If there was only a singular benefit to the movie night, it would be that it helped put everyone in higher spirits. At least, that's Shizu's takeaway. Breakfast the next morning is surprisingly lighthearted. Several conversations are going on around her, and even normally abrasive people like Fumika and Chouki sound earnestly engaged with the others. Kogi is the only one who's staying silent, aside from herself of course, but that's probably because he's more focused on eating rather than anything else.
Everyone now and then, Kaixi or Tsubame will ask her a question, and she'll give a generic reply. She appreciates their willingness to include her. However, she's a little too focused on her plans for today, or, rather, finding any way to delay them.
Why did she promise herself that she would try to exercise today? It was a horrible idea then, but, because she became fixated on at as she was going to sleep, it is now ingrained in her mind. No matter how much she wishes, she cannot stop thinking about it.
At the very least, she can use the excuse of having just eaten to ignore the gym for an hour or two. The fact that breakfast has been downgraded to scapegoat is depressing, though. Maybe that's why she's eating so slowly.
Eventually, everyone filters out of the dining hall, except for her. Tsubame checks to make sure she's doing fine before she leaves, but that's about it. The empty dining hall, while normally something she wouldn't notice, now seems mocking.
Right as she's finishing up, Joshua makes his usual tardy entrance. Actually, he's even later than normal. She'd normally blame it on him sleeping on, but he doesn't even show his usual signs of post-awakening exhaustion.
He gives a two-fingered wave at her, sporting an awkward grin. "Uh… morning, Shizu. All good?"
"As good as can be expected," she replies. "Given your mannerisms, I must pose the same question to you."
Scratching his neck, he says, "Oh, me? Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty good. Nothing's really wrong. I'm just uh… I kinda feel a little selfish asking this, but are you still cool with what you said yesterday?"
She said a great many things yesterday. A quick search through her memories brings up the most likely option. "Are you referring to my comments about watching over the greenhouse?"
He nods vigorously. "Yeah, that's it. Does that still work for you?"
"I don't see why not. Would I need to go right this minute?" she asks.
"Nah, not for another while," he says, relief washing over his face. "Thanks a lot though. Around, like, noon or something should be good. Just, like, stay there for a few hours or something."
Shizu adjusts her glasses to give him a deadpan stare. "…Please be more specific."
"Oops, right, my bad." Joshua is evidently still uncomfortable asking for her time. "About three hours or so would probably work, I think."
She thinks it over. "Until 3 PM then… That should be fine."
"Awesome! Thanks so much for doing this," he says.
"May I asked what happened to advance the situation to this point? If I recall correctly, you were very unsure about putting all of this together," she points out.
"I was, but that was before I found Soraru fast asleep in the greenhouse. I felt bad shaking xem awake, but I had to know how long xe'd been at it. Turns out, when xe last checked the clock, it was 5 AM. Who knows how long xe was up?"
She winces and sharply inhales. "That is extraordinarily unhealthy. I imagine xe was very agitated upon been woken up."
"I got smacked right in the face for my trouble," he confirms. "To be fair, xe apologized a lot for the mistake, but the whole thing was a mess. But anyways, that's why I pushed to get someone else to watch the greenhouse. I think xe only agreed because of how tired xe was."
"Is someone watching over it right now?" Shizu asks.
Joshua gives a thumbs up. "I ran into Hachi on my way back to the greenhouse, so she's taking care of things for now. She's probably gonna hop back in again later. I think she's taking all the chances she can get in case she gets blocked out again."
"Well, I'm glad to hear everything's working out again," she says.
"Tell me about it." Taking a huge sigh, Joshua slumps over. "Honestly, I don't even think all of matters anymore. I mean, Soraru conked out for a few hours, but the sprinklers were still on their usual settings. I think whoever was doing this felt bad after everyone started chewing them out before the movie."
"Better safe than sorry, I'd say." Shaking her head, Shizu moves to compliment him. "It certainly is nice of you to do all of this."
"Nah, it's no big deal," he denies with a hand wave. "I get the feeling that not a lot of people look out for xem, so I kinda have to. It sucks not being able to rely on anyone, especially when you're feeling really upset and nobody seems to care."
She frowns. "It sounds like you're speaking from experience."
"Trust me, I've got a lot of experience in nobody caring about you. It happens all the time in the foster system, from what I've gathered. Certainly happened to me." He gives an upset snort.
That's new information to her, and she winces in sympathy. "I'm sorry. I only have a knowledge of the system in Japan. Though, given the poor state of things here, I can only imagine that things are just as bad in your country."
"Tell me about it. America's foster system sucks big time, dude." He throws his hands into the air. "They shove you and a bunch of other poor saps with some family that hates your guts. Like, before they even meet you, they've already decided that you're nothing but a pain. Where are they even finding these people? It's like they're actively searching for the people who should have absolutely no contact with kids and choosing them on purpose."
Shizu nods along to his rant, hanging on to every word. "We usually put foster children in special institutions here, although, from what I've heard, I cannot say much kind about the quality of such places. However, it sounds like you were moved around quite a lot."
"Yup, we'd get kicked around all the time, and us kids would rarely get moved to the same place. It's the same shit every time: new place, new faces, and then the cycle starts all over again." He starts pacing back and forth. "I swear each new home was worse than the last. I think. They honestly started blending together by house six."
"Oh dear… how long were you stuck in that system?" she asks.
He laughs. "Pretty much up until I turned 18. Never had any parents, so I was born into that life. Always in pain and moving along. It was a fucking nightmare mess." As he turns to face her, she notices that his eyes are shaking wildly. "Did you know that they couldn't even keep me in the same state? No, apparently, I was 'lucky' enough to get carted around all over the US. Got a grand tour of the whole country."
"Disgusting," she spits. "That this is how the world treats children who need help the most… it speaks volumes about how those in power have failed us all."
Joshua takes a few deep breaths, having expended most of his energy. "Whoa… sorry about that. Well, I'm not sorry about being mad. I deserve to be mad at all that. I'm sorry about dumping that rage on you."
"Joshua, I believe that's called 'sharing your feelings'," Shizu tells him. "You do not need to apologize for telling me that. I find venting about negative things can be cathartic."
He laughs. "Yeah, you don't have to tell me twice. Nothing good came out of any of that. Hell, it's even why I picked up vlogging in the first place."
