Chapter 16: Smile at Despair in the Name of Normalcy
Chiaki Nanami
Her heart skipped a beat. Why is she here? How? Chiaki's thoughts spiralled. She kept her hands pressed against Kamukura's neck. "No! No no no!"
"Calm down, Chiaki-tan! It's just me, your friend!" Enoshima giggled. She was still in her prison uniform, a broken pair of handcuffs on each hand.
"You… You're supposed to be… Just leave me alone!" She shouted.
"You seem pretty pissed. Is it about him?" She tilted her head, pointing at Kamukura. "I bet it is! Calm down, Chiaki-tan! He'll be fine, I still need him for later." The Fashionista reached into her pocket, pulling out another pair of handcuffs. "I knew these would come in handy… Get it? Handy? Meh, you're no fun."
Enoshima grabbed his arm, clipping it around his hand. She attached the other to the bottom of a radiator. "L-leave him alone!" Chiaki protested.
"Hey hey, who left all these guns around everywhere? Ha! Must've been that snot-face!" She looked around the room. "Ah, there you are! Get up, loser." Enoshima poked her with her foot. "Fuckin… Do I really have to do everything on my own?"
Chiaki found herself paralyzed still by fear. Even more crushing than with Ikusaba.
"Is this a damn camera? Did that bitch want to be caught?" She flicked the lens cap shut, lifting the tripod. "Eyup!" She slammed the camera against the wall, shattering it to pieces.
The Gamer jumped at the loud noise. "Stop stop stop… Stop!" She covered her ears. "Why are you here… It was… It was supposed to be over."
"Are you asking how I got out, or my reason for being here?" Enoshima tilted her head. "Fuck it, I'll tell you both. There's always a way to escape, even in high security. All it takes is strangling the right guard to death and you're a free woman!" She smiled. "As long as there are two people in the world, one'll always wanna kill the other."
"Y-you killed someone…? You monster…" A ball of anxiety grew inside her stomach.
"Gah you types are all the same." She crossed her arms. "Some people pull their optimism over their eyes. Just pretending what they know what to do. I know I'm slightly rusty. Girl, you're gonna have to trust me, keep a realistic point of view."
"Go away! Leave me alone…" She clung to the cuff of Kamukura's jacket. Hoping he'd wake up and stop her.
"Damn, you're what he found more interesting than despair? I'd say to each their own, but that's just bad taste!" Enoshima grabbed her, pulling her to her feet. "I mean look at you! You're so bland and boring and basic and bland!"
Chiaki balanced on one foot, not having her cane for support. "Ngh… You… You you… Stop…"
"Cheer up, you're boring me." Enoshima looked at the TV. "I wonder what that bitch had planned to watch. I bet it's a war movie. Would you have guessed they're her favourite?" She asked, pulling out two chairs. "Come on, take a seat." Chiaki reluctantly sat down, clutching her shoulders. The Despair patted down her sister, pulling out a remote. "Here it is! Let's see." An image of a round room appeared on the screen. "Holy shit, jackpot!"
There appeared to be a group of people in the room. A few of them seemed tired. Chiaki realised what was happening. "Wh-what are you doing to them!?"
"Maybe that dumbass is slightly less of a dumbass than I thought! Puhuhu!" She laughed. "If I remember correctly, there's no ventilation in there. They're gonna suffocate!"
"No! No, let them go! Do whatever you want with me just… Let them go!" She shot up from her chair.
"If you leave, you'll be as dead as they'll be. And so will he!" Enoshima threatened. Chiaki looked between the screen and Kamukura. She sat back down. "That's my girl. You know better than that!"
"Just… Just let them go." She pleaded.
"Nope! Cause y'know, Ryota-chan is in there, and he crossed me." She smiled. "I'd say with the fourteen of them, they have about half an hour left. Entertain me until then and you get to live. And I'll never bother you again!"
"D-don't… Don't hurt them-"
"Cut that hopey shit out or you won't even make it ten minutes. Strike number one!" Enoshima grinned maliciously. "Or should I say… Two lives left!"
Chiaki didn't open her mouth.
"Oh, come on. Talk to me. Ask me something!" She paused. "If I like your question, I might just give you a bonus life. A one up, if you will?"
She was hesitant to say anything, in case it hurt her chance of making it out of here. Eventually, she decided on something. "Why… Haven't you already killed me?"
Enoshima glared at her. Her heart sank. "God you're so predictable. Luckily, that's the question I wanted to answer." She grabbed Chiaki's shoulder. "You pissed me off. Everything I worked for, years of effort. Just for you to survive? God, I hate your continued existence."
"Huh?"
"That's right, I hate everything to do with you. To the point where you still being alive, it causes me despair!" She cackled. "Never have I wanted a single person dead so much that them still being alive causes me more despair than outright killing them would!"
If this was anyone else, she'd be confused. "That doesn't… Answer my question."
"Doesn't it? You are alive, and that causes me despair. Maybe even the greatest despair I've ever experienced! Buuuut! I'm still super mega pissed at you. You're walking on very thin ice, pal. If you were to piss me off just an inch too much, well…" She stuck her thumb and finger out, putting them to her ear. "Kapow!" She stuck her tongue out and let her head fall limp. "Capice?"
She nodded silently. "Tell me… Why… Why me?"
"Oooh, that's a fun one!" She grinned. "You're such a good person! When you saved my life from that hope weirdo, well, I couldn't help but fuck your shit up! Guess that goes to show that being a goody two-shoes gets you nowhere."
Chiaki cupped her hand to the back of her head. Her blood had begun to dry. She couldn't help herself from watching the screen with everyone. There wasn't any audio, but she was used to silent games. She kept an eye on them while listening to Enoshima drone on.
Ryota Mitarai
The camera angle hadn't allowed them to see what had happened. After Ikusaba had Nanami-san use the knife, they both left the frame. His keen eye noticed a few frames of a blur flying past, but other than that, nothing. That was, until a familiar gaze stared into the lens. It was only a moment before the screens cut out, but everyone instantly knew what that meant.
"Graaaaah! What the fuck!" Soda-kun shouted.
"C'mon, this door's gonna budge any second now! Help me out here!" Owari-san continued her assault on the large red entrance.
"Hey, Akane… You're just going to exhaust yourself. Calm down." Nidai-kun scolded.
"Coach Nekomaru, you of all people should be helping here." She replied.
He stayed quiet, crossing his arms. Tanaka-san began mumbling quietly. "It appears this door has an unbreakable devil's charm, it is unable to be opened."
