It's been several years now, since I moved from America to Japan. It was a huge change, at first. When you're a kid, you're afraid of change and starting all over. Afraid of the table being cleared and being asked to sit at another.

I hated moving.

I remember the roaring sound of the plane engine. How I squeezed my plushie dog as my body was pushed back into my seat with great force as the plane took off.

It was a long trip. It took at least a whole day of traveling, but I wasn't able to sleep even once. I couldn't even eat much either, save for a bunch of saltine crackers and two cups of apple juice.

I never wanted to say goodbye, but it never really was my choice. My father had work to do in Japan, so Japan was where we went.

Except we didn't just stay for a few days or weeks. We didn't just stay for a few months or even a year.

It was a permanent move.

I lost contact with him and his family. Forgot the phone number faster than that plane took off. And while I could've asked my parents to hand me the phone, I never had the chance as I was sent off to study away from them.

Now here I am, eight or so years later. Sitting down with my legs crossed, back leaning against a metallic pillar. To my left was a large fountain, the water rippling and jiggling and tearing up the sunlight. To my right, the sidewalk tiles neatly with strangers passing by.

This was my thinking spot. I liked to sit down here at least once a day to work on homework while eating lunch. My highschool's pretty lucky to have this enclosure at all, so I may as well make the most of it.

I liked to close my eyes and listen to the splashing of the fountain. If no other people were nearby, the gushing of water became the only sound to fill my ears. I found it to be...meditative.

It reminded me of the forests Zaki and I used to walk through when we were kids. I could hear the rustling of the leaves, the birds chirping, and the stream flowing and splashing water. I missed those memories, I longed for them, but I knew deep down inside that I would never get to experience them again.

You know, it all started with him. He was the one who encouraged me to find my dream. He and I - we grew up, we were the best of friends. And for every struggle he went through, I was there by his side to support him.

He always did things to make other people happy. That was the kind, generous person he was. He wanted nothing more than to make the people in his life smile. I saw that especially when his parents were struggling with money, and poor Zaki tried everything he could to give them happiness.

He enjoyed having those fire parties because it brought all the neighborhood children together. It wasn't the safest means of having fun, but it was...our thing. We would play with the fire, pretending to be dragons having a fantastic battle to the death. He wanted to make us happy. Hell, he wanted to make the world just a little bit brighter.

But then, I watched as that slowly destroyed him.

I swear, I've never taken off that bracelet he gave to me.

I never forgot about him. I just couldn't face him.

Despite every bit of justification I had for being unable to at least call him, I felt like I was making excuses for myself. I just couldn't let him see me like this. Insecure, afraid of the future, even after all he tried to encourage me to follow my dreams.

Little did I know, I would see him again.

Though, as cruel as fate would have it, not in the way I had ever imagined.

"...Mikanne, you've heard on the news about the Faceless Kidnappings, haven't you?" My mother asked me, the morning I was taken.

"Yeah." I looked at my mother, worriedly. "Fifteen teens were all kidnapped because... someone's trying to bring back The Killing Show. One of them was from not too far away from here."

"Please, be careful when you go outside." My mother walked over to me, placing a hand on my cheek. "Stay on the main path through Shibuya. Don't go anywhere you can't see other people around. Do you - Do you think I should come with you on the train?"

"It's alright, I can head there by myself just fine. I will be safe, I promise." I slowly put on my black mask over my mouth, covering my large burn scar. "I'll be fine, Mom."

The last words I told her were I love you.

It was nice and warm outside in the late Spring. The people were all in a hustle, flowing in and out of the train station.

We moved to Japan after the accident. It wasn't because of Zaki, not at all. We were going to move anyway. I just wish that I knew that this move would be permanent. Maybe there could've been something to keep us together, but...I guess I'll never know.

I just got accepted into a top university, and I will be studying design. It's just like I promised him. Does he still remember me? Does he wonder what I'm doing, just like how I wonder about him?

What has he been doing, all these years?

I took out my sketchbook to doodle. There were many designs of many characters that all came to life from visions in my head to people living in the graphite world in my book.

I missed him, I missed him a lot. But, I was too afraid to even try to reconnect. I was a coward.

"That emblem on your bag. You wouldn't happen to be going to that university a few stops down from now, would you?"

I looked over to see a masked man sitting beside me. The train car was empty besides the two of us.

"Who are you?" I asked, staying calm.

"Me? Just your friendly neighborhood pal. Who are you?" The person asked me.

I replied, jokingly. "Just your friendly neighborhood soon-to-be university student."

"Ah. I see. You're going to orientation today." The masked person leaned back in their seat. "Not out of high school yet?"

I ignored their question, cutting the fluff. "I know who you are." I slowly stood up. "You're with those Faceless people."

"And I know who you are as well." The individual stood up, facing me. "You are Mikanne Aiyaga, our soon-to-be Number Sixteen."

I frowned. "Sounds like you're choosing these people with reason rather than grabbing people off the streets."

"Ah. So you know about how we took celebrities Weise Vayrne and Ingreis Arinama." The person nodded. "Known people, it really gets the pot stirred."