Blinking, she asks, "Really?"
"Totally," he says. "I needed something to take my mind off of life, so I just got this shitty camcorder when I was, like, 12, and just talked about stuff to nobody. I wasn't actually planning on posting any of it online, but I started running out of space."
"So, you posted them online to save the memories. I suppose nobody can predict the audience their work will get," she muses.
"All I wanted was to somehow preserve the few good times I had." Shrugging, he says, "I guess good times can resonate with a lot of people."
At that moment, Joshua's stomach lets out an incredibly impatient growl. He attempts to hide his blush by pulling his hat over his eyes. "Heh… oops. I got distracted again."
"My apologies for delaying your meal," Shizu says. "I'll get out of your hair for now. You've had a lot on your mind, so you should take some time to relax."
"Hey, you don't have to tell me twice. I'm the king of relaxing!" He raises a fist in the air, but his stomach chooses that moment to let itself be known again. "Uh… I'm gonna stop talking now. Thanks again for agreeing to help out!"
Shizu exits the dining hall, her mind overflowing. She still has a good while until her greenhouse shift starts. Technically, she could use this time to exercise… but, on the other hand, that would leave her exhausted during her watch, and, really, that just wouldn't do. Better put it off for until later.
That excuse firmly in her mind, she begins to wander towards the elevator, notepad and pen in hand, ready to jot down her thoughts.
Conversation with Joshua Miller (2)
- Was essentially born into the American foster care system, has nothing kind to say about the experience
- Moved around frequently, apparently all across the country
- Didn't mention having any good experiences with any of the foster families
- Perhaps the struggles of this life led to his combined laziness and care for others
- Got into vlogging because of foster life, as it let him express himself positively
Shizu doesn't have a destination in mind as she walks, but a decision is made for her when she nearly bumps into Michio. "Excuse me," she apologizes, "I wasn't watching my steps. I should have known to be more careful by this point."
Shaking his head, Michio says, "Don't worry about it. I was actually gonna go looking for you, believe it or not."
"You have some use for me?" she asks.
"Uh… I wouldn't phrase it like that, but kind of?" He bites his lip. "You know what, never mind. Could you just come with me to the rec room for a sec? It'll be quick, promise."
"Very well then." The two of them set off together. She's confused as to what the rec room would have to do with anything, seeing as they just had a movie night. It's a bit soon to plan something else.
Her questions only increase when, upon their arrival, she finds both Kogi and Chouki inside. Chouki is sitting down with his arms crossed, while Kogi is looking over a movie shelf with half-interest. Given Michio's thankful expression, he must have asked them to come as well and is glad that they haven't bailed in his absence.
"So, I know that you wrote down that you didn't care what movie we'd watch next time," Michio says, rubbing his hands together, "but I also noticed that you didn't look all that invested last night. I don't want you bored again if we do this again."
Shizu sighs. "I didn't put anything down because I couldn't think of anything. I doubt I can come up with something now."
From the other side of the room, Chouki says, "I told him the same thing, but he's not interested in listening."
"There has to be something you like watching," Michio argues. "Come on, just look over the cases. It won't take long."
"So much for not judging a book by its cover," Shizu mutters.
Michio chuckles. "Hey, that's kind of why books have covers in the first place: to get your attention. Like, you've definitely picked out something because you liked the way it looked at least once, right?"
Figuring that humoring him would let her get out of this situation faster, she ignores his leading comment and heads over to one of the shelves. Her heart sinks when she finally takes in the sheer number of films on display. Maybe she should pick one at random and hope for the best.
As she searches, Michio calls out to her, "Oh, by the way, I finished looking over all the things in here, and all of the release dates line up. Sorry about your theory not panning out."
Chouki coughs from his chair. "Wait, you seriously looked at all of this?" He gestures towards the numerous shelves. "Didn't you have anything better to do?"
"I thought I said that it wasn't necessary," Shizu says, as she puts back a particularly gruesome looking horror movie. "I didn't want you to be wasting your time."
Michio counters by saying, "And I thought I said that it was fine. I had to look through most of these to find the right movie anyways. It didn't add that much time to my search. Plus, I've heard of a lot of these before, which means I didn't even need to check the release date."
"That's certainly more efficient of you," she says.
To her right, Kogi sniffs. "It would've been more efficient to not do it in the first place. Why are there even this many movies here in the first place?"
"Hey, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. More options are always better in my book," Michio says, holding up his hands.
"I don't know. It feels a little excessive." Shizu pulls another case out as she speaks. Upon seeing an embarrassingly terrible CG monster on the cover, she quickly shoves it back in. "I doubt most of these are quality films. Why spend so much money and effort on this collection when there are other places which could use work?"
"Ignoring necessities for entertainment? Sounds typical to me." Chouki sinks back into his chair as he pouts. "This horrible place is just a microcosm of the horrible world out there."
Michio rolls his eyes. "You're being real dramatic there, buddy."
"Don't call me that," Chouki retorts.
"Friendly too," Michio murmurs.
Kogi scoffs as he looks between two movies in his hands. "If you're having a bad time here, then leave. Or start looking."
"You'll just get in my way," Chouki shouts, though he sounds embarrassed. "How am I supposed to find anything when you're distracting me?"
"There are at least a dozen shelves. Neither of us are blocking anything," Shizu points out.
Chouki splutters for a second. "It's the principle of the matter. Shut up. Just finish already so I can get out of here."
"Hmm… Maybe I'll take more time then. There's a lot to consider." Kogi picks up a movie that he already had previously and flips it over. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Chouki fuming silently.
Shizu ends up spending much more time than she anticipated looking over everything. To her own surprise, this isn't even because she can't find anything that she likes. She actually finds multiple interesting films. However, all of them are rather dry documentaries. Normally, she wouldn't feel any shame about her choices, but, given that the goal is to share them with others, she hesitates. She doubts anyone but her would feel anything but boredom watching them together.
Noticing her struggles, Michio eventually comes over to her. "Hey, is this stressing you out or something? You keep hesitating to put some of these away. You don't have to pick if it is. I just really wanted everyone's input."
She lets out a sigh. "Thank you. I would rather not subject everyone to my preferences in films."
"No problem. Any particular reason why?" he asks.
"People tend not to find my interests as engaging as I do," she explains. "Should I wish to indulge in such movies, I would rather do it alone, or with a select few whom I know would not be bored."
"I think you're being harsh on yourself, but fair. You do you. Just let me know if you change your mind." Michio gives her a wink.
Chouki pushes himself up. "Wait, how come she gets to leave without choosing anything? You told me that you wouldn't let me go until I picked something."
Pinching his forehead, Michio says, "Dude, she actually looked around. You still haven't done anything."
"That's not my fault!" Chouki shouts back.
In the background, Kogi drops the case on the floor. "Oh no. How clumsy of me." He bends over to pick it up, only to kick it farther away. "Oops." He takes several prolonged steps towards it.
A vein pops in Chouki's forehead. "Hurry up already!"
Shizu makes a hasty retreat before she gets pulled into any more nonsense. By complete coincidence, it's almost time for her to watch over the greenhouse, so she makes her way over. In her head, she complains about the gates blocking off the quickest route. Couldn't Monokuma just lock whatever room is over there instead of blocking off the entire area?
She arrives just as Hachi is exiting from the bee room door. She smiles as she spots Shizu. "Hey! Are you up next?"
"That's what I was told," she confirms. "Were you supposed to be on guard duty?"
"Yup, Joshua asked me." She puffs out her chest in pride. "I think he felt bad about yesterday, and this was his way of letting me know that the garden was open."
"It seems difficult to watch over the greenhouse when you're in a completely separate room." She does her best not to sound accusatory, but it slips out regardless.
"Ah, well… I think it should be fine? Probably?" Hachi skips over to the sprinkler console and looks everything over. "Yup, no changes here!"
"Perhaps you got lucky." Shizu adjusts her glasses. "Unless you're able to hear anyone enter while you're in the other room, that is. I suppose that would give you the indication to come out."
Hachi runs a hand through her hair. "Uh… maybe? I actually don't know if you can hear anyone unless they're being super loud. I didn't think it would matter. Joshua said to not really take it seriously."
"…That certainly sounds like something he would say," Shizu admits.
"Yeah, he kept saying that he didn't think whoever was doing the thing would keep it up. I kinda agree. I mean, it was getting kinda cruel." Hachi brightens up. "Anyways, I just followed orders and took it easy."
"If nothing came of it, then I suppose it isn't that bad." Truthfully, Shizu is annoyed at her lax attitude, but she seems to mean well, and getting frustrated may only lead to tears. "Although Joshua didn't tell me to take it easy when he asked."
"Uh…" Hachi smiles nervously. "He uh… might have thought you'd take offense to that? I've never seen you not serious before."
Shizu closes her eyes. "…That is honestly a fair assessment, given what others have said recently."
"H-hey, cheer up! That's not a bad thing!" Hachi runs over to her and begins shaking her.
Wiggling out of her grasp, Shizu takes a step back. "I do not think so either, but I doubt everyone feels that way. In a situation like this, it may bring more unease… In any case, that's a thought I'd rather deal with another time. I believe I have work to do."
Hachi nods and says, "Alright. Hope everything goes well! Though, if my shift's anything to go by, you'll have nothing to do. You should consider saying hi to the bees for me!"
"…I will consider it." Hmm… Considering has been accomplished. She will absolutely not go see the bees.
Her shift, as it turns out, is completely uneventful. Nobody stops by at all as she sits behind the sprinkler console. She imagines that most would find it boring to sit here and do nothing, but there can be comfort in monotony. The occasional sound of water showering from above on different sections of the greenhouse is rather soothing. This wouldn't be a bad place for meditation, if she were into that sort of thing.
Before she knows it, her time is up. She wouldn't even have been aware had Kaixi not come running in, looking apologetic. "Hey, sorry I'm late!" he calls.
Glancing at the clock, she sees that it's 3:02 PM. "Your timing could hardly be described as late. This isn't school, where everyone scatters the moment class is technically over."
Kaixi tugs on his backpack's straps. "Yeah, but you've been here for a few hours, right? You've gotta be itching to do something else."
"Not really. It's peaceful in here," she says.
"Really?" He looks around. "Yeah, I guess I can see that. Rain can help me sleep sometimes. If I closed my eyes, maybe I could imagine that I'm in a rainforest."
"If that's the case, you should consider keeping your eyes open," she chastises. "I doubt Joshua or Soraru would be pleased to find you sleeping on the job, accident or otherwise."
"No way, I wouldn't dream of doing anything like that!" His frantic apologies pause as he realizes what he said. "Wait, I didn't mean to make a pun there. I'm 100% serious and ready to help."
Shizu nods, though she can't help but feel that he's playing it up a bit too much. "Everything should be fine. You're the first person I've seen in here since I started."
Scratching his chin, Kaixi says, "Joshua said something like that too. The 'everything being fine' thing, not the 'seeing nobody' thing. I think he's taking the night shift or something. Anyways, he said that it'd probably be boring and that I could do whatever to keep myself entertained."
"Seriously? Did he tell everyone this except for me?" She rubs her temples.
"D-don't worry, I'm not going to slack off. I'll do just as much work as you did, promise," he attempts to reassure her.
That's not exactly the issue, but his enthusiasm is appreciated nonetheless. "Thank you. Although, I doubt that I've done much work here at all. At most, you would need to memorize what the settings are on the settings and, if you for whatever reason take a break, check to see that they haven't changed."
"Yeah, I really don't want to be rude but…" Kaixi looks around, as if someone will suddenly pop out of nowhere and yell at them. Just in case, he walks closer and whispers, "I'm getting the feeling that this is all a little pointless."
"You wouldn't be the only one," Shizu agrees. "From the sound of things, even Joshua thinks that."
He looks a little better with her confession, but, when he speaks louder, he says, "Oh, but it's all for Soraru's peace of mind, so there's merit in it, I think. I've been feeling bad for xem after all this. Maybe we can put a stop to the whole thing tomorrow, if everything goes well today."
"That's what I'm hoping as well." Looking back at the clock, she winces, remembering her promise to herself. "I'll get out of your hair now. Farewell."
"Oh, you're not bothering me," Kaixi quickly says. "You can stay and chat as long as you want."
"No, it's not that. I have…" She swallows. "Something to do later. I shouldn't put it off much longer."
