Chapter 25- Dreams of Long Forgotten Animation- The Final Floor

"Yes?" Dawn creaked open the door to the headmaster's room, to find Noah and two other students, a boy and girl, sitting down close to the headmaster's desk. "You called me?"

"I did." Dawn couldn't see him, as the leather chair, that the headmaster was seated, in was turned away from her. "You may go next to Noah, if you don't mind."

Dawn followed his orders and went to stand next to Noah giving him a small smile as a greeting. He returned it with a stiff nod, looking straight at the other students in the room with them.

The headmaster gestured to the two students. "These two are visiting from the Japan branch. They'll be staying with us for a while, so I was hoping that you two would show them around."

Noah rolled his eyes. "I'm sure we're just the perfect candidates," muttered Noah.

The headmaster, Dawn suspected, had pretended not to hear Noah's little quip and instead said, "You two may introduce yourselves now."

The boy nodded. "My name is Makoto Naegi," he said in heavily accented English. "I am the Ultimate Lucky Student."

Noah frowned. "Lucky Student?"

"Yep," Makoto laughed, scratching the back of his head in obvious embarrassment.

"Makoto, here, was chosen from a random pool of people from his country to attend Hope's Peak Academy. Hence the title."

"Oh." Noah seemed to regard Makoto with a little more sympathy that before. Dawn was unsurprised since Noah himself had a rather lackluster title.

The girl was next. "Hey there. Glad to be here," she said in perfect English. "My name is _. I'm the Ultimate _."

Dawn blinked. She could've sworn that the girl's voice had gone silent when she had tried to say her name and title, but her mouth kept moving. Looking at the everyone else's face it seemed that no one had noticed making Dawn think it was all on her head. Nevertheless, she smilies and introduced herself.

The girl smiled when she heard Dawn's name. "That's a nice name," she said, giving her a warm smile.

However, Dawn involuntarily shivered. For some reason, to her, that smile seemed extremely cold, as if she had been suddenly stuck in the Arctic.

Noah introduced himself, completely unaware of Dawn's growing worries. The headmaster nodded once he had done so. "If you two could show them around the school that would be great. I offered them to be escorted by some teachers, but they declined."

"We wanted some fresh blood," the girl cheerfully remarked.

Makoto muttered something in Japanese, which Dawn could tell was something rude given the color of his aura.

And his face. His face was a pretty dead giveaway.

Noah started a conversation with Makoto, unperturbed with his broken English. They walked out of the headmaster's room, completely engrossed in their discussion completely ignoring Dawn and the other girl.

The girl grinned at Dawn. "Well? You gonna show me around?"

Dawn just nodded.

Xxx

"So, how did it go?" Noah asked Jo, the next morning in the bathhouse, as Dawn and the others watched the two silently. "Did you manage to convince him?"

Jo hesitated, leaning against one of the lockers. "No," she replied, honestly. "I couldn't find him. It was kinda weird."

"He's probably just hiding," Brick dismissed. "You did hear the morning announcement today, right?"

"I'm pretty sure that's just a recording," Noah pointed out. "I doubt Monokuma would actually bother constantly going on the intercom and repeatedly blabbing…" He paused, thoughtfully. "Annoyingly."

"Well, we don't know that he actually made a recording!" Brick argued. "He could've…"

At that point, Dawn tuned them out, instead focusing on her own thoughts. For some reason, she felt as though she had had a strange dream last night, one that washed her with waves of familiarity. However, she couldn't remember a second of the dream something that nagged her to no end.

She felt someone nudge her side and glanced to her right, to find Gwen looking down at her with a frown. "You alright?" she whispered. "You seem kind out of it right now."

Dawn shrugged, mindlessly. "I just had a strange dream last night," she replied, placing a hand one her forehead. "I think, at least."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "You think?"

Dawn nodded. "I don't really remember it," she admitted. "It just feels like it was something important."

"Important, huh?" Gwen frown grew wider, as she tapped her chin. "Maybe your memories are coming back?"

