Chapter 24: Body Snatchers: Act Two
12:00 P.M Day Eighteen
Central Colony
Infirmary
*DING DONG*
The chiming sound echoed throughout the various corridors, rooms, and colonies, causing everyone to awaken from their induced slumber. A few moments of silence were soon followed by Monokuma's voice.
"Ahem! Rise and shine, boys and girls. I don't know how to tell you this, but you all have lost a lot of time. Pupupu, 'fraid that's not all you lost either, but I wouldn't want to ruin that fun. Why don't you take a look for yourselves?"
The bear's giddy laughter echoed for several seconds before silence prevailed once more.
Hayate let a groan as his eyes slowly fluttered open. "Ungh. I don't remember falling asleep, but I don't feel so good. I feel like I'm gonna hurl. What's going on?"
The voice that escaped his throat however was incredibly familiar, but was by no means his own. It was distinctly feminine. It was then that the realization dawned upon the boy. There was something strange on his chest. No wait, that wasn't his chest at all. He recognized those buxom curves anywhere, but not from a first person perspective.
The Thief's stupor was broken by a familiar voice, more precisely his own voice.
"B-Bloody hell! Is that my body?!"
Hayate tilted his head to see his own body standing several feet away, staring at him in horror. "Wait, Buns, is that you?" he asked with a baffled expression.
"Hayate?!" The girl squeaked in a deeper voice. "What in the world is going on? This has to be some sort of dream, right?"
A soft sigh could be heard from a few feet away.
The pair tilted their gaze to regard Shiori's body, which stood several feet away, with a studious expression.
"Aya, is that you?" Alice asked before raising a hand to her throat. The voice that came out surprised her.
The individual in front of them shook their head in response. "It would seem that I'm merely in control of her faculties at the moment. I can't believe I'm proposing this hypothesis, but it would seem we have all traded bodies. It must be some sort of motive."
"Bro?" Hayate laughed, his voice coming out in the form of a feminine giggle. "Aww, even with that scowl, your face is just adorable. I'm sorry, I just can't take anything you're saying seriously when you're a foot shorter than normal."
Shuhei scowled as he walked forward before grabbing Alice's shoulders and shaking them vigorously. "You're one to talk, or have you forgotten that you're literally stuck in your girlfriend's body?"
"Guys, or I guess I mean girls?" Alice questioned as she peered between the pair. "Now's not the time to squabble. We have to figure out what's going on and get our bodies back."
"As per usual, Alice remains the brains between the two of you." Shuhei sighed as his nose crinkled in frustration.
Hayate offered a pacifying gesture with Alice's body. "Relax, Bro. We're going to get to the bottom of this. We just have to put one step forward of us an-" As soon as he tried to rise out of the bed, he fell face first on the floor and let out a grunt.
Alice pressed her hands to her face. "Hayate, are you alright? Please, you have to be more gentle with my body."
"Yes, I think Alice would prefer her body returned in mint condition if you don't mind," Shuhei muttered as he tapped his foot against the floor.
The Thief blushed as he used Alice's arms to slowly push himself off the floor before settling into a sitting position. "That's real easy for you to say. You don't have a pair of watermelons strapped to your damn chest. Seriously, babe, it's no wonder why you're so clumsy. How do you move around so well with these things?" he asked as he shamelessly fondled his own chest.
The Ultimate Scientist actually allowed for a thoughtful gesture as he rested a hand against his chin. "I suppose you do make a good point. While much shorter, Shiori is quite petite in that regard. I could see why that might be cumbersome."
"W-Would you both stop being such perverts?!" Alice squeaked in Hayate's voice as she stomped the ground, leaving a crack in the tile flooring.
The pair of displaced boys looked at the ground with wary expressions.
"Brother, I have a question for you. Is Psycho still in your mind even though you've shifted bodies?" Shuhei asked.
Almost as if in response to the question, Alice's body grew rigid in an instant. Her eyes shifted to a blood red color and a deep-seated scowl spread across her lips. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. What exactly do you idiots want?" The voice was deeper but still distinctly feminine.
"That's so unnerving to hear from my body." Alice breathed as she rested a hand over her mouth, or more precisely Hayate's.
Shuhei's brow furrowed. "A query for you, Psycho. You don't possess any of your physical enhancements in that body, do you?"
