A/N: Here's Chapter Five of "The Naegis' Secret Diary!", covering Episode Three of Future Arc. Please read, review, and enjoy!
The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: The Naegis' Secret Diary!
Chapter Five: Cruel Violence and Hollow Words!
The screech of a whistle roared in the students' ears, causing them to turn to the source.
"Alright everyone, time to call it a day." Hina ordered. "Go and change so you won't be late for your next class."
As the other students filed into the locker rooms, Hina noticed only Kiki had stayed behind, and asked "Hm? Kiki, what is it?"
"…Auntie Hina…"
Smiling in surprise, Hina mused "I don't think you've called me Auntie in years, not since your little brother was born. What's with the trip down memory…whoa!"
Hina's eyes widened in surprise as she found herself wrapped in a hug by her honorary niece.
"Kiki, what is it? Not that I don't appreciate the hug, but…"
"…I'm just glad…you're still here. And…I want you to know…how much I appreciate having you in my life."
"Kiki…" Hina smiled and caressed her hair before she told the emotional girl "Alright, go and change for your next class. Don't want you to be late."
Kiki released Hina and nodded with a smile before she turned around and jogged over to the locker rooms. Once she had disappeared inside, Hina frowned in curiosity.
I wonder what made that girl act like that…
"Alright, Kiki, ready to continue?"
Kiki nodded as they both sat on the bed and she opened the book to the bookmark. After she placed it on the bedside table, she cleared her throat and began to read.
"We had just woken up to the terrifying sight of your Aunt Hina's body, apparently covered in blood with a knife stuck in her chest. As soon as I found my voice…"
"Oh, Kami! Hina!" Makoto cried in anguish as he and Miaya stood around Hina's corpse.
"No, no, no! Tell me I'm still asleep and this is just a nightmare!"
No…this…this is real! Makoto closed his eyes and bowed his head, holding back tears as he thought Hina is…huh?
Makoto opened his eyes in shock as Hina's groans pierced his ears. The seemingly deceased girl gradually sat up, yawning as the knife fell from her chest. Makoto gasped in surprise as he saw the blade pop out.
A…retractable knife?
Makoto's ponderings were interrupted by Hina's cry of shock as she finally noticed the red substance on her chest, the pool of red behind her, and the knife that now lay on the floor to her right.
"Ah! What's going on? Blood?"
"Oh, thank goodness!" Monomi cried. "You're not dead! But you must be hurt! Do you feel faint of light-headed? Is there discomfort? Quick, find something to stop the bleeding!"
During Monomi's fretting, Makoto walked over to the still stunned Hina and knelt down. He picked up the knife and brought it to his nose before he sniffed it.
"What the…? Tomato sauce?" He pushed the blade in and out easily with his finger, his eyes widening as his finger wasn't even pricked. "And a toy knife?"
At that moment, Hina looked up and gasped, her eyes widening in horrified shock. Monomi looked in the direction of Hina's eyes before screaming in horror.
*Drip*
The dripping sound caught Makoto's attention, causing him to turn around before he too gasped in horror at the gruesome sight in front of them. Suspended in the ceiling by large wires was the Great Gozu, covered in his own blood with a single cut on the right eye of his mask.
Great Gozu…he's…dead…it wasn't Hina that we lost…but the Great Gozu instead…NO!
"So…that explains it…" Kiki stated sadly. "Aunt Hina's death was faked…and the attacker killed the Great Gozu instead."
"And suspended him with those wires after doing who knows what to him!" Tsumugi lamented. "What a horrible way to go."
"Yeah, and he fought so hard to protect Dad from Munakata and Sakakura…he deserved to live."
Tsumugi nodded in agreement before Kiki sighed "We should…find out what happened next…" She turned the page and continued "Once we recovered from the shock of the Great Gozu's death, your Aunt Hina and I worked to untangle his corpse from the ceiling wires. Once he was flat on his back…"
"That's not tomato sauce, is it?" Monomi asked dreadfully as they took note of the knife sticking out of the Great Gozu's chest.
