Juriya rolls her eyes. "I don't know what the inside of an original Monokuma looks like. How am I supposed to tell if there's anything different about these?" she asks. "We don't even know what this virus is supposed to do or how it changes them."
"Simple." I say. "We kidnap one of the Guard Monokumas."
"How do you propose we do that?" Armen hisses, looking at me like he's regretting every decision that led up to our partnership.
"Yosuke."
Juriya and Armen stare at me like I just told them I'm the mastermind behind the kidnapping of Class 80-A and the four members of Class 80-B.
"You hate Yosuke." Juriya points out.
"And?"
"Frankly I don't quite like the idea of working with him either." Armen says. "He's…" the Ultimate Forensic Expert thinks for a moment, trying to find the right word before he settles for a simple: "stupid."
I cross my arms. "Have you even had a conversation with him?" I ask. "As much as I'd love to agree, Yosuke is smarter than his JoJo looking ass may make you think." I say, shaking my head. "He's an eighteen year old Catholic priest. Normally, you have to be twenty-five at the least to become one. You don't break such strict religious customs by being stupid."
Armen doesn't answer.
"And besides," I say. "Who else is going to overpower a Guard Monokuma and any others that happen to be nearby?" I ask. "Val, maybe, but between him and Yosuke, the damn priest is somehow bigger and stronger than him." I point out. "It has to be him."
"...But-"
"Oh come on." I groan.
After some more arguing with Juriya and Armen (mostly about the use of Yosuke and the question of whether or not there's cameras in the room that heard our entire conversation [I doubt there is because of the toilets in the cells - as far as I know, Junko didn't place any cameras in private areas like that during the Killing School Life so I doubt whoever's behind this game would go against that…but still, just what is that room for?]).
Also, after asking around, Yosuke fortunately (or rather, unfortunately) is still alive and kicking, I just haven't seen him yet because he's outside doing his prayers. Evidently he prays in the same way someone would exercise - seven sets of seven reps of 'Hail Mary', seven sets of seven reps of 'Our Father', and so on and so forth.
Don't quote me on the vocabulary of that, I don't read books about exercise.
Either way, I'll catch him later.
In the meantime, I've been abandoned by Kasumi in favor of playing with Yukiko, Harlequin, and Kensuke so I'm just sitting on one of the beanbags in the Rec Room by myself.
Unlike what happened in the Killing School Life and the Killing School Trip, Monokuma hasn't given us another area to explore yet. Maybe because no one actually died?
Or maybe it's because they still aren't ready for us, I wonder, thinking back to how they keep saying they expected us to cooperate with Akumakuma and Tenshikuma and our insubordination forced them to move their plans along faster than they intended to…not to mention Sting and Ryu's escape. Just how unprepared for us are they right now?
"Heya hon, what's with the mean look on your face?"
I look up to see Candace towering before me.
"And where's your dear other half?" Candace pauses, taking a moment to think. "No, what were the words you used? 'Emotional crutch'?" she nods to herself and continues. "For the now six days we've been locked up, I've never seen you two apart." Candace says, taking a seat on the beanbag next to me.
I scoff and roll my eyes. "And what about you? You, Mai, and Nemiko have been attached at the hip ever since we got here."
Candace sighs dramatically and throws her head back, "My little girl said she wants to spend time with the others to try and boost her confidence. They grow up so fast!" she cries, putting a hand over her face. Unable to keep up the dramatics any longer, Candace lets out a laugh. "So yeah, I'm giving her some space." she says. "And Mai is hanging out with Kanna - I would join but nowadays being around Kanna means being around Harumi."
I nod, humming. "Understandable. And about Nemiko, she said something similar about hanging around with Armen during the investigation." I say and look at Candace carefully, trying to choose my next words correctly. "I'm not saying that either of you has done anything unworthy of it, but why is it that you two get along so well?" I ask. "I understand you and Mai - I think - but from the outside looking in, you two don't have anything in common."
Candace pauses.
Oops.
