Chapter 19: Welcome to the Despair Club

The battle between Hope and Despair begins. What will MC and girls find out as they confront Libitina? As all five of them enter the classroom, they were all expecting the same old classroom they always knew since the beginning. A generic class with rows of student desks all a line with the teachers desk at the front. However when they entered, they didn't see their normal club room.

Monika: "What the? What happened to our club room?"

They all look around seeing nothing but sixteen desks all positioned in a circle. Similar to how they arrange the desk during club activities. The desks had no chairs and they were tall enough to reach their waist. It looked very similar to a game MC once played before. The game was about sixteen students surviving a killing game. As he looks at it, it felt like he was a part of the game himself. There were no windows to be seen and the door behind them vanished. There is nowhere to run this time. The design of the room looked more like a prison than a classroom.

Libitina: "Welcome everyone to our trial. I hope you found as much clues as you need, to know what's going on." Everyone looks where Libitina is, standing in one of the desks.

MC: "Libitina, what is your goal?"

Libitina: "Goal? That's easy to answer. My goal is to see the look of Despair in all of your faces when you face the truth about yourselves."

MC: (The truth about ourselves?)

Libitina: "Now shut up and take your seats. One of these desks has your names on them. When you find them we can begin our little trial."

Monika: "What is this trial you refer to?"

Libitina: "Come on Monika, you should know about this already? It's for our debate. However the rules are a bit different to how you handle it in The Debate Club."

With no more questions to ask all five of them looked for their desks. MC was assigned in the middle while Monika is one seat away from him on his right. Yuri was also one seat away from MC from his left. Libitina is located across from where MC is with Sayori one seat to the left of her and Natsuki one seat from her right. Every other desks remained empty.

Natsuki: "Hey how come the rest have name tags on them, but no one else is here?"

Libitina: "Don't worry about it. We'll get to them later. Now then let's get started shall we? The rules are simple. All of you will argue or agree with each other about certain questions. Provide proof with what you found and prove your claim and continue until you're all satisfied with the answer."

Natsuki: "Seriously, why can't we all just get up and kick your ass? There's five of us and one of you."

Libitina: "You could do that, but that won't work on me."

Natsuki: "Why not?"

Libitina: "You will all know soon enough. Now let's begin."

Sayori: "But where do we begin?"

Monika: "This is nothing like what I've been through?"

Libitina: "I told you before that this will be different than what your used to, but since I'm so nice I'll ask you all a question. I will be the one to ask the questions and all of you must try to answer them. Now my first question to you all is. What is the truth of this world you all stand on?"

Natsuki: "Easy! This is planet earth and we're all going to die cause it's the end of the world."

MC: "No I'm afraid that's wrong."

Natsuki: "What!? Well what else could it be Mars? Clearly this is earth or Earth-Chan. The point is this is earth. How can I be wrong?"

MC: "Your wrong because this isn't our earth."

Monika: "What do you mean?"

MC: "With all that's going on in here. I say this is a Virtual World."

Natsuki: "Virtual World? Like a game?"

Sayori: "Does this mean I can collect those shiny rings like Sanic?"

MC: "You mean Sonic, but yes. Technically you can."

Monika: "Do you have any proof about your claim?"

MC: "Yes I do." He pulls out the tablet from his backpack. "This is it right here."

Natsuki: "A tablet? What does that have to do with anything?"

MC: "This tablet contains info about the Virtual World or should I say The Anti-Despair Program."

Monika: "Where did you find that?"

MC: "I found it in your parents room. It was on top of their bed."

Monika: "It was there? Are you sure cause when I went in, it wasn't there before?"

MC: "Of course it wasn't there, because Libitina left it there. Libitina left behind clues for us to find, but left them in areas we never thought of looking. That's why I went through all of your houses. It was the last place we would look."

Monika: "I see so that's why you went in our houses. It was because she left them there knowing we wouldn't go back to our homes."

MC: "Exactly! The only reason I found out is because I looked through my house and thought the same could go to the others."

Monika: "Hmm smart." She smirks.

Yuri: "Michael could you tell us more about the info you found about this world?"

MC: "Yes of course. According to the info found in this tablet, it said that this was originally going to be a gaming world. The system was going to help people not only be a part of the game they enjoy so much, but to also give them real life experiences."

Natsuki: "Real life experiences? Like what?"

MC: "The best example it gave me was a Dating Simulators called Doki Doki. It was going to help single people gain more experience talking to others to form relationships. However the original creator Dan Salvator died before he could finish it."

Sayori: "That's so sad. It sounded like he had good intentions."

MC: "That's not where it leaves off. It also mentioned his son took over, but due to unknown recent events, it was changed to help people from depression and restore faith into them."

Natsuki: "Wait, if this is supposed to be a gaming world than why are we all here to begin with?"

MC: "I'm not sure just yet, but hopefully we'll find out soon enough."

Monika: "Well since we now have the answer, do any of you agree or disagree?"

Sayori: "Seem right."

Yuri: "I have no rebuttal."

Natsuki: "I guess so, but still this is stupid."

Libitina: "Alright then! Since you all agreed that this is a Virtual World, that means I can give you more info about it."

MC: "What, why didn't you do this sooner?"

Libitina: "Because you needed to know the world first before I could tell you about your memories. Oops did I say that out loud?"

Monika: "Our memories?"

Libitina: "Oh well might as well move on to my next question. Did you lose any of your memories? Don't worry I'll be helping you out on this. For example ask yourself this. How come Sayori and MC can't remember why they stopped seeing each other?"

Sayori: "Well it's because he … uh?"

Libitina: "See you don't remember. What about you Michael do you know the answer?"

MC: (I have proof that she's telling the truth, but by the tone in here voice it sounds as if she doesn't know that there is any evidence about it?)

Libitina: "Now do you understand? You all lost your memories, but I wouldn't let any of you lose all of them."

Yuri: "What do you mean?"

Libitina: "Let me give you a hint. It's something that only happens within the darkness that echoes in your ears."

Yuri: "Is that a riddle?"

Monika: "Something that happens in the darkness that echoes in to our ears?"

Natsuki: "Damnit! I don't know the answer. Ga! I always hated riddles."

Everyone remains silent trying to think of what Libitina said. The more they think about it the more frustrated they got.

MC: "Wait I think I know what you mean?"

Libitina: "Ha! I knew you would figure it out sooner or later."

Sayori: "What does she mean?"

MC: "She's referring to the nightmares we've been having every night."

Natsuki: "Really? I just thought they were just random nightmares."

Yuri: "That may be the case, but for all of us to have nightmares at the same time seems way too convenient."

Monika: "But if that's the case then how come we're all alive? Even if this is a Virtual World how come we can still see, smell, and touch?"

Sayori: "In our nightmares we all died. Maybe this is after life?"

MC: "No that's not it either."

Sayori: "Huh?"

Yuri: "Can you explain?"

MC: "The info of the Virtual World mentioned that we all can still feel, smell, hear, and see. Even if we died that's still impossible because the programing prevents us from dying in here and in real life."

Sayori: "Really? So even if we die in here, we won't die in the outside world?"

MC: "Correct, Dan Salvato knew something like this could happened and made sure to deal with that flaw as soon as possible."

Yuri: "So it's true that we all died here before, but how and why?"

Libitina: "Before we get to that. I have a couple of questions for Michael to answer."

MC: "What, why me?"

Libitina: "Because you've seen all of them. You had nightmares that involve all four of them."

MC: "Oh right."

Monika: "Each of us dreamt that we died separately, but if Michael dreamt of all four of us, could this mean there's more to the truth?"

Libitina: "Ok Michael tell me who is the girl that hangs herself?"

MC: (Hmm, the girl her hangs herself? At first I couldn't see their faces until recently, but now I know. I just got to think back of who is who.) "The girl who hangs herself is Sayori. However I did remember seeing Natsuki do it one time before."

Sayori: "You saw that? I always thought it was just me?"

Natsuki: "Wait I hung myself before?"

Libitina: "That's correct! The little sunshine hangs herself because she couldn't handle the rainclouds. Moving on. Which girl is seen broken and is mostly seen with her neck snapped?"

MC: (Hmm there's no doubt it's her. A girl seen broken.) "That would be Natsuki due to her abusive father."

Libitina: "Ding, ding, you got it right again! Natsuki would be beaten to death by her father. Don't worry it's his way of showing love."

Natsuki: "Oh Fu…"

Libitina: "Next up is the girl who drowns in her own blood! She is usually seen with a knife. Can you figure that one?"

MC: (I know who that is. Considering that I witness that earlier not once, but twice.) "The girl who drowns in her own blood by stabbing herself would have to be Yuri."

Libitina: "Your on fire! That's correct. The girl who drowns in her own blood is the big titty edge lord Yuri."

Yuri: "I-I'm not edgy."

Libitina: "Last one! Who is the girl that begs for death only to receive it later after she declares her love?"

MC: (The more I think about it, the more it sounds like a meme.) "That would have to be Monika."

Libitina: "Just Monika! That's right. Oh and here's a question for the girls. Who is the boy that is helpless to do anything? That's right its Michael!"

Yuri: "We didn't answer yet?"

Libitina: "I got bored of waiting for you all to answer. I mean come on! Keep up with the times."

Yuri: "Wait if we did lose all of our memories then does that mean …"

Libitina: "Yup! You all met once before. The only reason why some of you kept memories of certain events is because the Virtual World only took away the memories of your time in the club and beyond. Memories that you had before you joined the club are still intact except for the time skip between Michael and Sayori."

Natsuki: "Then if we have been in here for a long time then … how old am I?"

Yuri: "How long have we've been in here?"

Sayori: "I'm starting to freak out!"

MC: "Calm down."

Sayori: "No! I refuse to believe what any of you say. Us losing our memories? Those nightmares being our memories. This video game world. It all lies!"

MC: "Sayori" MC looks at her with regret.

Sayori: "Please tell me it's all just one big prank? Tell me it's just a joke!"

MC: "I'm sorry Sayori, but it isn't."

Sayori: "You're a bully MC! Stop playing me like I'm dumb! Meanie!"

Libitina: "Now this is what I want to see." "You all lost your memories. End of story."

Sayori: "No, no, no! it's all lies!"

MC: (Sayori … you left me with no other choice. If we're going to move on then I have to force the truth on you.)

Sayori: "Stop it! Just stop it!" Sayori kept yelling, denying the truth she's been shown. The other girls could understand why she's acting this way, but they knew that they had to accept this. Sayori would keep arguing with MC. With no room to waste time, MC had no other choice, but to show her one last proof that they did lose their memories. "Stop treating me like an idiot!"

MC: (I'm sorry, but I have to stop you now. If I don't we can't move on. Please forgive me.) "Sayori! If you won't accept the truth then I'll force you to face it with your diary!"

Seeing the diary in his hand Sayori knew that there was no lies. With the truth at her face all Sayori could do is burst into tears and fall to her knees knowing that everything she just heard is the truth.

Monika: "What is that a book?"

MC: "Its Sayori's diary. It contains stuff that occurred during our time separated and after I joined the club."

Natsuki: "Then does that mean she wrote down what occurred up to now?"

MC: "Not quite. Everything she wrote is different than how it went."

Yuri: "Could you give us an example?"

MC: "One of the diary entries talked about how I joined the club. You all know that I joined the same day I visited."

Monika: "Yes that is correct."

MC: "However in the diary entry it said that I didn't join until the next day after I visited."

Natsuki: "So instead of joining us immediately like you did, you gave us an answer the next day?"

MC: "Yeah, but there's more. There are also future events that occurred after I joined, but they took place months after. One of the entries took place in November 2017. If you look at today's date, it's only October second 2017."

Natsuki: "Are you sure about that?"

MC: "What do you mean?"

Natsuki: "I mean, what if she just messed up with the dates?"

MC: "Sayori can be a bit of an air head, but I doubt she could mess up on the dates."

Monika: "Then what she says is true?"

MC: "Sayori I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Yuri: "That still raises the question to how long we've been in here?"

Libitina: "Well since you all accepted the truth it's time for me to tell you more about your memories. At this time it has been three years since you all were at high school. However you all been in this world for about one year."

Yuri: "Wait three years?"

Natsuki: "It's been three years since we all left school and one year of torture in this hell hole?"

Libitina: "Yup and all those feelings you all been having is most likely your bodies reacting to seeing each other again. Even though your meeting for the first time."

Yuri: "That explains the nostalgia I've been feeling."

MC: "Well since all that is settled. Do any of you have a rebuttal?"

Monika: "No I accepted it."

Yuri: "Me as well."

Natsuki: "I don't have a choice, but to accept the truth. Sayori?" Sayori nods in agreement while she wipes away her tears.

Yuri: "I do have one more question, how is the world of ours look like the town we all know?"

Libitina: "For the sake of time, I'll tell you. The program is able to replicate areas you've been to and seen using your memories. Thanks to that, everything you saw and been to looks exactly like how you remembered. Aw yes, the school you go to, the beach you visit during the summers, the bleacher where you go to do naughty things. Everything is so wonderfully accurate."

Natsuki: "I did not need to hear that last part." She says as MC looks at Libitina intensely.

Monika: "What's wrong?"

MC: "Something about her seems off?"

Monika: "How so?"

MC: "I don't know, but it feels like there's more to her she's not telling us?"

Monika :"What are you trying to say?"

Libitina: "Hey why are you looking at me like that Michael?"

MC: "Just who the hell are you?"

Libitina: "Huh?"

MC: "I mean are you really Libitina?"

Libitina: "Where are you getting at little boy?"

MC: "With everything I found and see, are we sure you're really Libitina?"

Libitina: "You dare call me a fake!?" She says with a threatening tone.

Yuri: "A fake?"

Natsuki: "Try not to make her mad Michael." She says nervously.

MC: "I will not stand down. I know for a damn fact that you're a fake."

Libitina: "… If your claiming that I'm a fake then prove it to me. Show me the proof that I'm not Libitina right here right now!"

MC: (Being stubborn? No matter, I will prove to you and everyone else that you're a fake.) "You want proof? Then I'll give it to you!"

Libitina: "Then bring it."

End of Chapter 19