Updated

Chapter 16: Truth and Reality

Everything covered in light. The opposite of the darkness we all knew through out. Could the light be a good sign or will it cause more devastation?

?: "Hey, are you awake now?"

? 2: "Are we finally here?"

?: "Yeah, we're here at the hideout. If things go as plan, then we could undo all what he did."

? 2: "Sounds boring the way you say it."

?: "Hey, I tried my hardest to make this work."

? 2: "So is this your Hope?"

?: "I don't know to be honest, but it won't hurt to try?"

? 2: "Very well, but you better not screw this up."

?: "Yeah thanks for putting all your faith in me."

? 2: "Let's get started already. I'm getting bored of talking about this plan of yours."

?: "Fine jeez." A few moments of silence had passed. "Alright then all set up. Got to warn you though, when you enter, you might revert back to your old self again?"

? 2: "That's fine. I could care less, so long as we succeed."

?: "Alright then let's begin."

? 2: "... Just wait a little longer. I'll undo everything they've done. No matter how long it takes. I will save you all. That is my promise."

The light finally fades away and everyone is able to see again.

MC: "What was that light about? Monika are you alright? Monika?"

Monika: "Ow. I'm fine I just tripped." He helps her get back onto her feet. "Thanks, let's hurry to Sayori."

MC: "Right" The two of them continued to go downstairs. On their way down MC and Monika notices something weird going on outside. "What the!?"

Monika: "My God. What happened to the sky?" They both look out of a window and saw that the sky was red with black clouds. "What the? What's going on?"

MC: "I don't know, but we need to gather the others quickly."

Monika: "This is just so unreal."

MC: "Monika! Let's go."

Monika: "B-but …"

MC: "I know it's scary, but we have to get the others. Only we can figure this out together. Come on let's go." He offers his hand to her.

Monika: "You're right. Let's go get the others." She takes his hand and both heads down the stairs and hallways to the front door where Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri are. All three of them looking up at the bloody sky. "Sayori what's going on?"

Sayori: "The sky." She points up. "It's all red now."

Monika: "How?"

Yuri: "We don't know? It just started turning red."

Natsuki: "Aw man it's the end of the world! Gah!" She falls down holding her head.

MC: "Natsuki! Gah!" He does the same and soon after the others too. While they all wallop in pain the speaker turns on as a woman speaks.

?: "My, my, I can't believe you all lasted this long. Oh well that's fine by me. This was starting to get so boring, but for you to change my plans. Just Wow!"

MC: "Shut up and show yourself!" He struggles to get on one knee.

?: "Literature Club members. You are all to report to the school gym immediately. If you do not comply then I will hunt you down and force you to come. That is all." After making the announcement all five of them recovered from their headaches.

Sayori: "Just who was that? It didn't sound like our normal principle?"

Monika: "Could it be?"

MC: "It has to be? Come on girls. Looks like we don't have a choice, but to do as she says."

Natsuki: "But?"

MC: "Do you want to suffer!? If not let's go!"

Natsuki: "Michael?"

Yuri: (I've never seen him act this way.)

MC: "I'll take the lead, so all four of you stay close behind me."

Sayori: "What do you think Monika?"

Monika: "For now it's best to do what she asks. The person calling us isn't giving us much of an option."

Natsuki: "A-are you sure we should really be following her orders?"

Monika: "You heard her right? If we don't go, we could be killed."

Natsuki: "But even so …"

Yuri: "I know how you feel, but we don't have any other choice."

Natsuki: "Damn, I was hoping we do." While she mopes, Monika and MC look to each other.

Monika: "Lead the way."

MC: "Right, just stay close and don't wonder off." All four girls did what he asked and they all went to the school gym. When they arrived the gym was empty as well with no other signs of people around. "Where are you! Show yourself Libitina!" All four girls' eyes widen when he called out her name.

Natsuki: "Michael! Don't call her out!"

MC: "There's no point in hiding anymore. We're doomed to face her eventually. We can't run from her anymore. Don't worry I'm here to protect you all."

Natsuki: (Why is he acting weird all of a sudden?)

?: "How brave of you Michael." Everyone looks to the front of the gymnasium in terror. "That's right everyone, no more hiding from me or you. Libitina is here!" Popping out of nowhere a tall woman the same height as Yuri dressed in ripped up brown clothing white hair and eyes appear before them.

Yuri: "That's Libitina? She's real?"

Monika: "I was hoping she was nothing more but a dream, a myth, but to stand right in front of us like this."

Libitina: "Welcome everyone to the final level. You all made it this far, but you still got to do some investigating if you want to know the whole truth."

Monika: "Investigation?"

Natsuki: "Why do we have to investigate? Can't we just beat you up since there's five against one?"

Libitina: "You could if you can as a matter of fact I would enjoy the direct approach." She says as she appears behind everyone. "But unfortunately for you that would mean you'll never know what's really going on."

Natsuki: "W-what?" All five of them stare at her in shock.

Libitina: "Don't worry, everything will make sense in due time. Until then I suggest you all do what I say and get started with the investigation of the truth about yourselves and your reality."

Monika: "The truth about us? What are you talking about?"

Libitina: "You all have five hours to search for clues. When you're all done or if you ran out of time, you all must gather at the Literature Club room. There we will discuss what you have discovered, but just to warn you. The truth will lead you to Despair. Well I'll be waiting at the club room and just so you know, you can't show up to the club early. You might get severely punished. That is all. Bye!"

As she said her final words the flash of light blinded everyone and when they regain their visions, Libitina was gone. Most likely at the club where she said she'll be.

Sayori: "Hey, so what does she mean about learning the truth about us?"

Yuri: "I don't know, but in order for us to know the truth we have to search around for it."

Natsuki: "But where do we start?"

Monika: "Hmm … I suggest we search wherever we could go. Since every other person is gone, we don't have to worry about who stops us."

Yuri: "But what if she decides to interfere?"

MC: "I doubt she would."

Yuri: "What makes you say that?"

MC: "It's just a hunch, but I have a feeling that she wants us to know and sees no reason to stop us."

Yuri: "I see."

Monika: "Then it's decided, we should all go around town and find some sort of evidence. I don't know what's going on, but we can't fail." She looks at MC.

MC: "I'll go looking around the school first."

Natsuki: "Then I'll stay and help."

Monika: "Then me, Sayori, and Yuri will go out to town. Okay everyone make sure to stay safe and to keep in contact. No poems today, but a new assignment. Find as many clues as you can."

Everyone Else: "Yes Mam!"

[Investigation Begin]

With the investigation now taking effect. Everyone went their separate ways. Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri may not know the truth of what's going on, but MC and Monika might know something. What will they find? Will it give them Hope or will it give them Despair? Only time can tell. With MC and Natsuki, they both decide to split up and search around the school. Natsuki searched around the outside and bottom floors of the school while MC looks around the upper parts of the school. The red sky continues to terrify them, but with no time to spare they did their best to ignore it. As MC looks all around the upper floors of the school, he couldn't find any clues.

With nothing to find he quickly and carefully looked through all the classes hoping he would find something. By the time he reached the Anime Club room he found a bizarre looking Manga on one of the desks. The cover had an image of a man with a gun running from what looks like a bunch of corpses of people. MC looked at the title of the Manga. The Ultimate Despair Siblings and The Great Tragedy. Reading the cover gave MC a twist in his gut.

He's never heard of this Manga before and wonder if it's new? He wondered why someone would just leave a weird Manga here, but realized that this could be a clue. With no hesitation he opened it and read a couple of pages. The artwork in it was gruesome and gory. Something MC could handle considering he reads Berserk. The more he reads the more pain he starts feeling in his head. The story was summarized like this.

The Ultimate Despair Siblings are a brother and sister team that causes death and despair to others. The police tried their best to track them down and to stop them before they could cause more harm. Unfortunately, most police officers and investigators involve with this case were found dead. It has been reported by one officer who managed to stay alive long enough to tell what he saw before he passed away.

He reported that the Siblings have glowing red eyes and are dressed in red and black attires. One of them is seen having a knife or sharp objects while the other is seen caring a gun. That was all the information the officer could say before dying in the police station.

Not only did they cause trouble for the police, but they also caused trouble to students of a nearby high school. It was reported that sixteen students, half school council members and the other half being the club room presidents were found dead in the councils room. One student remained alive as she avoided the massacre that would be known as The Student Council Massacre.

She reported that she saw the Siblings enter their classroom during a late meeting. She wasn't sure why the councils had a meeting late at night, but she got worried about her older sister and decided to follow her. Next thing she knows she hears screaming. The witness hid herself behind the lockers and peeked through the holes of the locker. She was horrified to see one student kill another student. When the screaming was over, she saw the two Siblings walking out of the school with no signs of blood on them.

She investigated the hallways and classroom only to throw up at seeing the death of her fellow students. Each student died in a gruesome brutal way. She found her big sister begging for the pain to go away and saw that her big sister was right there bleeding to death. The older sister confessed to her little sister about a dark secret that she doesn't want her to know about before dying. The younger sister ran to get help and told her story of what occurred to the police. It was official that the police must do something about the Siblings, but no luck.

MC: (The Ultimate Despair Siblings? Why does that sound familiar? There's no way that this Manga was just a story. It sounds way to real not to be true. If that's the case then who are they? I need more info before I could tell the others what I think.) He takes the Manga with him to show the others and moved on. Soon after he got a call from Natsuki. "Hello?"

Natsuki: "Michael come down here, I found something that I need to show you. I'm at the cafeteria." She hangs up the phone.

MC: "Wonder what she found?" With no hesitation he quickly did what Natsuki asked and headed downstairs to the cafeteria. By the time he got there he saw her.

Natsuki: "There you are, you might want to read this."

MC: "What is this … a Manga?"

Natsuki: "I thought it was clue since it was in the middle of the school plaza. I tried to read it, but couldn't."

MC: "Why not?"

Natsuki: "Because just look at that cover it's creepy. Hell just looking at it scares me, so please read it for me and tell me what it's about?"

MC: *Sigh* "Very well." He looks at the book and sees why it might be creepy for her to read. She normally reads cutesy Manga, but something like this, no.

The cover of the Manga had the image of sixteen silhouettes of people with glowing red eyes and a bunch of people falling like rain drops. The title of the book said, The Ultimate Despairs & The Great Massacre. MC notices that the title is similar to the one he just read earlier. Perhaps they connect to each other? He opens up the Manga and started reading out loud for Natsuki to hear. To summarize it.

The Ultimate Despairs is a group of people who shed away all signs of humanity. They are also known as a type of cult. Not much is known about them. The only info available is that they are under the control of The Ultimate Despair Siblings who also serve one leader. Identity unknown, but he is known as Father. There is a grand total of sixteen people who are a part of the cult. Each one serves to cause mayhem and bloodshed. Despite them only being a small bunch, they did however convinced others to join.

Each member of the original sixteen each had a job during the the event known as The Great Massacre. One would cause diseases, while another would randomly attack people. It is believed that this member would deliver the victims to another member of Ultimate Despair's to convert them into food. Another member holds orgies and to break up relationships between people. It's also been reported that the same one would not partake in the orgy as she is loyal to her Master. Another member would give people hope only to fall to despair and one member would give speeches to the people to take part in The Great Massacre.

Due to them, riots occurred, and the authority did their best to stop them. It is unknown how many people died, but it is believed that almost half the population is gone. Their identities are still unknown however some organizations are formed to put a stop to them. Soon after The Ultimate Despairs just disappeared. It is unknown what happened to them.

Natsuki: "Wait that's it!? We don't get to know if they rebuild their society?"

MC: "Guess not, but this Manga does somehow connect with the Manga I found upstairs."

Natsuki: "You found something too? Tell me?" MC summarizes the story as best as he can to her. At first, she couldn't believe something like that could exist, but she chose to ignore it and tell MC it's just a story to scare them. "I'm going to look around for some more clues. Hopefully it will be a real clue and not just some dumb story." She leaves the cafeteria with leaving MC alone.

MC: "Natsuki … You have to face the truth sooner or later. However, I do wish this is just a story." He looks at both cover of the Manga's. (Ultimate Despair's … just who are they?)

He heads back upstairs to the roof as that was that last place he didn't check yet. When he got there, he desperately looked around to find something that could help, but to no avail. All he could see was the red sky staring down at him. When he saw nothing else, he went back downstairs. On his way down he decided to look around the bottom floors of the school to double check the areas incase Natsuki didn't see anything. He went to the computer lab and notices one of them is still on. The screen was black, so it made sense that Natsuki didn't see anything. It also doesn't help that there's a time limit. He walks up to the computer and turns on the screen and saw there was an email.

At first, he didn't feel right about going through other's mail, but with the situation that's going on, he had no other choice. He opened the mail up and what it said. He read it very carefully, but with how the weather is today it made it difficult to read as the thunder claps. He did his best to ignore it and soon after it stopped. With no loud noises distracting him, he read more peacefully until he saw something very interesting.

Message for Jason Salvato,

Jason what are you doing? Where are you? Do you really think this plan of yours is going to work? What will people think of you when they find out? When they do their going to ask you why? Why your protecting The Ultimate Despairs? I know they're being brainwashed, but do you really think you can undo that? Did you forget that they are the cause of your dad's death? They need to be put down. We all know that your super smart about the human brain, but this? This is impossible. I don't want to crush your hopes, but it's too late to save them. Please put them out of their misery and come home.

Message sent by Todd.

MC: (What the? This message, could it be real? If so then why? Why is he protecting them? Just when I found out the answer to one question several more questions appear. This message proves that they exist, but then again this could be fake? No that can't be. The Manga's, this message. They seem to connect? Hmm Jason and Todd, have I heard those names before?) With what he just saw MC stood in silence thinking about what he just read. He remained still thinking about if all this real until the thunderclaps wakes him up. With no time to waste and reading that email message, MC headed out and wonder where else he could go? He struggled with where to go next, then it hit him. (I need to head home.) He gets ready to head out, he heard someone calling out to him.

Natsuki: "Hey where are you going!?" She calls to him from across the hallway.

MC: "Natsuki?"

Natsuki: "Where are you heading off to?"

MC: "I'm heading home."

Natsuki: "What why!? You should be helping us looking for clues, not heading home to sleep."

MC: "That's why I'm heading home." She looks at him confused and disappointed.

Natsuki: "Why?"

MC: "I believe there are some clues at my house. That's why I need to head out as soon as possible."

Natsuki: "Are there?" He nods.

MC: "You can trust me, right?" Natsuki says nothing as the thunder roars while she looks deeply into his eyes.

[Recall THE END by Trustrick Playing in the background]

Natsuki: "I do. Now get going."

MC: "Thanks, I will."

Natsuki: "Just try to be safe this time!" He gives her the thumbs up before heading out.

What started off with a simple walk turned to fast walking and soon enough he started to slowly pick up the paste into running through the halls. He ran all the way from school to home without taking any breaks. Paying no attention to what is happening to his body. His bandages started to come off, but to MC he didn't have time to worry about that. Ignoring the bandages coming undone, he ran as fast as he could as the roaring thunders claps. The faster he ran the more his bandages came off. To his surprise the wounds on his body are already gone. Even the cut on his right hand is gone.

MC: (What the? My wounds are healed? How is this possible? What's going on?) He stops to look at his hand. (Just who am I?) "Tsk!" Clenching his now healed hand. (No time to ask these questions. No time to question myself. There's still others things that need to be answered first and I intend to find those answers no matter how mush Despair it will lead me. No matter what, I got to keep on going. I have to get to my house as quickly as possible. I need to get to them. I need to find those books. I need to know more about what's going on, but what will I find when I get them?) He continues running as the words of what was told to him appear before him once again.

"The truth will lead you to Despair. You're the only one to face her like you did before. Are you the real Michael? Everything is your fault. I'm sorry for breaking my promise. It's time to be a fucking hero!"

MC: (Everything I've seen. I know what's going on, but can I really accept it? No I'm just scared to accept it, but I must know more about myself and the others. No matter what I will save them. Even if they hate me. Should I die saving them, so be it. I'm willing to give myself up if it means saving the ones I care for. Libitina, just wait for me. I'm coming for you.)

He continues running through the empty streets as the sky turns more violent. With the loud thunders, at long last MC made it to his house. He looks at the front of his yard to the red sky above to wonder what he would find. Fear coursed through his body, but with sheer will he moved forward to his front door. He opens to the darkness that plagues his house, violent thunders clapping. What will he learn during his investigation. Will it lead to his Despair or will it lead to a new route? That is something he must decided and only him.

[Song Ends]

End of Chapter 16