Never Say Never
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.
Chapter 3
Act 4
In the aftermath of Monokuma's absence via plane take-off, most of the student's were rendered speechless. Whether it was because of the bear's abrupt and over the top departure or the heavy promise of non-interference the Mastermind had made through the bear…no one could really say.
"Well, that certainly was…interesting," Junko spoke up, the first the break the silence.
"The bear certainly has a flair for the overly dramatic," Byakuya concurred, adjusting his glasses at the same time.
"But, do you think he truly meant what he said?" Celeste questioned, making everyone turn to her. "As far as I can foresee, this means that, for the time being, we are currently free of Monokuma's influence. As such, we should use this time to—".
"What we should be doing is investigating the third floor!" Taka blatantly interrupted her, ignoring the death glare she sent him. "It's time that we all ventured upward and gathered information! We have been delayed from this task for far too long as it is!"
"…And whose fault is that," Junko muttered under her breath, not wanting another pink slip.
Most of the students agreed with Junko's silent sentiment, still very displeased with how Taka had managed to become their new dictator. However, with Monokuma having given his official sanction, all of them knew that the Moral Compass now stood for something far beyond just a noisy fellow classmate. He was the Mastermind's enforcer, whether he agreed with that sentiment or not, and that alone was enough to spark discontent among the student body.
Just when it seemed that another argument was bound to break out, a voice of reason appeared.
"I know it's a bit frustrating guys but…Taka does have a point. We do need to investigate the third floor," Makoto said to everyone, a hopeful smile on his face. "I mean, I know it's not exactly the morning we all thought it would be, but at the very least, Monokuma's not gonna be around to bother us for a while. We should take advantage of that and see if we can find a way to escape!"
As the lucky student carefully explained this, slowly a murmur of agreement began to swell within the students' ranks.
"Ya know, Makoto's right!" Hiro unexpectedly said. "I mean, after all the craziness of this morning, finding a way out would be like divine providence!"
"I doubt it'll be that easy," Sakura said swiftly before a small smile graced her lips. "But there is nothing wrong with hoping for the best."
"Right! We won't know unless we try!" Hina concurred, her bright smile finally returning.
"I suppose it will be beneficial to see what the Mastermind has in store for us next. I only hope that whatever is on this next floor will provide more entertainment than the last," Byakuya snidely commented, earning more than a few disgusted stares.
Makoto smiled as he saw everyone slowly beginning to get up. He hadn't expected everyone to respond that well to him but it seemed that he'd been mistaken. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw someone glancing his way, but when he turned all he saw was Kyoko and Junko preparing to leave…maybe he was just imagining it?
On the other side of the room, Leon got ready to help Sayaka to her feet, minding her broken wrist that was still in its sling. She leaned against him for support but managed to pull herself up almost completely on her own. Her legs wobbled a bit but it was clear that her strength was slowly returning.
Catching a glimpse of that, a sad smile decorated Makoto's face, pleased that they both seemed to be getting better, albeit slowly.
"Very well then! We all seem to be in agreement!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru shouted, earning an exasperated grunt from almost everyone as he reminded them who was in charge. Marching toward the double doors and throwing them open, Taka pointed toward the dormitory exit and decreed, "Now then, follow me up to the third floor! Stragglers will not be tolerated! Let's go!"
Before he could even take a step, however, the voice of reason once again called out to him.
"Hold up just a sec!" Makoto suddenly shouted, as if remembering something important.
Immediately stopping in his tracks, Taka looked over his shoulder and said, "What is it now, Makoto Naegi?"
His tone was a bit harsh and it made the lucky student flinch but he managed to swallow his fears and say, "Well…we still need someone to bring food to Mondo and Chihiro. I can't speak for Chihiro but I'm sure that Mondo's gotta be starving."
As his former friend's name reached his ears, the passionate aura around Taka wavered for a moment. And, even if it was only for an instant, the white sheen around his hair darkened to his original color, and his flame in his eyes flickered. However, less than a moment later, his new appearance returned in full force.
"…I see. Indeed. We will need a volunteer that will take them something. As such, we need a volunteer—".
"I'll take care of it," Junko said while raising her hand. "I can clean up the kitchen while I'm at it."
At the sound of her generous offer, two pairs of eyes shot over to her.
The first was Byakuya, who found her sudden generosity a bit off-putting. Not that it didn't seem appropriate for her to offer to help, because it did, especially since she'd proven herself very capable during the first two cases. However, it was a fact that only a moment ago she'd been more than hostile toward the Disciplinary Committee Chairman but now she appeared to be actively cooperating. Something about it perplexed the Togami Heir, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He needed to keep a closer eye on her from now.
At the same time, Kyoko observed the Fashionista with a similar degree of scrutiny. However, unlike Byakuya, who she also noticed had noted Junko's strange behavior, her desire to investigate the Fashionista came from an entirely different angle. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about the way Junko was acting seemed…predatory. Like a hunter that was waiting for the right moment to strike. Despite that, Kyoko also felt a genuine concern for her classmates emanating from Junko. And it was that confliction that drew the amnesiac girl's attention. Further observation would be required if she wanted to uncover what the Fashionista was hiding.
Unbeknownst to both of them, Junko was very aware of their eyes on her. However, she pretended not to notice and simply waited for a response to her offer.
"Ah! Already seeking to redeem yourself for your use of profanity! I applaud you, Junko Enoshima!" Taka suddenly praised, much to everyone's annoyance.
With a nonchalant shrug, the Fashionista replied, "Yeah…sure…whatever…"
"Oh, and once you're finished, be sure to join us up on the third floor!" the Disciplinary Committee Chairman instructed before spinning around and facing the exit. "The rest of you could learn a thing or two from her. But now is not the time for that! Onward to new territory!"
Leading the charge himself, Taka led the group of students out and toward the hall leading to the upper floors, never minding the groans and whispers about him that weren't the least bit flattering. In fact, he was so busy leading that he failed to notice that not quite everyone was following.
Instead of heading for the dormitory exit, Celeste turned and made for her room. However, she didn't make it very far before a concerned voice called out to her.
"Hey Celeste!" Hina, who surprisingly wasn't accompanied by Sakura, called as she walked over. "Where are you going? The third floor's the other way."
With a hint of annoyance, the gambler came to a stop and turned to face the swimmer. "I am aware of that. However, I am afraid I don't feel inclined to explore right now. As such, I shall return to my room and rest for a while."
Hearing that, Hina only grew more concerned as she asked, "You sure that's a good idea? I mean, what with Taka going rule crazy and all that?"
With a slight huff, Celeste turned her back to the swimmer and said, "As I recall, there is nothing in the rules requiring us to explore new floors. Therefore, I shall explore at my leisure and leave the preliminary investigation to the rest of you. Besides, thirteen people investigation a single floor is a bit much, if you ask me."
Without another word, Celeste's heels clicked against the floor as she hastily walked back toward her room, leaving a shocked and a bit miffed Hina standing there alone.
Mukuro waved to everyone as they left the cafeteria, patiently waiting for the last of them to exit. As soon as she was sure that she was alone, she strode over to the kitchen, marched directly up to the room's metal fridge and punched it as hard as she could. A tiny, almost unnoticeable dent formed from her attack, but she couldn't care less. She was too infuriated to give a shit!
"Damn you…you got us good this time!" she seethed through gritted teeth, letting the pain from her strike settle her down.
For several moments, she stood there, hunched over with her fist indented into the fridge. She wanted to calm down, but just couldn't. So many things had gone awry lately; her patrol last night, everyone's secrets getting somewhat revealed, and now Taka being appointed as her sister's enforcer!
"Junko….we're all dancing in the palm of her hand!"
Mukuro could only surmise that the reason her sister had given Taka these 'honors' was to increase tension among the group. The Moral Compass was obviously off-balance since the proceedings yesterday and she had instantly taken advantage of that. If things continued as they were, it would only be a matter of time before Taka stepped over the line and provoked someone into attacking him…if not killing him!
"And that's just what she wants! And I can't do anything to stop it! I'm just as powerless as everyone else in this game!"
Unceremoniously, Mukuro slapped her forehead into the metal of the fridge, lightly banging it several times in succession. She could feel it, the weight of her own despair that she fought to keep at bay ever since being forced into the game. It was growing more and more taxing each time she beat it down, and she feared that before she found a way to save her classmates, it would consume her completely.
As that thought sprang up, another just as powerful came to the forefront of her mind. Well, it wasn't exactly a thought as much as it was an image, one that continued to give her strength…and that was the image of Makoto, smiling hopefully just after he'd rescued her from certain death at the start of the game.
Almost unwillingly, a tiny smile formed on her lips and even though it was only for a moment, she felt at peace. She couldn't allow herself to give up, not now. At the very least, Makoto seemed to be relying on her…on everyone to pull together and help each other. And, if for no other reason, she owed Makoto that much. She had to repay her debt to him, no matter the cost.
Slowly pulling herself back and away from the fridge, she took a deep cleansing breath. Retracting her hand, she instead wrapped it around the fridge's handle and pulled it open.
"Focus…on what I can do…" she reminded herself, rummaging through the fridge to find something appropriate for Mondo and Chihiro's breakfast.
Unbeknownst to her, a pair of lavender eyes had been watching her from the kitchen door, slipping away before the soldier turned back around.
"Geez, she didn't have to be so rude about it," Hina scoffed as she made her way up newly opened staircase leading to the third floor. "The least she could have done was—".
"Aoi Asahina! I thought that I said I would not tolerate stragglers!"
Hina groaned as Taka met her at the top of the stairs, Sakura standing behind him, obviously waiting for her as well. The martial artist gave her a gentle smile, which she reciprocated for a moment before noticing that Taka was still glaring at her.
A depressed groan escaped the swimmer as she said, "Yeah, sorry about that. I kind fell behind because Celeste—".
"Celestia Ludenberg? What about her?" Taka interrupted again, looking behind her and growing increasingly impatient. "I don't see her with you. Counting you, we are still short one! Where is she?"
"She said she wanted to go back to her room and rest—".
"Unacceptable!" the Moral Compass interrupted her a third time, practically fuming. "Does she not realize the danger of leaving herself alone and vulnerable to attack?! It was decided that we all would investigate the upper floor! Not some, or a few of us, but all of us! I must go and fetch her post haste!"
Taka pushed past Hina almost immediately, walking very quickly down the stairs as running wasn't allowed in the hallways. When he brushed past her, the swimmer accidentally lost her footing and stumbled backward, teetering at the edge of the top of the stairs. Hina waved her hands to try and steady herself but it seemed useless as she began to fall. However, a muscular hand shot out and grasped her arm, pulling her away from the stairs and helping to steady her.
"Are you alright, Hina?!" Sakura almost frantically asked, having feared her friend might have tumbled down the stairs. A protective fury raged in the martial artist's eyes as she glared toward the stairs. "How can he be so inconsiderate?! His recklessness is appalling!"
Seeing her friend in that frenzy, Hina instantly put on a reassuring smile and said, "It was an accident. I'm sure he didn't mean to."
"Hmm, I suppose you're right. But still…" Sakura said as she let go of her friend and stared at the stairway. "He's already beginning to act carelessly. We may need to have a discussion about his behavior sooner rather than later…"
"Maybe, but personally, I'm more worried about Celeste at the moment…" Hina admitted, following her friend's gaze to the stairs.
"I win…as usual."
Celeste sighed as she finished her game of solitaire, sitting at the table in her room, which was covered with a black satin tablecloth that had a white circular cloth in the center that housed a vase with two fake roses inside. Now that she was back within the confines of her room, she felt her previous anger dissipating somewhat. Taking a moment to glance around the room, she impressed herself with how well she'd decorate.
Her bed was styled with black satin sheets with a set of large fake red roses at the foot of her bed. Not far from her bed were two female body forms used to display two other gothic dresses she possessed. She recalled bringing more with her to the school but after waking up and subsequently being sealed inside, she'd found that only those two and the one she wore were still present. And since she didn't favor the other two as much as she did her current ensemble, she chose to simple wash and reuse the one she always wore. Sure, she had some regular clothes stashed away but she'd be damned if anyone saw her wearing something as humiliating as a T-shirt. Also, a gothic chandelier that she'd brought with her had already been installed when she'd retired to her room on the first day. She had no idea who installed it for her but she didn't complain, it accented the room perfectly. All in all, her room felt as perfect as she was, which settled her nerves.
"Ahhh, being back in my element always does wonders for my health," she said, just starting to relax. However, her mind wandered back to what could be on the third floor. And although she was curious, she definitely wasn't going to be leaving her room any time soon. Resting her hands on her lap, she felt a lump in her pocket and got an idea.
"Well, I guess I don't have to leave to see what's up there," she said to herself, any trace of her accent abandoned now that she was alone. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her e-handbook and set it on her table. "The stupid thing should have updated by now. I can just see what's up there and check out what I want later."
Delicately, she reached a hand out and pressed the button on the side. As the small device booted up and the screen came on, all of the tension and frustration that she'd gotten rid of suddenly revisited her. There, in large bright letters, was the name that had sent her into a frenzy in the first place:
TAEKO YASUHIRO
All at once, the repressed rage she'd fought to keep under control overflowed and she gave a frustrated scream. Grabbing the e-handbook, she flung it as hard as she could at the metal plate on the adjacent wall. The small device clacked against metal and dropped to the floor, landing face up. Unsurprisingly, it was still operating and still displaying the name she despised.
"You stupid fucking thing!" she yelled, getting up from her table and slamming her shoe down onto her e-handbook. Lifting her foot, she saw that it was completely undamaged, as expected due to its unbreakable nature, but unfortunately that didn't satiate her rage. And so, as futile as she knew it was, she slammed her heeled shoe down onto it again and again, screaming all the while, "Go! Away! You! Stupid! Putrid! Worthless! Name! God-dammit!"
After a few minutes of useless stomping, her movement began to slow until eventually, she stood there, staring down at that hated name with frustrated tears stinging the corners of her eyes. In that moment, she realized how pointless her efforts truly were. Not just in trying to destroy the device that displayed her name, but in her attempts to adapt to this miserable place.
She had honestly tried to follow her own advice at the start, trying to adapt to being forced to live her with a group of people that infuriated her! Most of them were goddamn idiots! Like the otaku nerd and the useless fortune teller! Those that weren't completely clueless were too interested in rules or fitness or computers! Then there were Leon and Sayaka, the potential murders who could just be pretending to be reformed in order to stick a knife in her back the instant she let her guard down! And the few among them that were actually intelligent weren't much better! Junko, who was surprisingly intelligent for someone who used her looks to succeed in life, was annoying because she always tried to get on everyone's good side! Byakuya was interesting, handsome, and highly intellectual but he was far too dangerous to associate with! She'd heard rumors of how powerful his family was, and getting involved with them was more than a dangerous gamble…it was practically suicide! Then there was Kyoko, who when she wasn't spending her time being an enigma was too unpredictable to even try to approach! And for the love of all things holy, if she had to listen to one more of Makoto's naïve speeches about not giving up hope, she was gonna hurl, possibly all over him!
She was trapped in a school full of worthless people who couldn't understand how fucking boring they all were! None of them could understand the struggle she'd gone through before getting into Hope's Peak, the massive endeavor she'd undertaken in order to achieve her dream.
Her dream of buying a castle in Europe.
Truthfully, she could see why others would find it a strange dream, but they could go fuck themselves as far as she cared! That castle represented everything that she'd ever wanted in life! A stable foundation, a beautiful setting, and one that was far far removed from the place she'd been born! Once she had that castle, and the servant boys she longed to wait on her ever need, then her life could finally begin! And once it did, she could truly become the Celestia Ludenberg that she had always wanted to be!
But now…she was trapped in here…in this hell…with pathetic losers that only hindered her dream! And even worse, now they all knew what her real name was! All the time she'd spent crafting her new image was in danger of being taken away from her! She wouldn't let that happen…not again!
But what could she do? Just as she couldn't smash her e-handbook, she couldn't escape from this place either. And while she thought she was willing to do anything to escape…a part of her was still hesitating. She knew she needed to kill someone and that didn't bother her, these people were just insects to her anyway! Even so, something was holding her back, keeping her from even planning out her perfect crime yet.
She told herself that it was simply because the time wasn't right, and when it was, she'd strike! That had to be the reason she was hesitating…right? She didn't feel anything for her classmates, nothing at all. After all, how could she feel compassion for the steps she had to climb in order to reach her goal!
However…this would be the first time she'd ever actively worked to take someone's life. She'd taken everything from her victims before; their money, their pride, their savings, their clothes…but she'd never taken their lives.
And…if she was being honest…she didn't necessarily want to take their lives.
It was the one lie she couldn't convince herself of. As a talented liar, she could even deceive herself into believing whatever she needed to in order to claim victory. However, for some reason, deep down inside, she knew that, truthfully, if there was a way to escape without bloodshed, she'd rather take that route. That's what had kept her in check for so long, even during the darkest of times when she wanted nothing more than to bludgeon one of those idiots over the head with a pipe. That single truth kept her from playing the game the way Monokuma wanted.
Unfortunately, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep herself from considering 'graduation' as her only remaining option.
"Don't be hasty," she told herself, trying to settle her nerves. "Just like always, I just need to wait for the right moment. It'll present itself eventually and until then—".