Kaixi frowns. "Okay then. Good luck with whatever that is." Then, his eyes light up. "Oh, actually, if it's not too much trouble, could you stop by the storage room before you do whatever you're planning? I was helping Tsubame out with a thing before my shift started, and I wanna make sure I didn't leave her at a bad time."
"I can do that." Perfect, another excuse has fallen directly into her lap. Perhaps this is a sign.
He beams. "Thanks a bunch! See you later!"
Kaixi was vague about what Tsubame was doing, but Shizu has a good idea of what it entails. Given the conversation she had a few days ago with Hachi, it probably involves her talent. Whatever the case, it warrants looking into, even if she hadn't agreed to look.
Her curiosity turns to exasperation when she arrives at the storage room. The way that Kaixi had spoken made it sound as though he had abandoned Tsubame and that she needed a lot of help. Instead, it appears that Tsubame has already enlisted several others to assist her. It's not that she minds large groups, but it appears she had the complete wrong mindset.
Tsubame sits in the center of the room, surrounded by several different sets of furniture. Pal stands nearby, helping her examine each set. With a shake of her head, he puts the box of table parts back down and looks for another.
Off to the side, Morgan sifts through a box of tools. She pulls out a bottle of glue which has gotten stuck to a wrench. She attempts to separate them, but, even with all her might, they remained glued together. She hastily drops it back before anyone else notices.
Fumika is in the very back of the room, digging out boxes that have been shoved behind others. One appears to get her interest, as she stops what she's doing to investigate. With ease, she lifts up what appears to be a red cooler and examines it closer. After tilting it around, she shrugs and sets it back in the box.
Seeing as she promised Kaixi to offer to help, she walks towards Tsubame. Tsubame, distracted by Pal's newest find, doesn't hear her approach until Shizu's standing right next to her. The small jump she gives makes Shizu feel a little bad.
"Shizu! I'm sorry! How long have you been there?" Tsubame asks, holding a hand over her chest.
Shizu says, "Only a moment. You're certainly hard at work."
Blushing, Tsubame tugs on her braid. "I think everyone else is being far more productive than I am. I'm grateful for all of the help, but I feel like I'm slacking off compared to them."
"If we had a problem… with the workload, rest assured… that we would inform you," Pal states. "Now… if you wouldn't mind?" He holds another table box closer to her for her to inspect.
Tsubame stares at it for a few moments, making humming noises. "I think the color's better… could you please put that in the 'maybe' stack for me?"
While Pal acquiesces, Shizu asks, "May I assume this is all for getting props ready for your play?"
"Oh, you remembered!" Smiling gently, Tsubame confirms her suspicions. "Yes, that's what we're doing here. After the movie night, I couldn't help but feel my creative side yelling at me to get on it already. Everyone had a fun time. I really want to be able to do something like that."
"Your passion for your craft… is inspiring," Pal says. "I normally… do not think much… of talents such as yours. But even I can feel… the muses inspiring you."
"Thank you very much. I hope I can live up to your expectations." Tsubame then turns her attention back to Shizu. "I'm sorry. You must have come here looking for something. I didn't mean to distract you."
Shizu shakes her head. "No, I stopped by to check up on you. I had been informed you required assistance. However, I appear to have been given faulty information."
From behind another shelf, Morgan titters. "That would be Kaixi worrying about others again, would it not? He sent you as his replacement."
"Something along those lines," Shizu confirms.
Tsubame gives a half-sigh, half-laugh. "Oh Kaixi… It's nice to hear that he's looking out for me, but I told him that it was fine."
Having apparently been listening in from afar, Fumika calls out, "You know he wasn't really listening to that. He just hears what he thinks will get others to like him."
"You phrase that as though… it is a bad thing," Pal notes.
Fumika replies, "I didn't mean for it to sound fully bad, but he did inconvenience Shizu because of it."
Shizu speaks up. "From what I've gathered, you all have been here the entire time, even before Kaixi left."
"You would be correct. I believe some were here before Kaixi was," Morgan says. "I am certain he made it sound very urgent. His desperation to get to wherever he was going mixed with the luck of running into you may have caused him to twist the story."
Instead of correcting her, which is very tempting, Shizu directs her comment to Tsubame. "In that case, it sounds as though you are, in fact, not in desperate need of help."
"Not really, sorry," Tsubame apologizes. "I hadn't planned on everyone showing up. It was just Fumika and me at first, and then people arrived out of nowhere… It was a lot."
A box slams down in the back, followed by Fumika saying, "You don't have to apologize for not needing someone's help."
Laughing, Tsubame responds, "I can't help it. It was a reflex." Looking back at Shizu, she says, "To be honest, it's getting to be a too many cooks in the kitchen situation. It means the world that so many people want to indulge my selfishness, but it's also overwhelming."
"What exactly are you doing right now?" Shizu asks.
It's Pal who answers. "We are finding materials… that could be used… to build her a small stage."
"The rest of us are looking to see if there's any premade ones someone in here," Fumika adds.
Morgan sighs. "I believe I foretold that no such stages exist, yet still we search in futility."
"You can go if this is wasting your time. I promise that I won't be mad at all," Tsubame offers gently. "I just want to make sure that I'm not missing something before I start building."
"Ah, but, should I go, this arduous task would take far longer," Morgan claims, waving her hands about. "Though I find the lack of trust in my powers upsetting, I would not wish to subject you all to such a fate. Thus, I will confirm what I already know to be true, for all of your sakes."
"How very noble of you," Shizu mutters under her breath. Not quietly enough, evidently, as Morgan smiles at her.
"In the likely event… that there are no pre-arranged stages, we shall construct our own… out of the other materials available to us," Pal says.
"I see." Shizu fiddles with her glasses. "If you're already looking at that, I assume that you found ample art supplies for your pictures."
"Hachi helped me with that two days ago," Tsubame confirms. She looks down and frowns. "I had almost forgotten, after… well… after the incident with the stairs." Brightening back up, she says, "That's why I'm glad I went to movie night. I feel inspired once again."
Shizu looks at the piles and boxes that litter the floor. "Well, it sounds like you have all of your bases covered. I'd only be adding to the clutter if I stuck around."
"You could help us rummage through boxes if you're desperate," Fumika offers, though, from her scoff, she isn't being serious.
