The moment the class bell rang, the sight of students filtering into the classrooms proved one that could only exist in the realm of dreams: all sense of normalcy had long since vanished. Soon after, Monokuma's upbeat yet eerie voice blasted from the loudspeaker. "Ahem, ahem. Attention all students! Our first presentation will be held in the solarium! Don't be late!"
By the time Shuichi and Kokichi had arrived, there were already people present.
In the middle of the room, fifteen chairs and an armchair tufted velvet formed a neat circle. Rather than sitting on the armchair like a normal person, Monokuma's lying horizontally, smoking a pipe.
Those chairs hadn't been there earlier. Shuichi drew his brows together. Just where did they come from?
"Sooo. Did you find out who the culprit was? How the victim died?"
"You led us on, Monokuma!" shouted Momota. His purple blazer billowed from an unseen draft. "You said there was a killer!"
"Whaaat? If there wasn't a killer, then how did that girl die?"
"From the Happy Cubs Neurotoxin! Tojo's been super naughty!"
"What Iruma-san means is, Tojo-san broke three rules. First, she slept outside of the dormitory. Second, she was out in the hallways during Nighttime. And finally, she damaged a security camera," said Kaede, sticking out a finger for every rule she listed.
"The combination of three broken rules at the same time triggered the MonoWatch to inject the neurotoxin," said Amami.
"Symptoms of it are constricted pupils, extended convulsions, and loss of control of b-bodily functions…" Kiibo choked out.
"And convulsions can lead to death by asphyxia."
"So that means, no one murdered Tojo-san. She accidentally caused her own death."
There. Shuichi sucked in a breath. Now let's see how he deals with this.
"Awww man! You guys actually got it right." Monokuma sank into his seat, the picture of dejection. Yet in the blink of an eye, he bounced back up as if the gloom from before had never existed. "Okay, fine. Go ask your question."
"Q-question?"
"Didn't I say I would give you a clue? A secret to this game? How am I supposed to do that if you don't ask me a question?!"
"Can't you just… tell us something?"
"Yeah! How the hell are we supposed to know what to ask? We know nothing to begin with!"
"...Is that your question?"
"W-what? NO!"
"Alright, alright," said Monokuma, waving dismissively at the blubbering mess that was Momota. "Since none of you have got any imagination, I'll just tell you this: this game is meant for some people. The rest of you are just collateral damage!"
"Huh?!"
"That's all I'm gonna say! Think of it what you will. Upupupu!"
"Wait, you're forgetting something. Power the elevator so we can go down a floor."
Everyone turned to Kokichi.
Everyone but Shuichi. To his shock, Monokuma's lips twisted into a snarl, body shaking from what could be assumed as rage. If he hadn't known what this bear was capable of, he would have found the sight slightly comical.
"You...cheaters! Cheater! Cheater! Cheater! No way am I letting you guys go! She got herself killed by breaking the rules! Naughty, naughty sinners!" His body swelled, as if about to burst. "Is what I'd like to say," said Monokuma, transitioning from enraged to nonchalant in mere moments.
"Huh?"
"What? So you want to be stuck here with a rotting corpse? Not that I mind. Just say the word and I'll grant your wish!"
"No! Please allow us to descend to the next floor!" Shirogane's eyes quivered with panic.
"Yeah, yeah. BUT, since someone died by breaking the rules, there's gonna be a time penalty. Seven days! After that, I'll naturally power the elevator and unlock the option to the fifteenth floor."
"S-seven days…" Iruma trembled, a visible sheen of sweat on her forehead. "What about T-tojo? She… It's gonna stink you know?! Like real gross, worse than dick-cheese kind of stink!"
"I-Iruma-san!"
"W-what? It's true, isn't it? Hey, Monokuma? Can't you just shorten the penalty?"
"No can do! I'll be a teeerrible teacher if I don't discipline my students well!"
No matter how they begged, Monokuma wouldn't budge. Finally, they watched as the bear once again blinked out of existence.
A growl reverberated throughout the hall.
"S-sorry…" said Momota. "I haven't had anything since yesterday morning."
"Well, hopefully today's Homework will come soon," said Shirogane reassuringly.
