AN: And the next chapter is here shortly before a day of good cheer. Whatever, enjoy.
Day 21, 0820 Hours, Cafeteria
John talked to Paris while he ate breakfast, Atsuko sitting with them as Ferris had left to inspect the Computer Lab with Alexander. Rowland was sitting in the corner, tweaking the radio but having no luck in finding a frequency that hadn't been dominated by Monokuma and his irritating song. He would probably give up soon and go and assist the others in the computer lab, while the other students wandered around.
It seemed that Monokuma was sticking to the whole nice act and was giving them a break in between motive and trial this time, although John knew it wouldn't last long. It was unlikely that any of them would kill without provocation, maybe Jane but she was too scared to actually approach any of them, and John knew Monokuma knew that. They would be lucky if the motive didn't occur tomorrow, or the day after that.
As the conversation continued, John tried to guess the next motive. Perhaps Monokuma would appeal to a sense of greed and offer a money reward. Or perhaps he would try to heighten the fear in some way, push Jane or one of the others over the edge. John could think of several ways, although Monokuma had already done that with his 'gift' of the video of their families. They had discussed that in the computer lab yesterday, as well as the video Monokuma had revealed on John's laptop.
They had dug through the unlocked files on the computers but hadn't found anything of much interest, more knowledge of the lost time as well as images showing they had known each other previously. The knowledge had finally spread amongst the others to a fairly mixed reaction.
Jane accused the others of trying to lure her into a false sense of security while Barry had simply shrugged. Chloe grunted and said that that was then and this was now, and the fact that it had remained a secret shoed that trust still was low in the present. Billy had scowled and said that they could've have said something sooner, but also pointed out that the videos and other things could have been fabricated, like Jane said, to add to the general discord, sowing horror and fear as they were killing former friends. Mary reacted in angry, swearing loudly but calming down quickly and saying that it really didn't change anything. Louise simply looked scared.
John frowned as he thought of the forensic expert. She was deteriorating rapidly. She looked as though she hadn't slept in days and she shook constantly. She shrugged off attempts to ask if she was well and John was certain she wasn't taking her antidepressants. She was becoming as much of a danger as Jane, except maybe a little more in that she was a danger to herself. She had assured Ferris that she wouldn't kill herself but John doubted her word at the present.
In any case there wasn't much new beyond the expanded area, so the day ahead looked boring, Rowland already giving up on the radio and moving away from it, turning it off so as to not drive anyone into insanity. John wasn't even sure what the conversation he was in was about anymore he was so far out of it, taking a moment to consider that Monokuma might try to drive them to murder because of cabin fever.
John tried to return to the conversation before he realized it had drifted off without him to another topic, leaving him to his own devices as the other two chatted about things he didn't fully understand, some series of novels that centered on a love triangle or something he thought. He took it upon himself to clean up the dishes from their breakfast, escaping to the kitchen momentarily. He paused to inspect the room again, lingering on the lethal freezer.
As he stared at the fridge he thought of the rooms where Amelia and Wilbur had died, he also considered the trial room since Adam and Perdita had technically died there but discounted it from his musings because it was not readily accessible like the other rooms.
They had been avoided at first, the places where they died; Wilbur's place of death in the art room was still skirted around seeing as it was still relatively fresh in everyone's memory, but John had forgotten what aisle Amelia had died in, just that the library was where she had drawn her final breath. It wouldn't be long before the horror of Wilbur's death had left and they spot would no longer be skirted, the room was already in use by Mary again, although according to Rowland she had hemmed and hawed at the entrance when she first entered it yesterday, but the need to vent herself creatively had won and she had entered the room skirting around the spot where Wilbur had lain as he had hemorrhaged.
It seemed a particularly horrifying death for a hemophiliac, your illness being taken advantage of to hasten your demise. Not that Perdita's or Adam's death weren't horrifying either, nor was Amelia's. Having her skull caved in through a series of blows seemed just as disturbing as the others. In fact, if Ferris did die because of his failing health, it would probably be the most dignified death any of them could hope for in here.
John shook himself from his morbid line of thought and forced himself to return to the others in the cafeteria, when he ran into Billy coming the other way.
"Oh, morning," the behavioral analyst said after a second.
"Morning," John returned.
After a moment of staring at each other Billy walked around John and began preparing his morning meal. Feeling a sudden urge to talk to the other student, John fumbled through possible conversation topics before settling on the obvious.
"What's your favorite song by them?" he asked.
"By who?" Billy asked.
"Pink Floyd," John said, gesturing to Billy's shirt, "you do like them right?"
"Oh, yes, sorry not really a morning person can this wait until I get my coffee?" Billy replied.
John nodded and waited as Billy went about preparing his version of the brew. There were several pot already brewed from previous students and Billy smelled each, searching for a particular one before giving up and turning to the coffee machine set on making a different base drink. After the coffee was poured into the new pot, Billy poured some into a mug before adding cream and sugar, as well as a glob of honey to it. John didn't drink coffee and had no clue what the brew might taste like, but he couldn't help but think it might be overly sweet, even if coffee was naturally bitter.
Only after taking a long drink and pausing to savor it did Billy finally respond to John's question.
"I personally like Young Lust but Brain Damage is also good, how about you, like any of their work?"
"Oh," John said, "I mostly listen to more recent songs; don't really think I've heard any of their stuff."
"Now that is a crime," Billy said, "How can you not have heard any classics like them? You probably haven't heard the Who or Kiss either."
"Hey, I've heard I Want to Rock and Roll, and isn't Who Are You by the Who?"
"That one is Kiss's signature and doesn't count and the other is a theme to a TV show a cop one at that so it's also out."
"Okay then I've got nothing. Do the Beatles count?"
"No, they do not."
"Why not?"
"This isn't just about being part of an older generation," Billy said, leaning back against the counter, "they have to have the proper sound, the style, and the Beatles are not of the same style as Kiss if you can't tell."
"Wait, I'm confused, isn't Kiss different then the Who and Pink Floyd?" John said.
Billy rolled his eyes, "you don't seem to get it."
"Fine, what else do you like?" John said, deciding that classic rock music or whatever wasn't a strong topic for him.
"I bike," Billy said, "stay fit you know, I'm no Olympian but I can hold my own for a good clip."
"Is there an Olympic Sport with bikes?" John asked.
"Don't know, I mostly follow football, the American kind not the soccer version that Rowland's always prattling on about."
"I think the soccer version is the original," John stated.
"Not here in America," Billy countered.
"Are we even sure we're in America?" John asked.
Billy was silent before saying, "Crap, too much thought, need more coffee."
John let him be as the behavioral analyst began nursing his cup of coffee once again, proceeding out into the cafeteria and approaching the table with Atsuko, Paris, and now Louise who had taken to not eating often, who all seemed to be focused on Paris's hair. John caught a few snippets of conversation as he came up to the table, some hair style jargon or whatever, he mostly let his fall where it would and called it good, before they noticed his arrival.
"Morning John," Louise greeted.
"Morning, how are you feeling?" John asked.
"Quite fine, thank you," Louise responded tersely, "my health is not really your business."
"Okay," John said, throwing his hands up in a consolatory gesture, before turning to Paris and asking, "any place you want to go today?"
The soccer player paused to consider, while Louise stood and looked towards the kitchen before shaking her head and announcing, "I'm heading to the biology lab."
"Cool I'll come with you," Atsuko said standing up as well.
"No need," Louise said, waving the Lucky student off, "I am fine going by myself."
"You really shouldn't what with that Monokuma mutant plant thing in there," Atsuko countered, "just in case it tries to eat you, you should have back up to pull you out."
"W-why don't we go with t-hem," Paris said, looking at John, "we can take a closer look at the other labs as well."
"Sure," John said, much to Louise's displeasure.
The four set out, Louise a little sullen, and began heading down the halls towards the new wing of the school. John looked over the architecture for a bit while the other three resumed their conversation on hair, although Louise was silent for most of their chat. John eventually joined in as the topic drifted to other things and they drifted towards their destination.
As they passed the central hall, John paused to see Shi-ru hovering beyond the locked section, looking towards them before vanishing deeper into the sealed wing. John considered yelling at the vanishing penguin but decided against it. Shi-ru was unlikely to come back if what he was doing was important and John had no of following him. He did want to talk to the animatronic about the video of his family but decided against it.
They turned off down the hall towards the West Wing, the conversation ceasing and the silence of the school once again resuming its reign. John saw a flash of color out of the corner of his eye and assumed it was Jane ducking into a classroom to avoid encountering the group of students and considered pursuing her, but like pursuing Shi-ru decided against it. No need to spook the girl into action.
Finally the quartet reached the labs, entering the bio lab first. It was the smallest of the labs if John was remembering size correctly, containing less equipment then the others but it did have the green house which might be counted as part of the lab. John searched the room closer with Paris while Atsuko and Louise went into the greenhouse. Finding nothing of interest in the lab beyond dissection tools, John and Paris moved into the greenhouse, the soccer player pausing to lie down and bask in the rays of the sun that as slowly moving overhead. John looked around for the other two while she did this, not finding them.
He listened for their voices but if they were talking it was muffled by the foliage. Looking around again, his eye was drawn to the rope that sectioned off the area where the Monokuma plant was. Curiosity overtook John and propelled him towards the rope.
"John what are you-NO, no," Paris said, scrambling to her feet and dashing to grab John's arm to halt him.
"I just want to inspect it," John said, "make sure we know what it looks like."
"Barry and Billy know what it looks like, we don't need to see it," Paris rebuked.
"Atsuko and Louise may have gone that way," John answered.
"I doubt Atsuko would let Louise near that thing," Paris hissed in reply.
"I suppose you're right," John said, sighing in disappointment, "can't we go look, I'm curious as to what this thing even looks like."
"We are not indulging your curiosity to look at a man eating plant," Paris snapped, sitting down with a huff.
"Fine, fine," John said, losing the interest that had moved him towards the plant in the first place, "do you want to look around the rest of the greenhouse then?"
Paris thought for a moment before offering John her hand, which he took and pulled her up. The two then walked amongst the greenhouse, calling out for the others occasionally and enjoying the change from the stuffy confines of the school. Eventually they came to a section containing rows of flowers instead of more tropical growth like where the Monokuma plant was, and found Chloe admiring the flowers.
John decided to approach her while Paris leaned down to smell some of the flowers, violets John thought.
As John neared her Chloe said to Paris, "Careful some of these are poisonous."
The soccer player quickly drew back, much to the survivalist's amusement. The soccer player glared at the larger girl, but Chloe had shifted her attention to John.
"What do you want?" she said with a note of aggravation in her voice.
"To talk," John said, reconsidering his desire to approach Chloe.
"About what?"
"Well, what are you doing here?"
"Inspecting the flowers, I figured it might be a good idea to warn people if their poisonous," she said, "they're also very pretty," she said, a slight note of embarrassment entering her tone, before mumbling under her breath, "better than I could have done."
"Oh, do you like to garden," John asked, seeing something that he could possibly talk about without having Chloe bite his head off.
"Yeah," Chloe said, "Although, I'm not very good at it, I'm definitely not the Ultimate Botanist."
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it," John said, trying to be encouraging.
"Of course it doesn't!" Chloe barked at him shattering the small amount of confidence he had worked up.
"Geez, only trying to be positive," he muttered.
Chloe grunted, looking away before saying, "Sorry, this place has me on edge, I'm usually able to hunt the predators that hunt me right back so the fact that I can't harm Monokuma drives me crazy."
"T-that p-robably i-s extremely f-frustrating, l-like m-issing an e-easy goal," Paris said.
Chloe let out a short bark of laughter, "maybe, you must find missing goals pretty frustrating them stutters."
Paris scowled at the nickname, but responded, "Y-Y-yes! Its t-the w-worst feeling I-I c-can t-hink of!"
Chloe laughed again, causing Paris's face to burn red, before saying, "I'm finding you more likable, we might even be able to become friends eventually of you survive this."
"W-what a-about you?" Paris asked, "W-why a-are y-."
"So sure I'm going to survive this? Because I'm the Ultimate Survivalist, surviving is what I do, anyways I need to finish this up so if you two can just bug off that would be great," Chloe said, before turning back to her work.
"Paris opened her mouth but instead turned on her heel and began walking towards the exit, John hurrying after her and leaving Chloe to work in peace. After he caught up to her they exited the greenhouse, passed through the lab and went into the physics lab without saying a word and scaring Jane who was in the lab in the process.
They quickly left the lab after the other student began throwing things at them, and instead entered the chemistry lab. They had been unable to see it yesterday due to Ferris's escapades with the chemicals, the results of which were still lingering in the form of a slightly noxious smell and a towering black crystal emerging from a sink. The lab had several chemical showers scattered throughout and had equipment in spades as well, John recognizing a centrifuge as well as the fume hood from what Ferris had told him of chemistry and from watching TV.
John and Paris searched the lab more thoroughly, finding a cabinet full of chemicals helpfully labeled, ranging from things to benefit health to more dangerous chemicals, quite possible one of the few things that would be present even if Monokuma hadn't asserted his presence in other parts of the school. The lab also contained other things necessary to chemistry, like beakers and other supplies John didn't know how to identify.
Finally reaching the point where they could no longer stand the obnoxious smell, the pair exited the chemistry lab and once again tried the physics lab, finding it bereft of Jane this time. John busied himself inspecting equipment while Paris began turning out drawers for anything of use. The search turned out for naught since neither of them knew the first thing about physics, possibly the only one who did was Rowland, and even he had his limits. Giving up for the time being, the pair proceeded to go to the lunch room to grab a late lunch, and spent the rest of the day wondering the school aimlessly. As nighttime neared they returned to their respective dorms.
Once inside the safety of his room, John went back to the laptop. He had opened all the new files and nothing as useful or important as the video had been allowed through, so he continued his journal of the events of what was happening. He was aware that he was fairly erratic in his maintenance of the journal, and supposed he could try to write in it more often. But he went off the assumption that someone else was following a similar pursuit and was writing it better so he kept his usually schedule of writing, or more accurately lack of schedule.
Opening up the document, he typed in the events of the day before closing with:
I'm not sure if the suspense of waiting is as bad as having an actual motive in effect. We know nothing bad is happening at the present but that it will happen soon so we are unable to fully enjoy this time as we should. Could be a ploy by the bear but Alexander would probably know better. Ah, well, at least no one's died.
I remember a time when that was a joke.
John saved and closed the computer before falling asleep, dreaming fitful of the dead students tormenting the live ones, a dream that would be forgotten in the morning.