New Hope University School of Ultimates Campus, North Quad:

Conveniently located near student dorms, the North Quad is the center of campus night life, in more ways than one! This quad is the home to the Arts Center, which houses multiple facilities as well as a 1000-seat theater! Most nights, there will be a play, a concert, an improv comedy performance, or a studio showing! Plus, it's not uncommon to find dedicated students chasing their muses well past midnight!

Next, stop by the the historic REDACTED House, the home for Greek Life on campus! Here, students explore and form the social bonds that are so important to a university experience. (Note: University administration has no authority over activities that occur in this location, as the REDACTED House is technically its own, independent microstate. Occupants are subject neither to the rules of the university nor to the laws of the United States. Students are encouraged to never enter REDACTED House under any circumstances)

Hazel Arts Center

This ultra-modern complex contains facilities for drama, music, painting, sculpture, computer-arts, film, photography, and more! Perform for cheering crowds in the 1000-seat theater! Use our digital cameras and editing equipment to create your own short movies! Use any of our private studios to paint or sculpt your masterpiece!

Murder weapons: Plenty of poisonous chemicals in the photography lab. Most sculpting tools. Most musical instruments can be weapons if the wielder is creative.

REDACTED Memorial House

This historic location has been a hub of Greek life on campus since REDACTED. Numerous fraternal organizations have operated out of the house, including REDACTED and world-famous members such as REDACTED.

The house consists of two main parts: a large social area, perfect for games, events, parties, and brunches; and the living area, which consists of a comfortable suite and even a REDACTED that can be used for REDACTED!

Murder weapons: REDACTED

STUDENT UNION: CAFETERIA

I had the same dream again, Monokuma talking to me, but blessedly silent. There was one new addition: Therion standing off to the side, just staring at me. It made the dream considerably more unpleasant, but I figured, if he was going to haunt anyone, it should probably be me.

I headed down to breakfast at the usual time, thankful that everyone else seemed to still want to stick to the same schedule. Even Barrett was there, gloweringly talking to Nicole and Rocky.

I got my Grape Nuts, hoping the oddly quiet atmosphere was not due to my presence, and looked around the tables. Katy was waving and smiling at me, but she was sitting at a table with Emily and... Lucina. I decided to suck it up. I went over to their table and sat down.

"Good morning!" Emily said warmly, but she sounded exhausted.

Katy was far more exuberant, but her manner was kind of shy when I sat down. "Hi! How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty badly, but that's probably normal." I glanced over at the fourth member of our table. "Good morning, Lucina."

Lucina slid a piece of paper onto the table. I'm going to my room. Then she just stood up and walked away.

A piece of me was angry, but a larger piece was just distressed. I guess it showed on my face, because Emily said, "Oh dear. Is... is everything all right?"

I sighed. "Yeah, um... I don't think she's speaking to me right now." There was a silent moment as I realized what I had just said. "Writing to me. Whatever."

Katy frowned. "She's sweet, but I'm not sure I really get her."

Emily looked down, as if embarrassed. "Um... do you... trust her?" We must have looked very surprised, because she waved her hands in apology. "No no... I'm not saying I don't trust her! I... I've never been in a life-and-death game before! I don't know what to look for!"

"I thought I did trust her," I said, sighing. "I don't know. It won't do any good to get paranoid."

"I know, but that was about the mastermind," Emily said. "I hadn't thought that... well, it's not just the mastermind we have to worry about, right? It's others who might try to... kill us." She said the last two words in a hushed whisper, like a child repeating a profanity.

"That's not gonna happen!" Katy insisted. "Therion was nuts. And even he wasn't nuts enough to kill someone that wasn't also nuts!"

"I hope you're right," I replied," but if this game has happened before, then the mastermind has gotten pretty good at getting students to kill people."

"Well, we're better than that," Katy insisted. I thought about arguing further, but I suddenly remembered something more important.

"Oh... Emily. Are you all right after yesterday?"

"You mean... my secret?" She hung her head sadly. "I... it's horrible, but not as horrible as a murder. I really don't remember that day, but..."