I closed my eyes. "Alright then, who else did you take? Why choose me for your scheme?"

"Oh, well we've got…" The individual began to count with his or her fingers. "Kyohi Hayai, Zraiko Nikiroi, Mei Juana, Fraize Kimizai, Soro Otonori, Yuuta Erotomi, Kamiyaki Raiyne, Riko Hamoizumi, Neizami Otomaeda, Anne Kimidori, Tikari Fanorne, and Sayino Makora."

These were all the victim's of these international kidnappings. And yet, why did they mostly have Japanese names? Well, later I would know why that was - their connections to Danganronpa.

I squinted my eyes. "You only gave me fourteen names in total. There's one more."

"That's because I'm doing this for dramatic effect, buddy." The person leaned in. "Because this last person is the reason why we came for you."

"Oh really?" I took a step back as the person walked closer to me. "I wonder who this person could be. Last I remembered, my friends aren't eloped into some kind of cult."

I was grabbed from behind by two other masked people. The first one stood before me, I suppose he or she was smiling upon me. "Kozaki Daisuke."

"Wh...What?" I asked, the name being probably the last one I would have expected.

"Kozaki Daisuke." The person repeated his name. "Your old childhood friend. He was the first person we kidnapped, and you will be our last."

"Wh-Why him?" It felt like for a moment, I hardly cared about the situation I was in. Zaki? I hadn't heard someone say his name in so long. It felt surreal, out of place, impossible.

They say the first kidnapping happened in America. They say it happened in November, seven whole months ago.

And I was being told by someone I've never known that the victim was my childhood friend?

I didn't believe it.

"Because his uncle saved a seat just for him." The masked person nodded. "You don't need me to go into detail, do you?"

I didn't respond. Part of me felt like I knew what this person was saying, but the other part of me was clueless.

The masked person pulled out a mask. "Come on then, Mikanne, Zaki misses you. Ah, but I suppose even after all these years, you're still not ready to see him?" The person slowly walked over to me. "Hmm, we'll have to give you an...upgrade. We'll give you elf ears, some piercings, a whole new look. Kozaki will never recognize you." The person then reached over to my bracelet. "What a pathetic friendship you two had…"

I struggled, trying to keep the person away from me. It was difficult to bite down and not say anything in response.

"Hmm, hmm. We have a lot in store for you." The individual lined up their fingers like a window, looking at me through them. "You'll be a work of art." The person then spoke into an earpiece. "We have Number Sixteen. See you shortly."

A calling card was placed onto the floor, the masked person pulling off the string bracelet from my left wrist and dropping it on top of the card. "Mikanne Aiyaga, well...this is goodbye."

The mask was pushed into my face. I felt my strength leave me.

And that wouldn't be the only thing I'd lose.


Open the fridge. Get out the bread. Pop it into the toaster. Get the tomatoes, the salami, the cheese, the pickles. Slice the tomatoes, slice the pickles. Get the bread from the toaster. Assemble the sandwich, cut it into halves along what will become the hypotenuse of two perfect right triangle sandwiches.

Yes, my way of thinking was very organized. Step by step, simple and clean.

I pulled up a chair and took a seat at the kitchen table, taking a bite from my sandwich and humming in satisfaction. It's not my favorite, but I'm just glad to have something to eat.

Now that I had some time to myself - time away from that lab-cat most of all - I figured I could spend it...thinking.

Thinking about what?

Ending the game, when help will finally arrive, how the next sandwich I'll make will have some lettuce in it for extra crunch.

But then my thoughts began to drift back to the paper. It was something I was trying to distract myself from ever since the end of the trial.

I'll know when the time is right, that's what Fraize said.

Making sure my hands were clean, I took out the paper and stared at it in silence. It sort of felt like I was using laser eye vision to read the ink print hidden under the folds. Though, I suppose it would've looked very ridiculous to any oncoming bystanders.

My fingers rubbed the folds of the paper Fraize had given to me. Now would be the time to open this, wouldn't it?

It could finally give me atleast some piece of logic, something that made sense. I was tired of going in circles with that lab-cat, or whoever Tobi was supposed to be.

"Mikanne?"

I looked over to see Weise standing nearby, around the fridge.

"Oh, Weise…" I slowly tucked the paper away. "How have you been?"

Weise looked to the side. "Mmh, still alive, yes?"

"Yes." I picked up my sandwich once again to take a bite. Some of the crumbs got onto my cheek, though I was hesitant to brush them off and risk disturbing my scar.

"Mikanne?" Weise walked over to me. "What was that you were holding?"

I turned back to him. He was going to ask about the paper, and what was I going to say? "It's a note, from Fraize."

"Oho?" The young fashion designer pulled up a chair. "Aren't you going to open it, my friend?"

I sighed. "I don't know when I'm supposed to. He told me I would know when the time was right."

"Well...do you know?" Weise puffed his cheeks. "Because if you don't, then...the time is wrong, no?"

I took another bite from my sandwich. "Hmm...that makes sense."

Weise looked away for a moment. "You're not really one for conversation, are you Mikanne? Your answers are always short."

I quietly finished my sandwich. "... Apologies. I have a lot on my mind."

