Chapter 4:
. Naegi sat down outside his room until morning. He needed to ask someone, anyone about where and when they woke up in the school. He didn't want to go back to bed because he had no idea if the military-esque hardass, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, had told everyone to meet somewhere at a certain time, and that would present an outside chance of him missing just about everyone else.
"If my hunch is correct, there should be some inconsistencies between an arrival and waking up from someone!"
He folded his hands together underneath his chin. An announcement from Monokuma came at seven AM.
"Good morning, you guys! It is now 7:00 A.M.! Rise and shiiine!"
. Naegi had expected someone to come out at that point, either to get coffee or tea or even a frickin' bagel with cream cheese or something. They couldn't all dislike breakfast like he did. But it was no use, they were probably all lying in their beds, trying to delude themselves that this wasn't real. That they were still safe and sound in their homes, or that even if they were in Hope's Peak, yesterday hadn't been real. It was all an elaborate prank by the staff and other students.
. No such luck. This was very much real. This was as real as it was going to get. Seeing that box labelled 'Dead Students' ID' had convinced him. Nobody put a miniscule detail like that for just a prank. And in here, every issue was amplified off the walls. Every interpersonal problem would resonate between them, wear them down. And Naegi had a sinking feeling that not all of them would survive this. Sure, maybe a few, maybe even a half-dozen or so, but everybody here? Not likely.
. He was so wrapped in his thoughts that he almost didn't spot the lavender-colored boots with heels. Kirigiri was returning to her room, coffee in hand.
"Hello... Makoto Naegi."
"Kirigiri Kyoko."
"What are you doing up?" Kirigiri's voice was firm. If it weren't for the transpired sequence of events, it could have almost been mistaken for small talk.
"I woke up around four, walked around the school, and haven't gone back to sleep since then."
"I see."
"So what are you doing up?"
"I wanted some coffee."
"You like coffee?"
"Yes. Do you like coffee?"
"No, I've never really been fond of breakfast food."
"I see. You said you walked around the school. Did you do something the rest of us couldn't do and find a way out?"
"If I did, would I still be here?"
Kirigiri smiled slightly.
"Good point."
"But I did discover something strange. I'll show you."
Kirigiri raised her eyebrows.
"Something strange?"
"A minor detail that broadcasts the mastermind's overconfidence that our living numbers will decrease."
"And what's that?"
"Follow me. I don't want Monokuma preemptively swiping it."
"You're not planning to kill me, are you?"
"You're wearing boots with heels. One kick to the gut in the stomach and I'm finished."
"Says the guy who withstood one of the fiercest punches a teenager could possibly dish out yesterday."
"Hahaha. Come on."
. Naegi put his hands in his pockets and strolled to the entrance hall.
"Kirigiri, I have another question for you."
"If it's about my talent, I'm still choosing not to answer that particular question."
"No, it's not about that."
"Then what's your question?"
"What's with the purple color palette? You look like a humanized version of Blaze the Cat."
"What? It's lavender and lilac."
"So shades of purple. Why?"
"It happens to be my favorite color. And who's Blaze the cat?"
"You never had Sonic Rush for Nintendo DS?"
"No." Kirigiri appeared apprehensive. "Is he bringing up this game to get me lower my guard and strike? I know he's brought up my boots as a counterpoint." Kirigiri's eyes narrowed slightly. "But it's possible he has a way around it."
"Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing. But why are you bringing up something like Sonic Rush, Naegi?"
"I... don't know, you just reminded me of Blaze the cat. Between all the purple, and the fact that you're very icy,cold, and not very conducive to the power of friendship, but you'll likely warm up over time."
"You think the power of friendship will help us here?"
"Not at first."
"How interesting. Why?"
"Because we've only known each other for a day. And we still don't know a lot about each other. It's possible that the dynamics change, and change drastically."
"In face of the murdering?"
"No, just in time."
"You think there won't be any murders?"
