Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.
Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. Please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it.
Chapter Eleven
Beaches, Books, and Burgers
To Hikari's delight, she woke up in her own bed, the sun's rays peeking through her white curtains. She slowly sat up and yawned loudly before forcing herself out of bed to get ready for the day. She sauntered over to the bathroom, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as the morning bell rang.
*Ding dong, bing bong*
I actually beat the morning announcement today, Hikari thought, a bit impressed as she got into the shower, deliberately ignoring the morning announcement since it's been the same message every morning since Monokuma seized control from Monomi. I wonder what I should do today…I did say that I wanted to look for some potted plants to brighten up my room…I could also check out the library and see if there are any books that might help us…
After getting dressed in her usual outfit, the bespectacled girl fixed her hair into two low, thin pigtails. She placed a simple silver hair clip on the left side so stray strands of hair wouldn't fall over her eyes. Then, she slipped on her black shoes and walked out of her cottage, heading to the hotel.
When opening the door into the hotel lobby, Hikari wasn't surprised to see Chiaki at her favorite spot on the island, in front of the arcade game. The Spirit Medium smiled and strolled over to her friend and sat down next to the Gamer quietly. Chiaki didn't acknowledge Hikari's presence, but Hikari didn't mind; she liked being quiet during mornings since it takes a while for her to fully wake up. Hikari was never really a morning person. Once the gaming session ended, Hikari decided to speak up. "Did you beat your current record, Nanami?"
Chiaki blinked and nodded. "I did by 22,300 points. However, I made a couple of mistakes that run. I can always do better." The laid-back girl turned to Hikari. "You want to try?" Hikari contemplated for a minute before shrugging.
"Oh, why not…"
Chiaki used a good five minutes explaining the game's controls to her friend and helped guide Hikari through the first couple of stages of the game. It didn't take much time for Hikari to get a game over. Regardless, Hikari seemed to be having fun. Hikari moved to the left so that Chiaki could have another turn, the Spirit Medium waving slightly as Peko walked in who nodded in return. Mahiru walked down the stairs, a hand on the railing. "Nanami, everyone's almost here for breakfast. Oh, good morning, Pekoyama…Seishin." Mahiru smiled warmly at the two girls. "Breakfast is all set, girls."
"Thank you, Koizumi. Nanami and I will be right up after she finishes this session," Hikari said happily.
Peko was about to respond as well, but turned towards the entrance when she heard the door open, almost showing a sign of surprise before that rapidly faded when the Swordswoman saw who it was. I was hoping it was the Young Master… Peko thought, her hopes dashed as Hajime came into the lobby and walked towards the girls by the arcade machine.
Hajime smiled, standing on the right side of Chiaki. "Hi Nanami. Hi Seishin," he greeted the two girls politely. "You always seem to be together whenever I see you two." Hikari blushed lightly, not really knowing what to say to that. Chiaki just focused on her game, her fingers deftly pressing buttons on the machine. Hajime sweatdropped slightly when he saw that Chiaki was in full concentration mode. Nevertheless, he received a greeting from the Gamer.
"Ah, good morning."
Hajime smiled weakly, placing a hand on his hip. "You're…playing video games again this morning?" Hikari glanced at the two silently, somehow feeling like a third wheel or like an outsider looking in.
They seem like they're getting along. I wonder if I can get close to Hinata too…
Mahiru walked over to the small group, blinking. "It's like whenever you find the time, you always come here, don't you Nanami?"
"…You think so?" Chiaki asked as she continued playing, eyes never leaving the screen. Mahiru sweatdropped, placing a hand on the Gamer's shoulder.
"Hey…I know you like video games, but if you don't get out in the sun more, you'll get sick. And you know, it's important to get to know the others better too!"
"Mmmm…" Chiaki hummed with a slight frown, her fingers stopped moving when the Game Over screen came up. The redhead smiled brightly, getting an idea.
"Hey, hey! Let's play games outside! I'm sure they have stuff like jump rope and bamboo-copter at the supermarket."
Hikari beamed. "Oh, I'll come too. I have been wanting to go to the supermarket to get a couple of potted plants for my room." She smiled sheepishly, a hand rubbing the back of her head. "My room feels a bit barren…" Chiaki tilted her head, confused.
"Jump rope? Bamboo-copter? Are those games too? I don't get it." The three teens around her sweatdropped.
She doesn't know what jump rope is? Hikari thought, very surprised that Chiaki didn't know much about outdoor games. Was she that sheltered?
Mahiru clapped her hands once. "Then you can play with us after breakfast. Good deeds should be done quickly, as they say."
"Are you saying…I have to join you, too?" Hajime asked, pointing to himself. Mahiru's attitude quickly soured, placing her hands on her hips, staring Hajime down.
"Geeez! What's with that tone!? If you don't wanna come, you don't have to!" Hajime put up his hands defensively, smiling feebly.
Chiaki blinked, briefly ignoring everything around her. "Jump rope? Bamboo-copter? The world is still overflowing with strange things," she mumbled to herself quietly. Hikari raised an eyebrow, overhearing Chiaki. The Spirit Medium turned and blinked, seeing Peko had left already.
