Never Say Never
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.
Chapter 3
Act 12
"Alright, that should do it," Mukuro said to herself as she finished packing away most of the items lying around her room. Surveying the area one last time, she nodded to herself and said, "Typical Fashionista-like bedroom…I think."
Ever since she'd been confined to her quarters, and subsequently promising that she'd leave her door open to keep an ear out for anyone going after Alter Ego, she knew she'd need to change her room around a bit. After all, if anyone passed by and happened to see a wig form on her dresser, it could be a life-threatening issue. Not to mention that the skin-tight jumpsuit she'd used when she'd been caught patrolling had been left on the floor, which would be the reddest of red flags! Plus, her room had become a lot more of a mess lately, given that she devoted more of her time to keeping her classmates alive and almost no time taking care of her living quarters. However, she was determined not to let anything keep her from fulfilling her promise to everyone, hence the massive cleaning she'd performed in preparation for this new mission. Because if anyone was capable of leaving their door open all night in order to protect their only means of discovering who the Mastermind was…it was her and her Ultimate Soldier skills that would do it!
Before volunteering to leave her door open, Mukuro had considered using her 'confinement' to her advantage. After all, with 'Junko' unable to leave her room, it meant that 'Mukuro' could roam the halls at night. However, she no longer had the mask she'd used previously, having left it in the archive room on the second floor. Plus, she knew that her classmates would be on the lookout for anyone suspicious. And she didn't want to even think about running into Taka during a nightly 'patrol'. That's why, in the end, she figured it was better just to be a lookout of sorts for Alter Ego.
"…I doubt that Junko predicted that Chihiro would recreate her AI program, and in only a few days," she muttered to herself as she checked her wig in the mirror. As she made sure her disguise was perfect, she couldn't help but sigh. "No doubt she heard our conversation in the bathhouse though…it's only a matter of time before she tries to take Alter Ego from us…!"
And that was precisely why she'd offered to leave her door open, as a deterrent to whatever her sister might have planned. Even with Junko promising not to involve Monokuma until there was a class trial, it didn't mean that she couldn't influence someone else into doing her work for her. Hell, Taka had been her pawn for days now, and he didn't even realize it!
As Mukuro finished putting away the last of her possessions left on her dresser, she looked up and angrily glared at her own disguised reflection in the large mirror of the dresser, her stomach twisting as her appearance reminded her of how much smarter Junko had always been than her! Mukuro was a soldier, able to accurately complete her mission without fail…but she was no tactician. She was, however, quick on her feet and able to make snap decisions to save her own life. And when it came to sneaking or scouting missions, she was a pro. Unfortunately, whenever you presented her with a complex strategy that had little to do with combat, she froze up. Junko was well aware of that fact, and the Mastermind knew that her sister was capable of action and not strategy…which is why she found herself confined to her room right now!
"…I don't know how, but I'm positive that Junko probably meant for this to happen," she speculated aloud, glad her door was still closed so she could speak her thoughts without fear. "She must have manipulated events so that I'd be less of an obstacle…just like when she lost her memories…"
During her brief time as Ryoko Otonashi, the ever impressive Junko Enoshima had given Mukuro very specific instructions. And because the soldier followed them to the letter, Ryoko Otonashi only existed for a few months, just as Junko had planned. It was terrifying how her sister was able to accurately predict how people would act, even when there was no conceivable way for her to know how they would act while she was 'away'. Then again, Junko's true talent as an analyst was not to be underestimated…Mukuro had learned that the hard way.
Staring down her own reflection…Mukuro was forced to accept that, no matter how talented she was in her own right…she wasn't anything like Junko. The soldier knew that she couldn't predict how her classmates would act from now on…especially with Taka's ever deteriorating mental state.
"If this keeps up…someone's going to snap…and it may even be me…" she surmised, averting her view away from her reflection. Her gaze dropped down the ugly scar that had once been her beloved Fenrir tattoo, her hand balling into a fist, despite the pain. "It's getting harder and harder to suppress my instincts. If I'm not careful…I may lash out by accident…and even if I don't hurt anyone…I'll definitely get found out…"
She was walking a fine line between death and survival, and the scales could still tip either way. Mukuro had no concept about how 'normal' people lived their lives, but she knew how horrific the world could truly be. On the battlefield, she'd seen soldiers slowly lose their minds, unable to cope with the stress and pressure of being a mercenary. Time and time again, once someone's mental state regressed too much, they snapped and would often take a number of their comrades down with them. And unfortunately…Taka was quickly approaching that breaking point.
"I can't let that happen!" Mukuro promised herself as she turned away from her mirror and headed toward her door to open it for the night. "No matter what it takes…I have to keep everyone safe!"
As much as she hated to admit it, Junko truly outclassed her at everything except for physical combat. But that's where Mukuro was confident she could put a halt to her sister's plans! If she could stop Alter Ego from being taken, the rest of the students just might be able to learn the truth. And if that happened, they could corner Junko and put an end to this game! Mukuro knew it was a long shot, but she really didn't have any better alternative at this point.
As she reached her door and mentally prepared herself for several hours of quietly listening for disturbances, Mukuro felt a wave of confidence for the first time in several days. It had been a while since she'd done a stake-out…and her body trembled with anticipation as the rush of being back in her element washed over her.
She barely even recognized that she was grinning as she reached for the door handle…
"Alright…time to open up the floodgates," she said to herself as she unlocked her door and swung it open. When she opened it, however, she was greeted by a very startling sight.
