Ten in the morning and Butters and I have finally woken up, "sorry I fell asleep in your bed again Mike" he said.
Honestly, I didn't mind it much, Butters is by far one of the few people here I'm closest to, besides I know he could never love someone else, his heart is forever with Kenny, at least I think it is, but who knows at this point, surrounded by death and betrayal people will cling to any love they can find.
"It's alright" I said. "I enjoy your company plus it's not like sharing the bed makes it any less comfortable, the opposite actually."
"Mike I wasn't dreaming last night right" Butters asked. "We had a class trial and Heidi was executed, that wasn't just a nightmare was it?"
"I'm afraid not, what we saw earlier was real" I answered. Butters face said it all he was feeling the despair that comes complimentary with punishment time. I put my hand on his shoulder, "don't let it get to you, yes the death of two of our friends is painful but giving up is exactly what that freaky bear wants, you and I are gonna survive this, we're gonna escape together; and once we're out of here we're gonna honor Kenny and all the others who died for the rest of our days."
Butters smiled, my impromptu speech seems to have done the trick. With that he returned to his own room and I got ready to go look for something to eat. I made my way to the cafeteria to see a surprising number of people already awake.
"Morning" Tweek said.
"Morning" I replied.
Excluding Butters, who was on his way, and Eric, who no one seemed to know or care where he was, everyone was gathered, well everyone who was left. Butters soon appeared and took his seat next to mine.
"Alright now that almost everyone's here, I think it's time we pay our respects" Wendy said. She got up and took out Nichole and Heidi's portraits. "Token, I think you should be the one to do this."
She gave Nichole's picture to Token who then proceeded to put it down momentarily.
"Before I do, I want to read you Nichole's last words to you all, I read them last night before I fell asleep" Token said. He began to read our fallen friend's final words.
"Token, if you are reading this, then I have either been murdered by one of the others or executed by Monokuma. Either way the truth has come out that I tried to or even succeeded at killing one of our friends. Please understand I didn't want to do this, but the information that Monokuma offered coupled with the other details I've recently discovered about Project UA made it a necessity for the sake of knowledge. The information I have discovered was found when I analyzed the contents of the journal once more, I've discovered that Mike's theory was indeed correct, the fifteen of us are the fifteen mentioned, and there is no doubt a traitor among us running this killing game.
Monokuma's video might not have seemed like much to you, but analysis revealed to me that in exchange for a successful murder and survival of a class trial, he'd give me the name of the mastermind as well as his location. This led me to believe that the mastermind would survive the mass execution that would befall the others. After discovering who he was, I could make him pay for his crimes, find a way to save you, and we could escape this place together.
Token if this doesn't work know just one more thing, after hearing Monokuma's deal a memory fragment returned to me, Craig and Tweek aren't the only couple on this boat, before we were brought here and our memories were wiped you and I were together as well. That's why I did what I did, I hope you can forgive me, no matter what you think of me now, know that I did this for you, for us, so that we could be free. Nichole."
Shaken to the core was the nicest way to describe how everyone was feeling, Nichole took the biggest risk for the sake of Token, she deserves our respect for that despite what the outcome would've been had her plan succeeded.
"She never wanted to kill, she just didn't think she had any other choice" Token said.
With that he put her picture on the honored fallen table next to Heidi's. With that painful duty done, the eleven of us sat down to breakfast without Heidi breakfast was whatever you could find plus some of Tweek's coffee. It took two trials but we finally tasted the famous coffee he and Craig have raved about. After one taste we all could understand why, the coffee tasted phenomenal. The smiles on everyone's faces washed away any sadness we had felt in that moment.
After breakfast we spent some time talking, making each other feel a little better given what we had just endured hours before. Of course that wouldn't last long.
"Heya crazy kids mind if I join the party" Monokuma said. The two-tone bear appeared before us sitting in one of the empty chairs.
"Oh, great and I was just beginning to enjoy my coffee" Craig said.
"What do you want" Tweek asked.
