Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.
Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. As I mentioned in a previous author note, the story will be deviating from the official canon. Nevertheless, please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it.
A/N: Thank you so much for your patience and support while on this journey that is my fanfic. Life gets busier as I get older but I'm still determined to continue with this story. Please enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Walking into a Trap
"Thank you so much, Chiaki. I honestly wouldn't have been able to carry all of this on my own," Hikari said gratefully as she unfurled an indigo-colored rug over the black incantation circle in her cottage.
"I thought you would ask a boy for help," Chiaki admitted bluntly. The Gamer put the candles and incense into a cardboard box they got from Rocketpunch Market. "I didn't know you were capable of carrying a rug by yourself."
Hikari sweatdropped slightly, getting up from her kneeling position on the hardwood floor. "Well, the rug isn't that heavy. I needed something to cover the magic circle and a box to store that spiritual stuff away. I just didn't want to take more than one trip from the supermarket since we're supposed to be exploring the new island now." Plus, I feel like I've burdened Hajime a lot lately. If I asked Fuyuhiko, he would probably get worried and become overprotective of me. He would definitely try to pry for information on why I'm doing this when I'm just not ready to talk. Besides, Chiaki's my best friend here. I feel most comfortable being around her. I'll tell her about all of this soon. Hikari strolled over to Chiaki and took the cardboard box, glancing in the container. "Is that all of it?" Chiaki blinked at the Spirit Medium and nodded, watching the smaller girl take the box and carry it to her bed.
"Why are you storing most of your things and placing a rug in here?" the Gamer asked, tilting her head to the side as Hikari knelt down with the container and slid it underneath the bed. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" The bespectacled young woman rested her hands on top of the mattress, still in a kneeling position with her back towards Chiaki.
I had a feeling she would ask me too… the twin-tailed girl thought resignedly while holding back a sigh. A few seconds of silence passed before Hikari finally hoisted herself up into a standing position. She turned around to face her close friend with a sad smile. "I'll talk to you about it later…" the Spirit Medium promised Chiaki. "Maybe we can talk tonight if I'm not too tired. The past twenty-four hours made me really exhausted." She closed her eyes, holding back a tiny yawn as the Gamer watched her quietly. "I'll definitely tell you tomorrow if I don't have the energy after our exploration."
Chiaki nodded and followed Hikari out of the cottage, pulling out her handheld console to use. I believe I know exactly what happened that caused Hikari to store away the objects. They probably remind her of last night's incident. I don't think she's aware of me knowing what happened the previous night. However, I'm glad she's willing to open up about it to me. It would give me and the others some insight about what Monokuma might be doing behind the scenes…
^o^ ^o^
Hikari was not expecting the next island to be so geared towards children even though there were obvious modifications from Monokuma. A couple of those changes the Spirit Medium quickly discovered were Monomi's home having been made into a "horror house" according to the wooden sign behind the small building which was situated near the island's entrance and the front of the Funhouse's train having a gigantic Monokuma head as an adornment. There were so many bright colors everywhere that the bespectacled girl's eyes were watery and thought that they were getting overstimulated. Nevertheless, Hikari walked beside Chiaki as they explored the amusement park themed island.
"This island isn't very fun in spite of the entire place being an amusement park," the ebony-haired girl scoffed as the pair reached the final attraction after having taken a whole loop around the isle. "Everything is either closed or under maintenance." Monomi didn't allow them to enter her house due to privacy reasons which Hikari obviously understood. I mean, I wouldn't want my home to be an attraction for all to see. That'd be a bit creepy. The doors to Nezumi Castle were locked when they tried to get inside. The Spirit Medium doubted a horde of mice was blocking the door from the other side, contrary to what Monokuma and Monomi believed. I'm surprised they're afraid of mice. I didn't think bears or rabbits were scared of mice. They are stuffed animals though so maybe mice would gnaw on that kind of material? Then when Hikari and Chiaki neared the rollercoaster, Monokuma jumped in front of them and announced that the ride was "under maintenance." He further explained that he was in the process of "powering it up like crazy."
"I'm almost done!" the bear declared while waving around a saw in the air. "Come back later and ride this with everyone to get a treat from yours truly~! Just enjoy the other attractions first!"
Hikari sighed with her arms crossed when she stood in front of the train which would take riders into the Funhouse. "I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't running either…"
"It's operational, but there is a catch to ride it," Hikari heard someone speak up from her right. She closed her eyes and held in a loud groan of irritation. There was no mistaking that voice. Chiaki leaned forward with her hands on her backpack straps, looking to her right.
"What is the catch, Nagito?" the Gamer inquired inquisitively.
Nagito crossed his arms and smiled carefreely as he gazed at the brightly colored train. "Monokuma told me that in order to go to the Funhouse, everyone has to ride the train together." At that moment, Monokuma popped out from behind the train's engine with his arms raised high in the air.
"Nonetheless, your body will be crushed asunder!" he shouted loudly before disappearing into the tunnel. Hikari stared after him with her arms still crossed and an eyebrow raised.
"Okay then…" Hikari said after a long and awkward pause, looking at Chiaki who shrugged.
"Anyway, where are we supposed to find clues about the Future Foundation in an amusement park…?" the Luckster wondered out loud. Just hearing the words "Future Foundation" caused Hikari's heart to beat a little faster and her skin to gradually feel cold. The white-haired boy approached the girls cheerfully. "How about you two? Did you find anything?"
"Nope," the Gamer replied bluntly before she strolled away. Hikari blinked and hurried after her friend, giving a quick glance over her shoulder. Nagito stayed still with his arms crossed, appearing mildly amused with his usual smile. Luckily for Hikari, Chiaki didn't go very far, remaining right outside the entrance to the attraction. The backpack-wearing girl closed her eyes and let out a huge yawn. "I feel like this amusement park is…missing something," she said to the Spirit Medium as they saw Hajime coming down the stone-tiled path towards them. Chiaki puffed out her cheeks in annoyance once Hajime reached the pair. "I mean, it's supposed to be an amusement park but there isn't even an arcade!" Both Hajime and Hikari sweatdropped.
