I am a secular man, I don’t mind hearing about religions.”

“Good, good. You see, Atua sees all, and it is his guidance that drives us forward.”

“Can you elaborate that further?”

“Taka, you are hardworking, and you do your best to excel as a student. Is it not Atua’s voice that gives you inspiration?”

“I drive myself forward, because of my desire to be the best I can be!”

“Hmm, hmm, is it just that you haven’t been introduced to Atua yet?”

“I am happy with my own motivation! I don’t need to rely on a higher power to drive me forward!”

“Though non-believers will be punished for generations, you still have time Taka! All you have to do is believe in Atua!”

“Like I said, I can rely on myself! When you make art, where does your power come from?

“I’m just Atua’s vessel. Atua drives my brush forward, my art is an example of his true power!”

“It is respectable that you are devout, even if I don’t understand, myself.”

“You don’t understand?” Angie asked. Her eyes lit up as if a great idea popped into her head. Suddenly, Angie jumped forward and pulled Taka into a tight embrace.

“W-What is the meaning of this?!” Taka said, his face growing red.

“...I see, I see!” Angie said. “Taka, you’re always trying to make us do our best as both students and people. That virtue won’t be ignored by Atua. However, there is no shame in reaching out to others for help. Remember that there is an equally studious god watch-” Angie was interrupted as Taka used his free hand to peel her arms from his chest.

“I appreciate those kind words, but to have these kinds of physical interactions with a boy and a girl… that just seems… wrong!”

“Nyahaha, so you are one of the prudent ones,” Angie said. “But, if you ever change your mind about Atua, he’ll still welcome you regardless.”

“I guess we just have to agree to disagree…” Taka finished.

“When Angie… hugged me, I felt all my burdens wash away from me, like it was weightless. That is a scary ability…” Taka thought.

______________________________________________________________

Kaede and Kirumi took watch for the rest of the night. Still, no activity except for the sounds of crickets in the summer air. When Kaede moved into position, she saw that Kirumi was already there, two folding chairs prepared for the two of them. Kirumi was sitting on one of them, watching intently, but when she saw Kaede, she gave a small smile and patted the empty seat, gesturing for her to sit.

“You’re pretty prepared, Kirumi,” Kaede said.

“I suppose we should make ourselves comfortable if we are to stay here for the rest of the night.”

“Heh, I bet all the others must be jealous that they think of this before.” Kaede gave a chuckle.

“Well, next night they will have an opportunity to.”

“Kirumi, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

“Is it a request?”

“Well, no...”

“Then why do you ask?”

“I want to talk to you about how you’ve been working for everyone.”

“Oh? Am I doing something wrong?”

“Not that; you’ve been doing so much for us since the beginning, without rest. Are you sure that’s good for you?”

“My first priority is to serve all of you, though I know my limits.”

“Really, we all appreciate everything that you’ve done, but we mean when we say you should look after your well-being.”

“It brings me joy to serve you, Kaede,” Kirumi said. “I do not want to sit around doing anything, as being idle is a danger to morale. An untidy space is an equal danger, also.”

“I’m not saying do nothing,” Kaede replied. “I know that this stupid killing game is trying to get to our heads, but you’re a high school student too. You’re our friend.”

“Your sentiments are noted, but-”

“Oh, how about this?” Kaede said, a grin creeping up her face. “As your leader, I command that you relax a bit.” Kirumi didn’t say anything, her face unreadable, shrouded by her silver hair in the night.

“Kirumi?” Kaede’s smile faded. She didn’t respond. Kaede leaned closer, and saw that Kirumi’s eyes were closed.

“Well, if you want me to relax, I suppose now is a good time, right?” She said, as she leaned back on her chair.

“Whaaat? Don’t leave me here at a time like this!” Kirumi reached her hand under the chair, and pulled out a thermos with a glass.

“You didn’t tell me about that, either!”

“I thought that one of us would become parched, even on this cool night.” Kirumi opened the container. “Care for some iced tea?”

“You’re really gonna spoil me, even as we’re doing work…” Despite her words, Kaede reached for it and poured herself a glass. She put the drink to her lips, and had a sip. The aroma was fragrant, its scent cutting through the humid night. Its taste was sweet, cool, and delicious, unlike anything she had ever tasted.

“Even in the dark, I always recognize the look on someone’s face when they try my refreshments for the first time,” Kirumi said. “I never forget it.”

“Kirumi, this stuff is really good!”

“Are you going to rescind your statement about me not working now that you have tasted this?”

“Psh, you got a point, but I’ll gladly give up a few glasses of tea no matter how good it is if you remain healthy.”

“It has been quite a while since I was able to just talk like this,” Kirumi said. “Thank you, Kaede.”

“I’m glad, too, Kirumi,” she finished as she downed the last of her drink.

The two of them continued to keep watch as the sun once again rose over the island. They saw Sakura and Hina move out early, but it was to be expected. The first night, there were no incidents, and she could hear Monokuma give his morning announcement yet again.

“I suppose I should go and prepare for the morning,” Kirumi said, walking toward the restaurant.

“But, Kirumi, didn’t you remember what I said?” Kaede asked.

“No worries, I intend to get some rest after our morning rituals,” she replied. “Your advice will not go to waste.” She decided to let her go. Hopefully, the maid wouldn’t push herself too hard.

“I’ll head back to my cottage for a quick shower,” Kaede thought. “Losing a few hours of sleep will get some getting used to, but as long as it’ll prevent a murder…”   She went over and unlocked the door, and entered. Laying on the desk was something that clearly wasn’t there the last time she checked. She nervously walked over to it.

“That’s strange… I didn’t see anyone walk into my room my whole shift, and everyone said that the coast was clear the whole night…” Kaede put her hand over her mouth in realization.

“Could it be… one of Monokuma’s motives?” Curiosity and terror ate away at her. She recalled how the last motive led to a murder overnight. With a deep breath, she took the pad with her hand. She flipped it over, and it looked like a Monopad, its monitor was shut off, and it had a single button at the bottom.

“Something darkly motivating must be waiting for me to turn it on. Should I even?” Kaede hesitated. “No, I can’t turn away. I have to take responsibility and see what Monokuma is up to.” She pressed the button with her finger, and the monitor flickered to life.

“Back by not-so popular demand, it’s the Monokuma Motive Video!” Monokuma’s voice projected itself. Kaede’s blood went cold at the confirmation; it was a motive to make someone commit a murder.

“Who’s the most important person in your life…” thoughts were racing through Kaede’s head.

“What did Monokuma do? Does he really have so much power to affect my family? H-How much power does he have really?”

“Byakuya Togami?”

“This motive video... isn’t mine?”

Chapter Text

Kaede stood as the Monokuma video played out in front of her. What it displayed two men; one an old man in formal wear and greying hair. He looked like a butler of some sort . The second man was tall, like Byakuya, wore glasses, and was lying on an expensive bed.

“Byakuya Togami, as you know, is the prestigious heir to the Togami Corporation, the family that will lead humanity.” Monokuma narrated. “Byakuya is the sole person who can keep its decades, no, generations of progress and success going! However, his poor old man isn’t long for this world, and he knows it! All that he wants is his heir to return to take his place.” The video cut towards the Togami, sitting up on his bed and coughing.

“Byakuya, you are the only one worthy of leading the Togami corporation. It is your responsibility as the heir, don’t forget it. Do you want our legacy to fall to ruins if you do not return? You must find your way back, wherever you are…” The video froze, and Monokuma began to speak again.

“Who knows how long Byakuya’s been missing in action? Has his old man kicked the bucket, leaving the corporation with no one to lead it? Well, there’s only one way to find out! Graduate, and maybe Byakuya will be able to save his family line!”

“Byakuya…” Kaede thought solemnly. “Of course he’s stuck up, but he has so much to uphold…” She put the video in her backpack. “Did everyone get a motive video that wasn’t targeted to them?” She pondered. Why would Monokuma do that? Or perhaps, did he want someone to kill for their motive videos? It all seemed so complicated. She didn’t even see anyone enter or exit anyone’s cottage. Kirumi doesn’t know about this, since she didn’t even re-enter her cottage. Sakura and Hina didn’t mention them either, so just when were they given? She stepped outside, and now some people were beginning to exit their cottages. The first person she ran into was Kyoko, who also had a pad in her hands.

“Kyoko, you got one too?”

“From the looks of it, all of us have a video that’s not meant for us,” Kyoko said. “This could be dangerous,” Kyoko said, slipping her video into her jacket. “You’re wise to hide it in your backpack.”

“I think all of us should discuss what to do with them at the restaurant,” Kaede suggested.

“It may be difficult, because some people may have other intentions with their videos…” Kyoko said.

“Maybe someone can help us make no one runs off…” Kaede shared her thoughts. “Oh, I know!” She began to make her way out of the girl’s wing.

“Make sure no one sees your video,” Kyoko gave a word of warning, before making her way off.

“Gonta!” Kaede shouted to the Entomologist. He was hard to miss, his massive hands clutched to his own video.

“Oh, good morning Kaede…” Gonta said, his voice with less spirit than usual.

“Gonta, what’s wrong?” Kaede asked in concern.

“Gonta not want to bother, but, Monokuma’s video is so terrible…” Gonta said. “He want us to kill each other again…”

“That’s why we have to do everything we can to make sure no murder happens,” Kaede said. “I’ve been thinking about what to do, but I’m gonna need everyone at the restaurant. Gonta, will you help?”

“Yes, Gonta will make sure everyone goes to restaurant!” Gonta said, some of his energy returning to his voice. He slipped his own video into his suit jacket and set out.

“Hopefully, everyone will willingly meet up with us, right?” Kaede thought to herself. She found that she was one of the first people at the restaurant when she arrived.

“Good morning,” Kaede said, seeing that Sakura, Hina, Kirumi, and Ryota were also newly. Ryota, as expected, was early, and had a video in his hands.

“Ah, good morning to you too,” Ryota said. “I got up early, because as you know we have important to discuss.” He walked past her and began to lay his plate up with food.

“Might I ask, what is it that you have in your hands?” Sakura asked Ryota.

“It’s Monokuma’s new motive, it appeared in your rooms after you left probably,” Ryota said. “I think we should wait until everyone’s here to discuss it.”

“I’m not sure if I want to check mine out if it’s one of his motives…” Hina said with a hint of uncertainty. Soon enough, more and more people filed in, some of them with their video in their hands, some without. Some of them may have left them in their room, or hidden it within their body.

“Where’s Gonta, Kokichi, and Miu?” Mahiru asked. “Seems like they’re not here.”

“I told Gonta to make sure everyone came here for the meeting,” Kaede responded.

“That guy was shouting at everyone to come here,” Hiyoko said. “And it’s all your fault, Kaede!”

“Wouldn’t it be more fitting to be mad at Gonta, then?” Kazuichi remarked.

“And you had to get that stupid nice guy to do it, trying to manipulate us into coming here, so that’s even worse!” Hiyoko frowned, but not many people took her seriously.

“H-Hiyoko, it’s a-alright, I’m sure Gonta and Kaede were look-” Mikan stuttered.

“Shut up, you ugly bitch! Did anyone ask for your opinion?” Hiyoko scorned, causing Mikan to break into tears once again.

“Okay, can we clear up the elephant in the room?” Kaito asked. “What’re we gonna do with these videos?” Before anyone can respond, Gonta arrived up the stairs at last, holding Kokichi in a tight grip with one arm, and Miu trailing behind him. Kokichi was flailing his legs around, but it did nothing to loosen his predicament.

“Gonta is sorry for being late,” Gonta said. “But everyone here now, right?”

“Kokichi, once this meeting’s over, your ass is mine!” Miu scowled.

“What happened?” Kaede asked.

“That shota was going around, trying to snoop around in people’s business! He took my fucking video, but Gonta used his tard strength to stop him!”

“Hey, nothing builds up bonds than me looking at other people’s loved ones being in danger!” Kokichi tried to refute. “I can already feel myself getting closer to all of you.”

“That feeling isn’t mutual.” Maki retorted. Gonta set Kokichi down near the middle of the room, where everyone can keep an eye on him.

“Alright, we can now forward our conversation.” Taka said. “Like we should ask ourselves, how did we get motive videos concerning others?”

“Wait, other people?” Himiko muttered. Everyone turned their head to the magician.

“You mean you got yours by chance? That luck must rival mine…” Nagito said.

“I don’t get what’s going on at all. Why are you all so surprised?”

“Why did Himiko get her own, and I got Mak-” Hiro began.

“Shut the hell up you idiot!” Mondo shouted, causing Hiro to recoil out of fear. “If you say you have someone’s video, you’ll get your ass beat by someone who really wants it!”

“Hey, no shouting in front of Himiko!” Tenko shouted even louder.

“Listen, you think I’ll go easy on you just ‘cause you’re a ch-”

“Silence!” Sonia commanded, causing both of them to drop stop talking and look towards her.

“Ahem, thank you.” Sonia said. “We have no time to waste discussing this motive, so where were we?”

“Where were you?” Monokuma said, cutting in. “Were you all about to discuss my amazing, original, despair inducing motive video?”

“Damnit, are you always gonna surprise us like that?” Leon said, though he was beginning to get used to the bear’s interruption.

“What is the meaning of this, Monokuma?” Taka demanded. “Are you here to make us doubt each other again?”

“Why yes!” Monokuma said. “It’s already bad enough knowing that your memories were lost, but how about you pair it up with the fact that your loved ones might be in danger? Don’t you feel that desperation building up?”

“However, Mr. Monokuma, I can’t help but wonder why you’d switch up the motive videos…” Hifumi pondered. “It’s perplexing, really, how seeing someone else’s loved ones in danger would make us kill…”

“W-What?” Monokuma said in surprise, sweat running down his body. “Th-That wasn’t my idea at all!”

“Of course!” An all too familiar voice cut in. “It was my idea!” Monomi boasted.

“Can you stop that?” Leon asked in exasperation to the two stuffed animals jumping in yet again.

“Grrr… my stupid sister Monomi is trying to mess up my plans yet again!” Monokuma growled.

“So swapping the videos was your idea?” Chiaki asked.

“Yep, yep! I decided to turn Monokuma’s dastardly idea on its head. There’s no way I couldn’t prevent Monokuma from handing them out, however, there was still something I could do! If you all just saw the loved ones of your fellow students, you’d empathize with them, and your bonds will be even stronger!”

“I sorta like that idea…” Nagito commented. There was a silence for a few moments. Whether it was of shock, amazement, of being dumbstruck, or even a combination of both, was unknown.

“You may have made this game even more interesting, inadvertently…” Byakuya said. “On the other side, someone may kill to see their loved ones… People may go out and find whose video is who, and who knows might happen from here?”

“Uh-Umm…” Monomi’s once prideful look turned into horror. “That wasn’t part of the plan! Please, don’t turn on each other to see your own videos!”

“I think you bastards should figure this mess out yourself!” Monokuma said angrily, grabbing Monomi by the ears. “I have a bit of discipline to dish out…”   He dragged Monomi away yet again, her cries of pain fading as they both disappeared.

“This is all really complicated,” Makoto said. “Is it better to trade motive videos so we won’t fight over them, or to ignore them?”

“Anything Monokuma hands us is automatically bad,” Angie said. “I say we dispose of them!”

“Are you really comfortable just ignoring these?” Hiro asked. “I mean, it’s the only connection to the outside world that we have…”

“Ah Ah Ah,” Angie scolded. “That’s exactly what Monokuma wants us to think.”

“Do you truly believe that everyone will ignore their video?” Byakuya asked. “There’s even more air between your ears than I first thought.”

“Maybe we should just exchange our videos?” Taka said. “Though these videos may be… disturbing, it’s better than just running away from them, right?”

“Are you crazy?” Nekomaru asked. “Then we’d just be playing into what Monokuma first intended!”

“M-Maybe,” Kaede spoke up. “We should all watch everyone’s videos together?” This rendered the rest of the group silent for a few moments.

“Wow, Kaede” Kokichi said. “You really are taking my suggestion to heart.”

“Then that way, we’ll have nothing to hide from each other…” Kaede justified. “And we won’t have to fight over whose video is who, right?”

“And you expect everyone to agree to that?” Celeste asked.

“What is there to lose showing everyone the video you have?” Kaede asked. “It’s not yours, anyways. Don’t you want to make this motive lose all its weight?”

“Wh-What if we doubt our friends?” Chihiro asked. “I don’t want to doubt anyone after they’ve seen their own video…”

“That’s exactly why we must!” Nagito said, his voice resolute.

“What?” Hajime asked.

“Think about this. The despair your doubt creates will eat away at you, no doubt…” Nagito explained. “But think about the hope you will feel, when that doubt is crushed.”

“You’re confusing us right now, man…” Hiro said.

“Won’t you feel a lot better when we all risk showing everyone each other’s videos, and then no one kills each other despite that? The hope that would bring all of us will be insurmountable!”

“There’s no way the world is that optimistic,” Mukuro said. “I doubt showing everyone each other’s video will turn out how you’re expecting it.”

“I agree with Kaede, here.” Ryoma said, his voice ice cold.

“Ryoma, are you in favour of sharing them too?” Shuichi asked.

“That’s exactly what you heard.” Ryoma’s tone was far darker than it once was. Before, his voice was generally laid back and uncaring. However, he now bears some terrible determination.

“Don’t tell me you’re getting any ideas, degenerate!” Tenko said.

“I wouldn’t do something as uncool as killing someone,” Ryoma said. “There’s no one out there waiting for me, as far as I know. You may see this as a motive to kill. I just see it as a reason to live.”

“Oh yeah, you said how you’re basically a walking husk now,” Kaito said.

“That was you.”

“Can’t you appreciate life for what it is? Simple things like good friends and good food?”

“Or maybe the absolute fear of death can persuade you to live on?” Kiyo said, to no one’s amusement.

“You’re being an idiot, Ryoma.” Kaito said. “This isn’t worth it.”

“Hmph, that’s easy for you to say,” Ryoma said. “But I stand by my word. It’s best if we share it.”

“How about everyone hand in their motive videos, and then we can watch them all together later?” Mahiru suggested. “Anyone who doesn’t want to know their own motives can opt out of watching them.”

“Y-You expect us t-to hand em over?!” Toko gasped. “A-As if anyone would do that!”

“What if you say we’ll watch them, and you end up destroying them?” Hiro said.

“THERE’S NO WAY WE’D DO SOMETHING AS LOWLY AS GO BACK ON OUR WORD!” Nekomaru refuted.

“But these motive videos are bargaining chips,” Kokichi said. “It would be interesting seeing people trade them around and all that. They’re basically as good as currency now.”

“There’s no point in trading them if we’re all gonna watch them anyway,” Rantaro said.

“You know what, keep them.” Kaede said. “Just have them ready to watch by, say, tomorrow morning?”

“We’ll have until then to mentally prepare ourselves,” Celeste said. While Kaede ate, she kept an eye out for Byakuya, who also looked deep in thought. The pianist was unable to ignore her temptation to talk to him, so he walked over.

“Byakuya, are you thinking of something concerning the motive video?”

“Hmph, a commoner like you has a lot of nerve talking to me…” Byakuya said. “And that is a very broad question. I don’t remember you having business with me.”

“Hey, I’m just asking because I c-”

“Just because you’re the so called leader doesn’t mean you’re any closer to my level.” Byakuya said. “For you to approach me like this, I assume that you have my video?”

“What? Why would you think that?”

“Let’s say, chances are, you’ve seen my video and you’re observing more closely to see my interactions. Is that correct?”

“No, it’s not.” Kaede lied.

“Well, whether it’s a lie or not doesn’t really matter.” Byakuya said, standing up. “I’ve made up my mind about making a move, it’s just when I will. To be fair, I’m not particularly concerned about my video. It doesn’t change a thing about my plan. What matters more are the plans of others.” Kaede watched as Byakuya walked off early, leaving her thinking.

“So Byakuya’s thinking the same thing as Kokichi…” Kaede thought. “Those motive videos really do have power…”

After breakfast was finished, the students dispersed once again, with the motive videos in play, influencing their every move.

________________________________________________________________

1:30 The First Beach

“Thanks, Kirumi for coming with me,” Rantaro said. Together, they stood upon the tallest palm tree of the island, where instead of coconuts, the leaves were laden with gachapon-like plastic balls. There was a strange coin slot too, with Monokuma’s face. “I know the motive has everyone riled up, but you’re still pretty calm.”

“Despite our hardship, I am still equally devoted to servitude,” Kirumi simply smiled. “How may I be of service?”

“This palm tree caught my eye for a while…” Rantaro said. “At first, I had absolutely no idea what this did. It truly is bizarre.”

“Yes, this tree doesn’t seem to function like anything else. It is most likely mechanical.”

“Perhaps Miu or Kazuichi can look into it sometime. However, what I did discover is after the… trial, that morning I found a pouch of coins when I looked under my bed.” Rantaro took the pouch out, and pulled out a bronze coin with Monokuma’s head imprinted on it.

“I knew of that too…” Kirumi pondered. “I was at a loss for this too, but is this palm tree actually some sort of gambling device?”

“Not so much gambling…” Rantaro said. “More like a gacha game.”

“Gacha game?” Kirumi repeated. “In the past, I once played quite a few games that involved something like that.”

“That’s not something I’d expect out of you…” Rantaro deadpanned in surprise.

“Of course, I stopped playing once I discovered my principles,” Kirumi continued. “But it’s not so bad to think about once in a while.”

“I have around ten coins to spare,” Rantaro said. “I guess it’s best if we gave it a spin.”

“I am not sure if this machine is clean or not,” Kirumi pondered. “Perhaps I should clean it if I am allowed to.”

“It’s all contained in plastic, so it should be fine,” Rantaro said, putting a coin in. The two stepped back, and watched the tree shake for a few moments. Then, a plastic capsule fell toward the ground, but Kirumi stepped up and caught it before it could hit the sand.

“Reliable as ever, I see,” Rantaro chuckled as Kirumi triumphantly held the capsule. They pulled the capsule apart, and what appeared in their hands was a broom that was slightly bent.

“I don’t know how that would fit in that tiny plastic capsule…” Rantaro commented.

“These bristles…” Kirumi said as she ran her hand over the broom. “They are actually very high quality. This can both sweep light, delicate surfaces, but I infer it can also be used to move even wet cement…”

“There are brooms with that high quality?” Rantaro asked. “Aren’t there vacuum cleaners for that?”

“As a maid, I cannot be intrusive to anyone’s senses. A broom is far quieter than a vacuum.”

“You have a good point,” Rantaro said. “Let’s just see what else they got, alright?” Rantaro inserted another coin.

“Seeing what could come out, isn’t it exciting?” Rantaro rubbed his head and gave a smile.

“It is indeed,” Kirumi said. This time, the capsule that fell before them contained a striped necktie.

“I don’t think you’ll see any of these in the store,” Rantaro said, observing it.

“Though I should not speak my opinion so readily,” Kirumi began. “I believe that would be a good look for you.”

“Don’t worry about speaking your mind,” Rantaro said, blushing a little bit. “No matter what, I’m ready to hear it.” The adventurer held up the tie, looking at Kirumi and back at it.

“This material is also pretty high quality…” Rantaro said. “I think it would look better on you, I ain’t much for formalities anyway.” He handed the tie to Kirumi.

“Though it does deviate from my uniform slightly, I’ll consider it,” Kirumi said, accepting the gift. “Thank you, Rantaro. If you’ll allow me, how about I give you whatever comes out next?” Kirumi inserted another coin, and this time, and this time, she received a ring.

“Heh, I got a lot of jewellery on me myself,” Rantaro said, holding up his ring-laden hands. “Thanks Kirumi, this looks good.”

“I do not mean to be critical, but are you ever weighed down by your jewellery?”

“Yeah, my stuff sometimes get caught, and my sisters like to tease me about ‘em,” Rantaro reminisced. “But I got used to it quickly.”
“I see,” Kirumi said. “I do not often wear jewellery, as it may get in the way of my duties.”

“But..." Rantaro said, trailing off. "If there's one thing that annoys me, is that a lot of people assume I’m a sleazy guy because of how I look…”

“I have served people both good and bad, and I can tell that you are not a bad person at all,” Kirumi reassured. “I apologize if I ever gave off that impression.”

“Really?” Rantaro didn't expect such a straightforward response. "Hearing it from you, that definitely means a lot." He began to reminisce about his own travels, searching if there was something to add. “I’ve also met a lot of people during my travels, and I know that you’re a good person. Though it’s hard for anyone to see you as bad,” Rantaro laughed.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Kirumi retorted, though her lips held a smile, barely holding back a laugh.

“But I wonder how Monokuma could get a ring as expensive looking as this,” Rantaro observed, changing the subject. He turned the ring over to see its insignia. It was an emblem that marked a fountain pen crossing with a jagged line, with a crown on top of it.

“Wait,” Kirumi said, also stepping forward to look at it. “I think I remember a marking like that somewhere…”

“Could it be… the Hope’s Peak symbol?” Rantaro asked. “I don’t know how the school connects to this, but I won’t lie, wearing the ring of a school I don’t go to sounds kinda wrong.”

“Well, it is the school we all would have gone to if we were not caught in this situation.”

“Here’s to being honorary students, then.” Rantaro smiled, raising the ring in front of Kirumi.

__________________________________________________________________

Makoto laid at his bed, staring at the ceiling. No matter what, he still couldn’t seem to take his mind off of the motive.

“Sayaka… she killed for the sake of her idol group…” Makoto thought. “What would her motive video be if she were still here? What could’ve happened to them after this time, if what Monokuma said was true?” He rolled over to stare at the motive video sitting on his desk. Since the first time he saw it, he struggled against the curiosity building up inside of him. When he first saw Korekiyo’s name on it, he was interrupted by Hiro knocking the door on him. The thought of anyone possibly giving into his words pained him enough. Makoto decided it wasn’t worth being anywhere that video, so he got off the bed, put on his shoes, and walked out the door. He wasn’t sure of where to go off to, but as he rounded the corner towards the pool, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Immediately, he looked around, and his eyes met Mukuro’s. For a moment, he swore he saw in Mukuro’s eyes an overwhelming warmth, before she quickly turned away.

“Mukuro sure is hard to read… Would she really be paying attention to me like that?” Makoto didn’t know why, but he was tempted to go up to her and talk. He didn’t know exactly what to say, but he was already making his way toward her. This approach seemed to surprise Mukuro too, as she looked off guard when she saw Makoto standing before her.

“Hey Mukuro, is something on your mind?” Makoto asked. It took a second for her to respond.

“No, not really…” Mukuro said. “Nothing about the motive videos if you’re going to ask about that…”

“D-Don’t worry, it’s not about that,” Makoto said. “I-I just wanted to ask if you’re free to hang out?” Makoto tried to give the best smile that he could, yet her steely presence poked at him. Who knew what was going through her head?

“I won't decline, but I'm not sure what we'll do that'll be fun…”

“No worries, I'm sure there's something!” Makoto said. “Have you explored the island much?”

“Honestly, I’ve been spending most of my time in my room,” Mukuro replied. “Never been a fan of approaching and talking to people.” Makoto thought hard about somewhere to go that'll interest Mukuro.

“The park sounds like a good place to go, right?” Makoto asked.

“I'll trust your judgement there, Makoto.” Together, they walked over to the park.

“Mukuro,” Makoto said trying to muster up something to say. “Do you go to parks often?”

“Crap, that’s awkward…” Makoto said.

“Not that much, actually…” Mukuro said. “Well, I guess ever since I got off the streets.”

“What do you mean off the streets?”

“Erm, that’s a story for another time…” Mukuro said. “But being able to enjoy a park for its nature isn’t something I do a lot.”

“Now that you’re here, it’s nice to smell the flowers, right?” Makoto asked. “C’mon, try it.” Mukuro picked up the red flower and allowed its scent to settle on her nose.

“Well, it certainly is better than the smell of piss and smoke in a ruined city…” Mukuro thought, though she dared not say to not taint Makoto’s ears.

“Yeah it smells nice…” Mukuro uttered.

“I-I know we’re probably not around to mess around with this flowerbed,” Makoto said. “But have you ever thought about gardening?”

“Why do you ask a question like that?” Mukuro said.

“Well, I guess it’s pretty suited for people with quiet lives,” Makoto said. “Like me… ” He wanted to add. “You really get to see what you make grow, and doesn’t require that much active investment.”

“I spent a lot of time traveling around, so never had a chance for something like that,” Mukuro said.

“Heh, I guess that’s a dumb question to ask of the Ultimate Soldier…”

“But I have experience getting dirt on myself,” Mukuro continued. “So my experience as a soldier isn’t gonna go to waste completely…”

“Letting your talent make you proficient at other things…” Makoto thought aloud. “That’s a lot better than I can do.”

“Psh, don’t think that…” Mukuro said. “You brought me here in the first place, and I think… this is nice.” She laid down onto the flowerbed, and closed her eyes.

“Is it a good idea to lay down in the dirt with a white shirt?” Makoto asked.

“That’s what this bulletproof vest is for,” Mukuro said, pointing toward it. “Like I said, if you’re gonna tell me to visit the garden, you’re not afraid to do this, right?”

“But then I’ll get dirty-”

“You’re wearing darker colours than I am, right now, Makoto. A little bit of dirt wouldn’t hurt.” Mukuro slowly put her arm on Makoto’s chest, and gently pushed him down so he’d by lying next to her. “See? It’s not so bad. I mean, you’ll lie on worse things in the military.”

“I don’t think I want to know,” Makoto said.

“Seriously, this flowerbed is far cleaner than some barracks.” They both laughed, Mukuro herself being surprised that she could be humoured by something like this. Together, they just laid there, watching the sky pass by them.

____________________________________________________________________

2:00 Peko’s Cottage

Peko’s eyes darted around as she stood leaning against the wall of her cottage. She looked over the note she received in her mailbox.

“Meet me by your cottage at 2:00 PM. I’m not here to fight or attack you. If you don’t trust this, feel free to walk away, and I’ll never mention this again.” She doesn’t know the handwriting of any of her classmates, so she had no idea who this could be from. Her fingers fiddled with the hilt behind her back, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

“I will not die here if a foe were to approach,” Peko thought to herself. “I have no intention to kill, but only a fool would think to attack me.” She heard footsteps, and something dragging in tandem with said steps, which caused her to look up from her note. Ryoma looked gaze met Peko’s, and immediately, she felt her resolve being tested.

“So you got the note I gave you…” Ryoma said. “I’m not sure if anyone checked their own mailboxes, since coming here.”

“What business do you have with me?” Peko asked, her tone sharpening.

“The motive videos,” Ryoma said. “Tell me, whose video do you have?”

“Why do you care?” Peko asked.

“Because, I was thinking about trading.” Ryoma stated.

“Are you saying you have my video?” Peko was surprised. She felt her heart begin to race at what her video could contain, though she tried her best to hide it.

“Just how much does Monokuma know? What loved ones could I have? Would it expose my loyalty toward the Kuzuryuus, and… Young Master?”

“That look on your face… it seems like you’re considering the possibility that I know a secret of yours.” Ryoma responded as he pulled his video. “Turns out, the motive videos can do a lot of harm if it falls into the wrong hands.” Peko felt her grip tighten around her sword.

“I promised not to let my secret slide… Should I kill him? And hide his body so no one would notice and thus, no trial?”

“If you’re thinking about attacking me, I’m telling you I don’t have a will to live. However, putting the lives of say, forty-four others at risk if I died, I sure as heck can’t let that happen.”

“So you know about my secret?”

“See for yourself.” Ryoma said as he turned on the motive video. Once again, Monokuma appeared.

“Now, back by not-so-popular demand, the Monokuma Motive Video! Who’s the most important person in your life, Peko Pekoyama?” The video just panned to Monokuma. “Chances are, Peko, we both know that the answer to that is on this island, right now! The truth is, I don’t expect that you intend to leave here alive, but maybe you can find a way to get him out alive instead! Puhuhuhuhu!” The video shut off abruptly.

“I’m not here to question you who that is. I don’t want you to kill anyone, however I’ll ask you, do you have my video?” It took a moment for Peko to process all this.

“So Monokuma does know, but Ryoma doesn’t know just who I’m associated with. That bear’s idea, if I am honest with myself, seems appealing, but…”

“I-I don’t have your video,” Peko said, snapping out of her train of thought. “However, out of respect, I will tell you whose video I have.” She went back into her cottage, and retrieved the video on her desk. “It belongs to Maki.” The video replayed in Peko’s mind.

“Maki Harukawa, during your absence, you should see how much your brats have grown! Well, if they even have, since they’ve gone for a long time without your “support!” Killing on the job seems so easy if it’s for your kids, so what’s one more killing on this island?!”

“So it’s not a one-to-one trade…” Ryoma said, eyeing the video Peko received. “Just because I have your video, doesn’t exactly mean that you have mine.”

“So it seems like it’s all just luck whose video you get,” Peko added on. “Though, there is a chance that someone could get a one-for-one or even get your own.”

“You don’t have to show me it,” Ryoma said. “But, was the video like yours?”

“What do you mean like mine?”

“Monokuma seems to be, well, disclosing some things we’d rather not let others know. And since the videos got swapped, it seems like some people are knowing more things about others than if this hadn’t happened.”

“Though Maki was undoubtedly assigned to be the Ultimate Child Caregiver by Hope’s Peak, she has done… some unsavoury things for her orphans…”

“The possibility that someone may be murder someone based on the secrets of others…” Peko said, catching onto Ryoma’s train of thought. “Yes, that rabbit may have created a whole new problem.”

“If the others know about this, maybe they’ll kill to keep that secret, too…” Ryoma muttered.

“I must keep an eye out for that,” Peko said. “Trading videos also seems like a dangerous game, Ryoma. It’s best if you watch yourself.”

“I know the big mystery for all of us is who brought us here and what do they want with us? Well my question is… who’s my motivation to live?” He gave out a sigh, before putting a candy cigarette between his lips. “It seems ironic, but I don’t want to see these kids here kill each other. But your will to at least make some survive, to die for someone, seems admirable. More admirable than me at least.” He shook the packet in his hands, and gestured toward it. “Do you want one?”

“Thank you for offering, but I don’t…” Peko said. “I don’t enjoy sweets very much.”

“To a more normal topic, Peko, did Kaito invite you to some late night workout routine?”

“He did,” Peko replied.

“Hmph, a pushy guy as always…” Ryoma said. “Did you accept?”

“I had no reason to decline,” Peko said. “Honing my skills is something I’d never pass an opportunity on.”

“He invited me too, but… I don’t know what he expected to get out of a guy like me.” Ryoma began to look towards the horizon, twirling his cigarette between his fingers. “Sports don’t have anything to do with me anymore. And I doubt that they’ll just come out and discuss the videos they received, right?” Before their conversation can go further, they were interrupted by a certain girl.

“HEY, DEGENERATE!” Tenko yelled as he ran up to Ryoma. “What’re you doing here in the girl’s area?!”

“I assure you, he’s not here to cause harm-” Peko began.

“You don’t need to defend him, Peko!” Tenko droned on. “Males have a tendency of manipulating people to taking their side.” Ryoma rubbed his temples in annoyance. “I know your shifty eyes, Ryoma! Are you here to do dirty things with Peko? That’s what your height is for right, to look up the skirts of poor girls?”

“Good grief… What kind of a guy do you take me for?” Ryoma sighed, as he began to walk away. “Peko, seems like our talk is over for now. So, see ya.”

“Yeah, you better walk away…” Tenko said, eyeing the tennis player’s exit.

“Peko, did he do anything to hurt you?” Tenko asked.

“No, we were just discussing the motive videos…”

“Oh, yeah…” Tenko said, her face turning strangely sympathetic. “Ryoma’s the kind of male who would look all around for something to live for.”

“He hasn’t found the video yet, but he did figure something out that could be… problematic.”

“What do you mean?” Tenko asked, her curiosity peaked. “Of course, I have no interest in giving into Monokuma’s pathetic motives, but we gotta check out just how dangerous this is!”

“Maybe we should discuss it…” Peko said, but then she remembered an opportunity to talk about this. “Did Kaito invite you for late night training?”

“He’s been harassing girls all day about it!” Tenko scoffed. “I had to agree to make sure no girls get in trouble because of his antics!”

“I’m saying that we could possibly talk about it there,” Peko said.

“S-Sure,” Tenko said. “As long as we aren’t thinking of giving in and taking reckless actions, it’s fine…”

________________________________________________________________

2:30 Shuichi’s Cottage

Shuichi pondered in his room what to do with the motive video. He looked at the video in his hand, the one that read “Teruteru Hanamura, The Ultimate Cook.”

“Teruteru… he’s normally really carefree… to a fault. But I don’t know if he’ll live down seeing the danger his mom is in…” Shuichi thought. “Fighting an illness all by herself” He began to rethink if Kaede’s idea was a good idea, as much faith as he wanted to put in her. His train of thought was interrupted by the doorbell.

“Who could that be?” Shuichi thought to himself as he opened the door.

“Hey, Shuichi!” Kaito said, as he stood at the entrance.

“Hey Kaito,” Shuichi said. “What brings you here?”

“Shuichi, I’m thinking of making some late-night workout session, do you wanna come?”

“A late night workout session? But I’m not the kinda person who works out all that often.”

“It’s not about getting ripped,” Kaito said. “Alright, it kinda is, but it’s not the main focus here!”

“Who else is gonna be in it?”

“Ah, you’re looking if Kaede’s gonna join, aren’t you?”

“What? Why are you asking that?” Shuichi replied, startled.

“I’m just messing with ya,” Kaito chuckled. “Though Kaede couldn’t join since she had watch, I managed to get Gonta, Peko, Tenko, and Maki also. Though to put it better, it was more like Tenko forced herself in, yelling about how I’ll probably have bad form and all that.”

“It sounds like fun, but how will this help us stop Monokuma?”

“I’m sure we’ll think of something, but there’s no way your mind can’t think of anything if your body isn’t healthy as well!” Kaito said.

“Wait, are you even qualified to train us like that?” Shuichi asked.

“Hey, I may not be Nekomaru, but I know a thing or two from astronaut training, and that includes leading people!” Kaito grinned, giving a thumbs up. “Don’t worry, you can be my sidekick!“

“I guess I could come check it ou- wait what was the second part?”

“That’s the spirit!” Kaito said. “I’ll meet you after the night-time announcement!”

_______________________________________________________________

3:50 Hotel Site

It was well past noon, though the sky still seemed bright as ever. Of course, broad daylight wasn’t Kokichi Ouma’s favourite atmosphere.

“I’m not some edgy bastard, but I like to think I work better in the shadows…” Kokichi thought to himself. He didn’t know why he was thinking as if he were narrating a story, but life is just more exciting like that. He figured that most people are away from their cottages. Any later, and it would be dinner time, and people might go looking for him, but the cottages seemed devoid of people for now. His small body began to sneak from cottage to cottage, taking caution not to be seen by anyone.

“I don’t have a distraction to get everyone away, but it doesn’t seem necessary,” Kokichi thought. “Though it does seem a bit too easy.” So far, he went through the motive videos that belonged to half of the boys. Each break in, he made sure to leave things so that it would like like he was never there. Of course, he went over to stop by Mahiru’s room to pick up her camera.

“It’s a fucking miracle she left her camera at this time of day to use the hot spring. She always seemed to carry it with her ‘til now.” Kokichi fidgeted with the camera on him, each photo he took slipped carefully into his shirt. He arrived at his next destination, the cottage that belonged to Nagito. It too was tightly locked, but Kokichi wasn’t concerned.

“I also brought this with me, Monokuma for some reason didn’t hound me for this supposed murder evidence.” Kokichi thought to himself, holding up the white hairpin Sayaka had. “Hajime basically dumped it after the trial, and like Monokuma said, there weren’t any hairpins at the store. With these, you can break into pretty much anything when you’re a criminal mastermind like me.” He only visited each cottage long enough to snap a shot of the most important part of each motive video. He opened the door slightly, Nagito’s plain looking room with his motive video sitting on the desk.

“Nagito isn’t a very paranoid type of person, If I were to guess,” Kokichi thought. “For a lucky student, his home security sure isn’t. Easy to break into, just like Makoto’s.” Before he could step inside, he felt a hand grab his collar from behind him.

“Is that Gonta picking me up? Man, I guess there sure was something to step in for Nagito’s luck-” Kokichi, against his expectation, was thrown to the ground with enough force to daze him. Then, he felt himself being pinned to the ground by the neck. When he finally came to his senses, he met the gaze of a pair of furious looking purple eyes, and hair that nearly touched Kokichi’s forehead.

“Just what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Mondo shouted. “Don’t think that you can talk your way out of this, you bastard!”

“What’s so wrong about being a little curious about people’s motive video?” Kokichi asked, clearly unfazed by Mondo’s aggression.

“Breaking into people’s rooms, you really ain’t got any dignity, do you Kokichi?!” Mondo scowled.

“How did you even find me?” Kokichi said. “I was sure there wasn’t anyone in the hotel area. Then, he realized Mondo could’ve been hiding in within his own room when Kokichi was peeking through it.

“Shit.” Kokichi thought to himself, as the danger he was in set into his mind.

“Maybe I should teach you a damn lesson about going through other people’s stuff!” Mondo raised his fist, and prepared to strike Kokichi, but before he connected it, Kokichi held Mahiru’s camera between his face and Mondo’s fist, causing him to stop.

“Hey, you wouldn’t break this valuable technology, would you?” Kokichi said smugly. “If you beat me up right here, it might be damaged!”

“That’s Mahiru’s camera, isn’t it?” Mondo said. “Wait, breaking into a girl’s room is even worse!” Kokichi felt his neck being squeezed tighter, however, he saw Taka walking quickly toward them to break up the scene.

“Mondo, what is the meaning of this?!” Taka shouted in the distance.

“This motherfucker is acting like hot shit, breaking into people’s rooms, looking at their motive videos,” Mondo replied.

“Are you seriously gonna beat him up for that?!” Taka said. “That’s illegal! Vigilantism isn’t the way to solve disputes!”

“What the hell are you gonna do about him?” Mondo said. “I’ve dealt with enough cops that lay on their asses, not doing shit when people are in need… Think about what you want about me, but Kokichi I can tell really deserves an ass beating.”

“The leaders and I will determine his punishment!” Taka said. “It’s best if you left that to us! But first, we have to inspect Miss Mahiru’s camera!”

“Shit, I don’t think I can breathe while these guys are jerking around…” Kokichi thought to himself. He saw his opportunity with Mondo reaching for the camera in Kokichi’s hands. Kokichi released his hands from the camera, and then promptly grabbed sand from his pocket and threw it at Mondo.

“MOTHERFU-” Mondo shouted, covering his eyes with one hand and throwing Kokichi to the side with his other, his body flying and hitting Nagito’s mailbox, breaking it down.

“Kokichi!” Taka shouted, rushing over to Kokichi’s side and inspecting his pulse. Kokichi immediately began to stir, and began rubbing his forehead in pain. “He’s alive… Mondo, think about what could’ve happened if he hit his head and broke his skull!”

“Well maybe he shouldn’t’ve been a jackass and threw sand in my eyes!” Mondo retorted, rubbing his eyelids. “Mikan should be able to deal with Kokichi. I’ve seen guys dealt with far worse than what he got.” He picked up Mahiru’s camera, checking it for damage.

“None of the sand Kokichi threw ended up in the lens, from what I see,” Taka said. “The strap’s torn, but I’m sure that can be replaced. However, we should tell her about the state of the camera,” Taka said. “I mean, only a photographer knows the true state of a camera.”

“Are you kidding me?” Mondo asked. “I can’t just give a chick back her damaged stuff, even if it was Kokichi’s fault! I’m telling you man, we can’t see Mahiru just yet.”

“Just what do you have in mind?!” Taka said.

“I don’t necessarily like it, but maybe we should get someone else to inspect it.”

“You mean like Kazuichi?” Taka said. “Maybe he has a hand in electron-”

“I’m talkin ‘bout her…” Mondo said. “I feel like Mahiru would rather have a chick repair a camera than a dude…”

“Oh, no…” Taka muttered to himself.

____________________________________________________________________

4:00 Rocketpunch Market

“Nagito is something wrong?” Hajime said to the Lucky Student.

“No, I just felt like there was a disturbance…” Nagito replied. “As if someone was going through my things…” Nagito quickly regained his smile. “Sorry if that bothered you, I can’t thank you enough for spending time with me.”

“No need for that,” Hajime said. “I should thank you again for what you’ve done for me in the beginning, and well, the trial…”

“Really, it’s not anything to receive your thanks. But for you to think someone like me is useful, it warms my heart.”

“You’re really being too hard on yourself,” Hajime said.

“I didn’t really work hard to get here… and my talent isn’t impressive at all… I guess anything I do you find useful just sorta happens…”

“You think your talent’s unimpressive?” Hajime said. “Hey, you never know if mine is even less impressive…”

“From what I’ve seen, I’m sure you have a great talent!” Nagito said. “Forgive my words during the trial, even if you don’t remember it now, it just makes finding it out later even more satisfying.”

“I wish I could be as optimistic as you are right now,” Hajime said. “How are you so confident in me having talent?”

“I’m not the best judge of character,” Nagito said. “But even if you don’t remember the title, I can feel it. Someone like you… can’t be just a normal, average person.”

“I guess it feels good that you think that of me,” Haijme said.

“Oh, a thought just came up!” Nagito said. “You know the motive videos? Maybe looking at your own might get you to remember something!”

“I won’t lie, that thought has crossed my mind. I guess we have to wait and see…”

“I’m excited too,” Nagito said. “To see the hope spawned from seeing what your talent is.”

_________________________________________________________________

4:20 Miu’s Cottage

“You dipshits are really lucky to have a gorgeous girl genius like to me fondling with your junk!” Miu boasted as she took the camera from Taka. “Normally, I don’t waste my time taking requests, but since you begged really good, I supposed I could get something done and improve this.”

“All I did was say please…” Taka thought to himself. Mondo stood beside him, looking equally irritated.

“You two can wait outside and jerk each other off while I ahem, improve this,” Miu said. “See you later!” With that, Miu shut the door.

“She sure is a handful…” Taka said.

“I’ve a lot of different types of people in my life,” Mondo said. “And to be honest, dude, that chick’s a first.”

“You’ve seen a lot of people?” Taka said.

“Oh, you still think I’m just some delinquent, don’t ya?” Mondo said, though he kept his frustration in.

“Well, it’s my duty to keep my eye out when youth aren’t doing their best to excel!”

“Hmph, those folks in my gang, we do that for a reason if you can’t see it…” Mondo said. “My brother and I grew up in a rough spot. No one was there to help us… no authority gave a rat’s ass about people like us… so we went out and made something for ourselves.”

“I see… so you put hard work building up your, er… gang?” Taka replied.

“Basically everyone I recruited was just like me at one point, with no future and nowhere to go. But I guess I’m giving them a second chance at life. That’s why all of my gang matters a lot to me.”

“But what do you even do?” Taka asked. “I always wondered what goes on in biker gangs apart from riding motorbikes.”

“You’re gonna have to join one to find out,” Mondo laughed. “But we don’t do uncool shit like drug dealing, or prostitution… things like that… they’re what ruin people like us in the first place.”

“I see…” Taka mused. “I thought you really were just a delinquent in the beginning. But now I see you’re more than that. You understand hard work, and what it means to struggle for your goals.”

“Kch, and I thought you were some hard-ass who didn’t know shit about life out there…” Mondo said.

“Of course, I can’t say I fully agree with what you do,” Taka said. “I suppose you are, respectable. I give my condolences that very few were able to help you and your brother in the past.”

“Y-Yeah…” Mondo said, growing more quiet, before rising back up. “All in the past…”

“Hey Ishitmaru, Cornhead! While you were busy jerking each other off, I got done improving Mahiru’s camera!”

“What the fuck did you say about my ha-” Mondo growled before being stopped by Taka.

“It’s best if we just take the camera. It was your idea to come here anyway.” Taka quickly swiped the camera from Miu’s hands and doing a quick bow. “Thank you for your assistance, Miu.” The two quickly removed themselves from Miu’s presence to prevent anymore awkwardness. They took some time inspecting the camera.

“I guess we should take Miu’s word that everything’s in place. But that’s strange… The strap isn't orange, it’s blue…”

“Yeah, I hope Mahiru won’t get mad about the colour change…”

“Huh? What’s this photo?” Taka noticed a piece of paper face down also attached to the camera. He peeled it off the camera, looked at it, and dropped almost immediately, his face turning red.

“W-What is it?” Mondo asked, picking up the photo.

“S-Don’t look at it! It’s something that’s CLEARLY not welcome in this environment!” Mondo took a moment to look at Taka in confusion before glancing at the photo.

“Oh… yeah… I should erm… get rid of it…” Mondo said, discreetly putting the photo into his jacket pocket. “Hey, it’s almost time to meet up in the dining hall, so… we should get this back to Mahiru.

“Don’t worry about it Mondo, I’ll get it back to her,” Taka said. “If she gets angry, it’s my fault for letting things come to this.”

“A man’s gotta take responsibility for his actions…” Mondo said. “Let me explain what went down. Besides, it looks like just locking our doors at night ain’t enough.”

__________________________________________________________________

7:00 PM

“Has anyone seen my camera?!” Mahiru asked with an anxious look on her face as she ran up the stairs of the restaurant. All the other students were there already, who laid their eyes on Mahiru.

“Mahiru!” Mondo called out. “Yeah, it’s here.”

“Oh, it’s safe.” Mahiru sighed. “HEY!” She put her hands around her hips. “My camera was supposed to be at my cottage, so how did you get your hands on it?!”

“Mr. Owada, have you been going in the girls’ room to take a look around?” Hifumi asked. “It looks like you’re living the dream…”

“SH-” Mondo began before realizing that he’s publicized this enough if Hifumi overheard it. He glanced around the room to see the eyes looking at him.

“Listen, I caught Kokichi sneaking around and I guess… taking photos of people’s motive videos? He broke into people’s rooms and took your camera. The strap got torn when I took the camera back, and I went over to Miu to go over it before giving it back. Sorry, chick, for all this shit happening.”

“Wait, that shota perv was going into people’s rooms?!” Hiyoko sputtered. “Now I gotta barricade my room tonight!”

“I swear on my Togami name if you even laid a finger on my room, I will have you killed personally…” Byakuya cursed.

“Oh, so that’s why there was a splatter of blood where my mailbox used to be…” Nagito said. The rest of the students turned their glance at Kokichi, who was sitting with a black eye, being tended by Mikan.

“T-There’s no reason t-to be so sad, Kokichi… When someone is injured… we’re all equals in caring for them, right?” Mikan gave a nervous smile as she continued dabbing Kokichi’s face with ice. “W-Wait, but you said you got your injury by slipping and falling…”

“Kokichi and lying… What a surprise…” Leon deadpanned. Even with Kokichi’s bruised face, Kokichi’s spirit wasn’t fazed.

“Kokichi took photos?” Shuichi said. “Concerning the motive videos? I mean, if we’re gonna watch them next morning, why would he go out of the way to do that?”

“Learning things early is always a huge advantage…” Mukuro said. Some of the students remained silent and downcast at Shuichi’s remark.

“Why are you even caring for that piece of trash, Mikan you pig barf?!” Hiyoko hissed.

“W-What’s wrong with doing my joooob?!” Mikan began to cry.

“Kokichi decided to fuck with Mahiru’s belongings and now you’re tending to him?! It’s better to let him get an infection and die! Maybe that way, no one will be the blackened!”

“Hiyoko, Kokichi do lots of bad things, but Gonta not want to see Kokichi hurt,” Gonta said. “We need to make sure he not do bad things again…” Hajime turned to look at Mahiru, whose eyes were still downcast.

“Mahiru, is something wrong?” He asked.

“I don’t blame Mondo for this, but the strap is broken…” Mahiru said solemnly. “It’s something from outside I won’t ever get back. I know it sounds stupid, but…”

“It’s not stupid…” Hajime said. “That camera’s important to you, every part of it.” He felt his fists involuntarily clench, and he could feel himself moving toward Kokichi. He felt his anger boiling over like a silent rage, and readied his fist at him.

“Hajime, stop it.” Mahiru called out. “You won’t make anything better by kicking him down even more…” That snapped Hajime out of his trance, causing him to back away.

“Mahiru, he broke into your room...” Hajime said. His anger toward Kokichi didn’t die down, breaking into Mahiru’s room is an attack on her privacy. He didn’t even care if his own room was broken into. “Don’t you feel attacked knowing that Kokichi just went into everyone’s rooms, screwing with their stuff?”

“Of course I do. I am angry at Kokichi…” Mahiru said. “But I also feel attacked if you’re gonna try and solve all your problems by punching them.”

“Damnit…” Hajime muttered, stepping away from Kokichi. “Seems like… it’s the only thing I can do when someone does shit like this…”

“What’re you trying to prove, Hajime?” Mahiru scolded. “Are you trying to show off how big a man you are doing this?”

“No, of course not!” Hajime retorted. “Kokichi fucked with everyone whose motive videos he took pictures of. That includes you…”

“And what do you think fighting will solve?” Mahiru said. “Hajime, this isn’t like you at all…”

“You think I’m incapable of fighting?”

“No, but I know you’re more reasonable than this.” Hajime went silent, his rage immediately going back down.

“Mahiru…” He muttered, his expression becoming more somber.

“Whatever, forget it.” Mahiru said, looking away. “T-This is why I hate boys who fight… I can think of what to do with him myself.”

“Yes, we shall figure out what to do with Kokichi,” Sonia said. “Everyone, remain calm.” Everyone after a moment of uneasiness, went back to their usual routine while Hajime thought to himself.

“I guess I made a fool of myself after all…” Hajime thought. “Hiyoko’s right, I really should keep an eye out at night, and tonight’s watch is gonna awkward too if Mahiru’s still pissed off…” His train of thought was interrupted when Kazuichi sat next to him.

“That’s rough, buddy…” He said as he sipped from his soda. “To be honest, I woulda done the same. If someone did that to Miss Sonia’s room, I also would want to throw their ass on the ground…”

“Or maybe it’s because you’re jealous of Kokichi if he did break in?” Hajime asked.

“...Fair point.” Kazuichi said. “But it’s been what, 4 nights and you two already act like an old couple…”

“Well I guess that’s better interaction than the nothing that goes between you and Sonia.”

“Hey, I’m trying to be supportive here, so why do you have to do me like this?” Kazuichi said.

“Kazuichi, I’m messing with ya,” Hajime said, meaning half of it to stop his prodding. “I guess it’s best if we eat, right? It’s been a long day.

“Yeah, I’ve never been so excited to eat until I got on this island,” Kazuichi said. “Though it’s mostly thanks to Kirumi and Teruteru.”

___________________________________________________________________

After the night-time announcement played, Shuichi knew that was his cue to find Kaito. He stepped outside and felt the air; it was cooler than it was at the daytime, but still comfortable. He looked around, yet Kaito wasn’t in sight. However, he saw Gonta also making his way outside.

“Hey, Gonta!” Shuichi called out. “You’re coming with Kaito to exercise too, right?”

“Hello Shuichi!” Gonta replied in a friendly tone he always had. “Gonta is happy to come and spend time with friends!”

“Is Kaito waiting for us for somewhere or is he late?” Shuichi asked.

“We should look for others Kaito invited!” Gonta replied. Together, they went up to greet Nekomaru, who has begun his post.

“Good to see that you’re concerned about your health, Shuichi!” Nekomaru said. “I’ve heard about Kaito making up some sort of training gang.”

“Did Kaito ask you, also?” Shuichi asked.

“He did, but I had to turn it down because of my duties,” Nekomaru said. “Anyways, your other friends are up ahead, Shuichi.” They rounded the corner and saw Tenko, Peko, and Maki standing impatiently at the gate.

“So you showed up,” Peko said. “Is Kaito not with you?”

“I thought he was already ahead of us,” Shuichi replied. “But it looks as if he likes to take his time…”

“Psh, we don’t need him,” Tenko said dismissively. “He’ll probably weigh us down anyway, not doing anything productive.”

“We should not leave behind Kaito,” Gonta said. “We must exercise together!”

“Hmph, so this is already shaping up to be a waste of time,” Maki muttered. “Maybe I should just go to-”

“Hey guys!” Kaito called out as he walked leisurely down the courtyard towards them. “Looks like everyone’s here!”

“You’re the one who’s late!” Tenko reprimanded. “Who do you think you are planning this out, and then showing up last?”

“C’mon, we shouldn’t waste our time arguing and get to work!” Kaito shrugged, opening the gate leading outside.

“Next time that you’re late, I’m not coming.” Maki said.

“Like I said, you don’t have to worry about it, I won’t!” Kaito defended himself. “Hmmm, where’s a good place that we can work out?”

“Maybe we can exercise at beach,” Gonta said.

“That sounds really uncomfortable,” Tenko said. “We should probably stay away from sand.”

“I guess the park’s a good place,” Shuichi suggested. “As long as we don’t interrupt anything there, it’ll be alright.”

“Gonta no want to interrupt others sleeping,” Gonta agreed. “Best if stay far away from others.”

“Then that’s settled,” Peko said. The group began their walk toward the park.

“Hmm, another thing we should ask ourselves is if there are any workout clothes we could use?” Shuichi brought up.

“I saw some wetsuits at the supermarket, but I don’t think there are any tracksuits there,” Maki replied. “Besides, asking this when we’re already there is pointless.”

“It’s not a setback at all,” Peko assured. “I’ve been accustomed to doing physical work in my uniform.”

“Jeez, you males are so picky about things like this,” Tenko said. “You gotta learn to work with what you have!”

“What? Do you really exercise with those socks with sandals?” Kaito asked incredulously, pointing at Tenko’s feet.

“LOOK AT WHO’S TALKING!” Tenko shouted, pointing at Kaito’s slippers. “I’m not surprised if you trip and hit your head during the first night! And that jacket of your flying freely, one gust of wind and you’re gonna lose it!”
“Do you really want to begin talking about fashion?” Kaito said. “Have you looked at yourself in the mirror?”

“I was gonna ask the same for you too! In fact, have you smelled yourself or you males so desensitized that you can’t even sense the body spray and hair gel that’s choking us all out?!”

“Please, no fighting!” Gonta said, trying to break up the argument that unfolded.

“Let those idiots fight,” Maki said. “If you're here to exercise, then do it.” She gestured at both Gonta and Shuichi.

“Yeah, I think we should get to work.” Shuichi said. “But, how should we begin?”

“Though cardio exercises seem to be the most useful in a place like this, I am curious of your strength,” Peko explained. “Pushups are a good way to measure that without any equipment.”

“Heh, don’t expect that I’ll be able to do much,” Shuichi chuckled.

“I won’t.” Maki said bluntly, before beginning her own set. Shuichi took off his jacket and got to work. He could barely manage fifteen push ups over the course of a minute. He turned his head side to side, seeing how quickly Gonta and Peko could exercise. That was to be expected, but what wasn’t was that Maki was able to keep up with both of them.

“30… 31… 32…” Maki muttered under his breath.

“I guess being Caregiver really does give you exercise…” Shuichi said. “Maki’s fitness sets an example for everyone she takes care of…”

“Hey, your form is all off!” Tenko stepped up to judge Shuichi. He had completely forgotten about the argument between Kaito and Tenko.

“Huh? What about it is off?” Shuichi asked.

“You’re not dropping low enough! If you really want to challenge yourself, you must go so low that your nose touches the floor.”

“O-Okay…” Shuichi said.

“But also, be sure to watch your form above all else! Keep your back straight! If you’re not proper, at best, you’re wasting energy. At worst, you’re damaging your own body!”

“Thanks, Tenko,” Shuichi said, keeping her advice in mind.

“Psh, I don’t need thanks from a male,” Tenko brushed off. “It’s just that it hurts my eyes to have to see something like that.” Shuichi is already growing used to Tenko’s remarks.

“Behind that exterior is someone who cares a lot towards people…” Shuichi thought. “Though I should keep my mouth shut, who knows how Tenko would respond to compliments from men…” Shuichi did yet another set. It still tired him out, but he was beginning to get a feel for exercising, which was surprising to him, as he never was very good at Phys Ed. nor has he ever been to a gym.

“You’re already doing great work, Shuichi!” Kaito said, giving a thumbs up to him while Shuichi rested. He couldn’t help but smile back at the astronaut.

“Like I said, I don’t exercise all that often, but I guess it feels good to stretch my body out a bit.” Kaito laid his back on the grass, looking at the clear night sky above.

“It’s not often that you get to see a view like this…” Kaito said. “Gazing at the stars so perfectly, without a cloud in sight… It makes all your problems feel so light, don’t you think?”

“I guess that’s your Ultimate Astronaut talking,” Shuichi said.

“If I think about the vastness of space, it gets me pumped. I know some people are afraid of it, but there’s just so much untapped potential waiting to be explored!”

“Do you get to stargaze often?” Shuichi asked.

“Back at home, not so much. Because the city is always filled with artificial light, you can’t see any of the stars,” Kaito lamented. “But during my time at space camp, it was when I really got to see it with my own eyes. Shuichi, do you know something that inspires you, no matter what?”

“Y-Yeah…” Shuichi responded. Before he came to this island, he didn’t feel like there was much going for him, but now it’s different. Even after a few days, he couldn’t imagine his old self, having nothing to look up or forward to.

“Have you exercised at all since coming here or did you come here to chat away?” Maki shot a look at Kaito.

“I was just a bit sore tonight,” Kaito said. “And isn’t being inspired as good mental training as any physical training?”

“Idiot, so you’re wasting your own time…” The training continued, until Shuichi was laying down, his energy spent and out of breath. He felt exhausted, but for once, it wasn’t because of emotional strain.

“I’m probably gonna have a hard time getting up tomorrow,” Shuichi groaned.

“You’ve come all this way, and now you’re complaining?” Kaito said. “That pain you’ll feel tomorrow, you’ll be proud of it!”

“Gonta not have much time to exercise, so he is glad he came!” Gonta said.

“We should retire for the night,” Peko said, stretching her arms. “I also feel like my energy has been spent.”

“How long has it been?” Kaito thought aloud. “If it were my guess, it’d be like an hour and thirty minutes. That’s not a bad workout.” Kaito stood up, and turned to everyone else.

“It’s been an hour and thirty minutes for us, but haven’t worked out at all!” Tenko said.

“Now that it’s over with,” Maki said. “I should go to sleep.”

“Hold it…” Peko said. “There is one thing I want to discuss while we’re here?”

“Discuss what?” Maki asked. “I only agreed to come and exercise, not have small talk.”

“The motive videos.”

“What about them?” Kaito said. “We agreed that we’ll watch them together, so why are you concerned about it?”

“I’ve figured that some videos may contain… secrets that people may not be happy to have come out among us,” Peko explained. “I suppose I should be discussing this to a leader instead of you, but it has been giving me second thoughts about watching the videos.”

“Are you sure everyone else will deduce that?” Maki asked. “It looks like it took you some time to figure that out.”

“You should give more credit to how smart our friends are,” Tenko jumped in.

“And whose secret did you figure out?” Maki asked, her red gaze meeting Peko’s.

“All I’m saying is that some things people are better off not knowing.”

“Do you have a secret that you don’t want others to figure out?” Maki countered.

“Gonta,” Shuichi said, trying to change the subject. “Y-You’re seeming pretty out of it, hearing all this.” Gonta stood, sweat dripping down his forehead and frozen in a mix of fear and anxiety.

“S-Sorry, Shuichi…” Gonta said. “Gonta not comfortable talking about motive videos.”

“Hey, you shouldn’t apologize so easily!” Kaito said. “You haven’t done anything wrong here!”

“It just that… Gonta feels the same way about videos. Gonta afraid of what he might see in other videos…”

“Is there something you want to talk about, Gonta?” Shuichi asked. “Kaede told me this morning you didn’t look too good…”

“Sorry for making Kaede worry! Gonta not want to trouble you with problems!”

“Hey, you can talk to me,” Kaito said. “It’s a hero’s job to look out for his sidekicks!”

“No one agreed to the sidekick thing,” Maki said.

“Gonta also not want to disturb Mikan’s privacy,” Gonta said.

“So you have Mikan’s video?” Tenko asked.

“Gonta should not have said that!” Gonta covered his mouth, but everyone heard what Gonta said clearly.

“Mikan… she’s a sweet but depressive girl…” Tenko thought to herself. “Who could be Mikan’s most important person? I hope there’s someone looking out for her outside.”

“Is there something wrong with Mikan’s video?” Peko asked.

“No, it not about secrets or anything,” Gonta sighed. “But Gonta is… sad in way that difficult for him to understand.”

“It’s about what’s on it, isn’t it?” Tenko concluded. “C-Can we see it?”

“Are we really gonna start exchanging videos in secret?” Kaito asked. “It seems real shady.”

“I-It’s not shady, right? If it’s for the good of our friends, right?”

“For good of friends?” Gonta hesitantly pulled the motive video from his suit jacket, eyeing it with unease.

“Hold on, how many of you keep your videos with you?” Kaito questioned.

“I have a feeling they’d be less likely to fall into the wrong hands if they were on my person,” Peko said.

“So you’ve been thinking about what Kokichi might do also?” Shuichi asked.

“Aren’t you just a bit paranoid?” Kaito said. “Though yeah, he’s said some shitty things, but so far he doesn’t seem like anything more than a prankster brat.”

“Still, ever since word of Kokichi’s… skills got around, you can never be too careful.”

“C’mon, Gonta, what about the video got you so worked up?” Tenko’s heart began to beat faster in a mixture of worry and anticipation. She didn’t want to infringe on Mikan’s privacy, and perhaps it was her curiosity getting the best of her after all, but she had a bad feeling about Mikan’s video. However, it was one she’d have to see through.

“It best if you saw for yourself,” Gonta muttered. He closed his eyes and took a breath before turning the pad on. Everyone gathered around it, their eyes fixated on the screen.

“Back by Not-So Popular demand, the Monokuma Motive Video! Who’s the most important person in your life, Mikan Tsumiki?” For a few seconds, the screen was black, darker than the night sky. That darkness was broken, by an animation of bandage wrapping across the screen, and Monokuma appearing yet again.

“W-What the hell?” Kaito questioned before being quickly shushed by Maki.

“Unfortunately, there is no one outside of this island who cares about you. Oh well, at least you’re not the only one getting this message, Mikan! Puhuhuhuhu!” The video ended abruptly, leaving the group staring at their own reflections on the screen.

“That bear never seems to know when to quit,” Kaito said, biting his lip in anger.

“T-That’s why Gonta not want to share it,” Gonta said, tears already streaming down his face. “Gonta not anyone to have heart broken…”

“To live a life without any purpose to someone,” Peko said solemnly. “That’s a fate worse than death…” Shuichi was stunned by this revelation. He didn’t know what to say, or react. But another thing on his mind was that Mikan wasn’t the only one who was alone outside this island. He looked and saw the others looking down in grim silence.

“I didn’t want any part of this viewing,” Maki said with her eyes closed. “I hope you’re happy with what you saw.”

“I… I understand now,” Tenko said. “Monokuma wants to bring us into despair with these videos. I don’t know what’s in my video, but I don’t really care now.” Tenko stood up, and clenched her fist with a look of resolve on her face. “Some people might fall to this, but I’ll make sure they won’t. It’s not only Himiko I have to protect, but everyone. I won’t let anyone give up.” She picked up the motive video, and handed it back to Gonta. “Whether we watch the videos in the morning or not, I’ll be there for her. I’ll make sure she doesn’t fall…”

“Looks like I’m not the only one here giving speeches” Kaito said, giving a thumbs up. “I’m not sure if you’re sidekick material after all.”

“Psh, call me sidekick again and I’ll throw you off this island myself,” Tenko said, though her tone was far lighter than she expected.

“That video shows that there are things you’re better off not knowing,” Maki said. “At least you’re handling it well.” She began to walk back toward the first island.

“Hey Maki Roll, where are you going?” Kaito reached out.

“Don’t call me that.” Maki hissed, her tone becoming sharper. “It’s really getting late. I’m heading back.”

“Damn, we’ve been so caught up with that video that we lost track of time,” Kaito said.

“Gonta also wants to sleep,” Gonta said, stretching his arms. “No want everyone to be worried by being out so late.” The group went back to the cottages, passing by Hajime and Mahiru on the way. Shuichi went to bed after showering. Shuichi drifted to sleep, with thoughts of both doubt and belief in mind. The videos have left him shaken, but seeing the resolve in his classmates eased his heart a little.

“A lot has passed today… I don’t know what Tenko is up to. Though she seems rough on the outside, she really seems to put herself to work for others. I think at this rate, a murder won’t occur anytime soon… I really shouldn’t think about things like that. I just hope that we can find a way to solve this whole motive issue…”

Chapter Text

After the night watch and morning announcement played once again, Kaede’s first course of action was to stop by Shuichi’s cottage. Kaede heard of Shuichi going to exercise with Kaito, so he must be exhausted. His muscles probably must hurt, since Kaito seems like the kind of person who would push Shuichi to his physical limits. When she arrived to the cottage, she rang the door. After a longer than usual delay, Shuichi opened the door.

“Good morning, Kaede…” Shuichi said in a tired manner as he leaned against the doorframe.

“Morning, Shuichi!” Kaede looked up and down Shuichi. “It looks like you really are sore from working out, right?”

“Don’t think I’ll ever get used to working out,” Shuichi said. “But more importantly, Kaede… I want to talk to you about something.”

“What is it, Shuichi?” Kaede asked.

“It’s about the motive videos,” Shuichi replied.

“We’re gonna watch them anyway,” Kaede said. “And anyone who doesn’t want to know can opt out, so what is there to be worried about?”

“Well… two things,” Shuichi said. “I uh, watched and discussed some motive videos last night during the workout.”

“Whaat?” Kaede said in exasperation. “Don’t tell me Kaito set this up so you can talk about stuff like that!”

“No, he didn’t!” Shuichi said defensively. “It just sorta, came into the conversation… Gonta was kinda upset about going through with your plan.”

“Why would he?” Kaede asked.

“Well, maybe revealing the motive video to everyone may do harm than good,” Shuichi said in a hushed tone. “Because… Gonta had Mikan’s video. When he showed it to us, it had nothing.”

“Nothing?” Kaede asked. “You mean it didn’t work?” Shuichi leaned closer to Kaede, making sure no one else heard.

“Monokuma said that no one cared about her outside this island. She has no one to return to after escaping.” Kaede stood silent for a moment, trying to process what she just heard. Soon, the dread set in. How would Mikan handle such a revelation? Did Mikan seriously have no one that cared for her? Kaede remembered her sister and parents, and her stomach turned just thinking about what could’ve happened to them.

“Apparently, Mikan isn’t the only one who’ll get told that,” Shuichi said. Kaede thought about other people who might not have loved ones. For her information, she’d always assume that they’d have parents or siblings that were looking out for them. Was she wrong? The only person who explicitly stated not having anyone was… Ryoma.

“Ryoma…” Kaede said. “Ryoma said he didn’t have anyone outside…”

“He wants to see his video so badly…” Shuichi said. “Damn it! It’s like Kaito said. Monokuma wants to break our spirit one way or another.”

“This motive video watching seems like a lot worse of an idea…” Kaede said.

“One more thing you should know, is that Peko said that our motive videos may also reveal things personal to its target.”

“Personal?” Kaede repeated. “Yeah, Monokuma does explain things he expects only his target to know… But my video didn’t have anything embarrassing.”

“I know it doesn’t apply to everyone,” Shuichi said. “But I understand talking about our loved ones can be really personal in this situation.”

“I…” Kaede began. “I should go talk to the others.” She left Shuichi’s cottage. She’ll admit that the conversation made her more curious. She felt bad for feeling that way, however. Kaede made her way up to the restaurant, and waited for Mahiru, Sonia, Nekomaru, and Taka to arrive.

“Kaede, you’re up early!” Taka greeted. “I appreciate your initiative!”

“Today’s the morning we get to watch the videos, correct?” Sonia said.

“About that… we might need to uh, think about it more…” Kaede said. She took a glance to see that Kirumi was preparing tea for everyone, and gestured the group towards the balcony.

“Why are you being so secretive, Kaede?” Nekomaru asked. “The whole point of the video screening is so we don’t have to hide things from each other.” Kaede recounted what Shuichi told her to the other leaders, who looked at her with varying reactions.

“So this is all a trap set up by Monokuma after all,” Sonia said solemnly. “That is what I was afraid of.”

“And with Kokichi’s meddling, everyone is anxious to see their own video.” Mahiru added.

“What did Kokichi do?” Kaede asked. “I know he took some photos with your camera, but I didn’t notice anything different about my room.”

“Well, he left some people a photo of their own videos,” Sonia said as she took out a photo, revealing a room in severe disrepair. Though by the looks of it, the room in question seemed like an elaborate throne room of a European castle, and it was abandoned. Dust and cobwebs collected on the furniture, and only the ambient sunlight shining through the windows illuminated the scene. In fact, the stained glass windows had vines creeping from the outside.

“You’re a princess, right?” Mahiru asked, as she looked at the photo in concern. “And I take it that this is part of your home?”

“I recognize it,” Sonia said somberly. “Just looking at it makes me worried for what happened to my home. There is no way my family would let it fall into such disarray.”

“I-It has to be fake, right?” Taka said, though he seemed unsure. “Monokuma having enough power to dethrone a kingdom is impossible!”

“So Kokichi wants us to become more paranoid?!” Nekomaru asked. “What could he possibly mean to gain out of that?!”

“Is he attempting to cause chaos so he can commit a murder of his own?” Mahiru questioned. “It’s almost as if he wants us to be suspicious of him.”

“Chances are, Kokichi himself knows a lot about us, collectively…” Sonia thought. “Since he got a firsthand look at all of them.”

“I’m not sure what to do…” Kaede said. “Should we even go through with the viewing?”

“We can’t back down from it now, after we brought it up!” Nekomaru said. “We have to follow through with this!”

“But what about all the points Kaede brought up?” Taka said. “I don’t want us to learn anything that’s… too personal.”

“Imagine how everyone would feel if we went back on it after all this time!” Mahiru said. “I’d be pissed if I were them and we canceled them. I’d hate to see the look on their faces if we did back out of this.”

“I have to agree with Mahiru,” Sonia said. “I do not want out friends to distrust each other, but they will distrust our leadership if we go back on our word.”

“So we’re going through it after all…” Kaede said, swallowing back the lump in her throat. She knew that it was her idea to do the watching, but with less than an hour before it began, Kaede felt the unease growing more and more inside of her.

“It’s almost time for the viewing, right?” Kazuichi asked as he stepped into the restaurant. He was with Chihiro, and together they were carrying a cart full of A/V equipment up the stairs.

“What’s with all this?” Nekomaru asked.

“Well, I figured if we were all gonna have a viewing, it’d be a bit difficult if for all of us to see a tiny screen like in the pads. So maybe if we hooked it up to a projector, it’d be better…” Chihiro said.

“Where’d you even get all this stuff?” Mahiru asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this in the supermarket.”

“Oh, well we combined some stuff we had in our rooms and hoped for the best,” Kazuichi said. “Sonia, ain’t this just a great idea?” The mechanic held a thumbs up.

“Chihiro, this is truly ingenuitive!” Sonia praised. Kaede could feel the Kazuichi’s confidence crumble as he pulled his hat further down.

“It’s nothing really…” Chihiro said, shooting a pitied look at Kazuichi as well.

“It sounds a little bit… uncomfortable displaying the videos to that level,” Taka said, eyeing the projector.

“Hey, I think all of us want to see what’s in our video,” Kazuichi said. “So if we’re gonna see it, we may as well make ourselves comfortable doing so!”

“It looks like there is some enthusiasm toward the viewing…” Kaede thought. She looked over Kazuichi’s shoulder, and saw that a few of the early risers were beginning to enter the restaurant. After her discussion with the others, she realized that time continued to turn, regardless of how she felt. The rest of them would soon be here. Kaede walked back into the restaurant building, and noticed Ryota helping himself yet again to a large plate of food.

“Morning, Ryota,” Kaede said.

“Oh, good morning, Kaede,” he responded. “You brought your video with you, right?”

“I have…” Ryota said uneasily.

“You sound uncomfortable with this,” Kaede said as Ryota took intermittent bites out of his food.

“Who wouldn’t be?” Ryota asked. “Everyone’s thinking about who could be in their motive video.” He took a pause to take a sip of water. “But it’s not that I don’t trust you as a leader, Kaede.”

“Really?” Kaede asked. “I mean uh, thanks for putting your faith in me.”

“But it seems like on this island, having someone to look forward to back home is a bit of a luxury, right? I’m glad that I know I have someone…” Ryota pulled his motive video and handed it to Kaede. “You’re gonna want to get everyone to pile in their motive videos, right?”

“That’s right,” Kaede said, taking the video from Ryota’s hands. “We’ll get all of them viewed as soon as everyone’s here.” She walked back and saw that a few more people were turning in their videos for the viewing, the pile beginning to stack on the largest table.

________________________________________________________

“Mikan!” Tenko shouted, running after the nurse.

“Ahhh!” Mikan screamed back. “Why are you yelling at meeee?”

“Sorry for yelling, but I’m here to tell you that I got a few scratches while training last night! Can you fix it up for me?” Tenko pulled her sleeve back, revealing a number of minor cuts on her wrist.

“Uh, of course!” Mikan said, her voice immediately sounding more at ease. “Just let me take a closer look at it…” She moved closer to inspect Tenko’s wrist, but she suddenly slipped on the pool floor, landing on her stomach.

“I fell again!” Mikan whimpered.

“Let me help you up...” Tenko moved forward and helped Mikan back on her feet. “Are you alright? I don’t want to see you get hurt looking after me.”

“I embarrassed myself in front of you, didn’t I?” Mikan said.

“No, I was glad I could help you,” Tenko refuted. “Not only is it my duty to defeat degenerate males, but to protect all the wonderful girls in the world!”

“i-Including me?”

“Of course!” Tenko said. “I really appreciate having you here as a friend, Mikan!”

“N-No one ever said something like that to me before,” Mikan said as she cleaned Tenko’s scrape. Mikan let out a giggle.

“What was that?” Tenko asked.

“Ah! I’m sorry for laughing so suddenly!” Mikan cried. “I-I shouldn’t have said anything!”

“Hey, that’s nothing to be ashamed about,” Tenko said. “You’re expressing how you feel, right?”

“Uh-um”, Mikan stuttered, her face going red. “I-I really appreciate your words, Tenko. Th-They’re just too kind…” Mikan let out tears once again as she worked on cleaning then bandaging Tenko’s scrape. However, Tenko was happy that for once, they weren’t tears of despair.

______________________________________________________________

“Thanks everyone, for cooperating,” Taka said to everyone now gathered at the restaurant.

“Wait, so what order are we gonna watch em in?” Leon asked. There was a large pile of monopads, neatly stacked together where everyone dropped them off.

“I don’t really care what order,” Akane said dismissively. “We’re gonna go through all of em anyway, and it’ll be a pain in the ass trying to search through them.”

“Remember than you can opt out of your video if you don’t want to watch it,” Mahiru said. She took out the Monopad on the top of the pile.

“It really warms my heart that everyone’s gathered in the name of friendship!” Monomi said, abruptly joining in.

“You again?!” Hiro said in bewilderment.

“Don’t act so surprised,” Monomi said. “It’s only right for a teacher to give praise when it’s deserved.”

“If you’re gonna show up whenever we try to work together, why even bother?” Kokichi said. “That’s all the more reason to not unite, am i right?”

“Have you also come here to watch the motive videos?” Chiaki asked.

“Why would she?” Celeste asked. “She’s obviously working with Monokuma, so she must already know what’s in our video.”

“I’m not sure if Ibuki trusts Monomi with sensitive stuff like that,” Ibuki said, twiddling her fingers.

“So it’s decided,” Mondo said, directed toward Monomi. “You gotta get the fuck outta here.”

“I try and give all of you praise, and this is what I get in return?!” Monomi cried, before disappearing once again.

“Now that that’s outta the way…” Kazuichi took the pad from Mahiru’s hands, and plugged it into the projector. The projector sprung to life, showing Monokuma on the screen along with the with “Himiko Yumeno” in text.

“I was half expecting the whole thing to break down,” Miu deadpanned.

“Nyeh, my video?” Himiko said. “Well… I don’t mind others watching it, but I think I’ll just sleep through it since I’ve already seen it.”

“Oh yeah, you received your own video, didn’t you Himiko?” Nagito said. “I’d say that is lucky.”

“Nyeh… I think it’s just my magic leaking.” Himiko replied. “Can we just get this over with? I want to take a nap.”

“Uh, if you’re feeling tired Himiko, you can rest on my lap!” Tenko said eagerly.

“On second thought, I don’t feel so tired after all,” Himiko said, rejecting Tenko’s advances. Everyone shifted awkwardly as Tenko sulked back into her chair. Monokuma’s familiar voice echoed throughout the room.

“Himiko Yumeno, the Ultimate Magician, who’s the most important person in your life?” The scene switched to a middle aged but not quite elderly man dressed in magician’s robes.

“Himiko’s entire career as a magician was only possible because of her master, the one who took her in and taught her every trick in the book and beyond!” Monokuma narrated. There was little pause for the group to hear Himiko’s mutters of how they weren’t tricks, as the voice continued.

“Together, they would perform countless acts together, bringing joy to the hearts of everyone all across the world!” The scene flashed to moments of Himiko and her master standing before a cheering crowd, ready to display their skill. “However, as time went on and Himiko became more proficient, people began to want to see Himiko more. I mean, who cares about some old timey in the face of a star prodigy?!” The scene flashed like a slideshow, showing more of Himiko performing in front of audiences. However, as they went on, there were more and more photos of Himiko acting alone, with an even bigger crowd. Monokuma continued his narration. “Eventually, her master faded into obscurity, clearly overshadowed by the true Ultimate Magician. He disappeared from the world of magic altogether, even from Himiko. She hasn’t seen him since, but good thing your headmaster, Monokuma, caught an exclusive statement from the man himself!” The scene cut to Himiko’s master, sitting on a chair in a nondescript room. He looked a little worse for wear, and spoke with a hint of desperation.

“Himiko, be proud that you’ve come so far…” The man said to the camera. “I’m sorry for disappearing so abruptly, but it was the only way you could learn without me.” He took a handkerchief from his jacket, trying to dry the tears beginning to form on his face. “Himiko, wherever you disappeared to, please stay strong…” The video then cut to Monokuma again, before fading to black. “In the time Himiko has disappeared, who knows what could’ve happened to her old master? Well, there’s only one way to find out! Graduate, and you just might find him safely!” After the video was ever, everyone turned their heads toward Himiko, with varying faces of concern. Himiko still had the same, apathetic look she had at the beginning, but her pale face was matted with sweat, and she was shaking considerably.

“Um, Gonta not know exactly what to say but, uh,” Gonta began, trying to make the Magician feel tense. “Himiko must be strong for still moving forward and not crying, right?”

“I-I don’t know why my master disappeared in the first place. B-because there’s no way I can be better than him! He taught me everything I knew!” Himiko said, missing the point of the video.

“Who the hell cares? You should be proud that you surpassed that old turd in the first place, titless!” Miu said.

“Do you ever know when to stay quiet?” Kyoko said under a sigh, causing Miu to recoil back.

“H-Hey! Don’t blame me for trying to lighten the mood!” Miu stammered back.

“Himiko,” Tenko began. “I know this is a difficult video for you to process, but don’t be afraid to hold your-” but she was interrupted by Angie, who skipped over to Himiko faster than Tenko could finish her sentence.

“Himiko, Himiko…” Angie said in a soothing voice. “I know that you feel...” She wrapped her arms around Himiko, taking her into a hug, and Himiko’s shaking began to quell. This caused Taka to wince a bit. “You’re sad that your master is gone, because you feel alone, without anyone you can turn to. It’s still difficult having to adjust to life alone, is it not?”

“Himiko, you can always-” Tenko began, but it was clear that Himiko’s attention was turned only to Angie.

“But you don’t have to worry!” Angie said. “You don’t have to be alone, Himiko. Atua is a handsome, caring god who you can always confide in.” When Angie released her grip, all signs of fear were gone from Himiko.

“I told you she was scary…” Taka whispered to Mondo, who nodded in silent agreement.

“I-I understand now…” Himiko said. “He doesn’t seem so bad… this Atua.”

“How could he be?” Angie asked. “Atua is all knowing, and he is here to help us through these troubled times.”

“Atua…” Sonia said. “This is interesting indeed.”

“N-Not you too!” Taka said.

“The first video went without a hitch,” Ryota said. “I hope we can push through the rest of these videos peacefully.” Kaede handed the pad back to Himiko, but ended up laying it on her lap as she seemed fixated on Angie’s talk.

“That was a pretty boring motive if I do say so myself,” Kokichi said in disappointment. “It’d take more than that to get me in a murderous rage if I were you.”

“No one asked for your opinion.” Byakuya said, more bored than he thought he would be watching the lives of commoners. The next video was plugged in from the top of the pile. The text lit up, showing Sakura’s name this time.

“I’m a bit frightened about what’s on her video…” Hiro said.

“Hey, be sensible, won’t you?” Hina retorted. “This is important to her!”

“Sakura Ogami was born in a long descended line of martial artists in the Ogami Clan.” The scene showed a dojo, with a design similar to buildings in the Sengoku period. “Each member of the Ogami family is destined to be an extraordinary fighter, but none more so than The Ultimate Martial Artist.” The pad showed a photo of Sakura standing in front of the dojo along with her parents, grandparents, and siblings. Sakura, despite her towering stature, was slimmer and shorter than most of her other family, but it was clear that she was the strongest in the photo. “But look at the sorry state that her clan has fallen to in her absence! This is truly what the despair of losing your tradition feels like!” A more recent photo was shown, displaying the same scene but the dojo was in a heavily damaged state. Even the surrounding environment seemed in a pitiful state, as the once lush trees adorned with green and pink were disheveled, and the river in the background was dried. “Could Sakura once again restore glory to her family name?! To even get the chance, it looks like you gotta graduate, ahahahaha!” The monopad went silent, and so was Sakura. Her fist clenched with silent fury, and everyone shifted away from Sakura, as if fearful of what she might do.

“This is real bad!” Hiro shouted. “She’s gonna kill us all now!”

“Shut up, shut up!” Kazuichi said, putting his hand over Hiro’s mouth, though the mechanic looked no less disturbed.

“Unbelievable…” Korekiyo muttered. “How could Monokuma bring ruin to such a family as prestigious as the Ogami clan?” As the worried and apprehensive chatter went on, Sakura remained seated, her fist clenched, trying hard to repress her anger.

“Sakura…” Hina said. “Are you okay?”

“Curse that Monokuma…” Sakura muttered. “I knew our captor was insidious, but this is worse than I thought. I don’t know what they want with me, but bringing my family into this is truly unforgivable!”

“Sakura, we’re all worried for what happened to our family…” Hina said. “But we’re watching it together because can pull through this, right?”

“I thought it was because we didn’t murder each oth-” Kokichi said before being shushed.

“Even after this, I have no intention of betraying you all, if that’s the impression you’re getting…” Sakura said.

“I wasn’t thinking that at all!” Hina said. “If people think that you’re gonna resort to murder, then they’re the ones who are wrong!”

“Hmph, so is that all it takes for you to believe her?” Byakuya scoffed. “

“Ugh, don’t you ever shut up?” Hina retorted. “What the hell do you know about Sakura? Why do you keep trying to assume that we’re all a bunch of bloodthirsty killers who’ll kill at anytime? Some of us aren’t like you, Byakuya, wanting to kick people down at whatever time.”

“I could ask the same to you,” Byakuya said. “What do you know about Sakura?”

“She’s my friend!” Hina began to shout. “I know she wouldn’t kill anyone!”

“Each day that passes here, you’ll question that more and more…” Byakuya said. “Empty words won’t end this game, only a victor can.”

“Byakuya, that’s enough…” Sakura said. “We’re gathered here to carry out the viewing, so it’s best if we did so peacefully…”

“You should thank my generosity for that warning,” Byakuya said. “A game isn’t any fun when your competitors are just so far behind.” The rest of the viewers shot various dirty looks at Byakuya for stirring things further, but the event continued. The next person to have their video drawn was Akane.

“Oh, so it’s my video.” Akane said dismissively as she ate. “Eh, no point worrying ‘bout it.”

“You’re taking it pretty easy for something like this,” Mahiru said. The video began as usual, with Monokuma saying “Who’s the most important person in your life, Akane Owari?” The video showed Akane in a run down apartment, taking care of easily over half a dozen kids, all less than half Akane’s age. “Akane Owari had very humble beginnings for an Ultimate. She grew up in the most vicious, violent area of Tokyo, having to scrounge for food for not only herself, but her hungry little brats as well!”

“You really lived in a place like this, Akane?” Hiro asked. “W-Wow, it looks kinda, you know… dreadful?”

“Quiet, degenerate!” Tenko said. “It’s very rude to ask people sensitive information like that.”

“It’s alright,” Akane said, seeming unworried by the video. “Life was pretty damn difficult back then, feeding my lil’ brothers and sisters was a ton of work.

“I never took you for the nurturing type, Akane,” Nekomaru said. “Your responsibility is commendable!”

“It wasn’t uncommon for Akane to see corpses in the street in the morning, so Akane did everything she could to make sure her brats didn’t become on of ‘em!” This time, the scene switched to Akane serving in a shady looking bar. In Akane’s hands were various alcoholic drinks, in the background, cigarette smoke and rich looking men, and Akane herself was wearing rather provocative clothing. This caused various looks of embarrassment, shock, and horror in the crowd.

“Gonta not comfortable seeing this!” He said, covering his eyes immediately.

“Holy shit, Akane!” Kazuichi exclaimed. “That-That’s a real hard life you must’ve lived before coming here…”

“C-Can’t you be a bit more sensitive?!” Mahiru said, though she also looked embarrassed to be looking.

“Y-You lived a pretty eventful life before now, didn’t you, Miss Owari?” Hifumi said, a little more excited than he should be. “If it makes you better to talk about it, feel free-”

“What?!” Miu shouted. “Are you saying that you’ve been suckin’ and fuckin’ way before I was?! I’m actually kinda jealous-” Sakura put her hands on both Hifumi and Miu’s shoulders.

“I’d suggest that you refrain from making such comments,” Sakura said, her voice once again growing dark.

“P-Please don’t hurt me Miss Ogami!” Hifumi cried. “I’ll stop, I swear!”

“So is this just another example of what Tenko warned us about,” Shuichi thought aloud. “Monokuma really likes to dig into our lives, if there’s a sufficient amount of dirt on us.”

“I get what you’re saying…” Kaito said. “Monokuma won’t spare any detail in these vids.”

“And that could be a problem…” Kyoko said to the other detective. “If people catch on that the videos are also revealing secrets, lives could be at stake.”

“Why do all of you look so red?” Akane looked around, unaware of the cause for concern. “So what if I worked at a few sketchy places? As long as I kept people’s hands away from me and didn’t get cold, it’s not a big deal, right?”

“It’s a good thing, in a way that Akane isn’t affected by it…” Shuichi thought.

“My apologies if I was making a scene, Akane…” Sakura said. “I didn’t want anyone making crude comments about you. But I suggest you take matters like this seriously. It’s evil that people used you to fulfill their perversions, one way or another.” Inside, Sakura felt anger rising within, how people were willing to take advantage of Akane’s body.

“Really?” Akane seemed surprised. “It really ain’t a big deal, since it got food for me and the kids, but I guess I’ll stop thinkin’ about it.”

“Is something wrong, Akane?” Tenko asked. “I-It just seems like there’s something-”

“Nothing’s wrong!” Akane blurted out. Just as she said that, Monokuma moved on. “Eventually, Akane picked up gymnastics, and finally a substantial amount of dough. Enough that Akane could move out of that crapsack!” It showed that Akane’s siblings were in a very sizeable house, with an ample backyard, and fridges and pantries stocked with food.

“It’s good to know your situation got better,” Sonia said.

“We should learn to be grateful for what he have,” Angie said. “Especially on this island…” Abruptly, the video cut to the same house, but empty and abandoned. It looked like no one lived there for a long time, as evident by the cobwebs and dust settled on every corner.

“How unfortunate it must be that with Akane gone, those kids are gonna be without a breadwinner! Just think about how hungry and needy they’ll be without her! Is there still a chance they could be somewhere? The only way to find out is through graduation!”

“What the hell?!” Akane said, visibly shocked. “That Monokuma… I’m gonna kick his ass!”

“Don’t do anything rash, Akane,” Nekomaru said. “It’s best if we figured what’s going on first…”

“Akane,” Tenko said. “Really, if you’re worried about this, then you can talk to me.”

“Me?! Worried? Of course not!” Akane said, though her voice still seemed shaky. “Only weak people get worried. All we gotta do is defeat Monokuma and we don’t have to worry, right?!”

“God, you’re going to get yourself killed, dumbass.” Fuyuhiko said.

“I guess that’s another girl who isn’t receptive…” Tenko said.

“Uh, moving on,” Kaede said, handing the video to Akane. “Let’s see who’s next.” She took the next pad from the pile, and plugged it in. This time, the name that appeared was “Nagito Komaeda.”

“Heh, so it’s my turn,” Nagito chuckled. “I thought with my luck, I was either gonna be first or last.”

“For a carefree person, I’m kinda curious what would be on Nagito’s video. Is it weird to think something like that?” Kaede thought.

“I doubt that anyone would care who’s on my video,” Nagito said. “I mean, I don’t know who Monokuma could come with to make me kill anyone.”

“Of course we care about you, Nagito.” Kaede reassured. “You’re our friend, and we want to help each other out, right?”

“That’s what you want to think, but I think Nagito’s a total creep,” Hiyoko said. “I’m not surprised if he ends up being a closet psychopath.”

“As a fellow lucky student, I also think the best in Nagito,” Makoto spoke up.

“Your words really are inspiring, Makoto…” Nagito said. “That hope you bring is something I live to witness! But of course, I’m beyond help here.”

“Seriously, what do you mean by that?” The monopad continued the video. Everyone looked, expecting to see Nagito’s loved ones. However, the screen shifted to Monokuma in a hardhat, with construction tape put over the black screen.

“Unfortunately, Nagito, there’s no one left alive to wait for your return. That’s right, there’s no one outside this island that cares about you! Looks like you lucked out, you truly have my deepest condolences!” The rest of the people were stunned into silence by this revelation.

“So it really isn’t just Mikan…” Shuichi thought. He looked at Nagito, who at first stared blankly at the screen.

“Damn… that’s pretty rough,” Mondo muttered, thinking back at his own losses.

“That’s a real shame, Nagito…” Kokichi said, looking sympathetic. “Well, at least Monokuma has nothing to use against you, right?”

“Atua says that you aren’t alone, Nagito!” Angie said, approaching the lucky student. “Your parents taken care of on the other side, and they want you to keep moving forward!”

“Really, all of this comfort is more than I deserve…” Nagito said, his voice still nonchalant. “I’ve accepted it a long time ago.”

“Accepted it?” Hajime asked. “What do you mean?”

“I guess all of you want to know now that you’ve seen my video,” Nagito said. “My luck… it’s nothing but a curse. You could call me the luckiest person alive, but my luck isn’t something that you want…”

“You don’t have to tell us if it’s too painful,” Kaede said.

“Whenever something unlucky happens to me, then something equally lucky happens to me in return. One day, while my parents and I were on a plane, we were hijacked. However, just then, a meteorite struck the plane and took out the hijacker. However, it also hit both of my parents, who died that day.”

“How could anything good come from that?” Hajime asked, feeling sympathetic despite Nagito’s carefree attitude.

“Well, by the end of it, I earned back my freedom and gained a massive inheritance. Some of you could say that worked out to be good luck in the end?”

“Of course that isn’t good luck!” Hajime said.  

“D-Does this kind of bad shit happen t-to you often?” Toko asked, scooting away slowly from Nagito.

“All the time! So many in fact, that I’d just be holding up the viewing if I tried to list everything.

“Y-Yeah, you gotta stay at l-least three feet away from me from now on…” Toko said, backing herself against the wall away from Nagito.

“In a way, your talent caused the death of everyone you love…” Ryoma contemplated. “Good grief…”

“Sure, bad luck creates despair, without a doubt. But isn’t the hope that comes from overcoming all worth it?”

“I don’t quite get it,” Chiaki said. “But it’s good that you found a way to cope, I guess?”

“The hope of overcoming obstacles…” Kaede thought. “The feeling of hope that comes when we get out of here better be worth the struggle, then.”

“And I guess what Kokichi sent to me wasn’t a lie after all, furthermore.” Nagito said.

“Oh yeah, I got Nagito’s motive video pictured,” Kokichi said. “I almost forgot.”

“Yeah, and we didn’t forget that stunt you pulled,” Mondo said, gritting his teeth.

“So it confirms that it really was Kokichi that was behind this,” Sonia sighed. The next video was Leon’s.

“Great, so it’s my video,” Leon said. “Can’t say I ain’t nervous…” The video being shown was Leon, standing in the center of a group photo of his baseball team.

“Leon Kuwata was the definition of prodigy! Since he was a kid, he was a skilled and proficient baseball player, quickly becoming the best there is around!”

“D-Don’t get the wrong idea!” Leon said. “I didn’t get into baseball because I wanted to. Everyone in my school just kept telling me not to waste my talent or whatever!”

“But he couldn't have done it without such a superb team manager!” It zoomed into the girl, who looked a little younger than Leon posing with him in the photo.

“Kanon!” Leon cried out. “Dammit, what did Monokuma do to her?”

“Who’s that, your girlfriend?” Hiyoko asked. “Didn’t think you’d be the type to actually get one!”

“That’s my cousin!” Leon said. “She’s like a little sister to me, don’t make it weird!”

“Cousin?” Korekiyo asked. “It sounds like she means a lot to you.”
“Yeah, even aside from the baseball stuff, I wouldn’t know where I’d be without her,” Leon said.

“Damn, and you really did seem like the type of person who looked at girls for their bodies and stuff,” Hiyoko said. “That got me really surprised!”

“Cut it out, you brat!” Leon said.

“Here’s an exclusive word from your cousin herself!” Kanon was shown, looking at the camera. Her skin looked pale, and her hair was messy. She clearly looked unhealthy, as her eyes also sagged.

“What happened to her? Who did this to her?!” Leon growled.

“More like, why did she do this to herself?” Ryoma observed. “She obviously hasn’t been taking care of herself, thinking about you.”

“L-Leon…” Kanon sobbed. “W-Wherever you are, your family misses you, and believe it or not, your team misses you. I-I don’t know whether I’ll ever see you again, but I need to say this; I love you…” The class was not prepared for that.

“W-What?!” Tsumugi said in shock. “But that’s forbidden love!”

“Don’t be so quick to judge,” Korekiyo said. “Love certainly is… complicated.”

“So you turned out to be a siscon or whatever after all!” Hiyoko said.

“Hey, don’t take it that way!” Leon said, sounding embarrassed. “I always told her I didn’t see her that way, and she wouldn’t listen… she just centered her whole life around me.”

“I guess she understands how it feels to have that one person to hold onto taken away from you,” Peko added.

“Will Leon be able to return to his cousin safely? Find out by graduating!” With that, Leon’s video was finished.

“Kanon has to learn to move on from me…” Leon said, sounding worried.

“Hey, your cousin sounds like a strong girl,” Kaito said reassuringly. “I’m sure that she’s gonna pull through!”

“Seems like Monokuma really is adding all this sensitive information to the motive videos,” Maki said. “He’s prodding more and more into people’s lives…”

“Yeah, Himiko’s video seems really clean in comparison,” Shuichi said.

“Well that’s because unlike you degenerates, Himiko is pure and doesn’t have any disgusting secrets!” Tenko defended.

“Hey, don’t judge me for this!” Leon said. “For the last time, there’s nothing going on!”

“Alright, we should move on,” Mahiru said, not wanting to linger on the subject. She pulled out the next video, which turned out to be Hina’s.

“Wait,” Hina said. “T-To be honest, I don’t really want to see my video.”

“Really?” Sakura asked.

“If we were to believe Monokuma, this is the only information we have of what happened while we were gone. Are you sure we want to ignore it?” Ryoma added.

“What do you mean while we were gone? There’s no way we could just go missing for years and not feel it, right?” Teruteru asked nervously. Hina looked left and right at the anxious faces of her classmates.

“I don’t think anything good can come of it,” Hina said. It wasn’t easy for her to utter those words. “It looks like these videos just make us fight each other, and that’s really making me depressed.”

“How are we supposed to know that you didn’t just receive your own motive video and are hiding your secrets from us?” Byakuya asked. “Not that I care what’s in your video, but it scenes strange that you’re going to be an exception.”

“Well, uh-” Hina began, not sure what to say.

“No worries, ‘cuz Gonta was the one who received Hina’s video!” Gonta blurted out.

“Dammit, and I wanted to see Hina actually try to argue!” Kokichi said. “But Gonta’s so cluelessly honest, there’s no way he could lie, not even to save himself.”

“Atua says that resisting temptation will be rewarded!” Angie said. “He approves of this action!”

“Let’s just forget about it for now,” Hina said. “It’s not like the motive videos will be destroyed if we don’t view them right?”

“Opting out is something we allowed,” Taka said. “So we will respect that.”

“Hina…” Sakura said. “I agree that you are a formidable person for passing on this,” Sakura said. Honestly, Sakura thought the video only fueled her curiosity and anxiety.

“H-Hey, it’s nothing,” Hina said, sounding a little flustered. The next monopad was put up for viewing, and this time, it’s Shuichi. Though Shuichi had some sense of calm before this, he froze in shock.

“Who’s the most important person in your life, Shuichi Saihara?” Monokuma said. Countless thoughts ran through his head as he tugged on the brim of his hat.

“Who knows how many memories were erased?” Shuichi thought. “My darkest secrets… There’s no way Monokuma would give away… that, would he? No… not in this video…” He began to feel nauseated, the feeling swirling in his stomach.

“Shuichi, are you okay?” Kaede turned her eyes to Shuichi. “If you don’t want to view it, you don’t have to.

“N-No, it’s okay…” Shuichi said. “We should continue.” He took a moment to catch his breath before setting his eyes forward once again.

“Shuichi Saihara’s childhood was at a dead end with the fact that his parents always overseas instead of tending to their son. Luckily, he was recruited by his uncle, a renowned detective and apprenticed under his wing.”  

“Your parents?” Kaede asked.

“They’re film screenwriters,” Shuichi said, bitterness hinting his voice. “There isn’t any sad story behind it, and really, it was for the better my uncle took me in.”

“Screenwriter? That sounds pretty cool, actually.” Leon said. “Must be good being famous ‘n such.”

“Not when you’re the son one,” Shuichi muttered.

“Shuichi would’ve probably been a superb full fledged detective if not for that one incident removing all of his confidence! It’s seriously hilarious that his uncle thinks he disappeared because of THAT!”

“An incident?” Hajime asked Shuichi.

“And Monokuma had to word it  so suspiciously…” Shuichi thought, looking down, unsure of what to say.

“Does that mean you have dirt as a detective?” Maki asked. “That seems pretty untrustworthy.”

“Hey Maki Roll, don’t say things like that!” Kaito said. “Shuichi has been nothing but help to us since he got here!”

“And we can’t just judge him based on Monokuma’s words!” Kaede defended.

“Well Shuichi looks shaken up when he mentioned an incident,” Kokichi said. “If it’s nothing untrustworthy, then maybe he should tell us!” Shuichi didn’t know how to respond to any of this, he felt as if the air in his lungs was being sucked from him as he struggled to find words to say.

“We shouldn’t be prodding into Shuichi’s life,” Nagito said. “I sincerely trust his talent as a detective…”

“W-Well who k-knows if he’ll try to swindle us,” Toko said. “H-How can we trust him i-if another murder happens?”

“When did he ever do that last investigation?” Kaito retorted. “Shuichi wouldn’t try to do that!” Shuichi contemplated just spilling the beans, the reason why he never looked people in the eye. Sometimes, it really did feel like the way he uncovered the truth last trial was a fluke despite the kind words Kaede and now Kaito are giving him.

“Hey, maybe Mr. Saihara’s incident isn’t criminal in nature,” Hifumi said, giving his own form of optimism. “Perhaps it’s something a little more scandalous.” At this rate, everyone was gonna say their piece on Shuichi’s secret.

“ENOUGH!” Nekomaru said. “We will not make assumptions about our friend, so it’s best if you all settled down!” Kaede herself looked at the pent-up tension that was now among her classmates.

“Maybe it’s time for a break,” Kaede said.

“Yeah, maybe we should take some stress out of our shoulders,” Ryota agreed.

“What now?” Ryoma asked impatiently. “I’d rather we get this over with…” Kaede remembered how anxious Ryoma was to see his own motive video, and here Kaede was, pausing the viewing further.

“The past few videos have been… distressing for everyone,” Kaede said. “I know that some people want to get this over with, but I think it’s best if we took some time to calm down.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna need to get up and stretch my legs,” Kazuichi yawned, trying to take his mind off the subject.

“We should take some time to prepare for the next set of videos, right?” Makoto asked.

“So it’s agreed! There’ll be a recess before the viewings continue!” Taka said.

“About time,” Hiyoko complained. “I’m done sitting in this cramped room with you people.” She got up and left the restaurant, and soon after, more people followed suit.

“Hmph, I guess I’m in no place to object,” Ryoma said, pulling his hat over his eyes. He sounded almost disappointed as he left the room. As for Shuichi, he knew that some people distrusted him after the Monokuma video. But this wasn’t a good time to say anything, he thought. Everyone began to scatter to do their own thing, while Shuichi still sat with his own thoughts.

___________________________________________________________________________

For Makoto, it was difficult to take in everything that transpired. Seeing the motive videos of Sakura, Leon, Nagito, Akane, Himiko, Shuichi… it made his head spin in worry about what his own family could be going through. Granted, his friends have been supportive of him so far, but it was clear that Kaede had to set a break to ease tensions between everyone. There were still plenty of them left for them to go through, so Makoto predicted it would probably take up everyone’s day. He saw that Chiaki was in the lobby too, her eyes fixated on the arcade machine there, and Kazuichi was in the corner with his hat pulled over his eyes. It seemed as if Chiaki never peels her eyes from anything related to games.

“Hey, Chiaki!” Makoto said, making sure he gets Chiaki’s attention.

“Hey Makoto…” Chiaki said lazily with her eyes still on the screen. “Um, there’s room for one more player, if you wanna play Smash Melee, you’re more than welcome.”

“This store really is bizarre… that’s not a game that appears on arcade cabinets.”

“It’s a trap Makoto, she’s gonna kick your ass!” Kazuichi said out of the corner.

“Er, I don’t think I stand much of a chance against you,” Makoto agreed.

“...If you think about winning too much, you’re not gonna have any fun playing.” Chiaki said.

“Are ya trying to call me a sore loser?” Kazuichi shot back.

“I thought we were here to cool off,” Chiaki refuted. “You’re not helping yourself…” As Kazuichi went back to his sulking, Makoto sat down, not wanting to decline the gamer’s invitation.

“Makoto, do you have experience playing video games?”

“Sure I do,” Makoto said. “But I usually just play the most recent, popular games that everyone plays. I’ve never been particularly good at any of them, though.”

“The cabinet seems to be pretty old,” Chiaki said. “You have experience playing retro games right?”

“Eh, not really…” Makoto said. “But I hear people are super competitive about these games.”

“Like I said, Makoto, winning doesn’t have to be the only objective of gaming,” Chiaki assured. “I want to use games to bond with others.”

“Heh, I guess that works better on some people than others,” Makoto said, shooting a look at Kazuichi.

“Makoto, do you ever feel unsatisfied by your talent?” Chiaki asked.

“What do you mean by that?” Makoto asked. “Well, I know that I’m nothing spectacular by any means, but be honest, I’m not unsatisfied.”

“Oh… forgot I said anything,” Chiaki said. “Looks like I’m talking to the wrong person about this… Ah, right, the game!” Chiaki said.

“Does it take money to run this cabinet?” Makoto asked.

“There’s no coin slot,” Chiaki said. “It just works.”

“I shouldn’t get used to all this free stuff,” Makoto said. “It still makes me feel weird whenever I just go to the market and take stuff without paying.”

“Rocketpunch isn’t like any other supermarket I know of,” Chiaki said. “Almost like a supermarket in a zombie apocalypse.”

“Does Chiaki think of stuff like that in a crowded market too?” Makoto thought.

“Hey, we should get started on the game, right?” Makoto asked. The screen moved toward character selection.

“I think what each person mains in a fighting game can indicate what their personality is like,” Chiaki said. “That’s what I always hear. Makoto, do you have a main?”

“I know I don’t have one in this game,” Makoto said. “Don’t only really dedicated people worry about stuff like that?”

“I think with most people, they take a character that they really like to play and learn, and hone their skills with them relentlessly…” Chiaki said. “To my experience, playing many characters without focusing can be fun, but you spend more time learning the character than the game.”

“So it’s like hard work and talent,” Makoto said. “If you’re the Ultimate Gamer, you basically mastered all these characters, right?”

“I think you will find out soon enough,” Chiaki said. Together, they played many matches, though it was mostly because Makoto always lost almost immediately. It seemed like no matter what Makoto did, Chiaki always seemed to come out on top. Makoto didn’t complain, because he knew what he was getting into playing Chiaki. However, he was amazed by her skills even though she looked half asleep the entire time. Even for an average person like him, he still feels like he’s learning the game at an accelerated rate when Chiaki’s around, and appreciating it more.

“This is pretty fun,” Makoto said. “I wouldn’t expect to say that after losing twenty times in a row.”

“So I guess you do understand what I’m getting to, in a way,” Chiaki said. “You’re a weird guy, Makoto?”

“Weird? C’mon, I’m the most average person here, there’s nothing that can be abnormal about me!” Their conversation was interrupted by Hina, who made her way down the stairs toward him.

“Makoto, break’s over!” Hina called out. “We should get back to the viewing, since it’s been thirty minutes.”

“It’s been half an hour already?!” Makoto said in realization. Though gaming brought him a bit of normalcy and comfort, he knew he had to face the situation he was in once again. “I guess I should go back to the restaurant,” Makoto stood up.

“And I thought I could fit in a nap within this time,” Chiaki yawned, before taking her leave.

“Makoto, don’t go up just yet!” Hina said. “We gotta tell everyone still out there to get back, too! We don’t want them to miss the viewing. Kaede gave me that task.”

“You need my help?” Makoto asked, turning his head back toward Hina.

“Well, there are like forty of us to bring back here,” Hina said, shrugging her shoulders. “Normally I’d say it’s their loss for not being on time, but I can’t ignore them for something like this.” Hina walked out of the lobby, and Makoto found himself trailing behind her, trying to keep up with her energetic pace.

“Wait up, Hina!” Makoto said. “You’re moving too fast!”

“C’mon, Makoto!” Hina replied. “There’s no such thing as going too fast, you just gotta pick up the pace!”

“How does she have that kind of energy?” Makoto thought to himself. “Hina, uh, I wanted to ask you something.” Makoto said.

“What is it?” Hina replied. “If it’s anything about what I’ve been eating, I’m not gonna answer that.”

“Why did you opt out of watching your motive video?” Makoto asked. “I think most people are dying to see theirs.”

“Makoto, it’s not about me running away from my problems, unlike some people. Of course I’m worried sick for my family, but it’s not gonna help anything by worrying!”

“That takes a lot of-”

“It’s just like Kaede said, we gotta worry about not getting ourselves down trying to escape!”

“You think after you said that, other people will also follow suit?” Makoto asked.

“Other people? Uh, I didn’t think anyone will opt out because of me,  but if they do, that’s flattering, I guess...”

“Well you did sound pretty determined back there,” Makoto said.

“Psh, first Sakura and now you?!” Hina said, rubbing her head sheepishly. “Sakura said the same thing to me, about how she admired how I wouldn’t bite into temptation or whatever. No way, influencing people ain’t my thing at all.”

“I guess if the Ultimate Martial Artists said you made the right decision, it’s hard to deny it, right?”

“Hey, I appreciated your words too, Makoto,” Hina said. “Really… people don’t praise me at all for that kinda stuff.” The two went around the pool, informing everyone to get inside for the viewing. After everyone there was headed to the restaurant, what’s next was to search the first island.

“Do we really have to check outside the hotel?” Makoto asked, peering towards the gate leading outside the hotel grounds.

“Wait, I feel like we’re forgetting one more place we should look,” Hina thought aloud. “Oh, right! Maybe we should check the cottages, too!” They turned back, looking at both wings of the cottages. Makoto felt a rush of fear going through his spine, freezing him dead at his tracks.

“What’s wrong, Makoto?” Hina asked, stopping to look back at him.

“Nothing,” Makoto said… “I don’t know why I even stopped…”

“I don’t want to go door to door,” Hina said. “Maybe I should just walk to the middle and shout at the top of my lungs. I mean, it’s not like the cottages are soundproof right?”

“That’d save some time,” Makoto said. “But I think if Ibuki or Nekomaru were here, it’d make things a lot easier.” He sure wished they were here, because he had a bad feeling, lingering around the cottages. He continued to ponder as Hina ran around, knocking on doors to make sure whoever is still in their cottages would go back to the viewing. He leaned against his own cottage, feeling as if his pace wasn’t enough to keep with Hina’s.

“Yeah, I don’t think anyone’s hanging at their cottage,” Hina said as she began to trek back. “I think if we had to remind people outside of here, then we’ll be the ones who are late.”

“I’m right behind you,” Makoto said, beginning to follow her back. He took a few steps forward, and then slipped onto the boardwalk floor.

“Ow!” Makoto yelped, trying to break his fall with his arms.

“Makoto, are you alright?” Hina called out, dashing back toward Makoto. “Did you slip on something?”

“Probably…” Makoto said. “I guess it’s just with my luck that I’d slip on a dry walkway…” He got up and quickly brushed his jacket and pants.

“Uh, Makoto?” Hina said, looking at his back. “W-What’s that on your jacket?”

“What do you mean?” Makoto exclaimed, touching his backside. He ran his fingers through his back, and felt something wet. When he inspected his hand, he saw a dark red liquid. He looked down and saw his shoe was also stained.

“This can’t be-”

“Blood?!” Hina said. She looked at the bloodstain on the boardwalk, and darted her eyes around. “I don’t see any bodies anywhere, so that’s probably just juice or something that someone spilled, right?”

“Hina’s right…” Makoto thought. “There aren’t any bodies around here, and everyone was alive and well at the viewing earlier…” He looked back at the stain on the floor, and saw that it trickled off the boardwalk, and into the water below that surrounded the cottages.

“Hina… the water!” Makoto exclaimed, making his way over to the edge of the floor. He peered into the water, and saw that it was tinted red with blood.

“D-Does that mean there’s a body i-in the water?!” Hina said nervously. Makoto allowed his upper body to hang from the boardwalk, into the waters below. He saw a pale hand that belonged to a body that floated in darkness. He had to fight back his overwhelming urge to throw up, as he reached for the hand and checked its pulse. It was faint, but present.

“S-Someone’s in the water!” Makoto shouted. “A-And they’re alive!”

“They are?!” Hina said. She looked like she was ready to run and tell everyone, but then she stopped. “B-But if they’re alive, then that means we can save them right?” Hina grit her teeth and walked toward the edge.

“I’m serious, Hina!” Makoto said. “We gotta do something about it!” Hina also found herself looking over the edge at the person in the water. To the surprise of Makoto, Hina slipped into the water.

“What’re you doing?!” Makoto cried out. He could see her pulling the person below out of the darkness, and onto the boardwalk. She moved with surprising strength for her size, having the athletic prowess of a true Swimming Pro.

“I-It’s.!” Hina murmured holding the person in her arms.

“Leon!” Makoto cried out. He saw that Leon’s whole body was pale, his red hair drenched in water. The baseball star was unconscious, and his breathing was shallow.

“H-He’s just unconscious, right?” Hina said, trying to shake him awake. Makoto can only look as tears began to form on her eyes. However, she can begin to feel warm blood dripping down her thigh. She turned Leon over, and found a knife in the back of his thigh.

“W-We have to get everyone!” Makoto said, scrambling back on his feet. He turned and began to run toward the restaurant, where he bumped into Ryota.

“Makoto, have you seen Hina and everyone else who isn’t here? We’ve been waiting for quite a-”

“Ryota, you gotta get the others!” Makoto said, pointing at Leon. “He needs medical attention!” Ryota’s eyes widened in shock as he came to the grim realization of what’s going on. As he waited for everyone else to come, the only sounds he could hear is his own rapid heartbeat, Leon’s laboured breath, and Hina’s quiet sobs. Soon enough, he saw everyone from the hotel rushing in to the scene, with many of their faces in despair or shock. When Hina saw Sakura, she immediately ran over to her, still crying.

“Hina, are you hurt?” Sakura asked worriedly, looking at Hina’s bloodstain clothes.

“I-I’m not…” Hina mustered. “B-But Leon, he’s…”

“So it happened again…” Taka said, biting his lip to keep it from quivering. “And in broad daylight… I thought we made every precaution we could!”

“W-Wait,” Kaede said. “The body discovery announcement hasn’t played yet, hasn’t? That means he isn’t dead!”

“He isn’t…” Makoto said solemnly. “Though it looks like he will be, soon…” he wanted to say, but couldn’t bring himself to.

“So that means we could save him right?” Kaito said, trying to salvage the situation. He approached Leon, still unconscious, confirming that he was still breathing, but faintly. Gonta didn’t hesitate to pick up Leon with surprising grace, not even flinching when the blood stained his suit and trousers.

“We must get Leon to safe area first!” Gonta said, trying to hold back his anguish. They hurried over to the hotel lobby, and set Leon down on the counter.

“There isn’t a hospital around here,” Mondo grimaced. “Looks like our dude is in deep shit.” He looked pitifully as Kirumi attempted to dab napkins from the restaurant on the wound.

“Monomi can’t allow this!” Ibuki said. “She said she’d take care of all her students!”

“As if that dumbass rabbit would be any help,” Fuyuhiko said. “Looks like we got another trial on our hands.”

“Do not say something so cruel!” Sonia said.

“I know, we can get Mikan to fix him up! We can worry about the asshole who attacked him after!” Kaito said. The crowd shifted their eyes uncomfortably, before setting their eyes on Mikan.

“M-Mikan… I know you can fix him,” Tenko said softly as Mikan came forward to inspect him. She took Leon’s fading pulse, tracing her fingers over Leon’s thigh.

“Makoto and K-Kaito are right, he’s alive…” Mikan whimpered. “B-But…” She gripped the handle of the knife briefly, but then let go.

“But what?” Kaito said. “There’s something you can do about it, right?” Mikan eyed the knife at the back of Leon’s thigh. It was deep, without a doubt, and it looked like Leon may slip away from life at any moment. Mikan opened her mouth, but no words came forward.

“W-What’s wrong?!” Kaito asked. “If there’s something you can do, then do it!” His voice began to grow impatient, yet Mikan wouldn’t budge.

“I-I’m sorry!” Mikan cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Hey, is there something stopping Mikan from helping Leon?” Kazuichi said nervously.

“L-Leon… th-there’s nothing we can do about him.” Mikan cried, trying to collect her words.

“What do you mean there’s nothing we can do?” Makoto said. Kyoko took her own step forward and focused her lilac gaze at the wound. She looked around, and saw the doubt in everyone’s faces.

“What Mikan is trying to say is that the wound is fatal.” She explained. “Not only has he lost a lot of blood in the time being, but the knife has sunk into his femoral artery.”

“So are we supposed to just sit around and watch him die?!” Kaito asked.

“What we can do is prepare for the upcoming investigation and trial then,” Byakuya said. “If you don’t want to die, you know the rules.” He shifted his eyes toward Mikan. “Well, if the nurse was any duller than she is, then she would’ve made this investigation very clear cut, albeit boring.”

“W-What the hell do you mean by that, you degenerate?” Tenko said, raising her fists in a fighting stance.

“It’s simple,” Byakuya said with a slight smile across his lips, as if to snicker at the situation. “Whoever pulls the knife will cause Leon to bleed out faster, thus when he dies, they’ll be the new blackened, won’t they?” Shaken by Byakuya’s words, everyone had to accept the fact that not only Leon, but another culprit will have to be uncovered and executed for the rest of them to survive.

“We can’t just leave Leon alone like this!” Nekomaru said. “I-I failed as a Team Manager by allowing another person to die by my watch…”

“Save your energy on sentimentality,” Byakuya scoffed. “You’re essentially talking to a dead man.” However, Nekomaru grasped Leon’s hand, feeling for himself the life that was draining from Leon. To his surprise, he felt the finger grip back for a moment, before going limp once again. Everyone was quiet, only faint sobs among the crowd and Leon’s fading breath visible. Soon, only the sobs remained as the last of Leon’s life faded.

*Ding Dong Ding Dong*

“A body has been discovered! Please report to the Hotel Lobby immediately. Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!”

The announcement confirmed that another investigation will have to begin. Leon Kuwata, The Ultimate Baseball Star, was dead.

Chapter Text

“How much time has passed since the body discovery announcement?” Makoto thought. Everyone continued to stand there, unable to take action since Leon’s life faded. It seemed like even those who were familiar with death and killing, like Ryoma and Mukuro didn’t know what to do. 

“H-He really is gone, isn’t he?” Mahiru choked out, tears beginning to well on her face. 

“Leon…” Makoto thought. “Sure, he was a reckless guy who didn’t know what to do with his future… But that’s just what an innocent teenager is like! Why would anyone do something so cruel to him?!” Perhaps those were the same questions Makoto asked himself when he first saw Keebo dead. Then he thought back to Sayaka… someone else fell into the same trap as the culprit of this murder.

“Damn it! How many more people have to die?!” Makoto couldn’t bear to look at the corpse any further. Monokuma appeared once again, looking left to right at the solemn faces of the remaining students.

“Aw, what’s with this sour mood?” Monokuma said. “Y’all look like you just saw someone die!”

“I-I think it’s because we did…” Hifumi said, his voice trembling. 

“S-So there’s no denying it?” Teruteru asked nervously. “D-Do we really have to go through… it again?”

“Correcto! Didn’t you hear the announcements? The rest of you are gonna have to investigate and do the trial again! I think y’all know what that means… lurking among you is a killer!”

“Again with a killer…” Nagito said. “How could this be?”

“You should be more concerned about how you’re gonna get out of this!” Monokuma chuckled, before gesturing toward the e-Handbook in Nagito’s pocket. “But never fear! Your ol’ pal Monokuma will lend you another hand! It’s not like one investigation is enough to make you seasoned detectives just yet!

“Oh, oh! I get it!” Kokichi said in excitement. “We’re gonna get another Monokuma File, right?!” 

“That’s right!” Monokuma said. “A new section has once again been added to your Monopad! Well, I think you bastards know what do, so I’ll save my talk for the trial!” Monokuma turned his back on the students, ready to leave. “Oh, by the way, just so no one needs to ask again, all rooms will be unlocked for the duration of the investigation!”

“That’s a violation of our rights!” Hiro tried to retort. 

“Rights? That’s pretty hilarious,” Monokuma snickered. “From the bottom of my heart, I encourage you to do what you have to in order to further the investigation. After all, if you got nothing to hide, you got nothing to fear, right?”

“B-But I have nothing to s-show either!” Mikan sobbed in response.

“That’s all for you bastards to figure out in the end,” Monokuma said. “Remember that the trial will begin soon enough, so don’t keep me or Monomi waiting of course!”

 Before anyone can get to investigating, Monomi appeared as usual.

“T-This is just too terrible…” Monomi cried. “Another k-killing happened after all.”

“Shit, not you again…” Fuyuhiko said.

“Hey, Monomi, you saw the whole shebang didn’t you?” Ibuki asked. “Why didn’t you do anything to save him?!” 

“I-I really wanted to, I swear!” Monomi explained. “B-But Monokuma would stop me if I did anything… I truly am powerless.”

“I have to agree with you on the last part,” Hiro said.

“You are surely making excuses so we would see that you’re not on Monokuma’s side,” Celeste said. “You really are a pathetic excuse for a teacher. ” 

“It was for the best that you didn’t step in,” Byakuya said. “Otherwise this game wouldn't have begun anew.”

“T-This is all just a game to you, isn’t it?” Hina scowled through her tears. “You really are the worst.”

“And what if it is a game to me?” Byakuya said. “I’m not about to spend my time arguing, as my time has been wasted enough.” He immediately began to walk away. 

“As much as I hate to agree with him,” Celeste said. “There’s work to be done.” Makoto snapped back to the situation at hand, and took the e-Handbook from his pocket. 

“Monokuma File #2: The victim is Leon Kuwata, The Ultimate Baseball Star. The body was discovered at 10:30 AM, in the hotel lobby. The estimated time of death was 10:30 AM. The cause of death from blood loss. A large stab wound is on the back of his thigh, along with some water in the body’s lungs. A shallow cut was also found on his hand. No other signs of damage are present.” 

*Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #2.*

“Can we be sure that the Monokuma File is correct again?” Makoto asked. 

“Don’t worry, because we have Mikan to help us!” Tenko said, trying to make light of the grim situation.

“I-I’ll try to help,” Mikan said, finally able to examine Leon’s body. “S-Sorry, but I-I’ll have to examine the wound further…”

“What do you mean by that?” Sonia asked.

“If you’re squeamish or prudent, I suggest you leave.” Kyoko said. “We have to examine the body fully this time. Don’t worry, I’ll be certain to keep watch of her.”

“Oh… I understand,” Nekomaru said, tears welling up in his eyes. “Leon, we’ll give you the justice you deserve…” With that, he took his leave. 

“I-I don’t feel so good,” Hina said, looking down at the blood that covered her skin and clothes. “I think I should go get changed.”

“I think it’s for the best,” Sakura said. 

“Well, I’m gonna get away from this shitfest,” Fuyuhiko said, taking his own leave.

“Everyone, grab a partner and begin investigating,” Rantaro said. “We don’t have a lot of time.” Makoto also took a hint and left the lobby as well. He felt someone tap his shoulder.

“Hey, Makoto?” Nagito said. “I’ve been hoping we could investigate together.”

“S-Sure,” Makoto said, trying to get his mind into action. “But why would you choose a normal guy like me?”

“I can see you’re anything but,” Nagito said. “For someone who claims to be normal, you have quite the eye for deduction. The sight of that gives us all hope.”

“Okay, where do we begin?” Makoto asked. 

“Were you the one who discovered Leon in the water?” Nagito asked. “I got to that tragic sight pretty early, and you were already there.”

“That was Hina,” Makoto said. “But I was with her. I’ll take you to the spot.” Makoto and Nagito walked together to the boardwalk where Leon was found, but bumped into Kaede first.

“Kaede!” Nagito said. “I did notice that some people were missing when the body was discovered.”

“Y-Yeah, some of us weren’t at the lobby,” Kaede said solemnly. “Maki, Gundham, Hiyoko, Toko, Peko, Akane, Tsumugi, and Chihiro I know weren’t at the lobby when the announcement rang.”

“Looks like someone should fill you in,” Makoto said. 

“I know what happened to Leon…” Kaede said. “We saw the Monokuma File… But I… I should get going, too.” Kaede walked past Makoto and Nagito.

“It looks like even our uniting leader was shaken…” Nagito sighed.

“Who wouldn’t be?” Makoto returned the sigh. They arrived at the boardwalk, seeing the bloodstain on the floor already drying. It was the same bloodstain he slipped on.

“Crap, I think me slipping on the blood is gonna get in the way of the evidence,” Makoto said, gesturing toward his stained jacket.

“You may think that, but I think you slipping is what managed to find the body in the first place,” Nagito said. “That’s kinda good luck, looking back.”

“Y-You’re taking this pretty lightly,” Makoto said.

“You think I am?” Nagito asked, slightly surprised. “It’s all that I can do in times like this. Coming to accept everything allows you to take things more lightly, that’s what I’m thinking.” Makoto looked at the nearby cottages. The back of Leon’s cottage was toward the wall leading outside the hotel, and neighboring the cottages of Korekiyo Shinguji and Makoto Naegi, which were across from Leon's. 

“Maybe if I were in my room, I could’ve done something about it…” Makoto thought. “Crap! I shouldn’t be caught up thinking about that!” 

“So Leon’s cottage is the closest to the crime scene,” Makoto said. “I thought so.” 

“You think he was attacked after he left his room?” Nagito asked.

“Probably,” Makoto said. “We can be sure that this bloodstain was from when Leon was initially attacked.” He had to admit that this place didn’t have many clues, but something caught Makoto’s eye. Opposite to Leon’s cottage, none other than Makoto’s, was another bloodstain.

“What’s this?” Makoto said, approaching the corner of his own cottage, covered in shadow. He could’ve easily missed it, and he sighed in relief at the fact that he caught it.

“Another bloodstain,” Nagito said. “Leon probably put his bloody hand on this wall before he fell into the water.

“Y-You know what’s strange?” Makoto said. “My dorm is all the way on the opposite end of the initial bloodstain.”

“As expected of the Ultimate Lucky Student!” Nagito praised. “Your luck is unparalleled!”

“It’s pretty clear that it’s your luck that’s spectacular,” Makoto said, thinking back to Nagito’s motive video.

“I believe this implies that Leon must’ve stumbled after being stabbed on hit the wall with his injured hand before falling.”

“That makes sense,” Makoto said. “That means the culprit was blocking Leon in some way, right? So he ran into the opposite direction and slipped.”

“And this also proves that Leon received the other knife wound on his hand before falling into the water. There’s no way the culprit followed Leon into the water after that.”

*Truth Bullet: Blood on Makoto’s Cottage* 

“I think things are beginning to piece together already,” Nagito said. “I guess we’ll have to see what else lies ahead of us. That is the only way our hope can prevail.”

“Normally, when I say hope, I’m filled with the determination to continue… I shouldn’t say this around Nagito, but the way he says it just rubs me the wrong way…”

___________________________________________________________________

Since clearing the lobby, Himiko was outside, sitting down on a pool bench. She felt numb, not even registering the feeling of sun on her skin, or the scent of chlorine around the pool. She had no urge to move, she didn’t even know if she wanted to move to Monokuma Rock, she’d be more willing to let someone else drag her. 

“Nyeh… I think it’s better if I stayed here,” Himiko thought. “The other forty or so can finish the investigation without me, right? Besides, I’m too low on mana to cast any spells, yeah that’s what I’ll say if anyone asks.” Himiko didn’t even hear or see Tenko approaching her.

“Mikan is busy with the investigation… I’m so proud of her and her talent! I can’t even begin to imagine being in her position… So, now there’s someone else I want to talk to… Alright, how should I begin this?” Tenko thought to herself. “It must be such a stressful time for Himiko… a murder just occured and now we’re gonna be stuck in that awful trial again, and someone else will have to be executed! B-But I gotta stick to my promise, to help all the girls get through this together, including my precious Himiko!”

“H-Hey Himiko!” Tenko approached. 

“I’m too low on mana.” Himiko deadpanned.

“I know this is a bad time, but is there anything you wanna talk about?” Tenko asked. “I know you haven’t talked that much since we got here, but there’s gotta be something on your mind right now!”

“There isn’t…” Himiko replied in her same monotone voice.

“ Alright things aren’t going how I planned but c’mon Tenko think of something that’ll at least get her to open up a bit!” Tenko thought to herself.

“If you’re scared or worried about saying something to me, don’t worry! I’m not the kind of person to take your feelings lightly unlike degenerate males!”

“Well… you’re not doing a good job proving it.” Tenko visibly faltered at that.

“Um… okay Himiko, maybe it really isn’t a good time, but really if you want to talk about something I’ll always be open. Stay safe out there, Himiko!” Tenko began to back away nervously, keeping her eyes on Himiko. She saw Angie walk by her in an energetic step, a visible contrast to Tenko’s now downtrodden movements. 

“Oh, hi Angie,” Himiko muttered. 

“I wish Himiko would greet me for once!” Tenko thought. She stopped and stared at the conversation unfolding in front of her.

“Himiko, Himiko!” Angie said in her same unending cheerful tone. “I was just looking for you. Have the teachings of Atua reached your mind?”

“I-I guess so…” Himiko said. 

“Don’t guess! The only answer is to pray to Atua himself. The investigation can wait, as Atua has fated for us to solve it from the beginning!” Angie took Himiko’s hand, and clasped it with Himiko’s other hand as if in prayer. That caused Tenko’s eyes to go wide with shock. 

“And I bet your ATUA also willed for this whole murder, this whole killing game to happen, right?!” Tenko thought incredulously, still listening in. “S-Should I be thinking those thoughts about a girl?”

“S-So that’s how you pray to Atua?” Himiko thought. 

“Do not worry, Do not worry! Prayer is a free action, it only takes your dedication to do so!” Angie proceeded to hold put her own hands in a prayer position.

“It doesn’t cost mana to pray, I see.” Himiko closed her eyes and her body became even more still than it once was.

“I swear I will free Himiko from your grip when this is all done,” Tenko glared. To her surprise, another girl walked over to see the two Ultimates praying. Sonia looked intently, with her blue eyes, though it looked like she had been crying.

“I’ve also been watching this unfold,” Sonia said to Tenko. “I have spent my entire life so far reading and listening instead of experiencing the words of others, and it’s beautiful to see this friendship bloom, is it not? Even at this time...”

“H-Hey don’t get the wrong idea, I wasn’t stalking anyone at all!” Tenko replied. “And sure, I guess about the second part.”

“I wish I could find friendship with everyone on this island, but now one more of them is gone, and another one will be if we make it through the trial…”

“Sonia…” Tenko said. “I appreciate that you were able to say that!”

“Really?” Sonia said in slight surprise. “It may not sound very princess of me, but thank you…”

“Oh my oh my!” Angie called out to Sonia. “Atua tells me that you are listening in on us! Do not be afraid, Sonia, c’mon c’mon, join us!” Tenko felt as if lightning struck down her heart.

“You’re dragging more and more people!” Tenko almost shouted. 

“I would be lying to say if I were to say I am not curious…” Sonia said as she took her own seat on a nearby pool chair.

“Atua accepts anyone who is willing!” Angie continued. “So there is no need to be afraid of getting in touch with him. Wouldn’t you agree, Tenko?”

“Don’t interrupt our conversation, Angie!” Tenko retorted, dodging the question. “Sonia you wouldn’t want to join a cult, would you?”

“Oh ho? Are you trying to call Atua’s holy following a cult?” Angie laughed. “Atua is used to this blasphemy, but it angers him all the same…” Tenko felt a chill down her spine. How could someone have such a high and upbeat yet dark and sinister tone in her voice?

“I am interested in cults,” Sonia said. “But if you say it is not a cult, then I will believe you… I will say that I am curious.”

“I’ve been trying to get people to open up,” Tenko said. “But is a discussion about cults and Atua really a good time right now?! That seems like an escape from our situation right now!”

“Well I’m low on mana…” Himiko said. “The least I can do is recharge before the trial…”

“Do not worry, Tenko,” Sonia reassured. “My mind will be clear when the trial begins.”

“Uh, okay then…” Tenko said worriedly. “Something about Angie really makes me feel uneasy…” 

__________________________________________________________________

Kaede peered at the Hotel Lobby, seeing Toko standing outside in noticeable fear.

“Toko, what’re you doing out here?” Kaede said. Toko must’ve moved fast to beat her to the chase. 

“I-I wouldn’t go in there if I were you,” Toko said. “I w-was away when the body was discovered but I didn’t expect all of t-that to be visible!”

“Oh yeah… did you say you were afraid of blood?” Kaede asked. “I guess I gotta steel myself to see the body…” 

“I-It’s not just that!” Toko said. “What they’re doing to him is indecent! Raunchy! Even I wouldn’t resort to something as perverted as that!”

“Even you?” Kaede said, confused at Toko’s behavior. 

“D-Don’t judge me!” Toko said. “I bet you think I’m s-some degenerate who has no standards! If you really wanna go in there, I-I won’t stop you, but y-you better go in purely for finding clues!”

“Okay, I-I get it…” Kaede said, not getting a single word of Toko’s rambling.

“I swear… I have my body saved for one person, one person alone!” Toko muttered. Kaede passed by Toko, hoping that the investigation will faze this conversation from her mind. She took a deep breath, and stepped through the doors. 

“Kaede, you’re here…” Mukuro said. Kaede looked around the lobby and saw that only Kyoko, Kirumi, Mikan, and Rantaro were present in the lobby.

“Where did everyone go?” Kaede asked. “I thought there’d be more clues at… Leon’s… body…” Kaede stopped herself as her gaze saw Mikan poking around at Leon’s bare thighs.

“I told Toko to give some warning if someone were to come in,” Rantaro said. “Only the people… I guess, dedicated to finding clues in Leon’s body are still left.” 

“I-I understand,” Kaede said, averting her eyes from Leon to give him some privacy. “Did you find anything out about that? Sorry I wasn’t here, I didn’t get a good look at anything.”

“The knife was without a doubt the murder weapon.” Kyoko said, pointing at the knife on the desk that was now removed. “The angle from which the culprit stabbed was upwards, so Leon must’ve been standing.”

“Upwards?” Mukuro asked. “Does that mean the culprit is shorter than Leon is if that’s where they stabbed him?”

“It is kinda weird for the culprit to choose that spot,” Kaede said, trying to keep in the loop. “Do you think the culprit was targeting a specific body part or wherever?”

“I don’t think the culprit thought out the stabbing very thoroughly,” Kyoko said. “Most people would try to stab the target in the back or neck, but the thigh? Very strange indeed.”

*Truth Bullet: Leon’s Stab Wound.”

“I-I also want to explain the other wound on Leon’s hand,” Mikan said. “I think the culprit only stabbed Leon once… Judging by the shape of the cut, Leon must’ve grabbed the blade in panic and cut himself.”

“Only one stab wound,” Rantaro said. “That makes sense…” 

*Truth Bullet: Leon’s Hand”

“The last mystery in Leon’s body is the knife,” Kyoko said. “Where did the knife come from? Kirumi, would you know?”

“I-I apologize,” Kirumi said as she grit her teeth. “I was too invested in the videos to check the kitchen before it was too late. But I can confirm the knife came from the kitchen.”

“But that would mean someone would have to hide the knife in their body,” Mukuro said. “We all probably were focused on the video, but the culprit would be stupid to not hide it within their bodies.”

“That does look like a fairly large knife,” Kaede said. “You can’t just hide it in your sock or shoe.”

“The l-length of the blade I estimate is around 15 centimeters, judging by Leon’s wounds, while also being 4 cm in width…”

*Truth Bullet: Kitchen Knife*

“One thing I want to find out is when exactly Leon was attacked…” Rantaro said. “We only got a thirty minute break, so I don’t think he was left out that long.”

“None of his w-wounds have water damage…” Mikan said. “I-I’m sorry I c-can’t help anymore…”

“No, you did fine, Mikan,” Kaede said. “We managed to uncover a lot because of you…” 

“Could any of us know what Leon was doing before he went off alone?”

“Chances are, most of us went back to our room or something…” Mukuro said. “There might be someone out there, I guess…”

“So that’s all we have here,” Kaede said, turning to move up the stairs. “I wonder if there’s anything to see upstairs…” Kaede was at the restaurant yet again, and it was clean. Despite the commotion of earlier today, it looks like Kirumi cleaned everything thoroughly… “Could Kirumi have accidentally cleaned any potential evidence?” She thought. he saw Shuichi peering his eyes into the kitchen.

“Shuichi, do you feel any better?” Kaede asked.

“Oh… hey Kaede,” Shuichi said. “I guess…”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Shuichi,” Kaede said, worried for the detective. “It feels like a weird thing to say, but if you’re worried, I’m worried…”

“I-I think you deserve to know why… why I got shaken up back there,” Shuichi said. “After the trial.”

“After the trial…” Kaede said, looking at Shuichi’s tired eyes. She absolutely didn’t want to entertain the possibility they could fail to find the culprit, so she left it at that. “Yeah… we should take a closer look at the kitchen.” This brings her back to the first investigation where she learned about the candy squares, and the missing cleaning material that were all clues of Keebo’s murder. 

“I don’t think I’ll have many fond memories of this restaurant,” Kaede thought. 

“Did you hear Mikan and Kyoko’s account?” Shuichi asked.

“I have,” Kaede replied. “That’s what lead me here.” Shuichi walked further into the kitchen, making sure not to knock anything over. He looked at the knife rack, and saw the empty slot. However, Shuichi looked over at the handwashing sink. It was wet, and looks like it was used recently. 

“Kaede… do you think this sink is suspicious?” Shuichi asked.

“Well, it’s wet…” Kaede said. “It’s no surprise that people that it would be.” 

“However, isn’t it strange that someone would use a handwashing sink in this kitchen unless they were working in it?” Shuichi asked. 

“Yeah, it sure is a pretty big hassle when you can just use the hotel’s bathroom, like everyone else tends to do.”

*Truth Bullet: Recently Used Sink.*

“That can’t be the only clue around here…” Shuichi asked. “It’s clear that the culprit was here…” 

“If you’re looking for clues, I think I found something,” a deep voice said. Shuichi turned back and saw Ryoma standing at the kitchen entrance.

“Ryoma, you’re here too?” Kaede asked. 

“Hey, we should be partnered up during this,” Shuichi said. “Where’s your partner?”

“Well, the two of you are watching me right now, aren’t you?” Ryoma replied. “It seems our culprit wasn’t too thorough with drying their hands.”

“What do you mean?” Kaede asked. 

“Ryoma, I checked the washcloths, and none of them seem used,” Shuichi said. “There’s nothing suspicious in the trash can, either.”

“Okay, get this…” Ryoma said. “The culprit probably didn’t dry their hands or the knife…”

“The culprit cleaned the knife?” Kaede asked in surprise.

“Yeah, the culprit really did want to be clean,” Ryoma said. “Though that just left behind more clues for us in the end…”

“Wait a minute…” Shuichi said. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

“It’s easier to find it from… well, my position,” Ryoma said. “But the wood floor has water spots on them, as if someone wet the floor and didn’t dry them…” The tennis pro stepped aside as Kaede walked toward where he was once standing, and crouched down. The sun was shining through the room, illuminating three separate trails of stains. The pattern looked like droplets, and it faded as the trail exited the kitchen.

“Oh, now I get what you mean by your position,” Kaede gave a small laugh. 

“Good grief…” Ryoma could only say as he adjusted his hat.

“The culprit must’ve been in a hurry,” Shuichi said. “Of course they would be.”

“We can assume the two outermost trails were from their hands,” Kaede said. “But the trail that makes up the middle…” 

“That’s where the knife must’ve been…” Ryoma said. “You know what this means?”

“Yeah, I’m putting it together…” Shuichi said. “But it’s a clue we wouldn’t’ve caught without you. Really, thanks Ryoma.” Both Shuichi and Kaede gave a smile toward Ryoma’s deadpan face.

*Truth Bullet: Water Spots*

“Hmph, just doing my part…” Ryoma said. Kaede and Shuichi turned to leave the restaurant in search of other clues. Ryoma was left alone yet again.

“I guess I’m a real loser for pulling this off…” Ryoma said, eyeing the stack of motive videos that were left unguarded, untouched. “All of them gathered in one place… including mine.” Ryoma flash stepped on the table, and began to go through them one by one. “We were all gonna go through anyway, so just looking for mine should be fine, right?”

________________________________________________________________

“I doubt we’ll find any clues here…” Hajime thought as he walked out of the hotel grounds.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Ryota said. “But you have to think outside the box if you want to solve anything.” Hajime didn’t know why Ryota would choose him of all people to investigate with. He looked at the fence and bushes that surround the hotel premises.

“I don’t know, but I got a hunch there might be something to find here,” Hajime said.

“No one said detective work was clean, I suppose,” Ryota said. “Well, I’ll stand and watch so no one messes with the evidence.”

“So I’m gonna check this out alone…” Hajime thought, annoyed. He inspected the bushes, and at first, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. They had green leaves, stood about three feet high, and didn’t bear any fruit. Hajime hoped that they weren’t poisonous. He wasn’t sure if his pants would prevent rashes from tropical plants.He noticed however, there is one above average sized gap between them. “Something about this seems a bit off…” Hajime thought. He looked at the path that was made out of the bushes; it looked like the bushes were pushed aside. Some of them were flattened, others were forcefully pulled, but no doubt about it, a path has been made for someone to walk through. However, no footprints were there, as the dirt was too dry. “It seems like a hunch, but maybe someone could’ve gone through here? But that’s pretty strange… I thought Leon was attacked at the cottages…” He looked over at the fence that lay behind the bush, separating the hotel from the other parts of the island. They were black, metal, and spiked throughout. However, there were no signs of damage or scratches in them. 

*Truth Bullet: Gap in the Bushes*

“Ryota, doesn’t this gap look strange to you?” Hajime said.

“Yeah, I figured that something was off about the bushes,” Ryota said. “We should mark down anything bizarre about the layout.” Ryota pulled out his tablet. 

“What’re you doing?” Hajime asked.

“I normally use my tablet just for animating, but this is a good place to map things out,” Ryota said.

“Maybe I could get Mahiru-”

“Have faith in me, Hajime,” Ryota said. “Though recreating real life isn’t exactly my specialty, I’ll draw down anything you find.” Hajime turned his attention back to the fence. It wasn’t difficult to see the cottages from where he was standing, since the fence was pretty low, about at his shoulder. From here, the backside of some of the cottages were very close. He squinted his eyes, and saw two people investigating the entrance of the cottage directly in front of him.

“Hey, Makoto!” Hajime called out.

“Oh, hey Hajime!” Makoto said. “I was checking out Leon’s cottage with Nagito.”

“I think we have quite a few things that’ll be useful to the trial…” Nagito said. “But we haven’t exactly checked in the water yet.” Hajime shuddered at the thought. 

“I’m gonna feel bad for whoever will have to search the bloody water…” 

“What’re you doing near the fence?” Nagito asked.

“I was just seeing if there was anything strange about you know, outside the hotel grounds.”

“What do you think you’ll find there?” Makoto asked. “I mean, Leon’s attack… it took place right outside his cottage, right?” 

“Still, you can’t be too sure…” Hajime said. Hajime averted his gaze for a moment to the roof of Leon’s cottage. On the roof that overhangs to the side of the cottage, where below it was water, was a print. 

“I should get a closer look,” Hajime said. He put his hands around the points of the spiked fence, and began to move upward. However, as he put his foot on the fence, he felt the spikes piercing into his foot. Hajime stumbled forward in pain, onto the side of the hotel grounds. “T-That was a pretty stupid idea…” Hajime looked at the sole of his sneaker and saw that there was now a puncture in it. His foot didn’t appear to be bleeding, so he wasn’t worried about getting medical attention. “Maybe I can get Tsumugi or Kirumi to fix it? Oh well, back to the thing at hand.”

“Hajime, are you okay?” Nagito called out. “If you wanted to get in, you could’ve used the gate!”

“I know!” Hajime called out, annoyed. “But I think I found a clue here!” He approached the imprint on the roof of Leon’s cottage. The print was near the middle, so it’s not like anyone could just stretch out and touch it from here. It looked like another bloodstain, but vaguely shaped like fingerprints. “That’s pretty far from land on both sides…” Hajime thought. “There’s no way someone could just reach that. Is it the sign of the culprit?”

*Truth Bullet:* Imprint on Leon’s Roof* 

“Hajime,” Ryota said through the fence. “What’re you doing way out here?”

“You think anyone could cross the water between these two cottages to the boardwalk?” Hajime pointed. 

“Hmm, I’m not good at measuring sports, but…” Ryota thought. “Unless you have a really fast running jump, I don’t think you can just leap over it.” 

“Yeah, and a running jump from here seems impossible,” Hajime said. The distance from the fence to where the water begins seems pretty short. “We should see what everyone else found.” Hajime steadied his footing as he got up, and began to walk around back to the hotel’s courtyard. He noticed that all of the curtains of each window were shuttered.

“I don’t blame anyone for keeping these closed,” Hajime thought back to his own room, where he shut all the curtains, only allowing the sun’s light to peer into his room. “From day one, everyone was scared and paranoid…”  

*Truth Bullet: Closed Curtains.*

________________________________________________________________

“I know this is a pretty heavy request,” Makoto began. “But we need someone who can investigate the water below.” Rantaro looked at Makoto, then down at the water below.

“Alright… I’ll do it,” Rantaro said in a serious tone.
“You really will?” Nagito asked, surprised that Rantaro would agree to such a thing.

“I’ve been through a lot worse while adventuring,” Rantaro explained. “This honestly seems mild compared to all the quicksand and swamp water I’ve tread through.”

“Is this the experience of the Ultimate Adventurer?” Nagito said. “I really am glad to have you here.”

“Hey, we aren’t brain dead!” Miu said. “We know what talent Rantardo has, so you don’t have to say it every time something talent related happens!” Miu handed Rantaro a flashlight. “Normally, you’d hit your head and drown down there, but I’ll be nice and let you use this.”

“Oh, thanks Miu,” Rantaro smiled. “I think this will help a lot.”

“Yeah, thank me lots for it later,” Miu boasted.

“It’s just a flashlight…” Makoto said. “If we really needed to, we could’ve um, gotten it from the market.”

“H-Hey!” Miu said. “Y-You should really be thankful! That’s just isn’t any flashlight! There’s a difference between any old flashlight and mine! Not only does it double as a camera for us to see through, but-” Rantaro wasted no time, slipping into the water. 

“Sorry, Miu, but we’re sorta short on time,” Rantaro said. He shuddered as he entered the now reddish water. Miu brought up a handheld screen and held it up. Nagito looked over Miu’s shoulder, while Makoto had to tip-toe to see the screen. He watched as Rantaro trudged through the water. It didn’t seem very deep, which probably allowed Leon to not drown. 

“Yo, do you see anything down there?!” Miu yelled out.

“I can hear you through the floor, no need to yell…” Rantaro said back, still focused. 

“The water here seems still,” Makoto said. “Any clues couldn’t have drifted too far, right?”

“That’s what I’m hoping,” Nagito said. Rantaro scoured the area, treading through the area, using his hands to feel around what we can’t see. So far, no luck…. Rantaro raised his hand to wipe his forehead. He touched the underside of the boardwalk to catch his breath, and felt something soggy get caught in his hand.

“I’m hoping that was seaweed at worst…” Ranaro thought as he held his hand.

“Oi, what’re you looking at your hand for?” Miu said. “Are you trying to remember the last time you jerked off?”

“No, I think something’s caught on his hand!” Nagito said. 

“Nagito… y-you’re right,” Rantaro said. A strip of grey material was caught on his rings. It's about as long as the width of his hand.

“What do you think that is?” Makoto asked.

“Maybe it’s a condom,” Miu said. “Leon coulda thought he was gonna get lucky before he got shanked, and brought it with him.”

“Obviously not…” Rantaro said, growing irritated, yet trying his best to remain calm under the situation. He picked it up for closer inspection. 

“I think this might be a piece of duct tape,” Rantaro said. “I think it was stuck at the bottom of the board.”

“Wait, duct tape?” Makoto repeated. “What do you think the culprit could’ve used it for?”

“It doesn’t seem to have a relation with Leon’s stabbing at the moment…” Rantaro said. “But we should keep it in hand for later.” 

*Truth Bullet: Wet Duct Tape*

“Isn’t it against the rules?” Makoto asked. “If I remember, the rules say that littering is forbidden.”

“You think the culprit or Monokuma would give a shit about the rules?” Miu dismissed.

“Hey, I take offense to that!” Monokuma said, once again appearing before Makoto. “I may love killing and murder, but I make sure I uphold the rules, you know?”

“Well, Monokuma? You got something to say explain?” Rantaro asked through the floorboards.

“I’ll tell you why this was a legal move,” Monokuma said. “The duct tape was attached to the bottom of the board. If it were just lying around or in the water, it would definitely be littering! However, it looks like the duct tape is being used since it is attached to something, so I’ll let it slide.”

“Did the culprit ask you that?” Nagito asked. “That seems like… an odd specification.”

“I guess you’ll have to find out later!” Monokuma said hastily before disappearing once again.

“Always so cryptic,” Makoto said. “We should probably talk to someone for alibis and all that?”

“Oh yeah,” Nagito said. “That’s something that’s always gonna be tedious. Finding people’s alibis…”

“Well I sure hope we don’t have so many investigations that things get tedious…” Makoto gulped. 

“Sorry, I didn’t get to see a lot of what was outside leading up to the murder…” Makoto said. “I was busy playing video games with Chiaki…”

“Hmmmm, if that’s true, that would eliminate the possibility of you being the culprit,” Nagito mused. “Though I doubt anyone would suspect you in the first place…”

“That’s good to hear…” Makoto thought in response. “There’s a lot of puzzling stuff that we investigated so far, but I think I can piece something together.” Makoto walked over to Leon’s mailbox.

“Remember all those photos Kokichi sent?” Nagito asked.

“Yeah, I remember. I didn’t get one, did you?” Makoto responded.

“Haha, from one lucky student to another, I didn’t,” Nagito said. “Maybe Kokichi didn’t make his way to my cottage, or maybe he saw what was in my video and decided not to bother with a loser like me.” 

“Hey, we’re in this together and I don’t want you feeling like you’re a loser,” Makoto said. In truth, Makoto could relate to Nagito’s feelings of inferiority gnawing onto him. All his life, he thought that he was nothing special, and never will be. But ever since he got here, all those feelings seemed to flow away from him like water. With Nagito, it almost seemed like each remark he made about himself just added up. 

“You’re not someone so easily bothered are you?” Nagito asked. “Ha, I’m the same. So I just don’t let it get to me personally.” 

“I wouldn’t say, not easily bothered…” Makoto grimaced. If only he could just take the death of Sayaka in stride. “Darn it, now’s not the time to think about her!” Makoto forced his mind back onto the topic at hand. “What was it again? Oh right, the photos of the motive videos…” Maybe it was true that someone like Kokichi didn’t see any way to stir up such a carefree soul like Nagito. Makoto decided to open Leon’s mailbox to see if he got any. Turns out, there was a photo with Kanon in it, ripped straight from a frame of his motive video.

“It looks like he got one after all,” Makoto said. 

“I’m not one to talk about emotions, but Leon didn’t seem quite as surprised as one could.” Nagito thought back. 

“I kinda felt bad for him,” Makoto winced, having a sibling himself. “I woulda freaked out a lot if I were in his position.” 

“I heard that kinda stuff was popular in anime… I hope Komaru isn’t poisoning herself with all that anime.”

“Alright, we should get going,” Makoto said, trying not to think of it further. “Though we should keep this photo in mind… It could prove useful during the trial. In truth, Makoto didn’t know where to go next, as he saw everything around Leon’s cottage. As he turned around, he nearly bumped into Nekomaru. Beside him was Taka, looking intently at the cottage.

“Nekomaru, what’re you doing here?” Makoto asked.

“Investigating, just like everyone else!” Nekomaru said in his usual loud voice.

“We were thinking of searching Leon’s cottage!” Taka said. “That’s the most obvious place to search for clues!”

“Sorry to say, but a few of us already searched the cottage,” Nagito said sheepishly. “We’ll fill you in on that later.”

“Is that so?” Nekomaru asked. “Is there anything you haven’t investigated yet?”

“Uh well, there’s the cottage itself,” Makoto said. “No one searched inside that.”

“Then leave it to us!” Nekomaru said. “The home of a true athlete is one I will be able to understand!”

“A true athlete is not how I would describe Leon… sorry…” Makoto thought. 

“I don’t know how, but your talent will certainly lead you to more insight than I can!” Nagito said enthusiastically. “We can talk more about what we found when you search it thoroughly!” With his same carefree attitude, Nagito began to walk off, with Makoto trying to catch up with him.

“Are you sure we don’t need to investigate it ourselves?” Makoto asked.

“I want as many Ultimates as possible to have their hand in this investigation,” Nagito said. “And I really don’t think we’d all fit in there with Nekomaru on board.”

“Oh yeah, Hajime was behind the cottages wasn’t he?” 

________________________________________________________________

Maki closely inspected the area around the hotel grounds, her feet treading lightly throughout the perimeter outside. 

“Big Sis Maki,” Hiyoko said, following in her steps though standing a good distance away from the dirt and bushes Maki was treading through. “You really think you’re gonna find clues way out here?” The caregiver rubbed her temples.

“We’re not in any position to gloss things over,” Maki grumbled. Though she knew Leon was found inside the hotel grounds, she wanted to take a look outside of the grounds as well. “I know, maybe you can help a bit?”

“You know I’d get dirty if I started picking shit apart in the dirt,” Hiyoko replied. “Uh, I’ll just hang around so both of us have a partner!” 

“Well, I guess you can’t make things worse,” Maki said, rubbing her temples. 

“Spending time with that kid Hiyoko is a little bit less exhausting than listening to one of Kaito’s spiels…” Maki thought. “But with a murder case on our hands, that might tip the scales.” She thought that investigating in relative quiet would get her further than having to mull around with others. 

“Hey, uh, Maki?” A timid voice called out. “You’re investigating outside as well?” Maki looked up and saw Ryota waving at her. 

“Did you find something?” Maki got up, brushed herself off and made her way toward Ryota. 

“Well, if you wanna know the full details, I was watching Hajime search these bushes, and he found that a lot of these bushes were moved aside.” The animator pointed toward the path Hajime made. “He also went over the fence and accidentally stabbed his foot. I don’t know what that was all about.”

“Wow, he’s a lot dumber than he looks,” Hiyoko laughed under her breath.

“I don’t disagree with you there, but this might be an important clue,” Maki said. “No, this IS an important clue.”

“Damn, the culprit really must be stupid to leave something as obvious is that,” Hiyoko said. “Well I guess that’ll make things a lot easier when the trial comes around.”

“Do you think we can piece together anything from the arrangement of the clearing?” Ryota asked. “Like, I know someone walked through this, but maybe we can piece more of it together.” Maki squinted at the bushes before her. 

“From the looks of it, the bushes have been pushed aside for a long time,” Maki pointed out.

“Huh?” Hiyoko exclaimed. “How do you know that?” The caregiver trailed her fingers down the branches of the bushes, and her nail came into contact with a green string that blended into the environment. They weren’t as thick as rope, and it had no signs of damage by the environment, or by people.

“The branches of almost all the bushes in this path have been tied down by a layer of string of some sort,” Maki said. “Hmm, but how they got it is another question. Could they be in the market?” 

*Truth Bullet: Green String.*

“I’ve been there a few times,” Ryota said, “But I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Then if it’s not from the market, then someone whose talent involves string or whatever is obviously the culprit!” Hiyoko said. 

“That’s a good point,” Ryota considered. “We all have stuff related to our talents in our cottages, like my tablet.” Maki grimaced as she thought back to her own cottage. She made sure all the curtains were tightly sealed to ensure no one saw through her facade. If Kokichi knew her true talent, then who knows how he’d use it against her? It didn’t look like her cottage was tampered with so it would be best to ensure it stays that way.

“Hey, what’s that on the ground?” Hiyoko said, pointing at a glint of metal in the dirt. 

“I don’t see anything,” Ryota said, trying to make out what Hiyoko was pointing at.

“Jeez, are you blind?” Hiyoko said. “Maybe all that fat is blocking your eyes from this important clue!” Before Ryota could process the insult, Maki reached over and picked it up. She held it in front of her to inspect it. 

“It looks like it’s a zipper handle,” Maki said. “Could it belong to the culprit?”

“That might be it,” Ryota responded. “There aren’t that many people who wear zippers here, so that narrows things down. Maybe you should keep that with you.” 

*Truth Bullet: Zipper Handle*

“Is that it?” Hiyoko asked with a finger to her chin. “I thought there’d be more clues around here.”

“Hm, you said Hajime went off to the other side, right?” Maki asked Ryota. “Maybe I could get a clearer picture talking to him.” Maki took a step back before taking a running start toward the fence Hajime went over. With one graceful move, she vaulted past the fence, her body not even bumping into it.

“What a dramatic exit,” Ryota exclaimed. “I didn’t know child caregiving makes someone so skinny, yet athletic!” Hiyoko gave a slight scowl as the animator said child. 

“You don’t actually expect me to go through that do you?” Hiyoko said. 

“No, I don’t,” Maki said. “I gotta go search this and if you can’t follow, don’t go around making any trouble.”

“Hey, don’t treat me like a kid, I told you that!” Hiyoko shouted back. “Don’t just leave me here!” She grumbled before walking off. 

“I should probably check on Hajime too,” Ryota said to himself before walking toward the gates.

___________________________________________________________________

Makoto and his group left Leon’s cottage in search of more evidence elsewhere, leaving Nekomaru to investigate the room itself. Nekomaru stood in front of Leon’s cottage. He knew that once he was done investigating, it will be forever empty. Taka was not far behind, shifting uncomfortably. Taka knew that his cottage neighbors that of a dead man (or well, a robot.) His stomach churned at the thought of more people sharing the same sentiment.

“So we really have no choice but to search his cottage…” Taka said with a dejected look on his face.

“It’s the only way we’ll get closure for Leon’s death!” Nekomaru said. “It’s something that we have to carry on for his sake!”

“I just don’t know if I’m comfortable with searching through his room without his permission,” Taka responded. “There’s something very unwholesome about doing that!”  Though he knew he was sometimes forceful, he wasn’t the kind of person to invade their privacy.

“Leon, from one man to another, we must do this so that you can have peace!” Nekomaru shouted to the sky. Nekomaru took a deep breath before opening the door. What was unique to Leon’s room was a bunch of baseball related apparel. “Y-You really think we’ll find something related to Leon’s death?” Taka hesitantly took a step forward.

“We haven’t heard a lot from Leon before he died,” Nekomaru said. “Maybe this room could hold a clue, it’s the best that we got for now.” Though with Nekomaru’s size, it was a bit difficult to traverse the room. Bats, gloves, and baseballs all from different manufacturers lay scattered on the ground. The shelves that once presumably held them are now occupied with other things of Leon’s interests, including magazines, CDs, along with hairstyling products. The scent of expensive cologne wafted through the air, making Nekomaru crinkle his nose.

“Leon really is going all the way to impress, isn’t he?” Nekomaru thought. 

“Leon really meant it when he said he didn’t like his talent, didn’t he?” Taka said as he walked around, trying not to trip over the apparel strewn across the floor.

“He had the heart of an athlete, but his brain was always elsewhere,” Nekomaru sighed. “He must’ve gotten all this stuff from the market, or maybe even from the others. It looks like he really wanted to distract himself from his talent.”

“Or this killing game,” Taka added. Nekomaru eyed the items on Leon’s desk, and noticed something that’s out of place in Leon’s collection. 

“Is that a spool of thread?” Nekomaru asked as he picked it up. It was wrapped in a thick layer of green yarn. “What use could Leon have for it.”

“Oh, I know! He could be interested in sewing, knitting, or surgery, though I doubt it’s the latter. I’ve spent a bit of time myself learning how to sew, as it’s all part of being an independent citizen!” Taka responded.

“But about that…” Nekomaru said. “You don’t see a needle anywhere, do you? I don’t think Leon was the kind of guy to do something like sewing.” 

“You really think such a mundane thing could be a clue?” Taka asked.

“I’m not saying I knew Leon all THAT well, but it’s best to hold onto that,” Nekomaru said. 

*Truth Bullet: Spool of Yarn* Taka continued to shift around in Leon’s room, observing the numerous bats on the floor.

“There sure are a lot of bats lying around,” Taka said. “They’ll never be used again, if they ever were…”

“Yeah, and I could tell by looking that they were really high quality!” Nekomaru said. “They’re nothing like those cheap aluminum bats at the supermarket!” Nekomaru crouched over and picked one of them up. “Like this one here. This one was without a doubt made out of hickory wood, which was known for being heavier than most other bats. However, I do see some more modern, maple bats around this room.”

“Heavier, you say?” Taka said. “It would be in character for Monokuma to put down something more suitable for uh, killing…” The moral compass sighed. “We should probably put Leon’s bats down now and get back on track…” Nekomaru gave the bat one last look, before noticing dried dirt and scratches. 

“Hold on, Taka!” Nekomaru raised his voice at this abnormality. “This bat has a dent on it?”

“A dent?” Taka repeated. “Didn’t you say Leon never used these?”

“Hmph, we can never be sure after all…” Nekomaru replied. “I don’t think it’s related to the crime, since it can’t be the murder weapon.”

“Yeah, it’s in Leon’s room, and he’s the victim after all…”

*Truth Bullet Obtained: Baseball Bat.*

“There’s one more thing we can cover here,” Nekomaru said. “Remember the motive videos that Monokuma gave us?”

“Leon without a doubt got one like the rest of us!” Taka exclaimed, however the revelation gave little hope. “Um, but because of our viewing… we don’t know whose motive video he got.”

“Yeah, we might need some help with that,” Nekomaru muttered.

“Curses!” Taka flared. “I-I just feel like there’s something we could’ve done to stop this! It was stupid of me to think that just a few rules could stop another murder!” Taka leaned against Leon’s door and brought a sleeve to his face, trying to hold in the frustration.

“Taka!” Nekomaru began. “An honours student like you shouldn’t weep so easily! It’s easy to get caught up about something like this, but you must set an example for everyone!” 

“I can’t set an example because no one would want to follow me in the first place at this rate!”

“Hey, we aren’t just trying to follow you…” Nekomaru said. “Just because you are trying to be the leader doesn’t mean your feelings don’t matter.”

“We’re supposed to look out for each other, aren’t we?”

“If someone like me were to say anything, I’d just annoy everyone!” Taka responded.

“Well it annoys me that you’re thinking things like that, how about that?” Nekomaru grunted. “It’s not a waste of time to talk to you about man to man problems. It’s not just me. There’s a lot of people here you can talk to about your problems… So when you got the time, don’t be afraid to just vent things out.”

“Having this sort of talk during an investigation…” Taka said. “Something about it feels in poor taste as well, but I’ve never had an experience like this before…”

“Well, you’ll have to be in the investigating mindset if you want to get anything done!” Taka gave another look at Nekomaru’s intense yet warmhearted gaze before standing back up straight.

“Y-You’re right. Maybe if we get through the trial, I should reevaluate myself.”

“When we get through you mean,” Nekomaru gave a soft smile. He then proceeded to pick his nose to clear it.

“Hey!” Taka scolded, returning to some of his energy. “It’s extremely disrespectful to do that in public or at someone else’s place! Leon might be dead but I like to think we’re guests at his cottage!” 

“Heh, that’s the tone I want to hear from you,” Nekomaru said, before wincing again at the scent. “I’ve had my fair share of powerful scents, but this room is not something my nose will forget.” He picked up one of Leon’s spaer jackets and held it  in his hands.

“Get a bag, Taka… and a sizable one at that.” Nekomaru said, an idea welling up in his mind. He never considered himself a very smart person academically, but it felt good when the gears started turning.

“Why?” Taka asked. 

“We might have an answer to finding Leon’s motive video…”

__________________________________________________________________
Hajime finally managed to make his way back to the path.

“Ryota will probably want to map this stuff out.” He continued to put pressure on his leg where he pierced his shoe, trying to adjust his walking to the new orifice on his sneaker.

“Hajime,” a soft yet stoic voice called. He looked behind and was surprised to see Maki walking toward him the same direction he came from.

“Maki, how’d you follow me here?!”

“Investigating the same thing as you are,” Maki replied. 

“Well, you want to know what I saw?” Hajime asked. “No doubt someone went through here. What I also noticed is that there’s blood on Leon’s roof, I wonder what’s up with that?”

“It does seem like they’ve been planning using this from the start,” Maki explained. “Did you notice the string pulling the bushes apart?”

“What?” Hajime asked in realization. “I just went through the bushes and assumed someone brushed through them.”

“The bushes weren’t pulled back because someone trampled on them… they were strung up.”

“So this whole area may have more relevance than I first thought,” Hajime said to Maki. 

“Another thing I noticed,” Maki said. “I don’t see anyone using this path often, except for us and some suspicious people. What I know is that multiple came here before us.”

“How could you know that?” Hajime asked.

“Well, it’s easy to miss but there are four sets of footprints on the soil of the area with the bushes.”

“Great, so we know the footprints of each person who went through?”

“Each of them are distinct, but by the looks of it, we can’t tell exactly who.”

“I think that narrows things down quite a bit,” Hajime said, walking back toward empty patch of dirt. He inspected it for himself, and he could recognize his own footprints, as he put his foot outward. There were three other sets. Maki put her own shoe forward for comparison. Out of the remaining, there was one print that was like a sneaker, similar to Hajime’s. The last one was more rounded in appearance. However, what’s curious is that the print was deeper in the front than the back.

“Hmm, what I can get is that whoever owns this footprint is shorter than I am,” Hajime said. “That makes sense, because I can’t imagine someone like Mondo getting through this.”

“I’m not sure if they’re shorter than me,” Maki said, furrowing her brow. “Foot size doesn’t correlate to height, and I don’t think we can be bothered to go around checking everyone’s feet.” 

*Truth Bullet: Footprints.* 

“Hey, wait up!” Ryota called out, holding out his tablet.

“Ryota, did you get something?” Hajime said.

“I drew everything out, finally!” Ryota handed him his tablet. “Don’t accidentally erase everything, though.” Hajime peered at the sketch Ryota made. It was a very shapely map, like something you would see in an architect’s blueprint. The layout leading to Leon's cottage was first, the pathway outside the hotel. Then, the patch of bushes and the fences. Then, there was land between the fence and the water all the cottages were above. There was a sizeable amount of space between each cottage, leading to the water below. And finally, there was the boardwalk in front of Leon's cottage, with Korekiyo and Makoto's cottage on the opposite side. 

“I didn’t know you could draw maps as well,” Hajime said.

“Concept art is a big part of animation,” Ryota said, rubbing his neck. “So it’s best not to slack on map making skills, either.”

“Are you sure we can trust Ryota’s map?” Maki asked, unimpressed by his display.

“I take offense to that!” Ryota said. “I may look soft, but my skill here is never second best on this island!” All of the markings Hajime pointed out were there; the positioning of the bush patches, the ordering of the cottages, and the positioning of the footprints. 

“You listened in on our conversation?” Maki asked.

“Well what else is there for me to do this investigation?” 

*Truth Bullet: Ryota’s Map* 

“Maki, I saw you and Hiyoko investigating together. Were you both with each other when Leon died?”

“Yeah… I was outside with Hiyoko. I needed some time to think to myself without the chatter of everyone.”

“Sounds like Hiyoko is enough noise for you,” Hajime said. 

“With that out of the way, where were you two?”

“I was in my room, thinking about my next work,” Ryota said. “I saw Hina and Makoto take Leon out of the water if that narrows the time…”

“I was also in my room,” Hajime said. “I don’t think I have anyone backing me up, except that I passed by Kazuichi on the way there.” 

“Hmph, none of that seems suspicious,” Maki said. “I guess we’ll figure out everyone else’s alibis soon enough.”

__________________________________________________________________

Taka returned to Nekomaru with the bag in his hands. 

“Alright, now I want you to CAREFULLY stuff it in!” Nekomaru commanded. “We don’t want anyone’s scent but Leon’s on it.”

“Scent?” Taka asked. “What are you going on about.”

“A true team manager continues to bond with their team outside of the field,” Nekomaru explained. “I saw this in a movie my team at the time and I watched together where anyone’s belongings had a scent and could be traced back.”

“You’re going to base this off a movie you watched?” Taka asked. “I have only studied movies and I can tell that many movies are extremely unrealistic.”

“We’ll never know if we try it out am I right?!” Nekomaru walked out toward the pool in search of someone who could pick up Leon’s scent. 

“Just who do you have in mind who has such an ability?!” Taka asked. As they reached the pool, they saw something quite bizarre. They saw Angie meditating, and a few people had gathered around, ranging from Himiko, Sonia, Korekiyo, Gundham, and Teruteru of all people. The only person who was following suit in meditating was Himiko. Korekiyo was watching intently from afar, while Gundham was talking to Sonia and Teruteru sat with a worried look. 

“She really captivated an audience, hasn’t she?” Nekomaru said. “I am a bit surprised.” Taka knew first-hand how captivating Angie can be to say the least. Surprised was an understatement.

“What’s with all this while there’s an investigation at hand?!” Taka asked.

“Though it appears I may be loitering, I assure you that isn’t the case,” Korekiyo spoke. “This is a development that’s a one time opportunity. I myself stay away from sticking to one religion, but I am equally interested in observing their practices.” 

“It’s not even the conversion I’m worried about!” Taka said. “You’re all lollygagging instead of investigating!”

“E-Everything’s gonna turn out alright i-in the end, right?” Teruteru responded nervously. “Just like it all has for me… I mean being told to meditate by a cute girl, it sounds a little weird but I think it’s giving me a-”

“Taka, we gotta stay on the trail!” Nekomaru said. “Attention everyone! This seems like a strange question at first but can anyone here recognize the scent of this?” He held up Leon’s encased jacket. 

“That is a strange question indeed…” Gundham said. “But thankfully for you, one that has an answer.”

“Oh, you mean your Dark Devas, right?” Sonia said with a gleaming voice.

“My servants of darkness do in fact have a superior sense of smell…” Gundham began. “Well, come forth if you dare… but one wrong step will result in your obliteration!”

“I don’t mean to intrude, by why are you in Angie’s prayer group, Gundham?” Taka asked as he handed it over. Gundham took a glance at the princess and back at Taka.

“How dare you disrespect the Supreme Overlord of Ice!” Gundham said. “Do I need a reason to be here?!” Nekomaru unzipped the bag and handed the jacket to Gundham.

“Just tell me if your hamsters recognize this, it’s as simple as that!” Nekomaru said. Gundham took a look at the jacket, before recoiling and pinching his nose.

“What in the world?” Gundham said. “This scent is like an unbearable cacophony invading my mind!” It seemed as if the Devas had the same reaction to Gundham, as they squirmed to hide behind Gundham’s neck. “It’s debatable whether these substances are harmful or not to them…”

“I can’t help but feel we’re being a bit disrespectful to Leon,” Nekomaru commented. 

“Nyeh if you’re going to argue why don’t you go somewhere else?” Himiko groaned. 

“Hey, coach Nekomaru!” Akane ran up to him. “Watcha got there?!”

“Another person who just can’t be quiet…” Himiko continued to complain.

“Oh, Akane, where did you come from?” Taka asked. 

“Ah, I went back to my room after Leon was found dead, minding my own business, when I caught this overwhelming scent. I was gonna beat up whoever was picking a fight with my nose, so that’s why I’m here!”

“I can only imagine what kinda comments Leon got while he was alive…” Nekomaru said.

“The fight can come later,” Taka said. “You noticed this from all the way at your room?”

“It reminded me of those sleazy weirdos at nightclubs I used to work at,” Akane said. 

“C’mon, the Leon I know is not like that!” Nekomaru retorted. “He was experimenting with this newfound luxury, I would say… getting all these expensive looking accessories.”

“That is strange,” Sonia joined in. “I don’t think they sell these at the market. It is possible he got them from another Ultimate’s room, or even from that machine… What was the word for it, a Gachagon?” 

“What machine?” Taka asked. “I have never heard of such a thing.”

“Oh, it’s a diversion that foolish mortals waste their valuables for short term pleasure. People spend so much money, yet get so little out of it.”

“You mean gambling?!” Taka asked exasperated. “That’s definitely against the school rules! Who would ever add such a thing to this island?!”

“That’s not important right now!” Nekomaru shouted. “Akane, you think you can find this scent on other objects?”

“Alright, sure,” Akane said. “But it better be important!” Nekomaru, Akane, and Taka all walked past the pool and up the stairs toward the restaurant. As they walked up, they heard the hotel lobby doors opening and Kyoko stepping out.

“What is the meaning of this?” Kyoko demanded. She looked out and saw the group hanging around Angie. 

“Ah, Kyoko! Would you like to join and listen to the word of Atua?”

“No. Though I can’t suppose everyone can be useful to an investigation…” Kyoko said as she crossed her arms. “But, now that you’re all gathered here, it’s a good time to ask for alibis. Where was everyone during the time of murder?”

“Let me recall,” Korekiyo began. “We can assume Hina discovered Leon at around 11:20. Well, I was surveying the boarded up building with Rantaro. We can account for each other there.”

“I was not there to witness Leon’s passing,” Gundham said. “My four Dark Devas needed fresh air after breakfast, so I took them out of the hotel grounds. Maki and Hiyoko can account for me.”

“Himiko and I haven’t left the restaurant at all before the discovery!” Angie claimed. “She needed comforting after seeing her motive video, so I stayed with her the entire time!”

“Nyeh… I didn’t need comforting,” Himiko said. “But the rest of it is true.”

“Oi, if you wanna know where I was,” Akane called out from the stairwell. “I was busy training myself at the baseball field! Peko and Chihiro were with me as well!”

“Hmm, so you were training this whole time?” Nekomaru asked. “Well, you know, Taka, Sonia, Mahiru and I were also at the restaurant, thinking about how to go about with the motive videos. Kaede went off to call over the people outside the hotel. Hina was also around, so I got her to do that too.”

“I can confirm that!” Sonia shouted back. 

“Well if you must know what I was doing,” Teruteru said. “I was busy taking some food down to the lobby in case anyone else was hungry, anything to get away from those terrible videos, I say. Kaede and Akane took some before leaving, but others like Tsumugi and Kazuichi took some to go as well. Makoto and Chiaki were playing games at the lobby, and I’m sure Kirumi was upstairs as well.”

“That is quite a handful,” Kyoko commented. “We’ll pick apart everyone else’s at the trial.”

*Truth Bullet: Alibis* 

The three hurried into the restaurant, and found the tall stack of videos, seemingly untouched.

“Akane, do any of the motive videos have Leon’s scent on it?” Akane began to sniff, her nose twitching at any stimulus as she approached it and began picking up each video. After a minute of searching, she had an analysis of each of the video’s scents. Akane held a firm grasp in one of the videos with both of her hands.

“Hey, I got one!” Akane said. “This one definitely has Leon’s scent on it. Though it ain’t the only one.”

“Not the only one?” Nekomaru said. “What do you mean by that?! Each of us only got one video!”

“Maybe some people among us have been trading motive videos!” Taka shouted in realization. “Akane, what’s the other one?” Akane had no hesitation on picking out a second video.

“I’m not sure if this will provide objective evidence, but I think what reasons someone might have to be a target could bring us a bit closer.” Nekomaru booted up the first video. 

“Who’s the most important person in your life?” Monokuma announced. Turns out, the motive video was Fuyuhiko’s. 

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to see the life of a gangster like him,” Taka said uneasily. 

“As we know, our baby gangster is the heir of the famous Kuzuryu clan, one of the oldest and most powerful gangs in all of Japan.” Scenes shifted rapidly, from yakuzas in stockholder meetings, watching over streets with many businesses, and even another scene where a Yakuza was counting money running a strip club. The operatives were all recognizable by their elaborate tattoos barely visible, sticking out on their necks and wrists, even with their suits concealing most of their bodies. 

“I’ve had run ins with thugs, but I’ve never seen stuff like this!” Akane commented. 

“T-This is why I dedicated my life to justice and morals!” Taka said. “I would never allow this! How could Fuyuhiko even stand running these horrible operations?”

“The power of the Kuzuryu clan is so great, that who knows what seemingly harmless shops, restaurants, or organizations are secretly fronts of them?” Taka continued to stare in shock at the revelation.

“Okay I guess maybe indirectly, I might’ve had run ins,” Akane said.

“I-I imagined a world where the corrupt would be stopped and pay for their crimes.” Taka said, biting his lip. “Just like my....” he stopped himself from saying that before he could spill out another word. “But it looks like corruption is rewarded in the eyes of the Yakuza!”

“Would Fuyuhiko really be willing to allow such a massive empire crumble? Who knows how much longer his father, the current Oyabun has to live? I mean, he already has the advantage since he’s already got someone on board on this island helping him! I’m sure you can find a way out and graduated, because that’s the only way you’ll find out!” The video faded to black, and left the students watching staring in shock.

“I WASN’T PREPARED FOR A BOMBSHELL LIKE THAT!” Nekomaru shouted. “What if Leon really was killed by Fuyuhiko?!”

“I don’t know it seems pretty obvious now,” Akane said. “We got our motive!”

“W-What’s even more troubling…” Taka muttered. “Is that this video admitted that there was more than one person working with Fuyuhiko at the beginning!”

“I thought we were all strangers before coming here!” Akane said. “That’s not fair!” 

“Shit,” Nekomaru said. “And that’s just the first video… we gotta see the other one as well…”

“I think we already have our culprit,” Taka said. “But it can’t hurt to look, right?” Taka took the next video and played it. This time, it was none other than Kokichi’s.

“Kokichi killing him is also plausible, seeing how that kid acted,” Nekomaru said.

“Kokichi Ouma is the supreme leader of a grand total of ten thugs!” The video showed a picture of Kokichi with a group of ten, all dressed similarly to his white straitjacket-esque uniform. However, all of their faces were obscured by clown masks. “This team that Kokichi leads is called DICE, and they’re the closest thing to family that our leader can ever have! However, this gang is dedicated to harmless pranks with a strict policy to avoid killing people at all costs!” 

“I was expecting something a bit more shady from Kokichi, considering all the trouble he’s caused us already…” Nekomaru said. 

“That’s finally a good surprise!” Taka said. “Though that doesn’t explain his behavior at all! It’s as if he’s trying to get someone to kill or be killed during this entire motive!”

“Now let’s just say his gang ran into a lot of trouble while Kokichi was off and away!” Monokuma continued. The video then showed the members of DICE in a dark cell behind bars. Almost all of them look beaten, their clothes ripped bloodstained and dirty. A few of them were lying unconscious, making them unsure of whether they were alive or not. “Kokichi will have to graduate to find out just what happened to his gang members!”

“So were these really the videos that Leon received?!” Nekomaru said, trying to process all the information. “Just seeing Fuyuhiko’s video would make me want to shit myself if I were in his shoes…” 

“No doubt about it!” Akane said. “There are two things that are never wrong; my gut and my nose!”

“We should keep this information for the trial,” Taka muttered. He too, was shaken up by viewing both videos. Seeing the violence inflicted onto Kokichi’s team made him worried of what could’ve befell of his own family…” 

*Truth Bullet: Motive Videos*

“Another thing I noticed is this motive video right here,” Akane picked another one out. “It’s kinda sticky on this side, and I had a bit of trouble picking out the other videos since they were a bit stuck.”

“You’re right,” Nekomaru said, running his fingers through the video. “It’s almost like something adhesive was stuck here. Who’s video could that be?” With some precaution, he turned on the video. It belonged to Leon.

“We watched this already,” Taka said. “Wouldn’t whoever handled this have noticed this patch of glue like stuff?”

“Who was the one who loaded up the video?” Nekomaru asked. “Whoever felt it shoulda spoke up about it!”

“I remember that it was Sonia who plugged it in, and I didn’t hear her complain one bit,” Taka said. 

“Since this is Leon’s video, we should keep this with us.”

*Truth Bullet: Leon’s Video* 

*Ding Dong Ding Dong*

The bell rang once again. The students have become familiar with the chime.

“So it’s finally time!” Nekomaru shouted.

“But it doesn’t feel like we’re any closer to solving Leon’s murder at all!” Taka said. “Looks like we’ll just have to ride things out at the trial…”

“Don’t worry, it’ll all sort itself out, right coach?” Akane said, unfazed by the trial announcement. 

“That’s what’s everyone hoping, I’m sure of it!” Nekomaru responded. 

“Ah, right, there’s one thing I noticed about these videos,” Akane said. “I guess everyone must have a sweet tooth, but I can’t blame em!”

“What do you mean by that?” Nekomaru asked.

“All of these videos, they also smell like mint chocolate.” 

“Mint chocolate?” Taka repeated.

“Nah, I bet it came from the kitchen,” Akane said. “Or I’m just gettin’ hungry. Let’s just get a move on and kick the culprit’s butt!” The trio left the restaurant and made their way to Monokuma Rock. 

___________________________________________________________

It was finally time, and most of the students had gathered around Monokuma Rock, waiting anxiously for the escalator to appear. The atmosphere was more quiet and grim than the last trial, as Sayaka and Leon were now absent. A few people sobbed softly, as seeing Leon die before them was still fresh on their minds. Not even the more talkative students like Ibuki or Teruteru had anything to say, fidgeting nervously instead. 

“I didn’t think we’d ever come back here…” Mahiru said solemnly. “Only three days have passed since we last had to have an awful trial.”

“Hey, all that’s left to do now is find the culprit and get out of this alive!” Kaito tried to reassure everyone.

“Kaito, you’re such a broken record,” Kokichi said. “The last time you said that, Leon was there to hear it, so what do you have to say to him now?”

“Yeah, this is a load of bullshit!” Miu grumbled. “You’re gonna say the same thing once we axe the culprit and then another murder will happen again!”

“Now, now,” Nagito said. “This is exactly what Monokuma wants, for us to start bickering before the trial even begins. We should keep our mind clear for the trial.”

“I agree with Nagito…” Chiaki said. “It’s easy to look at hindsight, so we have to stick with what’s to come.”

“Hey, has anyone seen Fuyuhiko or Ryoma?”

“I am not surprised Fuyuhiko would be late…” Peko said.

“He’s a typical criminal male!” Tenko shouted. “He's making the rest of us do all the work in the investigation!”

“Let us be honest, how many people actually participated in the investigation?” Celeste said. “I will not defend him, but many here have done even less than him.”

“Ryoma?” Hina said. “It’s kinda weird that he hasn’t showed up yet.”

“Yes, it is indeed strange that he isn’t here…” Sakura said. “He doesn’t seem like the type of person to run late.”

“Ooh, you think he got murdered?” Kokichi asked. “I mean, Monokuma should’ve dragged him here by now, right?”

“Hm, I’m sure he’s just clearing his mind,” Nekomaru said. And sure enough, Ryoma walked into the scene. 

“I’m right here,” Ryoma muttered.

“Ryoma, where have you been?” Kaede said. 

“I’ve told you right? I’ve been doing some investigating on my own.” 

“On your own?” Celeste repeated. “If you are by yourself, could you not have destroyed potential evidence?”

“Hmph, I wouldn’t do anything as lame as that,” Ryoma said. “Though it seems now it’s making me suspicious. He took out another one of his cigarettes and put them to his lips.

“Indeed you do look suspicious,” Byakuya said. “You didn’t even try to explain yourself.”

“Well, you can say the same for yourself…” Ryoma said. 

“Hey, are you doing good, Ryoma?” Kaito asked. 

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Ryoma replied. “We got a trial to solve, and I’m here to carry it out.” Kaito noticed that he spoke with an even heavier tone than usual, each word weighing onto his shoulders. It took a lot of his own energy not to let it seep into his mood.

“Oh, Fuyuhiko is here, also!” Taka said. “Where were you during the investigation?”

“None of your damn business,” Fuyuhiko scowled. “I don’t have to stick by your shitty rules to get around.” 

“Hey! You have a responsibility to fulfill as well!” Taka shouted, trying hard to hold in his personal bias. “As a student on this island you have a responsibility to-”

“Investigate who the culprit is! Is that what you were gonna say?” Monokuma appeared finally. “Well, do it or don’t do it, I don’t care, but forty students are more difficult to clean up than just one…” 

“Gah! Where did you come from?!” Kazuichi jumped back. 

“I don’t know about you but I’m starting to get used to Monokuma’s sudden appearances,” Hiro said. 

“Glad you could all make it in a relatively timely manner! If not, maybe I would get my Monobeasts to coerce you into coming! After all, you don’t want to leave your podium cold and dusty!”

“You and your terrible Monobeasts!” Monomi appeared once again. “I swear one day you’ll get what’s coming to you!”

“I didn’t expect you of all people to be making empty promises!” Monokuma laughed. “Well, without further ado, make your way up the escalator. If you aren’t in a hurry to die, I recommend not tripping and falling to your death!” Monokuma clapped his hands, and the escalator descended from the mouth of the rock monument. Monomi followed Monokuma to the rock, into the depths below.

“One thing I don’t get is why Miss Monomi would follow Monokuma if she knew she was going to be tied up…” Hifumi pondered.

“You’re seriously calling Monomi Miss?” Hiro asked, squinting his eyes. 

“I can’t help but give a certain respect to Monomi,” Hifumi said. “For a 3-D rabbit plush, she pulled off the magical girl shtick pretty well.”

“Okay enough hearing weeb talk and let’s get to the fun part!” Kokichi said, skipping his way up the stairs.

“Psh, if you’re somehow responsible for that dude’s murder,” Mondo spat. “You’re really gonna fuckin’ get it.” 

“I-It’s terrible how someone can have fun in a trial…” Chihiro said. 

“Kukuku, he is an interesting one,” Korekiyo chuckled. “He seems more entranced by the mystery of the trial than the death of his classmate…”

“Do not worry everyone!” Angie said as she stepped on the escalator. “Atua shall protect everyone and find the heathen who disturbed this island!”

“Don’t you ever shut up?” Hiyoko scowled. 

“This is a confusing trial,” Kaede said to Shuichi. “Is there anything you have that’ll lead us through?” Shuichi lightened the grip on his hat when Kaede put her hand on his shoulder.

“It looks difficult,” Shuichi said curtly. “But I think there are already a few things we can put together…”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit!” Kaito gave a thumbs up. “Looks like being my sidekick is starting to pay off!” One by one, the Ultimates made their way up the escalator. 

“Mahiru,” Hajime said, still feeling a bit awkward, though the direness of the situation put aside. “Let’s get this done together.”

“I don’t need to be told that,” Mahiru snapped back as she followed onto the stairs. “But at least I know you’re not lying when you say that.” Hajime made it to the top of the rock before being confronted by the elevator. One by one, everyone funneled in. It was still very crowded, forty-four students packed the steel cage, and it began to descend once again. 

“Though this elevator doesn’t feel anymore crowded, soon enough it will feel emptier with each trial...” Makoto thought to himself. “No! We’ll escape long before we see that! Everyone else knows their reason to see this trial through, and so do I!” Makoto hasn’t watched his own motive video, but he can predict that Monokuma would say his family was in peril. It wasn’t just for his family, however, he thought. “The friends I made along the way is more than enough! Leon Kuwata I know felt a bit lost in his life, even though he would never admit it… And now, he’ll never find his way because of this killing game! We’ll do what we have to do to survive this, and make sure Leon is the last murder...” Miu stood in the corner, trying to stop herself from quivering. She looked around and saw others still in varying states of mind. Some were cowering, while others stood tall, head craned in front of what will inevitably be the trial room.

“Dammit, Keebs, I can’t act like a fuckin’ bitch now,” A slurry of thoughts ran through Miu’s mind. “I don’t really give a shit who gets executed, but I’m sure you don’t want me joining you just yet…” The elevator soon came to a grinding halt, and the door opened to the trial room. This time, the room was redecorated with baseball apparel. It looked like they were in a miniature indoor baseball stadium. 

“Hmph, what bad taste…” Ryoma muttered as he got on his podium.

“Well, it’s a gentle reminder of the life the blackened has taken away, never to come back!” Monokuma said. “I’m not just Headmaster, I’m a real interior decorator too!” Makoto tried hard to ignore Monokuma’s taunts, gripping the podium to maintain his composure.

“I know well enough about Leon, but whoever the blackened was, they felt cornered like Sayaka did… I hoped that no one would end up in her position again, but now it’s us or them in this trial!” 

Chapter Text

*Truth Bullets*

Monokuma File #2: “The victim is Leon Kuwata, The Ultimate Baseball Star. The body was discovered at 10:30 AM, in the hotel lobby. The estimated time of death was 10:30 AM. The cause of death from blood loss. A large stab wound is on the back of his thigh, along with some water in the body’s lungs. A shallow cut was also found on his hand. No other signs of damage are present.” 

Blood on Makoto’s Cottage: A bloodstain was present on the wall of Makoto’s cottage, which is opposite to Leon’s. 

Leon’s Stab Wound: There was a stab wound present on the back of Leon’s thigh. An autopsy report showed that it severed his femoral artery.

 Leon’s Hand: A cut was present on Leon’s hand.

Kitchen Knife: A kitchen knife was found stuck on the back of Leon’s thigh. It was only removed once the autopsy began.

Recently Used Sink: The kitchen sink appeared to have been used recently as of the time of the investigation. 

Water Spots: The floor of the kitchen was recently wet during the viewings, but has dried, leaving 3 trails of stains. 

Gap in the Bushes: In the area of bushes right outside the hotel grounds, a patch of bushes had been pulled aside enough that someone could fit through it without making contact with it. 

Imprint on Leon’s Roof: Prints shaped like fingers were lined across Leon’s roof, on the side of his cottage where there is only water below. 

Closed Curtains: Everyone’s curtains appeared to be closed during the time of Leon’s murder

Wet Duct Tape: A wet piece of duct tape was found floating in the water below the cottages, around where Leon was attacked. 

Green String: Green string was found tied around the bushes, pulling them back, and it blended it in with the vegetation and soil.

Zipper Handle: A broken piece of zipper was found on the ground where the bushes were.

Spool: A spool of green thread was found in Leon’s room.

Baseball Bat: A dented and dirty baseball bat was found in Leon’s room. The other bats had no signs of usage. 

Footprints: At least four sets of footprints were found in the path between the fence and the water’s edge. 

Ryota’s Map: Ryota’s map displayed a full layout of the path discovered in the hotel grounds. Its entrance seemed out of the way from the path. 

Alibis: Before the body discovery announcement, all known alibis are: Akane, Peko, and Chihiro were at the baseball field. Maki was together with Hiyoko. Sonia, Nekomaru, Taka, Mahiru, Himiko, Teruteru, Makoto, Sakura, and Angie were at the restaurant building. Rantaro and Korekiyo were investigating the abandoned building. Kaede and Hina were calling people back from the break before Leon’s body was discovered. 

Motive Videos: Leon was in possession of Fuyuhiko and Kokichi’s videos at one point, according to Akane. 

Adhesive on Leon’s Video: A bit of adhesive material can be felt on the back of Leon’s motive video. 

____________________________________________________________________

Everyone was gathered once again for the class trial. On Leon’s podium was his portrait, with 2 baseball bats forming an X marked on his face. Once again, Monomi had already been tied up by Monokuma, and was dangling from the ceiling.

“I don’t think I have to repeat myself, do I?” Monokuma said. “But in case the blackened forgot, remember that you have to do everything in your power not to get caught! I wouldn’t want a case where they were so dumb they forgot the rules of the trial!”

“Stop wasting our time,” Kyoko said. “The more you talk, the more time taken away from this trial.”

“Where we do we even start, Miss Kirigiri?” Hifumi asked, still shaken up about the murder. “I must say, there’s already a lot to cover.”

“This whole investigation was confusing,” Hiro said. “I have to agree with him here.”

“Tch, what aren’t you confused by?” Celeste muttered. “I think the simplest thing to do here is to recount everything that happened before the body discovery announcement.”

“What’re we gonna get from that?” Fuyuhiko asked. “Everything was pretty straightforward, we gathered around, watched some shitty videos and went about our lives ‘til Leon bit the dust.”

“Leon left the restaurant like most of us did,” Korekiyo said. “Perhaps it would be useful to know who last saw Leon before he died?”

“Though some people remained in groups, I think he just went back to his room,” Hajime proposed. 

“Is there anyone who last saw Leon alive?” Makoto asked. “From what I’ve heard, none of his neighbors were in their rooms at the time of the attack.” He remembered that Korekiyo, Taka, and himself were all away from their cottages, so they definitely weren’t around at the time of Leon’s death. 

“That’s a pretty terrible coincidence!” Ibuki summed up. “Now no one knows where he was before he died!”

“Is there no way we can narrow anyone down?” Hiro sulked. “I told you this investigation was too confusing!”

“Hey, it’s not like us to give up so early,” Nagito reassured. “There are a few things we can do, like talk about our alibis.”

“There’s a lot of people to be accounted for,” Maki said. “I was outside with Hiyoko when the body discovery announcement rang.”

“Were you together the whole time?” Makoto asked.
“We were together for a bit after breakfast, and we met up about 5 minutes before the body discovery announcements.”

“I hope we get some sweet new things after the trial,” Hiyoko said. “Even squishing ants gets old after a while.”

“What you say?!” Gonta exclaimed in horror. He gripped the podium so hard, the wood cracked under his strength. “Hiyoko SQUISH ANTS?!”

“Hold it,” Monokuma grumbled. “You can’t go around tearing my trial room up all willy nilly! That’s some expensive lumber I imported here!”

“Someone’s gotta calm Gonta down! We can’t have another murder during the trial!” Ibuki screamed. 

“I think you misheard, Gonta!” Kokichi laughed. “Hiyoko meant playing with ants, because she loves them soooo much!”

“What, no? I ha-” Hiyoko began before being interrupted again. 

“Gonta, make sure you show Hiyoko all sorts of bugs when we get back from the trial! I’m sure she’ll love them.”

“Oh, it true that Hiyoko loves ants? Gonta said, calming down a bit. “Okay! Gonta will do his best after trial!”

“I’m a bit worried for Hiyoko, but at least the trial can move on now,” Shuichi thought.

“Korekiyo and I were investigating that old building Monomi boarded up,” Rantaro said. 

“So that confirms Korekiyo’s alibi,” Kyoko said. 

“Well, A lot of us were at the restaurant before everything happened, so that crosses out a lot of people,” Mahiru explained. “Myself, Nekomaru, Taka, Kaede, Kirumi, Himiko, Angie, Hina, and Sakura were at the restaurant. Teruteru, Makoto, and Chiaki were also at the lobby.”

“Crap, I was at the lobby too!” Kazuichi said.

“You were only there until Makoto challenged me, and then you left…” Chiaki corrected. “So you don’t have an alibi after that.”

“I wouldn’t say challenged more than I would say stomped,” Makoto thought.

“Well that makes more than us,” Hajime said. “I was at my room as well.”

“Everyone who claims to be anywhere without an alibi before the murders is a suspect,” Byakuya said. “Quite a few people were in their rooms, yet did no one seriously hear Leon being attacked?”

“Barracuda, where were you then?” Kokichi asked. “I assume you were also hiding out in your room, sniffing books like you always do!”

“I was sitting on the outside of the restaurant’s second floor,” Byakuya said. “I honestly couldn’t wait for how the motive videos would unfold, had Leon not gotten himself killed.”

“I can attest to that,” Kirumi said. “He was there before Leon was found.”

“I was doing exercises outside at the baseball field,” Peko said. “It wasn’t long until Akane joined in to uh, battle me. I’m not one for needless conflict, but I obliged her anyway.”

“Yeah, that was a fun fight, Peko!” Akane smiled. “Though something tells me you weren’t using your full power, so be sure to go all out next time!”

“Was anyone else at the baseball field?” Mukuro asked. “That is a big area to cover.”

“Oh, yeah, Chihiro was there with her laptop n spectating ‘n all that!” Akane added.

“I didn’t take her for being interested in sports!” Tenko said. “Maybe she should join in next time!”

“I-I didn’t want to interrupt, but I thought it’d be kinda interesting to watch,” Chihiro said, slightly flustered at having to explain.

“Are you interested in girls fighting to the DEATH?!” Ibuki asked. “Okay, death’s a bit of a stretch but still entertaining!”

“Aheh, perhaps Miss Fujisaki is waiting for some more intimate-”

“MAYBE CHIHIRO WANTS TO SEE TRUE ATHLETES IMPROVING THEMSELVES!” Nekomaru said. “That’s very admirable of you!”

“C’mon, be more sensitive!” Mahiru said. “We shouldn’t just put her in the spotlight like this!”

“I-It’s fine,” Chihiro said. “I didn’t exactly find what I was looking for, but it was interesting.” In truth, he was waiting to see if a guy would pass, like Mondo or even Leon, but it didn’t come today. Chihiro felt himself looking at Mondo as he talked, but when he caught on, he looked away. It didn’t look like anyone noticed…

“Uh, I also saw Toko, Hiyoko, and Maki passing by as I watched.”

“B-Before you make any assumptions,” Toko explained in her usual tone. “I just needed to get away from all the noise about the videos! I-It’s really hard even outside of the hotel!”

“Listen, hearing all these alibis must be very interesting, but perhaps we should go over the murder itself…” Celeste said. “All of the objective evidence we found at the scene of the crime.”

“H-Hey, all that I’m trying to say is that I didn’t do it!” Toko growled. “D-Don’t interrupt me!”

“Yeah, I agree,” Shuichi said. “Maybe we can narrow things down by the method. Mikan was the one who did the autopsy, right?”

“There was an autopsy?” Mondo asked. “I thought it was pretty clear the dude got killed by a stab with a knife.”

“I-I’m sorry for being so unnecessary!” Mikan cried into her hands. 

“Don’t discourage her, you degenerate!” Tenko shouted at Mondo.

“Hey! I wasn’t trying to target her, I thought everything was fuckin’ obvious about the murder weapon!” Mondo shouted back.

“Far from it,” Kyoko stepped in. “There’s still a few questions to ask, like the type of knife and where the culprit got it. Or even the way Leon was stabbed can be telling.”

“There was only one, very deep wound on his leg,” Mikan explained slowly. “I can assure Leon didn’t bleed too heavily, since the knife was blocking the artery, or else he would’ve already been dead when Makoto and Hina found them…” 

“Ah, I see!” Sonia exclaimed. “That’s not anything like those psycho killers I see in horror movies, you know, the ones who just go crazy and slash up their victims!”

“A culprit doing something like that would’ve gotten blood everywhere Miss Sonia,” Kazuichi said. 

“That wasn’t the only wound Leon had,” Celeste continued. “His hand was also lacerated during the attack, right? Did the culprit also inflict that wound during the attack?”

“I disagree,” Kyoko said. “The culprit wanted one deliberate, clean stab. Chances are, he grabbed the wound as a reflex.”

“Nagito and I discussed that during the investigation,” Makoto said. “His hand left a print on my own cottage, and he probably fell in the water from there.”

“Ah, how nice of Leon to leave us a dying clue!” Kokichi said. “Even if it was totally unintentional.”

“This is important news,” Byakuya said. “That means the culprit could not have dragged him in the water themselves. I imagine that would’ve been far more messy for them. It looks like Leon hid himself.”

“Augh, that’s messed up!” Kazuichi commented. “You’re telling me Leon was down there, dying under us while a lot of us were in our rooms?”

“That’s not a very good way to go at all,” Nagito grimaced. “Cold, soaked, alone, how long was Leon down there?”

“Not very long, I presume…” Shuichi said. “The Monokuma File does no good on telling us when he was attacked, but the blood on the scene was still fresh.”

“Judging by the freshness of the blood, I assume Leon was attacked no more than five minutes before we discovered him!” Makoto concluded.

“It also took another two or three minutes for him to expire…” Korekiyo sighed. “That complicates a few alibis quite a bit.”

“Alright, here’s something I don’t understand,” Mondo said. “I’m one of the people who were in their rooms ‘n all that shit. How did our dude not even scream when he got attacked?”

“Yeah, it seems plain impossible for anyone to not make a sound after they got stabbed,” Tsumugi said with her chin rested on her cheek. 

“Maybe Leon bumped his head on the floor before he fell in!” Hiyoko suggested.

“Unless the file lied to us, that’s impossible!” Taka said. “The file didn’t suggest any wounds on his head!”

“B-But the file suggested that he had water in his lungs, right?” Hina asked. “Maybe, he went unconscious after falling underwater?”

“That’s a good observation, Hina.” Sakura commended. “Leon would’ve been panicking after he fell, so that must be how the water got in.”

“Drowning isn’t anything you see in the movies,” Hina sighed. “You only hear the sound of flailing, people don’t make sounds when water fills their lungs.”

“Have you been a lifeguard on top of being swimming pro?” Ryoma asked.

“I’ve volunteered in the past, though no one has ever drowned on me,” Hina explained. “Uh, until now, I guess…” She sadly turned her gaze toward her podium. 

“H-Hey, don’t feel down about yourself!” Tenko encouraged. “It’s pretty amazing you could do anything to help Leon out of the water in the first place!”

“So, if there’s nothing to say about hearing Leon, did seriously no one see him get attacked? Not even anyone who was in their rooms?” Kaede brought up.

“They would’ve brought it up already if someone had seen them,” Maki said, knowing that it can’t be as simple as that.

“Well, Leon died in the degenerate’s side, so of course males would be blind to someone being attacked.” Tenko accused.

"Well, one thing that could've contributed to Leon's attack not being seen is the cottages themselves," Hajime added. "It seems like everyone had their curtains up, so no one in their rooms could've seen anything happening."

"Do you think that was massive plan by the culprit to get everyone to close their curtains at the same time?!" Ibuki gasped.

"Nah, I think it was just a coincidence," Kazuichi answered. "I mean, who wouldn't want to close their curtains in a killing game like this?"

“Hina, did you see anything else while underwater?” Shuichi asked. “We should also go over any evidence that could’ve landed there.”

“I spent all my attention trying to save Leon,” Hina said. “I-I didn’t find anything down there.”

“I doubt anyone would want to re-enter the water during the investigation,” Sakura commented. 

“As a matter of fact, I do know someone,” Makoto answered. “Rantaro, remember what you found under the boardwalk?”

“You mean that piece of soaked tape?” Rantaro asked. “Yeah, the culprit must’ve had some use for it.”

“Tape at the crime scene?” Celeste inquired. “It would be strange for Leon to have something like that, so perhaps the culprit carried it?”

“H-Hey, isn’t Monokuma b-breaking his o-own rule for allowing the tape to get all littered around?!” Toko questioned.

“According to him, it was attached to the underside of the boardwalk, so it wasn’t considered littering…” Rantaro answered. “It’s a dumb answer, I know.”

“The culprit must’ve used this loophole as an advantage,” Makoto said. “I think it’s clear that it was the culprit that brought this in.”

“Of course my theory is correct,” Celeste said, before turning the question. “Could it be possible that they were using it to hide the knife?”

“That’s no way to handle any cutlery!” Teruteru complained. 

“Wait, couldn’t the culprit have just held it or put it in a bag?” Mondo brought up. “Why would they leave that kinda evidence instead of cleaning their shit up”

“Take a good look at everyone, Mond-Hoe!” Miu scowled. “How many of us are totin’ bags! And they sure as hell wouldn’t be using it to store knives when they could store crack!”

“Tch, don’t think you can push me just because you’re a chick!” Mondo growled.

“Yeah, keeping knives around would damage the fabric a lot,” Tsumugi said. “And it looks like the only people who carry bags are Kaede, Chiaki, and Hifumi.

“That doesn’t say a lot,” Mukuro thought aloud. “Two of them have solid alibis before the murder.”

“Plus, Chiaki and Kaede would never commit a murder!” Tenko defended.

“Hey, is no one going to stick up for my moral purity?” Hifumi asked.

“I don’t believe you did it, but moral purity is a bit questionable,” Tsumugi replied.

“Alright, I’ll take that,” Hifumi said in limited relief.

“So obviously, the culprit had no way to just carry it with them,” Kaede said. “That means they probably stuck it on their body.”

“And they don’t expect anyone to notice?” Hiyoko questioned. “What kinda dumbass would miss something like that?!”

“Well, that includes you, since you didn’t see the culprit with it, did you?” Kazuichi retorted.

“A few places they could’ve taped it to is to their own body,” Korekiyo offered as an explanation. “They could’ve strapped it to their chest, hiding it under their clothes, or perhaps even under their skirt if they’re a girl.”

“That seems kinda dangerous…” Mikan stammered. “The culprit might’ve cut themselves while moving…”

“Well, I don’t see anyone bleeding,” Ryota said. “So if that were the case, it worked well for them.”

“I ain’t surprised,” Kokichi dismissed Mikan’s concerns. “I bet more than one person here has no problem hiding weapons on their body,” Kokichi scoured the room, stopping his gaze clearly at Mukuro, before averting his eyes once again. Maki kept his glare at Kokichi, unsure of whether Kokichi stopped to look at her as well. 

“I think in that case, I think we can rule out girls with short skirts, right?” Tenko said. “Not that a girl would ever kill anyone, but there’s no way they can strap a knife to their leg without being noticed!”

“Also girls with big tiddies!” Miu laughed. “Hiding a knife on my chest definitely woulda poked a hole in my knockers!”

“How fascinating that breast size could cross people off the suspect list,” Teruteru chuckled. 

“Augh, it would’ve cost nothing for you to say that,” Mahiru winced. 

“Hey, don’t be jealous because my logic doesn’t apply to you!” Miu continued. “I bet there’s a good chance the midget lolis coulda done it!”

“Yo, there’s no way Chihiro coulda done it!” Akane said. “We already went over that!”

“I’m talking about the magician and the dancer,” Miu said.

“Why don’t you fuck off for once?!” Hiyoko tried to defend. “I ain’t gonna get my kimono with a wet knife!”

“Hiyoko had an alibi as well!” Tenko said. “And even if you are a girl, Hiyoko, you can’t accuse Himiko! What’s the male’s excuse? Any of them could’ve hid a knife anywhere, especially underneath multiple layers of clothes!”

“That’s without a doubt a good point,” Shuichi brought into account. No one would notice a wet knife on a guy if they have multiple layers of clothes, or have waterproof material like leather on them.”

"So we know how the culprit took the knife with them, but where does that get us?” Hiro groaned. “We can’t even tell where the culprit was before the murder!”

"We might not be able to tell where the culprit was right before the murder, we have to go a little further than that."

“Yeah, I think we can rewind things a bit more.,” Mukuro added. “It’s pretty clear the murder weapon was a kitchen knife, but when did the culprit get it?”

“Maybe they planned it the whole time, and had the knife with them since last night!” Kaito said. 

“No, I made sure all the knives were there before last night and before breakfast,” Teruteru retorted. “When a kitchen’s gonna be unattended, I gotta make sure everything there is in top shape. That’s what I take pride in as a chef!”

“So that means the only window of time is during breakfast, when everyone was watching the videos.” Byakuya concluded. “How amusing, viewing the motive videos seemed to give our culprit an opportunity to prepare for their own murder.”

“Y-You’re right!” Taka said sorrowfully. “We should’ve found a way to prepare for this! This is my fault!”

“No, it’s mine,” Kirumi said, gritting her teeth. “I should’ve paid more attention to the kitchen. I was too distracted by the videos.” She knew that one mistake was already too many for her, but this one cost a life. 

“We just gotta accept that there’s no point in thinking about what to blame, even if it’s yourself,” Rantaro said shaking his head. 

“Before we get into an unstoppable well of self pity,” Kokichi said. “Are you sure that no one saw anyone walking into the kitchen?”

“Don’t say that you didn’t have your eyes on them, you spying shota!” Miu called out.

“Oh, I wasn’t really interested since I’ve seen a good amount of everyone’s motives! Why would I need to view them twice?” This caused an uneasy tide to wash over a lot of the students. None of them were alright with Kokichi of all people knowing their personal lives. 

“I really hope you get hit by a bus!” Hiyoko snarled.  

“Kokichi, I don’t know your reasoning for this, but we don’t have forever to solve this trial,” Shuichi said. “Kirumi, apart from the knife, was anything out of place during the investigation?”

“Nothing else was out of place,” Kirumi said. “Apart from the knife, everything was left untouched.”

“That is interesting,” Ryoma pondered. “Not even say, a towel or a washcloth?”

“Why do you ask that?” Mondo asked. “I’m kinda out of the loop here.”

“There were signs that water stained on the floor and on the table,” Ryoma explained. “Chances are, the culprit washed the knife and took it with them without drying it. A wet towel would be evidence to the culprit, though.” 

“Shuichi and I investigated that as well,” Kaede elaborated. “The culprit probably washed the knife before hiding it with them. There were 3 separate trails of water stains close to each other.”

“Water can stain?” Hiyoko asked. “It’s clear, so if it dries, there won’t be anything left behind, right?”

“W-Well actually,” Mikan said. “Stains form because a-as the water evaporates, the impurities get left behind and stain surfaces… That’s why medical professionals have to dry even water to prevent mold and bacteria from growing-”

“Who asked you to lecture me you filthy pig?!” Hiyoko snapped back immediately.

“I-I’m sorry! I’ll shut my mouth right now!” Mikan sobbed.

“Hey, Hiyoko, lay off of Mikan!” Tenko said, a bit sure of how to react to a girl tormenting another. “She’s going through some tough times right now, so-”

“It’s not my fault she responds to everything by crying!” Hiyoko defended.

“Hiyoko, you’re making a scene,” Maki said. “You don’t have to make her feel worse than she already does.”

“Anyway!” Shuichi continued, beginning to get annoyed by the constant interruptions. “The culprit hid the knife and kept it with them throughout the day.”

“How far do the water stains go?” Teruteru asked. “If they took it from the kitchen, then maybe it’ll lead them to where they were sitting at the time, right?”

“Chances are, either it stopped dripping on the way or everyone’s movements took away the route they took once the culprit entered the dining area,” Mahiru rebutted. 

“Are you seriously saying no one noticed people getting up ‘n fuckin about?” Miu questioned. 

“Oh, Oh! This is where I come in!” Ibuki boasted. “I think I can prove who's been sneaking around!"

"How could you possibly recall such sounds back there?" Gundham questioned. "Your astral awareness wouldn't even reach past the 2nd level…"

"Psht, it's normal for first timers to doubt Ibuki!" She crossed her arms and a smug smirk grew on her lips. "As the real Ultimate Musician, I can hear and remember all sorts of sounds! Even ones that are quiet or drowned out!" 

"That's an amazing trait worthy of only the Ultimate Musician!" Nagito praised. 

"Yeah, Ibuki even remembers the sounds of her own birth, which went like SHRRG BLRRG BLUARGH AHHHH!"

"Hurry up and give your claim," Byakuya turned his head in disgust. "Of course, you can't prove anecdotal evidence as long as you're a suspect…"

"We all know there was a lot of shifting and crying and weird film noises as we were watching," Ibuki said, tapping her temples in thought. "But, I did hear some footsteps like uh, clack clack clack. I also heard some tap, clink CLINK!" 

"That was a complete and utter waste of time," Byakuya said in disappointment.

"I think the sounds she was trying to re-enact were firstly, wood against the wood floor." Hajime said, trying to decipher Ibuki's way of speaking. "Also, a footstep with metal following…"

"Those are both some odd ways to walk," Sonia said. 

"Haha, are you sure you don't remember your talent?" Ibuki asked. "Cause it takes some of that to understand things like Ibuki does!

"I say we should believe her claim for now," Hajime said. 

"Hajime, we can flirt after the trial, with how strong you're coming onto Ibuki," Ibuki smiled jokingly. 

"If believing a claim is flirting, I don't know what proving one would mean…" Hajime thought.

"The sounds of wood clacking could mean the culprit had… wooden footwear," Celeste sighed, wincing at the thought. "But wouldn't heels clicking against the floor make similar sounds?"

"Hey, what's wrong with sandals?" Nekomaru responded to the sigh.

"That sounds reasonable, Miss Ludenberg, but aren't you sorta making yourself a suspect by saying that?" Hifumi questioned.

"I have nothing to worry about if people suspect me, simply because I am not the culprit."

"Ibuki, does this make a sound similar to your account?" Kyoko asked, raising and lowering her boot against the floor. 

"Though the stone floor makes it sound different, yes! Your footsteps makes you a plausible culprit!" Sakura followed suit with her sneaker, then Kaito and Tenko with their slippers."

"Yes, I believe the sounds of my footsteps are fairly different." Sakura said. "It is good that we can prove many people's innocence at once."

"How is that a good thing in any capacity?" Monokuma complained. "We aren't even three truth bullets in and you've already disproved that many people?!"

"That is still quite a range of suspects," Byakuya said. "The list for those who fit the description are Celeste, Sonia, Nekomaru, Hiyoko, Kirumi, Kyoko, Miu and Hiro."

"Hey, don't go around pointing fingers at me!" Hiyoko said.

"Hey, I'm not the culprit!" Miu complained. "I might use my boots to give Leon some of that old CBT, but I wouldn't ever kill him!"

"Excuse me, what's CBT" Chihiro asked shyly."

"Yes, Gonta would also like to know!" Gonta asked. 

"Ah, I have heard of that!" Sonia beamed. "That acronym stands for C-" 

"Sonia, with all due respect, there's no time for that," Chiaki said.

"But what about the other footsteps Ibuki described?" Ryoma asked. "The sound of walking followed by metal… that's a far more unique manner of walking."

"Ryoma," Shuichi said. The detective felt his muscles tense as he laid his sight on Ryoma's eyes. "Something tells me you already know who else was walking in Ibuki's account."

"I do?" Ryoma raised a hypothetical eyebrow back. "Then tell me what I know."

"Those were your footsteps," Shuichi answered, pointing at the chain around Ryoma's ankle.

"Shuichi, are you saying our favourite midget is the culprit?" Kokichi asked. 

"No, but I think it's best that we clear this part up as soon as possible," Shuichi replied. “And now that I think about it, you’re wearing a leather jacket, right? That would make a wet knife not visible to others.”

"I guess I still got a ways to go," Ryoma contemplated. "I do look suspicious, given my background.”

"D-Dancing around the question makes you even more s-suspicious!" Toko pointed a finger accusingly.

"Are we sure we can suspect him?" Hina asked. "I mean, he looks a little bit uh, soft for a killer."

"That hasn't stopped us from suspecting certain people," Mahiru said, aiming a very deliberate glare at Fuyuhiko.

"The fuck are you looking at?!" Fuyuhiko shouted. "You heard it, I ain't a fucking suspect this trial! You wanna sleep with the fishes?!"

"This isn't a good time to stir unnecessary conflict," Peko said, pushing her glasses up in frustration.

"Well, I'm not the culprit," Ryoma finally said. "For a few simple reasons."

"And what reason is that?" Byakuya asked, still skeptical. "If you could explain, then I'll gladly stop wasting my time accusing you."

"You may have expected me to take many steps," Ryoma said. "But from Ibuki's account, there were only two very pronounced footsteps."

"I know where this is going," Nekomaru saud expectantly.

"It's called the flash step. It's pretty weird that I have tennis to thank for this."

"The shoe coochie step?" Miu asked. "Now that sounds real out there!" Ryoma, with a swift move, disappeared from his podium and appeared at the center of the room.

"Whoa what the hell was that?!" Kazuichi said, surprised. 

"Hey, now no romping about in the trial room!" Monokuma demanded. 

"I thought that move was only a fable from the Prince Of Tennis!" Tsumugi said in astonishment.

"Heh, it's pretty cool seeing you doing something other than moving like a sulk," Kaito grinned.

"The culprit left a trail while taking the knife. This way of movement does not leave any trails, at least not in the way we discovered. Besides, wouldn’t me having to hide my wet clothing under my jacket contradict something in the investigation?”

"The wet knife had a trail of water," Kaede recalled. "If that is the case, then the water would be dripping freely."

"So it couldn't be hiding somewhere enclosed," Peko summed up.

"Ibuki can't help but ask, why would you need to move during the viewing?" 

"It's hard to see," Ryoma sighed.

"I can relate," Himiko muttered.

"You coulda gone to me!" Tenko said with a nervous smile. "Then I would let you ride on my shoulders!"

"So we can say Ryoma isn't the culprit, right?" Makoto asked.

"It seems that there's no further evidence in that regard." The tennis pro went back to his podium, removed his cigarette for a moment, and let out a deep breath. 

"Hold on a sec, I remember that scent…" Akane spoke up, her nose picking up on his scent.

"It was the same from when we were going over the videos," Akane remembered, pointing her finger at Ryoma’s cigarette. "Your scent was on them!"

"You went through the videos during the investigation?" Taka asked. "Why?"

“We left you alone, didn’t you?” Kaede said. “Is that what you’ve been doing during the investigation?”

“Don’t tell me you were trying to find your motive video!” Kaito reprimanded.

“Don’t worry, I turned em off as soon as I saw they weren’t mine,” Ryoma brushed off. “It wasn’t like I had anything else to do or anywhere else to be.”

“Did you find it?” Shuichi asked. 

“That’s the funny part, so to speak,” Ryoma said with a tinge of bitterness in his voice. “I didn’t find it. I searched the whole pile, and mine just wasn’t there. I went through every single one of them, and mine was missing.”

“Do you think it has something to do with the murder?” Mukuro asked.

“There’s no way the murderer or Leon would be concerned with something of mine,” Ryoma said. “But while we’re at it, maybe we should talk about what videos Leon got. With that nose of yours, I take it you’ve found something out?”

“Yeah, we did in fact!” Akane said. “Turns out, Leon got a hold of two motive videos!”

“That’s exactly what we found out!” Taka reinforced.

“You’re really putting all your trust into Akane,” Fuyuhiko said. “She has trouble finding the difference between a hamster and a muffin, so why do you trust her so damn much?”

“I don’t wanna start a fight with a stick like you!” Akane grumbled at his remark. 

“She had an alibi during the attack,” Chihiro said. “So as long as she’s correct, we should be able to trust her.”

“What she found out was that he had both Kokichi and Fuyuhiko’s motive videos!”

“Hmph, so he’s who had my video?” Fuyuhiko asked. “Well, he wouldn’t last long anyway outside once he knew some Yakuza secrets.”

“Are you seriously trying to use Leon's death to try and glorify your criminal life?!" Mahiru snapped.

"I would also draw the same conclusion," Kokichi said. "Any info about me or my evil organization is forbidden knowledge! Maybe the culprit iced Leon in order to earn my favour!"

"That's stupid," Himiko shut down. "Why would the culprit want to please and kill you at the same time?"

"Honestly, I wouldn't even be mad," Kokichi smiled as he put his hands behind his back. "It sure takes some million dimensional chess to outsmart an evil genius like me!"

"I would rule out what Kokichi said as a motive!" Taka shouted, though still suspicious of Fuyuhiko. "A new question is, why was Leon in possession of two motive videos?"

"He couldn't be!" Kaede said. "Leon handed in one motive video in the morning!"

"I guess there's only one possibility left." Ryoma said. "He traded it."

"He shared the motive video I gave him?" Monomi asked. "It's so sad to see such a generous student go…"

"I think you are missing the point," Kaito shook his head. "Also it wasn't shared, exchanging videos is a whole different meaning."

"Traded it? Why would he do that when we were gonna watch them all anyway?" Sonia asked.

"Not exactly all of them," Ryoma corrected, thinking back to his missing video.

"Gah, who's the one who traded with Leon?!" Nekomaru demanded.

"No one would say anything that would raise suspicions on them, you imbecile." Byakuya responded.

“Even I don’t know who Leon traded with,” Kokichi admitted. “Since I haven’t seen my own motive video during my little rumpus. But because this is another interesting mystery to pile upon the others, I’ll say this. When I first started, my raid, I saw Fuyuhiko’s motive in Leon’s room. However, when I passed by his room again, it was a different one.” His voice echoed through the trial room, and a few seconds of silence passed before anyone else spoke up at the face of this announcement. No one knew what to say, whether to believe Kokichi’s words.

“He’s not very trustworthy with his words, is he?” Tsumugi asked.

“So frustrating, how we know if Kokichi tell truth?” Gonta asked, fixing his glare toward Kokichi. It was surprising that even Gonta was beginning to get impatient. 

“I think what this means is, Leon traded his video during Kokichi’s intrusion,” Mukuro explained. 

“I thought no one saw Kokichi before he was caught by Mondo,” Chihiro recalled. 

“Hmm, I guess that’s exactly what we’re trying to solve!” Kokichi announced.

“Hey, since when were you deciding what we’re supposed to discuss!” Miu chided. “How can we be sure Leon had Fuyuhiko’s video first?!”

“Maybe what we’ll learn what was in Mr. Kuwata’s mind by watching each of the videos?” Hifumi suggested. “I remember being freaked out when I watched Ms. O- I mean, the motive video I received.”

“Hey, this better not be an excuse to be poking into their personal lives!” Hina said. Fuyuhiko clenched his hands onto the podium for a moment before speaking up.

“Hey, who told you that you can watch my damn video?!” Fuyuhiko shouted. “My life is none of your business!” Peko looked at the Yakuza and felt her own heart beating out of control. It was no way for someone like her to respond to stress, but for this matter, the feeling was uncontrollable. She pushed up her glasses and tried not to look too hard at Fuyuhiko to avoid suspicion.

“What’s the big deal?!” Hiro asked. “We were all gonna view our videos in the first place, right?”

“We had an option to let people not watch their videos,” Kaede said, sharing a glance with Hina. “We have to respect that.”

“I believe it’s necessary for the sake of completing this trial!” Taka said, taking out the motive videos.

“Hey, you actually remembered to bring it with you!” Akane commended. “I guess I woulda forgotten it myself.”

“So you watched my motive video?” Kokichi piped. “Looks like we’re the best of friends now you info digging weirdo!”

“You’re calling him the weirdo?” Kaito responded. 

“Yeah, don’t you know it’s not nice to go through people’s things without their permission?!” Kokichi huffed. “I hate it when people do that!”

“Just listening to Kokichi talk is starting to get me down,” Ryota said. “Taka, it’s up to you which one you play first.” With a nod, Taka turned on Fuyuhiko’s video. Its contents began to play again. The students stood anxiously, with their eyes directed toward the small screen, some even squinting to get a better look as Taka held the video out. Peko braced herself, knowing she might be exposed. She leaned toward the video, beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. Whatever information comes from the video may determine the fate of her and her master.

As the video finished, once again, the trial room was stunned into silence. Everyone knew in the back of their minds that Fuyuhiko had a lot at stake, but no one knew the true extent of the Kuzuryuu’s power. 

“What the hell?!” Hifumi squealed in shock. “I’m beginning to regret my suggestion already!”

“So any shop I’ve been to could’ve been a front for the Yakuza?” Makoto said in bewilderment. “That’s too bizarre…”

“Hmph, so the mafia I got rid of was just crumbs compared to the real higher ups,” Ryoma said, not with surprise, but solemn dissatisfaction in his voice.

“Of course, the Togami family doesn’t deal with scum pretending to be chivalrous,” Byakuya smirked. “But another exciting revelation has arisen. Not only are there two traitors, but another one working for the Kuzuryuu family?”

“It’s not my place to judge the morality of the Kuzuryuu Clan,” Sakura stated. She knew that the Kuzuryuu and the Ogami clan dealt in completely different things, but in a way, she understood what was in Fuyuhiko’s shoulders. If he were to die here, the entirety of the clan would fall apart. “However, this amount of treachery is troubling…”

“What a bullshit video,” Fuyuhiko said, trying to stay calm. “What’re the odds someone working for me would be in the same school as me?”

“It does seem only natural that you’d be accompanied somehow,” Korekiyo suggested.

“Hah, I guess you’re really nothing without your lap dogs!” Miu laughed, trying to quell the paranoia growing within her. 

“I suggest against drawing this out further,” Peko said with a dark stare. “Attempting to speculate who could be working for Fuyuhiko is as futile as trying to find who the traitor is right now.

“Trying to change the subject are we, Peko?” Kokichi asked. “You’re making yourself look awfully suspicious.”

“Obviously, this is a lie by Monokuma to throw us into disarray!” Nagito brushed off. “A traitor is one thing, but connections to the Yakuza is another pointless speculation!”

“Don’t lie to my students, Monokuma!” Monomi scolded. “Lying is just a horrible thing to do!”

“Well, it’s better than jumping around the truth like you do!” Monokuma responded. “Besides, my motives are completely unbiased and tell only the empirical truth!”

“I think what this uncovers, is that we gotta understand what it’s like to be Leon!” Makoto realized. “If I somehow became the potential target of the Yakuza, I’d also want to get rid of it as quickly as possible!”

“Someone other than me is under fire from the Yakuza?!” Hiro said in a panic. “I understand him completely here!”

“What do you mean other than you?!” Tenko asked in exasperation. “I shouldn’t be surprised that a degenerate in you dealt in stuff like this, but I’m actually shocked!”

“And getting the supposed Supreme Leader’s video next wouldn’t have made him feel better at all!” Hifumi said. “I bet whoever traded with Leon was also glad to get rid of that one!”

“Well, well, is my video next?” Kokichi asked with an innocent looking stare. “I’m trying to be a good friend here, so I gotta warn y’all that even learning about my connections will get you killed, even if you do escape!”

“We already have such a good lead with Fuyuhiko’s video,” Himiko murmured. “Kokichi’s video is probably a waste of time.” Taka ignored Kokichi’s words and pressed play on Kokichi’s video, before turning the screen for all to see.

___________________________________________________________________

After the video ended, the students traded confused stares with each other. Kokichi was at a loss for words, his eyes fixated at the now black screen. It seems as if even he was dumbfounded by its contents.

“The contents of Kokichi’s videos are far tamer than Fuyuhiko’s, as you saw!” Taka announced. “No doubt did Leon also come to this same conclusion!” 

“So, it’s a bit of a relief that he was mostly bullshitting everything he said about his so-called organization,” Kaito said. “Not that I believed any of it in the first place.”

“Still, that doesn’t explain why he’s so enthusiastic in making our lives hard,” Ryota wondered. 

“Hey, those are still Kokichi’s friends!” Ibuki said. “Even though he’s a bit of a rat, I kinda feel bad for him. Why does Ibuki have to feel moral conflict right now?!”

“We can deal with Kokichi’s actions later,” Mahiru said. “But overall, I agree that Leon probably didn’t think much of this video after trading away the last one.”

“Hmph, you think Monokuma is able to grasp the scope of my organization?” Kokichi asked. “Trust me here, even though important people like the Heir of Novoselic or the Togami Corporation got snatched here, Monokuma doesn’t know shit about how far everything goes…”

“What’re you trying to imply?” Makoto asked meekly.

“Obviously, he is trying to save face for the humiliation caused by his videos,” Byakuya said. “Not that he had any dignity to lose in the first place, but I’m not surprised if you believed his lies.”

“Think what you want, rich boy,” Kokichi said. “But your thinking hasn’t brought you any closer to escaping this island, right?” Byakuya just crossed his arms, knowing he has wasted far too much time on Kokichi.

“If I can uh, continue this, Leon traded his video,” Chihiro summarized, trying to get the trial back on track. “But we established that his window of trading is really narrow, so how could he have gotten around to trading it?”

“I think to figure that out, we must get back to the scene of the crime,” Kyoko said. “Leon probably wanted to get out undetected, since he could’ve been paranoid about bumping into someone trying to trade.”

“Well, that’s something I don’t understand,” Ryoma said. “What’s the big deal about trading your motive video?”

“Big deal?” Mahiru echoed in frustration. “Do you seriously not see anything wrong with trading videos?”

“Never said there was never anything wrong,” Ryoma clarified. “I was just wondering what’s so difficult about trading videos.”

“Dammit,” Hajime said, remembering his investigation. “We could’ve made this trial a lot shorter if I just brought up what I discovered…”

“What’s wrong, Hajime?” Ibuki asked. “What was it that you uncovered?”

“Yeah, we should’ve brought it up earlier, shouldn’t we?” Ryota said sheepishly. “We discovered a way someone could’ve wove in and out of the cottages without passing through the gate.”

“You mean a secret passageway?” Hifumi said. “That seems like the only possibility right now, but the trials seem a bit early to complicate things like that…”

“It’s not a complex one,” Maki explained. “I saw it too, so listen up because I won’t explain it twice.” Everyone turned their attention to the caregiver as she took a deep breath.

“You can possibly reach the other side if you went through the bushes and the fence. I saw that some of the bushes were tied back by some sort of string, which proves that someone was planning to use it."

"How long do you think the culprit was planning to use it?" Tsumugi asked.

"I don't know for sure," Maki said. "But I know that more than one person used it, judging by the footprints."

"I only saw one side of that passage," Hiyoko said. "How did the culprit get from the fence to the cottages without being dunked in the water?"

"Well," Hajime said. "I can verify a way someone could've gone over the water without getting wet. When I saw the roof of Leon’s cottage, there was a print of blood on it.”

“That would imply that the culprit held onto the ledge of the roof while going back and forth,” Maki explained.

“I guess that explains how Leon got to and from the cottages without being seen by Kokichi yesterday,” Nagito said. “That’s quite befitting of an athlete like him.”

"So, so, Leon for sure went over the fence yesterday. But how did he know that the culprit set this up?" Angie asked. “And why would he choose to use something like this? Atua says that the only way Leon would have known about this path is if he made it himself.”

“Hey, Leon’s the victim here, remember?!” Nekomaru said. “I don’t know how Leon knew of that secret passage, but I don’t think he was the one who made it!”

“It doesn’t seem like Leon at all to do something so reckless,” Makoto said. “Uh, well he was kinda reckless, but I can’t believe he’d use the culprit’s murder method as a shortcut!”

“He should’ve informed us right away!” Taka shouted. “Keeping this island safe is a community effort!”

“Hey, Leon didn’t do anything wrong!” Kokichi said. “Sometimes, if you find out a secret, it’s best that you keep your mouth shut because it works out for both people.”

“Whoa, keeping secrets from your friends is bad!” Monomi cut in. 

“Quit speaking in riddles,” Gundham muttered angrily. “Elaborate on your point clearly, for I have wasted enough time on these trivialities…”

“Hey, if you catch a friend smoking weed, what do you do? Do you report it or do you get him to share the weed with you?” Kokichi asked. “Well obviously, anyone with a brain would pick the first one.” Taka gritted his teeth, ready to scold the supreme leader to no end, but Shuichi stepped in.

“So you’re telling us that Leon for some reason, was friendly with the culprit before the culprit killed him?” Shuichi asked. 

“Do I look like I’m here to answer your questions, Mr. Detective?” Kokichi asked. “I’m just entertaining some possibilities, that’s all.” It’s no surprise that Kokichi’s antics were grating, but this wore down Shuichi’s tired mind even more. He gripped his podium, and let out a loud sigh.

“L-Leon must’ve been paranoid after receiving his video,” Shuichi cleared his throat. “I don’t think that’s the reason Leon knew… I think we can determine who the culprit is by determining what was used to make the secret passage.” He looked toward Maki, hoping that she recalled what else she discovered.

“Well, what I found was something like a green thread or wire holding the bushes back,” Maki said. She pulled out a sample, and held it between her hands.

“That’s an interesting development,” Korekiyo said. “Do you know what material it’s made of?”

“Well, well, it obviously looks like thread!” Angie cheered. “This mystery is so close being cleared, I can almost taste it!” 

“Taste?” Akane asked. “What’re we eating after this?!”

“Don’t get off track now!” Taka said, exasperated at Akane’s continued lack of attention. “Angie, it looks like you have some suspicion!”

“This could only have come from an Ultimate whose talent is based around it,” Angie explained. “So perhaps Tsumugi or Kirumi could’ve set this up!”

“It seems baseless to make an accusation based off of one thing, and contradicting the evidence already presented,” Kirumi said. 

“Kirumi had an alibi, remember?” Tsumugi said. “And as for me, you can’t just suspect me off of one thing!” 

“Both of them have a speciality in creating or repairing clothes,” Byakuya said. “But it is ludicrous that some mere thread can hold those plants back.”

“Maki,” Shuichi said. “Can you hand me the thread? And can you also describe how the thread was tied around the stems?” Maki passed the thread to Kaito at the podium beside her, who passed it over to Shuichi.

“It was wrapped around once around the stem toward the fence, causing it to part. It looked almost invisible to most people…”

“As I suspected,” Shuichi said. “This isn’t just any thread, it seems like a spool of metal wire! I didn’t think a thread for sewing cloth could pull so much weight apart.”

“Y-Yeah!” Miu agreed. “How can y’all be so fuckin’ braindead you can’t tell the difference between metal wire and sewing thread?”

“Well, something like metal wire can only come from the likes of Kazuichi or Miu, correct?” Byakuya brought up. “With their… talents, it’s likely that it could’ve come from their cottages.”

“H-Hey! I don’t even know what metal wire is, how can you pin this on me?!” Miu lied pathetically.

“Part of me wishes it was you…” Himiko muttered. 

“I swear I didn’t do it!” Kazuichi defended. “Though I do recognize that metal wire! I-I just remembered something… I gave it to Leon yesterday morning, though I didn’t know what he wanted to do with it.”

“That seems awfully convenient, degenerate!” Tenko accused. “You’re not doing any favours for yourself! I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the one who killed Leon…”

“That does seem suspicious indeed,” Sonia said. “And your jumpsuit without a doubt has places that could hide a knife, since it’s probably waterproof.”

“C’mon! Not you too!”

“Kazuichi, if someone can prove this, then we’ll believe you,” Hajime reassured. “Someone must’ve  searched Leon room, can anyone prove what you said?” 

“Hajime… it looks like we can, because we found this in Leon’s room!” Nekomaru announced, recalling the strange spool that Leon had in his room.

“We didn’t think it was anything important,” Taka said. “Leon had a lot of stuff lying around, but it turns out that spool was more important than we thought!”

“So the spool was in Leon’s cottage,” Miu said. “Watch and learn, ‘cause I got this! It was obviously none other than the purple shota that set up the passage, then broke in and planted it into Leon’s cottage!”

“That’s a surprisingly good theory,” Hajime agreed. “And concerning the knife, if Kokichi could pick locks, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kokichi could hide a knife without getting himself wet.”

“Yeah, all the signs are pointing to- wait, surprisingly good?!” Miu squirmed. “There shouldn’t be anything surprising at me being correct!”

“Kokichi, you got anything to say about this?” Hina spoke up. “Things aren’t looking so good for you right now!” Kokichi stayed silent, merely giving them a look of disappointment. 

“C’mon dude, don’t be silent with us,” Hiro said in frustration.

“So, it’s gotten to the point where y’all are blaming things on me, right?” Kokichi accused. Kokichi stomped on the floor like a grumpy little kid. “It’s not fair! Just because I did one teensy bad thing doesn’t mean you should jump on me! Or is it that you’d rather have me be the killer, so you could get me executed?”

“Well, someone has to be executed. Though I don’t see anyone here worth saving, I would not lose sleep if you went out first,” Byakuya remarked.

“It’s not that,” Kaede said. “But all the evidence is pointing at you right now.”

“Is it pointing to me, or maybe you just don’t want to figure out the truth, since I am an easy target right now.” 

“What are you getting at?!” Nekomaru said. “Stop messing around and be clear!”

“That spool of wire was found in Leon’s cottage, yet you’re laying it down on me! I know you don’t wanna talk shit about the dead, but it looks like you’re in denial…”

“You’re saying that Leon set the whole thing up?” Shuichi said. “I can’t discount that possibility, but we’re gonna have to find more evidence for that…”

“That could be it,” Makoto said. “Leon had that spool of wire in his cottage, and couple that with Kazuichi’s account. I don’t see any other possibility.”

“And one more thing,” Hajime said. “I found another piece of evidence left behind at the fence that’ll seal things. At first I thought it coulda belonged to Ryoma, but take a look at this broken zipper.” Hajime presented it to the trial. 

“A zipper?” Tsumugi commented. “It could be Leon’s, but I don’t think his outfit had any of the sort on him!”
“Hey, hand that to me!” Akane said. “It’s probably dirty, but maybe I can get the scent of who it belongs to!” Hajime tossed it over to her.

“The zipper looks like it’s been there for a while,” Maki said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the scent wore off.”

“Nope, it definitely matches up,” Akane interjected. “At this point, I know his scent better than his name.”

“I think that confirms that Leon was the one who set it up,” Ryota said. “And it wasn’t him just passing by. According to my map, the bushes where Maki and Hiyoko found it is pretty out of the way.”

“It looks like a lot of evidence is coming from Leon’s cottage,” Chihiro said. “I-It’s pretty bad news that only Taka and Nekomaru searched it.”

“Is there anything else worth noting in Leon’s room?” Kyoko eyed both Taka and Nekomaru. “No doubt what they saw in the investigation will lead to the truth about Leon’s death,” Kyoko thought. “But I wonder if their testimonies will reflect that.” 

“Well… outside of what’s normal for a kid like him,” Nekomaru explained, “I guess there is that dirt covered baseball bat lying on the ground. Not to mention it was dented as well.”

“Baseball bat?” Hina brought up. “Isn’t that just something a baseball star would have?”

“Well, we’ve never seen Leon do anything baseball related, right?” Makoto said. “Let’s just say Leon isn’t someone who likes putting his talent to use, so it’s weird that it saw any use, right?”

“But what if Leon let someone else use on of his bats?” Hina asked. “And hey, what does this have to do with the murder? We all know by now that a knife was what killed him!”

“Well, if Leon was the one who set up the passage, then maybe he used the bat to clear the bushes,” Peko said. “Though it isn’t efficient, it would be even more difficult if he tried clearing it with his bare hands.”

“If the bushes died while Leon was clearing them, I woulda executed him on the spot!” Monokuma threatened. “Maintaining this greenery is where most of my expenses go towards!”

“So you’re confirming that was what he did?” Byakuya said, catching onto Monokuma’s slip up. 

“All I am confirming is that I’m a stickler for the rules!” The bear replied.

“You’re all saying that Leon would use a baseball bat for something as mundane as clearing forestry? Maybe Leon was thinking of a way to kill someone, and wanted to double dip on having a secret passage all to himself.” Kokichi brought up.

“Kokichi, we don’t have time for your jokes!” Mahiru chided.

“Who said I was joking?” Kokichi asked. 

“Well, the dirt did look fresh,” Nekomaru said. “So that bat must’ve had more uses than setting up the passage…”

“Don’t tell me you’re agreeing with him!” Mahiru gave the coach a disapproving glare. “You were the one who was defending Leon’s character up until now!”

“He was making an observation,” Korekiyo defended. “There is no need to get heated.” 

“We all know Kokichi is already famous on this island for making up bullshit,” Kaito said. “It’s completely illogical! If Leon did try to kill someone with the bat, then why wasn’t it at the scene of the crime?”

“Hey, I’m famous for a lot of things, but bullshitting is not one of them!” Kokichi pouted.

“It is possible that the culprit could’ve unlocked the door using Leon’s keys, and put the baseball bat into his cottage,” Shuichi said.

“C’mon, Shuichi! Don’t tell me you’re on his side!” Kaito shook his head at the detective.

“That’s a fair point,” Kyoko agreed. “When I searched Leon, his keys weren’t in his pockets…” Kaito furrowed his eyebrows at the Supreme Leader, trying to think of a way to disprove Kokichi, yet he had no answer except his faith. 

“But why would the culprit do such a thing?” Mahiru asked. “Trying to unlock a cottage that isn’t yours is far more likely to cause suspicion!”

“M-Maybe the culprit was afraid that leaving it behind would count as littering…” Chihiro said. “So they felt the need to get rid of it…”

“What about Keebo’s case?” Kaede asked. “All the broken glass from that crime scene wouldn’t count as littering, right?”

