The auditorium was abuzz with the chatter of the students, including the four who had made themselves scarce at the breakfast meeting. However, Angie and her associates seemed to only be talking amongst themselves, whereas the others were more about sharing information.
"So those three rooms were all empty, then?" Momota clarified.
Harukawa nodded. "And apparently we have a locked door and a locked building to go with it."
"This whole thing reeks," Iruma complained. "What kind of shitshow are we running that we only really got two new rooms?"
"Angie's lab and the Computer room," Saihara acknowledged. "I have a theory, but I need some more information before I commit to it."
"Well, we're about to get our chance," Akamatsu claimed, pointing toward the nearby stage. As if on cue, Monokuma made himself readily available for a battery of questions.
"Okay, okay," Monokuma began. "I assume you're curious about what's going on with the new floor."
"And Tenko's lab," Yumeno added.
"Yeah, that too. So, first thing's first. The other locked door would lead into Shinguuji-kun's lab," the bear explained.
"But why can't we open it?" Hoshi asked.
"Simple!" Monokuma cheered. "If you find a student's research lab after they're already dead, it'll be locked. So, no dice for either of those."
"So, if we found, say, Shirogane-san's lab, it would also be locked, correct?" Toujou inquired.
"Way to pay attention!" Monokuma congratulated. "But that's not why I called you all here."
"Is this the new motive?" Saihara wondered.
"You kids are on a roll today, I love it!" Monokuma affirmed. "Speaking of rolls: roll it on out, boys!"
The three Monokuma Cubs moved a rolling platform to the center of the gym. Said platform had a set of two small chambers atop it. Either chamber was linked to the one next to it, and there was a door on either side. Once the platform had come to a stop, the Cubs made themselves scarce once more.
"Is that... a confessional?" Akamatsu asked, finding the object somewhat familiar.
"The key to any given lockdown scenario is a place to blow off steam," Monokuma exposited. "As such, I'd like to offer you the chance to talk about your feelings in a safe environment."
Harukawa wasn't buying it. "What's the catch?"
"Upupupupu... well, if you must know... Father Monokuma's a bit of a gossip."
"Father Monokuma?" Yumeno parroted back.
"I think he means it in the religious context," Saihara theorized. "It's not a confessional like on reality TV, it's a confessional like in a church."
"So, if we tell you our secrets, you'll tell them to other people? Then why would we want to tell you anything?!" Iruma argued.
"Simply put, it's the only way to stop me," Monokuma countered.
"Stop you?" Momota repeated.
"I've already got my hands on a few very special secrets, which I'll share with anyone who shares with me," Monokuma taunted, "But if you tell me the secret I've already got on you, I'll toss that one out."
"And if we share a different secret?" Akamatsu questioned.
Monokuma shrugged. "Then I'll add it to my stockpile."
"Alright, I think I follow here," Saihara said, attempting to summarize. "Anyone can confess any secret they want to you. And once they do, you'll share another secret with them. You've already got at least one secret on each of us. If the confessor confesses the secret you already have on them, you'll throw it out, and they don't have to worry about anyone learning their secret. But if they confess something else, you'll add that to the list of secrets you can share."
"More or less," Monokuma acknowledged.
"But what about the secrets people confess that you end up adding?" the detective continued, "Are those impossible to remove?"
"That's right! After all, if you were willing to tell me, you must not care if anyone finds out!"
It was hard to argue with Monokuma's logic in that regard. Though, all-in-all, this motive was a very off-putting prospect. It wasn't clear what secrets Monokuma already had on him, and blindly confessing wasn't going to get anything done.
However, one student already stepped forward.
"Harumaki, what are you-?"
Before Momota could finish his query, Harukawa had made her way into one of the two booths, and Monokuma jumped into the other as quick as he could.
The other students waited with bated breath. As to be expected, the two booths were soundproofed, so they couldn't tell what was being said. It only took about 3 minutes before the doors opened again.
Harukawa stepped out, not looking all that different from her usual demeanor, while Monokuma looked a bit frustrated.
"Like I thought, it's our darkest secrets," Harukawa assessed.
"Yeah..." Monokuma replied, clearly upset he had been found out so quickly.
"Wait," Momota interjected, "you just told him your darkest secret like that?"
"Does it matter?" Harukawa countered. "He already knew to begin with. Now I don't have to worry about anyone else finding out."
"But now you also know someone else's," Akamatsu commented. "Don't suppose you're willing to share?"
"Ah-ah-ah!" Monokuma taunted. "Sharing a secret means it stops being a secret. On some level, telling someone else destroys the secret entirely. And according to academy rules..."
"We can't destroy anything related to a 'motive'," Saihara finished. "So we can't share any of the secrets we learn from you when we confess."
"Now, where would be the fun in that?" Monokuma countered.
This was a somewhat odd approach compared to previous motives. The ticking clock was simple and to the point. The videos preyed on paranoia and confusion, though even then, needed Ouma's interference to get the job done. But this one trapped the students between a rock and a hard place.
If they did not make use of the confessional, then anyone who did was likely to learn the secrets of those who abstained. Some would go to any lengths to protect their secrets, as Harukawa had already made clear.
However, those who did confess would find themselves in possession of possibly dangerous information. Information that they would not be allowed to share. This would not only put a target on their back, but possibly compel them to do something rash. And this time, they wouldn't even be allowed the option to warn the others about what they knew.
As this conundrum occurred to each of the individual students, Monokuma chuckled. "Upupupu... well, that's all from me. If you wanna talk, though, you know where to find me!"
Monokuma leapt into his booth once more, and slammed the door behind him.
As it became clear Monokuma was not going to budge, the class began to discuss this new motive.