"I think the real problem is that most of the stuff is inaccessible at the moment, Chiaki…" Hikari hinted at with a weak smile.
"When you go to amusement parks with your friends, do you just ditch them to go play video games?" Hajime asked lightheartedly. Chiaki glared at the brown-haired boy with her cheeks still puffed out though her skin had taken on a pinkish hue.
"No…that's rude. I make sure to choose competitive puzzle games or shooting games that we can all play together." Then, the light pink-eyed girl's irritation melted away as she blinked and tilted her head innocently. "Well, if I had any friends, that is." Hajime appeared slightly taken aback at the response while Hikari frowned.
"What are you talking about, Chiaki? You have us!" the Spirit Medium exclaimed as she grabbed Chiaki's hands in her own and stared at her reassuringly.
The Gamer blinked a couple of times, returning Hikari's gaze before she smiled gently. "I know. I meant before we all met."
"Oh, well then…I guess I was the same too."
"Choosing competitive puzzle games or shooting games at amusement parks?"
Hikari sweatdropped before biting back a laugh. "I…I meant having no friends before coming to Jabberwock Island." Hajime blinked at the girls before him, feeling bad for them.
They really had no friends before recently? I guess siblings don't count in their eyes… Hajime considered, frowning. He remembered Hikari's sister was deceased and Chiaki did mention having a brother. But I can't think of any reason why they wouldn't have friends back then… They're really good friends of mine. I wish I met them sooner. The boy was so deep in thought he didn't notice Chiaki and Hikari staring at him quizzically in front of him.
"Hajime…? You okay?" the Spirit Medium asked, leaning towards the ahoged teen.
Hajime blinked and jolted slightly in surprise. "H-Huh…? Oh, yeah…I'm okay. Just spaced out, sorry…" He closed his eyes and smiled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
Chiaki tilted her head to the side a little, her hands on her backpack straps. "Hikari and I are thinking about going to see if the rollercoaster is ready. Monokuma said that it was almost done when we first checked it out. Want to come with us?"
"Oh, sure… It might be a trap though," Hajime warned, crossing his arms. "Monokuma plans to bait the riders with a prize…"
"That's true…" Hikari said reluctantly even though the three friends started heading to the thrill ride. "I hope it doesn't turn out to be a motive or anything like that…" About twenty minutes later, Chiaki, Hajime, and Hikari arrived at the entrance to the rollercoaster. The bespectacled girl was amazed to see that the rest of her classmates were already there.
Fuyuhiko looked around, hands in his pockets. "…Everybody here?"
"Hey, want to know something cool?" Chiaki asked everyone. "According to Monokuma…we'll all get a treat if we ride that rollercoaster together."
"H-Hey…! I-I'm not riding that thing!" Kazuichi croaked, gripping the hem of his beanie anxiously. His forehead started to glisten with nervous sweat. "Didn't I tell you!? I get crazy carsick!" The Mechanic then let out a high-pitched scream when the two-toned bear leapt from behind the rollercoaster and over the distressed teen.
"Rawr! Welcome!" Monokuma growled once he landed on his feet as if he just performed a complicated gymnastics maneuver. "Welcome to the main attraction of this amusement park, the Great Ultra-Delicious Coaster!"
Akane raised an eyebrow in suspicion, a fist on her hip. "Hey! Is it really true that we'll get a prize for riding this?"
"Suuure thing!" the stuffed animal chirped contentedly, his paws on his stomach.
Hajime stared at the bear warily. "What's…the prize?"
"Aw no! That's the surprise for after you ride this!"
"Hey…" Kazuichi almost whimpered, "do we really have to ride this together…?"
Monokuma turned to the neon pink-haired boy, his paws to his mouth now. "Didn't I tell you already? Are those ears for decoration?"
"No! I'm not gonna do it!" Kazuichi protested, clenching his fists tightly.
"Now now, it's gonna be fine!" Akane chuckled with a huge grin. "Thrill rides are sweeeet!" The Mechanic shook a fist towards the Gymnast with watery eyes.
"Everyone who likes them always says that! But I already know that they're not fun at all!" he spat.
Fuyuhiko sighed, already tired of Kazuichi's melodramatic display. "But…there's a possibility that the prize is gonna be those ship parts, you know?"
"Th-That…that might be true but…" the jumpsuit-wearing teen faltered, his body still shaking with anxiety. Hikari raised an eyebrow at the Yakuza.
Is Fuyuhiko using the same reasoning that Monokuma used on us to get on this island? He can be pretty manipulative when he wants to… Maybe that's true of all yakuza? the Spirit Medium pondered wistfully.
Sonia tilted her head to the side curiously. "Might I ask…where will this ride take us?"
"It won't take us anywhere," Chiaki answered matter-of-factly. "It's just gonna circle around and come back here."
"What…is the meaning behind that?" Sonia wondered, wearing a look of confusion on her face.
Gundham scoffed lightly, his arms crossed. "…You fiend, have you never gone to an amusement park?"
"I am embarrassed to say that we do not have these in my country," Sonia admitted sheepishly.
"I see…" Gundham acknowledged, glancing off to the distant. "I've only gone to an amusement park once during my childhood…" He looked back at the blonde young woman and uncrossed his arms to make a dramatic pose. "But it was an amusement park in hell filled with man-eating demons!"
Sonia gasped, taken aback. "Huh!? There are amusement parks in hell!?" Her shock quickly subsided as stars sparkled in her eyes, her fingertips touching on each hand. "I have never heard of such a thing! By all means, please allow me to accompany you next time!" Hikari watched the interaction between the two while holding back excited giggles in front of everyone.
Why are these two so adorable whenever they're together? she thought to herself, restraining her giddiness that was bubbling inside her petite body.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Kazuichi strongly objected, stepping towards the Princess. "Don't do it, Sonia-san! That guy has a habit of lying!" Just like that, the Spirit Medium's enthusiasm deflated as she glared at the Mechanic, annoyed that he was interrupting the bonding between her apparent OTP on the island. However, it appeared the Breeder was unfazed by Kazuichi's words.
