Groaning, Kokichi cracked open his eyes. His head throbbed. Kokichi went to hold his forehead, but something restricted his hands. What…? His wrists were tied with rope behind his back. Memories rushed at him. Fireworks. Stargazing with Kaito. A reserve course student grabbing Himiko. Kokichi gasped. "Himiko? Are you –?"

"You're up! Thank goodness…" Himiko was sitting on the ground to the leader's right. Her hands were also bound behind her back. No hat. Or barrette, leaving her red bangs falling over her eyes. Minor scrapes and scratches crisscrossed her face.

"Took you long enough." Kaito sat on Kokichi's other side. Black eye. Reddened jaw from being struck. Various cuts and bruises beneath scuffed-up clothes. "You had me worried. They knocked you out cold."

Kokichi shifted in his bonds. First. Assess your condition. His phone was gone. Plus concealed knife – they must have been frisked. Although he couldn't reach, Kokichi assumed he still had his lock pit set hidden in his shoe's heel. Fat lotta good that does me being stuck in ropes.

Himiko reached over to Kokichi's hands. He nodded.

Kokichi squinted in the dim overhead lighting. Next, determine location. Circular room. Red curtains on the walls. Checkered tile floor. Smelled like wet dirt and alcohol. A pile of semicircular courtroom stands against the far wall. Another pile of household tools in the center. No windows. One double door, across the room. Fourteen Reserve course students in-between.

Sweat slid down Kokichi's forehead. Where… where the hell are we?

"Geeez. Waiting is such a buzzkill…" A girl sat on the pile of stands, twirling a finger around her pink drill hair. Her fake nails clipped against her phone as she texted. The girl glanced up. Met Kokichi's eyes. "Ooh, it is time to par-tay?" She stood up and jumped off the pile. The bottom of her blouse had been slashed with a knife, exposing her midriff. "About time. Gaito, you're such a brute."

The quarterback sized man scratched his head of spiky red hair. Tendons rippled beneath his budging bicep at the simple action. "I was already holding back at it was, Ai. Pipsqueak's so small I coulda easily bust his head open like a grape."

Kokichi swallowed. And finally analyze the enemy. Outnumbered 5 to 1, with the majority being male. No trained fighters. Risk of injury if attempt escape: very high.

Two students sat near the tool pile. One flicked his army knife in and out. The other took a swig of beer. The pink haired girl, Ai, snatched up a power drill. She drilled the bottle, glass shards flying. He yelped. "No drinking tonight, boys! Boss' orders." She stepped back onto a burger wrapper. "Ew, like omigod. So gross. What is this, a pigsty? This is hardly fit for someone like Zaphie."

Wait. Kokichi's heart pounded. The hammers, nail guns, and utility knives. The rope tying their hands. He'd seen them all before. Does this mean…?

Smiling, Ai looked over her shoulder. "Right, Zaphius, dear?"

"My, my. So feisty." A tall, willowy teenager approached them. His open blazer rippled behind him like a cape. With pressed clothes, perfect posture, and lifted sharp chin, he carried himself like an aristocrat. But his smile never reached his dull eyes.

"Welcome to our humble little hideout." Zaphius doffed his baseball cap and bowed. Tossing the cap aside, he ran a hand through his blond hair. "It's our pleasure to finally meet you."

The Reserve course students grinned.

They were already planning on kidnapping ultimates during the sports festival preparations. And I… Kokichi closed his eyes, exhaling. I gave them a target.

"I-I don't know what we did wrong." Himiko's voice shook. "Let us go. Please."

Zaphius tilted his head to the side. Studied the mage with his coal black eyes. "Himiko Yumeno. Ultimate Magician. Ridiculed and scorned by the magic community for rejecting Magic Castle's Magician of the Year award."

Himiko winced. "They… they were insulting Master…"

Kaito growled, "Why did you take us? What do you want from us?"

"Kaito Momota. Ultimate Astronaut. Using connections to forge documents, you took the astronaut exam and stole another person's chance to become an astronaut." As if onstage, Zaphius raised his arms. "'The impossible is possible! All you gotta do is make it so.' Sooo through cheating, lying, and stealing?" The other students muttered curses.