Dawn simply nodded again. "Maybe," she said, softly, placing a hand on her chest. But then why do I feel so scared?

"Are we done here?" Noah's voice broke Dawn out of her stupor. She watched as Noah coughed into his arm, before continuing. "We have to check the next floor, remember? We always do it the day after a trial."

Geoff tipped his hat down. "What's the point?" he murmured. "It's not like Monokuma actually left us a way out. It's hopeless, man." He groaned.

Noah grounded his teeth together. "Fine," he snapped, looking frustrated. "Be like that. I'll go look myself." He stomped out of the room with everyone watching him with careful looks, aside from Dawn who just stared at her feet.

Once Noah left, Lindsay squeaked out, "Is something wrong with him?"

"He's probably just stressed," Dawn said, more in an effort to convince herself. "We all are after all. Maybe we just need some time apart." She looked up, curling her right hand. "But I think he's right. We can't give up here. We don't know for sure that there isn't any way to escape this place on the next floor."

Jo nodded, folding her arms. "I agree with you there," she said, before grabbing Brick's arm. "Come on, Brick. Let's check out the next floor and see if there's anything interesting."

"B-But I thought that she said that we have to go by ourselves?!" stammered Brick, trying to tug his arm out of her grasp, to no avail as they disappear around the door.

Geoff shrugged. "Don't really know what's going on, but what's the harm?" With a small smile on his face, he exited with Lindsay right on his heels, her hands still shaking.

Dawn glanced at Gwen. "Are you going to leave? she asked.

Gwen simply smirked. "I'm not really interested in being the 'Loner' right now," she said. "Mind if I tag along with you?"

Feeling relieved, Dawn nodded. "Or course I don't," she replied, feeling a small ounce of hope rise in her heart.

Xxx

This new floor was possible the smallest of the four floors that Dawn had seen. With only one hallway extending in front of her, splitting into two paths at the very end, it was clear to her what this was, as she looked around unable to locate something that had been on all previous floors. "There's no staircase," she muttered.

Gwen, who next to her, nodded with narrowed eyes. "That means this has got to be the final floor. Nowhere else to go but down." She sighed. "Well this is just great," she grumbled.

"We don't know that this is the final floor," Dawn said optimistically. "There could be a staircase inside one of the rooms for all we know."

Gwen just gave her a dry look. "You're one of those glass half full people, aren't you?" she asked, to which Dawn simply shrugged, telling her that she had no memories.

Leaving Gwen there grumbling underneath her breath, Dawn went up to the closest door to the staircase and threw it open. Walking in, she noticed how this was probably the smallest room she had ever seen. It consisted of a small open locker filled with bats and baseballs thrown to the side and a small baseball launcher was situated in the middle of the room, with a giant net all around it. "A batting cage," Dawn said wth a frown, thinking that it was a rather strange room to find here.

"A batting cage?" Dawn heard a voice to the right of her and she turned to it, to find Lindsay standing there with a look of confusion and awe on her face. "I've never been in one before. Tyler always wanted to take me to one..." Her voice trailed off, as new tears began to spring up in her eyes.

"Tyler?" Dawn hadn't heard that name yet.

"Her boyfriend," Gwen answered for Lindsay, walking into the room. "He's not with us, and we've got no idea where he is. Along with some other people..." She looked wistful.

Unsure of who these people were, Dawn patted Lindsay on the back. "It's fine. I'm sure once we get out, he'll be waiting for you," she promised.

Lindsay sniffed. "You think so?"

Dawn nodded, smiling at her. "Of course!"

"What's up with this place?" Gwen interrupted their therapy session, and held up a bat. She swung it a few times, before staring at it unimpressed. "Never heard of a school having a batting cage. There must have been a lot of baseball champs enrolled in this school."

"Like Tyler?" Lindsay said, hopefully.

Gwen snorted. "As if," she replied, putting the bat back into the locker and heading towards the door. "The students here are on a completely different level than us. Tyler could never make it into this school unless then criteria involved him being an idiot."