At that moment, a furious knock came at her door. A bit startled, Celeste took a quick breath before reaching down and retrieving her completely undamaged handbook before replacing it in her pocket. Before heading for the door, she glanced at herself in her mirror and checked that her unshed tears hadn't smeared her make-up. Fortunately, she still look as radiant as ever, even taking a moment to wink at herself before marching toward the door, irritated that whoever was there still banging on it.
Only when she began unlocking it did the furious pounding stop and she took a moment to compose herself before slowly opening the door. Sadly, she saw the one person she desperately wanted to avoid right now.
"Celestia Ludenberg! What is the meaning of this?!" the white haired and burning eyed Taka shouted at her, pushing open her door so that he stood directly in front of her. Startled by his sudden intrusion, the gambler fought to keep herself composed as he continued to shout at her. "I specifically remember saying that I didn't want any stragglers as we left to go and investigate! And yet, I heard from Hina that you blatantly abandoned your duty! Explain yourself!"
Celeste resisted the urge to click her teeth. "Dammit, Hina! Could she be any more useless?!"
Putting on her best smile, the gambler replied, "Indeed, that is the case. Or are you suggesting that resting in my room is somehow against the school regulations?"
Her accent was back in full force and she hoped it would help somehow. Unfortunately, it seemed that Taka was in full-enforcement mode and nothing was going to dissuade him.
"No, it is not against regulations," he said calmly enough, only to burst into shouts a moment later. "However, I cannot allow a student under my supervision to be off on their own, unsupervised as the rest of us search! Already, I am wasting valuable time having to come and retrieve you! Now, I would appreciate it if you would please come with me and help the rest of us investigate the third floor!"
Celeste's ears were ringing by the time he was done shouting and she fought to keep her passive mask in place. Fortunately, she managed to rein in her steadily increasing anger. At this point, she could have argued with him further, but knew that it would waste valuable time…well, hers not his. She couldn't care less about how he spent his meaningless life, but she recognized that acquiescing to his request would overall be the better solution. Her hearing would thank her.
Besides, she didn't have to actually be around him while she investigated, which was enough of a reward.
With a deep sigh, that she made very clear to him was his fault, she turned her back to him and said, "Very well. But I insisted that you give me a moment to prepare. I need to tidy up a bit before I venture to the next floor. Go on ahead, I will follow shortly."
Honestly, she just wanted him to close the door long enough for her to vent her frustrations about his asinine attitude. After that, she'd reluctantly head up and explore but would do it with a smile pleasant enough to fool her classmates into believing she chose to do so of her own free will.
She was very pleased when his answer was, "Ah, I see! Very well then! I will be on my way!" Just when she thought that he was finally going to leave her be, he continued, "But first, I must ask, what must you tidy up before accompanying us upstairs?"
The tiniest twitch tugged at her right eye as she heard that, infuriated by how insensitive this bastard was being. However, she managed to keep her composure and simply turned around to answer him.
"If you must know, I was in the middle of refining my talent when you arrived. I don't wish to be out of practice when I finally get out of this place."
It was a half-lie, she knew that, but it was close enough to the truth regardless. Not that she was obligated to give him the real truth…which was to get away from Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass himself! Confident that this answer was sufficient, she was incredibly shocked when, seemingly out of nowhere, he scoffed.
It was a sound she'd never actually heard from him before and yet, here he was, openly scoffing at her comment. It startled her so much that she let him respond, "I'm afraid I don't understand the need to refine your 'talent'. Considering it's based entirely upon luck."
Again, she was utterly stunned by his attitude, particularly because he seemed to be…ridiculing her! Who did this bastard think he was to try and ridicule her like that?! She'd show him what it was to ridicule someone!
"Hmhmhm," she said, sporting a laugh to cover for her anger. "It seems you are uneducated in the ways of gambling. For while luck is certainly a factor, there is far more involved in successful gambling. I suppose you cannot help it, it is beyond your understanding—".
"I fully understand the nature of gambling," he insisted, forcefully cutting her off. "I have read several books on the subject and have learned that, aside from using underhanded tricks, gambling is all about luck. That is why I said that it was odd that you were practicing your talent."
Insulted but also intrigued, Celeste decided to humor him before verbally ripping him apart. "Oh? And why is that?"
As she waited for his answer, her mask perfectly in place to keep her emotions hidden, she was utterly confident that nothing he said could unnerve her. After all, he was pathetic, rule-obsessed prefect that had no true life experience. She'd lived a life that would have broken him within minutes of involvement. After all, professional gambling was a dangerous business if you weren't careful.
"Considering how below average his luck is, there is nothing he can say that would—".
In the middle of her thought, Taka abruptly spoke, "It is strange that you are trying to refine something that you do not have. For gambling is, in fact, not a talent at all. It is a facet of luck and nothing more. Therefore, Celestial Ludenberg, you have no true talent to refine."
…
A crack…that's what it was. The tiniest crack began to form in Celeste's usually perfect mask.
"Uh…come again?" she asked politely, shock and perplexion clear in her voice.
Taka had absolutely no hesitation in his voice when he repeated, "You, Celestial Ludenberg, do not actually possess a talent. Gambling is a form of luck and we already have an Ultimate Lucky Student within our ranks. Therefore, you are wasting your time trying to refine something that does not exist."
…
…
The crack widened…consuming most of her visage. A deep frown settled onto her features but otherwise, she remained silent as he continued.
"You would be better off washing your hands of such rubbish and pursuing educational endeavors instead. If you wish, I will assist you at a later date."
…
…
…
Multiple cracks spread throughout her mask, threatening to crumble at any moment. The slightest push would break her mask apart and unfortunately, that final push was imminent.
"However, I realize I've kept you from tidying up, as unnecessary as that is. As such, I shall excuse myself and wait for you on the third floor. Please be quick about it."
Grabbing the door handle, Taka pulled the door shut with a swift jerk, practically slamming it right in front of her. The instant that door closed, Celeste's passive mask shattered into a million pieces.
Her eyes grew wide and wild with rage, her teeth gritted so tightly she felt them grating, and her hands balled into fists that she raised over her head. Tears spilled from her eyes as she merciless screamed at the top of her lungs and slammed her fists into her door with unyielding rage. If Taka had delayed for even a moment longer, she would be beating him to death with her own hands. Instead, she continued bash her fists against her own door, ignoring the pain each strike caused.
"YOU SON OF A FUCKING BITCH! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!" she screamed, ripping her throat apart in the process. "I DO HAVE A TALENT! YOU'RE THE ONE WITHOUT ONE! NOT ME! YOU!"
She continued to yell obscenities at her door, smashing her knuckles against it furiously, imagining she was pummeling that worthless bastard to his deserved demise. If her room hadn't of been soundproof, then even the students up on the third floor would have certainly heard her. Not that she would have cared, given her current rage induced state.
Very slowly, her furious beating came to a standstill. Her legs buckled and she collapsed to the floor. Her head hung low, tears streaming down her cheeks, dripping off her chin and onto the ground. Her painstakingly applied make-up was smeared, wet mascara running down each side of her face. Her breathing hitched as uncontrollable sobs racked her body. All the while, her body trembled from a mixture of rage and sorrow.
And then, all of a sudden, it all stopped. Her tears ceased to flow and her body quit shaking. And how did she accomplish this? Simple…her mask had been replaced. It took time, but she finally managed to regain control of her emotions and fully lock them away again. It had been over five years since she'd allowed her mask to shatter like that, and now she remembered why she'd created it in the first place.
It was the only way…the only way for her to truly become Celestia Ludenberg. The mask was a part of who Celestia Ludenberg was…and that bastard had managed to break it. That, above all else, was an unforgiveable sin!
"…I swear," she said quietly to herself. "Even if it takes the rest of my life…I'm gonna fucking kill him!"
"You sure you're feeling good enough for this?" Leon asked Sayaka as she held herself up by latching onto the workbench in third floor Art Storage room, the assorted arrangement of crafting hammers just behind her. "You almost fell on the stairs three times on the way up. You don't have to push yourself since I'm here to help you get around."
With a slight roll of her eyes, the pop idol answered, "I'm not going to get my strength back if I'm constantly hanging off you. Have a little faith, alright?"
"Faith…right," Leon repeated, a noticeable worry in his eyes.
Sayaka almost wanted to smile at him but knew it would only exacerbate the situation. She truly appreciated the sentiment, but if he kept babying her she'd end up staying attached to his hip for the rest of her life. And although the thought wasn't 100% unpleasant, it was at least 20% disconcerting. Besides, she could easily stand up on her own again; it was just getting around that was troublesome.
Because of Leon, she was eating healthfully, something she hadn't expected from him, and it seemed that her recovery was progressing smoothly. Even her broken wrist was feeling much better lately. She still wasn't quite ready for it to be out of its sling but given some time, she was certain that it would heal completely.
"…If I live long enough for that to happen," she automatically thought before shaking her head free of her own pessimistic comment.
As she used her good arm to help steady herself, she decided to try venturing out away from the workbench. Taking a brave step outward, she grasped onto a drawer handle for balance. Unfortunately, she also tugged on that handle and discovered that the drawer was not as firmly rooted as she'd believed. The wood drawer shot out, pulled completely out from the bench and crashing to the floor, and with it, Sayaka lost her balance entirely.
A surprised yelp erupted from her throat as she tumbled forward. Before she even got close to the floor, however, Leon already had his arms wrapped around her, holding her up while minding her injuries as best he could. Sayaka gripped onto him with her good hand and let him steady her back onto her feet.
With an embarrassed flush on her face, the idol said, "…Thanks."
To her surprise, the same cocky grin that had decorated Leon's face when they had first spoken so long ago abruptly returned, a sight she had never imagined seeing ever again. And even though it was obvious that he was a bit embarrassed himself, he didn't let that smirk falter as he replied, "No biggie! And…there ya go!"
Much to Sayaka's surprise, he slowly pulled away from her, allowing her to once again stand all on her own. However, he did stay within reach, obviously still worried due to her recent tumble. It took her a moment to realize that he was trying to honor her wishes to get around on her own, even though her fumble a moment ago clearly caused him to believe otherwise. However, he chose to simply stay by her side, just in case, rather than insist on doing everything for her. The gesture was actually a lot sweeter than he probably even knew and Sayaka couldn't help but smile warmly.
But then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something on the floor. Turning her gaze downward, she saw that the drawer she'd pulled out had been overturned and its contents littered all around it. Those mainly consisted of rulers and other measuring tools but one object was decidedly out of place. It was an overturned photograph, she could tell because of the way the laminated back shined.
"What's that?" Leon suddenly asked, making Sayaka realize that he must have followed her gaze and seen the overturned photo too.
"I think it's a picture," she replied, taking a careful step toward it. As mindful of her abdomen wound as she could be, she knelt down and slowly picked up the photo.
Unfortunately, she couldn't stand up as easily as she'd descended, something Leon noticed immediately and extended his hand as a silent offer for assistance. Without hesitation, Sayaka rested her arm on his palm, so that she could still hold the picture as he pulled her up enough for her to stand on her own again. She was just about to thank him again when she noticed him staring, completely dumbfounded, at her hand. She hadn't even realized that she'd inadvertently turned the photo over to see its contents, but when she followed his gaze and saw what the picture contained, she couldn't help but gasp.
It was a picture of Mondo, Leon and Chihiro…inside what appeared to be a school! Even more confusing was that all three of them were smiling brightly, like they had been friends for years. Mondo had his arms wrapped around both of them, rubbing Chihiro's head and playfully jabbing at Leon's chin. At the same time, Leon had his arm around the back of Chihiro's head, keeping her from escaping both him and Mondo. And Chihiro appeared to be cheerfully accepting their 'abuse' with a smile that everyone feared may be lost forever due to her current condition.
"Wha…what is this?" Leon squeezed out, staring at himself in the picture. At the sound of his confusion, Sayaka looked over to see a disheartening mixture of uncertainty, sadness, and joy on his face, tears stinging the corner of his eyes.
Just as perplexed as him, Sayaka finally gathered her courage and asked, "Leon…when was this?"
Still unable to tear his eyes away from the image, Leon slowly shook his head and answered, "I…I…I don't…know! I mean, I never met either of them before coming here!"
Thinking on his words for a second, Sayaka then asked, "Is it possible you just forgot that you'd met them before?" She knew it was a bit of a long-shot but she was just as desperate to understand as he was.
Finally averting his gaze to meet her, she saw how frantic he was becoming as he replied, "No way! I may not remember some of my old friends from my old school but if I'd met those two before, I'm sure I'd remember it! Especially because it looks like we're going to the same school or something!"
Absorbing his answer, the pop idol turned and looked at the picture again, noting the uncovered windows just behind the three in the photo. Strangely, it was an odd sight to behold, considering she'd become accustomed to the obscure metal plates and bolts that kept them sealed within.
"We need to show this to everyone," she said firmly, snapping him out of his confusion somewhat. "We may have found a vital clue to discovering how we ended up here in the first place."
"Yeah…right! C'mon, Sayaka!"
Instantly, Leon began walking quickly toward the door but stopped just before he reached the handle. Sayaka almost smiled as he must have realized that he was completely leaving her behind, considering she had barely taken a step since he'd left her side. With an apologetic look, he strode back over to her side and took her good arm.
"Sorry…let's take it slow."
Just as he promised, he didn't rush her along, despite how anxious he undoubtedly was. Sayaka smiled and decided to forgive him for his rash decision, letting him assist her in getting out of the room, where they hoped to find someone else to show the picture to.
Mondo leaned back in his chair next to Chihiro's bed, breathing deeply and peacefully...a light snore sounding as he drifted in and out of consciousness. At least until a loud knocking abruptly startled him into awareness, a loud snort echoing as his tired eyes shot open.
"W-Wha?! W-Who the hell's—?!" he stammered as his vision swam, trying to refocus after his unintentional nap. He rubbed his eyes furiously, wiping away the sleep from his eyes and blinking furiously as he oriented himself.
Again, the knocking startled him, making him turn aggressively toward the door, prepared if someone came through looking to do Chihiro harm. However, instead of that, a concerned voice from outside called to him.
"Hey, Mondo! You awake in there?! I've got some food for ya!"
It took the biker a moment to actually place the voice but quickly he realized it was Junko's dulcet tones shouting for him. And while a part of him wanted to be suspicious as to why she'd suddenly showed up with food for him, his brain was too busy processing two important details:
1: Hungry!
2: Food!
Stumbling a bit as he walked to the door, Mondo could smell the freshly cooked meal. As he opened the door, he saw the most beautiful sight he could have ever imagined.
There, in all her Fashionista glory, stood Junko…with a huge stack of pancakes! Syrup had already been applied to their fluffy deliciousness, with melted butter dripping down the sides!
Mondo's mouth instantly watered, saliva leaking out the edges of his slack-jawed mouth, to which Junko reared back in disgust. "Eww, dude, c'mon! You're drooling!"
Noticing that she was backing away with his meal, the biker instantly wiped his mouth on his sleeve and said, "U-Uh, sorry about that…guess I'm hungrier than I thought!" He tried to hide his embarrassment but fell vastly short, as he couldn't tear his eyes away from the doughy goodness he wanted to very much to devour.
Rather than continue to be disgusted, Junko's expression softened and she extended plate of pancakes out to him with a smile. Stepping out into the hallway, Mondo reached for the plate with shaky hands and grabbed the pancakes from her. Instantly, he dove in, not even bothering to use the fork she'd put on the plate. In fact, she kinda looked as though she feared he'd eat the utensil along with the pancakes. But either way, Mondo didn't care, he was too busy stuffing his face.
He hadn't even realized how hungry he was, he'd been too focused on keeping watch over Chihiro all night to even notice. Thinking about it, he hadn't eaten dinner the previous night, due to the motive being revealed and his subsequent fall into attempted murder.
As that thought dawned on him, his pace of eaten dramatically decreased, feeling a lot less hungry than before. His tired eyes shifted over to glance at Chihiro's sleeping form, his gaze softening sadly. Slowly, he handed the half-eaten plate of pancakes back toward Junko, who stared at it in confusion.
"I'm…not really that hungry," the biker half-lied, guilt overtaking his judgment as he continued to stare at the unconscious Chihiro. Just then, he was surprised when he felt the plate being pushed back in his direction. Snapping his head over, he saw that Junko was refusing to take the plate, her hand pushing the meal back against him firmly.
"You haven't eaten since yesterday. You need to eat and sleep—".
"I'm fine…" he flat out lied, his voice practically growling. "Besides…if Chihiro can't eat…then why should I—".
"Don't be such a fucking idiot!" the Fashionista instantly snapped back at him, startling him once again. "We can find a way to feed Chihiro after you've eaten! Seriously, if you don't eat and get some rest, how are you going to have enough strength to protect Chihiro?"
The instant the word 'strength' reached his ears, something inside Mondo crumbled and he felt his willpower fade. His thoughts began a downward spiral and he felt despair taking root as he was forced acknowledge the truth once more.
"Strength…? What strength?!" he snarled at himself, not even acknowledging Junko at the moment. "If I had 'strength' then this never would happened in the first place! If I had real 'strength', then Chihiro wouldn't be lying there, unable to move a fucking muscle! I don't have any real 'strength'! Chihiro…Chihiro has more strength than I ever will! Even you…you have a shit ton more 'strength' than I ever—".
"Oh, get over yourself!"
Mondo froze as Junko interrupted his tirade, slowly shifting his gaze over to the Fashionista. She locked eyes with him, her gaze almost penetrating his very soul. In the midst of being overwhelmed by her visage, Mondo heard her scoff.
"You think you're the only one who's pissed that they fucked up?! For Christ sake, I almost got myself skewered! And do you want to know why?" She paused for a moment, but didn't really give him time to respond before she finished, "Because I was scared shitless! That's why!"
Shock overtook Mondo as he listened to Junko's confession, unable to comprehend how someone as obviously strong as her could open up about her weakness so easily. His eyes widened as she glared at him, looking slightly vulnerable for the first time since she'd survived being impaled. It reminded him of Chihiro…and how strong she had been to tell him her secret, despite how terrifying it must have been. Except…that Junko didn't seem to have the same kind of strength that Chihiro had. The Fashionista had always been strong-willed and vocal about, well, everything! So, to see her openly admitting to her own faults was…a bit overwhelming.
However, Mondo found himself powerless to do anything but stand there and listen as she continued.
"'I have a shit ton more strength than you'?I'm not any stronger than anyone else here! If anything, I was the one who gave up first…defying Monokuma like a freaking idiot even though I knew what might happen." Her good hand drifted over to grasp her injured palm, tenderly caressing it subconsciously. Staring down at the floor, she continued, "Honestly…I'm still scared shitless. I may not show it, but I'm just as desperate to get out of here as everyone else. Only I'm not willing to go along with Monokuma's twisted little game in order to do it. Even so…each day's a struggle to keep it together…and it's getting harder and harder to keep myself from going crazy…"
A deep silence hung between them for a moment, the tension so thick you could feel it in the air.
Moreover, Mondo found himself in a state of disbelief. How could someone as strong as Junko have this much insecurity and fear? She openly defied Monokuma, in front of everyone no less! Was that all an act too? It certainly didn't seem like it. In fact, whenever she confronted the demented bear, that's when she seemed to be at her strongest! So how the hell could she call herself weak when she constantly showed how strong she was?!
"Well then…why do you keep acting so tough then?!" the biker couldn't stop himself from asking, more to try and do the same for himself rather than to discover her own reasons. "If you're really as scared as you say you are, where the hell do you find the strength to keep going up against Monokuma all the fucking time?!"
Just then, to his shock, Junko's demeanor shifted. She let go of her injured appendage and clenched both her fists tightly before lifting her gaze up, a determined look in her sky-blue irises.
"It has nothing to do with strength…I'm just doing what I can, that's all. Besides, I'm not willing to let the bear have his way!"
As she spoke, Mondo felt something exuding from her, a kind of power that he'd almost forgotten…it was the same feeling he'd gotten whenever his brother had given him a pep talk during their early days as bikers. And because of that, he remained utterly silent as she finished.
"So shut up and eat you're god-damn pancakes before I have to force feed them to you!"
Again, Mondo felt something powerful radiate from her, not only in her appearance but her voice as well. Only when she fell silent did he finally understand what it was…true strength.
At the time, her answer, in and of itself, completely contradicted her, or at least Mondo thought so. While Junko wasn't the most physically strong person, she obviously had a will that no one could overtake. Hell, she had the courage to smile in the face of danger and the balls to defy the odds and come out on top!
That's why she…Junko Enoshima…was strong! It was because she didn't rely on strength. She didn't even consider it a factor. She just did exactly what she felt needed to be done, regardless of how scared she was. And the most amazing thing was, she didn't see that as strength! To her, it was just a part of living, something that needed to be done in order to survive!
"…Just like Big Bro Daiya…"
For the first time since his death, thoughts about Daiya didn't hurt to recall. In fact, in a strange way, Junko kept reminding him of the way Daiya kept their gang together years back, motivating everyone and trying to keep everyone from killing each other. And for some reason, that really put the biker's mind at ease. Just knowing that someone like that was trapped in the school with them was enough for him momentarily forget his own guilt and pull the pancake plate back toward himself.
"Uhg, fine…" he grumbled as he resumed stuffing his face, only a little displeased to be eating the fluffy deliciousness again.
All the while, Junko knowingly smirked at him, watching to make sure he devoured every last bite. Once he finished, she held her hand out and gestured for him to give over the plate, which he did almost immediately.
"Next time, just eat your damn food. And for the love of God, if I bring you a fork, use it!" she protested, reverting back to the Junko he'd always known.
"Yeah, yeah…" he paused to yawn loudly and rub his eyes. "…whatever."
Almost instantly following that comment, he noticed Junko looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze. He reared back a bit as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"You didn't get any sleep last night, did you?" she asked, though her tone indicated she already knew the answer.
"What was your first clue?" the biker retorted with a scoff, suppressing a belch that he felt would be inappropriate to spew at her, regardless of how annoying she was being.
"If you want, I can stay out here and keep watch while you get some rest," Junko abruptly offered, much to the biker's surprise.
It was a tempting offer to be sure, but one that Mondo felt he didn't have the right to ask for, regardless of how exhausted he was. And it wasn't because he didn't trust her, far from it actually, he had more faith in her than almost anyone else…maybe Makoto but for very different reasons.
However, he had too much pride to admit the truth and instead said, "Nah, it's cool. Now that I've got food in me, I should be good."
Raising her eyebrow at him, Junko huffed and replied, "Really? You look ready to keel over if you ask me."
Mondo flinched, embarrassed that she could see though him so easily. And as that embarrassment took hold, he found himself resorting back to how he usually acted around a pretty girl when he was flustered…by yelling.
"Oh yeah! Well, I don't need a fashion obsessed diva watching out for me anyway!" he shouted down at her, getting so close that his pompadour almost poked her forehead.
Almost instantly, the biker realized how much of a douche bag he was being, but he also knew it was too late to take it back. However, much to his shock, Junko didn't even flinch at his standoffishness.
