Morning Hope Academy's New Semester of Killing

by The Celestial Sky Dragon

Despair has spread across the world. While Class 78 sealed themselves inside Hope's Peak Academy, 40 others did the same in America. Now Morning Hope Academy has become the stage of the newest Killing Game. Jon and Mei will have to decide between Truth, Ideals, and Lies to save Morning Hope Academy's 24th Class. Will they succeed? Or will Despair Win Once More? [Partial SYOC Story]

8. Epilogue

A/N:

Surprise Mother Fuckers! You all thought that the last chapter was the finale? You were sorely mistaken! I rarely leave the chapters off without an Epilogue. This gave me an excuse to work on my muse, as I currently have no ideas for chapter 4 of The School Trip of Mutual Killing. I just wanted to write a few things that I didn't get to in the last chapter due to how long it was. So I get to abuse the Epilogue.

I tried something new this time, I wrote it all in 1st POV, from Jon and Mei-Ling's point of view, I haven't written in 1st POV since Middle School, so if you notice some mistakes, like words used in 3rd Person do let me know so I can fix it. I just wanted to try a more immersive experience, to give more insight on Mei-Ling and Jonathan's thoughts as the story progresses. For the most part, I will try to write in 3rd POV. But if I get the chance, I will write Mei-Ling and Jonathan in 1st POV. I may even try it woth some other characters as well. I will also say one thing, I did use a racial slur in this chapter. I will try to limit the use of them in this story. I am not trying to use them to offend people, but certain characters are foul mouthed and will use them. Not a lot, but they will use them. I just wanted to let you all know that I am not using them to offend people, so please don't lynch me! I'm only writing them for certain characters and they won't use them a lot!

On another note, I still do not know who will survive this Killing Game. I have potential killers lined up, and I know at least half of the cast will meet some grisly ends. But I have a lot of favorites and its becoming a bit hard. I don't want to play favorites either especially with my own characters, as I am favoring a certain Lucky Student, she's my baby and I don't want her to die, but I've also thought of so many ways she can potentially die. It's heartbreaking! I have a set number of survivors, I want to shoot for 16 survivors but that number may change. I dunno...I'll give you updates whenever I change anything. Hell, I may still add characters here and there as I did come up with two extra oc's that would fit in. The world is a lie after all. Anyway...enjoy another 60 page essay about kids preparing for the Killing Game. Brought to you by UPlay, not really. See you all later!

Morning Hope Academy's

New Semester of Killing

Prologue to Despair

Epilogue

(Jonathan's Side)

"What a mess." I mutter to myself, as I glanced around the empty plaza.

I don't know how much time had passed since the debacle at the gymnasium. What had started with me waking up in a locker, quickly turned into a ghoulish nightmare. They say you don't understand something until it happens. For the most part, that's true...but for me...I was still trying to understand what was happening. I mean...I can't really explain what happened. One moment, we were standing around the gym, the next a guy's head exploded. It was surreal. I've seen a lot of gruesome shit. One doesn't watch the Saw series and fall asleep contently. Hell I still have nightmares about Rick Grimes disemboweling a dude, right after biting another man's neck. That shit was in television, this is real life.

I could still feel his blood on me. Despite me going to the bathroom and washing my face, ridding myself of the pink...I could feel it. I was just standing there, watching the water run gray due to the paint I had taken off. My neck was soaked in it, thankfully my jacket had taken the brunt of the impact. The tissues I had used had only taken part of the problem, I was soaked entirely in blood, not drenched, but there was quite a lot on me. I even had skull fragments in my hair. I wanted to scream, but I remembered something my father had told me once.

"As an FBI Agent, I have to be prepared for grim shit. Sure, Homicide detectives see some awful stuff. But the FBI deals with a lot of our country's darkness. I have seen the aftermath of a shootout, a kidnapping turned sour. My grandfather and I were in Texas when Kennedy was shot. Life doesn't prepare you for that stuff...so I had to learn it myself. Keep my face stoic, get in, take care of business and get out. Showing any weakness will make you vulnerable, and you can't let someone take advantage of that son."

I looked up at my reflection, finally clean of both paint and blood. I didn't pay much attention to my looks. I was always a loner in school. I was always focused on my music career, I didn't have much time for friends. I was only using my buddy's booth because I paid him to let me. Being a songwriter allowed me to open a lot of doors, doors that would have remained closed if I had stayed in the Choir. I've always been a religious boy growing up. It was normal for us to go to church on Sundays. At least until my parents became busier...being alone was my forte.

I was always the guy that dressed weird in school. No one understood why I dressed in monochrome. They always called me Checkerboard or Chess Piece whenever I walked by. I didn't care...I found solace in my music. The lyrics would weave together into beautiful songs, and my pen would just move on its own. I wrote so much, that I actually ended up winning the "Neatest Writing in the School" trophy. I guess it was made specifically for me. That and the Student Body Vice President was the only one who actually cared enough to speak to me.

Makes me wonder where she is...Mariah...my only friend. I hadn't thought about her much since receiving my letter. She had been ecstatic for me of course, especially because she had been the one to deliver it. The Principle had gotten it from Alice Caroll and had sent her out. I was a Sophomore in Ridgemont High School, one of the preppy schools of Redmond. Of course in Morning Hope Academy, I would come in as a Freshman, regardless of my age. It seemed to be a trend for the school. In the United States, a person could be in high school until the age of 21, but Morning Hope was the exception. I always wondered what it was like to be in a school that breeds hope.

Course...I wasn't expecting this to turn into a breeding ground of despair. Chris's statement still bothers me. Calling us Gazelles like that...it makes it seem as if we're nothing more than criminals. Criminals that were waiting to be shot down by a shooting squad. Then again, there was talk about one man who survived being shot at by a Squad and got away. Perhaps I could be that lucky one...

"Then what? Abandon the others?" I mutter to myself, glancing at my reflection. My blue eyes were staring back at me. I still remembered that ice breaker Mariah gave me during Freshman year.

"Your eyes remind me of the crown jewel worn by Louis the 14th. It's like a deep blue ocean, I can swim in them for hours."

I honestly thought she was hitting on me. I was just looking at her as if I had a dick growing out of my forehead. But that's just who she was...a beautiful girl who had no reason to interact with a loser like me. Although we did have history, apparently we were in the same Choir, she was a year older than me, a Soprano supposedly. She was apparently the only one who missed me, despite never talking to me. Odd how a person can act that way. After years of not seeing each other, act like you guys are old friends. Humans can be weird at times I guess.

"Hey Jon, you done in there?" the airy voice of Carla cried. I jolted a bit, I had completely forgotten where I was for a moment.

Morning Hope Academy, trapped under a dome, killing game, one dead. I sighed as I was brought back to the real world. My face was still covered in a bit of water. I just reached into my bag and pulled out a hand towel I always carried around, drying my face with it. In retrospect, I should have used this for the blood. But then it would be soaked in pink...I like this towel. It's always there for me when I need to dry the ink I get on my hands.

I slipped my bag around my shoulders, walking out of the bathroom, being greeted by Carla. I found this girl to be...aloof. No that was to vague a term, and I think clinically insane might be a tad too strong. She seemed like she was there and not there at the same time. She was bubbly, jumpy and quite the kidder. She had poked the back of my neck with her hand buzzer, hoping to deactivate the bomb. I still found it hard to believe that we had a bomb in our necks at the moment. But since Kevin's head had exploded all over me, I knew it was the truth. I shivered a bit as the cameras moved, following our path.

"You okay?" she asked softly, a firm look on her face. I gave her a curt nod, donning a smile on my face. I had to be optimistic, if I wasn't then my friends wouldn't relax.

"I'm fine, trying to remain chipper you know?" I said, earning a nod from the girl. She gave me a toothy grin, reaching into her back pocket for something.

"Not a lot of people can tolerate me you know. Mei-Mei is a cutie though, and was the only one who noticed me in the tree. I don't know why it is, but I feel like I know her from somewhere. I give my friends something, so I want you to have this." she said, handing me a card. I looked it over, seeing it was a playing card. When I flipped it over, I had noticed it was a Joker Card.

The card itself was white on the front, having a violet J on the corner of it. Rather than the Joker, I noticed that the drawing at the center of the card was a Chibi version of Carla, holding a small banner in her hands, spelling the word Joker, with the R being backwards. I looked up at her, and she gave me another grin.

"I dunno why it is, but none of the suits suited you. I sense that you are a Joker like me. So I'm giving you my only Joker card, it comes in pairs you know." she said, giving me a wink.

"I appreciate the sentiment Carla, having a friend here will...help me relax a bit." I said, earning a giggle from the girl.

"Good good! That's my aim after all...I came here to lay down the sickest pranks this side of the globe! Thing is my bag of goodies is gone, and I haven't seen it at all."

"I'm sure we'll find it. We've checked most of this floor already, how about we head toward the Weight Room? It's the only room that we can't physically access. Perhaps we'll find something there." I suggested. She gave me an eager nod, her twin tails bouncing a bit.

"Hey Jo-Jo, I have a question for you...how were you scouted?" the brunette asked. I blinked a few times, brows furrowing as I thought back to it.

"If memory serves...Alice came into my school. She asked my friend Mariah for me, and lead her to my secret stairwell. She grabbed me by my ear, and pulled me out of the school. I thought I was getting kidnapped or something, instead she just takes me to a diner and buys me food. I hate to admit it, but I'd kill for a greasy burger right about now."

