With a jaunty bow, Kokichi ejected the electro bomb from his head and covered his face with his cap. Himiko remembered Paris' warning in the nick of time, and shut her eyes tight as the pink grenade detonated with a loud thoom. The explosion was harmless, but blindingly bright; even though the Magician had been prepared, she still had to blink a few times to clear the spots from her vision.

Odafe was faring much worse. The Programmer staggered back in a disoriented stupor, his one good eye unfocused and rapidly blinking. He stumbled back behind his desk, tripping over his own feet in the process as his arms flailed for support. It was just like if Himiko had hit him with her "You Will Get Uncharacteristically Drunk After One Beer" curse. Well, except he hadn't drunk anything. Whatever.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen!" Kokichi taunted. "The Ultimate Programmer and his perfect system, down for the count in one swift blow. It's the upset no one saw coming!"

"Yeah," Himiko nodded. "Serves him right for acting all cocky and stuff."

"Himiko, there's no time for gloating!" the Overlord snapped. "Remember? The next part of the plan!"

"Nyeh? But you were-"

"Pretty pleeeeaaaasee?" Kokichi pleaded, his impatience morphing into an innocent smile. "You know how much this means to me, right?"

"Alright, I'm going already. Geeze." With a sigh of resignation, Himiko nimbly untied the scarf binding her wrists, pulling the fabric taut as she approached the floundering Programer. Now that the electro bomb had knocked out his machines, it was Himiko's job to tie him up and make sure he didn't try anything funny. Fortunately, her enchanted Silk Prison Knot would be just the thing to keep him in line.

Although now that she was closer, Odafe's movements didn't seem so random anymore. In fact, it looked like he was searching his desk for something. But what could...

Uh oh.

Himiko ducked away as the stun shot rocketed past her head. The bullet tore a hole in the tip of her hat, knocking it loose in a burst of blue lightening as she scrambled behind a server tower for cover.

Odafe spun his aim toward Kokichi. The Overlord yelped in surprise as the engraved pistol fired. He dove behind the Monokuma statue, barely avoiding the two shots that thumped into the wall behind him.

"Hey, no fair!" he shouted. "You can't bring a gun to a battle of wits, it's cheating!"

"Silence!" Odafe hissed. "Nobody makes a mockery of the Bankole family. Nobody!"

Himiko hazarded a glance around the metal frame, only to immediately pull back as Odafe sent another volley her way. The server tower burst in a shower of sparks and smoke, causing the tiny Magician to flinch and cover her head.

"Aaarrrggh!" The enraged Programmer fumed, stalking towards her position.

"Uh, Himiko?" Kokichi called from around his statue. "Don't you have an ice spear or fire bolt to put this guy outta commission? Heck I'd even settle for an indigestion curse at this point."

"I-I can't!" she stammered. "M-my hat gives me plus two to MP regeneration. Without it, I..."

A stun round clipped the edge her cover, cutting off the rest of her excuse. This was bad. Odafe had her pinned, and was drawing closer with every second. It would only be a matter of time before she ran out of space. But she had to hold out as long as possible, until...

"Heads up, Cap'n!" Kokichi shouted.

Himiko peeked out of cover in time to see Kokichi charge into the open, throwing his cape over Odafe. The Programmer was tangled for only a moment, but it was enough for Kokichi to lower his shoulder and tackle his target against the nearby bookshelf.

But it was no use. Odafe may have been slight, but even he far outweighed his teenage assailant. The Programmer absorbed the brunt of the Kokichi's assault, grasping him by the collar and swinging him around. The Overlord hit the neighboring wall hard before dropping to the floor, dazed.

"No!" Himiko shouted, breaking from cover. Odafe threw the cape away and aimed the handgun at the Supreme Leader's temple.

"No more second chances," the Programmer grimaced, his thumb flicking the safety to "lethal." Himiko gasped, freezing in her tracks as a loud bang shook the floor.

But the sound hadn't come from the gun-it had erupted from the Penthouse entrance.

The Magician and Programmer turned in unison, both shocked to see a crimson-clad figure standing in the open doorway. Odafe hesitated, his aim wavering. Beneath him, Kokichi grinned.

"Too late now," he said.

"Maki! You're here!" Himiko cried with relief. Odafe quickly redirected his aim toward the Assassin, but she was already on the move. She glided towards Odafe with inhuman grace, slipping from cover to cover as the Programmer's panicked shots ricocheted around her. Splinters and furniture stuffing flew; still the blood red shadow advanced.

Then, through the haze of gun-smoke, she appeared before him. Faster than Himiko could track, Maki's hand slashed towards Odafe's throat, cutting off his breath with one brutal chop. As the Programmer recoiled, her other hand clamped around the wrist of his gun-hand, swinging him over her shoulder and twisting the weapon free. She press-checked the chamber as Odafe reeled in pain. Seeing the gun was empty, Maki frowned and cracked the handle across The Programmer's temple, dropping him instantly. He collapsed like a marionette without strings.

Himiko blinked, trying to process everything that had just happened. "W-wow..." she finally said. "That was amazing! You Maki Rock, Maki Roll!"

Kokichi coughed, wobbling to his feet. "Man, you haven't slowed down one bit. I guess killing people is like riding a bike, huh Maki R-hurghk!"

Before the name finished leaving his lips, Maki gripped the Overlord's neck with one hand and pinned him against the wall. "Shut up," she said. "What the hell do you think you're doing here? Do you want to die?"

"W-wait, Maki!" Himiko ran to the Assassin's side. "What you saw was a lie! Kokichi didn't actually kidnap me, I brought him here to rescue you and-"

Maki silenced the Magician with a swift glare. "You brought him here? After everything he put us through?"

Himiko swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "Well...yeah, but..."

"What I put you through?" Kokichi echoed, struggling feebly in Maki's grasp. "Are you really so dense? I was trying to save you back then, and I'm trying to save you now!"

"Bullshit," the Assassin spat. "We went through hell thanks to you and your stupid plans. All you did was make things worse."

"It wasn't all his fault," Himiko protested. "I...I know what he did was messed up, and I hated it to. But he didn't make the Killing Game! Team Danganronpa did!"

"Y-yeah," Kokichi jerked his head in a nod. "Besides, technically my plan was working. You were the one who messed it up going all Rambo on Kaito and m-"

"Don't you dare say his name!" Maki roared. "He didn't deserve what you did to him. None of us did!"

"D-deserve? What does..."

Maki doubled her grip, strangling the Overlord's retort. "That's enough. I'm done trying to understand you or your motives. This ends now."

Himiko balled her fists and stomped. "What is wrong with you guys?" she shouted. "Both of you are being stupid jerks! You should be fighting Danganronpa, not each other!"

"Don't...worry, Himiko," Kokichi's lips quirked into a twisted grin. "I...c-can't die. He w-won't let me..."

Maki's eyes narrowed. "What did you-"

"Maki, don't!" a voice called from the Penthouse doors.