Free Time Events: Tatsuki Tachibana(Side C)

EVENT 1: Both Tatsuki-san and I were relatively reserved in the past, but are now working to change that.

SPOILER ALERT: In addition to the Chapter III spoilers you should expect from Chiyuri's Free Time Events, this will also spoil the Chapter II victim and culprit, as well as the outcome of the trial.

Tatsuki-san and I spent a while together, talking about Dragon Girl. I was honest about how their music didn't really interest me before, as well as how I hoped to listen whenever I had a chance.

"You know, Nagato-san," Tatsuki-san said, "apart from the investigations, the trials and our meetings as a group, I don't believe the two of us have ever talked much before."

"Me neither, Tachibana-san," I said, "and I suppose I'm the reason why. Until after the third trial, I never spoke with people besides Akira-san very much."

"That may be true," Tatsuki-san said, "but I think you're only part of the reason. For much of the early trip, I wasn't all that close to many people besides Taiga."

"I didn't know that," I said. "You seemed outgoing compared to me. After all, you had friends in the past, didn't you?"

Tatsuki-san hesitantly nodded.

"I did," Tatsuki-san said, "but after Dragon Girl took off, Taiga and I had less time for socializing, so we lost touch with some of our friends. The few friends who were interested in music played a variety of instruments- Takami-san played piano, Ayame-san played trombone, and Kaori-san played violin- but none of them were the kind I'd need for a band. Besides, they admitted that they weren't nearly good enough."

Since I couldn't play an instrument and my singing was mediocre for a high schooler- maybe good enough to do karaoke without completely embarrassing myself- I knew I wouldn't be of any use to Tatsuki-san. That was probably for the best, since things would probably get awkward between us if I couldn't keep up and she had to kick me out of the band.

"Fair enough," I said. "By the way, I notice you using first names on your friends. Maybe you were close after all?"

"Actually, not really," Tatsuki-san said. "My friends generally used first names on me and Taiga in order to keep us separate, but never got any less formal than using '-san.' I mainly asked permission to use first names because it'd be awkward otherwise, especially after meeting some of their parents, but stuck with '-san' because they did the same for me."

I couldn't help but think about myself and Akira-san; she'd never used honorifics on me while I'd always used "-san" on her, a fact that never changed even when we switched to first names. Akira-san could be rather rude sometimes, but she was also confident and outgoing, so I wished I had another chance to talk with her and just call her "Akira" at least once.

"That may be true," I said, "but you've had more success than I had in the past; Akira-san's the first peer I've been on a first name basis with. Besides, it's not too late to change and open up to others."

"I guess," Tatsuki-san said, "even if now isn't the best time, especially not for me."

Tatsuki-san changed the subject, but I could tell that she still hated herself for killing Kojima-san, causing her sister's death and endangering the rest of the group. It was true that she'd made bad decisions in the past, but did that mean that she deserved to die or be ostracized for that? I didn't think so, even before my best friend ended up being executed for a murder she'd inadvertently caused, so I hoped Tatsuki-san would realize that, too.


EVENT 2: Like me, Tatsuki-san has made mistakes in the past. She also knows that it isn't always possible to fix them.

We talked for a little bit about Dragon Girl, as well as the countless hours Tatsuki-san spent practicing. I'd always known that entertainers' careers took a lot more work than people thought, but apparently, it was more work than even I thought.

"This may be an overly personal question, Nagato-san," Tatsuki-san said, "but what would you say is the greatest mistake you made before coming here?"

I paused to think for a moment. On the one hand, she was right and it was a personal question, so I was within my rights to refuse to answer it. On the other hand, we'd all seen each other at our most vulnerable, and everyone who was still alive by now had witnessed Tatsuki-san's worst mistake, so it hardly seemd fair to keep mine secret.

"In elementary school, I got into a fight with another girl," I said. "She... said some things that struck a nerve, so I flew into a rage and attacked her."

"I... I see," Tatsuki-san said. "Was... the other girl badly hurt?"

"Not badly," I said. "Both of us got some bruises- she fought back, of course- but there wasn't any lasting damage, so we healed before long. I got suspended for a few days, was grounded while I was on suspension, had to write an apology letter to the other girl and ultimately had to transfer out... to a school where people had apparently heard about the incident and what had caused it."

Tatsuki-san nodded glumly.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Tatsuki-san said. "For me, the worst thing I did was try to cheat on a test in our last year of elementary school; I got caught while trying to patch Taiga my answers. Both of us got zeroes on the test, and were suspended; I'd tried to say that it was my idea and Taiga had nothing to do with it, but no one believed me. Our parents came down on us hard, especially my mom, and grounded us, too."

Tatsuki-san sounded utterly ashamed of herself, almost as if she wanted her mother or the school to give her an even harsher punishment.

"Mom gave us a lecture back then," Tatsuki-san said. "She told us that bad decisions have consequences, which is obvious enough, but also added that those consequences are often permanent. She pointed to a scar on her leg that she got in a bicycle accident, and while it's hidden when she wears pantyhose or long pants, she sees it as a reminder of her mistake. I'd like to say I never forgot that lecture, but..."

"Then the second trial happened?" I said.

Tatsuki-san sighed.

"That evening, netiher Taiga nor I were planning on killing anyone," Tatsuki-san said, "but then Kojima-kun came after Taiga with a knife, and you know the rest. I told myself that I was willing to die to protect Taiga and the rest of the spotless... but then Taiga easily convinced me to trick everyone and graduate. When I accepted, I proved what I really wanted- that I didn't want to die."

For a moment, it sounded as though Tatsuki-san was blaming Taiga-san, but I knew better. Switching places with Taiga-san hadn't been Tatsuki-san's idea, but she went with it hoping to graduate along with her sister.

"But if you didn't want to die, why offer your own life?" I said.

"It's because I find it difficult to live with what I did," Tatsuki-san said. "I've never been at all religious, so I figured that when I die, that'll be it. I won't be able to see the people I love or do the things I enjoy, but I'll also be free of my sorrow, regrets and grief. I used to think that was a scary thing, before I lost the person I love most, and realized how painful life could be."

I paused for a moment. As tempting as it was to share my own perspective on death as a Christian, I realized it wouldn't do much good for Tatsuki, especially if she concluded that her sister was now in Hell.

"It's possible that you're right," I said, "but there's no reason to hurry to find out. The killing game has reminded us all that life is fleeting, but that means we should treasure it."

"I know, Nagato-san," Tatsuki-san said, "which is why I still regret taking Kojima-kun's life."

We decided to leave the conversation here for now. While it felt as though I hadn't gotten anywhere with Tatsuki-san, at the very least, I knew she had a conscience. In the end, she was still trying to do the right thing, and the only question was whether she'd make the right choice.


EVENT 3: Tatsuki-san knows that it's difficult to recover from mistakes, and that some people will never forgive you.

This time, I decided to get Tatsuki-san's mind off the depressing topic of the killing game by bringing up some of her fellow performers. Unfortunately for me, one of the singers I mentioned, Queen Venus, destroyed her own career by virtue of having an affair with her married manager, resulting in his wife divorcing him.

"I... I had no idea," I said, after hearing about the scandal, which had happened late in our second year of middle school. "I guess I don't really follow entertainment news."

Tatsuki-san giggled nervously, as if to ask "What kind of rock have you been living under, Nagato-san?"

"Let me ask you something," Tatsuki-san said. "When you heard of Queen Venus, you mainly thought of her accomplishments, haven't you?"

"I did," I said. "She's really great, isn't she?"

Tatsuki-san nodded, then paused to wait for me to elaborate. When I didn't, she decided to do it for me.

"She is," Tatsuki-san said. "She's an accomplished singer-songwriter who works hard to crank out hits that aren't just formulaic drivel. She specializes in love songs, but has a good repertoire, from slower ballads to faster-paced J-rock songs that are easy to dance to. Her work is mature while still being wholesome. She's even remarkably nice in public, and has given to charity, albeit partly out of a desire for good PR."

"Ah, right," I said, "I think I heard people say things like that about her."

"Yes, that's true," Tatsuki-san said, "since while some people spread unpleasant rumors about Queen Venus, most music fans respected her. But nowadays, all people remember is that she slept with a married man, and use lyrics of her greatest hits to make fun of her."

Queen Venus' public persona sounded too good to be true, and it probably was. Her fans must have felt betrayed by hearing about her misconduct, which is why they turned on her as quickly and decisively as they had.

"I know what Queen Venus did was wrong," Tatsuki-san said. "Some people say that she seduced her manager, others say he led her on, and still others say it was a mutual thing, but regardless of the reasons, she still helped break up a marriage. But while some people dismissed her public apology as only motivated by getting her career back, I think she was really sorry. In the end, though, it wasn't enough for the public."

"What would be enough?" I said. "Putting her in the stocks and making her wear the Kanji for 'adulterer' on her clothes? Sending her to prison? Hanging her from a gallows in Shibuya's scramble crossing?"

"I doubt anyone would go that far," Tatsuki-san said, "even if the public is rather vindictive. Of course, the point is that people can't forgive her for what she's done. Perhaps being punished and officially accepting that punishment might help convince some people that she's atoning for her misdeeds, but others would believe that she only cares about what she lost."

I recalled what had happened to me after I had my fight in elementary school. I'd accepted the punishments handed down by the principal and my mom, but found that my none of my classmates were willing to forgive me, not just the girl I'd fought with.

"In any case, I'm no different," Tatsuki-san said. "Any apology I make for killing Kojima-kun will likely be dismissed, since people will conclude I'm more sad about losing my sister than I am guilty about what I've done, and some will conclude that I don't are about Kojima-kun."

"Maybe they will," I said, "but even if that happens, that's no reason for you to give up. You try to make up for your crimes because it's the right thing to do, not to earn people's forgiveness."

"Fair enough," Tatsuki-san said. "There's no point wanting what you can't have."

Realizing that I'd come off a bit harsh, I smiled reassuringly and tried to make my message more encouraging.

"That said," I said, "even if others will judge you unfavorably, I'll keep an open mind, and believe that you deserve a second chance."

'Thank you, Nagato-san," Tatsuki-san said. "I won't let you down."

I'd often heard that "a promise made is a debt unpaid," and realized that taking anyone at their word was a risky proposition in the killing game. Nevertheless, Tatsuki-san was earnest about her desire to change for the better, so it was perhaps worth the risk to believe her until she gave me reason to do otherwise.


EVENT 4: Tatsuki-san has just remembered how important it is to try to make up for your mistakes, even if it isn't easy and you might not be fully forgiven. (Locked until Chapter V)

Tatsuki-san asked me a few questions about Christianity, and was especially interested in how one of the criminals who was crucified alongside Jesus accepted Christ.

"So, Tatsuki-san," I said, "are you at all interested in converting to Christianity?"

"Unfortunately, no, Chiyuri-san," Tatsuki-san said. "I doubt I can believe in any god after what I witnessed here."

"I don't blame you," I said, "since I've also started questioning my faith. That being said, I have no desire to give up on the values I was raised with. Even if God does not exist, I still believe that following His teachings is the best way to live a good life."

Tatsuki-san nodded in agreement. After a moment, a thought came to her.

"You know, I just remembered something else my mom said," Tatsuki-san said. "A few years after the incident, just after I got started as Dragon Girl, my sister and I flunked a test, since I was busy practicing and Taiga was busy with what would be the first song she'd be credited as writing for Dragon Girl. We were resigned to the test ruining our not particularly great grade point average, and when Mom spoke with us about it, we reminded her of what she'd said about not all mistakes being fixable. Mom then clarified that while it wasn't always possible, it behooved us to do something about them."

"That's an important lesson," I said. "So, what'd you do?"

"What else?" Tatsuki-san said. "Taiga and I studied for the make-up test as much as we could, and eventually got our grades back up to halfway decent levels. It was hard work, but it did make a difference."

I smiled. The Tachibana sisters weren't the only ones with poor grades on this ship, since I knew the same went for me. I didn't have much hope of getting very good grades, but I was determined to try my hardest.

"I know what you said about Christianity's teachings concerning sin," Tatsuki-san said, "but I sometimes wonder if each of us has a sort of karmic balance, a bit like a credit card, with the amount you owe determining whether you're a good or bad person. Bad deeds increase your debt, while good deeds pay it off. Do you understand me so far?"

I nodded, vaguely reminded of when I went to confession and did penance for my sins.

"Good," Tatsuki-san said. "After what I did, I doubt it's even possible for me to get back in the black, so to speak. Maybe if I saved someone's life, but I don't know if I can do something like that."

"I don't know how to answer that question," I said, "but I, too, am also responsible for sacrificing others so the majority, including both of us, could live. After all, I voted for you in the second trial, believing that you were guilty and would be executed. The only thing that didn't go as I expected was that your sister was the one who died."

"Well, I don't hold that against you," Tatsuki-san said, "or against the ten others who voted for me so that they might live. In the first trial, I voted for Yamazaki-kun to protect myself and Taiga."

I thought back to Akira-san's remarks at the end of the second trial. There were many times when I wished I could do things the way she did, but I was past the point at which I could solely think in terms of emulating her. Nevertheless, this seemed like a time when Akira-san's words of wisdom were the right thing to say.

"In the end, it's just as Akira-san said," I said. "None of us have the right to judge you for putting your or your sister's lives above those of everyone else."

"In other words, 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,' right?" Tatsuki-san said.

"Precisely," I said. "If we survive the killing game, I'm sure all of us will have regrets of varying sorts... but we'll also have our lives, and the responsibility to live as well as we can.

Tatsuki-san seemed to accept this point, although it would be difficult for her to live by it. Nevertheless, I had faith that she'd do what was best, and hoped that she shared my belief.


EVENT 5: It won't be an easy process, but I hope that Tatsuki-san will turn her life around and forgive herself.

Tatsuki-san invited me over to her cabin, saying I was the first person besides her to set foot inside since the second trial.

"I've been thinking about what you said earlier, Chiyuri-san," Tatsuki said. "I'm not sure I'll ever fully make up for what I've done."

"You might be right," I said, "but even if you are, that's no reason to give up."

"No," Tatsuki-san said. "The only idea I have at this point is going to the Kojima family to apologize, and offer to atone for their son's death. Of course, depending on how things go, they might be more interested in seeing me go to prison for what I've done."

Something about that didn't sit right with me. Maybe it was the just thing to do in a situation like this, but how would people judge what the rest of the survivors did? Would we be culpable for the deaths we allowed to happen? If nothing else, I believed that the judge deserved to hear the extenuating circumstances behind Tatsuki-san's actions, and she deserved some leniency.

"That's possible," I said. "Are you scared of that happening?"

"A little," Tatsuki-san said. "The truth is that I've always been a coward who takes the easy way out, but that doesn't mean I have to stay that way forever. If I keep trying to become a better person and make up for what I've done, then maybe I can redeem myself in the end."

"I think so, too," I said. "For what it's worth, Tatsuki-san, I'm glad that you lived this long."

"So am I, Chiyuri-san," Tatsuki-san said with a bittersweet smile.

We shook hands. Perhaps Tatsuki-san would end up dead before this was all over, but I hoped to avoid that outcome. Living well for the sake of those who'd died because of her was both her responsibility and her right, so I wished that she and I could escape together.


Author's Notes

This is one of the first Free Time Events for Chiyuri that I had envisioned, although it took me a while to nail down what it would discuss. While Azuki's Free Time events with Tatsuki deal with her backstory, this one deals with her reaction to what happened, a bit like Fuyuhiko's Free Time Events from the second game.

I tried to avoid having too much overlap with her development in the main story, but decided to feature her backstory with the themes of making up for mistakes and changing your ways. It's one of the more depressing Free Time Event chains, but has an uplifting ending.

If this were a Danganronpa game, Tatsuki would be unavailable for Free Time Events in Chapter III, while she's at her lowest point following her sister's death. She would only become available again in Chapter IV, after Chiyuri becomes the protagonist.