"Hmph, someone had a rough night…" the Fashionista correctly surmised, giving him a sideways glance, which somehow relieved the biker somewhat.
"Yeah…" Mondo half-heartedly replied, feeling even more embarrassed than before. "God-damn box tricked me…"
"What?" an utterly confused Junko questioned, to which the biker simply shook his head.
"Nothin'…it's nothin'. Anyway, thanks for breakfast, but I better get back to watching out for Chihiro," he insisted before reaching for the door, preparing to shut himself away again. However, before he grasped the handle, a thought surfaced in his mind that he couldn't ignore. "Oh, right, I thought I heard everyone else going by earlier. What's that about?"
Suddenly, a grim look crossed Junko's face and she hesitantly replied, "Well…let's just say that we had an eventful morning. Oh, and Monokuma opened up the third floor for us to explore."
"Oh, I get it," Mondo answered, feeling as though she was still leaving something out. However, he had something else weighing on his mind that he needed to ask about. "So…how's my bro—err, Taka, holding up?"
Again, a pained look spread over Junko's as she took a deep breath. "Honestly, he could be better…we all could…"
"Oh…right," was all Mondo could respond, glancing back at Chihiro. "I guess you were right…we all just gotta do what we can…for now."
A sense of calm slowly overtook both of them, even in this tense atmosphere. It had taken a bit of yelling but it seemed that they both understood each other a lot better. Mondo, in particular, felt that his opinion of the Fashionista had changed drastically. He had been kind of jealous of her strength…but now, he admired it. Perhaps, one day, he could become that strong as well…
"Pardon me, but would one of you mind stepping aside? You're obstructing the hallway."
Junko and Mondo both jumped as they heard the voice of Celeste not too far from them, turning to see her slowly walking down the hallway toward them. At first, the biker kind of growled at her, remembering her cruel words from the trial, not to mention the vote she'd cast to have him executed. However, once he got a good look at her, he found himself a bit perplexed.
Usually, the Lolita dressed gambler looked at him with distain in her eyes, as if she was harshly judging him. However, at that moment, she didn't look as if she held any negative feelings for him in the slightest. She wasn't sporting that obnoxiously sweet smile today either, which kind of creeped him out. In fact, as she got up to them, Celeste just stood there, politely waiting for one of them to respond to her request, an almost stoic look on her face.
Because of that, he felt strangely compelled to accommodate her, which is something he never thought he'd be willing to do. Nevertheless, he sidestepped and cleared the way for her, almost wordlessly.
"Thank you," Celeste plainly replied before moving past him and heading for the staircase leading upstairs. The instant the gambler was out of sight, Mondo let out a confused sigh.
"That was weird…" he commented aloud before turning to glance at Junko. To his surprise, the Fashionista was staring intently in the direction Celeste had gone, a very concerned look on her face. It was so worrisome that Mondo couldn't stop himself from asking, "Somethin' wrong…?"
"Hmmm…" Junko hummed for a moment before saying, "Something's off…she's reapplied her make-up since I last saw her, which was only about twenty minutes ago."
Perplexed, Mondo inquired, "Seriously, she redid her make-up? Wait, how can you tell?"
"Fashionista."
"Oh, right…that makes sense."
For a few more moments, Junko continued to worriedly stare toward the staircase until she finally let out a deep sigh.
"I don't like the looks of this. I'm gonna go see if I can find out what's up." Before departing, the Fashionista turned and held up her fist, silently asking for a fist bump, a confident smirk on her lips. "Don't worry, I'll be back to let you get some sleep. Just tough it out until then, 'kay?"
For a second, Mondo froze as he stared at her, almost dumbfound. Then, just as quickly as it came, his confusion vanished and he eagerly fist bumped with her.
"Take your time! I could do this all day!" he boasted, trying his best not to yawn at the same time. Whether she noticed it not, he couldn't say. In either case, she turned on a heel and began quickly walking toward the stairway.
However, just before she got out of earshot, she glanced over her shoulder and shouted, "Don't let me catch you sleeping on the job! Keep on keepin' on!"
And with that, she darted up the stairs, presumably to go and meet up with Celeste and everyone else. Once Mondo was all alone again, he lowered his gaze slightly and let a tiny smile spread across his face.
It was refreshing, and unexpected, that Junko had been so supportive. The way she reassured him and treated him like an equal honestly shocked him a bit. He hadn't figured that any of his classmates would see him in the same light as they had before the trial. And, if nothing else, he felt that he couldn't let her down!
"Alright! Let's get back to guard duty!" he shouted to himself, closing the nurse's office door and marching back to his seat next to Chihiro. As he sat there, now almost completely revitalized, he suddenly had hope that everything was going to work out.
To Be Continued…
Greetings, my beautiful readers! Well, this certainly was a difficult chapter to write but it was well worth it! So, what do you think will happen now that Leon and Sayaka found the picture? Will they be able to show it to everyone or will it be lost? How do you think Celeste is going to act now that Taka lit a fire under her? Is Chihiro ever going to wake up? The answers to these questions will be answered soon, so keep reading to find out!
Just to make this clear, if any of you have read my other story, "The Ultimate Hope" then you may have pieced this together already but…I'm currently head-cannoning that Mondo absolutely loved pancakes before his untimely demise canonically. That's why Monokuma decided to spread his "Mondo Butter" all over pancakes for his execution…for the added despair! At least that's what I'm head-cannoning now! What do you all think of that?
Also, slight editing note, my beta was very busy this week so I edited the chapter myself. Dixxy works hard to catch all the errors and often find ones I completely miss, so please let me know if you see any typos that need fixing or anything like that.
Anyway, thanks for continue to read my story up until now! Don't forget to leave a review or comment if you have questions, concerns, comments, fears, tears, traumas, phobias, or anything of the sort! I love to hear from all of you and truly appreciate your opinions, so feel free to tell me what you think!
Until next time, keep on smiling my beautiful readers!