There, to her shock and slight horror, stood Kyoko Kirigiri, her hand raised as if preparing to knock. The stoic amnesiac caught sight of her immediately and slowly lowered her hand, remaining completely silent as she and Mukuro stared each other down. For probably the first time, Mukuro looked directly into Kyoko's eyes…and was horrified that she couldn't read the stoic girl's visage in the slightest. Even if it was only a tiny bit, the soldier had always been able to sense someone's intentions just by looking at them. Not even the ever changing Junko was completely unreadable…but somehow, Mukuro found herself unable to see anything of what the amnesiac detective was feeling. And that only intensified her fears…
Despite her best efforts, the soldier couldn't keep the surprise from overtaking her visage, her eyes widening and her mouth slightly agape. So many questions flooded her mind, but she had no time to process them before Kyoko spoke to her.
"Good evening," Kyoko abruptly greeted, her voice as calm and even as always. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Snapping back to reality, Mukuro slightly shook her head and replied, "N-No, not really. I was just…getting ready to leave my door open for the night."
"I see," the amnesiac detective replied quickly, never averting her gaze.
As she finished, Mukuro couldn't help but notice the way Kyoko was staring at her…as if analyzing each and every feature of her appearance. Mukuro was suddenly thankful she'd remembered to keep the pink wig perfectly in place before opening the door. Beyond that, she honestly didn't know how to react, considering that she had had little personal contact with Kyoko outside of class during their time together in school. Sure, there were a few instances where they crossed paths, but during all of those times, the detective had never taken the time to investigate her personally…probably because, at the time, Mukuro wasn't disguised as her sister and had nothing to hide. It was beyond horrifying, the way Kyoko looked right into her eyes, as if she could see into the soldier's very soul…and catch glimpses of the many crimes that she'd committed.
Realizing that merely letting Kyoko undress her with her eyes could be disastrous in multiple ways, the soldier somehow managed to resume her usual persona and said, "So, uh, did you need something?"
Kyoko was silent for a moment before she slowly nodded. "…If you don't mind, I'd like to discuss how we should handle leaving our doors open for the entire night."
"Uh…sure. Come on in," Mukuro invited, even more relieved that she'd completed cleaning up her room already.
"Thank you," Kyoko said swiftly before briskly walking past the soldier without the slightest hint of hesitation.
The amnesiac detective's bold actions instantly put Mukuro on guard. It was obvious that Kyoko held reservations toward her, but she couldn't tell if that was a good or not. After all, it would behoove the soldier to have someone as intelligent as the Ultimate Detective on her side…but the opposite was also true. If somehow Kyoko found out about her true identity, Mukuro had no doubt that the detective would take the initiative and reveal her in front of the entire class.
"...In fact, suddenly wanting to talk to me out of the blue like this is suspicious," Mukuro realized, lowering her gaze as her mind became consumed with suspicion. "Is she on to me already? Even with her memory loss, she obviously hasn't lost her touch at investigation…the class trials are evidence enough of that. But then…what does she want from—?"
"I apologize for not coming to see you sooner," Kyoko abruptly spoke up, shattering the soldier's train of thought. Mukuro turned to see the detective leaning against the side wall, glancing at her with a neutral expression. "There was a commotion outside the bathhouse."
Despite her best efforts, Mukuro couldn't fight the shocked expression that overtook her features. However, she immediately hardened her visage and asked, "Is everyone alright?"
As her question rang out, the soldier noticed the tiniest bit of a change in Kyoko's visage. It was incredibly subtle, so subtle that Mukuro momentarily questioned if she'd actually seen it. That change was how the detective was looking at her. Less than a moment ago, Kyoko's expression had been completely stoic…but now, there was a hint of surprise behind her eyes…as though something Mukuro had done had surprised her. Vocally, however, the amnesiac detective showed no such change.
"It seems so," Kyoko answered with a nod. "It appears that Genocide Jill snuck into the bathhouse while the men were bathing. Fortunately, she was apprehended peacefully and everything has calmed down…though I have my suspicions as to whether Jill acted alone…"
As Kyoko recounted the incident, Mukuro clenched her fists. The soldier had been completely unaware that something so disastrous had occurred, and only a short distance away from her room at that! What truly upset her though, was the fact that there was little she could have done regardless. There was no way that she could have left her door open, considering her need to hide all of the items that would have incriminated her. And even though she tried to tell herself that she had no choice…she couldn't help but feel useless…
"What if someone had been seriously injured, and another bullying trial occurred?" Mukuro mentally seethed, unable to stop the outpour of negative thoughts from assaulting her mind."None of them realize that unless they actually kill someone, they'll be trapped here all alone forever! Or until Junko decides to kill them and win the game herself! Dammit, I've only been out of the game for a few hours and already I'm losing ground!"
Just as her own failures threatened to consume her, the Kyoko's stern voice called out, "Anyway, I didn't come here just to tell you that."
Startled back into reality, Mukuro squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, attempting to reorganize her thoughts. Kyoko had quickly changed the subject, which Mukuro knew she had a talent for, and that meant that the detective had something more pressing she wanted to speak of…which may or may not bode well for Mukuro.
"…Right, you said there was something you wanted to talk about, didn't you? What's up?" Mukuro pleasantly asked, trying to resume at least a portion of her 'Junko' personality.
