Y'all I finished my finals and already the pressure is off my mind, my body, my very soul. Anyway here's this somehow almost 10k update? Sorry it's pretty character oriented and not very plottish but the next one will get things moving I promise. Enjoy!


The curtains rise on Monokuma's wooden stage. A can of hairspray and a pair of scissors have joined Monokuma's collection of items, propping each other up at the far left. Monokuma sits in the center, shaking his head from side to side, smiling gleefully at his audience.

"Mr. Monokuma, Mr. Monokuma, do you have a second? I... don't really like myself. I don't have any kind of skill or hobby I can say I'm super good at, and my grades are totally average too. Not very good, not very bad.

"I could get into a decent college, where I'd make a few friends. Maybe even find a normal girlfriend...which is exactly why I don't like who I am! I understand that now! My life is just one big copy-and-paste! I don't have any imagination! I'm a perfectly average cardboard cutout!

"You see what I mean, right, Mr. Monokuma?!"

The lights start to fade, and Monokuma and the stage disappear into the darkness, the crimson glow of his eye winking out.


After a night of almost no sleep, I just felt restless. Might as well get some squats out. "Four hundred ninety six! Four hundred ninety seven! Four hundred ninety-"

The monitor cut me off. "Gooood morning, everyone! It is now seven am! Time to rise and shiiiine! Get ready to greet another beeeeautiful day! Oh, and by the way, I wanted to let you all know that your E-Handbooks have been updated! New regulations have been added, so please take a look and enjoy your school life more than ever before!"

New rules? I opened up the Regulations tab. There were two new rules.

8- The Headmaster is not permitted to raise a paw against his students, unless to dole out punishment.

9- Loaning out your E-Handbook to another student is strictly prohibited, and will be punished accordingly.

I put my E-Handbook away. Well, at least we've got the new rules in writing. Now, I should head to breakfast.

When I got to the dining hall, most of the class was already there. Sakura, Hiro, and Byakuya were the only ones not there yet. Toko waved me over. "Hinaaaaaa-!"

Oh, she's in one of her 'good' moods. "Morning, Toko!" I sat beside her. "How's your morning going?"

"Not bad," she grinned, her tongue hanging out. 'My stutter's not that bad today! I'm going for a new record on how long I can go without stuttering!"

"Oh, cool! What's your record right now?"

"Thirty-two minutes!"

Wow, her stutter really is bad. "Well, good luck!"

Celeste sighed from across the room. "I wish the others would hurry and arrive. My throat is becoming dry."

"I could get you a drink while we wait," Chihiro offered.

"Oh? Then I would like milk tea, if you would."

"Sure!" Chihiro started towards the kitchen. After a few minutes, she came out with cups of piping hot tea. "Ta da! Milk tea for everyone!"

"Wonderful." Celeste picked up her cup and took a sip while Chihiro gave the rest of us each a cup. "Oh. Chihiro?"

"Yes?" She turned to face her.

Celeste rose from her seat, holding the cup of tea. She twirled suddenly, a blur of laces and ribbons, and threw the cup against the wall. It shattered with a *CRASH* and she turned back to Chihiro, smiling, and laced her fingers together. "You have brewed it in entirely the wrong way."

"What?" She looked from Celeste to the wall, eyes watering. "What did I do? Did I use the wrong kind of milk?"

"Hey, don't yell at Chihiro!" Leon defended her. "This milk shit or whatever is really good!"

"Well, I suppose a simple-minded creature like yourself would think that," Celeste laughed, "but I am a bit more refined. Let us say I were to walk into a coffee shop and order a tea. The waiter or waitress might ask then if I would like lemon or milk with my tea. In this case, I would say 'yes, I would like milk, please.' Then they would bring me my tea with a small carton of milk for me to mix in. But in this most common of cases, they have failed me entirely."

"How is that failing? That's kinda how it works, isn't it?" What is she up to?

"Ordinarily, yes. But you see, adding milk after the brewing process is complete is no better than a mere condiment, like adding ketchup to fries. If you wish for the milk to blend properly, then it must be a part of the brewing process. It takes longer, requires more patience, and is most always more expensive than simple tea with milk, but it is most certainly worth it for the increase in quality." She smiled coldly at Chihiro. "Now, do try again, will you? And be sure to add the milk in when brewing."

Chihiro wiped her tears away. "Okay. I'm sorry..."

"That's enough." Mukuro stood up. "There was no way for Chihiro to know how you liked your tea; there's no reason for you to be so theatrical about it."

"Theatrical?" Celeste pressed a finger to her bottom lip. "Oh, but I was simply ensuring my point would get across."

"Ugh, whatever. I'll do it, and you'll take what you're given," Junko decided. "Chihiro, hun, your tea is great, alright? Don't listen to her!"

She skipped into the kitchen. Mukuro guided Chihiro back to her chair. Wow, that was really intense for like, no reason. Celeste's standards are so high!

Hiro finally walked in. They looked nervous.

"Morning, Hiro!" Leon called. "What's up?"

"Where's Sakura and Byakuya?" Makoto asked.

"Well, I told Sakura to sleep through breakfast, since she took my night watch. I'll bring her something later. As for Byakuya, well, uh... I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Junko asked. "Is he not in his room?"

"Well, that's just it! I've been knocking for a few minutes, and he hasn't answered once!"

"He does have a quite large ego. Perhaps he simply doesn't care to join us," Hifumi suggested.

"Maybe, but I'm worried something could've happened to him." Hiro didn't have to be specific. We all knew what they meant. "Okay, let's everyone stay calm! Everyone pair up and look for him! We won't stop until we've searched the whole school!"

"I'll keep knocking at his door," I decided. "In case he's just a heavy sleeper."

I ran to his door as quick as I could and started knocking, fast and hard. Come on, Byakuya! Open up! You're annoying, but you also need to be alive! Because if you're not, then-

"Hina?"

I turned around. Toko stood behind me. "I don't wanna be alone."

Awwww, she trusts me! "Don't worry, Toko. I'll protect you! Now, help me knock on the door. If he is in there, he'll get so annoyed that he has to answer eventually, right?"

"Did you try the handle?"

Oh, right! How could I forget? I jiggled the handle, but it was locked. I looked back at her. "Yup! It's locked!"

