Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It is my sad duty to document this tale and I will do so, but not before warning you straight away that there is no room for any lingering feelings of happiness in anything relating to these children. This is an account of hope and despair. Of truth and lies. And nothing can change those facts. As I uncovered these events, I prayed myself that things would be alright for the poor children caught up in it, but as I progressed in my findings, it became apparent to me that nothing would be 'alright' as you will also come to find. If you do not take my warning, then prepare yourself for what is to come. I will warn you, though, this is a documentation. Not a story.

A girl with chestnut brown hair stirred slightly, the slight rise and fall of her chest quickening as her eyes fluttered open. Slowly rising to her knees, she looked around her. She didn't recognise the unfamiliar scenery and she felt her heart skip a beat. She opened her mouth for a second, before taking a breath and finally speaking, "What the... Where am I?" She ran her fingers through her hair, a stubborn lock springing back up as she did and her eyes fell on something peculiar. Just as she had been a few moments prior, a boy with bright orange hair was unconscious on the floor. His arms were wrapped around something large. The girl would have sworn it was an instrument case, specifically a stringed instrument, but she couldn't remember which one was which. Regardless, she couldn't just leave him there, so she crawled over to him and began to shake him.

"H-Hey!" She stuttered before regaining her composure. "Hey! Wake up!"

The boy began to stir at her voice and she took a moment to notice his attire. While she was in her school uniform, a blue and white sailor fuku, he was in a rather heavy-looking shirt with a sweater tied to his waist. It certainly wasn't a school uniform.

The boy groaned, lifting his head, "Why am I on... the floor? Where..." His words tumbled out of his mouth in a way that reminded the girl of a tangled ball of yarn.

Something about him was familiar now that the girl got a better look at him, "Hey... Wait. I know you..." and with those words, a light bulb lit up in her head, "Do you go to Hope's Peak Academy?"

Hope's Peak Academy, a prestigious school where students are scouted depending on a talent they are exceedingly skilled at. Only the best are enrolled there and it just so happened that the girl attended the selective school. If she was right in her assumptions, so, too, did the boy.

He frowned as if his memory was distant and he was trying to catch the right ones.

"Nngh? I... huh?" After a moment of silence, he got up to his feet and the girl followed suit. After another awkward pause, he finally answered the question, "Yeah... I do, actually. My name is Haru Tanioto."

Haru. A common name, but somehow it seemed to perfectly fit the boy. The girl then realised it was her turn and gave a quick bow. "Kouki Maekawa!" She smiled before frowning once more. If Haru went to Hope's Peak, it was only fair that she shared with him the talent that got her accepted into the school, "Uh, they call me the Super High School Level Abstract Artist.

I'm going to stop here and explain a little about Hope's Peak Academy's students. Each one is referred to as an Ultimate and their talent is presented as either 'Super High School Level' or 'Ultimate'. In Kouki's case, either the Super High School Level Abstract Artist or the Ultimate Abstract Artist. As Hope's Peak Academy has grown, it has gained interest from both easterners and westerners alike. Westerners prefer the shorter 'Ultimate' to the eastern 'Chou koukou kyuu no' or 'Super High School Level'.

"Oh, yeah... It might be obvious, but I'm the Super High School Level Cellist..." Haru looked at the ground for a bit before picking up his instrument case and looking up at Kouki again. The artist wouldn't ever admit to him that she forgot what a cello was, so she simply looked back at him with a vacant stare as he continued, "Hey, uh, Kouki... Do you know where we are?"

Kouki took a moment to process that before looking down at the ground and grabbing her arm. "Oh, I thought you might know." Of course, this meant that Kouki, nor Haru, knew just what their situation entailed. Without hesitation, I know it would've been much better if they were never aware. Unfortunately, the best I can do is reassure you that it would be a little bit longer before they knew 'Why'. They could live in ignorant bliss for another short moment.

A voice, loud and clear, rang out from behind the two. "Nobody here seems to know where or why. It's likely that the same can be said for the rest of the unconscious people." Both Kouki and Haru turned to see a large woman in a tank top. A lot of her skin was bare, revealing rippling muscles. She was imposing, to say the least.

Haru, frozen in shock by the sudden intrusion, couldn't find the right words. Fortunately, though, Kouki managed to get something out, "H-Huh? Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." She was frightened by this woman who had managed to sneak up on them despite being heavily built.

The woman, who looked rather mature, seemed to pick up on the fact that both Haru and Kouki were stunned by her sudden appearance and took the obvious course of action: an introduction, "Apologies for eavesdropping. Amari Hoshino. I'm the Super High School Level Bodyguard." Her face reflected one emotion, a quiet determination. What her determination was about was unknown to the two other students. The only thing they could surmise was that she was a high school student and an Ultimate at that and, thus, someone to look out for.

"Bodyguard? I have a few questions about that..." Haru frowned, off-put by Amari's talent. He clutched his cello case closer to him as if it would protect him should the bodyguard make a move against him.

Amari, however, didn't move aside from a turn of her head to look off to the side. "Shoot."

Haru took a deep breath before asking his questions, "If you're a bodyguard... Do you have any weapons? Also, how long were you watching us? Who do you work for?" After the initial question, the rest smoothly fell out as he regained his composure.

"Aha. Well, firstly, no. I don't have any weapons on me at the moment. It seems they went missing after the initial attack." Amari adjusted her somewhat evenly cut bangs that fell just above her left eye as she chuckled over Haru's sudden energy. The rest of her hair was tied into a low ponytail that was so uneven that he didn't half wonder if she'd taken her hair by the fistful and chopped it all off herself. "Secondly, I have been watching you two from before you woke up, just after I saw someone eyeing you... How odd, she seems to have gone missing. Either way, I felt the need to make sure she didn't mess with you."

"Mess with..." Kouki muttered under her breath, but said nothing more.

Amari looked around again as if this mysterious person she spoke of would show up, but then merely sighed and continued onto Haru's third question, "Finally, my services have gone to many people. At the moment, I am serving a prestigious family of a higher class, though it was a short job that I am unable to perform at the moment for obvious reasons."

It seemed to Haru that Amari was in a similar boat as the other two, though she seemed cooler than an ice cube about it all. Perhaps it was because the bodyguard was used to tight situations. At least, that was the only justification he could think of. Still... a kidnapping?

"Wait, now I have questions too. What attack? And who was this person looking at us?" In a different spin, Kouki was more rattled than before. She followed suit and looked around as if the meaning of Amari's words finally sank in. As she did, she noticed that there were many others in the room, some unconscious while others were making conversation. She couldn't help but wonder, were they really all in the dark about this like Amari had said?

"It took me a little bit to remember after I woke up too, so I'm sure in time it will come to you, but I, personally, was knocked out by a figure before waking up here," Amari explained. At the very least, she was being helpful enough. Despite looking intimidating, it seemed Amari had good intentions. "As for the person, I don't see her anywhere in this room, but you can't miss her. She's ginger with a big red bow in her hair."

Once again, Kouki scanned the room, looking for anything that could fit what Amari just described. And, of course, once again, she was met with disappointment. However, a smudge of green in the bottom of her vision caught her eye and she looked down. As her gaze traveled lower, it was met by a red-eyed stare of a small, strange-looking girl crouched on the ground. As their eyes met, she raised a hand in greeting, "Kero."

Haru's head snapped down to look at the source of the strange croaking noise. It was a girl... pretending to be a frog? He was confused... More confused than he should have been, he decided. But perhaps, in retrospect, he should have been more confused about the girl. "Uh, miss?"

She cocked her head as if to show that she was listening to him. In contrast to Haru's own ginger hair, her's was a forest green. It looked rather unnatural, too, as if it didn't have the normal texture of hair. No... to Haru, it looked rather coarse. She croaked again, "Ko?"

He had no reason to, or so he believed, but Haru was getting frustrated at her lack of words. Thanks to said frustration, the wording of his question came out much harsher than he would have normally meant it, even through the hesitation, "Can you speak like a normal... person?"

Kouki then prodded Haru's arm, prompting him to turn. Her brown eyes were fixed on the girl's face, "Hold on, Haru. Look at her skin!"

He blinked and scanned her face, immediately catching what Kouki meant. The girl's skin had a strange, almost greenish tint and a stranger texture than her hair. It looked smoother, he'd even go as far as to say slicker, than a normal person's skin.

The girl seemed rather oblivious to what Kouki was getting at, "Ro...?" She raised her hand to look at it but frowned as she seemed to recall that it was covered in a thin, dark green glove. Shaking her head, she twisted her neck to look at her freckled shoulder. After a moment, she gave an awkward smile. It was normal to her, but she understood now why Kouki was confused.

"It's almost like it's- But... Isn't that impossible?" Kouki looked closer at the girl's face. Her freckles were looking more like straight-up spots to her at this point. Her eyes looked large and her hairstyle was starting to more resemble a certain animal... Kouki crouched, leaning forward, "Hey, little girl... Are you part... frog?"

And as if it were a perfectly normal thing, the girl grinned innocently and nodded, "Kero!" It wasn't possible. It simply wasn't. Haru couldn't believe it. Humans couldn't be part frog. That didn't work. How would it even remotely happen? He shuddered, indecent thoughts creeping into his mind about the frog girl's possible origins.

"'Kero' is all you can say?" He shook his head, grasping at straws for anything to distract him. 'Kero', or translated, 'Ribbit', was the sound a frog made. None of it made sense to him.

Regardless, the girl nodded with another 'Kero', confirming his suspicions. If that were true, it meant that she would be hard to communicate with.

Amari, who had been quietly watching, seemed to be more amazed instead of weirded out or just plain shocked like the other two. "A girl who is part frog. I have never heard of such a thing."

"Like I said, impossible! But... Here she is..." Kouki blinked as she repeated her earlier sentiment. She brought a finger to her lips, as if in thought and bit her tongue, apparently thinking hard. Then she looked back at the girl, "Do you have a name?"

"Keroko..." She croaked, but stopped and turned her head as she heard footsteps.

A small, thin girl with hair redder than Haru's had stepped toward the four. Her hair was tied into pigtails that reached her thighs and she looked fairly young, like the frog girl. Like someone in primary school. When she spoke, her voice came out as a bark, harsh and demanding, "Her name is Keroko.  A herpetologist. And she attends Hope's Peak just like you losers."

The last two statements rocked Kouki as she looked between Keroko and the new girl, "Hold on... What!?"

"You're kidding!" Haru seemed equally as bewildered. Based on those statements, Keroko was the Super High School Level Herpetologist. That seemed wrong to him somehow. She looked so young and, yet, she was a scientist? Not only that. A good enough scientist to be considered an Ultimate.

The ginger girl snorted in annoyance, placing her tiny hand on her cheek. Though it was small, Kouki noted her long fingers before looking at her lanky body. Side by side, she made Keroko look even more unnatural. Like a normal person, the ginger's body mass was equally distributed. Keroko's arms, however, were very thin, but long, as if they contained little muscle. Her legs, in contrast, while mostly covered by her skirt, looked much more muscular. Like a frog, Kouki realised. The new girl snapped Kouki out of her thoughts, with a demanding retort to Haru's statement, "Do I look like I'm kidding to you, music boy? For your information... I'm also a high schooler, which you should already know."

"Students these days are getting smaller and smaller..." Amari grunted, though a smile was playing on her lips. It was true enough for the large bodyguard to say. She dwarfed both Keroko and the new girl.

Ginger girl, who reminded Kouki of Halloween due to her orange and black clothes, didn't seem to take Amari's comment well, screeching in anger, "What the hell is that supposed to mean, loser!?"

"Hey, hey. I'm sure she didn't mean it like that." Kouki raised her arms and she stepped in between Amari and Halloween-girl. She wouldn't admit it, but she was worried about Amari squashing the tiny girl flat. "I'm Kouki. Kouki Maekawa. What about you, what's your name?"

The girl closed her mouth, seeming to relax a bit before rolling her neck, "I'm Marise Kita, the Super High School Level Mystery Novelist--"

"Kita? Like the Marise Kita? The one who wrote all those books about Koriko!?" Kouki couldn't help but cut in. The Fukui Chronicles was acclaimed across Japan for its suspenseful plots and intricate characters. Each sentence was written with so much care, it was like you were whisked away to a different universe each time you opened one of the books. Kouki, of course, finding talent in art forms of all types, was certainly familiar with them.

"H-Huh? Yeah, that's me..." Marise seemed caught off-guard by the fact that Kouki recognised her name. Her books were tailored to adults, not high-schoolers. She would never have guessed that a student would appreciate them. In fact, had she not written them herself, she wouldn't have given stories like that a chance. After her almost meek response, she frowned, "What about it!?"

Kouki blinked and then sporadically bowed several times, "A-Ah. Miss Kita, I apologise for the rudeness."

Smirking and swelling with pride at the sudden respect, Marise spoke again, "Hmph. That's more like it. But there's no need for that 'miss' business. It just makes you sound like a dignified loser." She would never stand for something like that. She just, simply put, wasn't a fan. Too professional.

"I've seen you around Hope's Peak too, I think... In the library." Haru furrowed his brow. He often spent his time there. It was calming to him and also...

"That's right. Finally, you remembered. You're Haru Tanioto. The kid that was always told to shut up because he wouldn't stop playing his damn cello in the library." As Marise's words met his ears, Haru couldn't help but recall the events. It had gotten to the point where the librarian wouldn't even let him bring his cello into the library. When he brought it up to administration, a compromise was formed. He could play soft music as long as it wasn't disrupting so that he could further his talent. That was fine with him, as any sort of playing eased him. His eyes met with Marise's bright green eyes and he felt his face go hot under her scolding face, In an attempt to deflect, he turned his attention to his cello case, brushing at it with his hand. "Er... Yeah..."

Apparently having tired of Haru, the mystery novelist turned to Amari. The height difference was rather comical, but both students looked threatening in their own right. There was no doubt in Amari's mind that this little girl could hurt someone if she wanted. Marise placed a hand on her hip, "But I don't remember seeing you ever."

Amari dipped her head before smiling rather warmly, "I am Amari Hoshino, the bodyguard. I was only around school for classes. Otherwise, I was out doing work."

Their conversation continued with Marise giving her usual sarcastic retorts, but Keroko didn't stay to listen. She already knew who Marise was and, rather, she was curious as to the others in the room. Hopping like a frog, she headed away from the small group of people, looking back at them. Then she turned to look forward again and let out a startled croak. "K-Kero!" Standing just mere inches from Keroko was... a doll?

Then, defying everything the herpetologist thought possible, the doll turned her head. How was it moving? Keroko studied the area around the doll, but there were no strings or humans. Was it remote-controlled maybe? Then, it spoke, much to Keroko's dismay, "Hm? Oh! You're pretty cute!"

"Ro..." Keroko shook her head in disbelief and shrunk lower to the floor in fear, she was thoroughly frightened. She had never liked dolls and it suddenly hit her as to what this meant. And even if she were wrong, the way her glassy eyes bore into her... And moving on her own? It was a perfect set-up for a horror movie. But that wasn't why Keroko was scared. Not in the slightest.

"I remember you! You were in my class at Hope's Peak! Keroko, right?" The doll smiled and put her hands together. That confirmed it. Keroko knew who this was. Even her individual fingers moved with precision. It seemed impossible, but Keroko knew that this doll's creator was more than capable.

"K-Kero..." She didn't want to answer, but she did anyway. It wasn't like she'd done anything wrong... yet.

"I'm Niseko!" The doll beamed, before looking down as she thought for a second. Keroko probably wouldn't recognise that name, so she elaborated, "But you may have known me better as Setsuka. That's because Setsuka is my master. After all, I'm just a doll created and controlled by her, the Super High School Level Doll Maker!"

There it was. The name 'Setsuka'. There was a girl in her class who had dressed similarly to Niseko. That was Setsuka. Keroko didn't like the doll maker very much as the doll maker was, well, creepy. She didn't talk very often, merely laughing. And she seemed to have no care for people around her, especially Keroko. The only solace was that Setsuka had only been in class about half the time. She was mysterious. No one really knew who she was other than her title of 'doll maker'. No one even knew her true name. There were rumors that even on the school roster she was merely Setsuka.

As if by a miracle, a tall boy stepped toward the group, making both of them turn. He had deep purple hair with two locks that stood up like horns, though they reminded Keroko of a stag beetle. He spoke, his voice smooth and melodic, " So it is the frog and the doll... How interesting."

Keroko recognised him, too. The boy was also in her class. As if to confirm, she tilted her head, "Kero?"

Niseko, or Setsuka, for now, I'll call her Niseko to make it easier, smiled and put her hands together again. It seemed almost like a staple gesture for the doll, "Ah, Yudai Shimizu! The Super High School Level Mask Maker, right?"

"Yes, that's precisely it. Though, as I overheard, you are merely Setsuka, correct? So you are already familiar with me. Regardless, I am Yudai Shimizu just as you remember." He watched Niseko with a careful eye and she watched him back. Yudai had been a transfer student and was only scouted halfway through the year. His arrival had been a strange one to be sure. He had shown up to class one day and acted like he had been there since the beginning, never disclosing why he integrated into the class so naturally.

"Isn't this wonderful? It's like a big reunion!" Niseko looked up. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but her left hand seemed to twitch slightly as if undergoing a small glitch. Keroko frowned at the spasm, small as it was, and wondered. What worried her was Niseko's behavior. In class, Setsuka had never been this... peppy. She was reclusive. The type of person who never associated with others. If Niseko was really controlled by Setsuka, was the doll maker putting on an act? For what reason?

"Somehow I feel something more sinister will be at play here. But, alas. That is just the feeling I get..." Yudai murmured. He wasn't worried about Setsuka but was rather focused on something else that seemed off. The more practical, in-the-moment thing. He looked around. There were two doors, but both were locked. He had checked previously. If this was a kidnapping, it was a flawless one with at least fifteen victims. He rose his head when his gaze caught someone else approaching them.

One could have noticed his bright yellow outfit or perhaps his build, just visible under the thick fabric... That is if they weren't immediately distracted by the mask covering his face. It was a full-on welding mask, strapped to his head. His entire face was covered, leaving his identity a mystery. Keroko noticed him after both Yudai and Niseko had and couldn't hide her surprise, "K-Ko!"

Niseko, on the other hand, tilted her head, "Hm. I'm not sure we've met, but judging by your mask I can only assume--"

"Honda." She didn't get too far before she was interrupted by the large man, "Rikuto Honda. The Super High School Level Welder."

"Right. A Welder!" Niseko continued motioning toward his mask. Despite everything, she could hear him just fine and, even stranger, it seemed he could see just fine out of it. Niseko, or rather, Setsuka had never worn a welding mask, but she knew that its purpose was to protect the wearer from the heat and light while welding. It was dark to ensure one's eyesight was safe.

Yudai spoke up, "Introductions roll off the tongue like the waves of the sea, flowing off Poseidon's trident... Yet is Rikuto not still unfamiliar with I and the two of you... Doll and Frog?"

As Yudai said, Rikuto was, indeed, unfamiliar. He hadn't ever seen the three at all, instead choosing to spend his time at Hope's Peak Academy in his dorm, practicing his craft. Niseko clapped her hands with glee, "I'm Niseko... My master is the doll maker, Setsuka. And this is Keroko, a herpetologist!"

"Optimistic." Rikuto grunted. He was never one for long-winded speeches. Instead, he liked to stay on the point. In his experience, it was what people expected from him, too. The man who never showed his face and barely spoke. The strong, silent type. It was what they wanted.

Niseko frowned, bringing a finger to her chin, "Is there something wrong with that?"

"There is a heavy feeling in the air." Rikuto looked toward the ceiling. One may not expect it from a shut-in, but Rikuto was very in tune with his surroundings. His instinct was almost always right on the money. Niseko waited for him to explain what he meant, but Rikuto made no other sound.

"It is as I said before... You seem to think these waters as calm when, in actuality, a storm is brewing." Thankfully, Yudai elaborated as, clearly, Rikuto had no interest in answering. Though his words and analogies made little sense to Rikuto, the welder looked up.

He got the gist of Yudai was saying and he responded accordingly, "A storm. Even if there were a storm, the water would not reach us down here."

He blinked under his mask and his gaze reached someone sitting in a flamboyant pink shirt behind Yudai. His next destination was set.

"Perhaps... But if the heavens willed it, would rain not touch anywhere?" Rikuto barely heard Yudai, though he was aware of the mask maker watching him walk off. Even so, Rikuto walked until he stood just in front of the pink boy.

He looked up as Rikuto towered over him. Standing up straight and without any hesitation, the boy began to poke and prod all over the mask on Rikuto's face, making strange humming noises, "Mm... Mm... Mmmmmm..."

"What?" Rikuto folded his arms. This boy was also unfamiliar to him, but he wore a nametag. It said 'ラクシャリー' or 'Luxury'. Rikuto had a distinct feeling that this wasn't the obviously Japanese boy's real name.

"Ah, this mask is no good." 'Luxury' finally said, again poking at Rikuto's mask.

Batting the boy's finger away, Rikuto frowned, something unseen to everyone but himself, "I don't understand. Why?"

"Well, I can't tell what to do for you if you don't show me your face!" He raised his arms as if surrendering to something. His golden eyes sparkled with mischief.

"The mask stays on," Rikuto had no idea what he was referring to, but it hardly mattered to him. His response would've stayed the same regardless, As he looked, Rikuto could form an idea of what the boy meant. 'Luxury's face was pristinely coated with makeup and if Rikuto had to guess, his talent had to do with it.

The boy winked, raising a makeup brush and lightly fiddling with it, "What a shame! What a shame! Perhaps in time, then."

"Who are you?" Rikuto finally decided to cut to the chase. While most people had introduced themselves straight away, he didn't. Surely the boy didn't really want to be known as 'Luxury' his entire life, right?

"Ah, don't worry! Don't worry! I have credentials." He seemed to take the question as one of skepticism rather than simple curiosity. Rikuto supposed that his blunt nature didn't help, nor did his appearance. "I'm Shigeru Fujioka, the Super High School Level Cosmetologist."

It seemed Shigeru wouldn't be making this unnecessarily hard after all. Perhaps he was sharper than he looked and acted. ...But Rikuto had to admit to himself. He didn't know what a cosmetologist was. "Hm."

Shigeru seemed to pick up on his subtle clues. His question was soft, but it was as if he could see straight through the mask. "Whatever seems to be the matter?"

Rikuto liked people who got him. People he didn't have to explain his every feeling to. A little bit awkwardly, Rikuto asked his question, "Do you study... stars?"

It made perfect sense to the welder. Cosmetologist, cosmos... Didn't the Soviet Union also name their astronauts 'cosmonauts'? Unfortunately for Rikuto, cosmetologists were different from cosmologists.

"...What?" Shigeru frowned briefly before realising where Rikuto's blunder had come from, "No, no! I'm a makeup artist!"

It was a simple enough error, but Shigeru liked to liken 'cosmetologist' to 'cosmetics'. They did come from the same root word after all. 'Cosmétologie' coming from 'kosmetos'. Had Shigeru taken the time to explain that, Rikuto's next answer might have been different. But as it was, he simply said "I see."

"Er, do you?" Rikuto stiffened as Shigeru tilted his head questioningly. Had the cosmetologist seen right through him with those scrutinising yellow eyes of his? Shigeru then shrugged and dropped it for another topic, "Well, never mind all that! What's your name?"

"Rikuto Honda." Rikuto nodded. It was simple and to the point. His talent was obvious at one glance as well.

"Aha. A welder, I'd presume. So you don't mind if I just call you Riku, right?" Shigeru nodded, glancing at his welding mask again. If the conversation had revealed anything to Rikuto, it was that Shigeru was very easygoing.

"Does it matter?" No one had ever tried to give Rikuto a nickname before so his answer was quite blunt, He didn't mean it to come off as rude in any way, though, and, if it did, he was ready to apologise.

Thankfully, Shigeru didn't seem to take it that way. However, he also didn't derive an answer from it, "Hmhm! Of course! If you are not comfortable, I shall-"

"I do not have a preference." Rikuto cut him off. He wasn't used to social interactions and didn't know how to handle Shigeru. And Shigeru, with his killer looks and great attention to other people's opinions toward him, was usually good at adapting to people, but even he was having trouble with the reclusive welder.

"I-I see, I see..." A moment passed before Shigeru was rescued from the awkward interaction between him and Rikuto as someone else darted toward them.

His running had come to a stop so quickly, it was like he defied gravity. The way his cape and ponytail fluttered behind him was like some sort of majestic hero and his confident smile didn't give any insight as to how he was truly feeling. When he spoke, though, his voice did betray a slight bit of nervousness, "Ah, you won't believe what I saw! Boy... I'm a lucky duck, for sure!"

The boy who had just arrived smoothed his crimson hair and then looked at Shigeru. Then Rikuto. Suddenly, his gaze snapped back to Shigeru with a bewildered look as if he'd just realised who he had run into. Shigeru grinned, his snaggletooth giving his smile a lopsided look, "Oh, hello, Kanna!"

"Shigeru? I didn't know you were here, too." Kanna admitted before turning to Rikuto once more. He, of course, remembered everyone he met. It was just basic courtesy, right? The big guy in yellow, though, was unfamiliar to even him, however. As Kanna's silver eyes scanned Rikuto, he couldn't find anything to latch onto to betray who he was. As far as Kanna knew, there was no welder at Hope's Peak.

It made sense since Rikuto barely left his room and whenever he did, it was under the cover of night. Since Kanna always got a perfect amount of sleep, it was unlikely the two would ever cross paths. Shigeru nodded at Kanna's comment, "I could say the same to you. I'd never have expected to see you in such a dull place as this. I was kidnapped as I assumed we all were but... How did you manage to get overtaken? With your talent, I'd have assumed that you could take on anyone, no?"

"Super High School Level Perfection... It's hard to match." Rikuto frowned under his mask when Kanna mentioned his talent. Was an 'Ultimate Perfection' really possible? "Welp, I suppose I will have to work on my anti-kidnapping skills. I see you've found a friend. Good sir, I am Kanna Kanichi."

"Perfection." Rikuto repeated. Perhaps it was just Kanna trying to chalk himself up to be more than he really was... But then, his movements earlier couldn't have just been a fluke. He seemed so natural. Almost... perfect.

"That's right. I'm called the Super High School Level Perfection. It's a stressful title for sure, but, at the very least, I can use it to help out everyone here, be it getting out or unlocking one's true potential!" Kanna seemed to share the sentiment that escape would not be as straightforward as just walking out. Rikuto had known that he wasn't the only one who thought that; Yudai had said as much. But here was more agreement, coming from one who called himself perfection.

Shigeru must've picked up on the fact that Rikuto wasn't quite sure how introductions worked from their own interaction as he then motioned toward the welder, "This is Rikuto Honda. He doesn't seem to talk much."

"I could figure. Many men like you seem to be that way." Rikuto narrowed his eyes in thought as Kanna spoke. Was that not his own reasoning for it? He acted the way he did because others before him had. Kanna seemed to understand, and yet... "It's almost a trope by now! But I wonder... Do you fit it to perfection yet? And are you flawless at your talent? Or is there that which I could help you work on?"

"Perfection is fleeting. It is a standard we've set that we shall never reach." Rikuto had made up his mind. Ultimate Perfection was impossible. It was, ironically enough, an imperfection by Hope's Peak Academy, assigning such a title to a student.

Silence pervaded the trio for a bit before Shigeru broke the silence, bringing attention back to Kanna's earlier actions, "A-Anyway, Kanna. What did you see?"

The prodigy placed a hand to his head as if remembering such an event was strenuous. "There was this person, dunno if you ever met him... If you had, you might know him for his eyes. They can be frightening at first glance" Kanna frowned, looking across the room until his gaze set upon the person in question, "Let's just say I spoke with him a few times at Hope's Peak Academy. He wasn't very fond of my... nature."

"...Eyes?" Shigeru wondered aloud. How could eyes be scary? Perhaps if one saw him in a dark alley, they would be startled at first by his bright yellow eyes, but they weren't scary per se.

"Who was this person?" Asking the relevant question, Rikuto stared down Kanna and, though the prodigy couldn't see it, he still felt as though Rikuto were watching him closely.

"Yes..." Adding to the suspense first, Kanna slowly turned his head to see him again. He blinked his silver eyes, focused on the boy with dark brown hair and eyes wearing an apron. Said boy didn't seem to notice Kanna, to his relief and, after a quick second, Kanna raised his arm to point, "That one over there!"

Kanna blinked his silver eyes, focused on the boy with dark brown hair and eyes wearing an apron. Said boy didn't seem to notice Kanna, to his relief and, after a quick second, Kanna raised his arm to point, "That one over there!"

Rikuto grunted. He recognised the boy who still didn't seem to notice the small group even as all three of them looked in his direction. He was too fixated on the girl in front of him. She had deep blue hair that covered her eyes, long and pulled back into a ponytail. I will state that this girl, out of everyone currently trapped there, is the one that would frighten me the most if I saw her at first glance. Perhaps it is the way she carries herself, or how her emotions are always obscured, but much unlike Rikuto's. From my findings at this point, I could not tell you, though the reason might become more clear in the future.

The boy, however, was already familiar with her as the girl had been in his class at Hope's Peak Academy. He knew what she was like already and he also knew what she was capable of, so when someone new and foreign to him approached the girl from behind, it was no surprise to him when she said without turning, "Ah, someone new has joined us."

The girl, small in stature, but quite threatening-looking in stance, narrowed her red eyes. Strapped to her back was a katana. On her hip, a wakizashi. The boy wondered if they were real. Surely not, right? Her voice seemed strange when it met the boy's ears. It was quiet, with the slightest hint of a dialect, "How... interesting. You did not even turn to look at me."

The newer girl folded her arms and shut her eyes, almost giving her a meditative look. It seemed that she was a person of calm demeanor which made the fact that she possibly carried weapons slightly less scary. The first girl answered her quietly, "Yes, I'm aware. I heard you."

With that, the girl with the swords opened her eyes. It was such a simple action, yet paired with her harsh voice, it made the boy jump, "Is that so?"

Kanna had pointed out his eyes. They were wider than they should've been at any given point in time, but the boy was not a threat to anybody. He wasn't a fan of confrontation and, of course, his stuttering caused by his constant, violent trembling didn't help anything. Regardless, he smoothed out his apron, feeling the need to cover his blunder. "S-so, who are you anyway, Miss, uh, s-sword girl...?"

"You're very jumpy." Miss sword girl noted. He sighed. It wasn't as though he couldn't expect anyone not to notice. It was painfully obvious that he was shakier than a leaf in a windstorm. The girl then moved to introduce herself. With a bow that showed deep respect, she spoke, "My name is Mei Meiyo. I am called the Super High School Level Ninja."

Had her talent not been said and her appearance not been so frightening, the boy might have commented on her name. It was quite silly sounding, being alliterative and all, but alas, he remained silent. After a brief moment of silence, the blue-haired girl responded with an introduction of her own, though she didn't return the bow, "I am Ami Yumekuu... The Super High School Level Hypnotist."

"I see..." Mei brought a finger to her chin, eyeing Ami. She brought her hand to her chest and then stopped. It was gone. But gone where? Had someone taken it? At the very least, they had left her with that which she must never let go... Regardless, Mei would have to go about this the old-fashioned way, "What is a hypnotist?"

Ami didn't seem to understand Mei's question even though there was no doubt she heard it perfectly. She raised her hands defensively, dipping her head, "Oh, please pay no heed. I would not like my talent getting in the way of your opinion of me."

Mei would not leave without an answer, though, and she placed her hand on the hilt of her wakizashi. Perhaps the boy was wrong. Perhaps she was more quick to cut than he had originally imagined. "H-Hey, Ami... She's got her hand on that sword there... You sure this is alright?"

"I am aware. Calm yourself." Ami's voice didn't waver. She knew the threat of what she was dealing with. Someone called the Ultimate Ninja must be proficient enough with a blade that they could easily strike down any foe. But she still didn't realise that Mei's question was genuine.

And this was precisely why Mei didn't like to rely on others. It was difficult to get anything out of them. Sometimes they were scared of her, other times just noncompliant. Her hand still steady, the swordswoman repeated herself, though a hint of desperation edged her voice, "But what is a hypnotist?"

Steadily realising that Mei was actually asking her a real question, Ami started slow. She needed to know just how in the dark Mei really was. Instinctively, she reached toward her pocket, where her pocket watch was stored, "Someone who... hypnotises?"

"I do not understand." Mei said, her grip tightening around the handle of the sword. At this point, the desperation within her was growing strong. She needed to know the answer.

Deciding that a simple answer would be best, Ami shook her head, " It's like falling asleep, but being controlled."

"I... see." In one fluid motion, Mei drew her wakizashi, a white and gold blade, and spun around to point it at the boy, "And who are you?"

He jumped as the blade got close and yelped in surprise. It was true that the boy had yet to utter his name, but, like Shigeru, he wore a name tag. Unlike Shigeru's, his read what must be his family name. Mei recognised the kanji. The first had to read 'Taka' as that was almost always the reading used in names. The second... was it 'Nichi' or 'Jitsu' or perhaps even 'Hi'? Mei knew a great amount of kanji and ways to read them. Perhaps that was the issue. Someone who wasn't as knowledgeable as her might be able to read the boy's name without a second thought.

"Answer." Mei demanded, pushing her sword closer to the boy. Takabi? Takaga? She simply didn't know. She did, however, know that the meaning was akin to 'High Sun'. Mei's own surname meant 'Honor', an honor she would protect.

"Sh-Shohei! Takanichi! B-Barista!" His words came out jumbled and choppy, but they still got the point across. Shohei Takanichi the Super High School Level... Barista? To Ami, it made perfect sense. Shohei was always shaky and jumpy due to caffeine. Yet to someone who had never even heard the term, Mei just ended up more confused than before.

She shook her head, still keeping Shohei at swordpoint, "Barista?"

"Y-Yes. I serve... coffee..." Who was this person, Shohei wondered, to not know what a hypnotist or a barista was? She must surely know the meaning of...

"Coffee?" And a bust. Mei had no clue what 'coffee' was. In fact, the honorable swordswoman was unfamiliar with any drink that wasn't water. The pure substance was all she ever had to drink.

Regardless, Shohei had to elaborate, his neck still in danger from Mei's sword, "It's a... d-drink."

"You must familiarise me with it later." And finally, with that, Mei sheathed the white blade back into its crimson sheath. Then she turned toward Ami again, eyeing up the hypnotist.

Shohei took this opportunity to back away from the dangerous woman. He got as far as he could before bumping into someone. He turned to look at a small boy with messy, forest green hair that was pulled into pigtails; a quite feminine fashion. He grinned when he locked eyes with Shohei, "Oh, hey there! When we get out of here, vote for me please."

Shohei had to blink in surprise. The kid had said it so nonchalantly that it seemed perfectly natural for him to ask such a random question in such a random place. When the boy kept staring at him expectantly, he opened his mouth to speak, his words coming out in jumbled bunches. "I... uh... wh-what?"

He reached behind him and pulled out some sort of poster. It looked like a... campaigning poster? "Nori Sasaki's the name, politics is my game! So a vote for Sasaki won't just change your life, but the future!"

Oh great, the kid was a stereotypical politician. That must've been his talent, the Super High School Level Politician.

Should Shohei introduce himself? Would the politician even care? Might as well go for it, "Um, I'm Sh-Shohei Takanichi. I'm the Super High School Level B-Barista..."

Nori grinned even wider, raising a finger to signal Shohei to wait. He darted off and almost immediately came back with someone in tow. "Aha, I think you'd work well with my good friend Raya here!"

"Friend? Ugh, Nori... I don't know this guy." For a brief moment, the new guy didn't look too thrilled. He held onto the top hat atop his head to prevent it from falling off and his other hand was clutched onto a big, round, silver hoop. He glared at Nori, but when he seemed to notice that Shohei was watching, his obviously strained smirk was replaced with a large smile, "I mean. Yes! I can welcome everyone and anyone! I am Yamato Yukimura, the Super High School Level Ringmaster!"

Was that what the hoop was for? To accentuate his status as ringmaster by carrying an actual ring? Shohei didn't think ringmasters usually carried rings, but he decided against pointing that out, "N-Nice to meet you..."

"Hopefully the act begins soon, so that we may know what dangers lie ahead!" Yamato beamed, despite what he had just said.

"D-Dangers?" It seemed that unlike Yudai, Rikuto, and Kanna, the thought of this being a bad thing never crossed the barista's mind. In fact, he frowned, beginning to feel sweat form on his forehead.

"We're in no danger. Yet." A different voice answered him. The 'yet' had been so seamlessly placed on the end that Shohei almost didn't notice it. He turned to see the orange-haired cellist, whom he had not been introduced to yet. He'd seen him a couple of times at school, but they had never properly met.

"Huh? Did you just inter-" At the sight of Haru, Yamato narrowed his purple eyes, But he cut himself off like before, filling the void with another smile, which was becoming increasingly more fake, "I mean, who are you, young man?"

"Don't be a jerk, Yamato." Haru responded. Of course, Yamato knew who he was. They were in the same class. But Yamato also knew that Haru was easy to tease and seemed to derive pleasure from it. As Haru glared at Yamato, Kouki wandered toward them, surprised at Haru's sudden change in tone. It wasn't at all like the slightly awkward, timid boy she had woken up. How many people here had a darker, underlying personality? Haru then continued, "And drop the act. It's a bit sad looking."

Yamato had to forcibly stop himself from audibly growling at Haru not taking the bait. Thankfully, Nori broke the tension, "Never mind that... What did you mean, 'We're in no danger'?"

"Yet." Haru corrected. What was the boy hiding? How could he have regained his composure so quickly? And then, more defensively, more like before, he added "I've felt danger many times, okay? This isn't it. Yet."

"Ugh, what would you know about danger, Haru?" Yamato shook his head, "Class nerd."

"Yamato--"

"Y-You kept saying 'Y-Yet'..." He'd been staring at Kouki, but when it sounded like Yamato and Haru were about to get into an argument, Shohei clasped his hands together nervously and stared straight at the cellist. He didn't want to admit that he might be in danger. If he did, his mind might start racing even faster than it already was. As he talked, Kouki's head snapped up. She hadn't noticed Shohei until he spoke and opened her mouth to say something to him, but wasn't quick enough as Haru continued.

"Because it could shape up to be dangerous, something Yamato here clearly doesn't..." He trailed off as his attention was diverted. He'd made eye contact with a girl who had long, ombre ginger hair and a large red bow standing at the head of the room, a ways away. A large bow? Hadn't Amari mentioned something like that? "Huh?"

Grabbing Kouki's arm and pulling her out of her stunned stare at Shohei, Haru began to walk toward the woman. Kouki turned to see why Haru was suddenly on the move and quickly picked up on it, exclaiming to the ginger, "You're that girl! The one who was watching us!"

"Hm?" The girl looked at Kouki with wide, icy blue eyes and a small, somehow mischievous-looking smile. When she spoke, her speech was edged with a dramatic tone. "Ohhh... And you were that girl who was... sleeping, yes? Oh, but I was only worried. You hadn't woken up yet and neither had your friend, here."

"Huh? Just who are you?" Caught off-guard by her response which hadn't sounded very genuine, Kouki frowned. She scanned the girl up and down. She was wearing a red and white dress covered by a sweater, but there was nothing about it that told Kouki anything as to who this strange person might be. She wasn't familiar in the slightest, nor was her talent immediately obvious.

"Kyahahaha! I didn't know you were that desperate, love." The girl laughed like a witch and suddenly, Kouki didn't feel nearly as comfortable. Desperate? What did she mean? The girl didn't give Kouki much time to think about it though as she launched into her introduction, "Yukari Nagakage. Psychoanalyst, at your beck and call."

"Beck and call?" Haru couldn't help but recoil. Did she think she was a maid? Because she clearly just said... Psychoanalyst. Suddenly, that sunk into Haru's head. She was a psychoanalyst which meant... She was probably trying to lower his and Kouki's guards. But for what?

"Hm? Ah-- Never mind..." Yukari looked at Haru and her face tensed up for just the slightest of moments. She then cleared her throat and spoke in a voice loud enough for the whole room to hear. "Hello? Hello. It's so nice to meet all of you in this damp... gross... smelly... add more adjectives of your choice... room! Isn't that right, loves?"

People had turned to look at Yukari, now, but Kouki wasn't paying them any mind. Instead, she was focused on how quickly Yukari changed her voice from over-exaggerated to deadpan in a mere moment. "I'm sure you all are wondering why we're here, yes? Simple, simple! Because someone really loves Hope's Peak Students! And really wants to see them do something... Right? Am I right? Kyahahaha!"

Haru had no idea what Yukari was blabbing about, but clearly, she knew something he didn't, and the fact that she was withholding information annoyed him. She finished her speech with a hand raised in the air as if summoning something, "Oh, bear! Where are you, love...!?"

"You're crazy! And you were the one stalking us!" He snarled at Yukari. That was it. Haru had had enough of the psychoanalyst's delusional rambling. Despite his harsh tone, she merely looked back with an innocent and playful smile.

"Stalking might be a bit much, but I can confirm that you were watching them rather strangely," Amari stepped forward and when she did, Haru turned to look at the people who had gathered. Everyone had joined Haru, Kouki, and Yukari. There were sixteen people in all. Sixteen.

"Crazy... Crazy, hm?" The ginger didn't seem the least bit fazed by the accusations as she mumbled under her breath. Then her gaze, which seemed considerably more icy than before, snapped back to Haru, "Oh, but I guarantee that the bear is somewhere! I guarantee it. Besides what's a game without-"

"Upupupupu..."

Chapter Text

"Upupupupu..."

"Quite right." Yukari grinned. Haru frowned. It had seemed like her previous facade had been broken... Or was it? She went straight back to her cutesy demeanor so quickly, he had to wonder if he had imagined it. No, that must have been what this Yukari girl wanted. Psychoanalysts deal with the subconscious. So by manipulating Haru's, she was effectively fulfilling her role as a psychoanalyst, right?

Kouki wasn't paying attention to Yukari anymore, though. Unlike Haru, she was more concerned with the noise that had interrupted Yukari. That strange, laughter-like noise. It didn't come from any of the students. At least, not that she could tell. When it rang out again, Kouki covered her head and whimpered, "What is that noise?"

"Noise. Noise?!" The voice rang out again, and this time, it was clear to her that it wasn't coming from anyone she could see... Probably. Kouki couldn't help but sneak a peek back at Yukari who looked like she was having the time of her life. But as the voice continued, the abstract artist didn't see a single muscle of Yukari's mouth move. It was just frozen in her cheerful smile. "How dare you call my, no, the, signature laugh 'noise'!!"

"Noise, noise indeed. You cannot claim that it is not," Shigeru raised a single finger to make a point, then moved to smooth out his hair.

"Please don't tell me you're actually engaging with this invisible loser! It's probably the creepy bow bitch talking to herself," Marise snorted. She was pointing to Yukari with a thin finger. It seemed long for her hands, but still, Kouki couldn't help but notice how small her hand as a whole was.

"Hey now. I might be powerful..." Yukari's voice was light but carried an undertone of fake emotion to it. As he listened to the many voices, Haru wondered what Yukari meant by powerful. Surely not her knowledge of the subconscious. Did that equate to power? As he pondered, her voice shifted again, becoming lower and more blatantly threatening, "But I'm no voice artist."

"That's going against your point!" Niseko, who had jumped up onto Rikuto's back to get a better angle, was, of course, referring to Yukari's constant tone and voice shifts, but Yukari paid her no mind.

Keroko rubbed her hand against one of her round, green buns her hair was styled in and croaked, "Kero ko koko."

No one would understand her, even though it was as dismissive as it sounded. Except, to the herpetologist's surprise, "Yes, I agree! This is foolish. Come now, everyone just listen to me."

"Ro!" Keroko croaked in surprise, but Yukari held her gaze. How had she known what Keroko meant? That was impossible, right? Or perhaps, it was simply that the subconscious dealer dealt with the subconscious and could pick up on Keroko's intentions through her voice.

"Bear, it was a clever trick hiding under the floorboards, but you can come out now. I found you." Yukari waved out her hands in a grandiose fashion, motioning toward the floor.

"She's crazy!" Kouki finally admitted. But even her supposed realisation would be short-lived.

"Aw, I guess the jig is up then. How did you find me so-- Ah, actually I'd rather not know." The floorboard in front of Yukari spun as something black and white popped out. It was just as she claimed. "Besides, my name is not 'bear'."

"K-Kero!!" The frog girl yelped as what did, in fact, look to be a bear passed by her, looking straight into Keroko's eyes, before walking on. Though he was mostly monochrome, he had one slitted red eye which seemed to pierce through whomever he looked at.

Niseko still clinging to his neck, Rikuto grunted, "Impossible. A walking teddy bear?"

As he said that, Mei suddenly perked up and looked between Rikuto and the bear. The ninja's eyes were narrowed in thought, but she said nothing.

"But then that means our ribbon lady may not be as crazy as she seems." Kanna sighed, folding his arms. True to his word, Yukari looked rather pleased with herself, but Kanna's gaze didn't linger on her long and he turned back to the bear. His eyes narrowed and his face was a bit tight, but there was no hesitation in his voice, "What is your name anyway if you don't mind my asking?"

"Of course I don't mind. It's... Monokuma!!" The bear raised his arms, possibly for dramatic effect. Though it was lost in the sea of confused students.

"Monokuma..." Ami echoed, her voice soft and distant. She placed a hand on her bangs before directing her attention toward him again. It was worth a shot, right? "Can we not call you 'bear' for short?"

"Of course not!" Monokuma yelped, glaring at Ami and completely avoiding her attempt at rushed hypnotism. What kind of a cute, loving mascot would he be if mere students could dispatch him so easily? No, in truth, something like him could never be hypnotised.

Shohei was lost in his own world. The name Monokuma... It was short for Monokuro and Kuma. Monochrome Bear. Yet... still. It was a simple word pun, but it felt so ominous... "Wh-Why does the name sound familiar... I-I-I can't remember..."

The chatter slowly began to die down as students were left to their own thoughts. Of course, it only seemed obvious that Monokuma would break it again-- "What is a teddy bear? How does it differ from a bear?"

Mei was the one who had spoken, her body in a neutral position as she stared down Monokuma with eyes that could make anyone regret crossing her. But it wasn't only Monokuma who was unfazed as Marise snorted, "Excuse me?"

The ninja turned toward the small girl, wondering if she would be the one to answer her inquiry. Scanning her freckled face, Mei decided that her attitude suggested otherwise. Did Marise require more pressing? Mei was willing to push further with her line of questioning, "Was I not clear with my question? What is a teddy bear?"

"How do you not know that!?" Marise shot back, clearly unaware of Mei's lack of basic knowledge. She then swallowed as, once again, that white wakizashi found itself pointed to another throat.

"Answer me," Mei demanded, glaring at the ginger girl.

"Gah! Put your stupid sword away, loser." Marise turned instinctively, her hand pressed on her left rib as if Mei had already stabbed her there. She looked like a hurt doe now, completely different from her earlier demeanor, "I-It's not like I know either. Ask someone else, I'm just a little girl after all!"

Kouki frowned, pointing at Marise, remembering the novelist's earlier boasting. "Hey, you played the opposite card earlier!"

"Tch. Loser." Marise's face formed a perfectly stereotypical puffed-cheek face as she turned away from Mei quite nonchalantly and moved to a new location, far away from the ninja.

Yudai sighed, shaking his head. His hair tufts waved around as he did so, " I feel as though we are swimming in place. You have yet to tell us where we are, bear."

"I told you my name is Monokuma! Not 'Bear'!" He screeched in response, his face quite literally glowing red with anger. Then, from out of his plush paw, three sharp claws extended, looking more like blades. Just as it seemed like he was about to slash Yudai, who seemed indifferent, across the face, he jarringly moved into a relaxed position, inspecting his claws as if nothing had happened. "And before Miss Meiyo blows herself up, a teddy bear is a fluffy, loving, tiny bear made of soft materials that helps you sleep at night! I can't believe you all were too rude to explain that... Upupupupu..."

His laugh was somehow creepy despite being so strange and some of the students felt a chill run down their spine. Mei, however, bowed toward the bear, "I give you my thanks."

"No need to look so down while you do!" Monokuma turned back to Yudai, "Anyway, 'stag beetle', you are in a wondrous place. The Subterranean Rescue Shelter, or the 'SRS'! But, the name doesn't matter, nor really the location, because you're not getting out anytime soon."

Marise gritted her teeth. There were so many things wrong with that. Subterranean? Like, underground subterranean? And then... That last part, "What's that supposed to mean!?"

Monokuma shrugged, unperturbed by Marise's forceful speaking, "It's simple, really. You're not getting out! Duh-doy!"

Kanna knew he couldn't show his discomfort in front of the other students. That would be a disgrace to his talent. But, he could question the bear, right? "But then--"

"You already had your turn, Mr. Perfect. Let the others ask questions too." Monokuma growled, barely letting any sound pass Kanna's lips.

"Oh, of course..." Kanna frowned. His mind was on a different path, anyway. Monokuma had known Kanna's talent as well as Mei's surname. Just what was his role in all of this? Surely the stuffed teddy bear couldn't be their kidnapper alone. He had to be controlled by someone. But... who? Someone in this room or someone else...? As he looked around, his gaze landed on Shigeru who was eyeing him very curiously, as if he were privy to Kanna's thoughts of distrust. No, of course. He couldn't let suspicion cloud his judgment. After all, he was fairly certain he'd seen most of the others at some point at Hope's Peak Academy.

"Kero? Kero ro, kero?" Keroko raised an arm, but after she spoke, she lowered her head, realising that no one could understand her still.

And to Keroko's surprise, she was proven wrong for the second time. This time by Monokuma, "I mean, that counts as your question, frog girl, but yes, I can understand you."

"K-Kero!" Keroko responded in surprise again, just as she had with Yukari. Haru blinked as a feeling of loneliness from Keroko passed by. Somehow, the cellist had a feeling the Monokuma wasn't her best bet at a friend.

"If we're not getting out, are there basic necessities? Food, water, hygiene..." Niseko had climbed onto Rikuto's head now, though the welder didn't seem to mind very much. As she spoke, some of the others mumbled their appreciation for someone asking that question, even if it did suggest what they all didn't want to believe.

"Glad you asked. You'll be fine! For example, we have enough food stored down here for three hundred years for ten thousand people! It's great!" Monokuma grinned and as if out of nowhere, pulled a tray of sushi from behind him. Rikuto narrowed his unseen eyes at the thought of such perishable food being in an underground shelter for three hundred years. Through big mouthfuls, Monokuma muttered, "Want some? Too bad, get your own."

Choosing to ignore his last statement, the doll breathed a sigh of relief or, at least, what one could perceive as that. The doll couldn't actually breathe, so it was more of a sound than anything else. "Phew, that's a lot of food!"

Most people had just taken the answer as if it were normal and that annoyed Rikuto ever so slightly. Did they have no desire of their own? Did they follow as blindly as an army of ants? He turned to look at the bear and asked a question of his own, "But how do we get out?"

"Ah, I'd like to keep the suspense on that one a bit longer, you know?"

And in what was probably the biggest act of hypocrisy, Rikuto nodded, "I see."

"You see? No, no. You must be more forward than that." Shigeru also picked up on Rikuto's backward thinking and apparently had regained his fire, fiercely pointing at Monokuma, "How do we get out?"

"Ugh, you persistent little pests," Monokuma growled. He did not seem happy to oblige as he placed his now empty tray underneath him and sat down defiantly.

Kouki had also regained her senses. She wasn't about to take no answer as an answer. "Clearly you're here for something, right? So just tell us, weird bear thing!"

One by one, the other students joined in, pressuring Monokuma until the only one not actively doing anything was Yukari, who simply stood behind him, watching everything unfold. Perhaps if someone were to notice her, they might start to suspect the psychoanalyst even more. But for now, she waited. Perhaps she was wondering if someone would soon make a fool of themselves. Surely the psychoanalyst wound find some fun in that.

"Fine! Fine, fine, fine! The only way to get out is-- Ah!" Monokuma conceded but suddenly cut himself off to point a sharp claw behind him at Yukari. "Don't steal my thunder, 'Ribbon Girl'. You have your own."

"I wouldn't dare."

Students exchanged glances, but Yukari simply stood with a soft smile. Monokuma then continued, "Anyway, the only way to get out is... Killing someone! Stab, pelt, bludgeon, electrocute, smash, burn, poison, explode, stab again, smash again... and again! fry, slam, impale, hang, slice, drug, drop, run over, poison and impale, smash yet again... Oh, there are so many methods."

"Some of those were really specific." Haru grimaced. He was specifically referring to the four different smashings. The 'again's meant it was intentional, but why?

"Well, I've seen them all before." Monokuma shrugged.

There was a beat of silence, before what Monokuma said finally sunk in. Haru grit his teeth, "Hang on, you're serious?"

"Of course!" With that simple statement, conversations broke out between the students, each one providing their own unique explanation for what any of that could possibly mean - or be.

"Ahahahahahahahahahaha!" The entire room was silenced by maniacal laughing. Instinctively, Kouki turned to look at Yukari, but the ginger girl was just quietly watching everything unfold with the same small smile. It wasn't her that had laughed. No... Instead, it was... Marise? "Ahaha... Ha... C'mon, this is a ruse. Like a prank show."

"Kagome, Kagome, eh?" Finally, Yukari made her move, walking forward as she commented on the shoddy circle forming around her. The psychoanalyst smirked as she turned to Marise, speaking in a bright, bubbly voice, "Nope. It's genuine. The bear, Monokuma, wants us to kill each other."

Silence fell, each student watching Yukari very closely, unsure of what she would do.

As no one dared to speak, Yukari swivelled around to face Monokuma and she glared, her voice suddenly low, "How pathetic. You should try just killing us outright."

The bear returned her gaze, "But what fun is that?"

"It's not, you're right." Yukari flipped back to her bubbly persona and then closed her eyes and started to spin, "Eenie meenie miney... moe!"

Yukari stopped and extended an arm, pointing at Shigeru. The cosmetologist raised his arms, taking an instinctive step back. His smile became increasingly more nervous as Yukari took long strides to meet him face to face, "Woah, woah. What's up?"

She narrowed her icy eyes and grinned maliciously. With a sleight of hand that even a professional magician would be jealous of, Yukari flicked something into her hand, "I'm going to start, naturally."

Once it became clear to Shigeru what Yukari was holding and what she’d meant, he froze, feeling nothing but his heartbeat. As still as a statue, he spoke, his voice quiet, "Where'd you get the knife from?"

Yukari raised the knife so that it was perpendicular to Shigeru's neck and the tension in the air seemed to increase dramatically. One move and Shigeru would be no more. With a voice as sickly sweet as nightshade, Yukari answered him, "Doesn't matter. Now, now... Stay still."

"No!" Shigeru suddenly yelped and attempted to jump backwards, but he didn't get far before Yukari grabbed him by the collar. She grinned at him some more, relishing in the dark, shared mood of the room.

Shigeru's breath caught in his throat and he stared into her icy eyes. He winced as he felt the cold steel tap his neck.

Then Yukari exhaled her breath into a sigh, "Ah, okay. I'll quit the act. I'm not killing anyone. That'd be foolish, especially-- ESPECIALLY since we don't know the rules, right?" She turned her head slightly to eye Monokuma.

"There are rules to this?" Kouki gasped. The girl had been trembling with fright the entire time Yukari had been near Shigeru and now, hearing this, she was nearly at her limit.

"Of course... What a twisted sense of mind." Ami added, though it wasn't clear if she was referring to Monokuma or Yukari or, perhaps, both. Everyone turned to look at Monokuma for the answer.

"Yes! I'll supply you with the--" A flash of silver darted across the room and as it connected with Monokuma, a flash of light filled the room with a sound quite deafening. When the small cloud of smoke had cleared, the bear was gone, a gunpowder stain marking where he once stood. Fifteen pairs of eyes trailed to where the object had come from and landed on Yukari.

The ginger girl was no longer holding her knife and she smirked, "Oops."

It was clear what she had done and the action had been so simple that it was hard to believe it even happened. Did Monokuma really disappear just like that?

"Is the nightmare over?" Niseko said in a small voice, finally scaling down Rikuto to stand on her own two legs.

It was Yudai who gave voice to the uneasy feeling that everyone shared, "Like a coming storm, I sense this is just the eye..."

"Nagakage, you said? Nagakage Ma’am," Rikuto grunted, peering at the girl from behind his mask. In fact, he could see her just fine. It was probably as well that he had the mask on because if he took it off now, he would likely go blind from the light. Possibly. "Whose agenda are you running? First, you threaten Shigeru, then you kill the bear."

"He's not dead, unfortunately. I just wanted to get that out of my system before it became a rule." Yukari muttered, inspecting her nails. She didn't seem the least bit bothered and while that ease would normally cast suspicion on her, the very fact that she had attacked Monokuma, who seemed to be their captor, threw a wrench into it. Was this a staged act to change their assumptions?

The floorboards next to Yukari flipped as something jumped out again, but Yukari didn't even flinch and when the black and white blur landed, it was clear that it was Monokuma making his return. "Thanks, ribbon bitch. That wasn't fun."

"No, I don't imagine it was." Quietly, Yukari murmured in response, her outward emotions having completely changed once again. This time she seemed more thoughtful and her voice was little more than a whisper, her thoughts made aloud.

Amari folded her arms, fixing her eyes on the bear. Of course, she didn't understand what had just happened, but the facts she saw were the facts, "So... It seems the bear has returned."

"K-Kero..." Keroko lowered herself to the ground, trembling in fear. She had been in high hopes that the bear would not return, but, of course, she had also known deep in her mind that escape wouldn’t be so easy.

”Such bullshit...” Yamato grumbled under his breath. That smile of his looked like it could turn into a gaping snarl at any moment, but for now, it held, “Logically, something that dies should stay dead. Everyone knows that. But your smoke and mirrors trick is just replacing the dead thing with a copy!”

If you were to be kidnapped, what would your reaction be? Each student seemed to have a different one, with some being terrified like Keroko, some being angry like Yamato, and others still being mildly curious like Amari. But when it came down to it, the only one not affected by any negative emotion was Yukari. Instead, she seemed to be having the time of her life. Her earlier reverie had broken and she was once again grinning.

Monokuma growled at Yukari, not approving of her attitude toward the whole thing. Instead of being filled with despair, she laughed in his face? "Now I get to punish you. You'll make a fine example of what happens when you defy me! Spears of--"

"Ah, ah, ah," Yukari waved a finger in front of Monokuma, cutting him off. "There are no rules yet! You can't do a thing. Besides, this old thing?" Again with a strange sleight of hand, she pulled a long spear out of midair. When he glimpsed it, Monokuma jumped up and looked around, "Why reuse such an old prop?"

"H-Hey! Stop that!" Monokuma huffed and then, apparently deciding that Yukari was right, pulled out some very thin electronic devices and began to shove one in each of the student's hands. "Now, no more rule-breaking because all of them can be read there!"

Haru turned it over in his hands, unsure of what to make of it. With a quick tap on the device, it lit up and for a brief moment, the words 'HARU TANIOTO, CELLIST' flashed on the screen before a rather pretty GUI replaced the words. Looking back up at Monokuma, he asked, "What is this?"

"Rikuto Honda, yes. Welder, yes." Rikuto said aloud, confirming that his device held the correct information. Niseko looked up at him as he spoke. It seemed odd that the normally silent welder chose that moment to speak, but Rikuto had his reasons and it didn't go unnoticed.

"This is your Monopad. It's very important. Don't lose or break it or you're outta luck. In fact, I think there's a rule in there about it which means... Upupupu... I getta do something to you if some misfortune DOES befall your Monopad." Monokuma's laugh was sinister and his words hung in the air like a weight. It wasn't quite clear what he meant, but the delivery was threatening enough to get the point across.

"So then... Rules, rules, I see. It's one of the options." Shigeru spoke, trying to convey some semblance of confidence through his voice, but even he was struggling to keep a positive attitude.

What wasn't expected, however, was that the breeze of fresh air would come from Mei as she waved the Monopad around like she was a newsboy handing out the daily paper, "I don't understand. Why won't this do anything?" Frowning she looked around before striding toward Ami, "Fix it. It's broken."

"Broken? I doubt that. What did you do to it?" Ami tilted her head, unfazed by Mei's lack of personal space as the ninja stuck the tablet in her face. She extended an arm to grab the Monopad and then paused, "Yours is different from mine..."

"Different? Different, how?" Mei practically snarled in desperation, "Answer, please."

"I don't know yet, now do I? I have to find out first," Ami tapped the front of Mei's Monopad and it lit up, "How's that, better?"

"How did you do that?" Mei said, scratching her head, "I couldn't get it to do anything."

"PCAP. Projective capacitive touch screen. It registers the electrical currents in your body to sense when it is being touched. You didn't tap the screen, did you?" Ami said, "But then... I wonder... Yudai. Did yours have any trouble turning on?"

"No, it did not," Yudai responded, "If you are referring to my gloves, I don't quite understand either. This whole thing is a sea of mystery, is it not?"

"Electrical currents?" Mei murmured. "Hm, I will speak with you later. I believe we have a matter to attend to."

"Yes, yes. The rules, as I was saying," Shigeru said, pointing at the option on his Monopad. Even he was getting a bit impatient, perhaps because of the threats standing in the room in the form of both Monokuma and Yukari.

"Of course! We shall read them all together!" Yamato's booming voice cut through the low buzz. He had a large smile plastered on his face and this time, he’d spoken with much more energy, but with the current situation, it wasn't hard to tell that he was hiding impatience of his own.

Kanna had the initiative to take charge as he scoured his Monopad, "Number one, hmm... 'Without express permission, students may not leave the SRS while Monokuma is still active.'" He took a moment to let it sink in before turning his head slightly to look at Monokuma, "I see. So that means we don't just have to find an exit, but a way to deactivate you."

"Rule two, 'Nighttime is from 10PM to 7AM. You may not go to the Meeting Room during this time.'" Haru looked up from his Monopad to add, "Where's that?"

"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." Shigeru answered. When there was a bit of silence, he looked down at his own Monopad, "Ah, number three, number three... 'Sleeping in a place other than the dorms is prohibited.' So, along with the schedule, this would point to a long-term affair."

As Shigeru's comment hung in the air, no one spoke. No one wanted to believe it and, certainly, no one wanted to reveal any more bombshells by reading the rest. That is, until Rikuto spoke, "Four. 'You are free to explore the SRS with little restrictions.'" With that, uncomfortable shuffling gave away the fact that people were looking at the regulations once again.

"My turn! Rule number five, 'Violence against Monokuma is forbidden.'" Nori spoke with such enthusiasm that it seemed strange that he hadn't spoken earlier. In fact, his sudden outburst now made it all too apparent that he hadn’t actually spoken at all since Monokuma had appeared. The green-haired boy then frowned and shook his head, "It should actually be, 'Nori is the best, vote for Sasaki.'"

"If you would quiet down," Amari sighed, then proceeded with the next rule, "Six, 'Someone who kills a fellow student will become the Blackened and graduate unless caught.' I don't... I don’t understand this... No, well, I know we are being told to kill, as terrible as that is, but what does ‘Blackened’ mean? And ‘graduate’?"

Kill. There was that word again. The one that made people uneasy. Kouki glanced at Yukari, then Amari, "I don’t know either, but, look, rule seven doesn't make much sense either. 'Once there is a Blackened, a class trial will take place. Attendance is mandatory.'"

"Mandatory?" Yamato gritted his teeth, but almost immediately rebounded with booming laughter. "Hahaha! Well then, number eight! 'If the Blackened is exposed, they will be executed!' Wait, executed?” His eyes grew wide under his spectacles and he pursed his lips, taking in what he had just read, “Haha... Well, Miss Lady... I believe the answer to your first question is, quite simply, ‘Blackened’ means ‘Guilty’. That’s... probably all there is to it."

Shohei, just as off-put, took a deep breath. "F-Following that... nine says 'If the Blackened is not exposed, the remaining students will be executed in their place and the Blackened will be free to leave.'" No one could guess what execution meant exactly in a place like this, but there was a general unspoken consensus. It wasn't good.

"This is worrying... However, rule ten might stir up even more worry: 'One Blackened may kill as many students as they'd like.'" Yudai let out a disappointed breath before lowering his device, frowning, "Whoever would wish to kill even one person? If someone were to be so desperate for escape, one victim would do just fine."

Of course, most glances went toward Yukari, who simply shrugged. Ami rubbed a finger on her Monopad screen as if wiping something off and then read, "'The Body Discovery Announcement will play as soon as three or more people discover a body for the first time.' That doesn't sound good... Is that exactly what it says on the tin or...?"

"No fucking idea. You guys all squawk about stuff that really doesn’t matter. Or might even get answered if you just kept on moving. Ever think about that? No? Twelve, 'The Killing Game will continue until two students remain.'" After shooting down Ami’s question, Marise placed a curled-up fist at her waist, "Pretty sure that assumes we’re all willing to participate in this bullshit and, looking around? I really don’t see it."

"Uh oh..." A high pitched squeak came from the ground as Niseko spoke up, "Thirteen, 'In the event that only one person remains, they will be executed.'"

Seeing that the person who she related to the most had spoken, Keroko decided to try her hand, "Kero, kerokero. 'Kero kekeroko... Kerokero.'" Of course, her croaking was met by confused stares.

"Lemme translate that. 'Monokuma will never directly commit a murder.'" Monokuma grinned and, had the rule itself not been on the screen of each Monopad, most would've been inclined to not believe him. But there it was. Of course, most still didn't believe it, but it wasn’t as if they had any means to prove it, nor did they want any.

"'Your Monopads are important, don't lose or damage them.'" Mei said, rather hastily. Then she looked up, around the room and narrowed her red eyes, "Erm, excuse me... That's number fifteen."

"Kyahahaha!" But even more jarring than Mei's sudden reading was Yukari's unprompted cackling as she grinned, "And finally sixteen! 'Additional rules may be added at any time by an authority!'"

"Now, I know you guys have read and even heard all of the rules and regulations out loud, so no more bending or breaking of them because I will punish you if you do. Including you, Miss Nagakage." Monokuma said, taking time to look at each student.

"These rules make no sense!" Marise shot toward Monokuma, malice dripping from her voice, and stopped just shy of his snout. Apparently, she seemed unfazed by the possibility of death hovering over her as she stared the two-toned bear in the eyes.

Yet, despite everything Marise brought forth, Monokuma simply turned away from her green gaze. "Of course they do. Kill somebody and you go to a trial. If you survive the trial, you leave. Simple! If not, you die."

"This is troubling. If someone were to go through with this..." Ami shook her head, her thick bangs shifting oddly around her nose as she did. Then she looked up as if she were suddenly realizing what her own implication was, "We could wind up in a terrible situation."

"Don't worry so much! They will!" Monokuma put on his cheerful, but frightening smile. "Ooh, but, I really need to get going. There are preparations to be made, y'know!"

"Preparations--"

"Toodle-oo!" With complete disregard for Haru, Monokuma leapt straight up and his weight carried him down, flipping a floorboard in the process. After a few moments of complete silence, it seemed clear that he wasn't coming back, but the uneasy atmosphere only darkened.

"Right, let's take this a step at a time. First off, let's go through and state our names and talents really quick... If you would also, just for the sake of protection, list any weapons we may be carrying, that would help. Of course, we don't need to take them unless anyone is behaving irrationally, but just so that we are aware." Kanna broke the silence as he glanced around and his gaze landed on Mei for a bit before he continued, "Is that alright with everyone?"

"Right-o. Speak now or forever hold your peace." Shigeru smiled and, when no one else spoke up, he resumed speaking, "Yes, yes. I think you are good, Kanna."

"Ah, you want me to start? Alrighty, then." He paused and then bowed. "I am Kanna Kanichi, Super High School Level Perfection. My talent is being perfect, myself, to help others achieve perfection as well and I do not currently have any weapons on me."

"I do not see the possibility in this," Rikuto met Kanna's introduction. He was still struggling to grasp the concept of something that could be 'perfect'. After all, humanity was a flawed, imperfect species. Perhaps that, itself, was how Kanna could hold the title as Rikuto had surmised earlier, but he still wasn’t satisfied.

"Perfection is relative, like distance and time." Yudai responded but said no more.

"Right, then I'll go. I'm Haru Tanioto, the Super High School Level Cellist. As you can see, I have my cello and that's it. Harmless, really... Unless you think I can hypnotise you through a song. But that's Ami's forte, not mine." Haru blinked as the hypnotist scoffed a bit, though she said nothing.

"So, I've realized something. Kanna went first, Haru went second... If you recall, reading the rules went much the same way. I propose we follow that order, which means I'll be next." Shigeru smiled, flashing his perfectly white teeth. It was hard not to notice his top right canine which stood out like a sore thumb, sharp compared to the rest of his teeth. Even with his mouth closed, it rested atop his bottom lip. "I am Shigeru Fujioka and I am the Super High School Level Cosmetologist, or, in other words, make-up artist. Uh... Right, right. I don't have any weapons on me, per se, just a make-up set. A rather luxurious one, at that."

"The order in which we read the rules?" Nori tapped his chin, "So then... Next would be--"

"Me." Rikuto interrupted Nori. "Get it over with. Rikuto Honda, Ultimate Welder. I have, on my person, a welding torch which can be dangerous in many ways, though I do not intend to use it unless absolutely necessary."

"I am not familiar with welding. How is it dangerous? It is called a torch, so does it burn you?" Mei shot out her questions as before, though this time she didn't make any threatening gestures along with it.

"It can burn you, yes. Also, however, welding is the craft of conjoining two pieces of metal and the flames from the torch are incredibly bright. If you do not wear a mask, like mine, it can permanently damage your eyesight." Rikuto explained, "That is all. Go, Nori Sasaki Sir."

"Classy, Dari! I like it. I'm Nori Sasaki, the Super High School Level Politician. Can’t get better than that!" Nori beamed and then lifted a campaigning poster from the ground, "No weapons except for my dashingly handsome looks!"

"How... formally you address people, Rikuto, and how informally you address people, Nori. I am Amari Hoshino, Amari will suffice," Amari glanced back at Rikuto, her eyes narrowed as if she knew the welder would not follow that bit of advice. "I am the Super High School Level Bodyguard which is as the title says. I am sure that by now, even you know what a bodyguard is, don't you?"

"Yes, I am familiar. I have also killed quite a few bodyguards as part of my job," Mei dipped her head in respect as Amari directed her attention toward her. Silence followed the black-haired girl's statement. Had she truly just said that out loud?

"Mei... I believe we need to have a talk. Later, of course," Amari responded before resuming her introduction, "I would've liked to keep this under wraps, but if it benefits the group, I will oblige. Surprising as it may be, I do not have any weapons on me."

"I guess we have no choice but to trust you. You did mention earlier that they had gone missing, so I wonder if they're somewhere in this building," Kouki looked around nervously before realising-- "Oh! It's my turn. I'm so sorry! I'm Kouki Maekawa, the Super High School Level Abstract Artist. No weapons here!"

"Right... I read rule eight, so I suppose it's time for me to shine! Hahaha!" The energy Yamato was putting out increased significantly through that sentence and with a deep breath, he continued, "Yamato Yukimura! I am the Ultimate... Ringmaster! I have experience with several different circus troupes and all of them have seen success at some point. Namely, while I was there! Before you ask, no, I am not taking questions and, no, I do not have a weapon."

"That last bit almost sounded... Hmm..." Shigeru began to speak but when he noticed Haru shooting Yamato a death glare, he thought better of it, "Alright, alright. Shohei, right? I believe it's your turn."

"R-Right... I'm Sh-Shohei Takanichi... I'm a... a barista... Ultimate Barista... Y-Yeah, um... Nnnn... No weapons," Shohei kept it as concise as he could, but he still got many stares.

Marise, in particular, was rather irked by his introduction as she folded her arms, "Are you braindead? Why do you stutter so much?"

"I-I-I... Uh, well..." Shohei gulped. Looking closely, one could see that he was shaking, tremors went up and down his body and they only worsened as he was called out for his stutter, “I-Isn’t that a little... Y’know... Rude? Rude to say? What if I had a t-terrible condition? You could call it--”

”Not now, Shohei,” Kouki sighed, cutting him off, and Marise just gave a disgruntled huff.

"Let's move on from that ripple, shall we? I suppose I should go now... Yes, I am Yudai Shimizu, the Super High School Level Mask Maker... I make masks, perhaps both literally and figuratively. There are no weapons on my person... Unless you count the horn on my mask." The Mask Maker removed a mask strapped to his waist which had a long, golden horn protruding from the forehead, presented it for a bit, and then replaced it.

"I-It does look s-sorta dangerous..." Shohei muttered, his eyes glued to the mask. He stared for quite a bit, unsure of what to make of it. Images of blood exploded in his mind and he reeled a bit before a tap on his shoulder made him jump, his heart skipping a beat.

The barista turned to see Ami who was slowly exhaling. "I am Ami Yumekuu. I do not have any weapons. However, as Haru pointed out, I am, indeed, a hypnotist. Please do not act as if this puts some sort of wall between us, though. I mean no more harm than, say, Amari."

The bodyguard cracked a bit of a smile in a friendly gesture before going back to the stoic face that so many of the students shared.

A moment passed... Then two... Before Marise realised that she was being stared at and she turned to glare at Ami, "Ugh, right. I'm after the edge wannabe girl. Marise Kita, Ultimate Mystery Novelist. Obviously, I have no weapons. Besides, I couldn't use them if I tried. I'm too small."

"No, no! I'm the one who's too small. I don't think I could hold even a kitchen knife properly." Niseko raised a hand and then paused, examining it and wiggling a stubby finger, "My name is Niseko, by the way! But I've never met any of you before today. But you may have met my master, Setsuka, the Ultimate Doll Maker. Kuku, well, I know that Keroko, Marise, and Yudai have. And, um, maybe I could wrap my arms around the knife? But that would be... Well... Inefficient? "

"Inefficient indeed." Yudai echoed. Being familiar with crafting things, albeit not moving dolls, Yudai couldn't imagine such a thing being dextrous enough to utilise a weapon properly. Therefore, the doll, Niseko, would certainly not find any advantage in this situation.

"Keroko," The frog girl put a hand to her chest and then hopped over next to Niseko, her tongue lolling out a bit, "Kero...?"

"Um..." Confused, Niseko brought a hand to her chin, but before she could get much more out, Keroko shrugged and her tongue lashed out, almost too quick to catch, and Niseko found herself trapped in the sticky amphibian tongue. "Eek!"

As soon as Niseko started wiggling frantically, Keroko drew back, looking sheepish. She then looked at the others, her head low. Even if she could, she would never admit it, but part of that demonstration had been to test Setsuka’s reactions. The other part of it was what everyone had picked up on. The most dangerous thing Keroko had was her own tongue.

Well, almost everyone. Unaware that the herpetologist had taken her turn, Mei said nothing, allowing the choking silence and tension to creep back in. Marise grit her teeth, "The one who obviously has the capability of killing us is being silent. Let's lynch her!"

"...What?" Mei responded, tilting her head. "I see... You wish for me to lay bear my swords. These are very important to me. You cannot take them."

"Well, I'm sure that we can all see those..." Yamato hesitated a bit, "Any... other weapons on you besides the katana and wakizashi?"

"No. I do not carry any other weapons. However..." Mei placed a hand to her chest and frowned. Biting her lip, she made her way over to Haru and pointed at his case. "What is this. You called it a... a cello."

"It's... a cello. An instrument." Haru answered, slowly. He frowned, just as clueless as Ami was. Mei, who had been called to introduce herself and then move along, had interrupted the conversation to seemingly ask her own questions.

"This is also an instrument." Mei drew her wakizashi and held it out for Haru to look at, blinking, "What does it do? Does it kill people?"

"It- I... That's not... It makes music," Haru took a step back, unsure of what to make of Mei's questioning. As hard as he tried, her genuine curiosity drowned out anything else, "Sounds? It produces sound. I can show you later."

Satisfied, Mei nodded, "Yes. Please do."

"Alright, alright, bow girl. You had a knife earlier, threw it at the bear... Then you pulled a spear from out of nowhere," Shigeru raised a finger, "Anything else we should know about?"

"Oh... Well... See, I'm in a bit of a predicament." Yukari pouted, "There's just too much, you see!"

"Too much?" Amari folded her arms.

"Why yes! Too much. But at the same time, nothing." She narrowed her icy eyes, her voice going deadpan, "We can go with the latter if you don't feel like wasting everyone's time."

"I think knowing about weapons is important, even if it takes us all day!" Kouki responded.

"All day? Oh, you misunderstand, love. It would take all of eternity." Yukari smiled. Then her smile grew into a mischievous grin, "But by all means. What do you count as a weapon? For instance..."

Yukari swiped her hand and for a moment, it seemed like reality stopped working as she was suddenly holding a baseball bat, "This is not typically a weapon, but I could kill someone with it."

"What the-" Yamato growled, "How are you doing that?"

"You tell me, ringmaster," Yukari snorted, tossing the bat aside. Stranger still, when the tip touched the ground, the entire bat shattered like glass, shards falling to the ground. "My point is, I could do this all day, but no one wants that. So we'll just have to go on the honor system. I promise not to hurt anyone."

"Who would believe you?!" Marise spat, "But if that first bit's the truth, then I'm out. I'd be more excited coming up with another tired, boring mystery to write than to watch you play with toys and explain how they're dangerous."

"But... I wanna know how you did that!" Nori interjected, pointing at the shards of baseball bat. "That's not an everyday thing!"

"Just like every politician, I, too, have my secrets. Now, wouldn't it be more useful to explore this shelter and look for a way out?" Yukari blinked, "Doesn't that make more sense?"

"Surely, that does seem like the best course of action... But I'll be watching you, Yukari. I'll be watching you like a hawk," Kanna locked his eyes with Yukari's.

"If you really find it necessary," The psychoanalyst shrugged.

"We really should begin to sail on. The breeze of curiosity won't blow forward our ship of determination forever," Yudai turned away, scanning the room. There were two doors out, "Shall we split up or remain together?"

”W-Wasn’t that door locked?” Shohei tilted his head.

”It isn’t anymore,” Yukari answered with a smile. When everyone just seemed to stare at her in silence, she shook her head, “What? You don’t believe me? Then go try it out yourselves. A waste of time, really, but I do understand not trusting me.”

”It’s fine. Let’s just get on with it,” Haru muttered and, beside him, Nori nodded.

"I-I... I'm a little uncomfortable around... Well, Yukari." Niseko's smile seemed nervous, but surely, it was just Yudai's imagination. He was around fake faces very often and very rarely did they change. Examining the doll in more detail crossed his mind, but it would have to wait.

"We can split up into groups of two," Kouki said, raising her finger, "We'd get done quicker and people can... choose who they'd prefer to avoid."

"More like, choose who's comfortable around Yukari. Actually, I imagine that's no one." Haru frowned, glancing toward Yukari. Strangely enough, she was watching him back with a curious gaze.

"I'll go, of course. I did just say I'd be watching her," Kanna shrugged, placing his arms on his hips.

"I wanna see what else she can do. I mean, you saw that baseball bat, right? That was crazy!" Nori shook his head before awkwardly looking around and then moving next to Kanna, "You don't mind, do you, Chika?"

"Chika is a fairly feminine name, isn't it, Nori?" Amari tilted her head with curiosity.

"Yeah, I guess. But I think it's good to treat people on a personal level and nicknames are a perfect way for that. You... Noa. Yeah," Nori grinned, "Just 'cause I'm a politician doesn't mean I need to be all rough and callous like that image some people have."

"How predictable. I imagine I'm Tama?" Marise smirked, "What kinda name is Tama?"

"Yes! Tama," Nori nodded a satisfied nod, "You could call me Kino if you wanted."

"Hard pass. And I don't like you either. I associate politicians with slimy sleazeballs and nicknames just scream that, so I'll be in the other group," Marise folded her arms, shutting her eyes as if in defiance.

"I imagine it will just be easier to move to where you want to go instead of this pointless 'going-through-everyone-one-by-one' dance, yes?" Yukari's voice was a bit distant, but it returned to its clear tone as she blinked and turned around, "Who is brave and/or curious and who would rather keep their distance..? How fascinating this will be, hehe..."

After quite a bit of shuffling around, the crowd eventually split into two clear cut groups. On one side, Yukari, Kanna, Nori, Amari, Mei, Ami, Yudai, and Yamato. On the other, Haru, Kouki, Niseko, Marise, Rikuto, Shigeru, Keroko, and Shohei. Yukari grinned at the ginger boy, "Alright then, Haru. Door One, to the left, or Door Two, to the right? Do us a favor and pick."

"Two. Simple enough," Haru met her gaze. For a moment, it seemed like time stopped as Haru locked eyes with the icy gaze. For a moment he saw something, some emotion that betrayed something further hidden. A deep, buried feeling. Haru had seen that emotion before, but he couldn't place it which was unusual. Haru could see-- No, feel. Haru could feel many emotions coming from the people around him, but this one was different and yet... Still familiar. Where had he seen it and why Yukari?

