Never Say Never
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.
Chapter 3
Act 11
"…oooooh, it's all steamy here," Genocide Jill observed as she lay flat on her back on the floor. "It'd be a great place for a romantic murder scene! Gyahahahahahahahaha—".
Suddenly, Jill's laughter ceased as she heard scurrying. Immediately kicking her legs up, she leapt upward and onto her feet, her hands already bearing two pairs of Genoscissors. However, much to her surprise, she couldn't see anything. It took her a moment to realize that it was because the steam had fogged up her glasses, rendering her vision useless.
Instead, she chose to simply listen carefully for any sudden movements.
Hina froze in place as Genocide Jill shot up, bearing her deadly weaponry in both hands. Cold sweat trickled down her face as she feared the grizzly fate that was certainly coming for her.
Just behind her, Celeste also remained unmoving, grasping tightly onto Hina's sleeve. The swimmer wasn't sure if it was because the gambler was frightened or simply intended to use her as a shield! A thought that would have upset Hina more if not for the fact that, if their positions were reversed, she'd be cowering behind Celeste instead!
They both had tried to quietly flee the scene, only to be forcefully halted as Genocide Jill had resurfaced. And now, they were caught between two potential disasters: be discovered by the boys and face punishment for peeping…or get cut to pieces by a sadistic psychopath! Honestly, Hina was weighing her options when the serial killer suddenly tilted her head, as if confused.
Just then, Hina noticed that Jill wasn't actually looking in their direction, in fact, she seemed to be silently listening for something. Instantly, the swimmer's gaze shot to the serial killer's glasses, and she let out a relieved but quiet sigh as she noted they were fogged over. Just as she felt herself begin to relax, a finger poked at her shoulder.
Resisting the urge to jump, since the poking was unexpected, Hina slowly looked over her shoulder to see Celeste very softly motioning for her to remain still before pressing a finger to her lips, urging her to stay silent as well. The swimmer replied with a weak nod before cautiously glancing back toward Genocide Jill…praying that somehow, some of Makoto's luck had rubbed off on her…
After almost an entire minute of waiting…and hearing nothing, Genocide Jill allowed herself to sigh and relax.
"…Nothing. Ohhhh, what a disappointment. I was hoping I was here for more than just a bath, but I guess I'm not so lucky…"
Her long tongue slipped out and hung low, a low groan escaping the serial killer as she realized what had caused her other self to faint. The copper smell of blood invaded her nostrils and her tongue unintentionally lapped up a bit of the pink fluid that had dripped onto her chin. The unforgettable taste of her own blood made her giddy and curious, wondering what had caused her other side to get such a furious nose-bleed.
However, her curiosity only lasted a few moments before she shrugged and said, "Eh, whatever. I'm pretty sure I'm in the bathhouse…may as well enjoy myself…did Miss Morose remember to bring the toothbrush—?"
"Who's there?!"
Genocide Jill's entire body ceased as she heard the voice of her beloved Master nearby. All of a sudden, it all made sense. She was in the bathhouse, with Master, which meant naked, which meant Miss Morose got a nose-bleed, which meant it was finally her turn to play with Master!
Empowered by that enlightening thought, her face instantly turned toward the direction her Master's voice originated from, only for her cheek to loudly smack into the side of a door. Groaning and irritated that something was obstructing her pursuit of her Master, the serial killer did what any motivated woman would do when pursuing her man…destroy all obstacles in her path!
"To a woman in love…there is no such thing as doors!Gyahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
With a mighty shout, she lifted her leg and smashed her foot into the wooden obstruction, removing the annoying obstacle that was preventing her from seeing her Master. She took a moment to wipe her glasses, why she chose to do this now and not before didn't register with her. Finally readjusting her eyewear, she caught sight of the most beautiful image she could imagine…
"MAAAASSSTEEERRR!"
"Byakuya Togami! Replace your towel this instant! Public indecency will not be tolerated in a school—".
"Quiet!" the Togami Heir harshly interrupted Taka's tirade, leaving the Disciplinary Chairman stunned into silence. Without taking his eyes away from the changing room door, Byakuya firmly continued, "Are you all as deaf and stupid as you look?...Can you really not hear it?…Just beyond the door…"
Taken aback by the sudden turn of events, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru focused his hearing, as did all of the other boys, listening for what their classmate was trying to indicate. And just as he'd said, a strange sound could be heard from just beyond the changing room door.
"…gyahahahahahaha…nothing…what…disappoint…pretty sure…. bathhouse…toothbrush…"
"It kinda sounds like…a person?" Makoto noted, making all of them nod in agreement.
"Indeed, it does…" Taka agreed, tightening the towel around his waist as he prepared to fulfill his duty as the Disciplinary Committee Chair—
"Who's there?!"
Byakuya's authoritative voice called out, demanding whomever was hidden to show themselves. Taka inwardly growled, feeling that it should have been he who demanded those hidden present themselves for justice. However, he knew that shouting such a thing now would only be redundant and show-boaty, two things he certainly was not! Instead, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman steeled himself for whatever was about to appear before him!
At first, nothing happened. Then, a loud bang echoed, then silence…but a moment later…
"To a woman in love…there is no such thing as doors!Gyahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
All of the boys tensed as they all recognized the voice of a certain murderous fiend screaming for attention. As they turned toward the doors leading to the changing room, the doors burst open, nearly becoming unhinged in the process. Standing there, scissors snipping in both hands, stood Genocide Jill, her mouth overflowing with saliva and a trail of blood leaking from her nose.
