Never Say Never
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.
Chapter 3
Act 19
"You can't honestly expect us to believe such an absurd story, can you?" Byakuya sneered as Celeste finished recounting her 'encounter' with her robot clad attacker.
"Believe it or not, it is the truth," the gambler calmly refuted, a deadly serious expression on her face.
Most of the students had gathered in the now open Nurse's Office, a fact that Mondo certainly appreciated. After all, he'd been forcibly separated from the rest of the group for so long, it was nice to see other people around, especially since most of them believed him that Chihiro had awoken. It gave everyone the tiniest bit of hope, and they were willing to grasp it, no matter how slim that hope might be.
Hina tended to Celeste's 'injuries' while Sakura stood nearby, watching them protectively. Leon and Sayaka had joined the group, now knowing that there was no point in waiting in the cafeteria. Byakuya was his usual 'cheerful' self, skeptical of everything anyone told him. Just beyond him, peering out from behind a curtain, Toko stared at his backside, breathing heavily.
Makoto and Taka were absent at the moment, fetching Junko and Kyoko who were on the second floor.
Not to mention that Hiro was still missing…
Hifumi had been tended to immediately upon arriving at the office, his head bandaged securely as he rested in one of the spare beds. He was still unconscious and because of that, they would need to wait for him to confirm Celeste's story, a fact that perturbed the gambler to no end. Making matters worse, with the digital camera destroyed, there was absolutely no 'proof' she could offer them, putting her in a precarious position. She only hoped that once the oversized nerd awoke, he'd have the good sense to back up her claims!
As if mocking her internal struggle, Byakuya huffed and said, "The truth is subjective. I only deal with facts. And since you can provide no evidence of your innocence, you can't expect us to believe such a ridiculous story, wouldn't you say?"
"Well, you don't have any proof that she's involved either, right?" Hina abruptly countered, glaring daggers at the Togami Heir. "And until you've got hard evidence, I choose to believe her!"
As Hina's declaration echoed in the small room, Celeste pursed her lips slightly. A tiny fraction of guilt rose up in her again, knowing that Hina was actively contributing to her own death. Such a sweet and innocent girl…had no idea she was colluding with a potential murderer. It was almost tragic—No…it was tragic…practically worthy of being called Shakespearian. And by the end of this little play…Hina's blood would forever stain her hands—
"Stop thinking like that!" the gambler mentally scolded, unable to rid herself of those uncomfortable thoughts. "I'm just doing what I have to in order to achieve my dream! Why should I care if a D-Rank like Hina dies?! A few days ago, I barely acknowledged that she existed! Besides…once I have my castle…everything will be fine…I can put this little 'episode' behind me…and live the rest of my life…in luxury…all alone…just like I've always wanted…"
Despite some evidence to the contrary…Celeste forced herself to believe that claim. She pushed away the guilt that fought to be acknowledged, deeming it a determent to her cause. After all, once all of her classmates were six feet under, she'd finally have the castle of her dreams. And that's all that mattered…right?
Putting on a pleasant smile, she nodded to Hina, "Your confidence is most appreciated."
A bit embarrassed by those words, the Ultimate Swimming Pro's cheeks flushed as she smiled sweetly, patting her friend's shoulder affectionately. However, as Celeste took in that radiant smile, she internally grimaced, knowing that it would soon be taken from this world forever…
Folding his arms, Byakuya scoffed as he answered, "I will withhold judgement for now. But mark my words, before this day is done, I swear that I will find the real culprit in all this…and I will see them punished."
A heavy silence stung the room as the Affluent Progeny made his position clear. And while it was obvious that everyone wanted to refute him, they also understood the danger they were in. If the attacker wasn't the masked weirdo from the other night…then it had to be one of them. And the real culprit knew that all too well…
"But if everything Celeste said is true," Sayaka bravely spoke up, getting a full picture of the situation. "That means that we have another masked attacker running around."
"I'm not so sure…" Leon posed, earning a raised brow from Sayaka. "I mean, yeah, it could be another masked weirdo but doesn't it make more sense that the person in the mask that attacked Sakura and Hina would be the same guy in the robot costume?"
"That's a good point," Sakura concurred, weighing the situation carefully. "We really don't know who the original masked attacker was. And without that information, it would be wise not jump to any conclusions."
"I suppose that's fair," Byakuya agreed, only slightly enthused. "Actually, this could work out in my favor. After all, if the masked attacker and the attacker in the robot costume are the same individual, it would mean they have a connection to the Mastermind. If we play our cards right, we may discover who the traitor among us truly is…"
A malicious smirk spread over his lips, sending a wave of nausea through the rest of the students. Before he had a chance to elaborate on his theory, furious footsteps echoed in the hall just outside the office. An instant later, the door to the Nurse's Office flung open, clattering loudly.
"Guys! We've got trouble!" Makoto frantically yelled from the doorway, a look of horror on his face. The expression sent chills down everyone's spines, for if Makoto was losing face, the situation must be grave indeed.
"Mr. Naegi! I told you no running in the halls!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru shouted, only now catching up with the lucky student.
"But it's an emergency!" Makoto insisted, his expression turning grim.
"Regardless of the severity, the school regulations must be upheld! How else are we to keep from descending into chaos?! Besides..." Taka refuted, his fiery eyes flickering, as if doubting his own words. "We need to approach this calmly and rationally. Take a moment to compose yourself!"
"B-But—!"
"Would one of you please elaborate for the rest of us?" Byakuya sternly cut in, annoyance clear in his voice. "Tell me now; is there or is there not an emergency?"
"Yes, there is!" Makoto asserted, his eyes full of fear. Taking just a moment catch his breath, the lucky student fervently shouted, "Kyoko and Junko are missing! We can't find them anywhere!"
A collective gasp resounded through the room before all hell broke loose.
"J-Junko's missing?!" Mondo shouted, fear evident in his voice. Everyone suddenly looked to him, only then did he realize he'd only been concerned for one of the missing parties. "S-She was supposed to be with Kyoko, right?! How can they both be missing?!"
"Seriously, we find two missing people but lose two more?! What the hell's going on?!" Leon worriedly complained, clenching his fists.
"You mean, they weren't on the second floor?" Sayaka carefully asked, trying not to let her worry show.