"I honestly can't say. I don't know everybody here well enough to predict who they are and what actions they might be willing to consider. Especially considering the magnitude of most of the personalities here. Most of them are used to situations where they can dictate the sequence of events."
"Well said. You're approaching this with a lot more tact than I expected."
. Now it was Naegi's eyes that narrowed. He could draw a few inferences about Kirigiri. Unlike Maizono, or even Enoshima, Kirigiri was more reserved, full of dry wit, and not as likely to present much of a target in either direction as he thought. She was a solo operative. You could either play her second fiddle or stay out of her way, but she wouldn't hesitate to discard someone if they were a liability. Unlike Togami, Celeste, or Fukawa, she didn't seem too likely to murder, and there were easier targets such as himself and Fujisaki to go after.
. He found the box.
"What can I say? As the perpetual beta male, it's too my advantage to understand people."
"Is that so?"
"Kirigiri, could you be my witness on this?"
"Witness for what?"
"Look at the bottom of the box. Tell me what it is says."
"It says 'Dead Students' ID'. It's written on tape. The handwriting appears quite messy.
"Okay."
"I see what you mean. The mastermind is really anticipating some murders."
"Not just that, failed murders as well. Note the plural."
"Yeah. Not good."
"If you were running this game, wouldn't you remove the ID-s of any dead students from 'play'?"
"I suppose I would."
"And yet, they aren't getting removed. Meaning?"
"Meaning that they could be integral for a second or even third murder."
"Exactly."
"That showcases extreme confidence on Monokuma's part, whether he knows it or not."
"Oh, hello, it's my two favorite students. Naegi and Kirigiri. Careful Naegi, you'd better not let Maizono catch you showing this to Kirigiri. She might get jealous and go full yandere."
"What do you want, Monokuma?" Naegi questioned Monokuma.
"Oh, I just wondered what the two of you were up to. I mean, you've only just hit the twenty-four hour mark, and already you're screwing around."
. Naegi knew exactly what Monokuma was doing, but it was Kirigiri who voiced the objective.
"You're just trying to wear us down mentally to make us more susceptible to murder."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No!"
"Yes."
"NO!"
"Yes."
. Naegi sweatdropped. Kirigiri was remaining as poised as ever at Monokuma's vehement insistence that he wasn't trying to accelerate the murdering.
"Well, in case, I hope you've both discovered that there's no way out." Monokuma said.
"We'll see about that." Kirigiri said.
"My my, you're sure confident, aren't you, Kirigiri Kyoko? I mean, all things considered."
"I could say the same to you, Monokuma."
"Overconfident? Me? How dare you say such a thing?" Monokuma glared at Kirigiri. "I'm such a humble bear. You haven't figured that out yet? I mean-"
"Monokuma, if you're going to do more 'bear' puns, just stop."
"Pre-emptively shutting down my routine, Naegi? You know me too well." Monokuma sighed.
"Naegi, how did you know Monokuma was going to make bear puns?" Kirigiri quequed.
"Let's just say I ran into him at about four this morning."
"With Maizono and Enoshima." Monokuma helpfully added. "I'll let your imagination do the rest, Kirigiri."
"Too bad, Monokuma. I don't have one." Kirigiri dead-panned.
"That's a real shame, Kirigiri. I had high hopes in your potential, considering your background."
"Monokuma, I'm only going to say this once. Shut up." Kirigiri said.
"You really are a mean entity, Monokuma." Naegi told off the robotic bear.
"What? It's not enough to have Maizono and Enoshima in the palms of your hands. Now, you've got to have Kirigiri in your back pocket as well?" Monokuma clapped his hands over his mouth.
"Huh? Wait, Monokuma. What do you mean?"
"It's time for me to scram. See you later, Naegi!" Monokuma scurried away.
"Wonder what he meant by that. I mean, I /know Maizono has affection for me. But Enoshima?" Naegi muttered.