Katy placed her hand on Emily's in a genuinely sweet gesture. "Hey, we all believe you. Everyone here knows you wouldn't do something like that on purpose."

Emily nodded gratefully. She pointed at her own eyes. "You've probably noticed my... swirls. I didn't have them before that day. The doctors said it was the head injury."

"They're beautiful," Katy said, smooth as silk. "I'm not making a pass at you, I promise. I'm just telling you the truth."

Emily blushed and started to say something, but a high-pitched beep echoing around the whole room stopped her short. Our tablets were giving us an alarm.

"Good morning, students!" bellowed a voice from the doorway, and Monokuma suddenly appeared there, posing like a model. "I just sent you all a Monomail! Did you get it?"

"Why do you show up in person to tell us you sent us an email?" Nicole asked, annoyed.

"In my day, we didn't have emails!" Monokuma snapped. "We talked in person. We knew our neighbors! We lived with respect and dignity!"

"Then why did you send an email at all?" Jane asked.

Monokuma waved his little arms around in fury. "Because it's so convenient! Shut up, shut up! Read your Monomail! It tells you that one of the fences in the quad has been opened up, so you have access to a new part of campus!"

Rocky looked up from his tablet. "Yeah, like, it says exactly that. In so many words. What do you want us to do about it?"

"Explore! This campus exists for you to take advantage of! And who knows? Maybe some sneaky bear hid more information about the campus or its employees?"

"'Maybe?'" Bepi asked.

"Pu hu! Nothing is certain! If we taught an epistemology class instead of just a Murder Class, you'd learn that." With a flourish, he disappeared.

"Excellent!" Earl exclaimed. "New areas to explore and a philosophy lesson, both at the same time! Let us proceed after breakfast!"

Bepi stood up to get people's attention. "Yes, but... everyone please be careful, all right? Don't forget what this place is."

"Forget?!" Rocky's voice was thick with bafflement. "Think we're in danger of forgetting? Tell that to the severed head I see whenever I close my eyes."

"It's useless," Jane remarked. "All of us either have our guard up all the time, or are never going to smarten up, no matter what."

NORTH QUAD

After finishing my meal and taking a short rest, I ventured to the newly opened area. The north quad was large and confusing: a grassy expanse with hills and walkways. A huge, stone wall, mounted with barbed wire, machine guns, and the everpresent cameras surrounded the whole space, giving it a weird, amoeba-like shape. I could see three exits, the small stone doorway back to the main quad, a very modern-looking building directly in front of me, and an older, almost rickety building to my left.

I noticed Emily and Jane standing near a small footbridge, and I walked closer. Emily waved shyly, but Jane rolled her eyes.

"Have you explored the new buildings?" I asked.

"Ugh, yes," Jane grumbled. "They're useless. A huge waste of time for people like us." She looked me up and down with disdain. "Perhaps someone like you would enjoy them."

Emily stepped forward between us, giggling nervously. "Um, what she means is... we were hoping one of the new buildings would be a science lab of some sort. But no such luck, I'm afraid."

Jane sniffed, brushing nonexistent dirt off her coat. "The recruiters promised state-of-the-art facilities; it's one of the reasons I agreed to come here. I hope someone else gets murdered soon so we can finally access them."

"Jane!" Emily gasped, seeming legitimately horrified.

Jane sighed. "It's just a joke, darling. I was given some basic equipment in my suite, but nothing really useful." She raised an eyebrow at me. "This isn't just for my benefit. If scientific minds like ours are given true laboratory equipment and space to collaborate, we could develop a way to escape."

"Really?" I scratched my head. "I mean, you're both obviously really brilliant, but do genetics and astrophysics really, um, go together?"

"Oh, they do!" Emily exclaimed, clasping her hands in front of her heart. "Predicting the source of hereditary traits and predicting the origins of celestial movement is very similar, mathematically! I never have a chance to apply my work practically, and assisting Jane would be a wonderful way to start!"

I raised a skeptical eyebrow but just sighed when I saw how sincere she was. "Well, okay. I'm going to check out these buildings, I guess."

Jane shooed me away with her hands. "Yes. Go play with your little army men or whatever it is you do."