"The entrance fee is the blood of a virgin!" Gundham let out a loud laugh, crossing his arms once again. He was completely ignoring the Mechanic while his two-toned eyes focused on Sonia. "I shall offer up your blood as tribute!" The Princess blinked a couple of times before she frowned in disappointment.
"Oh…that is a shame…" Sonia sighed sadly, her eyes downcast. "It seems my blood cannot be used as the entrance fee." At this point, everyone stared blankly at her, expressing a wide range of incredulity.
"Huh? Wait, does that mean… Sonia-san!?" Kazuichi exclaimed, one hand covering his nose as if he was expecting himself to have a nosebleed.
"Hey everyone…" Nagito started to say as he looked around with his arms crossed as if he disregarded the recent banter. "It's just going to be a waste of time if we stand around like this…" The Luckster then spread out his arms as his face lit up in delight. "Why don't we just try riding it?" Hikari's lips twisted a little in thought.
"H-Hold on! Wh-Why do we have to 'just try riding it'!?" Kazuichi shouted agitatedly, pointing at Nagito with a shaky finger.
Even though it's Komaeda who's suggesting it, I am kinda curious about riding a rollercoaster myself. This is my first time in an amusement park too so I might as well go for it…just as long as it's not really a trap Monokuma created and we all die a horrible and painful death, the twin-tailed girl thought as she sweatdropped a little. She sweatdropped even more when Nekomaru flexed his arms before picking up the hysterical Mechanic.
"S-Stop it! Stop it…please, lemme go! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LEEEET MEEEEE GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Kazuichi begged the Team Manager but his pleas fell on deaf ears. He struggled fruitlessly when the robotic teen stuffed him into one of the cars and tightly put the restraints on the panic-stricken young man. Then Monokuma turned to the rest of the group.
"Now then," the bear began, lifting his black paw up with an ominous aura, "all aboard the Great Ultra-Delicious Coaster!" The teens looked at each other and shrugged half-heartedly, accepting the fact that they had to ride this attraction whether they wanted to or not. Fuyuhiko looked at the Spirit Medium as everyone was getting into the cars, the girl seeming to be a bit timid.
"Is this your first time on a rollercoaster?" the Yakuza asked Hikari.
"Yeah," the bespectacled teen replied before she waved a hand lightheartedly with a small smile, "but I'll be fine. Just have some nerves from the anticipation of going on my first ride."
"Want to ride with me?" Fuyuhiko offered, getting into the far side of the second car. Hajime almost fell into the front car while the plain teen was listening in on the conversation, feeling a bit more alert around Hikari ever since the previous night's incident and what happened that morning between the two of them in his cottage. He took his seat when he noticed Chiaki climbing in after him, sitting down next to him.
"Sure," Hajime heard Hikari answer with happiness in her voice. He glimpsed behind him really quick to see the pigtailed girl step into the car as the Gangster put on his restraints.
"Hey, hey," Chiaki said, waving a hand in the preoccupied boy's face. "Hajime?" The ahoged teen blinked and smiled at the Gamer sheepishly.
"Yeah, Chiaki…?" he voiced, his eyes on the backpack-toting girl.
"I asked if you were all right. So many things happened yesterday and you seem, I dunno…quiet today. I just want to make sure you're okay," Chiaki explained, staring at Hajime with a hint of concern.
"Oh… Don't worry about me. I'm fine," Hajime replied before he turned to face forward.
The Gamer tilted her head, puzzled. She blinked when she heard Hikari's voice behind her. "Geez, Fuyuhiko… I don't think the restraints can get any tighter than this…" the Spirit Medium complained. "I can barely move…." Chiaki looked back to see the Yakuza tugging on Hikari's seatbelt.
"That's the point," the Gangster remarked as he sat back. "This ride was manipulated by Monokuma, remember? Who the hell knows what will happen on this damn contraption? You should hold onto the safety bar, too."
Chiaki watched the interaction between the two with a slight intrigue. She was still unsure about how they ended up with a close bond. Yet from what I observed so far during the past few days, it seems like Fuyuhiko is very protective of Hikari, the pale mauve-haired girl conjectured as she moved to look forward. There's no reason to worry then…probably. She peeked to her right, still seeing Hajime in a brooding mood despite his efforts to hide it. However, just when the Gamer opened her mouth to question the tie-wearing teen, the rollercoaster took off at its maximum speed.
"Yaahooooo!" yelled Akane from behind Hikari, the Gymnast's arms in the air. It appeared everyone was screaming, but the bespectacled girl could definitely pick out the distressed Mechanic's from close to the back of the ride since his voice was clearly the highest pitched.
"Ahhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I'm gonna die…I'm gonna diiiiiiiiiiiie!" he shrieked right before he started foaming at the mouth.
"Tch…! What overwhelming g-force!" Nekomaru exclaimed from a row further back from Kazuichi, the robotic young man situated at the end. "It feels like all the screws in my body are going to fly offffff!"
"Be still…my heart!" Gundham gasped, sitting next to the Luckster who just smiled calmly as if this was a Sunday drive down the road. The Breeder's long purple scarf flapped behind him and whacked at Kazuichi at every turn and swerve.
Sonia laughed happily in front of the gothic-looking teen as she hung onto the safety bar, sitting next to Akane. "B-But…this is so much fun!"
"I…I…I'm gonna die…" Kauzuichi murmured weakly, his body limp as the rollercoaster was approaching the end of the circuit. "Let…me…die…" With a screech of the wheels, everyone lurched forward violently when the ride abruptly stopped. Monokuma jumped out of the car he was in, feeling extremely proud of his modifications on the attraction.
"All right, we arrived! How was it? Wasn't that fun?" the bear asked excitedly while most of the teens stepped off the ride with shaky legs. Hikari stumbled forward, her world spinning a little.
"Hey, hey! Let's go on it one more time!" Akane grinned happily, not fazed at all by the coaster's intensity.
Sonia smiled confidently, flexing a bicep. "I agree! Once more!"