"MAAAASSSTEEERRR!"
Makoto's eyes widened and he gasped in surprise, frozen in place from her sudden intrusion. Hiro instantly dove back into the bath and swam to the farthest spot away from the entrance, a look of pure horror on his face. Hifumi let out an ear piercing scream before dunking his head under the water, his shriek causing bubbles to form. Mondo, while looking shocked and a bit terrified, also found the courage to clench his fists, seemingly ready for a fight. Taka's aura flared, the white of his hair shimmering while his eyes burned with disciplinary rage, a blue pad of paper somehow materializing in his hands.
Strangely enough, Byakuya showed almost no hint of shock or surprise…and even more puzzling was how calm he appeared to be. In fact, without so much as a tremble, the Affluent Progeny bent his knees and effortlessly retrieved his towel, rewrapping it around his waist without so much as a groan. Once done, all he did was stare, almost emotionlessly, at Genocide Jill as disappointment settled onto her face.
The serial killer's eyes locked onto target, particularly the towel that obstructed her view, and instantly sped toward Byakuya. She was practically a blur as she dashed, her long tongue fluttering behind her as she raced toward her goal. Her scissors snipped wildly and even Taka could see that her lewd perversions had gone too far!
Not only that, given her history with killing her objects of affection, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman knew that his classmate was in imminent danger! He knew he needed to act fast and save Byakuya! Even if the man was a rude, selfish, incomprehensible miscreant that had deceived them all before…that didn't mean that Taka could abandon his position as Disciplinary Committee Chairman and simply let the Affluent Progeny be torn to shred by—wait, what was she doing?!
To Taka's utter shock, Jill suddenly lowered herself close to the ground, her scissors scrapping across the floor as her eyes focused solely on the towel around Byakuya's waist.
"A woman in love won't be defeated by a towel! Miss Morose got a full view and so shall I!" Genocide Jill shouted, angling her scissors at Byakuya's towel and away from his vital organs…well, most of them anyway…
Dumbfound and stunned by her perverse nature, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru hesitated, unsure if his classmate was truly in danger or not. He knew it was his duty to put a stop to this indecency, but how was he to contend with a known serial killer without proper strategy?
That single moment of hesitation was all Genocide Jill needed to close in on her target, ready to do what any woman who was in love would have done in her situation. However, just as it seemed that she was going to tear the towel to shreds with her Genoscissors, her Master raised his hand.
"Stop."
As if hit by a freight train, Genocide Jill came to an abrupt halt, her scissors only inches away from his towel. Slowly, the serial killer stared up at him, shivering with pleasure as his cold eyes bore into her very soul. And then, just as firmly as before, he gave her another command.
"Sit."
Like a dog before its Master, Genocide Jill plopped her rear on the ground, staring up at him with feverish expectation in her eyes. All of the men were stunned into absolute silence as the previously feral serial killer now appeared to be nothing more than an obedient pet at the beck and call of its Master.
Taka, in particular, was left virtually speechless…for about half a second.
"Miss Genocide Jill! How dare you burst in here while the men are bathing! Such unforgivable actions cannot go unpunished!" Shooting his gaze toward the other men, he ordered, "Everyone! Please continue to enjoy the bath while I detain—".
"That won't be necessary," Byakuya cut him off, drawing many suspicious glances from the other men. However, the Togami Heir ignored them and instead chose to glance at the now open doorway to the changing room. "There may have been others. I suggest you—".
Before he finished, Taka abruptly sped past him, shouting at the top of his lungs as he charged like a madman through the changing room and out into the hall beyond. As he left, Byakuya let a wicked smirk overtake his lips.
"Even in his current state, he is easily manipulated…interesting."
Taka rampaged through the changing room, nearly tripping over scattered articles of clothing, which reminded him to write up all of the boys, aside from himself and Byakuya, for disorderly conduct! However, he had more pressing matters to deal with! After all, peeping was one of the most unforgivable crimes a student could commit!
"Do they not realize that by engaging in such filthy conduct they are hampering their educational career! Peeping is an offense punishable by expulsion or worse…prison! How can they so frivolously throw away their chances at succeeding in life?! Whomever they are…they must be made aware of the gravity of their crimes!"
Just as he finished searching the changing room, the sound of furious footsteps echoed just outside the bathhouse entrance. Snapping his head in that direction, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman sped off to catching the culprit that put their future in jeopardy for a few cheap thrills!
Pushing aside the curtains of the bathhouse entrance, Taka dashed out into the lobby only to came to an abrupt halt. Standing before him, her towering figure poised and ready, stood Sakura Ogami.
"M-Miss Sakura Ogami! What are you doing here?!" he instantly demanded, his tone harsh and cruel.
"Hina, Celeste and I were having tea when we heard the commotion. I told them to stay behind while I investigated. Is everything alright?" the martial artist asked calmly, but obviously very concerned.
Unfortunately, rather than appreciate her concern, confusion overtook the Disciplinary Chairman as he stared at her massive figure.
"No…can't be possible…Sakura of all people? Was she the one peeping? Or am I perhaps mistaken in believing that Genocide Jill had cohorts? After all, she usually works alone, doesn't she? But I am positive that I heard more than a single pair of footsteps—".
