Never Say Never Ch 2 Act 7, a dangan ronpa kibou no gakuen to zetsubou no koukousei fanfic

Never Say Never

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.

Chapter 2

Act 7

"So…we only have 24 hours until Monokuma reveals all our secrets to everyone," Chihiro finished explaining to Alter Ego, who stared at its Master in fascination.

"Actually, Master, if this occurred just before you returned, then you have exactly 18 hours, 19 minutes and 44 seconds before that deadline is up."

The AI program smiled, hoping its Master would be pleased with having the exact amount of time made known to them. However, it only solicited a tearful look from Chihiro as she realized that she had spent the last six hours explaining everything that had happened to all of them up until this point.

Upon seeing its Master's less than pleased reaction, Alter Ego immediately gasped and said, "I'm sorry, Master…I seem to have upset you. I was simply trying to be useful…"

Hearing those words made Chihiro shake her head and wipe away the unshed tears. "No, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault...it's not any of our faults." She fell strangely silent, her head drooping and her gaze lowering for the first time in hours. "If I was stronger, I could handle this situation better but…"

"Master, I'm afraid I can't comprehend what you're saying," Alter Ego replied, a small mechanical processing noise showing its inability to understand. "Why do you believe you are weak? You were able to create me in only a few hours, is that not a strength?"

An ironic chuckle escaped Chihiro, never imagining that her creation would be the one to console her. "Yeah, it kind of is but…it's not the kind of strength that I want. I want the strength to survive…to be able to help my friends and be there for them when they need me." She choked on her words, doubt and futility creeping into her mind. "At this rate…I don't know if I'll even live long enough to see the outside world again. I'm so weak…I can't do anything—".

"Master! I have an idea on how to make you stronger!" Chihiro's head shot up as Alter Ego continued to insist, "You have mentioned that your friends, Leon and Sayaka, were able to stay alive because your other friend, Junko, saved them, correct? Why don't you ask Junko to save you too?"

This time, Chihiro couldn't help the tiniest bit of laughter that bubbled up in her throat and she smiled as replied, "That's not exactly how it works, Alter Ego. Remind me to educate you about how friendship works."

The mechanical processing sound echoed and Alter Ego nodded. "Reminder set, Master. I shall remind you tomorrow, if that is sufficient?"

"Okay, that should be fine…"

A yawn escaped her and the programmer turned to check the time. As Alter Ego had indicated, she'd spent most of the day explaining her and the others' situation to her creation. It was almost nighttime hours and most of the other students were probably returning to their rooms right about now. And it meant that Chihiro now had a chance to go and do what she'd planned.

She'd grown interested in the exercise equipment she'd seen in the locker rooms, mainly because she was unhappy with her petite frame. She didn't exactly want to become like Sakura, but she felt that, in order to become a stronger person, she needed to grow physically stronger as well.

In truth, she would have preferred to go earlier but there was always a chance of someone walking in on her during the workout, which under normal circumstances wouldn't have been so horrible. However, because her biological sex only allowed her into the Men's locker room, if anyone saw her, her secret would be revealed. And she would never live it down. Even though all of her fellow students would know her secret by the end of tomorrow, she still felt too embarrassed to tell them without at least trying to get stronger. She knew she was grasping at straws here, but in the end, it was the only thing she could think of to try and improve herself confidence.

"If I'm going to head for the locker room, I'd better hurry up," she said to herself, forgetting that Alter Ego was in the room.

But she was quickly reminded when the AI program spoke, "Why are you going to the locker room, Master?"

Chihiro sighed as she remembered that she'd programmed her creation to question the tiniest of things in order to help it better learn and associate with its surroundings. With a bit of an embarrassed look, she twiddled her fingers and answered, "I'm…going to work out for a while. To try and get stronger…"

The instant those words left her mouth, Alter Ego's mechanical processing noise flared up louder than she'd ever thought possible, as if the AI program had just had a sudden revelation.

As if on cue, Alter Ego shouted, "Master, I have a way to solve your strength deficiency problem!" Startled by her creations sudden forwardness, Chihiro was stunned into silence as the AI program continued, "If you wish to grow stronger, someone strong should teach you how to be stronger! The same way that you have taught me so very much, one of your friends could now teach you!"

Although she was impressed that Alter Ego had gone to those lengths to try and suggest a way to help, she knew it wouldn't be that simple.

"Well, it's not a bad idea but…I just can't think of anyone that would be able to help me with—".

"What about Mondo, Master? You told me he was rather strong, didn't you?" the AI program interrupted, catching Chihiro off guard.

"Uh, yes, but Mondo is…a different kind of strong that I'm not sure I can—", Chihiro blurted, a hint of red tinged her cheeks as she tried to get her creation to understand.

"But Master, you told me exactly 47 times that Mondo was the kind of strong person you wanted to be."

"W-What?! I never designed you to keep track of information like that!"

"You designed me catalog and store all manner of information…judging by how passionate you were on the subject, it seemed important enough to catalog at the time."

Chihiro was just about to retort when all of a sudden, Alter Ego's suggestion fully registered in her mind. Mondo was indeed strong. And while it seemed mostly physical, it had to be mental as well. After all, he led a renowned biker gang, which had to take mental fortitude of some kind. Even if that wasn't the case, at the very least, he probably wouldn't laugh at her when he found out her secret.

"He did make me a promise as a man…though I'm not quite sure what it was he was promising…" she admitted to herself, beginning to consider the idea. "And if he's the one I reveal my secret to…I'm sure he'll keep it."

Biker gangs, especially their leaders, were typically men of their words. And with Mondo's added assurance of his manly promise, he might be the only person that Chihiro actually could reveal her secret to. Not only that, Alter Ego hadn't exactly been wrong.

Chihiro did admire Mondo for his strength of will and his powerful physique. And while it was a different kind of strength that the programmer really wanted, in the end, doing anything to battle her own weakness of heart would be beneficial. Besides, he'd shown he could be trusted…she could trust him to understand…she hoped.

"Alright then…I'll go and see if Mondo is still up…but first," she glanced up at the camera in her room, the chilling words Monokuma had said to her earlier that day suddenly plaguing her mind.

"Not everyone is capable of having their true selves revealed to the world…"

Those words plagued her but not as much as the glare the bear had been sending her that day. The way Monokuma had been acting, it seemed that the Mastermind certainly knew about her taking the laptop. Hopefully the Mastermind was still unaware of exactly what the AI program was capable of, but considering the level of technology that comprised Monokuma, she guessed that the Mastermind was probably a genius in the electronic field. Either that, or they were acquainted with someone who had that level of expertise.

In either case, leaving Alter Ego in her room didn't seem safe anymore. There was no telling when the Mastermind might come in and take her precious creation…a thought that terrified Chihiro even more than the killing game. Even if it had only been for a day, the programmer had developed protective feelings for the AI program, so much so that she feared leaving the laptop anywhere that the Mastermind could see it.

She felt compelled to hide the laptop away from the Mastermind's influence but…was there even a place like that in this school? A place outside of the Mastermind's field of vision, even if only slightly—?

"Wait…that's it! The bathhouse!"

Chihiro had almost completely forgotten about the bathhouse, which housed no camera. It was probably due to the humidity of the area, too much heat without a proper way to cool itself would definitely make a camera short out. This meant that the bathhouse was most likely the only place where the Mastermind was truly blind. And if that was the case, if she left Alter Ego there, it would be safe until she came back for it later! However, a new thought burrowed into her mind.