"Yes," Emily added, cheerfully oblivious. "I hope I'll see you soon, Saya!"

Deciding it wasn't worth it to start a fight with Jane, I proceeded to the modern building in front of me.

ARTS CENTER: MAIN LOBBY

I found myself in a large, atrium-like lobby. Other than exit outside, there were four large doorways, each marked with a different symbol: a man in a frilly, Elizabethan collar, a drum next to a clarinet, a video projector, and an artist's easel.

"Saya!" Rocky burst out of the drum/clarinet door, startling me. "Have you seen this place?!"

I put my hand on my chest, tryng to slow my breathing. "Agg. Uh, no? What is it?"

"Fucking paradise!" He stormed past me. "They got mixers and samplers I didn't even know were out yet! An Akai Ram-3x! 3x!"

"3x."

"Fuck yes; I am going to LIVE here. I gotta go get all my shit!" He ran out the door, leaving me literally scratching my head.

ARTS CENTER: THEATER

I decided to go into the frilly-collar door, but I froze halfway through. I was in the back of a large theater, chandeliers and balconies above me, rows of plush seats stretching out before me. There was a beautiful, oak-colored stage at the front of the room, and standing on it, with her back to me... was Lucina. She held her arms up and out to the side, very slightly moving them. I realized she was conducting.

She was conducting nobody, and even if we hadn't had our conflict, the scene felt so intimate and personal, I felt like a horrible invader. I quietly backed back out the door, hoping she'd never known I was there.

ARTS CENTER: VISUAL ART SUITE

I decided to check out the easel-door, and I found myself in a large, white room, walls spattered with paint and clay, art supplies strewn around messily. Giuseppe stood off to the side, frowning at a discarded, half-completed painting. Ashley stood near him, looking annoyed.

Bepi glanced up at me and waved. I walked closer, hesitant because of his coldness the day before.

"Saya," Ashley grunted.

"Um... hey," I said. "You guys... checking out the art complex?"

Giuseppe nodded. "And talking about Morgan. He would have loved this place, right?"

I nodded. "I wish I'd been able to see him at work here. If only it hadn't been for the Vandal." I sighed. "I don't think I even blame Therion as much as the Vandal. Morgan deserved better than to get taken over by that."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Even if we believe in multiple personalities, which I don't by the way, it's still him. He was both."

Bepi looked at me. "Saya, you talked to him more than most of us. What did he want? Why would he be so bitter that he'd need the Vandal?"

"He wanted to be recognized as a painter," I answered. "He kept hoping the art world would accept him. He really thought his acceptance here was validation. I can't imagine how devastating it was when he heard that was a lie."

Giuseppe grunted. "Needing to be recognized by institutions. That's... a rough way to go through life."

"No, it isn't," Ashley argued. "There's another term for a painter that isn't 'recognized by the institutions.' It's shitty painter. The authorities and experts of art are in that position for a reason. The only way to know you're actually any good is if they say so."

"They're arbitrary and stupid," Bepi said.

"Oh, okay then," Ashley fumed. "It's all arbitrary, so I guess there's no such thing as a bad painter. Everyone's just equally good; there's no such thing as talent or skill or ability, because nothing means anything."

Giuseppe shrugged. "Maybe nothing means anything."

I raised my eyebrow at them. "For two people who disagree on everything, you guys sure do hang out a lot."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "To keep my debate skills sharp, I need to be constantly challenged. Giuseppe is wrong, but at least he has a philosophy."

"In a place like this, it's not a bad idea to be around someone who keeps you on your toes," Bepi said. He smirked. "Plus, she's too chickenshit to go hang out with Earl."

Ashley just glared. Then she said, icily, "After I become president, you're going to jail." And then she just stormed out of the room.

I blinked. "She wants to be president?"

"She has a twenty-year plan. Don't ask her about it if you value the rest of your day."

I gave a small laugh from his wry tone, but an odd tension suddenly filled the room, so I couldn't manage much. There was a vague, uncomfortable silence.

I found myself wringing my hands awkwardly. "Um. Are we cool? After the trial yesterday, you seemed kind of... mad."

