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takonei · 4 years

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Beta AU - Main story, Chapter 3, deadly life (Part 5)

Note of the author: ... Heavy stuff incoming. Sensible souls beware.

Chapter 3: What is beyond humans’ control - Deadly life

...

Kaito’s face blanched. Shuichi could faintly see sweat drops on his temple.

"I... I’m...”

He felt bad for the biker.

He was the only one with decent knowledge in mechanics and able to do Keebo’s maintenance while both Tsumugi and Ryoma were sick.

The responsibility of Keebo’s death fell on him.

He was the one responsible.

He was the reason why the robot wasn’t with them anymore.

Even if Keebo wasn’t human, he was still considered a part of the group. And to Monokuma, he was a participant.

He had a conscience -though less developed than a human’s-, he had thoughts, desires, and even though he didn’t express them much, Keebo did have emotions.

The thought of his friend being executed like Tenko and Maki for a tiny maintenance mistake he didn’t have full control upon...

That terrified Shuichi.

Now that he thought about it, how many of them were responsible for others’ deaths? Or even attempted to kill?

Miu tried to, but couldn’t bring herself to actually do it.

Kaito killed Keebo on accident.

Kokichi was the reason why Kaede was the victim of the second case.

Kirumi murdered several people in the past.

Ryoma, as a war mechanic, built weapons that killed people.

That left five people innocent.

Only half the group had never tried to and/or ended someone’s life.

... And he didn’t count the blackened who killed Himiko.

Did they already have blood on their hands before committing the crime?

Who knows.

The courtroom was silent, the others slowly realizing the truth.

Miu was looking away. The guilt seemed to flow back to her. Perhaps a part of her knew how he was feeling.

Ryoma looked angry, but kept his emotions to himself. Now was probably not the time to lash out at Kaito, and he knew it.

Kirumi, Kiyo and Rantaro, even though they were not the most expressive, had hints of pity on their faces.

Tsumugi was staring at Kaito, a neutral look on her face. She didn’t look satisfied by the results, but she didn’t look annoyed either. How could she be so calm in a situation like this?

Angie was hard to read. Was she not caring about Keebo’s death? She was simply waiting for something to happen, but couldn’t bring herself to start the conversation.

And Kokichi... He looked more troubled about what was coming than the fact Kaito was indeed, the second blackened.

They all investigated Keebo’s death to know what Kokichi even had those last few days.

Was the truth even worth achieving? Was it worth putting a “killer” stamp on Kaito’s face?

Monokuma may have said he would have forced them to investigate Keebo’s death anyway, but they still chose to go along with it.

Shuichi had a horrible feeling.

“And now...” Monokuma broke the silence. “I have to complete my part of the deal!”

The others turned back to the bear- except Kaito, who was still looking at the ground.

Kokichi was even more afraid than Shuichi.

“Drum rolls for Kokichi’s condition, please!” the mascot yelled.

Before the remaining Monokubs could start the noise, Rantaro interrupted them. “Just tell us already.”

“Kids these days! No sense of humour!” Monokuma pouted. “Very well! In that case...”

“Kokichi did, indeed, have the despair disease, even though his symptoms differed from the others!”

Shuichi unconsciously held his breath.

“And... What were my symptoms...?” Kokichi hesitantly asked.

“Puhuhuhuhu! Well what would be more suited for you...”

“... Than the reverse disease!”

Shuichi raised an eyebrow. “The... Reverse disease?”

He glanced at the others. They were just as confused... And then his eyes landed on Rantaro. The medic’s face became as white as Kaito’s.

Does he know?

“... Oh no.” Rantaro muttered low enough to be heard only by Shuichi's musician ears and perhaps the two girls on his sides.

“It’s pretty simple actually!” Monokuma continued. “This disease will reverse your talent! So for the ultimate karma who’s very existence rewards good people and punishes the bad ones...”

“An ultimate karma with the reverse disease will punish innocent people and reward the bad ones!”

Shuichi could barely mutter “What does this have to do with anyth-”

Before he realized.

Himiko.

Himiko was the one to care about Kokichi the most.

So much that she stayed around him almost the entire time he was sick.

So much that when she wasn’t at his side, she felt guilty for leaving him alone.

She never was afraid of his talent and the dangers around it.

She still helped him get through everything that happened in the game.

And when they found her dead this morning...

... She was unrecognizable.

Wounds covering her body, bones and joints broken, stabbed in all places, and a grotesque graffiti of angel wings behind her back painted with her own blood.

And all this torture inflicted while she was alive.

They were all wondering what she even did to deserve such a cruel fate...

... But the answer was right here. Right in front of their eyes.

Like a reversed wheel of fortune unable to stop spinning.

Like a blind judge unable to distinct the virtue from the vice.

Kokichi and the disease offered the astronomer a fate worse than death.

And he had no control over this.

Karma rendered an unjust judgement and took the life of the one who deserved it the less.

...

Shuichi’s eyes slowly widened in horror.

The others felt as shocked and terrified as him as they realized the harsh truth.

Even Ryoma and Tsumugi who were the most stoic people of the group were appalled by the reveal.

First Kaede, and now this? Kokichi had finally started to accept his talent thanks to Himiko, and she perished because of it.

What did Kokichi even do to deserve this?

Wasn’t being the cause of Kaede’s death enough for Monokuma?

“Haha... Hahahahahahah...”

The violinist’s eyes shifted to the small boy.

He was hysterically laughing.

For what felt like an eternity, a delirious laughter filled the courtroom, dumbfounded eyes fixated on him.

“What did I even expect? It’s always my fault. It always has been. Whenever something bad happens it’s always me. Whenever someone suffers it’s always me. And if it’s not my fault well guess what? It’s still me somehow.”

The tone of his voice sent chills down Shuichi’s spine. It was like he already accepted it.

How used to this type of situation was he?

How much blood did he have on his hands because of his talent?

“Well! You got your answer now!” He outstretched his arms, a wide smile on his face. A joyful gesture not fitting a normal reaction at all. “If it’s karma that killed Himiko, then you have your blackened! It was about time I pay for every death I’m responsible for.”

Shuichi blinked. “What...?”

"It’s my fault she died, right? Then it’s only fair *I* get to be executed.” he continued.

In his voice wasn’t regret nor sadness.

It was madness. Tiredness. Dreadful acceptance.

A plea to end his life.

When he broke down last trial, it was already hard to look at.

But this was different.

They were all so convinced his condition would be a major clue to the case that they forgot why Monokuma even put them in this killing game.

It was to make inflict them despair.

And he was excelling at doing do.

Rantaro himself was starting to panic. “Hold on, we can’t just execute you, we don’t even know if you’re-”

“Who cares about that! Karma ended her life, end of the story! I’m the culprit you’re all searching for!” He yelled desperately.

“Even if ‘karma’ is part of this, we don’t even know who was the one to kill her. So unless you killed her we have no reason to vote for you.” Kirumi countered.

“SHUT UP! You have no idea what you’re talking about! There is one person responsible for her death here, and it’s me!”

Kiyo tried to calm down the conflict. “I probably will never understand what you went through but we need to-”

“There’s nothing to understand! Himiko is dead because of me and this despair bullshit! I am the blackened here!”

“Then let’s settle this right now.” Tsumugi slammed her hands on her podium.

Shuichi snapped out of his shock. “What do you-”

“Monokuma, I have a question about the rules.” she asked.

Everyone turned to the prodigy.

“Who counts as the blackened in a case exactly?”

The robotic bear laughed, paws on his mouth.

“The blackened is the student who commits the killing. So no matter how much someone is indirectly responsible for someone’s death...”

“... Only the person who does the final blow is the blackened!”

Rantaro frowned. “The final blow...?”

“Or in the case of a poisoning, it’s the person who gave the substance to the victim who is the blackened!”

The courtroom went silent.

“... That settles it.” Tsumugi declared.

No matter how much karma was part of the equation, Kokichi was not the blackened.

The boy looked beyond mad.

“That’s still on me! I’ve seen people die by my fault, Himiko is no exception!”

“Kokichi, please!” Rantaro yelled, surprising everyone.

He winced when Kokichi’s desperate eyes landed on his.

“It’s... Horrible. Even I have never seen such a horrible death before. And I’ve seen a lot of stuff over the years.”

“Then just vote for me already! I-”

“But.” he interrupted. “I refuse to believe an invisible concept such as karma was able to physically do anything to Himiko.”

“We still have a culprit to find. The real blackened.” Kirumi continued.

Angie looked up. “We didn’t talk about Himiko’s death that much, didn’t we?”

Shuichi took a deep breath. “I still... Have trouble realizing someone went that far in a crime...”

“I’m telling you I am the culprit! I am the reason Himiko died! I should count as the blackened!”

Kokichi was not giving up.

Shuichi had trouble staying calm.

This whole trial was heartbreaking.

"Kokichi, are you the one who drugged me and killed Himiko?” Rantaro strongly gripped his podium.

“No! But I should still count as the blackened!”

“You are not the blackened for this! We have to find the real culprit, Monokuma said so himself!”

“I know I’m responsible for this! Just stop it already!”

“No! We have a murder to solve, we need to do justice for Himiko!”

“No one needs to die other than me here! There’s only one person who deserves a punishment and it’s me!”

“Can’t you see that whoever did this did not have a state of mind that could be described as remotely sane???”

Rantaro yelled desperately.

Kokichi stopped.

“Rantaro...” Ryoma turned to him. “What do you mean by that?”

“The killer could have just stabbed her and leave and yet...” he explained. “... I think whoever did this had lost every little bit of sanity they had. Which is why my theory is...”

“... That the killer had the despair disease and either never told any of us, or lied about their symptoms.”

Shuichi didn’t even know why he didn’t think of it this way. It felt obvious, on second thought.

“And do you think you can rule out some suspects?” Kiyo asked.

Rantaro thought for a second. “The first one we can rule out is Kokichi. Since Monokuma himself told us the real symptoms, and he even defended me about the soporifics.”

The violinist could see Kokichi clenching his fists, gaze to the ground.

Miu raised an eyebrow. “Can’t we also say Tsumugi and Ryoma are innocent? The monokubs pretty much confirmed their symptoms!”

“That’s what I’m doubting.” Rantaro replied. “Do you really think the monokubs would tell us if someone lied about their own symptoms?”

“Are you suggesting we’re lying?” Tsumugi glared at him.

The medic wasn’t phased in the slightest. “Aren’t you the one suspecting me all the time? Or only you are allowed to suspect other people?”

“Let’s not argue right now.” Kirumi interrupted them before things would go wrong.

Kiyo seemed to be pondering for a moment. “... Monokuma, I have a question about the disease.”

“Let’s see, what is your question?”

“Supposing the killer did have the despair disease. Do they remember their own crime?” he asked.

... If they didn’t, things would get really problematic.

“Excellent question! Even though it is tempting not to answer, I shall give you this detail!” the bear exclaimed.

“As much as a case where the murderer doesn’t remember their crime is interesting and has a lot of potential, for this case, if the killer did have the disease, they do remember their crime!”

“Then in that case we can rule out Tsumugi. She was the first one to tell us that she didn’t remember the last few days.” Kirumi explained. “And I don’t think Ryoma would have agreed to follow her and fake amnesia as well, if she was lying.”

“We can also rule out Ryoma in the process. He was with Rantaro and I for the first part of the investigation and told us the same.” Kiyo added.

“So we got Kokichi, Tsumugi and Ryoma out of the equation. Which is a start.” Rantaro concluded.

“However we can’t keep trying to rule out suspects like this.” Ryoma raised a hand. “If we don’t solve the murder as a whole we will get nowhere.”

Shuichi unconsciously nodded. “That’s right... I think that’s the best for now.”

“We have to solve Himiko’s murder entirely.”

#ndrv3 #danganronpa v3 #ndrv3 au #beta au #main story

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lynneshobbydomain · 4 years

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Pancake Night (Day 5 of Momoharu Week)

Prompt: Memories/Dreams

Rating: T

Summary: Coming out of the simulation meant learning how to handle their own ghosts. It was just a matter of time before Shuichi had to ask for help for his.

You can read under the cut or go to my AO3

The bell above the diner jingled, alerting everyone in the vicinity that Kaito and Maki had entered. Maki was already unwrapping her scarf and Kaito was pulling his gloves off. The winter was a little more harsh during the night than it was during the day, but they had gotten a text saying that tonight was Pancake Night, and Kaito tried not to miss any of those if he could. Maki didn’t usually dare come to any of them, since Kokichi was mostly there, but...if anything, if it was Shuichi who requested it, then Maki was for sure coming even when Kaito told her that Kokichi might be there too, considering.

Shuichi normally didn’t request the sacred pancake nights. Like Kaito, he tried to be at every single one of them too, regardless who requested it. Even if they ended on bad terms, or they weren’t considered friends, Shuichi tried to reach out to everyone, and Kaito adored that in his sidekick. It meant that he was growing as a person. It meant that he knew now that it was okay to be vulnerable. He was just a little surprised that Kaede nor anyone else was coming to this.

Then again, Kaito didn’t think Shuichi used the group chat to ask for his or Maki’s appearance. “Yo.” He greeted as he walked over to the table. Maki had already taken off her coat and was folding it in her arms, watching the two boys. Kokichi was sitting next to Shuichi, blowing a paper wrapper from the end of his straw and Shuichi had been in the middle of trying to grab it out of his hands. “You guys already ordered?”

“Aw Momota-chan and HaruMaki showed up to date night. I’m a little disappointed.” Kokichi whined. Kaito had half of the mind to punch him, but Maki had other ideas, already sliding into the booth and giving Kokcihi a stare. It was clear that there was still bad blood between them, despite the simulation. Kaito already put his ghosts to rest, but...that didn’t mean everyone else did. “Awaaahhh! HaruMaki’s scary!” Kokcihi burst into crocodile tears as he clung onto Shuichi.

Kaito took a good look at his sidekick, and he could see Maki’s expression shift as well. He slid into the booth next to her, and he could already tell that Maki was thinking the same thing he was. Ignoring the loudmouth beside Shuichi, he spoke calmly. “You look dead Shuichi.”

“Ah, yeah.” Shuichi didn’t tug down his hat, nor did he try to avert his gaze. He was calmly patting Kokichi’s hand, in mindless thoughtfulness. “It’s…” He trailed off and Kaito nodded encouragingly.

“Pancake night.” Kokichi said, drying his eyes and looking at his hands bored. “You the rules of it.”

The rules of it were simple. Whoever called Pancake Night was the one that was allowed to vent about anything. From the smallest little thing that happened that day, to the biggest most gruesome thing that was in their mind. Some people couldn’t handle the reminders of the game and usually didn’t come to these nights, but...those who did usually were the ones that needed it the most. The last person who requested it was Himiko and she had been...in a very rough state. Kaito was afraid of letting her leave the restaurant. He was going to have to remind himself to call her tomorrow if Shuichi didn’t.

“You look like shit.” Maki decided to cut through the tiptoeing and Shuichi’s hands tightened into fists. “Nightmares? Dreams?”

“A bit of both. It feels ridiculous…”

“Nothing about this is.” Kaito assured. “Just talk to us man. We’re here for you.” He reached over and grabbed Maki’s hand and Maki squeezed slightly. Kokichi looked like he was ready to start up something, but a quick look from Maki froze that instantly.

Shuichi thought for a moment, the silence lingering. It was a good thing since the waitress swung by to get everyone’s drink order as well as the usual double stack of pancakes that were going to be split among them. Kokcihi asked for strawberry and blueberry syrup as always. “I keep going back there.”

“To which part?” Kaito asked, already getting an idea of where this was going.

He wasn't wrong to assume. “Mostly to you and Kokichi’s death.”

Well...that explained why Kokichi was there then. Kokichi didn’t seem to be phased by it. He probably expected it. Kaito on the other hand leaned back into the chair and glanced over at Maki. It was a common conversation between them as well. Maki didn’t talk about her nightmares or dreams, but he knew when she cuddled against him, it was about him. He knew when she went to the gym early morning and before he could even offer to come it was about the plan, about the switch. About confessing her love to him and realizing that it was never going to come true.

It was luck. It was really pure luck that the simulation was what it was. Otherwise, Kaito was going to miss out on so much. Maki was the one that spoke, sharp and cool. “It sucks.”

“Ahaha. Yeah. But I wasn’t trying to make you guys feel guilty or…” Shuichi trailed off. Kaito pursed his lips together, watching his sidekick shuffle through his thoughts. “Or feel like you did wrong. What you two did was...brilliant. I just…”

“Feel guilty.” Kokichi decided to save him from the suffering. “Shumai you’re a lunatic. You’re not supposed to feel guilty about that.”

“You always take more responsibility than you should. You’re going to wind up dead from a heart attack if you keep doing that.” Maki frowned, watching Shuichi with firm red eyes. “You always try to take the guilt when it’s not yours to carry. No wonder you’re not sleeping. How are you sleeping when every time you look around there’s a ghost in the corner.”

“Maki Roll come on.” Kaito frowned at her. “That’s a bit harsh. Shuichi can’t help what his brain comes up with! That’s why we’re here! We just gotta figure out how to change the mindset.”

“Don’t you two ever think about it? Dream about it?” Shuichi asked and it made Kaito freeze.

Kokichi didn’t fare much better. Kaito noticed that the careful mask the trickster wore was falling at the seams. “Of course I don’t.” Kokichi said after a moment. “Why would I dream about something that I did on purpose? Silly beloved.”

Maki made a face at the nickname, but Shuichi rarely reacted to it anymore. It was probably said so much, it lost all meaning. Kaito on the other hand knew that this was important. “Well if Kokichi is going to be a coward about it, then it’s up to me to step up to the plate and be a man about it.” Kaito punched his fists together in his determined gesture and he could feel Maki’s gaze linger on him. Whether it was out of fondness or if she was just exasperated at his antics like usual, Kaito didn’t notice. At the moment, he couldn’t afford to pay attention to that right now. “Yeah I have nightmares.”

Maki may not talk about hers, but she had been across the dining table when he had woken up with air leaving his lungs and seeing stars that were fake and childish linger in behind his eyelids. She was there kneeling in the bathroom, rubbing his back as he lost all contents of his stomach when he felt like he had to be coughing up something. She was there when looking up at the sky was too much and gave him an existential crisis about whether or not he was truly alive or truly dead.

Kaito wasn’t afraid to peel back his layers. “It sucks, like Maki Roll says, but…” he trailed off. “I think the worst part of it is waking up and wondering if you’re really there. There are times I think I should be in a spaceship going to my death, and there’s times I dream about pushing that button.” He glanced at Kokichi. “As annoying as you are, and as much as I don’t mind punching you, I don’t want you dead.”

“Awwww I’m loved.” Kokichi gushed.

“Stop talking.” Maki gave Kokichi a firm glare.

“Kokichi sometimes dreams about the hydraulic press, but…you know how he is.” Shuichi gestured.

“Again. Why would I be bothering any of you about any of this?” Kokichi’s mask once more slipped over his face.

“Because we’re all guilty of something.” Kaito pointed out. “We’re not going to blame you, Kokichi if you have nightmares, but...you’re not what Pancake Night is about right now. We’re trying to focus on Shuichi.”