"Ev'n 'f ya do break outta 'ere, whaddaya plan on doin'? We jus' g'wan confron' her? You'll member what she done last time, ight?" The chef mumbled incoherently.
"For the last time, talk normally." Koizumi-san chastised. "We can't understand what you're saying, perv."
Ryota turned to the more quiet group, sitting off to the side. "Hey, uh, how do you plan on getting out of here?" He asked.
"Oh, oh, I know! The staff will notice we're gone. And come and get us." Sonia-san smiled.
"Are you fucking kidding me? You came down here all alone, ignoring Nanami-san. And now you think anyone is coming to save us?" The Yakuza crossed his arms. "You bastards already admitted you only came down here for the Imposter. And they got here last night."
"Young mas… I mean, Kuzuryu-kun, we came here for you too." Pekoyama-san stated. "As well as Hanamura-kun."
"Bullshit. You had no clue he was down here." He looked over at the chef. "The guy was stuck here before I was. Got no clue for how long, but he hasn't eaten in days."
"We have not seen you since before the trial. That is a long time to not have any food." The Princess frowned.
"Tch, I'm fine. He probably is too. At least for now." He looked up at the black screens. "Speaking of the trial, I assume it didn't go well, seeing as she's out and about."
"It went great, actually. They… They actually got her to confess." Ryota answered.
"Then why the fuck is she up there?" He yelled.
"Ikusaba is her twin, right?" Sonia-san beamed. "They must've pulled a classic twin-switcharoo!"
"A what?" Saionji-san asked. "It better not be some weirdo shit."
"It is a common espionage tactic back home! Twins are taught how to disguise as one another to spy! It was simply Ikusaba pretending to be Enoshima to scare us."
"A simple, yet effective tactic. Although I can say that that was the real Enoshima." The Imposter grinned at the chance to show off their talent.
"Then how the fuck-?" Kuzuryu-kun started.
Mioda-san cut him off, speaking the first words since the assembly earlier. "She's… She's going to die. She's going to kill her. Nanami-san's probably already dead." She stated, her usual tone gone.
"What the hell is up with you?" He quickly turned to her. "What the fuck did you do to her?"
"Such despairing words… You can't let your hope fade away! For you Ultimates to escape here, your hope must be brimming!" Komaeda-kun frowned.
"Why… We're going to die. Ikusaba's trapped us in here and we're going to die." She moaned. "Ibuki is going to die in here…"
"Ahaha! There's no need to worry, you won't starve! I will gladly offer myself as a sacrifice!" The Lucky Student stared at his hand.
"What do you mean by that? Don't say things that don't make sense." Pekoyama-san chastised. "Someone would notice us gone long before the effects of starvation began."
"That isn't what Ibuki is talking about…" She mumbled. "The vents are silent. Ibuki thinks there's no air in here."
"Huh!? No air? Don't say things that don't make sense, Punk bitch." The Dancer probably wanted to sound assertive, but came off as nervous. "If there's no air, what am I breathing right now, huh?"
"Now that you mention it, I do believe it was growing a little stuffy before you opened the door." Imposter-san mentioned.
"So what, of course you have trouble breathing Mister Ham Hands! That doesn't mean any-"
"For scum like me to steal air from the likes of you is unthinkable. I apologize." Komaeda-kun interrupted. He closed his eyes, staying eerily still.
"Gah! He's not breathing!" Sonia-san shouted.
"What the fuck, dumbass!? You need to breathe!" Kuzuryu-kun grabbed him by his shoulders.
"Komaeda-kun, what are you thinking!? Y-you're not stealing our air!" Ryota looked at him, not sure what to do.
His face began to turn blue. Everyone stood around, unsure of how to stop him. He slowly teetered over, collapsing on the ground. It was clear he was struggling to stop himself from taking a breath, squirming around. The Yakuza continued to shake him to no avail. Eventually, his body stopped moving. His chest began to rise, his breathing returning.
"I understand why he would think that, although it's no use. Your body won't allow you to suffocate." The Imposter frowned. "If wakes up, don't let him try again. It's dangerous, and can damage your brain."
"Huh? Where are you going?" Ryota asked.
"If the oxygen in here is limited, overexerting yourself would just waste it." They pointed to the door. "And I figure the group over there should know about our circumstances."
"Oh, alright. We'll think of a way out, there's gotta be one." He smiled.
"Hm… Pekoyama-san, why don't you use your sword to cut down the door? It'll totally be like an anime princess warrior!" The Princess offered.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, but my blade is only bamboo. Even then, the door is sturdy. It would only serve to exhaust me." She frowned.
The Yakuza crossed his arms. "Hey Mioda-san. You seem upset, what's wrong?"
She had returned to silence. None of the others seemed to be willing to say. Their eyes fell onto Ryota. "Well, uh… You know she had her music club thing… I dunno much, but I think Ikusaba… She killed… Them."
"God dammit." Kuzuryu-kun pinched the bridge of his nose. "If that old bastard didn't have shit on me… Fuck." He cursed.
The Swordswoman glanced at him. "Who?"
"Nothing. Nobody that concerns you, anyways." He got up and walked away on his own.
"I'll… Keep my eye on him." Pekoyama got up, following him over.
Ryota sat awkwardly, surveying the room for any possible exits. It grew increasingly clear how stranded they were. He found his eyes drifting over to the black screens, wishing for any way to see her. It was bad when they saw what was happening to her, but even worse now that it was left to his imagination.
Chiaki Nanami
Chiaki sat, listing off as many pointless questions as she could. Enoshima seemed delighted to answer each one. "How interesting! Is what I would say if that wasn't so boring!" She laughed. "We just have different last names, it's not a big mystery, alright?"
"Oh, okay…" She mumbled. "Why don't you-"
"Woah!" The Fashionista interrupted. "One down! Thirteen to go!" She pointed at the screen.
Chiaki snapped her head to the screen. Komaeda-kun had collapsed on his side. "Huh? What's wrong!? You said they had more than an hour, b-but…"
"Calm down, loser." Her eyes narrowed, looking into the circular room. "Oh wait, isn't that the guy who almost shot me? Oh my, it totally is! Upupu! Betcha wish he'd killed me now, don't you?"
"I don't-"
"Y'know, wanna hear something funny? I was just gonna send Yukizome through that maze, but when I met you I just…" She began to drool. "All that hope in you! You even stopped him from shooting me! I changed my mind, yeah you all liked your teacher, but when she was gone, who kept your class together?"
