There's a nervous tension in the air during breakfast.
"Twenty million bagels!" I joke, buttering my bagel.
"No way!" says Akiko. "It'll be something like… twenty million cupcakes!"
"Twenty million stuffed-crust pizzas!" Jeff suggests.
"Heh," Jun chuckles. "Now, there's a motive I'd kill for."
But these jokes barely conceal our growing anxiety. The "Twenty Million Dollars" motive had seemed lame—but it got the job done. Clearly, we'd underestimated this Mastermind's competence.
Now a new motive is coming. Who knows what Monokuma's prepared for us?
So we joke, and laugh, and try not to think too hard about it.
After a few bites, I lose my appetite. I'm way too tense to eat. My brain can pretend that everything's fine—but my body knows better. It knows that danger lies ahead.
At 10 a.m., we all gather in the gymnasium. There's no more joking, at this point. No one is talking at all. We just stare at the empty stage, waiting with bated breath.
For a few minutes, we wait.
And then…
Fourteen students stand in the gymnasium, facing forward. Facing the stage, where a lone podium stands.
Something jumps up from behind the podium—and plops down onto it.
A bear.
A teddy bear.
Half white, half black. Wearing an evil grin on its black side, under a jagged red eye.
"Da-da-da-daaaaa!" the bear chimes. "Have some fear—Monokuma is here!"
"Don't you mean 'have no fear'?" asks Jeff.
"Well, I think some fear is warranted," Monokuma answers, covering his grin.
"Let's just get this over with," Shingo says, sounding resigned. "You're going to provide us with a new motive to graduate. Is that correct?"
"Wow—so impatient," Monokuma replies. "Though, I can't really blame you. After all, you guys are in for some serious thrillage, incredible chillage, and absolutely spectacular killage! Yep, that's right—the second motive is finally here! Enough of your flirting and pool partying. That's not what Danganronpa is about! It's about that wonderful moment when a knife slides into some poor sap's chest. That's why the motive is the best part. It ties the whole plot together! Now, it's time to take your friendly little equilibrium—and stir it up a bit! Puhuhuhu…"
"You might be disappointed at the results," Naomi retorts coldly. "Ryu was a weak link. He had very likely killed before—or, at the very least, looked away while his yakuza family accumulated a body count. He was uniquely qualified to be manipulated into committing murder. The rest of us don't have that background. With Ryu gone, you might find yourself quite bored."
"Hmmmm," Monokuma says, tilting his head. "That's a persuasive argument. I might even agree with it!"
"Heh," Jun chuckles. "Do you, now?"
"Definitely! You guys are too nice to kill anyone. I'm sure you'll all resist any unsavory temptations, and live out the rest of your lives in this peaceful paradise of a school environment. Except…" He looks down, dejected. "…That'd kind of suck, though. I put so much effort into this motive. I had a whole presentation planned, and everything. I even brought a prop."
"Prop?" says Akiko. "What prop? I don't see any props!"
"Just wait a sec!" Monokuma snaps, showing his claws. "I have to get it first, okay?" He lowers his arm. "Oh, and by the way—these motives are cumulative. In other words, those twenty million dollars are still up for grabs. Keep that in mind!"
He jumps behind the podium—and out of sight.
The podium starts lowering. It descends into the floor.
Slow, it lowers.
Then it's gone—revealing Monokuma, who was standing behind it. Now he has something in his paw. He's holding it out, showing it to us. It's… some kind of… metal disk?
"The name of this motive," Monokuma says, "is 'Land Mine'! Now—what do you think this thing is?"
"A frisbee?" Jeff suggests.
"I'm guessing it's a land mine," Shingo deadpans.
"Right you are, Shingo!" says Monokuma. "This right here is a high-quality, custom-made MonoMine! Just ten pounds of pressure on this thing, and… well, seeing is believing!"
Monokuma walks to the center of the stage. Carefully, he puts down the MonoMine; now it's lying flat on the hardwood floor. Monokuma walks to our left, putting some space between himself and the mine.
"Now," he says, "let's pretend that this stage is an elementary school playground. And let's pretend that I am a small, innocent child." He starts taking slow, exaggerated steps toward the MonoMine. "La-di-da-di-da," he chimes. "As a small, innocent child, I sure love being alive! I have so much of my life ahead of me! Not being dead is my favorite thing ever!"
He steps on the mine.
KAAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
I scream, and run, and so does everyone else.
Because the stage has exploded in a massive ball of fire.
It happens so quickly. There's a bright flash, and a loud loud loud sound, and we're screaming and running the hell away.
