Reality Is Such Brutality

If the time he had ascended the stairs had been part of a horror movie, then at the bottom of these stairs was the movie itself. The stairs didn't have landings at each floor like the other one did. These stairs just went down, until he thought he was at least a floor below B-Deck. It may have been his imagination, but the lower he went, the older the ship seemed to become. The paint on the walls was more chipped; the metal stairs reflected dirt in the form of footprints. The light remained dim. If this ship had ever seen paying customers, then they had not been expected to see this place.

The stairs led into a storage hold. From the mouth of the stairs, the shelves lined up in the room made the space appear maze-like. They were open shelves with no backs; the only reason he couldn't see through them was because the shelves were filled with boxes. Some of the boxes were open, and he peeked inside to find an entire box of canned beans. Okay. That didn't bode well for the ship's menu.

"Makoto!"

There was still at least a story between them. Komaru's shout was hushed, a whisper meant to carry and yet meant to not be overheard. The prey-side of his mind recognized the contradiction and without prompting, he dropped into a partial crouch to hide.

They're here, he thought dizzyingly a moment later. For Komaru would recognize Ultimate Despair as a predator, and that was why she didn't want to be overheard. But that could change. Once he explained the situation and Ultimate Despair and Komaru realized they were all in danger, then everyone would be on the same side. They could all be friends!

He couldn't make himself wait for Komaru to catch up. He rushed ahead, navigating blindly through the rows and rows of shelves. Until at last, he found an opening in the barrier that didn't seem to lead to more shelves. He shoved through it, bumping a box and nearly knocking it off its shelf.

"Hello?" he said as he walked into the open. Faintly, he heard the door leading to the deck creak closed.

The light was even dimmer here, coming from a single hanging light that swung back and forth with the tilting of the ship. But it was enough to see, enough for a halo of light to reflect off the nearby metal. Enough for him to see it was a cage.

Naegi wrapped his fingers around the bars of the cage. Someone was inside. One of his friends was inside. He could see them crumpled against the far bars. All the light would tell him was that the form was thin. It could be so many people.

"Naegi-kun?"

He hadn't noticed the second cage. In this one, someone was on their knees. He skittered over, sliding onto his knees as well. The sweaty hand squeezed his.

"Hanamura-kun, are you okay?"

His laughter jumped like a hiccup. "Mmhmhm, just fine. This isn't the first time someone's slipped a little something extra in my drink. But I haven't had the honor of meeting the ones who set up this scene."

Hanamura combed his curl with his finger, but the action felt more reflexive to Naegi than conscious. Halfway through combing his hair, Hanamura stopped, staring at something beyond Naegi's shoulder. Naegi's head whipped around, but it was only Komaru.

"You're not supposed to be here," Komaru said nervously.

Naegi ignored that. His fingers tapped against his thigh. "Hanamura-kun, this is Komaru. Komaru, this is the Ultimate Chef, Hanamura Teruteru."

"The sister," Hanamura said quietly.

He wasn't oblivious to the menace he heard there. But he hadn't explained yet. Everything would be fine.

"Hanamura-kun, the Future Foundation's got us!" He waited for Hanamura's eyes to widen, but they didn't. He must have already known. "I'll get you out of here. We'll get the others, and then we can head for the lifeboats."

"It would be easier to take over the ship," Hanamura said.

"I. . ." Technically, Hanamura was right. It might not be literally easier, but it would be a whole lot more convenient. Naegi couldn't let him know that, however. So, he shook his head and maybe-lied, "There's no way you could kill them all before an alarm went out. We'd be swarmed." (Komaru whimpered while he was speaking.) "This way we might be able to get out before anyone notices."

He leaned back and looked around for a Monokuma – right, they weren't at home anymore. He should have asked Kamukura to teach him how to pick locks. This was going to be rough.

"Komaru, help me find something to open the lock."

He stood up, only for Komaru to grab his arm. She shook her head.

"We can't let them go. They're too dangerous!" she said.

He smiled in the face of her fear and patted her hand comfortingly. "It's okay. Trust me. I was scared, too, at first . . . But we're all here on the same side. You guys won't hurt her, right, Hanamura-kun?"

"That depends on her preferences," Hanamura purred. "Maybe she would like it if I used a little force. She had enough spice to lock me in this cage."

"Oh no," Komaru whispered.

"What?" Naegi said.

"You don't know?" Hanamura asked. "It wasn't just some nobodies from the Future Foundation that attacked us. It was your class."

"That. . . That can't be. . ."

But before he could gather his thoughts, yet another person arrived on the scene. Naegi turned his head slowly and met the gaze of the one and only Ultimate Heir.

Togami glanced back at the direction from which he had come. "That door was supposed to be locked."

When had he last seen Togami? Months ago. Eons ago. He should be jumping with joy, jumping at him. Yet something held him back. His prey instincts had been online ever since he had discovered who this boat belonged to, and they spoke to him again now. Predator, they whispered.

No. He rocked back on his heels and whined. Togami was his friend. Togami had been there with him in the game and had witnessed his first true act of Hope. Togami was with Kirigiri, for god's sake.

