Never Say Never
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN AUTHOR NOTE
(NOTHING TOO SERIOUS THOUGH)
Chapter 3
Act 15
"HELP! SOMEONE! I HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED! THE MASTERMIND HAS STOLEN ME! CALL THE POLICE! OR SAKURA OGAMI!"
Kiyotaka Ishimaru continued to cover his ears as the incessant cries endlessly poured out of the small laptop. Fortunately, only he would be plagued by the screaming, as he had shut himself away in his room for the time being. Initially, he'd pulled up the screen of the laptop in order to turn it off, and end the infernal screams, but was stunned when he saw Chihiro's face staring back at him.
And the instant the AI was able to take in his appearance, she immediately shouted a proclamation:
"AN UNKNOWN PERSON HAS TAKEN ME! THE MASTERMIND HAS ME! SOMEONE PLEASE SAVE ME!"
For the last twenty minutes, Taka had struggled to try and calm the furious shouts from the laptop. However, no amount of harsh discipline or recitement of school regulations seemed to temper the Chihiro look-alike's screams. Not only did the volume of the shouts irritate him, the fact that this…thing sounded so much like his comatose classmate deeply disturbed him. He needed silence if he was going to figure out how and why this 'being' existed, not to mention that he had a few pressing concerns to ask of it.
"For the last time, I am not the Mastermind!" Taka shouted at the computer screen, growing impatient from the AI's constant shrills. "Listen well…I am Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru and—".
"SOMEONE SAVE ME! RESCUE ME! PERVERT! THERE IS A PERVERT TRYING TO—!"
At the mention of 'pervert', the Disciplinary Committee Chairman felt something inside him snap, gritting his teeth so hard his jaw ached. Losing his temper, Taka slammed his hands down on keyboard and shouted, "I am not a pervert, either! I told you that I am Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishi—".
"Your response was not understood, Mr. Mastermind," Chihiro's voice said in an acceptable vocal volume. "Please re-enter your response."
As the sounds of constant shouting ceased, Taka breathed a quick sigh of relief before immediately searching for the reason why. Glancing at the screen, the Disciplinary Chairman saw a strange arrangement of numbers and letters in a text box beneath the Chihiro look-alike's floating face:
[Pinf7owrD1]
Was that the response the look-alike was talking about? Was this how to communicate with it?
Deciding to at least test that theory, Taka took a seat in front of the keyboard. As he reached his hands up, he hesitated at he noticed the Chihiro look-alike staring at him expectantly. Inwardly flinching but keeping his composure, the Disciplinary Chairman cleared the text and wrote in another response.
[Who are you?]
A simple enough question but one that Taka desperately needed answered. After glancing over the text, a cheerful smile spread out over the look-alike's face.
"Hello! My name is Alter Ego! I am an Artificial Intelligence created by Chihiro Fujisaki—HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE FIND ME! THE MASTERMIND IS ASKING QUESTIONS!"
"Eyahhh!"
As the AI belted loudly after answering the question, Taka let out a startled shout as he reared back, his chair going with him and together, they toppled to the floor. Picking himself up, enduring the AI's screams once more, the Disciplinary Chairman swiftly returned his hands to the keyboard, typing furiously.
[WILL YOU PLEASE STOP SHOUTING?! I AM NOT THE MASTERMIND!]
He was sure to type in all caps, to ensure the AI knew he was furious. Taking a moment to register this new comment, Alter Ego suddenly let out an embarrassed laugh, stunning Taka.
"Oh! So you're not the Mastermind? I'm sorry, I didn't know that." Alter Ego somehow managed to blush, obviously feeling a bit ashamed. "It's just that…your physical appearance doesn't match any of the descriptions of Master's classmates. So, I had to assume that you were the Mastermind. I apologize for the inconvenience."
Alter Ego bowed to him, thoroughly stunning the already confused Disciplinary Chairman. More than the fact that he was conversing with an AI program, Taka was impressed by how well-mannered and polite it was being! Apart from their initial misunderstand with all the screaming, it was obvious that this AI had respect for authority! A trait that Taka found quite refreshing considering his classmates' recent deceitful tactics.
"If you don't mind my asking…who are you?" Alter Ego politely asked, obviously very curious. "I'd like to add you to my database, if you that's alright with you…"
Taka smiled at the level of respect this machine was showing him, finally feeling as though someone truly acknowledged his authority. And since the AI was being so compliant and straightforward with him, it was only fair that he do the same. Reaching out, he typed his reply:
[I am Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee]
Registering the response, Alter Ego expressed a hint of shock, staring at Taka's features for almost an entire minute before replying, "…You have altered your appearance. I apologize for not recognizing you sooner. Your speech patterns and attitude match the Kiyotaka Ishimaru in my database."
Startled by the AI's words, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman leaned in closer and typed out another question:
[How do you know so much about me and my appearance? We have only just met.]
Taking in that response, Alter Ego smiled and answered, "Master spoke in great detail about what is happening to you all. Not only that, Master also provided me with a great deal of information about you and the rest of the class before…" All at once, the AI quieted and a melancholy expression took over. "…Before Master fell unconscious."
Just hearing those words made Taka grunt and grit his teeth, the memory of the class trial resurfacing to plague his mind. It was a reminder of his failure…a failure that had showed him just how weak he'd been until this point. Mondo's betrayal opened his eyes to the truth, he could trust no one in this place. He needed absolute authority to prevent any casualties from occurring, but even with the high position granted to him by Monokuma, he was still struggling to gain control of the situation.
"If only I knew how best to approach this situation," he said aloud, trying to sort out his own thoughts. "My classmates are keeping too many secrets from me. If only I knew what they had discussed when I wasn't around, then I might be able to—".
A swift gasp escaped him as he stared at Alter Ego, only now realizing that the means to uncover the truth had fallen into his lap. And while it was suspect to believe everything a talking computer had to tell him, the fact that the rule-abiding Chihiro had created it instilled enough trust to at least listen to what the AI could tell him.
At the same time, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman understood how unethical such actions would be. In a sense, he was being just as deceitful as they had been. Two wrongs did not make a right…but perhaps they could cancel each other out! If Alter Ego could tell him what his classmates had been up to while he was away, that would be enough for him to regain control of this situation and possibly find a peaceful solution! At the very least, he would know if they were plotting anything nefarious, which would more than justify this unethical behavior!
Quashing the small voice that insisted that he not sink to their level, and for the sake of ensuring everyone's safety, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman typed out his question to Alter Ego:
[If you do not mind, would you consider sharing everything about what my classmates asked of you while I was absent?]
Absorbing the information, Alter Ego's pleasant smile returned as it answered, "Of course! I'll tell you anything you want to know!"
"This is a fine mess we've found ourselves in," Kyoko seethed as she glared at everyone in the cafeteria. "We've lost our only lead…"
After Taka's forceful confiscation of Alter Ego, the amnesiac girl advised that everyone meet in the dining hall to discuss how to proceed. No one objected, and after she, Sayaka and Junko had finished changing, they all headed for the meeting. Almost everyone had gathered for the occasion:
Kyoko had taken a seat near the head of the table, a hand resting on her chin as she fought to keep her anger from showing. Across from her, Makoto hung his head, feeling defeated for not being able to stop Taka. Next to him, Junko tapped her fingers on the table, her furrowed brows and deep frown displaying her frustration. On the opposite side of her, Leon and Sayaka sat next to each other, with the Pop Idol feeling especially guilty, being the reason they had gone into the bath. Down at the end, Sakura, Hina, and Celeste sat in a group, trying to piece together everything the others had told them. Byakuya and Toko were absent, no one volunteering to fetch them. They decided to wait until they'd discussed everything to inform Mondo of exactly what had happened, though more than likely he heard Alter Ego's screams from down the hall. Nevertheless, it seemed that he was playing his role accordingly, remaining by Chihiro's side despite what he may have heard.