"We should go then, Haru, who was apparently appointed team leader by the bow bitch." Marise glared, beginning to walk off and, hesitantly, Haru followed.

Chapter Text

Marise turned to look behind her, "And yet, what’s this? People are following me. Look, it's not like I want to be the leader, but I wouldn't let Haru do it."

"Why not? Do you... not trust me to be in charge?" Haru frowned, catching up to Marise.

She looked up at him and paused her stride, "Well, let's see. From what I know about you, you're a distraction. Clearly your playing is good, else you wouldn't be the Ultimate Cellist but, guess what, music boy? I don't like classical. And besides, a cellist like you? Doomed to be accompaniment for eternity. Followers can't be leaders."

Unable to come up with a retort to that, Haru lowered his head in defeat. Kouki, who had caught up, frowned at Marise, "Why does there need to be a leader anyway? We're exploring as a team. I can tell you don't do well on teams, but still. You're an author, you can pretend."

"Tch. Author, not actor. And I don't write about goody-goody slices of life." Marise snorted, but as she opened her mouth to say more, Rikuto's large shape passed her, pushing open the door, Shigeru closely following behind.

"Yeah, you write about murder mysteries, so one could say you're in your element," Haru glared as he followed after Shigeru. Marise watched as he disappeared, anger burning in her green eyes. One by one, the others entered the room until Marise was left with no choice. She felt a tug at her leg and looked down to see Keroko. With a heavy sigh, the novelist entered the next room.

"My, my. Certainly, the thought that the bear was lying crossed my mind, but this does seem to be a canteen or dining hall... of sorts," Shigeru brought a finger to his chin as he entered.

The room held four different tables, each with four seats. Perfectly sixteen, Shigeru noted. There didn't seem to be any sort of assignment within the seats which was probably for the better. Had it been so, would anyone have followed that rule? Well, it's quite impossible to judge what cannot be, I think you would find should you ever try. Thus Shigeru put his mind away from the logical impossibility fallacy.

"I-Is there's a k-kitchen, I wonder... I-If so..." Shohei curiously stepped forward, his voice warbling as it trailed off.

"Kero!" The frog girl hopped in front of the barista, pointing a finger at the other end of the room, where a door lay ajar. Tugging on Shohei's pant leg, much as she had done with Marise's leg, she pulled. Shohei, however, felt very little tug and as a low croak began to emit from Keroko's throat, Shohei saw beads of sweat form on her brow.

"A-Ah. It's okay, I-I see it. Let's go." Worried for the herpetologist, Shohei began to walk off toward the door, Keroko hopping behind him and panting.

"O-Oh! Hey, I wanna come, too!" Niseko called out, chasing after the other two with precision quite unlike a doll. Over and over Niseko had proved to be almost more human than doll and that idea worried Haru.

The cellist frowned as Niseko's form disappeared through the door until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, expecting Kouki, but instead, he met Shigeru's gaze. "Now, now... Are you worried about the doll? I was speaking with Yudai and he told me that maybe it might be unnecessary to worry about her for now."

"For now?" Haru frowned, glancing back toward the door, "What does that mean?"

Shigeru brought a finger to his chin, his expression one of careful thought, "Well, he told me that the real one to watch out for is Setsuka, but she doesn't seem to be here. It crossed my mind that maybe Setsuka is hiding or even the one behind all of this, but if you watch that doll carefully... Well, doesn't it seem like she's the slightest bit distressed?"

Haru thought back but then shook his head. There was no way he could get a read on an emotionless doll, right? He didn’t want to. If it turned out that he could feel Niseko’s emotions just like he could with a normal person... "No, I don't... Maybe you can explain what you mean. After all, learning about Setsuka could be very beneficial."

"Yes, yes. I thought the same, which is precisely why I spoke to Yudai. They were in the same class. Unfortunately, Yudai seems to know very little about Setsuka which is, perhaps, a fair trade. After all, I doubt anyone knows much about Yudai," Shigeru began to walk, "Come, come. Let's at least pretend like we're investigating. Some people... Hint hint... might get a little angry if we don't."

Shigeru's eyes swept the room until they landed on Marise. She seemed preoccupied with staring at a table. Occasionally knocking on it, checking under the tablecloth... "Well, anyway, what Yudai has noticed is that Niseko, the doll, seems to be a complete act and, well, what have I noticed? Every so often, she gets these little twitches in her hand, oftentimes right before she speaks. If Niseko is controlled by Setsuka as she claims, I have a strong feeling that Setsuka does not enjoy playing the role of Niseko."

"And if what we're told about Setsuka is true, that makes a lot of sense. Creepy, a recluse... The kind of personality that entails seems to be the complete opposite of Niseko. But at the same time, she's right. I can't see her being able to pose a threat due to her size and the dexterity of her joints." Haru added, once again glancing toward the door. "But, I guess we can't forget that Setsuka is the Ultimate Doll Maker. If anyone can make a murderous doll, it's her."

"That is the truth, like it or not. We don't know what she's capable of. To be completely honest... We should survey everyone's talents, whether they seem dangerous or not." Shigeru furrowed his brow, "You never know... Ah! Riku!"

"What is it?" The welder, who had been inspecting a sheet of metal affixed to the wall turned his head. Other than that, he was completely still. Under his suit, Haru couldn't pinpoint his breathing and, of course, there were no visible eyes to see blink.

"Mhm, mhm. Tell me, what do you make of Yudai?" Haru blinked in surprise as Shigeru said it. He had expected Shigeru to ask about Setsuka, not Yudai.

"Nothing." Rikuto turned his full body toward the two others. Instead of responding, Shigeru simply looked on and Rikuto felt as if the cosmetologist was somehow locking eyes with him. Haru, of course, was silent. Shigeru must have wanted him to elaborate... "I know nothing of Yudai, thus I have no opinion."

"Aha. Yes, there we are. You know nothing about Yudai. However, you probably wouldn't, right? You weren't in Yudai's class and you rarely left your room... Right?" Shigeru raised a finger, "No, no... This won't do. Instead... Marise?"

"What do you want, weirdo?" The ginger turned as she heard her name. Her emerald eyes were narrowed in her usual annoyed expression, "As you can see, I'm kind of busy."

"Oh? I didn't notice. You seemed to be so intently poking at the tablecloth I just thought you zoned out from boredom. How silly of me." Shigeru's smirk was accented by the tensing of muscles as Marise marched straight to him. "Now, now. I just wanted to ask you about Yudai. You were in the same class, no?"

"I guess so. He was a transfer student, though. Appeared from nowhere one day and fit right into the group of losers. Dunno what he ever did, though. Always writing. Even I don't feel like writing all day. Such a weird loser." Marise folded her arms, her weight on one leg. "Why? It's not like there's anything special about him."

"On the contrary. It seems no one knows a thing about Yudai other than him being a transfer student and a mask maker. Though... I don't think it's all that odd," Shigeru shrugged, "Now Haru, do you understand? Through these questions, I am evaluating Yudai. I have learned that Yudai is not just a mask maker in trade, but also a metaphorical mask maker just as he claimed he might be earlier. His mask is so great, no one knows who he truly is, despite hiding in plain sight. Truly an Ultimate."

"I had no idea... I guess I can learn something from you." Haru looked at Shigeru, "You're a lot more... calculated than I originally expected."

Immediately, Haru regretted saying it, but Shigeru laughed, "I get that a lot. Flamboyant pink boy? No one really takes him seriously! ...So, Riku. You inspected that sheet of iron. What did you learn, if I may ask."

"It's covering something. But it cannot be a window. If the bear is to be trusted, we are underground," Rikuto lowered his head but jerked it back up as a familiar voice met his ears.

"Well, what can I say? You are underground! But how can I prove it to my dear, dear, uhhh... Hmm. Well, I can't really call you my students, now can I?" Rikuto turned to see the monochromatic bear sitting on the ground, "Perhaps if I told you that plate of iron is blocking an elevator? Puhuhu! It leads further down into the SRS. But I can't let you down there. Besides... Do you really want to go further down..? Upupupupu..."

"Ew. I don't want to go down. I want to get out of here!" Marise spat, "Isn't that obvious, you two-toned idiotic toy?"

"Well, I'm not a toy... My pride has been wounded. But it's fiiiine. There is a way to open this elevator, but that's a surprise! I hope you look forward to it. Now that's all from Captain Monokuma!" Before anyone else could respond, Monokuma did a twist as he jumped before he went spinning through the floorboards. Rikuto, grunting, tapped it with his steel-toed boot, but it held firm. How odd.

"Do you think he's bouncing between us and the other group?" Kouki said, approaching the small cluster from her personal investigation, "Either way, I wonder how we open it. There could be clues down there."

"Nothing good." Rikuto shook his head as he spoke confidently. Though the moment lasted in silence, the four others certainly agreed with him. After Monokuma's cruel method of escape, there could be nothing better lying in wait.

"Well, erm... Hm. I would ask you what you found, Marise, but that seems like it may be a complete waste of time," Shigeru said, frowning. Once, he might've bitten his lip. As a child, certainly. But his snaggletooth would easily pierce the soft skin and blood running down his chin simply would not do.

The novelist snorted, "If you want to know what I found, go over there and look yourself. I am in no way indebted to you to share my findings."

"That sounds like code for 'I actually didn't investigate much of anything,'" Kouki sighed. "It's fine, though. I also looked around the tables and, honestly, I didn't discover much of anything. They're all just tables and tablecloths."

"Well, Shohei and his little group haven't come back yet so... Ah, Marise, Marise... maybe you should pay them a visit." Shigeru nodded, his repeating of Marise's name sounding almost condescending. Well, Shigeru meant it more in a scolding tone, but that would do, too. He'd met people like Marise before and handling them certainly proved a challenge, but he was more than willing to face it.

"Why me? Can't you see I'm much too scared to be alone with a... a weirdo coffee addict, a moving doll, and a frog girl!?" Marise lowered her head, pressing her fingertips together as if nervous.

"My, my, best to face your fear then, no?" Shigeru smiled, "Though I find it odd you would be nervous around Keroko considering your preexisting relationship, don't you?"

"Ugh. Fine. Whatever," In her standard heel-face-turn, Marise gritted her teeth and stomped off toward the door near the back. Of course, she had heard Shohei's ramblings about a kitchen, but she really didn't care too much. It's not like she would be cooking, right?

Marise opened the door with quite a considerable amount of force. So much so that she saw the aftereffects of Shohei jumping, startled by the occurrence. Blinking her large eyes at him, Marise then scanned the room. Of course, Keroko and Niseko were there, the former staring up at her with what Marise could only describe as a dopey expression.

The room was, as expected, the kitchen. On one wall, knives and pans. On the other, a fridge, stove, microwave, and other basic kitchen appliances. In the center of the room was a table for cooking space and on the wall opposite the door was a cupboard that served as the pantry.

"W-What are you d-doing here? I-I would've thought that you'd, u-uh... Been too repulsed b-by the idea of exploring with others..." Shohei muttered, his teeth chattering.

"Well, I would've thought it would be the idea of exploring in the first place!" Niseko exclaimed, clambering to the top of the table in the center of the kitchen. "But I mean, to each their own."

"Shut up, loser doll. Stop hiding like a coward behind your plastic dummy and face the situation like the rest of us." Marise growled, pointing a finger at the doll.

"H-Hey, it's not like I... I'm not..." Niseko's voice trailed off as she put a hand on her cheek.

With a mighty leap, Keroko hopped onto the table next to Niseko with an angry croak, pointing back. Quickly, Niseko placed a cold hand on Keroko's shoulder. "It's okay! It's okay. It's hard for me too, y'know... I didn't choose to participate like this."

"Participate!? You know, I wouldn't feel bad about smashing a doll. Especially not once whose ‘Master’ went around spitting out death threats every day," Marise glared, "If that gets me out of this place, so be it."

"N-No! Don't do that! I have a lot of sentimental value!" Niseko cried out, thrusting her stubby arms forward.

"Ha! Is it the ramen cup on your head that raises your net worth?" Marise smirked, watching with glee as the doll stared at her with an almost sorrowful look. Keroko, who had dropped her arm was watching sympathetically. She knew what it was like to have trouble explaining her circumstance and while she had never liked Setsuka in the past, she knew that something had to have happened to the doll maker for Niseko to be in her place like this.

Having both been in her class, Keroko and Niseko were familiar with Marise's demeanor and work ethic. Or rather, the lack of such. There was no way the novelist was going to do any real investigating so, with a quick glance at Keroko, Niseko began to speak. "So... At first, we doubted what Monokuma said about the food because, well, this space looks pretty small. But, hey! He came and he demonstrated that there really is a stockpile somewhere."

The doll clasped her hands together as Keroko let out a happy, "Kero!"

"Do you really think we'll be here long enough to worry about stuff like that?" Marise frowned. It was strange, though. Her voice carried more defeat than fire.

"Well, I hope not... But even if we found a way out tomorrow, it's still good to know. We have sixteen people and it takes quite a bit of food to feed sixteen. Well, fifteen, I guess. I don't really eat..."

"Referring to yourself like that, are you really controlled by Setsuka? I wouldn't be surprised if you had some semblance of free will." Marise folded her arms before hopping up on the counter to sit next to the doll. Keroko frowned, but her expression softened as Marise only blankly stared ahead. "Must be nice, huh?"

"What..? No, I am Setsuka, but I'm not physically Setsuka, which is why you can call me Niseko. I call myself Niseko anyway." The doll looked down at her feet, "I don't like any of this. I really don't. But I'm making do with what I have. You should do that, too. I can make death threats toward you if that’ll make you feel better."

"Ew, what the hell? Do I look like that lush to you?" Marise spat, “No thanks. If I wanted to talk to Setsuka, I’d ask you to do that rambly thing way before I ask you to kill me.”

”Kukukuku!” Niseko giggled, “You’re silly. But yeah, it really was only that one girl. She started it, though, not me! You were there when she tried to kill me with that ceiling panel!”

”I-I... I feel like I’m missing some important context by, uh, not being one of your classmates. Was... Were people with murderous intent common in your, er, class?” Shohei tilted his head. He had been rifling through drawers and cabinets, but the odd conversation that almost sounded like normal friends sharing a joke drew his attention.

”Hell no,” Marise shook her head, “It was just Setsuka, the loser. That other girl that Setsuka waged war against or whatever was just playing around.”

”Playing around...?” Niseko looked off to the side, “No way. Master could’ve died!”

”You wish.”

"Kero?" After some moments of silence, Keroko pointed toward the door. "Keroroko."

"I guess you're saying we should go, huh?" Marise dropped back down to the floor as Keroko nodded, "Yeah whatever. Let's see what those losers are up to."

----

The group had split into two and as Haru's group had gone right, the others, naturally, went left. Leading them was Amari. Kanna would normally be in front, of course, but he lagged behind, sure to keep his eyes on Yukari. It seemed that he really meant what he said, more than I would ever expect from any student. But perhaps the Super High School Level Perfection is inclined toward that nature.

Amari looked back at the others before slowly opening the door, the breeze from the change in air pressure washing over her. She pressed forward, the expanse of the room opening to her.

Though it was more furnished than the previous room, it still felt cold. What else could one expect from an underground shelter? The center of the room housed a large circular table and dotted around it were sixteen chairs. Though it was much smaller than the room the other group explored, it shared a commonality in having another room to the back.

"So, it would seem as though the intricacy of this plot may be deeper than we imagined," Yudai narrowed his eyes, stepping past Amari. He walked toward the table, aware of Ami following closely behind. They both made their way around the table, though Ami lightly tapped each chair as she did as if counting.

"Yeah. That's the feeling I get, too. Whatever we've been caught up in, none of us are here by accident," Ami turned to look at Yudai, though just what she could see through her bangs was questionable.

"Well, I say. This does seem to be a good space to hold meetings, don't you think? In fact, I'd say that's its intended purpose." Yamato said, his voice reverberating and bouncing off the stone walls, “Almost like we’ve been informed already of a supposed ‘Meeting Room’."

"Man, oh man. I can't wait to get set up here!" Excitement edged Nori's voice as he set a large poster on the table. Curious, Mei craned her neck to see what it was, but confusion shone in her red eyes as she realised that she had no idea what any of it was for.

"Now, I know you said you were going to watch me, Kanna, and I know I said the equivalent of 'Do what you'd like' but, ah, hm." Yukari brought a finger to her chin, "Isn't this a bit excessive? Surely you wish to do an examination of your own. There are six others here. If you all were to lose track of me..."

"I get what you're saying, but... Well, you aren't trustworthy in the slightest." Kanna shook his head, "No normal person can procure a bat from thin air. Not even me."

"Well, of course not. Who'd think that? What a foolish thought!" Yukari chuckled, "Procuring a bat from thin air... Hoho..."

"It's a waste of time to talk to her," Ami cut through Yukari's soft laughter, "And it's likely a waste of time to keep tabs on her. I don't doubt that she has the means to kill but I also don't think she has the motive to kill."

"That's true..." Kanna lowered his head, "Even if she were the one behind this... That'd go against the purpose of having us do the work."

"Ah, so am I finally in the clear? Wonderful!" Yukari clapped her hands together. "Your vigilance makes me wonder how far I can press your talent, love. You do seem to be the very embodiment of it, don't you think?"

"Is that a compliment? From you, I can't tell." He sighed, realising that the question was futile as, surely, Yukari had no intention of clearing anything up, no matter how small. The psychoanalyst lived for the confusion that sprang from the seeds she sowed.

"If this whole thing is so perfectly planned, what need to we have of this room?" Amari placed a hand on the table, "Are we meant to hold regular meetings? And for what?"

"I am unsure as to the function of such a room as a 'meeting room'." Mei folded her arms, "Do you meet new people in it?"

"No, it's... Hm. The purpose is to meet with people you probably already know to talk together, usually about work." Ami chose her words carefully but even as she did, she wasn't sure just how much Mei would understand.

"I... see." She didn't, but she was used to not understanding. Mei hoped that she would be able to replace that which she had lost soon. At least to prevent this very thing from occurring so often. Books didn't get impatient. Words on a page weren't passive-aggressive. They weren't like people. Mei didn't get people.

Yudai exhaled through his nose as he addressed Yukari, "What about your talent, Yukari?"

"Psy-cho-ana-lyst." She smiled, "At your beck and call."

"An odd append to your title. I don't imagine it has much to do with it at all." Yudai looked down at Yukari. He stood a good half-foot taller than her, but it didn't seem to bother her at all as she continued to grin. "Does it?"

"Kyahahahaha!" Yukari began cackling before wiping a tear off her face, "Ha... Oh, love, I would be extra careful with this subject if I were you. You never know what secrets might accidentally be uncovered, right?"

"Secrets. You must have a lot more than you claim." Yudai continued, ignoring her subtle threat, "Yes, I have my own. As does everyone. But does withholding yours not harm the group?"

"Oho, I'd say your secrets are greater yet, Yudai. Yudai, Yudai, Yudai." She repeated his name as if it sounded funny to her, "Yudai Shimizu. My, what a fascinating name, don't you think?"

"I suppose it might be unusual compared to a name such as Yukari." Yudai answered, level-headed. The collective attention of the room had been drawn to this exchange by this point, "I don't imagine you write it normally, however, do you? The spelling, is it not unfamiliar water?"

"Yukari, hm? Yes, I suppose. Some people use mere hiragana. But, that is, in fact, not my name. Many people also write Yukari with multiple kanji. Not my name. Connection, edge, fate. These are all meanings of my name written with one character. Is that what you find odd?" Yukari bowed her head as she said it. "Names are very powerful. Yukari and Yudai... They start with the same sound... Maybe you are fated to understand me. Kyahaha!"

"Well, isn't this just a fascinating conversation? Personally, I think you both have secrets worth sharing. But then, don't we all?" Yudai turned to see Yamato, leaning on his oversized hoop. A grin was plastered onto his face, but it was easily forced. Perhaps the only one in the room who did not catch on was Mei, blissfully unaware. He continued, "But working together is our goal and that requires a fair balance of spoken and unspoken secrets."

Nobody felt the need to call Yamato out on his blatant face because what he had chosen to go with was the best option. It just meant that they'd need to keep an eye on him to see how well he kept up his own proposal. Even Yukari didn't seem to have any counters to it. Amari kept her gaze fixed on the psychoanalyst's face, scanning for any hints as to her true thoughts. Of course, she found none.

"I really like the idea of working together. I know it sounds obvious, but it's not as easy as you'd think," Nori was now sitting in one of the chairs, "I mean, I work with people all the time and more than half of that time is arguing."

"With how things have been going so far, I'd be surprised if all were to go swimmingly well," Yudai murmured. He folded his arms, his eyes closed with a relaxed expression. "We have orders to kill. Unification will not come easily, especially when there are those who do not trust others."

"We could all find ways to distrust each other. But we can also find ways to trust. I think it's possible. And I also think that if we do work together, a way out will eventually reveal itself. One that ideally does not go down the path of murder," Ami lowered her head. "Nobody wants that. I doubt even Yukari does."

"Yet we find ourselves among murderers, don't we? Mei Meiyo, an assassin, Amari Hoshino, a bodyguard... Ami, have you ever killed someone?" Yukari's cold gaze seemed to pierce through Ami's bangs.

"You first, Yukari. Have you killed anyone?" Ami responded evenly.

"Hmhm... What a curious way to dodge the question. I guess you could say I have. But you could also say I haven't." Yukari looked up at the ceiling, "It's a surprisingly subjective subject when you think about it. Purposefully, I think not. Indirectly, perhaps. Metaphorically... Most certainly."

"Metaphorical killing. I guess some would say your vague answer is bull but... No, I share the pleasure of having such conflicted experiences. As a hypnotist... I always wonder. But you already knew that, didn't you?" Ami rubbed the side of her head, "And you think there are others. Maybe you already know, but you do suspect the others to some extent, don't you?"

"You are quite intelligent, love," Yukari grinned, "I suppose you'll just have to figure it out for yourself. But, my, with a display like that, it should pose you no problem."

"I figured you would say as much," Ami sighed. Brushing herself off, she too sat in one of the chairs, across from Nori. "I got a sense that everyone here is intuitive in their own right. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that we are the ones here... Perhaps the man behind the curtain has been watching us for longer than we thought..."

"Longer than we thought? What do you mean? I- Hm. Well," Yamato furrowed his brow. He seemed at a loss or, rather, as if he meant to say something and decided against it. Clearing his throat, Yamato tried again, "As a ringmaster, I, of course, know a thing or two about organising things, so, please! I implore you to share your thinking so that I may add to it."

"We were not selected at random. We've already established the amount of preparation that had to go into this. For the participants to be completely and utterly random would be... It wouldn't fit even if this were some sort of experiment." Amari brought a finger to her chin, "It makes more sense that all of this was designed around one concept and that we were part of the initial concept. Earlier, Ami, you stated none of us were here by accident."

"Yes, that's right. Either there's some single connecting thread or we all have a part to play. I shudder to think of the implications of either." Ami put her head on her arm, propping it up, "But with the limited knowledge we have... Well..."

"If we all play a part, doesn't that mean that the future is pretty much predicted? Like, uh, if we follow the rules of the game and murder someone, right? That means that the mastermind already knows who's gonna murder who! But how is that possible at all?" Nori's eyes went wide as he stared at Ami. "Everyone seems sensible enough, except maybe Yukari. Even Mei... Mei, you wouldn't kill anyone, would you?"

The ninja tilted her head, giving a short response, "Do you want me to?"

"What? No, no! What makes you say that?" Nori flinched at the thought. The way Mei had said it, so nonchalantly... It bothered Nori. It made his hair stand on end and his skin crawl. Mei had already proved that she was ignorant of social norms and common sense. Just what did that make her?

”Calm down, pup. No one can see the future. Ridiculous. Anyone can predict, though,” Yamato shook his head with a smirk directed at Nori.

"I'm thinking back to what you said earlier, Mei. What exactly is your job? As the Ultimate Ninja... I feel that I must not be seeing eye to eye with you," Kanna placed a hand on his hip and glanced toward Amari and then back at Mei.

"My job... People ask me to kill and so I do it. I am quiet. I ask no questions. For the honor of my code, I must not refuse." Mei stared Kanna in the eye, unsettling him ever so slightly.

”...Sounds more like a hitman to me,” Yamato muttered under his breath and Mei turned her head to look at him.

"Have you crafted your own code? Perhaps it can be revised. After all, such a code will not end for your, or anyone's, good." Yudai’s voice brought her attention back. The mask maker shut his eyes and sighed, "I wonder what makes you the Ultimate Ninja... However, if you truly cannot refuse, consider me your current employer. Until I give you any further instruction, you are not to kill."

"Understood." Mei bowed and placed her hand on the sheath of her wakizashi, "Takeo and I will lend ourselves to your cause."

"That easy, huh?" Yamato scratched his head, "You sure what you said earlier about intuition, Ami? This girl seems to have no will of her own."

"I can admit that I'm not the smartest thinker, either. But I don't want to believe the other option you posed," Nori stared into the table and then glared at Yamato, "No way anyone can ‘predict’ the future, either. So then... Will they try to influence us somehow?"

As the green-haired boy looked up, the frustration melting away into even more concern and fear, chills ran down Ami's spine, "Wait a moment. I just want to clear something up before we go any further. I'm just in the dark as you guys. I'm not going to hypnotise anyone here to kill, that's ridiculous!"

"I... wasn't implicating you." Nori shook his head, but his words held no fire. It was as if he'd already given up, "I honestly don't know what to think, but I stand by what I said. We should work together."

"Don't sound so hopeless, Nori!" The politician jumped and turned his head to be face to face with Yukari, "If you've given up already, that just makes you a bigger target, don't you think?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you were just talking about how it's impossible to predict the future and how you don't want to believe that everything is premeditated, yes? But being all depressed like this... Maybe they want that. What if on their little list is 'Nori Sasaki: Victim'? I would hate to see you fulfill that premeditation, wouldn't you, love?" Yukari's grin seemed innocent, but Nori felt as though he were staring into the face of a demon. A temptation that was laced with malice. Yukari turned and pointed at Mei, "And you. Hm, yes, yes. I think that you and I should have a therapy session. Isn't it such good fortune that they happen to be a specialty of mine?"

"Therapy...?" Mei blinked, "I do not understand. Please explain."

"Oh, of course, love. 'Therapy; Noun; A type of treatment that helps someone grow stronger or recover from an illness; disorder; trauma.'" Yukari's expression didn't change as she continued, "'Treatment; Noun: A method of improving the condition of an ill person.' Methods within methods. Of course, you learn more from practice, I think you'll find."

"It doesn't seem wise to leave Yukari alone with Mei..." Kanna cut in, rubbing the side of his head. From the time he’d spent with Mei in class, he knew that she had a better head on her shoulders than it initially appeared, but he also didn’t doubt Yukari’s talent in the slightest, "How do we know that you aren't going to plant seeds of doubt in her mind?"

"Normally, client sessions are a hundred percent confidential by law but given the circumstances, if you have Mei's consent, I see no reason why you can't stand in." Yukari's smile vanished into more of a slight curiosity, "Perhaps you can act as her guardian, hehe!"

Though he kept an ear toward the conversation, Yamato made his way to the door as, to him, it seemed that the others had either forgotten or were too distracted to bother with it. As he pushed open the heavy metal door, he noticed a couple of heads turn to look at him. Yudai even made his way over to join him as Yamato poked his head in. A light switch on the wall turned on a single bulb that illuminated what seemed to be a storage room, albeit quite bare. A few chairs and a lot of cobwebs littered the room and Yamato let out a heavy sigh.

"Though the contents are scarce, it would still do us good to take inventory. In the tides of confusion may we forget. Then so we'd find ourselves in a precarious situation." Yudai walked past Yamato into the storage room and turned around to look at the wall the door was set in.

"The way you speak is so unnatural, I honestly wonder how you keep it up," Yamato commented as he followed Yudai in. Without asking for permission, Yudai shut the door, leaving the two alone in the small room, "Uh, Yudai?"

Bound by his personal code of optimism, as shaky as it was, Yamato had no choice but to keep up his smile, though nerves were cracking through. Yudai took a deep breath, "Relax, Yamato. I'm just checking how the door fits on the wall and how the room as a whole functions."

"Functions?" Yamato adjusted his hat, "Ah, you mean like... the ins and outs of it. Lots of rooms hold secrets. I would know."

"Yes. Buried in deep trenches are the little intricacies that, unsolved, may lead to our demise. Yamato... Why did the Titanic sink?" Yudai turned toward the ringmaster, his expression unreadable. Perhaps you may read what Yudai said here and think, hm, this reminds me of a different series. Talking about something so seemingly unrelated in a small enclosed room... Especially the Titanic... But I will assure you, such connections are easily formed with little basis.

"Well, it hit an iceberg, of course!" Yamato answered without hesitation, "But why does that matter here? We're just looking for a way out of an apparently underground shelter."

"The Titanic did hit an iceberg, but why? The event has long passed into history, but there are several educated assumptions on this tragedy. Above all was a lack of preparation and foresight, as well as overconfidence. Warnings were ignored, and the ship passed into the icy sea without hesitation." Yudai began to trace the doorframe with his finger, testing for the solidity, "But perhaps the most curious thing was the fact that the seas were calm. Would you think the silence of the vast ocean to be a deadly phenomenon?"

"Sailors are usually singing praises of stormless seas, aren't they? But hm, I guess thinking about it, if it's dark and the ocean is still, it might be difficult to see icebergs before it's too late." Yamato frowned, or as well as he could while keeping up his smile, thinking about the words as he said them. This, Yudai thought, must be a peek at one of Yamato's true faces. A person free from the burden of wearing a mask. A burden the mask maker knew all too well and judging by Yamato’s comment that he had chosen not to respond to, Yudai had a feeling that the ringmaster had already picked up on it. As Ami had said, everyone here seemed intuitive in their own right. Yamato shook his head, "But still, why is this important? How does this relate?"

"We must not put faith in the calm seas. If we become lax and underestimate this situation... Well, the moment we let our guard down is the prime moment for a predator to strike," Yudai took his finger off the door, "Do not let your guard down, Yamato. Do not break your outer face easily, no matter how tempting it may become."

Yamato narrowed his eyes as Yudai opened the door again, taking some offense from the cryptic words. The brighter light from the Meeting Room filtered in and he took off his glasses to rub his adjusting eyes. What could he possibly take from Yudai's "advice"? How could he trust someone like that after such confounding comments? He didn't know and he felt like he wouldn't for a while yet which was... a frustrating thought.

Yudai and Yamato exited the small room together to find that only a few remained. Amari sat in a chair, turned away from the table, and Mei and Ami were talking about something, though both girls had quiet voices, so Yamato couldn't make their conversation out. Perhaps most surprising was that sitting on the edge of the table, staring at a door that led out of the room, though not to the room they had woken in, was Yukari.

The enigmatic psychoanalyst smiled a slight smile when Yudai approached her, "Ohoho... Do you need something, Yudai?"

"Quite. I would like to speak on the matter of earlier." Yudai folded his arms, "Tell me, Miss Nagakage. Is your name truly Yukari? Or is that a name you chose for yourself?"

"Straight to the point with your sword of distrust, hm? I suppose that must be the only way you can look at me and justify yourself..." Yukari blinked, "Ah, never mind that, though. Is my name truly Yukari? Well, I like to think so, but I suppose that no one can prove that it is, not even myself. But, Yudai, what is a name but the manner in which you are addressed?"

"Names are very powerful, you said. I did not take you for one to change your mind so quickly." Yudai pursed his lips, "In roman characters, Our names do indeed start with a 'Y' and a 'U', and end in an 'I'. I do not believe you would bring up such a similarity without purpose. So tell me your purpose."

"I fear you would despise me more than you already do if I really answered that, truly and honestly. In fact, it's quite brave of you to come to me with the questions you have," Yukari smiled, despite what she had just said, "However, in regards to said question, well, let's see... There is one person here who is going by a pseudonym, someone who will not share their full name, and one whose name has been lost."

"Lost? I am unsure what you mean by that," Yudai murmured. "Swallowed by which current?"

"Surely you don't believe the girl's name to really be Keroko, do you? Wouldn't that be a bit convenient? But for a girl who can only speak in croaks, Keroko would be a name quite fitting," Yukari grinned her more malicious grin, "With this... Yes, aren't you smart, Yudai? I'm sure you can determine whether my name is true or not."

"You seem to know a lot. How did you come by this knowledge?" The mask maker ran his fingers up the horn of his mask, "Or is that, too, a secret of yours?"

"My, my... You really are more curious than I expected you to be." Yukari sighed, shaking her head, "But I suppose you can't help it, can you? Very well, take this."

The ginger girl waved her hand toward the ground as if beckoning, and when it rose back up, she held in her hand a letter adorned with a red seal. Slowly and carefully, she handed it to Yudai, "But don't open it until you are in a private location. I guarantee you, it will only harm you to be in the presence of others. But, still, it is up to you. It won't affect me if you open it with company."

As Yukari did this, Amari turned her head, having noticed the strange appearance of the letter. Perhaps it slipped out of the psychoanalyst's sleeve, but then... That wouldn't account for the spear and the bat. The bodyguard grit her teeth, but said nothing, and returned to the rather boring fixed point she was staring at.

"So, just where did everyone else get to?" Yamato scratched his head, "And why didn't you guys follow?"

"Ah, they went through there," Ami pointed toward the door that Yukari had been observing, "Mei had a few questions for me and, I'm sure you remember, Amari wanted to talk with her, too. So, they talked a bit and then Amari wanted to wait for you two. Mei and I are still mid-discussion, though, so if you want to go on ahead, don't worry about us."

Mei glanced over with a single, deep nod. Amari stood up, a smile on her face, "It's only natural that I wait for you. I must apologise, though. I was lost in thought. If you are ready to go, then go we will."

"Alright then! No way to go but forward," Yamato beamed and headed toward the door, Amari following closely behind.

"Will you not join us, Yukari?" Yudai questioned as he noticed Yukari remaining in her sitting position.

"I have, ah, stuff to think about. Yes, you could say that." She smoothed her skirt and smirked, "Besides, I already know what's through that door anyway. All in due time."

"Hm. Quite suspicious, but if you insist." Yudai shook his head and followed the other two.

Through the door was a hallway. Peering down, one could see three more doors, two on the opposite wall of the one they had come. Lining the near wall was what looked to be lockers of some sort. Kanna was already there, inspecting each locker in what was likely excruciating detail. Certainly, some of the students had already moved into the other room, whether it be in curiosity or out of a sense of duty.

In the hallway were several students. Kanna, of course, as well as Nori, who was hovering around the former. Oddly enough, so were Shigeru and Rikuto, despite having been in the other group. Having seen this, Amari quickly strode down the hall to one of the doors. Placing her hand on the doorknob, she eyed Shigeru, "You came from here, didn't you?"

"Yes, yes. That would seem to be a canteen or something similar," Shigeru nodded, "It would seem these rooms form a circle. Alas, Kanna already informed us that you guys investigated a meeting room with no sign of an exit."

"That would be true. What of those doors?" Amari motioned toward the two doors. They were identical in all accounts except the doorframes. One was red, the other was blue. "I assume the other students are either there or in the cafeteria?"

"I guess neither 'cafeteria' nor ‘canteen’ describes it very well... It looked like it was more dressed up than that. But anyway, yes. Some people moved on, some stayed... Hmhm..." Shigeru hummed to himself for a moment, "Those doors... I only got a glance, but they seemed to lead to more hallway to me."

"A dead end and many doors." Rikuto walked over, his thick arms folded. He'd been watching people go in and out and he knew a little of what to expect should he go that way. What he'd been doing, before overhearing the conversation between Shigeru and Amari, was testing the walls for any weak points in the infrastructure. It was for naught, of course, and Rikuto had expected little else.

"Perhaps it would benefit us to figure out just what's there." Amari murmured and narrowed her eyes, "No one's come out yet?"

"Not yet, not yet." Shigeru answered, running his fingers through his hair, "But they haven't been there for the longest of times yet. Perhaps it's a good thing, you think, hm? After all, if they don't return soon, they likely found something."

"Yes, my thoughts exactly," Amari nodded and began to head for the red door. Just what could be beyond? Monokuma's thoughts ringing in her mind, she had a strong feeling that it wasn't an exit of any sort. At worst, it would be a trap, but the way the bear spoke... No, he wanted them to harm each other. If not, they wouldn't be here, alive, to continue spinning their tale.

Of course, I feel I am obligated to pause here in case I have risen your hopes. There is certainly death in this documentation. When I say 'alive', I mean at this point in the documentation. I knew as I uncovered this that only a fool could be so optimistic and so I implore you to also not be so misguided.

Amari slowly turned the knob, aware of Shigeru behind her, and opened the door with a sense of purpose. As it opened to a hallway, Amari realised that she didn't have any real expectations. Lined on either side of the walls were eight doors and staring at one of them, the one closest to Amari no less, was Keroko.

"Are you coming, Riku?" Shigeru turned his head. He hadn't expected the welder to follow him, so when he saw him hanging back by the lockers, he wasn't surprised.

"No." As simple as most of his answers, Rikuto stared on, no emotion escaping past the dark mask covering his face. He had been watching the whole time, so he knew who had gone into which hall. It didn't matter in the long run, of course, but they were capable enough people, so Rikuto felt no need to clutter the hall.

"Alright, alright," Shigeru turned back to see that Amari had already gone on. Keroko tilted her head to look as the bodyguard walked past her. Amari looked as if she were going to say something, but apparently changed her mind as her expression shifted to one of more bewilderment, "Is everything alright?"

What surprised Amari was that on one of the doors was her old school emblem. Instinctively, she looked at her armband, where the same symbol was embroidered on. After staring for what must have been longer than necessary, Amari finally looked back at Keroko, "Does that symbol mean something to you?"

The frog girl shook her head and then gestured to the door behind her. Of course, Amari knew that Keroko meant that was likely her school symbol, but then whose was the one she was looking at.

Shigeru spoke up, his finger pointed at some sort of panel on the wall next to one of the doors, "Interesting, interesting... Looks like some kind of scanner, doesn't it? I caught you looking at that door over there. Want to try scanning something?"

"Like what?" Amari frowned and a croak from Keroko drew her attention down to the herpetologist. Keroko was holding a thin device that seemed large in contrast to her tiny gloved hands. Her Monopad. In understanding, Amari walked back to the door that had emblazoned on it the symbol of Akamine High School. She pressed her Monopad to the panel and heard a steady, but quick, beep and a click as the locking mechanism released itself. She placed her hand on the L-shaped handle and turned it, but not before looking back.

In her confusion over the door, Amari had failed to notice the biggest abnormality. The door opposite to hers held no symbol. Instead, it looked as if it were covered in red spray-paint. She didn't stick around to ponder, though, she could leave that to someone else for this moment. With a breath, she opened the door, unsure of what to expect. What was waiting for her, beyond the door, was a room much like a dorm room. Yet it contained things one would not normally find within such a room. Training equipment, guns that Amari could only imagine were fake, dummies for combat training... All things related to her talent.

Amari was drawn to a desk, of all things, upon which rested a picture, framed in oak wood. Her door ajar, she was barely aware of Shigeru asking to come in and slowly nodding as her mind was consumed by what the picture showed. It was, simply put, her current client. After a bit, she snarled, "Damn it. Why must this be here? To remind me that as long as I am trapped, I can't fulfill my duty as a bodyguard?"

"Whatever is the matter, Amari? I didn't expect you would snap like this so easily." Shigeru walked over and peered around Amari to get a glimpse of what set her off. Of course, being more than half a foot shorter than Amari made it difficult. "Ah. I understand... Why not simply get rid of it? It's only here to mock you, nothing more."

"I know," Amari sighed heavily, setting it down, "But... I feel as though I'm obligated to keep it here. Even if it pains me, I can't forget that I am duty-bound. It will be the fuel driving me to move forward, no matter what."

"My, my... I do hope you won't resort to violence," Shigeru brought a finger to his chin. "Ah, my apologies. In this situation... Er... Ignore what I said, please. It was... stupid of me to say that."

"No, I know you were merely joking, Shigeru. But still, isn't that the natural response. We've been thrown into a scary, impossible situation. What else can we do but watch our backs and hope that no one snaps before we find a way out?" Amari turned to look Shigeru in the eye, "But I confess. I'm already starting to lose hope. If you guys found something in the cafeteria, you would've said it. And there are only eight rooms in this hall, so it stands to reason that the blue door is just more dorms."

"Yes, I thought the same. This Monokuma is really pushing the murder thing hard, isn't he? But we can still hold on to hope. Alcatraz was known to be an inescapable prison, right? But three men escaped. There was even a movie about it." Shigeru reached into his belt and pulled out a brush and began to spin it between his fingers, "If Alcatraz was escapable, this place, the Subterranean Rescue Shelter or whatever, you know, something we've never heard of. Well, it's bound to be."

"I suppose that's a fair enough assumption. If we really are underground, though, it will prove difficult," Amari frowned, looking down.

"Yes, and while there is apparently an elevator in the dining hall, albeit blocked off at the moment, we were told it goes down, not up. Who puts an elevator in a dining hall anyway?" Shigeru chuckled and stuck the brush back, "On a lighter note, I want to find my room. If yours looks like this... I'm excited to see mine."

"We have to make our own light in a place like this." Amari smiled, her hand curled into a fist, "If you didn't find it here, it must be in the other hall. I have a strong feeling they're gender-separated."

"My thoughts exactly. We think alike, don't we? Or at least, we're both smart enough to put together the clues we are given. If you weren't so... distracted in class all the time, you would've made a good study partner," Shigeru headed for the door, Amari trailing behind, slower.

"'Everyone here is intuitive in their own right.' Ami said that and I'm beginning to agree with her. Me, you. And we both know how Kanna is," Amari nodded. "Even if one is to initially raise an eyebrow at people like Mei and Nori... I see something more calculated in Nori's eyes and Mei... Well, she's certainly surprised both of us."

"Very observant. Mei is held back by the limitations brought on by what I can only assume is her upbringing and book smart has very little to do with intuition. Ah yes, to think of any fight as a duel... She is also quite the mood-setter, is she not? And to be a politician, especially one of Nori's nature, he must be quite resourceful," Shigeru walked past the doorframe back into the hall. Keroko still remained, but now Niseko was with her. It stood to reason, then, that perhaps the room Keroko had been staring at was Setsuka's. But without Setsuka, what purpose would it serve? A doll didn't need sleep, nor did the doll fit the role of doll maker.

"I'll admit. Your way of thinking always fascinated me. So calculative... So watchful..." Amari lowered her head a bit, "And good at telling people's feelings... Knowing the right things to say. You really are something."

"May I invite you to join me, Amari?" Shigeru said, spinning on his feet, "Perhaps we can convince Riku to come, as well."

"Of course. I'd be happy to work with you. And I'm also curious to see what other dorms hold. For all we know, one could hold the key to escape," Amari nodded and led the way back out the red door.

Chapter Text

Haru leaned back in the chair he was sitting in, his eyes glued to the ceiling. He exhaled a deep breath and pursed his lips. There had been nothing more to the floor they were in aside from the first room, the Dining Hall and Kitchen, the Dorms, and the Meeting Room and Storage Room. All sixteen had gathered in the Meeting Room and they had each shared what they had found, but none of it was all too interesting.

When under pressure, the personality of a person changes to accommodate the situation. Most people who were in that room knew that simple fact and that knowledge was the thing that prevented them from being able to see each other and understand each other on a fundamental level. Take the Prisoner’s Dilemma, for example. If you were in the situation these poor kids have found themselves in and you knew that working together could result in escape, but killing had a higher chance of guaranteeing it, it would be a tough call. Of course, immediately you would think it to be impossible. You’d never kill someone. But under this pressure, the fear of the unknown threat... There were definitely some who would consider that option. The only saving grace here was the people who were already familiar with one another, but even then, the analogy merely becomes the Prisoner’s Dilemma in factions.

There are four options in the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Person A and Person B both benefit each other. Person A betrays Person B. Person B betrays Person A. Both people go the selfish route and accomplish nothing. Only one of these is considered a ‘good’ result by ethical standards, but to limit that chance of being betrayed, you might be inclined yourself.

Working this out, what would be the logical option?

“How long do you plan on staring blankly, Haru?” The ginger boy tilted his head at Kouki’s voice. She was eyeing him with her soft brown eyes, concern coming off of her in waves, “We won’t solve anything like this.”

As if coming to his rescue, Amari shook her head, “I want to get out as much as you guys, but we need a plan and, at the moment, nothing has arisen. Anything we might have thought could be a lead has instead led to a dead end.”

“So you’re saying we wait for a chance rather than make our own? I must say I fail to see the logic in that.” Yamato countered. He was lazily rolling his hoop back and forth on the ground from his chair, a look in his eyes that challenged Amari.

“I fail to see your logic, clown boy. We have no chance of ‘making our own’. Wake up already,” Marise snorted and stood up while Yamato rolled his eyes, but a tug at Marise’s skirt prevented the girl from making her way to the door. She looked down, met Keroko’s red gaze, and sighed, “This place is escape-proof! What else do you want me to say?”

“There have been documented cases of what one may call ‘spiriting away’. Cases where people vanish for days at a time and return, exactly where they left, with no memory of ever being gone. Eventually those around them, too, forget because such an event causes so little a splash. In fact, you could say the pool is completely still. In the vast depths of life, things that mean nothing are eventually forgotten, does that make sense?” Yudai was holding his mask in one hand as he gazed at it.

“How does it relate to our situation?” Ami rested her elbow on the table and leaned forward. “I wouldn’t call this meaningless.”

“No, you wouldn’t. Not at this time... Not at this place. However, in these cases of spiriting away, some people simply never returned. Other times, people appeared as if from nowhere, without origin and unable to tell of their past. And if that is the case, who is to say that people haven’t disappeared with their origins erased?” Yudai looked up, his expression unreadable, “I could ask each of you about your past and you would be able to answer me, is this true?”

Most people nodded, some said nothing, yet Yudai continued, “Who is to say that in twenty-four hours, we all will be here and accounted for? Even should a murder not occur, in a place as suspended as this, a breath held, waiting for the break of fresh air... Wouldn’t this be a likely place for such a phenomenon to occur?”

“R-Ridiculous!” Nori blurted. He had gone pale over the course of Yudai’s explanation and shivered, “That’s not possible. Some trace would be left. It has to be left! And I would know that technology like that doesn’t exist. A-And don’t say it’s magic, ‘cause that doesn’t exist either. Reality doesn’t bend like that.”

A heavy silence filled the air for a moment before Kanna spoke, his words slow, “Can you really say that with her in the room?” After he said it, he turned to look at Yukari and their eyes met, like ice and silver, both reflecting hidden emotions.

“Oh my, and here I thought I would be able to escape attention for once. You know, it really is quite tiresome to be gawked at all day.” Yukari sighed, spinning a finger in the air in what seemed like a pointless gesture.

“Y-Y-You stick out l-like a sore th-thumb... Th-There’s no way you could go unnoticed...” Even as he said it, Shohei doubted his own words. Nothing about Yukari made sense, so how could he say anything definitively.

Yukari, however, shrugged, “That may be true. But if entire histories can go missing, why not a single person, removed from space and time? What not we see our minds fill in. If there is a gap in space, you would never know, for your mind would cover the hole. You struggled to grasp the idea of how I could pull a spear from the air, but why? There’s an explanation for everything, so why couldn’t you understand it? The unknown is just that: Unknown.”

“You know what is going on?” Mei said, but her question felt more like a statement. She had been quietly listening, half understanding what was being said. More than ever, she missed her precious item... But as long as she had what was absolutely necessary, sacrifice could be made, “If you do, tell us.”

“You very much are to the point, Mei, aren’t you? A very fine example of one as sharp as her blades.” Yukari stood up, “Am I wrong in assuming that you learn through action?”

“Action?” Mei pondered that for a brief moment, “In actions, there are no things that I struggle to understand. It is all displayed for me, explained precisely.”

“Then come, ninja. Come at me with everything you’ve got,” Yukari grinned a malicious grin, almost like a beast. Like a dragon who had its prey caught in its trap.

Mei narrowed her eyes, “You are unarmed.”

“Never assume anyth--” Yukari’s was abruptly cut off as Mei moved so quickly, it was hard to tell where she started and finished.

A flash of white was visible as the wakizashi cut through the air. Mei was quick but elegant. A soft giggle told her that she had missed her mark however and she twirled the blade to cut at Yukari again. This time she watched as the psychoanalyst ducked beneath the blade and, in an act that seemed to go against gravity, lunged sideways, parallel to the floor. She kicked her foot down, propelling herself upward into the air, reaching a height unimaginable for the maneuver she had just performed.

Undeterred, Mei also leapt into the air after Yukari, driving her blade upward, but the blonde twisted in midair so that the white steel narrowly missed her side.

“My, your talent is no fluke, is it?” Yukari landed on the table, hopping backwards as Mei followed moments behind with another swipe. “You very much fight to kill. Even though you know what would happen should you kill me... With all of these witnesses.”

“I will not kill you. Even if I land a blow, I trust my skill enough to make my strike non-fatal,” Mei’s movements were graceful, like a dance, while Yukari seemed to be stepping on air to avoid the dangerous swings of the wakizashi. It was no wonder that the other fourteen sat staring, unable to speak.

The waltz of blade and ribbon continued - streaks of red and white. It solidified in Mei’s mind that Yukari was not what she appeared to be and yet... Mei was the Ultimate Ninja and with a quickly formed plan, she leapt to the side of the room, kicking off the wall and hurtling over Yukari’s head. The moment she was over that ribbon, she thrust her blade down, letting go of the hilt. Yukari shot backwards, but even she was unprepared for Mei’s sporadic movement.

The ninja’s foot touched the side of the table and with a bang reverberating through the air, she was at Yukari’s throat. It was too quick for the naked eye to truly catch. She had drawn her katana in her left hand, her right on Yukari’s chest, pressing her against the wall. The edge of the black blade was against Yukari’s throat, her blue eyes staring down at it. Even despite all of this, she still carried a smile, albeit a little more reserved, “Well done. You certainly qualify for a therapy session.”

Mei frowned but held her position. That was... Until something red seemed to seep out of Yukari’s fingertips, which dangled at her side, “Now, call it what you will, technology or magic. Everything has an explanation.”

The red stuff, with a consistency like smoke, curled around Mei’s blade and the black-haired girl let out a soft yelp as some force pushed her back and she stumbled. As Mei regained her footing, she realised the katana was no longer in her hand and, instead, floated amongst the smoke. A tendril reached toward the wakizashi and Mei audibly growled before the blade was softly placed in its sheath by the smoke. The other blade was carefully placed in Mei’s hands and, once it was set down, the smoke dissipated into the air, as if it were never there in the first place.

“Know this. Although everything has an answer, sometimes the truth isn’t worth finding. Sometimes ignorance is better,” Yukari hadn’t moved, still by the wall where Mei had driven her. She was no longer smiling and no one dared to move a muscle as she turned and headed toward the exit, disappearing out the door that led to the hallway.

“The hell?” Yamato exclaimed, his eyes narrowed, “That’s a whole new dimension to smoke and mirrors.”

“I feel as though we need to reevaluate our standings.” Shigeru grit his teeth, instinctively rubbing his neck where Yukari’s knife had been pressed before, “Strange, strange... I simply do not understand...”

“Please tell me that someone knew what it was,” Haru lowered his head, almost submissively and Kouki patted his back while shaking her head.

“Magic doesn’t exist... It had to be some sort of technology, right?” Nori placed his head in his hands, “I refuse to believe that was magic.”

“Well, we do have someone here who is familiar with stage magic, right?” Niseko placed her hands together and looked at Yamato. She was, once again, sitting atop Rikuto’s shoulders. “Yamato... What do you think?”

“Me? Why would I-- Ah, yes... Of course!” The ringmaster took a deep breath, “Right, er... Magic. Well, it’s possible that it was some technology, but you all saw it too. The smoke was carrying the swords and it pushed Mei, right?”

The girl nodded, staring blankly at the katana in her hands. Absentmindedly, she muttered, “I did not win that fight.”

“B-But you had her backed into a corner!” Shohei exclaimed. He yelped as something wrapped around his neck, sticky and wet. Of course, it was Keroko, but Shohei frantically grasped at it as the tiny girl swung herself onto Shohei’s back and wrapped her arms around his neck, her tongue receding, “Y-Yeah... Yeah... L-Like Keroko is doing with me right now. K-Kinda.”

“Nagakage did not use her full power. If she did, I would not have stood a chance...” Mei blinked, “She was unarmed.”

“You said as much before you fought, didn’t you?” Kouki sighed, “She really is an enigma. It just keeps getting weirder. What kind of technology could hold an object while looking like smoke? Mei, did it feel like smoke?”

”It felt like someone was pushing me. I am sorry, I do not know. Smoke doesn’t push. You can pass through it with no resistance. This could not have been smoke, but I do not know what it was,” Mei explained.

“Was it invisible, perhaps?” Shigeru threw in, gesturing toward thin air with his hand.

“No. It would cause a disturbance.” Rikuto answered, crossing his arms and shaking his head with no regard for the doll on his head who was clinging tightly.

“Right, in the air,” Ami smoothed her thick bangs and bit her lip, “Even something invisible would interact with light somewhat. Perfect invisibility is impossible.”

“If Yukari has such power, why hasn’t she found a way out, yet?” Amari licked her lips, moistening them. “We’ve seen her do impossible things like pull objects from nothing and now conjure a red smoke that can interact with objects. Just what is stopping her from leaving?”

“It just makes her seem more suspicious, if you ask me. Just another suspicious loser,” Marise frowned. She had since sat down again before the two had begun their strange duel, but she looked ready to leave once more.

“Isn’t that too obvious?” Kouki hung her head, “But because of that, I’m really at a loss.”

“She seems like our best bet at getting out of here but...” Haru’s voice trailed off for a moment, “I doubt she’ll be very cooperative.”

“Well, well. I feel as though Mei would have the best chance,” Shigeru raised a hand and motioned at the ninja who still stood in place.

When her name was said, however, Mei raised her head. Cocking it at Shigeru, she frowned, “Me? Why would I have a better chance than Tanioto?”

“Haru? How curious that you would single him out. I believe Shigeru was simply pointing out the small bond you have formed with our resident psychoanalyst,” Yudai glanced at Haru and back at Mei.

“Bond...? Hm. Very well. I shall talk to Nagakage,” Mei dipped her head and without waiting for a response, left the room, out the same door Yukari had gone.

“She’s so... compliant,” Niseko brought a finger to her chin, “I’m worried about her, y’know... listening to Monokuma and actually killing someone. I know she said she wouldn’t kill Yukari, but...”

“She shall be fine. Worry not, doll. A river flows in one direction, but a dam can stall it. If we keep an eye on Mei, I believe she will not be an issue. Far from it, in fact,” Yudai clasped his gloved hands together.

“Hey, I just noticed something,” Ami’s voice cut through. She had her finger on her Monopad and her face was aglow with the light it emitted. “There’s a map option now. Think it’s because we explored all of the rooms?”

“It’s likely.” Rikuto pulled out his own and after his name flashed on the screen, he found the option Ami was referring to, “Yes.”

A note after he tapped it said, ‘Map unlocked!’ and he looked back up. Niseko had been watching from her perch and she couldn’t help but wonder how Rikuto could see the screen. It wasn’t any brighter than her own.

Meanwhile, Ami stared at Niseko. Earlier she had questioned Yudai but... “Excuse me, Setsuka. Have you had any issues with your Monopad?”

“Me?” Niseko tilted her head and pulled out her own. Tapping the screen with a stubby doll finger, it flickered on, “You can just call me Niseko, by the way.”

“Hm. I thought it odd that our gloved companions could activate theirs but you... That’s beyond strange... PCAP shouldn’t be able to do that. You’re just a lifeless doll, albeit somehow full of life,” Ami tousled her bangs and stared at her own Monopad, “If you don’t mind, any of you, I’d like to investigate this matter with someone.”

“I think you should, Raya.” Nori pointed at Yamato. “I think you two would work well together.”

“What... Er... Yes, that’s fine.” Yamato scratched his head under his hat and smiled sheepishly. He was more than satisfied that he was able to worm his way out of being forced to explain something unexplainable, but the thought of working with someone else on something he cared little for was less than ideal.

“W-What now, though...? We’ve got n-nowhere to go...” Shohei shook his head, feeling the loss of hope creep into his alert mind. It wouldn’t be long before someone would give up and everyone else would follow, he was sure of it. As the thought crossed his mind, he felt his tremors grow fiercer and he grasped the edge of the table to steady himself as he pictured being confined to this one building for the rest of his life.

Ever since Yukari had left, Nori had been staring at the table, eventually glancing in Yudai’s direction. But as if sensing Shohei’s distress, he spoke up, “So, uh... What was all that about mind filling in blanks and stuff?”

“There is a phenomenon that is called ‘filling-in’. The brain creates a prediction of the image you see in order to fill in what you are blind to. Are you aware of the blind spot?” The answer came from the person who Nori least expected. As the low voice of Rikuto diminished all chatter in the room, it seemed it wasn’t just him who was surprised. Nobody expected the welder to be the one explaining.

“Blind spot? I can take guesses,” Nori shook his head, his pigtails flicking around his face.

“The optic disc of the retina cannot detect light so there is a small blind spot through which we cannot see. However, because of ‘filling-in’, we are not aware of such a thing,” Rikuto raised a finger, “Yukari is a psychoanalyst. What she was proposing is nothing more than neuroscience and theories. She brought up that we fill in the gaps in our vision and wondered if history does a similar thing.”

“How did you get all of that? She confuses the heck out of me!” Nori threw up his hands, “Things being m-missing from history? Us making things up to obscure it without even knowing? It’s all impossible. Who would even think that taking a neuroscientific or whatever concept and blowing it up means it’s feasible?”

“Does she truly believe it herself?” Rikuto asked, but his question was more a remnant of his speech transitioning to internal thought than a true question. He didn’t talk about it with others often or at all, but neuroscience was something that Rikuto enjoyed learning about. He didn’t have a particular reason for it other than, one day, doing some research about people and finding himself trekking deeper into the rabbit hole.

“Cephalopods do not possess a blind spot. I wonder just how that would fit into Yukari’s analogy. Perhaps rather than an exception, there exist people who see history for what it is. In which case, would those people be gods..?” Yudai pursed his lips.

“Historians.” Rikuto shook his head as he responded, “People who look at history and realise that there are holes in it. Holes that we otherwise ignore.”

“Are those truly historians? From what was being suggested, it seems to me like not even historians are aware,” Shigeru scratched his face and flicked the residual makeup from under his painted nail.

“Wait, wait. We’re not taking this seriously, right?” Yamato slammed a fist on the desk, causing Shohei, who was next to him, to jump, “That woman is a lunatic! Nothing she says should be taken seriously.”

“And yet, you can’t deny what Yudai said about missing people. He did bring it up first, after all,” Kanna tilted his head, “And I have heard about these disappearances myself. It is true... The victim has no perception of time lost. How do you explain something like that, Yamato?”

“Well, that is... Hey, wait!” Yamato, suddenly saddled with explaining yet another impossible phenomenon, pointed at Kanna, “You’re the perfect one or whatever. You explain it.”

“Fine then. As you wish,” Kanna sighed and looked at Yamato, “When the human brain shuts down, so, too, does all perception. This is a simple way of explaining this phenomenon. But then we come to the question of why and how the victims’ brains shut down. What kind of experience could take them so effortlessly and return them as if nothing happened while simultaneously removing perception? It truly does feel like they were removed from history, doesn’t it? Yet if we dig just a bit deeper... Yes. I believe the technology Yukari displayed earlier could be at fault.”

“Technology... Then do you know what it is?” Kouki looked up with hope, or perhaps concern, glistening in her eyes.

“I feel as though it is on the tip of my tongue... something with the capabilities such as that smoke...? But at the same time, I am certain that nothing like it exists. Certain!” Kanna frowned, “I’m conflicted because I feel as though I both know and don’t know at the same time. It’s... not a great feeling if I am being honest.”

“Technology or magic... One seems improbable, the other impossible. But it has to be something. Yukari said everything has an explanation and, logically, that has to be true. But does magic have an explanation?” Haru glanced at Kouki and she stared back. After Kanna’s answer, there was certainly concern on her face and Haru continued, “If we called it magic, it would be so easy to waive it off as unexplainable...”

“If she would just tell us, that would make things so much easier...” Kouki hung her head, “Why is it always people like her that end up with the most confusing stories?”

“Yet, I do wonder if what you stated, Yudai, about the exceptions... In Yukari’s analogy, would the cephalopods be Ultimates? Those possessing Super High School Level power...?” Kanna’s voice trailed off.

“If we call it magic, that makes it easy as hell. I’m okay with easy,” Marise lifted her head, “So if that’s it, that’s it, right? I don’t care about stupid neuroscience or philosophy or theoretical babble, so let’s just agree that the bow bitch’s red smoke was magic and forget about her annoying ramblings.”

“Are you sure that’s wise, Marise?” Amari looked at the smaller girl, her yellow gaze almost frightening.

Marise was not so easily rattled, however, and snorted in response, “I don’t really care. Out of all the things here, a psychotic psychologist’s psycho spewings aren’t going to kill me.”

With that, Marise stood up and, as Amari began her retort, the novelist quickly made her way out the door to the hallway and Amari simply sighed, flicking the pendant hanging from her neck.

“Well? Who’s next? All this talk about, ahem, hypotheses will get us nowhere,” Yamato grabbed his hat and placed it on the table. He ran his fingers through his light brown hair and looked toward Yudai with a weary expression.

“Unfortunately, hypotheses are all we have. Instead of talking about the lack of escape, why don’t we think about our personal strengths and how we can utilise them,” Kanna stood up, raising two fingers, “We have two goals at the moment, right? The first is, obviously, escape. The other is making Yukari talk.”

“How?” Rikuto brought a finger to his mask, his thick outfit noisily shuffling about as he did.

“Perhaps... Could Ami do something about Yukari?” Haru frowned at the girl who still seemed to be examining her Monopad.

“Me? You mean my talent..?” Ami sighed heavily, “I can try but... I feel it’s probably not gonna help. You saw how Yukari dispatched Mei’s talent. Whatever she is, she’s already got some sort of grasp on how we work. And a psychoanalyst...? We both deal with the subconscious. I wouldn’t be surprised if she already has a good idea of how hypnosis works.”

“That’s impossible. I know I keep saying this but really! Come on, we’ve just met Yukari. She can’t know anything more about us than we know about her, right? Right?” Nori’s eyes held fear and desperation.

“D-Do you have something to h-hide?” Shohei blinked at Nori. The fact that the boy kept getting uncomfortable with the thought that people might know what he was thinking, his aversion to magic, and even how quiet it seemed he was being made Shohei wonder. Why was Nori so secretive? Or maybe he was overthinking it. Perhaps the politician was just paranoid, similar to Shohei.

“He’s always like that when he gets nervous,” Haru answered for Nori, who had gone back to staring at the table. In class, as far as Haru could tell, Nori had just been an average student. Sure, he had the worst grades in class, but he seemed open and honest about his feelings until something spooked him. Haru could see Yamato subtly shrugging and Shohei stopped talking, apparently satisfied.

“Well, my talent is pretty useless like this...” Niseko frowned and slid down Rikuto’s arm to land on the table, “Setsuka is the Super High School Level Doll Maker, not me. I’m just her doll.”

“You are pretty advanced for a doll, though. Maybe you can function as a scout,” Shigeru suggested, his mind quickly working. He was certain that everyone had something they could do to progress, “We are not restricted to our talents after all. I mean, what would someone like me do? Cosmetologist, cosmetologist... Should I dress someone up to fool Yukari? That doesn’t seem likely, haha.”

“Mine is more useful. I would be more than happy to aid someone if they wish to directly pursue a goal,” Amari nodded as she spoke and then fiddled with her armband, “I’d like to say I’m pretty good, even in unarmed combat.”

“It seems like Yukari will be the key to escaping, right? So let’s focus our attention on her first.” Kanna said, his natural charisma drawing attention once more, but someone raised a hand as if to table that thought.

“First, I have a small question. Really just a small tide of an inquiry,” Yudai looked at Kanna and when the red-haired boy said nothing, he turned to Haru, “I think we can agree that Mei is very perceptive. Do you object to that, Haru?”

“No, she has to be. She’s a ninja,” Haru answered, confused as to why Yudai had singled him out.

“Then why, Haru, would Mei link you to Yukari? I believe the words she used were ‘Why would I have a better chance than Tanioto?’ Out of everyone here, why would she pick you?” Yudai’s tone was even but commanding and Haru felt his body go cold. Could it be that the mask maker was suspecting him of working with Yukari?

“I don’t know... I really don’t. When she saw me - it was just for a second - but I saw something in her face change and I don’t know why. She’s been watching me ever since. I think that’s what Mei meant. She must think that Yukari and I know each other,” Haru glanced downward, “But I don’t know her. In fact, she’s the most confusing person I’ve met.”

”And what about your superpower, Haru?” Yamato grinned slyly, “Can’t get a read on her? Disappointing.”

”She’s a psychoanalyst-- Ugh, never mind,” Haru quieted down his protests as Yamato’s grin grew, obviously in reaction to riling Haru up. At least he could rely on Yamato to bring some semblance of normalcy back.

“That aside, I think we all feel the same. Yes, yes...” Shigeru brought a hand to his face, “There are so many questions I have and yet, I am certain that none will be answered so easily. For instance, Ami. Murder?”

“I... No. That was just... Ugh. I’m a hypnotist. My talent is dangerous. Sometimes people came to me with... unusual requests, I’ll say. But that’s it. I’m just...” Ami sighed heavily once more, “My entire life is just one big misunderstanding. I hate my talent. What happens if something goes wrong and I break someone... forever? I hate it.”

“Unusual requests. Is that really the whole truth?” Shigeru’s eyes seemed emotionless as he stared at Ami, scrutinising her.

“Shigeru, please. It’s the whole truth. I have secrets, that much is true. But not about murder!” Ami thrust her Monopad onto the table as she stood, pushing herself up violently, “If you refuse to believe me... If you refuse to trust me... Then why am I here? Why am I here at this meeting about working together if you think that I am going to snap and kill someone?”

With an angry sigh, she grabbed her Monopad and practically fled the room, out the same door as the others. It was hardly noticeable, but Shigeru could have sworn the bottom of her bangs had been damp. Was she crying? His jaw was hanging open, he realised, and quickly closed his mouth, his yellow eyes wide. “I didn’t mean... Oh, dear... Ami!?”

And with that, Shigeru gave pursuit, gone within moments.

“He should really just leave her be. The girl seems like she’ll need time to recover.” Yamato adjusted his glasses. Ami, to him, had appeared stronger than that. But it was just a reminder that he didn’t know most of these people at all. Ami was a third year, like him, but in a different class and the few times the third years had met together to work on a project, she was barely noticeable and kept out of everyone’s way. Seeing this, he shook his head. People could spew out theoretical ramblings all they wanted, but they were all still people with emotions and flaws.

Everyone has at least one weakness, more likely a plethora of weaknesses. Believing one to be foolproof is typically a sign of obliviousness and, perhaps, self-conceit. Yamato wasn’t wrong in his judgement. Ami was just a teenager when it came down to it. Being subjected to having her morality called into question over and over was what led to her having to introduce herself in a way that diminished her talent if she brought it up at all. Going through that once more was what set her off and it was likely that she would need time to recover. But Shigeru didn’t know Ami. There was no way he could know what she went through and how she processed things.

Kanna bit his lip, wistfully staring at the door. Yamato made sense, but he knew that Shigeru was normally averse to conflict. Choosing to move on, he looked back at Niseko, “Well, then... Erm... Setsuka, how would you like to play the role of scout?”

“You too? Doesn’t it feel weird to call me ‘Setsuka’?” Niseko wondered aloud and then snapped her head up, as if the question just registered, “Oh! Uh, yeah! That’s fine. I’ll do my best.”

“Kero?” The frog girl reached a hand toward Niseko and the doll hobbled over. Keroko placed her hands behind her buns, apparently simulating Yukari's bow, “Ko kero...”

“I’ll be fine! I’m just a doll and, besides, what would Yukari do to me anyway? She’s made it very clear that she isn’t actually going to kill anyone, so I’ll be fine!” Niseko finished with her hands together and a grin.

“Ro...” Keroko hung her head and Niseko’s smile faded just a bit as she felt sympathy for her. Whether or not Setsuka truly felt that sympathy was unclear, however. Keroko knew that if she were to look at the face of Setsuka rather than the doll’s, there would be nothing but a grin full of malice. For a moment, Keroko remembered. She remembered that Niseko was truly Setsuka, the woman who saw her as nothing but an animal, and she let out a noise that was a mixture of a yelp and a croak.

“Hey! Are you okay?” Niseko grabbed Keroko’s arm and met her eyes. Keroko took a breath. Setsuka wasn’t here, not now. It was just Niseko. Even if Setsuka was controlling Niseko, that witch wasn’t here. Keroko could cling to that thought for dear life and, thus, she nodded.

“What will the rest of us do?” Haru asked, looking at Kanna who seemed to be leading the conversation.

“We need information,” Kanna nodded very simply, “About anything here. Make use of your dorm rooms. We can find a way out, I have faith in that.”

“Haru... I’m used to thinking outside the box, but this is absurd. If nothing changes, we can’t do anything about it. We’ve got to force it to change!” Kouki curled her hand into a fist.

“I agree, but also...” He looked back at Kanna, “Why our dorms? Mine, at least, is useless. It’s made to practice my cello, not escape a facility.”

“Mine is immaculate. I would be surprised if by looking surface-level, it would be possible to find anything helpful at all,” Kanna responded, “But that’s not all I mean. Yes, some of our ultimate talents provide helpful tools but also... Perhaps there are other secrets. I do not see Monokuma as the type to give certain students an advantage over others.”

“Okay... I guess I’ll look closer, but still...” Haru frowned, his mouth a thin line as he pondered, “I just can’t see anything helpful coming from it. I’m only a musician.”

“And I’m only I’m an artist. Maybe there are art tools that we can use to chisel our way out!” Kouki smiled a determined smile, but Haru could tell that she was trying as best as she could to muster any hope she could, “Oh, but... We’re underground... We’ll dig up then! Ooh, I’ll see you later, Haru. I gotta go look.”

“B-Bubbly as always,” Shohei observed, watching Kouki skip out of the room, “I-I actually h-haven’t seen m-my room yet...”

“Mine’s awful,” Yamato was twirling his hat around his finger but abruptly stopped, “I mean, you know. It’s just all stuff I’m used to. Nothing exciting. That’s all.”

“Used to or not... Secrets can be held even in the most familiar of streams,” Yudai ran his finger up the horn on his mask. He then held it up to his face, “Some things are hidden so well, we may never behold their true nature.”

“You’re really a weirdo, you know that? You’re a first-year, right? Still got some middle-school syndrome in you?” Yamato shook his head, that sly smile dancing on his lips again.

“If that is what you believe,” Yudai curtly responded from behind the mask.

“Time to go,” Rikuto said quite suddenly and he stood up, his large form looming over the table and muttered as he headed over to the door that led to the room they’d awoken in, “I will investigate the other room first.”

“We should split then. Do as Kanna says,” Amari also stood up. “We’ll meet up sometime later to come up with a plan.”

“R-Right! O-Okay, then...” Shohei jumped up and, at that, the remaining students began to depart.

Chapter Text

After just a few minutes, the room had been emptied save for Haru. He frowned for a moment before the door opened again and that frown only deepened as he recognised Kouki, a worried smile on her face, "Sorry, I saw everyone else leaving and I didn't see you... Why are you hesitating? Is everything okay?"

Haru frowned for a moment and then let out his turmoil in a sigh, “Can we just sit and talk for a bit, Kouki? I’m feeling overwhelmed and I just need to wind down.”

“Oh! Of course we can,” Kouki took a seat at the table and Haru followed her. His movements were slow and sluggish and Kouki could’ve sworn his face was paler than usual, “So, what’s troubling you?”

“Honestly... Is ‘everything’ an answer? Waking up in this place, being stalked by some crazy woman with magic technology smoke whatever... No immediate way out except murder?” Haru shook his head and stared at the table absentmindedly, “I wish I could go back to a simpler time.”

“I get that. I’d do anything to be back home with my sister,” Kouki smiled, but it looked pained.

“Your sister?” Haru looked up, eager to have something else consume his thoughts even for a short bit.

“Yeah! She was an Ultimate, like me. The Ultimate Sketch Artist. I guess you could say art runs in the family,” Kouki smiled slightly as the thoughts drifted into her mind, “Even if the type couldn’t be any more different.”

“Sketch Artist... Like forensics?” Haru brought a finger to his lip.

“Yeah, she was really good at it, too. Oh, well, she must’ve been. She was an Ultimate after all...” Kouki giggled a bit which made Haru feel a little better, even if she still looked tired and a bit sad, “She always got so serious about it, though. In my opinion, art should be fun. Do you have fun with your music, Haru?”

“Of course. I think your sister must have had fun too, though. Else she wouldn’t keep doing it day after day. How old is she?” Haru watched as Kouki nodded at his words.

“Ah... Just a little older than me. And that makes sense. Day after day... Yeah, it really does! She could’ve always just quit if she didn’t like it. How about you, Haru?” Kouki stared at Haru intently, “Do you have any siblings?”

“Oh, I... I guess so. I had a half-sister, but I never met her. She... Ah. She died before I was born,” Haru hung his head a little at that, but not because he was sad per se. Rather, a memory flashed through his mind.

He was staring at a picture frame. It was a picture of a young girl with reddish-blonde hair. She was smiling, holding up some kind of award given to her at a school event. Hearing the sound of footsteps, Haru turned to see his mother.

“She really was a wonderful girl. It disappoints me to this day that you never met her, Haru,” The woman ran her fingers through her own blonde hair, “Azumi had potential that could have served our family well but... above all, she was my daughter.”

“I thought you said she was... difficult,” Haru questioned, his young voice echoing through the shabby halls of the rickety home.

“Ahaha... She had a way with words, definitely. Despite being young, she was certainly not an easy one to pin down. Takes after her mother,” She smiled sheepishly, but behind her smile was a world of hurt and pain. As Haru looked upon his mother he saw her hidden emotions and he desperately wished that he could understand. He wished that he’d known Azumi so he could share in that pain and relieve the burden weighing on the woman who’d given him everything.

Haru looked back at the picture. Azumi looked just like her mother, just younger, “If she were here... Would we be living like this?”

“I don’t know, Haru. I really don’t,” His mother sighed, “All I know is that we have to keep moving. I know it’s hard, Haru. You don’t know anything about the world other than this old place and I wish I could change that.”

...

The whole reminiscence only took a handful of seconds before Haru looked back into Kouki’s large brown eyes, “I never knew her, but I was told she was wonderful. And we had a picture of her. She... She looked just like my mother.”

“I see... You must feel alone in this world, Haru,” Kouki placed a hand on his shoulder, “I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like growing up like that.”

“You know how Mei asked why she would have better luck than me specifically?” Haru blinked, his mind beginning to work faster.

“Yudai called you out on it,” Kouki added and tilted her head, “Do you actually know why?”

“No, I was telling the truth before. But I just find it so strange... Why is she so interested in me? You’ve seen it, right? That strange expression when she’s staring at me? It’s like she’s evaluating me and feeling pity for me at the same time. I don’t like it,” Haru shuddered, Yukari’s face grinning in his mind.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t been paying too much attention to her. Actually, quite the opposite. I’ve been trying to ignore her. As far as suspects go, she’s simultaneously the most and least suspicious at the same time,” Kouki shook her head, “Everyone else seems to be relatively normal, but then... She knew Monokuma, she’s pulled weapons from thin air, and she has that smoke...”

“She definitely knows something about our situation, too,” Haru added, recalling how she seemed to already know what was lying in wait before Monokuma even showed up, “But how..? I don’t even remember getting here. Much less anything about this crazy situation. Except... That Monokuma feels a little familiar.”

“Well, that red eye of his is in the Hope’s Peak Academy symbol. Think that means anything?” Kouki pointed out, “See? Look.”

The artist pulled out a sketchbook and some paints. With her finger, she quickly drew a likeness of the emblem of Hope’s Peak. Then she painted Monokuma’s face. Both were done well and with haste. Haru could easily see the resemblance, “Does that mean that Hope’s Peak is behind this? No, that can’t be right. We were there for so long... Three years for me.”

“Yeah, me too. My last year... But y’know, some of the other people here were in lower classes just like Yamato said. Although I never would’ve guessed that Yudai is a first-year,” Kouki grabbed another paper to wipe off her finger, the red paint slightly staining her skin. “Why does this have to be so confusing? I have no idea what could be linking the sixteen of us. Ami is the only one who even has a theory! But she... Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if she wasn’t interested in working with us for a while.”

“I didn’t think she would be so sensitive... Shigeru didn’t either. But it still stands that she was hurt because of it,” Haru shook his head, “Imagine if you were accused of being a murderer simply because of a label.”

“Yeah... My talent is harmless. Yours too. And yet, we have a bodyguard, a ninja, a hypnotist...” Kouki began to go through the students in her head, “But the scariest of all is still probably Yukari. A psychoanalyst who knows exactly what we’re thinking... And what we’re not thinking, too.”

“We just have to keep our eyes out. We’ll find a way out before people get too desperate. I’m certain of it,” Haru said, but he didn’t quite believe his own words. Ami’s reaction and Nori’s disposition seemed like proof that the others could be deteriorating at a rate faster than he expected. And he, himself...

“It’ll be okay, Haru. I think the same thing. I really do. Maybe we can do something with that supposed elevator even if it really does only go down. Or maybe we can brute force our way out. There’s a way. There always is,” Kouki gave him a confident smile and, feeling her hesitancy, Haru couldn’t help but wonder how much of it exactly was forced. For her too to be showing signs of hopelessness was just more proof, “For now, let’s rest and think on it. Come on.”

Grabbing him by the hand, Kouki led Haru out into the hallway and stopped just outside the dorms, “Don’t lose hope just yet, okay?”

Haru watched her go through the door and paused for a moment. He knew what he wanted to do, but he was hesitant. After a couple of minutes passed, he approached the same red door Kouki had gone through and turned the handle.

Nobody was in the hallway. Looking at all of the doors, Haru wasn’t sure who was where exactly. He could pick out some symbols, like the one that was on Amari’s shirt and armband or the one that looked like the trim on Niseko’s hat. All he knew was that the person he was looking for was most certainly in her dorm. He scanned the doors until he found what he was looking for.

The symbol that adorned that door is hard for me to describe. It’s comprised of two arcs connected to what looks similar to an asterisk. Of course, I can tell you that it’s the symbol of Kiriganai Academy. Now, Haru didn’t know that. He’d only seen the symbol on the shirt of the person he was looking for.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door branded with the Kiriganai emblem. It took a few moments but, eventually, the door opened just a crack and from within came the voice of the Ultimate Hypnotist, Ami Yumekuu. “Who’s... there?”

“Ami... I wanted to know if you wanted to talk. Er, just talk. About anything really,” Haru couldn’t help the awkwardness creep in as he realised that he didn’t have any strategy to cheer her up.

“Haru?” Ami paused for a moment and then opened the door wider, “Please. Come in.”

Haru did as he was told and paused to take in the room. It was stark white. The walls, the floors, the bed, the dressers. It looked rather homey, aside from the lack of color, and on one of the walls a large pendulum swung in time with the passing seconds. Ami turned her head toward where Haru was looking and spoke, though her voice felt distant, “I can pretend it’s just a clock, that pendulum.”

Haru heard the squeak of spring as Ami sat down on the bed and he turned to look at her, “Are you okay, Ami?”

“You came because of what happened earlier... Right?” Ami lowered her head, her bangs hanging over more of her face as she did, “That was my fault. I got defensive and I-- Well, I hope Shigeru doesn’t think poorly of me because of it. I honestly don’t know which is worse, being seen as a threat or as a weak-willed individual.”

“But Shigeru came after you, didn’t he?” Haru cocked his head, but Ami didn’t react, continuing to stare at the ground, “After you ran away, he followed you. He seemed to feel really bad.”

“Yes, he came. But I didn’t let him in. How could I?” Ami grabbed her ponytail and brought it in front of her, like a security blanket, “How could I face him after that? How can I face anyone?”

“You’re facing someone right now, aren’t you?” Haru bit his lip, unsure if Ami was subtly implying something about him, but he tried to keep his voice as comforting as possible.

“Heh. I suppose I am. You don’t understand what it’s like... Being suspected the moment someone learns of your identity. You don’t know the fear that comes with a job like mine. Every move I make is a risk. Every word I say...” Ami trailed off into thought before muttering absentmindedly, “Some people are unhappy because they don’t have a talent. Others are unhappy with the talent they have. And some people... Some people just wish they didn’t have one at all.”

“Ami... You obviously don’t like your talent or take any joy in it, so... how did you get it?” Haru asked in an attempt to change the subject even if only slightly.