"Kiyotaka Ishimaru, can you please tell me what has happened?" Sakura asked cautiously, her tone deep and soothing. "At the very least…can you tell me if everyone is alright?"
As Sakura spoke his full name, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman snapped back into reality. Absorbing her words and taking a moment to process them, he nervously cleared his throat before answering, "It…It is nothing to be concerned over! Genocide Jill was just discovered peeping on the men in the bath. We have detained her and everyone is alright!"
As he relayed that information, Sakura visibly relaxed, letting out a breath she must have been holding for a while now. However, an instant later, her visage hardened and she folded her arms tightly.
"Do you require assistance in detaining her? If so, I would be more than willing to help. She is quite dangerous after all," the martial artist innocently offered.
Despite how good natured her proposition was, Taka knew that he could not accept it. With all of the men still mostly nude, it would be inappropriate for a woman to enter the baths, even if it was to detain someone as despicable as Genocide Jill.
Placing his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest, Taka's aura flared as he replied, "While your offer is appreciated, I believe that everything is under control! Byakuya managed to detain her and now all that remains is to administer her punishment!"
At the mention of punishment, Sakura's eyes narrowed and her voice darkened as she asked, "And what kind of punishment do you have in mind?"
No matter how hard he tried, Taka couldn't keep himself from slightly flinching as her words reached him. Her tone was a mixture of concern and aggression, as if warning him that she would not tolerate any kind of violence. A part of Taka honestly felt relieved by her attitude, for it showed that she cared deeply for her classmate, regardless of their crimes. However, it bothered him that she felt empowered enough to talk down to him, an act that he could not ignore!
"However, reprimanding her might lead to further conflict later on. So, instead of reminding her of her place, I shall simply prove myself more capable than she is!"
Gathering his resolve, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru smiled confidently and said, "Fear not! I would never resort to anything too extreme! Instead, I shall follow the path of justice and dispatch judgment in a matter befitting that of the Disciplinary Committee! Ahahahahaha!"
As his powerful laughter echoed in the nigh empty lobby, Sakura let a smile overtake her as she nodded firmly. "Very well then, I shall leave the matter in your capable hands," she said to him with a slight bow of her head.
For the first time since he'd taken up the mantle of Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Kiyotaka Ishimaru felt a swell of pride for himself. He knew that having such feelings was counter-intuitive for his position, but he could not deny that it made him feel even more empowered. Her evident confidence in his abilities reinvigorated him and the Moral Compass couldn't help but bow in return.
"I thank you for your confidence in me!" he shouted as he lifted his head and turned back toward the bathhouse. Glancing over his shoulder, he smirked a bit and finished, "Let us survive this experience together!"
"Agreed," Sakura replied with a warm smile.
With a final nod of approval, Taka swiftly departed, heading back into the bathhouse. He never even noticed the two small figures that had hid in Sakura's shadow during their entire exchange.
Less than an instant after Taka left, Sakura's visage hardened angrily and she slowly turned to glare down at the two girls that she had struggled to keep out of the Disciplinary Committee Chairman's view.
Hina had pressed against the marital artist's back to keep from being discovered and Celeste had huddled herself just behind her, using her arms to simultaneously hold down the sides of her gothic dress and hair extensions, effectively conceal her. However, now that the threat had retreated, the two previously peeping girls nervously stared up at Sakura's imposing figure, knowing that they had traded one form of 'punishment' for another.
"S-Sakura…I, uh…" Hina nervously tried to find the words to explain but could find none.
Without a single word, Sakura held up one massive hand to silence her before pointing to the cafeteria that lay just behind them. Knowing their fate was sealed, Hina and Celeste slowly made their way across the lobby and into the cafeteria, Sakura marching behind them with a scrutinous gaze.
Once inside, Sakura took one last glance around the lobby before closing the cafeteria doors. With that done, the martial artist turned and slowly walked directly up to both of them, folded her arms and glared.
"Tell me everything that happened."
Hina and Celeste shared a guilty look before the swimmer took a brave step forward. Slightly trembling under her friend's disappointed gaze, Hina slowly began to recount their 'adventure' into the bathhouse.
"It…It all started when I found this weird Dynamo thing in the student store…"
When Taka returned to the bathhouse, he was surprised to see that little to nothing had changed. Byakuya stood guard over Genocide Jill, who was still drooling over his perfectly sculpted abs, with the other students keeping themselves at a good distance.
Hifumi and Hiro were wading at the far end of the bath, too afraid to try and leave while Jill was in the room. Makoto, on the other hand, stood near Mondo next to the wash station near the bath. And while it was obvious that the lucky student wanted to help in some way, it was also apparent that there was little he could do. So, in the end, he was forced to stand at a distance while the situation was resolved by those far more suited to the task.
"A wise choice," Taka noted, making his way to stand next to Byakuya.
"There were no other perpetrators. Sakura Ogami came to investigate and I doubt she would have hidden the culprits!" the Disciplinary Committee Chairman relayed to everyone before turning his attention to their captive. "It seems that Genocide Jill acted alone in this case!"
Instead of acknowledging his words, Byakuya chose to continue glaring down at Jill, who continued to lovingly stare up at him. Finally, the Affluent Progeny asked, "I'm only going to say this once, so listen well. What were you doing here?"
