Despite the only space to sleep available being the damp, hard concrete, Shiori crashed into dreamless sleep after Mr. Saiki left. She wasn't sure what that said about her, but she didn't care. Everything about this day so far had been exhausting, and the day was only a little more than halfway over. And the nap hadn't even helped! She woke up feeling groggy and sore. Looking around, she saw that the barracks had emptied out quite a bit. In fact, besides her, the only ones who remained were Rika (still asleep), and Karen (sitting awkwardly nearby but not quite close).
Deciding she didn't feel like leaving to find anyone else, Shiori joined Karen in her watch over Rika. "How's she doing?"
Karen started slightly. "Oh! She's still asleep. But the fever isn't getting worse. I wish I had… expertise? In the uh, treatment of—" She cut herself off with a frustrated sigh. "I don't know what to do."
"I guess we just… do what we can," Shiori said sympathetically. "But until she wakes up, mind if I keep you company?"
"Ah, sure," Karen replied. She seemed surprised. "I would have thought you'd want to go find your friends."
Shiori pursed her lips. Kashie got really stressed out during the arguments earlier, so she deserves a break. Gorou's having a hard time, and Isao… this motive is really affecting him. Maybe we just need some time…
In the end, she just said, "They'll be fine. Besides, we're friends too, right? Or uh, I'd like to be."
Karen gave a timid smile at that. "I'd like that too."
Letting herself grin, Shiori bumped Karen slightly. "Well, I think I owe you a literature discussion. You always seemed interested, so now we can actually do it!"
They spent a while talking about various books they'd read. Shiori quickly noticed that, though Karen seemed genuinely interested in what Shiori had to say, her own responses tended to fall into rambly messes of misused vocabulary.
KAREN: … But enough about what you have read. I'd love to hear about your own works, Shiori. They must… surely be works of uh, grandiose and… acromatic import—
SHIORI: Karen, you know you don't have to do that.
KAREN: Do… that?
SHIORI: Talk me up so much. I'm not actually a famous author or anything. Just… someone who likes to write. And…
SHIORI: And you don't need to use words you don't really know in order to sound smart. But uh, can I say that tactfully?
[A: It's okay to still be learning.]
B: Maybe let up on the thesaurus...
C: Who told you to use big words all the time?
SHIORI: … it's okay to still be learning. I try not to compare myself to really well known writers, or… force myself to be something else to imitate them.
KAREN: But… don't you worry about being taken seriously? Self improvement is the only way to grow.
SHIORI: Anyone who gives me a bad time about not being perfect isn't worth my time. I'd rather own that I'm still learning than hide it… because then any time I get something wrong, I'd end up feeling guilty for not knowing yet.
KAREN: That's— hmm. I hadn't thought of that. I… just wanted to be someone smart. Someone people thought knew important, respectable things.
SHIORI: Can I ask why?
KAREN: I… something happened. I'd been learning Jujutsu from my father for years, but… he got hurt in a fight. And… not in a normal fight. So I wanted to distance myself from it. From what hurt him.
SHIORI: ...I'm so sorry.
KAREN: I'm… working through it. Heh, thought I had worked through it… guess it's okay to still be working on things, right?
SHIORI: Right.
They lapsed back into relative silence, just a bit of wind and rustling from the trees outside. But no sooner than Shiori had settled, Rika finally stirred under the blanket. She opened her eyes blearily and peered up at them. "Shiori…? Karen…? How'd I get inside?"
"Mr. Saiki carried you in," said Shiori. "How're you feeling?"
Rika slowly sat up. "Tired… and kinda fuzzy? Does that make sense?"
"It's probably the fever," said Karen. She grabbed the bottle of aspirin and a bottled water. "Here, take one of these. It should help."
Rika nodded gratefully, quickly took a pill and washed it down with the water. She made to stand, but Shiori gently pushed her back down.
"You're still sick; you should rest." Shiori gave a concerned look. "There's no rush."
Rika blinked, a bit bewildered. "Oh. Oh yeah; guess you're right."
Karen began to slowly back away sheepishly, in what Shiori thought was an attempt to slip away. But Rika saw her and grabbed her hand. "Wait!"
Karen blushed, refusing to look at her. "Rika, I—"
"I wanna say sorry!" Rika interrupted. "I shouldn't have yelled at you before. You were trying to help… and I shouldn't have called you a coward for not using jujutsu anymore. You have reasons, and I should have respected that…"
"That doesn't excuse what I said!" Karen cried. "I dismissed your problems and what you wanted. I thought I knew better and that wasn't fair!" Her breath hitched. "And… you were actually right. I have been a coward…"
Rika slowly stood and pulled Karen into a hug. Within moments both girls were blubbering and muttering softly to each other. Shiori took that as a cue to leave. They could use some space. It's not my place to intrude…
Outside the barracks, Shiori took a breath of the damp air. The sun filtered through the clouds overhead, giving the woods an enchanted appearance. She allowed herself the pleasure of squishing the wet earth between her bare toes. Then she refocused. Okay, what do we still need? We've got food, shelter, warmth… Entertainment? I guess, but there's plenty we can do on that front. What else…? She stretched her sore back. Something better to sleep on! That floor is concrete, and I don't trust those cots… She considered scrounging around for some soft plants they could dry off and put under sheets as makeshift mattresses. Then she thought about how much she'd have to gather to have enough for everyone.
"Nope!" She said out loud. "I am not doing that all by myself."
"Careful, fearless leader," came the sarcastically chiding voice of Take from above and behind her, "If you go crazy, the whole group's gonna fall apart."
Shiori jumped, turned around, and shouted, "Oh my god, you're trying to scare me on purpose, aren't you?"
Take just gave a smug wave as he leaned out the window. "Not my fault you weren't paying attention."
Are you trying to make me hate you more? 'Cause you're really doing a great job, dude. Rolling her eyes, she simply replied, "Ha ha, very funny. Also, thinking out loud! It is not that weird!"
"Girl, I'm just messing with you. You're way too fun to get flustered." With a laugh, Take ducked away from the window.
Shiori gave out a long, exasperated groan and looked up at the sky. "Why? Why is he like this?"
At that moment, Kashie came out from the deeper part of the forest, arms full of objects Shiori couldn't identify. "Um… who?"
Shiori straightened up. "Oh! Geez, you startled me. Take's just being… Take."
"Ah, yeah. He uh, feels like he's harder to deal with now that he isn't hanging out with anyone?" Kashie said. "Oh! I don't know if these'll be that helpful, but…" She held out her arms. When Shiori looked closer, she realized Kashie was only holding a few things, but each seemed stranger than the last; a notebook, a pair of binoculars, a barometer, a rusty knife, and a rifle.
That last one made Shiori nervous. "Where'd you even find this stuff?"
"See, when we, uh, found the barracks, I immediately wondered, 'Where's the rest of the buildings? There'd never be a barracks all by itself.' So I kinda… wandered around the woods trying to find the other buildings?"
"Kashie! That's dangerous!" Shiori scolded.
Kashie bit her lip, then took a breath. "I… told everyone where I was going. Well, everyone who was still around and awake when I left… Okay, that basically just means Isao, Karen, and Ikeda. But I'm not stupid. I didn't go under any unstable roofs or on any stairs. I just wanted to see if there was anything useful left behind. And uh, at least some of this could be nice to have around, right?"
"I mean… I guess?" Shiori conceded, but couldn't help blurting out, "Is the gun really necessary though?"
"We don't know how long we'll be stuck out here, and Homura can shoot…" Kashie grimaced slightly. "It seemed… like a waste to not at least bring it? But it might not even be worth anything if there aren't any bullets."
I still don't like it: feels like tempting fate… Shiori sighed. "I don't wanna think about having to eat seagulls. But yeah, better to have it. So these were in one of the other buildings?"
"More like the rubble around one." Kashie shuffled her feet, then gulped. "I… was actually too scared to go inside most of them. I… the buildings looked bombed out, and I didn't… I've already seen enough dead bodies. I don't need to add skeletons."
"Oh god, I didn't even think of that," Shiori whispered, then gave a shaky laugh. "It's so weird to think about? That I've seen more dead bodies than anyone I know at home."
Kashie returned the awkward laughter. "The only dead person I'd seen before this was my grandma, but she was all properly prepared for the funeral."
"I wish I could talk to my mom about this," Shiori admitted. "She had a sister who died when they were both teenagers. I'm uh, actually named after her. So maybe she'd have some advice, or could at least sympathise."
"Oh gosh," said Kashie. "That's awful… but when we get out of this, I'm glad you have someone to talk to."
"Yeah!" Shiori gave Kashie a friendly nudge. "You talk things out with your parents too, okay?"
Kashie stiffened, and looked away from Shiori, back down at what she was carrying. "I, uh, I should… get these inside." Then she bolted into the barracks.
Shiori was left slightly dumbfounded. "Oh… okay." What happened? Is… is her relationship with her parents bad? Didn't she say her mom helped her cheat at a competition once? Wait, is that a good sign or a bad one? And she's never even mentioned her dad? God, this is so hard. Having a gut feeling 'something bad' happened to someone doesn't translate well into actually knowing how to help…
This left Shiori without a clear direction to go. She really didn't want to go back inside, but she had no idea what to do outside either. In the end, she decided to find a relatively dry place to sit and do some writing. Taking in the scenery around the barracks, Shiori eventually found a boulder that had dried from the rain. She took a seat. So glad I took my Monopad with me this morning. Now then...
And so, Shiori threw herself into writing. It wasn't very good; just word vomit, not even anything original. She just wrote the fluffiest, stupidest, most self indulgent thing she'd ever done, and she loved every moment of it. Writing therapy! Gotta love it.
When she finally finished she saw the shadows of the forest had grown much longer and the woods much darker. Uh-oh, better get back before I get lost… She stood to begin heading to the barracks when she heard the sounds of footsteps. Jumping in fright, she spun around to come face to face with Seihiko.
"Oh geez!" he said, stepping back. "I didn't see you! It's too dark out here, and I thought I heard thunder again."
"Well, better not waste any time then!" Shiori managed to strike a confident pose. "Onward!"
Seihiko hesitated a bit, but then shrugged. "Onward, I guess!"
As the two made their way back through the woods, at first they kept the conversation focused on navigation, but as the trees began to thin out, Shiori paused.
SHIORI: Hoo, I need a second to catch my breath. How are you able to keep such a good pace?
SEIHIKO: You wouldn't think so, but I actually need some good stamina for yo-yo competitions. Not just the routines, but the whole day is an ordeal.
SHIORI: See, I haven't even done that many writing competitions, but for those you just… Well, you submit what you wrote, then wait. Unless you win, you don't even have to do the award day. But you have to wait around for the results the entire day of! Isn't that hard?
SEIHIKO: I guess. I try to just… focus on how I can improve for next time, not on my exact placing… It's hard, though. The whole thing, honestly.
SHIORI: So… what's the hardest part?
A: Waiting? And waiting and waiting...
[B: Seeing the competition?]
C: Trying to find the best snacks?
SHIORI: For me, it'd be seeing the competition. It's easier to feel like I'm not being directly compared to people if I don't have to actually see them…
SEIHIKO: That's… yeah. I watch the performances, if only to learn from them, but… usually only after I've performed. Then, at least, the nerves don't affect my score.
SHIORI: That sounds smart. I try not to compare myself to others, but it can feel weird to see something from someone else and think, 'But I want to be like that.' At least I don't have to talk to them… Wait, do you have to talk to your competition?
SEIHIKO: I don't have to, but they're chill, for the most part… and the ones that aren't, I avoid.
Seihiko's face hardened at that.
SHIORI: I know yo-yo isn't really a sport, or uh, not a sport like football is, but are rivalries a thing?
SEIHIKO: …A rival? Well, I guess you could call him that. But he is not one of the chill ones.
SHIORI: Uh-oh. Like, 'not-chill' as in…?
SEIHIKO: As in, he has an ego the size of a mountain, and is thoroughly unpleasant to be around. God, there was one time—!
SHIORI: Oof, he must be bad. I don't think I've ever heard you sound so mad.
He immediately stiffened, then cleared his throat.
SEIHIKO: Uh, yeah. Unfortunately, he makes a point of always finding me if we're at the same competition. He's been winning more recently, too, so that just makes him extra smug.
SHIORI: Well, I know you can beat him! You're gonna be number one, and that'll show him!
SEIHIKO: Heh heh, yeah… Sure, that'll show him…
SHIORI: What's with that tone? Why does it sound like you'd rather keep losing...?
Before the two had the chance to continue talking, they arrived back at the barracks. As they entered, Shiori saw that Mr. Saiki had returned. And, apparently, the longer wait this time around was because he had cooked dinner for all of them. A noodle casserole, curry and rice, plus a thermos of what looked like hot cocoa. Mr. Saiki slowly poured the hot beverage into styrofoam cups. Plus, combined with the various other fresh things he'd brought to refill their stock, the students had plenty of food for an impromptu picnic.
"Oh my god?!" Shiori cried in delight. "How did you even get this all here?!"
"Multiple trips," said Mr. Saiki. "Now, come get some before it gets cold."
Shiori stepped up eagerly to fill a paper plate, but Seihiko hesitated for a second. "Why did you do this? It would have been easier to just bring us more of the pre-made stuff."
Mr. Saiki gave a slightly sly smile. "I could have, true. But, it wouldn't have been warm. It's probably gonna storm again tonight, so I wanted to give you guys something nice before you have to deal with that."
"...Huh." Seihiko paused. Shiori supposed that must have satisfied him, because he then joined her in filling a plate. However, as soon as he was done, he asked, "Is Homura here?"
"She took her food upstairs," replied Gorou, who sat against the wall with his own plate. "Where were you? She won't even come near us if you're not around."
For a second Seihiko seemed a bit ashamed, but then he straightened up. "I needed some air, dude. And, lay off Homura. She's just scared." He walked up the stairs in a huff.
It was then that Shiori noticed exactly who else was in the room: namely Rika, Karen, Gorou, Kashie, and Isao. Rika and Karen sat in the corner closest to the bathrooms, while the others gathered around one of the makeshift lights to the right of the stairs. Shiori felt her guts twist just for a second before she made her way to her friends. What's wrong with me? We're still friends, even if all of this stuff is happening… Right?
As she sat down, she saw Mr. Saiki starting to put all the food away. "Wait, were Seihiko and I the last ones to get food?"
"Um-hm," said Isao through a mouthful of curry. "Everybody else is upstairs."
"Well that's a relief," Shiori sighed, then she called back to Mr. Saiki, "Don't forget to give yourself food again!"
Mr. Saiki chuckled. "I made myself a plate, see?" He held up a plate of food. "So I'll be eating this out in the fresh air before the storm hits."
"No! Sit with us!" Shiori patted the ground next to her.
Mr. Saiki looked skeptically at her, then at the others. Shiori glanced back and saw that Gorou eyed the counselor suspiciously, while Kashie seemed worried and Isao pointedly ignored the conversation in favor of his meal. In the end, Mr. Saiki said, "I think it's better if I don't," and exited before Shiori could protest.
Instead, she turned to Gorou. "What was that about? Why do glare at him so much? He could have sat with us instead of all by himself!"
"Isn't it kinda weird for him to sit with us, though?" Gorou replied. "He's older than us, plus as the camp's counselor he has authority over us."
"But he's cool!" Shiori insisted. "Don't tell me you actually believe that recording Monokuma played."
"That doesn't change my point. Monokuma is still his boss and we don't have to buddy up with him." Gorou punctuated his point by biting into his sandwich.
Shiori gaped at him for a second. "Why, though? What has he done that makes you not trust him?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing…" Snatching up his plate, Gorou stood. "I just don't put my trust in people easily, especially people who act like they know what's best for me. Well then. I'm making sure the rain won't get in while we sleep." He left the group without another word.
"Wait, but—! I mean—! Uuugh!" Shiori buried her face in her hands with a small, frustrated scream. "I wish I could just convince everyone that Mr. Saiki is a good guy!"
"That's part of why the argument earlier went nowhere," said Isao, having finished his meal. "It's hard to prove intentions…"
Sighing, Shiori lowered her hands. "At least I know you and Kashie are with me…"
"It's hard," Kashie admitted. "I mean… I do think Mr. Saiki is a good person. He's uh, been really kind and helpful to me when I needed it. But that doesn't really help anyone else who hasn't had those experiences with him. And if you… if you're already predisposed to… be wary of people's intentions, it's harder to get past that. Monokuma certainly hasn't helped."
"But, that's the thing!" Shiori objected. "Why would anyone believe that recording? It's freaking Monokuma! He's been awful and manipulative since the beginning!"
Isao, meanwhile, fiddled awkwardly with a food wrapper. "And… I mean, when I think about it, the recording did sound kinda weird. I wouldn't be surprised if it was edited."
Shiori pointed emphatically. "Yes! Exactly! I knew you'd get it, Isao. You know Mr. Saiki is trustworthy."
"... Right," Isao murmured, looking down at his lap.
"Isao?" Shiori asked as she scooted closer, concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he said immediately, going back to meeting her eyes. "I, uh… Of course I'm with you. I don't think Mr. Saiki is… really willing, in this."
"So what's the problem?" She leaned forward.
"There isn't one."
"Then why are you so nervous?"
Isao turned, standing up. "Shiori, please—"
"Something is clearly bothering you!" She rose to meet him before he could walk away. "You can tell me!"
"I'd really rather not." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Look, I don't know what you want from me. I said I don't think he's working with Monokuma."
Shiori stomped her foot. "That feels like a lie!"
"Well it's not."
"Then tell me! Tell me you trust him."
Isao's face harded. "That's not the same."
"Ah! Ah ah ah! So you don't trust him!" Shiori's words tumbled out before she could stop them. Instantly her hands flew to her mouth.
There was a horrible, silent moment. It was then that Shiori noticed that sometime while she'd been focused on the argument, Kashie had fled, taking refuge with Rika and Karen in the corner.
Finally, Isao turned back to her. "Look," he said, "There's a world of difference between 'not working with a murder-obessed bear' and 'someone I can trust.' Can we just drop the subject, please?"
Shiori felt like she was in a fog. How did I not realize this was how he felt? How did I get so worked up? I thought we were getting closer. "Can you… Can you tell me why you don't trust him? I… I won't judge. Or try to change your mind!"
"God, Shiori, don't…" He sounded so defeated. "Please, just stop."
"Oh…" Shiori felt a hard lump forming her throat. "So… you don't trust me either, do you, Isao?"
Isao opened and closed his mouth several times, searching for the right words. "I can't answer that. You're my friend, and I know you're not gonna hurt anyone. But there's stuff I just…can't tell you. Or anyone. But, I want to? But also, I don't. You're… confusing. I don't know what else to say. 'Night, Shiori..." With that he fled up the stairs.
A sniff, a hitch in her breath, and Shiori dropped to the floor with a sob. God, I messed up. Now he probably hates me on top of not trusting me.
Out of the corner, she noticed Remy and Kenji had come back down the stairs. Kenji hung close to Remy, clearly uncomfortable. Remy remained unflappable as he glanced at Shiori. "Shiori, are you crying?" he asked, point-blank.
Unable to force words out of her clenched throat, Shiori opted for a nod. She took a shaky breath.
"Does it have to do with Isao?" Kenji whispered, leaning close. While she appreciated his attempt at discretion, she just ended up sobbing harder.
Kenji drew back and looked to Remy, clearly out of his depth. Remy, for his part, also seemed to be at a loss for what to do. Glancing down, he picked up one of the blankets and awkwardly threw it over Shiori's head. It completely covered her face.
"Oh my god?" Despite herself, Shiori laughed as she pulled the blanket off and looked back at the two boys. "Uh… thank you?"
"Blankets are good for when you feel sad." Remy's attempt at a comforting voice came out in the same monotone as always. But, there was a clear effort put into trying to help, all the same.
Kenji pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I'm getting Kashie…"
"No need!" Shouted Rika, suddenly right at Shiori's side. "Sorry we didn't rush over right away; we needed to get supplies!" She immediately wrapped a second blanket around Shiori's shoulders, and thrust a cup of hot chocolate into her hands. Then she looked her right in the eyes. "Do I need to go kick Isao's butt for you? Because I like him, but if he made you cry—"
"Please don't!" Shiori said, still blubbering. "It was my fault, anyway. I pushed him to talk when he really didn't want to, and, and it's not his fault he doesn't trust me or Mr. Saiki. It's— I thought he must have gone through some stuff before, so now—"
"Having gone through stuff doesn't mean he can be a jerk," Kenji pointed out. "Actually, in that case, I should, uh, apologize for how I acted when we first got to the island, so… Sorry, I guess."
"He wasn't being a jerk though…" Shiori sighed. "I just wish he could trust me. Like, really trust me. We're friends; he said so. But it feels like something is making it so he can't trust us… How does that even happen?"
Kashie and Karen, who stood just behind Rika, exchanged a glance. "Caution like that is something you learn," said Kashie softly, taking a seat beside Shiori. "When… someone you should be able to rely on fails you, really fails you, it— it breaks something. If you can't trust them, how can you trust anyone, really?"
"Huh." Furrowing her eyebrows, Shiori sipped her hot chocolate. "It kinda feels bad to say, but Isao just seemed too normal for that to have occurred to me. Even with the food thing, I just thought he might have been poor as a kid. When I think of people who've been… hurt by someone, I think of—"
"—Someone like me?" Kashie finished.
Shiori blinked in surprise. "I, uh, I mean, that wasn't what I was gonna say." If I was gonna call someone out, it honestly might have been Gorou. Wait, is he still here? A quick glance confirmed that yes, he was, but he seemed to have made himself a personal fort in one corner by the shower room.
"But that's the image right?" Shiori snapped back to Kashie, who huddled into her coat. "Someone quiet, and shy, and unconfident. It's uh… it's a stereotype for a reason. And…" She took a breath, then straightened up a bit. "... In my case, it's not wrong. I don't wanna get into it, but my dad isn't… super supportive, I guess. And sometimes it still feels too good to be true, having friends here. So I kinda get it, is what I'm saying?"
Shiori sniffled, her tears returning. "Oh Kashie… That's so awful. But also thank you for sharing, and— Oof!"
Her sentence had been cut off by Rika engulfing both of them in a hug. "No more sadness!" she declared. "I wish I could just go and beat up everybody who hurt you guys, but I can't, so have hugs instead." Looking over at Remy, Kenji, and Karen, she gave them a nod. "Get in here! This hug isn't just for people who are sad, or, uh, had sad things happen? I don't know. Just c'mere!"
Kenji shuffled awkwardly as Karen blushed. Remy just sort of looked at everyone and said, "Do you guys all have sad pasts?"
Rika frowned. "Hug! Now!"
The group settled into more casual conversation after that. It wasn't like any sleepover Shiori had been to, but it was fun nonetheless. Karen had loosened up considerably since that afternoon, even letting her hair down into a ponytail instead of it's usual bun. Kenji and Remy managed to relax as well, and Shiori couldn't help but spot the way Remy's hand often found its way to Kenji's. After a while, the gardener hardly even seemed to notice. Kashie stayed fairly quiet, but she smiled a lot.
Still, after the craziness of the day, Shiori couldn't help but yawn. "Guys, I'm beat. Let's see if we can get any sleep."
"Aw," Rika whined.
"None of that," Karen scolded. "It's important to get good sleep, especially considering we, well, don't have anything but blankets."
"We don't even have to change," said Remy. "We're still in our pajamas."
"Wish we could shower, though," added Kenji.
Kashie glanced to one of the blocked windows. "If you're desperate, sounds like the rain has picked up again."
Kenji shook his head. "One trip in the rain is enough for me today, thanks."
As everyone settled into different nooks and crannies, Shiori pondered. "I need to talk to Isao tomorrow, don't I?"
"I mean, if you wanna fix things," said Kashie. "We should talk to Gorou too… just a big, long talk. I'd uh, I'd say we should have Mr. Saiki come to help, but that might make things more awkward than they need to be."
Shiori made a small lean into Kashie's shoulder. "Thanks, for everything today. It feels like things aren't falling apart as much as they could have."
Blushing slightly, Kashie murmured, "Time to get some sleep."
The two girls wrapped their blankets tight and closed their eyes.
A huge clap of thunder awoke Shiori with a start. Because they'd put out the makeshift lights and blocked the windows, the storm made the barracks completely pitch black. Careful not to wake Kashie beside her, she pulled out her Monopad to check the time. 4:24 am? Despite waking suddenly, Shiori felt wide awake. Guess that afternoon nap threw off my sleep schedule. But what can I even do until everyone wakes up?
The rain and wind raged outside, filling the space with nearly deafening noise. Despite this, Shiori thought she heard a few voices nearby. She couldn't make out all the words, but it sounded like Kenji and… Seihiko? When did he come down here?
"...know we aren't, friends or anything; you don't…"
"Look, I just don't know why… inseparable at this point."
"...part of the uh, problem. Er, not problem, uh… God, why is this so hard?"
"Dude, you're shaking." That was definitely Seihiko.
"...getting over this… Thought I could finally…"
Another crack of thunder. Shiori picked up the conversation again.
"...it's terrifying and… you'd understand."
"'Cause I'm gay?"
Shiori balked. I should not be hearing this! What do I do? Crap crap crap...
"How—? How can you just say that?"
"Oh, shit— Oh fuck!"
At that moment Shiori heard a new noise; creaking, and then a crash from above. She looked up, and through the darkness saw a strange, looming shape on the stairs. With her Monopad in hand, she turned the screen around to light the way. The upper half of the stairs was now blocked by a giant tree, fallen through the wall. All around her she could hear people shouting. The voices above were indistinct through the sounds of the storm, but behind her she could pick out—
"What's happening?" Kenji cried.
"Huh? Where is everyone?" That was Kashie.
"Why's everyone yelling?" Gorou sounded like he'd just woken up.
"Something just fell through the wall!" Seihiko just sounded panicked.
Shiori took a deep breath and shouted as loud as she could, "Are you guys okay!?"
More shouting, but through the cacophony she made out Isao's voice. "I'm fine, but I can't find anyone else! It's too loud, and the wind's knocking the—" Several metallic crashing sounds interrupted him. Shiori jumped as similar crashes rang out behind her.
Kashie came over to her side. "The cots are getting blown in!"
"Can you get down?!" Shiori called up to Isao.
"No!" he replied. "The tree's in the way!"
They're all stuck! And the storm is just getting worse! Her mind buzzed with possible solutions, but doubts stopped her in her tracks.
Before she could make a decision, Kashie pulled her back down the stairs. "We have to take cover!" Kashie had to truly scream now to be heard over the storm. "We'll get them down after the storm starts to let up!"
Shiori glanced back up towards the tree, but nodded as the two hunkered down in the closest corner away from the windows. If we did it now, more people could get hurt. Besides, it shouldn't take too long for the storm to pass, right?
The storm did eventually begin to fade, but after several hours and a half-asleep foot, it had definitely been 'too long' by Shiori's standards. As soon as there was enough light to make out the door, Shiori rushed for it. We gotta get a ladder, and the only place that might have one is the mess hall. Which means we need Mr. Saiki.
Just as she threw open the door, someone crashed into her. Stumbling down the stairs out of the barracks, she turned. It was Gorou. For a second they just blinked at each other. Then he said, "Well? Are we figuring out how to get people down or what?"
"Yeah," she replied. "The only place I can think would have a ladder is the mess hall."
"Then let's go." And with that he began walking.
Despite being the same height, Shiori had trouble keeping up with Gorou's pace. Once she'd finally caught up to him, she thought, I'd rather have this conversation with everyone here, but we've gotta clear the air or I'm gonna explode.
"Hey Gorou?" When he stopped and turned to her, Shiori gulped. "I, uh, just wanna make sure we're… cool, and everything."
He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, we're fine. Why wouldn't we be?"
"... Because last time we talked, you got really mad and kinda stormed off?"
"Oh, right." Gorou deflated slightly. "Look, I don't care if you trust or like Mr. Saiki. That's your business. I'm just… not planning on being buddy-buddy with him."
"Is it really just because Monokuma's in charge of him?" she pressed. "I know you were really defensive when we first got to the island, so I can see why that recording might have uh, reaffirmed some doubts? But—"
Gorou laughed. Not a nice laugh, or even a mocking one. It sounded more surprised than anything else. "It reaffirmed exactly one thing, and this might shock you; Mr. Saiki has no fucking clue what he's doing."
"Why would you say that?" asked Shiori, a little incredulous. "He always gives really good advice, and is super comforting and supportive."
"Doesn't change the fact he's clueless," Gorou countered. "You want me to be completely honest? I'm almost 100% certain he got kidnapped just like us, and that Monokuma's threatening him into being the camp 'counselor.' If Mr Saiki's been trying to help us, he's blown his chances now."
She gaped. "Wait, wait wait wait! If you think he's good then why—?"
"Let me finish. Remember the last trial, when Mr. Saiki went off on Monokuma? Sure, it might endear him to us, but then, why do you think Monokuma decided to play that recording right after that?"
"To undo all the progress Mr. Saiki made with getting our trust!" said Shiori. "I know!"
"Yeah, and to punish him!"
Shiori faltered at that. "What?"
Gorou sighed, although he sounded less worked up now. "Monokuma likes being the boss. It's obvious to me he wouldn't take well to his 'co-worker' sassing him. And… Mr. Saiki cares about us. He's just too stupid to hide it. So… I ain't planning to make it easier for that tyrant bear to hurt him again. I can handle myself."
Gorou… he figured all of this out by himself, and it never even occurred to me. Finally, she said, "That's actually kind of sweet, Gorou. That you're trying to look out for him. I guess I assumed that, since he's an adult, Mr. Saiki could handle things." She shook her head. "But you're right. He's been a wreck all day."
"Glad we're on the same page," he said, turning away.
"But there's one thing I think you're wrong about."
"What's that?"
She smiled. "Keeping our distance from Mr. Saiki isn't gonna help. It's just gonna make him feel more useless. We can't let Monokuma scare us into cutting anyone off. Then, he gets what he wants; a counselor who's only choice is to enact more schemes."
They had finally reached the door to Mr. Saiki's office. Shiori could see Gorou stiffen as he knocked on the door. "Heh, for someone as blindly optimistic as sin, you can be pretty smart sometimes."
"Not always," she admitted. "I messed up big time with Isao last night, and I now I might never get to tell him…"
"Tell him what?" That was Mr. Saiki, who'd cracked the door open.
Blushing, Shiori deflected. "That I'm sorry! But uh, actually! Mr. Saiki, the storm blew a tree into the barracks and it's blocking the stairs! A bunch of people are stuck up there, and we don't know if they're hurt or anything. Is there a ladder anywhere?"
Mr. Saiki immediately straightened up. "Oh jeez, I think there's one in the stage area? Let me go check."
Just as he ducked back into the building, the morning announcement began to play. Shiori mostly ignored it as she bounced her leg impatiently. But then instead of ending as usual, Monokuma chuckled. "Also! I must applaud you bastards! I thought it'd take a bit more time… Anywho! The camp buildings are now reopened to all campers! Hope it was worth it! Upupupu!"
Shiori felt her blood go cold. "What…? What does he mean? Gorou, what does he mean!?"
"Shit!" Gorou began pacing, unsure of where he wanted to go but needing to move. "Shit! Shit, fuck! It hasn't even been a day yet! Damn, damn, damn it!"
At that moment Mr. Saiki burst out of the mess hall door, dragging a long ladder behind him. "Help me carry this! We need to make sure everyone's safe."
"Did you just hear the announcement?!" Gorou demanded. "If Monokuma's reopened everything, that means someone's dead!"
"And we have no idea if anyone else is in the process of dying!" The look on Mr. Saiki's face was nothing Shiori had ever seen, not even when he'd broken up Take and Akiko's fight. It was both reassuring and intimidating. Either way, she just ran up and took up the ladder. She gave Gorou a hard look, and he joined them.
Shiori was becoming very familiar with the path to the barracks, and the trio traversed it in record time. Now that it was light, Shiori could see the extent of the damage from the storm. More fallen trees left gaping holes in the canopy, and the path was littered with debris.
When they finally reached the barracks again, Shiori could have wept for joy. There, waving down at them, was Isao. He made it! He's okay! Kashie, Seihiko, and Rika milled around out front of the building.
Mr. Saiki called up to Isao, "Is anyone hurt up there?"
"Not really!" Isao replied. "One of the cots knocked Ikeda into a wall, but so far it's just bruised."
Mr. Saiki frowned. "Can you get through that window?"
"Too much broken glass!"
Mr. Saiki turned to the rest of the group. "We need to find a window that's been blown out enough that people can climb out, and that we can get the ladder to. Shiori, Rika, you start clockwise around the building; Kashie and Seihiko, counterclockwise. Gorou, stay with me. Keep an eye out for anyone who's hurt, or…" He didn't finish that sentence, but from the grim look on everyone's faces, Shiori could see they knew what he meant.
God, I almost hope we don't find anyone, she thought as she and Rika set off. I don't know if I can take seeing another dead body... They had to walk all the way around the gym, and the tension was palpable.
"... Is that everyone who was downstairs?" she finally asked. Rika didn't answer, clearly lost in her own thoughts. Right then, Shiori noticed that Rika's shirt looked a little bit dirtier than before, blotched with brown, not to mention damp. In fact, Rika seemed to be slightly wet all over. "What happened to your shirt?" She tried again to engage.
It took a moment for Rika to register her question, but finally she answered, "Huh? Oh, my shirt. I got knocked over onto the ground by one of the cots too, plus, I, uh… I ended up hiding in the shower room for most of the storm? Aren't you supposed to go to a room with no windows during a bad storm? I thought it'd be drier too, but..." She sounded very nervous, wringing the hem of her oversized sleep shirt in her hands. Her tattoo stood out against her pale skin.
"I mean, storm shelters don't have windows. Glad you tried to stay dry, since you're still sick..." Shiori's attempt at casual conversation died in her mouth, and they continued on in silence.
In an instant the tension in the air broke as a scream echoed around the corner of the building. Immediately Rika ran ahead, with Shiori struggling to keep up. Oh God, oh God! She finally rounded the corner, and her heart stopped.
Even through the shadows of the trees around them, as Kashie fell to her knees and Seihiko covered his mouth, Shiori's eyes were immediately drawn to one thing. The downed tree, haphazardly fallen into the barracks wall, could not conceal it: The crumpled form below the broken wall and shattered window, so small in the light of the morning.
Littered with tiny cuts but somehow still drenched in blood, it lay sideways in almost a mockery of sleep. But Shiori somehow saw the eyes, so wide and blank and lifeless, and she realized how she had taken the spark of life in them for granted.
For there lay the body of Remy Lander, the Penultimate Animal Photographer.
Oh my gosh it's done. So much drama, so many feelings. Remy, I am so so sorry, but the plan must go on. I am excited for the plans though! This case is definitely gonna be a time, for me, for the characters, and maybe for you guys! But in a good way. Once again, many many thanks to starsinherwake on Twitter / carryingstarlightinherwake on AO3 for her lovely editing skills. Please stay safe in these crazy times, leave a review with your thoughts, and feel free to join the discord (link on my profile). Until next time!
