Never Say Never
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.
Chapter 4
Act 2
"I can't wait to see the look on Taka's face when it's finished!"
There was practically a spring in Mukuro's step as she ventured down the dormitory hall, carrying Cele—ehem…Taeko's breakfast. Sure, it had cooled off a bit, but lukewarm food was better than cold food! Besides, considering the deal she'd just struck with Hifumi, it would be worth whatever complaints the disgraced gambler had.
Hifumi had been rather accommodating, agreeing to her proposed project without much convincing. Then again, he was going through a similar crisis that she'd experienced when Junko abandoned her, and she knew what that felt like. He wanted…no, needed something to take his mind off his own betrayal, and the false Fashionista's project seemed like just the 'ticket'!
She let out a small chuckle at her own little pun, knowing that the pink slips in her pocket were going to become part of a greater cause! But that would wait until later…for now, she had to contend with how exactly to deal with Taeko.
The gambler was completely confined to her room, thanks to the lock they installed outside the room. But there was another lock the others hadn't considered. It was entirely possible that the shamed gambler would lock herself in and refuse anyone trying to deliver food! At the same time, it was something that Mukuro highly doubted.
The girl once known as Celestia Ludenberg was prideful…even in her disgraced state. She'd failed to force Monokuma to execute her during the trial, thanks to Sakura's quick intervention, and she obviously didn't have the will for something as extreme as suicide. As much as she tried to hide it, Mukuro knew that Taeko wanted to live…it was the driving force behind her attempted murder. It was the reason she'd tried so hard to pull off the perfect crime, because she wanted to escape this wretched school and live the dream life she'd always wanted.
However, now that such a dream was forever out of her reach, whether she knew it or not, Mukuro suspected that she would do one of two things; either she would double-down and continue to try to escape no matter the cost…or she would break down and simply become a hollow shell of the girl she once was.
"I'm not exactly looking forward to seeing which it is though…" she whispered to herself as she arrived outside the gambler's door.
Reaching up and unhinging the lock outside the door, the disguised soldier tested the doorknob…it was open, much to her surprise. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, the soldier turned the knob and cracked the door open.
"Hey, uh…Taeko? I've got food for ya. You descent?" she asked loudly, practically shouting through the small opening. "I hope you like eggs and bacon because that's all I've got for you!"
She waited for a moment, expecting a quip or a jab from the imprisoned gambler…but after almost fifteen seconds of consecutive silence, the soldier felt her hair stand on end. Taeko was unstable, that much was certain, but was she suicidal? The soldier hadn't believed that to be the case. The gambler's failure to be executed by Monokuma aside, she'd been actively lying to herself in order to stay sane…or at least, that's what Mukuro had come to believe!
"…She couldn't have—!" Mukuro whispered to herself, a sudden rush of panic enveloping her. "Taeko!"
Nearly abandoning the plate of food, the disguised soldier rammed the door with her shoulder, making it fly open and crash loudly against the wall. Practically sprinting into the room, Mukuro's eyes widened as she finally caught a glimpse…of Taeko's visage.
The Ultimate Gambler was slack jawed, her body leaning back against the headboard of her bed, a strange bright-orange discoloration smeared on her face, particularly around her mouth, with stains of the same color, seemingly wiped by slim fingers, littered across the white T-shirt she wore…a T-shirt imprinted with the words 'In my defense – I was left – Unsupervised'…wait a second…
"…What the hell was that about?"
In an instant Mukuro's mind snapped back to reality, only now realizing that the scene wasn't quite as gruesome as she'd first imagined. Taeko Yasuhiro sat on her bed, leaning against the headboard with her legs stretched out in front of her. Her face was smeared with what appeared to be food stains…a large tub of cheese balls resting next to the gambler solving the mystery of the stains.
Hold on…cheese puffs? How did she get those? No one else let her out…and she was almost certain that there should be no way to unlatch the outside lock, at least not from inside.
But that wasn't the only surprise for Mukuro. No…it was also how plain the gambler was dressed! The usually gothic Celestia Ludenberg had abandoned the only dress that had survived the purging and was now dressed in the previously noted orange-stained T-shirt…accompanied by yoga pants! Yoga pants of all things! Very comfy looking yoga pants, but still! Not to mention the fact that she was going all-natural, having applied not even a hint of make-up, not in foundation! Also, she was wearing absolutely NO accessories! No earrings, bracelets, hair clips…nothing! Even the finger claw she'd always sported was gone! And with her hair drills absent, she looked almost like a completely different person! Plus, the tuff of hair that'd been torn out was painfully visible! Like she'd made no effort to try and cover it up or anything!
The soldier never imagined the day when she'd ever see Cele—err, Taeko dressing like…like…a normal person!
"Hey!" the clearly irritated voice of Taeko pierced the soldier's eardrums, making her slightly shake her head in order to focus. All the while, Taeko glared at her with a raised eyebrow. Then, strangely, the gambler sighed and said, "Look, my mouth was full, and I couldn't answer, but that doesn't mean you should break down my freaking door."
Mukuro tried to process everything, almost forgetting why she came here. But as the pieces fell into place, realizing she'd overreacted, the soldier quickly put up the best act that she could.
"Where did you get those cheese balls from?" she practically demanded, only realizing the harshness of her tone once it was said.
Taeko huffed and popped one more cheese ball into her mouth as she answered, "The storeroom, obviously."
Holding in a groan, the soldier pressed further, "And when did you happen to sneak them off to your room?"
Although visibly annoyed by the pestering, Taeko still chose to answer, "The night after the storeroom opened. This was the only tub, and I wanted them for myself, so I smuggled them into my room. I'm surprised no one found them yesterday but, eh, good for me, I guess…"
Again, she popped another in her mouth before picking up the lid and sealing the tub. She then set it on the other side of the bed, as far away from the disguised soldier as possible, a not too subtle hint.
"I didn't know if anyone was coming to feed me, so I decided to feed myself. Good thing I didn't have too many, I still have plenty of an appetite for real food." She paused and glanced at the flung open door before rolling her eyes. "Did you have to charge through the door though? If you'd have waited another second, I would've answered you."
As she listened, Mukuro was surprised that throughout their conversation, the gambler's tone was quite casual, if not a bit cynical. Being given a straightforward answer wasn't what the soldier had come to expect from the 'Queen of Liars'. Then again, right now, she was simply talking to Taeko, not Celestia Ludenberg.
Was this how the gambler truly acted before inventing her persona?
It was quite possible, considering that Mukuro had spent little to no time seeing Taeko act like herself during all the time they spent at school. Even after 'The Tragedy', the gambler used her Celestia persona to help keep herself from breaking down. It was a perfect coping mechanism, lying to herself in order to maintain her sanity…not wishing to face the fact that her dream…would never come true.
Even considering what Taeko had almost done yesterday, Mukuro couldn't truly fault her. She was a pawn in Junko's malicious game…one that could be easily manipulated if given the right incentive. In all honesty, she wanted to be more vindictive…but some part of her told her to try and bury the hatchet…as crazy an idea as that was.
"Yeah, well, after everything you went through yesterday, let's just say that I didn't rule out the possibility of you getting 'creative' with your bed sheets," she awkwardly answered, walking over to the table in the center of the room and depositing the gambler's breakfast.
Feeling as though she'd significantly covered for her strange behavior, Mukuro was about to excuse herself when Taeko gave an unusual answer.
"Wow…that was pretty morbid," the disgraced gambler commented, her tone more matter-of-fact than Mukuro was used to hearing. Lifting her shirt, exposing her stomach in the process, Taeko wiped a bit of the cheese stains from her face before swinging her legs over and hopping off the bed, making her way toward the table. "If I had the balls to kill myself, I would've done it last night. Thought about it a few times…but I didn't have any way to make it quick and painless. I'm not a sadist, ya know."
