A.N. Review time! Thanks to the person who resolved that issue...for now...
DigiXBot: Everybody crazy, it's crazy, right? LEt's hope she can keep him sane...Yay! Yeah, maybe, we shall see...
HashtagJustMonika: Haha, I'm glad! Thanks, fun fact, if I wasn't so committed to the Makoto fake-out, Sayaka would probably be the fourth character listed as a main, yet this is only the second time I've gone into her P.O.V. Mukuro is similar, she only has a couple P. . But both of them are incredibly fun characters to write for, I've really enjoyed developing them in this story. Damn, Mondo, who knew he had it in him? I did, actually, I think he's a strong boi. Yay Hiro! Also, yes, yay MukuroxKaito moments! (a moment to rant about the fact that the TV tropes wiki has them as "platonic life partners" when they're my personal favorite ship of this story? America explain!) This was also a fun pair to explore, I'm surprised it worked as well as it did! Ha, yeah, maybe? I'm not sure that's how it works though...
SuperSonicHeroes: Hey, I'd lose my mind pretty quickly too! Neither did I, but it was kinda cute, right? They have been, this is the Teruteru we deserved to have! Petition to give him some character development...also, yeah, that is kinda sucky for the guy...hope it works out for him...THANK YOU! I personally always liked it more than KaedexMakoto. I thankfully dealt with that ship pretty quickly...
D-Kirb: I figured he can be a real human being sometimes too. Maybe, maybe she's just opening up to Teruteru? Idk, we'll see I guess. Yay! Kaede and Mondo are amazing and I love them and they deserve the best! (Legit tho, just played her trial in V3 and I cried). Yeah, poor Sayaka, she's been through a lot. It can only get worse! That's Danganronpa for ya!
Zero: Bold of you to assume that the three you didn't mention are going to live...we shall see! Honestly though? Like, I never would have guessed before writing this that Teruteru x Celeste would ever be a thing in my mind. Now I low-key kinda love it...
ashDanLand: She be slipping. Hunger is coming for her lies. Poor Sayaka indeed. Aha, Hiro will never be cool!
Get your snacks! It's time to go back to Jabberwock Island!
*Ding dong bing bong*
"Gooooood morning everyone! Looks like today is gonna be another perfect, tropical day! Now then. Let's show some enthusiasm and make sure to give it our all today!"
Now entering the P.O.V of Kaede Akamatsu
No sooner had I heard the announcement than my door started to knock.
*Knockity knock-knock, knock knock!*
Ugh.
Hiro.
I know he's trying to help, but I could really do without his energy for a little bit.
Just five more minutes…
*Knockity knock-knock, knock knock!*
Guess I can't have that.
With great reluctance, I trudged over to the door.
"What a zen-sational morning today shall be, acolyte Akamatsu! Oh, wait, I got a great pun for you today: Acomatsu! Do you get it? I combined the word 'acolyte' with your last name, which is 'Akamatsu' and I came up with: 'Acomatsu'! Pretty clever right?"
Yasuhiro Hagakure almost always looked like a bum. But today, there was something a little extra about it. His hair looked a tad deflated and frazzled, like old, saggy rope. His brown eyes, like glazed chocolate, radiated an unsettling, chaotic energy that put me on edge.
"Hiro? Are you...okay?"
But the clairvoyant just laughed as though the question were ridiculous, "Hey, that's a great question! Shall I consult the oracle? But first, you must give me a lock of your hair as tribute...Hahaha! I'm totally kidding, dude! You should see your face, it's pretty scary when it's all cute and twisted like that! Hahaha!"
He's calling me scary?
"Ah, never mind then...are we going down for your mediation?"
He nodded vigorously, "Absolutely! Strawberry Tower! Remember, you can't get there through Grape Jam, you gotta use the Pillsbury Doughboy! Fortune favors the brave! Hey, I could give you a quick palm reading, ya'know? I'm kinda psychedelic! Free of charge, since we're friends and all! But don't tell the others, okay? That'll run me out of business! Hahaha, well, are you going down there yet?!"
There was no use trying to talk to him in this frenetic state. I gave a quick nod and paced quickly down the hall and towards Strawberry Tower.
