Chapter Text
For convenience, everything in brackets represents Kokichi’s internal monologue, no matter who the speaker on any given line is. There will be an exception for “rendez-vous” chapters later, but don’t worry about it for now.
KOKICHI: [Cold beneath my fingertips. Cold through my veins.] Hahah… I’m not gonna make it.
SHUICHI: Kokichi, wait! Wait! [Warm in my ears.]
KOKICHI: No more waiting. Just run. Got it? Forget it all, forget me, just run! [Bright light overtakes it all, and suddenly, I can breathe again--]
PROLOGUE
CLAUSTROPHOBIA
START.
Floor 1
Classroom
KOKICHI: [...]
KOKICHI: [Huh… what a strange dream.]
KOKICHI: [I wasn’t supposed to wake up.]
KOKICHI: [... Where am I, anyway? I push myself to sit up, observing my surroundings. Well, this isn’t the hangar I just died in. It’s a normal classroom, save for the windows being bolted shut, so I guess it’s not all that normal. Oh-- I guess I should introduce myself…]
KOKICHI: [... just kidding. I know you know who I am.]
PARTICIPANT #1
KOKICHI OUMA
ULTIMATE SUPREME LEADER
KOKICHI: [Well, no point in hanging around here, right? I leave the classroom and enter the hallway…]
Floor 1
Hallway
KOKICHI: [The hallway is bathed in this luminescent purple glow. Mood lighting! I hate it!]
???: Ah! Kokichi!
KOKICHI: [I turn to see the familiar face of one Tsumugi Shirogane running to catch up with me.]
PARTICIPANT #2
TSUMUGI SHIROGANE
ULTIMATE COSPLAYER
TSUMUGI: Ah, I’m glad I caught you! Are you okay?
KOKICHI: Eh? Whatcha mean?
TSUMUGI: I- I mean, you know… the whole… [She makes some dumbass little squishing motion with her hands.]
KOKICHI: Oh, what, that? I told you guys I’d never die! Besides, hey, even if I did, I thought you’d all be celebrating. What with me being the mastermind, and all.
TSUMUGI: [She goes grimly quiet for a moment.] … You’re not the mastermind. You never were. We figured it you, it was all another one of your lies. But you and Kaito… really did a number on their plans, though. I think.
KOKICHI: Well, if it wasn’t me, then who was it?
TSUMUGI: I’m afraid I… [She sighs, setting her hand on her arm and looking down.] I didn’t, um… make it to find out. I’d plainly rather not discuss it, if it’s all the same to you…
KOKICHI: [... Was she killed after me? If she was, that must mean that Kaito…] Eh, whatever, I don’t really care. Let’s just get to exploring this dump and figure out what’s going on, yeah?
TSUMUGI: R- Right! Yeah! Let’s go!
KOKICHI: [I’ll just have to worry about Kaito’s fate later. Tsumugi and I start walking down the hallway.]
Floor 1
Hallway
KOKICHI: [We exit the hallway with the nauseating shade of pink and enter a new hallway, with an equally nauseating shade of green. Great. Love that for us. I can see a set of stairs a bit further down the way, and a door to a nurse’s office on the wall beside us.]
TSUMUGI: As I was wandering around earlier, I came across this nurse’s office, a gym, an AV room, and-- well, the classroom you woke up in, of course. It seems to be quite similar to the Academy for Gifted Juveniles, but, like… well, this place isn’t perpetually under renovation like the Academy, so that’s a plus.
KOKICHI: Didja run into anybody else on the way?
TSUMUGI: Puh. I’m afraid not. But I’m sure if we just keep looking--
???: EXCUSE ME!!!
KOKICHI: [Tsumugi squeals in fear. I whip around to face the voice.] Oi! Big guy! Don’t you know it’s not polite to scare a lady?! [The guy’s got jet-black hair, a goatee he surprisingly manages to pull off well-- Jesus, breaks 6’ easily, biceps the size of my torso.]
TALL DUDE: That’s a double standard, tiny man! [And from behind him, another stranger pops out-- a brunette girl, shorter and leaner than him, but still visibly very fit.]
BRUNETTE GIRL: Yeah! Why are you singling her out, huh? Cause she’s a chick?
KOKICHI: [Touchè…] Well, you might as well introduce yourselves if you’re gonna give us a heart attack.