"About Tobi?" He looked back at me.

I didn't answer him. Instead, I stood up and went to go wash my dish.

"I saw Zraiko earlier." Weise also stood up. "He seemed sort of angry."

"What else is new?" I sighed quietly to myself.

Weise twiddled his fingers. "Ok, sort of angry wasn't the right way to say it. It was more, very angry. I'm scared he's going to yell at Riko."

"Yell at her?" I turned off the sink and put the dish away to dry. "For what?" He only really gets worked up about two things, the killing game and anime.

"He says she lied to him." Weise shook his head. "But Riko is not a liar, no! So, I wanted to ask you to make sure Zraiko won't be so angry with her. I'm sure this is a misunderstanding."

Riko...a liar? What context-

Tobi.

Great, great, great-

Fuck.

Well, what do I do next?

A) Stay quiet and hurry from the room

B) Ask Weise for clarification

C) Make another sandwich

I quietly hurried out of the room, heading straight back to my shift room. Weise was quick to follow behind me, understandably he was worried about what would happen. I was worried, as well. Though, for a different reason.

When I entered my shift room, I found Kyohi and Tobi were sitting together - no sight of Kozaki, no sight of Riko. I was baffled.

"Heya, Mikanne. You're back?" The hockey player stood up, calmly. "You seem kinda tense...is everything alright?"

I didn't reply to Kyohi. Instead, my eyes were fixated on the interloper.

"..." Tobi looked at me calmly before pouting and putting his hands to his hips. "It's rude to stare, and it's rude to ignore people!"

I sighed as I shook my head, then looked away. "I suppose I was worried over nothing. Everything seems fine here. I don't see any shenanigans from Kozaki and Riko going on, so that probably relieves me the most."

Kyohi nodded. "Yeah, Tobi and I were talking about different types of cheeses. Kozaki and Riko were already gone by the time I came here. They must've finished their business quickly."

Tobi smiled in what felt like a warm smile with a sick twist under the surface. He didn't acknowledge the topic of the former arsonist, nor the clarinetist. "What would you prefer? Gouda or feta?"

For a moment I thought about what I would answer before brushing it away. "Sorry. I didn't come here to be quizzed about cheese. If everything is fine, you can head out, Kyohi."

Weise seemed to be disappointed, as though he were ready to give his own answer.

The hockey player stood up, nodding. "Alright. Hope your lunch was good."

My only response was a simple nod. I then watched as Kyohi exited the room. Weise twiddled his fingers, it seemed like he was debating if he should stay or leave.

"You can head out, Weise." I nodded to him. "And if you see Zraiko, can you tell him to come here as soon as possible?"

Weise nodded in return before hurrying out. "Yes, I'll do my best!"

After waiting for a moment, I closed the door and turned to face Tobi. "What's your game?"

"My game?" Tobi tilted his head.

"Kozaki and Riko. Did they do anything? Did they say anything?" I walked over to the interloper and frowned.

Tobi calmly shrugged his shoulders. "I got robbed, if that's important to you."

"You got robbed?" I folded my arms, raising an eyebrow.

Tobi nodded. "Mhm, my ID card was nabbed by the blondie. So now I'm super stuck here."

Riko took Tobi's ID card...I wonder what for. Will she and Kozaki be studying it? Maybe they'll pry it open to find some kind of clues?

I took a seat in a nearby chair and continued to stare at the alleged lab assistant. "Super stuck, you say."

"Mhm." Tobi seemed to be rather annoyed. "I really need my card back. She promised to return it to me later, so she better keep her word."

I rolled my eyes to look upwards to the ceiling. Man, I've only just had a break, but already I was getting tired of being around Tobi. "I'll have to ask them about the card when I have the chance. Maybe when Zraiko comes back, I'll look for them."

Tobi didn't respond. Though, his facial expression seemed to shift ever so slightly. Something about him seemed to reflect a look of guilt.

Strange…

"Nya, Mikanne." He tilted his head. "I think I've had enough for today." He stretched, calmly. "You haven't tied me up, how generous of you. I'll actually be able to sleep with some level of comfort."

I sighed and crossed my arms. "I could sure use some sleep myself…"

Tobi layed down on the floor, sprawling out his arms and legs. "Alright, good night."

I blinked before I stepped closer. "You're just going to lay there?"

"Ahuh." He replied, simply.

"And I'm supposed to believe that you're going to just stay there, on the floor, all night." I squinted my eyes, lightly.

"Ahuh." He replied once again.

"And you're not going to go after Kozaki, nor are you going to have any tricks up your sleeves?" I was confused, to say the least. Something about his behavior, it was off. It felt like he knew something I didn't, and frankly that left me nervous.

"Ahuh." He replied in the same manner yet again. "Don't believe me? We could sleep together."

"Hard pass." I took out my Bottolet to contact Zraiko. Was it his turn for the night shift? I certainly hoped that was the case. I've had enough of this kitty for today.

It took awhile for the hacker to respond. I wonder if that had anything to do with what Weise mentioned, him being upset with Riko for being dishonest. As he entered the shift room, it was clear his mind wasn't in the right place.

