A.N. A quick turnaround but only because I'm doing another interlude chapter! Isn't this fun!?

HashtagJustMonika: I knew it too. It is sad, but hey, maybe you're right. Maybe there can finally be...hope? I wonder what Monokuma's next motive will be and also what did sneak up Junko's skirt? Damn, aight, fair. Seems a bit extreme for me, but I guess that's your take. Yeah, I know? Canon would never have treated Aoi this way, and I still don't know if that's a good or bad thing...Thank you! I'm looking forward to it too!

D-Kirb: Well, we can't all be 100% right 100% of the time...right? Idk, maybe you can. Nah, that's been kinda the point this whole time! Sad, but nice, I'd say. Poor Leon, indeed. Hmmmm, I wonder what Junko's tryna do here...Ahaha, thanks! Yeah, it can be, but I had fun with it! Because Miu is funny to me, and since this isn't a real game, I can get away with putting more joke answers in these responses! He's just callin' it as he sees it. That's part of why they work so well as foils, and why they're so entertaining to me. Angie too, I feel like she's the real counterbalance to Miu and Gundham is somewhere in the middle of the two, but really, they're all just kinda the same. Mmm, wonder what'll happen next. *checks notes* uhm, toiler paper? Oh, haha, that's just my shopping list! Totally not gonna get those two things mixed up...

ashDanLand: Hey now, HEY NOW! In my defense, I totally could have done it earlier but then didn't...that's not a defense, actually, I'm going to move on now...Well, I'm always thinking I make it too obvious, but then I have to remember that I literally wrote it, so of course it's obvious to me. Aww, thank you! I'm really glad you feel that way, this chapter gave me a lot of anxiety! Beauty is pain, I suppose. Uhm, I'm not sure what's happening to Junko. Maybe she's on her...y'know...that time of the month...? Poor Chiaki and Leon, this is a double whammy for Protag-gang. Well, that was Aoi's official unused execution, so, I mean...you're not wrong? Noooo! I love Miu! That's only you!

HayamiHinata: Guess that means you're gonna hafta keep reading, huh!? Thank you!

AmirulAmani: No problem! Oh, this is definitely the harem fic. Honestly, who ever really knows what Miu is thinking or doing? Angie or Miu, huh? Interesting...It's sad, and I'm sad because this is one of my personal favorite ships, but, ya gotta do it, man...for the ratings! You're welcome! And now, I shall reward you once again!

SuperSonicHeroes: Good! That's what I like to hear! I thought so too, glad it worked! Oh she's so missed right now, I have mist in my eyes just thinking about it. It's good to be cautious of wildcards like that, but I wonder what exactly is going on in her mind. It would be nice to know these things, wouldn't it? You're spot on with your Angie observation! But, yeah, maybe don't trust her either? Actually, come to think if it, isn't Distrust the whole point...Maybe we will see what it says...I hope so, at least...

MsterCyn1cal: No worries comrade, welcome back! Hopefully this provided you with some marginal relief from the stresses surrounding you, I know your chapters do that for me! I'm proud of you, glad that brain of yours is working! Oh my goodness, who isn't sad to see Hina die? It's Hina we're talking about! Grazzi, grazzi. A lot of things, very interesting things, let's see what else can happen...?

Anyway, I know you all are dying to find out what happens to Shuichi and the gang next, so without further ado, let's jump right on back to *checks notes* The Odyssey of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu...wait what?

Chapter 3.5: The Odyssey of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu pt. 2

…

Night.

When it is dark, nobody can see what really goes on. The perfect way to twist and bend and even snap the truth, turning her from a blossoming young lady to a broken, bloody carcass. When truth is murdered, what then matters? Does she not provide order to our chaotic world? Is she not the sun rising to cast a light upon an otherwise dark and unjust world?

…

If she is the sun, I am the moon that eclipsed her just before she could rise. And the clouds...the clouds have come to obscure the world from witnessing my cruel deed, casting a shadow over us, enter a much darker night.

…

When I woke up, I was sweating. Rivers of sweat seemed to have been gushing out of my pores, my pillow was soaked, as were my clothes and sheets. I knew it to be my own from how I panted like a little bitch after a hot summer walk. My eyes stared up but I could see nothing except for my own hands, covered in blood I could neither see nor smell, but I knew it was there, I could feel it.

