Sorry for the late response. I was at an anime convention last week.

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Chapter 3: You Think You Know Thee, Thus You Fail

It was morning, and it started like any other day. Monokuma made an announcement like he did every morning. Everything just felt the same other than the crushing weight of seeing two more friends die.

Sorey wanted to say with confidence that another killing game couldn't happen again. They've faced Monokuma's motive of threatening the people they cared about. There wasn't much worse Monokuma could do to entice them to kill one another.

But the mystery behind Milla's motive was hanging over all of them. "My motive was the entire world,"she said. Did she see something horrible like they did? She would have had to if it drove her to kill someone. So did that mean the world was in danger?

They've established that they might all just be from different worlds or times. So were all their worlds in danger? It was just all so confusing.

Suddenly there came a knock at his door. It started Sorey out of his thoughts and he quickly went to answer it. He was more startled to see Emil at his door. The young man seemed to jump even though he was the one that knocked on Sorey's door.

"Good morning Emil," Sorey began.

"G-good morning," Emil said.

They were both silent for a moment. Sorey wanted say something like, "You're the one that knocked." But instead, he said, "So what did you need?"

"W-well," Emil started to say. He looked nervous about asking. He wouldn't look at Sorey, but he did manage to say, "I thought it would be best if we walked to breakfast in a group."

While two people couldn't really be considered a group, he at least understood where Emil was coming from. After all that had happen, he could understand why Emil wouldn't want to go anywhere alone.

"Sure, I hope Yuri and Ludger made a lot," Sorey commented with a smile.

So the two of them walked to the cafeteria together. They didn't talk any. But Sorey could tell Emil was slightly more relaxed walking with someone.

Most everyone was already in the cafeteria and the table had some food on it. It looked like both Yuri and Ludger were cooking. But Sorey was really concerned when he didn't see Jude.

He was always one that was here before Sorey.

"I'd give Jude some time to himself," Yuri suddenly said. "He and Milla were friends before all this started. He needs some time to mourn."

"Yeah," Sorey muttered. He and Emil joined everyone else at the table to eat. The happy mood they had at their meals the previous days were gone. Everyone was mourning after losing Kor and Milla. Stahn had even woke himself up for the first time. Even more shocking was the fact he wasn't eating much. It was strange not seeing him and Milla scarf food down.

They weren't long before the mood turned worse. Monokuma just appeared on the table. "Oh man, feel the despair in the room," Monokuma said sounding way too happy. "Man, I don't think you all were that sad over Cress and Senel. Wouldn't they be sad to know that you didn't care about them?"

Majority of them got visibly upset. Lloyd practically jumped to his feet. "We did care about them. How can you say otherwise?"

"Besides, it's all your fault they're dead," Luke pointed his finger at the bear.

Monokuma gave a sigh. "How many times do I have to tell you, that's against the rules for me to kill one of you all. And each time it was one of you all that did the killing. I didn't tell them anything."

"No, but you gave them the motive," Asbel stated. "So you pretty much the reason why Cress and Kor are dead."

"I would also like to point out that those executions were your doing," Yuri pointed out. "Are you really saying you didn't have anything to do with Senel or Milla's death?"

"A crime is still a crime," Monokuma explained. "So would you really punish an executioner carrying out justice? If you executed the executioner for killing someone, then you would just have an endless cycle of killings. And it could only end in two ways; continues until there is only one person left in the world, or then the killer kills themselves to end the cycle."

Everyone was quiet because they didn't have any type of comeback for that. Sorey had to admit that Monokuma had a point. A twisted point. This was the first time Sorey had thought about Monokuma being an executioner and actually being the reason Senel and Milla were dead. He had really only been blaming him as the reason Senel and Milla killed in the first place. He still thought that. But for the actual deaths of Senel and Milla.

"Even though you all have been doing nothing but complaining, I'm still going to give you all your prize for making it to this round," Monokuma said.

"Keep it, we don't want it," Asbel snapped.

"Figured as much," Monokuma said. "I told the other person about the prize and she's already exploring. So no take backs."

"Velvet," Sorey said when he realized it.

"The second floor to the dorm area is now open to you all," Monokuma went on to tell them.

"There's a second floor?" Ludger asked out loud.

There was only one way out of the dorm area and that was through the hallway to the school. There weren't even any stairs.

"Y'all need to be more aware of your surroundings," Monokuma said. "The stairs are just right by the cafeteria. Check it out for yourself." Monokuma jumped off the table and waddled away.

That left the rest of them to decide. Luke was the first one to say, "What if Monokuma planted another weapon? We can't let Velvet get it."

"But no one even found it," Asbel said. "He may have just said that to mess with us."

"Couldn't the poison have been the weapon Monokuma was talking about?" Stahn suggested. "I mean, that is how Kor died."

It could have been. But it was like Yuri said. Anything could be used as a deadly weapon. Sorey stood up then. "Well, I'm going to make sure there are no surprises," Sorey told them. This wasn't him not trusting Velvet. He just wanted to know more about the area he was forced in.

/~/~/

Everyone else joined Sorey in the search. It would be more nerve wracking to not know what was above their heads while they slept.

On the second floor was what looked like a lounge area. There were a few couches and tables where people could play some cards games. There were windows, but like the others, they were covered with the metal slabs. For some reason, Monokuma seemed to have decided to decorate them with colorful curtains.

There were only two other doors with signs that said, girls' locker room and boys' locker room.

"Locker rooms," Lloyd read sounding confused.

"We need to search every area," Veigue said.

"Kanonno, will you be okay looking in the girls' locker room by yourself?" Asbel asked.

"Of course," Kanonno said with a smile. "Besides, Velvet will probably be there. So I'm not worried."

"You should be worried," Luke exclaimed. "She's the most dangerous one."

He says that, but they had already gone through two trials and Velvet hadn't so much as acted suspicious in those murders. But Sorey really hoped he could trust everyone.

"Come on, let's just find out what the rest of our prize is," Yuri commented and was motioning for Luke to follow.

Kanonno walked into the girls' locker room by herself without hesitation while a few of the guys took a few more steps than necessary. Sorey ended up in the back of the line, so he could hear Luke shouting, "What the hell, it's just a normal locker room."

"What exactly were you expecting?" Sorey could hear Ludger ask by the time he walked in. Sorey had never seen a locker room. But it he would have to agree that it looked pretty normal. There were benches and three rows of lockers. There were also two more doors. One said "Bath" and the other one said "Pool".

"Hey, they have our names on them," Lloyd reported.

Sorey looked at one that was closest to him, and written on it was Jude's name. "Make sure yours doesn't have a weapon in it," Luke ordered.

"Monokuma didn't even say there was a weapon hidden," Asbel muttered.

"But that does sound like something Monokuma would do," Yuri pointed out as he was looking for his.

"Sorey, yours is over here," Lloyd called out.

One by one, each of them found their names and tried to open them. But before Sorey could even attempt it, he heard Luke cursing. "Damn it, why won't it open for me?" He complained as he started kicking it.

"Hey, hey, no damage to school property," Monokuma suddenly snapped as he seemed to have jumped out of nowhere.

They should be used to this by now, but several of them still jumped at Monokuma's appearance. Sorey was one of them.

"So you just have a bunch of lockers with our names on them that we can't open?" Stahn asked.

Monokuma's angry scowl disappeared as he went to explain, "Of course you're able to open them, you just need to have your e-handbook to open them. That way you can store whatever you want without fear of your classmates stealing it. Perfect for hiding your potential murder weapon."

While Monokuma was talking, Yuri had ignored the last part of what the bear had said and used his e-handbook to open his locker. "Mine's empty," he reported.

"Same," Asbel said. All of their lockers were empty.

"Of course they're empty," Monokuma told them. "I didn't want you to be discouraged from hiding things."

"Where are Kor, Senel, and Cress' lockers?" Veigue asked.

"Well it's not like they need it anymore," Monokuma told them bluntly. "So I never assigned them a locker."

"Whatever," Luke snapped. "Where did you put the weapon?"

Monokuma just tilted his head to the side. "I didn't put a new one since the last one I placed still hasn't been used even though someone does have it."

It was alarming to hear from Monokuma had indeed placed a weapon. But it was more concerning that someone in their group has it in their haven't they said anything.

"Damnit, Velvet must have found it," Luke complained.

"Anyone could have it," Veigue said.

"Guys, you're really going to ignore the main prize?" Monokuma said sounding rather hurt.

"What? Are you talking about the bath?" Asbel said pointing to one of the doors.

"What's special about it, each of our rooms has a full bathroom in it," Ludger said.

For some reason, that made Monokuma's head drop. "Fine, so part one of them prizes was a bust. Will you at least act happy with the second part," he said as he slowly started waddling toward the door that led to the pool.

Most of them just shrugged and followed the bear. They needed to search everything after all. It was again what they were going to do. But they weren't too keen on following Monokma.

The pool area might have been a nice indoor facility if wasn't for the fact that there weren't any windows. There was water in the pool and it was pretty deep. It was the type that they were expected to swim laps in.

"So how is this a good prize?" Asbel asked.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm certainly not swimming in this place," Yuri commented.

"Knowing Monokuma, he probably put something deadly in that," Luke said.

Monokuma's head seemed to hang even lower. "I see, I guess I'll have to do better next time," he muttered as he slowly started walking away from them.

Nobody said anything after the bear, which Sorey could have sworn that Monokuma looked more depressed that no one tried to stop him. Of course none of them cared how he felt.

"W-where is Kanonno?" Emil suddenly said.

It was then that they realized that it was all guys. Kanonno hadn't come out yet. It wasn't that concerning until Luke just shouted, "Velvet must have gotten her."

Sorey definitely didn't think that was a case. But Luke managed to stir some hysteria. Lloyd, Asbel, and Stahn ran toward the girls' locker room.

Before they could even touch the door handle, Monokuma had jumped right in front of them. "Hold it right there you pervs," Monokuma snapped with a sudden mood change. "I didn't think I would have add this rule, but you leave me no choice."

They could hear beeping sounds coming from their e-handbooks. Sorey pulled his out and read, School Rule #15: Participants must not enter areas designated for the opposite gender.

"Oh come," Lloyd said. "We're just wanting to make sure that Kanonno is okay."

"No buts," Monokuma said. "As headmaster, I have to keep this PG... maybe PG-13 since I'm asking you all to kill one another."

"What the hell are you even talking about?" Yuri said with a tired sigh.

"The rules are the rules," Monokuma said firmly.

The door to the girls' locker room opened and had nearly hit Monokuma. Out walked Velvet with Kanonno behind her. "What is the commotion about?" Velvet asked just sounding annoyed.

"Kanonno, you're okay," Luke cried out.

"I told you I would be," Kanonno said."

"Like I'd try to kill someone when you still think I'm the prime suspect," Velvet muttered.

"Now that we're all together," Monokuma said after he cleared his throat. "I'll go ahead and add in the pool rules. School Rule # 16 is no swimming at nighttime. It's too dangerous with no lifeguard around. Everything else is primited."

"Nobody cares about the pool," Yuri snapped and that actually made Monokuma hang his head low again.

They ended up finding nothing useful that day.