"Hey, are you good to do the night shift?" I asked him, tilting my head lightly.

He sighed and took off his glasses to rub his forehead. "Yeah, I'll handle it tonight. I need something to do to distract myself."

"Distract yourself? Is this about Riko and Kozaki?" I crossed my arms.

"Those two are up to something…" Zraiko muttered under his breath before making eye contact with me. "Get some rest, Mikanne. I'll catch up with you in the morning. Hopefully those two stay out of trouble."

I nodded before patting Zraiko on the shoulder firmly and heading out.

Riko and Kozaki. What were they up to?

A) They're scheming something to find information about the cult

B) They're scheming something to find what happened to Fraize in his execution

C) They're scheming something to find a way to shut down the killing game

D) All of the above

Yeah, option D sounds exactly like them. All I know for certain is that they're scheming something.

I better catch them in the morning to see what's going on with them.


My sleep was alright. Hard to really describe it besides saying I was unconscious for several hours, and even still I felt like I hadn't rested at all. My eyes were sore. They tingled every time I looked at light of any kind. I had to go to the bathroom to wash my face before the tingling faded away.

I figured I could grab something to eat from the kitchen before returning to my shift room, so I got myself a bundle of bananas. That, and an unopened box of cereal loops. Popping into the room, I could see Zraiko slumped against the wall facing Tobi, snoring lightly.

Seems like his body forced him to sleep.

Tobi simply sat on the floor. He didn't make any attempt to leave the room, which I pondered about.

"Good morning, blue boy." Tobi smiled at me, then at my breakfast. "Ooh, is that for me?"

I took a seat on the floor before I opened up the box of cereal. Pulling the plastic open, I stuffed my hand into the box to pull out a handful of loops. I then shoved them into my mouth to chew and swallow.

"...You absolute barbarian." Tobi seemed to be disgusted.

I shrugged as I plucked a banana and peeled it open to take a bite.

"Is this some new strategy to torture me into speaking?" Tobi quivered. "Ooh, it might be working."

I rolled my eyes as I got myself another handful of cereal.

"Stop this, stop this at once!" Tobi frowned. "How dare you butcher the wonderful food that is cereal like this!"

Blinking, I slowly reached for another handful.

"No, no…!" Tobi leaned in. "Don't do it…!"

I did it.

"Gaaaah!" Tobi turned away. "You are too cruel, Mikanne!"

After finishing my breakfast, I slid over a banana to Tobi. "Here, eat this."

He sighed and reluctantly took the banana. "Thanks."

I sat with my legs crossed, thinking to myself. What was I going to do today? What even was there to do? Yes, find Kozaki and Riko. Stop whatever plan they have that will obviously cause us trouble.

And then what?

I suppose it's back to watching the lab cat.

I stood up, leaving the bundle of bananas within Tobi's reach. "I'm going for a walk."

He watched as I exited, from his complexion I figured he was curious about me.

My first thought was to go right to Kozaki's room and knock for him, but I knew he wasn't a morning person. He wouldn't respond. Instead, I decided to walk around the first floor, not really looking to go anywhere in particular. I noticed that Kyohi and Weise were playing in the arcade, so I decided not to disrupt them.

I also noticed...that the Mono-Shift Room was open again. The door this time was a beige-painted wooden one. Like a typical front door of someone's house.

Huh...we didn't even get an announcement about it reopening. What's this about, then?

"Nya, they finally finished their big construction project." Tobi walked over, crossing his arms behind his back. "Though, personally, beige isn't really my color."

"L-Lab cat!" I stepped away, frowning. "What are you doing here - were you following me?!"

"Chillax, blue boy." Tobi smiled, innocently. "I'm just going for a walk, y'know. Also came here to critique the new installation."

I frowned, figuring his next line would be something akin to, 'What? You didn't tie me up, so what were you expecting?'

This is what happens when Mikanne Aiyaga doesn't get enough sleep and leaves his exhausted brain cells to run on auto-pilot.

Though, admittedly, he doesn't seem to be much of a threat at the moment. I wonder if his spite for Monobotto outweighs his other goals…

"What room even is this?" I folded my arms, tilting my head.

"Oh, good question. The decor job was so bad, I couldn't tell ya." Tobi opened the door and stepped inside. "Blech. Smells awful."

I took a few steps inside before realizing that I was stepping in mud. Looking around, I could see the room had been transformed into a forest.

A forest.

Just like from…

No, but it couldn't be, could it?

"What is that awful smell?" The alleged lab assistant squeezed his nose with his index finger and thumb.

I closed my eyes to take in a deep breath. "Pine trees, they smell so...alive."

Tobi stuck out his tongue. "Blech."

I turned to look at the interloper. "What, have you been out in space for too long? This is one of the most incredible smells in the world."

Tobi stepped out of the room. "Uhg, now the bottoms of my shoes have dirt on them."

Seems like he ignored me…

I have to get Kozaki. He needs to know about this place.