Far removed from the group, seated at an adjacent table, Hifumi sat alone…his expression unreadable.
A deep melancholy settled into the room, slowly making each and every student silently sigh in disappointment. Amidst all of that, one of them felt the need to express her concerns.
"It is a most unfortunate turn of events," Celeste said swiftly, her voice clear and decisive. "Now that we have lost Alter Ego, we may not be able to uncover the secrets of the school."
Momentary silence followed the gambler's words, but it was shattered by a fervent apology.
"I'm so sorry…" Sayaka abruptly apologized, bowing to everyone. "If I hadn't of asked to use the bathhouse—".
"Hey, hey! This isn't your fault!" Leon insisted, unintentionally cutting her off. "You just wanted to take a bath! It's not your fault that someone decided to go peeping!"
The baseball star shot a glare toward Hifumi, but the fanfic creator didn't respond, continuing to hang his head and stare blankly at the table in front of him. Unbeknownst to anyone, Hina and Celeste exchanged a quick glance while Sakura remained as stoic as possible.
"But still…" Sayaka tried to protest, as if she wanted to be blamed for this.
"I'm just as much at fault too, you know!" Junko suddenly spoke up, her frustration breaking through. Sneering at Hifumi a bit, the Fashionista continued, "I should've been paying more attention! Actually, we all should have been more careful!"
"I agree. I shouldn't have let my guard down," Kyoko shamefully admitted, concurring with the Fashionista while reassuring Sayaka. At the same time, she sent a stern glare toward the fanfic creator, who barely flinched at her words. "And besides, I have no doubt that Hifumi would have gone in there regardless of whether or not we were bathing. Unfortunately, it seems this outcome was inevitable…"
From his seat at the adjacent table, Hifumi hung his head low, squeezing his eyes shut as shame began to overtake him. He clenched his fists and he sucked in staggered breaths. Whether or not he was trying to calm himself, no one could say.
"Well, what do we do now?" Makoto cautiously asked, glancing around hopefully.
"I say we go and talk to Taka right now!" Junko abrasively suggested, slapping her hands on the table. "He doesn't know how important that laptop is! That thing is our only chance to—!"
"What…did you just say?!" a ferocious voice interrupted, startling everyone present.
One by one, everyone turned to see Hifumi, a furious rage burning in his eyes, glaring menacingly at Junko. Slightly pulling away from him, the Fashionista hesitantly answered, "Uh…that the laptop is our only chance to discover the truth? I mean, we're definitely gonna need that thing to—".
"You said it again! How DARE you refer to that beautiful 2D angel as a thing!" Hifumi cut her off, shouting at the top of his lungs. Pointing his finger at Junko, he continued, "Have you no respect for her?! She must be terrified right now! Captured by a malevolent monster who obviously wishes to do her harm! Your unfeeling attitude is appalling!"
Groaning at his tirade, and partially realizing he was correct, Junko let out a deep sigh before answering, "I didn't mean it like that. I get that she is very important to you but she was working to help all of us. And we need to explain that to Taka before—".
"Indeed! We need to mount a rescue and storm his stronghold post haste!" Hifumi suddenly concurred, earning an infuriated grumble from Junko. His momentum unstoppable, the fanfic creator proclaimed, "That…that…that…VIRGIN must be made to pay for his crimes!"
Although shocked by his sudden aggressive attitude, his wording surprised them even more!
"V-Virgin…!" Hina stammered, her face turning red. "W-What does that have to do with anything?"
"Hmph, that should be self-explanatory!" Hifumi refuted, almost snarling. Thankfully, he chose not to go into detail and instead continued, "Normally, I wouldn't dare to approach such a monster, as I am not built for a raid! Not to mention that I wouldn't want to catch his virginity!"
"That's not how virginity works—" Leon tried to correct him, only to be silenced by the fanfic creator's shouts.
"But for the sake of my beloved, I am willing to fight to the bitter end!" Rising to his feet, Hifumi dramatically pointed toward the door and said, "Follow after me, my loyal classmates! And we shall liberate the fair maiden from her confinement—!"
"No."
Everyone froze as the stern voice of Kyoko effortlessly silenced Hifumi's tirade. She hadn't even raised her voice; her tone was enough to cease the fanfic creator's shouting. And while Hifumi wanted to refute her, the instant he turned and saw her lavender irises bearing down on him, he flinched. A quiet rage fumed behind Kyoko's eyes, the likes of which the fanfic creator had never experienced before. Her gaze was powerful enough to paralyze him, and there was nothing he could do to stop her as she elaborated.
"Approaching Taka now would only exacerbate the situation," she explained, slowly glancing around at everyone. "I suggest that we wait until the morning meeting tomorrow. We can speak with Taka about Alter Ego at that time—".
"BLASTPHAMY!" Hifumi abruptly raged, only barely able to shake off Kyoko's stern gaze. "We cannot allow her to be kept in that monster's untrustworthy clutches! What if he…what if he does something unwholesome to her!"
"Uh…she's a computer. I'm not sure that's something to worry about," Hina reminded him, feeling rather creeped out by his 'affection'. "And besides, even if he's gone a little…crazy, I doubt that Taka would—".
"So you're going to take the virgin's side! Are you a deceitful virgin as well?!" Hifumi screamed, furiously pointing at the swimmer, who gasped and turned an even deeper shade of red.
"A-A-Again! What does the…virgin thing have to do with anything?!" Hina protested, trying not to sound too flustered.
"It has everything to do with this situation!" the fanfic creator insisted, clenching his fists. "You can't trust virgins! They only care about themselves!"
"…That's not true," Junko muttered, surprising everyone. Realizing they were staring, the Fashionista suddenly regained her usual fervor and continued, "And that's not even the point right now! We need to decide what we should do now!"
"I-I think we should do like Kyoko suggested," Makoto chimed in, shrinking a bit as everyone turned to him. "I-I mean, barging into his room won't exactly make him see reason. It might be better to just wait for a better time to talk to him about it."
"Eu tu, Mr. Naegi?!" Hifumi almost shrieked.
"W-Well, I mean…I just think…maybe we all need to calm down a little?" the lucky student suggested, unsure of how to proceed.
"We don't have time for such cowardice!" Hifumi refuted, his blood boiling over. "Besides, if we take too much longer, I may not be able to muster the courage for such an assault!"
"I think that's what Makoto was talking about when he said we need to calm down," Sayaka countered, finally speaking up despite the furious glare Hifumi sent her. Then, much to everyone's shock, a deep sadness formed in her eyes. "Acting on an emotional outburst will lead to someone getting hurt…even if you never intended for that to happen…"
More than her words, her tone startled Hifumi into silence. It was obvious that he was running off an emotional high right now, and that was fueling his relentless charge. However, with Sayaka's distressful warning ringing in his ears, he finally thought about what he'd been suggesting. And although he still felt that he needed to do something, at the very least he began to understand the gravity of his actions.
"She's right, ya know."
Everyone was startled as Junko spoke up, agreeing with the pop idol. Much like Sayaka, her sky-blue irises radiated despondency, as well as a hint of self-loathing.
"If we all just rush in and try to take back Alter Ego by force…at least one of us could get seriously injured. And even if no one gets hurt, wouldn't subduing Taka be counted as 'bullying'?"
