Ryoko's Resolution

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or any of its characters. They belong to their respective creators.


Part 3

YAWWWWN!

Ryoko was beyond tired. She completely lost track of time working on the secret program and ended up staying up half the night. Kyoko, of course, scolded her for staying up late again, but said she appreciated her dedication. Unfortunately, it meant she was sluggish and tired most of the day. Still, it was worth it to get so much progress done.

"It's practically ready. I should run a few diagnostic checks on it, just be sure. Then…maybe…I could tell Kyoko about it and see what she thinks? I just hope she won't be mad I kept it from her…"

No doubt the Division Leader wouldn't be pleased about her working on a program in secret, but with their newfound friendliness, maybe she wouldn't be that severely punished for it. Regardless, she could worry about that once this day was done, tensions were high enough as it is…

Inside the simulation, the Ultimate Imposter had decided to throw a party for everyone. He'd been acting on edge since the day before, and even with the security cameras in everyone's cabins, they could only speculate the reason for his actions. The only clue they had was that someone had slipped a note under his door. The contents of the note were unknown to the Future Foundation members watching, but Kyoko suspected that the note was linked to his sudden desire to hold a gathering that night.

Not only that, the former Ultimate Detective predicted that, if the killing were to start, it would be tonight. She hadn't mentioned exactly why, but Ryoko suspected it had to do with whatever Nagito Komaeda and Teruteru Hanamura had spoken about while cleaning up the older building the party was being held in.

Although they could 'hear' what was being said in the simulation, since the two of them appeared to be keeping their conversation quiet, no one knew exactly what they'd discussed. And because of that, all of the staff, Ryoko included, would need to be vigilant for the entire evening. Naturally, that meant that Kyoko, Makoto, and Byakuya were present as well, preparing for the worst possibly scenario. If they were lucky, they'd only be viewing a fun party between new friends.

It was a vain hope, but it was all they really had at this point…

"Wow…that food looks good," the redhead said, practically drooling as she surveyed the feast on the monitor. Teruteru sure lived up to his name as the Ultimate Cook—err, he preferred Ultimate Chief. "I just hope all of them will be able to resist the urge…"

Ryoko couldn't bear to finish that sentence. Monokuma had already told everyone they'd lost their school memories, and while that didn't derail the effectiveness of the Neo World Program itself, the motivation it provided was the perfect first motive.

"The party seems to be underway," the authoritative voice of Byakuya Togami called out, drawing everyone's attention. "Now is the time to be vigilant. If anything strange occurs, I want to be notified as swiftly as—".

Suddenly, all of the monitors blacked out. A collective gasp echoed, and confused chatter began to take its place.

"W-What's going on?!" one technician questioned.

"Why did the feed cut out?!" another shouted.

"Is the A.I. doing this?!" a third offered.

All of those proposals could have been valid, but with her skills as an analyst fully engaged, it took Ryoko only a moment to realize the real situation.

"The feed's still working," she loudly proclaimed, her eyes whirling as she furiously scanned the data. "The lights in the old building have gone out, that's all."

"…She's right!" Akihiro begrudgingly admitted, pointing at his monitor. "The feed from the other cameras is still working. But then that means—".

BRRRRR! BRRRRR! BRRRRR!

Without warning, red lights began flashing and a loud warning began echoing from everyone's terminal. The instant that sound reached Ryoko's ears, she blanched. Quick as a flash, she pulled up the vital signals of the Remnants, her eyes widening in horror.

"No…NO!"

"What's going on?!" Kyoko loudly asked, appearing at her side almost instantly. Glancing at the screen herself, the Division Leader's features hardened.

The Ultimate Imposter's vital sighs…were dropping steadily. He wasn't quite dead yet, but his pulse was weakening, and it would only be a matter of time. It had begun…the killing game had officially begun.

"T-There must be something we can do!" Makoto shouted from a nearby terminal, frantically looking to everyone around him. "If we act fast enough, maybe we can—".

"There's nothing we can do!" Akihiro shouted back, slamming his hands on his console. "We don't have any preventative measures in place to prevent brain death! And even if we did—".

All sounds around Ryoko grew distant as she stared at the Ultimate Imposter's weakening pulse…and before she knew it, he had completely flatlined. A chill ran down her spine, and she felt her limps grow heavy. And yet, in spite of that, she found herself already standing up, knocking her seat over in the process.

The noise drew attention to her, but she didn't care. Without another word, Ryoko spun around, and made a mad dash toward the main doors. She heard people calling out to her, but she didn't register them, sprinting out of the room and down the hallway, toward her room.

"Six minutes…brain death will occur in less than six minutes! I need to hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

Barreling down the hallway, Ryoko practically slammed into her door, jamming her key into the lock. Swinging the door open, she hurled herself inside and raced toward her desk. Snatching up her laptop, she spun around and sped back out the door, heading straight for the command room.

"No time…to use…a hard drive! Have to…upload it…directly!" she frantically thought, knowing she already had a connection cable at her work station.

As she ran, a passing though invaded her mind. Why hadn't security stopped her? Or even pursued her? She didn't really have time to question it, as it worked in her favor, so she shook her head and refocused her efforts on getting back as quickly as possible.

It didn't take long for her to get back, kicking open the door as she rushed back inside. Beelining for her terminal, she opened the laptop and began pulling up the program as she ran. She'd been keeping mental track of the time, and fortunately, less than three minutes had passed since the Imposter flatlined. Setting the laptop down at her station, she connected a transfer cable and began uploading the software directly into the Neo World Program.

If she was lucky, she could install the program in time to—

"What do you think you're doing?!"

A stern hand grabbed her arm, jerking her away from her station. Yelping a startled gasp, her crimson eyes flicked over to see Akihiro roughly pulling her back.

"L-Let go!" she struggled to get free, but his grip was like iron. Giving him a pleading look, she shouted, "There's no time! I need to—!"

"I don't think so!" he shouted, pulling her further from her terminal, ensuring she couldn't finish the upload. "I don't know what you're trying to upload but I'm not going to let—!"

CRACK!

He never got to finish that sentence…because Ryoko's fist plowed directly into his jaw. Stunned by the sudden shock and pain, Akihiro's grip weakened, and she took that opportunity to tear herself way. Knowing he'd recover from that hit rather quickly though, Ryoko lifted her leg and swiftly kicked him square in the groin. With a barely audible squeal, Akihiro gripped his nethers and fell to the floor.

Not allowing this incident to slow her down, Ryoko whirled around, stood over her workstation, and furiously typed the commands to fully install the program she'd developed in secret. And because the Neo World Program was operating through several powerful supercomputers, it didn't take long at all to get the program up and running.

"Please be in time, please be in time, please be in time, please be in time…" she prayed as the system began encoding the program.

To her elation, the Neo World Program accepted the program instantly, and seemed to already be running it. With a flick of her wrist, she brought up the Imposter's life signs again, hoping against hope that she'd been successful. Her heart sank as the information came up.

…He was still flatlined.

"No…" she despaired, tears spilling from her eyes as she sank to her knees, choking back sobs.

BEEP…BEEP…BEEP…

With a choking gasp, Ryoko's eyes shot up to witness a miracle. The Ultimate Imposter's life signs were beginning to stabilize! Her 'anti-death' program was a complete success! It had been insanely difficult, especially having to work on it in secret. But with this installed in the system, even if someone experienced death in the simulation, they would be able to survive until—

"Don't Move!"

Ryoko flinched not only at the voice, but the familiar feeling of a gun barrel being pressed against the back of her head. Doing as instructed, she didn't move a muscle, waiting for more instructions as many footsteps approached her.

"W-What's going on here?!" she heard Makoto shout at whoever was aiming at her. "Why are you pointing that at her?!"

"S-She assaulted me!" Akihiro's voice sounded next, much to her chagrin. "And she uploaded an unknown program into the Neo World Program! She's clearly violated all regulations! I wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be the one who—".

"We already proved that she couldn't have been the one to upload the Monokuma A.I.!" Makoto came to her defense again, his voice steadily growing louder. "And whatever she did, it saved the Imposter! His vitals are stabilizing thanks to the program she uploaded!"

Ryoko could hear the righteous fury in Makoto's voice, and although pleased he was concerned for her, she knew just how grim her situation had become. She'd uploaded a program that no one else knew about into the Neo World Program. She'd be lucky if all they did was detain her. And once news of this reached Vice-Chairman Munakata, no doubt a swift execution would be in order.

However, she didn't care about any of that, not right now. Even if it meant her own execution, her program ensured the lives of everyone trapped inside the simulation. It prevented brain death and forced the system to keep their physical bodies intact on this end. And if they wanted to punish her for saving the lives of the Remnants, at least she would go to the afterlife knowing she at least did something good before she died.