BRUNETTE GIRL: The name’s Akane Owari! Ultimate Gymnast!
TALL DUDE: I am the Ultimate Team Manager! NEKOMARU NIDAI!!!
PARTICIPANT #3
AKANE OWARI
ULTIMATE GYMNAST
PARTICIPANT #4
NEKOMARU NIDAI
ULTIMATE TEAM MANAGER
KOKICHI: [I feel like I know everything I need to know about these two from thirty seconds of talking to them.] HELLO! I’M KOKICHI OUMA! ULTIMATE SUPREME LEADER!!!
NEKOMARU: THAT’S THE SPIRIT, KID!!!!!
TSUMUGI: Um… I’m… not doing the yelling thing. But I’m Tsumugi Shirogane, Ultimate Cosplayer.
NEKOMARU: Eh! You’ll get there!
KOKICHI: Soooooo, you guys are Ultimates too, huh? Honestly, doesn’t bode well for us. Say. Did you wake up here straight from a killing game?
AKANE: Ah…! You guys, too?
KOKICHI: Yep! Based on what little we have to go on, I’m guessing this is some kind of consolation round. But I guess it’s a little early to jump to conclusions, huh? So here’s what I propose; we split up to search the school, and meet back up in the gym in an hour. How’s that sound?
TSUMUGI: Sp- Split up? I-- Well, I plainly don’t understand why we would do that.
KOKICHI: We’re trying to cover as much ground as possible here, Tsu. Try to keep up, mkay?
AKANE: You don’t have to be a dick about it… C’mon, Smoogs. We’ll tackle this part of the first floor.
NEKOMARU: There was another part to the first floor Akane and I passed earlier. I’ll go check that out.
KOKICHI: Great! Then I’ll take the stairs! Chop, chop! [Akane throws an arm over Tsumugi’s shoulder and we go our separate ways. Good. Get her off my back for a while. I ascend the stairs and make my way through another grossly lit hallway. Behind one of the doors, I find…]
Floor 2
Swimming pool
KOKICHI: [Awwww, I didn’t bring a suit… There weren’t any in the locker room, either. Not that I saw. What’s the point of having a pool with no swimsuits? My swimsuit lament is interrupted when the locker room doors open again… through them, two strangers arrive to the pool. Another hulking muscled stranger, even bigger than Nekomaru, with a shock of curly, snow-white hair falling all the way down to her hips, and a diagonal scar painted straight from above her left temple all the way down to her right jaw. With her, a lilac haired girl in a crisp violet jacket and boots with heels no less than five inches, gloves obscuring her hands. I catch the end of their conversation--]
THE BIG ONE: … don’t know what to do.
THE PURPLE ONE: Of course I think it would be best to keep it under wraps for now, but I can’t guarantee the others will do the same. Given, of course, that there’s even anyone here to keep it a secret from…
KOKICHI: [-- until Purple finally looks up and sees me. The big one steps protectively in front of her.]
THE BIG ONE: Who are you?
KOKICHI: Oh, you wanna know my name? Too bad, it’s top-secret. But hey, tell you what! You tell me your secret, and I’ll tell you mine.
THE BIG ONE: Well, then, I guess neither of us are getting what we want.
THE PURPLE ONE: … You’re an Ultimate too, aren’t you?
KOKICHI: Eh?! How could you tell?
THE PURPLE ONE: I don’t understand how something like this could’ve happened. But if my suspicions are correct, and this is another killing game, then this kind of immediate distrust is exactly what they want. We need to be on the same side. So… My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I’m the Ultimate Detective. My friend is Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist.
PARTICIPANT #5
KYOKO KIRIGIRI
ULTIMATE DETECTIVE
PARTICIPANT #6
SAKURA OGAMI
ULTIMATE MARTIAL ARTIST
KOKICHI: Ohhhhhh, okay. So how stupid do you think I am?
KYOKO: Pardon me?
KOKICHI: I’ve met the Ultimate Detective. You aren’t the Ultimate Detective. He’s taller.
KYOKO: That’s… odd. But I assure you, I am not lying about my talent--
KOKICHI: Well, I know Shumai wasn’t lying about HIS talent!
KYOKO: I never said that.
KOKICHI: You implied it!