"No!" Kazuichi screamed, his eyes bugging out and his mouth still a bit frothy. "No friggin' way!"
At this moment, I couldn't agree more with you, Kazuichi… the Spirit Medium thought as she did her best to ignore the growing urge to vomit, still waiting for the dizziness to subside.
"…Hey, hey," Chiaki chimed in, her hands on her backpack straps as she stared at Monokuma, "more importantly, where's our treat?"
The bear exhaled happily, his paws on his belly. "Oh yeah, right! Here you go! The treat is a file!"
"…Huh!?" Hajime immediately perked up when Monokuma waved the file in his black paw, the boy noticing the symbol on the cover right away. "…A file from the Future Foundation! Will we be able to find out who they are if we look at this!?"
Nagito placed a finger under his chin in deep thought before turning to the evil bear. "…Is it all right if I check inside?"
"Sure thing, do whatever you like! Here!" Monokuma chirped as he tossed the file towards the Luckster who caught it with both hands. Everyone then started to gather around Nagito as he opened the file. Hikari took only a couple steps before quickly looking around and scurrying quietly to the outside of the ride's entrance.
C-Can't hold it in anymore…! Hikari whined mentally as she reached to the nearest garbage receptacle. The twin-tailed teen gripped the rims of the barrel-size container, leaning forward and throwing up the contents of her breakfast. I barely made it… Hikari thought as she sighed in relief before retching again. This sucks! I'm missing out on learning about the Future Foundation. The Spirit Medium closed her eyes tightly as she felt tears coming to her eyes, her throat burning from the stomach acid that came up with the vomit. Hikari sighed weakly, spitting into the can as if that would get rid of it. She couldn't help a small smile escaping her lips when she felt a comforting hand on her back.
"You okay, Hikari?" Chiaki asked Hikari's left ear, standing close to her friend.
Hikari nodded slowly, gradually lifting her head out of the receptacle. "Y-Yeah… I think the rollercoaster was too much."
Chiaki smiled softly and pulled her kitty backpack off to open it. "Here. You'll get dehydrated if you don't drink some water after you throw up." The Gamer pulled out a bottle of mineral water and handed it to the Spirit Medium.
"Thank you, Chiaki," Hikari said gratefully as she took the water from her friend. The bespectacled girl twisted the cap off the bottle and drank slowly. "I think I really need this."
Chiaki smiled as she put her backpack on. "It's not a problem. I'm glad to help. Do you feel better?"
"Yeah," ebony-haired girl nodded as they started walking back towards the group of teens. The hoodie-wearing teen blinked and looked behind her to find that Hikari stopped abruptly, the smaller girl's cheeks turning pink. "U-Um…Chiaki? Do I smell bad…? I had to lean into that garbage can…"
Chiaki leaned towards the Spirit Medium and sniffed the air, the Gamer's hands holding her backpack's straps. "You smell like you normally do." Hikari sweatdropped.
"I don't know if that's a compliment or not… What do I usually smell like?"
"Hmmm…" the pale mauve-haired girl pondered as she gazed upwards with a finger tapping her chin. "You smell like…a temple."
"A what…?"
"A temple," Chiaki repeated, looking back at her friend. "Don't temples smell like incense? Your fragrance isn't very strong, but it's not a bad smell."
"O-Oh…" Hikari murmured, frowning slightly. Brief flashbacks flicker through her mind of the previous night when she lit the incense in her cottage. She swiftly forced a small smile when she noticed Chiaki watching her. "…At least I don't smell bad, right?" Hikari quickly drank the rest of the water before tossing it into the receptacle as an attempt to end the conversation. "Let's go, yeah?" she said cheerily, walking hurriedly back to their friends with Chiaki following behind her, the Gamer staring at the Spirit Medium with an unreadable expression. The group of teens appeared perplexed when the two girls approached them.
"Th-This…what does this mean?" Nagito wondered as he stared down at the open file in his hands.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" Kazuichi stammered, gripping his dark grey beanie on his head. "Like…what's this killing school trip that they're talking about!?"
"It looks like the killings we're involved in resemble this set of killings that happened before… And…that took place inside Hope's Peak Academy." Hikari froze, feeling her blood run cold.
Wh-What…? This killing game has happened before…and inside Hope's Peak Academy!? the Spirit Medium thought, stunned. She stood outside of the huddle of teens, suddenly not wanting to see the file as she started feeling queasy again.
"Hold on…" Fuyuhiko spoke up, still trying to process the information they read from the file, "did these fucked up killings actually happen inside the Hope's Peak Academy? That's obviously not possible! There's no way the teachers or the police would let that happen!"
Gundham frowned, looking paler than normal. "However…what if the Future Foundation—World Ender—was the one who initiated this?"
"What? You mean that organization was the one who took over Hope's Peak Academy then!?" Nekomaru boomed, the robot clenched his fists in worry.
"Of course not! Th-That's not possible! How stupid!" Kazuichi retorted with a shaking fist at the Team Manager, not seeming to be too convinced either.
Nagito sighed heavily, closing the file. "If Byakuya were still alive, we would've been able to learn the details of this…" At this point, Chiaki walked over to the Luckster and gently took it from his hand to look through the file herself. "…How unfortunate."
"Wait…what do you mean by that?" Hikari asked, staring at the white-haired teen. "I was recovering from the roller coaster ride so I don't know what's in the file. Did Byakuya have something to do with what's in that?" Nagito smiled and opened his mouth to answer the Spirit Medium but Chiaki beat him to it.
"It seems Byakuya was one of the survivors in the killing game mentioned in this…" Chiaki replied with a solemn expression.
"Even if he was alive…" Sonia hesitated, clasping her hands anxiously, "we lost our memories, correct? That should have applied to Byakuya as well. Also…Byakuya never said a word about such a past actually existing…"
"…Well, he was killed before he could," Gundham remarked, frowning.