"Togami-kun, what's going on?" Naegi asked, his grip tightening on the cage.

Togami pinched his nose and sighed. "I'll explain it to you, but not in this dump. Come, Naegis."

Komaru shuffled after him like a scolded child.

"We can't leave Hanamura-kun!" Naegi cried. "We need to help him."

"That's impossible," Togami said bluntly. "Under no circumstances am I going to see any of them running free. They are in those cages because they are trying to kill us."

"But we're all on the same side!" Naegi protested. "I know Kirigiri-san has a plan to get us out of here, but wouldn't it be nice to have extra firepower against the Future Foundation?"

Togami raised his eyebrows. "You're kidding me. Do you honestly think we're planning to march in there and usurp an organization with thousands of men at their disposal? We took this boat, but that doesn't mean we're going to actively fight them."

They took the boat? Then. . . it wasn't the Future Foundation? He looked around at the metal shelves and the dim light. Suddenly, it all seemed so much less scary.

"Naegi-kun?" Hanamura whispered from behind him.

"As I said before, we're leaving," Togami said.

"But . . ."

"Now."

"Sorry," he murmured to Hanamura. He took hesitant baby steps toward where Togami was tapping his foot.

As he walked, the ship passed over a large wave. He felt it in the ground and the way it rolled under his foot, just enough so that he felt off-balance, although he wasn't at risk at falling. The swinging light picked up speed, traced out a longer arc. As it swung to the right, Naegi tracked the spotlight it cast upon the ground. Before, it had stopped just beyond the edge of the cage. Now the light penetrated to the center and fell upon its captive's brow.

Naegi froze. "Komaeda-kun?"

Togami spun around. "You have got to be kidding me. . ."

"Komaeda-kun!"

Naegi slammed into the cage, and then slammed his fists into them for good measure. Komaeda didn't move. He laid there, skin sallow in the fading light. His hoodie drooped from his body as if it were a size too big.

"Naegi!"

"Komaeda-kun!" He ripped Togami's hand off him. "Wh-why is he in there? Where's the key?"

"I already told you, I am not letting any of them loose." Togami's arms were folded tightly across his chest. His jaw was equally tight. "Get up. You're making a fool of yourself."

"Not without him!" Naegi said, tears in his eyes. "Komaeda-kun!"

Komaeda remained as still as the dead.

"Get up."

Togami grabbed him. But as Togami dug his heels in and pulled, Naegi spun with the force so that he was staring right into Togami's face, and snarled. The flash of bared teeth startled Togami; his grip faltered. Naegi's arm slipped out easily, falling to his side as he rose to his full height.

"You guys put him in here," Naegi said. "Let him out. Now."

"I'd rather put soy sauce on my rice. Naegi, you're considered an invalid, so I have decided not to hold this against you. Him, however –"

"Stay away from him!"

Togami, not expecting retaliation, didn't react in time. Naegi's palms found his chest without resistance, and Togami gave no sign of understanding what was happening until Naegi had thrown his full weight into the push. Togami reeled back, the force rocking through him from bottom to top like he was a whip. His stumbled backwards, slamming to a stop against the bars of a third cage. He laid there, arms splayed to the side, frozen with offended shock. Naegi's arms were still outstretched.

Togami began to lift himself off the bars, flicking imaginary dust off his sleeves as he did. "If I see even one wrinkle on this suit after this, I'll –"

Two arms burst out of the darkness behind Togami. One snaked through the bars, carrying an end of something long and red, which it threaded over Togami's neck and to the other hand. Before they could realize the object was a scarf, before they could realize it was wrapped around Togami's neck, a boot planted itself on the side of the cage and the arms pulled. The back of Togami's skull clanged against the metal, but any cry he made dissolved into a splutter. His legs kicked out, as he pulled at the vice around his throat.

"Togami-kun!"

As both Naegis got closer, one of the pale hands curled back between the bars. The fingers cupped upward, sliding their nails against the bottom of Togami's chin. The unspoken warning was clear, and the two stopped short as if that hand really had been carrying a knife. Togami's eyes bulged as he instinctively tried to cough, but the fabric digging into his throat prevented that.

Komaru took two steps back. "I'll. . . I'll get help!"

And she was gone, leaving Naegi alone with the situation. Togami gasped like a fish on land. His kicks become sporadic.

"Stop!" Naegi said. "Tanaka-kun, stop!"

As if he hadn't noticed him before, Tanaka moved forward out of the darkness so that Naegi could see his red eyes. He looked at Naegi, and then at his prey with a sort of satisfaction.

"Stop! You're going to kill him!" Naegi cried.

Tanaka's smile glinted. Naegi could hear his thoughts: That's the point.

"No!" He tried to add his strength to Togami's, to pull the scarf away. But Togami was already fading and his hands, still tangled with the scarf, were falling limp.

"Tanaka-kun!" Naegi screamed. "I know he locked you in there, but you're not hurt, right? This isn't going to get you out. It's going to make everything worse."