SAKURA: Enough. We’ll achieve nothing going back and forth like this, and it seems as if… what we’re looking for isn’t here anyways, Kyoko.
KYOKO: It would appear so. We’ll have to keep looking.
KOKICHI: Kay, well, you two have fun with that. I’m going up.
KYOKO: Hold on. You still haven’t told us what your name is.
KOKICHI: Uh, I explained this, didn’t I? You tell me your secret and I’ll tell you mine.
KYOKO: Tch… Come on, Sakura.
KOKICHI: [Sakura shoots me an inquisitive look, and then follows Kyoko out of the pool room without another word. I trail them at a distance until I see them head downstairs. Fine. Fine! It’s not like they’re gonna give me anything useful any time soon. I’ll figure it out on my own.]
Floor 2
Hallway
KOKICHI: [As I start down the hallway, the door to what appears to be a library piques my interest. Just as I go for the handle, though, it bursts open--] AAAAH!
???: AAAAAAAAAAAH!
KOKICHI: STOP SCREAMING!
???: YOU FIRST!!!
KOKICHI: I ought to have you hunted for sport for scaring me! Jesus!
???: Ah!! H- Have mercy, I’ve already been killed once!
KOKICHI: You have? [I take a moment to observe-- a fat, brunet boy, 5’7”, circular black lenses sitting on his nose. He’s got a little spike of hair atop his head, all kinds of metal in his ears, the works. I take a small step back to give him room to breathe.]
HAIR SPIKE: Yes! Or, at- at least, I think I have? Honestly, I have no idea what just happened… Two minutes ago, I was dying in Ms. Asahina’s arms, and then I- I was in a totally different place as soon as my eyes shut!
KOKICHI: No way, me too!
HAIR SPIKE: You were dying in Ms. Asahina’s arms too?! [I blink at him.] Oh, you… meant the dying thing. Obviously… [He’s an idiot. This is good.]
KOKICHI: Eh, I’ll let you off the hook this time. What’s your name?
HAIR SPIKE: Ah! Well! If you must know… I am Hifumi Yamada! Ultimate Fanfic Author!
PARTICIPANT #7
HIFUMI YAMADA
ULTIMATE FANFICTION AUTHOR
KOKICHI: Pleased to meetcha! Kokichi Ouma. Ultimate Leader.
HIFUMI: Cool, cool… And, and, Mr. Ouma, you wouldn’t have happened to see any of my friends, would you have?
KOKICHI: Maybe. The only people I’ve come across so far are some loud hunk, his equally loud girlfriend, some buff lesiban with white hair, and--
HIFUMI: Ms. Ogami! This is excellent! Thank you! [And then he runs off, just like that--]
KOKICHI: Oi! I didn’t tell you where they… Oh, forget it. [He’ll figure it out eventually. I continue my search, opening each door I come across, coming up empty for the rest of the rooms on this floor. Same for the third floor, and the fourth. No windows, no doors to the outside… at least the Academy had a courtyard. This place seems completely closed off. I get to the last door on the fifth floor…]
Floor 5
Garden
KOKICHI: [A quiet room, with what appears to be a tauntingly false sky above. Greenery surrounds me, and surrounds a thin boy, wearing a green jacket, with brittle white hair reaching out wildly in every direction and eyes the color of a sun-bleached blue fabric. He didn’t hear me come in… he seems preoccupied.] Hey, you alive in there?
SKINNY: [He turns his head to look at me for a good five seconds before he seems to realize I’ve asked him a question.] Good question. I wasn’t, a few minutes ago, but… I guess I am now.
KOKICHI: Seems to be the case with just about everyone I’ve encountered. Who are you?
SKINNY: … Nagito Komaeda. I’m the Ultimate Luck.
PARTICIPANT #8
NAGITO KOMAEDA
ULTIMATE LUCKY STUDENT
KOKICHI: Ooh! That’s kind of a lame title, actually.
NAGITO: And you are?
KOKICHI: Ultimate Leader Kokichi Ouma at your service!
NAGITO: Who exactly are you meant to be leading?
KOKICHI: H- Hey, that was so uncalled for… I- I’m a great leader…
NAGITO: … Sorry. That’s no way to speak to another Ultimate… I’m… I’m just a little on edge right now. Forgive me.
KOKICHI: [Jackass.] Eh, I guess I’ll let it slide. Dying in a killing game tends to have that effect on people.