“Oh... When I was younger, in primary school, I had a friend. She was interested in the occult and silly things like that and dragged me into it with her. So one day, we tried hypnotism... and it worked. I didn’t expect it, of course, because, deep down, I knew that what I was seeking at the time couldn’t be real. I panicked at first, but afterwards, my friend thought it was the coolest thing ever. At first, I thought she was playing along, but no...” Ami suddenly sighed very loudly, “I kept it up at her request, unaware of the fate I was weaving, the curse I was placing on myself.”

“What happened to your friend...?” Haru hesitated to ask, but his curiosity won out.

Ami opened her mouth but no sound came out. She placed a hand to her lips and managed, “She died. She was killed by a serial killer. They haven’t been caught because we don’t know anything about them. ...They don’t even have a name.”

“Wh...What?” Haru swallowed hard, all sense of self-restraint gone, “How long ago?”

“It... was only three years ago... Three years ago I... I saw her dead. I...” Ami grabbed her head and, despite being planted on her bed, swayed a bit, “I feel so sick thinking about it. I-I... I... Her throat was slit and her eyes... Her eyes were...”

Ami was shaking so badly that she couldn’t complete her thought, but Haru had an idea of where she was going. He sat down next to her, placed a hand on her back, and smiled softly, “You’re not there anymore. Hey, this place might not be the safest, but that serial killer isn’t here. You can relax.”

“You didn’t see it, Haru... You didn’t see it. Do you know why I cut my bangs like this?” She turned to look at Haru. “Because I was scared. ...What that monster did to her eyes... Since then... I’ve been scared. Scared of waking up and seeing that carnage.”

“It’s going to be okay, Ami. It’s alright. It’s going to be okay,” There had been sweat rolling down Ami’s face and her hands had been clenched so tightly that her knuckles had gone white, but after Haru spoke, she froze. Ami released the breath she’d been holding and collapsed backwards, staring at the ceiling, “...Ami?”

“... I know. All I have to do is keep telling myself I’m alright. As long as the pendulum swings... I have no choice but to believe it,” Her lips curled into a soft smile, “Your tone betrays your emotions, though... You’re so easy to read... It’s kind of refreshing.”

“Just how am I supposed to take that?” Haru frowned, watching the rise and fall of Ami’s chest as it slowed to a more normal pace, but there was a part of him that was, well, astonished. Usually-- No, always. It was always the other way around. He could read other people and they never got him, “It sounds kinda creepy when you say it that way.”

“No, no... It’s not a bad thing. At least not to me. No matter what, though...” Ami paused to collect her thoughts and silence filled the room, the only movement being the gentle swinging of the pendulum. For the first time, her voice actually sounded serene and at peace, “You mustn’t give up. Keep moving forward. Always. Even if you have to leave people behind, don’t second guess yourself.”

With the softer tone, Haru got the feeling that Ami wasn’t just telling this to him. This encouragement was for her, as well, “What about you, Ami?”

“If you end up leaving me behind, don’t ever look back,” Ami brought her hands to her chest, “Ah... All of a sudden, I’m very tired... It must be fatigue from finally letting all of that sorrow go... Please excuse me... I’m so... sleepy...”

Ami’s voice went silent and Haru sat, frozen for a moment. Her breathing grew deeper. It seemed that she had, indeed, fallen asleep. Unsure what to do, he stood up. Carefully, he draped her blanket over her and, satisfied that she was okay, let himself out of the room.

As he entered the hallway, he wondered what time it was. After seeing Ami pass out, he felt quite tired himself and figured that now that the adrenaline from earlier had run out, so, too, had his energy. To remedy that, he made his way toward the blue hallway to eventually go to his new room.

Chapter Text

The next few days went without much change. Students stuck to groups mostly comprised of people they already knew from school while trying to think up ways to either escape or get Yukari to talk. But the psychoanalyst remained an enigma, though she walked the halls just like everyone else and escape never felt farther away. Now, the facility was eerily silent as everyone went about their new, dreary lives. If only this moment could’ve lasted forever, it would’ve been so much better than what was to come. However, the person behind the curtain could only wait so long before their patience would run out. When conducting an experiment, if you hope for results and don’t get any, it is only natural to feel disappointed before trying again with slightly different parameters. Here, whoever was puppeteering this cruel game was surely following a similar process. But just as how murder is quite a drastic action, the new parameters would have to be equally as drastic. So an eerily still moment could never last forever. Time ticks on. The pendulum always swings. Life - and death - go on.

As Kanna paced the Dining Hall, (for they’d finally settled on the name for it) he heard a strange sound fill the air.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

Kanna had heard this sound a few times before. That Monokuma thing had been using it to distinguish between night and day. However... No, it was far too early to be nighttime, so Kanna listened as the disembodied voice of the bear echoed through the room, “Hello, everybody! I would like you all to gather in the Auditorium! Emergency! Emergency!”

The noise went quiet for a bit before, “...Wait, was that part supposed to come before?” and the silence resumed. Kanna frowned. He actually hadn’t been back to that large room since they’d arrived. In fact, he was the only one. Kanna had decided that he would spend one day in one room to thoroughly inspect everything it had to offer and it was today that he’d made it to the Dining Hall, so when Monokuma mentioned ‘Auditorium’, he was momentarily confused before realising what he meant.

Shrugging, Kanna went through the door that connected the Dining Hall and the Auditorium, the change in air pressure blowing his cape back a bit and he paused. The room was full of chairs now, not dissimilar to a theater, and a stage complete with a podium and a large screen. An auditorium, indeed.

When could this have happened? Since nobody had brought it up, Kanna assumed that it must’ve happened in the time during the student's initial exploration since nobody brought it up during that first meeting. That would make it a task to be performed in record time, but not impossible, Kanna reasoned, especially since Monokuma seemed to have spares. The more hands - or paws - the easier.

Kanna, being the closest one to the Auditorium, arrived first, though this wasn’t surprising to him. He was used to it. He took a seat in one of the chairs, but not before inspecting it first to ensure that it wasn’t somehow trapped. He doubted that Monokuma would try to kill them outright, but he knew that not all traps are immediately deadly.

A steady trickle of students arrived, with Yukari at the back, until all sixteen were in the room. Once Yukari had taken her seat, the lights went dark aside from a spotlight at the podium.

“Th-This doesn’t really feel like an emergency...” Shohei muttered to Yamato, who he was sitting next to. There were many, many seats in the room and yet the students had chosen to cluster. Even Yukari sat among them, albeit on the edge.

Yamato opened his mouth to respond, but Monokuma’s voice cut him off, the ringmaster instead grinding his teeth in annoyance, “I’m sooo glad you all could join me! You see, I’ve been having a bit of an emergency. Nobody has killed anyone and the anticipation and disappointment are killing me!”

“Of course no one has killed anyone,” Kanna said, his voice loud enough to reach the corners of the room, “We’re too busy looking for a way out.”

“Kekero roke keroko?” Keroko’s question fell on deaf ears as the two people who could understand her were seemingly uninterested. With a sigh, she slunk back into her chair. She had meant to ask if Monokuma’s ‘emergency’ was truly an emergency but, as it was, she couldn’t communicate.

“Perhaps this is a rude question, I am not sure. Monokuma, is this a waste of time?” Mei tilted her head and stood up, ready to leave.

“No, no, no! See, what you guys are missing is an incentive. Because clearly, the promise of escape is not appealing enough. There are four different ways to teach obedience, you know...” Monokuma’s face suddenly appeared on the large screen, moving in time with his real-life movements. It must have been a live feed, although there weren’t any cameras in sight.

“Are you talking about conditioning?” Marise folded her arms, eyes shut in an indignant fashion, “Operant conditioning? Positive and negative reinforcement as well as positive and negative punishment?”

“I’ve never heard of that before,” Kouki looked at Marise with a curious glint in her brown eyes, “What is it?”

“Ah, it’s so simple even a loser like you could get it. Positive reinforcement is giving your creature something they want, like a cookie for doing something good. Negative reinforcement? Removing something that the creature doesn’t like. Sorta like removing white noise that might be bothersome. Positive punishment is giving something a, well, punishment. Like whipping said creature. Negative punishment is taking away something that the creature likes. Y’know, like that earlier cookie,” Marise smirked, seeming proud of herself after that explanation, “See? A whackjob artist high off fumes like you gets it, right?”

Kouki didn’t respond, frowning both at Marise’s insult and in thought over what this meant for Monokuma’s motive, but the bear interrupted her as he began to clap, “Yes, yes! Wonderful explanation. Now, if my incentive follows these rules... Well, you could call this one positive punishment! Puhuhuhu! Mei, you’re already standing, aren’t you? Be a dear and come up here to the front of the room.”

“You probably shouldn’t do that...” Yukari’s singsongy warning had no sense of urgency and trailed off into thin air with little to no acknowledgment as Mei nodded, heading for the stage.

Once the ninja was there, whatever hidden camera must have been broadcasting focused on her as Monokuma took out a spray can, shooting some white gas straight in Mei’s face, who recoiled, spitting. Monokuma grinned with a growly chuckle, “Aha! Now let’s see what it does to little ol’ Mei.”

“H-Hey, wait!” Niseko cried out, thrusting her arms forward. The doll had been sitting on the back of one of the chairs so she could see Monokuma properly and the motion was almost enough to topple her from her unsteady perch. Once she recovered, she looked back up, “Are you even allowed to do this?”

“Well, it’s not gonna kill her if that’s what you’re asking--” Monokuma was cut off by a startled yelp from Mei, who fell backwards, barely catching herself with her hands.

The ninja kicked her leg out, her eyes wide in fear. After a moment of silence, breaths caught in throats aside from Mei, who was panting, she pulled her black blade from her back, pulling down the strap it was fastened to in the process and causing it to fall unceremoniously to the ground, and stabbed down into the stage in front of her, whimpering like a child. There was no hint of her usual stoic disposition as Mei trembled, pulling her sword back up and swinging it into thin air with more yelps and whimpers. The scene was so disconcerting, Shigeru, who had never before seen Mei act like this, had to shut his eyes and turn away.

“Madness...” Rikuto growled from beside him. Whatever was wrong with Mei, she seemed to have no sense of dignity left. No sense of the sixteen people watching her, including Monokuma, who had stepped back to avoid getting hit by her erratic movements. The welder turned his attention to Mei’s eyes, slightly glazed over, yet full of terror. It was clear that whatever she was scared of was entirely in her mind. A hallucination. He then stood up and spoke up with a commanding tone, “Cease this immediately.”

Monokuma turned toward Rikuto, bringing a paw up to his muzzle, “Is this not entertaining for you?”

“Humiliation? How on earth could you call that entertaining? It’s terrible!” Monokuma’s downright cruel question finally snapped Amari out of the shock she was in and she got to her feet, making a beeline for the stage. Once there, she ducked under Mei’s wild swings and grabbed her sword arm, placing her other hand over the wakizashi so the flailing girl couldn’t draw it. Then she lifted Mei off the ground, effectively restraining her. Between Mei’s thrashing, Amari grunted, wincing as the ninja cried out, struggling to break free, “...How long will this insanity last, Monokuma?”

“Well, each period lasts two hours, so probably one hour if I had to guess. Upupupu...” Monokuma’s laugh was quiet, but his complete disregard for Mei’s well-being was frightening.

”You mean you don’t know?” Haru sputtered. He had gone pale, sweat dripping down his face and unclenched his fists, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. Every bit of Mei’s terror was echoed in his heart, “You’re the one using it and-- You should know!”

“Puhu, I should, shouldn’t I?” Monokuma looked at Haru, for a moment seeming to relish how much the scene was affecting him, “Oh, but I’m getting ahead of myself. What you’re seeing is the result of a specially manufactured gas. It doesn’t have an official name, so we’ll just call it, erm, Monogas. Yes. It causes hallucinations that will probably vary depending on who inhales it, but it should draw out your worst fear. A horrible memory or something of the like. Now you get it, right? It’s untested! There’s no way I could know. It’s more than pleasing to know that it works.”

”Make it stop... Make it stop...” Nori said, staring down at the seat in front of him. Despite what he was saying, it strangely seemed like this was scaring him less than the discussion they had earlier in the Meeting Room, “Mei doesn’t deserve you taking advantage of her. How can you be so... so mean?” “It’s in my nature! Something cute and cuddly like me naturally has to have a dark side. You understand, right, Nori...?” Monokuma looked at Nori, but the boy avoided his gaze and the question, so Monokuma continued his explanation, “As previously stated, I plan to release Monogas throughout the whole facility every other hour. But fear not, there are two ways to avoid it! One is simple. Kill. It’s worth taking note now, kids. When in doubt of how to proceed, killing is a surefire way to achieve your goals. Murdering a fellow student will shut the gas down entirely and spare everyone from this horror that you’re witnessing. But I hear you! I can’t possibly do that. So what’s the other way to spare you from this terrifying gas? Well, I’ve brought along oxygen masks! If you put them on, you will be protected from the Monogas. ...Oops, but... It looks like I didn’t fill all of them completely. It would appear that after one period, one of the masks will run out and you’ll have no choice but to be subjected to the Monogas, ending up like poor Mei Meiyo... You know, I feel like I’ve seen the trope of swordswoman with an alliterative name before.”

“What do we do with her, tie her up?!” Ami breathed and another shout from Mei and the grunts of a struggling Amari spurred her to jump up from her seat and dash forward toward the stage. Still standing, Rikuto followed her, clearing rows of seats with single leaps. He grabbed Mei’s legs in an attempt to help Amari keep her steady while Ami panted, trying to grab Mei’s arm, but it was jerked away. It seemed like she had, at least, recovered from her earlier state that Haru had left her in. The fatigue. She whipped her head toward Monokuma, “We can’t keep her down for a full hour, can we?”

”Pah. No time to prepare and a test run for your own benefit? What a sham you are, bear,” Yamato spat, arms folded and a condescending smile on his face, “Keep her still long enough and give me a rope. I’ll tie a knot that no insane girl could dream of escaping. Kanna, lend me your cape.”

”What?” Kanna said, surprised by suddenly being addressed and he frowned, “Why? You have your own cape on. Why do you specifically need mine?”

”Yours is longer, obviously. But fine, if you won’t be of any help, then I suppose it’s my hands that are ending up tied,” Yamato shrugged in response.

”What kind of giving up is that?! It’s like you don’t actually care,” Niseko squeaked, “If my master were here, she’d tangle up Mei in her long hair... What do we do?”

”Please, Monokuma. Just stop this,” Kouki pleaded, eyes fixed on Mei.

“Oh, boo, fine. You guys really are no fun. But I suppose Mei was just an example, so... Miss Meiyo!” Monokuma climbed up onto Rikuto’s shoulders like Niseko often did and pulled out another spray can, spraying her once more. Almost immediately, her struggling slowed and she went limp. Amari cleared her throat, accidentally inhaling some of the gas, but she felt no different. With that in mind and how quickly Mei had stopped thrashing, Amari concluded that the second gas was just an antidote with no sedative contained within and Mei had simply passed out due to the sudden drop in adrenaline. Satisfied that Mei would be okay, Amari turned her attention back to Monokuma who had waddled behind the podium. She watched him pull himself halfway up and address the room, “Your masks are in the hallway, but there’s no need to rush. The motive will officially be in place tomorrow, an hour after the morning announcements. Alrighty then, have fun with your new trauma. See ya!”

The screen went dark and Monokuma slid down, vanishing from sight. For a moment, there was stillness and silence. Then the lights turned back on, shattering the momentary lull that had taken hold of the group.

“Rikuto, let’s bring Mei to her room. I know which one it is,” Amari nodded to the welder and he returned the gesture. She adjusted her grip so she was holding Mei by the shoulders with Rikuto still gripping her legs and, together, they carried Mei out of the room.

Once they were gone, Ami slid her shoe around the floor until it caught the hole Mei had stabbed into the stage. She then knelt down, picking up Mei’s discarded strap, “How are we going to get out of this? Not only is it completely unpredictable in every way, it also has disastrous effects. Just in her rampage right now, Mei could’ve hurt someone!”

“Well, I offered, but Mei’s not the issue, now is she?” Yamato squinted and removed his glasses to clean them, “Sounds like we’ve got to find out who’s got less oxygen and tie them up. Just my suggestion.”

“Kero. Kero, ro. Ro keroro.” Keroko shared her thoughts and, after a bit of silence, she desperately croaked at Yukari.

The psychoanalyst had been absentmindedly staring at the stage, but Keroko snapped her out of it and she tilted her head before her eyes lit up, “Oh! Yes, Keroko here wants to suggest that we check all of the masks before anything else.”

Keroko nodded along, confirming that Yukari had translated accurately. She didn’t appear to be done speaking, however, as she twirled one of the ribbons from her bow around her finger with a smile, “Now, my suggestion is as follows: Why don't we determine what our hallucinations are and prepare for the worst ones? With that in mind, we don’t need to worry about who runs out of oxygen when, we just need to tie up whoever ends up in the most distress.”

“You’d subject us all to that insanity?” Yamato interjected, placing his glasses back on his face and blinking a couple of times, “I see you’ve not changed these past few days. Your ‘suggestion’ has so many holes in it that it puts swiss cheese to shame. For example, how are we meant to accurately judge ourselves? We can’t monitor each other if we’re all incapacitated by the gas. And expecting people to have an open, honest conversation about it afterwards is ridiculous if the punishment is being tied up. Try harder, Yukari.”

“Well, well... I think the solution is a piecework of all of the above,” Shigeru interjected before Yukari could respond to Yamato, “We should inspect the masks, but we should also determine who’s the most likely to be hit the hardest, as well as who the most dangerous people are. As Ami said, Mei could’ve easily harmed someone with those imprecise swings and, believe me, she will never part with her blades.”

“We should also check on our good friend to see if we can determine what exactly happened to her,” Kanna added, “As a firsthand account, her input is invaluable. Although... flooding her room isn’t optimal. Mei isn’t fond of crowds.”

“Let me go,” Ami raised her hand, walking downstage to address the group, “Hijacking of the mind... It’s kinda my thing.”

“I want to go, too. Not because I’ll be especially helpful, but...” Haru looked down. He was still sweating and a bit pale. He didn’t want to admit it now that the lights were on, but the sheer emotion that Mei had displayed still had him reeling, “I want to know if she’s okay.”

He glanced at Kanna who nodded, “Yes, alright. While you’re there, can you inform Rikuto that I would like to speak with him? I would like his help with the masks. You too, Yudai, for obvious reasons."

”I suppose that if I can do my part in suppressing the bubbling geyser, then do so I must,” Yudai responded, his voice reminding Kanna that he hadn’t spoken up once during the course of the demonstration. He had expected that from Keroko, who couldn’t talk, and from Yukari, who, all things considered, seemed to enjoy watching things unfold. Glancing around, he realised the only other person who hadn’t spoken at all was Shohei and, catching a glimpse of his face, full of fearful uncertainty, Kanna couldn’t say it was all that surprising, either. But Yudai... He still couldn’t make him out. At all.

“I’ll make sure he knows,” Haru nodded at Kanna and then turned to look up at Ami, but was met with emptiness. After scanning the room and spotting her further back, already heading for the door, Haru gave Kanna and Yudai a nod, took a deep breath, and scrambled up to quickly pursue her. Apparently hearing his footsteps, Ami paused before turning to look at him. She then stepped past the door and pulled it open for him.

He waited just a moment, turning back to look at the rest of the group. Keroko had moved over to Niseko and it looked like the two of them were going to where Marise was sitting next. Nori was by Yamato’s side, unsurprisingly, and the ringmaster kept glancing at Yukari, who was still sitting by her lonesome. Kouki had gone over to Shohei and was whispering something to him while Shigeru had joined Kanna and Yudai, though he did glance at Haru and Ami with a very concerned expression and, for just a moment, Haru felt that concern crash through his body. Meeting Shigeru’s gaze, he suddenly felt guilty for reasons he couldn’t explain and hurriedly turned back to Ami and began to move.

After Haru passed through the door, he hesitated before heading through the Meeting Room into the hallway and stood in front of the red door. This time, he held open the door for Ami both out of basic courtesy and because he had no idea which of the many doors was Mei’s. Ami took the lead with a small chuckle at Haru’s awkwardness which caused him to purse his lips defensively, but the silence between the two of them otherwise remained. They were both simply too worried about Mei to make small talk and they were both still so surprised and horrified to properly discuss what they’d just been witness to.

Ami led Haru to a door branded with a rose emblem. He knocked and didn’t have to wait long, soon greeted by Amari’s curious face which eventually gave way to an expression of mild confusion, “Oh, hello, Haru. Ami. I imagined someone would come eventually.. I... have to admit, I’m a bit surprised to see that Shigeru isn’t with you.”

”Probably my fault,” Haru admitted a little quicker than he expected. Now with Amari’s words, he fully suspected that Shigeru had wanted to come, but felt that it wasn’t his place to intrude when two people had already spoken up, “Kanna said we should send a lot of people and I insisted that I go. Are they friends or something? Shigeru and Mei, I mean?”

Amari sighed and motioned for the two to enter, “I don’t know if ‘friends’ is the right word for it, but Shigeru cares a lot about Mei. She isn’t very good at... understanding things thanks to her sheltered upbringing and Shigeru is the one who usually helps her out in class. Mei isn’t the social type, though, so her gratitude is curt and that’s all there is to the relationship. I wouldn’t be too worried about it, though. Shigeru will make his way to Mei eventually. It’s what he does.”

”You sure?” Haru looked up at Amari, letting Ami pass him inside. Rikuto was sitting by the bed in a chair, watching Mei or, at least, Haru assumed he was. It was impossible to tell with the dark mask over his face.

”Haha. No doubt Shigeru’s got his hands full dealing with Kanna now. They are good friends and that I can say with certainty,” Amari responded, shutting the door behind Haru, “Seeing Mei like that was hard. I’m sure neither Shigeru nor Kanna took that well at all. The issue is that Kanna probably feels like he needs to uphold his stupid ‘perfection’. Shigeru will sort it out. I trust him.”

“Is she alright?” Ami tilted her head, approaching Mei’s limp body with Haru following behind. Rikuto’s large figure remained motionless even as the two drew closer and Ami eventually stood over Mei, who was laying in her bed. The ninja’s katana had been propped up against the wall and her wakizashi was laid on a nearby table. Letting out a sigh, Ami handed the strap she was still carrying to Amari, who went to lay it by the wakizashi.

The room itself was quite similar to Amari’s but with a much more traditional feel. Instead of targets and training dummies, large straw dolls were placed around the room and lining the walls were many blunt training swords. It was a strict juxtaposition to the modern guns and other weapons in Amari’s room. Even though the swords were probably too dull to cut anything, Haru had no doubt they could be used to bludgeon someone at least and he grimaced when he internalised the thought. It sucked, but these were the things they had to consider. What, in this shelter, was dangerous?

The room was dark, the walls painted black, and Haru’s attention was drawn to one of the straw dummies. Half of what he assumed was the head had been sliced off and paper littered the ground around it. What remained were scraps smeared with orange paint that probably made up a picture at one point, but Haru couldn’t tell what it was.

“She’s really out cold. There’s not much I can do if she’s not awake,” Ami placed her hand gingerly on Mei’s chest. “But that’s okay because I can wake her up, too.”

“Can you?” Amari walked over to watch what Ami was about to do. Rikuto’s head turned to look at Ami’s hand as she brought it to Mei’s cheek and Haru felt some odd relief wash over him. He hadn’t consciously realised it, but Rikuto being so still had put him on edge and seeing him move relaxed that anxiety.

“Yes, because we can still hear when we sleep. All it takes is a simple command,” Ami took a deep breath and her words flowed forth, smooth as water, “Wake up, Mei.”

Haru could hear the power in Ami’s voice despite the softness. It was almost as if a sort of magic was woven into her words themselves and he paused, a feeling of familiarity washing over him. His reminiscence was cut off as Mei suddenly inhaled, shuddering as she did, and slowly opened her red eyes. For a moment, all was still until suddenly “...TAKEO!!”

Mei leapt out of her bed in one motion past Rikuto, who stood as fast as he could, backing up, and onto the ground, putting a hand down to brace herself. In her eyes was a mixture of wariness, fear, and even anger. Then she paused, slowly standing up as she spoke, “...Takeo isn’t... My brain feels like... It feels... Where is Takeo?”

“There’s no one named Takeo here,” Rikuto grumbled, confused as he watched Mei, but anger flared up in her eyes once more at that statement. Or perhaps it wasn’t anger at all and, instead, determination. She stalked right past Rikuto to the table where her gaze settled on the wakizashi.

Mei picked it up with two hands and bowed slightly. It was a gesture Haru found odd, but he didn’t know much about ninjas, so there wasn’t much he could comment on for certain. Mei unsheathed the blade and examined it. Apparently satisfied, she replaced it on her hip and, as she did, something hit Haru. When Mei had threatened Marise earlier and when she was fighting Yukari, she had primarily used the wakizashi. Even though she eventually backed Yukari into a corner with the katana, all of the fighting had been done with the wakizashi. Yet, when she was consumed by whatever the Monogas did to her, she had drawn her katana first, “Mei, your wakizashi....”

“It is important. I must never lose it. If I do... Takeo... No. Just as I do not understand your customs, you could not understand mine. But perhaps if we have longer to spare later and you really want to know, I could try and explain. Since meeting others, I have learned that trying to make people understand takes too long,” Mei slung her katana over her shoulder and then seemed to notice Ami staring at her and returned the gaze, “Yumekuu.”

“Mei. What did you see?” Ami asked. Even though her voice was still soft, there was no hint of the earlier power. She was simply concerned and curious.

“My brain is confused, but I saw a fox. A fox that wasn’t there. But still a fox. A nogitsune...” Mei’s expression darkened from her usual stoic demeanor.

“For you to react like that to a fox...” Amari's eyes held nothing but compassion. Mei was afraid of foxes. She had to be. This was news to Amari and she wondered about it. Was it an irrational fear or did some event cause Mei’s opinion on the canines to sour? “Are you certain you will be alright? Did you hear what Monokuma said about the motive?”

“No, I did not,” Mei grit her teeth, trying to shake away terrifying memories that were clouding her mind. She pulled at her sleeve, “I heard nothing except a roaring in my ears.”

“He wants us to kill each other or else, eventually, we’ll all succumb to that hal-- that gas that made you see things,” Haru’s voice was low, nearly a growl, “For now, we’re okay, but not for long. It starts tomorrow.”

“That is unreasonable,” Mei shook her head as she allowed the memories to come back. Painful as they were, she could see the expectancy in the eyes around her. Expectance to explain, “I remember... The fox. And a feeling of fear because of the fox. An urge to kill the fox... It needed to die and I could have easily killed someone in place of the fox.”

Mei’s blunt phrasing caused the room to fall into silence. Ami had said earlier that Mei could have hurt someone, sure, but killing someone in that insanity... There was no doubt that it was an outcome they hadn’t considered yet. After a moment, Haru perked up, turning to Rikuto, “Right, I just remembered. Kanna wanted to see you. Something about investigating the masks. I think it has something to do with the fact that you wear that thing all the time, but he wasn’t specific, so it’s just a guess.”

“Very well,” Rikuto dipped his head and made his way out of the room without a further word.

Haru looked between the three girls before resting his gaze on Ami. She was clutching her fist tightly, but her face seemed as relaxed as ever. He couldn’t feel anything of note, either. It seemed like Ami was lost in thought, but there wasn’t a clue as to what she was thinking about, "Ami, is everything okay?"

"Do you ever get scared of what you could be capable of?" Ami sighed, releasing the tension in her fist and shaking her head, her messy bangs shifting as awkwardly as ever, "Have you heard of Alien Hand Syndrome?"

"I... I think I’ve heard of it. But I'm not familiar with the details. Like... Any of them aside from it being a weird physiological thing," It didn’t seem like the time to talk about some random syndrome and Haru looked at Amari as if she could rescue him, but the bodyguard was just curiously watching Ami, fascinated by such a strange sounding name, "Alright, uh, maybe explain it a little."

"...Imagine you're getting ready for school and you go to open the clothing drawer. You start to reach in, but the drawer closes. You try to button up your shirt and, this time, you see your other hand unbuttoning it outside of your control. Something like that where your arm is acting independently of you... That's Alien Hand Syndrome. It's not always oppositional, of course. Those are just the most captivating examples," Ami raised her own hand, "But it always has a task. Not just twitches or spasms... No, the hand wants something that you are unaware of. Sometimes in rare cases... That want is the death of the owner."

"That's... That's not real, right?" Haru frowned, staring at Ami with what he considered to be a healthy amount of concern.

"I'm not a storyteller, Haru. Sometimes, it's just a reach or a grab. Maybe a touch... A stroke of the face. Or maybe it could be frantic clawing or choking. The idea that your own limb may act as though it is not yours... It's very frightening," Ami continued, staring at her hand as she talked as though it might start displaying odd symptoms, "It's all scientific, though. A rare affliction, but identifiable. Perhaps the person was a victim of trauma or a stroke or a tumor. Whatever the case, the brain was affected and is now acting erratically."

"I can’t help but notice that you haven't stopped staring at your own hand. You aren't suffering from this strange condition, are you?" Amari folded her arms with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, no. No, nothing like that. I could easily simulate it, though. It would... be so easy. It would..." Ami's head suddenly dropped, "See, this is why people don't like me. Because I do things like this."

"Hey, hey. What did we talk about earlier, Ami?" Haru was aware of Amari frowning as he spoke, but he fixed his gaze on Ami, grabbing her by the arm.

She sighed, "I know. I'm sorry. I'm off-topic anyway. What I was going to do was connect it to this thing that Monokuma has threatened us with. Mei expressed her lack of control while under the effects... Actually... Well, why did you ask her about her wakizashi, Haru?"

"Because it was strange that she used it for everything except that display on the stage. While fighting Yukari and while threatening Marise, she used it," Haru answered, recalling both events. He looked over at Mei, hoping that she’d clarify things, but he was met with an expression of utter confusion and bewilderment.

"Yes, and when she was questioning Shohei, she used it. Do you think perhaps the Monogas brought her mind to an event where she did not have the wakizashi and only had the katana? So her gut instinct was to reach for the only weapon she knew she had," Ami raised a finger. "Just so I don't lose you - or myself - the lack of control is reminiscent of Alien Hand Syndrome. Mei had a purpose in what she was doing, but couldn't control it. And now I bring in the factor with her past."

"You're saying that this fox was part of a traumatic event and seeing it brought Mei back to that event? A period in time where she did not have her wakizashi..." Amari looked down, rubbing her shoulder, "But there's no way to know if everyone is affected in the same way. All we have to go on is what Mei has said and what Monokuma explained ‘might’ happen. Even he’s not sure."

"Which brings me back to Alien Hand Syndrome,” Ami said and then paused, “Mei...? Are you still here with us?”

”I have not left the room. I am standing right here,” Mei responded, tilting her head, “Your explanation is confusing to me. I do not know most of these words. What is an ‘alien’? Why is it making your hand attack you? I thought to myself, ‘Shall I cut it off in order to save you?’ But then Hoshino asked you if it was your alien hand and you said it wasn’t, so I am back to being confused. Am I the alien hand? I do not wish to lose one of my hands for I would not be able to use my swords properly anymore.”

For a moment, Ami just pursed her lips. She wasn’t sure how to respond to that and took a moment to think of a response, “Nothing needs to be cut. In this case, the word ‘alien’ refers to the hand acting like it doesn’t belong to you. Like it’s unfamiliar. But I’m not drawing a connection between the unfamiliar part. In this case, I’m just saying that the gas makes you do things that you don’t mean to. If anything, it has to be familiar. That’s what happened, isn’t it? The gas made you remember a fox from your past, right?”

”Yes. That’s right,” Mei nodded, “A fox that must be killed no matter the cost. So the alien is me? I am acting outside of my control even though everything is familiar. Me, the fox, my past. Is this not a child's hand? Not an alien hand? What was the last word... Sy... Syn...”

”Syndrome,” Amari answered, “A syndrome is a medical condition. It’s like being sick.”

”I see... So I was sick with Child Hand Syndrome. That is very troublesome,” Mei said, “But not everyone will have a Child Hand Syndrome. Somebody might have a Teenager Hand Syndrome. I am sorry, Yumekuu. I did not say anything because it would confuse everyone. Tanioto looks very confused.”

”I do?” Haru blinked, “I’m just... Never mind.”

”Please continue, Yumekuu,” Mei said with a bow, “Continue your story about aliens and the gas.”

“Right. The one thing that we’ve seen demonstrated and is driving this to be a motive is that it exploits a lack of control, causing both fear in the moment and fear in anticipation. I think we can use this to come up with some tactics to ease this situation." Ami turned toward Haru, "And... I wonder if I can override the symptoms of the gas with hypnosis. It all depends on how conscious the victim is. I was able to wake Mei up, but that was after she was relieved from the gas... Agh, all of this requires testing. We don't have that luxury."

"So then, it's a last resort. We have to hope that whatever Kanna figures out is enough and, if we need it, we can resort to these psychological methods." Amari said, continually nodding.

"This is such a soft line of defense," Ami murmured sadly, "But it's hard to prepare for an unpredictable event."

"We have to do our best," Amari responded and Haru muttered his agreement. Psychological or not, it seemed like the skills they knew they could rely on were their best bet. Even so, Haru couldn't help but ask himself, should Yukari help? How much easier would the impossible task become if the Ultimate Psychoanalyst put her mind to work? He thought back to before when she gave her suggestion that Yamato shut down. Yukari had been prepared to deal with the consequences of the gas. Did that mean that she thought there was no point in trying to resist? If so, would she even help at all? Haru couldn’t help but find himself agreeing with Yamato’s assessment, as much as that made his lip curl. Yukari wasn’t trying hard enough. Maybe she wasn’t even trying at all.

---

"So, these are supposedly our salvation," Kanna said as he approached a row of small masks; the kind that covered your nose and mouth, but nothing else. Some of the other students had been too shocked to follow while others yet didn't care enough or so it seemed. With Kanna was Yudai, of course, as well as Shohei, Niseko, and Keroko.

"Th-that would seem to be the case," Shohei's voice wavered as he picked up one of the masks, "There's a small device but... How’ something like this going to sustain us f-for any more than, I dunno, a minute?"

"Perhaps it's more of a filter than a tank," Yudai responded, his arms crossed. "Although that begs the question, how can Monokuma accurately predict when each mask will break to stagger them each two hours apart?"

"That's not possible," Niseko shook her head, "I know you probably know this too, Yudai, but when you craft something, there's no way to know just when something will break. You can make it as sturdy as you’d like, but there are too many variables."

"Had but you used a bit more riddling terminology, I would have thought that I was speaking directly to Setsuka," Yudai turned to eye the small doll, who looked back almost nervously.

”Kuku... I thought all of your lines were supposed to have puns in them,” Niseko giggled, “I can’t fit my master’s stereotype all the time.”

”...Perhaps. Though I don’t recall you ever speaking like the witch...” Yudai tilted his head, “At any rate, I imagine that Shohei and Kanna are quite confused.”

"Nah, y-you and Setsuka were classmates. I understand you being confused if her... d-doll thing is acting strangely if she says she’s... actually Setsuka,” Shohei rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “I-I don’t know what you mean by ‘riddling’ terminology, though...”

”I ran into Setsuka a few times. She always caused a commotion,” Kanna responded, “The way she talked was... hard to decipher, to say the least. Ramblings of a madwoman, I thought, at times. But she seemed to enjoy it. Is that not the case, Setsuka?”

”Mm... You can just call me, Niseko...” The doll responded with a bit of a frown.”

Getting back on track... I-I think we were talking about if it’s a filter... M-Maybe it is one and it’s electronic, set to stop working a-after a certain amount of time... Is that p-possible?" Shohei flipped the mask over in his hands. "Th-that might mean it's working right n-now..."

"That plausible, though still fallible," Kanna picked up a mask for himself, looking right into the black device. There seemed to be small holes in it, but no indication as to how it worked, filter or not, "Hmm, it's very light, don't you think?"

"Kero!" Keroko exclaimed out of nowhere, jumping on top of the lockers. They were only about half the height of a person and the tiny girl had no problem reaching the top with her powerful legs. Once up, she grabbed one of the masks and affixed it to her face.

"A-Ah! W-Wait--" Shohei couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence as Keroko tilted her head at him. She then tapped the mask, now over her nose and mouth, and waited.

Keroko could still breathe just fine, she found, and saw her breath fog up the mask with each exhale. It was strange to her that the mask would function in such a way despite having no nose or mouthpiece. In fact, if not for the pressure applied to her face, she might forget that she was wearing it at all, that’s how easy it was to breathe through, "Rokoke, kekoro... ro."

Her voice was, of course, muffled which put Shohei at ease a little. Seeing that, despite the strangeness of the mask, it still had normal limitations that you’d expect, instead of somehow defying physics, made it less intimidating to him and, for the most part, Keroko looked fine. This wasn’t some elaborate trap, "M-Maybe you should take it off. Who knows j-just what factors play into it not working..."

Keroko nodded and removed the mask as advised, setting it down. Heavy footsteps diverted her attention and she turned to see Rikuto.

"Hello, Rikuto!" Niseko greeted, waving her hand. She beckoned him over and scaled up to his shoulders once again.

The welder picked up one of the masks silently and immediately began to inspect the device as Kanna spoke, "Well, that was quick considering. We're all a bit puzzled, honestly. We can’t seem to figure out how these masks work nor how Monokuma intends to control them. Keroko even put one on."

Rikuto picked up a mask and fiddled with it, even lifting his own mask ever so slightly to test it as Keroko did. After a moment, he looked over at Yudai and then back at the mask, "It’s no bluff. This mask filters the air. The issue is that it seems to be empty."

"Empty? Like, the black part?" Niseko brought her hand to her chin, "But if that's the case, how is it coming out cleaner? How do you even know?"

”I’ve worn enough filtered masks to know,” He responded.

"Actually, I h-have a question. For you, Niseko. I-If you d-don't... mind," Shohei looked up at Niseko who looked back at him, her hands pressed together, "You... You don't breathe, do you? Is this motive even g-going to affect you?"

"Oh... Go ahead and count the masks... There are only fifteen," Niseko motioned toward them. "After Monokuma left the stage, he approached me, as in Setsuka, and made me choose one then and there. I'm a little worried about how that'll translate to me, Niseko, though..."

"Wherever you are... You'll be gassed, too," Kanna pondered that for a moment.

"I'm in this shelter. I just don't know where. It’s dark and I’m watching everything, but..." Niseko looked around at the ceiling before looking down, "Well, actually, with what we know, I have to be lower down in the shelter."

As Niseko continued to look around sheepishly, Rikuto kept his eyes trained on her. It was all too strange to him. Sixteen captives and someone, perhaps an organisation, had to be behind it. ...But here was someone who wasn't physically present, "If you die, does Setsuka die?"

"Ahahahahahahaha!" Even if Niseko had responded, her voice would've fallen on deaf ears as familiar, piercing laughter reverberated through the hallway. Recognising the laugh, Kanna turned around to where it was originating from and narrowed his eyes at Monokuma who had a smug look in his eyes, "I think you all need to start thinking of darling Niseko here as a voodoo doll!"

"Kero koreko?" Keroko's gaze shifted from Niseko to Monokuma, "Rokero keroko koko reko?"

"Are you implying that if Niseko gets hurt, Setsuka will share in her pain?" He had been silent since Rikuto had joined, so when Yudai spoke, it nearly startled the herpetologist. She was grateful he did, though, as this was essentially what she had asked, providing an unintentional translation. Or maybe it was actually that Yudai knew her better than she thought he did.

"Yup! If you kill Niseko, it totally counts and I'll make sure Setsuka shares the same fate. The exact same fate," Monokuma cried out with glee. "’Course, I can’t imagine you have particularly strong feelings either way. Riiiiight, Setsuka?"

After being addressed, Niseko climbed down Rikuto's back and walked up to Monokuma. When she spoke, her tone was entirely different, "This utterance is directly from I to yourself, Monokuma. I will not capitulate to you before I slip the confinement you've imprisoned me in. Ku ku ku... I'll consider it a trial most challenging... Yes."

Keroko froze. This was what she was familiar with. This was the Setsuka she had known. Likewise, Yudai folded his arms, observing the shift from Niseko to Setsuka. Monokuma's grin widened, "Perfect. That'll spice things up, won't it?"

"Master doesn't want to die. She dies if I die, so I can't die. I may just be a doll, but I share a fate with someone who needs to live," Niseko shook her head having gone back to the Niseko the others were more familiar with and she put her hands together.

In hindsight, after reviewing all that I am meant to document, I realise that Setsuka's control - her mastery over the persona of Niseko - was a tribute to her talent. Much like Yudai, her talent extended into the realm of metaphorical meaning. What is a doll but an avatar of a human? And since Niseko was created in Setsuka's image... Well, do you understand now? Should you not, I would not worry. The topic itself will come up again later. Metaphorical talents... A keen interest of one of the sixteen captured students.

"I wish you the worst of luck, M-- Ah, I forgot. That's a secret, isn't it? Puhuhu!" Monokuma laughed, but before Niseko could respond, her glassy eyes reflecting nothing of her - or rather, Setsuka’s emotions, he vanished into the floor. The doll then fidgeted nervously. She knew what he was going to say, but she didn't know how the plush animal knew it. She was aware of the stares and turned to face the rest of the group.

She brought her finger to her lip and opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Finally, she looked at Shohei, "Well, I guess you just met Setsuka, huh? That’s, er... That’s what Yudai and Kanna meant."

"Setsuka, why do you hide your name?" Yudai was the one to cut to the chase, "Hiding just under the surface in the guise of the doll is one thing, but we have never known your name, have we? From the moment I met you..."

"Just Setsuka," Niseko giggled a bit nervously, "There's no real reason she's hiding her name. She just doesn't want people to know. Maybe she doesn't want it. Maybe it has bad memories. Maybe it's just a silly name. Who knows?"

"Y-You, I would assume," Shohei bit his lip in an attempt to stop his jaw from trembling.

"No way. It's not important anyway. He's just trying to get us to suspect each other. Maybe if you meet Setsuka in person, she'll tell you the reason," Niseko looked down, "But for now, I'm Niseko, not Setsuka, and I'm not at liberty to share that information."

"K-Kero." The frog girl had been eerily still. In school, because of her nature as a human-frog hybrid, Keroko had been bullied a lot and Setsuka wasn't one to treat anyone like a respectable human, much less Keroko. As long as the doll maker was hiding behind the doll, it was fine. She could pretend that Niseko had nothing to do with Setsuka even with her matching had that felt like the mark of the doll maker. But that moment she spoke back to Monokuma proved that Setsuka was always still there, hiding. No matter how much she lied to herself or how nice Niseko was to her, that witch was as Yudai said. Hiding just beneath the surface.

Keroko sadly turned and hopped toward the red door, having to jump to wrap her hands around the door handle, and she disappeared into the hallway. No one bothered to try and stop her uncomfortableness was evident at just a glance and instead they directed their attention back to Niseko, the only one whose gaze lingered on the door.

That was until Rikuto finally turned back toward the masks, "We all will choose one. But we must devise a way to learn their approximate lifespans... This will prove difficult."

”We were just talking about how impossible it is to know for sure,” Niseko said, looking up at Rikuto.

Rikuto picked up another mask and began to compare it to the one he'd already been holding, but eventually let out a grunt of annoyance. He couldn't see any difference. He couldn't even tell how the masks functioned. He glanced at Yudai once again. It was strange to Rikuto that he hadn’t contributed to the conversation. He was the Ultimate Mask Maker, wasn’t he? Shouldn’t he be the one inspecting the inner workings of the masks? If he took what Kanna said about being “quick” at face value, he found it hard to believe that Yudai had much of a look at them at all and he couldn’t help but wonder about that. Why wasn’t he speaking up about his field of expertise?

As if privy to his thoughts and attempting to defy them, Yudai shook his head, "It seems almost supernatural. As Rikuto said, it appears as if the filter is merely a pocket of air. As such, I must wonder, will the bubble be so easily popped? Perchance the bear can manipulate it if it were supernatural."

"You're k-kidding, right? There's nothing supernatural a-about it,” Shohei shook his quivering head, "It's l-like Nori's been saying. Magic isn't real."

"Maybe not magic, but we have seen Yukari do some crazy things," Kanna tilted his head, "I don't want to go the easy route and say that she's behind this because I don't think she is, but maybe whatever Yukari can do, Monokuma can do, too."

"It's not outside the sea of possibility," Yudai agreed, "I also do not believe Yukari to be the shark. It seems as though she's treating the bear's 'game' as an opportunity to play her own. Yet, she is also versed in the art of psychology. Our thoughts must remain fluid or she will end up playing us all quite easily."

"Shark, huh?" Niseko looked down, "I think even a shark would be kinder than this..."

"The one behind the curtain. The one pulling the strings..." Kanna breathed.

"Do you mean the 'mastermind', love? Kyahahahahahaha!"

Chapter Text

Haru rubbed his eyes, yawning. No, now was not the time to get tired. When all was said and done, the investigation of the masks and Mei's episode had revealed next to nothing. Yukari had brought them together with her ceaseless chatter on whatever a mastermind was and eventually was overpowered by the pooling of information from both parties. Yet, in the end, it was all for naught. They had learned nothing. However, there was still time left before the evening announcement would play. He still had time to try and figure something out.

Perhaps he thought it might be best to go visit Mei again and he made his way, almost autonomically, to the red hallway. He looked at all of the door symbols before he remembered which one Ami had led him through. The rose brand was the emblem of Lily Rose Girl’s Academy, a well-known school, but Haru couldn’t picture Mei as the preppy type.

His heart was racing, he realised, and he took a deep breath, unsure as to why he was so nervous, before knocking. After a while, the door opened, Mei standing beyond it, curiously looking at Haru in the eye before bowing respectfully, "Tanioto. Welcome. Why have you come here?"

"Well, I thought maybe we could talk more about earlier," Haru said, his voice a bit quieter than he meant. His words had put Mei on edge. He could tell even if her poise hadn’t really changed.

"Have we not exhausted that topic already?" Mei frowned, "What is the point in repeating myself?"

"Well, there has to be something we're missing, right? Why did you see a fox when Monokuma gassed you? Is there a reason for that?" Haru nervously looked around and Mei stepped aside, letting him in and shutting the door behind him.

Haru rested his gaze on Mei's bed. Now that he wasn't as frantic and distracted, he could take in the atmosphere. Mei's room seemed to directly contrast Ami as most of the room was black. There were some lighter elements, but as a whole, the room was quite dark and almost devoid of color with the exception of the training gear littering the room.

"It is as I said. A feeling of fear accompanied the fox," Mei folded her arms and looked off to the side, “Is that not the conclusion we came to? We are meant to be scared.”

"Do you have a, uh, fox phobia? I'm sure there's a word for it, but--"

"Phobia?" Mei tilted her head, cutting Haru off. She placed her hand on her chest like she had many times before and paused, letting out a small sigh, "What is a ‘phobia’?"

"Oh, er... It's a fear. Usually irr... unrealistic. There's one for everything and some of them have specific names. Like arachnophobia, the fear of spiders," Haru explained, "I'm sure a fox phobia has a name--"

"Nogitsunephobia," Mei nodded, "I do not care if the proper name is different. I am afraid of foxes. Tanioto, do you know what it feels like to watch someone disappear in front of you? Not die, but leave someone knowing they have no chance of survival."

"What do you mean..? I know people who have died, of course. My mother... Well, she's dead. But I didn't leave her... She left me." Haru watched Mei's intense gaze soften a bit before she blinked, a wave of sadness washing over him, but he couldn’t tell whether Mei was sad because of his words or because of the memories that must’ve have been flooding over her at the thought of whatever had happened with that fox.

"No, this is different. I had a brother. No, two. But this one specifically was younger than me and when we were both children, a fox attacked. Takeo was brave and he helped me escape, but we both knew... Takeo would die there. We were never going to see each other again," Mei frowned, recounting the pain.

"Takeo. I recognise that name. You called it when you woke up like you were looking for him, I think," Haru recalled. Rikuto had mostly handled it, but Haru still found it odd, thinking back.

"I said you would not understand my customs but perhaps I can still try my best to explain," Mei led Haru to a table. She drew her katana and placed it down, "The steel of this blade is black, the trim is red."

"Yeah...? I can see that," Haru scrutinised the blade, looking for some hidden meaning.

"My hair is black and my eyes are red. Now," Mei similarly drew her wakizashi and placed it next to the katana as Haru looked up at her, suddenly understanding, "Takeo had white hair and golden eyes. My family crafted swords and, when we are young, we choose a weapon and help forge it. From then on, we are one with it. Takeo's spirit lives on in his blade and so I must carry it wherever I go to keep him safe."

"There's something beautiful about that," Haru murmured, "I noticed that you mostly fight with the wakizashi. With Takeo. Is that because... You want him by your side?"

"You truly understand? I... I have never met someone like you before. Somebody who understands without me explaining in great detail or by example," Mei looked away. The silence extended for a moment, but it was a welcome respite. "Tanioto... You said you would use your instrument."

"Ah, I suppose I did say that, didn't I?" Haru smiled softly, "Oh, but my cello is in my room. We'll have to go there."

"That is okay. I am curious about what your room looks like. What does a ‘cellist room’ contain? More instruments?" Mei placed a finger on her lip, "Are there any swords?"

"Uh, well... No. I don't come across swords very often. And by that, I mean at all. You're the first swordswoman I've met," Haru admitted, but Mei was already walking out the door.

Haru followed the ninja all the way to the blue hallway where she looked at the doors for a moment before standing in front of one. The emblem was a symbol that almost resembled an oni or a demon. This was the crest of Yakyoku College Prep High School, which sounds much more prestigious than it actually is. Haru couldn't help but be impressed, "How did you know this was my room?"

"This symbol was on the strap of your case," Mei said, turning back to look at him. It was true, but Haru was not carrying his case. In fact, he'd stowed away his cello in his room as soon as he'd found it. Mei had to be remembering from when they'd met and that impressed Haru even more, "Tanioto, will you open the door?"

"You know you can call me Haru, right?" He said as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. In contrast to Mei or Ami or even Amari’s, Haru's room was full of warm colors. There was a bookshelf filled with a plethora of sheet music and an old-timey record player in another corner. What looked like a miniature stage, with a seat and a music stand, was sectioned off near the back and a steady ticking sound filled the air, "I thought I turned that off."

Haru moved to a dresser near the bed and fiddled with a metronome, eventually stopping the noise. He then picked up his case which lay nearby. Haru was aware of Mei walking around, inspecting everything his room had to offer. She plucked out one of the books and squinted before realising she had no idea what the lines and dots and fancy words meant. When Haru pulled out the bow, Mei turned, "Is that for hitting? It looks weak."

"No, you absolutely do not hit people with it,” He blinked while tightening the bowstring. His response was a little more snippy than he had intended and he sighed as he clarified, “This is the bow. It's how you make the music."

"Bows are for shooting," Mei replied, quite bluntly.

"Well, yes, but this is a different type of bow," Haru picked up the rosin and began to apply it. Mei was now looking at him expectantly, so he began to explain further, briefly showing her the bow, "Look. These hairs here will normally slide across the strings of the cello, so I apply this rosin to make it a little sticky. That way, it grips the strings and makes noise."

"Rosin?" Mei tilted her head, "What is rosin?"

"It is the solid form of something called resin. Resin is a liquid found in trees or some plants, but it’s not sap. It sticky like sap, though, and that transfers to the bow," Haru answered, putting the rosin away. He then pulled out the cello itself and plucked the C string to tune it.

"What are you doing now? How is it making the noise?" Mei shot out her questions rapid-fire, "What determines the kind of noise?"

"I'm tuning it, making sure the right pitch comes out. The sound comes from the vibration of the strings reverberating in the cello itself. The tighter the string, the higher-pitched it is." Haru answered each question in turn as he went through each string. Finally, he pulled out the endpin and carried his cello to the stage, sitting in the chair.

"Are you not annoyed by my questions?" Mei finally asked, a worried expression in place of her stoic face.

"Not at all. In fact, I like it. It's a little cute, the way you're so new to everything. That childlike wonder you carry..." Haru smiled at her and watched her face go red a bit.

"Wh--" Mei blinked and then shook her head, dislodging a lock of hair as she did. It almost seemed as if it sprung up of its own accord. No, not almost. It did, somehow. When it didn't fall back down completely, Haru frowned and Mei looked at him for a moment before letting out an "Ah!” and frantically patting down her head, combing her fingers through it to force the dislodged lock back down.

"What's... What happened?" Haru's frown only deepened in confusion as Mei stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights. All at once, she exhaled as if she'd been keeping in her breath for several minutes and stepped onto the stage with Haru.

"It's not so odd, is it? If I touch you," As she said it, Mei poked Haru's bare forearm, her voice quivering, betraying embarrassment, "The hair on your arm rises, does it not?"

"But... Your hair is heavier than my arm hair. That's... I don't know what to say about that," The uncomfortable silence grew before he shook his head, "Well, I'll play for you now. It will sound better if you're in front of me, though, and not right next to me so go ahead and take a seat. This is a piece from 'Cello Concerto No. 1' by Haydn."

...

In the end, Haru didn't learn much of anything about the gas. In fact, he'd forgotten all about it. However, he did feel like he understood the enigma that was Mei much better. Despite her appearance and intense demeanor, she was quirky and, most importantly, an honest girl. After she left, Haru sat in the chair, a warm feeling in his chest from how delighted Mei looked hearing him play. Music being so foreign... Haru couldn't imagine it. Whatever life Mei had led must've been a hard one.

Haru shook his head, clearing himself of the light reverie, and took a moment to sort out his thoughts. There were only a few more things he could think of at this moment to try and get something out of the situation, but he didn't like the implications. Yukari was a bust. Even if she knew more than she was letting on, he couldn’t trust her to be cooperative. Rikuto and Yudai had already explained that they couldn’t figure out anything more about the masks, so there was no point to questioning them any further. And talking to Monokuma just sounded like a bad time. He was left with one option and it wasn’t a fun one. Nor did he know where his target would be.

He stood up and began to put his cello away, steeling himself for the conversation to come. Just as it was necessary to understand the motive, it was necessary, he felt, to be able to put together facts and prep for the worst and there was one person he knew who could do that.

Once everything was tidied up, he exited his room and headed to the red hallway. He looked at the doors but... No, he didn't know what he was looking for. Most students had their school crests on their person at least somewhere and the door without a crest absolutely had to be Yukari's, but he was still stumped. Amari, Ami, and Kouki were a given... He’d just been to Mei’s room... Niseko’s was easily guessed... That left him with a fifty-fifty shot. Just as he was about to make the theoretical coin flip, he heard the door to the bigger hallway open and saw Kouki, "Oh, hey, Haru. What's up?"

"I'm, uh... Well," He paused awkwardly, "I'm looking for Marise."

"...Oh. I see. Right... That’s her room," Kouki pointed at a door with an emblem that resembled tally marks. Two full sets, albeit one mirrored, "Um, good luck, though. She's difficult to talk to."

With that, Kouki disappeared into her own room and Haru was left facing the door. He was well aware of the mystery novelist’s difficulty. He’d already dealt with it a few times already not to mention when the two of them had run into each other in the Hope’s Peak library.

The crest on her door was that of a literary school that didn't take itself very seriously. The name of the school, “And Then Will There Be None? School” proved as much. Haru took a gulp of air, bracing himself one last time, and then knocked. When Marise opened the door and saw Haru, her face nearly instantly contorted into an expression of incredulity, "What do you want?"

"Purely business," Haru decided to cut to the chase, "You're a mystery novelist, so I want your input on this mystery."

"Ugh. My talent is so stupid. Nothing but work," Marise complained as she disappeared back into her room, but Haru’s approach seemed to find success as Marise left the door slightly ajar for him to follow, "Why do I have to be the only one here with a talent related to some mess like this? Actually, no. That loser Setsuka is literally a puppeteer! She could be the one behind this. Ever think about that? She was always acting insane in class, too, with her giggling and death threats. What a piece of work. You’re better off grilling the doll instead of me."

"I'm not here to accuse you," Haru sighed, watching her move back to her bed, "I want you to help me sort out the facts. Specifically around Monokuma's motive, in case you want some sort of direction."

"Ooh, gas. Scary. It doesn't even kill you," Marise snorted, "Sometimes, novels use smoke as a cover. Something happens while no one can see and, when it clears, bam! Someone's dead or missing. You can achieve the same things with a good old-fashioned blackout which is more common. You know, like ‘Black Coffee’.”

”Black... Coffee?” Haru responded with immediate regret, realising he’d just set himself up for Marise’s sharp retort.

”Agatha Christie? You’ve never heard of it, have you? It was a play she rewrote later as a book. How about ‘The Mousetrap’?” Marise shook her head and exhaled slowly when Haru returned the gesture, “Oh, you’re hopeless. Moving away from Christie-- Oh, I know. Completely different genre. Have you watched ‘Clue’?’”

”Clue?” He blinked, resigning himself to his fate fully. At least Marise could have a moment of superiority through his ignorance that might make her more cooperative.

”It’s based on that board game, Cluedo. It’s a comedy. A movie, not even a book. Anyway, in all of these stories, someone dies while the lights are out. That’s all I was getting at. And that wasn’t even the point. How about ‘The Adventure of the Retired Colourman’? Obviously a Sherlock Holmes book,” She muttered something under her breath in apparent disgust when Haru stared blankly, “The murder weapon ends up being gas. That’s another way it can be used. Still... Neither of those seems to be the point of this gas, though. Monoloser wants us to kill each other so, uh, hm. Mei got violent when exposed to it, right? She could’ve easily struck someone down with that sword of hers. Or someone might get scared of what’ll happen."

"...And kill someone else to prevent themselves from getting gassed?" Haru tapped his chin, "We have no way of knowing who'll get hit first--"

"Ha! It doesn't matter which way it's spun. Mei will obviously be the most suspicious. She's already experienced the stuff firsthand and she already has the weapons to back it up," Marise laughed before her mouth rested in a smirk when Haru’s contemplative look more resembled one of shock, "Or what? You think she's too pure and innocent, huh? Tell that to when she tried to stab me because she didn't know what a damn teddy bear was."

"I just spoke with her. There's no way she would've actually hurt you," Haru responded quickly with a hint of defensiveness.

"Oh yeah? You must be forgetting then. 'I kill bodyguards'? Or that entire thing about how her job is killing people. How Yudai's practically got her on a leash to do his bidding? Or maybe it’s all just a facade. I bet it hasn't even crossed your mind that her whole stupidity thing could be an act," Marise folded her arms, shutting her eyes, "Maybe she's using an act of naivete to assess us. We might be dealing with a malicious killer who wants nothing more than to see our corpses."

"You think she's the mastermind?" Haru exclaimed, anger evident in this outburst. That he could not accept. The Mei he had spoken to was genuine. He knew it.

"No, she's like Yukari. Merely using the setting she's been given. For the person behind it? It's like I said, Setsuka is suspicious," Marise sat down on her bed, not bothered on bit by Haru’s emotions and leaving him in an awkward silence. He felt silly. Why was it that the moment he bit back was when Marise decided not to have a clever retort? She didn’t even look like she was proud of riling him up. It was just something that had happened. The consequences of the conversation.

Biting his lip, Haru took in his surroundings in an attempt to calm down. The walls were lined with bookshelves. It was almost like he'd entered a library which wasn’t surprising at all, given Marise’s talent. There was a desk filled with paper and pens, a desk lamp peering over - definitely for writing - and a stack of books sat on the dresser next to Marise's bed. Walking over to get a closer look, Haru was surprised to see that they were all volumes of 'The Fukui Chronicles', Marise's own work. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he wondered why he was surprised. Of course her books would be in her room. Marise looked up at him as he traced his finger along the top book, "I assume you've never read one."

"No, I never had enough money to afford books. My former high school library was lacking and Hope's Peak pressured me to practice, not read," Haru admitted, "Lame excuse, I know. I'd like to read them, though. Kouki said they were good."

"Explains why you don’t know the classics. I don't care either way," Marise scooted over closer to Haru and took the book he’d put his hand on, "I never wanted to write them, you know. I used to write drama. Deep and dark, with happy endings. Not this convoluted puzzle crap."

"How did you get into it, then?" Haru circled back around the bed to where he’d been standing before.

"I just wanted to try something new. This one, 'Koriko: The Bronze Emblem', was meant to be a one-shot. ...It did really well and my sister said I should stick with it," Marise sighed, "What else could I do? It paid the bills."

"You were... poor growing up?" Haru tilted his head before narrowing his eyes. It had come out a bit more surprised than he meant it to sound and Marise's green glare told him loud and clear that it wasn’t something she was proud of.

"What else do you expect from a child and her older sister trying to make their way in the world?" Marise snapped, "Kotomi had a job, but it was still really hard. I was so lucky to get noticed... So damn lucky."

"Your sister? What about your mother or father?" Haru's breath was a bit shaky. He was well aware that he was treading on thin ice now. No, not even thin. Ice that had already been cracked.

"Who the fuck cares about them?!" Marise's face contorted with anger, "It doesn't matter! It's not like they did anything for me anyway! Kotomi was the only one who cared. So in return? I refuse to care about them."

Haru was stunned into silence. Slowly, the anger faded into sorrow and Marise looked down at the bed, "It really doesn't matter anyway. The past is in the past. It got resolved. I lived with Kotomi. She took care of me. Then she got married and things were easier for a bit until she decided to add a little brat to our life... Then it got hard again."

"I know what it's like to grow up in poverty. I had no choice but to accept Hope's Peak's letter because everything was so hard on my father and me," Haru sighed, hoping that it would help even though he’d already confessed to his own struggles just earlier.

"I don't need to deal with your troubles, too, music loser," Marise spat. She then paused and Haru could see contemplation cross her face for the briefest moment before she practically threw the book in her hands at Haru. He struggled with the catch and his hands stung from the corners digging into his hand, but he looked up in time to see Marise turn away, "Just remember: Everything has an answer, whether you like it or not. And the more you run away, the faster it catches up."

He didn’t know what she meant. What did answers have to do with poverty? With her sister or her talent or anything she’d said at all? The air grew still with an uncomfortable atmosphere as he continued to ponder. Marise went back to sitting down on her bed without another word and, feeling unwelcome, Haru excused himself, book in hand. He'd gotten Marise's thoughts, though not as in-depth as he would've liked, and learned a bit about her, but at what price?

He headed out of the hallway and made his way back to his own room, nothing waiting for him as he did.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"Good evening, students! It is now 10 PM and the Meeting Room has been locked up. I advise you to get some nice rest. Sleep tight!"

Chapter Text

The time had come. Fifteen students stood in a line in the hallway, each holding onto a mask with one doll watching. Shigeru’s voice sounded like an echo amongst the anxiety, “Remember, remember. This time is our freebie. If what Monokuma says is the truth, we should all be fine.”

There was no response. The silence was deafening.

“One more minute. If we want to be safe, we should put them on now.” Ami said with urgency, shutting her pocket watch with a click. She was the first to put on the mask, maneouvering through her thick bangs. The others followed suit and a mechanical voice filled the air.

“Gassing period one: Commencing.”

And a hiss met their ears. The room fogged up with white gas and Rikuto, who had lifted his welding mask just barely to fit the respiration mask under, shut his eyes, waiting for something. A scream or a drop. His heart rate didn’t slow. Not even as the minutes passed.

One minute. Five minutes. Ten minutes.

“Period one gassing complete. Time remaining in period one: One hour. Fifty minutes.”

It took only a moment for the air to clear, the surroundings once again becoming visible. There was a beat of silence as some students looked around at one another.

“So, who’s gonna take it off first?” Yamato asked, his voice muffled by the mask but still booming loudly. Just as he’d finished his sentence, there was a small thunk as Mei set her mask back on the locker. Each gaze turned to her as she stared back blankly.

“Why do you all look at me with so much confusion?” She asked before shaking her head and walking off to the red hall. As it seemed like Mei was fine and no traces of the gas lingered as she disappeared through the door, the others removed their masks and began to go about, slowly and hesitantly, the air of caution heavy.

“Riku?” Shigeru approached the larger man before he had a chance to leave, “I couldn’t help but notice you peek your mask up juuust a bit. I know, I know. It means nothing and you were just trying to fit that clunky thing underneath, but... I was wondering if you might want to, I dunno, just look at my supplies? Just a little?”

“Will that make you happy?” Rikuto tilted his head, folding his arms.

“Oh yes, tremendously. I am certain that, in time, you will show your face to me. But until then, we’ll take it one step at a time,” Shigeru grinned, turning on his heel, “Come on. Let’s go to my room.”

Rikuto hesitated. He could tell that Shigeru was still on edge just like everyone else, but his optimism or, at least, his attempt at optimism seemed to work. The lax attitude of the cosmetologist in the face of danger was somehow comforting, so he followed Shigeru and both exited into the blue hallway.

“W-Wait-- Shouldn’t we be taking the masks with us?” Shohei looked around frantically as Marise made her exit without a word, “Wh-What if someone loses track o-of the time?”

“I agree it would be safer,” Ami responded almost absentmindedly. She hadn’t set her mask down yet and was staring at it, “Although, someone won’t be safe still... If only I knew who. Argh, I’ll just... It’s alright. I’ll just have to do my best.”

The hypnotist continued to mutter to herself as she headed through the door that led to the dining hall. Amari’s eyes followed her, wondering if Ami was somehow internalising the future as her own fault, and she made a split-second decision to also head that way.

“Should we meet up again for the next one?” Kanna asked the remaining students, “Personally, I think it might not be so wise. If one of us is going to go crazy, locking ourselves up for that hour in our dorm rooms might be a better idea.”

“Yes, that is certainly a solution, but only for the second period. You see, should one person be haunted by fears submerged so deep, they may struggle to escape. During the third period, two will thrash to reach the surface and should they both attempt to flee invisible predators, they very well may run into each other, minds not sound,” Yudai’s voice was even as he explained. As he looked around, he saw a few expressions of concern and realising that his shooting down of Kanna’s idea, while important, wasn’t the most comforting, he added, “We do have a few hours to come up with another strategy before that third period comes around. Perhaps after the second period, we should check in. After all... We’ll know one of the victims... assuming there is no sly trickery involved.”

“Okay, sure. If this is our temporary solution, we should inform the others,” Kouki added with a nod, “In fact, I’ll go do that right now. Do you want to come with me, Haru?”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” The cellist snapped his head up. He had apparently zoned out at some point, but hearing his name brought him back to reality, “Yeah, let’s go.”

Kouki grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the dining hall door, where Amari and Ami had gone, and they quickly disappeared.

“N-No reason to stay, then,” Shohei muttered at their departure and walked off with a fast pace, apparently eager to go back to his dorm now that there was a semblance of a plan.

“Since I’m unaffected, I can patrol the halls. If I’m alone, it’ll be easy for me to run away when someone leaves,” Niseko suggested looking over at Keroko who was near her.

“Ker--.” Keroko was going to mention an if - if Setsuka was gassed, what would become of Niseko? But not wishing to go through the hoops involved in explaining herself, she merely nodded to approve of Niseko’s plan and, that lonely feeling setting in like she had nothing more to contribute, she hopped away to the red hallway.

“Good idea. It might also be good to prepare for the next period...” Kanna said, his eyes narrowed at the door that Keroko swung shut and, still contemplative, excused himself. Niseko also left, though she went toward the Meeting Room.

There were four left. At this point, it seemed normal for Nori to stay silent in times of stress, but he finally spoke up, “I’ll just say it. I’m scared. How can anyone not be?”

”Typical pup. Fear keeps you alive,” Yamato shook his head, “If you’re worth anything, you should learn to embrace that.”

“Being scared won’t do us any good--” Yudai blinked as the final person in the room raised her arm.

“Now, Yudai, don’t you think that Yamato has a point? Isn’t fear just a manifestation of our will to survive? What causes it, subconsciously speaking? Take a phobia, for instance. An irrational fear that seemingly serves no purpose but to haunt our troubled minds. Sometimes we know the cause... Other times, we don’t. What if that acrophobic person’s ancestor nearly fell off a cliff and that trauma carried through, leaving an imprint in their mind... Their child’s... Grandchildren's... It’s not impossible,” Yukari’s ramblings landed her with a stare of confusion from Nori as he looked between her and Yamato.

”Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance...?” Yamato muttered to himself in response before beaming up at Yukari, “Sounds like a load of bull to me. My point wasn’t some epigenetic nonsense, so don’t twist the facts into making it sound like it was. I was talking about survival instincts, a completely rational, proven phenomenon.”

“Most people don’t know the term ‘transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, wouldn’t you agree...?” Yukari smiled back at Yamato, “Regardless of the psychology behind it, we have seen the results of this gas and, I admit, it seems like a frightening concept. To be faced with hallucinations that are drawn from your fears. Quite frightening. However, I believe this is quite tame compared to what we could be experiencing instead. I dare Monokuma to target me. ...Oh, but I forgot. It’s random, isn’t it, loves?”

“Random? We did all choose our masks with our own discretion. That is the truth. But you sound unconvinced yourself,” Yudai looked at the psychoanalyst.

“Randomness, coincidence, whatever. It is a fabrication created to give ourselves something to fall back on. The subconscious will ensure that nothing is left to chance,” Yukari raised a finger, “That is to say if the mastermind is playing fair to begin with.”

”Once again, Yukari, your logic is entirely beyond the realm of what’s plausible. Even if there is some subconscious influence, we don’t know which mask is which, consciously or not,” Yamato rolled his eyes, “It’s still chance.”

”Hm. I suppose you must be right,” Yukari shrugged nonchalantly.

“We’re taking the word of someone so twisted...” Nori whispered.

“Well then. Good luck, loves. I do hope nobody dies so soon, but that might be too much to hope for. Kyahahaha!” Cackling, Yukari dashed toward the red hallway, the door exploding open before she even reached it, and, twirling back to give a final wave, the door shut behind her.

The time had come. Fifteen students stood in a line in the hallway, each holding onto a mask with one doll watching. Shigeru’s voice sounded like an echo amongst the anxiety, “Remember, remember. This time is our freebie. If what Monokuma says is the truth, we should all be fine.”

There was no response. The silence was deafening.

“One more minute. If we want to be safe, we should put them on now.” Ami said with urgency, shutting her pocket watch with a click. She was the first to put on the mask, maneouvering through her thick bangs. The others followed suit and a mechanical voice filled the air.

“Gassing period one: Commencing.”

And a hiss met their ears. The room fogged up with white gas and Rikuto, who had lifted his welding mask just barely to fit the respiration mask under, shut his eyes, waiting for something. A scream or a drop. His heart rate didn’t slow. Not even as the minutes passed.

One minute. Five minutes. Ten minutes.

“Period one gassing complete. Time remaining in period one: One hour. Fifty minutes.”

It took only a moment for the air to clear, the surroundings once again becoming visible. There was a beat of silence as some students looked around at one another.

“So, who’s gonna take it off first?” Yamato asked, his voice muffled by the mask but still booming loudly. Just as he’d finished his sentence, there was a small thunk as Mei set her mask back on the locker. Each gaze turned to her as she stared back blankly.

“Why do you all look at me with so much confusion?” She asked before shaking her head and walking off to the red hall. As it seemed like Mei was fine and no traces of the gas lingered as she disappeared through the door, the others removed their masks and began to go about, slowly and hesitantly, the air of caution heavy.

“Riku?” Shigeru approached the larger man before he had a chance to leave, “I couldn’t help but notice you peek your mask up juuust a bit. I know, I know. It means nothing and you were just trying to fit that clunky thing underneath, but... I was wondering if you might want to, I dunno, just look at my supplies? Just a little?”

“Will that make you happy?” Rikuto tilted his head, folding his arms.

“Oh yes, tremendously. I am certain that, in time, you will show your face to me. But until then, we’ll take it one step at a time,” Shigeru grinned, turning on his heel, “Come on. Let’s go to my room.”

Rikuto hesitated. He could tell that Shigeru was still on edge just like everyone else, but his optimism or, at least, his attempt at optimism seemed to work. The lax attitude of the cosmetologist in the face of danger was somehow comforting, so he followed Shigeru and both exited into the blue hallway.

“W-Wait-- Shouldn’t we be taking the masks with us?” Shohei looked around frantically as Marise made her exit without a word, “Wh-What if someone loses track o-of the time?”

“I agree it would be safer,” Ami responded almost absentmindedly. She hadn’t set her mask down yet and was staring at it, “Although, someone won’t be safe still... If only I knew who. Argh, I’ll just... It’s alright. I’ll just have to do my best.”

The hypnotist continued to mutter to herself as she headed through the door that led to the dining hall. Amari’s eyes followed her, wondering if Ami was somehow internalising the future as her own fault, and she made a split-second decision to also head that way.

“Should we meet up again for the next one?” Kanna asked the remaining students, “Personally, I think it might not be so wise. If one of us is going to go crazy, locking ourselves up for that hour in our dorm rooms might be a better idea.”

“Yes, that is certainly a solution, but only for the second period. You see, should one person be haunted by fears submerged so deep, they may struggle to escape. During the third period, two will thrash to reach the surface and should they both attempt to flee invisible predators, they very well may run into each other, minds not sound,” Yudai’s voice was even as he explained. As he looked around, he saw a few expressions of concern and realising that his shooting down of Kanna’s idea, while important, wasn’t the most comforting, he added, “We do have a few hours to come up with another strategy before that third period comes around. Perhaps after the second period, we should check in. After all... We’ll know one of the victims... assuming there is no sly trickery involved.”

“Okay, sure. If this is our temporary solution, we should inform the others,” Kouki added with a nod, “In fact, I’ll go do that right now. Do you want to come with me, Haru?”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” The cellist snapped his head up. He had apparently zoned out at some point, but hearing his name brought him back to reality, “Yeah, let’s go.”

Kouki grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the dining hall door, where Amari and Ami had gone, and they quickly disappeared.

“N-No reason to stay, then,” Shohei muttered at their departure and walked off with a fast pace, apparently eager to go back to his dorm now that there was a semblance of a plan.

“Since I’m unaffected, I can patrol the halls. If I’m alone, it’ll be easy for me to run away when someone leaves,” Niseko suggested looking over at Keroko who was near her.

“Ker--.” Keroko was going to mention an if - if Setsuka was gassed, what would become of Niseko? But not wishing to go through the hoops involved in explaining herself, she merely nodded to approve of Niseko’s plan and, that lonely feeling setting in like she had nothing more to contribute, she hopped away to the red hallway.

“Good idea. It might also be good to prepare for the next period...” Kanna said, his eyes narrowed at the door that Keroko swung shut and, still contemplative, excused himself. Niseko also left, though she went toward the Meeting Room.

There were four left. At this point, it seemed normal for Nori to stay silent in times of stress, but he finally spoke up, “I’ll just say it. I’m scared. How can anyone not be?”

”Typical pup. Fear keeps you alive,” Yamato shook his head, “If you’re worth anything, you should learn to embrace that.”

“Being scared won’t do us any good--” Yudai blinked as the final person in the room raised her arm.

“Now, Yudai, don’t you think that Yamato has a point? Isn’t fear just a manifestation of our will to survive? What causes it, subconsciously speaking? Take a phobia, for instance. An irrational fear that seemingly serves no purpose but to haunt our troubled minds. Sometimes we know the cause... Other times, we don’t. What if that acrophobic person’s ancestor nearly fell off a cliff and that trauma carried through, leaving an imprint in their mind... Their child’s... Grandchildren's... It’s not impossible,” Yukari’s ramblings landed her with a stare of confusion from Nori as he looked between her and Yamato.

”Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance...?” Yamato muttered to himself in response before beaming up at Yukari, “Sounds like a load of bull to me. My point wasn’t some epigenetic nonsense, so don’t twist the facts into making it sound like it was. I was talking about survival instincts, a completely rational, proven phenomenon.”

“Most people don’t know the term ‘transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, wouldn’t you agree...?” Yukari smiled back at Yamato, “Regardless of the psychology behind it, we have seen the results of this gas and, I admit, it seems like a frightening concept. To be faced with hallucinations that are drawn from your fears. Quite frightening. However, I believe this is quite tame compared to what we could be experiencing instead. I dare Monokuma to target me. ...Oh, but I forgot. It’s random, isn’t it, loves?”

“Random? We did all choose our masks with our own discretion. That is the truth. But you sound unconvinced yourself,” Yudai looked at the psychoanalyst.

“Randomness, coincidence, whatever. It is a fabrication created to give ourselves something to fall back on. The subconscious will ensure that nothing is left to chance,” Yukari raised a finger, “That is to say if the mastermind is playing fair to begin with.”

”Once again, Yukari, your logic is entirely beyond the realm of what’s plausible. Even if there is some subconscious influence, we don’t know which mask is which, consciously or not,” Yamato rolled his eyes, “It’s still chance.”

”Hm. I suppose you must be right,” Yukari shrugged nonchalantly.

“We’re taking the word of someone so twisted...” Nori whispered.

“Well then. Good luck, loves. I do hope nobody dies so soon, but that might be too much to hope for. Kyahahaha!” Cackling, Yukari dashed toward the red hallway, the door exploding open before she even reached it, and, twirling back to give a final wave, the door shut behind her.

Yudai and Nori exchanged one final glance before going their own ways to wait out the rest of the period. Yamato was the one who lingered even after Nori left. His violet eyes narrowed, but his smile persisted even without any witnesses. That Yukari wasn't taking things seriously. That much was obvious. But Yamato couldn't help but wonder just when the severity of the situation would hit her, too. For all of her smoke and mirrors, she was still human, right? No one was immune to fear. Not him, not Yukari. Recalling Kouki's words, Yamato realised that people would probably return to grab their masks and, not desiring any more interaction, Yamato headed off to his dorm room.

---

Amari sat on her bed, her mask in her hands. It was only a few minutes before period two and, this time, she felt sweat beading on her forehead. Even if to the other students, she appeared strong and unshaken, there was just no way she could face this without trembling. The anticipation of what could happen was just too great. The thought that she could be forced to face her worst fears was too much to bear. At the very least, it was relieving to know that she wouldn’t have to put on a face of bravery this time and Amari lay down, waiting for that cold voice to sound again.

As she did, her mind wandered further. If she were to be fine, which was statistically likely for a little while, she’d still have to do all she could to prevent anyone from getting hurt. After she had pursued Ami, the two had a short conversation where Amari had tried to convince her that it wouldn’t be her fault if she couldn’t prevent anything, but in doing so, she had almost convinced herself that maybe it would fall partly on her. Ami had reassured her with that comforting voice of hers, but Amari still felt like she had to try. The issue was how? As a trained bodyguard, she was certainly capable of taking down almost anyone here without complications, but it was all too unpredictable. Depending on who got struck, she’d have to improvise. And if it were Yukari... Would Amari even have a chance at restraining her?

After watching the fight between Mei and Yukari and seeing her ability to seemingly warp reality... Amari felt her fingertips go cold. There had been plenty of ways she had convinced herself that things would be fine regardless of who was hit by the gas. For example, Mei had proven that rational thought was nearly impossible in that state, so something as simple as unlocking a door might prove a challenge. But if Yukari were to be the first victim, what was stopping someone like her from just blowing the door off its hinges? She flung them open and shut with such ease... And her intuition. There was no doubt in the bodyguard's mind that Yukari, playful demeanor and all, was hiding something terrible. She had no way to prove it, but it felt right.

Amari then thought about the other students. As she’d previously surmised, most of them would be easy enough to dispatch, but others would prove more dangerous. She had taken down Mei, who carried weapons on her, already, but one wrong step and that katana could wind up lodged in someone’s body. Rikuto and Yudai were both physically taller than her and even though it was hard to tell under their outfits, Amari could tell by the way both walked that they were strong, with powerful builds. For a brief moment, she considered Kanna. Not because Ultimate Perfection would be especially strong or slippery. She knew what Kanna was capable of. But if it came down to it, could she hurt Kanna...?

Amari’s thoughts continued on like this until something new crossed her mind and she sat up. She’d been lost in thought and there was no way to be certain, sure, but... Several minutes had to have passed, yet there was no sound. Just as she was about to move, there was a knock at the door and, warily, Amari got up and opened it. Standing on the other side was Ami, “Amari, I apologise for the intrusion, but... We’re past time and nothing’s happened and... Are you okay?”

“...Yes, I am fine,” Amari looked at Ami with a bit of hesitance. She didn’t think her uncertainty was visible on her face or in her demeanor, but the genuine concern in Ami’s voice threw her off, “I... was just thinking the same thing myself. Do you think we should assemble everyone?”

Before Ami could give her input, a light pitter-patter of footsteps grew louder and they both turned to see Niseko, running awkwardly toward them, “Oh! People are already out and about! That’s great because, uhhhh... There’s something wrong. Really wrong. At least, I think so. I don’t know for sure, but it’s... Oh...”

“If it’s the lack of gas, we know,” Ami said, rubbing her head.