"No…we couldn't find them anywhere!" the lucky student informed them. "We even double checked the third floor! They weren't anywhere to be found!"
"Could they possibly be on this floor?" Sakura hopefully asked.
"We searched the gym before coming here, but sadly, they weren't there either," Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru told them, the tiniest hint of concern in his voice. "I was hoping one of you may have seen them?"
"No…they haven't been back to the dorms," Sayaka confirmed, her voice shaky. "Leon and I left the cafeteria doors open to see if anyone came back…but no one did."
As a sense of foreboding spread throughout the room, a deep, menacing chuckle slowly resounded.
"Now this is a surprise..." Byakuya maliciously snickered, earning vicious glares from everyone. "I never imagined those two being involved. And even if they're not the traitors, it's interesting to contemplate just what might have happened to them…"
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Mondo immediately shouted, his voice louder than ever before. "There's no way that Jun—err, I mean, there's no way either of them would get taken out so easily!"
"Dude, Mondo! Just calm down, man…" Leon said, trying to calm his friend. At the same time, he stole a glance at Sayaka, obviously trying to comfort her as well. The pop idol's face began to pale upon learning of Junko's disappearance, and it was more than Leon could bear. "I'm sure they're around here somewhere. We just need to keep calm and—".
"How the fuck am I supposed to be calm about this?!" the biker shouted at the top of his lungs. "We've got a freak in a robot costume and that masked weirdo from before running around! And if they're working together—!"
"Hold on!" Makoto interrupted, braving Mondo's death glare. "We don't know if there are two attackers or just one yet! And we don't know if anything actually happened to Kyoko and Junko! Who knows? Maybe they've found Hiro and are trying to help him or something?"
"Indeed. As I said before, let's not jump to conclusions just yet," Sakura concurred, her features hardening. "Our first priority needs to be searching for our missing friends. We should split up and search the entire school."
"I can agree with that," Byakuya condescendingly interjected, a snarky smirk on his lips. "And who knows? Perhaps Makoto is correct and they've already found Hiro…or his corpse at least."
"That FUCKING does it!"
Without warning, Mondo dashed toward Byakuya, reached out his right hand and grabbed the Heir by the collar before lifting him completely off the ground. Looks of shock and horror spread over everyone's faces…except for Byakuya, who merely smirked down at the biker.
"I'm tired of your fucking bullshit!" The biker reared back left his fist and prepared to strike. "I'm feeding you your teeth!"
"ACHOO!"
As that fateful sneeze resounded, the Togami Heir's grin widened. "It would be wise to release me…unless you want to lose your hand."
For an instant, a look of confusion crossed Mondo's face before he jerked his head to see a flash of scissors aimed at his wrist. He had no time to react, barely able to gasp as he watched the razor sharp cutting tool close in on his hand. Then, just as the sharp edge was about to pierce his flesh, another flash appeared before him…and before he knew what was happening, a large, muscular hand gripped the scissors in an iron grasp.
Their lightning fast movements sent a shockwave through the room, startling everyone. And once the dust had settled, a terrifying scene lay before them.
Genocide Jill, her long tongue flapping as she brandished her Genoscissors, was glaring at Sakura, who held the aforementioned scissors tightly in one hand…inches away from Mondo's wrist. Meanwhile, the martial artists other hand held a firm grip on the serial killer's wrist, keeping her from attacking or retreating. The biker flinched as he took in the scene, realizing he'd come incredibly close to becoming left handed.
And throughout all of this, Byakuya continued to smirk, amused by the unfolding events.
"Outta the way, Roid-Rage!" Genocide Jill warned, her crimson eyes narrowing with a menacing glint. "If anyone's gonna string up Master Byakuya, it's gonna be me!"
Byakuya's grin abruptly fell as he realized how close Jill's scissors were to his person. Sakura, however, tightened her grip in response to the serial killer's threat.
"I cannot allow that. I will not stand for any unnecessary bloodshed," the martial artist quietly seethed before sharply turning her glare toward Mondo. "From any of you."
Even though she hadn't raised her voice, the warning was clear, and Mondo flinched as he slowly lowered Byakuya back to the ground. Brushing the biker's hands away, the Togami Heir adjusted his suit before folding his arms, putting on an air of indifference despite his obvious concern that Jill was only a few inches away.
Meanwhile, seeing that her Master was no longer in danger, Genocide Jill visibly relaxed, putting away one of her scissors. Seeing that, Sakura very slowly released her grip on the serial killer's arm. For a moment, Jill glared at the martial artist as she rubbed her wrist. However, with a quick flick of her wrist and a lift of her skirt, she put away the other pair of murder cutters and sighed.
"Geez…Miss Morose sure picked an awkward time to tap out," she complained before raising an eyebrow at everyone. "Did someone die or something? Oh! Or! Or! Did the adorable little Cherry finally bite the big one—?!"
"Be silent!" Byakuya harshly ordered, glaring at her with a perturbed expression. "Unless you know the whereabouts of our missing classmates, keep your filthy mouth clos—!"
"THAT IS ENOUGH!"
The entire room shook as a fearsome aura engulfed the area. Everyone's head snapped over just in time to see the firestorm of Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru's aura raging near the doorway.
Shame…that's all Chairman Ishimaru could feel as he watched his classmates fall into chaos and disorder. No…it wasn't just shame. Humiliation was there as well…along with jealousy, hesitation, self-loathing, and utter uselessness.
When Byakuya spoke such horrific words, for the first time in so long, instead of taking the immediate action required of his position…Ishimaru hesitated.
When Mondo foolishly…but bravely stood up to the injustice spewing from the Togami Heir, going so far as to put his own life at risk…Ishimaru felt jealous of the biker's courage.
When Genocide Jill appeared, and prepared to sever Mondo's hand at the wrist, Ishimaru could only feel utter uselessnessas he watched Sakura intervene instead of himself.
And he was filled with self-loathingas he was made painfully aware that the situation had quickly escalated beyond anything he could hope to control.
Because of all this…total, undeniable, rage inducing shameconsumed his being.
"I…I am…the…Disciplinary…Committee…Chairman! And yet…I can't even keep myself together when my classmates need me the most! When they need someone of action, who will do whatever is necessary to keep them safe…they should look to me…but…"
As that irrefutable shame grew within his heart, his aura flared wildly in response. He didn't want to acknowledge it…that nagging notion that resided deep within his soul…which he knew as truth…
"I…I…I can't…protect them…No matter how stern my regulations…no matter how much I discipline them…no matter how much I try to be the leader that everyone needs! I CONTINUE TO FALL SHORT!"