Again, Mukuro noticed the subtlest of changes in Kyoko's visage, but still couldn't make out exactly what it meant, which only amplified her fears more.
"I suggest we discuss how we're going to handle the situation. Just in case something unexpected happens," Kyoko proposed, pushing off the wall and taking a step toward her.
"Huh?" a genuinely confused Mukuro grunted with a raised brow. "I…uh…figured it was self-explanatory? I mean, we leave our doors open and listen in case we hear someone trying to sneak into the bathhouse and—".
"And how will we know if someone has snuck into the bathhouse?" Kyoko interjected, her words alone stressing her point.
Mukuro twitched as she felt herself being challenged. Furrowing her brows, the soldier replied, "I don't know about you, but I plan to listen for anyone sneaking around after night time. And if I hear someone walking around—".
"You might walk right into a trap."
Kyoko's stern words echoed in the small bedroom, taking a few moments to sink in. As they did, Mukuro again felt like the detective was challenging her. What made it more insulting was that the amnesiac detective wasn't even looking at her! Instead, Kyoko was surveying the Fashionista's bedroom, no doubt looking for anything suspicious to use against her! For someone as proud and meticulous as Mukuro, it was beyond insulting!
"And why do you say that?" she practically spat back, not bothering to hide her distain.
A momentary silence hung between the two young women before Kyoko turned her stoic gaze toward Mukuro and softly answered, "We all know that you will come running if someone's in danger. And if two or more people decided to take advantage of that…then you might find yourself a victim."
This time, instead of feeling challenged, a sense of dread welled up inside Mukuro. The idea that someone might attack and overpower her was something that didn't even register in the soldier's mind. Only Sakura, who she could handle quite easily given the right equipment, was the only viable threat to her, combat wise.
However, Kyoko wasn't insinuating that her demise would be during combat…it would be when she let her guard down while trying to help her classmates.
As embarrassing as it was to admit, Mukuro had never considered that notion. If one of her classmate's pretended to be injured or hurt, she would come to their aid immediately. And if another of her classmates attacked her, she'd be vulnerable while trying to protect her injured classmate. Not to mention the fact that the 'injured' classmate might not be 'injured' at all and turn on her as well. And while this normally wouldn't be a problem for someone as highly trained as the Ultimate Soldier…the outcome could be far more lethal than she'd ever considered. For if she fought back and accidentally killed one of her attacking classmates…she'd become the game's first blackened…and be executed…removing her from the scenario and leaving Junko to do whatever she pleased with whomever was left!
"I wonder...is that what Junko is up to? Is she trying to manipulate events so that I'm forced to kill one of my own classmates?!"
It was an idea that Mukuro never would have considered had Kyoko not voiced her concern. And while the soldier was certain that the detective had been worried that 'Junko' would be killed instead of accidentally killing another, it still terrified Mukuro to realize just how intuitive Kyoko Kirigiri still was, regardless of her memory loss.
"…So, what you're saying is…if I just rush out there whenever I hear something suspicious…I may be playing right into someone else's hands?" Mukuro decided to confirm, still feeling embarrassed for not seeing it herself.
Kyoko nodded solemnly and continued, "In order to prevent such an outcome from befalling either of us, I decided to take special precautions."
"Special precautions?" the soldier quietly repeated.
"After the boys finished bathing, I returned to the bathhouse to check on Alter Ego," Kyoko explained, averting her gaze from Mukuro and scanning the room once more. "I gave 'her' special instructions to shout if anyone unrecognizable tried to take 'her'."
"…I see," Mukuro nodded along with the explanation.
"Also, this should go without saying but if you believe that someone might try to attack you, don't hesitate to call out," Kyoko advised, a serious expression marring her features. "Even if you think you can handle an attacker on your own, I insist that you call for assistance regardless."
"…Okay, same to you," the soldier concurred reflexively, as if being assigned orders.
"To reiterate, if we hear Alter Ego scream, we should head for the bathhouse together. If one of us calls for help, the other will arrive to support them. After all, there is safety in numbers," the amnesiac detective suggested, adjusting her gaze back to stare at Mukuro. "I believe that will help us keep Alter Ego safe. Do you have any suggestions?"
Unwittingly, Mukuro froze as Kyoko asked for her opinion. Honestly, the soldier didn't really have any suggestions or ideas on the matter. After all, it seemed that Kyoko had taken a great deal of time to plan out this strategy, and Mukuro had no issues with it. It actually felt weird for someone to ask her opinion in the first place. No one ever did that, Junko least of all! As far as everyone else was concerned, whether she was 'Junko' or Mukuro, she wasn't an over-thinker. She was a woman of action, not words or tactics…
"Besides…it's not like I have an eye for strategy or anything. Junko made it perfectly clear that I'm…that I'm…wait a minute, Junko!"
Mukuro's eyes widened as she made a connection that Kyoko never would have considered.
"If Junko decided to come down here herself, no matter how risky that would be, then she could take Alter Ego without any problems! Alter Ego probably won't be able to tell the difference between when she saw me in disguise and seeing the real Junko! And if that happens…we'll lose our last hope!"
"We…we need to make a change," Mukuro bravely spoke up, snapping her gaze up to meet Kyoko's eyes. "If Alter Ego is going to scream, it needs to be when any of us try to take 'her' from the bathhouse."