The wisdom of her words quickly sank in, forcing everyone to reevaluate how this situation should be handled. Leon, in particular, shivered at the thought of returning to the court room, painful memories from both of the previous class trials tormenting him.
"Yeah…plus, he's got Monokuma's authority. Just because he hasn't ordered one of us to be 'punished' doesn't mean that he won't," the baseball star added, a painful hue in his tone. "As much as I hate to say it, it's probably best not to piss him off right—".
"So then, do we just give up?!" Hifumi belted before hanging his head and seething. His confliction apparent, the fanfic creator struggled to find the right answer. "How…how can you all just let that bastard get away with kidnapping a defenseless maiden?! Have you taken her feelings into account?!"
"…Well, she's a computer, right?" Hina tried to think about this logically. "She probably won't really be afraid because she probably doesn't understand emotions like we do, so I'm sure that she's fine—".
"And how would you know anything about how she feels?!" Hifumi screamed, his fury suddenly returning. "Did you spend time getting to know her?! Understanding her?! Discovering all of the wonderful traits that make her special?! NO, you did not! Only I did! The rest of you abandoned her to her fate as a mere object while I tried to elevate her to a higher status!"
As his tirade raged, Hina lowered her gaze. "W-Well…you're right that I didn't talk to her much but—"
"Then how can you possible understand how she feels?!" the fanfic creator proclaimed, clenching his fists, his hands shaking angrily. "I am the only one who understands her! None of you even see her as a person, do you?! She's just a 'laptop' or a 'thing' in your eyes! A tool to be used and thrown away!"
"Hifumi, you need to calm yourself," the deep voice of Sakura called out, trying to be the voice of reason. "I know that you care deeply for Alter Ego, but this reckless behavior will not help her—".
"It would be reckless to simple let her remain in that bastard's custody! Do you not care what becomes of her?! Even if you're only interested in the worthless files she's decrypting, you should still have more respect for her well-being!" he countered, his head shooting up to glare at the martial artist.
Rather than arguing, Sakura quietly rose from her seat and approached the distressed Hifumi. He visible flinched, seeing her tower over him with an unreadable expression. Then, unexpectedly, she slowly placed a hand on his shoulder, a gentle expression of concern on her face.
"I agree that this is a tragic turn of events, and needs to be dealt with swiftly. However, we cannot allow ourselves to get carried away by emotion. As Kyoko suggested, I recommend that we wait until morning to discuss the matter with Taka—".
Suddenly, a loud slap echoed as Hifumi smacked her hand away from his shoulder. If Sakura was startled, she didn't show it, staring down at her classmate as he began fuming.
"That virgin will never listen to anything we have to say! He's drunk on his own position of authority!" Hifumi interjected, ignoring the various glares sent his way. Turning toward the door, the fanfic creator angrily began marching toward the exit. "Every moment we wait is another moment that filthy virgin has to torment my beloved! I refuse to let that continue! I will break down his door and have him drawn and quartered! And if none of you will assist me, then I will have to do it myself—".
Before he could take more than a few steps, a large hand suddenly landed atop his, completely stopping his advance. Sudden fear paralyzed him, and the fanfic creator slowly turned his head to see Sakura's furiously glowing eyes glaring down at him. Her grasp on his head tightened, sending waves of distress through Hifumi's body.
"Let me make this very clear…" she said calmly, the power in her voice seeping into his very bones. "I will not tolerate any form of violence against another of our classmates. If you wish to continue this foolish venture…you will have to go through me!"
As she finished, her fighting spirit flared, and everyone felt the hint of a shockwave as she shouted those final words. Unable to flee due to her hand gripping his skull, Hifumi was forced to take the full brunt of her aura, his entire body shaking and his pants becoming warm and damp.
Then, just as suddenly, Sakura released the grip on his head, and everyone discovered that her hand had been the only thing keeping him standing. Hifumi's knees buckled and he collapsed onto his backside, flailing a bit as he sputtered, "Y-Yes, ma'am!"
Instantly, Sakura's aura dissipated and she nodded firmly. "I am glad we could come to an understanding," the martial artist said with genuine relief. "Turning against a friend, regardless of their actions…is disgraceful."
As the Ultimate Martial Artist's words echoed in the room, a deep melancholy settled in. Their situation was turning grim, and unfortunately, no one seemed to have the right answer about how best to resolve this debacle. And while Sakura's intervention had averted disaster, there was no telling how long this fragile peace would last.
Thankfully, before the silence and misery could sink in too deep, a hopeful voice rose up.
"Maybe we ought to take it easy for the rest of the day, huh?" Makoto suggested, glancing up at the clock. "All this excitement and it's barely past noon! We've still got most of the day ahead of us!"
A soft silence trailed his optimism and, at first, he thought his attempt to cheer everyone up failed. That is, until Hina abruptly agreed, "I suppose you've got a point. No use in moping around all day, right?"
Despite how dampened her mood was compared to usual, her bright smile didn't falter. And her cheerful nature seemed to be infectious, as Sakura also found herself smiling pleasantly.
"If all we can do is wait for tomorrow, then we should at least find something productive to occupy ourselves with in the meantime," the martial artist suggested, giving her friend an encouraging nod.
"Perhaps that is for the best," Celeste concurred, her voice uncharacteristically solemn. "Emotions are running quite high right now. It's best not to upset the delicate balance for the time being. That being said, shall we all go our separate ways for now? Spending some time alone might be beneficial."
"…I agree, but there is something I'd like ask of all of you," Kyoko swiftly announced, rising from her seat. "Can we all agree to wait until tomorrow before confronting Taka? It might complicate matters if one of us approaches him before then."
Although she was asking this of the entire group, it was obvious this request was mainly directed at Hifumi, who stood shamefully quivering since his 'encounter' with Sakura. Knowing that all eyes were on him, the otaku knew that there was little more he could do than agree.
"…I-I…suppose…" the fanfic creator muttered, slowly slinking toward the door, utterly dejected.
As he passed through the open doors and made his way down the hall, he never noticed the pair of crimson eyes staring at him as he left.
"…So much for keeping Alter Ego a secret," Mukuro mentally scoffed, positive that Junko had watched this entire scene from start to finish. "Even if she keeps her promise and doesn't use Monokuma right now, there's no way she'll let any information about the Tragedy reach us. Even a scrap of information could jog everyone's memories…that's what I was banking on anyway…"
Beneath her disguise, the soldier felt incredibly weary. Absolutely nothing had gone right today. From trying to brush her hair, all the way up to Taka selfishly stealing away their last hope, it almost seemed that Mukuro was destined to have the worst day possible. And there was nothing she could do about it.
Then, only a few moments after Hifumi left the room, Hiro swaggered in, a pleasant smile on his face. Just by glancing at him, Mukuro somehow knew this day was going to get even worse…
"Hey guys, you're not gonna believe this!" he practically shouted at everyone who remained. "Check out what I found on the third floor!"
Reaching into his coat, the clairvoyant pulled out a small pink camera. It was decorated with a cutesy anime character that Hifumi would undoubtedly recognize. However, due to his absence, it fell upon the one who discovered it to relay exactly what had been discovered.
"Awesome, right!" an elated Hiro explained, his enthusiasm lost on everyone. "I found this little guy in the air purifier room! It doesn't have a lot of memory and can only take, like, ten pictures, and it doesn't have a timer, but I figured we could use it when Alter Ego busts us out here! Ya know, commemorative photo and all that!"
Mukuro clenched her fists and seethed as the Ultimate Clairvoyant cheered happily, never noticing the furious glares of his classmates. If Taka hadn't of stolen Alter Ego, then Hiro's reckless behavior would have revealed the laptop's existence to the Mastermind! And while it wasn't a factor now, the very idea that he would have jeopardized their survival because of a camera was utterly infuriating!
