Monotokage cackled loudly. "Welp, looks like you guys fucked it all up!" the lizard exclaimed, then she covered her mouth. "I can't wait to execute fifteen people at once! Junko never did that in a killing game before. Take that you lazy hoe!"

Heikichi looked worried for once. "Waitwhat?" He said incoherently with fear dancing in his eyes.

Masakado chuckled darkly. "Looks like I created the perfect crime," He said, his lips pulling into a fine line. "I will take great enjoyment in your faces of despair before death."

This is fake right? right…?

"Gahahahahaha!~" Monotokage chortled, mouth agape with her tongue curling and she stuck it out. "I'm just screwing around, you got it correct. Isoyo Imagawa, the Ultimate 3-Dimensional artist, did in truth, strangle her closest friend down here to death!"

Is it wrong that I hate the fact we were correct?

"Thanks for playing along though, Kado, you are one of the good ones!"

Kado turned away, "Hmpf…" the cultist scowled. "I don't need your thanks for my own personal enjoyment."

Figures… I know that there was a mole in the first killing game, if it turns out there is one here, I know who I'm suspecting.

"I don't get it," Kaiya shook her head, furrowing her brow. "Not only was your crime risky, but Erena was the last person I'd expect you to kill."

I frowned slightly. "You did play a dangerous game, Sozen could have easily noticed you in the middle of it," I added with a somber tone.

The artist hugged her arms, "I was just desperate... " She admitted, avoiding eye contact. "I even began to fight back against my decision and I would have probably stopped myself…"

Sozen tapped her foot with his arms crossed. "Yet that didn't happen now did it Ms. Imagawa," He stated with firmness.

The light brown haired girl leaned her cheek on her hand. "I wish I could go back and change it, it may not seem like it, but I am angry at myself for killing her," She explained, before biting her brush. "However, I was pushed into it by someone."

"Monotokage right?" Norito guessed, giving the robotic lizard a glare.

Isoyo shook her head. "That's not it, Masakado did," She slowly rotated her head to face the cult leader, whom just offered a sinister grin.

"The fuck!?" Juro exclaimed in shock, staggering back slightly.

"He found me out, he knew that I was going to kill her…" Isoyo said, pulling down her hat.

*flashback* (Isoyo's POV)

While I was standing there in front of her room, I was contemplating my choice.

Can I really go through with this? She is the closest friend I've ever had… even if that's not saying much. But, I cannot stay here, I cannot lose my talent. However, what if it's not worth it, I'll probably get caught anyways, then it'll all be for nothing, and I will suffer the guilt of killing Erena all for naught. I shouldn't, I can turn back…

Suddenly, Kado approached me, wagging his finger slowly. "Tsk tsk tsk… Isoyo, you would not happen to be attempting to murder Erena would you?" He questioned, clearly knowing the answer as he cleaned his nails with his dagger. "No, surely that's far off your moral compass."

I began biting my brush. "Huh. where did you…"

"I know you want to feel fear and hesitation, except, I encourage your decision," He said with a neutral expression.

"What do you mean…" My eyes averted his jade eyes' attempt to bore into mine.

The cult leader clicked his gums, "Don't let the opportunity pass you up, no one will know if you did it," he said, then he rested his hand on my shoulder with a convincing smile. "I won't tell because I believe you deserve to escape here. I even promise to lend you a hand in the trial."

"B-but, I-" I only found myself stammering in response.

How… how would I ever hide it, I'd be too ashamed, too afraid of myself and the others… but maybe with his help...

He put a finger up to his lips, with his eyes closed. "Hush now, there are people out there waiting for you to return, aren't there? They need you right?" He mentioned, crouching down to my eye level with a frown. "If you stop now and wait like the others, what will come of them? And without your talent… who would you even be? What worth would you have in this world of ours?"

I felt my arms slump. "Nobody… I would be useless again…" I breathed, pulling my hat down, before grasping the rope in my hands harder. "You're right, I… I have to, for them… I only hope that Erena will understand…"

Never again, I will never be nothing again...My family can't live on without my talent…

Kado offered a light chuckle. "I'm sure she will, friends always wish the best for each other after all…" He grinned as he stood up. "Like I said before, I will keep quiet and assist, you have my word. Good luck."