“Chihiro, covering up even Leon’s motives would be a benefit to the culprit,” Mukuro stated. “They don’t want us thinking anything is out of the ordinary.”

“You’re all taking in Leon being a potential murderer too seriously!” Kaito said. “I know he may not be here with us, but I believe in him! He wouldn’t resort to murder to get out of here!”

“After all that time silent, is that all you have to say?” Byakuya spoke. “We would be in the same position if you said nothing at all…”

“I want to believe in Leon as well!” Nekomaru shouted. “He would never resort to that to escape!”

“Your faith in Leon is truly beautiful,” Nagito praised. “But you’re not taking into account all that’s happened in the past few days.” However, his argument was drowned out. 

“I agree with Nagito. If you put yourself in Leon’s shoes for a moment, you may find it more plausible,” Korekiyo explained. Despite his subtle voice, the students that were once arguing turned to the anthropologist.

“W-What do you mean, Kiyo?” Makoto asked. “Leon seemed like such a chill guy when we hung out… I know getting Fuyuhiko’s video is unnerving enough, but that couldn’t have driven him to murder…”

“Aside from the motive videos, think about what happened this morning…” Korekiyo said. “Leon’s video was one of the ones we watched, wasn’t it?” 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Kaede said. Her heart already began to feel heavy. Could one of her ideas have lead to Leon attempting murder?

“Oh yeah, Peon’s cousin had the hots for him, didn’t he?” Miu recalled. “Maybe he didn’t want us kinkshaming him so he wanted to kill someone to get out!”

“Miu! Why can’t you be more sensible for once?” Mahiru scolded, causing the Inventor to flinch back. 

“Y-Yes Ma’am…” Miu conceded, wilting back down on her podium.

“T-That’s r-real damn t-tragic,” Toko stuttered. “G-Getting Fuyuhiko’s motive video then g-getting his family affairs r-ratted out to us?”

“For fuck’s sake, don’t try and say it’s my fault that bastard got killed!” Fuyuhiko said. “So what, he decided to lose his guts after getting my video, that’s all on him!”

“We said that we were not here to judge others when the viewing began,” Sonia stated. “I am sorry if you felt that way about your video.”

“Apologies don’t mean shit,” Fuyuhiko said. “Regardless of what your leadership says, you can’t expect us to ignore whatever the hell happened.”

“Any normal person would feel judged having any modicum of personal information revealed to us like that,” Celeste said with a knowing tone. “And Leon obviously took matters in his own hands.”

“You see?” Korekiyo summarized. “Leon likely felt that he was discriminated against for this, one sided or not. Combine that with his fears, it is no wonder he took such drastic measures. He felt like a target, simple as that, and sought to get out before that could become a reality.”

“Sympathizing with the guy related to incest,” Miu winced. “Why ain’t I surprised hearing it from a creep like you?”

“Silence that mouth of yours,” Korekiyo said with a rare hint of annoyance. “You’re clearly proving my point, are you not? And, Leon looked clearly distressed after seeing everyone’s reaction to the video.” Hajime cleared his throat to speak

“Pair that with the fear of dying,” Hajime wanted to say to Fuyuhiko, but one look at the gangster shows he is in no mood to take any blame for Leon’s death. “I… I’m honestly not surprised if that’s how Leon turned out…” 

“If that’s how Leon handled his video, I’m scared to see other people’s videos,”  Tsumugi pondered. “They could be far more dark and disturbing than we first imagined.”

“So, that’s all well and good, knowing Leon’s complex and sympathetic motives,” Kokichi said. “But where does that get us?”

“The fuck are you going on about?” Kaito was nearly shouting at Kokichi, more so than his usual loud voice. “You were the one who dragged us into this chase about his motives!”

“What I’m trying to say is, we ain’t any closer to the culprit, ya dimwit!” Kokichi said. 

“No, I think we gathered quite a bit of info,” Shuichi said. 

“The culprit,” Hajime began to summarize. “The culprit carried a wet knife with them, in a way that let water drip freely. They were agile enough to get to the boardwalk from the fence, not to mention being able to get through the fence without hurting themselves. I think there might be someone who fits the entire bill.” 

Chapter Text

Hajime thought back to an important point regarding Leon’s death. The body's discovery announcement was played with respect to Leon’s death. However, the time when Leon died, when he was found by Hina, and when he was attacked are three completely different instances.

“Everyone, I think we’re looking at this all wrong,” Hajime said. “Makoto deduced that Leon was attacked no more than five minutes before he discovered him, and by discovering, you meant finding his body in the water, right?”

“Y-Yeah, that’s exactly what I meant,” Makoto said.

“Well, if that’s the case, then that means any alibi that was valid only during and after that mark doesn’t hold up.”

“Yes, and with simple math, that brings the only alibi period that truly matters to seven to eight minutes before the discovery announcement,” Korekiyo followed.

“A-Are you sure there aren’t other significant timestamps?” Hifumi asked. “This entire case seems like a lot of work for the culprit.”

“We don’t know anyone who has really been thinking about where the culprit was on say, the day before the murder when they learned about this secret passage,” Shuichi said. “Also, the only cleaning up the culprit had to do was put the tape they used under the floor, and then throw Leon’s bat back into his cottage before hiding his keys.”

“Are you saying that all our alibis are useless?” Maki asked with slight frustration in her normally stoic voice. “It seems like a waste of time to do a recount.” Hajime narrowed his eyes at Maki. 

“No, it’s pretty much the opposite.” Hajime claimed. “There’s one person here that matches the  description and abilities of the culprit’s actions. They seemingly had an alibi, but now it doesn’t hold up.”

“REALLY? WHO COULD THAT BE?!” Nekomaru shouted. This trial had taken the entire class in circles, from Leon’s plan from the beginning, to the motive, and the method that the culprit used. Hajime’s answer was certainly difficult, but one necessary to finish the trial they have agonized over. 

“It’s Hiyoko,” Hajime declared, his eyes locking with the Dancer’s. The commotion of the trial died down for a moment, as if his classmates couldn’t believe that he’d make such an accusation. He received uneasy looks, as if people knew about Hiyoko’s behavior, but still wanted to defend her innocence. He couldn’t blame them, yet he had to be ready to back up this accusation.

“Hiyoko did it?!” Ibuki repeated in disbelief. “Her words stab into my soul enough and she’s stabbing people for real now?!”

“Hajime, be serious here,” Mahiru said, unable to believe what he just said. “Out of all the possible culprits, Hiyoko is among the last on my list.”

“Oh, so is Hiyoko gonna be one of your precious bastards that no one can lay a finger on?” Fuyuhiko grumbled. 

“That’s not it! I know that you don’t seriously believe that Hiyoko is the culprit!” Mahiru retorted.

“Think about it,” Hajime said. “Her alibi with Maki doesn’t hold up, since they were together since 5 minutes before the body discovery, yet he was attacked before that.”

“Hajime, a lot of people didn’t have an alibi,” Maki said. “Though our alibi was disproved, that doesn’t make her any more guilty than anyone else.” 

“Maki, shouldn’t you know whether she’s the culprit? You must’ve dealt with so many problem kids in the past!” Kokichi teased.

“She’s not a kid,” Maki said. “I don’t even really know why she spends so much time around me, to be honest.” 

“However, think about other things that would pin her as the culprit. Her clothes are loose enough to hide a knife without us knowing, and her talent left her fit enough to go through that passageway.”

“Hajime, you degenerate!” Tenko growled. “You better take back that accusation on Hiyoko or I’ll beat you up!”

“I’d rather not have anyone get iced, but are you really gonna defend that chick?!” Mondo asked. “She ain’t the sunshine and fuckin’ rainbows that you might think she is!”

“I’m sorry, I don’t take questions from degenerates,” Tenko said, her face scrunching up.

“I don’t know, Hiyoko seems mean for uh, every time I talked to her,” Himiko murmured. “I’d believe it.” This caused Tenko to freeze up, unsure of how to defend that.

“How about we let Hiyoko speak for herself,” Kyoko said. “She’s been silent this whole time, and to be honest, that seems suspicious to say the least.”

“Well, Hiyoko?” Kaede asked. “If he’s wrong, then speak up.” Hiyoko’s face had an absent smile, as if not even acknowledging the accusation thrown at her. Then, she sputtered in laughter.

“Hey, is something funny?” Kokichi asked. “I want something to laugh at too!”

“No, it’s just that your accusation is so pathetic and stupid that I couldn’t even comprehend it at first!”

“I wouldn’t be knocking on this if I were you,” Hajime said. “On your leg is the only place you could’ve hidden a knife, under your kimono. There’s no way anyone can detect a knife if it’s hidden like that.”

“You’re trying to use my clothes as evidence? You’re a fucking pervert!” Hiyoko cried out. 

“He does have a point,” Korekiyo commented. “According to the evidence in the kitchen, the knife was still wet and dripping, which is how it would behave under a kimono. Furthermore, silk is water repellant, so in the short term, it was completely undetectable.”

“W-Why am I not surprised that  y-you of all people could know such pointless stuff?” Toko asked. 

“Wahhh! Now this creepy guy is ganging up on me!” Hiyoko cried. 

“Now look what you’ve done,” Maki said, sighing at the direction the trial turned. “Hiyoko, if you wanna be cleared, crying will only get you so far, take it from me.”

“T-There’s no way I’d ever take such a dumb risk,” Hiyoko sniffled. “It’s b-because I can’t tie my kimono. If something happened to it, I won’t be able to tie it back on!” Maki sighed.

“That’s true,” The Caregiver said. “I don’t know if Hiyoko would risk staining her kimono going through the passageway or getting it wet.”

“A-Also, I don’t know if Hiyoko would want to attack Leon because that might spill blood on her,” Mikan said. “Bloodstains a-are really hard to get rid of!”

“However, this fiend had no hesitation playing on the ground to interact with bugs”, Gundham said, giving a cautious look at Gonta. “And stabbing Leon and then shoving him into the murky depths below would suffice without staining her vestments.”

“Looks like the tables are turning against Hiyoko!” Monokuma observed. “I wonder how our little devil will get herself out of this one!”

“At first, I thought the location of Leon’s stab wound was either a coincidence, or calculated by the culprit to hit that exact artery,” Kyoko mused. “However, if Hiyoko truly were the culprit, it would be simply the easiest and least messy target.” 

“That would match up with the footprints, Kyoko,” Hajime said. “In the path, there were both Leon and my footprints, and the culprit is presumably shorter than I am judging by size.

“I’m not the culprit!” Hiyoko said loudly. “I didn’t kill anyone! Before I went back to Maki, I was going on my morning walk like I always do!”

“You’re saying that as if it’s something we’re all supposed to know!” Kazuichi said.

“Making such baseless defenses,” Byakuya said. “You obviously have the lowest potential to even be an entertaining culprit.”

“Maki Roll, where did you meet up with Hiyoko anyway?” Kaito asked.

“I told you not to call me that.” Maki said. “We didn’t have a planned meeting, but we got together near the trees outside of the hotel grounds.”

“Did you see her approach you? Makoto asked. “You didn’t see her come out from the bushes did you?”

“Of course not, if so, she would’ve been confirmed as the culprit before this trial began,” Maki replied. “Though, I wasn’t looking at the gate anyway. I wasn’t in the mood for talking to people after the whole thing with the videos.” 

“So not even your big sister can vouch for you!” Kokichi pointed. “I can’t even tell if Maki is even trying to defend you half the time!”

“I’m not being sentimental. I’d just rather not bet my life away on a whim,” Maki pouted as she said that.

“But think about the agility she would need to cross the water by using the roof as a hand ledge,” Hina said. “Also, what if her kimono got caught on the fence? Wouldn’t that make it not worth the risk?”

“Y-Yeah! My kimono would get caught if I tried anything like that!” Hiyoko said, latching onto Hina’s words.

“I don’t think the fence is anything to get caught on if you’re careful,” Hajime said. “It seems like the fence would only catch something if it pierced something, and a kimono doesn’t seem like something heavy enough to be pierced. And, even if you did get caught, it should come off fairly smoothly since the fence spikes are straight enough that I didn’t get caught on it while investigating.”

“What do you mean caught?” Mahiru asked. “Did you cut yourself on the fence or something?”

“Just take his word,” Ryota diverted, knowing Hajime’s encounter with the fence spikes.

“Also, Hiyoko is renowned as the Ultimate Traditional Dancer!” Nagito said. “I’m not saying I’m accusing Hiyoko, but her light weight and athletic experience would allow her to pull the stunt off with ease!”

“Nagito, I know we’re all your favourite people apparently, but if you’re gonna provide evidence, maybe you can drop the niceties?” Tsumugi said. Hiyoko was gripping her sleeves hard, her eyes watering. 

“Shut up! All of you just shut up!” Hiyoko shouted. “Can’t you get it through your thick skull that I’m not the culprit?! I-I know that I tell things how they are all the time, but I’d never kill anyone!” 

“Sorry Hiyoko, but there’s one thing that ties this altogether.” Hajime said. Hiyoko was clearly attempting to stay coherent through her tears. Despite her brash nature, he could see the cracks forming in her character, deeper and beyond the fake tears she cried in the past. This time, they were tears of desperation. He looked around and saw that a few people were even on the verge of tears. Some people thought Hiyoko was like a kid, but in reality, they knew most of them would also cling desperately if put in the same situation. No one else spoke as she continued. 

“There’s nothing tying this fake theory!” Hiyoko said. “It’s all lies and I won’t believe you people are actually accusing me like this!”

“Back when Ibuki mentioned what she heard during the motive hearings, she said that not only were there footsteps like Ryoma’s, but also wood against the wood floor. The only people who could’ve made those sounds were someone with wooden footwear. And that matches your footwear exactly. It also would’ve allowed you to cross the fence without any complications, and left those distinct markings on the passage grounds.” Hajime’s focus returned from his words back to Hiyoko. She was crying, with nothing to say in return. 

“Is there a confession or admittance?” Celeste asked. “If you have something to defend yourself, do not hesitate to do so.” Hiyoko continued to cry.

“If you did do it, why?” Peko asked, keeping her tone serious and collected. “There must’ve been a motive enough to sway even yourself.”

“The motive isn’t relevant to our vote,” Byakuya said. “This game’s rules can’t be any clearer. If you commit a murder, failing to get away will lead to execution.” 

“I think it’s time to wrap this up…” Hajime said. “I’ll have to start from the beginning.” Hajime readied himself to recount the entire case, start to finish. 

“This whole mystery began the moment our victim, Leon received a motive video. When Leon viewed it, he saw that he held none other than the video of the Ultimate Yakuza himself. Fearing that even possessing such a thing might make him a target, he decided to swap videos with someone else. Chances are, he arranged a time and place to swap with someone beforehand, though he was paranoid of being spotted trying to exchange his video. To fix that, he devised a plan to get out of the hotel grounds without running into anyone. He took a spool of wire from Kazuichi, and created a passage leading from his cottage, across the water, towards the outside of the hotel. Somehow, our culprit caught wind of this passage, despite Leon telling no one about this. Fast forward to the next day, where everyone convened to watch their motive video together. During the commotion, our victim concluded that the risk of staying on this island was too much to bear, and decided to turn the secret trail he created into a weapon. Meanwhile, the culprit snuck into the kitchen and grabbed a knife, taping it to their leg with duct tape. However, the culprit didn’t dry the knife, thus leaving behind a faint yet visible trail that let us deduce the state of the knife. Then, while everyone was on break, Leon decided to make his move with his own murder plan. Whether the culprit caught up to Leon or if Leon caught the culprit was unknown, but the culprit struck first when Leon reached the boardwalk, the culprit stabbed him, and shoved him into the water below. However, Leon cut his hand grabbing at his wound, and left behind an important piece of evidence confirming that the culprit used the secret path. All that was left was for the culprit to clean up the mess. They started with taking the duct tape they used to carry the knife and stuck it under the boardwalk. They then took Leon’s keys and bat that he left behind, and placed it in his cottage. Finally, they crossed the water by using the roof as handholds, before slipping back as if nothing happened. All of this was the doing of Hiyoko Saionji!” Hajime concluded. Maki, though still stone faced, put her hands around Hiyoko’s shoulders, and pulled her into an embrace. There was nothing to be said. Hiyoko didn’t return or reject Maki’s actions, and continued to cry. Some of the students were tearing up, while others cast their eyes down, thinking that feeling even sympathy toward the culprit would change the outcome. 

“So this is the end…” Mahiru said, barely able to contain her sorrow. 

“Don’t get too comfortable trying to comfort her,” Celeste directed toward the voting lever on her podium. “If there’s nothing else to find the culprit, then it’s time to be done with this.” Though it couldn't have been more than a few seconds, it felt like it took forever for Maki to return to her own podium, Hiyoko’s tears staining her shirt. Though she looked worse for wear after this, no one dared to judge or demean her for this action. 

“Well, looks like our time is up!” Monokuma announced. “It’s time to vote for the blackened at long last! Will you choose the right person and live another day, or pick the wrong person and face punishment?” Everyone cast their vote, and the machine once again rolled. After a few suspenseful seconds, the results returned.

Guilty.

That confirmed that it was the end of the line for Hiyoko. Despite all the fanfare that came from the scoreboard, it was evident that no one was celebrating. In fact, a few other students began to tear up after seeing Hiyoko break down. Even if she was the culprit, and even despite her behavior, they couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.

“Aftering seeing Leon die in front of us, I wanted nothing but justice for him,” Sonia cried. “But this isn’t anything like justice…”

“Hiyoko, why?” Makoto asked. He wanted to reach his hand to Hiyoko sympathetically, though he knew it would do her no good. “Why did you do it?”

“I guess she’s just like everyone else,” Fuyuhiko sighed, shuffling off of his podium before looking at the wall. “She said that murderers are the worst, look where she is now.” Despite his hot tempered demeanor, it seemed as if the yakuza was too tired to antagonize Hiyoko.

“Everyone’s got a high enough price that they’d kill for,” Ryoma muttered dejectedly. 

“I-I can’t believe it!” Nekomaru cried. “I CAN’T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO LEON!” His cries reverberated throughout the courtroom. 

“Hey, give Hiyoko space!” Mahiru said, tears forming in her own eyes. "I'm not sure if she can explain herself after everything, and your yelling doesn't help at all!"

"I'm not mad…" Nekomaru said, trying to retain some of his composure. "I never was… I just can't understand anything about this!"

“Oh c’mon, are you seriously defending her?!” Fuyuhiko growled. “She lit a fire under everyone’s ass, and now you’re getting all sappy ‘cause she’s gonna get punished for a crime that she committed!”

“Despite everything Hiyoko said, I’d still trust her over someone like you!” Mahiru shouted back. “Are you mad that people don’t trust you? Is that it?”

“There are a lot of people in the world that I fuckin’ hate,” Fuyuhiko said. “Hypocrites are one of them, I’ve seen enough of those people that I don’t feel sorry for them.”

"Everyone, stop your crying." Maki said sternly. There was a brief silence for almost everyone who turned to her, which allowed Hiyoko to speak up.

"N-None of you understand at all!" Hiyoko cried, her face still wet with tears. "Leon was a creep but I didn't want to kill him!"

"But you obviously did," Mukuro said. "What are you getting at?"

"I-I got my own motive video in my mailbox a bit after breakfast on the day we got them…" Hiyoko began to explain. "I didn't trade the one I got with anyone! I didn't even finish watching the one I got as soon as I realized it wasn't mine!"

"Was it Kokichi that did it? Kaito asked, already eyeing the supreme leader in disgust.

"It wasn't me, I swear!" Kokichi argued, almost vehemently. "I wouldn't do anything like that, especially something that'd lead to a murder!"

"Until someone else admits it, it seems asinine that anyone but Kokichi could've done such a thing." Celeste brought up.

"But, Kokichi only traded photos of our motive videos, right?" Teruteru asked. "I m-mean, I got photos, but the motive video I got never went out of place…"

"Let her finish," Maki said.

"Y-You don't understand what it's like to be me! Hiyoko continued. "Lesser people are all jealous of everything about me! My talent, success, family, people try to ruin me all the time!"

"But wouldn't that make you want to stay on this island?" Angie asked. "Here, you're safe from the outside world!"

"Oh please, no one is safe on this island," Byakuya scoffed. "It takes a special kind of stupid to want to live on the playing field."

"In the end, I knew I needed to escape, and that obviously someone was out to get me on this island!"

"So you were put in the same position as Sayaka…" Makoto lamented.

"Don't compare me to her!" Hiyoko shouted. "I didn't want to kill anyone, while she was ready to kill at the drop of a pin! I-I thought I would carry a knife just in case, even if I knew Big Sis' Maki would protect me and I would stay next to her…"

"Then why would you go and kill Leon? Kazuichi asked. "You had a pretty sweet survival plan!"

"Until someone is bold enough to go after two people," Korekiyo commented.

“I knew about the secret passage, b-but never knew who was using it,” Hiyoko continued. “After breakfast, I wanted to go meet with Maki, but she said she was busy but would meet up later outside the gate! I spent a while walking around, but after a while, I went looking for Maki. I thought she would be in her cottage, so I began walking around the hotel grounds. But I saw… a motive video near Leon’s cottage.”

“Another motive video?” Ryota asked. “Just how many of those were unaccounted for?”

“Whose motive video was it?” Ryoma asked. “I thought it was… only mine that wasn’t present.”

“I don’t know…” Hiyoko said. “I thought about ignoring it, or even getting someone else to pick it up.”

“If what you’re saying is true, then there are even more mysteries at play,” Kyoko said. “Whoever has Ryoma’s video, whoever gave you your video, whoever left that video out… Are they the same person? Did someone sneak a motive video from the pile on the way out or did they never hand it in?”

“I went over to pick it up, and that’s when I saw Leon walk up to me, holding a bat… I thought that I would run away, but… I didn’t. I freaked out, and took the knife from my kimono. That caused him to swing his bat, but he didn’t hit anything. That only scared me more, and that’s what happened. I used that secret passage only to get out, I didn’t even see Leon fall into the water. I didn’t even know if he was gonna die. I didn’t know I stabbed him so badly… No one saw me until I met up with Maki outside the gate. I slipped the motive video back into the pile sometime in the investigation. ”

“Did Leon say anything to you?” Kazuichi asked.

“Why would Leon say anything?” Kokichi questioned. “If you’re gonna commit a murder, then you’d best do it silently.”

“Is that how things ended up?” Makoto asked. “Was it all self defense?”

“I didn’t want to kill Leon at all! I panicked!” 

“At this rate, I don’t think we’ll find who moved those motive videos around if not Kokichi…”

“I guess Hiyoko was also a victim,” Shuichi said.

“Of course I am!” Hiyoko said. 

“Whose motive video was lying down for you to pick up?” Peko asked.

“Like I said, I didn’t know! Aren’t you listening? He attacked me as soon as I bent down to touch it!” 

“Even after that, you had every opportunity to get Leon help. It may have been in your favour too, maybe everyone would’ve believed it if you said you didn’t attack Leon,” Celeste commented. 

“S-So you still don’t get it! I hope that you’re also caught as a murderer and get burned alive!” As those words escaped Hiyoko’s mouth, it was only then when she realized there was no escaping the punishment Monokuma was gonna give her. She couldn’t stop herself from crying, from cursing every misfortune that led to this moment. But there was one thing she could do. Hiyoko approached Maki, and wrapped her arms around her in a hug.

"Big Sis’… you're not so bad…" Hiyoko said softly as she clutched onto Maki. Maki's normally unreadable expression softened for just a moment, before she closed her eyes. She made no attempt to push Hiyoko away, allowing Hiyoko once again to cry on her chest. Normally, she'd be livid at Hiyoko, that someone committed murder and would put her life at stake to escape. She should be shoving Hiyoko away and calling her out with the misanthropy she was known for since coming to this island. Yet here she was attempting to comfort her before her death. She never wanted to have to do that again, pay the price of forming any attachment, but there she stood.

"Don't say y'all forgot about the rules!" Monokuma called out, trying to regain the attention of the students. "I have a very special punishment for Hiyoko Saionji, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer!"

"N-No! I-I can’t!" Hiyoko cried, her grip tightening on Maki.

"It was self-defense," Maki narrowed her eyes at Monokuma. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Murder is murder, no matter the motives!" Monokuma argued back. "No matter what was going on in Hiyoko's little head, Leon is still a corpse because of it now!"

"That's completely unfair!" Mahiru shouted. 

"I-I don't wanna die!" Hiyoko cried.

"Now let's give it everything we got! It's punishment time!" Monokuma swung his signature gavel at the button in front of his throne.

Hiyoko Saionji has been found guilty! Time for punishment! 

After a brief moment, the doors to the trial room sprung open, revealing a chain, the same one that damned Sayaka. The chain latched around Hiyoko while she was still gripped tightly  to Maki, ripping her from Maki’s grasp. Maki instinctively reaches her hand at Hiyoko, before pulling back, knowing the futility of trying. Hiyoko grabbed onto the chain around her neck, desperately kicking as she began to be reeled away, but her small frame did nothing to halt its pull.  Surprisingly, Nekomaru marched forward and placed his massive hands around the chain, trying desperately to rip it apart.

“Nekomaru, what’re you doing?!” Akane asked.

“What’s going on?!” Monomi asked. “You’re really trying to save another student from getting punished?!” 

“I said that I won’t allow anymore deaths, even if it costs my life!” Nekomaru roared as he attempted to twist and turn the chains.

“This is madness,” Kirumi said, putting a hand over her mouth. Monokuma effectively cowed everyone last trial into not interfering, but would he really kill someone who would try to stop an execution?

“Gonta will help!” Gonta stepped forward, also attempting to get in the way of the chains, however, he was stopped by a soldier’s powerful grasp. He looked back and saw Mukuro putting his arms in a lock.

“At this rate, he’s gonna die for this,” Mukuro said. 

“Wait! It looks like he doesn’t even need Gonta’s help!” Kazuichi commented. “The chain’s breaking!”

“Yeah, his ‘tard strength is actually working!” Miu said. The chain began to buckle and finally break, much to everyone’s surprise. Hiyoko rolled onto the ground, gasping for breath, and Nekomaru continued to look down the now opened door in anticipation.

“That was a surprisingly good effort!” Monokuma said. “I guess I didn’t work the system hard enough!” Suddenly, two more chains reeled forward, latching onto Hiyoko’s ankles, and continued to pull her again. When Nekomaru ran to grab the chains this time, the sound of static rippled through the room, before a flash of light ran through the chains, shocking Nekomaru and throwing him onto the floor.

“Nekomaru!” Akane shouted as Nekomaru lay unresponsive. Akane, and soon others began to rush to his side. 

“I could’ve killed you right then and there!” Monokuma said. “Knowing you, you would’ve really taken a gunning from the Monobeasts! But don’t let him distract you from the main event!” The projector used to display executions began to turn on, and Hiyoko disappeared in the darkness of the hall, screaming the entire way down. When the projector’s static cleared, Hiyoko was standing on a stage, but not a gaudy, colourful stage like in Sayaka’s execution, but a traditional, Noh theater with an arched roof, and a polished wooden floor. An archaically styled painting of Monokuma with the background of a garden was present on the back of the stage. Lanterns lined the side of the stage, and sitting in the audience are Monomi and Monokuma.

The Last Flower of Tradition Starring: Hiyoko Saionji Status: Executed

Though Hiyoko’s face was paralyzed by fear, she began to dance, almost against her own will. Her form fluttered gracefully through the stage, as slow the sound of drums and a flute played slowly to match her tempo. However, this captivating, almost peaceful pace wouldn’t last. The speed and intensity of the drumming began to speed up, and Monokuma quickly threw a fan at Hiyoko, which she catches in one hand with elegance. She began to incorporate that fan into her dance, the summer wind being caught on its sail. Monokuma threw another fan at Hiyoko, which she nearly fumbles with as she catches it with her other hand. She begins dancing at an even quicker pace, circling the stage at a nearly fanatical trance. The student’s stomachs churned at what horrors awaited Hiyoko in this performance.

 As Hiyoko placed her foot down in the middle of the stage to pose, a spike ran through the floorboard, stabbing through her sandal and the sole of her foot, emerging through the top of her foot. She cried out in pain as blood spurted, leaking into the floor below. Several students cringed backwards, seeing Hiyoko’s fear being replaced with agony. Though that wasn’t enough to stop Hiyoko’s dance, as she continued to waltz through the stage, and more spikes began to emerge from the floor. Hiyoko managed to evade several, but as they continued to appear, her other foot eventually got caught on another spike. She could barely move her feet, her dance being slowed to a near halt as the music slowed in tandem. She eventually loses her balance, unable to keep her footing with a spike on each foot, and she fell on the floor, lying to her side, her entire right arm and leg being pierced with spikes. 

Hiyoko’s screams began to quiet into a choke, as her consciousness faded and as the floor stained crimson with her blood. Finally, Monokuma stood up and threw a final fan at her. However, this fan was lined with razors. Hiyoko, too weak to catch it, could barely register the fan piercing her chest. The fan opened inside her, cutting deep into her torso and spraying blood on Monokuma’s face. Hiyoko gave one last gasp, blood being violently expelled from her throat. With that, she falls on her stomach, the life faded from her body. Hiyoko Saionji was dead. 

The fear and despair that radiated from Hiyoko’s execution was different from Sayaka. It was gruesome, and heartbreaking in ways they didn’t expect as the look of Hiyoko’s agonized face was burned into everyone’s memory.

“We’re all gonna end up like this are we?” Chihiro cried as she fell to the ground, clutching her chest. “What have we done to deserve any of it?” Hina trudged her way to the Programmer, attempting to keep her standing, though her balance seemed to be barely intact.

“This round has come to a close,” Byakuya said. “Though I don’t pity the losers, I don’t take pleasure in such visceral displays.” The progeny pushed his way through the shell-shocked crowd, slowly making his way through the exit. No one tried to stop him.

“A-As long as it’s n-not me, it c-can’t happen to me! It can’t at all!” Teruteru repeated to himself, trying to give himself any modicum of comfort. 

“Hahahaha! That was quite the performance, wasn’t it?!” Monokuma asked.

“One of these days you’ll get what’s coming to you, you hear me?!” Kaito yelled.

“And how many of you are gonna be left on that day?” Monokuma laughed as he wiped the blood from his face and flicked it on Kaito’s shirt.

“You mother-” Kaito stepped forward, but stopped himself when he looked at Nekomaru. “Hmph. We gotta clear this place out,” The astronaut grit his teeth, turning his attention to his bereaved classmates.

“Another two friends Gonta couldn’t save…” Gonta wept. 

“Hey, it’ll be three if we don’t tend to this other problem!” Kazuichi pointed his finger at Nekomaru, still lying on the floor. Mikan was checking over his pulse.

“H-He’s still alive!” Mikan cried. 

“That move almost killed him… Pretty admirable for a degenerate,” Tenko said as she looked at the first broken chain. Nekomaru lifted his head and looked at his hands; they were mildly burnt, but the pain he felt wasn’t from the shock. That false hope he felt when he broke that chain was more bitter. 

“Dammit…” Nekomaru muttered as he stood back up. “I meant it when I said I would give my life to stop that execution.”

“And I almost executed you as well!” Monokuma said. “However, it’d be more fun to see you and your leadership fall apart! We have all the time in the world, so I don’t wanna thin the crowd too early!”

“Nekomaru… are you alright?” Akane grabbed his arm. “You big idiot…”

“Don’t worry about me…” Nekomaru said as he wiped the tears from his face. 

“Why did you try to save her?” Celeste was surprised at his heroic yet foolish act, yet her cold, questioning visage was unmoved. “She was the one who killed Leon, correct?”

“Yeah, she was. But I said I would do everything I can to protect everyone here, right? Hopefully you should all understand.” Nekomaru began to walk off, other students began following him out of the trial room.

“No, I do not think I can comprehend how foolish that act was,” Celeste said as she took her leave. 

“Hey, has anyone seen Maki?” Kaede asked. Her eyes met with Kaito, who looked out the door of the trial room. It looked like she had already left the room. Together they ran out the door, down Monokuma rock. They were surprised that night had already fallen, despite the murder being shortly after breakfast. Had the trial really gone one that long? Through the moonlight, they saw Maki well on her down the path, on her way back to the hotel.

“Maki, I-” Kaito stepped forward.

“I don’t need comforting,” Maki said sternly, her face hardened as always. She didn’t bother to stop or turn around. “Stuff like this, is why it’s no use getting close to anyone.”

“But if there’s anything you need to talk about, please…” Kaede said.

“Don’t bother… am I sad about Hiyoko? I said I wouldn’t be, I don’t exactly know why I comforted her at the end.” She felt her shirt, collar, and ribbon and though they were dry, they were crumpled. “Don’t expect me to go doing that again.”

“Maki, you’re admitting that you’re sad, aren’t you?” Kaito said. “You don’t have to feel like you need to hide it from us. We’re here for you!” Maki ignored their words.

“Maybe you should worry more about how your leaders are doing,” Maki said. “Four people died in what, five days?”

“C’mon, don’t pin it all on Kaede!” Kaito said as Maki made her way through the bridge, disappearing over the horizon. 

“She didn’t mean it,” Kaito said, turning his attention to Kaede. “I don’t know who wouldn’t be acting like this after losing someone, uh, relatively close to them!”

“No, she’s right…” Kaede said. “She’s allowed to be mad at me after this…” She clutched her arm, and looked back to the rest of the crowd emerging from Monokuma Rock. “But, we gotta get some rest. We should meet back tomorrow morning.” 

_________________________________________________________________

Maki made sure no one was following her before she opened the door to her cottage, quickly closing the door behind her. She sighed and looked at her room. It was a strange mix of both of her talents. Officially, Hope’s Peak academy gave her the title Ultimate Assassin, but it appeared that the cover talent that she planned to use was also implemented. Diagrams displaying the nutritional and medical needs of children were strewn on the wall. The carpet and furniture decor was almost saccharine, with light blue and pink decor. However, the innocuous looking dressers and drawers hid knives, poisons, and more discreet weapons.

 She didn’t know whose doing it was to incorporate stuff belonging to a real Ultimate Child Caregiver. Was it Monomi? Monokuma? It didn’t matter. Can she even call herself that title one day? She doesn’t know if she’ll live long enough to consider that, especially if her classmates knew her primary talent. 

“ I don’t know if Monokuma will ever make a motive that’ll expose me. Does whoever owns my motive video know my real talent? If the screening did go through, will everyone know my talent? Whatever, it’s a close call either way. I’ll only hope that something like that doesn’t happen again. I guess I’m lucky that Kokichi didn’t out me, I don’t know if I could stop myself from strangling that brat if he did.” She took off her ribbon and started to prepare a shower. Soon, Hiyoko’s another name that’ll be lost to her, like so many others. 

___________________________________________________________ 

Hajime was with the rest of the students when they emerged from Monokuma Rock. 

“I exposed the culprit,” Hajime thought. “Like I said I would…” He trudged through the walkway. Despite being able to live another day, he didn’t feel any satisfaction. “This is what Shuichi feels on a daily basis, isn’t it?” He wasn’t paying attention to anyone but Hiyoko during the last half of the trial. What did his other classmates think of him for outing Hiyoko? Were they mad at him for accusing a kid like her? He was made aware of how difficult the truth was, how it wasn’t anyone’s definition of happiness or satisfaction. The way Mahiru talked to him right before, and during the trial was completely different. People really do act differently when accusations are being thrown about. 

“Mahiru, are you mad at me for accusing Hiyoko?” Hajime asked. There was a brief pause. 

“If you asked me during the trial, probably to be honest…” Mahiru said. “But accusing people or not, that didn’t make her any less of a culprit in the end.” She took a moment to wipe her eyes dry. “But really, I don’t think anyone would be mad at you for finding the culprit. In the end, we’re looking to get everyone out alive, right? That’s what you were doing.”

“I guess I was,” Hajime said. “Hiyoko, Leon… you have photos of them, right? That’s how we’ll remember them.” Despite Hiyoko and presumably Leon trying to kill them, there are probably people out there who considered them friends. That alone was worth keeping their memory when or if they escape.

“Yeah, you don’t have to tell me,” Mahiru said, giving a weak but present smile, which wasn’t expected considering what just happened. “There’s nothing else to do now but to get some rest,” the photographer suggested. “Be up early tomorrow this time…” Hajime watched as Mahiru walked off back to hotel grounds. 

“Not that you asked, but never be afraid of doing what you have to do!” Nagito butted in, the same nonchalant behavior he always had. 

“Nagito, you seem happy…” Hajime said. He didn’t know if it was insensitive to say that.

“Before you ask, yeah, I’m devastated that Hiyoko and Leon died. They died so that we can go on. Both of them would’ve been better off alive than I am, that’s for sure. But in a way, I am happy to see that the class, and specifically that you were able to get us out alive. At first, I tried to deny that there were killers amongst us, but I guess it’s more hopeful that we can push through the despair that killings bring to us.”

“I uh, agree with you in a way?” Hajime said. 

“About Leon and Hiyoko being more valuable than I am?” Nagito asked. “That’s pretty much a given.”

“No, the last part.” Hajime corrected. “Anyways, we should get some rest.”

______________________________________________________________

Shuichi stood in front of the hotel gates. This time, he wasn’t the one who exposed the culprit. Even if he was (one of) the Ultimate Detective(s), he can’t be the sole savior everytime, he thought. However, he couldn’t help but feel helpless when he isn’t the one investigating and deducing. After all, what good is his talent without it, right? 

“A lot of people didn’t want to believe that Hiyoko was the culprit… And after the trial was over, no one was happy with her getting executed. Really, who would ever be?” Shuichi clutched the brim of his hat.

“If there ever are more trials, which let’s be honest, there very likely could be, people in outright denial, people in tears listening to the culprit’s motives… it’ll come up again.” He took the hat off of his head, and looked at it. He’d have to be stupid to think that nobody knew why he wore his hat. 

“I’m not saying I’m wishing for another trial, but I wanna be ready.” He heard footsteps, and when he turned around, he saw Kaede walking toward him. She looked tired, as if she’d been in an argument. 

“Kaede, what’s wrong?” Shuichi asked.

“Looking at what happened today, a lot,” Kaede said. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get all snarky.”

“No, I get it.” Shuichi said. “It might’ve been dumb for me to ask.” 

“Shuichi, shouldn’t you be getting some rest?”

“Yeah, but I was waiting for you.”

“Waiting for me? For what?” Shuichi outstretched his arms, offering his hat to Kaede.

“I don’t know if I’ll regret this when I wake up tomorrow, but take this hat from me.” Kaede's eyes darted from his hat to his face in surprise. She realized that this was the first time she could see both of Shuichi’s eyes. Her eyes looked a bit less heavy as she nodded and took the hat from him. She understood what he was implying.

“I’ll make sure you don’t need it.” Kaede said, putting the hat on her head. “Hopefully,” Kaede thought. “Hopefully this hat will have a new meaning when I’m wearing it.” 

_________________________________________________________________

35 days remain.

43 STUDENTS REMAIN.

Chapter Text

Day 5

That night, Makoto didn’t get much sleep. He spent all night thinking about the trial that just happened. It hadn’t even been a week, and already four of them were dead. He felt his contempt toward Monokuma and whoever was controlling him growing even further.

“Damn it! Why them?! Why did they have to die? I know that every single one of them didn’t deserve to be trapped in this killing game! None of us do! Is it all just for Monokuma’s sick kicks?” He had no motivation to go outside to clear his mind, not that he’d expect anyone to be out after such a difficult night. “Sayaka… two more people ended up just like her.” His feelings toward Sayaka were complicated. For the few days that he knew her, he thought that she was a good person, who expressed regret for her actions and thought about him as a friend as much as he felt toward her. How many murders would it take until no one would feel sympathy toward her anymore? He didn’t know Keebo for long either, and his heart ached at all the memories they could’ve had together. 

“Keebo… there were probably people who cared about him a lot. Those people could’ve been us, if we got to know him better. Now that chance will never happen. Kaede said she wanted us to escape and become friends after. I wish that would include Keebo, Sayaka, and all the others. I don’t want any murders to happen, I don’t wanna think about it.” Despite his best efforts, he felt himself drifting in and out of sleep until morning finally came. The morning announcement finally signified that it was time to get up. He still felt groggy, and it took effort to keep his eyes open and his back straight.

“I didn’t shower last night, didn’t I?” Makoto reminded himself. He too felt it was strange that the trial took the entire day. He didn’t even feel hungry or thirsty the whole time, but now he felt it affecting him. “Trial or not, that’s not an excuse to be a slob. I bet if my sister were here, she’d really chew me out if I didn’t keep myself looking like a straight edge kid.” After a quick shower, and with a fresh set of clothes, he felt a little bit better, but still hungry. He stepped outside, and found that it was sunny and warm as it always was. Outside, he found a few students. He didn’t know if any of them were in a mood to talk, but Makoto wasn’t the kind of person to ignore people as he walked by. 

“Ryota, good morning.” Makoto said, speaking with a lot less energy than he thought he had.

“Hey, Makoto.” Ryota greeted. The animator seemed fixated on his tablet, running his finger through the screen in a reserved manner. It was clear that he wasn’t drawing anything, he was observing something on it.

“Is something wrong?” Makoto asked, looking at Ryota’s tablet.

“Nothing, really…” Ryota responded back. “I did more investigating than I thought yesterday.” Makoto thought back to how Ryota presented the map that led to Leon’s secret passage being exposed.

“Yeah, you were a big help back there, Ryota,” Makoto said. “I don’t think we could’ve solved that without you.”

“Maybe I was a big help, but I can’t help but feel… responsible that Hiyoko died? I think that’s how I would put it.” Ryota showed that he was viewing the map that he created on his talent.

“I think all of us do. Just voting feels really scummy, like we’re playing right into Monokuma’s hands.” Makoto added. It reminded him of how helpless he felt, when Sayaka was pulled to her execution. It seemed that every way someone attempted to stop an execution, Monokuma always had a way to spit on their efforts.

“It sounds a bit silly, but I thought I could do more to help people get through this rather than investigating some dumb trial Monokuma put us through.” Ryota said. 

“You shouldn’t feel silly thinking that,” Makoto said. 

“Well, I don’t think I can stand looking at this anymore.” Ryota tapped the delete button on his tablet, and watched as the map was erased from his device. “It’ll only bring bad memories from here on out.” 

“Hopefully, some breakfast with the others will make us feel better,” Makoto said, though he didn’t know what to think about Ryota deleting the map. “It’s a pretty good tablet, and Ryota’s a pretty accurate artist. I don’t want any of this to stop him from trying to help us.” 

“Yeah, that sounds good!” Ryota perked up a little at the thought. “I had a little snack after the end of yesterday, but I can’t believe how short that day seemed. I’ll be going, Makoto. Don’t worry about me, though. The tablet’s storage space is best used up by animations.”

Makoto continued toward the restaurant. Hopefully, having a conversation with Ryota wouldn’t make him late. “I don’t want Mahiru or Taka going after me, wondering where I am,” Makoto thought. When he got to the intersection that led to the pool, he saw Chihiro. 

“Chihiro, good to see you,” Makoto greeted. Chihiro seemed surprised to find Makoto calling out to her. She looked tired, though it seemed like she was awake for a while. 

“Oh, I didn’t notice you!” Chihiro said.

“Sorry if I startled you,” Makoto said. “Did you sleep well last night?”

“I didn’t really. Did I look tired to you?” Chihiro ran her hand along her cheek and quickly patted down her jacket and skirt to see if there was anything out of place as subtly as possible.

“I’m not trying to offend you! But I don’t blame you at all if you didn’t sleep well.” Makoto said. 

“No, you’re right,” Chihiro said shyly. “I-I cried a lot last night, like I did after the first trial. It felt like I let down everyone whenever someone died. I didn’t want to vote, because it felt like I was killing Hiyoko.” Makoto saw Chihiro begin to tear up, before she wiped her tears away.

“Hey now, d-don’t cry, Chihiro…” Makoto said. “I totally get what you mean by that. Don’t blame yourself for that. I-It’s all Monokuma’s fault we’re forced to play this game! None of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for him!” He wasn’t sure if that would make Chihiro feel any better, but it was worth a shot.

“T-That’s pretty motivating coming from you…” Chihiro said, being able to produce a small smile. “Other people tried to comfort me, but I guess I get all teary eyed whenever I talk about it. They said that Hiyoko brought it upon herself and I shouldn’t blame it on yourself, but your take is a little bit more comforting.”

“I never thought my mindset was special or anything," Makoto said sheepishly. "I don't seem like the only person you talked about this. Did you feel any better talking to anyone else?"

"Sometimes it seems like I'm the one that has to help," Chihiro said. "Miu still seems really sad about Keebo. I know how she acts most of the time, but she sounds a lot more depressed whenever anyone brings it up. Is that how you feel about S-" Chihiro covered her mouth before the words left her lips. "I-I don't wanna sound insensitive! Sorry!"

"Hey, there's no need to avoid talking about it…" Makoto said, trying to calm her down.  "Really, don't apologize for that."

"T-Thanks for understanding, Makoto. I think you're pretty brave for being open about it."

"C'mon…" Makoto began, wanting to deny anything extraordinary praise, but realizing that denying it would keep them in circles. "I think we've been standing here long enough. We should go to the restaurant and eat."

"Oh right," Chihiro said, putting a hand over her stomach. "Yeah we shouldn't be lounging around here."

"Uh, by the way, who was it that gave you that advice before me?" Makoto asked. "Just curious." Chihiro's face turned red, and looked behind herself.

"Um, well… no one, really, we should get moving now!" She turned around and briskly walked away.

"That sure was a reaction," Makoto said. "I wasn't gonna push it further if she didn't want to…" He continued along the path, and entered the hotel lobby. 

“This was where Leon died,” Makoto thought. As he expected, all the tables and chairs were back in position, the blood and pool water scrubbed clean. He could hear the faint movements of people upstairs, but it’s no surprise if people already began breakfast without him. However, Celeste sat alone on one of the chairs, drinking tea.

“Good morning, Celeste.” Makoto said.

“Ah, Makoto.” Celeste greeted. “Good morning to you.” Makoto was honestly unsure what to say to Celeste. He thought himself as pretty normal, and Celeste seemed like one of the most unique students out there, even after a few days of getting to know them.

“I was just having tea where it’s more quiet, relatively speaking.” she continued. 

“Celeste, how are you holding up here?” Makoto noticed that even in the morning after the trial, she was eerily calm. 

“What do you mean? I am doing just fine, apart from the unbearable amount of sunlight and heat.”

“Good to hear that you’re doing so well,” Makoto said awkwardly. “ Did Celeste pick up what I meant? She certainly doesn’t seem like the kind of person to-”

“Really, it’s Leon and Hiyoko you should be pitying,” Celeste said. “Like I said, those most adaptable are the only ones that can survive here. Do not forget that, Makoto. I hope you have been becoming accustomed here yourself.” He felt a pang of sickness go through him. The last time he thought about Komaru and his family, he had to keep thinking. He can’t afford to forget. Celeste took another sip of tea. 

“I haven’t eaten breakfast yet,” Makoto said. “They’ve all probably started without me.” He began to scale the stairs to the restaurant.

“I suppose I must keep up appearances as well,” Celeste said, standing up and patting herself off while taking her tea with her. “The few moments of silence were enjoyable while they lasted.” Celeste walked after Makoto shortly after. “Oh, by the way, you’re the Ultimate Lucky Student, are you not?” Makoto almost forgot that he had a so-called talent. Any thought he had about Hope’s Peak and talent took backseat to the threat of being killed or executed. Though he was treated relatively well by his fellow students, he still felt at least somewhat out of place.

“Technically, I guess I am,” Makoto said. “But I don’t think it’s ever helped me.”

“Interesting,” Celeste said. “Do you know what success in gambling is based on? It’s based on luck.”

“Luck?” Makoto asked. He had been called unlucky many times in the past, but it was a bit captivating to see what Celeste, the Ultimate Gambler thought about it. “You’re telling me that luck is more important than strategy in gambling?”

“Strategy and planning is part of any game, but being able to take advantage of the luck you’re given  when you’re born… being able to do that will allow you to overwhelm anything else.”

“Is that why you’ve been successful?” Makoto asked. It seemed like forever ago when he first did his online research on the Ultimates before attending Hope’s Peak himself. Celeste’s exploits even before joining were legendary, cleaning out many tournaments, both professionally and in the underworld. 

“I, of course, was given good luck from birth. That’s the reason I never lost. I wonder if the same can be said for you.” 

“You really think that about my talent?”

“I will say this to Nagito also, I would not mind pitting my talent against both of you if we ever were to gamble against each other.”

“I can’t say I’m not interested in a game of Poker, Shogi, Mahjong, or something like that. But I’ll probably get destroyed, especially if what Nagito said about his luck was true.”

“Still, my invitation is genuine, Makoto. Do not worry, it would just be for fun, as currency seems meaningless on this island.” When Makoto reached the restaurant, almost everyone was already there. However, there was a tense atmosphere, as he immediately heard discussion, or was it arguing? He looked around and saw that the restaurant was pretty full. 

“I have made it clear that the motive videos weren’t there when I arrived this morning,” Kirumi said. 

“Yeah, if Monokuma wanted us to kill each other, he shoulda left the motive videos right where they were!” Kokichi said. 

"Strangely, it was Monomi who explained the situation," Kirumi ignored Kokichi's remarks. Makoto looked and sure enough, Monomi was standing on a chair next to Kirumi, fidgeting with her hands nervously.

"M-Monokuma wanted to make room for the next possible motive by getting rid of it! I swear!"

"Did he think that the despair of us almost seeing our own videos would be greater than letting us see it?" Mukuro asked. 

"Despair? That does seem like a reason Monokuma would do that." Makoto joined in. 

"Makoto!" Mukuro exclaimed in surprise. "Didn't notice you there…"

"Uh, morning Mukuro?" Makoto smiled awkwardly.

"We all know Monomi's bullshitting us!" Fuyuhiko growled. "When has anything worth a shit come out of her mouth?!" Makoto was a bit surprised that Fuyuhiko was in the conversation. He expected everyone would avoid him after they saw his video.

"I checked the restaurant for a brief moment after the trial!" Taka spoke up. "The videos were gone before early morning!"

"Y'know, someone quick on their feet could've hoarded those videos for themselves. They could be stashed in said person's room right now."

"Someone like you?" Celeste eyed suspiciously.

"I didn't do myself any favours by breaking everyone's trust," Ryoma said. "But I've already searched the videos one time, didn't have a reason to take them for myself."

"I haven't seen Monokuma since the trial ended. I wonder if he'll confirm this in any way…: Chiaki mused.

"So is that it? It was Monokuma who decided the motives to enhance this game aren't necessary anymore?" Byakuya eyed Monomi with a contemptuous stare. Monomi began to break into a sweat. "Seems very contradictory to me. Well, it is worth confronting that bear, no matter how pointless it may seem."

"No harm in asking Monokuma, no matter how bad an idea that seems," Mukuro sighed.

"Okay, please don't tell Monokuma! It was me! I got rid of them! Monomi exclaimed.

"She crumbled so easily…" Makoto thought. 

"First you swapped our videos, now you're getting rid of ‘em?" Akane asked. "Damn, you're a really confusing rabbit."

“And Monokuma just allowed you to do that?” Hiro asked. “I don’t know what he’s gonna do when he finds out. It’s way too early to see him doing anything crazy.”

“Kukuku, perhaps if Monokuma allowed this, he believes there’s more despair awaiting us without the motive,” Korekiyo thought. 

“I suppose if that is the case,” Byakuya said, entertaining Korkeiyo’s point, “then I believe we will have you to thank for making things a lot more interesting.” Byakuya in a way, couldn’t believe he had to waste his energy demoralizing a stuffed rabbit. That only caused Monomi to cry harder.

“T-That wasn’t what I was thinking at all! I just want all of my students to keep their hopes up even if I have to step in!”

“Yeah, I hate to agree that you’re making things worse!” Hina narrowed her eyes at Monomi. “And I also hate to think that Byakuya is enjoying this as well!”

“Hina, please restrain yourself,” Sakura said, trying to console her.

“Oh please, you think a commoner such as yourself stands any chance in this game?" Byakuya scoffed. "I would be surprised if you survive even a week from now."

"Honestly, tough guys like you are the worst!" Mahiru chided. "Great to know that the so called Togami heir can't even behave reasonably for a minute!”

“Hey, don’t start ganging up on Byakuya because he’s telling the truth!” Kokichi said, only paving the way to escalation. 

“P-Please, stop this fighting!” A voice called out. Everyone turned their eyes turned to its source; it was Chihiro, her eyes tearful yet looking intently at her fellow students. “S-Sorry if I sound like what everyone else is saying, but I don’t want anyone to fight… It’s bad enough that people are already dying, everyday we’re risking our lives. I-I’m really not sure where we’ll go from here, b-but you think fighting will get us anywhere?” Though some of the faces seemed moved by Chihiro’s plea, Byakuya turned his attention to Chihiro without skipping a beat.

“You’re exactly the kind of person who will fall behind in all this,” Byakuya said with contempt. “Did you need someone to pull the lever for you, last trial? When the next one comes around, perhaps you’ll get executed by refusing to vote.”

Just as it looked like someone like Tenko or Mahiru would stand up, it was Mondo who acted first. He stood up from his chair, once again at odds with Byakuya.

“Psht, look at you still running your mouth off!” Mondo growled. “Don’t know why anyone tried to stop me from putting your ass on the ground!” Makoto couldn’t help but fear that Mondo was going to get violent whenever he shouted. 

“Go ahead and prove I’m correct with your barbaric shouting,” Byakuya said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you join in on the list of unsuccessful culprits.”

“All you’ve been doing is running your mouth like you’re hot shit, just like you’re doing right now! But the only thing keeping you alive is because people are being all fucking nice toward you, and you’re turning around and picking on people who won’t fight back!” 

“I don’t think any of us disagree with what you’re saying,” Hina said.

“I’m right here.” Byakuya deadpanned. 

“But what’re you gonna do? Beat him up like you said you will?” 

“We’re still stuck on this island, we can’t just let psychos like him roam free?!”

“You’re saying that we should keep him under surveillance?” Peko asked. 

“More than that! He’d be less of a pain to everyone’s ass if we just tied him up so he doesn’t cause any trouble!”

“That’s a bit excessive, don’t you think?” Mahiru asked.

“No, no, I think Corndick’s got a point!” Miu said. “I’m not saying I give a shit about rules, but Byakuya seems like the type you wanna bind and gag!”

“Your leadership’s incompetence will prevent anything meaningful from being done,” Byakuya said, noticeably angered by Miu’s remark. “And quiet that harlot’s insipid ramblings. As a matter of fact, you’re making yourself look more of a threat than I do to your… compatriots.” Nekomaru stood up, as if expecting Mondo to make a move after that. 

“Crap, Nekomaru’s gonna have to restrain Mondo again, isn’t he?” Makoto thought. However, to his surprise, the encounter took a different direction.

“M-Mondo…” Chihiro cried softly. There were noticeably tears in her eyes. “Y-You don’t have to go that far…”

“Look, you made her cry now,” Mahiru chided.

“Wh- Chihiro?” Mondo’s anger seemed to fizzle out, and his rough face betrayed a look of worry when he turned to her. 

“I-I just hate how weak I am… I needed your help talking for me, and even you said you couldn’t fight back…”

“How is it my fault?!” Mondo asked. “I’m just saying what we’re all thinking, not trying to be mean!” Byakuya sat down, seeing that the attention was now off of him, but still unmoved by anyone’s words. “And girls are just naturally weaker than guys, right?!” Chihiro slowly began to cry, tears rolling down her cheeks. Some people close to Chihiro immediately attempt to comfort her, though none of it seemed to make her feel better, some of them even leering at Mondo.

“Apologize to Chihiro this instant!” Taka said to Mondo. 

“Ah, shut up, I know what I gotta do,” Mondo grumbled before cautiously approaching Chihiro.

“Look, I messed up,” Mondo apologized, looking the programmer in the eyes. “I promise I won’t yell around you, that’s a man’s promise.”

“A-a man’s promise?” Chihiro asked, wiping her tears with a napkin Kirumi gave her.

“Yeah, that’s what I said. My brother told me that real men always keep their promises, and I swear I’ll stand by it even now. So, you don’t have to cry anymore. This gave Chihiro a small smile. 

“I-I still have a long way to go before I’m no longer weak, but I appreciate that you would do something like that.”

Makoto briefly looked up and saw that Monomi was nowhere to be found now.

“A m-man’s promise?” Tenko’s face scrunched up at that. “Doesn’t that make a promise less credi-”

“Take a hint and don’t ruin this, won’t you?” Hina said, elbow bumping her. Mondo, and by the look of it, everyone else was relieved that Chihiro felt a little better. He rested himself upon a nearby empty chair.

“Making a man’s promise, are you?” Nekomaru repeated. “I LIKE IT! It’s a pretty big step up from your usual self.”

“Psh, pretty new for you if you were gonna lecture me about shouting,” Mondo said.

“So, uh, now that that’s out of the way, what’re we gonna do now?” Teruteru asked. “After last night, I’m sure we’re all a little lost right now.”

“We should finish eating breakfast first before thinking about any of that,” Hiro said tiredly as he took another bite of toast. “I think taking it easy is the best thing to do right now.”
“Don’t be lazy now, dammit!” Mahiru said. “We’re gonna see what’s new with the island after this.”

“Hey, has anyone seen Shuichi?” Kokichi asked. “Normally, he’s at least sort of reliable by showing up on time and now he ain’t even showing up!” 

“Yeah, normally he’d be up pretty early,” Kaito said. “Well, that’s nothing that can’t be shaken off with a few push-ups!”

“Duh, obviously Kaede killed Shuichi and took the hat for herself!” Miu laughed.

“That is a fashionable hat, Kaede,” Sonia complimented. “More fashionable than it looked on Shuichi.”

“C’mon, be a bit sensitive toward Shuichi,” Kaede said. 

“Speak of the devil,” Ryoma said as he witnessed Shuichi walking in. For the first time since arriving, his hair and face was clear to everyone. 

“Morning, everyone.” Shuichi said. “Sorry for being late.” 

“Don’t worry about it, Shuichi.” Kaede gave a reassuring smile. “In fact, it’s just in time to discuss our next course of action over breakfast.”

“Shuichi, you’re looking a lot more reliable today!” Taka announced. “Hats aren’t compliant to standard high schools anyway, so this is an overall good change!” 

“He’s having a protagonist moment,” Hifumi said to Taka. “Don’t take this inspirational progression away from him!”

“Oh my oh my, I agree with Taka!” Angie said. “Shuichi looks very handsome without his hat!”

“It’s not a big deal,” Shuichi said, beginning to feel flustered. But for the first time, not in a bad way. “It’s just a hat.”

“Big deal?” Teruteru inquired. “That hat made its way over to our pianist over here, is there something you’re implying?”

“I-I just thought someone else would make better use of it…” Shuichi began to feel himself growing red. “At least no one’s saying anything about my detective skills.”  “That’s all.” 

“If it ain’t a big deal, then relax, dude!” Hiro said. “Besides, compared to what happened a few seconds ago this is pretty chill.” Shuichi walked over and sat down next to Kaede, which was surprisingly empty. Kaito was also seated near her, giving Shuichi a thumbs up.

“Hey, glad to see you’re up!” Kaito said. “I know things have been tough, but you’re holding up pretty well!”

“I guess not wearing the hat might make me look like that?” Shuichi pondered. He had a hard time remembering a time where he didn’t wear it since his infamous case. 

“I’ll try not to make a big deal about the hat,” Kaito said. “But how do you think Kaede looks in it, huh?” Kaede tipped her hat upwards in response to that, trying to make her full face visible.

“U-Um, she looks,” Shuichi stuttered. Kaede could feel herself getting flushed as well.

“Just messing with both of you,” Kaito said. “We may have missed last night, but I’ll make sure my sidekick stays in top shape!” 

“Guess no one wanted to bring up training last night, but looks like Kaito remembered,” Shuichi thought. “Now, Kaede, lead the way!”

“Well, we’re about to discuss if there are any areas that might’ve opened,” Kaede said. “I took a bit of time looking around the hotel, but it looks like Monokuma will have to announce it himself.” 

“Excuse me, but I believe there are some things we should discuss!” Taka announced. “It’s about the state of our cottages!”

“Care to elaborate?” Celeste asked.

“There’s one thing that I find out of the ordinary…” Taka thought. “I am sure that all of you have a wardrobe consisting of the exact same uniform, for the most part!”

“You’re bringing that up?” Tsumugi asked. “At first, I thought it was a plain ol’ mixup on Monokuma’s part, but now that I know all of you a bit better, I’m beginning to doubt it.”

“Y-You mean those brown uniforms, right?” Mikan asked. “T-They’re not like anything I’ve ever worn at school, s-so I just ignored it.” 

“They are quite generic looking outfits,” Byakuya said. “But there is one thing that would make just about any commoner hold it to a high regard.”

“I think I recognize ‘em!” Makoto said. “I knew all of that reading Hope’s Peak catalogues and magazines would do me good.” “They’re Hope’s peak uniforms!”

“They’re pretty dumpy ass outfits! I’ll stick to my own clothes suited to my own genius, thank you very much!” Miu laughed.

“There might be some meaning to it,” Hiro said. “But it’s going over my head right now.”

“I mean, it shouldn’t be anything out of place, right?” Teruteru argued. “This WAS supposed to be a Hope’s Peak vacation so I wouldn’t be surprised to find something like that…”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kazuichi rubbed his head through his hat. “My closet only has a few blue jumpsuits.”

“The one that landed in my closet was kinda different, but I still recognized it,” Nagito brought up. “Mine had a green and red sweater along with it.”

“So it’s a different case for everyone…” Chiaki said. “They might just be alternate costumes after all. Do you ever think about wearing them?”

“It does not look bad,” Sonia said. “But for now I will have to prefer what I’m wearing right now…”

“It might relate to what Kirumi and I found the other day,” Rantaro said, pulling out one of the rings from his finger. “I got one of these from that weird gacha game. It has the Hope’s Peak logo emblazoned on it.”

“Are you sure it’s not some counterfeit?” Taka asked. “I doubt Hope’s Peak would relegate their brand to a… gachapon reward.” He swallowed hard at the last two words. 

“I can tell from here that it is not some cheap plastic,” Celeste said. “I would say this is a fairly exclusive item. I gathered a few… accessories of the same material as part of my winnings.” 

“So Hope’s Peak rented out this island, big deal.” Akane said. “I don’t see what the fuss is about!”

“Big deal?” Korekiyo stroked his chin. “I thought we established that this island was a popular tourist spot, and Hope’s Peak simply got their hands on this place?” 

“Looking at Monomi, we still can’t be sure who brought us here, but it may bring us one step closer to… our lost memories, right?” Nagito said. “Now what was the second thing you wanted to bring up?” 

“I’ve been thinking that we have to step up our security measures,” Taka announced. “Leon could’ve killed someone with one of his baseball bats!”

“Do you intend on taking away anything weapon-like from our cottages?” Tenko asked. “That’s discriminating against the Neo-Aikido way!”

“I thought that Aikido didn’t involve using weapons,” Peko brought up.

“Neo-Aikido is a different story!” Tenko said. 

“We’re not gonna go that far,” Mahiru commented further. “For now, we’re just gonna write down what’s in everyone’s rooms. I think if anyone wants to commit murder, having everyone know where the weapon might come from might make them think twice.”

“Besides, if we did want to take any objects that seem untrustworthy,” Nekomaru said. “We wouldn’t have anywhere to put it!”

“So one by one, we’ll visit everyone’s cottages to see what kind of objects they have. We will not confiscate anything unless it is particularly dangerous.” Sonia said.

“That sounds pretty fair,” Chihiro said. “I don’t think there’s anything that dangerous in my room.”

“I can’t have you taking my babies!” Miu pointed an accusing finger at Sonia. “I can’t let your dirty fingers getting my precious inventions all dirty!”

“I guess we’ll get there when we get there,” Kaede said. “We’re gonna start the whole survey today, and hopefully we’ll be done before dinner.”

“Ugh, none of you better be telling me to clean my room,” Hiro groaned.

“Don’t worry! We won’t judge!” Nekomaru said.

“But I will! We cannot use our environment as an excuse to slack off!” Taka said in contrast. Monokuma appeared once again. This time, no one was particularly surprised.

“Has anybody seen the motive videos?” Monokuma asked. 

“I’m not the best follower of Monokuma lore, did Monomi take it?” Hifumi brought up. 

“Gah, how annoying!” Monokuma said. “Why can’t my little sister just learn to stay out of my way?!” 

“You’re not gonna return them back to us?” Ryoma inquired.

“Are you still thinking about getting your motive video after all that?” Toko asked. “Y-You’re really hopelessly desperate!” 

“They’ve served their purpose,” Monokuma brushed off. “It’s a new day, so we should focus on new horizons!”

“I’m assuming we’re gonna get some hip places to explore!” Kokichi laughed.

“The once under renovation hotel building is now finished! The Kuma lodge is now open for you bastards, a little something for your outstanding performance last night! Ahahahaha!”

“I must’ve missed the part where I’m supposed to laugh,” Fuyuhiko said, vocalizing everyone’s displeasure.

“Aw, so nothing new for me to see,” Kokichi said. “How boring.”

“This will be interesting…” Korekiyo mused, standing up. “Personally, I’m not feeling all that hungry. Anyone who wants to survey the building early should do so before Kokichi tampers with it.” A few others stood up to investigate it early. 

“Ibuki’s gonna head out, too!” Ibuki said. “That building looks pretty big, so there might be some cool stuff around!”

“Yeah, I guess I’ll check it out, too.” Hajime said. “Sure beats sitting around.” 

“Kiyo’s got a point,” Mahiru said. “It’s probably best to get a good look at this thing.”

______________________________________________________________

Sakura continued her breakfast, with Tenko, Hina, and Akane sitting nearby. Tenko scooted over a noticeable amount toward Sakura, which she caught on.

“Ah, Tenko, you have something to ask of me? My mind might not be all there right now, I haven’t had a proper workout today.” 

“I just ask you something!” Tenko gave a nervous, but honest smile. It was a bit strange to see a martial arts master fidget as aggressively as Tenko is. “I’ve been thinking about it’ll help me to get some advice from some female athletes like you!”

“What particularly are you looking for? In fact, I’m interested in seeing how you crafted Neo-Aikido.”

“Well, Neo Aikido is not just about practice,” Tenko said. “Many of my accomplishments come from fighting! From a competitive sport, to street brawls, and also helping regular girls can be considered part of the Neo Aikido regimen! Aikido is famous for having a strong self defense while using as little force on yourself as possible. But Neo-Aikido puts it to the next level!”

“So you’re already taking elements to improve how you practice Aikido,” Sakura pondered, taking a sip of tea. “That is a little bit like my own technique. I’ve learned quite a bit about Aikido during practice, so it might be interesting to see what you have done…”

“For instance, weapons and sneak attacks are allowed! Those are known for effectively getting rid of male threats!” Sakura winced a bit, trying to piece together what Neo Aikido is about. It is certainly an odd practice.

“You’re trying to take advice from the person you’re trying to beat?” Hina asked. “That’s a bit counterproductive, don’t you think?”

“Hina, competitive sports isn’t about putting down your opponents,” Sakura chastised. “I’ll be happy to answer anything Tenko has to ask me. Do you ever think about how your opponent acts?”

“My opponents?” Tenko asked. “Well, they tend to go down after a single sneak attack, so not really.” 

“ Settling a fight as quickly as possible. It appears that Tenko has taken from elements like Krav Maga.”

“Well, if you aim to defeat me, do you believe that I will go down in a single attack?”

“I guess when it comes to you and Akane, I’ll have to see more about how you fight… Sakura, you’re famous for MMA, right?”

“That is correct. I do not intend to warp your view on martial arts, but I believe that if I limited myself to one form, I will not understand or overcome each of their weaknesses.” 

“So what you’re saying is… you have no weakness!” Tenko exclaimed. “But don’t worry, I’ll figure out how I can get on your level!” 

“Well, there’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?” Sakura smiled at that challenge. “Witnessing your newfound martial art is something I’ll be honoured to see.” 

______________________________________________________________

Korekiyo and Hiro looked at the old building next to the hotel. It stood two stories tall, and had a crawlspace. It looked like its exterior was made of mostly wood. In front of them, the porch was quite wide, and there was a balcony on the second floor. 

“Hey, this place looks a lot nicer now,” Hiro said. “I’d be happy to hang around here from time to time.”

“The Kuma lodge, was that what Monokuma called it?” Korekiyo said. “That sounds like an events venue of some sort; which wouldn’t be surprising for a luxury island like this.” 

“A venue?! Looks like I finally got a gig!” Ibuki cheered. “Yahoo! It’ll be totally awesome, I gotta plan a show sometime!” 

“Whoa, we don’t even know what’s inside,” Hajime said. However, part of him was hoping there was something inside. He hadn’t done a lot of listening to music or watching videos since coming to this island.

“Yeah, I could think of something for the girls to do here,” Mahiru said. “Maybe after a bit of redecorating, since this whole wood look doesn’t seem very photogenic.” The group entered the lodge, and it was incredibly dark inside. However, they could make out a hallway with a few rooms and a fire door that looked closed. 

  “Whoa, it looks like someone turned off the light!” Ibuki commented. “It’s enough to give me chills!”

“This building looks unused.” Korekiyo observed, running his bandaged fingers against the wall. “There isn’t even dust, though it could be attributed to Monokuma’s renovation.”

“This place looks pretty scary, you can go on ahead,” Hiro said.

“You are a man, aren’t you?” Mahiru asked. “Stop getting worked up over such a tiny thing and move along!” Hajime stepped forward and peaked his head into one of the rooms. It had an empty desk with a chair, and an air conditioner along with a circuit breaker. There were also many of what appears to be lightswitches.

“Looks like this controls the light,” Hajime said. He flipped each switch that, and as expected, yellow light filled each of the rooms on the first floor.

“It’s a good thing Kokichi didn’t tamper with this,” Korekiyo said. 

“C’mon, though he’s a bit of a brat, I doubt he’d do something that would kill us,” Mahiru said, as she inspected the circuit system herself.

“But he kinda did?” Hiro brought up.

“Well that’s why we’re going over it, right?” Hajime said.

“This seems like an office of some sort,” Korekiyo opened the drawers, seeing that there wasn’t anything inside. “But there’s no evidence showing who built or owns this establishment.” 

“Ibuki found a huge empty room!” Ibuki pointed her finger out the door to another room in the hallway, which had a double door. “Well not empty, it has a few big tables, but there’s no stage.” Ibuki sighed. “That’s kind of a bummer.”

“Hey, there’s still one more floor,” Hajime reassured. “Though it looks like there are a few more rooms to go through.” Hajime opened the next door. “Yep. That’s a bathroom alright.” He then came across the fire door. 

“It makes sense for this place to have a fire door,” Mahiru said. “This place looks pretty flammable, though it looks like this place has water sprinklers.” They pushed open the door, and on the other side was a staircase, a supply closet, and what appears to be a kitchen. 

“So this lodge looks like it’s ready for anything,” Hiro said. “That’s pretty cool!” 

“The supply closet still looks pretty messy,” Hajime commented. He saw that there were many cardboard boxes, along with unused chairs and cleaning supplies. A stack of tablecloths were also present, this entire place was like a warehouse for restaurants. But there were also office supplies such as fans, pencils, and paper.

“There seem to be enough chairs for… forty-seven of us,” Mahiru did a quick count. It stung her heart a little that they were already down four people. 

“Worry not! Ibuki could probably make a fort out of all this junk!” Ibuki shoved the boxes out of the way with a swipe of her hands.

“Be careful with that,” Korekiyo said. “There could be fragile material around he-” one of the boxes fell through what appeared to be a whole in the floor, landing with a thud. Ibuki quickly scurried over to where the box landed.

“This must lead to the crawl space!”

“I think we should explore this,” Mahiru said. “This must be how Kokichi got in.”

“C’mon, we only have his word of mouth, I bet he was just saying this,” Hiro said.

“I doubt anyone would wanna spend too long in there,” Hajime said, peeking his head inside. He could see the foundations holding the building up, and the entire floor was dirt. He was in no mood for staining his shirt.

“The exterior of the building shows that the crawl space is sealed shut,” Korekiyo said. “There is no way into this building except for the way we came in.” 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Hajme said. “I guess we should ignore that and go upstairs.” He looked at the group and saw Mahiru marking the entrance down with glow in the dark pen. 

“Whoa, this place has glowsticks?” Ibuki looked curiously at Mahiru’s hand.

“It’s a pen I just found in this closet,” Mahiru said. “I figured it’s best to mark the entrance down before someone trips and falls in here.” 

“Yeah, I’m lucky I didn’t fall in,” Hiro sighed in relief. “That sorta stuff tends to happen to me, usually.”

“Hmm, falling on your head seems to have gotten you where you are now,” Mahiru stated. 

“I’m not sure how insulting that was meant to be,” Hiro shook his head. “But I’m telling you, you can get some real epiphanies from getting hurt.”

“Have you had a near death experience, perhaps?” Korekiyo asked. “Some claim to have seen a god or felt a warm feeling during one.”

“Nah, nothing that far. Though, being a fortune teller really gets you places, including jail and into benders in a suspiciously lit alleyway.”

“Uh anyway, Mahiru, that’s a good idea,” Hajime said; changing the subject. “I should write something on the door too to let everyone know.” 

“Yeah, you’re really looking out for everyone, aren't cha?” Ibuki said.

“I-It’s nothing, I’m just doing what anyone would,” Mahiru rebuffed. “Let’s just go upstairs.” Mahiru decided to keep the pen with her, slipping it into her breast pocket. After ascending the stairs, they saw that the upper floor was dedicated entirely to a party or some sort. There was a fairly small stage, along with a dance floor and some tables like the ones in the first room. It was considerably better lit, too, as there were many windows surrounding it, allowing the sun to shine through. The balcony was wide, and had a guard rail.

“Ibuki isn’t disappointed, so mission accomplished!” Ibuki said. “Just gotta check if there are any outlets and then we’ll be good to go!”

“This is a fancy place,” Hajime said. “Like something you’d find at a wedding or something.”

“Yeah, this looks like some of the places I photographed in,” Mahiru commented. “This place would fit really well with the rest of my books.”

“Oh, so you photographed in weddings, before?” Hajime asked.

“Y-Yeah,” Mahiru said. “For a family friend once, it’s one of the many reasons people commission me.”

“Ooh, so you’ll save money when you get married, since you can photograph yourself!” Ibuki mentioned.  

“I guess so,” Mahiru said, putting her arms behind her back in a flustered way. “L-Looks like we’ve seen everything this place has to offer.” Though Hajime was happy to see people like Ibuki getting excited, he can’t help but feel a bit empty over this discovery. 

“Hiyoko, Leon, they died so Monokuma would give this to us. This has happened twice, like with Sayaka and Keebo. I can’t be happy over any of this!”

“Hey Hajime, did you get your shoe fixed up?” Mahiru asked.

“Uh, not yet. I guess I forgot all about it this morning.”

“Just go and find someone who can fix it!” Mahiru narrowed her eyes at Hajime. “How about you care about your own wellbeing for once instead of me doing it for you?”

“Alright, alright,” Hajime said defensively. “Just thought this was more important.” Hajime went halfway down the stairs.

“Wait who can fix it?!” Hajime asked loudly.

“I don’t know, ask Tsumugi or Kirumi or even Byakuya for all I care, anything’s better than walking around with a hole filled shoe!” Hajime’s footsteps grew quieter and then became inaudible as he walked out of the building.

“It seems like you care about people a lot,” Korekiyo chuckled as he silently observed the whole affair. Mahiru was glad that he said people instead of someone specific.

“Yeah. Guess I really am sticking my nose into everyone’s business, right? But I’m just making sure no one’s running off and getting hurt if I can help it.”

“Kukukuku, I’m not trying to patronize you at all,” Korekiyo said. “It’s something very admirable that you possess, something not everyone has, unfortunately.”

“Hey, you don’t have to go and sing your praises to me,” Mahiru replied.

“Nothing like that… You just remind me of how much my sister would love having someone like you.”

“Your sister?” Mahiru asked, perking her eyebrows up. 

“Yes, my sister was very sick the last time I saw her… and with us supposedly losing our memories, I’m only more worried for her.” 

“I-I’m sorry to hear that,” Mahiru said, giving the anthropologist a sympathetic look.

“She’s a very special person to me,” Korekiyo said. “I can’t help but curse myself for not being there for her.”

“I’m sure we all feel that for our friends and loved ones,” Mahiru said, thinking back to her own friends and family she left behind. 

“Because she was in the hospital so much, she never had the opportunity to make friends,” Korekiyo said. “She was a really curious, intelligent woman. She was the person who got me into anthropology, in fact. If it weren’t for a condition, she would have a lot of companions…”

“She really is important to you, isn’t she? I got a friend of my own, who’s really protective of me,” Mahiru related. “I hope she’s doing well without me.”

“Mahiru, when we get out of here, I think you’d make an excellent friend to my sister,” Korekiyo said. “You really are the kind of person a girl would like to befriend…”

“T-That sounds a little weird coming from you, but I wouldn’t mind meeting her,” Mahiru said.  “But does she live far away? I don’t think I can be away from my home too long, if I ever get back.” 

“Ugh, my no good for nothing dad woulda been alone for all this time,” Mahiru pinched the bridge of her nose mentally. “I hope he hasn’t broken the house down…” 

Korekiyo raised a dismissive finger. “Oh, location won’t be necessary. If you accept, I’ll be sure to make the necessary arrangements,”

“You’re talking about making new girlfriends?” Ibuki asked. “Ibuki can’t help but overhear! I know lots of people your sister could meet!”

“You too, Ibuki, I’d also like you to befriend her one day.”

“Hopefully she looks more slick and less creepy than you do!” Ibuki joked.

“I’m sure you’ll find her charming,” Korekiyo said, taking the remark in stride. He couldn’t help but laugh internally. Anthropology takes a lot of field work, research, and study to make sense of. It’s foolish to jump to conclusions, without taking every approach possible. He thought it’d be the same for finding friends for his sister, but it seems like it’s all coming to him. All he can hope now, is that they live to see the day that they finally meet her.

_________________________________________________________________

“Ryoma!” Shuichi said, approaching the ex-tennis pro, who was about to return to his cottage.

“Are you also gonna chew me out for what I did yesterday,” Ryoma asked. “Quite a few people came up to me about that.”

“I’m not gonna judge you over that, I promise,” Shuichi said. “You’ve been pretty down, more than usual since today.”

“It’d be weirder if I wasn’t feeling down,” Ryoma replied. “While Leon was dead, I was being selfish ‘n stupid; I complicated everything.” 

“What you did was careless, but they don’t have any right to judge you,” Shuichi said. “Believe me, I know what it’s like to be judged like that.” Ryoma took a moment to piece together what he meant. Yesterday Shuichi also got silent accusations from people who saw his motive videos.

“You got a lot of nerve saying that,” Ryoma said. He parted the cigarette from his lips for a moment. “But that ain’t a bad thing at all.” 

“You’re still looking for a reason to live, aren’t you?” 

“When it comes to me, things like that are pretty hard to come by. Even harder than any escape or motive. What could possibly make me want to escape here, only to land back into prison?”

“This might sound a bit cheesy, but have you ever thought about having someone here being your reason to escape?”

“Someone here?” Ryoma repeated. “It’d seem like only a setback for them if they decide to get attached to someone without a future…”

“Hey, it’s not about getting something out of it. Seeing someone you care about smiling and happy, I know it’s turned me around,” Shuichi smiled, but immediately went silent when he realized what he was saying.
“Hmph, you’re beginning to sound like your so called mentor, you hear that?” Ryoma asked. “When I first came to this island, there was no one to care about me, no one for me to care about. I can’t see any of that changing, anytime soon.” It didn’t seem like Ryoma caught onto that.

“Besides, what was that about when you said you wanted to keep my head up during trials?” Shuichi said.

“I was just thinking, I’d hate to see a detective be unable to do his job. But it seems like that’s not something I have to see now, looking at you.”

“You might get annoyed whenever someone like me comes up to you to talk about this, but we’re concerned for you. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t approach you. And I can tell that if you weren’t, you wouldn’t’ve said all that to me in the first place.” Ryoma went silent for a moment, unable to think of a rebuttal. 

“Well played, detective.” Ryoma conceded. “I may be a soulless husk, like Kaito said but it’s good if I’m the only husk around here… but I’ll think about what you said.” Ryoma tilted his hat upwards, before wiping his forehead. “Looks like I’ve droned on for too long, not a very smart idea for me to be dressed in all black in this weather. Well, that’s another reason to get rid of your hat.”

“Hmmm, good point,” Shuichi said, running a hand through his hair. Shuichi wasn’t known for having the most well kept hair, and it felt good that the hat wasn’t making things worse. In fact, it was pretty hot wearing his black uniform all the time. 

“I guess one more word of warning,” Ryoma said, pointing his candy cigarette to the sky. “The world can be too bright for someone who spent his whole life looking down.” Shuichi gave a nod at that advice.

“Well, see ya…” Ryoma said, about to make his way back.

“Wait, one more thing,” Shuichi called out. “Did you know Leon before all this?”

“In a friend of a friend sense, yes,” Ryoma responded. “He was exactly as I heard; loud, talented, and didn’t know what to do with his life. I guess that reminds me of when I was younger, well, two of those points at least.” Ryoma returned to his room after that without a further word.

________________________________________________________________

Though most of the time, Kirumi cleaned and cooked for families of no more than ten or fifteen, she was no stranger to cleaning for many more at once. She silently wiped down the tables with cloth, creating an internal rhythm to help her. Of course, she had to be quiet, her presence had to intrude as little as possible. She walked back into the kitchen after she was finished with the table, picking up a mop in the process. There, she saw Teruteru about to refrigerate a marinade.

“Do you require my assistance?” Kirumi asked. “My desire is to help everyone, so please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Sorry, but I’ll have to decline,” Teruteru said. “You have your own priorities, right? I ain’t gonna get in the way of that. I’m just preparing dishes because that’s one of the two things that make me feel better during these times.” 

“I see…” Kirumi said. “Well, I apologize for speaking out of turn.” She watched as Teruteru put the Unagi into the fridge. He went over and began to sharpen the knives with a whetstone.

“Your whole selfless devotion thing, it’s what makes you happy, isn’t it?”

“You’re not the first person to question it, but yes. The desire to see people becoming their best, people who I believe have potential, seeing them overcome it is what makes me happy. ”

“Well that’s a step above me, but I understand working hard to see one person happy. That’s what got me into cooking, it was one of the most straightforward things to go to, where I was raised, you know?”

“Oh, so you were raised in a restaurant of some sort?” Kirumi asked.

“Yeah, I was raised in Minami-Aoyama, my family owns a restaurant there, ahem , really upscale I tell you.” Teruteru explained. “Though I was a lot of help to my family, I-I bet they can make it on their own, w-while I’m gone…” 

“I’m sure you’re making them proud,” Kirumi said. 

“Y-You’re right… and I guess now cooking for cute girls here isn’t too bad, either,” Teruteru said. “I’ll have to thank you someh-”

“Really, there is no need,” Kirumi said, emphasizing the “no.” After Teruteru was finished, he placed the knives back down, and turned to leave. 

“I haven’t taken the opportunity to ask this, Teruteru,” Kirumi said. “But do you have any allergies or preferences to bedding materials?” 

“It would be very disappointing if someone like me had a food allergy,” Teruteru said. “Tasting is one of the most important parts of cooking, so it’s a good thing I don’t.”

“Looks like I must inform Kaede to also ask everyone that when they survey their rooms,” Kirumi declared. 

_________________________________________________________________

Toko was in her room, restlessly tapping her foot, making an incessant clicking noise as she did. Most of the bothersome sunlight has been blotted out by her dark maroon curtains. Her room looked like a miniature library, with an ornate wooden desk. Her shelves were lined with books, both from independent and established authors that she has never picked up since getting there. 

“T-That rabbit thought that she’d give me inspiration? What does she know?” Her entire waste basket was filled with half-filled pages, but even many more pages were stacked high with her writing. She spent most of her time in this room, with a designer fountain pen, and a lot of ink. 

“I-I missed getting to use you!” Toko said, kissing the hilt of the pen. “All that digital typing and emails from editors every ten minutes, they can just piss off! Now it’s just me ‘n my thoughts.” 

“Just me and m-my thoughts.” Toko took a cursory scan through her work.

“Shit, even I have to s-say it’s kinda scary.” She heard a doorbell, which caused her to nearly jump from her seat. 

“Who would wanna talk with a shut-in like me?!” Toko pondered. Part of her wanted to tell whoever rang it off very loudly and rudely. But reluctantly, she pushed herself off of her seat, and crept her way over to the door. She cracked the door open, and took a moment to adjust her eyes to the light.

“W-Who is it?! W-What do you want?”

“Toko! We just wanted to inspect your room! Mind if we come in?!” Taka announced with a paper and clipboard in hand. It seemed like Sonia was accompanying him as well.

“Ugh, she must think she’s so much better than me… she’s probably wishing she was anywhere except this hovel I live in!”

“I d-do mind,” Toko said. “B-But it’s not like I can stop you.” Toko stepped out of the way for Taka and Sonia to enter, before she leaned on the wall beside the door. 

“God, I wish I could just shut myself in this closet and hide, so I won’t have to see their disgusted looks.” Taka visibly wrinkled his nose as soon as he stepped in. Sonia kept her cheery smile, but she seemed to be creeping her hand up to her chin, and then to her nose.

“Um… Toko, if I may ask, have you been doing your laundry and showering?” Sonia asked awkwardly. “I do not mean to be judgemental, but…”

“Y-You must think that this is a pig-sty! How can a princess like you bear to be in this menagerie of filth, that’s what you’re thinking!” Toko growled. 

“To put it lightly, your hygiene does not seem to be in order! What is the meaning of this?!” Taka demanded.

“I haven’t showered since getting h-here,” Toko admitted, averting her gaze away from the two. 

“A-A week on this tropical island like this?!” Taka asked in shock. “Fear not! I will give you a simple demonstration on how to wash your clothes properly! Your clothes are all dark, so this’ll be a bit different from mine-” Taka went over to sort through Toko’s dirty clothes, all messily lumped in a basket in the corner.

“H-Hey! Who said you could touch that?” Toko asked. “A-Am I really bothering people that much?!”

“I am sure Taka is concerned for your safety,” Sonia said, giving a soft smile. “Do not worry, he most likely knows how to gently handle the cleaning process. If you are not comfortable, maybe we can get Kirumi-”

“F-Fine, just get it over with,” Toko said. “What’re you gonna make me do next, force me to take a bath?”

“I do not intend to do that,” Sonia said. “However, some of us would like to use the hot spring sometime. I want to invite you to join us, but in order to do that, it would be best if you had a shower.”

“If I do it, then I d-do it!” Toko shot back. “D-Don’t rub in your obviously h-healthier, cleaner lifestyle.” After Taka was done putting the clothing in the washing machine, he continued to survey the room.

“Put your clothing in the dryer with some dryer sheets for one hour after the washing machine is done!” Taka said. “Or put up a clothesline, but don’t leave your clothing wet and bunched up!” Sonia took a curious look at Toko’s books and manuscripts.

“Ah, these books look pretty interesting? Are you planning on writing anything new on this island?”

“T-That’s classified info, b-but all this time in isolation gave m-me a bit more inspiration than usual…” Toko admitted. 

“That’s wonderful! I’m actually a fan of your work, including-”

“S-So Lingers The O-Ocean, yeah yeah, I get t-that a lot,” Toko said. “T-That’s all I’m ever good for anyway.”

“I am also a fan of your earlier works too! In fact, I feel a bit excited to be meeting you face to face, though I have not had the chance to say that.”

“You’re s-saying a fan of mine?” Toko asked. “Then n-name three of my  albums short works.”

“ An Excerpt From What Wasn’t, Lost in an Invisible Gaze, and Looking in From Below are some of my favourites!”

“Y-You’re good, b-but don’t expect me t-to say anything good to you in return!” Toko furrowed her brow at Sonia, but she also felt a bit flattered at this knowledge.

“I bet there’s more about you I would love to know!” Sonia smiled. 

“I finished looking, and I have written down what is unique to your cottage!” Taka said. “There is nothing dangerous, but there’s one more thing I have to ask!”

“G-Great, what now?”

“Do you have any allergies or food that you dislike?” Taka asked. 

“I-If I have to hear d-donuts one more time from that muscle-brained bimbo, I’m gonna throw up,” Toko grumbled. 

“Is that it? No allergies?”

“W-What?! Do you want me to have allergies, so y-you can kill me by force feeding?” 

“Perhaps Taka should not have said that,” Sonia gave a sympathetic smile. “I do apologize for asking, we will take your word for it.”

“Well, if all that’s in order, let’s move on to the next cottage!” Taka said. “I do hope you clean up your act, however!” Toko gave one last annoyed look before slinking back to her chair.

“Seems like I have to move on,” Sonia said. “But really, I mean everything I say in an admirable sense.” They appeared to sniff their own sleeve as they walked out, hoping nothing from Toko’s cottage caught onto their clothes. 

“T-That’s a bizarre experience… If the princess of Novoselic likes my novels, I wonder if someone like Byakuya would…” Toko thought to herself. She felt her thigh, and still felt the ever-present scissors beneath her skirt. 

“I-It’s a good thing, I guess that this is only on my body, nowhere else… But how much longer can I keep her in? No… they’ll never know… no one will ever know since I’ll never be there if someone gets murdered…”

__________________________________________________________________

Chihiro looked at the mailbox, the little art of the blonde inventor was visible.

“Yep, this is in fact Miu’s cottage,” Chihiro thought to himself, clutching to his laptop. Though he thinks better of Miu than most people, he was fairly apprehensive to what could be in Miu’s cottage. After taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door. Immediately, he heard Miu cry out.

“Oi, can’t a lady have some privacy around here?! Come back later ya fuckwits!”

“M-Miu, can you open the door? It’s me, Chihiro.” 

“Ch-Chihiro?! J-Just wait a minute!” He could hear rustling and clanging from the cottage. It continued to go on for an uncomfortable duration, before Miu opened the door.

“Welcome to my spunk ass lab!” Miu took his hand and practically pulled the programmer in, before closing the door behind her. Miu’s bed was practically shoved aside, having seen almost no use since her arrival. Instead, a rather comfortable looking chair with blankets on it seemed to be Miu’s preferred bedding. Though the cottage wasn’t large, much of her desk was littered with tools and small inventions. Chihiro turned his head to look at the closet, which was suspiciously filled with… things that he couldn’t make out. “So what brings you to the gorgeous girl genius?!”

“I was just checking to see how you’re doing,” Chihiro explained. 

“Oh-ho, so you’ve come here to see some of my works,” Miu asked. “Well I wouldn’t mind showing a bit of the shit I created to you… be thankful because I won’t do it to just anyone.” 

“She’s acting really audacious right now…” Chihiro said. “As if nothing ever happened.” 

“For instance, this one device, called the Bang-ScannerTM shows on average people wanna have sex with you, gathered from incredibly reliable sources!” Now, Chihiro couldn’t help but turn red as the Inventor brought that up. He couldn’t help but feel like he’s invading her space, like he’s betraying Miu’s trust. “I know it’s working because I’m at one-hundred percent! But I scanned Kazuichi once with his, damn you should’ve seen the look on his face!” 

“I-I don’t exactly know what all that means, but you seem really hard working, even when we’re stuck on this island…” Miu gave a nervous laugh. 

“You might be a bit of a shortstack in every way, but your praise does all the same!” Chihiro saw Miu stroking her own thigh as she said that. “I-I gotta find a way to get to her before I get too uncomfortable.” He looked past Miu, and saw a peculiar USB attached to what appeared to be a makeshift computer. It was blue, and had something messily written on it. He had a laptop himself, so he wondered if there was 

“I-If you don’t mind me asking, that USB looks pretty interesting…” 

“Hey, t-that’s nothing, really!” Miu said, hastily putting her body in front of it to block her view. “J-Just a lil’ something on the side, you know?!”

“But I have a laptop that you can attach it to, maybe I can understand it a little better if-” Miu grabbed Chihiro’s shoulders and sat him down. 

“L-Listen, you better not say this to anyone!” Miu said, her tone slightly more serious. “If you don’t, then you’re gonna fuckin’ regret it!” Chihiro looked down at his laptop, a bit cowed by the Inventor’s sudden change in demeanor. 

“I-I wouldn’t go breaking your trust right after you invited me in!” Chihiro said. “From one computer genius… to another…” Chihiro couldn’t help but feel a bit fraudulent saying that, but he wanted his promises to have weight. When have they ever? Miu took the USB in her gloved hand and let Chihiro read it. It said “K1-B0(1).exe” was written in a small font.

“You mean Keebo’s a-alive?!” Chihiro asked in both excitement and astonishment. 

“Shh!” Miu put her finger over her lip. “I don’t want anyone else to know this! I know this ain’t the “real” Keebo, but I backed him up, before he… you know!” 

“So is it like a copy of Keebo?” Chihiro asked.

“Y-Yeah, you can say something like that. I never activated this program… I don’t even know if it’ll work, because right now he’s just a massive bunch of fuckin’ chod- I mean code!” 

“I-If he really is alive, he might need a more suitable… body,” Chihiro brought up. He knew that Keebo’s body was incredibly complex and likely not replaceable by anything here. They don’t even have access to his creator, obviously. If Keebo were alive somehow, would he be content living in a USB stick?

“Y-You wanna try using my laptop to host Keebo?” Chihiro asked. “I-I wouldn’t mind, since I think I can make a new one from what we have here…”

“As long as it doesn’t blow up or electrocute any of us, I’ll try it! But remember… if it works, don’t tell anyone!”

“B-But doesn’t Monokuma and Monomi know?” Chihiro asked.

“The rules said I can’t destroy any property on this island…” Miu said. “But it never said I couldn’t tamper with it, so right now, they don’t know. Yeah, that’s just my high IQ finding loopholes.”

“W-Won’t you get punished?” Chihiro asked. Miu walked over to the camera, and pointed out that a monitor of some sort has been cast over it.

“Currently it shows me... minding my own business along with audio included!” Miu raised her hand, as if demanding silence. Very, very faint moans in Miu’s voice could be heard. “See?! When it’s time, I’ll just seamlessly get rid of the overlay and that rabbitfucker will be none the wiser!”

“I-I trust you on that,” Chihiro said. “I-I’m ready for you to put it in…”

“I didn’t take you for that type, girl!” Miu snickered, causing Chihiro to go red. “But for real, let’s get down to business, there’s only about 100 Terabytes to upload so get ready to be here for a while!”

_____________________________________________________________

Hajime was sitting on the floor in Tsumugi’s room. Despite her appearance, the entire cottage seemed quite extravagant, with shelves of fabrics and textiles, a sewing machine with sewing kits, along with many posters and figurines of anime he didn’t recognize. There were also mannequins who were adorned with various costumes. 

“Did Tsumugi make this in her free time?” He tapped his fingers anxiously, unsure of what to do other than stare as Tsumugi inspected his shoe. “Hajime, you’re kinda strange,” Tsumugi finally said. 

“Because I poked a hole in my shoe?” Hajime asked.

“Because you decided to go to plain old me for help, rather than someone real extraordinary like Kirumi.”

“C’mon, I take one look at your room and plain is one of the last things I’m thinking.”

“Liking anime and manga, what teenager doesn’t like that though?” Tsumugi said as she measured the depth and radius of the shoe’s hole. “It just doesn’t stop there, either! You can’t imagine how many times people forget I exist, or gloss me over, especially in public spaces!” Hajime swallowed hard, as he may regret what comes out of his mouth.

“At least you know what your talent is, what you clearly do far better than everyone else!” Hajime said in an almost shouting manner. “I don’t even remember my talent! And there’s nothing on me that gives me a single idea what it is!” He gestured his hand to his clothes. Though most people only have subtle hints to their talents in their clothes, Hajime had absolutely nothing. Tsumugi nearly dropped his shoe in shock. She eyed Hajime as if in a trance, and then proceeded to stand up and approach him.

“Is that a challenge, Hajme?!” Tsumugi said. “At least you look approachable and people actually go up and talk to you! I can even enter trains without tickets, because people don’t even acknowledge me! And besides, I look real plain myself! Nothing about me even whispers “Ultimate Cosplayer!” Tsumugi continued to rant as she put her finger to Hajime’s chest. 

“How many people have you seen in real life with blue hair?” Hajime asks. “Which conveniently matches their uniform?”

“I rarely even go out with my jacket anymore because it’s scorching outside!” Tsumugi said, fidgeting with her white shirt sleeves. “You may have a white shirt, but so do I! Along with white handkerchiefs, and even underwear!” Hajime stared incredulously at her. 

“She’s going so far to prove her plainness that she’d tell me THAT?!” 

“And don’t forget glasses, they’re the biggest indicator that someone is as plain as they come!”

“C’mon, lots of extraordinary people have glasses!” Hajime said. “Stereotypically, all the smart kids have them, and not to mention the people on this island too! Gonta is extraordinarily knowledgeable about bugs! Peko is extraordinarily good with a sword! Byakuya is an extraordinary prick-” 

“Well that’s very easy for you to say, mister prohibition eyes!” Tsumugi drew the “🚫” sign with her fingers. 

“She noticed that also?!” Hajime pondered. He stood up, possibly intimidated by this girl’s sheer conviction to being seen as plain.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Tsumugi smiled as she jokingly bumped Hajime’s chest with her fingers. Her eyes widened in realization. “There’s more, also. You may say you look really plain but behind that shirt it seems like you got a lot of muscle!” Tsumugi hastily grabbed Hajime’s hand and put it to her chest. But if you feel my chest, I’m nothing out of the ordinary!”

“No that is very above average, thank you very much!” Hajime thought as he tried to wrestle his hand away from her. Just as he did, he heard the cottage door being knocked on loudly. The door ended up opening.

“Crap, did I forget to close the door behind me?!” It was none other than Nekomaru and Kaede standing outside, bearing witness to Tsumugi putting his hand to her chest.

“EXCUSE ME, did we come in at the wrong time?!” Nekomaru slowly stepped away from the door.

“I am sensing a lot of arousing energy,” Kaede said. “It’s a bit exciting, to say the least.”

“Kaede, do you think Hajime or I am more plain?” Tsumugi asked, not even fazed by being walked in on. 

“Well obviously your gigantic ch-” Kaede began before being cut off. 

“We are moving on, now!” Hajime said. “ Ahem, can you fix my shoe or not?”  

“Oh I will, alright… and I’ll make your shoes so that you’ll stand out like a sore thumb!” Tsumugi said. “Then you’ll never argue against me again about this!” Tsumugi beckoned her hand, demanding the other shoe. Looks like Hajime has no other choice but to relinquish his footwear. He grumbled as he took off his other shoe and handed it to Tsumugi. He moved to the other side of the cottage, and sat down. 

“No way am I walking out with my socks.” 

“Kaede, you can do this by yourself, right? Since it’ll seem way too crowded if I also enter!” Nekomaru said. 

“Yeah. Hajime, you’re really putting yourself out there! I might have to tell Mahiru about this!” Kaede teased as she began to look around Tsumugi’s cottage. 

“It isn’t like that at all!” Hajime rubbed his hand on his forehead. 

“Hopefully, this is the last of me getting into compromising situations, ” Hajime thought.

__________________________________________________________________

Kaito rang Maki’s doorbell. 

“I hope she’s feeling a bit better. I can’t call myself a real man if I can’t look out for my sidekicks! She has to accept my invite, because who doesn’t like beaches?” Maki cracked the door just open enough for her head to fit through. 

“Oh, it’s you… What do you want?” Maki narrowed her eyes at Kaito.

“Maki Roll, are you doing good? I thought maybe we should go to the beach and-”

“Stop calling me that. And I’m not leaving my cottage.”

“Are you feeling sick or something?” Kaito asked in a more worried tone. “If so, maybe Mikan can-”

“I’m not.” Maki said. “Is it a problem that I don’t want to?”

“Well no, but I just hoped that maybe you’d want to do something instead of just lying around… Is it about Hiyoko?”

“No, it’s not.” Maki stated. “I’m over it, so stop worrying about me.”

“Damn, and I thought I was making some good progress trying to make her open up,” Kaito thought. 

“Alright, alright,” Kaito said. “I guess you’re preparing for our leaders-”

“Your leaders.” Maki deadpanned.

“-As I was saying, for them to check out your cottage, right?”

“If I said yes, will you leave me alone?” Maki asked, though her voice betrayed a tone that Kaito was correct. 

“Something tells me you don’t wanna let ‘em in,” Kaito said, rubbing the back of his head.

“No, I don’t.” Maki said.

“I know none of us really want them barging into our cottages, but I believe in Kaede and the others! I know they’re doing what they can to help us out!”

“It hasn’t worked very well so far,” Maki muttered.

“I just wanna know what’s up with my sidekick!” Kaito claimed. “It’ll make you feel a lot better if you’re able to talk about it.” In a way, Kaito braced for Maki to slam the door on his face. However, in one swift movement, Maki grabbed Kaito by his shirt, and pulled him in with far more force than Kaito expected. She shut the door behind her, and pinned him to a wall.

“It looks like you can help me solve this problem,” Maki said. “If you don’t wanna die, then help me with this.” She reached over to the drawers and dressers, and laid its contents in front of Kaito. Knives and poisons were strewn about, causing Kaito to back up in surprise. Along with the knives was a sharpener and a pipette, presumably for the poison. 

“Hey, what’s with all this?!” 

“Monokuma…” Maki said, “He came up to me and gave me these a few days ago. He said that he wanted to get the killing game going, and thought I’d go for it… I never intended to use any of these, but now it looks like it’ll get to me.” She gave a stern look at Kaito. “Get rid of them or so help me!” 

“There probably is something more to this, but I’ll believe in Maki Roll, I’ve come this far to get into her cottage.” Kaito thought. He picked up the knives and poisons. “My toilet’s probably not gonna be safe if I poured this down. But you don’t have to worry about me, Maki Roll, I’ll cover for you!”

“Just like that?” Maki deadpanned. 

“I know it’s gonna mean you’re hiding something from Kaede and co, and who knows if Monokuma will make the same offer to someone else? But it took a lot of courage to say this to me, I bet.” There were five or so knives in total, along with probably a half a liter worth of poisons. 

“Well… thanks.” Maki sighed. “And don’t drop any of those, unless you want to die. Apparently, just a drop of that poison on the skin can kill a man.” 

“Aww, thanks for looking out for me,” Kaito smiled at Maki, though he moved his hands to handle the poison a little better. As inconspicuous as possible, he began to walk out the door. “And by the way, the way this cottage looks… you really are good at taking care of kids, aren’t you?” Kaito couldn’t see Maki feeling red, but he could definitely feel it.

“Just get out!”

“Shame she didn’t want to come with me to the beach…” Kaito thought. “Just trying to see what kinda stuff she’d be interested in apart from working out… Speaking of working out, she’s still coming tonight, right?” He quickly crossed the walkway over to the boy’s side, and saw Nagito.

“Kaito! How has your day been?” Nagito greeted cheerfully. 

“Never been better!” Kaito nodded. “You seem pretty happy yourself!” Kaito tried to pass the luckster by, but he felt a tug on his jacket, almost enough to make him drop all the stuff he was hiding.

“Dude, don’t do that!” Kaito snapped.

“Oh my gosh, sorry!” Nagito said, seeing that his hoodie string got caught on Kaito’s jacket pin. He hastily approached Kaito to free himself. “That was just some bad luck, wasn’t it?”

“Jeez, that scared me!” Kaito said, taking a brief moment to see if his jacket was damaged in any way. “Ah, well, be careful out there!” Kaito hurried back to his cottage, hoping that no one else would see him on the way. He hurriedly unlocked the door, opened it, and dropped the hazardous materials on the bathroom counter. 

“First thing’s first,” Kaito said. He opened the bathroom window, and covered his nose and mouth as he began to pour the poison down the toilet, flushing it down in the process. “I’m gonna use the hotel toilet for a while…” Kaito thought to himself. He looked at the knives he was handed; they were serrated, which probably passed off as survival tools. “Astronauts are masters of survival, so no one’s gonna be suspicious of this…” He put the knives in his drawer. “The whetstone could probably be passed off as a moon rock if I just break it down a bit,” Kaito thought. He sat down, and took a moment to admire his room. The ceiling and walls were heavily decorated by stars and planets, ones that he recognizes, and one day, he'll visit them himself. A flag of JAXA was hung behind his bed, the very agency he'll be leading to success.    “Kaito, those are some thinking skills only a true hero/astronaut can possess! That’s probably everything I have to do…” 

___________________________________________________________________

“All that’s left to do is the wait for Keebo to download,” Chihiro thought to himself. But where will he hide it? He looked at his laptop. It wasn’t too big, and it’ll be a bit hard for him to live without it… but until Keebo hopefully comes back, and until he gets a suitable “body,” he isn’t sure of what to do. It can’t stay here. He doesn’t want Taka poking around on his laptop, it was between only him and Miu. The file transfer speed at this rate would take three or four days to complete. Then he remembered, maybe that place. He heard it had lockers, and there was certainly one that would be accessible only by him. 

“I-I have to be strong if I want to go in there… I-I’ve been meaning to tell him this anyway. M-Maybe in the future, I can tell Miu… and everyone as well! First, I have to meet up with him.”  Chihiro hastily took out a pen and began writing a note. He’ll leave it in the mailbox. It began with, “Please meet me in the boy’s change room, where the hot springs are.” 

Chapter Text

“Jesus, this is a really big arsenal!” Nekomaru scratched his head as he looked at Mukuro’s room. Both Nekomaru and Kaede had a very clear view of Mukuro’s entire weapon collection. 

“I wouldn’t worry,” Mukuro said, trying to hide her discomfort. “None of the guns have ammo in them. The grenades are also uncharged too, if you’re worried about that.” Kaede cautiously searched Mukuro’s drawers and closet. 

“I don’t see anything that looks like ammo,” Kaede said. “Mukuro, if it isn’t too much, can you dismantle the guns for us for now?” Mukuro rubbed her temples in annoyance. 

“This’ll take a long time…” Mukuro said. “Proving them that I got nothing.” 

“There are also a ton of melee weapons, too!” Nekomaru said, inspecting the array of knives hanging from Mukuro’s wall. 

“I don’t really care what you do about them,” Mukuro said dismissively as she began to dismantle her guns. “If I really did want to kill someone, I don’t think I need knives to do it…” It was a long and tiresome task, but eventually, she did it.

“Thanks, Mukuro,” Kaede gave a smile despite obviously looking a bit uncomfortable. 

“You think you can safely store these gun parts?” Nekomaru asked. “I don’t know if just stuffing them into the drawers is a good idea.”

“I’ll find a way,” Mukuro explained. “I’ll make sure they don’t explode, at least.”

“The knives look unique to your talent,” Kaede said, inspecting the black combat knives. “Though you can keep them, it might not be a good idea to lend them.”

“I won’t.” Mukuro said. “Do they really distrust me this much?” 

“We’ll let you keep the equipment you’re wearing,” Nekomaru said, pointing at the lightweight bulletproof vest and gloves on her body. “Don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“Besides, it looks pretty fashionable on you rather than wearing just a plain ol’ white shirt,” Kaede said. 

“Are we done,” Mukuro said, eager to get the inspection done as quickly as possible. Kaede scribbled something into a notebook and put it into her backpack. 

“Yeah, thanks for your time, Mukuro!” The soldier watched as Kaede and Nekomaru left her cottage, though she spotted another person standing outside; it was Makoto. 

“What’s he doing here?”

“Hey, Mukuro,” Makoto greeted. “Are you doing good?”

“Makoto um, what are you doing here?”

“I was just gonna ask if it was alright if we hung out again,” he said sheepishly. 

“Out of all the people he decides to hang with, it’s with me…” Mukuro looked Makoto up and down, trying to see any hint of insincerity in Makoto, something that she commonly saw on the field. Nothing.There was only one person in the world that she truly cared about. And she does nothing but berate and beat her, and she reveled in it. But that gnawing feeling of separation felt suppressed around him.

“Are you sure you’re well?” Makoto asked, snapping Mukuro back to reality. “Are you sick?” She turned to Makoto, wondering if he’ll berate her if she did look sick and tired. 

“N-Nothing,” Mukuro said. “It was pretty boring, dismantling all the stuff in my room, I guess I’m a bit out of it.” she quickly stepped outside and closed the door.

“Let’s just have a seat near the pool,” Makoto suggested. His face was a little anxious, but still, he seemed well meaning. When they sat down, Mukuro wanted to ask Makoto what she would ask about anyone.

“Makoto, are you afraid of me?” Mukuro asked. “Be honest.”

“W-What do you mean?” 

“You don’t have to hide it,” Mukuro said, watching Makoto gulp back. “Everyone here knows my talent. I guess people being afraid of me is pretty natural.”

“Oh yeah, I remember her talent,” Makoto thought. “She was a soldier who fought for Fenrir, the elite mercenary group of course. It’s still a bit alien just talking to someone like that.” 

“Yeah, I am scared,” Makoto said finally. “I’m scared for my life, and of this killing game, but it’s n-not like I’m afraid of you!” 

“Y-You aren’t?” Mukuro shifted in surprise. 

“C’mon, you don’t have to be surprised at that.”

“Usually, people who talk to me are there to ask me about my war stories, are you here for that.”

“N-No, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Makoto said defensively. “I was just thinking about when we hung about two days ago. Is there something you’re really interested in doing?”

“Well, apart from sometimes exercising, no. I-I haven’t been doing anything really unless I have to.” 

“I just don’t want you to be staring off into space all the time.” Mukuro thought that yeah, there was a lot of stuff available to her relatively speaking, but she’s taken up on none of it. 

“I don’t think I’m interested in most things that normal teenagers do,” Mukuro said. “But I’ll follow you if you have an idea.”

“That might sound fun, actually,” Makoto said. “Let’s go to the store, there’s a lot of stuff here. We might get some inspiration there.” Mukuro didn’t know if that was something normal teenagers do, browsing shops. But she was willing to try it, for once. 

___________________________________________________________________

“Hajime, do you like it?” Tsumugi clasped her hands together as he looked at his newly repaired shoes.

“Well, it doesn’t look much different,” Hajime said, inspecting the top. The fabric and laces looked exactly the same as it did. He turned it over, and the sole was completely fixed, except.

“Seriously?” Hajme put his finger on the newly installed heelys. 

“Yeah! I made sure you now have a unique walking style,” Tsumugi boasted. “Everyone will see you from a mile away and think wow, Hajime is so quick and efficient!” 

“Wow… thanks.” Hajime deadpanned as he put his new shoes on. “Can’t say I ever wore anything like this before.” He stood up, adjusting his footing to the new wheel on his sole. 

“No need to thank me once you pick up a harem of your own.” Tsumugi gave a knowing grin.  “And that’s not all! Maybe do a bit of running in place to break into it!” He took her advice and began to jog lightly in place. To his surprise, the shoes began to light up.

“Pretty great, am I right? Now you’ll never lose your way in the dark, and you’ll always be the star of every Naruto running flash mob!” Hajime couldn’t help but facepalm as discreetly as possible. Did he really need this in his life? 

“This whole light-up thing, it’s not the first thing that comes to my mind when I think tailoring.”

“Oh, don’t worry, in the grand scope of cosplays, this is some of the tamer stuff.” Tsumugi began listing off with her fingers. “You know, suspenders that are somehow supposed to cover your chest, all the gravity defying hair in the world, shades the size of your head, all of that gave me more trouble than this!”

“I-Interesting.” He was at a loss for words. 

“If you’re ever interested in cosplaying, don’t hesitate to ask me! It’s honestly the best thing I can do now while I’m stuck here…” 

“Thanks for fixing my shoe, I’ll pay you back if I can find a way…” Hajime said. 

“No need to thank me! Just seeing people appreciate fine art is enough for me. I wouldn’t say you’re normal, but at least you’re not a normie.”

“I’m slightly less thankful for that.” 

“And by paying me back, maybe try some of the cosplays I’m making some time?” 

“Sure? If it’s not too outlandish maybe?” Hajime tried to give something non-committal as he walked out the door. 

“What time is it?” Hajime asked himself. “I guess I can grab a bite at the restaurant...” He began to roll with his heelys. 

“I’m never gonna admit this, but this sure beats running around…” He didn’t mind even if it bumped on every floorboard on the walkway. 

“Hajime, nice shoes!” He heard Kazuichi calling out. Great, he can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction when he rolls up. 

“You’re joking, right?” 

“Nah, dude! If there’s any advice worth taking from me, it’s that the closer it is to a car, the better it is! Who made it for you?”

“I went to Tsumugi to get my shoe fixed, looks like she did that and more.”

“Aw man, that brings me back! I thought that was the coolest shit back in my sixth year!”

“Sixth year… By today’s standards this is probably the most embarrassing shit.”

“I asked my mom day in and day out to get me one of these.” Kazuichi continued. “She never did of course, but damn I’d wear this all the time if it didn’t get in the way of my work.”

“I mean, if you’re still interested, Tsumugi probably wouldn’t mind-”

“Psh, I can make it myself using my expertise!” Kazuichi boasted. “And more than that, you think this’ll impress a certain girl named Miss Sonia Nevermind?”

“Straight to the point, I see.”

“I will say this to you for your own good,” Hajime put his hand on Kazuichi’s shoulder. “Don’t. Just don’t.” Just then, he saw Sonia and Taka walking toward their direction.

“Looks like that’s everything in the girl’s cottages!” Taka said. “Though I can’t help but feel a bit ashamed going into a girl’s living space!”

“I am sure they do not mind your presence,” Sonia said. “It is not like you are thinking anything funny.”

“So far, things to look out for are Mukuro’s vast array of weapons, some of Tenko’s training equipment, and it’s probably best to check out Miu every once in a while!” 

“Oh, Hajime, I didn’t see you there!” Sonia smiled. 

“Hey, Sonia,” Hajime tried to smile back, but he could feel Kazuichi about to fawn over the princess.

“Hey, Miss Sonia,” Kazuichi said, attempting to sound smooth. “What brings you out there?” Sonia took a cautious step away from Kazuichi.

“You know, surveying everyone’s cottages and making sure everyone is in a comfortable living situation.”

“Sounds really diligent of you,” Kazuchi praised. “But I don’t know if a princess should be in the presence of us commoners.”

“It also sounds like you’d get along with Byakuya,” Hajime murmured to Kazuichi. 

“But it’d be pretty cool to have Miss Sonia in my room, right?” He cleared his throat. “So will you be moving onto the boy’s side?”

“Oh, the others insisted that Mahiru take my place,” Sonia said. “Though I would not mind helping with the rest, Mahiru seemed insistent on it.” Kazuichi’s heart sank at that.

“Well, take all the rest you need, Miss Sonia!” Kazuichi tried to give his characteristic smile, though he clutched onto his cap for comfort. “Dammit, she’s  gonna chew me out for literally everything! And Taka, too!” Though Hajime has been washing his clothes, he can’t help but tense up at all the things that could be wrong with his room.

“Yeah, we’ll all have fun with that.” 

____________________________________________________________________

Celeste was in the restaurant, drinking her afternoon tea prepared by Kirumi while reading a book. Her room actually did have various books and magazines, fit to her tastes to aesthetics. 

“Whoever it was that designed my cottage, they have an almost disturbing knowledge of my tastes… Though it’s no surprise that people want to know about me and my exploits.” She also had with her an array of scones made by Teruteru. Though she despised his character, she was willing to put up with him just long enough to receive his dishes. After she drank the last of her tea, she contemplated getting more.

“Kirumi, she’s not here right now… I suppose I can wait until she comes back.” The tea milk tea Kirumi brewed was exactly to her liking, black with milk added during the brewing process. Her taste seemed to sour at the thought of imperfectly brewed milk. It could just be from her being pampered here, but still, it was very strong. It was usually quiet during these hours, before food would seemingly appear on the tables when it's supposed to be dinner. The air conditioning was also quite comfortable, as she detested the constant sunlight and ever present humidity. Suddenly the Magician, Himiko was seen entering along with Angie.

“Oh yes, oh yes, this looks like a great place to paint the landscape, and maybe some people will pass by here and listen to Atua!”

“Nyeh, I thought we were here to take a nap,” Himiko said.

“Himiko, was it? Since you’re a magician, you’re familiar with cards, right?”

“Yeah, I can do a bunch of magic with cards,” she replied. “Believe it or not, cards of all kinds have innate arcane power to ‘em, playing cards, tarot, uh baseball?”

“Interesting, but have you ever considered playing games with the cards?”

“Huh? Oh, you’re a gambler aren’t you?” Himiko asked. “Yeah, I know some games like Go Fish, but my mommy wouldn’t like it if I gambled.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t gamble for money around here,” Celeste assured. “Though there aren’t many things we could bet or gamble on here, I want to see if your proficiency with cards carry onto something more competitive.” She pulled out a deck of cards; one of many that were placed in her room. 

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll use my magic to cheat?” 

“Someone of my expertise wouldn’t be fooled so easily,” Celeste played along. “Now, don’t be shy.”

“I’m kinda tired right now, so it’s not like I would cheat if I were given the chance…” Himiko lazily pulled up a chair and sat down. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to play a bit before napping.” Angie noticed this and skipped over beside the two.

“Ah, you’re going to play, Himiko?” Angie questioned. “Atua has told me who’s going to win already, but it’ll be fun to watch.”

“It is fine if you watch,” Celeste said as she dealt the cards. 

“Say, Celeste, would you like to hear about Atua?” Angie asked. “Not many westerners have heard about him.”

“From what I have heard you say,” Celeste said. “It’s a god of some sort, is it not?”

“Yes, he is the one true god who watches over us! I am sure you feel him in every hand you receive!”

“Are you referring to the power of luck?” Celeste said. “I highly doubt it’s the work of a god. I think my belief is more abstract than the concept of a divine being.”

“But Celeste, we’re not all that different, right, right?” Angie swayed back and forth. “You said that living here forever is the optimal solution, I also believe that this is Atua’s paradise if we live here instead of killing!” Celeste silently observed Angie’s cheerful swaying. Under that demeanor, she is sure Angie is trying to read her.

“Really? Though from the bottom of my heart, that hardly makes a resemblance to believing in… Atua, was it?”

“Ah, so you do not see Atua? Well that’s okay, I expected someone like you to be harder to convince!”

“I think my stance is very firm, thank you very much,” Celeste dismissed. Celeste revealed her hand, showing that it was far superior to Himiko’s that round.

“Nyeh, that’s kinda expected,” Himiko said. “Uh, Angie, can you take over for me?”

“You’re lucky in a way,” Celeste said. “If this had actual stakes, you would’ve been cleaned for all you had.”

“My, my, Celeste, how about if I could beat you in your own game, then will you be willing to listen to Atua?”

“That is a lot of confidence you have,” Celeste said. “Perhaps foolishly placed confidence.” She shuffled her cards once again. 

“No faith in Atua ever goes to waste!” Angie remarked. 

“But it’s nice seeing that there are actual stakes to be had here…” Himiko napped as the two played. It took seven rounds, six more than Celeste anticipated after seeing Himiko’s defeat. Six times, both Angie and Celeste achieved the same tier of hand, the tie only being broken by the numbering of the cards. In fact, it went back and forth, both of them winning a round each. But in the seventh round, only then did Celeste beat Angie decisively with a straight flush.

“Nyahahaha! That was a close one, wasn’t it?!” Angie cheered. Celeste was surprised that it was closer than she’d like to admit. Himiko was woken up by Angie’s laughter.

“Huh? Is it over? I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Was it? It seems like you’re using your luck a bit too early, and for what? To make a draw with me a few times out of what will be a thousand?”

“So you’ve seen a glimpse of how Atua affects our lives,” Angie said. “He has given you quite the talent.” Celeste still looked dismissive of her. 

“It appears that since I’ve won, I humbly request you to… never approach me about Atua again.” She smiled as she framed her face.

“It’s only really over when I give up, so it’s not over!” Angie declared. “But for now, Atua says I should talk to some others, first!” Celeste looked back at her teacup. She hasn’t had a refill of tea in a while, and Kirumi is still nowhere to be seen. Guess she’ll have to have someone else make it for him. It seemed like both Angie and Celeste would have their answer as Hifumi entered the restaurant.

“Hmph, what does Miss Koizumi know about my burning passion? I’m sure this is a good place where I can drink my cola…” Hifumi angrily grumbled to himself. He looked and saw that both Angie and Celeste were eyeing him intently.

“Miss Yonaga, Miss Ludenberg, is there something bothering you?” Hifumi asked.

“Hifumi, wouldn’t you like to hear about Atua?”

“Hifumi, I’m very thirsty. Wouldn’t you like to brew some milk tea for me?” They both said at the same time. The fanfic creator gulped back at their requests. It seems that Celeste and Angie are playing a new sort of game. 

___________________________________________________________________

“I’m sorry Kokichi, but we’re not in the mood for getting pranked today!” Nekomaru said as he hoisted Kokichi from the ground attempting to restrain him. Taka began to search Kokichi’s room. It almost appears to be a supervillain’s lair, as the lights gave a deep blue glow, and his chair was a throne. DICE apparel that looked exactly like Kokichi’s outfit hung on the walls, along with a clown mask, hat, and cape. An empty whiteboard was also visible near his bed.

“Hey, this is unlawful! Where’s your search warrant?” Kokichi attempted to resist him to no avail as he was put in a full nelson. “When have I ever done anything to raise your suspicion? Do you also do this to everyone you come across?”

“Well, not everyone we come across tries to start shit!” Nekomaru retorted.

“Kokichi, your discipline is incredibly lacking,” Taka mentioned. 

“Well your sense of humour is incredibly lacking,” Kokichi said. “What’s life without a bit of fun, am I right?” However, as expected, Taka found nothing in Kokichi’s room worth noting for him.

“So it looks like you’re between schemes,” Nekomaru said suspiciously.

“But I must give credit, your room is incredibly neat,” Taka praised.

“Dammit, the booby trap that was supposed to blow this cottage up doesn’t seem to be working,” Kokichi commented. “Same with the poison gas that was also supposed to be released the moment you stepped in.” 

“R-Really?” Taka asked. “You wouldn’t blow yourself up trying to keep us from searching you, right?”

“Calm down, Taka!” Nekomaru said. “I might not be the smartest person here, but I know enough when Kokichi is messing with us.”

“But it’s true!” Kokichi doubled down. “You walked into the room of the Ultimate Supreme Leader with so much confidence, that you didn’t check before you entered.” 

“Check what?” Suddenly, a super soaker appeared from below the roof and shot water onto Nekomaru’s back. 

“Hey, what was that for?!” Nekomaru demanded as he looked over at the soaker. It appeared to be attached to a string or rope from the roof that would come down and fire on its own shortly after they opened the door.

“I forgot if acid or water was in that.” Nekomaru took the super soaker dangling from the roof, and inspected it. It clearly looked like it originated from Kokichi’s room, as it had a purple and white colour scheme.

“If it weren’t for your history, I woulda said that you had me good,” Nekomaru said. “But now I’m gonna have to take IT WITH ME!” Nekomaru quickly used his towel to wipe his coat off. 

“Well if I was gonna have it confiscated anyway, I may as well have some fun with it,” Kokichi said. 

“Part of me thinks that isn’t the last of your tricks,” Taka said. “I will have to search this again thoroughly!” Nekomaru searched the exterior of Kokichi’s cottage, while Taka searched even more diligently. However, no matter how hard they looked, there wasn’t anything more than that super soaker.

“Are you getting tired yet?” Kokichi asked. “Don’t you have another person’s cottage to raid instead of mine? I’m sure that all the other actually dangerous Ultimates are laundering their weapons as they speak while you’re searching me.”

“We’ve searched through most of them already,” Nekomaru said. “We’re worried about you now, since you actually use what’s given to you.”

“Well don’t I feel touched?”  

“Apart from that soaker, surprisingly there’s nothing dangerous about Kokichi’s room,” Taka said. “We’ll be keeping an eye on you, still.” 

“We’re gonna have to get Kazuichi or Miu to make an actually good lock,” Nekomaru muttered on the way out. “Can’t have shit in Jabberwock Island if Kokichi is around, it seems.”

“His theft due to the last motive was troubling, so that might be a good idea,” Taka agreed. 

As Nekomaru and Taka left, Kokichi brushed himself off. 

“Dammit, I gotta rewrite everything on the whiteboard, don’t I?” He said as he uncapped the marker he kept in his pocket. “For now, it seems pretty damn impossible to get anything done around here, but maybe there’s a way to get more info on this island… or maybe I’ll get my hands on a far bigger scope than that!” He went over to his mailbox and retrieved some other prank items that came with his room. An electric stick of gum, walkie talkies, and a flower that sprayed water were among them. He then walked over to his closet, and once again inspected his so-called Hope’s Peak uniform.

“Probably what I wore during those supposed two years of missing memories. If my past self can ever hold a candle to myself now, he’d probably leave some clue on his clothes in case he died. Or not so he can hide the evidence. I am already playing mind games with myself.” He looked at the tag on the back of the blazer. 

“Made in the year- yep, that is two years ago alright. And the size and proportions are exactly made to fit me. But if this was the me of two years ago, then what’s changed about me since?” He wouldn’t be surprised if he had absolutely no growth in two years. He has embraced the fact that he is vertically challenged at this point. He remembered before getting to Hope’s Peak on that first day, he got a cut on his finger, but when he arrived on this island, it disappeared. “That was weird,” Kokichi thought to himself. “But that’s all the more evidence that backs up what I’m thinking… if only there was something out there that would confirm it. Is it only the so-called traitor that knows what we forgot?” 

__________________________________________________________________________

“This place seems pretty exotic!” Kaede said as she looked at Rantaro’s room. The walls had many bulletin boards, all of a massive array of maps that have markings across all of them. 

“It looks like you’ve been at work,” Mahiru read each of the maps up and down. “Jeez, it takes me back, my mom’s been to a lot of these places.”

“Yeah, I’ve been doing a lot more work than I appear to suggest, right?” Rantaro chuckled. “It didn’t hurt to play around with the maps that came with my room… they’re a lot more detailed than most of what I’ve seen.”

“While I don’t think everything here was backed by Hope’s Peak, the stuff which relating to our cottage probably do,” Mahiru said. “So it’s best to assume it’s Hope’s Peak tailoring to our tastes.”

“I’m sure all of us, especially Kyoko and Shuichi, have their own theories on how Hope’s Peak ties into all of this,” Rantaro said. He walked over to the map of the Pacific Ocean. “But funnily enough, Jabberwock Island is missing from this map, despite it clearly being somewhere here. I think this is more something Monokuma would give to us than Hope’s Peak.” He pointed to a red question mark on the map, as if implying Jabberwock’s supposed location. “Probably some misinformation given to me.” Kaede leaned over to get a closer look at it.

“Whoa! If we are here, then we’re really far out from any other island!” 

“Yep, exactly my reaction.”

“But if Jabberwock Island is censored from this map, then maybe the neighboring islands are also censored to fool us!” Kaede theorized.

“I haven’t looked too much into the surrounding islands,” Rantaro said. “But I’m sorta hoping that there is.” 

“It really makes you wonder how we got here in the first place, right?” Mahiru said. “We’re hundreds of kilometers away from Tokyo, Japan even! And it all happened in a single hand wave by that rabbit!” Mahiru brought up.

“Everything about this place almost defies physics,” Rantaro stroked his chin at that thought. 

“Um, Rantaro, do you never use this globe?” Kaede gestured to a very large globe that seemed inert. Its surface was an array of LCD monitors rather than plastic.

“I think I prefer reading paper maps over that gimmick over there,” Rantaro mentioned, pointing to the fact that it’s unplugged. 

“Understandable, I like having my hands on paper sheets, I don’t think I’m used to reading piano sheets from all those music websites.”

“I’m fine with using any camera,” Mahiru said. “But I don’t think I’ve seen anything this… extra.” Her attention turned away from the globe and towards Rantaro’s closet. “Oh yeah, back on track. Mind if I check your closet?”

“That’s what you’re here for, right?” She opened the door, and behind the expected copies of outfits, there was something more interesting; a rowboat with oars. 

“Rantaro, you had a boat with you all this time?” Kaede asked in surprise. 

“It’s something you’d expect in the Ultimate Adventurer’s room, isn’t it?” Rantaro asked. 

“Something I’d expect out of an Ultimate canoeist or angler,” Mahiru commented. “And you haven’t tried to escape using this?”

“Well, going out in the open ocean with something like this would be a bad idea,” Rantaro said. “I doubt that I’d get anywhere useful from just a rowboat.”

“Guess that’s true,” Kaede agreed. “I wouldn’t want anyone to risk their lives trying to get to safety on a boat with nothing else.”

“That settles it,” Mahiru said, marking down all of Rantaro’s belongings. “Nothing dangerous here, that’s a relief.”

“Rantaro, just asking, but what are the blue markings all over your map? You seem to have a lot of them.” Kaede pointed out all the blue x marks on Rantaro’s map. They extended to countries all over the world, though some were marked with “o”s. 

“In short terms, they’re all the places I’ve traveled to in my lifetime. It’s part of a… personal project.” Rantaro replied sternly. 

“He doesn’t seem to want to talk about it,” Kaede thought to herself. “Well, no reason to push it.” 

“Mahiru, where to next?” Kaede asked.

“Alphabetically, it looks like Ryoma,” Mahiru said. “Though I’m a bit worried to see what might be in his room.”

__________________________________________________________________________

Chihiro peeked around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear. Almost everyone was at the restaurant for dinner, so there’s no way anyone else could get in the way, right? Except for the person he wrote, who should be inside the change room. He nervously approached the door, each step he had to resist backing and running away. 

“Chihiro… you can do this! You’re so close to becoming strong, in front of one person at least…” He slowly pulled his e-book out of his jacket. He glanced at the mounted turret, but quickly looked back. It felt like if he took his eyes off the door for even a moment, he’d lose his nerves and flee.

“You wrote the letter, Chihiro, so own up to it!” Chihiro furrowed his brow, before quickly striding in. As expected, only Mondo showed up, who almost jumped back as he entered.

“Ch-Chihiro!” Mondo exclaimed. His eyes widened in confusion, as Chihiro approached him. 

“Mondo, I-I said I wanted to be stronger!” Chihiro huffed. “This is what I meant, I’m tired of hiding who I really am!”

“Who you really are?!” Mondo looked like he was still reeling from the reveal. “S-So you’re a-”

“Yeah, I’m a boy… They wouldn’t’ve let me in otherwise. I didn’t want to lie to you, but… I want to change that.” He looked up, and saw that Mondo looked downcast. He wasn’t surprised that Mondo would still be shocked, but it was hard to read his expression from this angle. One of his fists appeared to be balled up and in his pocket.

“I-It’s not that I doubt it, but, why tell me of all people?” The biker asked. 

“Because you’re everything that I look up to, you’re strong. I-If I were more like you, I’d be able to get rid of any weakness I have!” Mondo’s eyes finally met Chihiro, yet his face seemed impossible to read.

“H-He’s looking really scary right now…” Chihiro thought. “B-But he would know what to say next, right?” 

“You’re serious about this right?” Mondo asked. “Looking to me out of all of all the other muscled punks on this island...” Mondo’s fist began to shake uncontrollably, and his breathing became noticeable. At this point, Chihiro  was tempted to flee, but if he ran now, his feelings wouldn’t be resolved.

“Yeah, Gonta, Nekomaru, Sakura, they’re strong… but you have something else, you said you can keep a man promise between men, right? That’s what made me come to you…”

“A man’s promise?” Mondo asked, after a pause. “Yeah, that’s something I ca- no, will keep.” Mondo gave his free hand a thumbs up, though his face was still in a subtle grimace. “I’ll help you, that’s a promise.”

“T-Thank you, Mondo!” Chihiro cheered. He almost wanted to go up and hug or fist bump him. “Whew… that went really well! I-I can’t wait to get strong enough to tell everyone else, but first, we gotta work out a plan, first, right?”

“Chihiro, just… give me a minute. I’ll meet up with you later, and after dinner, then we… we can talk about working out and stuff. I just need to uh, finish something up in here.”

“O-Okay, Mondo! I’ll see you there!” Chihiro practically skipped out the door. He felt like a huge weight on his small chest was lifted. Though running was definitely not one of Chihiro’s strong points, he felt like he could sprint back to the restaurant in a heartbeat.

“B-But Mondo, he sounded a bit ill to be honest,” he thought. “I hope he didn’t eat anything bad. I almost want to stay and help, but he’s strong! He’ll be alright… and I don’t want to look too suspicious staying around here. Looks like I have to come back for the locker later!”  

_______________________________________________________________

Mondo was not alright. He sat down, lifting his clenched hand, and revealing a rather abrasive looking lock. He clenched it the whole conversation, trying to prevent himself from being consumed by anger. 

“W-What a fucking bombshell…” Mondo thought to himself. “He walked in here, and proved that he was already fucking stronger than me. Jesus, really shows how pathetic I am, right?” He thought back to his own reasons for shame. Though unlike Chihiro, his secret wasn’t in any risk of being exposed, he could still feel that anxiety that the programmer spawned gnawing through his stomach. 

“I-If he hadn’t brought up the fact that I made a promise… I might’ve done something fuckin’ stupid.” Though there wasn’t anything particularly dangerous in the room, he shuddered to think what he could’ve done to Chihiro had he snapped. “Promises… that’s all I can do now, right? Why did Chihiro bring it up now? None of the motives put him at risk of…” Then he remembered. The motive videos. He thought Ryoma was acting crazy with how fixated he was toward them. But it was true that the videos could’ve revealed something that people didn’t want to know. Mondo’s video probably woulda talked about his own gang, while Chihiro’s woulda talked about his family or some shit like that. But Monokuma, he wouldn’t hold back revealing… both of their secrets.

“FUCKING SHIT!” Mondo yelled. He threw the lock on the floor, causing it to bounce off the tiles with a clang. “Someone out there… they might know everything that’s wrong with me! And I’ll never know it myself!” Mondo ran out the other door, which led to the hot springs. It was humid, which did nothing to relieve Mondo, but running here was better than making a scene outside. There was nothing to take his anger out on. “Taking my anger out… destroying shit… THAT’S ALL I’M GOOD FOR ISN’T IT?!” He saw a rock that didn’t look fixed to the ground. It was about the size of his shin.  He lifted his leg up and with one kick, shattered it. Bits of rock scattered across the ground. Mondo half expected Monokuma or Monomi to appear and object, but no one came. He was sure that he’d lose his temper against them as well. Once he felt like he could see more than just red again, he moved back to the locker room, his head reeling with confused thoughts. Slowly but surely, the numbness in his body, his chest rose and fell like normal again, and the ringing in his ears went away. However, that numbness was quickly replaced with pain in his shin. He lifted his pant leg up, and saw that though it wasn’t broken or sprained, the skin on it had an abrasion. The skin was scratched up pretty badly, and blood began to trickle down. 

“Shit… that won’t look pretty in the morning, but it’s nothing I’ve seen outside of fights. Just hope no one makes a big deal out of it.”

________________________________________________________________________

Mondo as nonchalantly as possible walked into the hotel grounds, moving through the walkways that he is really starting to get familiar with. He ascended the stairs to the restaurant balcony, and saw Mikan sitting across from Akane, inspecting her arm.

“Aw, c’mon! I ain’t gonna get taken down by a hit like that!” Akane said. “It’s all just part of the training, you know.”

“Y-You say that, but your arm looks pretty scratched up!” Mikan was already teary eyed. “You might not think it’s s-serious but I don’t want it getting infected.”

“It is not like there’s a dojo or a real gym on this island,” Sakura sipped on her coffee while watching Mikan treat Akane. “So it is best that you minimize injuries the best you can. Mikan’s antiseptic isn’t limitless.”

“I didn’t ask her to use it on me though,” Akane groaned as Mikan continued to clean Akane’s arm. 

“Nekomaru had to get rough on you, didn’t he?” Sakura asked. “You must find a balance between discipline and ambition… it doesn’t seem like you’re taking good care of your body despite its strength.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Akane muttered. “Worry about me all you want, but it all goes away once Nekomaru does it to me, makes all that pain worth it ‘n more, you know?”

“W-Whatever it is,” Mikan said, looking a bit curious as to what it might be, “It isn’t a proper r-replacement for health care!” Mondo began to make his way through them.

“Hey, biker dude!” Akane called out. “We haven’t fought yet, have we?!”

“Is that all ya think about?” Mondo asked. To be honest, he was also kind of itching for something, some way to burn off all the inaction building up inside of him.

“Aw, c’mon!” Akane said. “I can see that you really wanna fight someone! And just when I thought I ran out of dudes I can fight!”

“H-Hey, if I fought you, then my mom would kill me for doing something so dishonourable! I just can’t hit girls, it’s not because I’m scared of anyone here or anything!” 

“I cannot help but doubt your supposed lack of fear,” Sakura can’t help but be a little amused. “However, I will not doubt what you said about your honour.”

“Sounds to me that you’re acting like a total biiiitch!” Akane laughed and slammed the table with her free hand, causing Mikan to whimper.

“MAYBE I’LL MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR YOU ‘CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU AIN’T ONE!” Mondo shouted. Akane’s smile dropped for a moment as Mikan burst into tears.

“Aaah! P-Please don’t hurt me!”

“Mondo, was that promise you made only to Chihiro or do you intend to intimidate every girl that isn’t her?” Sakura chided. Mondo took a step back to realize what he did. Normally, he’d only grow more aggravated, but after his talk with Chihiro, and the fact that it’s coming from Sakura. “And Akane, if someone doesn’t want to fight, don’t push it.”

“Hmph, whatever…” Akane said, turning her attention away from both of them. 

“Guess I spoke too much,” Mondo said, regaining some of his composure. “Sorry.” He opened the door in an attempt to slip past them.

“I feel a bit bad for her, but now’s not time to bring attention to me-”

“M-Mondo, w-wait!” Mikan said. “C-Can I get a look at you? You’re sorta limping…” 

“Hey, don’t worry about me!” Mondo tried to say. “I don’t wanna trouble you or anything.”

“So you don’t deny it,” Sakura said. 

“Yeah… I smell some blood coming from you,” Akane said, twitching her nose. 

“P-Please let me at least get a look at it,” Mikan said. “I-It’s what I do after all.” Mondo sighed and sat down across from her.

“Fine, I won’t stop you,” Mondo said. He looked away as he lifted up the leg of his pants.

“T-That looks like a really bad scrape!” Mikan commented as she brought out antiseptic.

“You didn’t get it from fighting, did you?” Sakura asked.

“I didn’t hurt anyone or anything!” Mondo explained. 

“It looks like you dragged your leg through sandpaper!” Akane said.

“P-Please, we’re not here to judge injuries or anything like that,” Mikan said. “M-My patients should have… a bit of confidentiality.” 

“Damn, is it that bad?” Mondo asked. 

“Your skin looks a bit worn away,” Mikan said. “But your muscles and bones don’t appear to be damaged, but please keep it clean…” With surprising precision, she completely cleaned the blood from Mondo’s leg before wrapping a sterile bandage around him. “It’ll take some time to heal, so is it okay if I check on you every once in a while?” 

“You’re a pretty reliable chick aren’t you?” He was a bit astonished by her quick work despite her demeanor. “I won’t lie, I got a lot on my plate already, but I’ll do what you say… so don’t cry.” 

________________________________________________________________________

During dinner, Tenko once again attempted to approach Himiko, and saw that Angie wasn’t with her. Instead, she’s sitting with Gundham and Chiaki. 

“Your magic, Himiko… it seems like quite a handful. I wonder how Angie keeps you under control.” Chiaki muttered.

“Angie doesn’t keep me in control, I can go crazy whenever I want,” Himiko explained. “But thinking about Atua sorta helps me think about magic, I guess.”

“It appears like you’re restraining your arcane prowess,” Gundham observed. “I believe that will dampen your power if you reserve yourself to being a follower.” He spoke with a stern, unmoved tone.

“Nyeh, I don’t really know what you’re talking about,” Himiko replied. “But you get that I’m a mage, right? That’s the important part.” She gave a weak smile. Tenko faltered a bit, seeing Himiko be swayed so easily by a male, or anyone but her more importantly. 

“Hey, Himiko.” Tenko pulled up a seat beside Chiaki. “Angie’s not with you?” She eyed the restaurant left and right. Many people were eating, and conversing as normal, but Angie was on the other side of the restaurant, chatting with Hifumi.”

“Is that who I am? The person who you ask when you want to talk to Angie?” Himiko muttered as she adjusted her hat. 

“No, it’s the opposite! I wanna talk to you!”

“Well, it looks like she’s continuing her lecture about Atua to Hifumi while Celeste is forcing him to make tea endlessly until he gets it right…”

“State your business here,” Gundham said, him and three of the hamsters eyeing her cautiously.

“I was about to ask the same to you! You’re one of those dark, edgy types, right?! I don’t want you and your brooding darkness tainting my pure innocent Himiko!”

“So you recognize my corrupting power,” Gundham said. “But it appears that your own influence is even more unwelcome than mine, here.”

“Himiko would never think that about me!” Tenko retorted. “Right, Himiko?”

“Don’t ask questions you don’t wanna know the answer to,” Himiko replied between bites. 

“Anyway, I just wanted to see how you’re doing,” Tenko said. “Are you planning on showing any magic to us?”

“The reason why I do magic is to make people smile. I’ve been using my scouting spells, and probably like seventy percent of people would be receptive to magic.”

“Her magic is fundamentally different to my chaos,” Gundham said. “But even someone as evil as me can appreciate grand displays of might, those fiends who wouldn’t are clearly unworthy.”

“It almost sounds like Gundham wants to see a magic show,” Tenko thought. “Not surprising, considering Himiko’s awesome talent.” 

“So uh, I am considering it,” Himiko said. “Just gotta think of a time and decorations and all that, you gotta have that for a real magic show.”

“I love that idea!” Tenko smiled. “It’s not everyday people can display their talents…” Tenko was a bit sad that Hiyoko couldn’t display her own performance. “Maybe we can work together to create a great magic show with help from Kirumi and Sakura and-”

“Thanks, but I have someone else who’s gonna plan it,” Himiko pointed toward Angie, still preoccupied. 

“At least Himiko said thanks to me…” Tenko leaned back on her chair, a bit defeated. “Sigh, how is it that Angie gets the drop on her instead of me…” 

“Tough RNG, isn’t it?” Chiaki asked, attempting to game on her handheld device and eat at the same time. 

“Yeah,” Tenko replied. She decided to turn her attention to Chiaki for now. 

“Tenko, do you play a lot of video games?”

“My master said that playing video games too much will weaken your spirit, so I don’t think I can! Not to say that you have a weak spirit.” Chiaki drifted off for a moment before returning to her senses.

“Oh, no, I wasn’t thinking that at all,” Chiaki said. “Sorry, just needed a bit of a nap.”

“Chiaki, I wish I can give some of my energy to you,” Tenko observed Chiaki’s clear narcolepsy. “You’re always so sleepy!”

“I think my sleep schedule would be sorta normal if I didn’t spend all night playing games… Yeah, I forget to sleep sometimes to fit in just one more turn.”

“Oh, that’s kinda the opposite of me!” Tenko said. “I always go to bed early, even if I’m full of energy. It feels like sometimes my energy goes to waste, now that I think about it!”

“Well, don’t worry, since I kinda enjoy sleeping,” Chiaki said. “It’s like being free from a long grind.”

“Ah, I understand!” Tenko said. “Taking naps must be one of the joys in the world.” Just then, Angie appeared to return.

“I kept you waiting, didn’t I?” Angie asked as she sat down next to Himiko. Tenko eyed Angie suspiciously.

“All the girls here seem so nice and genuine… why did Angie have to change that?!” Gundham got up from his seat, looking out the window. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon. “These are the hours where my devas are most active. I shall take my leave and let them run amok.”

“Awww, don’t you and your devas want to listen to Atua?” Angie asked. “You and the four devas, that’s five times the points you receive by listening.”

“Your god demands obedience and repentance, doesn’t he?” Gundham chuckled. “Well, I’m not the kind of man to give either… he would be repulsed if he knew the true extent of my exploits!”

“Don’t try Atua,” Angie said. “Though being unrepentant is bad, blasphemy will get you cursed for even longer!” 

“What’s one more curse?” Gundham walked out of the restaurant, his Devas following him on his palm, though they looked worriedly at Angie. 

“I wonder if Angie’s mad… Gundham seemed a bit uneasy near her, but after she accused him in the first trial, I’m not surprised if Gundham has a grudge. Yeah, he seems like the type of male that would hold some bad blood! But towards Angie, it’s a bit understandable?” 

___________________________________________________________________________

Though it was a bit late, about 8:00 PM, it was still a bit of time before the night-time announcement. Chihiro quietly approached the change rooms; no one was around him. With him was a duffel bag he obtained from the store, and inside of it was the laptop Miu entrusted him with. It was still a few days away until Keebo could possibly be active again. It was a good thing the leaders didn’t check his laptop, or tamper with it during their visit. Not that he’d think that’s something they’d do. With his pad, he opened the change room, and saw that no one was there. Each locker had a key inside respective to it, so Chihiro didn’t need to have further setup. As quickly as he could, he opened one of the lockers, and sealed the bag and the laptop in before quickly resealing it with the key. Quickly, he left the change room and saw that Mondo was waiting for him near the bridge. 

“Hey, Mondo!” Chihiro waved.

“Yo, Chihiro,” Mondo greeted back. Chihiro smiled as he went down to meet the biker.

“Surprised you’re around here,” Mondo said. “You said you had something to do after dinner, I thought you were getting some tech-stuff done.”

“Oh I was uh, checking the change room if there were workout clothes,” Chihiro said. “There wasn't anywhere.”

“Kinda weird, right? At this point, a bunch of people here either exercise or work out, maybe it’s Monokuma’s way of fucking with us.” 

“You think we can train without workout clothes?” Chihiro asked. 

“It might be a bit harder for you,” Mondo said. “But ya don’t gotta worry, feeling your own sweat is part of working hard.”

“Y-Yeah!” Chihiro said. “I think the tennis court is the best place to exercise. It’s not like Ryoma or anyone is using it right now.”

“Whatever you say, but you gotta run there.” Mondo smiled. Together, they ran to the tennis court, which didn’t take too long, but Chihiro already began to feel his heart pump and legs muscles ache. 

“W-Wow, I’m already feeling kinda tired,” Chihiro said. “But I know we’ve just begun, so I think I’m ready.”

“Yeah that’s the spirit!” Mondo gave a thumbs up. Mondo took off his overcoat menacingly and draped it over the tennis net. “Now, it’s time for the real workout to begin.” Chihiro attempted to imitate it by taking off his own jacket and rolling up his sleeves. They did all sorts of exercises; with every push up and sit up rep and with every lap, Chihiro’s body burned and ached like never before, but he pressed on. This went on for about half an hour, with a bit of time between reps to drink or rest. Chihiro was lying on the floor, tuckered out, while Mondo brought two large bottles of water for both of them.

“M-My body really hurts right now. How athletes manage to get ahead… they probably do this a lot.” Chihiro had to take a moment to wipe his own sweat and tears.

“Hey, don’t cry now,” Mondo said, helping him up and offering him one of the bottles. “As long as you don’t pull a muscle or anything, aches mean you’ll just come out stronger.”

“Y-You have to be really strong, getting to where you are, now!” Chihiro commented, looking up at Mondo. His size and muscle were only beaten by Sakura, Gonta, and Nekomaru, and he looked a far margin stronger than the regular boys.

“Heh, believe it or not, I wasn’t always like this,” Mondo explained as he took a sip from his bottle. “It took a lot of fights, running from lost fights in the really early days, and working on my motorbike to get where I am. Not that I’m saying that you should fight anyone.”

“But even then, you can do a lot more reps and laps than I can, and faster,” Chihiro said. “I-If what you’re saying is true, I can’t wait to match how you’re doing today.”

“You really are made to be strong, aren’t ya?”

“I-I guess I should’ve gotten into this earlier…” Though he wasn’t about to take less time programming, imagine how much further he could’ve gotten if he knew how to work out from the get go.

“Mondo, you miss riding your bike, don’t you? I’m still able to code with the laptop I was given… Seeing your talent, I don’t know how you can do any of it on this island.”

“Hell yeah I miss my bike,” Mondo admitted. “I guess working out with you burns some of that pent up energy I get all the time, but nothing beats feeling the wind on your back while biking with a gang you trust.”

“That sounds really cool!”

“Say, once we get outta this fuckin’ mess, how ‘bout I take ya for a ride on my bike?”

“I-I still only have a provisional license, and I haven’t even thought about riding a bike, but it sounds fun.” Chihiro grinned at that thought. Though he knew biking is pretty dangerous, it was something to look forward to leaving this island. 

“Don’t worry about it being dangerous, under my rule, no one in my gang’s ever gotten hurt in an accident.” Mondo got up and stretched his legs. 

“I-I had a lot of fun to be honest,” Chihiro said. “I feel like I should rest now, but we can do more of this later, right?” 

“Yeah, anytime you can call me for some man to man training.” He said the man to man part very quietly. He handed Chihiro his jacket back from the net, while putting his own coat back on. “Catch ya later, and massage those muscles, will you?”

“Goodnight, Mondo!” Chihiro waved as he walked back to his cottage. After about ten seconds of walking, he can hear Mondo shouting at Kazuichi.

“What if I’m hanging out with Chihiro? You have a problem, huh?! If you even dream that there’s anything weird going on between us, you better wake up and apologize!” He’s sure Mondo wasn’t gonna get violent about it. When he arrived at his cottage, still on the girl’s side of the hotel grounds, he thought to himself

“When I reveal myself, will my cottage get moved or something? If things keep going well with Mondo, I won’t have to worry about being weak…” He thought back to how warmly everyone else treated him. It wasn’t a surprise that some people like Makoto or Chiaki would, but even seeing some normally abrasive people like Miu do that relatively speaking. Is it because he looks soft spoken and weak? “T-They won’t think I’m a fraud or… worse, I hope. Because by then, they’ll know enough of who I really am.” 

__________________________________________________________________________

Once again, Kaito and the group of people he brought training with him are in the field, ready to exercise again. Gonta was happy to talk while doing his pushups with ease. Shuichi laid his jacket down, sighing as he prepared for another night of hard training. Maki looked a bit more at ease than last night, though she still trained just as hard as she always did. However, it was good to have his mind on something a little more physical rather than worrying about the mystery behind this island. His chest was still a bit sore from the training from two days ago, though he didn’t work out last night because of the trial. 

“There are probably other muscles I could be working out,” Shuichi said, rolling up his sleeves and rolling his shoulders. He saw Peko and Tenko conversing near the park bench.

“Um, Peko,” Shuichi said. “Do you know any way I can exercise my arms on this island?” Tenko’s face soured in discontent. 

“Don’t males have a secret method which involves furiously shaking their-” 

“That’s what I’ve been planning to do,” Peko said, trying not to make the situation awkward. “Your arms indeed look like they need work.”

“She was quite blunt about that, wasn’t she?” Shuichi thought.

“Doing dips on this park bench can be a suitable arm workout, I have learned to exercise all my muscles a decent amount while traveling for my kendo tournaments.” Shuichi tried to replicate Peko’s movements, but it proved a bit difficult.

“Shuichi, take the bench over there,” Tenko protested. “Peko and I have already taken this one.” However, he kept toiling despite both of them outpacing him. He was a bit jealous of the girls having a more flexible uniform than him.

“Maybe there are workout clothes around here… though the convenience store doesn’t have anything of that sort. I really don’t wanna bother any of the more athletic people either for spares.” 

After a few sets, Shuichi was exhausted and tiredly drank from the bottle he brought with him. He could feel his shoulders and neck starting to become wet with sweat, and the pain starting to creep up to him. However, he saw Kaito approaching him, looking relaxed as ever.

“Yeah, you’re really getting that hustle in, sidekick!” Kaito said, putting his thumbs up. “Glad to see you’re putting your outer self to work, too!” 

“Thanks Kaito but uh, what have you been doing?” 

“Cheering on for my sidekicks, of course! Really important work I tell you.”

“I think what Shuichi is too afraid to tell you is why aren’t you exercising with the rest of us?!” Tenko asked. “This is like the second night, and you haven’t put in a single drop of sweat!”

“It’s because I geled my hair again an hour ago,” Kaito said. “Can’t go ruining it you know? Taking good care of your hair is one of the most important parts of being a man.” 

“You care that much about your hair?” A voice called from behind Kaito. It was Maki, standing menacingly with a battery powered electric razor.

“M-Maki, where’d you get that?!” Kaito asked.

“Tsumugi was glad to lend me one of these… but if you really want to keep your hair, I suggest you work at least half as hard as we do.” She raised the razor forward, and began to walk toward Kaito.

“C-C’mon, Maki Roll! This ain’t funny!” But Maki showed no signs of stopping. “I’m serious- agh!” When Maki broke into a jog, Kaito was forced to start running, with Maki hot on his trail.

“Hmm, Maki’s a bit scary, but I like that she gets results!” Tenko commended. “That must be what you get out of trying to raise a bunch of youngsters!”

“Shuichi,” Peko said, between her sets. “Kaito called you his sidekick, didn’t he? Is that what I think it entails?”

“Though it’s not like we go around on adventures together,” Shuichi began. “But Kaito’s my friend. Both him and Kaede, they really helped me out in a lot of ways since we came here. I’m really glad he’s helping us out the best he can.”

“I suppose he is serving you despite him calling you his sidekick,” Peko looked slightly confused saying it.

“Well, I wanna find a way to help him however I can,” Shuichi said, eyeing Kaito frantically running away from Maki. Though he looks more tired than how he began, he’s surprised he’s holding up as well as he is, with Maki’s unstoppable pace. “Well, maybe this one he has to deal with on his own. It’s what friends are for, right?”

“Friends?” Peko repeated, eyeing her own sword on the ground. “I suppose so.” Shuichi looked at the Swordsman, it looked like she was contemplating something over such a simple statement. 

“Peko’s a real mystery, isn’t she?” Shuichi said. “She’s quiet, but I’m sure she cares about protecting us.” His thoughts were drowned out by Tenko’s praise.

“Peko, you’re really cool, like a samurai, you know that?!” Tenko said. “I’m really honoured to get to train with someone like you! I’ve used weapons before, but nothing like how you use your cool sword!” She continued to drone. “I’m trying to take Sakura’s advice! Maybe you can train with me sometime or maybe we can do something fun like playing card or board games!”

“Training isn’t the only thing I’m doing while stuck on this island,” Peko said. “Though getting to do more stuff on this island might not be so bad…” She only looked half convinced, but Shuichi wouldn’t blame her if she wasn’t. 

It appeared that Gonta was distracted with surveying any nocturnal bugs that came out at night. Though he easily managed to break through one hundred sit ups and squats, he was pretty busy with observing the moths that flew about at night. It was interrupted when Kaito bumped into him. He was panting and out of breath.

“Kaito looks tired!” Gonta exclaimed. “Does Kaito need Gonta to carry him back to cottages?” 

“I like your offer, Gonta, but I gotta talk some sense into Maki,” Kaito said between ragged breaths. Maki was quickly gaining ground; she was completely undeterred despite all the running.

“Are you two fighting?! Gonta no want anyone fighting!” He stepped forward in the way of Maki. “Please Maki, we are all friends! No hurt Kaito!” However, she swiftly swept around Gonta and managed to get a hold of Kaito.

“Trying to rely on your sidekicks,” Maki shook her head. “I thought you’d have something up your sleeve, hero.” He could barely muster a response as he desperately tried to shake her off.

“C’mon, Maki, you got me, are you happy?!” Kaito heaved. Maki eyed the astronaut up and down. As expected, he was panting heavily and drenched in sweat. Somehow, his hair wasn’t ruined in the slightest, and his face was scrunched in a tired scowl. She slowly lowered the electric razor.

“Well, I think you’ve done enough today.” Kaito began to cover his mouth, though he didn’t make any vocalizations. 

“Kaito, you okay?” Gonta asked in a concerned tone. He had a few moments of silence, which caused Maki’s expression to soften a bit. 

“I-It looks like I’m fine,” Kaito said slowly, wiping his chin. “Really… I am.” Maki continued to look at Kaito’s expression. 

“He says he’s fine, and he isn’t coughing or anything like that. But he’s trying to act like something’s wrong with him…” The astronaut slowly regained his balance and wrapped his arms around both of their shoulders.

“Both of you did really well tonight,” Kaito gave a smile despite his more disheveled appearance. “Can’t wait to see both of you tomorrow, after you’re cleaned up.”

“Looks like you’re the one who’s in more need of a cleanup, idiot.” Maki said, inching away from his sweaty pits. 

“Thank you, Kaito!” Gonta said. “Gonta really glad to spend night with you!” After the three collected themselves and returned to the meeting place, they parted ways and went back to the cottage, passing Nekomaru in the process. When Kaito finally made it back to his cottage, he made his way back to the mirror. 

“I… I didn’t think I could run as far and fast as I did tonight,” Kaito thought, inspecting his face. “No coughing… no wheezing or going out of breath. Did something happen?! Why do I feel so healthy?” He slumped against the wall as he turned on his shower. He felt his neck with his hand, and it seemed like he wasn’t sweating nearly as much as he thought he would. 

“I should be happy that it seems like nothing’s wrong with me… Yeah, I should be. I’ll be around for my sidekicks, that’s for sure.”

________________________________________________________________

Sonia and Gundham stood outside, looking after the cottages in the night shift as Sonia’s leader duties described. Gundham was incredibly silent, as if lost in his own thoughts, while Sonia shifted a bit anxiously. 

“Gundham, I have been meaning to ask you, is there a reason why you’re so silent at this time?”

“It is natural for silence to accompany darkness,” Gundham said. “For my devas are most active during twilight.”

“Oh, so are you trying to stay quiet for your devas? I thought you would have them in a cage during these times.”

“It’s foolish to keep such powerful demons bound, as their wrath is most powerful when in confinement. I intend to allow them to live to their fullest.”

“The reason I wanted to talk to you Gundham, is because you seem to be very experienced with the occult.”

“That I am, along with raising and training beasts. Just what are you getting at?”

“Well, when I was a princess on Novoselic, I was forbidden from seeking out such knowledge. And now that I am here, I figured I can get the most out of my interests.”

“Hmph, is that really it?” Gundham asked warily, looking around the dimly lit environment. “Then listen well, princess, for my magic has no tolerance for the half-hearted.”

“Oh, thank you!” Sonia cheered before quieting down to a reasonable level. “This is exactly the perfect time and place I was looking for! Please, allow me to accompany you here and in later nights!” They both didn’t notice the slight blush in each other's cheeks as they went on. 

Chapter Text

It was the dawn of the sixth day on the island. Yesterday was sort of eventful for Hajime, at least in a good way. As Hajime woke up, he looked around to see if there was any sort of motive given to him. He wasn’t fully refreshed, considering how he volunteers to stand and watch with Mahiru in the middle of the night. He looked at his desk and chair, and then in the bathroom and closet. Nothing. 

“Looks like Monokuma doesn’t want us killing each other too soon.” He couldn’t feel like he could let his guard down at all when it comes to that bear. As he finished that thought, he could hear someone rapidly knocking on his door. 

“That raises a few suspicions,” Hajime thought. “What could anyone want with me right now. Nagito? Mahiru?” He approached the door, a bit tired though a bit anxious if there was a more dire reason. He cautiously unlocked the door, and immediately, a familiar pair of hands flung the door open.

“Good nom-nom-nomming, Hajimeeeee!” Ibuki cheered.

“Morning Ibuki,” Hajime stepped back in surprise. He knew the announcement didn’t ring yet she was up and about. “Why are you here so early?”

“Tch, so predictable,” Ibuki crossed her arms and grinned. “I don’t know why you’re so concerned about when you could be critiquing my new greeting!”

“Good-” Hajime can’t bring himself to say it out loud. 

“Good nom nom nomming, yeah that’s right! Ibuki spent a long time thinking about a perfect greeting, since we usually eat in the morning, so why not combine the two into one?”

“How many people did you ask this?”

“At least three, probably! But like you, most of them were asking the boring questions like “why are you up so early,” and “how did you get into my cottage?” But overall, I think it’s making a positive difference around here!”

“I thought you weren’t supposed to be running around alone before morning.”

“I shouted the whole time to make sure Kaede could hear me the entire time, so it’s the same as being with other people!” Ibuki grabbed his hand and practically pulled him outside.

“Ibuki, what the heck was that for?!” Hajime asked, trying to keep his balance.

“Well, I heard you got some real pumped up kicks yesterday!” Ibuki pointed toward his shoes. “Ibuki would really love to see you take a spin! C’mon, the boardwalk is empty right now!” Hajime groggily stretched his arms and legs. He wasn’t fully awake, and already Ibuki is trying to get him moving. It couldn’t be past 7 AM right now, but Hajime decided to show it off.

“C’mon, they’re just wheels on shoes, it’s nothing really to get excited.” But thinking about Ibuki, she always seems to have something to be excited about. Hajime began to roll himself down the walkway.

“Hoohoo, look at you go!” Ibuki cheered. 

“There, are you impressed?” As Hajime began directing himself in circles.

“Ya sure you weren’t the Ultimate Rollerblader or something before you forgot your memories?” 

“I had this for less than twenty-four hours, so I highly doubt it.”

“Even if you aren’t, you should totally join Ibuki’s band!” Ibuki suggested. “Think about it, you can start dashing around the stage like a mad-man, that’ll totally fit the vibe that I always go for!”

“I seem to be getting roped into something I might regret.” 

“Doesn’t that require me being able to play an instrument?”

“You could pretend to play or sing, maybe hold a ukulele or triangle menacingly while you’re at it.”

“Are those even used in bands?” 

“You have woken up when it’s just too late to go back to sleep, so why not spend it with your pal slash future band mate Ibuki? It’s just like being in a club, don’t you know?”

“I’ve never been in a school club, to be honest.”

“Yeah, that settles it! Your maiden club will be hip and daring, unlike anything you’ve seen before!” The musician hopped onto Hajime’s back as he was walking, causing him to stagger. Though Ibuki wasn’t particularly heavy, the force caused him to lose a bit of balance.

“Ibuki, what the hell?!” Hajime slid until he could grab hold of a cottage support beam, nearly throwing the musician off of him in the process. 

“Whoa, Hajime! You’re definitely a lot stronger than I thought!” Ibuki cheered, as though oblivious to the predicament she put themselves in. “You could heely us to my room, and maybe I’ll show you some of the stuff you could play, but Ibuki has dibs on guitar!” Hajime regained his balance, and Ibuki’s grip on him was surprisingly strong. 

“Sure, but can you please get off my back?” Hajime said as he started to walk toward Ibuki’s cottage. However, he saw Kirumi approaching them with a broom in hand.

“I do not mean to intrude, but I think it’s a bit of a hazard to do such things, especially since more people might awaken.” She reprimanded as she eyed the two.

“Yeah, I’m getting to it,” Hajime grumbled as he set Ibuki down. Kirumi gave an amused look as she continued to sweep the floor.

“Hajime looks a bit disappointed to put her down Ibuki. Hopefully, he didn’t leave any scuff marks.”  Kirumi thought. 

“And I thought you’d be more excited about having my perfect body on your back,” Ibuki said.

“Hey Kirumi, you’re usually with Kaede when watching over us, right?”

“I am simply taking this opportunity to get some cleaning done,” Kirumi stated. “I’m not surprised if she decided to have some conversation with some of the early morning people.” 

“Oh, I hope she’s doing fine, then,” Hajime said.

“I’m sure as well. Oh, by the way, Hajime, if those new… accessories are bothering you, I can get them removed.”

“I’ll keep ‘em for now. I kinda feel like I’m insulting Tsumugi if I decided to get them removed, you know?” 

“Perhaps I spoke out of turn, if it’s what you wish.” Kirumi said, continuing to sweep behind him. “Be careful out there, will you?”

“I will.” He said as he ran over to catch up to Ibuki.

______________________________________________________________

“Kokichi, I figured you’d be here,” Kaede approached him quietly, observing him pacing around the old building. “Are you wringing this place of all its secrets?” 

“That would mean there’s something to get out of this rusty old dump. I’m just here to see how flammable this place is! I mean, isn’t it a bit dangerous to have an all-log cabin?”

“Um, okay,” Kaede responded.

“What, you’re not gonna question me?” Kokichi said, taking out a match and striking it, creating a small flame. 

“Hey! That’s dangerous, you know!” Kaede pointed out. Kokichi spun the ignited match a few times on his fingers before putting it out on the building. Kaede sighed.

“Hmph, turns out wood doesn’t just burst into flames when you put a flame on it. Anyways, what’re you here for? I know you’re the Ultimate Pianist and all, but I’m very busy, as you can see.”

“I need your help, Kokichi.” Kaede said. “And I know for a fact that you can.”

“Really? You and your four other besties come in and try to do my job, being the Supreme Leader, and now you’re crawling back to me?” Kokichi gave an unamused look. “Considering all of my special abilities, it’s probably nothing that your fellow classmates will appreciate.”

“C’mon, I’m sure you have a lot of helpful talents.”

“Yeah, of course I do! I can supply you anything, even if we’re on this island. Beer, firearms, prostitutes, nothing that my organization can’t get in less than twenty-four hours.”

“We don’t need any of that right now.”

“Okay, so that means you need my very impressive lying. Who could’ve thought.”

“Can you just hear me out, Kokichi? There’s only one room I need to survey, and that’s Byakuya. And as you know, I don’t want to use force against him nor will he let any of us in. He won’t even answer the door for us. We couldn’t even catch him walking back to his own cottage, so can you help me get in to do a quick search?”

“Wow, I’m jealous,” Kokichi muttered. “You and your cronies, when I didn’t want them going inside my cottage, they put me on the floor and beat me senseless! That’s why I’m covered in so many cuts and bruises!” 

“You look fine, right now.”

“Yeah I was lying, but does that make them okay to do that?”

“You shot Nekomaru with a super soaker!”

“Yeah and he walked away fine, while I was scarred and traumatized. How will you ever make it up to me? I know! How about I replace you as one of the five leaders or something like that, how does that sound?”

“No one would live that down!” Kaede shut that idea off. 

“How about you work for my organization after we get out, then?” Kokichi offered. “It could always use talent like you! Then that way, your influence can help me take in and raise more disenfranchised kids!”

“Such as yourself?”

“Yeah, you got it! I mean, isn’t so inspiring seeing someone like me, who looks weak and unimposing actually being the most important man in the world?”

“That’s a lie, too isn’t it? No way am I gonna work for you like that!” Kokichi sighed.

“Y’know what, I will help you, I feel sorry for you to be honest. Being so open to approaching me and pulling a fast one on our beloved Byakuya, I don’t know if you’ll live to see the second island.”

“There are some things you shouldn’t say, you know that?” Kaede said. However, she took it as a sign of agreement. 

“Meet me outside at around 8:10 AM,” Kokichi said. “Or don’t, then I’ll just take a look and tell you what’s inside myself.” 

___________________________________________________________________

Kaede strolled over to Byakuya’s cottage, and Kokichi was there.

“Kaede, you showed up! Nothing better than two friends committing breaking and entering, am I right?” Kokichi took a look into both of Byakuya’s windows; they were covered as expected.

“Come on, this isn’t breaking and entering,” Kaede said. 

“If not, then what is it? Aren’t you a little ashamed of yourself? Someone as talented as yourself having to do crimes to stay functional? Are you sure you’re not some kleptomaniac?”

“I’m not gonna steal anything!” Kaede said as she took out a clipboard and pen from her backpack. “Even if there’s something dangerous inside, I won’t steal it or anything!”

“What do you expect to find in there? Booby traps? That’d be pretty spooky.” Kokichi snickered. Kokichi pulled out a piece of a soda can, and inserted it into the lock.

“Is that what he uses to pick locks? I thought he’d use a bobby pin or hair clip. But considering that mess on his head, I doubt he uses anything of the sort.” After a few seconds, Kokichi managed to open the door with little sound.

“Welcome to chateau a la Byakuya!” Kokichi announced as he brazenly walked in. It was devoid of its only inhabitant. 

“Not so loud!” Kaede hushed as she crept inside slowly. She peeked around, and saw that the furniture looked very ornate, and so did the inside of the curtains. It smelled vaguely of money and expensive cologne, though she didn’t see any coins or dollar bills around.

“Maybe absurdly rich people just smell like that.” She curiously approached to feel one of the cushions; it was very high quality and soft, she was almost jealous.

“Maybe I should get myself one of these when I get outta here. It sure beats that ol’ leather piano seat.” She quickly scribbled that down. She then peered at the large bookshelf. There seemed to be many books about investment, economics, politics, law, and other things that Kaede had no interest dabbling in. Kokichi took an interest in the shelf as well.

“Hey, Kaede! You think if I pulled one of these books the right way, it would create a secret passage? That’d be a classic, just like the one in my own cottage!”

“What, you’re lying, right?”

“Too bad Taka and Nekomaru didn’t find that when searching my cottage, though.” What took Kaede’s interest was the book on the table.

“Sparkling Justice? Genocide Jack? Serial Killers? That’s a pretty morbid thing to study, not that I’m gonna judge.” 

“Dammit, is Byakuya researching my two top assassins?” Kokichi said as he eyed the books. He quickly flipped through them.

“Hey! I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll put it back exactly as it was!” Kokichi laughed as he flipped through the pages, as they seemed to have markings on it. “This stuff is rich, who knew Byakuya was such a nerd?” He set the book down. Kaede looked around Byakuya’s bed.

“Rich people probably have weapons hidden in their bedrooms, in case people try to kill them in their sleep, right?” Kaede thought. “Wait, that sounds like something Kokichi would say! Put that thought out of your head!” As expected, there weren’t any weapons. However, Kaede noticed a notebook, placed in the corner, behind a potted plant and out of sight of the camera. Kaede slowly approached it. “Should I read that? I don’t want to intrude, but that’s a pretty weird place to put a notebook. I doubt Byakuya let even Kirumi into this place, so we might be the only two outsiders to enter his cottage.” 

“Hey, Kaede! Are you done here now that you’ve seen anything, or is there something you want to steal? I get it, he probably wipes his ass with ¥10,000 bills.” Kokichi stood impatiently at his door. 

“I’m coming, Kaede said, taking one last look at the cottage and writing everything she found down. “And I don’t think money is useful around here.” They both stepped outside, and Kokichi closed the door and locked it, bashing his shoulder against the door for good measure. 

“Don’t tell anyone about this, will you?” Kaede asked.

“Of course I wouldn’t tell Byakuya! He is a jerk who enjoys being mean and I can’t have those people in my life!” Kaede had no choice but to take his word for it. It seemed like an unnecessary risk to search Byakuya’s cottage, but she really didn’t want to cut corners. “You should feel proud, Kaede! This is a better bonding activity than anything you and Shuichi have done, I bet! Maybe I should’ve asked for that hat of Shu- I mean yours in return.” 

“Hey, I just did what I had to to keep us safe,” Kaede said. Kokichi adjusted his scarf and proceeded to chug down a bottle of PantaTM that came out of seemingly nowhere. “Hey, isn’t it a little early to be drinking?”

“Only mom can say those things to me, Kaede!” Kokichi ignored her pleas. “And in the case Byakuya’s scent caught onto you, I suggest you begin smelling more like yourself!” Kaede adjusted her tie, attempting to swallow down the lump in her throat. She pulled on her collar as well, trying to relax herself while making sure she didn’t smell any different. 

“Wait, what do I smell like? Seems like I’m overthinking it, though. I guess it’s best that I move on. It’s a good thing Byakuya doesn’t seem to have any weapons in his cottage.” 

________________________________________________________________

Makoto was eating breakfast, having taken a seat beside Hiro, and across from Gundham and Sonia. He was listening in on their conversation.

“... and that’s why Ouija boards are nothing but foolish toys, made by a charlatan. Any result you may get is out of a mere delusion.”

“Oh, that is a shame,” Sonia said, her hand on her other arm in disappointment. “I believe I must pull that out of the royal budget when we get out of here.” She took time between eating her own breakfast to feed seeds to the Dark Devas.

“Hmph, that is why I always draw my own circles to commune with the dead. There is not one symbol that fits all. Though my abode is pathetically lacking in texts, I have remembered it all by heart.” 

“You must be quite experienced,” Sonia said. “Tell me, what purpose do you use it for?” Outside the conversation, Hiro furrowed his eyebrow in annoyance.

“Makoto, dude, I wanna say something.” Hiro talked quietly to the lucky student.

“Say what?” Makoto leaned back as if not to disturb the conversation.

“I know you’ve been listening in as well. They seem like suckers for believing the occult.”

“Isn’t it the same as fortune telling? 

“I-It’s different!” Hiro grasped his crystal ball defensively. “The occult is bullcrap, and fortune telling isn’t!” But before Hiro could say anything, it was Hifumi who managed to interrupt the conversation.

“The Supreme Overlord of Ice, is it? Why is it that you divulge your secrets to these mortals?”

“The Alpha and the Omega…” Gundham responded without skipping a beat. “I do not share my knowledge with foolish worms, besides, only those who are worthy can even attempt my evocations without being destroyed.”

“Okay, I kinda expected that with Hifumi,” Hiro commented as he got off his seat to get more food.

“You see, that fortune teller knew he was not worthy, so he is already turning to escape our presence,” Gundham pointed out.

“So this dark royal, what’s different about Miss Nevermind?”

“Oh, are you saying I should get a dark epithet? That would sound appropriate,” Sonia said. 

“Hifumi, what was it I ordered you to do?” Celeste called out from across the room, gesturing toward the teacup in his hands.

“Oh, yes, right away, Miss Ludenberg!” Hifumi said as he continued toward the kitchen. “We will have to talk later, Overlord of Ice!” Makoto watched cautiously as he watched Hifumi return with a cup of what appears to be milk tea and handed it to Celeste. 

“Much better,” Celeste said as she took the cup in her hands.

“What’s that all about?” Makoto asked. 

“Miss Ludenberg said she was thirsty, and told me to make tea for her. Of course, I couldn’t turn someone like her down. I’ve done it for her once yesterday, while listening to Angie talk about her At-ua.” 

“I see,” Makoto gave an awkward look at Hifumi.

“Don’t tell me you wouldn’t do the same thing,” Hifumi said to the shorter student. 

“The sad thing is I don’t even know I can disagree,” Makoto thought. Suddenly, scalding hot tea was thrown in Hifumi’s general direction, though it didn’t hit anyone.

“Hifumi, do you know the difference between pouring the milk in during and after the tea-brewing process?”

“D-Does it matter?”

“Though it may seem inconsequential, OF COURSE IT MATTERS, SHIT FOR BRAINS! YOU GOT IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, SO WHY ARE YOU MESSING IT UP NOW?!” This sudden outburst caused some people to recoil back. “Go back and make it right this time, before I FLATTEN YOU, YOU USELESS PIG!” 

“Of course, I-I’m getting right to work!” Hifumi stammered, gathering the teacup and walking off. As if nothing happened, Celeste set the plate of her cup down and smiled while framing her face.

“Oh, my volume was out of line, wasn’t it? Carry on as usual, everyone. I am now over it.” That did not help calm anyone down.

“Celeste, if you wanted tea, you could have asked me without making a scene,” Kirumi said, wiping down the spilled liquid on the floor.

“Oh, my apologies. I did not mean for you to take it that way, but it seems I cannot rely on you alone as I know you have little free time.” Kirumi concealed her annoyance. Makoto sighed and slumped back. 

“And I thought my classmates were running out of weird tricks,” he muttered. 

“For someone who looks so dignified, she can be very intense,” Sonia agreed. 

“That witch… the coldness that emanates from her is tangible even to me,” Gundham said, trying to calm the Devas down from that outburst. Teruteru walked over and took a seat next to Makoto.

“I kinda wish that were me, wouldn’t you agree, Makoto? You looked a bit curious seeing that power in Celeste, right?” Makoto felt ready to faceplant onto the table. 

______________________________________________________________________

“Gonta is a bit scared. How does Kirumi stay calm while around Celeste?” Gonta shifted uncomfortably in his seat. However, he made sure his arms could cover the table in case more scalding liquids got thrown around.

“Jesus christ, she’s a bitch,” The inventor beside him said quietly. The people seated on this table are Mahiru, Gonta, Miu, Toko, and Chihiro. 

“T-Takes one to know one, r-right?” Toko muttered, barely visible as Gonta obscured Miu’s vision of her.

“Are you talking ‘bout yourself, you glassy eyed garbage bag?!” Miu argued back.

“Hey, please no fighting,” Gonta said.  

“Y-You’re right, I-I got better things to do than talking t-to a pink-clad pseudointellectual slut like her.”

“Ah…” Miu whimpered. “Can’t believe s-someone like you would say that.”

“Miu, please,” Chihiro said. Miu sighed and turned her attention back to her breakfast, while getting out a few more whimpers and insults under her breath. 

“Where do you think Kaede went?” Chihiro asked. “Mikan, Mondo, and Kokichi aren’t here, either.” 

“Kaede said she was getting some errands done,” Mahiru said. “I really wouldn’t worry about her.” 

“Eh, who cares about that blonde bitch?” Miu asked. “That’s none of my business if she decides to rub one out before coming here!” Mahiru turned to talk to Chihiro.

“Chihiro, there’s probably something you see in Miu that I don’t, but doesn’t she make you uncomfortable?” 

“Sorta, she’s usually kinda sweet when around me…” Chihiro said. “I-I just wished she acted more like that around other people, you know?” 

“I’m not judging you or anything, I’m glad you found people you can share your talent with,” Mahiru smiled. Mahiru can’t help but be a little judgmental of both Kazuichi and Miu, but she’ll admit they were talented after seeing their rooms.

“Isn’t it the same for you, Mahiru?” Chihiro asked.

“I feel happy when people look at their smiles through my photos,” Mahiru said. “I think anyone can enjoy something like that, but I don’t know if other artists relate to me as well as you do with Miu.” 

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Chihiro said. 

“C’mon, don’t feel so down for asking me a question,” Mahiru said. “To be honest, I’m not too shaking up about people not talking about the process itself. If they have a lot to say about the photos, I’d be glad.” The programmer smiled in response. “Yeah, that’s a good smile, do you mind if I take a photo?”

“O-Of course you can,” Chihiro said. Mahiru snapped a photo. 

“Yeah, I’ll develop this one when I can,” She said, looking at the interface of her camera. Taka approached Mahiru, clearing his throat. 

“I think it’s best if we told everyone our findings,” Taka said.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Mahiru said, pulling a notebook out of her shirt pocket and handing it to the Hall Monitor. The book contained a list of the possessions in about one-fifth of the remaining cottages. 

“Had to sort through a lot of messes to get that piece of paper filled out… Boys, they all made this tedious as hell.”

“Attention, everyone!” Taka announced. “We have concluded the survey and that we have dismantled any outstanding danger. The owners of any moderately dangerous items have been informed on what to do and what the consequences of misuse are.” 

“Kukuku, interesting proposition,” Korekiyo said. “If anyone holding significant amounts of dangerous equipment were to be outed to everyone, there’d be a lot of lost trust between them.”

“I wouldn’t worry,” Nagito said. “I hope after the last trial, the Ultimates will use their tools for their talent alone.”

“You really got everyone’s rooms down? That seems like a bit of a challenge,” Shuichi said, eyeing some of the less cooperative people.

“It took some convincing,” Peko stated. 

“Don’t give me that face. I understand what must be done so people can even have a chance to adapt here,” Celeste smiled.

“I would let on one enter my cottage, but I assure you none of my personal holdings will lead to a killing. That would just be pitiful and unsatisfying.” Byakuya said. 

“You’d think Monomi would entrust me with actual guns? Don’t be ridiculous,” Mukuro said, rubbing her temple with a gloved hand. 

“Great work!” Kaito gave a thumbs up to Taka. “I guess people can rest easy about what might be in other people’s cottages.” Kaito saw Kokichi skipping up the stairs. The supreme leader threw the empty bottle of fanta across the restaurant and into the recycling bin.

“Hey, no throwin’ food or bottles, y’ damn hick!” Teruteru shouted as he pointed an accusatory finger at Kokichi.

“Nothing hits the spot like that before breakfast! What’re we eating? Same thing as the last six days? Awesome!”

“You look like you’re in a good mood,” Shuichi commented. Kokichi shuffled over to Shuichi. “What kept you until now?”

“I knew people won’t be fighting for seats, since there are always at least five empty!” Kokichi laughed. 

“Tch, of course.” Ryoma grumbled. Soon, Kaede, Mondo, and Mikan funneled in, before taking their seats, with none of them making a comment about where they were.   

____________________________________________________________________

Surveying all the cottages was a lot of work and observation, but Kaede was glad to have it all out of the way. She finally had some time to herself, and boy did that take some work. Because of the surveying, she has seen her fair share of her classmate’s rooms, and though they’re interesting, she appreciates just how much her own room appeals to her. 

“It really is a bit creepy how much Monomi knows about us… Oh, I haven’t played my piano at all since I got here!” Kaede thought to herself. She plucked out a piano sheet from her vast collections. It didn’t matter which song in particular, she smiled when she found a familiar piece; she set it down and began to play. 

“Hopefully I haven’t gotten rusty,” Kaede thought to herself. Her fingers gracefully glided through the composition, without a single false note. “I can’t help but feel bad for people who can’t use their talent at all here… Rantaro has nowhere to go despite being the Ultimate Adventurer. Fuyuhiko… I don’t know what he does really, but he has to be restless, I can’t help but feel bad for him.” As she continued, more thoughts sprawled to the front of her mind. 