No one mentioned Monokuma's "clue." Perhaps they were too shocked by everything that had just occurred. Or maybe, they were each too occupied pondering what it meant.
Shuichi's heart proved in a chaotic state. The 'some people' should be Kokichi and I, right? And the sheep are the collateral damage?
It was the most likely conclusion with what he currently knew. Yet for some reason, he had the faint impression there was more to it.
He glanced at Kokichi. At this moment, the other boy stood at the opposite side of the library, folding paper flowers with the others. Unexpectedly, he was so compliant right now.
Everyone had come to the decision to honor Tojo's corpse. But where could they bury or place her? The location that seemed the most suitable was her starting classroom. Now, she lay supine, arms clasped above her chest. White paper flowers framed her hair, as though it were a wreath of sorts. If it weren't for the stench, she would seem merely asleep, able to rouse at a moment's notice.
Kokichi and the rest brought the last batch of flowers to the room. And shortly after, they stepped out, shutting the door.
Many thoughts plagued the minds of the students. Perhaps most prevalent was how to descend a floor as soon as possible. Staying with a decomposing corpse for another week was out of the question.
Coupled with the cold-like symptoms, the students were far from a good mood. While they had all confirmed the accidental nature of her death, some people were growing suspicious for other reasons.
One such person was Korekiyo.
"I regret to say this, but I will be taking my meals and rest alone from now on."
"Huh? Why Korekiyo-san?"
"Did Gonta do something bad? Sorry! Gonta try to be gentlema—ACHOO!" The bespectacled youth nearly fell over from the force of his sneeze. Out of everyone, he seemed to be the most affected by Rule 2's punishment.
Yonaga handed him a tissue from who knew where, and he thanked her profusely, the little tissue almost seeming comical in his large hands.
"The human heart is fickle. It is also self-centered. The environment this game produces is a breeding ground for suspicion. As it is, I cannot guarantee that some of you are not withholding information from the rest. So I cannot trust you."
"What do you mean?" asked Momota. "What 'withholding information?'"
"It is nothing you should concern yourself with. But as we are members of the same species, I will advise you once: that bear is keeping mechanics of the game from us. I refuse to play a game where the rules are not explicitly stated."
"...You're talking about things like 'Homework,' right?" said Amami, frowning. "I admit it troubled me as well when the first Homework popped up, since back then Monokuma had just explained the game mechanics and rules." He took a step forward as if trying to reach out to Korekiyo with just his presence. "But just this much shouldn't be enough to assume people are withholding information. Or that there are even any more mechanics to the game."
"Actually… I think he's got a point."
The crowd turned to Hoshi.
"I mean, I don't really care, since I've got nothing to live for anyway. But I felt like I should at least mention that clue Monokuma told us earlier."
"'This game is meant for some people. The rest of you are just collateral damage,'" said Kiibo.
"Collateral damage? Like we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Is that what he meant?" asked Harukawa, her voice growing shriller by the second.
"No way…"
"Do you guys really think this?" asked Kaede, summoning the attention of everyone. "I think Monokuma is just twisting the truth to cause us to suspect each other. Even if there are people who are… different for a lack of a better term, how do you know they won't work alongside us? I choose to believe in them."
The words stabbed into Shuichi's heart like knives. He strived his best not to look at her, the rest of the discussion bleeding grey, melding into the backdrop.
Amidst the grief and uncertainty, something hopeful finally occurred.
"I got it! I fucking got it! Bow down to this gorgeous genius!"
"Wow Iruma-san! That's incredible!"
"Ehehe."
Next to Iruma, the buttons of the elevator panel glowed. The hearts of everyone thumped with joy, and Iruma flashed the onlookers a bright, infectious grin.
"What are you waiting for?" said Momota. "Let's go down already!"
"Alright, alright, calm your titties."
She pressed the down button.
Shuichi watched with bated breath as the numbers on the elevator indicator increased.
One, two, three… fifteen, fourteen, sixteen.
Ding.
The elevator doors slid open… only to reveal darkness within.
"W-what going on?!"
"Where's the car?!"
Iruma's jaw dropped, and no matter how much she moved her lips, not a word escaped.