Hikari faced the others. "Should we head upstairs? I don't want the food to be cold by the time we eat." With that, the four of them headed up the stairs to the hotel restaurant.
When they reached the top of the stairs, Kazuichi moved to face the lone boy of the approaching group. "Hey, you came at the right time. What do you think, Hinata?"
Hajime stared at the Mechanic wearily. "What do I think…about what?"
"Argh!" the pink-haired teen groaned, frustrated. "Isn't it obvious? That stuff he said about a traitor and World Ender!" Hikari frowned, not too happy since she thought she finally blocked those thoughts out of her mind. "I'm asking if you know anything about it!"
Hajime's mouth tilted. "After one night's sleep…there's no way I'd suddenly find out anything."
"Well, that's obvious…The same goes for me, too," Mahiru said, sounding deflated.
Hikari nodded in agreement with the other two. "Ditto."
Peko closed her eyes. "I didn't get enough sleep last night because of that baffling nonsense."
"B-But…I wonder if it's really true…" Mikan said softly, her hands trembling. "That there's a traitor among us…"
Nekomaru crossed his arms, looking unfazed. "No need to worry! You don't have to worry about the traitor at all!"
Hikari looked at the Team Manager suspiciously. "Why's that…?"
"You don't have to worry about the traitor!" the burly teen yelled, repeating himself.
Hiyoko blinked, a finger to her cheek. "What do you mean? You're being awfully certain about it."
Nekomaru nodded, looking at the group intensely. "Of course! In fact, that so-called traitor is tied up at the moment and can't move at all!" Everyone stared at Nekomaru, trying to process what he just said.
"…Huh?" Hikari asked blankly.
"Tied up…you say…" Sonia murmured, looking concerned. "Um…could you be…referring to Komaeda, whom we have not seen since yesterday?" Hikari sweatdropped.
Oh yeah…I kind of forgot about him what with the second island being open to us and with my own worries…
"Who else can it be!?" Nekomaru yelled. "Komaeda's the traaaaitor!"
"Wh-What about that other part?" Hajime questioned. "Where you said he was tied up and can't move…" The muscled boy blinked for a minute before he comprehended what that meant. He suddenly started to freak out.
"AW CRAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPP!" The panicked teen quickly went to the Mechanic. "H-Hey, Souda! What should we do!?" Kazuichi jumped, started to fidget nervously.
"Dumbass! Don't rope me into this! They'll find out that we worked together to…" Hikari and Mahiru crossed their arms, leering at him as if they can see right through him. "…Aw crap!" he swore, realizing he slipped up too.
Hiyoko giggled, smirking at the two boys. "Heehee…You guys are both idiots!"
Mahiru glowered at them. "You…what does this mean?"
Kazuichi felt sweat forming his brow, trying to think up an explanation. "W-Well…you know…" He started to get upset, clenching a fist, tears in his eyes. "There's no way we can let him run around free! I mean, he tried to put us all in danger, you know!"
Hikari frowned, "That's true…"
"Hanamura committed a murder because that guy tempted him, right…?" Nekomaru asked sadly, looking crestfallen. "So that makes him a killer too! It's necessary to deal with him in an appropriate way."
"So that's why you left him tied up…" Peko clarified slowly. "However…that cannot be helped. He is quite dangerous."
Gundham crossed his arms. "Hmph, every fiber of my being agrees with you. That's right, there is no existence more troublesome than that of an incomprehensible human…What they like and what they hate…What makes them happy, what makes them angry…It's normal for all beings to have standards rooted in experience so they can predict their opponent's actions. But at times…those standards do not work on certain opponents. Those are the most fearsome opponents of all. Establishing a relationship with such a human…is impossible."
Hikari sighed to herself. You don't have to tell me that twice…He would've killed me if he had the chance.
Mahiru placed her hands on her hips, looking at Nekomaru and Kazuichi scornfully. "Anyway, where did you two tie up Komaeda?"
Kazuichi scratched his head, looking resigned. "Th-The dining hall…in the o-old hotel building…"
Hikari blinked, stunned. "There!?"
Hajime gaped. "That's…where Togami got killed…!"
"He needs to reflect on what he did at that place…" Nekomaru reasoned.
Hiyoko was very entertained by this. She closed her eyes, sticking her tongue out as she bonked her head playfully. "So you're saying it's better to kill off a troublesome ally before they turn into an enemy."
Mikan shrieked, turning pale. "Gaaah! You killed him!?"
Kazuichi waved his hands in defense. "Argh! He's obviously alive! I only knocked him out so we could tie him up!"
"Then what shall we do with Komaeda at this point?" the stoic Swordswoman asked, crossing her arms. "Let's hear everyone's opinion."
Mahiru frowned slightly, a finger to her chin. "Hmm…it's not safe to let him walk freely. There's no telling what he'll end up doing next…"
"He's also the most likely person to be the traitor," Hiyoko pointed out with a giggle.
Akane looked at her friends, her mouth filled with food. "So isn't it okay if we just keep him tied up for a while?"
Sonia looked down in thought, her hand to her chin. "If so…It seems it would be better to watch him for a while."
"But it would be bad if we don't let him eat or drink," Hajime mentioned, his arms crossed. "He might end up dying for real…"
Kazuichi sighed with a hint of exasperation. "I-I know that already…"
"Jeez…" Mahiru groaned, looking irritated herself. "I didn't expect you two would do something like that…"
"I wish you'd treat it more like an accomplishment."
"Teehee…" the Traditional Dancer laughed, "and I thought that tiny boy was up to something again…"
Hikari stared at her blankly. "You're the smallest one here…"
Hiyoko glared hotly and pointed at her. "That's because I haven't stopped growing yet! Just watch! I'll be taller than you and him both!" Hikari sweatdropped slightly.
Even though she likes to bring people down, she can never tolerate anything thrown back at her without getting so riled up…
"Who are you calling 'tiny boy'?" the blond hair boy spoke up, arms crossed, looking unfazed by Hiyoko's words. "Plus, I haven't stopped growin' either and I know that I'll be so much taller than a shorty like you."
Hiyoko jumped in surprise. "Wah! You're here!?"
"It figures…" the Yakuza sighed resignedly. "You guys are messed up. Is that what you do? If you don't like your 'buddy,' you corner them…Tch, look at you sheep acting all righteous." Hikari frowned, guilt starting to form.
I never really looked at it that way…I was just thinking about everyone's safety. If you look at the situation from an outsider's perspective it may seem that we're acting a bit extreme…
Of course, Kazuichi defended his actions and the two boys went at it until Peko stepped in between them.
"…Enough. Knock it off, you two," the braided girl ordered, staring at them, her eyes lingering on Fuyuhiko. He glared and was ready to knock Kazuichi out until he gazed at Peko, slowly calming down.
"Y-You bastards…I'll make sure you regret that later…!" the Yakuza warned. He put his hands in his pockets and stormed out of the restaurant.
The Mechanic gritted his teeth, watching him leave. "Wh-What the heck…He's just a whiny loser!"
"Souda…" Sonia said softly, the Princess wearing a weary expression, "let us just stop this already."
Mahiru sighed again. "Jeez…all this fighting…I can tell it's not going to be easy in the future…"
"The future…huh…I wonder if we even have a future…" Mikan murmured dejectedly, the Nurse on the verge on tears.
"Hey, don't start mumbling like that! If you'll do, I'll get depressed too!"
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" With that said, everyone started to settle down and start eating before they ventured off on their own.
Hikari sat down to eat breakfast at a table with Gundham, Sonia, and Kazuichi. Hikari smiled as she ate her meal with them, being entertained by Gundham's hamsters, the four hamsters having the freedom to roam all over the Breeder's body and the table. Jum-P slept on Gundham's shoulder as the other three enjoyed a meal of sunflower seeds that were laid next to Gundham's plate of food. Hikari giggled at how bright-eyed Sonia was at watching the little animals eat and interact with their owner, Kazuichi looking more jealous by the minute, muttering obscenities under his breath, glaring at the proud-looking Gundham.
After breakfast was finished, Hikari walked over to Rocketpunch Market with Sonia. Sonia smiled excitedly. "I am so eager to play these 'outdoor games' with our friends! I have never tried this 'vol-lay ball' Mioda has recommended. I am, how you say, so pumped up!" Hikari had to use all of her willpower to contain the giddiness of witnessing the royal foreigner's cuteness, beaming brightly.
"I can't wait either. Good thing the market isn't that far."
When the two girls walked through the doors, they were greeted with a few of their friends gathering outdoor activities. Chiaki stood by Mahiru reluctantly, the Gamer playing on a handheld; reluctantly because Mahiru was basically dragging the hooded girl around the market, picking up a few jump ropes of different lengths. Hiyoko and Ibuki were also there, grabbing things to play with outdoors like a beach ball, chalk, and a bubble maker. The Spirit Medium and the Princess went over to the outdoor section as well to help carry the items.
"It's pretty great that we don't have to pay to use these things," Mahiru said gratefully. "We can always return them when we're done."
"I wish it was like this everywhere, not just on the island," Hikari said longingly as she offered to carry the jump ropes from Mahiru.
Once the girls went outside, they decided to stay in the area since they can use the pavement for the chalk. Hikari knew how to play these games, but she mainly played with her sister. The Spirit Medium felt the rare feeling of contentment as she was surrounded by her new friends, even getting along with Hiyoko. The girls played hopscotch and tried playing with the jump ropes double dutch style though Hikari and Chiaki were berated by the Traditional Dancer for when the kimono-clad girl couldn't jump in time with the ropes. Sonia held up the recently inflated beach ball courtesy of Mahiru when the jump ropers decided to take a break from the slightly frustrating activity.
"Let us play the 'vol-lay ball,'" the regal young woman requested with glee.
"But don't we need a net?" Hikari asked.
"We could play on the beach," Mahiru suggested.
"But don't we need to bring the net with us?" Hiyoko complained, pouting. "I don't want to carry stuff back and forth right now."
Sonia let go of the ball and clapped her hands, getting excited. "Oh! How about we play these games on the beach with a net on a different day! It can be another girls' day of fun!" Everyone automatically agreed to Sonia's plan. They finally felt like they could get through this killing game if they just kept the morale up and kept searching for a way off the island. For now, the girls still had some time before the sun would set.