Tanaka had walked up right to the bars, and Naegi had fervently hoped it was because Tanaka was listening. But alas, it was so Tanaka could loop the scarf a second time around Togami's neck and yank.

"Stop!"

One of Togami's arms fell limp. His face looked weird, almost puffy, with a strange dark flush under his nose. His mouth hung open, tongue resting on his lip, nearly poking out.

"No!"

Naegi grabbed his face, about to administer CPR. . . Except that wouldn't help. Togami's other arm fell to his side. Tanaka's only response was to wind the scarf tighter.

"Tanaka-kun, please. Don't do this. He's my friend." Naegi had his hands clamped on Togami's cheeks as he tried to will life back into him. "Please don't do this to me."

Tanaka, shoulder braced against the bars, hissed.

Naegi dropped to his knees, still reaching up towards Togami's head. "Please don't do this."

Tanaka grunted. He falter as he stared down into Naegi's eyes.

A moment later, Tanaka let go and Togami dropped.

Naegi scrambled over to Togami, catching him a moment before he would have faceplanted into the hard ground. He flopped over Naegi's arms like a limp rag, surprisingly heavy. With a grunt, Naegi heaved Togami onto his back, landing afterwards with his hands on either side of Togami's waist. Togami didn't move through it all. He didn't even complain about breathing Naegi's air. Naegi couldn't hear him breathe, couldn't see Togami breathing, but when he rested his hand on Togami's sternum, he felt the chest moving quick and shallow.

"Togami-kun!" With a sob of relief, Naegi rested his forehead on Togami's chest. He breathed once, twice, and then raised his head. Tanaka stared down at him like an angel of death. With a snort, he drew back into the darkness.

A minute later, Komaru came rushing in. She dropped to her knees next to Togami, face ashen until Naegi told her he was okay. He guessed whomever she brought had also heard him, for the click, click of their footsteps didn't quicken.

"He's okay. Everything's fine. Tanaka-kun was spooked, that's all," Naegi said, hit with a sudden need to defend his friend. With Komaru pulling Togami out of reach of Tanaka, Naegi felt free to stand and stretch. His shoulders popped as Komaru's friend came up right behind him.

A glove suddenly slapped over his mouth and something sharp pierced his neck. Tanaka, in his cage, flew forward, crashing against the bars. His teeth showed in a soundless roar as Komaru watched silently.

Before he could free himself and identify his attacker, the darkness swept in.

The first warnings of a migraine pulsed behind her forehead. Kirigiri took a deep breath and used that to smother her groan. Naegi, just as light as he appeared, hung from her grasp. She shifted him around to an easier position to handle, and then threw him over shoulder.

"Did you have to do that?" Komaru asked.

"Yes," she said bluntly. "If he saw Komaeda-kun in there, this would have become a disaster zone."

"Um, he already did," Komaru said bashfully, as if it were her fault Kirigiri's worst fears came true. "That's what started all this."

". . . Of course, he did," she said calmly. "Of course, he wakes up when no one who can control him is around. That's just what he does."

"Hey, he's my brother! If you can control him, I can, too."

"And yet you allowed him to lead you here, did you not?" Kirigiri said. "Despite knowing this area was off-limits to him."

Komaru looked away. "I didn't think he would come down here."

"You should have kept him in his room." A moment later, Kirigiri regretted saying that. Komaru obviously knew that; there was no benefit to saying it aloud other than to make Naegi's sister feel bad. So, she changed the subject and nodded at Togami. "Can you carry him?"

Togami was bigger than Komaru, but her adventure in Towa City had grown some muscle on that small frame. Kirigiri watched as Komaru tried carrying Togami bridal style at first, but then found it too heavy – or realized what Fukawa would think if she saw them – and tossed him over her shoulder, too.

"My, that's quite the recipe you brewed up in that little syringe," Hanamura said from within his cage. His tone was light, but there was something heavy in his gaze. "I'll remember that drugging is fair game, then."

Kirigiri didn't even look at him. "Take Togami-kun to the infirmary and then get Asahina-san. I'll take Naegi-kun to his room and wait for him to recover."

"Okay. Uh, I guess this time Touko-san will be with Togami-kun, too."

"As will you," Kirigiri said. "Unless you have something else to do."

"Huh? But Makoto –"

"As I said, I will be staying with him." Kirigiri flipped her hair. "One person will be enough. I suspect the more people there are, the more risk there is of him panicking when he wakes."

"But he's my . . ."

"Naegi-kun is in a delicate mental state." She glanced at Komaru. It wasn't a mean look, but it wasn't kind either. It was simply nothing. "This isn't the time to allow emotion to dictate our actions."

Komaru flinched. Kirigiri began walking and didn't look back. Komaru did once, only to see Tanaka sliding a finger across his neck in a promise. With a shudder, she grabbed Togami's legs so he wouldn't fall, and then scurried after Kirigiri.

Guest Responses:

Scylle: Well, you got all the time in the world, because this is going to be a long one. I can't wait to see how I develop it too because I have no idea where I'm going!

Noted, I'll go fix that.