"Hahaha! Good vibes, Brothers and Sisters! Greetings from the other side! Not that I'm a medium or anything, there's no such thing as ghosts! Isn't that right acolyte Momota?! Acomota? Get it? I took the word 'acolyte' and combined it with your last name, which is 'Momota', and made the word 'Acomota'! Hahaha, I can do your chest readings too, if you want? Oh, w-wait, I think I'm getting something...Ah! Never mind! That's just my stomach, hahaha! Crazy world we live in, man, crazy world! Okay, everyone, are we ready for Master Hagakure's Meditation-Station?! Are we all sitting with our legs like snakes?! Snake-legs? Okay, good! Now, breath like you're underwater! Breath, like a fish! They have gills, so, if you can, let's pretend you have gills! Hahaha, just kidding guys! It's all a prank! You should see the looks on your faces right now!"
The eight of us sat in the exact same spot we did yesterday. Only, this time, none of us were relaxed in the slightest. We were all hungry, thirsty, and exhausted from looking at Hiro's dumb face. Just a ways away, I swore I heard Teruteru shivering as he muttered something to himself. Turning to him slightly, I saw his eyes clasped tightly shut, he was rocking himself back and forth.
When my focus returned to Hiro, he was already in a deep state of mediation. That was quick. For someone who seemed like he was raving on energetically like a madman, I was genuinely surprised to see him so calm and composed all of a sudden.
Wait...is he humming to himself? What's going on?
Next to me, Kaito growled, "C'mon man, get it together! This isn't funny! What's gotten into you, Hiro? This is no way for a leader to behave!"
But Hiro didn't answer him, instead, he started to shiver: violently. His eyelids opened slightly, and I could see his irises moving hectically about like he was in the middle of an intense period of lucid dreaming. Drool started spilling from his open lips and his hum became low, incoherent babbling.
Kaito's eyes went wide with horror, "H-Hiro?!"
The astronaut, soldier, biker, and photographer all rushed up to the clairvoyant, trying to get him to respond. The idol, chef, gambler, and I simply sat rooted to our spots, half of us totally oblivious to the situation.
"Hiro! Stop screwing around!"
"I fuckin' swear, man! Cut this shit out or I'll knock you cold!"
"Mondo, don't!"
"All of you, stand back!"
Mukuro took charge of the situation, barking her orders to the three students clamoring around the fifth. Obedient, they all took a step back, while the soldier remained standing where she was. Her face was cold and calculating.
"Give him space. He needs space."
After a few more seconds of him seizing, Hiro's eyes blinked, his body froze, and he looked around as though he was in some sort of trance.
"Not...good...very...not...good…"
Kaito made a move to say something, but Mukuro held him back.
"What's not good, Hiro?" she asked in a measured tone of voice.
The psychic responded in his grumbling growl, "Despair...hope...nothing...left...right...everything...must...abandon...academy…"
What is going on right? What are we watching?!
Suddenly, Hiro gasped, like he was breathing in a new life for the first time. His movements, speech patterns, and facial expressions returned to (relative) normal. He was seemingly unaware of the scene he'd caused or the swarm of his classmates looking down on him, as he simply began to scratch his chin, diving into deep thought.
"That's strange…"
"What is?" Mukuro asked again.
"This...world. It's coming to an end."
Coming to an end?
Mondo sighed to end all sighs, "Jesus fuckin' Christ, he's finally lost it."
At this remark, Hiro perked up, "Nah, dude! I haven't lost anything at all! This is it! This world is coming to an end! Pretty soon, we'll all be reunited with our loved ones! Say your prayers and say them right, there's nothing left beyond tonight! Hahaha, what an epic rhyme scheme I got goin' on! Makes my prophesying that much more legit, dontcha think?!"
Kaito's expression was caught somewhere between concerned and startled, "Hey! D-don't say shit like that man! It ain't funny! What's all this end of the world talk anyway?! The world isn't gonna end yet! We still got at least 5 billion years before the sun expands into our orbit! Or, well, either way, in like, a billion years, 27% of the ocean is gonna be subducted into the earth's mantle and cause surface temperatures to rise. Assuming we can even get that far, I mean, 100 companies alone are currently responsible for 71% of the world's pollution, and we're not even doing anything to stop them! If we cause our very own ecological disaster within the next 1,000 years, then you better believe we're never gonna make it to the next billion!"
...I feel like he had a point, but...I'm really just frazzled right now...I think he is too.
Hiro was undeterred, "Trust me, guys! My fortunes are 30% accurate, after all! The highest accuracy rate in the world!"
