Ryoko's Interrogation:
Part 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or any of its characters. They belong to their respective creators.
NOTE: This story is a continuation of my previous one-shot "Junko's 'Execution'". I highly recommend reading that before starting this story. I hope you enjoy it!
"Hello? Creepy Rabbit Thing? Are we doing a session today or what?" Ryoko Otonashi loudly inquired as she banged on the door to her room, or perhaps she should refer to it as her cell.
The thing was, this room wasn't exactly what you'd consider a prison or jail cell. It had a firm but mostly comfortable bed, a dresser with various clothes, a full-length mirror just beside the dresser, and even a small table with a few three-year-old magazines on it. More than likely it was someone's room that had been converted into a cell. In fact, the only semblance of the room being a cell was the windowless metal door that only locked from the outside.
All in all, it wasn't that bad of a room…if you didn't mind being imprisoned with no daylight for several weeks!
Her only visitor, if you could call it that, was a strange rabbit mascot called Usami, who would suddenly appear on the monitor next to her door. The Creepy Rabbit Thing would show up, act all cutesy, which was unsettling to say the least, and start asking her all kinds of weird questions.
It started out with standard psych stuff like; did she hear voices? What kind of value did she place on human life? Did she ever feel the urge to harm herself or others? Basic questions that gave a general idea of a person's psychiatric profile. However, it seemed like the rabbit was fishing for something else…though Ryoko had no idea what.
Something about the rabbit's tone suggested a deeper meaning to the evaluation, but in the end, there just wasn't anything wrong with her. She didn't hear voices, thought murder was wrong, and never had the urge to hurt anyone, let alone herself. Once that was done, however, that's when the real tests began.
She was given puzzles to solves, both physical and verbal. From Rubik's cubes to strategy games, almost every day she was told to solve the problems in front of her. And, left with few other options, that's exactly what Ryoko did. She found most of them quite boring, actually. At times, she questioned why she was made to solve such simple puzzles but was always told it was for the sake of her evaluation.
Ryoko would have protested, but at least it gave her something to do while trapped in her cell/room. But not today it seemed, given that she'd already been up for several hours and the creepily cute rabbit hadn't come knocking. Even if it was a boring puzzle, she would have welcomed something to take her mind off her boredom.
"Whatever…" Letting out an irritated groan, she turned on a heel and marched over to her bed.
Passing by her nightstand, she briefly glanced at the magazine stacked there. She'd read through them all so many times that she could practically recite each article…maybe she'd start folding them into origami or something? But that could wait for another time, since she wasn't feeling particularly motivated today.
Plopping facedown onto the old, worn out sheets, she released a heavy sigh she'd been holding in for a while. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go on like this. Rolling over, she caught a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror across the room. Her hand gently moved to stroke her hair, the strawberry blonde beginning to fade as her red colored roots continued to grow outward.
That was another mystery for her to solve. Why had she dyed her hair that obnoxious color in the first place? Not to mention the fact that when she'd been found, she was wearing, what she assumed to be, designer's clothes. She'd since changed into a simple brown blouse and knee-length black skirt. Faded though these new clothes were, it was far more comfortable than her old outfit, which she'd discarded not long after being rescued by Makoto and the others.
Yet another mystery she couldn't answer…why had she awoken, tied to an electric chair, and covered in her own wastes? If she had been electrified, then it made sense. But if she had been electrified, why was she still alive?
In either case, she would certainly have died in that chair if it hadn't been for Makoto and everyone else…who she also hadn't seen since being captured. It was still hard to believe that she'd been imprisoned here for so long, but time wasn't really relevant anymore. And although she had no one to admit it to, she was rather lonely. And her mind would often wander, thinking about the fates of all her fellow 'survivors' of that freaky school.
"Makoto…everyone…where are you guys?" she whispered to herself, her mind drifting back to the day when she'd awoken in that strange school…the day that everything changed.
-A Few Weeks Prior-
"So, when are you going to tell me what happened here?"
Ryoko Otonashi's question echoed in the large entrance hall she and the other survivors stood in. Her long pink hair trailed down her back. Since her original clothes had been soiled, she'd changed into a simple white blouse and skirt that were found in someone's room. Her tie discarded and unlike the outfit she'd woken up in, she made sure her blouse was fully buttoned so that her bra wasn't revealed. How embarrassing…
Why had she been dressed like some kind of fashion deva? Had her kidnappers' dressed her up like that? Although she couldn't tell you why, she preferred more modest clothes, hence finding her current outfit much more appealing. While she'd changed into new clothes, watched over by the stoic girl with lavender hair and the glasses girl who wielded pepper like it was a deadly weapon, the rest of the group investigated the building and returned with both food and a surprising discovery.
A switch with a convenient label: ESCAPE SWITCH
With little debate, they had decided that it was time to test the strange button they'd found that could possibly allow them to leave the school. And although she was excited, the apprehensive expressions on her rescuers' faces told a different story. They seemed hesitant…almost fearful to open the door.
Ryoko on the other hand, was more than eager to see what lied on the other side of the ominous metal door. After all, she'd been found tied to a chair, literally stewing in her own waste! Who the hell did that to her? Her saviors had been less than informative, giving her only the vaguest of answers.