"Hm? Oh." He shook his head smoothly. "You just kind of surprised me, is all. I could tell you're a secret bad-ass, but you were playing the whole room... like a chessmaster, I guess. I probably shouldn't be surprised."

"I was just doing what I thought I had to do. Is... it bad?"

"No. Just inconvenient." He rubbed the back of his head and sighed. "You know, I started fighting when I was ten. And in all my time in the field, I have never killed a civilian."

"Really?"

"Not once. And thank God for that, because it changes something in people. I've seen grunts go rotten in that one second they figure out they zonked an innocent kid." He took off his hat and rubbed a palm on his shaved head. "I gotta trust my instincts, and they've told me you're not an enemy. Maybe it's stupid, but I can't ignore what worked in the past."

He sighed. "Look. You're smarter than me. Smarter than almost anyone else here. But no one's as smart as they think they are. This manipulative shit is all well and good, but if anyone sees through it, that's a target on your back. For my sake, just... keep it subtle, okay?"

I frowned. "For your sake?"

"I'm already sleeping with one eye open to protect my own ass. I don't have other eyes to spare on keeping you safe." He blinked. "That metaphor kinda got away from me."

"No. No, I get it." I was vaguely aware that he was giving the same basic criticism Lucina had, but I didn't find myself nearly so threatened or upset. I tried not to think about why. "Do you think everyone could tell?"

"Nah. I knew, because I investigated with you; saw the same evidence. Therion knew because he did the crime, and because he was apparently a fucking criminal mastermind." He squinted at me. "...Why? Has anyone else said anything?"

His look was so intense and suspicious I found myself unable to answer for a moment. "Um. Kind of?'

"Who?"

I couldn't say it; I just stammered a moment.

"Whatever; it doesn't matter anyway. Just... listen." He leaned closer, intense. "I can think of two reasons someone might confront you about this. One is they're like me: they're concerned and want you to be safe. The other... is that they want you to doubt yourself. And I can't think of a non-suspicious reason someone would want to do that. Do you know which side this person was on?"

I couldn't reply. He sighed. "Look, just remember the second container in the bank vault."

"Uh, what?"

"The second container in the bank vault." He looked at me dryly.

"The B Safe."

NORTH QUAD

After leaving the visual art suite, I glanced into the film and music suites, but there was no one there... just a bunch of equipment and instruments I didn't know how they worked.

I went back out to the quad and regarded the other building. It was old, designed like a very large house. There was a big main entrance in front. I noticed, to the side, an extension to the house, which looked newer and had its own door. I decided to head through the main entrance first.

FRAT HOUSE: MAIN ROOM

Upon walking through the door, I was immediately greeted with a vague sour, musty smell and Earl's boistrous cheer of celebration.

"I am victorious!" he bellowed. "No cushion of wind can addle my strategic mind!"

I looked at the source of the sound to see him standing on one side of a large air hockey table, holding a fist in the sky. Juliet stood opposite him, a rather unconvincing look of disappointment on her face. "Oh, darn it," she pouted. "You're just too good for me."

Earl laughed boisterously then walked around to clap her on the back. "A worthy contest, Mountebank!" He noticed my presence and threw his arms in the air. "Wild! Commendations to you for exploring! This recreation center appears to have no useful information regarding our dilemma, but relieving tension can be an important goal in and of itself."

I looked around. Besides the air hockey table, there were two foosball tables, a couple of arcade machines, a collection of board games, and a pile of hackeysacks, frisbees, and bean bags. The room itself was large and lived-in, with worn, lacquered wood everywhere, raggedy old carpets, and filthy chairs and couches. There were stairs heading up to the side, and a doorway to a large kitchen.

"It's a frat house!" Juliet announced cheerfully. "At least, that's what JP said. He was really excited about it." She giggled charmingly. "Seems like a really fun place to have a party, right?"

"I guess." I looked around. "Where's JP now?"

"I think he went around to the side part," Juliet replied. "But I'm not sure? He just yelled 'Trip Chi!' and ran off."