"But if I leave her in there, then the humidity might start to affect her as well…"

She hadn't considered that, and while a laptop was an entirely different kind of machine than a camera, it was still very possible the humidity would affect the AI program. Unless it was shielded from the heat somehow…would the lockers in the changing room work? There was no camera there either and the lockers were meant to help keep the humidity out. At the very least, she could hide her precious creation there until she came back from her meeting with Mondo.

It wasn't a perfect plan but it was better than leaving her little girl all alone in her room…just waiting for Monokuma to come by and steal her away! The thought sent chills down Chihiro's spine and she suddenly hardened her features.

"No one's touching my little girl…I won't allow it!"

Realizing that the bathhouse was her only real option, Chihiro stood up from her seat and smiled gently down at the AI program. "Alright, Alter Ego. We're going on a field trip," she said, not voicing where they were going, just in case the Mastermind was listening in.

"Hurray! My first time leaving this room. I wonder what the outside world looks like…" Alter Ego pondered, making a face full of fascination.

Chihiro smiled, pleased that her creation seemed to be enjoying itself. With gentle hands, she tenderly picked up the laptop, protectively pulling it toward her chest. However, as she turned away from the desk, her foot caught the leg of the chair and she stumbled, her grip on the laptop loosening. The face of Alter Ego on the screen seemed to understand that something was wrong and just before Chihiro lost her grip, she saw signs of panic on the AI's face. Before she knew what was happening, the laptop flew from her delicate fingers and smashed face up into the floor with a sickening crack.

All color drained from Chihiro's face as she shrieked, "ALTER EGO!" Rushing to the laptop's side and turning it over, she continued to frantically shout, "Are you alright?! I'm so sorry! Please tell me you're all right! It was an accident! I never meant to hurt you like that!"

Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any damages, not even a single crack in the screen. And there, in the center, smiling warmly to show that all was okay, was Alter Ego's face. Breathing a sigh of relief, Chihiro put a hand on her chest to be still her beating heart as she said, "Oh, thank heavens you're okay! I was really worried about—".

"Master, is something the matter? You're not making any sounds…"

Chihiro's eyes bulged and her gaze shot back to her creation, panic overtaking her. "W-What?! No…no! Alter Ego! Alter Ego, can you hear me?!"

Her answer was the lack of a reaction from the AI program, who continued to smile absent-mindedly, completely unaware of the panic its Master was in. Instantly, Chihiro surmised what had occurred. Pulling the laptop close to her face, she examined the built-in microphone just below the screen. To her horror, there was the tiniest of cracks in it.

Self-loathing unlike anything she'd ever felt overtook Chihiro as she lowered her head and gritted her teeth.

"…Damn it…damn it!"

Her own words barley kind of surprised her. This was probably the first time she'd actually cursed in her entire life. She hadn't meant to, but those were the only words that came out of her as she realized the full extent of what she'd done. Her precious creation…her Alter Ego…was now deafened.

"This place…this place takes everything away from me!" she shouted, sending a glare at the camera in the corner.

In truth, she was more angry at herself than anything. She had the knowledge but not the utensils to fix such a thing, but that didn't stop her from blaming herself. If she was at home, she could easily replace the microphone but in this place, that was a near impossible feat. Unless there was a workshop or something on a higher floor, she didn't have the proper tools or components to fix a microphone. And without it, her little girl would forever be subject to a world without beautiful sounds.

"I hurt her…" Chihiro sobbed, tears falling to the floor. "She'll…never hear…my voice…ever again—"

"M-Master! Are you alright?! I cannot hear you but I can see you're crying! Is it because the external microphone was damaged?"

Chihiro's eyes widened as she realized that Alter Ego could still see and talk to her, even if she couldn't hear anything. Furiously wiping away her tears and trying to hide her anguish, the programmer decided to set down the laptop and see if there was anything she could do for it at this time.

In the process of setting the laptop down, her hand pressed against several keys. At the same time, Alter Ego gave a surprised yelp. Chihiro immediately retracted her hand, a startled yelp erupting from her at the same time.

Suddenly, a puzzled look crossed Alter Ego's face as it processed something. A moment later, a text box appeared with a garbled mess of letters on it. Looking at the text box, the AI program asked, "…jfnsdbvf…I don't understand that message Master? Is it a type of programming?"

Chihiro only had to glance at the screen to fully understand what had happened.

She'd been so panicked that she'd completely forgotten about the encoding method utilizing typing instead of speaking. The typing encoding was meant to be the primary form of communication but since the voice function had been successful, she'd completely forgotten about it.

"Any information typed into the computer…will instantly be read by Alter Ego!" she surmised aloud, a hint of joy returning as she took to the keyboard.

Are you alright? I'm so sorry I dropped you!

Chihiro stared at Alter Ego as it took half a second to process the new message. With a huge smile, it replied, "Yes, I'm fine, Master! I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble…"

A pang of guilt bit at Chihiro's heart as her little girl tried to take the blame for upsetting her. Not willing to allow the AI to think it was responsible, she typed out another message.

This was NOT your fault! I dropped you by accident so it's my fault!

Taking only a moment to process that message, Alter Ego smiled and replied, "But Master, if it was an accident, then it was no one's fault. Is that not why they are called 'accidents' and not 'on purposes'?"

A light gasp came from Chihiro as she heard that, blinking several times in confusion.

"Did…did Alter Ego…just make a joke?"

Her suspicions were confirmed when Alter Ego took in her confused visage and replied, "I'm sorry, Master. Was my attempt at humor not good? It seemed appropriate to make such a joke to make you feel better…I will need to study more on humor. I shall make note of this…"

As the mechanical sound of Alter Ego's processing invaded Chihiro's ears, she found herself in complete shock. Alter Ego was learning and adapting at an unimaginable rate. In fact, it seemed that the automated learning program was running even smoother than she had ever predicted. And the only explanation for that was the processor in the laptop itself. Chihiro knew it was advanced, more than any she'd worked with before, but that was even more surprising. She and her father collected and programmed highly advanced computers every day, and yet, a simple laptop found in Hope's Peak was more advanced.

"Is this how all technology at Hope's Peak is?" Chihiro pondered, amazed at how amazing this technology was."Considering this laptop was left out in the open, I figured it wasn't very powerful, but I was mistaken. It runs better than my customized PC back home. The hardware itself is old but it seemed to be customized model itself. What is something like this doing here?"

And that wasn't the only thing gnawing at her mind. The technology that comprised Monokuma had also been troubling her since she'd arrived. Yes, it was highly advanced but in actuality, it was similar to a project she'd been planning to work on when she found time. She'd even thought that, with help from others at Hope's Peak, she could create an automaton similar in function to Monokuma. It would have been a type of maid or servant that could take care of simple tasks like trash collecting or cleaning.

Looking at Monokuma, she couldn't help but think that some of her designs might have been used in its construction. But that was impossible, considering she'd neglected to share these ideas with anyone, not even her father. Was it possible that someone else had the exact same idea for a remote controlled robot? Or was there something else going on—?

"Excuse me, Master? But were you not in a hurry?"

Alter Ego's words snapped Chihiro back to reality. Shaking her head, she decided that tonight wasn't the night to worry about these issues. She'd have plenty of time to find the answers out later.

Wanting a firmer grasp on time, she glanced up at the clock and cringed. It was definitely getting late and if she was going to speak with Mondo before the nighttime announcement happened, she'd need to go now. However, her gaze shifted and lingered on the pleasant face of Alter Ego, fear seeping into her mind.