I watched as he strolled off. Then I looked at the rope in my hands for a brief moment and knocked on the door.

*Flashback end*

So that's it huh, that bastard has already chosen his side. If he wishes to help support the flag of despair then he best be ready to face the consequences.

"You are despicable Kado, goading her to do this," I spat as anger slowly filled my face. "She saw the light and you blinded her."

"She would have stopped herself and Erena could have lived!" Sukey remarked, grasping her head as she struggled to keep her composure. "Now, we have to… *inhales* I can't even say it…"

"And you knew the entire fuckin' time!" Juro exclaimed in rage, his fist balled up. "There isn't a single damn thing you can say to defend yourself!"

Anzai coughed aloud. "As did I," the genius reminded us with a cocky smirk. "I had the key to victory since the beginning~"

Nene rolled her eyes. "Somehow, I doubt that, but with Kado, it's for sure that he could have told us from the start," the blonde explained, crossing her arms.

"That must be why you spoke with me last night, to distract me from seeing Isoyo," Sozen realized, before frowning. "And I fell for it…"

Kado looked mildly annoyed for a second. "Tch-" His face seemed to darken as his face turned grim. "Think what you will, I know what I am and what I fight for."

"Yeah, a scoundrel," Heikichi chided.

"A manipulative rat..." Rikako & Shuuyo remarked.

"Sweaty lion!" Sukey shouted.

"A hot as fuck demon!" Leiko exclaimed, sweating profusely, her face flushing red with arousal.

"Ew, keep that shit to yourself!" Juro requested in disgust.

I don't think there's any stopping Leiko and her "unique" personality.

Isoyo clutched her hands close to her face as she looked down. "Regardless, it was my hands that ultimately ended Erena's life."

I ran my hand through my dark blue hair. "Why exactly did you do it?" I asked, stroking my chin. "Was it the motive?"

"Yes… but not exactly," Isoyo answered, pulling her hat down. "I could not lose my talent, it meant too much for not only me but my family. You see, I was useless as a child before I found out my talent, just as useless as my family. They could never support themselves and it was always a struggle to see the next day."

A pained look filled Sukey's face, "That's terrible…" the musician muttered, allowing her tears to drip down from her eyes.

"I was supposed to be their last hope, but I showed no signs of it for 7 long years, until I realized my talent for art," Isoyo explained. "It allowed me to give my family the support they've needed, to give us a prosperous life. That's not all, my talent is the only way for me to express any sort of emotion thanks to my disorder, I could never live such a life again. And if you wanted to know, I chose Erena because I didn't want to face her in the trial, since I knew I couldn't handle seeing her reaction to me being a killer and I don't want to watch her have a gruesome death by the hands of Monotokage had I won. Except, now I deeply regret that decision."

"I see… then you had a respectable motive," Nene commented somberly.

I suppose it is then, as far as reasons to kill go, that's one I understand well enough. I would say that I forgive her, mainly since it was Monotokage and Masakado's manipulation tactics that made her do it. That and I really can't judge someone like Isoyo so negatively...

Arishige pulled out a bright pink tissue. "Ah~ how heartwarming," he said, wiping his eyes with the tissue. "An artist fighting for their family…"

Heikichi scratched underneath his beanie, "Murder is murder though," The pearl white haired boy said, not looking convinced. "What you did was wrong."

"Exactly, we don't need to hear all this unintelligible nonsense that you call a motive," Anzai remarked in annoyance, before putting on the sunglasses. "Ain't nobody give a flying fuck about your backstory! just take your damn guilt into hell already for wasting my valuable time!"

Geez, what a damn asshole, the least he could do was tone it down, but he went all out for no good reason on the poor girl. At times like these, I really wish I had the guts to kick someone's ass.

"I know..." Isoyo said, accepting the accusations. "I could never hate myself more…"

"Sure fuckin' was wrong, you wanted to sacrifice all of us for this shit!" Jurobei exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck with a face of anger. "You think that's forgivable!"