“N-no it’s my fault.” Shuichi held his hands up. “Maybe my nightmare was a-”

“Stop.” Maki said forcefully and Shuichi slumped back into his seat. Kaito glanced at his girlfriend who was watching their best friend. “You don’t get to take their sins. What they did is on them.” She pointed at Kokichi first, and then Kaito. “Believe me. I already had my words with Kaito about how I felt. We’re just waiting for you to snap. You’re too mild-mannered. You don’t get angry often enough. When we ended Danganronpa, that was the first time I’ve actually seen you livid.”

“You should’ve seen it when he told me about his Ultimate Talent. Got right up and angry. I never thought he’d bite!” Kaito commented.

“You made fun of my beloved?! For shame Momota-chan!” Kokichi placed a hand over his heart and dramatically fell against Shuichi’s shoulder. “I should have my men come after you for that you know.”

Maki paused for a moment, clearly annoyed that she had gotten off track with where she was going with her story. Finally she spoke, placing her arms against the table and leaning in. “Look, Shuichi.” She stated. “I get why you had Kaito and Kokichi come here. You want to apologize to them. Like it’s going to make the guilt and the nightmares go away. Himiko called Tenko the other day and they had a long conversation about the very same thing you’re trying to talk about now.” Both Kaito and Kokichi clamped their mouths shut, watching Maki and Shuichi. “You’re not reacting correctly.”

“Not…” Shuichi gave Maki a cool look. “I was supposed to be smarter than that. I ruined their plans.” He was starting to tick off the flaws off of his fingers. “I couldn’t think of who was under the hydraulic press until too late, I couldn’t figure out that it was Tsumugi who was roleplaying as the mastermind. I’m a detective! A useless one at that!”

“Is...that what you really think?” Kokichi asked.

Kaito already heard this once before. “Shut up.” He knew he was getting glares from Kokichi and from Shuichi and decided to raise his voice a little. “Where’s the confidence that you had when you ended Danganronpa?! Come on, man. You know how to keep your chin up! Look at what you were able to do! You caused them to bankrupt. There’s no more killing game. No more hospitalized kids. I know you get letters from previous players who are thanking you on bended knee and yeah, you deserve that kind of recognition! You did everything you could with all of the information that you were provided. I made you my sidekick for a reason right?! You did just fine in that trial. Sure it had it’s hiccups, but we’re all human. We can’t plan for every little thing.”

Shuichi blinked at him as though it was the first time he was truly seeing Kaito. Kaito decided to point one more thing out to him, just to be on the safe side. “Besides, you two were supposed to look out for each other. You made sure to help Maki realize that it wasn’t going to be her fault that it was going to happen. I was already dying. Kokichi was already dying. There was just...someone was going to die. We chose the way we knew it should go.”

“I’ve been telling him that, but my beloved doesn't believe me.” Kokichi glanced at his nails, offhandedly. “I sure hope he believes you.”

“N-no I belive you both it’s just-”

“The brain sucks.” Maki interjected. “We get it. You need to call these nights more often, Shuichi. Before you look like you’re about to fall out of your seat.”

“Told you!” Kokichi singsonged.

Leaving pancake night meant going back through the briskness of the winter’s cold chill. It was nearing dawn now, and Kaito felt exhaustion settle bone deep. They waved Kokichi and Shuichi off at a corner and now Maki and Kaito were walking side by side together as they headed back to their apartment. Kaito was grateful that they chose someplace close to the city to live. It was weird to see it dead without all the people around, the neon reflecting against the windows and streets with a will to entice them to look. There weren’t white noised conversations that could drown out the soft hum of the cars or the thoughts that were currently whirling in his mind.

Kaito stuffed his hands into his pockets as he thought about what had just transpired. He knew that Shuichi was suffering. He thought about his nightmares, about his own dreams, and he thought about all the good that came out of the killing game too. He should’ve mentioned that. Maybe he could text it to Shuichi, or maybe if the next time the conversation came to light, he could push him towards that direction too. There had been so much good that came out of something terrible, and bloodsoaked. He looked over a Maki who was adjusting her scarf to keep herself warm. He reached down and gently took the scarf from her hands, adjusting it for her and tightening it.

Maki stayed quiet and let him do as he pleased. When he was satisfied that she would be kept warm, he reached and took a gloved hand into his, intertwining their fingers together. “You’re thinking.” Maki said, calm as snow that was slowly drifting on the breeze. “About what?”

“Oh...just wondering if I’m dreaming right now.” Kaito commented.

Maki’s expression turned just slightly annoyed. “You’re an idiot. You’re not sleep walking.”

“No. But tonight’s been a good night.” Kaito grinned at her. “Even if we had to go to Pancake Night. It was a good night.”

“How...was it good?” Maki huffed, her breath turning into fog as she looked up at him. Red eyes held curiosity.

“I was thinking about what Shuichi said about the nightmare, but...it wasn’t all that bad. I feel kind of bad that I didn’t tell him that. There were a lot of things that were good that came from it. If you know where to look.” Kaito explained.

Maki seemed to understand his train of thought, for she looked away immediately and pulled her hand from his grip so that she could grab her pigtail and start tugging at it furiously. The scarf hid the pout and puffed cheeks, but Kaito had that expression memorized. He knew that she was flustered and she knew that he was talking about her and Shuichi and all the moments in between.

He knew that not everyone focused on the moments in between. The nightmares were louder than their hopes and their dreams and their passions. Kaito wondered if maybe he should start trying to encourage them to remember what made them all Ultimates to begin with. Even if their talents were fake, the passion that they had behind them was real. It was easily demonstrated with himself, Shuichi, and Kokichi. They just needed the rest of the class to follow. Though, Kaito did wish that Maki wouldn’t follow an assassin's way of life as her passion or goal. Though he couldn’t blame her if she did.

“That was cheesy. Gross and cheesy.” Maki sighed after a moment, letting her pigtail go. Her words didn’t mean much as she reached and took Kaito’s hand back into hers, lacing their fingers back together in a simple lock and grip. “You have other Pancake Nights to do that. Shuichi’s on your phone too. You have methods of reaching him, if you’d just take them.”

“We should get back into training.” Kaito mused thoughtfully. “Have him work out more with us. That’ll get rid of the nightmares for sure.”

“No that just represses them.” Maki was exasperated and fond. “Though it might help him get some sleep.”

“God he needs that.”

“You need that too.” Maki replied bluntly and Kaito laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “You should be taking your own advice.”

“I know, Maki Roll, I’m not good at that am I?” Kaito grinned and Maki wondered if he took anything seriously. Kaito just couldn’t let other people worry about him for too long. “How do you fight off your nightmares?”

“They’re not real.” Maki replied simply. “I’m here now. I’m not going to waste another second or another minute trying to fight something that’s not true.”

“No dreams to counter it?”

“This is my dream.” Maki pointed at him and then pointed at their hands. “Even if it is messy and full of nightmares and waking up to cold beds. I wanted this. So I’m going to stick with you and stick with us. Assassins don’t get to have happy endings, Kaito. As far as I’m concerned, this is a happy ending that’s lasted me a long time.”

“Oh.” Kaito’s cheeks burned a bright red, but his grin was toothy and shining. “Wow, Maki Roll, I didn’t think you’d get this passionate.”

“Shut up.” Maki tried to tug her hand away from him, but Kaito squeezed instead. She relented after a moment, squeezing back painfully, making him wince. “What about you? How do you fight your nightmares off?”

“I have you.”

“I’m scarier than your nightmare.” Maki deadpanned.

“No that’s not what I was trying to say!” This time Kaito really did let her go. “I was saying that I have you. You chase away my nightmares just by being there with me. By supporting me. You’re a true sidekick Maki Roll, and an awesome girlfriend. You mean the world to me. I’m not going to let some measly nightmare get me down, when I got the girl of my dreams supporting me! Anyone else would be jealous.”

Once more Maki’s cheeks puffed but she didn’t reach for her pigtails this time clearly too flustered to do anything. “You’re still an idiot.”

“Whatever you say, Maki Roll. Whatever you say.” Kaito reached and gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her close to him as they headed back to their apartment.

#spaceassassins #momoharuweek2020 #kaito momota #maki harukawa #shuichi saihara #kokichi ouma #momoharu #angst #vr au #nightmares #survivor's guilt #friendship #hurt/comfort

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commentaryvorg · 5 years

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Danganronpa V3 Commentary: Part 5.19

Be aware that this is not a blind playthrough! This will contain spoilers for the entire game, regardless of the part of the game I’m commenting on. A major focus of this commentary is to talk about all of the hints and foreshadowing of events that are going to happen and facts that are going to be revealed in the future of the story. It is emphatically not intended for someone experiencing the game for their first time.

Last time in trial 5 (trial 5!!!!!!!), first-time-me broke down with desperate, terrifying hope as Shuichi awakened to the possibility that Kaito might still be alive, Shuichi was amazing at pushing his emotions aside and focusing on the logic, Maki finally acknowledged that she never wanted to kill Kaito and that what she wants matters, everyone was friends, the camera had a pause button!!!, and then both Shuichi and Maki realised the truth that came with Kaito being alive and Maki ran away from it exactly like Kaito did back in Gonta’s trial, while Shuichi could face it but was being a little slow on the uptake in realising why Kaito did this.

We left off at the end of Maki’s Argument Armament as Shuichi pointed out that Kokichi only pretended to drink the antidote.

Shuichi: “Drinking the antidote was part of his lie.”

Shuichi doesn’t properly go into this in more detail, but it was. Obviously Kokichi needed Kaito alive and therefore to give him the antidote – but in that case, why not just let him keep it when Maki gave it to him? Why even pretend to drink it in the first place? Because he wanted Maki to be sure that she’d killed Kaito and not Kokichi, to make it more likely that the trial would come to the conclusion that it was Kaito who died.

I’ve seen some people assume, based on this image that shows Kokichi holding the antidote bottle with the cap still on both before and after “drinking” it, that he pretended to drink it while the cap was still on. But, like, no. Maki and/or Kaito would almost certainly have been able to see that. That’s just the artists not bothering to draw another image of the bottle without the cap on afterwards.

Shuichi: “There’s a strong possibility that all of this was done… to make Kaito cooperate.”

Keebo: “Make him cooperate?”

Exisal Kokichi: “…”

No, Shuichi, that’s not even remotely it. Kaito is apparently staring at you in bewilderment wondering why you’d even think that.

Shuichi: “He needed leverage. He gave Kaito the antidote in exchange for his cooperation.”

Keebo: “In exchange for his own life, you mean.”

Shuichi: “Kaito had no choice, he had to cooperate after Kokichi saved his life. That’s just Kaito’s character, and Kokichi knew that. He swallowed his pride with the antidote, and agreed to participate in Kokichi’s plan.”

What Shuichi’s saying here is that Kaito supposedly agreed to the plan as repayment for Kokichi saving his life, because Kaito is the kind of person who would always repay favours done to him, even from someone he kind of hates. And it’s not that I disagree that Kaito is that kind of person; of course he is. But killing someone and then deceiving his friends about it for an entire trial? Kaito’s own life would never be a big enough price to get him to do that.

Remember Kaito telling Kokichi, “I don’t want to survive if it means I have to stoop to your level”, back in trial 4? Not a word of that was untrue. Kaito has very much been stooping to Kokichi’s level for this entire case – putting on a mask, never saying what he really thinks, hiding the fact that he cares about everyone and hates how much he’s been hurting them, not to mention having committed murder and even hiding that too – but him doing that has nothing to do with his own life. Kaito would never be that selfish. The only price that’s worth all this to Kaito is the chance of saving everyone else.

Honestly, Shuichi is being kind of uncharitable to Kaito to think this. He used the phrasing “swallowed his pride”, making it clear that he knows doing this is going against all of Kaito’s convictions, but he believes Kaito would still be willing to live as someone who broke all of those convictions just to survive. No. Hell no. Not Kaito.

I suppose another part of the reason that Shuichi doesn’t figure out Kaito’s real motive for this yet is because everyone is still being misled by Kokichi’s gloating from a while back into thinking that Kokichi is the real villain and Monokuma is sort of on their side. Given that they’re still labouring under that very mistaken impression of things, it’d be harder to see Kaito as being on their side when he’s working with Kokichi. So instead, Shuichi comes up with this explanation in which Kaito was essentially forced to work for the “bad guy” even though he supposedly wouldn’t actually want to.

(This isn’t even getting into the part where this antidote situation isn’t even really Kokichi saving Kaito’s life, since Maki gave the antidote to Kaito in the first place and Kokichi stole it. Giving it back to him at that point isn’t saving his life, it’s letting events proceed as they would have done anyway! If Kokichi wanted to “save Kaito’s life” then he should have just done nothing and let Maki save his life by giving him the antidote. The only claim Kokichi can make to Kaito here is “I could have killed you to save myself, but I didn’t, aren’t I nice?” That’s something, sure, but it��s hardly saving him when he was already saved.)

Shuichi: “I imagine this was all part of Kokichi’s plan to confuse us. You wouldn’t think that someone would plan their own murder.”

Keebo: “He went so far as to give up his life… just to create this mystery?”

Shuichi: “Only Kokichi could think of something so nefarious. Who else would agree to die just to execute their plan?”

Well, actually…

(Even with their memories of the Hope’s Peak story, though, the general public didn’t watch DR2’s killing game. So it’s fair enough that he doesn’t know about that.)

Shuichi is being somewhat uncharitable to Kokichi in this particular instance to call this move “nefarious”, because killing himself to confuse everyone isn’t precisely evil. It is definitely a thing that only Kokichi and few others would ever think to do, though. Only someone who was so messed-up at the thought of being in a killing game that they’d basically given up on their own survival right at the beginning would be so willing to throw their own life away if it meant they could achieve their revenge.

Himiko: “He’s crazy… Why would he go that far?”

Monokuma: “I bet Kokichi was determined to beat me at my own game, no matter what.”

Exisal Kokichi: “…”

Yep, that’s exactly it. Monokuma knows Kokichi very well, just like Kokichi knew Monokuma very well. They really are alike.

Note the Exisal’s silence. I suppose more gloating at this point would only imply that they’re all correct to think Kokichi is dead, if there’s even any gloating left in the script that Kaito hasn’t already recited. The silence also suggests that even Kaito is still reeling from the thought that Kokichi would go so far.

Monokuma: “But too bad! Shuichi figured out the truth!”

Exisal Kokichi: “…Truth? Are you sure it’s not delusion?”

Shuichi: “Delusion?”

Exisal Kokichi: “A delusion so completely off the mark, to make you think that I died…”

So… this doesn’t quite sound like something Kaito would ad-lib. Meaning, apparently, that despite the Exisal’s silence last time as Shuichi reached the truth, Kokichi did in fact predict this eventuality and script some lines in response to it. Although… the fact that he calls it a “delusion” kind of sounds like he could have scripted this to be a response to something from Shuichi’s baseless desperation not to lose Kaito, rather than a response to Shuichi genuinely putting all the pieces together and figuring out the whole truth. So maybe Kokichi still didn’t properly think through the possibility that his plan would fail.

Exisal Kokichi: “But, who cares what you guys think? This is between me and Monokuma. I don’t give a crap if the extras in this game get it right or not.”

Also very definitely scripted. Kaito doesn’t even remotely see the others as “extras” and cares so much about whether they get it right. At this point, if he were using his own words, he’d be trying to communicate to everyone that he’s on their side as much as he can without breaking character.

Given that this is scripted, it looks like Kokichi was expecting a disconnect between what Shuichi thought and what Monokuma thought. Maybe he didn’t predict that Monokuma would be relying on Shuichi so much. After all, relying on people was never a thing Kokichi himself ever did, and he always projected his own worldview onto others – and Monokuma is especially like him. And if he really did think Shuichi’s argument at this point would be just a “delusion” – as in, just baseless desperation and not concrete proof – it’d make even more sense that he wouldn’t be expecting Monokuma to put any stock in that.

Himiko: “I’m fine with being an extra!”

Tsumugi: “Huh? Why?”

Himiko: “If we’re just extras, then even if we get it wrong, we won’t get kill—”

Monokuma: “No, I’d still kill you all. Don’t put Kokichi’s words in my mouth.”

I love how gleefully bluntly Monokuma puts this.

And yeah, Himiko – Kokichi only called you that because it didn’t matter from his perspective whether you guys lived or died. Just like he didn’t (or at least, told himself and acted as though he didn’t) for Miu and Gonta.

Exisal Kokichi: “If Monokuma gets it right, then he takes everyone’s lives, yeah? But if Monokuma gets it wrong, then he’d have no right to take everyone’s lives. If Monokuma doesn’t know who the culprit is, then this killing game can’t function anymore.”

Now here are some words that are almost certainly Kaito’s! This basically contradicts what he was literally just saying about not caring if everyone else gets it right or not and therefore lives or dies, since he’s sure sounding glad about the idea that Monokuma can’t kill them. I think this is Kaito realising that Kokichi’s scripted line about “extras” was hugely unhelpful in getting across his real intentions, and now he’s using his own words to try and communicate that he’s trying to save everyone.

Not once at any of the earlier points in which Exisal Kokichi talked about his intentions to fool Monokuma did he mention the part where it’d mean nobody else could be killed – because those lines were all scripted, and Kokichi didn’t give a fuck about saving anyone else. This is only coming up now because Kaito knows that Shuichi knows he’s in there, so he finally has the chance to get his real motives across now that he knows Shuichi will listen and understand that it’s coming from him. He’s trying to do what Kokichi never bothered to do in the script and get Shuichi to realise that he shouldn’t be helping Monokuma find the truth after all. …Even if it’s probably already too late for that.

Shuichi: (Can’t function anymore…)

This line implies that Shuichi has finally realised the reason Kaito is doing this. But, uh, hold this thought and don’t get your hopes up yet.

Shuichi: “Kaito… I believe in you.”

Exisal Kokichi: “…Hm?”

Of course he does, Kaito!

…But maybe Kaito genuinely didn’t realise that, because this is the first time Shuichi has ever said so out loud.

He’s said as much in his inner monologue countless times, but until now, Kaito never heard it. Towards the beginning of their friendship, Kaito would have just assumed it was the case anyway, since being someone their sidekicks can believe in is the point of heroes like him… but he definitely doubted it during chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5. He’d also be worrying, having murdered someone and spent the whole trial lying to them all and hurting them, that Shuichi might think upon realising he did all this that Kaito had simply betrayed him, especially with Shuichi’s history of having people he trusted turn out to have murdered someone. It’s got to mean so much to Kaito to hear this.

Another thing I love about this moment is how direct it is. Kaito’s been participating in this trial, but he’s been isolated from everyone else for all of it; no-one’s been able to see the real him and the emotions he’s been going through. Even after they figured out Kaito was in there, Shuichi and the others have still only been talking about him, like he’s just an object for them to deduce around, like they might as well still treat him like they would Kokichi since he’s acting like Kokichi. This, though, is the first time Shuichi talks directly to Kaito, piercing through the Exisal separating him from everyone and properly acknowledging that he’s with them, and he’s listening, and he has been this whole time. That must have felt so refreshing for Kaito after all this. And of course Shuichi knows Kaito can’t and won’t respond to his words, but that’s okay; Shuichi just wanted Kaito to know this.