"The Attacker was able to get in here?" Hina concluded sadly "So that could've been any of us."
"It's happening…again…how many times do we have to go through this?"
Makoto grit his teeth as he recalled the Great Gozu's encouragement.
"Incredible. During the Killing School Life, you never gave into despair. Countless lives were changed because of that. So spare me your slump shouldered modesty. People are rooting for you, jackass!"
"I'm sorry." Makoto held back his tears as he closed his eyes and nearly cried.
Everyone stared sadly at the Great Gozu's corpse, all thinking the same thing.
Great Gozu…you didn't deserve to die.
"Wow, your dad was really put through the ringer during the Tragedy, huh?" Tsumigi commented. "Surviving one killing game and saving Junko Enoshima's brainwashed victims, only to be tried for treason and thrust into another."
Kiki nodded seriously and agreed "Yeah…Dad went through more as a teenager than most people do their entire lives. I'm starting to understand why he and Mom held off on telling me this story for so long…"
"Ah, speaking of your mom, I wonder what she woke up to?"
"Well, if we're to take Monokuma at his word, probably better than what Dad woke up to."
"Oh, that's right, Monokuma said the attacker could only kill one person between time limits. So that means your mother and her group should be safe."
Kiki nodded hesitantly before she suggested "Well, let's find out…the next section is from her point of view." Taking a deep breath, she turned the page and read "While your father was grieving the Great Gozu's death, I had just woken up with Kazuo Tengan and Ryota Mitarai. I opened my eyes and…"
Kyoko yawned, taking a quick glance around the room once her vision had cleared.
"Seems we made it through the second time limit."
She breathed a sigh in relief as Ryota and Kazuo roused, the chairman getting to his feet and grabbing onto the propped table for support.
"Well, well. I guess we managed to survive." He mused with a smile on his face. "Quite a relief, eh?"
Kyoko narrowed her eyes, halfway between a stare and a glare at the chairman, wondering Why do I get the feeling he wasn't too worried about it?
"Um…ohayou…" Ryota yawned as he walked over to them, interrupting Kyoko's thoughts.
"Ah, good morning, Mitarai-kun!" Kazuo greeted cheerfully. "Then again…I suppose we have no way of knowing whether it's morning or night." He then turned to Kyoko and suggested "Well, why don't we unprop the door now and investigate a little more? Surely it's better than just sitting in here, waiting for the time limit to expire."
Kyoko glanced down at her bangle, taking note of the clock as she realized That's right, we're still under a time limit…that means someone else got attacked…and the killing game is still in effect… She stood up and agreed "Yes, you're right. Mitarai-kun, help me remove this furniture."
Ryota nodded and tossed the chair aside before they each grabbed a leg of the table. With some effort, they quickly dragged the table to the side as Kazuo moved the coatrack.
"Well, shall we go?" Kyoko asked as she opened the door and walked out of the room.
As Ryota and Kazuo followed closely behind her, Kyoko couldn't help but hum in contemplation.
Why…? Why wasn't he worried about our survival? We had no guarantee that we'd survive…so why was he so calm about it?
Kiki's brow furrowed as she realized "Mom's right…Tengan was way too lax about their survival. Not even Dad would be that chill, and he's the biggest optimist I know."
"But…what does that mean…?" Tsumugi wondered "Are you suspicious of Tengan?"
"I'm…not sure…" Kiki admitted. "I'd like to believe he's just a chill guy, but I'm still feeling a couple red flags…"
Tsumugi nodded in understanding before Kiki sighed "At this point, I just don't know. Hopefully things will get clearer once we read some more." With that, Kiki turned the page and continued "We continued to grieve the Great Gozu's death, but eventually we had to had to get moving. Before we left though…"
"Hina…" Makoto asked "Do you think you could cover the Great Gozu's body with your jacket?"
"'Kay." Hina agreed, nodding before she shed her jacket and draped it over the Great Gozu's corpse. "There we go." She adjusted her shorts before she clenched her fists, a serious expression on her face as she declared "All right, people. The name of the game is Survive and find the Attacker."
"Sure, yeah." Makoto muttered.
"So Naegi, you holding up okay?"
Startled out of his dreary mood, Makoto answered "Uh, you bet! The main thing; we have to prevent any more deaths."
"And we do that by exposing the one responsible!" Monomi cheered.
"I'm sure Naegi has a plan." Hina insisted faithfully before she looked at him expectantly.
Why do I have to be the one with a plan?! Kyoko's the one who comes up with master plans, not me! "Ano…well, ano, we should start by talking to everybody. Question is, how?"
"Oo! Oo! I know!" Monomi raised her paw and explained "We'll hack into the intercom system so the whole building can hear you!"
"Huh?" Hina wondered, cocking her head in confusion.
"You can do that?" Makoto asked in amazement.
"You bet your sweet tuchus we can!" Monomi exclaimed as she brought up a map of the building on Miaya's screen. "Monokuma deleted a ton of data off the server, but I've been able to restore bits and pieces."
"Let's see…" Hina mused as she and Makoto knelt in front of Miaya. "Huh. Right, okay. So remind me what kind of building this is again?"
"No problem." Monomi exclaimed "It was intended to function more or less as an overseas branch of Hope's Peak, at least in the beginning."
This place was going to be another Hope's Peak Academy?! Makoto thought, amazed at the thought that his alma mater was planning to expand to locations outside of Japan.
"However after the Biggest, Most Atrocious, Despair-Inducing Incident in Human History, construction was interrupted, and for obvious reasons, the original plan had to be scrapped."
"Exactly." Makoto realized. "Munakata repurposed it as a base. And unless I'm wrong…" Makoto pointed to a spot on the screen and exclaimed "Jackpot. There's the intercom."
"The monitoring room. Naturally." Monomi confirmed as Makoto stood up and clenched his fists. "Let's do it. I can talk to everyone from there." Makoto briefly closed his eyes before reopening them, his expression dead serious as he vowed "No one else dies on my watch."
"Wow, your dad was really determined!" Tsumugi commented her eyes sparkling in admiration.
"Yeah." Kiki agreed. "He might act like a goofball at home, but when he needs to, he can be dead serious. He's totally earned the right to lead Hope's Peak Academy."
"I wonder how many people he managed to save…did his words get through to anyone?"
"Well, I guess we'll just have to keep reading to find out. The next passage is from his point of view." Kiki turned the page and read "After Hina and I moved the barricade from the door, we walked towards the room with the intercom…"
Makoto caught Miaya turning in a circle out of the corner of his eye, piquing his curiosity.
"Uh, mind if I ask you something?" As Miaya came to a halt, Makoto bent his knees and asked "Are you not able to make a right turn, or…?"
"OH NO!" Monomi shrieked. "YOU'VE DISCOVERED MY FORBIDDEN ACTION! I'M DOOMED!"
"Um…whoa, it's okay." Makoto tried to reassure her. "I was wondering why you did that whenever we went right."
"Oh, this is awful!" Monomi fretted. "My secret's out in the open! I…I'm done for! Finished! Exterminated! Tripping…"
"I'd never do that. There's nothing to worry about, honest!"
"R…R…Really?" Monomi stammered, latching on to Makoto's words hopefully. "You're not just saying that to trick me? You could be saying that to trick me!"
Well, I was gonna do this on the intercom anyway, so… Makoto smiled with amusement as he tapped his bangle and held it in front of Miaya, offering "Take a look."
"Forbidden Action: Running in the hallway."
Makoto chuckled "Now we know each other's big weakness. That puts us in the same boat."
"Y…Yes, it does! Thank you!" Monomi replied gratefully before Hina ran up to them.
"I'll show you mine too!"
"Be hit with a punch or kick." Makoto read as Hina tapped her own bangle, revealing her forbidden action.
"Oh wow! You've come so close!" Monomi exclaimed.
Hina closed her eyes, slightly bowing her head as she apologized "Naegi, I'm sorry about earlier." She turned to look the surprised Makoto in the eyes before she explained "When we were voting, I was so scared. I couldn't even move. I should've protected you, but…"
"No, listen, I get it." Makoto assured her. "We've seen what can happen." If Mitarai-kun hadn't stopped Sakakura-san when he did…we would have lost Director Bandai and Hina at the same time! "You gotta be careful. Don't blame yourself."
Hina cheerfully winked, flexing her arms as she assured him "I'm fine now! I'm totally ready for it!"
"Well now, let's not do anything crazy." Makoto gently warned her before Monomi interjected.
"Hooray! We all know each other's Forbidden Action! I feel so much better! In a way, it's kinda like we're soul mates now!"
As Hina nodded and hummed in agreement, Makoto concurred "I don't see why not." Even if I had a totally different idea of soulmates… A flash of lavender illuminated his mind before he shook the thought away and admitted "It's kind of a relief having our secrets out in the open. Now we know how to watch each other's…"
Makoto trailed off as Hina held her hand in front of his face and shushed him. An unintelligible sound echoed in their ears, getting louder and louder with each second.
"Get to the monitoring room. I'll draw them away. Go while there's still time." Hina ordered.
"That's too dangerous." Makoto objected., laying his hand just below his neck. "No, I'll lead them off."
"Doing what?" Hina questioned, resting her knuckles against her hips. "Power walking? Come on!"
"Ano…But I…" Makoto stammered, unable to come up with a valid counterargument.
"Go!" Hina ordered one last time before she jogged off.
"Asahina, wait!" Makoto exclaimed before Miaya zoomed past him.
"I'll be her backup!" Monomi hollered. "Don't worry. We've got this! Soul mates forever!"
Makoto sighed, muttering "Shikata wa nai…Good luck, you two." He then turned around and decided "Well, I'd better get moving; don't want their efforts to go to waste."
Makoto took the first steps forward, his eyes narrowed in determination as he began the walk to the monitoring room.
Sure would be faster if I could run though…damn forbidden action…
"Wow, your dad really is intuitive!" Tsumugi complimented. "He figured out Gekkogahara's forbidden action."
"Yeah, he is, but more importantly, he built trust with Aunt Hina and Gekkogahara through his transparency." Kiki smiled as she mused "Maybe Dad's plan wasn't so naïve after all."
Tsumugi raised an eyebrow as she questioned "You thought your dad's plan was naïve?"
"Hey, at least two of those guys wanted to kill him, and his big plan for ending the killing game was by talking to them. That's not exactly the smartest move, Tsumugi."
"Yeah, I see what you mean…" Tsumugi sighed. "But hey, everything worked out, didn't it!"
"I suppose, though I'm sure Mom would have given him a scolding if she were with him."
"That reminds me…I wonder what your mother was doing while your father was trying to get to the monitoring room."
"Well, it looks like the next section is from her perspective, so let's find out!" Kiki turned the page and narrated "While your father was putting his plan into action, I was investigating the facility with Tengan and Mitarai. We had just come to an open doorway and…"
"It doesn't make sense…" Kyoko muttered as she took out a compact mirror and opened it.
"Ano…what do you mean, Director Kirigiri?" Ryota inquired as Kyoko used the reflection to look behind them.
"The fewer of us left, the easier to find the killer." Kyoko explained. "The rules put them at a disadvantage. It's like they have no intention of winning." At least nobody's following us… She thought as she closed her mirror, putting it in her pocket.
"Where are you going?" Ryota demanded as she pushed the door, widening the entrance.
"Where I can properly do my job." She stated simply. "I'm a detective, and you can bet while we were unconscious someone was being killed."
"Yes, but it's not advisable to go alone." Kazuo cautioned, then offered "We should accompany you."
Kyoko closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose, contemplating Kazuo's points.
Strength in numbers is true, but I can't quite bring myself to trust the chairman yet. His inaction during Makoto's physical abuse aside, he was way too calm about the fact that we survived the first time limit. Makoto would balk at me for even considering this, but could it be possible that he…
"One killer's bad enough. Now Munakata's out for blood." Ryota's interjection interrupted his thoughts as he wondered "Why does he want Naegi dead?"
"Munakata's a man of singularly strong will, which breeds hope." Kazuo explained, catching Kyoko's attention.
Perhaps, but there's a difference between being strong-willed, and being obstinate, dangerously at that.
"That said, what he fails to realize is strength can just as easily breed despair."
Just like how Hajime Hinata was meant to be the Ultimate Hope, but ended up helping Junko bring the world to its knees… Kyoko mused as Ryota grunted in anger, gripping his cell phone in his fist. "What's the matter?" She asked, intrigued and concerned by Ryota's sudden signs of anger.
"The things we do here, they're being broadcast for the entire world to see?"
"Yes." Kyoko answered the former animator.
"Then, we…we shouldn't be putting each other through this! I need…I mean, we need to pull together!"
…You remind me of him… Kyoko thought as Makoto's gentle smile flashed in her mind. But unlike you…Makoto would have been much more sure of himself…and the actions he needed to take. "Okay. Then do me a favor. Please, if you don't mind, show me your Forbidden Action."
Ryota gasped in shock, disappointing Kyoko as he stepped backwards, staring at her incredulously.
"I can't!"
Makoto wouldn't have hesitated…he'd have revealed his in a heartbeat as an olive branch. But even for him… "Then I'm in the same position as you." Kyoko replied. "So there it is. That's our reality. It's hard for people to pull together without the luxury of trust. That's probably what the Forbidden Actions are all about in the first place. They're a built in method for turning us against the group."
Ryota exhaled shakily, bowing his head as the despair of Kyoko's words flowed through his mind.
"The objective's to make us feel isolated."
At that moment, Kyoko's words were cut off by a hum of the microphone, catching all their attentions as a familiar, nervous voice echoed through the rooms.
"Ano, ano, can you hear me? This is Makoto Naegi."
Makoto! Kyoko gasped as she wondered What are you doing on the intercoms? What are you planning?
"Bad news. The Great Gozu is dead. The Attacker got to him while we were asleep."
Ryota gasped, horrified while Kazuo sighed, hanging his head in solemn grief for his comrade.
"Clearly, whoever it is has to be stopped." Makoto continued over the microphone. "Thing is, while trying to unmask them, we can't doubt each other. That's what Monokuma wants. So let's talk about this. I know some of you are utterly convinced I'm on the side of the Remnants, and I don't blame you. Not at all. My actions have led you to that conclusion."
Makoto…you're planning to make your legal argument NOW?! Kyoko thought incredulously. Not much point now that there's no longer a trial…
Makoto proved her right as he explained "A while back, as part of Division Fourteen, I ran rescue missions. During this period, I stumbled across fellow alumni, ex-students of Hope's Peak."
Izuru Kamukura and the other Remnants… Kyoko recalled as she remembered that very mission report Makoto had sent to her.
"Instantly I could tell that they belonged to the Remnants of Despair. That they'd killed people. Driven the world into darkness and chaos. But also that they were human. Maybe even, deep down, as normal as you and me. They'd fought and laughed and horsed around. They had a chance. If they hadn't met Enoshima…they'd have had a chance."
Kyoko's eyes softened at the anger in Makoto's voice, her heart going out to her employee for the anguish he felt for his former upperclassmen.
"There was a way to save them though. The Neo World Program. Virtual rehabilitation. A cutting edge treatment for lost souls. Using it, I could restore their memories to a time before despair. A time before Junko. There were complications. Needless to say, things didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped."
Indeed, they did not… Kyoko thought as the memory of AI Junko flashed in her memory. If Hajime Hinata hadn't overcome Junko's grip on him, none of us would have made it out intact.
"But despite everything that happened, I believed it worked. So there. That's it. That's my story. We all have our point of view. We're all in our own circumstances. Even so, if we can just talk it out, I'm convinced we can set aside our fear."
But will everyone else be convinced? I'm not sure… Kyoko admitted to herself, wondering just how deeply Makoto's words affected those most opposed to him.
"If we expect to get through this in one piece, our best hope is each other! To prove my point…I'm done. I'm turning my back on the game."
Makoto…are you seriously…
"And just so you know, my Forbidden Action is running in the hallway."
…Knew it…I knew he'd reveal it in a heartbeat… Kyoko thought with an amused smile as she closed her eyes. That's just who Makoto Naegi is…
"You wanna kill me? That's how. Think about it. If I were the Attacker, would I give you this information? Call it collateral. Please, just trust me."
With that, the facility went silent, leaving Kyoko, Ryota, and Kazuo alone with their thoughts.
"Well, it appears the mystery of who was killed has been solved." Kyoko stated. "Regardless, it's still worth trying to find the Great Gozu's body so I can investigate the circumstances of his death."
"Ah, you think that his body might lead us to the culprit's identity?" As Kyoko nodded, Kazuo insisted "In that case, please permit us to accompany you. At the very least, you can rest assured that neither of us are the culprits."
"…Very well, shall we go?"
As Kazuo and Ryota nodded, Kyoko walked through the doorway at a brisk pace, her two colleagues tailing close behind her.
"Wow…that was bold of your father…" Tsumugi stated as they came to the end of the page.
"Yeah, that's Dad alright…he's bold, and not everyone's on his side at first, but eventually they realize that Dad's approach is the right one…" Well, almost always… Kiki admitted, recalling the aftermath of Korekiyo Shinguji's attack on her life.
"Still, he just made himself a target…why do that in a killing game?"
"Well, someone had to be the one to extend an olive branch, and even if he didn't change any minds yet, he planted the seeds that would allow trust and hope to blossom."
"Ah, I get it!" Tsumugi exclaimed. "Though I am curious about what happened next…"
Kiki nodded and continued "We had continued walking through the halls in our search for the Great Gozu's body when…"
"So…ano…why'd he tell us his Forbidden Action?" Ryota asked curiously.
"As a testament to his faith in us. Presumably." Kazuo explained.
"All of us?" Ryota asked incredulously. "Even Munakata, who told Naegi to kill himself?"
"Makoto's a dyed in the wool optimist." Kazuo explained simply, causing Kyoko to nod in agreement. "He knows who his enemies are, of course, but he believes in the power of civilized discourse."
"So he thinks they can talk it out?!" Ryota asked excitedly.
"Oh, I'm certain it all sounds just as insane to him…" Kazuo replied with a hint of amusement in his voice. "…and yet, sometimes believing in your fellow man calls for exactly that. Optimism is nothing if not a leap of faith."
"I guess." Ryota replied, not entirely convinced as Kyoko approached one of the Monokuma Monitors. "Not sure I'll ever know."
Kazuo hummed in contemplation before he looked at the focused detective and asked "Something troubling you?"
Kyoko turned to her colleagues, a moment of silence passing before she assured them "I'll be fine."
A sudden whoosh forced her into action, causing her to leap towards them as she landed on her hands and knees. The three of them turned to see Juzo Sakakura standing a few feet away, wielding a desk chair like a club in his left hand.
"Damn. I was so close."
Kyoko glared at the former boxer, staring him down from her position on the floor.
"Oh crap! Mom!" Kiki cried as the page ended.
"That sure was a close one!" Tsumugi exclaimed. "It's good that she dodged in time, but why did Sakakura go after her in the first place? I thought he would have tried to finish off your father."
"I'm guessing Munakata decided to go after Dad, leaving Sakakura to his own devices…" Kiki deduced, causing Tsumugi to nod.
"Yeah, that makes sense, I guess."
"Honestly, I'm wondering how they ever reconciled. I wouldn't have believed they were such bitter enemies after having Munakata over for dinner after the Akki incident."
"It is strange, but something must have happened to bridge the divide, or at least make Munakata not thirst for your father's blood anymore."
Kiki nodded before she noted while turning the page "Speaking of which, his entry's next. I had finished my plea to the others and took a minute to breathe when…"
A resounding crash echoed in Makoto's ears, startling him and causing him to turn his head.
"Munakata." He gasped as the vice-chairman stood on the other side of a glass window, his katana piercing the crystal barrier. As he withdrew his weapon, the glass shattered, creating an entryway for him to use. Again, he didn't use the door…that makes it more likely that his forbidden action is using a door…
"Surprised you would face me without a weapon." Kyosuke stated as he approached the former luckster.
"I would only need one to fight." Makoto insisted, swallowing down his nervousness as he steeled his determined eyes. "Things don't have to be this way, Munakata. Let's talk. We're comrades. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to hear each other out. That's what the Future Foundation is! We're all supposed to be on the same side here!"
"You think your words have weight?" Kyosuke questioned, startling Makoto. "The day isn't won on platitudes." He paused, allowing his words to sink in before he complimented "You're impressive. I saw you on the broadcast, of course. And I'll be the first to admit, watching you hold your own was inspirational. Deeply."
If you feel that way, then there's no reason we shouldn't be able to talk! Makoto thought, though Kyosuke continued before he could voice his plea.
"Yet for all that heroism, you only won because it was no more than a game."
Did he just…call the hell we endured, the friends we lost, a game?! Angered, Makoto demanded "What are you saying? Our lives were on the line in there!"
"And the rules were clear." Kyosuke countered calmly before admitting "Oh, I'll grant you the stakes were definitely high. But I defy anyone to argue the guidelines for survival were vague. Out here, things aren't so cut and dry."
Kyosuke walked even closer as he continued to lecture Makoto.
"In the real world, there are no rules. Platitudes and a positive outlook aren't worth a damn."
Struck speechless, Makoto could only stare into Kyosuke's eyes, the vice-chairman looking down on him as though he were a mere child.
"You don't know true despair. You don't know the hell we've put ourselves through to keep people alive. The real world is a very violent place. Enough to crush a man's spirit. Enough to drive him mad. You and your friends were hand-picked. Kept alive. Memories wiped. You had no clue."
That doesn't mean we didn't know what true despair felt like! Makoto wanted to argue, though Kyosuke's continuous lecture didn't give him any openings.
"So you can talk, sure. But that is about the only thing you can do."
"That's not fair!" Makoto finally talked back. "You talk about platitudes, but so what? Hope has gotta start somewhere, right? When the real world gets ugly, you power through! You believe and put it in words! It's how hope spreads! How you give it to others!"
"You believe hollow words are really enough to make people act?"
"Absolutely I do!" Makoto cried, closing his eyes and clenching his fists. "And people will!" I proved it in the Killing School Life, Hajime proved that in the Killing School Trip, and Komaru proved it in Towa City!
Makoto opened his eyes to shoot a determined glare at his superior.
"Words are hollow sometimes, yeah, but they can always be filled in!"
Kyosuke closed his eyes, slightly bowing his head in deference as he admitted "A rare gift indeed, and if anyone's capable, it's you."
Makoto's eyes widened in surprise, the young man gasping as he wondered Did I…did I actually break through to him?
"In fact, I'm sure of it." Munakata stepped backwards as he narrowed his eyes and told him "Precisely the reason I can't allow you to escape."
Makoto gasped as Kyosuke finally pointed his katana at him, causing the former luckster to demand "What're you doing?"
"I'm afraid you're simply too dangerous. Your hollow words might spur people forward. And heaven only knows to do what."
"Hope! What else?" Makoto retorted despite the deadly weapon pointed at his throat.
"I don't think so. You're too naïve." Kyosuke rejected. "But people might listen. They'll take your side. They'll believe the world can actually be saved without bloodshed. But the world they're walking into will be hell itself. You'll lead them to despair!"
"Believe what you want." Makoto clenched his left fist in front of his heart in defiance as he proclaimed "For me, I believe what I say!"
Kyosuke turned his head as he commented "Truth can stay a man's hand. Even now you make me doubt my resolve." Makoto gasped in surprise before Kyosuke glared at him. "But doubt alone won't stop me." The vice-chairman gripped his sword with both hands, raising it in a battle stance as he demanded "If there is any truth in what you believe, let words do the fighting. Let's see your rhetoric stop my blade."
No way! Makoto thought as his eyes widened in shock at Kyosuke's apparent insistence on ending the man's life.
"I'm a different sort of man than you. I have faith in the virtue of power. Hope doesn't belong to those willing to die." Kyosuke raised his katana above his head as he declared "It belongs to those willing to kill! And I will kill thousands if it means I vanquish despair. That is the strength of my conviction! That is the future I envision."
Munakata…your outlook…it's…it's no better than Junko's!
"Yes!" Kyosuke exclaimed. "A world without despair is a world worth fighting for! Keep your platitudes. I embrace the ugliness of what must be done.I am the true face of hope!"
With that, Kyosuke swung his blade. Makoto felt his world turn to black, Munakata's condescending voice the last thing he heard before his consciousness faded.
"How unfortunate. Too bad this wasn't a classroom trial."
"Dad…" Kiki breathed, feeling her heart rate rise as her chest pounded.
"I don't believe it! Munakata…did he…actually kill your father?"
Kiki took a couple of deep breaths before she was able to shake her head.
"No, otherwise he wouldn't be alive to run Hope's Peak Academy. Munakata…probably just knocked him out…and for what, being charismatic?! That doesn't make him dangerous, it makes him talented!"
Kiki grit her teeth, feeling her anger for the man rise as she wondered why her father would have ever invited him over, no matter how many years had passed.
"Kiki, calm down. Take deep breaths, okay?"
Kiki closed her eyes and inhaled, feeling the oxygen bring a sense of calm with its breeze against her lungs. As she exhaled, she felt a little bit of her anger and borderline hatred for Kyosuke Munakata fade. She repeated several times, aided by Tsumugi's gentle encouragements.
"…Sorry, Tsumugi…I just get so angry, hearing what he did to my dad…"
"It's okay, you have every right to be angry, Kiki!" Tsumugi assured her friend. "Why don't we take a break for now?"
"Yeah, I…kinda need it…" Kiki admitted as she replaced the bookmark and closed the book.
"Well, I'll leave you to your peace." Tsumugi told her as Kiki put the diary back on the table. "Pick up tomorrow?"
"Sorry Tsumugi, but tomorrow I'm heading back home after class. I promised my parents I'd stay home during the weekends. Besides…I could use a break, and I miss my siblings and my dog. But I'll be back Sunday, so we can pick up again on Sunday night."
"Sure, that sounds good." Tsumugi hugged her friend, feeling Kiki return the embrace before the cosplayer told her "I'll see you tomorrow in class, then. Good night, Kiki."
"Good night, Tsumugi." Kiki returned as the cosplayer separated before walking towards the door.
Once Tsumugi opened and shut it behind her, Kiki sighed and muttered "Better get some sleep…"
She crawled under the covers and curled up before she yawned and closed her eyes. Just like her father, her room faded to black, but unlike Makoto all those years ago, she planned to fade into blissful dreams.