ACT 4: Flight of the Titans

Chapter 1: Reunion


Day 12

Tartarus Keep

20:30

Main Hall

"Fitzgerald-kun, you're alright after all! We were all so worried."

"Hell, yeah. Finally, something good happens for a change."

"Welcome back. What we could do without you?"

"It's... good to see you again... Even with that."

"Can't say I miss your presumptuousness. But at least you're on our side."

"Great to see you back, Fitzgerald. After so many deaths, it's good to see life again."

If I could say so for myself, the normally stoic and antisocial Ultimate Private Detective was blushing at the attention he was showered in. He tried putting up the same old stoic face but not even he could hide the surprise at being surrounded by a bunch of excited people who were simply overjoyed with seeing him alive again. After trying his best to push everyone away by being a pompous ass as part of what his line of work required, he probably wasn't ready for this. When Monokuma presented us with the very first motivation for murder, it was Fitzgerald who proudly declared he was not affected due to not having anyone to be attached to, and now there were at least eight people giddy at his return. With so many of us getting killed or becoming killers, any opportunity to replenish our ranks with fine souls was welcome.

"No need to get so clingy," said Fitzgerald. Minako was giving the dirty detective a big hug while I and the others stood at a distance he no doubts considered uncomfortably close. "I didn't expect you all to miss me so much. Why's the change of heart? Except for Minako, of course."

"Stop acting like you are a pariah or something," said Rin. "You're one of us. It's natural that we are overjoyed to see you survive."

"That Cerberus really messed you up good, didn't it," El Viento noted. "When I saw you after we emerged from the dungeon, I thought you were a goner. And yet you not only lived but were able to recover so soon. Your inner strength is impressive."

"Less of that and more of Monokuma's advance technology," said Kai, indicating Fitzgerald's arm.

"Fitzgerald, your arm, it's...," Inu began. The Ultimate Detective didn't come back whole. His right arm which had been badly mauled by the Cerberus had been fully amputated and replaced by a mechanical one. This one seemed particularly well-crafted and futuristic with none of the wires, pistons, exhaust pipes, or rotors exposed as commonly seen in steampunk fiction. In fact, it blended in quite well that looking from afar it might not be obvious that the arm was made of metal.

"It's fine," Fitzgerald assured me. He brought up his machine arm and it was surprisingly smooth, not to mention very light. I had expected it to function rigidly somewhat like the limbs of Terminators, but the way they moved wasn't so different from what normal human arms should. He was also able to clench and open his fingers and perform hand gestures with relative ease. "I understand the risks involved in my work. That is not the reason to step down. As a matter of fact, you can even consider this an upgrade. So don't fret over it."

"That looks so damn cool," Hokuto whooped. Had Eliza been here, her reaction would be the same except even more enthusiastic. He invited Fitzgerald for a handshake and the latter accepted. Hokuto was excited to find Fitzgerald's mechanical hand was quite dexterous and capable of operating as though it were his real. "I wouldn't trade my biological limb for that but, man, one of my co-workers back in my town lost an entire arm to a mining accident. Had to retire after that and settled down with a shop. He could certainly use one of these." And much better safety mechanisms, protocols, and less overworking, I presumed.

"The bear never ceases to amaze us," I remarked. Where most people would have been crippled for life by the injuries he sustained from that dungeon monstrosity, Fitzgerald came back healthy and able within mere two days. It took me longer than that to recover the use of my hand after it was stabbed by Hijiri. The level of power and expertise involved in this was mind-boggling.

"There's never a dull moment in this place, is there?" said Kai.

"A good thing or a bad thing?" asked Fitzgerald cheekily.

"Universally bad," Kai replied firmly. "If Monokuma hadn't been breeding monsters inside his basement, you wouldn't have been injured in the first place."

Despite general excitement, I couldn't shake off the feeling that losing an arm was a horrible thing. A crippling loss. Even the best replacement possible would still be inferior to having two normal arms as the way God had blueprinted humanity. The horrific image of my sister losing her arm which I had no knowledge of how it happened still burned in my subconscious and the fact Fitzgerald was acting as though losing his limb was a minor inconvenience was deeply unsettling. I wondered if he was like this from the start - the fellow seemed quite an oddity when I met him - or if the Mutual Killing Game had driven him edgy.

We had other issues at hand, though. And Fitzgerald coming back alive and healthy was a major boost to morale. It was for the better that we did not concern too much with the state in which he had returned.

"And what about you?" asked Rin, nodding at the woman accompanying the Ultimate Detective. She was quite messed up the last time we saw her and now that she had fully recovered much like Fitzgerald we almost didn't recognize her. "Fitzgerald said you went to Hope's Peak Academy based on what you were wearing back then. Is that true?"

"Well, thank you for finally noticing I am here," the woman replied, looking a bit annoyed that our attention was all absorbed by Fitzgerald so far. She looked much tidier than we last met and her blond hair was neatly combed and tied to a ponytail behind her head. Some spray had also been applied to her hair to keep it nice and clean. She wore business attire with a white blouse underneath a black coat, a black skirt, dark stockings, and black heels. She gave out an aura of professionalism that was in complete contrast to my previous boss at Wayne Industry. "The name is Bianca Grimm. Nice meeting you all. And as for your question, yes. I did study at Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate CEO until some unfortunate incidents cut short my tuition after only one year."

Bianca Grimm

SHSL CEO.

"One year?" Hokuto asked. "What happened?"

"Yeah, we were all supposed to go to that school as well," said Kai. "And now we are all here without any memory of our time there."

"Please, I want to know," Yume implored. "I... want to know if my parents are alright."

"Calm down you lot," Bianca replied. She sighed. "Look, I know you are all desperate to learn about what happened to the academy, but why don't we have a civil discussion instead of having me interrogated like I am a witch or something."

"I guess you're right," I said. While it was true that we were all dying for more information about the outside world at this point and this woman, as aloof as she was, was our best bet, for now. That said, I could not help but wonder if it was actually better that we didn't learn the truth. After all, Hijiri went mad and almost killed us all after watching that video explaining what happened to her. "We're very much in the dark about all of this."

"The feeling is mutual," Bianca replied sharply. "Why don't we sit down and discuss? Standing like while having a debate isn't my preferred style."

Our group plus the newcomer gathered around the main table which had been recently replaced following the bombing. There was anticipation written all over our faces as we pushed ahead with learning about our current situation.

"Before we get to that, I would like to congratulate you guys for completing a trial without my help," said Fitzgerald. "A shame what happened to Tatsuya and Eliza. Hijiri's attempt to kill us all doesn't come as a huge surprise to me. The symptoms have been there from the start. Perhaps we should have acted against her a bit sooner."

"So we should," said Rin.

"Too late for that now," I chimed in, not wanting to delve further into this steaming pile of shit. "Just move on."

"What's done is done," said Hokuto. "I don't defend her actions. But I admit my responsibility in letting it happen."

"What caught me off-guarded is Yume," Fitzgerald continued. His eyes turned to Yume who was cowering. Yume said Fitzgerald taught him something that would have allowed him to defend himself. Apparently, the two were closer than I thought. "I must admit out of all the people here, I was under the impression that he would be the last one to turn on us. It seems I was wrong."

"Sorry, Fitzgerald," Yume apologized tearily. He was one of the bright spots around here and his corruption was a major blow to the group's morale. "I... I let you down... I am... so sorry. I let myself become that which we both hated."

"You admit you were wrong?" I chuckled. "That's a first."

"I am still human, after all," said Fitzgerald. "I can only minimize bad decisions, not fully prevent myself from making them."

"How are you supposed to beat Batman now?" I asked, evoking our previous conversation about him wanting to be the greatest detective.

"Learning from my past mistakes would be a starting point," Fitzgerald replied calmly. "Besides, it's not like he himself is free from faults." The biggest of which, obviously, was donning a mask and placing himself above the laws as he fought to defend them.

"Ah, I like your ambition," El Viento remarked. "Though I must say it sounds like a Sisyphus's labor."

"There's no need to aim that high," said Kai. "Just... getting us out of here in one piece would be good enough."

What to do with Yume and Hijiri didn't cause as much of a heated debate as I had feared. For once, Rin showed restraint and didn't propose anything that contravened human rights, though I supposed she probably knew by now that there was a zero percent chance the rest of us would ever allow those methods to be employed. Forgiveness, on the other hand, was out of the question and even Minako admitted we shouldn't pretend that nothing had happened. Turning a blind eye to Hijiri when she made her first attempt on me was a grave mistake. Nevertheless, as guilty and villainous as those two were, they were still part of our group and we could neither get rid of them nor ignore their abilities as Ultimates. Those cakes and cookies that Yume made would be tainted with the taste of treason from now on.

In the end, Fitzgerald volunteered to keep an eye out for Yume. Meanwhile, Minako and Yume would take up the task of looking after Hijiri. Giving the task to Yume was disagreed by El Viento who considered the fellow untrustworthy and prone to acting on his own. The rationale was that Yume was the most motivated for the job and would be most or second most zealous when it came to persecuting her. Fitzgerald assured her he would not let Yume ever get to that which none of us was easy with. It surprised me how the Ultimate Private Detective had taken up the burden so soon after his discharge from the hospital. Perhaps he felt personally responsible for the fallout that happened while he was gone.

"Maybe you should take it easy," I suggested. He was a stoic bastard and his brand-new arm only served to fortify this stereotype I had about the fellow. Though his injuries and being out of commission proved he had his limits, I could not help but feel unsettled by the fact it took a full week for me to use my hand normally again after it was stabbed whereas Fitzgerald was able to come back from being mauled and even amputated in just two days. It really showed the kind of magic Monokuma could whip up. "I mean, you just got out of Monokuma's clinic with a brand new arm. That's not something to take lightly."

"You were seriously hurt back then," Inu stated. The fellow seemed intimidated by Fitzgerald's new arm. "I am surprised to see you even... walk, let alone... work."

"He's right, Fitzgerald-kun," Minako insisted. "You have been through much and need a rest."

"Last time we saw you, Fitzgerald, you were almost dead or becoming a zombie," Rin agreed. "I know neither of that happened and you got better now. But don't you need time to adjust to that?"

"Take it easy, man," said Hokuto. "We aren't a bunch of children that need to be babysat all the time." This was, of course, ignoring Monokuma's overbearing attitudes toward us. "We aced that trial without you, didn't we? You should count on us a bit more." Though I was reluctant to rely on Hokuto for anything other than putting our lives in further peril, I agreed with the overall sentiment.

"Yeah, let me do it," said Kai. "I have quite a good memory, remember? And don't worry, I won't let him out of my sight."

"I appreciate your concern," said Fitzgerald. He seemed to be on the verge of defending his point of view but then reclined. "Very well, I find your proposition appealing. Let's go with it then. I will entrust Kai to ensure Yume isn't a threat to the group." I wondered if that was necessary, to begin with. From what I could tell, the fellow was genuinely remorseful about the incident. Then again, desperation could be a factor that gauged his impulsiveness.

"You won't be disappointed," Kai promised.

"So back to the topic of Hope's Peak Academy," said Rin, turning to Bianca who was wearing a stone-cold expression. I could already tell she wasn't fond of not being addressed or able to contribute to the topic. Whatever business she used to run, it probably didn't have anything to do with security. She said she was the Ultimate CEO and I understood why she would feel that way. "What happened to it, Bianca? Can you shed some light on the matter for us?"

"If you are willing and able, of course," Hokuto added, reminding us this wasn't an interrogation.

"All of us are students of Hope's Peak as well," Minako explained. "But somehow we couldn't remember our time there."

"That bear took our memories away," I noted. We all knew the school had closed down in an article we read earlier, but how remained a mystery. This would have made even the shattering of Lehman Brothers look tamed. "None of us here have any recollection of what has happened over the last two or three years or so. I don't know why he did that but it's good to see someone with outside knowledge for once."

"We've been trapped here more than a week now," said Kai. "It's good to have someone who knows things that we don't."

"Very nice of you to finally take note of my presence," Bianca puffed up her chest now that she had our attention. She seemed to like it when all eyes were on her. "Very well, here is your answer. I was at Hope's Peak Academy for only a year before it all went to hell. Apparently, some cunt named Izuru Kamakura murdered the entire Student Council over the course of a single night."

"Izuku Kamakura," Hokuto mused. "That name sounds familiar."

"That's the founder of Hope's Peak Academy," said Kai.

"Wait, isn't he supposed to be dead?" I raised. "He founded the school seventy years ago, didn't he?"

"Maybe he's a zombie rising from the grave to destroy his very own creation," Hokuto uttered.

"Eeek! I... don't like the sound of that," Inu blabbered. "No... Not at all. I have had enough... of the living dead... already in this life."

"From what I saw, he might as well have been one," said Bianca. I doubted the Ultimate CEO was into jesting. "His expressions were lifeless."

"How foul," El Viento exclaimed. "To think one would be so corrupted by death and then by undeath that they would turn against the institution they once held dear."

"So the undead school founder killed the Student Council," I stated. It sounded ridiculous, but few things were beyond the realm of possibility when dealing with Monokuma and the Ultimate Despair. "What's next?"

"The incident triggered a huge riot," said Bianca. "Many of the students and teachers were killed. The school was closed down as a result. But it doesn't end there. Apparently, the fallout of Hope's Peak Academy was so massive that society began to turn against those with special talents. In turn, these individuals, led by one called Junko Enoshima, formed a cult to destroy the world that was hunting them like animals. They are the reason this whole world has gone to shit."

"The... whole world?" Inu stuttered. "You mean..."

"Everything is gone," said Bianca darkly. "Nations have collapsed. Societies are broken. Every human is out for the blood of their kinsmen. Who knows, we might even be the last vestige of humanity left on this earth."

"But how?" asked El Viento. "How could the downfall of Hope's Peak Academy trigger the end of the world?"

Hope's Peak Academy greatly influenced Japan. If it was that nation that had crumbled, it would have made sense. For the entire world to follow the same trajectory, I could not see how.

"That I cannot say with certainty," Bianca sighed. "Hope's Peak Academy has extensive connections with many powerful institutions on the planet, including governments and international organizations. But even that couldn't explain how the world quickly fell apart. From what I could tell during my captivity, though, it appears the Ultimate Despair has created something that can visually drive someone insane, turning them into murderous beasts or obedient servants."

"That video we found in the archive," I suggested. "It has all these weird effects that induce nausea. That might have been it."

"A convincing point," said Rin. "If the Ultimate Despair has managed to confer visuals into a brainwashing tool, that might explain why they were able to quickly convert the entire population."

"Hope's Peak Academy is widely covered in the media," Fitzgerald agreed. "It would make sense if the Ultimate Despair were able to convey their messages through that."

"And what about the students at the school?" asked Minako. "What happened to them?"

"Some joined the Ultimate Despair, others got murdered or committed suicide," said Bianca. "I don't know. I got captured and brought here shortly after the fall of Hope's Peak Academy by Sonia Nevermind."

"Nevermind?" I raised. "Does she happen to be the princess of Nosovolic?"

"That's her," Bianca nodded. Now we knew the true identity of the culprit behind the pair of zombified royals near the dungeon entrance. Bianca spent the next few minutes explaining how the Ultimate Despair had taken over the entire kingdom and turned its majestic castle into an experimental ground for hideous and unethical inventions - not at all different from what we had experienced. Aside from Sonia Nevermind and the rest of her class, Bianca couldn't pinpoint who else had membership in that accursed group due to her being captured and sent here at the onset of the Tragedy.

We all took a minute to let that fact sink in. Though we had all expected something horribly wrong to happen on a large scale, this was our worst fear coming true. The world had ended while we had no memory of it, not even how we managed to survive that unscathed before getting here.

"The parents," said Minako. "Are they...?"

"I don't see that chance being very high," said Bianca dismissively. "Those bastards really love tormenting those studying the Ultimate course, which I suppose all of you guys are. Everyone you know is either dead, insane, or held hostage. Good people aren't allowed to roam this Earth anymore. So don't have too much hope of ever seeing them again."

"Not necessarily the case," I chimed in. "Monokuma kept our loved ones until a week or so ago. He has since let them go."

"Really?" asked Bianca. There was a hint of bitterness in her voice. I knew the horror inflicted upon her by the Ultimate Despair and she cringed at the idea that Monokuma would be so honorable. "Doesn't sound like him. So don't count on it."

"We even went through hell because of that," said Hokuto.

"No way it was for nothing," Minako shrilled. "Two of us died to set them free."

"And you trust that damned bear?" asked Bianca.

"More than we trust you," El Viento declared. I hated to admit it, but the Ultimate Wrestler was right. As malicious as he was, the bear played by the rule and I would take his words above anyone else's. Besides, the idea that Kazuki and Akihiko had died for nothing was extremely unappealing, to say the least.

"How do you know anything if you were locked away in that dungeon?" Hokuto spat.

"Maybe the one controlling Monokuma is not the same?" Inu suggested.

"Kagyuu has a point," said Fitzgerald. "Grimm claims to know Monokuma, yet the one we know didn't recognize her or was even aware of the secret dungeon in this castle."

"How do you we know you're not a spy sent by him to...," Rin began.

"Guys, no need to get so aggressive," said Yume. He quickly shrank down as our eyes were on him. His old habits of breaking up fights truly died hard.

"Don't need to be shy, Yume, you are right," I called out. "We will not judge you based on your past record." That didn't mean we wouldn't be keeping an eye on him and Hijiri, though. The Ultimate Geisha didn't seem the least interested in this discussion and looked as though she could fall asleep at any moment. "Bianca, we will take your opinion into account. That doesn't mean we agree with it."

"See?" Bianca haughtily replied. "Isn't that a civilized way to disagree with me? Does it cost you anything to do so from the start?"

"I'll show you how civilized...," El Viento growled, almost standing up.

"El Viento, not now," Rin snapped. Now it was she who opposed using violence. The Ultimate Wrestler relented but her angry gaze didn't leave Bianca.

That wasn't civilized at all for her to talk to us like that, especially considering she wouldn't be here in the first place had it not been for our actions in the dungeon. But I digressed. She had not done anything against the interest of our group, something I couldn't say the same for at least three other people here.

"How long have you been here?" asked Fitzgerald. He, Inu, and Hijiri were the ones who didn't react with anger at Bianca's statement earlier. I reckoned that the former two didn't have anyone they could relate to outside this class and the latter's loved ones were confirmed in the hands of someone else.

"Two years, if I am not mistaken," said Bianca.

That meant two years of lost memories. That bit left much bile in my mouth. How many life-changing events I had missed? Was I actually who I was right now if my memories weren't wiped? Though I had confirmed my sister's safety, ignoring Bianca's rambling, what about everyone else? My parents, my colleagues, my friends - I still had no idea what became of them. The others in the class, barring Hijiri and Fitzgerald, expressed exasperation at this fact as well.

"Do you know much about us?" asked Minako. "How did we do at school?"

"Frankly, I am not the type who hangs around anyone, not even most of my classmates," Bianca admitted. "As the Ultimate CEO, it is my job to work to accomplish the results by working with as few people as possible." This sort of aggressive business hiring policy wasn't uncommon. Not that I would ever agree with it. "I do recognize some of you at Hope's Peak, although my interactions with your class are, frankly, minimal."

"Well, you had better get used to being with us from now on," said Rin. "I am Rin Yamamoto the Ultimate Policewoman, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Yamamoto," said Bianca. "That said, I already know who you are. Your reputation across Japan is quite astounding."

One by one, we all introduced ourselves before Bianca. Hijiri was reluctant at first but caved after some encouragement from Minako and threats from Rin.

"Is there anything else you can tell us?" asked Fitzgerald.

"Nothing except speculations," Bianca replied.

"So that's it?" asked Hokuto. "The end of this discussion?" Honestly, there wasn't much we learned here aside from confirming what we had dreaded before. Given what we learned earlier, it was unlikely Sonia Nevermind was behind this abduction and Mutual Killing Game due to her knowledge about the dungeon which Monokuma didn't have. Furthermore, Bianca proved to be a personality that turned people off.

"There is something else," said Hijiri. "Why don't you tell them about the one who had been pulling my strings all along?" It was rare to see her raising her voice like that and actively changing the topic of the conversation. Then again, the Ultimate Geisha was a self-serving rat, so this particular subject was to be expected.

"So you were being manipulated?" asked Minako hopefully. "I knew it. You could not have tried to kill us all with your own conscience."

"She still did anyway, though," Rin pointed out. "Still, I would like to hear what Amelda has to say about the identity of this third party that has been causing us grief."

"Tell us, Amelda," Kai urged. "Let us know the truth."

"So I see I'm not the only person with lots of secrets around here," said Fitzgerald.

Without any choice left, I explained to them everything I knew about Hijiri's former master. Much like us, he also hailed from Hope's Peak Academy and graduated as the Ultimate Gamer. Since childhood, he had relentlessly trained himself to defeat his opponent in any sort of mental competition. No matter how many prizes he won, no matter how much fame and glory he was surrounded with, no matter how high his skills soared, it wasn't enough and he kept pushing on towards perfection. His obsession caught the attention of the criminal lord Lex Luthor who pitted him against international law enforcement and many governments around the world, a challenge Nanami gladly accepted. The two wreaked havoc for several years and even managed to put the Justice League in a pinch more than once. Eventually, their villainous enterprise fell apart and both men were imprisoned on Stryker Island.

I was there in the trial that led to the downfall of Nanami. However, from what he said, his reason for going after me was that I murdered his daughter.

"Do you have no memory of killing her?" asked Minako, aghast by the revelation.

"Not at all," I told her. "I don't remember anything about my years in Hope's Peak Academy."

Bianca Grimm corroborated this point. Chiaka Nanami, the daughter of the man who wanted me dead and my supposed victim, did go to Hope's Peak Academy. How she died was unknown, though Bianca Grimm was certain that most of Nanami's class became members of the Ultimate Despair. Rin showed her the pictures taken on her tablet of the paintings on the lower floor and Bianca all but confirmed our fear that the people depicted had indeed fallen to the dark side.

"That's her," said Bianca. She pointed at the artwork depicting a man with outrageously long hair whom she identified as Izuku Kamakura (named after the school's founder) holding a slain girl in his arm. I didn't know it was Chiaki when I first looked at the picture. I couldn't see her face during the trial due to the game console being in the way. "She was the Ultimate Gamer. Quite a lovely girl, I might add. Quite smart as well. She managed to organize that anarchic bunch into a proper functioning class."

The inclusion of holy symbols above and praying/bowing humanoid figures surrounding the scene gave the picture a religious feel, though the implication was blasphemous beyond doubt. In the warped mindset of the Ultimate Despair, Chiaka Nanami was their martyr and messiah who showed them the meaning of their title. That said, I couldn't point out that she was evil. Aside from her demise, none of the pictures depicted her committing evils like her classmates.

"And her father?" asked Rin.

"Nothing," Bianca replied plainly. "Never saw him. Never heard about him. Didn't know she even had any parent." Which made sense considering Nanami's wife was long dead and he was likely in prison the whole time.

"Do you think he said the truth?" Hijiri asked. "That fiend put me through hell for that. He held the woman who I see as my own mother to force my hands."

I took a deep breath to steel myself. I needed to be assertive for once in my life. I was done being smacked down, humiliated, and threatened. Now was the time to take a stand. "I can't say for sure. But it doesn't matter at this point. Nanami is our foe and there is nothing to change that. His story might be tragic but there is no reason for him to take it out on all of us like that. It was because of him that Eliza and Tatsuya are dead. That son of a bitch will not have my sympathy."

"Never trust the words of a raving lunatic," El Viento agreed. "You are right, Amelda. No matter what accusations he levied upon you, we will always be at your side."

"Yeah, I don't care who he is or what we've done to wrong him. He's our enemy now," said Hokuto.

"If this Chiaka Nanami was one of the Ultimate Despair, then it was right for you to take her out," said Rin. "And now that bastard wants revenge? We'll show him justice."

"Serves them both right," Kai added.

"You seem like someone who wouldn't do anything that isn't necessary," said Bianca, addressing me with some interest. "I think I believe in you, Amelda."

"What do you think, Yume?" asked Fitzgerald. The Ultimate Baker had been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time.

"Doesn't change the fact I was the one who did it in the end," said Yume, almost soullessly. "It won't wipe the blood from my hands. I'm... sorry. I'm not in the mood right now."

There was a discrepancy between those who were convinced Nanami's claim made no sense and those who found my killing acceptable. Whichever the case, their reactions becalmed my heart. I was afraid of telling them but now I felt the weight upon my heart had been lifted knowing that my classmates would stand by me no matter what. It was also oddly comforting to shift the blame for our problems on some person who wasn't here to verbally defend himself, much like what we had been doing to Monokuma's puppetmaster this whole time. The identification and denunciation of this opponent seemed to have lifted our spirit for the time being.

Aside from Yume who was still wracked with guilt, Minako and Fitzgerald refrained. The former I knew would never justify, let alone celebrate, murder, and the latter I simply couldn't read what he was thinking about the revelation. Fitzgerald was doubtful about everything.

It was a good way to end the meeting as well, for Night-Time was approaching. The discussion yielded positive information, though it was unlikely that our situation would improve in the short run. Still, the return of Fitzgerald and the addition of Bianca to our group had helped to boost morale, something we desperately needed after that bombing debacle.

"Looks like our problem has just multiplied," Hokuto sarcastically noted. "How fantastic. It was bad enough that we are under the thumb of Monokuma. Now we know there is someone out there who wants us all dead." Given his track record, sometimes I questioned if the Ultimate Miner were one of them.

"Not fantastic at all," Inu rejected and whined. "It's horrible. Why can't they just leave us alone? What have... what have we done to deserve this? Why can't people stop going after me?"

"I ask myself that question from time to time," said Fitzgerald.

"How about stop snooping on them?" Kai suggested. It was genuine. Fitzgerald's dedication to his work had put a great toll on him, ruining any chance he had for a normal social life. His very physical health was next on the chopping block. "There's more to life than just pissing people who barely know you off."

"Impossible," Fitzgerald plainly replied.

"You are impossible," I sighed. Though Fitzgerald had repeatedly told me to trust him, his actions gave me all the reasons to not do so. "I thought you would be more careful after that kind of injury."

"Now, now, I wouldn't dissuade a defender of justice from their duty," said El Viento. She flashed a smile at Fitzgerald. "Besides, Fitzgerald has returned to us. We should be celebrating, not throwing difficult questions at each other."

So that concluded the meeting. A quick evaluation of the situation told me there were three major threats.

The first was Monokuma who maintained unshakable tyrannical sovereignty over Tartarus Keep and every aspect of our lives. The danger he posed was the most direct with the ongoing Mutual Killing Game that we were forced to be players of. The halls of the fortress kept us in while his hordes of minions barred us from escaping.

The second was Nanami. Though his machination had failed to wipe us all out, or at least bring about my death, as he had hoped, I doubted we had seen the last of his malice.

The third was the potential disunity among our group, especially now that we had two murderers in our midst. Time and time again we united against common threats such as the zombies in the dungeon, only to fall apart due to Monokuma and Nanami's influence.

"Let's continue this discussion tomorrow," said Rin. "There's still so much we still need to do, so don't be late for breakfast." We all agreed with her. It had been a long and dramatic day and we all wanted some rest.

Considering the uselessness of confiscating people's Electronic-IDs so far and the fact no motive was in place just yet, we were allowed the possession of them for the night. Additional precautions were taken for the videos in the archive, however. For all we knew, they could be the very ones used to bring ruin to this world, as hard as it was to believe that doomsday had already happened and we had all missed it. We couldn't simply destroy them for that would likely result in swift punishment from Monokuma. After some consideration, we locked them inside a glassed shelf with Rin holding the key. The Ultimate Police Officer gave an oath that no curious or edgy individual would access this corrupting influence for the time being.

This new measure would bring only a modicum of safety. Even without Monokuma forcing us to kill each other, Tartarus Keep and its horrible secrets kept us on edge. This castle was full of death traps from the strange toxic plants in the Botanical Garden to the zombie-filled dungeon, and even something as innocuous as video tapes could lead to so much death and destruction.

And with that, an explosive day came to an end.

Or that was what I thought when we all went back to our room.


Residential Hall

23:30

While reading comic books I picked up from the library, I was disturbed by the sound of knocking on my door. Whoever behind it was frantic and, for a moment, I was afraid I would see something terrible like a ghost upon opening it.

"Amelda, Rin's in trouble," Kai cried from outside, still banging as though her life depended on it. "Please. You've got to save her."

I jumped from my bed, put on the slipper, and rushed to greet her as fast as I could. As I opened the door, Kai seized my arm and tried to pull me outside.

"What is going on?" I asked. The girl in front of me looked rather disheveled for someone who normally cared much about her appearance. Her hair was messy and her eyes were tired. She wore a light nightgown as blue as the cloudless sky and had no slippers on her feet. I also noticed the absence of her pearl earrings. All in all, though clearly not sleepwalking, Kai struck me as someone who just got yanked from her bed.

"I heard screams coming from Fitzgerald's room," said Kai with tears in her eyes. "I think they belong to Rin. I... I can't imagine what is happening to her right now."

"Are you sure about that?" I inquired, completely taken aback by what she said. Was this Fitzgerald finally having enough of Rin's poor leadership and deciding to take things into his own hands? Or could his rapid recovery be a trick by Monokuma to further cause havoc on our group?

"I know what I heard," Kai insisted. "They sound very painful. We can't let her suffer. We've got to do something to save her. Come on!"

For all my misgivings towards Fitzgerald and Rin, at least those two appeared professional. The rambling girl in front of me was the very definition of someone whose words I couldn't take seriously. Still, I had learned that in the Mutual Killing Game, a small mistake could cost a life or two. If there was even a tiny chance that Kai was speaking the truth, I must act on it as though it were a certainty.

But I couldn't do so alone. Though I appreciated Kai's faith in me, I dared not take on that snake Fitzgerald alone. I had seen his combat style during the dungeon raid and I must admit the fellow was quite deadly with only an ice pick. Besides, seeing how he was able to rearm with the help of Hokuto and Eliza, there was no telling what other tricks he might have under his sleeves. I knocked on the doors of Hokuto's and El Viento's rooms to rouse them from whatever activity they were doing. Unlike me, it didn't take much to convince them about the danger Rin was in. Hokuto grabbed his pickaxe just to be sure. Meanwhile, El Viento flew into a rage and shoved me aside as she marched out of her room.

In truth, El Viento alone would probably have been more than enough to detain Fitzgerald. However, I needed Hokuto as well to restrain El Viento should push come to shove. The Ultimate Luchador was prone to overreacting and I had to make sure none of us had the power to ignore the opinions of every other.

The four of us gathered before the door behind which an atrocity was taking place according to what Kai had been fervently claiming. As the hallway wasn't lit at his hour, we used the Electro-ID's flashlight function to see things clearly. Being the least likely to engage in combat, Kai was tasked with carrying the light while we readied ourselves for what we might find behind the door. It was El Viento who stepped forward and knocked.

"Fitzgerald, open the Goddamn door or we will smash it down!" the Ultimate Luchador shouted threateningly. Her sleepwear was rather light, only consisting of a grey top and plain black shorts. As she was still wearing her mask, I wondered if she was honor-bound to wear it all the time or only when there were others around.

"Don't do it, man," Hokuto shouted. "We just went through hell this morning. Don't make our lives difficult."

"Could it be that Monokuma replaced more than just his arm?" Kai suggested.

"There are certainly many theories for his action," I replied, praying for the best-case scenario.

"We have no time for theories," El Viento remarked. "We need to take action now." As disagreeable as she was, I kept quiet and waited for the whole thing to play out knowing there was no point in rebuking her.

"Fucking hell," Hokuto swore bitterly. "Just when we thought it was over. Could this day get any worse?"

There was no immediate response from inside the room.

"Stand back," El Viento hollered. The door opened just as she was about to kick it down, revealing Fitzgerald on the other side. He was astonished to see us three barring down on him.

"What are you guys..." Fitzgerald began, but the screams ranging from behind him confirmed Kai's suspicion. Rin was indeed in agony.

Before Fitzgerald finished his sentence, El Viento jumped at him like a hungry tiger at its prey. Surprised by the attack, the Ultimate Detective was instantly barrelled to the ground. To make sure he stayed that way, El Viento locked him in a head choke. Fitzgerald smacked her muscular arms fruitlessly while his body thrashed with no hope of escaping from the overwhelming force that held him tightly in place. Simply the sheer weight of El Viento was more than enough to crush many opponents and not even a snake like Fitzgerald could be so slippery.

While El Viento pinned down Fitzgerald, Hokuto and I entered the room and searched for the distressed policewoman. Much to our surprise, Rin was lying on a bed moaning and screeching. Her arm which I broke during the trial had been bandaged and I could see evidence of attempts being made to treat it. The part that had received my repeated blows was magenta in color and draped in some sort of salve.

Minako was cowering next to Rin. Our sudden raid must have frightened her. Although she had cornered herself before either Hokuto or I showed any hostility, there was defiance written in her expression. Like a hopeless beast driven to the brink, she was willing to fight back. Dislodging her would prove problematic even with our combined effort.

