A/N: Here's Chapter Six Deadly Life Part Eight. Please read, review, and enjoy!
Danganronpa 4: Next Generation Killing!
Chapter Six: Goodbye Danganronpa!
Deadly Life Part Eight: Junko Enoshima Returns?!
"That's the truth of this case, of the Killing Game itself." Kiki sighed, staring at the culprit with sorrow in her eyes.
"Well, Tsumugi?" Shuichi pressed.
"W-Well…what?" She stammered.
"Y-Yes! What a scorching hot twist!" Monokuma cheered. "My hands are tensing up…I gotta watch this exciting development!"
"Well, Tsumugi?" Keebo interrogated. "Are there any flaws in Kiki and Shuichi's logic? If so, then…please tell us."
"F-Flaws?" Tsumugi shook her head. "There's a bunch of flaws…all over it."
"Then explain." Sokyu demanded.
"Y-You can do it!" Gonta cheered, grinning to give Tsumugi strength. "You can do it, Tsumugi!"
"E-Even if you cheer me on…It's not like that! I didn't do it! It's plain to see!"
"Fight back, Tsumugi!" Monokuma ordered from his throne. "C'mon! You can do it, you can do it!"
"Tsumugi, please just say something!" Kiki begged. "If you don't defend yourself-"
"It's Junko Enoshima!"
Everyone stared incredulously at the guilty cosplayer, dumbfounded by her defense. "…What?"
"Cuz…it's always been her. In the Hope's Peak Killing Game and in the Jabberwock Island Killing Game…Junko Enoshima didn't participate. She controlled the game from outside. Even in the Future Foundation Killing Game, she brainwashed someone into doing her dirty work before her death. And with that second Tragedy that almost was, her descendant was the one who tried to start it. Even if it's boring or repetitive, she's always been connected to the Killing Games!"
Finally releasing her arm, she looked up at the others. Locking eyes with them, her defense was desperate and pleading.
"Then it's like that this time, too! It's gotta be Junko again!"
"Junko Enoshima is dead." Kirumi shook her head. "She's not part of this Killing Game."
"Y-You're wrong…She hasn't been eliminated…She's…It's all Junko's doing! This Killing Game is her doing, too! Yeah! That's gotta be it! Cuz Junko Enoshima is…"
Monokuma tilted his head, interjecting, "Junko Enoshima is?"
"Cuz Junko Enoshima is…"
"Junko Enoshima is!?"
"Junko Enoshima is…"
"Junko Enoshima is what!?"
"Cuz…Junko Enoshima is…Junko…Enoshima is…right the fuck here!"
Huh?!
Kiki's eyes widened as Tsumugi's voice changed to a more punkish tone. Before she could ponder the matter any further, Tsumugi pinched the bridge of her nose and pulled. Her hair, clothes, and skin seemed to tear away like cheap fabric.
What the hell…?! Kiki and Shuichi exclaimed to themselves.
Everyone stared in shock as the woman formerly known as Tsumugi Shirogane discarded the torn costume. Standing in her place was a tall, thin, large-breasted blonde girl. Tied into wildly frayed pigtails, each one was adorned by a hairpin, one the head of a white teddy bear, and the other a black grinning bear's head. She wore a black jacket, hiding most of a red skirt that just barely peeked out from beneath the hem. Hanging loosely from her neck was a barely tied black and white tie.
Tsu…Tsumugi…? Kiki thought in disbelief, staring into the unknown woman's soft, yet malicious light blue eyes.
"Puhuhu…Sorry to keep you waiting. Even if nobody was waiting, even if it makes you go, What, again?... The diva of despair takes the stage once more! Junko Enoshima the 4th!"
Everyone's eyes widened in shock at the Ultimate Despair's image on the TV screen. Even Kyoko couldn't keep her jaw from falling to the floor, so taken by surprise was she.
It was Koto's exclamation that finally broke the silence. "T-THAT'S JUNKO?!"
"The one Mom and Dad fought against? That's Junko Enoshima?!" Kiri gasped.
"It…it can't be…" Kyoko shook her head in fervent, desperate denial. "Junko is dead!"
Makoto nodded. "Yeah, we saw her get executed ourselves! And the only AI copy of her consciousness was deleted years ago!"
Maki's brow furrowed in confusion. "…Not that I'd know, but…didn't you say that Enoshima was in the same class as you? If that's the case, then how come she still looks like a teenager?"
Koto and Kiri blinked. "Hey…Miss Maki's right!" Kiri exclaimed while Koto cocked his head in confusion.
"But if that's not Junko, then what's going on?!"
"…Tsumugi's cosplaying…" Everyone turned towards Mokubo, whose eyes were focused on the screen like a laser. "Look, her hair for instance. I can see specks of blue peeking out from between locks of strawberry blonde. And her figure doesn't quite fill out the clothes quite right."
Makoto and Kyoko blinked before the matriarch observed, "…You're right, Moku…it's a good imitation, but not a perfect one. If you look close enough, you'll see it's still Tsumugi Shirogane under there." She smiled proudly at her son. "I'm impressed you figured that out so quickly." I suppose the shock of the moment prevented me from thinking clearly and seeing through her disguise…
Mokubo's cheeks flushed pink, the embarrassed boy muttering, "…Anyone could have seen it if they looked hard enough."
…I'm not sure about that, Moku… Makoto thought, his lips tugging into an equally proud smile. I'd say you've inherited your mother's keen eye for observation… Shaking the thought away, he turned his attention back to the screen. Let's just hope your sister and the others figure it out too…
"Bwah-hahahaha!" Monokuma burst into laughter. "There you have it! Once again, the Mastermind is Junko Enoshima! Bwah-hahahahahaha!"
"Junko Enoshima…the 4th?" Keebo repeated, his eyes darting in confusion.
"Tsumugi…" Kiki breathed. "Wh-what's the matter? Aren't you…Tsumugi Shirogane? Our friend who survived with us?"
"Hahaha, sorry about that." Junko laughed. "You can go ahead and forget about Tsumugi Shirogane. She's just a character! Y'know, a lie! Sorry to all her fans out there. If any of you even exist, that is."
"A-A lie…?"
Junko took out a pair of glasses and pushed them against the bridge of her nose. "Tsumugi Shirogane was nothing more than a cover for me, the Mastermind. Puhuhu…calling her your friend…Oh, it's laughable, really." She removed her glasses and pocketed them before resting her hands on her hips. "Really, I'm gonna laugh! Ahahahahahahahaha!"
"A-Are you serious!?" Shuichi gasped in disbelief. "You're the Mastermind behind this?"
"I know, right!? Oh, does it make you fall into despair!? Ahahaha! Well, does it!?"
"No, that's not possible…Junko Enoshima is dead!"
"Gonta…doesn't really know what's going on, but…" Gonta interjected in confusion. "Why did you call yourself the 4th?"
Replacing her glasses once more, Junko replied "As history repeats itself, so does Junko Enoshima…it's only natural that I'm the Mastermind of another Killing Game! It's just Junko Enoshima repeating herself!"
Why is she talking about herself in the third person? Kiki wondered. She's not like Gonta, she has no problem referring to herself as I. So…why would she need to refer to herself with her full name? Kiki's eyes widened in realization. "Are we really sure about that?"
"Huh?"
"Are we really sure that you're Junko Enoshima?"
Junko's eyes seemed to resemble a puppy's and her lips curved into a demure smile. "Puhuhu…of course I'm Junko Enoshima. C'mon, Naegi, how could you not trust a face like this?"
That just makes you even more suspicious. Kiki deadpanned, narrowing her eyes. "If you really are Junko Enoshima…then prove it."
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. "You think it's possible that this isn't Junko Enoshima?"
"There's just something that seems…off to me. I can't quite pin it down yet, but something about her claims seems…suspicious…" Kiki returned her attention to Junko. "If you're really Junko Enoshima…then put your money where your mouth is and convince me."
"Ugh, you're so annoying…" Junko grumbled. "Must be a family trait…fine then. You want proof I'm Junko Enoshima? I'll give you proof I'm Junko Enoshima. And when I do, you'll be left with the despair that you're dealing with the one and only Junko Enoshima! Puhuhu!"
I don't know if this girl is Junko Enoshima or not…but I'm already sick of hearing this girl's taunts! It's time for us to get to the truth so we can end this Killing Game and go home already!
"There's no doubt that I'm Junko Enoshima…Junko Enoshima the 4th, to be precise!"
"You say that, but can you prove it?" Ryoma questioned.
"It would be easier if we had a picture of the original Junko Enoshima to reference." Keebo muttered.
"C'mon, what could possibly be fake about me?!" Junko questioned. "Is it my beautiful blonde hair? Or maybe these luxurious clothes that could only belong to the Ultimate Fashionista? Or maybe my super big boobs? Perhaps it's my curvy hips that any guy would drool over!"
"Would it even be possible to fake any of those things?" Kirumi pondered.
"Impossible, it's totally impossible for my appearance to be faked!"
Kiki's eyes widened in realization at Junko's statement. "No that's wrong!" She exclaimed, pointing directly at the Mastermind. "It's possible for Junko Enoshima's appearance to be faked!"
"Huh?" Junko tilted her head. "Are you suggesting someone got breast implants so they could match my massive jugs?" Junko cupped the bottom of her cleavage with her hands, bouncing them tauntingly and winking. "No amount of plastic surgery could ever match the natural beauties of these titties!"
…That's gross… Kiki shivered. Why do I feel like I'm being sexually harassed…? She shook the thought from her head. "No, that's not what I meant."
"Then how is Junko Enoshima's appearance faked?" Kirumi questioned.
"Well, when Shuichi and I investigated the Hidden Room, I found a drawer filled to the brim with costume supplies."
"Costume supplies?" Ryoma raised an eyebrow as Kiki nodded.
"That's right, wigs, clothes, accessories, you name it, it had them, in spades. So, if the Mastermind hid themselves in the Hidden Room…then they would have had the resources to disguise themselves as anyone they wanted!"
"…Puhuhu…" Junko giggled. "Not a bad theory, but that's so amateur, not even close to being on par with the amazing Junko Enoshima. As you can see, I am a perfect reproduction of Junko Enoshima."
Sokyu narrowed his eyes. "So…you're just a freak pretending to be Junko Enoshima, huh!?"
Junko blinked, realizing her faux pas, then let out a sigh. Everyone stared as the much more familiar voice reverberated in their ears.
"…Me and my big mouth…"
Junko grabbed her hair with one hand and moved the other towards her eyes. The wig came off, revealing aqua-blue locks. When she removed her other hand, the survivors were met with darker eyes.
"Huh? Tsumugi?!" Gonta gasped, causing Tsumugi to smile awkwardly.
"It's true, I'm not Junko Enoshima. I'm merely a perfect reproduction. Perfect reproductions are exactly the same as the original. That's why I'm able to mimic her voice and mannerisms as well as wear her clothes. I'm cosplaying as her, making me a perfect reproduction!"
"Her logic is impossible to follow, much like the real Junko Enoshima's…" Keebo muttered.
"Whatever it is…" Shuichi narrowed his eyes. "You're the actual Mastermind of this Killing Game, right?"
Tsumugi nodded. "Yep, that's right, which means I still need to look the part!"
You're still keeping up this Junko Enoshima act?! Kiki thought incredulously as Tsumugi placed the wig back on her head.
"Oh, but I guess I can go without these color-changing contacts…" Tsumugi grimaced, tossing them behind her. "Honestly, they're such a pain to put in my eyes. I need a mirror to do it right. You have no idea how hard it can be to cosplay properly!" Her voice suddenly changed, matching the Junko persona she had been mimicking when she tore off her initial costume. "Now then, let's get this show on the road!"
"No need, Tsumugi. Because this Class Trial is over."
Tsumugi pouted. "What? It's already over? But I just showed up!"
Shuichi gritted his teeth and pointed directly at the Mastermind. "You killed Kaede, and Monokuma covered it up with a false narrative! The Class Trials are rigged, and this whole game is illegitimate!"
Tsumugi bopped herself on the head. "Oh that, right. Yeah, I definitely messed that up. Sorry about that. So…"
Shuichi and Kiki stared incredulously at Tsumugi's nonchalant behavior. "So?" Kiki exclaimed. "Is that all you have to say? We won't accept that kind of apology! You gotta stop the Killing Game!"
"Aww, did you forget already, Naegi?" Tsumugi cooed. "I think you're getting just a little ahead of yourself. You proved I cheated, true, but there's still the deal you made with Monokuma."
"Yep, yep, that's right!" Monokuma confirmed with a nod. "You and Shuichi only pointed out my failure as the gamemaster. You haven't fulfilled the other half of the bargain."
"And what is this bargain that you two made?" Kirumi inquired.
What bargain did we make with Monokuma? Shuichi hummed, recalling their challenge to Monokuma. It wasn't to unmask the Mastermind, it wasn't to prove Kaede killed Rantaro, it wasn't to play baseball with Monokuma…this is it! "It was to solve the mysteries of Kibou University."
"That's pretty vague." Ryoma pointed out. "Just what exactly would that entail?"
"Puhuhu…you need a hint?" Tsumugi taunted. "Alright then, I'll nudge you in the right direction so you can have a fair shot at solving the mysteries behind this school and winning your freedom!"
"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Sokyu groaned.
"Now then…first up is the mystery of…your lost memories!"
"Gonta lost his memories?!"
"We already knew that Kiki and Seven both suffered memory loss to some degree. Considering our confinement, it wouldn't be surprising if we all had some collective amnesia too." Keebo reasoned.
"In that case, our first objective should be figuring out how we lost our memories in the first place." Kirumi suggested.
"Alright, I'm down with that." Ryoma shrugged. "Well, let's get started, then."
Did we all have amnesia? Shuichi pondered. And if so…how did it happen? We should have uncovered evidence that will answer both questions.
"Okay, they're about to determine how they lost their memories." Maki observed.
"How did they lose their memories?" Koto inquired as he and Kiri turned to their mother.
"Yeah, you must have figured it out, right, Mom?"
Kyoko bit her lip. "Well, I can't say for certain. But they might have found a clue in the Hidden Room."
Mokubo nodded. "That's probably where they found it. The camera feed completely shut off both times Nee-chan went into the Hidden Room, so we couldn't have seen what they saw."
Makoto nodded, smiling proudly at his son. His lips then settled into a neutral line as his eyes narrowed at the screen.
"Well, if they're going to make use of what they found, now would be the time to do it!"
"How did you all lose your memories?" Tsumugi questioned.
"Forget how, we didn't lose our memories!" Sokyu denied.
"Kiki and Seven both experienced memory loss." Keebo recalled. "Would it really be that strange if all of us lost some of our memories?"
"Even if we accepted that we did lose our memories…" Ryoma mused. "The question is how. Was there any evidence that our memories were stolen from us?"
"We'd have to establish a method first." Kirumi commented. "Hypnosis, cranial trauma, and machines that interact directly with the brain are all possibilities."
"I agree!" Shuichi exclaimed. "Kirumi is correct, our brains were directly affected by a machine."
"M-Machine?!" Gonta exclaimed.
"When Kiki and I investigated the Hidden Room, we found a number of human-size pods in the center." He took the manual he procured out of his jacket pocket to show to everyone. "And I found this manual here hidden in the nearby desk with Rantaro's Willing Participant Perk Tablet. It details instructions for how to manipulate a subject's memories."
"M-Manipulate our memories?!" Sokyu gasped, nearly taking a step back against the barrier of his podium.
"It can erase, add, and alter the memories already in our brains. Given the existence of this technology, and that nobody remembered even entering this university, it's probably safe to say that our memories were taken by using these pods."
"Th-that must be why I couldn't recall my own last name…or why Kiki couldn't remember hers, or why Seven couldn't remember anything about himself!"
"Puhuhu…good job, good job!" Tsumugi clapped as Kirumi's eyes lit up.
"In addition to those cases, that must also be why I forgot being Prime Minister of Japan in my Motive Video."
"…Are you sure about that?"
Kirumi narrowed her eyes. "…What…?"
"Are you sure you just forgot you were Prime Minister?"
"…What are you implying?"
"Nope, I've said more than enough. Figure out the rest for yourselves!"
Kiki frowned at Kirumi's frustrated grimace. Was Kirumi really the Prime Minister? Did she really remember it upon seeing her Motive Video? Or…was she merely tricked?
"I clearly remember being the Prime Minister of Japan!" Kirumi emphatically declared.
"You said after Ace's execution that you recalled it upon seeing your Motive Video, correct?" Keebo questioned.
"Yes, that's exactly it. The moment I saw my Motive Video…I remembered clearly that I was the Prime Minister."
"We all saw that Motive Video, so there's no doubt that Kirumi's telling the truth…" Ryoma vouched for her. "…But are we sure that video's real?"
"O-Of course it's real! There's no doubt it's real!"
"I'm not so sure about that…" Sokyu mused. "If the Mastermind could wire devices to mess with our brains…it's possible they had the means to fake our Motive Videos too!"
"I agree with you!" Kiki exclaimed before her lips fell into a reluctant grimace. "Kirumi…I don't want to burst your bubble any more than you do…but it is possible that our Motive Videos were faked."
Kirumi tilted her head in confusion. "And why do you believe that?"
"Well…when Shuichi and I investigated the hidden room, after I found the drawers filled with costume supplies, I also found a camera on a tripod. It's possible that our Motive Videos were recorded with that camera in secret."
"Wait!" Kirumi interjected, desperation bleeding into her voice. "That only proves that the videos were recorded with that camera. It doesn't prove that our videos were faked!"
Kiki nodded. "You're right, that alone isn't enough. But if you used the clues found in the Hidden Room in a certain way, it becomes clear how the Mastermind faked our Motive Videos." How did the Mastermind fake our Motive Videos?
Kiki closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The desperation of the courtroom faded from her mind as everything faded to black.
Kiki Kart!
Kiki's eyes fluttered open, revealing the nostalgic racetrack she had been on during the previous cases. Well, except Rantaro's and…mine…
She grimaced, reminded of the fact that she had technically been the victim of a Class Trial just yesterday. Shaking the thought from her head, she readied her foot on the gas pedal as she heard the familiar, disembodied voice in her ears.
"Three, Two, One…GO!"
Kiki slammed down her foot, zooming ahead of everyone else's karts. It wasn't long before the trail of coins appeared on the track. Kiki wasted no time in shifting to follow the trail of currency. To her relief, no stray items were launched her way.
Good thing, too…I'm a little rusty…
Eventually, the trail of coins disappeared, and the mysterious cap landed snugly on her head. She tugged on the bill just before the voice made its next announcement.
"Time to put on your thinking caps!"
"Were the Motive Videos faked?" Kiki read, as the words Yes appeared to her left, and No to her right. "Obviously those videos were faked, so left it is!"
Kiki shifted to the lefthand lane, sighing in relief when the cap vanished in a puff of smoke. She could barely blink before the other racers zoomed ahead of her. Kiki narrowed her eyes and sped up, swerving around the other drivers until she took the lead once more.
Before long, the trail of coins began once more. This time, however, she wasn't left alone. A whoosh of air caused the side of her skirt to ripple as a white boomerang with blue stripes just barely missed her.
"Great…boomerangs…" Kiki groaned. "I'm just glad my skirt didn't completely flap up and show everyone my panties…"
Kiki shook the embarrassing thought from her head, though kept a tighter grip on the hem with one hand while she swerved around the racetrack. She dodged the rhythmic boomerangs by drifting in and out of their arcs and maximizing her coin collecting opportunities. Eventually, the coins and boomerangs disappeared, allowing Kiki to lean back in relief.
"Time to put on your thinking caps!"
"What was used to fake our Motive Videos?" Kiki read, feeling the cap plop down on her once more.
She saw the word Camcorder appear on the left, Costumes dead ahead, and e-Handbook to her right. Kiki bit her lip and hummed, contemplating the matter.
"Okay, obviously the Camcorder was used…but that seems too obvious. I'm not sure our e-Handbooks have the specs to handle that kind of video production. I think…it must be the costumes!"
Staying in her lane, Kiki pulled ahead, slowing down only once the road diverged and the cap vanished from her head. No sooner did she do that, however, that the other racers surpassed her in the race.
"…Should've known I couldn't relax for even a moment…" Kiki grumbled and put the pedal to the metal.
She zoomed ahead, retaking her lead after tightly maneuvering around the racetrack. The coin trail reappeared, allowing Kiki to collect the currency. After a few seconds of leisurely collecting more coins, a glowing, rainbow-colored box caught her eye.
"An item box…? I should probably pick it up, just in case I end up needing it…"
She drifted to one side, just far enough to make contact with the box. It shattered, causing a red cube with a yellow horn to appear on the rear bumper. Her eyes widened in surprise when a matching yellow button appeared in the center of her steering wheel.
"Hm…I wonder what this is for…what…?!" Kiki looked up, her eyes widening at the blue blur trailing her at supersonic speeds. "What the…either Sonic the Hedgehog is now a racer, or…BLUE SHELL!"
Kiki panted, panicking as the Blue Shell got closer and closer. As it started to divebomb towards her kart, she racked her brain for answers.
"Think, Kiki, think! What can stop a Blue Shell? Either a Power Star, or…" Her eyes widened in realization. "SUPER HORN!"
Kiki slammed her palm on the button on her steering wheel. She gritted her teeth as a loud blaring sound threatened to pierce her ears. At the same time, reverberating sound waves burst from the horn, creating a barrier between her and the Blue Shell. Eventually, it shattered, allowing Kiki to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thank Kami, I thought I was done for…" She drifted back to the yellow coin trail. "Alright, time to get the rest of these coins and finish this race!"
Luckily, Kiki didn't have to wait much longer. Upon collecting the last coin, the hat secured itself on Kiki's head for what she hoped would be the final time ever.
"Time to put on your thinking caps!"
"How were the costumes used to fake the Motive Videos?" She read, noting the words Giftwrap the videos to her left, Keep the Mastermind warm straight ahead, and Cosplay with them to her right. "Let's see…the Motive Videos didn't come giftwrapped. They didn't seem like the kinds of clothes that would insulate someone, even if it was chilly. So…they must have been used to cosplay!"
Kiki drifted to the rightmost lane, slowing down as the road diverged and curved to the right. Soon enough, a pink ribbon appeared on the horizon, just in time for Kiki's kart to cut it with her front bumper. Though she had won the race, victory in a go-kart competition was the last thing on Kiki's mind.
"Let's see…the Motive Videos were faked…using the clothes…to cosplay! It's all connected!"
As her eyes widened in realization, the racetrack shattered, leaving Kiki drifting in a void of black nothingness. She closed her eyes as her consciousness faded away, taking her newfound knowledge with her.
"It was cosplay."
"C-Cosplay…?!"
Kiki nodded. "That's right, Tsumugi dressed up as everyone in our Motive Videos as she filmed them."
"Oh, Gonta sees. Without our memories, the Mastermind could make up whatever they wanted for our Motive Videos!"
Kirumi gasped, bringing her palm to her lips. "So…my past…my life as a maid, my selfless devotion to serve the country, my appointment as the de-facto Prime Minister…it was all…"
"Yep, that's right." Tsumugi nodded. "I can cosplay as any of you, your families, I can even cosplay the world itself! That makes me worthy of the talent of Ultimate Cosplayer! So, it's not surprise that I was able to fake your Motive Videos and your backstories. It was all a lie created by me!"
"My…my identity…it was all…a…lie…?!"
"Kirumi…" Kiki frowned sadly at the young maid's anguish. I know how she feels…if her Motive Video is a lie…then all of ours could be lies. My family, my parents, my siblings… Kiki gritted her teeth in frustrated anger. Are those all lies too?!
"Wait…" Ryoma breathed, hope bleeding into his voice. "It sucks that Kirumi's Motive Video was a fraud, don't get me wrong. But…if our videos were faked…then logically, so is mine that says I have nobody important to me. So that means…there's someone waiting for me on the outside-"
"Nah, that ain't happenin'!" Tsumugi interrupted, causing Ryoma's eyes to widen.
"…What…?"
"Wh-Why?" Gonta gasped. "If Ryoma's Motive Video was a lie, then he has loved ones to return to! We all do!"
"I told you that ain't happenin', you bug-lovin' dimwit!" Tsumugi retorted.
"Tsumugi, what's going on?" Shuichi demanded.
"It's simple, just forget about the outside world. It wants nothing to do with you, any of you. The walls of this university are your world now. The outside world is of no concern to you. The audience certainly agrees with me. Isn't that right, you guys?"
"…Audience…?"
"What…audience…?" Keebo uttered in confusion while Tsumugi sighed.
"I guess you won't believe it unless you see it. So…Monokuma! Show our esteemed survivors the audience of this Killing Game!"
"Roger that!" Monokuma cheered, pressing a button on the side of his throne.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock as multiple images appeared on the surrownding walls of the courtroom. Images of people's faces, none of which they knew, intensely glued to whatever screens they were watching.
What the… Kiki and Shuichi gazed around at the screens, baffled by the sight that just played in front of them. What the hell's going on…?!
"What the…?!" Kiri breathed, her eyes widening in disbelief as Koto pointed at the TV.
"Look! It's us!"
Surely enough, they could make out a quick flash of their own faces on one of the miniature screens surrounding Kiki and Shuichi. "What the…" Maki gasped. "Is this…everyone watching this Killing Game…?"
"I…" Kyoko stammered in shock. "I…knew this Killing Game was being broadcast live…but I never imagined that the audience would get shown like this…!"
Makoto nodded, biting his lip. "It's almost like…we're all part of this, too…!"
"…This is sick…!" Mokubo growled. "How can so many people be watching this? We're watching so we can see what's happening to our sister. But…why is everyone else watching this…?!"
"…Probably because something like this hasn't happened in quite some time…" Kyoko admitted, gritting her teeth. "Killing Games were created to captivate audiences…though for what purpose this one is being shown…I have no clue…"
Makoto reluctantly nodded, unable to come up with an answer either. Why…? Why…is this being shown? Is it to spread despair? Or...is it for…some other reason?