"I…"
"Ding ding ding! Correct! It. Was. You." She flicked her nose. "To crush your hope would have been to crush everyone's hope. It was gonna be so perfect. And then you decided that you wouldn't die, you asshole. You know how hard it was to get everything right, just for you to live?"
She didn't even bother trying to respond, knowing she'd be cut off.
"Hm. I'm tired of answering questions. It's your turn." She gave a malice filled grin. "Do you regret stopping him? Be sure to answer honestly, you wouldn't wanna die over something so stupid, would you?"
"Uh, I…" Chiaki stared into her eyes, fear spiralling within her. "I don't… No, I don't."
"Seriously? Like, really? After everything I did?" She seemed to get an idea. "Oh, I get it! Maybe I've been too tame, I can fix that if you want!" Enoshima got out of her chair, walking over to her sister. She grabbed something and sat back down. A small revolver was in her hand. "Alright, now what can we do with this? Oh, I know!"
She emptied all but one bullet from the chamber. Chiaki began to realise what she was going to do. "N-no, we can't… That's…"
"I can't? Oh, but I'm pretty sure I can. Let's see." She pressed the gun to her own head. Click. "See, I can! Your turn."
Enoshima turned the gun towards Chiaki. "Please, don't!"
"Well it's no fair if it's just me." She grinned, pressing it to her forehead. "Okay, Ten… Nine… Eight…"
Chiaki sat, shaking. She was ready for Enoshima to pull the trigger at any random number.
"Seven… Six… Fivefourthreetwoone." Click.
She gave a sigh of relief. It only lasted for a moment though.
"Okay! Their turn!" She hopped over to Kamukura, chained to the wall.
"Wh-why? They have nothing to do with this." She rubbed her forehead where the barrel had been.
"I'm no bully though. To leave them out just because they're unconscious is mean, don't you think?" She held the gun to his head and, sparing the theatrics, pulled the trigger. Click. "Damn, alright Muku-chan!"
She skipped over to her sister, putting the gun to the back of her head. "D-don't do this!"
Click. The Fashionista returned to her seat. "Well then, the bullet's in one of these, ain't it."
"I guess so…" Chiaki mumbled, her anxiety growing. "Y-you don't need to do this… Please don't-" Click.
While she pleaded, Enoshima already placed the gun against her head and pulled the trigger. At the sound of the click, her smile contorted. "Well we know what this means! This is great! Seeing your eyes fill with Despair with the knowledge that there's no chance for you anymore! That last hope of yours fading away! I did always hate your annoying eyes!"
"No! Please! Don't do this… Don't kill me." She begged.
"Oh, sorry, you've convinced me to change my ways and become a better person." She said sarcastically. "Enough stalling, let's get this over with. And by 'this' I mean your life."
"Junko-sama…? A-are you-"
"Oh come the fuck on!" She spun around, facing her sister. Ikusaba had begun to stir. "Couldn't have chosen a better time to wake up? Like, I don't know, thirty seconds later?"
"Ah, shit… It hurts… Junko-sama…" She looked up.
Enoshima pointed the gun at Chiaki. "You wait right here." She commanded.
It hadn't even crossed her mind that the door to the room was still open and she would be able to leave any time. Not that she could, without her cane she wouldn't make it far. And she wouldn't abandon Kamukura with them anyway.
The Despair crouched down in front of her sister. "So much for the 'uninjured' soldier. Come on, get up."
"Uh, ah, yeah okay." She moved to push herself up. "Hng… I can't… Oh… Oh no…"
Enoshima appeared confused for a moment. "Wait, did you…? How!?" She laughed.
"Junko-sama…? Help me… Please. Kamukura… He was too fast… "
"Well, you're pretty useless, y'know. Not only are you ugly, but now you can't even do the one thing I needed you for." She cackled. "And from one sister to another, I'm really needing a good hit of despair right about now."
"Wh-what…? Junko-sama." She must have realised what Enoshima was saying. "Wait, I can still be useful! I can still shoot! And… And… I'm your sister. I'll get better… Please…"
"It gives my heart great joy to see your eyes fill with fear! Lean in close and I will whisper the last words you'll hear." She rhymed.
Chiaki tried to listen to what she said, but couldn't quite hear it. A gunshot echoed through the room and Ikusaba's body went limp. "Y-you…" Her heart began to beat faster, pounding in her chest. "She was your… S-sister…"
Enoshima got back to her feet. Blood now stained her prison jumpsuit. "All the better despair!" She tossed the gun to the side. "Sorry for using your bullet on her though. Guess you get to live for now!"
"H-how… How could you!?" Chiaki challenged.
"Psh, you care too much about that nobody. You should probably keep an eye on your friends." She pointed to the screen. "Plus I'm getting changed so don't look."
Ryota Mitarai
Exhaustion was beginning to set in. Even the most active, like Owari-san, were now lying on the ground. Komaeda-kun was still unconscious. Ryota sat with Saionji-san, Sonia-san, and Mioda-san. None of them had spared a word after Pekoyama-san had left.
Imposter-san was moving between groups, checking in. Making sure that everyone was still doing well. Their constant moving must have taken a toll, as they soon collapsed in the centre of the room.
"Huh?" Ryota pushed himself up, ignoring his own fatigue. He stumbled over to their trembling form. A few others also mustered the strength to move, Soda-kun, Koizumi-san, and Kuzuryu-kun. "H-hey… Are you okay?"
"Oxygen deprivation… It'll be fine… Someone will find us…" They muttered, taking deep breaths.
"C-crap… What should we do…?" The Mechanic pushed up his beanie. "We g-gotta get outta here, man…"
"Calm down, bastard. You're wasting our air." The Yakuza crossed his arms.
"You're one to talk. I saw you sobbing over there with Peko-chan." The Photographer mentioned."
"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about." He shouted. "Er, sorry…"
"No, it's alright. My fault." She apologized.
"Hey, Imposter-san. C'mon… Let's get you to the others." He tapped their shoulder. They didn't respond.
"Ah crap. Now what do we do?" Soda-kun complained. "Do we just leave 'em here?"
"You are a boy, aren't you?" She chastised. "Why don't you drag them?"
"Are you crazy!? I mean, no offence but…" He groaned.
"They'll probably be fine here." Kuzuryu-kun stumbled to his feet. "The only ones here who could probably move them are Nidai and Owari, and they don't look too good."
