Welcome to the finale of this three part story! I hope you've enjoyed it as much I've enjoyed writing Hagakure dying! I'll leave some of my final thoughts for this at the very end, for now enjoy this chapter for what it's worth!

Also, a certain sleeping character will be awakening...

Ch 3 - No Happy Ending

Hagakure shifted uncomfortably as the Future Foundation member's filed in. He had never particularly liked being in their presence, what with them always wearing their formal black suits and sunglasses. I prefer looser clothing, thank you very much.

The blonde man in the front, likely the leader of this little group, took off his sunglasses. "...Hagakure is it?"

Hagakure stuck out his hand. "That's me, Yasuhiro Hagakure! You're Alex, right?"

"Correct." He glanced at the Hagakure's hand. Sighing, he shook hands with Hagakure, gripping tightly.

Then he quickly pulled in Hagakure, not giving him a chance to react.

"Wha-"

-Shluck-

Alex stabbed Hagakure in the stomach, embedding the blade into his belly. Then he slashed upwards, taking the knife out and leaving a grisly gash on Hagakure's chest.

Alex let Hagakure go, who fell against a nearby wall. Hagakure could only stare at the bloody knife in Alex's hand. Already there was blood seeping out of the wound in his stomach. Alex smirked, throwing the knife to the ground. He leaned downwards until he was eye level with Hagakure, hands on his waist.

"I see the confusion in your eyes. Why did this man just attack me? What had I done wrong? First of all, let me say that this wasn't personal. I'm not controlled by my emotions unlike, ah, certain individuals." Alex went back to standing upright, taking off his blood-splattered gloves. He handed them to one of the men behind him, who offered him a new pair. Hagakure tried to say something, but all he could do was cough out blood. He flattened his hands against his stomach and pushed it, trying to stop the bleeding. It's hopeless, he realized, even if I could stop the bleeding, my chest is slashed open.

Alex put on the new pair of gloves, turning his hands to get a good look at them. "Hmm, not bad. Where was I? Oh yes, we were talking about why you were lying here, bleeding to death." Alex nudged Hagakure with his feet. "Okay, you're still alive. Wouldn't want you dying while I was talking, damn shame it would be!"

Alex placed his foot firmly on Hagakure's forehead, restraining him. "Unfortunately, Future Foundation doesn't have an unlimited supply of resources. Somewhere, decisions have to be made for the betterment of society. You following me?" Alex bent down and rapped his knuckles against Hagakure's forehead, smiling devilishly.

Hagakure snarled in response. He lifted his arm as if to grab Alex, but the moment he made a move one of Alex's grunts instantly shot him in the arm. A mist of blood emerged, and Hagakure weakly clutched his arm. His eyes were a haze of pain as his blood flowed out, his heart pumping the life from his body.

"Naughty boy, don't you know to listen when others are speaking?" Alex said in a mocking tone, as if he was enjoying the entire process. "This is why you were chosen as the expendable one! I mean, sure, we let the surviving remnants of despair go. But you don't think everyone was going to get a free pass, right?"

Unable to speak, Hagakure focused on glaring at Alex. Expendable one...?

"No way. Someone has to pay for what they've done. But the higher ups, they're divided between saving the remnants of despair, or killing them all while they have a chance. Yet I know what will happen if we give these..." Alex gestured to the pods. "... monsters another chance. I know what needs to be done, and I will ensure it happens. All I need is a good reason, an excuse to kill them all."

"That's where you come in." he said, looking down on Hagakure. "What a tragedy it would be, if these students had awakened. Even worse is if they had reverted back to their despair state, and while Hagakure was on guard duty, they brutally murdered him. If such a tragedy would occur, as the remaining guard, I would have to make sure they are killed. Do you understand what role you play in this, Hagakure? You're the sacrificial lamb, made to look like they are still despair. Thanks to your imminent death, we will have reason to slay them all. They won't get a second chance, none of them will ever take another breath. I'll make sure of it. Sorry, but for these kids, there is no happy ending for them. They've already fucked it up for themselves."

Alex took his foot off of Hagakure, turning around to leave the room. His men stood by his side, following his every step. Waving goodbye, he spoke one last time.

"Goodbye Yasuhiro Hagakure. Thank you for your work. The Future Foundation will remember your 'sacrifice'." Then he brought out a remote, clicking it.

The entire building rocked as Alex and his grunts quickly departed, before explosions shook the entire building to its core. Hagakure's eyes widened in surprise. They're going to bring... the whole... facility...

Down. There's no escape.

Gundam Tanaka gasped. As he opened his eyes, he noticed that he was shaking. Weakly pushing the lid to his pod open, he slowly sat up.

The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't actually shaking. The entire room he was in was shaking. He looked up, the ceiling crumbling and falling downwards, bits crashing down. Panicking, Tanaka tried to get out the pod, get out of this room, but he was still too weak to get out by himself. He collapsed, lying down in the pod.

What was he doing here? What had happened? He remembered... He remembered... He remembered a school... But then it was an island? And he had his hamsters... but they were already dead...

Which of these jumbled memories are my real ones? He groaned, clutching his head. But then he remembered. The one consistent part of each of these memories.

Sonia Nevermind.

Her smile, her presence, her charm, everything about her Tanaka had unwittingly fallen for. She had reached out to him when no one else would. She had cared for him when no one else did. And in return, he had loved her like no one else. He tried to cry out her name, but no recognizable noise came out. Then he remembered.

He had cut out his own tongue when Junko was pronounced dead.

He knew this memory had to be true, because he could feel the emptiness in his mouth. He had remembered his thinking behind the moment. He would either die during the process, or be unable to speak ever again. Never able to spin tales or weave fantasies of his world and power to others. He recalled cutting out Junko's tongue, but he couldn't remember where it was now.

He felt revolted that he had cut out his own tongue, but a part of him was also feeling disgust at himself for regretting his decisions. Everything you did, it was for Lady Junko. Do you regret any of it? A voice whispered in his head.

Do I? Tanaka thought, when a chunk of debris fell on his legs, crushing them immediately. He screamed, a primal noise coming from within him. He already couldn't feel his legs, just a numb sensation. He watched the blood seep into the fabrics inside the pod, painting a portrait of red. He tried to lift the boulder off of his legs, but in his recently awakened state he could hardly budge it. He could only helplessly watch the very essence of his life leave his body.

Tanaka took off his scarf to protect his Dark Gods of Destructions from the falling debris, when he remembered that his Dark Gods had long died. Staring blankly at his empty scarf, he threw it to the side. Numerous emotions welled up, but he squashed them all.

He closed his eyes, breathing heavily. Pebbles and dust rained down on his face, everything collapsing around him. He thought back to the past, his greatest fear.

A younger Tanaka sat on the swings, away from the other kids. Elementary school had started, and it was a beautiful autumn day. He watched solemnly as the other kids played soccer, desperately wishing he could join. But fate would not allow it. The other kids didn't want him. He was always the outcast, but today Tanaka felt even lonelier than ever. He always hated touching other kids or being touched, but he craved companionship.

I don't want to be alone. Tanaka thought. I want to play with the other kids. I want to have friends.

Tanaka gripped the chain of the swing tighter, fighting back tears. Why won't they notice me? Why won't they invite me to play with them?

Why am I so normal? Why am I so lonely?

Tanaka had long come to the conclusion that he was a perfectly average and boring kid. All the other kids had something going for them, whether it was smarts, strength or humour. Tanaka had none of those. So he sat there, alone on the swings. He knew that he could just walk up to the kids and ask if he could join them, but he didn't want to be touched. But he didn't want to be lonely either. Conflicted, Tanaka started sniffling.

The bell rung, and soon the other kids ran back to class. Tanaka didn't budge an inch, still sitting on the swings. I want to stand out. I want to talk to other people. I want friends.

A bird fluttered onto the branches of a nearby tree, chirping. Tanaka watched it, admiring its grace and form. After a moment, the bird flew away, leaving him to his thoughts again. Don't leave, he cried internally. He glanced sadly at the shrinking dot that was the bird, as it flew away.

Don't leave. Please. He hang his head, dejected. Minutes passed as he stared at the ground.

Suddenly, a chorus of chirping erupted. Bewildered, Tanaka looked up to see the bird had returned with two others. The three birds started chirping, singing a tune almost as if to comfort him. Never seeing birds do that before, Tanaka only continued to watch in astonishment. Then he burst into tears, smiling.

Maybe I'm not normal. Maybe I'm special. Tanaka tiptoed closer to the birds, careful not to startle them. It wasn't needed however, as one of the birds flew down and sat on his head. Surprised, Tanaka immediately stood still, trying not to disrupt the bird. "Uuuuuuu..." he sniffled, trying to hold back his tears.

"Today, the old me dies!" Tanaka muttered through tears. "I'm going to be different now! I'm not going to be alone! I'm going to stand out! No one will forget my name! I'm going to be... I'm going to be... Gundam Tanaka, Ascendant Ruler of Ice!" he shouted, spooking the birds. They flew away, but this time Tanaka wasn't saddened by their departure.

I am Gundam Tanaka, Dark Lord! All shall perish before my awesome powers! Tanaka jumped off the swing, running to his classroom. I keep to myself not because I'm unwanted, but to protect those who would die instantly at my touch! I am Gundam Tanaka, Dark Lord! He repeated in his head, over and over. I am Gundam Tanaka! Dark Lord!

Tanaka opened his eyes. But as he opened his eyes, he realized he wasn't scared anymore. The past, everything seemed so trivial now.

He had accepted his fate. I'm sorry Sonia, he thought to himself, it looks like I won't be able to show you the wonders of the amusement parks in hell. My life in this mortal realm is coming to a close.

Maybe another time.

Then eternal darkness swallowed him.

Sonia stood at the deck of the ship. Leaning on the railing, she watched the waves, lost in thought. Mmmmm...

Hearing footsteps, she turned around to see Souda. Smiling, she greeted him. "Hello!"

"Hey there." said Souda. He scratched the back of his neck. "Um, you okay? Going back to the... world and all, y'know? S'just wondering..." he muttered.

"Is that what you're so worried about?" laughed Sonia, but her merriment quickly faltered. "... I think it will be hard. For all of us. But we can't keep running from the past." she whispered.

"O-of course!" stammered Souda. "I just... hope everyone else will be okay. The comatose ones." Souda stopped for a moment, then rapidly said, "Do you think they'll still be in despair when they wake up?"

"... That I cannot say." murmured Sonia. "But I believe that they will be just fine, if we're okay. Don't you hope so?"

"Y-yeah. You're right." said Souda. "... I'll be going now then. Take care."

"You too." she said, as she was left to her own thoughts. Everything is going to be fine now, right? All that's left is for the comatose students to wake up...

She looked at the sky, clutching her chest. So why do I have this sinking feeling that everything's gone wrong?

The End

Thank you for sticking with this story until its inevitable conclusion! This was a rather fun side project for me, and I'd like to share some of my thoughts on it.

When first penning this, I was considering the if I should even introduce an OC. I usually dislike OC's myself, but after much deliberation I realized I needed a representative from the Future Foundation. And thus, our good friend Alex was born~!

I was hoping to focus on Hinata and Owari more, but unfortunately I ended up pushing them to the sidelines in favour of the others. The same could be said for Togami and Kirigiri. Hopefully the interactions I did include were satisfactory though!

Some people wonder where my irrational hatred of Hagakure even comes from. Long story short: Awesome Ishimaru died, useless sack of shit Hagakure survived. That's all.

Thanks again for reading this! I hope I can continue writing Everyday Life at Hope's Peak for a long while, and hopefully you enjoy that as well!

Until the next chapter/new story!

~Vineron~