We sit in silence for a minute and I'm about to take back my question when Candace finally responds: "I have - I had a sister," she reveals. "I never got the chance to know her, though." Candace says with a thoughtful frown. She shakes her head and laughs half-heartedly, "To hell with it, I guess it's gonna be revealed eventually if we stay in here long enough, right?"
There's no arguing with that. Monokuma tried (successfully) to motivate Class 78th to kill by threatening to reveal their deepest secret to the world. Knowing our secrets are much darker than wetting the bed until the 5th grade or the fact that one the 'alleged' foreigners are actually Japanese, I can't imagine he'll sit on our secrets for long.
"I'll have to start from the beginning if you want to understand it completely." Candace sighs. "My mom died at an early age, shortly after my younger sister, Loretha's, birth when I was nine. I always…" she lets out a shaky breath. "...I always knew I was different from the other boys." Candace reveals.
When I give her an encouraging smile, urging her to continue, she smiles back, relieved.
"When I was in middle school, I realized my dad was starting to grow distant and our family was drifting apart. Being the hormonal kid I was, I started acting out and took up stealing. After realizing exactly why I was different from the other boys, I started thinking about what I learned from watching my mom work when she was still alive." Candace says, a forlorn look on her face. "Compared to all the hair work she did, I figured it would be more discreet to start off with a pair of heels." she says and laughs bittersweetly. "Can you imagine a pre-transition me walking around with a head of hair like this?" Candace says, flipping her long brunette hair over her shoulder.
I tap my chin, "I mean, if you had it styled like you did on our first day at Hope's Peak…" I say, thinking back to the frizzy, large, mane-like afro Candace worked back then.
Candace grumbles and crosses her arms. "Yeah, I've been meaning to speak with Monokuma about getting my hair product back." she says and waves her hand. "Anyways, as I was saying, I made the stupid decision of trying to steal a pair of red pumps. Of course, I was caught." Candace sighs. "The store called my dad and fortunately they left it at that." she says. "My dad…did not. When we got home, like any parent would, he demanded answers: why was I stealing? And a pair of red pumps of all things…I spilled the beans. My dad - Malcolm, I should say, since I was effectively disowned - and my older brother, Larry, did not take the news of my true identity very well."
Ah, I remember Candace saying something about her family being religious back when we first got here and Kasumi and I found her in the Church…
"Well you're not completely wrong." Candace laughs. "This room just reminded me of my family." she says, her smile disappearing again. "They weren't the most religious bunch but they had the same values as religious conservatives, to say the least. I haven't thought about them in a long time but Monokuma brought them to my mind again." Candace reveals.
"And you were thrown out." I guess, rolling my eyes and sighing when Candace nods. "Typical."
Candace nods again, "And with a good ol' punch to the face as a final goodbye from dear old Malcolm." she finishes. "I never got to say goodbye to my little sister. I don't know how she would've taken the news and I can only imagine what Malcolm and Larry told her when she came home to see that I was gone…I don't even know if she survived the Tragedy." Candace frowns and sighs, looking down at her lap. "Although…if she did, Loretha probably hates me for that…"
I don't press her for what 'that' is. Candace looks like she's talked enough for now. And…I can probably guess what 'that' is.
"So your…'sin' has to do with your family?" Kasumi asks.
Candace nods and sighs, frowning. "I'm sure we'll all be talking about the exact reasons we're here eventually but that time isn't right now, ladies. I just…can't." she says and stands up. She stretches out her limbs and turns around to face both of us. "Thank you for worrying about dear ol' me, girls, but I assure you I will be fine."
We sit in a relatively peaceful silence as Candace gathers herself.
"...Well," Candace sniffs and clears her throat. "That's enough about this diva. What about you?" she asks, turning to me.
Um.
"What about me?" I ask.
"Tell me about yourself! How does someone such as yourself become the Ultimate Bookbinder? What's your family like? What'd you do during the Tragedy? Why do you have a black collar? W-?"
"SSSSSSSOOOOOOORRRRRRAAAAAAAA!"
Candace's onslaught of questions is fortunately interrupted by the sound of Toshiro's voice.
Toshiro bursts into the rec room, starry eyed. He beams when we lock eyes, "Sora! You're good with your hands-"
Candace snickers and I slap her upside her head.
"-right? I need your help!"
I look between my two options right now: divulge my deepest darkest secrets to someone who likes talking or help the boy who invited himself and several others into my dorm back at Hope's Peak.
…
…
…
"I'll catch you later, Candace."
"Goddammit-"
I stare at the pile of miscellaneous objects Toshiro gathered into the middle of his cell.
"What…" I scratch my head. "What exactly do you need me for?" I ask.
"Kasumi told me a little bit about what you told her about bookbinding: you're good at taking stuff apart without breaking it." Toshiro says. "Can you help me take these apart?" he asks.
I mean, he's not exactly wrong but I take books apart, not…is that a GameSphere controller?
"Oh don't look so doubtful, Sora!" Toshiro laughs, patting me on the back. "I know you're probably only used to taking books apart but I figure you can apply the same idea to this stuff, right?" he says. "You can see where and how things are connected and work backwards to take it apart!" Toshiro says confidently.
I sigh as I shrug his hand off, "It can't hurt to try, I guess." I say and move to sit on the opposite side of the pile.
Toshiro beams and sits across from me.
"Where did you even get all this?" I ask as I reach for the box of tools on Toshiro's bed.
"Monokuma." Toshiro answers simply.
Oh. Huh, maybe Monokuma would give Candace her hair products back.
"And what does the Ultimate Toymaker intend to do with a bunch of random parts?" I ask, grunting as I split the shell of a GameSphere controller in half. "Especially stuff like this," I say and hold up the halved controller. "Are you good with electronics?"
Toshiro shrugs, making a so-so motion with his hand. "Eh, kind of. I know enough to confidently add it to my resume but I'm still learning." he says and smiles.
Is that so…
I should make a mental note to tell Juriya and Armen later.
"And what else do you think I could possibly have in mind? I'm the Ultimate Toymaker, I'm going to make some toys!" Toshiro says excitedly. "No matter how old anyone is, you can always enjoy a good show. Even people like Armen and Juriya! We're all human and humans need entertainment. No matter what form it comes in, entertainment is entertainment." Toshiro says. "And that's what I do best." he says, determined.
I hum as I look over the controller, searching for a way to take the buttons off. "So you want to put on a show for us?" I ask. "All by yourself?"
Toshiro shakes his head, "Yume, Kaori, and Ken volunteered to help. Yume and Ken are going around asking everyone about their interests so we can build the show around that, and Kaori is going to help me put on the show by lending me her voice." he says and smiles brightly, looking up from the old pillow he's pulling the stuffing out of. "They're so nice…isn't that cute?"
I blink. "Their…kindness?" I ask, confused. "You think their kindness is cute?"
"Of course!" Toshiro says as if that were supposed to be obvious. "I'm an expert and lover of all things cute." he says confidently, picking up what looks like an empty case of deodorant. "For example, Nemiko and Candace's sisterly relationship is cute, Sting and his imaginary snake were cute, and Kasumi's nickname for you is cute!" Toshiro gushes.
Toshiro and I continue disassembling the pile of objects one by one for what feels like hours. He's surprisingly reserved about divulging information about himself - I would've expected the opposite from someone so seemingly extroverted and open.
The most I got out of him was that he has his own brand of toys, dubbed simply as 'Haruki Toys', and that the company is his pride and joy - and that he already told all of this to Luan.
Oh well, I can try again later.
"So," I start. "What exactly is this show going to be about?"
Toshiro looks up from the old stuffed dog he's tearing apart, stars in his eyes. "I thought you'd never ask," he says, radiating giddiness. "Have you ever heard of Jenshin-?"
The door to Toshiro's room suddenly flies open - "I've had it up to HERE with you two!"
Toshiro and I turn to face our guest. My face drops when I see who it is and Toshiro's lights up.
"You." I deadpan.
"Monokuma!" Toshiro exclaims and dives towards the bear, scooping him up in his arms. "I've been waiting to get my hands on you - do you mind if I take your measurements?" he asks, turning the bear over in his arms. "I would very much like to create my own plush of you. You're not exactly the definition of cute," Toshiro says, squishing the black half of Monokuma. "Your red eye and smile on this side cancels out the pure cuteness, but," he holds Monokuma up in the air like a baby. "I think it gives you a little something different! You're cute in a creepy, scary way!"
Both Monokuma and I are silent, the person behind the bear probably at a loss for words at how to respond to Toshiro and myself at just as much of a loss for words.
Monokuma eventually does react and starts squirming like he's hot and bothered, "O-Oh, Shiro, I had no idea you felt this way~" he pants.
Toshiro suddenly drops Monokuma, a look of disgust on his face. "Filthy. That behavior isn't cute." he says, his expression full of disdain.
Monkuma puts his hands over his face, crying, "I just came to tell you that B-Wing was open, not to be called ugly!" he whales as he runs out of the room crying.
…
…
…
B-Wing is open?
Toshiro and I exchange a look and sprint out of his room.
B-Wing
The hallway of B-Wing looks just as run down and abandoned as A-Wing: dimly lit, moldy and chipped walls, and suspicious stains on both the walls and the floor.
"Ah, Sora Sugawara and Toshiro Haruki! We've been looking for you," comes Takeshi's voice. Toshiro and I turn to see the Ultimate Tailor coming out of a fancy looking brown wooden door.
Toshiro links our arms together, "Sora was helping me set up for that show I was talking about!" he says. "Did Monokuma say B-Wing was open over the intercom or did he come tell you all personally like he told us?"
"I believe he came and told everyone personally, you two were just a little more difficult to find."
Oh?
Does that mean there's no cameras in our cells?
Takeshi smiles and steps aside so the doorway is empty, "Come, come, I was already finished up here but let's take a look at this room together."
"A classroom?"
Takeshi nods, "Seems so." he says. "From what I've seen on TV, most facilities had classrooms for their prisoners, yes?"
While not exactly a modern day classroom, this room is still very clearly a classroom.
Instead of a whiteboard it's a chalkboard with several boxes of what I assume to be chalk in the attached tray. There's eighteen desks and various childish school decorations covering the walls like the alphabet banner above the chalkboard. The classroom rules are pasted on the wall by the door, bookshelves are filled with outdated textbooks and workbooks, and there's cupboards filled with various educational tools like beakers and protractors and rulers. Strangely, no teacher's desk or podium.
Everyone in the classroom - myself, Toshiro, Takeshi, Kensuke, Hitoshi, and Kasumi, gather in the middle of the room in a circle of desks.
"So, what are our thoughts?" Kensuke asks with a smile.
Kasumi raises her hand, "Why is there a classroom in a prison?" she asks. "Like, I get what Takeshi said about classrooms being normal in prisons - but why?"
"Isn't it so that their prisoners maintain good behavior?" Hitoshi chimes in. "Like, because they're busy learning multiplication, for example, they won't have time to shank someone in the back, right?" he says.
"A very crude way of putting it but yes." Takeshi nods and turns to me. "You know more - explain it to them."
I cross my arms, "So you're just assuming I can answer the question without even asking me if I've read something about-"
"Sora."
"...Prison education aims to make the inmates in question more employable after release. Or, in the case of someone with a life sentence, they can assist the teacher and tutor the ones that actually have release dates." I explain. "There's basic literacy programs, secondary school equivalency programs, and more. It's not as common as TV shows make you think, most prisons are lacking in the budget for teachers and resources."
"So we're getting the VIP treatment," Hitoshi whistles. "How fun for us." he says sarcastically.
Kensuke taps his chin, "Then is it right to assume the rest of the rooms that they have planned for us will also be related to prison in some way?" he wonders. "So far we have a designated outside area, a medical ward, a church, and a rec room."
"And now a classroom." Takeshi nods.
Toshiro pouts, "I'm guessing prisons normally don't have a toy room." he says with a mournful sigh.
"Doesn't the Rec Room have a bunch of toys?" Kasumi asks.
"Yeah but it's not the same…" Toshiro whines.
Leaving everyone in the classroom and venturing out on my own, the next door I find leads to what appears to be another hallway that looks similar to the hallways of A-Wing and B-Wing - albeit much smaller.
There's what looks to be three doors on the long side of the wall - one on the far left, one in the middle, and one on the far right. The doors have a small window of bars on the top and what looks like a slightly more rectangular door on the lower middle half.
If this is what all of the doors look like in a hallway like this…I'm guessing this is-
"-heard the door open. Who is that?" comes a very familiar annoying voice.
I look towards the sound of her voice, realizing that Kanna, Yume, and Juriya are gathered next to the far left door.
An odd combination.
I approach them suspiciously, "Was that Harumi's voice?"
Yume grins and juts her thumb at the door. "Take a look." she says.
I give her a look and peer through the small window of bars. It's a small, white padded room - the kind you think of when you picture mental hospitals. There doesn't seem to be anything in there but the ceiling light-
"SUGAWARA!?"
"JESUS!" I jump back, screaming.
Harumi deadpans. "I thought I was Satan incarnate?"
I ignore her and turn to the other three girls. "What did she do?" I ask.
Harumi grabs the bars of the door, shaking them angrily. "Why are you automatically assuming I did something to deserve this!?"
Juriya sighs and puts a hand to her face, "Yume locked her in there, claiming she was rabid. and sent Kanna to come get me." she explains. "You and I got here at about the same time."
I glance at Kanna - who's been silent thus far - and frown when I see how exhausted she looks. "Are you okay?"
She doesn't respond.
"Kanna?"
Kanna startles slightly and zones back in, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night. What were you saying?"
And you were giving advice about taking care of yourself to Sasaki?
After begrudgingly convincing Yume to let Harumi out (only because she can't learn to be a normal human being if she's locked up in solitary confinement), Kanna agrees to let Juriya look her over in the Medical Ward, Harumi following along after some choice words for Yume.
I turn to bid Yume a goodbye so I can check out what else B-Wing has to offer but stop when I see the uncharacteristically troubled look on her face.
"Are you okay?" I ask with a frown. "What's with the look?"
Yume blinks, staring at me like she forgot she wasn't alone. She quickly smiles and gives me a small laugh, "Me?" Yume says and laughs again. "I only locked Harumi in there 'cause I saw how off Kanna looked - I thought it'd get some kind of laugh out of her." she says, her smile faltering again. Yume shakes her head and waves her hand, "Well, at least there wasn't any risk of someone booing me offstage, I've had worse audiences."
I cross my arms, frowning. "Are you sure that's all it was?" I ask.
Yume waves her hand again and puts her smile back on, "What about you?"
"What about me?"
Yume laughs, this one feeling a bit more genuine. "What, you thought no one would notice you making the rounds on everybody this morning, asking how we all were? Is it so wrong for me to ask how you're doing?" she asks. "The stress of our situation is clearly getting to Kanna and she's one of the more level-headed people here." Yume points out. "Are you like, okay, dude? You need anything? Want me to steal KasuKasu away from Yukiko so you can use her as a stress ball?"
I grimace, "As…a stress ball?"
Yume smiles and circles me like a shark, "I'm a lot smarter than you think I am, Sora." she says.
"Are you now?"
"Very."
"And what does that have to do with me using the gremlin as a…stress ball?" I ask, shuffling my feet uncomfortably.
Yume smirks. "You dirty mind, you, I meant hanging out with her to get your mind off all this. I didn't mean squeezing-"
"OKAY, that's enough." I cough. "I don't-"
Yume and I pause when the door on the far right opens, the creaking hinges catching our attention.
Masaki sticks his head out, glaring at us. "Go find somewhere else to gossip," he says, annoyed. "I'm trying to sleep."
…
…
…
Yume chucks Masaki both fingers, "Get fucked-"
I grab her by the collar of her shirt, dragging her out of the room. "Let's go, Yume."
As I reach to open the door to Solitary Confinement, my least favorite head of blond hair opens it first, blinking owlishly at Yume and I.
Kano looks between the two of us and raises an eyebrow. "...Dare I ask?" he wonders.
"Dare you not, ya little psycho." Yume says, sticking her tongue out at him.