Kaito snarled, "You…!" He struggled against the ropes. Nothing budged. "Rrgh! Just how do you know this anyway?"

"Oh that's, like, super easy, peasy-squeezy," smiled Ai. She held up her phone. "The life of an ultimate is public for everyone in the world to see. Tabloids, blogs, even entire chat rooms are devoted to talking about you! You're celebrities!"

Kokichi's eyes narrowed. Thanks, Hope's Peak. Smirking, he leaned back against the wall. "Well, you normie rejects got nothing on me."

"It matters not." Zaphius snapped his fingers. "Gaito."

The quarterback-size man took something small out from his pocket. Blue flashed in the dim light. He tossed it at Himiko's feet.

Her barrette lay in pieces.

"Master!" cried Himiko, leaning forward. "No… No, how could you…?" Tears slipped down her face. Head bowed, she trembled. "Master, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…!"

Kokichi winced. Himiko's only memento…

Zaphius bent down until his face was nearly level with the leader's. His silky voice purred. "You see, Kokichi Oma, I think we're very much alike. We don't care about ourselves. In fact…" Kokichi accessed Zaphius. Narrow face. High cheekbones. His flat, dull eyes. Dead eyes.

Kokichi flinched. Is that…?

Kokichi's older brother gazed at him. Smiled. "We don't feel anything at all."

Kokichi gasped. Eyes wide, he panted heavily. Bile choked his throat. "That's not… That's not true!" Zaphius smirked.

Kokichi closed his eyes. Swallowed. No, he's not here. Get it together.

The leader glanced at Himiko beside him. Her tears hit the ground near her broken barrette. "It's all right, Himiko. You can get a new one."

Ai sucked in a sharp breath. "Hey, are they an item? A real-life shota and loli couple!" She burst into screechy laughter. "Like omigod, how adorbs. Can we take pictures, too?"

Kokichi froze. What?

"Look. You don't want to do this," declared Kaito. Sweat coated his face. His black eye had swelled up more. "It's only a matter of time until Hope's Peak security finds us. You'll be kicked out. Maybe even jailed. Then your lives, your dreams… they'll all be ruined." Kaito's voice quieted. "You've had your fun already. Let us go."

The fourteen students erupted into laughter. Their peals echoed off the walls and high ceiling, as if a hundred people were howling with laughter. Whimpering, Himiko shrank back. Kokichi tensed.

Gaito flexed his over-sized bicep. Bloodshot eyes gleamed in the dark. Steroids. "There's nothing left for us anymore. I worked my ass off and applied as the ultimate boxer. But my records didn't compare to Juzo Sakakura. And before I could prove 'em wrong, I was kicked outta the ring."

Ai lowered her phone and power drill. Her ice blue eyes chilled to the bone. "As Reserve flunkies, we're, like, more invisible than wallpaper. Worse, we're all in the loser's class about to flunk out of school."

Zaphius crouched down to their level. Elbow on one knee, he languidly let his arm hang down. "If we can't become ultimates… If we aren't even good enough as Reserve course students…" He tilted his head. His eyes dulled. A smile creeped across his face. "Then we'll drag the ultimates with us as we go down in flames. We'll be videotaping you groveling to us, telling your darkest secrets and uploading them online. Your careers as ultimates will be finished."

Kokichi grimaced. Kaito stilled. "Y-you gotta be kidding me."

"No…" breathed Himiko. "You can't. I wanna be a mage more than anything in the world."

Reserve course students rose to their feet. Their cries overlapped each other.

"Have them bow down in shame! Beg for our forgiveness!"

"Lick our shoes!"

"Bash their noses in!"

Gaito cracked his knuckles. "No, we hang 'em from the rafters and use 'em as punching bags!"

Bottles raised high, the students roared.

Zaphius laughed low in his throat. He sneered. "Oh yes. Our fun is only just getting started."

Kaito gaped at the mob. All the blood had drained from his face. Himiko grabbed Kokichi's hand. Squeezed it tight.

Analysis of enemy complete. Eyes narrowed, Kokichi braced himself. They have nothing to lose.

Exhaling, Shuichi rubbed his eyes. The words of the summer reading book were beginning to blur on the page. He tossed it onto his desk. Powered off his laptop. Stood up and stretched. Yawning, Shuichi pulled out his phone. 10:43 pm. He texted Kaito. Leaving his bedroom, Shuichi called, "Hey, Keebo?"

"Yes?" The robot looked up from sweeping the kitchen floor.

"Do you –? What are you doing that for? We just moved back in the dorm. Everything's clean."

"Yes, I'm aware but…" Keebo glanced behind him. Towards his and Kokichi's bedrooms. "Any way that I can be of, well… How is your paper coming along?"

Sighing, Shuichi leaned against the back of the living room couch. "I've made some headway. But I have two days to do it. There's no need to push myself tonight. I was going to train with Kaito. Do you know how long he's been out?" Shuichi's phone buzzed. "Oh, never mind. Ask and answered, apparently. Kaito just texted." Shuichi frowned as he read it aloud. "Said that he's got a lot on his mind and needs some space. He wants to train by himself. Then he's going to sleep over at Rantaro's so don't wait up for him."

Keebo's made a metallic humming noise. "How strange. Earlier, Kaito left with a telescope. Then Kokichi mentioned getting Himiko to go prank him…"

The hair on the back of Shuichi's neck stood on end. Just like every time he stepped onto a crime scene. "Keebo, call Kokichi and Himiko." Shuichi dialed Kaito's number. Held it to his ear. The phone rang and rang. Please, Kaito. Please pick up!

Ai clasped her hands. "So who should spill their guts in the video first? Let's see what we got!" She pointed a fake blue nail towards Kaito. "We got the jock here. Cracking the 'Tough Guy' act is always fun, but he probably needs some motivation from his wittle friends first."

Kaito snarled, "You bastards."

"Then there's li'l Himi-chan. She's a cutay but got no bootay." Her blue eyes flickered to Kokichi. "And the middle one –"

A phone rang. Kokichi jumped. A reserve student held up a phone with a constellation case. "It's Shuichi. We sent the text we already planned, but he still called."

Kokichi caught Kaito's gaze. He nodded. The astronaut reasoned, "Look, I know what to say to stop him from call –"

Zaphius moved his thumb across in his neck. Ai smashed the ringing phone with her heel. Kaito's words died in his throat. Zaphius ordered, "Don't break the other phones. They're our only way of persuading stopping their other friends to stop contacting them. Proceed as planned."

Kokichi bit his lip so hard it drew blood. Shit, shit, shit! Sweat beaded down his face. Heart raced. Think! He peered at the double doors across the room. Escape? Too far, too outnumbered. Persuade? Impossible. Distraction? No tools, no materials. I can only thing of one thing, but I can't –! What else can I –!?

Kaito raised his chin. Despite his black eye, his eyes burned. "I'll do it. I'll be in the video." Everyone turned to him. "I'll tell you about how I cheated into astronaut training, my most embarrassing memory, how far I've been with girls… whatever the hell you want. Just leave these two out of it."

Himiko spluttered, "W-what?"

"Kaito, no!" shouted Kokichi.

Kaito shifted so he could face his friends. "Look, what they're doing isn't right by any means. But if I can give these guys some measure of justice, well, then I gotta man up and do it. And I'm only admitting to stuff I've did."

Voice thick, Himiko asked, "What about going into space?"

Kaito grinned broadly. "Well, sometimes you gotta be a little reckless to make your dreams a reality. I'll be all right." He glanced at Kokichi. Mouthed, "Besides you'll need a distraction."

Kokichi's face twisted. "Y-you're such a fool."

"My, my, how eager," remarked Zaphius. "But I believe Ai is correct. You shouldn't go first." Ai giggled, tickled pink. "Especially since you volunteered. No one would believe a word you'd say."

Kaito cursed.

Humming, Zaphius cast his gaze onto Kokichi. The leader's eyes flashed. After a few seconds of terse silence, Zaphius looked at Himiko.

Ai hefted power drills onto each shoulder. "Then why not the mage? The little ones always squeal the most. Like pigs!" Cackling, she set the drills whirring.

Himiko gasped. "No…" Eyes wide with tears, she backed up to the wall. "No, please!"

"Maybe…" demurred Zaphius, hand outstretched to her. "Yes, you should put on a good show."

Kokichi's voice, smooth and as cool as ice, spoke. "Touch her and I will stop caring whether you live or die."

Himiko whipped her head towards him. Kaito murmured, "Kokichi… the hell?"

Zaphius chuckled low in his throat. He seized Himiko's chin. "I stopped caring about that a long time ago –"

Kokichi lunged. Jumped onto Zaphius' shoulders. Hands free, Kokichi wrapped the rope around his neck. Himiko had untied him after he awoke.

"What the –? Ugh!"

Kokichi leaned forward over Zaphius' head, coming face to face with him, although upside down. Black hole eyes stared at him. Kokichi's grin stretched unnaturally across his face. "Nee-heeheheheeeeheheheeeee…!"

"Ah… ahhh…! AHHHHHHHHHHHH– Hrugk!"

Kokichi wrenched the rope tight. Zaphius' eyes budged. He gagged. Stumbled. Snarling, he bashed Kokichi into the wall. Kokichi hung on like blood-sucking tic. He pulled the rope tighter. Zaphius foamed at the mouth. Weakly swiped at his throat. Then, eyes rolling up into his head, Zaphius sank to his knees. Fell onto his side.

"Ahhh…" exhaled Kokichi, picking himself up. His tossed his sweaty hair back. "Nee-heehehehee." Grinning, he kicked Zaphius onto his back. White pupils stared off into the distance. "That's the face I love the most. When the trash realize they've underestimated me."

Kaito gaped at the leader. "Ko… Kokichi…?" Himiko covered her mouth with both hands, about to be sick.

The Reserve course students stared. The power drills fell from Ai's hands. "Zaphie…?" she murmured, white-faced. Then her face twisted into a demon-like snarl. "Get him!"

Kokichi turned, facing the horde of students. He crouched into a defensive stance.

"I'm sorry."

Gaito and the other students charged. Four sets of hands grabbed at Kokichi. They threw him to the ground. Surrounded him. Roaring, they kicked and kicked and kicked and kicked him.

Himiko screamed, "Kokichi!"

By the light of Keebo's glowing eyes, Shuichi, Keebo, Kaede, and Maki ran through the dark forest. Shuichi ducked under a branch. To the girls, he explained, "I called Kaito but then the phone cut out. Hasn't worked since. Nor will Kokichi or Himiko answer."

"They're supposed to be… stargazing, you said?" panted Kaede.

"Yes, at the campsite just up –"

"Everyone!" Maki called from ahead.

They burst into the clearing. Keebo gasped.

Muddy tracks covered the campsite. Kaito's beloved telescope lay in pieces. A box of fireworks and a lighter had spilled onto the ground. Shuichi crouched down. Some of the grass was stained with something dark. He took a blade. Smelled it. Blood.

"What happened…?" Kaede stepped forward. "Where are –?"

Shuichi thrust out an arm. "Stop! Don't contaminate the scene." Jaw clenched, Shuichi pulled on latex gloves. "Circle the area and search for clues but don't touch anything. If you see something that could have fingerprints on it, let me know."

Keebo kept his glowing eyes trained on the scene. "Are you sure we have time to collect evidence? They could be in danger."

"And this is our only way of determining where they are." Shoulders tense, Maki paced the perimeter of the clearing like a lioness about to ponce. She pointed to the footprints near the center. "Look there. Himiko and Kokichi did meet up with Kaito. That's the design of the underside of their shoes." She cast her gaze over the broken twigs and deep grooves in the earth. "And at least a dozen other people went through here."

"Yes, that's my estimate as well," murmured the detective. He went cold. Wait. How could an Ultimate Caregiver tell that?

Kaede hugged her arms. "You don't think… the Reserve course students?"

"A likely possibility," Keebo deduced. "But where on campus could hide that many people? The Reserve course students don't have dormitories like the ultimates do. And the classroom building is the only place they have access to…"

Shuichi gasped. That's it! "Keebo, take a photo of the crime scene. Kaede, call the police and campus security on the way." He dove into the forest, heading back to Hope's Peak. After a moment, the others dashed after him.

Maki began running ahead. "Where to?"

"The central plaza."

Hand over his mouth, Shuichi stood by the Founder's Statue, overlooking the plaza. His classmates were examining the area. Keebo peered up into a tree a banner had been hung from. Maki cast her phone's flashlight over the ground, searching for footprints. Kaede looked around, as she spoke the police over the phone.

"…They left the dorm two, three hours now. No, I don't how much time that means since they… since they were kidnapped."

Where? Shuichi wondered. Where could you hide 15 students? He and his friends had traveled through the courtyard a thousand times before. There weren't any secrets or trap doors. Not that Shuichi had noticed.

"…found anything yet? You're searching the Reserve classroom building?" Frowning, Kaede shot Shuichi a glance. "No don't! Shuichi thinks they're in the central plaza. Well, yeah, there's nothing there. But Shuichi's the Ultimate Detective!"

Growling, Maki pushed and pulled at the cement bricks lining the pathway. "Where? Where are they?"

Gritting his teeth, Shuichi turned around. The statue of Izuru Kamukura, Hope's Peak's founder, gazed over the campus. The years he served as headmaster were inscribed on a plaque on the base. A yellowed yard sign off to the side read "Do Not Touch".

Shuichi froze.

Exhaling, Shuichi shook his head. Hidden in plain sight. He placed his hand against the statue. The ground rumbled. Gasping, the others looked up. Groaning, the statue's pedestal moved back, revealing a staircase.

Shuichi rushed down the steps. "Come on!" The ultimates barreled down the stairs. Their heavy breathing and footsteps echoed off the narrow passage. After a few moments, they reached the end.

Half-globe light fixtures hung from the ceiling, illuminating the space. Blue glowing lines ran down the walls, reminiscent of a computer or sci-fi lab. Four different halls offshot from hallway they currently were standing in. Two more halls branched off every route.

Shuichi's heart sank. No…

It was a maze.

Tears welled in Kaede's eyes. "How can we find them now?"

Maki bolted down a hallway. "Split up! One of us will locate them!"

"Right!" cried Shuichi, running down a different one. Hang on, guys. Just a little longer!

Sneering, the Reserve course students kicked and stomped on Kokichi. Their cries drowned out Kokichi's grunts. "Die, ultimate scum!"

"Who's trash now?!"

"Effin' bastard!"

Crunch.

The students cheered. They continued kicking him with increased fervor.

Heart galloping a mile a minute, Himiko undid her wrists' bindings. She rushed to Kaito's side. Untied him. "Hurry!" The rope fell away. Fists raised, Kaito charged. "Get away from him!"

Ai pulled at the students on the fringes of the mob. "Move! For harming Zaphie, I'll drill holes into –"

Something sliced across her cheek. Gasping, Ai jerked back. Blood dripped down her face. Himiko held a several cards fanned out in her hand. Eyes blazing, Himiko readied to throw another card. Ai snarled, "You –!"

A dark figure arose behind her. Roundhouse kicked her head. Ai crumpled. Pigtails flying, Maki still spun, foot mid-air. Her red eyes gleamed in the dark.

In the span of a blink, Maki downed the closest three students.

"The hell?!"

"Who –?" Maki karate chopped his neck. Gurgling, he collapsed. She crushed the kneecap of another with a stomp. Screaming, she fell, clutching her leg. A third punched. Maki craned head to the side, dodging. The caregiver punched his outstretched forearm so hard it snapped. He howled.

The remaining students fled. Maki chased them.

Himiko froze. Maki…? How? She glimpsed a bit of white between the fleeing pack. "Kokichi!"

The mage rushed to him. Kokichi lay on side, arms shielding his head in a death grip. "Kokichi? Kokichi! Are you okay?" Himiko rolled him onto his back. Kokichi's arms fell away from his head. Her eyes darted over his form. Ash gray face. Blood leaking out of his mouth. Tattered clothes. Beneath every rip, bruises bloomed across his skin.

Kokichi's lavender eyes met hers. He lifted a trembling hand. Smiled. "H-Himi… You're saf…" His arm went limp. Eyes stared vacantly into the distance.

"No!" Himiko seized his hand with hers. Tears tracked down her face. "Kokichi! Don't you leave me! I…" Himiko hiccupped. "I still need you…!"

"I'll rip you into pieces!"

Himiko glanced up. Maki was squaring off against Gaito. He was the only student still standing. Redfaced like a bull, Gaito threw a punch. Maki sidestepped, evading it. Using his fist as a launch pad, Maki flipped midair. Then Maki smashed her heel down into his skill. The boxer hit the ground with a thud.

Off to the side, Kaito stared at Maki. "How the hell…?"

"Everyone!" Himiko whipped her head towards the double doors. Shuichi, Kaede, and Keebo ran to the open doorway, panting heavily. "Are you all right?" asked Keebo.

"Guys!" Himiko shouted. "I need help! Kokichi…!"

The friends ran to her side and kneeled. "Oh my god," Kaede murmured. "What happened to him? Is he gonna be all right?"

Frowning, Maki touched Kokichi's hand. Ice cold. Maki placed her head over his chest, listening. Rapid fire pulse, shallow breathing. "Shit. He's going into shock. Kaede, are you still on the phone with the police?"

"Huh? Oh no! I must have dropped my phone somewhere."

"I got it," cried Shuichi, dialing.

"Tell them they need blood matching Kokichi's blood type for transfusions. We have to keep him warm. Do you have –?" Kaito immediately doffed his galaxy coat and laid it over Kokichi. "That's not enough." Kaede offered her pink sweater, leaving her in a white blouse. "Better.

"Himiko." The mage jumped. "Do you want to help or continue holding his hand?"

"I-I wanna help…"

"Then you have the most important job. Lift and hold Kokichi's feet about 30 cm off the ground. Just like that. Wait, hold on a second." Maki stripped Kokichi of a shoe and sock, testing his foot's temperature. Slightly warm. Maki exhaled in relief. "Good. He still has some blood in him. But…" Maki leaned back. Bit her thumb. "Did anyone find any supplies while running through the maze? If you did, bring back needles and tubes you find. For the blood transfusion."

"I did," exclaimed Kaede. "Let's go, Shuichi!" The two ducked into the maze.

Kaito evenly gazed at Maki. He mouthed, "How much time?"

Maki's eyes flickered to Himiko. She sighed. "Six, seven. If we're lucky."

Himiko blinked. Six, seven what? Minutes? Oh.

Kokichi's dying.

Standing, Kaito waved in a "come on" gesture. "Keebo, we're gonna direct the ambulance people here!"

The robot raced after him. "I memorized the way, so follow me!"

"Maki…" Himiko's voice thickened. Her tears hit the floor. "Am I really helping or…?"

The caregiver knelt by her side. Tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are. Kokichi is internally bleeding. He needs more blood to replace what he's losing. By lifting his legs, you're moving blood towards his trunk where he needs it."

"So… he'll be okay?"

"I don't know. Probably not."

Himiko's chest constricted, cutting off her breath. She swayed. As if underwater, Himiko couldn't see, couldn't hear anything else. Time passed by in an instant.

Someone was pushing her out of the way. Jerking out of the reverie, Himiko looked around. Black-uniformed men and women surrounded Kokichi. "EMT" was written across their back. Shouting orders, they pricked Kokichi's elbow, hooking him up to a pouch of blood.

A woman in a brown bob smiled tightly at her. "You need to move, sweetie. Now."

Himiko thrust out her arm. "Wait, I'm O negative, the universal donor. Take my blood!"

"We have some. Please move."

"No!" Himiko squeezed Kokichi's hand. "I'm not leaving him. You'd have to saw my arm off and since you're not a level 3 archmage, you can't."

The woman exhaled. Then, hand raised, she waved to another EMT. "Get the stretcher."

Himiko pressed his hand to her forehead. Sucked in shaky breaths. Screwed her eyes shut. You can't die, Kokichi. You just can't! I'll curse you for a thousand generations if you do. So please, you have to live! Please, Kokichi! Please!

The kidnapping takes place in the trial room and maze beneath the Founder's statue in the DR 3 anime. Originally it was going to be the Monokuma factory that hinted at existing at Hope's Peak in the Ultimate Talent Development Plan, but including Monokuma as a character in this would have raised more questions than answers, sadly.

To Guest Reviewer (since I can't PM you, lol) - I'm glad you enjoyed the songs! They're super cool. I'm also happy you're enjoyed this fic so far. If you have any questions, comments, or critiques, feel free to leave in a review and I'll answer them next chapter just like this. Thanks again! P.S. Sorry for my late reply!