In a flash, Chabashira thrust her finger at the up button. And she jabbed it again. And again.
"What the hell! It's not coming!"
"Is the power off?"
"Can't you see the buttons glowing?!"
The blank black strip underneath the buttons lit up.
INCORRECT PASSAGE KEY.
"What the hell does that mean…?"
"Well, whatever it is, we can't go down."
"I-I…" Iruma stared at the rest of the group, eyes wide and lost. "I'm so sorry guys…" she said, voice growing softer by the second until it could no longer be heard.
Kaede reached out first. "You've done a great job. It's not your fault." She pointed to the empty elevator shaft. "I mean, it's a great start, right? At least we got the doors open and the whole thing powered. We just need to get a pass key, or whatever."
"Yeah! Or fake one."
"We are close," said Yonaga. "Atua will lead us to the light!"
"You've already gotten us halfway there, Iruma-san." Amami flashed her a soft smile. "We believe in you. Just take a break for now, and we can continue again later."
At that moment, all fifteen MonoWatches lit up.
||Homework [Rank E]||
How often are Quizzes given out?
Failure: None
Luckily, they were able to breeze through the Homework again. Everyone gained 5 credits. It was enough to stave off the hunger for now, if only barely.
What's left unspoken was the fear of starvation. None of them, besides the wolves, had had a full meal since the day before yesterday.
The guilt would have driven lesser men to prayer. Shuichi was not, and never had been, religious. However, as he stood there, watching the pale, fatigue-ridden faces of the rest, to say he wasn't affected would be a lie. His fingers twitched. But before he could utter a word, he caught Kokichi's stare. Deep and penetrating. He locked his hands together and left for the currently empty library.
When the door shut behind him, Shuichi could finally breathe again. The stillness calmed him. I can't give them food. He squeezed his interlocked hands together, the faint pain serving as an anchor. They'll wonder where I got the credits from. But if I don't share some food soon, some of them might—
A long sigh. Shuichi shifted his gaze to the bright chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling. Ouma-kun definitely wouldn't feed them. From now on, we should have our meals in secret.
In the evening, Kokichi found him and led him to the solarium. Apart from the two, the room was devoid of people.
"Everyone seems super hungry, don't they?"
At the sound of those words, Shuichi stilled, before relaxing within moments. "You don't have to worry," he said.
The shorter boy eyed him, violet orbs swirling with emotions Shuichi could not quite put into words. After a stretch of silence, a smirk slid its way across Kokichi's lips. "So the kitten is learning."
"...What did you want to talk about?"
Tears welled in Kokichi's eyes, threatening to spill. "What, so I can't just hang out with my beloved Saihara-chan without wanting anything?"
"Ah, n-no, that's not what I meant—"
"Nishishi! Got you again!"
Shuichi sighed, shaking his head. The tears of the other boy seemed to have vanished from thin air. "Ouma-kun, can you please get to the point?"
"Fine, fine. I just wanted to discuss what we should spend our credits on. 'Cause you and I both know food isn't the only thing sold in that vending machine." The grin on Kokichi's face took on a sinister shade. But only for a moment.
They approached the vending machine. Within were the usual assortment of packaged food and miscellaneous items. But upon closer inspection, Shuichi's eyes widened.
Up on the top shelf, all the way to the right.
A card.
And not just any card.
"Is that…?"
"Yep!" chirped Kokichi. "That's the passage key for the 16th to 15th floor."
It almost seemed like fate. Since it was all the way where it was, the item had been inconspicuous. Not to mention, Kokichi had ripped off the "Daily Deals" sticker earlier, making it even less eye catching.
"We definitely need that passage key."
"You sure?"
"Unless you find a saw somewhere, or want to wait another week, we're going to need it to reach the fifteenth floor."
"Uh, you better not be thinking of what I'm thinking."
"And… what is that?"
"You want to share it with the rest. Hey, don't look at me like that. You're as easy to read as an open book. But have you even thought what would happen if you came out like a hero?"
Not a word left Shuichi's lips.
"People are going to start to rely on you. They're gonna expect you to solve things for them. To lead them. Then where would that leave us?"