Then it happened, Isoyo balled her left hand up as it shook violently. "I know!" She suddenly erupted into anger, throwing her hands down. "I deserve to die for what I did to Erena, she did not deserve death! If only I hadn't been so stupid! she'd be standing up alive and well with that smile on her face that has always been there…until now…"

Wait…that was anger, an emotion…that she showed...how…?

Norito was taken aback. "I-Isoyo?!" The janitor asked in absolute confusion and surprise. "Are you actually angry?"

Isoyo's eyes widened when she realized what just occurred, she looked around as if in dismay. "I-I-I am!" She sputtered in near disbelief as she regained her composure. "So...this is what it feels like then...to have emotions, it's almost surreal..."

"See, and people say despair can't cure diseases!" Monotokage exclaimed, before turning cheerful. "New slogan! Despair is the ultimate medicine! Yahehehehe~"

No, just no.

"Cosmetics have been doing that for years to come! Including making even your toaster feel happiness!" Arishige proudly stated, brushing his suit off. "It's far better than your despair."

"Wha! The toasters are alive!" Leiko gasped in fear. "I knew I could never trust my toaster! For all the times it ate my bread must have been in revenge from my abuse of it!"

If she's referring to what I think she is, then I don't understand her problem. Aren't toasters supposed to "eat" or for a better explanation, take your bread in one of the slots and toast it? Like, what does Leiko think they're meant for? Suntanning?

"Heh...hehehe..." Isoyo looked almost elated for a moment along with that giggle, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "For the first time, I can actually laugh at you two and your shenanigans…"

Rikako & and Shuuyo offered a solemn look. "What a terrible time for this to happen," They commented in a melancholy tone. "To be brought such a gift only to be taken away from this world soon afterwards."

Isoyo seemed to strain as she attempted a smile, ultimately failing. "I do wonder what happiness feels like, but I'll never get that chance won't I…?" She mused at the long lost dream. Her eyes began to appear watery.

"You better start hurrying up with this heartwarming crap, my insides are starting to curl," the lizard complained, looking as if she was about to keel over and hurl, then she looked confused for a moment. "Wait, why the hell am I demanding something I can just make happen?!"

"Please, give me more time!..." Isoyo pleaded with her hands clasped. "I have things I need to say!"

Monotokage let out a long and tiresome sigh. "Fine…" the lizard granted permission, placing her hands on her hips. "Only to add to my likable factor over Monokuma."

"What is it, Isoyo?" Kaiya asked curiously, rubbing her eyes real quick.

A hopeful expression formed on Isoyo's face. "I w-want you all to get out of this alive, together. I want to see you all get along like Erena wanted!" the artist requested, trying to be strong. "I know it's possible, you all teamed up to take me down, now you just need to do the very same to Monotokage!"

I felt a pained smile form, "O-of course," I assured.

This is really beginning to take its toll on my heart. I'm not the most emotional person, but I can feel the tears fighting their way out of my tear ducts.

Isoyo's face turned serious. "Promise me that you won't make the same mistake I made in betraying your friends…"

Nene held her fist up to her chest in a valiant manner. "I will, and I shall honor it," the fencer stated, bowing.

"That's a hard promise to keep…" Sozen commented, rubbing his jawline, before offering a somber look. "However, I promise that I'll make the effort."

"I also promise," Kaiya went along. "The only way we'll get through this, is if we can put aside our differences for once."

"So do I!" Norito nodded firmly, then he gave a bright smile. "Even if the others won't say it, I'm sure they'll come around soon enough too!"

Everyone else stayed quiet, some looking shameful and a couple were saddened and tearing up.

Isoyo traced a trail of one of her tears. "Thank you…" With that, the artist finally smiled for the first time in her life, and it was the most believable and brightest one yet.

She smiled, a genuine smile, if only this moment could last longer… Senior Lizard Twat will never allow it anyways.