NAGITO: … Well, you seem pretty unfazed by it.
KOKICHI: Of course I am! What kind of Ultimate Leader is fazed by death?!
NAGITO: [He smirks like he knows me.] Do you make a habit of lying to yourself, Kokichi?
KOKICHI: Hey, bestie, I dunno about you, but I don’t share my talent with a four-leaf clover. Maybe leave the leader things to the actual leader, mkay? [He cocks an eyebrow at me, but nods.] Cool! Anyway, this is the last room in my investigation and I’m supposed to be meeting my friends downstairs soon. Wanna tag along?
NAGITO: Lead the way.
KOKICHI: [We walk together and make idle conversation. But the whole time… I can’t help but feel like there’s something off about him. I try to get a read on him, but come up blank in the end. I push down the unease as we make our way downstairs…]
Floor 1
Gym
KOKICHI: [Standing outside the gym, I can hear arguing. When I open the door, among the small crowd is a short girl with crescent-moon pigtails screaming at--]
PIGTAILS: -- There were so many others who coulda got brought back, and yet we ended up with a brutish, braindead, waste-of-space cunt like you?! [-- at a silvered hair girl with high braids and glasses. Her face is effortfully stony. To her defense jumps a short boy in a stupid little pinstripe black suit, sporting an eyepatch on the right.]
PINSTRIPES: Shut the fuck up, you fucking brat! Don’t ever talk about her like that!
BRAIDS: Please, both of you--
PIGTAILS/PINSTRIPES: Shut up!/Not now!
KOKICHI: [And beyond them, sitting shell-shocked on the bleachers… A girl with long blue hair sits by herself, elbows on her knees, hands clasped and shaking. She doesn’t seem much for conversation right now.]
TSUMUGI: Kokichi! Thank God! [Ah, all my new friends are here. Good.]
AKANE: Yo, Super High School Level Leader? Care to do some leading?
KOKICHI: [“Frankly, Akane, this is a little below my paygrade.” Hah. I turn toward the commotion.] Oi! Bananas! You’re not getting anywhere by shouting at each other!
BANANAS: What did you just call me, you half-pint twink?! I’m literally Hiyoko fucking Saionji!
PARTICIPANT #9
HIYOKO SAIONJI
ULTIMATE TRADITIONAL DANCER
PINSTRIPES: Newsflash, nobody gives a fuck who you are.
KOKICHI: Don’t get cocky, Shortstack, you BOTH need to take a fucking breather.
PINSTRIPES: Wh-- Excuse me? Don’t call me that!
HIYOKO: Or what? You gonna sic Peko on him?
PINSTRIPES: Shut up! And you-- Do you know who I am?! I’m Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu!
PARTICIPANT #10
FUYUHIKO KUZURYU
ULTIMATE YAKUZA
KOKICHI: …Do you expect me to recognize that, or?
FUYUHIKO: I- I’m the heir to the Kuzuryu clan! I could fucking BUY you and your entire family--
KOKICHI: I don’t care! You could be Jesus Christ himself! You’re still not helping anyone by having a screaming match when none of us know what’s going on!
FUYUHIKO: Wh-- You--
KOKICHI: Our last killing games don’t matter right now. We need to be figuring this out, not taking our fear and frustration out on each other, yeah? So are you gonna help us? Or are you gonna keep swapping blows like children?
BRAIDS: Young master…?
FUYUHIKO: I told you not to call me that. But… ugh, grape twink here’s right. I’m letting my anger get the best of me.
KOKICHI: Oi, you! [I point at Braids. She looks a little surprised to be noticed.] Who are you, anyway? I caught everyone’s name but yours.
BRAIDS: … I am Peko Pekoyama. I am called the Ultimate Swordswoman.
PARTICIPANT #11
PEKO PEKOYAMA
ULTIMATE SWORDSWOMAN
KOKICHI: Whooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaa, so do you have a real sword in that case you’re carrying?!
PEKO: Afraid not. My personal weapons have been missing since my killing game’s beginning.
KOKICHI: Awww, lame….
PEKO: …
KOKICHI: [Peko seems just as offput by my reaction as I am by her complete lack of cool swords. What kinda world are we living in that the Ultimate Swordswoman doesn’t get to carry around a sicknasty sword? Peko and Fuyuhiko are putting their distance between themselves and Hiyoko, and now, Hiyoko stands alone in the gym. I don’t want to fuel the fire. I turn away to see that we’ve drawn a small audience.]