"Honestly, have you no sense of tact?" the harsh voice of Celeste interrupted his laughter, forcing him to turn to her with a confused expression. "Then again, I suppose this is what we have come to expect from you…"
As much as she didn't want to admit it, Celeste had a good point. By this point, Mukuro practically expected Hiro to make life-threatening mistakes, and his idiocy was proving to be more deadly than any scheme Junko had concocted for them.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Hiro refuted, obviously perturbed. "I just thought it would be nice to have some memories for when we escape! If you don't want to be in the picture, then you don't have to!"
Everyone groaned as Hiro completely misread the situation, which only confused the clairvoyant more. Fortunately, Makoto took it upon himself to stand up and approach Hiro.
"I'll explain everything to him," the lucky student informed everyone, to which no one objected. "After that, I'll see about finding Toko and Byakuya and letting them know too…"
"That's probably for the best…" Kyoko concurred, a hand resting on her chin. "Just be sure to tell them about our agreement. We need to wait for the morning meeting."
Instantly understanding her intentions, Makoto nodded firmly before leading Hiro out into the hall. Less than minute passed before a horrified shriek echoed back into the cafeteria.
"TAKA DID WHAT?!"
Mukuro shared a collective sigh with everyone as Hiro's voice reached them. Feeling that there was little point in hanging around, the soldier decided it might be best to excuse herself. And she wasn't alone in that thought, everyone seemed to be preparing to head out. However, before anyone could go anywhere, Hina's voice perked up.
"Hey, so, what do we do with this camera?" she asked, picking it up and examining it. "It's kind of dirty and smudged but it looks like it still works."
"Judging by its appearance, I would say it is something that might belong to Hifumi," Celeste answered her, peeking over her shoulder at the camera. "If you would like, I'd be happy to take it to him later."
"Really? That's awfully nice of you!" Hina joyfully replied, handing the camera over to her. "But what are you going to do if it isn't his?"
Smiling sweetly, the gambler looked over the camera as she answered, "Then I would like to keep it for myself. Unless there are any objections?" Unsurprisingly, no one raised any complaints. "Then it is settled. I'll be off then."
And with that, Celeste excused herself from the room, in quite a hurry the soldier noted. The instant she was gone, Kyoko rose from her seat and said, "I have a few things I'd like to look into as well, so I'll be going. Good-bye."
As the lavender haired girl swiftly marched toward the exit, Mukuro couldn't help but stare at her back. Kyoko was always disappearing, no doubt putting her detective skills to good use, even if she wasn't aware of her own talent. At the same time, the soldier couldn't help but wonder where she was venturing off to. And if she hadn't been placed under 'house arrest' by Taka, she would certainly have followed after her. But as it stood, she would have to let Kyoko do her thing for now.
"Right, we're gonna head out too!" Hina cheerfully told everyone, departing with Sakura in tow, leaving only Sayaka and Leon in the room with Mukuro.
Feeling exhausted from this whole ordeal, Mukuro decided it was time to excuse herself as well.
"Well…unlike you guys, I've been grounded. So, I guess I'll head back to my room for now," the disguised Mukuro half-heartedly proclaimed, standing up and solemnly waving good-bye, earning guilty glances from the pair. "Besides, I wouldn't want to make matters worse by going against the dic-tator's house arrest."
Mukuro smirked as she'd been waiting to make that joke for a while now. Even so, it didn't serve to calm her nerves. Deep inside, the Ultimate Soldier could feel nothing but self-loathing for her inability to stop Taka. She shouldn't have let him leave the bathhouse, she should have stopped him before he took away their only chance to discover the truth. But, due to her situation, she was forced to stand down and watch as Junko gained the upper hand once more.
And now, relegated to being confined in her room, she wouldn't even be of any help to her classmates. Her talents were going to waste, and sooner or later she knew that she wouldn't be able to control herself. If she had to keep pretending to be a docile little fashionista for much longer…she was going to go insane!
"Maybe some training will help…" she thought as she prepared to leave. "Yeah, once I get back, I'll start with a hundred push-ups and body-curls. After that, reflex training and close-quarters combat practice should make the day fly by…"
As she turned and prepared to isolate herself in her living quarters, a sweet voice called out, "Would you like some company?"
Halting mid-step, Mukuro's gaze shot over to Sayaka, who smiled up at her pleasantly. Completely stunned by the offer, as it seemed to come out of left field, the soldier couldn't stop her own knee jerk reaction.
"Well…I didn't really plan on having anyone over so…"
The instant she finished, she immediately regretted her choice. The smile on the pop idol's face vanished, a look of guilt replacing it. However, it only lingered for a moment before she replaced it with a flawless smile that must have taken years to perfect. Unfortunately, Mukuro knew that kind of expression well…one that was used to hide a person's true feeling behind a pleasant visage.
"Oh no, that's fine! Don't worry about it! I know it was kind of sudden," Sayaka cheerfully replied, not showing a hint of disappointment. "I was just kind of hoping we could continue our conversation from earlier…"
Mukuro knew this wasn't the pop idol's intention, but her words caused guilt to seep into the soldier's mind. She didn't really have objections to hanging out with Sayaka some more, but she had just pumped herself up for some relaxation via exercising and she really needed that stress relief. At the same time, she couldn't help but recall the promise she'd made to an unconscious Sayaka while transporting her to the nurse's office during the first case…
…
"In the end, that's why I have to save you. Even if it's only this one time, I have to do something…anything it takes to make this right. I swear…if we both survive this, I'm going to apologize to you properly…so you can't die until then!"
…
"...I owe her this. And now's as good a time as any to get this over with…" Mukuro told herself, still a bit disappointed that she needed to give up her own form of stress relief.
"Besides, it's not like it's the end of the world…okay, bad choice of words but either way, I can just train later tonight. After all, with Alter Ego captured, I don't need to keep my door open anymore. What a short-lived guard duty that was…"
"Well, hold on, let me finish!" Mukuro found herself hastily saying, unintentionally drawing attention. "I was just gonna say that my room's a bit…messy from this morning. But if you wanna hang out…we can…do that."
Even though most wouldn't notice it, Sayaka's smile shifted into a genuine expression of joy as she said, "I don't mind a little mess. I can even help you clean up a bit if you want."
"Uh, yeah…sure," Mukuro replied, doing her best to smile pleasantly. "You ready to go?"
"Yup," Sayaka answered, slowly rising from her seat before turning to Leon. "I'll see you around dinner time, okay?"
"That's cool. Someone's gotta go and let Mondo know what's going on anyway." He smirked at her and playfully teased, "Have fun doing make-up and other girly things."
Grinning back at him, Sayaka chided, "No need to be jealous. I'll teach you the proper way to apply eyeshadow later, alright? Just be patient."
"Yeah, yeah, get outta here!" the baseball star shooed her, a hint of embarrassment on his face.
With one more victorious smirk, Sayaka made her way around the table, with Mukuro meeting her halfway. Without much more fuss, the two of them exited the cafeteria and headed toward 'Junko's' room.
Once out in the hall, Mukuro did her best to hide a deep sigh. This day certainly wasn't go as she'd expected.
"It'll be alright…We'll just spend some time doing…whatever girls do when alone…which consists of…oh dear god, what do normal girls do when they're alone?!"
Panic overtook Mukuro as she realized all too late how fatal of a mistake she'd made. She had only a few seconds before she would arrive at her room with Sayaka in tow and only just realized she'd never actually spent time 'hanging out' with anyone ever before! She didn't know what normal girls talked about or did when they were alone! Yeah, she figured they talked about boys and make-up and dresses and…and…other important stuff like…automatic weaponry?