"Damn, Naegi, what's all the commotion?" Leon had arrived. He spotted Kirigiri. "Oh no seriously? Not another one. You trying to go three for three in under twenty four hours? You've already got Maizono. And it's all but guaranteed you've clinched Enoshima as well. The two nines in this school, the model and the diva aren't enough?" Leon joked.
"Wait, if Maizono and Enoshima are nines, then what am I?" Kirigiri asked bemusedly.
"Oh crap, you're uh... you're an 8.8."
"I see. Nice 'save' there." Kirigiri airquoted the penultimate word. The fabric on her gloves rippled slightly.
"Anyway, Leon, take a look at this." Naegi showed Leon the box. Leon read what was inside.
"Oh crap."
"You do realize the implications of this, right?"
"That Monokuma over there is expecting multiple murders?"
"Exactly."
"Wait, Monokuma is over there?" Naegi asked Leon, blinking several times in confusion.
"Yeah, behind the corner." Leon said, pointing over his shoulder to Monokuma, homaging the stalker classic by peeking around the column "I passed him on the way over here. He was muttering about how he wanted to do bear puns, but you kept one-uping him."
"I see. Point to me then!" Naegi raised his hands triumphantly.
"You seemed oddly amused by that." Leon chuckled.
"Hey, we're trapped in here. We might as take the moral victories when they come."
"I wouldn't say that being more smart-alecky than a teddy bear is that much of a moral victory. Say, how did you even discover this box?"
"I woke up around 4 AM this morning, and decided to go exploring around the school."
"Make any discoveries?"
"Monokuma is fan of retro handhelds?"
"Huh?"
"Yeah. I went into the Student Store. And instead of PSPs and maybe DSs, Monokuma is selling SEGA Gamegears and Neo Geo Pocket Collectors."
"Okay." Leon looked at Naegi quizzically. "Why?"
"I have no idea, maybe Monokuma is just a fan of retro gaming?"
" You gotta be kidding me, as if this place wasn't weird enough."
"Yeah. Say Leon, Kirigiri, you know how we were all unconscious yesterday?"
"Sure."
"You know how I was the last one to show up?"
"Where are you going with this, Naegi?" Kirigiri asked.
"What I mean is this 'where do you guys wake up'?"
"Personally, I woke up in the gymnasium." Leon said.
"Did you get a look at the time?" Naegi asked.
"No, Naegi, I didn't. Why?"
"I'm trying to come up with inconsistencies between when we first arrived here, and when we woke up."
"Have you found any yet?" Leon asked.
"No, but I'm still looking. Kirigiri, where did you wake up? And do you know when?"
"I do not know when. But I do know where."
"Where do you wake up?"
"My room."
"Your room?"
"How strange." Leon said. "I mean, I didn't wake up in my room. And I'm assuming Naegi didn't either."
"No, I didn't. I woke up in one of the classrooms."
"I see."
"It's time I get going." Kirigiri said.
"Where are you going?" Leon asked.
"There are things I must sort out."
"What things, Kirigiri?" Naegi said.
"Personal things." She said as she walked off.
"What's her problem?" Leon asked.
"Well, this environment isn't exactly conducive to making friends."
"Conducive?"
"Yeah, conducive?"
"What in the world does 'conducive' even mean?"
"It means 'preferred'."
"Ah. I suppose that is true. This situation isn't exactly ideal for making friends."
"But I got a different sense from her than I did from Togami."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, if Togami gets the chance, he'll off someone and try to get away with it."
"Yeah, I got that."
"It's different with Kirigiri. The impression I'm getting from her about this situation is 'I'm going to beat this situation and, no, I don't care whether you like me, hate me, or are ambivalent towards me. You can either join me or get out of the way. Because I'm not going to hesitate to leave you behind.'"
"Aha, I see."
"Hey, Naegi?"
"Yeah. I got word from Celeste that Ishimaru wanted a meeting this afternoon."
"Is that so? What time?"
"I think 4 this afternoon? Apparently, he wanted enough time for the news to disseminate throughout the school."
- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers.