Chapter 39

Sorry, this chapter is a bit shorter, but I'm only through Chapter 4 of V3 and have been busy these last few months.

. Togami started looking at Mahiru Koizumi's file. Attached was a picture of a freckled girl with red hair the color of a sharpie. She seemed plain. Her talent is listed as the Ultimate Photographer.
. "Mahiru Koizumi:
. Former High School: Light Forest Institute.
. Height: 164 Centimeters
. Blood Type: A
. Scout: Maya Amano
. Likes: Traveling Alone
. Dislikes: Bad-mannered People
. Notes: When asked why she liked traveling alone, Koizumi replied that she was always able to focus better. I interviewed in her living room with her and her father. Her mother, a notable war photographer was away on assignment. I saw several notable articles in her living room, including several volumes on the history of daguerreotypes. Apparently, daguerreotypes are early photographs. Her father was very supportive of her talent, swearing that she is really good at taking photographs of people. He swore she could be a successful director in Hollywood if she wanted to be. He drilled me on how Hope's Peak could help his daughter.
. Mahiru seemed embarrassed by the lengths her father was going to convinced me to let her attend Hope's Peak Academy, and when I asked why he replied that since Mahiru did the bulk of the housework and the heavy lifting domestically due to his incompetence with such matters, it was only fair he be as supportive as possible with her dreams.
. Koizumi seems very down-to-earth. I highly recommend that she be enrolled here. Talented students such as the Ultimate Light Musician and the young prodigies like Ultimate Traditional Dancer are all well and good, but leveled headed students are even better. She has potential.

. Togami finished reading Mahiru Koizumi's file. Everything the scout had said seemed like a role reversal from what he had heard over the intercom. Without personally meeting Koizumi, it was hard to say what had happened. He had a sinking feeling in his gut that something had happened to students from previous years. It would explain why the school was empty aside from the students and Monokuma's operator.
. He had read the two files from Class 77 that were most important to read, and as the rest were here, maybe it was time to read them.
. "Is the rest of our class here?" Celeste asked.
. "Seems to be. Why?" Togami replied.
. "I wanted to read my own file."
. Togami handed Celeste her file from Class 78, and Celeste opened it.
. Celeste Ludenberg
. Former High School: Unknown
. Height: 164 centimeters
. Birthday: November 23
. BMI: 17.1
. Blood Type: AB.
. Scouters: Koichi Kizakura/Kazuo Tengan/Koichi Kizakura
. Celeste remembered it well, she had met with Hope Peak's recruiters on three separate occasions. The first had been a standard recruiting offer.
. However, the second time had been a dramatic Russian roulette at the bottom of a mansion. There she had met the silver-haired boy and the old man backed by Hope's Peak revenue's stream. The silver-haired boy introduced himself as Nagito Komaeda and the old man introduced himself as Kazuo Tengan.
. They had set it up proxies for the Russian roulette, there was hardly any point in making it lethal.
. Nagito Komaeda introduced himself as Class 77's "Ultimate Lucky Student" who attended Hope's Peak Academy.
. After Celeste's victory, she had the opportunity to talk with Komaeda and he pointed out her abilities.
. "Wow, what gambling prowess, and the ability to calculate probability. Truly, it's a hopeful occasion that we met."
. "Wait, so you mean you're weren't doing the math in your head?"
. "No, a scrub like me, being able to manipulate numbers in my head so quickly. Are you kidding me? My luck was meeting you today.
. "If you attend Hope's Peak, why are you here right now? Why are you not back at school?"
. "Well, I had, shall we say, an incident, and now I've been indefinitely suspended."
. "So... how do either of you know when you come back?"
. "That's why I'm with him." Komaeda said, pointing to the old man behind him. "When he judges that I'm ready to return, I'll be heading back."
. "And who are you?"
. The old man rubbed his goatee. He had a grandfatherly appearance. "My name is Kazuo Tengan. I'm a former headmaster, and now I serve as an adviser to the current one."
. "Why don't I leave this to you?" Komaeda smiled. "How long has it been since you recruited someone yourself? I wouldn't want to be in your way, and after such a game, I need some fresh air." Komaeda made his exit from the basement.
. "I understand Kizakura has met you once before."
. "Your scout with the drinking problem and the hat?"
. "That matches his description."
. "So, are you here to recruit me so more?"
. "Not at all, we just happened to run into each other. Although I'm curious about your thoughts about Hope's Peak. Most people immediately accept when Kizakura offers them a slot."
. "Well, I needed to think about it. I wouldn't be where I am in the gambling world if I acted rashly."
. "That's fair. You've developed a mindset that works."
. "You would have been on your way by now, if you didn't have something to ask me."
. "Well, I was wondering where you stood on attending Hope's Peak."
. "That depends." Celeste replied, as she sipped her royal milk tea the owners of the mansion had so gracefully prepared for her.
. "On what?"
. "As a member of the gambling world, I hear stories. Backroom deals do tend to occur at these sorts of things. I don't participate in them of course, I'm just here to gamble and test my intellect."
. "And I assume some of those stories are all about our fine institution?"
. Celeste placed her tea on a saucer.
. "You needn't worry." Tengan had reassured her. "Hope's Peak continues to operate like it always does."
. "If those rumors are true, that might be the problem."
. After seeing multiple files, and as Celeste stared at her file, she wasn't so sure. Was Monokuma what those rumors she had heard on the underground gambling scene been referring to? And considering what Fujisaki had uncovered in the A/V room with that Amadeus program, possibilities were starting to open up.
. To her surprise, she had two notes sections: one from Kizakura, and one from Tengan.
. "They really are thorough." she noted.
. Kizakura: Celeste Ludenberg has an excellent future in statistics. The girl leaves as little to chance as possible. This is a straightforward recommendation, she should be allowed in. The potential she brings is vast. Ludenberg has the ability to judge and calculate rough odds in almost any situation. She always seems to have another step planned out no matter what happens, never fully relying on one plan, eventually one of her plans succeeds. Though her belief that luck trumps strategy is a bit concerning.
. Celeste continued to read Kizakura's comments until the end.
. Celeste looked at Nagito Komaeda's file.
. Height: 180 cm
. Weight: 65 kg
. Blood Type: O
. Likes: Beautiful Things/People
. Dislikes: Noisy Places/Ugly People
. Former High School: Sprial High School.
. Amano: Nagito Komaeda is an enigma. He has a cyclic approach to life, his goal is to never get too high or too low. He believes in his luck to a fault, and given his background, it's hard not to see why. Losing his parents at such a young age, and then bouncing around among care-takers, some good, some bad has tempered the boy's ability to think positively over a long period of time. This oversight could be corrected if he mixes with the right people, but he would require a delicate hand.