She snorted. "Dumbass." We kept knocking. We knocked until the skin on our knuckles split, but it was no use. He didn't answer.

"I think it's safe to say he's not there," I decided. "But when could he have left without anyone noticing?"

"Maybe he never went to bed in the first place," Toko suggested. Her face went white. "But that could mean he fell asleep."

And if he fell asleep outside of his dorm... "He didn't necessarily fall asleep! Maybe he pulled an all-nighter in the library."

"That's exactly what he did."

Kyoko was leaning against the wall nearby. When did she get here? "He was reading in the library. And he refused to come to breakfast. He's chosen not to cooperate with the rest of the class."

"Well, at least he's n-not dead. Aw, damn it!" Toko stomped her foot. "So close to a new r-record! Aw, n-now it's back!"

"I can't believe he didn't tell anyone." Actually, I can completely believe that. Byakuya is kind of an ass. But still, he had us all worried! "I'm gonna go talk to him," I decided. "Kyoko, Toko, wanna come with?"

"I will!" Toko said immediately. "You know, f-for backup."

"I don't think you'll persuade him," Kyoko warned. "But good luck."

"Don't worry, Kyoko! Toko and I have totally got this! Right, Toko?"

"Yeah, t-totally!"

"Alright then, let's go!" Whatever high horse he's sitting on, we'll knock him back down to Earth!


We got to the library and went inside. Byakuya was sitting at one of the desks, just like Kyoko said, surrounded by stacks of books. He looked up as the door swung shut.

"Toko. Hina. As you can see, I'm very much alive. And no, I will not be joining you for breakfast, or any other meeting, so don't bother." He propped up his book to block his face from view.

"Well, too bad, cuz we're not gonna accept that!" He has to understand that working together is our best option! "I don't know if you realize this, but separating yourself from everyone like this is a huge red flag!"

"Hina's right! You're only painting an eas-sy target on your back!" Toko agreed. "If s-someone does kill again, y-you'll be at risk!"

"Good." He put his book back down. "By all means, if someone thinks they can successfully kill me, then I welcome their challenge. I'm quite curious to see how they'd go about it." He smirked at the both of us. "If you wish to choose camaraderie over practicality, then go ahead. I'm not trying to stop you. But you'll pay for it in the end."

"Seriously?!" What is with this guy? "We're trying to help you!"

"Is it really s-so bad that we're w-worried about you?" Toko asked. "This isn't just about you! I-I don't want you to d-die for your stupid pride!"

He just raised an eyebrow. "Are you that worried about me? I'm touched. Really." He didn't look or sound like he cared even a little bit. "But you have to understand, I'm really just setting an example. After all, we're playing a zero-sum game. None of you seem to understand that."

"Huh? What's a zero-sum game?" I've never heard that term before.

"He means it's a one-winner competition." Toko crossed her arms. "And he m-might be right. See, a z-zero-sum game is when there can o-only be one winner, competing for something important. For us, th-that's escaping. There can only be o-one successful blackened, so there can only be-e one winner. There's n-nothing left over for the losers, because the spotless w-will be punished if the blackened s-succeeds."

"Well, would you look at that. One of you understands what I'm talking about." He stood up, smiling- not smirking or laughing or being condescending. Then he dropped it just as fast. "I'll acknowledge you're not completely hopeless. Now, leave me be." He headed towards the shelves.

Toko's face went red. "W-Wait! You can't just s-say that and then-"

"Yup! Already on our way out!" I grabbed her shoulders and steered her to the exit. "We'll just catch ya later, then! Bye!"

I closed the door behind us. "Hey, what w-was that for?!" she demanded. "H-He was actually kinda n-nice for once!"

"I know! Isn't it great?!" This is exactly the opening I've been looking for. I knew he had a heart in there somewhere! "Toko, he sees you as the closest person here to his level. He acknowledged that you exist! That means you have to be the one to talk to him!"

"M-me?! I-I don't know... I mean, I can b-barely talk to you guys a-as it is... Besides, I'm sure Kyoko or Celeste would've kn-known that too..."

"Toko, have a little faith in yourself! Sure, they might've, but neither of them would particularly care about him the way you do, would they?" I saw that blush, Toko. I see what's going on here!

"Wh-What?! I-I don't know wh-what you're talking about... heheheh..." She pushed her pointer fingers together, licking her lips. "W-Well, maybe just a l-little..."

"Don't bother trying to hide it! I can see right through you." This'll be perfect! If I can set them up, then they'll both open up more! "Lucky for you, I happen to be an excellent wingman! I don't mean to brag, but my best friend back home, Mitsaki, is approaching her three year anniversary with her boyfriend, and ya know who set them up? Me!"

"Oh, well, in th-that case... I s-suppose you have the proper credentials t-to make these kinds of d-decisions..." She blushed. "Y-You really think he could l-like me?"

"Well, I dunno. You're the romance novelist. What do you think?"

She thought about it. Then her eyes widened. "H-He could! Oh my go-osh!" She hugged herself tightly, swinging from side to side. "This has n-never happened to me bef-fore!"

Awwww, she's so cute when she has a crush! "Don't worry, girl! Hina has got your back!"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She jumped up and down, face red. "Oh, I w-wonder what kinda stuff he's i-into..."

"Uhhhh, let's just start with getting the two of you talking." Whatever he's into can stay between the two of them. "First things first, it's makeover time!"


"You came to the right place!" Junko declared, pulling measuring tape out of a vest pocket. "Girl, I will make you irresistible!" She wrapped the tape around Toko's waist, looking closely. "So Toko, would you say purple is your favorite color? This shade does look nice on you, but it's a bit, ah, morbid."

"Oh, um..." She fidgeted with her hands, sweating. "I-I just got it because it had the l-longest skirt. I-I could try an-nother color..."

"Ahhhh, you like to keep yourself bundled up, huh? Like to leave it to the imagination? Well, I do have a winter line coming up that I think you'd adore, but for now, we've gotta get you into the spotlight!" She moved the tape around her head, marking the tape with a marker. "So, are you doing this just for fun? Putting yourself out there?" She grinned wickedly. "Or do you maybe have someone in mind?"

"U-Ummm..."

"There's a boy," I told her. I sat opposite them on Junko's bed. "But she won't tell me who."

