Chapter 8:
Kirigiri was rather quick to find the piece of paper in the classroom.
"What have you got there, Kirigiri?" A voice broke the silence. It was Togami.
"Ah. It's nothing." She replied in as monotone voice as possible.
"Doesn't sound like it's nothing."
"Well, I have to confirm what's on the paper. See if it's true or not."
"Oh, so you're holding a card here. An element over the rest of us."
"If that's how you want to put it, fine."
"I intend to find out what's on that piece of paper, Kirigiri."
"Well, as of now, you have unlimited time to do that. But if it's true, you'll find it out anyway."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, after I confirm the state of its veracity, you'll know."
"Question: What would have happened if I hadn't seen you find that piece of paper?"
"Why are you bothering asking? You know that I know about it. Are you trying to assess how much of a threat I am?"
. Togami's eyes narrowed. She wasn't giving him any ground. He didn't meet many people like that. There was almost nothing to work with here. He had no idea what Kirigiri's talent could be. He had never met her before this situation. This was their first real conversation so far, and he couldn't read her. If he was going to win this game, he needed to be able to read everybody. For instance, he could read that Fukawa was obsessing over him. He could read that Maizono would do just about anything Naegi asked. He could read that Oowada probably had family issues which lay at the heart of his temper.
. Ishimaru probably studied a lot as child and didn't bother to make friends because he felt his studies were too important. Fujisaki had a slight inferiority complex while Celeste had a slight superiority complex. Enoshima had only been pretending to be a dumb blonde. Yamada had no desire to make friends unless they agreed with him on everything including his perverted sense of humor.
. Hagakure had lost touch with reality, and Leon was a bit of a slacker. Asahina was a busybody, always had to be doing something, which made it not unusual that she had formed a friendship with the reserved mass of muscle known as Oogami.
. And as for Naegi? He was one of those evolving types, that hero type that became stronger under increased stress. Naegi would either be Togami's greatest ally, or his biggest obstacle. But still he couldn't read Kirigiri. What was she? How much of a wild card was she?"
"Something wrong, Togami?"
"Ah. It's nothing."
"Doesn't sound like nothing."
Kirigiri smirked at her remark.
"Ah." Togami thought. "So she has a flare for making witty comebacks. Depth in the intelligence department at the least." Togami made a mental note about Kirigiri's words.
Just then, Togami spotted a pair of books.
"Alright then, Kirigiri. Go and confirm whatever is on that paper."
Kirigiri noted the sudden change in demeanor. It seemed like Togami was going to wrestle the paper from her. Now he was letting her go without incident.
"What are you going to do with those books?"
"What am I going to do with these books? I'm going to read them of course. I have to keep myself entertained after all. For now at the very least."
"You make it sound like you have no intention of spending the rest of your life here."
"I don't. Do you?"
"Of course not."
"Good. That's what I like to hear."
. Maizono slept rather peacefully all things considered. Her dreams weren't making any sense though. There were in the classroom Maizono had woken up on their first day here.
"Thank you, Naegi. Thank you for everything."
"Maizono, what are you talking about? I didn't do anything. It was all you. All of it was you."
"We both know that's a lie."
"How so?"
"You helped me through all of this. This whole ordeal. If it weren't for you, I would never have been able to cope with what happened."
. She sensed that Naegi's expression hardened. "Yeah. Alright. If you insist. But it's what I do."
"Well, even so, you've done it quite well. Even if the reason you're able to do it ..."
"Enough about that. I'd rather you not bring that up."
"But what happened wasn't your fault."
"I know that."
" I mean, it should never have happened. Did they ever consider your feelings on the matter?"
"I know."
"It just wasn't fair. Why should you be forced into that because your talent of Luckster is somehow less authentic than the rest of ours?"
"I said I know, Maizono! Now, can we please drop the subject?"
"Sorry."
"It's okay. None of it was your fault."
. Maizono suddenly slightly woke up, but the dream was fading away fast, and all she was left with was faint impressions of a somewhat, pleasant dream.
"Bring up what, Naegi? And the Luckster is just as legitimate of a talent. Who would ever consider it anything but? I know I wouldn't."
. And what was this ordeal that was brought up? Was it just this situation? Her head slightly ached, as though she was struggling to remember something that should have been there, but wasn't. She looked down and realized she had slept in her clothes. She knew she shouldn't have done that, but she didn't really care.
. She checked her clock. It was almost time for the meeting. She went outside and ran into Togami on the way to the cafeteria.
"Hey Togami."
"Hey, Maizono."
"Why aren't you hanging off of Naegi?"
"I don't revolve completely around Naegi. There are other people here.
"You could have fooled me."
. At this point, Maizono noted the pair of books under Togami's arms.
"Togami, what have you got there?"
"What I have here are both volumes of H.G. Wells' 'An Outline of History.'"
"Wait, there's a library in here?"
"No. Not on this floor anyway. I actually got these from one of the classrooms."
"I had no idea Wells also wrote history in addition to being a director."
"No, that's Orson Welles. H.G. Wells is the one who also wrote 'The World of the Wars'. Orson Welles is the one who DIRECTED IT. Funny fact, the two did actually meet each other once."
"Seriously?"
"October 28th, 1940. But now, the more pressing question is how do you know about Orson Welles?"