Mahiru scowled, "That may be true, but that still doesn't mean 30% is very reliable!"
Hiro chuckled, "You guys act like the end of this world is a bad thing! This world is what's so bad, if it ends, that just means we get another shot!"
Celeste tilted her head, "Another shot at what?"
A cloud loomed over Hiro's eyes as he replied, "Another shot at Paradise!"
...Huh?
Off to the side, Teruteru stroked his chin, "Say, you don't suppose those sunflowers have any seeds in 'em? I admit, I'm not quite familiar with sunflower dishes, but food is food, right?" his eyes went wide with desire, "Hey, hey! What if we could find a way to construct a fruit salad out of the wall!? I know it sounds crazy, but just hear me out, okay?"
As he continued to ramble to himself, I suddenly felt completely overwhelmed. I wanted to say something unifying, really, I did. It would have been entirely in character for me to come up with something to say that would magically get everyone to snap out of it and settle down. But, my brain was running low on energy, energy I needed to preserve for as long as possible. That meant, avoiding these stressful situations, which meant, I needed to leave.
Without a word, I made my way out of Strawberry Tower and back to my room, where I decided to take a little nap.
Now entering the P.O.V of Mukuro Ikusaba
After the disastrous mediation meeting, we all disbanded and went about our business. Last I checked, Hiro was still muttering to himself about his doomsday prophecy. It was probably more to do with the lack of water than the lack of food. The human body can typically go a week without eating, but only three days without water. If we didn't get anything to drink by tomorrow, it really would be the end of our world…
That wouldn't happen though. We weren't going to get any water by tomorrow, right? We'd all agreed that no matter what, we wouldn't let the killing game start again. Even if that meant sacrificing all of us…
Was that really worth it, though?
I've seen countless battles in my time, never once had to worry about dying. Throughout my service, I was never once injured, never even scraped. But that doesn't mean I didn't know sacrifice. Of course, being the Ultimate Soldier, you might expect that from me, but you wouldn't expect that from the men and women I served with. If I got to live through another battle, it was because someone else had to die. That was the nature of sacrifice.
But it always meant preserving a life. It always came with the notion that if you died, somebody else might live. In this situation, what was the trade off? What did we gain? Nine of us die and who gets to live? Who are we dying for? What are we dying for? What good is a martyrdom with nobody left to fight? That's not sacrifice, that's slaughter. That's suicide.
…
…
…
It's not like...my life is worth anything.
It's not like, I'm not already a killer…
A murder had to happen, right? But, there are no rules that say the blackened can't also be the victim…
That would be the Ultimate Sacrifice...isn't that what they call it when somebody dies in combat?
If I'm going to die anyway, I should at least die knowing I saved someone…
"Ah, hey Mukuro! Been lookin' for ya, mind if I chill with you for a bit?"
Kaito…
He would look at me and suddenly my heart would start. A smile from him is worth more than all the wealth in the world. It's a cruel feeling for someone like me. Someone who doesn't deserve it, and who doesn't even know what to do with it.
"Of course, Kaito. Not like we're doing anything else."
There it is again, that smile. Nobody ever smiled at me, not until he came into my life. By sheer chance I met him on this island, and now I can't shake the feeling of needing him around. With great care, he sat himself on the floor next to me, leaning up against the green wall with a sigh.
I spent some time in silence with Kaito.
"..."
"..."
Of course I enjoyed every second that Kaito spent by my side. I didn't have to admit that out loud, but inside my head, I couldn't deny the truth. But, this was the first time we'd spent alone since we watched WALL-E together. That night...the first time I ever called him by his first name...the first person, other than my sister, that I'd ever addressed by their first name. In return, he'd said mine. That wasn't nearly as big a deal, most everyone calls me Mukuro anyway. But, the way that my name came out of his mouth was...different. At least, different from whenever he calls me Corporal.
So when the very next day, Sonia ended up dead, and then Byakuya, and then, of course, Nekomaru, you can forgive me for not being really recovered from those feelings. It was a new experience for me, quickly overshadowed by the deaths of three classmates before I could even process what I really felt about Kaito. I couldn't let him distract me from the investigation...but, even more than that, I didn't want to feel those things. It was uncomfortable and unfamiliar, I didn't like it.