"Awwww, that's sooooo cute! Well, don't you worry. Junko's got you covered!" She leaned close to Toko, whispering something in her ear.

"Oh, no," Toko shook her head.

"Okay! Just checking!"

Mukuro approached me and handed me a glass of water. "It's important to stay hydrated."

"Thanks!" I chugged it and handed it back to her.

"Wow, that could be a record. I've never seen someone drink water so quickly." She set the glass down on a desk. She sat down beside me. "Are you getting a makeover too?"

"Nah, I'm just here to support Toko." I gave Toko a thumbs up. "You're gonna look so good!"

She just scoffed. "The Ultim-mate Fashionista is giving me a m-makeover. Of course I'll l-look good."

"Well, I'm glad you trust me so much! As you should " Junko put the tape away. "Alright, what kind of vibe are we going for? Clever and nerdy? Bubbly and fun loving? Tempting succubus? Ooo, ooo, rough 'n' tough fighter?"

"I r-really just want to be... n-noticeable. I-In a good way." She looked down at her feet. "And pretty."

"Oh, is that all? Well, this'll be easy. You've already got good bone structure-" she circled Toko as she spoke, poking and prodding- "plus your hair is really well kept and long. Braids are your thing, yeah? I can work with that. But ugh, girl, you've gotta get rid of that odor. Seriously, when's the last time you showered?"

Toko's ears went pink. "I haven't really showered s-since we got here..."

"What?! But it's already been a week! Okay, well, first things first- go take a shower! And don't come out until you're scrubbed clean!" She steered Toko towards her bathroom. "It doesn't matter how good you look, you've gotta be hygienic before anything! Gross! In the meantime, I'll start working on something for you. Kay?"

"Maybe you should go too, Hina," Mukuro told me. "You're a bit... rank."

"What?" That's impossible. I checked my pits. Ugh! Did I seriously forget to shower this morning?! "Okay, I'll catch you guys later!"

"Alright! Later, Hina!"


After I finished my shower, I figured I had some free time. Might as well go hang out with the others! Anything is better than sitting here moping. I headed to the dining hall to make some lunch, but no one was there. Aww... Guess I'm eating by myself-

*CRASH!*

That came from the kitchen! I ran inside and found Sakura crouched in front of a pile of pots and pans, now in a pile on the floor. She picked them up one after another, muttering to herself so low I could barely hear it, much less understand what she was saying. "...Foolish... What to do... How to..."

"Hey Sakura! Want some help?"

Her head turned so fast I couldn't even blink. Then, just as fast, she turned back, holding the pots so high they covered half her face. "Why not."

After a few minutes, we'd put back most of the pots and pans but one. She took it and set it on the stove. "Thank you for your assistance. I will take it from here."

"Are you sure? I was thinking of getting something to eat anyway." I looked into the pot. "Do you not need water for your meal first?"

"Ah. Water. Of course." She hurriedly took the pot to the sink and turned the water on. "My mistake."

"What are you making? Can I have some?"

"I'm attempting to make ramen." She looked through the pantry as the pot started to overflow. "Though I haven't decided on what kind..."

I shut the water off, dumping out the excess water and putting the pot back on the stove. "Well, my favorite is tonkotsu. There's this little ramen shop close to my old junior high that I'd go to with the girls on the team after practices sometimes, and their tonkotsu was just the best. What about you? What's your favorite?"

"I prefer tonkotsu as well," she agreed.

"Perfect! Then let's make some tonkotsu! Let me just grab us some aprons!" I went to grab the aprons, but my eyes lingered on the dirty bin in the back. That's where Kyoko found Sayaka's apron.

"Hina? Are you ready?"

"Ah- Right! Coming!"

When I got back over to her, she was staring at the stove settings with an intensity I hadn't seen from her yet. She has a different sort of powerful look for every situation, I guess. It's so cool! I handed her an apron and put mine on. "Okay! Do you want me to watch the noodles, or make the broth?"

"I'll begin preparing the broth. You boil the noodles."

"I'm on it!"

Sakura went back to get another pot, and I got to work. I got the water to start boiling while Sakura found pork bones for the broth. Pretty soon, we were well on our way to two delicious bowls of ramen!

"Wow, it smells delicious! I never get tired of the smell of good food, even if it means I have to train more often."

"As do I. It takes a lot of energy to be able to train as much as I have." She smiled. "As a fellow Ultimate, of course, I assumed it's the same for you."

"Well, duh! You've gotta get some meat on your bones in order to shake it into good muscle! This tonkotsu should be just the fuel I need for today!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Just the tonkotsu? Do you mean before dinner?"

"No; I mean for today. Oh, but don't worry, I still go to bed with plenty of time to recharge for the morning!"

"Well, I don't doubt that, but you should still eat something after your workout. That can't possibly be enough."

"I mean, I'll still have a protein shake after, but that's not like, food. That's more like an energy drink without the sugar. But that's basically enough when you combine it with lunch and other protein snacks across the day. Besides, you really gotta watch what it is you're eating, ya know? Protein and muscle building stuff like that is totally safe."

"I suppose as long as you're having enough of it, that would work for someone of your size," she said thoughtfully. "Personally, I require much more than that."

"Oh, yeah, you are a lot bigger than me." I looked at the broth, then at the noodles. "You think maybe we should make more then? I did portion it for myself."

"Let's make double, in case anyone else joins us as well," she decided.

Pretty soon, we'd finished up, made our bowls, and sat down. We were the only ones in the dining hall, quietly eating across from each other. That major silence felt unnatural for a school's dining hall, big and empty and clean. Way too clean. I think I'm gonna get more ramen.

"This ramen turned out very well," Sakura decided, bowl emptied.

"Yeah, totally," I agreed. "The pork was just so good; I just had to get more! Besides, pork is healthy to have sometimes anyway."

"We'll have to make lunch together more often then."

Oh, no. This is gonna destroy my regimen, isn't it? "Well, that'll only work if we eat at the same time every day."

"Then I'll just have to find you for lunch."

"Hah! I'll have you know I was a hide-and-seek champion back home!" Well, I was a champion seeker for hide and seek, anyway.

"Were you? I wonder..." She leaned across the table. "I'll have to put that to the test."

"Let's just finish our tonkotsu for now."

"Oh, I already have. Don't worry, I'll wait for you."

"Oh, okay." Sakura never left, watching me as I finished my tonkotsu. I'm not sure what happened, but it seems like she's worried about me. I feel a little closer to her now. I can't wait to do this again!


After my stomach finished settling from lunch, I headed up to the pool. Time to test out some more equipment, and get in a swim after, too! When I got there, though, the locker room was already occupied.

"Oh! Hina! Good timing! Could ya help me out here?" Junko was struggling with a hot pink wetsuit. "I can't get it up all the way. Zip me up, doll?"

"Sure!" I turned her around and zipped her up. "I like your suit! Where'd you get it?"

"Oh, it's an old design of mine." She started posing, showing off every part- the glittery mesh on the sides, the diamond patterns going up the arms, the pockets in the front- and beamed. "It's a little old now, but it's still one of my favorites!"

"Wow, it's gorgeous! I mean, I knew you were the Ultimate Fashionista, but wow! How do you make this stuff?"

"Well, my inspiration comes from all kinds of places, but this one, I got when I was attending some party or other in this big grand ballroom! The stylings on the chandelier were just too good not to replicate. Don't worry though, I always credit my inspirations. A cut of the profit for these actually went to the organization that threw that first party, the Something-or-Others for access to birth control. Most of the line comes in darker blacks and blues for the whole underwater thing, of course, but pink is just my color, don't you think?"

"Really? So it's true that you make all the designs yourself?"

"Yeah! Well, kinda." She tapped her cheek. "I mean, I do have a marketing team these days to help me pick and choose which ones to use, and I've done collaborations before. Plus, these days, there is no true 'original.' There is only the recreated, the revamped, and the renewed!" she declared. "And of course, combining what's already there to make something entirely new. That's kinda how cycles go. Like, we go through the same ideas over and over, but every time, it becomes a little bigger and better. That's what I love most about fashion- it's timeless and broad! There's something for everyone, really."

Watching Junko talk about fashion was really a sight. She loved it so clearly and beautifully, I wanted to listen to her talk about it for hours. That's the best part about meeting fellow Ultimates- they're all just as passionate about their talents as I am about mine! "That sounds amazing. Could you tell me more about it?"

"Well, normally I'd love to, but I've got a breath-holding record to beat." She cracked her knuckles. "Mukuro thinks she can hold her breath longer than me? I'll show her. Oh! You should be my witness!" Before I had a chance to refuse, she stuffed a stopwatch in my hands. "You time me, kay?"

"Well, alright! But once you're done, I'm gonna swim too!"

"Kay then! Let's go!"

As soon as the locker door was open, she leapt into the water. "Cannonball!" The splash was so big, I got totally drenched! I just remembered to start the time. In less than a minute, she pushed herself up to the surface gasping. "Whew...! What's my time?"

"Looks like... forty three seconds! Nice job!"

She pouted, resting her face on the concrete. "That's all? Mukuro can hold her breath for over four minutes, and I can't even do one?"

"Over four minutes?!" That's definitely above average! She could give me a run for my money! I'd still win though.

"Yeah. She said it was part of her training as a soldier or whatever. Hmph. Well, I'm going back down! Time me, assistant!" Before I could reset the timer, she dove back under.

Shoot. One, two, three... I reset the timer. Okay, add three to the total. Why would Mukuro need to learn to hold her breath as a soldier? That doesn't seem like normal soldier behavior. I guess I wouldn't know though. I'll have to ask next time I see her-

"*GASP!* Okay, how'd I do that time? Way better, right?!" Junko crossed her arms on the concrete, looking up at me.

"Oh, uhh... Only thirty two seconds this time. Sorry."

"What? Ugh, come on! I know I can do better than that!" she huffed. "Maybe my wetsuit is constricting my breathing. Yeah, that's it! I just need to take it off!"

"Uh, no! No, you don't need to take off your suit! Maybe your running start just took some wind out of you," I suggested. "You should rest in the shallow side and catch your breath before you try again. Otherwise, your time will just keep getting shorter."

"Ugh, fine. You're the swimming expert," she agreed reluctantly, swimming to the other side.

"Good call, Junko! Pace yourself! I'm gonna go change into my swimsuit, be back in a sec!" I ducked into the locker room to change. I know I was gonna work out first, but swimming is a form of exercise too! Let's mix things up a little, just for the heck of it! I put on my sleeved one piece and swim shorts, and grabbed a pair of goggles and a towel. Alright, let's go!

"Here comes Hina!" I ran back out and dove right in, nice and clean. Nothing beats the feeling of chlorinated water on your skin, nothing! I pushed myself to the surface.

"Ooooo, looking good, Hina! Are those Enoshima shorts?"

"You guessed it!" Blue just looks amazing on me, always. "Hey, Junko! Ever wanted to take swimming lessons from the Ultimate Swimming Pro?"

"Oh. Em. Gee. You could make me like, an even better swimmer than Mukuro! She'd be so surprised; you've gotta teach me!"

I swam over to her. "Yeah, totally! I can show you some tips and tricks. Maybe we could all practice tonight! What do ya think?"

"Oh, actually, I already have a plan for tonight." She waved me closer, whispering in my ear. "We're gonna help Toko with her glo-up."

"Aw, that sounds fun!" I can't wait to see the finished product! Toko must be so excited. "How much progress have you made so far?"

"Well, we got her all clean and smelling like a person again. And we mixed and matched some different outfits, but I had to hem some of them, so that took a while. I came here for a break while Mukuro's doing her hair." She sighed, leaning back in the water. "Fashion is fun, but it is soooo much work."

"Yeah, I'll bet. It's really nice of you to do this for Toko. I know she's been a little, ah... unpleasant, but she's got a really fun side to her. I think."

"Oh my gosh, Toko is such a softie deep down, isn't she?!" She nodded her head aggressively, then turned back to me, grinning. "Now show me how to dive like you! I wanna touch the bottom of the pool at its deepest point!"

"Alright, but let's practice in more of a medium area." I showed Junko how to dive properly, leading her through every motion. She caught on pretty quickly. "You're a natural, Junko! Good job!"

"Hah, thanks! I try my best!" She flipped over and dove back down. She reminded me of a seal, already comfortable in the water.

Junko is a really good friend, and she's so passionate... I think we've really become closer today!


I ended up swimming with Junko for so long, I didn't have any time for a workout before girls' night. Eh, swimming might as well count anyway! We ended up going back to her room together.

"Ahhh, I can't wait for all of you to see what I've picked out for Toko! Together, we will create her perfect outfit!" She leaned closer to me. "So, just between you and me, I think it might be Mr. High-and-Mighty she's trying to impress. What do you think? Got any guesses?"

"Oh, I'm not sure. Maybe she'll tell us herself tonight." I tried to avoid eye contact. I don't wanna lie, but it's Toko's secret to share, not mine.

"Uh-huh. Well, whoever it is, I'm sure she'll be too gorgeous to resist!"

When we reached the hotel, we saw something unexpected- Chihiro and Hifumi splayed out in the center of the floor, playing cards strewn all over the place. Hifumi shook his hands together like he was rolling dice. "You think your defenses can stop me, Green Knight?! I, the Ice Mage of Hornsfield, call upon the power of..." He rolled the dice. "...the Frozen Towers!"

Chihiro leaned forward to look at the dice, then cried out. "Noooo! My Pillar of Fortitude!" She picked up a large red card in the middle and put it into a lumpy pile to the side. "How could this be?!"

"Whatcha guys playing?!" I looked at the cards. They weren't any that I recognized. "Some kind of card game?"

"But of course! This is the competitive Rogue's Quest Card Collectible! I have one of every type of set!" Hifumi declared. "And soon, the reign of the Green Knight-" he pointed at Chihiro- "will be over!"

"That's what you think..." Chihiro picked up the dice. "But what you don't know is that I've been hiding a secret weapon..." She rolled the dice. "Double sixes! Yes! Behold, Ice Mage of Hornsfield... your doom!" She pulled a card from her hand and slammed it on the floor. It had a white sword surrounded by a gold shimmer.

"Nooooooo! I'm decimated!" Hifumi collapsed to the floor, miming defeat. "My heart... It's been pierced beyond repair..."

"What's that card?" Junko asked. "Also, what's Rogue's Quest?"

"This is the Light Sword of Purity," Chihiro told us, lifting the card for us to see. "It's the most powerful card in the game, pure offense that can go between all special defenses! And with a double six roll, it's at its strongest possible hit!"

"The game works by putting up defensive cards to protect your Hero- that's you. There's also armor and spells you can use to defend yourself and your kingdom. The more defense points you have, the more your HP levels up!" Hifumi explained.

"The goal is to kill all the other players and be the last one standing," Chihiro continued. "The card games all have their places in the timeline, too. This Collectible set, for example, is the Tyranny Formation deck. It predates everything else in the series!"

"It's also the most recently released one," Hifumi finished. "And the most simple! Most of the work went into the art on the cards rather than the creation of gameplay, since all the elements are just reused from previous installations, but they're certainly the flashiest."

"I think that only adds to their charm," Chihiro laughed. "So, did the Sword kill you or..?"

"Oh, I haven't calculated." He pulled out a sheet of paper. "Let's see, double sixes on the Light Sword of Purity... incredible!" He held up his paper for us to see. It was covered in multiplications, subtractions, and additions. "Thanks to my Healer's Potion of Reaction, I still have one health point left! You haven't seen the last of me, Green Knight!" he announced triumphantly.

"Impossible!" She feined disdain. "That should've destroyed you, you harlot!"

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but girls' night is starting in a couple minutes..." Junko stuck her thumb out towards the dorms. "You coming, Chihiro?"

"Oh! Right... girls' night..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I mean, our game's not finished yet..."

"Oh, we can play another time! We'll call it your win tonight," Hifumi told her. "I don't wanna pull you away from girl talk or makeup or whatever it is you all do together."

"Well, yesterday, we did a seance," I told him.

"Oh? Really? Girls just... do that then. In their free time." He started picking up his cards, sweat visible on his brow. "We can play more tomorrow, Chihiro! And I'll win for sure next time!"

"Oh, okay... Better start preparing then! I'm undefeated!" She put on a brave face. "The Green Knight will always reign supreme!"

"Tell that to Rogue's Quest III, Revenge of the Blood Moon," Hifumi scoffed. "See you later!"

"Yeah! See you later..." She started picking up her own cards.

"Want some help cleaning up?" I get the feeling she doesn't wanna come to girls' night. I mean, she skipped the last two, and she tried to skip this one. I wonder why.

"Oh, no, thanks. I have a specific way I like to organize them," she said, sorting through them and shuffling them into place.

"Okay. You go ahead and go, Junko. I'll wait here with Chihiro."

"Alright! I've got some setting up to do anyway. We're happy you're gonna be here this time, Chihiro!" She skipped off towards the dorms.

I sat beside Chihiro. "Hey, do you wanna talk about it?"

"Huh? Talk about what?" She looked through her cards, putting them in the box one by one.

"About why you don't wanna go to girls' night." I think I know what's going on here.

"What makes you think that I- that I don't wanna go?" She closed up the box. "I mean, I like everyone there alright."

"Did I ever tell you about my brother, Chihiro?" If I'm right, then this should help.

"You have a brother? Is that who was in your, you know…" She scratched the back of her neck.

"Yeah, but that's not what I wanna talk about." I crossed my legs. "See, Yuuta was always afraid to spend time with the other boys in his class. He used to be really self conscious. He basically avoided everyone that wasn't on his track or swim team, he always stayed in his room, and he didn't really like talking about girl stuff."

She furrowed her brows. "Why would he want to talk about girl stuff with you?"

"Well, at the time, we all thought he was a girl. He hadn't told us that he was a boy yet." I smiled at her. "Of course, once he told us, everything made sense. Mom and dad got him T and all that stuff, and we started getting him proper clothes. And once that happened, he got way more confident! Of course there were people that were rude about it, but we always took care of them real quick!" I told her, slamming my hand into my palm for effect. "I mean, gender isn't sex, ya know?"

"Wow, he's really lucky to have a support system like that." She smiled at me. "That's super cool! Thanks for telling me. I'll make sure to remember that if I ever meet him." The look of relief on her face was just what I was hoping for.

"No problem!" I stood up, offering her my hand. "Of course, it's a really personal matter, but he said I could talk about it. I'd never out him without permission. Anyway, ready to go?"

"Sure." She took my hand, and I pulled her up. She still looked nervous, but less so. Don't worry, Chihiro. I've got your back!

When we got to Junko's room, everyone was there except Toko. Mukuro looked surprised. "Chihiro." She smiled softly. "Junko said you were coming."

"Yeah... Sorry for missing the last two. I'm feeling a little better now." She smiled at me nervously. I gave her a thumbs up.

Celeste waved me over. "I must admit, I am impressed. I did not think Chihiro would come after missing the first two. I assume this was your doing?"

"Yeah. We just had some stuff to talk about, that's all." Celeste doesn't need to know. "So where's Toko? Is she late?"

"I believe she is in the bathroom," Celeste thought. "Ah, look. Junko is getting her now." She gestured to the bathroom door just as Junko went inside. She pulled Toko out by the arm. She was no longer wearing her uniform, opting instead for a black tank top and shorts. Her hair was all rolled up in so much foil it was insane. She kept her eyes trained on the ground in front of her, face red.

"Alright, girls! Gather around!" Junko called. "You all know Toko Fukawa. She's been extremely rude, nihilistic, self-deprecating, and at times, extremely inappropriate."

"Just get o-on with it," Toko muttered. "I'm c-cold."

"Right, right. My bad." She addressed us again. "But tonight, she's come seeking our help. Tonight, we transform little Toko into a creature of grace and elegance! We've already cleaned her up and done some basic makeup, just covering little blemishes and such-"

"Yet you s-still left this s-stupid mole," Toko grumbled.

"Well, yeah! It's in the perfect spot to act as a beauty mark!" Junko dismissed her.

"She is right," Celeste agreed. "With the right look, it can be very refined."

"Which leads me into assignments! I've come up with a job for everyone here to make Toko her best! Celeste, you'll be doing makeup. Call me crazy, but I think you've got the most expertise of any of us."

"That is probably true. Very well, then. I shall begin immediately," she agreed, stepping forward. She took Toko's hand and led her into the bathroom. "Worry not. You are in good hands."

"Chihiro, Sakura, you guys are gonna do her hair. Sakura's got the longest hair and Chihiro's got the smallest hands, so together, you should be able to redo her braids." She handed Chihiro a picture. "Do either of you have experience with braiding hair already?"

"I've got some," Chihiro said nervously. "I used to braid hair for the girls in my class when I was little."

"I can hold her hair back while you weave it together, then," Sakura decided.

"Alright, perfect! Hina, we'll be deciding which of these outfits to choose from," Junko declared, clapping her hands. "Mukuro, Kyoko, you're on accessories. I gave her some things to look at, but ultimately, they've gotta compliment the rest of her look. I want to really bring out her eyes, okay? So keep that in mind."

"I'll do my best," Mukuro promised. Kyoko just nodded.

"Okay, Junko, you said we're working together," I said, walking up to her. "So, what've you got?"

"That's right! I went through a few different options. These are the ones Toko was most interested in, but I don't know which one I like best! I need a second opinion. So, what do you think?"

As soon as she showed them to me, I knew exactly which one she'd like. "This one. This one is perfect."

"Oh, ya think so? You don't think it's too bold for her?"

"Au contraire," I decided. "I think it's just perfect."


Almost two hours of makeup, hair, and convincing, and Toko was in the bathroom again, changing with the help of Mukuro.

"That was quite the interesting choice," Celeste mentioned. "I wonder how she will feel."

"Trust me, she'll love it." She may not show it, but there's a part of her that really wants to show off. This will make her feel more confident, I just know it!

"If you say so, then I will trust your judgement," Sakura decided.

"Yeah, I don't wanna put the cart before the horse or anything, but we totally killed this one!" Junko hopped up and down, clapping her hands. "Ahhhhh, I can't wait to see her!"

"I wonder if this is what our main priority should be," Kyoko pondered. "But I suppose if it boosts everyone's morale."

"Does it boost your morale?" Kyoko is still so mysterious. She's barely spoken since the trial.

Before she could respond, the bathroom door opened. I felt my breath catch as she stepped out. "Um... d-does it look okay...?"

Her hair was braided up tightly like normal, but it was now a dark purple hue as opposed to her previous dark brown, with the bits in front of her ears cut short and a set of sweeping bangs cut in the front. She wore a bold purple shirt with see through, sparkling sleeves and a mermaid cut, leaving her shoulders and collarbones bare. The skirt faded into a darker wine shade, with a long slit on the left. Around her neck was an opal necklace. Her round glasses had even been cleaned of their dirty buildup, revealing her eyes fully. They were a mix of chestnut brown tinged with crimson red, wide and nervous as she looked at each of us.

"Toko... it looks gorgeous!" Chihiro gasped, the first to find her voice.

"Yeah, no kidding! Girl, you are working it!" Junko declared. "C'mon, give us a spin!"

"O-Okay," she stuttered, turning slowly. "Y-You don't think it's... t-too much?"

"Well, perhaps," Celeste thought. "Depending on the boy. So? Who is it for?"

Her ears and cheeks turned red. "O-Oh... um... It's B-Byakuya..."

Celeste smiled at her. "Then it is perfect."

"Yeah, let's go show him! When he sees you, his jaw is gonna drop." Along with his stuck up persona!

"Y-You really think s-so?"

"Why wouldn't he?" Mukuro smiled, pointing her to the mirror. She looked at herself, examining every side.

"W-Wow... I look amazing!" Her pitch raised, and she grinned excitedly. There's that hidden confidence from before! "I love it! The color, th-the skirt... Purple works sooooo w-well on me!"

*Ding, Dong, Bing, Bong*

"Aw, shoot!" I can't believe how quickly time passes in here. "Now it's too late."

"I wonder about that," Kyoko mentioned. "The rule to stay in isn't one of Monokuma's rules, after all."

"She is right. Besides, we already know Byakuya has not been following that rule. We even know where he will likely be hiding," Celeste agreed.

"I don't know. That rule was made to protect us," Chihiro thought.

"Yeah, but if we stick together in a group, then everyone's watching each other's backs," Junko countered. "So, arguably, we'd be safer."

"Well, ultimately, it's up to Toko." I turned to her. "Well, Toko? What do you think?"

"Hmmmmm..." She tapped her foot rapidly. "I think... I don't wanna wait a-any longer! L-Let's go!"


Hiro walked up and down the hall, watching every door they passed. They looked down the hall to the warehouse. Nothing. Further back, they could hear a door open. They turned around to go back and saw Chihiro peek out the hallway. She smiled in relief when she saw them. "Um, Hiro?"

"Oh, Chihiro. Is something wrong?"

"Yeah. I think I lost my key to my dorm. The last time I remember having it was in the warehouse before girls' night, but I don't wanna be by myself. Could you help me look?"

"Sure thing, kid! Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find it in plenty of time for you to get some sleep."

"Thanks, Hiro. You're a lifesaver!"

The two of them went into the warehouse. As soon as the door closed, the rest of us crept quietly across the hotel. Lucky for us, the metal gate was already open. Once we were in the school area, I released a breath. "Whew! I knew we'd make it out!"

"Good call with the distraction, Kyoko," Mukuro complimented. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"That's alright. I have something of my own to do," she responded. "But I'll wish you all luck."

"I have my own activities to attend to as well. Good night, everyone," Celeste told us.

"Wh-Whatever! Let's go," Toko told us, sauntering down the hall. Wow, she really is enjoying that look.

Not long after, we made it to the second floor. We came to the library door. Toko reached for the handle, but hesitated.

"Hey, you've got this," I told her. "He's gonna love you."

"Yeah, there's no way he won't," Junko agreed. "Come on, you're almost there!"

"One of us can open the door first and introduce you, if that helps," Mukuro offered.

"Uhhhh, okay. I mean, if you insist." She stepped back. But before any of us stepped forward, the door swung open from the inside.

"You all aren't subtle, the dorms are the only soundproof spot in the school," Byakuya droned. He saw Toko. "Oh."

"Umm, h-hi, Byakuya," she managed. "Can we talk, m-maybe?"

He covered the lower part of his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You can all leave now; you've done quite enough."

"Oh, no problem! We'll give you guys all the space you need," Junko told him. "Let's go, girls~!"

Toko followed him into the library. She shot me a nervous, but happy look. I gave her a smile.

"I think that went well," Sakura said as we went back down the stairs.

"Oh my gosh, did you see his face? He totally had to cover his blush!" I knew he had a soft spot for her!

"Ladies, I think it's safe to call this one a success!" Junko declared, pumping her fists. "So, what's next on the agenda?"

"Perhaps we should let Toko decide on what we do tomorrow," Sakura suggested. "I can't imagine it was easy for her to accept help from all of us."

"Oh, good point." I hope she agreed to all of us helping her before Junko sprung that up on her. "Well, I'm headed to bed. Goodnight, everyone!"

"Good night! Good luck getting past Hiro," Junko called.


The curtains rise on Monokuma's wooden stage. A mirror's been hung on the left wall, with a Monokuma face fading in and out of sight in the glass. Monokuma sits in the center, shaking his head from side to side, smiling gleefully at his audience.

"Whenever I spot a cute girl, I have a tendency to stare. I can't help it- I just gaze with intensity. The other day, I rode my bike to the train station.

"They all must've thought I was a creep, but I just couldn't help but stare…."

The lights start to fade, and Monokuma and the stage disappear into the darkness, the crimson glow of his eye winking out.


Morning came all too fast. Every morning I woke there felt like another nightmare waiting to happen, a new tragedy around the corner, a disaster waiting to happen, despair threatening to consume my soul, a life on death's door.

Time for a morning workout!

A couple hours of training later, and it was officially morning. As Monokuma announced on the speakers, I threw my door open. Today is gonna be a good day! Not a single bad thing could possibly happen today!

"Aoi. Asa. Hina."

Hiro was standing in the hall, arms crossed, tone firm. "Did you sneak out last night?"

How did they know?! "What? What makes you think I'd do something like that-"

"Nice try. But I know you told Chihiro to distract me while you and the other girls snuck out. I got an anonymous tip. Right under my nose! I trusted you, Hina!"

"I'm sorry, Hiro." I felt like my dad was scolding me for sneaking donuts from the fridge.

They sighed heavily. "I'm not mad, just... disappointed. You know better than to break the rules; they're there to protect you." They put a hand on my shoulder. "Now, go on ahead to breakfast. We can discuss this later."

"Alright. Sorry again." I headed to the dining hall, ashamed. They don't know why I did it. But they're right. We shouldn't've broken curfew. They were acting all weird though just now. Like a parent! "Hah!"

"I don't see what you're laughing about." Junko stretched out on the table. "Somehow, we got caught. Somebody told Hiro."

"Well, it wasn't me or Junko," Mukuro told me. "We were with each other all last night. Do you know who it was, Hina?"

"No, but it wasn't me." Why would I tell them? I got in trouble too.

"Good morning," Chihiro called, coming inside. "Hey, so... Hiro just asked me about last night." She sat down beside me. "I didn't tell them, though. Don't worry."

"Well, someone did," Sakura said.

"Woah, you mean you guys broke the curfew? And you didn't invite me?" Leon asked. "Why not? We could've had a real party!"

"Maybe it was girl stuff," Makoto told him. "My sister never let me help her with girl stuff."

"Makoto's right, it's none of your business," Junko snapped. "Just let me eat in peace."

"Who's making breakfast?" There are still a few people that aren't here yet.

"Hifumi's doing it," Junko groaned. "He better make something good. I feel like I'm about to starve..."

"I have some tack you can snack on," Mukuro offered.

"No way! Your tack is gross. Blegh!"

"Like it or not, it's food. You should take what you can get."

"My apologies for being late." Celeste walked in with Kyoko. "I was doing some cleaning and must have missed the morning announcement. How is everyone this morning?"

"What? Didn't Hiro grill you guys?" Did they get past without them seeing?

"They certainly tried to." Kyoko pulled her chair out.

"One can only be upset with you if you let them," Celeste continued. "They were clearly having a bad morning, so we left them be. Now, what is the menu for this morning?"

"Whatever it is Hifumi is making," Leon told her, tossing a paper airplane. It looped in the air and landed in his own hair.

"Ah. I see." She turned to Chihiro. "Could you ask him to make croissants for me? I would like to have some butter croissants this morning."

"Oh, croissants do sound good! Sure, I can do that!" Chihiro got up and headed for the kitchen.

"Do you take joy in bossing Chihiro around?" Mukuro asked, very sharply. "She's not your foot soldier."

"No, that would be you, would it not?" Celeste giggled. "Make no mistake. I take no pleasure in ordering about a young girl. But Hifumi would not listen to me if I were to ask, so I need someone he talks to to make the request, and neither of these two would do it." She flicked a pale hand at Leon and Makoto.

"You're damn right we wouldn't!" Leon spat, slamming his fist on the table. "I don't take orders from a rude bitch like you!"

"Oh? Is it not in poor manners to refer to a woman in such a way?" Celeste asked, unbothered. "You are only proving my point. Truly you are of lowest D class."

"Yeah, well, you're being mean!" Makoto tried to yell. "Chihiro just wants to help everyone, and you're taking advantage of her!"

"I am. Perhaps you should try it." She laced her fingers together. "Besides, she has offered to help us all over and over. I am merely allowing her to do so."

"Good news! He was already making croissants!" Chihiro sat back down. "So, what are we talking about?"

"Nothing important. Just discussing breakfast." Celeste's smile looked so genuine, I felt my blood boil. She's just using her to get what she wants!

"Hey, Celeste? Can I ask you something?" Chihiro asked.

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

"Why are you scared of doing things by yourself?"

I barely disguised my laughter with a cough.

"What? What makes you think I am afraid?" She seemed offput, if only for a moment.

"Well, it just seems like you're not very good at being honest with people, that's all. Was it wrong of me to say that?"

"I see." She scoffed. "Truly you are naïve, Chihiro."

Hiro came in and sat themself at the head of the table. "Good morning, everyone," they told us. "I hope those of you that were actually in their rooms last night got a good rest." They folded their hands on the table. "As for the rest of you, well, I hope you're proud of yourselves. Was it worth it?"

"Well, I guess that depends on what Toko says when she gets here," I told them. "We did it to try and help her with... something personal."

As if on cue, Toko threw open the doors. She was back in her uniform, her makeup scrubbed off. "Um, I-I have something to say!"

She looked at all of us. "Um... th-this wasn't an e-easy decision to m-make, but... I-I won't be coming to breakfast a-anymore!" She straightened her back, glaring at us. "I-I don't want my food t-to be poisoned by someone else, s-so... I w-won't be eating w-with the group anymore. I-I suggest y-you all do the same."

And with that, she turned and marched out the doors. We were all pretty surprised by Toko's decision. I mean, she seemed perfectly fine just the night before, before she was with Byakuya.

"I'm gonna go check on her," I decided, standing back up.

"Alright, but you can't force her to come back. She's clearly upset about something," Mukuro warned me.

"She's always worried about something." I went after her into the hall. "Toko, wait!"

She glared at me from outside her door. "What do you w-want? I'm n-not going back."

"I know, and I won't make you. I just wanna make sure you're okay. Did anything happen last night after we left?" If she's acting like this because Byakuya did something...

"Actually, l-last night went very w-well. I didn't even n-need to dress up f-for him," she sighed, leaning against her doorframe wistfully. "He's so amazing..."

"Oh, good! I was a little worried for a second!" Good for her! "Um, just to make sure, though, was there anyone or anything specific that made you decide to leave breakfast?"

Her eyes darkened. "I-It's none of your business," she spat. "Don't concern y-yourself with me. I-I don't need your h-help."

"Well, maybe I need yours! If you've picked up on a murder plot, isn't it fair that I want to know about it?"

"Oh. Yeah, I-I guess that makes sense." She crossed her arms. "I-It's nothing though, really. I'm just protecting m-myself. You should do the s-same." She stepped back into her room and closed the door.

"Toko, wait!" I went for the handle, but it was already locked. "Toko..." Maybe I should ask Byakuya. He's at least shown interest in Toko; maybe he'll help.

I stepped back into the dining hall. "Hey, I'm gonna skip out on breakfast today, too. But I'll be back tomorrow, okay? Nobody panic!" I gave them a thumbs up. "I just need to go talk to Byakuya real quick."

Mukuro stood up. "Will you need some backup?"

"If there are issues, I can lend a hand as well," Sakura offered.

"Oh, no, I'll be fine by myself. Actually, I was gonna try and get some help. I'll catch up with you guys later, okay?"


"So she's holed herself up in her room," Byakuya mused. "Not surprising, I suppose."

"Yeah, I'm really worried about her," I agreed. "But, uh... why do I have to be shining your shoes?"

"Why do you think? They've gotten dirty," he said, like that should've been obvious. "As for Toko, I don't understand why you're so bothered. Her concerns with eating with all of you aren't far from my own, and you weren't nearly as concerned with me. Do you not trust her?"

"Yeah, well, that's... a good point, actually." Maybe I should've tried harder with Byakuya. "Actually, I thought if I helped you and Toko get closer, then you'd come back to breakfast. I didn't expect it to go the other way around."

"Hmm... I see your thought process," he acknowledged. "But it's inherently flawed. Toko isn't completely stupid; she recognizes good logic when she sees it. Of course she'd be more inclined to follow my lead." He sipped his coffee. "Other shoe, now."

Stupid hoity toity rich boy... "Okay, but the breakfast meeting is also how we check that everyone's alive in the morning. Doesn't it make less sense to skip? I mean, if someone dies in the night-"

"Then the bear would probably brag about how there's a brand new body for us to find," he interrupted. "It's pointless, really. You should follow your friend's example- if you can even call her that."

"What? Of course Toko's my friend. We look out for each other."

"Really? Because it seems to me you babysit her and force her into a spotlight she doesn't want," he scoffed, setting down his coffee cup. "And now that my shoes are clean, we're done here. Out. Now." He kicked suddenly, almost getting me right in the mouth. He probably would've if my reflexes weren't so good. "Okay, okay, jeez! I'm going." I left, but not before taking his unfinished coffee with me.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!"

"Deal with it!"

Rude bastard. Maybe I shouldn't have tried to set up him and Toko... No, I shouldn't say that. Maybe this way, they'll at least keep an eye on each other. Besides, just cuz Toko's not coming to breakfast doesn't mean she won't still do other things, like girls' night!