Mists of Penjar

by The Kobold Necromancer

Graduated students of Hope's Peak Academy want to know how Despair was able to spread so fast and ruin so many lives. In an abandoned town known as Penjar, where windless mist creeps down old streets, they have come to find the answers. But Despair, and its Kubs, still have plans even in this seemingly forgotten place. [Part 1 Spin-Off of Crit Fail's Legacy of Despair Series.]

26. Chapter 4-2: The Rust on Penjar

Chapter 4-2

Cold Hard Steel Daggers

---

Day 12, 9:15 AM

Love Hotel

Fiora Stenton's Room

The Ultimate B-Movie Maker purred in her sleep, and then woke up with a bit of a jolt. She had just started to have a dream, one of which she couldn't even remember details for because it happened so fast, but it had been a scare. Like a jump-scare, but while this would unnerve some people, Fiora took inspiration from her dreams.

She felt the warm, soft embrace of another woman, and saw that Anzu was still slumbering. She appeared so innocent, despite being a woman who could be so darn naughty. Fiora reached over and caressed her cheek…

This made Anzu flinch sharply and scream, squeezing Fiora so tightly that it hurt. The movie maker wheezed and tried to speak, but Anzu was putting pressure on her lungs. "Ah… nnngh… ahhh… Anzu!"

The actress was shaking and whimpering, for several seconds she didn't respond. Then when Fiora managed to shout her name, it snapped her out of her daze. Panting and gasping, Anzu stared at Fiora with wide eyes, and then realized that she was hurting her.

"Wha… oh my God! I'm so sorry! Fiora, oh God, did I hurt you?"

"Nnnngh, n-no, I'm fine, just a tight squeeze, that's all."

Anzu and Fiora sat up, with the actress tenderly touching her friend. Fiora calmed her down, and then asked, "Didja have a nightmare?"

"Y-yeah, again," Anzu said with a shiver, but managed a brave face. "J-just the kind of dream where men are trying to grab you, you know, the horrible usual every girl gets at some point."

"Oh, I doo'nt really knoo' what I was dreaming, but I think someone was lunging at me…"

The actress stared at her, and asked, "Wait, did we have the same dream? Do… do you think we all did? Again?"

Fiora ran a hand through her hair, her ahoge bouncing from the motion. "I remember when we all had a nightmare not too long ago. With all the crazy stuff I've seen, I doo'nt doubt that whatever powers they have in Penjar is beyond that."

"Everyone having dreams of awful men trying to grab them and," Anzu stopped speaking, and shook her head. "No, no we won't let this get to us."

"Damn right! We're going to go doo'n there, and when everyone's having breakfast, we're gonna unite them! We'll get them all banded together, assembled, joined together, I will find me a damn thesaurus in this town and find moo'r words to describe-mmmmph~!"

Anzu cupped Fiora's face and kissed her. The kiss turned into more than one fast, and Anzu was quite the passionate kisser. She eventually pushed Fiora back and crash-landed on her again, smooching her more, for a steamy finisher to this sudden make-out session.

"Oh, wow," Fiora purred, face flushed with excitement. "Wh-what was that fur, eh?"

"It's a reward for coming back to your usual chatty, happy self! Now I know Fiora is raring to go, and I'm just so glad to see you! Let's get ready, I'll see you downstairs."

With a final sweet kiss, Anzu pushed up off of the bed, and started to walk to the door. "Oh, Fiora, can I use your shower before I head down? I didn't get to take one last night."

"Sure thing, Anzu!"

"Great~"

Anzu reached down to her blouse, and pulled it off. Before Fiora could comment, the girl shimmied out of her pants and underwear, pulling off her bra as the last article of clothing, and walked into the bathroom completely naked. The movie maker stared, jaw gaping, at what she had just seen.

Then the TV up on the wall buzzed to life, and she was startled by the sudden noise and chime from the screen.

---

(Day 12 has begun!)

(Monokids' Love Hotel Greeting)

*The three male Monokubs are standing at the front lobby desk for the men's side of the love hotel; Monokid is still wearing his military gear and carrying his sniper rifle. The screen is split by a fourth, with Monophanie alone at the women's side front lobby desk.*

Monokubs - "Rise and shine, ursine~"

Monophanie - "Rise and shine, ursine~"

Monokid - "So did you all enjoy sleeping in expensive rooms for free? You all fuck enough yet? Well, I can fuck a bitch up if need be!"

Monophanie - *She is talking at the same time as Monokid.* "Hi, everyone, I hope you all had a pleasant evening. Isn't it wonderful to spend time in some place exciting and new?"

Monosuke - "Youse all really need to get your head in the game! We gave youse that pass on using an item from a deceased person as a temporary pass! Why don't youse all have more belongings from dead folk!?"

Monophanie - *Again, she's talking at the same time as Monosuke.* "Yesterday was probably a hard first step for most of you, but don't you worry! I have full faith in you all!"

Monokid - "We're not going to tolerate your laziness and unwillingness! I got this great gun in my hands, and I GOTTA KILL SOMETHING! GIMME A REASON!"

Monophanie - *Still chatting at the same time as her brother.* "Today you might find a way to move forward, and help out not only Penjar, but yourselves. That's so loverly!"

Monodam - "…"

Monophanie - *Not quite talking over Monodam, but still talking nonetheless.* "Just no more murders, please! My poor stomach cannot take any more of those gruesome deaths… especially after poor Monotaro… or was he Taro at the time? Wait, he's still the same person… or bear… I'm so confused…"

Monokid - "Hey, are you dumb fucks listening to us? Answer us, you dipshits! DID I MENTION I HAVE A SNIPER RIFLE?!"

Monosuke - "Have youse forgotten? They cannot respond to youse, we're broadcasting to them."

Monokid - "I utterly refuse to take responsibility for a moment that makes me look stupid! I've got to shoot something!"

*Monokid levels the sniper rifle to his eye, pointing it at Monodam. The green Kub sprints away fast, legs a blur, as the blue Kub fires. The explosion of the rifle nullifies the sound for a few moments, and it can be heard throughout the hotel.*

Monokid - "BLAST IT! Get back here, I'm finally going to prove you ain't got brains to shoot out, Monodam!"

*He chases after Monodam, and another sniper rifle shot can be heard echoing throughout the hotel.*

Monosuke - "Someone should really stop him before he actually hurts something…"

Monophanie - *panicking with what looks like sweat coming from her forehead* "Are those sniper rifle shots? Is Monokid shooting at someone?!"

Monosuke & Monophanie - "… So long, bear well~"

---

Fiora stared at the screen after it went off, and then hurried over to the chest of drawers with clothing provided to her. She quickly changed into some new articles, placed her fedora on her head, and hurried out. If the Kubs were getting restless, she knew what she had to do next.

---

Day 12, 10:00 AM

Love Hotel

Cafeteria, Females' Side

By the top of the hour, almost all of the members on the female side were in the cafeteria, eating. Pyrrha had worked hard to make some breakfast, and had some help from Aka and Eisei. While having the dentist on their side was still a little unusual, his mannerisms and appearance made it easy for everyone.

Soon, all of them were enjoying waffles, pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Ten of them were in the cafe as soon as the eating started, then Fiora walked in with a heavy slump in her step. She sat down at a table, where Anzu offered her a plate full of food, and the movie maker flopped down on the table in a tragic mope.

Hara, the last member to arrive, came in and examined the ladies (and Eisei) carefully. Not many of them were talking, but there was quite a bit more calm compared to yesterday. Saiko waved at her and gave her a plate of food, commenting on how good it was.

The explorer stared at the food, then took in a deep breath. She stood up, picking up her glass of milk and a fork, and clinked them together. "Everyone? Could I have everyone's attention please?"

The women (and Eisei) all turned to face her. Kimiko raised an eyebrow and asked, "Doo'nt you usually do that when you're gonna propose a toast?"

"Um, I don't have a toast, but I do have a plan," Hara explained. "Listen, please, everyone, this is extremely important. Isaac and I spent a lot of time trying to organize something to work with our current situation, and we really, really need to you to hear us out. Or, just, me, I guess."

Hara shivered as she felt all the eyes on her, and she realized just how much she hated public speaking. She tried to control her breathing, and clenched her hands in an effort to get ahold of herself.

"Is Isaac going to be talking to the men?" Hikari questioned.

"Y-yes, he is."

"Oh, that's right, you two got to stay together for the night," Futaba remarked. "Must have been nice, being able to stay there."

"N-not really."

"What was it like?" Aka asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "What were the honeymoon suites, or whatever they were called, what were they like?"

Hara blushed as she recalled the room, and found herself wringing her hands. "I… I'd really rather not think about that room."

"Aw come on, some of us are never gonna see one of those rooms," the skier pleaded, grinning impishly. "Just what were they like? What could the Kubs possibly consider a marriage suite to look like?"

"Aka," Saiko snarled, pounding her fist on her table as she glared daggers at the skier, "shut the hell up, and let her talk."

The skier stared back in surprise at first, then glared just as fiercely. "You going to tell me what to do some more? Is that what this is? Just another way to order us around?"

"Wait, Aka," Hikari pleaded, putting her hand on the skier's shoulder, "just let it go, please?"

"I'm supposed to just trust everyone here blindly?" Aka snapped, her glare going between Saiko and Hara. "I cannot even hear what some stupid room looked like? Why do I have to take everything on faith from possible traitors?"

"Oh, is that how it is?" Saiko shouted, standing up with her hands on her hips. "We cannot be trusted unless we do what you say? Well then, we-"

"It was a horribly kinky and disturbing room with the most gaudy and over-the-top sex machines one side," Hara blurted out, covering her eyes as she spoke, "and there's a hot tub with a slide going into it! The bed is gigantic with a couple of merry-go-round horses going around it nonstop, and there's a big chandelier over the bed! It's all overly sexual and awful and I have to wear these clothes two days in a row because the only other clothing in that room for me has less fabric than the 'How to Wash' tags!"

The women (and Eisei) were all silent at this rather sudden outburst. They all stared, then Anzu let out a small giggle. "The hot tub sounds nice. It has a slide?"

"I want a hot tub with a slide in my room," Kimiko whined, grinning playfully at Hara.

"The hot tub part does sounds rather neat," Aka admitted, rubbing her chin as she stared down at the ground. "Okay, fine. Sorry. Hara, what's your plan?"

The explorer stopped covering her face, and took a deep breath. She glanced at Saiko, who was leering at Aka, before she gave her friend an encouraging nod. "Okay," Hara said, "here's the plan: we're going to ask all of you who is willing to help us with the marriage motive, not just for a possible marriage but also to stabilize the first registrations so that we can have an idea who can go first out of our volunteers."

---

Day 12, 10:10 AM

Love Hotel

Cafeteria, Males' Side

"Now I know some of you may be leery," Isaac said to the gathered men in the cafeteria, "of trusting my fiancé and I a bit blindly, but we believe this may work out for everyone. Even if we are down a man or two, even if you think agreeing to trying out this marriage motive makes us look bad.

"Just remember that that is what Monokuma, the Mastermind, the Kubs, all those plotting against us, are planning on us to do. They want us to be too scared to act, too afraid of being labeled as perverts and cads; however, we're adults, we're capable of rational planning. No one is going to be forced to do this."

He took a moment to collect himself, before he noticed a certain cartoonist was nervously raising his hand. "Yes, what is it, Drake?"

"Yejoon's not here, should we try to get him involved?"

Isaac sighed as he crossed his arms. "I'm afraid that relying on him to work along with our plans would be too great of a risk. Even if I don't wish to discard all assets, he is far too much of a… free spirit to work alongside us. Yejoon refuses to work with us until absolute necessity."

"He hasn't even shown up for breakfast yet," Ishiku grumbled. "Not that we really want him around, but it does get unnerving not knowing where he is."

Isaac cleared his throat, and continued with what he was saying. "Okay, everyone, this is the plan. We are going to pick two people to enter the chapel area, to hopefully flush out any issues that could pop up out of the starting gate."

"Wait, what?" Yitro interrupted. "This is supposed to be about trust, but we're going to behave like we don't trust each other?"

"It's a necessity, and also we want to make sure the Monokubs don't try anything funny with this, should a couple go through with the marriage as they requested. I know it sounds bad, but we want to ensure that this plays out how we want it to.

"Hara is going to instruct two of the women who cannot comply with a relationship like this to go first, and we're going to send two guys as well. The timing is important, because if we see someone has entered and registered, we'll know due to one of our two men, or one of their two women, entering without being married at some point.

"My fiancé is going to ask Hikari and Aka to go first, as they are both lesbians and won't agree. I was going to ask one of you who cannot comply to the full deal of the marriage to go first, and then Blake to go second."

The pyro stared at the reporter, a shadow of shock passing across his face for the briefest of moments. "Really now?"

"Blake, when Aka started a fight, you started insulting women in general, in front of all of them. Do you think they'd forget that?"

Blake seethed, crossing his arms as he rolled his eyes. He didn't say anything at first, then he let out a loud scoff. "Fine, whatever, I already knew I wasn't Mr. Popular, mate. Glad to know I was first on your mind when it came to deplorable to everyone."

"Are you seriously going to act offended over this?" Ken snapped, glaring at the pyro. "We all know what you've done, and you have the gall to act like it should be forgiven and forgotten?"

"Hey, I was the one who almost got his brains blown out, I haven't threatened anyone here! Haven't I always been helpful when it comes to…"

Blake stopped talking, and a look crossed his face. Whatever went through his mind sucked the wind right out of his sails, because the fire in his tone and eyes was snuffed out immediately. He muttered, "Wh-whatever, just, Isaac, go on. Who's next?"

---

Day 12, 10:12 AM

Love Hotel

Cafeteria, Females' Side

"Aka going first will let us known if the chapel registry, for lack of a better term," Hara explained, "is evened out. She and whoever the men pick will head over to the chapel at 11 AM, and report back to us as soon as possible."

"So we're all going to stay in the love hotel?" Pyrrha inquired.

"Yes, we wanted to focus on getting this issue settled, not break off into little groups. At 11:30 AM, Hikari will be going to the chapel, as will Blake from the guys' side."

"What the hell," Aka remarked with the most disgusted look on her face, "you want her to marry that jackass?!"

"It doesn't actually mean anything, Aka," Hara said. "It's important we do this, and we cannot risk sending someone who could possibly marry, or whatever this union is; sorry, I keep using marriage as if it could really happen…"

"Why can't Eisei be the one to marry Blake?" the skier complained, glancing over at the dentist. "He's as likely as her to do the sex part of that marriage."

Eisei opened his mouth to speak, but then Saiko stuck a lollipop in his mouth to prevent him from embarrassing himself. The dentist stared questioningly at the forensic investigator, but she merely shrugged, and spoke her mind.

"Hikari is just doing this to assure balance, and she's not even complaining, Aka. Quit being difficult."

The skier glared daggers at the investigator, which were swiftly returned. Hara whimpered as she saw another possible argument breaking out, and she quickly declared, "Aka, we don't want to marry Eisei in case Monokid changes his mind about him and sends him over to the men's side."