Kano rolls his eyes and steps back so Yume and I can exit and he can enter. He peeks inside when we step aside and grins, "Solitary Confinement, hm? I can't wait to see how we make use of this level…"
I shut the door (to what is very clearly solitary confinement) behind us.
"I assume you're off to explore the last room?" Yume asks when I turn back to her.
I raise an eyebrow, "The last room?"
Yume nods. "There's only three new rooms in B-Wing. I've already been to lucky number three; shall I walk you?"
Despite my saying no, Yume follows me down the rest of B-Wing's hallway.
For sixty painfully long seconds, I have to listen to Yume talk about the intricacies of the male reproductive system.
"Voila," Yume says, jogging forward when we reach the end of B-Wing. Similarly to the end of A-Wing, instead of a door, it's a large archway.
My eyes widen when I see the room before me.
"That's the look I wanted to see."
I keep staring at the room until I realize I don't feel Yume's presence anymore. I look around, "Yume?" I call.
But she's already gone.
I frown. She'd been talking for so long that I just realized she never actually answered my original question.
And that comment about being smarter than she looks…
"Yume…just what exactly is going on inside your head?" I mutter to myself as I walk into B-Wing's final room.
B-Wing's final room is…
…
…
…
"A library." I beam.
A very big library.
The shelf to shelf walls are lined with books and there's various shelves in the middle of the room like a normal library.
And all of the shelves are tall.
Like, really tall. There's ladders on each wall so we can reach the top shelves that even Yosuke can't get to.
There's tables and beanbags too but who cares when there's books!
"Ay, que cute. I never thought I'd see a look like that on your face, Señorita Sora."
My eyes snap towards the sound of the voice, locking eyes with a finally conscious Valentin.
…
…
…
"If you tell anyone I'm stealing your medicine."
Valentin gives me an easy smile, "Sí, sí, our secret, yes?" he says and steps closer so he's not creeping on me from behind a bookshelf. "And, um, gracias - I-I, um, that is, thank you for keeping my narcolepsy between you and Señorita Kasumi." Valentin says gratefully. "I do not mean to keep it a secret forever, I just…" he scratches his head, searching for the right words. "Yo…I want to feel…safe?"
I nod. "I get what you're trying to say. You don't want anyone to take advantage of you, right?"
Valentin nods and waves his hand, "Something along those lines, sí, but enough about that." he says.
"Yes, enough about that." I agree, remembering something. "I've been meaning to ask you something - why did you lie during the trial?" I ask.
"So what's going on here?" I yawn. "I've looked everywhere I could for any sort of evidence."
Kanna sighs. "Harumi went about it in a rude way but she really did get sick from seeing Ryu like that." she says. "She only just started feeling better a few minutes ago and Valentin was kind enough to bring her her clothes. She's changing now."
Valentin gives me a small wave, smiling shyly. "I...um...I am sorry I was not able to help with the investi...investigation?" he tries. "I can explain later if...you know."
"E-Erm, perdón," Valentin interrupts. He looks strangely red in the face, almost...nervous? "I can...I can assist here," he says. "It is...easy answer. The pipe was thrown over the 2nd Yard's fence." Valentin says. "I saw it from the 1st Yard."
All at once, Yume, Harumi, Kanna, and I turn to look at him.
He's lying.
…
Valentin was unable to investigate for some reason and he only went as far as F-Pod so that he could grab Harumi's outfit.
"Is that so…?" I say slowly.
"Yes." Valentin says firmly, steeling his expression. "The fence is tall, sí, but not so tall as to prohibit even the shortest of us from, ah, throwing something over." he says. "The barbed wire merely makes the fence more...more taller?" Valentin tries and shakes his head. "...You know what I mean."
"And how do you know that?" Armen challenges. "What makes you so capable of judging our throwing velocity?"
"I am a firefighter."
"That's not...ugh." Armen sighs but doesn't say anything else.
I clear my throat, "So...it was thrown over the 2nd Yard's fence, then?"
Valentin nods.
"I mean, I understand you believed the 'killer' was one of the boys at the time, but why risk lying?"