"How about we just hit the ball between us and see how long we can keep it in the air?" Hikari proposed thoughtfully.
Chiaki nodded, her hands on the straps of her kitty backpack. "That seems possible."
"It'll be good practice when we play for realz on the beach!" Ibuki said, hands on her hips proudly. During the next hour or so, the female teenagers present ran around the supermarket determined to keep the ball in the air. Akane and even Peko ended up joining in as they passed by the store and walked up to them to see what they were up to. As the sun slowly started to set, the game was becoming very competitive, Akane using her agility to prevent the huge colorful ball from reaching the ground, making a few close calls.
Who knew trying to keep a beach ball in the air could be so entertaining and a bit exhausting? Hikari thought as she wiped the sweat from her forehead after she pushed the ball further up into the air as it came close to her. I'm actually having fun here…with these people I called strangers a few days ago… The ebony-haired girl smiled and sweatdropped as the Gymnast smacked the ball mid-air, facing the gradually orange sky and landing in the group of plants underneath the tall sign that read "Coffee." The ball soared in the air and landed on the roof of Rocketpunch Market. Hiyoko, Mahiru, Peko, Hikari, and Chiaki stared blankly at the roof as Ibuki laughed loudly, holding her stomach. Hiyoko closed her eyes and sighed noisily while Mahiru shrugged with a tired smile, hands in the air.
^o^ ^o^
Hikari stepped back a few feet to look at her finished work: a small green pot which housed a miniature cactus plant on the center of her coffee table and a white elevated planter which carried a few snake plants on the empty corner of her room. She wanted easy-to-care plants since she was not too educated in plant care.
Putting them in those spots of the room would allow them to get the afternoon sun, Hikari reasoned, tilting her head from side to side to see from different angles. If anything, it's not the end of the world if I have to rearrange some things for their sake.
*Ding dong, bing bong*
Hikari blinked and looked at the monitor. "Is it ten already?"
The screen turned on to what has been the usual image shown in the past couple of days: Monokuma sitting on his wicker chair with a glass of blue colored liquid. "Ahem…Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…" Hikari crossed her arms, expecting the same old message, but almost jumped out of her skin when Monokuma screamed, "Emergency, emergency!" Hikari fixed her glasses which became askew when she jolted, grumbling at the bear on the screen.
"That stupid bear…didn't have to yell…" She could have sworn that Monokuma's grin widened, the bear having guessed that he scared a few of the teens watching this broadcast.
"Students, head over to Jabberwock Park as fast as you can! Come on, hurry up! Whoever gets there first, I'll treat you to my special-made curry rice tomorrow night! Come on, hurry the eff up!" Then, the screen went blank.
Hikari sneered at the monitor. "Like hell I'd eat that…it could be poisoned for all I know…I'm not going to rush over there just because he tells me to." She made sure that the plants were watered and that she had her electronic handbook and key before she left her home, locking the door behind her. Since she took her time to get to the park, the Spirit Medium wasn't surprised she was one of the last ones to have arrived. She walked up to Chiaki and Mahiru near the center of the park's paved circle when Fuyuhiko started mouthing off.
"Hey, where the hell is Monokuma!? Get out here, bastard!" As if on cue, Monokuma's voice rang out cheerily.
"Okie-dokie, thanks for waiting! Thanks for the miracle of waiting!" The stuffed bear popped up by the entrance of the park, standing near Peko, Akane, and Hajime.
Akane stared at Monokuma, slamming a fist into her other hand. "Hey Monokuma! I was the first one here! That means I get dibs on the curry!"
Hikari sweatdropped. Is food all you ever think about?
"No need to rush, no need to rush," Monokuma chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with a white paw. "I'll properly treat you to my special-made Monokuma Curry tomorrow night."
"M-Monokuma Curry…?" Hajime asked.
"It's an extremely delicious curry made from unknown meat, wilted vegetables, and a mysterious brand of rice!" Monokuma bragged arrogantly.
Knew it would end up like that or be poisoned…Well, I guess eating that could be considered food poisoning… Hikari thought to herself, tapping her chin with a finger.
Gundham turned to the short bear, his hamsters on his shoulders. "Now Monokuma…let us hear what your business is. However, you should know that I, the Supreme Overlord, have very little time to spare, understand? If this is something foolish, know that I will feed your remains to these beasts!"
Monokuma tilted his head to the side, confused. "Huh? Huh? You haven't noticed yet?"
"Noticed what…?" Hikari questioned cautiously.
"The reason why I summoned you guys here…If you look closely at this park, you should be able to notice." The teens didn't have to look that much: to the right of the huge black timer when one enters into the park was a white arcade machine with a wooden stand next to it. Beside the stand was a gigantic flat screen. Chiaki immediately walked towards the arcade machine, captivated.
"Ah!" Chiaki gasped. "Isn't this an arcade machine?" Hikari quickly followed her friend, afraid that the machine might be a trap. The others slowly went over to the machine as well, everyone inspecting it warily. On the top of the arcade screen read "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case."