But the door is locked.
We crowd around it, pushing and pushing. But it won't budge.
There's a ringing in my ear. I'm panting. I have literal tunnel vision.
I turn around—and look at the stage.
Ruins. Flames. The whole thing's been destroyed. No… annihilated. There's just a smoking crater where the stage used to be. Black ashes, black smoke, burning wood.
Turrets descend from the ceiling.
FFFSHHHHHHHHH.
Oh. These turrets aren't guns—they're… firehoses? Powerful streams of water erupt loudly from their nozzles, drenching the smoldering stage.
Eventually, the streams stop. The turrets retreat upward.
The ex-stage is a hideous wreck. But it's soaking wet now. There's no fire anywhere.
People are talking—I think. It's hard to concentrate. There's still a ringing in my ears. I'm still panting. My heart is thumping.
"Ta-da!"
Unfortunately, his voice is hard to ignore.
We turn to our left—and there he is, near the bleachers. Monokuma. Completely unharmed.
"How… how is he still here!?" asks Jeff.
"That must be a different body," Naomi replies.
"Something like that," Monokuma says, showing his white side. "Anyway—MonoMines are the real deal. I think I just proved that beyond any doubt!"
"No—that's wrong," I blurt out. No matter how shaken up I am, I just can't suppress my knowledge of Danganronpa trivia. "If there's one thing I know about Monokuma, it's that he always has a bomb in his body. How do we know that the land mine is what actually exploded, and not the bomb inside you?"
"The bomb inside me?" Monokuma repeats, tilting his head. "Oh, you're talking about my neutral special… EXXPLOOOOSSIIIOOON!"
BOOOOOOOM.
We shriek, and retreat. Debris scatters everywhere.
We stop near the right-side bleachers—and stare at the spot where, a moment earlier, Monokuma had stood.
The floor is blackened. Burnt metal scraps are strewn about all over the floor.
But there's no fire. No giant crater. The flash wasn't nearly as bright as the first one, and the sound wasn't nearly as loud.
"Happy now?"
We turn. A fully intact Monokuma is standing in front of the ruined stage.
"Is Little Miss Pedantic fully convinced yet?" he asks.
"I… I am, yeah," I answer, trying to suppress the shake in my voice. "That first blast was way more powerful, so… it… was definitely the land mine."
"Well, you'd better be convinced. Your skepticism cost me a whole brand-spanking-new body. These things don't grow on trees, you know!"
"But—why a land mine, though?" Akiko asks nervously. "What does that have to do with our motive?"
"Oh, crap!" Tsubasa yelps. "Don't tell me—you're… you're gonna plant land mines all over the school!?"
"Don't be stupid!" Monokuma retorts. "If I did that, then you'd all die before you even had a chance to murder each other. That would be way too boring!"
"Oh… right," Tsubasa says, calming down. "I guess that's not really your MO."
"What is the relevance of the land mine, then?" asks Shingo.
"Instead of asking me," says Monokuma, "why don't you all check for yourselves? The file has already been sent, so take a gander!"
"What file?" asks Naomi.
"When you open your e-Handbook," Monokuma explains, "you should see a file labeled 'Motive.' Click on it, and take a peek at the contents within. I think that'll answer any lingering questions you may have."
I take out my e-Handbook, and turn it on.
There's a file labeled "Motive," just like he said. I tap it.
Now I see another file, labeled "Motive #2: Land Mine." I tap it.
A picture fills my screen.
I recognize my neighborhood right away. A gentle hill; a quiet street; rows of tightly-packed houses. Parked cars here and there. Some bushes and trees. A clear, blue sky.
I smile, flooded with nostalgia. I'd been so eager to leave this remote little suburb. Now I'd do just about anything to go back.
The picture changes. Same neighborhood—but now three people are in the shot. They're walking down the street. Two adults, and one eleven-year-old girl between them, holding hands with each of them.
Mom. Dad. My little sister, Ai.
I stare at Ai, feeling my smile widen. She has auburn hair—like mine—but she wears it in pigtails. Her t-shirt shows characters from an obscure video game. That's my doing. Ai is my little otaku-in-training. I'm slowly getting her into all the stuff I'm into—and to my joy, she's been loving all of it. Our tastes really are the same. Soon enough, I'll be taking her to conventions, and stuff. I really can't wait to see her grow up.