Something about this feels sinister, wrong. Like this is some sort of mind game. I just wish I could put my finger on what the true motive for this is…

"Hey, lab cat." I turned to look back to Tobi. I figured this would be a good chance to learn more about the alleged lab assistant while keeping his guard down. "Come back inside. I'm lonely."

"Haaah?" Tobi tilted his head at me. "Yeash, Mikanne. At least take me out to dinner first…"

I frowned, crossing my arms. "You know what I meant."

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." Tobi walked back into the room. "My shoes are now even further muddied. Happy?"

I calmly closed my eyes. "Tobi, your home...were there forests like this?"

"My home?" Tobi scratched his head. "It's been a long while since I've thought about home."

That told me something. Tobi still felt that there was a place outside of this space ship that was where he belonged. Perhaps, if he thinks this way, that could mean his allegiance to the Faceless Cult isn't as strong.

And there might be a way to get him on our side.

"So, your home. Tell me about it." I patiently took a seat besides a tree trunk.

"Hmm, well...there weren't really any forests. You'd have to drive for a bit to get to one. You'd have to drive for a bit to get anywhere, even the grocery store. It was so...empty." Tobi recalled, thinking deeply. "For me, it wasn't right. I wanted to be in a place with more hustle and bustle."

"So...how did you end up in Faceless?" I leaned in.

Tobi shook his head. "My secret."

I nodded, slowly. "Fair enough."

A moment of silence.

"Tobi, that symbol…" I felt my left wrist. "What does it mean?"

Tobi looked at his necklace. "Oh, this? It's a little trinket to show my membership to Faceless."

I looked to the side. "Kozaki had that symbol on his old hoodie sleeve…"

Tobi tilted his head. "Oh, I think that was like a mark or something."

"A mark?" I turned to look back at the alleged lab assistant.

"He's Erito's greatest experiment, after all." Tobi nodded. "It would make sense to...dare I say, brand him?"

I frowned upon hearing that. "Poor choice of words."

"My apologies." Tobi bowed. "Well, talking to you sure was fun, but I'm going to head back to the good ol' shift room."

"Still not going back to the lab, are you?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Couldn't do it even if I wanted to now." He sighed, shrugging his shoulders rather casually. "I told you last night, didn't I?"

Right...Riko has his ID card.

"Can I leave now?" Tobi looked to his feet. "My shoes need to be cleaned right away."

I sighed and shook my head. "Sure, just go."

"Toodles!" Tobi gleefully waved as he skipped away.

I sighed, feeling my head. This isn't good. What could Riko and Kozaki have done? I thought I could at least trust them to be alone for a minute, but it seems like they can't be let out of my sight at all.

I need to find them, right away.

And given the conversation we had last night, I could already feel my gut twist knowing that I was about to find something that meant very, very bad news.

The first place I checked to find them was their dorm rooms. Neither of them were there.

Alright, don't panic. Think rationally. Where could they be?

Riko had Tobi's ID card.

Last night, they both asked about the elevator.

Tobi's ID card can control the elevator.

...

The ID card can control the elevator.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I hurried down the halls to the Compass as fast as I could. I passed by Weise and Kyohi in the hall, the pair of friends looked baffled and concerned as I hurried past.

When I got to the elevator, I checked it thoroughly. There wasn't much dust on the surface of the doors. It could've been opened recently.

Damn it, what the hell were they thinking?! There isn't even a way for anyone to get down there and help them!

I needed to breathe. Closing my eyes, I counted to ten before turning around.

I need to call for an emergency meeting right away. That lab cat has a lot of explaining to do.

As I began to walk back down the hall towards the dorms, a certain sound got me to freeze in my tracks.

The sound of the elevator doors opening.

"Mikanne!"

I turned to watch Kozaki run in my direction. His clothes were partially ripped up, and he looked like he was bruised quite badly.

And his eyes, they were glitching from one color to another again.

From his usual maroon eyes, to that color.

That bright, golden color. The same color as Fraize's.

"Where the hell have you been?!" I asked him, frowning. Oh, we both knew the answer, but I needed him to explain himself. "I leave for a minute, a Goddamn minute and you vanish...and what's with all these bruises? Damn it, Zaki, you better explain this right now-!"

Kozaki stopped just before me to catch his breath. "Cultists...the lab…Riko…!"

What?

"Hey, hey, slow down." I worriedly felt my left wrist. "What happened?"

Kozaki looked upwards to me, it was clear he was in a panic. "Riko took Tobi's ID card. We took the elevator to the labs - we were trying to finally find the truth, and we were trying to find Fraize. We found Uncle Haiji's office. Then the cultists, t-then Riko...they took her!"

I frowned. "You what?"

"We have to get down there... she's alone, we have to help her!" Kozaki felt at his face. "No, no, no I can't take this anymore! I can't lose someone again!"

I tightly closed my eyes and shook my head. I would've hugged him if it weren't for the fact I wanted to slap him so hard across the face. "Zaki, you have to breathe. Slow breaths, okay?"

But he was frantic. He hardly slowed himself down at all. "B-But, we have to do something! What if something happens to her?! I-It'll be all my fault again!"

I firmly placed my hands onto his shoulders in order to give him a shake. "...I told you to breathe, didn't I?"

