A/N: Here's Chapter Three Daily Life Part Three. As a trigger warning, this chapter does contain depictions of attempted suicide. Nothing gory or bloody or anything like that, but those who are triggered by attempted suicide depictions in fiction may find the first half of this chapter to be distressing, so viewer discretion is advised. If you still feel comfortable reading, then please review and enjoy!

Danganronpa 4: Next Generation Killing!

Chapter Three: Grief of a Sister and Suspicions of a Mother!

Daily Life Part Three: Emergency! Emergency!

Kiki let out the last of her fatigue with one big yawn as she finished tying her braid with her signature black ribbon. "Okay, I think the sleep I got last night put me in a better mood." She smiled, glancing in her bathroom mirror. "Okay, I'm gonna head down to the Dining Hall, grab a nice, big breakfast, and…"

*Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong*

Kiki frowned, walking out of her bathroom and towards her bedroom door. "That's weird, why is my doorbell going off so frantically?" Her concern only heightened as she saw a frazzled Shuichi standing across from her. "Shuichi? Why are you so out of breath?"

"Kiki…you gotta come to the Dining Hall, quick! I…I didn't know who else to come to…" He wheezed, skin seemingly covered in sweat.

Kiki raised an eyebrow as she nodded. "Okay…I was going to the Dining Hall anyway…what, is there a line for Kirumi's cooking or something?"

"It's worse than that!" Shuichi exclaimed. "We were sitting down for breakfast when we heard a scream coming from the kitchen."

"A…scream…?" Kiki felt a tingle of dread down her spine as Shuichi nodded frantically.

"Yeah, we rushed in, and we saw Clover…and she was holding a knife-"

"A KNIFE?!" Kiki's eyes widened in shock.

"Yeah, you gotta come and help…right away…" Shuichi trailed off as Kiki left him in the dust, rushing to catch up with her. "Hey, wait for me!" He called as he ran after her.

This is worse than I thought! She thought as she dashed down the hall. Clover…please don't do anything to hurt the others…or yourself…

"A KNIFE?!" Koto and Kiri exclaimed, their faces turning pale as sheets.

"I guess Clover's depression was worse than they thought." Maki commented.

Makoto nodded. "Yeah…Taka's grief never got this bad when he got depressed after Mondo's death."

"Indeed." Kyoko concurred. "I would have honestly preferred his zombielike unresponsiveness or even his energized Kiyondo persona over a case of attempted suicide."

"…Sui…cide…?" Koto and Kiri asked curiously.

"…When someone kills themselves." Mokubo explained.

As Koto and Kiri gave nauseous nods, Makoto prayed "Hopefully Kiki can get there in time to stop Clover form hurting herself or someone else."

"Let's just hope she doesn't get hurt in the process." Kyoko muttered, all of them hoping that the incident would get resolved without any blood being shed.

"LET ME GO!"

What…the…hell…? Kiki thought as she burst into the Dining Hall.

Her eyes widened as her jaw hung agape. Clover was thrashing on the floor, gripping a kitchen knife in her hand as Seven and Gonta pinned her arms.

"Clover, stop!" Seven grunted.

"THEN LET ME GO!"

"Gonta cannot do that!" Gonta shook his head. "Gonta cannot let you hurt yourself! Gentlemen protect people from getting hurt, even from themselves!"

"They're right, Clover. Please, calm down!" Lotus pleaded, kneeling helplessly by Clover's side.

"GAH! LET ME GOOO! I WANT TO SEE MY BROTHER AGAIN!"

Lotus turned her head, her eyes brightening with relief as Kiki and a wheezing Shuichi approached. Still in a panic, her eyes darted around, anxiously biting her fingernails.

"Lotus-"

"Please…" Kiki froze as Lotus grabbed the hem of her skirt and stared pleadingly into her eyes. "Please…help her…I have no idea how to help her with this…so I'm begging you…please help Clover to stop this! I don't want to see her kill herself…"

Lotus…those are a mother's eyes.

Kiki could see the tears barely held back by Lotus's shaky will power. She frowned as she saw the fear and despair swimming within their depths.

This isn't the same as watching a stranger try to take their own life. This is a mother trying to save a daughter…she feels responsible for this, and she's completely distraught that this is even happening. She's desperate for someone, anyone to put a stop to this… Kiki took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. "…Okay…I'll do it."

Lotus nodded gratefully, releasing Kiki's skirt. She and the others watched Kiki cautiously approach. Her footsteps were as quiet as mice as she carefully knelt in front of the thrashing Clover.

"G-GET AWAY FROM ME!" Clover cried. "D-DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"…Okay, I won't touch you, Clover. Not until you give me permission." Clover let out a gasp of surprise, the shock overriding her struggle to escape and causing her limbs to lie still. "Clover…why…? Why did you grab a knife? Why are you trying to hurt yourself?"

"…Because…" Clover sniffled. "I…I want to see…my brother again. I'm…all alone without him. So I…I just want to die so I can see him again!"

"Clover…" Kiki sighed. "I can't even begin to imagine how you're feeling." Kiki shook the image of her own family from her head as she continued, "I know how much Snake meant to you, and I know you're grieving…but…this isn't the answer!"

"No!" Clover shook her head forcefully as tears trickled down her face. "This…is the only way! This is the only way…to see…my brother again…!"

"Do you really think he'd want you to die so soon?"

"Huh?" Clover blinked, staring incredulously at Kiki.

"Do you…do you really think Snake's spirit would want you to join him in the afterlife so soon? I remember talking to him before he died. I could tell that the most important thing in the world to him…was you, Clover."

"M…Me…?" Clover sniffled as Kiki held back her own tears.

"That's right. You meant everything to him, Clover. He always worried about whether or not he was being a good brother to you. I think he wanted you to live on, even if that meant without him. I think…if you killed yourself now…if you reunited under those circumstances…he'd be disappointed and sad."

"L-Light…"

"So please…" Kiki pleaded, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Let go of the knife. Please…don't kill yourself…"

With a sob, Clover dropped the knife, causing it to fall with a clatter. As Lotus swooped down to pick it up, Kiki nodded, causing Seven and Gonta to reluctantly release the grieving girl.

"There…I'm just glad you're safe, Clo-oof!" Kiki's eyes widened in shock as Clover tackled her, wrapping her arms around the amnesiac girl in a desperate hug. "Clover…" Clover's unintelligible wails echoed in Kiki's ears, causing her to sigh as she reciprocated the embrace. Clover…

"Wowee! Talk about an exciting start to the morning!"

Kiki groaned as she and the others turned to stare at Monokuma, who leaned against the entryway. His arms crossed over his chest as he grinned at them, his red eye glowing with glee.

"Hey!" Lotus glared as she pointed the knife threateningly at him. "What are you doing here?!"

"Why else?! Seeing someone so deep in despair that they were willing to commit suicide is just so extreme! This was certainly the start to the morning I needed!" Ignoring Lotus's growl, Monokuma taunted as Kiki hugged Clover just a little tighter. "Although…I am kinda glad you guys stopped Clover from killing herself. Having one of the deaths be self-inflicted with so many witnesses would have made the Class Trial so brief and boring!"

"…Get out…"

"Huh?"

Kiki turned her head, gritting her teeth as her eyes seemed to burn with fire. She narrowed her eyes in a dark, frightful glare that seemed to make everyone quake in their boots.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! NONE OF US WANT YOU HERE, SO GET THE HELL OUT, YOU SADISTIC DEMON!"

"K-Kiki…" Shuichi muttered in shock.

"Whoa! Who knew Kiki had such a powerful beast mode?! Alright, alright, I'll just enjoy the mayhem from outside, then. Nyohohohohoho!"

Once Monokuma left, Kiki let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the sobbing Clover's back. Clover…you've lost so much…and that demon bear that trapped us all in here only thinks of mocking us for our grief. Is there…is there anything the Mastermind won't take from us?!

"I…think I need a break…" Koto admitted.

"Yeah…me too…" Kiri conceded.

"I'll go make them a snack." Maki volunteered as she stood up.

Makoto nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Maki. Moku, you wanna go grab a snack too?"

Mokubo shook his head after a moment of contemplation. "I'm fine."

Kyoko frowned worriedly but nodded. "Don't feel the need to rush back. It looks like things have hit a lull anyway, so I doubt you'll miss anything critical."

The twins nodded, following their former babysitter out of the living room. Makoto sighed, his eyes drooping as he lamented how the chaos unfolding on the TV was affecting his family.

How much longer…? How much longer are we going to be put through this nightmare…? Kiki and the others are surrounded by the threat of death and betrayal. We should have protected her as her parents…but now we can only watch as she struggles to keep everything together.

Kyoko reached down and squeezed her husband's hand, as much for her own comfort as for his. Makoto stared into her pleading eyes, nodding as he squeezed back. Mokubo snuck a worried glance at his parents as they refocused their attention to the TV screen. He could see how they were trying to be strong for him and his siblings but held his tongue as he prayed for his big sister's safe return.

"Okay…" Seven sighed as Gonta closed the door behind them. "I've emptied her room of any dangerous objects."

That's a LOT of objects… Kiki thought as she glanced at the giant trash bag in Seven's hand.

"Gonta tucked her in her bed, so she should be safe." Gonta grimaced, still clearly distraught from the close call at breakfast.

"That takes care of things for now, but what do we do, going forward?" Ryoma asked them. "Having someone who's clearly suicidal is dangerous in a Killing Game."

"Well…Gonta and I can take turns keeping watch for tonight." Seven suggested. "That way, there will always be someone who can keep an eye on her."

"I can make sure to cook her meals." Kirumi suggested.

"I guess I can bring them to her when she's ready to eat." Kiki frowned at the defeated tone in Lotus's voice.

"I guess that's all we can do for tonight." Shuichi admitted. "We should leave the rest to Seven and Gonta."

"Don't worry." Seven nodded solemnly. "We'll make sure nothing happens to her."

"You can count on us!" Gonta forced a reassuring smile in spite of his emotional turbulence. "Gonta vows on Gonta's honor as a gentleman not to let anything happen to Clover!"

Kiki smiled sadly before she suggested, "Alright, let's…wait for Clover to recover." Hopefully she'll make some progress tonight…

With that, the others went their separate ways, praying for the grieving girl's recovery.

"Kiki…" The recuperated Koto and Kiri's hearts went out to their sister as they watched her drag herself back to her room.

"Onee-chan…" Mokubo uttered worriedly, not used to seeing his sister look so defeated.

"I've never seen her feel so…powerless…" Maki lamented as they watched her curl up on her bed.

Makoto and Kyoko frowned, worried about their daughter's emotional state. They let out a collective sigh.

"I just hope she can make it past this." Kyoko muttered. "She's strong, but she has her limits."

"…It's hard to watch…" Makoto admitted. "…As a parent, seeing my baby girl like this is difficult to watch. But…we have to keep believing in her. I have faith she'll make it through this."

"…Ever the optimist, aren't you?" Kyoko giggled, though she could tell her husband's smile was forced. "Regardless, you're right. We have to believe in Kiki."

"You can do it, Kiki!" Koto and Kiri cheered as Mokubo rolled his eyes, his lips tugging into a faint smile.

Somewhat rejuvenated, the family kept their attention on the TV screen, praying that Kiki would be able to weather the storm.

"What a way to start the morning…" Kiki mumbled as she laid on her side. "I wake up hoping to have a nice breakfast, only to find Clover about to freakin' kill herself…" Kiki sighed "I guess the scariest thing isn't that she was one step away from taking her life…it's that I can't understand her pain."

Her motive video flashed in her mind before she shook it away. She turned over to lie on her back as she stared up at the ceiling, gripping the sheets in frustration.

"I don't have my memories…I don't remember my family. So I can't really understand Clover's grief and pain. Just because I don't want any more friends to die…who am I to question her decision? I'd like to think killing yourself isn't the answer to losing a sibling or other loved one…but could I really say the same thing if I were in her shoes? I just…"

*Grumble*

Kiki's stomach growled, causing her to frown. "That's right, after everything that happened this morning, I never had the chance to grab breakfast." Kiki sighed and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Guess I should go and grab lunch or something…"

She lethargically got to her feet before she walked out of her room, hoping her big lunch would distract her from the discord with Clover.

"Lotus?" Kiki called out curiously as she saw the scantily clad woman approach down the hall, carrying two plates of food precariously with her hands.

"Hey, Kiki." Lotus smiled at the girl. "Just carrying these to Clo-whoa!"

Lotus tripped, barely managing to keep one plate balanced on her hand. Her eyes widened in a panic as the other slid smoothly off her skin.

"I got it!"

Kiki dove after the plate, her knees sliding on the floor. Just managing to catch it before it landed, Kiki winced from the friction against her knees.

"That was close…" Kiki sighed as she slowly stood up, handing the plate back to a grateful Lotus.

"Thanks, that was a close one." Lotus sighed, frowning guiltily. "Normally I'd be able to carry those no problem, but I guess everything that's been happening with Clover has been throwing me off my game…"

Yeah, no argument there. I think the incident this morning has us all on edge… Kiki admitted as her lips tugged into a frown.

"So, what are you doing out here, kid?" She asked curiously.

"Oh…I was just going to head to the Dining Hall…" Kiki admitted with a bashful smile "I…haven't had breakfast yet…"

"Oh yeah, that's right…" Lotus smiled at Kiki as she suggested, "Tell you what: if you help me carry Clover's food to her room, I'll make us a big lunch."

"Really?!" Kiki exclaimed in unbridled glee.

"Heh, I'm not as good as Kirumi, but I can still cook a perfectly good buffet."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kiki exclaimed as she snatched the plate back. "Let's go!"

Lotus sweatdropped as Kiki carefully walked forward as a brisk speed, making sure not to drop the plate in her hands. She giggled, shaking her head before she walked to catch up to the amnesiac girl.

Free Time Event #11: Kiki & Lotus!

"Mm!" Kiki gushed as she bit into her sandwich. "This is good!"

Lotus smirked and replied, "I would hope so; raising two girls means I have to be a good cook, or they don't eat."