I needed a sink. I needed to wash my hands of all this blood.

Frantically, I began to scrub, wring, shake my hands. No avail. No matter what I did, that damned spot was still there, taunting me, clinging to me.

Slowly, my vision began to un-blur, I noticed a figure hovering over me.

…

It was Tenko Chabashira.

I was in hell, and she had come to greet me.

Nodding, I accepted my eternal punishment.

"I'm sorry…" I began to softly cry.

But when I blinked again and again, the vision before me became clearer and clearer, until at last I was face to face with a pale, tired boy, casting a gaze of worry down at me.

…

"Fuyuhiko?"

He knows my name…?

"Fuyuhiko!"

…

"Ry...ota…"

That name that I just murmured...is that...his name?

...Mitarai...Ryota Mitarai…

The animator let out a sigh of relief, but didn't look any less terrified, "T-Thank god you're okay! I've b-been trying to wake you up now f-forever!" Suddenly, he jumped back, "Ah! I-I should c-call somebody! M-Mr. Sakakura! Mr. Madarai! A-Anybody!?"

...Who is he talking to?

Wait...where are we? Weren't we…

I looked around the room, first noticing that I was resting on a cot and then realizing this cot was located on the opposite end of a cell to a second cot, where I assumed Ryota had slept. That's how I discovered I was in a holding cell of some sorts. The walls surrounding me were a disgusting gray concrete color with only a sink and a toilet on the side opposite the door. The door, like what you might expect in a prison, was composed of steel bars that would slide open should somebody on the outside choose to do so. Staring beyond this open wall, I could see similar cells, at least three others in this specific dungeon. From what I could gather, there didn't appear to be anyone else here, nobody to answer Ryota's screaming.

The animator must have realized this and stopped rather quickly, turning back to face me.

"S-So...are you okay now? D-Did you have a bad dream?"

For what felt like an incredibly lengthy amount of time, all I could do was blink. Then, with a dry throat, I rasped, "I...yeah. I did."

It was slowly coming back to me...how after my 'graduation' I ended up in some city...Toad...Toga...and, there were Monokumas everywhere...or was that also some kind of terrible nightmare? I met Ryota when I was outside, though. Not when we were...well, wherever we are now.

"I-I'm sorry you had t-to go through that...it must have been r-really scary...you even s-scared me a little! Haha...not that that's hard to do. Uhm, I-I wish I could help you...I...I know a way to help with those kinds of things...I can't right now, though...I-"

"Ryota?"

I'd only been half-listening to what he was saying. He also seemed to be dying out, or at least, I couldn't hear him as clearly the more he kept talking. His train of thought derailed, it took him a couple of moments to respond,

"H-Huh? Oh, y-yes…?"

"Where are we?"

The question slapped Ryota across the face, "W-What do you mean, where are we?"

My brow furrowed, "I mean, where the hell are we? This place doesn't look familiar at all."

Ryota gawked at me like I was saying things that didn't make any sense, which only further fueled my confusion. Was I supposed to know where we were? How? Why?

"T-This is...well, we're in Tokyo now at the F-Future Foundation headquarters...and...well...we're in their detention facility…"

Future Foundation?

Detention facility?!

"...B-But...you know all this...right? You're just j-joking, right? B-Because, you were awake, w-weren't y-you? D-Don't you r-remember?"

I didn't say anything, but I must have been making a rather unpleasant face as Ryota recoiled a bit, "F-Fuyuhiko...you're scaring me! D-Do you seriously n-not remember?! F-Fuyuhiko? C-Come on...you gotta-"

"He's not going to remember."

A third voice shot straight through Ryota's panicking, paralyzing him with shock and confusion similar to my own. It wasn't a particularly friendly voice, but it didn't sound aggressive either. It was low, but not deep; dry, but not raspy. The voice was undeniably masculine, and had come from somewhere in this room, although I knew that no doors had been opened, nobody new had walked in.

Moving off of my cot, I trudged over to the bars, pressing against them to try and get an optimal view of the other three cells to locate the person who'd made that comment.

"Hey, who are you? Show yourself!"