He surprises me by answering without a second thought, "As a firefighter, I am risking my life for others everyday." Valentin says confidently - the most confident I've seen him since the trial, actually. "I must be relying on my instincts and my instincts said you were on the right path," he says. "And according to Señor Shiro, you did solve the fake murder Señor Ryu and Señor Sting set up."
I cross my arms, frowning. "But what if I wasn't on the right track? What if your lie led us all down the wrong path and we were all punished because of it?" I challenge.
Valentin smiles shyly, "The point is, I wasn't. Pero, if I was, el que tiene boca se equivoca - everyone makes mistakes." he says with a small laugh. "If it were someone else, that mistake may be our lives." Valentin says, his expression turning serious and melancholy. "But I will not make any mistakes like that again."
'Again'. Did he do something in his past that cost someone else their life? Is that why he's here?
Valentin stares at me with a determined look on his face, "Señorita Sora, I-I would like you to rely on me." he says seriously. "Between you and Señor Armen, I trust you more. And Señor Kano is out of the question. I am…I am not the smartest, pero, I believe I can still be of use to you - especially now that I have my medicine again." Valentin says earnestly. "By helping you, I can repent for the sins that brought me here." he says, his expression turning melancholy. "I…I can never truly repent, but…I would like to try."
…Well that's a lot to take in.
I mean, I suppose to a majority of the people here, Armen's personality is, ah, difficult to get along with (in fact, Juriya seems like the only one that can get along with him civilly).
He seems like he has a good head on his shoulders and he's smarter than he gives himself credit for. That lie during the trial came out of nowhere but despite what I said to him, Val is right: I did solve the fake murder those two came up with. I wouldn't have been able to do that without his help.
But when given a motive, will he give in?
…
…
…
I mean, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have him on my side.
Valentin is right to distrust Armen; Valentin seems…'good' while Armen gives me the exact opposite feeling.
Evil.
And if worse comes to worse with Yosuke, Valentin can take down the Guard Monokuma instead.
"Well then," I say. "I promise to not let you down."
Valentin beams.
After Valentin thanks me for agreeing, he dismisses himself to take a nap and I resume my investigation of the Library.
I find five - well, six, counting Yukiko - of my peers sitting on the beanbags.
Well, Shun, Kaori, Nemiko, Luan, and Yukiko are sitting on the beanbags.
Greyface is sitting at the tables.
"Can I please sit with you guys?"
"No." Luan says without looking up from the book he's holding up for Yukiko.
Greyface groans, "Why nooooot?" she whines. "Hanako and Taro said that if we were to cause harm to the child that we would basically die as punishment - it's not like I'm going to hurt her." Greyface pouts.
A serial killer. Pouting.
…
…
…
I've said it before and I'll say it again - something is off about her, there's no reason I should be finding a serial killer c-
Or, wait.
Am I the problem?
"Come now, Greyface, do you really think the young father of a toddler is going to let you, a known serial killer, anywhere near said toddler?" Shun laughs.
Kaori snorts, "I'm surprised he's letting you near Yukiko."
Shun gasps in mock offense, turning to Kaori. "What? Why? I'll have you know, Yuki thinks I'm very funny." she says and turns to Yukiko. "Don't you, Yukiko~?" she coos.
Yukiko turns to Shun when she hears her name being called, a curious look on her face. Then she looks down at the stuffed narwhal in her hands. Then she looks at Luan. Yukiko smiles, "Baba."
Shun deflates.
Kaori snickers, "Rejected for the father, get f-"
Luan snaps his gaze towards Kaori.
"...fudged." Kaori finishes meekly.
Nemiko scribbles something on her notepad and shows it to Kaori, a surprisingly annoyed look on the foley artist's face.
Kaori gasps. "What!? I don't have as big of a potty mouth as Sora-"
"I know you're not talking about me when Harumi says the f-word after every other word she speaks." I scoff, finally approaching the group. "And unlike both of you, I can control my mouth around children."
Greyface smiles wryly, "Speak of the devil~"
I glare at her, "I don't want to hear that coming out of you of all people."