"I'm intrigued and excited by this location," Earl stated. "As the highest ranking officer on this campus, it's my responsibility to find tasks that maximize your agency and your utility! Laettner's organizational abilities and frivolous disposition mean he's perfect for keeping stress levels low." He gave me a charming and slightly manic grin. "Wild! Please go search for him and inform him of his new role! Mountebank deserves a fair rematch!"

Juliet averted her eyes humbly. "Oh, if you insist. Gosh though, you're just too good!"

"Uh..." But it was too late. Earl was already perched over the air hockey table, calculating angles.

FRAT HOUSE: LIVING AREA

I left the frat house and went around to the other door. I found myself in a surprisingly comfortable apartment with modern, clean furniture. Rodrigo sat in a beanbag chair in the middle of the room, looking completely bewildered.

He waved and I walked over, trying enormously to ignore that his monk's robe was not designed for sitting with the legs up. "Hi. Are you... enjoying that?"

Rodrigo frowned. "JP told me to sit in it, but I don't understand why. Is it a test of my mettle?"

"I think it's just an uncomfortable chair."

"Ah." Rodrigo fidgeted slightly. "It is as it should be, then. I couldn't protect my classmates and friends. I deserve this beaned bag as penitence."

I felt awkward, but I understood. I squatted down next to him. "No one had any idea what Therion was going to do. You can't blame yourself, especially since you've been adjusting to this new technology."

"The monks who raised me put a great emphasis on penitence and atonement. They said, to find God, one must suffer for one's sins."

"Rodrigo... people don't really believe that so much anymore. It doesn't help do better in the future."

"I know! That was one of the beliefs I wished to escape when I came here." He cast his eyes down to the floor. "But now, feeling helpless amidst this violence, I'm not certain anymore."

I wasn't sure what to say, but at that moment, a voice called out from a hallway to my left. "Hey, Roddy, who is that? Is that Saya?" It was JP.

"Yes, it's me!" I replied.

"Oh man, you guys, gotta check this out!" he called. "This is amazing!"

Trying not to think about JP's definition of 'amazing,' I reached down to help Rodrigo to his feet. He politely took my hand, but he barely pulled on it as he stood; he just kind of rolled himself up using pure ab strength. We headed down the hallway towards JP's voice.

FRAT HOUSE: THE TOMB

We stood in the doorway at the end of the hall, gaping at what was before us. "JP," I managed to say.

JP looked up from the stone altar he was examining. "Yeah?"

"JP." I actually don't swear much. But as I beheld the walls covered with vaguely masonic symbols, the dark cloaks hanging off to the side, and what appeared to be manacles and BDSM equipment, I just couldn't keep it in. "What the fuck is this."

"Dude." He was grinning fantastically. "I don't know! I heard about shit like this at the Trip-Chi national headquarters, but this is crazy, isn't it?"

"'Tis a terrible dungeon," Rodrigo muttered in horror.

JP glanced over at the manacles, whips and chains. "Nah," he said breezily. "I know what that stuff is. That's just... uh... well, let's just say it's there to help new members... bond with the rest of the group."

"It's for hazing?" I asked.

"No! We don't like that word. Hazing is bad. This is for bonding. Bonding is good."

"Right." I felt like there were more important things to worry about. "Is that a giant stone altar?"

"Yeah! This is some real Da Vinci Code shit, huh?" He stood back and let us look over the altar. It looked ancient, covered with odd, dark stains.

"I get an evil feeling from it," Rodrigo said.

"Yeah, but just think about it," JP enthused. "This is where future leaders of America would meet to connect with the rituals of their fathers. You know? The elite of this generation, wearing the same robes and conducting the same grotesque rituals that were done a century ago."

"I don't believe it's good to be so strongly connected to the past," Rodrigo said. "Ay, I know the dangers firsthand."

"No, it's not like that," JP argued. "This is just... old shit is meaningful, you know? You're feeling the same thing some dude felt two hundred years ago; that's gotta be something important, right?"

I found myself unable to reply, because that was when I noticed the daggers. "Oh good lord, what the hell are those things?"