It’s also adorable that Shuichi is able to still believe in Kaito so strongly even though he hasn’t been able to communicate with the real, genuine Kaito for the whole trial and Kaito has seemingly been working against him this entire time. It takes an incredible amount of trust to do that. They are friends.

Shuichi: (If you’re cooperating with this plan… you must have a reason. To determine that reason, I need to reveal the truth!)

…No, Shuichi, you moron! If you understood why Kaito was doing this then you should know that revealing the truth will do the opposite of helping him! Apparently, despite the line a moment ago that implied he’d got it, he still hasn’t cottoned on to why Kaito is doing this and what he’s been trying to achieve.

Another part of Shuichi missing the point and continuing to pursue the truth when he shouldn’t can be put down to his issues. There’s always been a part of him that never wanted to pursue the truth at all, but over four and a half trials he’s trained himself to push that part down and not listen to it to the point that it’s become instinctive. He’s always forced himself into the mindset of “if I don’t find the truth we all die”, such that it doesn’t even occur to him to re-evaluate this basic premise and realise it doesn’t necessarily apply here.

Of course, it didn’t apply from the moment it became apparent that Monokuma didn’t know the truth. Upon learning that, Shuichi should have figured that it was best to keep Monokuma in the dark – but it was easier to overlook that at the time because of all Kokichi’s gloating to make himself, and therefore his lies, seem like the biggest villain. However, now that Shuichi knows that Kaito is also trying to hide the truth, he should be more capable of realising that maybe this really is a good thing. Yet, even then, he’s stubbornly facing the truth, simply because that’s what he’s always forced himself to do.

Still, even with these reasons for Shuichi being slow on the uptake, they’re only something you’re likely to realise after the fact, and in the moment it can be quite frustrating and awkward to watch Shuichi continue to obliviously ruin what Kaito’s trying to do even when he should know better by now. It’s especially egregious in this moment in particular as we’re about to go into the Closing Argument, in which Shuichi will explain the truth even more clearly and explicitly than he already has done. This is of course happening because the game’s writers obviously want to still have an excuse to have a Closing Argument, even if they have to force it a bit.

But… ultimately, while this may be forced, it doesn’t actually affect the overall narrative in any significant way. The thing is, even without the Closing Argument, Monokuma is still already convinced that Kaito did it. That happened the moment Shuichi declared as such. It’s only after that point that Shuichi would ever start thinking about why Kaito did it and realise that he’s trying to save them, and whoops, maybe figuring out the truth and saying it out loud for Monokuma to hear was a mistake. After all, Shuichi always focuses on figuring out the facts before figuring out the people. So long as Kokichi was gloating so hard over his petty feud with Monokuma that he made himself look like the bigger villain on the surface, Shuichi was never going to consider the idea that maybe this plan actually benefits all of them until he’d figured out that Kaito was the culprit and therefore in on it too.

Which means that no matter how things went down, even if Shuichi hadn’t been quite as slow on the uptake as this, Monokuma learning the truth was unavoidable thanks to Kokichi being an attention-seeking idiot. The only thing that’d be different if Shuichi was being more sensible is that we wouldn’t have a Closing Argument right here. And I love this Closing Argument (as you will be able to tell shortly from how long I’m about to spend covering it), so I really don’t actually mind.

Kaito doesn’t look very sure of himself as he holds his completed crossbow. He knew full well that his “plan” of threatening Kokichi with it was terrible and very unlikely to achieve anything of use, didn’t he. (And so does Shuichi, it seems, since he’s the one imagining Kaito making this face.)

(This is such a hilariously unambiguous Ambiguous Culprit Figure. Who could it possibly be wearing this big purple space jacket in a doofily asymmetrical way.)

I would also like to thank this one panel of Maki in the Exisal as being the only other decent source of what the cockpit of an Exisal looks like.

Fun irrelevant fact: despite being right-fisted based on the times we see him punch someone, apparently Kaito is otherwise left-handed. This actually makes a lot of sense – if you look at his various sprites, whenever he makes some kind of one-handed gesture, it’s always with his left hand. Him wearing the left sleeve of his jacket also fits with this, because if he was going to wear only one sleeve then it being the one for his dominant hand would prevent the flappy non-worn-sleeve side from getting in his way as much. (Any rightie fans of Kaito out there who’ve attempted to copy the way he wears his jacket and found it incredibly inconvenient and annoying? Flip it. It’s nowhere near as bad. No I’ve totally not done this myself what are you talking abou)

And since the question of which sleeve Kaito wears was briefly a plot point, this technically means that this is another very unusual way for a character’s left-handedness to be relevant in a murder mystery! Kaito and Gonta can be leftie bros.

Admittedly this image is just Shuichi’s imagination, but we can assume that his observation skills picked up on these hints from all his time with Kaito, letting him deduce that Kaito is left-handed and therefore imagine him this way here.

Kokichi’s bewildered face here is pretty great. He was probably wondering (quite understandably) what the hell Kaito was even planning to do by threatening him with one arrow. And Shuichi is the one picturing Kokichi doing this, so yes, he is very aware that Kaito’s plan with the crossbow was pretty terrible.

I also like the focus on Kaito getting angry before he fired – like I mentioned several posts ago, he probably wasn’t even planning to shoot Kokichi at all and did so because he lost control like he has a tendency to. (I bet Kokichi was taunting him about how stupid and pointless this plan of his was.) Again, this technically isn’t confirmed, but Shuichi is imagining it to be the case because he knows Kaito so well.

Kaito quite rightly then immediately jumped on him and started fighting rather than continue to threaten him with a crossbow that no longer had any ammo.

Shuichi: “But even with poison in his veins, Kokichi continued to spin his lies.”

Well. Some lies. Shuichi is still wrongly assuming that Kokichi was lying to deny knowing anything about the Remnants of Despair.

I don’t believe Kokichi really looked this shocked at Kaito protecting him. I think he knew Kaito would do that and was probably quietly grinning at his plan working out. (But Shuichi wouldn’t know that, hence him imagining it like this.)

Look at Maki panicking as she realises she just lethally poisoned Kaito! This was probably the moment she blurted out that the arrows were poisoned, you idiot, why did you do that!?

And Kaito apparently did remove his arrow in the main hangar, which really should have left some blood there outside the drag marks.

The way Kokichi’s putting his hand on Kaito’s shoulder here kind of implies that this was the moment he explained the plan. But it shouldn’t be, because Kokichi would much rather have Kaito’s reaction to apparently missing out on the antidote be genuine. So I’m not sure why Shuichi is picturing this?

(Regardless, I very much enjoy Kaito in pain and realising that he fucked up and made everything worse because the arrow was poisoned and now he’s possibly going to die by Maki’s hand.)

Kaito’s hand shakes as he reaches for the antidote, which is a lovely little detail that it was totally necessary of me to make a gif of to show here.

Note Kokichi punching Kaito in the stomach (or close enough) to steal the antidote. He knows that’s Kaito’s weak spot since that’s where his illness is causing him the most pain. And okay, again, Shuichi’s imagination – but this suggests that that’s also where Kokichi punched Kaito at the end of chapter 4 and Shuichi is just imagining him doing the same here.

Shuichi: “Maki tried desperately to break into the hangar, even slashing the control panel.”

She did, but where is the panel of this in the comic??? I am Very Sad that there is not one. (So I fixed this.)

But still, please enjoy this panel summarising Kaito’s desperate attempts to reassure Maki and tell her that everything’s going to be fine, just before one of Maki running away in anguish because nothing is fine.

Kaito’s face after Maki leaves is not looking so optimistic. Even Shuichi didn’t think Kaito would be able to keep that up once she was gone.

Shuichi: “After Maki had left, Kokichi took out another weapon. An Electrobomb…”

No, he didn’t! Kokichi definitely would have thrown the Electrobomb before Maki came back with the antidote. It’s extremely unlikely that he managed to do so in the literal seconds of Maki running from the window to the shutter to attack the control panel, and he should have wanted Monokuma to be blind to the whole antidote situation as well. The Closing Argument is just straight-up wrong here. (If they had drawn a panel of Maki slashing the control panel then maybe they’d have noticed this mistake and fixed it.)

Shuichi: “Kokichi’s plan was to use the Electrobomb to knock out Monokuma’s surveillance cameras. That’s why he commissioned Miu to make the bombs in the first place.”

Yep, the game draws attention here to the fact that he very definitely had the gist of this whole thing planned before killing Miu. Mercy kill? What mercy kill?

Shuichi: “Under normal circumstances, the culprit would never have agreed to such a plan…”

Of course not! But he was dying, and desperate to be a hero in the few hours he had left, and that’s why. …Shuichi still doesn’t know any of that, though.

Shuichi: “But because the culprit owed him for saving their life, they agreed to Kokichi’s request. Ah, ‘request’ is a generous term. It was more like blackmail.”

Still a big nope on that one. That’s not giving Kaito nearly enough credit, assuming that he did all this just because he was coerced into it and that none of it was his choice. Kind of like how everyone assumed Gonta was purely manipulated into his murder plan, but then he turned out to have had more agency than that.

...I was going to say this reluctance here is accurate, but actually, now that I look at it more closely and not on my tiny Vita screen, maybe this one is slightly off. He looks kind of angry and resentful at Kokichi, like he is being forced into this, like he’s hating Kokichi for not giving him a choice. No, Shuichi. Kaito would not. He had a choice, and he made it of his own volition. He hated himself over it, because it was his choice.

This, however, is exactly as anxious and uncomfortable as Kaito would have looked as he forged the crime scene. He was not okay about any of this even though he chose it.

Shuichi: “Kokichi, with the support of the culprit, stood in front of the press’s control panel.”

I love how Shuichi is assuming without any evidence that Kaito physically supported Kokichi up there. Admittedly Kokichi was in pain and dying and probably needed it, but also, Kaito will support anyone, even if it’s someone he kind of hates and is about to murder!

His arms are tucked in so that they are not visible on the video when the press stops, thank you very much Closing Argument at least for being accurate about this and clearing up my confusion caused by the localisation mistake. Admittedly sometimes the Closing Argument can have minor inaccuracies and mistakes like we’ve just seen, but it makes much more sense on this occasion to assume that this is canon to how things were and the video we see in the localisation is the inaccurate one.

(I do also somewhat appreciate that they made sure to show Kokichi in pain as he presses the buttons, since he was still dying from “Lethal Torture Poison” at this point.)

I adore the way Kaito’s eyes snap open in panic as the press gets lower. You can just imagine, as the press takes a tiny bit longer to stop than he was expecting, him having that horrifying split second of thinking that everything was a lie and Kokichi just wanted to get him in the press to kill him all along. (Even though that notion doesn’t actually make any sense because then why give him the antidote, that’s not something that’d come to mind in that brief moment of oh god am I going to die right here.)

Look at how reluctant Kaito is as they switch places! He is so not ready to murder anyone. I like how they’re both not even looking at each other, too. Hard to look someone in the eye when you know you’re about to kill them/they’re about to kill you.

Kaito’s arms shake as he comes to stand on the platform! Another very necessary gif I had to make for this.

I also adore Kaito’s grimace (and more shaking hands) as he presses the buttons and becomes a murderer. It must have torn him apart to do this, no matter who he was killing or why, no matter that he was literally asked to. There’s no way Shuichi would picture his best friend doing this any other way.

The emphasised silence after the deed was done is really nice, too. Just imagine how Kaito must have felt. It’s incredible that he managed to just pick himself up and keep going and get ready to lie to his friends on top of this. Kaito is amazing.

And here’s some of him looking guilty and haunted by it afterwards. Also not looking in the direction of the press.

(He’d have had to get close to it to tear the cable, though. That can’t have been fun.)

I said I love this whole Closing Argument, and the main reason why is that almost every single one of the Ambiguous Culprit Figure’s expressions is, for once, completely accurate. This may be Shuichi’s imagination, and he may be currently wrong about the reason Kaito agreed to do it at all (hence the lone one that isn’t quite accurate), but he is incredibly correct in knowing that there’s no way Kaito would ever be able to do any of this without feeling reluctant and conflicted and awful the whole way through.

(And, oops, a couple of those weren’t screenshots. This is the best Closing Argument with the best expressions, and drawing my favourites but with Kaito’s actual face was one of the earliest bits of fanart I ever did for this game.)

Shuichi: “And here they are now in this trial, pretending to be Kokichi. They’re trying to deceive Monokuma in order to defeat the true mastermind!”

Now this sounds more correct and more like something it makes sense for Kaito to be doing! Technically Shuichi isn’t supposed to have figured this out yet, but I don’t really care because this line makes Kaito sound like the hero he is.

It’s neat how Kaito’s pose for the reveal shot is as if he’s piloting an Exisal. It’s also neat that he’s more in shadow than usual even after the reveal, to represent how Shuichi still can’t see him and can’t even completely confirm that it’s him.

(Also, the space background is pretty great.)

Shuichi: “The culprit is in that Exisal. …It’s you, isn’t it?”

I love the sense of familiarity here. Again, it’s Shuichi piercing through the Exisal and addressing Kaito not as the culprit or the enemy, but as his friend who’s been here with them and somehow trying to help them this whole time.

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[Next post]

#danganronpa #danganronpa v3 #drv3 #ndrv3 #chapter 5 #class trial #commentary

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kawaiikichi · 6 years

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I’ll Always Return to You (Day 7: Hope)

@oumasaiweekblog

Here is Day 7 for Oumasai Week 2019!

The final prompt is hope. I’m going to be honest, this prompt was really hard to work with. It felt very vague to me, so it took me about a couple days and some hours before figuring what it was that I wanted to do for this one. The way I interpreted it is that even through extremely rough times (ex. Kokichi suddenly vanishing and being presumed dead because he didn’t turn up after a certain amount of time), Shuichi still has hope that he is alive and that he will come back to him no matter what.

This may seem a little similar to After The Storm Fades Away, but this one still has its differences and it’s compressed into shorter one-shot rather than ATSFA, which is about 9k words in length XD

I hope you guys like it! :)

Title: I’ll Always Return to You

Prompt: Hope

Summary: After the simulation had ended and everyone was discharged from the hospital, Kokichi Ouma vanished. Four months passed before he was declared dead to the rest of the world. But, Shuichi knew better. He knew that somehow, Kokichi was still alive.

Continue reading under the cut!

“Yo, bro, did you hear the news?”

“Hear what news?”

Shuichi finished wiping down the table at the cafe he worked at as Kaito spoke.

“That little shit went missing.” he said.

“Little...huh?” Shuichi quirked a brow at Kaito’s statement. “Who in the world are you talking about?” he asked.

“Who else do you think I mean? I’m talking about Ouma.” Kaito replied.

Shuichi froze at Kaito’s words.

“Koki—I mean, Ouma-kun’s gone missing?” he asked.

“Yeah. Apparently, the last time anyone saw him, he said he was going for a walk. He never came back, so one of his friends ended up filing a missing person report. It’s been blowing up all morning on the news and social media.” Kaito explained.

“Oh...that’s probably why I didn’t hear about it. My TV’s been busted since Sunday and I don’t really have social media.” Shuichi said.

“Ah, I almost forgot you don’t have any social media accounts.” Kaito picked up some empty glasses and placed them on a tray. “Well, that’s what’s going on in the world right now.” he said as he picked up the tray and he headed over to another table.

Shuichi sighed as he followed suit, wiping down another table.

As he did, he kept thinking back to Kokichi’s sudden disappearance.

It’s weird that he just disappeared like that, he thought to himself.

He looked out the window.

Let’s just hope that they’re able to find him quickly and that nothing bad happened to him, he silently prayed.

💜💜💜💜

“Mister Shuichi Saihara, your uncle has come to get you.” the nurse called out.

Shuichi stood and he turned, locking eyes with Kokichi.

“Well...it looks like I’m going to have to go now.” he said.

“Ah...” Kokichi fiddled with his scarf. “Indeed, you do.” he replied.

Shuichi bit his lip.

“Are you sure you’ll you be okay by yourself? You’re sure that someone will come and get you, right?”

“Yes, yes, I am sure! Don’t worry about me, Saihara-chan!”

“If you say so...”

Shuichi sighed.

“Well...when things get settled, do you want to hang out sometime?” he asked.

“Oh? Could it be that you’re inviting me on a date, Saihara-chan?” Kokichi spoke teasingly.

Shuichi’s cheeks turned a rosy red.

“...Yes, I am.” he replied.

The teasing smile left Kokichi’s lips as a blank expression washed over his face. He stared at Shuichi as he continued.

“Will you promise me this, Ouma-kun?” he asked, extending his pinky finger out to him.

Kokichi looked at Shuichi’s pinky finger and then up at him before sighing.

“Alright, fine.” he hooked his pinky finger around Shuichi’s. “I promise.”

💜💜💜💜

The sound of plates shattering was heard as Shuichi stared at the television in the cafe in horror, tears welling up in his eyes.

Former Danganronpa V3 Contestant Found Dead After Four Month Search

“No...no way...” he choked out.

There’s no way this is possible.

Kokichi’s not dead.

He can’t possibly be dead.

He’s not dead, he’s not dead, he’s not—

“Shuichi? Is everything okay?”

Kaito’s voice seemed distant as it blurred with the sound of the news reporter talking on television. A distinct ringing sound struck his ears as nausea swept over him.

“No...this isn’t right...he’s not dead...” he staggered backwards. “He’s not dead...” he choked out.

He began to feel overwhelmed as he tipped backward.

The last thing he heard was Kaito shouting his name before he blacked out.

💜💜💜💜

“...I like you, Ouma-kun.”

Kokichi blinked at him, expression warping into one of confusion.

“You what now, Saihara-chan?” he asked.

“I said that I like you.” Shuichi replied.

It was silent between them in the hospital room for what seemed like hours before Kokichi burst into loud laughter.

“My, Saihara-chan, I didn’t think you had it in you to make such an amusing joke! That actually made me laugh, so kudos to you!” Kokichi wiped away at a stray tear. “There’s no way you like me—“ he stopped upon seeing how serious Shuichi looked.

His laughter ceased as a blank expression washed over him.

“Okay, so you’re not joking. You actually mean it.” Kokichi dropped his hands to his lap. “Tell me, Saihara-chan, what kind of like are you talking about when you say that you like me?” he asked.

“I like you romantically, Ouma-kun. I want to date you.” Shuichi replied.

“Do you really, though?”

“I do. I really do like you, Ouma-kun.”

“But why me? You could’ve chosen to fall in love with anyone, but you chose me. Why is that?”

Shuichi swallowed, fidgeting in his seat as he lowered his gaze.

“Well...you’re really smart. You’re cute, funny, and even with your lies, you’re a pleasure to be around. I like everything about you, whether you want me to or not.” he explained.

Kokichi furrowed his brows at him.

“Is that so...” he trailed off.

He propped his elbows up on his lap, resting his face in his hands as he began to think.

“Well, I like you too.” he said.

“You do?” Shuichi asked.

“Yes...but.”

“But?”

“But, I don’t think I’m worthy of someone like you. Someone like me pales in comparison to you. So, I feel that in order to become worthy of you, I need to improve myself, don’t you think?”

“But I—“

“Don’t lie, I’m sure you think that same way, as well.” Kokichi smiled. “So, once I’ve become worthy of you, we can begin to date. But until then, wait for me.”