Unfortunately, the more she pressed for answers, the more she seemed to infuriate everyone else.
"We already told you what happen," an athletic looking girl, Asahina, said with a scowl, not even bothering to look at Ryoko. "We were all trapped in the school but found a switch that lets us out. We found you in a hidden room after…the Mastermind did something to you, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember that part, but…I mean…what's going on with this place?!" the amnesiac protested, noticing that no one was willing to meet her gaze…which only further incentivized her. "Was it just the seven of us in here? Did you find anyone else? How long have we been here? C'mon guys, I need some answers—".
"W-Would you just sh-shut up already!" the nerdy-looking girl, Toko, snapped at her. "All th-that matters is that w-we get to leave now! So stop a-asking so many q-questions!"
Hearing this, Ryoko couldn't stop from narrowing her eyes at how hostile the glasses wearing girl was being to her. Obviously, she'd be curious as to how they ended up in such a situation; there wasn't any reason for her to be so snippy with her.
"What did I ever do to her?" Ryoko thought to herself, not wanting to get into a fight with the only people she'd seen since she'd awoken.
"Can you at least tell me where you found that switch? How do you even know it opens this door?" the amnesiac girl demanded, refusing to back down from her position.
"…The Mastermind told us themselves," the stoic young woman called Kyoko informed her, angling her piercing lavender eyes in Ryoko's direction. "Right before they…disappeared, the Mastermind told us they'd allow us to leave. It seems this is how we'll accomplish that."
Although thankful for the explanation, something hidden with the lavender haired girl's words perturbed Ryoko. She wasn't sure why, but somehow she was able to discern that, although she was being polite, there was an underlying tone of resentment buried within her words. How Ryoko knew that, she couldn't even begin to comprehend.
At the same time, she figured it was best to just wait until they got outside. Once they were back in civilization again, undoubtedly the authorities would investigate and possibly discover why she'd been kidnapped in the first place. So, as Makoto gave a heartfelt speech about hope and the future, Ryoko trained her eyes on the door, eager to take her first steps toward uncovering the mystery of her imprisonment.
"I guess you could say that…we graduated."
And with that, Makoto pressed the button, triggering a siren to blare as the doors slowly began to open up to the outside world. However, Makoto's comment weighed heavy on Ryoko's mind.
'Graduated'…something about that word felt…off to her. Like it wasn't something to be proud of, rather it was something to be feared—
"Argh!" A sudden jolt of pain shot through her skull, making her eyes water as she clutched her head. The pulsing pounding in her brain disoriented her, and she nearly lost her footing as he legs suddenly weakened.
"R-Ryoko! Are you okay?" Makoto's voice called out to her, amidst the roaring siren.
A gentle hand, more than likely Makoto's, rested on her shoulder. Even through the pounding pain, his obvious concern was soothing. Very slowly, the pain began to subside, though it didn't vanish entirely. A dull ache had constantly pestered her since she'd awoken earlier that day. And whenever she even tried to search her memories for information, that's when the pain intensified.
"W-What…did they…do to me?!" Ryoko seethed through gritted teeth, her eyes stinging more than usual.
With her vision impaired, all she could do was listen as the door fully opened. When it seemed it was finally open, she heard a number of gasps from her rescuers.
Perturbed by their intense reaction, she slowly tried opening her eyes, but winced in pain as it felt like something was stuck in her eyelid. Fortunately, since she'd removed her atrocious fake nails when changing earlier, she was able to carefully use her fingertips to pinch whatever it was that was stuck on her eye. Pulling her hand back, she gasped as a blue colored contact lens was pinched between her thumb and index finger.
"W-What…? Why am I wearing colored contacts?" she questioned, to which no one answered. Feeling her other eye, she found a similar lens on her other eye and swiftly removed it. Blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted, she was please she didn't need those contact to fix her vision. "Well, that's…a…relief…"
Lifting her gaze, she finally understood why everyone had gasped in shock…because she immediately did so as well.
A blood-red sky greeted them, and the entire world seemed darkened, even though it was already past noon. Just glancing out the entrance, they could make out withered trees and large ruined structures. It almost seemed as if…this building alone had survived a nuclear blast!
"What's…going on?!" Ryoko practically shouted, her mind cracking as she surveyed the destruction. Turning toward her fellow 'survivors', the amnesiac girl yelled, "What…what happened here?! I thought you said this was a school! Why does it look like a bomb went off outside?!"
"So…it really was true," the young man with wild hair, Yasuhiro if she recalled correctly, said softly before loudly shouting. "The world…really DID come to an end!"
"W-What…?" was all Ryoko could utter as she was forced to acknowledge the sight before her.
All of her hopes for finding out what had happened to her vanished. Instead, it was replaced with a sickening feeling…a hopelessness that she never imaged experiencing. Along with it, a surge of anger began to rise up.
Turning and facing Makoto, who now stood beside her, she narrowed her gaze and demanded, "Okay, that's it! What aren't you guys telling me?!" Pointing toward the ruined city, she continued to shout, "You know what happened here, don't you?! Don't think I haven't noticed! You all know what's going on and I demand that you—".
"You're not in a position to demand anything."
