"I know everything..."
Keebo radiated anger as he turned to face Tsumugi, standing as if he was the final boss from a video game. One that had almost an impenetrable amount of armor, one that could fly and dash at incredible speeds. And also one that could shoot down whatever he wanted.
Anyone who opposed him didn't stand a chance. What was Tsumugi, but a simple cosplayer. What could she do to stop him, now that he was like this? Even Gonta, who was the strongest one here, couldn't stop Keebo from firing his blast earlier.
So... This was it... Wasn't it?...
Keebo said it himself... He knew everything... He would kill her for halting the Killing Game... Knowing the audience, they would find that unacceptable...
Tsumugi let out a sigh. If only she hadn't left that Audience Participation Meter out in the open like that...
But that was neither here nor there. The fact of the matter was that she fought a fair fight, and she lost. There was no choice but to accept it.
Tsumugi clenched her fist and stepped forwards, displaying the same determination that Keebo did. Shuichi shield away a bit, simply surprised by everything that was happening.
"Keebo?"
Small flares could be seen from the robot's rockets, smoke trails hissing upwards. He lowered his body in preparation for his dash, aiming himself at Tsumugi. His voice was monotonous, displaying none of the emotion that made Keebo a person.
"It's time to end this charade."
Tsumugi nodded her head, letting out another breath. She wished she could have one last chance to talk with Rantaro, one last chance to tell him how she felt before she was gone.
However, Rantaro wasn't there. She turned towards Shuichi instead. Given the time she had left, there was really only one thing to say.
"Shuichi, I'm-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Keebo rotated to the left, his jetpack roaring to life. The deafening sound filled the room, propelling the robot forward and interestingly, through the exit and into the Library. Tsumugi tilted her head in confusion, completing her thought as best she could.
"sorry?"
She wondered why would he do such a thing... She thought that he was going to subdue her... But apparently he had different plans. What could he possibly be after...
Shuichi gave her a nervous grin, almost as perplexed as she was.
"Uh, Tsumugi... Sorry for what?"
However, the girl drowned out his response, still deep in thought.
Keebo was controlled by the audience. The audience only wanted Hope, and nothing else. Hope through Despair - eerily similar to a certain character's beliefs in Super Danganronpa 2. They've received fifty Hope-filled seasons before this - and viewership clearly showed the audience liked what they were seeing. So naturally, she thought they'd want more, and that they'd be after the person who caused their Killing Game to grind to a halt.
But if they weren't after her... Who could they be targeting... The one responsible for what happened here was her, and only her... Right?..
The realization hit Tsumugi in the face like a tidal wave - her eyes widening in response.
She thought she was going to die. But what was going to happen, was so much worse.
"Tsumugi?"
Tsumugi nodded awake and immediately began running towards the exit, as fast as she could.
"I-I'll explain later-"
Shuichi, startled, began following her as she entered the Library. He didn't know what she was thinking, but it apparently was something important.
I hope I can warn him in time...
"Would you like a cup of tea?"
"Yes, thanks, Kirumi."
Rantaro Amami was sitting at the end of the lengthy table in the dining hall, cradling the steaming hot coffee cup that Kirumi gently placed in his hands. The boy took a sip, and subsequently set the cup down to take another bite of the bread that was laid out on the plate in front of him. A bowl of tomato soup rested next to the plate; Rantaro didn't know if it was because he hadn't eaten in a day, but it was definitely the best tomato soup he's ever had.
Kirumi's ultimate, the Ultimate Maid, was another possibility; within minutes, she had food and water ready for the boy, as well as bandages and antiseptic for the students who were caught in the blast. Gonta was dusted off and laid against the wall on a mat, Miu and Korekiyo were sitting down, drinking tea to alleviate their coughs, even Kaito was gulping down his soup, trying to hide the fact that he coughed up a bit of blood earlier.
The others weren't just standing around, either. Himiko, Angie, and Ryoma were assisting Kirumi and serving the others. Even Maki, who seemed cold despite being the Ultimate Child Caregiver, was helping. In response to Kaito's wave, she fetched another piece of bread and placed it on his plate.
"Thanks, Maki Roll!"
The girl blushed a bit, rolling her eyes and reporting back to Kirumi.
Kaede and Kokichi came in late, and although Kaede began helping as soon as she could, Kokichi waltzed over to a seat and sat down, watching everything. It would seem like they all had it under control, anyways.
Their voices filled the room with a calm chatter. It was moments like these that made Rantaro forget they were in a Killing Game. They made him even forget that everyone was really a fictional character, including himself.
Because was real friendship, real camaraderie. There was nothing fake about it.
However, one thing did stand out to Rantaro. Something that he couldn't quite get out of his mind.
Where was Tsumugi?
By now, the three of them should have finished exploring... So why didn't she come back to the dining hall...
He wanted to go and check, but his condition wasn't the best. The boy was certain Kirumi would sit him back down if he got up.
Rantaro decided to clear his mind to think, drowning out the chatter. What could possibly be happening down there...