Monokuma covered his mouth with his paws. "Puhuhu…thaaaat's correct! Soooo I would like the long-awaited Recreation Time to begin!"
Hajime frowned. "Don't tell me…you're going to tell us to play this game…"
"Definitely sounds like that…" Hikari agreed, a sick feeling starting to develop in her stomach. Nevertheless, Chiaki was still very interested.
"Hey, what's the game? What games are on this?" Hikari and Hajime looked at her, sweatdropping.
"I've only prepared one game, but…it's truly a gem. After all, it's a game that I personally created!" Monokuma assured the Gamer.
Hikari's eyebrows furrowed, glaring at the stuffed animal. "I'm sure it is…"
Sonia smiled nervously. "Then…it is not something I could possibly look forward to playing." The Princess's comment certainly struck a nerve on the evil bear.
"No no, don't compare it to those amateur fanservice games…" he warned, looking slightly aggravated before staring at the group sinisterly. "You know that famous game that everyone's been waiting for a sequel to? Well I made a brand-new game instead!"
"What…?" Hikari raised an eyebrow confused, clearly not up to date with the video game industry.
"Now then, I shall present it!" Monokuma hopped onto the wooden stand, his signature drink in his white paw. "Tadaaa!" he exclaimed, his black paw gesturing to the huge flat screen which turned on and showed the same image as what the arcade screen was showing. "The name of the game is Twilight Syndrome Murder Case!"
"What the heck!? That's pretty lame!" Hiyoko said insultingly. "I wanna play games about riddle-solving professors or collecting cute monsters."
"Stupid! Don't say such silly things! What if we get weighed down by all the quarters!?"
Hikari tilted her head to the left. What does that even mean?
Chiaki raised a finger. "Twilight Syndrome is an adventure game series…The first one was released in 1996…It's about a group of high school girls who go exploring in order to verify numerous urban legends…The player controls the character like a side-scroller."
Hikari itched her cheek. Her behavior definitely amped up compared to earlier. She seemed to act like this when I was in her room the other night too…
Hiyoko still looked unimpressed. "But adventure games are boring and tedious to play, right?" Monokuma was beginning to look let down, his head looking downwards.
"Don't diss adventure games…" Monokuma mumbled. "Besides, there's a lot of reasons to make one…You know…like budgetary reasons!"
"Man, and I was a big fan of the series," Chiaki sighed, disappointed. "I don't know why, but I feel like you've totally tainted the series."
The Spirit Medium nodded, her arms crossed. "I wouldn't put it past him…"
The agitated bear threw his drink to the side, showing off his claws aggressively. "Shouldn't you be tainting your face with tears of gratitude? I've cast a spotlight on a neglected title!"
"And what's the point of this game?" Hajime asked.
Monokuma paused and turned to the plain teenager with a blank stare. "…Hm?"
"I mean…it's not like you're telling us to play it just to enjoy it, right?"
Forgetting that he was supposed to be having a fit, the black and white bear started giggling. "Puhuhuhu…you certainly noticed the good part. That's right, this game is gonna be your next motive! The motive you need to kill people! After all, I'm gonna get bored if the next blackened doesn't show up soon!"
Chiaki's expression suddenly turned serious. "This game is…the motive…?"
"In truth, the game's theme is a missing link. You know, it's a recurring theme for mysteries, right? It's kinda like a hidden connection."
"Wh-What does that mean…?" Mikan asked timidly, her lip quivering.
"If you're interested…then try playing it!" Monokuma encouraged with a menacing aura around him.
"…O-Okay," Mikan whimpered, looking absolutely terrified.
Mahiru grabbed Mikan's arm, looking stern. "Hey! You can't! You gotta say no! It's a trap!"
Kazuichi nervously glanced around at his friends. "Hey, if that's the motive, won't it be okay if we just don't play it?"
That actually sounds like a good idea, Hikari thought. The Spirit Medium felt somewhat relieved that she didn't grow up with video games so she felt no temptations to play this one especially if it was a motive given by Monokuma.
"I see…" Monokuma mused. "That never occurred to me." He placed a paw to his chin, tilting his head curiously. "…But, are you sure you wanna do that? Learning the motive means that you're gonna be prepared, you know. Humans who are prepared…and humans who aren't…I don't have to tell you which is strong and which is weak, right?"
"…Wh-What do you mean?" Mahiru asked warily.
"Puhuhu…For example…if someone secretly played it, that person might come and kill you. In the context of a preemptive strike…that's truly fatal!"
Hikari bit her lip, starting to feel uneasy. What does that mean? Is there something in the game that would cause the player to be murderous?
"You guys are all enemies, you know? Is it really all right for your enemy to have an advantage? If you're just gonna ignore it, then do whatever you like, even if you're fully aware of the situation. Bye byeeee!" The stuffed bear ended the meeting like that, jumping down from the stand and vanished behind it.
"H-Hey…what should we do?" Kazuichi asked, fidgeting slightly.
Mahiru frowned, feeling uncertain. "E-Even if you ask me…There's no way I'll know…"
"Anyway," Peko spoke up, looking a bit tense, "it would be dangerous to carelessly touch this game. There is no mistaking that."