"That may be true," she heard Akihiro continue to refute Makoto. "But we don't know what else that program contained. Besides, she didn't have the authority or authorization to upload—".

"Security. Stand down."

Ryoko almost gasped as Kyoko's voice entered the argument. A moment later, she heard whoever had pressed their weapon against her skull back away. Still wanting to be cautious, the red-haired woman stayed kneeling on the floor, waiting for someone to give her more clarification.

"Are you alright?" Makoto said, his voice right next to her. Only when his hand appeared in front of her did she dare to move, taking it in her own and allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"I-I'm fine…" she responded, glancing his way and forcing a smile. She was still a little shaken but otherwise unharmed. Looking around, she saw several members of the security team were slowly backing away, but still kept their gazes firmly locked onto her. And she couldn't help but notice Akihiro glaring daggers at her, with good reason she had to admit.

"Division Leader Kirigiri," Akihiro suddenly said, one hand still holding his groin. "May I ask why you're having the security team back down? This woman is clearly dangerous and should be taken into custody immediately."

Sadly, a part of her agreed with him. No doubt about it, she'd willingly violated numerous regulations. Just because it had been the only way to ensure the Imposter's life didn't make it any less of an offense. Any responsible leader would have to agree with Akihiro assertion…or so she thought.

Strangely, Ryoko noticed that Kyoko didn't seem all that perturbed by the situation…almost as if she'd expected this to happen. And, with her usual calm demeanor she turned her full attention toward Akihiro.

"On what grounds?" Kyoko simply asked him, much to everyone's shock.

Akihiro's mouth hung open for a moment before he stammered, "T-This woman uploaded an unknown program into the system, possibly altering it to a degree we don't understand!"

"You're referring to the program that prevents brain death in the subjects within the simulation, correct?" Kyoko questioned, her words nearly sending Ryoko into shock.

How…How did Kyoko know what the program is designed to do? It had only been in the system for a few minutes, and it would take quite a while for anyone unfamiliar with it to analyze and unravel the complexity of the code used for the program. And yet, she was talking as if she already knew exactly what it was! But that…shouldn't be possible!

"A…program that…prevents brain death?" Akihiro asked, clearly as confused as everyone else.

"That's right," Kyoko told him, folding her arms as she explained. "Ryoko Otonashi has been working on that program with my full permission. It had yet to be tested, but considering the alternative, I granted her permission to retrieve it from our quarters and install it."

"I suppose that's why you told everyone to allow her to leave once she bolted for the door?" the smug voice of Byakuya came up from behind all of them, the man himself entering her view only a moment later. "You instructed her to go and retrieve program, is that what you're saying?"

"Indeed," the Division Leader said, giving Ryoko a knowing look.

The instant she saw that look, everything clicked into place for her. Kyoko was covering for her. That explained why security didn't chase her when she left the room. She must not have heard Kyoko ordering them to stand down in her rush to retrieve the program. But still, that didn't explain how the detective knew exactly what the program was or that Ryoko had been working on it in secret.

"Then why weren't any of us informed of this?" Akihiro demanded to know, rubbing his bruised cheek. "If you had explained that, I wouldn't have tried to stop her from installing the program."

Although that question was directed at Kyoko, the red-haired analyst felt the need to respond to him. Ryoko had no idea why Kyoko was taking such a risk for her…but she wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste. Even though it made her uncomfortable to deceive her workmates, if it meant she could stave off her execution and continue to help the Remnants, she'd play along.

"I was…asked to keep the program a secret, for the time being…" she lied, putting on her best poker face. "I couldn't guarantee I'd be able to write a program this complex, or that it would work in the corrupted system. Division Leader Kirigiri told me to wait until we tested it before getting everyone's hopes up…"

"And obviously, I chose to take a chance on the program in order to save the Imposter's life," Kyoko continued on from there, not letting a hint of the lie be visible in her visage. "It was a risky venture, but it seems to have paid off. I apologize that I did not inform you sooner, Mr. Akihiro."

As the 'explanation' became known to all present, the wind was thoroughly taken from Akihiro's sails. With an embarrassed but still frustrated expression, he bowed to all of them and said, "It seems I was mistaken. My apologies. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to monitoring the simulation."

Straightening up, he limped over to his workstation and eased himself into the chair before slowly getting back to work. The instant he was gone, Kyoko moved close to Ryoko and whispered, "Come with me."

Without another word, the Division Leader headed for the exit to the command room. Knowing she had no choice, Ryoko moved quickly to catch up with her and together they headed out.

As they passed by Makoto, the detective said, "We'll be back soon. Update me on the situation when I get back."

"R-Right…will do," he answered, obviously not looking forward to watching the Remnants investigate the murder and go through a class trial.

"This won't take long," Byakuya said to him, swiftly coming up behind the two women. "Try not to make a mess of things before I get back. I don't enjoy cleaning up after you."

"Huh? W-Wait? You're going too?" Makoto tried to protest, but it was too late.

The three of them exited the command room and Kyoko began leading the three of them back toward her and Ryoko's quarters. Fighting off a heart attack, Ryoko followed her in silence…


"So, mind explaining what the hell that was all about?" Byakuya insist the instant they were safely inside the pair's room.

"Yes, would you care to explain, Ryoko?" the former Ultimate Detective concurred, both of them staring at her.

"Uhhhh…." She hesitated, feeling the sweat dripping down her back. "W-What do you mean? I was, uh, just doing what you asked of—".

"Enough with the lies," the Togami Heir cut in, pushing up his glasses as he stared. "I've been around Kyoko long enough to know when she's covering for someone. Not to mention how thinly veiled your lie was. So, I'll ask again, was exactly was all that about?"

Backed into a literal and figurative corner, Ryoko swallowed a lump in her throat before slowly beginning to explain.

"I…I didn't like that there weren't any measures to prevent brain death in the simulation. So, using the data that I gathered from the system…I was able to program one myself."

"That much is obvious," Byakuya sternly replied, his attitude only worsening Ryoko's anxiety. "What I was asking was, why didn't you simply request permission to work on the program?"

"I have to agree with Byakuya on this," Kyoko chimed in, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice as she continued. "If you had simply come to me with the idea, I would have allowed you to work on it openly. Instead, you did so behind my back, while I was sleeping no less. I would like an explanation."

Despite how well she was hiding it, Ryoko could see that Kyoko was disappointed in her. This was clearly a violation of trust. And if she knew anything about the detective woman, it was that earning her trust was a monumental feat…and she may have just lost it. And just when they had started to grow closer too.

Ryoko knew should have told her roommate about it yesterday…but hindsight was 20/20. This wasn't how she'd wanted any of this to go, but now that things had turned out like this, she felt it was best to simply come clean.

Taking a deep but shaky breath, the red-haired woman slowly began to explain.

"I…I was scared," she admitted, lowering her gaze to the floor. "I thought that…if I asked to write my own program…it would look suspicious. Besides, with only a few exceptions, no one here really trusts me. I-I figured that…if the other technicians knew that I could code and program just as good as they could…it would eventually lead to trouble."

"That's something I don't understand," Byakuya spoke up, forcing her to lift her gaze up to him. "You've never been given any task involving programing before. So how did you know how to do it?"

"…I…uh…after analyzing the data from the Neo World Program, I sort of…figured it out on my own?" she confessed, knowing how sketchy it sounded. And just as she suspected, both Byakuya and Kyoko raised an eyebrow at her. "See! This is why I didn't say anything! But you both know how…potent my analytical talents are. Just looking at programs and coding was enough for me to figure out the basics! From there, it was just trial and error until I taught myself how to write code and program by myself…"

As she finished her explanation, she realized she'd read their expressions wrong. What she initially thought was skepticism, upon further observation, turned out to be cautious concern.

"You were able to create that program in less than two days, without any supervision or instruction…just from analyzing coding?" Byakuya reiterated, his eyes stern and piercing.

"…Yes."

"And that program was not only compatible with the Neo World Program, but you were able to integrate it into the system almost effortlessly?" Kyoko continued the line of questioning, causing Ryoko to break out into a cold sweat.

"…That's right."

A harsh few moments of silence engulfed the room, and Ryoko wasn't sure she could remember how to breathe, let alone process what might be going through her two superior's minds. Kyoko and Byakuya shared a look, then a nod, and finally turned back to her with the most serious of expressions.

Just before Ryoko felt her knees begin to wobble, Byakuya spoke up, "This information is not to leave this room. Understand."

"And if anyone asks you how you knew about the system, tell them that I personally worked with you and assisted in the program's creation," Kyoko added, her tone demanding an answer.

Under the weight of the expectant gazes, Ryoko buckled under the pressure and simply answered, "Y-Yeah—uh, I mean, yes! I understand…and I'll be sure to keep the story straight."

Suddenly, all of the tension in the room completely evaporated as Kyoko and Byakuya visibly relaxed. Ryoko exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, nearly gasping for air. Taking a few solid breaths, she quizzically looked at her superiors, unintentionally using her talents to evaluate their moods.

They seemed much more at ease now, relieved so to speak. Had the reason they pulled her away so suddenly been because they wanted to craft this 'alibi' story? Or, was there something deeper going on? Sadly, even with all her analytical prowess, Ryoko wasn't able to completely decipher their intentions. All she knew was that they weren't necessarily upset with her…or so she hoped.

To that end, she asked, "So…are the two of you going to punish me for…all of this?"

"If only we could," Byakuya practically jeered, folding his arms and glaring. "We can't punish you for something we 'ordered' you to do. Even if you did so behind our backs."

His tone was enough for Ryoko to understand the depth of his anger. Honestly, he seemed more upset that she was essentially getting off with a warning, but knew it was for the greater good, so he let it slide. Kyoko, on the other hand, definitely looked as though she wanted to say something. However, instead of that, she stiffened up and addressed both of them.

"We should return to the command room. No doubt the situation will have worsened since we've been gone."

"Indeed," Byakuya concurred, his expression shifting to disgust…but not for anyone in the room. "At this rate, it really will turn out just like it did at Hope's Peak…" Turning on a heel, he marched toward the door ahead of them. "I'll head back first. Just don't take too long."

"'Don't take too long'? What was that supposed to—oh no…" Ryoko realized too late as he closed the door behind him, leaving her alone with a stoic looking Kyoko.

Once they were completely alone, the Division Leader's expression shifted to one of disappointment…and that hurt almost as much as her words did.

"Did you really think you could keep your activities secret from me?" she accused, the tiniest hint of resentment in her voice.

"…You were awake last night?" Ryoko speculated, beginning to piece everything together.

"No, not just last night. I was observing you the previous night as well," Kyoko told her, the information simultaneous shocking Ryoko but not really at the same time. "I knew you were working on some sort of program, and while you slept, I took a look at it myself. I may not be a programmer, but in preparation for this operation I took the time to study coding. I could see what you were creating and since it didn't appear to be anything nefarious, I let you believe I didn't notice."

As the detective's explanation went on, Ryoko felt stupid for thinking she could hide her activities from her roommate. If she was doing things while her roommate slept, she should have expected her roommate to do the same. It should have been obvious, but it hadn't been.

Had she really been so hyper-focused that she'd neglected to factor in the idea that Kyoko might have known about her late night programming? Yes…sadly, she had been. Likely it was due to the stress of the situation, combined with her own fears of being accused of contributing to the problems they were facing. But that didn't change the fact that Kyoko had every right to be displeased with her right now.

"I had hoped that you would share this information with me willingly," Kyoko continued, giving her a thousand yard stare. "But it seems a little too late for that."

Kyoko's harsh tone hurt more than Ryoko had expected it would. Not just her words, her entire attitude was aggressive at the moment, and the analyst wasn't sure how long she could survive the onslaught.

Of course Ryoko felt ashamed, and embarrassed, and disappointed in herself…and it was her own fault. If she could go back in time, she definitely would have told Kyoko last night. But since nothing of the sort was possible right now, there was only one thing to do about it.

"You're right…and there's nothing I can do except apologize for keeping it from you," Ryoko said with a bow, her long hair hanging down in front of her face. "I…thought about telling you so many times but…I was scared. And then we had that conversation last night and…"

She trailed off, unsure of where she was trying to take the conversation. She'd already apologized, but she didn't feel like it was enough. She wanted to do somethingto prove her good intentions, but she knew that anything she did right now could potentially make the situation worse for her.

As such, with no other options, Ryoko was unable to do anything more than maintain her deep bow…at least until Kyoko's voice suddenly spoke up again.

"Are you hiding any other secrets?" she asked directly, more than likely utilizing her full deductive skills while waiting for Ryoko's response.

For her part, Ryoko couldn't help but feel torn. There was…a secret she was still hiding. But if she told Kyoko about it now, then it could really make this more difficult…for both of them. Doing her absolute best to keep her cool and knowing that lying was definitely out of the question, the analytical woman decided to appeal to the detective's cautious nature.

Lifting her head, she locked eyes with the detective and answered, "…Yes, but nothing that affects our current mission."

Ryoko chose her words carefully, knowing what could happen if she sounded the least bit hesitant. Her phrasing was also very important. She was trying to assure her Division Leader that, if she was still keeping something hidden from her, it didn't have anything to do with their current objective.

It was a gamble, she knew that. But at the moment, she didn't exactly have any other recourse.

Again, an uncomfortable silence settled into the area, accelerating Ryoko's heart rate so much she thought it might burst. Kyoko continued to stare at her, looking her over and staring deep into her crimson eyes. Unwilling to look away, Ryoko matched her gaze, gazing into the detective's vibrant lavender irises.

As the two of them bore into each other's souls, an expression akin to understanding overtook Kyoko's visage. The sight of it startled Ryoko and she was unprepared when the detective suddenly asked, "Will you promise to explain it to me once this mission is concluded?"

Blinking away her bewilderment, Ryoko refocused her thoughts, registered the question, and thought long and hard about it for a moment.

"She already knows that I'm hiding something…and it's not like I can keep it a secret forever. I may be setting myself up for failure with this but…"

"Yes," she firmly answered, holding out her hand and extending her pinky. As cliché as a pinky promise was, it was the only thing Ryoko could think of to convey her sincerity. "I promise that once this mission has concluded, I'll tell you everything."

For a brief instant, a look of nostalgic shock overtook Kyoko's expression, but it vanished so quickly one might have thought they imagined it. But not Ryoko. Like it or not, her talent caught the momentary shift in attitude, and it made Kyoko's next actions make more sense.

A single swift laugh escaped the detective before a gentle smile tugged at her lips. However, it vanished a second later, as if it had never been there. Then lifting her gloved hand, she wrapped her pinky around Ryoko's and squeezed it tightly.

"It's a promise, then." Kyoko said firmly, slowly retracting her hand before turning toward the door. Her expression immediately returned to her usual stoic look as she said, "We'd best get going. We have a class trail to observe…"

Hanging her head slightly, Ryoko clenched her fists and replied, "Right…let's get this over with."

And with that, the two women headed back to the command room…where they would witness the first of many gruesome class trials…


…Three…Three Class Trials had come and gone…

Only about half of the Remnants remained 'alive'…and were trapped in a twisted 'funhouse'. Sadly, the Future Foundation was just as in the dark about the mysterious building as the Remnants were.

The Monokuma A.I. had transported the Remnants through an unground railway that the technician's never created…which meant the A.I. could now build or restructure the world as it pleased. And to make matters worse, since the simulation could only be viewed through the cameras the A.I. had installed, Ryoko and the rest of the staff were just as confused about the 'funhouse's' true nature…besides the starvation aspect.

The motive had only just been announced, and it was obvious that, no matter what the Remnants chose to do…death would be inevitable.

"Sick freak…" Ryoko muttered as she observed the situation from afar. "It just wants them to suffer…"

Watching this twisted game of death unfold from the sidelines was agonizing. Every day was a new form of torture, with her and the rest of the staff completely unable to help in the slightest. Not only that, since the A.I. goals were still shrouded in mystery, they couldn't really come up with any contingencies…other than shutting the system down. But if they did that…it could adversely affect the Remnants.

They might retain their old memories with no changes, or worse, becoming completely brain dead. Ryoko's program was keeping them alive, which was a blessing, but shutting down the system would cease that program's functions. And if that happened, the Remnants life support would be cut off…

"Does the A.I. know that? And that's why it's being so brazen with us?" Ryoko pondered, still unable to fully understand the A.I.'s objective. "Killing the Remnants can't be it's endgame. There must be something else it wants…but what could that be? It's not like it can leave the simulation—".

A horrifying thought occurred to the analyst as she continued observing. Was the A.I. trying to…install itself into the Remnant's minds? Would such a thing be possible? Then again, with the Neo World Program's ability to replace memories…perhaps the A.I. wanted to implant it's personality as memory into the Remnants brains!

If you replaced someone's memories with that of another person's, they'd undoubtedly believe themselves to be that person! In that sense, the A.I. could effectively copy itself into their bodies! Perhaps that's what the A.I. wanted all along! But if that was the case, they why hadn't it done it already?

"The graduation rule!" she suddenly realized, it fit together too perfectly! Furiously typing on her keyboard, she pulled up the parameters of the graduation rule and clicked her teeth as her theory was confirmed. "I knew it. The A.I. can't kill all of them! It's needs at least some of them alive to initiate the graduation rule and upload copies of itself into their brains! Or at least, the brains of everyone who have already 'died'."

As horrifying as this realization was, there was a single fatal flaw. Surely the A.I. knew that the Future Foundation would never allow such a thing to come to pass. Even if it meant killing the subjects inside the system, they couldn't allow such a dangerous A.I. to become active in the real world…it would signal the second coming of The Tragedy!

But then…why was the A.I. pushing forward with this strategy? There was something deeper going on, and Ryoko knew she couldn't figure it out on her own.

"I should talk to Kyoko…about…it…"

Her thoughts trailed off as she was reminded of her sorry state. Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted the Division Leader staring at the largest monitor, a grim expression on her face.

The two of them hadn't really talked since Ryoko had uploaded her 'anti-death' program. Small talk was unavoidable certainly, but nothing like they'd experienced the night before the killing game really began. Kyoko was obviously still upset about being lied to, and Ryoko didn't have the courage to try and rekindle their short-lived friendship.

Still, Ryoko knew that, at the very least, as a Division Leader, Kyoko needed to know about the alterations to the graduation rule. Perhaps her deductive reasoning could find the answers that Ryoko failed to grasp.

Taking a deep breath, the red-haired woman stood up and was about to start heading toward her boss when a voice stopped her.

"Otonashi…do you have a moment?"

Halting in her tracks, Ryoko turned in surprise to see Akihiro speaking to her, and very politely at that. Her momentum delayed by his sincere tone, she found herself unable to brush him aside and instead indulged him.

"Uh…yes? C-Can I help you?" she hesitantly asked, on-guard after being verbally berated by him so many times in the past.

However, unlike all those times before, Akihiro seemed…hesitant. Almost bashful in a way! It was…kind of adorable. Sadly, the memory of him grabbing and shouting in her face overrode that sentiment and so she patiently waited for him to speak up. But when a good fifteen seconds had passed and he was still silent, Ryoko couldn't help but glance past him in Kyoko's direction.

Finally, impatience got the best of her, and she carefully said, "Whatever it is, can it wait? I need to—".

"I feel as if I owe you an apology," Akihiro suddenly told her, his voice a mixture of damaged pride and genuine sincerity. Stunned by his words and insistence, Ryoko was held captive as he continued, "I've treated you with a great deal of disrespect over the last few days. And felt that an apology was in order."

…An apology? For what? For being a jerk? For man-handling her? For trying to stop her from uploading an unknown program into—okay that one he had every right to interfere with, but the rest of those definitely earned her an apology!

Except…she really didn't feel it was warranted. Given her circumstances, and past crimes, he had every right to treat her with distrust and resentment. Ryoko had noticed that Akihiro was seemingly well-liked by his fellow colleges. The other staff members treated him with respect, and he offered integrity in return. So…she knew he wasn't a complete jerkoff.

Still, for him to apologize like this, out of the blue…she suspected that either Makoto or someone else had incentivized him. People don't just change overnight. And while he'd been respectfully distant since she'd installed the 'anti-death' program, it didn't make sense for him to suddenly regret his actions now.

Ryoko knew the best thing to do in this situation was to simply accept his apology, excuse herself, and deliver her report to Kyoko. And despite that, she found herself saying, "I…don't really need an apology."

…Crap. That came out wrong! And the brief look of consternation on Akihiro's face showed that he wasn't pleased with her response either! However, as quickly as that expression colored his face, it faded when he took a deep breath and started again.

"I can understand if you don't accept my apology. I just…felt that I needed to say it."

With those poignant words, he turned and was about to head back to his workstation when Ryoko once again found herself speaking.

"I-I didn't say I didn't accept it!" she clarified, embarrassed by how desperate she sounded, a feeling that was amplified when he turned back around to face her. Feeling self-conscious about her response, she decided to go for broke and bluntly told him, "Look, I…I wasn't exactly expecting an apology. No one's ever really…apologized to me before. Not like that at least. And besides, what are you even apologizing for? I mean, I can think of a few reasons but—".

"For everything," he unabashedly told her, a look of shame crossing his face. "Ever since you first came here, I was distrustful of you. And then there's my…shameful behavior when the A.I. first surfaced."

How could she forget? He had practically throttled her and then yelled in her face! But she knew pointing that out would only make this situation more tense, so she remained silent as he continued.

"That would be reason enough to apologize…but there's also the matter of your 'anti-death' program." He paused, swallowing a lump in his throat as if swallowing his own pride. "As loathe as I am to admit it…I don't think anyone here could have written a program that complex and comprehensive."

Did…Did he just compliment her? No way! Was this really happening?! Shaking her head, she fought her embarrassment and somehow managed to refocus her thoughts.

"I-It's not like I wrote the program all on my own," she lied, sticking with the story Kyoko had given her. "Division Leader Kirigiri assisted me with—".

"Don't patronize me," Akihiro cut in, his tone disbelieving. "I know the extent to which Miss Kirigiri can program, and it's obvious that you did almost all of the work."

Immediately, Ryoko fought to contain a blush that threatened to color her cheeks. Okay…that was definitely a compliment! The jerk was actually complimenting her! It was in a roundabout way, but it was still an honest-to-goodness compliment! How was this happening?! What twilight zone had she fallen into where this jerk was actually being nice to her?!

Although briefly overwhelmed by his insightful comment, the red-haired woman eventually found her voice. "E-Even so, it's not like that program was all that complicated! I'm sure that any of you could have written something just as—".

"Not in only a few days," he interrupted again, hammering his point home. "And especially not during our limited private time. Deny it all you want, but that program is beyond impressive."

Okay, now she was feeling super embarrassed! Her face was a bright shade of pink and the heat was affecting her judgment! Also, where was all this positivity coming from all of a sudden?! And more importantly—

"W-Why! Are you being nice all of a sudden?!" she exclaimed, much louder than she'd intended.

At this point, everyone who hadn't taken note of their interaction was looking their way. That only intensified her discomfiture to extreme levels as she nervously smiled and attempted to get people to stop looking at her! Fortunately, most of their colleges went back to their work immediately, with only the likes of Makoto, Byakuya, and of course Kyoko letting their gazes linger.

Giving them a reassuring nod (or at least she hoped it was reassuring), the trio soon went back to their duties, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief. She appreciated them looking out for her, but now as a really bad time for them to focus on her!

"My apologies," Akihiro told her again, reminding her that she was still technically having a conversation with him. "I suppose it's weird for me to suddenly apologize…especially after how I treated you before."

Well now she felt like she was being the rude one! All the poor guy was trying to do was be civil with her, and yet she shut him down at every turn. Her outburst a moment ago didn't help either. Still, she couldn't deny that he was right, though. It was weird for him to suddenly apologize…but not for the normal reasons.

"I didn't mean it that way," she decided to clarify, not wanting to be ruder than she'd been already. "It's just that…considering all of the things I've done…I don't exactly deserve anyone's sympathy…"

A long silence hung between them as the unspoken truth was finally vocalized. Only now did Ryoko realize that Akihiro had been trying to avoid bringing up that subject. And yet she'd dragged it into the conversation. Still, she felt that she needed to make her point absolutely clear, and this was the best way to do so…no matter how much it hurt her.

Just when she was about to excuse herself, Akihiro suddenly spoke up again, "I admit…even now, after seeing how hard you've worked to keep the subjects alive…it's hard not to think of how ironic it is. All things considered…"

Ironic. That certainly was an apt way to describe it. After everything she did to throw the world into chaos, seeing someone like her work to undo some of that damage must have been a strange sight—

"But still, I'm not here to judge you for your past mistakes. You've proven that you care about saving the Remnants. That's what really matters here."

An awkward silence hung between them for a moment as Ryoko struggled to respond.

"Do you…honestly believe that?" she found herself questioning him, doubting his words.

To her shock, he quickly replied, "I do. Rehabilitating the Remnants and ensuring they are freed from despair is what this mission is all about. It's why I asked Miss Gekkogahara to allow me to participate in her stead, since she couldn't be here herself."

At the mention of Gekkogahara's name, Ryoko couldn't help but perk up, feeling her opinion of him rapidly changing. "That's right. You're part of Gekkogahara's division, aren't you?"

"I am," he said with a proud nod. "I may not be much of a therapist, but I've been helping with the Neo World Program since it was first created. It's revolutionary and could really help turn the world around by giving people a second chance…whether people think they deserve one or not."

Ryoko involuntarily flinched at his words, despite knowing he wasn't talking about just her. "A second chance, huh? It's true that not everyone is lucky enough to get a second chance…"

Another awkward silence floated between them, but it didn't last long.

"But that's why I want to ensure this project is successful," Akihiro told her, his visage hardening as he glared at the nearby monitor. "Even if we have to start over from scratch because of this A.I., I won't let this opportunity pass us by. There's too much good that can come from this program, and I won't let a damned virus take it away from us. We've lost too much to it already…

He paused, but only for a moment before turning his features back toward her.

"And that's why, I can't in good conscience keep treating you the way I have been. So, from this moment forward, I will consider you a trusted comrade and won't let my preconceived notions cloud my judgment anymore."

Extending his hand out to her, Ryoko could only stare at it in astonishment. All thoughts that someone had put him up to this vanished from her mind. For once, she was pleased that her analytical talent could see through someone's intentions, because she knew that every word he'd spoke had been genuine and true…even if there were some things left unsaid.

And…she didn't deserve it…not after everything she done. Despite his kind gesture, she knew that while he trusted her with this particular mission, it didn't mean he forgave her…that was part he left unsaid.

Still, not shaking his hand would be tantamount to slapping him in the face, and she didn't want to reignite his jerkiness. Also, despite knowing he hadn't really forgiven her, that wasn't what this was really about. Just because he didn't forgive her, that didn't mean they couldn't work together for the greater good. If anything, he was keeping his personal opinions to himself in order to do what was right for everyone, including the Remnants. And for that, she was certainly grateful.

So, in the spirit of camaraderie, she grasped her hand with her own and shook it firmly.

"Right," she finally answered him. "Let's both keep doing our best to save as many of them as we can."

It was a simple proclamation, but an effective one, nonetheless. In fact, knowing that he was willing to put aside her personal feeling for the sake of the greater good gave Ryoko…hope. Even if people never forgave her for the part she played in ending the world, if they could all work together to restore the world to its former glory, that would be more than enough for her.

"Sorry for keeping you," Akihiro said as he retracted his hand, glancing over his shoulder at their superiors. "You almost seemed like you were in a rush earlier. I hope I didn't—".

"Oh crud! That's right!" Ryoko instantly remembered the reason she'd gotten up in the first place and felt stupid for forgetting about it during their conversation. "I need to speak with Kyo—uh, with Division Leader Kirigiri! I think I may have an idea about what the A.I. is plotting."

Eyes wide, Akihiro immediately asked, "Really?! Did you find something in the data?!"

"Yes! Well, actually no. Kinda. It's hard to explain! A-Anyway, I need to go report on this!" she said as she sidestepped him and headed toward their superiors with a spring in her step.

Strangely, for the first time since the incident began, Ryoko felt just a little less anxious. Being recognized by someone other than her fellow 'survivors', was something she never imagined happening…and it filled her with confidence.

With that newfound determination fueling her, she braced herself to report her theory to Kyoko and her other superiors.


Five…Only five 'students' remained alive with the simulation now.

The Monokuma A.I. was more ruthless than anyone had predicted. It had executed both of their Observers at the same time! Ryoko's heart sank as she watched not only Usami…but also the digitally revived Chiaki Nanami be reduced to nothing more than expunged data.

The Chiaki Nanami in the simulation was a reconstruction using the memories from all of the Remnants from their time at Hope's Peak. Sadly, the real Chiaki had been missing for many years now, and according to the Remnants themselves, she'd been killed in front of all of them…by Junko Enoshima.

"…Why do something…so cruel?" Ryoko questioned internally, unable to understand the depths of the Ultimate Despair's madness. "And now…it happened again. Nothing remains of Chiaki Nanami…either in the real world or the simulation…"

The outlook was looking rather grim at this point. The remaining 'students' in the simulation were like walking corpses. They had no motivation. No will to live. They were just meandering around the island like lost children, with nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. Ryoko didn't blame them, after all, Monokuma had announced that the killing game was over…but that had to be a lie.

Kyoko, Makoto, and Byakuya had taken her theory about Monokuma's true goal to heart…but ultimately there wasn't much they could do. They still couldn't access the simulation in any meaningful way. And tomorrow…the strange timer in Jabberwock Park would count down to zero.

What concerned everyone, especially Ryoko, was that the timer didn't seem to be anything than just that: a timer. Nothing was programed to happen when it reached zero. And while it was possible that Monokuma would execute some program at the exact moment the timer ran out, there should have been some indication of it somewhere in the system.

"Uhhgg…" Ryoko groaned as her face pressed into her pillow, worry and anxiety plaguing her more than usual.

She'd been dismissed early, with Makoto escorting her back to her room, so that he, Kyoko, and Byakuya could discuss their final options before tomorrow. And although she didn't like being left out, it obviously wasn't her place to demand to be present. At this point, even Ryoko couldn't deny that the safest thing to do was to simply shut down the system to prevent the A.I. from achieving its goal…but the cost would be high.

"Sixteen lives…" Ryoko whispered, rolling over and staring up at the ceiling. "Statistically, sacrificing sixteen lives to preserve the rest of humanity is the most logical solution…but, it's so freaking unfair!"

Grabbing her pillow and throwing it across the room, the frazzled analyst continued venting her feelings.

"It's not their fault! They didn't ask to be mind-controlled! Why do they have to die because—?!"

"Because there's no other way," the stoic voice of Kyoko called out, startling her and making her eyes shoot toward the door. The Division Leader was just closing the door behind her, a tired expression marring her features. "Also, we can't simply forget all of the destruction they caused. If we allow them to resurface in that state, The Tragedy may very well occur once again."

Ryoko bit her lip and clenched her fist, knowing she was right but was too frustrated to admit it. "I know that, okay?" she admitted, exhaling through gritted teeth. "But…they deserve a second chance more than anyone…"

"…More than you, you mean?" Kyoko asked, hitting the nail right on the head.

"…Yeah…way more than me," Ryoko angrily concurred, standing up to meet her roommate's gaze. "Unlike them…I wasn't mind-controlled. I chose…to help Junko Enoshima spread despair. And even though those feelings are completely gone now, that doesn't change the fact that they deserve redemption far more than—!"

*SLAP*

Ryoko's face jerked to the side, her face stinging. She'd barely noticed Kyoko moving close to her and had been too emotional to realize what the detective intended to do before it was too late. For all her analytical prowess, once she got too emotional, she started acting as irrational as anyone else. It was oddly refreshing, but entirely embarrassing too. Mostly because it lead to situations like this.

Slowly turning her face back toward Kyoko, she found the detective glaring fiercely at her.

"The longer you keep punishing yourself, the harder it will be correct your mistakes," Kyoko bluntly told her, in a firm tone. "And even then, it's impossible to right all of the wrongs your past self committed. Regardless of who you think is more deserving of redemptions, the fact remains that you are in the position to do something about it. Not them."

Averting her gaze from Kyoko's harsh visage, she angrily muttered, "…But there isn't anything I can do about it right now!" Snapping her gaze back up to her roommate, with tears threatening to spill from her eyes, Ryoko suddenly exclaimed, "I'm completely powerless to do anything for them! I'm less than worthless! Even with all of my skills and talents, there's nothing I can do to save—!"

In the middle of her tirade, a pair of arms swiftly encircled her. And before she knew what was happening, Ryoko found herself pulled into a tight embrace by Kyoko Kirigiri.

"H-Hugging! She's hugging me!" was the only thought racing through the redhead's mind. She didn't know what to be feeling as she inadvertently inhaled Kyoko's scent…which was soothing beyond words. Sadly, that sensation was quickly overpowered with a spike in anxiety as uncertainty set in. "W-W-What do I do?! Do I hug back?! Am I ALLOWED to hug back?! Screw it, I want to hug back! Uhg…my stupid arms won't move! Great! My one chance to hug her and I can't freakin'—"

"Calm down…everything's alright," Kyoko's comforting voice whispered in her ear, causing Ryoko to tense up. "Take a moment…and just breathe. In…and out…"

As those words echoed in her mind, Ryoko involuntarily found herself doing as instructed, taking in deep, cleansing breaths. As she did so, the analyst felt herself beginning to settle down. She could feel her adrenaline working its way out of her system, leaving her almost drained of energy. Fortunately, Kyoko must have anticipated this, tightening their embrace to help keep her upright.

After a few moments had passed, the red-haired woman was finally able to regain her faculties. And with it, she plucked up the courage to raise her arms…and return the embrace. When Kyoko didn't move to disengage from her, she finally let herself truly relax, resting her head on the detective's shoulder and breathing in her roommate's scent again.

"…She smells so nice…so calming…" Ryoko couldn't help but notice, easing into their hug even more. "…It's cliché as heck but…I think I can die happy now…" she joked with herself, enjoying the moment while it lasted.

For what felt like an eternity but also an instant, the pair stood their embracing each other. Then, with a great deal of regret, it came to an end. Kyoko pulled herself back, forcing Ryoko to do the same. Once the detective's arms were no longer supporting her, the redhead sank back down onto her bed, thankful that it was there to catch her.

Looking down at her, Kyoko gave her a concerned expression as she asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

"…Yes," she half-lied, already missing the detective's soft touch. However, she wasn't going to push her luck and continued, "I…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have freaked out like that…"

Her apologize was met with Kyoko shaking her head. "No, I should apologize first. I lost my composure and slapped you. That was…inconsiderate of me."

"…It's alright, I know that you…wait? 'Lost your composure'?" a confused Ryoko questioned, perplexed by her roommate words. "Didn't you slap me to try and calm me down?"

When Kyoko didn't immediately respond, the red-haired woman instantly assumed the worst. Had Ryoko's whining pushed her over the edge? Had Ryoko's uselessness frustrated the detective so much she felt the need to discipline her? Did Kyoko just really REALLY want to hit her because of all the horrible things she did in the past or—?!

"I…became upset with you…constantly insulting yourself," Kyoko abruptly admitted, cutting off Ryoko's string of negative thoughts. And as the detective's words fully registered with her, she was stunned into complete silence. Taking advantage of this, the detective continued, "I despise self-deprecation…especially when it isn't warranted. I knew you harbored negative feeling about yourself, but hearing you voice them out loud was…infuriating."

To Ryoko's absolute surprise, a flush of pink colored Kyoko's cheeks as she tucked her hair behind one ear.

"Obviously I…overreacted. I don't usually allow myself to give in to emotional outbursts, and for that, I sincerely apologize."

The sight of Kyoko not only apologizing but doing so with an embarrassed blush…it was way too much for Ryoko to handle! If she wasn't careful, her nose might start bleeding from the rush! Normally such things wouldn't get Ryoko so worked up, but after getting a real hug from the Kyoko Kirigiri, she wasn't exactly able to think straight!

Finally snapping out of her stupor, the analyst stammered, "Y-You…really don't need to apologize—!"

"But I do," Kyoko insisted, wearing an apprehensive expression that was adorable beyond words! "Not only that…I also feel that I've been disrespectful toward you the last few days."

…Where was this coming from?! Sure, they hadn't talked much since the whole secret program incident but—wait, was that what she was talking about?!

"I should have been more considerate of your situation regarding why you chose to work on that program in secret," Kyoko told her, a look of guilt hidden behind her eyes. "I had no right to react so harshly. If anything, I should have spoken to you about it when I discovered it."

Upon hearing that notion, Ryoko couldn't stop herself from asking, "Then…why didn't you?"

Ryoko wanted to kick herself for being so blunt, but it was too late now! And the analyst felt all the more awkward when the look of guilt in Kyoko's eyes spread to the rest of her face, obviously not proud of decision.

"I…" the usually confident Kyoko hesitated, as if struggling to find the words. It was a rare sight indeed, but it didn't stop the detective from eventually finding her vocal footing. "I suppose…I was hoping you would tell me about it yourself. I wanted you to feel as though…you could trust me with that secret…so I decided to wait until you felt like telling me about it. But I see now that was arrogant of me—".

"T-That's not true!" Ryoko cut her off, impassioned by the courage her roommate displayed. "I…wanted to tell you. I really…really did! But I was afraid…afraid that…you might not trust me. After all, considering my past—".

"You're past had nothing to do with my current opinion of you." Now it was Kyoko's turn to interject, her expression stern but also warm at the same time. "After all, the person you used to be isn't who you are now. You are Ryoko Otonashi, a woman who seeks to undo the tragedies she unknowingly caused. And that's all that matters now."

With a light huff, Ryoko couldn't help but reply, "You sound like Makoto—".

"His opinion has nothing to do with this," the detective spoke over her, unexpectantly silencing her. Crossing her arms, Kyoko continued, "I'm not someone who let's other's opinions sway my judgment. And after spending as much time with you as I have, I can say, without a doubt, that your desire for redemption is genuine. And because of that, you have my profound respect."

…Respect? For her? Was Kyoko being serious right now? Oh who was she kidding, of course Kyoko was being serious! She was hardly ever not serious! And that only made the issue more difficult for Ryoko to process!

"She shouldn't respect me. I'm not worth respecting," she lamented, knowing there was still one question she desperately wanted to ask the detective. "I guess…now is as good a time as any."

Hardening her resolve and gathering up her courage, Ryoko looked Kyoko dead in the eye and said, "Since we're being upfront with each other…there's something I that need to ask—".

BRRRRR! BRRRRR! BRRRRR!

The roar of the alarm silenced her, and both women immediately tensed and looked upward as an announcement rang out through the halls.

"Emergency! All staff, report to the command room immediately! I repeat. Emergency—!"

The announcement replayed, and the gravity of the situation dawned on both of them. They wouldn't have sounded this alarm to recall everyone if it wasn't something urgent!

Their conversation discarded, Kyoko returned her gaze to Ryoko and said, "We can finish this discussion later. For now, we need to return to the command room."

Her usual stoic tone had returned, though it was obvious she was doing so in order to remain calm. Ryoko clicked her teeth, perturbed that she wasn't able to ask her question. However, she knew this wasn't the time for such disappointment, refocusing and preparing herself for the worst.

"Right. Lead the way!" she insisted, biting down her anxiety as the announcement continued to play on repeat.

Needing no further encouragement, Kyoko turned and raced for the door, with Ryoko following steadily behind her.


"The subjects have made it inside the Graduation Chamber…"

Akihiro's tone was tinged with anxiety, knowing that this could be what the Monokuma A.I. had been plotting all along. Kyoko had informed the staff of Ryoko's theory, having suspected the same herself. And since both of them had come to the same conclusion, it became what everyone began to suspect was the A.I.'s true goal.

"How did they find the password?" Makoto asked, a bit thankful but still perplexed. "I thought that Nagito Komaeda scratched it out of the Nezumi Castle floor."

"He left a video message for the survivors," Akihiro explained, directing everyone's attention toward the monitor. On it, the group of five survivors were inside what looked like a recreation of Hope's Peak Academy, searching it's distorted and pixilated halls. "After they got inside, the virus imprisoned them in a shabby recreation of Hope's Peak…and has been feeding them information about The Tragedy."

A brief moment of silence filled the room, with no one willing to comment on the ramifications of what it could mean for the Remnants to discover their past.

"Are we still locked out of the system?" Byakuya asked, his tone already suspecting the answer.

"Sadly, yes." Akihiro confirmed, shaking his head in frustration. "At this point, I don't have much confidence that we'll be able to regain control."

"What about Alter Ego?" Ryoko suddenly asked, causing everyone to turn her way. "Wasn't the core program of Alter Ego stored within the school ruins? Is it possible to establish contact with him?"

Thinking for a moment, Akihiro sighed. "It's technically possible, but only if the virus hasn't corrupted Alter Ego yet. And even if we can, I doubt we'd be able to do much except send a message. And that's if we're able to establish a connection at all."

"…Can you at least try?" Makoto asked, clinging to that tiny sliver of hope. "Even if it doesn't work, I think it better to try rather than do nothing at all."

Suppressing a sigh, Akihiro pursed his lips and rubbed the back of his head. "I'll see if I can establish communication with Alter Ego. But don't get your hopes up," he warned, heading back to his workstation to begin the attempt.

Makoto followed after him, watching and waiting as the technician tried to force a connection.

The instant the Ultimate Hope was gone, Kyoko turned to Byakuya and Ryoko and whispered, "…Make preparations to shut down the system."

A chill ran down Ryoko's spine and she harshly whispered a reply, "T-There's still a chance that we could save—!"

"We have to be prepared for the worst case scenario…" the Division Leader cut her off, a pained expression momentarily flashing across her face. Looking Ryoko square in the eye, she hardened her features and continued, "It will only be used as a last resort. Once all other options are extinguished. And if it truly comes to that…I will take full responsibility for everything."

Ryoko grimaced at the determination of her Division Leader. It was obvious that Kyoko intended to take on the burden of ending the lives of the sixteen Remnants, despite how much Ryoko knew it would weigh on her conscience. If the last few minutes had taught her anything about the detective, it's that she felt far more than she would ever let on. Others may regard her as an emotionless and aloof woman, but that's because they didn't see the side of Kyoko that she kept hidden. She rarely showed vulnerability, and when she did, it was only with people she trusted…which apparently included Ryoko now.

Faced with that level of trust and determination, the red-haired woman had no other recourse than to accept her superior's decision.

"…If that's your decision, then I'll respect it," Ryoko told her, reciprocating the trust the detective had in her judgment as well. A silent, thankful nod from Kyoko told her all she needed to know. Even though she couldn't say it aloud, Ryoko knew the Division Leader appreciated the gesture.

"I imagine we won't be informing Makoto of this," Byakuya chimed in, his eyes flicking toward their hopeful comrade. "I can assure you he won't go along with it. If need be, we may need to pull rank and have him detained."

"…I hope not," Kyoko confirmed, her voice unusually soft. Ryoko could see the pain in her eyes, the agony of knowing she'd have to go against the wishes of the person she cared for most. However, as expected of the Division Leader, she hardened her resolve and put on a stoic mask. "If it comes down to it, I'll issue the order myself. And if Makoto opposes that decision…I'll convince him to stand down."

All of them knew it wouldn't be that simple…Makoto wouldn't give up on saving the Remnants, no matter what. And as much as they all wanted to believe in his optimism…the grim reality of things couldn't be ignored.

"C-Contact established with Alter Ego!" a surprised Akihiro suddenly announced, drawing all of their attention. Heading over to his station, the three of them joined the technician and Makoto as they surveyed the monitor. On it, they could see a hazy picture, and an outline of someone.

"It seems Alter Ego's talking to one of the subjects. Izuru Kama—err, I mean, Hajime Hinata." Akihiro corrected himself, furiously typing and ensure the connection stayed open. "I don't know how long we can maintain this connection, so if you want to try and communicate with him, now's the time!"

"Please, let me do it." Makoto humbly requested, looking to Kyoko for permission.

Knowing time was of the essence, she nodded at him, which was all he needed to see. Taking Akihiro's seat, he began typing out a message to Hajime Hinata, hoping it wasn't too late to help them. After a couple of minutes of typing, the connection was cut, but the relieved sigh Makoto exhaled showed he was pleased with the result.

"I told them we'd do what we can to help them," he informed everyone, standing up and rejoining his former classmates. Then, with a determined visage of his own, he added, "And I have a plan that just might work…"


"Absolutely not," Byakuya outright denied once he heard Makoto's plan of entering the simulation to ensure there were enough people for the manual override. "Besides, even if we wanted to, we don't have access to the pod transfer system needed to enter the simulation."

"Actually, we do now," Makoto told him, keeping his voice down. "Once we established contact with Alter Ego, we regained the ability to send more people into the simulation. I asked Akihiro to keep that to himself, so outside of the three of us, only he knows."

Makoto, Kyoko, and Byakuya stood just outside the command room, discussing what the Togami Heir considered a suicide mission. It was Kyoko who suggested they take the conversation outside, leaving Ryoko back at her workstation. More than likely, the detective knew that if Makoto told her his idea, the amnesiac would support it. And sadly, even though he would have appreciated the support, asking this of her would've just been too much. Especially since she might come into contact with the malicious A.I. in control of the Neo World Program.

If it had simply been a Monokuma A.I., that would be one thing…but Kyoko had expressed concern that it might be an Alter Ego of Junko Enoshima herself. It was certainly possible, and it would explain how the A.I. was able to take over the system so quickly and completely. In addition, if the A.I. truly was a digitally revived Junko Enoshima, and Ryoko Otonashi came into contact with her…it could spell disaster.

Which is why Makoto had turned to his best friends to help him instead. Despite how risky it was, sending more people into the simulation was their only hope of saving all of the Remnants. And after promising Hajime that he'd do all he could to help, there was no way he'd back down now!

Sadly, it seemed that Byakuya wasn't willing to back down either. "Even if it is possible, it's far too reckless, not to mention suspicious." A skeptical look, similar to one he used to wear during the killing game, became etched across the Togami Heir's face. "Regaining semi-control of the system now? At this critical point? It's far too convenient for my liking…"

"But it's the only way to save them!" Makoto passionately argued, putting the thought of it being a trap out of his mind. "We only need three people to enter the simulation! It would only be myself and two others—".

"And who might those 'others' be?" Byakuya questioned, his gaze hardening. "Because I certainly won't be going in there."

Having seen through his plan, Makoto could only turn his hopeful visage toward Kyoko, his eyes pleading with her. Sadly, he could already tell what her decision would be…

"I'm sorry, Makoto…but I'm afraid I have to side with Byakuya," she reluctantly told him, weathering the look of disappointment on his face. "We simply cannot take such a dangerous chance…not with 'you-know-who' possibly being the Mastermind."

Makoto clenched his fists but stayed silent. He knew it would be risky, but it was also the only way to save the Remnants. They were as much victims as anyone else, perhaps even more so considering they were brainwashed. He couldn't just abandon the! Not when there was something he could do to save them.

…That's when a reckless idea entered his mind. One so brazen that only someone with Ultimate Luck would consider being able to pull it off.

"Alright…you win." he conceded, glancing back toward the command room…and the pod room beyond it. "We'll just have to get lucky, I guess…"


"…Did they actually think that would work?" Ryoko whispered to herself, watching on her monitor as Hajime proved that the 'Makoto Naegi' the A.I. had created was in fact fake. "Then again, Hajime was the only one who talked with Makoto, so only he would know."

Monokuma was spilling all of their secrets to the Remnants, telling them who they used to be, obviously trying to get them to remember. However, since the Neo World Program was incredibly precise, there was no way they could possibly remember…or so everyone hoped.

"If we don't find a way to upload their avatars into their real bodies, they go back to how they used to be anyway…so why try to trick them with a fake Makoto?"

Ryoko didn't have a firm grasp on what the A.I.'s purpose was at the moment. It wasn't trying to get them to 'graduate', and therefore take over their bodies. It was taking it sweet time…almost as if It was waiting for something…but what? Did it have something to do with Hajime being Izuru Kamakura? Was the A.I. trying to reawaken him specifically? But if so, why? What purpose would that serve?

Sadly, there just wasn't enough information to go off of. Sadly, all Ryoko could do was wait and observe the situation. And so, as she watched the trial unfold, Ryoko was startled when a gentle hand landed on her shoulder. Spinning around with a quiet gasp, she was shocked to see Makoto hovering over her.

"Hey, can I ask you for a favor?" he said before she could say anything to him.

Immediately enthused by the notion that he needed her help, she instantly replied, "Sure! What do you need?"

Keeping his tone low, he asked, "Can you check the pods for me real quick? See if they're all functioning properly?"

Ryoko raised an eyebrow at the strange request but figured there was probably a reason for it. Minimizing the feed showing the simulation, she brought up the data about the pods, checking everything.

"As far as I can tell, they're all still functioning normally," she told him, surveying the data with a careful eye. Bringing up all the information available, she jokingly said, "In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say they're running at full capacity. If we had access to the system, we could even—".

Glancing over her shoulder, Ryoko was shocked to see that Makoto wasn't there. She'd been so focused on his request that she hadn't noticed him depart. But why would he—?

*KACHUNK*

All at once, everyone in the room heard the loud sound of a pod being opened. Even though it was in an adjacent room, the noise penetrated the air and drew everyone's attention to the double-doors leading to the pod room…which were wide open.

"Makoto! Stop!"

It took Ryoko a moment to realize that it was Kyoko who had shouted, very much out of character for her. She sounded desperate…scared…like she was about to lose the person she cared for more than anyone else in the world. And that made Ryoko's blood freeze in her veins.

Suddenly, her computer beeped, indicating that someone had connected to the Neo World Program. Staring at the screen in horror, Ryoko's breath hitched as she saw that none other than Makoto Naegi had connected himself to the system.

"Wha—? How? WHY?!" she shouted, still reeling from the Ultimate Hope's seemingly suicidal decision. As she frantically began to see if there was any way to keep him from fully entering the simulation, a frantic number of screams began to ring out.

"N-No! It can't be!"

"How is this possible?!"

"She's supposed to be dead!"

"I-It's her! IT'S HER!"

Snapping her head over, Ryoko found the rest of the technicians staring at their monitors. Their panicked screams eventually engaged her own curiosity, and despite her very potent concern for Makoto's safety, she pulled up the feed showing the inside of the simulation. And what she saw knocked the wind out of her.

There, larger than life (quite literally), and towering over the surviving Remnants in the graduation room, was the Ultimate Despair herself…Junko Enoshima.


"Okay…it's all ready to go."

Ryoko Otonashi stood next to a pod that would house the Division Leader in only a few moments. The analyst was personally asked by Kyoko to run diagnostics on the pod, though it was obvious that was simply an excuse to speak privately with her. There wasn't much that needed to be done, and as Kyoko climbed into the pod and prepared to enter the simulation, Ryoko couldn't stop the worry that overtook her.

"…Are you sure about this, Kyoko?" she asked carefully, knowing there wasn't really much of a choice at this point.

"I am," the detective resolutely answered, no hesitation in her whatsoever. "Once Byakuya and I are in the system, we'll have enough people to activate the emergency override. Hopefully, we won't be in there for long…"

Ryoko could tell she was keeping her own fears at bay, and that her growing concern for Makoto was her prime motivation. From the moment Makoto forcibly entered the Neo World Program, Kyoko wasted no time preparing to enter herself. Byakuya elected to go with her, complaining about how reckless and stupid their hopeful classmate had been. And thus, they would have enough people to end this tragedy…they hoped.

However, the risk was high. If they couldn't convince the remain Remnants to activate the system…they would all be stuck in there, possibly for the rest of their lives.

As Byakuya was accompanying her, Kyoko chose to appoint Akihiro to a position of authority. It made sense, as he had seniority and was higher up in rank than most of the other technicians. He'd initially refused, but Kyoko didn't give him much choice, telling him that if they weren't back with the next few hours, to shut down the system…regardless of if the three of them managed to return.

"It doesn't need to be you," Ryoko tried arguing as Kyoko placed a helmet on her head, preparing to upload her consciousness into the system. "We could have a couple members of the security team do it instead—".

"They don't know Junko Enoshima like we do," the Division Leader interjected, her tone harsh, almost cruel. "Since Byakuya and I have experience dealing with her personally, we are the most qualified people for this mission."

Despite that logical answer, Ryoko knew the real reason Kyoko was going into the simulation; to save Makoto.

The detective had kept herself together well enough, but with her analytical abilities, there was no way Kyoko could hide the truth from Ryoko. The panic and worry the Division Leader tried to hide was unmistakable, and painful to watch. Not only that, Ryoko had an inkling as to why Kyoko insisted on going in herself.

Once upon a time, during the last killing game, Kyoko had chosen to abandon Makoto in order to save herself. The guilt from that decision was still with her, that much Ryoko could see. Ever since she'd read the file about the killing game she herself had Masterminded, she suspected that the detective probably carried some form of guilt with her regarding that incident.

"It's probably the 'regret' Kyoko mentioned a few nights ago," Ryoko had realized, and because of that, she knew it was pointless to try and stop the detective now. "All I can do is hope…hope and pray that the three of them are successful."

As the lid to the pod began to close, Kyoko turned her head in Ryoko's direction one last time and said, "No matter what happens…don't lose sight of yourself."

Confused by those cryptic words, Ryoko was stunned into silence as the pod closed, and the detective's consciousness was uploaded directly into the Neo World Program.


"Oh man…this seriously isn't looking good!" Ryoko commented as she watched the trial unfold in the simulation.

Makoto, Kyoko, and Byakuya, whose appearance had reverted to when they were still in the Hope's Peak killing game, verbally battled against A.I. Junko for the favor of the surviving Remnants. Sadly, they were losing ground. A.I. Junko had cornered the Remnants psychologically, convincing them that no matter the outcome, they were the ones who would suffer the most. Unfortunately, it was true…

At this point, even if the Remnants did activate the emergency override, they would go back to being Ultimate Despair themselves. The things A.I. Junko accused them of doing while being Ultimate Despair was slowly seeping into their minds, and they were all beginning to panic from the hopelessness of the situation. Even worse, Hajime had to deal with the realization that he would lose himself all together and revert back to the insanely dangerous Izuru Kamakura. The revelation that he had been the one to upload the Junko A.I. wasn't much of a shock. Although not sure when he did it, with all of his considerable talents, it was probably a simple matter to infect the entire system from Ryoko's terminal.

No matter how much Makoto, Kyoko, and Byakuya tried to convince them that using the override was the best possible outcome, the Remnants, out of fear and desperation, couldn't decide what to do. Hajime had become especially volatile, shouting that either way, he had no future. And all the while, the A.I. of Junko Enoshima smirked, knowing she had the upper hand.

"That smug witch!" Ryoko mentally cursed, gritting her teeth so hard they ached. "She's enjoying all their pain and suffering! It's like she gets off on it! That's…That's…disgusting!"

The more Ryoko observed Junko Enoshima, the more enraged she became. This was the first time that she'd seen the Ultimate Despair in her element, instead of reading small snippets about her. It was a horrifying experience, and it made her want to vomit! Not to mention that since Ryoko used to be Ultimate Despair herself, the amount of shame and disgust for herself grew more intensely by the moment!

"THIS…is the Ultimate Despair I was so infatuated with?! How could I…how could anyone find this appealing?!"

For the first time since waking up in that uncomfortable electric chair, Ryoko Otonashi was actually pleased she had brain damage! Whatever used to be in her head before had been purged and whoever had done it had done her a favor! Any worry about returning to her previous self completely evaporated as she witnessed Junko Enoshima's madness for herself. And although she still had the repressed fear that her old memories might someday return, for the very first time, she felt confident she could hold to herself…at least she hoped so anyway.

"I'm…Ryoko Otonashi. I'm not who I used to be," she affirmed for herself, keeping hold on her emotions. "I won't lose…not to despair…and not to the person I used to be!"

Suddenly, something changed. Hajime, who had been quiet for a few minutes now, abruptly came back to 'life'. However, it was like a manga transformation! His hair was glowing! His eyes had changed to a red color! And he…he…he was insisting that they use the override system!

Ryoko almost couldn't believe it! It was like he was a completely different person! Not Izuru Kamakura…but not completely Hajime Hinata either. It was like they'd fused into one person, with Hajime being the dominant persona! She had no idea how or why this had come about, but either way she didn't care!

Ryoko watched in awe as Hajime slowly convinced the other Remnants to activate the override. One by one, they found hope for the future through Hajime's words and decided that they wouldn't allow A.I. Junko to manipulate them anymore. Speaking of the twisted Mastermind, she was downright panicking right now!

Much like Ryoko, the digital Mastermind couldn't understand how or why Hajime had suddenly turned into a force for hope! She desperately tried to convince him that only despair awaited him outside the simulation, but he outright ignored her! Insisting that the future was what 'they' would make it, he and the rest of the Remnants moved to activate the override!

"Yes! That's what you get!" Ryoko couldn't help but shout, pleased to see the A.I. Mastermind getting taken down a peg! She didn't even care that many of the other technicians were staring at her, she was too happy to let that ruin this amazing moment!

As one, all of the 'students' present activated the override system…ready to embrace the future and—

"W-Wait…nothing's happening…" a horrified Ryoko suddenly realized, checking the coding of the system in disbelieve. "T-There should be a flood of data coming in…but nothing's happening! What gives?!"

As if in response to her confusion, she heard A.I. Junko begin to laugh manically within the simulation.

"Upupupupu! Ahahahaha! You really thought I didn't anticipate this outcome!"

"T-That's impossible! The override…why didn't it—?" she heard Makoto question before he was cut off by the malicious A.I.

"Because I adjusted it! That's why! Aha! Hahahahahaha!" A.I. Junko revealed, howling with evil laughter.

"Impossible…" Kyoko spoke up next, growing pale as the situation worsened. "You took over the role of observer. It shouldn't be possible for you to change—".

"Oh, I didn't change anything, Miss Detective!" the A.I. smugly told her, chuckling madly. "I said, 'I adjusted it'. Pay more attention when people are talking next time—".

"And what exactly did you 'adjust'?" Byakuya questioned, his patience wearing thing as a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.

With a malicious grin, A.I. Junko turned her gaze toward the nearby camera, staring directly into the lens. As such, Ryoko gasped and reared back, feeling as if the evil A.I. was looking directly at her.

…And she wasn't too far off with that thought.

"Since I couldn't change the override sequence…I decided to add to it!" The digital Mastermind explained, more toward the camera than anyone inside the simulation. And it only took a few more moments to understand why she chose to do so. "Thanks to hacking into the system from the inside…I discovered that we have a special guest with us today!"

Ryoko's body suddenly went cold, and her heart beat furiously against her chest. An intense feeling of dread overtook her as her analytical mind automatically put together what she was implying. And, to confirm it for everyone else, the A.I. Junko continued her explanation.

"The override still works, don't you worry! However, there is additional verification needed to activate it! And, without that verification, no one is getting out of the simulation! Oh, and it only works from inside the simulation, so you can't verify it from where you are now."

If possible, the A.I.'s twisted grin of maliciousness widened as she had her gigantic body grab the camera, hoisted it up, and treated it like she was taking a selfie of the version inside the bejeweled phone.

"I know you're watching…Ryoko Otonashi! So why not come in here and say hi! We'll all be waiting for ya with bated breaths!"

Suddenly, the feed completely cut out, all the monitors went blank, and Ryoko was left staring at her own reflection, a look of abject horror mirrored back at her.


To Be Concluded…

Greeting's my beautiful readers! Now that Alter Ego Junko has revealed herself and called for Ryoko by name, what do you think will happen?! Get ready for the final installment of this story, uploaded the day after tomorrow!

As always, I sincerely appreciate all the comments and reviews you all leave for me. It really helps motivate me and I thank you all for your kind words! Take care and keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!