"Sh-Should…should I just leave her here after all? I don't want anything else to happen to her today…"

As if in response to her worried thoughts, Alter Ego spoke up, "I am prepared for the field trip, Master! I'm very excited!"

Even though the AI program's excited words reassured her that everything would be fine, a little voice in the back of Chihiro's mind told her that she was taking a huge risk. After all, if the others found Alter Ego before she could tell them about it, then it would undoubtedly cause more friction between everyone, regardless of the fact that it was there to help them.

Because of that, and although she felt a bit guilty about it, she couldn't stop herself from typing:

Are you sure you want to go? I don't know what might happen.

Upon processing the message, Alter Ego's happy persona immediately sank, a worried and almost fearful look replacing it. Almost instantly, the AI program asked, "Do you not want to take me out anymore, Master? Have I done something to displease you?"

The AI program's fearful tone sent waves of guilt and frustration through Chihiro. The disappointment on her little girl's face was heart wrenching and she finally understood her Dad's fear about letting her go to Hope's Peak. Sure, he'd been excited, like any other father, but she had thought he'd worried a bit too much…and it turned out he was right.

However, at the same time, her Dad also supported her interest in programming and wanted the best for her, so he'd allowed it without many complaints. And so, Chihiro felt compelled to do the same for Alter Ego. Besides, there was no guarantee that leaving the laptop here would be any safer. In fact, it felt like more of a risk, and beyond that…

"What kind of parent would I be if I didn't even let her leave the room?!" she reasoned with herself, finding the courage to type out her next message.

No, everything's fine! I just wanted to make sure you were okay!

An unexpected giggle sounded from Alter Ego, who replied, "Oh, I see. Not to worry, Master! I am quite resilient."

Hearing that completely reassured Chihiro…or at least as much as it could given how scared she still was. Nevertheless, she knew that it was now or never and she so she typed:

Alright then! Time to go, but I'll need to close the laptop to hide you better. Are you ready for that?

A firm nod from Alter Ego was followed by, "Indeed, Master! Let's be off!"

Finally, a smile appeared on Chihiro's lips as she slowly closed the laptop, and 'ouff' sounding as it closed, as if Alter Ego was being squished down or something. A light giggle escaped the programmer as she carefully picked up the laptop and slid it under her shirt, as she done when transporting it the first time. This time, however, she clutched it tightly to her chest, tenderly caressing it from outside the shirt.

Closing her eyes and giving the laptop a firm hug, she whispered, "…I swear…I'll never let anyone hurt you, ever again."

And with that, she headed for the door, prepared to do anything she needed to in order to keep her precious little girl safe.

The dim light of the library shadowed Byakuya's face as he read over a very specific unsolved case file.

All of Genocide Jack's victims have been male. Each victim was between the ages of 16 to 21 and were all found impaled and crucified with the serial killer's unique, custom made scissors that investigators have nicknamed; "The Genoscissors".

The Affluent Progeny suppressed a shudder as he recalled his encounter with Toko earlier that day, the image of the Genoscissors beneath her skirt flashing before his eyes. At first, he'd largely put it out of his mind, preferring to focus on Chihiro's disappearance. However, the uncomfortable memory lingered between his thoughts, like a cancer that he couldn't cut out. And no matter how much he tried, he couldn't help but feel…vulnerable for the first time in a great many years.

"That's…absurd. Me…vulnerable…? How ludicrous!" he seethed, returning to his research.

What was there to be vulnerable about? With the amount of research he was doing into his murderous classmate's routine, surely he'd find a weakness of hers to exploit. Her infatuation with him would only lead to his own demise, and therefore, he couldn't count it among her weaknesses. If anything, it was a liability and the Togami name didn't allow for any such liabilities.

"In this game, you must strike first if you wish to survive…and in my present condition…I am ill prepared to deal with that woman should her other self awaken…" he told himself, resuming his studies in order to discover a way to safeguard him from the serial killer.

Indeed, there was nothing to fear. As long as he kept his wits about him, there was no way he'd allow that miserable wretch to end his life. His destiny was awaiting him outside this hellish place. Even if the school provided him with a mild form of amusement, it would mean nothing if he did not live to bask in the glory of victory. He would survive—No…he would win this little game, no matter the cost!

"I am Byakuya Togami…the man who will lead this world to a greater future. I can't…no, I won't allow my future to be cut short by a foul smelling, pathetic plebian like her!" the Togami heir reassured himself, his hands tightly grasping the binding of the case file as he went back to reading.

Almost abruptly, he quietly gasped and gritted his teeth as his mind finally caught up with his action. He'd been reading the exact same paragraph from the case file over and over and over again. And with each reading, he felt himself falling deeper and deeper into frustration. And it didn't help that his well-kept secret would be revealed in a matter of hours, not that his secret was terribly demeaning…unless you were a member of his family.

Any disgrace would reflect negatively on him and his own secret accomplished that flawlessly.

Setting the open file down on the table next to him, he reached into his pocket and he pulled out the paper containing his secret. Without a word he unfolded it, glaring intensely at the words written therein:

Byakuya Togami Secretly Aids Members Cast Out Of His Family

While others wouldn't understand how this could be a deadly secret, Byakuya knew all too well the repercussions that would be visited upon him if his family knew this seemingly heartwarming revelation.

Any member of the Togami Family who was cast out was never to be acknowledged or even spoken of ever again. He would have faced that fate too, had he not been the shrewdest and most cunning person the Togami Family had ever produced. It was a heavy price for his siblings, the humiliation of failing to secure the position as Heir to the Togami Legacy had been the beginning of their torment. His many brothers and sisters were abandoned by the very people they had once called their kin. And while some of them had managed to scrape out meager lives doing menial tasks, a few of them were penniless or homeless, unable to secure proper work due to the Togami Family's influence. In fact, a select few of them would probably perish when winter came around, with no food or shelter to sustain their lives. Naturally, aiding them in any way shape or form was the highest disgrace amount current Togami Family member.

Even so, Byakuya regularly sent funds to them…all fourteen of them. They had absolutely no idea where the funds came from but they didn't appear to question it, and even if they did, none of them would suspect the very man who cast them out to be providing for them.

It was not done out of kindness, mind you, just as a form of deterrence. If they ever tried to rise up against him, he'd simple cut their funding and leave them penniless once more. It was a failsafe, one meant to keep his enemies from overtaking him. He was always prepared for such betrayals.

And he knew that, just like his siblings, if he left Genocide Jack alone for too long, she'd eventually come for him.

He couldn't allow that to happen…

"I can no more trust her words than I can trust the Mastermind's intentions. Actually, I would probably have greater faith in the Mastermind than that filthy woman," he mused, stuffing the paper back into his pocket.

Picking up the case file once more, he somehow found renewed vigor as he continued reading:

All of Genocide Jack's victims have been male. Each victim was between the age of 16 to 21 and were all found impaled and crucified with the serial killer's unique, custom made scissors that investigators have nicknamed; "The Genoscissors".

The follow is a compilation of evidence attained during the various police investigations into the Genocide Jack homicides…

Hardening his features, Byakuya finally managed to push through that stubborn paragraph and was at last able to continue his research. And just as before, he would not let anything stand in the way of his own survival.

Alright, you stay in there and be quiet until I come back. Okay?

Chihiro typed out her message, glancing around to be sure no one saw which bathhouse locker she was leaving Alter Ego inside.

With a joyful smile, the AI replied, "Of course, Master! I will analyze the data contained on the laptop in the meantime!"

Nodding to her creation, her hands typed out one last message:

Be a good girl while I'm gone. I'll see you soon!

