Chapter 28: The Swines' Feast

7:15 A.M Day Nineteen

Central Colony

Dormitories

The Ultimate Scientist stifled a tired yawn as he wearily eyed the sleeping brunette, whose head was laying in his lap. The pair was situated on the room's sofa, and Shuhei had yet to fall asleep. Somehow, he had been tasked with looking after Natalie following her bout of drinking the previous evening. Unfortunately, Lia had never returned to the shared room, and the boy, despite his grumblings, couldn't leave the sick girl alone. She was such a damn mess. Even he had to admit that when she was asleep, she was quite beautiful. Her spunky demeanor reminded him so much of Giselly. Though he doubted these two would have gotten along. Their personalities would have clashed. The silver-haired boy shook his head and groaned as he eyed his phone. It was almost time for the morning announcement. So much for getting any rest...

The Pilot began to stir. She lazily lifted her head and placed a hand against Shuhei's leg to balance herself. "Ugh, what the hell," Natalie moaned as she slowly studied her surroundings. When she saw she had been laying against the boy's lap, she looked up and flashed a tired grin. "So lover-boy, we get into anything fun last night?"

"If by fun you mean staggering back here and throwing up on my shoe, then yes, we had a blast," Shuhei said in a sarcastic manner as the brunette peered up at him. He sighed softly. "Lia never returned last night, but I didn't have the option of looking for her. How are you feeling? Still sick?"

"I think I'm fin-" Natalie immediately stopped as her face drained of color. She started to hyperventilate and attempted to get off of the couch. "Fuck. Not again, " the Pilot muttered as she tried to scramble towards the bathroom.

The Ultimate Scientist quirked a brow and reached for the trashcan near the couch in preparation. "Natalie, if you can't make it, don't try. I don't think Lia would appreciate the room reeking of vomit."

Seeing the can, Natalie's arms immediately shot out for it. She practicality dived back onto the couch grabbing for it. As she got a hold, her face disappeared into the opening. The sounds of her throwing up followed not long after.

Shuhei fought back a dry chuckle at her sudden reaction before he inched closer. Wordlessly, he pulled her hair out of her way with one hand and patted her back with the other. "Good grief, you really overdid it this time. At this rate the killing game is going to be the last thing you should worry about."

The Pilot lifted her head up, taking long shaky gasps of air. "We have a fuck ton else to worry about. So what if I want to forget it for one night?" Natalie groaned but seemed to shake off whatever was causing it. She locked eyes with the Scientist for a moment. "Thanks for sticking by me, though," the girl muttered as she set the trashcan down carefully. The Pilot then laid her head back against Shuhei's leg.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be such an ass. I guess we all cope with this mess in a different way," Shuhei responded quietly as he eyed the brunette. "Natalie, can I ask you something? Something personal?"

"Well, I'm sure not going anywhere. What do you want to know, stretch?" She slowly turned herself over onto her back to look up at the Scientist.

The boy's lips creased slightly into a tired smile. "If we do, by some struck of luck, get our hands on a vessel, do you think you can actually get us home?"

Natalie's mouth spread into a grin follow by a low chuckle. "Is that all? I might not know it already, but I could figure out how to fly just about any damn thing I get my hands on. I may be a mess right now, but behind the controls, I'm unmatched," she mused as her breathing began to even out.

"...I hope you're right. I don't say this lightly, but we do have reason to believe the Future Foundation is coming for us. Though I'd rather have contingencies." He paused. He was clearly trying to muster the nerve to say something else. It was quite evident in his tired green eyes.

Natalie had a mischievous glint to her eyes as she watched him. "You seem like the kinda guy to overthink a lot of stuff. Sure that was all that was on your mind?"

Shuhei felt a dry chuckle escape his throat. "Is it really that obvious? I'm far better in my lab than I am conversing with people, let alone girls. Look, I just wanted to say, if there's ever anything on your mind, you can talk to me. I'm not sure I can give the best advice, but I'd rather you vent than drink yourself into an early grave."

The Pilot raised her eyebrows a bit at the boy's words. "Oh yeah? You think you're up to the task of dealing with such a class act like me?"

"You didn't hear me say this, but it seems that I have penchant for troubling women, especially ones that know how to speak their mind." Shuhei chuckled dryly.

The girl lightly shook in a silent giggle. She slowly lifted herself up and adjusted herself to be seated next to him. "Well then, you sure know how to pick 'em. I guess if it'll make you feel better, I'll cut myself off from drinking till we're off this damn moon, at least. Then we're going out to celebrate, you got that?"

A bemused smile spread across the boy's face. "Alright, though I'm cutting you off if you overdo it. You have any place you like to celebrate back at home?"