Dawn blinked while Lindsay pouted. "Are we leaving?" she asked, uncertainly, looking between Lindsay and Gwen.

Gwen nodded. "There's nothing here," she reasoned. "It's practically empty in here after all."

Dawn frowned and looked at Lindsay. "Do you want to come with us?" she asked her, hearing Gwen scoff in the background.

To Dawn's surprise, Lindsay shook her head. "It's fine Dola," she said, nearing the door. "I just want to be by myself for now." Gwen moved to the side, as Lindsay walked out leaving the two in utter silence.

"She seems different," Gwen's said after a moment. "It's almost as if…" Her voice faltered.

"Yeah…" Dawn sighed, walking outside, with Gwen close behind. She headed towards the door directly opposite of the batting cage and threw it open.

Another strange room. Completely abnormal. Jo and Brick were also inside examining the room, unable to hide their absolute confusion. The room was a brightly colored red with a various number of things that just seemed thrown into the room. There was a red fire hose in the corner along with various medical supplies in the next corner. Several badges and model of police cars was on the other side with a whole much of photos plastered into the wall. Right next to the entrance was a fire extinguisher, inside of a case, and a clipboard.

Dawn looked back on Gwen, to find that she was frowning. "What kind of room is this?"

Brick answered her. "The Emergency Room," he said, pointing to a small plaque above the entrance with said name. "I think it's some kind of place where they train people."

"No escape though," Jo said with a twinge of disappointment.

The fire extinguisher to the right of her, caught Daw's attention. Examining it for a few seconds she wondered, aloud, "I haven't seen anything like this anywhere in the school."

Gwen frowned. "You're right," she realized. "There hasn't been anything like this in the school." She took a closer look at the clipboard hanging next to the case. "It's a list of names. All of ours are on here, including Monokuma."

Dawn inspected the clipboard herself. It had the days of the week listed with all of their names written beside it. "What day is it?" she asked.

"Saturday," Brick called over, examining some of the police badges. "I think. We're going off Monokuma's Morning and Night Announcements here." His voice faltered. "Who knows how much time has actually passed while we were in here…"

Dawn traced her finger to down the list and frowned. "Monokuma's name is the one listed," she said, noting that Noah and her names were the ones listed for Sunday.

Gwen leaned over her shoulder. "Weird bear," she muttered. "What's the point of having this anyway?" She reached towards the case and tugged at the handle. "It's not opening," she grunted looking it over. "Looks like it needs a key."

Dawn placed around her general vicinity. "I don't see one," she said, snapping her fingers. "Monokuma must have it."

"Do you want me to get him here?" Jo grinned evilly.

"No, it's fine-" Dawn started to say, before Jo cupped her hands over her mouth.

"Oi! Bear! Your ass is lumpy as fuck!" she shouted, much to Dawn's shock.

Silence.

"Huh." Jo scratched her head. "I thought for sure that would get him to come out."

"Wh-what was that?!" stammered Dawn. "Wh-why would you duo so-something like that?!"

"I think it was well deserved." Gwen snickered, while Brick sighed in the background.

"W-well, thank you anyway," Dawn said, who was still unable to process what Jo had just said. "Gwen and I are going to check out the rest of the rooms."

Jo shrugged. "Sure," she said, digging through a pile of police vests. "Tell us if you find a way to escape."

"Of course," Dawn said, exiting the room with Gwen. Her eyes latched onto the final door of hallway, near the end. As she neared the door, she noticed the plaque on it. "Studio," she read as she reached the door. "I wonder what's in here?"

However, before she could open the door herself, the door threw open revealing Geoff inside. "Dudes!" he greeted. "You've got to check this out!" Ignoring the two's shocked looks, Herman back into the room with gusto.

Exchanging a look, Dawn and Gwen followed him inside. Glancing around, they noticed that what they assumed was one room was actually three. The room they were in, was a small and rectangular, barely able to squeeze the three of them inside. There was a row of buttons and switches, along with three chairs, facing a small glass panel that let them look into another room, that contained plenty of wires and microphones that hung from the ceiling. There was another door to the right of them that was closed.