TSUMUGI: Wow, th- that was… uncharacteristically mature and poignant of you, Kokichi.
KOKICHI: Yup, I’m suuuuuuuuper mature when I wanna be! Can’t just not use my ultimate talent, right?... [I wink.] Eh, don’t get used to it.
TSUMUGI: Oh, heavens, no.
KOKICHI: [The door opens again. I turn to watch-- it’s the women from the pool, Sakura and Kyoko. Sakura holds the door open, and Kyoko follows her in. I hear a quiet gasp somewhere behind me-- and I think, where it came from, it can only be the catatonic blue-haired girl on the bleachers.]
SAKURA: Hey, you. Kokichi, was it?
KOKICHI: Wh--?! Hey, no fair! Who told you?
KYOKO: That’s a secret. [And then, behind them, the door bursts open again. Through it comes--]
HIFUMI: Mr. Ouma! Found ‘em! [Kyoko pinches the bridge of her nose. I look at Hifumi-- the traitor!]
KOKICHI: It was YOU, wasn’t it?! What the hell, Hifumi?!
HIFUMI: What, your name? I- I didn’t know it was a secret! Forgive me!
KOKICHI: Whatever, you dummy. You’re ruining my whole mysterious vibe. Scram, will you? You’re just like--...
HIFUMI: … Um… Mr. Ouma?
KOKICHI: Whatever. You’re forgiven, now beat it. [He scampers n back to Kyoko and Sakura. I feel the warmth flooding from my face. I have to get ahold of myself. I can’t let this kind of guilt overcome me every time I think about Gonta. Or any of them. I’ll be useless. What’s done is done. I can’t help them anymore. I take a deep breath and try to center myself. When I look up… that girl on the bleachers, she’s looking at me for a split second. Or maybe she’s been watching me for a while?] Oi, normie Miku. You haven’t said a word this whole time. Who are you?
MIKU: …
AKANE: She wouldn’t talk to us, either. Whatever she’s gone through musta messed her up good.
KYOKO: Sayaka? [The girl glances up at Kyoko, and seems to recoil even further into herself.]
KOKICHI: She’s one of yours, yeah? Who is she?
KYOKO: She’s Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Idol. I… We haven’t seen her in a while.
PARTICIPANT #12
SAYAKA MAIZONO
ULTIMATE IDOL
KOKICHI: A real idol? Cool! [... Still no response.]
SAKURA: I’ll speak to her.
NAGITO: Best not to. I saw the way she reacted when you two walked in, an--
AKANE: WHOA!
HIYOKO: WHAT THE FUCK?!
FUYUHIKO: WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU COME FROM?!
NAGITO: … I came in with Kokichi… I’ve been here the whole time…
KOKICHI: I honestly forgot you were here.
NAGITO: Are you serious…? Look, point is, I don’t think either of you should try your luck with Sayaka right now. She’s clearly not in a good way. Give her some space.
KYOKO: I think Nagito is correct. Sayaka… [She walks over and kneels on the floor in front of Sayaka’s seat.] We’re here for you. You can come to me, Sakura, or Hifumi anytime, but we won’t push you. Okay? [Sayaka seems to show a sign of life, sitting up a little bit. A bit of color returns to her pallid expression.] Good. Now--
KOKICHI: [She’s interrupted by the door opening again, welcoming a small group. Nekomaru, loudly announcing his arrival. A tall, tough guy in a long black jacket, and a short girl in a poofy brown skirt, both immediately parting ways upon entering. Behind them, a blonde pair of twins.] Yay, new people! This makes 16 of us, right? [I’m relieved that Shuichi isn’t here. If this is what I think it is… At least he doesn’t have to put up with me anymore. I look back at them all. Sakura’s immediately waved the girl in the big skirt over. I look to Kyoko… Immeasurable panic reads across her eyes, her mouth covered by her shaking gloved hand. A quick glance about-- Fuyuhiko and Akane are the only other people reacting. They’re looking at the twins.]
KOKICHI: … So who are the bimbos--
FUYUHIKO: YOU!
TWIN 1: Oh, balls-- [Fuyuhiko shoots like a bullet toward her, and in the blink of an eye, he’s got her tie clutched in his fist.]
