I had to reread the end of Danganronpa IF to be sure to not make incoherences in this chapter.
Ryoko didn't look behind, she was too busy running for her life. She couldn't go back to Mukuro's apartment, since Mikan was in the way. The red haired girl ran with all her strengths, trying to find a way to go back to where the soldier was.
"Mukuro-san! Naegi-san! Anybody, please, save me!" Ryoko yelled.
But it was in vain. She was too far away from the apartment to be heard by them. Suddenly, the Ultimate Analyst heard a noise behind her. Even if she was terrified, she needed to know what is was. While continuing to run, Ryoko turned her head, to discover that the nurse was now prone on the floor. She must have tripped, hence the noise. The red haired took advantage of Mikan's clumsiness to turn back. She carefully bypassed the nurse and continued to run, trying to go back to Mukuro's apartment.
After couple of minutes, Ryoko began to panic. She was lost. Since she had been running for her life, the red haired girl didn't have pay attention to the path she used to run away from the nurse. Ryoko went through a corridor that looked like the one where Mukuro's lived. She grabbed the handle on the door that seemed to correspond to the soldier's apartment and went in it.
It wasn't the good place. It was a storage room for chairs. Before Ryoko could react, she felt a terrible pain on the back of her head. The Ultimate Analyst fell on the floor, dazed, but she was still conscious. She tried to rise up, but she was pushed on the floor again. On her knees, Ryoko slowly turned back toward the door.
Mikan was gazing at her in the doorframe. The nurse was heavily blushing and sweating.
"Having my beloved running away from me, it's so despair-inducing! It makes my body so warm, I even feel wet..." Mikan said with a lustful look and drool coming from her mouth.
Ryoko felt tears coming from her eyes. She began to crawl while recoiling. She was forced to stop when she was cornered by the wall. The nurse approached from her with a wide and aroused smile.
"S-Stay away from me!" The red haired girl begged. "I don't know who you are, and I've nothing to do with the Ultimate Despair. I don't know what you're talking about, so please leave me alone!"
The Ultimate Analyst began to cry. Mikan suddenly stopped to walk and became emotionless. The nurse stared at her with disbelief.
"Is…is that a joke? I know you're amnesiac, but to act in such a…pitiful way, it's not you. No…you can't be her. My beloved would never have said such a thing! Give her back! Give me back my beloved you imposter!"
The nurse suddenly rushed toward her with a furious expression and grabbed her neck. She began to strangle Ryoko.
"Give her back, give her back, give her back, give her…back, GIVE HER BACK!" Mikan kept screaming with anger.
The red haired girl couldn't breathe. She was almost about to lose consciousness. She didn't even have the strength to scream or cry anymore.
Suddenly, the nurse released her neck. Ryoko immediately took a deep breath to appease her recent lack of oxygen.
"That's not good, I shouldn't have done that. My beloved wouldn't want you dead. She has a reason to have allowed you to exist. And I think I understand her intentions…"
Mikan smiled in a sinister way and leaned on Ryoko. Delicately, she stroked the red haired girl's cheek. The nurse looked like a predator who had found a prey and intended to toy with it before eating it.
"Since you're not the person I thought you were and you know my name, it would be fare if you tell me yours, don't you think so? Unless you can't remember it…"
Since she thought that maybe she'll be spared if she was docile, the Ultimate Analyst answered her question.
"I'm…Otonashi Ryoko."
"Ah, so you really have your own name. So, Ryoko-chan, I think I figured out what my beloved want. She wants you to join our group, the Ultimate Despair. So I'll gladly take care to initiate you to the pleasure of despair…"
In a seductive way, Mikan began to gently stroke her thigh. Ryoko trembled with fear from this physical contact and tears rolled on her cheeks.
"Ah, your expression is wonderful Ryoko-chan. Despair looks good on you, it quite suits you. I can't wait to take my time to break you and make you fall into a greater despair."
The nurse took out a syringe from her pocket, probably filled with some kind of soporific substance. Even if Mikan was about to inject her an unknown substance, Ryoko was too terrified to move. She was paralysed by fear.