Dawn tried said door, merely for curiosity sake. "Locked," she revealed, unhappily.

Geoff shrugged. "It was like that when I got here," he said dismissively. "I couldn't find a key or even a keyhole."

Gwen took another look around. "What is this place?"

Geoff stared at her, incredulously. "You're kidding me," he stated plainly. "It's a professional studio. I used to have a band when I was younger and we used to use my grandfather's old one! Me and Bridge..." He faltered. "Anyway it's pretty cool." He pointed towards a small knob. "When I give you the signal turn that knob."

"What do you mean...?" Dawn's voice died in her throat, as Geoff ran into the room with all of the microphones, closing the door behind him. He positioned himself in front of one and flashed a thumbs up. Assuming that was the signal, Dawn turned the knob.

All at once Geoff began to babble into the microphone, but no sound came out of his mouth. "What's wrong with him now?" Gwen groaned.

Dawn shrugged, mystified, as Geoff bounded out of the room, grinning from ear to ear. "Did you hear what I said?" he asked. His face fell when Dawn shook her head. "Aw, man..." he muttered, looking over the board of buttons. "Did I do something wrong?"

Gwen raised a brow. "We're you trying to do something?"

Geoff nodded. "I'm pretty sure that's where Monokuma makes his announcements. I was trying to jack the system. I was pretty sure I had it all set up, but..." His eyes suddenly lit up. "Here we go," he said, happily, flipping a blue switch.

Nothing happened.

Dawn hesitated. "Um..." What she was about to say was suddenly cut off when, Jo suddenly burst through the doors. "Geoff!" she snarled, lifting him up by his collar. "What did I tell you about messing with this place?"

Geoff shrugged. "Something about touching it?" He chuckled nervously. "I wasn't really paying attention."

"Um..." Dawn repeated, looking between the two with increasing confusion. "What's going on?"

"We checked out this place before you came," Jo explained dryly, not loosening her grip on Geoff. "You can use it to speak on the intercoms across the school."

"We didn't hear anything, though," Dawn pointed out.

"There's no intercom in here," Jo said gesturing to the ceiling. Dawn looked up realizing that she was indeed correct. "Outside is another story, though." Her grip tightened.

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so mad? Knowing Geoff he just said something stupid. It's not going to harm anyone."

Jo gritted her teeth. "Brick think he can mess around with the broadcast signal," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Maybe get a signal for help out."

Dawn eyed the camera that was watching them from the corner of the room. "Really?" she whispered back. "Is that possible?"

Jo nodded, finally letting go of Geoff. He stumbled backwards catching himself at the edge of the console, and massaged his neck. "It's why we told Geoff not to touch anything, in case he broke something."

"But I didn't!" Geoff protested. "Everything's still working!" He hesitated. "I think…"

Jo narrowed her eyes. "You think?"

Geoff gulped.

Dawn frowned a sudden thought occurring to her. "Have any of you seen Noah?" she asked.

"I saw him take a right at the end of the hallway," Geoff said, doing his best to dodge all of Jo's consecutive. "Dude seemed kinda out of it."

Dawn winced. "He did?" she muttered, feeling somewhat guilty.

"What's there?" Gwen asked.

Jo stopped trying to murder Geoff for a moment and shrugged. "No idea," she answered. "None of us have checked yet. Aside from Noah."

Dawn nodded, her mouth becoming a tight line. "I'll go check on him," she decided, before looking at Gwen. "Are you coming or…?"

Gwen smirked and shook her head. "No thanks. I'll stay here with these two and try to see if I can keep Jo from killing someone."

Dawn gave her a grateful smile, backing up towards the door. "Thanks you," she said, leaving the studio.

Xxx

Heading towards the end of the hallway, Dawn noticed that there were two different rooms, on on each side. On a whim, she headed to the left, towards a a room marked with a plaque that read, "Biology Lab." Trying the door, she was unsurprised to find it locked. "Just how many doors are like this?" she muttered, before doing a one-eighty and heading the opposite direction.