As his fragile mind was assaulted with hesitation, jealousy, uselessness, self-loathing…and shame…Kiyotaka Ishimaru fell back on his instincts, unleashing a furious scream as he fought the onslaught of despair that plagued his soul.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!"
The room shook as Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru shouted his command, one that everyone heeded. His blazing eyes and ferocious aura raged as per usual…but something was definitely wrong. Instead of a righteous fury that his visage once held, what stood in front of them almost seemed more like a corned animal rather than a dedicated man of authority.
His ferocity was gone…replaced with an eerie feeling of desperation. And honestly, the students couldn't tell which one was more unnerving at the moment.
"Our FIRST priority is to find our missing classmates! Talk of punishment and personal squabbles WILL wait until then!" Chairman Ishimaru commanded, his aura strengthening as he annunciated each word. "We will split up into groups of two or three and search absolutely everywhere! Is that UNDERSTOOD?!"
Bleak silence followed his decree, with most of the students stunned by his increasingly aggressive shouts. Among them, Celeste's crimson eyes surreptitiously glared at him, her white teeth chewing her bottom lip. Meanwhile, Genocide Jill was quickly growing bored with all the yelling…scratching her nose as she pondered when to interrupt.
Growling with impatience, the Committee Chairman screeched, "I said…is that understood?!"
"Y-Yeah!"
"R-Right!"
Makoto and Leon shakenly answered, with many nods and compliant murmurs from the rest of the class. And although Byakuya remained utterly silent, he seemed to accept that it was in his best interest not to object. Almost immediately, Sakura took a few steps toward the door, separating herself from everyone else before turning to address them.
"So then…where shall we begin our search?"
Deep within the confines of the surveillance room, Junko Enoshima's sat with a pair of amplified headphones constricting her head. She wasn't even paying attention to the monitors, she didn't care what was happening with the students in the Nurse's Office. No…all she cared about was the entirely boring conversation echoing in her headset.
"…no…find anything…"
"…damn…just…useful…"
"…mastermind…room…punished…"
"…tell anyone…"
"…agree but…like Byakuya…trust…"
"…even Makoto…risky"
"…found…lockers…go…"
As the despair loving woman listened intently, a wide smirk spread on her lips. Before long, it elongated into a wicked grin…before expanding into a despair ridden simper.
When the voices in the headphones ceased, her well-manicured hands reached up and slowly removed the constricting listening device. Tossing it onto the desk in front of her, the despair loving woman shuddered euphorically, her red fingernails raking along the goosebumps on her arms. With a staggered, ecstatic moan…Junko Enoshima tasted a despair she hadn't reveled in for years!
"Uncertainty…!" she uttered as another euphoric moan escaped her lips. "You can't…plan…this kind of despair! And it will lead to so much more!"
Between lust filled moans, the despair entranced woman let out a cackle as she rode her wave of ecstasy.
"Well, this is fan-fucking-tastic! How the hell am I supposed to carry out my plan like this?!"
Celeste inwardly groaned as she sat on a bed in the Nurse's Office. Seated on a stool only a few feet away, Hina kicked her feet from side to side, obviously trying to keep herself entertained while they waited. The swimming pro turned and noticed that the gambler was staring at her, prompting Celeste to offer a quick smile. Practically beaming in response, Hina stood up and walked over to seat in a chair next to the gambler.
"I hope that Hifumi and Chihiro wake up soon…and that the others find Kyoko and Junko before too long," Hina offered, trying to strike up a conversation.
"As do I…" Celeste replied, a polite smile barely hiding her intentions.
The rest of the class had split up to search for Kyoko and Junko…and Hiro too she supposed.
Sayaka and Leon were searching the first floor, since stairs were still a bit of a challenge for the pop idol. Sakura and Mondo were searching the second floor, with the biker acting especially frantic, the gambler noticed. It was almost as if he was…no, there's no way he was that worried about Junko. Byakuya elected himself to search the third floor, which initially frightened Celeste, given his intellectual prowess. With Kyoko missing, only he would be smart enough to uncover her plot…However, upon realizing that Genocide Jill would be accompanying him the entire way, she relaxed a bit. And finally, poor, stupid, unlucky Makoto was being forced to party up with that bastard Taka as they roamed the hallways, calling out for their missing classmates.
This, of course, meant that she was trapped in the Nurse's Office, with Hina as her unsuspecting warden. Not content to simply sit and do nothing, Celeste began compiling her thoughts as she worked to overcome this unforeseen mishap.
"Okay, so Kyoko and Junko are currently MIA. Whether it was the masked attacker or not…I have no fucking idea! Plus, I need to figure out what happened that prevented Hifumi from caving in Taka's skull! If only that fat moron would wake up and just tell me what happened! I know that Mondo went to get Taka and found him in the Equipment Room. Did Hifumi get attacked before or after that point? And why wasn't Hifumi there to—!"
"Hey, Celeste?"
The gambler froze as Hina's voice invaded her ears. Snapping her head up, she glanced at the swimmer, noting her concerned visage.
"W-What is it?" Celeste politely inquired, doing her best not to rouse suspicion.
For a moment, Hina fidgeted with her hands as she hesitated. "You…uh…you looked like something was bothering you. So I just wanted to ask if everything was alright…"
Celeste bit back a scathing comment, desperately trying to piece her perfect mask back together. Unfortunately, in the deepest recesses of her mind, she knew such a feat was impossible now. Having nearly been crushed by Hifumi, her plan completely thrown into chaos, and the unknown element of a third party attacking everyone made her want to scream her frustrations until her throat gave out—!
"!"
An idea suddenly popped into her mind, a stroke of pure genius if she did say so herself.
"Actually, I was just thinking about the fact that I've yet to have any tea today," she said in an aloof manner, tapping a finger to her chin. "It can be so hard to concentrate without it…and its already well past tea time…"
Letting out a heavy sigh, Celeste lowered her gaze to the floor, a melancholy expression spread out over her features. All she needed to do now…was be patient. She'd laid out the bait, and it was only a matter of time before—
"Oh! Well that's a relief! I thought it was something…a little more serious!" Hina answered with her typical bubbly smile. "And if that's the case, why don't I go and make us some tea?"