The picture changes. I'm looking at my house—where I grew up, and where I want to be so badly right now. My chest hurts just looking at it. There's a driveway in front, and a blue car parked in it. The driveway is flanked on the right by a short, concrete wall; between the wall and driveway, there's a narrow strip of grass, where a couple of small trees have sprouted. Mom, Dad, and Ai are facing away from the camera, walking toward the house.
My brain turns on, and my smile fades. Who's taking these photos?
Next, there's a video. Mom and Dad are walking up the driveway, toward the front door. Ai is… being her usual, energetic self. Running around the car for no reason. Rambling on and on about who knows what. Mom chastises her, and gestures for her to come inside. Ai pouts, and slouches, walking slowly forward.
I frown. Who's filming this video?
I gasp.
I cover my mouth. My eyes are popping.
There he is, behind the short, concrete wall. He's peeking out. Gazing at the camera.
Monokuma.
He waves at the camera. Nearby, Ai reaches the front door, and walks inside.
"…No…" I whisper.
Mom closes the door behind her. Monokuma disappears behind the wall.
"…No…"
Next, there's another picture. A close-up of the grass strip beside the driveway. Someone's dug a hole between the two trees. There's a spade near the hole.
Another picture. Monokuma is standing on the driveway, near the newly-dug hole. He's smiling at the camera. There's a metal disk in his paw. He's holding it out. Showing it to me.
A MonoMine.
I feel cold. I feel sick. I can't look away. I can't look away.
Next, a video. Monokuma gently places the land mine in the hole. He grabs a wad of grassy soil, and uses it to bury the land mine. The camera zooms out. There's just a small, inconspicuous mound between the trees, one that no one will notice unless they're looking for it.
I'm shaking my head. "No, no, no…"
Another video. Mom, Dad, and Ai are leaving the house. Dad walks down the driveway—passing the mound—and gets in the car. Mom walks down the driveway—passing the mound—and gets in the car. Ai is walking all over the place, as usual. Taking all sorts of unnecessary steps. She walks up to the mound.
"NO!" I squeak.
…Then Ai walks to the car, and gets inside. They drive away.
I choke on air. I'm shivering. Tears sting my eyes.
Just one step.
Just one more step.
One more step, and she…
And she'd…
"…No, no, no, no…"
The screen is black, now, with white text: "Better warn them before it's too late!"
I gaze, frozen.
It can't be.
It can't be.
It can't be it can't be it can't—
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Yuna's piercing scream fills the room, bursting my trance. I look at her. She's pale, and shivering, and crying.
"TAKE IT BACK!" she screeches at Monokuma, fists clenched, tears pouring down. "TAKE IT BACK!"
"What… what is this…?" mutters Shingo, staring at his screen with a look of pure horror.
"I think it's pretty self-explanatory," Monokuma replies, covering his grin.
"You cockroach," says Emi. She's glaring daggers at Monokuma; I've never seen her look so angry. "Do you truly believe that we'll play along, after what we've seen here? You've accomplished nothing, except to confirm your status as the lowest bacterium."
"Hmm," Monokuma says, tiling his head. "Well, it's like I said earlier—you guys are too nice to murder anyone. Plus, Ryu was a weak link. Now that he's gone, I'm sure you're all gonna hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya' for the rest of your days!" He holds out his black hand. "So, just think of this motive as a test. Like they say: 'Have the serenity to accept what you can't change, the courage to change what you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.' You can't change what happens outside this school, so just accept it! Once you've done that, you're one step closer to utopia." He lowers his hand. "Although… technically, you could change what happens if you graduate. But that would mean murdering someone! And that's out of the que—"
WHAP.
An e-Handbook hits Monokuma square in the head, and knocks him over.
There's some commotion. It's hard to tell what's going on.
At the end of it, Jeff and Takeru are restraining Rin. Her face is contorted with fury.
"Please, Rin!" Jeff pleads.
"When the final battle comes," says Takeru, "I shall stand beside you, and we shall fight as one. That day, however, is a long way off. Though I am loathe to admit it, his current power far outstrips ours. It would be foolish to take him on before the time is right."
Meanwhile, Monokuma stands up. "Wow," he says. "Bulls-eye! …Now, technically, I have to punish anyone who intentionally attacks the headmaster. However, since Miss Ono's e-Handbook just happened to accidentally slip out of her hand… I think I can give it a pass. Assuming it was an accident, of course."
"It was definitely an accident!" Jeff insists. "I saw it! It… it looked very… accidental."
Rin just glares.
"Right, Rin?"
"Whatever," Rin growls, barely audible.