He seemed to be completely flabbergasted. "M-Mik, damn it, there's no time to breathe when she's down there…!"

"Seriously, stop before you give yourself a heart attack." I removed my hands to look to the side. "You have...a lot of explaining to do."

Kozaki finally let out a sigh to calm down slightly. "Riko and I went down the elevator using Tobi's card. We were trying to-"

"You already told me that part." I leaned in. "I want to know what the hell was going on through your mind. Trying to find the truth, and going alone?"

"Riko was with me." Kozaki frowned. "She-"

"She's hardly the one who should've gone down there alone with you!" I groaned. "I mean, hell, we all could've gone together. But the two of you? Are you stupid?"

Kozaki shook his head. "I knew it was risky, but that felt like our chance."

"And you ended up gambling away your friend's safety." I poked him in the chest with my index finger. "And, pray tell me, for what?"

Kozaki bit his lip. That response seemed to have upset him.

I wasn't going to bother answering my own question out loud. That would be rubbing salt on the wound. But regardless, I knew what. And so did he.

Kozaki came back empty-handed. It was for nothing.

I couldn't keep it in any longer. I couldn't stop myself from slapping him across the face. "You idiot! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

He silently rubbed his cheek with his right hand.

"Do you even know what you've done, Kozaki? Riko's in danger - she could be dead! How do you know, how do we know? What are we supposed to do about it?"

He covered his face in his hands, his body shaking lightly. "I...I didn't…"

"None of us have any way of getting down there. Riko has that lab cat's ID card." I clenched my fists. "We can't help her, Kozaki. We can't do anything."

He shook his head, again and again. "S-She'll be okay, she's going to be okay...she can fight…"

"When are you going to wake up from your delusions?!" I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Fraize is dead! Riko might as well be!"

"N-No!" Kozaki started to tear up. "They're down there! We have to go to the labs!"

I grabbed him by the collar and forced him to look me in the eyes. "You did this, Kozaki. You did this to her. You willingly went down there with her, and now look what happened." I squeezed my eyes shut. "Take some responsibility for your actions, damn it...I want her to be okay, I really do. But...we can't do anything. We can't help her now."

Kozaki silently looked to the floor.

I let go of him, turning my back to walk away. "I'm sorry, Kozaki. Until you're finally ready to wake up, I can't help you."

With that, I prepared to walk away.

I prepared to turn my back to him, to leave him alone.

No, I - I can't do this.

I turned around. "Zaki, I…"

Kozaki silently looked back up to me.

I pulled him into a hug, I could feel his body shake in my hold. "I'm sorry. I'm not going to just...abandon you like this. I'm angry, don't get me wrong. But you still need someone, you need me."

He returned the hug, shaking less. He still remained silent.

I was convinced that my friend was a schizoid. That he didn't even realize he was living in a pile of lies and delusions, that the very life he was living just wasn't real.

And it doesn't even end there. Being an experiment for his uncle - for this whole Faceless Cult. Not to mention, this is the second time he's allegedly escaped from the lab.

No, he couldn't have escaped. Those cultists know exactly what they are doing. They let Kozaki escape. Further crafting a world that only existed in his mind. Whatever they wanted to do to him, the reason why Tobi kept trying to bring him to the lab, they must've already done it.

I feel him, I feel him trembling lightly. Like he's holding on by just a thread. He can't handle losing any more than he already has.

"Zaki…" I slowly pulled back. "Go to your room and rest. I'll talk to the others, and we'll... we'll think of something."

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve before nodding slowly.

I smiled gently as I reached to stroke his hair. It always calmed him in the past, so I figured it would still work now.

He smiled, a shy smile.

"Alright, now go to your room before I slap you again." I said, half jokingly.

Kozaki quietly nodded before walking off to his room. I could see it as he left, he was limping lightly.

He was covered in bruises, and I added one more.

After standing alone with only myself and my thoughts, I decided to send messages to the others on their Bottolets.

Emergency meeting. I need you all to come to my shift room as soon as possible.


As I shut the door behind myself, I turned to face the others and let out a sigh. "Thanks for coming so fast on such short notice."

"It sounded super serious, of course we came right away." Kyohi nodded, looking worried.

I turned to look at Zraiko, who seemed to be dozing off. I gave him a quick shake. "Hey, wake up."

"G-Guh?" He blinked a few times and yawned into his hand. "Sorry...haven't slept well…"

I sighed and nodded slowly as I retracted my hand. I'll give him a pass, he was in charge of watching the lab cat, after all.

Speaking of, Tobi seemed to be unusually quiet. It was as if he was preparing himself mentally for a barrage of questions to come.

"S-So, what happened?" Weise twiddled his fingers. "And why weren't Kozaki and Riko invited?"

I crossed my arms and shook my head. "To put it simply: Riko's been kidnapped down in the lab, and Kozaki escaped and made it back here. He's resting in his room now as we speak."

"What?" Kyohi asked, blinking a few times as though what I had just said went over his head. "Riko's been kidnapped?"

I frowned at the alleged lab assistant. "I think we have our guest to thank."