"Same here, too bad Morning Hope didn't install a McDonalds in this place. I mean if this is a government funded school, then why the fuck isn't Ronald allowed to run around here? He's a clown dammit, and I love clowns!"

"Really? I personally hate clowns." I admitted, not wanting to go into detail. Carla deflated a bit, but seemed undeterred in her skips as she matched her pace with mine. She walked ahead of my, turning to face me while walking backward, something that amazed me a bit.

"Why do you hate clowns?"

"There was this party I went too. The parents couldn't afford a real clown so they posted an ad online. Turned out the dude had just gotten outta the joint, and tried kidnapping one of the kids. Thankfully my dad was on site and tackled his ass. Not to mention those creepy ass clowns that started popping up not that long ago. I don't wanna get shanked." I admitted.

I didn't want to be a sissy and say I hated Clowns because of It. Stephen King is a phenomenal writer, but fearing clowns because of his works. Hell, I didn't wanna look like a pussy in front of a girl. She gave me a perplexed look, as if she was trying to look into my mind. She shrugged it off, whirling around on her heel.

"Eh...not everyone likes clowns. I just know a lot of them because of my line of entertainment."

"Which is?"

"Hmm? Oh I'm a Prankster of course...thing is, this prissy school already has an Ultimate Prankster, so I didn't qualify. The Dean tossed my name in a raffle, and whadda ya know? I get selected as the Ultimate Lucky Student. I guess I do have a bit of luck from time to time." she admitted.

"I would assume so, do you know how hard it is to get picked in a raffle? There are like a million students all across the country, and you got the lucky break."

"Hmm...true, true. But I'm not lying about my luck either. I mean, I've done some pretty crazy shit over the years. I broke into a police station and took one of the cruisers for a joy ride. I didn't get caught because the cameras were down, someone had apparently hacked their system. Another time, I ended up stealing an entire box of canned goods from a Whole Foods, and I didn't get caught. I just walked out like nothing."

"I wouldn't call that luck." I admitted, brushing it off like nothing. She turned around, puffing her cheeks a bit.

"But I am lucky! Do you have a coin?"

"Eh...maybe." I mutter, shoving my hand in my pocket. To my surprise, I found a quarter nestled inside. Lose change for the bus perhaps, I don't remember grabbing any.

"Excellent, flip it four times and don't tell me what it lands on. I'll guess each one." she said with a challenging tone. I shrugged, flicking the coin into the air. I held it against the back of my hand, waiting for her guess.

"Tails."

I peeked under my hand, and sure enough, an eagle greeted me. I flipped the coin again.

"Heads."

This time, George Washington greeted me. I flipped it two times, a Head and a Tail. I continued flipping the coin, and she kept guessing the right side. The last one was one that had me confused.

"Neither."

I flipped the coin, and ended up missing it. It fell onto the ground, bouncing for a second before it started spinning. It slowed down to a stop, still on its side. I just stared at the coin flabbergasted. I glanced up, meeting her heterochromic gaze, a playful smirk on her face.

"The probability of someone correctly guessing the correct face in a coin flip ten times in a row, is 1 in 1024 flips."

"Holy shit." I said softly. She knelt down, grabbing the coin from the ground, flipping it through her fingers. She flicked into the air, catching it in her hand, before holding it out to me.

"Guess." she said playfully. I smiled a little.

"Tails."

"Actually, it's a Loon." she said, reaching into her hand for a oddly shaped bronze coin. It featured a bird on the front, a Loon actually.

"What the fuck?"

"Magic." she said with a giggle. She pocketed the coin, turning around continuing onwards to the Weight Room.

I remained silent, not exactly knowing what to think about the brown haired girl. She was amazing, that was for sure. She truly did possess luck, aside from being a Prankster. She had a peppy attitude, but deep down I knew that she was hiding something. Often times, those that put on a happy attitude are the most scarred people around you. I hated to admit it, but there are times where I become depressed. Not to the point where I wanna end it, I usually let my songs speak for me. But being along for weeks on end, while your parents are in D.C...it isn't fun at times. Carla paused in front of the Bath House entrance, staring at the wooden doors.

"This bath house is huge. It has two baths, for boys and girls, along with a huge sauna! I'm dying to try it out, but I don't have my clothes. Guess I'll have to find my dorm." she said absentmindedly.

"An Oriental Style bath house in an American school. A tad odd methinks, then again Hope's Peak Academy owns this hell hole."

"Yeppers...you wanna take a bath?"

"What?!" I screeched, my eyes widening a bit. Carla had a serious look on her face, one that I didn't think she'd ever have.

"Is something wrong? Do you not like baths?"

"No it's just...women don't usually ask men to bathe with them." I replied, causing the girl to nod.

"I grew up in an orphanage. Well...it was more of a Catholic School...a really poor one. Whenever it got cold for in the Winter, they would spend more money on the heating, and that meant we had to save on water. So boys and girls usually had to share the bathroom to save on water."

"Oh...I...didn't know you were an orphan." I said sadly.

"Mhmm...my parents gave me up when I was a wee little lass. Barely two months old. I was raised by Nuns for most of my life...I became a bit of a troublemaker. I always gave the Headmistress so much shit. Even though I did, she was the closest thing to a mother that I have now." Carla said, a frown appearing on her face.

"Oh Carls...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring back bad memories."

"It's fine, but if you wanna make it up to me then you gotta convince Mei-Mei, Ruca and Chrispy Bacon to join us."

"When Hell freezes over, I'll be sure to send them the invite." I mused, brushing past her toward the Weight Room entrance.

"Muu! You are so mean to me Jo-Jo!" Carla cried, bounding over to the boy.

"It's just weird Carla...if you, Ruca and Mei stay in your side, I'll see if I can get Butterfly Boy to join us." I said, earning a grin from her. She gave me a tight hug, which I returned. I felt her hands around my waist and before I knew it...

"Wedgie!"

"Gah...Ah! Fuck! You goddamn asshat!"

"Mwehehehe!"

(Mei-Ling's Side)

"God, nothing pisses me off more than being held against my will. When the hell is my nigga Barack getting us outta here?" Chris snapped, arms crossed as he walked. I frowned as I looked up at my questionable friend.

"Chris, perhaps you shouldn't use that kind of language here?"

"Why not? Ruru the Nut Queen hasn't stopped dropping fucks since we walked out here." the Ultimate Lepidopterologist said, gesturing to Veruca, who had been mumbling things about the heat under her breath.

"Chris! If you want to have friends, you'll have to fix your attitude!" I snapped, my accent flaring a bit as I spoke. The boy just stopped walking, flicking his leather jacket a bit. I have no idea how he could wear that in this heat. Then again, he's from Mexico, and it does get hot down there.

"Listen Mushu, I didn't come here to make friends. The only reason that I stuck with you, is because Jon looks like a good dude. I meant what I said back there, all of us are just insignificant Gazelles. Among us are the Lions, and soon enough the killing will begin."

"Blimey you truly do love hearing the sound of your own voice." Veruca said, glancing at the boy, placing a hand on her hip.

"Oh? So you don't agree that show of power back there was the Head Honcho putting us in place?"

"No, I do agree with what you are saying. It's just that your voice is annoying, but you seem to be enamored with it."

"Fuck you."

"Sorry, I don't like tainted meat."

"Guys, can we please be mature about this? It's been a few minutes since Kevin died." I said softly, trying not to remember what happened.

I still cannot believe what happened. I had met that boy not long ago, and he looked so vibrant and full of life. I had wanted to get to know him better, get to see his talent. But his life was extinguished before I could even have the chance. I didn't know how to react, everyone around me screamed and yet...I just stood there. I had seen someone die before...but not like that.

"Whatever, at least you aren't as Nutty as everyone says. You seem to comprehend what's going on here." Chris said firmly.

"Yes, as you Americans so eloquently put, this is a shit sandwich, and we all have to take a big bite."

"Hmm...you aren't so bad Princesa.It's good to at least have someone who shares my view point. Mushu here is to soft to see what's going on."

"Qu ni de!" (Screw You!)I exclaimed in Chinese, flipping the boy off. He rolled his eyes, resuming his walk. The three of us were heading toward the only place on Campus we hadn't explored, Mirror Lodge, our Dormitories.

"Sweetheart, I hate to agree with the racist, but what he says does have merit. A man died, and we all stood there gawking at his body. I wasn't entirely there, if I care to admit. But now that I have had the time to process it, I realize that we are a time bomb. It won't be long until someone is tempted to kill."

"I won't let that happen! I came here to study Folklore, to make friends and enrich my life. So that I can take my stories with me back to China, tell everyone about my findings." I exclaimed, cheeks puffed out slightly. I could feel my hair moving a bit. I remember my Mama telling me that, despite my height, I had the loudest voice in the family. It seemed as if she was indeed correct.

"I didn't think the half pint could yell so loud. Jeez girl, you've got some lungs on you." Chris said. I slugged him on the side, turning my face away from him.

"You stupid Niu bi!"

"Okay, you gotta stop talking in Chinese, I'm never gonna understand you." he said, a frown on his face. I turned to face him, a smirk on my face.

"Niu bi means Cow Pussy in Chinese." I say. Veruca erupted into laughter, her entire body shaking with mirth. Chris just remained silent, deciding to continue toward Mirror Lodge.