FUYUHIKO: What the hell are you trying to pull?!
TWIN 1: Hey, hey, easy on the tie! This fabric is more expensive than your entire life!
FUYUHIKO: I’ll fucking HANG YOU with it if you don’t tell me what’s going on!
PEKO: Young master, please, stop! Why are you doing this?!
FUYUHIKO: You wanna know why?! [He turns to us, clutching her tie like it’s the skull of an enemy.] This bitch is the fucking mastermind! She’s the reason all our friends died! [SCHING! Fuyuhiko stumbles back as a spear strikes straight out of the floor, one inch of space between his face and the sharp tip. One inch of space between himself and death.
PEKO: Fuyuhiko! [She runs to his side. He stares up at the spear uselessly. My gaze is a distance behind him. The stage. I can feel it. Someone’s about to make an entrance. Just as I think it, I hear a dreadfully familiar laugh and find myself bracing. And then… he’s here.]
MONOKUMA: Oi, Kuzuryu! [He apparates on top of the gym’s stage, speaking into a microphone.] Don’t you know it’s against the rules to commit grievous acts of violence? It was in your last game’s rules and everything! [And he confirms my suspicions. Even in death there’s no escape.] Don’t worry, though… I’m sure in this killing game, you’ll do much better.
AKANE: Wh- What… What are you on about?
KOKICHI: [Good question.] Hey, how can “grievous violence” be against the rules in a killing game? It’s a killing game. Isn’t that, like, the point?
MONOKUMA: Well, it’s not MY rule! It’s my dear sister Monomi’s! Fortunately, she’s not here this time ‘round, but you still have to play by her rules! Got it?
HIYOKO: What the fuck?! No! Fuck this! I just got OUT of a killing game, I’m not going back in!
TSUMUGI: Yeah, this-- This isn’t fair! You can’t make us do this! You can’t put us through this again!
BROWN SKIRT: I- I thought-- I thought the game was over. I- I lost! Why is--
KOKICHI: Why do we have to play by this Monomi’s rules if she isn’t even gonna be here to enforce ‘em, huh? We didn’t have her rules in MY game.
MONOKUMA: Aw, you haven’t figured it out yet? I thought you were supposed to be smart. There’s a common denominator among all of you. Figure it out.
KOKICHI: How am I supposed to find a common denominator when I don’t even know half these people’s names?
MONOKUMA: Wha-- Why don’t you know everyone’s names yet?! Jesus! I gotta do everything myself! Corncob pompadour is Mondo Owada--
PARTICIPANT #13
MONDO OWADA
ULTIMATE BIKER GANG LEADER
MONOKUMA: The pipe cleaner with eyes is Chihiro Fujisaki--
PARTICIPANT #14
CHIHIRO FUJISAKI
ULTIMATE PROGRAMMER
MONOKUMA: And the twins with the twins are Mukuro Ikusaba and Junko Enoshima.
PARTICIPANT #15
MUKURO IKUSABA
ULTIMATE SOLDIER
PARTICIPANT #16
JUNKO ENOSHIMA
ULTIMATE DESPAIR
MONOKUMA: Satisfied?!
KOKICHI: What do you want me to say?! The only common denominator I can spot is that these people all look like they’re late to a GSA meeting!
KYOKO: I may have an idea… [She points people out as she speaks.] Sayaka, Mukuro, Chihiro, Mondo, Hifumi, Sakura, and Junko were all my fellow participants. Of them all, Sakura, Mukuro, and Mondo all tried to engage Monokuma in combat. Chihiro’s sabotage contributed to a failed execution. I personally spent a good amount of my time trespassing. And after that… display with Fuyuhiko, I suppose it’s worth noting that Sayaka tried to kill another participant and failed, and Hifumi committed a murder, but died before he stood trial for it. I wasn’t sure at first, but I believe what just took place here with Fuyuhiko, and the rule he apparently broke, confirms it. Did anybody else break the rules of their killing game?
AKANE: Ah--!
PEKO: … I don’t think that’s it. I don’t recall breaking a rule. I committed violence-- but I faced execution for it.
FUYUHIKO: Yeah. [He takes a deep breath and collects himself.] Mahiru’s the only one Peko hurt. There’s no reason for her to be here if it’s just about breaking rules. [Peko watches his face as he speaks, and suddenly, the color drains from hers. She gasps quietly.] What?