The women (and bachelor Eisei) stared at Hara, slightly confusing about this. "You really think he'll do that?" Crystal asked. "I mean, none of us can guess what that damn Kub is going to do, but still…"

"We want to hold off on Eisei, just in case Monokid does see the truth," Hara explained. "Yes, it's unlikely with that maniacal, little bear, but there's always a chance."

Aka threw her hands up in the air in frustration, and then crossed them over her chest. "Okay, fine, whatever, marry the sexist jackass. But wait, what if when I go there, and I'm not married?"

Hara opened her mouth to speak, before a muffled, exasperated voice came from one of the tables. "You won't, eh."

The group turned to see Fiora, still with her face slumped on the table and her arms crossed over her head as if to hide herself. "I can assure you, the marriage registry has bin evened 'oot."

"Wait a minute, sweetheart," Anzu said, rubbing the movie maker's back, "why are you so sure?"

"I knoo', 'cuz I joo'st got married."

There was silence from the group, and then several of them shouted, "WHAT!?" in unison. Hara, trying to keep her panic down, cried out, "You went to the chapel? When?"

"Joo'st befur breakfast, eh," the still quite muffled and infuriated movie maker answered. "I was so inspired by Fiora encouraging me to do my best, I decided I should do the right thing and sign myself up for this motive."

"Wait, this is a good thing, right?" Kimiko asked, undaunted by the awkward silence that was threatening to suffocate Fiora with unspoken shame. "If Fiora married befur breakfast, that means the registry is even, and we doo'nt need to send in the two false entries."

"We don't know if the men know this too, however," Hara explained. "Though we should still do the false entries, according to plan."

"Fiora, can't you restrain yourself," Futaba asked, raising one of her eyebrows, "for one day? Why do you have to be so impulsive?"

"Do you just," Saiko grumbled, "just habitually ruin other peoples' plans? Is that your goal in life, B-Movie Maker?"

"Hey, stop making fun of her!" Anzu defensively cried out, wrapping her arm around Fiora's shoulders.

Hara took several deep breaths as she tried to keep calm at this unwanted twist. "Wait, real quick, Fiora, who did you marry?"

"Unnnnnnnnnghghghgh…"

---

Fiora walked down the unnaturally long hallway, humming to herself as she tried to calm her nerves. "It's alright, Fiora, you got this! You can do this! Joo'st go into the chapel, and marry whoever is there! And then… oh boy."

She stepped up to the dividing line, the one in front of the list of instructions on the marriage rules. The movie maker nervously swallowed, and then stepped over the line.

Immediately there was a burst of confetti from the ceiling, making her yelp as she had it shower down in front of her. Staring incredulously at it, she was startled again when Monophanie fell from the ceiling, and threw her paws up in celebration upon landing.

"Congratulations, newlyweds," she declared, "you have found a partner for yourself, and it is amazingly well-timed! That really helps us out, because you're both already here!"

"Huh? What?" Fiora asked.

"Well, you see, it's a little hard for me to keep track of you all, and Monosuke is in charge of the guys' side," Monophanie explained. "That made me afraid of lack of communication, especially since I cannot always be here to marry off the newlyweds."

"Wait, weren't you joo'st in the ceiling?" Fiora asked, staring up at the air duct that Monophanie had fallen from.

"Oh… no, I was hiding from Monokid, ever since he started shooting up the hotel."

Fiora then noticed it was in fact dust that had fallen down from the ceiling, and not confetti. The loud bang must have been when Monophanie applied pressure to the grate and snapped it open. The movie maker sighed, and said, "Okay, good to knoo' that this was made simpler for me, so you're saying that my husband, so to speak, is nearby?"

"He's at the chapel, waiting for his new wife," Monophanie said cheerfully. "Monosuke is with him! Come on, come on!"

Monophanie lifted up her paw, which Fiora couldn't help but smile as she accepted it. Walking her down the hallway that now felt like an aisle, the movie maker couldn't help but feel quite excited now. Ridiculousness did not dampen her mood.

"Here you are," Monophanie declared as they rounded the corner, seeing for the first time the terrible looking altar with the rows of plastic chairs in front of it. One of the chairs had been turned around, and one of the men was sitting it in. He was writing something in a notebook, but looked up when Fiora walked in…

…

…

…

…

…

"AAAAAAAAAAAYIEEEEE!"

"Oh come now, little flower, aren't we past that by now?"

---

"You married him?!" Futaba declared, trying so hard not to laugh. "You married your stalker?"

"Shoot oop," Fiora tried to say as she smushed her face harder against the table, in an effort to melt into it and become one with an object that doesn't feel embarrassment.

"If you're all done making her feel awful," Anzu said with an angry stare around the room, "we should be grateful for the fact that Hara's plan will go by just fine. Come on now, let's listen to her, and we can finally have a solid plan!"

The group in the cafeteria murmured agreement, though Anzu overheard Crystal say as well, "And we're listening to the porn star for reasonable advice, this is truly a strange world."

The actress giggled and placed her chin on the backs of her fingers in a dainty pose. "Ain't it a bitch when things flip on you like that?"

Hara gathered her courage to get her public speaking skills in order. "Al-alright, I'm sorry we got distracted. So Aka is going at 11 AM, Hikari at 11:30. After each of you come back, discussing possible pairings with your male, um, partner, so to speak, we'll plan out who goes over there… um, uh… to do it more seriously?"

"Oh my, are you shipping us now?" Pyrrha asked, giggling. "That's my job!"

Hara chuckled nervously, and said, "I… I know it's kind of silly, but we thought of some good ideas, though we wanted to make sure whoever goes is going to be fine. Remember, you have all the right in the world to say 'no' to the… the… consummation…"

"RUN WHILE YOU CAN, HUMAN~!"

Monophanie burst into the cafeteria from the door furthest down the hallway, and sprinted towards the group. She hurried over to Hara, shrieking, "Hara! Hara Hara Hara! Thank bearness I found you! I gotta get you out of here!"

"M-Monophanie?" Hara sputtered. "What are you doing here?"

"You have to leave now!"

"Hey, no way," Saiko shouted. "You're just trying to break up this plan she's lain out for us!"

Several of the women stood up, glaring at the pink Kub. Monophanie scanned the room, whimpered in a high-pitched voice, and declared, "N-no, you don't understand! Monokid is hunting for you!"

"He's what now?" Hara balked, covering her mouth in shock as her jaw dropped.

"Daddy was joking about him mistaking people for the wrong gender again, and he said something like, "What if that couple that's already engaged are pretending to be a different gender? Wouldn't that be crazy?" and then Monokid declared he was going to start shooting at one of you as a test!"

Hara froze up in shock. "H-how does shooting at me prove I am my gender?!"

"I don't really know, he said something along the lines of, "Real men don't fucking care if there's bullets coming at them, because they're manly men and bullets don't scare them," and I was saying how that makes no sense, but I'm afraid that means he's going to shoot at you without considering aim-"

There was a sniper rifle shot somewhere throughout the hotel. Everyone flinched, and Monophanie shrieked. "I gotta get you out of here, I cannot let you get hurt; you're my OTP here! Come with me!"

Monophanie reached up and grabbed Hara's hand, leading her out through the other door of the cafeteria. The explorer followed after, the sniper shot having unnerved her enough to listen to the pink Kub.

The women (and Eisei) were all deathly quiet after Hara and Monophanie left the room. They were all exchanging glances, wondering what to do now that the one with the plan was gone.

"Shouldn't one of us go after her?" Crystal suggested. "Find out the plan, you know?"

As the shock of what happened started to die down amongst the others, Eisei spoke up as well. "The best course of action would be for, at the least, Hikari and Aka to stay near the hotel due their roles. Those of us who won't be going to the chapel to get married should try and find Hara and Monophanie, and get the rest of the plan ASAP-"

"RUN WHILE YOU CAN, HUMAN~!"

The group was once again startled when Monokid barged in through the far door where Monophanie had entered. The doors swung wide and banged against the walls, and the sniper Kub marched in and surveyed the area.

"Alright, where's the pretender?!" he demanded to know. "Where's whats-her-name? And don't try to pass off as her, I know what she looks like, I just don't care to learn fucking names all that much!"

Those in the cafeteria stared in silence, wondering what was the best course of action to take with a crazy bear like this. Aka braved the first words, "She went out the way you just came in."

"What? But I just fucking came in that way."

"You didn't see her? Bummer, you just missed her."

"I knew she was sneaky! And you all let her slip through my bear paws! You women all work together, don't you? I knew this would be the case! Alright, I gotta hunt this imposter down and make sure she's who she says she is!"

"Hara is a woman, you dolt," Saiko shouted. "How can you forget that?"

"I bearly remember what she looks like, let alone her name!"

"… Wait, what? You just said you remember what she looks like-"

"Stop arguing with me, I'm full of determination and piss, and I'm all out of piss because this takes the piss!"

The doors swung open, and Monokuma, wearing a military helmet on his head, marched in. He surveyed the area, and shouted, "Atten'SHUN! Monokid! What's your latest report?!"

"Girls being girly girls, I can't do anything with 'em, Dad."

"Now now, don't get mad, get imposing! Show them your determination and piss, as it were! Get grizzly!"

The blue Kub snapped his claws together, and shouted, "You know what, when you're fucking right, you're fucking right! I'mma gonna make a new rule, to stop the females from working against me again!"

Monokid reached behind himself, and pulled a cigar from seemingly nowhere. He stuck it in his mouth, and lit it with a lighter he also procured from Lord knows whatever hammerspace these Kubs have on their metal beings. Puffing on the cigar, he spoke with it clenched in his teeth.

"From now on, all of you are limited to groups of three! If I see more than three of you nearby each other, I'mma gonna start giving you warning shots!"

"You cannot be serious!" Futaba said, clenching her fists. Around her, the women (and Eisei) were quite agitated as well. "You are going to limit our movement now?"

"Did I stutter, bitch?" Monokid shouted. He slapped his sniper rifle into both paws, and added, "And I see a lot of you in one place, at one time."

"Oh, I cannot believe you're being," Kimiko snapped, "such an irritating little-"

BLAM!

The terribly deafening noise of a rifle going off inside sent shivers down the spines of even the strongest-willed people. Most of them started to sprint out of the cafeteria, wanting to get the hell away from the Kub, but also to start breaking apart from the others.

Hikari and Crystal stayed where they were. The steampunk model felt herself locking up with fear but unable to bring herself to run. The military adviser stared down Monokid, refusing to budge or be intimidated at all.

This led them to see Monokuma, with part of his head blown off, slump over "dead" from the warning shot that Monokid had given. The blue Kub exhaled, billowing cigar smoke all around him, then glanced over to his side. "Oh, sorry, Dad."

---

Day 12, 10:21 AM

Love Hotel

Cafeteria, Males' Side

"Is that fucking bear STILL shooting?" Blake shouted, unnerved by the rifle's blast echoing in his ears still. "What the absolute fuck, what are they doing over there?"

"He shot at them twice," Drake whimpered. "Oh God, I hope they're all okay! He's really not very nice, especially with a gun!"

"You have a way with understatements, my dear Drake," Souma remarked. He rubbed his forehead, and said to Isaac, "I'm sorry, the shots really distracted us, Isaac, could you go over the plan one more time?"

Before the reporter could speak, the doors on the right side of the cafeteria swung open. Monodam, running so fast that his little legs were a blur, scurried into the room.

"HELP. HELP. I-DO-NOT-WISH-TO-DIE-AT-THIS-CURRENT-POINT-IN-MY-LIFE," he announced with his usual monotone. "MONOKID-WILL-BE-COMING-FOR-ME-NEXT."

Drake sprinted over and picked him up, holding him close to the chest. When the others stared at him, he said, "I'm not going to let Monokid hurt him."

The others appeared to have something they wanted to say about that, but Shuuya cut in. "Let's not critique this while we still have to review the plan. Isaac, could you go over it again?"

"Okay, here's how we'll do it: the two false leads will go first, at 11 AM and 11:30 AM. The two false leads will discuss with those they marry on who would over there would be most comfortable marrying one of us and going that extra distance…"

The reporter cleared his throat as he tried to not blush so much as he spoke. "After that, we'll organize who can go next, and send them in every hour after 11:30 AM. We want to give everyone ample time to prepare, to discuss this with possible partners."

"So, the first person to seriously go to the chapel," Souma remarked, "will go at 12:30 PM? And from there, an hour later for each one? Why so much time?"

"Hara came up with the idea, she said that if we try to rush people to the chapel, it might make people feel like they're getting forced into the marriages," Isaac explained.

"Yeah, because women just always have to act like they're being pressured into this," Blake muttered angrily. "It's not like they don't enjoy sex, half of them are probably banging each other over there!"

"And you wonder why you're a throwaway choice," Yitro snapped. "So, Isaac, who's going to be the first throwaway? The one who's going to talk to Aka?"

Isaac looked over at Souma, who raised an eyebrow at the attention. "Oh, you wish for me to do this?" the public speaker asked. "I mean, while I do not wish to actively partake in the marriage motive, I didn't think I would be the throwaway at the very start. Because if worst came to worst…"

"You're not scared of Aka, are you, Souma?" Odelios said with a big grin on his face.

He swallowed nervously, and muttered, "No, that's not it! What I mean is, I just didn't think I would be disqualified altogether. I may sound a bit wishy-washy, but I was thinking…"

"If he doesn't want to go first," Drake spoke up, "I'll do it. It's okay, I could never take part in what they're asking for."

"What, really?" Ken asked, staring in confusion at the cartoonist. "But you and Ignatia have a relationship, do you not? Why don't you two-"

"It's not like that!" The cartoonist squeezed Monodam close to his chest, and started stammering nervously, "I… I… I… don't know how to say it… it's so embarrassing…"

"Drake, there's absolutely nothing embarrassing about this, calm down," Shuuya said, as he casually adjusted his trench coat. "If you're saving yourself for marriage, if you and Ignatia aren't at that level, if there's any other reason, you don't have to be ashamed of the fact that you two aren't prepared to have sex."

"You two do have to take it kind of slow, that's for sure," Odelios remarked. "I mean, you gotta get around the fact that she doesn't talk. Or is it she cannot talk?"

"Wait, shouldn't you stay available?" Blake questioned, staring in utter confusion at Drake. "In case she wants to hook up with you?"

Drake nervously shook some more, before Isaac put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Everyone, let's not interrogate him over this, alright? It's personal, and Drake has already volunteered. We'll send him off at 11 AM, and then we'll go with Blake at 11:30 AM."

"Are you sure he'll be okay talking to Aka?" Souma questioned. "She can be a bit abrasive."

"It's either him or Blake talks to her."

"Like fuck that'll go over well," the pyro declared. "I mean, she'll probably just go on about how all men are shit and such, and ruin everything!"

There was a grinding of a chair pushing away from a table, as Ishiku stood up. "Yeah, no thanks to you, jerk," he spat out, then he started to leave the cafeteria.

"Ishiku, where are you going?" Souma asked. "You are still needed!"

"Am I?" the magician shot back at the public speaker, glaring at everything in the room. "I'm not going to go over there, there's no woman over on that side who'd want me. I'm not trusted, I'm not wanted, so just let me go do my own thing, okay?"

He barged out of the cafeteria, leaving the men in silence. Then Blake stood up, and started to walk out.

"What are you doing, Blake?" Isaac asked, staring down the pyro.