"Shit! I don't know what girls like to talk about! And I don't have a fashion magazine as a reference either! And I certainly can't go by what Junko liked because her tastes changed almost ever thirty seconds!"
Not to mention that whenever she was with Junko, the younger twin would usually have her murdering someone or busying her with other activities to further the goal of Ultimate Despair!
And while Junko knew how to act like a normal girl when the need arose, all Mukuro could fall back on was her impressive knowledge of weaponry, military training, and stealth techniques! And unless Sayaka was a closet sadist, those weren't good conversation topics!
"Hey, Junko…are you okay?"
Mukuro gasped as Sayaka called out to her, making the disguised Fashionista jerk her head toward her. "Y-Yeah, t-totally cool! Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because…we've been staring at your door for almost a minute now," Sayaka politely answered, pointing at the door which bore the Mastermind's name. "Did you lose your key or something?"
Mukuro cheeks flushed as she realized the pop idol was right. Had they really been standing there for that long?! How did she not notice that?! Her concentration was slipping and if she continued like this, she was certain to make a life-threatening mistake sooner or later!
Staring at her own door in embarrassment, she attempted to laugh off her shame, but failed.
"Ahaha…I guess I'm just a bit scatterbrained today…" she replied, fumbling for her key and apprehensively inserting it into the lock. Turning the key until an audible click sounded the unlocking, Mukuro tried to compose herself as she opened the door and gestured for Sayaka to enter. "Sorry about that, guess I've got a lot on my mind lately…"
A soft giggle resounded from Sayaka as she concurred, "Yeah, we all have. And it doesn't help that you're having a bad hair day, right?"
Sayaka's question froze Mukuro in place, her eyes widening as fear rippled through her body. She'd completely forgotten about how horrific her wig looked. And it was only natural that Sayaka would notice it. After all, she had long hair as well, so she must be attuned to that kind of dilemma.
Unfortunately, her concern only further backed Mukuro into a corner. This was her last chance to renege on spending time with Sayaka…her last chance to consider her options.
Sucking in a shaky breath, the soldier fought to regain her composure. Not only that, she shamefully had to fight off her instincts. Usually, in a situation like this, she would use force to intimidate whomever was 'challenging' her, making them yield. For obvious reasons, that course of action would be catastrophic.
Suppressing her instincts was becoming more and more difficult, as she briefly considered knocking Sayaka unconscious in order to escape this embarrassing situation. She hadn't intended to play the part of the Fashionista for so long, and the stress was beginning to wear on her.
Was that all of part of Junko's plan? Was it all just a new way of instilling despair in an already despair-filled situation?
In either case, Mukuro feared that if she didn't find a way to cope with her situation…she might begin to break down.
At the same time, a bright smile overtook the pop idol's face. "Don't worry, it happens to the best of us. If you want, I'd be more than happy to help you fix it!"
What was supposed to be a kind gesture felt like a death sentence to Mukuro. If she accepted, and let Sayaka help correct the tangled ball of fluff, there was a good chance that her secret would be uncovered. Plus, how was she going to explain how she, the supposed 'Ultimate Fashionista' didn't know how to style her own hair?
On the other hand…if she could come up with a convincing enough lie, she could learn how to deal with this wig in a more manageable capacity! In addition, Sayaka's knowledge of girly thing would enrich her, and would make it easier to blend in with the others from this point on. If everything went well, not only would she be better equipped it handle her situation…she might be able to make amends with Sayaka at the same time.
Regardless of her choice, her life was going to be put in peril. And she had absolutely no control over it. Either she would survive this encounter and be better off for it…or she would be discovered and executed.
As she struggled to make her decision, her hand unexpectedly tapped her pocket and she felt a lump. Slipping that hand into her pocket, she felt the strange cylindrical object that Kyoko had given her.
"…The good luck charm…"
Mukuro had never believed in luck, at least not for herself. Makoto certainly had it, in a difficult to examine kind of way, but it was never a factor for her. For the Ultimate Soldier, everything came down to skill. There was no such thing as a 'lucky shot' or a 'lucky break'. Every time she went into battle, she made sure to be 100% certain that her abilities would win the day. But at this moment, her skills could do nothing to save her, and she found that she really had only one option.
Grasping the 'good luck charm' Kyoko had graced her with, she put on a nervous smile and said, "Actually…that would great! I've always had trouble maintaining my hair. Honestly, if my manager didn't think it suited me better, I'd have cut it short ages ago!"
Sayaka's eyes widened as she replied, "Really?! I never would have guessed! You seemed so proud of it!"
Confident she'd taken the bait, Mukuro assertively continued, "Don't get me wrong, I love it when it cooperates…but it's such a pain to get right! In fact, most of the time, I have some hairdresser friends of mine do it for me!"
"Whoa, seriously?" a shocked Sayaka questioned, glancing up at the messy pink fluff. "Then again, you do have a lot of it, huh? Oh, I know! I can teach you a simple way of curling or braiding it to make it more manageable!"
"T-That would be great!" Mukuro nervously but earnestly answered, still a bit fearful of her identity being discovered. After all, she had no idea if you could even curl a wig's hair, much less braiding it! With that in mind, she decided to scale down that request. "But…why don't we start with how to brush it properly? I don't know why but, I've been having troubled just getting it brushed in the morning."
With a dazzling smile and a fervent nod, Sayaka replied, "Alright then, let's get to it! Afterward…I was wondering if you be willing to let me peruse your closet…and possible loan me a few outfits? For some reason…I've only got this one outfit to wear and it'd be nice to wear something different."
Mukuro instantly recalled their conversation in the bathhouse, about Sayaka not having any of her personal items in the school. Unfortunately, this wasn't a surprise. Just like with Kyoko, Sayaka had a few items that would have contradicted the mind wipe, including a number of outfits that she would have no memory of owning. The incinerator had made short work of all those garments…and it was Mukuro who had tossed them in.
Before she let the guilt creep in, the disguised soldier put on a warm smile and said, "Sure, go nuts! Maybe we could have a fashion show or something?"
"That…might be taking it a bit too far," the pop idol subtly refused, even though it was obvious she appreciated the gesture. "I'll settle for just a cute outfit or two…if you don't mind."
Secretly pleased she didn't pursue that suggestion, Mukuro grinned at her and said, "Too bad. But anyway, come on in! I've got a ton of cute outfits for you to try on!"
Sayaka's eyes lit up and she beamed as she stepped inside the 'Fashionista's' room. And even though she was still incredibly nervous, as Mukuro clutched her 'good luck charm' tightly, she found the courage to believe that everything would work out just fine. Just as she closed her door, Sayaka suddenly called back to her.
"So…Junko? Why is there a shirt hanging from your ceiling?"
"And then, Kyoko asked me to scream if anyone I didn't recognize tried to take me away. Therefore, I shouted when you took me, as I didn't have your current appearance in my database. Although, the way everyone's been behaving suggests that they wished to keep my existence hidden from someone other than the Mastermind…"
Alter Ego finally finished elaborating everything that 'she' had seen while with the rest of the class. And the results nearly sent Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru into a rage.
"So it's true…they chose to keep Alter Ego hidden from me on purpose! I knew they were plotting against me! After all I have done for them, this is how they treat me! Do they really think that I am as untrustworthy as the Mastermind?!" he said aloud to himself, seething from the lack of respect his classmates had displayed.
