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Chapter Text

After hearing the truth, Nanami Chiaki decided to agree with the rest of the class and remain in the virtual world. However, the Ultimate gamer knew it was a matter of time before someone broke the stalemate. But...

If we graduate, all of our friends who died will have their bodies possessed by Enoshima Junko.

'I can't let that happen...' Nanami Chiaki thought as the Ultimate Hope stared at them with a deadpan expression.

If we shut down the server, not only will they forget what happened here, but there's a high chance everyone who died now is dead for real. 

"How boring..." The Ultimate Hope sighed, looking away from the Junko who recently went mad from their indecision.

If we choose to stay in the system, no one will die.

'I'm sorry, but...' Chiaki clenched her hands, looking down in defeat. She couldn't bear to hear Naegi calling out to them, especially when his voice reminded her of Nagito. 'I don't want to forget.. . '

'I don't want anyone to die.' Chiaki watched the world lose color. The Junko AI presumably changing this virtual world into a tropical paradise.

'I...' Chiaki closed her eyes, hearing the familiar sound of the waves.

...

[E͇R̞̬̲̜R̭̫͎͜O̺R]

...

Instead of waking up in her room or at the beach, Chiaki opened her eyes and found herself falling. The speed of her fall was strangely slow.

[No color.]

"..." Chiaki opened her mouth, but she could make no sound. She could breathe just fine, but she couldn't move her limbs. It refuses to move.

[No sound...]

'Is this... the end?' Chiaki wondered. Her consciousness is fading with each passing minute. 'Is this what I want?'

[Nothing?]

" Huh? " A familiar voice broke the silence, and Chiaki opened her eyes. She found herself floating in a green background with 1s and 0s cascading down.

"That's odd." Someone was with her, speaking with a hint of confusion.  "You actually broke the game."

"Eh?" Chiaki couldn't comprehend what this person is saying, but everything about this person felt familiar.

"Sorry. I stand corrected."  The teenager looked at her, his face partially covered with a rectangle-shaped paper. The words  RESERVE COURSE is etched out.  "You completed everything this world has to offer."

"Completed?" Chiaki asked, but her limbs won't move. The male with spiky brown hair stood a dozen feet away from her. She asked, hoping to jog her memory. "Are you... part of the game?"

" The short answer is  [NO]. "  The male confessed, his voice eerily similar to the Ultimate Hope. Simple white shirt, green tie, and dark pants, the unknown male wore a typical student attire.  [Ordinary]  Chiaki can hear the man hummed in thought, and her chest ached at the action.  " Do you know who I am? "

"Hajime, I think?" Was the first word that popped into her head for unknown reasons. "Uh... Hm... Where am I...?"

" Isn't it obvious? "  Hajime asked in turn, raising his hand to try and remove the paper stuck on his face.  " What did that crazy bitch call it? An eternal game utopia."

"Why are you here?" Chiaki glanced around, seeing nothing but just the two of them.

" I don't exactly know. " Hajime retorted. " What do you think? "

"You aren't a participant... Not even an observer..." Chiaki's mind won't work. "You're here... and speaking..."

"You are..." Chiaki can feel her mind hazing up at the memories, no doubt due to the influence of the Neo World program. "Sorry... I can't remember."

"I guess it doesn't matter,"  Hajime mumbled, pushing his green tie-down. It made her realize gravity doesn't work in this zone. The brunette sighed,  " Anyways... You're here because you've accomplished everything this world tossed at you. "

 " Maxed your pets' level, collected all the items the MonoMono machine could offer, activated all of the secret events... "   Hajime narrated. Instead of growing wary, Chiaki found it comforting to listen. It reminded her of the game hosts while she waits for the server to load.  " ... Finished Magical Miracle Girl Monomi, obtained all 30 hidden monokumas, and gathered all of the undergarments your classmates gave you... "

" To be honest, the undergarment collection caught me off guard... "   Hajime crossed his arms, looking up at something.  " The only thing left to do is   [EXIT]  the game. "

"We can't." Chiaki finally managed to raise her hands, fingers trembling. "If we graduate, we'll have half of our friends possessed by Junko. If we shut down the server, we'll lose our memories... I don't know the extent, but..."

" [ REPEAT or GRADUATE ] If it weren't for the virus, both choices are safe.. The shutdown is the recent offer on the table, but... "   Hajime looked back down at her. Chiaki can see olive green eyes peeking from the  RESERVE COURSE   paper stuck on his forehead.  " You're all afraid of reverting back as your Ultimate Despair versions. "

[ Do you honestly believe that? ]

"Huh?" Chiaki blinked. Hajime stepped forward.

"You honestly believe everything that happened in this world is meaningless?" Hajime asked. "Nanami. You're not scared of the present. You're afraid of the future... Aren't you?"

