10:17 AM, Day 1
Jabberwock Park, Central Island
After she made her little speech and shot Rantaro, Usami flew away, heading toward one of the other islands. The police-bots withdrew as well, their metal feet clanking against the ground as they marched away. That just left the rest of them to deal with the wounded Rantaro.
"Damn it!" Akane hissed, as she rushed to his side. Could that bastard not avoid getting injured for once in his life?!
Mikan met her there, already fretting and worrying over him. Akane wasted little time in helping her out, batting Rantaro's hand away from his wound, and then ripping open the sleeve of his shirt.
"Looks like it went clean through your arm," Akane noted, even as Mikan pressed her hands against the bullet wound to resume applying pressure.
"Well, we can be...thankful of that much, at least," Rantaro replied, his voice hoarse and tinged with pain. However, he seemed to be in surprisingly good spirits, all things considered. Given the fact this wasn't his first time getting shot, though, perhaps it wasn't all that shocking to him.
"Oh no, this isn't good, this isn't good at all!" Mikan, meanwhile, gave full-fledged into her panic. "I-I don't have any supplies on me! A-And I don't think there's a hospital anywhere near here..."
She bit her lip, still looking rather nervous before she turned her head to address the others at large. "D-does anyone know where a first aid kit is?!"
"I think there was one in the administration building. I shall go retrieve it at once!" Byakuya declared a determined gleam in his eye. He dashed away at once with surprising speed, his weight oddly doing nothing to hinder his movements. Ibuki ran after him a moment later, yelling that she'd help him search for it.
"I-If they can't find one, you're welcome to tear my shirt up and use that for bandages, if need be," Rantaro offered after a moment, giving Mikan a pained smile. "And hey, this could always be worse. At least you don't have to remove any bullets."
Akane couldn't help but roll her eyes. "After all this time, you're still blase as ever, Rantaro. I thought you would have changed by now, but guess I was wrong."
"Funny, I could say the same to you. Still as caustic and antagonistic as ever, Akane. I guess your time in Japan didn't soften your edges, eh?" Rantaro countered, giving a little chuckle. That proved to be a mistake though, as he winced a moment later.
"Pl-please don't do anything that might irritate your wound! J-Just try to lie down and relax!" Mikan interjected, giving him a pleading, tearful look.
That managed to shut him up, thankfully, and not long after Byakuya and Ibuki arrived, a first aid kit in hand. They handed it off to Mikan, who immediately set to work. With her training, it didn't take long at all to get Rantaro's wound properly bandaged. After that, she used the remaining supplies in the first aid kit to fashion a makeshift sling for Rantaro's left arm.
"Oh, thank goodness," Mikan sighed, sagging with relief once she'd properly tended to Rantaro. "Although...I-I won't know for sure if there's more internal damage, without taking an x-ray of the injury. There's no telling when I can get access to any equipment like that, too…"
"I-It's fine, really," Rantaro assured. He sat up, giving a wince as he jostled his arm a little in the process.
Mikan just shook her head though, tears gathering at her eyes again. "B-But it's not! The bullet could have f-fractured a bone, and there's no way to tell for sure without an x-ray! A-And without proper medical supplies or a proper cast, there's a chance your wound could get infected, or it could fester and worsen..."
"Hey, it's okay. Believe me, he's survived worse. Don't cut yourself short, either. Considering what you had to work with, you've done a damn good job so far," Akane said, reaching over to gently pat Mikan's shoulder. The poor girl certainly looked like she needed some comfort.
Mikan sniffled in reply, looking doubtful at her, but didn't say anything in response. Figuring that was good enough, Akane got back up to her feet, helping Rantaro up a moment later. He winced and grunted in pain the whole time, which...wasn't surprising. Aside from some disinfectant, Mikan had sprayed his wound with, he had nothing at all to kill his pain. Which, well, had to suck massively.
"W-We should get you someplace to rest," Mikan murmured, looking over anxiously at Rantaro. "Give your wound time to heal. I-I'd give you something for the pain, but..."
"I can take care of that. There's probably a cabin back on the other island with his name on it; and if not, he can just stay at mine." Akane offered up. "I don't mind looking after his sorry ass for a little while. Maybe I can even find some booze for him to numb the pain with."
"I-I'm not leaving him alone!" Mikan replied, a surprising amount of force in her voice. Akane half-expected her to back down after she glanced back at her, but the timid girl stood her ground, a rather cute, determined expression on her face. "I-I mean, I have to look after him, in case it gets worse, or he needs further treatment..."
"Okay, fine. We'll take him together. Sound fine to you?" Akane asked. Mikan shook her head 'yes' a moment later. "Good. Come on, let's get you out of here, Rantaro."
He tried to object, no doubt to say some bullshit tough-guy thing about how he was 'fine', but between the two of them, he didn't stand a chance. With Mikan's help, Akane led him away, only sparing a glance back at the rest of the group.
Aside from Ibuki and Byakuya, everyone else had just stood around and watched, the useless fucks. Well, then again, maybe it wasn't entirely their faults. Not everyone reacted well the first time they witnessed a traumatic event, after all.
At any rate, she paid them no further heed. Instead, she concentrated on helping Rantaro, letting him lean against her as they walked back to the ferry.
10:29 AM, Day 1
Jabberwock Park, Central Island
Kaede watched as Akane and Mikan help Rantaro away, breathing a sigh of relief for him. She'd been practically paralyzed when he got shot so suddenly, but she was glad to see he was...if not 'okay', then at least under professional care. It was a good thing they had a medical professional here with them.
Well, at least that was over with now—
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Usami popped up out of nowhere, settling herself right in front of Kaede. Her sudden appearance startled her so much, that Kaede couldn't help but give a yelp and stagger away from the creature.
"I gots ta do orientation with the Staff! Silly me, how could I forget?" Usami questioned rhetorically, giving a cheery little giggle.
"Wah! Y-You!" Miu, like Kaede, seemed stunned by Usami's sudden appearance. A moment later though she glared at the rabbit, and marched over toward her, seemingly undaunted by her earlier display of violence. "I-I don't know what the fuck's going on here, but get this shit off of my neck! I already got a collar on, thank you very much! I don't need this bulky ass piece of sh—!"
Miu abruptly cut herself off, collapsing to the ground as she started shaking and convulsing. To Kaede's increasing horror, she noticed that the other three 'staff' members—Byakuya, Mukuro, and Yasuhiro—were all on the ground with her, shaking and twitching themselves.
Then, just as suddenly, they stopped. Miu was the first one on her feet a moment later, gasping for air.
"Lesson number one! Never insult the Mayor. If you do, that will result in a group punishment! Got it?" Usami questioned, shooting Miu an intense glare.
"Y-Yes ma'am," Miu stuttered out, a sheer look of terror on her face as she stared at her tormentor.
"Good! Well, let's be off, then! Love love!" Usami declared, cheering happily. Rather reluctantly, Miu and the other three followed the rabbit as she led them away.
"...Holy shit, this is fucked up," she heard Teruteru murmur behind her, sounding just as horrified as she felt. "What in sam hell have we got ourselves into?"
That was a very good question. Kaede just wished she had an answer for him.
"Everyone, I know this is a tiring time; we're all scared and unsure of what's going on. Believe me, you aren't alone in that!" Sonia spoke up, raising her voice to address the scattered group. Glancing over at her, she went on, "There isn't much else we can do here: for now, I think it'd be best if we all retired and had a moment to think for ourselves. Isn't that right, Kaede?"
"Huh?" Kaede gave Sonia a surprised stare, not expecting to be pushed into the spotlight like this. All the same, she gave a quick nod as she rallied to Sonia's side. "R-Right! Sonia's right. I think...having some time to think and calm down would do us all well. Teruteru, maybe you could fix us all some food in the restaurant? I don't know when any of us last ate, but it's probably been awhile."
"Oh? Oh, yeah, I can do that!" Teruteru readily agreed, looking happy to have an assigned role. "Yes, yes, what we all need is some soul food to nourish the mind and body! I can do just that! Just leave it to me!"
Kaede gave him a pleasant smile in return, more than happy to hear that. No one else really objected to the idea, and not long after they started heading over to the ferry as a group. Things still felt tense, but now that they all had a common purpose, they were at least willing to work together.
Kaede just hoped that feeling would last...
At any rate, they only had to wait a little while before the next ferry showed up. Kaede gladly took a seat next to Shuichi, though she found herself pleasantly surprised when Tsumugi took the seat on her other side.
"Goodness, that was frightful." Tsumugi proclaimed, giving a little sigh as she sank into her chair. "It felt like I was frozen stiff with fear! Now that I've experienced that trope first-hand, I feel like I can relate a lot better to certain characters in anime..."
"I've seen some disturbing things while I've been working with my uncle, but...well, that was certainly one of the most unusual things I've witnessed. I'm just glad we had a nurse on hand to deal with Rantaro. I have some basic medical training, but nothing to really help treat a bullet wound." Shuichi said, grimacing a little.
Kaede nodded at them both, not quite sure what to say herself. So much had already happened, and it wasn't even noon yet! She still half expected to find out that this was all a dream, and she'd be waking up at any moment.
However...that didn't seem to be the case. This place...however unusual and extreme their situation was, it seemed deadly real. After all, you couldn't just fake getting shot like that. Which meant that murderous rabbit really expected them to murder each other...
God, since when had her life become so messed up?!
"Are you okay, Kaede?" Shuichi spoke up a moment later, looking at her with evident concern.
She blinked, glancing over at him before shaking her head a little. She couldn't let herself get wrapped up in such morbid thoughts. "Sorry, it's just...I'm having a hard time adjusting, is all. I guess. This all just seems so sudden...but, I won't let it get me down! Usami just wants us to break down, and get at each other's throats, after all. And I'm not about to do anything that would make our captor happy."
Shuichi gave a shy little smile at that, while Tsumugi also beamed at her.
"That's the way to think about things!" Tsumugi agreed, nodding her head. "Whatever we do, we can't play into our kidnapper's hands. Devolving into paranoia and murder...that's just what they'd want!"
"Still, we should be careful. Carelessly antagonizing Usami, or whoever's behind her, might lead to needless conflict and pain. Like what happened with Miu." Shuichi advised, closing his eyes in thought. "Either way, I do agree, presenting a united front...it's the best possible plan. We should wait to discuss that with everyone at large, though. Whatever our plan moving forward is, it'd be best to talk about it as a group."
Kaede nodded at that. "Sounds like a good idea to me! Well...guess we just need to wait, then. Hm...what should we do to pass the time? It is sort of a long ride to the first island."
"Oh, I know!" Tsumugi brightened up at that, staring at the two of them intently. "I never did find out what your favorite anime was! Why don't you two tell me now?"
"Ah..." Kaede looked away a bit nervously, as she rubbed the back of her head. "I mean...I'm honestly not that big an anime fan, Tsumugi..."
She stared at her for a long moment, a blank look on her face. Then, just as quickly, Tsumugi adjusted her glasses and looked away with a huff. "You're dead to me, Kaede."
"Woah! J-Just like that?!" Kaede exclaimed, staring at her in shock.
Consequently, the rest of the boat ride was spent trying to win back Tsumugi's favor.
10:34 AM, Day 1
Administration Building, Central Island
Suffice to say, this situation was not ideal. In fact, Mukuro couldn't think of a worse situation for her to be in. Even during her days as a mercenary under Fenrir, things had never quite been so dire.
Here she was, on an island of unknown location—perhaps hundreds or thousands of miles away from Japan—surrounded by strangers of unknown disposition, and now she was essentially being held captive by some crazed robotic bunny, and forced to participate in some absurd, murderous contest. Even worse, she still had no idea where Junko was.
After that lesson in humility, Usami had led the four of them to the Administration building, a two-story, nondescript office building. It was utterly unremarkable, except for the fact that two of the Police-bots were stationed beside the front doors. Usami led them in without a care, the automatons not reacting at all as she guided them inside.
From there, Usami led them through halls and rooms that had seen better days, to be frank. Papers lay scattered on the floor, doors were left partially unhinged, scorch marks and bullet holes littered the walls...something significant had gone down here some time ago. If anything, it was rather telling that, compared to the pristine places she'd seen so far, Usami left this building as it was.
Finally, the rabbit stopped in front of a door with the word 'Mayor' hastily painted in front of it. She kicked it open, and filed inside, gesturing for them all to follow.
Much like the rest of the building, this office was also in tatters. Books lay carelessly scattered on the floor, a shelf had been left where it'd fallen on the floor, and the main desk was on its front-end, bullet-holes littering the visible surface of the polished wood.
"Now then! With everyone here, it's time to begin orientation!" Usami declared, jumping up to sit on the office chair behind the desk. Surprisingly enough, it was the only thing in the room undamaged and in its proper upright position.
Mukuro stared at the rabbit, frowning slightly as she observed the room around her. At the same time, she felt her foot crunch against something below her.
She looked down, noticing a broken picture frame just under her shoe. It was dirty and somewhat torn, but she could make out what looked to be a beaming older man with a somewhat gaunt face and facial hair stubble. He had an arm slung around a younger teen that was his spitting image, only less lean and gaunt as the older man. What interested her most, however, was the fact that this younger, red-eyed man was dressed in military fatigues.
The sight of that sparked something in her mind, a hazy, ill-defined memory, but Usami continued on before she could concentrate on that thought.
"Now! As Staff of the Hotel Mirai, each of you will be assigned a specific duty in the hotel's upkeep. Alongside that, you will be expected to fulfill any extraneous orders that I give you or tasks that need fulfilling. Failure to comply will result in a strike! Get three strikes, and you're outta here! Do I make myself clear?" Usami asked with a clear note of malice in her tone.
No one among them objected, even Mukuro herself. After that dumb blonde bimbo had provoked Usami, it seemed no one was willing to risk her wrath a second time.
"Good! And just to show ya I'm a nice, sweet little rabbit...I won't count Tits McGee here's little rebellion as a proper strike. So as of right now, you all have a clean slate! Make sure it stays that way, got it?" she went on.
Miu gave a little whimper beside her but otherwise nodded at the homicidal bunny.
"I must ask...what happens if we do earn three strikes? Will it be a punishment similar to that of the 'Blackened' your rules talked about?" Byakuya spoke up, staring down contemptuously at Usami.
"You've got that right in the hole, Byakuya! Give the man a prize!" Usami cheered, nodding her head.
A moment later something flew from her paw, sailing through the air until it smacked Byakuya in the face. It was only when it landed on the ground, not harming him in the least, did Mukuro realize what it was: a biscuit. Or rather, the broken remains of a biscuit. It seemed to have crumbled apart when it smacked against Byakuya's face.
"..." Byakuya remained silent for a moment, before reaching up with a gloved hand to wipe at the crumbs left on his face from the impact. After that, his eye started to twitch, and the larger man started to shake ever so slightly.
"D-Did you just...?"
"Anyway! Byakuya had it right there. If ya earn three strikes, you're dead! More specifically...your collars there are bulky for a reason! There's a bomb implanted in each one of them. I can set them off at any time...so! If you disobey me enough to earn three strikes, then BAM! Your head's gone," Usami declared, ignoring Byakuya entirely.
Dead silence lingered in the room after that sudden revelation. Mukuro herself couldn't help but reflexively grab her collar, a spike of fear flashing through her. Likewise, everyone else seemed just as scared as she was.
There was a bomb in this cumbersome collar? That...made things even more difficult. Assuming Junko wasn't on one of the other islands—which seemed likely at this point—her new priority now was to escape this wretched place. But this...it put a big wrench in her plans. She was the Ultimate Soldier, after all, not the Ultimate Mechanic or something like that. She had no expertise whatsoever in safely disarming this collar.
Damn it all. How the hell was she going to get out of here now?
"Now! With that outta the way, it's time to give everyone their proper role!" Usami declared, acting as if nothing was wrong.
She pointed a stubby paw at her first, elaborating, "Mukuro Ikusaba! As the Ultimate Soldier, you here are the perfect candidate for the Head of Security! Your job will be to ensure peace and stability on the grounds of Hotel Mirai. That mainly means enforcing the rules as far as the destruction of island property goes. You're also welcome to act as an enforcer of peace on Hotel grounds...though I'm not sure how well that would go, fufufu. You'll also be acting as my Hammer of Justice when necessary. And, of course, if you catch anyone breaking the rules...you have complete authority to kill them! Got it?"
She nodded dimly at that, inwardly bristling at being ordered around by such a farcical creature...but for now, she had no other choice but to accept it. All things considered, she had a rather simple job, and it fits perfectly with her skillset.
"Good! Up next is you, magic man!" Usami declared and gestured over to Yasuhiro, who jumped at being addressed. "You're...ah...um...oh! You'll be the hotel concierge! You get to check in new guests if any arrive, and you'll be in charge of the hotel in general! I guess. Each cabin has a phone in it that connects to the main desk in the hotel lobby, so if anyone calls requesting something, you'll be the one answering those calls!"
"Um, that's okay, I guess?" Hiro replied, looking a bit bewildered as he scratched the back of his head.
"Now, Byakuya! You're pretty easy to place. As befitting the Ultimate Butler, you shall be in charge of Housekeeping in the Hotel Mirai. You'll be given a special key that lets you access all the cabins on the hotel grounds, letting you clean up the rooms every day. You'll also be tasked with fulfilling any requests the guests have, like delivering food cooked up by the Ultimate Cook. Sound like a plan? I mean, you are the Ultimate Butler...aren't you?" Usami inquired, giving him a particularly vicious smirk.
Byakuya stiffened at that for some reason, his eyes widening. Mukuro studied his pudgy face, curious as to what got him so worked up, but Usami continued on before she could really analyze him.
"And finally! We have Miss Miu Iruma, the Ultimate...Whatever! I have a very special job for you! You shall be...the Hotel Morale Officer!" Usami proclaimed.
A moment of quiet passed, as Miu scratched her cheek in confusion. "...What the hell is that—!"
"Which means you shall be involved in keeping up the morale of everyone in the hotel grounds! And what better way of doing that than showing off your ugly, slutty body?" Usami tittered, issuing a malicious chuckle.
"Ug-ugly? Slutty?!" Miu repeated, her face rapidly heating up, while her breathing became more erratic.
"Yup! After all, it's the only good thing a worthless dumb sow like you is good for!" Usami declared, giggling as Miu gasped and squirmed at getting insulted further.
...Mukuro wasn't sure what she was watching now, but whatever it was, she wasn't liking it.
"Well, that's it for now! You all aren't on the clock until tomorrow, so feel free to rest and relax until then. And just so ya know...refusing to do your duties as staff? That doesn't just earn you a strike: that skips you straight toward your final penalty," she said, pure menace leaking out from her tone.
That seemed to sober everyone up, herself included. She openly scowled at the cursed rabbit but she didn't object, seeing no point in it. They were dismissed after that, with Mukuro the last to leave the room.
Before she could exit, though, she heard her captor call after her.
"Mukuro? I'd like a word in private with you."
She paused, glancing back at the rabbit with narrowed eyes. After a tense moment she complied, and stepped back into the office, closing the door behind her.
10:54 AM, Day 1
Rantaro's Cabin, Hotel Mirai
"Hey, good news! I found booze at the market," Akane declared, kicking open the door to Rantaro's cabin.
The man in question was sitting up on his bed, resting his back against the headboard. Mikan was still at his side, fretting over him. In any other situation, a guy might be more grateful to have such a cute girl fawning over him...but, well, in this circumstance, Rantaro seemed too focused on his pain to give it much attention.
"Oh thank god," Rantaro burst out, looking over at the bottle she held eagerly. He grimaced, doing his best not to jostle his left arm. "Good lord, I forgot how...agonizing it is to get shot, and not have...painkillers on hand. Christ, give me that bottle already, Akane!"
Akane couldn't help but let out a chuckle at that. So much for his tough-guy attitude! She felt tempted to throw the bottle at him, but she decided to show him a little mercy. After taking a swig from the bottle herself first, she walked over to him and handed it over to his good arm.
"N-Normally, I'd advise against drinking...but alcohol is an effective painkiller, so I can allow it under these circumstances," Mikan noted, looking at the bottle with some worry. "Um, i-if it's easier for you, I could hold it for you—!"
Rantaro wasted little time, however. He popped the top off and greedily drank from it, swallowing several mouthfuls before grimacing and sputtering a little.
"God, this tastes vile. What is this, Romanian beer?" he asked, before taking another sip.
"Beats me. Only thing I know is that the bottle was labeled 'alcohol'," Akane replied, giving a light shrug. "And yeah, it takes like shit, but it's the only booze we got right now."
"Fair. Beggars can't be choosers," Rantaro agreed, taking one more sip before handing the bottle back to her.
Akane grabbed it, placing it on his nightstand a moment later. She watched Rantaro lay back against his bed, glancing at his bandaged arm.
"Ah...feeling better already," Rantaro declared, giving a small sigh of relief. "God, it's been forever since I last got shot. I almost forgot what it felt like."
"Y-You've been shot before?" Mikan interjected, sounding rightly horrified.
"Mm. This would be the eighth time I've been shot, far as I recall. And god knows how many times I've been shot at. I've also been stabbed, beaten, burned, tortured, poisoned..." Rantaro trailed off, counting off each of them with the fingers of his free hand. "You name it, I've probably experienced it. If it's not instantly fatal, I've survived it. Sorta comes with the territory."
Akane watched as Mikan grew more and more horrified at his words. She'd have smacked Rantaro for bullshitting them on her part, if she didn't know better, at least. She'd seen for herself just how true that was.
"There aren't any injuries you need to treat, though. This is my most recent one and only one so far. So I'm fine, besides that." he added as if that made what he said no big deal.
"Heh, you're far from fine," she spoke up, crossing her arms as she scoffed at him. "This boy is crazy as they come, Mikan. He's just pretending to be sane. I'm pretty sure he's been mad since the day he was born."
"Mm, I could say the same of you. Only crazy people survive in Roanapur, after all. Let alone thrive," he retorted, giving her a good-natured smile.
"Y-You two know each other?" Mikan asked a moment later, glancing at the two of them.
"Unfortunately," Akane quipped. "We met back in Roanapur, a few years back. Ah, that's a city in Thailand. That was...back before I moved to Japan. Haven't seen Rantaro again until today, though."
"Mm. It's just like what Akane said," Rantaro confirmed, nodding his head. "And betrayal aside, I'd like to think we're still good friends."
"Ugh, this again. See what I mean? I leave this guy for dead and he somehow doesn't hold it against me," she stated, shaking her head.
"Though to be fair, I sorta did warn him I'd probably stab him in the back at some point. We were more...allies of convenience, back in Roanapur. I needed to get my money back, and he needed to get some information on his sisters. It was just...convenient to team up at the time. Speaking of which...how is Sachiko, anyway? You ever find her?" she asked.
Rantaro's face fell at that question. A bittersweet smile flashed across his face a moment later, as he glanced off to the side. "...I was too late. By the time I tracked her down, she'd already been dead for a year."
Akane felt her stomach drop at that. She closed her eyes, grimacing briefly as she clenched her fists. "Shit, man. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. You at least make those bastards pay?"
"Oh, yes. I sure did," Rantaro declared, a dark look flashing across his face. A moment later though, he settled into a more tranquil expression. "Still, I've...come to terms with it. I may have failed her, but I still managed to save Maya, Kasumi, and Gwen afterward. And I got good info on where Malia was, so it wasn't...a total loss. Things happen for a reason, especially where I'm concerned."
Akane stared at him, baffled, before shaking her head again. It was moments like this that she just...didn't get Rantaro. All this awful shit happened to him, and it slid off him like water off a duck's back. What was his deal?
Why—
The sound of a sudden crash and a resulting loud yelp cut off any further thoughts. Akane turned to stare at Mikan, discovering that she had somehow slipped while grabbing something for Rantaro. In the process, she seemed to have latched onto his bedsheets to try and prevent her fall...but instead, she just ripped them off the bed, and got her upper torso somehow entangled in them. As a result, she laid spreadeagled on the floor, her upper body inexplicably wrapped up in bedsheets, while she flashed her panties at both of them.
"Ah! N-Nooo! Pl-please, don't stare! Ooh, now I'm never going to get married!" she bemoaned, giving soft little whimpers as she laid there. She tried to struggle against the sheets, but they remained persistent in entangling her.
"...How the hell did you even manage to do that?" Akane asked, truly befuddled. Rantaro, likewise, looked incredibly puzzled. "Are you really this clumsy?"
She sighed a moment later, taking one more chance to peek at Mikan's panties, before helping the poor girl up. She swiftly untangled her from the sheets, allowing her to breathe freely.
"I-I'm sorry about that," Mikan apologized, wiping at a tear-filled eye. "I-I don't know how, but things like that just h-happen to me s-sometimes..."
"Hey hey, it's okay. No need to apologize," Akane swiftly replied, reaching over to pat her shoulder reassuringly.
"Akane's right. It was just an accident. It's no bother, really," Rantaro added with a beaming smile.
Mikan didn't outright reply, but she did nod her head, giving them both a thankful little smile. She glanced over at Rantaro after a moment though, a look of worry showing back up on her face.
"H-He really does need to rest. A-And I need to stay by his side, in case his condition changes..." she fretted, biting at her lip a little.
Akane could see what she was getting at the girl was just too downtrodden and polite to really say it aloud. In the end, she just gave a nod and waved at them both. "Well, I ought to be going then. I'm sure the others are gonna start trickling back in soon, and I got a meal with my name on it, that never got finished. I'll see you around Rantaro, Mikan. I'll make sure to bring some more booze later, in case you need it."
With that said, Akane headed off, leaving both of them behind. She headed straight over to the restaurant, determined to finish what she'd started earlier that morning. Maybe this time, she could enjoy her meal in goddamn peace, and not have someone steal her clothes for the second time...
11:09 AM, Day 1
Hotel Restaurant, Hotel Mirai
They all went back to the restaurant as agreed, and it didn't take long for Teruteru to start cooking up some food. Kaede and Chihiro had gotten shanghaied into being his sou chefs for a little while—even the Ultimate Chef had needed some amount of help cooking for these many people—and while the two of them had little experience cooking, Teruteru had coaxed them through it all.
Whatever her initial thoughts on the perverted cook, he had proven to be a rather patient and admirable teacher, getting them situated doing basic prep work while he took on the lion's share of the hard work. Between the three of them, they'd managed to get the food out in record time.
After being let off on cooking duty, Kaede gratefully returned back to her table, eager to eat the fruits of her labor. The mood had settled down some by then, and everyone had broken into their own little groups as they started to get to know one another: Princess Sonia and Korekiyo had taken a table for themselves and started chatting, Hifumi had started regaling a patient Nagito with the ins and outs of the doujin industry, Ibuki had started chatting up a bemused Sayaka, and so on and so forth. Kaede herself had ended up sitting with Tsumugi and Shuichi, eating and talking about nothing in particular between bites.
"Wow, this is actually really good," Shuichi noted, after taking his first bite. "I guess they call him the Ultimate Chef for a reason."
"Y-Yeah, it's okay, I guess," Kaede more demurely agreed...even as she forcibly held herself in check, not wanting to overreact to the divine taste.
For just a brief moment, she wondered what it would take to make Teruteru hers. Then she came back to her senses, and immediately abandoned that idea.
The only two who didn't end up showing up from their group were Rantaro and Mikan: Rantaro was an understandable case, given he was recovering from a gunshot wound. And Mikan, meanwhile, had appointed herself his personal caretaker until he got better. She did pop in to get some food for the both of them, but other than that, those two stayed over in Rantaro's cabin.
The four people who had been selected as 'staff' showed up in due time, as well. A clearly nervous and neurotic Miu sank into a seat beside Chihiro, while Mukuro scooped out a lone table for herself, looking deep in thought. At least, that was the plan, until Yasuhiro unceremoniously sat down next to her with a sigh: much to the girl's visible annoyance.
Byakuya, meanwhile, chose to take a seat at her table, sitting beside Tsumugi and across from Shuichi. He took out a meticulous looking handkerchief and used it to dab at his forehead.
"That was a...most unnerving meeting, I must say," Byakuya grumbled, scowling a little as he settled into his seat. "This is one employer I am most certainly not looking forward to working for, but it appears I have little choice in the matter."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Kaede replied, reaching over to pat his hand. He flashed her an appreciative smile at that, before straightening up a little in his chair.
"Thank you, Mistress Kaede. I am truly grateful," Byakuya replied.
Teruteru came by a moment latter, handing him a platter of food, which Byakuya started to devour with surprising gusto. In fact, he seemed to be matching Akane in just how much he was scarfing down. It was a little startling to see, but given his...size, perhaps not so unreasonable for him. After he finished his plate, Byakuya leaned back with a satisfied smile: though it soon disappeared, as a more contemplative look flashed across his face.
Byakuya stood up a moment later, grabbing a nearby glass and spoon. He rapped the spoon against the glass, doing it for a few seconds until he had everyone's attention. Once that was done, he cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Now that most of us are assembled here, I believe it is time we had a group discussion. I understand how confused and frightened you all must be: believe me, you are not alone in that regard. But we cannot let fear or paranoia divide us! That is only what our captor would want. At such a pivotal time, we need to all stick together, and put up a united front!" Byakuya declared, thrusting a pointed hand forward dramatically.
"We need more than that, however. If we are to truly stand a chance in these dire circumstances, we will require a leader with fortitude and skill to lead us forward. If there are no other candidates here who would like to assume such a role...then perhaps I—!"
"I volunteer Kaede!" Tsumugi was quick to interject, raising her hand for her.
Everyone paused at that, Byakuya included, not quite expecting that. Kaede herself could only gape at Tsumugi for a moment before her face flushed and she quickly yanked her hand away.
"W-Wait, I don't—that is, um, Byakuya is already...or maybe Sonia..." she struggled to say. She fell silent when she noticed Sonia stand up from across the room, and for a brief moment, a glimmer of hope shone in her heart.
"I couldn't agree more! I second Kaede's nomination!" Sonia declared as that shard of hope died inside of Kaede. "I know some of you might expect a princess such as myself to try and take the reigns of power...but, well, I am not a despot looking to enforce my will upon others. Besides, I would rather be treated as a normal person! As such, I think Kaede would make a fantastic leader for our group!"
"Well, she can keep her wits about her under pressure. Not everyone can survive in Teruteru's kitchen, I can assure y'all of that," Teruteru added his own two cents in, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Of course, I also wouldn't mind serving under such a lovely, talented lady. In fact—!"
"Hmm, Ibuki's not so sure. Kaede looks like a pretty gal, but...Byakuya there really wants the job, doesn't he? Besides, his stirring speech really pulled at Ibuki's heartstrings!" Ibuki declared, giving Byakuya a cheery grin and a thumbs up.
"I would have to side with Byakuya as well. I have heard a lot about the illustrious Ultimate Butler in my travels, and what I know of him truly impresses me. If we must have a leader, I can think of no finer candidate than Byakuya Togami," Korekiyo chimed in, giving him a brief nod.
"W-Well, if Byakuya really wants it—!"
"If public support is truly behind Mistress Kaede, then I—!"
She and Byakuya spoke up at the same time, their sentences tumbling into each other. Kaede felt her face heat up further and was about to insist he continue his sentence when Shuichi spoke up beside her.
"Well...clearly, it seems most everyone is fine with Kaede or Byakuya leading us. So, why not have them both?" Shuichi innocently suggested.
A moment of silence followed, and everyone soon focused their attention on him. Shuichi looked a little nervous at having everyone stare at him, but he did his best to adjust, clearing his throat as he looked to speak again.
"I mean...who says we just have to have one leader? If anything, having two leaders...might make things more democratic, and not put such a burden on the shoulders of just one person. Kaede and Byakuya seem like very capable people...between the two of them, I'm sure they can lead us just fine."
"I couldn't agree more! Yes, that seems like a splendid idea. With Kaede and Byakuya leading us forward, I'm sure we can overcome the despair our captor seems to generate within us! As long as we Ultimates work together, there isn't anything we can't accomplish!" Nagito agreed, clasping his hands together as he smiled at Shuichi.
A general murmur filled the restaurant as everyone else spoke up, all fine with the idea of a co-leadership it seemed. Kaede herself shared a look with Byakuya, not quite certain of the idea. He too looked concerned, but after a moment he smiled and gave her a little nod.
"Very well. If that is the will of my Masters here...then I would be happy to be part of this 'co-leadership' with Mistress Kaede. Does the idea please you, too, Mistress?" he asked.
Kaede gave the matter some thought, still feeling rather...uncertain about it. This was all just so sudden! Still, it did make her feel good, knowing that everyone was willing to put such high trust into her. She couldn't let everyone down after all that, could she?
So she ended up standing alongside Byakuya, crossing her arms as she beamed at everyone. "Well, if this is what everyone wants, then I'm more than happy to help! With all of us working together like this, I'm sure we'll escape this island in no time!"
There was a general cheer at that, and despite the horrid events of the morning, this decision seemed to lift everyone's spirits. Far as she could tell, at least.
Teruteru went back to the kitchen to cook more food, while everyone else settled down, chatting happily amongst themselves.
Kaede, for her part, settled back down with Shuichi, Tsumugi, and Byakuya, ready to discuss with them their plan moving forward. Now that she had a goal to work for and people who were relying on her, she felt pumped to get stuff done!
It wasn't until later that she realized that Mukuro had slipped out of the restaurant.
11:46 AM, Day 1
Hotel Grounds, Hotel Mirai
While everyone else was busy having a 'good time' up in the restaurant, Mukuro quietly slipped out, walking down the stairs and over to the pool. She stared down at the water in thought, mulling over what Usami had told her. What was being asked of her was something she'd done all the time in Fenrir, so it wouldn't be hard to pull off. However, this was...different. This was—
She was so lost in her own thought, Mukuro didn't even sense someone approaching her from behind. In fact, she didn't realize that someone was sneaking up on her until they put a hand on her shoulder.
Her reflexes kicked in at once, and Mukuro whirled around, breaking free from her opponent's grasp and launching herself at them. She smashed against him solidly, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Mukuro positioned herself on top of them, her hand going by instinct to the knife she usually had at her side. However, she only belatedly remembered she didn't have it on her, leading her to just pressing her empty hand against her attacker's neck.
"W-Well..." Nagito wheezed, coughing slightly at the pressure she was putting on his windpipe. "G-Guess that's what I get for startling the Ultimate Soldier..."
Mukuro blinked rapidly, feeling her face flush a little as she realized her mistake. She pulled her hand away from his neck, allowing Nagito to breathe properly.
"I apologize. I...should have been more aware of my surroundings," she said, looking away a bit nervously.
She really must be out of it, if a civvie had gotten the drop on her like this! If just this one time, it was rather good that her sister wasn't actually here: if Junko was, she never would have let her hear the end of this.
"No, no, it's all on me. I should have called your name out, instead of just coming up from behind you," Nagito countered, giving a weak little laugh. "Although...we should probably get up. After all, if someone were to find us like this, well, it might give off the wrong impression."
Mukuro tilted her head at that, not quite understanding what he meant. Oh, right! The Killing Game. Yes...this didn't look that good for her, did it? It hadn't even been a full day, and here she was, apparently at someone's throat already. Yes, that wouldn't reflect well on her with the others if someone saw them like this...
"Mukuro, are you out here?"
Sure enough, someone came outside to investigate. Mukuro tensed, already preparing to get off of Nagito, but Kaede came down the stairs and looked at them before she could. As expected, Kaede froze at the sight of them, although...strangely enough, she didn't cry out, or even look all that fearful.
"Oh! Oh, um, sorry! Am I, uh, interrupting?" Kaede inquired, giving an awkward little laugh. "I'll just, uh...l-leave you two alone..."
She hurriedly ascended back up the stairs, leaving them shortly thereafter. Mukuro stared back up at her, furrowing her brow in confusion. Just what had happened here?
"Well, it seems we're too late on that front. Ah, just my luck," Nagito mused, though he didn't sound all that put out. "We'll be subject to some interesting rumors at this rate, I imagine."
Rumors...?
It was then, with a sudden flash of insight, that Mukuro realized just what it was that she was missing.
Ever so slowly, she glanced back down at Nagito and took careful note of how their bodies were positioned. She was straddling his waist, her bottom firmly resting against Nagito's groin. One hand had gone to pin his right arm against the ground, and her other hand...she had taken it off of his neck, and placed it on his chest, without even thinking about it.
Instead of assuming she was about to kill or strangle Nagito, Kaede had instead seen them as...
…
Mukuro felt her face flush hotly, and she rushed to scramble off of Nagito post-haste. All sense of training and decorum left her, as a profound sense of embarrassment overtook her!
Oh, god! She really was lucky Junko wasn't here right now. She couldn't even bear to imagine the smug, impish grin her sister would have after witnessing this!
"I do apologize for that. I can't help but feel that this is all my fault," Nagito declared, before standing up. He reached over with his robotic hand and helped pull her up when she took it.
"It's...fine. It's no big deal," Mukuro replied, though her face still felt rather warm. She briefly wondered if she still had time to chase after Kaede and try to clear up this particular misconception...
...Then again, it'd hardly be any better to tell her that she had attacked Nagito out of reflex. Still, this was utterly embarrassing!
"...What did you want, anyway? Did you have a reason for sneaking up on me?" she inquired, giving Nagito an icy glare.
"Ah, well, I suppose I just wanted to offer you some comfort, if you wanted it. I mean, you seemed very intent on finding your sister earlier, only to find out she isn't here," Nagito explained.
Mukuro blinked at that, before giving a reluctant little nod as she crossed her arms. "Indeed. It...wasn't what I had hoped for, I'll admit. Even despite these dangerous circumstances...I would have felt better knowing Junko was here, at my side. Instead, she's...god knows where she is, really. Hopefully, she's back home and safe, but...I have no idea of knowing that for sure."
"Mm, and the only way to find out for sure is to kill someone and successfully escape this island," Nagito surmised, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Quite the unenviable situation you're in, Mukuro. Although...I wonder, aren't things different for you?"
"...In what way?" she asked, regarding Nagito cautiously.
"I mean, you're part of this so-called 'Staff', yes? None of us mere students can harm you, which leaves you essentially untouchable in this Killing Game. Not that anyone would want to mess with the Ultimate Soldier, I imagine. But, there isn't anything in the rules that say you can't kill a student or even one of your fellow staff members. And even better, they wouldn't be able to fight back against you, lest they face certain death, as stated by the rules," he declared, a slight smirk spreading across his lips.
"I wonder, would you even be subject to a Class Trial? Or would your actions go unpunished? The rules aren't very clear in that regard. Still...you'd be in a perfect position to get away with murder. After all...no one would really suspect any of the Staff of stooping so low. Why do that, after all? If this game plays out as it should, then you should have a free ticket out of here. But of course, there are so many variables, so many possible outcomes...who knows if you'll still be alive, by the time this all ends?" he continued, taking a step closer to her.
Mukuro took a step back out of reflex, her gaze narrowed as she stared back at Nagito. He hadn't tripped her internal radar, the same way Kiyo and Toko had, but now every fiber of her body was screaming about Nagito and all the red flags he was tripping. Hell, even knowing that she could take him down so easily didn't assuage her concerns at all!
There was something about him, something that was just...wrong. And the more he talked, the more that sense of wrongness increased. He couldn't hurt her at all, physically speaking...but Mukuro had the sudden, stark clarity that Nagito was just as deadly with words, as she was with a knife or gun.
What the hell was up with this guy?!
"Of course, there's no way to tell really...short of asking Usami herself," he abruptly said, and just like that, that aura of menace and wrongness vanished from him. He gave her an apologetic smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, I probably got carried away there. I was just curious, and couldn't help but speculate here. Don't mind me."
With that said, Nagito turned around and headed back over to the staircase. Before he fully reached the steps though, he paused and glanced back at her. His gaze fixed Mukuro into place, as she became transfixed by the sight of utter madness in his eyes.
"Besides, I'm barking up the wrong tree, aren't I? Someone's already made you an offer. I can tell that much by your reaction," he proclaimed, giving her a little smile. "You were so concerned about me, you didn't even give my words a second thought."
She stiffened at that, giving a small little gasp. Before she could reply though, Nagito looked away from her and gave a small chuckle.
"Or maybe I'm just seeing things. Who can really say? At any rate, I'll leave you be now. Though I do hope you come back up here and join us. Teruteru may be an unrepentant pervert, but he makes an excellent steak."
With that said, he started to ascend back up the stairs into the restaurant with everyone else.
Review Response
Crit: Thanks! Glad you liked it. Once I conceived of the idea, doing a Dark Usami was something I wasn't gonna pass up.
Celestial: I hope the deal with Byakuya is becoming more clear with this chapter. And heh, glad to find another Hiyoko lover out there! I will admit, I do have my issues with Hiyoko, but I do like her at the end of the day. I just find something about her personality endearing. As for who dies first, we shall see! And glad you're enjoying things so far. I hope you continue to enjoy things!
JC: Yup, the Staff here are in a tough bind. Should be interesting to see what happens with them!
Trust: Was Rantaro targeted on purpose or at random? Who can say! Although of anyone she could have targeted, it is interesting she went after the Ultimate Survivor first. And as for whether or not the Staff were selected on purpose...good question!
Kobold: Ha! Glad you're loving it so far. And I hope I answered some of those questions this chapter!
Purple: That's a very good question. Perhaps we'll find out in the future!
Sliv: Thanks! I'll try my best!
Reader A: I was particularly proud of that twist.