None of us were happy about what the bear and the man in the screen had told us. Could you blame us? They basically encouraged us to kill each other. According to them, it's the only way to leave Hope City, which, in my opinion, is ironically named. The only thing we could do is follow our eHandbook to where Monokuma said we would be living. Along the way, we stopped to observe the city and talk among ourselves.

"Query: what can anyone tell us about this place?" Audrey asked.

"Well, we certainly can't call for help." Arthur said. "There's no cell tower in this city at all. Whoever built this place didn't want us to call for help."

"Aside from that, the city design is quite a piece of work." Jaden said. "If I wasn't held here against my will, I'd definitely be impressed."

"What if we just leave?" I asked. "I mean, that Freddy Fazbear knockoff might be bluffing about us being killed."

"Not likely." Dan said. "I found one of those binocular things you pay to look through with a quarter and looked in. There are turrets guarding the outskirts of the city. They could be fake, but I don't want to take that chance."

When we stopped, we found where we were supposed to go. It was a big building the size of a hotel. The sign read "Goldin Inn". The 15 of us walked in and stared at the red carpet, drapes, and furniture. However, our stares were cut short when we saw the black-and-white bear psycho working the front desk. He was wearing a little, green hat like a bellboy.

"Welcome to the Goldin Inn." Monokuma said. "Shall I mark you all as permanent residence?"

"You?!" Sabrina shouted.

"I'll take that as a yes." Monokuma said.

"You got a lot of nerve showing yourself again!" Sabrina growled. "I ought to pound you into the dirt."

"Try it, Hulk Hogan!" Monokuma shot back. "See what happens!"

Suddenly, the front desk released its front side and revealed several guns pointed at us. Sabrina stood down after seeing that.

"Now that I have your attention…"

"What are you even doing here, you maniac?" Stephen asked.

"Well, there's a little employment problem in town, so I fill in what I need." Monokuma said. "So, I've taken the liberty of assigning your roommates."

"Roommates?" Christine asked.

"You people don't actually believe that I'll just leave you all alone in your rooms, do you?" Monokuma asked. "No, I've set up some bedrooms for two kids. I want you all to be as friendly with each other as possible… you know, before you inevitably kill each other."

"Um, they're not co-ed, are they?" Faith asked.

"Don't worry, half-pint." Monokuma said. "I'm a gentleman. Boys room with boys and girls room with girls."

"Hold on." Tom said. "According to the math, there are 15 of us. You can't give us roommates if there's an odd number."

"Correct." Monokuma said. "Originally, that was a real brainteaser for me, but then, I came up with the right method. Remember the grenade?"

I gasped quietly. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the defective grenade with the wolf symbol on it. "You mean this?"

"That's correct, Johnny boy." Monokuma said. "For your selfless act of heroism, you are rewarded the master suite! Congratulations!" He then clapped his hands together.

"Wait, that was a test?" I asked. "What if no one had jumped on the grenade?"

"Doesn't matter now, kid." Monokuma said. "You get the master suite with all its perks. You know what they say, 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth'. As for the rest of you, the following kiddos are rooming with each other: Ken and Owen, Audrey and Sabrina, Christine and Vanessa, Charlotte and Faith, Stephen and Adrian, Jaden and Tom, and Owen and Arthur."

"Hold on a minute!" Charlotte shouted. "Why do I have to share a room?"

"Sorry, money-bags, but you didn't jump on the grenade." Monokuma said. "Johnny follow me to your new room."

I sighed knowing I had no choice. I followed the bear up the stairs and through a big hallway. Once we got to the end of the hall, we found a big doorway that lead to a large bedroom with a king-sized bed in the center, a minibar, and antique swords on the wall.

"I think you'll find that your accommodations will be to your liking, Johnny boy." Monokuma said.

As we walked deeper into the room, I took the opportunity and closed the door behind me. Monokuma noticed and gave me a suspicious glare pose.

"Got something you want to talk about, buddy?"

"What's this about, Yogi?" I asked. "You set up this whole city, made sure the 15 of us were brought here with no adult supervision, and gave us this seemingly-comfortable hotel just to have us kill each other. Why would you want this? Why do we have to murder? Why am I even here? I'm not an Ultimate."

"Hey, cut it out!" Monokuma shouted. "How can I possibly answer any question if you keep asking more? Look, Johnny boy, you're asking me a lot of questions, so I'll answer as best as I can. As to why I want this, it's similar to why a kid want to play video games; they're just so fun. As to why you have to kill each other, it'll make the game much more fun. And as for why you're here… Well, I don't think you have the right to know just yet."