For the first time since having known Kyoko, the soldier saw her eyes widen, if only slightly. It seemed that the amnesiac detective instantly picked up on what she was insinuating and nodded firmly.
"You're right, that is a better idea," Kyoko conceded, much to Mukuro's shock. But what shocked her even more was that she noticed the tiniest hint of embarrassment spreading over the detective's features. "I admit that I've been more concerned with preventing the Mastermind from discovering Alter Ego, and didn't consider that one of us might be tempted to use it for their own purposes. I'm glad that I came to ask for your opinion."
As she finished, Mukuro again saw a sight that she never imagined she'd see; Kyoko smiling at her. It wasn't a particularly big smile and it didn't last long, in fact, if she'd have blinked, she might have missed it. However, in its place, that strange feeling that Mukuro had been unable to comprehend suddenly returned.
The way that Kyoko had smiled and praised her…it gave her the same feeling that bubbled up each time Makoto smiled at her! The same feeling she'd gotten when Leon and Sayaka had befriended her! The same feeling she'd felt when Mondo had said she was attractive! A warmth from deep inside that made her feel…made her feel…oh, she didn't even know what she was feeling! But whatever it was, it was clear that it wasn't just adrenaline or some other bodily function messing with her.
"Once is a fluke, twice is happenstance…three times is a pattern," Mukuro mentally quoted, remembering how Junko had used those words to describe how she discovered despair to be the only thing that enthralled her. Even so, it made it all more difficult for Mukuro to comprehend.
"I've felt this weird feeling too many times to call it foreign! But I still don't know exactly what this is! Why do I feel it every time one of my classmates praises me? I should just feel happy or something! I shouldn't feel like…like…like this!"
As Mukuro fought to regain control of her emotions, she barely noticed Kyoko turning and advancing toward her dresser. All at once, all of those positive feelings disappeared as the detective place a gloved hand on the dresser.
"Hey! Don't go poking around someone else's room! That's rude, ya know!" Mukuro shouted, marching over to Kyoko, who calmly removed her hand.
"My apologies," Kyoko sincerely replied, turning to face the soldier directly. "I was just a little surprised. I don't have anything like this in my room."
"Wait, what? What do you mean you don't have anything like this in your room? Don't all the girls have dressers to keep their make-up and junk in?" Mukuro questioned, doing her best to sound surprised.
Rubbing her chin with her gloved hand, Kyoko continued, "I can't speak for the other girls, but at the very least, I can promise you that I don't have any kind of furniture like that. In fact, beyond a table, a writing desk, and a bed, I have no furniture to speak of…"
Mukuro did her best to feign shock…considering that she was the one who helped strip Kyoko's room bare before the school life of mutual killing began. Junko had ordered her to take anything that could help the detective regain her memory to the incinerator. Anything too large for the incinerator was dumped down the trash shoot…including a desk that Kyoko had kept many of her personal items inside.
At the time, Mukuro hadn't questioned her sister's orders at all…but now, she felt a twinge of regret. Even though there was no way for the soldier to realize that she'd be betrayed and would require Kyoko's help to defeat her sister, it didn't change the fact that Mukuro hadn't felt much guilt over destroying things that must have been very precious to Kyoko…like a picture of her father that she'd kept hidden at the bottom of her desk…which Mukuro threw into the incinerator along with most of her belongings.
"Oh…sorry," Mukuro apologized, for more reasons than one. Hoping the detective would mistake her guilt for sadness, she continued, "Did…did you need to borrow some make-up or something? I know that you don't really seem the type but, every girl has at least a 'little' bit of make-up to spruce themselves up with."
Shockingly, at the mention of this, Kyoko once again gave the tiniest of smiles before replying, "No, thank you. I'm afraid I have no need for that, at least not in this situation. Perhaps once we escape from this place…I will take you up on that offer."
Even though it was an incredibly miniscule amount, Mukuro found comfort in the sincerity of Kyoko's words. However, it didn't do much to relieve the guilt, not only for destroying her personal belongings…but also for the part the soldier had played in murdering her classmate's father.
Sadly…that was only one of many crimes that Mukuro had committed while serving her sister…most of which she knew there was no forgiveness for…
At the same time, Mukuro knew she couldn't let herself get wrapped up in guilt, otherwise Kyoko would notice something was amiss. Instead, she smiled brightly and chuckled, "Totally! Once we get out of here, we're gonna pretty ourselves up and hit the town! Just us girls! What do you say?!"
"…Why is your shirt hanging from the ceiling?"
Blinking rapidly, mostly out of confusion, Mukuro slowly followed her classmate's gaze up to the shirt she'd hung to obscure the camera in the corner of her room.
"Oh, that? Yeah, I didn't feel comfortable knowing the Mastermind could peep on me anytime they wanted! So I hung that up there to ensure my own privacy!" Mukuro proudly announced, actually feeling pleased with herself for that decision.
"…I'm surprised Monokuma didn't make you take that down," Kyoko admitted, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
A cocky smirk spread over Mukuro's lips as she answered, "Well, the rules say we can't destroy the camera's. It never said anything about hanging my 'laundry' in front of it."
A light smirk tugged at Kyoko's lips. "I suppose that's true," she said quickly before turning and heading for the door. "Well, that should be enough for now. If you need something, feel free to call for me. Good night."
Stunned by her sudden retreat, Mukuro couldn't stop herself from calling out, "Whoa, hold on a sec!"
Just barely reaching the door, Kyoko glanced over her shoulder and asked, "What is it?"