"Let her go, Tsumiki!"
Ryoko recognized the voice. She raised her head and saw Mukuro in the doorframe. Naegi arrived not so long after her. The nurse showed a furious expression and rose up while turning back to face the door.
"You…you traitor!" Mikan uttered with rage and hatred. "You betrayed the Ultimate Despair, and my beloved, your own sister! What an unworthy big sister you are, Ikusaba!"
The red haired girl noticed that the soldier wasn't indifferent to Mikan's accusation. During a brief moment, she was sure that she saw regret in Mukuro's eyes. But quickly, the soldier regained her serious expression with a menacing aura.
"Leave this girl alone, she's not the person you think she is!" Mukuro said.
"I perfectly know who she is and the business my beloved has with her!" The nurse replied aggressively. "The real question is, what do you want from her? She's amnesiac, but you know who she used to be…"
"I'm going to protect her!" The soldier claimed without hesitation. "I won't let her fall into despair, because I'm going to destroy all the despair my sister had spread! This is how I'll redeem myself…"
"Disgusting…what you're saying is horrendous! You're a disgrace Ikusaba, you don't deserve to share the same blood as my beloved, it infuriates me to know you even shared the same womb! I hate you so much!"
Mukuro took out a gun and aimed at the nurse. But before she could shot her, Naegi suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Don't do that, Ikusaba-san! I know she's an Ultimate Despair, but it's not her fault. She's just brainwash!"
With a resigned look, the soldier lowered her weapon. Mikan slowly approached from the door and glanced at her with contempt.
"You can't save her, because falling into despair is her destiny. You can't go against this fate. After all, it's all according to my beloved's plan, and you should know better than anyone how amazing is your sister to predict things."
After saying those words, the nurse exited the room and disappeared. Mukuro seemed to consider running after her, but Naegi but his hand on her shoulder and she gave up.
"We can't stay here, it's not safe for Otonashi-san. We should bring her where the others are."
"But if they recognise her…"
"Don't worry. We're the only one who has their memory intact, it should be fine."
Ryoko couldn't understand what they were talking about. Nothing made sense to her. The reason why Mikan attacked her, Mukuro's will to protect her, the Ultimate Despair, it was all incomprehensible to her. Incapable to bear this situation, she burst in tears.
"Ryoko…" The soldier whispered while approaching from her.
The red haired girl rose up and rush toward Mukuro. Desperate for some comfort, she hugged the soldier while still crying heavily.
"Mukuro-san…I was so scared! I thought she was going to kill me, or worst…Who was that girl!? Why did she attack me?"
"She's insane, Tsumiki is one of those who were brainwashed to fall into despair and became an Ultimate Despair. You shouldn't thought too much about what she said, she's just nuts. You don't have to worry, I'm going to protect you, and Naegi-san too."
"We won't let you down, Otonashi-san!"
Ryoko suddenly broke the embrace and gaze Mukuro into her eyes.
"No, I don't think it was all nonsense. I agree she was crazy enough to confound me with someone else, but I think there's truth in what she said. Mukuro-san, is that true? Do you really have a sister? Is she…Tsumiki's beloved?"
The soldier looked away, with an expression of guiltiness on her face.
"I do have a sister, a younger twin sister to be exact." Mukuro answered. "She's the one Tsumiki refer as her beloved."
Ryoko couldn't feel any fear anymore. Her brain was too busy analysing the information she learned to be able the feel any kind of emotions right now.
"I think I get it now. I know who your sister is, she's also the person Tsumiki is referring as her beloved. There's only one person I can think of." The Ultimate Analyst said.
Mukuro and Naegi looked at each other with concern, like they were afraid of what the red haired girl came up with conclusion.
"It's the True Ultimate Despair, the responsible for the Tragedy." Ryoko continued to say. "This person is none other than Enoshima Junko!"
As the Ultimate Analyst, Ryoko is pretty dense. Oh well, it's better for her to ignore the truth about herself.
I won't be able to update regularly, since I'm currently doing a traineeship. But I perfectly know how I want this story to end so I should be able to finish it.