Without even glancing her way, Taeko took a seat and stared at the eggs and bacon before frowning. Immediately, the solider prepared for the complaints that she knew were bound to come. She steeled herself for comments such as 'Eggs and bacon? What am I, a toddler?' or 'I wanted a traditional breakfast, not a western one. Make something else'. But after a few moments of silence, the soldier was surprised when Taeko slowly glanced up at her, with nothing but petty annoyance in the gambler's red eyes.
"Out of curiosity, will I be forced to eat all my meals with my hands? Or is expecting silverware is too much to ask for?" she scoffed before picking up a piece of bacon and tearing it apart with her teeth. In the midst of loudly chewing, the gambler grumbled, "Then again, given your response just now, you probably think I'd try and gouge my own eyes out with them."
It was certainly a complaint…but a valid one that succeeded in embarrassing the disguised Fashionista. She'd completely forgotten about silverware when preparing the food, and even though Mukuro wanted to unleash a scathing comment, since it was her own mistake, it would only seem petty. A malicious part of her almost wanted to see if Taeko would make good on her word and actually eat the eggs by hand. However, as the gambler finished the bacon, the soldier's desire to know the outcome of that bet was outweighed by her own embarrassment.
"I'll get you a fork or something. Or would you prefer chopsticks?" her tone was casual but laced with friction. She completely expected Taeko to spit venom at her, like she usually would…but she was surprised when the gambler simply crossed her legs and appeared to wait patiently.
"Whatever…" the imprisoned gambler answered, shutting down the conversation without so much as a witty retort.
Then, again to Mukuro's surprise, Taeko elected to sit in silence and wait. Seconds ticked by, and any moment now, the soldier expected the gambler to snap at her, demanding a utensil. However, Mukuro began to become unnerved when Taeko continued to sit and patiently wait…even though the food was obviously getting cold.
"What…is happening here?" the disguised soldier pondered, completely perplexed by the gambler's actions. "She'd normally be shouting and demanding things by now…"
Mukuro knew that Taeko was a very different person from 'Celeste', but this was beyond the pale! She thought she had a grasp of who 'Taeko' was, after seeing her outbursts during the class trial but…was it possible that wasn't her 'true' self either? After all, everyone acts differently when angered or under pressure. Perhaps this was just how 'Taeko' usually was?
Against her better judgement, the soldier put on her best 'Junko' face and asked, "Okay, what's up with you? You'd normally be spitting venom at me by now. What's the deal?"
Her own voice echoed in her ears as she finished, the question hanging in the air without a response. Just as the silence was becoming almost deafening, Taeko very slowly inched her gaze over and stared up at the 'Fashionista'. To the soldier's surprise…there was no malice hidden behind Taeko's crimson eyes, and for a moment, she almost thought she wouldn't be given an answer.
"Nothing really," Taeko answered plainly, almost a bit bored sounding. Resting an elbow on the table, the gambler laid her head in her palm, closing her eyes and looking almost tranquil. Mukuro was about to call her out when Taeko's suddenly snapped open. "I just don't want to give you the satisfaction, that's all."
"…Satisfaction?" the soldier questioned, unsure of what she meant. "What are you talking about? What 'satisfaction'?"
In response, Taeko lifted her head from her palm, turned in her chair and calmly elaborated, "The satisfaction that you 'saved' someone. What else?"
Almost at once, Mukuro's world momentarily shut down…so much so that she nearly let her 'Junko' mask slip. Barely able to keep the shock hidden, she instead focused on the frustration welling up and tried to counter, "I don't get satisfaction from—"
"You must really get a kick out of this…don't you, Junko?" the gambler cut in, her voice even and stoic. "After each and every trial, you swoop in and 'comfort' whoever the 'attacker' was. You tell them it wasn't their fault. That they aren't to blame for their actions. 'It's all the Mastermind's doing, because we're kept here against our will.' It's that right?"
Ironically, even though it should have been a rhetorical question…Taeko's tone suggested that she truly wanted an answer. But at the same time, it was obvious she didn't care either way…and it threw Mukuro off.
"It's not about satisfaction," the soldier insisted, meeting the gambler's gaze. "I'm just doing what I can, the same as everyone else."
To this, Taeko raised an eyebrow, obviously skeptical. "Again with the catchphrase, huh? 'Just doing what I can'? That's a crock if I ever heard it."
By this point, Mukuro's fists were clenched tightly, not appreciating being openly mocked for what she perceived as the only natural way of approaching their situation. But was truly mystified her was the calm nature that the gambler was embodying! She should have been much more smug about those comments…but instead, she seemed almost…bored. And before she could utter a comeback, Taeko gave a loud, exasperated sign.
"Well, you know what they say, 'once is chance, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern'. And Junko, let's just say that your 'pattern' has been established."
Once again, Mukuro was shocked by how…tame Taeko was acting. Where was the usual venom and scathing comments? Sure, she was openly mocking Mukuro's 'catchphrase', but there was no fire behind her comments! Her dull and lifeless tone was more unnerving than her usual abrasive behavior! None of this made sense!
Not to mention that, in all honesty, the soldier hadn't even considered the idea of trying to 'comfort' Taeko…because she never intentionally intended to comfort…anyone!
Leon had been a failed excuse to try and find the secret room in the boy's restroom, Sayaka had been because she happened to see her struggling outside the cafeteria, Mondo's self-loathing had just been aggravating, and Hifumi had been because she wanted to work on that 'revenge' project with him.
It was all a series of happenstances or accidents…right?
Sure, she did feel proud that she'd managed to help her classmates during their time of need, but it wasn't something she'd sought out…at least not intentionally. Then again, Taeko did have a point. It had happened too many times to just be considered a coincidence. Did that mean that…she was subconsciously wanting to help her classmates? Sure, she'd made a conscious choice to do so, but she was just…doing what she could…that's all.
"If it's gonna take this long, don't bother with the silverware," Taeko abruptly interrupted her thoughts, forcing the soldier back to reality.
Then, much to her shock, Taeko dug her fingers into the lukewarm eggs, scooped up part of them into her hands and practically shoved them into her mouth! Such unladylike conduct from the woman formerly known as Celestia Ludenberg was unthinkable! And she was taken further aback when the gambler lifted her plate, brought the edge to her open mouth, and shoveled the rest of her breakfast into her gaping maw!
She didn't even both to chew quietly or anything! A part of Mukuro wanted to say that it was just that Taeko must have been starving…but remembering the cheese balls, that clearly wasn't the case! Was Taeko actively trying to startle her? Or was this truly the way she behaved when she was forced to be herself permanently?
Before she could ponder further, Taeko thrust the plate back at her, nearly hitting her in the chest with it. Barely able to refocus her thoughts, Mukuro slowly took the plate from her outstretched hand. The moment she did, the gambler licked her fingers before wiping them on her shirt, the little bit of grease from the eggs leaving visible stains.
"I'm guessing someone'll bring more food later? Will I get lunch too? Or just breakfast and dinner?"
Her question seemed harmless…but her tone continued to perturb the disguised soldier.
"Dinner definitely. Jury's out on lunch, but we could probably scrounge up something…or you could just snack on the cheese balls you stole," Mukuro quipped, almost trying to frustrate the gambler.
"I didn't see anyone's name on them when I found 'em," Taeko retorted, standing up and heading back over to her bed. Almost absentmindedly, she returned to her previous position, her back resting against the headboard with her legs sprawled out down the length of the bed. Without even glancing Mukuro's way, she asked, "By the way, I don't suppose you could get me a book or something? It's boring just sitting in here all day…"
"…I'll see what I can do," Mukuro replied, feeling more and more anxious with each dialogue they shared.