Greyface grins, "Ooo, someone's feisty today. I remember the last time I met someone that feisty, they actually put up a fight-"
"Okay, that's enough." Luan snaps, shutting the book and standing up. He glares harshly at Greyface as he picks up Yukiko, "We'll be going now." Luan says and smiles politely to the rest of us. "...Later." he nods and leaves the Library with an obliviously content Yukiko.
"So," I turn to the only three sane people in the room now. "Is there anything in here other than books?" I ask.
Nemiko starts writing as Shun responds, "As far as I can tell, nope!" she answers. "Also, as your book loving self might be happy to know, I'm pretty sure every book in here is unique. I was one of the first people in here and I checked every shelf at and below eye level - I don't remember reading the same name twice." Shun says.
Kaori mumbles something about my unfun and boring talent again and I resist the urge to take my shoe off and throw it at her head.
Nemiko finishes writing and stands up, handing me her notepad.
There's practically every genre of book you can think of: children's books, young adult romance and action books, horror, historical fiction, nonfiction books about the Tragedy, autobiographies and biographies, and more.
I also noticed some of the books look a little worse for wear so maybe you could fix them up if you want to.
Oh?
Is that so?
…Armen and Juriya don't really need me, do they?
"Don't even think about it."
…
…
…
"Hi, Juriya!" Shun waves. "Lookin' spiffy as usual."
Juriya ignores her.
Kaori stifles a laugh, "Rejected again."
Juriya takes Nemiko's notepad from me and hands it back to its owner. She grabs me by the turtleneck and drags me out of the Library, "Come, Armen got a hold of Yosuke. He agreed to the plan." Juriya says.
As Juriya drags me away, I'm pretty sure I see Harlequin laying on one of the top shelves on a makeshift bed of books.
I choose to ignore it and turn my attention back to Juriya.
"Armen convinced him?" I blink, surprised.
Juriya nods. "Evidently, Armen took what you said to heart about Yosuke being smarter than he looks and spoke with him. He still despises Yosuke but Armen's willing to cooperate since Yosuke is." she says.
"Oh. Nice."
"Indeed."
"...So how's Kanna?" I ask.
"Kanna will be fine." Juriya answers. "She just needs rest - I told Harumi to keep her company silently for the rest of the day today and tomorrow." she says. "And to keep everyone else away from her too."
Even more surprising. "And Harumi agreed to that?"
Juriya nods again. "It's as you said this morning - ah, what were the words? Kanna is Harumi's…emotional crutch?" she thinks. "Kanna is the only one here Harumi considers to be on her level because of her status outside of Hope's Peak. That's why Kanna is the only one Harumi treats like a decent human being." Juriya explains.
"Well, other than yourself." I point out. "Harumi doesn't cuss you out either."
Juriya shrugs. "I'm a doctor and a surgeon. She's smart enough to know that I'm probably the only one who can save her if something happens to her."
When we get to D-Pod, we find Mai and Sasaki sitting at one of the tables in a very heated looking game of checkers.
I choose to ignore that too.
"You'll really do it?" I ask when we get to the room with the four cells and the table holding Tenshikuma and Akumakuma.
"Ah, Miss Sora," Yosuke turns to smile at me. "You heard correctly. I will help you." he nods.
I narrow my eyes suspiciously. "Why?"
Yosuke's smile doesn't waver, "If I help you do this, that means you'll see me in a better light, yes?" he says. "Even if we don't have the same ideals or beliefs, I would like to at least have the company of my fellow captives."
He won't be having my company.
"And it's as you told Mister Armen," Yosuke continues. "I am both bigger and stronger than Mister Valentin." he says and sticks his hand out towards me. "I will get you your Guard Monokuma. Truce for now?"
Reluctantly, I shake his hand. "Truce."
Armen turns to me, "Now that we have Yosuke's cooperation, what exactly is your plan?" he asks.
"We use Toshiro's show as a distraction." I say. "We've seen how unprepared for us they are, they'll be paying full attention to the show."
"And how will we get to the Guard Monokumas?"
"...I haven't thought that far ahead."
A/N back to where we were before pog
that didn't take long at all :catch:
