If the atmosphere yesterday was bad then this was crushing, it felt like I just walked into a high tension western movie and any wrong word would start a shoot out. I immediately seek out Akira and the usual personable people but even they looked depressed. Akira was reading over a paper, eyes sad, it must be about the names she mentioned last night.

"Hey, Sanyu," Haruna said calling me over. I go over to her, she had Kenta, Kojiro sitting with her, "want to sit with us? We're the trust worthy group."

Kenta scoffs, "As much as you can be with the secret poisoner here."

I consider it for a second, sitting with them would be fine because I knew this motive really didn't target them, but I don't feel like putting up with them, "Actually, Harun-" I was forcefully dragged down to eye level with determined silvery eyes.

"Sanyu, tomorrow you will get a note from me detailing a meeting," her fingernails dug into my arm, "it's important, don't miss it." Kojiro and Kenta nodded behind her.

"Oh?" I replied unsure, as soon as I was released I scurried away. What was that about? A meeting, what kind? Not a good one if it involved those three. I quickly sat down next to Evan and James before I could be dragged back to the wonder three.

"People are dividing up I see," Evan said, "maybe groups of two is the better option...preferable to us standing alone." I agree, talk about isolation, there's a ice wall between every body. But I think I'll hang out with James and Evan today, the conversation was pretty light hearted considering the recent motive and I preferred that in the morning.

"You two partnered up pretty quickly," I comment, "didn't you guys hate each other?"

"We just misjudged each other in the beginning," Evan answered, "but were past that now, if I must admit James is the least annoying here."

"Aren't you a great friend," James replied sarcastically.

"I'm the best around," Evan responds with sarcasm.

"So what do you guys want to do?" I ask.

"Let's go to the library, I haven't been there in awhile and I need some peace and quiet that isn't uncomfortable," Evan stated. I remembered back to the second motive, Yukihiro and Akira both liked the library, and in the brief time I was there it was fun for me too.

"Sure," I look over at Akira who was reading the motive letter again. It probably wasn't good for her to be so focused on it. Maybe going to the library with us would be just the distraction she needs? "Hey Akira do you want to come with us?" I shout to her.

Akira was still before nodding yes and joining the three of us. We all went to the library and got our books, I quickly notice Akira still reading her letter and hand her a book. Resigned she takes it and puts away the paper. The day carried on peacefully and I managed to read more books in one day then I had in a few years, it was startling amicable.

"James, I noticed something last night on the way to the gym," Evan said, still reading his book, "as we passed the trophy room, right before the gymnasium I looked at some of the awards won and I saw your name."

"Really?" James asked sitting up in his chair, "wow, I forgot all about that. Which one was it?"

"It had a little figure on it with a blue ribbon tied around the base."

"Haha! I remember winning that one!" James said excited, "that feels like such a long time ago..."

"What did you win it for?" I ask curious.

"Kickboxing, I mean it is my talent... or was at least," James boasted, "I was a national champion in America when I was 16."

"Well I haven't done anything that impressive," Evan said not looking up from his book, "I'm just a simple lawyer."

Akira raised a eyebrow, "How did you get the Super High School Level Lawyer? Don't you need to got to law school?"

"I took online classes and told a little lie on how old I was," Evan smirked, "I put everything in my older sisters name to verify and just made sure no one found out, of course eventually they did but by that time I had a bachelor in law."

"Sounds kinda illegal."

"It was, they revoked my degree but I was in Hope's Peak so it worked out," Evan shrugged, closing his book. Evan and James continued on talking, and the longer they went on the more I wondered how they could be so carefree in this motive. Don't they have a family to worry about?

I glance at Akira, then back to them, "How about this motive?" I ask.

"It's... difficult," James sighs reluctant, "my grandparents are all I have left and they are sheltered at future foundation, but I can't help but think maybe something happened and their not as safe as I thought."

"My family is safe as well, but they are not sheltered like yours is," Evan sunk into his chair, "and the information letter they gave me was to vague to even worry about."

I suppose that is a good reason to be carefree, they already know their family's safe.

"I see, I don't have to worry either," I say, "my family isn't around anymore."

"I wouldn't say we have nothing to worry about," James replied, "this motive is still scary, but I'm actually more worried about the others, I can already tell certain people are acting different."

The library door then swung open and in stepped Veliah, "Oh, you're here," Veliah said disappointed at seeing us, but apparently we weren't enough to stop her from enjoying the library.

"What brings you here?" Evan asks.

"Things got heated in the cafeteria," Veliah explains, "everyone has split up and are hiding out in different areas."

"Heated? How?"

"Danny got in a fight with M," Veliah waved off, "less of a fist fight and more of a shouting match, anyway, M accused Akira here of being the next murder so Danny got mad saying he had no reason to think that."

Akira looked up at her name, "I see, where did they go after that?"

"Danny went to the School Store—no clue why— and M is in the swimming pool? For some reason?" Veliah replied, she then went and picked through the books, her forest green hair matching the lines of book spines.

James got up and put away his book, "Evan, should we go see what's wrong with M?"

Evan sighed, "honestly I don't see why your friends with him," but despite the statement Evan left with James, and me and Akira were left alone.

"We should go check on Danny," Akira says getting up from her seat on the floor. I follow after her unsure on what else to do.

We found Danny in the school store, just like Veliah said, slowly putting in coin after coin in the Monokuma machine.

"Hey Danny," I say hesitantly, he nodded his head in response but didn't look up, "are you ok?"

"I'm just thinking about some things," he twisted the knob and a white and black ball falls out, "oh—here, you like Sea salt don't you," Danny then hesitated, "or wait do you want it Akira, I am using the Mono coins you gave me."

"I'm good," I deny awkwardly.

I was grateful when Akira steps in, "I heard you fought with M."

"I didn't fight! I mean- it's just he said you were going to kill someone, and then he said you might just kill me, but then he made it worse by saying maybe I'll just kill you," Danny rambles, "and it just made me mad because- because..."

"Because it could be true?"

Danny's eyes went wide, "what? No!"

"Sorry, but it's nice to know you won't resort to that," Akira apologizes, "and I won't either."

Danny gave a little smile but grimaced, "it made me mad because it showed me how little I can do! I can either abandon my sister or kill someone or die."

"That's not true, and is your sister in your motive letter?" Akira asked.

"Yeah, my little sister Giselle, it said something about her being hurt and needing to be rescued before it's to late," Danny said holding up the letter for us. Akira pulled out hers and suddenly I felt like I was intruding. What right do I have to listen to their problems if I can't even relate, family was always a subject lost on me. I tiptoe out of the school store and head to the pool to find M. M is a pretty stoic guy and apparently a dick with family problems too, maybe I can talk to him instead.

Once I reach the pool I find James and Evan sitting in pool chairs while M swam around.

"Why the pool?" I ask, approaching them.

"Yukihiro was murdered here, I figured this was the one place I would be left alone," M replies, I wince at the logic.

Suddenly with a click the world goes dark and in the 10 seconds the lights went out I hear a strangled yelp. Once light returned I turn to Evan curious, but it wasn't him because he looked just as confused.

"M, was that you?" James jokes, "You're not scared of the dark are you?"

M's glare was worthy of a Super High School level Assassin, and the hands that shot from the water to topple James's chair were just as precise. James splashed into the water with a girly shriek.

"M! Now I have to change!" James fumed, his flouncy beach blonde hair was now taking the characteristics of a 90's boy band style.

"You should get a flashlight from the storage room," Evan inputs, with not a drop of water on his grey suit, "unless you want to spend the next black out blind."

"How do you know there will be a blackout?" I ask.

"The lights keep flickering far too much for it to not happen, and it's better to be safe than sorry," Evan replies.

M gets out of the pool immediately, "James, let's get a flashlight."

"Oh, so you are afraid of the dark," I snark.

"What do you mean, the flashlight will be for James and I will just hold onto it," M corrects, "come on let's go before another black out happens."

M then rushed out, James heaved himself out of the pool, weighed down by his wet clothes. But strangely James did look happier.

"Did something happen?" I ask.

"Ah no, just something I was worried about turned out to be nothing," he replied. Evan stood up and the three of us left together to the storage room.

As I was making small talk with James the light flickered, "oh, again? I hope the power doesn't go out for to long," I say, but as soon as I said it the hallway went black with a click. Great, figures I would jinx it.

"Woah, it's pitch black," James shouted, "are you still there Sanyu, Evan?"

"Calm down idiot, we haven't moved," was the angry reply to my left.

"We need to find M, he doesn't like the dark!" James fretted.

"He probably already got a flash light!" I comment, "He was a lot farther ahead then us."

"Keep talking, I'll find you by your voice," Evan grumbles, and foot steps were my only sign he was moving.

I then felt a cold hand touch my shoulder, "oh, Evan I thought you were going to James?" I ask.

"Sanyu, I am with James," Evan said slowly, his voice further off. Sweat beads down my face as I shakily turn to the hand, I was met with a Monokuma mask shadowed in its flash light. I scream and scramble away, colliding straight into (what I assume) James and Evan, the three of us tumble down. I sat up with a groan, nursing my new stinging elbow as a light is shone in my eye.

"Gahaha!" Monokuma 55 cackles, "oh-oh that was great! Come on we're going to the gym." Not wanting to be left in the dark for any longer, the three of us followed after him. But as we walked down the stairs we were met by the floor gate, it must have closed when the power went out.

55 held up a walkie talkie and spoke into it, "Hey dumbass, get the back up power to the second floor gate."

The gate then clicked and whirred open. Soon we arrived in the gym, I couldn't see anyone else but I do think I heard Akira and Danny talking, so everyone must be here.

"I am very disappointed," said the unmistakable, if less announced, voice of the announcer, "I had hoped me being on this stage would be reserved for the glorious despair of a motive, but you've forced my hand."

"Just get on with it and tell us what happened to the lights!"

"What happened to the lights? You- you all happened to the lights!" Announcer screeches, stomping the ground in anger, "every last one of you turned on the lights and cranked everything to max."

"What does that matter?" Evan says nearby.

"Rule number 7: Don't be wasteful with our resources. Was there for a reason! We don't have as much energy to be kicking around like in the first killing game, we don't have unlimited resources to provide you brats with!" Announcer stops her fuming with a another grand stomp, "Overload the grid next time and we might not be able to get it back online, so unless you want to suffocate I expect you all to be more conservative," she hisses.

"Is- is the air purifier on right now?"

"Yes, it's on a separate generator then the lights," the announcer informs, "but do this again and we'll destroy it just to spite you- now get out!"

"Wait when will the lights be back?"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

Well this is a bit shorter then normal but it's necessary, and thank you for your reviews, they're all so wonderful! Now that big question of whose despair and if you guessed right, will be answered... next time on Despair Clean-up Crew!