"Well ya survived another trial, so that means ya get another floor, and along with that the staircase to the top pool deck" Monokuma answered.
"What about Ultimate Research Labs, do we get any of those" Wendy asked.
"Well the third floor is kind of boring it's only got two because of the stairway to the pool, the winners for the labs are, Stan and Wendy" Monokuma answered. The two recipients of the new labs looked at each other a look of indifference on each of their faces. "Your welcome, how about showing a little appreciation huh." No one answered him at this point even his existence wasn't being acknowledged. "Whatever enjoy the new floor, ya ungrateful brats."
With that Monokuma vanished, "we should probably check out what we got" I said.
"Sounds good, Wendy let's check out our labs" Stan said.
"Good call, why don't the rest of you check out the pool if it's on the top deck that means we'll be able to step outside for longer than the few seconds we enjoy standing on our balconies" Wendy said.
"What about Eric, no one has seen him since the trial" Butters said.
"Who cares" Clyde said. "Not like he's fun to have around anyway."
"True but if we don't know where he is, he's probably more dangerous than if we have eyes on him" Craig said.
"Agreed" I said, "but going out of our way to track him down isn't my idea of a productive day, I'd rather investigate the next floor, will deal with him later."
With that the eleven of us made our way to the new floor, taking the stairs up to three. Monokuma wasn't kidding when he said this floor wasn't anything special just two doors and a staircase leading up to the pool, the stairs leading up to the fourth floor that were next to us remained sealed off. Wendy and Stan went to their labs, the Ultimate Hacker Research Lab and the Ultimate Veterinarian Research Lab while the rest of us climbed the stairs to the pool deck. The sunlight blinded us for a few seconds, with only a small amount of sunlight available to us up until now the massive amount that came with the pool deck was a welcomed change. The pool was massive, a twenty by forty that was five feet deep.
"Not bad, usable at least" I said.
"Hey check it out there's a rule sign over here" Tweek shouted.
"Rule number 1 No swimming alone, Rule number 2 While using the pool to commit murder is authorized please refrain from using the pool solely as a place to get rid of a body, Rule number 3 Enjoy" Clyde said. "That second rule is rather ominous, you think someone would really use this place to get rid of a body?"
"You sound like Eric Clyde, there's not going to be another murder" Token said.
"I thought the same thing after the first trial" Henrietta said. "But now, we've lost four of our classmates, who knows if or when another will happen."
Wendy messaged us moments later telling us all to come to her lab, she found something that we all needed to see. We made our way back down to Wendy's lab, upon opening the door we saw a massive computer screen surrounded by what I could only describe as a server farm.
"Nice lab Wendy" Craig said.
"Thanks" she replied.
She was hyper-focused on the screen and typing rapidly, there was some coded text on the screen none of us could understand Wendy excluded of course.
"So, what's up" I asked moving next to the chair she was sitting in, my arms crossed as I looked at the screen trying to make sense of it all and failing miserably. "You said you got something?"
"Yeah check this out" she answered, she pulled up a word document that looked like it had been written a while ago. "It's more information on Project UA."
We all gasped, another piece of the mysterious project all but one of us were a part of.
"What does it say" Tweek asked.
Wendy began to read the document, "All fifteen subjects have successfully arrived at site alpha, and been given the proper designated titles."
"Titles" Clyde interrupted, "is it referring to our ultimate titles?"
"Probably" I answered.
Wendy continued reading, "the online chatter we picked is confirmed to be the Remnants, authorization for activation of site Bravo has been approved as a contingency for an assault against the subjects, combat training will begin as scheduled in the morning."
"Anything else" Token asked.
"Nothing relevant, it doesn't have a roster so we don't know who the odd one out is, but whatever we were there for we were prepping for some kind of conflict" Wendy answered. "Also, this one thing bothered me." She pointed to the word on the screen she had highlighted, "remnants." "The way it's used it sounds like an organization, I'm no literary expert like Nichole was but I'd wager a guess that the Remnants is a group that was plotting our demise."