“No, no! I mean, yes, that’s a problem, too, but no. You know that small room attached to the Meeting Room? It’s locked, but not.-- It’s like, sealed or something. Well, no-- It’s... I know what it is and-- Just go see, please. I’m gonna get everyone else, but you, at least, should go see if you can open it, Amari,” Niseko’s voice was frantic and almost as soon as she finished her final, disjointed thought she ran past to go knock on another door.

No words had to be said as Ami took off sprinting, Amari following closely behind, “I really don’t like these connotations. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you what Monokuma said would stop the gas.”

“I’d rather it not cross my mind,” Amari answered Ami’s question honestly between breaths. It didn’t take long before they burst into the Meeting Room. Amari’s pace slowed as she saw the door and her eyes widened, “Ami, look at this. The cracks... They really have been... The bottom has been busted open, though...”

“Can you see anything through the hole?” Ami asked, gripping her pocket watch tightly as she moved forward to touch where the crack between the door and the doorframe should have been. It was evident why neither Amari nor Niseko could finish their sentence.

“No, the room is too dark,” Amari answered as she banged her fist against the door, causing Ami to jump a bit, “It’s solid, too. This is gonna take some real work to open. Okay, ready?”

Amari put a hand up to signal Ami to move out of the way and she backed up as Ami scrambled away from the door. With a mighty yell, she charged forward to try to shoulder the door open, squeezing her eyes shut just before impact. Then... collision. But it was soft and there was a strange popping noise just as she was repelled with so much force that she flew backwards several feet and skidded on the floor.

“I didn’t take you for one so stupid. Most people know that if you run into something made of solid metal with that much force, you’ll fracture your bones at the very least,” Yukari stood in the doorframe from the hallway. Her hand was extended, making it clear that she had been the one to stop Amari. As she looked up, she could see remnants of the red smoke curling around the door. It was like she’d run into a bubble that burst and the smoke was the mist dissipating into the air. Sweat dripping down her face, Amari turned to look at Yukari. She wasn’t sure what was more surprising. The fact that she’d just been thrown aside by some mystical force or how there was not a single hint of whimsy on the psychoanalyst’s face, “Oh, but I’m no doctor and I suppose you aren’t either.”

“Do you have any ideas on how to get it open, then?” Ami bit her lip, knowing full well just who she was asking the question to. Of course Yukari would have a solution.

“Well, I can open it and, eventually, I’ll have to. But do you really want me to do that right now? At this very moment?” Yukari walked until she stood right in front of the door, “You know what’s in there. I know you do, even if you won’t admit it to yourself.”

“I won’t believe it,” Amari grumbled, getting to her feet. Ami didn’t share that sentiment. She knew that there was no choice but to believe. Amari was stubborn though and Ami had a feeling that her insistence wasn’t something that would surrender so easily.

“Delusions are a critical symptom. Imagine if you kept up this sort of thinking and ended up in psychosis. Who would take care of you then? Have you heard of the ‘willing suspension of disbelief’? It’s a theatrical term for when people choose to cast aside logic and criticism for the sake of enjoying something. In a play, not everything is a hundred percent realistic, but we still enjoy it thanks to this very phenomenon. It isn’t limited to just theatre, but all entertainment. Surely you’ve watched a movie and realised afterward that some things just don’t work out in reality, but for the sake of enjoyment, you didn’t even consider that in the moment. This is something we can attempt to explain with neuroscience as people have in the past. Likely, it is wholly subconscious,” Yukari’s gaze didn’t leave the door as she continued her, for lack of a better word, monologue, “But let’s move on from movies and books and plays and apply it to reality. You choose to ignore the facts presented to you and believe that behind this door is something entirely different from the truth. Perhaps nothing...? I wish not to know what you are deluding yourself with. But what we can do with such a suspension is to break it.”

Yukari finally turned around to face both Ami and Amari, “And I will waste no more time. You want to prove to yourselves that everything is okay? That the realm beyond has not claimed the realm beyond this door? Fine then. Take all the proof you need.”

She snapped her fingers and a deafening crash caused both of the others to flinch, Ami bending over and covering her ears. The red smoke once again filled the air, mixing with the dust and particles from the door which had been blown off its hinges. Amari squinted to see past it all while Ami shakily walked forward to click on the light.

When she saw it, Amari’s breath caught in her throat. The scent of blood permeated the air, hitting like a wave of metallic vomit. Ami visibly gagged, not even having seen anything yet. Slowly, she turned, her hand white from clutching her pocket watch so hard.

Just as Yukari claimed, the suspension had been broken.

Rikuto Honda was dead.

Chapter Text

Ding dong. Bing bong.

Ami’s throat was so dry she couldn’t swallow. The announcement barely registered. If not for the dread-filled contents, she might not have heard it at all.

“A body has been discovered! I advise you all to come to the Storage Room right away! After a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!”

Backing into the wall, she brought her pocket watch to her chest, shivering, “Amari... Amari?”

The bodyguard was silent for a moment longer before turning to Ami, swallowing hard, “Don’t be worried about being here. I can vouch that we found this together. They won’t suspect you simply because you were one of the first to find the body.”

“It’s... alright. It’s alright,” Ami murmured to herself so low, it couldn’t be said if even Amari could hear her.

The sound of running footsteps grew louder and louder until shouting voices accompanied them. The first one that made any sense was Marise, “You’re not serious, right? No one’s actually dead, right?”

But as each person saw the corpse, they had no choice but to believe. This was reality. Rikuto was dead.

---

Investigation: Begin.

---

Haru clenched his fists as the rules once again washed over him. If Monokuma didn’t kill Rikuto, and logic told him that he didn’t, they had to figure out who by any means necessary. And even if it were somehow Monokuma, they’d still need to find evidence to prove it. Everyone’s lives were on the line, so the utmost importance had to be given to this investigation, “Monokuma didn’t give us a timeframe, so we don’t know how long we have. We need to start investigating as soon as possible.”

“How are you so calm, Haru?” Kouki's eyes were wide, “That-- That’s Rikuto! He’s dead... Haru, he’s dead and he’s not coming back!”

“That’s why we have to do this. For Rikuto’s sake, right?” Haru met Kouki’s gaze, feeling her fear ease just a bit as she sighed and he continued, “I don’t really know how a criminal or murder or whatever you call it investigation goes, though--”

“Yeah, shut up for a second, music boy, and I’ll help with that,” Marise interjected, “We need at least two people guarding the body, but they need to be ready to resign themselves to relying completely on everyone else here. Not an easy feat.”

“I can do it. It’s even in my title. Bodyguard,” Amari was the first to answer, “...Of course, my clients are usually alive.”

“I’ll join you, why not? So long as you quit those pathetic jokes,” Surprisingly, it was Yamato who had spoken, “I really don’t-- Ahem. I’ll be of more use here from the side, as ringmaster, of course!”

Haru narrowed his eyes at Yamato with a sharp inhale before Marise spoke again, “Great. Perfect. Two losers chosen. Next, we need to divide up the work if we want the most efficiency. Teams are good, but we don’t know just how confined this murder is. I’m gonna say pairs are the best bet and if I had to guess, we already have those. So, uh, whatever, choose a partner or something.”

There was an uncomfortable shuffle as people moved around. No one doubted Marise’s expertise, so there was no point in not listening to her and even if there was room for doubt, pairing up made logical sense. In groups, no one could wander off and tamper with evidence. After a minute or so they had divided. Kanna was with Shohei, Haru was with Kouki, Keroko was with Niseko, and Ami was with Mei. There had been some uncomfortableness with Shigeru, but he eventually paired up with Yudai and Nori looked at Marise timidly.

“Ugh, whatever. It’s not like there’s anyone I’d prefer,” Marise growled, shaking her head at Nori. Then her gaze shifted behind the mob to where one person was sitting on the table all alone, “What about you?”

“Me? My, I do feel as though I am capable of conducting my own investi--”

“No. Else we’ll choose you to begin with. How about you be with Mr. Politician loser,” Marise glared at Yukari and the psychoanalyst looked between her and Nori.

“Ah, if you say so. I suppose I have no choice,” Yukari slid down and walked over to Nori. His reaction was difficult to read, but Haru could tell that the decision left him both uncertain and curious at the same time. Given his previous reactions to Yukari, it made sense.

“I’ll just go with Niseko and Keroko. First-year pride or some shit. No offense, Yudai,” Marise sneered at the mask maker who simply looked back at her with an unreadable expression, “Now, let’s see... Us three will go to the large hallway first. Anyone else have any preferences?”

“Let’s take the Meeting Room itself, Shohei,” Kanna spoke up first and the barista nodded his approval.

“Why not the Dining Hall? Are you alright with that, Shigeru?” Yudai turned to his own investigation partner who solemnly nodded. Yudai stared at him for a moment as if in pity and then looked back at Marise who gave him a nod.

“Where would you like to go, Nori?” Yukari smiled at him with a tone as condescending as if he were a toddler at a play place.

“Umm... The, uh, Auditorium,” Nori hesitated as if he could somehow give a wrong answer, but Yukari apparently was satisfied as she turned her smile back to Marise.

“We can investigate Rikuto’s dorm, but I almost feel as though... It might not be enough. Could we investigate here - the Storage Room - too?” After the initial shock, Ami had seemingly gone back to the calm demeanor that she normally carried herself with. It was actually a little impressive how quickly she’d calmed down.

“Yeah, okay. That covers all of the main bases, so, uh... Haru and Kouki can go wherever, I guess. Unless one of you losers can think of something better--”

“Alibis?” Kouki cut off Marise, “We can interrogate and see if alibis hold up.”

“Oh. Hmm. Yeah, I guess you can do that,” Marise folded her arms, “And when we reconvene, we should have the whole story. From there, it’s just hard logic. Whether it’s the teddy bear or not, we won’t lose. Of course... Everyone knows that investigating with a suspect in mind changes how you investigate.”

With her last statement, Marise looked directly at Mei before turning. She jumped a bit as she found herself staring straight into Monokuma’s red eye, “...Hello.”

“What the hell, loser bear? What do you want?” Marise spat, trying to walk around him. Everywhere she stepped, however, Monokuma intercepted. If you have ever had a particularly troublesome sibling, you should understand well what I am describing and the frustration Marise must have been feeling.

“Pew pew, finger gun, finger gun, victory!!” Monokuma hopped excitedly, “I have a little surprise for all of you! The Monokuma File!”

“Monokuma File? Is that like... an autopsy?” Kanna raised a finger.

“Sorta. It’s as good as you can get in a place like this. No Ultimate Nurses this time, upupupu...” He laughed at his own inside joke and then waved his arms, “Well! It’s all on the Monopads anyway, I’m just bearing the news! Ahahaha!”

With that, the bear ran off and Marise huffed before following where he’d gone. She would, of course, have liked it to be known that it was not because she was following him but because she needed to exit in that same direction. Niseko stumbled to catch up while Keroko hopped closely behind.

With their departure, the melancholic atmosphere only worsened as people continued to head off to where they had been chosen or assigned, as if replacing them was the heavy weight of despair. Eventually, all who remained in the Storage Room were Amari and Yamato, the guards, Ami and Mei, assigned to said room, and Haru and Kouki, “We can start here which is great because I think Amari and Ami were the first ones here. If I’m remembering correctly, of course.”

Haru watched Kouki walk up to Amari who was standing by the door. The bodyguard tilted her head to look down at Kouki who had begun to open her mouth again, “I heard you. Yes, Ami and I were the first to arrive with Yukari shortly after.”

“Of course Yukari was one of the first...” Haru muttered. He turned his gaze to Ami who was leaning on the wall in the storage room, fiddling with her Monopad, “Are you checking out the file or whatever he said.”

“That’s correct. It’s not completely useless.” Ami responded.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #1

Victim: Rikuto Honda

Cause of Death: Blunt Force Trauma to the right side of the head.

Time of Death: 9:31 AM

“It seems like the type of thing people might gloss over, at least, so I wanted to give it a quick read,” Ami pocketed her Monopad again and then turned to the body, “But there’s no way to verify it without going to the source.”

“Ami, are you okay?” Amari spoke up. Having seen Ami’s reaction earlier, it was hard for her to understand how the cowering girl from before had become the calm person she was witnessing kneel down next to the body.

“Yes, I am fine,” She responded, though her attention seemed to be fixated on Rikuto. Ami raised her hands but hesitated.

“Just earlier, you were less than... stable, to put it bluntly,” Amari walked over to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Yes, but I’m alright now. It was just the shock of... well. Of all of it.” Ami bit her lip before meekly poking Rikuto’s mask.

“Have you ever seen a dead body before?” Amari’s voice was calm and soothing as she looked at Ami’s face. At least the half of it she could see.

“No. I’ve never seen one before,” Ami shook her head before sighing, “I’m.. I’m going to take it off now. His mask, I mean. Theoretically, it should be clean, but... I’m a little curious.”

At her words, Mei, who’d been out in the Meeting Room, walked in, though she said nothing even as Ami gripped the mask with both hands and pulled it off. After a moment, the hypnotist set it down next to her and put her hand behind the ear of the newly revealed face.

Haru wasn’t sure what he expected. Rikuto’s face looked peaceful, despite the pooling blood. He had quite elegant features and, as Ami had predicted, wasn’t bloodied or bruised in the slightest save for a small trickle on his forehead.

His spiky short black hair was completely slicked up, which Haru assumed was to keep it out of his eyes under the mask, and he grimaced when Mei pulled up an eyelid to get a peek of the deceased’s eyes. As Haru watched the ninja with mild discomfort, she looked back at him with an expression that spoke very clearly that she was comfortable around the corpse. Even further, she did not seem to understand his disgust or maybe she mistook it for curiosity as she blinked, “His eyes are yellow.”

“Can you check his head, Mei? We need to confirm the Monokuma File,” Ami said as she gingerly picked up Rikuto’s left arm. It was bent out of shape, battered and broken, “Isn’t it odd that it’s his right side that has the fatal blow and yet his left arm is the broken one? Was Rikuto right or left-handed?”

“Right-handed,” Mei surprisingly answered, “What am I looking for? His head is injured. He is dead.”

”Injured on the right side, correct?” Ami asked.

”Yes, that’s right. It’s soft and there is blood right here. You can see for yourself,” Mei looked up at her but Ami didn’t seem to doubt Mei’s claim enough to want to prove it for herself.

“So... This was the weapon that did it, then?” Yamato’s voice greeted their ears as he suddenly rounded one of the shelves. He was holding a folding chair. One end was bloody and dented, blood splatter running down the rest, “He certainly had a thick skull, that one.”

”Didn’t you just tell Amari earlier to cut the distasteful jokes?” Kouki frowned at Yamato before shaking her head, “Where did you find it anyway?”

“Well, Miss Lady, I can show you,” Yamato propped up the chair against a shelf, then swept his arm to beckon Kouki in a grandiose fashion and the two disappeared back around.

“Everything with the Monokuma File checks out, although it’s lacking as an autopsy,” Haru noted, doing his best not to roll his eyes at Yamato’s theatrics. Best to keep the state of the body in mind.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Body

The right side of Rikuto's head is caved in and his left arm is bloody and broken.

”Right-handed...” Ami muttered, though she was now looking at Rikuto’s mask. She seemed even more at ease now as she traced her finger across it, stopping at the blood, “Hm. If Rikuto was hit so hard that his blood splattered all over, I guess it makes sense that it’s on the mask, too. I can’t help but feel that there’s something weird about it, though, and I can’t quite put my finger on what it is.”

“Well, all we can do for now is document it and keep going,” Amari said, peering over Ami’s shoulder.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Mask

There’s blood splatter on Rikuto’s mask. It had been removed for the investigation.

Mei was crouching on the ground, feeling around, though Haru had no idea as to why. From what he could see, there was nothing there, so he diverted his attention to the chair Yamato had brought. Amari resumed her position at the door as Ami began to go through Rikuto’s pockets. She was the first to speak up, “...His Monopad is missing.”

“Missing? Where could it have gone?” Haru glanced back at Ami.

“Well, maybe I’m just missing it, but it doesn’t seem to be here. If I had to take a guess, I’d say the most likely answer is that the killer took it. It’d be idiocy to keep it around with them, though, so... It’s probably in their room,” Ami stood up, “But why? Would something about Rikuto’s Monopad incriminate the killer?”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Missing Monopad

Rikuto’s Monopad has been removed from his body. The reason and current location are both unknown.

“Well, on a different note, it really seems like this chair was the murder weapon. That being so, I think it limits the suspects. After all, I can’t really see someone like Keroko or Niseko or even Marise lifting this high enough to hit Rikuto on the head,” Haru tapped the chair, “And there are dents under the blood. Two, I think.”

“I’ll add that there are plenty more chairs in here, but none are bloody or anything,” The voice was Kouki’s. She had returned with Yamato, “Yamato had nothing to add either. He says he was in his room the whole time.”

“I was in my room. I’m not just saying it for fun,” Yamato shook his head incredulously, “Yes, it’s a shabby alibi, but do you have a better one?”

Kouki looked at Haru and then back at Yamato, shaking her head, “Whatever. We’re still on the topic of the chair anyway.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Chair

One of the folding chairs found in the storage room is bloody and has two indentations.

“No, actually, I think we’re done with that. In fact, you’re right, Kouki. Alibis! If anyone has any to share, let’s hear them. Especially you two,” Yamato pointed at Ami and Amari, “They say the first to the scene is suspicious, right? Tell us what exactly brought you here. What caused you to meander around the Meeting Room so soon after the gas failed to arrive? If you don’t have a good enough answer, then... Well, I’d say both of you are well capable of hitting even Rikuto on the head with a chair, hm?”

“I didn’t do it,” Ami bit her lip, “I was keeping track of the time and when the second round never came, I went to Amari’s room. We had talked earlier about what to do if something were to happen related to the gas. She’d be the most reliable if we had to subdue someone and I’m the one who manipulates the mind, so... Anyway, I didn’t know who else to go to.”

“Niseko came shortly afterwards saying that this room had been sealed. She suggested I go check it out and see if I could open it. Then she left to alert the rest of you guys which I assume includes you, Yamato. Ami ran off and I followed her. Just as Niseko said, the door was sealed shut. I tried to open it, but it was stuck tight,” Amari folded her arms and glanced at Ami.

“Amari tried to open the door by force, but Yukari came and stopped her. She said some stuff about whatever it is she likes to talk about and then blew the door up. Right off its hinges. It’s over there now,” Ami pointed at where the door now lay, “Then we found Rikuto and the rest is as you know.”

“She... blew it up?” Kouki’s mouth hung open, “Alright then. Um... What else did I expect?”

“How was it sealed?” Haru walked out to the Meeting Room as both Amari and Ami stayed uncomfortably silent and he moved to where the door lay on the ground. When he went to inspect the edges, he felt a ball form in his throat, “It... It looks like it was welded shut. Did Rikuto... Trap himself inside?”

“Which side was welded?” Yamato called, following “The inside or the outside?”

“I can’t tell... Before you say anything, I know that you can normally tell, but... I have a feeling we aren’t meant to know. If I didn’t know better, you could argue that the door wasn’t even welded. That it was just a panel in the wall. Rikuto must have done this. It’s... It’s incredible,” Haru sighed. “But this hole. Was this here before, Ami?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. It was there before Yukari blew open the door,” Ami walked next to Haru and felt the edge of the missing portion, “I can’t tell how it was done, though...”

“There’s blood on this side. I guess that makes sense since Rikuto would’ve had to have sealed it before he died. He was hit on the head while the door was closed. But why would he do this?” Haru scratched his head, confused, “Maybe he was trying to keep his attacker in the room with him? But then, how did they escape? Surely not through that hole. The only person who could fit through there is Niseko. Maybe Keroko with a few cuts and scrapes. But neither of them could have used that chair as a weapon.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Door

The door to the storage room was welded shut and has blood splatter on it. There is a hole in the bottom right corner.

“A locked-room mystery, is it?” Amari said from her post, “I hardly need to explain it, but I suppose I can, even though I’m not Marise. They are regarded as impossible mysteries as all exits are sealed from the inside. There are a few popular solutions, like suicide. Something tells me that isn’t the case here, though. These injuries are almost impossible to inflict on oneself. This hole gets me thinking, though.”

“About what?” Kouki had joined the group outside by now and was eagerly listening to Amari’s explanations.

“Have you heard of the ice bullet? It’s a common plot device where the murderer shoots the victim in the locked room with a bullet made of ice so that it eventually melts, leaving no trace. From a scientific standpoint, an ice bullet is impossible, given the fragility and the melting, but perhaps some mechanism was rigged that the killer manipulated through this hole,” Amari grunted as she lifted the door, by herself I’ll add, and placed it where it once hung, leaning it so that it didn’t fall back over. “See? There’s enough room here to manipulate something, I’d think--”

Without warning, the door squeaked and Amari leapt out of the way as the door came crashing back down. Mei stood on the other side and looked around with both innocence and curiosity, “Did you intend to trap me?”

“Mei! You almost just flattened Amari!” Ami yelped. She had covered her ears from the loud noise and now gaped at Mei.

“Oh. I apologise,” Mei bowed to Amari, “I see that you have not been injured. That is good.”

“You are a weirdo...” Yamato shook his head.

“I am not sure as to what that word means, but you will have to educate me later. There is no time for that right now,” Mei turned around and walked back into the Storage Room, drew her katana, and crouched on the ground, peering under a shelf.

“All of that just to go back inside?” Kouki rubbed her head as if a migraine were forming, “Maybe she’s claustrophobic.”

Mei slid her katana around before grunting and pulling something out. Haru recognised it immediately. It was Rikuto’s welding torch. Mei picked it up and then looked at Kouki, “What does ‘claustrophobic’ mean? Haru was teaching me about ‘phobias’ earlier.”

“It’s... a fear of enclosed spaces,” Kouki answered, still dumbfounded by Mei’s attitude toward the whole thing, “Back on topic, Mei. What were you doing before the murder took place?”

“Training,” She answered very simply, “I wanted to sleep, but training comes first.”

“I, um... Okay,” Kouki looked around awkwardly at the strange answer, but decided to leave it at that.

“Maybe we should go to Rikuto’s dorm now, Mei...” Ami ruffled her bangs with an edge of uncertainty in her voice before speaking a bit more confidently, “Yeah. Let’s go.”

She led the way out and Mei glanced at the torch in her hands before gingerly setting it on the ground to run after Ami, adjusting her red strap and sheathing her blade as she did.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Welding Torch

Rikuto’s welding torch was found under a shelf in the storage room. There is no blood on it.

"You know, Kanna and Shohei seem awfully absorbed in their investigation..." Kouki murmured, pointing at the two on the other side of the room. True, Haru realised. They hadn't even said anything when the door fell.

"J-Just Kanna," Shohei called out when he heard his name, "He's checking the ch-chairs, I suppose..."

"There’s no ‘I suppose’ about it. We must be careful not to miss anything, Shohei. You should be helping!" Kanna looked up, a look of disappointment on his face.

"R-Right," The barista kneeled down hesitantly, shooting a glance of concern at Kanna as he did.

"Oh, but Haru and I have to do our job. Do you guys have alibis?" Kouki stepped forward.

"N-No... I was cowering in a corner of m-my room," Shohei admitted, standing up again a little too quickly. As Haru looked at the boy’s chattering teeth, he got a sense that Kanna made him quite uncomfortable. Probably because of how intense he had become. But that concern was also there... It was no good. Haru couldn’t work Shohei out. It wasn’t anything new, though. Even though they were in different classes, he’d encountered the barista a few times when the whole of Hope’s Peak’s third years got together for projects. He could never make him out then and it seemed like he still couldn’t. That said... Haru looked at Kouki as it crossed his mind that the two not only were in the same class, but seemed to be friends. Maybe he could ask her about Shohei later.

"I wish I could say I have a perfect alibi, but I fear mine is the same as most everyone's should be. I was alone in my room waiting for the next gassing period to come," Kanna shook his head, drawing Haru out of his thoughts, "My apologies."

"No need. I suppose that's that, isn't it, Haru? We should move on," Kouki pursed her lips and began to walk off. Haru briefly considered asking Kanna and Shohei if they’d found anything of note, but with Kouki not slowing down, he had to trust that one of them would have spoken up if they had. Either that or it would come out during the trial. He looked back to see Kouki turn to Amari and Yamato, the latter now looking at the torch, “Thank you both, too. Let’s do our best!”

She led Haru through the Meeting Room and out into the main hallway where she paused. Keroko was there, hopping on top of the lockers. No masks were currently present as they had, presumably, been taken for the second period, “Kero?”

“Ah, this might be a bit difficult...” Haru admitted, meeting Keroko’s sympathetic gaze, “Maybe we can do some twenty questions thing. We’re curious about your alibi, Keroko.”

“Kero!” She nodded and sat still, expectantly waiting.

“Okay, hm. Well, this might actually not be so hard. Were you in your room at the time of the murder?” He asked.

“Reko,” She nodded and covered her mouth to simulate the mask.

“You were waiting for the second period. Okay. Were you doing anything else?” Haru glanced around for a moment, but beside him, Keroko, and Kouki, they were alone.

“Ro,” She shook her head. Keroko had to be a patient person, constantly having to deal with a language barrier, so Haru had no issue believing this.

“Was anyone with you?” He could already guess the answer, but there was no harm in asking.

“Ro,” She shook her head again, just as Haru expected.

“Okay, I think we’ve got enough of an alibi. Have you found anything here?” Haru said as he looked around at the various lockers.

“Ro....” She hung her head. Clearly a no. Keroko then waved her arm to beckon him and Kouki and hopped toward the red door. She opened her mouth, her sticky tongue shooting out and wrapping around the handle to turn it, and entered. Haru and Kouki followed, though both were hesitant in putting their hands near the handle after that display, and saw Niseko wandering around in the Red Hallway. She looked aimless, but Haru supposed that Niseko always looked like that.

“Oh, hello guys! How’s the investigation going?” Niseko pressed her hands together and looked up at Haru and Kouki in turn.

“It’s going alright, I hope. We’re gathering alibis.” Kouki answered, running her fingers through her hair.

“Oh... That’s right. Alibis. I’m pretty annoyed because I started my patrol at exactly 10 AM, but I didn’t see Rikuto at all! I was out in that hallway and, well, come to think of it... I saw nobody! After a while of waiting, just after the second period should’ve started, I made a quick round and that’s when I found the locked door. Well, not locked, but y’know. I came back to get someone and found Amari and Ami talking, so I told them to go check it out,” Niseko nodded as she spoke, “But maybe I should’ve looked in more than just that hallway... Maybe I could’ve seen someone...”

“According to the Monokuma File, the murder occurred at 9:31 AM. You weren't even on your patrol yet,” Kouki lowered her head with a sigh, “I don’t think you could have done anything.”

“Yeah, but still. It’s just... It’s frustrating. I’m mad at myself,” Niseko turned away. “But yeah... I was patrolling and saw nobody.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Niseko’s Account

At 10 AM, Niseko started her patrol. She did not see anyone come in or out of the dorms.

“Have you found anything else?” Haru asked, glancing around the hall. His eyes landed on the door without a crest. It was too obviously Yukari’s, but he had to wonder if she blotted out the crest herself or if it was the mastermind. And for what reason? Was she somehow ashamed of where she’d gone to school? Was there something to hide? Or was it just the persona of mystery that she seemed to enjoy projecting?

“Here? No. But uhh... Hm. This is probably unrelated, but Setsuka smashed open the mask the moment she knew the motive was over and guess what!” Niseko leaned forward and spoke in a hushed voice, “It was empty!”

“Empty? But it was obviously filtering that gas earlier. None of us were affected...” Haru frowned, trailing off, and then looked up at Kouki, “Do you think the motive was a bluff?”

“No way. After what Monokuma did to Mei? He’s not going to be messing around. There has to be some trick to it...” Kouki bit her thumb, deep in thought, and then shook her head, “No... It’s not worth it to think about that right now. It has no relevance to Rikuto’s murder... I think.”

“Rekero,” Keroko nodded at Kouki’s words and, without warning, headed for the exit, clearing the entire hallway in a single leap. Haru watched as she disappeared and then brought his attention back to the others.

“So, what exactly are your thoughts on the murder itself, Niseko?” Haru asked. He was a little uncomfortable still with the doll’s lifeless eyes staring at him. There was no doubt that, for a doll, Niseko was surprisingly animated, but she was still a doll and Haru couldn’t feel her emotions like he could with everyone else. At least he was slowly getting used to it. After all, wasn’t this what he’d sought after his whole life? A respite from the clashing, loud, busy emotions of the world?

“Ah, my thoughts? Well, I don’t think it was Yukari for obvious reasons. I also don’t think it was Keroko. Hmm...” Niseko brought her hand to her face, “If you want my top suspect, it’s Shigeru.”

“Shigeru?” Kouki gasped and tilted her head, “But why? Surely not for that misunderstanding with Ami!”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just that the person closest to Rikuto was Shigeru. That’s really my only evidence. If you want something more incriminating, Ami has been acting strange ever since I mentioned that the Storage Room was sealed,” Niseko said, clearly straining to think back. She must’ve been pretty caught up in the moment what with the panic and the confession she had just made earlier about being upset with herself, Haru thought, “She was very quick to go to the Meeting Room - even before Amari - and that whole panicky fear thing disappeared in moments.”

“Pfft. Are we talking suspects?” The door swung open, revealing Marise, “Haven’t I told you? No matter what happens, the most suspicious one is Mei. Oh, but wait. Haru likes Mei, so he’ll need more than just my word, right? Pah. Here’s my evidence: Having experienced first-hand what that gas was like, she didn’t want to go through it again. Of course, using her swords to kill would make it too obvious, so she lured Rikuto away from his room and killed him with something else. Being a ninja, Mei could’ve easily stealthed right by Niseko. And even though she looks small, we’ve seen her move around. Even someone as large and imposing as Rikuto would have been a cakewalk for her to kill.”

”That’s... not evidence,” Kouki muttered, raising a finger, “That’s a theory.”

”Actually, loser, that’s speculation using circumstantial evidence. If you’re gonna try and correct someone, get it right, would you?” Marise shot back, folding her arms, “Seriously.”

“Mei really doesn’t seem like that type of person, though,” Haru said, a worried expression plastered to his face. “She seems impulsive at a glance, but I get the feeling that everything she does is very calculated. And her doing something for personal gain... I don’t feel like she’s one for self-satisfaction. You saw how she reacted when Yudai became her ‘client’, right?”

“That just gives us yet another option. Someone told Mei to murder Rikuto. If that’s the case, it was probably Yukari or Yudai. They’re the manipulative ones. No offense, Setsuka. You might think you’re an Ultimate Puppet Master, but your plots are always half-baked,” Marise shook her head at Niseko who shifted awkwardly before looking back up at Haru, “And if you think that there is nothing but, ugh, goodness in that ninja loser’s heart then consider this: She murdered Rikuto to spare the rest of us from the effects of the gas.”

“You have passion, but I think you’re being incredibly biased, Marise,” Niseko clasped her hands together, “It’s true that we can suspect Mei, but it’s also true that we don’t have enough evidence to suspect anyone, really. I mean, I just said I suspected Ami because she’s been acting a little different, but I don’t really know her that well at all to tell for sure. And I said I suspected Shigeru because he was the closest to Rikuto, but that could just as easily be evidence that he didn’t do it. It all depends on your perspective. Also, my master isn’t the plotting type. She likes to do whatever pops into her mind. Case in point? Smashing the mask! Kukukukuku!”

“Tch. You don’t need to tell me. She acts like there’s not a single thought that goes through her mind. I hope you realise, Niseko, how that makes you suspicious. Claiming that Setsuka is piloting you when Setsuka can barely pilot herself without staggering about like a drunkard...” Marise furrowed her brow, “And all of you - just wait! I will find evidence to support my argument. There is always something that points to a truth. All I’ve gotta do is find it. I’m going to go talk to the loser herself. Do me a favor and get something useful done.”

With that, Marise turned around, her hair whipping as she did, and stalked out of the hallway. Niseko hung her head, “She probably means look in the Blue Hallway. If I know Marise, she did no investigating at all. Anyway, if you two are after alibis, I suggest checking up with Shigeru and Yudai next. They should be the closest.”

”What was that about Setsuka she was saying?” Kouki said, tilting her head.

”Huh? About her being suspicious? Well, even though Setsuka and Marise are in the same class, they really don’t know each other all that well, so Marise is bound to make some assumptions since Setsuka has a... pretty strong personality,” Niseko explained, “But I promise that I’m me. I’m what I’ve said I am since the beginning. Niseko, but Setsuka is controlling me right now. I have my own personality, so of course people who knew my master will notice the difference.”

“Right... Shigeru and Yudai are in the Dining Hall, right? That’s where Yudai chose to go, I think,” Haru nodded, “Thank you for your help, Niseko. Good luck investigating, er, the Blue Hallway, I guess.”

The doll let out a sigh, “Thanks.”

Haru led Kouki out into the main hallway where she paused and, realising that Kouki was no longer by him, Haru turned to see her with an uncertain expression, “What’s wrong, Kouki?”

”Nothing. Nothing relevant to this murder investigation anyway. I’ve just been thinking about... everyone. Like what Marise just said about Setsuka and what you said about Mei and... It’s all just... It’s a lot. There are a lot of big personalities here. I really only know Shohei and he’s...” She paused, “Well, he’s acting exactly like I’d expect him to. He’s always been a nervous boy, so being thrown into a life-or-death game can’t be doing him any favors.”

”I can tell. There’s more to him than just a scared, overly caffeinated coffee boy,” Haru nodded in response, “But that’s just what it’s like to not know people. I mean, I only really know Yamato and Nori and I can tell you that the way Nori’s acting took me by surprise at first, but it makes more sense after I thought about it. He’s usually the positive one. A little bit of a dork. Never gets his work done and, when he does, it’s not done very well. He’s got a good heart, though, unlike Yamato. What about Shohei?”

“Oh, if only you could see him at his most comfortable, Haru,” Kouki gave a bittersweet smile, “He always makes stupid jokes. Half the time, they’re in poor taste and the other half, they’re terrible puns.”

”I’ll see it someday. Whether it be here and he becomes more comfortable or somewhere else,” He nodded again.

”Here? I doubt it. No one could be comfortable in a place like this,” Kouki sighed.

”You’d be surprised. Humans don’t like stressing out all the time. After a while, we adapt to even the craziest situations,” Haru responded, looking up at the ceiling, “Anyway, let’s keep moving. Who knows how much time we’ve got left.”

”Right,” Kouki responded and Haru led her to the door that opened up to the Dining Room, but stopped short when he heard irritated voices.

“I am merely suggesting it as a possibility. Just a small chance. I wish to dash the thoughts out of my head which is why I chose to investigate with you, Shigeru.”

“You’re really annoying me. I’m sure I could repeat myself over and over and nothing would change! I did not kill Riku.”

“But you have yet to offer proof,” As this was being said, Haru fully entered, closely followed by Kouki, “Ah. Haru and Kouki. Perfect timing. Perhaps Shigeru will open up to you.”

Yudai was staring at them with his usual unreadable expression while Shigeru sulked off to the side. “Fine, fine. As long as there is someone else here aside from this hypocritical boy who thinks he’s caught me in some moral ‘gotcha’ even though he refuses to share a thing about himself. Yes, I asked Riku to come with me after the first period. We were looking at makeup together, but he still refused to take off his mask. It was a very, very short meeting because, after a bit, he suddenly perked up and said he needed to find you, Yudai.”

“Why Yudai?” Kouki interjected. Apparently, with the introduction of something that could be considered actually relevant for once, she had pulled out a drawing pad and was apparently finger painting some notes down.

“Well, he said something about the masks and that Yudai was a mask maker, so he might know,” Shigeru grumbled, “What I don’t understand is that if Rikuto went to go find you, how can you suspect me? You should already know that I was with him!”

“Noted. All I needed to know was if you would tell the truth,” Yudai nodded slowly, his hair tufts bobbing slightly as he did, “I’m sure that you understand that if you withheld that information from me, you would have jumped up my list of suspects, Shigeru.”

Shigeru sighed heavily, “I hate it... I hate it because it does make sense and I should have thought of it first. I should have questioned you about it!”

“So Rikuto went to visit Yudai...” Kouki said aloud as she wrote, “Yudai, doesn’t that make you suspicious? That would make you the last to see Rikuto, right?”

“Perhaps I was. I am not entirely sure as I left his room before the clock struck nine,” Yudai answered.

“Does that check out with your times, Shigeru?” Haru looked at the cosmetologist.

“I guess so. It was probably around 8:15 when Riku left,” Shigeru shrugged, “But anyway, that was the last I saw him... Argh, if only I had tried harder!”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Shigeru’s Account

Shigeru was in his dorm with Rikuto before his death showing him his makeup collection. Rikuto left the room around 8:15 AM.

“And as I said, that meeting about the masks was the last I saw of him as well,” Yudai folded his arms and lowered his head slightly, “Though it is not impossible that someone met up with him in those thirty minutes in between.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Yudai’s Account

Rikuto had approached Yudai to examine the masks once more. It took place in Rikuto’s room and Yudai left before 9:00 AM.

‘If only’ is the ultimate statement of regret. At this moment, looking at the various facts, evidence, and theories of Rikuto’s murder, each student had some ‘if only’ lingering in their mind. ‘If only I had tried harder’ or ‘If only I had left sooner’. It was likely that no student felt completely free from guilt. Perhaps not even Yukari.

“There is one other thing,” Shigeru spoke up. “Well, well, I mean... I noticed just a bit earlier that a pair of scissors has gone missing from my kit. I honestly can’t think of anyone who could’ve taken it except... Well, Riku. Only he would have had the opportunity. I’m not sure why he would do that, though.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Missing Scissors

Shigeru claims that he is missing scissors from his makeup kit.

“I don’t like this idea at all, Haru, but do you think... Do you think Rikuto was planning a murder and somehow got overpowered? The locked room would’ve made an ideal setting... Missing scissors could’ve been his murder weapon...” Kouki squeezed her trembling hands shut, “No, no. I can’t think like this... Can I?”

“From the state you two were in when we came, I doubt it, but have you guys found anything of note?” Haru said, hoping to divert Kouki’s attention. It was probably something they would have to discuss at some point, but if Kouki was going to work herself up, it was a topic best saved for the trial.

“Aside from my scissors? No, no. Yudai would not stop pestering me,” Shigeru glared at Yudai, “However, we should begin our search, no? Late is better than not at all.”

“With that behind us, I am inclined to agree,” Yudai answered. “If you two are looking for elsewhere to go, Yukari and Nori are still in the Auditorium as far as I’m concerned. Assuming you’ve gone in a circle, anyhow...”

“Thank you, Yudai. Let’s go talk to them. If anyone can make sense of this... It’s Yukari. If she’ll even be cooperative, that is,” Kouki shook her head vigorously and headed for the door that led to the Auditorium.

Haru gratefully dipped his head at the two and followed Kouki into the next room. Looking around, he was surprised to see Yukari sitting in the front row, her head in her hands while Nori stood at the podium, “Oh! More people! Toha! Wako! Come join us!”

“...Wako? Could you have chosen a more unflattering name?” Kouki frowned as she hesitantly entered after Haru.

Yukari peeked up with weary eyes, “Ah, Haru. I see you have come to rescue me from this excruciatingly boring seminar on changing our broken, unturning world. Nori’s words, not mine.”

“Yes! Exactly! So you were paying attention,” Nori clapped his hands together, “Brilliant, alright. So what you two missed is that if I’m elected, I will reshape the way not only Japan works, but the whole world. I will find a way to stop the troubles that plague our world.”

“We didn’t come for your campaign. You do realise that we’re in the middle of an investigation, right?” Haru walked over to the stage, looking up at Nori. For just a moment, he regretted mentioning anything positive about his troublesome classmate, “Have you even investigated at all?”

“Well, I was looking up here since Monokuma was up here and then it hit me. This is the perfect opportunity! If I partner with Geyu, there’s no way I can lose!” Nori beamed brightly and then looked at Yukari.

“Well, it seems like that’s finally over, so...” Yukari stood up, sounding more bitter than she’d ever sounded before, “I’ll spare your time, love. There’s nothing here pertaining to the murder. I knew that from the beginning, but it matters not to me. You reap what you sow, after all.”

“What does that phrase have to do with anything you just said?” Haru turned around, away from Nori.

“Ah, sometimes you must wait for an answer. Haru, what do you know about the Matrix?” Yukari’s words were starting to make Haru’s head spin. Her leaps in conversation topic were certainly keeping him on his toes.

“It’s a movie series about a dystopia where humanity is trapped in virtual reality. Why is that important, though?” Haru shrugged and then froze, “Are you saying that this is virtual reality? Is that--”

“No, no. This is most definitely real. Even within the confines of VR, there are boundaries. You see, that all depends on the coding. The logic of the world is reliant on what the programmer thought to implement and I have already tried to test the very limits of our small, underground world. I can say with certainty that logic flows as normally as ever. We are, in fact, in the real world,” Yukari looked up at the ceiling as she said her piece and then continued, “Why I brought up the Matrix is because of the red pill, blue pill scenario.”

“The red pill wakes you up to reality while the blue pill keeps you in whatever belief you hold,” Haru muttered, still thoroughly confused.

“Isn’t that just the situation here in the SRS? We can choose to live here in this shelter, albeit tormented by Monokuma’s motives or we can seek the brutality of murder to try and escape,” Yukari raised a finger, looking at Haru with wide, wild eyes. “No need to look so confused. Alright, hm. So in one of my hands, I have a red pill and in the other, a blue pill.”

As Yukari opened her hands, Haru could see just the things she described resting in her palms. He frowned deeply at her, once again, conjuring items out of nothing. ‘Logic flows as normally as ever’? Just what was Yukari’s definition of logic?

“If the red pill represents the outcome of murder and the possibility of escape and the blue pill the outcome of peace at the cost of Monokuma’s whims, which would you choose?” Yukari held out both to Haru, “Oh, by the way, these won't do anything to you. It’s just a metaphor. Just in case you wanted to actually take one.”

“I get what you’re saying, but I don’t get you at all. Why bring that up now, of all times? Don’t tell me listening to Nori’s presentation distracted you from the actual issues at hand,” Haru glanced between Yukari and Nori with a frown, “We’re here to collect alibis, if either of you remembers.”

“You’re not going to find any solid ones here, I’m sad to say,” Yukari shook her head, “But I bet Nori has something fascinating to say, don’t you, love?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean... Wait, how do you know about that?” Nori gaped and, after a moment of being stared at, began to explain, “I just saw Yudai and Rikuto together. That’s all. Sometime between eight and nine. They went to the Blue Hallway. Oh! And Yudai definitely saw me. I was gone before they came back out, though.”

“That checks out with what Shigeru and Yudai said, at least,” Kouki noted, “Is that all, though? You guys really don’t have alibis?”

“No... Not really,” Nori hung his head, “I was in my room. That’s it.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Nori’s Account

Nori saw Yudai and Rikuto together sometime between 8 AM and 9 AM. He’s certain that Yudai saw him watching. They went to the blue hallway.

“I could have possibly done something about the motive, you know,” Yukari winked, “But no one asked before committing murder, now did they? All of you just assumed that little old me wouldn’t feel like helping. Ah, and I suppose Monokuma wouldn’t have liked my meddling. Shhh, or it may become a rule.”

”Somehow, I don’t recall you offering, either,” Haru shook his head incredulously.

“Well, have we talked to everyone now? I have Amari and Yamato, Ami and Mei, Kanna and Shohei, Keroko, Niseko, and Marise, Shigeru and Yudai, and Yukari and Nori. Wrote them all down when Yukari was rambling about the Matrix,” Kouki looked up at Haru.

“Counting us, that makes fifteen. Ah, but we didn’t really share with each other, did we?” Haru smiled sheepishly, “Unfortunately, my alibi is the same as everyone else's.”

“Me too. So... Hm. Okay. Maybe we could go check Rikuto’s room. It’s the only place that we haven’t gone and we should use all the time we have,” Kouki suggested and when Haru nodded in response, she led the way, Yukari giving a tired wave as they went.

It didn’t take long to reach the Blue Hallway and Niseko, surprised to see them again, pointed them to Rikuto’s room. Emblazoned on the door was a circle with perpendicular lines crossing through the center and short diagonal lines extending from the circumference outward. This was the symbol on Rikuto’s apron and the crest of his school which, as a note, was named ‘Rumbling Boulder High School’. Haru knocked on the door and it opened to reveal Ami, “Oh, did you come to investigate, too?”

“That’s right. We finished our ‘interrogations’, so we figured we’d come here,” Haru walked inside at Ami’s gesture to come in and Kouki followed, “Have you found anything?”

“Actually, yeah. There’s some strange powder. Here, come look,” Ami led them further inside while Haru took in the room itself. It was fairly dark in color and industrial-looking. Exactly what he’d expected from a welder’s room. There was a cubicle thing in the corner that contained a workbench, presumably for welding. He didn’t look for long, though as, “Careful! Don’t step on it.”

He looked down to see brownish or tannish powder, just as Ami had said.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Powder on Floor

There was a strange, tannish powder on the ground around Rikuto’s room.

Mei was crouching on the floor, poking and prodding at it with... “Mei, where did you get those?”

“Hm?” She raised what she was holding, “They were lying on the desk in there. Ami called them scissors. I find them quite fascinating. I have never thought of combining two blades in such a way.”

“They must be Shigeru’s,” Kouki said what Haru was thinking out loud and he absentmindedly nodded his affirmation.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Scissors

Found in Rikuto’s room on his workbench. They likely belong to Shigeru.

“Shigeru? Are they for cutting hair, then? I thought they felt a bit small...” Ami noted, “But anyway--”

Ding dong. Bing bong.

“Alrighty! Time’s up. Are you excited? I know I’m excited! As you might know, there is an elevator in the Dining Hall. Please gather there. Quickly now!”

The noise died down and Ami sighed, “I suppose that’s it. We need-- Mei?”

“I am leaving to go to the Dining Hall,” Mei had stood up and already made it to the door in that brief amount of time. She was still clutching the scissors, but no one stopped her as she pocketed them and disappeared from sight. Slowly, the other three followed.

Chapter Text

“Monokuma did say that the elevator goes further down,” Kouki noted as they arrived in the Dining Hall, “But after the murder? I never would have guessed...”

As Haru looked around, he counted fourteen people, including himself, and Monokuma. As he was about to ask who was missing, he heard the door from the Auditorium swing open and a familiar, ginger, twin-tailed girl strut in, hands on her hips. Why had she been in there of all places...? It struck Haru as odd, but his attention was quickly diverted.

“If you go into the elevator, I’m sure you’ll be surprised that there are more levels than just two. Or maybe not... Puhuhu... Let’s just say this is a multipurpose elevator! For now, it will take you to none other than the trial ground! I think you’ll really like it. Now then, in you go!” Haru watched as Monokuma shoved the person nearest to him forward, Yamato, who curled his lip at the bear as he made his way in.

One by one, the students all moved into the elevator, which was far more spacious than Haru had imagined. Each one of them fit without complication and with room to spare. Gravity tugged on him strangely as the elevator began to sink down and Haru, standing near the center, couldn’t help but feel dread, as if he, too, were sinking into an inescapable pit of despair.

He felt as though the sparks of hope were dulling. Spraying into an endless expanse of nothing. But he knew he had no choice but to forge ahead, for Rikuto’s sake.

Eventually, the movement slowed and the doors opened to a circular room with decor not much different from the rest of the shelter. Dull, metallic, and cold. The contents, however, were very different. Sixteen podiums were arranged in a circle and overseeing it all was a chair placed atop a platform. Monokuma scurried ahead and scaled to the top as the students filed in.

As Haru got within viewing distance of one of the podiums, he noticed they had name plaques, so he circled around until he found his own and watched as the other students did the same. Directly next to him, he was aware of Shigeru anxiously shuffling. On Shigeru’s other side was a picture atop a large pole. The picture depicted Rikuto’s face, well, mask, blotted out by what looked suspiciously like blood in a pattern that curled like flames. What made it only more unsettling, whether it was intentional or not, was that it seemed to be at about the same height as Rikuto had stood, a good half-foot taller than Shigeru at least and even more than Nori who was on the other side of it.

“I want to start with a basic explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the blackened is, and vote for ‘whodunnit'. If you can figure out the culprit, only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... Then I’ll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will be released from the SRS!” Monokuma peered down at the students and began to motion at them each in turn, following the circle, “Upupupupu... Now then. Who did it?!

The Perfect Paragon from the Heavens, Kanna Kanichi?
The Song Played By Emotion, Haru Tanioto?
The Transformation of the Mirror World, Shigeru Fujioka?
The Whimsical Man in Search of Power, Nori Sasaki?
The Fortified Unmoving Wall, Amari Hoshino?
The Inspiring Beam of Seven Colors, Kouki Maekawa?
The Leader of Many, Follower of None, Yamato Yukimura?
The Embodiment of Suppressed Energy, Shohei Takanichi?
The Great Mask of the Void, Yudai Shimizu?
The Quiet Terror in the Night, Ami Yumekuu?
The Tiny Whirlwind of Fire, Marise Kita?
The Crimson-Colored Puppeteer, Setsuka?
The Girl of Land and Water, Keroko?
The Resolute Hitwoman of All, Mei Meiyo?
Or the Unpredictable Executioner of Chaos, Yukari Nagakage?

Who killed Rikuto Honda?”

“You took the time to come up with titles for each and every one of us?” Yamato tilted his head, “Why? What purpose does that serve?”

“Upupupu...” Monokuma didn’t respond.

“I object to my title,” Ami folded her arms, “Your twisted sense of fun at our expense... It’s painfully obvious how you really see us.”

“We can argue about this all we’d like, but these made-up names are irrelevant right now,” Shigeru sighed and then turned to look at the picture next to him, “What is this?”

“A reminder,” It wasn’t Monokuma who answered, but Yukari, “Imagine the day when only a few still stand. This courtroom will be filled with pictures of the deceased as reminders of those you failed to protect. That is the purpose they serve. Not whatever lie the bear was going to feed you. Something along the lines of ‘I didn’t want them to feel left out,’ yes?”

Monokuma didn’t even laugh this time, his face still as stone.

Killing any more tension before it had the chance to crop up, Kanna raised a finger, “Alright then, we should start by clarifying any basic questions people have before we launch into the clues and evidence. Would anyone like to throw something in?”

“We were all investigating different areas aside from the team of Amari and Yamato, who were guarding the crime scene, and Haru and Kouki, who were checking alibis,” Yudai’s tone made it very clear that he wasn’t asking a question and rather just stating the facts.

“In the end, it s-sort of became muddied...” Shohei admitted, “Kanna and I stayed in the Meeting Room, but people came in and out.”

“I certainly didn’t stay in the dorm area,” Marise snorted, “Far too boring.”

“You suggested that we all investigate specific locations in the first place!” Kouki blurted, unable to contain her frustration, “Can’t you actually just be cooperative once in a while?”

“Fine. I’ll be cooperative. How about this? Mei is the killer!” Marise snapped back, “I know I’ve already explained to you, loser, but I’m sure your brain is weak from the chemicals of the paints you use, so I’ll just go through it once again. Mei has proven herself to be quick to cut. In addition, she is the only one who was subjected to the effects of the motive. She has first-hand experience with the horror of it. Do you deny this, Mei?”

“That I inhaled the gas? No,” She looked directly at Marise, almost through her.

“Afraid of having to experience it again, Mei killed Rikuto before the opportunity to be blasted again arose,” Marise snarled, pointing at Mei, “This loser did it!”

“Do you not have any concrete evidence?” Yudai spoke up, waving a hand in the air dismissively.

“I don’t, but Mei does. Evidence to incriminate herself,” Marise leaned forward, “So, Mei. What did you find?”

“I found hair at the crime scene,” Mei’s calm attitude was off-putting to Haru. It was almost as if she were unaware of the weight of the accusations against her or maybe even the accusations themselves. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pinch of black hair. Her gaze shifted between it and Marise.

“Is that what you were looking at on the ground?” Haru asked, recalling the event in his head.

“Yes,” Mei nodded and then placed the hair on the podium in front of her. Niseko, who was sitting on the edge of her podium rather than standing behind it, craned her neck to look past Keroko at the hair before wildly failing as if she had lost her balance and the frog girl slapped her back on the podium with her tongue. Haru frowned at this display, but then turned his attention to the hair. The clump was oddly even.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Hair

Mei found clumps of evenly cut black hair around the victim’s body at the crime scene.

“It matches your hair, Mei. It makes you suspicious!” Marise yelled, her voice loud enough and her tone sharp enough to intimidate almost anyone.

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Hair

MARISE: You found hair at the crime scene, Mei.
MARISE: It’s ironic, isn’t it? You presenting your own incrimination.
MEI: I found the hair, yes.
KOUKI: Aren’t you going to try and refute it?
MEI: Why?
KOUKI: If you’re not the killer, we’re all going to be executed!
MEI: I see.
MARISE: There’s no point in trying to argue back.
MARISE: You must have snagged some of your hair trying to kill Rikuto!
MARISE: Am I wrong?
MEI: You are wrong.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru swept his hand in front of him, quite dramatically. “Just look at that hair, Marise. You’re not gonna get something that evenly cut during a struggle. Unless you’re saying that Mei decided to have a haircut after murdering him.”

”You’re kidding, right? When there’s swords involved?” Marise narrowed her eyes, “Don’t give me that crap.”

”Putting aside how your logic during the investigation was that Mei didn’t want to use her swords because that would immediately incriminate her,” Haru paused for a moment to meet Marise’s gaze, “Mei’s the one with the swords unless you think that Rikuto took one from her and didn’t manage to land a single hit on her aside from a lock of her hair. So it looks like we’re back to Mei giving herself a haircut.”

“With how stupid she’s been acting? I wouldn’t put it past her,” Marise shrugged, “Go ahead, music boy. Give me a better reason. Just how did that hair get there, if not cut off in a struggle?”

“Call it flawed logic, but the fact that the hair looks like it was cut means it was deliberate. And because Mei was the one who found it, I highly doubt that she placed it there only to find it later. She didn’t even announce finding it to the people in the room with her, so you can’t claim it was a stunt,” Haru shook his head, “Besides... Mei. Could you hold up a bit of that hair next to your own?”

Mei nodded and did as she was told, to which Shigeru picked up, “Well, well. The hair is lighter than Mei’s. If it were darker, perhaps you could argue it. Plus, it doesn’t exactly look like Mei’s received a haircut, does it? Marise, don’t you feel that the color more resembles Riku’s hair?”

“It’s true that we didn’t see under Rikuto’s mask until the investigation, so it’s not like we’d have noticed if some of his hair was shorter. But does that mean that the killer cut Rikuto’s hair?” Kouki brought a finger to her lip, “What would that accomplish?”

“I don’t think it was the killer,” Ami shook her head, “Haru, you said something very interesting, if I recall. Something to the effect of Shigeru missing something, right?”

“That’s right. It was...” Haru glanced at Mei, “The scissors. Shigeru was missing a pair of scissors.”

“And where did we find the scissors?” Ami asked.

Though he was a bit confused as to why Ami wasn’t presenting her own arguments, Haru answered, “In Rikuto’s room, right? At least, that’s what Mei said.”

“Yes. They were on the desk,” Mei pulled the silver scissors from her pocket. A couple of strands of the hair clung to it, having been in the same pocket, “I am still very curious. Fujioka, do you mind if I borrow them?”

“Mei, Mei... These are the same scissors I’ve used since the day you met me. Have you really not been paying attention?” Shigeru shot her a complicated expression before smiling sheepishly, “Er, never mind. Now’s not the time. I can at least confirm those to be mine.”

“If the scissors were used to cut Rikuto’s hair and we found them in Rikuto’s room, what would that mean?” Ami continued, turning her head to face the portrait of Rikuto, “Something along the lines of Rikuto cutting his own hair, am I right?”

“Wh-Why? Why would Rikuto do that?” Shohei frowned, staring intently at the scissors, “It seems a-a little more than unnecessary to me.”

“I’ll admit, I’m not sure yet. But I think we’ve cleared Mei of suspicion for now and that was the original goal. Would you agree, Marise?” Ami rubbed the back of her neck as she turned her head to face the novelist.

“Are you looking at me, Miss Emo? It’s hard to tell under all that hair. How do you even see anyway?” Marise scoffed, poking at Ami’s bangs. But when she was answered with a silent, presumed stare, she let out a huff, “Fine. Logically, I suppose you’ve proven Mei innocent of the accusations I brought forward, but I, personally, am not satisfied. It will take you finding another suspect to convince me that it’s not Mei.”

“With that out of the way... What next?” Nori was fidgeting with his hairpins. Haru didn’t want to admit it, especially since it was giving him major whiplash, but he was starting to miss the Nori from the Auditorium. The tiny-looking, trembling boy here was way too depressing a change, “We... We have tons of evidence, right?”

“Well, we found substantial evidence, though I’m not quite sure how it fits together yet,” Amari cracked her knuckles, “You do have me a little concerned, however. Did you find anything, Nori? At all? Being in the Auditorium, I wouldn’t think you and Yukari would find anything.”

“No! We didn’t. And I’m worried, too. I’m completely relying on you guys for this! I’m not that smart, so I can’t help with logic. And I don’t have any evidence, so I can’t add anything,” Nori shook his head, grabbing his pigtails as he did, “I’m as good as useless!”

”Oh, good. Here we go again,” Yamato aimed a derisive smirk at the ground.

“I-I don’t think that’s true. Help d-doesn’t have to come from the investigation,” Shohei quickly said. Quicker still due to his naturally energetic self, “P-Personally, I didn’t find much either because I-I was looking at the table with Kanna the entire investigation...”

“The... The whole investigation?” Yamato narrowed his eyes, “Well, yes, I suppose you were. I, of course, was watching. Haha!”

“We... should choose one thing and focus on it for now,” Kanna said, rescuing Yamato from the many incredulous stares, “If we’re all over the place, we’ll get nowhere.”

“Let’s start with the body, then,” Amari exhaled, “I know the ones who investigated it were Ami, Mei, Haru, Kouki, Yamato, and myself, so we have plenty of different views.”

Very well, then. The body, it is,” Kanna nodded and looked up at the others.

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Body

NISEKO: Poor Rikuto! He was a really good person.
NISEKO: He was perfect for sitting on.
KEROKO: Kero? Ro...
NISEKO: It’s not fair!
NISEKO: Dying so easily...
NISEKO: One blow and the deed was done.
KEROKO: Ko!?
MARISE: Appearances aren’t everything.
MARISE: If you think so shallow...
MARISE: Then you’re just asking to be killed!

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru’s eyes were trained on Niseko, whose legs were swinging below her. She looked back at Haru with her head tilted to the side, “I don’t blame you since the Monokuma File was so vague and, technically, it was one blow, but the body itself had other injuries aside from the injury to his head. Namely, Rikuto’s arm was broken.”

“Oh, really?! I had no idea...” Niseko looked down, “So Rikuto fought his attacker? If that’s the case... Isn’t it odd?”

“Ko?” Keroko hopped onto her podium and then to Niseko’s, raised a fist, and softly punched it into Niseko’s arms. How lucky, Haru thought, that the two were placed next to each other. “Kero!”

“Yes!” Niseko nodded and placed her hands together, “Rikuto was the biggest person here and he was very strong! If he were given the chance to fight back... How did he lose?”

“Kero... Keroro,” Keroko looked at Yukari and continued speaking, “Ko kero ro keroko.”

“Ah, I suppose I must. ‘The options are limited.’” Yukari pursed her lips and, with a very bored expression, watched Keroko to translate.

“Kero... Keroko ko roke keroke. Ke, kero!” Keroko continued and pointed at Amari. She turned her head to Yudai, “Ko kero.”

“‘So... Rikuto’s killer had to be someone equally or more powerful. Like Amari or Yudai.’ Fascinating choices,” Yukari placed her elbow on her podium and rested her head, “So, Amari. Yudai. You’ve just been accused, haven’t you?”

“Well, I can’t say I have a strong alibi to counter it, but I assure you it wasn’t me,” Amari squinted in thought, “And since I’m innocent, there is either evidence to disprove me or evidence that implicates someone else. Yudai?”

“Me as Rikuto’s killer? I feel that would make for quite the fascinating trial. However, my answer is mostly the same as Amari’s, save for the alibi. Perhaps this will incriminate me in your minds, but I did happen to speak with him prior to the murder,” Yudai lifted his oni mask up into the air as he spoke.

“Yeah, but... I saw them together. They went into the Blue Hallway, not the Storage Room,” Nori piped up. He looked very hopeful as this was apparently the only thing he could offer to the trial.

“And according to Yudai, he left before nine,” Kouki looked to be deep in thought, “And nobody saw Rikuto or Yudai after that, much less near the Storage Room.”

“You’re definitely suspicious, but if we’re on the topic of people who met with Rikuto that day... I think it’s time for me to reveal my suspect! As you have most likely surmised... since you aren't idiots... I have come to the conclusion that Shigeru is suspicious,” Yamato raised a fist in the air and Haru couldn’t help but notice that the ringmaster was leaning on his silver hoop. Even in a trial that would spell life or death, he had it. Did he really bring it everywhere? Even Nori didn’t have his poster here. He shuddered as he pictured where else Yamato possibly took his hoop. Did he sleep with it? Eat? ...Bathe?

“Do Shigeru and I not corroborate each other’s alibi?” Yudai pursed his lips, “We did both see Rikuto, did we not?”

“We did, we did... But the difference is the timing. You saw Riku after me which means that, by the time we had finished our meeting, Riku was alive. No one saw him after you spoke with him, Yudai. That would point to you, but...” Shigeru looked downward with a troubled expression, “But the evidence... That points to me. Is that what you’re going to say, Yamato?”

“Scissors, stray hair, closeness with the victim... What do you say to this, Shigeru?” Yamato shrugged his shoulders, as if indifferent to his own claims.

“I think... Well...” Shigeru hesitated, his eyes searching for a target in the room to stare at, “The scissors are mine. That’s true. Rikuto must have taken them from me, that is, if what Ami says is true. I can’t begin to imagine why, though...”

“We can keep throwing around suspects all we’d like,” Amari sighed heavily, her gaze sadly on Shigeru, “But we don’t have the evidence to incriminate anyone yet. I think we need to go back to Rikuto. How exactly was his murder carried out? That is what we should be discussing.”

“I agree. We understand that Rikuto was killed by a blow to the head and that he had time to fight back, wounding his arm in the process. But we do not know any more specifics than that,” Kanna looked around at the others, “At least, no one has brought any more information to light.”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Chair

YUDAI: I feel as though there might be something revealing.
AMARI: About what may I ask?
YUDAI: The murder weapon.
YUDAI: Should we figure that out, would it not say something?
SHOHEI: L-Like if it’s something of the killers?
NORI: Raya’s hoop!
YAMATO: What?! Idiot! It wasn’t my hoop.
NORI: Sorry... I just wanted to help...
AMI: The murder weapon wasn’t a personal belonging.
KEROKO: Kero... Kero ko?
YUKARI: “It wasn’t?” Something like that.
NISEKO: Are you even trying to translate?

“I agree with that!” Haru said it after Ami had spoken her piece and she nodded slowly, “At the murder scene, there was a folding chair, dented. Yamato found it, if I recall.”

“Yes, that is correct. So you do pay attention to me after all, Haru,” Yamato beamed which made Haru feel ever so slightly uncomfortable, “It was shoddily tossed about in the back of the Storage Room. I don’t think the killer hid it. But rather just... threw it aside.”

“Do you think that means the murder was not premeditated?” Amari folded her arms and frowned before looking at Yamato, “If it was planned, wouldn’t the murderer have brought their own weapon?”

“Why... Why are you asking me?” Yamato squinted at Amari and adjusted his glasses, “Do you think I know anything about murder?”

“Y-You mean it d-doesn’t happen all the time at the circus?!” Shohei gasped and when Yamato fired an evil glare at him, he shrunk back, “Sorry... That... That was a t-terrible joke.”

“I will have a word with you later, Shohei,” Yamato snarled and then whipped his head back to Amari, a pleasant look once more on his face, “Now, please, continue.”

“Er... I... Hm, well. I was just asking if this meant that the murder wasn’t planned. If that’s the case, I can’t imagine it being Shigeru or Yudai. They both would have had chances to prepare,” Amari scratched her head, “Well, actually... This is kind of related. Yamato, do you remember the door?”

“Of course I remember the door. I’m not stupid. I was there. I even asked questions about it,” Yamato sighed, “Oh, are you trying to get me to say it? You shoulda just asked. Ladies and gentlemen, the door was welded shut.”

There was a low murmur before Niseko spoke up, silencing it, “Guys, I didn’t want to be the one to say it, but... Doesn’t it seem like the one who had a murder plan was Rikuto...?”

THERE IS A BEAUTY IN MY DISBELIEF!

“Don’t be ridiculous! Why would Riku want to commit murder?” Shigeru gritted his teeth, his hand clenched tightly in a fist.

“Rikuto’s morality isn’t the question here. We need to know his motives in order to figure out who killed him,” Haru tried to explain, but he could see his words were getting nowhere with Shigeru.

Rebuttal Showdown!
Truth Bullet: Missing Scissors

SHIGERU: This shouldn’t even be a consideration.
SHIGERU: The one who died was Riku.
SHIGERU: The person with the intent to kill has the advantage.
SHIGERU: And I will give credit to Riku for being very strong.
SHIGERU: If he wanted to kill, it would have happened.
SHIGERU: But he was not that kind of person.
SHIGERU: Deep down, Riku was a lonely guy.
SHIGERU: He’s the last person who would’ve killed.
SHIGERU: Why would he target people who were accepting of him?
SHIGERU: That’s counterproductive, no?

Advance!

HARU: Like I said, I’m not questioning Rikuto’s morality.
HARU: Even good people do terrible things.
HARU: But if Rikuto did plan this, his reasoning is crucial.
HARU: How we can advance this trial... Rikuto holds the answer!
SHIGERU: Well, well. I thought you were brighter than that.
SHIGERU: How must I put this?
SHIGERU: Riku didn’t have killing intent. You have to understand...
SHIGERU: If he wanted to kill, I would’ve been the first target.
SHIGERU: Know your enemy.
SHIGERU: If Riku was a killer, then I am foolish.
SHIGERU: I do not lower my guard for murderers!
SHIGERU: I can’t believe what I am hearing!
SHIGERU: Haru, Haru... Please listen to yourself.
SHIGERU: You are spouting nonsense!

“I will cut through those words!” Haru slammed a fist onto the table, “Wake up, Shigeru! The one spouting nonsense is you! You said it yourself. Rikuto stole your scissors from you. They were used at the crime scene, then found in his room. As a victim in a possibly spontaneous murder, would he have the time to go through all of that?”

“That is... Riku could have taken them for purposes other than that,” Shigeru shook his head, “I believe you are mistaken. I believe that with everything I have.”

“You should choose your beliefs more carefully. If you don’t, you’ll end up breaking your own heart...” Haru’s head and voice both dropped for a moment, “If Rikuto didn’t plan this, how did the door end up welded? The craftsmanship of it was too fine for an amateur. We couldn’t tell if it was sealed from the inside or outside.”

“Oh dear, you couldn’t?” Haru’s head whipped up as he heard Yukari’s voice. Her face was soft and sympathetic and it made Haru’s blood boil, “Well, I can tell you the answer to that. As the one who opened the door, I have first-hand experience. The door was welded from the outside.”

Haru felt his jaw drop. He wasn’t expecting that answer and suddenly, he felt the pieces begin to fall apart in his head.

“My... You seem at a loss, love. Perhaps we should take a little break to cool off,” Yukari grinned maliciously and, with that, Haru knew that Yukari had information that the rest of them didn’t. He suddenly remembered how she didn’t seem all that concerned when mentioning that the Auditorium had no clues, especially when compared to Nori, who was shaking in his boots at the thought of completely relying on others. No, Yukari already had her own entire theory if not the answers already. That much was certain. The psychoanalyst turned to look up at Monokuma, “That’s alright, isn’t it? Certainly, we’re not timed or anything silly like that. After all, you want to squeeze every bit of hope from us.”

“Upupupupu... You certainly know your stuff, don’t you?” Monokuma giggled, his hands covering his gruesome smile, “But what do you have in mind as a ‘break’, I wonder?”

“You wonder? Ah, but I wonder that, too,” Yukari narrowed her eyes, “After all, if we’re not careful, we may end up backwards. Kyahaha! Wouldn’t that be something?”

Class Trial: Intermission

---

Class Trial: Resume

“We’re back, kiddos. Have enough of a breather? I sure hope so, ‘cause I wanna see you all fired up!” Monokuma raised his arms in the air, his grin wide.

“What... What does this mean?” Niseko shook her head. She looked at Yukari, cutting directly to the chase, “How could it be welded from the outside? Rikuto was inside!”

“I wonder...” She smirked and then shrugged, “But I’m sure you all have your own fascinating theories, yes? I would love to hear them all! Please, don’t mind me and continue on.”

“So, the door was welded from the outside. That must be the key to this case,” Haru muttered, half to himself, “How did Rikuto die? Which came first, the room being sealed or Rikuto going in? Both seem equally impossible.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Yukari’s Account

According to Yukari, who opened the Storage Room door, it had been welded from the outside, not the inside.

“This certainly changes a lot. Could, perchance, someone else know the art of welding besides Rikuto?” Yudai suggested and glanced around. Nobody else said anything, so he continued, “Furthermore, Haru, I recall you saying that the precision was unrivalled. No one short of the Ultimate Welder could have done that fine of work.”

“So, the conclusion that we’re coming to is an impossible murder,” Yamato sighed heavily and a few others returned the sigh.

“It can’t be impossible. After all, it did happen,” Amari shook her head. “We aren’t thinking critically enough. If Rikuto did indeed plan the murder, we need to think like Rikuto.”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Yudai’s Account

AMARI: We need to think like Rikuto for any hints.
SHIGERU: Like Riku, huh?
SHIGERU: I’m still not totally sure about this.
MARISE: Rikuto took Shigeru’s scissors.
MARISE: Then after talking to Yudai about the motive...
MARISE: He made his move.
MARISE: If Yudai was with him until his death...
MARISE: Doesn’t that make him suspicious?
YUDAI: There is a hole in your argument, Marise.
MARISE: Go ahead and prove it then, loser.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru shook his head, “Out of everyone here, only a few have an alibi other than being in their room and waiting for the second period. Yudai was with Rikuto, but Yudai left his room around nine. Marise, when did the murder take place?”

“9:31,” She rolled her eyes, “Are you an idiot, Haru? Just because Yudai says he left doesn’t mean he actually did.”

“While this is true, I’m inclined to believe Yudai. At 9:45, Niseko started her patrol and saw nobody. Don’t you think it’s weird that she wouldn’t have seen Yudai? Rikuto was already dead at the time.”

“If it was impromptu, all the killer would have had to do was make sure there was no outstanding evidence and then leave. This could have easily been done within fourteen minutes,” Shigeru pointed out.

“Yes, but... Here’s the part that doesn’t make sense. Yukari said that the door was shut from the outside. There’s no way that Rikuto could have welded it and then found a way in. And he certainly couldn’t have welded it after he died. How can we say anyone committed this murder? Yukari, could you have welded that door shut?”

“Me? I’m not a welder, Haru. I could simulate it, but not weld it. And even if I could - I’ve never tried - It certainly would not be on the level at which Rikuto’s welding skills were,” Yukari’s smile was slight but there, “Do you think I committed this murder? From your expression, I doubt it.”

“There’s something else bugging me,” Amari rose her voice, “I can’t be the only one. There was something at the crime scene that, quite frankly, shouldn’t have been there.”

That was...

“The torch?” Haru offered and Amari nodded, “That’s right. If the door was welded from the outside, how did the torch get inside? Yukari, are you telling the truth?”

“Of--”

“Easy,” Haru’s attention was taken from Yukari and brought to Mei, “The torch is the big object that Honda carried with him, correct? He slid it underneath the door and it landed under one of the... erm... shelves.”

“There was a hole in the door,” Ami nodded, “So the torch was put back in the room after the job had finished. But there was no way that Rikuto could have squeezed through there. I couldn’t fit and I’m smaller than he was.”

“Ko... Kero ro,” Kero frowned and looked at Rikuto’s portrait.

“Yes... Isn’t that fascinating, love? Keroko is pointing out how it seems like Rikuto committed the murder through and through,” Yukari said, also staring at the portrait, “And yet, he ended up dead... How curious.”

“I believe that Honda had more responsibility than simply dying. You have said that he put up a struggle, however... I feel that something is off,” Mei drew her wakizashi, “Honda’s mask."

“His... mask?” Haru frowned. What could possibly be wrong with the mask?

It had to be...

Hangman’s Gambit: Ver.Sub

BYSGIIOJGLDERFCODSDEFOFDSFIEFD

“That’s it!” Haru suddenly looked up from his deep reflection, “You’re talking about the blood, right?”

“Yes, Tanioto. The blood does not match the body. The side of the head that had been hit was his right. And the arm that was broken was his left. The killer swung right to hit Honda. Even if he had attempted to deflect such a blow with his left arm, the force would have pulled it with the swing. Away from his mask. Yet, the bloodstains imply a strike to the left, not the right,” Mei demonstrated with her wakizashi as she spoke.

“All the rights and lefts are confusing me,” Niseko groaned, placing a hand on her head, “I don’t understand.”

“If Honda was hit on the right side, the blood would have sprayed from the right, where the wound was inflicted. The bloodstains on the mask imply a strike to the left. Therefore, Honda landed a blow on his attacker and the blood on his mask is not his own,” Mei sheathed her blade once more and folded her arms, “Do you understand now?”

“I... I think so. Wait, what are you doing?” Niseko called out as Mei walked past Marise and Ami and stood in front of Yudai, “Mei?”

The ninja placed a hand on Yudai’s right arm and began to move upward. After she had reached his head, which she had to stand on her toes to reach, she dropped her hand and tilted her head, “You are uninjured.”

“I am,” Yudai answered. He had been calm through Mei’s entire pat-down, “Did you expect to find an injury caused by Rikuto?”

“If you killed Honda, yes. However, you do not have such injuries, therefore, the blood on his mask is not yours, Shimizu,” Mei said as she began to walk back to her own podium.

“We could just pat down everyone,” Kouki suggested, “It wouldn’t take too long and we’d find out the killer, right?”

“Like hell you’re touching me,” Marise growled and snapped her head away. Haru looked at her for a moment and then shook his head.

“I can’t help but notice that nobody looks injured. Nobody was limping or anything,” Shigeru raised his voice. He looked around and others nodded their agreement.

Mei, on the other hand, shook her head, “Then nobody is the killer.”

Though it was a statement, Haru had a feeling that Mei meant it as a question. Was her sheltered life really so intense that she didn’t even know proper phrasing? All of her speech mannerisms up to that point would suggest a sad ‘yes’.

“That’s impossible... Why is everything about this so convoluted?” Kouki threw her hands down, “Rikuto welded the door after he died, the blood on the mask is reversed, and the killer who’s been injured is nowhere to be found.”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Yukari’s Account

KOUKI: There has to be something we’re missing.
KOUKI: Something to tie it all together.
KEROKO: Kero... Kero ko.
YUKARI: “The door.”
YUDAI: Welded... Then killed. This must be the order.
AMARI: Are you sure? Logically, it has to be that way.
AMARI: But Rikuto was inside while the door was welded.
AMARI: Was there absolutely no way to get the body inside?
KEROKO: Kero...
YUKARI: “No...”
NISEKO: We didn’t find any secret entrances or anything.
NISEKO: Rikuto was alive when the door was welded.
NISEKO: We can’t dispute that fact!

“I agree with that,” Haru said, though it was half-heartedly, “We have to look at it like that. Rikuto was alive when the door was welded because he was the one who did it. If we look at it from that perspective... Maybe we can find something else.”

“Nngh,” Ami suddenly tensed up and Haru got the distinct feeling that she had just come to some realisation and he worried that he might have to drag it out of her again, “There’s... There’s absolutely no way Rikuto’s body could have been placed in after the death, right?”

“That hole was too small. You saw it yourself, Ami,” Amari sadly answered, “It was big enough for the torch, but not Rikuto.”

“Something this impossible, are we sure it wasn’t Yukari?” Yamato frowned, “She can do impossible things.”

“What would I have to gain from killing Rikuto?” Yukari smiled a deceptively warm smile, “Escape? No, no, I wish to see just what the mastermind has planned, love.”

“I think... I think...” Ami gripped her podium tightly and Haru narrowed his eyes with the suspense, “I don’t think Rikuto is actually dead.”

“What?” Nori suddenly squeaked, his eyes wide, “What do you mean? How can Rikuto not be dead? W-We saw his corpse! We saw... Everyone else is here. What do you mean?!”

“We never actually saw Rikuto’s face before his death. We have no way of actually identifying him other than what we’re told by Monokuma,” Ami looked at the ground, “Can we really trust that...?”

“If the big loser isn’t dead, that would make this case a whole lot easier,” Marise smirked, “Everything just works out then, doesn’t it?”

“If Rikuto isn’t dead, wh-why are we having a trial? Don’t t-tell me that Monokuma was deceived by this, too!” Shohei yelped and then glanced at the bear.

“Upupupupu...”

“I don’t think Ami is wrong,” Haru finally conceded, “With all of the evidence we have... Rikuto can’t be dead.”

“That corpse was very real. If it wasn’t Rikuto, then--”

“YOU’VE REALLY HEATED THINGS UP!”

Haru froze as the voice of Monokuma pierced through the room, “You appear to be having difficulties choosing a side of the reasoning! Luckily, I have the perfect solution!”

The ground underneath Haru lurched as it shifted. He shut his eyes, feeling a bit sick at the sudden movement and, after it was done, he found himself in one of two lines. He was face to face with Kouki, who’d been the one to speak before Monokuma’s interruption.

“If you have an argument, now is the time to present it! Puhuhuhu! Is Rikuto Honda really dead...?”

Split Opinion
Is Rikuto Honda still alive?

SHOHEI: Th-There’s no doubt about it. There was a body at the crime scene.
MARISE: That doesn’t mean it was Rikuto’s body.

SHIGERU: I want to believe that he’s alive, but... This is too outlandish.
YAMATO: What’s more outlandish is a teleporting body.

AMARI: I saw that body with my own eyes. It had to be Rikuto.
AMI: We’ve never actually seen Rikuto without his mask.

NORI: But if he’s not dead. Then where exactly is he?
KANNA: The question isn’t where, but rather who.

KOUKI: Who? If you’re saying Rikuto is the real killer, that’s gotta be wrong.
HARU: Nobody said Rikuto was the killer. He’s certainly alive, though.

“This is our answer!”

“There’s no alternative. Rikuto is alive,” Haru said as his podium resumed its original position. Keroko was poking around at the ground around her podium, a little frustrated that it seemed to be solid.

“Is that really the only option?” Yudai rose a hand in the air, “Is it not possible that Rikuto was alive and then killed afterwards?”

“Even if that is possible, what would that imply? That somebody killed Rikuto and another person? We don’t know who that person in the Storage Room is,” Haru frowned as he said it, “But it’s sure not Rikuto.”

“If we just vote for Rikuto, won’t we figure all of this out?” Yamato shrugged before rolling his hoop back and forth.

Kouki slammed a hand into her podium, “We can’t be that hasty! If Rikuto isn’t the killer, we’ll all die, right? We have to be absolutely certain.”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Niseko’s Account

NISEKO: The time frame only matches up under very strict circumstances.
MARISE: Rikuto “died” at 9:31...
NISEKO: And I started my patrol at 9:45.
MARISE: You sure nothing snuck past your sorry excuses for eyes?
NISEKO: N-No! I only left that hallway when the second period should have started.
YUDAI: Ten o’clock in the morning.
YUDAI: The killer had fourteen minutes to commit their crime...
YUDAI: And flee to a safe location.
SHOHEI: Th-They could have just waited until Niseko wasn’t looking.
KEROKO: K-Kero!
YUKARI: “No!”

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru glared in determination. They were so close. He could feel it, “Niseko has made it abundantly clear that nobody came in or out during the patrol. Rikuto had to go back to his room before she started her patrol.”

“So, in the rush, maybe he left some evidence. If Rikuto is really alive and really committed this murder, that has to be the case, right?” Nori looked sheepish as he said it, waiting for confirmation.

“We did go to Rikuto’s room,” Ami pointed out, “There were things there that, now that I think about it, could only have gotten there if Rikuto himself put them there.”

“These... scissors,” Mei held them up as she said it.

“Yes... Although, wasn’t there something strange there, too?” Ami was doing it again. Haru was absolutely sure that she knew what she was talking about, but with the way Ami was framing her words, he had to wonder if she didn’t hold much faith in her own deductions.

Regardless, she had to mean...

“That powder, right?” Haru offered and Ami nodded. To his surprise, Mei reached into her pocket once more and sprinkled some of it on her podium. Haru wrinkled his nose at the thought of everything that was in there.

“Ah!” Shigeru suddenly rushed over, “This is... This is foundation! You said you found this in Riku’s room? Maybe... Maybe the scissors weren’t the only thing taken from me...”

Right. And it had to be Rikuto to take it because...

“You said that you met with Rikuto to show him this stuff, didn’t you, Shigeru?” Haru brought a finger to his chin, “Other than that, no one else has really seen your makeup. Doesn’t that mean that Rikuto is the only one who had the opportunity to take it?”

“What... I guess so, but...” Shigeru’s head suddenly dropped, “Between you and what Kanna said about ‘Who’... Are you implying... Are you implying... Riku is... disguised as someone? Is that possible? Is Riku here?!”

The desperation in Shigeru’s voice hurt. Haru knew that if Rikuto was still alive, he was certainly the one behind the death. That hope in the cosmetologist’s voice... “I think so. Rikuto is disguised as whoever he killed.”

Aside from Shigeru, only one other person met with Rikuto that day and Haru had a strong feeling that it was related. He took a deep breath and locked eyes with that person.

“Yudai. I can’t help but point out... You haven’t made any metaphors or analogies since ‘Rikuto’s’ death,” Haru's expression sat grimly as he uttered it, “You were the only one to see Rikuto besides Shigeru. If anyone is actually Rikuto, it’s you.”

“Me? I admit that would be a fascinating solution. If, as a mask maker, my final move would be to pass on my own mask... It’s poetic,” Yudai shut his eyes, calm as ever. Haru almost didn’t believe his own words. Everything about Yudai was spot on aside from the lack of water metaphors. Could he really be Rikuto?

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Nori’s Account

YUDAI: You claim that I am not Yudai, but Rikuto.
YUDAI: However, if I am, that means that the real Yudai...
YUDAI: Is the corpse in the Storage Room, correct?
YUDAI: That corpse looks nothing like me.
YUDAI: In order to prepare the corpse, there would need to be time.
YUDAI: But Niseko never saw me.
NISEKO: Huh? Something about that is weird
KEROKO: Kero keroro...
YUKARI: “I agree...”
YUDAI: I met with Rikuto, but we stayed in his room.
YUDAI: Nothing more than a talk over the motive.

“It’s time to stop lying!” Haru grit his teeth, “Nori saw you two together, so I don’t doubt that you met with Rikuto. However, what's odd is that very fact. Rikuto was with Shigeru and you were supposedly in your room. There would have been no reason for Nori to see you go into the Blue Hallway since both rooms are in there to begin with.”

“This is true. However, I had been in the Dining Hall when Rikuto wanted to speak with me. Thus, we met up in the main hallway,” Yudai responded.

“I guess I didn’t see if they started there. It was in passing,” Nori looked off to the side.

“If Rikuto committed the crime, it accounts for everything. The blood is reversed on the mask because Rikuto was wearing it when he killed his victim. He welded the door after leaving and dropped off the scissors in his dorm,” Haru nodded as he spoke, clarifying it to himself, “And there’s no one remotely close to Rikuto’s body type besides you, Yudai. In fact, it’s scarily similar.”

“CRASH AND BURN!”

“Even the greatest vessels are doomed to sink eventually if their foundation is not solid. This game was fun, Haru, but I’m beginning to worry that you may, in fact, be making the wrong decision. I wish not to die for such a mistake,” Yudai narrowed his eyes and stared down Haru.

“On the contrary, I’d say your character slipped for a moment there... Rikuto,” Haru responded with newfound confidence.

Rebuttal Showdown!
Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Mask

YUDAI: Break character? Haru...
YUDAI: I am the mask maker.
YUDAI: If you must know, everything about me is a mask.
YUDAI: My very existence is a character to be broken.
YUDAI: If you do not drop this line of accusation,
YUDAI: You will fall into the killer’s trap.
YUDAI: Is that what you want? Do you wish death?
YUDAI: Perhaps you wish death to the innocent.
YUDAI: I wish not to die by your hand.
YUDAI: So I will fight against you!

Advance!

HARU: Regardless of if it is you or not...
HARU: Voting for Rikuto is the right answer.
HARU: We’ll learn the whole truth then.
HARU: So I apologise if I am falsely accusing you.
YUDAI: How can you even be certain that it is Rikuto?
YUDAI: Perhaps you are correct.
YUDAI: Maybe whoever I am is the killer.
YUDAI: Would that satisfy you?
YUDAI: I am warning you, though.
YUDAI: I am Yudai Shimizu!
YUDAI: And I firmly believe that Rikuto did not commit this crime.
YUDAI: I enjoy mind games, Haru.
YUDAI: But this is a game that has overstayed its welcome.
YUDAI: I think it’s time you rested.

"I will cut through those words!" Haru cried out with a sense of victory, “Because of the mask... Because nobody here is injured... Those bloodstains were reversed because the killer was wearing the mask. Now, don’t forget that Rikuto’s mask is a welding mask. It’s nigh impossible to see out of it and make out a figure. Even if Rikuto could see through it, which he had to have been able to, making details out like blood? Impossible.”

“At one point, you were convinced that someone was injured. What if I said that I was? Mei patted me down, but did you ever consider that perhaps I wasn’t facing Rikuto? She only examined one side of me, after all,” Yudai still seemed far too calm and Haru wondered if that earlier slip-up was merely his imagination.

“You said my name...”

“Excuse me?” Yudai looked around for the source and, eventually, his eyes settled on Niseko.

“I said, ‘You said my name!’” She suddenly shouted with surprising force, “Yudai never called me by my name. Anyone who paid attention would have known that! Yudai only ever called me ‘doll’!”

“I have one more piece of evidence that proves Rikuto is alive,” Haru muttered, starting to feel annoyed at ‘Yudai’ continuous denial despite the mountain of evidence, “Rikuto’s Monopad was missing. Why? Because he had to access his room. However, there was no Monopad in place of it. If I’m right, you’re carrying two Monopads. Rikuto Honda’s and Yudai Shimizu’s.”

“How fascinating. But allow me to present my evidence,” Yudai pulled out a Monopad and tapped it on. Then he held it up. It showed the Monokuma File, “This says that the victim is Rikuto Honda. Why would it lie?”

“Why...?” Just like before, Haru couldn’t help but be overcome with surprise when Yukari’s voice met his ears, “This trial would be quite boring if it told the complete truth, wouldn’t it, love?”

“That is a flimsy excuse,” Yudai shook his head.

No... Haru thought. Yukari hadn’t once told a lie during the trial. She wouldn’t start now. He had to back Yudai into a corner once and for all.

Panic Talk Action!

“I am Yudai Shimizu!”
“Rikuto wasn’t the killer...”
“If anyone, it was me.”
“However, this is also not the truth.”
“I must fight your claims.”
“Do you wish your death?”
“You’re leading right to it.”

ABA AA BAB AAB B BBB

“Your attempts are futile!”
“I will die by my hand alone!”
“Not yours. Not Rikuto’s.”
“There is still time to reconsider.”
“We have yet to cast our votes.”
“Do you really believe this?”
“All of you... Do you believe this?”

AAAA BBB BA BAA AB

“How could I possibly be Yudai if I am Rikuto?”

YUDAI SHIM IZU’S MASK

“It’s time to finish this!” Haru squeezed his eyes shut as he pointed at Yudai. Rather, not Yudai, but Rikuto, “If Yudai is the victim, then his body is that which is in the Storage Room. Mei said that the corpse’s eyes were yellow and it’s true that there are others with that eye color. But I find it difficult to imagine Rikuto crossdressing to resemble Amari and Shigeru is far too small. Now, if we take into consideration that the corpse was Yudai’s, then that was a very different Yudai than we know. Yudai has purple hair, longer and styled into spikes. But that corpse had short black hair. So I reason that Yudai was wearing a mask of his own. A mask that you took, Rikuto!”

The mask maker stared at him for a moment longer and then dropped his head in defeat, “You make everything sound so simple. But... It’s not that simple, is it... Haru Tanioto Sir?”

“No... It’s not. And I imagine people are confused, so I will explain your crime step by step,” Haru bit his lip.

Closing Argument.
Start!

“This case officially started when Rikuto met up with Shigeru, at Shigeru’s request, to talk about makeup. Something about the motive disturbed Rikuto and he formulated a plan at that moment. While Shigeru’s back was turned, Rikuto stole his scissors and some foundation and then declared that he needed to talk to Yudai about the oxygen masks. He found Yudai and I assume he brought Yudai out into the main hallway. However, Nori entered at this moment and Rikuto was forced to stick by what he told Shigeru and instead brought Yudai to his room. After a bit, Rikuto invited Yudai to the Storage Room and grabbed a chair, swinging it at Yudai. Instinctively, Yudai reached out to block the chair, but Rikuto’s strength was too great and it ended up breaking his arm. It only took one more blow to kill Yudai. Blood splattered everywhere. On the door, the chair, even on Rikuto’s welding mask. But even with the victim dead, Rikuto was far from finished. He tore off the mask that Yudai was wearing and trimmed his naturally black hair to resemble his own. He swapped clothing with the now-dead Yudai and took his Monopad before leaving. In order to create an impossible murder, Rikuto punched out a hole in the door and then welded it shut, throwing the torch back into the room. He then returned to his own room, where he stored the scissors on his desk and began to apply makeup to blend Yudai’s mask with his skin. Yudai’s clothes must have been bloody, however, so at some point, Rikuto went to Yudai’s room with Yudai’s Monopad and recovered cleaner clothes. He then joined back up with the group once Ami, Amari, and Yukari had discovered the corpse. Though at first the idea of an autopsy startled him, Rikuto must’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that it read his name and not Yudai’s.”

“Only one person could have achieved all of this. Rikuto Honda, the Ultimate Welder... It was you!” Haru finished his speech pointing at the killer, who merely hung his head. It was over.

Chapter Text

Haru heard an electronic beep as his vote was accepted and raised his head, regret in his orange eyes as he stared at the person he'd just sentenced to death.

Rikuto reached up and Haru could only grimace as the face of Yudai was peeled off and carefully laid on the podium. Quickly following were the black gloves and then looking back up at him was Rikuto's true face, full of a melancholic expression, "There is no doubt. Yudai Shimizu Sir knew he was going to die."

Rikuto was no longer disguising his voice and Haru couldn't help but realise what a perfect impression he had done to the point where the realisation forced him to pause. Then he answered, "What do you mean?"

"He asked me why I had chosen him," Rikuto rubbed the back of his head, "I didn't answer, but after my first attack, he didn't fight back anymore. I think he understood my motive and agreed with it."

"Your motive?" Kouki spoke up, "In all of that chaos, we never discussed it."

"No one will believe the words of a killer, I know. However, after seeing the effects on Meiyo Ma'am, I didn't want to see it happen again. If it were me, perhaps it would've been different, but I couldn't take that chance," Rikuto glanced at Mei with weary eyes, "The light is... so bright."

"Riku, Riku..." Shigeru grit his teeth, his face scrunched up in pain, "I believe you! I have no choice... I know people. I understand them... Even if you killed Yudai, I still know you to be an honest man. I believe you..."

Footsteps clicked as Yukari strode up to Rikuto. Then she stepped as if climbing a stair and her body lifted up as if there really were something to support her. As Haru squinted, he could see a faint trace of the red smoke under her foot. Now level with Rikuto's face, she placed a finger on his nose, "I could have helped you, love."

"Helped?" Rikuto glared, "I didn't need--"

"Not with your foolish murder, don't be silly," Yukari patted Rikuto's head, something he clearly did not like, "With the motive. Preventing it wasn't a rule. Providing a false recreation of the filter... That would have been simple for someone like me. I wish you had consulted me. Then this mess would have never happened. But it's too late now. You have been branded the Blackened and it is time to atone for your crime."

She hopped back onto the ground with a curtsey and reclaimed her place. As she did, Rikuto pulled out a Monopad. "If I am to die anyway, I will protect Yudai Shimizu Sir's privacy,"

Confused, Haru watched as, with a mighty yell, Rikuto threw the Monopad at Monokuma. There was a faint screech and then a deafening explosion. Monokuma was gone, but even as Haru realised it, another one crawled out from behind the chair.

"My, my. You must be eager for death," Monokuma tilted his head bringing a paw to his muzzle, "Very well, then. I suppose such formalities are redundant, but of course, there was a unanimous vote for Rikuto Honda, the Blackened!"

"Ah, but first. I feel it must be said. Even under his mask, Yudai Shimizu Sir kept the horns. A true demon’s horns follow wherever he goes," Rikuto blinked, as a joke from a stoic man will always go unacknowledged, then looked back at Monokuma, "It is as Nagakage Ma'am says. I must atone. But first, answer me this. Will that motive return?"

Monokuma stared back for a moment, "No."

"Good," Rikuto rubbed his head again, "Execute me."

"Riku, wait! Wait..." Shigeru held out his hand in vain, "Why... Why do you have to go?"

"It is written in the rules. Do not cry over it. It must be done," Rikuto looked back at the cosmetologist and Haru frowned. Shigeru was acting like a child, but it was somewhat understandable. In a few short days, he had tried his best to connect with somebody only to have that person ripped away. Looking back at Rikuto for any hints as to how he felt in return, Haru thought he saw the faintest hints of a smile, "No one has ever tried to be my friend before. Now you have seen under my mask. I give you my thanks for reaching out to me. Let that be enough... Shigeru."

"I have..." Shigeru chuckled in disbelief and looked away, "I have never heard you speak so much. Why do you have to be taken away now? Did you not trust us all to come up with a plan? ...Riku?"

"I... Trust. Hm..." Rikuto lowered his head, "Trust has always been difficult for me. Your passion reminds me of my father, Shigeru. Don't lose that fire."

"I know you must feel conflicted, trading a life to end something wicked, but... Don't you want to live?!" Shigeru cried out, avoiding Rikuto's words. Then his voice cracked into something more vulnerable, "Don't you..?"

"Yes," Rikuto sighed and then turned to walk toward his picture. With barely a push, he toppled it and took its place.

"Right! Well! If that's done, I've prepared a very special punishment for Rikuto Honda, the Ultimate Welder. It's punishment time!"

And even Shigeru was silent as, extending from an opening in the wall, a chain shot forward and clamped around Rikuto's neck. He stood there, his eyes shifting down toward it and flinched as there was a tug, not strong enough to pull him down, pressing into his neck. Then a second jerk pulled him backward like a dog on a leash. A large screen sunk down into the room and an image flickered to life. A live video feed showing Rikuto.

A Welder's Sparks - Rikuto Honda - Ultimate Welder

As the chains pulled Rikuto into the room, a large metal pole extended from the ground and more chains tied him to it, suspending him. The welder did not move or try to resist, even as the ground shook; a gargantuan Monokuma stepping forward and grabbing the pole to stick it into a large mechanism, Rikuto head-first. As the room heated up, Rikuto gritted his teeth. He was used to this heavy, hot atmosphere, but the movements made him sick. He was only barely holding in the thought of what was about to happen and the sudden jerk down and the sound of screeching metal made him instinctively yelp. The vibrations and movements were like some twisted theme park ride. A sudden drop down as the wire below him was fed onto a solid metal surface. Sparks flew into Rikuto's face and he coughed, unable to rub the stinging wounds. He had prepared to go out with dignity, but now he squirmed against his chains, fear gripping him tightly in its cold grasp. For a moment, everything paused. His breath caught in his throat and time seemed to stop. The pain vanished for just a second and he stared forward, blankly. Then a hot searing pain unlike anything he had ever known made him cry out in agony. He couldn't feel his feet and he couldn't look down to see anything other than sparks and fire. The pain traveled up his body and Rikuto felt like he was moments from blacking out, hot tears streaming down his face before evaporating. Finally, like a firecracker, there was one final burst of pain, everywhere in his body, lighting up his torso, arms, and head, then it was gone. There was no one left to feel the pain as the remains of a corpse continued to sizzle and vanish into the metal. Bones and blood instantly drying and cracking. Wiping his forehead, the Monokuma threw down the gun and admired his work. A recreation of a face wearing a welding mask.

Execution: Executed.

---

---

Haru couldn't feel his fingertips. His knuckles had gone white from clutching his podium and his ears rang with Rikuto's final scream. Suddenly gasping from holding his breath in sheer terror, he frantically looked around at the others. Kouki's head was buried in her podium, the shaking of her shoulders betraying her crying. Nori was crouching on the ground, hugging his knees. His face was a waxy white. Ami was turned away, clutching her ears through her thick hair. For the most part, everyone shared a sense of pure, utter despair.

His eyes continued traveling until they caught Shigeru. The boy looked to be in so much shock that he couldn't comprehend what was going on around him. His arms dangled loosely in the air and his legs looked as if they were barely supporting his weight.

"There are always tales of witches being burnt at the stake," Yamato said, covering the lower half of his face with his hat, "But this was something else entirely. To be made a mockery like that... Not even a murderer deserves that."

"A witch is doomed to die," Marise crossed her arms. Though she was putting on a brave face, Haru could tell by the way she squeezed her arms close to her body that she, too, was rattled, "A witch would supposedly float in water and so people were drowned as a test to see whether or not they were a witch. Of course, witches aren't real, so it was really just innocents dying."

"Fire and water," Kanna shook his head, "People are cruel. Whoever behind this is twice as cruel. Executing them is one thing. Mocking them while executing them is another. Subjecting friends to watch said execution is several steps too far."

"Er..." Niseko, who had been showing no emotion through her doll face, pointed at the ground, "How long has he been there?"

Keroko hopped over and Haru saw that Shohei lay in a collapsed heap on the ground. Keroko poked and prodded his body, checking his pulse and breathing. Finally, she looked up with a croak and placed her hands under her head to symbolise sleeping. Shohei had passed out at some point.

Of course, there was one other person besides Niseko and, now that Haru looked, Mei, who seemed unaffected, "Let this be a warning. Should you commit murder, you shall suffer a very similar yet very different fate. This is no dream. Two people who you once spoke with are now very much dead and however you wish to handle this situation is up to you. However! Think before you act selfishly. Even in death, we will feel poor Rikuto's influence and Yudai? Well, we hardly knew ye," Yukari turned toward the screen and reclined against her podium, "I must admit, I am quite excited to see where this is headed! Kyahahahaha!"

"Shut up," Shigeru bared his teeth in anger at Yukari, "Shut up! You think we don't already know all of that? You're simultaneously taking this seriously and not and I don't like that. I don't think anyone does. Right now, you're just the same as that bear and that bear killed Riku! In fact, I'd say that, even if Riku did the deed, he killed Yudai, too."

"I am in full agreement, Shigeru. I'm not here to oppose you, so I apologise if my mannerisms offend you, love," Yukari stood up straight and then bowed with a slight smirk. After a brief moment, she snapped her fingers at Monokuma, "If there is nothing else you wish to say, there is no point in remaining in your humid prison."

When Monokuma didn't respond, Yukari headed toward the exit, cackling softly as she did so. Hesitantly, a few followed her. Amari lifted up Shohei and also left. Eventually, the only ones left were Haru, Kouki, Nori, Ami, and Shigeru. Yamato lingered behind for just a bit, peering at Haru and Nori from under his glasses, but eventually turned to follow the others. Ami was the first to speak, "So... He's really dead? Rikuto is really gone?"

"You... You saw it, didn't you? You saw that terrible... thing..." Nori's speech was broken by the chattering of his teeth and his awkward breathing. He had stood up by now, but he was wobbling.

"I... We can't believe everything on a screen..." Ami turned away from Nori, her voice quiet, "Those screams were very real, though. I just... I don't want to believe it. I don't think it's fair to be put in a situation like this, be pushed to the extreme, and then be punished for it. It's not fair."

"No, no... It's not. And I wish that I had tried harder to understand Riku. I am full of so much regret," Shigeru sighed, "I feel like I might be crushed under it..."

"It's alright..." Ami murmured, then repeated louder, "It's alright. We can recover from this. At least, until the next thing is thrown at us. Even though Monokuma told Rikuto that the motive wouldn't be repeated, nothing is stopping him from making a new one."

"I don't doubt that. We're dancing in the mastermind's palm. When they say jump, we say how high, no?" Shigeru scratched his head.

"Don't you wonder what he meant?" Kouki's voice jarred Haru out of the slight lull he'd fallen into, "Rikuto. When he said that he needed to protect Yudai's privacy."

"He threw Yudai's Monopad at Monokuma, blowing it up," Haru nodded. In hindsight, the act itself hadn't seemed odd to him. Of course the quickest way to destroy evidence was to blow it up when there was a literal bomb in the room, "There must have been some information on it that Rikuto didn't want us to know."

"Aren't there really only two bits of information on our Monopads that are of any particular relevance to us?" Ami pulled her ponytail in front of her before pulling out her own Monopad. Her hair looked soft, Haru thought, like a blanket or a pillow. He realised as it crossed his mind that he really just needed to lie down, but this was a conversation that needed to be had. Ami then handed her Monopad to Haru. Confused, he took it, "Well?"

"What..." He went to tap the screen and immediately drew his hand back, "Ow! It just shocked me."

"Oh jeez, I'm sorry," Ami stepped back a little, "How though..? They seem better crafted than that..."

Haru looked up at her when her voice trailed off as if there was some revelation that had just occurred, but when she didn’t speak any further, he tapped the screen properly and watched it flash with 'AMI YUMEKUU, HYPNOTIST'. Then the GUI that was familiar to him from his own Monopad loaded and he went through some of the options, an electrical tingle running through his fingers every so often. Eventually shook his head, "Everything's the same as mine. So you must mean either the name or the talent, right? Were one of these... not on his Monopad?"

"I remember that..." Nori murmured, but left it at that. Haru turned to look at him with a confused glance. Had Nori not looked at his Monopad since getting it?

"Is your Monopad okay? It's not malfunctioning or anything, right?" Haru scrunched up his face, "I was worried it might become an AED on me."

"I think it's fine. It's been like that since I got it. I suppose I'm just used to it now," Ami ran her fingers through her hair, "But hey, if I drop to an electric shock, you know what to blame."

Kouki frowned, "Maybe too soon to joke about dying. We really should go back, though. Staying here will just... depress me even more. I want to paint. Paint with bright, cheerful colors and not think about anything."

Haru nodded at the idea of relaxing. The thought of music sounded like heaven to him at that moment, "Do any of you want to come to my room? I can play some music and we can just... destress or something."

Nori looked away, saying nothing. He must've been feeling uncomfortable just being with others, even someone familiar like Haru, so Haru opted to not press him. Shigeru shook his head, "I just need to think."

"What better relaxation is there than the eternal swinging of the pendulum? I'm sure you agree, Haru," Ami sighed, sarcasm dripping from her words. Then she smiled slightly, "No, but I think we all should take time alone for now. It will do us all some good."

He nodded his understanding and gestured to the elevator, "Well, let's go."

And so, the five of them made their way out of the trial room and back into the elevator to climb out of the abyss into which they’d fallen, unaware of just how much deeper they could - and would - fall.

Chapter Text

“H-He... He what!?” Shohei shuddered as Kanna filled him in on the details of what had happened to Rikuto. It turned out that he had fallen asleep before the execution, but it had been so heated that no one noticed. Kanna let out an internal sigh, he hadn’t been perceptive enough. He had to try harder.

The fourteen of them had gathered in the Meeting Room after some time alone and were now pondering their next actions. Two seats were distressingly empty and it felt as though a chill radiated from them. When they had gone to the Storage Room, Yudai’s body was gone. Simply gone. There was no trace. No blood, no hair, no mask, nothing, “...Just a bit longer.”

Kanna turned to look at Yukari, frowning. She was drumming her fingers on the table, looking very bored, and Kanna wondered why they still invited her to their meetings. Of course, she was helpful when she wanted to be, but that wasn’t often.

“Puhuhuhuhuhu!” Monokuma’s echoing laughter was quickly followed by the center of the table spinning open. Nori flinched as the bear landed, dead center. He still wasn’t used to his sudden appearances and, more than that, felt lethargic from the constant wave of terrible things happening that hearing that awful laughter just... hurt, “You know, Yukari... It’s almost like you’ve heard this story before...”

“Maybe... As our dear disguised welder would have put it, wouldn’t that be fascinating? Though, I had no idea he or Yudai would die so soon,” Yukari almost looked sad as she said it, “Yudai had a great many things he could’ve told us, particularly. And men like Rikuto always hide secrets.”

“Upupupu...” Monokuma laughed softly, though the volume seemed to make it all the more creepy, “Right, well, I came to tell you that there is a new option on the elevator! You can now go further into the SRS! Oh, but don’t worry, it’s definitely not a trap.”

“It’s not. That would be no fun,” Yukari responded in a sing-songy tone.

“You’re no fun!” Monokuma screeched and then vanished back into the table. Keroko hopped after him and began hopping in place where he’d gone, each jump rattling the table, but to no avail. She frowned in annoyance and returned to her seat.

“We should go explore that, then,” Amari said, sadly watching Keroko’s efforts, “There’s nothing left for us here.”

The others nodded or murmured their agreement while Niseko stood up on her chair and then hopped down, making her way toward the Auditorium exit. Marise held out an arm as she watched the doll hobble away, “Wait. What if it really is a trap? What if bow bitch is lying, too?”

“I don’t think so...” Shigeru inspected his painted nail as he spoke. He seemed to be doing better, but it didn’t take a genius or a psychologist to know that he was probably burying whatever pain he was still feeling, “Even if Monokuma and Yukari are working together, that exchange seemed genuine.”

“An elevator... That is the moving room in the Dining Hall,” Mei nodded, “How does it move? Is it magical in nature?”

Ami swung herself out of her chair to walk next to Mei and put her hand on the ninja’s shoulder, “Not magic. It’s scientific. They use, er, electricity to move along a very strong rope of sorts that’s hooked in a large shaft. That is a long opening. Like a vent, but vertical. It goes up and down. Do you know what a vent is?”

“I have crawled through vents,” Mei’s face softened as she nodded some more.

”You’ve-- Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. A feat like that is impossible,” Yamato blurted, “Those things aren’t like what the movies would have you believe. They’re loud and dangerous, not for sneaking around in.”

”Come to think of it, Yamato,” Haru pursed his lips in faux thought, “I just remembered that Mei is the Ultimate Ninja and that sneaking around is literally a part of her talent.”

”Cut the crap. It doesn’t matter how talented you are. You can’t defy physics,” Yamato argued back.

”Y-You sure about that, Raya?” Nori muttered, looking from him over to Yukari who smiled and waved, “Never mind. I don’t want to think about any of that right now. Elevators... Right?”

”Yes, elevators,” Mei nodded, “I think I understand it. But how does the electricity work?”

“Well, it goes through what is called a motor, which turns the electricity into energy that moves the elevator,” Ami continued now that Haru and Yamato were done squabbling and Mei had moved on, “I wonder, though, Mei? Why don’t you know all of this?”

“Learning is difficult. You need exposure. I live in a home where I train. I train until the next job arrives. From morning to sunset. My grandfather says I train too much, but there is no such thing,” Mei answered, surprisingly open and Ami nodded in understanding, “I have decided I do not like elevators. There isn’t enough space to move around.”

“You really must be claustrophobic,” Kouki muttered, pity in her large brown eyes, “You do realise that the elevator in the Dining Hall is bigger than most elevators, right?”

”I still do not like it. It is not big enough,” Mei responded.

“Some people have a fear that an e-elevator won’t stop when they tell it, too. Or that it might take them s-someplace they never asked. H-Humanising an elevator... I think you have to suffer from a-at least some paranoia,” Shohei picked at his teeth, “Paranoid Personality Disorder, schizophrenia, post traumatic stress disorder... Paranoia. You don’t even need an illness to suffer from it. That idea that someone is always there... R-Ready to kill you. Always behind you...”

“Paranoia?” Mei tilted her head. At least, this time, her sword remained sheathed.

“Th-The placebo effect d-describes a phenomenon where w-we experience a beneficial effect through sheer willpower. W-We are given a little push and our mind does the rest. But there... There’s also the n-nocebo effect, which is the opposite. What if paranoia does that? What i-if we believe so firmly that someone is there... Isn’t that a delusion? Would this be what i-it means to die of fright?” Shohei held his arms close, he was quivering, like usual, but partly because he had just frightened himself.

”Don’t be ridiculous. People don’t actually die of fright,” Marise put her hands on her hip, “That’s just a saying someone made up. People die from heart attacks”

”No, Marise. Shohei’s actually hitting on a phenomenon that’s actually occurred before,” Kanna piped up, “They call it a voodoo death. Dying of fright or dying because you believe you are. The cause of death being anticipation is just the slightest bit frightening, don’t you think?”

”That must be extraordinarily rare...”Amari murmured, “I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Let me make sure I’ve got this right... All of this talk about paranoia and voodoo death... That all came from elevators?” Niseko turned around, “I dunno, Shohei. That felt like you were talking from experience.”

“Don’t drop dead on us,” Yamato grumbled, “We’ve had enough of that already. Anyway, I’m going to the elevator now. Feel free to join me!”

“Oh, wait! There’s something I need to check first,” Ami suddenly perked up and she dashed out the other door to the hallway. Mei frantically looked around before pursuing the hypnotist. Haru narrowed his eyes at Ami’s sudden outburst but got up to follow Yamato. It only took a bit before everyone else did the same.

“Do we wait for Ami and Mei?” Amari asked, glancing around at the others as they reached the elevator.

“The curtain only stays open for so long. They can join us later. For now, you all must join me!” Yamato, who had already entered, laughed and beckoned everyone to join him. There was a single button: Down. Once everyone was safely in, Yamato reared back his hand and then pressed it with a flourish. Slowly, the elevator sank down once more.

Ding!

The doors opened, this time not to the trial ground but to a whole new floor. Yamato exited the elevator to see rows of cubicles, like an office space. Confused, he looked around, peering into one of the boxed off areas. A chair, desk, paper, even a computer... It was just what he’d expect to find in a cubicle. There were eight in all and Yamato turned back to the group, “Well? We should explore.”

“This was the last thing I expected...” Nori said as he glanced around, “After what was upstairs... Why would this be in a shelter?”

“This place is a shelter, right? It’s in case an emergency were to occur and I suppose people would still need to get work done somehow. Why not give as ordinary a room in such an extraordinary situation,” Amari responded, touching one of the partitions, “I think It feels a lot homier than upstairs, anyway. At least this room does and I imagine it’s because the entire room isn’t solid metal.”

“There’s a door over there,” Kouki pointed as she looked around. It was the only door in the room aside from the elevator. She wandered around for a moment before shrugging, “Maybe we should split up again to cover more ground. Some of us should go through the door and some should stay here.”

“Kero. Keko koro.” Keroko pointed at the door, too. Then, after a bit of fumbling around with her awkward, webbed fingers, held up one on one hand and three on the other, “Ko ko keroko”

“‘We should split up. Groups of three.’ And one should stay here?” Yukari was sitting on top of one of the cubicles and Keroko frowned. When did she get there? “An interesting proposition. I don’t mind it.”

“I’m surprised you came,” Kanna shook his head, “But yes, there are twelve of us here. Four groups should be good. Let’s see... Probably... Niseko, Keroko, and Marise... Haru, Yamato, and Nori... Myself, Shigeru, and Amari... That leaves Kouki, Shohei, and Yukari.”

“Well, then, I’m the odd one out, aren’t I? The black sheep, you could say,” Yukari glanced at her two partners, Shohei averting his gaze. He understood, though. Kanna had divided them up by classmates. However, no one knew which class Yukari had belonged to and it just so happened that the only others who had been in that class were Ami, who was upstairs, and Rikuto, who was... well, dead.

In partnering people with former classmates, Kanna had created groups in which people were familiar with their groupmates' strengths and weaknesses. Shohei was impressed even as Haru glared at Yamato. It seemed Kanna really was quite talented, “I-I suppose that works. I’ll deal with it.”

Kouki bit her lip, but nodded slowly, her eyes trained on Yukari, “But who’s going to stay here?”

“Yes, yes. I’m going to put our group on the chopping block,” Shigeru raised a hand, “Kanna prefers ensure that no stone is unturned before moving on and Amari would probably like to stay near the exit, watching it. Or am I wrong in assuming that you’re concerned about Ami and Mei being alone?”

“That is quite accurate. As expected,” Amari nodded and Kanna did a small bow, expressing his agreement, “The rest of you will move on then. Do your best.”

As the room emptied, Kanna raised a finger, “Well, I suppose we should inspect everything we can. This room seems quite convoluted, even for just a simple office space.”

“If we’re to investigate, I think we should do it in a timely manner. Don’t you agree, Kanna?” Shigeru poked Kanna in the arm in jest. What the others had assumed was true. He was doing all he could to keep himself together after what had happened, but it felt like it wasn’t enough, “Hm, hm... Anyway. I’ll look over here.”

Shigeru rounded a corner and entered one of the enclosed spaces, seeing all of what Yamato had seen, including an old-fashioned bulky computer monitor sitting on the desk. It crossed his mind as odd that Yamato didn’t mention it, but as Shigeru fiddled with it, he realised that the power cord had been cut clean off. This computer wouldn’t be turning on any time soon and Yamato, who must have some experience with electrics given his talent of running an entire circus, probably noticed that immediately. Some papers were scattered, all blank, and there were basic office supplies. Pens, a stapler, tape... Nothing useful.

Amari, meanwhile, sped through the cubicles, noting how each of them had the same layout. Typical, of course, for an office space. Her eye was caught by one paper, however, as she sped through. It had writing on it and she reached in to grab it. On it seemed to be a single word, in romaji: Suisei. It was a name, that was for certain, but Amari didn’t recognise it. Instead of dwelling on it, though, she folded the paper up and kept it with her as she moved on. Maybe Kanna knew something about it or, if he didn’t, someone else who was better with words could take a look at it later.

Kanna couldn’t help but notice that even Shigeru had moved on from his first cubicle. There really seemed to be nothing special about what he was looking at, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was overlooking something. Deciding to compare it to another cubicle, he moved to the next one, squinting at the computer as he did. This one did have cables. Rushing over, the prodigy hit the ‘on’ button, but of course, nothing happened. It wouldn’t be that simple, “Hey, guys. Have any of the computers you’ve seen been functional?”

“No, no. They’re all clipped,” Shigeru responded, “Each and every one. Very thorough, I must commend the mastermind.”

“Well, except this one,” As Kanna said it, Shigeru and Amari made their way over. He motioned toward the monitor and Amari tapped the side of it, “I tried to turn it on but, alas, it remained blank. I don’t think it’s going to do anything, but we should keep it in the back of our minds.”

“I agree,” Amari nodded. Having a working computer would be much too easy and she was more focused on the results of her own investigation, “Do either of you know anyone named Suisei?”

Kanna shook his head. He made a point of remembering names, which Amari knew, but he’d never met someone with a name as strange as Suisei. Shigeru followed suit and Amari sighed, unfolding the paper to show them, “I found this on a desk and it must be a clue, but I’m not sure what for. Whoever Suisei is, though... They must be important.”

“Our captor, maybe?” Shigeru scratched his head, “If they knew that no one here would recognise their name, leaving it might be a way to rile us up. That’s the best I’ve got anyway. Like the computer, we probably shouldn’t worry about it for now.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Amari said, folding her arms, “Aside from these two things, this room looks relatively empty.”

“Yeah...” Shigeru sighed, “Maybe we should move on. Check the elevator, perhaps?”

---

“No matter how much I look at it, I don’t know what it is,” Nori was leaning on the back wall, taking in the surroundings. His group had been the next to stay. As such, they were in the room just past the Office Room, as it would come to be known as. This one was much bigger, with six large, rectangular glass compartments, each reaching the ceiling like giant glass pillars. There was a metal panel on the side of each one that looked like they might be control panels, but Nori had no clue what any of it meant.

“Perhaps people go inside of them. That wouldn’t be too different than a circus trick,” Yamato knocked on the glass of one of them, but it was quite sturdy. The corners were stabilised by metal, but there were no visible doors.

“Circus tricks for the most part are safe,” Haru exhaled as he turned toward Yamato, “I’m not sure if, knowing Monokuma, these are. I’ve never seen anything like them and I’ve certainly never heard of anything like it in a shelter before.”

“I doubt any of us have been in shelters,” Nori shook his head, then looked at Haru with weary green eyes, “But don’t they kinda look like... those things in sci-fi bio labs? Except these are much bigger, not round, and not filled with water.”

“Kinda...?” Haru shrugged, “I’m not really sure what they remind me of. This room does give me a bit of a science-fiction feel though. I mean, most sci-fi is just a distortion of reality. A lot of what-if questions where we explain away discrepancies with science not yet discovered.”

“...Huh?” Nori stared blankly at Haru.

“Consider this situation. In the future, you have achieved the position of prime minister. This is the far future where there are no more rural areas. Everything is shiny, lit up by lights powered by different energy than we know,” Haru waved his hands as he spoke, attempting to paint the picture, “One day, you find a strange device, just in your room. It’s technological in nature, but you have no idea what it does.”

“Where are you going with this, Haru?” Nori frowned, “I don’t like this idea at all.”

“The device you find. What do you think it would do, Nori? It can be anything at all. Anything you want,” By this point, Yamato had stopped fiddling with the glass and was now interested in what Haru was saying.

“I guess I’d want the device to ensure that there is peace. Something that can help keep good relations. But that’s too much for a small device,” Nori frowned even deeper.

“Perhaps the device you’ve found sends transmissions through radio waves that have a pacifying effect. Everyone who hears it has no desire to fight. You see, this could be an amazing setup for a science fiction story that I just came up with based on you winning an election. I blew it out of proportion and added in an object that achieves seemingly magical effects through scientific means,” Haru smiled softly as he patted Nori on the back, “Of course, that device could have disastrous consequences... Anyway, work backward from that, and eventually, you’d get back to a prodigious politician. It goes both ways. In order to realise a world like that, we need to start somewhere.”

“I’m not sure what your tale was explaining, exactly, but it was magnificent,” Yamato laughed, “I guess you’re saying to take the sci-fi ideas Nori has and dumb them down into realism, hm? Perhaps it’s not a bad idea.”

”Hell must have frozen over if you’re complimenting me,” Haru raised an eyebrow at Yamato, “Do you know any good sci-fi stories?”

”Pfft. You think I’m the type of person who reads books? Don’t be ridiculous,” Yamato shook his head, “Though I don’t half wonder if you could apply this reverse sci-fi lens thing you’ve got going on to our reality. Yukari, anyone?”

”Her smoke looks like magic... But it can’t be because magic isn’t real. So it’s a technological device,” Nori nodded slowly, “But it doesn’t matter how many stories we make up. We won’t know what it is unless she tells us. We’re completely at her mercy. Argh.”

”’Argh’? What are you growling about, pup?” Yamato blinked, “I’ve heard better roars from Mutsu when he was a sick cub.”

”H-Hey! I don’t care what you say. Comparing me to your pet lion is no fair!” Nori raised his voice in protest, “Besides. I’m just frustrated. As scary as she is, I want Yukari’s power on my side. I will win the election, but if I could just tap into some of her power... Maybe the brighter future I want to give our world isn’t that far out of reach. If only I had my notes - I’d write a whole thing on it right now!”

”Going after her is a waste of time. Even if she says she’ll help you, Yukari strikes me as the type of person who will still do whatever she wants,” Haru responded, “Putting someone like that in power? That’s how entire countries can go to ruin in just a few years.”

”There’s only one person I want by my side no matter what, anyway,” Nori said half-heartedly, “But I’m not going to stop trying to figure her out. Maybe her power, whatever it is, isn’t unique to her.”

”Good luck with that. I’d wish you luck, but it sounds so hopeless that I’d rather just watch you flail around,” Yamato snarked at Nori, “Ha! Let’s trap her in one of these mysterious cages and treat her like a zoo exhibit.”

Nori looked at his hands and then at the containers. Even though Yamato was poking fun at them, he still felt a sense of dread just looking at them. But maybe he could imagine something better of them than the fears swirling in his mind. Just maybe.

---

“Th-This room is...” Shohei placed a finger on his forehead, his face scrunched up, “Well, it’s a laboratory, I-I got that much. But... Why?”

The barista had done a preliminary scan of the room and everything seemed relatively normal. Though it was, indeed, a laboratory, it didn’t seem to be for any crazy experiments. There were rows of tables and shelves full of lab equipment. Yukari was messing around with a beaker, looking quite bored, while Kouki was fiddling with a Bunsen burner. It was a chemistry lab, it seemed, and, although Shohei could think of a million different poisons that could be concocted here, it was far from the dangers he had expected to find.

“Why are we asking why anymore? The reason there is a laboratory in this shelter is the same reason there is a kitchen. It has a use,” Yukari set the beaker down, “In the end, it’s all fun and games anyway.”

“Fun and games?” Kouki froze, the flame burning in front of her, “This is fun and games to you? People have died and you think this is--”

“I really don’t like cutting people off, but you are repeating yourself a bit too much for my tastes, love,” Yukari waved a finger in the air as she walked over, “You misunderstand. The deaths of Rikuto and Yudai were not fun, but they were part of the game. You may call it whatever you’d like, but this has been labeled a ‘Killing Game’ and you can’t change that. As for the fun, I’m just thinking like the mastermind would think.”

“The mastermind,” Kouki frowned and leaned back against the counter, “Why would you need to do that? Why would you even want to?”

“Know your enemy. Think like your enemy. Once I learn how the subconscious of the mastermind works, I win,” Yukari grinned maliciously and there was a click behind Kouki. The artist turned quickly to see that the flame had been turned off, “Sorry, love. Was afraid your cute uniform would catch. Do be careful around fire...”

“Rikuto melted and you’re telling me to be careful around fire?! Your mind is so incredibly twisted... I can’t even begin to understand you!” Kouki stepped back, afraid that her anger might grow and lash out. Yukari was the last person she wanted as her enemy.

“Oh, but I understand you very well. And in understanding you, I understand how you fail to understand me,” Yukari turned away from Kouki and instead tilted her head at Shohei, “You are a little more mysterious to me. You appear and act so frail and yet... Hm. I must admit, Shohei, I am rather disappointed you did not witness the execution. Such a striking death might have allowed me to glimpse into your psyche a bit more.”

“I... I think I-I also would have preferred to see it. I feel like I did Rikuto a d-disservice by not watching his final moments,” Shohei glanced down at the floor, “But what do you mean y-you understand Kouki? What exactly do you understand?”

“The way that she thinks, naturally,” Yukari plucked a test tube from a shelf and filled it with tap water. Next, she picked up a thin strip of paper, dipped it in, and threw it at Shohei with aerodynamics that a wet piece of paper should never have. “Come now, you can help, knowing Kouki so well. What color is the paper?”

“Uh... Green?” Shohei grabbed the paper between his index finger and thumb and carefully placed it on the table, wondering just how this was relevant, as Yukari dumped another liquid into the water and repeated the process, “Red?”

“Yes, good. This is a pH reader. Red indicates a high acidity rating, green is neutral, and this one...” Yukari had filled a separate tube with a third liquid and placed another paper in, “...Is purple and is a basic rating. Shohei, what happens if I mix these two liquids?”

“Umm...” He bit the side of his mouth, feeling a little awkward with Yukari’s sudden pop quiz, “It would become neutral? Er, p-probably more basic since you mixed the acid with water.”

Yukari did so and then dipped a fourth strip into the solution before showing it to Shohei. The color was teal-blue and she smiled, “Very good. Now imagine that Kouki is this basic liquid - A fourteen on the pH scale. Say that it represents her optimistic nature. If I were to add any acid, it wouldn’t immediately sour the atmosphere, would it? It would bring things to neutral. In this way, Kouki functions as a pacifying force in this swarm of increasingly negative emotions. However, add too much acid and, eventually, the basic liquid won’t be detected any longer.”

“I feel offended and I don’t even know why. It’s probably just because you make me uncomfortable,” Kouki shook her head, “Ugh. I don’t think you know anything about how I think, Yukari. But you’re awfully good at pretending.”

“Fake it until you make it, love,” Yukari winked and Shohei frowned, unsure if the psychoanalyst was referring to Kouki or herself. What he did know, however, was Kouki. He knew that deep down, Kouki held reservations of her own, buried under her enthusiastic, explosive personality. So either Yukari knew that and was referring to that or she didn’t know that and was referring to herself. That’s where Shohei’s thought process landed, anyway.

He shook his head, looking for an excuse to change the conversation, though he had a feeling most would end the same way, “Is there anything we missed in here?”

Kouki simply looked away with a small shake of her head.

“In here? No. ...Do you remember when I said I could have solved the last motive? I’ll admit, I’m a bit worried because, well, you see... Those glass compartments out there,” Yukari pointed toward the single door out which led to the Observation Room where Haru and his group had investigated, “I can’t open them. I find it very strange, myself. It’s rare that something like this happens and, in this case, I’m not quite sure why. I can guess, but that’s about all.”

“You can’t open them? You tried?” Kouki turned back, suddenly interested while Shohei instead decided to ponder what ‘worried’ meant to Yukari, “When?”

“I’m always doing everything I can, love,” Yukari smirked, “I’d love to investigate them in person, though. Perhaps when Haru is done... Kyahahaha!”

“I see you still have that weird fascination with Haru...” Kouki grumbled, but as Yukari’s ice-cold gaze bore into her even as the psychoanalyst smiled, Kouki realised that, having partnered with Haru multiple times, Yukari might feel the same way in reverse. To her, Yukari’s obsession seemed foreign and alien, but perhaps it was more simple than Kouki thought.

”Yukari, c-can I ask you something?” Shohei spoke up and then added, “W-Will you even answer?”

”It depends wholly on your question, love,” She responded, “I’m all ears.”

”What factors into you w-wanting to help us and when is it that you decide it isn’t worth it? I-In the trial, you only spoke up a few times. Is it really just whenever you think it’d be the most fun?” Shohei watched Kouki’s face as he continued. He could see her eyebrow raise as she surely wondered why Shohei would bother trying to question Yukari.

”Fun? Perhaps that is a factor, but more than that...” Yukari paused, “I am a psychoanalyst. In the future, I might work more closely with you but, at the moment, there is no need for a few reasons. The first is that you all are so much more capable than you think. If you want to rely on the walking guidebook, I will politely decline because you won’t learn if you don’t stand on your own. The second is that I haven’t decided who I trust and I’m sure that you all don’t trust me in the slightest, yes? That doesn’t offend me, do not worry. I am well aware of who I am. The third reason is a secret. Oh, you will find out soon, Shohei. I assure you. But for now... Yes. I will help where I am needed and that is all.”

”R-Right...” Shohei muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Yukari didn’t tell lies. He was sure of that. That didn’t mean that she didn’t hide things or say things in an intentionally deceiving way, but when something could be taken at face value like this, he would be foolish to not accept it as the truth. Looking back at Kouki, he could see that she didn’t agree with that sentiment. No, to Kouki, anything that Yukari said could be a lie. There was no way to know for sure and people could always change. Nothing was set in stone. Even if she hadn’t lied yet, there was no way to know if she would continue to act as such in the future. Yukari was still an enigma.

---

“Hmm. I didn’t expect there to be so much left!” Niseko waddled forward ahead of Keroko and Marise to take in her surroundings. Eventually, she stood in front of a shelf. The room was lined with so many shelves each placed in such odd ways, it was like a maze and every shelf was jam-packed with what looked to be binders containing files. In between the gaps of the shelves, Niseko could see two more doors on opposite ends of the room.

“Kero. Koko reko,” Keroko pointed at Niseko, then to one door. Then she pointed at Marise and another door.

“Three of us, presumably three more rooms. Is that what you’re saying?” Marise folded her arms, “Fine, loser. But I don’t want this room. It’s too big.”

“Okay, I can do this room,” Niseko nodded, “So you two have to pick. Good luck. Don’t choose the one that has more rooms inside! Kukukuku!”

“I’ll go that way,” Marise frowned at the thought of even more rooms like some matroshkya doll. Though she didn’t know which direction she chose, I can assure you that the door faced north. Keroko nodded as well and began to hop to the south, giving a soft, content croak with every leap. A moment passed with Marise staring at the doll before she strode to her own door.

Now alone, Niseko peered up at the large shelves. She had thought that, maybe, Setsuka could be on this floor or, rather, Setsuka thought that. But having looked around, she’d quickly realised that the atmosphere of the second floor was different than wherever she was. Stretching to reach the lowest shelf, Niseko pulled out one of the binders. She flipped through a few files before shaking her head. It was full of nasty pictures and descriptions of corpses, each one having been impaled by something. Though Niseko did not reflect much emotion, behind the mask, Setsuka surely must’ve frowned as she read the title of the binder and understood just what the files were. ‘Impalements’, it said.

Something hit her and Niseko suddenly began to scour the binders. She ripped one out, ‘Stabbings’, and quickly skimmed through it before shaking her head and replacing it. There had to be at least fifty more binders just on stabbings. However, some other binders were more specific and she began to read them before she found another, smaller section. ‘Mutilations’. One of the binders was sticking out very slightly and she knew straight away. That was the one she was looking for.

Why was this section smaller, she asked herself. Surely mutilations occurred from stabbings at times, but it seemed more realistic that mutilation would occur quite often in forms of serial killings and such. As she picked through the various files in the binder, her stubby fingers grasped one and she saw a photo. In her surprise, she dropped the binder, spilling the contents out onto the floor. Part of her had known it would be there, but actually seeing it frightened her.

She skimmed the contents of the file and plucked out the photo, throwing the rest of the file back into the binder. Without care for the photo, she folded it up so that it would fit under her shirt and tucked it inside. By now, there wasn’t anything else that the File Room might have had to offer that she was interested in. Only that specific file. No, not even the file. The photo. Without the photo, no one would look twice at the file even if they managed to find it and, now that it was in her possession, she felt relief once more. There was no need to look at any more files. After all, they were all just corpses.

“Well, she thought, maybe it might be safe to just make sure there was nothing else out of place or, worse yet, duplicates. Thankfully, Setsuka was a very patient person and was one of the few with the capacity to sit and look through rows upon rows of binders full of files if given enough time.

Time not being infinite, however, she would have to settle for when her partners returned and, thus, the doll got to searching, starting with the rest of the binders labelled ‘Mutilations’.

---

Marise wrinkled her nose as she opened the door and saw the room she’d assigned herself. The harsh scent of cleaning solutions burnt her nostrils while buckets and mops made it evident that this was some sort of custodial closet. It was fairly large for what she would consider a standard custodial closet, however, so she made her way to a desk. It would’ve looked out of place if not for other, similar desks. She opened a drawer and found a huge stack of printer paper. That got her to wonder and she turned her head to look back the way she came. Sure enough, there was a printer sitting on yet another desk.

“What the heck?” Was all she could say as she continued opening drawers. Crayons along with sponges. The room was some mash-up of an art room and a custodial closet. The best compromise the author could think of was Supply Room and she smirked to herself at the double entendre.

Almost without thinking, Marise grabbed a piece of paper and a purple pen and began to draw two symbols. The first was the symbol that Yudai bore on his gloves, the school crest of Neptune’s Trident School. To be completely honest, Marise had no idea what it was or even where it was. A school named after Neptune sounded dumb to her, at any rate. Pretentious to name themselves after a god. At least it was still miles better than her own school.

The second symbol she drew was the one on Rikuto’s apron. His school crest, which as previously stated, was of the Rumbling Boulder High School. That made more sense, Marise thought. Rikuto certainly looked like a boulder. Perhaps rude of her, but Marise thought no different of the dead than she did the living. Why should she?

As she made that distinction, though, she thought back to Yudai and the thing that had tipped off Haru during the trial that he wasn’t what he seemed to be. The water metaphors. Neptune was the Roman god of the sea, right? With that, she admitted to herself that it made sense, too, if a bit convenient. That was Yudai in a nutshell, though. Convenient. Convenient in his arrival at Hope’s Peak Academy. Convenient in how he just seemed to know certain things. Now even the school he attended prior was convenient. Yukari had said that there were lots of things Yudai could have told them and Marise didn’t doubt that, but there was nothing to be done about it anymore. She had been in his class and even she didn’t know a thing about him. Whatever secrets he had were lost forever.

With the first step done, Marise bit her thumb until she could taste the metallic tang of blood. She glanced at it for a moment before using it to X out both symbols. Morbid as it was, it would be her way of remembering Yudai and Rikuto. She mumbled to herself aloud as she pocketed the paper and headed for the exit, “I’ll probably lose it anyway, so whatever. What a completely pointless room.”

---

Keroko initially had trouble with the door. It was heavier than she expected and, in the end, she had to kick it open while pulling down the handle with her tongue. She was more than used to her strange muscle distribution. The way that her arms seemed to carry no strength and, in exchange, her legs were very defined. As the door creaked open, the heavy metal slab it was, Keroko had to avert her eyes as something caught the light and nearly blinded her sensitive red eyes. One of the perks of having frog and human attributes was her ability to see very well, but it also meant that she had to take care with light.

With her head low to avoid the initial glare, Keroko eventually looked up at the room she’d just entered. A low rumbling quickly diverted her attention and she snapped her head back around to see both the door she’d entered from closing and a large, circular thing roll in front of it. Curious, Keroko approached it and found that next to the circular portion, inset in the wall was a button. She hit it and the two-layered door opened once more before closing after a set amount of time. She wondered why she hadn’t seen the second layer on her way in, but, after opening it again, saw some sort of mechanism attached to the handle leading outside. It was probably a sensor that was triggered by the handle turning.

Satisfied that she wasn’t trapped inside, Keroko resumed her investigation. Lining the walls were rows upon rows of shelves made of metal, each with a keyhole. Of course, the scientist had seen many things similar to this before. Important labs or archives or banks carried rooms like these. Though she wasn’t sure what it held yet, it was certainly a vault of some sort. Red lights indicated that the shelves were locked and she tested her hypothesis by attempting to open one. It didn’t even budge, of course.

There was one, however, that had a green light and Keroko hopped over to that one. As she slowly pulled it open, she saw sparkling gold. So, it seemed the vault was for money. Keroko sat down, pondering that fact. While money was enticing to most, she could safely say she had no interest. And even if she did, in the SRS, it was useless to everyone unless they could get out. That could be, in and of itself, a motive for murder, right? Kill someone and leave while taking all of the could you could want. She had to wonder, though, if anyone was that greedy. She couldn’t see Marise being that desperate for money and, although Setsuka dressed in an ornate fashion, she cackling witch wasn’t exactly the picture of avarice.

What about the others? Surely not Mei, who knew nothing of the world’s riches. Amari seemed far too good-natured and even though Kanna dressed like someone out of a teen vampire novel, she felt that he was also too good-natured. Shigeru? Keroko didn’t have to strain to see his kindness. Kouki didn’t seem to care for high-value items if her paints were of any indication. Having read the label once, Keroko knew they were from her old school. If Kouki were the type to care about lavish items, she wouldn’t prioritise sentimentality. Shohei - No. Keroko shook her head at that one. No way. And Ami had her pocket watch which seemed like an expensive item, but there was nothing about her that screamed greed. Her uncombed hair and ripped jeans didn’t help.

Then there was Nori, but the fact that he seemed to be running for office out of genuine concern for the country and not to take advantage of the system was good enough for Keroko. Yamato carried around that silver hoop, wore a silk top hat, and had that silly cape, but everyone knew that the circus ringleader was trying to uphold an image of grandeur. The idea that he was actually just an average boy under the act seemed very likely. Haru was like Kouki. Despite going to a prestigious school now, he still carried his dinged up old cello which meant that it was a sentimental item. And finally... Yukari. Someone, Keroko felt that the girl who could create whatever she wanted out of thin air didn’t have much need for money.

She was satisfied. Nobody out of the thirteen people she shared a temporary home with seemed like bad people. She had ruled each one out and was more than happy to stick by it. Nobody knew because she couldn’t speak, but if they did, somebody would surely call Keroko innocent or naive. People could always betray your expectations. But the pure-hearted frog couldn’t bring herself to think in that manner. Even if another murder occurred, she already believed that the cause would be something justifiable just like Rikuto, who had murdered for the sake of everyone. In fact, she fully believed that Rikuto wouldn’t have gone through with winning the trial. There was absolutely nothing to back that assumption up, but it was her genuine opinion. Maybe it was naive, but she didn’t care. She wanted to believe in goodness.

As Keroko slowly stood up again and headed for the exit, one final concern weighed heavily in her mind. This room would be an ideal room for murder. Keroko got that impression with the way the door sealed her in and she had a feeling that the room had either been designed or manipulated to be that way on purpose. More likely manipulated if this really was an established shelter prior to this game. Of course, just like her sentiment regarding her friends, there were no real grounds to assume that fact, but she had long learned that in a place such as this one, there was no room for logic except in the trial ground.

Her earlier hope replaced by a cloudy melancholy over her head, Keroko left to join her partners.

---

The twelve of them had gathered back in the Office Room and were just beginning to share what they had found when a ding from the elevator drew their attention away from each other. The doors opened, painfully slowly, and out stepped Mei followed by Ami, the latter speaking. “Looks like we came at just the right time, huh?”

“We just finished the investigation of the second floor. Apologies that the second act had to commence without you two,” Yamato shrugged, twirling his hoop in the air.

“Without us?” Mei cocked her head, “We investigated the first floor.”

“We... We already did that, didn’t we?” Nori frowned and glanced at Ami, confused.

“You’re talking about the lockers, then?” What Shohei had questioned, Ami had already realised about Yukari. But there was more that she had surmised. It wasn’t just what Yukari deemed necessary that she was cooperative with, but also things that she genuinely found curiosity in. This was her being cooperative out of curiosity and Ami nodded in response to her question.

“That’s right. I had a feeling that two of them would be unlocked and so I went to investigate. Sure enough, I was right. I didn’t expect to find what we found, though,” Ami held up a slab of metal. Kanna was the first to approach, taking it from her. On the slab was raised metal that he recognised as the result of welding. It seemed as though it were an arts and crafts project.

Made in finer detail than should be possible for welding was a scene that Kanna recognised to be depicting a funeral. Two figures stood at either side of a portrait with tiny crafted flowers adorning it. Flipping it over, he found two words, ‘To Mother’, “Hey... Shigeru. I think you might want to see this.”

At the sound of his name, Shigeru approached but quickly slowed once he got a view of what Kanna was holding, “That... That... Was that Riku’s?”

Kanna nodded solemnly and then turned to Ami, “This was in a locker? One of the ones outside the dorms?”

“That’s right. But that wasn’t the only thing we found. Mei, the photograph?” Ami turned as Mei looked up. It seemed she had been enamoured with the very thing she was meant to show. Her red eyes were narrowed and she looked back down at it once more before handing it to Ami, “And... Shigeru, I think you should keep Rikuto’s picture.”

“I see, I see... I suppose I shall,” His voice was quiet, but he took the slab from Kanna. At least, now, he felt like his efforts weren’t for nothing. He had gone in with the intention of raising Rikuto’s confidence. He’d given it everything he could and then lost it all. Shigeru couldn’t help but wonder how Rikuto felt about him at the end and he knew that he would never know the answer, but...

Surprisingly, Mei was the one to take the lead on the photograph, “This is Shimizu.” She pointed to a boy with short dark hair. Two long locks stuck up like horns and Shigeru remembered what Rikuto had said about Yudai’s hair under the mask. She then pointed at another boy in the picture, “This is someone I am unfamiliar with.”

The other boy sported messy blonde hair and a freckled face. True to what Mei said, he was unfamiliar. Yudai held his familiar oni mask and the other held a paper, unreadable from the distance at which the picture had been taken. Mei then pointed to a splotch on the paper, “This is the picture of Hope’s Peak Academy.”

“The crest,” Ami quickly corrected and Mei nodded her approval, echoing her words.

“The crest, yes,” Mei then stepped in front of the picture and stared at it some more, her expression deepening even further, “He has an ultimate talent, yet he is unfamiliar to us all. The picture is unlike other ones I have seen. It is similar to pictures that grandfather keeps, not like pictures I see in other people’s houses or electric things. It is old. And it is torn.”

She moved aside again and, true to her word, a corner of the photograph was missing. Ami handed the photo back to Mei, who tucked it inside her jacket, “Mei thinks that the picture was torn on purpose and that the missing piece had something important on it. I’m not sure if I completely agree, but I do think it wouldn’t hurt if we had it. One thing is clear, though. If one of us dies, one of those lockers unlocks and in each of them is something relating to us.”

“Ominous. I-I don’t think I like that,” Shohei muttered.

“Ah, I have a question. Sorry for the interruption but I’m afraid I’ll forget if I don’t ask now,” Amari piped up, “Have any of you heard of the name Suisei?”

Nobody had a real answer, merely muttering to those around them and giving similar answers of unfamiliarity. Mei, however, narrowed her eyes even further. By this point, her gaze was so intense, she almost looked angry, “The sounds of the name are unfamiliar and yet... Sui... Sei... Sui... Sui... Like the day...? Sui...”

Mei continued to repeat the sound before turning and walking back into the elevator. “Wait, Mei, don’t you want to hear what--”

Ami was cut off by the door and she sighed, “Alright, then... I guess we should start. What did you guys find?”

Chapter Text

The students each exchanged what they had found in their respective rooms. The most startling discovery was, of course, the File Room that Niseko had investigated. The doll had explained it in a little more vivid detail than she probably had to, all while hiding the photo she had taken. The Vault had a couple of eyebrows raised, though Yukari, who’d been translating, was quick to share what Keroko had quickly surmised and rekindled that small flame of hope in the frog’s heart. Money was useless to them.

In the end, most were just disappointed. There were no exits on this floor, though none could say they were surprised. Eventually, the group went back up through the elevator, only a couple of students hanging behind on the lower second floor, and dispersed. The mood was still low after the trial and exhaustion hung over the students like a heavy, dark cloud.

Haru watched as everyone went their separate ways, but one person hung around in the Dining Hall... Or rather, one doll, “Niseko? Aren’t you going back to your room?”

She turned to look at Haru. He was well used to her by now; the idea of an animated doll wasn’t quite as terrifying as it was when he first met her, “I thought about it. But there’s nothing for me to do there. I was thinking about how Monokuma easily gets from place to place and I thought maybe I could investigate that... Er, Haru? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Oh, sorry. It’s just... You’re a pretty interesting... existance,” Haru had narrowed his eyes as he stared at the way Niseko moved and talked and awkwardly brushed his bangs to the side when Niseko called him out, “You differentiate yourself from Setsuka, but... Aren’t you the same person? She’s in control of you right now, isn’t she?”

“Ah, I see. You’re curious about our relationship and why Setsuka is using my name rather than hers. Well, I have a lot of sentimental value to her. Setsuka’s father is gone... It was tragic, but he left behind a doll for her. You could call it... Niseko 1.0? Beta Niseko? I dunno,” Niseko put her hands together and continued, “And that was the first doll she ever owned. That doll wasn’t me, though. Beta Niseko spurred Setsuka to pursue the craft and she made her whole family in doll form. But they were all just normal dolls. What Setsuka really wanted to do was make a doll that could move on its own.”

“Like you?” Haru folded his arms and went to sit in one of the chairs.

Niseko followed him and clambered to the top of the table to be more level with Haru, “Yeah! Like me. In fact, that’s exactly what she did. Once Master got better at making dolls, she made me in the image of Beta Niseko. The other dolls were left behind at home and I went with Setsuka when she... moved out.”

“But you can’t think on your own. All of these words and thoughts are Setsuka’s, right?” Haru tried to choose his words carefully, but he still felt bad as he said them. Niseko’s “moving out” comment hadn’t gone unnoticed, but he felt like he shouldn’t bring it up if Niseko didn’t initiate that herself.

“Oh, hm. Yeah, that’s true for now, but Setsuka wants to alienate herself as much as she can from this situation,” Niseko looked up for a moment, “A lot of people don’t trust Setsuka because she isn’t present here herself, but the truth is, she really doesn’t know where she is. She was hoping that I would find her on the second floor, but the moment we saw the Office Room, we knew that she wasn’t there.”

“Setsuka wants to alienate herself..? I suppose that makes sense, but Monokuma has stated multiple times that she will die if you die. So... I mean, I guess what I’m saying is... There’s not really a difference in her being here or not,” Haru paused, having just confused himself, “Sorry, my point is, I don’t think Setsuka is suspicious.”

“Kukukuku!” Haru flinched a bit as the doll began to laugh and then simulated wiping away tears. Of course, there were none, but nonetheless, the meaning was clear, “Oh, she doesn’t mind if people suspect her. She’s used to it. Did you know that for a while, people thought Setsuka was a witch because we lived alone in a forest? Maybe Marise has already said that a few times.”

“Alone... in a forest?” Haru tilted his head, “When? How old is Setsuka?”

“Kuku... She’d rather not say. She’s older than you, though,” Niseko placed a hand over her mouth as Haru frowned in confusion. If Setsuka was in the first-year class along with Marise, Keroko, and... formerly, Yudai, she shouldn’t be older than him, a third-year. Could she have been held back a few years and, if so, why? For what purpose? Was Setsuka an unruly person? Did she struggle academically? Looking at Niseko, it was hard for him to imagine either of those being the case, but then... There was a certain hesitation that both Marise and Keroko got around Niseko, despite being friendly with her. Eventually, Niseko spoke again, “What about you, Haru? If people suspected you, how would you react?”

“I... I guess I’d do everything I could to get rid of that suspicion. In a situation like this, it’s inevitable to have suspects, I know that much... But I think it’s important to remain as impartial as possible. And, besides, if people start suspecting me, it’ll be harder for me to work with them in a group,” Haru finished his piece with a nod.

“Interesting, interesting!” Niseko vigorously nodded her head in return, “Maybe Setsuka really is a witch. Instead of brewing potions, she’s busy making dolls. Did you know that living in the forest is simultaneously much more and much less peaceful than being in an urbanised location? On one hand, there’s no one to bother you. But on the other... Everything comes much harder. You have to find your own food, make sure wild animals don’t attack, find fresh water... Well, in the end, Setsuka got most of it figured out. My master is quite good at what she does.”

“How does any of that relate to doll making?” Haru scratched his chin, once again feeling that familiar confusion.

“Well, if you visited Setsuka’s home, you might find a doll paradise!” Niseko raised her arms happily, “Perhaps a pseudo paradise. But a paradise nonetheless.”

“Pseudo paradise?” Haru frowned, even more confused.

“Oh, that part was a joke... I’m sure some people might’ve gotten it, but you must be the wrong crowd. Oh well, you can just say us dolls are pseudo-human so it should make sense logically...” Niseko hung her head, “That makes me think, though. Do you remember when Shohei described the placebo and nocebo effect? What if you put someone in a pseudo paradise and they believed with all of their being that it was a true paradise? Would the effects of paradise shine through?”

“I can’t say I know too much about any of that...” Haru tilted his head, resting it on his elbow, “But it sounds pretty unbelievable. Still, I guess the placebo is a little unbelievable to begin with.

“What if you reversed that? What if you put someone in a pseudo hell? What would happen then?” Niseko’s voice somehow felt more hollow, her eyes emptier. Her voice, too, was lower, “Could you call this a pseudo hell..? Haru, is there any point in your life where you felt as though you were trapped in a hell from which you couldn’t escape?”

“I... That’s so sudden” He hesitated but lowered his head, “Yeah. Without a doubt. I guess what you’re trying to tell me is that time was my ‘pseudo hell’ and, I have to admit, those painful memories still haunt me.”

“I see. Setsuka, too, went through a pseudo hell. In fact, she has a theory. She thinks that everyone here has gone through a pseudo hell. We’ve talked about how everyone here must either be intuitive or we’ve all been hand-selected to play a role, with our focus on the former. But what if this, too, is a factor? From what I know, at least, most people here had a really big struggle at some point in their lives,” Niseko’s demeanor had seemingly gone back to normal, but Haru still felt wary. It was so hard not being able to feel her emotions like he normally could, “I’m sure by now you have heard about Yudai’s mysterious appearance? As you know, Setsuka was in his class so we have first-hand knowledge of that.”

“Yeah, Marise mentioned it to me.” Haru nodded, recalling the explanation from before when Shigeru had asked.

“One day, just in the middle of class, a transfer student was announced. His name was Yudai Shimizu and... Well, that was it. He was quiet, he did his work, and was never seen outside of class. He was never brought up again by our teacher or ever treated as if he’d just shown up. Isn’t that odd? What if something happened that made him to suddenly transfer and why did that mean never bringing it up again?” Niseko lowered her head, “And Keroko was in Setsuka’s class, too... When the school year started, she was a very awkward person. And even after she settled, there were many days when she was missing. The teacher never acknowledged that, either.”

“My class... Yamato and Nori were in it, but I didn’t really see anything like that with either of them. They fought a lot, but that was it,” Haru added and he watched as Niseko swayed her head from side to side, “But maybe what’s weird about it is that all of the other classes have four... representatives, for lack of a better word, but my class only has three.”

“Maybe I’ll look into this. Oh, I know! I’ll go get some paper from the Supply Room and take notes on everyone here! No time like the present to find out how well a little doll can write!” Niseko jumped off the table, “Thanks for talking to me, Haru. I finally have something important to do.”

Before Haru could respond, Niseko jumped to hit the elevator button and, since the elevator was already there, the doors opened immediately, Niseko vanishing inside. Staring at the elevator door, he smiled slightly. He’d gotten to know quite a bit about both Setsuka and Niseko and he felt as though a bond was forming.

Turning, Haru started toward the door to the hallway. When he passed through the doorway, a crashing sound met his ears and he flinched instinctively, “What the-!?”

Mei was standing in front of the lockers, her katana drawn. It looked as though she’d just finished swinging it. She glanced over to see Haru and almost immediately dropped her aggressive stance to bow, “Tanioto.”

“Really, calling me Haru is just fine...” He ruffled his bangs, a bit uncomfortable with whatever situation he’d just found himself in, “What are you doing, Mei?”

“Opening them,” She looked at the lockers again and then back at Haru. She crouched to be level with one of the ones on the lower shelf and swung it open, “This was Honda’s. Inside was a metal... metal thing that he made with his torch. That was Shimizu’s. Inside of Shimizu’s was a picture taken with a ca... camera?”

“I don’t think they’re going to open that easily, though,” Haru lowered both his head and his voice, “I think it’s been made clear that they only unlock once someone’s... died.”

“Must I kill to open my own? Shimizu is now dead, so I am awaiting orders,” Mei narrowed her eyes and sheathed her blade, “I wish to know what was stolen from me.”

“Ah, well, first of all. Don’t kill anyone,” Haru frowned as he said it, “That’s what we’re trying to avoid. And the pattern looks like you’d have to die in order for... yours to open. You wouldn’t be able to see what’s in it if you’re, well, dead.”

“I understand. Will you act as my new client, Tanioto?” Mei cocked her head, curiosity glinting in her red eyes.

“...If that will prevent you from killing anyone,” He responded, slowly. Haru still wasn’t sure what could set Mei off. At times, she seemed very patient and calculating, yet at others, impulsive and rash, “But I have a question. ...Stolen?”

“Stolen,” She nodded. “If Honda created the metal, Monokuma took it. There are sixteen of these containers, so there is one for each of us. Therefore, Monokuma took something from me. He took something from you, too, Tanioto. Doesn’t that make you wonder?”

“Wonder... What was taken from me?” Haru glanced at the lockers, “My first concern is escaping this place. Honestly, I don’t really care if I leave something behind as long as I have my life.”

“Your life is very important,” Mei noted, “I see. Most humans act this way, so it is not surprising to me.”

“Is... your life not important to you?” Haru almost couldn’t bring himself to ask.

“My life? Yes, it is very important. I live for both myself and for Takeo,” She nodded, setting her katana down on the lockers and drawing her wakizashi before running her fingers down the white blade, “If I die, so does the memory of Takeo. If he were to be lost... I am unsure I would ever be able to forgive myself. If I die, Tanioto, cast aside my blade as if it were worthless.”

“Wh-What!? Don’t say something like that, Mei!” Haru exclaimed, “Look. As long as you have the desire to live, you’ll live. It’s only when you’ve given up that you die.”

“Did Honda and Shimizu give up?” She had said it in that strange way of hers. A question that, if said by anyone other than Mei, could have pierced anyone’s heart like an icy dagger. Yet her childlike naivete and innocent wonder made her question so genuine, it was still almost heartbreaking, but in a different way that Haru couldn’t quite explain.

“Rikuto said that Yudai knew he was going to die... And... Well,” Haru hesitated, “I think they were both prepared to die for the sake of sparing us from the motive.”

“I killed Honda and Shimizu,” Mei hung her head, “It could have been anyone, but it was me. Honda said himself that because he saw the effects of the motive on me, he wished to stop it. For that reason, he struck down Shimizu. Now, it is on my honor to live not just for Takeo, but Honda and Shimizu as well!”

Mei was filled suddenly with so much passion that Haru felt almost winded, “I don’t think it was your fault, Mei. Like you said, it could have been anyone that Monokuma chose to demonstrate the Monogas on. I think he just preyed on your obedience.”

“Yes. You are correct. I had no desire to disobey the bear’s orders. Nagakage said something to me and I ignored her even though she was trying to help me,” Mei was now staring into the blade, “I had a nightmare last night, Tanioto. I was in a place not so different from this one and there were two people yelling at me. There was a body and one of those people ordered to guard it. To strike down anyone who disturbed it. The other person ordered me to stand aside. I had never felt so conflicted. I believe it was because I had no client... In the end, I cut one of their hands off.”

“You... You cut one of their hands off?” Haru felt his head go warm and a bit tingly, “Are you... Are you prone to doing that?”

“I have never cut off someone’s hand before. That would cause unnecessary suffering. If someone is required to die, I do it quickly. I do not like hearing screams. They hurt my head,” Mei looked dead into Haru’s eyes and he felt his blood run cold, “I have been thinking of my brother.”

Her change in topic was sudden, but Haru was desperate for any excuse to not talk about Mei’s “profession”, so he decided to answer that instead, “Your brother. Takeo?”

“No, my older brother. I told you I had two. His name was Keizou. He had black hair like me and yellow eyes like Takeo. His blade is a chokutou, but I think I remember when I was very young and he was still around... he preferred to fight with a naginata. I always wondered why,” Mei looked to the side, “I wonder where Keizou is. I wonder if Keizou still lives. I know nothing of him and I barely remember his face. My clearest memory of Keizou is facing off with him when we were both very small.”

“Keizou is missing?” Haru repeated softly, “You’ve lost both of your brothers?”

“I grew up with my grandfather. My parents fought in a war that I was not made familiar with and never returned. Their blades were never recovered, either, so Keizou often spoke of finding them. He then vanished. I already told you what happened to Takeo,” Mei shut her eyes for a moment in reverence, “Grandfather said that I trained too much and that I should enjoy more art. I tried once, but I did not understand any of it. Because of that, Grandfather... Ah!”

She whipped her head to look back at the lockers and Haru leaned forward a bit, “What’s wrong, Mei?”

“I have realised which item Monokuma took from me. He took my book,” She nodded, “It explained to me what different words meant. Grandfather gave it to me when I told him I did not understand the words of his poems.”

“It explains what words mean? Like... A dictionary?” Haru rubbed his head, a bit confused, “You think that your dictionary is in one of these lockers?”

“I am certain of it.” Mei responded and raised her wakizashi up, “So I must retrieve it!”

“Eh!? Wait a second, Mei. What if you get in trouble for breaking them?” Haru raised his hands in an attempt to stop the ninja.

“Hm? Is that in the rules? Oh, but.... Very well. I must find a replacement, though. I am having difficulty understanding what everyone is talking about...” Mei sheathed her white blade and picked up her katana again. Then she turned toward the door to the Red Hallway before starting to walk off.

“Where are you going?” Haru asked, folding his arms.

“I am going to my room. My arms are feeling weak, so I must train,” She turned to look at Haru and bowed once more, “Farewell, Tanioto.”

With her goodbye, Mei disappeared into the hall. Haru stood there for a few moments, feeling awkward with the sudden end to the conversation. He felt as though no matter how much he learned about Mei, he still understood nothing about her. At least their bond was deepening somewhat, even if Mei saw it as a business partnership.

He felt a bit weary after the exploration of the floor below and exposure to two very exuberant personalities, so he decided to go back to his own room, perhaps to wind down with another melody.

Chapter Text

Always keep on your feet, but cherish the calm moments.

If only the students who were trapped in the shelter understood that simple idea. Although a few days passed without incident, the looming fear of what the next day would bring never left. After all, the killing game was still present and nothing would change that. It meant that not one person could unwind properly. Not one of them took time to rationalise the situation in a way that didn’t spell out disaster. A killing game is, of course, not an everyday situation and you might question to yourself as you read this how one could possibly put aside the threat of death, but I can assure you that sometimes, when endless worry won’t change anything, you reach a state where even the fear of the threat dulls enough for your mind to catch up. The extraordinary can become ordinary and no matter how much one protests, adaptation is the key to survival. Let yourself rest, but don’t become complacent.

Kanna paced the hallway, his cape trailing behind him. He was alone with nothing but his thoughts, something the prodigy had a lot of. It was too quiet, he thought. For nothing to happen for so long... Sometimes, that level of accuracy - or perhaps coincidence - stunned even Ultimate Perfection himself.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

His head snapped up, the invasive toll of the out-of-place school bell reverberating through the cold hall, “Ahem. Ahem. Hang on... Is this thing on? Oh, yes!”

Kanna narrowed his eyes at the ceiling, scanning it for the source of the noise. There didn’t seem to be any sort of speaker and that irked him. Where was the sound coming from? It certainly sounded like a speaker, but... “I would like everyone to gather in the Auditorium. Don’t be late!”

A bit of white noise followed and the shelter once again fell silent. One of the doors swung open after a beat and Kanna turned to see Shohei emerge from the blue door, his hair more unkempt than usual and his coffee-brown eyes dull and half-lidded. Even his trembles seemed slower than normal, somehow, “Shohei? You look as though you were just raised from the dead. Are you alright?”

“Which version of ‘alright’ a-are you looking for?” Shohei wearily met Kanna’s silver gaze, “Haven’t slept... Probably m-motive... Yeah, I’m, uh, going to the Auditorium b-before I... pass out.”

His voice had been largely monotone and Kanna couldn’t help but feel worried, so when Shohei continued for the Meeting Room, Kanna followed closely behind.

They passed through into the Auditorium and took seats near the front. Amari and Mei were already there which didn’t surprise Kanna, who’d known that they’d been in the Dining Hall prior to the announcement. Amari shot him a worried glance and made a very slight gesture to Mei. It seemed the bodyguard had also come to the conclusion that Monokuma was going to unleash a new motive and wished to keep Mei out of it, this time. Kanna gave a small nod to acknowledge her. Amari could hold down Mei if necessary, but he couldn’t just let her deal with the ninja alone.

Mei batted at Amari’s hand as it neared her. Her katana was laid on her lap, presumably because the ninja found it uncomfortable to sit with it strapped to her back, but she still seemed on guard. It occurred to Amari that Mei was completely oblivious to her caution. Even though she had dealt with Mei unintentionally being unruly before and had gotten help each time from either Kanna or, more often, Shigeru, Mei still didn’t seem to realise that Amari was looking after her. The bodyguard wasn’t sure if that was a positive feeling or not.

Before long, the others had joined them, Kanna counting each one until all fourteen were present. The last person to enter was Nori, who had no time to even sit before Monokuma’s voice echoed once more, “Puhuhuhu! So glad you could join me. Unfortunately, though, I had a plan for anyone who didn’t attend... And that’s been dashed.”

The bear waddled out from behind the podium and Marise coughed, “How about that loser, Setsuka? She’s technically not here.”

“Betrayal amongst the first years?! As I keep saying, you must think of Niseko like a voodoo doll! She’s here which means Setsuka is, too,” Monokuma grinned as Niseko awkwardly looked at Marise, “Besides, this means I get to pick at random!”

“Pick... Who... What?” Kouki had a vat of blue paint in one hand and was swirling the index finger of her other hand in it as she babbled out a string of incoherent words. Though she usually kept paintbrushes with her, she preferred finger painting. Always had. The texture of the paint was calming to her.

“Aha! The motive, of course. In about an hour, I would like you all to come to the Observation Room. In case you lot aren’t all caught up with each other, it’s the room with all of the glass cages on the floor below us. For now, I’ll do my best to explain,” Monokuma raised his arms and the lights darkened, the large screen flickering to life, “You see, the positive punishment worked so well last time that I have decided to go with a similar motive. Of course, I promised our dearly departed that I wouldn’t reuse the motive so, I thought to myself, whatever else can I do? If not psychological torture, then...?”

The screen lit up with a simple image of a stick man in a large box. The edges of the box began to creep in until the man barely fit, “Physical torture!”

”More positive punishment...?” Niseko tilted her head, “I dunno about that one...”

“Isn’t this against the rules..?” Nori started, but his voice trailed off. His face had gone white at just the thought of whatever kind of torture the bear could come up with. Judging by his list of murders at the very beginning, Nori had no doubt that they would be terrible and he gripped the seat in front of him as he felt his head begin to swim.