A soft sound rose up out of the relative silence, and the boy focused on it. It almost sounded like... an industrial blowtorch... Some sort of intense fire... And it was coming from the hallway...
It was not only that, there was more. Short, staccato footsteps, growing louder by the second... And a voice... Yelling something...
Wait a second...
The voice was quiet. But it was just loud enough. Just loud enough for him to hear.
"Rantaro, look out!"
Tsumugi!
The boy's eyes widened, jolting his head towards the door. A figure appeared in the doorway, sliding to a stop from the momentum of his jetpack. Keebo's eyes glowed a bright blue, as if he was possessed by an evil AI. The robot raised his arm quickly, directing his gun at Rantaro, taking a ready stance.
At that moment, Rantaro knew what he had to do. Pushing off the table with his hands, he propelled himself away, his chair falling backwards on its rear legs. The adrenaline fueled his body, almost slowing time around him. Everyone else's eyes turned to face Keebo, not having time to react to the robot.
Keebo sent a blast of energy in Rantaro's direction. It flew across the room, and just barely missing its target. Rantaro watched as it zoomed past his head and into the wall behind him, causing another explosion, albeit smaller than before. The crash only sounded for a second, smoke rising slowly from the gaping hole in the dining hall.
It seemed the group finally processed what happened, as they looked back at Keebo. But Rantaro's survival instincts told him one thing - and he immediately acted on it.
Through the hole. Now.
Rantaro shoved himself off the floor, dashing as fast as he could towards the opening that Keebo left in the wall. He almost stumbled from moving so fast, but he managed to right himself. This was his only chance, but then again, Keebo was quick, too...
Kokichi was sitting there on the opposite side of the table, his arms still thrown behind his head.
"Wow, nice shot, you almost got him!"
Miu responded without a scowl, throwing a finger at Keebo.
"Um, Keebo, what the fuck?"
Keebo turned and stared deep into her eyes, with a newfound animosity.
"He needs to die..."
The robot began running through the room, towards the hole in the wall, seeing as Rantaro almost escaped. However, Gonta and Kaito stepped up to hold the robot back. Their motions were clearly impeded by their condition, hobbling a bit, but still approaching Keebo nonetheless.
Kaito yelled, "Rantaro's our friend, Keebo! No way we'll let you kill him!"
Keebo attempted to write free from the boys' grasps, as if he was some sort of snake.
"J-just, let me go! He's getting away!"
Gonta and Kaito restrained the robot as best they could, however they were still weak, and Keebo's battery-powered body was clearly no match for them. Their grips got weaker and weaker as they were tossed around, and eventually Keebo broke free, shoving the boys to the side. He dashed towards the courtyard, where Rantaro had already escaped through.
Come on... To the Dormitory... Just a little bit more...
Rantaro's feet slammed against the wooden deck outside the dining hall and pushed off, jumping down onto the cool evening grass. The sky - well, the artificial sky - displayed a dazzling array of colors as the sun was setting; reds, oranges, yellows, even purples filled Rantaro's view on the cloudless evening.
Rantaro couldn't help but flick his eyes back in the direction he came. Keebo seemed dead-set on killing him...
Keebo must've found out about everything, huh... Well, this just got a lot harder... Pehaps the sun was setting on my future with Tsumugi as well...
I won't accept that. Not as long as I'm the Ultimate Survivor.
Rantaro was running as fast as he could towards the dormitory, however his body felt sluggish and tired. He willed his body to do more, despite his weakness and lack of nutrients. His heart pounded as if someone was chasing him in a dark alley. This wasn't new to Rantaro, having been in the previous Killing Game, but it was still something. You never quite get used to these experiences...
He stepped off the grass and onto solid red brick, dashing down the path to the dorms. As he approached, a whoosh sounded from the school. Rantaro resisted the urge to look over his shoulder, continuing to run. However, the sound grew louder as it got closer, and eventually he could hear a voice from behind him. Rantaro froze in his tracks, peeking over his shoulder.
"Don't. Move."
Keebo stood a few feet away from him, ascending into the air with his jetpack as if he was a divine spirit. His eyes were burning, and were fixated on the boy. Rantaro gave a sigh, raising his hands in the air as he acquiesced to the robot's request. His heart sank.
Guess this is it, huh?
But as much as he believed that, he had to trust his ultimate, for whatever it was worth. He's gotten out of similar situations before. He's survived an entire killing game - including five life-or-death trials. If that didn't count for something, then nothing did. He clung on to that Hope, however illogical it was at this point.
He turned back towards the dining hall, as a stampede was coming from that direction. Every student who was in that room subsequently flooded out of the hole in the wall, running towards the two of them. One by one, each student parked themselves behind Keebo, not daring to get too close to Rantaro. Keebo could shoot at any second, and even amidst the gathering, he remained focused on his target.
Kaede looked upwards and began to question the robot.
"Keebo, what's the meaning of this?"
Keebo responded monotonously, not even bothering to turn and look at her.
"This Killing Game has been paused for far too long. We want our mastermind back."
"We?"
"Yes, we. The audience. And this show must go on."