"You are right…" Sonia agreed. "It might be better if we wait and see how this plays out."
"But…wouldn't it be bad if someone secretly played the game while we're waiting?" Hiyoko asked, her hands gripping the hems of her kimono's sleeves. "Whoever gets the motive would become the hunter and the rest of us would be the prey."
"Th-That's a messed up way to think about it…!" Hajime stammered, sweatdropping.
"…But it's true," Fuyuhiko said calmly, hands in his pockets. He then grinned. "Heh…it's your loss if you end up dying. All we need to do is kill if we want to win." The Yakuza turned and started to walk to the park's entrance to leave. "I don't want to end up like Togami or Hanamura." The group quietly watched him leave. Hikari frowned, not sure what to think of Fuyuhiko.
He's not exactly friendly…but I don't know…There's something about him that makes me think of him as more neutral than either ally or enemy right now…
"It doesn't matter," Chiaki suddenly said.
"…Huh?" asked Hajime.
"Motive or otherwise, it doesn't matter…I won't let another killing happen. I will never…ever…let another killing happen." Hikari felt her heart drop into her stomach, remembering Byakuya's promise to protect everyone only just a couple of nights ago.
*Ding dong, bing bong*
A static filled Hikari's ears as the monitor turned on to broadcast Monokuma's nightly message.
"Ahem! Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…It is now 10:00 p.m. Please return to your rooms and relax. Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep. Now then, sweet dreams, everyone. Good niiiiiiiiiight…" Once the monitor turned off, everyone remained silent for a moment.
Nekomaru grunted quietly. "It's already that time, huh…It's better if we just break for the day."
"I'll try to think about it tonight more carefully…" Mahiru said. "The correct thing for me to do…But, regardless, I will never kill anyone. I mean, it's impossible."
"M-Me too…it's definitely impossible…" Mikan stuttered, her hands clasped tightly.
"Then, for now, we should turn in for the day," Kazuichi suggested. He walked away with a hand in the air, waving half-heartedly. "I'll see y'all in the morning…"
Chiaki yawned loudly, covering her mouth with a hand. "Ah, I feel sleepy. I should go back…"
"I'll go with you. I don't want you sleepwalking into any trees or into the ocean," Hikari volunteered, Hajime sweatdropping slightly, having overheard Hikari's comment.
I should follow them just in case… he thought to himself, not sure if they'd make it back safely based on both girls' tendency to walk with their eyes closed when exhausted. When he made sure that his two friends made it to the vicinity of the cottages, Hajime let out a small sigh of relief and turned left to his cottage to retire for the night, one less worry off of his mind.
^o^ ^o^
Hikari walked towards the library on the second island the next day. She wasn't in the greatest of moods, but she could've felt a lot worse. The Spirit Medium was finishing up her breakfast at the hotel's restaurant when Mahiru came up to her with a tray of food. The redhead told Hikari that the food was for Nagito, seeing if the bespectacled girl would bring it. With one look at Hikari's darkened expression, Mahiru sweatdropped and smiled sheepishly, briskly walking away with the tray in hand.
Hikari closed her eyes and sighed heavily. I never really thought I was capable of holding a heavy grudge…I never really held a grudge for that matter. Why do I have this uneasy feeling when it comes to Komaeda? Well…he was going to kill me, but his would-be victim could've been anyone…I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe I just feel betrayed because I thought of him as a potential close friend until he showed his true nature during the trial…I guess I didn't expect him to be like all my past friends…
The blue-eyed teen walked into the stately building and started to look through the shelves, reading the titles. She realized rather quickly that a lot of the books were in many different languages. Hikari pouted slightly, taking out a book in Chinese, skimming through the pages. The Spirit Medium lifted her head towards the double doors when she heard the doors open and then quickly slam shut, spotting a pale looking Hajime, his back against the door.
"Are you okay, Hinata?" Hikari asked softly as she put the book back on the shelf before walking over to him. The boy almost flinched when he heard a feminine voice, but began to relax when he saw it was Hikari. He was still trying to catch his breath when he answered.
"Y-Yeah…I am trying to…get away from Tsumiki…she insisted that I have a physical examination including blood tests…" Hajime panted, sweat visible on his face. Hikari sweatdropped slightly.
"O-Oh…"
Gaining his composure, Hajime cleared his throat. "So how come you're in the library? You like to read?"
Hikari blinked, a finger to her chin. "Yes, I like to read…I mean that was one of the few entertaining activities I was exposed to when growing up. My family didn't have much, but we had a house and other necessities."
"I-I see…" Hajime murmured, feeling somewhat awkward for making the smaller teenager think about her past struggles.
Hikari blushed slightly, waving a hand carelessly. "Oh! It wasn't like I had a bad childhood because I was poorer than most! I was very close to my sister and she read stories to me until I was able to read on my own."
Hajime smiled a little. "That's good then…" Hikari blushed more, noticing that they were alone in the building. She pushed up her glasses, the lights' glare shielding her eyes.
"A-Anyway…I'm here to see if we overlooked any clues from these books…but many of them are in different languages…I can't translate them without my talent…I could have channeled spirits who could have deciphered the texts to us…" Hikari explained as she went back to searching for Japanese-written books, Hajime following her.