“It’s not,” Ami shook her head with a defeated sigh, “As long as Monokuma doesn’t kill us, he’s in the clear. Rule five states that we may not hurt Monokuma and rule fourteen says that Monokuma can’t kill us, but nothing is stopping him from harming us.”

“That’s horrible,” Haru muttered, “That’s really twisted. So your ‘random choice’ then is going to be who goes first, yeah?”

“Spot on, Haru!” Monokuma grinned, “I have selected a variety of courses hand-picked for each of you, so who goes first really doesn’t matter.”

“This takes place in those glass things?” Kouki blinked, something hitting her, “Yukari, didn’t you say...”

“I did,” Yukari twirled a lock of hair around her finger, “You’re very predictable, Monokuma.”

“Ah, but you know, I haven’t made any modifications to any rooms since this game started. All of your talk about preventing the last motive had no impact on this!” Monokuma jumped atop the podium, “But I really have no issue with you trying. After all, this is a game, isn’t it? A survival game..? Upupupu... If you can prevent it... Isn’t that survival?”

“Right you are... Unfortunately, there really does seem to be no way to breach the containment areas. They’re probably dead zones,” Yukari frowned, “There’s no way to know unless I go in, and if that happens, then...”

“Are you volunteering, Miss Nagakage?” Monokuma brought his hands to his snout and lightly chuckled.

“If anyone is volunteering, it will be me,” Amari stood up, “No silly games over picking. If you think you can break anyone here, I’d like to see you try to break me, Monokuma. Nothing short of death will work and, as I understand it, going that far is forbidden.”

“Interesting...” Monokuma licked his lips, “Okay, I accept. I’ll have fun making you the example. I know the other students see you as strong and unshakable, so you’ll be the perfect first victim!”

“Amari, you mustn’t do that,” Shigeru had his arms folded and was drumming his fingers on one of them, “If there is any chance at all, I would like to be presented with the opportunity to take the blow for the team, understand, understand?”

“If you think that will be repentance for Rikuto, there are two things I’d like to say in response,” Amari said without turning back, “First, it won’t change how any of us see you. We won’t forgive you, or anyone, for throwing yourself in danger. Second, it doesn’t matter in the first place because you have nothing to repent for.”

“Ah...” Shigeru couldn’t come up with an answer to that and lowered his head.

“Quite unforgivable,” Yamato shot her a side-glance, “Throwing yourself in danger and not even acknowledging the absolute hypocrisy. Still, if it saves me the trouble of being on Monokuma’s list of random subjects, I have no objections.”

“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Kanna grimaced as he glanced at Monokuma’s evil, twisted smile.

“Certain. In fact, I am so certain, there is nothing anyone could say that would make me stand down... Yamato. It is my turn as the Super High School Level Bodyguard. I will show you all what I can do,” Amari smiled confidently. Her usage of her full title added to the professionalism and no one dared speak against it any more.

“It seems I have nothing more to explain, then,” Monokuma raised his hand, the screen went dark, and the lights came back on, “Remember, in an hour, your attendance is required in the Observation Room. Please do not be late. I think you have a good idea already of what will happen if you are... Puhuhu!”

With that, the bear disappeared back into the floor. There was a click as Ami opened her pocket watch and then shut it again before slowly getting up,, “Horrific. This is really the worst. Only a psychopath tortures their victims.”

“Amari, m’dear, I hope you realise that by making a show of it, you’ve basically challenged that bear to hit you as hard as possible,” Yamato stood up to face Amari again. It seemed his earlier silence was just because he wanted to talk without being interrupted by Monokuma, “After all, the curtains opened long ago. Do you know what the serial-position effect is?”

“I do not. Care to explain?” Amari said, turning to face the ringmaster.

“Of course! In simple terms, the serial-position effect refers to the ability to remember the first and last parts of something the best. This is why in a typical circus show, we place something stunning at the beginning and something jaw-dropping at the end. People remember it. The beginning is the easiest to remember because singular items are stored more easily in your brain and more easily accessed in a longer-term form. But short-term memory is easier to access than long-term memory, as I'm sure you're aware. None of this accounts for the middle, so that's just kinda glossed over. Whatever happens in that space isn't stored in the long-term or the short-term memory and just fades away,” Yamato explained and then paused as if for questions.

“Why does all of this sound familiar?” Haru muttered, frowning. It sounded familiar, specifically from Yamato, and he didn’t half wonder if he had, actually, heard it from his very mouth at one point in school, “Just continue. We don’t have time to waste on your dramatic pauses, Yamato.”

“Tch. Whatever you say, Haru,” Yamato rolled his eyes.

”You two are really silly, you know that?” Niseko giggled, poking at Keroko beside her who looked surprised as she did. The small girl had gone pale and Niseko frowned at that. It was hard to tell because Keroko’s skin was always a bit moist, but she could’ve sworn that it was thicker than usual. Was this the frog’s way of sweating...? With a more nervous giggle, Niseko looked back at Yamato, more desperate to move on, apparently for Keroko’s sake, “Sorry, don’t mind me! Continue like Haru said!”

“Sure. Let’s see... You can apply the serial-position effect to something like a list. If I said that I needed to start with a disappearing act, contortion, taming, aerial, magic, and then the finale, whoever is writing the program might have trouble remembering the four in the middle, assuming they are inexperienced which we will for the sake of this hypothetical. We can also apply it to a lecture and I guarantee that in a bit, or perhaps already, you'll have forgotten everything on that short list I mentioned. It can even be applied to the past, such as... Well, take this situation. Waking up in this room with no memory of how we got here is a trademark of the primacy effect. Don’t expect to ever forget that... If you make it out of here. But if we do ever escape, we shall remember that due to the recency effect,” Yamato bowed at the end of his short explanation and, without coming back up, added, “Do you understand it all and how it applies to you, Miss Lady?”

“You are saying there is no need to make such a stir because this is neither the beginning nor the end, correct?” Amari answered and Yamato stood back up with a nod, “However, what are we coining the ‘beginning’? Perhaps we may remember this as the beginning of the motive.”

“Uh, sure. Perhaps,” Yamato nodded, standing up straight again, “However, now I am reminded of the peak-end rule... Your display inspired confidence or, at least, you wanted it to. But the peak-end rule states that our emotions toward an experience are dictated by the climax and the ending. Or at least that's how we use it in my profession. In actuality, there can be multiple peaks in this rule, but they're all characterised by strong, intense emotions. Now, if this powerful, display of bravery is overshadowed by other peaks, then it truly was for nothing. For everyone except perhaps you and, now, me since I've wasted precious time explaining this to you... And, well, anyway, my intuition is telling me that the motive is going to greatly overshadow your passionate speech.”

“Maybe you’re right, but the ending may not be so cruel, correct?” Amari offered, “I just mean to say that what you are proposing is that, in the end, everything will pale in comparison to the despair we will face later on.”

For a moment, something crossed Yamato’s face. Something like doubt as his smile wavered, but then he broke into an even larger grin, “Of course, silly me! I don’t know what came over me. It was as if I were a whole... different person. Yes, I... Well, erm. We’ll get out of this and then the exhilaration - The heart-pounding relief from the anticipation and struggle will surely engrave itself into our minds. Yes. Surely.”

Ami frowned, gripping her pocket watch, “Hey, if you ever need to get a grip on your personality, come see me. Your flip-floppiness might drive me insane if you don’t.”

“I, uh...” Yamato’s eyes shifted around nervously, “I need to get prepared for the... thing. In the Observation Room. Please excuse me.”

“He’s such a handful,” Ami sighed as Yamato made a beeline for the Meeting Room, “I wonder why he’s holding on so tightly to this fake optimism when he goes around saying things about recency and primacy in regards to negativity... And in such detail, too. No, actually, I wonder why he’s hiding his true face in the first place. But that’s not my field. Rather yours, Yukari.”

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, but sometimes, case-by-case can be fun,” Yukari stared at the door. The whimsical tone of her voice didn’t quite match her face, however, and she tilted her head, “Do you work with people, Ami?”

“Yes, of course. It’s in my job description,” Ami responded, “But your real question is why I don’t already have the answer to my own question, isn’t it? So... I think I already know the reason, but I have nothing to confirm or deny myself.”

“Very intuitive,” Yukari smiled and then stood up. As she started toward the door, she stopped and turned her head back, “Actually, I have one more question.”

“What is it?” Ami started to walk forward but let out a cry of surprise as her feet were lifted off the ground and she shot toward Yukari, remnants of the red smoke trailing her. She tucked her body before she hit the ground and rolled, preventing injury, “The heck?”

“My, you’re quite reflexive, aren’t you? I just wanted to take a look at your Monopad, if you don’t mind,” Yukari extended a hand to help Ami up, but the hypnotist ignored it, getting back up onto her feet without even looking at the psychoanalyst.

“A trade. I’d like to see yours, too,” She folded her arms defiantly.

“You’d like to... see mine?” Yukari cocked her head again before smirking, “Ah, fine. A fair deal. Yukari held out her Monopad as Ami did the same.

Simultaneously, they tapped the screens, but as she did so, Ami’s grip tightened as she felt a ball form in her throat, “I-I--”

“Is something the matter, love?” Yukari grinned, “It’s really not that surprising, is it?”

“What’s wrong?” Haru had made his way over, though out of respect, he didn’t peer over to look at Yukari’s Monopad as much as he was tempted to.

“It... just says her name and talent. I guess I expected something else but no. It says ‘Yukari Nagakage, Psychoanalyst’,” Something was bugging Ami and Haru could tell. She wouldn’t have reacted that strongly to Yukari telling the truth. But whether it was really what the Monopad said or not, he wasn’t sure.

Handing back Ami’s Monopad and taking her own again, Yukari winked, “Be careful, love. If you were to accidentally become a defibrillator because of this, you might become the Blackened. Kyahahaha!”

With the echoing cry of her laughter, Yukari cast open the door and disappeared out the door that led to the Meeting Room, leaving the others there to regain their bearings. Her cackle was sharp and jarring as ever.

“...Right. Yeah, okay. Fine, Yukari. If you want to play that way... Oh, uh, Haru. Sorry about this, but er...” Ami smirked and reached a finger to touch his bare arm. When she tapped him, Haru felt the mild shock of static electricity and instinctively pulled back, Ami giggling as he did.

“Hey, what was that for?!” He frowned. The people still sitting exchanged looks of confusion, unsure as to what Ami had just done or even what Yukari had meant. From someone removed from the intricacies of the conversation, the whole thing made no sense.

“Guess I’m afraid I’ll become a defibrillator,” She shrugged, biting her lip, and then also left to head through the Meeting Room.

Nori swung himself off of his seat and fiddled with one of his hair clips before poking at Kanna’s sleeve, “Do you think Monokuma is really gonna torture us? He’s already threatened us with death... Why this?”

“To break our spirits, quite simply put,” Kanna stared at his hand as he said it. His cape was laid over the back of the chair to prevent wrinkling, but he made no move to stop Nori when he started looking at it and poking it, “I must admit, even I’m a bit worried.”

“Why?! You’re perfect, you can handle anything!” Nori exclaimed.

“Ahaha... Yeah, you must be right. Can’t help stop someone from worrying, though, right?” Kanna stood up and respectfully took his cape back from Nori, “Monokuma didn’t explain how the motive would proceed. Will someone take Amari’s place as soon as she is finished or will we get a breather as was promised with the gas?”

“It could go either way depending on what kind of tension he wants and how sadistic he really is, but I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say that we’ll get some breaks,” Amari was the one to answer, her head low and her arms crossed, “Downtime makes the window of opportunity for killing wider, and, in the end, that’s what Monokuma really wants. For as much as they are suffering, someone essentially is untouchable in one of those things if Yukari wasn’t lying.”

“Killing, killing...” Shigeru mumbled, “Monokuma is required to make motives as strong as these, or else we wouldn’t go through with anything. That’s what I’m taking away from this.”

“Tanioto. I wish to stop the motive,” Mei bowed slightly, “But the only way to do so is to kill somebody. If I were to turn myself in, would that be acceptable?”

Haru hesitated in shock for a moment. Was this what he signed up for in taking on Mei? “No, uh, don’t do that. We’ll find another way. At least wait until we’ve deliberated our options before even considering murder. We have to at least rule out everything else first”

“Everything...? Very well, then. I shall wait,” She bowed once more and excused herself out of the room, the others exchanging concerned glances or, in Marise’s case, a deep frown. There didn’t seem to be any more conversations lying in wait, though, so, slowly, the rest followed.

---

Niseko looked up from a file she’d been reading through with a small sigh; it was time to go to the Observation Room. She had come to the File Room to look at more of the files out of a suspicion she had regarding certain other students, but she’d come up with nothing. Ami had been with her earlier, though she wasn’t privy to Niseko’s intentions, but the hypnotist had left early to go remind the others of the time. Surely, Niseko thought, having a pocket watch on hand must be quite helpful.

Setsuka had come to the conclusion that each student had been left with at least one personal belonging. For example, Ami and her pocket watch and Yamato had his silver hoop. This was how she knew that her personal belonging was Niseko. It wasn’t the fairest, she thought, to have her ‘object’ be a second body to keep track of whereas someone like Nori got a poster that he could just leave around. And what about Mei, whose personal belongings seemed to be her dual blades? And then there were also people she hadn’t seen take out anything, like Kanna or Keroko, but Setsuka knew they must have something. What could it be that someone like Kanna had? And what about Keroko? Surely she should know that much, right? She had seen Keroko often in class or, at least, on the days that they both attended. But try as she might, Setsuka could not recall much about her.

There was one other conclusion the doll maker had come to, based on the other conclusion. Whatever Yukari’s belonging was allowed her to do all of these seemingly supernatural feats. Setsuka wasn’t sure what that was, but she was certain that her deduction was correct.

Niseko set down the file she’d been holding and set off for the Observation Room, which was next door. She had to jump up and pull down the handle to open the heavy door, but she managed to make it through. Ami had not yet returned, but Kanna, Shohei, and Amari were there, waiting.

“Are you ready, Amari?” Niseko clasped her hands together, tilting her head. The bodyguard merely nodded and Niseko realised that Amari was ever so faintly paler than usual. She was strong, but not immune to fear. That might be good to know in the future. How she would operate in the face of this motive was even more important, though, so Niseko would watch her carefully.

“All we can do is cheer you on,” Kanna shook his head, his voice surprisingly tender and slow, but it edged on something else. Caution...? “I wish we could do more, but...”

“No. I don’t intend to break under Monokuma’s watch. If something were to happen to me, whatever hope is placed in me will shatter, so I ask that you refrain. Kanna, I know it’s hard for you to accept, but trying to help will only worsen the situation,” Amari looked Kanna in the eye and he slowly nodded.

“You know, you really do fit your talent, body and mind. You almost make me envious,” Kanna forced a chuckle and, for a moment, Amari's fierce expression softened just a bit.

Shohei knelt on the ground, scooting over a basket that had been off to the side. When Niseko gave him an odd look, he began to explain as he pulled out some objects that she didn’t recognise, “I-I have to be here for this, but there are s-some problems with that. Namely, the first... I’m dead tired. Second, I-I... Well, that’s actually not really important right now. I’m... I’m going to brew some coffee. That’s all I’m d-doing.

The door to the Office Room swung open and Ami made her way in. After her was a slow trickle of the rest of the students except Yukari. Kanna glanced at the twelve others before the door finally opened once more and in came the psychoanalyst.

“Is everyone here, finally?” Kanna spun around to see Monokuma leaning on the glass, “You guys were cutting it awfully close... But I’ll let it slide. Now, now... Amari Hoshino, hm?”

“I’m ready,” She grumbled and stepped forward. With the hiss of air escaping what must have been an airtight room, a panel to the glass compartment opened up. Amari glanced at Monokuma before crawling in, her large frame barely fitting through.

“Why would you volunteer... Why would you volunteer?!” Shigeru shook his head as he watched Amari, his eyes wide, “I... I don’t want to watch this.”

“Do as much as you can! I always enjoy watching you guys try to avoid inevitabilities. Upupupupu...” Monokuma glanced at Shohei who looked right back. The barista still felt bad about sleeping through Rikuto’s execution, but it would be alright. The coffee was nearly done, now, and he could smell the familiar, calming aroma.

Inside the glass, Amari saw everything darken around her. She couldn’t tell, but it was still crystal clear from the outside. An image flickered all around her, like some sort of virtual reality, but she dared not take a step or even move a muscle. She recalled what Mei had said about the gas. About seeing the fox. But it would take a lot more than some old phobia to cause Amari to break. And Monokuma had already told them that he wouldn’t repeat that motive. She didn’t have to worry about illusory images.

...But he had also already told them that, this time, physical torture was the name of the motive. The area around her was suddenly filled with large plants, vines whipping out at her. She gritted her teeth as each one struck her one by one without so much as a second between each strike. The hot sting of pain burned all over her, but she did not flinch. This was only the beginning.

“How long does it last?” Nori squeaked, looking up at Monokuma with desperate eyes. Amari could hear him, but she couldn’t see him. And she barely had time to register whose voice she was hearing through the pain.

“Puhuhuhu! I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise, now would I?” He responded without even turning to look at Nori, his gaze fixed on Amari.

Blood welling up from the strikes, Amari felt the desire to wipe it off, but there was little time for anything before larger vines curled around her body, restraining her. Though she might’ve been able to break free, Amari didn’t struggle. She wouldn’t give Monokuma the satisfaction of watching her fail.

On the outside, Yamato narrowed his violet eyes. To him and the others, it merely looked like a black cord, but he could tell from the shift in Amari’s expression that she was seeing something different. There was something about the way that she shifted that implied that there was more to it. The cord seemed bigger to her.

Amari took in a sharp inhale when pain erupted from the flesh covered in the cord. Large thorns had sprouted from the vines, their pink tips frighteningly sharp. The thorny vines receded, tearing through her skin as they did and Amari could feel hot tears mingling with the sweat dripping down her face. Her body felt warm not only from the blood soaking into her shirt and dripping down her bare stomach, but the adrenaline that was quickly rising as she felt a hot disappointment ripple through her body as the tears she couldn’t stop.

The thorns struck her again on the face, then again. Again. Again. Again. Amari quickly lost count as her senses began to numb. If she felt nothing, she would be okay, right? She wasn’t allowed to die. She couldn’t... The vines slowed with one final whip. Amari staggered for a moment before she regained her footing and blew out through gritted teeth. It wasn’t over. It couldn’t be, otherwise she would have been let out. She didn’t know if she wasn’t to leave either. After everything she had said, she’d failed to keep her composure. Could she really face the others with that embarrassment hanging over her?

Amari felt something cold hit the top of her head. Then her arm. She looked upward at the sky and saw rain falling. It was soft, but more pain flared up as a drop landed on one of her newly acquired wounds. Is this what Rikuto felt like, she wondered as the fire of the pain burned on. Except he knew that it would be over. He knew he would die and Amari was the opposite. Somehow, knowing that she would live wasn’t the most comforting thing in the world. As she grit her teeth again, she admonished herself for being so stupid. What Rikuto had to endure must have been far, far worse than this. The sparks that hit him, the heat that must’ve accompanied the torch, the smell of his own burning flesh, and each nerve being burnt onto hot metal... This was child’s play compared to that and her sense of disappointment, embarrassment, and despair only hung heavier.

Something sharp pierced her arm with the rain and, dazed, Amari turned her head to look. A needle stuck out, glimmering in the rain. Had something been on it? Such a small amount of anything couldn’t do anything... Surely... But even if it could, she wouldn’t have to see...

...

Yamato's eyes were wide as Amari collapsed in the chamber. He was absolutely certain now. From what he could tell, the bodyguard had been in way more pain than she should have been. Little pinpricks and scratches riddled her body, but no real damage had been caused. The cords had held small needles that could be scary to someone specifically afraid of needles, but Amari didn’t seem like that type of person. Just what were those cords and needles in her eyes. Her mind.

There was a hiss once again as the chamber door finally opened and Kanna rushed to the bodyguard. She was breathing normally and, as Yamato had noted, the wounds were minor, “Physical, you said? If that is so, why did she collapse?”

“Upupupu...” Monokuma softly giggled, “So then... Who’s next? I believe it would be... Kouki, wouldn’t it?”

“Wh...What? Why me? Why... What?” The artist's face had gone pale and the fear that welled up as she witnessed Amari buckle and bend was now worsened by being singled out for such a horrific thing.

“Well, you were kind enough to establish an order for me when you all met and I’ve only been following it,” Monokuma tilted his head sharply, like a bird, his paw to his face as if he were genuinely confused, “We could go backwards, in which case... Next would be... Ah, yes. Nori Sasaki!”

“No! No... I’ll go,” Kouki shook her head as Nori’s head swung up at the sound of his name. It wasn’t hard to tell that out of everyone, he was easily the most shaken by the whole experience and Kouki wasn’t about to let Monokuma prey upon that, “When... When is it?”

“A half-hour before the nighttime announcement!” Monokuma grinned, “So then, I’ll be seeing all of you there, got it? 9:30 PM.”

With one final, chilling stream of laughter, Monokuma vanished once more. Once he did, Shohei looked up, holding a steaming pot and a paper cup. In large gulps, he downed the cup and crumpled it up, “I made it for myself and Amari. B-But... She’s unconscious and it’s really hot... And I-I’m worried that when she wakes up...”

“I can wake her up,” Ami muttered absentmindedly, staring at her watch. The whole thing only took ten minutes. Ten minutes of pure agonising suffering for Amari.

“It is imperative that we learn what that was like for her. On our end, it seemed tame, but she was in pain. Judging by her injuries, it should be fine if we wake her up, but what if she collapsed from some sort of drug? Can hypnosis wake her up, then?” Kanna sighed, biting his lip. This was the most worried he had seemed since arriving here.

”In the event that hypnosis fails...” Yukari’s voice stole Kanna’s attention and he paused, “...I suppose I could always do something. But I have a feeling that Ami’s words will be more than enough.”

”...Yukari,” Kanna said with a low voice, but he stopped himself. If Yukari was choosing to be helpful now, he should just let her, “Ah, Yamato. Help me out here. Let’s bring her to the Lab and we can create a makeshift hospital room.”

“Got it,” Yamato swung around to the other side of Amari, leaning his hoop against the glass to help lift her with both arms. He grunted, Amari being heavier than he expected, but he and Kanna managed to make it through the back door and into the lab.

“Nori, unhook my cape, would you? Lay it on the table like a blanket,” Kanna said as they lifted her up. Nori, who had grabbed Yamato's hoop and followed, all while shivering and very pale, did as he was told and, though Kanna frowned at the wrinkles, Amari was set down on it, “We really need an infirmary...”

“Hey-- What are you d-doing?!” Shohei suddenly yelped as the other students began to migrate into the lab with Kanna, Yamato, and Nori. His coffee pot was wreathed in red smoke sourced from Yukari’s index finger. He attempted to fan it away but stopped, gripping his hand in pain, “Ow, that’s r-really cold!”

“You said it was too hot. I’m just cooling it down a bit. No need to be so worried,” Yukari smiled innocently, “Not everyone can take a hot drink as easily as you, love. I fully support your decision to give it to Amari, so I just want to ensure that you can go through with it. That is all.”

“Um... Okay,” Shohei muttered and once the smoke had dissipated, he poured it into another cup and walked over through the door to the Lab and to the table where Amari rested. Ami followed him, shutting her pocket watch. Shohei couldn’t help but wonder what the motive behind Yukari’s cooperativeness was this time and he glared, “You didn’t do anything to it, did you?”

“Oh no, you are the expert here, after all. I wouldn’t dare mess with that. Hoho...” Yukari clasped her hands together and moved to sit on a table.

“The last time I did this, Mei screamed in my face... Ah,” Ami bit her lip and shook her head, her bangs lazily following her movements, “Wake up, Amari, if you would.”

Just like before, her words held a strange power and Amari’s eyes fluttered open and she tensed up. When she recognised Ami, however, she let out a breath and relaxed.

“It’s alright...” Ami murmured under her breath so quietly that it was likely that only Amari and Shohei heard it and then raised her voice, “You aren’t hurt badly. Any pain that you experienced... We’ll talk about it, I’m sure.”

Once Amari heard that, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and the moment she found her balance, Shohei practically threw the cup into Amari’s hands. Disoriented, she looked down into the blackness of the drink, then rubbed her head and took a sip before her eyes widened and she stammered, still not fully lucid, “What... is this-- Wait. What did you do it?”

“It’s all natural! I-I put stuff in the blend to give it a calming energy. S-Sometimes, I find myself needing it. I would never d-drug you with hard medicine without a d-doctor...” Shohei threw up his hands, “The effects are near-instantaneous because the flavor and aroma a-are engineered specifically to trigger certain reactions, so... uh... p-please drink it?”

Amari looked at him for a moment before a small smile crossed her lips and she nodded, beginning to drink the coffee. She just sat, staring into thin air for a moment. Niseko crawled up next to her, Keroko following, and the doll extended a hand to pat her on the back before realising that her hard skin would probably just be uncomfortable, maybe even painful, especially given all of the pinpricks. Noticing this, Keroko did it for Amari and the bodyguard smiled at the strange duo.

“So... Amari,” Yamato began and, hearing his voice, that feeling of disappointment that’d crossed her mind in the chamber returned, “That was quite the spectacular show of endurance, but, hm. We-- Or, well, I and at least Yukari couldn’t help but notice that it seemed like you were experiencing something different from what we watched.”

“What do you mean?” Amari blinked and then looked down at her arm. There were pinpricks of blood welling up in some spots, but most of the wounds had already scabbed over. She frowned and then removed her armband to dab at them, “This isn’t right... I felt the thorns tear through my flesh, so why is the biggest injury I can see a scratch?”

“Thorns?” Mei looked up, furrowing her brow in confusion.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know what thorns are,” Marise spat, walking right up to Mei, “C’mon, even a troglodyte like you should know what thorns are.”

“I know what thorns are. However, I am unfamiliar with the word ‘troglodyte’,” Mei placed a hand on her wakizashi, “I would appreciate you explaining this word.”

“Ugh,” Marise rolled her eyes and walked back to her earlier position. Mei leaned forward, dangerously close to drawing her sword and advancing, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Haru raise a hand and she straightened once more.

“‘Troglodyte; Noun; A person, especially in prehistoric times, who lived in a cave’. Ah, but... ‘Prehistoric; Adjective; A word used to describe something relating to the period before written documentation.’,” Yukari yawned before resuming, “She’s insulting you, love, as she tends to do.”

“I see. I give you my thanks,” Mei bowed and returned to Amari, “There were no thorns attacking you but rather... Black, er... ropes? I see them often in office buildings.”

“They’re called cords,” Shigeru assisted, “Specifically, they were like electrical cords, except the cords had needles sticking out of them. There were no thorns as you claim.”

“What’s the difference?” Kouki folded her arms in an attempt to stabilise her quivering body, “If they both pierce you...”

“Thorns are larger,” It was Amari who spoke, “They would leave bigger wounds. I felt like they were dragging through my flesh, taking it with them. My clothes and hair are damp... The rain... Was that real, then?”

“Yes, yes, there was a drizzle. But now it makes sense why it was causing you that much discomfort,” Shigeru noted, “If you had such wounds, the rain would string pretty bad, no?”

From the other table, where Yukari sat, a melodic tone sounded as Amari realised that the psychoanalyst was singing, “‘A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now...’”

“‘You’re here. That’s all I need to know.’” To everyone’s surprise, Haru was the one to pick it up, though quiet and unsure. After he sang it, he looked rather surprised himself, “I, uh... Hm. Well, I’ve played that song before as part of an orchestra. But yeah, now’s not the time for singing. The rain was what downed you, wasn’t it?”

“No, there was a needle in the rain... But it wasn’t really there?” Amari rubbed the back of her head, stress creeping up on her.

“I didn’t see a needle at the end, but it could have been something that was real, just obscured from us somehow,” Yamato suggested, surprisingly helpful, “It’s certainly not impossible, just as it seems that Monokuma may have obscured a bit of the truth from us. This is pretty psychological as well as physical...”

“Except no one is going to stop this motive,” All of her whimsy was gone as Yukari leapt to her feet, “You will let this continue for a while yet, but it’s okay. I already know the outcome. I already know who will perish. Who will fall.”

“Wh-What?” Nori shook his head, “That’s impossible!”

“Then I dare you to change fate. I dare you to try and prove me wrong! Go ahead, who will be the one to snap?!” Yukari growled with a grin. Then she placed a hand on her chest, “I’d love to see what you come up with, loves. Kyahahahahaha!”

And with that, the psychoanalyst swept out of the room, once again leaving the rest in a stunned silence.

Chapter Text

Yukari’s haunting words had left everyone in a state of unease. Nobody knew what to do or say. That was, until Mei left the room without as much as a sound. Haru watched as she went and watched as Marise and Yamato, recovering his hoop from Nori, followed.

“The worst part might just be the anticipation... I think I need to go lie down,” Kouki muttered as she also left. Even if Haru hadn’t been able to feel her cold fear, her pale complexion betrayed how scared she must’ve felt at the thought of what was to come.

“I’ll stay with Amari. I have some questions for her yet,” Kanna said as people continued to trickle out of the room. Before long, the only ones left were Haru, Kanna, Amari, Shohei, and Ami, “...If that is alright with you, Amari.”

“Absolutely. Yukari implied that no one will commit murder because of this motive and I, too, want to decipher what she meant,” Amari nodded and Haru could swear he saw Kanna breathe a sigh of relief, “I feel fine now. The whole thing is... very strange. Yes, I think that’s the only way I can describe it... Also, unrelated. But Shohei, that was incredible. I now see why you’re the Ultimate Barista.”

“Oh, uh... Th-thanks. I know a few tricks. Customer might not know what they’re getting, b-but they always like it and come back for more,” Shohei smiled innocently, but when Amari tilted her head in skepticism, he sighed, “It’s a joke. I-I... I do what the customer wants. Sorry.”

“If you’re alright now... There’s something I need to think about,” Ami’s head was lowered and she turned toward the door, “You might be worried about Yukari’s implications regarding the motive, but I’m worried about... other implications.”

“May I come with you, Ami?” Haru asked politely and, after a bit of hesitation, Ami slowly nodded. She led the way out of the Laboratory into the Observation Room. What surprised Haru was that she didn’t go into the Office Room to return back upstairs, but rather to the File Room. He’d been trying to avoid investigating it as much as possible after hearing the report, but if whatever was bothering Ami was here, he felt he had no choice, “What are you looking for?”

“I was here earlier with Setsuka and I felt something weird,” Ami raised her head at the tall shelves, “I know that sounds dumb - this whole shelter is weird. But it’s like there’s something in the air.”

“I can’t say I know what you mean. Everything feels normal to me,” Haru shook his head, “But, uh... What were you and, er, Setsuka looking at?”

“Just the different files. Well, actually, Setsuka said that she was going to continue her investigation and I offered to help. It’s too much for one person to go through all of these files. It was strange, though. It was like she was looking for something,” Ami pursed her lips and was silent for a moment before continuing, “Yukari says that she already knows who the killer and the victim will be. That’s information that only a future killer would know, right?”

“You’re asking if Yukari is going to kill somebody?” Haru frowned, “Didn’t she say earlier that she was avoiding all of the murder?”

“She said something of that effect to Rikuto, yes. However, I think this motive has gotten under her skin,” Ami began to pick through the binders and files, “After Monokuma announced the motive, Yukari said that there was no way to breach the chambers and that they were a ‘dead zone’ to her. I think she was talking about her smoke or, rather, her powers, whatever they may be. People like Yukari don’t know how to function without strength. It’s the same in politics.”

“Because Yukari has no way of countering this motive, you think she’s going to stop it herself?” Haru watched as Ami continued searching files, occasionally pausing on some and then moving on.

“No. Yukari is a psychologist. I highly doubt she’ll get her own hands dirty. I think she’s planning to manipulate someone and that will surely happen before her turn comes up in this motive. Kouki... Yamato... Shohei... Me... Marise... Setsuka-- Hm. I hate to think it, but I do wonder what happens when it’s Setsuka’s turn. Sorry, that’s off-topic, erm. Keroko, Mei, then Yukari. That’s a good eight people before her. The issue is, Monokuma never told us if there was a strict amount of time between each person. It was 12:30 when we watched Amari and next will be 9:30, but... Nine hours after that is six in the morning. I doubt we’ll be forced to wake up an hour early--” Ami finally pulled one of the files out. She placed her hand on the cover with her mouth opened slightly, her body a bit stiff, “How is this possible..?”

“What’s the matter?” Haru moved to see what Ami was looking at and she shook her head, handing him the file.

“I don’t want to look at it. I just wanted to know if it was here and, sure enough... This file is on the death of my father. I don’t doubt that if I looked further, I could find my friend’s death somewhere here, too,” Ami’s voice was low, “He died in the same way as her.”

“What..? You mean that serial killer?” Haru opened up the file and froze up. The images were graphic, to say the least. The man was barely recognisable. He remembered what Ami had said about her friend. Sure enough, this man - her father - was the same, only much worse than what she’d described. Yes, his throat was slit, but his body was broken and bruised. Stabbed and carved. Where his eyes were was nothing but a bloody mess.

“My father died first. Then her... and I... I’ve lived in fear my whole life, Haru. Afraid of who’d be next. Maybe my mother... Maybe even me. I wanted to run far, far away, but my mother is chronically ill. She won’t die, but she can’t travel like that. I can’t just abandon her... Not when whatever did this is still out there,” Ami dropped down, sliding on the shelves behind her. She buried her head in her arms, “How is this possible, Haru?! How can someone like this be so obscure that they don’t even have a name? When I got the letter from Hope’s Peak, I was hesitant. It meant leaving my mother for a while, but she assured me that she’d be fine and that, above all, I’d be safe... So I did.”

Ami was shaking now, her sleeves damp with tears, “Yukari keeps questioning me and I’m starting to wonder if she knows more about me than even I do... B-But I also wonder how much she understands about herself. After all, the unconscious most unfamiliar is your own, isn’t it...?”

“I suppose it’s her job to know,” Haru admitted, his voice soft, “She teases me way more often than I’d like. It’s as if she knows every detail about me that there is to know.”

“I miss my father, Haru. He was strict, but he only wanted what was best for my mother and me. Now, all I have left of him is this,” She held out her pocket watch, “A-And all I have left of my friend is my memory. It’s alright, though... I won’t forget. Not ever.”

“I think that’s the best way to honor her,” Haru nodded, watching as Ami slowly stood up, wiping her face with her sleeve.

“Whenever I cry, my bangs get so wet. They take forever to dry,” She chuckled softly, pain in her voice, “I-I need to distract myself. Haru, can I look at your Monopad?”

“Uh, sure. Why, though?” Haru hesitantly handed his Monopad to Ami.

She spoke as she tapped the screen, “They shouldn’t work the way they do. Technology may be able to account for gloves blocking the electricity in our bodies, but explain the doll. It doesn’t work like that. And, as you’ve noticed, mine is very sensitive to electricity. After I use it, I get all charged up and a terrible shock waits for me afterwards. Ah, you know, Haru. The air kinda feels like that. Kind of like an electric current is running through it. As though I’d touch one of these shelves and - zap!”

Ami took out her own Monopad and began to compare the two, flipping them over and running her hand across both screens. Haru frowned, “There have been a lot of impossible things in this place. I’ve never seen anything like that gas before. And where did that rain in the chamber come from? Yukari herself is basically a walking anomaly.”

“Yes, yes, and yes. There’s something big that we’re missing,” Ami bit her lip and then shook her head, pocketing her own Monopad, “Right, well. I guess that wasn’t totally useless. I’ve learned that the Monopads can withstand a certain amount of electricity.”

“Huh...?” Haru looked at his own Monopad, still in Ami’s hands, “Were you... Were you trying to break my Monopad?”

“No, no... I wasn’t trying to break it. That’s against the rules and then I would have been executed. If it started malfunctioning, I would have stopped right away. Anyway, I want to go talk to Kouki, the poor thing. Maybe I can help her out. Maybe... Somehow be a little useful,” She nodded, though Haru could hear the lack of self-worth in her voice. She then held out his Monopad for him to take back, “Oh, but one last thing, Haru?”

“What is it?” He said as he went to grab his Monopad back. It was too late before he noticed Ami’s grin, masked by her sorrow,” ACK!!”

The electrical current ran through his whole body and Ami began to giggle like a hyena, “Oh boy, that’s never gonna get old. Anyway, I’ll talk to you later, Haru. Stay safe. Don’t stick your fingers in any outlets.”

“Ugh. Yeah, I’ll sure try my best,” He glared and Ami passed him, continuing to laugh softly, though it was clear she was doing her best to try to suppress it. At least it made her feel better, Haru supposed. She was definitely opening up to him, which he was satisfied with and he would rather her electrocute him for her own amusement than be stuck in a pit of despair over her lost ones.

He looked for a moment at the file he still held in his hands before putting it back on the shelf, quite carelessly. He didn’t care where it belonged. Afterwards, he left the File Room and headed back into the Laboratory.

Amari and Kanna were still talking, but Haru noticed a distinct lack of Shohei. Kanna dipped his head, “Hello again, Haru. Was there something you needed?”

“Not necessarily. I don’t mean to interrupt your conversation, at least. Where did Shohei go?” Haru looked back at Kanna. Amari also looked at him. For the most part, Amari looked fine. There was no more bleeding and Haru saw her armband resting near her, dampened, likely set out to dry after being cleaned.

“Ah, I recommended he go rest and, although he told me no resting would be happening, he left anyway. I don’t understand why people just don’t understand that a healthy sleep schedule is very important,” Kanna placed a hand on his forehead as Amari raised an eyebrow at him, “Especially that one. Something’s going to happen to him with all that caffeine. ...I worry about him.”

“I’ll, uh... Go check on him... I guess,” Haru shifted his eyes around. Honestly, he didn’t want to sit through a lecture on sleep schedules, so any excuse was good enough. Besides, he was curious as to what Shohei had done earlier with the coffee and why Amari had given such a strange reaction to it.

“Good luck, Haru,” Kanna smiled a rather sly smile and then returned to his conversation with Amari. Haru frowned as he turned. Of course, Kanna would catch on to him. Ultimate Perfection, after all, however possible that was. He had been played like a fiddle.

He left the room and made the trek all the way back to the Blue Hallway, scanning the doors until he found the one with the crest that looked like a semi-circle with an arrow coming out of the top and a diamond in its center. Haru, of course, didn’t know, but this was the crest of Herschel Academy, Shohei’s previous school and a quite prestigious one at that. He knocked on the door and waited.

“O-Oh, it’s just you... Haru,” It had taken a bit longer than he'd expected, but eventually the door opened. Shohei rubbed his head in pain, and awkwardly glanced back into his room, “Uh... Come in, I guess. It’s kinda a mess in here now, though.”

Haru pressed his lips together as he followed Shohei in, a strong smell of coffee immediately assaulting his nose. There was a crunch underneath his shoe and, looking down, he saw coffee beans strewn across the floor, “What happened here?”

“W-Well, to be completely honest, your knock frightened me and I dropped the bag I was holding and accidentally knocked my head into the wall,” Shohei looked back sheepishly, “S-Sorry about the mess...”

Haru looked around the room. It really seemed more like a bed placed in a coffee shop than a dorm room. Most of the room was occupied by a counter with what appeared to be fully functional machines attached. Espresso machines, coffee machines, a tap... There were some tables like you might find in a cafe and tucked away in a corner was a bed and side table. Light came from hanging lampshades, giving the beige room some moody lighting. After what Kanna had said, though, Haru couldn’t help but notice that Shohei’s bed looked quite undisturbed, “It’s fine. But I really spooked you that bad?”

“Uh... Yeah. Y-Yeah, you did,” Shohei sat at one of the tables and Haru joined him, “So umm... Wh-what can I do you for?”

“Well, I wanted to know more about what you do. Especially after seeing the effects of what you gave Amari,” Haru answered and Shohei immediately jumped up.

“Oh really?!” His eyes, still wide as ever, seemed to light up in joy, “Do you like coffee? Oh, hang on, even if you don’t, I can still make you something. I-It’ll be great, trust me. Okay, okay, uh... Coffee or tea? Sweet or bitter? Foam or no foam? Milk?”

“Woah, uh... Calm down, Shohei,” Haru raised his hands up after the onslaught of questions, “Whatever you think is the best is fine.”

“Alright! Here, c’mere. I can show you. I’ll be making coffee, so first I pick out some beans. Ummm... This one. This will work. Th-then I can add things to it, so um... Hmm...” He pulled on some rubber gloves and began to get to work. He picked through different bags and added different things into the grinder. Then he hit the button and the deafening noise of the grinder filled the air. Shohei began to yell over it, “Y’know I’m really surprised that Shigeru can’t hear all of this noise!! It’s like the r-rooms are soundproof!! Well, actually, they’d have to be, y’know?!”

Haru waited for the noise to die down and spoke through his ringing ears while Shohei began to sift through the grind, apparently testing the texture of it, “What do you mean they have to be?”

“Maybe when I p-poison you with the brew, you’ll find out,” He said it so nonchalantly that even though Haru knew that it was a joke, he still felt a bit awkward, “Ah, n-never mind... But the logic still applies. This place is b-built for murder. It makes sense they’d be s-soundproof.”

”Built for murder?” Haru glanced at Shohei.

”Either that or modified for it,” He shrugged back, placing a filter into one of the coffee machines, “I-I find it really hard to believe that the mastermind picked out this SRS place a-and didn’t do anything to it to help them in their fun, little murder game. So... Yeah. S-Soundproof.”

As Shohei put in the ground coffee, Haru glanced down, as he thought about how he’d never even considered the possibility and then frowned, “I guess that makes sense. My room is next to where Rikuto was and if he ever did any welding, I never heard it. And who knows what Kanna does in his room? Neither of them ever said anything about my playing, either, though... Rikuto’s not-- Wasn’t really the kind of guy who would say anything. And Kanna... I have no idea what he’d do.”

“P-Probably nothing. He may be perfect, b-but he’s kinda also a bit bland,” Shohei poured in some water as the machine whirred to life, “He’s a great, supportive guy. I just wish he’d step out of his comfort zone a bit, y-y’know?”

“I guess now that I think about it, I don’t really know Kanna all that well. He’s an underclassman and I didn’t really talk to them all that much,” Haru admitted. Shohei then placed a new cup under the machine and poured the already brewed coffee back into the machine, “What are you doing?”

“It makes it s-stronger, don’t worry! I think you should really talk to Kanna, though. I think th-the more people he talks to, the better off he’ll be. I’ve already tried, but he won’t d-drink any more than one of my drinks a day. Says it would be bad for him. Whatever he says. He’s wrong, obviously,” Shohei frowned and poured milk in next, brewing that as well and looking up at Haru, who had frowned again, “O-Oh, are you questioning this, too? It makes th-the cows happy to know that their milk is being transformed into liquid gold.”

Haru stared at Shohei blankly and he continued, chuckling awkwardly and sprinkling in some sugar into the coffee and pouring two cups, “Wow, you uh... Y-You’re more stoic than I thought. ...Nah. I know I’m not really good a-at making jokes. But y’know, sometimes that’s just what people need. An awkward tension.”

“Go on, try it.” He said as he walked out from behind the counter and set the cups on the table in front of Haru. When there was a bit of hesitation, Shohei downed one of the cups in a few gulps, “See? N-Now you know it’s not poisonous ‘cause I j-just drank it.”

“Right,” Haru said, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He took a sip of his drink and, surprisingly, although it was strong, it tasted good. Better than any coffee he’d ever had. Then he shook his head. Why was he surprised? Shohei was an Ultimate, after all. Haru began to drink more, albeit slowly, as it was still piping hot.

“This one lifts your mood. I noticed when you w-walked in that something was weighing you down. I know that f-feeling all too well,” Shohei sighed, “Truth is, I got into novelty brewing to calm my own crazy nerves. I may be jittery all the time, but at least I d-don’t feel like someone’s always behind me.”

“Huh?” Haru tilted his head. What Shohei said reminded him of the conversation about the elevator, “Now that I think about it, you were the one to bring up paranoia, weren’t you?”

“Y-Yup. I, uh, well... Yeah. Sometimes I get those feelings. B-But it’s no big deal, really,” Shohei hesitantly looked into his empty cup, “I know well th-that what my mind makes up isn’t real.”

Haru could feel a heavy, awkward tension and not the kind that Shohei considered “good” and worried that taking that conversation further might wind up with some bad results, so he nodded slowly, “Tell me more about the coffee. What all is in it?”

Maybe he wouldn’t learn about Shohei’s inner workings yet, but that was okay. Shohei was passionate about his craft and that was enough to let Haru know that Shohei considered him a friend at least.

Chapter Text

Kouki faced the glass, swallowing hard. All she could think about as she trembled was how she had no idea how Amari could face this with such courage, Monokuma’s white grin filling her with even more unease. She hesitantly stepped forward, but her foot caught on something and she lost her balance, her heart leaping into her throat as she tumbled inside and heard the hiss of the door closing behind her; trapping her inside for the next... What did Ami say? Ten minutes...? Too long. It was too long.

She looked up, unsure where she had ended up. Well, it was the inside of the chamber, of course, but Amari had mentioned that she saw something else and, as Kouki stared into darkness, her hands and knees touching stone below, she understood the dissonance. Eyes widened as she stared into the dark void and dragged herself up to her feet, Kouki muttered under her breath as her heartbeat quickened, the rhythm erratic, “It’s not real...”

Something cold hit her head and she instinctively brought her fingers to that spot, feeling damp hair. She looked up, another drop splashing on her forehead as she did. The rain in Amari’s had been one of the few things that were real and Kouki reached up, determined to figure out how. She felt the glass above her, although, since she couldn’t see it, it was like an invisible wall in a video game. When your character reached the boundaries of the map. She ran her fingers around where the water had to be coming from, but the surface was smooth. There were no holes or anything for water to drip from.

As she set her jaw in confusion, Kouki felt something warm prod her leg and, startled, she looked down. A tiny white mouse scurried around her feet. She tried to move her legs, but her shoes were firmly planted on the ground and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t lift them anymore. Pain shot through her leg as the mouse bit through her sock straight into her body. Kouki understood now. She was helpless as she was assaulted by the constant dripping of water on her head. She’d heard of Chinese water torture before, but she hadn’t thought that it normally included rodents prone to biting.

The sound of creatures scurrying around multiplied as more mice joined the first. Kouki squeezed her eyes shut as she felt something scale up her body. Frantically batting at where she felt it, her hands touched nothing as it bit her. She threw her hand as the sensation again, more frantically, but still touched nothing.

“It’s in my head.” She muttered as she felt her panic rise further, but it didn’t help, so she repeated it, “It’s in my head. It’s in my head. It’s in my head!”

But no matter how many times she said it, over and over again, the feeling of the mice was too real. They bit and bit and they wouldn’t stop biting no matter how much she tried to knock them off.

Hot blood dripped down her arms and the cold water rhythmically drummed on her head, her head a warzone of pain, desperation, confusion, and panic. Below her, the blood and water pooled, mixing into some slimy mess. The mice were swarming around her now, clinging to her body and biting at her arms and face. Kouki’s salty tears made the wounds burn with unfathomable pain until finally... Everything grew dark... And her consciousness slipped away.

...

Haru grit his teeth as he heard the thump of Kouki’s body hit the bottom of the chamber and Monokuma walked up in front of the group, “Upupupu... I don’t like mice, y’know, so that was preeeetty terrifying, don’t you think? Alright! Next one is a half-hour after the morning announcement. Hmm, let’s see. That will be Yamato, now won’t it?”

“Absolutely delighted,” The ringmaster grumbled. He broke his gaze from Kouki and looked around for a bit before reinforcing his grin, “No problem. You think a little bit of this is any worse than a lion leaping at you? Haha! I was born for this.”

The door hissed open once more and Haru immediately moved to Kouki’s side, lifting her out of the pool of water. Instead of cords riddled with needles, they had shot out of the walls, pinned to cloth. From what Monokuma said, it had apparently translated into mice for Kouki, but just like Amari and the thorns, she had very minor injuries that wouldn’t match up with the teeth of a rodent tearing into her flesh.

”Raya... I don’t understand. Where is all of that coming from? I didn’t notice it last time because I was so scared watching Noa, but... but...” At some point, Monokuma had vanished and Nori had stumbled over to Yamato, “But the rag thingies came out of the wall. We can see through them! There’s no way for anything to come out-- We’d see it!”

”I can’t help but wonder once again, Nori, why you think I would know the answer to that. I’m not a magician and even if I were, magicians and even circus magicians deal in misdirection. No one conjures anything out of thin air, really. There’s tricks and gimmicks to it and, call me crazy, but I don’t see any hiding tricks or gimmicks in these things,” Yamato responded, an eyebrow raised at Nori as he tapped the back of his hand on the glass without turning, “But, if you just maybe opened your eyes, pup, and stopped begging for everyone else’s answers instead of using your own damn brain for once, maybe you’d consider that it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

Haru audibly growled in frustration at what Yamato said. He wasn’t fond of either of his classmates, but the way Yamato talked to Nori sometimes pissed him off and he took the opportunity to bring Kouki to the Laboratory, both Kanna and Amari quickly moving to help him.

Kanna sighed with a grimace as he looked at the hard table and then at Kouki’s dripping wet clothes and hair. Sensing the hesitation, Haru placed his sweater under Kouki’s head so that Kanna didn’t need to get his cape wet this time as Shohei and Ami’s footsteps signified that they had made their way in to repeat the same process as last time. This time, both of them were visibly more hesitant and wary, no doubt due to the closer relationships they had with Kouki as opposed to Amari. Or, at least, for Shohei it was a close relationship. Ami didn’t speak much to anyone at school, but she still knew Kouki well enough to feel pain at her classmate being tortured. With a sigh, Haru looked back out to see that only a few people were still in the Observation Room. He saw Shigeru, poking around one of the chambers and Yamato and Nori still in discussion, but his eyes landed on Yukari, who stared back, her expression unreadable.

---

Ding dong. Bing bong.

Yamato didn’t even register the morning announcement. He hadn’t been able to sleep that night and, instead, sat in the Dining Hall all night. No one had bothered him and he hadn’t expected anyone to. However, now that the announcement had sounded, people would surely be coming to partake in breakfast, so, instead of staying, he entered the elevator to go down to the next floor.

The ding of his arrival rang loud in his ears and he stepped out on unsteady feet. Without much thought, he made his way to the Laboratory. The room contained mirrors in certain areas above sinks and Yamato caught a glimpse of his weary, tired-looking face, drawn and pale. Even now, he still didn’t let his uncertainty and hesitance show. He carried a small smile that betrayed a little too much of his true emotions for his liking, but it was still a smile. Yamato removed his hat and combed his fingers through his light brown hair before adjusting his waistcoat and cape. Then he turned on the water and looked around. There were only paper towels here in the Laboratory, so that’d have to do for washing his exhausted face.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

Yamato paused and turned to see Yukari, “Mhm... I could say the same thing back and I will. Fancy seeing you here, Yukari. Thought you’d be busy with some more stage magic.”

A smile crossed her face and she closed her eyes, “Call it what you will. Truth is, I am busy, but it just so happens that my business was here, on this floor, and I couldn’t help but hear some water.”

“And just what are you busy with?” Yamato shut off the water and swivelled around, leaning on his hoop. He really did carry it everywhere. In fact, there was nowhere the ringmaster would go without it being somewhere within his line of sight.

“Ah. Do you really want to know, Yamato? Do you not already know? Perhaps the idea is in your head, buried. A shame how too much of our true nature is hidden within the folds of the unconscious,” Yukari stepped forward and blinked, “I am very interested in what this motive holds for you. Amari and Kouki managed to cling to their dignity. Will you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I will!” Yamato’s smile didn’t falter as he said it, “And I’ll do it again and again. Because you know what? You’re right. No one is gonna kill over something dumb like this even if it continues on and on like a show behind a curtain that refuses to close. Even if we’re worn down until we’re numb, well, that just means the motive has run its course.”

“Hm,” Yukari frowned, “I can’t say I expected you, of all people, to say something like that. Tell me, Yamato. Just what did Yudai tell you in the Storage Room that day?”

“What?” Yamato blinked before realising what Yukari was referring to, “Oh, that first day, huh? Well, I have a feeling you already know and if you don’t, I’m still not telling you. Use some of your good ol’ stage magic and figure it out, Miss Nagakage.”

“What a shame. We have quite the colorful cast of characters here. The most open prove the most complicated and vice versa. I daresay, Yamato, that the extent of your persona reaches even further than most people would consider looking. Beware the lion when his reverie shatters,” Yukari sighed and waved her hand. When she opened her palm, in rested a needle, “They’ve been used with both Amari and Kouki, so I do hope you’re not afraid of needles. Not that you’ll be seeing needles anyway.”

She set the needle on the table next to Yamato and, without so much as another word, she made her exit. Yamato stared at the door for a moment before looking at the needle and picking it up between his fingers. It certainly seemed real enough, but he knew better. There was some gimmick that, by simply observing, he wouldn’t understand. He needed to be behind the scenes. Narrowing his eyes, he looked back at the door. He was certain that Yukari already understood the motive in its entirety and had from the moment Amari’s torture had begun, but he was also certain that she didn’t say a word to Kouki about anything. If she was really so busy, she had no need to seek him out and toss him a needle. His smile turned into a bitter smirk as he growled. Psychologists really were the worst sort of people imaginable.

Eventually, the half-hour passed and the fourteen of them once again found themselves in the Observation Room. Yamato narrowed his eyes and adjusted his glasses as he stepped forward. He turned back to flash a confident smile before entering the chamber and folding his arms, his cape being blown by the air pressure as the door shut behind him.

As everything went dark, he instinctively adjusted his glasses again to no avail. Nothing was happening and he frowned. Of course, it would be just fine if nothing were to happen at all, but that was unrealistic. Just as he wondered whether or not the thing might be broken or something, the area around him erupted with roaring flame and heat swelled in his face.

He instinctively winced, but slowly regained his composure. The scene before him made no sense. All around him had been glass and, now, there was an open expanse of black filled with a sea of fire...? It couldn’t be real and yet, the heat he felt couldn’t be made up.

Sweat was already rolling down his face, dripping onto the ground and sizzling. Of course, being cooked alive. Great fun, Yamato thought as he continued to force his smile. The fire leapt at his ankle and he grit his teeth as pain flared, the sticky feeling of melting clothing adhering to his skin nearly unbearable. But it wasn’t real. Yamato knew that. Real fire would hurt much more. In fact, he might’ve already been dead if it were real.

Cords riddled with needles to simulate thorny vines and cloth pinned with needles to simulate mice. That wasn’t much data to work with and there certainly wasn’t time to ponder what could be happening. Yamato thought back to what Yukari said. The worst pain was probably being simulated by needles. In fact... Yamato could practically see it. Even though his vision was being distorted by whatever fueled these chambers, it was all too obvious. Despite everything - the heat, the pain, the sensations... Yamato knelt down and, with a low growl, he grabbed at his ankle. Checkmate. He felt the slivers of metal in his palm and, with the proof in his hand, he felt the pain die down. He did it. He beat the motive. But just as that thought crossed his mind, there was one more jab in his ankle. Oh, that must be... No, it didn’t matter. Yamato had won. He beat the motive and surely with time to spare. Good luck beating his record time. Some paranoid barista didn’t have a chance. In fact, Yamato was fairly confident that the only person who could was Yukari. And that was his last thought before the sedative took hold of his mind.

...

Nori squeezed his eyes shut as Yamato collapsed to the ground. Beside him, he heard a voice, “Five minutes, twenty-two seconds. Yamato stopped the motive early...?”

He turned his head to look at Ami, who clicked her pocket watch shut again. Then the politician stepped forward and dragged Yamato out of the chamber with great effort before poking him in the head, “Raya...?”

“Well, that was disappointing,” Monokuma sighed, “Next time, I’ll have to chain you guys up so you can’t move. Next time with... Shohei!”

“Already?!” Shohei looked up from his coffee machine, “I, uh... Hm. I can’t make th-the coffee if I’m in there so... Hm.”

Monokuma paused for a moment and then waddled up to Shohei, “Don’t you have bigger concerns? Like, oh, I dunno, being tortured?”

“N-No, not really. We a-already know it’s not real and Yamato just proved that it’s n-no big deal. Honestly, you should try r-real torture,” Shohei smiled, “Oh, no... But I guess then y-you run the risk of actually killing us, huh? Next time, bring the Ultimate Medic. Then y-you wouldn’t have to be so worried.”

“Ultimate-- Ultimate Medic?!” Monokuma spat, “You are such an ungrateful brat. I spent so much time personalising these for you guys and--”

“Personalising?” Amari frowned, her arms crossed, “I fail to see how thorns are personalised for me. And you seem more afraid of mice than Kouki.”

“Well... I didn’t want to redo the last motive. I promised dear, dear, dear Rikuto that I wouldn’t do that! So if I prey on your fears again, I’m betraying my promise! I thought Yamato might be a little more hesitant around fire, though... Whatever. I sure showed him. Good luck waking him up. Some rushed attempt at a hypnotism won’t work this time as a reward for his efforts!” Monokuma put his paw to his chin when no one, not even Ami, responded to his goading, “What gives?! Am I really not impacting you guys enough?! Oh, don’t tell me the psychologist is ‘treating’ you guys! I’m not dumb! There’s no way she’s gonna work with you.”

“Ah! A wonderful idea just hit me! I think once Yamato wakes up, I should give him a free therapy session just to get under the bear’s hide! And, naturally, if hypnotism won’t wake him, that means that chemicals are involved, so I’ll just neutralise those,” Yukari clapped her hands in delight. Then she raised a finger, “I think it’s probably better to not assume your audience, Monokuma.”

“I’ve brought master criminals here and the only one who’s considered murder was that welder?! Out of the ‘goodness of his heart’?! Argh!” Monokuma's face was quite literally glowing red in anger, “Yeah! How about that?! There are master criminals here! How’s that for a revelation? Scared yet? ...Anyway, nothing’s changed. Shohei is next. Half-hour after noon. And don’t you dare be late.”

With that, Monokuma vanished into the floor once more and Nori looked around nervously, the bear's words refusing to leave his head, “...Murderers?”

Kouki also frowned, “He means our pasts, huh? Like Mei, maybe? You said it before, right? You... You’ve killed people?”

Mei nodded as Niseko stepped forward, “Don’t be fooled by that bear. He didn’t say ‘murderers’. He said ‘criminals’. That’s a huge difference! A criminal can be anyone from a shoplifter to a dictator!”

Rolling her eyes, Marise turned away, “Still. Mei’s a murderer. You can’t change that. If I were writing this story, everyone here would have some dangerous secret to be revealed in later chapters. Even Yudai and Rikuto.”

“I believe the bear is making this sound worse. Because I kill people does not mean I will kill you,” Mei said, looking at Kouki with passion in her eyes, “I understand the rules. I will kill only if it is necessary and everyone is in agreement. That is all I will swing my blade for.”

“Did you come up with that rule yourself?” Yukari asked, tilting her head, and when Mei nodded, she smiled slyly, “Very good. It seems even the dullest blades can still shine and even the slowest kitsune still have their tricks.”

”...I am no fox,” The ninja growled, but said nothing more.

“So, we m-meet here for the next motive. I’ll bring pre-made c-coffee and you guys can give it to me afterwards. Or maybe something like... Okay, yeah,” Shohei looked as though he were convincing himself of something, then he looked at Ami before turning his attention to Yukari, “Let’s go wake him up. I-If you were serious about that, Yukari... Chemicals... Like drugs? A-Ami can’t do anything about that...”

“Just when I’d found a use...” Ami put away her pocket watch and went to help carry Yamato into the Laboratory while Yukari gave Shohei a smile, following them. Meanwhile, most of the rest of the group dispersed, some staying behind to make sure the ringmaster was alright.

---

Yamato drummed his fingers along the Dining Room table he was sitting at. He felt restless and his mind was working overtime. Who knew tiny pinpricks could hurt so much? Shaking his head, he stood up. There was only an hour before the next phase of the motive was supposed to start, anyway, so he might as well go early. Maybe a look at that File Room that was supposedly so gruesome could distract him.

He entered the elevator, which descended to the lower floor, and the ding reverberated throughout. When the doors opened, he stepped out and nearly tripped, hearing a startled croak. Regaining his footing, he looked down and saw Keroko squatting on the ground, her hands held up defensively and her tongue wrapped around a nearby chair, probably for support.

“What the--” Yamato furrowed his brow at the herpetologist who drew her tongue back in and moved to the side to let him pass, “Were you waiting for the elevator?”

She shook her head and pointed at the door to the Observation Room. It was here that Yamato noticed how pale she looked. How her slick skin seemed even wetter than normal and her glove... It was stained and, although the dark green fabric made it difficult to tell for sure, Yamato was certain he knew what it was. He opened his mouth to ask her ‘who’, but thought better of it. A girl who could only croak couldn’t give him specifics, so he changed his question, “Show me where.”

For a moment, Keroko was surprised. She didn’t think that Yamato would take her seriously, especially when she couldn’t tell him what exactly was wrong. But also... No, there was no time for hesitation. Just one more person... She just needed one. Nodding frantically, Keroko hopped for the door, turning the knob with her tongue before she even reached it. She moved through the Observation Room, Yamato at her heels, and into the File Room. Navigating through the maze of shelves with ease, she stopped short, “Kero! Kero ro!”

Yamato slowed and saw why Keroko had paused. Shohei was lying on the ground, face down. There was no blood decorating his body, so Yamato merely lifted him up over his shoulders and looked to Keroko, then to the door to the Vault. Whatever was in there had made Shohei faint. He smiled, though significantly weaker than usual, in an attempt to reassure Keroko and she pulled the handle with her tongue and kicked the door open with a bang.

"Except no one is going to stop this motive. You will let this continue for a while yet. But it's okay. I already know the outcome. I already know who will perish. Who will fall."

For a moment, Yamato’s mouth hung open as he forgot how to smile. What other reaction was there to what he saw? Sometimes, you don’t realise how much you care about someone until they’re gone. That’s how the saying went, right? Now, Yamato knew that feeling better than anyone.

Nori Sasaki was dead.

Chapter Text

“Ahaha... This... This is fake, right?” Yamato looked back at Keroko, who sat next to Shohei. Her eyes were wide, her face pale, and she was quivering ever so slightly. The words were barely out of his mouth when--

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"A body has been discovered! You should probably hop on over to the Vault! After a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

It may have been a couple of minutes, but it felt like mere moments to Yamato.

“I thought you said we’d let it go on a while. It’s been barely a day!”

He couldn’t place the voice; his brain was too addled.

“No one was affected by the last motive except Mei, and only as an example. This time, three of you suffered. Perhaps it happened just a bit earlier than I expected, but still, long enough, yes?” Yukari’s voice snapped him out of it and he turned. They had not yet rounded the corner.

“No! No, no. Fine then. I refuse to look and I won’t let you move. You said you knew who it was going to be, so who is it?” This time, he recognised Shigeru’s voice, “Tell me, Yukari. Who is dead in the Vault?”

“Kyahahahahahaha! Oh, do you doubt me, love? The one dead is Nori, of course,” Yamato felt his body go cold. The way Yukari said it... So dismissively... He no longer felt anything but a steadily boiling hatred for her.

He heard the thumping of feet as Shigeru rounded the corner around the shelf and froze, “How... How could you know that? How is that possible? Unless you did this, yourself, Yukari. Or... Or found the body prior?”

“Kero... Kero kero,” Keroko held up her Monopad and, curious, Yamato gave it a glance. She had it set to Rule 11.

‘The Body Discovery Announcement will play as soon as three or more people discover a body for the first time.’

“It’s impossible that she saw the body...” Yamato frowned, walking forward into the Vault, careful not to slip on the blood, “The announcement played when I saw him... Keroko saw him and, obviously, Shohei saw him. That’s three people right there.”

“My, it’s not nice to sneak up on people like that, Mei.” Yukari poked at a white blade pressed against her throat. Mei had snuck up behind her without anyone noticing, Shigeru realised, “I would calmly like to ask you why you are threatening my life so?”

“He’s dead. You killed him. Even if you did not kill him, you killed him,” Mei grumbled. When they’d first met the ninja, she seemed almost incapable of expression. Now, Shigeru could see genuine anger in her eyes.

“That makes no sense, love,” Yukari sighed, narrowing her icy eyes, “I’ve no time to untangle such riddles as the ones crafted by a dull kitsune.”

“I am no fox,” Mei said, just as she had prior, and she let the psychoanalyst go, “And it makes sense to you. You don’t need words to understand. There are many reasons why I think you are responsible. I will now list them off--”

“No time for that now, Mei. We need to start investigating,” Mei felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Ami, her skin pale and waxy. Looking around, Mei saw that all of the students had gathered by now. Thirteen now. An unlucky number. And the cold truth stared them all in the face. There was no denying it. This was reality. Nori was dead.

---
Investigation: Begin.
---

“I assume we will be dividing up the investigation like before, so I would like to volunteer to guard the body again,” Haru watched Amari pressed her way to the front. She swallowed when she saw Nori’s corpse, but turned back, a determined expression crossing her face. No one objected, so she dipped her head.

“Me too. I'll guard it again... too,” Yamato looked off to the side. No one needed a reason why. It was painfully obvious in the way his demeanor had shifted. Trying to smile was too much, even for him, at a time like this. He looked up at Nori’s face and sighed heavily.

“Ahahahahaha! Wow, I could’ve totally saved my energy by just making an announcement, but whatever!” Monokuma’s voice came from above and, looking up, Haru saw him atop the shelf, “The Monokuma File has been loaded up into your Monopads! Please get a good look at it!”

Monokuma disappeared on the other side and Haru couldn’t help but snort. It really was a useless trip for the bear.

“To expedite things, I suggest we pair up in the same groups as before,” Kanna said as if the interruption hadn’t happened at all, “Except, well, Yukari was paired with Nori and Shigeru with Rikuto, both of whom are no longer with us.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’d like to hear her side of the story anyway,” Shigeru glared at Yukari, who simply shrugged in response, “I assume that you have no objections to that? Let’s go.”

“Without a destination in mind?” Yukari piped up as Shigeru began to drag her by the collar, “Well, I’m not going to stop you, but this seems quite... mindless to me, love-- Okay, okay, I can walk, too! Oh dear...”

Her voice faded as she and Shigeru rounded the corner again. Niseko waved her arm, “This time, I’m picking for our group. We’d like to investigate Nori’s room.”

Almost a bit nervously, the doll looked at Marise who rolled her eyes but said nothing. Keroko hopped to their side and, when Kanna nodded, Niseko led her tiny team out.

“We should stay up here,” Mei suggested, but Ami didn’t respond. Her head was bowed and she held her pocket watch to her chest, “Yumekuu?”

“I-It’s alright... Sorry, no... I’m alright. Yeah, up here. Let’s do that,” Ami stuffed the silver watch back into her pocket and bit her lip, “We can check around here. The File Room and the Supply Room should hopefully keep us busy. I wouldn’t mind checking the crime scene, too.”

“Gotcha. Haru, Kouki, are you two going alibi hunting again?” Kanna asked as he knelt down next to Shohei, lifting the barista’s head up over his knee. “If that’s the case, Shohei and I can take the Observation Room and the Laboratory. Possibly the Office Room, too.”

A cough drew attention away from Kanna and to Shohei, who sputtered as he regained consciousness, “A-Ah. Ah!? Oh yeah... I-I was gonna get someone and then I... felt all woozy and I... Ugh. Do we still have time?”

“Investigation just began. Do your best and... er... Try to investigate as much as you can...?” Ami’s last sentence had been formed like a question, but everyone understood. Ami was referring to Kanna and his tendency to fixate on small details. Three rooms seemed ambitious for someone who had spent the entire last investigation stuck on some chairs. Shohei gave a weak thumbs up before, unsteadily, getting to his feet with Kanna’s help, “Come on, Mei, we can start in the less crowded Supply Room.”

“Good. I do not like crowds,” Mei nodded as she began to walk off, Ami closely following. Kanna motioned for Shohei to follow him and they, too, rounded the corner.

Kouki met Haru’s eye and frowned, “Isn’t it odd how she recovers so quickly? Ami, I mean. Minutes ago, she was shivering and pale and, well, you know. Now she’s very easily telling Mei what to do. Don’t you find that weird?”

“Not really...” Haru admitted. He couldn’t quite explain it, but there was something about the way Ami talked when she got reclusive that was calming to him. He had a strong feeling that it was somehow tied to her talent and that it was meant to affect her, “She is a hypnotist after all.”

“I... guess so. Well, we can start here again, with Amari and Yamato. Take a peek around here while we’re at it,” Kouki stepped through the Vault door. Amari was busy with her Monopad while Yamato stared at Nori’s body with an aura so pressing that Haru felt as though he might be crushed.

“Have you looked at it yet? Keep in mind that we can’t confirm it’s all fact. Especially not after that false autopsy on Yudai’s body,” Amari said as she noticed Haru and Kouki enter, “That said, it does seem accurate, at least.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #2
Victim: Nori Sasaki
Cause of Death: Injury to vital organs due to stabbing.
Time of Death: 10:22 AM

“Vital organs. Not even a specific one. Ugh,” Haru groaned. He walked up to Nori’s body. No better way to get information than the corpse itself. The knife pinning him to the wall was wedged between two of the compartments.

“That’s definitely a kitchen knife. A long one, but the handle is pretty indicative. ...So the killer brought a knife from the kitchen which means either they didn’t have a weapon to begin with or didn’t want to implicate themselves. I guess there’s no way we’d know,” Kouki observed, her hand fluttering around it as if she wanted to touch it, but was also afraid to, “Oh, Nori...”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Kitchen Knife
The knife used to kill Nori was a kitchen knife and likely came from the first floor.

“His clothing is all torn and there are cuts all over. Mostly on his arms,” Yamato frowned at the ground and Haru felt a bit of sympathy for him. It almost surprised him how much he felt for this kid who’d bullied him for three years straight. He’d, of course, assumed that Yamato’s act was to hide something, but he’d never known what and he still didn’t... Seeing him without the show of confidence, however forced it was at times, hurt. It was as if Yamato had lost what made him Yamato. That desire to please, even despite his own pessimism.

It was a feeling Haru knew all too well and he knew that bringing it up would only make the ringmaster feel worse, so he decided to continue the investigation talk, “So... Nori put up a fight?”

“That’s one explanation. If Nori was trying to flee and his killer was desperately trying to catch him, it would make sense that the knife would catch him more than a few times,” Yamato nodded slowly. He looked sadly at Nori’s frail-looking face and pulled the loose hairpin free.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Evidence of a Struggle
Nori’s clothing was battered and cuts on his arms suggest a struggle.

“Hold on a moment, Yamato. Where is Nori’s other hairpin?” Kouki pointed weakly at the other side of Nori’s hair. Moving to get a better look, Haru could see that there was no trace of the other moon hairpin, “If it’s not here, then... Wherever it is could be linked to the case. No, not just could. It has to be.”

“You’re right,” Haru said as Amari sifted through the green locks to confirm that it wasn’t just tangled up. When she came clean, he looked back at Yamato, who was now gripping the hairpin tightly.

“Find it. You’d better find it. I can’t leave because I promised I’d watch the body with Amari. But if it helps, then it has to be done, right?” Yamato glared at the ground, but lifted his eyes up and gave Haru a smirk, “I wish I could ask someone more reliable, but you’ll have to do, now won’t you?”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Missing Hairpin
One of Nori’s moon hairpins is missing.

“Ami and Mei aren’t here this time, so I suppose I must do the honors of inspecting the body. If everyone is okay with it, I’m going to take Nori down,” Amari paused for a moment before holding up Nori's upper torso with one hand as she pulled out the long kitchen knife and carefully laid the corpse on the ground. Looking a bit unsure, Amari laid the knife next to the body and knelt down.

“All we know is that he was stabbed,” Haru said, glancing at the Monokuma File again. It was much too vague and, as Amari said, it had already proved inaccurate once, “But at the very least, I think we can say for certain that this time, it’s really Nori. I’m... I’m sorry, Yamato.”

“No, I already knew that. Who else would it be? Keroko is way too small. Marise?” He let out a dry, sorrowful chuckle, “As if she’d let us go near her. I know this is Nori and pretending it’s not will just make things worse.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask, why do you carry that hoop with you everywhere, Yamato?” Kouki motioned toward the silver hoop, currently resting against a wall. She walked over to it and, when Yamato made no move nor sound to stop her, she lifted it up to look at it, “It’s surprisingly light.”

“It’s just aluminum, nothing that special. As for why, I couldn’t tell you. I’ve long forgotten the reason and now it’s just habit,” Yamato shrugged, eyes trained on Kouki, “I suppose it can be a memento if I die.”

“No,” Kouki sharply turned her head, “Are you saying that you’ve given up because Nori is gone?”

“No, no... That’s-- Look, I’ve been thinking about how I’ve been feeling and I realise that Shigeru just went through the same thing. Maybe it’s because I’ve known Nori longer than Shigeru knew Rikuto, but he’s been soldiering through it all. Even after begging Rikuto to live and having his hope shattered just like that, he’s still managed to come back. I can’t even force my smile anymore,” Yamato shook his head with a great sigh and hung his head, “If things are going to get better, then I pray that it comes quickly. And if I could have the bitch’s head, all the better.”

“Yukari's?” Haru looked up, his attention diverted from Amari’s inspection. “Because of her teasing? I’ve been wondering about that. Yukari knew that Nori was going to die and she did nothing to stop it. I really doubt she’s the one who killed him, so then, does she also know who did it?”

“Without a doubt. It’s too much to hope that she’s the Blackened - I’m not dumb. But if there’s a way to take her out, too, I’d gladly take that opportunity,” Yamato grit his teeth, “If I weren’t working with you all, I’d have no hesitation in murdering her myself, even if it meant that I’d die, too. She’s reprehensible.”

“After all that talk after Rikuto’s trial, why did her attitude change so quickly?” Kouki set the hoop back down, sighing.

“I spoke to her before this all happened. It was a little bit after the morning announcement, just there in the Lab. She told me she was busy, talked a bit about the motive, and finally left me there with a needle. Sure, fine. I owe it to her that I was able to stop the torture, but she’s far gone past the point of repayment,” Yamato growled, “You two are alibi checking, too, so while I’m at it, I was in the Dining Hall about an hour before Shohei’s turn. I’d been there since I recovered enough to get back on my feet. I was feeling restless, so I decided to head up early, but I ran into Keroko. I was the third to discover the body. Take it as you will.”

“You spoke to Yukari...” Haru muttered, making a mental note.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Yamato’s Account
Yukari spoke with Yamato prior to his torture around 7 AM about the motive.

“Do you know who the first was?” Kouki asked, looking up at Yamato.

“From how he reacted when he woke up, I’m gonna guess Shohei. But you should probably check with him, not me,” Yamato answered.

“I’ll get to myself in a moment, but you see the blood that’s run down Nori’s face? That’s from an injury to his head. It doesn’t seem to be a cut, but rather blunt force. Similar to Riku-- Er, Yudai,” Amari shook her head, “Aside from that, the position the body was in before could be important as well.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: State of the Body
Nori was pinned to the wall of the Vault. His head was injured via blunt force trauma and bled heavily.

“What if the killing blow was that and not the knife?” Kouki suggested, but Amari raised a hand.

“I don’t think so. The blood on Nori’s abdomen and head both seem to have set relatively the same way and blunt force trauma would have been a slower death. At least this type. He would’ve had to bleed out for it to kill him. The knife would’ve been much more instant,” She explained and dipped her head, “I don’t think the file is lying about the cause of death. If there’s anything to call into question, it’s the time. But that also seems to match up...”

“Ah, so this knife really did kill Nori then?” Kouki sadly looked down at it, “Unless it was some other sharp object and the knife is just masking that. Either way, he was stabbed.”

“Now, after Yamato’s session, I stayed with him, Ami, and Shohei. Shohei was the first to leave of the three of us, saying he needed to prepare. I stayed with Ami for a while until Yamato was ready to leave. After that, I went back into my room until the Body Discovery Announcement. It’s still not the strongest alibi, but, at the least, Ami and Yamato can corroborate the first part.”

“Alright, noted. We should go now, Kouki. Personally, my top priorities are finding that hairpin and talking to Shohei,” Haru turned to look Kouki in the eye. He turned and caught Yamato’s eye. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t find the words.

“I agree. If you guys find out anything else, let us know,” Kouki called out and then left the Vault, Haru biting his lip and following, “We have no idea where that hairpin is, so should we find Kanna and Shohei first?”

“That sounds like the best use of our time. They should be somewhere on this floor. Either the Observation Room or the Laboratory. Maybe both,” Haru added as they rounded the sharp corners of the File Room and stood in front of the door to the Observation Room, “Let’s go.”

Haru opened the door to the Observation Room and the door stopped fast as it impacted with something heavy. There was a quick yelp and a shuffle and, hesitantly, Haru tried again. This time, it swung open and he saw Shohei, several feet back, staring at him with his wide eyes. Perhaps it was because Shohei’s whole body was always trembling, but Haru felt as though his eyes were jittering in his sockets, sweat beading on his forehead.

“A-Ah... Haru. Kouki. I.. Er,” He shut his mouth awkwardly and backed up a bit, quick glances over his shoulder preventing him from bumping into one of the chambers, “A-Alibis, right? You’re here for... alibis?”

“Where’s Kanna? Isn’t he supposed to be with you? Kouki stepped into the room, an eyebrow raised. Seeing her, Shohei hung his head, his face turning a warm shade of pink. After Kouki looked around a bit, Shohei rose a shaky finger to point at the door to the Laboratory and Kouki let out an ‘Ah’ of realisation, “We can talk to him next, then. After all, you’re the priority, Shohei.”

“Wh-What, me?” The barista froze like a deer in the headlights, snapping his head up. It only lasted a moment, though, as he buried his face into his hands, “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no...”

He repeated the phrase over and over as Haru stared, taken aback by the sheer amount of emotion flying around and, snapping out of his disbelief, he grabbed Shohei by the shoulder almost to steady himself, “Calm down, Shohei. You can’t prove your innocence while you’re freaking out.”

”...Great job, Haru. I’m sure that made him feel better,” Kouki muttered as Haru ran his hand down Shohei’s arm to grab him by the hand, “It’s Shohei. Looking at him with so much as a stern expression will make him collapse if you’re not careful.”

As Shohei rolled his eyes, something cold and wet made Haru look down and he saw a patch of blood on Shohei’s sleeve cuff. Shohei must’ve felt him freeze because he grimaced with a sharp inhale, “Don’t freak out, just explain what happened. Start from when you left Amari, Ami, and Yamato.”

“Oh... O-Okay... I left because I realised I needed to start getting my brew ready for my own turn in this chamber. I thought that if I got everything set up, I’d have enough time to teach someone how to use it and properly brew what I’d need,” Shohei dropped his arm from Haru’s grip, “So I went to my room for a bit. After I got some preparations done, grinding beans, separating herbs, all of that, I came here into this room. I-I was ready to get everything set up and usable in the most simple way I could, so I started to m-make a test brew. I was just about to go find someone to teach - probably Kanna - when I heard f-footsteps in the File Room. I panicked and decided to go see what it was, but there was no one there... Just a terrible, terrible smell. I-I... I followed it... And I... I saw the body... And I knew I had to find someone... B-But my legs wouldn’t work anymore. The next thing I remember was Kanna’s face and all of you guys.”

“If Shohei was here in this room, that means that the murderer couldn’t have come through here, right?” Kouki turned toward Haru, “That means that the murder happened before Shohei got down here.”

“Unless Shohei did it, of course.” Haru muttered.

”What the fuck?! Y-You can’t tell me to calm down and not freak out and prove my innocence just to say I did it,” Shohei exclaimed, “Y-You’re as bad as Kouki!”

”No-- It’s just that we need to weigh every option,” Haru looked at Shohei, “What time did you get here?”

“S-Sure, whatever you say!” He bit his quivering lip and then paused, taking in Haru’s question, “I-I, uh... I don’t really know. It didn’t feel like long I spent in my room, but everyone tells me that I take too long. It doesn’t feel long to me, I just... Ugh. My m-mother used to say a minute to me was an hour to everyone else. So I stopped caring about the time.”

“That’s... incredibly unhelpful,” Haru shook his head, sighing, “Alright, so you don’t know when... Did you see Keroko at all? Anyone else?”

“Keroko... No. Oh-- But I remember seeing Yukari!” He exclaimed very loudly, “It was a l-little startling. I turned around to plug in the brewing machine and there she was. She just stared at me for a long time before... B-Before... She apologised to me and left.”

“She apologised to you?” Kouki tilted her head, “What do you mean? What for?”

“I-I don’t know. It was very... heartfelt? I guess. She looked very, very sad and just said ‘I am so terribly sorry’. I thought she was gonna tease me or something l-like she usually does, but she didn’t. She just left after th-that,” Shohei ran his hand against his apron to smooth it out.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Shohei’s Account
Shohei left his room early to set things up for his coffee brew in the Observation Room. During his time in the Observation Room, he only saw Yukari.