That was a mistake, and I realized that now. I was trying very hard to get him to understand I didn't hate him, or that I wasn't mad at him. After calling him Momota again during the investigation and trial, I had to call him Kaito. And I had to be use his stupid "hero/sidekick" analogy to get him to relax around me again. So far, it seemed my efforts had worked. The astronaut to my left was more or less the same he'd always been around me.
...Wasn't he?
He came to me, after all…
So...why do I feel a certain amount of tension between us?
"..."
"...Uh, hey, Mukuro?"
…
"Yes, Kaito?"
…
"What do you think...about, this whole thing?"
His eyes were very focused on the wall in front of him, although I figured that was only because he was staring off into space. Looking away from his face, I found my own spot on the wall.
"Like, the funhouse?"
"Well, that, but also...what Hiro was sayin'...and, do you think anyone's gonna...y'know?"
There was certainly a wide variety of topics to choose from here.
"I don't think you should pay Hiro any mind."
That must have caught his attention as he snapped out of his daze and turned to look at me. Maybe I'd said it too forcefully.
"I mean, he is kinda slow sometimes, but...he's also the ultimate clairvoyant-"
"You don't seriously believe in that psychic nonsense, do you?"
It was a question, perhaps with a little more venom added to it than needed. I don't even know why I responded to that aspect of his questions, this was the one I wanted to talk about the least…
"It's not that I believe in the supernatural or anything!" he said in a voice way too panicked to not at least be seriously considering the possibility, "It's just, well, if Hope's Peak Academy can find some talent in him, then he's gotta be right sometimes, right? Enough times for it to be impressive for admittance into one of the world's most exclusive and elite schools…"
That wasn't a point that could be argued. Hiro, for all his many faults, possessed an uncanny ability that was so little understood, he couldn't even understand his true potential. I used to not believe that kind of stuff either…
"You shouldn't worry about it anyway. Hiro is probably delusional from dehydration. It can cause some nasty things to develop in people's minds."
One quick glance at Kaito told me that response would be enough to hold him back for a little while, which was all I needed to do. Regardless, of how, I knew that this time tomorrow, Kaito wouldn't have any need to question that again.
…
…
…
"...Kaito?"
"Huh? What's up, Mukuro?"
"...What do you think of me?"
"...What kind of a question is that?!"
"Just answer it. What do you think of me?"
He studied me for a moment, trying to gauge what the correct answer would be. The only answer I wanted to hear was an honest one.
"I think that...you're one of the bravest, strongest, coolest people I know. In fact, the more I think about you, the more I realize that there aren't many people at all who are like you."
It sounded like such vaguely high praise. Like the kind you would expect to hear from a sitcom husband trying to appease his wife after doing something stupid...maybe I should have gone for a different analogy. Junko would always make me watch sitcoms with her.
But, the way that Kaito said those words, made it feel like the most genuine compliment anyone could give. It took everything in me to keep the smile bottled up and tucked away into the depths of my being. A comment that dumb doesn't deserve a smile…
"...You don't really mean that, do you?"
He looked dumbfounded, "Sure I do! Why wouldn't I?"
"You barely know me. You shouldn't say things like that to people you barely know."
The astronaut turned to me with a resolute countenance, "Hey, I know enough about you to tell what kind of a person you are! I mean, how am I supposed to by your sidekick if I didn't believe in you?"
I tried my best to avoid the gravitational pull of his eyes, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult, "But...you don't really know me. You wouldn't say that if you knew the things I've done."
Kaito's words, my body slowly shutting down without proper nourishment, the stress of the last two weeks, it all came crashing down on me in this perfect storm of a moment; breaking through the dam that was holding back those words I had longed to shoot his way, like bullets of truth shattering his seemingly impenetrable lies. Only, the more he talked, the more I questioned who was lying and who was being truthful.
"What, you mean as a Remnant!? That doesn't matter to me! Listen…" I did, "When Kazuichi turned out to be Kiyo's killer...I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. Even now, I...I have a very hard time accepting it. I kept thinking about the ways I could have helped him trust Kiyo more, or even ways I could have helped Kiyo myself, to keep him from going down that scary path alone. In the end, I beat myself up over two deaths I had nothing to do with, because I thought of a million ways I could have helped prevent them. I don't think that's what either of them would want me to be doing right now. I think that we owe it to the people who are gone to keep living. The worst thing we can do is to get hung up over the past that we can't change. We should keep the memories of the past, so we never forget them, but so that we don't also trip over them on our way to meet the future! That's what I've decided to do! I've decided to forgive Kazuichi, Kiyo, Sonia, Nekomaru and Makoto too! Hell, I'll even live for Toko and Byakuya! That goes to everyone still alive too! You especially!"