"I don't know, peeping? At least Miss Morose was, I think?" the serial killer answered plainly.
"Was there anyone with you?" the Affluent Progeny poignantly asked.
"Dunno. My glasses were all steamy when I woke up and I only cleaned them once I was sure Master was in view!" she answered, a twinkle in her usually disturbing eyes.
"I see," the Togami Heir replied, disappointed in her ineptitude. "And why did you decide to break down the door?"
"To see Master's penis!"
Genocide Jill blunt confession made each and every man in that bathhouse flinch…some from fear, others from sympathy…but mostly because her very direct comment actually made Byakuya hesitate. And although they could never admit it, it was satisfying to see the great Byakuya Togami fear for his 'legacy'.
However, it took the Affluent Progeny less than half a second to regain his composure, somewhat, as he cleared his throat and prepared to address her.
"That…is already evident," Byakuya angrily scoffed, lifting his chin and condescendingly staring down his nose at her. "What I meant was, why did you chose to reveal yourself? Surely, you knew it would result in punishment?"
Suddenly, a dreamy look encompassed Genocide Jill's eyes and she drooled more profusely as she answered, "Any punishment you personally delivered to me, Master, would be cherished and remembered long into the distance future…"
Unable to keep from shuddering, Byakuya huffed to hide his growing uncomfortableness and said, "And if I were to leave the matter up to the Disciplinary Committee Chairman, what would you say to that?"
At the sound of his title, Taka stepped forward and glared down at her without a hint of mercy in his eyes. However, much to his shock, the serial killer slowly began to huff until it became an outright chuckle.
"Eh, punishment – shunishment! Anything Rule-Nazi comes up with can't be that horrible! Unless you're trying to 'study' me to death! Eyahahahahaha!"
Genocide Jill's chuckle turned into outright laughter, mocking Taka even further. Before he could interrupt her, however, she suddenly ceased her laughter and gave them both a semi-serious expression.
"Besides, it's not like peeping is illegal or anything! Trespassing maybe but not peeping! That's just immoral…and I am all about immorality, if you know what I mean! Gyahahahahahahaha—!"
"Your logic is flawed!"
The entire room tensed as those intense words shook the air. The atmosphere suddenly felt akin to a class trial, especially with that ferocious rebuttal. Instinctively, everyone turned their glances to Makoto, only to see him a look of shock on his face. However, the lucky student was in his typical 'No, that's wrong' pose, finger pointed and everything, as if he had been poised to shout his catchphrase but had been cut off.
Only then did the men notice someone else was intensely pointing at Genocide Jill…his oppressive aura flaring as his eyes burned ferociously.
"Both peeping and trespassing are illegal in Japan!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru chastised as if he were prosecuting her in a trial. "Just because you choose to ignore the laws of our society does not mean that they do not apply to you! And just so we are clear! You may have eluded the justice system of our society but you will not evade punishment at this school!"
As Taka's tirade reached its peak, Genocide Jill slowly turned toward him, tilting her head to the side with a combination of confusion and frustration. If the Moral Compassed noticed this, he didn't acknowledge it as he continued to berate her.
"I have tried to be lenient with you because of your…'condition', but I'm afraid your actions have left me with no other recourse!" Taka lifted up the blue pad of paper and pen he'd somehow managed to smuggle into the bathhouse with him. With a few swift jottings, he wrote up a notice, tore it from the pad and held it out to her. "As with Junko Enoshima, from this point on, you will be confined to your room! Further violations will result in harsher punish—!"
Before anyone could blink, the blue slip in Taka's hand exploded into confetti. All that remained in the Disciplinary Chairman's hand was a tiny, scrunched up portion of the notice. As the remaining fragments of the paper fluttered to the floor, he looked down to see Genocide Jill furiously staring up at him, her scissors still snipping at the air menacingly.
"…Nobody puts Jill in a corner…!" the serial killer seethed, continuing to remain seated in front of her Master. Her long tongue flicked up at him, as if flipping him off, as she continued, "You can't keep me from my Master! None of you can! No one can stop the Ultimate Murderous Fiend! Nobody—!"
"Be silent. Your voice irritates me."
Byakuya's authoritative voice cut through her tirade like butter, ushering the serial killer into near silence.
"…yes, master…" she whispered before completely shutting her mouth, even going so far as to roll her lengthy tongue up into her orifice.
Once the beast was silenced, Byakuya turned his attention over to Taka. The fiery eyes of the Disciplinary Chairman met the cold and calculating cyan orbs of the Affluent Progeny, both of them vying for dominance. However, with years of business experience behind him, the Togami Heir's presence suddenly overtook the Moral Compass' with a snide smirk.
Not wanting to be outdone, Taka narrowed his gaze and asked, "Just what do you think you're doing, Byakuya Togami? Don't tell me you wish to protect this…criminal!"
At the mention of protection, the Togami Heir's eyes flashed dangerously, a quiet rage forming behind his eyes.
"Hardly. If we were not in such an extreme situation, I would have had her disposed of long before now," Byakuya answered plainly, not even sparing the serial killer a glance.
Unfortunately, for him, his cold indifference made Jill pant like a dog in heat, which was the opposite of Byakuya had wanted. But now wasn't the time to focus on the useless actions of a mongrel like her.