"In all seriousness, Mei-Ling I don't want to seem callous but...I tend to be a rather realistic person. I wish to seek the truth, behind our imprisonment here, and who the one pulling the strings is. I don't know what is going on outside of this dome. However it seems that the US Government isn't responding."

"Do you believe something happened outside?" I asked curiously. She gave me a small nod, her eyes drifting towards the artificial skies.

"Something must have happened on the outside. I mean...Morning Hope Academy is it's own entity in America. On the same scale as Hope's Peak Academy. Do you actually believe that the Government would allow some two-toned bear to ensnare 37 students and 3 teachers, and force them to kill each other?"

"Hate to agree with you Princesa, pero creo que tienes razon." (Princess, but I think you are right) Chris said firmly. Veruca seemed a bit bothered. I didn't understand what he said, perhaps she did? Spain and the UK are close to each other after all.

"There is just something I can't understand. Why are we here? I keep asking myself that. My brain keeps telling me, it was because you were scouted you twit! Yes...that is the reason...but that was before Morning Hope was an incubator."

"There are some odd things here, I will admit. I was already thinking about them when I was exploring with Calem. He noticed that several key points had been taken down. He also said that they were strategic points of interest. They're keeping us on the first floor, and the A/V room computers cannot connect to the outside world. We are completely isolated." I said, earning frowns from the taller teens.

"Probably to limit our interaction with the outside, to send for help. Morning Hope Academy lies within a large populated district. The Anaheim Police Department wouldn't take long to come here...if they were operational."

"If? What are you getting at Veruca?" Chris asked. The Nut Specialist remained silent, stopping as we reached the entrance to the Dormitory building. She had a firm look on her face, as if she was considering her words before telling us. She finally turned to the both of us, her hands folded in front of her lap.

"We have to consider all possible avenues of our entrapment within this facility. That also means the possibility that...the World has been subjected to a full scale nuclear offensive."

"Huh?" I said, disbelief crossing my face. Had she said what I think she said? Nuclear offensive?

"You think the United States was attacked? By who? Dear old Vladdie? Or maybe Kimmy?" Chris said. I glared at him, becoming serious.

"I wouldn't say those things Chris, especially because one of our friends is Russian." I said. He shrugged, not at all bothered by what I said.

"I'm not sure what state the world is in...but what reason is there? Perhaps we were all here when it first happened. The Government erected this bomb proof dome over the school. It would explain the blast proof doors. On the off chance that the dome is breached, the windows are covered in steel, most likely as a means of keeping the radiation outside."

"Holy shit...you're assuming Morning Hope is some sort of bomb shelter?"

"I'm not assuming Chris, it is. I read a few extra details about this school...it is considered to be one of the safest facilities in America. Not to mention, the fifth floor has its own Botanical Garden. With a high grade purifier, the oxygen could be pumped through the ventilation system. We could live comfortably here until the radiation dies down...and if it doesn't, then forever." Veruca said firmly.

"Whoa whoa whoa...I do not believe that is the case. Don't you think it would happen so fast? I mean, let's say America was attacked...how would they build this in that time?" I say, pointing to the dome.

"Mushu has a point. Russia has nuclear subs, capable of firing Nukies onto the mainland. L.A. Is a huge city, and it has a recruitment center, they'd most likely bomb it, and the radiation would spread outrageously fast." Chris said.

"How do you know that?"

"Fallout New Vegas." he said proudly. I just blinked, tilting my head in confusion.

"The video game?"

"It's a game based on Nuclear fallout. It makes sense, various areas of the US were destroyed, and the people that lived through it, weren't...all human. Neither were the creatures, but there are bomb shelters. However, it would happen way too fast, too fast for anyone to take the time to gather 40 saps and lock them in. That is unless..."

"Unless the school was sealed up with us inside while the dome was built." Veruca said, finishing his statement.

I sighed audibly. I'm not on to theorize too much, I never liked Conspiracy Theories or the like. Every single time I saw on online I would just ignore it. I always thought it was another MLG meme or something related to the Illuminati. You could theorize all you like, but until you saw it with your own eyes, nothing would be true. It would just be another theory.

"Guys...can we focus on the dorms? I know you wanna find exit to school, but we have to meet Jon and Carla later." I said, my speech slipping up a bit. Veruca nodded, turning towards the Dormitory building. She grabbed a hold of the door, which was once locked. She pulled it down and opened the door, allowing us to step inside first.

The dormitory building felt almost like a miniature hotel. As soon as we walked inside, we ended up walking into a lobby. The carpets were a rich blue color, reminding me a bit of the Blue in the American Flag. There was a reception desk to our left, a few computers being visible, currently useless to us. The lobby itself was filled with felt couches and wooden furniture, along with some plants. Walking forward, there was a set of stairs that lead up to the second floor.

"It seems this building boasts three stories. There should be a suite for each of us here." Veruca said, glancing at the map on her Student ID. I had completely forgotten about the device. I reached for mine, looking at it.

"It seems like Class 79 of Hope's Peak Academy gets the second floor. There are only sixteen rooms, the third and fourth floor are for each of us. Girls on the third, boys on the fourth." I say, glancing at the map of each floor. My room was right by the stairs, across the hall from Carla's room, ironically enough.

"No jodas! This place is freaking huge! Man America is filthy rich." Chris said, tearing his eyes away from his own map. He looked around the lobby for a moment.

"The place doesn't seem to be handicap accessible though...I feel bad for that big breasted girl. I don't know if she can walk, but it's gonna be hard for her to go up and down these stairs." he said.

"I thought the lion didn't concern himself with the gazelles?" Veruca said. Chris turned to her a frown on his face.

"Normally not...but I feel like she doesn't need anymore stress. Mi abuelita...my grandmother...she can't walk either. So she has her own stair lift...maybe we can convince Monokuma to install one for her." he said.

"Aw...so you are capable of emotion!" I said, a smile on her face.

"Ay, jodete nena." (Ah...fuck off girl) he said, walking toward the stairs. I sighed, knowing I would have to brush up on my Spanish if I wanted to speak with Chris.

The second floor of the dormitory was completely empty. It was a single hallway, that lead right through to the Dorms that belonged to Class 79. I found it rather annoying that we had to walk through the second floor to reach the stairs to the third. It was kind of redundant in my opinion, but at least it made it safer. One way in, one way out. If something happened, a person would be cornered and...

"Don't get morbid on me Mei-Ling...nothing is going to happen. You can't think like that...you have to stay positive!"

My own internal pep-talk did nothing to ease my conscience. We were trapped inside a school, where everyone was supposed to kill each other. I was trying my hardest not to think about what Chris had said. If I learned something from my Folklore Research, its that people aren't evil. Throughout history, a lot of things have been depicted. Everyone has a different cognitive view of the world. The Mayans sacrificed people to appease their gods, because they believed the gods would keep the land fertile. They did it to keep their people alive, even if that meant sacrificing other tribes like cattle.

Thinking about that reminded me of the Viking's Send off, something that the Norse did. When one of their own died, they would take the body and place it in the boat that had belonged to them in life. They would send it adrift, and then they would fire flaming arrows at the boat, lighting it on fire. It was a send off, for that person to safely travel to Valhalla. It shared many similarities with how Ancient Egyptians sent off their Pharaohs. They would mummify the body, and bury it in a tomb surrounded by possessions, said to aid them in the next world. Anything from chariots, to weapons, to even their pets, it would be entombed with the person. It was a funny thing to think about, knowing how people were so different, had so many different cultures, yet little things like that were the same.

"Hey Mei-Ling-Ling, you okay?" Chris asked, causing me to stop. I hadn't even noticed we had reached the third floor. I pouted a bit, not exactly caring for his nickname. It was better than Mushu at least.

"I'm fine...I was just thinking about the Viking's Send Off."

"The what?" Veruca asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"It's an unofficial name I gave to this. When someone died, the Vikings would place the body of that person, in their boat, and send it adrift. Then they would shoot flaming arrows at the boat until it caught fire and eventually sunk. It was a final send off, so that person could travel safely to Valhalla."

"Whoa...that's a gnarly sounding send off. It's pretty cool actually." Chris said, starting up the stairs toward the next floor.

"I think so too, I was making a connection between it and Mummies. Though both are different, it's basically the same."

"Not exactly. Mummies are buried with their possessions in pyramids." Veruca said.

"That isn't it, I think what Mushu means is the connotation behind it. A pharaoh is buried with their items, because they believe that they'll need those items in the afterlife. The living prepare the body, almost as if they're sending it off, so it can take life in the other world. The Vikings did the same, gave the body of the person a final farewell, sending it off to Valhalla. That about right?"

"Yes...I'm impressed, are you interested in Folklore, Chris?" I asked curiously.

"Nah...not really. My interest lie within the study of macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera." he said firmly and proudly. We just stayed at him, a but bug eyed at the big words he had used.

"Hey Chris, a thought occurs...if we're trapped within a dome, how exactly will you make use of your talent?" Veruca asked, a cheeky grin on her face. He smirked, flicking her nose.

"I dunno honey, but I'm sure I'll make do without butterflies. However if you need some nuts, I think I can provide them." he said. She pulled her fist back, socking him in the face. His head slammed back into the wall, making him cry in pain.