NAGITO: No, that’s wrong. There was someone else, Fuyuhiko.
FUYUHIKO: What are you talking about? She hurt Mahiru, she got executed for it. Isn’t that punishment enough?-- [He realizes something as soon as the words leave his mouth.] … Kh. That’s not fair.
KOKICHI: What’s not fair?
MONOKUMA: Yeah, Fuyuhiko, what’s not fair? Swordgirl took your eye out, right? It’s her own fault she’s--
FUYUHIKO: She never meant to hurt me and you know that!
PEKO: Enough! Just… [Fuyuhiko’s sudden blaze of anger is doused by Peko’s voice breaking through the noise.] If- If that’s what I’m here for, then so be it. But I- I can’t bear to discuss this. Please. [Fuyuhiko’s gaze pierces into her, but she doesn’t dare look up to meet it.]
FUYUHIKO: … Fine. [His closed fists open, shaking with fury and some grand level of restraint. I find myself doing the opposite.]
MONOKUMA: As for the rest of you, your own rule violations will be available for you to see on your Monopads! Only for you to see! Aaaaanyway, I’m sure you lot of geniuses don’t need me to explain much further, right? Happy killing!
KOKICHI: Wait. [My voice has made its way to my mouth of its own accord. I don’t have a plan, I don’t know why I’m engaging him--]
MONOKUMA: What? Whaddayawant?
KOKICHI: [-- And it doesn’t matter. What am I in front of these people? Maybe I can save myself some of the grief of my last game here.] You really think you’re getting away with a fourth killing game? Y’know, that’s a loooooot of Ultimates you’re underestimating. And I’m one of them. That’s pretty risky, Monokuma. [I take a breath. Monokuma just smiles and watches.] You think I’ll get tired of this and give up at some point. You’re wrong. You think you intimidate me? That eventually you’re gonna make me fold? You’re wrong. If it’s what it takes, I will drag you and your pilot down to the gates of hell to stop you, or I’ll die trying. [I drop the anger and relax my shoulders.] But, hey, your choice. No going back now.
MONOKUMA: You’re so pretentious, you know that? As if you have such a good track record. [Jackass! I’m about to deliver a scathing retort when a strong hand comes down on my shoulder, and--]
SAKURA: Kokichi is right. [Oh. That’s not who I expected to come to my defense.] By selecting people who have already experienced this despair, you’ve doomed yourself. Nobody here is playing along this time. [She glances around the group, looking for support.]
CHIHIRO: That-- That’s right. [She steps forward, clenching her little fists.] You’re awful, a- and you hurt me and my friends but-- you’re just a stuffed toy. You can’t hurt us if-- if we don’t let you.
NAGITO: You’ve been the headmaster of three killing games in the past and this was your new bright idea? What a sham.
NEKOMARU: Your cruelty will long outlive your body, Monokuma. And whoever is controlling you. Do you understand?
MONDO: Tch… Damn right. No one has to die. Not this time. [There’s quiet assent from the rest of the group. I turn to Monokuma and stick my tongue out at him.]
MONOKUMA: Puhuhuhu… Interesting. Any thoughts, Junko?
JUNKO: [Everyone turns to her. She looks utterly depressed, verging on tears.] … It’s soooo mean… to have a killing game without me at the helm. To go from having great power and control over every inch of this dump as the greatest Mastermind that ever lived… now to be reduced to- to just-- Participant #16?! It makes me feel such-- Such-- [Her whiny sobs suddenly transition cleanly into delighted laughter.] Such delicious despair…!
KYOKO: You… I hope you felt it. I hope you felt every inch of yourself be crushed. [My blood runs cold. I flinch at the words and curse myself for it. She’s not even talking to me.]
JUNKO: I did! It sucked! Do you wanna twyyyyy it sometime? [Adorable persona drops.] Or shall I simply describe it for you in intimate detail? Imagine, if you will, swallowing a hand grenade--
KOKICHI: Hey, queen, no one’s interested in what you have to say. Pipe down, mkay?
JUNKO: Hey, king, I dunno if you got the memo, but I’m Junko fucking Enoshima! You want me to shut up? Make me!