"However, given the nature of our circumstances, I believe that you are overlooking an interesting opportunity," Byakuya told him plainly, his voice carrying the air of authority they had all become accustomed to. "Instead of locking her away, which would only serve to intensify her urges, it would be better to direct her potential in a more beneficial way."
Confused by his suggestion, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman raised an eyebrow and asked, "And how exactly do you intend to punish her while directing her potential?"
With a dastardly grin, Byakuya answered, "Like so…"
In one fluid movement, the Togami Heir turned and faced the Ultimate Murderous Fiend, a hand kept firmly on his towel to keep any more 'accidents' from occurring. As expected, the serial killer instantly focused her attention on him, salivating as she anticipated receiving her 'punishment' from her Master.
It was then that a cruel smile overtook Byakuya's lips…
"Your punishment has been decided, Genocide Jill," the Affluent Progeny proclaimed, his harsh words only serving to entice the serial killer further. That is, until he laid out his decry, "You will stand guard outside the bathhouse until we are all finished bathing."
"Unacceptable!" Taka expectedly shouted in protest. "We cannot force a woman to perform such a duty! It goes against public morals and—!"
"Shut up, Tick Tock!" Genocide Jill abruptly shouted, startling the Moral Compass. Snipping her scissors rapidly, the serial killer pointed the ends directly at him before finishing, "Master is punishing me, so shut up and take it…or else!"
Stunned into silence by the serial killer's fierce attitude, Taka was unable to finish his thought before Byakuya resumed the detailing of her punishment.
"As I was saying, Genocide Jill, you will stand guard outside and keep any and all intruders from entering. However, only non-lethal means are allowed. The use of your scissors is forbidden."
Hearing that decry, the serial killer's attitude sunk a bit but not enough to stifle her enthusiastic grin. Seeing that, Byakuya felt it was time to drive the last nail into the proverbial coffin.
"Furthermore, you are forbidden from so much as glancing in the baths general direction. If you violate this edict…then you shall be executed."
Surprisingly, there wasn't much of an uproar from the men as that idea was presented. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that it was a known serial killer that would be executed, but it seemed that most of them weren't all that perturbed by the prospect of her life coming to an abrupt end. Even Taka was silent as he pondered the idea, showing no signs of interfering, at least for the moment.
However, there was at least one student who fervently objected.
"D-Don't you think that's a bit extreme!" Makoto tried to interject, feeling awkward that he was the only one speaking up. "I mean, it was just a little peeping. It's not like she tried to kill anyone—".
"Would you shut up already, Big Mac?!"
This time, all of the men were shocked to hear Genocide Jill refute the only person trying to defend her. Makoto, more than any of them, found himself speechless as the serial killer scoffed at him.
"Can't you see that Master Byakuya has given me the all-important task of protecting his dignity! I won't let you take this away from me!" the murderous fiend shouted once more, her words startling everyone.
"Uh, I'm not sure that's what he meant—", Hiro tried to say, only to have a single pair of Genoscissors fly past his face, only just missing him. With a horrified shriek, the clairvoyant backed even further away from her, cowering pitifully.
"Who asked you, you filth?! You couldn't possibly understand the deeply rooted thought process Master Byakuya has!" Jill shouted, putting away her remaining pair of Genoscissors. "Master chose me to protect his innocence and I refuse to let him down! Especially after he graced me with a glance at his Fat Stack!"
All at once, all eyes fell on Byakuya, who looked more than a little terrified that the punishment he'd assigned her only brought her more pleasure. No one could tell if the moisture dripping off his hair was water or sweat, making everyone incredibly thankful that they weren't Byakuya Togami right now.
At this time, Byakuya truly regretted not hiring that body-double student he'd heard about before coming to this school….
Biting her thumb hard enough to draw blood, Genocide Jill seethed to herself, "I am the last line of defense, keeping my Master's purity safe while he bathes! If I were to fail in this mission, I would take my own life! Execution is a fitting punishment for failure if I let so much as a single one of those other hussies get a glance at my Master Byakuya!"
Without so much as waiting for leave, the serial killer leapt to her feet and dashed back toward the changing room doors. Along the way, she effortlessly grabbed the slightly unhinged doors and somehow managed to pop them back into place, using her scissors to refasten the door screws back into position.
Once that was completed, she prepared to depart through the newly fixed doorway, but stopped. Without glancing back, clearly remembering the conditions for her punishment, Genocide Jill called out to her Master:
"My Prince! You may bathe in peace knowing that none shall see your glory…save for these fools! Gyahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
And with that, the serial killer slammed the refitted doors into place, leaving the men alone to bath in privacy once more.
Unfortunately, after that little distraction, none of the men quite felt comfortable anymore. It was as if her invisible presence was watching over them, making most of them utterly incapable of enjoying themselves anymore.
"…Perhaps we should consider retiring for the evening?" Hifumi proposed, already getting out of the water.
"Uh, do you really wanna go out there with that crazy bitchkeeping watching?" Mondo pointed out, not feeling ready to exit quite yet.
"…Good point," the fanfic creator sadly concurred, slinking back into the water, staring at his already prune-looking fingertips. He'd been in the bath for so long that his overworked hands were already shriveled, a fate worse than death for a manga creator. A melancholy expression decorated his face as he said to himself, "But…how I am supposed to create works of art with hands like these?"
Unfortunately, no one overheard his plight as they all settled in for what appeared to be an extended stay. As they slowly got back into their washing and bathing routine, an annoyed voice abruptly spoke up.
"Great job, asshole." Mondo's accusatory tone drew the men's attention as the biker glared at Byakuya. "Thanks to you, now we can't even enjoy the bath in peace!"
Drawing the slightest bit of comfort from his displeasure, Byakuya scoffed and said, "I fail to see how her intrusion was my fault. If anything, you should blame our Disciplinary Chairman for failing to keep her out in the first place."
Hearing slander against his former friend, Mondo was about to tear into the jerk but was swiftly cut off.
"Byakuya…you are, unfortunately, correct!" Taka abruptly shouted to everyone, forcing them to turn to him. "I did not take my role as Disciplinary Committee Chairman as serious as I should have! I shall rectify that immediately!"
A chill ran down each of the boy's spines at hearing that, and only Makoto found the courage to ask, "Uh…what exactly do you plan to do?"
Instead of answering the question directly, Taka walked over and stood atop one of the wash stools, towering above everyone else. Once he was certain that they were all watching him, the Disciplinary Chairman addressed them.
"Listen up, everyone! From now on, there will be a strict schedule for bathing time for men and women in this bath! Obviously we cannot trust certain students to honor the moral code of our society! So, I shall create a schedule for us all to follow! Furthermore, anyone who does not show up for their scheduled bath shall receive detention!"
Collective shock washed over the men as they realized that they would have rather dealt with Genocide Jill's antics than be subjected to more of Taka's insane rules.
"T-Taka, that's not really necessary!" Makoto tried to say, only to be cut off once more.
"Deepening bonds of fellowship is something you deem 'unnecessary', Makoto Naegi?! Is that what you are saying?!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru countered, his aura flaring up more than ever before.
"N-No…not exactly…" the lucky student muttered, realizing it was pointless to argue.
"B-But! I don't have time to bathe every day! I need to devote that time to creation of my work!" Hifumi protested, glaring angrily at Taka. Holding up his prune-like hands, he further insisted, "Not to mention that bathing for too long will hinder my creative prowess!"
"Then you will simply need to devote less time to such frivolous activities and devote more time to pursuing your educational studies!" the Moral Compass fired back before completely ignoring the fanfic creator's increasingly infuriated expression.
"…How dare you…make a mockery of fan-art…!" Hifumi quietly seethed, doing his best to keep his rage from consuming him. "…You will…regret those words…I assure you…"
"Surely, you must be joking," Byakuya said with a huff. "Do you not see that forcing everyone to conform to your ideals will only serve to—".
"I am not forcing anyone to conform! Those who choose not to follow proper school guidelines will be subject to detention. If that is what they choose, then so be it! I have no control over the choices they make, after all!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru informed him, looking all too proud of his decision.
"B-But…" Hiro barely had time to utter before he was interrupted.
"I will hear no more excuses!" Taka flared angrily before a wide smirk crossed his face. "Fear not, classmates! With this new schedule, not only we will all bathe regularly and keep ourselves clean, we shall form bonds of trust that not even Monokuma can break! I will take it upon myself to inform the girls of this decision later, so please do not trouble yourselves over it! Instead, let us all celebrate this joyous occasion by singing songs of fellowship together! I shall start!"
As Taka's voice screeched out the lines to one of his favorite songs, it became clear to all the men that Monokuma was becoming a far more appealing captor than the Disciplinary Committee Chairman.
All the while, Mondo couldn't help but avert his eyes from the scene, blaming himself for making all of these horrible events come to pass.
"…and then we ran into the hall and hid behind you. And you know the rest from there…"
Hina sighed as she finished telling Sakura of her and Celeste's 'adventure'. By this time, the three girls were sitting at one of the tables, enjoying an enriching cup of tea that Celeste had prepared while Hina recounted their story. All the while, Sakura listened carefully and intently, not a hint of judgment on her face. However, now that it was over, a look of disappointment settled onto the martial artist's face.
"Hina…what possessed you to go and try to pull a prank like that?"
She was careful not to mention anything about peeping, knowing that her friend wasn't normally the type to enjoy that kind of activity. Once the question was asked though, Hina's expression sank even further and she repeatedly sighed while trying to find words to defend herself. Finally, she started to pair words between her sighs.
"I…uh…I didn't…I thought…it would be fun to scare them, I guess."
More than anything, Hina seemed disappointed in herself. After all, what had started out as a harmless prank had turned into quite an ordeal for both her and her friends. Sakura knew that, even though Hina was light-hearted and always smiling, she worried about her friends more than anything else. The fact that she had to be the one to defend Hina probably only hurt the swimmer more, which is not what she wanted.
"I'm really sorry, Sakura!" Hina abruptly bowed, tears stinging her eyes. "I never meant to put you on the spot like that! I'm so sorry!"
"I must apologize as well," Celeste chimed in, a look of genuine guilt on her usually unreadable face. "I had meant to retrieve Hina without incident when I saw her enter the bathhouse. However…the temptation was far too great for me to pass up, and I further complicated matters. I hope you can forgive my foolishness…"
As the two girls apologized to her, Sakura felt a bit ashamed herself. She didn't have any right to criticize them for their actions. After all, she defended them and outright lied to Taka to do it. Even if it was for good intentions, she had lied to her classmate…again. It sickened her that it was becoming so easy to lie to all of them. She remembered a time when she was almost incapable of lying to anyone, finding honesty to be the most virtuous trait she possessed. If her old self were to see her how…she would have certainly been ashamed…
"…It is fine," she eventually said to them, trying to sound sincere. She must have failed, however, because Hina immediately shot her head up, her tear stained face staring right back at Sakura's.