Mukuro wanted to kick herself from stopping her, especially since she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. She just felt like she needed to say something to Kyoko, but she just couldn't put her finger on what. There was a burning desire to say something, anything that might ease her own pain over what she'd done to the amnesiac detective, but she just couldn't find the words…mainly because it would reveal who she really was.
Instead, the soldier decided just to follow her gut and say whatever came to her first.
"I, uh, I just wanted to thank you…for believing in me!" Mukuro abruptly shouted, unsure of where those words came from but didn't stop herself as she continued. "I know how hard it is to trust people right now, and I know that we're not exactly the closest of friends or anything…but you obviously trusted me enough to come and tell me about Alter Ego and your special preparations…so I'm gonna put my faith in you too!"
A heavy silence hung between the two women as Mukuro completed her tirade with a deep bow. Once she finished, the full impact of her words sank in, and the soldier felt even more embarrassed than before!
It was then that she heard the clicking of heeled boots coming toward her. Carefully lifting her head, her eyes widened as she found Kyoko standing right in front of her, a stoic expression on her face. Feeling slightly intimidated by her gaze, Mukuro fidgeted a bit before she saw the detective reach into her pocket and slowly pull out a strange cylinder-like object.
Before she could raise an eyebrow at it, Kyoko extended the strange object out to her.
"Hold onto this for me," the detective said, waiting for Mukuro to take the object. "It might do you more good than it will for me."
Eyeing the cylinder-like object suspiciously, and going against her instincts, the soldier carefully reached a hand out and took the object from Kyoko's grasp. Only now able to get a good look at it, she cringed at the strange doll-like head at the top and didn't even want to know why there was red button on the bottom.
Finally raising an eyebrow, she questioned, "What exactly…is this?!"
"It's a good luck charm," Kyoko instantly replied, a faint smirk on her lips.
"What?! Really?! This thing is a good luck charm?!" Mukuro protested, struggling to comprehend just how something so…phallic-looking could possibly be considered lucky!
"Of course. They're actually quite common. I'm surprised you've never seen one like this before," the detective told her, a bit of scrutiny in her eyes.
Cursing her lack of knowledge on what a proper good luck charm was supposed to look like, Mukuro was reluctantly forced to laugh and answer, "Oh right! I think I've seen these before! Like in shops and stuff! Uh…thanks! That was…really considerate…of you…"
"Don't mention it," Kyoko said swiftly before turning her back and heading for the door. "Well then, I'm off to reprogram Alter Ego to cry out if anyone tries to remove 'her'. Goodnight."
Just before she exited the room, Kyoko abruptly stopped, which drew the soldier's attention. She had a calculated look on her face that for some reason sent a chill down Mukuro's spine. An instantly later, she understood why.
Glancing back over her shoulder, the Ultimate Detective looked her straight in the eyes and said, "By the way…your hair looks perfect."
No matter how hard she tried, there was no way that Mukuro could stop herself from noiselessly gasping as those words echoed in her ears. Her worst fears felt like they were being realized and she lost the will to breathe. However, the exact opposite of what she'd expected happened.
Instead of exposing her and possibly causing her execution, Kyoko Kirigiri said absolutely nothing, remaining utterly silent as she observed her. And then, much to her shock, the Ultimate Detective turned away from her and departed the room, leaving a still very confused Mukuro standing there with the Kokeshi Dynamo in hand.
"Well, that didn't go entirely as expected…but still, I was able to discover more than I had first thought I would," Kyoko thought to herself as she exited the bathhouse and headed for her room.
The amnesiac girl had just finished 'talking' with Alter Ego, requesting that 'she' scream if anyone tried to remove her from the bathhouse…something that Kyoko should have done in the first place.
"I can't believe I misjudged this situation…if not for Junko's suggestion, we might have had another bullying trial on our hands…"
Pondering that notion, Kyoko couldn't help but wonder about all the things she'd learned while speaking with the Fashionista.
Initially, her objective in going to see Junko had been simple, to see if there was anything she could uncover about her suspicious yet earnest classmate. The instant that the Fashionista had volunteered to leave her door open, Kyoko had been beyond skeptical. Even with her tragic past of being homeless for a time, it still felt odd that Junko was confident enough to leave her door open and expose herself to such dangers. Because of that, Kyoko had felt the need to investigate her even more than before, and since she knew that she'd have at least minimal access to the Fashionista's room, due to the door being left open all night, she figured the best time to approach her would be just before night time. Not to mention that she truly did wish to inform her classmate about the precaution she'd set up with Alter Ego.
However, she wasn't prepared for the numerous discoveries she made during this investigation.
Firstly, she was mildly surprised that Junko had done exactly as she'd said and returned to her room without incident. When Kyoko had heard the commotion caused by Genocide Jack, and the subsequent fallout it brought, a part of her assumed that Junko might have been involved. However, that was mainly because she'd found the Kokeshi Dynamo on the floor, an object that might belong to a woman of Junko Enoshima's standing. However, judging by the shock on the Fashionista's face when she heard about the incident, it seemed unlikely that she was involved. Not to mention her complete lack of knowledge as to the Kokeshi Dynamo's 'true' purpose. It was hard to believe that Junko would be that sheltered to believe the Dynamo to be a good luck charm…which further increased Kyoko suspicions.