I felt my eyes giving up, "K-Kaito…"
"You are worth fighting for, Mukuro. You're worth believing in. Because, it doesn't matter to me what it is you've done to get here. What matters now is what you'll do today and tomorrow, and I believe that you can do heroic things if you just choose to do them! The impossible is possible! You just have to make it so!"
I paused, my face slowly turning to see that glimmer of hope in his eyes. The endless possibility dancing around in his nebulaic gaze. The spirit of adventure and the conviction of humankind. That was enough.
"Whoa! Mukuro!"
Blinking, I felt my cheeks redden slightly, "What? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong! The opposite!" he leaned in closer with a little wink and nudge, "You just have a really pretty smile."
…
Haha...Did I?
I guess I didn't notice, but...I am smiling right now.
Wow, what an idiot I must be, to smile at something so cheesy…
To smile in the face of death.
And Kaito too, he's an even bigger idiot…
To go out of his way to make someone like me feel so special.
To make me smile…
"Ha...you're a pretty reckless guy, Kaito."
There was a moment of hesitation, something in the back of Kaito's mind flashed for me to see. A brief moment diminished his warm smile, but it was so slight, you wouldn't be able to catch it. Unfortunately, I did.
"Are you okay?"
He shook his head and returned with his smile, "Huh? Oh, nothing! I was just…" his voice trailed off for a bit, "Never mind about that, don't worry about it!"
"...Okay."
Kaito took a deep breath and scratched the back of his head, "Actually, I think maybe I should go take a nap. I'm not feeling so good."
We stood up slowly.
"Do you need some help getting back to your room?" I inquired with a slight hopeful lilt in my voice.
"Nah, I'll be fine. Like I said, don't worry about it!"
Reluctantly, I nodded.
"Whatever you say, Kaito."
He gave me a thumbs up, "It was good talkin' to ya, Mukuro! Maybe after my nap we can hang out a little bit more!"
My heart stood back up again. He still wanted to hangout with me.
"Sure. I'll be in my room."
"Sounds good! See ya then, Mukuro!"
And with that, he left.
"...See you, Kaito…"
Was it something that I said? What was that flash in his eyes? All I did was call him a pretty reckless-
…
Ah.
I get it now.
I'm just an idiot.
Now entering the P.O.V of Kaede Akamatsu - Time Unknown
The cherry blossom, much like the student, begins to bloom in April. The walk to the front doors of Hope's Peak Academy is lined with cherries, a light breeze causes them to dance and send their petals into a minuet or waltz onto the hair of passersby. I've had my share of blossoms land on my head, and I enjoy the sensation each and every time. It's as if the world and I are synchronized, and the melodies we are singing are one in the same. Call me what you will, but the beginning of school has always been my favorite time of year.
Even now, as I sit at my desk beside the window, the cacophony of my classmates is drowned out by the beauty of the bustling branches poking a few short meters away from me.
"Good morning! The name's Kaito Momota! What's your name?"
That was the first time I ever met the Ultimate Astronaut.
"Hello class, good morning! My name is Miaya Gekkogahara, and I will be your homeroom teacher for your time at Hope's Peak!"
The short, blue-haired woman cheerfully chirped from behind her ridiculous cartoon rabbit. Sitting in an automated wheelchair with a red scarf covering half of her pale face, our homeroom was the former Ultimate Therapist, apparently so deathly shy that she could only communicate via a computer program on a screen attached to her chair. It was an odd adjustment at first, but one we got used to over time.
One of the first things she asked us to do was to spend the day with another person in our class so that we could slowly build a bond between us. My companion for that day was a slender boy in an odd-looking uniform.
"Korekiyo Shinguji. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kaede Akamatsu."
That was the first time I ever met the Ultimate Anthropologist.
While Korekiyo and I were walking down the hall to lunch together, I bumped into Kaito again, and the boy he had been assigned to by Ms. Gekkogahara. We were quick with introductions, Kaito was happy to see me again and delighted to speak a little with Korekiyo, who in turn jumped at the opportunity to make a new acquaintance.
The boy with Kaito appeared much more timid and reserved than either of us. While he was polite, I couldn't help but feel he was hiding himself under that black baseball cap of his. Like he was trying to shrink away from our company and not even be seen at all.
"Ah, hello, I'm Sh...i ….ara. Glad to meet you. I, uh, hope we can get along."
That was the first time I ever met the Ultimate …..
I woke up from my nap feeling no more or less refreshed than when I had laid down for it. I didn't want to be forced to confront my growing hunger, my mounting thirst, but I felt it inescapable.
On top of that, there was the second flashback I had received in the last two days.
But why was I suddenly remembering things like that? Why were these memories I was told were taken, suddenly seeping back into my brain, as though they were never stolen but rather just forgotten? Was this also part of Monokuma's trick? Did he want to use this as a way to increase our incentive. As if starving us wasn't enough, now he had to infuse us with more reasons to want to escape?
Or maybe they were just delusions resulted from a lack of proper nutrition. Maybe, in my guilt, I had conjured up an alternate universe where this killing game did not exist and I could just be a normal schoolgirl, with Kaito and Kiyo and Makoto and everyone else.
...But, I very much doubt it was that simple.
With no rest in sight, I turned to my only other possible option: socialize.
Awaiting me in the Grape Lounge was a scene I'd nearly forgotten once existed. Mahiru and Sayaka sat at the table being dealt cards by Celeste. When the three girls noticed me, they beckoned me forward, and the gambler dealt me in. Not a word was said, yet somehow we were able to return to the first few days when the four of us ate breakfast together in relative harmony.
Of course, that was back when Sonia was also alive…
It felt like we'd come full circle. As the dealer began to explain the rules of Texas Hold 'Em, I studied each and every one of their faces: there wasn't a single trace of malice, suspicion, or bloodlust that I could detect. Maybe it wasn't really true, and I was deluding myself into thinking that, but when I looked into their eyes, I couldn't help but feel safe…
Round after round after round, with Celeste winning every single hand with mounting ease, it became a competition for who could do the second best, even though that's not really how poker works. There was no need for words, nor do I think any of us had the energy for them. Before too long, the automated nighttime announcement was sounding.
*Ding dong bing bong*
"This is an official announcement! The time is now 10pm, which means it is officially nighttime! The kitchen will be off limits until the morning! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!"
We didn't heed it immediately. Mukuro came up a little while later and was the first inside her room. Mahiru and I followed suit, and I bid Celeste and Sayaka good night. The gambler gave a polite nod and offered to play War with Sayaka. The idol agreed, and the goth began to shuffle the deck as I closed the door to my room.
As I lay myself back down on my bed, for what felt like the millionth time that day, I started to allow my mind to wander. It wasn't that I believed in what Hiro was saying about the end of the world, but the idea being out in the air still had an effect. A small part of my brain couldn't help but dwell on the fragility of my own existence.
I don't want to die.
I want to live.
I have so much left to live for.
I want to live.
I have to live.
I have no choice but to live.
…
…
…
Were we all really going to just lay down and take our deaths like we were rolling with punches?
Were we so committed to each other now that we had actually resolved that starving was preferable to another class trial? Was the sense of unity among us now really that strong?
Wasn't someone plotting something? Someone had to be lying...they had to be. There was no way, not after that display of weakness in the morning. One of us was going to kill.
One of us was going to die.
…
Ha.
Haha…
Hahahahaha!
So, then, I would live, right? I could keep on living because someone was going to kill! Someone would snap, then kill someone else, and then we would have a trial and we would have food and I would live!
Yes, it had to be. That was the way out of here! It had so far been unavoidable, with less pressing motives. It was the natural cycle of life and death, you could never escape it. Especially not here, not on this goddamn island. No, death was inevitable. You could not run from it, you had to simply accept that it would come and hope that you wouldn't be the person it took today.
I wonder who it will be. Who will be the one to destroy our fragile paradise? Violate the sacred tenets of living so that the rest of us could continue freely…
Teruteru was a likely candidate...maybe he'll resort to cannibalism? He could kill Celeste easily, she seems to trust him more than anyone else...or, maybe, in a twist, she could kill him...she has the cunning to do it...ah, but perhaps Mondo might do it too? He certainly is strong enough to kill; Kaito too, even Hiro, they're both quite muscular in their own right, and Hiro is crazy at this point. Crazy enough to do it...crazy enough...it might be crazy to think Mahiru or Sayaka would kill...but, the fire in Sayaka's heart could drive her to do it...and, Mahiru is a remnant, certainly the possibility exists in her...Mukuro Ikusaba...the Ultimate Soldier...she kills for a living. It's her talent to kill. Why should she hold out for much longer?
…
…
…
But, what if...none of them choose to kill?
What if they all are committed to starving?
But...somebody has to, right?
Somebody has to start the killings again...otherwise, it'll all just end. Our lives will be over before they ever really began. The natural cycle of life and death, what will it matter? We will just abandon it for a nihilistic sacrifice that stops nothing, that proves nothing, that accomplishes nothing. Isn't it better to fight for life than to surrender to death?
…
Somebody has to fight.
Somebody has to kill.
Somebody-
*Knockity knock-knock, knock knock!*
...Hiro.
"Hey Acomatsu! Acomatsu, hey! Open up! It's me! I need your help, Sister!"
...I...need your help too...Hiro…
"Ah, there you are! Whoa, were you sleeping just now? Haha, I guess you were, right? It is nighttime after all! You know what that means, right?"
...Yes...I know that it means...the end...the end is coming…
"Haha, that's right! We gotta go right now! We gotta meet our loved ones, okay? It's gonna be okay, y'know?! C'mon, you and me can wait together!"
...Together...yes, you and I have to end this together...thank you for understanding...Hiro…
"Remember when we woke up right here, Acomatsu? Pretty trippy stuff, right? Look at those sunflowers! Man, I can't wait to see the sun for real again! And my mom, too! She's waiting for me, I just know she is!"
...My mom too...I know that...and my dad...my whole family…
"Oh, wow, you don't look too great, Sister! Here, lemme help ya down...there ya go! Haha! Perfect view for when they come! Ah, I bet you're tired though, right? Well, it can't be helped. You should get some sleep, Acomatsu! You got an important day coming up soon! It's gonna get us all outta here! I can't wait!"
...Yeah...you're right I am pretty tired...okay, Hiro...if you're okay with this, then I'll sleep…
"Man, Nekomaru would be so proud of me! My mom would be too! I'm here leading everyone, taking responsibility for us all! I'm gonna save everyone! I'll finally be a hero! Haha, not like my name 'Hiro', cuz obviously I already am!"
...You will be a hero...I will never forget you...for as long as I live...they won't forget you…
"Yeah...it's funny though. I couldn't find my mom. I knew she was there, of course, but I never saw her...haha, I wonder what that could mean? Oh well, I can tell her all about it when I do see her again! I know I will! I'll see them all again too! So will you, Acomatsu! Promise!"
...I know, Hiro...I know...Makoto, Toko, Kiyo, Kazuichi, Sonia, Byakuya, Nekomaru...my parents, your mom…
"I promise I'll wake you up in the morning, okay? Go to sleep now, Acomatsu! Tomorrow we start rebuilding our world! Tonight the old world dies, the moon will take it away! The rising dawn will come and shine a light on our brand new paradise! We'll have to work, of course, to build it and make it a true haven for humanity...but, I believe in us! Because, Coach Nekomaru believed in me, so we can do anything! We can build that Paradise for all humankind where killing games will be a thing of the past! No more murder, no more inequality, no more destruction or corruption. Just peace and freedom. That's what I see. Tomorrow, we have another chance at making life worth living again."
A.N. Everyone is crazy.
I had a hard time with the P. this chapter. I didn't know which I wanted to do now and which I wanted to do later. I guess, now I do? Also, the lack of dialogue in a lot of these scenes is justified by the fact that they're all dying right now. So, like...who has the energy, right? that's what I'm sticking with...
So, what do you think of all this craziness? It is pretty crazy, right? I mean, super duper crazy! Oh man, who's it gonna be? I'm getting chills. I'm getting thrills. I'm getting KILLS!
Also, this chapter has really turned into a love fest for characters who deserved better: Great Gozu, Jin Kirigiri, Miaya Gekkogahara (not Tengan. Fuck Tengan.) I should do something with these guys maybe...maybe something...something...
Anyway, I wanna hear what you guys think! I think there's a lot to think even if there's not a lot to read yet. Idk, that's just my way of tryna milk as much outta your reviews as possible! I love reading them, honestly, it makes me happy to see you guys enjoy this little fiction I've made! I can never thank you guys enough! As always, enjoy the rest of your day, and continue to stay safe out there!
-That1guyeveryonehates.