"Yeah, they were punching that door for a while. They've exhausted themselves." Koizumi-san frowned. "I should go check on them anyway…" She wandered back to the group near the door.
"I'll stick with Peko. Mitarai, go make sure Sonia is okay. Soda, you stay here." The Yakuza began walking away.
"Oh come on, how's that fair? Mitarai gets to hang out with Miss Sonia and I get stuck alone?"
Kuzuryu-kun continued walking, ignoring him. Ryota returned to his group, taking a seat with them. "Hey, uh… Is Mister Ham Hands alright?"
"Yeah… I think so. Just overworked." He answered. "Huh? Sonia-san?"
The Princess was leaning against the wall, her eyes shut. Saionji-san snickered. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty is finally out."
"Sonia-chan fell asleep a little after you headed up." Mioda-san said, her face still absent of her usual emotion. "Ibuki thinks the air is growing thin."
"Well, yeah… Obviously." The Dancer shook her head. "What about Mahiru-chan? Is she okay?"
"Uh, y-yeah she seemed fine… I think. I don't know… I'm just really tired. It's hard to think." He mumbled.
"So? You're a lazy nerd, aren't you always tired?" She laughed.
"You know what I mean." He sat down against the wall. "Someone will come… Soon… I know it."
"Ibuki thinks we're screwed." The Musician frowned. "We only have a minute left… She thinks."
"And how would you know?" Saionji-san taunted.
"When Ibuki used to throw concerts, a lot of people would show up. She needed to account for a lot of things. Audio levels, exit routes, and such. And that includes knowing how much air was getting into the building." She answered. "Ibuki is basically a professional with this stuff."
"Wahhh!" She wailed. "S-so I'm gonna die here!?"
"What? No you won't. There'll be a way out." He assured. "Something'll happen soon… I know it will." As he said that, he could already feel his consciousness fading. A headache tore through his mind. "Y-yeah… Soon…"
"Ryota-chan, Ibuki thinks you're looking a little pale." She mentioned.
"A little? He's paler than Komaeda." Saionji added.
"Ah… I'll be okay…" He pushed himself to his feet, the room spiralling. "C'mon… We need to get out of here."
"Woah… Where are you going?" She grabbed onto his sleeve. "You're gonna knock yourself out!"
Ryota tried to pull away, but that only served to knock himself over. He felt his grip on reality fading, his vision blurring. "Ha… Ah… Ha…" He panted.
Saionji said something, but his mind was too far gone to register it. A bright light appeared across the room from him. Is this it? He thought, closing his eyes.
A sharp pain against the side of his face snapped him back to reality. "Wake up dumbass!"
Ryota barely opened his eyes a crack, realizing that a wave of cold, fresh air had washed over him. It took a few deep breaths until his senses returned. The doors were open. "Huh?" The light from the bright hallway flooded the dark room.
A few figures moved around the room, staring around at the class. "Get up, someone's here."
He pushed himself off the ground, taking in the faces around him. "Y-you're… You're in Class 78, right?"
The tanned brunette helped him to his feet. "Woah, you're super pale! We need to get you to the nurse's office!"
He coughed a few times. "Are the others okay…?"
"I dunno… I just saw a bunch of you over here and rushed over." She answered.
"Then get out of our way!" Saionji-san commanded, helping Mioda-san to her feet. "Go help the bitch and the creep." She pointed at Sonia-san and Komaeda-kun.
"Um, okay…? You don't need to be mean about it." She frowned, stepping around them.
The Dancer grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the entrance. Standing there were a few members of the class that had rescued them. "Wh-why is everyone asleep? And why are you down here?" A brown haired boy with a bandage around his leg looked up from the unconscious group.
"There wasn't any air down here…" He took another breath, as if to check if it was real. "We only had a few minutes left… Thank you."
"Tch…" The tall blonde crossed his arms. "You wouldn't have happened to find a redhead punk while you were down here, would you?"
"I don't think so… Uh… Some of our classmates went missing, so we came searching down here and we found them. But then the door closed and we got trapped."
"Fourteen of you, four of whom are conscious." A girl with lavender hair noted. He looked around the room. Ryota, Saionji-san and Mioda-san were near the entrance. Pekoyama-san was cradling Kuzuryu-kun. "Excluding Tsumiki-senpai, one of you is missing."
"Huh? Oh, Nanami-san!" He shouted. The newcomers turned to him, confused. "It-it's Enoshima! She's back, and has Nanami-san! Ikusaba is there too!"
They were all taken aback. "The fuck did you just say, asshole!? There's no way she's back, she was arrested!" A tall man with a long pompadour shouted. "I even have some of my… Contacts watching her. Quit shitting me."
"He isn't lying, Owada-san." The Swordswoman walked up behind him. "She showed herself on the monitor up there."
"H-hey, what the fuck!? Pekoyama, you wouldn't lie to me, right?" He clenched his fist. "Where the hell is she!? That batshit crazy chick can't run free!"
"Since when did you two know each other?" The blonde tilted his head.
"We're, uh… Family friends." He answered. "Who cares! We need to stop her!"
"We should leave a few to look after the ones still down here." The girl with gloves crossed her arms.
"It's alright bro, I'll stay here. You go stop her! If you need me, let me know!" The black haired boy smiled.
"Y-yeah, I'll stay too. I wouldn't be much use in a fight." The timid looking girl he recognised as Fujisaki-san shook her head.
"Alright! Let's do this." Owada took off in a run.
"What about Kuwata?" The blonde delayed once more.
"If Ikusaba is with Nanami-san, he might be with her!" The brunette responded.
"Fine. To have the honor of stopping the Junko Enoshima would be a great boost for the Togami family, after all." He grinned.
They took off after the Biker, Ryota and the others following close behind.
Chiaki Nanami
Enoshima had changed out of her jumpsuit into her sister's clothes. Chiaki was too focused on her friends to even notice. It wasn't until she pointed it out that she did. "Gah, it's a little tight, how scandalous! That flat bitch didn't really spare much room, did she?"
She didn't bother responding, instead focusing on Sonia-san passing out. "P-please… Someone… Help them…"
"Oh my, someone has balls, ignoring me and all." Enoshima stepped in front of the screen, cupping Chiaki's chin. "That's enough to take off one of your lives. Ouch, down to one!"
"H-huh? But…" She pulled away. "St-stop… Please stop…"
"God you've really not been paying attention, have you? I'll only stop when either, I kill you, or you kill me." She grinned, reaching into one of her pockets. "Here you go!"