"I'm stuck here in a nearly-abandoned city at machine-gunpoint until everyone else is dead! Not to mention, I don't even belong here! I feel like I have every right to know!"

"Oh, quit your bellyaching or I'll kick you." Monokuma said. "If you keep questioning my motives, I'm gonna have to take extreme measures to keep you in line."

"Oh, please!" I scoffed. "You've got nothing on me!"

"Oh, don't I?" Monokuma asked. "BEHOLD!"

Suddenly, a TV screen lit up, and what was on was something that froze me still. A middle-aged woman was sitting in a chair… No. "Sitting" isn't the right word for this. It was more like she was tied up, gagged, and blindfolded. Across her blindfold, there was the word "Echidna" written with a black marker. There was even a noticeable bruise on the left side of her face.

"…Mom?" I asked. I couldn't speak anything else.

"Margaret Conway." Monokuma said presenting my mom like a showman presenting an abnormal animal. "From humble beginnings, she kept moving forward until she got her PhD in psychiatry. It's hard for her to be a single mother, but she's never shown it because she has such a caring and understanding son. UGH, that makes me wanna puke! Not to mention, it's such a cliché."

"What have you done to her?!" I asked furiously. "Where is she?! Why did you involve her?!"

"You're asking too many questions at once again. Cut it out. All you need to know is that mommy-dearest is alive, and if you want her to stay that way, do not step one foot—nay, a pinkie toe—out of line, then Margy will face punishment worse than anything I have planned for the rest of you!"

"You… You're bluffing!"

"Was that one alien bluffing when he threw that big fireball to destroy that monkey planet?" Monokuma asked. "You think that just because I'm adorable, that I'm just going to be gentle? Hate to break it to ya, but not everything in life turns out the way you want it to. Sometimes, the best thing you should do is adapt to the environment. If you're facing despair, you should embrace it. So, will you behave, Johnny-boy, or will you become an orphan?"

I clenched my fists, but that only made Monokuma chuckle again. I really wanted to hurt him, but I knew that he'd execute me on the spot, and even worse, he'd kill my mom first and make me watch. I sighed and restrained myself.

"Good boy." Monokuma said. "Twist the game and the game twists you. Just follow the rules and you get to see your mom again. Adios, kiddo." I didn't bother looking back at him again as he disappeared from the room.


I checked my room, and it was obvious that I was well-provided. I have a walk-in closet full of clothes, the mini-fridge was full of food that looked juicy, and there was even a DVD player with some of the best movies of the year beside it in Blu-Ray. I even had a polished suit of knight armor. But even with all the comfort, I still couldn't stop thinking about the state I saw my mother in. And the only clue I had was the false grenade I've been staring at. I was wondering what that wolf symbol meant.

I was so angry, I picked up one of the juice boxes from the fridge and tossed it. At the same time, the door opened and Arthur Pierce and Faith stood there seeing the drink blow up and stain the window.

"Oh, I'm sorry you had to see that." I apologized.

"Something on your mind?" Arthur asked.

I didn't say anything. Faith ran past me and admired the room while Arthur pushed his wheelchair in.

"Wow!" Faith said. "This place is ten times nicer than my room!"

"What's up?" I asked.

"Everyone's gathering in the lobby to talk. We need you to come with us." Arthur said.

"Good." I said. "I really need to talk."

I met up with the others in the lobby. We began to talk.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We need to talk about our situation." Charlotte said. "Don't know about the rest of you, but I'd really rather not kill."

"Neither would I." Stephen said. "Like I said, murder isn't part of my rap sheet. That's where I draw the line."

"Well, maybe we should confront the bear and demand him to let us go." Adrian said.

"And the Mayor too." Tom said.

"We can't." I said. "Listen, you guys need to know something. When Monokuma brought me to my room, he also revealed he had my mom hostage. She was bound to a chair and bruised."

All of the others fell silent for a moment.

"For real?" Christine asked.

"Good question, sis." Vanessa said. "Sounds suspicious to me. Why would we believe that actually happened?"

"You can believe me or not." I said. "I just thought I should tell you that. Monokuma and the Mayor are using her to make sure I play by their rules, but sooner or later, they might use her to make me kill one of you. I guess… you'd be right to avoid me. Honestly, it might be better."

"Tattletale!" Monokuma shouted as he appeared from behind a couch. He surprised everyone. "I just can't tell you anything, can I, Johnny boy?"

"What is wrong with you?" Ken asked. "How many other of our relatives are you holding hostage?"