"Heh, I guess they don't call you a genius for nothing. The physical properties I received were due to the experiments in Hayate's body. Though, usually I'm the only one capable of utilizing them. Kekeke, it seems for now I might as well be known as Miss Psycho. I do hope this isn't a permanent arrangement."
"So what you're saying is I have your strength and abilities?" Alice asked as she stared down at Hayate's hands before clenching.
Miss Psycho tilted her head slowly before a chuckle escaped the Veterinarian's body. "Yes, I suppose you do, but don't get too comfortable."
A few seconds passed before Alice's posture shifted and her green eyes reemerged. "So I guess that still works. Though, without any special abilities, I might as well be Akiho."
"True, though I suppose it does answer one of our questions. Alice, I would suggest exercising caution. The same restraints aren't present with Hayate's body right now," Shuhei responded.
Alice stared down at the cracked tile. "Don't worry. I'll be careful until we get this mess sorted out. Speaking of which, where do we start?"
Hayate slowly stood up before taking a few hesitant steps to adjust to his new body. "Babe, I think our best bet is to find the others. Maybe we should try to message everyone else?"
The Scientist folded his hands behind his back."I think that's an excellent idea. We can use the Monopads to try to gather everyone. There's no sense in us wandering around until we've gathered our bearings."
Alice nearly dropped Hayate's Monopad as she stared at the screen. "Monokuma wasn't kidding. We haven't lost a few hours, but rather a few days."
"Wait, days? Just what in the heck has been going on?" Hayate asked with a baffled expression.
Shuhei scowled. "We'll ask the psycho ourselves when the chance presents itself."
12:03 P.M Day Eighteen
North East Colony
Monokuma Dinner
"I'm going to drop a weird beat on you guys. I'm not cool with this, but wow, Zalicka, I didn't realize just how pretty you are. You really take care of yourself," Alex mused as he eyed the body he currently resided in. The only difference was that Seath and Veeza had been replaced by the DJ's headphones.
Zalicka clicked her tongue in annoyance before awkwardly adjusting the glasses on her face. She currently resided in Lia's body. "Alex, just because you have my body does not mean I won't inflict great harm upon you. If you do anything to defile it, my vengeance will be unrelenting. Do you understand me?"
The boy offered a nervous chuckle as he reached back before rubbing the back of Zalicka's head. "Hey, relax. I was just paying you a compliment. Besides, you'd only be hurting your own body, right?"
"Do not underestimate how vindictive I can be. I could have my darlings here bite your pathetic body once we discover a way of reversing this process. Then you would suffer a painful death."
The Snake Charmer gently consoled her snakes that coiled around her neck. They seemingly were unbothered by the abrupt change.
"Zeus above, this is the last thing we need right now. We should be focused on figuring out what in the world is going on," an orange-haired boy said with a stern expression. His voice was soothing and warm like butter - it offered a sense of comfort.
Alex blinked a moment as he stared over at Ren's body. "Woah, so that's what his real voice sounds like. I guess that cat's out of the bag thanks to you, Evan."
The Mythologist shook his head. "I hope Ren will forgive me, but I am no expert when it comes to voice acting."
"I'm the one who's stuck in this flabby body, so if anyone has something to complain about, it's me." Zalicka said with a hint of disdain.
The Ultimate DJ's body, which stood several feet away, frowned slightly. "Zalicka, I know you're upset - we all are - but that's uncalled for. I'm sure if we've been swapped, the process can be undone as well."
"It sure is weird seeing someone in my body. Hey, make sure you take good care of it." The DJ chuckled before offering a thumbs up.
The Luteplayer wiped a lock of Alex's messy hair out of his face. "You don't have to worry about a thing. Considering my diet, it'll probably be returned in a better state than I found it."
"Clinical and calm as ever, Anh." Zalicka sighed as she gazed around the diner before regarding the Monopad on the table in front of her. "Just what are we doing here anyways? If someone swapped our bodies, why in the world would they leave us here?"
Evan pried his gaze away from Ren's Monopad as he stared nervously at Zalicka's pair of snakes. "I don't believe that's the only question we should be asking ourselves. Monokuma wasn't kidding about lost time. Not only have we lost three days, but there's also an active motive in play."
"Woah woah woah. A motive?" Alex sputtered as he fumbled and searched for his own device before cursing. "Shit! I can't find mine- or I guess yours, Zalicka."