"…Pardon me, Mr. Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru," Alter Ego cautiously spoke, obviously seeing how distraught he had become. "As I mentioned, I cannot hear you right now. And I was wondering if there was anything else you might need from me?"
Again, Taka was struck by the level of respect this machine gave him. If his classmates showed had half as much respect as this AI program, perhaps he wouldn't have needed to resort to such extremes with them. But after multiple betrayals and obvious secret-keeping, he just couldn't see any other way to control the situation. If he hadn't of taken the laptop, even more infighting would have broken out, and with his classmates increasing disloyalty, he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold everyone together.
With that in mind, Taka decided to see if he could gather any more information that might help with forming an effective solution.
[Is there anything more you can tell me? Any information would be greatly appreciated.]
Alter Ego processed that sentence for a moment, 'her face lit up…as if remembering something important.
"I'm not sure if this information will be helpful or not, but there was something out of the ordinary that was told to me."
Taka's features hardened as he prepared to listen, ready for any kind of revelation that the AI program would be able to relate to him. Taking another moment, as if preparing the best way to provide the answer, Alter Ego let a bright smile overtake 'her' face.
"Mondo apologized for attacking Chihiro."
The instant the AI spoke those words, something inside Taka twisted violently. His chest ached whilst he gritted his teeth, fighting off a mixture of rage, guilt, and sadness. His hands balled into fists, sucking in ragged breaths. His aura flared and his eyes burned menacingly as he almost let his anger overrule his judgement, which kept him from furiously smashing the laptop with his fists.
Fortunately, after several deep breaths, he managed to lower his aggravation to an acceptable level. He unclenched his jaw and relaxed his hands, slowly putting them back on the keyboard to type a response.
[Despite what they may have told you, it is a lie. Mondo knowingly betrayed us. His act of covering up the attack is proof of that.]
Taking in that message, Alter Ego's expression shifted to uncertainty. Slowly, 'she' replied, "I…I wasn't aware of that. I'm afraid that I was provided little information about what happened between Master and Mondo. Even so…I believe that Mondo truly felt remorseful for his actions."
Hearing a voice that sounded like Chihiro willingly defending his traitorous former friend enraged Taka. The AI's naivety reminded him of his own ignorance, having blindly befriended the biker simply because they had both endured a past trauma. Alter Ego was acting just like he was back then, foolishly believing the good in people without trying to see the truth.
Not wanting Alter Ego to endure the same pain of having 'her' expectations betrayed, the Disciplinary Chairman decided to give the AI a lesson on the nature of reality. To that end, he swiftly typed:
[Regardless of that, he still betrayed us. He only felt remorseful because he was unable to 'graduate' and leave this horrible place!]
Taka watched as Alter Ego took in that message and to his pleasant surprise, the AI's features hardened a bit. Perhaps his words had gotten through. After all, this was an AI created to be as life-like as possible. Through Chihiro's programming skills, this incredible 'person' was surly able to recognize between right and wrong. It just needed to be educated, so that it could follow the path of justice toward—
"I believe you're mistaken, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru," Alter Ego abruptly replied, shattering Taka's assessment from moments ago.
The harden visage the AI projected felt completely different now, as if the program somehow knew it needed this expression to unnerve the Disciplinary Chairman. Taka wanted to refute, to tell the AI that because it had only been 'born' a few days ago, that it couldn't possibly understand the complexity of the human heart. At the same time, Taka had to admit that not even he understood those complexities…his failing to stop Mondo an eternal sign of his ineptitude.
As Taka considered trying to reason with the AI once more, Alter Ego spoke up again, 'her' voice stronger and more determined than ever before.
"Mondo…Mondo was crying and begging for forgiveness. And it didn't seem like he truly forgave himself either. I just can't believe that he would only be remorseful for failing to escape, especially when he clearly felt pained by the mistake he'd made. Perhaps if you talked with him about it, the two of you could—".
In the middle of Alter Ego's speech, Taka furiously typed out another message:
[Out of the question! Even if I was to speak with him. It would not reverse Mondo's betrayal! Besides, he would probably make excuses rather than own up to his mistakes!]
As he sent that message to the AI, he felt as though he may have made a mistake. Alter Ego practically beamed at him, which seemed very out of character, before replying, "In that case, let me help you prepare for your future conversation with him!"
Before Taka could ask what the AI program meant, Chihiro's face suddenly disappeared. For a moment, the Disciplinary Chairman thought he may have pushed the wrong button or something. Had he accidentally reset the program somehow or was this something he needed to consult technical support for? Not that he could, considering they were trapped in the school and Chihiro was unconscious—
"Yo, Bro!"
Suddenly, Taka froze as the voice of Mondo Owada invaded his ears. He spun around, expecting to see the biker standing behind him but found the room just as empty as always. Glancing toward his door, he saw that it was firmly closed, so there was no way he could have called to him from outside, considering the rooms were soundproof. Just then, he heard that voice again.
"Over here, Bro! In front of you!"
Taka tensed as he realized that the voice actually was coming from in front of him…but the only thing that was there was—!
Snapping his head around, Taka gasped as he glanced at the laptop screen. There, in place of Alter Ego's adorable face…was Mondo's head! It was odd to see it without it being attached to Mondo's body, but that wasn't the issue! The face of Mondo Owada had suddenly appeared on the screen, and it was staring directly at him!
"W-What is this…?" Taka said aloud, thoroughly startled. "Why do you have…Bro's face?"
Before he remembered that the laptop couldn't actually hear him, the face of Mondo said, "Yo, man…I know that you probably don't wanna talk to me right now…and I don't blame you. I messed up…seriously messed up."
As the visage of Mondo began to apologize to him, the intense aura around Taka's body completely vanished. His hair returned to an ebony shade and the flames in his eyes extinguished. Once more, Kiyotaka Ishimaru returned, as though he'd never been gone. At the same time, the Moral Compass found himself unable to turn away from the laptop as it continued to speak with him.
"I never meant for things to go down the way they did. And I'm sorry about…betraying you. Trust me when I say that I never meant for that to happen! I didn't mean to attack Chihiro and I never meant to betray you! But I did…and I'm sorry for that."
As the voice of Mondo penetrated his ears, Taka felt his soul being pulled in multiple directions. He knew this wasn't the real Mondo, and should disregard all it was saying to him. At the same time, he was saying the words that Taka had longed to hear for the past few days…and it caused such feeling of relief!
That is…until the AI version of Mondo said:
"This whole thing is messed up, Bro…but I know that if we both work together, we can find a way to make it out of this school alive! I know it's hard to trust anyone right now, Bro. But I didn't betray you! I would never betray someone that I—".
*SLAM*
Taka wasn't sure when it happened, but near the end of the fake Mondo's speech, he'd raised his hands and slammed them onto the table, on both sides of the laptop, just barely missing it. In that instant, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman's fearsome aura returned and his eyes reignited in a furious blaze. At that moment…all semblance of Kiyotaka Ishimaru was purged.
"You would never betray me…? You already have!" seethed Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru, his hands clenching into fists.
As he struggled to regain his composure, Chairman Ishimaru was pleased that he'd managed to restrain himself, and didn't unintentionally smash the laptop. After all, he would never wish harm against someone as innocent as Alter Ego. He rarely let his anger overrule him, but hearing such preposterous talk from a fake Mondo infuriated him.
Fortunately, even though the AI couldn't hear him, it obviously noted his erratic behavior and silenced itself, perhaps startled by his sudden invocation of anger.
Unfortunately, Taka's rage hadn't subsided, in fact, it was steadily growing. It took all he had not to grab and throw the laptop away, which would undoubtedly harm the AI. At the same time, he needed to vent his frustrations, but right now yelling would do him little good, with a companion that was essentially deaf.