Ryoko's breath caught in her throat as a new voice, emanating from outside the building, reached her. Snapping her head over, she and her fellow 'survivors' were greeted by the sight of a fully armed military unit approaching them. They must have been hiding near the entrance, as they appeared almost without any of the 'survivors' noticing.
Out in front, a tall man with white hair, brandishing a katana, led the military unit closer. Next to him, an even taller man with dark hair and a furry coat cracked his knuckles, glaring directly at Ryoko. Sweat trickled down her back as she noticed that all of the soldiers held automatic firearms and had their sights trained on her and her rescuers.
Once they were within ten feet of the Makoto's group, the white haired man held up his hand, signaling his forces to halt. Ryoko would have let out a sigh of relief, if not for the fact that the other man kept marching…directly toward her!
"You know what to do, Sakakura…" the white haired man said, further terrifying the already traumatized Ryoko.
"Oh yeah…I'm gonna enjoy this!" the man now known as Sakakura abruptly yelled as he dashed forward, instantly closing the gap between himself and Ryoko.
Ryoko didn't even have time to gasp before she felt his fist slam into her stomach. All air was suddenly expelled from her lungs and she doubled-over as he retracted his fist. Collapsing to her knees, she struggled to suck in a breath, but to no avail. Out of oxygen and unable to breath, Ryoko vision swam as she watched Sakakura lift his boot, preparing to stomp on her face.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced for the inevitable attack…but it never came. Instead, she heard a familiar voice shout, "What do you think you're doing?!"
Snapping her eyes open, Ryoko's eyes widened as Makoto had thrown himself between her and the attacker. By this time, she was barely able to start breathing again and blinked as her vision slowly began to clear.
"Get the hell outta my way, brat!" Sakakura yelled, swinging his leg into the side of Makoto's head.
The kind-hearted student grunted as he hit the floor. Instantly, the rest of the 'survivors' ran up to him, forming a shield between the attacker and their friend. Unfortunately, this only seemed to further irritate Sakakura, who cracked his neck and seemed prepared to throw down with them as well.
Before that could happen, however, the authoritarian voice of the white hair man resounded.
"Sakakura. That's enough." His stern tone stopped Sakakura in his tracks. With one last menacing glare thrown in Ryoko's direction, he huffed, stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked back over to where the white haired man stood. The instant that was done, the white haired man barked another order. "Take them all into custody."
Before she even had time to get up off her knees, a swarm of soldiers descended upon her. They pulled her hands behind her back and bound them, along with tying her ankles together. Weakened from that asshole Sakakura's sucker punch, Ryoko didn't have much strength to fight back but struggled as best she could.
It was then that a rag was shoved over her nose and mouth, a sickly sweet scent invading her nostrils. Chloroform…she realized, though how she knew that was beyond her. Almost immediately, she felt her consciousness slipping, and just before she passed out, she tried to glance over in Makoto's direction…but failed as darkness overtook her…
"How long are they gonna keep me here…?" Ryoko wondered aloud, rolling off the edge of the bed and walking around the room, aimlessly.
Stopping in front of the full length mirror, Ryoko surveyed herself. She was a bit thinner, having only gotten two light meals a day for the past few weeks. She'd never seen who delivered her food, as a panel on the door opened and only a tray of food was pushed inside. Despite not having much room to move around, she was in surprisingly good health. She chalked that up to genetics because she even though she barely exercised, she still had a solid figure, not that it did her any good stuck in here. She had been given a change of clothes, giving her two whole outfits to wear. Fortunately, there was a shower in her bathroom, so she could at least 'feel' clean. The blouse they'd given her was a little tight around the chest area but with no other options, she just had to put up with it.
Her deep crimson eyes were dulled, and she knew she was approaching her breaking point. Being trapped underground and frequently interrogated had that effect on you. About facing and plopping back onto her bed, Ryoko buried her face in her pillow and groaned. She knew that dinnertime was still a ways away, and with nothing better to do, Ryoko slowly closed her eyes and prepared for nap—
HRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
"Freakin' really?" she muttered as the monitor next to her door roared to life. Picking herself up and sluggishly swinging her legs over the side of the mattress, she hoisted herself up and walked toward the monitor. Suppressing a yawn, the amnesiac girl stood in front of the screen until the static cleared.
With the same annoying little jingle that always played when the rabbit arrived, 'Magical Miracle Girl: Usami' suddenly popped up from the bottom of the screen, looking as delightfully creepy as ever.
"Goooooood Morning, Ryoko~! How are you this today?" the overly happy rabbit asked her, it's voice so sickly sweet it hurt.
"I was trying to take a nap since you came so late today, but I guess that's out of the question now…" Ryoko told her honestly, still miffed about not getting her nap.
"Uwawa! I'm sorry! I know I was late! I had a meeting to attend and it ran long!" Usami explained, which only deepened Ryoko's curiosity. "Anyway, I've got a different kind of test for you today! Do you think you can handle it?"
…Something was…off about the Creepy Rabbit Thing today. It was using the same voice as always, and even spoke with most of its usual mannerisms…but deep inside, something told Ryoko to be on guard, though she had no idea why. At the same time, Ryoko knew she didn't have much of choice other than to do as Usami asked.
During their first meeting, Usami had promised her that as long as she cooperated, there was a chance she'd be set free. A chance. Not a guarantee. That part always worried her, but Ryoko didn't exactly have many other options. This 'interrogator' spoke pleasantly enough but would always fall silent whenever Ryoko asked too many questions…almost as if she was afraid of answering, which didn't make any sense.
"Whatever," Ryoko finally said, letting out a heavy sigh and preparing for another 'examination'. "So what'll I be doing this time? More of the same?"
Usami frowned and answered, "Actually, today I have something different in mind. Please take a look at these pictures and tell me if you recognize anyone."
Before Ryoko could protest, various pictures of people began to be displayed on the monitor. There was a picture of a girl dancing on stage in a frilly outfit. Probably an idol or something. But just as expected, the image didn't spark any kind of reaction from her. Moving on, there was an image of a weird girl with the twin hair drills, a biker-looking dude with a pompadour, some pink haired chick playing video games…none of which she recognized at all.
"Now then, do you recognize any of these people?" Usami asked, her voice definitely more serious than usual. "Even if you don't recognize them, please let me know if you feel anything just by looking at them."
"'Feel anything', what's that supposed to mean?" Ryoko openly questioned, feeling both irritated and suspicious.
"Like a sense of déjà vu or something akin to it," the Creep Rabbit Thing answered, surprisingly patient with her…another 'tell' that stuck out in Ryoko's mind. "Just…let me know if you have any particular…thoughts about these people."
With an indifferent shrug, Ryoko looked over the pictures one more time. However, no matter how much she stared at their smiling faces, nothing came to her. They all seemed like nice people but Ryoko doubted that's what Usami was getting at with 'feeling something'. None of them gave her a particular vibe or anything, not even the girl in the weird gothic lolita outfit.
Were they expecting her to recognize them? It was the only thing that made sense. Had she known these people before losing her memory? If she did, none of that mattered to her now. She was literally drawing a blank as she stared at them for an unnecessarily long period of time.
"No, no, no, aaaaand…no. I don't recognize them and none of them make me 'feel anything'," Ryoko finally answered, groaning loudly as she tilted her head back, glaring at the ceiling. "I mean, is that really a surprise? I. Don't. Know. Who. I. Am! I don't recognize these people and even if I did, what would be the point? Are they, like, missing or something? Was I the last person to see them alive and you're trying to get info out of me? Seriously, what do you people want from me?!"
As always, the moment she started asking questions, Usami fell silent. This time, however, the silence was somehow frightening. The Creepy Rabbit Thing was usually more talkative and filled with hopeful rhetoric. But not today, for some reason, which only further confirmed Ryoko's quickly forming suspicions.
Then, almost out of nowhere, the rabbit's visage suddenly hardened. Ryoko inwardly flinched as Usami's voice deepened.
"I want you to remember what you did to all of them…"
Ryoko immediately tensed, swallowing a lump in her throat as the Creepy Rabbit Thing's voice and visage changed. Confusion invaded her mind on several fronts:
Firstly, why did the rabbit's attitude suddenly change? This was the first time since her imprisonment began that Usami showed any level of hostility. And while it could be chalked up to whoever was controlling the rabbit didn't appreciate not seeing the results they wanted…something told Ryoko that it was deeper than that.
Secondly, their words just now were beyond perplexing. All those pictures…did she know those people before she lost her memory? She obviously must have done something to all of them, but she couldn't imagine what! Jeez, her memories started only a few weeks ago! Everything else was gone! She wasn't even sure of Ryoko Otonashi really was her name! But since it was all she could remember, she clung to it as desperately as one would expect.
Third and finally…what did her captures really want from her? It was obvious by now that they knew something about her, but if that was the case, why not just come out and say it? If they knew who she was, what was the danger in telling her? Why did they feel the need to keep their motivations a secret?
There were too many questions and not enough answers. And despite the fact that Usami was glaring at her expectantly, Ryoko knew this might be only chance to get some real answers.
"So…who am I talking to now?" Ryoko asked, folding her arms in order to hide her nervousness.
…
…
"What do you mean? I'm just your squeezably soft rabbit interrogator!" Usami abruptly told her, her usual demeanor returning. But it was too late. That last interaction confirmed Ryoko's suspicions, and she was eager to act on it.
"Was my usual interrogator out sick today or something? You're doing a poor job of imitating whoever usually controls the Creepy Rabbit Thing," Ryoko confidently affirmed, a smug grin stretching her cheeks.
After a few more moments of silence, once again, Usami's voice darkened…which was odd, considering it was still somehow cutesy despite that. "I suppose I shouldn't have expected any less from the Ultimate Analyst."
Almost immediately, Ryoko latched on this new piece of information, desperately insisting, "'Ultimate Analyst'?! I-Is that supposed to be me?! What's so 'ultimate' about it?! A-And why does it sound like a super important title?!"
Ryoko knew she was stammering but since this was literally the first time she'd learned anything about herself since she'd gotten amnesia, she was determined to follow up on it! Unfortunately, she realized too late that she'd fallen into a trap.
"It seems I've piqued your interest," the Not Usami said, making Ryoko bit her lip as she predicted what would happen next. "If you want me to tell you what I know, I need you to do something for me."
There it was, just as Ryoko suspected. Whoever this Not Usami was, they'd put her in check…and she didn't like that. Frowning, she immediately thought of a way to reduce how much power they held over her.
"No thanks," she refused, sounding as flippant as possible. "I'll just wait for the real Usami to come back and get answers out of them. Or did you think I would trust someone who impersonated my interrogator?"
Because the image of Usami stopped showing facial reactions, it was hard to get a read on how much that affected the Not Usami. Still Ryoko was confident her words had at least some effect. Unexpectedly, however, it wasn't Usami's voice that spoke to her…it was someone else…someone she recognized.
"I see, so that is your choice. That is unfortunate. I am your new interrogator from this day forth. I suggest you don't test my patience."
Ryoko's eyes widened as the voice of the white hair man who'd captured her came through the speaker.
"I-It's you! The guy who kidnapped us! Are Makoto and the others alright? Where are they right now?! Where am I right now?! And most importantly, who am I?!" The words flooded out of her mouth before she could stop herself, failing to beat back the desperation in her voice. "You know, don't you?! You know exactly who I am! Stop prancing around the issue and just tell me alre—!"
"I am under no obligation to tell you anything," the white haired man interrupted her, his voice calm and yet frighteningly cold. In response, Ryoko snapped her mouth shut, realizing that pressing the issue would do more harm than good. After an anxiety inducing pause, the man's voice came back suddenly. "As I mentioned before, if you want the information I have in my possession, you will need to follow my instructions. Do you understand?"
A pit began to form in Ryoko's stomach as he spoke. As grim as it was, the desperate young woman had to face the reality of the situation. With this jerk as her new interrogator, her situation had taken a turn for the worse. She definitely didn't like the way he talked down to her, and she certainly didn't appreciate being manipulated. But ultimately, that didn't matter. What did matter was that her options were now even more limited than before.
She could either cooperate with him…and possibly learn who she really was. Or she could deny him…and spend the rest of her life trapped in this admittedly cozy but still claustrophobic room. It wasn't much of a choice really, and she recognized that instantly. At the same time, since she was grasping at straws, she may as well figure out what he wanted from her. Perhaps she could get some info out of him if she played her cards right.
With a practiced sigh, she finally answered, "Alright, fine. What do you want me to do, Mr…uh…"
"You don't need to know my name," the man told her through the speaker. Ryoko clicked her teeth. He was denying her even that tiny bit of information. Obviously, this was going to be more complicated than she'd imagined. "For now, I want you to go to the door and retrieve the item that is about to be delivered to you."
As if on cue, the panel where her food was delivered slid open and a tray with a single circular object was pushed through. The panel was quickly closed and although Ryoko hesitated to move at first, she found her feet swiftly taking her in that direction.
Upon getting closer, the amnesiac discovered that the circular object was, in fact, some kind of bracelet. It was rather plain and seemed to be made of metal. It was an odd bracelet to say the least. It was currently open and seemed just large enough to clasp tightly around her wrist. Two miniscule holes the size of a pin pricks were on the underside, which was the only thing that really stood out. It didn't have a display screen or anything so Ryoko doubted it was fitness tracker.
Wary of its purpose, she glanced back to the screen and said, "It's…not going to shock me…is it?" She hadn't meant to ask that question with so much fear in her voice…but after her experience with the electric chair, she didn't exactly want to take any chances.
There was a pause, too long for her liking, but eventually, the mysterious man answered, "No, I can guarantee it won't shock you. Now hurry and pick it up."
Something in his voice told her that he wasn't lying to her…but he wasn't telling her the whole truth either. Regardless, she didn't want to keep the mysterious man waiting, and picked it up. Before she could even tell him she had it, his voice resounded again, "Clasp it over your left wrist."
Although scowling, Ryoko did as instructed, fitting the bracelet around her wrist and clasping the two ends together. Just as she'd surmised, it was extremely tight on her wrist. She couldn't even adjust it.
"Okay…now wh—".
Suddenly, a painful stinging sensation pierced her left wrist, right were the bracelet was. Ryoko gasped and groaned as she felt something being inject into her body. It was cold…and it made her feel light-headed…no, not light-headed…her consciousness was fading!
"Oww…what did…you…do…?" she demanded, her body already growing weaker.
"Don't fight it. It will all be over soon."
In spite of the mysterious man's words, Ryoko actively struggled to keep herself from falling sleep. Panic began to set in, and she frantically started searching for a way to keep herself awake. Sadly, her legs gave out and she toppled to floor with a thud. She tried to pick herself back up, but found her strength was all but gone.
In a last ditch effort, Ryoko tried to pry the bracelet off her wrist, but as expected, it was stuck fast. As her consciousness faded, tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "…N-No…I…I don't…want…to…"
But it was too late, the drug began to take effect and Ryoko Otonashi's world began to fade to black. However, just before she fully passed out, she heard the door to her room open. As luck would have it, she just so happened to be facing the doorway, and she saw vaguely familiar forms standing just outside the door.
Sadly, before she could identify who was there, darkness overtook her…
A pulsing sensation…that was the first thing Ryoko felt as she awoke.
Her head rested on her arms, like a makeshift pillow, her mix-matched pink and red hair strew about all around her. Her mind felt like it was trapped in a hazy fog as her eyes fluttered open, confused as to where she had ended up. She was sitting at a desk…in what appeared to be a classroom. She blinked rapidly as her she took in her surroundings.
"…Where…?" she asked aloud, slowly glancing around the classroom. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out to her. The blackboard was clean, the desks were lined up properly, the windows were covered with huge metal plates—wait, what?!
That revelation caused a startled gasp to escape her as she shot up, instantly regretting it as a pulsating pain shot through her head. Her hands instinctually pressed against her temples, a pained grunt echoing in the strangely still classroom. As the pain subsided, Ryoko's vision was drawn to the obscure metal plates that blocked each window.
"…What…are those?" she asked the air, as if expecting it to answer.
Slowly getting up from the desk, on weak legs, she carefully walked over to the plates. Impossibly large screws lined the sides of the plate, and without thinking, she lifted her hands up and tried to twist the metal nuts keeping them fixed in place. But as one would expect, with her average schoolgirl arms, she was unable to move them even a tiny bit.
Glancing at the red marks on her hands, she sighed. "Why did I even try?" she questioned aloud, for once pleased that no one else was around to witness her stupidity. Taking another look around the room, she spotted a pair of doors. With nothing else of interest in the room, and nowhere else to go, Ryoko cautiously made her way toward the doors.
Much to her surprise, the sliding door wasn't locked, and she was able to push it aside without issue. Taking her first steps out of the classroom, her blood froze in her veins.
"I…I know this place!" she told herself, instantly recognizing exactly where she was. "This…this is that school! Why…why am I back here?!"
Cold sweat trickled down her back as the memories came flooding back. Her eyes shot to her wrist and she was relieved to see that the bracelet used to drug her was gone. They must have removed it while transporting her. That said, her head was filled with questions that no one could answer.
Why was she back in that creepy school…alone and unattended? They'd kept such a close eye on her for almost a month, so why let her go now? Could it be that…they were the ones who kidnapped her before she lost her memories? Were they responsible for her waking up in that electric chair, covered in her own filth? If that was true…why did they keep asking her to remember things? Who were those people that captured her, Makoto, and the others?
The more Ryoko wrestled with those questions, the more mysterious the whole situation became.
"Well…no point in standing around," she told herself, looking around and trying to figure out which way to go. "I should try and find the exit first. After that I can—".
*SLAM*
Ryoko nearly jumped out of her skin as a loud banging noise echoed from down the hallway. Her sharp red eyes instantly focused in that direction, widening as she discovered the source of the sound. On the other end of the hallway, a girl with long blue-ish hair stood outside what appeared to be another classroom, her delicate hand on the door handle. Ryoko surmised that the girl must have slammed the door shut, but that was the least of her concerns…because she actually recognized that girl!
She was wearing a simple school uniform, but Ryoko had no doubt that it was the same idol looking girl that Not Usami had shown her a picture of earlier! Before she could call out, the idol girl turned and glanced in her direction, a deep frown settled onto her face. Ryoko was almost taken aback by how aggressive her posture was, which gave the idol girl just enough time to turn on a heel and dart down the hallway.
"H-Hey! Wait!" Ryoko instinctively called out, immediately giving chase. However, the idol girl didn't respond, and instead sped off through an archway with a sigh that read: Dormitory.
Although extremely confused, both as to why that girl was suddenly here and the coincidence of meeting her at all, Ryoko doggedly pursued her into the dorms. She had so many questions and even if the idol girl couldn't answer them, she'd settle for just not being alone in this freaky school.
To her surprise, the dorms were a lot bigger than she'd imagined! There was a cafeteria on her right, a bathhouse and laundry room on her left, and straight ahead were various dorm rooms, enough to house more than a dozen people! And currently racing toward one of those dorm room was the blue haired idol girl, who only paused long enough to glance back toward Ryoko before opening a door and disappearing inside.
"Whoa, hold on! I think I know you…or something!" Ryoko shouted, speeding after the idol girl. Fortunately, the blue haired girl had left the door open, so she didn't have to guess which room she'd entered. Maneuvering around the open door, the amnesiac girl called out, "I'm not going to hurt you or anything, I just…want…to…know…"
Words failed her as she took in the state of the room she'd entered. It looked like some kind of animal had torn it apart! There were slash marks on the walls and floor, the bed was a tussled mess, and a golden katana lay unsheathed on the floor. Ryoko barely had time to look over the room before she heard it…
"KYAAAAAAAHHHH!"
An ear piercing scream! It came from the bathroom! It had to be that girl! Without thinking, Ryoko dashed toward the bathroom, which was barely still on its hinges, and tore it open. Taking a single step inside, Ryoko's world spun.
There, lying in a pool of her own blood, a kitchen knife protruding from her stomach, was the idol girl. Her face was pale, and her eyes were closed…she wasn't breathing. She…was dead.
As Ryoko's eyes dilated, her entire body suddenly felt cold, and bile rose up in the back of her throat. Before she even knew what was happening, she doubled over and vomited onto the floor, right in front of the idol girl's body. Gasping for breath as her throat and lungs burned, Ryoko struggled, in vain, to comprehend her situation.
"How…How can she be dead?! I…I just heard her scream!" she tried to rationalize, despite the clear evidence in front of her.
Forcing her head up, Ryoko slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting again as she surveyed the body. Obviously, the knife in her gut was the fatal injury. However, judging by the gold flakes on her wrist, and the swelling, she must have suffered a broken wrist before being stabbed. The golden sword on the floor of the other room had flecks of paint missing, so obviously she'd been attacked with—
"H-Hold on, that doesn't make any sense! She was alone in this room, like, less than ten seconds before I came in! I didn't hear a struggle or anything! What the hell is going—?!"
In the midst of comprehending this impossible scenario, the creaking of the bathroom door startled her. Whirling around and skidding backwards away from the door, Ryoko held up her arms in makeshift defense. However, what greeted her completely defied any expectations she might have had.
Standing there, just outside the door, it's shadow looming over her…was a monochrome teddy bear. Split down the middle; half of it was white, cute, and cuddly…while the other half was jet black, had a huge glowing red eye, and a row of razor-sharp teeth! Even more confusing was the fact that it walked on its hind legs, like a person, taking a menacing step in Ryoko's direction.
Suddenly, everything became clear. Somehow…deep within the recesses of her mind, Ryoko knew that this strange mix-matched bear was responsible for the idol girl's death…and now it was coming for her! Fear gripping her very soul, Ryoko slid herself along the floor until her back pressed up against the opposite wall…right next to the idol girl's corpse. All the while, the strange half-and-half bear waddled closer to her, a low…despair-inducing laugh echoing as it approached.
"Upupupupupupupupu…"
"N-No…STAY AWAY!" Ryoko shouted, pressing her back firmly against the wall in the fruitless hope that she could somehow pass through it and escape.
Frantically looking around for any means of escape, Ryoko's bright red irises snapped over to the dead idol, terrified that she was about to join the unknown girl in death. However, at that moment, her eyes also spotted her one chance for salvation.
"I need to borrow this…" Ryoko reluctantly whispered, feeling slightly guilty as her hand reached for the knife in the idol's stomach. With a swift tug, she managed to pull it free just in time.
The creepy bear suddenly roared and lunged at her, it's claws extended. However, it's semi-cuddly face found itself impaled on the knife Ryoko bravely angled toward it. The bear grunted and reared back, pawing at the blade stuck between its eyes. Knowing this was her only chance, the terrified Ryoko dived past the bear, scrambled to her feet, and dashed out of the bathroom.
Keeping that momentum going, Ryoko sped out of the dorm room itself, slamming the door shut behind her. She didn't wait to see if the bear would follow after her, frantically running down the hallway and out of the dorms. But she didn't stop here, racing down the halls as the bear's malicious laughter echoed not far behind her.
"Upupupupupupupupupu…"
Racing past the classroom she'd awoken in, Ryoko began to recognize this part of the school. She'd only seen it once, when Makoto and the other's had rescued her, but she knew that if she kept going down this path, she'd eventually find the main entrance. Her only hope for survival was to get there and pray the large metal door was still open. Even if it meant escaping into an apocalyptic hellscape, she'd take that over being murdered by a creepy bear mascot!
Despite how much her legs ached, Ryoko picked up speed, passing by a set of large, red double-doors, the likes of which she didn't remember seeing before. Chalking it up to only seeing the place once before, she continued onward, the faintest bit of hope welling up with each step.
Sadly, as she rounded the corner, that hope was ripped away from her. She barely stopped in time to avoid smacking into a large wall that stretched from floor to ceiling…a dead end.
"W-What the—?!" she frustrated shouted, her hands patting the wall to ensure it wasn't fake. Out of breath, she panted as her fist slammed against the obstruction. "T-This…wasn't here last time—!"
"Upupupupupupupu…"
Hearing that ominous laughter, Ryoko whirled around and was thankful that the bear wasn't right behind her. Judging by the echo, the bear was still a little ways behind her…but with her exit blocked off, there was nowhere else to run! Frantically wiping away the sweat that slid down her forehead, the amnesiac girl decided to double back, in the hopes of finding another route…or even a place to hide!
Heading back around the corner, Ryoko's feet nearly came out from under her as she witness the murderous bear creature exiting the dorms, the bloody knife still protruding out of its forehead. Locking eyes with her, the bear roared once again and began to waddle-run in her direction. Barely holding in yelp, Ryoko instinctively backed up until something pressed into her backside. Whirling around, she was semi-relieved to see it was only a doorhandle…to the big red double-doors!
Left with no other options, Ryoko grasped the handle and thankfully, it opened! Pulling the doors open, she was surprised to see an elevator in the room beyond. Briefly glancing over her shoulder, and noting that the bear was almost upon her, she quickly slipped inside and slammed the doors shut.
She glanced around for something to block the door with, but the entire room was devoid of any furniture. Only the large elevator in the back stood out, which Ryoko immediately distrusted but knew she had little choice.
*BANG*BANG*
Ryoko recoiled away from the door as the bear creature on the other side began slamming against it. For a brief moment, the amnesiac girl wondered why it didn't just turn the handle, but then remembered it had paws. Hoping that would buy her a little time, she headed for the elevator, repeatedly slamming her palm against the only button present.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" she frantically whispered, pressing the button harder, as if that would do any good.
*BANG*BANG*CRACK*
Ryoko gasped as that cracking noise reached her ears, glancing over her shoulder with wide eyes. The murderous bear creature had managed to tear through part of the door with its claws, tearing more and more of the wooden barricade away with each swipe. This in turn caused Ryoko to press the button even faster, silently begging the god of elevators to save her!
Repeatedly glancing between the elevator and the rapidly disappearing door, Ryoko's fear spiked when the evil bear started forcing itself through a hole it tore through the center of the doors.
"G-Get away! Leave me alone!" she screamed as the bear wiggled it's round body, trying to squeeze through the small opening. Just when it looked like the bear was going to pop through, a miraculous sound reach her ears.
*DING*
Her prayers were answered as the elevator arrived, the metal doors slowly opening. Rushing over to them, Ryoko slid through the small gap in the opening doors and promptly looked for a button panel. Instead of that, she found a single lever on the right side and leapt for it, pulling it down as she sank to the floor. To her elated joy, the doors stopped trying to open and instead began to close.
Unfortunately, a loud crash indicated the girl's worst fear. Peeking around out from the elevator, Ryoko audibly gasped as the half-and-half bear picked itself up after toppling through the mostly destroyed door. Brandishing both of its claws, the demented bear abruptly leaped toward the closing elevator doors.
Thinking fast, Ryoko scrambled over and used both hands to pull the doors closed. Just as the metal parts clanged together, the bear's long claws poked through the small openings in the metal lattice…the claw stopping just short of Ryoko's wide eyes. Using her feet to slide backwards on her butt, the amnesiac girl watched as the evil teddy bear tried to tear through the metal elevator doors.
Fortunately, it seemed that it's claws were unable to break through, allowing Ryoko to breathe a small sigh of relief. As if on cue, the roar of an engine resounded all around her, and the elevator began to descend. Just before the malicious bear disappeared from sight, Ryoko smirked and stuck out her tongue at it, to which the bear tilted it's head, as if pondering the gesture.
Covered in sweat and completely out of breath, Ryoko could only wonder where this loud metal box was taking her as it descended into the depths of the school.
"W-What…was…that thing?!" Ryoko questioned the elevator as it took her deeper and deeper underground.
Her whole body ached as she was finally able to take a brief respite. Gasping for air, she pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart trying to fight its way out of her ribcage. The adrenaline that had kept her going finally ran out and she slumped against the back of the elevator, her brain synapses firing wildly as she tried to piece everything together.
Whatever that freaky bear thing was…it had killed that idol girl, and now it was coming after her. Although the conditions of which the idol girl had been killed still bothered her, there was no doubt that the bear harbored an intense desire to see Ryoko impaled on the business end of its claws.
But that didn't answer her two primary questions…why was she back in the school and why was that bear trying to kill her?
It had a similar kind of feel to Usami, but on a complete opposite spectrum! Whereas Usami was cuddly and cute, creepily so if she was being honest, the demented half-and-half bear was a horror to behold! Both of them were terrifying, but for completely separate reasons! That being said, what was their connection?
There had to be some kind of connecting factor, they were too similar for it to be a coincidence. Could it be that whoever created Usami also crafted that psychotic murder bear?
"Uhhg! So many questions and no answers!" Ryoko protested, feeling even more lost than before. "That white haired guy promised to tell me who I was but that was a big lie! He stuck me in this freaky place! He's probably watching me right now! Pervert!"
With that in mind, Ryoko wearily observed her environment. Noticing a lack of surveillance equipment in the elevator, she released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding, filling her with the slightest bit of comfort. The security cameras in the schools hallways had been unnerving, and it convinced her that she was being monitored…not that she wasn't used to that by now. The monitor that Usami used to contact her with had a camera built into it, and while it always unnerved her, at least the bathroom in her cell had been devoid of such things.
"How poetic…" she quietly mused as her eyes fluttered closed. "Never imagined that I'd miss that oppressive place…"
As the metal box continued to descend into the abyss, she lost what little strength she had left. Giving in to exhaustion, Ryoko allowed the rhythmic hum of the elevator to lull her into uneasy rest.
As Ryoko sat in the elevator, unbeknownst to her, a group of people were indeed watching her.
"Well…that was unexpected."
"Unexpected?! Monokuma nearly killed her! Why did you—?!"
"We didn't…or at least, we didn't intend to anyway."
"…What does that mean? What aren't you telling me?"
"You'll see soon enough. Regardless, Ryoko Otonashi must relive her sins. Otherwise, we cannot be sure that Junko Enoshima won't someday rise from the depths of her subconscious."
"…Please stay safe…Ryoko…"
To Be Continued…
Greetings, my beautiful readers! The long awaited sequel to "Junko's 'Execution'" is finally here! I decided to split it into three parts, as it was too long to be a one-shot, like the original. The other two parts will be released later this week! I hope you enjoy the story!
As always I appreciate comments/reviews! If you have some theories as to what's going to happen, feel free to share them! Take care of yourselves and keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!