“I haven’t thought much about piano since I got here, have I? That’s a pretty new thing for a piano freak like me… Who woulda thought that I’d be helping to lead forty or so Ultimates in a killing game?” That gave her an idea.

“What if I did a recital for everyone? This is probably the only piano here, but as long as it’s not humid or raining, we could make it work. I don’t think I’ll get nervous, I think I know them well enough to be past that.” She practiced countless hours alone in the past, though she knew that her parents and sister heard her practice day in and day out. 

After finishing a few pieces, Kaede stretched her fingers.

“Not that piano is supposed to be about speed or difficulty, they weren’t too hard to play,” Kaede thought to herself. “The weather’s nice, so there’s no harm in opening the window. Well, I’m pretty used to being indoors all the time, but I think I’m pretty good at adapting to this new island.” 

More time passed, though Kaede didn’t know exactly how much. The only concept of time that mattered while she was playing, was her keeping with the rhythm of the song. After a while, her mouth began to feel parched. She reached over for a cup, and found that it was empty.

“Ha, I guess I’ve been playing for so long that I haven’t been drinking well. That’s expected from someone like me; still I’m pretty relieved I got to stretch my fingers a bit.” She was about to head to the sink and fill it up, but she had another idea.

“Hmmm, I guess I’ve been keeping my cottage a bit too sparse,” Kaede thought. “It wouldn’t hurt to bring some drinks from the store to keep me company.” She laughed a bit as she thought about how Kirumi brought drinks with her on the first night on the night shift for Kaede. Though after a lot of declining from Kaede, she stopped. She stretched her legs and stepped outside, though to her surprise, she saw Kyoko standing on the other side, leaning against her own cottage. She was obscured by the shade of the veranda, and it looked like she was standing there for a while.

“Hey, Kyoko!” Kaede smiled at the detective.

“Kaede,” Kyoko acknowledged her greeting. “So you’ve had enough playing for today?” 

“You’ve been listening to me the whole time?” Kaede asked.

“Not the whole time,” Kyoko said. “But you’ve been playing for probably over twenty minutes; someone like me was bound to be captivated by it.” 

“Oh, did I disturb you?” Kaede realized that Kyoko’s cottage was right across from her’s. If anyone else was near Kaede’s cottage, they certainly would’ve heard it as well.

“Quite the opposite, that’s why I said it was captivating, didn’t I?” Kaede couldn’t help but blush a little from both embarrassment and the compliment. Kyoko seemed pretty aloof and enigmatic since the day they got here, so she didn’t seem like the type to listen in. but here she was, listening to Kaede’s music.  

“I-Is it just you, Kyoko?” Kaede asked. 

“I haven’t seen anyone else walking by, by I doubt the both of us are the only ones who heard your song.” 

“Heh, I guess I’ll find out soon enough.” Kaede switched the topic after seeing Kyoko begin to turn away from her. 

“Kyoko, I wanted to ask you about your work as a detective.”  

“Indeed. It’s interesting to you, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, though we’re easily the size of like three classes, there are two Ultimate Detectives in the same year!”

“Are you trying to see which detective’s better than the other?” Kyoko questioned.

“What? No, I wouldn’t do that!”

“Of course you wouldn’t, you definitely aren’t the kind of person to compare.” 

“Well, I’m glad Kyoko thinks highly of me,” Kaede thought.

“It wouldn’t be like you to assume anything but the best of intentions, perhaps dangerously so.”

“I shouldn’t’ve expected her opinion to be that simple.” 

“Hey, that sort of thinking avoids a lot of confusion and arguments,” Kaede defended. “Don’t you think that’s valuable?”

“Perhaps, but I don’t get caught up with misunderstandings very often,” Kyoko responded. “Because part of being a detective is being good at reading people.”

“But you’re always acting so aloof and all that, is that what gives you that kind of talent?”

“It doesn’t hurt that I’m hard to read.” Kaede pondered that sentence for a bit. Yeah, Kyoko’s expression hasn’t changed a bit throughout this conversation. She’s a stark contrast to almost everyone… even Maki and Ryoma who seem like hardasses are a lot more expressive than her. “But I can tell you’re not here to try and get me to open up and talk about my mannerisms. Is it about Shuichi?”

“What makes you think that?”

“The hat gives me the impression,” Kyoko eyed the iconic black cap that now belonged to Kaede, and back to her. 

“There’s something else I wanted to ask first,” Kaede was a bit miffed with how Kyoko was reading her. 

“About being a detective in general?” 

“Yeah, I wanted to ask you, what kind of cases do you solve?”

“My specialty? If you must know, it’s homicides.” Kyoko said, audible enough for only Kaede to hear.

“What the hell, really?” Kaede blurted out.

“If Monokuma is correct about taking away… our memories, I’m surprised they didn’t take away my memories of being a detective.”

“For someone so young, you really do seem very far up the line.” 

“Shuichi, he said he was an apprentice wasn’t he? That makes me believe he hasn’t tried specializing in… nothing wrong with keeping his options open, I suppose.” Kyoko continued, unfazed. 

“So solving these terrible murders, are they nothing new to you?” However, Kaede sighed internally knowing that there’s someone out there who was experienced at this. 

“I’ve been involved in many cases, even before being enlisted in Hope’s Peak… is that answer satisfying?”

“I guess,” Kaede said after some hesitation.

“You don’t look satisfied.”

“I’m just thinking, how do you stay so composed? You’re not optimistic or idealistic, just calm.”

“It’s not that I’m not feeling anything,” Kyoko said. “Do I really have to explain this to people other than Makoto? Pretty strange, what people think about me.” The detective thought to herself. “But it’s not like my sympathies would do any good to the victims. Finishing the case is the best I can do.” Kaede winced a bit at that. “Maybe we are doing our best all along just by giving Leon and Keebo that justice… but what about Sayaka and Hiyoko? They deserve it to, and it’ll only come if we take down the mastermind.” 

“Shuichi seems more outwardly emotional than I am.”

“It’s still a bit difficult making him open up, but I think it’s having a positive effect on him, don’t ya think?”

“Don’t think that’ll work on me, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Kyoko said. “You wouldn’t go comparing the two of us, would you? There isn’t any point in that.”

“Hey, if I can’t get you to loosen up, I’m sure someone else will.”

“Is there something you’re implying?” Kyoko didn’t look at all impressed. 

“Of course not,” Kaede joked. She didn’t know what she had to gain from prodding her, but she was doing it anyway. 

“I doubt you walked out of your cottage to talk to me, do you not have somewhere else to be?”

“Yeah, I just wanted to get a drink then I’ll probably go back to playing.” 

“And you still stopped to talk to me for that long?”

“Being extroverted gives me powers that introverts like you wouldn’t understand,” Kaede responded. “Do you wanna tag along?”

“I am fine,” Kyoko said. 

“I’ll see you around then, hopefully.” Kaede turned around and walked off.  

“Kyoko really is a tough nut to crack, huh? At least she isn’t outright hostile unlike some people.” Kaede thought to herself as she walked away. “But I hope Shuichi does have a talk with her, maybe that’ll help him some more.” As she reached the end of the walk, she saw quite a few people lounging around the pool. However, all of them were fairly quiet, and almost immediately turned their heads to Kaede.

“Well, if it isn’t our star of today,” Hiro said. “I don’t know much about piano, but damn that was pretty cool.”

“I was hoping I would get the privilege of hearing you play ever since meeting you,” Korekiyo commented. “My expectations were far exceeded.”

“...Yeah that sums up my feelings, I guess.” Chiaki added. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable by telling you we were listening in, but I really have to say something good about your playing skills.”

“So more people have been listening to me,” Kaede put her hand on her chest and smiled.  “So you’ve all been sitting around, listening to me the whole time? And you could hear me?”

“The moment I heard you, I got everyone to SHUT UP and then everyone, not just Ibuki could hear pretty fine.” 

“One by one, we were captivated,” Korekiyo explained. “After we heard you playing, there wasn’t anything else we wanted to do until we were done.”

“Which really bamboozled me, since I didn’t think Hiro could appreciate any kind of music!”

“C’mon, ya don’t have to put me under the bus,” Hiro looked disappointedly as Ibuki teased him. 

“Y’know, we should totally play something together sometime,” Ibuki suggested as she hopped around the pianist, who tried to follow her movements with her eyes. “Just think about it, the two of this generation’s greatest musicians, combining to make songs no one can get out of their heads!” Kaede pondered what Ibuki’s specialty was. The details said light music, but does that really align? 

“I’m not really that caught up with the times, but I’m kinda curious what’d happen if we teamed up,” Kaede smiled.

“As am I, no matter how it turns out,” Korekiyo pointed out.

“Normally, unless it’s video game soundtracks, I kinda ignore music,” Chiaki stated. “But I think you’ll really help bring everyone together if you one day played for everyone. I think.” Kaede knew there was only one piano, and that would have to be moved around. Maybe outside or in that old wooden building? 

“Thanks for the words, you guys.” Kaede said warmly. 

______________________________________________________________

Ryoma stood nearby as others talked to Kaede, obviously impressed by her performance. He heard it as well, and he watched as she basked in her unexpected glory.

“Everyone’s enjoying themselves, it seems.” Ryoma thought to himself. He pulled a candy cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth, continuing to observe as Kaede conversed with the others. He sat upon the porch of the old building, allowing the sunlight to wash over him. He saw someone walk up the stairs and take a seat beside him.

“Surprised to see you here, Hina,” Ryoma said.

“Ryoma, what’re you doing here?” Hina asked.

“Taking a break. Well, what isn't a break if we're on an island like this? Gonna go up and join in with Kaede?” 

“I dunno anything about music, so I don’t think I have anything new to say, but yeah, I heard!” 

“Even if you got nothing to say, that sure beats being around me, right?” Ryoma propped his knee up and rested his elbow on it.

“Well you heard her song too, didn’t you?” Hina smiled as she asked. “No point hiding that from me.”

“I just so happened to hear.” 

“Yeah, you just so happened to hear it and listen to the end, just like the rest of us, Mister Tough Man. Why aren’t you talking to Kaede, I bet she’d be glad to hear some input from someone as quiet as you are!”

“Same reason you described,” Ryoma said.

“Well, that doesn’t make it surprising that I’m sitting next to you, right?” 

“Couple that with the fact that we’re at different wavelengths. I don’t think input from a killer like me really matters.”

“Hm, saying things like that don’t get you anywhere, do they?” 

“I suppose they don’t, but it’s not like I’m going anywhere, anyway.” Ryoma muttered. Hina pouted in response. 

“For an athlete, you seem pretty hard to rile up, especially compared to everyone else here.”

“That’s because I’m not anymore, as you know. If you wanna talk to me about tennis, then you’ve hit a dead end here. If you get that, then there’s nothing else to talk about, right?”

“That sucks, you really do think that about your tennis career, don’t you? Have you been at least keeping your shape up?”

“I’m not as fast or as strong as I used to be, but sure, you can say that,” Ryoma patted his shins. “Because of I don’t at least try to keep up my health, then I really do have-”

“Nothing,” Hina finished. “But-” However, Hina decided to keep her mouth closed so as to not bring up such a subject.

“But what?” Ryoma implored her to finish. 

“B-But what about this?” Unsure of what else to think of, Hina quickly reached her hand over and before Ryoma could react, she plucked the cigarette out of his mouth and held it between her fingers. “Not only are you just maintaining rather than challenging yourself, you have this in your mouth the whole time? Isn’t that kinda unhealthy?” Ryoma looked at her in utter shock for a moment before clearing his throat to regain his composure.

“If you wanted candy, you could've just asked.” 

“Answer the question!” Hina said, pointing the cigarette at him.

“I get it, you’re leading me on so you can find more to talk about.” Ryoma mused.

“H-Hey, you can think that if you want, but that just might be you deflecting the question!” Ryoma can’t help but smile a bit at Hina’s lack of subtlety. 

“She lives with her heart on her sleeve, and nothing she does can hide it. Well it’s a bit more amusing than anything Kaito said so far to say the least.”

“Out of respect for your boldness,” Ryoma continued, looking at the cigarette now in Hina’s hand. “I’ll give you an answer. You’re probably more interested in how I can have this in my mouth all the time without gaining weight or hurting my teeth, right? Surprisingly, that’s another weird trick that I’ve taught myself in my tennis days.”

“Tricks?” Hina asked. “I’ve never followed any diet type tricks, because I know having a strong will is better than any diet!”

“It’s a bit different than that. The truth is, I’ve been holding it between my lips this whole time, without the use of my teeth. That’s how you were easily able to take it away from me.”

“Huh?” Hina questioned. “Sounds pretty made up to me.” 

“Try it, then. Doing this taught me to stay calm and not grit my teeth too hard when I was going hard in tennis.” Hina placed the same candy cigarette between her lips, but with the unused side in her mouth. 

“Really, there’s no shame in asking,” Ryoma said, holding the pack of candy he keeps with him all the time.

“This sounds pretty pointless, is this what really gave you your famous capabilities?” Hina imitated putting her fingers between the candy cigarette in her mouth.

“The funniest thing is, I’ve done a lot of seemingly pointless rituals like this,” Ryoma said. “In the grand scheme, all it really did was help distract me from the pain that comes with training, you know? You’d be so focused on keeping that cigarette tight that you’d ignore the pain from all the running, jumping, ‘n swinging. Relying on gimmicks and all that wouldn’t’ve landed me where I was.”

“That makes a lot of sense,” Hina said. “If ya can’t deal with the pain, you gotta alleviate it somehow, hopefully without drugs or anything like that.” Ryoma gave a small sigh of agreement before putting a new one in his mouth to replace the cigarette Hina took.

“I think I’ve said too much,” Ryoma adjusted his hat. “If you weren’t an athlete and all, you would’ve been bored to tears by now.”

“How can you say you’ve said too much?” Hina asked. “I can’t imagine saying and doing nothing all the time.”

“Well sitting around is all you’ve been doing these past few minutes, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Now I’m gonna run around to burn up all that energy I built up thanks to you.”

“Have fun doing that, ‘cause personally, I got no energy to burn for myself.” As Hina stood up, Ryoma looked forward and saw that Kaede, the original subject, was long gone and so was everyone else who listened to her play. Instead, he saw a very direct Taka marching toward him.

“Ryoma! I can no longer stay quiet about this, but what is that thing in your mouth?! From all this time spent on this island, I’ve never seen you without it!” Hina quickly consumed the candy cigarette she took and began to jog off.

“Well uh, have fun with that Ryoma!” Hina waved awkwardly, hoping Taka didn’t see her with the candy as well. “Good grief,” Ryoma thought before turning his attention back to Taka.

“You thought this was a cigarette this whole time? It’s candy, so don’t worry about that.”

“That might be true, but it’s extremely disrespectful to have that in your mouth all the time!” Ryoma mentally prepared himself for the long argument that was about to befall him.

_________________________________________________________________

“Coach, that was a real good battle today,” Akane said. She wasn’t concerned at all by the dirt that matted her clothes and hair and was scarfing down a bag of chips. They were walking back to their cottages, after a long session of training, or battling depending on who you asked. They ignored the weird looks the other classmates gave Akane, her even rougher appearance than usual catching their attention. 

“It was a long one, but it still seems a long time before your power can measure up.” Nekomaru in comparison, was spotless, never having been knocked down a single time by Akane. 

“Tch, soon I tell ya. I like that ya don’t hold back, you know? Getting my ass kicked is a lot better than there being no one to fight.”

“Gahaha! I like that you understand!” He eyed the bag of chips Akane was eating, and a bright idea flashed in his head. “Say, you got a moment between snacking?”

Akane pondered between bites. “If it’s coming from you, it’s probably somethin’ about battling or eating, so I’m interested.”

“People don’t just call me the Ultimate Team Manager,” Nekomaru smiled. “I’ve developed a technique that I only reserve for my athletes.” Akane crumpled the bag after finishing it and nodded while she looked. 

“It. Whoever I use it on, they’ll be refreshed in no time. Though I plan to offer it to the other athletes here in the future, I think it’d great if you did the honours.”

“Is it better than food?” Akane asked.

“You’re gonna have to find out yourself. What the teams that I have managed called me was the Ultimate Masseuse, but it’s all part of being a Team Manager! To do what it takes to push people to be the best that they can be! ARE YOU WITH ME OR NOT?!”

“Hell yeah!” Akane pumped her fist in excitement. 

Nekomaru led her into his cottage. The bed was pretty wide, to fit Nekomaru’s large frame. 

A short while later, Kaede walked through, hoping to talk to Nekomaru. Though she got drinks with her unexpected audience, they all parted ways. 

“Hopefully, Nekomaru hasn’t gotten too comfortable about staying up late.” She thought to herself. “Waking up early just doesn’t seem like my thing, hopefully he’ll take up my offer.” As she approached his cottage though, she began to hear faint sounds. 

“What the hell is that sound?” Kaede asked. She crept forward slowly, but surely and the sounds got louder. Sure enough, it was clear that it was Nekomaru grunting loudly, with another, more feminine voice moaning. Kaede darted her eyes around, making sure that no one else was around. She crept forward, filled with curiosity but also apprehension. As she approached, she could make out the female voice to be Akane. 

“A-Am I interrupting something?” Kaede thought to herself. Her cheeks went pink at the thought. “I mean, I could always come back later when he isn’t busy, but it wouldn’t hurt to look, making sure nothing weird is happening, right? Two leaders, looking out for each other, yep!” She slowly walked closer and closer to the house, and saw that the curtains were slightly parted. Kaede was only a meter away from getting a good look before she was loudly interrupted.

“KAEDE, I KNOW IT’S YOU OUT THERE! WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?!” Nekomaru shouted between labored threats. Kaede jumped and nearly fell on her back in surprise. 

“Crap, I got caught! Did he catch me through the curtains? My outfit doesn’t stand out that much… or is it my footsteps?!” Kaede could feel the blood flowing to her cheeks. Now, she wanted to turn away and run, but she knew that’d make it even more awkward.

“A-Am I interrupting something?” She asked hesitantly.

“NOT AT ALLL!” Nekomaru responded. “I TAKE IT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ASK OF ME!”

“Y-Yeah, I was just asking if you wanted to switch times taking watch at night. Since breakfast is pre-made on this island, it’ll give more time for Kirumi to do other chores at night.” Kaede also wanted to say that she didn’t want to wake up so early, but that would sound selfish.

“THAT’S QUITE ALRIGHT! GETTING UP EARLY IS MORE SUITED TO MY LIFESTYLE ANYWAY!” The manager’s shouts continued to echo outwards, causing Kaede to step back. She continued looking behind herself, as this conversation has no doubt caused some people to notice. At least it drowned out Akane’s moans.

“Thanks, Nekomaru,” Kaede said. She decided it was best to walk away without saying anything. With a brisk and stiff walk, she went off without another word. Soon enough, she crossed paths with Tenko. 

“Hey, Kaede! Is something bothering you?” Tenko called out as she approached the pianist.

“Not at all, Tenko, but thanks!” Kaede blurted out.

“Are you sure? Your face looks a bit red, do you need to see Mikan? I’m trying to find her right now.” Kaede swallowed hard, hoping that her complexion returned to normal.

“Really, don’t worry about me!” Tenko gave her a curious but concerned look before turning her eyes away.

“Alright, but if any degenerate male is giving you trouble,” Tenko playfully flicked the brim of her cap. “Don’t hesitate to call me!”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kaede could only smile back as Tenko walked past her.

“I don’t think any good can come from talking about what I just heard,” Kaede continued to walk off awkwardly. 

_______________________________________________________________________

“Ah, there you are, Mikan!” Tenko called out while swiftly approaching her. Mikan just finished tying a bandage around her wrist before sealing it with a pin. 

“Eek! Tenko!” Mikan nearly jumped back from the pool chair. “I uh- was uh, reapplying my bandages.” Tenko shifted her eyes to both Mikan’s right shin to her wrist. 

“Huh. Seems like Mikan’s bandaged all the time, ever since we arrived on island” 

“Mikan, were you hurt by something? If it’s a male that hurt you, I’ll make sure they pay for hurting you!”

“You mean the bandages on my arm?” ran her hand across her bandaged arm. “T-They don’t have any injuries or anything like that.” 

“Could they be like athletic bandages like what Sakura uses?” Tenko asked. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about! 

“They’re not like S-Sakura’s at all,” Mikan said meekly. “B-But I can help find the right type for you, I’m sure I can find some somewhere in my cottage if you want.”

“Sure! I’m up for that!” Tenko grinned. 

“I wonder what Mikan’s cottage is like. It must seem really clean and professional, but with such a cute nurse living there… I’m getting a bit excited!” However, Tenko still wasn’t sure what Mikan’s bandages were for. 

When the two arrived at the cottages, Mikan opened the door and Tenko could immediately smell the scent of rubbing alcohol, far stronger than the flowery scents in Tenko’s room. 

“C-Can you stay outside w-while I get it?”

“Of course I can wait!” Tenko flashed a reassuring grin.

“O-Okay,” Mikan mumbled as she searched her room and very quickly found some bandages and handed it to Tenko. 

“Wow, she must be pretty organized despite how clumsy she seems!” Tenko thought. 

“D-Do you know how to wrap the bandage yourself?” Mikan asked. “I-I mean you wouldn’t want someone like me to wrap it for you, right? I-I’m sorry for asking!” Tenko watched as Mikan’s eyes welled with tears.

“Hey, as a matter of fact I do want that,” Tenko assured, sticking an open arm in front of Mikan. “I-I don’t know how to tie a bandage myself.” She rubbed her head with her other hand sheepishly. “It was mostly my master that tended to me if I got hurt while training. So it’d be awesome if someone as talented as you could show me how to do it!” The nurse stared in confusion for a few seconds.

“D-Did I do something wrong?”

“Of course not! I really would appreciate your help, Mikan!” Tenko rolled the sleeves of her shirt up, and carefully unpinned the bandage. Mikan took another look at Tenko, trying to read if she had any sort of contempt or malice toward her. Just as it was with her last encounter with Tenko, she couldn’t find any.

“I-If you won’t hate me for it,” Mikan said as she took the bandage for Tenko and wrapped it around her arms. “J-Just tell me if it feels uncomfortable.” Tenko nodded confidently in response, as she slowly wrapped her wrist in tape.

“S-So you begin by wrapping it around the wrist a few times. You can stop at the wrists, or you can do a figure eight to cover your entire hand.” Mikan began to wrap up Tenko’s wrist, and then around her palm, and then between her palm and index finger. “This way you’ll cover your entire hand, before you can secure it with a pin.” She looked up and saw that Tenko had her full attention, not looking away as she secured her hand with the pin. Tenko lifted her arm, opening and clenching her fist a few times. She was surprised by how well it fit her, it was as if there was nothing binding her arm at all.

“T-This feels really good! It’s as if it isn’t even there!”

“B-Be sure to stay safe, Tenko.” Mikan smiled. “It’ll help reduce physical injuries since it will stabilize your muscles and bones, but it won’t act as an armour. It’s also effective in helping in healing. I thought this type would be good for you, since fighting doesn’t seem like a water-heavy sport, and it reduces the force of collisions upon your knuckles and fingers.” Mikan immediately put her hand on her mouth once she realized what she was saying. “I-I’m sorry, you’re probably bored from me mouthing off, right?!” Tenko reached her bandaged hand out to Mikan’s and slowly lowered it.

“Mikan, you enjoy talking about stuff like this, right?” Tenko asked with a sincere smile. 

“I-I do. But it’s something I shouldn’t do, right?”

“That’s not what I meant at all!” Tenko said. “What you just did there, talking about something you like, you’re smiling, right? That’s something you should do more, smile! Even if it’s a fraction of how much you cry, it’s worth doing! Really, it was interesting listening to you talk, I can’t believe I get to learn so much from girls like you!”

“First magic, now first aid, I’ll be a completely new person by the time we get out here,” Tenko thought.

“T-Thank you!” Mikan uttered anxiously, though Tenko could tell her intention was genuine. The nurse quickly handed the aikido master a few more rolls of identical bandages. “Is it okay if I could talk to you again like this?”

“Of course, Mikan! I’d love to!” Tenko responded. 

“A-And there’s one more t-thing I want to say…”

“What is it, Mikan?”

“I-I had Ryoma’s motive video and didn’t hand it in when we had to watch the videos…”

“W-What?” 

“W-Why could Mikan be telling me this?!”

“I s-saw his motive video, but after seeing it… It made me cry a lot. I-I didn’t think it was right if he had to see it but, if anyone found out I hid it, they’d hate for me for sure!” Tenko looked at Mikan incredulously. 

“I-I’m sorry! I-I sometimes share things I really shouldn’t but, usually people demand I tell my secrets, so I tell them.”

“W-Why?” 

“B-Because people don't hound me if I-I say it from the start, even if they laugh at me, it’s okay. I’m sorry, ever since… last trial, I haven’t seen anyone be mean to me. I d-don’t think I’m used to this.”

“Not used to people being mean to her? Is she saying she’s glad Hiyo- no. Hiyoko was rough, but I’m sure she had a lot of good in her.”

“T-Take your time, Mikan. No one’s gonna hound you or hurt you, I promise!” Tenko bumped her fist to Mikan’s own bandaged hand. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell, they’re your secrets after all. I’m sure Ryoma is over it by now!” She didn’t really know, but she was hoping for it.

“If Mikan got sad over seeing the video, that must mean… was there also nothing on Ryoma’s video? Crap, who else would Monokuma do such a thing to? But whatever, the past is the past, all that’s left to do is support Mikan in the future, but I’m sure someone else will help that degenerate pull through.” 

“You promise, right? Is it okay if I accept it? N-No one’s ever done something like that for me before.”

“Yeah.” Though Tenko knew it’d be difficult, she knew she couldn’t entertain the possibility that she’d let Mikan down. 

“T-Thank you.” 

 ___________________________________________________________________

Somewhere in the island, parts unknown to the students, there was an argument. Not an argument between two humans, but between the two mascots. 

“You evil big brother! There’s no way you can use that as a motive next?!” Monomi argued against Monokuma.

“Hmm, and why is that?” Monokuma responded. “Up until now, I don’t think I’ve been making full use of our vacation setting, if you know what I mean.”

“Y-You just can’t expect the students to do what you say! I know they’re strong and won’t bend to you!” The mechanical rabbit puffed her chest in an attempt to sound confident.

“I won’t need those brats to do anything!” Monokuma laughed. “I’ll just pull some strings in them and it’ll all go off without a hitch!”

“W-What do you mean?!” Monomi asked. Though she wasn’t particularly smart, her eyes widened in horror when she realized the bear’s intention. “If you do that, they get might suspicious of-”

“How so? You’ve already done it once, so what’s wrong with your big brother giving it a spin?” ________________________________________________________________________

Mahiru and Hajime were outside for their nightly watch, the starry sky above them and the summer wind running along their backs. They were seated on folding chairs, with a clock and lantern between them, far better prepared than their first night out.

“Hajime, are you falling asleep?” Mahiru asked.

“I’m not,” Hajime responded. “Just woke up a bit earlier than usual.”

“7 isn’t that early, and it’d be pretty rude to have you falling asleep on me, right?”

“Like I said, I won’t, so don’t worry.” Hajime stretched his arms and legs to keep his blood flowing.

“Hm, almost as if I have to keep talking to make sure you don’t fall asleep,” Mahiru said.

“It’s either that or us standing awkwardly,” Hajime said.

“You know what’s funny?” Mahiru asked.  “This is when we spend the most time together, but this is probably the worst time to take photos. There’s only moonlight out here, aside from this lantern but you know that won’t cut it.”

“So you’re not a “take pictures of scary and cursed settings” sort of photographer?”

“I can admire photos of buildings and settings, but taking pictures of people, I think that’s what I do best.”

“How many pictures would you have missed?”

“I mean, you might not realize it but I see you making a lot of photo-worthy poses and faces.”

“In a good or bad way?” 

“A lot of both.” They both couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “Heh, I guess I’ll have to make up for it tomorrow, so you better have something fun to do during the day.” Mahiru set down the lantern between them. 

“The whole surveying thing, how did it go?”

“Are you dumb? Each of us went through about seventeen houses, of course it was tedious! And the mess that some boys manage to make, ugh. What an eyesore.”

“Really? Even with Kirumi?”

“Your cabin wasn’t anything to be impressed about, but compared to some of them, I’d rather go over yours a thousand times over.”

“You think you rattled some sense into all of them?”

“From Mahiru’s scoldings, I can say I was,” Hajime thought.

“T-Though I can’t say all of them were a mess, it was really interesting seeing everyone’s… rooms.” Mahiru admitted to Hajime. “And almost everyone seemed so trusting towards us. I’m… almost touched.”

“I think people really trust you here, Mahiru.” Though he knew that there were definitely people that were directly opposed to her, Hajime believed that Mahiru got through it not via authority, but trust. 

“I remember who vouched for me being a uh, leader in the beginning. Hiyoko did.”

“Hiyoko…” Hajime repeated. It has only been two days since that awful trial. It was him that made the first accusation against her, and it all continued from there.

“It was only the first day. She had no reason to trust me. I probably would’ve let someone else lead if no one said anything. If everything didn’t happen, we might’ve been friends.”

“Mahiru…” Hajime said. 

“I think Kaede feels it too. That we’re letting people down whenever something like that happens. That’s what it means to be where we’re at.” That’s when Hajime realized. By proclaiming themselves leaders, they had taken the guilt whenever someone died twofold. It encouraged people to shift things onto them, and Mahiru decided to take that. Whether she considered that from the beginning, it didn’t matter, because now, it must feel like every step she was taking was to redeem herself for every death that happened. “I have a few photos to remember Hiyoko and the others by… but photos, they’ll never compare to them in real life, right?”

“Even then… it’s good to have something to remember them by, right? We’ll regret it a lot if we were to lose those photos.” She looked at her camera and adjusted it, though her expression seemed to shift. 

“E-Enough about me.” Mahiru wiped her eyes. “Aren’t there things that bother you?”

“Yeah, but-”

“Do you really mistrust me that you’d put up your macho man attitude all the time?” Mahiru gripped the strap of her camera a little tighter. Hajime sighed. Hajime turned to comfort her, but all this time he was thinking holding it in would help him. Would it be okay to let more burdens onto her?

“I’m sure I’ve said this before. You know it, everyone on the island knows it, I don’t know my talent. Even after a week and two trials, there’s no sign of anything. I can’t even worry about not living up to someone or something, because I don’t have the slightest idea what I’m supposed to be!” The photographer paused to look at Hajime’s tired face.

“Hajime, but even then, there’s things you’re good at, whether you believe it or not,” Mahiru said. “You’re able to say things from the heart, whether it’s good or bad. And despite talking about your own lack of talent, you never seem to be interested in people for their talents, but just… as people I guess. Do I sound cheesy saying that?”

“No, not at all!” Hajime said. “At least, nothing worse than what I put out.” 

“Whether you have a talent or not, and whether you like it or not, you’re one of us. You belong with us, that won’t change, so… you can worry about that once we get out.” Hajime still had questions that bit into him. Even if they do get out, what about his future? What will he do, will all his time spent here with Ultimates like her mean nothing? However, she had a point. No one seemed to treat him differently for his lack of discernible talent right now. 

“I guess you’re right.”

“You don’t look convinced, are you really gonna say that just to stop me from pushing?”

“I mean it! For now, I have actual things… people, to worry about, so I’ll actually do that for now.” Hajime didn’t know how long he could keep that feeling down, however. 

“Yeah, you better. But even before this, you’ve been putting yourself to work for us too, you know? That’s more than I can say for a lot of people here.” Her eyes turned from stern to appreciative in that moment. Hajime felt his hands and forehead. It was almost as if talking about his own talent caused him to break into a frustrated sweat. He wiped his hands on his tie.

“Ach, gross! Don’t do that!” Mahiru swatted his wrists away from it. “Actually, how many times do you change your tie? I mean, my closet has one for every outfit, but I doubt a lot of people actually use different ones every single day.”

“I get it, I get it,” Hajime said, raising his hands up. “This summer heat just went to my hands a little.” Just as he said that, the clock went off, ringing quietly yet audibly to the two.

“Our shift seems to be over,” Hajime said. “We should get Sonia and Gundham.”

“Y-Yeah, you’re right,” Mahiru agreed, pulling her hands back and picking up the lantern and clock. They both stood up. 

“I’ll leave the chairs out of Gundham and Sonia, they’ll appreciate it. Though I can keep the lantern with me ‘til morning, since my place has a lot of space for stuff.”

“Sure, just keep the place organized! When I was surveying your place, I worked pretty hard to keep things clean, you know?”

“Yeah… thanks for that,” Hajime said. Though Hajime was pretty middle of the road when it comes to tidiness, he never asked Kirumi for help in cleaning. He believed Kirumi had more people in dire need (like Kazuichi) of her assistance despite her insistence. Hajime felt awkward taking any help from Kirumi, but Mahiru was different. He didn’t doubt Kirumi’s intentions, but Mahiru’s reprimands stung more, but they felt real and her help never felt excessive. “I really mean it.” 

“Just keep things clean, alright? B-But, you’re welcome. I’m glad I helped.” Mahiru took the lantern with one hand, and put her other hand against her cheek. Their eyes met, but neither of them could tell if the other was blushing due to the poor lighting. However, they both gave a soft but genuine smile at each other. 

“Uh, Sonia’s cottage is that way,” Mahiru said after a brief pause. Her smile widened as she pointed behind Hajime’s shoulder.

“R-Right!” Hajime said, turning away from Mahiru. “We should get a move on so we can get some sleep.” He said quickly. He could hear Mahiru laugh a little, and saw her walking along him. Then black, without any fade, though things were only dark for a few moments. He was suddenly in his cottage, lying on his bed, facing the ceiling, though the lantern was still in his hands.

“Was that all a dream? No… it can’t be. Dammit… I got a headache, just like when I first arrived here.” He could see sunlight shining through the curtains, but the pain was enough to keep him from getting up. Quickly, Hajime lost consciousness and fell back asleep. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Kaede felt herself waking up once again. She looked at the clock; it was 7:58 AM. It was only a matter of time until the morning announcements played. It did feel a bit better that for the first time in days, she didn’t have to wake up so early. Swapping places with Nekomaru when it came to the night shift had its benefits, it felt.

“It’s been a pretty quiet few days,” Kaede thought to herself. “Well, at least morale is a bit higher, since there weren’t any motives as of yet.” She cast aside her blanket, and fully buttoned her shirt. “It smells like the ocean, more so than usual this morning. Did I leave the window open?” 

Kaede looked into her closet, aiming to pick out a pink sweater and necktie. She turned her body toward it, and got off the bed. Immediately, she felt her legs submerge into a lukewarm liquid.

“What did I just step on?! Gross!” She reflexively jumped back onto her bed, and felt that her legs were dripping wet. She looked over and saw that the entire floor was covered with water, going up to her knees. 

“Did a flood just happen overnight?” She carefully began walking around the room, careful not to splash any water or trip. Her shoes were floating around her room, and anything in her closet not on a coat hanger was completely drenched. Her backpack was also in the water. She made her way over to it, unzipped the bag, and picked up her E-book, hoping that it wouldn’t shock her. She turned it on, and the screen lit up without any issues. She rushed over to her upright piano, and ran her hand through the keys. Sure enough, no note seemed out of place, so there was no water damage there at least. She would have to move it later, just to be safe.

“I guess there’s only one more place to check,” Kaede winced. She nervously put her hand on the bathroom door, and opened it. The toilet was elevated above the water level with a set of stairs that weren’t there the previous night.

“I don’t remember that being there, but at least someone had the consideration to elevate the bathroom… It seems like Monokuma prepared for this, but this couldn’t be a motive or something, right? It’s just weather, or badly broken piping in the sewers maybe?” She opened the door, which proved to be a struggle as it had to be moved against the weight of the water. Her suspicions were confirmed, the entire hotel grounds were flooded in knee deep water. Then, the all too distinct alarm sounded. Monokuma’s announcement soon followed.

“Rise and shine students, it’s 8 AM! Hopefully none of you fell out of your bed and drowned! That would really dampen the mood here! Puhuhuhuhuhu!”

Chapter Text

Immediately after waking up, Rantaro knew what his current predicament was. He stood up on his bed, seeing how he can navigate around without getting himself wet.

“The closet, it has the boat, doesn’t it?” Rantaro tied his blanket into a makeshift rope, strong enough to pull the closet door aside, and threw it at the knob. With a quick pull, the closet door opened, and there was the boat; stored safely above the water level. He proceeded to pull his chair from his desk, which was still in his reach, and placed it between him and the closet. He reached over, and allowed the boat in the water. When he pulled it out, he managed to finally get a good look of it. He was aware that trying to use it to escape was probably futile, so he never bothered until now.

“Maintaining a boat, even a small rowboat takes some work,” Rantaro thought. “But still, it’s gonna be handy at a time like this.” He seated himself on the boat and began to row. It was quite difficult given how large the oars were, but Rantaro slowly got the rhythm. “I’ve handled worse waters, so even if I’m out of practice, it’s not like I’ll flip it over or anything.” The adventurer rowed himself out the door, and immediately steered the boat behind his cottage.

“Sounds a bit cruel, but this boat looks like it can only fit two people,” Rantaro looked at the empty seat across from him. “Can’t have people trying to flip it over trying to get on. So, who’s the person who needs this boat the most? Oh, I know who,” Rantaro concluded. After a few minutes of rowing behind the scenes, he made it to Kirumi’s cottage.

“She might already be gone, being as hard-working as she is. Doesn’t hurt to try, though.” Rantaro rowed up to the side window and knocked on it.

“Kirumi, it’s Rantaro,” He said. “I know you’re not the kind to accept help, but it can’t hurt to ask.”

“Rantaro? How’d you get here?” The maid responded. It sounded like she was still in bed. “I was just about to leave.” Her voice trailed toward the window towards the front. Rantaro proceeded to row to the front of the cottage. Kirumi opened the window, and their eyes met. He glanced backward and saw a chair between the bed and the windowsill.

“Guess we have similar ways of getting around.” 

“A maid has to be willing to do anything to finish their duties” Kirumi said as she balanced herself on the windowsill. “Even if it means throwing away what comfort I have.” Rantaro winced when he thought about how heavy her dress would be if it got soaked. He gestured to the seat opposite to him. 

“Not to be rude, but there surely must be someone in more dire need of this, isn’t there?” Kirumi asked. 

“That may be so, but I don’t wanna leave your cottage empty handed. Are you gonna wade through the water or jump through the rooftops or something?”

“The latter option isn’t out of the question,” Kirumi said, but she pulled her skirt closer to her legs as she realized she was standing over the adventurer. 

“She’s gonna have to do a lot of that if she did take that option,” Rantaro thought.

“Well, it’s best if you showed up to the restaurant completely dry,” He said. “Just saying, I’m looking out for you and your clothes’ well being, you know?” Kirumi relented, and stepped from the sill onto the boat, where Rantaro began rowing straight towards the restaurant.

“Do you need help rowing?” Kirumi asked. “It is the least I can do.” 

“It doesn’t look like you’re able to sit still, aren’t you?” Rantaro asked. He saw that though she was sitting still, with her hands on her lap. He didn’t want to tell her to do nothing, so he just continued to string her along. “This might be a motive in itself… but with this boat, I'd say I'm better off than others”

“I suppose it is quite lucky this exists, though it’s unfortunate it can only accommodate two people,” Kirumi said. She leaned her chin to her hand and continued to look at the flooded state of the island. “To give my opinions may be speaking out of turn.”

“Would it be in-turn if I requested you give them out?” Kirumi eyed the adventurer oddly, but ultimately continued.

“If it’s your request; the first motive, I am surprised no one else is thinking about it. I can’t seem to take my mind off of it.”

“That one isn’t easy to forget,” Rantaro replied. “Two years of memories lost… it doesn’t seem so bad now since to us, it only feels like a week. But what could’ve happened in that time?”  

“As part of the agreement with Hope’s Peak, my “master” was the school’s body itself. I didn’t mind parting ways with my previous employer, as his talent was enough for him to be independent.”

“So you were satisfied with how he turned out?” Rantaro asked.

“Information about my previous employers is confidential, but I can tell you that his potential has been realized, and to be fair, that’s all a maid could ask of her master. However, if it is true that I missed two years, who could my current master be? It must seem to the outside world that I abandoned them.” 

“Even if we escaped, would we even know where to return to?” Rantaro asked. He tried not to appear tired or worn out to keep the conversation going normally.

“That is also true. For now, serving you and the others is my current goal. I see potential in all of you, which I hope to continue to serve, at least until we escape.”

“You’re going really far for us, aren’t you? I know you must’ve heard the whole ``don't push yourself thing a million times” shtick, but we’re saying it because we’re glad to have you.”

“It does make me feel better,” Kirumi tried to smile. However, she continued to seem anxious, despite her otherwise stoic frame. 

“Is something still bothering you?” Rantaro tried to smile back. However, it felt like his own smile was a front. 

“Nothing, it just seems unfair that I am unloading my worries onto you, even if you requested I do so.” 

“Does it seem more fair if I said something about myself?” Rantaro asked. 

“...You have my ear,” Kirumi said after a pause.

“It’d be unfair on my side if I unloaded everything from the beginning, but I’ll just talk about my talent. My dad was a rich guy who travelled all across the world and I just happened to tag along all the time, so nothing really noteworthy from the beginning. Have you heard of him?”

“It is uncommon for a maid to work directly under someone who travels a lot, so I cannot say I have.” Kirumi replied. 

“Well, the people here, I don’t wanna sound all snobby, but maybe they’re not comfortable being around someone who just serves them?” He asked.

“And you have?” 

“A long time ago, my house had a maid; since my dad couldn’t be around during the times I did stay home. Me and my sisters, we didn’t think anything weird of it, even if we were young. Though she wasn’t as capable as you, we really trusted her, maybe that’s what she was going for.”

“That trust seems well founded, it seems,” Kirumi smiled a little wider. 

“Ha, I’m getting off topic, aren't I?” Rantaro asked. “Well, the first motive was one thing, but don’t you ever worry about the second one?”

“I am not too worried about what could be in my video, if that’s what you’re talking about,” Kirumi said. 

“Well, I am… In fact, it just makes me wish I could travel further, paddle faster, you know?”

“You mentioned quite a bit of your family…” 

“Yeah, I did.” Rantaro sighed.

“You are in the same predicament as us. It may seem hypocritical of me to say this, but don’t blame it on yourself.”

“Don’t think that would’ve made a difference, really.” Rantaro’s tone grew heavy. He realized what he was about to stay, and stopped himself. “Sorry, but that’s as far as I can go, I hope you don’t think I’m being suspicious or anything.”

“You don’t have to convince me,” Kirumi reassured. “I won’t press you further if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“I made the rest of this ride awkward, didn’t I?” Rantaro laughed. “Maybe I should’ve left some books or something here.” He felt like he had to force a smile.

“It feels dirty having to hold back… It’s not that I don’t trust her, but letting my cards bleed too early… always leads to bad things happening.”  

**

Kaede picked up her sodden shoes from the water. She was anxious to see everyone else at the restaurant, what they thought about their new predicament.

“There’s no point in putting on socks,” Kaede thought. “Actually, I’ll put ‘em in my backpack… wait, that was soaked too.” She made her way over to her backpack and hung it on the coat hook in her closet, hoping that it would dry in a reasonable time. Though she wasn’t being weighed down by anything, she took extreme caution not to trip or slip. If her body got soaked, it would be nearly impossible to dry herself off. She walked down the row of cottages, and did not see a single girl around the wing.

“That’s not a surprise,” Kaede thought. “Everyone’s either at the restaurant or are too busy freaking out about this.” Not wanting to waste anytime with her feet in the water, she hurried over toward the restaurant. She saw that the pool chairs and umbrellas seemed to be bolted down. 

“The pool is a bit redundant now isn’t it? I don’t remember if the chairs were always bolted down, but I’m not worried about people stealing them in the first place…” She quickly climbed up the stairs, and saw Celeste sitting while reading a book. She appeared to be completely dry. 

“What kind of leader would I be if I can’t keep my spirits up, right?” 

“Morning, Celeste.” Kaede greeted. “Pretty crazy weather, right?”

“Yes, it is an inconvenience, isn’t it?” Celeste replied, not bothering to look up from her reading. 

“You look good today,” Kaede said.

“Oh, are you wondering how I avoided this… motive?” Celeste asked.

“Right, we’ll have to live with this unless another murder happens.”

“I must admit, humidity and moisture isn’t befitting at all for a lady like me,” Celeste said. “However, the adaptable find a way, I suppose.” 

“Do I even wanna know how she gets around?” Kaede thought internally. She continued inside and saw that both entrances had towels where people could dry their feet. The restaurant was about half full, with people scattered around the room. Though some of them didn’t wear shoes, or wore slippers, those with boots managed to keep them on. 

“Morning, Mahiru!” Kaede called out. Her and Taka were present, but Nekomaru and Sonia were missing.

“Morning Kaede!” Mahiru said. “Thanks for actually wiping your feet before coming in.” She gave a vicious glare to Hiro.

“Aw, c’mon! It’s just water, how bad could it be?”  

“People can slip ‘n fall, you know! Ugh, this is why I can’t rely on boys…”

“So you put the towels down? That’s some good thinking.”

“Yeah, sorry if I sound angry, this situation is a bit frustrating right now.” Mahiru wiped her forehead before sitting down.

“I get that. But you seem better adjusted than most people here.”

“It was pretty shocking and weird waking up to this,” Mahiru said. “But not as weird as…” The photographer paused before shaking her head.

“Weird as what?”

“I was basically the first one here.” Mahiru said. “That’s weird, since I know there are people who get up earlier than that.”

“I can attest to that!” Taka said. “I can’t believe no one was awake when this flood happened! I am quite sure that people would be awoken by heavy rain!”

“I asked everyone else who was here and asked if they were woken up… all of them said none of them were up any later than I was when I was taking watch.”

“So it probably happened around fours before now,” Taka said. “Did you notice anything strange while you were awake?” Mahiru furrowed her brow in response, but said nothing.

“Is there something wrong?” Kaede asked.

“No, it was silent as ever,” she responded. “But it seems like a really big coincidence that no one was awake when it was happening.” Kaede nodded her head and didn’t push her further. She decided to grab some food, which looked and tasted the same as ever, and sat down, listening to the conversations of her classmates.

“I don’t get why everyone’s so down today,” Hina said. “This isn’t so bad! Being able to swim anywhere on this island seems pretty cool!”

“Well that’s easy for you to say,” Ryota argued back. “Some people don’t want to spend their lives sloshing around in water. It just makes it harder for everyone!”

“I dunno about this,” Akane said. “This whole island’s like a run down, leaky basement, except it smells nicer. But if it’s water that you can’t drink, then why bother?!”

“You too, Akane?” Hina looked disappointed.

“It’s also pretty hard to fight while knee deep in water! I dunno how much fun you can get out of this.”

“I think you just need to learn to appreciate this like I do,” Hina said. Eventually, Miu entered from downstairs. However, she was soaking wet, covered head to toe in seawater. Along the way, she was mumbling obscenities very loudly, causing everyone to stare at her.

“W-What the fuck are y’all looking at?” Miu asked. 

“When you go swimming, I think you should get a swimsuit, Monomi gave you one in the beginning, you know?”

“You think a gorgeous girl like me has time for that?! That fucking piece of shit, shota shithead shoved me!” She growled as she wringed out her skirt and ribbon. Kaede with a look of pity gave her a towel, from a large stack that was organized near the dining table. 

“You think I need your sympathy, Kaeidiot?! How about you put that fucker in line for once?!” Kaede could see through the tangle of blonde hair that she was furious, teeth clenched and face red. However, the inventor took the towel and began to dry off her hair, continuing to grumble under her breath. 

“I think you should be more careful walking around!” Taka said. “It looks pretty easy to trip and fall!”

“Didn’t you just hear what she said?” Mahiru said. “Maybe we should get some hair dryers and attach them to an outlet. I don’t think the electricity here is dangerous or anything.”

“I swear when I get my hands on him I’ll waterboard his ass, let him know how it feels!” Miu continued to curse as she sat down, her clothes still stained by water. Kazuichi was next to walk in. 

“Pretty damn crazy, right?” Kazuichi asked. “Had to move all my crap to the top shelf. I don’t wanna get any of my babies rusty.” The mechanic took a look at Miu.

“Rough morning for you, huh?” He whistled. Miu threw the now wet towel at Kazuichi’s face in response.

“Hey! The last thing I want is for my hair to get wet ‘n ruined!” 

“I’m surprised that flatdick didn’t shove you down, you have like the most shovable face around here!” The next person to walk in was Sakura, carrying Toko on her back.

“Sakura!” Hina greeted. “You didn’t answer when I knocked… guess we missed our early morning training, right?”

“That can’t be helped now,” Sakura said. “We’ll have to make up for it later.”

“A-Alright, l-let me down now!” Toko stammered as she jumped off Sakura’s back. “J-Just ‘cause I needed your help d-doesn’t mean we’re all buddy buddy, don’t forget that!”

“What’s that all about?” Hina asked.

“Toko wouldn’t traverse the water on her own, and I was passing by so I decided to take it upon myself to help her,” Sakura explained. 

“Aw, you’re so sweet, Sakura!” Hina said. 

“That felt anything b-but sweet,” Toko shot. 

“It’s rare for Toko to accept help, but I was glad I could,” she responded before pouring herself a cup of protein coffee. A few minutes passed, and more people managed to file in. 

“Kirumi isn’t here,” Kaede brought up. “She’s the kind of person to arrive here early no matter what, right?”

“I don’t blame her though, her clothes must weigh a lot if wet.” Tsumugi said. 

“Hey!” A voice called out from below the restaurant. “Sorry I’m late!” Kaede stepped out to find who said that, and saw that Rantaro was on the boat that was stowed in his cottage, with his oars in hand. 

“Well, good to see someone whose room wasn’t ruined by the flood,” Kaede said. She looked over and saw that the person with him was none other than Kirumi, completely dry and seated on the other seat. Rantaro stepped out to the stairs, and tied a complex knot around the banister. “Oh, I see you landed yourself something special here,” Kaede smirked, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

“I expected better from you, Kaede.” Kirumi huffed as she entered the restaurant, strutting past Kaede. “Rantaro offered to bring me here, and seeing the effort he made, I wasn’t about to decline.”

“Hm, not surprised to see her a bit tense after all,” Rantaro commented. “I can’t imagine the workload this new situation put us in.”

“Why choose Kirumi of all people, huh?” Kaede asked. 

“Yeah I also thought better of you, thinking I’m that kind of guy,” Rantaro shook his head though he was still smiling. “Guess I’ll need a bigger boat to get people off my case.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind being taken for a ride since it looks better than having to walk through the water.” 

“Yeah, someone who isn’t doing the rowing would think that,” Rantaro finished drying off his oars and placed it on the table beside him. Fuyuhiko and Peko were next, coincidentally entering at the same time. A few, less sensitive people gave looks at Fuyuhiko. 

“What the fuck are you looking at? All of you look like shit too, you know!” Fuyuhiko grumbled. 

 It appeared that almost everyone was inside as of 8:15. Some people had already finished their breakfast, though they stayed around, not wanting to traverse the water while also waiting for a word from Monokuma. 

“It looks like a few people still aren’t here,” Hina said. 

“Who gives a shit if they wanna stay holed up in their rooms?” Fuyuhiko asked. “Monokuma’s probably gonna give us the same shit as always.” 

“It seems like Ryoma, Gonta, Chihiro, Mondo, and Mikan still aren’t here, Kokichi as well.” Makoto said. 

“I’m already done eating so I’ll go check to see if anyone’s stuck or anything,” Hina said, giving a glance to Sakura.

“But don’t you want to wait for information on this motive?” Sakura asked.

“Psh, I learned all I need to know,” Hina waved off before descending to the lobby below.

“That’s probably an excuse for her to go swimming or something,” Kazuichi said.

“I just hope more people don’t mess with the floor when they get here,” Mahiru commented. 

“Sorry for being late, everyone!” A voice called from outside the restaurant. Heavy footsteps echoed up.

“Oh that must be Gonta, hey- AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” Kazuichi screamed when he laid his eyes upon Gonta. The large student stood, smiling as ever, but his entire arm was covered in various insects, arachnids and worms.

“What devils have you summoned to this plane?!” Gundham asked, visibly attempting to stave off the panic. Everyone else held their breath trying to conceal their disgust.

“Have you decided to turn this restaurant into even more of a wretched hovel?” Byakuya asked. 

“Sorry for making everyone panic! Gonta was walking by the barn and saw many bugs trying to escape! So Gonta lent a hand!”

“Ya might be a big buff hunk, but you’ve gone too far ‘dis time!” Teruteru said. “I can’t allow any of this into ‘da dining area!” 

“S-Since when was this your d-dining area?” Toko asked, apparently unfazed by Gonta’s appearance. 

“I also have to say that this is not a suitable environment for them,” Kirumi said. Even she was obviously trying to hide her revulsion as she covered her mouth. 

“Oh, um, Gonta will find new home for bugs then before coming back,” Gonta smiled awkwardly before heading back down. Finally, Monokuma appeared after the Entomologist left.

“So now you show up,” Byakuya said. “Any reason for your late arrival?”

“What, I’m allowed to be disgusted by things too, you bastards!” Monokuma said. “I’m fine with some old fashioned killing and violence, but bugs, ugh! Always getting in the way when I’m trying to get honey!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. This stuffed animal doesn’t understand the challenges created by nature,” Gundham responded.

“So because you showed up, you’re here to talk about the motive,” Kyoko said. 

“We better get some fucking answers for this!” Miu angrily added.

“Yeah, I left the hose overnight while watering my plants,” Monokuma said. “And things got a bit crazy, as y’all are seeing.”

“Huh? I never thought that’s a hobby you’re into,” Hiro said.

“Puhuhuhu! I guess this motive will have to do! Nothing personal, just making your life hard until someone can’t stand it anymore! Everyone’s less comfortable like that!”

“Sure, this is pretty annoying, but what’s the worst that can happen?” Kaito asked. 

“This may seem like an inconvenience at first, but living like this in the long term is unsustainable,” Kirumi explained. “Think of the mold and waterborne illnesses this can harbour in the long term, and it seems that even Monokuma finds it too disgusting to expose the sewage system.”

“Getting sick and dying won’t end the motive, since it’s not a murder, ya hear me?! So if you gotta die, be sure to do it properly!” Monokuma said.  

“Even if we do get sick, Mikan can keep us healthy, right?” Tenko asked. 

“I had to be pretty crafty with what I have,” Kazuichi said. “We don’t know if our cottages get restocked, so I dunno if there’s enough medicine to go around.” The mechanic clung to his cap in contemplation. “Not to mention that we could get electrocuted! Walking around my room was basically a minefield when I first woke up! It woulda been even worse if the outlets weren't covered now!” 

“Oh… so maybe I shouldn’t have checked the arcade cabinet,” Chiaki thought back. “But the fact that it’s still running is a good thing, I think.”

“Speaking of which, that gift giving palm tree is also still working,” Teruteru said… “Judging by that maid dress Peko was carrying earlier this morning.”

“You followed me?! How- you’re a creep!” Peko scowled while her face turned red in embarrassment. 

“Peko admitted to it?! Also, people are still using that tree thing at a time like this?” Though a few people also looked surprised, a few people gave death glares to the cook. 

“We’re gonna have to get this under control,” Nekomaru said as he picked his ear. “We shouldn’t be all reckless! At least we aren’t timed or anything.”

“D-Don’t give h-him any ideas you meathead!” Toko stuttered as she pointed toward Monokuma. 

“Anyway, I’ll let you bastards figure things out,” Monokuma laughed. “And if you’re looking for Monomi, it was her who idiot-proofed the outlets, and the toilets, and probably other things!”

“We weren’t,” Hajime said. Monokuma disappeared, leaving the still somewhat confused students to their own devices. 

“I-I need a nap,” Toko sighed light-headedly. 

“What’d I miss?” Hifumi asked as he exited the washroom. He looked dry, but he also looked like he was in there for a while. 

“Oh, now I know how Celeste got here,” Kaede thought. 

**

Hina walked through the cottages, pondering where Mondo, Mikan, Chihiro and Ryoma could be. 

“Sure hope they watch their step around here,” Hina said to herself. “Also, what could they possibly be doing? I mean, it’s just water.” Though Hina is aware that retrieving people is something she does a lot around here, however this time she doesn’t mind getting her feet wet. She came upon the cottage, and noticed that the window was open. 

“Huh, that’s odd…” Hina thought. She peeked her head into the window, and saw that the Tennis Pro was nowhere to be seen in his room. The blankets and pillow on his bed were gone, and tennis balls and rackets were left floating in the water. “I guess he’ll need to go swimming to go anywhere,” she thought.

“Ryoma!” Hina called out. Still, there was no response from inside the room. 

“Up here.” The recognizably deep voice responded. However, instead of from anywhere in Hina’s sight, it appeared to be from above her.

“W-Where are you?” Hina asked. “I can’t see you anywhere!” She looked up with a confused look on her face while stepping back. On the roof, the two points of his hat were sticking out. “What’re you doing up there?”

“Never got much use out of the stuff in my room anyway,” Ryoma said. “So I decided to stay up here.” 

“I guess that’s one way to stay dry,” Hina mumbled to herself as she reached her foot over to the windowsill.

“Hmph, are you coming up to join me?” Ryoma asked. “I get that you’re curious, but this isn’t the safest living space out there.” 

“Awww, are you afraid that I’ll slip and fall?” Hina laughed as she grabbed onto the roof and swiftly hoisted herself up. “I might not be able to jump like you, but I can get around fine.” She looked around and saw that the roof was slanted, though Ryoma’s blanket was splayed out above where the porch was, the only part of the roof that was flat. However, Hina could definitely balance herself just fine, it was just that it was more suited to Ryoma’s size. She kept her feet off the building, to keep his living space dry.

“This is your room now, so uh, sorry for intruding!” Hina smiled. 

“I chose to live like this, so don’t apologize,” Ryoma replied. Hina looked around and saw that there wasn’t much for Ryoma to do in this living setup aside from his blanket and pillow. The thought of only sitting around all day made her shudder internally.

“You’re seriously gonna live like this?” Hina asked. “As long as you don’t fall down, what we’re living in right now isn’t so bad, so you don’t have to hole yourself up here!.”

“The bed was too soft for my tastes anyway,” Ryoma explained while patting down his blanket. “This is more like how it was in prison.”

“Ryoma, aren’t you gonna get breakfast? Are you afraid you’re gonna get wet or something?” Ryoma trailed his fingers around the various cottages and the restaurant.

“I can probably make it there myself, with the right jumps. Though I’m surprised that with this flood, the roofs aren’t wet at all. If it rained or something like that, you’d expect everything to be wet.”

“Don’t change the subject! If you can get to the restaurant, why don’t you? This is some important stuff, you know.” Hina sat beside Ryoma, dangling her legs from the porch. “Unless you’re gonna survive only on candy cigarettes?”

“Once the ruckus dies down, probably.” Ryoma said. “If I’m gonna have to face this motive, it’s better to do it quietly.” 

“C’mon, I don’t wanna have to carry you!” Hina said, wiggling her fingers as if ready to grab the small boy. 

“You just won’t quit, will you?” Ryoma said, standing up. “I guess it’s a good time to head out anyway. I’ll have to say sorry to whoever else’s roofs I have to step on later.” With a swift step, he jumped over to the next cottage over. “Looks like your work here is done.” Hina stood up and even with the short amount of distance she could run before jumping, she leapt to the next roof over. 

“Yeah I’ll have to say sorry as well,” Hina said.  

“You didn’t have to follow me like that,” Ryoma looked slightly surprised that Hina was also using his new method of transport. “If you fall, I don’t know if I can save you.” 

“I can save myself,” Hina said. “Just show the way!” Ryoma smiled but sighed. 

“I don’t wanna encourage this either, I wouldn’t do this when a lot of people are around.” Ryoma jumped from the last cottage to the patios chairs, before reaching the restaurant staircase. 

“Hopefully someone like Kokichi doesn’t learn something like this,” Hina thought to herself. She looked around and saw Kokichi was inside the Hotel Lobby.  “Yeah I hope he didn’t see us.”  

**

Quite a few people left the restaurant, but Hina and Ryoma joined back in quietly. Mondo and Mikan were there. 

“Seems that Mondo and Mikan prompted themselves here,” Sakura said as Hina sat back. “Kokichi is still in the lobby, though.”

“Chihiro isn’t here, isn’t she? But I’m glad at least one person got to follow me, so at least I didn’t leave for nothing.” 

“It looks like the little dude showed up first, though!” Akane elbowed Hina lightly as she continued to eat. It didn’t look like she stopped eating since she entered.

“He wouldn’t have come at all without me!” Hina pouted. She wondered why Akane didn’t try the same thing Ryoma did, it sorta looks like she could live and move like that.