It was two daggers, hanging on the wall above the altar in an X pattern. They were long and gnarled, like something a Klingon would make, and they were clean and shiny, very different from the gritty dirtiness of the rest of the room.

"Those look very dangerous," Rodrigo glowered. "I fear this foul place was made to serve the Devil."

"Serve the... oh come on!" JP was clearly getting annoyed. "No, I know what these are! They don't have anything to do with the altar, anyway. These are for bonding, too."

We must have looked pretty skeptical, so he frustratedly reached out for the daggers. "No, look, here's how it-OW!" He pulled his hand back; a small bead of red appearing on his fingertip. "Goddamn, that's sharp." He more carefully reached out and took the daggers. "Here's how it goes. One of these is real, and the other one is fake." He pressed one of the blades into his hand; nothing happened. "But they look exactly the same. See? So what you do, you dress up in creepy robes and you all surround the newbie, and you like cut into an apple or something, so he see how sharp the knife is. Then..." He chuckled to himself nostalgically. "Then you all grab him and shove him on the floor, and you take out the other knife and act like you're gonna stab him with it! See?" He looked at us expectantly.

"I'm not certain," Rodrigo said finally.

"You switched the knives!" JP explained. "So it won't hurt him! He just thinks he's going to die! It's a joke!"

Rogrigo and I glanced at one another. "Ha ha ha?" I ventured.

JP was about to say something else, but a squeal from the doorway interrupted him. We looked to see Juliet standing there, taking in the room with amazement. "Oooo! This is cool!"

JP nodded at us smugly. "See? Juliet gets it."

"Um, what?" Juliet asked cluelessly, but she quickly recovered. "Anyway, we found something by the kitchen you guys should check out! C'mon!"

Apparently glad to have the subject forcibly changed, JP set the daggers down on the altar and followed her out of the room. Rodrigo and I followed, confused.

NORTH QUAD

As we left the living suite out to the quad and then headed around the building to the main entrance, I noticed Juliet looking at me shyly. She fell in step next to me, her huge, beautiful eyes dewy. "Saya," she breathed, "I just wanted to say how amazing you were at the trial yesterday, summing everything up for everyone."

I could not keep from blushing. "Oh. Um. Really?"

"Oh, yes! You're so brilliant, Saya. I was so scared, but the way you spoke up, it made me feel like everything would be okay."

I was literally speechless, memories of Lucina and Bepi totally gone. Juliet flashed a brilliant smile and ran ahead to lead us to our destination.

FRAT HOUSE: WALK-IN FREEZER

We were guided through the main room, into the kitchen, and then finally through big, metal doors into a large, walk-in freezer. I was completely unprepared for what we found there.

"Oh, fuck yeah!" JP exclaimed.

It was beer. Cases and cans and kegs of beer; all kinds, everywhere. Hundreds, maybe thousands of liters of beer.

Earl strode up to us, placing a firm hand on JP's shoulder. "Yes! What we need, and what this room allows... is a party!"

Juliet clapped her hands in joy. I felt a little uneasy.

FACT 1: Monokuma opened up the north quad, which has two buildings attached to it.

FACT 2: One building is an arts center. There are four sections: film, theater, visual arts, and music. Each is very, very well stocked with high-quality equipment.

FACT 3: The other building is a frat house. The main part of the frat house seems to just be a place for throwing parties, with a rec room and kitchen.

FACT 4: A separate, unconnected part of the frat house has a little apartment in it, as well as a creepy room with an altar. JP implied this room would be both for hazing and for weird rituals.

FACT 5: The altar room has two daggers that look identical. One is real and very sharp; the other is fake.

FACT 6: There's an enormous amount of beer in a freezer next to the kitchen. Earl wants to use it to throw a party.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: All right, we're off and running with chapter 2. Same question I had last time: Are there any characters people especially want to see more of? I'm happily discovering the various ways they're all fun to write. And if you request the person you think is the mastermind or holdover, you might get more clues...

Oh, and I can't help but appreciate the tragedy that the one person who correctly identified last chapter's murderer and a lot of the important details... was the person who submitted the character to me in the first place! At least Therion's impact will outlive him.