"..." Chiaki didn't answer at first.  The world around them shifts to a dull orange color.

"I am, a little.." Chiaki felt her feet touch the ground as the world around them reverts to a familiar sight. The sound of water gushing, birds chirping, and the orange sunset...

"It's okay to be indecisive sometimes..." Hajime cupped his chin, thinking about the situation. "But it's about time you make a decision, don't you think?"

[ They both stood in front of the water fountain. ]

"It's not that simple!" Chiaki felt her eyes tear up, but she couldn't understand why.  This place is essential.

"You're doing this for your classmates, right?" Hajime asked a rhetorical question. "I don't know if you remember, but you were the one who rounded everyone to participate in this program."

"?!" Chiaki took a step back, a surge of memories wash and leave like the ocean waves visiting the beach. 

"Even before your class entered the Neo World Program, the majority of your classmates snapped out of the brainwashing." Hajime spelled out the truth, and the area around them changed once more. Now they were at the beach of Jabberwocky, but the place felt more desolate and cold. "Some of you guys wanted to give up. Just stop... Living... That might be the reason why Makoto asked a friend to create a shutdown sequence. He saw something in you guys... Something that can be redeemed."

"The sins Class 77-B committed are not entirely despairing." Hajime cupped his chin, contemplating. "But the deeds the Future Foundation enacted are not what the public considers hopeful either."

"History shifts on the eyes of its recipient. You have to accept the whole truth." Hajime concluded. "You know what to do but lack the confidence. You're led by everyone else to think the reality is terrible and hopeless."

"The situation is different now," Hajime told her. "You're not alone. Although everyone's scared and lost, you guys can work together and do what has to be done."

"I get what you mean, but..." Chiaki hesitated, thoughts dizzy from conflicting emotions and truths.  The sky is slowly turning purple .

"Hm?" Hajime tilted his head, looking similar to an undead Chinese Zombie.

"Can you tell me the truth, Hajime?" Chiaki asked. "Will my choice be the right one?"

"I can't say for sure, Nanami." Hajime admitted. "Once you make a decision, you have to bear the responsibility. Hope or despair, the future is yours to create and destroy."

"I don't understand." Chiaki frowned.

"If you don't want the present options, why not make a new one?" Hajime shrugged. "You guys aren't a part of this game, so you're free to make your own path."

"Can I really do that?" Chiaki fiddled with her hoodie, also wiping the dried-up tears. "If Kamukura couldn't find one, then what are the odds..?"

" Pretty high, actually. Trust me. Things will turn out okay..."  Hajime scanned the area, remarking.  " I guess it's time we head back. "

"To where?" Chiaki furrowed her eyebrows.

" To the final chapter, " Hajime responded, and the world slowly lost its colors. "The memories everyone made, the actions everyone did... Both good and bad, none of them are meaningless. You have to accept the burden, learn from it, and move forward."

[ Come on, I'll help you this time. ] Hajime offered his hand. [ It's about time you break the stalemate, Nanami. ]

"For everyone's sake and my own!" Chiaki reached forward, grabbing hold of his hand.

...

[                    Nanami Chiaki: LVL ????  XXXX:XX                    ]

[CHAPTER 6: This is the End. Goodbye Academy of Despair]

[                      L̮͖̋͡O̧̨͇̪͖͋͊̾̚̚Ą͍͇̓̂̎D                           RETURN                      ]

Chapter Text

"What's going on here?!" Cellphone Junko is panicking, but the huge Junko is attentive to the bizarre circumstance. "How can you guys willingly throw yourselves back into the depths of despair?! After everything?!"

"Failing or succeeding, we believe everything will be okay. We have to learn from the past and embrace the present. We won't run from the present any longer." Chiaki declared. "We'll move forward to create our own future!"

"That's neither hope nor despair..." Junko muttered. "To take such a risk blindly...?"

"If we press the two buttons at the same time..." Sonia rests her hands on the buttons. "The shutdown sequence will commence, correct?"

"Stop! This is suicide!" Junko yelled.

"Maybe it is? But if everyone's doing it, there's no way I'm backing out now.." Kazuichi declared, seeing the rest of his classmates readying their hands to press the buttons. "No matter where we wind up, I'm going to do my best to protect you guys."

"That's my line!" Akane laughed, rearing to get out of here.

"What's your decision, Kamukura?" Fuyuhiko called out, looking up at the switches.

"Nanami's logic holds." Izuru relented. "This game no longer interests me. The outcome between hope and despair has inevitably reached similar results to coin flipping."

"The future indeed holds the presence of hope and despair. A neutral ground of possibilities limited by the capabilities of the individual and the environment around them..." Izuru concluded. "If a miracle intends to manifest from the aftermath, then I would like to take the risk and pay witness."

"Izuruuuu!! WTF?!" Junko roared. "This isn't like you, at all!"