Keebo nodded slightly as he responded, taking a stance and pointing his gun closer at Rantaro. Kaito naturally objected, throwing a fist in the air and yelling.
"Hey, didn't we decide that Rantaro isn't the Mastermind?"
The robot responded, his tone harsh and angered, clenching his fist and turning towards the disputer.
"Do you think we don't know what we're doing? We know exactly who the Mastermind is. We've been watching her this entire time. And for this Killing Game to continue, we need to destroy what's holding her back."
"Her?"
Kaito seemed genuinely confused, making Keebo angrier, but thankfully the moment was interrupted by a voice coming from the dining area. A female voice.
"Everyone, stop!"
Keebo, upon seeing who it was, could only smirk and let out a slight chuckle.
"Yes. Her."
Two figures approached the group - the two remaining students who weren't present. Rantaro smiled. Their dark blue attire wasn't particularly easy to see since the sun was setting, but he knew exactly who they were.
Seems like they made it in time.
Tsumugi Shirogane and Shuichi Saihara ran up to the group. Everyone else watched as they approached. Shuichi lagged behind the girl, who quickly made it to the dorms. Interestingly, Tsumugi stepped up between Keebo and Rantaro. She stood there with tumultuous hair, her eyes blue flames, pointing directly at Keebo. Her arms were outstretched, protecting Rantaro from any potential attacks from the robot.
"If you want to kill him, you'll have to go through me."
Tsumugi was very thankful she made it in time - her legs burned almost as much as her eyes. Her hair drooped in small locks, in front of her eyes, and sweat began to bead on her face. She didn't know if Kaito's training helped her, but two days of intense workouts in a row definitely took something out of her...
Despite the fact that she was still out of breath, she stood strong. Rantaro was behind her - and there was no way she would let Keebo do anything to him. It didn't matter how tired she was - she wanted to protect him. Because she loved him.
Shuichi, who was with Tsumugi, didn't follow the girl. He approached the larger group sheepishly, standing next to Kaede. She, as well as everyone else, was staring intently at Tsumugi - awaiting her next move. However, the girl didn't budge. It looked like an impossible war - fourteen against two - and yet, the tenacity on Tsumugi's face showed she didn't feel outnumbered at all.
Keebo squinted his eyes at her and looked down with the face of a displeased emperor. He broke the silence; his harsh, robotic speech sent chills down Tsumugi's spine.
"It's against the rules for the Mastermind to protect another student. You know that, right?"
Tsumugi nodded, but didn't hesitate.
"Yes. But I'm doing it anyways."
The robot's tone increased, throwing his left arm to the side.
"Get out of the way, Tsumugi."
"No."
"This is what we want. This is what everyone wants. So, just step out of the way, so we can kill him, and continue watching our Killing Game."
Tsumugi clenched her fist, and locked eyes with Keebo as she delivered to him the truth.
"This Killing Game is over."
Keebo's voice thundered into a yell, pointing at himself, and then at the other students.
"You can't just abandon your own Killing Game! We expected six full chapters! They expected six full chapters! That's what they signed up for!"
The three of them turned towards the others, who were still motionless. Plastered onto all of their faces were various expressions; heads tilted, eyes widened, nervous grins - but not one of them spoke up in the silence. They remained clueless, hoping the three of them would settle this themselves. Keebo turned back towards Tsumugi and asked a simple question.
"They still don't know the truth, do they?"
Tsumugi gulped, and connected eyes with the other students in order, and it seemed they all approached the situation differently. People like Gonta and Tenko were genuinely confused. Some others, like Ryoma and Kokichi, remained still their usual selves. But most of the crowd expressed the same sentiment - a desire to know the truth. Tsumugi could practically feel their stares - eyes that could cut through words, each sword pointing at her chin, ready to attack. As much as Tsumugi didn't want to tell them the truth, she needed to. They deserved it. If she was to die here, she would die without any regrets. They needed to know everything.
Shuichi was an outlier in the group - hiding underneath his wide-brimmed hat. Tsumugi could almost see underneath - it looked like his eyes were closed, a pained grimace on his face, as if he was in his own world, separate from the others. She wondered why the boy was taking this so differently - maybe he felt partly responsible for the events that unfolded? Either way, he'd learn the truth along with the rest of them, so all Tsumugi had to do was focus on wording her story appropriately.
Keebo followed up on his inquiry, prompting Tsumugi to continue. To reveal the fiction that is Danganronpa 53, and the countless people who were killed solely for entertainment.
"Go ahead. Tell them who you really are, who they really are, and what you did to them."
Author's Note:
This is it, huh? The big reveal is next chapter! Thanks for reading up until this point!
I apologize for not posting chapters more frequently than I am. I have been really busy, and I've been working on other projects as well (see team _ _ mike on twitter for more info on those). But I will have you know that all of the next chapter's dialog is written, so hopefully it shouldn't be long before I post the next chapter :)
If you're looking for some Christmas spirit in the meantime, I'd suggest my fic "A V3ry Merry Christmas"! But other than that, I do hope that you continue to follow my work and tune in for the last few chapters!