"Mmhm, I will, Master!" the AI program promised, its smile radiated off the screen.

Seeing her little girl's cheerful smile, Chihiro felt a swell of pride in her chest. Her creation was already evolving past what she'd programmed and it wouldn't be long before she would think and act like a real person. And if the others saw how useful and lifelike she was, surely they accept…her…

"I wonder if…they'll be able to accept me…in the same way…" she mused, lowering her gaze for an instant.

However, she quickly pushed past her insecurities, shaking her head before returning Alter Ego's gesture. With an affectionate nod, she closed the locker door, hiding her little girl from view.

Just as she was about to lock the locker door, she heard a loud groan, and it sounded very close by. Before she had a chance to move, the doors leading into the bathing area swung open and a tall figure emerged. Dressed in only a bath towel, the muscled form of Mondo Owada walked in, stretching and moaning from the relief of the bath.

"Ahhh, damn, that felt good! I kinda feel bad about not inviting Bro to—", Mondo stopped midsentence when he noticed the tiny form of Chihiro across the room.

"Hi, Mondo," she said cheerfully, smiling up at him.

Instantly, the biker's face burned crimson and a surprised shout echoed as he pointed at her. "Ch-Ch-Chihiro! Wh-What the hell are you doing in here?!" furiously double checking that his towel was in place, even picking up a second one to be extra secure down there.

Chihiro had to suppress a laugh as she watched him panic. She completely understood why, of course. In his eyes, she was a pretty girl that was seeing him in all his half-naked biker glory. But to her, it wasn't anything that special. After all, it wasn't like he had anything she'd never seen before.

Plus, even though she identified as a girl, Chihiro wasn't attracted to men. In fact, the reason she kept denying the other girls' constant requests to hang out was because she found most of them pretty attractive. Hina in particular kept hugging her whenever asking her to spend time with her and Sakura, pressing her sweater puppies against her on many occasions.

"I guess that makes me a…biologically male lesbian?" she pondered, unable to find the right term.

Realizing this wasn't the time to ponder her sexual attractions, she lightly shook her head before smiling at Mondo and answering, "Actually, I was looking for you. I need to ask you a favor."

"A f-f-favor?!" the biker stammered, blood rushing to his cheeks. "Wh-What kind of…favor?!"

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Chihiro gathered her courage and put on the most determined visage she could as she asked, "Mondo…uh…um…I…would you… would you please meet me outside the swimming pool locker rooms in an hour? I need to tell you something important."

"W-W-WHAT?!" he screamed, his face contorting in confusion.

Although she knew that her request could be misinterpreted in a few different ways, Chihiro was forced to admit that she still didn't have the strength to come out and say what she needed to. It took all she had just to request his presence. She'd been trying to come out with her secret right there, but was suddenly fearful of how Mondo would take the information. Imagine being a healthy young man, dressed only in a towel, alone with a pretty girl in a bathhouse…who then tells you she has a penis, just like you.

Even though it made her feel uncomfortable to admit, Chihiro realized that, for a manly man like Mondo, it could be nightmare fuel. For a young man who has a crush on a pretty girl, it could be viewed as a traumatic, emotionally scarring, life-changer that would negatively define the rest of that young man's life. At least, their society would deem it as such…as disgusting as that made her feel.

And it was that ingrained societal fear that made Chihiro decide to wait…for now.

However, she also realized that her invitation would also seem very suspicious, asking him to meet her in an hour, just past the nighttime hours set by their captor. Considering their situation, many of her fellow classmates might think it was a ploy to lure someone to their demise. Except that, the way Mondo was visibly freaking out she guessed that his mind was far from the nightmarish situation they found themselves in.

The biker's face was twisted in utter perplexion, his entire face a deep shade of red as his simple mind tried to comprehend exactly what she'd requested. Just when she thought maybe she'd chosen the absolute worst time to make this request, he slapped his forehead and grunted, probably trying to calm himself down.

Taking his hand away, his cheeks still pink, he stuttered, "Uh…an hour from now? What…uh…why can't you just…ya know, tell me right now?"

Chihiro involuntarily flinched at his question, which only seemed to intensify whatever Mondo was concocting in his head. And while she knew that he may be assuming something unwholesome, she couldn't fault him for being curious.

However, there was a deeper reason for needing to wait an hour. The programmer knew that, if she could convince Mondo to keep her secret and help her with her physical training, she would need the right outfit for it. In particular, she'd need a tracksuit from the newly opened storage room. Once she had that, she'd be ready to tell him everything…she hoped.

"I…uh…I need to…prepare myself before we meet up," she finally answered, hoping that being vague would make her explanation easier to swallow. And at first, she thought her explanation had failed, because the moment she said that, Mondo once again contorted his facial features, a gasp escaping him as he stared at her with frantic eyes. However an instant later, he shuffled and turned his back to her, clearing his throat loudly and taking deep calming breaths.

"Duh…uh…O-Okay! Sure, whatever! Now…will ya just get outta here already! I need to change!" he shouted, seemingly unwilling to turn around.

Chihiro understood that he was probably embarrassed to change around her, considering he thought of her as biologically female. Of course he'd be uncomfortable with her standing there, staring at his half-naked glory while waiting for a response. So, out of respect for him, she bowed deeply and said, "Thanks so much! I'll see you later then!"

And with that, she made a quick exit out of the changing room. The instant she was outside, she went around the corner and pressed her back to the wall. Her heart racing from the excitement of what had happened, she slowly began to process what needed to be done now.

"Okay…so I'm going to tell him when we meet up. I can't chicken out of this. I've got to be…brave, and…uh…just tell him the truth…"

Despite her confidence, she couldn't deny that her legs were shaking. She'd already lost the chance to tell him once because of her fear; would she be able to tell him properly during their meeting? And beyond that, a terrifying realization came to mind.

What if he didn't accept her for who she was? What if…just like so many other guys, he made fun of her for her life choices and…and…

Both of her hands slapped against her face, and she cringed as her cheeks stung. She wasn't used to pain and even the slightest bump could bruise her but in this instance, she knew she needed the pain.

"Sure, it might hurt for a while…but if it means becoming a stronger person…then I'll do what I have to!" Letting her own words echo in her mind, she pushed away from the wall and took a deep, confident breath. "Alright…let's do this!"

She marched toward the storage room that was just across the hall as quickly as her legs could carry her. Once inside, she looked around for a bit before finding a duffle bag in the back, right next to a number of different colored track suits. Looking them over, and remising the fact that none of them were pink, she instead picked out a bright blue one, stuffing it inside the duffle bag.

"Alright…I'm ready now—".

"Ready for what, may I ask?"

Gasping, Chihiro whirled around to see none other than Celestia Ludenberg leaning against the storage room doors. The Ultimate Gambler took a single look at the bag and the blue sleeve sticking out of it and smiled.

"Oh, planning a late workout session before nighttime?" she asked, seeming genuinely curious.

With a shy nod, Chihiro answered, "Uh…yeah, maybe…"

"I see. Well, I would advise you to hurry if you plan to do so tonight. It is less than an hour before the nighttime announcement. You wouldn't want to break our arrangement, would you?" Celeste said almost cheerfully.

Chihiro felt a sting of guilt and embarrassment as she heard that, knowing that, if all went as she desired, she and Mondo would spend at least a few hours doing physical training. She wasn't quite sure if Celeste could see through her or not, but she decided to play it safe regardless.

"I-I know. I'll be sure to keep an eye on the time," she insisted, stuffing the sleeve of the track suit inside the bag and out of view.