So cordial…too cordial. Taeko was acting way more cordial than she should have been! Sure, she was a bit bossy, but nothing she requested was out of the ordinary! Where was the seething rage?! The unreasonable demands?! The fire that usually burned behind Celeste's eyes—?!
"Oh…is that it?" Mukuro wondered to herself, only just putting the pieces together. "Was I wrong to think that Taeko was similar to the rage fueled monster we saw yesterday? Was her rage…just another manifestation of Celestia Ludenberg or—?"
"If you don't mind, I'd appreciate some privacy," Taeko suddenly spoke up, once more disrupting the soldier's thoughts. "Unless you want to bring me that book or something else to keep me occupied…"
Although still confused about Taeko's behavior, Mukuro knew that just standing there would only exacerbate the situation.
"Uh, sure, I'll check and see if there's a…a…a magazine…or something…for you to read," she choked out, turning around and heading for the door.
However, before she reached the doorway, her curiosity got the better of her…and she turned around. Glancing back at Taeko, who hadn't moved from her spot on the bed, the disguised soldier decided to follow her gut and ask the question she'd been pondering for several minutes now.
"I'm kinda shocked, actually. I figured you'd be a lot more pissed off about everything that happened," Mukuro taunted, knowing she was now actively baiting the gambler.
For a few moments, neither of them moved. Taeko remained motionless on the bed, and Mukuro stood patiently by the doorway. The gambler didn't even glance in her direction, simply staring straight ahead…almost lifeless. It was beyond disturbing…seeing someone as vibrant and charismatic as 'Celeste' reduced to such a sorry state. It was as if her very soul was missing, and all that remained was a lifeless husk on autopilot.
But then, just as Mukuro had accepted that she wouldn't receive an answer…the gambler spoke.
"Oh…believe me, I'm absolutely livid," Taeko answered, turning her whole body to face the 'Fashionista'. Once again sliding her legs off the edge of the bed, the disgraced gambler stood up and faced Mukuro directly, their eyes locking onto each other. Then, with her face completely neutral, Taeko continued, "But like I said before…"
That was when Mukuro saw it…a spark—no, a burning ember! A flicker of rage…hidden deep, deep, behind the gambler's crimson eyes. Buried so deep that the soldier hadn't been able to even perceive it until this moment. And although it was small, the intense anger that radiated from that tiny ember burned even hotter than the very sun!
"…I don't want to give you the satisfaction," Taeko explained, only the look of fury in her eyes betraying her words. "…The satisfaction of seeing me lose my temper…you're not worth it."
A chill ran down Mukuro's spine as she drank in the gambler's words…and began to understand. Taeko was deliberately keeping her anger in check, not letting herself give in to a rage that must be bubbling just below the surface. In a twisted sort of fashion, it was a way of getting back at Mukuro…though she wasn't sure why the gambler singled her out amongst the rest of the class.
After all, it was Kyoko's deductions that sealed her fate. Regardless, Taeko had somehow concluded that 'Junko' enjoyed helping to pick people up from their lowest point…and the gambler didn't like that. Her crimson eyes shone with defiance…the likes of which could even challenge Monokuma. It made sense now how Taeko had survived in the underground gambling world. With determination and willpower like that, nothing short of a head-on collision could stop her.
In many ways, it saddened Mukuro that the gambler never showed this much defiance to their captor. Perhaps, if the gambler had been more honest with herself, she wouldn't have turned down such a dark path…but none of that mattered now. Mukuro knew that there was little she could do to help Taeko. Until the gambler herself wanted help, she would adamantly refuse it from anyone. Even if, by some miracle, Hina managed to forgive her, the soldier doubted that even then Taeko would ever truly repent for her crimes.
Still, that didn't mean that Mukuro wanted to give up on her. After all, if she, a remorseless killer could somehow find redemption, then surely an attempted murderer could too. Perhaps she was just hoping against hope…but she at least wanted to give Taeko a chance. But that would need to wait until later.
Not wanting to exacerbate the situation further, Mukuro chose to back down. "…Okay then, I'll bring more food later today. And if I find a magazine or something, I'll slide it under your door."
Taeko tilted her head a bit, obviously a bit unsatisfied that her words a moment ago didn't have quite the effect she'd wanted. Regardless, she resumed her neutral expression and replied, "Whatever, just get out and leave me alone."
Hesitating only for a moment, Mukuro turned and exited the room, pulling the door shut behind her. What she never knew was, the moment she was gone…Taeko let out a rage-filled scream that was completely deafened by the soundproof room.
"Sweet! We hit the jackpot Sakura!"
Hina practically leapt with joy as she and Sakura found the large stash of protein powder, along with other nutritional supplements, in the chem lab. Among these supplements was the god of all protein mixes…Proteinzyme-X! Immediately grabbing it, the swimmer hid it behind her back as she sped over to her friend, ready to surprise her with the discovery.
"You won't believe what I found! The mother of all…protein…powder…"
Hina trailed off as she neared the muscular woman, and her excitement dropped as the noticed Sakura's brows knit into a stern look. The Ultimate Martial Artist had opened a cabinet on the opposite side and was glaring at the bottles therein. Almost completely forgetting about the godly protein powder, Hina sidestepped the open cabinet door and peered inside. Before she had time to properly analyze it's contents, Sakura spoke.
"Unfortunately, this side is very dangerous." Reaching a massive hand inside, Sakura fished out a green bottle. "Everything over here is a deadly poison…some of them are even listed as odorless and tasteless…"
Against her will, Hina felt her body begin to tremble. It was a struggle to even hold onto the small bottle of protein powder behind her back. She was barely able to lift her gaze up to where the poisons were kept.
"With these now freely accessible to anyone…it will become more difficult for anyone to trust one another," Sakura said quietly as she closed the cabinet door, her grim reflection staring back at her from the glass. "When we meet with everyone again, we should inform them of this. Then we can discuss if we should attempt to dispose of these chemicals."
As Sakura turned to face her, Hina did her best to cease her shaking, but failed. Averting her gaze from the cabinet entirely, the swimmer squeezed her eyes shut…until a warm hand gently rested on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Hina. I'm sure that if we all work together, we can find a solution. And, if the need arises, I am willing to stand guard to ensure no one attempts such a thing."
"Why…?" Hina gently whispered…the bottle of Proteinzyme-X falling to the floor as she finally lost her grip. Momentarily distracted by the noise, Sakura was stunned when Hina's tearstained face shot up and shouted, "Why are you always putting everyone before yourself?!"
At the sudden accusation, Sakura flinched and unintentionally withdrew her hand. Before she had time to formulate an answer, Hina continued, "Why don't you think about yourself more?! Why do you always feel the need to put yourself in harm's way?!"
As she berated her friend, the swimmer felt a growing disgust for herself welling up. She had always admired the way that Sakura so willingly threw herself into danger to protect her friends. But now…everything was different. Ever since their conversation last night…
Last Night…
"…Sakura…no…it…it can't be true…"
Aoi Asahina, her eyes widen with sudden terror and realization, stood before Sakura, the only witness to her betrayal. Monokuma had just departed, leaving the two of them alone.
All at once, the martial artist felt all of her courage…the willpower to face Monokuma…the strength she'd managed to hold onto until this moment…completely fade into nothingness. The one person she hoped to keep her deception from…was now at the forefront of her betrayal.
The hurt…the pain…the confusion…the terror…all of it was visible in Hina's bright blue eyes as she stared at her friend, tears streaming down her cheeks. Sakura wanted to reach out…and wipe those tears away…but knew that such a thing was now forever beyond her ability.
There were no words. Sakura couldn't even force herself to take a breath as all of her guilt and despair began to close in on her.
That is…until someone else opened the door leading to the gymnasium. At once, Hina and Sakura shifted and watched as none other than Makoto Naegi walked through the doors, a perplexed but somewhat relieved expression on his face.
"M-Makoto?! What are you doing here?!" Hina abruptly stammered, his presence adding even more confusion and horror to the situation.
Sakura flinched as she acknowledged that she'd been discovered by not only Hina, but now Makoto as well. And even though she held great respect and trust for the lucky student, especially considering his drive to keep everyone from killing each other, that didn't forestall the icy chill of terror tingling up her spine.
With the question hanging in the air, the lucky student noticeably hesitated, as if debating about whether to lie or simply avoid the question. Makoto wasn't very good at lying. He was the sort of person who looked physically uncomfortable any time he wasn't being completely honest. Which made it all the more nerve-wracking as the two women waited for his answer.
In the end, he surprised both of them.
"I was…doing a little investigating, checking out the hidden room in the boy's bathroom Monokuma mentioned…when I heard what sounded like fighting," he explained, meeting both their gazes effortlessly. "I thought someone might be in trouble, so I came running…but it looks like everything's finished now. If you don't mind, what exactly happened?"
His question was innocent…and reasonable, but almost impossible to answer. He was obviously confused, and it didn't seem as though he knew exactly what he discovered. After all, only Hina had witnessed her betrayal, he simply was investigating a disturbance. But regardless, Sakura felt no need to keep the truth from him…or at least that's what she intended before Hina spoke up.
"I-I-I asked Sakura to teach me some fighting moves!" she abruptly shouted; her voice nearly cracking. A heavily forced smile found its way to her lips as she blatantly lied, "I wanted to get stronger, so that I wouldn't be tricked by…anyone…ever again."
Sakura couldn't keep her eyes from widening as Hina's words echoed around her. Sakura had expected hatred…she had expected Hina to seethe and spit venom the same way she'd done when Celeste had betrayed her. But…it didn't happen.
Instead, Aoi Asahina…the girl who had suffered through the pain and agony of betrayal only a few hours ago…was lying to protect her. Even after witnessing her betrayal, even after acknowledging that her 'best friend' had willingly turned against not only her, but the entire class…she still chose to defend her.
Sadly, instead of feeling grateful for such an action…all Sakura could feel was the hurt. A deep, resonating pain began to course through her as she watched in silent horror as Hina willingly threw her lot in with a traitor.
"Oh? Is that all?" the lucky student replied, still confused but seeming much more at ease. "Geez, you guys really scared me for a second there! I thought someone was being attacked or something!"
"N-Nope! Just…sparring and stuff!" Hina immediately covered, her smile shaky.
If anyone other than Makoto had found them, there was no doubt that they would have questioned every aspect of the situation. Sakura didn't even want to think about how horrifying this would have been if someone such as Byakuya had discovered them…but in the end, it really didn't matter who ended up finding them.
Watching Hina lie…just to protect her, somehow hurt even more than the weight of her betrayal. Unintentional though it might be, Sakura felt as if she was forcing her best friend to betray their classmates…just to keep her secret.
And that…is one thing the martial artist could never stand for!
"It makes sense why you'd come to the gym then," Makoto continued, blissfully ignorant. "I guess, this is the best place if you want to practice martial arts and stuff!"
Nodding almost frantically, Hina concurred, "Y-Yeah! That's right! Ya see, Sakura offered to teach—".
"Hina…that's enough."
Sakura found herself speaking almost without realizing it. She couldn't bear to watch her best friend lie for her…not even for one more second! And although she was now forced to endure the pained expression slowly overtaking the swimmer's face, she steeled herself as she stepped toward Makoto glancing down at him with utter shame in her eyes.
The truth had been discovered, and Sakura couldn't keep the secret any longer…no matter how much she appreciated Hina's sacrifice. It was time for her to face the consequences of her actions. This is what needed to be done. And although it filled her with joy to know that even after discovering her betrayal, Hina still believed in her, she could not let her friend take such a path.
This was her path of atonement…and she would walk it alone.
"I am prepared to answer for my mistakes…for my betrayal."
Tears erupted from Hina's face once more, while Makoto sported a perplexed expression. He met Sakura's gaze, and somehow, she suspected that he'd already figured it out in some capacity. Regardless, she needed to speak it aloud, more for herself and anyone else.
"As Byakuya surmised, there is a traitor among us…and that traitor…is me." She paused, waiting as the shock and horror settled into the lucky student's face. Once he appeared to be past the initial shock, she continued, "Monokuma approached me before the first…incident. He made an offer that I was unable to refuse…and I came under his employ—".
"Not willingly!" Hina suddenly shouted, gripping Sakura's arm and tugging on it. "I heard everything! You were only trying to keep your family—!"
"Regardless of the circumstances, the fact remains that I willingly chose to betray my classmates…my friends. And that cannot be undone."
"But…But—!" the swimmer practically wailed, squeezing the martial artist's arm tighter.
Hot tears, filled to the brim with despair and desperation, streaked down her cheeks. She shook her head, as if trying to deny the harsh reality, warm droplets sprinkling onto Sakura's muscled bicep. All the while, Sakura was frozen in place, feeling completely incapable of comforting her dearest friend.
She desperately wanted to pat the swimmer's head…whisper that everything was going to be okay…but she knew it wasn't. Now that her betrayal was known, albeit only to two of her classmates, it would only be a matter of time before she was compelled to inform the rest of her class…and face punishment.
"Okay…hold on a second," Makoto abruptly said, his tone a bit hesitant but still firm. "So, Monokuma forced you to spy on us by holding your family hostage, right?"
"…Regardless of the circumstances, I still chose to side with Monokuma," Sakura insisted, not wishing to make excuses. "I was even ordered to commit murder if no one else took the initiative…"
"But…you never did? I mean, no one's died yet, and you still haven't tried to hurt anyone," the lucky student pointed out.
A part of Sakura felt the tiniest hint of relief at Makoto's choice of words. He almost assuredly chose to say, 'hurt anyone' rather than 'murder anyone'. His compassion seemed almost boundless, but despite his evasive words, Sakura couldn't escape the guilt of what she had almost done.
"That is because, after the bullying trial system was established, Monokuma told me to wait. It seemed almost on a whim that he chose to do so, but—".
"See! She didn't hurt anyone!" Hina cut in, trying to salvage the situation as best she could. "Sakura even cut ties with the Mastermind just now! I heard her say that she wouldn't help them anymore—!"
"Be that as it may," Sakura spoke over her friend, her guilt worsening with each attempt Hina made to lessen her betrayal. "I won't deny that for a time, I did consider murder if it meant saving my family…and there can be no forgiveness for that."
"That's not true!" Hina insisted, hands tightening around her arm almost protectively. "Everyone makes mistakes! Sayaka, Leon, Mondo, even Taka! Each of them almost ended up becoming blackened! But it wasn't their fault! And it's not your fault either! It was that damned teddy bear! I forgave them and I'll forgive you too!"
While Sakura couldn't deny that she'd longed to hear those words, particularly from Hina…forgiveness couldn't erase the crime she'd committed. And beyond all that, even if somehow all of her classmates could find it in their hearts to forgive her…she would never forgive herself. And because of that…because she now knew that Hina would defend her to the last breath…she had no choice but to intervene.
Looking straight into Hina's watery blue eyes, the martial artist firmly said, "…I am sorry, but now that I have turned against the Mastermind, it is only a matter of time before they retaliate against me." Hina began shaking her head again but Sakura somehow powered through and finished, "Sooner or later…I will face punishment for my actions. Be it at the hands of the Mastermind…or the dear friends that I have betrayed—".
All at once, Hina tore her arms away and instead gripped the collar of Sakura's uniform, tugging and pleading desperately.
"No! Please…please don't do this! You don't have to tell anyone! I'll keep your secret, I swear!" She spun her tearstained face toward Makoto and pleaded, "Please…Makoto PLEASE! I'm begging you…don't tell anyone about this! I…I can't…I can't lose another friend!"
For a moment, Sakura felt her resolve weaken. Knowing that her decision caused so much agony for Hina…it was almost unbearable. But at the same time, Hina's desperate pleas, while well meaning, only further amplified her guilt. Not only that, Sakura knew that if she allowed Hina to keep this secret, it would only drag her friend down into the depths of despair along with her.
Tomorrow morning, Monokuma would most likely announce her betrayal, throwing her to the proverbial wolves that were her classmates. And after watching how the class dealt with Celeste's betrayal, she could only imagine how insufferable Byakuya's judgment would be once it was confirmed that he was correct about a spy all along.
Before she could try and explain this to Hina, the lucky student decided to chime in.
"Sakura…are you really sure about this?" Makoto said, his hazel eyes somehow able to meet her gaze. "Because if you are, I won't stop you—".
"Makoto!" Hina blubbered before he gave her a smile…a hopeful smile that seemed to startle her.
Turning that hopeful smile toward Sakura, the lucky student continued, "But I think you should wait just a little bit longer before telling everyone else."
Puzzled by his suggestion, the martial artist asked, "And why is that?"
"Because, if you tell everyone you were a spy for the Mastermind right now, with everything that happened with Cele—I mean, Taeko…it might be better to wait for everyone to get a clearer head."
Sakura inwardly flinched at his suggestion. He made a valid point. Everyone was still very much on edge after Taeko's trial, and if she announced her betrayal this soon afterwards, it would only cause a deep rift to form between everyone. At the same time, she hated the notion of putting off admitting to her guilt…and there was another issue.
"Do you really believe that Monokuma won't expose my betrayal before then?" She pointed out, watching as Makoto's expression became sullen. "After all, the Mastermind can hear everything we are saying, right now. And they have no reason to afford me any such comfort."
"That's true…" Makoto concurred, seemingly about to relent. However, he shocked her when he instead said, "But if the Mastermind doesn't mention it…would you be alright with waiting? Even just a little bit longer?"
A bit skeptical, the martial artist replied, "I am sorry, but I must ask why you would prefer me to wait. As it stands, I would prefer to have my crimes out in the open as soon as possible. I have lied to my friends for long enough…"
Makoto could obviously feel her trepidation, but didn't even flinch as he offered, "I was thinking we could try and find a way to break the news to everyone in a better way. I can't think of anything right now, but if we have a little more time, maybe we can find a way to help alleviate some of your guilt? You know…talk this out and try to find a better solution, together."
At this, Hina's head popped up, the faintest glimmer of hope returning to her eyes. "Y-Yeah! I mean…at the very least, we can do this together! It's better than…making you do everything alone…"
Both Sakura and Makoto could see that Hina was approaching her breaking point, and neither of them wanted to push her right now. She was only able to speak between sobs and was constantly wiping away fresh tears that wouldn't cease. It wouldn't take much to push her over the edge.
Besides, Makoto's logic was solid. It wasn't as if Sakura planned to awaken all of her classmates tonight and spread the news tonight. She would undoubtedly want to do it tomorrow…but now she wasn't quite so sure.
Again, Sakura hesitated before answering, "I highly doubt that the Mastermind would allow me such comfort, but…if that were the case…"
She paused, looked between Hina and Makoto, both of them eager for her decision. Finally, after a few agonizing moments of silence, she spoke:
"…I have lived with the guilt of my betrayal for weeks now…I suppose another day won't make much difference."
At once, Hina's expression shifted. Finally, her eyes appeared to begin clearing up as she wiped away tears one final time. A nervous but hopeful smile overtook her, and she immediately wrapped her arms around Sakura.
"…Thank you, Sakura…! Thank you…!" she exclaimed, refusing to release her iron-like grip on her friend. "I promise you; we'll figure out something! I won't let you die! I swear it!"
Although appreciative of her friend's words, Sakura couldn't stop the twinge of pain in her chest. Sadly, there was no way that the martial artist could convince herself to be hopeful. She'd been prepared to die for her betrayal, and she still was. Sooner or later, either by Monokuma's hand or someone else's, her life would come to an abrupt end. There was no escaping that reality.
Regardless, she chose to allow herself a moment of peace as she returned Hina's embrace. The warmth from her friend gave her the strength to continue maintaining her lie for a short while longer…but she knew it was only a matter of time before her conscience got the better of her and she confessed to the rest of her classmates.
Pulling away from her friend, Hina turned and directed her gaze toward the lucky student. "Now it's your turn, Makoto. Promise me that you'll keep this a secret," she insisted, her expression hardening.
"Right…I promise you, both of you, that I won't say a word of this to anyone."
"Do you swear?" Hina harshly questioned.
"I swear," he replied with no hesitation.
"Even if Kyoko asks you about it! Would you lie to her to keep your promise?!" the swimmer suddenly accused him, both surprising him and causing his cheeks to flush.
"W-What does Kyoko have to do with this?!" Makoto couldn't stop himself from asking.
"Just answer the question!" Hina demanded, forcefully but not angrily.
"I-I promise! Even if…Kyoko asks me about it, I won't tell her…not until Sakura's ready to tell everyone!"
Hina frowned a bit, then sighed, seemingly satisfied. "Okay…I believe you. That said, Makoto…"
To both Sakura and Makoto's shock, Hina's face suddenly darkened…almost turning sinister. With a voice more vengeful than either of them thought possible, she said, "If you betray Sakura…in any way…I swear that I will make you regret it. Remember that."
To say that Sakura and Makoto were taken aback was an understatement. Neither of them had been prepared for such a statement.
"H-Hina…" Sakura began before being cut off by her classmate.
"W-Well, I guess I better keep that promise then! Haha…"
In true Makoto fashion, the lucky student somehow managed to shake off that deadly warning with nervous laughter. Sakura, still very concerned with Hina's behavior, tried to speak up but was once again too slow.
"Good…I'm counting on you," Hina told him before turning toward a perplexed Sakura. "We should probably go back to our rooms. People will get suspicious if they see the three of us together at this time of night."
Still a bit shocked by her friend's vengeful attitude a moment ago, all Sakura could do was nod in agreement. "Yes…that might be for the best," she replied, almost automatically.
"I'll head back first then," Makoto offered, seemingly unaffected by Hina's actions a moment ago. "That way, if someone spots me, they won't know it had anything to do with you two."
"Good idea," the swimmer concurred, seemingly back to her usual self. "We'll wait a bit then head back to Sakura's room for the night. That is…if we can still room together tonight?"
Although her behavior only a few moments ago still perturbed her, Sakura found herself smiling as she answered, "Of course. You may stay with me as long as you like."
Hearing this, a bright smile found its way onto Hina's face. "Thanks Sakura…"
Despite the unease caused by Hina's aggressive remarks to Makoto, deep down, Sakura knew it was all done out of desperation. She couldn't help but draw parallels between herself and her best friend. Both of them were willing to do…unspeakable things, if it meant keeping those they cared about save. It was a harsh realization, but one that neither of them could ignore.
As Makoto departed first, waving at them as he went, Sakura turned to her friend and said, "Hina…if I may, I wanted to—".
"I know what you're gonna say…" Hina told her, looking a bit ashamed. However, she straightened up, hardening her features as she said, "You want me to trust Makoto…and honestly…I really want to…but after what…Celeste did…I can't fully trust anyone."
It hurt to hear those words from her best friend, and even though she told herself she wouldn't, Sakura mentally cursed Celeste for influencing Hina like this. However, this was also brought about because she hadn't been strong enough to resist the Mastermind's influence. She was just as much at fault for Hina's transformation as well.
"No one…Except for you," Hina continued, smiling up at Sakura. "I know I can trust you…because I saw it. I saw that you chose to betray the Mastermind…putting your family at risk…because you knew it was the right thing to do. I know how much you must be hurting right now…worrying if your family will be alright…but you don't need to worry…I'll be the one to protect you this time!"
Hina's words should have filled her with warmth and admiration…but for some reason, something in her tone frightened Sakura. Even though her best friend had forgiven her and was willing to keep her secret to protect her…something felt off…but Sakura couldn't quite place it.
"Okay, we should get going!" Hina told her, heading for the door. Just before Sakura began to move after her, the swimmer turned around and told her, "We'll make it through this…together. I promise."
For an unknown reason…Sakura got the impression that she wasn't including her classmates in that statement.
As the night's events replayed in both their heads, Hina was the one who continued to speak.
"We should definitely tell the others about the poisons, but there's no need for you to go out of your way to keep them safe! I say we just dump them all out right now—!"
As she reached for the glass cabinet door, Sakura's hand grabbed her arm, stopping her without hurting her. Looking up at her friend in shock, the swimmer was about to question her when Sakura spoke.
"We can't do that, Hina."
"And why not?!" she protested, angrily glaring at the life-ending mixtures.
"Monokuma might consider it a rule violation, 'destruction of school property'," Sakura explained, showing that she'd already considered this option. "And even if it wasn't considered a violation, there is no guarantee the Mastermind won't simply replace them. The safest option is to tell our friends about it and plan what to do from there."
For a few moments, neither of them moved. Hina glared at the cabinet, while Sakura held her in place. Finally, after what felt like ages, the swimmer sighed and said, "You're right…sorry."
Releasing her arm, Sakura watched as Hina let it fall to her side, defeated. She then glanced toward the spilled bottle of Proteinzyme-X behind them. Walking over, bending down and scooping up the bottle, she was pleased to discover that most of the mixture had survived the fall. Some of it had spilled on the floor, but that would be easy to clean up.
"We're in luck, most of it is still usable. A wonderful find, Hina."
That finally earned a smile from the swimmer, even if it only lasted a few moments. "Yeah…sorry I dropped it."
"Is there more in the cabinet?" Sakura inquired, glancing toward the side with supplements.
"Uh, I saw at least three more," Hina answered, walking over and opening the cabinet again. Taking a moment to count them, she turned back and said, "Make that four! Four bottles of godly protein goodness!"
Moving over to her, Sakura looked them over and said, "I don't believe our friends would object to us taking them with us, do you? And if they inquire about them, we can always share."
Hina chuckled a bit, a welcome sound to the martial artist's ears, before replying, "Don't tell anyone, but I took some candy from the storehouse right after it opened…I've been hiding it in my room! I may be persuaded to give you some, if you ask nicely! I won't tell if you won't!"
The childlike playfulness of Hina's offer put Sakura at ease. Perhaps her fears about Hina's change in personality were not as terrible as she'd envisioned.
"Indeed, that sounds fine."
"Great!" Hina said cheerfully…before her features abruptly hardened. "Now that our investigation is just about finished, we should go find Makoto."
Taken aback by the sudden insistence, Sakura forced her anxiety away as she said, "Last I saw him, he was headed toward the music room. I believe he was investigating with Kyoko."
"Okay, once we have some time, the three of us need to talk…about last night."
Sakura tensed as she beat down the unease threatening to overtake her. Unfortunately, she was unable to hide her discomfort, which Hina noticed immediately.
"I-I just want to make sure we talk about everything together," the swimmer insisted, trying to alleviate her friend's worries. Glancing around, being as sure as she could that none of her classmates were eavesdropping, she whispered, "I'm…still against you telling everyone about…you know what. I think it's better if it just stays between the three of us."
"Hina…as I told you before—"
*DING*DONG*BING*BONG*
Before Sakura had a chance to object, the school announcement rang out. Both Sakura and Hina's gazes shot up to the nearby monitor, anxiously staring at it roared to life…
Meanwhile…
"…That should do it! All rooms on this floor have been thoroughly investigated!"
Taka's victorious tone echoed through the fourth-floor hallway as he, Mondo, and Chihiro finished their search. They had just exited the chem lab, noting all the dangerous substances sitting right next to the supplements, and already planning to make an announcement about that during the meeting that was soon to come. Chihiro breathed a sigh of relief, happy to finally be finished exploring. There had been a lot to discover…well, sort of.
The Headmaster's office and computer lab were locked, no doubt by the Mastermind. And although Mondo had suggested breaking down the doors, Taka reminded him that not only was that not proper school etiquette, but it would involve destroying school property, which would lead to 'punishment'. Frustrating as it was, they would need to leave those area's alone for now.
The classrooms were as empty as ever, aside from the cryptic scrawling on the blackboard. But what disturbed Chihiro the most…had been the teacher's lounge.
The flowers on all the desks hadn't perturbed Mondo or Taka, but Chihiro couldn't resist the sorrow she felt when looking upon the scene. Even if it was more than likely a cruel trick by the Mastermind, the sight of memorial flowers for the entire staff's passing chilled the programmer to the bone.
"Alright then, I believe this is the perfect time to practice your returning speech, Chihiro!" Taka abruptly suggested, clapping a hand on the programmer's shoulder and startling her.
She let out a small 'eep', but otherwise just stared up at him. Flashing her a reassuring smile, Chihiro took several deep breaths, fighting back her nervousness. She knew this had been coming but had hoped to prolong it just a while longer. Speeches were not her forte, and even though she wanted to get better at leading the class and deciding things for herself, she felt that reading a prepared speech was…disingenuous. And yet, she didn't trust herself enough not to freeze up and stutter…like she'd done earlier that morning. All the same…if practicing a speech would help improve her social anxiety, it would be worth it in the end.
"R-Right, I'll need to warn everyone of what we found…" she finally answered, trying to sound confident.
She must have failed however, because Mondo immediately frowned, took his hands out of his pockets and slammed his fists together. "And don't worry about anyone backtalking ya. If anyone gets out of line, I'll be sure to put 'em in their place!"
Chihiro winced a bit but appreciated his enthusiasm. Sadly, Taka was not as receptive to his show of force.
"Bro, I appreciate your…moxie, but physical intimidation is never welcome in a school environment!" the Ultimate Moral Compass insisted, turning away from Chihiro and facing his Bro. "And while I'm sure Chihiro appreciates the sentiment, any act of violence against another student would only serve to weaken her chances to unify the class!"
As he spoke, Mondo listened intently, slightly nodding his head…at least until Taka finished.
"But what if someone tries to rush Chihiro with a knife or something? I'm not just gonna stand by and let someone carve Chihiro into tiny pieces!" the biker insisted, not realizing he was making the programmer flinch with the idea. "I say we get Chihiro over to the boy's locker room and get started on bulking her up! You can never be too careful!"
For a brief moment, Taka paused to contemplate his Bro's suggestion. "…While political assassination is unlikely, especially considering most of our classmates have turned away from the killing game, it is always a possibility! After all, who knows what the Mastermind may do if Chihiro gains more influence!"
"That's what I'm talking about!" Mondo concurred; his fists clenched in anger. "What if we end up pissing off the Mastermind and they go after her instead of us! We need to be ready if that bastard bear tries anything!"
"A fine point, Bro!" the moral compass agreed. "It will be our responsibility to ensure our charge is kept safe as she reforms the school!"