. Celeste finished reading the file as Togami continued to search through the 76th class looking for information.
. Fujisaki joined Celeste and Togami in the headmaster's office.
. "I take it you two are doing some research. Found anything?" Fujisaki was cordial.
. "About ourselves, or previous students? We have both. See for yourself." Celeste pointed out.
. "Mahiru Koizumi, the photographer. Ibuki Mioda, the musician. Nagito Komaeda, Class 77's Lottery Winner."
. Fujisaki chose Komaeda's file.
. "So this is the guy that Ultimate Lucky Student from last year?" Fujisaki stared at the photo of the white-haired boy.
. "Yeah."
. "Something looks off about him."
. "You don't say." Celeste replied.
. "Huh." Togami said. "That's strange."
. "I was trying to find Seiko Kimura's file." Togami said.
. "And?"
. "I found it. But other than the basic information on this Pharmacist, all of the other pages have been taken out. Monokuma must have been one step ahead of us. I think Kirigiri might have it."
. "Monokuma doesn't appear to have messed with the other files." Fujisaki said. "You think Kirigiri may have it, she was the first one to get in here."
. "But she wouldn't have known before the trial about this Seiko Kimura."
. "We could find her."
. "You do that. I'm staying here." Togami said, with his usual arrogance.
. Fujisaki went back to looking at his file. "They really had no idea that I was a dude." This puzzled him. He had assumed Monokuma had been getting his information from Hope's Peak Academy's files, and yet this appeared to not be the case.
. "That is strange."
. "Why?"
. "How did Monokuma know our secrets to use them as a motive? That implies … a personal connection."
. Celeste had a bad feeling. "A personal connection? Wait, Kyoko is the headmaster's daughter."
. Elsewhere, Genocider found Maizono slightly out of breath lounging in the Rec room, still upset over the results of the previous trial.
. "Hey, Maizono!"
. "What is it, Genocider?"
. "Still bummed? But the adrenanline through your veins should make you feel better."
. "Huh?"
. "Hey, I understand. I can't imagine what would happen if I lost my beloved Togami."
. "What do you see in him, Genocider?"
. "Togami?"
. "Yeah."
. "Everything."
. "Power and Wealth?"
. "Oh hell no. Mind you, it doesn't hurt."
. "But what do you see in him?"
. "What do you see in Naegi?"
. "He's sweet, lovable, dependable. The list goes on."
. "There's your answer."
. "Togami doesn't strike me as sweet or lovable."
. "You know, before I came here. I once read a poem in a book belonging to one of my victims..."
. "Among ancient and modern architects/There is a principle, or proverb.../The arch never sleeps./From this we might derive/If the arch holds, all else holds./Love stands and hangs as an arch./The rainbow is an arch./Hate and pride break arches./Love and understanding build/Unbreakable arches."
. "That is an excellent poem. Who wrote it?" Maizono asked.
. "Carl Sandburg. Apparently, the poet is best known for a biographical series on Abraham Lincoln."
. "Is that so?"
. "Yeah."
. Genocider snipped her scissors and threw them with pinpoint accuracy at the wall.
. "Genocider, you may be crazy, but that is legitimately cool."
. "Wanna learn?"
. "Seriously?"
. Fifteen minutes later, Genocider and Maizono were in the dojo. Genocider was nailing bulls-eyes left and right at the targets. Maizono was not as accurate.
. "Damn this is hard."
. "It's all in the wrist, and making sure you keep the weight distribution even."
. "Guess practice makes perfect."
. Maizono thought back to her first day in middle school where she met Aoba and Haneyama.
. "Hello, I'm Satomi Aoba." Aoba introduced herself. "And this here is Ayaka Haneyama."
. "Yeah, what she said." Haneyama said, her eyes darting back and forth, as Aoba took a seat in the desk in front of Maizono. Haneyama ended up in the seat next to Maizono.
. "Does anybody hear that?" Aoba asked as ACDC's 'Hells Bells' could be heard faintly.