"Humph! Take that asshole!" she cried, continuing into the third floor. The boy just stood there, clutching his bloody nose, cringing a bit.

"Esa mujer es el diablo!" (That woman is the devil) he cried. I didn't need to understand Spanish to know what he said.

While Chris continued onto the final floor, and the boys dorms, I decided to look at mine. I found it rather easily, it had an 8bit sign on the door, along with the a black sign that had the Chinese Characters for my name. I tested the door, but it was locked. I frowned, checking for a key, but I didn't find anything.

"Hey Mei-Ling, the door opens with your Handbook, just hold it in front of the black panel." Veruca said, gesturing with her Student ID. I noticed the black panel next to the door. I held the device to it, and it turned from Red to Green, allowing me to enter the room.

I looked around, awed at the sheer size of the room. It was twice the size of my bedroom at home. I took a few steps in, noticing several things at once. The floors were carpeted, an ugly gray color that I immediately wanted to tear out. To my very left, was a door that lead to my personal bathroom. I didn't peek inside, but I did see a glass shower inside. To the right, I saw a single bed the mattress resting within a wooden frame, tucked against the wall. The back of the room featured what looked like a teacher's desk. My laptop was sitting on it, the desk had two drawers at either side, most likely filled with stuff. This room didn't have a closet, but on the wall next to the door was a wooden dresser with various drawers. There was a 35 inch flat screen resting on top of it, along with a Game console I had never seen before. I wasn't a gamer, so it was odd that it was there.

That was the second thing that I noticed. I figured the room would be completely empty, yet my things were all there. I walked toward my laptop, seeing it was in sleep mode. I logged into it, and opened it...all of my icons were there, along with my files, but I didn't see anything recent, all of it was left alone. The last thing I was working on was a Native American folktale, the date on the file read September 6th2014, yet the calender was telling me it was actually May 5th 2018. I shook my head, quickly changing the date to match the one on my Student ID.

"I guess someone messed with my computer. It doesn't look like anything personal was tampered with though." I muttered to myself.

After checking that all of my files were in fact intact, and that my memory card was safe, I moved on toward my dresser. Resting inside were my clothes. All separated into sections. The top drawer contained my undies, something I felt embarrassed about sometimes, especially because I didn't buy bras. I didn't think I needed them, especially when you are just above an A cup. The drawer below that was filled with tee shirts and basketball shorts. The third drawer contained sleep clothes. Then the three drawers on the right were filled with more Culturally appropriate clothes, at least in Chinese terms. There were two more pairs of Cheongsam within, all of them being in different colors. I had a few other things as well, a couple Japanese Kimonos, and even a business suit that I had no memory of buying.

"Odd." I mumble, closing the drawer. I took another glance around the room, seeing a few things I missed. There was a glass bookshelf in front of my bed, tucked against the wall. It was the books that I had in my room, all of them just like I had them placed, going by the title. I also had some posters on the wall, bands that I don't remember listening too. The final thing I noticed was my purse, which was placed on the pillow, on the bed. I walked up to it and took it, zipping it open.

"My cellphone...the battery is dead, no charger. PDA, also dead, stale candies, loose change...lipgloss. What's the point in leaving these? I mean, not the candy, that's older than me probably. Why leave my phone without a charger."

"I can answer that!"

I jumped a bit, as I whirled around, meeting the eyes of our captor. Monokuma strode into the room through the open door, a grin on his face. I backed away slightly, completely fearful of the bear. After what I had seen him do to Kevin, I couldn't help but be scared of him. Despite that, I had a firm look on my face. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. At least that's what I wanted, my body was betraying me however.

"You should learn to close your door honey...someone could come in here and stab ya in the back."

"What are you doing here? Have you come to torture me?"

"Torture? Sweetie that is so pedestrian, I don't torture people. I let all of you torture each other. I just wanted to see how you were settling in, making sure the security system works." he said, gesturing to the corner of the room. I noticed the small black orb at the corner of the room, the lens pointed directly at me, blinking red.

"Do we get no privacy here?"

"Nope, none at all. Be thankful they weren't installed in the loo, that wouldn't have been pleasant. Though I am looking forward to seeing you chickadees walking around your rooms in the buff. Yuk yuk yuk!"

"I do not walk around my room naked." I snapped in annoyance.

"Yes you do, we all do. It's so liberating to just let it all hang out, of course you need something that hangs to let it hang out. Currently you seem to lack anything like that."

"Did you come here to piss me off or to say something useful?" I hissed angrily. I'm sure I was going to slip back into my broken English if he kept taunting me that way.

"Yes...you were wondering why I left you your cellphone, computer and PDA. The answer is simple really...it's all a matter of perspective...or rather, a matter of motivation. See, if you successfully manage to solve a crime, and find our blackened student, the MVP gets to make one phone call. Doubt anyone on the outside will answer but...silver lining." Monokuma said.

"One phone call? So that's it...if we wanna reach the outside world, someone has to die."

"That's right Moon Cake! You wanna call mommy or big sis, you gotta give me a stiff one. And I don't mean a stiff cock, you are far too young for that kind of stuff." the bear said, bursting into laughter.

"Why does everyone refer to me using a fucking food dish? Mushu, Moon Cake? Kung Pao Chicken? I think I would prefer Mulan at this rate."

"Whatever, I got my answer. Would you mind leaving me alone so I can get out of this dress?" I asked, none too politely.

"Yeah sure...just make sure you close the door. Ah before I forget, there was a mistake with your room. Turns out your shower doesn't turn off at 11:00PM when the water is turned off. I guess yours runs on a separate line or some shit? I dunno...you get lucky, means you can wash up after a murder. Be sure to use it wisely, and if you wanna Strangle the Pussy as you kids often do, make sure you face the camera! YUK YUK YUK YUK YUK!"

I slammed the door shut as loud as humanely possible. I started screaming in Chinese, throwing swears left and right. I'm sure my father would have been disappointed in me if he heard my manner of speech, but I needed to get it out. I pulled my chopsticks out of my hair as I did, unpinning the loops my mom had made for me. I just wanted to get out of this Cheongsam as fast as humanely possible. I pulled out a sleeveless red tee shirt, with some golden markings on them, along with a matching sports bra, and a pair of blue jean shorts. I looked around for a spare pair of shoes, that I know I brought. But I couldn't find them...meaning I was stuck wearing stilettos. I sighed as I reached behind my back, pulling the zipper of my outfit.

"This day could not get any fucking worse."

xxx(Jonathan's Side)xxx

I noticed everyone had split up and gone their separate ways. The cafeteria had at least half of the people gathered inside. I hadn't noticed any of the faculty since Monokuma dropped a literal bomb on us. The other students were mingling about the first floor. Some where in the classrooms, others were doing laundry, strangely enough, and others were just lounging around. They were all just stunned at what was happening, too stunned to say or do anything. Me and Carla had to cut through the cafeteria in order to go back outside. The gym was still locked after all...made me wonder how Monokuma was going to get Kevin out of there.

My only theory was that the Mastermind would have to clean the body up. Of course that meant that no matter what, the gym had to be closed. I had thought that busting through the door would make it easier to catch them, but the rules forbade it for a reason. I didn't want to lose my head for a crack at the bastard. He'd get his, and I'd make sure of it. Thing was, the others were still just...stunned by it all. Some were trying their best to be friendly, but others just wanted to be alone. Who could blame them? How would you react if you saw a man's head explode a few feet away from you?

"Hey Jo-Jo...are you feeling down?" Carla asked, causing me to look at her. I just continued walking, some of the tables outside had been occupied. Besides, we had agreed to meet up at the Fountain. A few of the others were looking at me oddly, but I didn't really pay them any mind.

"A little...who wouldn't be? 39 people are trapped against their will, none of us has contact with our friends or family. We're all just worried I guess."

"Yeah...it feels weird...I mean I'm not at all worry. Got no one to worry about...except maybe the Sisters, but I know those old bats are tough. They'll be fine without me. Do you think your dad is looking for you?"

"Most likely...I'm sure mom dropped everything and started looking for me. She's friends with a few Senators, she can get shit moving. Hell...we might get lucky and have the Governator come rescue us!" I said cheerfully. The thought of Arnold Schwarzenegger coming to get me on a Chopper filled my mind with glee.

"Ah, come on...get to the choppa!" Carla cried, in a perfect Austrian accent. I couldn't help but chuckle a bit, making her grin.

"There's a smile! I hate seeing people all mopey and sad!" she said in a cutesy voice. I shook my head.

"It's as if I met the personification of Pinkie Pie, after she drank two liters of crack water." I mused, trying not to burst into laughter.

"Jo-Jo, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Eh? That seems a bit outta the blue, don't ya think?"

"Not really...it's just a simple question, among friends." she said with a wink. I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

"I don't...I didn't have many friends growing up Carls. I was always focused on my lyrics, and the Choir. In recent years, I taught myself to play various instruments. The only friend I had was Mariah."

"Oh...so she's your girlfriend?"

"Ha...I wish. That girl was amazingly beautiful, she was a good Student Body Vice President, and was highly ambitious. I would have gladly dated her, thing is...she's a lesbian." I admitted. I remember when she told me that, I felt immensely deflated. The fact she took me on a pity date afterwards didn't help lift my mood either.

"I see, I see! That's a shame then Jo-Jo. But at least there's a silver lining, we may have bombs in our necks, but that doesn't mean we can't try at love!"