He extended his pinky finger out to him.

“Will you wait for me, Saihara-chan?” he asked.

Shuichi nodded.

“Yes...yes, I’ll wait as long as you want me to.” he replied as he reached out and hooked his pinky finger around Kokichi’s.

Kokichi smiled and this time, it was a genuine smile.

“Alright, then. I’ll make sure I don’t have you wait too long for me, my beloved Saihara-chan.”

💜💜💜💜

“Shuichi, you need to stop this. It’s been a year and some days since he’s passed.” Maki rubbed her temples. “No matter what you think, Ouma is not alive, he is dead.” she stated.

“You don’t know that.” Shuichi replied.

“Yes, we do, actually. We saw his body at the funeral, Shuichi! There was no mistaking it, that was him! He is no more!” she reached up to brush her hair over her shoulder only to realize that she no longer had long hair. “Get over yourself and move on already! You can’t be stuck in denial forever, you know!” she shouted.

“Like I said, you don’t know that!” Shuichi stood, knocking a glass off of the table. “For all you know, that body in the casket could have been a fake! He could still be out there, trying to survive on his own and make a new life for himself!”

He walked up to Maki.

“We’ve been around him long enough to know that he could easily fake his own dear if he wanted to. That’s just how he is: he’ll find every opportunity to pull some sort of prank on us. I’m confident that this is just one of them.” he said.

Maki stared at him, eyes wide.

“You...you’ve lost your marbles...” she trailed off.

Shuichi let out a halfhearted chuckle as he took a few steps back.

“I guess that’s what happens when you’re in love.” he said, reaching up to run his hand through his hair.

Maki shook her head.

“You know, I really thought I would be able to get through to you, Shuichi. But, it seems that you’re long gone.” she turned. “I’m done trying to talk some sense into you. I’ll have Kaito take over.” she said before walking out of his apartment, slamming the door shut behind her.

Shuichi continued to laugh before dissolving into sobs, collapsing onto the floor as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Maybe he really lost it.

But, that didn’t change anything.

It didn’t change the fact that he still strongly believed and hoped that Kokichi was still alive.

💜💜💜💜

-Two Years Later-

The leaves crunched under Shuichi’s feet as he walked through the cemetery with a bouquet of white lilies in his hand.

After chatting with Angie in the chapel, he went to buy some lilies from the floral shop that Tenko and Himiko owned and he headed to the cemetery.

He stopped before a specific tombstone, a somber smile touching his lips.

“Kokichi...” he murmured.

He squatted down and he ran his hand along the smooth marble of his tombstone.

At this point, he had calmed down from his state of deliriousness. He still hadn’t given up on hoping that Kokichi was still alive, but the acceptance stage of the grieving process was starting to kick in.

He set the bouquet down by the tombstone as he spoke.

“I miss you, Kokichi. I miss you a whole lot.” he whispered.

He pressed his fingers to his lips and then pressed his fingers against the tombstone.

He stood as he heard a voice from behind him.

“Heh...I can’t believe I have such a shabby-looking grave.”

Shuichi tensed, his heart racing at the familiar voice.

“Like, for real, they could’ve chosen something a little better than that. Marble looks cool and all, but still. I didn’t fake my death for them to pull this kind of shit.”

Tears welled up in his eyes as he slowly turned to face the person that stood behind him.

Their appearance was slightly different, their hair a darker shade of purple without the tips dyed purple. One eye was purple and the other was hazel. They had on a long black parka with clips and pins on it over a black long sleeve shirt along with a pair of black plaid pants and black loafers.

Yes, the differences were subtle.

But, the person before Shuichi was indeed him.

He choked out a sob.

“K...Kokichi...” he breathed out.

Kokichi smiled, extending his arms out.

“Come, Shuichi.” he said.

Tears streamed down Shuichi’s cheeks as he ran up to Kokichi and pulled him into a tight hug, spinning him around a little. He sobbed as he ran his fingers through Kokichi’s hair.

“It really is you...you really are alive...” he trailed off.

“Yes, it is indeed me, my beloved.” Kokichi said.

They dropped to their knees on the ground as Shuichi pulled away, cupping Kokichi’s cheeks.

“But...how...?” he choked out.

“Soooooo, you remember how I said I wanted to become someone that was worthy of you?” Kokichi asked.

Shuichi slowly nodded.

“Yes...what about it?” he answered.

“This was all a part of that.” Kokichi cupped Shuichi’s cheeks, wiping his tears away with his thumbs. “In order to become someone who was worthy of standing by your side, I had to kill off the old me. So, I made arrangements with my organization and we staged it to make it look like I had fallen into a deep ditch while I was on my walk and died as a result. As soon as the whole world knew that Kokichi Ouma was dead, I hid out at my secret base in Europe and began to try and start over. I got a new look, new clothes, and I even changed my name.” he explained.

“You changed your name?” Shuichi asked.

“I did! My new name is Kichirou Seiichi.” Kokichi chirped.

“I see...but, I can still call you Kokichi, right?”

“Of course you can. Just not in public, alright?”

Shuichi nodded in response, causing Kokichi to smile.

“Good.” he said, leaning in to kiss Shuichi on the lips.

Shuichi kissed back, pulling Kokichi close to him.

How long had he been waiting for this moment?

How long had he been waiting to hold Kokichi in his arms, kiss him, and let him know just how much he loved him?

Too damn long, he realized.

They pulled away from the kiss moments later, pressing their foreheads together.

“I love you, Kokichi.” Shuichi said.

Kokichi smiled.

“Love you too, my beloved.” he replied as they kissed again.

Their second kiss was quick and chaste. Kokichi pulled away, stroking Shuichi’s cheek lovingly.

“So...that date you mentioned almost four years ago...are we still on for it?” he asked.

Shuichi smiled.

“Yes, we are.” he replied.

They stood and Shuichi slipped his hand into Kokichi’s. He brought their interlocked hands up and he kissed Kokichi’s knuckles.

“Shall we go?” he asked.

Kokichi giggled.

“Of course! Lead the way, my beloved!” he chirped.

“Alright.” he replied as they left the cemetery hand in hand, ready to embark on a new journey with their newly formed relationship.

#oumasaiweek2k19 #danganronpa v3 #oumasai #shuichi saihara #kokichi ouma #other ndrv3 characters #day 7 #hope #tbh i almost thought i wasn't going to finish by midnight in my time zone XD #but here i am #i have performed a miracle #and with this #oumasai week 2019 is done!!!#kawaiikichi

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mystic-mints · 6 years

Text

Fool Me Once, Shame On Me

(Also posted on AO3.)

---

Groggily, Kaito opened his eyes, regaining consciousness bit by bit. His muscles protested as he tried to sit up, body still sore from being lifted like a ragdoll. The Exisal’s grip had been far from gentle, and he was sure he’d see bruising within a few hours. However, when he looked down to check, he finally realized…

He was tied to a chair.

“What the fuck?” he mouthed to himself, beginning to struggle. “What the fuck?!” he exclaimed when the ropes around him held firm.

Then it hit him… Kokichi. The mastermind of the killing game. Kokichi had captured him with the Exisal, meaning he must’ve been the one behind this, too. Righteous anger flooded his veins as his efforts to escape redoubled, and he privately swore he’d make the bastard pay for all the humiliation and suffering he’d inflicted.

Suddenly, he heard the door being unlocked, and he braced himself for a confrontation. He eyed the doorknob as it slowly turned open, then lifted his gaze to see…

“Shuichi?” Confusion, but more importantly relief, filled his heart. Even though they’d barely been on speaking terms since the last trial, he couldn’t deny that he was glad to see his sidekick again. “What are you doing here? Where’s Kokichi?”

“How much do you remember?” Shuichi asked quietly. It wasn’t the response Kaito expected, but he shrugged it off.

“Kokichi exposed himself as the mastermind and mocked us, then I tried to attack him, but he used the Exisal to grab me. I think I knocked out after that.”

“Oh, so you didn’t hear what that came after…”

“Came after? What happened? Did I miss something big?” Kaito’s earlier unease returned as Shuichi approached him. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut.

“Well, to sum things up, Kokichi was lying again. He isn’t actually the mastermind.” Now standing right in front of him, Shuichi leaned forward, closing the distance between them until his face was just inches away. Despite the circumstances, he looked calm. Far calmer than Kaito had ever seen him. “The truth is…”

Then, with only three words, he shattered Kaito’s reality.

“I’m the mastermind.”

Kaito didn’t know what expression he made, but his feelings must’ve shown on his face, because Shuichi immediately started cackling.

“There it is! There’s the look I wanted to see! The disbelief, the betrayal, THE DESPAIR!” His eyes shone with wicked glee, reminiscent of Kokichi yet… indescribably worse. “Buddying up to you really was my best idea yet!”

“W-What the hell is wrong with you?!” Kaito snapped once he found his voice, still not quite accepting the situation, yet unable to ignore the other’s behavior.

“Nothing,” Shuichi replied, then tilted his head in thought. “Or maybe everything, depending on your perspective. Either way, I’m having fun, and that’s really all that matters.”

Fury and horror battled for dominance within Kaito’s mind, though neither did him any good. Even with the mastermind standing right in front of him, he was helpless to take action, trapped and betrayed by the very person he’d trusted most.

“It’s sinking in, isn’t it?” Shuichi smiled. “Everything you’ve stood for… all the good you’ve tried to do… meaningless, because you decided to believe in me.” Insanity swirled in his eyes. “What are you gonna do now, hero? I’m absolutely dying to know.”

---

“Shit,” Kokichi cursed under his breath. “FUCKING SHIT!” he repeated, kicking over a chair.

The others watched on with varying levels of concern, uncertain how to approach him.

“Calm down,” Maki finally commanded, grabbing him by the shoulder. She caught his arm when he tried to lash out, neither surprised nor bothered. “We need to come up with a plan.”

Unhappy being ordered around by someone who’d nearly killed him twice, Kokichi was very tempted to struggle. However, he knew it would be futile, not to mention a waste of time. The fact was that she was right. They needed to regroup and think of a way to save Kaito.

Kaito…

Kokichi felt like kicking himself. He’d miscalculated badly, and now Kaito was the one paying for it. How many people had to suffer before he could do something right? How many had to die as a direct consequence of his own plans?

“Kokichi,” Kiibo suddenly addressed him. “You were the one in control of the Exisals until Shuichi reclaimed them. Is there any information you can provide that might be of use?”

He pushed the worst of his thoughts away. Right now, they had to work together. With the true mastermind revealed, they had a common enemy, and at the very least he finally knew who among them was trustworthy.

---

“Look at you,” Shuichi crooned, brushing his fingers against Kaito’s cheek. “You couldn’t be any less heroic if you tried.” His face split into a grin when Kaito flinched. “But you knew that already, didn’t you?”

“Don’t touch me!” Kaito barked, attempting to lean back, only to be impeded by the ropes coiled around him.

“It’s all your fault for believing in me, isn’t it? You overestimated your judgement, and that’s why people kept getting hurt. You contributed to this killing game just as much as I did.”

“SHUT UP!” Kaito finally shouted, only to trigger a violent coughing fit. Blood dripped down his chin and splattered against his shirt, even speckling the ropes with red.

Shuichi looked delighted.

“Hey, Kaito, you wanna live don’t you?” he whispered in his ear. “Why don’t you beg me for the cure to your illness? After all, I’m the one who made you sick, which means I’m also the one who can make you better.” He took hold of Kaito’s face, forcing him to meet his deranged eyes. “What do you think? Are you tempted?”

Kaito promptly spat in his face.

“Stubborn until the end, huh?” Shuichi mused, wiping himself with the dangling sleeve of Kaito’s jacket. For a brief second, he looked normal, just like the meek detective Kaito had known. Then his gaze sharpened, his hands clasped around Kaito’s neck… and he squeezed.

“Ghh!” Kaito choked, beginning to struggle as Shuichi strangled him. It wasn’t long before his lungs were aching worse than ever before.

“Well, aren’t you going to fight me?” Shuichi mocked. “You refused to beg, so I guess you don’t want the cure, but does that mean you’re ready to die?”

The realization that he was about to be killed… that the end was even sooner than expected… that the very last thing he’d see would be Shuichi- no, the mastermind’s demented grin…

In that moment, Kaito was truly afraid.

And then Shuichi let go.

“Did I scare you?” he asked, sounding almost pleasant. “You definitely looked scared.” Abandoning his seat on Kaito’s lap, he stood up and made his way towards the door. “Killing you right now would be easy, and I’m sure everyone’s despair once they found your corpse would be amazing, but… it’d be such a waste. Anyway, I’ve got some other business to take care of, so I won’t be back for a few hours. Try not to choke on your own blood before then.”

And then Kaito was completely alone, left only with his thoughts as company.

---

“You don’t think Shuichi’s hurting him, do you?” Tsumugi worried.

“We should hurry up,” Himiko frowned.

“I’m ready to go,” Maki stated, lifting up an electrohammer. “If Kiibo and I take care of all the Exisals, you’ll be able to handle Shuichi on your own, right?”

Kokichi nodded solemnly.

“I won’t let the mastermind get away this time.”

---

A long while later, though there was no telling how much time had actually passed, Kaito heard a commotion coming from outside. Physically and mentally drained from his extended confinement, he barely lifted his head when the door eventually swung open.

He sprang to life, however, as soon as he saw who was there.

“K-Kokichi!”

“Hiya, Kaito!” Kokichi greeted cheerfully. “Happy to see me?”

Kaito stared at him for several seconds, seeing but not quite believing, before his eyes welled up with tears. Kokichi instantly faltered, all emotion draining from his face.

“Uh, not quite the welcome I was expecting,” he reflexively quipped, only to trail off. Though he’d considered the possibility that Kaito might be shaken by the night’s events, to see his designated rival crying at the mere sight of him…

How was he supposed to react?

Gathering himself, Kokichi decided that releasing Kaito first would be the most practical course of action.

“I’m going to untie you, okay?” he reassured. He felt a twinge in his chest when Kaito squeezed his eyes shut, pushing out more tears as a result. “It’s… it’s okay. You’re safe now. No one’s gonna hurt you.”

Cautiously, Kokichi began untying the ropes around Kaito’s body, quickly freeing his arms. Once that was done, he got to work on the ropes around Kaito’s legs. The fact that Kaito didn’t say anything else only added to his discomfort.

“Alright, that’s all of them. Can you stand?”

“I… don’t know.”

Pushing himself to his feet, Kaito attempted to walk forward, only to stumble as the feeling of pins and needles overwhelmed him. Kokichi caught him before he could hit the ground.

“Guess that’s a no,” Kokichi sighed, helping him sit against the wall instead. “Whatever. I’m sure Maki won’t have any trouble carrying you out of here. She was demolishing the other Exisals earlier, so she’ll probably join us real soon.”

“What happened to Shuichi?” Kaito couldn’t help but ask. “Is he-” Kaito stopped, realizing he was about to ask if Shuichi was alright. Even after everything, he was still struggling to accept the truth.

The Shuichi he'd believed in had been a lie. Their entire friendship had been a lie. There was no point trying to help him anymore.

Kokichi scooted closer, bumping their knees together, seeming to understand what was going through Kaito’s mind.

“He’s alive. Unconscious, but alive. We’re going to interrogate him later.”

“Oh...”

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them, during which time tears continued rolling down Kaito’s cheeks. Wordlessly, Kokichi offered Kaito his scarf, only slightly surprised when Kaito actually took it.

He looked away when he heard sobbing.

#kaito momota #shuichi saihara #kokichi ouma #oumota #saimota #mystic writes

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thestarshiphope · 6 years

Text

//I’ve been thinking about it, and I like the idea of Shuichi, Maki, and Himiko going around in the wake of Season 53 of Danganronpa, contacting everyone’s families to help them ensure the series never comes back and to protect them from a vengeful Team DR.

//And Shuichi and Erika have a lot of discussions about Kaede.

I don’t get it.

Don’t get what?

Those tapes you showed me. It doesn’t...it makes no sense. There’s...there’s no way my sister would’ve ever said something like this.

It’s gotta be more of their brainwashing crap.

I figured as much. I knew Kaede, Kaito, and I would never say things like that. There’s no way we’d get involved with a Killing Game willingly.

Of course not! There’s no way in hell my sister would ever do that!

She was an idiot with a music obsession...and she loved people, even when they got on her nerves...and mine.

Look where that idealism got you, sis. I told you people are horrible.

Akamatsu-san...

I don’t wanna hear it! I don’t wanna hear any more of that mushy, delusion, sunshine and rainbows bullshit! If the world is so good, why does something like Danganronpa exist?! Why doesn’t anyone try to help when people get taken?!

Why didn’t...anyone help my sister? Or the rest of you?

...

I told you, Saihara. People are fucking horrible. Even me. Especially me.

...

*Shuichi reaches out and holds Erika’s hand*

Huh...?

I hated myself too. For things I didn’t really do, and things I did. I had to investigate a lot of my friends’ bodies, and sentence more of them to death.

And for what? Some cheap entertainment on a reality show. It’s so easy, isn’t it? To blame everyone, to blame yourself, and just let all of it consume you. To just turn bitter and hateful.

But your sister was never like that, was she? No matter how bad things got, she always believed in others, and in herself.

Yeah. She did.

I never would’ve made it this far if it weren’t for her. Kaede’s the only reason I had the strength to find the truth.

I would’ve been completely lost without her. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything on my own, let alone save the others.

Save them? Sixteen of you went in and only three came out. It’s not a fair trade.

No, it’s not.

But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned from all of that, it’s that, real or fictional, the things we experienced in there did matter. I don’t care if we were part of some script or whatever. What Kaede and Kaito told me, what everyone told me, it was all real to me.

And part of that was a promise I made with her. I’m trying to be a better person because of it.

...

Saihara...I’m not my sister.

I’m not asking you to be her. I’m asking you not to blame yourself or others for this. I think that’s what Kaede would want from you.

Don’t talk like you...

No...that’s exactly the kind of thing she’d want from me. Like I could ever.

The truth is, being angry and hurting yourself isn’t going to stop bad things from happening, and it’s not going to bring anyone back.

But thanks to her, we’re still alive. As long as we’re alive, we can always keep improving. And we can put an end to Danganronpa, the real culprits behind this whole thing.

...

I guess...I can give it a try.

That’s all I ask of you.

Also...can I have my hand back?

O-oh...of course...

Idiot.

(She’s not Kaede. She’s someone else entirely.)

(But, with her help, I’m sure we’ll be able to stop Team Danganronpa, and finally put an end to the killing games.)

(This guy...he really has changed, hasn’t he?)

(You really trusted him to carry on your final wish, huh sis? He does sound pretty smart. You always did go for the shy, nerdy ones.)

(And he’s right. Being pissed at myself isn’t gonna change things. I can’t bring you back...but I can try to be a better person...and I can punish the people who took you away.)

(Maybe...it’s worth a shot trusting him and his friends.)

#mod talks #starship hope #headcanons #shuichi saihara #erika akamatsu #this is non-canon #mod rambles

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maki-and-sushi · 6 years

Text

NDR3 Boys meeting their crush irl after they die in the game.

Anonymous said: If it's not too much could I request NDRV3 guys reacting to meeting their crush alive? Like the killing game was like (SPOILERS) DR2 in virtual reality, and their s/o died in it. Basically a non-despair au sort of thing.

So this was a really interesting prompt! Actually, DR2 is my favorite game (over all, I still feel like NDR3 had the best setting, and ryoma and kokichi will forever hold a place in my heart, but I really like the dynamic of the characters, and I love their interactions. I just really love DR2 okay) IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW ALREADY: This basically is just one big spoiler for the twist ending of DR2. (and also the ending of ngr3)

Warnings: Language, Angst >:)

EDIT: for ryoma, I put that kirigiri killed him... and unless kirigiri can suddenly time travel, that didn't happen... lol! I ment to put kirumi, but I guess I was thinking about another prompt. Thank you for pointing it out!

Also: feel free to call me on my bullshit! - mod katie

Shuichi Saihara

When you first died, he was devastated. the only thing that kept him going was the fact that people needed him, they needed him to carry on. the only way that they could get out of this alive was him. He needed to do it. He needed to do it for you. your death would not be meaningless.

the stress was too much, sometimes. but he carried on. it was all he could do.

In the end, they stopped it. They stopped it all. No more killing game. Danganronpa would end in it's 53rd season. he would gladly accept punishment if it meant that this would all end. if it meant there would be no more people who died. sacrifice one for the majority, right?

He remembers that feeling of relief, when it all faded to black.

But then woke up.

He was confused, to say the least. He woke up in this.. Pod, of sorts. he remembers thinking it was like something out of a sci-fi movie. His wasn't the only pod, either. He watched as one by one, as the pods all around him started to open, revealing people he never though he'd see again.

there was himiko, and there was Kaito! Kii-bo, maki, Everyone! everyone besides Tsumugi was there!

And as that thought struck him, he searched frantically for the one person he had yet to see. Spinning around, he saw your confused face as you looked around. confusion that quickly turned to joy as you spotted him. Dodging teary reunions and embracing forms of the people who were reunited at last, he ran to you and embraced you.

holy crap, he feared it was a dream. he feared that if he squeezed to hard, or if he looked away for even a second, that you would disappear and he would wake up, cold and alone, back in that hellish game.

he felt your shaking form as you cried, sobbing for joy, sobbing from relief. you held him in a bone-crushing grip, as if you and him shared the same fear.

suddenly, more and more people joined in on the hug, some crying, some not. they joined until everyone was huddled together in a big, comforting embrace. Sure, there would be hell to pay for people who had killed, just as there would be trauma for those who died. they had gone through so much, it had unmistakably changed each and every one of them.

but right now, they were all here, and they were all alive. they would make it through this. together.

Kaito Mamota

Kaito didn't want you to worry about his condition. he didn't know what suddenly brought it on, but he was stronger than whatever this was. he would beat it.

at least that's what he told himself.

he remembers when you saw him cough up blood for the first time. how shocked and afraid for him you were.

he remembers your face, when kokichi picked him up in the exisal. how horrified you were.

he remembers you crying throughout the class trial while he hid in the red exisal.

he remembers it all. up until the last moment, the thought of you being freed, being able to leave this place, even at the cost of his own life..... it kept him going. He was going to be a hero! and you.... you would be safe.

Darkness. he remembers the darkness. the floating lights that danced like stars behind his eyelids, through his mind. he felt weightless. he thought this must be what space was like, vast ... cold.... Suffocating. For the first time he could remember, he hated this space.

Then, he heard a voice. your voice. You, sobbing.... It didn't feel right.

Next, he felt the sharp pains in his head, taletell throbbing of a migraine as suddenly the entire world rushed into his skull. All of a sudden, as if he had been struck by lighting.... He was awake.

with a gasp of breath, drawing air into aching lungs.. he briefly felt the phantom pain of his rasping cough.

but that didn't matter. because you were there, above him, staring at him like you had just been granted your one true wish. With a pained cry, you enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug, burrowing your face into his shirt. sobbing, shaking, you refused to let him go.

he... he was alive.

He drew you impossibly closer into his arms, letting a few tears of his own escape. he was here, you were here, and with a start, he realized that everyone was here.

he didn't know how it happened. he didn't really care to, either. he had been given a second chance and he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Korekiyo Shinguji

You and Korekiyo had admired each other from afar for so long. the subtle compliments, the cautious glances. you both knew what kind of situation you were in. you also found that your heart didn't particularly give a fuck what kind of situation you were in. you found him lovely.

His vast knowledge of seemingly everything astounded and entranced you. his love for humanity was admirable to you, and his comforting words (often directed only to you, you would never find out) made you feel safe. safe in his arms, safe from the horrible situation you were in.

maybe that was why you liked him. as the ultimate Psychologist, you often found yourself pondering this killing game. On darker days, you would ponder motives for killings, chances of survival. It was a relief when you found yourself on the lighter topic of love. You mused that in a terrible situation such as this, that it might be his ability to provide comfort, or his willingness to forgive small mistakes, such as emotional out lashes, that drew you to him.

Whatever the reason, your heart refused to acknowledge just how ridiculous this crush was. You also refused to make a move, believing yourself foolish.

one of your biggest regrets was not saying anything before you died.

When you awoke, you didn't quite know what to do with yourself. you observed some of the tearful reunions of the the classmates around you (participating in a few of them yourself), reflecting on your death. you had unfinished business.

With steely determination like that of a hunting cat, you gathered your with and went to korekiyo.

You had been given a second chance, you weren't about to throw it away.

...

nope you couldn't do it.

you stopped just short of reaching korekiyo, intent to turn around and do it another time, but before you could run away you felt yourself being stopped by two lanky arms hugging you from behind.

Turns out you didn't need to confess. Korekiyo beat you to it. he was intent on never letting you go. You found that you didn't seem to mind.

Rantaro Amami

You had the biggest crush on him. it wasn't hard to fall for him, really. kind... sweet.... calm and collected... he was your hero in this dire time.

it made you mad when he died. why would anyone kill him? he hadn't done anything to anybody! you had often found yourself seeking comfort from him, talking about anything and everything to keep your mind off of this depressing reality. you remember him talking about his sisters, with such affection in his eyes. you had jokingly suggested that he might be the 'ultimate brother' with how he talked about them. he had rolled his eyes at you, and shoved you in a playful manner. you remembered that day fondly, joking in the library

the very library he had been found dead in.

you couldn't help but let a few tears out. tears for this boy, who had been so hopeful for the future, for his ultimate talent. This man who has assured you that everything would be fine.

you wouldn't forgive whoever did this. You couldn't forgive them.

...

After that trial, you couldn't really bring yourself to have much hope for the future. You wouldn't be burdened with the weight of living much longer, however.... Because of someone's selfish reason, you had to die. you hoped your killer got what was coming to them.

...

Waking up after was almost like a dream. You found yourself having a hard time believing that all of that... all the pain and emotion you felt... wasn't real.

You were grateful, though. because if you had awaken, that meant...

Rantaro

Rantaro was there, helping people out of the pods they had awoken in. helping, he was always helping

Noticing you, however, he stopped trying to help a (rather confused) kirigiri, and after a quick goodbye, was at your side.

with gentle hands he helped you out of your pod, making sure you were steady on your feet before drawing you into a hug.

In that moment, you felt like you could take anything the world threw at you.

Gonta Gokuhara

Gonta thought you were the nicest person he had ever met. You had been there to comfort him during class trials, you had shared his passion for bugs, and let him talk about bugs for hours on end, and better yet, you actually listened!

it didn't hurt that gonta thought you were the prettiest person he had ever seen.

when you were found dead, it broke his heart. you and him had been sweethearts for a week before this horrible game had ripped you away. Gonta had never cried so hard.

he was never the same after that. His words felt hollow, and there wasn't a day he didn't think of you. And when it came down to it, he all too willingly accepted his death.

When gonta woke up and saw you above him, he thought he was in heaven. when you smiled down at him and kissed his cheek, he decided that you must be his guardian angel.

You had started to cry when he said that, tears of joy falling down your face. you started laughing and kissing his face all over again. You kept telling him that he was safe, that you were all safe at last.

Gonta suddenly got serious, however. he vowed to you that he would never let anything happen to you, ever again. You stopped sniffling for a moment and told him with a fierce expression that you were going to protect him too!

And with that, you and gonta started crying all over again.

Ryoma Hoshi

Ryoma had treasured you. you always seemed to be positive, pulling him out of his funk whenever he got too far gone. you made him hope for the future, you made him wish he could be a better man.

he knew how he felt about you, and he knew how you felt about him. but regardless, he wasn't going to make a move. Someone like him, be with someone like you? Even if you both weren't trapped in a crazy killing game, He knew that you would eventually get tired of him, or even worse, you would see him for what he really was.

it hurt, really. To see you try so hard to try to confess, and him playing dumb at every turn. How he wanted to just accept your feelings, to tell you he felt the same....

no.

no, being with him was a weakness In this environment. and you would never be able to stand a criminal like him anyway.

so, he made peace with being your oblivious close friend. but oh, how he longed for more.

...

He had accepted death rather easily. he was ashamed actually, with how easy he gave up. he knew you would be disappointed.

...

'-oma'

'ryoma'

Ryoma awoke to someone saying his name. he was confused, because the last thing he remembered was kirumi about to kill him.... had she...not been successful?

Ryoma opened his eyes.

Huh... no he was probably dead. that was the only possible explination for seeing kaede above him... kaede, who had been killed in the last trial. kaede, who had made a grave mistake.

Which surprised him, because he thought for sure he was going to hell. unless kaede was in hell with him...?

While he was having this dilemma, kaede looked at him, waiting for some kind of response.

'sorry.. did you say something?' ryoma asked, hesitant.

"I just said that if you needed help getting out of your pod, I'd help you."

...pod?

noticing his confused look, kaede gave him a quick rundown of what happened

".... and apparently, it was all just a simulation. that's what shuichi told me."

shuichi, huh? maybe he should go get the full version from him. After nodding to kaede signaling that he did need help, he got to the floor and looked around. sure enough, everyone around him was hugging and crying and having a big reunion.

before he could stop himself, his eyes locked on you.

you were smiling and hugging angie, and were none the wiser about his eyes on you. he figured that was for the best, after all, if he pushed you away enough then you would eventually stop coming back. maybe then you would move on and you wouldn't waste time on a criminal like him. he turned and walked away, too lost in his own depression to notice you running to him.

With a sudden lurch, he found himself buried in somebody's arms, his face in their neck. He was tense and uncomfortable, until he heard your sobbing voice say his name.

"ryoma"

Suddenly, he was boneless and hugging you back just as hard. he tried soothing you by petting your hair, trying to calm you down, to quiet your sobs.

You told him through your tears how glad you were that he was alive, that you were here with him. you then did something that baffled him.

You apologized.

You apologized for not being there to protect him, not being there to save him. When he heard this, he started to cry with you. He apologized for giving up, for succumbing to his darkness.

he took your face in his hands and pressed his forehead to yours.

He had died, once. seeing you now, knowing how it must have hurt you... no. he wasn't going to let you go another day. he wasn't going to give you up. He was going to be incredibly selfish.

Looking deep into your eyes, he said the words he thought he would never get to say again.

"I love you"

and with that, you kissed him.

Kokichi Ouma

You would never forgive yourself. out of all people, at all times, you chose Kokichi Ouma, in the middle of a Killing Game, to have a crush.

You could practically kick yourself at how obvious you were. you giggled whenever he caused mischief, you gave googoo eyes whenever he was in the room. Whenever you two would banter back and forth, you always felt heat chasing up your neck and onto your cheeks. And from that smirk, that little smirk, he always gave you ...the little fucker knew. he just liked to see you flustered.

you hated how easily you could be manipulated by him... while you wouldn't bow to his every whim, all he had to do was start to flirt or get in your personal bubble for you to cave to his demands.

It was often your crush that got you into trouble with the others. you were often the first to defend kokichi, trying to give reason to some of his more nonsensical actions. trying to make him less like the bad guy. it wasn't your fault that you saw a softer side of him sometimes, and it wasn't your fault that you wanted the others to stop persecuting him for every little thing...

You knew you were biased. you knew.

...Gonta had been too far. you know what the others thought of him now but... It had been gonta's decision.... you knew kokichi probably manipulated him but.... but the raw, unadulterated pain and emotion in his eyes when he explained to gonta....

You were confused. and a little hurt. but god, your feelings didn't waver.

if anything you just wanted to help heal this broken boy.

And after the trial... You knew he was lying. He wasn't the mastermind. and that wasn't your bias. This was obvious, out of all his lies, this was the most obvious one of them all....

so why did they fucking believe him?!?

you, true to your intentions, still tried to find holes in his logic. still tried to clear his name. You didn't notice the looks maki was giving you.

...

When you woke up, it was as if the entire fucking sun was shining in your eyes, with a migraine the size of Russia to match.

with a groan and a dozen or so curses, you sat up and stepped out of the-

holy fuck were you in a pod or some shit?!?

you jumped out of the pod thing, trying to separate yourself from the machinery that was foreign to you... and immediately cursed, louder this time, as vertigo and your migraine came back to bite you in the ass. you swayed, about to fall, when all of a sudden, arms were around you, holding you to someone.

"don't you ever fucking do that again, you dipshit. Don't ever put your life on the line for me ever again, you got it?! Don't.....Don't you .... fucking..." and with that, Kokichi started to cry.

You were shocked why kokichi, big bad, supreme leader kokichi was crying.

When you asked him as much, he looked at you like you were an idiot.

"because I care about you, you stupid idiot!" he said, trying to dry his tears.

Gathering you close and holding you tight, he whispered to you

"please don't leave me again.."

You couldn't tear yourself away, even if you tried.

Kii-Bo

You were always the one to defend him, when the others were being robophobic. when they treated him like nothing more than a hunk of metal.

you and him would talk for hours and hours, you explaining what it would be like to do certain things as a human..him, sharing his experiences as a robot. you called it a 'culture exchange'

the more the two of you shared, the more k1-bo felt like he needed to protect you, like he needed to comfort you, to keep you safe.

when the final trial came around, you were so tired. tired of the death, the destruction, everything. He wanted to shield you from this torment, to put a smile on your face.

He wasn't really aware of what he was doing in the last part of the trial. all he remembers is the voice in his head...louder, louder, until..

s i l e n c e

...

When he .... Awoke? was that the right word? Well, when he finished rebooting, he realized he was plugged into a machine. the next thing he realized was that you were in front of him, making sure he was all right.

When he reported that he was perfectly fine, you weakly smiled and paused.

'Do.... Do you remember anything, kiibo?" you asked, trying to keep your voice light. When he responded with what he last remembered, you looked like you were about to cry.

"are, are you alright? Do I need to go get some bandages?" kiibo asked, trying to see if he could fix what was wrong. You let out a choked sob and hugged kiibo tight.

"don't you scare me, don't you do that to me again, kiibo... I was so worried.."

when he asked what he had done to make you so worried, you weakly told him that it didn't matter, that you would tell him later.

And it was the very concept of later, that implied you would be around for a while, that made him absolutely hum in delight.

When you felt the vibrations, you giggled through your tears and kissed him on the cheek.

You would be all right, you both would be.

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ryouverua · 6 years

Text

Trial 5 - Clash of Sidekicks (2)

“This is the worst movie I’ve watched since ‘The Wizard of Monomi’!”

"The fact that you can admit to watching that says a lot about you.”

Investigation 1 / 2 - second half is where I put my own theories that I penned before playing the trial.

Trial: 1

That is a PERFECTLY REASONABLE REACTION to a snuff film. All the new sprites we’re getting this chapter are so brutal, jeez... D:

... with the sole exception of hangover!Shuichi which must be protected at all costs.

Kokichi is just going over all of the important parts of this evidence and Monokuma is not about it. Well you know, Monokuma, maybe if you had given us something to work with in the Monokuma file we wouldn’t be relying on good ol’ K over here!

Anyway, it just has play, record and pause... I was wondering if it had some sort of ‘speed up’ function to explain why the press suddenly went faster at that one point but apparently not, huh. I guess if pause/play was activated by accident or purpose it would make it seem artificially fast, like the way they cut frames in animation? that would be a lot of cut frames though, hm...

Anyway, hard to know if I should be questioning this or not but wow way to come in partway through the trial and throw up like an updated autopsy report. Who do you think you are, Miles Edgeworth? >3>

Confirmation is a bitch.

Then... if I’m going to take this as is which, for now, I guess I should... then the suspect part is the act that Kaito just lay there, not moving, right? And the fact that the press went down with no problems (unless that’s why the press seemed to halt for a second)... doesn’t that mean he was already dead?

ryukishi07 is that you

Actually for that matter it could be Uchikoshi - his description of a certain 999 scene got pretty detailed. >>

RIGHT?! There was nothing for him! He ended everything! The game was over, and I’m still sure he wasn’t the mastermind! The only thing I can think of is that it was an accident as a result of Kaito getting that crossbow and attacking him right under his nose! He knows if Kaito wound up dead he’d be the obvious culprit, and he’s made it incredibly clear that not only does he wanted to win the whole game, he has the intelligence to do it! Also the fact that he brought it here in the first place seems more like he’s making a point than confessing his guilt -

So... was it someone else? Or was it illness after all, and Kokichi taking advantage of the opportunity presented to him?

... hoo boy.

“You wrote ‘Kokichi Ouma killed Kaito Momota’ on the back of the exisal, you took a selfie with the press and uploaded it onto all of your social media counts with #oops #madeamess #galaxyprinthydraulicpress -”

“Don’t you do it -”

“KOKICHI ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GOING TO PULL ANOTHER TRIAL 4 ON ME?!”

well actually I guess he’s ‘confessed’ like, 10 times to various things over many trials so who even knows anymore

Not that I think he killed Kaito, but I do wonder if he conspired with Monokuma at all to set up an ‘unknown victim’ trial and if he did, what the extent of that collaboration was. If he did, he just went out of his way to deliberately undermine Monokuma... again. There is definitely no love lost between those two, huh. 8′D

I DON’T BELIEVE YOU!!! also nice use of the word space there sob sob

I CANNOT BELIEVE -

“You don’t understand guys, I’ve played so many courtroom games and murder mystery visual novels. So many. I’m an authority on this sort of game-based killing stuff, believe you me!”

finally, a place where Shuichi and Tsumugi can coexist in peace

.... BAH BUT THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH IT BEING KOKICHI (in the exisal, not the killer obis) IS THAT IT MESSES WITH THE WHOLE ‘MAKI WAS AN ACCOMPLICE THEORY’ and I just can’t get around the fact that she had to have been involved somehow! But other than mercy-killing Kaito, I can’t think of a reason why she would do anything to hurt him - and she certainly wouldn’t leave his body to be messed with so terribly by Kokichi!

Also, I’ve been treating her this whole time like she’s hiding Kaito actually being alive and that she’s pressing hard as Kokichi as an act but, unless my genuine-meter is off, she seems far too genuine about everything she’s said up to this point? Does she really think Kokichi is the one in the exisal, then?

damn it Junko can’t you leave v3 alone even when you’ve been dead for hundreds of years

LMAO

Oh shit he doesn’t know about Junko does he? Amazing. Wonderful. Fantastic.