The Snake Charmer rolled her eyes as she drew a slender digit over the touchscreen before reading the contents of the motive page. "Evan's right. 'The Body Swap Motive. If someone isn't killed before the timer runs out, all of you will remain in your new bodies permanently.'"
"Wait, permanently?!" Anh's normally calm demeanor cracked as his jaw fell open.
The DJ huffed. "Hey, don't act so upset about that news! My body isn't all that bad, and at least you're the right gender. Dude, I don't want to have to learn how to be a girl; that seems like a lot of work, y'know?"
"For better or worse, I don't think you have to worry too much about that, Alex,"the Mythologist commented as he stared at his device.
"What makes you say that?" Alex questioned.
"Because the timer has stopped with just an hour remaining," Zalicka responded tersely before a chime could be heard from each of the devices.
Anh's brow furrowed. "That doesn't bode well. What was the alert about? Who messaged us?"
The Mythologist responded after a moment. "It's hard to tell with all this body swapping nonsense, but it sounds like some of the others are planning on heading to the commissary. Considering how little we know, that doesn't sound like a bad idea."
Alex offered a reassuring smile as he stood up from the table. "Then what are we waiting for? The sooner we sort this out, the sooner we all can get back to where we belong."
12:04 P.M Day Eighteen
Northern Colony
Night Club
"FUCK FUCK FUCK! You've gotta be kidding me! Of all the rotten damn luck. Why did I have to end up in this idiot's body?!" Natalie screamed.
Jason offered a sympathetic smile as he watched the body of Tae Min flail around. Natalie slammed her head against the bar several times, leaving a crack in the process. "Nat, it's gonna be fine. Look, I'm sort of uncomfortable myself. We just need to keep our cool and figure out how this all happened."
The Pilot grumbled as she slowly sat up before eying what appeared to be a girl next to her. More specifically, she was staring at the body of the Ultimate Mortician. "Not that I don't think Misuzu is cute, but shit, do I prefer you in your normal body."
"That makes two of us then. Nat, what is the last thing you remember? Do you recall?"
Natalie removed the helmet on her head before chucking it across the bar. "Jesus, it's all so fuzzy. I think the last thing I remember was us finding Dickwad already behind bars in the sheriff's office. It's like he was just giving us the middle finger by not giving us the satisfaction of dragging his goddamn ass there ourselves."
The Ultimate Strategist nodded his head after a moment. "Yeah, that's more or less what I remember. I just remember feeling faint, and collapsing after watching Yukiko fall to the ground."
"You think that piece of shit knew something? The way he was behaving... it's like he knew a motive was coming."
Jason's brow furrowed. "I'd be lying if I hadn't considered the possibility that at least one of us was some sort of mole. Of course, it's mere speculation without us knowing what the blackened perks consist of. Right now, all we know is that he can access restricted areas, though it's possible the perks may be something less straightforward. For all we know, he might have insight for future motives."
"What I can't understand is how the hell we ended up here of all places. I mean, if we were knocked out, why place us here?" Natalie questioned.
The boy shook his head as he regarded the Monopad in his lap. "I'm not so sure we were placed anywhere, Nat."
"What do you mean? Are you saying you remember coming here?"
"No, it's not that. Its just that we've lost three days. It's just a theory, but what if someone tinkered with our memories?" Jason suggested.
Natalie blinked. "Wait a second, you think some quack took our fucking memories of the last three days? Is that shit even possible?"
The Strategist adjusted the rose tinted glasses on his face. "A healthy amount of skepticism is important, but think about everything that's happened to us so far. It's clear our captor has the means to do things outside the realm of what's considered normal."
The Pilot grumbled as she slumped onto a bar stool. "Goddammit. Now I know why I was probably here in the first place. I could really use a drink."
As if in response to her comment, a chiming sound came from the Monopad.
Jason rose out of his chair before extending a hand. "It'll have to wait, Nat. Looks like the others are gathering in the commissary. We have to get to the bottom of this if we're ever going to get our bodies back."
"Fine. As much as I want a drink, I want out of this moron's body more," Natalie commented as she stood up before pulling the band of her shorts back. She let out a low whistle. "Damn, who would have thought this dummy was packing like this?"
A rare flush graced the Strategist's face. "Nat, are you serious?"
"Yeah. I mean, I'd have to guess it's pushing around eight inches or so. How he hides this in his shorts is pretty amazing."
A groan escaped Jason. "That is not what I meant. Just come on, will you? And give Tae a little privacy?"