Instead, he took to the keyboard and chose to type in all caps:
[STOP PRETENDING TO KNOW WHAT HE WOULD SAY! MONDO WOULD NEVER OWN UP TO HIS MISTAKES LIKE THAT! HE BETRAYED US! HE BETRAYED OUR TRUST IN HIM! HE TRIED TO HAVE US ALL KILLED! MY ONLY FRIEND BETRAYED ME!]
Taka angrily sent that message before properly reading it, his eyes lingering on the last sentence. A deep, hollow pressure welled up in his chest as he re-read the words 'only friend' over and over again. After re-reading his message nearly ten times, he slowly lifted his gaze to see that Mondo's face was gone, leaving a tearful Alter Ego staring back at him.
Having obviously read his furious message, the AI sniffled as it tried to compose the right response, "I-I…I didn't mean to…upset you. I just thought that…if you talked with him…you could come to an understanding. I'm…I'm so sorry!"
Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru flinched at the utter misery in Alter Ego's voice. Only now did Taka realize how foolish he had been these last few minutes. He'd lost his temper and nearly destroyed something entirely innocent…all because he couldn't contain his rage. His body trembled as he realized that, in that moment of unsuppressed fury…he was no better than Mondo had been…letting his emotions get the better of him and nearly costing everyone the valuable information that only Alter Ego could provide.
"I almost became…the very thing I've been fighting to protect everyone from."
As that revelation dawned on him, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman realized that perhaps…just perhaps…his classmates had made a good point. His behavior was changing, and while most of it was obviously for the better, it seemed that he was allowing himself to let his emotions get the better of him.
However, rather than let himself become crestfallen by this revelation, he decided to use it as motivation instead! If having such dangerous emotions could led to such dangerous activities, then he would need to suppress them! He would follow the rules of the school to the letter, without letting his own personal feelings get in the way! And if someone violated a school regulation…then he would need to have them punished for it!
And if he couldn't bring himself to do that…perhaps he would need to call upon Monokuma for assistance. And while he knew that was an extremely unethical…if he couldn't keep everyone from killing each other, then he would need to take extreme measures!
Staring down at a tearful Alter Ego, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman realized that without the AI's involvement, he never would have realized what needed to be done to maintain order. And even though it was difficult, he realized that the AI had forced him to come to terms with something he never imagined he'd be able to do…punish his former friend.
Reaching his hands out, he softly typed:
[Apologies for my outburst. You did nothing wrong. In fact, you have helped me a great deal. Thanks to you, I know what I need to do now. And when I confront Mondo Owada, I know exactly what needs to be done about him.]
As 'she' registered that message, Alter Ego's visage abruptly brightened. "R-Really? Then…I was useful?"
Seeing the bright visage of Alter Ego smiling at him gave Chairman Ishimaru courage. Even though he'd come close to unintentionally harming the laptop, in the end, this proved to be a good lesson for him. And now that he knew what needed to be done, he was ready to put his best foot forward…and confront Mondo for his misdeeds!
A fearsome smile overtook the Disciplinary Chairman as he replied:
[Indeed! You have steeled my resolve! I am most grateful!]
Absorbing that message, the AI program beamed at him with a light giggle.
"I'm so glad that I could help you! Please let me know how your talk with him goes! And if it's not too much trouble…please keep talking to me. I want to see if there is anything else I could do to help everyone!"
Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru was struck by the sincerity in the AI's words. This fragile computer entity was willing to do all that it could to help them escape. At the very least, the Disciplinary Chairman now knew that he had at least one ally in his crusade to safeguard the peace and sanctity of this institution!
Filled with pride, he reached out and typed:
[I promise I will keep you up to date! In the meantime, focus on decoding those files! That is the best support you can give right now!]
Taking in that message, Alter Ego nodded firmly and replied, "Right! I'll do my best, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru! I won't let you down!"
With a fervent nod and an eerie smile, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru glanced back at the clock and realized that it was time for his nightly patrol. He was saddened to have to go now that he'd found an ally, but just as Alter Ego had a difficult duty to fulfill, so did he!
Once more, he reached his hands out and typed:
[Unfortunately, I must go! I need to patrol the halls before it gets too late in the evening!]
Registering that response, the AI smiled and said, "Alright then! I'll see you later! Don't forget to talk with Mondo! Good luck!"
Rising from his chair, with his aura flaring even more fearsomely than usual, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru headed for the door, preparing himself for the task that he knew he would need to complete. Just before he turned the handle, he glanced back at the laptop and smiled…or rather smirked.
"Don't fear, my newfound ally…I will be sure to deal with Mondo Owada in due time."
"My angel…my muse…my…Alter Ego…"
Hifumi wept, alone in his room. His wails muffled by his pillow, the distressed fanfic creator felt his entire world shattering. His chest ached, he wanted to scream, all energy faded from his body…the pain of loss ate at his very soul.
He had never known love…he had known fascination, obsession, perversion, and various other emotions that came with being a mangaka. However, 'love' was something he never imagined experiencing. After all, none of the great mangaka had never found true love. Sure, they married sometimes but Hifumi doubted they found the kind of pure love that he had experienced. For he had found a 2-dimensional being that not only appreciated him…but understood how intelligent and special he was! His entire life had taken on a whole new meaning, simply because she existed!
But now…she was gone. Stolen away from him by a fiendish virgin! And what could he do about it? While his heart was stronger than any other, he lacked the physical or authoritative power necessary to reclaim his love. Even if he tried to force his way into Taka's room, the bastard could use his authority to have him executed! Not that he would mind dying if it meant freeing the love of his life, but if he failed to liberate her, then his death would be for nothing!
And thus, he wept…alone in his room…praying for some kind of salvation to be visited upon him.
*KNOCK*KNOCK*
A sudden knock at his door startled the fanfic creator, and he nearly fell off his bed as he rolled over. Glancing toward his door, he heard the knocking once more. Slowly picking himself up, and wiping away his tears, Hifumi slovenly marched toward the door, his brain on autopilot. He didn't even have a mind to question who might be visiting him, he would just shoo them away so that he may continue to wallow in his depravity.
Reaching the door and turning the handle, he opened the door just a crack and was shocked by who he saw outside.
"Good evening, Hifumi."
Celestia Ludenberg stood just outside his door, as delicate and tsundere as always. She wore a convincing smile that would normally have enticed him, but considering his heart-broken state, he only felt crestfallen. Curious as to the nature of her visit, he politely inquired, "H-Hello, Miss Ludenberg. Do you need something?"
"Indeed," she responded immediately, leaning in and speaking quietly. "I would like to speak with you privately, if that is alright?"
If not for the fact that he felt his heart had been torn from his chest over the loss of his love, he would have been very excited that a tsundere character like Miss Ludenberg wanted to see him 'in private'. And while he knew that Miss Ludenberg was ultimate too shy to try and act out a typical doujinshi scene, at this moment, he wasn't sure if he wanted anyone to see him in such a state.
"I…I'm not sure—" he began before being interrupted.
"Just open the door and let me in, would you?" Celeste seethed, keeping her voice low and even despite her menacing tone.
All at once, Hifumi was reminded of why he succumbed to Miss Ludenberg's whims in the first place. Like a true tsundere, Celestia Ludenberg always hid her real feelings. Her true nature was kept hidden behind a mask that rarely cracked, but when it did, he found her to be one of the most interesting people he had the pleasure of knowing. And while her ferocity did truly frighten him, he was more drawn to her powerful spirit and independent personality!
At the same time, for reasons he could not understand, there was a desperation to her voice as well. It was as if some unknown force compelled her to appear before him, but for what purpose? In either case, he didn't want to provoke her wrath any further, and decided to give in.
"Y-Yes, ma'am!" he stammered as he flung open his door, allowing Miss Ludenberg to pass by him, a victorious smile gracing her lips.
Closing the door and turning to face her, the fanfic creator was unsurprised to see her glancing around his room, a hint of disgust on her face. Celestia Ludenberg was a woman who desired the finer things, he knew this by her outfit and her taste in tea. Thus, to her sophisticated eye, his room must have appeared rather messy. In truth, it was organized chaos, a concept that she undoubtedly would never have experienced before.
"Would it be alright if I sat here?" Miss Ludenberg politely asked, pointing to an unoccupied chair next to his table, the only one that didn't have drawing materials or clothes draped across it.
"Uh…sure," he answered swiftly, watching as she delicately took a seat. Moving over to an adjacent chair, he seated himself across from her, unsure of what to say next.
Fortunately for him, Miss Ludenberg did seem to have an agenda, reaching into her pocket and pulling out an old familiar object. "I might be mistaken, but does this belong to you?" she asked carefully, holding a camera out to him.
In her lithe hand was the Limited Edition Pudgy Princess Piggles Camera that had been lost since he arrived at this school! But now, it had found its way back to him! Practically snatching it from her grasp, Hifumi shouted, "Yes, yes! Oh, I can't believe you found it! It's been missing ever since—".
Suddenly, his jubilation ceased as he thoroughly examined the camera. The screen had tiny scratches, dirt had been smudged onto the outer casing, and there was an audible noise of something rattling around when he shook it. The once pristine collector's item had been reduced to nothing more than a child's plaything!
It seemed that today was the day he was destined to have his heart torn asunder by many woes.
"W-What happened to it?! It wasn't like this a few days ago!" His frustrated gaze shot over to Miss Ludenberg, who stared at him with slight bewilderment. "You! What did you do to my precious Limited Edition Pudgy Princess Piggles collector's item!"
Despite the accusation that was hurled at her, Celestia Ludenberg barely batted an eye as she informed him, "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I was not the one who found it. Hiro discovered it behind the air purifier on the third floor. Whether or not he had something to do with its current state, I cannot be sure. Though he did seem well versed in how to operate it…"
Fury spread through Hifumi as this revelation was made clear, and he couldn't keep himself from leaping up from his chair and shouting, "That fool! He obviously doesn't have any respect for other people's property! The next time I see him, I'll give him a piece of my mind! Perhaps more!"
Normally, the loss of such an item, while definitely infuriating, wouldn't have upset the fanfic creator so much. However, coupling this loss with the separation from his true love, he couldn't help but lash out in anger. It seemed that everything he loved was being taken away from him, piece by piece!
Just then, he realized how inhospitable he was being to Miss Ludenberg, who could only sit there while he raged. Not wanting his anger to instill fear in her, he forced himself to calm down, retaking his seat. Bowing slightly to her, he said, "Apologizes, Miss Ludenberg…I lost my head for a moment."
Much to his surprise, a soft chuckle reached his ears. Lifting his gaze, he saw her with a hand over her lips, almost giggling at him. Her voice was oddly sweet, he noticed, as if her laughter was genuine. He'd never heard her laugh like that before. She had chuckled at his expense many times before, but never so light-heartedly. It drew him in, leaving him unable to turn away.
"That is quite alright, Hifumi. I'm just sorry to be the bearer of bad news, as far as your camera is concerned," she softly apologized, a light smile on her lips. Just then, much to his shock, her expression abruptly darkened, and a deep frown settled across her face. "And…I'm afraid I must be the bearer of…even worse news."
Completely drawn in, a startled Hifumi questioned, "What is it? What's wrong, Miss Ludenberg?! Has Taka done something?!"
Even the distress fanfic creator didn't truly think that Taka had done further damage, but in his frazzled state, it was the first thing that came to mind. After all, there was no way that pathetic virgin would be foolish enough to antagonize Miss Ludenberg of all people—
"Actually…yes."
Hifumi gasped, not at her words, but her demeanor. Her shoulder sank into her body and she lowered her gaze, her hands grasping onto her own elbows with her black fingernails digging deep into the material of her dress. The very sight shocked the fanfic creator, as he never imagined seeing Miss Ludenberg in such a state of distress.
Her usual fierce persona was gone, replaced with apprehension and doubt. Was he catching a glimpse into her softer side? The side of her that she never showed to anyone? The part of her that was kept hidden away by the tsundere persona that she embodied in public? And if so…how was it that she was brought to this level of depravity?
The Celestia Ludenberg he'd always known was a strong and independent woman. A natural born leader who had the courage to stand up to people like Taka, always fighting for what she believed in! She was someone he could look up to, as someone who followed their own path regardless of the consequences!
And to see her somehow reduced to this piteous state…it ignited his chivalrous spirit in full force!
"W-What is it?! What has the virgin done now?!" Hifumi found himself shouting, slamming his fist onto the table. Miss Ludenberg flinched at the sudden sound, shaking her head as if gathering her thoughts.
"Before I tell you that…I need you to promise me that whatever I say next will never leave this room. Understood?"
Her request made him raise an eyebrow, as his own doubts crept in. "Um…I'm not so sure that I—".
"Please, Hifumi! You are one of the only people I can trust here," Miss Ludenberg practically begged, desperation clear in her voice. "Please…promise me never to speak a word of this to anyone!"
Despite the little voice in his head that tried to tell him that her behavior was suspicious, Hifumi couldn't turn a blind eye to a woman in need! After all, he was a gentleman as well as a mangaka! All of the great manga artists had great respect and admiration for chivalrous deeds, and Hifumi Yamada was no different! And so, even if he felt that something might be off about the way she suddenly revealed her true self, he had no choice but to trust his instincts and believe her!
"A-Alright then, I promise never to speak of this conversation to anyone!" he confidently swore to her, earning the tiniest of smiles from Miss Ludenberg.
Taking a deep breath, as if gathering her courage, Celestia Ludenberg hardened her features and said, "I believe that Taka is plotting to use Alter Ego in order to make his escape!"
To Be Continued…
Greetings, my beautiful readers! It seems that Celeste's plot is finally getting into motion! But with new elements such as having more people to calculate into her plans, will she succeed? Keep on reading to find out!
So…it's been quite some time, hasn't it?
I'm so sorry for the delay but there are a number of issues that I'm still contending with. Mainly, I had to work through the entire holiday season with very little time off. I even had to work on the holidays (thanksgiving, new year's), with Christmas Day the only exception. Because of that, writing time was scarce and it took time to write more of this story. Also, I've been sick lately and it's been effecting a lot of my work, both personal and private.
Not to mention that I am balancing writing this story with another project that will be time consuming, so I can't promise my updates for this story will be consistent. However, I PROMISE you, that I will finish this story eventually! It means too much to me for it to falter now!
As for that other project…
Do you all remember the dubbing project of Danganronpa IF that I mentioned to all of you? Well, the original producer of it had to cancel the project, for good reasons, I assure you. However, a number of the actors, including myself, wanted to continue the project. To that end, I kind of ended up becoming the one spearheading the project. So, we're still working on it but with me doing a lot more work with it! But when it's completed, it'll be awesome! And I'll let you all know when it goes up!
Well, that was a long note but I do hope you all understand the situation and I promise I will have another chapter out very soon! Please leave a comment/review if you've got questions about the story or the dubbing project, or if you want to give feedback!
Until then, have yourselves a great day, my beautiful readers!