Disclaimer here that I actually liked Junko as the villain of DR1 and I thought she had fantastic presence as well as a rocking’ cosplayable outfit but I really feel like she has no place here... though ugh, the fact that Monokuma exists is just something I can’t ignore, so I guess she was something that would need to be addressed down the line at some point. But not here, damn it!

SWEETCHEEKS IS SO UPSET BY THIS IT’S AMAZING!!

Shuichi is finally stepping in to the protagonist!shoes long enough to curse out Kokichi or K or whoever it is in there for breaking classic mystery protocol.

WHY DID YOU SHOEHORN JUNKO IN AT THE LAST MINUTE DAMN IT

YES!!! GOOD!!! MY BOY IS TAKING CHARGE!!!

.... Kokichi has some sort of plan, huh. Trying to ‘trap’ us. Shuichi isn’t wrong for sure - and this is a very ‘Kokichi’ thing to do...

Man, it’s really looking more and more unlikely that Kaito is in there, huh? disregarding the fact that we literally just watched a video of him being crushed to death Shuichi is right - there definitely is method behind the madness, and that’s exactly the problem - we got a brief glimpse of Kaito (SERIOUSLY WHY DID HIS VOICE COME OUT) but everything after has been all Kokichi, not just by voice but by personality, cadence, speech... even the way he’s presenting information to us. I’m not saying Kaito isn’t smart - I know the game keeps trying to present him as dumb at some points, via Kokichi himself sometimes, but I’ve never agreed with that at all - but is he capable of mimicking Kokichi to this degree? That would require an incredible insight on who Kokichi is as a person, and while Kaito has been incredibly perceptive on an emotional level, this is pretty next-level, right?

And other than survival, what could Kaito gain from doing this?

yes

Shuichi it’s true and you should say it

Is it bad that I wanted a new sprite of Shuichi grabbing the platform and just, leaning forward to yell, “SERIOUSLY?!” at the top of his lungs.

togami on steroids

I’m feeling confused and lost and it’s fantastic.

If Kaito really is out of the running as the culprit, the game really seems to be pointing at Maki as an option? I don’t know how I feel about that - while it does seem to fit in a lot of ways it just... doesn’t feel right to me either? But then the only other options are Tsumugi, Himiko and K1-b0 and I really can’t imagine them being the right answer....

Kokichi is definitely not the culprit. I mean, there’s always that 1% chance I guess, but...

And Shuichi - well, we haven’t had any indications of them pulling a second Kaede, right? I swear I’ve been paying attention this time... ;A;

Beatrice would be proud

Oh good, finally something I actually know how to deal with! The footage shows him being crushed, but that doesn’t mean it’s the time of death...

Once again, I’m so glad Shuichi is on the same wavelength as me. 8′D

Damn, it just switched to Maki standing quietly and staring daggers at us. Yikes.

Also it’s quite nice that K1-b0 can put his feelings about the press aside and stay on-point for this trial. 8′D I’m sure he’ll have a lot to say later, though - it can’t be nice to think you’re on the same level as a corpse.

oh thanks for showing us the video again, I really wanted to see that.

that acceleration is weird though! It’s really weird!!!

Wait, really?! It’s not built-in? I thought if the sensor was disabled then the press would be too!

I know Shuichi’s thinking about this from an immediate defensive tactical POV (aka Kokichi being able to protect himself), but I imagine losing control over the exisals guarding Monokuma would be a huge blow to Kokichi, too.

I do love the fact that he just casually throws in little comments to try and confuse the matter further. ‘D

Mm, Maki, you really shouldn’t be bringing something like this up. weeeeh I thought the answer was ‘Kaito’s coat’ aka the hole in it but I was wrong boo it was the bloodstain on the floor

Man it really seemed like it was lining up to match with Kokichi’s clothes...

Wait why are you bringing that up??? You’re the one fighting for Kokichi being in the exisal!

THERE’S THE HOLE IN THE COAT!!! Finally!!! I’ve been anxious to get to the crossbow and poison - oh suddenly Himiko’s getting upset. Yeah... yeah, considering the fact that she brought the crossbow, I can see why.

Wait...

Sorry, stepping back for a sec. Komaeda’s death was ruled Nanami’s fault because she technically killed him via throwing the poisoned canister, right? So if Maki applied the poison to one of the crossbow bolts Himiko delivered but never fired it herself - in fact, if Kokichi fired back in self-defense after wrestling it from Kaito in a fight - would that make Kokichi the accidental culprit? Could... that be where this is going? Or is this going to be a ‘different game, different ruling’ type situation where Maki becomes the blackened for setting things up so that someone would die? I was wondering why it would just be one, but maybe the ‘small amount of poison was used’ is the key to that - she tried to use just enough that the difference wouldn’t be obvious in order to fool Shuichi (but, well, failed in that regard).

That... could be interesting, right? Maki sends Himiko with one of the bolts being poisoned, Kaito and Kokichi struggle over the crossbow, Kokichi accidentally uses one of the poisoned ones and Kaito dies despite Kokichi’s best efforts... (antidote search? maybe? but he doesn’t find it - and Kaito is weakened from disease already, so...) So in order to attempt to survive an unwinnable trial that he tried to prevent by cancelling the game, he throws one loop after another - obscuring the body’s identity but then showing up because he had no choice anyway, but still in an exisal, taping himself crushing Kaito’s body with the clue of him being absolutely still hidden in there but then giving the video to them anyway, and then leading them to the answer that he was ‘set up’ as the killer against his best efforts?

This could be a narratively satisfying way of ending his journey with Shuichi - “Please solve this last riddle here at the very end, dearest detective. It’s been a pleasure.” nothing wrong with throwing a bit of saiouma in here at the very end, right?

Anyway while I was going off on a weird tangent Himiko created what may very well be the most terrifying non-lethal curse I’ve ever heard of in my entire life.

Gosh Himiko may actually be a worse liar than K1-b0 and that’s really saying something???

“That’s right, Himiko, I’ve got your number right down to that really, really weird quirk of yours.” no seriously why is ‘Himiko has to go to the bathroom a lot’ a thing

Also Himiko I’m pretty sure you only delivered it, so why are you freaking out so badly???

Maybe... I’m onto something with the revised theory...??? I don’t know why he would cover for anyone else???

“Guys, I spent a whole trial hammering the importance of lies and truth as the theme of the game into your skulls and you’re just chucking that out the window because I was gone for a few days? Seriously?”

It’s interesting that they’re bringing up being able to shoot Kaito from the outside because, I mean, the crossbow was found inside the hangar and I really don’t think it could have been tossed in through the window fully assembled, but I guess it’s a way to confuse the matter even further?

Oh hey, you included yourself for once!

“I DON’T KNOW TSUMUGI, WEREN’T YOU THE ONE WHO COMMENTED ON ME BEING A TSUNDERE FOR KAITO EARLIER?! WHY WOULD I POSSIBLY BE ON EDGE?!”

Honestly though, she’s being incredibly vicious and, once again, I highly doubt it’s just because Shuichi accusing everyone, herself included. Even if Kaito is the victim...

I S T A N D O N T H E S I D E O F H O P E

Kokichi chooses funny times to be helpful, huh. 8′D

YOU’RE ACTUALLY TERRIBLE AT THIS, HIMIKO

DAMN GET WRECKED HIMIKO

also LMAO Kokichi just declared Himiko the culprit

never change, kiddo

ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO TRY AND THROW MAKI ‘I MURDER PEOPLE WITH A LOOK’ HARUKAWA UNDER THE BUS RIGHT NOW

I feel like being scared should be the least of your worries right now.

You just want an Ace Attorney-style breakdown, don’t you???

AGAIN KOKICHI, PLEASE NEVER CHANGE

~one of these things is not like the other~

Also the fact that Kokichi yelling about how he’s the most suspicious being the dialogue blocking the actual right answer is kind of amazing.

“And please don’t ask him to prove it, I’m not really over the last time he printed something from his memory.”

“AND ANOTHER THING! I wouldn’t even cosplay as you if you were a fictional character!”

“NOW YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR - !”

this trial is tearing our family apart

So, uh, did Shuichi just whip out the actual crossbow case or just a spare one he grabbed from Maki’s lab -

Thank you for summing it up so succinctly, Tsumugi!

That might be the longest one yet!

I actually believe that!

LMAO

THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION IS AMAZING AND SHOULD BE WITNESSED, FULLY VOICED, IN ITS ENTIRETY

It was worth messing up for this -

k1-b0, honey, you were doing so well and I believe you I swear -

We’re starting to circle around the next big answer, methinks...

Oooh man, you shouldn’t have talked about her like that earlier, Himiko!

AAAAAAAAAAW damn it okay that is actually really cute

She sounds so sad, aaaaaah D:

Implying that you aren’t lying about anything this trial? I don’t think so -

- but with that said, how sweet of you to come to her aid like this when you could have also thrown her under the bus! You really are starting to come along, Maki!

whispers why does Tsumugi voice my thoughts so often

But of course, we can’t avoid it. Someone asked Himiko to bring the crossbow there - I never was under the illusion that it was her idea. As for who it was that asked...

Yeah, I thought so. I wonder if it was Shuichi’s talk with him that spurred him to make that request. As soon as he thought the others were going to stick their necks out for him he decided to make his own plan of action, huh...

I’m taking this random opportunity to address the fact that I adore this particular sprite of K1-b0′s which practically screams, “I am so sick of your human nonsense” or perhaps more specifically, “Kokichi, why are you the way you are -”

what is happening right now

Het-ship potential? For Kokichi Ouma? The world must be endin - ohwait

TENKO IS ROLLING IN HER GRAVE RIGHT NOW

I hate to put it in these terms, and I hope dearly that Shuichi doesn’t make the same connection as me, but does this not imply that Shuichi was catalyst leading to his close friend’s death for the second time?!

Man, I can hardly imagine the panic she was in when she saw Kaito’s sleeve amongst all that blood. She probably feels incredibly responsible, and from the point of view of someone who thinks Kokichi is the mastermind, the obvious conclusion to draw would have been, “Kaito tried to rebel against Kokichi and this is the result!” And it wouldn’t have been too hard to go to, “I’m going to punish everyone who helped him” for that matter...

Yeah, so it was definitely after Shuichi talked to Kaito. K1-b0 only caught her going into the hangar the second time though?

Why in the world would you go there by yourself with the exisals wandering around? Kaito’s voice wouldn’t be able to reach you unless you were far into the hangar, so exactly what were you thinking???

Just... why. Why.

I’m so glad I have you here, Tsumugi.

Good. 8′\

I guess we’re not addressing why Himiko decided to take a nighttime stroll into the hangar before the request made then??? O... Okay???

Man, if it turns out that Kokichi was actually able to disarm Kaito of the crossbow despite being shot twice, one time in the back, that would be pretty damn impressive.

YOU ARE A LIAR, ‘K’-WHO-IS-MOST-LIKELY-KOKICHI-BUT-COULD-STILL-MAYBE-BE-KAITO!

Wouldn’t it be funny if after all of this, Maki’s straightforward determination to hang this all up on Kokichi actually turned out to be correct? And by the time we all come around to point the finger at him, Kokichi is revealed to not be the mastermind or morally responsible despite accidentally killing Kaito and Maki ends up getting him killed like she always wanted, but at that point actually regrets it - and Kaito’s life is lost in the crossfire as well?

Oh did I say funny? I meant extremely fucked up and tragic, whoops.

I think the one thing that I can stand by until the end is the fact that Maki was responsible for the introduction of poison to this whole wild affair. The electrohammer is obvious, sure - but the poison? They’ve been dancing around that the way I thought they would have been dancing around other things this whole time.

?!?!

Yeah, what??? You’re supposed to be acting as the moderator, aren’t you?

ET TU MONOKUMA

FORGET THE WHOLE KOKICHI AND HIMIKO THING, CAN YOU PLEASE STOP PLAYING WITH MY HEART?!

“INTERFERENCE!!!”

It’s not like he called it off or anything when he visibly took the reins of the game OH WAIT....

how dare you point out the issues I’ve been having without my consent, bear

WHAT

NO HOW DARE YOU

AGAIN?!

I’M LOSING MY DAMN MIND

FUCK YOU K I’M GOING TO START CRYING ACTUAL TEARS

That’s it I hope Rantaro steps out of the exisal at the end of the trial and just ascends to the heavens without a word -

actually if it has a voice changer could you do anyone because that could be hella interesting

“There’s a bit of a situation going on” you are the most casual guy every -

Okay so if there’s a voice changer and DR isn’t going to pull out a whopper on us with both of them hiding in the exisal somehow, Kokichi is either having a hell of a time doing some low-key satire by portraying Kaito as the most relaxed, casual dude ever who thinks he can just handwave his mistakes via pure charisma, or Kaito is doing the most goddamn amazing Kokichi impression known to mankind and is also actually the Ultimate Improv Actor. The inflection difference alone between the two of them and the completely different way they address people - ‘Kaito’ has shown up briefly so it wouldn’t be too hard for Kokichi, but ‘Kokichi’ has been here for most of the trial and responded pretty effortlessly without slipping up once!

Maki is Not Having this shit anymore.

I-I THINK YOU JUST HIT HER BERSERK BUTTON

Also if it is Kokichi in there then, uh, yeah, point proven about needing to stay in the exisal.

Damn it, both of them have a plausible reason as to why they can’t come out of the exisal!!! And yikes, I wonder if I underestimated the severity of his injury from his run in with the exisal at the end of the escape tunnel? He didn’t break his ankle or something, did he? That would explain why he would rely on a long-ranged weapon like a crossbow to fight Kokichi!

WILL DO! .....

....

I... I had a brief, faint glimmer of hope but -

apparently choosing Kokichi as the answer to ‘who is the victim’ is the wrong choice

How terrifying would it be to have that gatling gun-style arm waving around behind your back while you’re forced to think on your feet... >> Shuichi, I don’t envy you for even a second.

Really???? After all that, I thought... I really thought... we were leading into a flip of the script. Is - is it official then??? Man, was I just completely wrong the whole time then?

Look Kai - uh, Kokichi, K, whoever, look. Look. I was confident. I had a whole damn chart and notes written out, and even managed to work out a decent motive to go along with it, one with enough heart to make Will H Wright proud. BUT IT WAS ALL FOR NAUGHT, APPARENTLY, BECAUSE I GUESS I FUCKED UP THIS TRIAL PRETTY BADLY FROM THE GET-GO.

It.... It’s really saying that it’s Kaito, then....??? Damn....

My heart is actually aching for Shuichi right now. I understand he’s not literally in the audience POV, staring at the exisal behind his portrait with his voice encouraging him the way it always did in the last few trials - but maybe that’s what makes it worse for him?

Rather than standing at his side, ‘Kaito’ is behind him, where he can’t see him. Shuichi can imagine him though - imagine Kaito’s voice is actually coming from him, just outside of his peripheral vision, and Kaito is just about to clap him on the back and congratulate him on another well-made deduction. After the last trial, it’s so nice to have Kaito on his side again. They had finally just made up - !

..... but.

#Kokichi Ouma #Kaito Momota #Shuichi Saihara #Maki Harukawa #Saiouma #... yeah don't ask me how saiouma ended up in this post it took me by surprise too #but hey even if it's one-sided or something I thought it was an interesting tangent/direction for the trial #Himiko Yumeno #Tsumugi Shirogane #K1-b0 #Keebo #Kiibo #Kokichi Oma #Ryou plays drv3 #drv3 spoilers #spoilers #i'm not sure if this is my longest post or not #but it sure felt hella long #had to do this one in significant chunks 8'D

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lore-a-lie · 6 years

Text

Chapter 3, Act 11: Divining Revolutions

CLASS TRIAL- RESUME

As Kaede gave her silent approval Angie took the moment to meditate before responding in kind. Not that she wouldn’t be willing to lead the cross-examination thingies, even if she wasn’t as familiar with how to really do so.

And it was comforting to see Kaede’s earlier attempt to give up her position of authority was genuine. Or if not, that it was able to become genuine for this moment at the very least.

But still, it wasn’t Angie’s place to make such a call just yet. There was a reason she tried not to be so compelling during these debates. If Atua saw no need for her to act, who was she to act against Him?

Awwright Sugah, ‘Tis the Time to Start Speaking Thy Piece. Ain’t None of Thy Allies Willin’ an’ Able to Surpass the Impasse as Thy art to Bring this Shindig to its Most Unrighteous of Conclusions.

And with that command His Prophet gave the pitiful pianist the acknowledgement she sought. She gave a bright and possibly too eager (or too quick) nod in reply, as Angie tried to see what He needed of her.

The most obvious thing to do is make Kiyo stop being stupid. But Kiyo really liked being stupid, and has never not wanted to talk this much, so that will be tough. Second most obvious is to get Tenko to shed more light on how she could have possibly missed the demon’s attempt to attack him or what happened.

I don’t think my involvement there matters until we clear that up, I only saw the tail end of it. So me talking about it now might just make things even more messy, and harder for everyone else to follow.

But maybe being so obvious was the problem. Maybe Kaede was right to try and bring things back to Ryoma.

“Hey-hey, Tenko? You said Ryoma was okay with you and Sissy-Cersei’s “replace Kiyo” plan right?” Angie asked, with a vague sketch in her mind of what she needed to do.

“Y-yeah. What about it?”

“Was he really okay with you being involved with it?” Angie tilted herself at an angle, to see if it would help her catch any small details or help catch Tenko off-guard. Not that it ever really worked on Tenko (or anyone here really) before, but it was also just fun to see if anyone would react period.

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Tenko tried to ask, to brush Angie’s oddities off as if it was just her being silly. But Kokichi saw through it, like the ridiculous over-thinker was prone to doing even if he was wrong.

“Well gee Tenko, I don’t know.” Kokichi drawled, and Tenko immediately started to cringe. And not in her normal “Ew-why-is-this-pest-known-as-a-male-trying-to-speak-to-me-can-I-kill-it” Tenko cringe-face. The “Oh-no-I-didn’t-think-this-through” type of cringey-face as he tauntly pulled apart her bluff. “Why on earth would the guy who offered to die immediately when put in a murder game to help buy the rest of us time have a problem with a strong, justice-loving, “innocent” girl like yourself trying to get away with “technically” murdering a man? As opposed to say… Offering to take your place in this plan?”

“Wait. What would Tenko’s place in the plan even have been?” Kaito asked.

“Well, it doesn’t make sense for Cersei to use Kiyo’s avatar, since hers and his look so similar.” Kaede started to explain in her teacher-y sorta way she’d do sometimes. “So maybe the plan was for Tenko to use the outdated Kiyo avatar? Like if they were supposed to switch so it was actually his sister who was the “Tenko” Gonta was with when looking for “Cersei”?”

“WHAT?! But that unpossible! Gonta make super sure it was Mini-Tenko that Mini-Gonta was with!”

“Try to think of it like why I was a suspect in the first trial, Gonta. Remember how I was accused because I’m good at dressing up as people? Kaede thinks that they wanted to dress up as each other to trick you.” Tsumugi simplified the situation as best she could, even hand talking to a degree in hopes of helping for once. “But they didn’t! So it IS impossible in that it didn’t happen. But Kokichi’s trying to say that maybe when you and Tenko were looking for “sister” in the woods, that was really Ryoma. Or something like that, I think?”