Second, while she wasn't shocked that Junko reacted defensively when she had informed her about the possibility of a trap lying in wait for them, she was surprised that Junko hadn't even considered the possibility. For someone as careful and responsible as she was, it was odd that she overlooked something so simple. And then, instead of her usual abrasive attitude when being told how to handle their situation, Junko just stood there and agreed with everything Kyoko had proposed…like a soldier receiving their orders without questioning them. It was off-putting, to say the least, but perhaps Junko finally realized the danger she'd put herself in and changed her attitude accordingly.
Third, and one of the most important discoveries, Junko Enoshima was far smarter than she'd realized. Her proposal to have Alter Ego scream if anyone tried to remove 'her' was a stroke of genius that not even Kyoko had foreseen. But that also begged the question…why did Junko feel the need to point out that flaw in her strategy? Junko seemed to be almost as trusting of their classmates as Makoto was…so why did she act as though one of them was going betray the group and steal Alter Ego?
"That mystery has yet to be solved…but I suppose I should bless our good fortune for the advice regardless…especially after how she acted when I thanked her."
That was the fourth discovery Kyoko had observed. When she'd taken a moment to praise Junko for her idea, the Fashionista looked genuinely surprised. Her face had turned a deep shad of pink and she didn't seem able to respond…as if she was in the throes of something. In fact, she'd been so distracted that she actually let Kyoko wander into the deeper parts of her room and approach her dresser before she stopped her, which also seemed odd. Why was she so protective of that dresser? One could reason that it had her personal belongings in it but the way she'd lost her composure so quickly was troublesome.
"Now I want to know what was inside even more…not to mention why she has more furniture than I do…"
That was one discovery that Kyoko just couldn't piece together. Her room was almost completely bare, as if someone had removed several large set pieces from it. Over the course of the last few weeks, Kyoko had managed to look in some of her other female classmates' rooms and was shocked that almost all of them had numerous accessories suited to their tastes. Why was it that only she didn't have extensive furniture or personal items in her own room?
"I'll have to ask around and see if anyone else feels like their rooms are mysteriously barren. Perhaps I could talk with Makoto about it tomorrow. We never did get to spend together today…"
Even though it had been beyond her control, she still felt guilty for not being able to keep her word to him. Makoto had seemed really excited about hanging out with her and she hated to see him disappointed…though she wasn't quite sure why.
"…Now isn't the time to worry about that," she told herself, shaking her head as she made her way back into her own room, leaving her door open and preparing to stay up all night if necessary. Plopping down onto her bed, she remained in a seated position as she continued to ponder. "I need to focus…was there anything else about Junko that stood out?"
Honestly…there was something that stood out the most but she just couldn't quite figure it out.
Junko Enoshima was becoming a source of strength for quite a few of their classmates. Leon and Sayaka both relied on her, as did Mondo and Chihiro, though mainly for food at the moment. However, it wasn't just moral support, she actively challenged both Monokuma and Taka when they tried to enforce unreasonable demands, which was odd because, given her brush with death, she should have been too mortified to protest. And yet, she showed little to no fear of punishment, despite how she'd reacted when her hand had been injured.
Not only that, as far as Kyoko could tell, she was being completely genuine about her desires to help everyone. Sure, there were times when she was obviously trying to hide her embarrassment, such as when she didn't realize the potential trap that could have awaited her, but beyond that she was actually an easy read.
…But that didn't explain why Kyoko felt that the Fashionista was hiding something from all of them. And most of all, it didn't explain her reaction when the amnesiac girl had complimented her hair.
Kyoko wasn't even sure what possessed her to say such a thing. More than anything, it was probably the fact that, no matter what happened to her, Junko Enoshima's hair always seemed so flawless. It felt…wrong, and while she speculated it could be a wig or perhaps implants, something about the Fashionista's mass of pink fluff bothered her. However, when Kyoko pointed that out, even as off-handedly as she did, she saw something horrifying in the Fashionista's eyes:
Fear…pure, unadulterated fear.
Junko Enoshima looked positively terrified by that comment, and not only that…it was almost as if she had been silently begging for silence the moment that comment had been uttered. For a woman who had survived a brush with death, a simple comment like that shouldn't have affect her…but it did.
"It was almost as if her entire existence hinged on whatever the secret of her hair is…" Kyoko whispered to herself as she sat down on her bed, still perplexed by the reaction she'd gotten from her seemingly innocent comment. "For now, I'll avoid the subject, just to be safe. I wouldn't want to make myself a target…"
A deep frown settled on her face…realizing that, despite her claim to trust Junko, in the end, she couldn't force herself to have complete faith in her. Honestly, it had nothing to do with the Fashionista and her perfect hair. No, the reason she didn't trust Junko Enoshima entirely…was because she didn't truly trust anyone here at the school.
"Any one of them might betray us at any moment…even Makoto."
It stung for her to say that, but she knew that it was true. No matter how much she wanted to trust them…to trust Makoto and his purity, her better judgment always told her to be wary. Even earlier today when Makoto had asked to spend time with her, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think; 'Can I really trust him?'.
The feelings of distrust and suspicion had worn down on her lately, but there was cause for it. Twice now, her 'innocent' classmates had fallen to the motives the Mastermind presented for them. And unfortunately, she had no doubt that it would happen again. A large sum of money was an uninspired motive…but an affective one as well. And while she was fairly positive that someone like Makoto wouldn't be motivated by such a simple trick, there was enough evidence to suggest that at least a few of her classmates might fall to the temptation.