. "Oh, sorry, I think it's my iPod Nano." Haneyama said, as she reached in her bag to turn it off.
. "So what kind of music do you listen to, Maizono?" Aoba asked.
. "Mostly idol groups, but not exclusively."
. "Such as?"
. "Usually whatever my Dad has left running in his CD player from that morning."
. "Your father just leaves his CD player running even when he goes off to work?"
. "I can't tell you how many times I've come home and had to switch it off."
. "You shouldn't have to turn it off, why don't you just wait for him to come home?"
. "At like 11 PM or Midnight?"
. "Oh. What about your mother?"
. "She's gone."
. "What do you mean by that?" Aoba asked.
. "We never did get what music you listened to besides idol groups, Maizono?" Aoba said, pointedly trying to change the topic.
. "Well, let's see." Maizono pulled out her own iPod Nano and began scrolling.
. "So what'cha got?" Aoba asked.
. "I have a few songs from Huey Lewis & the News. Let's see, I have"The Power of Love", "Back in Time", and "I want a New Drug."."
. "Are they any good?"
. "They're excellent."
. "Alright then. What else?"
. "Let me see that." Aoba snatched the Nano.
. "'Footloose', 'Don't You Forget About Me', 'GhostBusters', 'Danger Zone', 'I'm Alright', 'Push It To the Limit', 'Live and Let Die'," Aoba began reading off the songs.
. "Hey." Maizono said, snatching the Nano back as class began and a brown-haired boy took his seat.
. Maizono's aim still hadn't gotten any better, but what was to be expected, she had only started twenty minutes ago, not that that mattered to Genocider.
. "He's still on your mind."
. "Yeah."
. "Why him?"
. "I'm sorry."
. "I have to know, why him? Naegi will be the first one to tell you he's not anything special."
. "Yeah."
. "He's special enough for you to make a meal for him in his honor and then toss it."
. "You saw that?"
. "Everyone deals with loss in different ways."
. "It's just, I may never see him again."
. "Yeah, I get it."
. "Says the Serial Killer."
. "Oh, for the love of, I've given up on that."
. "Why?"
."Well, I'm not stressed in anymore. I have master. That, and being pragmatic, everybody now knows who I am, so I could never get away with it anymore."
."Wow, I actually thought you were showing some humanity for once."
. "Screw you. Your idol fans are watching."
. "So what?"
. "You don't mind that they see you like this? Their pure-hearted maiden with lust in her heart for some random normal guy."
. "You're something else, you know that."
. "At least I know I'm something else, here you are. It's Naegi this. Naegi that. Always with the Naegi. What about the other members of your idol group?"
. Maizono went silent.
. "They're fine. They have to be. If they're not..."
. "If they're not, Monokuma would have taunted you with it by now to get you to murder." Genocider sagely said. "He hasn't played that card yet. And why should he? The fucker doesn't want to anything unless it's logical or entertaining. And once they're dead, they're dead. It's not like he can resurrect them and kill them again. Threat's over."
. "I guess... that makes sense. Dark... but that makes sense."
. "Yeah, I know. Science is going to love to dissect my brain when I kick the bucket."
. "Geez, you are something else, you know that?"
. "Yeah."
. "Ding, Ding. Ding. A body has been discovered."
. "What?" Genocider said.
. "Who's dead now?" Maizono asked.
. Monokuma made a second announcement. "For those of you unaware, check the headmaster's sleeping quarters." Maizono and Genocider both quickly sprinted to the room, where they saw Kirigiri's limp body sprawled out in front of the bed.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Since heights for characters tend to be different between the U.S. Release and the Japanese release, I tended to split the difference. for instance, Mahiru's height was listed as 163 cm/5'4 in the U.S. Release, but 165 cm/5'5 in the Japanese release. Sorry for the fact that this chapter is shorter.

All Reviews appreciated. On any chapter.