"Do you need any help?"
Hikari paused, her hand resting on a book about wildlife. She felt her cheeks burning as she processed what Hajime asked. He…asked if he can help me…? What if…? No, Hikari, no. You're overthinking this waaaay too much. He's just being friendly since he's a kind person. There's no meaning behind this. Hajime blinked, not quite sure if she heard him or if she doesn't want his help.
"Uh…Seishin?" Hajime asked, stepping forward. Hikari jumped in surprise, eyes wide, looking at him.
"Yes!?" Now, she was blushing from embarrassment. She didn't mean to shout especially not in a library and not at the person she was developing affection towards. Hajime sweatdropped as Hikari covered her mouth and cleared her throat, pushing up her glasses to her face again. "I-I mean…yes…I would appreciate it a lot if you helped me. You don't know any other languages fluently other than Japanese, right?"
Hajime smiled guiltily. "Yeah…sorry…"
Hikari smiled weakly, still feeling a slight heat in her face. "That's okay. We can just take out Japanese-written books. I was planning on bringing some books to Chandler Beach. W-Want to j-join m-me?" At that point, she just wanted to curl up and die, basically having just asked her crush on what could be seen as a date. Luckily for her, Hajime didn't seem to see it in that light.
The boy smiled. "Sure. So Japanese-written books then…" He started to search in a different section of the library to cover more ground. Hikari lightly leaned against the shelf she was at, a hand over her heart, feeling she was close to having a heart attack from this situation with how fast her heart was beating.
About an hour passed when Hikari and Hajime arrived at the beach, each carrying a small pile of books that they considered might be helpful. Hikari stood in front of the beach house, scanning the area as if deciding where to settle down at. Hajime blinked and almost dropped the books in his arms when the Spirit Medium put her books on top of his before walking in the beach house. "Hold these a moment, please," Hikari said as she disappeared into the house. She came back out moments later with a large beach blanket and a couple of bottles of soda. "Let's sit down on this blanket…Hm…" Hikari walked on the soft sand, looking for the perfect spot for the blanket. She nodded to herself and put the sodas down before spreading the blanket out on the beach. Hajime came over with the books and they both sat down, facing the sea.
"I…I didn't know what kind you like…so I…I just guessed…It's okay if you don't like it! I can get one you like!" Hikari rambled quickly, her face turning scarlet, averting her eyes to the ocean as she handed a soda bottle towards Hajime. She blinked when she felt the weight of the bottle leave her hand.
"I'm not that picky. I'm fine with most flavors," Hajime said with a smile. "Thank you, Seishin." Seishin smiled shyly and took the book from the top of the pile.
"Hopefully…we can find something that can help us understand the island's mysteries or find something about World Ender…"
After reading through a couple of books each and gaining no helpful knowledge about the island or World Ender, Hajime left to use the bathroom in the beach house. Hikari didn't think much of it, going back to reading about the cultivation of tropical fruits like pineapples and mangos. However, the Spirit Medium was beginning to worry when she finished two chapters of the book and Hajime still hasn't returned.
He's taking a very long time in there…Is he okay? Should I go check up on him…? But what if he's not in there? What if he got bored of being with me and left? What if he doesn't like me… She didn't realize she was standing up and about to run to the beach house when Hajime approached from the winding path around the building with a plastic bag.
"Hey, Seishin. Sorry that I took so long. I went and got ourselves a couple of burgers," Hajime said sheepishly, hoping he wasn't gone that long, showing Hikari the bag. The raven-haired girl blinked, stopping in her tracks. Hajime flinched when Hikari started yelling at him, the boy completely surprised by her sudden outburst.
"Hinata, you idiot! You had me very worried! What if you were the next victim!? You could have told me that you were going to the diner! I would have went with you! You're so stupid!"
Hajime had no idea on how to respond to this. He never thought that this would make her upset. The only time he saw a fire under her was towards Komaeda during the trial. He smiled weakly. "S-Sorry…" He sweatdropped when Hikari walked back to the blanket, arms crossed and angrily sat down. Hajime cautiously went over and slowly sat on the opposite side of the blanket, practically sitting on the edge. He pulled out the burgers and held out one towards the angry girl, who refused to look at him. He exhaled with relief when she took the food and started to open the burger's wrapping. He unwrapped his own, feeling awkward from causing the tense atmosphere between them. "I'm sorry that I worried you…After I went to the bathroom, I felt hungry and thought that you might have been too so I went out the back door to get some food from the diner…It took longer than I thought because I didn't know what you liked…I guess I should've told you…then I could've known what you wanted." He frowned when Hikari remained silent.
"…I was hungry…Thank you, Hinata…" Hikari whispered, having already eaten a few bites from the burger, her delicate hands gripped the burger carefully. "This burger is fine…" Hajime smiled and began eating, not minding if Hikari still wasn't looking at him. He also didn't notice his friend's blushing face and glossy eyes behind her red glasses as they ate, quietly watching the sun start to set.
When they finished eating, the two decided that it would be pointless if they continued trying to go through the books in the dark. The books didn't give any insight to their predicament anyway; they mainly contained knowledge about wildlife, plants, and agriculture. The crescent moon and stars shone brightly as Hikari and Hajime left the library, having returned the borrowed books.
"Sorry that I ended up wasting a whole afternoon," Hikari said with a small frown.
Hajime blinked and smiled, looking forward. "Nah…don't worry about it. I like spending time with you." Hikari looked at the ground, blushing yet again. They walked over the bridge towards the central island in a comfortable silence. It was then when he was thinking about what Nagito told him earlier when Hajime was coerced by Mahiru to give the Luckster his meal. I should check out that game…I mean…it won't get me killed…I hope… he thought, sweatdropping, praying to whatever higher being is out there that he didn't just give himself a death flag. Hajime glanced at the Spirit Medium who was a couple steps ahead of him. Thinking about Komaeda…I wonder if those two will ever reconcile…Seishin took it very hard during and right after the trial…But I definitely would understand if she doesn't…Komaeda can really get under your skin if you let him…He even annoys me when I'm around him now…
"Seishin?" The young woman turned her head slightly to the left to have eye contact with her companion while walking. Hajime took this as a sign to go on speaking. "I know it's been a couple of days…but how are you feeling? I know it must have been very difficult being blamed for murder by Komaeda only to find out that he was very close to killing you." Hikari frowned, looking forward again before slowing down and eventually stopping halfway on the bridge connecting the central island to the first island. He stopped walking and looked back when she wasn't moving. She stood still, her bangs covering her eyes, her hands slowing turning to fists by her sides.
"I…was very angry," Hikari said slowly as if not sure how to express her feelings. "I mean…he was very nice to me…and to you during the first couple of days of being here…I really thought he was different from classmates in the past…I thought that he was genuine then. I didn't know that he would do something so…terrible to any of us just for the sake of his so-called 'hope.'" Her face scrunched a bit when she emphasized Komaeda's murderous intention. "I was upset when I found out that he was going to kill me…I even fainted for a few minutes." Hikari crossed her arms, her eyes wandering towards the calm ocean, smiling derisively. "But, as I had time to think about it…I'm okay with that since it could have been anyone who was closest to that table. I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. What really pisses me off about him is the feeling that I was betrayed by him…I let my guard down, trusting him since I felt vulnerable and alone from not being to use my talent…I had never been alone for as long as I can remember since I always had spirits around me. When Komaeda showed his true colors, it hit me really hard…and the fact that he was being so condescending at times to you…and towards the others…" Hikari quickly added, her face starting to burn, almost letting it slip that she was more concerned towards Hajime than everyone else for obvious reasons.
"Seishin…you're never alone." Hikari turned back to face Hajime, eyes wide to find the plain-looking teen standing in front of her with a reassuring smile. "You have everyone on the island who support you. They proved that to you during and after the trial. You have friends, Seishin…despite what happened in the past. Don't let people like Komaeda or anyone else try to convince you otherwise." Hikari stared at him, her eyes starting to water as a feeling of joy and a sense of relief washed over her body. She blinked back the tears as a smile formed on her lips, her cheeks still a rosy red.
He's right…I just have to stay positive. I have friends who have my back now…I have Mioda, Koizumi, Nevermind, Nanami,…and Hinata… Hikari walked until she stood beside him. "Thank you, Hinata. I really needed to hear that." After a short moment of just smiling at each other, the two teens walked back to the first island and towards the hotel complex, both of them carrying a newly gained Hope Fragment each in their possession.
Hikari and Hajime parted ways with a smile and a wave at the intersection surrounded by the cottages. Just as she walked up to her cottage, Hikari heard a voice calling out her name.
"Seishin!" The Spirit Medium turned to her left to find Sonia, Peko, and Akane walking to her. Hikari turned to face them with a smile.
"Hi, Nevermind. What's going on?"
Akane grinned, a hand on her hip. "Nevermind told us about the girls' day at the beach she wanted to do. Sounds like a blast! Can we have food there too!?"
Peko blinked. "Well, the diner is on the way. While you were away, Seishin, the girls discussed about when and where to meet up for our gathering. We decided it was easiest to meet at the diner."
Hikari nodded. "That makes sense."
"So I proposed that we all meet at the diner tomorrow at around four p.m. Does that sound reasonable to you, Seishin?" Sonia asked the smaller girl politely.
"Sure! I don't see why not. I can't wait!" Hikari answered happily.
"Wonderful!" Sonia cheered, her face beaming. "Make sure to wear a swimsuit!"
"See ya tomorrow, Seishin," Akane said with a wave as the girls walked away. Hikari felt her body shiver a little from excitement. When she laid on her bed for the night, she tried to remember the last time she felt this happy from being around people who were still among the living.
I really can't remember, but that's fine…I just have to live in the present. No more dwelling in the past. Onee-san wouldn't want me to do that. I have friends now. I am actually happy despite being in this killing game. I can get through this as long as I have my friends with me. Hikari slowly closed her eyes, this being the first night she fell asleep with a smile on her face since she arrived on Jabberwock Island.
Days Left: 16
Survivors: 15