“So the body by the river could have been Ryoma’s? And we just didn’t see Kiyo’s sister at all before we left?”

“I mean, it’s not like we thought to check if saying anyone’s names would have logged that body out. So it could have been, since we assumed Ryoma was last seen headed to the mansion to leave the sim. Kibo could have seen him heading to the wardrobe instead or something like that.” Kaito suggested.

“Kiyo’s sister would need to be alive then right?” Kibo asked with concern, and hissed at Kokichi to shut it when he started being technical about her “living” status again to continue. But in a twist he looked to their judge. “Monokuma, would it be possible to bring up the simulation’s log? It’s not really “fair” you didn’t give me a chance to check it before the trial in hindsight. I want to see if Kiyo had to log his sister out before he could leave.”

“What, and make this mystery easier for you? Not a chance, this is waaay more interesting! I believe in you~” The bear mocked him with a laugh, and Angie amazed herself once again at her ability to refrain from flipping him off. Even if it meant no one would, with Kokichi not being the right sort of vulgar and Kaito being the wrong sort of immature to fill the void Miu would have gladly filled.

One of many voids Miu would have gladly filled come to think of it! Nya-ha-ha~ I hope she’s watching us with a smile and sassy commentary, wherever she is. And giving this bear the bird he’s asking for. No matter how much it would make Shuichi squirm or Kirumi needed to chide her for it.

I wonder if Rantaro and Himiko are getting along? They’re both laid back people. Or the way we knew them they were. I’m sure no matter what state Ryoma’s in from this that Maki’s already by his side!

I wonder if they appreciate seeing me pray for them so often, even if I was mean to them when they were still with us? Or I’m making them laugh, seeing what I do as being silly or stupid despite my intentions?

… Prophet, the Trials Ya’ll are Still Facing are a Bit Mo’ Important at Present, Are They Not?

RIGHT. Whoopsie-daisy~ Thank you, O’ great and wise Atua for Your divine inspiration!

Snapping out of her trance that was most definitely not a nap, Angie made sure she looked as attentive as she could as she checked to see where the conversation was at.

“-So you think Ryoma wanted to get Kiyo and Angie out of the church to give them an opportunity to perform a kill-and-switch?” She heard Kaito say.

“No, he didn’t want me involved at all. And Ryoma didn’t seem too keen on actually seeing if Cerci would be safe on her own. You know how he can get. The only switching he would have wanted to try was using Kiyo’s appearance to get close to either sibling to see if they could be killed, and then pretend to be the dead one to repeat the process on whoever was left.”

“So you think he was just trying to take a chance to go after either of them?” Kaede asked Tenko.

“Yeah, but it’s not like it sounds like he made contact if Cerci never died! I mean Kiyo said his sister spoke to him when she attacked him, and avatar switching wouldn’t change Ryoma’s voice, right?”

“Right. If they could, we never would have realized Kiyo’s sister was a person instead of an illness.” Kibo agreed.

“We don’t know that she isn’t-” Tsumugi tried to point out, only to be cut off by an offended Tenko trying to keep the point of discussion to the forefront.

“That doesn’t change the core point here!”

“The point that relies on Kiyo being honest? ‘Cause that’s a pretty shitty one to bet our lives on.” Kokichi prodded again, trying and failing to get Kiyo to lash out.

And that was still a problem Angie wasn’t sure how to solve yet.

She knew his sister was still in there, and she thought everyone else did too enough for him to stop being so cagey about her presence. But for once that “edgy” zipper on his face suited how tight lipped he was.

He must have noticed how she kept looking at it too, as Kiyo narrowed his eyes at her and leaned more to Tsumugi’s side. Like he half-expected Angie to try and leap over the boundary between them to yank it open. Which probably would get him to at least say something, but Angie figured getting a human reaction out of him probably wouldn’t lead to a useful one. (But it’s something I can try later I guess!)

So she was left trying to sort out how Ryoma fit in. “Tenko, how do you know Ryoma wasn’t just going to go along with your plan?” Angie slapped her hands to her cheeks in shock, “Could it be Tenko already knew it wouldn’t work because Kore is evil? How mature of you!”

“Hey!” The whine came as expected, “I’m already plenty mature! I know because Ryoma told me so. He thought it’d be safer to kill both of them, but even if he didn’t-” Tenko cut herself off as she started to rub at her arm while looking down with a look of shocked realization.

“If he didn’t?” Kaito anxiously repeated to urge her on.

“If he didn’t get them both then he said he’d still confess if there was a trial.” She numbly repeated, barely blinking despite the tears Angie could see starting to well at the corners of her eyes. But when Tenko got ahold of herself she shook them off and desperately looked to Kaito. “But he wouldn’t have actually meant that, right?! He… I thought you and Kaede were helping him through that stuff! And this couldn’t have been… THAT, right? So we wouldn’t be forced to watch him suffer for my stupid idea?”

“Of course not!” Kaede said seemingly in spite of herself. Perhaps more a reflection of her hopes than their reality. “If he did that wouldn’t explain his cause of death or being found in the pool. We already established that!” (Ah, good point. That does reflect our reality pretty well… Maybe that’s the problem!)

We’re focusing on our reality, when we should be testing Kibo’s reality! He should have some idea of what could “kill” in the sim, even if he hasn't said so yet. And he was there for the wardrobe stuff to some extent from the sounds of things. But I don’t want to spook him, so he doesn’t get stage fright.

“Wait… Kibo, how much of this did you know?” Angie asked with a cutesy and quirky tilt of her head with her hands in place as if to tighten screws to help her think straighter. “If she and Ryoma talked about this in the virtual world near your wardrobe thingy are you suuure you didn’t overhear something about it?”

“... Enough?” Kibo said, avoiding eye contact with everyone as he twiddled his fingers. “I mean I didn’t know Miss Shinguji was involved in this! And I thought Ryoma’s plan was what Tenko had intended…”

Kibo turned to bow to Kiyo in a near panic, voice shaky and air puffing as if his throat was closing up even though he didn’t breath. “I’m very sorry! I knowingly conspired to help murder your sister, and there’s no excuse for that! I completely understand if you can never forgive me for that. Or if none of you can.”

“I… I was worried she was going to kill someone. I had no idea who or how, so I didn’t know what to do! So I thought that since she was your original motive, that getting rid of her could be to your benefit.

“Seeing how you two were fighting, I wasn’t sure if she was going to kill you and use my program to hide it! I didn’t know Tenko was trying to HELP her do something like that!” He shouted, nearly hysterical. “So when I found that avatar by the river I… I panicked. I got out of the sim, to make sure everyone was okay, and while Kiyo was okay, Ryoma… Ryoma wasn’t.

“I thought he succeeded in killing Miss Shinguji and then chose to kill himself rather than risk being executed or making Kiyo worse. If there was no trial for a “murder” like this Kiyo might have done something drastic to avenge her, or hurt himself so I thought it made sense! And I did something stupid.

“I… moved Ryoma’s body, hoping it’d help make what happened clearer.” Kibo confessed at last, staring so hard at the floor it was like he was testing out a new laser vision feature. “Maybe it was also just me being selfish, trying to hide how people could physically die in my simulation despite my best efforts. I took him to his lab and tossed him into the pool from his window, since I thought paralleling the other murder would make his intentions clearer. I’m so so sorry everyone. I didn’t intend to hurt anyone…”

“And what if you were wrong, huh?!” Kaito snapped at him, making Kibo flinch. “You don’t have proof that’s what happened, and you messing with the crime scene doesn’t help anything! Do you even know how Ryoma “killed himself” in your scenario?!”

“Uhhh…”

“Back off Kaito, Kibo said he panicked so it’s plainly obvious he wasn’t thinking straight! I mean who could in a situation like that?” Tsumugi snapped back, taking some pressure off of the robotic boy.

“How exactly did he “die” in your Oh-so-safe virtual world anyway, Keeboy?” Kokichi drawled, but there was a vindictive glint to his eyes and his smug smile was all teeth. “You know something we don’t?”

“I… I mean, he could have taken one of Shuichi’s poisons-”

“BBBZT! Wrong, try again!” Kokichi interrupted with a raspberry in place of an incorrect buzzer, getting more manic in his malice. “Kaito and I were in Shuichi’s lab when the Monokuma file says he died, and I made sure all those poisons are accounted for every time I visit! If he swiped one earlier I’d know.”

The Child Panics, Guilt Turns To Fury, Fanned by Failure and Fear. The One with False Leadership Would Claim Responsibility for This Crime an’ all Crimes Previous if They Only Could. Thy Needst No Reminder of Where They Fall Short. Each Night the Denied Truths Return, The Worst Plague of All.

Ummm, I think you used “Thy” wrong there?

An uncanny echo of silence resounded in Angie’s head, the type that would normally mean Atua had fallen asleep again. But it turned out to be but a pause as she heard His wondrous words return to her.

Ah... My B. I Grant Thee My Most Sincerest of Apologies, Sunspot. Perhaps ‘tis the Sound of Sleep Beckoning Me to Her Bodacious Bosom Once More that Distractith Me So.

“Distractith”? Now you’re just teasing me, there’s no way you used that right!

“Fine! Yes, he died in the simulation but I don’t know how!” Kibo broke down. “There shouldn’t have been any way for him to prematurally sever the connection between his mind and his body. But he was brain dead so it must have happened somehow. I’m not sure if he did it on purpose, or if he had help-”

“Wait,” Kaito said to pause the panicking robot. “Let’s just narrow down what could cause that then, okay? I mean we know where his avatar was found in the simulation, so that can help. Just because he died in there doesn’t make you the killer, so no need to freak out. Just be honest with us! No more lies.”

“So you think the river might be part of it? But he didn’t drown or suffocate.” Kaede pointed out.

“Maybe it like how Mini-Gonta gets scared at the Low-ding Point? Is that what being “brain dead” like? Like sleeping without dreams?” Gonta suggested with a shutter at the thought.

“Maybe!” Tsumugi replied, and put her nerdy knowledge to good use. “Video games would often have water act as boundaries by making you die or respawn if you touch it. Were there any rules like that, Kibo?”

“I… I don’t know.” He quietly said. “I never checked, I never considered anyone going for a swim. I mean even when we have a pool no one really uses it, so I didn’t think there would be any interest.”

… Oh. I get it now. That’s what You’re sorry about.

It’s not Your fault! You were asleep at the time.

But her words sounded like they fell on deaf ears as the void Atua used to be in gave her no comfort.

Angie wasn’t sure if she should share her findings just yet though. It’d be more convincing if she could get Kiyo to lead the others to it first, since he also saw what happened, but she wasn’t sure how to get him to work with her. He seemed far too content with taking the blame for this case, and it rattled her.

They both knew if he was found guilty it would only get him and everyone else who was innocent killed.

If he still wanted to die there were easier ways to do it! Ways that wouldn’t hurt anyone else physically.

I’m not really sure how I would take it emotionally though. I mean, am I to blame for this any? I don’t think I am, I think he enjoys making me mad and how I try to get back at him. He’s annoying like that.

Still, Kaito wants us to help him and Atua agrees with that! Even if Kiyo’s such an ignorant know-it-all.

Is he trying to die like this to save the blackened? To repay them for interfering in Ryoma’s attempt to kill him? Or is this just so he makes sure that even though his “Sister” isn’t real he still makes 100 friends for her? I mean it sounds like he’s close enough that three “admirable” girls would more than met his goal.

Assuming the mastermind isn’t a girl I mean. Technically they’d survive in that case too, wouldn’t they?

If our lives are in real danger, despite what we’ve seen before, how can he accept letting THEM survive?!

Maybe I can use that to talk some sense into him!

“Kiyo, are you sure you heard your sis speak to you when you saw her on the bridge?” Angie tried as a direct question, one he might be more open to answering now. “Or any chance that was Ryoma who was trying to harass you? Or someone else? ‘Cause I know what I saw, but I didn’t hear anyone say anything.”

“... I hardly see why it would change anything,” he muttered. “Even if she didn’t say them aloud we’ve proven her intent and that of my assaulter is one and the same, yes?”

“What happened after the fight?” Kokichi prodded and Angie winced at how blunt he was being. She could tell he was trying to use his tell-y trick again, but with Kiyo like this what good would it be?

But despite her concerns he did confirm some of their friends’ assumptions. Just not in a helpful way.

“She fell in the river. Clearly that much should seem obvious at this point.”

“Did she now? Or was she pushed?” Kokichi pushed again, before Angie could butt in.

This time Kiyo acted more like she was expecting, and only gave a bitter shrug. “Who can say?”

“Come on, out with it!” Kaito snapped.

“And why should I? To what benefit is there? Is it not enough to merely narrow down suspects?”

“Have you really lost it?!” Tenko shouted. “We’ll all die if we get this wrong!”

“As will we all, in due time-”

“Well, what are you being so cagey for then?” Angie asked with a forced brightness in hopes of putting him off guard and cut to the chase. “Do you really want the mastermind to win?”

And while it didn’t work he had no answer for her, which gave her enough satisfaction.

“That’s what’ll happen, won’t it? We all die but the blackened and the mastermind? The killing game will only ever end with two survivors, right?” She continued to needle, and Monokuma began to act like he was getting hot under the collar at her questioning. Despite the whole not having a collar thing.

“No comment!”

“Huh, huh? Who asked you? I was obviously talking to Kiyo, silly!”

Tsumugi giggled a bit at that, probably a case of nerves giving her the flutterbugs, which got some others to laugh between her ensuing embarrassment and Monokuma’s indignation. Still, the levity helped raise Angie’s spirit a little, in light of what Kiyo was showing she would need to reveal.

But Tenko cut in before she had the chance.

“Stop trying to deny what you did then, you degenerate! We know you killed him, and we know that while you want to die, She doesn’t! It doesn’t matter if it was self-defense, or mistaken identity, or anything else! You’re not going to go sliding on another loophole, you murderer!” Her ranting was so non-stop that even Kaede couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

And as she watched her friend try to make her case against Kiyo, without any regard to the other voices trying to be heard in her misplaced fury, Angie felt something not unlike Atua’s artistic urges.

The Ultimate Artist could see it. A lovely set of armor that could reflect the soul of the Ultimate Aikido Master, as ill fitting and out of place such a garment was for the martial art. But for Neo-Aikido it’d work just fine, and invoking the style of the Samurai would be done in the spirit of the great Tomoe.

Such a warrioress deserved nothing less than an armor that would reflect her heart of hearts. And Tenko herself warranted feeling not like a princess as Tsumugi had tried, but a queen ever at the ready to strike.

Layers of lacquered wood and pristine porcelain, woven with leather into skirts for the light flexibility western metal armor could never match. Each strip made the shade of sweet sakura petals so light that the girlish pink would be nearly wedding white under the rising sun. An ill omen for any man who tried to wed her, but their foolish blood would turn it a lucky and evil-banishing crimson soon enough.

Not that it was like the martial artist to seek marital bliss. Her bliss came in simpler, smaller forms daily. But if Angie could make this even half as beautiful as what Atua was proposing, Tenko would adore it.

Still, she tried to will the beautiful image away, before she could get lost in details she would never be able to bring to life. If she didn’t stop now, before the issues of a masked helm could arise, she might not manage to later. It hurt to ignore such god-given artistry that could bring such joy to one close to her.

It was one of many things she’d never be able to do with Tenko again when all was said and done.

There’s only one way to stop this. This must be why Atua’s been so quiet aside from this last vision.

He must be so ashamed of me. I should have realized it sooner.

“So how can you say for sure the degenerate isn’t our real culprit Angie?!”

Four little words is all it should take.

“BECAUSE”

But it’s okay!

“I”

I can do this!

“PUSHED”

I’m sorry Tenko.

“HIM!”

Angie had to take a moment to regain control of her breathing after making that dreaded confession. But at least all of her friends should be safe now. If only from the fate she needs to face for the time being.

“I saw him try to attack Kiyo on the bridge. I didn’t know it was Ryoma, I just saw Kiyo’s Sister picking on him so I wanted to help and it looked like things were getting dangerous! So I snuck up on her, err him, and poked not-Kore’s back to pause them. But Kiyo wouldn’t move, he musta been in shock or somethin’, and I couldn’t move Kiyo off of the dumb narrow bridge to somewhere safer and keep Kore paused!”

“So you pushed her off the bridge, to keep her away from Kiyo?” Kaede pressed, but thankfully her eyes were understanding. There were no bitter feelings to be found in them, only the pain of true sympathy.

“Yeah! I thought the river’s current would make sure whatever shore she swam to would be far enough away to either get help or snap Kiyo out of it! It’s not like she hurt him yet as far as I could tell, but still...”

“You didn’t know we can’t swim in Kibo’s world.” Kaito numbly supplied as his features at last softened with this final closure. “Ryoma fell out of bounds, breaking the mental connection, and you had no idea.”

“Yes! Angie thought it was harmless! Everyone where she’s from are super good swimmers, she didn’t-” Angie caught herself and tried to slow herself so she could be as clear as possible. So there was no doubts about her words, and her reasons wouldn’t change the truth they had all suffered for. “I didn’t think there was any reason why a river that narrow would be dangerous. Kibo did such a divine job making everything there safe! Atua thought he covered everything. I forgot it could be deadly.”

And with the painful truth laid bare Angie took another look to her friends, trying to gauge their reactions. It didn’t surprise her to see Kokichi held no pity for her, only frustration. She knew his qualms with murder, and he had heard her suggest reviving the dead as sacrifices, firmly setting him against her.

It’s surprising how much more hollow this feels than what I expected getting someone killed would be back then. Maybe this is meant to be a sign Ryoma really isn’t dead! Or maybe that’s wishful thinking.

The others looked at her with different levels of somber airs and hurt understanding. Though Kiyo seemed shocked enough by her willingness to confess that even with his mask he appeared slack-jawed.

And that slack was all the give his mental parasite needed to claw the mask away, giving Angie a second witness if any wanted to argue against her unwitting guilt. Because while Kiyo may have still had a death wish, setting his objective against their own, Kore made it clear she was a very different story.

“It’s true! I’m sick of being considered “dead” or accused of things I know nothing about!” The banshee screeched. “I never saw Kiyo on any bridge, and I only spoke to him after he logged us both out!

“I wasn’t even in the mansion when he did it! It was extremely rude of him, not like my Korekiyo at all.” She snorted as she crossed her arms and gave Ryoma’s portrait a glare, trying to reclaim her usual frozen facade. “Even more so for him to try and drag us all down with him over such minor grievances.

“Honestly, you all you should be ashamed of yourselves! After all that progress, all our work to get him past these frivolous urges, what do you cretins do? You drag my brother’s spirit low enough to relapse, despite all the flimsy excuses he gives to defend you people!” The haughty haunting hussy huffed.

“Huh~ Since when did he need us for that? You seemed to be doing that fine enough on your own.” Angie called, leaning over the railing of her podium as she taunted so she could better aggravate the monster beside her. It’s not like she had anything left to lose anymore with her Lord’s silence, and if she didn’t shut this bitch up herself no one might.

“EXCUSE ME?!” (I can definitely feel Atua’s desire to make an ice sculpture of her, if only to curse her. Not that He can now. It’s probably just out of habit He let me feel this at all. Unless He feels my guilt is lacking and is trying to make me more repentant?)