Shuichi's heart raced. "Let's say you're right… So what? Are you going to stop me?"
"Nope!"
A wave of relief washed over Shuichi.
"But then this partnership is over! Done with! Divorced!"
Huh? "Why…?"
Kokichi glared at him, hot enough to burn. "Why, you ask me? I don't need a pigheaded teammate who cares more about the opposing team's win than our own. Do you not get it already?"
Kokichi started pacing, biting the fingernail of his thumb. "I wasn't sure at first, but the mastermind really doesn't pull his punches. A snap of a finger and BAM! Someone's kicked the bucket."
He suddenly turned to look at Shuichi. "Is it finally getting through that thick skull of yours, Saihara-chan? There are two games being played here. Wolves versus Sheep. Us versus them. The quicker you understand that, the better."
Suddenly, the grave atmosphere vanished.
"Weeelll, it's not like we can even get the pass key at the moment. 5,000 credits." He whistled. "Plus, since it's a Daily Deal, it'll be gone by tomorrow. Who knows when it'll appear again?" He smirked at Shuichi.
But there was something Shuichi just couldn't wrap his head around. Suppressing the unease and frustration, he looked the other boy in the eye, as if that would help unearth the mysteries hidden in that violet gaze. The act itself proved difficult, daunting, as eye contact was something he still struggled with. "Wait… If you didn't want me to share the passage key, then why did you even bother bringing this all up? I-I don't understand you sometimes Ouma-kun. I want to, I really do. But…"
"Saihara-chan."
Shuichi blinked.
Kokichi gestured him closer and he obliged.
Then, two hands squished his cheeks together.
"Urmahkoon?"
The hands stilled. But they didn't let go.
"You know, you look a lot better like this."
Shuichi fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"I lied! You look pretty dumb!" Kokichi finally pulled back his hands. Shoved them into his pockets. As he turned around, he muttered, "Maybe I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. You're a reeeal pushover sometimes, ya'know?"
Two days flew by. Other than the first time, none of the next quests were of a scavenger-hunt sort. Both a walk in the park, and strangely not team related. Everyone gained a total of 30 credits, enough to beat starvation for a while longer.
Shuichi and Kokichi attempted to explore the hidden wing both nights. Unfortunately, the other rooms were locked by keycards. There was absolutely no way to lockpick them. To Shuichi's relief, the creature didn't appear again either. The stairs down were still barred, but at least the door to the stairwell now opened freely.
The two teens also checked the vent system, attempting to find their starting room. But for some reason, they were unable to locate it no matter how long they crawled. It almost felt like the vent system was alive, twisting and growing, purposely not allowing them to reach their desired destination.
Meanwhile, the first quiz quickly approached. For each day that had passed, Kokichi made it his job to write down a tally on the wall in permanent marker, even though notebooks were perfectly available. "It's part of my aesthetic," he said, when questioned.
To which Shuichi only shook his head.
They talked about other things. One such topic: spending less time together in public.
"We don't want to seem like a group," Kokichi said. "In fact, the less we're seen together the better. Go mingle with that piano girl. She seems like leader material and you know what that means."
"What about you then, Ouma-kun?"
Kokichi grinned, sharp and dark. "I'll do what I do best."
"Lie?"
"Better watch out there, Saihara-chan! I was almost flattered." A mischievous wink.
Shuichi couldn't help but smile along. Even so, as they lay next to each other in a makeshift bed too small, in a classroom too cold and desolate, there existed a nagging sense of unease. "Do we have to sleep separately from now on then?"
"Saihara-chan wants to sleep with me?"
"O-Ouma-kun! T-that's not what I meant…" I totally set myself up for that one, didn't I?
"Nishishi! Well, since we can't seem too close, I think that's a good idea. You can keep using this room."
"Then where will you go?"
Kokichi flashed him a look as though he were some dumb, pitiful puppy. "What are you saying? There's a perfectly good bed in the hidden wing."
Shuichi widened his eyes, all sense of sleepiness disappearing. "A-ah, no… That's too dangerous. What if that thing comes back? How about this? You continue sleeping here and I'll stay with the rest in the library starting tomorrow. That way, I can get closer to piano gir— Kaede-san like you wanted."