Hikari frowned, gripping the hems of her shirt sleeves. What would have happened if Byakuya was still alive? Would less people, or any, have died under his leadership? That would've been great. He seemed like a good guy…
"Anyway…as long as Byakuya is no longer among us, we have no choice but to ask Monokuma…" Nagito resigned, arms crossed. He stared down at the bear to his right. "How does the killing school life that occurred at Hope's Peak Academy relate to this island?"
"Hey, um…" Monokuma said, his back turned to the group. "The only thing I can say is…" He spun quickly to face the teens for dramatic effect. "All the answers are in your school memories that were taken away!"
"Then give them back! Give those memories back to us!" Akane demanded with a growl.
"No no, the Future Foundation took your memories, and I can't do anything about it in my current state."
Nagito sighed heavily with a frown. "Regardless, it's unforgivable…! I will never forgive those who try to trample hope… They should all be destroyed…!"
"Argh! This isn't making sense again! How fucking annoying!" Kazuichi whined loudly. He glared at Monokuma, fists clenched. "Whatever man, just lemme go back home! Where the hell are the ship parts!?"
Oh, who knows?" Monokuma said with a wave of his paw. "They should be somewhere on this island."
"I have searched this island once through…" Sonia stated, starting to frown, "but I did not find ship parts anywhere."
Hajime's eyebrows furrowed with a hand to his chin before he made a realization. "No…the Funhouse should still be left."
"Based on what I heard…" Gundham started to say, "it seems we cannot access it unless we're all gathered together, correct?"
"Ding ding! Cooooorrect!" Monokuma confirmed cheerily, his paws on his tummy. "That's right, the treats you can't find yet are allll hidden inside the Funhouse!" Hikari grimaced slightly, remembering that they have to ride a train to get there.
I hope that the train isn't as intense as the rollercoaster. I still feel a little nauseous… Hikari thought, a hand on her stomach as if that would make the queasiness go away. I'm not sure if I like amusement parks now.
Hajime turned to his peers with a determined gleam in his eye. "Everyone…let's go… Let's try going to the Funhouse…!" Hikari blinked toward her friend, feeling a bit surprised that Hajime was willing to go despite it most likely being a trap.
He's usually so cautious…that's a bit weird, the Spirit Medium pondered, her eyes narrowing slightly before understanding why Hajime wanted to go there. Oh, that's right! He might find out what his talent is!
"I see…is that really all right?" the Princess asked worriedly. "The Funhouse is that creepy-looking building, right?"
Hajime nodded slowly, his lips making a thin line. "But…we have no other choice. I mean, we might be able to obtain the ship parts if we go there!"
"…And learn the secret of Hajime's talent too," Nagito chuckled with a grin, causing Hajime to give a hard stare at the Luckster. The pale teen chortled again and placed a hand on his hip. "Fine… I think we should listen to Hajime and head over to the Funhouse as well."
"Puhuhu," Monokuma giggled, his paws covering his mouth as he tried to hold in his excitement, "…looks like you guys have decided." The evil bear's restraint cracked as he leaned his head back and roared in laughter. "I can't wait, I can't wait! I have things to prepare so I'll be going first! I'll see you later!" With that, Monokuma sped away with a cloud of dust following after him.
Chiaki crossed her arms, looking downwards with a small frown. "I'm not really on board with this idea but…if everyone says they're gonna go, I guess I have no choice. I guess I have to go with everyone."
Gundham nodded solemnly, his arms crossed as well. "Plunging yourself into a trap is an act of sheer madness…" Nevertheless, the Chuunibyou smirked before cackling, "Fuahahaha! That's what makes it truly interesting!"
"Then it's decided…!" Hajime declared with enthusiasm and began to lead the teens to where the train ride was that would take them to the Funhouse. Hikari walked in the rear of the group, feeling slightly better of her nausea. She was subconsciously appreciative of the sea breeze brushing against her as she traveled besides her best friend.
"Are you worried…?" the Spirit Medium asked Chiaki who seemed preoccupied with her handheld gaming console. The Gamer's thumbs glided over the buttons with such speed and accuracy that Hikari watched with fascination.
"Anything that has to do with Monokuma always has me worried…" she confided to the bespectacled girl without a pause in her hands' movements. "His surprises always lead to bad endings… But like I said, I have no choice if everyone wants to do this…" Hikari frowned and looked towards Hajime.
I know he really wants to go to the Funhouse to find out about his talent… I just hope he doesn't regret going there if something bad happens because we willingly walked into a trap, Hikari thought as Chiaki silently continued tapping buttons with her light-pink eyes glued to the screen.
About twenty minutes later, everyone arrived by the train ride and gathered around. Hajime looked at his peers, silently doing a head count to make sure everyone was present. He then turned to the obnoxious train engine, trying to rein in his anticipation to find out his talent. "I just need to…get on this train, right…?"
Monokuma stood in front of said transport, his white paw rubbing the back of his head. "Well, there's really no need to be cautious. It's not like it's gonna speed up, drop, fly, or anything else." Hikari subconsciously held her breath when she heard the stuffed animal's words, feeling nervous at the thought of going through another intense ride.
Kazuichi pointed a finger at the bear, appearing anxious as well. "I-I'm gonna believe you this time, so you better be telling the truth!"
"Allll right! Let's goooo!" Akane whooped as she pushed the poor Mechanic aside roughly, pumping a fist into the air as she hopped into a train cart. Hikari followed her peers, passing by Kazuichi who groaned miserably on the ground before he sluggishly got up.
I kinda feel bad for Kazuichi… Today doesn't seem to be his day… Hikari thought with a sweatdrop as she stepped into the third row of seats and sat down. She looked around her waist a few times.
"There aren't any seatbelts for this ride, apparently," a familiar voice said to her right. "Usually, these rides go very slow so seatbelts aren't necessary." The Spirit Medium blinked and looked up to see Hajime sitting beside her.
"O-Oh…" Hikari dumbly murmured, sitting back with a blush on her cheeks. She looked ahead as the train started moving forward slowly, travelling through the dim tunnel before them. In front of her was the back of Chiaki's head bent forward. She must be playing her game… How can she see in the dark?
"Ladies and gentlemen! This train is heading towards the Funhouse!" Monokuma announced loudly from his perch on top of the engine, facing his passengers. "Allow me to guide you all to the world of surprises on this train that runs towards glory. Please be careful of where you step. Also, it's dangerous to stand up all of a sudden! …Well, it's not like you have time to do that."
"What…?" Hikari blinked in confusion like everyone else until a hissing sound filled her ears and smoke started to engulf the teens. Hikari squeezed one eye shut as she covered her mouth with her hand to try to prevent a cough, hearing some of her friends wheezing and panicking.
"Wh-What the hellllll!?" Nekomaru bellowed in bewilderment somewhere behind the Spirit Medium.
"…I-Is this gas!?" Hajime exclaimed as he coughed, his limbs starting to feel heavy.
"D-Damn it…" Fuyuhiko cursed from the front row. "This was definitely a trap…"
As the Spirit Medium tried to stay awake, she couldn't help but recall what she thought before the group went on the rollercoaster.
"This is my first time in an amusement park too so I might as well go for it…just as long as it's not really a trap Monokuma created and we all die a horrible and painful death."
Did I…jinx us earlier…? Hikari bemoaned mentally as she closed her eyes, not able to fight it anymore as the coughing surrounding her ceased and was replaced with soft thuds. The bespectacled teen leaned to her right, her head resting against Hajime's shoulder as her consciousness faded away.
^o^ ^o^
Hikari slowly opened her eyes just to be bombarded by everything pink, red, and white. She squeezed her eyes shut as she sat up on the floor, still dazed.
"Where…is thiiiiiiiis!?" Nekomaru yelled in bewilderment at the numerous silhouettes of strawberries running diagonally up the walls and at the pink playground equipment nearby.
Akane yawned loudly and stretched out her arms. "Man, I slept good…" Hikari sweatdropped slightly at the Gymnast.
"Oh my!" Sonia gasped as she looked around in surprise. "Where are we?"
Fuyuhiko wasn't as relaxed as some of the others. "Wh-What the hell is this!?" he shouted, sweat starting to form on his face as he took in his surroundings suspiciously.
"Mmm…" Chiaki groaned beside Hikari, rubbing her eye from sleep, "why was I sleeping at a place like this…?" She yawned and started to lay back down. "Oh well…I should go back to sleep for a little longer…" Hikari sweatdropped even more and opened her mouth to wake up her best friend but the Mechanic decided to take it upon himself to do it.
"No, don't! You seriously can't do that!" he warned loudly at the Gamer, ready to shake her awake if it wasn't for the death glare from the Spirit Medium.
"Don't be rude," Hikari chided harshly at the beanie-wearing teen before she gently shook Chiaki's shoulder in an attempt to rouse her. "Chiaki, we have to figure out where we are before we can take a rest."
Gundham glanced around with his arms crossed. "I assume…that this was the gas's doing…"
"Dammit…" the Yakuza muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth. "That gas we were forced to breathe right after the train started moving… It must've knocked us all out…and then…we were brought here, huh."
"I see…" Nagito hummed pensively. "In that case, this must be…the interior of the Funhouse."
"Weeeeeeelcome!" Monokuma greeted loudly as he appeared from the sand on the playground, shaking the sand onto the muddled teenagers. "Welcome to Strawberry House!"
Well, the name is apropos… Hikari thought, blinking blankly.
"Strawberry House? Isn't this the Funhouse…?" Hajime questioned with an arched eyebrow.
"Of course it's the Funhouse," the bear confirmed as if it was obvious. "Strawberry House is a part of the Funhouse."
Nekomaru looked puzzled. "'A part,' you say…?"
"Now then, allow me to explain already!" Monokuma reached behind him and pulled a paper out of nowhere. "Tadaaaaaaa! This is Strawberry House in its entirety!" Hikari leaned closer, pushing her glasses closer to her eyes to see that the paper had the layout for three floors of the building with a circular room attached to the first floor. "You are currently at the indoor park located on the third floor. As you can see…there's a lot of playground equipment with strawberry designs. How fancy!
"Now then, next is the second floor…" the stuffed animal continued, moving his black paw from the third floor's layout to the second floor's. "There's a lounge that's perfect for freshening up, and I've prepared five guestrooms that are lined up like BOOM! The guestrooms are divided up by quality grade… The Deluxe Room is soundproof and has excellent air insulation… The Standard Room may have so-so insulation, but it's still pretty decent… And the Crummy Room has severe airflow and draft problems! …That concludes my explanation of the second floor.
"Last but not least," Monokuma said as he moved his paw to the picture of the first floor, "the first floor of Strawberry House… On this floor, there's a room called the Final Dead Room that's all like BOOM! You can enter the Final Dead Room at any time, but be extra cautious when you pick the difficulty setting. On the same floor, there's a hallway called Strawberry Hall, and when you pass through it…there's a truly strange, enormous tower standing tall with a BOOM BOOM! It's called Strawberry Tower! Please use your own two feet to get a feel for what the inside of Strawberry Tower is like!
"This concludes the tour, but I think it was difficult to understand with my wordy explanation…so you should all use your own two feet to explore the inside of the building. That's all from me…" Monokuma tilted his head to the side innocently with his white paw to his cheek. "Any questions?"
"Hey, hey, hey!" Kazuichi yelled, appearing very agitated. "Hell yeah we have questions! Obviously!"
"Really really? What's your question, really?"
"To bring us to a place like this…" Gundham spoke with his deep voice, trying to seem calm but his uneasy expression betraying him. "What are you planning to make us do this time?"
"That's right, I have a lot of questions, but let's start with that one first!" the Mechanic butted in loudly.
"Ah, didn't I explain it to you?" the bear wondered before covering his mouth with both paws. "This is the motive this time… An escape game!" He burst into laughter, unable to hold back his delight as the teens became wary. Hikari couldn't help but shiver, feeling a chill creep through her body.
"…E-Escape game?" Hajime hesitated, his skin turning a bit pale.
"The concept this time is…a closed circle within a closed circle… Like Hope's Peak Academy back then, this Funhouse is a completely closed space. There's only one way to get out of this closed space building…"
Hikari grimaced, closing an eye. Don't tell me…
"When the killing begins!" Monokuma exclaimed excitedly. "I'll let you guys out when the next killing happens! Nyohohoho! Let the escape game begin!" After a few more moments of hysterical chortling, the two-toned bear speedily waddled to the patch of sunflowers and jumped into them to vanish.
Hikari frowned, crossing her arms to try to stop the shaking. What did he mean by the concept being 'a closed circle within a closed circle'…? I don't get it. Nevertheless, Chiaki knew exactly what the stuffed animal meant.
He's taunting them…especially since they can't do anything to stop this… the Gamer thought sullenly as she gripped the sides of her handheld, her thumbs resting on the buttons. I hope my message went through. I'm not sure what to do other than to do my best to make sure no more murders occur.
Nagito sighed deeply, running a hand through his white locks. "I knew this was a trap but…I never expected it to be so straightforward."
"How foolish of me…if only I'd erected a magic barrier, I wouldn't have had to breathe in that gas…!" Gundham groused in frustration, clenching a fist dramatically.
"…I let my guard down and ended up falling asleep!" Nekomaru stated remorsefully. Most of the group stared in blankness at the steel young man.
"Like, why would gas even work on a robot!?" Kazuichi carped in exasperation. "That's supposed to be when you make your move!"
"Gas shouldn't pose a problem, but…if they activate my sleep mode, even I won't stand a chance…"
Akane placed a fist to her hip, one eyebrow raised questioningly. "Huh…? Sleep mode?"
"That's right," the Team Manager grinned at his friend, "it's a cutting-edge function that puts my other functions to sleep, even if I have insomnia…" Then he pointed with a thumb over his shoulder to direct everyone to look at his back. "Just press the Good Night Button on the back of my neck, and I'll be forced to enter sleep mode!"
"Wh-What's the point of that function!?" Hajime asked incredulously.
"Fool!" Nekomaru chided the plain teen in a bellowing voice. "Didn't I just tell you!? It puts my other functions to sleep even if I have insomnia!"
"Do you even need to sleep…?" Fuyuhiko wondered warily, seeing the bulky robot was amped up.
"In order to awaken from sleep mode, I just need to set the alarm in my chest! It's all possible with just one touch!"
"Dammit…he's not even listening…" the Yakuza grumbled after letting out an exasperated breath.
"He probably wants to live like humans as much as he can…" the Breeder speculated with his eyebrows furrowed. "Such is the sad nature of robotic organisms…"
Kazuichi itched his cheek impassively. "At any rate, Monokuma sure stuffed him with a lot of useless functions."
"Anyway…" Chiaki spoke up in her calming manner, tapping a finger to her chin contemplatively, "Mechamaru must've lost consciousness because his button was pressed."
She's sticking to the nickname she gave him, Hikari thought with a trace of a smile while suppressing a giggle.
"What a blunder…" the robotic teen mumbled with a scowl on his metallic face. "He must've taken advantage of that white smoke and went around me…" Nekomaru roared in frustration, his yellow eyes turning on brightly. "I'll never let that happen ever agaaaaaaaain!"
"For now, why don't we look for the exit?" the Gamer suggested as she put her console away and stood up.
Nagito placed a hand to his chin pensively. "Exit…is there even an exit…? I mean, if there was, this wouldn't be a closed space, right? It'd make Monokuma's motive meaningless…"
"What are you giving up for…dumbass!" Fuyuhiko retorted harshly, clenching a fist. "If we were brought inside this place, then there's definitely an exit out somewhere!"
Hikari stood up and nodded. "I agree with Fuyuhiko. I mean…we won't know if Monokuma is telling the truth or not until we actually try looking for a way out." The Yakuza glanced to his right and relaxed somewhat when he saw his friend give him a slight smile of support. Hajime blinked, feeling a churning sensation in his gut as he watched this subtle exchange between the two shorter teens.
"A-Amazing…" the Luckster babbled, hugging himself happily. "Hearts that refuse to give up until the very end… That must be hope…" Then, his antic suddenly ended as fast as it began. Nagito placed a hand on his hip with a casual smile on his pale face. "Yes, I understand! Then let's explore the inside of this building with that map we got!"
"But exploring on your own is too dangerous. It might be better if we team up with someone," Chiaki proposed to the group.
"Then Akane…" the Gangster spoke up, turning to the brunette with a hand in his pocket. "You come with me." Everyone stared at Fuyuhiko and Akane with a range of surprised reactions.
"Oh? That's an unusual combo," Kazuichi remarked with a whistle and fists placed at his hips. The Mechanic snickered as he placed his arms behind his head, smiling cheekily. "Could this guy…be…?" Hikari gave the pink-haired teen a deadpan stare, unamused with Kazuichi's horny insinuation.
"It's nothing like that, idiot. There's just something I want to talk to her about," Fuyuhiko explained coolly.
Akane stretched her arms out nonchalantly. "I don't mind, whatever's fine."
I am so done with Kazuichi's pervertedness… Hikari thought, holding back a sigh. Still, Fuyuhiko and Akane are an unusual pair… I wonder what he wants to talk to her about… Hajime was also stunned by the pairing but tried to appear relatively stoic.
Why would Fuyuhiko want to talk to Akane? I was sure he would've asked Hikari to go with him. He did offer to sit with her during the rollercoaster ride… the plain teen ruminated as he disregarded the banter between the Yakuza and the Luckster in front of him. But somehow, why do I feel a little relieved with him not teaming up with her…? Hmm…maybe I can explore with Hikari and figure out if this feeling is temporary or something…
Akane placed a hand on her hip, glancing at Fuyuhiko impatiently. "Hey, if we're gonna go, let's hurry up and go."
"All right…" Fuyuhiko nodded, putting his hands in his pockets, "then we'll go on ahead first."
Once the two left, Kazuichi turned to his left with a wink and a thumbs up. "Well Sonia-san, I guess it's time we also…" He faltered when Sonia was nowhere in sight.
"Sonia already left with Gundham," Nekomaru said with a raised eyebrow as if thinking, "What are you looking at?"
"…Huh?"
Nagito chortled heartily at the Mechanic. "Awww, you got dumped."
"I-Idiot! I didn't get dumped!" Kazuichi snapped at the Luckster. "Why would I get dumped!? In fact, I'm really popular!" Hikari sweatdropped and refrained from rolling her eyes.
"Now then, I think it's time for me to get going too, so…" Nagito began to say, looking at the remainder of the group. He smiled at Hikari and waved a hand. "Hikari, would you like to go together?"
Hikari froze and gaped at the white-haired teen. "H-Huh? Why…?" Hajime stiffened and intensely stared at Nagito, feeling his heart start to race with trepidation.
"I haven't really had a chance to talk to you, so I thought this would be a great opportunity…" Nagito explained casually with an innocent smile. Hajime frowned, about to butt in and ask Hikari himself but someone else had similar plans.
"Hikari's coming with me," Chiaki stated calmly, taking the Spirit Medium's hand. "Hikari told me that she had something to tell me earlier, but we never had a chance to talk. Right, Hikari?" The bespectacled teen blinked and turned to the Gamer, feeling Chiaki squeeze her hand gently. Hikari felt a wave of relief wash over her at that moment, her slowly forming smile glowing with gratitude.
"Yeah," Hikari confirmed with a nod. Hajime let out a breath he didn't realize he held in, visibly relaxing the tension in his body.
Good…who knows what Nagito would say to her if they were alone… Hajime thought with unease, remembering his conversation with Nagito on the night of Fuyuhiko's recovery celebration.
^o^ ^o^
"Aw… And here I thought I could talk with Seishin for a bit." Hajime couldn't resist glancing back at him suspiciously, alarms going off in the plain teen's head.
"Why…?"
"Oh, it's nothing really... I thought she'd be interested in my help to give her hope. She seems to be surrounded by an aura of despair lately…"
Hajime glared sternly at the Luckster. "I doubt she'd ever accept your help…so don't even try. Seishin has us to help her get over whatever it is that's bothering her."
Nagito blinked and raised his hands in defense half-heartedly while wearing a sheepish smile. "I see, I see. No need to be so overprotective, Hinata. She is a very capable young woman." Hajime walked away a bit quickly, feeling a bit annoyed with himself for allowing Nagito to get under his skin.
^o^ ^o^
Hajime returned to the present when he heard his two closest friends start to head out. "Let's go, Hikari," Chiaki stated before she led Hikari away, the Spirit Medium waving at the guys.
"See you later," the ebony-haired girl said to the boys though her eyes were on Hajime. Hajime hoped that no one noticed the light pink dusting his cheeks as he felt heat start to blossom in his face. He regained his composure when Nagito chuckled once more.
"Oh, I get it!" Nagito exclaimed gleefully. "Kazuichi's trying to avoid Hajime!" That caused the brown-haired boy to turn to the Luckster in confusion.
"…Huh?" he said blankly before looking at the Mechanic with a puzzled expression.
Kazuichi jumped slightly before recomposing himself, itching his cheek. "Wh-What are you talking about…? Avoid Hajime…? It's nothing like that!"
"Wh-What do you mean…?"
"Call it a hunch, but…" Nagito started with a hand on his hip, "maybe Kazuichi can't stop thinking about it, you know? …The possibility that you're the traitor."
"…Wha-!?" Hajime shouted, taken aback by this unsettling notion of still being thought of as the traitor.
Nagito blinked and smiled guiltily, lifting his hands up in defense. "Ah, I was just… I just said what Kazuichi was feeling."
"W-Well, you know…" the neon pink-haired teen faltered, trying to explain himself. "The truth is we don't know anything about you, so it's not my fault if I don't trust you…"
"Wh-What does that mean…!?" the accused teen shouted exasperatedly. "We've been together this whole time and you still don't know who I am!?"
"Like that matters! It's not like I know the real you! Just like how…we didn't know anything about Mikan…" Hajime frowned, feeling himself stand down from his defensive posture.
The…real me…? Hajime thought as if he was almost in a daze. Memories of Mikan before and after the previous trial flashed through his mind, but someone else lingered there as well. His thoughts focused on a few snapshots of a reserved Hikari before the pictures were being overshadowed by the image of the scene at the bridge, the young woman with her jet-black hair down and icy blue eyes staring at him as if she was looking through his soul.
"And the only reason we're here is because you were the one who suggested we go to the Funhouse, right?" Kazuichi went on accusingly. Hajime felt the blood drain his face.
"A-are you saying I lured you guys here? Why would I do that!?"
The Mechanic sneered, "It's not that far-fetched, you know!" After a few tense moments of the two boys silently staring at each other, Kazuichi sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry Hajime… I really do want to trust you…but I just can't yet. It's not like I want to go with Nagito."
But you're saying Komaeda's more trustworthy than me… What the hell… the plain teen thought miserably.
The Luckster witnessed this fallout calmly with his arms crossed before finally speaking, "If that's the case, it is what it is. Let's get going, Kazuichi." With that, Kazuichi and Nagito left the area together, leaving Hajime with Nekomaru.
"I guess we're the leftovers…" Nekomaru remarked with a slight grimace. "Looks like we're not very well liked…" The robotic teen then laughed heartily. "Gah-haha! It's not like complaining about it will change anything! We're just a traitor and a robot, after all!"
"…I'm not the traitor," Hajime said with a deadpan stare.
"Oh, that's right! My apologies," Nekomaru stated before he pivoted a little to his left. "Well then, Hajime… Let's show everyone else the value in leftovers!" the Team Manager thundered as his eyes literally lit up. "Let's magnificently find the exit with our very own hands! If we do that, it will solve everything!" His encouraging words, however, did not cheer Hajime up at all. The lack of trust the ahoged teen sensed from his peers made him feel weighed down as if by boulders as he started to explore the Strawberry House with the robot.
Days Left: 8
Survivors: 10