Knowing that time truly was of the essence, she decided not to waste any more of it. Without another word, she slowly headed toward the door, passing Celeste on the way. When she did, the gothic girl smiled wider at her but for some reason, it didn't seem as particularly menacing as usual.

"Have fun and don't be out too late now," Celeste encouraged as she left, waving pleasantly as the programmer disappeared around the corner.

*Yawn*

Leon scratched his head, his eyes still heavy with sleep as he made his way to the cafeteria. His own secret didn't weigh too much on his mind and he'd been able to rest for the remainder of the day. And did he need it! After being forced to stay up all night, then the search for Chihiro, then the announcement of the motive; by that point, he was ready to pass out three times over. Sleep had concerned him far more than his secret, considering that his embarrassing thing was something rather generic.

"Everybody has a porn stash…even chicks have that yaoi crap," he said to himself, rubbing his tired eyes and fully planning to only grab a sandwich or something before heading back to bed.

Before he even got to the open area between the cafeteria and the bathhouse, he saw someone exiting the cafeteria. He instantly recognized the long pink locks of Junko's hair as she strode closer to him, seeming to be on her way back to her room. She looked to be deep in thought for a moment before lifting her gaze up and seeing him, a mischievous smirk spreading out over her lips.

"Yo, Leon! Perfect timing!" she called out to him, stopping to wait as he got closer.

A part of Leon cringed at her wording, mainly because the last time someone said that to him, he spent the entire night forced to stay up and do manly things. Shuddering slightly at the memory, he pushed it away, figuring that, if it was Junko asking, it couldn't possibly be that bad. Besides, he kind of owed her his life, so he wasn't in a position to deny her anyway, or at least he thought so.

"Oh, hey Junko. What's up?" he said in turn, stopping in front of her.

Running a hand through her hair, her fingers getting caught now and again, Junko sighed and said, "Uhg, I don't know if you've noticed, but I totally need a shower right now. And since it's only a little while until water shuts off during nighttime, I need to do it now."

"Okay…so what's the problem?" an oblivious Leon questioned, not seeing any issues at present.

"Well, I kinda had to leave Sayaka in the cafeteria," she began, provoking a foreboding feeling of dread from Leon as she continued. "She said she needed to look for something and that I could go but…I don't think it's a good idea to leave her alone, especially not right now."

"U-Uh…okay," the ballplayer tried to play it cool, almost knowing exactly what her next words would be.

With a grin so wide the Cheshire Cat would be envious, Junko slapped her hands together and asked, "So, would you do me a solid and go help her out? I mean, like, getting her back to her room and everything too. She still has trouble walking, ya know?"

"Wh-What?! Why does it have to be me?!" Leon protested, staggering back as if hit by a wild pitch.

In response, Junko gave him a confused look and replied, "Uh, weren't you the one who was supposed to be taking care of her anyway?"

Leon flinched as he finally recalled that important tidbit of information. He'd been so tired and out of it that he hadn't even thought about that since yesterday. Damn, he certainly hadn't expected her to throw that at him, but all things considered, it made sense. He was supposed to be the one helping her out anyway, Junko had just been nice since he'd been so exhausted, or at least that's what he thought she'd been doing.

Defeated by her logic, the ballplayer lowered his head, sighed and muttered, "I just wanted my freaking sandwich…"

"Hm? What was that?" Junko genuinely asked, not hearing him clearly.

With another heavy sigh, Leon lifted his gaze up and said, "…Yeah, sure. I'll go see if she needs anything…"

"Awesome!" an elated Junko shouted, patting him on the shoulder as she passed. "Take good care of her, Leon!"

The baseball star could practically hear her smirking as she shouted those last words to him, making him grunt and face-palm. It seemed that she was intently focused on getting the two of them to be comfortable around each other again. That was the only explanation that Leon's fragile mind could conclude, considering how much Junko had done to try and mend the rift between them. Honestly, it didn't feel out of character for the Fashionista to want such a thing but, Leon could help but feel that something was a bit…off with her.

He couldn't even put it into words, but he felt that she was just…different than she should be acting. Yeah, she'd survived nearly being impaled and that was certain to have a drastic change in personality or how she viewed life but, this was different…separate even. Like he somehow knew that this wasn't the way she'd typically approach this situation.

"But that's crazy, right?" he said to himself with a chuckle as he headed for the cafeteria. "I mean, she's still Junko. And that's all that matters."

Putting that strange feeling out of his mind, he stepped out into the large hall that led to the cafeteria. As he did, Leon spotted Mondo slowly slipping out of the bathhouse. Yet again, the baseball player felt something was kind of off about his classmate, although this time it was a lot clearer.

Mondo's face was racked with a combination of nervousness and frustration, and he was sweating profusely, despite just having bathed, probably. He didn't even seem to notice Leon as he passed by and, despite knowing it could lead him into another all-nighter of manly events, the ballplayer felt compelled to stop his classmate.

"Yo, Mondo! Where ya going?" he casually called out, only to be startled when Mondo abruptly spun around and glared at him.

"None of your God-damn business!" the biker shouted, rearing his arm back but stopping as soon as he saw who it was. "Oh, Leon. Sorry about that man…I, uh, wasn't thinking straight."

Leon, who had held up his arms to defend himself from what he'd assumed was going to be a punch to the face, stared at his friend in utter confusion. While it was true that Mondo often resorted to violence, it was never as sudden or immediate as this was. His eyes had been like that of a raging monster, ready to destroy all in his path. It was honestly terrifying, even now.

"Hey, my bad too. Didn't mean to startle you like that. But, uh, seriously, what's up? You seem…kinda freaked out," Leon asked carefully, trying not to upset the biker.

However, while he didn't fly into a rage, Mondo still seemed perturbed by the questioning and replied, "Why's it any of your business?"

Despite obviously feeling threatened, Leon decided to push forward. "It's not. I was just wondering what you're doing out here so late? It's almost nighttime—".

"Well what the fuck are you doing out here so late?!" Mondo fired back, throwing what he perceived to be an insult back in the ballplayer's face.

Hardening his features, Leon looked the biker straight in the eye and said, "Dude, chill the hell out. You're getting freaked out for no reason—".

"Fuck you! I'm not freaked out at all! I was just minding my own damn business when you had to start questioning me!" the biker defended, balling his hands into fists. All the while, Leon tried to keep from lashing out at his friend. He knew that it was the biker's anger talking, but it was becoming unsettling. And it only worsened when Mondo cracked his knuckles and shouted, "You got a problem with me, huh?! Wanna throw down or something?! Got something to say to me, huh?!"

Finally, after trying to keep his composure for so long, Leon lost it and grabbed the collar of Mondo's jacket. "I just don't want you flying off the handle and killing someone! I don't want you or anyone else to end up like I did! So calm the fuck down!"

For probably the first time in all his life, Mondo was speechless as his friend shouted in his face. Each word seemed to echo in his mind and when Leon was finished, his hands fell to his sides and he stared at the baseball star with wide eyes. For a few seconds, he just stood there, his brain desperately trying to process what to do.

Then, out of nowhere, he spoke, "Yeah…yeah…you're right."

His words were slow and full of regret, and that's what persuaded Leon to finally release his friend. Taking a step back as Mondo readjusted his coat, they both just stood there for a time, neither of them wanting to say anything to the other. Just as the silence began to eat at them, a light groan sounded from Mondo.

"Damn…I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to be such a dick. I've, uh, got a lot on my mind," the biker confessed, his voice unusually shaky.