"I am kinda a film buff." Maizono sheepishly admitted. "I watched a lot of in-flight movies or on the tour buses in between gigs, and my manager was always saying I should watch some good old classic movies."
"Is that so? But why Orson Welles?"
"It's what my manager recommended, and besides what else do you think I was going to do en route? Play Monopoly?"
"Monopoly? I love Monopoly. It's my second favorite board game behind chess."
"Of course, it would be one of your favorite board games. Are you coming to the meeting at 4:30?"
"Tentatively. I don't see why not. I'm just going to drop these books off in my room. One of you might actually have something worthwhile to say." He said as his back faded from Maizono's view.
"Eh, considering he's usually an arrogant prick, I thought that conversation went rather well." Maizono mused. "I didn't want to deck him this time, so there's that."
It was almost 4:30 P.M, and the gymnasium was almost empty except for Monokuma and a student.
"You're going to have to. Unless you want it all destroyed."
"I don't want to."
"Too bad. I'm leaving you with no choice."
"... I guess you leave me with no choice, I will kill someone."
"My personal recommendation is Makoto Naegi."
"Why? What's he done?"
"What's he done is be a thorn in my side."
"You mean he's not intimated by you."
"Scratch that, you have to go after him, and you have to go after him now. He's in the cafeteria. That or Enoshima. And if you don't. I'll kill you myself for disobeying your headmaster."
. The student was backed into a corner. The consequences of not agreeing with what Monokuma said spelled disaster for close ones outside.
. Naegi sat alone in the cafeteria, quietly waiting for the meeting to start.
"Hey- WAIT! Don't attack me." It was good thing for him he had become more nimble because he was just barely able to avoid the punch.
"Why are you attacking me?"
"I am truly sorry, but I have no choice."
"You do realize what will happen if you kill me."
"You do realize what will happen if I don't kill you."
"Fair enough. You don't need to say anymore, but you do expect I am going to fight for my life."
"Yes. But you will not survive."
"When this is all over, neither will you."
"I understood that."
"Then why?"
"There are other lives whom are more important my own life."
Naegi made a break out of the cafeteria. There was safety in numbers, besides if everybody saw what was going on, they could probably help him. He wasn't as nimble as he thought he was as he stumbled out of the cafeteria.
"Shit, if that punch lands, I'm not going to make it. AND I'm not out of the radius of the attack yet." Naegi closed his eyes. "So this is the end for me."
"HOLD IT!" A voice shouted. "Hey, Naegi, want a piggyback ride?"
"Enoshima!" Naegi was in shock. "What the hell?" As she put him on her back.
"I heard the ruckus. It's almost time for the meeting."
"And nobody else is hearing this?"
"The rooms are soundproof, ah!" Enoshima said, as she dodged another punch.
"Of course, how could I forget?" Naegi snarked.
"Impressive, we're getting attacked, and you still have your wits about you." Enoshima replied.
"Hey, I'm getting attacked. You've decided to be an idiot and help me."
"What? I've grown fond of you."
Enoshima continued to maneuver around the first floor. She found herself backed into the metal gate that barred off the second floor. At this point, people were starting to come out of their rooms.
"What the hell!" Leon shouted. "Seriously!"
"Naegi!" Maizono had been lost in her own thoughts. But she stared at horror at what unfolded in front of her. She couldn't lose Naegi, she wouldn't lose Naegi.
"Holy crap." Ishimaru looked amazed. "Classmate, I beg you, please stop attacking!"
"That won't happen." Enoshima replied.
"Been forced into it by Monokuma." Naegi said. He had no idea if it was true or not, but it was the only reason he could think why the attacker would attempt a murder right now at this very moment with all of these witnesses.
"How interesting." Togami pushed his glasses up his face. "I didn't think anybody would be stupid enough to do this at this point in time or in this situation."
. Maizono decked him. "What the hell was wrong with you? THEY'RE GETTING ATTACKED! AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS 'INTERESTING!' FUCK YOU!" Maizono was deadly close to his face. Togami didn't react as Maizono rushed to the kitchen behind the cafeteria.
. Next thing Enoshima knew, if it hadn't been for her reflexes Enoshima would have been finished, the With a dozen punches, the attacker was alternating punches at her and Naegi. After a dozen punches, or so, the gate that barred the second floor had been broken down, and Enoshima used the attacker's brief window of lost forward control to roll away.
. Enoshima had to get to the gymnasium. She knew something that could end it all, a trump card that they could activate. The attacker followed them to the gymnasium.
. Meanwhile, Monokuma's controller was watching extremely interested.
"How 'bout that? I didn't expect this. To think that this was matchup would occur. I wonder who wins. How will the rest of them react? This could turn out better than I hope. I needed to get the ball rolling, and what I'm getting is an explosion."
. The attacker and Enoshima were still playing cat-and-mouse when they got to the gymnasium.
. Maizono wasted no time grabbing the biggest knife in the kitchen. She knew what she had to do if necessary.
"Where are they?" She shouted at Kirigiri.
"They went to the gymnasium." Kirigiri replied. How could someone be attacking in broad 'daylight'? Was what Naegi said about Monokuma putting them up to it true? When did Enoshima show such dexterity?
Maizono rushed over the gymnasium. She flung open the door.
"NAEGI!"
Yes, I do know how this situation is going to resolve itself. Go ahead. Review on who you think it's going to be. (I already know, and it's going to be a whopper.)