Chihiro audibly gulped as they became more and more passionate…without even involving her. Their voices were so loud, echoing down the hallways without a care. They had become lost in discussing what needed to be done in order to shape her into the perfect leader. And although most of their suggestions made sense, Chihiro couldn't help but feel hesitant about everything they were discussing, especially returning to the place where she'd been…attacked. She knew her friends only wanted to help her get stronger, and she appreciated it, but at the moment…it felt like they weren't really doing it for her.
As those thoughts swirled in her mind, she didn't notice the footsteps rapidly approaching them from behind…until it was too late.
"I see, so that's your game."
Chihiro froze as a chilling voice of authority resounded from behind her. With a noiseless gasp, she spun around to see the bastard himself, Byakuya Togami, standing right behind her. However, much to her shock, he wasn't even glancing in her direction. No, his gaze was focused solely on Mondo and Taka as they turned and glared at him.
Chihiro's palms suddenly became sweaty when the Affluent Progeny glared down at her…a detestable smirk overtaking his features.
"How is it?" he plainly asked, reveling in her confusion before elaborating. "Playing the figure-head, I mean. How does it feel to be a pawn in a game you never knew someone was playing?"
"F-F-Figure-h-head?" Chihiro squeezed out, still entirely uncomfortable around the Togami Heir. She wanted to fight the fear that rose up whenever he spoke, but all she managed to do was tremble.
Without so much as blinking, Byakuya elaborated, "A figure head. A pawn. A front man. A mouthpiece. A puppet. Need I go on?"
"What did you call her?!" Mondo shouted aggressively, forcefully putting himself between the programmer and the Togami Heir, and unintentionally shoving the programmer backward. Fortunately, Taka was there to steady her, and they looked up just in time to see Mondo grasping Byakuya by the collar, the biker's fist reared back. "You ain't got no right to call her that after the shit you put her throu—!"
"Don't do it, Bro!" Taka called out, anxiously watching as the biker held his fist in place. Giving Chihiro a weak smile, the Moral Compass moved around her, carefully walked up to Mondo and laid a hand on the biker's fist. "His words are all he has to antagonize you. If you simply think of them as meaningless air, then he loses all power over you. Don't let him win!"
Mondo's face twisted in fury, watching as Byakuya expression turned smug. His fist shook, obviously wanting nothing more than to beat that smug look off his pretty face…but instead, he slowly lowered his hand and released the Togami Heir. Straightening his suit, Byakuya gave an amused huff.
"You're lucky to have such cool-headed allies," the Affluent Progeny proclaimed, his tone just as smug as before. "If they hadn't stopped you, it's quite possible you would've lost a hand."
A vein bulged as Mondo roared, "What the hell is that supposed to—!"
"G-G-Get away from Master!"
The trio's gaze snapped over to behind Byakuya, their eyes widening as they witness Toko, a handful of pepper in her hands, angrily at the three of them.
"I kn-kn-know how to u-use this! D-Don't t-think I won't!" she exclaimed, prepared to douse herself in the sneeze-inducing powder at any moment. "I d-don't care how much I h-hate giving her c-control! I w-won't let you h-harm Master!"
The atmosphere of this exchange quickly turned tense as Mondo, Taka, and Chihiro instinctively backed away as she approached. However, much to their shock, just as she encroached upon Byakuya, the Togami Heir held up his hand, stopping her instantly. Then, that same hand moved and pinched his nose, a disgusted grunt following.
"I believe I ordered you to be silent, and to not follow me around," he said cruelly, making Toko flinch. Her eyes widened, remembering his command from that morning to stop talking, and a look of shame overtook her. But the verbal abuse didn't end there. "I do not require your presence and I certainly won't tolerate that nauseating stench that radiates off you like a trash heap. Go wash up. Now."
Toko, now rendered silent, immediately began nodding, her face flushed despite the torment.
Throughout the entirety of their exchange, Chihiro, watching from behind her two protectors, found herself oddly fascinated by Byakuya's behavior. He was so sure of himself…composed, even at a time like this. A known serial killer at his back, and a pissed off biker ready to pound his face in…and yet, he showed no fear. Yes, the serial killer was fanatically in love with him, but instead of cowering at the prospect, he used to it ensure his safety! He even had the guts to order around said serial killer without so much as batting an eye! And while it wasn't fair to Toko, or her murderous other half, Chihiro couldn't help but be…'impressed' wasn't the right word, or at least, she didn't want to be impressed by the cruel heir's line of thinking. At the same time, the programmer couldn't stop herself from being the tiniest bit envious of Byakuya's resolve…
"If I had even a fraction of his confidence…then, maybe I could…"
In the midst of her pondering, it seemed that Byakuya had become almost disturbed by Toko's sudden compliance. Glaring down his nose at her, he said, "And drop the spice. I don't want to have you 'accidentally' inhale it and force me to explain my orders twice."
The pepper was scattered along the ground faster than any of the trio could see. Not even a moment passed before the Togami Heir let out a deep, annoyed sigh.
"What are you waiting for? Don't doddle, be on your way."
Byakuya's sharp tone further seemed to enthrall Toko, who clutched a hand over her…nether region as she rushed away, presumably to do as she was told. Before she got far, however…
"Y-You shouldn't treat her like that!" Chihiro found herself yelling, unsure of where the strength came from. Without hesitating, she continued, "Toko…she just wants to make you happy. Why can't you at least treat her a little nicer?"
"Well said, Chihiro!" Taka abruptly joined in, pointing an accusatory finger at Byakuya. "Your treatment of our fellow students is beyond atrocious! You should be ashamed of yourself!"
Byakuya's brow twitched, unaccustomed to being scolded. Chihiro was certain that any moment now, he was going to laugh and berate them for daring to question him. But instead, he merely glanced at them over his shoulder, his eyes unusually cold.
"Trash like her knows her place. Something you all could stand to learn." His cruel tone made the programmer's legs tremble but somehow, she managed to stay upright as the berating continued. "Besides, in case you hadn't noticed, she is perfectly content following my orders. It gives her purpose, where otherwise she would have none."
As his words bombarded her, Chihiro did her best to revive the fiery passion she'd displayed last night. She tried to enact the rage she'd felt when Alter Ego had been threatened, going so far as to envision Toko as her beloved AI program. She glanced to Mondo, who saw her beginning to tap into that fire inside, and saw the biker smiling and nodding to her, as if granting permission for her to get angry.
Feeling empowered by Taka's teaching and Mondo's courage, the petite programmer stepped out in front of them, steeling herself as she locked eyes with her tormentor.
"It's wrong to treat people like that! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" she fired back, overcoming her fear through seer anger. "Can't you see that using Toko like some kind of dog is—".
"Exactly what she wants."
Chihiro immediately became silent as Byakuya's cold words interrupted her. The Togami Heir scoffed and glanced toward Toko, causing Chihiro to the same. What she saw startled her.
Toko Fukawa was seething; teeth gritted, nostrils flaring, eyes burning with unfettered rage. And it was all directed…at Chihiro. As the intensity of Toko's anger washed over her, Chihiro felt her body grow cold and she lost her footing, tumbling backwards onto the floor. However, the programmer's gaze never left the sight of the enraged writing prodigy…too frightened to even say a word.
"A true leader…must be able to understand people." Byakuya's cold tone cut through the haze that paralyzed Chihiro, and all she could do was listen as he preached. "While it may seem that I am cruel to her, I am merely satisfying her desire…and as such, she is pacified."
The Ultimate Affluent Progeny turned his harsh gaze upon Toko, who immediately ceased her hostile nature the moment she noticed him. In fact, a look of shame crossed her face as Byakuya let out a scathing exhale.
"Begone with you. I won't say it again."