"I can think of a few, but hey, I'd settle for the first dive bar I see. Just as long as I'm back on earth." Natalie stretched out her arms and gave a sigh. She turned her head back to Shuhei and stated at him curiously. "What about you? Got anything you'd want to do once we get back?"

The Ultimate Scientist offered a weak smile. "Honestly, I have no idea. I've been so focused on a single pursuit, I don't know what I'll do if we get back in one piece. I suppose I have a lot of catching up to do with my brother. I had no family left before this began, and somehow we found each other. The world is a strange place sometimes."

"Y'know I got a brother too. I haven't thought about him much, been kinda distracted." Natalie let out a sigh and stood up on shaky legs. She turned back towards Shuhei after finding her balance. "But hey, at least you've had yours with you through all this shit. The others from the station too, I guess."

"I don't think anyone could fault you for being distracted. I try to keep a level head, but sometimes it's all too much," Shuhei admitted as he watched her rise to her feet. "Why don't you take a shower and I'll get you breakfast? I could use some coffee, anyways." The boy yawned as he slowly rose to his feet.

Natalie gave a nod as she turned towards the bathroom door. "Yeah, that sounds good." She stopped and turned back to look at Shuhei with a sly grin. "Actually, Stringbean, you wouldn't want to join me, would you? I mean, I could probably use some help."

Shuhei's face turned an uncharacteristic shade of red as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Natalie, if this is a joke, it's not a funny one. You shouldn't make such open invitations unless you intend to follow through."

The Pilot just gave the tall boy a wink. "Well, you're a scientist, aren't you? Come research it for yourself." She walked into the bathroom, making sure to leave the door wide open.

The Ultimate Scientist scoffed quietly as his gaze settled on the silhouette of the busty brunette, who had wasted no time disrobing. He tapped at his forearm nervously a moment before loosening his collar. What harm was there in it? When was the last time he'd done anything for himself? He was just as stressed as anyone else, and he would be lying if he denied his attraction to Natalie. He finally relented as he felt the last of his restraints fall away. "You're such a bullheaded woman. If you think I'm going to walk away now, you're sadly mistaken," he said as a rare smirk graced his face.

A giggle escaped from the Pilot as she looked over Shuhei, taking the time to relish the sight of his break in character. "Then I'm glad to be proven wrong," Natalie mused as he entered into the room, closing the door.


9:17 A.M Day Nineteen

Southern Colony

Zero Gravity Chamber

The Ultimate Playwright stared around the large circular building that he and Misuzu stood in. It was nearly bare, save several spacesuits, harnesses, and a series of advanced-looking consoles. The building itself was rather tall, standing nearly a hundred feet tall. The walls were also reinforced with soft padding. "As I recall, you suggested I spend more time with other people and yet here we are again. I can't help but feel a sense of irony in that." He chuckled as he eyed the Mortician a playful smile. "It's almost like you like getting me alone or something."

Misuzu stuck her tongue out at the boy. "Well, I don't want to force you to change too much. Otherwise, you wouldn't be the guy I started to like so much anymore." The Mortician patted the side of his arm before she walked past him and up towards one of the consoles.

Kakeru ran a hand through his mop of messy black hair. "Heh, I guess a turtle can only come out of its shell so fast, right?" he asked as he regarded the console she was approaching. "Misuzu, maybe we should be careful about touching anything in here. We don't really know what the bear is scheming. This room could be a death trap or something."

The girl stopped directly in front of the device and turned back to the Playwright. She gave a big grin as she met his gaze. "Well in that case, we definitely need to investigate everything. Can't let Monokuma's plans go uninterrupted, after all." Misuzu looked back to the console and began looking it over.

"You're such a troublemaker. Macbeth, you're going to be the death of us! Don't be getting any funny ideas," Kakeru said as he began to approach the console. However, he could already see his protests were in vain. He could see the mischief playing in the albino girl's eyes.

Misuzu's finger slowly hovered around in the air as she looked over the various buttons and switches. She started to snicker after she found one in particular that caught her attention. The Mortician gave a quick glance to the Playwright. "Come on Keru, we need to just have fun sometimes, y'know?"

Before the boy could respond, Misuzu pressed the start button.

"M-Misuzu!" he sputtered as he felt his feet suddenly leave the ground and a sense of weightless fell over him. He waved his arms through the air as he began to pivot through the air. Kakeru watched as the Mortician lifted up as well. With her fake wings, she actually looked like an angel. "You just couldn't resist, could you?" He sighed, though a faint smile pulled at his lips as he weaved through the air like he was swimming through water.

"I regret nothing!" Misuzu cheered. She began to flip in the air, laughing the whole time. "See, this is fun right, Keru?" she asked as she pressed her legs against a wall. The Mortician then kicked off the surface to go floating towards Kakeru.

