LIBRARY: STACKS

I had to just sit down for a few minutes. I had a million questions and the person (or, well, animatronic bear mascot) who could answer them was right in front of me. It was incredibly hard not to ask and open myself up to whatever lies he wanted to tell me.

Monokuma and Juliet were yammering to one another. I closed my eyes and tried to turn them out, letting chess moves guide me into a sense of focus.

Okay. Apparently, I was set to be framed as the mastermind. Was this in place from the beginning? I'd make it to the end and be some kind of red herring? All my friends would think I'd been betraying them all along?

And then there was the completely baffling behavior of the mastermind. They just gave Juliet all this stuff, including a way to frame me, instead of letting us find it later? Juliet was stripping everything of whatever emotional power it had, and the mastermind didn't seem bothered at all.

Is this all just on the syllabus? Every semester, after the fourth murder, the mastermind 'goes against the protocol' and gives one person all the power? Monokuma... the AI... seemed really annoyed and upset about it, but is that just part of the plan? Why? What point could there possibly be?

My breath hitched when I realized how it was all set to go. Everyone else, it seems, was going to be given something that would leave them unmoored and furious. And then, in the midst of that, we all find a document that appears to be clear proof that I... the person they'd all recently appointed leader... had been betraying them all along.

I couldn't decide which was scarier. I'd be dead for sure if everyone thought I was the mastermind... and Juliet... was saving me? But that was terrifying, too... my life was in the hands of a monster.

And I remembered what my mom told me: if you ever get mugged or are present at a robbery, you're safest when the criminal feels like they're in control. If they know they're truly running things, they'll be calm and everyone can get out okay.

But if Juliet was saving me, that meant we were really off the rails. Monokuma and the mastermind were totally not in control. They might do anything.

I jumped a bit and opened my eyes when I realized someone was calling my name. It was Juliet: her disembodied voice sounding annoyed. Monokuma was gone. "Umm..."

"He just left," she explained. "Really condescending, like, 'I'm so excited to see what other surprises are in store.'"

I looked up at the ceiling, feeling fuzzy. "Juliet. What is this? What's going on?"

"Don't try to make sense of it."

"No." I slammed a fist against the floor, glaring up at nothing. "Tell me. What are you doing? What is it that you want?"

She laughed brightly. "Want? To find my true love, of course!"

I sighed. "Juliet."

"All right, all right. I want to ruin and kill and destroy. To cause agony wherever I go."

"Juliet!" I jumped to my feet, incensed. "No!" I seethed up and around, knowing she could feel my anger. "What. Do. You. Want."

There was a long pause. Several times, I could hear blips of static and noise, like she was trying to answer and cutting herself off each time. Finally, she said, "That's a dumb question. I don't want things. Not like you do. I just... reflect."

That brought my anger down a level. "What..."

She kept going, cutting me off. "I've always been... what's a good word?... suggestible?" She sounded honestly sad. "I've always just picked up on what people want me to be, and I become it. I don't think about it. I don't even know I'm doing it, most of the time. All I ever know is, I'm making someone happy."

"Yeah?" I asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "Are you doing it right now?"

"Of course I am, Saya. I'm a baffling puzzle, waiting to be unraveled, aren't I?"

I scowled at nothing, hoping she could see it. "Fair enough."

"...Saya, do you remember what I said a while ago, about how all I need to know is the beginning, and I know how someone's life will turn out?"

"I remember something like that."

"That's because life is a story. And stories... make sense. That was always... comforting? But." She let out something that was some kind of half-laugh, half-groan. "I think this is wanting? I think I want something. Is this what it feels like?" She made a noise like she was gagging. "Oh god, I didn't realize until now. Is this how awful it always is? I can't..."

I knew not to get sucked in. But... "What? What's wrong?"

"I want... to rewrite the story. I want to go back to the moment it could have been different, and... oh god. But I can't."

The microphone clicked off. She said nothing, even when I called out to her.

There was nothing else to do but leave. On the way out, the microphone clicked back on. "But Saya can be a writer." It was mumbled, almost frantic. "But Saya can..." and then it clicked off again and she really was gone.

DORM: SAYA'S ROOM

I barely remember getting back to the dorm and in bed, but I do remember those moments as I slipped into sleep. Something came to my head like it was projected there, like a sudden revelation. It was both a relief and horrifying: "This is my last show."

The murderers sat around a large dining table, somber and suspicious. They were dressed in fine, expensive clothes (Nicole in particular looked fantastic), and they all sat primly, stiffly, and formally.

The roast in the center of the table was Monokuma.

Bepi, at the head of the table, pulled out a large fork and knife and began carving. Wires and electronics were exposed, fluff popping out everywhere.

Therion stood up, placing both hands on the table. He closed his eyes, looking serene and placid. "Heavenly father," he intoned, "we thank you for this feast. We thank you for this carnage." Sparks flew from Monokma's corpse; Bepi ducked away in fear and then, after a moment, resumed cutting.

"Especially," Therion continued, "grateful for what game turned into. Grateful for the complexity. Grateful for framings, for alibis, for liars. Grateful for the red herrings, for the chaos, for the distractions. Grateful bear was cast aside."

Bepi began passing platefuls of shredded robot around the table.

"But." Therion cast his eyes up to the ceiling. "Fearful, as well. Fearful of stagnation. Fearful that once play set into motion, must continue eternally."

Therion took his plate and smelled it with relish. Everyone was served by this point, but they looked at Therion expectantly.

"Cliché," Therion continued, holding up his index finger, "of 'taking ball and going home.' Disparaged. Said it ruins game, sign of bad attitude. Maybe true, but irrelevant. Even ultimate game must be quittable. If ball can't be taken home, game isn't game. Game is life. No good game is life, because life has no rules, and rules what make games good. Therefore…" He clasped his hands over his chest. "Grateful for quitters, and grateful for bad sports. Amen."

They all immediately began grabbing fistfuls of mascot and shoving them into their mouths. Like frantic animals. Like killers.

I woke up slowly, sitting up and looking around blearily. I wondered why I felt a pressure pushing down on my ankles. It took me a second to realize Monokuma was standing on the foot of my bed, leaning forward and staring at me. "MURDER SOMEONE!" he screeched.

I yelped.

STUDENT UNION: CAFETERIA

Neither Katy nor Lucina showed up to breakfast. I explained to everyone that Katy had read Lucina's 'twist information' and that Lucina had promised to handle the situation.

Jane had scoffed. "Handle it alone?" She clenched her fist tightly. "Fools. Absolute fools. I…" She trailed off and just let out a disgusted grunt. "I'm not worried, of course. I wouldn't worry over dullards like them. But to make it so far and… ugh."

"One more murder," Rocky said grimly. We all whirled on him, and he looked shocked by either the attention or what he'd said.

"Friend Rocky!" Rodrigo sputtered. "Do not say such things!"

"I don't want there to be another murder!" Rocky protested. "But what if there has to be?!"

"That's according to the way things were planned," I argued. "But I think we're off the plan. Monokuma is freaking out, and Juliet is changing everything around."

"Yeah, but… but I still don't see any administration building around, do you?" Rocky asked forcefully. "Shit's off the rails, for sure. But this is an A.I.! Like, it's a computer! It does what it's programmed to do. If it's programmed to open up the last building after five trials, that's what it does!"

"Oh?" Jane leaned back in her chair casting a suspicious look to him. "Aren't you suddenly knowledgeable of the workings of this school?"

Rocky's mouth fell open. "N..no! I just know because I program shit all the time!" He pointed at Jane. "Hey, I thought I was too dumb to be the mastermind! You're the one we should worry about, with all your science stuff!"

Jane waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, please. That doesn't even make sense. You…"

"Please!" Rodrigo exclaimed, stepping between them. "We cannot fall to mistrust! We must work together!"

"Ah yes, our fountain of ethics has spoken," Jane grunted. "Moral lecturing from a child soldier. Appalling."

Rodrigo's mouth fell open, and Rocky surged forward, shoving his finger in Jane's face. "Hey! Don't pull that shit with him! I will fucking kill you! I will…"

Both Rodrigo and I stepped in, pulling him back. Despite his small frame, he was surprisingly strong and hard to control as he continued to rant at Jane.

"Stop!" I shouted. "Rocky!"

Eventually, we got him away and quiet. Jane just scoffed, but her eyes were scared. Rodrigo was looking at me helplessly.

"H…hey," I said, trying to calm myself, feeling my heart pounding. "Everyone, please! Jane?" She rose her eyes to me, keeping her face harsh. "Look, I know. I get it. Rocky?" He was panting and scowling but was also paying attention. "We're scared. We're exhausted. We've seen people die over and over, and… and we all know someone in this room might be behind all of it."

I looked at each of them in turn, trying to look as tough as possible and clearly failing. "If one of you is the mastermind, then you know I have plenty of reasons to hate you. And I do. But I'm not willing to throw away friendship for hate."

They were softening, and with building energy I continued. "I don't know about anyone else, but I had a hard time making friends in high school. I think… that might be true for all of us, too. I had this stupid hope that when I got to college, things would change. I'd start dressing cute, and I wouldn't be scared to come out, and I'd hook up with hot people, and I'd sit and talk with my friends all night. That always seemed too perfect, and… I guess it was. But I won't throw away my friendships for anything, even if one of you is my enemy. I'm blooming in spite of your shit, and I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of wrecking it."

No one said anything as I panted. Eventually Jane stood up, walked over, and clasped my hand, giving it a squeeze. She turned to Rocky and said, "I ap… ol." She coughed. "Lo." She cleared her throat and then very quickly and softly said, "gize."

Rocky walked over and held out a fist to Jane. She stared at it blankly, then looked back up to his face in confusion.

"Gimme some dap!" Rocky said cheerfully.

"Oh, lord." She timidly held up a fist and then pulled it back down. "How about I not?"

"Dap!" Rocky commanded. "Dap! Dap! Dap!"

"Fine!" With revulsion, she quickly met his fist-bump. She stepped back, literally shuddering. "No one may tell anyone I did that."

Rodrigo walked up to me and bowed his head seriously. "Friend Saya… I am moved by your words. I believe the spirit of Friend Ashley was with you."

"Uh… really?" Now that the rush was wearing off, I felt kind of embarrassed. "Did it even make sense? I was just kind of winging it."

"It was great," Jane answered, moving away and sitting back down. "I hope… we all survive. All of us."

I kinda gaped at her, so surprised she would say something like that.

"And I think," she added, "if we stand together, we may."

I smiled. I felt myself relax.

DORM: UPSTAIRS HALLWAY

It didn't last, of course. After a trip to the gym and a slow, lingering shower, I headed back to my room. I didn't make it all the way.

Sitting right outside the front of my room, a small piece of paper on top of it… was a jewel case containing a DVD.

Like I was approaching a wild animal, I slowly reached down and picked it up. It was, indeed, the DVD I had glimpsed before when Juliet handed it over to Katy.

I unfolded the note. In Lucina's writing, it just said, You're one of my only good things. I love you.

I didn't react for a moment, then I was gripped with fear. I couldn't watch this in the trashed computer lab here, but I could go to the art center. I took off down the hallway in a run.

But I stopped myself. One more murder. I still had to be careful.

I banged on all my surviving classmates' doors, but only Jane answered. I didn't even wait, I breathed a "Come on. It's important," and ran off, hearing her footsteps and protestations behind me.

MAIN QUAD

When we got outside, I was relieved to find Rocky and Rodrigo out by the DJ equipment. I waved my hands, running over to them. "I found this outside my door," I explained, showing them the DVD. "It's Lucina's big Juliet information."

Rocky, pale, pointed frantically. "Oh, shit! That's…" He held up a book. "This was outside my door, too!" It was his own book, the one about time signatures in EDM. He quickly opened it up to show writing on the inside of the back cover, You're brilliant. Never forget it.

Jane caught up by now, wheezing. "What is…"

"We have to see what's on that!" Rocky yelped.

"Yeah," I nodded. "At the art center." We all took off. Jane groaned, still panting, but came along.

ART CENTER: COMPUTER LAB

I had not been here since listening to Emily die. I nearly vomited when I passed through the door.

Swaying, I was able to make it to the nearest computer. Everyone gathered around (Rodrigo marveling at the existence of such a thing as a DVD), as it loaded up.

There was a single video file. It was labeled APPOINTMENT 7.

My vision swimming, I opened it.

The video flickered on, showing the face of an absolutely adorable little girl with a beautiful smile and even a pink bow in her light brown hair. The camera soon zoomed in to the bottom half of her face. "All right..." an offscreen voice said. "We're all set. Smile, Juliet!"

"Okay, Dr. Sorenson!" the child...Juliet... said brightly, then she frowned. "Um... Dr. Sorenson, I need to tell you I didn't do all my exercises this week. I'm sorry."

"Oh?" The man's voice sounded more amused than anything else. "You're usually so good at keeping up, it's fine for you to miss a few lessons here and there. What happened?"

"I got a new wook fro..." The girl paused and repeated herself, slower. "A new book from my neighbor. It's about biology."

"Biology?" The voice chuckled. "How old are you, again?"

"Seven and a half!"

The doctor laughed. "My goodness, I'm always surprised! My wife... you know, she works at the reception deck sometimes?... she says talking to you is just like talking to an adult."

"Oh gosh, thank you!" Juliet exclaimed, beaming. "I alwwwwss." Her voice hitched. "Alw..."

"Juliet," Dr. Sorenson's voice said kindly. "Remember. Slow down. Think about the space in your mouth as you say the sounds. And...?"

"And relax the muscles in the front of my throat," Juliet answered, slightly embarrassed. She took a deep breath. "All-a-ways. Always. All. Ways. Always." She glanced up and off camera. "Did that look right?"

"Yes! And we'll be able to look back at the tape and see just how you did it. That's a hard word for you, I know."

Juliet nodded, all happy smiles again. "I always try to have something new to say if people want to talk to me! That's why I'm so grateful to you, doctor."

"Why, thank you!" he replied, sounding genuinely pleased. "You know, I have a daughter around your age. Sometimes, she's a challenge. I'd be happy if I could get her to be as polite as you!"

"Oh!" Juliet replied, smile flickering, then changing slightly. It was a smile I'd seen on grown-up Juliet. I'd learned to be afraid of it. "Well. My parents say little girls are to be seen and not heard."

Dr. Sorenson paused slightly. "Do they?"

"Mm-hmm! I think so, too. I'll tell you about it at the end of the appointment!"

"Uh." Dr. Sorenson sounded surprised. "Well. All right. For now, let's get started. Please read the list of words I'm holding up, slowly and carefully."

Then the video cut off.

"Oh god," I heard someone say. I realized it was me.

But before anything else could happen, buzzing sounded throughout the room. Our tablets were giving off a notification.

I pulled mine out and opened it. We all had a new email from Juliet. It just said, I'm doing it.

It was like we were all frozen. Jane, of all people, was the one who broke it. She slapped a gloved hand against the wall. "Well, come on!" she barked. Shaking, cold, we all dashed out of the room.

LIBRARY: ENTRANCE HALL

As soon as we ran in, we could hear it. Juliet's voice, echoing from unseen speakers. "I'm doing it," she said, almost singing. "I'm killing her. I'm finally killing her..."

LIBRARY: MAIN ROOM

I tried not to be too distracted as I ran to the stairs to the rare books room, but something had happened. There were streaks of yellow paint across the floor. The window to the rare books room was broken, a gaping hole surrounded by shards of glass. And. One of the bookcases at the front of the stacks had collapsed.

Juliet's voice cooed away. "She's dying. She's dying."

LIBRARY: RARE BOOKS ROOM

The door to the rare books room was wide open, but I couldn't see anything important from the hallway. I realized I was telling myself, "It's not Lucina." Not, "Is it Lucina?" or "I hope it's not Lucina," but just denial. And as I entered the room, it occurred to me that "It's not Lucina," so firm and certain meant "It is Katy."

As we entered the room, we all just stopped. Full run, then stopped. We didn't skid to a halt or crash into each other; I don't know how we did it. But when we saw what lay before us, we couldn't move or breathe or do anything.

There was the blood, of course. And the glass, strewn all over. The overturned tables and chairs. Six nooses hanging from the ceiling.

Five empty. One suspending a mangled body. So mangled, I couldn't make sense of it at first. Cuts covering the skin, the bloated, agonized face, the eyes staring into nothing.

"Finally, finally, she'll be dead," Juliet's voice rang out from nearby speakers.

And that's when I saw Monokuma... and who was with him. Katy and Lucina huddled next to him, arms and ankles bound. They both squirmed, eyes frantic. Katy tried to call out to us through her gag.

Monokuma pointed at us. "Okay!" he said. "We can do this! It's all okay! It's fine, we can handle this! Don't freak out!"

But looking up at the bloody, ghastly corpse of Juliet Mountebank, I couldn't follow his instructions. I freaked out.