"Celeste, Hiro, Hifumi…which one of them will take the bait?" she pondered to herself, already narrowing down her list of suspects. At the same time, another gnawing idea refused to leave her mind. "If there truly is…a traitor among us…then Alter Ego's usefulness is practically forfeit."
Groaning angrily in frustration, she fell back onto her bed and sighed deeply, feeling more than powerless in this situation. No matter how hard she searched the school, she'd yet to find anything that could unveil how or why their captor had trapped them. Not to mention that the Mastermind's true identity continued to elude her, despite her talents—
"…My…talents…?"
Kyoko honestly had no idea why that thought crossed her mind, but she felt ashamed of herself nonetheless. Her amnesia had slightly receded, though not enough to give her a clear picture of who she was or why she'd come to Hope's Peak in the first place. She knew it was to find someone, but who and for what purpose completely escaped her. However, a part of her took great pride in her investigations and being unable to solve the mystery infuriated her.
"…Maybe…I was…a detective?" she pondered before quickly dismissing the idea. "Under normal circumstances, at my age, that would be impossible. Unless I came from a long line of—".
Intense pain suddenly shot through Kyoko's head, burning the back of her eyes and forcing her to close them. Gripping her head with her gloved hands, she forced her eyes open and stared at the leather of her hand accessories. There was so much she didn't know that she should…like how her hands became irrevocably scarred…why she had come to Hope's Peak…and who was the old man that was featured in her DVD from the first motive?
Despite the agony it caused, she racked her brain, trying to come up with something, anything that could lead her to a clue that would tell her who she was! However, after a few moments of soul searching, the pain became too great and she let out an audible gasp as she forced herself to stop trying to remember, in spite of how much she wanted to know.
"…Dammit…how long do I have to keep living like this? Questioning everyone and everything…even myself…"
Feeling even more ashamed than before, she rolled onto her side before her eyes glanced up at the camera in the corner of her room. Despite the funk she'd been in only moments ago, the amnesiac girl felt her mood brighten as she recalled something else that she'd seen in Junko's room. With no one around to see it, Kyoko let a wide smirk entertain her lips as she decided that there was one thing she could trust that would work.
"I think it's time I got my privacy back," she cheekily said to the camera.
Slowly pulling herself up from her bed and rising to her feet, Kyoko marched over to her closet, pulled out an old shirt and headed for the storage room to get some wall tacks.
Like an oversized shadow in the night, Hifumi Yamada silently made his way toward the bathhouse under the cover of…well the lights were always on but at least he felt as if it were under the cover of darkness!
"Soon, my precious…soon…" he whispered to himself as he slunk down the hallway.
The fanfic creator was thankful to the Elite Four Mangaka, whom he prayed to every night, that his room was at the far end of the dorm, around the corner and far removed from either Kyoko or Junko's rooms. Because of that, slipping out of his room and pursuing his quest was made that much easier, considering he could travel down the adjacent hall without being noticed. He'd been plotting this expedition ever since the men had finished bathing and returned to their respective rooms. At first, it was simply a whim, a tiny desire to have a burning questioned answered:
Would Alter Ego…consider him to be her Master as well?
Of course, he didn't mean to depose Miss Fujusaki from her place as the AI's creator and caretaker…but the temptation was far too great for him not to at least try. After all, aside from various dating sims and other visual novels, Hifumi had never been called anything as glorifying as 'Master'.
In fact, most pretty girls shied away from him entirely. He understood why…his overwhelming confidence and obvious talent were rather intimidating. And the rare girls that weren't intimidated by him, such as Miss Ludenberg, couldn't help but playfully tease and 'torment' him, a sign of affection that he had trouble responding to.
Indeed, girls like Celestia Ludenberg tended to keep their feelings bottled up, never revealing their true motive for their teasing. To him, however, it was obvious that Miss Ludenberg valued his skills highly. His tea making had significantly improved, and he wasn't so much a fool as to believe she found his tea as distasteful as she claimed. And while he appreciated that she was willing to listen to him drone on about manga and anime, he could see deep in her crimson eyes that she cared little for the subject.
Not to mention that, no matter how much he fantasized about it, a woman of Celestia Ludenberg's caliber would never deign to call him 'Master'.
"Not that I don't appreciate her abrasive affection, but being called a worthless slob or fat pig by a gothic tsundere can only take me so far…"
Because of that, even if he had to beg on his hands and knees for it, the fanfic creator was desperate for the AI program to call him thus. He knew it was a selfish thing to ask, but if he could hear the soft, angelic voice of Alter Ego calling him such a wonderful title…he could die a happy man.
Carefully making his way into the lobby area just outside the bathhouse, Hifumi glanced around mindfully before slinking under the bathhouse curtains.
Once inside, the steamy air of the bathhouse washed over him, opening his pores and causing sweat to trickle down his back. He ignored it, however, and proceeded to march straight toward the locker containing Alter Ego. Pulling open the door, he was unsurprised to see the screen completely black.
"Clearly, the princess awaits her knight to awaken her…" he whispered to himself, a confident smirk appearing on his face.
Reaching his dexterous fingers out, Hifumi tapped the 'space' key to test if the computer was on or just in sleep mode. Almost instantly, the laptop snapped to life, it's bright light momentarily blinding the fanfic creator. As his vision adjusted, he was pleasantly surprised to see that the object of his desire was already there…as if she had truly been waiting for his arrival.