Kakeru's jaw fell open as he waved his arms in the air uselessly. The Mortician practically collided into him, the pair whirled through the air as a tangle of limbs. "Oww! Yeah, loads of fun. I hope we can get back do the ground when we're done," he muttered as he nodded towards the ground.

Misuzu' s smile beamed towards the boy as she enjoyed the ride through the air. "Aw, don't be such a spoilsport. Besides, all we gotta do is push ourselves back at the console." She then wrapped Kakeru into a hug, causing the two of them to tumble around more through the air.

"Heh. Fine, have it your way. I have question for you though, angel. Are you ticklish at all?" he asked as a smirk graced his lips. He squeezed her for a moment, digging his fingers into her sides.

Misuzu clamped her mouth shut tight, but laughter was already starting to fight it's way out. After a few more moments of struggling, the girl began howling with laughter as she swatted at Kakeru with her long sleeves. "S-Stop it, haha, or I-I'm gonna getcha back..." She continued giggling, but she put her hands onto the Playwright's side. Misuzu smirked as she started getting her revenge, tickling back at the boy.

A snort escaped the Playwright as he felt her fingers teasing his sides. However, he refused to cease his actions. His fingers danced into her sides as the pair continued to whirl slowly through the air. They were now nearly twenty feet high. The star-filled sky shown through the top of the dome. "Just give up, already. There's no way I'm gonna concede defeat," he vowed with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Misuzu tried her best to return the look between fits of giggling. "N-No way, huh? How about this?" The Mortician blushed. She tried her best to keep herself composed as she moved in close and made a quick peck against the boy's cheek.

Kakeru's brain seemed to shut down a moment. His fingers stopped squirming and his face became very red. "W-What? You… You kissed me," he stammered dumbly as he stared at the Mortician with a bashful expression and they continued to slowly pivot through the air. The Playwright could feel his heart hammering against his chest as he stared at Misuzu intently.

Misuzu seemed to be in a bit of shock herself. "Y-Yeah, it just kinda felt right." She covered her face in embarrassment. The Mortician struggled for a bit to try to move away, but to no avail due to the lack of gravity. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Upset me? I-I... no. I just… I never thought that you'd..." Kakeru trailed off. He seemed to struggle for the right words, but then he leaned forward and clumsily pressed his mouth against hers.

The Mortician's worries peeled away as she moved to try and get more comfortably involved in the kiss. She broke away after enjoying the blissful feelings for a time so she could catch her breath. Misuzu hugged the boy and placed her head against Kakeru's chest. "So, I guess it's good we didn't go with anyone else, huh?"

A flush remained on the Playwright's face as she nuzzled against his chest. His arms slowly curled around her before squeezing her tightly. "Angel, I would never complain about spending time with you. E-Especially like this," he chuckled nervously as he rested his chin on top of her head.

Misuzu nestled her head against his chest with a calm smile. "Yeah, this is nice." She enjoyed the serenity for a few moments before her eyes snapped open in realization. "U-Uh Keru... We need to go. Now!" She pulled away and started looking towards the console, which was getting further away.

The boy's eyes widened as he realized how far they'd floated from the ground. "Dammit, you're right. I-I don't like the idea of being this high up. If someone turns this thing off, we'll be turned into a pancake," he said as he began to wave his arms frantically.

"W-Well, that too, I guess. But it's more that..." Misuzu began to blush furiously and buried her face back into her sleeves. In a whisper, she added, "I, need to pee, like, really badly..."

The Ultimate Playwright offered a deadpan expression before shaking his head. "...It's a really good thing we were alone," he muttered as he floated towards the floor. "Just hold it a little longer. We'll be out of here in no time."


11:06 A.M Day Nineteen

Southern Colony

Bowling Alley

The Ultimate Thief let out a low whistle as he walked through the modest-sized bowling alley. There were six lanes in total, with each supporting up to eight players in total. There was a large counter near the entrance, and behind it was a Monokuma who sat polishing shoes. Several racks containing different sizes of bowling balls littered the area, neon lights and disco balls illuminated the room, giving it a very welcoming feeling, and there was even a bulletin posted on the wall that included the rules of conduct. "Wow, I've gotta say this place is something else. I can't even remember the last time I've gone bowling," Hayate remarked as he scratched at a scar on his cheek.

"Seeing places such as this really takes you back home, doesn't it? It's easy to forget how far away from home we really are,"Anh remarked as he crouched before inspecting one of the various bowling balls.

Lee adjusted his beanie and felt a grin pulling at his lips. "You know, maybe we should get everyone together sometime. I mean, yeah we're in a horrible situation, but we can't always focus on that, right? This place would make a great night for all of us to blow off some steam."