"Huh?"

"Well I mean...if were all trapped in here and all are on the verge of death, why not find a partner and do the Devil's Tango?" she asked curiously. My jaw hung open as I tried formulating words. I glanced past Carla, noticing Tenko and Himiko. The Ultimate Neo-Aikido Master was glaring at me, making me shiver a bit.

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about that Carla. I mean...we all just met, a dude got his head blown up. I doubt anyone wants to hook up here of all places." I said, continuing my walk toward the fountain. I sat down at one of the benches around it. Carla hopped up onto the edge of the fountain, holding her arms out for balance.

"Well...normally I wouldn't consider it...but you know what they say, YOLO!" she cried out, jumping into the fountain. She splashed a bit of water on me, making me shiver a bit.

"Ah...dammit Carla!"

"Mwehehe! Sorry Jo-Jo! But if you wanna be my friend, you gotta handle my craziness! My psychiatrist once told me that I was as crazy as a fox."

"Seriously?" I asked, surprised that the girl had a Shrink. She giggled, shaking her head.

"I wouldn't know, she spoke French!"

"That isn't funny!"

"Boo, I'll make you laugh. How about a joke? Hmm...let's see if I have a good one." she said, holding her arms behind her back as she remained standing in the ankle deep water. If it bothered her she didn't show it.

"Oh! I got one, how is a woman like a condom?" she asked eagerly, her eyes shining a bit. I frowned, but decided to go along with it.

"I dunno, how is a woman like a condom?"

"Because, both spend more time in your wallet than on your dick."

"Pfft...okay, that one was pretty good." I said, holding back my chuckles.

"Now you're turn. Tell me a joke, if you make me laugh, I'll let you ask me one personal question."

"Hmm...okay. I do have one that Mariah told me before I came to Morning Hope. What does a woman's pussy and a chainsaw have in common?" I asked, earning a pensive look from the girl. She pouted her lips a bit, her two toned eyes narrowing a bit.

"I give, what does a woman's pussy and a chainsaw have in common?" she asked, reiterating the question. Now for the punch line. I leaned back against the bench, a smirk on my face.

"Miss by a few inches and you're in deep shit." I said. The result was instantaneous. She started laughing rather loudly, causing several people to look in our direction. I felt a bit embarrassed, but joined in the laughing as well. The girl was good at keeping me distracted, that's for sure. She sighed contently, wiping a tear from her eye.

"I haven't laughed that hard in a minute...okay, you win. Ask me anything you want, and I mean anything." she said, giving me a wink. I shook my head, giving her a firm look.

"Are your eyes real? Or are they contacts." I asked. She frowned, stepping out of the fountain, sitting right across from me.

"My eyes are real. My doctor said it was called heterochromia iridus, it's a really rare trait in some people. My birth mother most likely carried the genes for green eyes, while my father carried the one for blue eyes. Rather than getting either, I got one and one...a bitter reminder of my parents I guess."

"But Carla...your eyes are so pretty." I say, without much thought. Her lips curled into a smile, and she winked, sticking her tongue out.

"Aw...I know that! It's just weird...having people asking me if my eyes are real. If anything the one with the odd eyes is dear old Ruca. She has silvery blue eyes, and that's the first time I've seen eyes like that." she said. I closed my eyes briefly thinking back on Veruca. I couldn't help but smile a bit.

I had seen a lot of pretty girls in my day, but Veruca was quite charming. Most of the girls that I knew were typical preppy wanna be Queen Bees. When I had met Chloe, I got a bitter reminder of my old Cheer Squad Captain, rather the captain for my school. She was just so...gross. She was pretty, but her mannerisms...ugh. Veruca however was different, she lived a posh and cushy life, but she didn't let it spoil her. She was blunt, charismatic in her own way, and rather realistic. Unlike some of the girls I had met before. She was one of the realist people I had met. In fact, Mei-Ling and Carla were way different than what I was normally used too.

"Jo-Jo, are you okay? You have a funny look on your face, and your cheeks are red. Are you thinking about Ruca?"

"What? No!" I cried out, a little louder than I wanted too. I glanced away, earning a small laugh from my new friend.

"Don't be shy! I think it's cute! I think she might like you too if she gives you a chance. Perhaps after all of this is settled you two can go on a date! Then me and Mei-Mei can take that bath!"

"You really like bathing don't you?" I asked, glancing back at the girl. She gave me a grin, placing her arms behind her head again.

"I spent three years on the streets as a bum my friend. I didn't have time for baths, so whenever I have the chance, I rejoice. Like I told Mei-Ling, be sure to remind me about bathing. I got so used to just sleeping in a box that I tend to forget." she said, giving me a smile. I couldn't help but frown.

Had this girl seriously lived in the streets? Alone for three years? If she's around my age, that meant she was around 13 when this happened. I couldn't help but feel bad for her. An orphan who was forced to live out on the streets...I just couldn't imagine that. I just remained silent, giving her a nod. I heard foot steps moving toward us, making me look up. I stiffened a bit when I noticed Lee was approaching us. I quickly shot to my feet, standing firm as the Ultimate Drill Sargent walked toward us.

"Good day Cadets, how fares your afternoon?"

"Could be better." I replied firmly. He gave us a nod, glancing at Carla who had a hand over her sore spot. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Tenko tensing up a bit. It seemed as if she was still mad about what Lee had done earlier, not that I blame her. Lee stood firm, looking directly into my eyes.

"I would like to apologize to the two of you. I shouldn't have hit you when you approached me earlier. My beloved Corps has taught me valuable life skills. Skills that I wish to pass on to everyone here. But there are times that I get way ahead of myself. It is wrong to strike women, and I will never do it again."

"Hey it's fine...with my line of work, you gotta be tough. I've taken more than a hit to the gut before. It actually felt soothing." Carla said, causing me to quirk a brow.

"Right...well, I just wished to convey my apology. I will try not to yell at anyone, but do remember that I have things that I just do. It is my nature as a United States Marine."

"Hey man, it's no problem. Just as long as you don't wake me up at 0500 hours with a goddamn bugle, you and I are cool." I said firmly. He nodded, turning around to leave. I remembered his speech, and smiled a bit.

"Oh and Lee?" I called out, causing him to look back.

"Something you need?"

"Nah...I just wanted to say...that speech you gave us back at the gym, was totally alpha." I said. He just stared at me oddly, giving me a nod before walking away. Carla stood beside me, a smile on her face.

"I stole his wallet." she said, holding out a White Legend of Zelda wallet to me.

"Huh...what? When?"

"Just now silly."

"Hmm...hey wait a minute, this is my wallet!" I cried, causing the girl to laugh audibly.

"Hey you guys!" Mei-Ling cried, greeting the two of us.

I noticed she was no longer wearing her qipao. Instead, she was wearing a sleeveless red tank top, with a black sports bra underneath, and jean shorts. She was still rocking her stilettos, a slight pained look on her face. Her hair was still the same, though she had taken the time to brush it again. The flat loops at the side of her head were neatly in place, her chopsticks holding her bun at the top of her head. She looked rather adorable, I doubt I could see her with another style now. Chris and Veruca were still wearing the same attire, though I noticed the Ultimate Nut Specialist lacked her mink parka.

"Hey...did you find anything?" I asked curiously.

"Yes...the dorms are all tailored to us, specifically. All of the items that I was missing are there. I'm quite certain the gear you mentioned is located there was well." Veruca said.

"That's right...our dorms are on the fourth floor, and we're actually neighbors. So as we say in Mexico, beinvenido a la colonia." Chris said, holding his hand out to me. I nodded, giving him a nod, shaking his hand.

"That means welcome to the neighborhood right?"

"Yeah...pretty close. A colonia is like a small neighborhood, like a cul-de-sac, but like in the same complex. It's hard to explain...it's like one of those resort like living areas you Gringos have here." he said.

"Oh...I know what it is then. Anyway, me and Carla checked out the entire first floor. We also took a look at the Weight Room, turns out the Trophy Room and changing rooms are open. The reason is, that those that wish to use the bath house need to change, and they'd have to go all the way to their dorms to get their shit. So Monokuma left them open. The Weight Room entrance is firmly locked though." I said.

"Yep yep! Unless there's a class trial, we aren't getting access to it, or the second floor." Carla said, confirming what the bear had told us earlier.

"Hmm...makes me wonder what a class trial is? Guess we'll have to wait until a body drops." Chris said.

"Bloody hell, do you always have to mention death?"

"Hey, I'm just saying what everyone is thinking Ruca." he exclaimed, causing the girl to grit her teeth. She clenched her jaw so hard I swore I heard one of her teeth crack.

"I uh...have an idea." I say, before I even realized I had spoken. They all looked at me, an expectant look on their faces.

"Oh? What's that then?" Mei-Ling asked curiously. Despite being the leader, she wasn't doing a very good job at it. I sigh, glancing at the top of the dome, the acrylic clouds not moving an inch.

"Well...how about we gather everyone in the cafeteria? I figure in order to prevent people from killing, we need to become friends. I know it's a stretch, but I think that remaining in groups of five or six will be beneficial. Everyone will keep in line and no one will have to die. The leaders of each group will have meetings to discuss well...stuff." I said. I didn't have a lot of faith in this idea, but it was better than lone wolfing it.