"Fine, though I don't know what there is to be embarrassed about." Natalie snorted as she followed after the other boy. "So, do you wanna see it?"
Jason rolled his eyes. "Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm clamoring to see every guy's dick."
A howl of laughter escaped Natalie as she zipped forward before throwing an arm around Misuzu's frame. "Relax, Jason, I'm just fucking with ya. Now let's get our bodies back. I hope whoever is in mine is treating it right."
12:06 P.M Day Eighteen
Central Colony
Theater
The Ultimate Playwright rested his face into his hands. "You've gotta be kidding me. How did this even happen? Am I going to be stuck in a girl's body for the rest of my life?"
Misuzu eyed Sierra's hunched over frame for a long moment before she gingerly rested a hand on the girl's back.
"My my, don't fret, Keru. We'll be back in our own bodies in no time. I'm sure this is just some sick joke, y'know?"
"I wouldn't disagree with it being sick. How can you be so calm about this, Misuzu?"
Kakeru lifted his chin before eying the girl who now inhabited Mirielle's body. "Are you nervous in the slightest?"
The Mortician offered a sliver of a smile. "Of course I am, but I have faith. If our bodies were switched, then it means they can be switched back, right?"
The Playwright offered a half-hearted shrug. "I guess that's true. Tell me, do you have any idea how we got in this place to begin with?"
"NOPE!" Misuzu chirped as she kicked her legs back and forth. "When I try to think back, everything just gets kind of fuzzy."
"Fuzzy, you say? I wonder if we were drugged. Maybe this is all just some sick hallucination. Though, if that's the case, it certainly feels real." Kakeru mused.
Before Misuzu could utter a response, she heard a whisper. "Mirielle."
The sound caused Misuzu's hair to stand on end as she tried to focus on the voice. "Uh, sorry to interrupt, but did you hear something just now, Keru?"
The Ultimate Playwright offered a somewhat baffled expression. "No, I didn't hear anything. Are you feeling alright, Misuzu?"
"Well, my tummy is hurting a little bit, but I could have sworn I heard a voice."
Almost as if in response to her words, she heard the sound again. Though, this time it was much louder. "MIRIELLE!"
The Mortician nearly lurched out of her seat before her eyes settled on Arsene's mask that rested in her lap.
Kakeru watched for a moment puzzled by the girl's reactions. "Misuzu, what is it?"
"This. I think this was saying something," Misuzu said before lifting the mask up. "Uh, hello? Am I crazy?"
"Non, that is preposterous. You are not mad in the slightest. I am the one you know as Arsene Lupin the Seventh. Though you are not my Mirielle, I will lend you guidance if you require it. Should that time arrive, simply put my mask on."
"Woah, that's so cool! I can collect all sorts of trinkets then. I'll be the Ultimate Phantom Mortician Thief," Misuzu responded.
"I'm beginning to think you might actually be mad. Don't tell me you're talking to that mask, too," Kakeru quipped.
The Mortician blinked before offering a sheepish smile. "Aha! So it turns out Mirielle doesn't have split personalities after all. She just has a magical mask. Lupin is trapped inside."
The Playwright offered a surprised expression. "So you're saying she's like a Tsukumogami or Tulpa? I honestly thought Mirielle was just a little off in the head. I thought such things were only myths or make-believe."
Misuzu offered a playful wink before grabbing at Sierra's arm. "Well, you know what they say, there's usually a hint of truth to every legend. Now come on, lazy butt. We should get going."
12:08 P.M Day Eighteen
Northern Colony
Gym
A carefree chuckle escaped Wei as he effortlessly hopped back and forth. "Lee, I hope you'll forgive me, but I am savoring this while it lasts. I feel like I could do anything."
Lee watched as his friend weaved back and forth in his body. "Hey, it's alright, really. I'm glad it was you of all people that ended up in control of my body. I can't believe how much I took having both of my legs for granted."
Lia sniffed as she adjusted the fedora that rested on top of Anh's head, which currently served as her own. "How can you both be so calm about this?! Just because you're best friends doesn't make this fine. My body might not be perfect, but I don't want to be a boy for the rest of my life!"
Wei slammed his foot against a punching bag before offering a faint smile. "Heh, I guess I kind of got lost in the moment. Don't worry Lia, I'm sure we can undo whatever this mess is. Though, I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts."