SAKURA: You’re--? [Her gaze shifts from Junko to Mukuro. Mukuro clears her throat and straightens up like she’s been caught.]
JUNKO: Oh, what, that flat-chested bimbo? That… deeply, deeply useless excuse for a twin sister, Mukuro Ikusaba? She was just… pretending to be me…
MONDO: What? What?! What the hell?!
KYOKO: How pathetic you had to use your twin sister’s corpse to succeed in your last game… and you still failed spectacularly in the end.
JUNKO: Aw, babes. You’re lucky you're pretty. Don’t you remember? The failure is the point… at least, for me. My games-- they were never meant to end in anything but beautiful disaster. [She bares her teeth when she grins.] Aw, I sure hope you haven’t deluded yourself thinking this Mastermind must be as willing as I was to go down in a blaze of glory. That’d be soooo boring…
MONOKUMA: Thaaat’s right! This mastermind’s not going to let you get away so easy. If you’re so inclined to leave, go for it! But it’s your funeral. [He shoots a look in my direction and then dips. Junko is crying again. Fake. Familiar. She’s a liar, too.]
SAKURA: … You are never going to know a moment of peace again. You know that?
JUNKO: [Tears are gone as soon as they came. She almost seems to genuinely perk up when Sakura speaks.] Awww, c’mon! You used to be such a good girl! What happened to that, huuuuuuh?
SAKURA: [Her jaw clenches. Junko has struck a nerve.] How dare you--
JUNKO: What are you gonna do? Kill me? Go on then, do it! Start the killing game. Do my job for me. I won’t stop you. And when you get executed in front of God and everybody for it, you’ll finally be the martyr you were born to be…!
KOKICHI: [Sakura’s resolve cracks, the anger in her brow turning up into guilt. I step forth before Junko can go further.] So I don’t super know what’s going on here, but I’m pretty sure you just said this isn’t your killing game, right? Dare people to kill you all you want, it doesn’t mean anyone’s going to do it. You’re just not worth taking an execution for. You’re nothing without this game. This game is nothing at all.
JUNKO: [The voice she adopts is studious.] Your hope is completely unfounded. All the better to consume you in… [She pauses, checks me out, and grins.] … to crush you in despair in the end. [... I guess she clocked that.] But whatever, I know when I’m not welcome. See you losers later! [She leaves. Every eye in the room is on her until the door shuts behind her. I stave off the urge to run away. Now is no time for cowardice. Silence hangs in the air for a while as I search for something to say, but luckily, someone beats me to the punch.]
KYOKO: … If no one kills, there won’t be a killing game. Junko is, in the most generous terms, a pain in the ass. But we cannot let her and her… nonsense… drive us to kill. [She turns to me.] Kokichi, I believe we got off on the wrong foot.
KOKICHI: What?
KYOKO: I was put off by your immaturity at first, but now I think I had you pegged wrong. You seem to be a capable speaker. A leader. We need that more than anything right now. Do you… understand what I’m asking?
KOKICHI: [And I see it now-- everyone shifted their gazes from the door that fell shut behind the ex-Mastermind… to look to me.] What? [Kyoko steps toward me and takes one of my hands in both of hers.]
KYOKO: I’m asking you, Kokichi… to help guide us through this. This is a second chance at life for everyone here. If we fail now, there’s no promise we’ll have a third. And without any kind of leadership, without anyone to look to, our own self destruction will be inevitable. The fear, the anger, it will get the best of us. But with someone like you at the helm… maybe we can find our way without any unnecessary casualties. And I am more than willing to stand at your side.
KOKICHI: [... Is this happening? Everyone from the last game. Shuichi, Kaito, Maki-- all of them, they needed a bad guy. They needed something to rally against. They needed somebody to be a villain, so that’s what I did. But this group… They need a leader. They need to be able to put their faith in someone, and they’ve chosen me. I haven’t played this part. I haven’t been on the right side of the story since I left DICE. But… she’s right. We will destroy ourselves if nothing ties us together. And if I let us fall apart when I know I could do something about it-- that’s their blood on my hands.]
KOKICHI: [... This is what I was born to do.] Then I’ll do it. [I can’t let my past failures define me. Not when there’s lives on the line right nere, right now.] I’ll guide us all to victory.
PROLOGUE
CLAUSTROPHOBIA
END
16 participants remain.