“That’s why you wanted him to go after Kaede, isn’t it? Somebody was jealous~ Ya meanie.”

“Nonsense, that was his choice-”

“Liar, Liar, pants on fire~” Angie sang over the false specter. She could feel her anger seep over into her smile as she laid her rage bare. “If that were true, Kiyo would have asked me to be the medium before. And Angie probably would have said “yes” like a real dummy! Atua was too busy rage napping to give Angie his divine protection and I wanted Kiyo to mess it up! ‘Cause he acts like Atua isn’t the only true god. But Kiyo didn’t! And then mean ol’ missy sissy got all hissy over him just wanting her to make normal friends with us. Because you don’t want “friends”. You didn’t want him to have any, yes?”

At least Angie wasn’t the only one pissed off any more. Even if she had to quickly swing herself back to avoid the monster’s attempt to slap her, which nearly caused Angie to stumble back over the opposite railing. (Maybe copying Kiyo’s obnoxious way of talking was a biiit much. But that look on her face tho!)

“How dare you accuse me of something like that?!” She seethed, as if letting out steam to reveal how shallow her cold “cool” demeanor still was, no matter how fitting it was for her heartlessness.

“You’re only mad ‘cause she’s right, aren’t you?” Kaede challenged with an accusing point. “You chose the “friends” you wanted, not him. No point backtracking on that, with how you keep pointing out how much lower his “standards” are than yours. And if he got too close to others, he wouldn’t need you anymore, right? You don’t want to risk him moving on with his life, so you’d have to move on too.”

And that was all it took to make Kore really snap. Kinda sad how easy that really was, now that they could fairly safely gang up on her. (But not much more pushing than it takes to set me off either, is it?)

“I won’t let you take him away from me! He’s not allowed to abandon me now! I won’t let him throw me away again, to ignore me while I rot alone like everyone else did! I won’t forgive him. I won’t forgive anyone, no matter how many apologies I hear! Apologize all you want, but I won’t. I won’t. I won’t!”

An’ Thus His Parasyche Shows Her True Nature. The Ghost of a Broken Memory, a Revenant Remnant of a Dying Girl. Desperate to Forget She Was Not But a Child’s Guilt an’ Self Loathing Made Manifest, Grown Willful an’ Proud Feeding from Every Bit of Bitter Bile of His Soul He Thought Suppressed.

Angie was taken aback by His voice, but she knew it best not to question it. If He graced her with His assurances of conclusions she suspected, that was His choice. She had no right to address Him anymore.

She failed Him as His prophet, and everyone He wanted to help by acting through her.

As Angie shook off her brief shock she heard Kaede quelling the sins of Shinguji, with all others quiet. And with discussion settled Monokuma declared it was time for the votes to be cast one last time.

Well, last for her anyway. Though Angie felt no real need to condemn herself to her fate, she did so nonetheless. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to fear if they thought a third soul would be lost tonight. A glance to her side eased her own concerns, as Kore was quick to vote in her brother’s stead.

The last thing I want is for Kiyo to throw his life away after Ryoma died from my attempt to protect him. O’ Atua, I’m really going to die for HIS sake aren’t I? Please show mercy upon me my Lord, I messed up baaad this time. That prick isn’t worth all this harm and heartache! … I mean Kiyo, not Ryoma. Oh well.

Please watch over them all, okay Atua? Even if I wasn’t able to convince them of Your blessings. Amen.

Again, she felt only a sense of emptiness that equalled only the resounding silence where Atua once watched over her as the results were shown. No matter how much guilt Tenko may have felt for her role in setting the tragedy into motion, it was Angie’s face that was lit up in the end.

She tried to handle herself with as much dignity as she could, now that her end was before her. But she had one last thing to do before her execution began.

“Ah. Oh well. I guess I’m going to need to go on ahead. Sorry everyone, but it’s been fun!” Angie said with as much energy as she could, and twirled to give everyone one last looksie. “May Atua protect you all, and may you live long happy lives when the smoke clears,” she offered as a final prayer.

“Whatta bunch of bullshit,” She heard Kaito hiss to himself, and he looked far more conflicted now than he had in previous trials. He was a fair bit paler too, and hearing the way he coughed concerned her.

But before she could draw attention to the ill-boding red flecks she saw on his hand, Tenko drew her into one of the tightest bear hugs she’d ever been given. And considering Tenko’s previous hugs that’s saying a lot.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. It was stupid! If I hadn’t-”

“Hey, hey~ It’s okay, it’s okay! You couldn’t have known, and I don’t blame you or Ryoma! It was my mistake.” Angie rubbed at Tenko’s back, not wanting to make anyone’s stress worse just yet. She knew Kaede also saw the proof of Kaito’s injury, wherever it was. So they’ll be able to settle that later.

For now, Angie needed to try and lessen the damage she was about to do.

And a bit of tradition felt fitting in that moment, so Angie wiggled out of her raincoat and plopped it on Tenko’s shoulders, using the sleeve to uselessly wipe at Tenko’s mucky face. Tenko quickly caught onto what she was doing, as the waterproof material only moved the tears and gross boogers around rather than wipe them up, which got some very wet laughs from those around them as Tenko shooed her away.

“There! You look like you need it more than me, just look at how much rain you have on your faces already!” Angie stuck her tongue out at them in faux-mockery, hoping her own tears wouldn’t be brought up at her tease. “So take good care of it, m’kay? It’s important to keep parts of a person alive, and objects can hold memories just like brains do. So even if it stops being a raincoat, don’t get rid of it!”

With her parting piece said, there was no reason to postpone things any longer. Before Monokuma could snatch her away to meet Atua, and how he would try to break her spirit as he did, she squared her shoulders and gave everyone one last wave.

It was only then it occurred to her that blackeneds didn’t know what their executions were called.

Somehow not knowing made what was to come all the more nerve wracking than the anticipation a title left for those on the other side of the curtain. But she would never let that weakness show. If Monokuma wanted to make her frown or scream in “despair” she’d make that as difficult for him as she could.

That made the setting set before her all the more anticlimactic.

It was a snowy field, with a river nearby much like how the Virtual World’s setting was, and the sky above looked stormy. Angie wasn’t sure if lightning was possible during snow storms, but regardless of it was possible or artistic license that’s the direction it looked like things were going.

And as snake-like ropes bound her struggling form to a post like a lowercase t at the center of a pile of kindling she felt like she was ready to vomit, seeing the blasphemy he was going for.

Around her christianity based cross-of-a-lightning rod she saw ruined depictions of other faiths too. Everything from wooden sculptures like totem heads or scrolls of pagan gods were ready to burn.

Her thoughts were torn between Himiko’s lifeless corpse and the words her other self spoke before:

I’d rather avoid something witchy if I can.

So Monokuma made her take on the role of Joan of Arc (Joan d’arc? I don’t do french! Sorry Kaede) and was going to make the heavens “smite” her for her insolence. The crimes born out of best intentions and poor judgement, including those that happened long before Ryoma may have come to harm.

While there was no true being supporting Monokuma’s murder, Angie took a breath and prepared to accept it nonetheless. She felt an odd calmness within her as she saw the lightning flashes and resulting flames draw near her. As if it was Atua protecting her from the full brunt of her torture.

But when an all too human weight tackled into her, if this was His doing she wished he had forsaken her.

As kind as it is to keep her from dying alone, it was cruel to do so at the expense of one of her friends. But as her would-be savior tried to untie her, urging her to escape the stage, she couldn’t bring herself to voice those feelings. She simply tried to smother the pure gratitude that welled in her chest, and prayed for both of their souls as the thunder kept crashing down.

----

Tenko could only watch in silent horror as Kaito shoved Angie out of the way of the first strike. She watched as he struggled to untie their most innocent murderer, but as hard as she tried Tenko couldn’t hear anything over the sound of Monokuma’s thunder at this point.

But shouldn’t I be the one trying to save her? Or at least be helping him now? There’s only one Exisal left, so this would be as good a time as any to strikeback, wouldn’t it? I promised to protect Angie, didn’t I?!

Would she have ever done the same thing for you?

Tenko could only clench her eyes and teeth as shut as she was able to and looked away in frustration at that insidious thought. But only because she knew the answer.

She knew Angie wouldn’t even have considered saving her had their positions were switched. So in a way it was for the best that Tenko did the same thing, wasn’t it?

Unlike Kaito she had things she could still lose. Opening her eyes gave her a harsh reminder of that.

Gonta was beside her looking as torn and lost as she felt, standing on the sidelines as a “degenerate male” did what she couldn’t bring herself to do. And she knew that if she lept in to help Gonta would have followed her without question, because like Kaito that was the sort of man he was. A noble one.

And Kaito only had to die to prove it to you, didn’t he? Just like Ryoma did. Just like everyone kept saying. But you never wanted to listen, did you Tenko? This is all your fault. You failed Angie, and you’ll fail Kaito.

Her head felt like a mountain as she lifted it and shook her head at Gonta. The heartbreak and failure on his face would be forever ingrained in her memory. Because failing Kaito was the best they could do.

If we try to save him now we both might just end up dying out there with them, even without the Exisal. There’s nowhere for us to run to and he knew that going in. And if we all died who’d protect Kaede or Tsumugi!? Kibo? Even if he could, who’d protect him? He can’t save everyone on his own! He needs us.

Both she and Gonta could do nothing but weep as they saw Kaito try to pull Angie to a safety that didn’t exist. He couldn’t even see where the others were standing in all the chaos of the execution’s set. It was only a matter of time before the cruel god of this hell struck them down, as it gave up on avoiding him.

She almost thought Kaede and some others even began cheering him on, trying to help lead him back to them. But since even standing closer to the stage was enough to nearly drown them out, if that hadn’t been Tenko projecting her own feelings, there was no real point to it all.

So instead of joining in, or risk starting this chant of false hope if her mind was playing tricks, she just went close enough to hug Gonta as the watched. But with the way he held her she figured he was the one really doing most of the comforting. She could only hope she was helping him back in some way.

A part of her hoped the thunder would help mask her own wailing as the inevitable happened, only belatedly realizing a lot of that noise was now her other friends making similar screams. (But not Angie.)

It was only when she felt Gonta lift her that she noticed both of her knees had given out at some point. He still held her protectively, like this was still just a clingy two way hug to him, and carried her back to the group as she shoved her face into his chest to keep him from hearing her babble and whimper.

Not that any of it stopped when he cautiously put her back down, but she thought it would be better than hearing her incoherently try to blame herself for everything that happened. (Keeping him from correcting you for telling the truth was just another selfish benefit. You were just too scared to help.)

As he set her down Tsumugi was the first to cling to her as they sobbed together. A glance to Kaede quickly answered the question of why she wasn’t joining them.

The pianists eyes looked glossy with unshed tears as she blankly stared at the spot they could last make out Kaito and Angie, lost to the flames. She was on her knees, but looked broken in a way the previous trials hadn’t managed.

No one had expected Kaito to interfere, least of all her. Unlike Shuichi, his death wasn’t one Monokuma’s vile rules had forced upon them. He just threw his life away at the last minute.

But why did he do that?! He even cast a vote like the rest of us did, Angie’s guilt was unanimous. Was it just to spite Monokuma, dying in a way he didn’t want? He didn't even like Angie that much! So why-

“What the hell was that moron thinking?” She heard Kokichi cuss to himself, but he made no attempt to snap Kaede out of her traumatized trance. So Tenko decided to do what he didn’t think he could.

Tenko left Tsumugi’s embrace with a pitiful hiccup of an attempt to reassure her, and stretched Angie’s raincoat over Kaede’s far shoulder like it was a blanket for them both. (Is that how shock blankets work?)

Kaede made no indication she noticed, but with how much both girls were sobbing at this point Tenko didn’t mind. And Tenko took notice of how little the dying flames left behind of either of their friends.

It’s not fair! How can a person just… disappear, like that? Like if I didn’t have Angie’s coat it could be like she never existed at all. And everyone else who died in a trial left something behind, so why didn’t Kaito?

Maybe I should try making a momento for him? Like how Angie made her wax memorial figures.

Kaito never went without that printed jacket of his. I could try making the inside of Angie’s coat look like that. It’d be a lot of work, but I think it’d be worth it. Maybe it could help some of the others too...

Tenko distantly heard Kokichi try to stir the pot, something accusatory at either Kibo or Kiyo. She couldn’t be sure which. Whatever it was, she focused on trying to bring Kaede back to them mentally instead.

The two only moved when Gonta helped get them to their feet, so everyone could leave this cursed place in the elevator. But the ride up was deathly silent and as tense as a taught bow-string.

Kibo was the first to go and took off running, with Tsumugi’s lighter footsteps following after him. But the farthest Kaede could get was five paces before crumbling back to the ground and screaming loud enough for the stars to hear her. So Tenko did the same, rather than leave her like this alone and in so much pain.

Tenko looked up to see what Gonta intended to do, and assure him he could go if he wanted to, but the words caught in her throat. He looked to Kokichi, but the boy made it clear he wanted nothing to do with the misguided gentleman. Seeing the heartbreak on Gonta’s face as the small boy swatted a hand away and stomped off in the direction of their dorms, she chose to keep out of it. She’d probably just make more problems otherwise.

Hopefully Kokichi’s not going to hold this against him for long! Kokichi has more reason to hate me for planning a murder than Gonta. Mine got farther than his did, and Gonta deserves better than this.

She turned to see where the cause of all of their misery went off to, but as it turned out Korekiyo stood at the edge of the restored fountain as if he had barely moved since exiting the elevator. He kept… twitching, in a way that definitely wasn’t natural and his eyes were scrunched tight.

When they opened it was Shinguji who looked back at her, and when she removed the mask she was scowling at both of them. As if Kaede and Tenko had played any role in her own mistakes, much less her brother’s mental state.

She strode forward, trying to keep her distance from Gonta showing she was still wary of him, but couldn’t bring herself to leave the area. And not just in a figurative sense.

The hand that reached for the exit instead turned and pulled the mask back into place, and Korekiyo stood idle by the door as he faced them.

“My apologies if I am mistaken, but I am still not to be roaming about campus unsupervised, yes?”

Gonta startled at first, and guiltily looked at the floor before nodding his agreement. “It be better, yes. Gonta not know if Tsumugi go with Kibo or go to her room, so Kiyo could be threat to her.”

“Understood,” Korekiyo replied with a short nod of his own. “If it is not too problematic, should I help you escort our fair companions back to their dorms?”

“We can stand!” Tenko snapped at him after wiping away what tears she could, and refused to feel any guilt at seeing him flinch away. She tried to pull Kaede to her feet alongside her to prove her point, but Kaede’s legs were far less stable.

“Sorry, I-”

“It okay!” Gonta assured Kaede, flushed with humiliation as much as it was from her crying. “Kaede want piggy back? If Tenko can walk, Gonta can carry Kaede easy!”

“O-oh. Sure? I mean I don’t really remember the last time I got carried like tha-AAAAT” Kaede panicked at the end seeing as he was quick to prove true to her word. But even after she got herself situated her embarrassed blush didn’t die down. “Thank you?”

“You’re welcome!” Gonta smiled as brightly as anyone could after their hell of a night. “So we back to dorms now?”

“By all means, lead the way.” Korekiyo agreed, holding the door for the other three, as much as Tenko was loath to accept any “help” from him after all the confusion and death he’d caused.

Sniffling aside, the walk back was quiet, and there were no signs of any of their other friends. But that may have been for the best, as it encouraged going straight to bed if nothing else.

Not even she was ready to offer a “sleep over” after this. Tenko just wanted to sleep and hope this was all a stupid dream her mind cooked up out of guilt over her conspiring with Shinguji.

But it wasn’t. It never was in this horrible place that Angie had wanted them all to consider “home”.

Hell, she couldn’t even remember having a single dream in this prison. But thinking of dreams brought her mind back to her key. It felt like it was so long ago now, but it couldn’t’ve been more than three days. The thought and memories made her stomach do a flip without her in grief, but she held herself firm.

She had to try to appear strong. To help Kaede. To protect Gonta. To keep Korekiyo at bay.

Speaking of that bastard...

“Hey, Gonta, can we talk real fast? I know we all need some shut eye but I have a question first.”

Gonta gave a nervous glance to Korekiyo, who merely nodded and headed for his room for the entomologist’s peace of mind. But while her friend went off to the side so Tenko could hopefully keep Kaede from overhearing and make her worried, the murderer didn’t close his door all the way.

She tried not to think about it too much when she saw Kaede notice that too, and had a few quiet words with the unstable man which netted a nod to whatever she asked of him. Likely just to make sure he would still be breathing when the morning announcement sounded, knowing Kaede.

It would be wasteful for him to die now, wouldn’t it? I don’t know how to handle this. He doesn’t DESERVE to be forgiven! But at the same time… Maybe I should try, to make up for trying to kill him?

Is that what Angie would have wanted? Or would Ryoma rather I not leave the job unfinished?

Since when have you cared about what either of them really thought? Stupid selfish Tenko!

She shook her head to clear her thoughts as she made her offer. “Do you think it’ll be okay for me to help keep an eye on Kiyo? Since without Ryoma and Kaito, we…” The words caught for a moment in her tightened throat. “I don’t want you need to feel like you have to handle him all by yourself.”

“But it not safe! Kiyo sneaky person, could try to hurt Tenko without noticing.”

“I know. But if things with his “sister” really are different now, like if she’s all in his head, we don’t know how that could change things! He could try to hurt you too! Or maybe he won’t be killing anyone else-”

“Gonta can handle Kiyo! Tenko worry about Tenko, okay?” Gonta asked with a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and it took a lot of willpower to keep herself from trying to toss him on reflex. (Though tossing a guy THIS big could be hard even for me. He’s real good about keeping himself grounded and balanced.)

“But-!”

“Ladies shouldn’t talk about butts!” Gonta laughed at his attempt at a pun to try easing her worries. “If Gonta need help, Gonta ask for help. Gonta promise.” He swore as he crossed his heart with his hand.

“Alright. And I will be one of the people you can ask for help, whatever you need, okay?” Tenko reaffirmed, and didn’t allow him to break eye contact with her until he nodded his understanding. “Good! So, I guess that’s settled for now. We can work things out in the morning.”

“Okay. Goodnight Tenko! Don’t worry about bed bugs biting, Gonta already checked and no one has signs of those! Hope you sleep good.” (GAH, WAIT ARE BED BUGS REALLY REAL?! I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!)

“I-... Thank you? Sorry if you were hoping to find some I guess.” She nervously laughed as she headed for her door. “Goodnight!”

Tenko didn’t open her eyes once she entered that room, relying on muscle memory to reach her bed unimpeded. Anything to keep from seeing things that would make what happened that night harder.

But try as she might, the memories came to plague her all the same. And despite her best efforts, sleep refused to come easily. It was only until after her pillow was soaked from her futile fury and endless replays going over everything she could have done differently to avoid her current reality did it take her.

And it would feel like no time had passed at all when the next morning came, unrested and longing for just one night to allow her to dream and escape this hell on earth. Or wherever it was they were.

Not that the truth would help us any. Even if we were in space, Kaito wouldn’t have wanted it this way.

End of Chapter 3: We Lived and Let Them All Die Young

Surviving Members: 7

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