But did we really need to?

"Rin, are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

"No!" Rin barked. She seemed rather delirious and unable to coherently address me. The pain she was in was probably the main cause, but the sweet scent of herbal concoctions in the air told me that some natural anesthetic must have also been used on her, albeit nowhere enough. "Arghhhh! It hurts! Arrghhhhh! Mother... Mother...!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Hokuto asked, confused by what he was seeing.

"Get off me!" Fitzgerald's muffled bellow rang from behind us.

"Not until you let us know what you have been doing to Rin," El Viento spat.

"You... don't understand...," Fitzgerald growled, struggling to breathe let alone speak.

This wasn't going anywhere. With Fitzgerald restrained, Minako in a state of shock, and Rin writhing in agony, no one could give us the answer we needed.

"El Viento, I think you should loosen your grip a bit," I called out. "This is looking like a misunderstanding." I kinda expected this to be the case, but I couldn't guess that Minako was also invovled.

"Yeah, why don't we let him explain this?" Hokuto concurred.

"Interrogation?" El Viento echoed. "Right." That wasn't what I had in mind, but she let go of Fitzgerald just enough for him to get some air.

"Yamamoto came to me on her own accord," Fitzgerald explained. "She had a broken arm and wished for it to be mended quickly. I obliged and that was what I have been doing. The process is quite delicate and although I cannot claim mastery over it, things would have gone much smoother had you four not invaded my privacy and abused me." Though his words were harsh, his expression didn't show many hints of him being upset about his current situation, namely still being pinned down and immobilized by El Viento.

Hokuto, El Viento, Kai, and I were flabbergast.

"So you weren't trying to do anything bad to Rin?" asked Kai sheepishly. She flinched as all eyes turned to her. After all, it was the Ultimate Ballerina who kickstarted this antic.

"Where did you come up with that idea?" asked Fitzgerald incredulously.

Kai was too embarrassed to say anything. She fidgeted and shifted uncomfortably. She was sweating and there were tears in her eyes. Her accusation was wrong and we had assaulted an innocent man because of it. At this point, Yume, Hijiri, and Bianca joined us, no doubt stirred by the commotion.

"I heard the screams... so I thought...," Kai stuttered harder than Tatsuya. She felt boxed in by the people whom she misguided at the front and those curious as to what was going on at the back. The Ultimate Ballerina looked as though she was searching for a hole where she could jump into and hide from the rest of the world.

"Two people died this morning," I stated. "Forgive us for being more alert than usual."

"Sorry man," said Hokuto while rubbing his head. "My bad. Thought you we trying something stupid there. We should've known better that you could be trusted." Not that I was particularly fond of Fitzgerald, but at least he was clean for now.

"Damn, I have acted without cause," said El Viento. "Fitzgerald. I apologize wholeheartedly. Is there anything I could do for you?"

"How about getting the hell off me?" Fitzgerald replied, sounding more aggressive than usual. The Ultimate Luchador let go of him and helped him get up. Fitzgerald swiped his clothes before his scowl fell upon each one of us. "For a second, I thought you guys were going to lynch me there. Lots of people would do so if they had the chance." They probably had understandable reasons to do so.

"Well, it's a good thing she didn't," said Hokuto. "When we went in, I was afraid she might kill the suspect before we get the chance to interrogate."

"I don't think slaying the opponent is an acceptable part of wrestling," I added. "Not in America or Mexico, as far as I know." Perhaps it once was during the time of the Aztecs, but we were all well past that point now.

"Sorry about that. After what happened earlier, I thought I had to save someone to make up for my failures so far," said El Viento, taking the blame for the team. She already saved us quite a few times already, so I wouldn't say that she needed to feel bad about not putting her great strength to good use. "I got a bit overexcited there. Again. Sorry. My bad."

"It's my fault as well," I said. "I should not have acted so rashly. I hope you aren't hurt."

"Please be alright!" Kai chimed in. "I won't forgive myself if you are injured because of my dumb stupid mistake."

"No injury yet," said Fitzgerald insouciantly. "Except for my feeling."

"Does that even exist?" asked Hokuto incredulously.

Fitzgerald flashed him a grin. "You might never know."

"So how is Rin?" I asked. With the whole thing about Fitzgerald trying to off Rin finally proven false, "Is she going to be alright? Her screams were pretty loud."

"Hmm, serves her right," Hijiri muttered.

"I was trying to mitigate that," said Fitzgerald. "I asked Yuza to come up with some herbal anesthetics. As you can see, it's not strong enough. So while I was trying to mend her arm, she woke up, started screaming, and, well, you guys showed up and complicate things even further."

"I'm sorry," said Minako. It was now her turn to apologize for the pain Rin was enduring. The police officer was writhing on the bed in a half-delirious state. "I thought the concoction should have worked. It has worked before. It's what I have been using from time to time when treating my patients. I don't know what went wrong this time."

"Rin is a tough senorita," said El Viento. "You probably need a bigger dosage to knock her out."

"You are fixing her arm?" I asked.

Fitzgerald shrugged. "With the help of Minako, of course."

"Are you sure you are qualified?" I went on.

"Who do you think fixed your hand?" Fitzgerald responded.

Fair enough," I admitted. He also treated Kai's feet after they were lacerated by broken shards which she danced on while under the effect of the Despair Gas.

"As for your concern, I have done this to myself before, and it worked fine. At least unit this," Fitzgerald said and held up his mechanical arm. This was the type of injury that would never heal. "I can certainly do it to other people's limbs as well. Let's hope Yamamono's arm would last longer than mine."

"I see," said El Viento. "We are blessed to have a surgeon in our rank."

It seemed Fitzgerald's talents didn't stop at finding people's dark secrets. Then again, being an Ultimate Student didn't mean zeroing in on a single aspect of the talent, but instead involved having a number of other competencies related to our field. Being able to heal himself, and possibly others, with few tools available, was probably something a lone wolf like him would absolutely need.

"Those must have been some heavy blows there, Amelda," Fitzgerald continued. "Very impressive, Amelda."

"That's not something I am proud of," I told him. "I did what I must. If I didn't incapacitate her, she would have done the same to me. And Hijiri wouldn't be standing here right now."

"No need to be defensive," Fitzgerald cooed. "I am not making any accusation here."

"So you'll get Rin back up, right?" asked El Viento. "Once you're done, she can use her arm again, can't she?"

"Positively," said Fitzgerald. I had no idea how broken arms worked nor the extent of the damage I inflicted upon Rin. Fitzgerald, Minako, and Rin herself knew more than I did regarding this and I had to respect that.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" asked Kai.

"Yeah, stop disturbing us while Minako and I perform the surgery," said Fitzgerald coolly. "Your assistance by not getting involved is greatly appreciated." That was the equivalence of 'Get out of my property!', to which I wholeheartedly agreed. We should leave the most capable people to work in peace. He turned back and addressed Minako, "Keep her down. And let's have another dose of that thing."

"Will do," Minako confirmed. "Just wait a bit."

"Alright, we'll be on our way," Hokuto complied, realizing that our presence here would only impede this important but also delicate procedure. "If there's anything, feel free to let us know. And seriously, you get some rest yourself."

"I have been resting while you guys fought hard to win another trial," said Fitzgerald. "If anything, you guys need more rest than I do."

With that, Hokuto, El Viento, Kai and I exited the room. Fitzgerald slammed the door behind our back. It looked like we went through all of that for nothing if not made things worse. That seemed to be the trend around here: the motion towards ruination no matter our efforts. It could be stopped and even reversed for a while, but Monokuma always had his way of keeping it going again. For now, though, we were just happy everything was fine and no one was getting murdered.

"Is something like this normal for Ultimate Students?" asked Bianca, looking rather disappointed. As the last student to join, she was still an outsider to us. Her aloof and cocky personality wasn't helping.

"Absolutely not," Hokuto replied.

"Yeah, it happens a lot around here," El Viento said at the same time. Depending on what Bianca meant, either or both of them could be right.

Bianca didn't seem satisfied with the answers, so I told her, "You'll get used to being around us."

"Hey! I don't know what's happening, but I didn't do it!" Inu's squeaky voice could be heard from behind the door to his room. The fellow was the only person who was absent during the commotion. "I swear I didn't do it! Please listen to me. I'm innocent!"

"Relax, Inu," I replied. "Everything is fine." I had no idea which part of the drama he overheard, but he had the entirely wrong impression.

"Oh, oh right, yeah, yes. Yes, it's alright," Though he continued to spew gibberish, Inu seemed to calm down a bit.

"Just go back to sleep, man," Hokuto urged.

"Okay. Okay... I'll be going to bed now," Inu replied. And then he was off. I felt bad for him. All the pressure and the fact anyone could die at any moment must be driving him insane.

"I'm just glad everybody is alright," said Yume, finally speaking up. It must be hard for him to be on the dark side after trying so hard to fight against it. He sought no forgiveness from us, and I must admit it was a little awkward that we had no choice but to keep him around in spite of what he did. "I'll go back now." With that, the Ultimate Baker went back to his room.

"It's late and since there's no point staying up in this utter darkness, I'll be going back," Bianca sighed as she too withdrew. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you," I responded.

"You lot went through all of that to protect that madwoman," said Hijiri bitterly. "How hypocritical." She probably meant the time when Rin tortured her after the first trial for attempting murder on me. None of us tried to stop Rin at that point.

"He saved your ass back there," Hokuto growled. "Show some gratitude, will you?"

Hijiri gave a dismissive shake of her head followed by a 'hmmm' before heading back. Hokuto followed. But just as I was about to go back to my room, I noticed Kai was still standing in the corridor gazing at the darkness. She looked rather lost and unfocused. I realized there was one question that still needed to be answered: if Kai heard Rin screaming from the corridor, why was she outside her room in total darkness in the first place? El Viento had noticed her strange behavior as well and turned her suspicious gaze toward Kai.

"Kai, excuse me for asking but, what are you doing out here in the first place?" I questioned her.

"Oh, me?" Kai stammered. "Eh... Nothing."

"Are you sure?" El Viento pressed.

"Really," Kai insisted. "Look, it's very late already. I... I'll tell you tomorrow, okay? I promise."

Before we could ask her any further, Kai returned to her room, shutting the door as she went in. El Viento and I exchanged our gazes.

"So it's nothing then," said El Viento.

"Give her a break," I suggested. "In fact, we all need a break. Let's just end this miserable day without anything crazy."

"No arguing that," the Ultimate Luchador agreed.

And with that, FINALLY, the day concluded.


Author's Notes: It has been a while. I have been busy with work and commissioned writing. But I have returned for another chapter. Much of my renewed inspiration comes from the story Danganronpa: Corrupted Hope by SilverMark16 which is pretty dope so far. I am quite happy that the Danganronpa fandom is still going despite many years without a new game (and the fact that the final game is set in an alternative universe with no connection to previous titles except to mock them).

So here we go. Fitzgerald is back and there is a newcomer. Another student joins the Mutual Killing Game in the middle of it. Quite unusual indeed, but this game already isn't conventional by any means.

I hope you guys enjoy it. Cheers.