"Nyah?" Tobi frowned. "I warned them! They ignored me, and yet it's my fault?!"

I rolled my eyes. "You planted that idea into their heads. The idea that Fraize was alive down in the labs, am I wrong?"

"Uh, yeah you are." Tobi shook his head. "I never, never, neeeever said flesh bag body guard was down there."

I didn't believe that. "Then why the hell did they go down there in the first place?"

"They thought he was alive." Tobi shrugged. "But I didn't tell them that. Not at all. I never bribed them to go down there. This was all their idea."

A short silence. I was completely baffled to hear this. Kozaki I could understand, him going through heartbreak and the stages of grief. He might've been trying to bargain with himself that Fraize was still alive and down in the labs.

But Riko? This was a blow to her, but it wasn't nearly as strong as it was to Kozaki.

And yet at the same time...ever since Fraize's execution, Riko's been acting differently.

Damn it, what the hell is going on here?

"...You say that you didn't tell them Fraize was alive." Weise looked to the interloper. "Do you know what happened to him?"

Tobi sighed and avoided eye contact. "I suppose logistically speaking, I would know something because of my ties to Faceless."

"Is there any way you can tell us?" Weise looked down. "So we can finally have some peace."

Tobi looked over to Weise, silently. I couldn't read his face well. I wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Weise, or if he genuinely couldn't tell him.

Zraiko then stepped forward. "Tell us, Tobi. Is there any way we can get down to the labs without a key card? Any possible way at all?"

Tobi remained silent.

There has to be some kind of way. Tobi, one who usually has a lot to say, wouldn't just choose to remain silent unless he absolutely had to. Someone or something must be silencing him.

"Well, we're going to find that way." I headed over to the door. "Let's give Tobi some time alone."

"What?" Kyohi asked, confused. "After all this time you wanted everyone to watch over him like a hawk?"

I turned to look back to Tobi. I don't know what level of mind games he's playing, but what I do know is that now is the time for Mikanne Aiyaga to make a move.

"Follow me." I walked all the way to the grand staircase. The others trailed behind me, insecurely.

"Mikanne, are you sure about this?" Zraiko pressed me, concerned. "I mean, what if-"

I sighed and looked away for a moment. "Just trust me, okay?"

The others remained quiet as I took a seat on the staircase.

"We have to find some way to help Riko." I folded my hands. "I don't know how to get down there, but we can't just abandon her."

The others then began to seem nervous.

"H-Hey, come on." I frowned, lightly. Were they thinking that I was starting to catch that disease of delusionment that Kozaki and Riko had?

They took a few steps back. Weise spoke up as he raised his index finger to point behind me. "M-Mikanne…"

I slowly turned around to see Monobotto. It was standing in place, staring in silence.

"R-Robot." I frowned. "What do you want?"

Monobotto tilted its head. "Riko-Hamoizumi-? Down-there-?"

I gulped, "Yeah, wouldn't you already know about it?"

Monobotto spun around slowly. "I-liked-you-better-when-you-didn't-speak."

I fell silent, looking to the floor.

"Robo-bucket!" Weise puffed his cheeks, placing his hands to his hips. "Can't you help Riko?"

"Can-I-?" Monobotto spun counterclockwise. "I-don't-think-I-want-to. She-was-trespassing."

"Isn't there something we can do?" Kyohi asked, worriedly.

Monobotto grew quiet for a moment.

"Come on, Robo-bucket!" Weise placed his hands to his hips again. "Give us at least something we can try!"

It looked like Weise was pretty upset. After all, he and Riko have grown particularly close.

Maybe he was worried about losing yet another friend he was close to.

"..." Monobotto eerily rolled around. "Alright. I-will-give-you-something-you-can-do."

"Ah?" Weise seemed to be caught by surprise. "Well, good! What is it, then?"

Monobotto hummed. "It's-a-pretty-sweet-deal. That-is-what-you-clowns-would-call-it. Right-?"

A sweet deal? That got me feeling slightly worried.

Alright, well...I'm more worried than I'd like to admit.

Zraiko adjusted his glasses. "So tell us, wingnnut. Your so-called sweet deal. What is it?"

Monobotto hopped up and down. "Open-your-ears-! I-won't-be-repeating-myself-!"

We all silently watched Monobotto as it continued to hop. I wasn't sure if it was out of excitement, or some other motivation scripted into its code.

"As-you-may-know. There-is-a-certain-unwanted-guest-here-in-the-Killing-Odyssey. Let's-call-him-the-Juggernaut. After-all-he-does-have-quite-the-number-of-advantages-here. So. What-you-can-do-is…"

We watched as Monobotto hopped cheerfully, a bit too cheerfully.

"If-you-kill-him…" Monobotto slowly turned back to us. "Your-dear-friend-Riko-Hamoizumi-will-be-guaranteed-a-safe-return-to-you-all."

I gulped, feeling a cold sweet roll down the back of my neck. A sweet deal? No, no way in hell. We'd have a class trial, another execution. We can't take this anymore.

Not to mention...murder is murder. I know from the bottom of my heart, Riko would never want us to kill, even if it meant she would be saved from...wherever she was.