"So, do we start confessing?" Yumeno wondered aloud.
"Like hell!" Iruma protested. "I don't know about you dumbasses, but I ain't telling anyone anything."
"You fail to account for the fact that Monokuma already has your darkest secret," Toujou reminded the inventor. "It's not as though you would be telling him something he doesn't know."
"Well, what if I confessed something else?" Iruma argued. "What if my idea of a 'darkest secret' is different from his?"
The foul-mouthed girl had a point. None of them could truly be certain what Monokuma had meant by their darkest secret. Thus far, the only one with any understanding was Harukawa.
"Harukawa-san," Akamatsu chimed in, "I know you're not allowed to talk about the secret you learned. And I get that you don't want us to know your darkest secret. But..."
"Don't worry," the red-eyed girl cut off. "What I now know is not enough to make me kill someone."
The pianist sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."
"So that just leaves the question," Saihara interjected, "should we confess or not?"
"I guess... raise your hands if you want to confess," Akamatsu offered.
Harukawa raised her hand, feeling she was somewhat obligated.
A few seconds went by with no one moving an inch.
However, quick as a flash, the long silent trio of Angie, Kiibo, and Gonta all raised their hands in support.
"Angie has always believed that confessing is good for the soul, and God totally wants us to do it!"
"Well, okay, but... four votes still isn't enough," Akamatsu pointed out.
"Angie knows that and all, but c'mon, you guys! God's telling us the right call!"
"Gonta agrees with Angie, and God hasn't steered Gonta wrong yet."
"I also feel that this is for the best," Kiibo affirmed.
The mechanical student's words left a few tilting their heads. "Wait, you believe in God?" Momota asked.
"Indeed. The existence of a God seems quite logical to me," Kiibo replied.
"What exactly does a robot gain from religion?" Toujou inquired.
"Well, I admit it seems odd on the surface of it, but it explains a lot from my perspective," Kiibo informed them. "You see, I have often heard a voice within me, guiding me when I am lost or confused. And Angie-san's teaching have helped me to realize that this is God watching over me."
"I HEAR VOICES IN MY HEAD! THEY COUNSEL ME, THEY UNDERSTAND..."
The group all turned to face their last commenter, the strangely quiet Ouma. His loud outburst gained him the ear of everyone in the room, though none of them knew the meaning of his strange claim.
He simply wore a look of disappointment. "Just me? Really? Aw..."
"Like, OMG, Kokichi! Are you saying you also believe in God?" Angie asked, excitably.
Ouma merely quirked an eyebrow. He paused for a moment before hanging his head low. He spoke out softly, in a very serious tone. "Your God... are they... forgiving?"
"In what regard?" Angie clarified.
"Well... the more I think about it," Ouma began to sniffle. "The more I start to think I was wrong before. That maybe Chabashira-san's death really was my fault."
"Because it was," Yumeno kept to herself.
"I know I can't bring her back," Ouma said with a sob, "And I know the others still won't forgive me, but... maybe... maybe God can... UWAAAAAHHHNNN!"
As Ouma broke into yet another outpouring of tears, Angie rushed over and took the shorter boy into a comforting hug.
"It's okay, Kokichi. God knows that you were trying to do something good. And God's gonna talk with Tenko's spirit, and he's gonna make her see that too."
"Then... she doesn't hate me?" Ouma asked.
"Of course not," Angie replied, now stroking the dictator's hair. "Hate doesn't do anyone any good. God's there for you. And so am I."
Ouma smiled, and it seemed almost real this time. "Thank you, Angie-san..."
Angie gave a similar smile and turned to the other students. "See what happens when you let God into your heart? Even someone like Kokichi, who seemed, like, super-mean can become a better person! That's why I'd like to extend an open invitation to join us!"
"Join what, precisely?" Harukawa inquired.
"The Art Club!" Angie explained. "We meet up in my lab, and we discuss how God affects us, and we can express our love of God and our fellow man through art! And I think we just got our fourth member!"
Ouma smirked. "That sounds great, Angie-san!"
"Alright, let's take you back to the lab, so we can talk, mmkay?!"
The group of four made their way out of the auditorium, Ouma briefly shooting his fellow students one of his old-fashioned glares.
His message was clear.
He was planning again.
"Seriously, are we gonna do something about that piece of shit?" Iruma wondered.
"We can't now," Saihara noted. "Angie-san's club will likely try to protect him, and well... Gonta-kun is part of their group."
"So, what, we let him pull more of his crap?" Iruma shot back.
"For now, we just have to keep our eyes peeled," Akamatsu countered. "Ouma's dangerous, but he's not reckless. It'll probably be a while before he does anything else."
"So now what?" Hoshi threw out.
"I think we've gotten all we can get done today," the pianist responded. "Best we just sleep on it, and come up with new ideas in the morning."
The class muttered some general agreements and all went their separate ways.
Soon Harukawa was the only one left. And she stood in contemplation. Ouma had made an unexpected move.
But he wasn't the only one who could do that.
As Akamatsu made her way to the grassy area by the dorms, in preparation for her nightly work-outs, she was greeted by her three compatriots not hard at work. Rather, they were sitting in a circle, with the boys looking confused while Harukawa wore a rather grim visage.
"Good, you're here," the faux-caretaker commented. "Now we can begin."
"Begin what?" Akamatsu asked.
"We need to talk strategy."
A/N: So, those who've been paying close attention may have noticed my tendency to update every 3 days. Well... I may need to make that every 5 days. I've been really swamped with work as of late, and I want to make sure I have enough time to create quality product, even if I also want to update fairly regularly.
I hope you all understand.