"Nah, it's cool, man. We've both got a lot to think about," Leon concurred, opting not to go into any further detail than that. Even with all the chaos of their misunderstanding, the secret motive was still out there, and Leon didn't even want to imagine what demons Mondo might have in the back of his mind.

However, Leon finally felt that he'd managed to get through to his friend, helping him to realize he needed to be more careful with his temper. After all, he hadn't been lying. He didn't want anyone, least of all a friend, to make the same mistake he had. Confident that they'd resolved their differences, Leon suddenly thought of a way to help alleviate his own situation.

"Hey, so, I'm headed for the cafeteria to get a sandwich. Wanna come with?" he invited, praying his friend said yes. This way, he wouldn't have to face Sayaka alone, which he feared more than getting pummeled by his biker friend.

However, he was shocked when Mondo shook his head and said, "Sorry man, not this time. I gotta go and meet Chihiro—urp!"

He tried to stop himself but it was too late, the instant Leon heard the petite programmer's name, a sly grin overtook his features.

"Oh, I see!" he said knowingly, elbowing Mondo suggestively. "Got a little late night rendezvous going on, huh? Never figured she'd be your type. Not that I have any idea what your type would be—".

"Would ya shut up about that crap?!" Mondo shouted, his face burning red. "I-It's not like that! She…she just asked to talk to me about something! That's all!"

"Sure, sure," Leon chided, chuckling at how embarrassed his friend was. "Look man, I know the ladies. I've had my fair share of fangirl confessions before and—".

"Dude! I told you it's not—! Uhg, whatever! I'm outta here!"

Without another word, Mondo turned his back to the ballplayer and headed out of the dorm area, presumably toward the staircase at the end of the hall. As he left, Leon waved and shouted, "Good luck, man! I'm pulling for ya!"

He honestly hoped it would go well between those two. Even though it was kind of a strange pairing, it didn't bother him. Chihiro was nice and adorable, and Mondo definitely needed something to keep him grounded while he was here. Perhaps a little romance was just the thing each of them needed. Hell, all of them could use a little normalcy at this point.

"God knows I do," Leon whispered to himself, briefly letting his past sins enter his mind before he forced them away.

Feeling slightly better than before, Leon gathered some courage of his own and faced the cafeteria, clenching his fists to keep his hands from shaking. With a stout step forward, he pushed open the doors of the cafeteria.

"Dammit…where is it?!" Sayaka fumbled around on the floor of the cafeteria, having a hard time staying upright with her good arm still in the sling. "I know I had it in my pocket this morning. Where the hell did it go?!"

As she continued to rummage around underneath one of the cafeteria tables, she grunted as she banged her head against the underside as she tried to stand up.

"Ow…" she uttered, rubbing her hand over the spot she'd hit. "Dammit, why did this have to happen so close to nighttime? I know I had it with me when Junko and I went to the nurse's office but after that…"

As she pondered where her it had gone, she suddenly heard the doors open. Staying hidden beneath the table she tried to see who it was but a table obstructed her view. A part of her wanted to stand up, but a larger part of her told her to stay hidden. What if one of her fellow students had given in to the motive, like she had last time? Finding her here, alone and vulnerable due to her injuries, caused a deep seeded fear to well up inside her. She'd be an easy target and with no other witnesses, whomever was there might indeed try to end her life—

"Hey, Sayaka! You in here?!"

"Leon—?!" she said aloud, all at once recognizing the voice. However, it also startled her enough to force her head upwards and she once again bashed her head against the underside of the table.

"Urgh!"

She groaned loud enough for him to discover where she was, evident by the fact that his footsteps were growing closer. A second later, she saw the white of his outfit at her side as she crawled out from beneath the table.

Offering her a hand, he said, "What were you doing under there?"

"Playing hide and seek. What do you think I was doing?" she sneered, her attitude worsening by the second.

Glaring at his hand for a moment, she instead chose to use a nearby chair to hoist herself up, completely denying his attempts to assist her. It took a little more time, considering she only had the one good arm, but she eventually was able to stand upright, leaning against the table for support.

Leon's hand balled into a fist at this but he said nothing, instead patiently waiting for her to stand all the way up before continuing, "I don't know. That's why I was asking."

He said it plainly but Sayaka could feel hints of sarcasm in his voice. Deciding that playing coy would only worsen the situation, she sighed and replied, "I was looking for something. There, is that all you wanted?"

A hint of shock came over Leon at her snarky attitude but he forced it away as he answered, "Actually, Junko asked me to help you with…whatever it is you're trying to do."

At that, Sayaka finally flinched before biting her lower lip. "I'm fine…I don't need your help."

Now it was Leon's turn to cringe. The way she'd said it was more than clear that she didn't want anything to do with him, especially not now. A part of him contemplated leaving right then and there, but something told him to stay. Besides, he had promised he'd be the one to take care of Sayaka and leaving her alone now didn't sit right with him.

So, with a heavy sigh, he scratched his head and said, "I'm sure you don't but I'm not leaving you by yourself until we find whatever it is you're looking for. So why don't you tell me what it is?"

Gritting her teeth, Sayaka sent a fearsome glare his way and said, "It doesn't involve you. So will you please just—".

"Look, we've done this before. Like last night when you didn't want me to bring you food, and yet you still ate it," Leon countered, cutting her off.

Sayaka was about to retort when she suddenly realized he'd said something odd. And it only took a moment for her to question, "Wait…how do you know that I ate the food you brought me?"

At this, Leon fought to keep from giving himself away. He couldn't admit that he'd been listening to her conversation with Makoto the other night. It would destroy any hope he had of helping her now. Plus, he didn't want to be considered a stalker! Which he wasn't, he'd just been concerned is all!

"It's food, so of course you ate it! Anyway, that's not the point! You know how stubborn I am, so just give it up and tell me what you're looking for," he demanded, leading the conversation away from his eavesdropping the previous night.

"No! It's none of your business!" she fired back, slamming her good hand on the table.

"Yes, it is! I can't get my freaking sandwich until I help you find what you're looking for and get you back to your room!" he argued, not disguising his intentions in the least.

"Oh, so this is all about getting your precious sandwich, huh?!" she retorted, a frustrated look on her face. "You're disgusting, you know that!"

"How is wanting a sandwich disgusting?!" he countered, not sure how they got on this topic. "Besides, that's not even the point right now! Just tell me what you lost so I can find it for you—".

"You're not finding anything for me! Just leave me alone!" she demanded, getting fed up with all of this arguing.

"I will, as soon as you tell me what you lost so we can find it together and then I'll leave you alone!" he offered, not backing down from their disagreement.

For a few moments, Sayaka chewed her bottom lip, debating on what she should do. She didn't want to accept his help, not after all that had happened. And yet, he kept insisting. She knew the sandwich part was probably a lie, he always seemed to appear when she needed him…even though the first time she had needed him to die for her…

Shaking her head to get such dark thoughts out of her mind, she grunted and finally relented, "Fine! I lost my e-handbook! I don't know where it is and I can't exactly go searching around the school for it! Are you happy now?!"

She lowered her gaze as she finished, panting for breath as her injured body screamed for her to stop. Standing there with her head lowered, she collected her composure as she waited for him to reply. A few seconds passed, then fifteen seconds, then thirty; finally as she neared an entire minute of silence, she lifted her head and noiselessly gasped. Leon wasn't in front of her anymore. Instead, he was on his hands and knees looking under each table and chair.

"Wha…what are you doing?" she questioned, still rattled by her shouting.