Tae Min looked around the room calmly. "I'd like that a lot. Even in my fake memories, I never got to do things like bowling, so it'd be nice to try it out." The Hero sighed as he walked up to one of the countless shelves to study the different colored balls.

Hayate hesitantly approached him before gingerly patting the shorter boy on the shoulder. "Tae, I know we haven't exactly seen eye to eye on everything, but I'd like to try and change that. I swear if we get out of this mess, I'm going straight. No more crime. Period. So whaddya say we let bygones be bygones, huh?"

Tae Min awkwardly scratched at the back of his head. "You know, I was trying to think of a good way to start a conversation with you without it being too awkward, though I guess that doesn't matter now. You don't have to worry about me. I know you're a good guy. I was just caught up in my fantasy. It's good that you want to change, but you don't owe it to me." He gave a strained smile while looking up towards the Thief.

"Hah, I don't think there was a way of us having this conversation without it being a little awkward. I know we all dropped a lot of personal stuff on you guys. There's just been enough pain without paranoia causing more, y'know?" Hayate said as a grin spread across his face. "Though if you ever wanna spar, I know my darker half wants to see what you're made of."

The Hero chuckled softly as he looked over his gloved hand. "I don't think I've had anyone who I could spar with seriously. Probably be pretty fun, actually. But we can talk about that later."

"Hey, I think this is worth celebrating. We'll all sleep better knowing you two aren't going to tear each other's head off!" Lee laughed as he came up behind the pair before pulling them both into headlocks. "Seriously though, we should see if we can't talk everyone into coming out here tonight. Heh, besides I'd like to see which of us is the best when it comes to bowling." The Kickboxer chuckled.

Anh thoughtfully tapped his chin as he rose back to his feet and gazed over at the trio. "Well, there is a small problem with that. If everyone agrees, we'll have too many people to play in a single game."

"That's no problem at all," Hayate remarked as he wiggled out of Lee's hold. "We can have several groups face off, and the winner of each game moves onto the finals. Whaddya say, Tae? That sound fun to you?"

The shorter boy nodded back. "Definitely. I may have never played before, but I think I can keep up pretty easily." Tae Min reached out with just his index finger and effortlessly lifted one of the nearby balls. He turned back to the others with a smirk.

Lee's grin faltered a moment as his shoulders slumped. "Oh crap, I think we might have bitten off more than we can chew."

"Don't despair so quickly, my friend. He may have strength, but this game is more about technique and accuracy," the Luteplayer responded with a bemused expression.

Hayate rubbed the back of his neck before eying the Hero, who still had a smirk plastered on his face. "You know, somehow I don't think that'll be an issue either. Let's just hope this building survives tonight."


1:32 P.M Day Nineteen

Southern Colony

Ice Rink

Choko rested her hands against her sides. She huffed as she stared out at the icy floor that took up a majority of the stadium. The building was huge with several stands, locker rooms, and bathrooms filling the entirety of the area. The temperature was exceptionally chilly in the building, as evidenced by the fact that she could see her own breath. "Sheesh! What is it with all these places? If they just wanted us to kill one another, why did they bother with all this junk?"

Wei, who stood next to her and Lia near the edge of the ice, shook his head. "If this place is anything like Horizon, it probably was originally designed with the best of intentions, only to be perverted by the person behind this."

"No kidding. Someone went to a lot of trouble for this whole charade, didn't they?" Lia asked as she hugged herself slightly. "Well you won't catch me out there. I'd bust my tail in a heartbeat. I can embarrass myself fine without doing that."

A trill of laughter could be heard from behind them as Zalicka emerged from a locker room, garbed in a skating outfit. Her sun-kissed skin gleamed in the bright light of the stadium. She flitted forward before gingerly resting Seath and Veaza onto the ground near the trio. "Honestly, having grown up in Egypt, this is a rare luxury. I've always wanted to try this. Please watch after my darlings, I won't be too long," Zalicka said with a mischievous wink. She then glided past the other students and onto the ice.

Despite her inexperience, she twirled effortlessly, her light red skirt billowing above her upper thighs as she spun on a single shapely leg.

The Ultimate Prosecutor eyed the pair of snakes, whose heads weaved slightly as they watched their mistress' motions. "Jeez, Zalicka is always doing things her own way, isn't she?"

"You can say that again, but you have to admire her sense of boldness. I try to put on a brave face a lot, but she's always so tough and fearless. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous," the Volcanologist admitted as she adjusted her glasses.

Wei watched the Snake Charmer glide across the rink like a ballerina with a fond expression as he favored his good leg. "Killing game aside, everyone handles difficult challenges in their own way. Zalicka always seems haughty and short with us, but I'd be willing to bet she's just as insecure as the rest of us sometimes. She's just exceptional at keeping it to herself."