The pyrotechnician shrugged, and said, "I have a feeling I know where he's going, and I think I want to get a drink too. Don't worry, I got my phone with me, I'll come back at 11:30."

"It would be best if you stay here," Ken said, glaring at Blake.

"It would be best if none of you tell me what the fuck to do."

With that, Blake was out of the cafeteria as well. Isaac rubbed his forehead in frustration, then said, "Souma, if he doesn't come back, do you mind being that 11:30 appointment? I don't know of anyone else here to take the part."

Souma scanned the men in the room, which included a clown and an assassin. When he looked at the former, Odelios grinned and waved at him. Shuuya merely exchanged the glance before asking, "Well? Will you?"

"I, um, sure, very well," Souma said with a shrug. "I guess, I will not be uncooperative. We're definitely going to need some order with how things are."

"Okay, now, everyone," Isaac said, addressing the room, "you don't need to name names, we're not going into locker room gossiping here; however, Drake needs to convey to the other side who is willing. After that orgy we had, I know some of you may have had something.

"Don't worry, Hikari will tell Drake who is interested in specific guys on the other side first off. Now, who is willing to put their name forward?"

The seven men in the cafeteria were silent for a few moments, then Odelios raised his hand. Isaac stared at him, and then asked bluntly, "Anyone seriously going to say anything?"

"Hey, I'm serious," the clown protested. "Though I don't know which of the two I should mention…"

"Odelios!"

---

Day 12, 10:36 AM

Northern Plaza

Eastern Side, Outdoors

Pyrrha heaved in exasperation, hugging herself as she stared at the two others with her. "Anzu… Futaba… wh-what do we do?"

"I'm not sure I know, to be honest," Anzu replied, as she glanced around the open area. "I just… w-wait a minute. Look at this… the… the mists…"

The three women glanced around at the area. Sure enough, the mists were far thicker, and seemed to be growing in density. They were barely able to see the buildings, even though they didn't seem that far from them.

"Oh great, Monokuma jacked up the mist factor again," Futaba said, shaking her head. "I'm beginning to think the motive isn't the marriage, but this feeling of being separated more and more."

"I'm actually afraid," Pyrrha said, rubbing her arms, "to even think about what else could happen. I mean, this is getting unreal. It was actually looking hopeful when Hara was talking about the plan…"

The redhead then smiled a little, and said, "Isn't that just so sweet, though? Those two worked up a plan together, it's so amazing how much their love makes them so competent. Hara was even talking to us, a crowd, and she's not really the most social person to do that. How romantic!"

Anzu and Futaba stared at her, then both of them laughed in a mixture of relief and amusement. "You just went from shivering scared," Futaba said, "to gushing about romance."

"I cannot help myself! It's so sweet~"

The actress giggled as she swished her hips, then said, "Okay, girls, as cute as this is, maybe we should try to think of what to do about Hara's plan?"

Futaba corrected her glasses, and spoke as she folded her arms. "Hikari and Aka are going to be going at 11 and 11:30, so I would assume that the plan is that afterwards, the women who are serious about having sex for the marriage to be official to go first."

"Yeah, possibly going to send someone everyone half-hour," Anzu said, "if we go by how they've set up the start of the plan. Hikari and Aka will probably let us know who on the guy's side will go first, they have to be a bit organized like that…

"Yeah, Aka goes first, and then talks to whoever they send first, then Hikari comes to confirm it! They really planned it out well!"

"But who should go first?" Pyrrha asked. "I mean, knowing who is over there, I'm sure the guys know who would be a better choice than others. Yejoon is married to Fiora… oh the poor thing."

"She'll live, don't worry," Futaba said. "But I want to know, who should go first over here? I don't mind most of the men."

"I don't mind either," Pyrrha said, though she was blushing almost instantly. "I mean, I'm not… well, that is to say…"

"Girls, you have a porn star right here," Anzu said, snickering as she swished her hips more. "If there was anyone who was meant to do it with a random guy, it would be me."

"It's not a race," Futaba said with a laugh. "I mean, whoever does go first, I don't mind also doing it to ensure we can explore as much of this plaza as possible."

"Maybe you two will find someone you really connect with over this?" Pyrrha said, her eyes twinkling in excitement. "This could be such a memorable experience."

"I kind of have sex for a living," Anzu pointed out, "I don't think I'll fall head over heels for a guy after we make love."

"I'm not a romantic, I'm far more casual," Futaba remarked.

Pyrrha puffed up her face and crossed her arms. "Ruin all my fantasies, why don't you? Fine, whatever. Which of us will go first?"

"Anzu can, but I'll go after her. Also, what is very important that we get everyone on the same page," Futaba said, caressing her gloved hand. "We should split up, and let everyone them know of the times."

"I can go to the clothing shop," Anzu volunteered.

"I'll go to the spa," Futaba said.

"I'll go to…"

Pyrrha then saw someone moving through the mist. She squinted, and then her eyes lit up. "Wait, that's Ignatia! I'll go after her! Ignatia!"

The romance writer started to head towards the mime, who noticed her and then started to run. Pyrrha hesitated for a moment, then declared, "No, you're not getting out of this that easily! Get back here!"

As the romance writer and mime disappeared into the mist, Anzu and Futaba exchanged glances. "Sometimes I feel like our situation," the anthropologist said with a shake of her head, "is too weird to be believable, even when we're in it."

"Life is a very odd thing, is it not? Meet you back at the love hotel at 11, okay?"

"Sounds good."

---

Day 12, 10:49 AM

Bowling Alley

Bar

Ishiku trudged through the bowling alley, trying to drown out the fun sounds that were coming from the lanes, the arcade machines, the music playing overhead. It would have been the perfect distraction for him normally, but he was aiming for the bar.

The bartender wasn't Monosuke, but Monokuma, wearing a tuxedo over his dumb, bear body. Ishiku groaned, and then realized another Monokuma was seated at the bar, drinking a martini.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the magician asked, gaining the attention of the two Monokumas. "Why are you serving… yourself?"

"Hey, my children are all very busy right now, and sometimes a bear needs to earn himself a few more coins, you know?" Monokuma the Bartender, or Beartender as Ishiku was mentally calling him now, said.

"Yeah, and it's 10 AM somewhere," the Monokuma drinking said, tipping his glass towards Ishiku.

"It's 10 AM now."

"Oh, is it?" the drinking Monokuma asked. "Huh. How many of these have I had?"

Ishiku sat down at the counter, unperturbed by the bears. He knocked at the wood, saying, "Just give me a drink, will ya?"

"Martini?"

"With how much I'm gonna be drinking, it'll be a mar-major."

"Upupupu! I like the way you think, magic man! Let me see what I got here…"

Monokuma moved down underneath the counter, and clicking glass could be heard. As Ishiku waited, he heard someone walking up behind him.

"You really gonna get shit-faced again, mate? And this early?"

The magician turned to see Blake staring him down, which made Ishiku glare with contempt. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm here to stop you from doing something really fucking stupid."

"Oh, why don't you just… fuck off? I know why you're really here," Ishiku pounded his fist on the countertop, and said, "You just want to mock me."

"If I wanted to mock you, I'd come out of the gate swinging at ya. Listen, Ishiku, this isn't a road you want to go down."

"Like you care."

Blake sat down next to Ishiku, crossing his tattooed arms as he spoke. "I've been to prison, mate. I've seen how men, those way tougher than you, utterly destroy themselves like you're aiming to."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're still hung up about Fannie, aren't you? Look, we had our differences about that…"

"You repeatedly said you wanted to beat the shit out of me."

"Yeah, I kind of did. But I know what you're doing, and it's what men in prison did it all the time. A lot of guys get locked up because of a woman, or the women break up with them while they're in jail. Now, the effects don't happen at first, but you know what those dumb fuckers do?"

Blake spun on the bar stool, and leaned against the counter as he thought back to his time. "They start picking fights that they might not win, maybe even know they can't. They find the contraband, like smokes and booze, and consume them like they were candies. And those are some of the nicer things I wanna mention…

"But you know what happens most of the time? They break themselves, destroy their body and spirit utterly. Some of them end up dead, they just fucking give up."

The pyro ran a hand through his hair, and muttered, "I saw some real tough sons of bitches wreck themselves over their woes. They weren't pussies, but we all know what it was: they felt no one would ever love them again after they got their heart broken like that."

Ishiku took a deep breath, and muttered, "Yeah, so, why are you telling me all this? I would think you'd want to see me destroy myself."

"Oh, if you do, I don't really care," Blake remarked with a shrug. "Go ahead, do it, wreck yourself over a sheila like that now-a-bear. But you do realize that the rest of us are going to have to pick up the slack when you ruin yourself."

The magician stared him down, utterly puzzled. "And you care about this… why?"

"The more we stay in this town, the more we're kind of in a prison. And if it's like that, you take care of the inmates who could do you some good later. You say no one trusts you, but they worse than distrust me, they consider me disposable."

Blake rubbed his forehead, and muttered, "And when you consider the fact that your only defense is that you help them out during the trials and investigations, the same defense that a fucking serial killer has, you realize that you ain't got much of a bargaining chip.

"Maybe you and I could consider ourselves chips if we work together in the future, mate. Think about that."

The pyrotechnician pat Ishiku's shoulder, and then stood up to leave. Ishiku watched him go, confused, puzzled, all sorts of baffled.

"Did you want extra-alcohol in your drink, buddy?" Monokuma the Beartender asked.

"Um, hold off on the drink for a few minutes, Monokuma," Ishiku requested.

"Alright then, buddy, just let me know when you wanna drown your sorrows."

"BARKEEP!" the Monokuma patron on the stool shouted, pushing the empty martini glass forward. "GIMME ANOTHER MARTINI!"

"I think you've had enough there, buddy."

"You don't tell me when I've had enough!"

"Of course I can tell you when you've had enough, I'm you!"

"No, you're not me, I'm you!"

"YOU'RE ME!"

"WELL THEN, WHO'S YOU?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" "I DUNNO!"

"Actually, you know what? Let's BOTH have martinis!"

"Oh, that solves everything!"

"Upupupupu!" "Phuhuhuhu!"

Ishiku laid his head on the counter, and mumbled something about just ending it there.

---

Day 12, 10:58 AM

Love Hotel

Left Side Lobby

"It's almost 11 AM," Isaac said, glancing at his cell phone. The seven men had gathered in the lobby, nearby the entrance to that single, long hallway. Drake was nervously glancing around, still clutching Monodam to his chest. "Are you ready, Drake?"

"Y-y-yeah. I mean, it's no big deal, right?"

"Right, you're just going off," Odelios cheered, "to go marry a tomboy lesbian who hates men and enjoys going down on frosty slopes and curves! Hehehe!"

"Odelios!" Souma chided him. "That's not helping!"

The clown pouted, then held up his rubber chicken. "Are you guys sure I cannot convince you to let Rubarrow be our sacrificial lamb? I've heard some women do like their rubber toys-"

"Okay, I think we've heard, clown boy," Shuuya said, turning to Odelios. "We get it, you don't want to be here, but we need your support in this endeavor. You can go talk to Ishiku after we've settled things with the women."

"I refuse to be totally compliant with your incredibly reasonable plan that is the only way we can resolve this strenuous situation peacefully! I demand the right to free speech!"

Isaac rubbed his forehead, muttering to himself, "Right, just like you saying that Pyrrha and Crystal would both be interested in you."

"Argh! Just send the kid already, or the attention's going to be all on me even more!"

"I can go now, if you all want?" Drake asked nervously.

"I-CANNOT-WAIT-TO-BE-THE-BEST-MAN," Monodam said, "AT-YOUR-WEDDING."

"N-not helping, Monodam!"

"OH-I-AM-SORRY-I-THOUGHT-THAT-HUMOR-WAS-THE-HUMAN-WAY-OF-ALLEVIATING-TENSION."

"Drake, just go, kid!" Isaac advised. "If she's not there, just wait for her."

"Okay!"

Drake hurried off down the hallway, with some of the guys shouting encouragement. It was one of the oddest moments of their lives, but they still did it for him.

"Don't worry," Ken called out, "none of this is official!"

"You're just relaying information, little buddy," Yitro encouraged him.

"We're so proud of you," Odelios cheered, "marrying a lesbian for political reasons! You've grown up so fast!"

Drake almost jogged down the hallway, trying to think of what to say. When he made it to the sign, the line that was the border to the chapel, he hesitated. Then, he took a step over it.

Walking slowly forward, he eventually found himself in the chapel room. He noticed the large golden elevator on his left, which seemed overly glamorous to him. Then he saw the altar, and also noticed who was in the seats.

"Yejoon?" he blurted out, as the serial killer was busy writing in a notebook. The artist paused and looked up, then chuckled from behind his mask.

"Ah, Mr. Flare, this is quite the surprise," he said, shaking his head incredulously. "I didn't think you would be so bold as to marry one of the ladies."

"Um, no, there's a strategy about what we're going to do. But wait, if you're here… oh no!"

"Relax, I am already married to Miss Stenton. Or maybe she is now Mrs. Stenton? Mrs. Nahm, I would imagine, heh. Maybe she could get it hyphenated, that would look fancy for a name in a movie."

Drake blinked in confusion, and then there was a popping sound from behind him. He spun around, to see Monosuke holding a popper with confetti falling from to the floor. "Congratulations," Monosuke cheered, "we got youse a bride! Youse been officially married!"

"H-huh?" Drake asked. "Already?"

"Why do youse think I'm sticking around here? I knew youse all were gonna get married sooner rather than later, youse scamps!"

Monodam crossed his arms and turned his head away from Monosuke. "YOU-SHOULD-TAKE-A-MORE-PROFESSIONAL-OUTLOOK-ON-HELPING-THEM-GET-ALONG."

"We got a wide selection of hot babes for the guys, Monodam, how's that for helping them to get along? Upupupu! Oh, here she comes now, congratulations to the both of you!"

Drake glanced up from the bickering bears, and saw someone walk around the corner. It wasn't Aka, however, it was Hikari. The steampunk model froze when she saw Drake, and then Yejoon seated at one of the chairs for the altar.

"Wh-what?" Hikari stammered. "What's going on?"

"Youse is married now," Monosuke shouted, procuring another popper and letting the confetti fly. "Yay! Yay yay yay! Our second marriage in Penjar! How wonderful!"

"What?! What… wait a minute, Drake! Yejoon! What did I-"

"I am married to Fiora already," Yejoon explained, before going back to his writing. "Since Drake was next in here, I would assume he was your husband."

Hikari blinked, then stared at Drake. She retained her composure, and then smiled pleasantly at him. "Hi, sweetheart! Sorry if I was a bit late, but I had to come here last minute!"

"W-wait," Drake stammered, as Hikari's smile was a very distracting pleasantry; she was an Ultimate model for a reason, after all. "Isaac said that Aka was supposed to come here!"

"Oh, there's a bit of a story to that," Hikari said, nervously scratching the back of her head. "Monokid kind of broke up our group, and I had to improvise when I was in the hotel… and I have no idea where Aka went."

Drake bit his bottom lip, then thought back to earlier in the hour. "Oh, was that what those sniper shots were about?"

"Yes, it was really awful, but we shouldn't waste time, sweetheart," she said, walking over to him. "You and I need to relay information, and then we can help out both sides."

"Alright," Drake said, nodding. "Why don't you go first?"

"So, um… oh shoot! I don't know where to start!" Hikari gripped the sides of her head, her fancy hat almost falling off. "Shoot shoot shoot! I… um…"

"Whoa, don't panic, Hikari. Here, sit down…"

Drake offered her one of the chairs, and sat down alongside her. He reached over and rubbed her back comfortingly, as she took deep breaths. "I'm… I'm so sorry," she apologized. "But the shooting, it really unnerved me."

"It's okay, should I go first then?"

"If you could, darling."

"Okay. First off, O…"

Drake swallowed the nervous anxiety building up in him, and tried to speak as calmly as possible. "Odelios says that he is okay with either Crystal or Pyrrha approaching him."

"What?" Hikari asked.

"What?" Yejoon remarked, pausing his writing to stare at the cartoonist.

"What?!" Monosuke balked.

"That's just the message, I don't really know myself!" Drake pleaded. "Also, Yitro said…"

The cartoonist stopped again, and his eyes went to Yejoon. The artist had stopped his writing again, and was watching them now. The coldest chill ran up Drake's spine, and he tried to stammer out, "I… I don't remember what Yitro said."

"Darling, we should probably focus on what you do remember," Hikari said, placing her hand on his. "Come on, you can do this. You're a very capable young man, you've proved it again and again. So just talk to me."

"O-okay, you're right! What I do remember, is that Ken said-"

There was a sharp whine from the feedback of an overhead speaker. When those in the chapel glanced up, they could see that there was indeed a speaker on the ceiling, meant for music, but now part of an announcement.

"Attention, fuckers who are in our chapel," Monokid's voice came raging out as a violent attack. "I see there are FIVE of you in there! That is one more than three! How fucking dare you!"

"Wh-what?" Drake blurted out. "What's he talking about?"

"Monokid said the women were only supposed to be in groups of three from now on," Hikari quickly explained, "but that's the women! There's two guys and two bears, and one woman!"

"I'll remind you all that I said groups of three only! I am ashamed of you, breaking the rules so early! How do I know that the one in the mask ain't a woman in disguise, or that fucker who looks like Monodam? That could totally be a female pretending to be someone I want to shoot to avoid being shot!"

"I think," Monosuke said, rubbing his chin, "my brother has lost it."

"Okay, I'm not going to get the sniper rifle for this case, but I will flood the chapel room with tear gas in ten seconds if you don't get the HELL OUT OF THERE!" Monokid hollered. "ALL OF YOU! EXCEPT MONOSUKE, YOU STAY THERE!"

"T-t-tear gas?" Hikari's pretty face went deathly pale, and she leapt to her feet. "No! No not that! You wouldn't-"

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT!"

Hikari sprinted out of the chapel, so fast that she was gone before Drake could call out to her. He was so confused, he didn't realize he was moving until Yejoon had pulled on his arm and led him back towards the men's side.

Drake and Yejoon sprinted all the way down the hallway, where the men were standing around. They all were highly confused to see Drake back so soon, and even more startled to see Yejoon with him.

"What the hell?" Shuuya remarked. "Where have you been, Yejoon?"

"Drake, what are you doing back so soon?" Isaac asked. "You couldn't have talked to Aka for that long!"

"I… we… she…" Drake stammered.

There was a horrible shriek from down the hallway, loud enough to be heard even by them. They all flinched, and Ken started to move down the hallway. He called out, "Hello? Who was that? What's going on?"

"I'll tell you what's going on!"

Ken backed up into the main lobby, with Monokid marching forward with his sniper rifle pointed up towards the ceiling. "There's gonna be new rules from here on, to ensure that those scheming females don't ruin everything for us manly men!"

"You're a bear," Odelios remarked.

"Same thing! Now… wait a minute!"

Monokid surveyed the lobby, counting all of the men there. "What is this, a sausage party? Eight guys in one room? We can't fucking have this, it looks TOO manly! And how do I know you aren't womens in disguise?!"

"Because we aren't women?" Souma tried out an answer.

"I don't know that, now do I? Okay, we need to do the same thing we're doing with those deceitful, dirty womenfolk! Groups of three, only! And get out of the hotel!"

"Wait, what?" Isaac declared. "But we need to go in the hotel to get to the chapel!"

"You can do that once you've all spent a little time outside of the love hotel like a bunch of weird dudes! Now, OUT OUT OUT!"

BLAM!

Monokid blowing a hole in the ceiling made the guys beat a hasty retreat. None of them were going to argue with a bear mad with power. As they moved out of the hotel in a rush, they almost knocked down Blake, who was now returning to the group.

The pyro watched them all leave the hotel, and start to break apart into groups, moving further and further apart from each other. Some of them were already hidden in the mists, having spread apart enough to ensure Monokid wouldn't shoot at them.

Blake shook his head, and then turned to see Monokid standing at the doorway. "Um, anything I should know about?" he asked.

"Groups of three only, or I start shooting at you possible women in disguise."

"Okay… can I wait in the hotel, I have a thing I need to do."

"Sure, that's fine. One dude in the love hotel's not weird, it's just hopeful."

---

Day 12, 11:09 AM

Stables

Pyrrha sprinted through the misty outsides of the tables, chasing after Ignatia. The mime was swift, but the romance writer was definitely just as athletic. Eventually, Ignatia stopped as she had to catch her breath, and Pyrrha caught up to her.

The romance writer crossed her arms, as she saw the mime lean up against the wall to gasp for air. The two were next to the locked door of the stables, the palm reader for a male hand scan next to Ignatia as she tried to catch her breath.

"Okay, if you'd stop running now," Pyrrha spoke, tapping her fingers impatiently on her arm, "we can have a civilized talk."

Ignatia stared strangely at her, to which the redhead responded, "You know what I mean, darn it. You can use your phone to communicate just fine.

"Now, I want to know why you're hurting Drake."

The mime glared at the romance writer, as she reached into her pants pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Quickly typing, she then handed the phone over to Pyrrha.

[It's none of your damn business.]

"It is my business when you're hurting someone in our group. Ignatia, Drake has been nothing but sweet and supportive of you. He thinks of you as a good person, and he defends you when no one else has. Why were you so cold to him before we wound up in this plaza?"

Ignatia leaned against the wall, staring off to the side. She appeared deep in thought, though Pyrrha wondered if she was avoiding her question. Finally, letting out a long, frustrated sigh, the mime typed on her phone again.

[You wouldn't understand. You just write romance stories, how's that make you an expert?]

"Honey, I've been involved in a lot of real-life romances. I wouldn't write romance when I have no experience."

[Romance novels are all just about written sex scenes.]

Pyrrha stared at the text, then panned up to the mime. "Oh really now, I'm not that kind of romance writer. I avoid sex until it is right of the relationship. You want to know why?"

Ignatia shrugged, and Pyrrha smiled as she leaned against one of the posts. "There's a very easy policy for how you avoid having all kinds of sex scenes in your story: you don't write when you're wanting it. If a romance writer writes when she's, um, in the mood, then the characters jump into bed when it's too soon.

"So I'm going to tell you now, I'm not telling you to go have sex with Drake. I'm pretty sure that cinnamon roll wouldn't be quick to dive into that anyway; however, I'm asking you why you turned away from him."

Ignatia shook her head, glancing away from Pyrrha again. The two ladies were quiet for a few moments, then they heard footsteps behind Pyrrha. They looked to see Aka approaching behind the redhead.

"Oh! Hello to you two," the skier said, rubbing her hair underneath her goggles. "Sorry, am I interrupting something? I heard sex being mentioned… ehehe, guess I have a radar for that."

"Aka sweetie, we're trying to have a serious conversation here," Pyrrha chided her.

"Okay, well, um, don't mind me then. But I don't want to go out there, the mists are getting really thick, and I don't know where that fucking bear with the gun is…"

Ignatia thumped her fist against the wall, next to the locked door. She typed on her phone, and handed it to Pyrrha. [Look, I don't expect you to understand, but I was ashamed of myself.]

"Ashamed?" Pyrrha read the text. "What about?"

[I should have said something when Emanuel asked me to help with the note. I should have spoken up, but… I didn't. I let my pride get the best of me.]

"Ignatia, we all have made mistakes during trials. A lot of us are having a hard time comprehending some of the choices we made, but you're not helping yourself, or Drake, by pushing everyone away."

[No, you don't understand. I'm expendable, that's been made clear since Angel's case. If I let myself get close to Drake, it puts him in danger. I even tried to leave Penjar, to make sure he wasn't endangered.]

"Wait, you did? When was this?"

[After you all got drugged with the horny chemicals. Drake was so sweet to me, but I realized then that he would put himself in danger for me, some dumb girl who doesn't deserve that kind of loyalty.]

"Ignatia, slow down a minute. If you tried to leave, what stopped you?"

[Monodam. When he was human, he found me before I made it out of this damn town. He persuaded me to stay, for Drake's sake. He told me that Drake wouldn't leave Penjar even if I would, and that would put his life at serious risk.]

Pyrrha stared at the text in confusion, and then back to Ignatia. "Did he explain how that was?"

[If you haven't noticed, I have a hard time communicating with people. It's even harder with people who used to be robotic bears. I cannot get a straight answer out of him.]

"Well, I'll try talking to Monodam for you, when we next can. Ignatia, if you're going to stay, you need to work with us."

[No, it's not just about Drake. I don't deserve anyone's trust. You don't know anything about me. I'm sorry, I don't deserve trust after the things I've done.]

Pyrrha sighed heavily after reading this, and moved up to Ignatia. She hugged the mime gal, good and tight, for a few moments. "All of us have had to do some bad things in our past," she whispered to the pale lady, "but if you blame yourself for it forever, you can never be a better person. Ignatia, I know it's difficult, but you need to put your better foot forward, and trust some of us.

"But you also have to trust yourself. You hear me?"

Ignatia, who had been shocked to receive a hug like this, eventually nodded. When Pyrrha released her from that hug, the mime looked a little forlorn that it was over. She smiled appreciatively at the romance writer, then glanced over at Aka.

The skier was staring down at the floor near the two girls, when she noticed both of them were looking at her. "Hmm? Sorry, was I supposed to say something?"

"No, it's okay, Aka. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I'm not good at mushy stuff like, well, feelings and shit. I'm kind of a fast girl, you know?"

"Oh, Aka, there's a time for everyone."

The skier scoffed, and said, "Wish I had your optimism, Red. Well, we shouldn't hang around abandoned stables, why don't we all go to the spa or something?"

Pyrrha tilted her head to the side. "What could we do there?"

"Something that's not possible here, which is anything, really," Aka said with a grin. "Come on, why not?"

"Okay, but maybe you could tell us what you and Drake talked about first?"

"… What?"

"You did go to the chapel, right?" Pyrrha asked, frowning in concern. "It is past eleven o'clock, Aka."

The skier pulled her cell phone from her pocket, and stared at the time: 11:28 AM. "SHIT!"

"You didn't go to the-"

Aka sprinted out of the stables, hurrying as fast as she could to the love hotel. She didn't hear or notice anything going on around her, she just kept thinking about how disappointed Hikari was going to be that she didn't do this correctly.

The skier burst into the love hotel, heading directly for that stupid hallway. She missed Crystal calling out to her, and made it all the way to the line that was the border to the chapel room.

"Congratulations! Youse is-AWK!"

Aka tripped over Monosuke, falling head over heels in a somersaulting fall that resulted in her rolling a few times before tumbling in a heap on her chest. She groaned in pain, then muttered, "Ugh… wha… w-wipeout, damn."

"Youse are in one big damn hurry ta get married, aren't youse?" Monosuke said, wobbling on his feet as he moved over to her. "Well, either way, congrats! Youse is married now!"

"Ugh," Aka struggled to say, and muttered, "really, I am? Good thing the kid waited for me."

"Youse can find your new husband in the chapel room, upupupu!"

The skier rubbed her forehead as she wandered forward, grasping the very peculiar situation. She then turned to see the chapel, the seats in front of it, and who was there in the chapel room…

"YOU?!" she shrieked, completely aghast.

Blake leapt to his feet, staring incredulously at her. "You?!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"Youse is youse, yessir," Monosuke added.

"This is fucking ridiculous," Aka shouted. "Drake was supposed to be here, not this fucking misogynist pig!"

"Hey, you dumb cunt, if you're here instead of Hikari, that means you fucked up," Blake retaliated, glaring at her. "I came here at the time they asked me to, so what's your deal?"

"My deal is with you, you jackass!"

"Where's your damn lesbo girlfriend, I was supposed to meet her instead!"

"FUCK OFF!"

"YOU FUCK OFF!"

"NO, YOU FUCK OFF!"

Monosuke sniffed, and wiped his eyes with a tissue. "Already behaving like a married couple! I'm so proud of youse two! Boohoohoo!"

There was much more swearing and cursing, and then Aka stomped off with Blake hurling more insults at her. She fumed throughout the hallway, until she almost ran into Crystal, with how much her fury was distracting her.

"Aka, what happened?" Crystal asked, trying to hold her back.

"What happened? You tell me what fucking happened, blondie," Aka shouted. "I was supposed to meet someone else, and I ended up meeting that gigantic dickhead!"

"You weren't here," the military adviser declared, crossing her arms. "Hikari had to go in your place, because we didn't know what else to do."

"Where is she, anyway? Why isn't she here?"

Crystal sighed heavily, and muttered, "Monokid threatened to use tear gas in the chapel if the people in it didn't disperse. There must be something in her past that triggered something, because she ran upstairs and hasn't come down."

Aka felt her outrage flow out from her as if someone opened up a drain. "Wh-what? Poor Hikari. Oh God, what do I do?"

"If you could go back and find out what is happening over there-"

The fury flooded back into the skier, and she gnashed her teeth. "I am NOT," she barked, "going back in that room with that awful, evil, misogynist prick!"

"Aka…"

"No, you don't understand, he can't help us! He WON'T help us! He'll just stand there making lesbian slurs about me, about Hikari, and-"

"Will you calm down!"

Crystal stomped her foot, her eyes blazing as she stared down Aka. "This plan is about our survival, about the truth, about what all of us want and need. It is far bigger than your hatred for one man…

"So you go back there, and you find out what the hell is going on, or I swear to God, I will…"

She grabbed the lapels of Aka's sports suit, and yanked her close. Hushed whispers were said directly into Aka's ear, and the skier's eyes widened. She shook her head in disbelief, as she muttered, "Holy shit, girl, are you really military, or are you a monster?"

"Aka. Go."

The skier moved back down the hallway. A few minutes later, she came back with a noticeable slump in her step. "He's gone," she said. "Please don't punish me, I swear to God he left."

Crystal face-palmed, groaning out obscenities underneath her breath. She took several deep breaths, and said, "Okay, we need someone for the noon meeting, someone willing to go down there and do this right. If we screw this up, we might not get anyone properly married."

"This is the most fucked up motive ever, isn't it?"

"Aka, I really don't need lip from you. I either need you to go out there and find out who wants to volunteer, or go upstairs and talk to Hikari."

The skier flinched when she considered the steampunk model. "Um, that may not be a good idea, me talking to Hikari. I screwed up really badly, I admit, but I don't want to admit it to her yet…"

"Oh for the love of God," Crystal shouted in utter exasperation. "Fine! Just wait here, or go talk to the other girls, just do something to make yourself more useful! I'll go and talk to your girlfriend, since apparently, you don't want to approach her if you aren't going to get sex out of it! And that's just more important than everything else, now isn't it?"

Crystal stormed off, gripping her head as she continued to mumble more curses under her breath. Aka nervously scratched her arm, and muttered, "That actually kind of hurt, girl…"

"Aka?"

The skier turned to see Pyrrha and Ignatia enter the love hotel. The romance writer walked over to her, and asked, "Are you alright? You kind of look off, honey."

"I… I messed up big time, girls. Sorry, I'm not the best bitch to stick around."

"It's no good standing around moping," Pyrrha said with a cheery smile. "You and Ignatia should go out there and talk to the other ladies, I'll stay here for you."

"Um, why?"

"Because Anzu and Futaba are already trying to track down the women to see who will go when, and we need to make sure everyone knows about the plan's details. And we can't all three of us go, or there will be four women in one place if we approach anyone."

"Maybe you two should go instead of me."

"Didn't I just say you shouldn't stick around moping? Go!"

Pyrrha gave Aka a friendly shove towards Ignatia, the mime's face paint and get-up triggering the skier's coulrophobia. Aka started to shake and muttered, "Um, uh, I-"

Ignatia grabbed Aka and pulled her back outside of the hotel. The skier whined and whimpered the whole way, as Pyrrha waved them good-bye.

---

Day 12, 11:36 AM

Bowling Alley

Bar

Odelios was seated next to Ishiku, watching his magician friend contemplate a very strong martini that Monokuma the Beartender had made him. The clown was silent, which was rather amazing considering his normal nature, as he leaned against the counter.

"So we have no idea," Ishiku said, "what's going on over there?"

"Drake said that he spoke to Hikari, not Aka, which makes me think that maybe Blake is going to run into our cold slopes expert. That's going to be about as pretty and volatile as a toilet backing up during a chili cook-off."

"Ew, but accurate," Ishiku sighed as he lifted the martini up and sipped it slightly. He shuddered a little, then put it back it back down. "It seems like we're limited to three people in groups, so communication is going to be scarce. What are we even supposed to do in this plaza if we are this divided?"

"That deserves a thoughtful answer. I ain't got a durn thought in mah puzzler to dick around with possibilities, so why don't we just work on you for now, my friend?"

Ishiku sipped the martini again, and then set it down more purposefully. "You know what? You're right. You're not the first person to come around here and give me a lecture, maybe it's time I stop feeling sorry for myself."

The magician stood up, and then smiled at the clown. "At the very least, I'm going to approach the other guys, and let them know something: I'm going to go over there next."

"Whoa, really? I wanted to do that, but if you're feeling bold enough?"

"Yeah, and you know what? For better or for worse, I think this'll play out. I want to help, I want to show everyone that I am not a hindrance or a threat to this group!"

Ishiku flipped a chocolate coin in his hand, and grabbed it mid-flight. "I'm going to get some answers out of this town, and the only way to do that is to progress on the investigation, not trying to drink myself to death!"

Odelios sniffled, then rushed over to hug Ishiku. "I'm so proud of you! You go over there and get married, and I'll be your best man fo' sho'!"

"Sounds like a plan! I should go now, 12:30 may come sooner rather than later!"

The magician left the bowling alley, with Odelios and the Monokumas saluting him with pride as he left. The clown heard him say, "Excuse me, Blake," and then the pyro stormed inside.

Blake marched over to the bar, sat down in front of it, and barked, "Give me the fucking strongest shit you got, ya damn bear, because I'm so pissed I cannot see straight."

"I'm afraid to ask," Odelios remarked, "but did you meet up with Aka?"

"Shut up, clown!"

Blake noticed the martini on the bar, and grabbed it. "Whoever this belonged to, it's mine now."

Odelios watched the pyro down the martini in one go, raising an eyebrow at this startling amount of sudden alcohol consumption. "Fitting we're at a bowling alley if we've got a turkey who really did strike out."

---

Day 12, 11:47 AM

Hall of Fame

Survivor Side

Ishiku finished speaking with Isaac and Souma, and then made his way out of the building. The two men exchanged glances after he had left, and Souma was the first to speak.

"Do we really want to let him go next?" the public speaker inquired. "I mean, his reputation has been pretty low since he worked in secrecy with Shinobu."

"I don't really mind, I don't know who else to send," Isaac said. "This whole set-up is ridiculous, anyway. It's something we can only hope that things go well over."

"I keep getting images of a blood-splattered bondage room, or maybe that was the unfortunate dream we all had last night," Souma said, pinching the bridge of his nose as he stared at some of the portraits.

Isaac and Souma were quiet for a few moments, before the reporter couldn't help his questioning. "You know a lot of them by now, don't you? A lot of Hope's Peak Academy survivors joined the Future Foundation."

"Heh, it's quite the collection of characters. Mr. Naegi is a very capable young man, despite everything about him looking like an ordinary, unassuming young man. He must have an extraordinary family."

Souma sighed a little, and glanced at the next portrait, which was of Aoi Asahina. "His wife is so very charming… or at least, I think Mrs. Asahina is his wife, he's involved with another woman too."

Isaac raised an eyebrow, but before he could make another motion, the public speaker held up a hand. "No, don't quote me on that. I'm human resources, not gossip resources."

The reporter grinned impishly, and said, "Forgive me, but I really do like to get all the answers. I've only been able to talk to some of them, they don't normally talk to the press except for their statements about restoration and hope. Don't get me wrong, you all are doing a great job, but I sometimes want to know more."

"Ah yes, the reporter who wants the big scoop. Well then, Mr. Bellamy, are you going to interrogate me some? Want to know my dating life?"

"I'll be asking the questions here," Isaac said with a laugh. "Actually, you know what, I have a bargain for you: if I ask you something, you can ask me something. And we won't be invasive unless one of us starts to get that way."

Souma rubbed his chin, then chuckled. "I agree, under the arrangement that I go first."

"Hit me then, Mr. Koukai."

"Is it true you've applied to be part of the Future Foundation? I heard rumors."

"No, I haven't applied. Though I may have mentioned to some I would like to join, but I'd like to finish some things up first, like marrying Hara."

Isaac chuckled, and tapped his pen against the portrait of Kyoko Kirigiri. "She actually asked me if I wanted to, very perceptive. So I haven't officially applied. Now, my turn…"

"I'm curious where this'll go, Mr. Bellamy."

"What is your response when people ask if your company is trying to make mummies?"

Souma burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Oh, it's been so very long since I heard that one! I had honestly forgotten about that stupid joke, where did you hear it?"

"A certain pink-haired girl who happened to be in Byakuya Togami's office when I was interviewing him. She said you were 'gonna make pyramids in Japan' and she couldn't wait."

Shaking his head as he chuckled, Souma remarked, "It's so crazy to hear my Japanese-Egyptian heritage brought up in such a way. But no, Koukai Enterprises isn't going to be bringing mummies or pyramids or sphinxes, or anything like that, to Japan anytime soon."

As Souma spoke, the southern door to the hallway opened. Yejoon walked in, holding his notebook in one hand and his walking stick in the other. He regarded the two men, who went silent when he entered, and then observed the Hope's Peak survivors.

"How very unusual," he said, before opening up his notebook.

"What is unusual, may I inquire?" Souma braved to ask.

"With how much the bears and masterminds of these games try to guilt their victims into thinking the deaths of those executed are their fault…"

Yejoon reached forward and swiped the touchscreen, getting to the blank list of Victims that Aoi Asahina had. "You'd think they would have put all those that have been voted guilty in a Killing Game under the Victim list."

"That," Isaac admitted, "is a little unusual."

"Yejoon, would you kindly," Souma said as he crossed his arms, glaring at the artist, "not linger around Mrs. Asahina's profile. I do not care for you being there."

Yejoon glanced over at Souma, and chuckled; the sound echoed menacingly from behind his mask. "So very protective. Very well then, I shall get out of your hair in just a minute. There's a few more notes I must make."

"What are you doing, anyway?" Isaac asked him.

"Sorry, Mr. Bellamy, but that's private."

---

Day 12, 11:57 AM

Love Hotel

Eastern Side Elevator #2

Crystal glanced at her cell phone for the hundredth time, wiping at her brow. She strained to keep her calm, so tempted to just turn on her favorite app game and be done with this nonsense. Then the elevator dinged, and she stepped out into the hallway.

Pyrrha was seated in a chair next to the lobby, reading a book. She didn't appear very amused, despite how very randy the scantily clad couple on the cover was.

"Oh come on," she remarked in disgust, "who uses 'boobs' in the narration? Did some horny teenager write this?"

"Pyrrha!"

The redheaded writer flung the book across the room, as she stood up and turned towards the military adviser at a speed that would make a ninja jealous.

"Iwasn'treadingsomethingtrashyIswear!"

"Pyrrha, I don't care about anything except our goal. It's only a couple minutes to noon, and we know absolutely nothing about the plan! What are you doing here, anyway? Where's Aka?"

Pyrrha nervously stared at the intimidating woman interrogating her. She swallowed, and spoke, "I was set to go at noon. Aka left with Ignatia to tell the others about who could go next."

Crystal seethed, gripping her head as she let out a frustrated howl. "I asked Aka to do one bloody thing, and she goes off to do her other thing, again! And she's hitting on Ignatia now? What the hell!"

"N-no, she's not-"

"And why are you reading out here? Wait, where'd you even get that book?"

"W-what book? I wasn't reading any-"

Pyrrha flinched as Crystal took a step forward, as sweat ran down from her forehead and her face turned as bright red as her hair. "There's… there's a lot of romance books in the gift shop, you know, the one next to this lobby. I j-just thought since I would be having sex with whoever I married, I could get in the mood."

"Pyrrha, this isn't a romance novel, we're not getting romantic; this has to be done, so don't romanticize it!"

"Hey, I'm taking it seriously, isn't that what you want?" the romance writer protested. "So I should go now, right?"

"I don't think you'd be really good for this first serious exchange," Crystal protested, crossing her arms as she stared down the writer. "You're trying to make it a romantic setting, and the dirty book you're reading to psych yourself up is clearly something that makes you feel ashamed."

"Hey, you know, maybe I am better for this job," Pyrrha said, huffing as she stepped forward. "Because I know I'm bisexual, but you clearly are struggling with it."

"What? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Crystal, we were intimate together, when we were with Odelios that very odd but passionate night. I know it was your first time with a woman, but you haven't let it go, and you've been struggling with that curiosity ever since, especially with a certain anthropologist."

Now it was Crystal's turn to blush and stammer. "Wh-what? What on Earth gave you that idea?"

"You and Futaba had all the signs of two people who had made out when we were trying to make dinner last night," Pyrrha said with a sly smile. "I just didn't say anything then because I knew it had to have been awkward."

"So what are you saying now? That I can't have sex with a man because I'm too interested in women now?"

"I don't know, are you?"

"I am so able to do this, I was planning on doing it since I couldn't rely on anyone else! With Hikari locked up in her room and Aka being so damn useless, I felt it was up to me to do this more than anyone else!

"So you know what, Pyrrha? I want you," she pointed to the front door as she spoke, glaring at the writer commandingly, "to go out there and get ready for whoever is going after me! Because we're going to solve the mysteries to this damn town, and we're not going to wait for people to get over insecurities!"

With that, she turned on her heel and marched towards the hallway. Pyrrha watched her go, and then she smiled happily. "That worked better than I thought~"

Crystal hiked down the hallway, feeling her heart pick up in pace the closer she got to the dividing line. When she saw it, she took a deep breath as she double-checked the time, and stepped over it.

Much to her surprise, Monosuke came sprinting down the hallway. The orange Kub threw a couple handfuls of confetti and declared, "Ain't this a glorious day, another marriage! I'm so happy for youse!"

"Yes yes, thank you, Monosuke. So the guy is already at the chapel?"

"No, youse is the only one here right now."

"What?!"

Crystal sprinted past the orange Kub, and into the chapel area. She scanned the area, peering into the chapel itself, and searching the area. When she moved towards the golden elevator, she turned towards the Kub who had waddled back into this center room.

"Did the man already go up the elevator?" she asked.

"Men aren't that impatient, youse know," Monosuke remarked. "No one's gone up that elevator yet today."

"What? Then who did I marry?!"

"I don't know, youse think I keep track of these things?"

"But if you are saying I'm married, then you must know!"

"I'm just the chapel minister today, I know when people get married, but I don't know whose youse husband is."

"DAMN YOU, HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW!"

Crystal grabbed Monosuke and lifted him up, shaking him back and forth. "You told Aka that she was married to Blake, and they fought over it!"

"Awk! Ay-yi-yi-yi!"

"Who came here after he did? I know you didn't forget who we are! What's gotten into you dumb Kubs anyway?! Why are you so forgetful!?"

"Youse wanna stop shaking me before the Guardian comes down here and shoots your ass, toots?!"

"I'm interrogating you, not attacking you!"

"Well, just stop doing that, because I don't know who youse married!"

Crystal, panting in frustration, set Monosuke down on the floor. The bear Kub dusted himself off, then spoke. "Listen, youse don't understand this, but I'm only sent a message to my brain that someone got married. I'm determined to marry you all, that's why I'm staying in here today."

"So wait, who knows out of you Kubs? How can Monokid know who got married if he's forgetting who is who too?"

"Don't worry youse pretty head over it, toots, he'll know that for sure once one of you couples go up that elevator. But we are having a hard time remembering names and faces, Monokid most of all."

"You put him in charge of sniping people who break the rules!"

"Youse know, that may not have been a good decision to begin with, ya. So… youse want to know anything else?"

Crystal balled up her hands into fists, and spat out, "No. If whoever I'm married to isn't here, then the guy just came and left. One of them did that, or…"

The military advisor's eyes went wide, and she muttered, "Oh no, what if we got something wrong in the rotation? Shoot! I need to tell the others!"

She ran off, ignoring Monosuke's question of a registry, and back down the hallway. The lobby was empty, and she blinked in surprise at the lack of a certain redhead.

"Pyrrha? Where are you?"

Crystal checked the gift shop, but she wasn't there either. The blond lady sprinted outside, and scanned the area, but the fog was rather thick and she couldn't see anything, much less anyone.

"Okay, if she left already to round up the others, where would she go first?" Crystal asked herself. She tapped her forehead, and chuckled bitterly. "Everyone's lost but me… hmm, may as well go to the spa first, that's where a lot of them could be. It's the only place here that is worth hanging out at."

She moved towards the spa as fast as possible, secretly hoping that she wasn't on a wild goose chase… or that the women of her group were engaged in something else there since they couldn't return to the love hotel. Crystal tried very hard to remain on the subject as she finally arrived at the spa.

The first room she moved into for her search was the hair salon. No one was in there, and she noted the broken box with the scattered combs and brushes on the floor. That wasn't so interesting, as someone else that caught her eye was.

The door with the male symbol upon the hand reader, the one that was supposed to be locked, was slightly ajar. Crystal stared in shock at it, and then moved towards it slowly. She pushed the door open, and was met with a dark room.

Searching for a light switch, she didn't find on the wall next to the door. So she pushed the door out of her way and moved in, groping in the dark for a light switch. The door swung back and closed, leaving her in darkness.

"Oh, come on," Crystal muttered in frustration, pulling her phone out and turning the flashlight function on. Still unable to find a light switch, she moved to the door to open it back up.

It didn't open. Crystal struggled at the door even more, but it did not budge. She frantically searched around the door, and saw the palm reading device with the male symbol next to the door, the opposite side that she had been searching.

"… Oh fuck," she swore, as she realized just how terrible her predicament was.

---

Day 12, 12:13 PM

Baseball Field

Shuuya leaned up against the shack that had the gender-specific palm reader door. He had his arms crossed, his eyes closed, and appeared to be deep in thought.

He spoke as he heard approaching footsteps, "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to be alone right now."

"As much as I'd like to respect those wishes," Yitro said as he walked over to the bounty hunter, with Ken by his side, "I think we need to talk about the schedule."

"As well as some other serious subjects," Ken spoke.

Shuuya opened his red eyes and stared at the two men with swords. "I am not aware of anything in particular we need to discuss. Are we not going by the schedule we discussed at breakfast?"

"Ishiku wishes to go next, and nothing we could say," Ken explained, "could convince him otherwise."

Shuuya raised an eyebrow, and then shrugged. "Let him then. We can work with the change in rotation, it's not like we're going to run out of options."

"Can we trust him?"

"Can we trust you?" Shuuya remarked, now staring down the cavalryman. "You and Hikari went behind our backs when you asked a question from Monokuma, and Ishiku worked with Fiora and Shinobu behind her backs. If we're going to doubt one, we'll have to doubt the other, and that other is you."

Ken huffed and crossed his arms. "Everything I did was for my fallen country. You wouldn't understand, Japan has pulled itself back up, despite it being Zero Ground for the explosion of Despair."

"It's the other way around with that saying," Yitro corrected him. "Look, I don't distrust you, nor Ishiku. If Fiora is married to Yejoon, and that makes me outraged to think of, then there's no one else I've spent time with amongst the women.

"I'm actually just wondering right now if you two are going to be okay with this. I mean, no offense, but I don't really see either of you okay with the circumstances of this motive."

Ken and Shuuya stared at the swordsman for a moment, before the cavalryman spoke. "We both enjoyed the company of a woman during that unusual day."

"What? Wait," Yitro stared at him, "how do you know that? Only Ishiku and Shinobu's partners were revealed, and I told you all who I was with. So why do you know he…"

Yitro stopped for a second, then stared at the two. For the first time since his arrival in Penjar, Shuuya appeared slightly mortified.

"So we were both with the same woman," the bounty hunter blurted out. "It's no big deal."

"Nothing is wrong with a threesome involving two straight men," Ken protested. "Do you have judgement you wish to rain down on us, Yitro?"

"No! Just… didn't really picture you two teaming up for something like that."

"Neither did I," Shuuya remarked, trying to go back to his calm visage. "Either way, it proves that women enjoy sex as much as men. We mustn't assume that we're the only ones interested in this deal."

Yitro blinked as he studied both guys, then shrugged. "Alright alright, if we're not going to talk about this in more detail-"

"We're not," Shuuya cut him off.

"Oh, were you interested in the positions we took with Futaba?" Ken asked, smiling with pride. "I have to tell you, she was quite the flexible lady."

"KEN!"

Shuuya was waving his arms, staring wide-eyed as his trench coat fluttered from all of the movement. "Not necessary! No need to go into detail! Stop, desist, halt!"

"… I'm confused," Ken admitted, "but maybe this is more of the cultural difference between Novoselic and Japan. You seem rather perturbed about this, Shuuya."

"Because I don't think this is appropriate conversation during our very serious time here in Penjar, and we need to do this in a more professional manner-"

"Is it perchance," Ken continued to speak, grinning, "that you rather liked such a wild occasion, and you wish to do it again despite it not fitting your cool, brooding image?"

Shuuya's eye twitched, and he stormed off, muttering, "This is why I do not engage in bro chat!"

The two men with swords watched him go, then Yitro peered at him. "Any reason why he is uncharacteristically flustered over this?"

"I suppose he is considering another chance with Futaba," Ken said. "He was, as you said, uncharacteristically enjoying himself very much that night."

Before Yitro could ask for details, Odelios came bounding over to them. "Hey guys," the clown declared, "I got a plan, but I wanted to ask you two about it."

---

Day 12, 12:21 PM

Clothing Store

Kimiko hummed as she pulled a leather jacket from one of the racks. She spun it around, and said, "Not bad, eh. I rather like how slimming it looks. What do you think, Fiora?"

"Eh?" Fiora asked as she turned towards the biker gal. She was holding a dress that was white and slinky in front of herself. For a wild moment, Kimiko thought that she was looking at a wedding dress. "Oh, that's nice, but I doo'nt do leather real well."

"Heh, well, maybe I'll try this one 'oot tomor'roow."

"Yeah, or maybe you coo'd try it on fur that date in the hotel, eh."

"You think you knoo' what drives the men wild, do you, eh?"

"I may have some idea a'boot the subject…"

Fiora and Kimiko stared each other down, both pursing their lips, and then raised their hands. Pointing at the other, they said in unison, "Eh!"

Both girls burst out laughing, slapping each other on the back. "It's like our accents amplify when with another Canadian," Kimiko declared.

"That's so funny!" Fiora said, giggling. "But I gotta say, it's so amazing, hearing someone Japanese talking in such a thick accent, eh!"

"Yeah, I get that a lot, actually. Truth is, my father was Japanese and had a ton of pride for this country. Mother joo'st stole his heart when he was on a business trip, and they settled doo'n in Canada; Dad never let the Land of the Rising Sun go, and there was a lot of Japanese in 'oor hoo'se.

"I kind of got bullied a bit in school for being the odd Japanese gal, and even in a few fights; won those fights, hoo'ever," she said with a proud grin. "But you knoo', you're equally an odd case as me, girl."

"Hmm? What do you mean, eh?"

"Oh, I'm soo'ry, you are black, aren't you?"

"Well, yes and no," Fiora said. "I mean, my mother is… was black."

The movie maker crossed her arms, and sighed heavily as she stared off in the distance. The memories of her shouting at Blake over Fiora's parents' death came to Kimiko's head, and the biker gang leader flinched. "Oh… oh God, I'm so soo'ry!"

"No no, it's fine, you didn't mean to bring it up, eh. But I can still talk a'boot them, so yeah, Mom was black, Dad was a mix of white and hispanic. In fact, a lot of Dad's heritage is so mixed race that he is probably the reason I got my freckles and straight hair."

Fiora giggled as she ran a hand through her black 'n white hair. "Mom's history was nothing but black, so it was an unusual couple to a lot of their friends and family; however, it worked, eh. Still, part of me doesn't like to say I'm black because I don't want to ignore my father's side of me, but it kind of comes to that, you knoo'?"

The movie maker shrugged, and said, "It's no big deal, I'm cool with whatever at this point in my life. Heh, it's kind of funny, I haven't really talked a'boot this with anyone, since…"

Now she froze up, and appeared for more perturbed. Kimiko swallowed as she realized what this meant. "Yejoon?"

"Yeah, with him, he asked me all a'boot my parents," Fiora said, crossing his arms. "I'm actually kind of worried he might kill Blake with all the boys stuck over in that sausage fest."

"You're worried a'boot him?"

With a heavy sigh, Fiora braved to look Kimiko in her eyes. "You want to know what he told me when I found 'oot we were married?"

---

"AAAAAAAAAAAYIEEEEE!"

"Oh come now, little flower, aren't we past that by now?"

"Y-you cannot be here," Fiora shouted incredulously. "I cannot marry you! You're my freaky stalker! You're a serial killer! I doo'nt even want to knoo' what your libido is like!"

Yejoon snapped his notebook shut and stood up, chuckling. "I'm sorry, my little flower, but I didn't plan this. I honestly didn't think that someone would come here so early."

"And yet you're waiting here in the chapel! Why don't you be honest, you prick! You thought I'd do this, and that's why you're here!"

Yejoon lifted up his mask so they could talk face to face. "Your impulsiveness can be a touch predictable, as endearing as it is."

"GAH!" Fiora screamed, stomping around the room. "This is awful. This is so stupid! I have to admit to everyone that I married you!"

Monosuke, watching this tiff, laughed from the back. "These impulsive eloping couples, it always comes crashing down so hard on youse."

"Oh shut up, youse stupid bear," Fiora snapped. She turned back to Yejoon, crossing her arms, and adding, "So then, are we done here? Because you knoo' I am NOT going up that elevator with you."

"I didn't think you would, my little flower. If you must go, go right ahead. I just hope to see you after this conflict is finished."

Fiora started to walk back to her side of the hotel, when she stopped at the edge of the room. She placed her hand on the wall, and held herself in place as her other hand gently traced the slight marks on her neck.

"The others told me," she said, her voice soft, "that you cut me doo'n from the ceiling when I tried to hang myself."

"I did," he responded. Yejoon had put his mask back on, and was writing again. "However, I was not the one who saved your life, Eisei revived you."

"You technically did save my life, so," she turned back to face him, and said with a great deal of effort but also sincerity, "th-thank you. For saving my life."

Yejoon paused his writing, glancing up at her. "You're welcome," he said, before going back to his writing.

"Yejoon, please tell me, why are you so focused on me?"

The artist paused again, and for the first time since she had met him, there was a pause in his voice. "I… may have lied about something, my dear little flower."

"Wh-what?"

"I am a fan of your work."

Yejoon chuckled lightly, and said, "I happened upon one of your movies one day, how I did doesn't really matter. What mattered to me was that I saw your creativity, your passion, and it intrigued me; especially when I discovered they were made by a Hope's Peak graduate as well.

"Your movie, Undead Flying Objects, where there was an alien invasion during a zombie apocalypse," he said, folding his hands over the notebook, "had so many hidden details that I was captivated. Like how the alien language was actually code for the English alphabet, something that was never pointed out, just a little detail of effort by the movie maker."

Fiora covered her mouth, and muttered, "I joo'st did that because I wanted to make it look like a real language, eh. I didn't think anyone woo'd ever bother translating it."

"Ah, but I did notice, my little flower. This was a secret enjoyment of mine, one I had to hide from my sister. She hated it when my attention was focused on anyone else other than her attempts at work. I'll still never forget how much unnecessary bloodshed there was at that one rave…"

Fiora clapped her hands over her ears, and shouted, "No no no, la la la LA, I cannot hear you, I cannot see you! LA LA LA LA!"

Yejoon watched her sprint down the hallway, singing the whole way.

---

"Every time I think he might be a normal person deep doo'n," Fiora spat out, "he joo'st has to remind me that he's killed a whole lot of people! I mean, God damn, does he expect me to accept that part of him?"

"Joo'st stay calm, and remember that he won't be able to bother you after we're done with Penjar," Kimiko remarked. "I mean, between Shuuya, Yitro, Ken, and myself, he's not going to get away from this too'n after all this is over."

"Oh," Fiora replied, nervously clenching her fists and glancing to the side. Kimiko noticed this, and came upon a realization.

"You doo'nt want us to kill him?"

"Maybe I doo'nt want any of you to kill fur me, or joo'st to kill in general. I think he needs to be arrested, if we coo'd even catch him."

"You're too nice, Fiora," Kimiko said, slugging her fellow Canadian's shoulder. "But then a'geen, you are Canadian."

"Oh, shut up, you probably drive a zamboni when you're not on a bike, you're so Canadian!"

"You hoser!"

"You chucklehead!"

"Sexy scivey!"

"Cute keener!"

Both burst out laughing again, which was when Pyrrha walked up to them. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the two ladies laughing and hugging.

"Good to know someone's in a happy mood today," the writer said. "I just came by to try and plan out the rest of the schedule. Already am done talking to most of them…"

"Well, I'm not sure I want to go," Kimiko admitted. "I mean, I'm good with shagging a guy, but I doo'nt knoo' if I'm ready fur that, eh."

"I understand, we can try to plan you last if need be, eh," Pyrrha said, then shook her head as she realized what had slipped out at the end. "Anyway, you needn't worry about that now, because I already talked to who is going next…"

---

Day 12, 12:31 PM

Love Hotel

Hallway, Western Side

"Congratulations," Monosuke shouted, as he threw confetti right into Ishiku's face. "Youse finally got over my sister, thank goodness!"

Ishiku spat the shredded paper from his mouth, and glared down at the bear. "Could you please just leave that alone? I don't want you rubbing it in my face anymore."

"Upupupu, youse thinking I'll let it go? Maybe your new wife will be the one to help youse forget my sister's warm, comforting, human bosom! Gwahahaha!"

"Ugh, youse is such a mook, youse orange, outrageous oaf! Now let's backpedal on your stupidity, and clarify something much more important: youse saying I gots married?"

"I'm saying that, youse putz! Now if I were a few feet taller, I'd challenge youse to fisticuffs, and… hey get back here! I'm not done threatening youse yet!"

Ishiku walked towards the chapel, and turned into the simple yet slightly intimidating room. He was just as surprised as everyone else who had entered here how it looked, but the real shock was when he saw who was seated in one of the chairs.

"Oh, hello," Anzu said with a pleasant smile. "I'm actually quite happy to see you, Ishiku."

"What? R-really?" Ishiku stammered, rather surprised that she was smiling.

"Yes, I was afraid you were letting the others get to you, thinking that you betrayed us. You didn't, you were helping Shinobu do the right thing."

She stood up and walked over to him. There was still that sensual swish of her hips, but much more purpose than seduction in her movement. "And you've always been a good person, from what I've seen, even if you're a little silly and wild, but who isn't?"

Anzu giggled, then reached over and touched his chest. "Now, I don't know if you're interested in little ol' me, since I'm sure some guys don't like a girl who's been around the block more than a few times. So if you're not comfortable-"

The actress was surprised when Ishiku wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her in close. Their lips met, and a rather passionate kiss followed. She felt a little breathless, though a small part of her felt a tinge of guilt for some reason.

When Ishiku pulled back from the kiss, he caressed her pale face, and said, "You know, ever since we've been in this stinking town, you've showcased more maturity and intelligence than I've seen in a lot of people. You had the guts to stand up against Emanuel, you're good to people, and you're really cute too."

Anzu giggled and snuggled up against him, popping her foot. "I can be fucking adorable, yes~"

"Wow, this is actually getting sickening," Monosuke muttered, shaking his head as he watched the two. "Youse really get over past lovers fast, don't you two?"

The two bristled slightly at this, and Ishiku let out a sad sigh. Anzu took a turn in caressing his face tenderly, and whispered, "Listen, don't let him get to you. What you had with Fannie, I am sure it was special, but you cannot let that ruin you. You have friends who care about you, so don't let those who accuse you of being a pervert drag you down.

"This motive, it's trying to play up the idea that men are sex-fueled cads and women are stuffy nags who don't enjoy sex. They timed it perfectly, but you know what? I enjoy sex, and I am not afraid to admit it."

She took one of her fingers, and traced his jawline, then booped his nose. "And I'm glad I got someone sweet and cute like you. Just no magic tricks in the bed, okay~? Well, maybe one, I'd love to see what you can do to surprise me!"

They both giggled, and then kissed again. Moving towards the golden elevator, they pushed the button as Monosuke walked in with them. The orange Kub didn't seem all that thrilled to be in the same lift as a now passionately making out couple.

---

Day 12, 12:39 PM

Northern Plaza

Eastern Side, Outdoors

Futaba glanced between Ignatia and Aka, before correcting her glasses and speaking some more. "So do we have an understanding?"

"I fail to see why either of us are really necessary for this conversation," Aka commented, shaking her head. "I already got married to the total and utter bastard, and Ignatia here ain't going to go over."

"She told you as much?" Futaba asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Tell you the truth, I wasn't really keen on hanging out with a mime, but I like this chick," the skier said, slapping Ignatia on the back. The mime didn't react, except to shrug. "She's like a total badass and some of the shit she can do is freaking awesome! Ooo, do the feral squirrel bit again, I loved that."

"That really isn't necessary," the anthropologist said as the mime knelt down. "We are trying to work on a problem here, and also, we haven't seen… oh my."

Futaba paused her speech as Ignatia mimicked something attacking at her neck. She began to twist and turn aggressively, grabbing and swatting at her body with such passion, Futaba found herself looking for the rabid squirrel that was supposedly climbing all over her.

"That's actually very impressive," Futaba admitted as she watched Ignatia start to walk backwards, trying to avoid this feral squirrel that was quite intimidating despite not being real.

As the mime stumbled backwards, she bumped into someone. Turning around, she glared at the person at first, until she saw who it was.

"Ahh," Aka screamed, hiding behind Futaba, "the clown!"

Odelios waved at the three of them. The grin on his face was very big, and he was standing in a way that showcased a feminine side. "How do you do, fellow women?" he said in a high-pitched voice. "I got lost, and I'm back here, on my rightful side!"

A frustrated growl came from his side, and Monokid, still holding the sniper rifle, trudged up behind him. "This better be the truth, Satsuki, or I'mma gonna be real pissed off! And impressed, but also pissed off!"

Futaba, Aka, and Ignatia stared at the clown, trying hard to comprehend what was going on. "Okay," Aka started to say slowly, "why are you here?"

"Because I'm supposed to be," Odelios squeaked, his "female" voice not at all convincing but he was trying. "I am a female woman with girly parts and such!"

He slapped a hand on his chest, and the girls noticed there were large, round bulges at his chest, inside his clown outfit. They wobbled a great deal, and he immediately took his hand off of them.

"Sorry I got mixed up," Monokid muttered, "but this is apparently Satsuki Iranami, the Ultimate Clown. She got lost on the men's side, and I'm returning her to her rightful side."

The women stared at "Satsuki" and at Monokid, wondering what to do about this interesting scenario. "Um, okay," Futaba said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Monokid, how'd you misplace… her… to begin with?"

"I don't know, I don't remember your names or such, but look at those gazoomazooms," Monokid shouted, pointing his sniper rifle up at Odelios's large chest. "That's obviously something a woman has! That's the one thing I do know, if they look like a woman, they're definitely a woman!"

He poked the clown's left breast, and there was a sudden popping noise. Odelios was down to one breast, and he crossed his arms in a desperate attempt to hide this. Ignatia slapped her hand against her mouth in shock.

"… Alright then," Aka said. "I suppose we had forgotten about her, thanks for bringing her back."

"Yes, it's nice to see you again," Futaba tried to maintain a straight face, "and we really need to hear all that you know, Odelios. I mean, Satsuki!"

"WHAT! ODELIOS! That's a male clown's name!"

Monokid stomped his foot as he glared up at Odelios. "You lied to me! You aren't a woman! You're going right back, you sneaky clown you!"

The blue Kub leaped up and grabbed the back of Odelios's clown top's collar. Dragging the one-breasted clown away, Odelios folded his arms under his remaining balloon tit, and shouted to the women as he was carried back.

"Thanks a lot, Futaba, that almost worked! Oh, and about the chapel plan, let Pyrrha know she can go next, because-"

The sound-dampening mists cut him off there, completely enveloped in them and out of sight. The three women all exchanged glances, baffled by what just transpired.

"How did he manage to even fool Monokid in the first place?" Aka remarked. "I mean, did all it take was a pair of balloons in his top to convince that damn bear he was female?"

"Apparently," Futaba remarked, scratching the back of her head. "I kind of blew it there, didn't I?"

Ignatia and Aka nodded in unison, and the anthropologist glared at them. "No need to agree so quickly, he would have eventually found out. Anyway, we can at least let Pyrrha know that she should step up next for the altar."

"We really going to send that sweet girl to marry the clown?" Aka asked, shaking her head. "You really think that's a good idea?"

"Pyrrha is bisexual, so maybe she'll be happy with Satsuki instead," Futaba remarked.

Ignatia responded by putting two fingers in a V-shape in front of her mouth and licking her tongue in-between, making both of the usually shameless ladies blush in embarrassment. Then she leaned forward, mimicking a rubber clown nose on her own nose, and pushing against that V again.

---

Day 12, 12:49 PM

Northern Plaza

Outside of the Bowling Alley

Drake sat on the front steps of the bowling alley, still holding Monodam in his arms. The cartoonist had decided that being available to talk to people walking by the building would be the best course of action except for wandering around.

Yejoon walked up towards the bowling alley, holding the notebook in her hand as he surveyed the building. Noticing the cartoonist, he said, "Hello there, Drake."

Drake squeaked in fear as he clutched Monodam to his chest. "Errr, h-h-hi, Yejoon."

"No need to fear me, Drake, I have no intention of killing you."

"Th-that doesn't really make me feel better!"

"Drake, you little cinnamon roll, if I wanted to kill you, don't you think you would be dead by now."

"YOU-JUST-TRY-IT," Monodam declared. "I-WILL-FIGHT-YOU."

Yejoon pulled his mask to get a good look at the defiant Kub. "My my, look who's turned against the norm. Monodam is willing to go against the rules and defend you against any possible threats, Drake?"

"I… I didn't know he felt like that."

"WELL-I-WOULD-PROBABLY-LOSE," Monodam said, "BUT-I-WOULD-WITNESS-IT-SINCE-I-AM-CURRENTLY-BEING-GUARDED-BY-HIM."

Yejoon chuckled, then he overheard a dragging noise. Monokid was walking towards them through the mists, and had Odelios in tow. The blue Kub dropped the clown on the ground in front of them, glared once at Monodam, and then wandered off.

"It didn't work," Odelios pouted from the floor. "It did not work."

"Did you manage to get any information to them?" Drake asked.

"Just that Pyrrha can go next, I'll be waiting for her."

"What?" Yejoon said, staring incredulously at the clown.

"What?" Drake stammered, gawking at the carnival entertainer.

"WHAT." Monodam's dubious assertion came along with the others as he peered downwards at the acrobatic prop master.

"I should probably freshen up for my date with her, if she accepts it! Maybe I could do with a little liquid courage? Or retouch my make-up? Guys, does this outfit make me look fat?"

He stood up and posed, trying all the different angles one would to see if they had mysteriously gained weight in the time it takes to try out clothing. The three stared at him incredulously, until a sharp shout came from the mists.

"HEY! Four guys together at once!" Monokid's voice boomed from the dead grassy field. "You all got ten seconds to make it three or less, or I start shooting!"

Odelios squeaked in fear and sprinted off to the Love Hotel. Yejoon shrugged and walked into the bowling alley, with Drake and Monodam following afterwards. The artist, cartoonist, and green Kub were soon in the arcade section, observing the odd collection of games.

"OH-THEY-HAVE-FIGHTERS-OF-THE-STORM," Monodam declared. "I-WILL-TAKE-YOU-ON-YEJOON."

"I have never taken part in video games, I shall not participate now," the artist said, as he walked over to the locked door with the gender-specific hand scanner next to it. Staring at the door, he glanced back at Drake. "You've had fairly good perception, what do you think could possibly be back here?"

"I… I don't know," Drake stammered.

"Care to even guess?"

"Maybe they're storing something here? Like they felt that a bowling alley would be an inconspicuous place for a storeroom?"

Yejoon glanced back at the door, and tapped his chin. A smile tugged on his lips, and he replied, "Interesting theory."

---

Day 12, 12:55 PM

Love Hotel

Eastern Lobby

Aka, Ignatia, and Pyrrha bid Futaba farewell, as the anthropologist had to leave to avoid the three-person maximum; she had wanted to go next, but being informed of Odelios' message made her more interested in knowing the results rather than participation.

"You really had sex with the clown?" Aka asked, staring incredulously at Pyrrha as she brushed herself off, studying herself in a mirror in the lobby.

"Aka honey, he's more than just a performer, he's still a human being capable of love, passion, and intrigue," Pyrrha remarked as she corrected her hair.

"He's a clown, they have no souls!"

Ignatia pushed Aka's shoulder, and the skier rubbed it while pouting. "Hey, you're a mime, it's different! I get that now. But come on, he'll probably ask you to make out with his rubber chicken or something weird!"

"Oh, you're so funny," Pyrrha said with a giggle. She twisted and turned in front of the mirror, trying to see if she looked good, and hadn't mysteriously gained weight before such an intimate occasion. "Come on now, Aka, this is already going so well, all things considered."

"What do you mean?"

"Have either of you seen Crystal or Anzu since recently?"

The two women exchanged glances, then shook their heads. Pyrrha chuckled, and said, "That means they most likely are upstairs right now, enjoying their honeymoon, so to speak. It's all working out just fine."

"It's all working out so straight, bleah," Aka complained, making a face. Ignatia silently chuckled, and slugged her friend's shoulder again. "Ow! Ignatia, that's not what I meant when I said I'd be fine if you hit on me!"

Pyrrha approached the two, and asked, "So, how do I look? I want to look good, it'd be appropriate to look good. It's like a fairy tale, in a way, isn't it? I mean, I know I'm romanticizing it, but this could really be nice…"

"You got something on your mouth, right there."

Aka pointed to the corner of her mouth, and Pyrrha reached up to the side the skier was suggesting, and rubbed at it. "No no, you didn't get it, it's right there."

"Where?" Pyrrha said as she rubbed at her face more.

"Right," Aka stepped forward, her pointing finger coming right up to Pyrrha's face, "here."

She cupped the romance writer's face and kissed her good. Pyrrha's eyes went wide, and she sunk into the passionate smooching. When Aka pulled away, she grinned slyly, and whispered, "You go knock that clown out of his socks, sexy."

"O-okay then!"

Aka stepped back, and then was promptly punched in the shoulder by Ignatia again. Before the skier could whine about it, they were treated to the most irritating voice there was in Penjar.

"So what are you three doing here in the hotel?" Monokid shouted as he walked in through the front door. "Conspiring? Making trouble? You womenfolk are always up to no good!"

"Oh God, I'm just going to go," Pyrrha remarked, as she walked towards the hallway.

"Monokid, you said three people was the maximum," Aka protested. Ignatia nodded firmly, crossing her arms defiantly at the Kub. "We're obeying your dumb rules."

"Maybe I'm just a little more suspicious since that clown tried to pull a fast one on me," Monokid replied.

The blue Kub pulled out a rather wicked looking knife, and started to juggle it in one paw. As he glanced between the mime and skier, he added, "Now I shouldn't waste more bullets, but maybe I should start my knife throwing skills."

Aka scoffed, then she noticed Ignatia mimic laughter, then beckoned for Monokid to "bring it." "Whoa whoa whoa, what are you doing there, Iggy?" Aka asked. "He might actually try something if you encourage him."

Ignatia smirked, and pulled out her cellphone to type a message. [Let him try. When Despair hit the streets where I lived, people were throwing knives and other shit at each other for a cruel sport. I got so used to it, I'm now a master of grabbing any knife thrown at me.]

Aka read the text, blinking in surprise. "Seriously now? Oh wow, that's horrible. Still, I think I recall when Jin was throwing knives at people, you caught the one thrown at Drake."

Ignatia nodded proudly, and Aka snickered. "Okay, I'm so not straight, but that boy is cute as hell. Why aren't you interested in hooking up with him if you're straight too?"

[Oh cool down, you player. Drake isn't the kind to do it on a whim. He's the kind that'll wait until marriage.]

Aka stared at the phone screen, and then giggled even more. "I don't know why, but that makes him even more cute!"

"HELLO!" Monokid shouted. "Are you two forgetting that I'm threatening you with bladed injuries? I'll fuck you up if you tempt me!"

Ignatia stared him down, and then gestured at him again. She typed a message to Aka, and handed her phone to her. [Tell the blue bitch to bring it. Remind him that I made him my soccer ball when I first saw him.]

When Aka read out the message, Monokid's jaw dropped, then he started hopping around in fury. "Alright that does it! That tears it! That fucking does it! I'mma stab a mime today! TAKE THIS!"

---

Day 12, 1:00 PM

Love Hotel

Chapel

Pyrrha walked into the chapel room, observing all of the strange decorations that were adoring it. The golden elevator was rather inviting but a bit gaudy for her preferences. She stared down at Monosuke, who glanced up at her.

"Hiya, toots," he said, waving at her. "Youse gonna wait around to get married?"

"Am I allowed to do so?"

"Sure! I was getting a little lonely anyway."

Pyrrha sat down in one of the chairs, smiling pleasantly as she waited. "So, are you allowed to tell me anything?"

"Youse mean about who has gone up the elevator, whose has been here, whose has left?"

"Yes, is that possible?"

"Sorry, toots, but not even for youse. I'm sure youse want to make a great big novel about it, but I cannot tell youse the details."

Pyrrha sighed and crossed her arms. "At least you remembered that I'm a writer."

"Oh, I just know youse took some of the romance novels from our gift shop. Did youse like my original stories of passion? Upupupu."

"Wait, YOU wrote those books?" she declared, gawking at the orange Kub.

"Who better than the one bear who knows fan service better than any other?" Monosuke slapped his paws on his stomach and let out a series of belly laughs. "It helps when your Pops is a publisher!"

Pyrrha made a face over the thought of Monokuma publishing dirty books. "Well, that does explain why there's no plot to the stories."

"Silly lady, that's why the spy series is called the PWP Files! Don't youse catch the subtle innuendos left in the subtext of the inconspicuous details? It's like a mystery series, you gotta look for the little things so the big picture is so much better."

Pyrrha was about to comment about how a spy named Maro Kisi (a name that suddenly made so much more sense) banging all sorts of women in the process of a mission that never really seemed to happen because he was too busy banging women didn't really need subtly. Before she could talk, there was a horrified shriek from the eastern lobby, the kind of blood-curdling scream that made Pyrrha flinch.

"What was that?" Monosuke asked.

Pyrrha didn't even answer, she sprinted back down the hallway, and was back in the lobby within a minute. When she turned the corner to see what was going on, she wasn't expecting to see what she did.

Ignatia was lying on the floor, appearing unconscious. Aka was struggling with the mime's right hand, in which there was a combat knife clutched in the woman's hand. The skier was trying to get it out of Ignatia's hand frantically, and she glanced up when she noticed Pyrrha approaching.

"She… she won't let go," Aka cried out. "She passed out, and she won't let go of it!"

"Aka, what happened?"

"W-well, Ignatia dared Monokid to throw a knife at her-"

"She did WHAT?"

"It's a bit of a story, Red! But to make the story short, Ignatia caught it, no problem! Then she started struggling and gaping, like she was trying to speak, and then she just fell over backwards! And she's totally unconscious, but her grip on this knife is like iron!"

Pyrrha inspected Ignatia, checking her pulse and temperature with her hands. Finding nothing else out of the ordinary, she stared at Aka. "Was it you who screamed?"

Aka blushed and scowled, muttering, "Monokid started to say that we were obviously too tough to be women, what with us undaunted about catching daggers, so I shrieked as hard as I could. He said that proved I was a woman, and walked out of the damn building, all smug and shit."

The romance writer nodded, then gently caressed Ignatia's face. "We cannot just leave her here, let's carry her up to her room."

"What? But you need to go back to the chapel, you are gonna marry the clown!"

"We cannot leave Ignatia out here in the lobby, and you shouldn't carry her yourself. The marriage can wait a few minutes, I'm sure Odelios will wait for me. Let's go now, I have her head and shoulders, you get her legs."

The two of them picked up the limp mime, and moved towards the elevator. As they entered the lift, neither of them noticed that Ignatia's hand, holding that deadly dagger, was twitching slightly…

---

Day 12, 1:02 PM

Spa and Beauty Parlor

Hot Spring Room

Eisei sat on one of the massage boards, as he watched Saiko inspect the locked door. This process had taken quite some time, it was one of the main reasons the two of them had been in the spa all day.

The dentist had been fairly quiet during their time there, mostly because Saiko had showcased that she had no interest in talking. It didn't stop him from hanging around her, so he watched as she inspected the door, its frame, and the ground near it.

"So," he finally said, his curiosity getting the better of him, "did you find out anything interesting yet?"
"Eisei, I'm trying to focus."

"Sorry."

There was more silence, and Eisei began to lay on the massage board. The ceiling was rather boring, but he figured that he wasn't supposed to be lying on his back. It was deep thoughts like this that kept him from being overwhelmingly bored while the other person did all of the searching for things he didn't know to look for.

He tried to think, contemplate, ponder, do anything he could to mentally keep himself amused. Eisei had thought about leaving, letting her do what she did in total peace; however, he couldn't find peace in leaving her all alone.

As he lay there, he closed his eyes and drifted off into thought. Trying to let himself relax, he started to hear something. Somewhere in this building, he could hear a very faint thumping sound.

"Saiko," he spoke up again, "I think someone else is in the building."

"That doesn't matter."

Eisei tilted his head, lavender pigtails bouncing from the movement. "No, I mean I think someone is currently in this building, not just having recently entered."

"Again, that does not matter. Stop interrupting me."

The dentist nodded, then leaned back down on the massage board. He took a few deep breaths, and relaxed again. A much more prominent thumping sound alerted him, his eyes widening.

"Okay, surely you heard that-"

"Eisei!"

Saiko's sudden sharp tone startled the dentist, and he watched her turn from the door to glare at him. "Would you kindly stop! I am trying to find out what is going on here, and I don't need you distracting me."

"I'm not distracting you, I'm trying to help you."

"No, you don't understand," Saiko stormed over to him, tucking her hands in her pockets. "Hara is still missing. We looked all over this plaza, in every room of every available building, and we found no trace of her. She didn't just up and vanish!

"Wherever Monophanie took her, she's gotta be trapped there, and I'm going to find where she is!" She stomped her foot, and declared, "So don't distract me by asking me pointless questions when it is my friend who is probably scared out of her wits!"

Eisei and Saiko stared at each other for a few seconds, before the dentist spoke. "I was just going to comment that I thought I heard someone making a commotion somewhere in this spa. It could be Hara."

"Hara can only be in one of these locked rooms," Saiko countered. "I've been studying this door to see if it's been opened, and I think it has been. There are small signs that someone opened that door!"

"But there's another locked door in this spa, the one we haven't checked out yet."

Saiko blinked, then crossed her arms. "You think I should just abandon my search here and go to the other door?"

It was then that there was a heavy thudding sound, far more prominent, in another part of the spa. Both Saiko and Eisei heard it, and the dentist stared at her inquisitively.

"Maybe?"

Saiko wordlessly walked past him, and he followed after. The two moved towards the hair salon, as more thumping noises came from behind the door. The forensic investigator hurried over to the door, and knocked on it loudly.

"Hara?" she called out. "Hara, are you in there?"

"Hello? Who is that?" came a voice from behind the door. "I don't recognize your voice!"

"That's not Hara," Eisei offered. "I think it's Crystal."

"Crystal? What the hell!" Saiko shouted. "How'd you get in there?!"

"The door was open when I came by, and then it locked itself when I stepped in!"

Eisei raised an eyebrow, then commented, "I'm guessing that you've tried the doorknob to leave the room."

There was a tedious pause, and then Crystal spoke from behind the door, "No-oooooo, Eisei, I hadn't thought of using the doorknob to open the door until you suggested it! Thank you!"

"Okay then, you should try that, that would be your best way to exit-"

"I/She was being sarcastic!" Crystal and Saiko shouted simultaneously.

Eisei observed Saiko's upset face, then nodded understandingly. "Okay, so, the gender specific door was left open, and now Crystal is trapped in the room. Is there no way for you to open the door on your side, Crystal?"

"There's one of those palm readers, but it's for a man!"

The dentist walked over to the palm reader on their side, and tried his palm. An error noise came from the device, and the door stayed locked. "Seems I'm registered as female," he said. "I should have tested that out earlier."

Saiko stared at the palm reader, Eisei, and the door. "So, wait a minute… how are we going to get her out of there?"

There was a brief bit of silence, as the situation dawned on all of them. Crystal muttered a few explicits, then Saiko did. Eisei merely rubbed his chin, and spoke his mind.

"Is there any way we could speed up the marriage progress between the two sides before Crystal starves to death in that room?"

There was another bit of silence, as Saiko frowned at the dentist. Eisei didn't really catch on this, and continued, "Or at the very least, get her out of there before she requires to make biological outputs if there are no commodes inside of that room."

There was one more bit of silence, before Crystal's exasperated voice came from behind the door. "There isn't."

"Then we'd better hope that someone consummates one of these pretend marriages sooner rather than later, for your comfort first and your survival later on."

---

Day 12, 1:10 PM

Love Hotel

Honeymoon Suite #?

Ishiku and Anzu had taken their time to enjoy some intimate time together before rushing to the main reason for their being in this overly fancy room. He was still slightly nervous, and she was patient and sweet to him to ensure he was comfortable with what they planned to do.

They had taken some time to enjoy the swimming pool on the left side of the room. Ishiku had found a pair of swimming trunks in the cabinet, and slid down the slide into the waters. Enjoying the warmth of the water and the underwater jets, he cheered happily.

Then Anzu changed into a black bikini (in the middle of the room, so he saw everything), and slid into the swimming pool as well. They had fun splashing each other, talking and joking around, and then pressing up and kissing each other.

Hands wandered all over, bodies slid together, and Anzu made all kinds of erotic, sweet noises that made Ishiku shiver in delight; this in turn excited Anzu, who loved that nervous energy he was showcasing.

She fondled him down there for a little bit, grinding herself between her legs him before she sat herself down on his lap for a sweet make-out session in the hot tub. They were touching themselves all over, before the straps to Anzu's bikini started to fall from her slender shoulders.

As he gave her chest some special attention, she leaned her head back and moaned. "Hehehe~ you really do like kissing my tattoo, do you?"

"Mwah~ It seems fitting, since it's a heart and all."

"You know what, you cute stud? I think it's time you get me on that bed and show me how much you can touch my heart."

Anzu purred into his ear, then pulled herself out of the hot tub. She stripped off her bikini, grabbing a towel to dry herself off before making her way to the bed. She pulled herself up, and motioned for him to come with the greatest combination of a come-hither finger wag, bedroom eyes, and her naked, inviting pose.

Ishiku did the same as her: leave the hot tub, strip out of his swimwear, towel down, and move to the bed. She was giggling in excitement as he moved over her, and they resumed kissing.

Anzu's hand was on his manhood, his hands all over her pale, slender form. They were intimately touching, moaning, groping each other. They were both panting heavily, sweat already starting to form as they looked into each other's smoldering eyes.

"Are," Ishiku stammered as he reached down between her legs, touching her and spreading her open, "are you ready?"

"Of course I am," she purred, beaming at him with all the excitement and readiness in her eyes and smile.

"No, you're not."

The little voice in Anzu's head that had been buzzing about this entire time, burning at her mental thoughts every time she touched Ishiku, every time they kissed. It was something that had happened more than she admitted, every time she was intimate with someone…

She shook her head ever-so-slightly, hiding it with an excited shiver. Anzu thought to herself, "It's just because this is the first time you're actually going to have sex while here. It's nerves, get over it."

"You cannot do this."

"Yes I can," she whispered fiercely.

"What?" Ishiku asked, staring questionably at her.

"Oh, sorry, honey," the actress said as she brushed her blue bangs away from her face. "Just… psyching myself up. I've never really done this with a friend before, just with a co-worker."

"You're a liar."

"Well, um," the magician nervously stammered, as he loomed over her, kissing her lips sweetly as she whimpered heatedly, "I'd like to make this really good for you. I don't have much experience…"

"Sweetheart, rock my world," she whispered passionately, kissing him after those words. "You just stick it in and pump me good, and trust me, I'm going to love it."

"Don't let him do this."

"O-okay," Ishiku said, as he gently pushed her legs open. She giggled happily, watching him aim for that sweet area between her thighs.

"It's okay, I'm ready, stud."

"No, you aren't! You cannot do this! STOP IT!"

Ishiku moved in, his manhood about ready to touch her pussy…

"STOP THIS! NOW! STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT…"

"STOP IT NOW!"

Anzu shrieked so suddenly, flinching intensively and crawling away from Ishiku, as she pressed her legs together and screamed. She gripped her hair, panting, gasping, whimpering, struggling to get a grip on herself.

"Fuck… fucking… what… I… oh my God, I can't… I can't do this!"

She felt tears rolling down her face, her body trembling, and she couldn't hold it back. The worst feelings in the world were swirling through her head, the greatest of them shame. Anzu was shaking as she tried to hold herself.

Noise didn't register to her, as her head was screaming non-stop in this confusing, shameful state. Though she felt someone's hand on her knee, and she finally heard a name being said.

"Anzu?"

Ishiku was staring at her, his concern palpable. She stared at him, panting hard, tears still rolling down her eyes. Despite everything, she realized one thing: he was worried about her.

"I…," she tried to speak, her throat hurt but she forced herself to elicit the words, "there… there's something wrong with me, Ishi."

"Anzu…"

She was shivering, shaking, and needed comfort more than anything, but was withdrawing from him as much as her body could allow. Anzu didn't know what was going on, her head was still screaming at her.

"You are a liar."

"How could you do this!"

"You slut, you whore…"

"You fraud!"

"Ishi, please, hold me."

He embraced her, holding her naked, shivering frame to his warm body. Despite everything, the comfort this provided slowly but eventually calmed her down. Caressing his chest as she tried to find the words, she stared into his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Anzu, it's okay. If you cannot do this, I'm not going to pressure you."

"But I should be able to do this! Ishi, I… please… I'm so sorry…"

The actress shook, and then blurted out the words that terrified her to admit…

"I don't know who I am right now."

---

Day 12, 1:11 PM

Love Hotel

Ignatia Nazario's Room

Aka sighed heavily as she stared at the unconscious mime on the bed. She wiped her forehead, a bit tired and winded from carrying her all the way there. "Okay, so, what do we do now," she asked, turning her head towards Pyrrha, "with her, I mean? Do I just watch her, wait for her to wake up?"

"That would be best, yes," Pyrrha said, nodding and smiling. "I'll go back down and check out the chapel, thank you very much, Aka."

"This is so weird," Aka remarked as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "I mean, I don't think I really believed the others when they talked about these visions and such, but I've never seen someone unconscious with a death grip on something like this."

"I know, I'm sorry to leave this to you," Pyrrha said, bowing respectively towards Aka. "But we just need to make sure she's… she's…"

Words failed the writer, and her eyes widened in horror. She could only point, as she tried to speak, as her mouth opened and closed to try and push words out. Aka stared at her in confusion, then looked to where she was pointing.

Ignatia's arm, the dagger in the hand, was raising up as if possessed. Then, slowly but surely, shaking as if it were struggling against something, her arm lowered…

… with the dagger moving towards her heart.

"What the fuck!" Aka shouted and grabbed Ignatia's arm. She pulled back, but whatever strength the mime had in this unconscious state was just as strong as her grip on the dagger. Aka pulled as hard as she could, and she could feel Ignatia's arm struggling against her with an intense strength.

The dagger's tip was merely a few inches from the mime's chest, hovering over her heart. Aka struggled, sweat beading down her forehead, and yet she was losing the fight by an inch every few seconds.

The blade started to poke at Ignatia's clothes, slicing through the cloth and causing a small, bloody cut in her skin. Before it could move in deeper, Pyrrha had moved in, having to avoid the spinning horses around the bed.

The romance writer gripped the mime's arm from below, and pushed upwards as hard as she possibly could. Between the two women struggling against whatever strength possessed Ignatia's body, they were able to just barely stop the blade from plunging into her chest.

"What," Aka struggled to say as she pulled with all her might, "what is WRONG with her?!"

---

?, ?:? ?

? ?

? ? ?

Ignatia lifted one of her legs and kicked at the chest of her attacker, pushing with the sole of her shoe. She was pushed up against the wall, struggling as the one trying to force her own knife into her chest had inhuman strength.

The corridor in Hope's Peak Academy was bathed in villainous red light, as were the eyes of her attacker. Ignatia strained through clenched teeth to remove herself from this possibly fatal position.

Her leg lifted up, her skirt fluttering as her limb stomped harder on the metal surface that was her attacker's chest. She then twisted her body, and her arm was forced downward. The dagger in her hand stabbed into the wall, cutting through one of her long, black pigtails.

Her attacker's grip on her loosened from this twisting attack, and then Ignatia whipped her arm forward. Using a kind of training she didn't know she even had, Ignatia slashed at her attacker's neck as she pushed back.

Sparks flew through the air, and her attacker swung one of his arms, striking her in the chest. She flew through the air and slammed her on her back, skidding to a halt as her red shoes slipped off of her feet. Her black leggings-clad legs pushed against the floor, trying to put distance between her and this violent robot.

"Maki Harukawa," Kiibo declared, marching towards her, "I must eliminate you. There is no avoiding this, you are to be exterminated. All of hope must be exterminated…

"Despair is the only way forward for Hope's Peak, for the future. You must not be allowed to survive, because…"

As he stepped forward, Kiibo's metal feet cracked and broke the tiles of the floor. Ignatia pulled herself up to her feet, as the robot reached out to grab her again.

"Your baby cannot be allowed to survive in the new age of Despair!"

---

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suRVivORs

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sTudENts

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aLIve

dEaD

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in

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