She pulled out a small pocket knife, handing it to her. "Wh… Huh?"
"You want it to stop, here's your chance!" Enoshima grabbed Chiaki's forearm, pulling it up to her own neck. "One slash and I'm gone forever! You can go on living a boring hope-filled life. Playing some stupid ass game forever."
Chiaki's hand shook. She was right, one slash and it was all over. Enoshima was still holding her arm, making sure she couldn't pull away. "N-no… No matter what, killing is wrong! I won't kill you." She dropped the knife.
It clattered on the ground. "Wow, see this is what I mean. Can't you see how boring your hope is? Letting your morals guide you? It's fucking lame. C'mon! Why not try out a slice of despair of once?"
"I… I don't…" Chiaki pushed Enoshima back. She landed in a puddle of blood, she couldn't even tell who it belonged to. "I don't care…"
"Dick move, I just got this outfit." She complained, getting back up. "Wait, what don't you care about?"
"Hope… Despair… I don't care about either… I just want to play video games… With my friends."
"Well I've got bad news for you! Your friends are about to die, and then you- What the fuck!?" She cut herself off, looking at the screen. "Who the hell is that!? Fujisaki? Ishimaru?"
"Wh… Huh? Did they escape?" Chiaki couldn't help herself from smiling.
"Why can't things just go my way for once?" She spun around towards Chiaki. "Alright, well, time's up!"
"Huh? Wait, what?" Her momentary joy faded.
"At this point, it's not even despairing. It's just really fucking annoying." She picked the pocket knife off the ground and began pacing around the room. "This is just the worst, don't you agree?"
"N-no… Please… I don't… I don't wanna die!" She pleaded. "Please just leave me alone!"
"Calm down, I'll give you one last chance! Convince me, and I'll turn myself in! That sounds fair doesn't it?" She offered. "Explain to me what you meant."
"What I meant? What do you mean?" She shuffled back in her chair.
"That you don't care about despair, or hope! C'mon, tell me how that's possible." Enoshima flipped the knife in the air.
"I-I just… Want to be normal… Live a normal life… With my friends. I never wanted to be caught up in this… This fight."
"Psh, that might just be the most naive thing I've ever heard." She cackled. "You do know you gave up your right to be normal when you came to this damned school, right?"
"I just… Wanted to play games… I never cared about the talent…" She defended.
"Oh? If you never cared about the talent, then why'd you accept? You don't seem like the selfish type, y'know. Millions of kids wanna go here, and you just 'don't care'? Maybe you should have just given it up! Then you could finally have the normal life you always wanted! It seems like a win-win sitch to me. You get to live your normal boring life, and some other poor, hope-obsessed schmuck would be dying in your place!"
"No… If I wasn't there, nobody would've been stupid enough to fall into your trap in the first place, I think." Chiaki mumbled.
"Au contraire, mon ami! Like I said, you were a last minute decision. I already had Mitarai and Tsumiki around my finger, and was about to get my hands on Yukizome! Honestly, thinking about it now, it would've gone fine if you were anyone else." She crouched down next to Kamukura. "If this dumbass didn't have the hots for you, you'd be dead where you stand! Damn, now that's despairing! Meticulously planning every detail of my entire plan, up to ten years in the future, and the one last minute decision I make fucks everything up!" She ran the blade across the man's cheek, drawing a few drops of blood.
"S-stop… Don't hurt him!" She shouted.
"Oh, ohhhh! I see!" Enoshima got to her feet, standing over Chiaki. "I'll be honest, I didn't think it went both ways. Not to judge but, like, you could do way better. Buddy over there is so boring, like the definition of boring. He's so boring he won't shut up about how boring everything is!" She grabbed her hand. "Plus he smells like a sterilised hospital, like, c'mon. There's about seven billion people I'd choose before him."
"No, you're wrong! He just doesn't really understand people!" She retorted.
"Get a room." The Fashionista rolled her eyes. "But I guess you're saying if I kill him, you'd finally care about despair?"
"Huh!? N-no! Don't, please!" She begged.
"Damn, sucks you'll never feel that despair. I still need him. Anyway, where were we? Oh yeah!" She lifted the knife above her head. "You kinda failed to convince me that despair and hope are just things you can ignore. They're always going to exist, and despair will prevail."
"Wait! Stop!" Chiaki closed her eyes. "Please, I d-don't care about hope or despair. You don't always need to hope for something better, but that doesn't mean there's no room for it. You can just live, happy where you are."
"Oh, I see! I guess that makes sense, in some boring, unchanging life. But, like, who would ever want to live like that? Can you even call that living?" She shook her head.
"Y-yeah… Yeah you can! If you're happy where you are, there's no need to hope for more. A-and if I'm with my friends, why do I need to hope for more?" She began to shake, keeping her eyes sealed.
"Woah, I don't care! You've basically just explained to me why hope is shit, which I already know! So we're on the same page!" She laughed. "Alright, well then, goodbye Chia-" A gunshot went off, followed by a blood-curdling scream. Chiaki felt a splatter of something over her head. Her eyes snapped open.
Enoshima was clutching her hand, a wealth of blood spurting from it. A finger of hers seemed to be missing. She spun around.
"Back away, or you die." Came a familiar voice.
"Y-you're awake!? Fucking hell, can shit stop happening in the nick of time?" She crouched down, grabbing something.
"This is your last chance, Enoshima. Back off or I'll have no choice but to kill you." He threatened.
She raised her hands in the air. "Alright, alright! Lemme just…"
In an instant, Enoshima had wrapped her arm around Chiaki's neck. "Ack…" She was about to struggle when she felt something cold press against her neck. Her entire body tensed, frozen in place.
"Drop the knife, now." He commanded, not even blinking.
"Well, it appears we're in a stalemate now! You shoot me and Nanami's blood'll go flying. I kill Nanami and you'll put a thousand rounds in me!" She giggled, the knife shaking against Chiaki's skin. "Y'know, I have been wanting to ask you some questions, this seems like a good chance!"
Ryota Mitarai
The group consisted of Saionji-san, Mioda-san, and Pekoyama-san. As well as Togami, Naegi, Kirigiri, Owada, and Fukawa. The other three stayed down to tend to the unconscious. They rushed to the top of the long staircase.
"Graah, what the fuck!?" The Biker shouted, the first one through the passage.
Ice chunks of varying sizes were falling from the sky. "Hmph, hail?" The Swordswoman followed him out.
Ryota threw his hands over his head. The hail slammed down against his arms. "Come on! We can't stop moving!" He shouted.