"Not a bad idea, but I doubt anyone is going to follow it." Veruca said, rather pessimistically. I was gonna say something, but after what had happened, I knew she had a point. I frowned, glancing at the ground.

"Hey, it isn't that bad of an idea. You go tell everyone to meet up at the cafeteria and I'll take care of the rest. I was voted the leader right? I gotta start acting like one." Mei-Ling said firmly, holding her small fists in the air. Chris chuckled, shaking his head a bit.

"The little dragon has spirit, alright then...I'll go rally the troops." he said, flicking his coat as he walked off.

Carla followed after him for some reason or another. Mei-Ling headed off to the cafeteria, once again leaving me alone with Veruca. She seemed a bit calmer than before. Though I couldn't help but remember her crying earlier, as she clung onto my arm. I noticed some pink specks of blood on her dress, but I decided to keep that to myself, for now at least.

"I asked Chris earlier but...what do you make of all this?" she asked, an expectant look on her face.

"I dunno...I can't exactly put a finger on it. It just seems odd that a bear would just...capture all of us and force us to kill each other. Suffice it to say, it won't be long until the metaphorical shit hits the fan."

"One needs incentive to commit an action, I'm afraid. The Queen doesn't move on her own, not until the Pawns are out of the way, and her Knights are in place. I'm afraid whoever is in charge is far too many paces ahead of us. The strategy you proposed, it may sound beneficial...but it may lead to murder." she said firmly.

"I see that...but I just needed some peace of mind. If we split into groups, then we don't lone wolf it. Means we got more eyes in more places. It's not like we can start a Student Council or anything, doubt regular school stuff will happen now...makes me wonder where the Dean is though."

"Heh...that bastard is probably in on it. Remember what Monokuma said, he called this a Social Experiment. I fear the Dean may have been convinced to act on his own. After all, he is also a researcher of talent, sending his findings to Hope's Peak Academy. It would make sense if the Steering Committee over there hosted this."

"You think this is all a set up by Hope's Peak?" I asked curiously. She gave me a firm nod.

"Me and Chris discussed the idea of a Nuclear offensive. But it's just one of many theories I'm working on. I'm one that likes to reach the truth, no matter how bitter it may be. But one more plausible theory revolves around the Dean himself. Are you aware of the Reserve Course?"

"Reserve Course?" I mutter in confusion.

When I think of it, I can't help but think about the United States Army. The Reserves are usually soldiers that are off duty. On the off chance that there aren't enough troops, the Reserves are called in. Perhaps it was like that?

"It doesn't matter...the Reserve Course is something that Hope's Peak Academy implemented in the last few years. Not a lot of people see it, but the academy is losing money. I handle stocks for my daddy's company. I know he also sponsors the Charter Program, he was an Alumna of Hope's Peak after all. I noticed that their stocks were decreasing. So they opened another school, the Reserve Course, for talentless individuals. It was a means to make money."

"A means to make money...wait, so you believe the funds from the Reserve Course are also being used here?"

"It makes sense doesn't it? Perhaps this is one of Hope's Peak Academy's many experiments. In order to see which talents are more useful during certain scenarios. Can't say Competitive Eating is one that sticks out. However you have a means to inspire people, with your songs and your voice...me on the other hand...Nut cracking isn't really a talent." she said, glancing at the floor.

"Hey now...of course it's a talent! You wouldn't be the Ultimate Nut Specialist if it wasn't. I mean come on! Didn't you increase the productivity of your dad's factory with your Nut Tapping devices?" I asked, earning a small nod from the girl.

"I did...there are hardly any bad nuts now, because I can tell which trees will produce a good harvest. Not many people realize how much protein nuts contain, and how healthy they are for the body."

"Then it's your job to tell the world how awesome nuts are! We'll get out of here Ruca, I'm sure we will! You just gotta stay positive!" I say, a grin on my face. She sighed, giving me an icy glare.

"Do not call me Ruca!"

"S-sorry."

xxx(Mei-Ling's Side)xxx

It had taken a bit of effort, but with some coaxing, I had managed to gather everyone up in the cafeteria. I was standing in front of the glass doors that lead to the outside deck, facing the gathered students. I felt so small under their gaze, making me remember the time I gave a presentation at the Smithsonian. I had felt so tiny and insignificant, but I let my research guide me, and I had won the favor of the ones gathered. I still remember the smile my Papa gave me, when I returned to China, shortly before he...I let my thoughts trail away, I couldn't think back on such a sad moment. Jonathan stood next to me, he was so much taller than me, almost an entire foot. It was rather reassuring if I was being honest. Alice, Dan and Cara were nearby as well...as the only Faculty members, they were responsible for all of us. The Former-Ultimate Secretary had been rather eager to listen to what I had to say. So she had been the one to gather those who were inside. I took a breath, placing my hands behind my back.

"I don't exactly know how to start this but...I felt like we needed to hold a meeting. To discuss what is going on in this school and find a potential way of escape."

"Like, did you forget the bomb in our neck? If we try to leave our heads will blow up!" Chloe snapped, snapping her mirror closed, capping her lip gloss.

"Well we have to try right? We can't just sit here and wait for one of us to start killing!" Lucy said firmly.

"I agree...though our current situation is rather unfavorable, we must consider the options. I myself have been searching throughout the school for strategic weak points. It seems if we wish to find a means of escape, it will be the front of the building. Should we find a means to remove the Iron plates on the windows, that shall be an avenue of freedom." Calem said firmly, resting his hand on his chin.

"Uh...I dunno if you noticed bruh, but we would need wrenches for that shit. Big ones at that, and we currently lack that." Nick said, downing half a can of Mountain Dew.

"Not to mention the bombs in our necks. If they work on a remote, then the mastermind could press the button before we even try." Kaito added, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh oh! I saw this in a movie once! All we need is an electric chair, if we give ourselves a strong shock right to the neck, it'll short circuit the bomb! It's fool proof!" Carla said happily.

"Sweetheart, we don't have an electric chair, and I for one would not let any of you bring harm to yourselves." Cara said firmly.

"Why? Because you're a teacher? I still think you three have something to do with it." Miu snapped angrily, balling her fist.

"We have already told you, Miss Iruma. We have nothing to do with your entrapment here. We are in the same boat. If we wanted to trap you in here, wouldn't we have been on the outside?" Dan asked, a cross look on his face.

"Likely story asshole! You probably get a hard on for this shit, you wanna watch us bleed. You wanna watch us tear each other apart, so you can beat your dick off to it!"

"Will you shut the fuck up? Your breath smells like shit covered bagels." Kokichi snapped, a giddy smirk on his face.

"Shit covered bagels?" Miu cried, sinking in her seat, shivering a bit.

"Perhaps we should relax a bit and think things through. Finding a way out should be our number one priority. I for one cannot fall within this institution." Kirumi said, as she brought out a cart filled with tea cups. She handed a mug to Setsuko, who happily took a sip from it.

"Ah...that's the stuff, I was beginning to get sleepy." she said.

"It's Colombian, no sugar, extra strong. Though I do recommend you don't drink much of this. You need sleep." the Ultimate Maid said, only to be brushed off by the Media Critic.

"Anyway, I believe...in order to remain alive in here, we should become friends. I had an idea, all of us split into small groups and vote for a leader. The leader of each group will routinely go to meetings with other leaders, and discuss ways to make our lives here better. That way, we all get to know each other, we develop trust, and we work toward our common goal, getting out of here." Jon said firmly.

"Well met, that is a fine idea Cadet. I for one believe that we should all settle our differences and work together. We are a platoon now, and we need to have each others backs. Especially because we are in the trenches knee deep in shit. Let me be the first so say, I'm sorry for how I acted, moving forward, I wish for us to all get along." Lee said, standing next to Jon with a firm look on his face.

"Gonta thinks being friends beneficial! We all become close, no killing necessary to leave!" the Ultimate Entomologist said happily.

"Well, I for one am not going to be joining in any merry gatherings." Maki said, glancing up at Jon. She had been leaning against one of the posts, having remained silent the entire time.

"Why not? We need to stick together no?" Kaito asked curiously.

"I do not know any of you. Suffice it to say, I value my own life more than I value all of yours. You can start killing each other if you'd like but I am not going to be making friends while I am here."

"Da, the girl makes good point. Why should we stick together? It takes one rotten apple to ruin the bushel." Anastasia said firmly, having stood up from her seat.

"Tania, I know that you might be scared but..."

"Scared? Mei-Ling you are mistaken...I do not fear anyone. Should Baba Yaga come for me, I shall meet him head on. I will not let any of you bring me down, I have to much to live for." she replied.

"Wait, John Wick was invited to this school? Oh Jon why didn't you tell me you were a hitman?" Carla cried, earning a sigh from the Ultimate Songwriter.

"Hey, if the Rusky doesn't want to join in the Kumbaya then we can't force her right? We all know who to look for when we find a sucker with a knife in his neck." Chris said, taking a sip of his tea.

"Goddamn it Chris! This is fucking serious man!" Jonathan cried.

"I am being serious Jon, look around you. Tell me what you see an be honest. You see 39 people you do not know. Any one of us could be a killer, hell one of us already is. If I recall, the Tennis Player killed an entire Mafia with a Tennis Racket and an Iron Ball. What's stopping him from doing it again?" the Ultimate Lepidopterologist cried out, setting his tea cup down.

"Suspect me if you wish...it's good that you do. I am a killer after all." Ryoma said, his deep voice devoid of merry sentiment.

"I think we should suspect the Robot. You know what they say about AI, they might become too smart. Who's to say our friendly neighborhood Terminator isn't going to shank us when we're asleep? Especially if he can hack into the Security systems in the Dorms." Kokichi said, sounding rather happy at what he had said.

"I do not possess any means of remote hacking. I cannot hack security systems. What you are saying is very robophobic!" Kiibo said, sounding rather angry as he glared at the Supreme Leader.

"Besides, why should we trust you Jon? I mean look at how you are dressed. Suspiciously like the bear that trapped us here. How do we know you aren't involved in all of this?" Nick said firmly.

"Hey fuck you man! I don't know how the fuck I got here, and I do not get my sick kicks watching people die!"

"Says you...you seemed rather stoic after Kevin's head exploded. It must have been a rather warm feeling right?" Harrison asked, causing me to just look at him.

"That one has a fucking screw lose." Chris said firmly. At least he had said what I wanted to say as well.

"Nick does bring a good point...he isn't the only one though. Carla is wearing monochrome too, look at her shoes, not to mention that neckerchief around her arm." Jill said, pointing to the Ultimate Lucky Student, who just gave her a grin.

"I like pranking people, but this is way out of my purview...like waaaaaaaayyyy out of it." she said, spreading her arms above her head, as if to measure size. The expression on her face made her look rather adorable.

"Yeah well...I've been thinking about things and I have arrived at a correct answer. According to my calculations, we have about 7 years worth of food in the kitchen storage. Not counting whatever is in the garden, we can live here for awhile. Enough to plan our escape." Veruca said.

"Well according to my calculations, we have about six hours before my daddy comes to get me." Chloe said, a smirk on her face. Veruca turned to face her hands on her hips.

"According to my calculations, you don't have any calculations."

"Well according to my calculations, you're a sweaty cunt!"

"Hey, hey! Stay on topic! We're forgetting the point here! We have to become friends so that we don't kill each other!" I cried out.

"Avast ye hearties! The Dragon makes a strong point, ye should join me crew. Become strong so that we may lead a mutiny against the Captain of this vessel. Lest we all dance the hempen jig!" Gabriella said firmly. She pressed a square shaped bottle to her lips, it took me a moment to realize it was a bottle of Captain Morgan, how she got it, I didn't know.

"Anyone fluent in pirate?" Kaede asked, a confused look on her face.

"I believe she said we should join forces, or else we may die in this place." Tsumugi replied.

"You know what she said?"

"I watch a lot of One Piece, I'm used to Pirate Terms." she replied, silently thanking Kirumi for her cup of tea.

"Heh...I'm not gonna die here! I'm gonna find the Degenerate Male who trapped us here and beat him up! There is no way I'm letting him harm the precious girls in this school. Especially Himiko!"

"Nyeh...I'm already preparing my strongest attack spell...I will blow apart this entire building. You'll see." the Ultimate Mage said, a tired look on her face.

"Don't blow a gasket now sweetie, we wouldn't want you to have a nose bleed." Chris said, earning a slap to the back of the head from Veruca. She was quite annoyed with him, but remained silent, listening to what everyone was saying.

"Well...if the Shrimp is saying we need a leader, I think you should all vote for me. I'm beautiful, courageous, strong and not to mention a bonafied Queen! I used to rule my old school, and I know how to treat my subjects. Those who don't vote for me will become my personal slaves." Chloe said, having stood up to face the others.

"Someone get the guillotine and cut her damn head off. I think this one has a Marie Antoinette complex." Miu snapped.

"I wouldn't mind seeing a little pink, diamonds I mean...pink diamonds." Harrison said, eyes darting around for a moment.

"Why the hell do I gotta sit next to the damn weirdos?" Jill muttered under her breath. I could sense a lot of regret just from her body language. Kirumi had asked her for help earlier, as she was the Ultimate Bartender. She had turned her down, perhaps that was what she was regretting, as she now had to sit next to some questionable people.

"I believe in what Mei-Ling and Jon want to do. As the oldest son of the Di Carita Family, I will not let their name be stained with blood. I must survive, by any means necessary. I believe we should all find groups with people we are comfortable with. That way, we shall survive through the harshest things to come." the Ultimate Persuader said. His tone of voice and words were very soothing, and it seemed as if some were swayed to what he was saying.

"Thank God he's here. It makes this a little bit easier on my part at least." I thought, giving the Italian boy a smile.

"It's going to take more than pretty words to convince me, I'm afraid. I too have much to live for outside this school. I'm starting to think coming here was a mistake." Rantaro said firmly, a look of disappointment on his face.

"Yeah well suck it up, buttercup. You're already here, nothing you can do about it now."

"Nick, don't start instigating things!" Cara snapped, earning a frown from her husband.

"Ha, she's got you whipped boy." Chris said, a smirk on his face.

"Callate la boca! Puta pendejo!"(Shut your mouth, bitch, asshole!) Nick cried, surprising the Lepidopterologist. Gabriella burst into laughter, almost falling out of her seat.

"Aye laddie, well spoken. If the the Captain is going to feed the fish soon, I hope ya live through it." she slurred, taking another gulp from her bottle.

"Can someone please tell me how she got that booze in here?" Alice asked. Dan walked over to the young woman, pulling the bottle away from her.

"You are not old enough to drink Miss Vertran."

"How dare ye take me rum? Ya filthy swain, landlubber! Ye hast made an enemy out of me. Don't ye try to scream when I slip the hempen halter around yer scrawny neck." the woman cried, stumbling a bit as she stood up, reaching for her sword.

"Bloody pirates." Veruca muttered under her breath, setting down her empty tea cup. I sighed, clearly we aren't getting anywhere with this meeting.

"Me cago en la leche carajo! Este ojete the mierda es el cabron mas grande del mundo." (I shit on the milk goddamn it! This mother fucker is the biggest asshole in the world!) Chris shouted, slamming his fist against the table. Clearly he was mad at something, what that was I wasn't sure.

"Hey...hey listen! For fuck sakes people! One of us is already dead, can you at least act like you care? I don't want to die any more than you do. So let's just get into neat little groups and try to get along. I know we're different, I know we may not like each other. But we have to work together in order to survive. Who knows how long we'll be here, we need to at least have some degree of trust among each other!" Jonathan cried out, a look of anger and anguish on his face.

"Kekeke, I for one am going to be a bit cautious around you all. That doesn't mean I will not try my best to make friends here." Korekiyo said, in an almost mischievous tone.

"Ja! I come to America to see what it is like here. Ve cannot let our differences tear us apart. Ve all know vhat happens vhen you let one madman do things his vay." Victoria said.

"Yes...the world knows that better than anyone." Lee said, earning a glare from the General.

"You know something...I've been sitting here watching you all jibber jabber back and forth. And while I am entertained, I am also disappointed!" the voice of Monokuma said, the bear jumped up onto one of the empty tables, facing the gathered students.

"All hands hoay! The Captain's Cockswain has stepped away from the wheel!" Gabriella shouted, once again confusing us with her slurred speech.

"What are you doing here? Have you come to let us go already?" Chloe asked.

"Pfft...let you go? That's now how it works sweetie...I just came to see how you were all settling in. Also to let you know the Gym has been cleaned up. You have no idea how hard it is to get blood off wood, thankfully I've done it before."

"Why are you doing this? What do you get out of all of this?" I asked, glaring at the bear. He gave me a chuckle, turning to fully face me.

"What do I get out of this? Delicious despair of course! It's just so wonderful seeing so many youngsters take each others heads off. I mean, the first time it happened, it was trial and error. I still had a lot of toys I wanted to try out. The simulation turned rather boring after awhile, hell those idiots wouldn't know their ass from a hole in the ground. I figured I would try it again with you fine people...and so far I've gotten explosive results!"

"The first time? Simulation?" Veruca asked, her voice filled with confusion.

"This isn't the first time you've done this...isn't it?" Kaede asked firmly, her hand over her heart.

"Nope! This is actually my third foray into the Killing Game Genre. We're still in the prologue actually...come chapter 1, I think you'll all start seeing things my way."

"Fuck you! This is not some sick game!" Lucy cried in anger, earning a giggle from the bear.

"Oh but it is a game...and I think you'll love this one. You can try and keep your party from dying if you'd like. Just remember, permadeath is a real thing in our world. Yuk-Yuk-Yuk!" Monokuma laughed, his stubby hands clutching his belly.

"Worry not friends! Atua's divine light shall watch over all of us! We have nothing to fear, so let's all hold hands and pray. We'll be out of here in no time." Angie said happily, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, not to shit in your cornflakes sweetheart, but I have a hard time believing in your crackpot story. Religion is only an ideal, it's gotten people killed in the past you know." Nick said firmly, swirling the remainder of his soda around. Angie gave him an angry glare, but remained silent.

"Ugh...seeing you all just stand here yapping is annoying. So here's a bit of motivation...to get things rolling. From the 40 people that were gathered here, one of you has something very very useful! Any guesses on what it could be?"

"A three speed vibrating dildo, ribbed for her pleasure!" Carla cried out. Miu burst into laughter, almost falling from her seat, while the others just groaned.

"Good guess honey, if you find one let me know, I could make good use of it."