“This is the second person to say that they saw Yukari,” Haru bit his lip, glancing at Kouki and then back at Shohei, “But no matter how I look at it, I just can’t see her being the killer.”

“Yeah, I understand... You haven’t found any evidence, have you, Shohei?” Kouki looked at Shohei, blinking her large, brown eyes. “Here in this room?”

“No, not yet... I dunno, m-maybe Kanna has? You could ask him,” Shohei’s eyes look dull and defeated, “I didn’t... I didn’t do this, okay? I know it looks bad. I was next to be tortured... I was up here... I was the f-first to discover the body... No one can corroborate my alibi. I know I l-look really suspicious, but I didn’t do it...”

“Everything will work out.” Kouki grabbed Shohei’s hand with both of her hands and looked down, just as Haru had, “Er, you might want to wash your sleeve. Sleeping right next to a puddle of blood can be unsanitary... or something.”

“Ah, yeah. I m-might be getting attached to the look, though. Maybe you can dye my sleeve later?” Shohei gave a shaky smile and then sighed with a small chuckle, “Alright... I-I’m trying my best here... Fine. Bad joke... Alright... How about... Wh-When have you ever cared about cleanliness, Miss Maekawa?”

Kouki didn’t answer. She just shook her head incredulously and then started for the Laboratory. Haru looked back at Shohei, who watched on with eyes that wouldn’t miss the smallest detail and a smug smile, before following Kouki into the next room.

At first, he didn’t see Kanna. The room looked empty and he glanced back out the door where Shohei continued staring, “Ah! Haru and Kouki. I apologise for my rudeness.”

He looked to see Kanna in between tables. He must’ve been crouching, unintentionally avoiding detection. The Laboratory seemed very much undisturbed and Haru got a sense that investigating here was largely pointless. Kouki also looked around a bit before speaking, “Hello, Kanna. As you know, we’re checking alibis.”

“Yes,” He said quite simply and swung himself over a table to stand next to them, “This time, I actually have an alibi! I made certain of it.”

“You... made certain of it?” Haru frowned. He didn’t voice his concerns, but that statement made him a bit wary. Still, this was Kanna. If he meant to say it, he meant to say it.

“Why, yes. I didn’t want a repeat of last time, so in between every session, I’ve made sure that I’ve been with at least one other person. I turn, I can corroborate their alibi. So, let’s see... That’s right. Before we discovered the body, I was with Setsuka. I was, still am, very curious as to how that doll works and Setsuka has graciously allowed me to look at Niseko,” Kanna nodded as he said it and extended an arm in a flourish, “So, how’s that? A proper alibi.”

“All we have to do is run it by Niseko,” Kouki smiled, “That seems pretty cut and dry to me. Have you found any clues, Kanna?”

“Ah... Er, well. Actually, this doesn’t have to do with the Laboratory and it’s honestly just conjecture, but there’s something I’ve been thinking about the body. The way that Nori was hung up like that... Without the knife hitting any bones. Well, the ribs are in the way, and not only that, the gaps between the shelves in the Vault are very narrow. Don’t you think it would take a trained killer to get through all of that?” Kanna looked off to the side, his face suddenly looking dark, “Not only that, the victim was Nori. It takes a very cold heart to kill someone so obviously frightened. So weak and frail... You know the term ‘sociopath’, right? In actuality, it’s just an informal term. Usually, people mean ‘Antisocial Personality Disorder’. These are people who show no care for others and no remorse for their actions... And they’re very good at lying.”

“You think someone here is... a sociopath?” Kouki shuddered, hugging herself tightly, “And that’s why they killed Nori?”

“If you think about it that way, it suddenly makes sense why Yukari knew who the victim would be. As a psychologist, she’s very closely analysing our behaviors. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that she would be able to pick out someone with ASPD. Secondly, she would also know that Nori was the weakest mentally, making him the perfect target for such a person. And do not forget. Monokuma mentioned that we are among ‘master criminals’, so it’s not like my hypothesis came from nowhere,” Kanna blinked his silver eyes slowly, “None of this is magic or foresight. It’s simple logic. This accounts for both Yukari knowing and yet not doing it herself.”

“I like that solution a lot better than the other things we’ve come up with. That might mean her suspects are Yamato and Shohei,” Kouki rested her head on her hand, “I really want to believe this, so I’m definitely keeping it at the forefront of my mind. Well, maybe not the criminal part, but the part about Yukari not plotting a murder and playing with us all in the palm of her hand.”

“What was it that Marise said? ‘Everyone knows that investigating with a suspect in mind changes how you investigate.’” Haru thought back and then nodded at Kouki, “Yeah, I think that applies here. So you take what Kanna thinks and I’ll keep in mind what Ami thinks.”

“Ami?” Kouki tilted her head, confused, “We haven’t talked to Ami yet.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you, didn’t I? I spoke to Ami before this whole mess happened. We talked about Yukari and what she said about knowing the victim for a while. Basically, the conclusion Ami came to was that Yukari would manipulate someone into killing,” Haru shook his head as he said it, “It also makes sense for someone like her to take advantage of someone’s psyche, so that’s why I think you should investigate with Kanna’s stance in mind while I take Ami’s.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Kouki scratched her chin, “Well, that being the case, I think we should move on. I dunno about you, but I doubt this place is all that important to the investigation.”

“Yeah, I agree. Still, if anyone can find anything, I... I guess it’s Kanna,” Haru glanced at the prodigy who swept his bangs to the side with a small smile and a nod. “So, where to next?”

“We don’t have time to be running back and forth, so we should wait until we’ve seen everything here before we head back upstairs,” Kouki began to walk toward the door as she continued talking, “So... Ami and Mei next, then?”

“Right. We didn’t see either of them in the File Room, but that room is a maze, so I can’t say I’m surprised,” Haru followed the artist as they passed through the Observation Room. Shohei was behind one of the chambers, visible through the glass. He didn’t say anything even as he looked up while they continued on.

“Mei? Ami?” Kouki called out once they’d reached the File Room. As she rounded the corners of the shelves. She turned back to Haru, “I thought it’d be easier to find them if we just asked--”

“Woah! Ack!” Pounding footsteps echoed and Kouki turned just in time to step back as Ami skidded to a stop just before she could barrel into one of the shelves, “I hate this room so much. So much.”

“Why... Why were you running, Ami?” Haru asked, watching as the hypnotist carefully placed her hands on the shelf as if it were going to fall on her, “Is something wrong?”

“Yes. Well, no. Not wrong per se. We’ve just found evidence in the Supply Room,” Ami turned toward the two, “Come and see for yourself.”

With that, Ami began to walk, this time more slowly and more carefully. Eventually, they made it to the Supply Room, the door already open, and Ami let Kouki and Haru in.

Haru stopped short. Mei was pounding on a wall, determination burning in her eyes. She stopped, though, when Kouki came in and turned with a short bow, “Tanioto. Maekawa.”

“What... What are you doing, Mei?” Surprisingly, it was Ami who asked the question when, without so much as another word, Mei went back to hitting the wall, “Why are you doing that? You’re going to injure your hand. It’s called a Boxer’s Fracture.”

“Boxer? What is that?” Mei dropped her hand and turned to look at Ami. The fire had vanished so quickly, replaced by confusion and curiosity, a look Mei so often wore, “Do they put things in boxes?”

“...No. They, er, they punch people as a sport. It’s not something I’m very interested in,” Ami explained, “But really, Mei. What are you doing?”

“This wall is fake, but I do not know how to get rid of it,” Mei took a step back and looked at the wall, “It feels solid and yet, it is different from the rest of the walls.”

“W-Wait a moment. Haru, look at the ground,” Kouki pointed and Haru looked down. He realised that he’d been so distracted by Mei that he’d missed the obvious in the room, “Bloodstains. But why here? If Nori was killed in the Vault, why would there be bloodstains here?”

There wasn’t a significant amount like in the Vault, but a lot of droplets were scattered on the floor. This was no accident.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Blood in the Supply Room
There are droplets of blood on the floor of the Supply Room, implying that it was a significant area in the crime.

“We also found Nori’s poster. We cleaned it up, though, so that we wouldn’t slip on the paper,” Ami led them over to one of the desks where a neat pile of green poster board was instantly recognisable. Kouki sadly picked up the pieces, sifting through them.

“I’m gonna hold onto them so no one ‘cleans them up’. Maybe I can tape it back together at the very least...” Her voice was little more than a whisper.

Obtained Truth Bullet: Nori’s Poster
Nori’s poster was found, torn up, in the Supply Room.

“Mei, I don’t think you’re gonna solve anything by staring at the wall,” Ami shook her head at the ninja, “If you think the wall is different, then maybe it’s a false wall. If that’s the case, the method of opening it is probably not here next to the wall.”

“Ah, I see. I have opened secret doors in the past,” Mei said and then scanned the room. Eventually, she settled on drawing her wakizashi and prodding at the ground as Kouki hesitantly looked at Haru.

“Just what kind of ninja is she?” Kouki murmured, but a squeal of something heavy shifting prevented Haru from responding as Kouki held her head from the noise, “...So quick...”

“Yes. That was simple,” Mei had a loose piece of stone from the ground propped up with her foot, “There is some sort of floor here that is held down by this rock.”

“Sounds like a pressure plate...” Ami muttered as she turned to the now open passage, “It’s bigger than I thought and, sure enough... Something went down in here.”

The opened area was a tunnel of sorts, looking more cave-like than building. The slopes of the wall seemed natural rather than man-made, but the thing that really drew their attention was the trail of blood that led through to a sharp turn in the tunnel that was certainly designed as such.

“Ah! Haru, look,” Kouki rushed forward into the hallway and crouched down, hesitantly picking something up, “Yamato will be glad we found this.”

She was holding a very familiar moon pin that all but confirmed what they’d assumed. Nori had gone down this tunnel.

Truth Bullet Updated: Missing Hairpin
One of Nori's moon hairpins was missing. It was found in the secret tunnel found in the Supply Room.

“What is this?” Mei had entered as well and faced a wall, “Whose writing is this? I wish to give them a lesson on how to write.”

“Is that a kana?” Haru said, approaching, “It looks like blood... I’m going to take a guess and say Nori wrote it. It would explain the sloppiness if he were in a hurry.”

“‘Ke’?” Kouki looked up and squinted at it, “No, wait. There’s a dakuten, so ‘ge’.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Bloody Message
On the wall of the secret passage, a hiragana character was written. It resembles a ‘ge’ (げ)

“Blood, of course... We should see where this leads, although I already have an idea,” Ami passed the other three rounding the corner of the tunnel. Haru followed, noting that the stone transitioned to metal as the bend came. Eventually, they reached a wall, framed by a glowing light, “Yeah, there’s no doubt.”

The hypnotist pushed on the wall and it slowly swung open with a heavy groaning noise. Haru had to shield his eyes and he noticed Mei fully turn around, her eyes squeezed shut. Once his vision adjusted, Haru blinked to see Yamato staring at him, wide-eyed, “Well, I... I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. I congratulate you on this... find.”

“Is this a secret passage?” Amari had come over from, apparently, the File Room, “Where did you come from?”

“The Vault...? Sorry. We came from the Supply Room,” Haru answered, “Well... This certainly changes a lot...”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Secret Passage
A secret passage can be found in the Vault, connecting it to the Supply Room.

“Now that I think about it... I always thought this was odd...” Amari moved over to the green light, “Yes, see? It’s depressed. I have a feeling this is what opens the door on this side.”

Kouki silently walked up to Yamato, pressing something into his hand. He nodded slowly and Haru didn’t have to guess at what it was. She then turned back, “We should quickly get Ami and Mei’s alibis and head downstairs. I doubt we have much time left.”

“Well, I was with Yamato for a while. Afterwards, I went to my room. Not much else I can say, unfortunately,” Ami shook her head.

“I was training. I sharpened my blade, too. Then I ate and went back to training,” Mei thought about it for a moment, “I believe I saw Yukimura.”

“Yes, you did,” Yamato confirmed and Mei nodded, “If that is all, then run you two. I have to agree with the little Miss Lady here. There is probably little time remaining.”

Haru nodded and set off out of the Vault, Kouki beside him, waving as she did, “You two need to explore that tunnel as much as possible.”

Ami nodded as Mei quickly turned back and disappeared. Through the File Room and into the Observation Room, it seemed that Kanna and Shohei had swapped places as Kanna rose a hand in greeting while examining the outside of one of the chambers, but the two were too set to pause. They passed through the Office Room and into the elevator.

Once inside, Kouki looked down, “I don’t really have a suspect other than Yukari. I just... I can’t imagine who would’ve done this. Everyone seems the same-- Scared, disgusted, and most of all, full of sorrow and despair.”

“People with APSD are extremely good at fooling people or so I’ve heard. And if Yukari is behind this... Who knows what she could bribe or blackmail people with?” Haru scratched his head, “But we still have half of the people here to talk to. It’s too early to be making assumptions.”

“I know. I don’t want to assume,” Kouki shook her head, “I just want this to be easy and I know it’s not going to be.”

The ding of the elevator signalled their arrival and Kouki stepped out, Haru closely behind. Sadly, but still with urgency, Kouki made her way to the hallway and stopped in front of the blue door. She looked back at Haru before turning the knob.

The Blue Hallway was empty and Haru led Kouki to Nori’s door. The crest on his door was, unsurprisingly, that of a moon, though it was made up of stars. It was similar to the emblem on Nori’s lapel, though the embroidery had dashes of thread in place of the stars, Haru recalled. Of course, the other students wouldn’t know, but the name of Nori’s high school was Hoshigakirei Academy. The name is written in kana, so it doesn’t have a real translation, but one can assume that it’s derived from the words ‘star’ and ‘beautiful’, which certainly tie in with the school’s theme.

Haru opened the door and paused for just a moment. Of course, the three assigned to the room were there, but he had to take in the room itself. The ceiling was painted like a starry sky, the walls continuing the pattern until they blended into a very dull greenish color. There was a small stage, similar to the one in Haru’s own room, but a bit taller with a lectern, not dissimilar to the Auditorium. Many folding chairs rested against the wall, folded and, of course, out of place as always, was Nori’s bed.

“Hello, Haru. I was a bit worried you wouldn’t come,” Niseko said. She was on the stage with Keroko, who bore a friendly smile. “But that’s great! We weren’t really finding anything here.”

“Ugh, this room is duller than Nori’s campaign meetings and gives me a headache equal to the one his voice induced,” Marise growled from atop Nori’s bed. She was kicking her feet, bored, and glaring. Standard Marise disposition.

“Don’t speak ill of the deceased, Marise!” Niseko cried out, Keroko adding in an angry croak, “I mean, it’s true that there seems to be no relevance to the case here, but there’s no need to be rude.”

“Yeah, whatever. Alibis, huh? I regret ever telling you losers how to conduct an investigation. So get this through your thick skull. I have no alibi,” Marise folded her arms and fell back into the bed, “But I can sure give you a suspect.”

“Save it,” Haru shook his head, “What about you two?”

“I... think I was with Kanna,” Niseko placed her hands together, “He’s been trying to figure out how I work or something. It’s kinda been an invasion of privacy, but I’m just a doll, so I guess it doesn’t matter. Not that he’ll ever be able to replicate my master’s artful work!”

“Kero... Korekero,” Keroko placed her hands in front of her as if reading and then sadly shook her head, “Ro... Keke...”

“Reading? Do you think she was in the File Room?” As Kouki said it, Keroko nodded, “But you couldn’t have seen Nori. I’m guessing you saw Shohei go to the Vault and followed him. But... Shohei said that he smelled the blood. If you were already there, why didn’t you?”

“Keroo...” She tilted her head and nodded. She shrugged and simulated sniffing and then reading again, “Kero ko keko. Keroro roke ro.”

“I’m sorry... I don’t really understand. But you did smell it?” Kouki looked at Keroko as she nodded in confirmation, “Then in the trial, we’ll be able to figure out what you mean. I hope that’s okay. It must really suck to not be able to speak.”

Keroko sighed and nodded slowly. Haru turned to Kouki, “We just need Shigeru and Yukari now, wherever they went.”

“They’re in the Auditorium,” Marise called out from the bed, “Heard them screaming about something. Whatever losers like to scream about, I guess.”

“Then let’s go. Quickly. We can get more from these guys in the trial,” Kouki practically pulled Haru out the door and began to run, “If we have time left over, we can come back, right?”

Haru weakly nodded as the rooms flew by. Kouki was sure fast when she wanted to be. They retraced their steps until they got back to the Dining Hall and Kouki threw open the doors with so much force, they smacked the wall with a loud bang. Haru saw Shigeru with his mouth open, wide-eyed, “My... my...”

“My, my, hm? My, my indeed.” Haru jumped as Yukari leaned into the doorframe, “You nearly hit me, love.”

“Wish I did,” Kouki grumbled, “You’re walking on really thin ice, Yukari. After what you told me earlier, predicting Nori’s death, and now this attitude? We’re all sick of it.”

“Oh, I know. In fact, I’ve just been talking to Shigeru here about it. You see, we’ve done zero investigating, but it’s fine. There’s nothing down here to investigate anyway,” Yukari smirked and walked back into the room, Haru and Kouki following, albeit at a distance, “So then. Alibis, is it? Let’s see... I ran into Yamato and Shohei, but you already knew that. I was all over the place, you know.”

“I wasn’t. I haven’t been leaving my room very often,” Shigeru adjusted his shirt, “So I guess I have no alibi. Regardless, the issue I was addressing is this back and forth. Why bother telling off Riku if you’re not going to work to prevent this murder? And Yukari realises how suspicious this makes her. I don’t get it.”

“Because I couldn’t prevent this,” Yukari’s smile vanished, “Sometimes there are things you know are coming and yet there is nothing you can do. For whatever reason, I couldn’t penetrate those chambers and I can’t mend a broken psyche if it’s worn down day after day. Imagine being a chef and having to cut through stone. Your blade will wear and may even break. The human mind in such a situation is similar. So all I could do was warn you. I challenged you to change fate and you failed. Now all that’s left is for you to punish the one who did it. Ah, but you were right to hurry, loves.”

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"And time! Please stop what you are doing and make your way to the Dining Hall. No time to lose."

Haru glared at Yukari and she stared, thoughtfully, back. Without a word, he turned and left, back into the Dining Hall to wait for the others.

Chapter Text

It didn’t take long for everyone to arrive, the last couple being Amari and Yamato. Haru stared at the elevator door, his head feeling numb. Why had this happened again? At least one person was going to go down... and never come back up. Haru glanced at the others before he heard the all too familiar voice, “My, you all were quite quick! I like it! Here’s a fun fact. The trial ground is the lowest level! For our purposes, it was installed after the SRS was built. Puhuhuhu!”

Monokuma waddled to the front of the group, “Now hurry, hurry into the elevator. I’m so excited I can feel my whole body about to explode! Oh... wait, I can actually explode... Oh... Sorry! Gotta run!”

With that bewildering sentence, Monokuma dashed behind the group with surprising speed and was soon out of sight. Kanna, at the head of the group, to the surprise of no one, hit the button and the doors slid open. One by one, the students filed in. Haru started to follow Kouki but paused when he heard muttering, “Something’s not right...”

He turned to see Ami walking to the corner of the room. There rested a grandfather clock, one of the few clocks in the entire shelter. Ami’s head was tilted up at the face and she tapped the glass hesitantly. Haru walked up to her slowly, “Is everything okay, Ami? We need to go down to the trial ground now.”

“I’m... I’m not crazy, right? What time does the clock read?” Her voice was low, but full of urgency, and Haru quickly got the feeling that whatever she needed to know was more important than he realised.

“12:06,” He answered, “If I had to guess, Monokuma stopped our investigation at noon.”

“Right. But... There’s no way that can be right,” Ami pulled out her pocket watch, “I am constantly checking the time... My watch says that it’s 11:02.”

“Could your watch be wrong?” Haru peeked over her shoulder. Sure enough, it seemed as though there was nearly an hour difference between the clock and the watch. He didn’t doubt Ami’s words either. He did catch her looking at her pocket watch quite a bit.

“No. I check the time fairly often. It’s one of the ways I keep myself sane in a place like this. If we lose track of time... And it’s for this very reason. ...I don’t trust the clocks here because the mastermind can manipulate them whenever. Not just the mastermind. Anyone can manipulate them... At least this one,” Ami shook her head, clicking her pocket watch shut again, “I would have noticed if something happened to my watch. I have a really bad feeling that the killer is trying to mess with the window of time. We need to watch out for that, especially with alibis.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Ami’s Account
Ami’s pocket watch differs from the clock in the Dining Hall by an hour and four minutes.

“If the clock was manipulated, would that mean that the killer is someone who has an alibi?” Haru shot a worried glance at Ami and she looked down at the watch in her palm.

“But everyone knows I have this... The killer wouldn’t be that sloppy... Right?” She didn’t move for a moment before shaking her head once again, “Ugh. It’s fine. It’s alright. We’ll figure it out soon. Let’s go before we’re considered in the rule-breaking zone.”

She took a deep breath before making her way back to the elevator. The others were waiting or, more accurately, Marise was rapid-fire pressing the close button with Mei frantically hitting other buttons and Amari, her face buried in her palm, leaning against the opening so the door wouldn’t close.

Once Ami and Haru entered, Amari let the door go and they began their descent. It was dead silent, only soft breathing audible. It was all too clear that anything said would just be empty words. Irony hung in Haru’s head as he realised that the words of the politician which had held so much meaning would never be spoken again.

The elevator slowed and once again opened to the same room as before. This was the trial ground, where judgement would take place and the vote would eventually be cast.

Haru took his place and looked around him at the empty podiums. Rikuto’s picture, of course, was still there, although Haru felt as though there were scorch marks that certainly weren’t there before. In what was once Yudai’s place stood another picture. It seemed likely to Haru that it was a picture of Yudai just as there was a picture of Rikuto, but the picture itself was soggy and torn and Haru could barely make out the purple stains. Finally, where Nori had been was yet another picture, the post shorter than Rikuto’s and Yudai’s. His face was clear, though marked out with a big checkmark.

"I want to start with a basic explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the blackened is, and vote for ‘whodunnit’. If you can figure out the culprit, only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... Then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will be released from the SRS!" Something about Monokuma repeating the exact same line got under Haru’s skin as the bear grinned down at them, "Upupupupu... Now then. Who did it?!

The Perfect Paragon from the Heavens, Kanna Kanichi?
The Song Played By Emotion, Haru Tanioto?
The Transformation of the Mirror World, Shigeru Fujioka?
The Fortified Unmoving Wall, Amari Hoshino?
The Inspiring Beam of Seven Colors, Kouki Maekawa?
The Leader of Many, Follower of None, Yamato Yukimura?
The Embodiment of Suppressed Energy, Shohei Takanichi?
The Quiet Terror in the Night, Ami Yumekuu?
The Tiny Whirlwind of Fire, Marise Kita?
The Crimson-Colored Puppeteer, Setsuka?
The Girl of Land and Water, Keroko?
The Resolute Hitwoman of All, Mei Meiyo?
Or the Unpredictable Executioner of Chaos, Yukari Nagakage?

Who killed Nori Sasaki?"

“I don’t like the list being shorter one bit.” Shigeru said off to the side, “In fact, I’d wager a guess that the reason you list all of us is for the very reason of reminding us that our numbers are dwindling.”

“Upupupu... Did you know that I have a deceased title for all of you, too? If you want to find out yours, you have to die! Ahahaha!” Monokuma laughed, revealing his sharp teeth, “Let’s see... Rikuto’s is ‘The Spark Between Fire and Death’-- Oops, his normal one was ‘The Spark Between Iron and Heat’... Since he was posing as dead, I couldn’t just give it out. And Nori’s is ‘The Whimsical Man in Search of Nothing’!”

“Dare I ask about Yudai?” Amari folded her arms.

“Well, I already gave you his dead one because he was dead already,” Monokuma said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “I can’t believe that the word ‘void’ didn’t tip you off! How idiotic! But his alive title was ‘The Great Mask of the Sea’. Puhu...”

“Stupid ramblings from a loser bear. This isn’t worth my time,” Marise tapped her foot on the ground.

“I think that it’s very important to lead with the fact that there’s a secret passage from the Vault to the Supply Room,” Ami dipped her head, “Without that fact in mind, we could have some misconceptions. Mei and I found it while examining the Supply Room. Haru and Kouki were with us.”

“Hm. Very, very interesting,” Marise smirked, “Y’know, just for kicks, I want to know everyone’s initial suspects. Any takers?”

“You mean... Besides Yukari?” Yamato answered almost immediately, “Because that’s my answer, regardless of whether she faced Nori or not as he died, she is certainly responsible.”

There was a bit of silence and a few glances at Yukari before she perked up, “Oh! Am I supposed to try to refute that? Well, that’s certainly no fun. There’s not even any evidence yet.”

“Ugh. Any other suspects?” Marise glared around the room, “No? Great. It’s my turn then. This should be obvious, but once again, I’m the only one seeing through the glamour. The killer is Mei, obviously.”

“Mei again?” Ami gritted her teeth, “By all means, Marise. Care to share your reasoning?”

“Gladly. So, the murder happened in the Vault. The first issue with this is that Keroko was in the File Room prior to the body discovery. This got me thinking. No one saw the killer. Of course, the stealthiest one here is Mei. As you know, Mei’s turn never came up for the torturing motive. Convenient for her,” Marise looked around, “The murder weapon was a knife, or so we think. I’m sure at least one of you thought of this. In fact, it is a trope I’ve used myself. What I am talking about is masking the murder weapon by stabbing the same spot with a different weapon post-mortem.”

“You’re saying that Mei stabbed Nori with her own blade and then got a kitchen knife to cover it up?” Kanna opened his mouth as if to say more, but thought better of it.

“I’m not done yet, because Ami just gave me a very juicy bit of information just now. Mei was among the group that found the secret passage, was it? Tell me, who activated the passage?” She paused and looked directly at Mei, “Was it you, Mei?”

“Yes. I opened the secret passage. The... er... pressure plate? It was easily found in the floor,” Mei nodded as she said it, oblivious to Marise as her mouth curled into a smirk, “I do not understand the relevance.”

“Well, consider this. You found said pressure plate because you already knew where it was. You’d found it before. I’m not an idiot; I see people for what they’re worth and, well, I admit, even you have strengths, airheaded loser. For one, you notice those tiny details, don’t you?” Marise pointed a thin finger at Mei. Her green eyes held a mixture of anger and satisfaction, “Go on, tell me you have something stupid like a piece of the floor in your pocket.”

“In my pocket...?” Mei tilted her head, “I do not possess the floor.”

The ninja reached into her pocket and pulled out some small dark things, “I took this after I saw Takanichi with them in the Kitchen. I am not sure what they are...” Next was a red marker, noticeably missing the cap, “...And this I took from the Supply Room. I am very fascinated by it. It is like a pen, but big. However, I cannot make any more marks with it.”

“It probably dried out...” Kouki winced as Mei put it back into her pocket, “Why do you take all of this stuff anyway?”

“Because I wish to know what it is. If I take it, I can figure out how it works. For example, the... scissors...? The scissors I took from Fujioka. I found that when I squeeze them, they cut neat lines. They are tiny, but the precision is something amateurs should strive toward,” Mei nodded to Shigeru, who adjusted his shirt collar uncomfortably, “I do not have the floor in my pocket.”

“I have made my stance very clear, I feel,” Marise had gone back to folding her arms, her weight on one leg with the other knee popped, “So, Mei, what say you?”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Kitchen Knife

MEI: You believe that I killed Sasaki. Am I understanding correctly?
MEI: You say that I chased him in the tunnel and killed him in the vault.
MARISE: Look at you! I’m so proud.
AMI: I feel that a lot of your logic can apply to more than just Mei.
AMI: My turn in the motive had not yet come up.
AMI: Neither had yours, Marise.
MARISE: Mei has the means and intent to kill.
MARISE: She stabbed Nori with one of her swords...
MARISE: And covered it up with the knife!
NISEKO: But... which one?
MARISE: I... I don’t fucking know! Don’t ask me.
MEI: I killed him with neither.
MEI: I did not kill Sasaki.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru pumped his fist forward, “How about we use simple logic, Marise, since I know you hate thinking too hard.”

“Sounds like a roundabout way to cover up the fact that you don’t know what you’re talking about,” She spat back, “But hurry up and say what you have to say so that I can enjoy destroying the logic of a loser.”

“The knife is a kitchen knife. We’ve established that. But the killer would risk being seen by someone if they went upstairs to the kitchen to grab it,” Haru explained, watching Marise with careful eyes.

“So Mei had it with her,” Her face was cold as stone as her gaze bored into him, “I don’t see the issue, Haru.”

“At that point, why use her own blade at all? Why not just kill Nori with the knife?” Haru turned to Mei, occasionally glancing back at Marise, “Mei. How familiar are you with other weapons? Besides your katana and Takeo’s wakizashi.”

“As natural as they are, I believe any bladed object should come with ease,” Mei answered, “Tanioto. Is your question instead whether I could have killed Sasaki with the knife? Sasaki was a tiny person. I would have no issues with dispatching him even without a blade. Should the mission call for it, I will use anything I have.”

“I think that may have b-been a bit much,” Shohei mumbled, his teeth chattering, “If you talk like th-that too much, you look more suspicious...”

“I apologise,” Mei bowed slightly and when she straightened, she looked back at Haru expectantly.

“So, Mei, as a calculated... assassin... wouldn’t make a mistake like leaving and coming back. And if she already had the knife, she wouldn’t have used her own blades,” Haru explained.

“Hey, apologies in advance for this, but... How exactly is that disproving Marise’s accusation? Just remove the part where Mei used her own sword and it seems fine to me,” Kanna flicked his ponytail as he finished his sentence.

“Ha. Exactly. The perfect loser is on my side, see?” Marise grinned, “This time, you can’t refute me so easily. So keep this in mind when you realise that all the signs point to the ninja.”

“I don’t mean to cut in-- Well, yes, actually, I do,” Amari sighed heavily, “But throwing around suspects this early seems a bit... Well... Let’s talk facts. We brought up the secret passage which is good to keep in mind, but how about Nori himself?”

”Fine. We can move on for now. Just, as I said,” Marise’s smile rested in a smirk, “Keep that in mind.”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: State of the Body

AMARI: I conducted what I’d like to say is a thorough investigation of the body.
YAMATO: I was there, too. Not really doing the same... But still.
AMARI: Nori was felled by a strike to his chest.
AMARI: The exact nature of this attack was unclear.
SHIGERU: Nori was small, as Mei said.
SHIGERU: I don’t think it would’ve taken much to down him.
NISEKO: So the killer made quick work of him.
NISEKO: They went in, stabbed him, and left!
KOUKI: If that’s the case, then just how long did this take?
NISEKO: I suppose that would be pretty quick.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru said, cutting off Niseko, “Normally, I’d believe that, too. Especially with the information given in the Monokuma file. But from what we know, I think we can say that it is a misguided thought. For one, the position of Nori’s body does not indicate a quick stabbing. He was pinned to a wall.”

“Kero. Kero kero, o ro kero korereko,” Keroko croaked and then looked around, a little desperately.

“I do enjoy having power over our herpetologist’s speech. Kyahahahaha!” Yukari grinned widely, “Ah, but I won’t lead you on. ‘Yes. If Nori were stabbed, his body would be on the ground.”

“Kero.” She nodded to confirm that what Yukari had said was accurate.

“Plus, Nori had an injury on his head. I think it’s likely that was done to weaken him,” Haru scratched the back of his head as he thought about it, “Rikuto broke Yudai’s arm before killing him, but by that point, Yudai had given himself up. It’s hard to know exactly what Nori was thinking at that moment, but we can take some guesses.”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Evidence of a Struggle

SHIGERU: Nori really was tiny. It wouldn’t surprise me if he were knocked unconscious.
KOUKI: By the blow to the head, you mean?
KOUKI: But his eyes were open when we found him.
SHIGERU: Quite, quite. However, I can’t see Nori taking on anyone here.
SHIGERU: Well, perhaps except for Niseko.
NISEKO: I think anyone could take me... But not Setsuka!
KEROKO: Kero?
YUKARI: Don’t be ridiculous. You’re small, but not helpless.
KEROKO: Kero.
SHIGERU: Regardless of the specifics, I don’t think Nori would’ve stood a chance.
SHIGERU: I think he went down fairly easily in other words.
YAMATO: Don’t underestimate someone based on their height.
YAMATO: Don’t underestimate Nori.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru shouted for the third time. “If I recall, you didn’t spend too much time with the body, did you, Shigeru? All over Nori’s body were cuts and his clothing was torn up. To me, that suggests that a struggle occurred.”

“Do you remember how his hairpin was loose in his hair? I’ll take a bet that it was cut out,” Kouki suggested, “Especially since it was just hanging in his hair.”

“Since they’re cuts and not bruises, I think it’s safe to say that the culprit of these scars was the knife. It makes me wonder, though. Did Nori land a blow in return?” Amari brought her finger to her chin, “In Yudai’s case, we suggested checking for injuries, but never did.”

“Yeah, because you’re not touching me!” Marise yelped, “Keep your grubby hands away from me.”

“If there was indeed a struggle, I think that narrows the list of suspects for now. Someone like Amari or Mei, trained fighters, probably could’ve killed Nori with ease,” Kanna pointed out. He looked at Amari, who was slowly nodding, “Ah, yes. Mei, do you think anyone here is injured?”

“Yukimura. Maekawa. Hoshino. However, these three were put into the glass boxes and they seem similar to before. Other than them...” Mei looked around, carefully eyeing everyone up and down, “No. Everyone else is normal.”

“It is possible that one of those th-three is masking the fact that they brawled with N-Nori,” Shohei suggested, “B-But I find that hard to believe. C-Call me soft, but Amari’s been k-keeping us out of trouble from the start, K-Kouki’s always t-trying to keep our spirits up, and Yamato... s-seems the most shaken over this. Just as a judge of character, I-I don’t think any of them did this.”

“All of that is true, but we can’t rely on emotion. People often do the wrong thing for a reason they think is just. Rikuto killed Yudai to stop the motive. He had a good intention, but still stooped to murder,” Haru bit his lip, thinking back to the last trial, “I think the killer got injured in that fight. It seems very likely.”

YOUR CLAIMS STRIKE AIR!

“With all due respect, Haru, I feel that you are wrong in this situation. As someone with firsthand experience of hiding injuries, it’s certainly not easy to completely hide,” Amari folded her arms, looking taller and more imposing than normal, “But Shohei has a very strong point, the recency of the injuries would be visible.”

“So what you’re saying is that because no one here has any recent injuries, Nori landed no blows?” Haru tilted his head, confused by what the bodyguard was saying, “Yamato’s torturing wasn’t long before Nori’s death.”

“I would have no issue with this, however, my goal is to protect you all, so I cannot let you make an error!”

Rebuttal Showdown
Truth Bullet: Blood in the Supply Room

AMARI: Nori was injured in the fight.
AMARI: But I do not believe that the killer was.
AMARI: Even though a struggle is a struggle...
AMARI: The killer could still have gotten away without a scratch.
AMARI: Hiding the wound among other recent wounds is quite ingenious...
AMARI: But take Mei’s claims seriously.
AMARI: She said that no one looked any different from before.
AMARI: Even the three of us who were tortured.
AMARI: I would have no issue with taking this loss, but I can’t.
AMARI: I deeply apologise...
AMARI: But it’s one or all.
AMARI: And I choose to protect the most people I can.

Advance!

HARU: You’re not wrong that Mei said that...
HARU: But even a minor injury can go unnoticed.
HARU: We are among Ultimates, Amari.
HARU: Or are you saying that as the Ultimate Bodyguard, you can’t hide pain?
AMARI: You call into question my talent while at the same time accusing me?
AMARI: I suppose it can’t be helped.
AMARI: Subtle differences are normally unnoticeable...
AMARI: But Mei has proven her sharp eye.
AMARI: I believe that not even a talent such as mine could get past her.
AMARI: And I must protect myself. I am certain I have the highest pain tolerance here.
AMARI: If I did not do this, no one else could.
AMARI: Therefore, no one got injured. It’s as simple as that.
AMARI: You can keep accusing me. I take issue with it...
AMARI: But I understand your point.
AMARI: Unfortunately, that’s a discussion for later.

“I will cut through those words!” Haru swiped his hand to point at Amari, “I’ve caught a flaw in your argument. There is no way to say with absolute certainty that the killer was not injured. It is possible, but that is all. After all, there was blood in the Supply Room.”

“In the Supply Room, you say? It could just be Nori’s blood,” Amari interjected, raising a hand, “We know Nori was cut by the knife a bit before the final stabbing. How much blood was there?”

“Droplets...” Haru admitted, “But they were scattered around the room and there was quite a bit. Ah, how about this? You investigated the body at length. How much blood, aside from the blow to the head and the killing wound, could have fallen to the ground?”

“Hm... Well, I guess only his right arm,” Amari thought about it for a moment, “The rest was absorbed by his clothing and his left arm didn’t bleed enough to even reach his hand. Although his left-hand fingertips were a bit stained, it seemed like it was more from touching a wound than blood running down.”

“Might I take this moment to add that I can stitch together wounds? Call medic Yukari if you ever need to stop bleeding!” Yukari’s voice echoed throughout the room and she paused, “Oh, is this not the time? Well, keep it in mind. I’d hate to see someone bleed out by accident.”

“Perhaps the killer was injured. But because of the torture, it’s nigh impossible to judge the killer based on that,” Amari shook her head. She paused for a long moment before looking up, “...Alright, well, I hate to accuse people. I really do, but I have a suspicion of my own.”

“Oh yeah?” Marise leaned forward, “Just who is your suspect, then, Amari? Go on and tell us the unlucky loser.”

She gritted her teeth, scrunching up her face, and breathed in deeply, “I apologise so deeply... I think the killer is Yamato.”

The ringmaster had been staring into his podium, but at that, he slowly lifted his head in shock, before his eyes narrowed in anger that burned so hot, Haru felt as though Amari might burst into flames, “You’d... You’d dare?!”

Class Trial: Intermission

---

Class Trial: Resume

“Y-Yamato?” Kouki stammered, “You’ve been with him the whole time since the investigation started. You’ve seen exactly how he feels and... And... He’s one of the few people here who has an alibi.”

Haru blinked. An alibi.

“I understand that, but keep in mind that an alibi is easily faked,” Amari calmly answered.

“Yeah, yeah. Faked. Y’know... Mei even saw me! Stop being a little bitch and actually try contributing something helpful!” Yamato’s voice boomed. Haru had known that Yamato could be loud, as he almost always was, but this time, he felt shaken. He could feel the anger and desperation.

“Let’s calm down and just go over--”

“I’ll calm down once you stop being a fucking idiot!” Yamato cut her off, “How about some real evidence!”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Yamato’s Account

YAMATO: So what the hell even is your reasoning for this?
AMARI: Yes, you see, Nori was the closest to you.
AMARI: This easily gives you the means.
YAMATO: The means?! Why...
AMARI: Secondly, you managed to stop the motive.
YAMATO: What does that have to do with anything?
AMARI: I did not see you after you left the Laboratory--
YAMATO: Shut up and answer me.
AMARI: Very well. You have made it clear how you knew this information.
AMARI: And there’s no doubt that there is someone much more suspicious than you.
KOUKI: You mean...
AMARI: I don’t think you were going to kill Nori.
AMARI: But rather, someone talked you into it.
YAMATO: Someone-- What?! That’s a lie!

“I agree with that!” Haru curled his hand into a fist, “Since the moment Nori’s body was discovered, I’ve thought that Yukari had something to do with this murder. And you, Yamato, talked to Yukari before the murder occurred. One of the conclusions we came up with, courtesy of Ami, was that Yukari manipulated someone into killing Nori.”

“So you think I did it? Because I spoke to Yukari, you think I killed Nori?” Yamato growled and looked straight at Yukari, “Because you came into the Lab while I was there and you spoke to me, I’m the top suspect, huh?”

“Hey now, love. I may or may not have something to do with this, but you should refute your own accusations,” Yukari shrugged, “When it’s my turn, I’ll do my talking. Until then, you take it away, ringmaster.”

“May I interrupt?” Kanna raised a hand, “See, we’re incriminating Yamato based on his speaking to Yukari, but... That seems a bit flimsy. Yamato couldn’t have been the only one Yukari talked to in that time period.”

“At least someone’s head is on straight,” Yamato turned to the side, “Well? Spill it. Who else saw her?”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Shohei’s Account

KOUKI: This has come down to a matter of alibis.
KANNA: I did not see Yukari at all, if I must be honest.
SHIGERU: Until the investigation? I didn’t either.
NISEKO: She is kinda weird. Are we sure someone else saw her?
KEROKO: Kero koro koko.
YUKARI: ‘She pops up wherever.’
AMI: I wish I had seen her. I’d have a lot of questions.
MEI: I see her all the time. I did not after Yukimura was in the box, however.
NISEKO: It seems like we’ve run out of leads.
NISEKO: This isn’t good...
KANNA: No, this isn’t right.
KOUKI: I do recall Yukari coming up more than once...

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru slammed his hand down. His eyes trained on his target, he saw him jump, “Shohei. You saw Yukari, didn’t you?”

Shohei stood, frozen, for a moment before uttering a single word, “...Shit.”

“Aha! How do you feel now, Amari? Feel bad yet?” Yamato yelled at the bodyguard, “Want to apologise yet?”

Amari had her hand over her mouth in a thoughtful expression, “When exactly did Shohei see Yukari, though?”

“Y-Yeah, uh... It was when I was upstairs. I was in the Observation Room f-facing the wall. Plugging in my stuff. Then when I turned around, she w-was right there!” Shohei bit his thumbnail, shivering, “It wasn’t long before I found the b-body...”

“Kero... Kero ko kerero. Koke kero ko koreko koko?” Keroko was looking at Yukari, but it was strange. This time, she held some sort of contempt on her face, “Kero ko kere rere ro ko koroko kerokero ko ko.”

“Ah. ‘Guys... I have a question. Why are we even letting Yukari off? Just because we don’t think she is doesn’t mean she didn’t do it.’” Yukari smiled a small smile, “I knew it would only be a matter of time.”

“Anyone can murder. You don’t even need a weapon,” Mei nodded slowly. “So, I agree. We should accuse Nagakage.”

“That doesn’t sit right with me, though,” Ami looked downward, “She’s smarter than that. Of course we’ll end up catching the killer. I don’t think she’d bank on us overlooking her.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing, Ami?” Yamato had his arms folded, leaning on his hoop. At least he didn’t seem as angry.

“Yukari seems really easy,” Kanna shook his head, “As much as I don’t like her... I think she plans on sticking around.”

“IS THIS A DEBATE I’M HEARING?!”

“Now, now. Let’s keep things nice and civilised. In times like these, I have the perfect solution!” Haru had just barely glanced at Monokuma when his podium moved underneath him. Of course, he recognised this from last time.

This time, he stared into Keroko’s red eyes. It was time for another face-off.

Split Opinion
Is Yukari Nagakage the killer?

KEROKO: Kero ko kero ko kororo. (We can’t just not accuse Yukari.)
KOUKI: If we accuse her, we’ll be heading straight for her trap.

MEI: I do not understand why you think Nagakage is innocent.
AMI: Just because she didn’t kill Nori doesn’t mean she’s innocent.

YAMATO: There is plenty of evidence suggesting she did it.
KANNA: Just as there is evidence incriminating others.

SHOHEI: Yukari’s been saying some weird things to us.
MARISE: So she’s just being the same old weird loser?

NISEKO: It’s not a fair trial if we don’t accuse Yukari, too.
HARU: In considering her, I think we’ll find Yukari to be far from Nori’s killer.

“This is our answer!”

“I think the answer to whether Yukari is the Blackened or not will come naturally. I’m not saying we should rule her out completely, but we should keep in mind her attitude and motivations,” Haru explained as his podium resumed its original position, “For now, let’s focus on one thing.”

“What’s that?” Kanna scratched his chin, “Not Yukari?”

“Alibis. I want to know who exactly has an alibi,” Haru glanced quickly at Ami, who gave a curt nod, “From what we know, Yamato has one. But who else?”

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Ami’s Account

YAMATO: You’ve heard and acknowledged my alibi.
KANNA: I was with Setsuka, investigating the doll.
NISEKO: Please just call me Niseko. Setsuka isn’t here.
KEROKO: Kero. Kere ko re.
YUKARI: ‘Reading. I was in the File Room.’
KEROKO: Koke kero koko, keroro reko.
YUKARI: ‘I smelled the blood, but I smell a lot of things.’
KEROKO: Kerero keroko reko ko.
YUKARI: ‘It didn’t seem weird to me.’
SHOHEI: I was in my room for a while, then I went to get my brewing stuff set up.
MARISE: I don’t have one.
SHIGERU: Me neither.
AMI: I’m sorry, but everyone who has an alibi is suspicious.
MEI: Why is this?
YAMATO: E-Excuse me?!

“I agree with that!” Haru scratched the back of his head, using his other hand to gesture toward Ami, “Earlier, just before we entered the elevator, Ami and I found that the clock in the Dining Hall showed a different time than her pocket watch.”

“R-Really?!” Shohei gripped his podium tightly, “Wait... Oh crap. Crap, crap, crap.”

“What’s the matter, Shohei?” Shigeru furrowed his brow, “Is there a problem with that?”

“Well, y-yeah! Everything that Ami and Haru just said! If the time was d-different, no one has an alibi. I-In fact, the people who have alibis are m-more suspicious because... because... Shit...” Shohei restlessly shuffled around.

“Because they could have come up with an alibi based around the new time. What was the disparity, Ami?” Amari asked, sweeping her bangs to the side.

“One hour. Four minutes,” Ami responded, pulling out her pocket watch, “At the time I looked at it, my watch said 11:02. The clock said 12:06. An hour is a lot of time.”

SPOTLIGHT: TO ME!

“Everyone with an alibi is suspicious, is it?” Yamato snarled, “I regret to inform you that it doesn’t matter. Everyone’s suspicious anyway. But most of all? Yukari.”

“Here we go again...” Haru muttered, too quietly for Yamato to hear.

Rebuttal Showdown
Truth Bullet: Missing Hairpin

YAMATO: You know who doesn’t need an alibi?
YAMATO: You know who doesn’t need a weapon?
YAMATO: Someone who probably doesn’t even need to be in the same room?
YAMATO: She’s got the entire shelter rigged with her stage magic.
YAMATO: You can explain literally everything with just her damn magic.
YAMATO: We’ve seen her draw a knife from thin air before.
YAMATO: And that whole debate about whether the killer got hit?
YAMATO: We saw how she handled that fight with Mei.
YAMATO: Without a weapon, might I add.
YAMATO: But here’s my point. She could pin it on anyone.
YAMATO: And I’m sure she could easily change the clock’s hands.

Advance!

HARU: If we think like that, nothing will ever be solved.
HARU: We can easily waive anything as Yukari.
HARU: But the best way to look at this is innocent until proven guilty.
HARU: Only once we eliminate every other suspect is it reasonable to vote Yukari.
YAMATO: Fine, then let’s talk about Nori.
YAMATO: Nori was found in the Vault.
YAMATO: And one of your points was about that secret passage, right?
YAMATO: As far as I’m concerned, that’s irrelevant.
YAMATO: Why look there if the evidence is in the Vault?
YAMATO: There’s not even evidence that Nori was in the Supply Room!
YAMATO: If we trace Nori’s steps, the killer should naturally reveal itself.
YAMATO: Do you disagree with that?
YAMATO: None of this matters anyway. We’ll find nothing.
YAMATO: The killer is Yukari.

“I’ll cut through those words!” Haru shook his head, “Yamato, look. I know you’re angry at Yukari, but we need to think reasonably. We brought you Nori’s hairpin which we found in the tunnel on the Supply Room’s side.”

Yamato growled in response, but he didn’t say anything. Looking at him, Haru could tell that the ringmaster's anger wouldn’t just vanish. Yukari or not, whoever killed Nori was in for a bad time. And he had to agree with Shohei - He couldn’t see Yamato killing his friend for any motive. Yamato had already suffered the torture, so the only motive left would have to be to escape, right? For as hostile as he had been toward Nori, Haru knew that Yamato would never abandon him, much less kill him.

“What are we supposed to do? Are there even any leads left?” Niseko whimpered and placed her hands together.

There had to be something. Something obvious that Haru was missing.

Hangman's Gambit: Ver.Sub
KFDGOERGAGOBLCVLBDFKGNGLFGLREA

That’s right! It was the--

“I found a character in the tunnel,” Mei said, interrupting Haru’s train of thought, “It was sloppy, but I copied it exactly.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. There were red marks on it, very obviously from the marker she’d pulled out earlier, as the lines were faded and hard to read, “Maekawa said that it is a ‘ge’ but I am unconvinced.”

“It kinda looks like one,” Kanna observed, “If you squint. More likely than not, if Nori wrote it, he was in a hurry. The question is, what does it mean?”

“It means Yukari,” Yamato grumbled. As he said this, Marise’s face lit up.

“That’s right! Nori had that stupid way of naming people. ‘Ge’ huh? Like ‘Geyu’?” Marise looked at Yukari, “I’m gonna hold off for now because Haru says innocent ‘til proven guilty and also, I have a different suspect.”

“Things are starting to get interesting now,” Yukari clapped her hands, “The way I see it, there are three real suspects. Myself, Yamato, and Shohei.”

“You’re still going on with that shit?” Yamato glared, “Fine, I see. I accuse you, you accuse me back.”

“Except Yukari already knows who did it,” Ami muttered, “Isn’t that right?”

“Maybe. Well, yes. I do, but...” Yukari trails off before grinning, “I wouldn’t want to give that away.”

“‘Ge’... Is there anything else we can get from that?” Niseko looked around at everyone, “Ummmm...”

Marise turned to look at the people in the circle and began with Kanna, “Chika, Toha, Kashi--”

“Not to interrupt, though I am. I do believe he called me ‘Karu’ at one point,” Shigeru cut in, but fell silent at Marise’s glare.

“Karu, which makes no sense. Noa, Wako, heh, Raya, Chisho, ummm... Hm,” She paused at Ami, “I don’t actually fucking know. Ua sounds dumb as fuck.”

“Kua,” She softly corrected.

“Right, of course. Kua, err... This is getting harder...” Marise squinted her eyes at Niseko who looked back at her.

“Ummm, I think it was... Er... Kose,” Niseko answered, “And Keroko is just Kero.”

“Mm. Yome and Geyu,” Marise looked around again, “Yup, the only one that starts with ‘Ge’ is bow bitch. Just something to keep in mind, ya know?”

“Why is it here?” Mei said, staring at the paper in her hands, “If this says something about the killer, why wasn’t it gotten rid of? It wasn’t hidden. The killer didn’t think it was important, perhaps?”

“Maybe the ‘Ge’ doesn’t stand for ‘Geyu’ and, like us, the killer didn’t know what it meant and, thus, left it as it was,” Kanna suggested, “I have to say, though. If we ignore the ‘ge’, we still only have one real suspect.”

“One?” Yamato frowned, “And who would that one be?”

“M-Me, isn’t it? You... You think I did it, Kanna... Don’t you?” Shohei shot a glance off to the side, “B-Because... You suggested we stay with our partners. I th-think you’ve suspected me from the b-beginning.”

“Ah. Shohei,” Kanna sighed, “You caught on, did you? You’re right. I initially suspected you because you were next. Then, as I listened to your story from the Laboratory, it got me thinking. I apologise I wasn’t forthright with my accusation.”

Shohei merely looked down at his podium. His eyes looked dull and his face was drawn. Kouki raised her voice, “Hey Haru. Do you remember what I said earlier? I said I couldn’t imagine anyone other than Yukari being the suspect. And... And you and Kanna talked about Antisocial Personality Disorder but... look at our suspects! Yamato is fuming with anger and Shohei is genuinely terrified. Something’s not right.”

“Antisocial Personality Disorder?” Mei cocked her head and blinked, “What is that?”

“To put it simply, it’s an involuntary way of thinking that involves a disregard for others,” Yukari explained, walking out from behind her podium, “But do you honestly think someone here has such a nasty disorder? I’ll say it straight out. That’s not the case. Do a bit of thinking, Haru. What do you think of this, let’s say... absence of a killer? You’ve named suspects, but none of them sit right with you. Most people here share that sentiment. Marise is hellbent on suspecting Mei, but there is no true evidence for her being the killer. Amari brought up that the killer could be Yamato, but you have known Yamato for three years and you know that his emotions are genuine. Kanna suspects Shohei because Shohei spoke to me, but that doesn’t quite line up when you realise that I spoke to him just before he found the body and Keroko was in the area. And finally, there’s me. You don’t suspect me, Haru, I can tell. Nobody suspects me, not even Yamato.”

“I want to go through one more time with alibis. Who saw someone, anyone else?” Haru took a deep breath.

There were a lot of ‘Nobody’s from the group and Haru’s frown only deepened when no new information came to light. Something was wrong there, he realised. All of the answers felt genuine and, sure, he knew the killer could be lying, but everything about everyone seemed so normal, “...But it can’t be suicide. Nori couldn’t put himself up like that...”

The others listened in silence to his ramblings. Something else disproved suicide. That was...

“And Nori’s poster. He wouldn’t have torn it up himself... Nori was too scared. No, someone definitely killed him. But who?!” He said the last line with such desperation that, beside him, Shigeru shuffled uncomfortably.

There was a line of logic. There had to be. The case wasn’t impossible. It couldn’t be.

Nonstop Debate: Start!
Truth Bullet: Keroko’s Account

KOUKI: Haru, is everything okay?
AMI: From what I understand, we all have a similar feeling.
AMARI: Killing someone brings its share of scars.
AMARI: Scars that nobody here seems to bear.
MEI: I have killed people.
AMARI: Er, recent scars.
MEI: I have killed people recently.
AMARI: ...Recent as in the past few days.
NISEKO: And the people who’d be able to hide it have different restrictions.
NISEKO: Like me. I’d probably come out with a crack or two.
SHIGERU: Well, well... I certainly don’t think we’re done.
SHIGERU: There has to be something we can talk about.
SHOHEI: Y-Y’know, I just thought about it.
SHOHEI: The alibis are a little strange, d-don’t you think?
KEROKO: Kero?
YUKARI: No translation necessary.

“I agree with that!” Haru nodded, his eyes going wide, “Keroko. You were in the File Room for a long time. Sure, the killer could’ve used the tunnel, but both the Vault and the Supply Room connect with the File Room.”

“Kero. Kerororo keko keroko reko ro,” Keroko looked sadly at the ground.

“‘Yes. But I was too absorbed to notice anyone.’ With the files, I presume. And why didn’t she investigate the smell of blood? To her, such smells must be natural,” Yukari waggled a finger.

“Exactly. You didn’t see anyone, which means the killer could have easily snuck by you. Now, it would be smart to omit seeing you from their alibi, but prior to me saying that the alibis were more incriminating, it would’ve been beneficial for the killer to say they saw you. And factoring in the messing with the clock, the killer could’ve falsified a pretty good alibi,” Haru shook his head, “So why does this seem so wrong? I have a solution.”

And the thing to show his solution...

“Yukari. We know that she at least knew about the murder because she accurately predicted Nori to be the victim. However, I’m almost certain that Yukari didn’t commit this murder. Instead, she merely manipulated it. What we saw in our investigation is what she allowed us to see. Therefore, this has to have a solution.”

“Very good. Now, Haru. What did I manipulate?” Yukari smirked but then shook her head, “No, put together these implications first. Then it will be painfully obvious.”

Put together the implications. Haru shut his eyes and began to think.

Logic Dive!

Question 1: Which person would the killer have been most likely to see?

A. Shohei
B. Keroko
C. Yamato

Question 2: Yukari knows the identity of...

A. The Victim
B. The Killer
C. The Victim and the Killer

Question 3: Who orchestrated the killing?

A. Yukari
B. The Killer
C. Nori

Question 4: What is Yukari’s Ultimate talent?

A. Politician
B. Psychologist
C. Psychoanalyst

Logic Dive Complete!

Results

Question 1: B
Question 2: C
Question 3: A
Question 4: C

“It’s all coming together!” Haru blinked, “The way I see it, the killer probably had very little input on this murder as a whole. The entire thing was planned by Yukari. It was planned by the psychoanalyst. In other words, Yukari manipulates the subconscious. That being said... Oh... Oh shit.”

“Kyahahahahaha! Oh, finally, I’ve been waiting this whole time for someone to realise this! I could hardly contain myself. Call it cliché, done before, whatever the heck you want. The killer doesn’t know they’re the killer!” Yukari began to cackle, her words evaporating amongst the sea of laughter until she finally started gasping, “Oh boy. People are gonna hate this!”

“Wh...What?” Yamato’s face had gone white, “They don’t know?!”

“Then... all of the evidence. You manipulated it all, didn’t you? The letter in the tunnel? The clock?” Haru’s voice had become a low grumble, “It was all you, wasn’t it?”

“Did you know that the letter in the tunnel was actually written by Nori? Albeit in a different form. I just did a little messing with it,” Yukari grinned, “The actual character was-- Ah. I’ll hold onto that for now, because I think you can figure it out. Kyahahaha!”

“It was there already?” Ami folded her arms, “Even if the killer doesn’t know they did it, they would have at the time of the murder, am I wrong? They would have seen that character.”

“This is what I meant. Why is it still there?” Mei tilted her head, “The killer must have seen it. It was right there. It was ugly, too.”

“Hmm... I wonder,” Yukari’s smile softened into another smirk.

“I agree. You’d have to be blind to miss something like that,” Kouki rested her chin in her hands.

“Hey, Haru. You know what braille is, right?” Yukari waved her hands and a series of dots flickered in the air, “It is the language of the blind. But what if we could simulate braille with something other than bumps?”

“Is this another one of your strange analogies?” Haru glared, “Because I don’t want to hear it right now. It’s bad enough that you’ve done this. Now we have to figure out who here is the killer.”

“Oh no, no, no, no, no. It’s perfectly relevant. Because someone here is hiding a very serious affliction,” Yukari made a pouty face, “An affliction that would render something so garish quite easy to miss.”

“Someone is... Someone here is...” Haru felt his body go cold.

“Oh yes. Perhaps that person would need accommodations for said affliction. And perhaps they don’t need other things that some people would need,” Yukari giggled and then stopped, “Oho, have you figured it out?”

“Stop playing games, Yukari. What the hell are you talking about?” Yamato raised his voice.

“If you’re saying someone is blind, I have a lot of trouble believing that,” Shigeru shook his head, “I pride myself on being quite observant and I think I would know if someone was blind.”

Voices broke out around the room, most annoyed or angry. But Haru was silent. After all, how could he not be?

He heard Yukari’s quiet ‘Shhhhhh’ and the room fell silent, “Very well. I suppose I can tell... Ah, Mei. Would you hold up your marker?”

Mei did as she was told and Yukari turned to face someone. Someone who was very quiet. Someone who was shaking and holding something very close to her chest, “Ami. What color is the pen?”

Any noise that was left in the room died completely. Haru almost felt his knees give way as he saw Ami’s head jerk up, her furious shivering giving her an almost twitching look as she turned to look at Yukari. Then to Mei. Finally, to Yukari again, “I... I... No-- I...”

“Go on, Ami. It’s a very simple question,” Yukari frowned, “Or do I need to shoot some--”

“I don’t-- I...” She thrust her face into her hands and stumbled backwards, “Ahh... Red! It’s red!”

Mei looked at the indeed red marker in her hands and looked back up just in time to see Yukari snatch it out of her hands and tap Ami over the head with it, as if it were a magic wand, “Nice try, Yumekuu.”

“What...? No... I...” Ami lifted her head up, her thick bangs wet with tears, “No... No...”

“Haru, come here. I think Ami would appreciate it more if it were you and not me,” Yukari beckoned with her free finger and Haru hesitantly walked over, “You wouldn’t lie to Haru, would you, Ami? If you really have nothing to hide, why don’t you show our dear friend here your eyes? Now, what story did you tell him? Was it about being afraid of what you might see?”

Ami slowly backed up until her back hit the wall and she collapsed, sliding down. She raised her head again as Haru approached, cautiously, “I’m so sorry... I can’t hide it from you. I can’t... I’m so sorry.”

”Ami...”

Her entire hand had gone white from clutching her pocket watch so tightly, “I’m... Please look, Haru. Please. Nobody has seen my face for so many years...”

Ami dropped her arms in defeat and Haru knelt down to brush the hair from out of her eyes. At first, her eyes were closed, but slowly they opened. Only the palest bit of color could be seen, enveloped in a sea of milky white. He felt his hand slowly drop. There was absolutely no doubt, “Why... Why did you hide it?”

“I... I...” She stammered, but a voice broke through.

“You know, I didn’t know about your past until we got access to the File Room, Ami. You were so good at hiding your secrets... So when I found out just how easily you gave in to me, well... You could imagine my shock. It was almost like you’d done it before.”

Ami slowly got to her feet again, weakly extending a hand toward Yukari, “Stop... Please... Don’t do this.”

“No, no. I want a proper fight from you, Ami. Go on, I know you have a trigger word,” Yukari’s face was downright twisted.

“Fi... Fine,” She whimpered, grabbing her head, “It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s... alright... Because, I know...”

“You know? Know what, hm?” Yukari put an arm on her hip, “I know about you, love. Just how you’ve messed up your own brain. A proper example of when your talent backfires.”

“Shut up. Don’t do this to me. Let me die with my secrets and let me die with my own guilt,” Ami yelled, marching straight up to Yukari, “Leave me alone!”

“What is it that Monokuma called you? I recall you reacting adversely to it. I believe it was... The Quiet Terror in the Night?” Yukari tapped Ami on the nose, “Could I call you the Night Terror instead?”

“The Night Terror?” Shigeru frowned, “That sounds familiar.”

“Then I won’t give her the satisfaction,” Ami snarled, “There was a rash of killings. Each victim was killed in a similar manner, so people came to the assumption that it was the work of a serial killer. They called them the ‘Night Terror’.”

“Boy, are serial killers getting stale. Especially at this stage,” Yukari yawned, “Hacked and mutilated... And the reason you hid your blindness... Because you realised when you heard about the first victim... You realised that, subconsciously, the gouging out of the eyes was tied to your affliction. Honestly, with the first victims being your father and best friend, I’m shocked that you were never incarcerated. But I suppose today we found out just how hard it is to catch a killer who is unaware that they’re a killer.”

“Yumekuu?” Mei had made her way over, “Is this a lie?”

Ami didn’t turn her head, “No... I... I did all of that. It was all me. Just a pitiful, worthless girl. Once you do something like this, you no longer mean a thing.”

“You’re wrong,” Mei looked up at her, “You’re wrong. I kill people. But I mean something, right?”

“You... You do it for a different cause. You--”

“Murder is murder. When we first got here, that’s what everyone thought. I said that I kill people and everyone became scared. Kita keeps accusing me because murder is murder. There is no difference!” Mei raised her voice.

“Mei, please,” Ami pleaded, but Mei held her ground.

“Be silent. I will not accept this. You are being manipulated by Nagakage. Therefore, Nagakage did it,” Mei growled and drew both blades, “And I will fight anyone who says otherwise.”

“Mei, no. Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare!” Ami cried out.

Panic Talk Action!

“Yumekuu is not the killer.”
“Nagakage did it.”
“Murder is murder, yes.”
“Nagakage is more a murderer than anyone.”
“I have killed. Hoshino has killed.”
“Honda killed. Even if Yumekuu has killed in the past...”
“She did not kill Sasaki!”

AAAA AA ABA AB BBA AB BA AB

“You can not let her die.”
“I will not let her die.”
“Nagakage must die.”
“It will be my mission.”
“I am sorry to disobey.”
“But my master is now justice.”
“Do not get in my way!”

AA B C AA AAA C AB C BABB AAB

“Name one thing that incriminates Yumekuu and not Nagakage.”

KANA ON THE WALL

“It’s time to finish this!” Haru said through gritted teeth, “I wish it wasn’t true. But show me that paper once more, Mei.”

“Why? What does it prove?” Mei asked as she pulled it out.

“This was a kana all by itself. Specifically a ‘ku’,” Haru pulled out a pencil from his sweater and pointed out the tail of the kana. He drew the character ‘く’ to demonstrate, “The rest of it was the beginning of an ‘a’. All Yukari had to do was erase part of the ‘ku’ and draw the second line in the ‘a’ a bit lopsided. Then she added the dakuten to make a ‘ge’. He drew the ‘あ’ and looked toward Mei, “And what did Ami say that Nori called her?”

“Kua...” Mei looked down at the paper, frustrated, “I cannot believe it.”

“You must. Haru, you must convince Mei to let it go. I could myself but... I can’t bear the thought of hypnotising someone now...” Ami lowered her head, tears dripping from her cheeks.

Closing Argument.
Start!

“I’ll have to make some assumptions here, so bear with me. I suppose this case started with the introduction of the motive because that was when Yukari told us that she knew what would happen. Though it was sooner than we expected, she did indeed put a plan into motion. Sometime after Yamato’s torture, Yukari found Ami and used her talent against her, hypnotising the hypnotist. She must’ve invited Nori to the Supply Room beforehand in order to get him in the right spot. I imagine that Nori would have some thoughts about Ami being with Yukari, so Yukari probably brought Ami to the Supply Room from the Vault, so as to catch Nori off guard. Once everything was in place, she left the room for Ami and Nori to enact her plan. Ami went after Nori, but he was able to slow her down by throwing some of his possessions at her. This is how his poster ended up torn on the ground and his hairpin in the tunnel. He bought himself enough time to write a ‘ku’ and the beginnings of an ‘a’ in hiragana, but Ami quickly pursued him, not noticing the writing because she is blind. Once in the Vault, he wouldn’t have had enough time to get out before Ami hit him in the head and, in his moment of weakness, stabbed him into the wall, killing him. At this point, Ami’s job was done and Yukari returned to take her back. On the way through the tunnel, Yukari manipulated Nori’s writing to resemble a ‘ge’, incriminating herself. Once she’s cleaned up Ami, Yukari lets her be where she eventually wakes up with no memory of the event.”

“This hurts me so much and I wish that it weren’t true. But the culprit had to be you, Ami Yumekuu... The Ultimate Hypnotist,” Ami didn’t look away or flinch or anything. She simply stood there before a small, pained smile took her face, breaking Haru’s heart, and he could feel warm tears of his own rolling down his face. Ami’s expression was one of finality.

Chapter Text

“Upupupupu... Correct once more,” Monokuma’s smile was sly and infuriating.

“Ami... I can’t pretend that what happened isn’t the truth. It’s all too clear now,” Haru said to the side, unable to look at her any longer. The other students had fallen long silent and he almost felt like it was just them in the room.

“I had hoped--” Ami paused, her voice breaking. Then she took a deep breath and started again, “I had hoped I could spend more time here. I hoped that we could all escape together. Then Rikuto and Yudai went and I thought that... Maybe it was a one-time thing. Maybe it would teach us... But I can’t say I didn’t consider the possibility that I would be standing here, like this.”

“Because of your past, you mean?” Haru looked back as she nodded.

“That’s right. I really messed up back then and now, it’s finally come back around. I really should have realised that my watch had been tampered with...” She sighed. In a flash, her expression changed, however, as she grit her teeth, “But you-- Don’t think you’re getting out of this unscathed.”

Ami was pointing at Yukari, who was quietly leaning on her podium, “Whatever do you mean, love? I’m not the Blackened, you are.”

“You killed Nori because you were tired of him constantly poking around you. That’s obvious,” Ami didn’t miss a beat as she continued, “But why did you choose me to kill him? It wasn’t because of what I’ve done. No, the reason is far worse for you.”

“Oh dear... Don’t say something you’ll regret,” Yukari narrowed her icy eyes, straightening up.

“I’m about to die. There’s nothing for me to regret,” Ami shook her head and walked to meet her face to face, “So I might as well. The reason you chose me, Yukari, is because you felt threatened. You were afraid I would figure you out. And I have, you know. I know exactly what you are.”

“Ami...” Yukari’s voice was low and threatening.

“You were scared that I could figure out the inner workings of your mind and that’s just it, isn’t it? Deep inside, you’re vulnerable. I don’t know what your evident powers are, but I bet you that if someone took them away, you’d be nothing more than a helpless girl with nothing to fall back on,” Ami’s face was inches from Yukari’s, “That’s why you chose now to kill. This motive was your undoing, wasn’t it? In that chamber, you would have been powerless. And nothing scares you more than being helpless, isn’t that right? I may not be able to see, but you’re the real blind one here.”

Yukari stared at her for a long moment with some unnameable expression in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, “My, aren’t you just a fascinating one? Ami, love, your legacy ends now. Is this how you choose to spend your final moments?”

“You’ve doomed her!” Kouki suddenly cried out, drawing the attention in the room, “You set her up and she’s going to die for your intent. She has every right to do this and I can’t think of anything I’d do in her place.”

“Yukari Nagakage. I want you to know that even when I’m gone, I’ll haunt your nightmares. Just as the Night Terror should,” Ami finally broke away from her and paused before snapping her head to the side and jerking her arm in front of her just in time to catch something that was whizzing straight for her neck.

In her hand was a familiar silver hoop and Ami winced from the friction of the spinning slowing in her palm. Haru looked to where Yamato stood. The ringmaster’s head was down low, his hat covering most of his face so Haru couldn’t read his expression, “I tried to hold it in, Miss Lady, but you took too long and my anger is too great.”

“I understand,” Ami made her way over to Yamato and dipped her head, “I killed Nori. It’s not something I can just apologise for. So I guess, then, it’s time for my repentance. The karma for all of the crimes I committed.”

“No...” Haru watched Mei frantically glance between Ami and Monokuma, the latter frozen in place.

“Don’t lose this, though. It’s become important to you. And I don’t think you should let the important things out of your sight,” Ami laid the hoop on Yamato’s podium and turned to Shohei’s, where the boy lay slumped over his podium. In the raw emotion, Haru hadn’t even noticed him fall asleep, “I... I said I wouldn’t, but I suppose... He said he felt bad for missing it last time... Ah... Shohei, please wake up. It’s over.”

The barista shuffled a bit before groaning and raising his head. Then he jumped up, “O-Oh shit! Am I gonna die?!”

There was an awkward silence as Shohei took in his surroundings and placed a shaky hand over his mouth, his eyes narrowing in understanding, but Haru could see the pain in his eyes as he worked out just what he’d missed.

Silently, Ami looked up at Monokuma or, Haru supposed, raised her head in his direction. He wondered if it was instinctual for her. If she’d taught herself to look at others to hide her disability, “Alrighty then. I really hate cutting goodbyes short. I’ve learned that if I let the Blackened say goodbye, it makes everyone else feel even more despair!”

Haru felt every negative emotion crash down at the sound of Monokuma’s voice and he made a move to run forward, but Ami held out her hand, “ I told you, Haru. If I end up leaving you, don’t ever look back. Leave me behind and keep moving forward... Where I’m going, I’ll never return from and I know that any sort of escape from this nonsensical world sounds tempting but, please, I beg of you to stay in your reality and cling to your fears. Escape the proper way.”

He wasn't quite sure he understood, but he couldn't think of anything else to do or say as she wound her pocket watch, presumably setting it back to the correct time, and walked forward, passing Mei whose expression seemed very unbefitting of her, until she stood in front of Monokuma.

“Okidoki! I’ve prepared a very special punishment for Ami Yumekuu, the Ultimate Hypnotist.” Monokuma grinned, “It’s punishment time!”

“ ... Goodbye.”

---

Toll of the Phantom - Ami Yumekuu - Ultimate Hypnotist

There was a thump as Ami was dropped into a room, checkered black and white. Hanging behind her, looming like a great shadow, was a large bell, like one atop a clock tower. In front of Ami lay a knife. Aside from that, the room was empty. She brought herself up to her knees, taking a deep breath. The bell behind her swayed and the clapper hit the inside with a full, resounding tone. Ami gasped, dropping to her knees. Her hand lurched forward to grab the knife and she desperately reached with her other hand to stop it, in vain. The bell tolled again as her fingers curled around the hilt and she quickly stood up, unsure of what would happen next. Despite being blind, Ami knew the difference between light and dark and she could imagine what shapes meant. The shadows of the room coalesced into forms that danced in her visionless mind, something she knew couldn’t possibly be real. The bell tolled once again as the phantom shapes surrounded her and she gripped the knife tightly as she heard footsteps. Crying out, she lashed her hand forward, attempting to cut one down. She swung again, but the absence of an impact told her that she was only meeting air. Her swings became more and more frenzied until she froze, hacking and gasping. Blood dribbled out of her mouth as she dropped down to her knees. It felt like time had stopped. The phantoms were no more. The footsteps had ceased. Her arms dropped to her side as the hot tears returned, stinging her eyes. Carefully, she grabbed hold of the knife once more, pulling it from her abdomen in defeat. It was far too late now, but of course, she now realised that her mind had been manipulated, not just her arm. She had been the phantom - The very thing she was trying to cut down. The bleeding would soon take her. It was far too late when she noticed the ticking of a clock, the only constant noise. Her head hit the ground as the bell tolled for the final time. At least, this time, she wouldn’t forget. This time, there would be nothing to forget. With the last of her strength, she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. There was nothing more to fear. Everything would be alright.

Execution: Executed.

---

---

Haru’s grip was tight as he stood, shaking in both sadness and anger. Around him, there was no movement. Only stunned silence.

“Noooooooooooooooo!” A piercing, shrieking cry echoed throughout the room, shattering that silence. Haru turned his head, weakly, to see Mei pulling at her hair. His expression softened as he noticed her tears, something that, prior to today, he never would have expected to see from the ninja, “Forgive me. Forgive me for my lack of respect... Ami... Please... Please... Ami... Amiiiiiiiiii!”

She drew her black katana and, with a wild, angry expression, threw it to the ground. Haru rushed forward to try and calm her, but in a fluid movement, he found himself centimeters from her wakizashi, “Mei...”

Despite her blade being pointed at Haru, Mei spoke to Yukari, “Nagakage. You have declared war and I am no stranger to battles. I fight with honor, a virtue I carry proudly and a virtue of which you have none. But that is fine. I shall still defeat you. This I swear.”

The ninja spun her wakizashi back into its sheath before biting her thumb. She bent down and drew it across the flat of her katana’s blade, leaving a red streak and repeating, “This I swear.”

She looked toward the bear sitting atop his chair and turned to the elevator, the tip of her katana barely above the ground. As she left, Haru noticed a familiar chain hanging from something she held in her other hand and he felt the slightest bit of relief.

“Right well, take your time leaving if you want, but my job here is done. Monokuma out! Puhuhuhuhu!” Monokuma laughed as he swung off his chair and vanished.

“This is fucked up,” Marise growled, “I mean... She didn’t even really do anything wrong. It was that bow bitch, right? If I were writing this story, the one who would be punished in the end is her, not Ami! Yamato, you agree with me, right?”

“What...?” He turned to look at Marise, “Ami was the one who killed Nori. Ami put that knife in his gut.”

“You really are just a mega loser, aren’t you. She was trying to make you feel better when she gave that back to you,” The ginger girl looked incredulously and then pointed at Yukari, “Or are you saying you’re actually comfortable with her?”

“I... I don’t really know how to feel about this. All I know is that Nori is gone. Earlier, I was mad at Yukari, this is true, but now... We know Ami did it and, now that she’s gone, we can put it behind us,” Yamato looked down at the hoop.

“So you just want to move on, huh? I guess I can understand that sentiment,” Marise placed a hand over her left rib, looking the slightest bit pained, “Yeah, sure. I guess you have your own thoughts and ideals. It’s your responsibility, not mine. But that’s my opinion, okay?”

Shaking her head, Marise walked off to the elevator, standing there in wait for it to return. After what seemed like a bit of consideration, Yamato followed her. Haru heard Shigeru take a deep breath and he turned. There was nothing really to see, but it made Haru think about how Shigeru had been after the trial and how Mei was acting, too. He turned again to look at Yamato, whose back was to him now and swallowed. Despite losing Rikuto and despite losing Ami, the change in Yamato was too great to be compared. The Yamato he knew would make some snarky remark, bite down his sorrow, and then go sulk in his room, letting the unbearable pain take him there. But instead, he’d lost his smile. What was the difference? Was it time? Yamato and Nori had been friends for three years which certainly eclipsed the week or so it had been here in the SRS. Or was it something he’d failed to notice in the ringmaster, despite also knowing him for three years? Yamato never talked about his life before the circus. Never. Haru looked away. He doubted he would ever find out, even if he tried to talk to Yamato now. But maybe... Maybe Yamato could heal.

He looked back up when the ding of the elevator broke his reverie. Kanna glanced back at the group, also heading into the elevator along with Marise and Yamato and, although he was shivering and pale, Shohei scrambled after him.

A few seconds after the door closed, Kouki walked over to Haru, her head hung, “I’m exhausted. I’m mentally done. I don’t think I can handle anything else. Monokuma is probably going to open another floor, right? I don’t want to explore it. Not yet... I just want to rest.”

“I feel the same way,” Amari said, also moving forward, “Ami took her death too well; it’s caused me even more heartache. She contributed a lot and... Well. Last time, she and Mei found Yudai and Rikuto’s lockers unlocked, right? We should probably go see that, although I imagine that was Mei’s first thought.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Speaking of which, I wanted to ask Mei if she learned anything about Yudai’s picture,” Shigeru raised a finger, “It might be useless to us, but any information about the unfairly deceased is an honor to their name. I think it might also do her some good to give her a task. Reminding her of that and perhaps that name you found when we investigated the Office Room might help.”

”Duty-sworn,” Amari nodded in response, “I think you’re right.”

“Maybe...” Niseko trailed off, “Oh, never mind. It’s nothing. It’s not even related to any of this. I just wonder why Rikuto got rid of Yudai’s Monopad.”

At the word ‘Monopad’, Haru felt his heart sink lower. Of course, the reason Ami was so interested in the Monopads must have been because hers was set up differently to accommodate her blindness. That’s what Yukari had been hinting at. He looked back to see what the psychoanalyst was doing, but her back was turned to them. Then what Niseko said sunk in and he looked at her. Was she, or Setsuka, questioning something about Yudai based on that photo? Just what was she thinking?

Keroko looked at Niseko for a moment before pulling out her own Monopad. She sat against her podium, pressing different options. She was probably looking for any possible hidden information.

“We shouldn’t stick around here, though,” Amari shook her head, “Let’s all rest and then find out what’s next. We need to fight back and... I need to apologise.”

She bowed and then headed for the exit, Shigeru following her. Niseko prodded Keroko on the shoulder and they also began leaving.

Kouki let out a heavy sigh, “Don’t look back, huh? How can we possibly fulfill that request? We can’t just forget this...”

“We can’t, you’re right. But I don’t think that’s what Ami meant. I think she meant that we can’t linger on this despair. Instead, we need to use it to press forward just as she spent her last moments moving on by facing her past.” Haru answered.

“Facing her past?” Kouki tilted her head.

“If she kept her bangs long to hide who she was from herself, then letting us see her as she died... It must have been her finally accepting herself as she was. Do you remember the other trial? Nearly everything she said was a way to get us to come to her conclusions, as if she didn’t think her own opinion mattered. Today, we learned why,” He explained it while looking at where she once stood. Every podium was empty now, but Ami’s somehow felt more so, “Because no one would believe the words of a killer. It’s exactly what Rikuto said, do you remember?”

“Yeah, I do... Nori died for a reason so twisted. He was so vulnerable and weak. And if I could have protected anyone here, I wish I could have protected him,” Kouki looked down, “And I know Ami felt at least somewhat the same. I got that feeling from her while we investigated. She put her effort into that investigation, unaware that, in the end, it would get her killed. Nori did his best to help us, knowing that he didn’t stand a chance. And Ami didn’t fight us at the end because if she did, she’d kill us. They were both very brave.”

“Yeah. They really were...” Haru bit his lip.

“Alright, I’m heading up. Let’s just leave her here,” Kouki motioned toward Haru and went for the elevator. When Haru didn’t follow, she gave a weak smile and headed out alone.

“...You really messed up. I don’t know what made you think so selfishly, but you really messed up,” Haru narrowed his eyes. He heard Yukari turn as he spoke.

“Are you going to be that phantom now?” Yukari responded, “Haunting me in her stead?”

“No. What’s haunting you is your subconscious because you know what you did was wrong,” Haru turned, anger in his orange eyes, “I would have thought that you, of all people, would understand that.”

“Hm,” Yukari looked off to the side, “Well, I could tell you everything about how someone else works, but when it comes to myself, I guess I’m just blind like Ami said.”

“How much of that was true?” Haru asked, “What Ami surmised?”

“More than I could have ever suspected. I was right about her,” Yukari shook her head, “Regret is a cognitive state that arises from blaming oneself for an unwanted outcome, whether it be valid blame or not. When we regret things, our brains have decreased activity in the ventral striatum, which is associated with our sense of reward and motivation, and increased activity in the amygdala, which is a part of our emotional responses to states like fear and aggression. We end up coming up with coping mechanisms at some point in the stage of regret.”