"Playing hide and seek. What's it look like I'm doing?" he answered semi-casually, his tone mocking her earlier attitude. And although she felt that she should have been angry at him for it, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

After all, if she wasn't mistaken, he was currently searching for her missing e-handbook. She wanted to tell him to stop but knew it wouldn't do any good. He'd never listen to her, he never had, come to think of it. Then again, it was all her fault anyway. That first time in the hallway with him, telling him she'd teach him music, she should have just been honest and told him off. But she hadn't…and because of that, they were in the situation they are in now. They would have stayed away from each other and she never would have…attacked him.

And yet, even after all of the horrible things she said…after the unforgivable atrocity she'd committed against him, he was still kind to her and helped her when she needed him. She didn't deserve it, she knew that. But even so, he continued to search every nook and cranny for her missing handbook. It infuriated her…because she wasn't worth it. His kindness would be better wasted on other people!

Just as she felt she was going to explode from all those feelings, she heard him groan as he stood up and faced her.

"Sorry, but I couldn't find it. Not in here at least. Anywhere else you may have dropped it—?"

"Why?" she abruptly cut him off, her shaky voice startling him. "Why are you…being so nice to me?"

A look of genuine confusion warped Leon's face as he absorbed her words, and yet he could find none to answer her with. This only further perturbed her, as she couldn't stand to be subjected to his pity for even a moment longer. Turning to face him completely, she glared at him as fiercely as she'd done that fateful night when she'd tried to kill him.

"You should hate me. You should want me dead for what I tried to do…but you don't…and I don't know why!"

Her sudden confession washed over him and surprisingly, he hardened his features in response. She expected him to retort or defend himself but he just kept silent, staring at her with what appeared to be a mixture of guilt and confusion in his eyes. This irked her even more and she couldn't stop herself from continuing.

"I've done something unforgivable and yet you keep trying to help me! It would be so much easier if you just left me alone to rot for what I've done! You don't have any obligation to be kind to me, so why do you—?"

"I got something I need to know too," he suddenly interrupted, startling her into silence. His voice wasn't accusatory or even that angry. More than anything, it seemed like he was struggling to understand something. It was because of that, that Sayaka found herself quieted down, unable to turn away from him.

Slowly, he took a deep breath and asked the one question he'd had since he'd first been attacked.

"I have to know…why me? You could have chosen anyone…anyone but you chose me! It could have been Makoto or even Hiro but instead you chose me! Why…why did you chose to kill me?"

At first, Sayaka didn't react. In truth, she couldn't. She hadn't expect that kind of question at all, not in the least. Mainly because…she didn't have the answer either.

"I…I…I-I don't know…" she confessed, sinking into a nearby chair and pondering the idea for the first time since the attack. "I…honestly…don't know…why I picked you…"

Meanwhile, Leon tried to hide his shock as best he could, but to no avail. It wasn't as though he'd expected some huge reveal as to why he'd been the one she chose, but at the very least, he'd thought she actually had a reason for picking him. And for that reason, it kind of stung to hear that. He wanted there to be more to it than just, 'you were there' but in the end, he had to accept that it possibly could have been that way.

Despite being unsure herself, Sayaka at least seemed to now be considering it, evident when she began mumbling, "I guess…I don't know…because we had the whole music lesson thing? No, that's not it. I didn't even think about that until after I chose you…"

As she tried to figure it out, Leon made his way across the room to her table. Without a word, he pulled out a seat beside her and listened as she continue to try and reason it out.

"I don't really remember why…but I know that once I thought of you, I didn't question it," she told him, suddenly feeling more and more loathing for herself. As her mind registered exactly what she'd just said, she gave a depressing sigh and continued, "I'm…I'm a horrible person. I'm disgusting…trash…I shouldn't be allowed to keep living after what I've done—".

"Hey! Don't say crap like that!" Leon abruptly cut her off, although he was unsure of why. "I mean, come on! I was the one who ended up nearly killing you! If anything…I'm more of a monster than you are—".

A mocking scoff interrupted him, and he turned to see Sayaka cruelly glaring at him. "You don't know anything about me…so don't try to pull that kind of bullshit with me."

Leon almost gasped at how vulgar her language was, but at the same time, he wasn't actually surprised. He'd seen that she was capable of being far crueler than any of her fans could have ever imagined. Even so, he didn't feel that everything she was saying was right.

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure that if you hadn't of been freaked out by those videos Monokuma gave us, you never would have attacked anyone," he insisted, a bit surprised she hadn't cut him off. However, he was shocked to hear the tiniest mocking laugh erupt from her throat before she glared at him again.

"You don't know that. And you don't know me…you have no idea what I've done!" she ended up screaming at him, pounding her good hand on the table. And just as quickly as her rage came, it subsided, but not completely. "Want to know what my secret is? I guarantee it'll change your mind about me."

Despite how menacing her tone was, Leon couldn't help but hear how…sad she sounded. Like she was digging at an old wound that would never heal, a wound from long before she arrived at this school. Honestly, a part of him didn't want to know what her secret was, but at the same time, he knew that he couldn't exactly stop her from telling him.

In either case, Sayaka didn't really give him an option, continuing before he had a chance to actually decide.

"You know about my idol group, right? Well, after we went and got our big break, we started to see how much competition we had. Including a nice girl from the same province as us. Her name was Kaname and she had high hopes for becoming a top idol. And you know what's so horrible about that? She was actually as talented as my entire group, including myself, plus she was modest and good natured too! She even shared my dream of wanting to bring happiness to anyone who saw her! How ironic is that?!"

Sayaka paused for a moment, moisture beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.

"Well, in the idol world…girls like her are a major threat. So, when I heard she would be visiting my agency, I contacted a hardcore group of my fans. I told them to scare her…make sure she never wanted to sing or dance ever again…nothing too horrific…ya know…"

Her voice cracked and Leon desperately wanted to tell her to stop but he couldn't, he knew she wouldn't let him. And so, he was silent as she continued.

"Kaname…never showed up at the agency. She was found, beaten to a pulp in an alleyway not far from the studio. If that's all it was, that wouldn't have been so bad…but they…my own fans…they poured acid in her throat! She survived but…she'll never be able to talk, let alone sing ever again!"

Tears burst from her eyes and her good hand slapped over her face as heavy sobs racked her body. For nearly an entire minute she wept into her hand, trying to find the strength to continue. All the while, Leon wanted to say or do something but…he didn't feel that he had the right to. No matter how much he really wanted to comfort her, he knew that anything he did would only exacerbate the situation.

In the end, wiping away as many tears as she could, Sayaka continued, "I…I…ruined…her life! She…never even…knew me…and I destroyed her! And the…worst…part…I never…came forward! I wanted…to…I've…thought about…it…every day…since…but then…I'd lose…everything! So I…so I…so…I…"

As her sobbing continued, Leon clenched his fists…he had had enough!

"Oh yeah! You think that's bad! I have a doozy of a story for you!" he shouted, startling her enough to cease her tears, if only temporarily. Clearing his throat, he leaned toward her and began his tale.

"So, a long time ago I had this huge stash of porn. And when I say huge, I mean like gargantuan! Like I could have had my own section in a library huge! I could have even categorized it if I'd have been motivated enough!"

He paused to take a breath and was pleased to see that Sayaka was so startled by his sudden admission that she'd stopped weeping altogether. In fact, she was staring at him as if he was some kind of bizarre creature, which wasn't exactly what he wanted but he'd take anything over the crying any day! Knowing he was on the right track, or at least hoping he was, Leon pressed onward.

"Anyway, so I kept getting freaked out that my parents might find it, ya know. So, of course, I had to hide it! Well, my room wasn't exactly a hidden bunker, so I figured I'd hide it in the one place they'd never look! That's right, under their very own noses…right under their own bed!"

At this proclamation, Sayaka visibly jumped, as if her frazzled mind couldn't comprehend what he was trying to get at. Either that or she though he was a complete idiot. He'd take either option at the moment, as long as she stopped crying he'd cut of his own arm. Thankfully, all he needed to do was continue, which he did.

"So, everything goes well for a while, parents are none the wiser…until I sneak in after they've gone to bed to get my favorite for a…midnight jam session, if you know what I mean…" he says with a wink. To his splendor, it brought out the tiniest of giggles from Sayaka, so he proceeded onward. "What I never predicted was…my parents were waiting for me! They turned on the light, with my hand in the pornographical cookie jar, and forced me to explain everything!"

He took another breath to continue but was shocked when Sayaka abruptly cut in.

"Wait, so…they knew you'd be coming? Your Mom didn't think that they belonged to your Dad or something?" she said, completely enthralled by the story.

If there was proof that some kind of God existed, this was confirmation enough for Leon, for this girl truly knew what it was to have a sense of humor. With an embarrassed laugh and a scratching of his head, he replied, "Yeah…no. There's no way my Dad would be into that kind of stuff—".

At once, Leon completely shut up, realizing that he may have just destroyed all that he was working toward. And even worse was if Sayaka, the Ultimate Pop Idol, found out that the porn he'd been stashing, the porn that excited him more than any other…was manga idol porn!

At the very least, he'd take that part of his secret to the grave with him…or so he though!

"So, what kind of porn was it?" a curious Sayaka asked, now completely intrigued.

Caught off-guard, Leon waved his arms and sputtered, "Wh-What?! You can't ask that! You're a girl!"

It was then that Sayaka gave him what all girls would call, 'The Look', and he knew he'd fucked up. Huffing at him and flicking her hair, she answered, "Come on, it's not like I've never looked at yaoi before—".

"You read that crap!" a startled Leon spouted, unable to control himself. And then…it happened.

A sly grin so mischievous that Leon felt she might be coming on to him crossed Sayaka's face and she said, "Yeah…got a whole stash of it, too. Only I didn't get caught."

Something inside Leon's mind broke as that information was forever seared into his brain. He couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't do anything other than watch as Sayaka laughed at his terrified expression. That is, until she said, "Okay…your turn."

Snapping out of his fright, a confused look marred Leon's features as he asked, "My turn…for what?"

"To tell me what kind of porn you had."

Silence followed for a brief moment before Leon practically shrilled, "What?! Why do I have to tell you that?!"

"Because I told you what mine was. Fair is fair, am I right?" she insisted, still grinning at him. That's when her smirk widened and she continued, "Don't tell me it was…idol porn?"

All of the levies in Leon's mind broke as his thoughts came flooding out his mouth.

"What?! How?! When?! How?! How?! What?!" he stammered on for a few more minutes before slapping himself to regain some form of cognitive thought. "How the hell could you possibly know that?!"

Once those words fell out of his mouth, he froze, realizing that he had completely revealed exactly what he'd sworn never to let her know. This was the end…game over, man. She was going to crucify him now, bleed him like a pig and leave him hanging out to dry. He knew that…but that's why her answer completely stunned him.

"Oh…didn't Makoto tell you?" she said, getting him to lift his head up to see her staring at him intensely. "I'm psychic."

A loud gasp escaped Leon and he nearly toppled over in his seat, but barely managed to catch himself. "What?! B-B-But, your talent isn't…oh God that makes so much sense!"

In the middle of his freak out, he heard the most pleasant sound his ears could have heard at that moment. Glancing over to her, he saw that Sayaka was smiling brightly, like she had when they'd first met, and giggling sweetly. He was so drawn in by that visage that he almost didn't catch what she said next.

"Just kidding…I just have really good intuition."

Although he felt tricked, and very confused, Leon also felt a swell of elation as she said that, particularly because she started laughing. It was infectious and before he knew it, he found himself laughing right alongside her. Their laughter echoed through the cafeteria, probably the first time anyone had genuinely laughed in there since the killing game began. And even better was the sense of peace it brought both of them.

They had needed this more than they could have ever realized, but until now, they had no idea how to obtain it. It was the first genuine sign that, despite all that had happened, they were alive and well. They even had the gall to let the tiniest amount of hope seep into their minds, planting that seed deep within their subconscious.

But like all things, it didn't last forever. Their laughter died down and with it, Leon finally took a good look at Sayaka. She was obviously still physically exhausted from her injuries, and the sling that held her broken wrist particularly reminded him of his crimes. However, for the first time, he actually felt confident enough to address it, instead of turning away.

"Hey…Sayaka?" he said carefully, waiting for her to look toward him. Their eyes met and for some reason, it gave Leon the courage to say, "I'm…uh…sorry I broke your arm."

Sayaka took a moment and briefly glanced down at her sling. However, her eyes didn't linger there, instead shifting over to survey Leon. He seemed physically well, but then again, she couldn't see the bruises that the other's had told her must have formed on his abdomen. Regardless, she didn't let that negative thought stop her from reciprocating his gesture.

"I'm sorry…that I tried to stab you," she said quietly lifting her gaze to meet his.

For a few moments, they just sat there, staring into each other's eyes with no other words needing to be said. Neither of them knew when, but before they realized it, they had begun smiling at each other. It was a soft and fragile smile but one that was shared only between them, one that no one else would ever see. And that made it precious—

"BRO! TAKA! WAKE UP, MAN!"

Both Leon and Sayaka were snapped out of their reverie as the ferocious voice of Mondo sounded from out in the hallway. The baseball player shot to his feet but stopped, unsure of what to do next. However, he was lucky his cohort did.

"We should go see what's wrong!" Sayaka insisted, standing herself up and nearly falling in the process. Leon knew there wasn't time to argue, so instead, he marched over to her and offered his shoulder.

"Okay, hang onto me!" Without hesitation, she grabbed onto him and he steadied her. "Alright, let's go!"

As quickly as they were able, they followed after Mondo's screaming as they headed for the cafeteria doors. Slowly making their way out into the hall, they glanced down the nearby hallway to see Mondo already speaking with Taka. They couldn't quite hear exactly what they were saying but they heard the biker's voice clear as day as he screamed:

"IT'S CHIRHIO! SHE GOT ATTACKED!"

Leon and Sayaka blanched as those words washed over them…for they knew it had begun all over again…

To Be Continued…

Greetings, my beautiful readers! I want to give a special thanks to all of the guests that leave reviews or comments. I know I can't always comment back, because of my busy schedule, but I enjoy each and every review/comment, so please keep them coming!

Anyway, what a long chapter, huh? Awww, Leon and Sayaka are getting along again! But Chihiro's been attacked! Oh no! How could that have happened?! *Wink*Wink*Nudge*Nudge* You'll have to tune into the next chapter to find out!

In case you haven't noticed, from this point on, my chapters will tend to be a bit longer. I've realized that, to get through all I need to for each Story Chapter, I needed longer Acts. Don't worry, this won't interfere with updates. I'm still quite a few chapters ahead, so that if I fall behind for any reason, updates will remain consistent.

With that in mind, please leave a review or comment to tell me what you all like about the story or this chapter particularly. Thanks again, and keep on smiling my beautiful readers!