"Yeah, we can't falter now! We need to stop Enoshima!" The Lucky Student pulled his hood over his head.
The group of ultimates continued running. "You said you saw a video feed of where she was? Can you describe it?" Kirigiri asked.
"I think it was a classroom! There were chairs and desks against the wall!" The Dancer replied.
"That could be the new building or the old one." Togami stopped in his tracks. "We can't afford to split up any more. With Ikusaba on her side, we will barely stand a chance in combat as is."
"A f-fifty-fifty chance? That's the b-best we have?" Fukawa muttered.
"Wait… Ibuki might have an idea." The Musician spoke. "The room looked abandoned. Ibuki thinks it's the old school building. On the fifth floor. Ibuki found it… With her band…"
"Well, it's better than nothing. We'll be checking there, then." The Heir commanded, taking the lead.
The others followed him, the hail giving way to rain. A crack of thunder rolled across the sky. They stepped into the building, heading quickly for the staircase. Ryota hadn't been here since the last meeting about the Neo World Program, which felt like ages ago by now.
Once the group reached the top, they made the turn for the third floor. "Aaargh!" Came a wail from ahead of them.
Togami was staggered ahead of them, falling against a wall moments later. Revealing that his face was bloodied, his nose broken. His glasses had fallen and shattered against the floor. Ryota's eyes moved from the Heir to his assailant, taking a step back.
A red haired man with a metal bat was standing ahead of them, bandages wrapped around practically every part of his body. The Animator was surprised that he could even move. He also noticed a bit of blood dripping from the bat.
"L-Leon-chan…? You're alive!?" Mioda-san was the first to say anything.
"Kuwata? I know you don't like Togami but that was fucking uncalled for." Owada grinned, taking a few steps towards him.
"Wait, somethings not right!" Naegi grabbed the Bikers arm. Fukawa was staring at the ground.
The Baseballer said nothing, clutching the bat tighter. A laugh came from behind them. Ryota spun on his heel.
"Ts-Tsumiki-san? What have you done?" Pekoyama-san drew her sword, now aware of the danger of the situation.
"Oh, well, y'know. Ikusaba-san said as long as I kept him alive, I could do whatever I wanted with him!" She giggled.
"That… What did you do to Leon-chan!?"
"Well, there was this really good video I saw once, so I shared it with him!" Her laughing's true malice was revealed. "Heh heh… hehehehe!"
"So you've turned him to despair?" Kirigiri asked coolly. "Why are you here now?"
"My beloved came back to me! She said to stand guard and we'd finally be able to bring despair to everyone!" She cackled.
"Oh yeah, well, how are you here!? The school would be all over you if you took a step outside your room, pigshit!" Saionji-san crossed her arms.
"Oh, well, that was easy!" She finally stopped laughing. "Putting my only restraint around my leg was an oversight. Such a common limb to amputate, it's one of the first things I studied. So, to answer your question, I guess I haven't really 'stepped' outside my room."
"This c-crazy slut!" The Writer shouted. "G-get away from me!"
"Kuwata-kun, come on, you can't let this get you down." Naegi pleaded. "Talk to me, please."
He remained silent, not even making eye contact.
"You won't be getting any answers from him. Heh heh…" The Nurse shook her head. "When I told him about poor Maizono's fate, he wouldn't stop screaming. It got annoying fast so I just… Snip, snip. Now he can't annoy anyone anymore."
"H-Huh!? What d-does that mean!?" Fukawa crouched next to the unconscious Togami, looking away from his face.
"Argh, bitch! Quit joking around!" Owada turned to the Baseballer. "Talk to me, bro! Snap out of it!"
"With those wounds, how is he still moving?" The Detective asked, still analyzing the situation.
"Ahehehe. With every step his body aches. The only thing keeping him going is the despair of beating up his friends!" She reached into her pocket, pulling out a syringe.
"W-we have to get past them! Stalling just gives Enoshima more time." Ryota realized.
"Leon-chan… Mikan-chan… Please let Ibuki help Chiaki-chan…"
"Y-You're going to beat m-me up?" Tsumiki-san's posture changed, turning timid.
"We're not going to hurt you, just let us pass. We can help you even, I promise!" The Lucky Student reached out towards the Nurse.
"Naegi-kun! Watch out!" Kirigiri shouted, but it was too late.
He let out a whimper. She had shoved the syringe into his forearm, quickly pushing down on the plunger. He stumbled back, the Detective catching him before he hit the floor.
"What the hell was that, pig shit!?" Saionji-san bit on her fingernails.
"Hehehe… It's too late to ask questions, whore." The Nurse fired back.
Behind him came a crunch, followed by a groan. Owada was clutching his right hand, Kuwata having presumably hit it with his bat. In an instant, the Baseball Star rushed forward at him, raising the bat. Ryota closed his eyes as he brought the bat down. Instead of getting hit, he heard a clash above him. He slowly opened his eyes. A sword was locked between him and the bat.
"Move!" Pekoyama-san shouted, pushing him back. She parried the blow as if it was another sword.
Ryota stumbled away, the battle between the two growing fierce. The sound of metal on bamboo rang out. She fainted an attack, allowing for a strike to his arm.
He turned to the Nurse, figuring the Swordswoman was fine on her own. Kirigiri had pulled Naegi against the wall, his face going pale. Saionji-san and Mioda-san were standing against her alone. "Mikan-chan, please stop! We need to save Chiaki-chan!"
"Why would I let you do that, Ibuki-chan?" She grabbed a scalpel, quickly bringing her arm up. The Dancer was able to dodge back in time, but The Musician wasn't fast enough. As if a seam came apart, blood poured from her face. It sliced from her jaw, across her nose, to her forehead.
She stumbled back, yelping in pain. "That's it pig barf, you don't get to hurt my friends!" Saionji-san shouted, lunging at Tsumiki-san. It only lasted a moment as the Nurse quickly overpowered her.
"Awh… You're holding back! It's not despairing at all for you to not want to hurt me!" She laughed, pinning her against the wall. Ryota quickly charged in, grabbing her arm. That only earned him a scalpel in the thigh. A wall of pain travelled through him as he fell to the ground.
Tsumiki-san wrapped her hands around Saionji-san's throat, choking her against the wall. Pekoyama-san spun around to help, which only earned her a blow to the back. She quickly turned her attention back to her own fight.