"…Oh, hello!" Alter Ego cheerfully greeted, smiling sweetly at him. "It's nice to see you again, Hifumi!"
Lightly gasping from shock, the fanfic creator whispered, "…Ah, she remembers my name!"
Although he knew it shouldn't be that shocking, considering she was a computer program, the fact that this vision of 2D perfection actually dared to remember him made his heart leap! Every other woman, all of whom were entirely too 3-dimensional, never seemed to pay him much mind when he came to visit. However, this was the first time a young lady had seemingly been pleased to see him!
He had always claimed that 2D was far superior to 3D, and this was the crowning achievement of such a statement!
"Why can't all women be more like her?" Hifumi questioned, seething just a tiny bit. "Even a computer program can see just how amazing I am! Then again, it must understand that my love for 2D transcends time and space—!"
"Um…excuse me?" the soft voice of Alter Ego interrupted, bringing his attention back to her. "I'm afraid my external microphone is broken…I can't tell what you're saying…"
A flush of red invaded Hifumi's cheeks as embarrassment coursed through him. How could he be so rude as to keep a lovely lady waiting! Not to mention that the way she had said that was almost apologetic, which was absolutely adorable but at the same time something she didn't need to apologize for! After all, it was he who was being selfish, wanting to spend her valuable time conversing with him!
Taking to the keyboard, the fanfic creator quickly typed out his message to her:
[I apologize for disturbing you so late at night. I was just wondering if you would like to chat for a bit?]
As he entered that request, sudden indecision spread through him. He questioned if he was being too forward, asking a lady who was obviously working hard on decoding the files to spare some time for him…but it was too late now! The die had been cast and he waited to see what his roll would yield!
Gulping nervously as he watched Alter Ego glance down at the words he'd typed, the fanfic creator almost considered retracting his request before a soft giggle invaded his ears.
"Hehe…alright! What do you want to talk about?" the heavenly voice of Alter Ego asked him, a bright smile on her 2D face.
Almost against his will, Hifumi felt his heart swoon and he couldn't stop himself from typing:
[What do you know about…manga?]
Breathing heavily as Alter Ego looked over the message, the fanfic creator sweated even more fervently until the AI kindly answered him.
"…Master Fujisaki has little information on…manga," Alter Ego admitted, seemingly growing nervous for some reason. "…If you don't mind…would you tell me more about this…manga?"
As 'she' said that, the AI program's face visibly blushed, causing Hifumi's eyes to widen. Could it be that…this heavenly creature wished to learn the ways of the otaku?
What had begun as a simple test to see if the AI program would be willing to call him 'Master' had suddenly taken a strange but enchanted turn! And while he still hoped to ask Alter Ego to fulfill his desire at some point, right now, there was a young mind in front of him that needed artistic molding!
"And who better to educate her than the upcoming fourth member of the Elite Four!"
With zero hesitation, Hifumi's large hands rushed back to the keyboard and typed:
[Never fear, young one! The Ultimate Fanfic Creator is here to teach you all that needs to be known about not only manga…but anime and fanfiction as well!]
It was a bold declaration, he knew, but one that he had 100% confidence backing up! And unlike Miss Ludenberg, who only tolerated his unique hobbies, this beautiful maiden actually seemed invested in learning all he had to share about the amazing world of fandom!
Alter Ego barely had to scan his message before a brilliant smile overtook her features.
"…Really?! You'll teach me all of that?! Thank you so much, Hifumi! You're the best!"
The AI program's sudden praise flowed into his very being, causing the fanfic creator to fall even harder for the 2D princess trapped in this steamy castle. It was beyond a fantasy…it was a dream come true! No…it was destiny! Fate brought them together and he would let nothing and no one tear them apart! If the Mastermind themselves stood in the way of their budding romance…he wouldn't hesitate to kill them without mercy!
"Please tell me," Alter Ego eagerly questioned, obviously as impatient as he was. "What are you going to teach me first?"
The AI program's seemingly boundless curiosity lit a fire under Hifumi, stoking the fiery flames of his passion until it became a raging inferno of knowledge. With that vigor settling firmly into his heart, Hifumi set about educating the young AI program in the wonderful world of the otaku!
[Let me ask you this, young one…have you ever heard of Eroge?]
To Be Continued…
Greetings, my beautiful readers! Quite an interesting turn of events, wouldn't you say? But what will happen now? Will Kyoko uncover 'Junko' dark secret? Will Kyoko be able to unravel her own secrets? Will anyone be able to stop Hifumi before he corrupts the young and impressionable Alter Ego? You will have to wait until next time to find out!
I want to make a quick note about this story, some of which involves the DR 3 anime:
I know that thanks to the new anime, we've seen a great deal more about Mukuro. We've seen her as herself and gotten a good read on her behavior. Some of you have asked if that will change how my story will go. The answer is: no. The Mukuro in my story is as faithful to cannon as it can be, with of course a few deviations due to circumstances that only happened in my story. If you have concerns, please be sure to let me know. I value all of my reader's opinions.
Speaking of which, please leave a review/comment to let me know how you feel about this chapter or the story in general! With the DR 3 anime coming to a close, I'm eager to hear all of your opinions or ideas! Again, if you want to talk the anime, use the PM system, don't put spoilers in the reviews please. In either case, feel free to let me know if you have any questions!
Until next time, keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!