Monotokage shrugged, "Welp, at least you got a smile in, but that'll be your last! Get your popcorn and soda ready bozos!" She exclaimed menacingly.

"W-wait, d-don't-" Sukey begged, shaking her head vehemently, causing a few of her tears to fly off.

"Let's get the show on the road!" Monotokage announced, throwing her arms in the air in excitement.

Isoyo clasped her hands close to heart with her eyes shut tightly. "Erena… please forgive me!" She let out in desperation, before lightly smiling as tears trailed down her face. "I'm so s-so sorry…"

"CAUSE BABY! IIIIITSSSSS PUNISHMENT TIIIIIIIIMME!"

"You'll face rightful judgment in the afterlife. May it be fair and just," the twins said, offering a bit of comfort in their words.

Suddenly, a chain with a metal collar attached to it shot out and latched itself around Isoyo's neck.

"P-please, check the art room, and may it inspire you all…" Isoyo breathed out in a hollow voice, straining another smile.

"This will not-" Sozen shouted as he reached out to grab Isoyo's hand, but the sheer force of her body being pulled away caused it to slip out of his hand.

We watched as she was dragged into a room with it's walls lined with many strange looking wax sculptures. Two of which looked like Monotokage. She was stung up in the center of a circular stage that had many robotic arms stationed around it.

-Now commencing punishment: True Immitationalism-

Starring: Isoyo Imagawa the Ultimate 3-Dimensional Artist

The room was lit up in an eery dim light, the robotic arms starting roaring to life as Isoyo struggled in the air.

The arms began their work. They twisted and turned her arms in a way that should be impossible, pulling and ripping at her flesh as mass amounts of blood flew everywhere. The horrific sound of bones snapping, flesh tearing, and screams echoed about the place and through everyone's ears.

In the midst of it, Sozen had run out and tried to interrupt it by deactivating the arms one by one, unfortunately, he was stabbed in the gut by a knife wielding arm, and slapped to the side by another.

What was left was a horribly mangled Isoyo. Miraculously, She was still breathing, albeit very ragged. Tears streamed down her face as a large bucket of hot bubbling wax was dumped on top of her.

The finished project was a waxed up Isoyo, whom resembled a flower of flesh and bones in a twisting and gruesome way. Confetti was shot out everywhere as a rating in the back was shown.

It was a 0/10, and then suddenly, she was shredded into pieces by the robotic arms and dumped into a waste bin.

Isoyo Imagawa was no more.

"Ngh… AAAAAGGGAGAGGHHHH!" Juro screamed in absolute terror.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Sukey shrieked, covering her eyes.

All sense of color drained from my face. "S-Sozen!" I shouted. "Isoyo…"

This can't be... did two people get executed just then…? How are we going to do this without Sozen's controlling force? I feared watching these executions for a reason, but it was much worse than I ever thought it'd be. To think someone has that much of a fucked up imagination...

"Why did he do that!?" Nene blurted out, running over to where Sozen landed, face first on the cold hard floor.

"Catch me…" Leiko gasped, letting out a sigh as she fell backwards into Anzai whom let her fall right by him, causing her to hit the floor with a thud.

Anzai himself was trembling and his right eye was twitching.

Arishige was sweating up a storm in fear, while furiously spraying himself with vanilla cherry perfume.

"Hrggh…" Kaiya grimaced in disgust, grabbing her stomach.

Norito looked very distraught as he fell to his knees.

I didn't even realize how much I had been tearing up until I felt how swollen my eyes were.

"Hmmm… nice touch with making her into a flower," Kado observed with praise. "It really symbolizes her relationship with Erena."

The lizard looked bashful, kicking her foot. "Aw shucks, I appreciate your compliment," Monotokage thanked. "I put a lot of thought into this one!"

"The both of you are screwed up in every wrong way possible," Heikichi remarked, sounding disgusted.

Rikako & Shuuyo numbly shook their heads. "No human being deserves to be executed in such a horrid and gruesome way…" they remarked with somber expressions.

"I-is Sozen dead…?" Norito asked, sounding unsure but deeply worried.