"Do you think whoever the extra student is was a remnant" Tweek asked panicking.
Wendy and I looked at each other and then I looked at Tweek "it's a possibility but we should wait and see if we can find any more info" I answered. "Anyway, Stan can we see your lab?"
"Oh sure, it's nothing special but sure" he answered. Stan lead us to his lab, upon entering we saw a similar layout to the nurse's office but instead of two beds there was one animal size bed, it makes sense given the fact that Stan is the Ultimate Veterinarian. "See what'd I tell you, nothing special."
"I think it's nice" Kyle said "Just like the work you do with animals."
Kyle was beginning to blush as did Stan, ever since Stan's little disclosure at the trial the two of them have been giving each other little looks, you could tell there was some kind of blossoming romance there. After we finished investigating we all decided to relax and went our separate ways. Wendy returned to her lab, practically shutting herself in although with that massive computer I'm not surprised. I decided to go back up to the pool and go for a swim. I grabbed one of the bathing suits in my room and headed back up to the pool. When I got there I saw Craig, Tweek, and Kyle discussing something, eavesdropping wasn't something I really cared for doing but I was spotted before I could retreat down the stairs.
"Hey Mike" Tweek said.
I waved as I began to walk over to them, "Hey guys what's up" I said.
"Hanging out, enjoying the sun" Craig responded. "What about you?"
"I was just gonna test out the pool" I answered.
"Sounds fun, can we join you" Tweek asked.
"Of course, the more the merrier" I answered. The three of them went to their rooms to get their bathing suits, only Craig and Tweek returned a few moments later.
"What happened to Kyle" I asked.
"He ran into Stan and decided to hang out with him, I swear those two needs to just get a room already" Craig said.
"Are you really one to talk" I asked jokingly.
"Yeah, Tweek and I have done it here, we covered the camera in my room and went at it" Craig answered with the most deadpan expression I've ever seen. Tweek's face turned bright red hearing his boyfriend talk about their exploits in the bedroom,
"Craig did you have to tell him about that" Tweek asked. The two of us laughed and Tweek proceeded to roll his eyes, he was clearly done with both of our shit. He jumped in the pool splashing both of us behind him, "you two coming or what?"
The two of us jumped in behind him, the water was very refreshing. We spent most of the day in the water and before we knew it night had fallen, as we were getting out my curiosity got the better of me.
"Hey, what were you guys talking to Kyle about" I asked. "Whatever it was it looked serious."
"We want his help with something and he agreed to give it, as for what that something is will tell you all at breakfast tomorrow" Craig answered.
With that the two of them left for their rooms although if I had to guess I assume they'll both end up in the same bed tonight. As I made my way back to my room I saw Butters waiting outside my door.
"Hey is something wrong" I asked him.
"No but can I talk to you about something" he asked.
I nodded and ushered him into my room. Butters sat on my bed while I leaned against the bathroom door.
"I had a dream last night" he began.
"The one about Heidi's execution, right? You mentioned it when we woke up this morning" I responded.
"No, a different one, besides that one turned out to be real so I guess this was the only one actually" he answered. "Anyway, Kenny appeared in my dream, right here in this room." It's no surprise Butters saw Kenny in a dream especially since he died not so long ago. "It felt more real though, like Kenny was trying to contact me from beyond the grave, he told me that he will always love me but he said that he doesn't want me to die alone because of his mistake."
"What do you think he meant by that" I asked?
"I knew exactly what he meant by that, I'd been mulling over this question for a while now myself and he helped me answer it" Butters answered standing up.
He walked toward me and interlocked his hand with mine, "he wanted me to act on the feelings I've had growing for you for a while now."
To say I had been caught completely off guard was the understatement of the day, although to be fair being caught off guard here is nothing new.
"Butters are you sure you want to do this" I asked him.
He smiled blushing, "I'm sure, Kenny would want me to move on so that's what I'm gonna do."
With that Butters began kissing me and the two of us fell onto the bed, long story short Tweek and Craig weren't the only ones who wound up in the same bed tonight