Hidden from Hina's view, Celeste let a malicious smirk spread onto her lips.
Applying her perfect mask as best she could, the gambler feigned surprise and said, "No…that is alright. I would not want to put you out over something so trivial…"
Just as she predicted, in true Hina fashion, the Ultimate Swimming Pro puffed out her chest and confident answered, "Well, I don't think it's trivial! You've been through a lot this today and if a hot cup of royal milk tea will help, then I'm happy to make you some!"
"Well…if you insist," Celeste falsely conceded, having desired this outcome from the start. "It would be most appreciated…"
"Mhm! I do insist!" Hina cheerfully replied, rising to her feet and preparing to depart. Before she took a single step though, she winked at Celeste and said, "And don't worry! I'll be sure to include the milk as part of the brewing, just the way you like it!"
For a moment, Celeste flinched…Hina's comment echoing in her mind.
"You…recall that particular detail?" the gambler questioned, genuinely shocked that the swimmer bothered to remember her little tiff with Hifumi during his botched first tea making attempt.
"Of course I do!" Hina proudly proclaimed, placing her hands on her hips triumphantly. "You're my friend! And I always make sure to remember my friend's likes and dislikes! Even if they happen to be a bit more demanding than others!"
There was no mistaking the playful tone that resonated from Hina's voice. And the cheeky grin on her face only further proved she was merely poking fun at Celeste's unique tastes. However, underneath that playful persona, it was obvious that Hina was quite serious about preparing the tea…an undeniably sweet gesture.
"How sweet of you…"
The words floated from Celeste's mouth so swiftly that even she barely noticed them. No trace of her usual accent clouded the words, and her tone was so genuine that even she found herself startled. As her brain registered those words, she immediately put on a false smile and folded her hands beneath her chin.
"Well then, I will be relying on you."
With a passionate nod, Hina headed for the door, leaving Celeste alone in the Nurse's Office. Carefully listening as the swimmer's footsteps faded into the distance, the gambler finally felt her heart begin to settle after her slip up moments ago.
"What the hell is wrong with me…?" she whispered to herself, wiping a bit of sweat from her brow. "So what if she remembers how I like my tea? Hifumi does that too…though it took him several attempts to perfect it. And I doubt that her tea will be as orgasmic as Hifumi's anyway. Besides, I'm not even going to drink it! I need to use this time to…"
Against her will, as soon as she imagined refusing Hina's tea, she couldn't stop herself from envisioning the swimming pro, hand's shakily holding a tea tray, bawling her sweet little eyes out in grief.
"Y-You mean…you won't even try it?"
Imaginary Hina's words rattled in her brain and Celeste groaned as she shook her head, trying to regain her focus. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't force the image away, continuing to imagine her friend's displeasure when—
"F-Friend?!" Celeste's own thought startled her, finally beginning to realize her folly. "She is NOT my friend! I don't HAVE friends! I don't NEED friends! What I NEED are pawns! And Hina is nothing more than…nothing more than…she's just…she's just a—!"
A friend…Hina…that stupid, bubbly, overly-positive, slightly intelligent, sweet, kind-hearted, swimmer girl…was her friend. No matter how much she tried to reason it away, her disposition was set and there was no changing it. After so many years of being utterly alone, Celeste finally had someone she actually considered a friend—
*SLAP*
Celeste's palm ached almost as much as the cheek she'd slapped, the pain shocking her enough to quit thinking, even if just for a moment. Then, slowly…she began to rebuild herself.
"I…am Celestia Ludenberg. I am…the Ultimate Gambler…and I will do anything to achieve my goals."
She spoke with conviction, using her talent to convincer herself of the lies she insisted were true. Despite what her heart…what Taeko Yasuhiro might have believed, she made the choice to believe the lies that Celestia Ludenberg wove for her. And slowly, she began to force her mind to acknowledge those lies…as the truth.
"Other people's lives are mere stepping stones to achieve my dream of living in my castle. And once I get out of here, and Monokuma's reward money is mine…I will finally achieve all that I've ever wanted! And I won't let any naïve fools get in the way of that! Because I…am Celestia Ludenberg!"
And with that, Celeste managed to completely close off all feelings of hesitation, fear, or even disgust. Her perfect mask had reformed, and it concealed everything…just as it had before.
Celestia Ludenberg had officially returned, and she wasted no time in preparation for her miraculous escape. He heels clicked as she gracefully walked to her co-conspirator's bedside, straightening her hand to "assist" in awakening him.
"Hifumi…Hiiifuuuumiiii…Time to wake up…"
*SLAP*SLAP*
…It was like floating…
Hifumi was floating in a sea of light, peacefully ebbing with the flow of time. He was so relaxed and calm, and for a moment, he realizing he was dreaming. Dreaming of…classes…students…friends…a school without metal plates and a campus without maniacal teddy bears. Teachers…smiles…sunshine…hope…it was so life-like, as if he'd truly lived through it all. And for a moment, he truly believed it…believed that this dream was reality, that the time he spent with all of his classmates in the 'real' Hope's Peak Academy was authentic…and the hellish nightmare he knew as reality was nothing but a horrid illusion.
And in that moment of utter bliss…an almost heavenly voice called out to him.
"…Hifumi…Hiiifuuuumiii…" the voice was graceful…and familiar…as if he'd known it for years. "…Time to wake up…"
Just as he began to place where he knew that voice from, pain shot through his left cheek. An instant later, an identical pain struck his right cheek, the agony pulling him out of his peaceful dreamlike state and forcing him back into the cruel reality he'd almost believed was fake.
Gasping for breath, the Ultimate Fanfic Creator shot up in bed, gently caressing his reddened cheeks.
"Eyaugh!" he cried as he rubbed his face tenderly. "W-What's going on?!"
"That is precisely what I'd like to know…" a frightfully familiar voice invaded his ringing ears, making his eyes widen.
Turning his gaze slowly, Hifumi's jaw dropped as he saw none other than Celestia Ludenberg beside his bed, an eerie smile draped over her lips. In a flash, the fanfic creator recalled all of the events leading up to his awakening…particularly how he'd fainted on top of her.