"Kill...Tobi?" Kyohi turned to look back in the direction of the shift rooms, as though he was looking to see the interloper.

"Huh, huh, huh?"

We turned around to see Tobi hurry over from downstairs, with a piece of toast in his mouth. He tripped over one of the stairs before making it up to the top.

"Oh. You-are-just-in-time." Monobotto enthusiastically proclaimed...with as much emotional delivery as a robot could have.

Tobi swallowed up the toast and placed his hands at his hips. "I thought I heard you talkin' smack, so I came over to listen."

That might be a bit more accurate than he thinks, given how Monobotto wants us to, well…'smack him to death.'

"Oh-this-is-wonderful-! You-already-know-what-we-talked-about." Monobotto hopped, cheerfully again.

"Nyah?" Tobi stepped back. "What do you mean?"

Zraiko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Monobotto made you a target to kill in order to save Riko."

Tobi blinked for a moment to process this. "N-Nyah?!"

"That-is-correct." Monobotto affirmed. "Now-would-you-like-to-be-sliced-or-diced-?"

"H-Hey, what the-?!" The purple-haired lab assistant protested. "This wasn't-!"

"If-you-try-to-escape…" Monobotto turned back to Tobi. "You-will-be-swifty-eliminated."

"Y-You've gotta be kidding me…" Tobi gulped and stepped back, growing pale. "You can't do this…! Erito-!"

"You-made-yourself-at-home-here…" Monobotto leaned in. "Did-you-not?"

"B-But…! You can't do this! We're, we're...Faceless pals! We stick together!" Tobi stammered, it looked like this was the first time he had ever experienced fear.

Zraiko, Weise, Kyohi, and myself grew silent as Monobotto and Tobi began to argue.

"I refuse to partake in this!" Tobi prepared to walk out. "I'm outta here, you hunka junk! I got no stakes!"

Monobotto then began to buzz and hum violently. Its metal plates around its spherical body were pushed out by various mechanical parts. Those parts all unfolded, and in no time at all we were standing before an artificial creature I could only describe to be from a science fiction film. It had giant, spider-like legs that each stood just barely over my height. It had fangs with the sharpness of a viper, and claws that could cut sharper than knives.

"W-What the hell?!" I leaned back, trying to keep even the slightest bit of distance between me and...whatever Monobotto was now.

"That robot's gone feral!" Zraiko gritted his teeth, raising his guard.

"I-believe-I-made-myself-clear." Monobotto's voice then glitched out, swapping with the voice of Haiji. "That's an order."

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Tobi gritted his teeth. "Erito wouldn't ever let this happen!"

"Well, well. He did tell me he wanted to spice things up as we began to reach the end. I think this works out quite nicely." Haiji replied in a calm manner. "Now be a good kitty and stay here, okay? Pspspspsp, here kitty. You stay here. Pspspspsp."

Tobi looked like he had more fight in him, but he decided to give up and let it be. "I'm not dying here."

"Good, good." Monobotto then returned not only in voice, but back to its usual spherical form. "Looking-forward-to-it."

It then rolled away.

So...this was our motive.

Was it?

Well, it was a motive to save Riko.

But it was a motive to kill, to kill Tobi.

There's no way Tobi will just let this slide. I mean, that lab cat is full of tricks.

A) He's going to calmly brush off his clothes and walk off

B) He's going to just laugh it off

C) He's going to-

"G-Goauuh…" Tobi sank to the floor, hugging his knees. "I am doomed, so doomed…"

I sighed, giving myself a facepalm. Of course, of course. He's chickening out.

I turned to the others and waved a hand as a signal for them to leave. They all quietly nodded and walked away.

Once they left, I crouched down and looked at the interloper. "Hey, come on. I know you. You're not going to just lie down and die, are you?"

Tobi didn't respond.

"You aren't going to play by the rules. I mean, when have you ever?" I leaned in. "You play by your own rules. I know you. Maybe within the day, you'll think of a whole new plan. We have the same goal in mind. You don't want to die, and we don't want to kill you. So how about we work together?"

Tobi lifted his face up to look at me. "...I can't do that, blue boy."

"Tell me, who's side are you on?" I frowned at Tobi. "Are you with Faceless, the people who are leaving you to die, or are you with us? We can work together, we can defy the motive."

Tobi sighed. "I'm not on anyone's side, nyah. I'm just trying to do two things: Survive, and speak to Master Erito again."

I decided not to question Tobi's goals. "Alright. I have some things I'm trying to do. Survive, stop the game, and save my friends."

The interloper nodded, slowly. "Alright...let's talk tomorrow, you and me in private."

I nodded slowly as well. "Alright. See you there."

With that, Tobi scampered off down the stairs. I suppose he's going into hiding for tonight.

What a headache.

Well, at least it looks like things will be in order for

now.

Creaaaak.

I turned to see Kozaki standing in front of his door. His fists were clenched, and his eyes...they looked like they were burning with rage. His breathing was unsteady, and his body was shaking.

He must've overhead Monobotto's motive.

He looked like he was ready to kill.


~ Chapter Six, Daily Life Four, End ~