"He's right, y'know? I'm sure this is just some stunt Monokuma pulled. I don't know how he did it, but I'm sure things will be back to normal in no time," Lee offered in a reassuring manner as he strained to stand up.
He stumbled forward, only to be caught by Lia.
"Hey, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" Despite her more masculine tone, her words were still tender.
The Kickboxer offered a dry chuckle. "Don't worry so much. I'm just not used to this leg, but I'm sure I'll adjust with some time."
"Believe me when I say there's no adjusting to that accursed thing," Wei responded as he lowered his leg before turning to peer back at the pair. "I guess I've had my fun though. We're never going to get to the bottom of this by standing here."
The Volcanologist nodded her head vigorously as she still supported Wei's body. "Right. Well, according to the group message, it sounds like the plan is to meet in the commissary."
"Then we should get moving now. With the way I'm hobbling, it'll take even longer."
Wei took a stride forward before taking his friend's opposite shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll help you get there, so don't hesitate to lean on us."
"Y-Yeah, he's right! Our teamwork is bubbling like a pool of magma; we'll get to the rovers in no time!" Lia exclaimed.
Lee felt a smile spread across his face. "Thank you, guys. I really owe you for this."
Boisterous laughter escaped the Kenpo Master. "What are you thanking me for? I'm just looking after my own skin, literally."
12:10 P.M Day Eighteen
North East Colony
Comic Book Shop
Yukiko found herself staring at a full length mirror as Natalie's reflection stared back at her. "It doesn't seem like anyone else knows how this happened either. I guess putting our heads together isn't a bad first move."
"Yosh! It is time for us to converge as one. There we will discover the truth and recover our bodies!"
Choko eyed Jason's body, which was far more animated than she'd ever seen it before. "Just remember you don't have super powers right now alright? You can't be so reckless."
Tae Min grinned before resting his hands upon his sides. "Rest assured, Oki Sonyeo, there is nothing to fear. Oki Tokki does not need his powers to be a hero!"
"Yeah, whatever you say, Batman," the Prosecutor responded in a masculine voice. She found herself stuck in the Ultimate Playwright's body, which was more than a little disconcerting.
"I don't suppose either of you remember how we got here, do you?" Yukiko asked as she turned to face the pair.
"Oki Tokki only remembers getting really weak, as if his powers were being sapped by kryptonite. Wait, what if this is the work of aliens?!" Tae Min exclaimed dramatically.
The Ultimate Prosecutor lightly swatted the boy in the back of the head. "Would you stop being so dumb?! For one, there's no such thing as aliens, and secondly, we heard Monokuma just a little while ago."
The Hero rubbed the back of his head. "Ohoho, but what if Monokuma is actually an alien himself?"
"I can think of many ways to describe that horrible little bear, but I wouldn't call him an alien. Look, we should stop wasting time and find the others. I don't remember a whole lot, but I do remember finding Dylan in a cell. We need to make sure everyone is alright. There might be a chance that he's roaming free," Yukiko responded tersely.
Choko's eyes widened. "Crap, I'd almost forgotten. If left to his devices, who knows what that asshole will do next?"
Tae Min thrust his chest out before jogging towards the door."Have no fear, Oki Sonyeo. We will stop our nemesis from harming anyone else! Quick! To the Bunny Mobile!"
"He really does live in his own little world, doesn't he?" Yukiko whispered.
The Prosecutor pinched the bridge of her nose before slowly walking forward. "You have no idea."
12:12 P.M Day Eighteen
Central Colony
Hallway
"Do you think everyone will be alright?" Shiori asked timidly as she followed behind Sierra and Mirielle.
Her voice was much deeper than normal. She stood well over six feet tall, and was garbed in a large lab coat. Shuhei's normally confident expression seemed much more timid at the moment.
Mr. Bon Bon, almost like a baby kangaroo, could be seen with his head poking out of one of Shuhei's many deep pockets.
Sierra, who found herself in Yukiko's body, cast a glance over her shoulder before offering an encouraging smile. "There's no reason to assume the worst quite yet. Let's try to say positive for now."
"Oui. I am trying to remain positive myself, but I am beyond miffed," Mirielle, who was in Choko's body, responded glumly. "We were having such a lovely morning before everything went south."
"Hey, Miri, it's okay. We'll continue where we left off later, I promise," Sierra whispered before she reached out and gently grasped the other girl's hand.
The Ultimate Witch chewed on her lip. "Do you think this was some sort of crazy science, or perhaps some kind of magic?"