And with those few words, Toko spun around and sprinted off, consumed with the thought of following her Master's orders. As her footsteps echoed down the hallway, the Togami Heir returned his gaze to the trembling Chihiro.
"Leaders are born, not made. No matter how much a sheep may act like a lion, it doesn't change the fact that they were born helpless and weak." He paused, watching as Mondo and Taka flanked her on both sides, kneeling down to help her. Scoffing the Affluent Progeny continued, "Go ahead and continue with your farce, if you feel so inclined. However, we both know that you will never be an effective leader…not so long as you rely on those two to pick you up each time you fall."
Before she even knew it was happening, both Mondo and Taka stepped in front of her, their expressions twisted with protective rage.
"Shut the fuck up asshole!" Mondo shouted, slamming his fist into the wall to keep from laying into the Togami Heir.
"I agree but with less vulgarity!" Taka joined in, miraculously not scolding the biker for his sharp tongue. "Leadership is not a singular course! Anyone with passion and drive can be a leader! Insisting that your style of 'leadership' is the only viable one is the height of ineptitude!"
Huffing as if their words didn't even register with him, Byakuya turned his back and said, "You are correct that there are various 'types' of leaders, most of which lead their people astray. Regardless, I have neither the time nor patience to try and explain the obvious. Do whatever you wish. In the end, it won't matter. Sooner or later, the killing game will begin…it's a question of when not if."
Glancing over his shoulder at them, his eyes focused solely on Chihiro, his gaze compelling her to listen.
"If you cannot even stand up to me…how can you expect to protect anyone from the Mastermind?"
Not waiting for her guardians to protest for her, Byakuya Togami walked away, heading for the stairs leading to the lower floor. As he left, Taka and Mondo both scoffed before turning back to Chihiro with concerned but positive words.
"Don't let that bastard get to ya, Chihiro. He's just pissed about losing his seat of power so quickly!" Mondo assured her, giving her a pat on the shoulder.
"Indeed! It's obvious that he's trying to intimidate you into giving him back the position!" Taka concurred, smiling confidently. "But so long as Mondo and I are with you, we won't let that happen! Have faith in us!"
"Yeah…you're right." Chihiro gave them her best smile and nodded, her trembling starting to die down. "W-We should probably head back now; everyone should be finished investigating by now—".
*DING*DONG*BING*BONG*
All three of them froze as the school's announcement bell rang. Wordlessly, they looked up to the nearest monitor. Roaring to life with static, the monitor soon cleared up and seated in his usual spot, sipping some wine, was Monokuma.
"Attention Students! I know you're hard at work exploring, but I just couldn't wait any longer! All student…and I mean ALL STUDENTS, must report to the gym ASAP! That includes those hiding out or imprisoned in their rooms! Anyone who doesn't show…"
Monokuma made a throat slitting motion with its claw. They all knew that if they didn't comply, the bear wouldn't hesitate to kill them. Even if they wanted to chance it, based on the fact that the Mastermind hadn't 'punished' anyone yet, it was too great a risk.
"So get your butts in gear and get over to the gym! And don't bother asking 'why?'! You all know the drill by now! You have ten minutes to comply!"
Just as suddenly as it came to life, the monitor flicked off. Reflecting the faces of Chihiro, Mondo, and Taka. Their expressions had turned grim and they knew they had no choice but to acquiesce.
"Let's head for the gym…" Taka said, defeatedly. "I'm sure the rest of our classmates will do the same."
Although begrudgingly, Mondo concurred, "Y-Yeah, that's probably—".
"Wait! What about Celeste—uh, I mean Taeko?!" Chihiro abruptly asked, sweat beginning roll down her back. "W-We need to make sure someone goes and gets her!"
"O-Oh, right! That…is a concern," Taka stumbled for a moment, obviously embarrassed that he'd honestly forgotten about the imprisoned gambler. "Once we arrive at the first floor, we'll ask anyone we see if they've brought her, and if not, I'll fetch…her…myself…"
The confidence in his voice dropped. Chihiro could tell that he'd meant every word, but it quickly dawned on all of them how awkward and possibly destructive it could be for Taka of all people to try and get Taeko to do anything.
"No way, Bro! Not gonna happen!" Mondo suddenly retorted, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "We can't trust that lying bitch! I say we let someone else get her, and if no one does then—".
"M-Mondo! How could you?!" the Moral Compass sputtered in shock and disgust. Reaching out and grasping the biker's collar, Taka continued shouting, "Regardless of her crimes, we cannot abandon her to die like that! It would be the same as killing her ourselves!"
Although stunned into silence by his Bro's temperament, Mondo quickly found his voice again and said, "Who said anything about leavin' her to die?! I was saying that 'you' shouldn't be the one to go after her!"
Now startled himself, Taka slowly released his friend and said, "But…you were saying that—!"
Slapping a hand on his shoulder, Mondo looked him in the eyes and finished, "I was trying to say that if no one else goes and drags her ass to the gym, I'll do it myself! That's all!"
Obviously feeling embarrassed, Taka stammered, "O-Oh, I see! It seems I misunderstood! Very well then! Let's head to the gym for now—".
"No, I'm going to get her…right now!"
The pair was shocked when Chihiro abruptly volunteered herself. And before they had a chance to stop her, she took off toward the stairs, only turning back to call out, "We don't have much time! I'll meet you at the gym with Taeko!"
"Chihiro! Wait!"
"Hold up, god-dammit!"
Despite how difficult it was, Chihiro completely ignored their protests. Making her way to the stairs, the petite programmer couldn't stop hearing Byakuya's warning in her mind.
"A true leader…must be able to understand people."
In all honesty, she really didn't understand Cele—Taeko…she didn't even try to before. Surely there was a reason that Taeko had become the way she is. But…no one bothered to ask. They were content with just locking her away, treating her like a problem. And although her situation was entirely different…she knew the pain of being forced into isolation because of who you are.
Besides, no matter how much a jerk Byakuya was, Chihiro did see at least a hint of wisdom in what he'd said. At the same time, she wasn't sure if she would be able to help at all. Someone might already have gotten the gambler from her room…but that didn't matter. She had to make sure for herself.
"Taeko…could have killed me back in the infirmary, but she didn't! It doesn't matter her reasoning, she chose not to, so the least I can do is make sure she doesn't get executed for no reason!"
Not knowing how much time she had to get to Taeko and get her to the gym, Chihiro ran as quickly as she could, rounding the corner just at the top of the stairway leading down. It was then that she accidentally tripped over her own feet…losing her balance and tumbling down toward the stairs…
To Be Continued…
I know! I know! I've been gone for too long! I know and I'm sorry! Lots of issues happened! I moved to a new home, there were internet complications, my Mom had to go to the hospital, I had MASSIVE writers block…but in the end I managed to squeeze this chapter out and I'm proud to say I've already started on the next one!
So now, in true hunterofcomedy fashion, what do you think will happen next?! Will Chihiro be saved from a deadly fall? Will Taeko be rescued from 'punishment'?! What is Monokuma's new motive going to be?! Why are there always cliffhangers?! You'll have to keep reading to find out!
Again, sorry to be away so long, I hope it doesn't happen again, but you never know! However, I am SUPER happy about the number of people who have left comments/favorited/followed my story! Each time I got another notification I felt bad I'd been away so long but I'm ecstatic that so many of you haven't let me give up on this story!
Honestly without you all, I might have given up on it. So thank you for believing in me! Anyways, another announcement for you all, I'm gonna be doing a livestream of the first Danganronpa game on my YouTube channel not far in the future! I'll post to my twitter ( hunterofcomedy) when it's gonna happen so tune in if you feel like it!
Anyway, that's enough from me! Thanks again everyone and remember to keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!