Kirigiri left Naegi's side, throwing her fist against the Nurse's face. She released Saionji-san, who slid down against the wall. The brainwashed girl began to grapple with the Detective. They traded blows, Kirigiri clearly having the upper hand.
A snap came from behind, to which he spun around. The Swordswoman's blade had broken, leaving her with only a stump. Even then, she continued to stand against him, preventing him from advancing on Kirigiri. Even with her training, it was impressive how long she lasted unarmed. Unfortunately without a weapon, her time was limited. A lucky strike to the knee and Kuwata had won, tossing her aside.
Owada shot up, throwing a punch with his uninjured hand. His resistance didn't last long, quickly suffering a blow to the head and falling aside.
Other than Kirigiri, everyone was disposed of. Togami was unconscious, Fukawa was showing no signs of helping, Naegi was asleep, Mioda-san was drenched in her own blood, Saionji-san had passed out, Pekoyama-san had collapsed, Owada was battered. That left Ryota. Even with his leg, he stumbled to his feet. He just needed to stall long enough for Kirigiri to win and they could figure something out from there.
"H-Hey, Kuwata… Come on, fight me!" Ryota shouted to no avail. "You… You pay attention to me… Or… Or I'll beat you up!" The Baseball Star walked past him, heading directly for the Detective. "Get back here… Come on…" He needed something, fast. "Y-You. Uh… M-Maizono deserved what happened to her!"
Kuwata stopped dead in his tracks. Tsumiki-san seemed surprised, losing her footing. Kirigiri continued to overpower her. He gave a dark silent stare.
"Yeah, you heard me! She deserved-" In an instant, the Star sprung up. Ryota didn't even notice being flung off of his feet, only landing on the floor. A warm liquid ran down his face, presumably blood. His mouth also filled with his own blood, his teeth flying out. He could only assume he had been hit by the bat.
His vision blurred as he fought against his own consciousness. Kuwata stood over him for a moment before turning back to his target. Ryota tried to move, but everything ached. He tried to speak but only managed to cough up blood. Kirigiri stood, her tie missing. He realized she must have wrapped it around the Nurse's hands, as Tsumiki-san was now subdued.
Kuwata approached Kirigiri. Ryota wanted to do anything, but couldn't find the energy to help. She spoke one last time, trying to dissuade him. "Kuwata-kun, I know this is futile but please, don't do this."
He swept her legs, ignoring her. With the Detective now on the ground, he raised the bat over his head. He took a deep breath and swung down.
"Stop! Sports and Activities are not allowed within the walls! Violence is not welcome in a school environment." Came a faint shout. He couldn't tell if it was far away or his hearing was fading.
Kuwata seemed startled, as his swing missed his target. He quickly turned to the newcomer. Ryota strained his eyes to see who it was. A boy with black hair clad in white was standing with his finger outstretched. "Ishi… Maru…?" Kirigiri mumbled.
"It is my duty to protect and serve my classmates, as well as my bro, when the time arises!" He continued, now approaching the Baseball Star. "And that includes protecting my classmates from themselves!"
"Bro…" The Biker began crawling towards him.
Kuwata remained as stoic as usual, lifting his bat. He took off in a sprint towards Ishimaru. He only made it a step before falling to the ground. Kirigiri clutched onto his ankle, causing him to trip.
He tried to get up, only to be knocked back down. Owada threw himself on top with the last of his strength. Kuwata struggled, reaching for his bat. Ishimaru quickly picked it out of his reach. "I am sorry, but I will have to confiscate this."
"H-How… Did you find us…?" Kirigiri asked, clearly exhausted.
"Aha! My bro has a knack for finding trouble, so I gifted an emergency two-way GPS in case he ever needed my help!" He laughed.
"Go get security… Nanami-san is… Still in danger…" She muttered, barely audible. Ryota wanted to get up and find the class rep, but his energy was gone. Every part of him hurt, and his mind was about to give. The last thing he registered was a curt nod from Ishimaru, before falling from consciousness.
Chiaki Nanami
"I-I'm sorry…! Please… Don't hurt me…" Chiaki muttered, staying as still as possible. "I don't… Know what I did to you, but please…"
"Don't sweat the small stuff, kid." Enoshima laughed, keeping the knife pressed against her throat. "It's a big picture thing, y'know!"
"Set the knife down. Step away from her." Kamukura commanded.
"You don't really seem like the one to be barking orders." To emphasize her point, she tightened the grip around her neck. "I think you should drop the gun and listen to me."
"If I discard my weapon, you'll have no reason to keep her alive. If she was not at stake, you'd be dead where you stand." He kept the weapon trained on her, barely blinking.
"Hmmmm? So you're saying you'll kill me if it means saving Nanami? Since when were you such a lame-o?" She pinched Chiaki's cheek. "Trust me, people are just combinations of traits, she's probably not that great when you boil it down. Unless you're saying you like her looks, which I gotta say. There's plenty of better looking fish in the sea! You can find someone to replace her."
"You're wrong. The right traits, and the right things done with those traits combined in the right order. Your view of the world is wrong. People are more than the sum of their parts. I've learned that." He spoke.
"Ugh, get to the point." She faked a yawn. "You're talking about love, get over yourself." If not for the situation, Chiaki would have denied it, but decided it was a bad time. "You love her, and that's why I can't wait to slit her fucking throat! Maybe you'll finally come back around to despair after that."
"If you kill her, I would personally erase every trace of despair off the globe. Beginning with you." His gaze never wavered, locked onto the blade.
"Bummer, you really did screw everything up, didn't you?" She squeezed her neck to indicate she was talking to her.
"I don't… I didn't mean to… Please don't… Kill me…" She mumbled out.
"Fine, fine, I have some time to spare." Enoshima sighed. "Okay, Kamukura~! You're going to answer my questions or you'll end up the last one still alive in this room. First, where'd you get the gun?"
He seemed reluctant to answer, but complied. "I had it in my pocket, it is the one Komaeda threatened you with."
"Oh! You kept that!? It jammed it's first shot and left that lucky loser alive. If you're using that one, I guess I can just kill her and walk away!" She cackled. Chiaki froze, unable to tell when Enoshima was being serious or not. "Ahahaha! Okay, second question! My sister was competent enough to avoid cameras and chose an off-grid room. So how'd you find her?"
"Yukizome. She came to me saying Nanami was in danger. I deduced the rest from there." He stated, keeping his aim. Yukizome-sensei helped me? She thought, a spark of hope appearing inside her.
"Jeez, the bitch snitched? That's so annoying. I guess lobotomy doesn't work, seeing as you both betrayed me." She whined.