I attempted to sound commanding, regaining a little bit of my old strength back, but I didn't feel in power. I felt tense and nervous, and when he languidly responded, I could tell he had much more dominance in this particular scenario.

"I'm right here. I haven't been hiding."

Squinting, I tried to push further beyond the bars. My eyes slowly adjusted and I started to make out the vague shape of a lean boy reclining on his back, hands behind his head. I noticed his jet black hair looked like it hadn't been brushed in weeks, his eyes, though I could barely see them, stared lazily upward at the ceiling. His skin was almost as sickly as Ryota's was. He looked thoroughly worn out and utterly defeated, yet so far, he was the most composed and domineering person in this room.

Ryota must have joined me in my search, implying he'd not noticed the third boy either. I only realized this when the animator gave a large gasp of recognition after studying the boy for a minimal amount of time.

"Y-Yasuke?!"

Yasuke…? Ryota knows him too? That name...it sounds familiar to me...but why would it?

"Took you long enough, Ryota." jabbed the third boy.

"S-Sorry Yasuke...I-I didn't even think to look into the other cells. Y-You don't s-stand out very much…" he gave a weak chuckle as he said that, though there was no mirth to be found.

"Fuyuhiko won't remember me. And he's not going to remember you for a while, either." Yasuke asserted dryly, ignoring Ryota's comment. "I'm only a little surprised he doesn't remember last night, but it was always a possibility that would happen."

He spoke with great authority, I didn't fully understand why. It irritated me, and that's all I knew.

"What're you talkin' about, bastard? Do you know what happened to me?"

He didn't look at me, but I could feel his presence looming over me, "I know more than you think." It was almost intimidating the way he deadpanned that, and I might have gotten nervous if he hadn't added with a pitiful sigh, "I know too much for my own good…"

His momentary weakness afforded me a period of recovery, and while not returning to that previous level of agitation, I felt more assured when I pressed further.

"Something is wrong with my brain…" I found myself admitting before I could figure out the right way to phrase it, "I don't know what it is, but...you say you know more than I think."

"I do."

"Then do you know why my brain feels weird? Why I feel...the way I do?"

"...I do."

"Then...can you help me?"

There was a long pause, and during that, I recounted in my head what I'd said aloud. I'd just bore myself to someone who was essentially a stranger to me, someone I'd only just met. Not only that, but I submitted to my weakness and did so in front of this person by asking for his help with a problem I don't even realize I have.

Yasuke shifted around a little on his cot. His head moved up slightly, I got the impression he was trying to get a better look at my face, maybe to judge my sincerity, maybe to study my expressions. Whatever the case may have been, I was never going to find out. At that moment, the door to the dungeon swung open and several footsteps shuffled into the room.

"Good morning Mr. Kuzuryuu! Glad to see you're finally awake!" A tall, blonde man walked up to my cell door, causing me to back up a couple of paces. His oceanic eyes steadily drew me in like a warm tide. Behind him were three young women I was also unfamiliar with: one with short pink hair in a bob cut, one with muted galaxy hair in loose pigtails, and the third, who sat in a wheelchair, with icy blue hair.

"And I see you two have met Mr. Matsuda! He's not much for conversation, so I'm actually kind of impressed you managed to spot him!"

I continued to gape at the man before me with his black blazer and unbuttoned white shirt. He spoke to me in Japanese, but he sounded foreign...American?

The American placed his hands on his hips and gave a half-sigh half-chuckle, "Aw man, you don't remember me, huh? I had a feeling that might happen, I told Mr. Sakakura to be gentle with you, but hey, that man's got a mind of his own!"

His eyes sparkled jubilantly as he said those words, but something told me he wanted to say something else…

"Anyway, my name is Alexander Baker. I'm the head of the Future Foundation 14th division, which specializes in propaganda and media outreach! I'm the former ultimate campaigner, and graduated Hope's Peak class 75-A. Let's see, what else?" he tapped his chin a bit facetiously before grinning broadly, "Oh, yeah, I'm 6 ft. 1 in. and weigh roughly 168 lbs., although since you're Japanese, I'll say that I'm 185.4 cm. tall and weigh 76 kg.! My blood type is O+, my chest is roughly 94 cm., I like buttons, beaches, and beer! I dislike forest fires, fast food, and fascism! My sexual preferences are-"

"Will you shut up already? It's bad enough I have to be here anyway without having to listen to you go on about yourself."

The strawberry blonde rolled her lilac eyes and crossed her arms. The fur trimming on her pink coat shifted around her face a bit as she did that, making her chin almost disappear in it.

Alexander didn't seem deterred at all by her lack of enthusiasm, "Okay, okay, fair enough! Why don't I let you introduce yourself next?"

She scowled at him, "Seriously? He's a Remnant of Despair! I'm here to observe him not befriend him!"

"He's also a human being and was your classmate!" the squeaky voice came from the girl in a wheelchair. She wore a red scarf over her mouth, preventing me from seeing her lips moving, but a computer screen jutting out from the arm of her chair proved that she wasn't doing any talking herself. Rather, she was using some kind of voice modulating system that displayed an emotive pink white rabbit in a tutu as the talking voice. This greatly contrasted the woman in the pale brown overcoat, whose bright blue eyes displayed and pale face displayed very little emotion. Her eyes moved around, I could tell she was looking at Ruruka as she spoke, but that was about it.

Still, what the two women were saying made absolutely no sense, the way they talked about me made me feel...uncomfortable. Why did one need to justify my existence to the other? What the fuck is a Remnant of Despair?

"Fine, fine, don't worry about it! Here, allow me!" Alexander stepped back with a great flourish to his sides, first gesturing to the strawberry blonde, "This is Ruruka Ando, head of Future Foundation 8th division, specializing in food 's the former Ultimate Confectioner which lends itself nicely to her current job!"

He turned to the other end where the bluenette sat, "And this cutie is Miaya Gekkogahara! Formerly the Ultimate Therapist she now heads Future Foundation's 7th division which is the information security and therapy department!" Alexander nudged Miaya's cheek softly, causing a small blush to creep onto her face. The voice program giggled, "Xander, you're such a sweetheart!"

Smile never dimming, the blonde introduced the third woman who had been silently observing in the background. What once must have been a white button-up was now tye-dyed and stuffed into a pleated mini-skirt, where each pleat seemed to be another color. Her body from head to toe was like a pallet of every color imaginable and they all clashed and blended in the most harmonious and dissonant ways. Yet, in spite of her colorful appearance, her face was cold and stoic. Her arctic eyes stared down at me, distant and aloof, almost haughty, like she intended to make me feel lower than her.

"This is my classmate, Mitsugo Romi! You can tell by her vibrant energy that she's the former Ultimate Painter! And while she certainly still paints, she's also taken up a newer, bigger title as the head of Future Foundation's 10th division, which focuses on cultural restoration! Pretty nifty, I would say!"

He nudged her with a wink, but the woman reacted neither positively nor negatively. She appeared used to his antics, but not entirely thrilled by them either, putting her roughly in the middle position between Ruruka's disgust and Miaya's adoration. Alexander expected as much and remained unbothered.

"Well," he said, bringing the focus back to me, "You're probably wondering a lot of things right now, so let me just fill you in on what you need to know!"

Alexander leaned into a relaxed standing position, keeping his hands visible and open as he spoke.

"See, all us big wigs got together to determine the fate of the Remnants of Despair. You remember that swarm of Monokumas from earlier, right?"

A tingling sensation began gnawing in the back of my head, I started to slowly remember…

"Well, those were all made by the Remnants. There's a whole army of 'em. And they're all over, too. Not just Japan, but all across the world, if you can believe it. Governments have been toppled, major cities have been leveled. It's some pretty intense stuff."

...how I was attacked by one of those Monokumas…

"There's a lot more to it, but, basically, you're a Remnant of Despair, Mr. Kuzuryuu. And now that we've found you and have you under custody, we've had a pretty intense debate over what to do with you. We're split right down the middle, actually."

...how I met Ryota, how we were both rescued by Alexander…

"Ms. Gekkogahara here represents the six who voted to rehabilitate you. Ms. Ando represents the six who voted to execute you. That's only twelve votes, however, which means two of us were undecided."

...Alexander saved me...and now, I'm his prisoner?

"That would be myself and Mitsu. Because of this deadlock, we're here to offer you a deal."

I snapped, "Hold on, wait a minute! I remember you!" I could feel the heat burning my cheeks, "Y-You bastard! You helped me out…! W-Why are you-"

"Mr. Kuzuryuu, please." he held out his hand, asserting a wave of calm over me. His voice was gentle but firm, his face serious but fair. "I understand you have questions and concerns, but I'm here to simply offer you a deal."

I blinked, "Deal? What deal?"

Alexander gave a somewhat sarcastic smile, "I'm glad you asked that. The deal is thus: you will undergo a public process of rehabilitation. This will be broadcast across the world so that people all over can measure your progress and keep track of your development."

"What the...public rehabilitation?!"

"Yes. The world knows you, Mr. Kuzuryuu. They know what you have done to them. This is the only way to show them that you can be treated, that you can be rehabilitated, and that you can be forgiven for your crimes against humanity."

"What are you talking about?! Quit treating me like some sort of war criminal!"

The blonde's voice was calm and measured, "You are a war criminal, Mr. Kuzuryuu. And now, you are a prisoner of war. You may not remember what you've done, but the rest of us do. This is the best possible option for you given your current circumstances."

Best...possible...option…

…

"The alternative, in case you're wondering, is public execution."

...execution?

"W-Wait a minute! That's totally unfair! W-What kind of choice is that!?" Ryota stammered in a surprising display of force. He was quickly shot down by Ruruka.

"Oh shut up! This is more than fair for that genocidal bastard!"

"R-Ruruka, h-he's our classmate! O-Our f-friend! He doesn't deserve this-"

"He's a murderer! He deserves execution!"

...murderer…

I...am…

I deserve to be executed...I should have been…

…

"I understand the situation is not ideal. It is my sincerest wish to remain by your side at all times! However, if this is the only way to ensure your freedom, I have no other choice but to make it, and force you to leave me behind! Just as you had no choice but to kill Tenko and order me to kill Sakura. It is simply our duty in life to walk the paths we do!"

…

"W-wait! Peko! Please! Don't get yourself killed, o-okay?! I'll find a way to get you outta here, just stay alive!"

"Young master!"

…

There were voices swirling around me. Ryota, Ruruka, Miaya, all in heated debate, with Alexander interceding on occasion. I couldn't hear a word that any of them were speaking. But two pairs of eyes were focused straight on me, like lasers. And though they never spoke, they drowned out all the other words.

I couldn't tell the difference, not in that moment, between whose eyes were whose. Tenko or Mitsugo, Peko or Yasuke. Who was looking at me right now? Who was waiting for an answer from me. To see if I chose to finally face my own blackened soul or if I would run away again.

I deserved to die.

But not Peko. Not Tenko.

…

"I accept."

The chaos vanished into a vacuum of silence as everyone's focus came back to me. It didn't take long for Alexander to process what I had said. The American smiled, "Excellent! We begin tomorrow!"

The four person committee shuffled off, with Mitsugo's arctic gaze sending chills down my spine just as she turned away. Across the room, Yasuke had sat himself up and was leaning against the back wall. While apathetic in overall appearance, I thought I could barely spot the curious twinkle shining in his eyes.

That was all the answer I needed.

A.N. Were you surprised to see more Fuyuhiko? I wasn't originally gonna do this. I actually started the Fourth chapter already, but then I thought about this scene and decided to include it here instead of somewhere later. I figured we could continue the nice little thread of reminding you that Fuyuhiko is still alive and also I get to write Tenko's name some more, which makes me feel better somehow.

Some interesting things in this little mini-chapter. I wonder what's going on? Oh man do I wanna talk about this! I hope you guys give me all your brains have to offer! Milk them dry! I wanna know what love is! Wait...no, see, I keep mixing up my words!

Anyway, like I mentioned, I already started the next chapter, and like, actually legit started it not just copy-pasted the morning announcements and transitioned it into Shuichi's P.O.V, like an actual scene or two thank you very much! I might work on it some more this weekend. If I have time next weekend as well, depending on where I'm at, I might be posting it by next Sunday, but do NOT quote me on that! Let's all just hope I can follow through on that lofty goal...

As always, thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and continue to stay safe out there!

-That1guyeveryonehates.