"Oh trust me, I'll find one and give it to you. But you have to be careful, you might get a bottle of Sriracha instead of lube." the brunette prankster said, giving the bear a wink. I honestly didn't want to imagine what that would feel like.

"Oh Jesus...I don't know what's worse? Lubing up with Icy Hot, or Cock Sauce."

"Bloody hell, we are not having this bloomin' conversation you twat! Shut your goddamn mouth and finish that fockin tea before I break your fockin nuts!" Veruca shouted, causing Chris to shy away a bit.

"Ay, esta mujer me va a matar!" (This woman is going to kill me.) he said softly, shaking in his seat.

"If I may take a crack at your question, I believe you are referring to a means of contacting the outside correct?" Calem asked.

"That is indeed correct, Mr. Azure Strategist. One of you has a device capable of contacting the outside. A cellphone." Monokuma said. I stiffened a bit when he said that. I was the only one who had gotten to keep my phone? What does that mean then?

"One of us has a phone? I looked through my room and I didn't find mine." Tsubaki cried.

"Yeah...she tore apart my room too." Kaikane said, arms crossed as he glanced at his twin sister, a look of annoyance on his face.

"Well alright, whoever has that phone cough it up. We need to get the Police here ASAP! Hell give it to Drill Sargent Yells a lot over there so he can call the fucking Marines." Kaito said firmly.

"I will not have you referring to the Marine Corps with the word Fucking, am I understood Cadet? I will make you eat my shit, shit out my shit and then make you eat your shit, which is made up of my shit, which I made you eat! Do not make me do that, because it will not be pretty when I spoon feed it to you!" Lee shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls.

"Okay, jeez."

"Pu-hu! This is all so entertaining, while all of you are talking and twiddling your thumbs, some of you are trying to figure out who has it. Well, even if you found that phone it wouldn't matter. You'd need the charger to even get it to power on. So here's my proposition to you...I will turn on outside communications, only if I get a body. That person will get the charger and have five minutes to make one phone call to the outside world. Whoever they chose. However, during the Investigation, the A/V room will be closed. Can't have you shooting emails all willy nilly after all. Oh...before I forget, there's a 24 hour limit on this. So if I don't see a body by tomorrow afternoon at this time, you'll miss your window. Tick tock ladies and gentlemen, the game is about to begin! UPUPUPUPU!" the bear said, waddling off to who knows where.

What Monokuma had done had garnered the appropriate effect. The work that we had done, in order to try and get us to work together, was just destroyed. People started muttering about the phone, the charger and the possibility of getting out alive. I tried to remain neutral...if someone found out I was the one with the phone, I would most likely be killed for it. It's a personal device, but if I have to get rid of it I will. I cannot have people start killing for it. I'll have to do it in secret...so no one can see it.

"Guys, you have to ignore what Monokuma just said. He's just riling you up, setting you up for murder. Is one 5 minute phone call worth killing someone?" Alice asked, a hopeful look on her face.

"Honestly, it is. It's a bitter pill to swallow Miss, but I'm a realistic guy. One life for 38 others seems like a good trade off. Especially if we can contact the Army." Anaji said, standing up from his seat.

"I bet you have been planning this from the moment go. Haven't you? You with the creepy voice and those fucking weird eyes, how the hell can you move around if you're blind?" Miu cried out, earning a smirk from Anaji.

"I'm not blind, my eyes are naturally white."

"That's not creepy in the slightest. You degenerate male, I will not let you bring harm against the ladies of this school!"

"Ugh, will you shut up you fucking Feminazi? Jesus Christ. I didn't come here to listen to Hillary Clinton talk about her vagina for five fucking hours straight!" Chris said angrily.

"Um excuse me...as your ruling Queen, I demand you plebs hand over the phone at once. I shall call my father and let him know where I am so he can pick me up." Chloe said.

"What about the rest of us?" Veruca said, earning a grin from the Queen Bee.

"Fuck all of you. There's only space for one in my Daddy's chopper!"

"Oh I beg to differ, I'm sure I can squeeze in if I try hard enough." Kokichi said, giving the girl a wink. She shuddered a bit, looking away from the short violet haired boy.

"Well I can clearly see this went south fast. It was a nice attempt Jon, Mei, but I am not sticking around to see the fallout." Maki said, taking her leave.

"I'm with her, no sense staying around here for you to shank me in the back." Harrison said, following after the girl, muttering things about Red under his breath. I shivered as he passed me, I didn't like that guy. It wasn't long until everyone started leaving the cafeteria, with only a few people left behind.

"That went to hell in a hand basket real quick." Veruca mused, pouring herself some more tea.

"I'm afraid the message you wished to convey wasn't met with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm. I however believe in what you are saying...working together will make us a far greater force." Kirumi said.

"I agree as well...I came here not just to study, but to make honest friends. I may look a little weak, but I don't let my disability take me down. I am not dying here!" Lucy said cheerfully.

"Well, at least I know where I can find some basketballs if I wanna shoot some hoops." Chris said, earning a slap to the head from Tenko, who had remained behind with Himiko.

"Degenerate." she hissed.

"Um...I have a solution to our dilemma...if you want to hear me out." Shuichi said shyly. Kaede gave him a smile, most likely urging him to speak.

"Sure Shuichi, what do you wanna say?" I asked, a smile on my face.

"Perhaps we should stick together...you know, as a medium sized group. If we get to know each other better, we may limit the number of casualties...on the off chance that someone does decide to...you know."

"That's a good idea bro! I want to make loads of friends too, too bad we don't have a beach anyway. I wanna hit the waves soon." Kaikane said, sounding rather cheerful.

"You're telling me, I wanna skate and clear my head."

"I agree with Shuichi too...we should stick together for a bit. We share each others secrets, get to know each other. That way we aren't tempted into killing! It's got my seal of approval!" Kaito said, holding his hand with his thumb raised up.

"Oh my...who made you the leader, Rocket Boy?" Veruca said, holding back her giggles.

"I'm not Rocket Boy! My name is Kaito Momota! Luminary of the Stars, and I will get to space once day! Count on it!"

"Well...as long as Homer Hickam is here to build us a rocket ship, we might as well try to reach for the stars." Chris said happily.

"Then let us remain as a team. I will do my best to assist everyone, so that your daily lives can be a bit easier. That being said, if you require something of me, do not hesitate to call." Kirumi said, giving them a polite bow.

"Yahoo! We have our own Den Mother now! Mommy could I get some warm milky and cookies?" Carla cried, earning a sigh from the Ultimate Maid.

"Please, do not refer to me like that...I don't like being called mommy." she said, politely excusing herself as she left to prepare her milky and cookies. Carla had an eager look on her face.

"We'll have to figure out who has that phone then. We take it out of the equation, and temptation is removed as well. It is a rather strategic play, if I say so myself." Calem said. He had remained silent, gauging our reactions for awhile. I smiled, giving him a nod.

"I agree...though it is rather tempting...getting to call someone. But I'm not going to fall for it. If I find that phone, I'm going to break it!" I said cheerfully.

"Well said...but can I borrow it for like a minute? I wanna watch a video, it's only four minutes long. It's called "Girls Squirting Compilation." it will give me the drive I need to get out of here alive."

"You fuckin' perv! Degenerate male, that's all you think about huh? I'm going to beat the hell out of you!" Tenko cried, wrapping her arms around the boy, locking him into a grapple hold. Jon quickly moved forward to assist in his rescue, while Himiko was chanting a mantra of some sort. I sighed, knowing this was most likely going to be my daily routine now.

Tenko Chabashira

Himiko Yumeno

Shuichi Saihara

Kaede Akamatsu

Kaito Momota

Kirumi Tojo

Lucy Cadwell

Christopher Patrick Bacon

Veruca LeGume

Carla Williamson

Jonathan Hyles

The Aulani Twins

and me...Fa, Mei-Ling...

We were the first group made on that day. 14 of us against whatever Monokuma was planning to toss our way. Despite us wanting to prevent anything from happening, it wouldn't be long until we were all thrust into a maelstrom of despair. And sadly...I was at the helm.

New Semester: Epilogue End

Surviving Students: 36

Surviving Faculty Members: 3

xxx(Cast)xxx

Class 24 of Morning Hope Academy + Faculty

Fa Mei-Ling

Jonathan Hyles

Anaji Hora

Lucy Cadwell

Setsuko Inoue

Victoria Louis

Tsubaki Aulani

Kaikane Aulani

Veruca LeGume

Nicholas Ladd Gardner

Cara Ladd Gardner

Anastasia Katrina Klevorick

Carla Williamson

Harrison Evans

Kamron Luca Di Carita

Alice Lois Caroll

Julianne Natalie Ray

Kevin Hicks (Deceased)

Gabriella Vertran

Dan Arche

Lee Harvey Emerson

Calem Kurogane

Christopher Patrick Bacon

Chloe Raincomprix

Class 79 of Hope's Peak Academy

Kirumi Tojo

Kaede Akamatsu

Shuichi Saihara

Kaito Momota

Miu Iruma

Rantaro Amami

Korekiyo Shinguji

Himiko Yumeno

Tenko Chabashira

Kokichi Ouma

Gonta Gokuhara

Kiibo

Maki Harukawa

Ryoma Hoshi

Tsumugi Shirogane

Angie Yonaga