It didn't take long after Mukuro caught up with Makoto that the first sign of trouble would emerge. Punctuated by a scream, Mukuro and Makoto shared a knowing look before the soldier helped Makoto along quickly to catch up with the rest of their class by the entrance.

And once they arrived, they saw the source of the scream had come from Sayaka. The others had their attention drawn to the sight, and it didn't get much better from there.

This was not something Mukuro looked forward to, but given the circumstances and how Junko seemed to dangle a sanitized scene just to pull the curtains out from underneath them the very moment they stepped out of the academy.

Mukuro knew it well, this was psychological warfare at its finest. She may have gotten all of them out of the academy, yet they had only made it to just outside the academy's walls, and yet her sister's influence loomed over all of them like a specter. A shroud of despair covering them all in uncertainty and ideas that belonged in Pandora's box set loose upon them. This was Junko's world now. And they were just playthings in it.

…

A scream echoed that signaled the proverbial curtain call for the beginning of the true despair that lay in the beautiful tapestry of Junko Enoshima's design once the students left the academy.

This course of events hadn't been something the Ultimate Analyst and Despair had been anticipating, and yet with the despair of her immaculately placed plans blowing up in her face, not only did Makoto win the 'escape button' that returned his memories to him, her utter disappointment of a sister had reared her ugly head by not dying and forcibly ending the killing game before it could get exciting.

But even with this failure, Junko Enoshima's despair was replaced with the new despair that was just what she could do to them all and Mukuro. Oh, especially her sister. No matter where she went, all that would be there for her was despair.

Junko could dangle a carrot to her, possibly get her to grovel back to her feet by having her drag her classmates back to Hope's Peak and start back from the top with the regularly scheduled program.

Would Junko bring her in close, give some sweet nothings to her ear at what a dutiful, good sister she was? Just before plunging a blade through her heart and watching the despair in her dear sister's eyes as she realized with finality just how she could never actually leave Junko behind. Even if she knew very well, she could die by her hand.

Maybe Junko would strip her memories of her, make her completely amnesiac, beat her, and strip her naked to wake up in the academy as a participant in the killing game, utterly humiliated, not knowing where or the monster she was. Eventually, have all those dirty little secrets of being partly responsible for their situation revealed to everyone with all their digging around, just so that she had to face the despair of the person she was and as everyone turned on her.

Or would Mukuro continue down the path she was on alongside everyone else and face the despair of her actions with the world against her and her alone in her head? With or without Junko's influence, if they tried to help her, the despair of everything she did would forever lie in her heart. The world may never forgive, and she may very well die with despair in her heart as they condemned her to hang.

Junko Enoshima's lips curled into a Cheshire grin as she watched Sayaka squirm. Oh how as she stared at the little 'gift' laid out for them, the cornered little animal looked back at Leon, knowing she had intended to do something like that to him. The guilt and despair of a girl pushed to her brink who planned to murder the other. How long would it be before she finally let that cat out of the bag? God how Junko wished she'd be able to witness the fireworks from that one.

Junko's musings were soon then interrupted by the door to the control room being opened and the stench of motor oil. And not pleased, much to Junko's annoyance.

"Why would you let them get away like that?! You could've just destroyed the remote that opens the front gate in front of them all! You could have just kept it hidden from them! Just why would you let them get away so easily?! Especially when I was about to have my fun too!"

Junko just sighed before responding to the pink-haired mechanic, his black and white jumpsuit speckled with faint stains of blood long dried on it.

"You know, there's a reason peons like you are supposed to keep their mouths shut. They run their mouths like the motors they work with daily and before they know it, shit comes flying out of it." She said, making the snide comment clear as day, directed at the Ultimate Mechanic, Kazuichi Souda.

Who accepted the verbal abuse like it was the natural order of things. He knew his place, it seemed, but it didn't save him from more.

"That and the fact you're such a dumbass. I'd swear you have oil leaking from your ears. So let's listen closely, shall we?" Junko asked rhetorically as she donned a pair of glasses, and putting her hair in a ponytail. As she switched personalities to her more 'teacher' role. "What we have here from the despair of defeat, is a marvelous opportunity for further despair. My disappointment of a sister who made all this possible is about to squirm and writhe trying to keep everyone and everything in one piece alongside Makoto Naegi. Either she crumbles under the pressure and with some nudging from yours truly, or she goes out and lives a life of misery. Buuuuut!" Junko adds a dramatic pause for effect, as her personality changes on a dime. "If we get the latter, well then!"

Junko then whips out her phone and dials a number. "Hey there! Yeah, you know it's me!" Springing up from her chair with a pep in her step as she went to go gather something. "Good to know I don't have to go repeating this shit. So I think a game is in order! Go let everyone know the great news. There's now a bounty out for Class 78! Students are worth a point, rich bitch and mystery recluse are worth 20 points. Makoto is worth 50 points, and the one who brings muscles for brains to me wins! Now go on and have fun, Future Foundation is gonna ruin your fun if you're laaaate~!"

Junko found what she was looking for. Some documents with depictions of designs, designs for the defense of something. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, just make sure they're alive, we can't kick things back into high gear if our killing game participants are all dead as doornails! Well, ta-taaaaa~."

Junko shifted her attention to the one she handed the blueprints.

"Alright, go make yourself useful. And build these up for me around here and amp up the defenses around the school. And before you say another stupid remark, once you do that, I'll let you go out and go have your fun bulldozing people or building torture contraptions or whatever it is you do out there to have fun. I don't give a shit, but I want to make sure this funeral pyre is ready for when sis inevitably comes back here. She has to if she wants to bring back everyone's memories. Puhuhuhuhuhu~." Junko laughed, as the former Ultimate Mechanic nodded enthusiastically at the upcoming prospect.

"Hell yeah! Will do Junko!" And with that, the Ultimate Despair, known as Kazuichi Souda, pumped his fist and went off to his tasks.

Meanwhile, Junko just watched the cameras in front of the school again, before deciding she needed to make a couple more calls.

"It's time we shook things up around these parts. Killing game idea might be a bust. Get your ass to Japan as soon as possible, because shit might get boring as fuck 'round these parts!" Junko expressed as her personality changed yet again to her more vulgar one. "You have got the ability to spice shit up here, so let's see that trail of destruction you leave in your wake on the way here!"

With that, she hung up, and her demeanor changed again. As there was one more call to make. "Hey, it's me. Need you to make some arrangements to get ready. My classmates escaped, so I think you know what that means might happen soon enough." And with that, another intricate web was spun upon the world stage as all danced to the beat. Junko Enoshima set forth, grinning with approval. "Good girl, see you around."

Despair had made its rallying cry, and the flashpoint for this potential course of events would strike Japan like lightning. Despair would trample hope once and for all.

...

It was unmistakably a corpse, and not particularly pretty at that. It reminded Mukuro of the unfortunate fate some of her old comrades in Fenrir faced when they had to deal with particularly bloodthirsty villagers or insurgents. The body had been hacked at repeatedly with what were probably machetes. A very recent kill at that, it was a woman, her face contorted in horror and despair, clearly having been alive for her brutal death, Mukuro could almost envision it in her head as she screamed bloody murder for help that would never arrive for her, as her attackers chopped. Chopped. Chopped.

Mukuro's frown deepened at this senseless brutality. In truth, she felt nothing for this stranger she had never met in her life who met this horrific fate, but the way in which she was murdered was excessive to her. As a soldier, she was all about quick, clean efficiency with her kills, and even she could be disgusted in some small way by this scene, although she didn't show it. Meanwhile, most of the others were in a panic over this.

"Oh g-god no! I… I can't take this! This is horrible! Who could do such a horrible thing!?" Sayaka shrieked, trembling as if she were caught in an earthquake in horror, so deathly pale Mukuro might've believed she was about to drop dead herself.

Shaking her head erratically, while taking peeks at Leon for whatever reason. Others such as Chihiro were having their own moments, but he was far more quiet about it, even if Mukuro could see and hear the sobs at this inconceivable sight. While it seemed Mondo was trying his best in his own way to help Chihiro.

Toko was desperately trying to shield her eyes from the bloody heap, to keep Genocide Jack from springing forth if she happened to faint. The last thing they all needed was for Genocide Jack to appear while the others began to come to grips with their new reality. She had made for a great distraction for Sakura to allow Mukuro to slip away from the only fight in Mukuro's life she knew she couldn't win.

But for anything else and especially now, her unpredictable nature would get the others killed. But wouldn't most of them get eaten up anyway? Most of them were unprepared for the horrors that awaited them and based on her experiences on countless battlefields.

Aside from matters of war, Mukuro felt she knew well which people had personalities that'd keep them from simply being fodder sent to the slaughter. And these people didn't have it in them did they…? Why should she even bother with people who'll crack and break under the slightest bit of pressure?

Would Junko like it if she just picked up a rock, and in a split second threw it against Sakura's skull and knocked her unconscious, and then dragged every one of them back into that academy? Would that make Junko happy? Maybe everything would just go back to the way it was supposed to be… The Killing Game would go back in full swing as if nothing happened…

It was around now that Mukuro noticed Makoto had gone up and straining himself as he trudged up to Sayaka and gently brought her close to him in a careful manner.

Mukuro had to resist the urge to chide him for doing something like that with his injury but despite any discomfort Sayaka's lack of sense in regards to his condition as she desperately held onto him for any sense of comfort… And she snapped back to the reality of why she was doing this.

It was that hope Makoto inspired in the others, as he whispered words of comfort into the pop idols' ears. The happiness he felt around them. That's what Mukuro wished to see flourish. She loved that feeling in her own heart.

And to rob him and them of that… Felt wrong… Nearly dying showed her the sense of wrong that came with what Junko was trying to do. And besides, she was the Ultimate Soldier, if there was someone here who'd be able to help them survive out there, it was her.

God, why did those traitorous thoughts have to worm their way into the crevices of Mukuro's skull like that then?

Was she really that disappointing that she'd crawl back to her sister at the drop of a hat like that? That she can't even commit to anything she sets for herself? But wasn't Junko that commitment before rig-

"Might I remind everyone that we don't have much time to just sit around here?" Kyoko interjected, cutting off Mukuro from her thoughts.

Shit, I'm getting lost in my thoughts about such unnecessary things way too much lately. What the fuck is up with me recently? If this were a battlefield I'm sure I'd be dead by now. Mukuro mentally kicked herself. Kyoko had taken a moment to investigate the body while the others had their moments. If Mukuro had to guess, her way of passing the time while the others either freaked out or tried to console the others, which wasn't in Kyoko's wheelhouse.

But now some time had passed and Kyoko was now trying to get them back on track. It was certainly cold, but given everyone had seemed to calm down enough, they knew they had to keep going forth.

Mukuro could hear both sides getting closer. Getting sandwiched seemed inevitable at this point, but the closer they were to getting out of the city, the easier time they'd have once that inevitable happened.

"Yeah, let's just keep going forward… We can't afford to stand around like sitting ducks…" Mukuro said. As they continued forward again. It was all she could really say. Would this drag on into the night? If that happened, it'd turn into an urban slugfest. Both sides would search in vain for them.

So then who'd turn tail and flee first? Would the Future Foundation try to liberate the surrounding city? Or would they also try to cut off the head of the snake and try to assault Hope's Peak itself? Did they have the resources for that?

Mukuro doubted it, which was why they only tried coming to them once Mukuro got them out of the academy. They'd waste some time fighting looking for them, would have no luck and either leave or try to deal with the despair's who were trying to find them.

As for the despairs, she imagined they'd be the ones more likely to stay behind, if there were survivors to spread despair to one way or another they'd stick around. Even if they failed in finding them, they'd continue doing their thing until they got bored and went elsewhere to cause more chaos.

Actually… Some coughing broke out, not bad but enough to gather attention. It was Makoto, who had now gravitated between Kyoko and Sayaka, being the one in the worst physical condition, given the spear he took. Right… The air quality in the world had taken a nosedive.

They'd definitely have to take shelter at some point to allow those of weaker stature the time to rest up their energy to continue forward. Which definitely meant they'd be stuck here overnight.

By now they had made some progress but not nearly the amount Mukuro had wanted.

"Hey, M-M-Makoto don't go telling me you're g-g-getting sick on us! Keep your d-d-disgusting germs away from me!" Toko said accusingly, similarly pointing a finger at him. Earning a groan from some.

"That's not what it is Toko… As we said, the air quality has gone to shit during the Tragedy in most places, given Makoto's just recovering, he's the one most at risk… We're gonna have to take shelter inside somewhere for him to recover." Mukuro quickly spoke up in his defense, trying to hide her annoyance at Toko's accusatory behavior, especially towards Makoto.

"I'm k-kinda feeling it myself right now…" Chihiro piped up meekly, and when the others looked at him, it did look like he was looking weaker than his frail frame already seemed to imply. He hadn't started coughing yet, but he would soon follow.

To no one's surprise, Hifumi also said as much. "As am I, this poison status effect from the air is draining my mana at an alarming rate!"

But this prolonged walking seemed to leave him huffing and puffing as is, given his world-class obese physique, therefore his opinion on the matter was promptly thrown into the 'that's a you issue' pile.

Byakuya scoffed. "Tch, what a nuisance. If what Mukuro said was right, all we're doing is resigning ourselves to getting ourselves caught in a storm."

"Hey! They can't help it that for one reason or another, they will have to rest up inside at some point! No need to be so cold!" Hina said.

"Can you say it's wrong though? As you can see, the world is falling apart. Blind sentimentalism and keeping on weak links will only sink our ship. And the only way the world will recover is with someone such as I at the helm. As the last surviving member of the Togami family, it is my destiny to live on and usher the world into stability. Therefore I cannot have those who can't carry their weight risk my death." Byakuya declared, arrogant as ever, drawing ire from the others. While some of the people in question reacted with horror.

"Huwah!? Don't go throwing me under the bus like that!" Hifumi said

Hina could only be flabbergasted by such a heartless proposition. "How could you say such a heartless thing?! Makoto can't help the fact he got a literal spear impaled in his chest!"

To which Byakuya smugly clarified. "Oh I didn't mean Makoto, despite his injuries, his memories make him somewhat useful. The others who can't handle a little bit of walking, are the problems here."

As he eyed Hifumi and Chihiro with utter contempt. Which caused Chihiro to seem to visibly shrink under his gaze.

"If you think you're such a hotshot and think the others are weighing you down then why don't you go out on your own, see how well that works out for you instead of trying to cast the others out!" Hina said getting more and more sick and tired of Byakuya's attitude.

"Hey, asshole! Don't go picking on the chick like that, it's seemin' to me like you're the only problem here you rich fuck!" Mondo boomed, protective of Chihiro. Looking about ready to get physical.

Before anyone said anything or anything else could happen, however, Mukuro heard the distinct sound of a group of footsteps paired with voices coming closer to them. Did their commotion attract attention from people who were still alive in the city?

"Everyone, we need to get inside somewhere now." Mukuro said distinctly and clearly over the ruckus the others were making with their bickering, while also keeping it to a trained hushed tone that she'd used time and time again on stealth missions. Getting everyone's attention, Mukuro had already figured out the perfect building, having been situationally aware at all times.

Something that had helped keep her alive time and time again, for a soldier who wasn't aware of their surroundings was a dead soldier. It was a building just across the way, it provided excellent cover, would allow their more winded classmates some relief from the outside air, was big enough to house everyone and hide them all, and provided Mukuro a means to watch the outside and keep her eyes peeled to make sure whoever it was would pass by and discern who they were.

"Follow me now!" Mukuro continued ushering the others with her hand and quickly moved, as the others temporarily forgot their spat for the sake of survival.

Mukuro opened the door, and let everyone in before shutting it. "Everyone, keep your heads down, stay out of sight of the windows. If things get violent, stay behind cover."

Once everyone understood, Mukuro kept as little of herself visible as possible as she watched the outside as the footsteps and voices drew ever nearer.

…

The phone hung up. It was time.

"Alright, shitheads listen up! Just got word from our goddess Junko herself! Those fucks from Class 78 escaped the Killing Game and there are bounties out for them! We're having ourselves a little hunt! Those who get their hands on one of them get one point, those who get their hands on the rich entitled brat or the detective win 20 points, the lucky bastard is worth 50 points, and whoever finds the traitor bitch that let them out wins! Rewards will be made to make it worth your time, and make sure they're alive! Future Foundation is also on its way to pick them up, so let's fucking go bust some heads and show those damn suits how the Kuzuryu Clan shows the might of our despair!" The Ultimate Despair Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu stood up, as he gave his underlings their orders.

The Monokuma masked kyodai and shatei got their orders as they enthusiastically prepared to go to battle for their Oyabun. They had temporarily been placed just near the outskirts of the city where Hope's Peak stood, they were meant to be sent out if one way or another the Killing Game ended. Either way, they were to have a reunion with their underclassmen.

Whether it'd be with their heads on pikes or sold into slavery, prostitution, or some other fucked up thing their creatively destructive minds could come up with, or gathered up to be brought back to Junko, that was their job. And it seemed like this was the case of the latter.

Fuyuhiko glanced over to his side as he prepared to head off with them, someone was moving too slow apparently, giving them a good smack to the back of their head. "Fuckin' slow ass cunt move it."

He growled as the glasses of the one he smacked fell off. Her striking crimson eyes, wordlessly looked at him, before picking up her glasses and following dutifully by Fuyuhiko's side like nothing happened. As they prepared for battle, for the Ultimate Despair Peko Pekoyama, tools were only to follow their master's orders and say nothing.

…

The phone hung up. It was time.

With a dignified movement, they prepared for a speech. Impromptu, but the despair to be relished with this move would be a song to their ears.

Choosing nothing but the best for this moment. A further stain on the history of despair to be shined for generations to come.

The cameras, the lights, the glitz, and the glam, all shined when they finally stood forth upon the balcony. A nation beckoned at her heels with bated breath as Monokuma soldiers stood at attention for their empress. Basking in the silence that awaited the maelstrom she'd bring forth.

"People and brave soldiers of despair, today is a special day. Do you know why?" The empress paused with this rhetorical question. "Today is the day where we help bring Hope in our despairful wonderland to an end. Where Hope in the world is finally brought to its knees and promptly exterminated, once and for all!" There was such giddy glee in the empress's tone, as she proclaimed her part in what was coming.

"The Kingdom of Novoselic has helped paint Junko Enoshima's wonderful vision of despair to its neighbors and time and time again prevailed with her military prowess! Our efforts shall forever be remembered in this war against Hope! But to accomplish this, we have been tasked with one final act in order to cement all that we have fought, and died for…" The empress held a finger up to emphasize the point before she declared this task.

"Children of despair, we must go forth across the world to Japan! Japan holds within it the last vestiges of Hope, the Future Foundation and the Hope's Peak students our Goddess of Despair Junko Enoshima had forced into the wonderful Killing Game for us all escaped ever so ungratefully! Therefore it is our duty to our goddess to go forth and raise hell! To launch one final crusade against Hope and achieve our long-fought dream of a planet of despair! This is what our life's purpose was! To show them what true despair is! A world, singing in a chorus of pain, misery, and despair! It is time! It is time to let the world's voice be heard across the heavens! To let them all hear our cries of despair! Forever and ever!" Thus spoke the Ultimate Despair Sonia Nevermind as the people of Novoselic chanted together as one. One beating drum, to the beat of despair and Junko Enoshima.

"GLORY TO DESPAIR! FOREVER AND EVER!"

"GLORY TO OUR EMPRESS SONIA NEVERMIND!"

"GLORY TO OUR GODDESS OF DESPAIR JUNKO ENOSHIMA!"

"DEATH TO HOPE! FOREVER AND EVER!"

The pieces had been moved into place. The rallying cry for despair had thus been sent out to the world with its sights set on Japan. And it cried out for war.

A/N Hey, everyone. Apologies for the wait, I know I said I would try to post this next chapter within a week, but unfortunately things didn't work out that way. But from here we should have more regular schedule, and try to have the next one out in a week.

Hope you all enjoyed, and as always if you enjoyed the chapter please feel free to leave a kudos and comment on the chapter. I love reading through everyone's comments and replying to them!