"No! It's not! I should have never of gone in there! If it wasn't for this stupid thing—!"
Hina reached into her pocket and dug around for a moment before shock encased her face. Slowly pulling her hand out to reveal that she held nothing, panic began to encroach upon her visage.
Noticing her friend's distress, Sakura asked, "What's wrong, Hina?"
"It's…it's gone!" the swimmer stammered, suddenly looking around the room. "The Kokeshi Dynamo thing! It's gone! It was right here in my pocket but now it's gone!"
"Oh my," Celeste worriedly said, also glancing around. "You don't think you may have dropped it while we fled, do you?"
"I…I don't know!" Hina shouted, patting herself down once more just to be sure. "I can't find it anywhere!"
In the midst of her friend's panic, Sakura calmly said, "Hina…perhaps it is a blessing in disguise."
A bit horrified by the notion, the swimmer immediately refuted, "But…but…what if someone else finds it?! What if they figure out I'm the one who dropped it?! What if it leads Taka back to me and he finds out that we were the ones peeping?!"
"Will he not find out anyway when he speaks with Toko?" Sakura pondered, unintentionally inciting Hina to panic further.
"Oh crap, you're right! We're screwed either way!" Hina screamed, slamming her head onto the table with a loud thud, whimpering as she realized that her attempt to hide her guilt were futile.
"Well…not exactly," Celeste kindly proposed, resting a hand on the distraught Hina's head. Slowly, the swimmer adjusted her head to glance toward the gambler, who smiled sweetly at her. "Right now, they should be contending with Genocide Jack…or is it Jill now? In either case, there is no guarantee that Toko will resurface any time soon. So we can count our blessings for the moment."
Taking a moment to absorb that notion, Hina let it briefly comfort her before immediately moping again.
"Yeah, but what about when she does switch back to Toko eventually? Taka's gonna find out and confine us all to our rooms…or worse!"
Somehow Celeste's sweet smile seemed to sweeten even more as she said, "But who is to say that Toko is telling the truth about our involvement, hmm?"
Instantly recognizing what Celeste was insinuating, both Hina and Sakura turned their gazes toward her.
"What exactly are you proposing?" Sakura dared to ask, already knowing the answer.
With a confident smirk, the gambler answered, "It is simple. We all use each other as an alibi. As far as anyone else knows, we were all drinking tea, here, in the cafeteria. If Toko tried to claim otherwise, all we have to do is vouch for each other and all blame will be avoided."
"But…isn't that lying?" Hina pointed out, obviously not feeling comfortable with the notion.
To this, Celeste's confident smirk vanished as she nodded. "I realize that it is not something you are comfortable with. However, sometimes, a small lie is necessary to keep peace between classmates. Or would you prefer that we threw ourselves as Taka's feat and begged for his forgiveness?"
"N-No! I'm not saying that!" Hina defended, obviously feeling backed into a corner. "I just…I mean…I don't know!"
Though distressed by her friend's worries, Sakura was also feeling the pressure, but for a different reason. She wanted to reprimand Celeste for even considering such an option. It was underhanded, to say the least, and obviously not something Hina or herself would usually condone. However, with her own darkened history of betrayal, combined with her desire to protect her classmates from further dissent, she was finding it easier and easier to let the lie become the truth.
That is why, instead of refuting Celeste, she found herself agreeing.
"Perhaps…for the time being, it is better to keep this matter to ourselves…" the martial artist suggested, despite the stinging sensation in her chest.
Hearing that, Hina's gaze shot over to her, completely shocked. "A-Are you sure about that Sakura? I-I mean, yeah, I don't want to get caught, but I'm not sure it's right to just lie like this…"
Sakura's features hardened as she heard those words, realizing that she was unintentionally dragging Hina down into that same dark place that she had fallen into when she'd betrayed her classmates. Shame unlike anything she'd felt before seeped into her soul, making the martial artist regret even mentioning such a thing. For so long, she had put her personal issues ahead of her classmates. It had become simple enough to lie to them and Sakura feared that it would only worsen as time when on. How long would it be before she actually considered…murdering one of them? The dojo that she honored and treasured…could she truly care for it if her hands were stained with the blood of her classmates…her friends? Furthermore…would Hina ever forgive her for doing such a horrific thing?
It was then that Sakura suddenly remembered a promise she made to herself when she had first found herself trapped in this school…
"More than anything else…I swore to keep my friend's safe…but I have not been strong enough to do that…but that changes here!"
Gathering her courage, Sakura lifted her head up high and said, "Hina…you are correct. Regardless of our personal feelings, it would be wrong to lie to our classmates We should go and confess our mistakes to everyone before anything gets out of hand."
As she listened to her friend, Hina's eyes began to shimmer as she felt empowered by her friend's courage. And as soon as Sakura finished speaking, the swimmer jumped up from her seat and shouted, "Y-Yeah, you're right, Sakura! We should get it over with now, before things get even crazier!"