I…guess that's true… Kiki sweatdropped before she swallowed the lump of food in her throat. "By the way…" Lotus looked curiously at Kiki as she asked, "…I don't mean to pry, but…what are your daughters like? You've mentioned before that they're important to you…"

Lotus nodded, replying "Nona and Ennea. Those are their names. In fact, they're probably not too much older than you."

Kiki nodded, reflecting, Not much older than us…to think her own daughters…are the same age as some of us that are participating in the Killing Game…

"…I suppose that's why I've become attached to you and Clover."

"M-Me and C-Clover…?" Kiki repeated in surprise before Lotus nodded.

"That's right. You see…a decade or so ago, my daughters went missing."

"M-Missing?!" Kiki's eyes widened in shock.

Lotus nodded. "Of course, I was terrified. I had no idea what happened to them, or where they were. But later…they came back. I was relieved, of course, but I needed to know what had happened to them, where they were, who had taken them."

Right…I guess it makes sense that they were kidnapped, but for what…?

"But when I asked them what had happened during their disappearance…remembering seemed to pain them so much. I couldn't bear to make them relive whatever horror they experienced, so I dropped it. Eventually, it all became nothing more than a distant memory."

"Lotus…I'm…"

"It's okay, don't worry yourself on my account." Lotus's smile faded into a sigh as her eyes lowered in sadness. "When I see kids as young as you, forced into something that might even be scarier than my daughters experienced, then…" Lotus's angry grip hardened around her glass, the matriarch growling, "…As a mother, it really makes my blood boil!"

Realizing how hard she was gripping the glass, Lotus released her hand. Her eyes softened as she let it fall beside her plate.

"In a way…I feel responsible for you kids. When I look at you…I don't see much of a difference between you and my actual daughters. So…I feel like I have a personal reason to get out of this place. Not just to see my own daughters again…but also to make sure all of you can get out too."

"Lotus…" Touched, Kiki smiled appreciatively at the mother sitting across from her. "I'm glad we have you with us. I bet you're a great mom!"

Lotus laughed, grinning at the young girl. "Is that so? Well, that means a lot coming from you. I'm…sure Nona and Ennea would love to meet you."

"I'll be looking forward to it when we get out of here." Kiki giggled. "Tell me more about them! I'd like to know!"

"Alright, well first, Nona…"

As Lotus babbled proudly about her two daughters, Kiki listened intently, smiling and giggling at the stories. Lotus…even if you're not my mom…it means the world to me that you think of us like your own children. I'm really glad I got to know you better!

"Dad, can Lotus be our second Mom?" Koto asked.

"No way, she doesn't even know us!" Kiri sniped. "She barely knows Kiki!"

"So? She sees Kiki as one of her own children! Why not us?"

"That's just because she's the only parent in the group!"

"…Baka…" Mokubo muttered, shaking his head as the others sweatdropped.

"Out of anyone, I think I've earned the title of Second Mom, considering how much I took care of them…" Maki grumbled.

"Still…it's good that Lotus is there to help out." Makoto pointed out with a smile.

"Indeed, hopefully her maternal instincts will come in handy during the rest of the Killing Game…" Kyoko prayed.

Her husband nodded, hoping that Lotus would prove valuable to their escape.

As Monokuma's nighttime announcement echoed in Kiki's ears, she crawled under the covers. Letting her muscles relax as her hair draped over the blankets, she let slumber claim her with less resistance.

I hope Clover's emotional state improves tonight. She deserves better than to suffer with the pain and grief of her brother's death. I…I wish I knew how to help her…but unless she improves…I'm…powerless to do anything. I…I wish Kaede was here…she'd know what to do…

"In a past life, I was a fish. I grew up in a pond in a provincial town, but…I always dreamed of the city. One day, while my parents were feeding, I…snuck away to go to the city. Fortunately…I was caught by a wealthy person, who let me attend human school. But the other kids bullied me."

"They bullied me for…silly reasons. Because of my odor…and because of the way I would flop around on my desk. And because of the way my mouth opened and closed, as if I was dying. The trauma of my past life…haunts me to this day. That's why I can never forgive bullying! I swear on my past life that I will punish all bullies!"

"…As usual, Monokuma makes no sense…" Kyoko sighed as the screen faded to black.

Makoto nodded, crossing his arms and scowling. "Yeah, he's the biggest bully of them all. Well, technically I guess that honor belongs to Junko, but still…"

Kyoko giggled as she shook her head. "Come on, let's head to bed, shall we?" She suggested as she stood up.

Makoto smiled and got to his feet, concurring "Yeah, I think we could all use it after today."

Grimacing as they recalled the incident that shook them to their cores, the husband and wife walked away from the TV and towards their bedroom. As they crawled into bed, they hoped that tomorrow would bring a better day than the past hours did.