In her mind, she can already see the argument forming about how moving heavy boxes would help her exercise, but she shoots that down. It doesn't feel true to the spirit of her original goal. "I believe I will pass. Good luck."
"Take care!" Tsubame calls.
Leaving them to their work, Shizu has no more excuses at the ready. She's even on the right floor already. With a heavy sigh, she trudges off towards the gym. Her footsteps feeling heavier than normal, she curses her decisiveness.
Thankfully, the gym is completely empty. Nobody is using it as a hideout to avoid others, and nobody is using it for its intended purpose. That means that nobody will see her embarrass herself.
The first issue pops up almost immediately. Shizu has no idea how half of the machines are supposed to work. That limits her options to the few things she can parse, like the treadmills, weights, or the rock-climbing wall. Of those, weights sound the easiest to wrap her head around.
Somehow, even this proves to be an enigma. She's not foolish enough to believe she can lift a barbell on her own, leaving her with an array of dumbbells. But which one is she supposed to use? Is she supposed to immediately go for the heaviest one she can lift and use it until she's tired? Is she supposed to get a middling one so that she can lift it longer?
Her blush as she stands there, testing all of the dumbbells, is making her feel flush. Maybe it's the need for some kind of personal victory, but she's a little surprised at how much she feels she can comfortably lift. She was certain she'd be stuck with the lightest dumbbell, but she manages to work with a 30 lb set. She has no idea if that's actually impressive, though.
Variety is good, right? Something about different muscles? She switches up how she lifts every ten reps or so just in case. Whether any of them are the proper form is another story. Eventually, her arms get too tired, and she drops them on the floor. As the clatter echoes, she winces. What next?
The treadmill is the only other thing she feels like she can tackle today. She feels foolish when even lift her arm to set the settings hurts. Maybe she'll just run until her legs give out, and then she can collapse and lay in a pile of regrets and sweat. She's never doing this again. Reluctantly, she begins to run. Once again, she's shocked at what she feels comfortable handling. After a few minutes, she tentatively reaches out a hand to up the speed.
"Shizu?"
Utterly unprepared for another human being, her hand unconsciously grips the settings panel. The speed increases tenfold. She slips. Her head hits the edge of the treadmill and she tumbles onto the cold, hard floor.
"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?!"
To her great displeasure, the intruder is Sawako. Groaning, Shizu attempts to push herself up, but her sore arms force her back to the floor. In this state, she's unable to avoid Sawako helping her sit upright.
"I'm fine," she mutters, bringing a hand up slowly to massage her aching head.
Sawako kneels over and inspects her. With a sigh, she says, "It doesn't look like it will bruise. You were quite lucky. Your fall looked very painful."
Shizu averts her gaze. "I do not need to be reminded."
"Of course. Please forgive me." Sawako stands up and turns off the treadmill. Its rapid humming slows to a halt, filling the gym with an uncomfortable silence.
Taking the opportunity to speak first, Shizu asks, "What are you doing here? I thought you worked out in the morning."
"I do," Sawako confirms, "but I overheard the treadmill running from the hallway, and I wished to see who was in here. Please forgive me for startling you. Your pain is completely my fault."
"…It's fine," Shizu says. "It's clear that you didn't do it on purpose."
"No, I should have known better than to distract someone who is working out." Sawako toys with her ponytail. "But still, this is quite a surprise. I never imagined that you of all people would be using the gym. Clearly, I must get to know my peers better."
Crossing her arms, Shizu corrects her. "You were right in your assumption. I'm not one to normally work out. It was a spur-of-the-moment folly that led me here. I doubt I'll be trying again."
"What?!" Sawako's shout makes her wince. "No, I must insist that you not throw in the towel so soon, especially not because of one of my mistakes!"
Shizu pinches the bridge of her nose. "Trust me, it has nothing to do with that." It might have a little something to do with that. "I clearly lack the necessary knowledge to use the facilities well. There is no point in continuing to pretend otherwise."
"In that case…" Sawako pumps both of her fists up, eyes shining with determination. "Please all me to assist you!"
Shizu pauses. "…What?"
"Allow me to help you exercise!" Sawako repeats with enthusiasm. "I do not have the qualifications for a personal trainer, but I have plenty of experience in staying in top shape." As if to demonstrate her point, she flexes. "I am certain that I would be able to help you."
Taking a moment to pretend to consider, Shizu says, "…Thank you, but I must decline."
Sawako falters. "W-wait, please reconsider. It would be no issue for me. I would love to help."
"Again, thank you, but I would rather not accept," Shizu reiterates.
"But… but… The fact that you came in here at all means… surely you had something planned that required you to be fit?" Sawako's saddened expression as she grasps at straws makes her wince. "It must have been important right? A-and it would be nice to have a workout partner…"
Shizu, with a great deal of effort, manages to push herself into a standing position. "Is that why you're being so persistent? Because you've grown tired of going to the gym alone?"
"It's more than that," Sawako insists. She holds her forearm and looks down to the side. "I believe when this all started that I asked you to please judge my dedication to helping those in need. I… I have most definitely failed in keeping everyone safe, but I wish to know if your judgements of my character have changed at all." She hesitates for a moment. "Though, I believe that they have not shifted much."
"…They have not," Shizu confirms. To be as fair as possible, Shizu hasn't been seeking Sawako out unless absolutely necessary. There hasn't been much, if any, new information to make her reconsider her initial reactions.
Sawako looks at her, directly in the eyes. Shizu finds herself unable to look away. "Then please," Sawako says, "What must I do to gain your trust? I am always willing to listen and to learn. If I do not listen to those who I protect, then I would be a poor excuse for a human being."
"It's not so simple," Shizu argues, weak as it may be.
"I see. I recall that you have an issue with law enforcement." Sawako's arms fall to her sides, and she slouches. "I… understand. I cannot blame you at all for your distrust."
Still not meeting her gaze, Shizu demands, "What exactly do you understand?"
"There is much reason to distrust the police. Corruption runs rampant throughout all departments. I know it all too well," Sawako says.
It wasn't what Shizu expected her to say. She assumed that Sawako was the type of person to idealize the police force. Still, the confession feels oddly personal. "And would you be included in this corruption?"
"I should very much hope not." Sawako holds her hands up. "If I am, I swear that it was not my intention to do so! It would go against everything that I stand for. Although, now that I am saying this, I understand that you have no reason to believe my word."