"Saying I betrayed you is a fundamental misunderstanding of our relationship. I was never allied with despair, I simply seeked a solution to my boredom. You failed to deliver where Nanami has." He tilted his head. "You are wearing her outfit. Ikusaba is dead, I presume. Why?"
"How contradictory! You say despair is boring, but right after you ask why I killed my own sister. Quit denying your basic feelings and let loose."
"Since we last met, I've learned unpredictability doesn't correlate with relieving my boredom. Yes, it grants me momentary pause, but no more. Forming a meaningful relationship has successfully filled that hole." He interrupted. Chiaki could feel her own heart pounding in her chest. Something ran down her face, she couldn't tell if it was blood or tears.
"Oh man, you're so right! I should just get over despair and go make a friend, that'll totally work!" She mocked. "Or maybe I just kill her and you'll shoot me! And when Chiaki-tan's friends show up they'll find her drowning in a puddle of her own blood!"
She could feel the knife digging into her skin more, a gasp escaping her. "A-ah… Please don't… Don't kill me…!"
"You wanna live? Why?" Enoshima dropped the playful tone. "You really wanna continue living in this world? You know how controversial you are, don't you? You saw how much the people hate you. If I even think about moving this knife from your neck, he'll shoot me without a second thought. And who do you think my death'll be pinned on?"
"Nanami, don't let her manipulate you. Enoshima has been proven guilty by her own admission. A year from now, even her most devoted fans will have moved on to the next star." Kamukura said, glancing into her eyes for a moment. It was so quick she might have imagined it.
"Sure they'd move on, but that's only until they see her on the street." Enoshima laughed. "All it takes is one creep with a grudge and, boom, you're getting the shit kicked out of you!"
"Huh…? I… But I didn't do anything to them… Why would they do that?" Chiaki mumbled, too focused on the knife digging into her skin.
"Like I said, don't listen to-"
"Like I said, they're creeps." The Fashionista interrupted. "They're the losers who buy all of my magazines! They might move onto the new big thing, but they'd never forget the girl who stole their goddess from them."
"Nanami, ignore her. It's alright, you're alright. She's not going to hurt you anymore. For every one of her devotees, there are endless amounts of good hearted people who would step in and protect you. You don't need to worry." He assured.
"I'm not gonna hurt her? I literally have a knife to her neck, and you're saying I can't hurt her? Let's see some real carnage!"
"Ah! Stop, stop, please!" The knife broke her skin, a few drops of blood seeping from the new cut.
"Any further and you're dead." He threatened. "Drop the knife."
"Oh ho! How commanding. It's not gonna work, but I applaud the effort. Or, I would if I could move this knife without being plastered against that wall." She kept the weapon where it was, stinging Chiaki's neck.
"What do you plan to do shortly? You mentioned Nanami's friends would soon show up. Do you plan to stall until then?" He asked.
"If you don't quit it, sure! I mean, when they show up, I'd say you'd be out of time!" She laughed. "I mean, what'll they think when they find you and I here? I'd wager they'd see you pointing a gun suspiciously close to Chiaki-tan's head and get in the way."
Kamukura lifted his cuffed hand, rattling the chain. He took a moment to think. "If I set down my weapon, you kill Nanami. If I shoot you, Nanami still ends up dead. If I wait, you'll be able to kill her. It appears I am out of options." He put emphasis on the 'I'.
"I see what you're doing, but it's not going to work." Enoshima said, probably smiling. "Two perfectly logical adults and a whiney stupid brat walk into a bar. One adult expects the brat to figure out the only way to save her life. Too bad!"
Chiaki tried to think of a way out. Kamukura wasn't able to do anything, it was up to her. But she couldn't come up with anything. She slowly raised her hands, grabbing Enoshima's arm, futilely trying to wrench it away. "L… Let go…" Each word seemed to only push the knife further in.
"Nah." She denied bluntly.
"Hng… Gah…" Chiaki huffed, continuing to tug on her arm. "Ah… Hah…" She reluctantly released her grip, wincing in pain. Her body ached, both from new and old wounds. The Despair behind her giggled. If this was a game, this is where she'd need to do a quick time event to escape.
The Gamer took a deep breath, straining the cut on her neck. She raised her arm, bending it up. As fast as she could, she swung it back. As soon as it made contact, a loud bang rang out. "Aagh!" Came a shout from behind. The pressure on her neck lifted, the knife clattering to the ground. Chiaki shot out of the chair, getting as far away from Enoshima as possible who was clutching a new wound to her shoulder.
It took her a few moments to collect her thoughts, before looking around the room. She crawled over and rifled through The Fashionista's discarded jumpsuit. After a few moments, she found a key chain. She tossed it over to Kamukura, who quickly released himself.
"Nanami, I figured you didn't want me to kill her, so I only injured her enough to subdue her. I'm sorry I couldn't help you with this." He stood, blood still seeping from his own wounds.
"W-Wait… Are those going to be okay…?" She asked. The small cut on her neck hurt, so she could barely imagine how much a gunshot would.
"They both only skimmed me. I'm alright." He said calmly.
"Hold up! I'm not done with you yet!" Enoshima clambered to her feet, clutching her wounded shoulder with her mangled hand. "Get back here!" She grabbed the knife from the ground.
Kamukura lifted the gun, pointing it at her. "This won't end until you're dead, is what you're saying."
"N-no! You can't kill her. No matter what, killing is wrong! Even her." Chiaki protested.
"As long as she lives, she'll escape and hunt you down. The only way to end it is to kill her. Then you can truly begin to go back to normal." He continued.
"Puhuhu! After everything I've done to you, you still won't kill me? For you to live in despair the rest of your life, knowing I'm always going to come back-" Enoshima cut herself off. "Ah, who am I kidding? Even I can't spin that hope to despair. You really do sicken me." She flipped the pocket knife in her hand. "Alright, those eyes always did piss me off!" The Despair took off in a sprint, grabbing Chiaki by the throat. She raised the knife above her head, right over her eye.
"I'm sorry… Nanami-san." Kamukura said quietly. Another gunshot. Chiaki felt more blood splatter over her face. Enoshima tumbled over, onto the ground.
"Hck… Hng…" Enoshima wheezed, clutching her chest. "Here it comes… The great despair of death…" Her breaths began to slow. "This… This is… This isn't despairing… At all…"
Junko Enoshima stopped moving, her head tilting towards Chiaki. She was dead.