The Prodigy offered a quiet chuckle. "I mean, there has to be a logical explanation. There's no such thing as real magic, right?"
"I-I'm afraid that's not true," Mirielle responded as they continued down the hall. "Lupin herself is an otherworldly being. I just hope she's alright for now."
"I'm sure she's just fine!" Shiori spoke up. "I mean, there would be no reason to harm her mask, right?"
"Mask? Are you saying that Lupin is actually real? I always thought she was a creation of your mind, Miri," Sierra admitted quietly.
The Phantom Thief offered a shy smile. "I thought the same thing at first, but Lupin has lived long before me and will live long after me. She's technically documented as SCP 11037."
Shiori offered an earnest nod as she gently stroked her rabbit's head as they paced down the corridor. "Xia told me about several of the SCPs she'd encountered over the years. A lot of them sound really scary."
"SCP? I thought those things were just works of fiction. How did you even come by the mask in the first place?" Sierra asked.
A thin smirk spread cross Choko's face as they neared the doors leading into the Commissary. "H-How do I come by most things? It was one of my first heists. I was far from the thief I am now. Don't you worry, love, I'll tell you the entire story when we have more time."
12:52 P.M Day Eighteen
Central Colony
Commissary
Sierra lifted her chin as she peered around the gathered students. "This still isn't everyone. We're missing Evan's and Dylan's bodies. So who does that leave unaccounted for?"
The Mythologist bowed his head slightly. "Since I am in Ren's body, it would stand to reason that Ren must be in Dylan's body, and Dylan must be in my body."
"Just fucking perfect. So what you're saying is that fucker is running loose again?" Natalie spat.
"Miss Sheldon! Oki Tokki implores you to return his helmet immediately, for you have exposed his identity!" Tae Min exclaimed as Jason's body became uncharacteristically animated.
The real Strategist shook his head. "As much as I'm unnerved to see my body behaving like that, we need to stay focused for a moment. Though, before we go running off in search of those two, we need to gather what facts we can. As best as I can tell, we've lost three days. However, it doesn't seem like we've been unconscious that entire time."
Lia eyed what appeared to be Misuzu. "So what are you saying? That we have amnesia or something?"
"No, that's just crazy, right? I mean, there's no way someone could make us all forget something like that, right?" Alex asked with a nervous hint to his currently feminine voice.
Alice awkwardly shuffled her hands through Hayate's leather jacket before speaking up. "No, I'm afraid it's very possible. I know for a fact that all of 80-A suffered memory loss. They must have some sort of method to cause mass amnesia."
"Yes, Alice is absolutely correct. Despite how troubling it may be, I assure you this is well within the realm of possibility," Shuhei added.
Lee adjusted Wei's prosthetic leg. "Say we believe what you're saying. Why bother wiping our memories in the first place?"
"My first guess would be that we'd seen something we shouldn't have, or they simply wanted to make this more complicated," Yukiko suggested. "Of course, once we've settled this matter, we need to have a long conversation about that scoutbook Dylan had."
Hayate let out a groan as he rubbed at Alice's face in frustration. "Look, I swear we'll spill out our guts once we get this junk sorted out. Let's just stay focus on one thing at a time."
Kakeru uncomfortably shifted as he folded his arms. "I agree. I care little about their secrets right now. All I want is to get back into my own body."
"It would help if we could get our hands on Monokuma and force him to tell us what's going on," Wei replied.
"Did someone say my name?!" the dual-toned bear exclaimed as he suddenly landed in the middle of the dining table before cackling wildly. "Oh, you all look so damn uncomfortable. What, is an out of body experience too much to handle?"
Zalicka clicked Lia's tongue in annoyance. "I believe you've had your amusement. Why don't you tell us how we go about undoing this and, more precisely, what's going on?"
Monokuma offered a wide grin. "Well, toots, if you must know, you all just survived another motive. You should take a moment to pat yourselves on the back."
Shiori fidgeted slightly as Mr. Bon Bon slowly peeked his head out of Shuhei's lab coat. "What do you mean we survived another motive? I don't remember anything before I woke up super tall and as a boy."
"Pupupu! Well, I guarantee that's the honest truth. You all were rendered unconscious when I lowered the pressure throughout the colonies and were given a little switcheroo along with a motive. As you can see from checking your motive tabs on your Monopads, you all succeeded."
