The sky of Towa City was the color of blood; a fitting color amidst the chaos of the urban island. Ever since the riots broke out in Towa City, Monokuma units flooded the streets and many lives have been claimed at the hands of these bloodthirsty bears. Komaru Naegi and Toko Fukawa, however, fought these Monokumas. The two had remained in the city for a couple of weeks now after Komaru made the bold declaration to protect both the children and adults of the city. At the moment, the two wandered the deserted streets on the outer ends of the city.

"Haven't spotted anything that looks like the Monokuma, right?" Komaru asked as she turned to her friend.

"Nothing unfortunately..." Toko grumbled. "Damn it! We've been out here for hours and this stupid Monokuma doesn't want to show itself! But I'm not giving up. If Master said there's a new Monokuma out there, i-i-it's gotta be true!"

"Yeah… that's right. Byakuya is relying on us to wipe out the Monokuma," Komaru said, reaching out to her friend before Toko could begin fantasizing about Byakuya again. According to Byakuya, a never before seen Monokuma scoured Towa City. He described the Monokuma as a larger, bulkier version of the normal Monokumas with the exception of the black side of the mechs colored a dark red and the jagged eye became white. Byakuya also found the behavior of these bears locked onto anybody they see and pursue in slaughtering them no matter what.

Though there was still much more to learn, it was clear these Monokumas had to be destroyed immediately. The girls were prompted to find these units and destroy them. Unfortunately, the girls didn't have much luck in their assigned task. Sure they fought off other Monokuma units and even rescued some folks along the way, but nothing of the one Byakuya characterized turned up.

"I think we've reached a dead end," Komaru sulked. Toko frustration grew staring at the edge of the road. Beyond this road stood an overgrown forest. Though the girls were confused to know there was such a woodland close to the city and have never seen it once, they shook away the thought and turned around.

"Maybe we should call it a day?"

"No way! I will not rest until we fulfill Master's orders!"

"Toko, we've had this conversation four times today and we still haven't found anything." Komaru placed her hand on Toko's shoulder.

"I know how much you want to assist Byakuya, but just because-" Komaru stopped speaking when her hand was shocked by a strange sensitivity upon touching her friend's body. Toko was shuttering. The girl's body shook like an earthquake struck the area, but Komaru did not feel the ground move. Only Toko felt so agitated. But why?

"Toko? Are you… okay?" Komaru got her answer almost immediately when she lifted her head to a ghastly sight. Standing before the duo was the wretched, red Monokuma. The girls trembled with fear as the Monokuma locked eyes with both of them. What pushed Toko past her breaking point was when a bright line shined through the eyes of the unit and galloped towards the duo. When she realized the light beamed onto Komaru, Toko immediately realized Komaru had become the target. With not much she could do, Toko pulled out her taser and pointed it at her skull.

"Komaru…" Toko uttered. "Run!" The words barely escaped her lips before holding the trigger of the taser. The shock unleashed Toko's other personality, Genocide Jack; a former scissors-wielding serial killer, now tamed for the sake of protecting other from the Monokumas.

"Wait… Toko!" Komaru cried, but Genocide Jack darted right for the Monokuma with her precious scissors in hand.

"Kyehahaha! Looking for some fun today!?" Genocide Jack howled. The looming Monokuma showed no signs of stopping and Komaru was at a total loss of what to do. Before Genocide Jack went in for the attack, she glances behind to see if Komaru made an escape. Though she was left with disappointment to see Komaru hadn't budged.

"Don't just stand there! Get the hell out of here!" Genocide Jack snapped at Komaru. Hesitantly, Komaru made a mad dash towards the forest area and didn't dare to look back. More fear overwhelmed the sprinting girl as the sounds of metal clanking could be heard behind her and the boisterous, heavy footsteps of the Monokuma, as well as Genocide Jack's shrieks.

Komaru grits her teeth and tightly shuts her eyes. She didn't know how to respond to the situation that had been thrown out of left field, so listening to Toko was the best she could do. Komaru cut through numerous parts of the forest, unsure of where she was heading. She even unknowingly knocked over a sign that stood in her path, but she forgot about it immediately. Little did Komaru know that sign has a little more significant meaning for being placed in that particular location.

Eventually, exhaustion got the better of Komaru and she had to stop and catch her breath.

"Hopefully… I'm safe… here…" Said Komaru in between breaths. When Komaru looked up, she observed the scenery surrounding her and met with an expression of confusion.