These doors were made out of steel giving the room a rather sinister vibe, with no plaque to give it a name. Swallowing, she pushed the double doors open, the sudden sunlight catching her off guard. She shielded her eyes and wandered in, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the bright light. What she saw astounded her.

The room looked to be circular, but that wasn't the thing she noticed first. Rather, it was the abundance of green foliage and multicolored flowers. The most prominent displayed was a giant red and yellow-spotted flower, its stem stretched out to reach the ceiling, erupting at the very top into its petals.

This room calmed her down significantly. Since she only had memories past being trapped in these school, she hadn't realized just how much stress she had been feeling. However, all of her stress instantly disappeared once she gaze around. With a tentative step, she moved closer towards the giant flower and...

"I wouldn't touch it," a sudden voice spoke up. "It's poisonous."

Dawn paused in the middle of reaching out and looked to her right. She stiffened when she realized that Noah was staring right at her.

Instead of listening to him, she frowned. "How did you know?"

Wordlessly, Noah pointed to a small plaque that was blotted onto the ground in front of the flower. Peering over, she noticed that it was a small info blurb of the giant flower she had wanted to touch. Reading through it, her frown grew wider.

"Made from a forced mutation of various Heliamphora pitcher plants," she read. "This plant has been objectively named the Hope's Peak Flower and is the only one in existence, through the countless hours put in by out biology teams and taxonomists. This flower is incredibly poisonous, with an inside that is filled with a green acid. Please DO NOT touch for your own safety." Once she had finished, she looked at Noah pointedly. "It's not like I was found to touch the inside," she protested.

Noah raised his hands in a form of mock surrender. "Yes, yes, I'm sorry. Next time remind me not to warn you when you're about to touch a poisonous plant and die."

Dawn glared at him for a moment, before lowering it. "Um… about what I said yesterday…"

She noticed that a frown had appeared on Noah's face. "i'm not sure what to believe," he said, hesitantly. "I mean..." He seemed to be struggling to find the correct words.

"There's no reason I would've done it," Dawn finished for him, watching him nod mutely. She continued, "But I remember it. I remember pressing Bridgette's icon. I don't know what came over me, I-" she faltered.

"Don't let Geoff find out?" Nosh suggested, with a shrug.

Dawn simply gave him an exasperated look.

Noah winced. "Yeah you're right," he grumbled. "That was stupid."

Sighing, Dawn examined the room once more, a small wooden shack in the corner catching her eye. "What's that?" she asked.

Noah cleared his throat. "A tool shed," he answered, his voice hoarse. "There's nothing much in there."

"Mind if I check it out?"

He shrugged. "I don't see why you're asking for my permission."

Taking that as a yes, Dawn headed over to the small shack and carefully pried it open. The building groaned in protest as she pushed the wooden door open to take a closer look at the inside. In retrospect, she didn't know what she was hoping to find, but she noted that the shed contained some helpful tools, like a toolkit not unlike the ones in the boys' room and another dolly much like the one on the first floor. Nothing of much importance.

She headed back towards Noah, staring at the ground feeling down. If this was really the final floor the there was really no escape. She had always figured that was the case, but she always had the tiniest bit of hope that Monokuma might've missed something. However, with this that final hope was squandered.

"Noah..." she started to say, walking over to where he was only to completely freeze in her tracks.

Lying facedown on the ground was Noah. He was still alive, Dawn noticed, but his breathing seemed ragged and raspy. He was struggling to stay awake as his eyes fluttered open and closed, his arms trying to weakly bring himself up.

"Noah?" Dawn rushed to his side, kneeling down to his level. "Are you okay?"

As soon as she said that, his arms went slack and he collapsed onto the ground with a huff. He didn't reply and his eyes were already closed.

"Noah!"

New Rooms: Batting Cage, Studio, Emergency Room, Garden

I certainly got this chapter out sooner. Only a month after... give or take a few days. I mean Fire Emblem Fates did just recently come out and I've been playing it obsessively. I personally think that's decent enough of an excuse.

Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated.