Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm back with another update! I originally had no intention of updating today, but since it's been exactly 1 whole year since I posted this story, I couldn't pass it up! That's right: Poké Ronpa: Escape From Tao Academy turns one year old today! So with that little bit of news, enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or Dangan Ronpa.
The next morning, Bianca woke up feeling rather groggy. She hadn't really gotten much sleep due to her overnight crying fits over losing Georgia, so her eyes were rather red and weary as well. However, the SHSL Lab Assistant knew that she couldn't let Georgia's words from before go down in vain, so she pushed herself up from the bed to start getting ready.
After showering and getting dressed, Bianca left her room in favor of the cafeteria, where everyone was sitting in slight silence. The silence wasn't nearly as depressing as the previous evening, but the room still wasn't nearly as lively as it used to be.
"Good morning, guys," She said to them, "How are you doing?"
"We're doing fine, Bianca," answered Trip, looking at his breakfast.
"How are you doing?" asked Brock from the kitchen, "Are you feeling alright?"
"I'll be fine, don't worry," assured Bianca before looking at Ash, "What about you, Ash?"
"I'm gonna be alright. But... I think you should be more worried about May. She hasn't really been herself since... y'know."
Bianca's attention then shifted over to the aforementioned SHSL Coordinator, who was not only still depressed, but was now extremely exhausted from her lack of sleep. The blonde decided to sit next to the brunette, not that the latter had even noticed or cared about.
"May?" She said, "Are you gonna be okay?"
"...I don't even know," sighed May as a few tears dripped onto the table, "Besides, you shouldn't even be concerned about someone like me. After all, I am a murderer..."
"No you're not! May, it's like we've said before: Monoteddi's the monster and the murderer! You had absolutely nothing to do with what's happened to our friends!"
"If that's what you think..."
"May..."
"Look, it's nothing, okay? ...Just drop it already."
"...Do you want me to get you anything? Some cereal? Maybe some coffee?"
"Both please. And can I get some with two sugars and a little cream?"
"Sure, May."
"By the way," May pointed out, still glum, "Where's Cilan? I don't think I've seen him all morning."
As if on cue, the SHSL Connoisseur stepped through the doors with a warm smile visible on his face. However, behind that smile burned feelings of pure hatred and revenge for everyone being "traitors", and Cilan was trying not to make his hatred visible, lest he ruin his and the Mastermind's plans.
"Good morning, everyone," Cilan forced out, "How are you all doing?"
"We're okay, Cilan," Bianca told him, "For the most part."
"Tch, okay with being callous, unfeeling traitors, I guess..." thought Cilan resentfully. "Ah, that's good to hear. Mind if I help out with breakfast, Brock?"
"Not at all, my friend!" agreed Brock, "Come on in!"
After Bianca left the kitchen's coffee machine with hers and May's cups of morning brew (all while trying to avert her gaze from the freezer), Cilan went over to the sink. Looking at the assortment of knives, his homicidal urges began to consume his heart once again. But, the secretly brainwashed Connoisseur was able to suppress those feelings as he drew his hand back from reaching for the largest kitchen knife.
"Keep it together, Cilan..." He said to himself, taking deep breaths through his nostrils, "They'll all get what's coming to them soon, so just have patience."
"What was that, Cilan?" asked Brock while he was managing the stove, "Or did you not say something?"
"Nothing, Brock! I didn't say anything..."
Once all the breakfast orders were completed, Cilan's PokéID started beeping in his pocket. He quickly headed for the door, feeling the worried looks of his classmates burn the back of his head.
"You okay, Cilan?" wondered Ash, "Ya seem a bit jumpy."
"Oh, just dandy, my f-friend!" squeaked Cilan with an uneasy chuckle, "I've just got some... business to attend to elsewhere! Uhh, ta-ta!"
Cilan then bolted straight out of the cafeteria, leaving behind the confused students. At around 8:10, the rest of the students had finished their food and began leaving the cafeteria. Just as Bianca was about to leave, she noticed May still sitting at the table with a dead stare and a surprisingly empty coffee cup.
"Are you coming, May?" asked Bianca.
"Mmm... I guess," sighed May, "I don't really feel like doing anything, though."
"Hmm, ah! I know what we could do together! Come on!"
Helping May out of her seat, Bianca handled her friend's dishes and left the cafeteria with her. She then took May into the elevator and to the new fourth floor. Passing a few new classrooms (among them a math room; a class on Pokémon Breeding, and even a cooking class), Bianca escorted May across the hallway until they reached a room labelled "Tao Academy Spa".
"Bianca, I don't think I'm really in the mood for a spa trip..." May told her forlornly.
"Would you rather just sit in the cafeteria all day?" questioned Bianca, "Don't you think this seems like the better option?"
"...I guess it's certainly doing something. Alright, let's do something here."
Bianca then spotted another sauna and led May towards the changing rooms. After a couple of minutes, the two came out wearing nothing but towels wrapped around their bodies. Entering the sauna, both girls took a seat on the bench and sighed as they let the heat moisten and expand their pores.
"Isn't this relaxing, May?" asked Bianca.
"Yeah, I guess..." sighed May, not making eye contact.
"May, it's gonna be alright. After all, Dawn's death wasn't your fault, remember?"
"I know, I know. It's just... I can't help but feel like I could have saved her! Same for Georgia and Burgundy!"
"Look, we didn't know it was gonna happen, so there was no way you could've prevented it. After all, Monoteddi may be cute and fluffy on the outside, but on the inside, it's nothing but a manipulative, cold-hearted bastard! So believe me, May, I know exactly what you're going through right now. But it's like someone very wise once told me: 'It's fine to be sad, but you can't just wallow in grief for the rest of your life'!"
After being silent for a few seconds, May sniffled a few times before tears fell from her eyes as she let out some more sobs. Putting a moist hand on the SHSL Coordinator's towel-wrapped back, Bianca said a few assuring words and dried May's eyes with one of her hands.
"Like I said, May," Bianca assured, "Things are gonna be okay. I promise. We'll all make it out alive. No more murders; no more despair; no more nothing."
"...Th-Thank you, Bianca," May sniffled, "I'm starting to feel a bit better. From now on, I'm gonna keep going for those that need me to!"
"That's it, May! Just keep remembering that, and you can do it!"
When the girls left the sauna shortly after, they moved on to do other things at the school spa. By noontime, they had done things like give each other manicures, groom each other's Pokémon, and May now had a newer hairstyle that consisted of a small ponytail in the back of her head and her green bandana was now tied into a fancy headband.
"I really must thank you for this, Bianca," She told her friend, "Without this trip, I don't think I'd have ever climbed out of that slump. Granted, I'm still upset about what happened to Dawn, but now I'm starting to feel a little more... hopeful thanks to you."
"Really?" Bianca asked, "Thanks. They were just words that I've learned over the course of being here."
"Well, they certainly helped. I'll be seeing you later, okay, Bee?"
Seeing Bianca twitch a bit at being called Georgia's main nickname for her, May withdrew a bit, fearing she had made her friend uncomfortable.
"S-Sorry, I forgot that Georgia-"
"No no, it's okay! You can call me 'Bee' if you want; I never said you could!"
"Oh, okay then. I'll see you later... Bee!"
May then began walking away from Bianca with Blaziken beside her. Feeling rather proud for having cheered a friend up, the SHSL Lab Assistant returned Emboar and Beartic to their Poké Balls before walking off into a different area of the school.
Students remaining: 6/15