"Good enough," says Monokuma. "Though, an apology would be more polite. Kids these days have no etiquette at all!"
Rin glares. I don't think any amount of torture could make her apologize.
"Well," says Monokuma, "I've said my piece. The rest is up to you! Get it? Rest in peace? …Jeez, tough crowd."
He disappears under a floorboard.
There's just the fourteen of us, now.
But I'm not looking at anyone. If they're talking, I'm not listening.
All I can hear is that explosion. The massive, massive blast when Monokuma stepped on the land mine.
All I can see is Ai, wandering toward the mound. Stepping closer. Closer.
Just one more step. That's it.
One more. One more step. And she'd…
…She'd…
It replays in my head, over and over. The mound. Ai. The land mine. Explosion.
I picture it again and again.
We're in the cafeteria, now, sitting around the table. I'm not sure when we got here. When I got here. I haven't been paying attention to my surroundings.
I can't pay attention to anything, except this unbearable pain that's eating my soul.
It hurts.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.
My sister is going to die.
She's going to step on that mound. If not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the day after.
Sooner or later, she'll step on the mine.
And there's nothing I can do. I can't stop it.
I'm so useless. I'm so worthless.
All I can do is sit here, and cry, and cry, and cry.
"Okay, fuck this," Rin grunts, standing up.
"Rin, wait," Akiko says.
"P-please, Rin," says Mizuki, "don't do anything r-reckless."
"Why the fuck not?" Rin spits back. "That piece of shit—"
"P-please sit down, Rin. We will d-discuss this as a g-group."
Rin grimaces. There's a long silence.
"Rin…" Jeff mutters.
Rin harshly sits down to my left.
"Jun," says Shingo. "I have a question. In your opinion as the Ultimate Hacker, might those photos and videos have been faked?"
"Hmm," says Jun, rubbing his temple. His face is even paler than usual; the bags under his eyes seem darker. He actually looks shaken up, for once. I guess even an aloof guy like him must have someone he cares about back home. "It's hard to say. Faking photos—that's easy enough. Amateurs can do it. Faking videos, though—that's harder. Quite a bit harder." He stares forward, gazing angrily at nothing. "I know those people. That wasn't old footage. No deep fakes. That part was real." He pauses. "The other part, with the mine. I'm less sure about that. Looked real as hell, though. I know the signs. It was damn convincing. Would've taken a lot of effort, faking that footage. Probably less effort to just plant the damn bomb."
There's a silence.
"But…" Tsubasa says hesitantly. "You're… saying it might be fake, then. Right?"
Jun shrugs. "That's one way of looking at it."
Another silence.
"I—I don't understand," Yuna squeaks, tears streaming down her face. "W-what are we…" She sniffles. "What are we supposed to do now?"
More silence.
"God DAMMIT!" Rin shouts, slamming the table.
"Rin, p-please don't do that," says Mizuki.
"We must not let our emotions control us," Emi says coldly. "That is exactly what our enemies seek. To win this game, soundness of mind is essential."
"How, Emi?" I ask, feeling my eyes well up with tears yet again. I picture it once more: Ai, the mound, the mine, the explosion. "After… after what I saw… how am I supposed to stay calm? How am I… supposed to think about anything else? Ever?"
"What proof is there that anyone has been harmed?" Emi replies. "Such proof does not exist. We have seen nothing with our own eyes. There is no use in fretting about that which cannot yet be proven. As they say: 'Out of sight, out of mind.' We would do well to keep that manipulative presentation out of mind, and focus on more immediate tasks."
I picture it again. Ai. The mound. Explosion. Just one step…
"I'm sorry, Emi," I croak—and I collapse. My arms are on the table, and I'm burying my face in my arms, and I'm crying and crying and crying. "I can't. I can't do it. I can't not think about it. I just can't. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Koi," says Emi. She touches my shoulder. "Look at me."
I wipe my face, and sniff. I turn to Emi, sitting at my left. I look into her eyes.
Her watery eyes. Emi is crying. The beautiful, intimidating, ice-cold Togami princess. She has actual tears in her eyes, for the first time since I met her.
"Do you think I want to be saying any of this?" Emi asks. "Do you think I have anything but contempt for the worms who trapped us in this hell? It is as I said before: if you are not strong, you will die in this place. I resent this truth. I despise it. Yet it is the truth. We are trapped. Be strong, and accept the situation you're in. There is simply no alternative."
I look down at my arms, and watch a steady trickle of tears drip onto them.
A long silence ensues.
"…Hmm…" Momoka mutters. "…Mmm…"
Silence.
"M-Momoka," says Mizuki. "Do you have s-something to say?"
Momoka hesitates. She's frowning, and staring at the table.
"Mmm," she mutters. "We… do have an option, though…"
"Seriously?" says Tsubasa. "We do? 'Cuz I'm drawing a blank, myself."
Momoka hesitates. She looks troubled.
"Momoka," says Naomi, "please—tell us what you have in mind."
Again, Momoka hesitates. Then she speaks.
"Hmm," she says. "Naomi, do you… remember what you said to us, before the first motive? What you said… about… the worst-case scenario?"
My mind flashes back to that morning, shortly before the first motive was announced…
"If we decide that there really is no way to beat Monokuma," says Naomi, "and if these motives really are as horrible as… as we've seen in the past…" Again she pauses. "There may come a time," Naomi says, "when our best option left is to simply vote on who the last surviving student should be."
We're stunned into silence.
"To put it bluntly," says Naomi, "in a worst-case scenario, rather than enduring the horror of watching our friends kill each other off one by one… the more humane option might be to simply vote on a single survivor, while the rest of us all die at once. If the killing game can't be stopped, and is too awful to endure… then we'll end it on our own terms, by choosing a winner."
We stare at Momoka. She hesitates.
"…Haven't we… reached it?" she asks. "The… worst-case scenario?"
We stare.
"H-hey, wait a moment!" Yuna says, tensing up, giving Momoka a troubled look. "Just—just what are you saying, exactly?"
"If I understand correctly," Shingo says darkly, "you want us to vote on a single survivor—who will, as per the rules, be allowed to graduate. Thirteen of us will die—but the survivor may then leave the school, and remove all the land mines. Is that the idea?"
Slowly, Momoka nods.
"No way!" shouts Yuna. "There's no way we can do that! We—we don't even know if it would work! This might all just be a trick!"
"Hmm," says Momoka. "There's a chance, though…"
"That's not good enough! We can't just—just throw our lives away, when we might not even save anyone! We could end up dying for nothing! That would be horrible!"
Momoka hesitates.
"But…" she says. "Wouldn't it be better… than living through this…?"
Yuna gapes at her.
"W-what are you talking about?" Yuna squeaks. "You're not making any sense! We're talking about life, here! Life is—is everything! It's all there is! Don't you understand that? Don't you want to keep being alive?"
Silence.
"Not really," Momoka mutters.
We're all staring at her now. She's gazing at the table with sad, distant eyes.
Finally, she speaks again.
"Even… before the killing game," Momoka says. "For a… long time, now…" Pause. "I don't understand… why people put so much effort… into staying alive. I don't understand… why people… want to be alive so badly." Pause. "It doesn't really… seem worth it, to me." Pause. "And… now that we're… in this situation…"
"NO!" Yuna loudly interrupts. "No, no, no! You shouldn't be saying these things, Momoka! No one should ever be saying these things! It's… it's…" Her eyes are tearing up. "I—I don't understand it! Life is so important! No one should ever want to die! What you're saying… it's… it's perverse, Momoka! It's completely messed up! Normal people shouldn't have those thoughts! Ever!"
"Hmm," says Momoka. "I… I know it's not normal. But… now that we're in this situation… there might be other people who… who also—"
"NO!" Yuna tearfully shrieks. "No one else wants that, Momoka! No one! It's insane! It's stupid and unnatural and—"
"Please stop, Yuna," Akiko says.
Silence. Yuna sniffs, and wipes her face.
"Other people… might feel the way Momoka does," Akiko says quietly. Her sad eyes look away from us. "But those people… are probably afraid to speak up. They're afraid that people will react the way you did, Yuna."
More silence.
"If that's the case," says Naomi, "debating this issue might be impossible. There may be several people who want to invoke the 'Worst-Case Scenario' option, but are afraid to say so. For all we know, such people might even form a silent majority among us. Before we discuss this, I propose that we take an anonymous poll. Then, at least, we'll know where the majority currently stands."
"I agree," says Mizuki. "This is a p-pirate ship, so… the m-majority should decide."
"Should I get the index cards?" asks Shingo.
A short while later, Shingo is walking around the table, handing everyone an index card and a pen.
"Listen, everyone," Akiko says; her voice lacks its usual vigor. "The question of this referendum is: 'Has the worst-case scenario been reached?' If your answer is 'yes,' draw a circle. If your answer is 'no,' draw an X. When you're finished voting, please fold your index card. Once everyone's voted, I'll collect the cards, and we'll tally up the votes."
"To clarify," says Naomi, "if the worst-case scenario has been reached, then we will be tasked with picking a designated survivor. This survivor will graduate, and will—hopefully—be able to remove all land mines before any damage is done. If you believe we should do this, draw a circle. If you believe we should not do this, draw an X."
I look at the index card in front of me.
I know how I'm going to vote. I can rationalize it all sorts of ways. Good ways. There are lots of good reasons to vote this way. But, ultimately, it really comes down to one thing.
I don't want to die.
I'm not ready yet. Death is… scary. I can't even fathom it.
Would it be noble to throw my life away now? To push aside these fears, and sacrifice myself to keep my family safe? Well… if that were the case, I might consider it. But there are too many unknowns, here. This could all be a trick. A trap. Would I die for nothing? Would I actually be helping my family in any way? I can't know for sure. It's too soon for such drastic measures. Way too soon.
And—above all—I still want to live.
I draw an X on my index card, and fold it.
Soon, Akiko walks around, and collects our cards.
Naomi tallies the votes. Mizuki and Akiko watch.
We wait.
Eventually, Naomi hands Akiko a sheet of paper. Akiko looks at it. Then she holds it up for us to see. "Okay, everyone," Akiko says. "Here are the results."
HOPE'S PEAK PIRATE CREW
REFERENDUM RESULTS: WORST-CASE SCENARIO
O – 3
X – 11
"Eleven to three, huh?" says Tsubasa.
"The X votes won overwhelmingly," says Shingo.
"Hmm," says Momoka. "Three circle votes. Me, and… two other people…" She slouches further. "Two people… agree with me. I guess I… should be glad…"
"Who?" Yuna asks, sounding angry and hurt. "Who are they!?"
We wait, but no one speaks up.
"I don't understand," Yuna squeaks. "Why would anyone agree to something so… so stupid? Who would do that?"
"Well," says Tsubasa, "I mean, calling them 'stupid' isn't gonna convince them to speak up."
"Wasn't me," Jun says. "For the record."
"Yeah," says Tsubasa, "to be clear—it wasn't me, either."
"L-let's not start a w-witch hunt," says Mizuki.
"I agree," says Naomi. "There's no need to make everyone say how they voted. The X votes won by such a wide margin that this debate is effectively over." She breathes deeply. "However…" For a moment, a troubled look flashes across her face. Then she pulls herself together, and continues. "For the sake of Momoka, as well as the two other circle votes, I… I believe I ought to explain my position. Perhaps I can… convince you of your… mistake."
She closes her eyes, and breathes deeply again. She seems unusually tense. But then she loosens up, opens her eyes, and continues.
"It would be wrong," Naomi says, "to underestimate the uncertainty of our situation. There is one possible scenario in which a loved one steps on that MonoMine… and is killed. However, there are too many other possible scenarios to even count. Perhaps the footage we saw was digitally altered. Perhaps an animal will step on that mine, and detonate it without harming any humans. Perhaps our kidnapping has triggered a police investigation—and the police will find those mines before anyone steps on them. Or… perhaps they simply won't step on those mines in the time it would take us to escape from here. Or… perhaps…"
"Perhaps we can't save them at all," Shingo finishes. "Perhaps, by the time our designated survivor leaves the school, it will already be too late. I realize how difficult that is to consider—but we must consider it. It would—as with those other scenarios—completely undercut our sacrifice." He adjusts his glasses. "However, there is another scenario to consider. One that I believe is far more likely to be true. Even if that footage is real, the land mines themselves may not be. In fact, it would be entirely logical for Monokuma to plant fake mines rather than real ones. Either way, the images we see are the same; the only real difference is that duds would be far cheaper to plant than actual land mines. It's the same result, but less costly. Furthermore, even the MonoMine in the gymnasium could have been fake. We believe it caused that massive explosion—but perhaps that particular body of Monokuma's had a more powerful bomb inside it than usual. In which case, even the demonstration was a trick."
"Oh, no!" Jeff shouts, clutching his head, eyes wide. "I—I never considered any of that!"
We look at him.
"I—I'm sorry, guys," Jeff says, dropping his hands. "I was one of the circle votes."
"You were?" gasps Yuna.
"Seriously?" says Tsubasa.
"I don't want to die!" Jeff says, his voice anguished. "I really don't! But I… I thought that being a good person meant putting aside what I want. I thought that… even though I didn't want to do it… I thought that sacrificing ourselves for our families was… the right thing to do. I picked it because—because that's what I thought we were supposed to pick!" His face falls. "But I was just being a stupid idiot, as usual. I wasn't using logic. And, now that it's all been spelled out for me… I realize that I made the wrong choice, after all."
"You sure did!" says Yuna. "But I'm glad you realize it!" She turns. "And you realize it too—right, Momoka?"
Momoka just stares sadly at the table.
"Right, Momoka?"
"Th-that's enough, Yuna," says Mizuki.
"Wait—what about the third circle vote?" asks Tsubasa. "Did they change their mind?"
No one speaks up.
"Hmm," Momoka mutters. "I guess one person… still agrees with me…"
There's a long silence.
"I don't understand it," Yuna whispers, staring at her own clenched fists. "I don't understand it at all."
I don't watch the footage again. I don't need to. It's etched into my mind.
The mound. The driveway. Mom. Dad. Ai.
Just one step.
Over and over again, it plays in my head.
Hours pass in a tearful blur.
My head hurts. My heart hurts. My everything hurts. My world is shattering.
Just two days ago, I woke up, and found Hiroto's blood-covered corpse beside me.
And now, my family… they…
But—it might be a hoax, right?
Maybe the footage is fake. Maybe the mine is a dud.
Maybe an animal will detonate it. Maybe my family will be fine.
Maybe they're already dead.
Maybe we could've saved them. Maybe I voted wrong.
Maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe—
There are so many maybes, I can't keep track.
Nothing seems real. Nothing seems fake. It's all one big, confusing, painful mess.
Ding dong, bing bong.
"Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the dining hall will be locked, and entry at that point is strictly prohibited. Okay then… sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite…"
It's not going to get better.
I realize that now, after crying all day. This horrible uncertainty isn't going anywhere.
My thoughts turn to Momoka. The poor girl. She was already having trouble finding reasons to live. And now this…
I wonder—is she the only one? That other circle vote, the one who never spoke up… could it be someone who feels the same way as Momoka? Someone too scared to admit it?
The more I think about this, the more I admire Momoka's courage. She confessed to some really dark thoughts, knowing that it would change how other people think of her. Knowing that she was probably in a tiny minority, and everyone was going to disagree with her. Not everyone can do that. At least one other person didn't have that courage.
It's so horrible that we've been driven to this. That three people voted for almost all of us to die. That at least one of them doesn't want to keep living at all. And one of them hasn't told us their reasons—but I imagine that they don't want to live through this, either. It's horrible to think about. It's tragic that anyone feels that way.
But also, it's clarifying. Because I don't feel that way.
I don't want to die.
I want to live. I want it really badly. And I'm starting to realize how important that is.
It's the one thing I still have. One thing that not everyone has.
Emi's words ring through my head: "If you are not strong, you will die in this place."
I need to be strong. It's the only choice I have. I need to take this pain, and accept it.
I sit up in bed, and stare at the wall. I picture my family standing there. Smiling. Waving.
"I'm sorry," I say to them. "I… need you guys to hang in there, just a little longer."
"Don't apologize," Dad says. "You're okay—and that's what matters most to us."
"You'd better come home alive," Mom says. "I'll kill you if you don't!"
"Quit worrying so much about us," says Ai. "We can take care of ourselves. You know that! Stupid worrywart!"
I smile, and lie back down. I'm probably going crazy. But I'd rather be crazy than dead.
If I'm going to keep living, I need to sleep at night. I need to wake up in the morning. And I'll tell myself whatever comforting lies I need to tell, if that's what it takes.
I feel myself drifting off. Before I fall asleep, one last thought pops into my mind:
Who was the third circle vote?
Author's Note: I've decided to change this fic's rating from T to M. Honestly, T was always a bit of a stretch.
Lately, I've been obsessed with Super Danganronpa Another 2—an absolutely incredible fan game. I cannot recommend it enough. The first Another is also great. Anyway… that obsession is why this update came a few days later than I'd planned.
Last call for Chapter 2 FTEs! Vote here:
strawpoll dot com slash xVg7dG24RZr
Thanks to everyone who's voted! I'm always fascinated by these results.
Next segment will be a bit more lighthearted.
STUDENT E-HANDBOOK: REPORT CARDS
~·~·~
Female students:
~·~
Koi Amaki
• Ultimate Fangirl
• 5'4"
• Eyes: hazel
• Hair: auburn; has an ahoge
• Outfit: navy-blue sailor fuku with a red necktie; pixelated Kyoko and Chiaki earrings; a pixelated Kaede pin in her headband
• Freckles
The protagonist. An otaku who loves the Danganronpa franchise—among other things.
~·~
Rin Ono
• Ultimate Golfer
• 5'10"
• Eyes: gray
• Hair: blonde (bleached)
• Outfit: a white button-up shirt that isn't buttoned all the way up, and a short skirt
• Tanned skin, and glossy makeup
A gyaru who was raised in deep poverty. Her golfing skills have brought her fame and fortune.
~·~
Naomi Shimizu
• Ultimate Mangaka
• 5'6"
• Eyes: reddish-brown
• Hair: red; tied up in a professional-looking bun
• Outfit: a businesslike suit
• An intense gaze
She's written award-winning manga since she was a child. Her works span nearly every genre.
She was appointed Second First Mate by Captain Mizuki.
~·~
Emi Togami
• Ultimate Origamist
• 5'7"
• Eyes: blue
• Hair: black; clipped up in a traditional Japanese style
• Outfit: an elegant red kimono
• A pink origami flower in her hair
She's often smiling—but what's behind that smile?
The late Byakuya Togami was her second cousin twice removed.
~·~
Akiko Narumi
• Ultimate Sailor
• 5'4"
• Eyes: pink
• Hair: white; pixie cut
• Outfit: a sailor fuku with a white top, blue necktie, and short blue skirt; a white sailor hat
• Very white skin
Despite her albinism, she's sailed around the world several times.
She was appointed First First Mate by Captain Mizuki.
~·~
Mizuki Tenshi
• Ultimate Moral Compass
• 4'11"
• Eyes: green
• Hair: light-brown; pigtails that begin below her shoulders and reach down to her legs
• Outfit: a plain, black dress, with a white collar, and a skirt that goes down to her ankles
• A pink armband
She's shy and quiet. But she cares a lot about enforcing the rules.
She was elected Captain by a one-vote margin.
~·~
Yuna Koyama
• Ultimate Dietician
• 4'8"
• Eyes: violet
• Hair: violet; tied up in a ponytail
• Outfit: a white lab coat that goes down to her knees
• Tiny
She can be pretty annoying—especially if she finds you eating junk food.
~·~
Momoka Ito
• Ultimate Perfumer
• 5'2"
• Eyes: dark-brown
• Hair: blue; frayed, tangled, and disastrously unkempt
• Outfit: a yellow sweatshirt that's too large, and a navy-blue skirt with little tears in it
• Looks like a mess, but smells amazing
She seems to barely have a grip on reality. As if she's drifting through life on good smells alone.
~·~
Male students:
~·~
Kenji Sasaki
• Ultimate Linguist
• 5'8"
• Eyes: brown
• Hair: black; slightly unkempt
• Outfit: a normal, dark gakuran uniform
• An all-around regular-looking guy
He speaks over 300 languages—but he's not much for conversation.
~·~
Jeffrey Silverstein
• Ultimate Kabuki Actor
• 5'9"
• Eyes: blue
• Hair: brown; short
• Outfit: white t-shirt, and blue gym shorts
• Strong-looking, though not too bulky
A good-natured, optimistic American who's loved kabuki theater since he was a child.
~·~
Tsubasa Haneda
• Ultimate Speedrunner
• 5'4"
• Eyes: green
• Hair: yellowish-green; spiky; sticks out in all directions
• Outfit: baggy jeans, and a loose, black t-shirt with a game controller design on it
• Several earrings. A sort of punk vibe.
A gamer who's easy to get along with. He's very straightforward, and tends to speak his mind.
~·~
Jun Mujun
• Ultimate Hacker
• 6'2"
• Eyes: brown
• Hair: black with blue highlights; hanging around his head in big, messy locks
• Outfit: jeans, and a leather jacket
• Tall and lanky. Bags under his eyes.
An enigmatic genius. It's hard to faze him.
~·~
Takeru Tao
• Ultimate Child Caregiver
• (not a ninja)
• 5'7"
• Eyes: violet
• Hair: violet; sticking straight up
• Outfit: a full black bodysuit, and a green camo vest
• Headband has a metal plate over the forehead; the Hope's Peak crest is carved into it
He seems to think he's a ninja. Kids love it. His parents don't.
~·~
Shingo Chiba
• Ultimate Accountant
• 5'11"
• Eyes: gray
• Hair: black; well-groomed
• Outfit: a black suit with a bowtie
• Thin-rimmed glasses
An orphaned prodigy. He's literally accounted for everything.
He was appointed Quartermaster by Captain Mizuki.