"You know, I feel the same way about Misuzu. I know she's been hurting with everything that's happened between Mallory and Ren. However, she rarely lets it show," Choko murmured.

"Sometimes it's just hard to let yourself feel vulnerable. I know I hate feeling that way, but it's been nice having someone make me feel comfortable with being who I am," Lia said with a timid blush as she rubbed her hands together.

A warm smile spread across the Kenpo Master's face as he regarded the red head. She and Lee have been good for each other. I just hope this game is more merciful than the last one. His musing was cut short by a loud cracking sound.

Zalicka's graceful movements were broken as the ice beneath her suddenly splintered, and without warning, she fell through the sheet of ice, the large slab of ice covering her descent in the frozen water beneath it.

"ZALICKA!" Choko cried in horror as she was about to dart out across the rink. Both of Zalicka's snakes coiled as if prepared to strike. Alarm even seemed to fill their sharp eyes.

The Prosecutor was stopped though by Lia, who grabbed her arm as fear filled her eyes. "Ch-Choko, wait. It's not safe. If you run out there, you could fall in too."

The bob-haired girl huffed. "I know that, but we can't just stand here! We have to do something!"

No sooner had the words left her mouth did she register a blur of motion.

Wei lurched towards the edge of the ice with an uneven gait before bringing his metal heel down upon the edge of the ice. The ice splintered effortlessly under the weight, leaving a resounding crunch in its wake. His dark green eyes settled on the gaping hole. He took a sobering breath before lunging for the opening in the ice.

"WEI!" Lia yelled as she and Choko watched in shock. The cold water that pelted them seemed to snap them back to reality.

The Ultimate Prosecutor set her jaw. "Come on, we need to get some towels out of the locker room and a change of clothes. If they get out of there, we'll need to warm them up pronto!"

"I-I'm right behind you." Lia said with a curt nod as she followed after the Prosecutor.

Zalicka felt the cold water numbing her entire body. It felt like a thousand needles stabbing into her flesh. She kept trying to resurface as her hands pounded against the layer of ice above her. She felt her knuckles split, though she was left unsuccessful with each attempt. She could feel her lungs beginning to burn and her vision starting to swim. Just as darkness began to consume her, she felt something or someone embracing her.

She choked out a desperate breath before the light faded from eyes...

The Snake Charmer found herself standing in the sands of a large desert with a massive pyramid towering in the distance. She couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the idea of this being how she passed on. It was such a ridiculous cliche. After all that she'd been through, and this was how she would die? How utterly preposterous. She didn't know when it had begun, but she felt hot tears stinging her cheeks. She wiped them away with a furious expression. No, she didn't want to die. She wasn't sure what was left for her in the world, but she didn't want it to end like this. She shivered as the desert around her seemed to grow cold. Even in this dream state, she felt her body growing heavy. This was how she would meet her end. She'd never even bid farewell to her dearest friends, nor had she consummated her relationship with Anh. It was unfair. So unfair. She began to choke up before feeling a heat swelling in her chest.

Without warning, Zalicka's amber eyes snapped open. She found herself back in the real world. She was laying on the concrete floor outside of the ice rink. She was still shaking horribly from the cold as the only heat she felt blossomed from the mouth blowing air into hers.

The boy seemed to register the situation as he suddenly sat up. His body trembled horribly as well. "Z-Zalicka? Are you alright? I thought we'd lost you for a second," Wei admitted with a strained chuckle.

"I-I'm fine. I-It's just so cold," Zalicka said as her blue lips fumbled and her teeth chattered. She continued to stare dumbfounded at the bare-chested boy in front of her. "Y-You saved me?"

At her words, the boy actually laughed. "Of course. Don't you think we've lost enough people? Come on, we need to get you warmed up." he said as he struggled to stand up. He then picked her up off the floor without warning.

It was at this time that Lia and Choko emerged with towels from the locker room.

"Oh my god, you did it!" Choko said with a relieved expression as she saw the pair.

"Y-Yeah, but I think we're both this close to becoming human popsicles. Why don't we move back into the locker room?" Wei suggested as he moved with an uneven stride towards the door.

The Ultimate Volcanologist quickly draped towels around both of them as she followed in stride. "That's probably for the best. It's way warmer in there, anyways."

Choko strode forward before holding the door ahead of them wide open.

Zalicka lolled her head to the ground as she watched her beloved snakes following after them. She felt completely mortified at being so weak at the moment, but nevertheless, she mumbled a soft thank you that Wei could barely register.

"Anytime. Just try and stay awake, alright? I-I think we might just avoid this place from now on," Wei said between shaky breaths as he carried Zalicka through the open doorway...


2:13 P.M Day Nineteen

North East Colony

Hot Springs (Locker Room)

The Ultimate Prodigy sighed in bliss as she rummaged through a small locker for her clothes. A towel was draped around her petite frame. "I'm glad we played hooky. We have a habit of sitting out when it comes to exploration, but goodness was this worth it. That warm water felt so good." She giggled as she pulled a small container out and hid it behind her back. She turned to face Mirielle, who was also rummaging through her locker. "I-I'm always glad to spend more time with you. I'm sorry I fell asleep during the movie last night," she muttered timidly.

The Phantom Thief turned towards Sierra with smirk. "It's okay darling. I can't be upset about getting to be around you, especially when you are so adorable when you're asleep." Mirielle punctuated her words with a wink.

"A-Adorable?!" Sierra stammered weakly as she felt her face glowing. "I-I uh had an idea for something we could do," she stuttered out as she revealed the small container. "H-Have you ever heard of the pocky game?"

Mirrielle chuckled to herself over her girlfriend's reactions. She arched her brow, however, as she looked at the box. "Non, I can't say I've heard of it before," she mused with a coy smile. "Maybe we should play a few times to make sure I understand it correctly."

"W-Well it's pretty easy," the Prodigy responded as she pulled a small pocky stick out. "Both of us start by nibbling one side of a single stick as our lips move closer together. You lose if you pull away first," she explained as she adjusted her towel with a single hand.

The Phantom Thief gave a nod. "Sounds like just my kind of game. Come on, then, I'd love to play," the taller girl said as she made her way over towards a nearby bench. She carefully took a seat and waved for Sierra to join her.

The younger girl took a steadying breath before following Mirielle's lead and taking a seat next to her. She shyly took the pocky stick, placing it between her lips, and leaned forward. Her face was now a cherry tint as she stared expectantly.

Mirrielle wasted no time. Once Sierra was ready with the pocky, she moved in close. Her mouth wrapped around the stick. She also used her hands to trace around the Prodigy's bare shoulders.

The stick almost fell from Sierra's lips in response. Her silvery eyes stared at Mirielle as she meekly began to nibble at the stick. Her eyes settled on the other girl's soft lips.

The taller girl let out a quiet giggle. Her hands followed down Sierra's arms and softly grasped onto her hands. She continued to make steady progress as she nibbled closer to the other girl.

The Ultimate Prodigy squeezed her eyes shut as she suddenly began to chew on the tasty stick. Before long, her lips overtook the Thief's, causing a gasp to catch in the back of her throat. She slowly curled her arms around Mirielle. She was clumsy, but clearly eager and nervous.

At first, Mirielle's eyes widened in shock, but she quickly recovered and leaned into the kiss. Her hands grabbed onto Sierra and brought the two of them closer together. The Thief smirked against the kiss as she pulled at the smaller girl's towel.

A whimper escaped Sierra as the cool air licked at her skin. Her towel fell to the floor, leaving her completely bare. Though nervous, she deepened the kiss as she pressed her petite frame flush against the bustier girl.

Mirrielle let her own towel fall by the wayside as she embraced Sierra. After taking time to savor the feeling, she broke away from the kiss. Her gaze locked with the Prodigy's. "Looks like you win, my dear. So, are you ready to claim your prize?"

The Prodigy felt her embarrassment return as heat rushed to her face. "I-I've never done anything like that before. D-Do you think you could maybe show me? " she stammered. She felt herself cross her arms across her chest.

Mischief glinted in the Thief's eyes as she gently moved Sierra's arms aside. Once that was done, she pulled the girl's chest against her own larger breasts. "Gladly, but I'm sure a smart little cutie like you will get the idea pretty quickly." She pressed her lips back against the Prodigy's, making another low chuckle.

As Mirielle's lips seized hers, she felt her shyness began to melt away. Her insecurities were quickly overtaken by instinct. Her arms encircled the Phantom Thief's waist as she felt the other girl leading her back to the bench. For Sierra, her senses were overtaken by the moment. This was her first time, and it would be with the person she cherished most. Everything else in their world might be artificial, but what they felt was very much real...


3:23 P.M Day Nineteen

Southern Colony

Archery Range

The DJ's gaze flitted around the dozens of targets that lay strewn about the lunar surface, all of which were spaced at different intervals.

There was a series of bows and arrows that were stored inside a small storage building, which was adjacent to the range itself. Several of the targets had already been skewered by arrows.

"Okay, so call me paranoid, but doesn't this place just scream 'murder location' to you guys?" Alex asked as he nervously fiddled with his headphones.

Yukiko offered the boy a sympathetic smile as she lightly massaged her forehead. "After what we've seen so far, I'm not sure if any place is sacred, though I know what you mean. Being surrounded by numerous weapons isn't exactly comforting. It looks like this place has seen some use beforehand. It was just unlocked this morning, but clearly someone has been here. I can't imagine Monokuma would be the type to use this place."

"Perhaps, we're not alone here," Evan suggested quietly as he folded his arms. His hair now resembled the color and style he had in his original body, and his outfit was somewhat of a mixture of Ren's and his own. The toga uniform he'd once worn had been stitched over Ren's jacket.

"Wait. You think there're, like, little green men wandering around, or something?" Alex asked with an aghast expression.

A sigh escaped the Chess Player. "Don't be ridiculous, Alex. I think the last thing we have to worry about is some extraterrestrial. What Evan is saying is maybe there was, or is, someone else on the moon with us."

Alex blushed slightly. "R-Right, that's what I meant too! I was just making a joke. But hey, we know someone else is here, right? I mean, the person behind all of this probably just got bored. This had to take a while to set up, right?"

The Ultimate Mythologist's eyes widened. "Of course! Why didn't we think of this sooner. All of this construction, all of these facilities, there's no way it could be done without time and manpower. For all we know, there could be others here on the moon with us."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time we've discovered survivors other than ourselves," Yukiko mused quietly as she thumbed at her chin. "Perhaps we should bring it up this evening at dinner? It's a theory worth exploring."


5:55 P.M Day Nineteen

Eastern Colony

Ranch

Shiori kept sneaking worried glances at the Ultimate Veterinarian as they, along with Jason, made their way towards the entrance of the ranch. "Big sis, are you okay? You slept all day. You're not sick, are you?"

The Ultimate Strategist had to fight to suppress a chuckle. Weariness showed on his own face too, despite how early it was in the evening. "I don't think you have to worry. I doubt it's anything serious," he said trading a playful wink with the blonde.

Alice looked at Shiori with a smirk of her own. "No, it's nothing like that. I was just up late with Hayate is all." A light blush dusted her cheeks as some specific memories came to mind. The Veterinarian shook them away and turned back to look at the ranch. "Let's just see how things have been holding up here."

Shiori carried Mr. Bon Bon like a child would a stuffed animal. She gingerly squeezed the small rabbit as she stared at the iron gate that was visible in the distance. "Oh, so it's nothing serious? Thank goodness. Hey, do you think that we could find a friend or girlfriend for Bon Bon? I bet he gets lonely sometimes."

"I'm curious. What would you call his 'girlfriend,' if you found one?" Jason asked with a slightly bemused expression at the girl's innocence. "And what if Bon Bon prefers a boyfriend?"

The petite witch offered a thoughtful expression. "Uh, so long as Bon Bon is happy, I don't really care. Though I guess it would be confusing if there were two Mister Bon Bons. Sis, what do you think? You think we can find him a special friend?" Shiori asked as she faced the girl and held up the small white rabbit. The critter stared at Alice with doe-like eyes before twitching its nose slightly, almost as if it awaited her response too.

The blonde walked up to the Witch and patted a hand on the top of her head. "I'm sure we can find someone just right for Mister Bon Bon, and you can choose the name from there. Whatever you think feels right." The Veterinarian gave the girl a nod. In her head, Alice cursed her short stature, since she had to reach up for that gesture. She decided to make her way into the ranch to start checking on all of the animals.

"Kay!" the Ultimate Witch chirped as she skipped forward giddily.

Jason, who had moved in front of the two girls, unlatched the gate and held it open. His nose, however, twitched in disgust at the smell of decay and death that suddenly hit him. Peering beyond the open gate, the group would see dozens of cattle, chickens, and pigs that lay mutilated and decaying on the lunar soil. From the looks of it, they appeared to have been dead for days. Despite their gaunt frames, starvation clearly wasn't how they died. Most of the animals had been brutally eviscerated, with intestines laying strewn around the desecrated ranch. There was even dried blood stains leading to the barn door, which was hanging ajar...

Alice, seeing Jason's expression as he looked in past the gate, began hurrying forward. When she caught the same smell, the Veterinarian moved in past him and stopped dead in the gateway. Her eyes widened as they started around the area. "Oh no. Bloody hell. This is... horrible..."

"W-What happened to them?!" Shiori shuddered. She fell backwards onto her bottom as a look of abject horror filled her face. Her rabbit seemed to sense her distress. His nose pressed against the crook of her neck.

The Strategist scowled at the grotesque sight. "Someone butchered them. Though from the looks of it, they've been dead a while. It must have been during that three day period we lost."

Alice carefully walked around the piles of bodies, slowly making her way towards the barn. Her eyes drifted around as she took in all of the carnage. "It was probably that bellend, Dylan. This seems like his handy work." The blonde looked at the ominous barn-door, wearily. She pushed it further open as she started to walk in.

Jason looked back at Shoiri before reaching down to pat her shoulder. "You shouldn't see this. Wait here, we'll be back shortly," he said in a quiet voice. He then quickly followed after the Veterinarian and into the barn.

What they were met with was even more grotesque than what lay outside...

The sound of rutting could be heard as the pair made their way deeper into the red barn. The putrid smell became even more pungent as the sound grew louder and louder. Eventually, they'd discover the source, and in return find the only remaining animals that were alive. Inside of a large pin rested four hogs. Mounted on seven scarecrow-like stakes were seven bodies, ones that were quite familiar: Miyaki, Mikhail, Rene, Hikari, Shohei, Amare, and Mallory. Miyaki, Rene, Shohei, and Mallory were all in different states of decay, with the Exterminator's upper and lower-half having been crudely stitched back together. What was slightly disconcerting though was that Mikhail and Hikari's upper-bodies and faces were completely unblemished. In fact, they looked just as they had before dying. However, all of the deceased had been horribly mutilated from the waist down with entire limbs now missing. The starving animals had begun to feast on the flesh of the bodies in the pin. Entrails, bones, and muscle were visible. As the pair drew closer, they could hear the pigs squealing as their teeth continued to greedily peel more and more of the body parts away. Their stomachs were engorged from their feasting, but they all appeared very sickly from the bile and other fluids that filled the pin.

Alice covered her mouth as she took in the scene before her. She stood perfectly still for a few moments as her mind struggled to think of what to do next. "That's everyone who's died so far, right?"

"...Everyone except for Dylan and Ren. From the looks of it, this was set up around the same time as the rest of this gruesome display," Jason said as he covered his own mouth as he felt bile rising in his throat. "Do you remember how Misuzu said Ren's journal talked about people planning to kill Dylan? Maybe it was because of this. Maybe we found out which body he was hiding in before locking him up," he suggested. "I don't mean to sound insensitive, but there's another glaring problem. With the Greenhouse in disrepair, and now this, what are we going to do for food?"

Alice moved her hand against her forehead. "This whole thing is beyond sick. No wonder the others wanted to kill him." She sighed as she hazarded another glance at the pin. "I have no idea, but everyone needs to know right away." Her eyes drifted back to the corpses of the participants. "I don't think we should just leave them like this, though..."

Jason offered a somber nod in response as he turned away from the morbid sight. "I'm inclined to agree with you, but there's no way that just a few of us can handle this. I don't know much about animals, but I think we should have some help. Those hogs clearly have no qualms eating anything. I'm pretty sure your boyfriend would kill me if anything happened to you, especially if we did something reckless, so let's let the others know and we'll put them to rest properly."

Alice frowned but gave a curt nod. "Yeah, you're right. Let's just get out of here and gather the others." She turned and began walking out of the barn at a brisk pace.

The Ultimate Strategist cast a final morbid glance over his shoulder before swallowing the bile in his throat and quickly took off after the Veterinarian.


20 Survivors Remain


*AN* As always, I wanna thank my partner in crime Pettypunk, and all of my awesome betas: Fee5H, El Torro, and BouncingFish. You all are incredible and I can't thank you enough!


Review Section:

SootyThunder

Over 9000!

MudkipOfDespair

I think we have different ideas of uneventful haha

StoryProducer214

There is no chill! :P

Fee5H

Lol I love how thorough your theories always are. Only time will tell if you're right or dreadfully wrong!

Yamomo

Hey it's fine. I realize there is a lot of stuff to keep up with!

Blazerxz

I just love waving so many death flags. I can't help it :P

Abitat Eco

I've become so fond of these ships. I really love them and it makes it even more difficult when I have to break one.

Natsukumo1000

Don't you worry. Despair will return ;)

Vulca

I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at erotic saxophone.

Trygve11

danieltruong1917

Glad you enjoyed it. I know it's not for everyone, but I think it's important to show that growth with characters and their relationships.

bellatrixshine

Haha I'll watch out for the pitchforks and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I tried my best!

DanganMachin

I just want you to know that I actually love Alex. He's just the butt of a lot of jokes. I hope he gets a win eventually. Poor guy deserves it.

The Celestial Sky Dragon

I laughed so hard when you said laying pipe. Hey you're not wrong though. I loved reading your reviews. I can't wait to see what we can do in the future! ;)

pokemansuperallstar

Yeah it's important to have sometime devoted to ships. Especially exploring the growth with all the characters.

doomqwer

Yes sir! ;)

Duublem

In that case we'd all die of alcohol poisoning.

Jeptwin

I think I already made my stance clear in DM's, but just give it a chance.