"M-M-M-M-Miss Ludenberg!" He shot up in bed, rolling onto his knees as he bowed apologetically. "I never meant to collapse like that! Please you have to believe—".
"It is fine…"
"Huh?"
The fanfic creator's gaze snapped forward, shocked by her outright forgiveness. In fact, he wasn't quite sure, but something seemed…different about Miss Ludenberg. She was smiling her usual pleasant smile, which he knew concealed her tsundere tendencies, but for some reason…it seemed more…authentic? As if she discarded something within to embrace her outer shell. And while it wasn't uncommon for characters with Miss Ludenberg's persona to do such thing, something…important seemed to be missing.
"I am glad that you are awake, Hifumi." Celeste's voice startled him back to their conversation, her words seeming genuine. "I feared that whomever attacked you may have left you in an unresponsive state, and I would be forced to re-evaluate our partnership."
"Oh, well, thanks for worrying about me…", was all Hifumi could muster, still shaken by his sudden reawakening and subsequent confusion of his situation.
Almost as if ignoring him, Celeste's smile widened as she asked, "Speaking of which…would you mind explaining what occurred this morning? You may not be aware, but Taka is still very much alive and continuing with his secret agenda."
As that information was absorbed into Hifumi's brain, multiple feelings suddenly arose. Fear, for having been attacked by that blasted door. Anger, for having missed his chance to stop Taka's reign of evil. Confusion, for how he was not discovered and how he ended up here. And lastly…regret. Regret…regret for…almost taking a human life.
Now that he was far removed from Miss Ludenberg's plan and his rage had subsided, the full weight of his actions made his shoulders shrink. Emboldened by anger and justice, he had almost allowed himself to murder his classmate. And despite having a justifiable reason for it, now that he had time to think about it, he once again struggled with the notion that Taka's life would not be the only one he'd be taking.
Everyone…all of the people who had cared for him…brought him to the nurse's office to assist with his recovery…the people who trusted him and believed that he was a victim…rather than a dishonest fool who was only concerned with his own selfish desires. And while he still desired that Alter Ego be saved…he had begun to question whether or not he was worthy to hold his beloved digital princess after innocent blood stained his hands.
"I do not mean to rush you but…I'm afraid we have little time," Celeste's silky voice interrupted his thoughts, his attention once again focused on her. "I will be frank; do you remember who attacked you?"
Hifumi's mind was still scrambled and conflicted, but even so, he did his best recall what had transpired only a few hours ago.
"A-As per your orders, I waited for Mr. Ishimaru in the equipment room. And once he arrived I prepared to strike…but as soon as I made my move, I was suddenly attacked—!"
"Was it the mysterious individual in the mask? The one that Hina and Sakura mentioned?" Celeste questioned, derailing him for a moment.
"Uhh…no…at least I don't think so…" the fanfic creator struggled to remember. "All I remember is that blasted door smashing into face…and someone shouting 'Bro'…"
An awkward silence existed between them for a moment before Celeste let out a low chuckle.
"Ah…I see now…" she said with a smirk, as if talking to herself. "So, Mondo was the one who interfered…that connects all the dots, I suppose."
"M-Mr. Owada?! What does he have to do with the door's surprise attack?" a confused Hifumi questioned.
With a condescending smirk, Celeste took a seat on a nearby stool and crossed her legs. "While you were unconscious, I learned that Mondo decided to confront Taka early this morning. It seems that he noticed Taka ascending the stairs and followed after him, and thus he eventually found him just as you were about to strike. An unfortunate coincidence that resulted in you being unable to enact vengeance."
Enact vengeance…that phrase seemed so…harsh to Hifumi's ears. Ironically, only a few hours ago, those words would have inspired such a rush of feelings from him…but not now. In fact, he wasn't even sure if he desired vengeance at this point. All he wanted to be make sure that Alter Ego was safe…so why had his thoughts been so consumed by vengeance? Those angry emotions refused to resurface, replaced by a deep…concern…. He was concerned about the repercussions of his actions…not for himself but for everyone else.
Perhaps he should have sought council with someone besides just Miss Ludenberg. And while he understood her situation, having been threatened to be punished under Taka's oppressive regime, he still believed that they should have brought the matter to everyone's attention…rather than plotting a murder.
"Is something the matter, Hifumi?"
Celeste's voice once again disrupted his thoughts, making him shake his head before refocusing.
"N-No…I was just…wondering what we're going to do now…?" he genuinely asked, uncertainly beginning to shine through.
Almost as if to spite his uncertain disposition, Celeste allowed a wide smile to grace her lips as she answered, "Do not fear, I have already developed a contingency plan. One that will ensure Taka's demise."
"O-Oh…" Hifumi disappointedly replied, a part of him having foolishly hoped she'd reconsider.
"We have little time, so I'll be brief," Celeste continued, furrowing her brows seriously. "I need you to make your way up to the art supply room, as we previously planned. Once you leave here, hid in the second floor restroom until you hear me scream. I will make it distinctive, so do not fear."
Raising an eyebrow, Hifumi couldn't help but ask, "A…distinctive scream? Like what?"
Pondering for a moment, Celeste replied, "How about something like…Ha-aaaaah!"
"T-That…should be fine…" he confirmed, hanging his head slightly.
That kind of scream certainly didn't sound natural, at least not to Hifumi, and he supposed it would work well as a signal…but discussing their plot like this…felt wrong somehow. Ever since he'd had that strange dream…of living peacefully in school with all his classmates…even considering the idea of harming any of them, even a filthy virgin like Taka…it felt like…a betrayal. And while he'd known all along that that's exactly what he'd be doing…only now did he actually see it as a true betrayal…a betrayal of the trust that all of them had placed in him—
"Hifumi…" Celeste's voice interrupting his thinking again, her voice much harsher this time. "I know you must be exhausted from your altercation with Mondo, but you need to focus. We have very little time after all."
"Err…right…" he almost forced himself to comply, growing increasingly more uncomfortable by the moment.
"Now then, as I was saying, after you hear the signal, make your way to the art supply room. Once there, lay on the floor and pretended to be unconscious. In the meantime, I will lure Taka there under the pretext that you have been attacked again. When that happens, I will lock the door and we will enact our vengeance on him together!"
As she finished explaining her plot, Hifumi was suddenly struck with inspiration.
"H-However…if we do it as you say, then only one of us will become blackened," he pointed out.
In truth, he planned to use that hole in her plan to convince her to forget the whole affair. After all, things were getting rather risky and he'd much rather back out while they both had—
"Not a problem," Celeste almost cheerfully replied, a fact that terrified the fanfic creator. "You shall deliver the final blow to Taka and then remain in the room afterward. I will inform the others that we found him together and while everyone is concentrating on that issue, I will murder someone else."
Again, seeing the hole in her scheme, Hifumi tried once more to surreptitiously dissuade her.
"S-Someone else? Who might that be? Won't everyone want to see…Taka's corpse?" he asked, doing his best not to show his true feelings.
"I will ask one of them to come with me to check on Chihiro. As for who, perhaps I could ask…Hina."
The instant Celeste mentioned Hina, Hifumi noticed a change in her demeanor. It was subtle, so incredibly subtle that he almost wasn't sure he'd really seen it. However, given his trained eyed for character development, there was no mistaking that something twisted inside Miss Ludenberg as she'd made that suggestion…almost as if she was repressing her true nature.
Before he could question it, however, Miss Ludenberg returned to her usual demeanor and continued, "She believes that the two of us have grown close lately. I will use that trust to lure her into the nurse's office and use one of the unused Justice Hammer's to secure my position as a blackened. That being said, would you mind handing over Hammer Number 3? I will hide it here in preparation."
Hifumi gulped as he recalled that the other Justice Hammers were tucked into his backpack. He was lucky no one had searched it, but then again, he'd been lying on top of it when he woke up. With shaky hands, he automatically pulled the pack from his back, unzipped it and reached for the Number 3 Hammer. As he grasped the handle, he froze, images of his failed attempt on Taka's life flashing before his eyes.
"Hifumi, I believe I mentioned that we are short on time," Celeste sweetly but harshly reminded, holding out dainty hand in emphasis.
As if possessed by her voice, Hifumi pulled the hammer out and handed it to her, feeling guilty the moment it left his grasp. Without a word, Celeste ventured to the far corner of the room and hid the blue killing tool behind a cabinet. With a hum of accomplishment, Celeste turned back and aimed a confused stare at the fanfic creator.
"You are still here? Shouldn't you be on your way? Time is of the essence, after all," she quipped, her voice light but deadly serious at the same time.
It was the first time Hifumi had noticed the duality of her voice. Normally, he only heard the gentle tones and delicate quips she threw his way. But now…each sentence was filled with a combination of sweetness and malice, mixing together into a frightening cocktail that somehow seemed natural and fake all at the same time. And for an instant, Hifumi wondered if that duality had always been there…but he'd only now been able to hear it…
"Hifumi…" Celeste called to him, her voice still delicate and yet dangerous. "If we are to succeed, you need to leave now. I will handle matters here, so go wait for my signal. Remember, the second floor boy's restroom is where you need to hide."
She slowly walked toward him, obviously intending to pass by, but stopped when she was at his side. Then, with a glare so fearsome he almost wet himself, she added, "Oh, and be sure not to let anyone see you along the way. That would ruin…everything."
Hifumi had no words to respond with, his voice caught in his throat at the unparalleled fear that gripped him. With those last few words, Celeste had shown him a side of her that truly terrified him. And, whether she'd planned it or not, she'd given him a glimpse of the murderous intent that she'd kept hidden from him this entire time.
Too fearful to reproach her, the fanfic creator was left with only one option…to do as instructed.
Without so much as a word, Hifumi slung his backpack over his shoulders, spun himself around, and made a rapid but quiet dash out the door before practically sprinting toward the second floor stairs, his fear motivating him just long enough to reach the second floor boys restroom and slam the door behind him.
As sweat soaked his tired body, all the fanfic creator could focus on was the horrifyingly malicious glint that he'd seen in Celeste's eyes. And at the same time…he feared what might happen if he actually went along with her murderous plot.
"…Is there…really no other way…?"
…voices…familiar but…distant voices…
…Chihiro could hear them…so much clearer…than ever before…
…they weren't…as soothing…as Mondo's…but hearing anything…was better…than nothing…
…Chihiro wanted…to see…who those voices…belonged to…
…it hurt…everything hurt…but despite that…Chihiro…
Celeste's expression didn't shift, even after Hifumi dashed out of the room. Her perfect mask had been replaced, and this time, she knew it wouldn't be so easily broken.
And now that she had a firmer grasp on the situation, she was becoming more and more confident that she'd succeed once she became blackened. Of course, what she told Hifumi was an utter lie. She planned to stay as far away from Taka as possible. And once she arrived at the art supply room, she would find Hifumi playing dead and be able to smash his skull in with the hammer she'd hidden earlier. His death alone would suffice. After all, she wasn't stupid enough to try and kill both him and Taka, at least not at this point. That would only leave behind more evidence that could lead back to her.
…And, of course, she had lied about possibly attacking Hina too. The Ultimate Swimming Pro was too important as a confidant to simply dispose of. She was a person who would stand up for Celeste at the trial if such a need arose. That was the only reason she kept Hina around…as a useful pawn…and nothing more.
And while Mondo's unexpected intervention had saved Taka for the moment, none of that would matter once she murdered Hifumi...which was proving to be even more crucial than before, especially since he was being much more uncooperative.
"I had imagined that news of Taka's survival would have emboldened him…but it seems that his resolve is weakening. I need to settle this matter quickly. And once Hifumi is out of the picture, I can blame his death on our mysterious masked assailant and finally be free of—".
"…uhah…ugha…ah…"
Celeste couldn't stop her eyes from widening as a soft sound invaded her ears. It was gentle, almost like the cooing of a dove. And it didn't take a genius to figure out where it was coming from. Slowly, the gambler turned to face the only occupied bed in the room, holding in a gasp as Chihiro Fujisaki very slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes wearily.
Against her will, Celeste's eyes dilated, and immense panic began to set in beneath her perfect mask.
"Shit…Shit. Shit. SHIT! Why now of all times?! Did she hear anything?! How long was she lying there, possibly listening in on our conversation?! How much does she know? How much does she fucking know?!"
As calmly as she was able to, the gambler moved to Chihiro's bedside and put on an expression of relieved shock.
"O-Oh, Chihiro. You've finally awoken. This is quite a pleasant surprise, I must say…"
Despite her inner turmoil, Celeste managed to keep up her masterful façade. Fortunately, it seemed that Chihiro was still quite disoriented, the programmer's head glancing around the room at a snail's pace. However, the instant the petite programmer laid eyes on Celeste, a bright smile erupted onto her face.
"H-Hey…" was all she managed to say, her eyes still half closed. She then slowly looked around the room, the smile on her face deteriorating as confusion set in. "W-Where…am I? This doesn't…look like my room…"
Celeste hid a much-deserved sigh of relief, realizing that Chihiro was still far too disoriented to comprehend what was going on around her. It also meant that, more than likely, the programmer hadn't heard anything she and Hifumi had been discussing…although…
"It's possible Chihiro may recall it later, having heard our conversation while she was slowly waking from her coma. And if she just so happens to remember that conversation during the class trial…it will make my escape from this retched place that much more difficult…"
Leaning in close and smiling gently, Celeste politely answered, "You are in the Nurse's Office. We brought you here after we found you in the locker room."
Celeste easily concluded that trying to relay the entire event of Mondo's attempted murder would not only be time consuming, it wouldn't matter once she completed her own murder scheme and the petite programmer was executed along…with…the…rest…of…them.
"How undeniably tragic…Chihiro awakens from her coma only to be executed due to my actions. Her struggle to survive and reawaken will be utterly fruitless in the end. All so that I can have the castle of my dreams…but such is her fate. It's not my fault that she…was attacked by Mondo…and forced to fight for her life while in a coma. No…that doesn't involve me…in the slightest."
Even though she would never realize it, a hairline crack formed in her perfect mask, so tiny and insignificant that she didn't bother taking note of it. Instead, she watched as Chihiro desperately tried to put together what she'd been told into coherent thoughts.
"I was…in the locker…room? Why…? I don't…remember…but I know…I was going…somewhere? Was it…the locker…room?"
It was obvious that her mind was still quite disoriented, due to the head trauma she'd received. It would likely take several days before her mind could properly mend itself…and by that time, she and the rest of her class would be dead—
"Yes…she'll be dead…" Celeste quickly reminded herself, pushing away any lingering feelings of guilt. "There's no sense in wondering how long it would take for her memories to return. She's just another pawn. In fact, now that she's awoken…it presents a great opportunity that I hadn't even considered…"
Clearing her throat, which earned Chihiro's attention, the gambler smiled pleasantly once more before saying, "Now that you are awake, I will go and gather the others. They will certainly want to know that you've awakened."
She quickly turned to leave, now prepared to use Chihiro's awakening to gather everyone and give Hifumi an opportunity to reach the art supply room without being discovered. However, before she could take even a single step, something gripped her sleeve and tugged. Startled, she turned her head and held in a gasp as she saw Chihiro staring up at her, the programmer's dainty fingers clutching the material of her sleeve tighter than the gambler thought possible.
"B-Before you go…could you do me a favor?" Chihiro abruptly asked, her voice suddenly a lot stronger than before.
Although startled, Celeste didn't let a hint of it show as she inquired, "As long as it is not too excruciating, I believe I can manage."
The gambler felt smug as Chihiro smiled once more, completely buying into her false act of kindness.
"I-If it's not…too much trouble…could you get me another pillow?" Chihiro slowly asked, nervous and embarrassed at the same time. "It would…make…sitting up a lot easier…"
Celeste had no reason to refuse. After all, it was a simple request, one that would only take a moment before she gathered everyone and furthered her scheme. It would be a…last request, of sorts.
Without hesitation, she turned around and nodded. "Of course. Give me just a moment."
Chihiro slowly released her grip, allowing the gambler to walk toward the other two beds in the room. However, much to her shock…there were no pillows on the other beds. In fact…there were no extra pillows anywhere to be seen…as if someone had hidden them.
"It's possible that Mondo is responsible for this, considering he was the only one permitted inside until only a short time ago…but that's ludicrous. For what reason would he want to hide all of the pillows? He would be in the room at all times so no one would be able to use them to suffocate Chihiro. And if so, where would he hide—?"
Celeste found her answer the moment she faced the storage closet near the back of the Nurse's Office. As her feet carried her to the door, a look of utter shock consumed Celeste's features. There, standing between her and honoring Chihiro's request…was a door completely duct taped shut! And not just with one or two strips mind you! It was as if someone used an entire roll to ensure that no one would ever open that door again!
"Who in their right mind would use THAT MUCH duct tape to seal a door?! It's just pillows for fuck sake!"
Anger slowly started to show on her face as she moved to the nearby cabinet to get a pair of scissors or some other kind of sharp object to cut the tape with…only to find that all of the sharp objects had also mysteriously vanished. It took Celeste less than a second to figure out where they had gone.
"Are you FUCKING kidding me?! Did he seriously put EVERYTHING that could potentially be used to hurt someone in that fucking closet…AND THEN DUCT TAPE IT SHUT!?"
Celeste barely managed to control her rage as she realized that twice now, by complete coincidence, Mondo had interrupted her plans to escape the school! After all, even if he'd somehow found out about her scheme to kill Taka and raced to his rescue, there was no way he could have known she'd need to get a pillow for Chihiro, which was delaying her from going through with her plan to murder Hifumi!
"Calm down…calm the fuck down…it's just a coincidence…a god-damn, motherfucking, shit-taking, son of a bitch coincidence! Besides…I can just tell Chihiro that I can't find a pillow and be done with it. I don't have time for last requests anyway…not when I'm so short on time!"
Making sure that her perfect mask was once again in place, Celeste slowly walked over to the barely awake Chihiro, causing the programmer to look up at her and smile. The gambler internally flinched at the joyful expression on the programmer's face, her brain reminding her that soon she would take the smile away from Chihiro…permanently.
However, as she continued to remind herself, it wasn't any of her concern, and she smiled pleasantly as she reluctantly said, "I apologize, Chihiro…but there do not seem to be any pillows available at the moment—".
The instant those words left her mouth, Chihiro's warm smile faded and sadness welled up in her half open eyes. Internally, Celeste grunted at a sharp pain that stung her chest. It wasn't like she had told Chihiro that a puppy had died or something! So, why did the programmer look so heart-broken! And why did she care! This whole event was a detour keeping her from—oh shit, was Chihiro starting to cry!
Despite how much she didn't want to acknowledge it, Celeste couldn't help but notice the tears stinging the corners of Chihiro's eyes. Instantly, the sharp pain in the gambler chest intensified and she was only just able to keep herself from growling in self-loathing.
"—H-However…I have not yet checked the storage closet. Give me a moment and I will see what I can find…" Celeste forced herself to say with a pleasant smile, not willing to compromise her composure because of a missing pillow.
Immediately, the tears in Chihiro's eyes dried up and a happy smile was replaced on her lips.
"I-I'm sorry to ask this much of you…but…I really appreciate it…" the programmer earnestly replied.
Celeste wanted to comment about the fact that Chihiro's teary-eyed visage could probably convince Monokuma to let them all go, but she kept that to herself. Instead, she merely nodded to her classmate, quickly turned on a heel, and prepared to once again try the duct taped door. It was then, before she even had time to consider how she'd open said door…that Chihiro said something neither of them expected.
"Thank you…Taeko."
Celeste froze. Chihiro fell silent. The entire world came to a stand-still as that one word echoed in the small recovery room. And before she knew it, the hairline crack in Celeste's perfect mask spread, encompassing her entire face. However, it didn't quite shatter. It was barely kept in place, hanging on by thread as Celeste turned and glanced down at Chihiro.
"What…did you call me?" she asked quietly, keeping her voice low. She smiled pleasantly, as always, but this time, there was something more…malicious to it. However, Chihiro didn't seem to notice, struggling to answer the question.
"I…I don't know…" Chihiro honestly answered, confused herself. "You're name…isn't Taeko. So…why did I call you that?"
The programmer squinted her eyes shut, obviously trying to figure out why she'd called her friend by another name…but Celeste was more concerned with the 'how' rather than the 'why'.
"It's not possible…not fucking possible! How THE FUCK could she even know about my real name! I NEVER met Chihiro before coming to this school! Not to mention that she wasn't around when that son of a whore TAKA revealed my secret in front of everyone! And she couldn't have heard it from Mondo because he wasn't there either! So how the flying FUCK does Chihiro know that name!"
Amidst all of her panicking, she curled her fingers inward and inadvertently stabbed her palm with her finger claw. Although she winced at the pain, the momentary distraction seemed to snap her out of her frenzied state. Very slowly, she took deep, cleansing breaths…allowing herself a moment to regain her composure and collect her thoughts. Once she was back to a reasonable state of mind, she quickly got herself back on task…
"There's not time to figure out how she knew that name. If I don't get a move on, I'll miss my last opportunity to get out of this shit hole! But…that doesn't mean I can simply ignore this either…"
Fortunately for her, Chihiro still had her eyes closed as she tried to figure out why she'd called her friend by the 'wrong' name. Seeing an opportunity, Celeste let a momentary grin spread on her lips before she quickly hid it behind a sweet smile.
"Do not trouble yourself over such a minor detail. I am sure you simply had a strange dream or something to that effect," the gambler said gently, resting a hand on Chihiro's shoulder. The contact caused the programmer to snap her head up and stare into the soothing visage of her classmate. Feeling confident, Celeste continued, "You must still be very weary. Lie back down and rest…"
With great ease, Celeste gently lay Chihiro onto her back before patting her shoulder. The petite programmer didn't seem to mind in the slightest. In fact, she seemed to be having an even more difficult time keeping her eyes open. Even so, she was able to look up at the gambler and present her with the warmest smile anyone had ever seen.
"Thanks…Celeste. You're…such a good…person…" she quietly complimented, keeping her smile bright the entire time.
If Chihiro's words affected Celeste, she didn't show it as she stood up and turned back toward the duct taped door, a desperate desire to have it opened burning in her eyes.
"Don't worry, Chihiro…I'll get you that pillow…"
"Almost done…there!" Hina cheerfully said to herself as she finished pouring freshly brewed milk tea into two teacups.
It had taken her longer than expected, but after a little trial and error, she was certain she'd been able to brew a fantastic cup of tea to share with Celeste. Grabbing the tray that the teacups sat on, the swimming pro carefully but joyfully began moving toward the kitchen exit.
"I can't wait to see the look on her face when she tastes it! I bet it's even better than Hifumi's!"
That idea put a spring in her step as she cautiously moved out into the cafeteria and headed slowly toward the door.
"I was completely wrong about her," Hina confided in herself as she continued onward. "Celeste may come off as a bit harsh and rude, but deep down, she's actually a sweet and genuine person who—".
"H-Hina! Hina, where are you?!"
The swimmer's eyes snapped open as she heard the voice of Celeste shouting from the hallway. Before she even had time to contemplate putting the tray down, the door to the cafeteria burst open and there, out of breath and paler than usual, stood Celeste.
"C-Celeste! What's wrong?!" Hina shouted, almost dropping the tea in doing so.
Through staggered pants, Celeste lifted her head and said, "You…must…come with me. Quickly!"
"W-What happened?! Tell me!" the swimmer found herself shouting, barely balancing the tray of teacups.
Biting her lower lip, Celeste hung her head for a moment before meeting Hina's gaze and replying, "It's…It's Chihiro! She's…she's…"
Hina didn't wait for her friend to finish. Without any regard for the mess, she let the tray of teacups slip from her grasp, the delicate porcelain smashing into tiny pieces as she ran toward the exit.
To Be Continued…
Greetings, my beautiful readers! It's been quite some time hasn't it! But what's going to happen now?! What did Celeste do to Chihiro? Will Hifumi go along with the murder plot? How long before consistent updates are a thing again?! You'll have to keep reading to find out!
Actually, I can answer about updates right now. Sorry once again for the long wait, but after running into various issues (including spraining my foot), it took longer than I wanted to update. However, I do want to at least attempt to update this story once a month from now on. I can't promise that will happen but that's what I'll be shooting for!
Oh, and for those following my youtube channel: hunterofcomedy, I've started a playthrough of "Virtue's Last Reward" to go along with my "999" playthrough.
Also, thank you to everyone who followed/favorited my story! And I encourage any questions or thoughts you may have regarding the story! That being said, as always, if you enjoyed the chapter, leave a comment/review to tell me what you think!
Thanks again everyone and I hope you have a great day, my beautiful readers!