Choko crossed her arms over Kakeru's sweater. "Then that can only mean one thing: someone must have been killed."
The dual-toned bear giggled as he waddled down the table before raising his paw into the air. "Right you are, kiddo. But why just talk about it when we can take a look for ourselves?"
A few brief seconds elapsed before a large screen emerged from the ceiling and flickered to life.
Despite Monokuma's words,almost everyone had hoped his declaration was false. However, the video feed showed the unadulterated truth.
In a single cell rested the body that belonged to the Ultimate Mythologist. A familiar knife lay imbedded in his chest and he lay amidst a pool of his own blood.
However, that was not the only body present. Laying on the opposite side of the cell door was the motionless body that belonged to the Ultimate Psychopath. The body lay slumped against the cell door.
Before anyone could even utter a response, a chiming sound began to echo throughout the Commissary.
*DING DONG*
Monokuma, who still stood in the middle of the table, raised a paw to his mouth to stifle a giggle. "Oh dear, it seems we've got not one but two stiffs. You won't hear yours truly complaining, though. It's important that we keep thinning the herd . You know how this works. First, investigation, and then trial!"
A look of terror filled the face of the Ultimate Voice Actor. "Gods above! My body, what happened to my body?" Evan croaked out as he clutched at his chest. "And what about Ren? Is he gone?"
Yukiko shivered slightly before rubbing her bare arms. "I-I know it's a morbid question to ask, but what does become of someone who's lost their body?"
The dual-toned bear snorted. "Bahaha! Now we're asking the important questions. You see, your soul is what matters. If the body you're killed in dies, you're out of luck. I hope you're comfortable with Ren's skinsuit because it's yours from now on. Clearly he won't be using it anymore."
The Mythologist fell deathly silent as he pulled Ren's hood down over his head.
A look of despair filled Misuzu's eyes as Mirielle's shoulders began to shake. "RenRen is gone? But why? He only brought good things into this world."
"Unfortunately, this despicable game has no consideration of good or evil. It's just merciless," Anh said with distaste clear in his voice.
Sierra shook her head vigorously. "But none of this makes any sense. This is nothing like any of the other trials, especially with us having lost so much time. What are you up to, Monokuma?"
The bear grabbed at his sides. "Sweets, you're wasting your time asking yours truly questions. I'd suggest getting a move on, unless you just want to get screwed at the trial."
The Ultimate Phantom Thief frowned as she clutched the bottom of Choko's skirt. "W-When precisely do you intend to return our bodies? Is the motive not over?"
"Oh, that? Don't you worry. We'll fix that little issue before the trial begins. For most of you, anyways." Monokuma howled in laughter.
Before any of us could offer a response, the Monopads began to chime as they received the latest case file.
Whether we were prepared or not, we were about to face despair once more...
Monokuma Case File #4
Victim #1: Dylan Ruffheiser (Body)
"The victim has extensive bruising around his throat and popped blood vessels around the eyes"
"Cause of Death was due to asphyxiation"
"The time of death is approximately 10:34 A.M"
"The body was discovered at 1:08 P.M"
Victim #2 Evan Drakon (Body)
"The victim suffered multiple stab wounds in the chest and abdomen"
"Cause of Death was due to blood loss"
"The time of death is approximately 10:36 A.M"
"The body was discovered at 1:08 P.M"
20 Survivors Remain
*AN* And with that marks another two deaths. I want to thank you all for all of your support guys both on here and Discord. Our community really is the best!
Review Section:
Wintersmith23
I searched for a while, and still couldn't find what you were talking about. So I gave up haha.
Pokemanallstar
Death waltz indeed my friend. May you find it in your heart to forgive me.
StoryProducer214
Well the family is intact. For now
Guest
I'm sorry for your loss. The unfortunately this isn't some fantasy.
Jeptwin
Pupupu I guess we'll see :D
bellatrixshine
I thought it would be fun to inject some humor in this chapter, before the reality truly set in.
dashunterman
Yeah I saw no reason to sit on that any longer. Especially since OOC everyone seemed quite aware of that.
Fee5H
Well your theories and speculation were good I'll give you that. Sometimes though despair can be more unpredictable.
Raz The Giant
Pupupu your question has been answered my friend.
MudkipOfDespair
Yeah it was a major influence, but I personally loved it.
doomqwer
Yeah romance is a tricky endeavor in a killing game. The sunken ships are a testament of that.