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Momota walked into the room to find Ouma seated at the table, seemingly playing a game of chess by himself using tiny Danganronpa character figurines. One one half was a side filled with Monokumas of various forms, the kubz, Junko, Mukuro, and Tsumugi. On the other side, was everyone from their class. All placed to replace different pieces, it was very specific. At least he did his research.
It was impressive, but he honestly shouldn’t be surprised. To play along, he’ll just have to remember their roles. Shouldn’t be too hard, he’s caught a glimpse of Ouma’s head before when he had to pretend to be him.
Ouma didn’t look up at him when he walked over, taking a seat on the other side of the table and on the class side of the chess board. From the looks of it, Ouma had only just started playing this round. As none of the pieces were moved yet.
After a while of sitting in silence, Momota realised that Ouma didn’t make an attempt to start, and that he was waiting for him to play.
“What are you doing here?” He asked after moving one of his centre kubz to E4. “Aren’t you tired?”
This was the first time that, at least of what Momota was aware of, Ouma had left his room. He had only known that he was in the game room before Saihara had accidentally walked in on him and didn’t know what to do because he was so surprised, so that was when he told Momota and he headed straight there.
Apparently Akamatsu and Gonta tried to visit him in his room, but the ex-Leader told the nurse to kick them out. And none of the staff even let him go near his room like as if he would try to attack him on sight.
Maybe before everything went down in the hanger, once upon a time, he would’ve. He doesn’t think he could ever after that.
“What are you doing here,” Echoed Ouma, moving one of his pawns, Angie, to E5. Meeting his own pawn. “I don't think that you were invited.”
Momota curled his lip in thought as he looked over the board, he moved a horse shaped Monokuma, a knight, to F3. “You wouldn’t have come out of your room if you didn’t want to be found.” He says knowingly, watching Ouma move forwards Kirumi to C6, she was a knight. He responded by moving a ball Monokuma across the board to B5. A Bishop.
“Here you go again, pretending like you know me.” Ouma said, almost boredly. Moving Ryoma, his other knight, to G6. “When just beneath the surface you're convinced that you're above me.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, “C’mon, Ouma.” He said, moving a kub to D3. “Dig deep into the past, I've never been one for doing things half-assed.”
Ouma rolled his eyes, moving one of his Bishops to C5. It was Maki.
“If I'm here to save you, I'll be here forever. Just take my hand, say the word. I'll be your knight in shining armour.” Just like how he was with Saihara after Akamatsu got executed. Like how he was with Harukawa after Ouma exposed her true Ultimate in front of everyone. He moved his Bishop to capture Kirumi
Ouma paused as he was going to make his next move, finally looking up at Momota with an incredulous expression on his face. He met his gaze, before suddenly Ouma let out a laugh. “You think you're a hero..?” He says, moving a pawn to capture his Bishop. It was Rantaro. “And everyone will just tell you that you are so stoic and handsome.” He said, fake swooning as he propped an elbow on his chair around and rested his head on it. “And how you've come so far.”
“You think you're a villain.” Momota sighed, castling his Mukuro with Tsumugi, who was one of his Rook and his King. Only now did he realise that Ouma had a regular black pawn to act as her replacement. “But I know you're not.” He leaned back in his chair a little. “I know that… Under all that angst and anger is a beating human heart.”
“Dying broken heart.” Ouma rolled his eyes as he spoke at the same time as him, moving Ryoma to D7. “Hey, what about the lonely little Leader?” He asked rhetorically.
“I’m sorry- ” He says, moving his other knight to D2.
Ouma just spoke over his apology. “What about his monsters who prevailed?” He asked again and castled. Tenko was a Rook, he was the King.
“I'm sorry!” He tried, but almost flinched when Ouma looked up at him with an ugly sneer.
“You never came to save my world. Unlike your little sidekicks. What about me?”
Momota took a deep breath as he looked back at the board, “I recognize that you're upset” He moved a kub to A4. “I know they did you wrong.” Everyone did. No one was really that nice to Ouma except for Gonta. And look where that got him.
Ouma scoffed, “Oh, you know nothing of me.” He moved Tenko to E8.
“But trust me, please believe me this won't stop the hurt for long.” He took a long look at Ouma. He couldn’t just hide away from everyone. Even Shinguuji came out after a while of hiding. He moved his knight to B3. Ouma moved Maki back to F8.
Ouma wasn’t the only one fooled by Danganronpa. “We don't need to end like this.” It’s been ‘we’ ever since Ouma gave him the antidote. Whether he liked it or not. “Look me in the eyes.” He moved his Knight further down the board to A5.
The ex-Leader rolled his eyes, not looking at the board as he moved a new pawn to F6. Korekiyo. “Here comes the hero complex.” He said, almost to himself. Momota continued regardless, moving a Bishop to D2.
“You call yourself a villain-”
“I know I’m a villain.” Ouma tried to interrupt. Moving Ryoma to C5.
“But we know it's a disguise”
“But you’re the one who lies. Right?” Ouma laughed, watching as Momota moved a pawn to B4. “So you're back at it again, twisting and manipulating every word I've said.” He moved Ryoma again to E6. Momota moved Junko to B1. Ouma quickly took his turn moving the little Kaito on the board to D7. His Queen.
“Come on, you know that's not true.” Momota frowned, yes, he did lie sometimes. But Ouma was just as guilty. At least he never lied to specifically hurt anyone. He moved another new kub to H3. Ouma moved Rantaro forward one to C5. Momota moved a pawn to B5. “I'm just trying to help you, let me help you!!”
“You are not my hero!” Ouma suddenly exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table, shaking the board. None of the pieces fell over. He laughed pitifully, “You don't know how it felt.” His face blanked, moving a new pawn to B6, Miu. “What else could you do with the cards that I've been dealt?”
The whole game was incredibly unfair to Ouma. He was doomed from the start.
They continued playing in silence, and more and more pieces were slowly removed from the board up until there were only 5 pieces left. 4 of Ouma’s and 1 of Momota’s. The pieces that were left were Kokichi, Shuichi, Kaito and Himiko on Ouma’s side and Momota only having Tsumugi left. In his defence, he wasn’t as focused on the game as he should’ve been. He wasn’t as fair to him as he should’ve been even if he was an asshole and complete opposite.
Momota looked over at Ouma. He wasn’t unrecognisable, but out of everyone he had certainly changed the most since the game ended. His hair was white from the shock of his death, and off to his side was a black cane that he used to get here. He was told by Gonta who saw him once that he had to use it to get anywhere on his own.
But he could tell that he was a lot more subdued now. On edge. Dare he say even fidgety.
“You are not the villain.” Momota said softly. “You once held my hand.” He needed help with his attempt to end the killing game on his own. That was why he kidnapped him to the hangar.
They were both running on a time limit. Ouma’s at the time was just closer to running out.
Ouma’s face was unreadable, moving one more piece before grabbing his cane. “Stand up.” He said, standing up. “Get out.” He then slowly started to leave the room. Likely going back to his own.
“Sometimes things don't go as planned” He didn’t look back at him. Opening the door and leaving.
The door shut with a heavy noise.
Momota looked down at the board. Kaito to E7, and Shuichi was already positioned on D6. Tsumugi was on E8. Checkmate.
He never stood a chance.