Hearing that, Sakura couldn't help but smile at her best friend's determination…and it gave her the courage to stand up for what she also knew was the right thing to do…
"The next time I am called by the Mastermind…I need to make a decision…"
As one, both she and Hina stood up and prepared to leave. However, before they could take a single step, a delicate hand rose up to stop them.
"Pardon me, but I have a suggestion," Celeste said to them, making them remember that she was a part of this decision as well. Resuming their seats, the gambler waited for them to get comfortable before continuing, "While I find it quite admirable that you both wish to turn ourselves in…I'm afraid it may not be so simple."
"Huh? Why's that?" Hina questioned, as pure-hearted as ever.
Unfortunately, Sakura was not so pure of heart, as she understood that Celeste would rather lie her way through this endeavor rather than own up to her own mistakes. More than likely, Celeste was about to ask that they leave her out of their confession, and insist that she wasn't present for the event at all.
"She will ask us to lie for her…I am certain of it…how is that any different than—".
"I would propose that we at least wait until Toko reveals us as her cohorts," Celeste suddenly said, shocking Sakura and interrupting her thoughts. "I am not opposed to owning up to our mistakes. However, I do believe that it might be foolish to do so immediately, as we have all seen how ruthless Taka has been as of late…"
Surprisingly, Celeste's words carried more weight than Sakura would have guessed. Not to mention that there was wisdom to be found in her suggestion. Trust would lessen if they immediately revealed themselves, which could lead to disaster. And while it was true that letting Toko reveal them later could be even more devastating, for something as simple as peeping, it was more likely to be forgiven. Taka would certainly want to 'punish' them but at least it wouldn't sow distrust between their other classmates. Someone like Makoto or Hiro, for example, probably wouldn't be all that hurt by the knowledge either way…
"So…you want us to not say anything for now?" Hina confirmed with Celeste, who nodded politely. "I don't know…I'd kinda feel better just getting it over with."
Reaching out, Celeste gently tapped Hina's hand with her own before saying, "How about this, if Toko decides to reveal our collaboration, then we will own up to our mistakes. No lies or tricks. We will come clean. But until then, let's just enjoy the fact that we had an 'adventure' together."
As Celeste's request came to a close, Sakura saw Hina's face brighten at the word 'adventure'. And although it was a bit unnerving, the martial artist could not deny that the gambler certainly had a gift for persuasion. Whether or not Sakura personally condoned such actions were better left unmentioned. After all, Celeste had brought back Hina's smile, which was enough for now.
"…Yeah, it was kind of an 'adventure', wasn't it?" Hina slowly agreed, letting her usual bright smile finally resurface as she giggled. "I think we should avoid any more 'adventures' like that for a while though! I don't think my heart could take it!"
As Hina joked both Sakura and Celeste found themselves smiling at each other, a warm feeling spreading through all of them.
"Agreed," Sakura concurred.
"Most certainly," Celeste nodded.
Suddenly, an arm wrapped around both of their waists and the two girls found themselves pulled into an impromptu hug by Hina. Holding onto both of them tightly, the swimmer let out a heart-felt laugh as they all recovered from a difficult ordeal. Sakura joined in, letting herself genuinely laugh for the first time since becoming the Mastermind's pawn.
"Perhaps…everything will work out after all…"
For that moment, Sakura dared to dream as she allowed a tiny bit of happiness to consume her.
…Neither of them noticed the sly grin that spread over Celeste's face as they continued to laugh.
Meanwhile, outside of the cafeteria, sitting on the floor of the lobby, the Kokeshi Dynamo innocently stared up at the ceiling…until a long shadow was cast over it and a gloved hand reached down, carefully picking it up.
Kyoko examined the strange object that had been left on the floor, turning it all manner of ways to fully examine it. Finally, after inspecting every inch of the cylinder-like device, she discovered the red button on the bottom. Without hesitation, she pressed the button, causing the Kokeshi Dynamo to vibrate furiously in her hand. Pressing the button once more to turn it off, then again to make it resume, she let it run for a moment before switching it off once more.
A tiny smile spread over Kyoko's lips as she slipped the Kokeshi Dynamo into her jacket pocket and headed toward her destination…
To Be Continued…
Greetings, my beautiful readers! The epic conclusion to the bathhouse scene brought a few unexpected surprises, didn't it? But what will happen with Taka's new bathing schedule? What exactly is Celeste plotting? And why, oh why, did Kyoko hold onto the Kokeshi Dynamo? (Hint: it's not for the obvious reason) All these questions and more will be revealed soon, so keep on reading to find out the answers!
Attention: Again I just want to reiterate something I mentioned before. We all know the DR 3 anime is approaching its conclusion and it's getting more and more intense. I know it can be hard, but please refrain from putting any spoilers of any kind in the comments. My PM door is always open if you want to discuss theories or ideas about the anime, but please don't spoil the story for other readers on this site. Just send me a PM asking if I've seen whichever episode you want to talk about, and I will answer. Let's all be considerate of others as we finish out such an amazing anime! Thank you!
Speaking of comments/reviews, I certainly do appreciate each and every one of them you all leave me! They truly inspire me and help motivate me to write the best story I can! So, as always, if you have questions, comments, ideas, or anything of the sort, don't hesitate to leave a comment/review to tell me about it!
Until next time, keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!