"No, I am fine," Sozen announced as he slowly stumbled onto his feet, with Nene helping him on the way up.

That's a big relief, however, his injury may be too serious to survive without proper medical attention...

"Don't lie, you are losing a lot of blood," Nene said with concern in her expression, observing his wound.

"You're certainly less than beautiful looking at the moment," Arishige commented, resting his head on his hand.

The sheriff began coughing up a spurt of blood into his hand. "I'll get through it…" Sozen assured, feigning a smile. "Relax."

"There's no time for relaxing dude!" Juro exclaimed in disbelief, before gesturing in the direction of where Isoyo was executed. "Did you not see what just fuckin' happened!"

He frowned as he kept pressure on his wound. "I know, I tried saving her." He looked down in shame. "But I… failed…"

"We need to get you to an infirmary," Sukey suggested with a worried look. "Don't begin with that tough guy act now."

Anzai scoffed. "We don't have access to one, bright eyes!" The genius chided, flicking his hair.

"Monotokage!" Kaiya shouted, turning to the dark purple and white lizard. "Can you spare us something this one time?"

"Pretty please with a blackened soul on top!" Leiko added with puppy dog-like eyes.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…" Monotokage thought, holding her finger up to her chin.

This sounds like it's leading to a firm denial.

"Lucky for you, you all are rewarded with new places to explore for getting through the trial!" Monotokage finally answered with cheeriness. "It may or may not have an infirmary, so don't count all the eggs just yet!"

"Our luck may have just run out though…" the twins brought up, sounding dissatisfied.

"I'll check the new locations, you all should get rest now," Nene said as she took off her coat and wrapped it around Sozen's wound. Allowing him to rest his hand that was keeping the pressure on it.

Wow, what a change coming from her. These games really have a way of bringing people together at times don't they?

"When did you become helpful?" Heikichi asked in surprise, before crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "For all this time you've been blabbering on about how weak and pathetic we were."

"Don't start," She deadpanned. "I will acknowledge the possibility that I misjudged most of you. The trial made me realize that. Just don't let that get to your head."

"Let's um… just get back to our rooms then," I suggested with a nervous look. "Hopefully, Sozen will make it through the day."

With that, we all got back onto the elevator and ascended out of that living nightmare.

I trudged towards my room and entered it, immediately collapsing onto the bed.

-Omezo's room-

We… made it through, but I still feel horrible, that familiar feeling of immense pressure on my chest returning. It must be despair right? This is what so many ultimates had gone through, what my father had gone through… I'll have to get used to it, because I fear that it'll keep coming back. I may have made that promise to Isoyo, however, I don't believe the others will hold it. Even then, I'm not quite sure I'll continue to as well. I almost feel like I do not want to wake up after tonight.

Fortunately, I was able to drift off to sleep, not without seeing Isoyo's face of pure terror even before every went dark.

-?-

"Don't you think this is a little too easy? Like, it's basically baby mode for these children."

"Well, one snapped in the end regardless."

"It's just that, the game feels too similar to Junko's, you know? Yes, there's no rules yet and you play unfair, but that's not enough don't you think?"

"I suppose you're correct, I do have to outshine that pathetic being they call the ultimate despair…"

"Then what do you plan on doing about it?"

"I'll just have to up the difficulty is all. I have a creative speech in mind for my decision, but I don't want to waste it here, since this is like a teaser."

"It certainly does feel like one…"

Chapter 1

How the Water Flows

END

*Ultimates remaining: 14*

AN: Alright, so it may take quite a bit till I begin chapter 2, so in the meantime, I'd like to hear your guys' overall thoughts on chapter 1. Of course, I do not mind if you choose not to review, but that makes me sad, and do you want me to be sad? Nah, I'm just joking, do what you want, I'm not going to cry over something like that.

Review response(s):

TheRoseShadow: If you thought that was intense, then the rest will be like a rollercoaster over the sun!

Katastic Writer: You know, I almost didn't think of the strut idea until I realized, hey, bodies limp don't they? And it made for a good thing for Isoyo to protest in her defense. I'm glad that I threw someone off though!