"Query: Why would you need to use her?" Audrey asked. "If what Johnny said is true and you're using her to keep Johnny in line, it wouldn't make any sense. You already threatened to kill us if you broke the rules. Why would you give him extra incentive?"

"Is everyone so talkative?" Monokuma asked. "Look, I'm not here to talk mothers. I just need you to get on with the killing game. We're on a deadline here, folks. In which case, I'll be glad to give you this!"

Suddenly, a large cardboard box dropped from the ceiling in front of us all. We looked inside, and there were several small pieces inside.

"What's this?" Sabrina asked.

"I'm not going to use Johnny-boy's mama as a motive. I've got so many other ideas just for you. It's simple. Just build what's in front of you, because if you don't, you don't get to leave the building."

"What?" everyone asked.

"You won't allow us to leave the city, and now, you won't allow us to leave this hotel?" Owen asked.

"Trust me. It'll be a kick in the pants." Monokuma said. "See ya!" That's when he disappeared again.

"Build this?" Sabrina asked. "It's just a bunch of junk."

"Not necessarily." Jaden said. "I think a few of these pieces are cielings. Trust me, as an architect, I'm pretty sure I can build this. Just give me time."

I checked the area, and all the doors are sealed and the windows are locked. We were definitely not leaving until the puzzle's been complete. The physicist, Tom Wilson, tried to use a steel chair to bust his way out, but the windows didn't even crack.

"Dang." He said. "I thought for sure that with the right object like a steel chair, we can shatter the glass."

"I already tried that." Sabrina, the wrestler, said. "These windows won't break. Judging by the thickness, they're shatter-resistant. They're meant to stay strong against a hurricane."

"No kidding." Tom said. "Well, I'm gonna check on Jaden. I can probably use logic to determine why the bear would give us a puzzle." He left.

"EUREKA!" Jaden shouted. We all rushed to him and his completed model of a city. "I did it! I finished! What do you think?"

"Hang on." I said. "I know some of these buildings. This is a model of Hope City."

"Really?" Jaden asked. "I just mentally decided which pieces belong where and put them together. That's why I'm a pro."

Monokuma showed up again. "Congrats. I knew you had it in you. Now, feel free to keep roaming town. Just remember, you need to sleep in this hotel. Otherwise, you'd be in violation of the city rules and I'll have to punish you. Adios, amigos!" He disappeared again.

"That's it?" Ken asked. "Just a stupid city model? I don't get it."

"Well, whatever it is, we should be thankful we finished it when we did." Tom said. "We'll figure it out later."

As much as I hate taking a break when our lives are on the line, I have to admit, he was right. We all returned to our rooms and finished checking everything out.

Most of the others explored the city while others, including myself, decided to stay in our rooms. I couldn't think about exploring the city when I knew my own mom was in danger. I clenched my fists together and made a vow.

"I promise, mom. I will find your kidnappers and make them pay."


Soon enough, nighttime came. At ten o'clock, our screens began to light up and there was the letter M on it.

"Attention, citizens of Hope City." The Mayor said. "It is now 10 p.m. You may return to your rooms to sleep the night."

I didn't really have much of a choice. I placed myself under the sheets and closed my eyes, but it was hard for me to sleep. Then, I sniffed. I smelled something strange in the air. That's when I was out like a light.


I was very, very dizzy in my sleep, and in the middle of the night, I must have heard some voices. I opened my eyes, but I still couldn't make out who they were or what they were saying, but they seemed to be really loud. Eventually, I passed out again without knowing why.


"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

I awoke to the sound of the girl's screams ringing from afar. I quickly got up as a response to the scream and observed my room, and the wreck it was.

I saw the knight armor that was supposed to be at the end of my room sprawled in front of my bed. The sword the knight was carrying was also on the ground, but the handle was all bloody which made me really nervous. Suddenly, I heard a chime echo in my room. The TV in my room lit up showing Monokuma sitting his chair holding his drink again.

"A body has been discovered!" Monokuma announced. "Whenever three or more people have found a stiff, that's the start of investigation. You will have three hours to find the clues and try to figure out whodunit. Investigation time starts… now!"

I was getting really worried. I then saw something on the wall of my room. My own window had a hole in it like something went through it. I didn't want to, but I peeked outside and down two stories below me. First, I saw Christine, Ken, and Tom with frightened faces. I turned to what they were looking at. Straight down from my room, Jaden Turner, the Ultimate Architect, was laying on the grass facing up. The blood stain began from the back of his head and his lifeless body stayed stiff as the morning came.