"Everyone... Thank you." Makoto watched in awe while Kyoko observed Chiaki. Togami's staring at Izuru then back at the team, muttering something under his breath.

"I don't deserve the credit." Chiaki shook her head, resting her hand close to the buttons. "On the count of three, everyone?"

"No! Stop! You guys aren't thinking straight!" Junko watched the remnants of Class 77-B press the buttons. The shutdown sequence activates. The world turns a pale orange, and Monomi appeared. It surprised everyone as well to hear Monomi having her very own fighting theme.

"That's not how the shutdown should go.." Makoto accidentally blurted out, but Monomi waved her wand around for a performance.

"Hey... This is kinda... You know? Fan service-y?" Kazuichi couldn't help himself. Mirroring what happening in the first days of their time in the program, they watched Monomi appear from nowhere to fight the present teacher. Monomi finally emerges as the victor.

"Boring.." Izuru broke the silence, earning him a smack on the back from Akane.

"It's over..." Chiaki muttered, watching the world around them break. The witness stands vanish in front of them, and all six students found themselves in a circle. 'The final run..'

"I know we made a decision, but I can't help but feel worried." Sonia talked with the others while Chiaki and Izuru stared at the broken phone.  The AI is laughing and sulking(?)

"I don't know how to say this, Sonia-san, but I think we're going to be okay... Just like what Nanami-san said." Kazuichi reassured her.

"I no longer have to... hope for despair...?" Junko's appearance was glitching, her words going garbled. "That... is...jus...so.... hope...less..."

'Maybe Hajime's right. Maybe this girl deserves being called a crazy bitch.' Chiaki doesn't remember a lot of people in her life, but this AI takes the cake.

Chapter Text

It's been two weeks since the survivors of the virtual killing game emerged from their respective capsules. Each had their own personal request to make towards the three Future Foundation members.

The girls had basic requests. At best, Akane demanded rations to last for a year while Sonia sought stationery items to document the present. Finally, Chiaki asked if she could have a solar charger for her game girl. The boys, on the other hand, were a bit more complex. Kazuichi urged them to give him the blueprints and general layout of the islands, miraculously aware they're on a desolate island that needs to be renovated. Fuyuhiko ordered them to give back their stuff before they came here, aware they'll have to see and accept their past. Izuru requested admin rights to the Neo World Program, finding the current number of occupants insufficient.

Kirigiri observed the males while Togami monitored the females. Neither of the two is well-liked compared to Makoto. Despite being a stranger, Makoto could visit whoever he wanted since he felt like the least harmful person on the island. During their one week observation, the trio noted the following:

Owari Akane is the second to move on her own, yet showing signs of risky behavior. The Ultimate Gymnastic club member is active in keeping everyone in shape, most of the time willing to watch over her classmates to keep them safe. Meanwhile, Sonia Nevermind is adamant about remembering her memories, having some issues with memory. The Ultimate Princess's need to take down notes of everyone's activities is due to her desire to pin her emotions and analyze her reaction over everyday items or events. Then there's Nanami Chiaki, who is clearly seen as the one everyone looks up to from the very beginning. The Ultimate Gamer was initially the least damaged among the six until Togami saw her talking to a blank screen.

The boys were no better. Souda Kazuichi suffers from dissociation, which is why the male insists on having something to do. The Ultimate Mechanic also has conflicting feelings about staying in a group or being alone. Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko was initially the most severe case, stopped from gouging his eye out if not for Izuru, but he is now the most stable in the group. The Ultimate Gangster may be suffering from insomnia, but the man does his best to keep morals up alongside Chiaki. The most mysterious entity in the group, despite surveillance, would be Kamukura Izuru. The Ultimate Hope clearly shows signs of depression even before entering the simulation, but the raven shows compliance to follow Chiaki's requests. These would be cooking duty, group sleepovers and, friendly travel duo time.

By the end of the month, the trio decided to have a group session to talk with the team. They learned Chiaki and Sonia are the team leaders, the same duo who has issues with memory. Fuyuhiko and Akane keep tabs on everyone, both struggling with their past and weaknesses. Kazuichi and Izuru are loners, working on getting the facilities operating. It lined up to the final words exchanged by the group before leaving the virtual world.

[Sonia didn't want to forget her friends. Akane wanted to fight and get stronger to protect her friends. Fuyuhiko declared he will do whatever needs to be done to get everyone out of the simulation. Kazuichi was a team player, following Sonia and his pal Fuyuhiko. Izuru relented because he wanted to witness the future. Finally, Chiaki broke Junko's logic after remembering every run.]

[It's the end of the month.]

Chiaki did her best to keep everyone from quickly spiraling back into their despair forms. She, Sonia, and Fuyuhiko got to learn how to farm with the help of Izuru, their jobs made easier when Kazuichi installed a sprinkler system. Fuyuhiko likes keeping everything in order, getting mad when someone points out his limited sight. Sonia placed it upon herself to monitor and assist those who recently woke up with Akane as her backup. Kazuichi has been brooding, but it's because he's thinking about his life. What Chiaki's worried about is Izuru.

"What's wrong?"

"Togami-kun thinks I'm crazy," Chiaki commented, playing her video game. "When will you show yourself to them?"

"... I don't know."  (Chiaki can imagine her friend crossing his arms.)  "Nidai, Tsumiki, and Komaeda require surgery... I'm afraid they will extract me from the system when they learn my existence. I won't let them die."

"I know you won't." Chiaki doesn't exactly remember why, but she trusts Hajime to protect her comatose classmates. She knows Hajime is dead based on the records given to her by Naegi, 'but still.'

"Does Izuru sleep, Nanami?"

"Well... Kamukura-kun has insomnia. Kuzuryu-kun and Souda-kun are with him currently. A boy's night out, I think?" Chiaki agreed, surprised to hear her friend talk about someone else.  It's usually Makoto and her.  For some reason, Hajime considered Makoto as their naive kouhai.

" Even so! Everyone needs sleep, " Hajime argued, growing exasperated. " Play him a lullaby. "

"Sonia and I already tried that, Hinata-kun." Chiaki laughed, and she can hear humming. Hajime likes to hum when he thinks.

"I got it!"  Hajime sounded please with himself. " Can you head to the mother computer and download the file I sent?"

"That will calm him down."  Hajime sounds like he's smiling right now.  "I hope this will help him."

"I hope so." Chiaki got off the table, giving a short nod to the dark screen. "I'll be back."

"Grab a blanket for him. It'll be cold tonight,"  Hajime advised, and Chiaki grabbed her fluffy blue blanket.

...

"?" Chiaki was heading down to the laboratory, where they first woke up when she heard the sound of piano keys and violin strings. It seems Izuru got bored and went back early.

"Kamukura-kun?" Chiaki reached the entrance, peeking to check on the Ultimate Hope. She's surprised to see the result. 'Oh.'

'Hinata-kun must really care for you,' Chiaki walked forward, placing a blanket over Izuru. "Good night, Kamakura-kun."

Chapter Text

She felt light. The world around her empty and complete at the same time. [Memories, feelings, and reasoning trickle down in perfect harmony.] Chiaki takes a step forward, staring right at the reality presented to her. 

Just as promised, she and her classmates will create their own futures.

'No matter how predictably irrational the world may be.' A discreet thought was supplied.

Soon, she will have to fulfill her friend's desire. To let go and truly move on.

[NEW GAME]

When Izuru managed to wake up most of their comatose friends, AI Hajime told her they have a month to regain their former strength just when Makoto and company left to deal with private matters. Chiaki didn't tell them her friend's forecast, but she did know alternate ways to get them to work.

Based on her talk with Kyoko, they might live on this island for a long while. It's not like anyone minds living here, especially after they remembered the past. It's just... The whole idea of living on the island by yourself feels like a huge decision. She and Mahiru are planning on the possibility of a wedding with a specific couple. Then there was the question of creating an additional cottage for a possible newcomer.

...

'Two weeks left. Would Komaeda be well enough to fight?' Chiaki held onto her game console, staring at her calendar. Her mind is racing for answers, unsure what her friend meant by the incoming skirmish being personal.

'Will this be about hope? Despair? What?' Chiaki wanted to know because she honestly has no correct answer to those matters. 'Both are relevant for the full experience.'

"Hey..." The screen in her cottage flickered, slowly lighting up to reveal a brunette. "Shouldn't you be in the restaurant? People are starting to worry about you..."

"I'm... thinking," Chiaki mumbled, fiddling with the buttons, staring at the anomaly. Hajime has lessened his frequency in visiting her, slowly fading back to unreality. For him to finally vanish would be for her to enter the Neo World Program one last time.

"You're always thinking nowadays." Hajime used his sprite while he's deep in thought, cupping his chin while looking down. She long memorized his mannerisms like that of an AI, but his words are always... different. "Is this about the future? I can give you hints without spoiling the outcome."

"I'm just worried if our party can do it." Chiaki smiled, shifting her body so she can face him fully. The digital ghost hummed, now arms crossed at her concern. Chiaki couldn't help but ask, "Is it hard performing miracles?"
 
"Not really." Hajime admitted,  "Anyone can do it if they try. The impossibility is what makes it interesting to overturn. You performed one yourself in the Neo World Program."

"It was a group effort," Chiaki couldn't recall everything, but she knows her words are correct. "I think."

"Hm~ Ready to go?" Hajime wondered as the Gamer stand up.

"Yeah." Chiaki relented, turning to face Hajime... 'He's gone. Again.'