“Is this yours, then? Spouting off neuroscience?” Haru narrowed his eyes, “Do you regret what you’ve done?”

“Some... There are aspects in which things could have been done differently. In that regard, I certainly did not think this through. In fact, I possibly could have made Ami into a powerful ally. However, what I did was necessary. At some point, Haru, not now, you will understand this decision of mine. Until then, think of me what you will. I might seem like the person who would carry her secrets to the grave and maybe, once upon a time, I was. But this time... I promise that someday, you will understand. But do not forget, love. I am always watching,” Yukari left with those parting words, leaving Haru alone in the trial ground.

“You may have been singing about rain earlier, Yukari, but now the only thing I can see are the phantom faces at the windows.”

Little did Haru know that it was far too early for that sentiment. How could he know? How could anyone know?

If I dare continue to document such despair, where does that leave me? Whatever it is... The false security granted by such simple words...

"It's alright."

Chapter Text

“Upupupu... I’m surprised you’re letting other people keep a leash on you,” Marise groaned as the voice met her ears. Her face was buried in her pillow and she had no intention of lifting her head.

Muffled, she answered, “What do you want, loser bear?”

“I’m just wondering why you aren’t going lower,” Monokuma hopped onto the novelist’s bed, “Aren’t you curious?”

“Mildly. But your dumb trials make me think too hard and I really don’t feel like investigating,” Marise turned her head to the side to eye Monokuma, “I’ll go down when I feel like it. So... Pretty much when the other losers decide to go down. They’ll do all the work for me.”

“But... It’s really special down there!” Monokuma sheepishly placed his arms behind his back, “I put a lot of work into it...”

“I hate work. Therefore, I hate your work, too,” Marise snorted, sitting up, “I don’t care if that’s a fallacy. I’m entitled to my own opinions.”

“Fine, fine. There’s something else down there that I want you to see,” Monokuma glowered, his head lowered, “You’ll regret not seeing it--”

He was cut off by a frantic knocking at the door and, after giving a sly grin to Marise, he hopped off and vanished through the floor. Marise shook her head at the ridiculous impossibility before heading over to the door, “Alright, which one of you is-- Keroko?”

“Kero! Ke ke kero! Keroko kore ke!” The urgent croaking began before the door was even completely open and Marise saw the herpetologist, wide-eyed and shivering ever so slightly. Keroko grabbed at her leg and began to pull. Rolling her eyes, though even she couldn’t suppress some amount of worry, Marise followed the frog girl out into the Red Hallway. It was too soon for another body to show up, right? Whatever happened to dramatic pacing, Marise wondered as Keroko led her into the larger hallway, and finally, to the Meeting Room. “Kerooo!”

“What the...” She quickly understood what Keroko was so worried about as her usual glare was overtaken by surprise and that feeling she could almost call concern showed on her face. She dropped to her knees and placed her arms around the limp body of Niseko. Though the doll was always cold, somehow she felt colder than normal.

Flipping the doll so that she was face up, Marise began to shake Niseko. Her glassy eyes seemed dull and lifeless. That also wasn’t too strange, Marise thought, except that this was Niseko, the doll of a doll maker so skilled she could make a doll that wasn’t so different from a human, “What happened to her? Is she dead?”

“Kero... Kero ko kero...” Keroko sadly shook her head and shrugged. She held up three fingers, looking up at Marise with large, red eyes.

“Right. Three people for the BDA to play,” Marise folded her arms, “You haven’t seen anyone else wandering around, right?”

Marise hadn’t been paying attention as Keroko dragged her along, but the herpetologist had. She knew that someone had been sitting on the lockers since the trial, barring anyone from opening them. She knew that Kouki and Yamato, who’d wanted to look in Nori and Ami’s lockers, had eventually given up. So she nodded and hopped off with incredible speed. Watching her go, Marise couldn’t help but wonder how fast Keroko could run on two legs. Probably not too fast... Standing up for too long seemed to hurt her, so... Running? That was probably too much.

As the frog girl left, Marise turned her attention to the doll again. There wasn’t any visible damage to her. No cracks or even any blemishes. Marise had thought that in order to kill the doll, one would have to smash her or something similar, but every bit of Niseko was in place; there wasn’t even a thumb missing. There was, however, something under the doll’s shirt and, carefully, Marise pulled it out. It felt like a photograph and as she flipped it to look at what the contents were, her eyes widened. The picture was of a woman in a lab coat with long blonde hair lying on the floor in a pool of what must’ve been her own blood. Strewn across the floor were intestines. A finger lay several feet from her and, closest to the camera, was the worst bit: An eyeball, blue and dull. The subject was the only lit thing in the picture, but in the background, Marise could make out tiny bodies hanging from the ceiling. With no one in the room to see her, she shuddered. What was this? Why did Niseko have this? It could be... In class, Setsuka often spoke of death and murder as if it were a trivial thing, but everyone assumed that it was some weird sense of humor. Was this the witch’s doing?

“What has happened?” With the hallway being so close and Mei being relatively obedient, it didn’t take long for the two to arrive and Marise quickly stuffed the photo into her pocket when she heard Mei’s voice, calm and innocent. Marise looked up as Mei locked eyes with the unmoving doll and waited... But nothing happened, “I see. Three people, no Monokuma.”

“So then what’s wrong with her?” Marise picked up the limp doll, “Did something happen to Master Loser? If so, I have no idea what to do about it. We can bring this one to her room.”

“Kero kero ko. Kero,” Keroko croaked, pointing at Niseko. She tilted her head but then hung it as she realised that the others didn’t understand.

“Do you want to hold her?” Marise suggested and the herpetologist frantically lifted her arms and shook her head. Whenever it was important, Keroko felt the heavy weight of not having a voice. It hung even heavier now, “Alright, well... We should tell the other losers. Go get them, Keroko. This is the Meeting Room after all.”

Keroko sighed but did as she was told, hopping out once more. Marise placed Niseko in a chair and then sat in her own. It was second nature to sit in the same order as the trial grounds and Mei followed suit, “You believe that Nagakage was responsible.”

“Huh? You mean for Nori’s death?” Marise turned her head to look at Mei, staring at the table, “Absolutely. It doesn’t matter that Ami landed that blow if she was under the control of the bow bitch.”

“And do you believe that people who kill are bad people?” Mei looked at Marise, her expression unreadable.

“I don’t like you, Mei. Haven’t I made that obvious? You’re more trouble than you’re worth and I think you’re dangerous. But if I’m being completely honest, I don’t think you’re a ‘bad person’. But don’t think for a second that I will ever see a death here and not assume that the killing machine didn’t do it.” Marise frowned and bit the inside of her lip as the contents of that photo surfaced in her mind again. She somehow knew she wouldn’t be forgetting it anytime soon and, if she were to see Setsuka ever again, she knew she wouldn’t have the same naive assumption that she was simply strange. She would assume that she was crazy. Insane enough to, if not commit murder herself, carry a gruesome scene in her pocket. Mei was still staring at her, waiting for more, and Mei sighed, “I know killers who are bad people and I know killers who are not. Ami wasn’t a bad person. Rikuto wasn’t a bad person, either, I hope.”

“I see. Are you injured, Kita?” Mei pointed to Marise’s left rib, where she was once again holding. Marise had been briefly grateful for Mei’s willingness to move on, but when she pried into an old instinct, her eyes narrowed.

“No. I’m not,” Marise looked down at her hand and then back up at Mei. She hesitated, but slowly opened her jacket to show the rest of her black shirt, even poking at it with her free hand to prove her point, “I suppose it’s just a habit of mine.”

“You are surprisingly insightful,” Mei noted, prompting another angry glare from Marise. The ninja looked toward the door for a few moments, blissfully unaware, before Marise heard footsteps and understood why Mei looked away, “They have arrived. Some of them.”

They watched as the group filed in, a few at a time. Marise picked up Niseko once more and laid her on the table, looking around. Without the doll, there were eleven left. Marise eyed the empty seat next to her, where Ami would’ve sat and grit her teeth once everyone was in their seat, “So, the loser doll has keeled over. But Setsuka’s not dead because there was no BDA.”

“BDA?” Mei echoed, tilting her head.

“Body Discovery Announcement. Get with the program, you idiot,” Marise rolled her eyes, “So this has to mean something, right? Maybe something on the lower floor will reactivate this animated dummy.”

Shohei snickered at Marise’s pun but quickly shut up when he noticed no one else was reacting. He then took a breath, “I-I don’t want to be that guy, but are w-we really ready to go down there?”

“If not now, then when?” Yamato folded his arms, “If you’d asked me yesterday, it would’ve been fine. But there’s no ‘ready’ anymore.”

“Then we should go down. But first...” Kouki turned to Mei, “We need to know what was in the lockers, Mei.”

“I see.” Mei lowered her head, “I opened them. I do not understand what the contents are. Sasaki’s is in his, er, locker still. It was too big,” She reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked to be a small, blue journal of sorts. The cover was adorned with Roman numerals, leaving little room for doubt. This had been a possession of Ami’s.

“It makes no sense. There are no words,” Mei said as she slid it across the table to Haru. When he opened it, the contents surprised him, but only for a moment. Just until it clicked in his head.

“It’s written in Braille. Ami must have written this herself, judging by the cover... Same color and same pattern as her shirt. I suppose it must be from her school. Kiriganai Academy, I think...?” He flipped through the pages, but, as expected, there was nothing but Braille, “Well... Can anyone read Braille?”

There was low muttering from around the table, but no one spoke up. Haru couldn’t be too disappointed; it was to be expected. Shigeru folded his arms, however, and motioned to Yukari, “And what about you? Can you read it?”

“Hm?” Yukari blinked as if she weren’t paying attention. She had looked a bit absentminded, so maybe she really hadn’t been, but Shigeru wasn’t ready to give her the benefit of the doubt. He watched as she looked toward Haru and pursed her lips, “Oh. No, of course not. Why would I be able to read it?”

“You can summon weapons out of thin air, but you can’t read Braille,” Kanna frowned, “Alas, I cannot read it either. It’s quite the embarrassment to admit. Oh, but Yukari. Didn’t you create a word in Braille during the trial?”

“I did. It said ‘Yukari’. In other words, I only know my name,” She nodded as the red smoke crept from underneath the table to form the word again, “That’s really it, love. Just my name.”

“Hey, just a suggestion. It’s unrelated to Ami or her journal...diary thing, but...” Kouki hesitated, “Maybe we should, er, lock Yukari up somewhere. So that she doesn’t do an encore of that terrible trial.”

Amari shook her head, “I doubt we could do anything to restrain Yukari. The only thing we can do is keep our eyes on her.”

“If you want me to stay in my room, I’ll stay in my room. That’s no issue, love,” Yukari stared at Kouki with a straight face, “Just say the word.”

“If telling you what to do is so easy, w-why won’t you just be compliant?” Shohei said, his teeth chattering, “Th-This would all be so much easier, wouldn’t it?”

“It would be no fun. In a place like this, you have to make your entertainment, you see,” Yukari gestured with her hand and, when Kouki glared at her, she continued, “Do not misunderstand. The killing was not entertainment. That was a necessity. Someday, if you live long enough, you’ll understand why. But for now, I’m just a wicked demon. Kyahahaha!”

“A w-wicked demon? More like a wicked bitch-- I mean witch,” Shohei clicked his tongue and stood up, “W-We should hurry and explore downstairs, though. I kinda just thought about it, b-but, well, Monokuma really wants to k-keep this game going, so who knows how long we have.”

“Good point, good point,” Shigeru also got to his feet, “Well, Kanna. How shall we divide up this time?”

“Let’s just stick with our previous exploration groups. We’ve lost Nori, Ami, and Niseko since then, though... Mei will have to join either Marise and Keroko or Haru and Yamato,” Kanna asked, watching as the novelist’s face twisted into an expression of disgust.

“Pfft. Like hell, I’m exploring with that woman. You must be crazy!” Marise’s face twisted into one of disgust, but a sticky slap to her face diverted her attention to Keroko, who was angrily croaking something.

“Sorry, but I plan on going to the hallway. I want to look in Nori’s locker,” Yamato’s hat was tilted down, covering his eyes, “In other words, go with Haru.”

“I would like to go with Nagakage,” Mei said suddenly and the room fell into silence, “Is that alright?”

“Why? I thought you were mad at her,” Haru scratched the back of his head. He felt something odd from Mei. He could sense her contempt at the psychoanalyst, but there was more. Something... hopeful.

“Yes, I am angry. However, if I do not talk about my anger, it won’t go away. Grandfather taught me that,” Mei bowed, “So I wish to explore with Nagakage.”

“You can switch with me. I don’t really want to go with Yukari anyway,” Kouki muttered, “Besides, I’ve done enough investigating with Haru to know that we work pretty well together.”

“Alright then. You’re with us, then, love,” Yukari smiled a deceptively warm smile that, by now, not even Mei could believe, “Let us away to the elevator.”

The group, minus Yamato, passed through the Auditorium, Marise carrying Niseko, and into the Dining Hall. Once everyone was in the elevator, Keroko hit the down button with her tongue.

Ding!

The doors opened to the Office Room and Keroko hit the button again. This time, they sank even lower and there was a fluttering sense of apprehension in her belly, not from the downward motion of the elevator, but anticipation of what could be on the lower third floor.

Ding!

The doors opened to a dark hallway. The students filtered out and looked around. There was a large set of heavy double doors in front of them. To their left was another much smaller door.

“It’s locked,” Yukari murmured very quietly when the others saw it. Hearing her, Shigeru went to test it out and yielded no results, as expected.

“Then we’re all starting through this door,” Amari sighed, “Alright. We should get this over with.”

There was a small button next to the doors that read ‘Open’ and Amari hit it. There was a hiss as air escaped from the next room and a nearly forgotten smell assaulted them. The smell of greenery.

The room was huge, but most striking was the vast number of plants and trees. It almost looked like they were in some sort of jungle. Almost immediately, Keroko hopped up a nearby tree with ease and looked over the canopy, pointing forward with a loud croak, and the group looked that way as Keroko swung herself back down and began to hop deeper in.

What Keroko had seen was a large clearing in the center of the room containing a giant tree that dwarfed everything else. From here, it really felt as though they’d gone outside. The rounded walls that lined the room were a reminder, though, that they were still captive in a building and not just any building, but a shelter far underground. Keroko felt a pit in her stomach as trees led to more trees and she became afraid that she might get lost, but finally the group reached the clearing and, relieved, Keroko began to climb the larger tree until the other students could no longer see her. Her voice came down clearly, however, “Kero koko kore ro. Keroko kero kero! Ko kero!”

“There are three doors. One on each side. Something about a ceiling,” Yukari said, inspecting her nails.

“So, if we have four groups, three go through the doors and one stays in here. This is a pretty big place, so one of the groups of three should stay here,” Kanna explained as they split into their groups.

“I would like to volunteer our group if that’s alright with you two,” Amari addressed Shigeru, who nodded his approval, and Kanna, who looked away. No one else objected at which Amari slightly smiled.

“I suppose that’s settled, then. Who wants to go north?” Kanna asked, pointing in that direction, “Miss Kita?”

“Very funny. Let’s just get it over with. Hey, Keroko. Get your green ass down here.” Marise called up the tree and, quickly, Keroko began to hop down with an unamused expression.

“To the east?” Kanna once again pointed.

“We can go there,” Haru said after the other group stayed quiet for a bit. He realised that neither Mei, Shohei, nor Yukari seemed to ever hold strong opinions like Marise as he watched their group, “I mean... No one’s name means ‘East’, so ‘Spring’ will have to do.”

”Wh-What does a season have to do with a direction?” Shohei asked, tilting his head, “Oh, I know. L-Let’s go south because my name means ‘Warrior’ and, sometimes, they march south.”

”Great. Now that Yamato is depressed and Shohei has found his voice, he’s going to be the one to pester me for eternity,” Haru rolled his eyes as Kouki lightly punched his arm, “Whatever. It works out, right, Kanna?”

The prodigy nodded, raising an eyebrow at Shohei before a small smile took the place of his bewilderment, “Yeah, this should work just fine. Let’s break.”

Marise rolled her neck as she led Keroko to the north. The door was just as heavy as the one that led from the elevator, requiring a button to open and, when she pressed it, the hissing force of the lock releasing and air escaping into the new room made her flinch. She blinked to clear the watering of her eyes as she stepped through.

“...Kero?” Keroko crept up to what looked to be a large control panel and her face lit up. She was staring at many dark screens and smiled before scanning the buttons. Eventually, she landed on one, pressing it, and the screens lit up to show different parts of the Arboretum just outside. She pressed another button and words that made no sense to Marise appeared on the screens, “Kero! Kero ko kero!”

Keroko, however, knew that this was a data collection of the Arboretum and that it possibly functioned as a control for the settings of the room as well. The joy faltered a bit, though, as one of the records stuck out like a sore thumb: Current living lifeforms -- 3.

Of course, she didn’t really expect much else. Why would there be living creatures other than them in a shelter far underground? As a herpetologist, her first passion was reptiles and amphibians, but, until she found some, if ever, the trees would have to do. Her scientific mind immediately started running as she wondered what was allowing the plants to grow and just how healthy they were.

“Oi. Frog girl,” Marise frowned, clutching Niseko’s limp body tightly, “Are you dozing off? What is this thing?”

“Kero?” Keroko pointed at the screens and then the doors. Marise nodded with a quick eye roll at the obvious connection as Keroko hit one of the buttons, text appearing next to one of the trees on the screen.

“A shirofugen sakura tree. So this thing tells us what all the plants are. And judging by your reaction, probably more,” Marise ground her teeth, “Sometimes I forget that you’re a scientist, you know.”

Keroko let out a raspy noise that Marise figured was a chuckle and leaned back, “So this is a data room, huh? There doesn’t seem to be more to it.”

The herpetologist shrugged and went back to the panel. It was interesting enough for her and, as long as she was doing the work, Marise didn’t particularly care as she sat on the ground against the wall, entertaining herself by messing with the doll.

---

“What the heck?” Kouki furrowed her brow as they reached the door. The door itself was cold steel, made of heavy shutters, but it wasn’t the door she was confused about. It had a button and underneath, a small switch that read on one end 'LOCK'. The switch was in the LOCK position, but more pressing... “It locks from the outside? Why? How ominous.”

Haru had come around to look at it and scratched the back of his head, “I dunno. I wonder what’s inside.”

”Ugh, I don’t want to go in. I’m paranoid that someone will lock us in,” Kouki muttered even as she flipped the switch and hit the button, the shutters opening into blackness. The light from the Arboretum spilt in, but the darkness was still suffocating, “Come on, Haru. Even you have to find it unnerving.”

”I never said I don’t,” Haru stepped inside first and then froze. A bang had sounded behind them, causing Kouki to jump, and what little light there was vanished. Haru frowned. The door had taken longer than that to open, so why did it suddenly fall and with enough force to cause that kind of noise?

”What did I say?!” Kouki yelped, “Someone’s shut us in! If Shohei were out there, I’d blame him, but somehow, I doubt Kanna, Amari, or Shigeru are in the mood to play some sort of prank!”

“Ku ku ku... The door locks from both sides, didn’t you know?” The voice was unfamiliar to both Haru and Kouki. It was soft but had an edge of something strange. Something... manipulative. Delight that the fear in the air was palpable. It was almost enough to make Haru shudder, but he held his ground. The same couldn’t be said for Kouki, however, who was now white and shivering slightly, “Do you think me a ghost, Miss Kouki? Child of the river?”

“Is this... Is this the mastermind?” Kouki shuddered. She felt cold and full of apprehension, grabbing Haru’s sleeve as her heartbeat raced.

“Ku ku... ku!”

Haru, who had been looking around for the source of the noise, turned around. There she stood, merely a dark shape. Barely visible. But the silhouette of a woman could be just made out. Haru wondered where she had been to slip behind them so silently as she raised her arms and, once Haru and Kouki were both looking at her, brought them both down dramatically. At once, the room flooded with blinding light. After his eyes adjusted, Haru saw strings attached to the woman’s hands, connected to the heavy shutter door. It was open, letting the light spill in again, but this time, the lights in the room were also on.

Kouki gasped and stumbled backwards. She wasn’t sure what had just happened, but she was sure of one thing. She had never met this person before. Even so, it was obvious who the woman was at just a glance. She had long, deep blue hair that curled and wrapped around itself, uneven and wild. Her red dress seemed like a blend of cultures with eastern-style patterns and pleats adorning what seemed to be a western-style dress, with puffy sleeves and a distinct midsection. The pleated skirt almost reached the ground, but Kouki could see her boots poking from underneath, a strange pattern decorating them. If the color of her hair and dress didn’t give away who she was, her odd hat certainly did. This was the doll maker herself, Setsuka.

“So that’s why Niseko stopped working,” Haru realised aloud. Setsuka’s bangs were cut in a way that cast a shadow over her face. Her eyes were almost completely obscured and it unnerved Haru. Especially after... “You’re here now and, because of that, Niseko is no longer necessary.”

“She was... my proxy,” Her odd hesitation made Kouki uneasy. Everything about Setsuka felt strange and alien, “The rationale for which she is deactivated is that I am no longer behind that which gave her temporary life... I must reacquire her and redirect her into AI mode to reanimate her. Do not misunderstand, mere boy... My child is of the utmost importance. She is not ‘no longer necessary’.”

“Niseko has an AI?” Kouki looked up wearily, trying to decipher the, frankly, confusing sentences, “So then, were you controlling her the whole time, or was she...”

“I was regimented to govern the actions of she. I would appreciate a reunion of my Monopad and I, for it would delight me much to see if that rule is still there,” Setsuka’s way of speaking almost reminded Kouki of Yudai. They both had a similar roundabout way of talking. Although, Setsuka was much harder to understand than Yudai had been, even with all of the water metaphors he had sprinkled in.

“That rule?” Haru frowned, “What rule?”

“Ku ku... Had you inquired, I would have acquiesced and shown you... I was saddled with an extra rule: Participation. It would have been easy to cull Niseko and deny my plight, so it was a rule to force me to comply,” Setsuka’s eerie smile felt hollow, “So, little ones. Shall we evaluate? I do already understand this chamber as I investigated in your stead, in my waning interest. This is no more than an observatory lived far, long past its time.”

Kouki walked over to a large telescope near the back of the room and looked through, but all she could see was darkness. Setsuka must have meant that it was in disrepair. The room was decorated with stars. The walls, ceiling, floor, everything, was of a dark coloration. Kouki didn’t know much about the night sky and wondered if the depiction was accurate at all.

“Who possesses Niseko?” Kouki jumped a bit before turning. She was still quivering slightly from the scare and Setsuka’s question almost sounded threatening.

“...Marise, I think,” Kouki answered with a shaky voice, “She had her before...”

Setsuka once again smiled and licked her lips, “Ah, Miss Marise... She was quite the tormentor to my dear, precious Niseko. I shall enjoy my spell of retribution.”

“I don’t like the sound of that...” Kouki’s voice was soft and she shrank back even more.

But it seemed like the smaller Kouki made herself, the doll maker’s grin grew even wider, “Now that I have been freed from the prison of control, I have absolute liberation once more. Oh, how I have been primed to face the ones to whom I have spoken yet not met... Especially her. That psychoanalyst... Yukari...”

Before Haru could say anything, Setsuka left, her skirt and hair billowing behind her and her odd cackle echoing in the Observatory, “I think we should follow her before she tries to enact whatever she means by ‘retribution’.”

“A-Agreed,” Kouki nodded hurriedly and exited the room, Haru closely behind.

---

The door to the south was very different from the others. It was made of wood, which gave Shohei an idea of what the door led to. Beside him, Mei knocked on the door and, when there was no response, she opened it. Shohei shook his head at her formality, but followed her in.

As he’d thought, the room, all wooden, was lined with different types of gardening tools. Shovels, hoes, watering cans, saws, fertiliser... There was so much that Shohei couldn’t categorise it all.

“My... What a boring room we’ve found this time,” Yukari sighed, but Shohei could tell she wasn’t surprised in the slightest, “At the very least, you enjoy herbs, isn’t that right, Shohei?”

“Y-Yeah. I guess so...” Shohei watched as Yukari motioned toward a wall where plants seemed to be growing out. He walked over and his already wide eyes widened some more as he recognised some of them, “...W-Woah.”

“I know you don’t know all of them, so of course, I could help you...” Yukari paused as Shohei began to sift through leaves, “But of course, nobody trusts me now, do they?”

“Why did you do it?” Mei leaned against a wall, her red gaze trained on Yukari, “Were you really scared like Yumekuu said? Did you kill Sasaki because you didn’t want to go into the box? And did you kill Yumekuu because she understood you?”

Yukari turned her head, “I suppose if I let you come with us, I am obligated to at least hold some form of a conversation. So then, Miss Meiyo. What do you think?”

“I think that you were wrong. If someone understands you, there is even less of a reason to kill them because those people are the ones who become close to you. Yumekuu would not have made fun of me because I do not know what this is,” She tapped the handle of a shovel, “But would have explained it because she understands.”

“Well, first of all, that’s a shovel. ‘Shovel; Noun; A tool with a broad head used for scooping and moving around dirt.’ It requires strength to use it,” Yukari explained, “As for what you are saying, I find myself drawn to people who don’t understand me. Because of that reason, they are easy to manipulate. People who do are not. Ami was an exception, of course.”

“You’re s-so straightforward sometimes. Too straightforward,” Shohei glanced back, “Wh-Why would you even want to say that aloud? You’re not helping your trust i-issues. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve always w-wanted to be friends with a psychotic murderer, but y-you’re weird even by that standard.”

”Haven’t you already been friends with a psychotic murderer?” Yukari said, coldly, without missing a beat, “Or does your dear classmate not count?”

Shohei narrowed his eyes. He knew that Yukari was trying to provoke him, but he couldn’t even begin to guess at the reason. Before, she had been difficult and uncooperative, but now she’d killed Ami and Nori and... Well. Not once did she seem happy by it, but she was still milking it for all of the anger and contempt it was worth.

“You’re wrong, Nagakage. The person who interests you the most is Tanioto,” Mei folded her arms as Yukari turned to look at her, “And that is because Tanioto reminds you of someone you knew once. Someone who is probably dead.”

Yukari didn’t say anything, though she pursed her lips. The air around her began to fill with the red smoke and it reached out like a tendril to touch Mei’s face, but the ninja didn’t flinch. The psychoanalyst smiled a thin smile, easily seen through, her icy eyes narrowed, “You really are more observant than you look, Mei. Is it because Takeo is dead that you came to this conclusion? Or perhaps because you feel the same way about someone else in this building regarding a different lost sibling?”

“I do not follow him like a dog, though. I do not watch him with eyes that long for something I once had,” Mei batted at the smoke, “I recognised that he bore a similarity to Keizou and moved on to someone else.”

“Because you don’t really know Keizou? Is that it? You want to be understood and, because you, in turn, don’t understand Keizou, you left him alone,” Yukari’s expression reminded Shohei, who was utterly lost and could instead pay attention to such details, of a viper, watching its prey, “But haven’t you ever wondered if you could understand Keizou through getting to know him?”

“I understand. By observing Tanioto, you hope to gain insight into the person he reminds you of,” Mei dipped her head and began to walk off, but the smoke pulled at her hood, preventing her from getting too far.”

“Be careful with your words, Mei. I wouldn’t want you to become a target, also,” Yukari stared a moment longer and then the smoke dissipated, freeing the ninja.

Mei had stopped walking, though, and turned, “It is simple, Nagakage. I remember Keizou. But the two of them are nothing alike. They cannot be alike. Keizou is a warrior. He is not. If I were to give him a blade, he would take far too long to make a single strike and be cut down.”

”You have such faith in your prediction,” Yukari tilted her head, “And his talent doesn’t dissuade you?”

”I do not understand his talent. He explained it to me once and then Fujioka tried to explain it, but it still does not make any sense. I am sure, though. He would die in battle,” Mei responded.

“Why are we playing the pronoun game? Who here are we t-talking about?” Shohei finally asked, frowning.

“Oh,” Mei dipped her head as Shohei wondered if she’d forgotten he was there, “Kanichi.”

---

Kanna rubbed his temples as Amari walked up to him, “We could never search this entire place in a timely manner, but it all seems the same anyway.”

”Even if something were to be hidden here, we would never find it,” He nodded in response, glancing around. Aside from the large tree in the center, nothing really stuck out to him, “Where’s Shigeru?”

“I don’t know. I think he went that way,” Amari pointed to the east, “But that was a while ago.”

“Let’s walk, then.” The prodigy led Amari as they walked in the direction she’d pointed. Kanna paused for a moment, noticing the light fluttering of his cape. There seemed to be the slightest hint of a breeze. The way the Arboretum was set up made it seem like they were in the open air. The walls seemed to stop after going up to great heights and ‘sky’ could be seen behind them. It was all fake, Kanna knew, but it was a convincing simulation, “Do you ever have doubts about your talent, Amari?”

“All the time,” Amari raised an eyebrow. When was the last time she had seen Kanna with such an uncertain look in his eyes? She couldn’t remember, but she could guess as she responded softly, “Don’t work yourself up. My talent doesn’t bring with it nearly as much of a burden as yours, but--”

“K-Kanna, Amari! I’m glad I found you,” Shigeru’s voice pierced through Amari’s words and he burst out from behind a tree, “I’m gonna get the others, but long story short, Haru and Kouki came back from their room with an extra.”

“That’s not nearly enough information... Ah...” Kanna trailed off as Shigeru darted off. He turned to Amari, frowning, “An extra?”

“I’ve no idea,” Amari shook her head, “Let’s go look--”

“Kukukukuku... Ah, yes. Finally. The barrier of glass no longer divides us...” Amari sighed as she was cut off yet again, but her eyes snapped back up as she realised that the voice was unfamiliar. She turned to see the doll maker, Haru next to her, and Kouki trailing behind, “Do not pause me here, Miss Amari... Let us away to the glade of the forest.”

She swept past Amari and Kanna, who both stared, dumbfounded. Haru paused for just a moment as he tried to keep up, Kouki passing him “If you couldn’t tell at first glance, this is Setsuka. Come on. We’re meeting at the clearing. The ‘glade’, as she so... confusingly put it.”

Kanna nodded slowly, watching as Haru hurried to rejoin Setsuka and Kouki. As he began to walk, he addressed Amari again, “Have you heard of Mary’s Room? It’s a thought experiment where a scientist named Mary is to observe the world from a black and white room with a grayscale monitor. She learns everything there is to know about color, yet never experiences it. When she is released, will she learn something new through seeing color? It’s an example of qualia, a state of perception.”

“Are you comparing it to Setsuka, then?” Amari asked and Kanna nodded, “In seeing us all through Niseko and now meeting us face-to-face... I see.”

”Watching people through a monitor and talking to them in-person are very different experiences,” He muttered.

”Kanna,” Amari began, but hesitated. When he looked at her expectantly, she continued, “It doesn’t matter what you could have done or what you didn’t do. Nothing in this situation would have changed. No matter how diligent you are, you could not have saved Rikuto, Yudai, Nori, or Ami. I know what you’re thinking and let it consume you if you wish. I would much rather you criticise me than continue beating yourself up.”

”It’s not your fault either,” Kanna objected, “No one in their right mind could ever think that.”

”And yet... For a moment, you thought to yourself, ‘How are people dying while the Ultimate Bodyguard is present.’” Amari put a hand on Kanna’s shoulder, stopping him, “I know because I know you, Kanna. If you can justify my not being able to change anything, justify it for yourself.”

Kanna sighed, but said nothing in response. Amari was right. She usually was. He was being too hard on himself. They continued in silence until, eventually, they made it to the clearing. Setsuka was simply standing by the tree, merely laughing quietly at any attempt at conversation directed at her. That was until the others arrived, “I see you have reinstated Niseko to her rightful position, Miss Marise... Perhaps, for that act of virtue, I shall spare you the retribution for the action of harassment toward my dear child.”

Marise frowned, crossing her arms after handing the lifeless doll to Setsuka. She already didn’t like her and, after hearing her speak again, she was reminded of just how weird the doll maker was. At least while playing the part of Niseko, she had talked like a normal person.

Setsuka then turned to look at Yukari. This was what she had been waiting for. She licked her lips and approached the psychoanalyst, who looked back with a mildly curious expression, “Miss Yukari. I must concede, the way you eliminated the hypnotist was superlative. Yes... Someone like her... Evoke in me once more... What was it that Monokuma said? Kuku...”

“You must be more specific, Setsuka,” Yukari tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips, “What would you like me to repeat? Or rather, what shall you repeat in my stead?”

“Yes. Master criminals, he informed. His terminology was quite mystifying, though there is no reservation in my conclusion of his intent. Murderers... The executioners hither be,” Setsuka’s grin grew wider, “Are you not ‘The Unpredictable Executioner of Chaos’? Ku ku ku... I wonder... Just whose life did you extirpate? Or was it massacre, rather? Were you daunted by Ami’s aptitude in conviction? She could have ascertained the history of both you and I.”

“I do not have any contradicting thoughts on your statements,” Yukari said, and, watching, Kanna felt as though he were witnessing a debate unlike any other. A debate between two beings with vast knowledge unknown to even him.

“Yet... I am not afraid. Ku ku... I fear not the consequence of my proclamation’s deliverance, for I am one of the alleged ‘Master criminals’. Ku ku ku...”

Marise swallowed, placing her hand over the pocket in which she stored the photo she’d taken off of Niseko. It was then that she realised that Setsuka would notice it missing from the doll and that it was no secret that the one who had Niseko in tow was her. Biting her lip, she turned around, “I need to go.”

And the novelist ran. She ran as fast as she could, her twin tails fluttering behind her as she did.

Chapter Text

Haru hung by the elevator, still on the lower third floor. His eyes were glued to the room he had yet to explore. Even though it had been locked just earlier, there were whispers that it had been unlocked. Whispers, specifically, from Setsuka. Apparently, this had been the room she had been held captive in, but Haru couldn’t help but wonder what that meant, exactly. Not the fact that she’d been there, he could believe that easily enough. But he and Kouki had run into Setsuka in the Observatory and she had beaten them there. Not only that, but Kanna had divided up the teams in the very room Haru was standing in now. Did that mean that, somehow, Setsuka had been let out of the room and she’d beaten him and Kouki to the Observatory...? Or did it mean something else? Perhaps she had been let out and the room had been locked again but... How would she know that it was now unlocked?

Haru shook his head. There also just didn’t seem to be a reason for such a game. Even if Monokuma had snuck in, unlocked it, and slipped back out. Why? Why leave it locked in the first place? To tell the group that there were more important things to explore than Setsuka’s old haunting grounds?

He approached the thick slab of metal that was the door, though heavy as it was, it was clearly not airtight like the door to the Arboretum. And even though he knew that it would be unlocked, there was still a faint bit of surprise when the handle turned and he found himself wandering into a dimly lit, claustrophobic chamber of a room that was already host to one other person: Amari.

“Can you imagine being in here for as long as she must’ve been? I certainly can’t,” She didn’t even turn to look at Haru as she spoke and he saw some sort of object that was reminiscent of a virtual reality headset in her hands. He couldn’t think up a response fast enough and the bodyguard sighed, turned to meet his gaze, holding up the headset, “She saw through this and moved Niseko through control input. It’s a wonder she kept it up... Though I suppose if your life were in danger, you’d have no choice but to do whatever kept you alive. It’s not too different from us, but for Setsuka herself, it must’ve been incredibly restrictive. ...I doubt we’ll need this room, but I think the best name for it is the Control Room.”

“Careful. You’d made Shohei jealous with wordplay like that,” Haru finally said, with a bit of a smirk, and Amari returned a light smile, “You came to investigate this room, too? Do you know if any of the others have looked around it already?”

“I don’t, but I can’t imagine that nobody else would be curious. I was just finishing up, myself,” Amari’s expression darkened and she bit her lip, “You know how during the investigation of Yudai’s murder, we investigated Rikuto’s room and, likewise, Nori’s room in his murder investigation? I was wondering if those rooms had since been locked. And, if they haven’t... What about the other two? Ami and Yudai’s?”

“I take that to mean you’re going to go check them?” Haru frowned, hesitating, “Are... you sure about that?”

“Absolutely. I can see your reservations, but I’ll invite you anyway,” Amari extended a hand and Haru noted a small bag slung over her other arm, “Care to join me, Haru?”

“I just can’t get a read on you, Amari. Sometimes you’re so formal and other times, so much more casual,” Haru shook his head. It was more than that. Amari’s entire demeanor didn’t seem to be consistent. Her level of warmth and acceptance varied depending on things such as the situation and who she was talking to. That, in and of itself, wasn’t too inherently strange, but there was just something so... genuine about her. All except when she talked to one specific person... Haru blinked several times to clear his thoughts. It wasn’t like he could just tell this to Amari. People already found his ability to read emotions strange at best, intrusive at worst, that is, if they even believed him. He’d since given up telling people. Despite what must have been a myriad of contemplative expressions, Amari never let her hand down and, eventually, Haru finally took it, “Yeah. I’ll come with you. I think... I think it might do me some good to think about those rooms in contexts other than, y’know, a murder investigation.”

“Is it really so weird? My attitude, I mean. As a person, you’re quite casual,” Amari began to talk as she led him out of the Control Room and to the elevator, “And yet, as a performer, you must be quite professional, right? And during the trials, you’ve been a formidable force and leader.”

“I think I get what you’re trying to say. You change your behavior based on the mood around you, right? It’s whatever you feel serves the people around you better,” Haru glanced up at her and she gave a deep nod.

“As the Ultimate Bodyguard, I have been around quite a few different people and learned how they cope and get along in life. There’s always a different part to play depending on my client. Among them have even been fellow Ultimates,” Amari began to explain as she continued for the hallways, “My current client is a family, actually. Among them is a daughter who is an Ultimate herself. She is the Ultimate Solar Physicist. Quite the title, hm?”

“Sounds... complicated. Even for someone who likes science,” Haru commented, watching as Amari paused in front of the Red Hallway.

“You’re more of a science person? I must say... I didn’t expect that, given your talent,” Amari paused, looking back at Haru, “Though I guess that there might be a few more overlaps between music and math than someone like me could see.”

”Music is its whole own science,” He shrugged, “But solar physics, huh?”

”Rika Asahibashi. When I last saw her, she was far too busy with the predictions of the solar flare and... Well, she was heading the investigation and proceedings and she was so determined... I wished there was something - anything - I could do... But I was better off in my position of bodyguard,” Amari sighed, but Haru felt his mind begin to overload with questions, “Ah, I suppose it doesn’t matter whose room we try. Instinct brought me here, so I suppose we’ll go for Ami’s room.”

“Hold on. Solar flare?” Haru questioned as Amari led the way, “What solar flare?”

“Have you not heard? A massive solar flare was predicted to erupt soon. One so big, they had no idea what to do. When I heard we were in an underground shelter... Well, let’s say I’ve had to suppress my worst fears. That, perhaps, that event has already transpired,” Amari took a breath, standing in front of the Kiriganai door - Ami’s door, “Rika told me that there wasn’t enough time to save all of humanity. Even despite being the professional and knowing everything she knew, calculating every possibility, she was hyper-focused on finding a solution. I fully believed-- No. I still believe that she is capable of doing it. Saving humanity. In my own perception, not enough time has passed for the solar flare to have occurred, but at the same time, with all of the crazy stuff that’s happened in this shelter, there’s no telling how much time has passed outside. Whether the sun erupted already or not, I can only hope that Rika is doing or did her best.”

”When I think of a solar flare, I don’t think of something so destructive. I’d think of disruptions to technology and radiation... Maybe some fires here and there from said technology disruptions, but you’re talking about a world-ending event, aren’t you?” Haru paused and looked at Amari, “How is that possible? The sun is so far away, the amount of energy it would take is...”

”Extraordinary? Unbelievable? Impossible? According to Rika, they all thought the same thing. She told me about the Carrington Event, a solar flare that occurred in 1859. The biggest one in history, so far. What we’re looking at now is so much more than that. They call it a superflare,” Amari paused, blinking at the ground, “Some people thought prior to this that a superflare was inevitable, but now they’re saying it will be even more than that. Not just power outages and electrical fires, but atmospheric collapse and radiation storms. The ozone layer, gone. Rika was talking about how they might be able to gather all of the Ultimates who specialised in anything relating and try to create something - anything - that could shield us from the damage and... I don’t know what happened. It’s been nothing but anxiety. We could escape only to find the worst. A charred, radiation-filled world of nothing. Or it might not have happened yet and we could still have time.

”Putting it that way, it sounds like we’re doomed no matter what. If it already happened, we’ll be poisoned the moment we touch the radiation and, if it hasn’t, the clock is ticking until we face it head on,” Haru mumbled, looking away.

”Maybe not entirely doomed. I wasn’t made privy to all of their plans, of course, but Rika was a rambler and a worrywart. One of those pretentious kids...” Amari chucked, “She said that she wanted to work on things like shields, repair tech, stuff to predict activity well in advance, and, of course, shelters. Where we stand fully depends on what was achievable and how far they got. Do you believe in the power of Ultimates? Or do you think that humanity can’t ever stand up to such an event? That’s what will be waiting for us out there.

With those words hanging heavily in the air, Amari tried the door and when the curt click of the handle turning sounded, she allowed a smile to pass over her face. She gestured for Haru to enter and, slowly, he looked around. Despite no longer housing a person, the pendulum still swung in perfect time with the passing seconds, “The reason her room is completely white... It’s because color held no meaning to Ami. Thinking back, I should have guessed. There were so many hints.”

“It’s amazing the amount of conviction Ami held to be able to hide such a big secret. And even bigger was the secret of the Night Terror. Such an elusive side of her that even she did not know its full nature,” Amari sighed a deep sigh of sorrow, “Ami’s life must have been full of such sorrow. Being blind, constantly misjudged, right down to her talent backfiring and creating a murderer out of her.”

“Her father and her best friend. She killed them. In the end, I don’t really know how much of what Ami told me about her feelings was the truth, but I know for a fact that she was scared. Especially for her mother,” Haru stared at the empty bed, “All she wanted was normalcy and that’s why, in her final moments, she begged us to move on.”

“I agree. And there is something else I have concluded. Her phrase of ‘It’s alright.’... The one she used when Yukari confronted her... I wonder if it was created not just as a way to calm her anxiety, but also as a way to counteract her own mishap. Perhaps she managed to quell the Night Terror with that simple phrase,” Amari grit her teeth, “Well, sometimes the histories of the selfless are the ones that surprise you the most. Come along. I can tell that being here is rattling you.”

Amari led Haru out of Ami’s room and, without a word, they entered the Blue Hallway. Turning directly to the right, they stood in front of the door bearing the crest of Neptune’s Trident School. Even the name itself lent more than enough evidence to scream that this was Yudai’s former dorm room. Amari opened the door and stepped inside first, this time, Haru quick to follow.

The room was, unsurprisingly, blue. The decor felt reminiscent of a beach house, but for the most part, the room was empty. Amari stared for a moment before opening her mouth, “Odd.”

“If everyone’s room is tailored to their talent... Why does his room look like this?” Haru blinked as Amari made her way to a dresser, glancing at Haru to signify that she was still listening, before reaching into the bag. She pulled out three items: Yudai’s mask and his gloves. As she lay them down, he continued, “There’s nothing in this room that would lead me to believe that Yudai was the Ultimate Mask Maker.”

“Yes, precisely,” Amari said after another moment, “And I am beginning to wonder if it might not be his name that Rikuto was hiding after all. The Monopads give us two pieces of information, after all. Names, yes, and also talents.”

Haru’s eyes widened as Amari brushed past him and he scrambled to keep up with her sudden urgency, “...Right. You think that maybe Yudai was lying about his talent?”

”It troubles me, but I’m not sure, yet,” Upon reaching the hallway, she slowed down, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to alarm you. Even if it were to be true, it’s not like that information would serve much of a purpose to us now. And before going on to theorise, I wish to pay my respects to Rikuto and Nori as well. You’ve already seen both of their rooms so... No more surprises, I hope...?”

”Oh, um... No. They were both what I’d expect,” He answered. Rikuto’s room, the Rumbling Boulder room, being adjacent to Yudai’s, was their next destination. It was unchanged from when Haru had investigated it with Kouki, Ami, and Mei, “Rikuto. He was with us for longer than Yudai and yet...”

“Posing as Yudai for so long, it was overwhelming to learn that he was not, in fact, dead and that Yudai was.” Amari agreed, “I would not have guessed him to be that good of an actor. How observant must he have been to get most of Yudai’s mannerisms down? I understand that Yudai has a unique voice which lends itself to... I don’t want to say impressions, but ultimately, that’s what it was. Rikuto mimicked it near perfectly.”

“I can’t imagine it...” Haru murmured, watching Amari approach the table that Mei had found the scissors on, lifting the bag on top. She unwrapped it to reveal both Rikuto’s torch and mask, “And yet... I had to catch that imperfection...”

“That’s right, but don’t feel bad about it. I don’t think Rikuto would have been very happy if he won that trial,” Amari noted with a grave tone, “He fought hard, but I think, had the rest of us been sacrificed... Well, Rikuto was an honest man and... I don’t think he would have lived much longer than us, out of his own sense of respect.”

Amari looked down for a moment before heading toward the exit, slowly. Haru followed as she led him to the last room of their trip, Hoshigakirei. Nori’s room. Amari stopped in the doorframe, though, and Haru could see her shoulders move as she took a deep breath, “Amari, are you okay?”

“I... have tried so hard to justify myself in this situation. As a bodyguard, my job is to protect and, still, we’ve lost four people. It’s very simple. I’ve failed. The only way I can make it up to them... To Rikuto, Yudai, Nori, and Ami... is to show them that I have not and will not ever forget them,” Without pausing, Amari made her way straight to the podium where she laid down two identical objects, Nori’s hairpins. “I have no doubt that there will be more victims of this cruel game, so I must step down from my pride. I am doing my best and it’s not enough. It’s never been enough. I don’t know what happened to the Asahibashi family and here... Nothing will ever be enough. But you know it as well as I do. Moving on is much better than forever grieving, so I won’t wallow in my despair but, instead, look forward to the future.

Haru stared at Amari. There was still a lot he didn’t know about her, but her intentions were now clear as day. Her desire to make up for what she... “But it wasn’t your fault. There’s no way you can blame yourself for any of it. You can’t be everywhere at once and you had a job to do during the gassing periods. Trying to save Nori and Ami would have been to fight Yukari and... I don’t think any of us can do that.”

”I know. Believe me, I know. But think of it like how you felt after those trials. There’s no way around it. It’s not your fault that Rikuto and Ami got executed, but...” Amari hesitated and Haru understood, “Anyway, there’s no need to end on a sad note. Thank you for joining me, Haru. You made what might have been a soul-wrenching endeavor something more reflective and productive. I have a lot to think about now regarding Yudai and I’m sure you probably have a lot to process considering the solar flare, but, please, make good use of the rest of your day.”

Amari dipped her head and excused herself, leaving Haru alone in the politician’s room. His gaze lingered on the moon-shaped hairpins for a moment before he, too, left the room with a silent wish of peace for the deceased.

His head was low, so he didn’t quite notice her until he very nearly ran into someone on his way to his own room, “Oh my. You seem quite down, don’t you, love?”

Haru lifted his head with an expression of contempt, “What the hell do you want, Yukari?”

The ginger girl bit her lip, a very unamused look in her icy eyes, “You have spent this entire time in this killing game, this limited space of the SRS, avoiding me. And now, I realise, after the deaths of one Nori Sasaki and one Ami Yumekuu, there is very little chance of you seeking me out, so I’ve gone and done it myself.”

“You’re going to force me to talk to you?” Haru growled. He was almost surprised at the sharp contrast between the peaceful dread of his conversations with Amari and the way Yukari’s voice instantly made his blood boil. Almost, “Why me? Go pick on someone else.”

“Because I know that, deep down, you understand me just a bit more than everyone else here,” Yukari’s mouth formed her usual smirk once more, but Haru could tell it didn’t quite reach the rest of her face, “You see, Mei had something very interesting to say to me earlier. She accurately guessed that I see someone else in you, Haru.”

“And who might that be?” He regretted asking as soon as the words passed his lips, but he couldn’t take it back. He felt helpless as Yukari tapped on his door and, begrudgingly, Haru unlocked it. He’d already fallen into her trap and he knew it.

“Tsuji Nagakage. My... brother,” She said, quite simply, as she entered, “He is... most likely dead. I wouldn’t know what happened to him.”

“So, you have a family? I would never have guessed,” Haru dryly remarked, “The great Yukari Nagakage... So enigmatic. So cold and ruthless. So damn uncaring for those around her. Everything is always about you... You don’t have your family anymore, do you? In your life, there’s only you.”

She smiled for a moment before speaking, “I have not had someone to call family in so very long. I am no older than I look, Haru. My life is no longer than you’d imagine. So, when I say ‘so long’, I mean most of my life. Just like you, my mother is dead and, because of that, I lost the rest of my family, too. Naturally, being raised like I was changes your way of thinking quite a bit.”

“You’re surprisingly open today,” Haru commented and then sighed, “But it’s too late to make me feel any differently about you. You’ve torn us apart. Killed our friends. The fact that you’d even come try to talk me...”

“I don’t seek to make you feel differently. I don’t need to do anything for that to happen. It is still as I told you, in time you will understand,” Yukari paused again and then looked at Haru with a strange look in her eyes that he couldn’t quite read, “If you were to choose between a bare life of poverty with a semblance of a family, like you led, or a lavish life with no hope of love, would you choose the emotion or the riches?”

“The life I led was fine. I can only assume that you’re describing your own life in the other. You’ve proved to us that your heart is ice with no room for love,” Haru sat down on his bed.

“To get someone to think in a way that runs contrary to the world... You really have to mess them up. Poking around in someone’s brain can do that. Or subjecting them to experiments they never wanted to be a part of,” Yukari looked at her palms, red smoke curling around them, “This shelter is so pitiful. Full of murderers, miscreants... Things that never should have been. And most of all... Despair. Despair specifically from loss. How many times must I look at someone and see that same scar? That look in someone’s eye that they don’t even realise they have? Before I knew a thing about you, Haru, I could have told you that your mother was absent from your life. Entire histories are laid out to me just by what lies in the mind.”

“What are you even trying to say? It sounds like you’re insulting the entirety of this group at once to me,” Haru rose his voice, but bit his lip before his anger could flare up and he gave a derisive chuckle instead, “Miscreants, huh?”

“Hm. Worst of all is that air that reeks of death. Not the one that accompanies a murderer, but of someone who truly believes that the world would be a better place without them,” Yukari clenched her fists tightly, “Most mistakes can be forgiven, but there are some stains that will never, ever wash out. How far do I have to push someone before they understand this? Someday, there will be no more guilt. People will finally realise that life isn’t just a game where one mistake is a game over. However... There is one person here who will certainly never be forgiven. Do you know who that is, Haru?”

“I’m seriously tempted to say you, Yukari, but I know the answer you’re looking for is the mastermind,” Haru sighed, “I still don’t think you’re the mastermind and I believe that everyone needs to work together to stop this, but... Why? Why can’t you at least give me an explanation for what you did?”

“For killing Nori and Ami?” Yukari lifted two fingers and plucked a photograph from the air. By this point, Haru didn’t even flinch, “I said that in time, you would understand, but I suppose I can give you a bit of a lead. A little clue. This shelter is the mastermind’s playground. Whatever they want to do can be done. You have all posed the possibility of the mastermind having the same abilities as me and I suppose there is no better time to confirm that than now. The chambers in the Observation Room were impenetrable for me, but the mastermind could still manipulate them. This time, I do not believe that to be the same case. I will stop this next motive. Time is the one resource the mastermind refuses to give us and, so, I will create it.”

“A single answer. Great. Just... I’m even more confused, now. Create time? Are you trying to help us or not? Because killing people is really, really not helping,” Haru muttered before Yukari thrust the photo in his hand. He looked at it to see a pink-haired girl, smiling, “Who’s this?”

“It is someone whose memory should never be forgotten. Her name is Suwiko Kanade. I’m sure if you dug deep enough, you could find out who she is,” Yukari shut her eyes.

“Su... Suiko?” Haru blinked and then flipped the photograph over to where the name was written, “No, Suwiko. Is this part of your lead or your babble about the motive?”

“This is someone whose memory should never be forgotten. Not ever. Repeating myself is so dull, Haru,” Yukari sighed, “Look her up in the File Room. After all, she is dead. Now, I do believe that there is nothing more for me to say. I’ll be off, then. Thank you for finally sparing me some time.”

And, without waiting for a response, she exited the room, leaving Haru in stunned silence, still gripping the photograph. What else could he do but stare?

Chapter Text

”Mmph...” A soft roaring noise made Kouki shuffle uncomfortably in her bed. As she was jostled out of sleep, she realised that it wasn't soft at all. "What the heck?"

She sat up and felt her hair whip around her head and immediately leapt up to her feet, bouncing on the springy bed, but she almost immediately lost her balance and tumbled back down. Instead of repeating the same mistake or, better yet, actually standing on the ground like a normal person, she just stared. Her room, once an organised chaotic mess of colors and art supplies, was now a battleground of strewn brushes and shattered glass. The mess, the noise, and the sensation of increased airflow told her one thing: Despite being however many miles deep underground in an enclosed emergency shelter, Kouki had somehow wound up in the middle of a windstorm.

She winced as a jar of paint shattered on the wall behind her, causing paint to splatter, and she gulped, backing up to the door. She could put a name to it, but she couldn’t describe it, much less, explain it, "What's... What's going on?"

She almost didn’t hear the electronic beep over the wind, but she pulled out her Monopad. An image of Monokuma danced across the screen and she had to pull it close to her ear to hear what he was saying, "As you have no doubt noticed by now, the motive has begun! Puhuhuhu! I wonder how you'll combat this one? No one can last long in such severe conditions..."

The screen flickered off and Kouki looked back up, peeling a paper from her arm that had landed and stuck there amongst the wind. This was the motive...? A literal indoor storm?

---

Of course, he hadn't been sleeping. Though he often passed out, Shohei rarely slept of his own accord. This meant he had to be careful since sleeping outside of the dorms was prohibited. Why hadn't he been executed for falling asleep at the trial ground? Shohei could only wonder, but he had a feeling that there must have been some technicality to do with involuntarily passing out rather than actually going to sleep. Otherwise, he wouldn’t last long and, knowing Monokuma and the way this game was played, that would be far too boring.

He was sitting next to the large tree in the Arboretum. Looking up at the false sky, dawn peeking over the wall, he sighed. All he wanted was to feel the real world again. To be free. His eyes narrowed as he caught a cloud, dark and angry. Another one joined it and he stood up. Was it going to rain? He hadn't realised that it could just... rain. Not without input from the Data Room. Then again, it wasn’t like he knew anything about--

BOOM!

Whatever he was thinking about, he quickly forgot as he was blinded by a flash. His heart lurched and a loud, heavy-sounding crack and splinter sound soon followed. Thunder. That had been thunder and lightning. Panicked, Shohei quickly glanced between the sky and the way to the elevator, before an intrusive smell filled his nostrils and he opted to take off running. There was another noise, a softer one, but he didn’t care to figure out what it was. A good half-minute later, he heard another boom of thunder and a roaring flame to his left. That was the smell. Smoke and burning wood. He paused for just another moment as a sprinkler began to put the flame out - the other sound he’d heard. This was real. This was really lightning. The electrified air made his skin crawl and he continued on through the door and into the small room connecting the Arboretum and the elevator.

It was a tiny room, so Shohei wasn't prepared for the deafening noise. Another crash of thunder and a strike of lightning, just shy of him. His body tingled from the electricity and he brought a hand to his mouth, looking up. How... How had that happened? He wasn't in the Arboretum anymore. There was no sky. This was a sealed room.

Ding!

His attention was quickly brought to the elevator and, slowly, the tingle of electricity began to fade. Biting his thumb in anticipation, Shohei watched the door open to show probably the one person he really did not want to see.

"Oh, well, I figured I'd find someone here, what with all the loud banging. Who to expect other than Shohei, I suppose, yes?" Yukari smiled as she exited the elevator with a skip in her step and Shohei couldn't bring himself to respond, "Is something the matter, love? You look shaken and I don't imagine it's because of me this time. Perhaps you have seen a ghost...?"

"L-Lightning..." He muttered. His heart was racing and he felt lightheaded, as though he could pass out at any time. He backed away from Yukari, stumbling over his own feet, and his hand hit the button to open the door to the Arboretum again. He repeated through heavy breaths, "Lightning..."

"Lightning?" Yukari tilted her head. She looked genuinely confused as she narrowed her eyes and looked to the ground where the scorch mark from the last lightning strike lay bare. Her perplexed expression only made Shohei worry even more. If even Yukari didn't know what it meant... He backed up through the doorframe and Yukari followed. She turned her head toward the tree that was now smoking and looked up at the sky. To Shohei's surprise, it was clear blue with no clouds in sight, "I have no doubt that you are trying your best, love. However... I do not understand what you mean."

"The sky went dark and there was lightning. I th-though it was just the Arboretum, but... There was a l-lightning strike in that room just before you came in," Shohei dropped to his knees and Yukari looked at him for a moment before raising a finger and swirling it in a clockwise motion.

"You're right. There's something here that wasn't here before," She concluded and, with leaps that defied gravity, she hopped from branch to branch until she stood on the tip of the tree that had been struck, "So that's it. I understand now. The effect I had to cancel... That was the motive Monokuma had been talking about."

"Cancel?" Shohei looked up wearily. "What do you mean, cancel?"

"Monokuma told me that he enjoyed watching us try to avoid his game, yes? I was merely giving him what he asked for. Hm... I thought that it had been too easy, but now I understand," Yukari leapt back down and offered a hand to Shohei to help him up, "It's not just lightning, Shohei. It's far worse than that. The weather is all in disarray and each student here carries a different pattern. A different effect."

He looked at her hand and, ignoring it, stood up. Now that he was starting to calm down, he could feel the sweat causing his clothes to stick to his skin and he wiped his forehead, "How do I know th-this isn't your doing? You d-did kill Nori and Ami, after all."

"Oh, are you guys still on about that?" She frowned, her lips pursed, "At this very moment, I am suppressing the lightning you were experiencing. Did you not hear on your Monopad?"

"My Monopad?" He pulled it out and as soon as he tapped it, the same message that Kouki had seen began to play, "W-What... Fucking damn it. We just can't have a b-break!"

"I suggest that you stick with me, Shohei. I wouldn't want to find out who the Blackened is if you were to have a heart attack," Yukari smirked which only led to another frown from the barista.

"I guess this is what Kanna m-meant, huh? Someday, all those drinks w-would do something to my heart. I didn't expect it to be so... tangible, th-though," His expression lightened into a smirk of his own before it quickly darkened again, "I can't t-trust you, Yukari. You know that."

"Would you rather go back to the thunder and lightning?" She tilted her head, "What happens if students were to meet under these conditions? What would happen if your thunderstorm were paired with something else? A drought, perhaps? The building could be set on fire. Or maybe you’d rather see a downpour and electrocute everything in the room."

"Damn it..." He muttered under his breath, "Yeah, I see your point, but... How is something like this even p-possible? It can't be magic. I-I still refuse to believe that."

"Just as Nori said, yes? I'm not ready to divulge any secrets, Shohei, but this certainly isn't magic," Yukari looked back up at the sky, "I wonder... What weather would I cause if I were not the equaliser here? ...I dare not loosen my grip and find out."

Shohei bit his lip and also looked up, half expecting the sky to darken once more, "So... As long as we're with you, the motive won't work?"

"Yes, something like that. I do wish I could cover more ground, though..." The psychoanalyst looked down, thoughtfully, "I wonder... If I stood in the hallway, could I make the radius encompass all sixteen rooms? Why don't we find out? Come, love. See me to your room."

---

"What the fuck... What the fuck?! I hate this!" Marise pounded her fist on the table. She was sitting in the Meeting Room, a diffused sunlight enveloping the room. The heat was unbearable and she growled. Despite having avoided any interactions with others, she understood the motive. It wasn’t exactly an orthodox mystery, but the heat radiating off her jacket helped her understand. Now... Who had rain? Who could she find who could counteract this drought? The light was bad enough, but the heat... She heard the door open and, at once, the room began to flood with a thick fog, causing her to groan. Fog was something she associated with cool mornings, but there was nothing cooling about this.

"I anticipated a motive precarious yet, though I find this environment quite propitious. Under this shroud of unknowable bliss, I could perform whatever maneuvers I see of fit and unknowable... Yes! Whoever would be privy to the erudition of my exploits under such obfuscation?" Marise rolled her eyes at the voice and strained grammar, but then seemed to remember the danger she would soon be in. Where was she? Marise frantically looked around. Where was Setsuka?

"Master doesn't blame you, y’know," Marise swallowed her surprise as Niseko's voice came from just behind her. She turned her head to see the silhouette of the doll amidst the fog, "She knows what you did. What you have. But why would she care?"

"Ku ku ku..." Marise felt breath on the side of her face. With the heat from the drought, it felt cool in comparison, but she wasn’t about to be desperate enough to ask Setsuka to keep breathing on her, "Marise... Miss Marise... That photograph... Do you know what the preservation in paper imparts? I would very much take in no reservations instigating elucidation regarding your mind and the image."

"I can already guess," She hissed, turning to Setsuka, "You did it, didn't you? That absolute carnage and destruction... It was you. I don't know who the woman is, but whoever she is, you killed her and in such a brutal way."

"She laid waste to my mentality. Brought ruin to my brain with each and every passing cycle of light. Come the forenoon, she plotted. At evenfall, she began. And the morrow, she assembled her coming malevolence. Fuyuizumi... A neuroscientist, as you'd declare her. Renako Fuyuizumi. A despicable woman... The moment she leered upon my kind, she was forsaken. Merely a phantasm of torment..." Setsuka's voice made Marise's neck prickle as she confirmed what the novelist had thought, "Master criminals... But you are no deviation from the clockwork of the mastermind's particularity. I know, Miss Marise... I know that you've suffered in likeness to I. Perhaps not neuroscientifically, but you will never return to the sinless, pristine, undefiled life you had hoped to lead."

"Why can’t you just speak like a normal human for once in your goddamn life? Who the hell was Renako? Your mother?" Marise grit her teeth. She, naturally, didn't expect answers from Setsuka, but she'd make her expectation clear at least.

"Ku ku ku... Fuyuizumi... She is a specter of my past," Setsuka brought her hands together, just as Niseko had many, many times, and began to cackle, "Kukukuku! Renako Fuyuizumi, my kin? You asseverate such uproarious proclamations. You may keep that treasure... I have no desire for the hallowed trinket."

"...Thanks," Marise glared, something unseen in the fog. She didn’t know whether to feel lucky that Setsuka had decided against exacting some revenge against her or insulted that she didn’t seem to care. It sounded absurd, but Marise had seen it many times. Setsuka, being inconvenienced, retaliated in an unreasonable fashion. What set her off was impossible to know in advance, so the normally silent and gloomy witch would spit insane ramblings as she fashioned up some retribution, sometimes even violent in nature. Still, whatever this Renako did to cause Setsuka to tear her apart must have been... Marise paused. It must have been terrible. Despite it, she didn’t feel one shred of sympathy for the doll maker.

"Man, it's really hot in here. I guess it fits someone as fiery as you, Marise!" Niseko exclaimed, climbing down from the table and crawling into Setsuka's arms, "But Setsuka and I are trying to learn all of the different weathers we're dealing with, so we've gotta go."

With that, Setsuka left with one last 'Ku ku ku...' and the fog slowly receded along with her.

---

"Perhaps I need to find some goggles in the Laboratory," Amari muttered and then spat sand from her mouth. The tiny flecks stung her arms, but she held herself in a firm position at the head of one of the Dining Room tables, "At least you have something manageable."

"Yes, manageable..." Kanna frowned. Clouds that were not befitting of a sandstorm floated around lazily. He couldn't help but bat his hand at one, "But these clouds are so far from perfection that I feel as though I might go crazy staring at them forever."

"This motive... It's not going to last," Amari hung her head. The sand whipped around and Kanna shielded himself with his cape, clutching it tightly like a bat tucking in its wings as she continued, "This is too much. We can't power through it like the last one."

"Unfortunately, that thought also crossed my mind. Don't you wonder, though? How were these conditions picked? Clouds must affect me more than you, but it's a psychological thing. Everyone knows by now that I can’t stand tiny, little imperfections that could be easily fixed," Kanna noted. He brought himself closer to Amari and adjusted his cape to shield both of them, "A sandstorm will affect you much more than me, what with how much skin you show."

Grateful for Kanna's shelter, Amari smiled slightly, "We know Monokuma by now. They're chosen very particularly, I imagine, to perfectly mess with us. I suppose I'll need to find a better outfit to deal with this, won't I?"

"You? In something besides this? Why, I never thought I'd see the day, Amari. After all of my begging, it turns out we just needed to set foot in a windy desert," Kanna laughed, "Still, the reverse will never be true. You'll never see me in something so... revealing."

"I'd expect not. After all, you keep yourself so pristine, don't you, perfect boy?" Amari playfully poked him in the shoulder. A moment passed and she frowned, sadness creeping into her eyes, "I missed just being able to talk like this."

"I did too, Amari. I never thought I'd see myself in a situation like this... With you, no less," Kanna looked down, feeling the awkward tension he had felt so many times before, "Perhaps it's better this way. We could mend what was broken. ...But then, that's up to you, isn't it?"

"Teenagers are incredibly stupid. I don't know what I was thinking," Amari sighed as Kanna raised an eyebrow. She smiled slightly, practically hearing his inner voice about how they were still teenagers. After a moment of silence, she shook her head as if nothing had happened, "I think we could lessen the effects of these weather conditions. Or at least... I hope. It comes down to whether someone has something unbearable or not. I highly doubt we've all been hit equally, judging by the sand and the clouds."

Something wet hit Kanna's head and he looked back to see Keroko crouching not too far away, "Oh dear... Now the sand is going to be mud."

"Rain for the frog. I'm not surprised," Amari curiously held out her hand to catch some of the rain, "But don't frogs like the rain? What do you make of this, Keroko?"

"Kero... Kekoro," She nodded, looking up, but then pulled at her soggy shirt. She personally loved the rain, but her wet clothes were uncomfortable and her waterlogged hair would soon droop and become heavy. Her neck wasn't very strong, after all. Keroko, like a frog, was prone to problems if her skin ever completely dried out, so the rain was welcome, but she still had to deal with the same problems a normal human would in the rain. Too much and she might even catch a cold.

Amari easily picked up on her clothing and nodded slowly, "Even so, it shouldn't be too hard to find shelter from it. Like the underside of this table."

Keroko nodded and crawled underneath, but still sighed. She didn't want to have to hide away forever, "Ro...."

"I haven't seen any umbrellas, unfortunately," Kanna rubbed his now wet hair. "But we could probably fashion one out of something. I know a thing or two about sewing, at least."

"I know it’ll be tough, but something like that doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be able to help," Amari looked at Kanna, who gave a small smile of defeat and Amari concluded, “This is going to be a hard thing to deal with, but I think we can do something. Nothing is impossible, after all."

"What if someone really has gotten something... unbearable, as you say?" Kanna frowned, looking up at Amari, "I'm a bit worried because this motive seems so much more... drastic than the others. If this never stops, getting sleep will prove difficult. I am very particular about my sleep."

"Yes, I am aware of your perfectionist attitude," Amari sighed, rubbing a finger on her pendant and narrowing her eyes.

"Hey, now," Kanna grit his teeth, "I ask that you do not start this up again. It will only end poorly and we are in the company of another."

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking. But you really are worrying way too much. Yes, this is the most troublesome motive yet, but putting too much stress on yourself, Kanna... You know the consequences of that all too well, don't you?" Amari's gaze softened and she glanced down at Keroko.

"All this time and you're still worried?" Kanna folded his arms, "Right. Well, how about we go find out how to get Keroko an umbrella?"

"Kero," Keroko nodded from under the table, a strange content expression on her face as she watched the two stand up in unison.

---

As Shigeru walked through the Office Room, wondering if the snow slowly drifting down around him would damage the computer's hardware, strange shattering-like noises gave him pause. He shivered, pulling his collar closer to his neck, and entered the next room to see a very strange sight. Mei spun around - a black, red, and white blur - and fragments of ice landed on the ground, splintering into smaller and smaller pieces as they did, "Mei? What are you doing?"

She stopped for a moment, both swords in hand, before a chunk of hail fell on her head and she resumed the strange action of cutting the hail from the air, "I am training."

"Training," Shigeru repeated, "Training, training. Leave it to you to turn the motive into an opportunity. This is a stroke of good fortune, though. I wanted to know how you are holding up... You know, after what happened with Ami."

"I am sad. I want Yumekuu back. But people don't come back. I know because I have ended many lives and none of them have come back," Mei stopped again, holding her katana over her head to block some of the hail, "It is snowing now, too."

"Yes, yes. That would be what I am dealing with. Such glittering snow and no hint of a cloud. This is what one would call diamond dust," Shigeru breathed a white puff of an exhale, "Gorgeous, but it sure is cold."

"Diamond dust. I have never heard that term before. I have, however, heard the word ‘Diamond’. What is it?" Mei held the katana firm despite the force of the hail.

"It is a gemstone. A pretty, clear rock that is worth quite an amount," Shigeru explained, "Ah, but there are no real diamonds in diamond dust. It's a description for the snow."

"I see. It has been in some job descriptions, but I rarely know the reasons why people give me their requests. I kill. Others clean up and finish whatever the job was for," Mei nodded slowly, "Fujioka. Why are you talking to me and not Yukimura?"

"Well, I was planning on doing that, but I wasn't sure whether invading Yamato's space is really what he needs now," Shigeru explained, "You seem to be doing alright, though. I shouldn’t have expected anything less. You’ve always been strong."

"Yumekuu did not have a blade," Mei started and then reached into her pocket to pull out a very familiar, by now, silver item, "But she left this. So I will use this for her."

"For her?" Shigeru frowned, looking at the pocket watch.

"Yes. This is Ami now," Mei stared at it and Shigeru couldn't help but notice her usage of Ami's first name, "Just as this white wakizashi is Takeo and someday, this black katana will be me. It is alright if you do not understand, Fujioka. People rarely do."

”Your customs are foreign to me, I will admit, but it is not as though I do not understand what you mean,” He responded as Mei sheathed her katana while simultaneously going back to cutting the hail with her wakizashi, “I’ve never asked about it before, so, so... Will you tell me about it when we have the time? The Meiyo’s way of the sword?”

”If that is what you want,” Mei nodded, then darted past Shigeru through the doorway, "Come, Fujioka. We shall visit Yukimura together."

Scrambling to catch up, Shigeru hugged himself to stave off the cold, "Is bringing all of this adverse weather to him really a good idea?"

Mei stopped at the elevator, "It will be okay. Yukimura is affected by snow. I know this because his name means snow village. I would think the mastermind a fool to not give Yukimura snow."

"But... I have snow. Can two people have the same weather?" Shigeru asked as the elevator opened. Somehow, the idea of a third frozen weather condition didn’t thrill him.

"Yukimura is angry. You have calm... diamond dust. Yukimura will have an angry blizzard," Mei hesitantly stepped into the elevator and, unable to swing in such an enclosed area, pulled up her hood, casting a shadow on her face that her intense red eyes pierced through. Shigeru blinked, surprised, and Mei looked him up and down, "Why do you look so confused?"

"Excuse me, excuse me. I tend to forget that you have a hood. You rarely wear it, after all," Shigeru smiled sheepishly before a hailstone struck him on the nose, "Ow."

"But ninjas have hoods," Mei looked away, now confused, herself. She pondered Shigeru's words, wondering if she, instead, was the one wrong regarding the subject. She looked back, concerned now for Shigeru's head as it was pelted with hail, "This is dangerous."

"Yes, yes, I've figured that bit out," He winced, "Hanging around you might give me brain damage if I don't get frostbite first."

Mei stared at him with wide eyes and pulled down her hood further as the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened.

"Oh dear, I'm starting to sound like Shohei. It was just a joke, Mei." He exited as Mei followed him with a tilted head and perplexed look. Amari, Kanna, and Keroko were still in the Dining Hall, having apparently been discussing things further, and Keroko still crouched under a table, but Mei shot past them, through the sand and rain, and burst out of the clouds while Shigeru awkwardly did his best not to slip on the wet ground, "Mei, please wait up."

Amari raised an eyebrow as they passed, but said nothing. The two entered the Blue Hallway and Mei stood in front of Yamato's door. The crest of Rinrin Roar Academy, Yamato's former school, looked like the hat Yamato sometimes wore, curving down. There were also simple 'x's that were probably meant to be stars, but Mei merely saw them for what they were. She raised a hand and knocked lightly.

"Ah... Miss Lady. I was waiting for an excuse to leave-- Ow, what the hell?" The door had opened and, while Mei was greeted by a faceful of snow, not that she didn't expect it, Yamato had appeared from the white-painted room with a very tired face and was immediately hit on the head with a large piece of hail, "Ugh. One moment, if you will."

He disappeared back into his room and came back out, this time with his hat on. Shigeru shivered and couldn’t help but wonder just whose weather was coldest, "Yamato, we just wanted to check on you. I haven't seen you in a while. I apologise for bringing all of... this... to you."

"Doesn't make a difference one way or the other. For what it's worth, this snow means nothing at all to me. Nothing could make me colder than I already am," Yamato turned his head to the side, "But sure. Why not? I’ll humor you. After what you all have been saying, I'm torn. Who do I blame? Do I leave my anger with Ami or do I turn this hatred to Yukari?"

"Nagakage was responsible," Mei immediately answered, but she lowered her head, "However, there is no use in being angry anymore. What is past is past and holding on to that anger will kill you."

"Kill me? That's quite dramatic," Yamato then tapped her on the head, "Your hair is sticking up, you know."

"What?!" Her voice was sharp and her arms flailed around her head as she tried to push down her hair, "When did this happen? Was it you, Yukimura? Was it your angry blizzard?"

"Er... I don't know," He frowned and then sighed, "So all you guys wanted was to know how I felt after Nori, huh? I suppose I can't fault you for that intent. It doesn't matter, though."

"Are you going to say that you can't feel better after that? That the wounds won't heal?" Shigeru crossed his arms, "Because that's how I felt with Riku and, I know, you've known Nori for a while longer than I knew Riku, but... I know the feeling."

"You will get better, Yukimura," Mei looked up at him, "My family is all gone, except grandfather. It's a great pain to think about, but I am better off knowing that my family would want me to continue on instead of grieving. Besides, I need to find Keizou."

"Continue instead of grieving," Yamato looked back into his room, "Well, it only gets cold in my room now, so I guess there's no point in staying there. I can--"

He was cut off by the sound of a door and the soft patter of rain. Yamato tilted his hat down as light flooded the area and he turned to see Haru emerging from his room. The rain closer to the small group was freezing before it hit the ground and, instinctively, Yamato backed up. More hail was the last thing he wanted.

Mei also looked toward Haru, muttering, "Sun... Rain... Kitsune rain!?"

”Kitsune...” Haru started but the moment it took him to say that was enough for Mei to finish processing whatever she was thinking about.

"Kitsune rain!?” She exclaimed and, without warning, charged at Haru, who yelped as she jumped him, “Tanioto... Are you a nogitsune!?"

"What the-- Mei, stop! Stop, get off of me. Agh! You've got hail. Stop!" Haru frantically waved his arms in an attempt to throw Mei off, to no avail.

Eventually, she backflipped off on her own accord and folded her arms, glaring, "Tanioto the nogitsune. I should have known."

"Now's not the time for... what did you call it way back? Nogitsunephobia?" Haru shook his head, "Ugh, this is ridiculous. I came out because I was worried my room would flood and this rain is terrible for my cello. Eventually, it would seep through the case... Turns out, a crazy ninja was waiting in ambush."

"There was rain in the Dining Hall as we passed, wasn't there? It might have been Keroko," Shigeru scratched his head, "Hail, diamond dust, blizzard, rain, sandstorm, clouds or something, and now kitsune rain. What on earth would happen if we got everyone in a room together? It would be..."

He trailed off, realising that the snow had settled around him, and he slowly turned to see two people standing at the doorway to the larger hallway, "It would be just fine, love. After all, I'm here."

"R-Right. Yukari stops the weather... Somehow..." Shohei muttered beside her.

"Yukari and Shohei? What an... odd pairing," Shigeru noted, aware of Yamato's grip on his hoop tightening, "Well, well. What brings you here?"

"It's not so odd when you consider that poor Shohei here is at risk of being struck by lightning all on his own," Yukari said and, with complete disregard, turned toward Shohei's door, addressing the barista, "Unfortunately, I don't think I can reach the Red Hallway while I'm here. And when we were out there, I couldn't get the entirety of either hallway. Still, one is better than none, yes?"

"So... Y-You're just going to sit here," Shohei bit his lip, "If no one kills, this might go on forever. You're really just gonna stay here?"

"Well, of course. I'll have to go between the hallways to make it fair, but I'm certainly okay with staying here if it ruins the mastermind's plans," Yukari smirked, "After last time, I am more than happy."

"Last time? When you killed Nori?" Yamato growled, "So you stop the weather or whatever. I think that just makes you suspicious. Maybe if you hadn't screwed us all over, we wouldn't have to deal with this to begin with."

"Yukimura. Anger is no good. If Nagakage ends this, let her end it," Mei said, backing away from Haru, "However. Tanioto is still a nogitsune in disguise, regardless, and should be dealt with."

"A nogitsune?" Yukari frowned, "Why is... Oh, yes, of course. Haru has the fox's wedding. Quite fitting. Amidst the sunshine is the gloom of rain... Why yes... That's perfect for you, love!"

"Shut up, Yukari," Haru spat. Surprisingly, Yukari looked visibly and genuinely wounded, but he didn’t care, "Mei might be saying this stuff, but no one's really forgiven you. How can we? Without any regret, you killed two of our friends."

"You really cared that much for Nori and Ami? Even after learning about Ami's past? Knowing that Ami viciously murdered innocent people? I know you saw the file on her father, Haru. Perhaps her friend, as well?" Yukari wasn't smiling anymore. She held no whimsy in her tone. The ice in her eyes was even colder than the weather he’d just suffered through, "And though you still do not understand, what I did was something I had to do. There were no alternatives. I always consider every possible solution. I look for ways not to get my hands dirty, but this time... This time, there was no other way."

"Bullshit," Yamato shot back, "Of course there was. I toughed it out through the motive, you could've, too. It had only been a day and a half before you decided on your no-alternative strategy. Lemme guess. You killed Nori because he annoyed you."

"And you killed Yumekuu because she understood you...?" Mei brought a finger to her lips, "But... This isn't right. Sasaki didn't understand a thing about you. If you enjoy the unknown so much, why did you kill Sasaki?"

"Well, Yamato. What did you think of Nori's locker contents?" Yukari said as she turned back to the door, but he only looked more furious, "I'm sure if you carefully look at it, you might just understand. It is, after all, so full of hope and idealistic. Shohei, love, can you open the door?"

"Yukari..." He started and then took a breath, "This isn't going to work. You c-can't... This p-plan won't work if you don't start apologising... Or repenting... o-or something at least! No one trusts you."

"Do you trust me, Shohei?" Yukari looked back at him.

Placing his hand on his door's scanner, Shohei gave a very simple answer before disappearing inside, "No."

"Oh well..." Yukari breathed before following him inside.

Haru clenched his fist once the door shut, "What the hell am I even supposed to think anymore? What does she want? What is she after? She's committed unforgivable sins and, yet, she's open about her own twisted methods. And to top it all off, she's the only person here that I can't read, no matter how hard I look."

"Read?" Mei brought a finger to her lip, "Nagakage is not a book, Tanioto."

"No, but sometimes I wish she were," He growled. The fact that the only thing preventing the motive from outright destroying them was Yukari made him angry, but something else was nagging at his mind and he whispered, intending no one to hear him, "What if she did it to... To prove that there is always a worse crime. Could that be what she meant...? Then why the fuck?!"

He had raised his voice, outright shouting the last sentence, and Yamato blinked, "I can't believe I'm the one saying this, but you need to calm down, Haru. I have never seen you this upset before. It can’t be healthy for you."

”Et tu, ringmaster. I’ve never seen you so depressed,” Haru grumbled, “And you know that I saw right through your act the moment we met.”

Yamato glowered, but it seemed like he didn’t have any retort. In his silence, Mei looked around before bowing, "Hm. Well, Tanioto. I wish for you to know that my words were in jest. I do not believe you to be a nogitsune. Farewell."

Shigeru watched the ninja go and then looked back at Haru with pity. Unfortunately for him, he had chosen to speak his piece aloud in a room with two of the most perceptive students in the building, along with the one who knew him best, and his revelation had certainly not gone unnoticed.