"Sounds good, partner!"
"...Yes. Partner…" The word felt strange coming from Shuichi's lips. But he didn't dislike it. "There's something else I wanted to talk about."
"Hmm? Well don't leave me hanging, Mister Detective."
Shuichi averted his gaze. Bit his lip. "We've only just mentioned this before, but we haven't discussed this in more detail. How are we going to make it so the whole group doesn't escape together? And that includes us all graduating at the same time. There are two ways I can think of from the top of my head: either leave on our own or cause at least one of the Sheep to escape before the others.
"There are ten Quizzes, with each Quiz given at the end of every week. Since the first Quiz is in two days, we theoretically have a time limit of a little over nine weeks.
"So far, only two people seem openly suspicious of the rest. Actually… I didn't just think about using the 16th to 15th passage key for everyone. Maybe if we left it in a place where one of the more doubtful people found it… W-why are you looking at me like that?"
Galaxies spiralled in Kokichi's eyes. He blinked, clearing his throat. "Wow Saihara-chan, you looked like a real detective just now!"
"I-I… Thanks…"
"You make a good point too. Hmmm." Kokichi stretched out his feet. "Why not do both? Plan our escape and sow discord among the rest. You might not know, but I'm pretty much an expert in causing trouble!"
Shuichi didn't have to be told twice.
Morning arrived before Shuichi knew it.
The rest of the students were too nervous to think about the fast-approaching Quiz. Instead, they busied themselves with escaping.
As it was, Iruma and Hoshi came up with a plan.
"Since the elevator doors are open, shorty right here can climb the cables down to the fifteenth floor and open the floor's doors from the inside! Such a brilliant idea only a gorgeous genius like myself can think of."
"Are you sure, Hoshi-san?" asked Harukawa, frowning. "No offense, but you don't seem like you can do it."
A couple coughs spilled from his mouth. "Well before I got on death roll, I was the Ultimate Tennis Pro. As much as I hate reminiscing about the past, I can't lie about my insane upper body strength from all that training. Plus." He stared the crowd in the eye, his gaze devoid of life. Rubbed at the sore tip of his nose. "I doubt anyone else wants to volunteer."
"Gonta… did. But he's currently bedridden in the library," said Amami.
"Poor Gonta. If only my mana was charged, then I can heal him."
"Don't worry Himiko-chan! Just the thought counts!"
"Hoshi-san," said Kaede. Once the shorter boy's gaze fell upon her, she said, "Good luck."
A wink. And then Hoshi started his descent.
"You got this, Hoshi-san!"
"We believe in you!"
The drop was far. As Shuichi peeked over the edge, he could only see darkness and the small figure of Hoshi Ryoma climbing down the cables.
Yet he pushed down that daunting thought. It was better to not dwell on it.
Seconds ticked by. With a makeshift flashlight attached to his hat, courtesy of Iruma and Kiibo, Hoshi was able to see a small portion of wherever he faced.
The whole time, he fought back the tickling sensation in his nose. Ignored the phlegm sticking to his throat. He was fortunate the cold-like symptoms didn't affect him that much. Recalling Gonta's earth-shattering sneezes and growing fever, Hoshi only felt relief.
He aimed his head low, in the direction he believed the fifthteenth floor's doors should be. While it was still out of sight, it should appear any second now.
The cheers above were loud. They reminded him of the stands full of people, the swing of a racket, the smell of Salonpas. All of a sudden, Hoshi sneezed.
But he caught his grip at the last second.
Shouts above, some just of his name, others asking if he were okay.
"Just peachy," he said, heart racing. Sweat clung to his body. Hoshi paid it no mind and continued his descent when his hands slipped again.
"Ah…"
Time seemed to go by in slow motion.
Hoshi angled his face up, eyes dull with confusion and hand still outstretched toward the elevator cable.
From the sixteenth floor, it seemed like he was reaching out for them.
His hat lifted from his head, the light bright. Blinding.
Down
.
Down
.
Splat.
.
"You guys sure are dropping like flies."
.
FF dot net has really terrible formatting issues. Burns me out more than writing.