"If you truly are innocent, then what exactly is your knowledge of the corruption in the force? I assume it came from others being interested in your Ultimate status," Shizu says.
To her surprise, Sawako grimaces. "No, I was aware far before becoming an Ultimate. I knew even before I joined the force." She takes a deep breath. "My father. He was a rather well-known police officer in my hometown."
Shizu makes the connection. "He was corrupt."
"That word is not strong enough for the horrible things that he did." Sawako shivers. "His crimes did not only stop at taking bribes or ignoring those in need. He stole evidence that looked valuable and planted forgeries to get innocents imprisoned. He would threaten witnesses to give false testimony. On multiple occasions, he assaulted civilians without any reason other than he felt like it."
All of those infractions are commonplace amongst the force, as Shizu has unfortunately learned. However, Sawako's father sounds like one of the worst cases she's heard about. "And the system protected him from any consequences."
Sawako nods. "Yes. Even if, by some miracle, every other officer wished for him to be fired, I know he would still keep his position. My father was personal friends with the chief of police. I have no doubt that nothing could affect him."
"He sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant man in all regards," Shizu muses.
"I am ashamed that I respected him at all, even if I was a child." Clenching her fists, Sawako glares. "I saw how others treated him and foolishly thought nothing of it. It took my mother escaping with my older brother for me to learn that he was a monster."
Shizu stops her. "Hold on, I could be mishearing, but it sounds like you're saying she didn't take you with her."
"She did not. With her salary, she could not afford to take me along. I believe she thought I was infatuated with my father, so I would not want to come along regardless. Ten-year-olds can be difficult to reason with," Sawako states, surprisingly casually.
"You were only ten?!" Shizu shouts.
"Yes?" Sawako says carefully.
Shizu can feel her eye twitching. "And you were left alone with a man who was openly corrupt? Why are you so calm about this?"
Pursing her lips, Sawako says, "W-well, it happened a long time ago. I had a lot of time to process everything. Although I was scared and confused about what was happening at the time, my father did still do his best to care for me. Besides, if my mother had taken me along, it's likely she wouldn't have been able to care for either of her children. Even though it saddens me, I can understand her rationale."
Out of everyone here, Shizu did not expect Sawako to have such a turbulent life. "I see. I suppose I didn't think that your home life would be fine after losing the kinder half of your family."
Sawako nods. "My father did horrible, unforgivable things to a great many people. I know and understand this, but I still cannot help but love him. He is the person who took care of me and made sure I was healthy and supported. That is why I must do my best to shine as a beacon of justice. The damage he caused… I must be the one to fix them."
Her declaration makes Shizu's stomach churn. "I'm… I'm sorry for making you talk about such a difficult subject."
"Think nothing of it! If it helps you feel safer around me, then I will always be glad to be of service." Sawako salutes.
Shizu doesn't say anything. All of Sawako's past swirls around in her brain. She admits that Sawako is much more aware than she gave her credit for, but, at the same time, that naivety is still present. At the very least, she doesn't think that she's hiding anything deliberately.
Noticing Shizu's silence, Sawako clears her throat. "Um… if it isn't too much to ask, did any of that help you form a better opinion of me?"
"I…" Shizu swallows and makes a gut decision to be honest. "I think… I do see in you a slightly better light."
Sawako goes in for the attack. "Then, have you changed your mind? Will you allow me to help you get stronger?"
"That's still… I mean…" Shizu curses herself as she stumbles over her words.
"Please, Shizu. You gave me a little trust when you asked me to have your back with whatever that secret meeting was," Sawako begs. "Could you see yourself giving me just the tiniest bit more?"
Gritting her teeth, Shizu contemplates this. It's true that she did ask for Sawako's help, but only because she determined that she didn't have anything to do with that note. It had nothing to do with trusting Sawako's character. She glances back at Sawako, only to avert her gaze again upon seeing her pleading eyes. Her instincts refuse to come up with a conclusive decision.
"Fine."
Sawako hesitates. "You… you agree to let me help?"
Meeting her gaze, Shizu gives a slow, deliberate nod. "I will let you assist me. But only once."
Her stipulation does nothing to dissuade Sawako's happiness. Her smile is so pure and earnest that Shizu finds herself staring. "Thank you very much!" Sawako cheers. "I promise that you will not regret your decision. Shall we start tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow should be fine." Shizu ignores her screaming muscles. "I believe I've been told that you work out in the mornings, correct?"
"Yes! Around 6:30 AM!" Sawako informs her.
Shizu cringes. "That is too early for me. I wake up at exactly 7:30 every morning."
Taking this into account, Sawako asks, "In that case, shall we meet around then? Perhaps around ten minutes later?"
"That should work for me. You may have to come get me at my room, however. I tend to go on autopilot after I wake up. I have a routine." Shizu recalls the number of times she got prepared for school on a weekend and can barely control her flush.
Sawako salutes. "Excellent! I shall see you then!" She then looks Shizu over once more. "Ah, you should probably shower in the back before you leave. You are quite sweaty."
"I'd feel more comfortable showering in my room," Shizu claims. Obviously, she's going to have to use the gym showers tomorrow morning, but she'd like another night's rest before she has to think about that.
That topic is immediately forgotten about as she takes a few steps and finds her walking rather wobbly. Before she falls, Sawako manages to catch her. She is unable to persuade Sawako to let her go, and she has the "pleasure" of being supported on her way back to her room. She's thankful that they don't run into anyone on the way.
Conversation with Sawako Kido (2)
- Well aware of corruption amidst the police force, under the impression that she can either do something about it or that her own good deeds will be of help
- Her father was an extremely corrupt officer, and a personal friend of the chief
- Views on father are complicated, do to being raised mostly by him
- Mother and older brother abandoned her at age 10, unknown if she has gotten in contact with them since
- Managed to persuade me into exercising with her
- This sucks
After her long, hot shower, Shizu feels fully refreshed. Even her muscles seem to ache less. She actually feels… kind of good? Maybe? It's probably that a lot of her anxiety about the gym has left her body. Hopefully, the fact that her workout with Sawako is so early in the morning means that there won't be a repeat of this feeling tomorrow.
She ends up laying in bed for a good while, her bed feeling extra comfortable for some reason. She finds it difficult to want to get up. Laying here, thinking about nothing in particular… it's a luxury she didn't know that she wanted.
Eventually, she reasons that she needs to eat, and she pushes herself to go to the dining hall. It's surprisingly late, almost 9 PM. She must have been relaxing for a good while. Either that, or her embarrassing stint in the gym took up more time than she feels like she can admit to herself.
Nobody else is in the dining hall, likely having already had dinner at a reasonable time. Fine by her. She's able to indulge her hunger without fear of being judged. For the amount of food that she prepares, it doesn't take nearly as long to consume. She chooses to blame the lack of conversations distracting her.
Now ready for bed, she heads back to the elevator, only to stumble across Samia walking in the opposite direction.
"Shizu." Samia nods in her direction. "You going to bed too?"
"Too?" she asks.
"I just saw Joshua heading into his room," Samia explains. "He didn't really look all that tired, now that I think about it. Usually he's yawning or something."
"He probably took a nap earlier," Shizu says, recalling his lackadaisical attitude towards the very thing he set up. Most likely, he fell asleep at some point in the greenhouse.
Samia agrees. "That sounds like something he'd do. I'm a little jealous. I wish that I ever got as much sleep as he does back when I was at university. It would have made things more tolerable, that's for sure."
A question pops into Shizu's head. "Speaking of sleep, why aren't you going to bed? I believe your rooms are the other way."
"Little late for an interrogation," Samia mutters.
"I didn't mean to accuse you of anything," Shizu says. "It was simply a question."
Crossing her arms, Samia says, "If you really want to know, I'm doing one last look over the infirmary. I know Monokuma restocks it, but I think that happens later in the night."
A force of habit, it seems. "Have you been doing this every night?"
"…No, only recently." Samia states, far too hesitant for it to be a thing she wants to admit.
Crossing her arms, Shizu says, "Did you have a bad feeling that some of the less savory 'medicines' would be put to use soon?"
Samia averts her eyes. "It's nothing important. Trust me."
"I'd like to," Shizu says, "but, if you suspect foul play, wouldn't it be in your best interest to share with someone?" When Samia remains silent, she tries a different angle. "If you believe that I am accusing you of something, I'd like to assure you that's not the case. I don't think you'd admit that you've been going to the infirmary if you were up to something bad."
Digging a hang into her headscarf, Samia struggles to find her words. "That's not the issue. I just… it's not what you're thinking, okay? I can't say anything more than that."
"…This wouldn't be for… personal reasons, would it? Related to your illness, I mean?" Shizu probes.
"What?! No, of course not! I thought I said that it wasn't an issue anymore. Because it isn't! An issue." Samia rubs her forehead. "I mean… look, you haven't been right with any of your guesses. Please, just stop."
With great restraint, Shizu acquiesces. "Very well. My apologies for bothering you. While I don't know why you're doing all of this, I trust that you will tell someone if there is a problem."
"That should go without saying," Samia mutters.
Shizu steps out of her way. "…Have a good night, Samia."
"You too," she replies, without enthusiasm.
As the two of them part ways, Shizu curses herself for not asking Samia how long she had been checking on, presumably, the poisons. Clearly, both of them remember how much trouble there was during the trial over whether the medicines were used or not. What happened to make her choose to investigate anyways? The best Shizu can come up with is either the bomb scare or perhaps whatever secret Samia got. Or, it could be something else entirely, outside of her knowledge.
It's just one more mystery to add onto the pile, she supposes. At least this particular mystery seems to be less of an impending disaster than some of the other things she's had to worry about. The knowledge of that alone is what helps her relax.
And relax she does.
Until she finally falls into a deep slumber…
Shizu's Notes
Greenhouse Shifts
- Joshua implemented a casual rotating "guard" shift to take over for Soraru
- Soraru had passed out on the job and was resting all day apparently
- Those involved include myself, Hachi, Kaixi, and Joshua, potentially others?
- Joshua told everyone but me to not take it seriously, as he thought the problem was over and likely did not want to exhaust/bore anyone
Exercising with Sawako
- Agreed to meet with Sawako at 7:30 AM tomorrow to exercise
- Do not fall for any sob stories that will result in having this become a regular occurrence
- READ PREVIOUS NOTE CAREFULLY, SHIZU
- I'M SERIOUS
Samia and the Infirmary
- Samia claimed to have been checking the infirmary the past few nights to see if anything had been used before the restock
- Unclear how many nights this entails
- Unclear of why she's doing this, though she says it's not because of a potential murder or for her own illness
…
…
Ding Dong!
…
Ding Dong!
Shizu snaps awake, dazed and disoriented. As she feels around for her glasses, she nearly falls out of bed, having missed the bedside table completely. She has no idea what time it is, unable to read the red blob on the monitor. All the while, her doorbell continues to ring.
Frustration boils up to the surface of her mind as she wakes up and becomes more aware of everything. Having finally gotten ahold of her glasses, she puts them on. When she sees the time, her fury only increases.
Ding Dong!
She storms over the to door and flings it open, only to find Sawako standing on the other side.
Seemingly oblivious to her bad mood, Sawako cheerfully greets her. "Good morning, Shizu! Are you ready to get started?"
"Sawako…" Shizu hisses.
"Um…" Having realized something is wrong, Sawako's smile slips. "You… you do remember, right? You did ask me to come get you in the morning."
Shizu's glare only increases. "It is 6:30 right now."
"Y-yes, I know. That's when we're going to the gym," Sawako says, unease creeping into her voice.
"No, that's when you go to the gym." Shizu jabs her finger at Sawako's chest. She stumbles back, mostly from surprise, but Shizu wants to imagine she's just that powerful. "We agreed to meet at 7:30. You woke me up an hour early."
Sawako's eyes widen. "W-wait, but I thought… Did I misremember because of my schedule?" Having realized her mistake, she bows deeply. "Please forgive me! I did not mean to disturb your rest! I cannot believe I did something so stupid!"
"You can apologize by letting me go back to sleep," Shizu spits out.
Nodding, Sawako says, "Yes, of course! Please, take all of the rest you need! In fact, we get do this whenever you wake up again, regardless of the hour! I'm so very, very sorry that-"
Shizu slams the door in her face. If she has to listen to Sawako ramble for any longer, she's not going to be able to fall back asleep. This whole meeting idea was even worse than she initially thought. The worst part is that she's just going to wake up again the usual time.
…
Sure enough, as if on cue, her eyes snap open at 7:30. She feels even more sluggish than she did an hour ago. And, even though she was given permission to sleep in further, she knows that she wouldn't be able to. Life isn't fair.
She takes her sweet time getting dressed and ready. It's only fair, given her morning. That being said, there's not a whole lot to actually do. Since she's going to exercise, there's little point in fixing herself up completely. It'll all have to be redone after she showers. It's the spiteful thought that counts.
Shizu finds Sawako standing in the hallway, looking dejected. She has no idea how long she's been standing there. Part of her hopes that she's been there the full hour, but, more likely, it was only since the original agreed upon time. She walks towards the elevator, not waiting to see if her companion is ready to follow her.
Sawako's footsteps signal her rapid approach. "Shizu, I would like to reiterate how very, very sorry I am for my mistake."
"It's fine." It is the exact opposite of fine. "Please just stop bringing attention to it. The less I think about it, the better off both of us will be."
"Y-yes, of course! I will do just that!" Shizu doesn't need to look back to know that Sawako is saluting.
There's a good deal of silence from that point. Perhaps Sawako fears that saying anything at all will only bring more negativity. It's not until they step off of the elevator onto the 3rd floor that she gains the courage to speak. "So, um… are you excited?"
"About exercising? Not in the slightest," Shizu admits with ease. "The only reason I'm here is because you were far too persistent. I cannot overstate how little I want to do this."
"Oh… That is unfortunate." Sawako rubs the back of her neck. "Well, I hope that my enthusiasm rubs off on you. It's been a long time since I've had a dedicated gym partner."
Shizu rolls her eyes. "If you wish for anyone 'dedicated', I'm afraid you will be left hanging."
Ignoring her, Sawako continues. "There are several things I have been unable to incorporate into my routine. I believe that I could technically do them without injuring myself, but safety should always be a concern."
"I wouldn't even know what to do, nor would I have the strength to help should something go awry," Shizu counters. "Besides, you're supposed to be helping me with the fundamentals."
Sawako looks at her with sadness. "Must you ruin my fantasy?"
"If your fantasy is ruined by the basics of reality, then yes," Shizu deadpans.
For a moment, Sawako pouts. However, she immediately bounces back. "Well, I must simply change my fantasy, then. I'm certain that, with my help, you will learn to enjoy exercising. You may even wish to continue once we escape from this prison."
"Your positivity is astounding," Shizu says. She wonders how long that will last when she sees Shizu's pitiful attempts. They've arrived at the gym, so it won't be long now.
Sawako beams as she pushes the doors open. "There is much to be positive about. Trust me."
…
In an instant, her cheer turns to horror.
The gym is coated with bloodstains. They're not just in one area either. Nearly everywhere they look, some machine, or equipment, or part of the floors and walls are splattered red. Many of the machines have been knocked on their sides and covered with dents. The racks for the weights have also been destroyed. Even the rock-climbing wall has splotches of blood dripping down.
Shizu finds herself frozen, unable to speak or move. Her eyes cannot help but dart around the room, carving the bloody spectacle into her memory. She can't breathe. How does breathing work? How is she supposed to stay calm if she can't breathe?!
She's knocked from her stupor when Sawako grabs ahold of her. The glint in her eyes is fiercely protective as she positions Shizu behind her. "Shizu, I will not allow any harm to come to you."
Shizu must be seriously in trouble because a part of her actually believes Sawako's words. Her mind finally slaps some sense into her. She's… she's fine. She mutters, "Something… is wrong." Only after saying it does she realize how it sounds.
Sawako is surprisingly unjudgmental. "This is indeed terrible. The only way for the gym to be in this state is if someone… someone…" She trails off.
"No… that's not what I meant." Shizu attempts to clarify. "Something's missing. I don't see…" Her eyes light up. "Sawako, there! By the door to the lockers."
Squinting, Sawako looks where she's told to and gasps. "Drag marks! Then… is it…?"
"I'm going in," Shizu declares. She somehow manages to shuffle out of Sawako's grip, her strength suddenly returned to her along with her ability to calmly consider things.
Sawako quicky grabs her shoulder again. "No, Shizu! It could be a trap. If there is any chance of danger, I must be the one to go."
"No, I need to do this." She needs to see this for herself. She can't have this be watered down by someone else going in first. If she can't face this head on… But Sawako clearly won't accept that answer. What's a reasonable sounding excuse? "This is the gym."
Eyes filled with concern, Sawako holds her tighter. "Shizu, what are you talking about?"
"Whoever did this left all of this blood out for people to find. They knew someone would eventually stumble upon it." Her mouth is working faster than her brain. "You're the person who most often goes to the gym. If there's a trap here, it is explicitly for you."
Sawako blinks. "I… understand." Slowly, she retracts her hand. "I will place my trust in you. But, please, be careful. If anything happens to you, I will never be able to forgive myself."
"I promise." Shizu is surprised that she managed to come up with that. It almost sounded reasonable. She's grateful that Sawako didn't think about how little it means for a trap to have an intended target in this scenario.
The locker room is much less bloody. A few of the benches have been pushed around, but the only stains are the drags marks on the floor. Said drag marks lead past the curtain and into the showers. There are the smashed remains of… something off to the side, but, for the moment, it doesn't catch her attention. No, she needs to follow the marks.
This is where the trail ends. Shizu doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. The only place left to check are the stalls. She gently pulls the first open, only to find it empty. Next, she approaches the second stall, once again revealing nothing. Finally, she stands in front of the last stall, farthest away from the entrance.
Her hand stops centimeters away from the door. Her heart pounds so loud that she's certain it's audible. She takes a deep breath… and yanks it open.
And behind that door…
…soaked thoroughly with water and slumped over in a sitting position underneath the showerhead…
…is the bruised and battered body of Kaixi Cheng.
A/N: It took a while, but we're finally at the death of the chapter. Hopefully, it didn't drag on for too long. Tune in next week for the investigation. I tried to make everything a bit easier to predict/follow, so fingers crossed that the mystery isn't as impenetrable as it was in Chapter 1. As always, thank you to everyone who keeps reading these chapters, and especially thank you to everyone who reviewed. Please take care of yourselves.