Hi again!
Sorry for the longer wait. School was busy, I started a new job, and to top it all off, I was already a bit stumped with what to do here. But I did finally get around to writing the chapter! And now that winter break is coming up, we should have some more, exciting chapters! Awesome, right?
LightBlueRoses:
Oh man, I wasn't on Fanfiction when that happened, but I think I might have heard about it once. Just to be on the safe side, I took SYOC out of the description.
ThirdDespairSister:
Thanks! Ahh, I'm so happy I got your character right! I really hope I'm doing that well for everyone!
Martial Arts Master:
Heh, that's Saburo for you. He certainly must have something he can teach us- even if it is "Who to not befriend".
BlazeBlu:
Thank you! And I'm not sure at the moment. Given the current chapter sizes, possibly 30 or so! We'll have to see, though.
Alright! Enough of me and on to the chapter!
As each person eventually retreated into their separate rooms (with a few exceptions), the feeling of despair seemed to be growing. It felt like it was seeping through cracks and mixing in with the musty school air that surrounded the entire premises. Most made their best efforts to ignore it, but it was certainly there.
Over in Akari's room, Shion was regaining consciousness. As the latter girl was trying to get up, she felt a gentle push on her shoulder.
"Don't strain yourself, ok?" Akari's voice entered her ears, and she looked over at the ringleader. "Just get up slowly."
Following the advice, Shion resigned herself to just sitting up, resting her back against the backboard of the bed. Her hands resting on pink sheets, she looked over at Akari worriedly.
"Was it you that I knocked down? I'm sorry. I just... Well, the whole situation..." Shion started talking quicker, but Akari just shushed her.
"It's all in the past. Tell me when you feel ready to get up, ok?"
After a few silent moments, Shion started inching towards the edge of the bed. Akari got up to help her up, and soon enough, the lucky girl was standing on her own two feet, even though she was clutching tightly to the ringleader's arm.
"Just balance yourself. That was a hard fall." Akari guided her through a few shaky steps before Shion loosened her grasp and toddled about on her own two feet, black loafers squeaking a bit on the floor.
"You're alright?"
Shion turned her head to smile at the ponytailed girl. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Luck is sort of my thing."
"Ah, I'd guess. So we should head down to the cafeteria now." Akari noticed the perplexed look Shion was giving her. "Um, we... I'll tell you once we're there and you're sitting down, ok?"
Shion raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and just followed the girl out the door.
"So... You're a ringleader, huh?" Shion cocked her head, fluffy black hair tumbling about.
"Yep! The first female ringleader in my family, actually!" Akari beamed and adjusted her white tank top, revealing the black tank top it was layered over.
"Oh, that's really neat! Cooler than my reason for being here." Shion chuckled, pulling at the hem of her school cardigan.
"Aw, don't say that! Being lucky is cool!"
"My luck isn't that cool... I'm lucky, but it's like I take luck away from people around me. Like how I fell on you. I think it was you, anyways."
"Huh? That's... Actually very interesting!" Akari looked down at her with shining yellow eyes. "There must be some force at work. You should ask Chiemi."
The two continued walking, making small talk all the while until they reached the cafeteria. They were the last two to get there.
"You're late..." Umeko mumbled. She was tucked into herself, her grey skirt pressed against her knees as she rocked back and forth on her chair.
"Give them a break." Connor rolled his eyes. "Ok, sit down."
After both girls were seated, there was a pause.
"Akari, did you get around to telling Shion what the bear said?" Kin asked, resting their chin on their hands.
"No. I figured we'd have better results telling her as a group, right?" Akari responded.
No one replied, as they were all trying to figure out how to put this. Shion was getting more and more concerned by the second, eyes darting about for answers. Kin cleared their throat.
"Well, it's definitely not a preferred situation, and you should just remind yourself that it's going-"
"We have to kill each other to get out." Itami interrupted.
"Itami!"
"What."
While the two of them squabbled on, Shion was getting visibly distressed again. Not needing another repeat of earlier that day, Himukaru (who had been sitting next to her) reached over to mess her hair.
"Don't worry. Even if it isn't a joke, the police will be coming soon! Here, this will help." He tugged a gummy bear packet from his pocket (did he have some sort of subspace jeans?), offering them to Shion, who quietly thanked him and took a few.
Kin and Itami had stopped with the back-and-forth, Kin stewing in their seat and Itami picking at his cuticles.
Saburo spoke up. "So if you two are done with that hissy fit, we should probably start figurin' out how to get out of here, right?"
"I jogged around most of the floor." Haru drummed her fingers on the table. "All the windows look just like those ones." She pointed to the windows all around the cafeteria, all covered by the black metallic sheets. "I found what I guess was SUPPOSED to be the main doors, but it was covered by these huge grate-things, and a bunch of locks and stuff. So the front doors' out."
"Oh! Oh! Iko, Himukaru, let's tell them what we found!" Ritsu grinned. "When we were going back to my room, we saw stairs!"
"Stairs?" Olivier cocked his head.
"They were covered up by these huge iron bars, though." Iko added. "I don't think they're breakable."
"Ah. I'd assume we're going to be confined to the first floor for the entirety of this game, then." Just as Olivier had finished his conclusion, another voice burst in.
"Bzzzt! No, that's wrooooong!"
Chiasa screamed and tumbled backwards off her chair as Monobear appeared right in front of her.
"Upupu! Sorry to make a surprise entrance, but I can't BEAR to watch you make such an assumption, Olivier! How boring would it be if I made you all stay on one floor? Super boring! Not even despair-inducingly boring! Just plain, old boring. So as soon as there's a murder, I'll unlock another part of the school for you! That's fun, right?"
Monobear paused before gasping.
"Look at me, rambling on! How BEAR-y rude of me! I didn't even announce the second reason I came here- which was to give you your first motive!"
"Motive?" Chiasa, who was still on the floor, has regained her bearings, but was keeping a safe distance away from the bear.
"M-M-Motiiiive!" Monobear sung out. "A motive to make sure you all kill each other like good little students! Anyways, our motive here is easy- If nobody kills in 24 hours, I'll take it upon kill one of your family members, or a precious friend! Here, have a card, take a card!"
Monobear produced a set of cards from seemingly out of nowhere. He waltzed around the table, throwing them at students.
"Take a peek! I'm sure it's in your best interests to know who might be!" Monobear chirped.
Gasps and whimpers erupted around the room as the students discovered who Monobear was threatening death upon.
"You... You aren't possibly serious!" Chiemi was staring at the paper in her hands. She was clutching it so tight, you'd think she thought letting it drop meant the person would get the axe.
"Of course I'm serious! I am a very honest bear!" Monobear beamed. "Anyways, I'll leave you kids alone with that. Remember, 24 hours!"
With those final words, Monobear vanished, leaving a shocked table of kids with their papers.
"... Fuck it." Saburo got up so fast that it threw back his chair. It crashed against the wall. "Fuck this, fuck you, fuck this fucking school." He spun around and went for the door. Nobody called out to him.
"C-Come on, we can't let it get to us." Even Yohaku seemed shaken by the announcement.
"... Right. Right." Chiemi got up, getting herself back in order before walking around the table. Her converse squeaked on the shining linoleum floor as she spoke. "We can't let this control us. I think we all need to work together find our way out of here"
"W-Why?! So you can hide in the shadows and stab one of us in the back when we least expect it?!" Umeko snapped, shoving back her own chair. "I'm watching you! I'm w-watching all of you!" She ran around the table, shoving Chiemi out of the way as she made a dash for the door.
"U-Umeko! Please wait!" Iko yelled. It was a lost cause, as the babysitter was long gone by then.
"Tempers are running high. I think we should all go back to our rooms, either alone or in groups of three or larger." Olivier got up, sighing. "Be careful. Please don't do something you'll regret." He left as well, out the same door as Umeko.
Conner sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'm not in the mood to deal with your emotional breakdowns right now, so don't come looking for me." He pushed back his chair, heading out through the far door.
Talk burst out among the remaining students, arrangements being made, or comfort being offered.
"Um... Hey, Yohaku?" Chiemi, who had gotten herself off the ground, was looking nervously at the astronaut. "Maybe we should get someone to come with us? I think what Olivier said was probably a good idea." She whispered.
Yohaku nodded. "He's very intelligent... There's a lot he could teach all of us. Who do you suggest?"
She thought for a moment. "Let's bring Kin. They seem pretty levelheaded, right?"
"That's a good idea." Yohaku got up to tap the frozen protester on the shoulder. "Kin? Chiemi and I were wondering if you'd be interested in spending some time with us. Olivier's suggestion is something we should all take into mind."
They remained still before straightening their shoulders and turning to Yohaku with a nervous smile.
"Heh, maybe I should. Being alone would probably be bad for me in the long run." They got up, stuffing the paper in their pink short's pocket and following Yohaku to where Chiemi was standing.
"So, where would you like to go?" Chiemi smiled at the new addition.
"Hmm..." Yohaku pulled his card out from the pocket of his jumpsuit, scrolling around. "We can go to the kitchen. Maybe there's a recipe book?"
"Sure. I can teach you how to make ice cream!" Kim looked up at the two taller students, glad to have some sort of distraction.
"Cool! How do you do that?" Chiemi perked up at the possibility.
"Well, first you have to get milk, rock salt..." Their voice became distant as the group moved away from the table and towards the kitchen. This left just a few.
"So, I guess you two are coming with me?" Haru looked at Chiasa and Natsuko, resting her elbows on the table.
"That'd be nice. I've never had a sleepover with friends before!" Chiasa looked really excited at the prospect, although the worry over what she found on her card remained etched on her face.
"Wait, sleepov-" Haru started, but was interrupted by someone cutting off her flow of oxygen.
"SLEEPOVER!" Natsuko squealed in excitement, hugging both girls as tight as she could. "Sleepover sleepover sleepover!"
"You're having a sleepover too?" Ritsu looked up from across the table. It seemed that everyone had left, excluding these two groups. A few of them left when nobody was looking, it seemed.
"Yes! A sleepover with my beeeeeeeest girlfriends!" Natsuko continued squeezing her newfound friends (at least, that's how SHE thought of them) until Haru started whacking her arm. Releasing her sleeper hold on the two of them, she put a hand on her hip and smiled at Ritsu.
"Me and the guys are having one. Bet it'll be better!" Ritsu grinned, motioning over Iko and Himukata.
"What is it, Ritsu?" Iko asked, noticing the girls chatting among themselves (ie: Natsuko talking at both of them at the speed of light).
"They're having a sleepover too!" Ritsu grinned, tugging at the blue wool sweater that had fallen off of his shoulder, reveal the off-white dress shirt underneath.
"Really? Maybe we could-" Himukata started off, but was interrupted by Natsuko.
"Come with us! It'll be a party!" Natsuko waved her arms. "We can play spin the bottle, and never have I ever, and truth or dare, and and and-" Natsuko took a big breath, and looked like she was about to continue, but Chiasa touched her arm.
"Um, maybe we shouldn't. I don't think-"
"That's a great idea!" Himakuta seemed excited. "A party! I love parties! I can bring candy!"
"Awesome!" Natsuko and Himakuta were talking at each other quickly, planning it out.
"Iko! Iko! Come here, Iko!" Natsuko grabbed his arm, pulling the lawyer over. They started going over her plans with the black haired boy, who looked very overwhelmed.
Chiasa chuckled weakly. "Party it is, then."
"I swear, I'll punch her lights out if she hugs me again. I don't want to die by suffocating against her boobs." Haru muttered.
"Heh, she'll keep the party alive, I'm sure." Ritsu looked from side to side before leaning over to whisper to them, his ratty sneakers squeaking on the chair as he propped himself on it so that his small stature could reach the girls. "I think we should try to get Natsuko and Iko together."
"Huh?" Haru looked confused. "How do you know that that'll work?"
"I'm a visual novel creator! It's just what comes with my talent. For example, you measure how far the ball will go based off the angle and force of your kick- including any objects and external forces in your path-"
"Not really. I just kick the damn thing." She muttered.
"-Not now, Haru. Just like you can measure that, I can measure the success level of a relationship based off of personalities. A carnivore girl and a herbivore guy- they'd go great together!" Ritsu finished, clapping his hands together and sitting back down.
Chiasa, who was seemingly locked in a trance for most of that, broke into a smile. "Wow! You've thought this out, haven't you?"
Ritsu looked proud. "Of course! I'm good at what I do!"
Just then, Natsuko, Himakuta and Iko returned to the table, each taking a seat.
"So, ready to go? We decided that it'll be held in my room!" Himakuta grinned. "It's cause I have the candy!"
"See! Brilliant! Come on, I wanna go, I wanna goooooooo!" Natsuko kicked her feet, almost letting her brown loafers fly off her feet. "Haru-chan and Chi-chan wanna go too, right?"
"Chi-chan?" Chiasa pondered.
"That's a yes! My best galpals want to go now!" Natsuko squealed and hugged pulled both girls up and towards her, hugging them tightly. Haru's screech of terror and anger was muffled against Natsuko's chest
"Heh, alright! Come on, guys! Let's go!" Ritsu slapped both boys on the backs before hopping to his feet. He was followed by a bustling group, each chattering away, the sinister motive seemly gone forever from their minds.
Somewhere in the school, the mastermind chuckled.
A/N: Ok! So the next chapter should be up sometime Wednesday, considering that this was originally one huge chapter, but I split it in half. I'm already about half done the next chapter.
I'd like to bring this up with you guys now. This, of course, is a Dangan Ronpa SYOC. That means people will die. Please don't get angry if I kill your OC! I'm a sensitive baby who's not capable of dealing with angry people. So just be aware, ok?
As per usual, please review! They really do keep me going.