"How did I end up here?" She thought to herself. Komaru entered a vast marsh. Reeds scoured mile after mile along the wet surface. This was an utterly different location than when she began running. She must've ran far away enough that she ended up in a marshy area.

"Toko!" Komaru cried. "I have to make sure she's okay!" Nothing could indicate the whereabouts of Toko or the atrocious Monokuma. Once Komaru recollected her stamina, the girl set out to find her friend. At least, that's what was supposed to happen. When Komaru attempted to get her legs moving, she realized she couldn't. When Komaru looked down, she found herself mired ankle deep in the black marsh mud.

"Huh? What the heck?" Komaru's first instinct was yanking her foot that became stuck fast in the muck beneath her. The iron suction of the goop only got stronger as it formed around the girl's shoes and was even sucking her into the earth.

"Unngh! Come on… ugghh!" The gooey, wobbly earth clung to her soles and stretched like glue. Komaru could feel her shoes slipping off as she attempted to free herself. The feeling of the sludge soak against her socks made the girl wince. Komaru's cheeks reddened from the feeling and from embarrassment. Was she really having this hard of a time with some mud? A few minutes of struggling later, Komaru's efforts of escape were utterly useless.

"This stuff is strong. I have to find another way," A tall bunch of reeds were in range of Komaru and she reached out for them. With the reeds in hand, the girl began pulling herself free. Komaru wiggled and kicked her feet out of the mire, unfortunately at the cost of her shoes. Though she was able to get herself free and back on solid ground, the goop refused to let go of her shoes and swallowed them whole.

"That was ridiculous. Oh, who cares? I gotta get back to Toko and make sure she's safe!" Komaru announced. With that in mind, the girl turned in the direction she came from in search of Toko. However, Komaru carelessly ran through the marsh thinking she wouldn't get stuck in mud again. Disaster struck when Komaru suddenly plummeted into the earth.

"Oh come on!" Komaru groaned. She had plunged into a mud hole among the marsh. Unlike when she got caught up in the mud, she had sunk calf deep. No reeds were in arms range this time, so Komaru could only use herself to get free. She placed her hands against the sludge, twisting and jostling her body to free her trapped legs.

"Mmphh! This is… so… sticky…!" Cried Komaru. "This stuff is like tar. It's definitely a little more than some mud." Komaru continued her struggles and movement to free herself of the bubbling quagmire. The deadly grip of the death trap only suckled and gurgled more as Komaru descended hopelessly into the marsh. When she felt the sensation of the quaking, silky muck against her crotch region, Komaru had to stop all movement to process the feeling.

"Ahh… well this is… uncomfortable." Komaru winced. She blushed at the feeling but immediately shook away the thought when she looked at the mire in horror. It didn't dawn on her that she was slowly sinking into the slurry of earth.

"Wait… I'm sinking!? This is not good! Ahh, this is really not good!" Though Komaru still wasn't sure if Toko was even alive and well, she deduced escaping alone wouldn't do her any good. She needed help.

"Help! Help meeee!" Her voice echoed throughout the area, but of course, no sign of a person replied. Komaru's only response was the sounds of the blips and slurps of the morass as it claimed the girl's waist. Nowhere but down; that is Komaru's destination.

Fortunately for Komaru, Toko was alive and well. Not too far from the marsh, Genocide Jack held her razor-like scissors in hand. One held proudly like a gladiator holding a sword, the other stabbed directly into the white, jagged eye of the now dismantled Monokuma.

"Nobody dares touch my friend Dekomaru! Only I can do that! Kyeehahaha!" Not long after the psycho let those words fall out, a sneeze. When Toko or Genocide Jack sneeze, they switch back to the other personality. In this case, Genocide Jack reverted back to Toko.

"H-Huh?" She uttered. Observing the area for a few seconds allowed her to surmise what happened. Next up on the agenda is finding Komaru since she was nowhere in sight. Toko was trying to figure out which direction would be best to find Komaru. Before she could make up her mind, her train of thought was interrupted by loud shrieks and cries of a little girl.

"What…?" Toko listened closely to the desperate cries for help and figured out who it was. "Komaru… Komaru!" Toko wasted no time and sprinted in the direction of the voice. Negative thoughts filled Toko. For example, what if she found another Monokuma attacking her and Komaru's life was leaving her body at that moment in time? This caused Toko to olympic sprint faster.

"I'm coming, Komaru!" Toko exclaimed. Unfortunately for Toko, there was an obstacle in her way that caused the girl to lose her footing and face plant on the ground. She landed inches away from the beginning of the marsh and Toko looked ahead to see what was in front of her. However, the fall caused the girl to lose her glasses and her vision became blurry and indistinguishable. Luckily, she found her glasses quickly and regained her sight. But while doing so, before her layed a beaten up sign on the soil.

"Is this what I tripped over?" she wondered. Curious, Toko got up, dusted herself off, and went to read the sign. The moment the words of the sign processed into Toko's brain, any emotion she possessed at that moment vanished and recouped into dread. Displayed on the sign in bold, red letters was "STAY OUT"

"Komaruuuuu!" Wailed Toko. It didn't take her anytime to determine what the predicament was. She made haste toward the marshlands, praying from the bottom of her heart Komaru hasn't become among the deceased.

Back with Komaru, her skirt floated atop the surface, soon to be devoured by the morass. She was still trying to set herself free but her muddy deathtrap, but unfortunately all her efforts have only fueled her demise. She was also starting to get tired from her struggles, as evident by her heavy breathing and sweat rolling down her face.

"I'm coming for you, Komaruuuuu!" Komaru could easily recognize the voice as Toko, and turning to her right was Toko herself running in her direction. Relief overcame Komaru for a few seconds, completely forgetting that she was sinking in a bog. If she did remember, she would've warned Toko to be careful where she stepped. But she came to her senses too late.

"Wait, Toko, don't-!" It was useless. Before Komary could give out a warning, the ground beneath Toko gave way and she plunged thigh deep in the pit along with a loud fart from the impact.

"What the hell?" Said Toko. She looked down at the situation beneath her, realizing she had gotten herself trapped in the wet earth of the marsh.

"Umm… hi Toko…" Komaru awkwardly exclaimed.

"What are you doing out here?" Toko asked sternly.

"I did what you said… I ran."

"And you ended up HERE!?"

"Yeah…" The two fell into silence after that exchange, staring at each other like deer caught in the headlights. But it didn't take long for the silence to be broken thanks to the gurgles from the mire sucking the duo further into its clutches.

"Oh, right… we have this matter to take care of, now don't we?" Komaru said. With her now sunken to her waist, Komaru squirms and struggles more in the quagmire, not willing to give up. Toko observed her struggles and realized this was doing her no good. Quite the opposite in fact. Though Toko was tempted to fight against the sucking slurry, she knew exactly what was going on and needed to stop Komaru immediately.

"Komaru, stop!" Toko cried, grasping onto her friend's hand, ceasing all movement from Komaru.

"Huh?"

"You're not supposed to move so frequently," Toko explained. Komaru forced an expression of puzzlement and doubt. Was Toko acting a little nuts for saying that? What does she expect Komaru to do? Nothing? "And especially so aggressively if you're sinking in quicksand."

"Wait… you mean-!" Komaru didn't need to finish her sentence. The two blundered into a pit of quicksand and sinking fast into its cruel depths with its vice-like grip. The previous fear that consumed Komaru only induced more after discovering the true horror of their predicament. Toko easily picked up on that unease.

"It's okay, Komaru. There's still time for you to escape! I refuse to let you die out here in a place like this!" Toko confidently declared. The words briefly rang as reassurement in Komaru's mind. Key word: briefly. It was nice knowing that Toko would do all she can to ensure Komaru's grave isn't a muddy one and placed right where Komaru descended further into the earth, but on the other hand, the way Toko phrased it was something Komaru could not ignore. She said she rejected the idea of Komaru dying out here, but what about Toko? Does Toko not care what happens to herself and only the fate of Komaru?

"Alright, here's the deal, Komaru. Use me." Toko instructed.

"What!?"

"Use me as a stepping stool to climb out and escape!" She demanded. If all panic hadn't set in Komaru yet, it definitely did now after listening to Toko at that moment. This only confirmed her assumption abundantly that Toko is disregarding her own life for Komaru's sake.

"Toko, what about you!? Won't the quicksand fully submerge you if I did that!?" Komaru concerned.

"I'll be fine. We need to get you out of here first and foremost! Don't worry about me. Besides, you're in deeper than I am." Toko was right. While the mire had gobbled up Komaru's chest and cupping her breasts, Toko was sitting just below her waist deep in the black sludge. The duo stared at one another. Tears started filling Toko's eyes and only made the pressure on Komaru more severe. Let herself escape while Toko drowned in this wretched marsh, or the two can suffer together and slowly let the quicksand claim their lives. While Komaru was mentally screaming at herself not to free herself on her own, but suddenly the girl felt calm and content.

"Alright, I'll do it," Komaru said. For some reason there was no reluctance or hesitation in her voice. In fact, she didn't feel all that scared anymore. But why does she feel so insouciant? Komaru promptly reached out and pressed her hands against Toko's shoulders. Slowly but surely, Komaru was being set free from the sticky situation.

"Not so hard," Toko groaned.

"My bad. I'm almost out of here." Within minutes, Komaru had freed most of her lower body. The toughest part was setting her legs free from the mud's suction. There wasn't anywhere to set foot on once her feet resurfaced. When that concern was delivered, it vanished when Toko bent down which would allow Komaru to momentarily use her back and hopefully land on solid ground.

"Thank you, Toko," Smiled Komaru.

"Don't thank me yet. Not until… you're outta here!" Toko said in between breaths. Komaru finally managed to free herself entirely and rested her weight upon Toko's shoulders, but Toko's strength can only withstand so much. It didn't help that the combined weight was making Toko sink faster. Once the mire reached Toko's crotch region, a strange feeling and urge overcame the girl.

"Ahhh… it's so… soft… ahhh…" She spoke in a crazy tone. Komaru picked up on what Toko was experiencing and snapped her back to reality.

"Toko, snap out of it!" Komaru yelled while slapping her friend on the cheek.

"Gah! S-Sorry…" Toko flustered. After that awkward exchange, Komaru was free. She briefly kneeled on Toko's back before jumping on a seemingly solid area. When Komaru got down, sure enough, she secured herself onto solid ground, standing free and tall, while be it, her breasts down plastered in black muck.

"Finally… I almost… forgot what it's… like to stand," Komaru said catching her breath. There was no time to celebrate, however. The girl looked back at her friend, still sinking in the quaking mud up to her waist now.

"We did it!" Toko cheered. "Now, Komaru, go!"

"Oh yeah, I will. Give me one minute!" Komaru replied. Cautious of where she stepped, Komaru made her way back to where the girls came from before engaging in their treacherous bog. Toko sat to herself, accepting that this would be the end for her, and her last wish was protecting her best and only friend. And her final moments would be sinking in a bubbling quicksand bog.

"Here!" The voice startled Toko as she was lost in her thoughts. Toko turned in the direction of the voice and she became wide-eyed bewildered seeing Komaru standing before her with the beaten up sign from earlier in hand reaching out to her. Toko only looked at the sign, unsure of how to react. She anticipated Komaru's escape and ran away while Toko took the fall, but here she was, Komaru reaching out for her. Toko looked back up at the still red sky above her. These were the skies Komaru and Toko met under and Toko's world flipped upside down as a result. Was she really going to let go of her friend now?

Without a word, Toko firmly grasped the sign and Komaru did all the work of pulling her out. Komaru grits her teeth aggressively, refusing to give up no matter the pain in her muscles. A long, agonizing battle between the duo and the pernicious quicksand commenced. It was not an easy task, but after 10 minutes of the most berserk game of tug of war these girls will ever play, Toko was finally pulled to solid ground. The girls were out of breath and exhausted.

"T-T-Thank you…" Toko said. Just like Komaru, Toko was also filthy with mud covering her lower chest and below. The two made eye contact with one another, still trying to catch their breath. But both of the girls immediately began to well up with tears. Simultaneously, the girls hugged each other while waterfalls poured down their faces. Those tears were tears of gratitude and delight.

"You are forever in my debt, Toko, " Komaru sobbed.

"No! YOU are in MY debt!" Toko clapped back. After a few minutes of more shedding tears and friendly hugs, Toko suggested they may want to get out of the marsh before something worse happens.

"Yeah, let's go. Oh yeah, what happened to that Monokuma?" Komaru asked. The question caught Toko off guard. She completely forgot the whole reason they were in this mess was because of that Monokuma.

"Oh, you know... *she* annihilated the thing before it could cause any destruction. I… really don't know any of the details. You'll have to ask *her* about it," Toko answered.

"Well, whatever it is, at least we know Byakuya was right about them being around this area,"

"I told you! Never doubt Master!" Toko defended.

"Hey! When did I say I doubted him!?" Komaru fired back.

"You wanted to call it a day before this all happened, didn't you?"

"You were the one complaining how it was taking forever to find them!" The girls were having a playful conversation jabbing at each other, but it felt great to them. If it weren't for each other's efforts in the quicksand, neither of them wouldn't be having this conversation. This peril they both faced would never be forgotten under these girls.