Chapter 10: Despair Junk Food for Racing to Youth
Our heroes conversed with Sakura about her actions the entire night, and Shadow absorbs her spirit into the medallion, but not before Sakura told them one final thing.
"The sixteenth student at Hope's Peak Academy, the one called the Ultimate Despair... Their name is... Mukuro Ikusaba..." Her words echoed in Shadow's head.
"The Ultimate Despair... Mukuro Ikusaba." Twilight repeated.
"The question is... Why has Ikusaba been hiding this whole time?" Sunset asked.
"Beats me, but I have heard of her. Mukuro Ikusaba is said to be the Ultimate Soldier. She's fought in many battles, and each one she came out without so much as a single injury." Shadow said. "She fought alongside the mercenary group Fenrir before enrolling here. It's possible with the training she obtained, she'd be watching us from the shadows, and we'd be oblivious to it. Plus, there has to be someone operating Monokuma."
"Operating..." Tails thought aloud. "That must mean he's not really a real bear. He's a machine."
"A mass-produced machine made for conversations and combat from a distance." Twilight said.
"We need to try and reveal his secret, but how?" Nino asked. "Unless another murder happens, we can't be sure."
"I'd say we take that thing apart, see what makes him tick, but I don't want what happened to Enoshima happen to any of us." Chloe suggested.
"We'll figure it out sooner or later. Now we better meet up with the others." Sonic said. "I hear the fifth floor is open now."
Our heroes catch up with the students in the cafeteria. "Sorry we're late. Took a wrong turn." Adrien said.
"I'm guessing you guys checked out the new floor without us, huh?" Alya asked. "Care to tell us what you found?"
"Well, apart from the Botanic Garden having a flower the size of a freakin' beach umbrella, no sign of a way out." Hagakure said.
"No idea why, but there was also a chicken coop up there. Five chickens in total." Asahina said. "The only thing that stood out was a storage shed full of tools."
"There were no stairwells leading up, so needless to say this building only housed five stories." Togami reported. "There was also a classroom littered with blood and debris. Safe to assume a lot of people died there."
"Seriously?!" Asahina asked.
"Whaddya think happened?!" Hagakure asked.
"If the horrific incident Alter Ego mentioned was real, that room's a candidate for where it took place." Alya said.
"The matter begs further investigation." They hear Kyoko. "I will look into it myself."
"Of course. Why do you insist on going solo whenever our situation is at its most grim?" Togami asked.
"I'm not one to take sides this late in the game, but Togami's right. It's like some eerie pattern with you..." Shadow said. "Things go akimbo, and like that, off you scamper."
"Anything you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" Togami asked.
"Such as?" Kyoko asked.
"Oh, I don't know, perhaps... you could start out by telling us all who you really are." Togami said. The room stood silent. "Take your time."
"I'm sorry." Kyoko apologized. "I fear I don't remember."
"Could it be that... the shock of being trapped here has given you amnesia...?" Knuckles deduced.
"Oh, sure! I bet... How convenient!" Toko said. "Do you think we were born yesterday?!"
"Point made, Fukawa." Togami glared. "And for the love of onions, control your halitosis." Toko yelped and turned away to check her breath. "So, is Knuckles correct that you have amnesia? Rather a tired device, don't you think? Surely you've a better cover story than that?"
"I knew you wouldn't believe me... Nevertheless, it is the truth." Kyoko said.
"You realize by sticking to that line, you leave me no choice; certain liberties are now forfeit." Togami said as he stood up and approached Kyoko. "Your room key. I demand you relinquish it."
"What?!" Everyone gasped.
"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" Luka asked.
"She has the option to talk." Togami said.
"Calm down... there's no reason to get all uppity." Naegi said.
"Fine." Kyoko complied.
"Good. We're all ears." Togami said. Kyoko stood up and gave the affluent progeny her key. "Damn it... Very well... Why you chose secrecy I cannot surmise, but c'est la vie."
"But... I mean... If she actually has amnesia, it's so not fair to treat her like this." Asahina said.
"You got a point." Hagakure agreed. "Guess she could be telling it like it is. Every other nightmare happens in this hellhole, why not a little tabula rasa?" Kyoko nods in confirmation.
"Very interesting turn of phrase." Kyoko said. "If you're of the opinion this school breeds only nightmares, far be it for me to dissuade you." Naegi and Marinette gasped. "Are you satisfied I've been adequately reined in? I have other business to attend to."
"Kiri, wait!" Naegi called out.
"Best to leave her be, Naegi." Shadow said.
"Yes, let the stubborn fool go." Togami agreed. Toko tries to say something, but her mouth is still covered.
"Wonderful... I presume you're eager to offer up some comment?" Togami asked. Toko mumbles in excitement. "Then I suppose you'd best subject us to your vapors."
Toko giggled with a blush. "You're so tolerant of me, sweet Togami... Breath's good now... I think I spewed most of the crud into my hand, so-"
"Your point?!" Togami barked. "We haven't all day!"
"Go easy on her, okay?" Alya defended. "Now, what is it you want to tell us, Fukawa?"
"Well... In, um... a classroom on the fifth floor... something caught my attention..." Toko said as she revealed a combat knife.
"A survival knife?!" Sunset gasped.
"Aw, hell no!" Hagakure yelped. "The psychopathic serial killer does not get to hang on to that! I'll take it off your hands!"
"Hold up!" Sonic called out. "After Ogami, you two have a history of bringing harm to others."
"That does make sense." Asahina agreed.
"As it stands... among the survivors, Naegi's the only one of us eligible." Togami said.
"Eh?! For what?!" Naegi asked in surprise.
"Isn't it obvious? You're going to keep it..." Togami said. "In all other hands the knife is a liability."
"Just what I need..." Naegi groaned before taking the knife from Toko.
"Yes, very nice." Togami said.
"Ah! Sorry! I really have no idea what I ate!" Toko yelped. "Maybe I should find a mint?!"
"He wasn't trying to be glib, Fukawa." Max said.
"That's true. I meant handing over the knife." Togami said.
Toko then blushed. "Wait, what did I do? But... That was a compliment?" She then swooned. "Oh, master... I must be dreaming..." She giggled lovestruck.
"Man... There's so much wrong with that girl, I don't even know where to start." Hagakure commented.
The TV then pops on. "Yo... Turd buckets... Gym! Now!" Monokuma looked furious. "Cause, man... I am one... pissed off principal!" The connection cuts off.
"He looked really angry then. I wonder what's wrong." Applejack wondered.
"Only one way to find out." Sunset said.
Once they head to the gym, they see Monokuma furiously punching a large fish like a sandbag. "Uh-oh... He's really on the warpath." Asahina commented.
"You're damn right I am, Miss Thang!" Monokuma angrily said as he continued pounding away at the fish. "How am I supposed to feel when there's a thieving thief in our midst?!"
"A thief?! What did they steal?" Tails asked.
"Don't play dumb with me! One of you stole my treasure-" Monokuma told them before the fish smacked him onto all fours. "And to think I've been treating you like honored guests...! What kind of a world do we live in?!"
"Well... um... What kind of treasure is missing exactly?" Chloe asked.
"As if you don't know!" Monokuma yelled. "You even took out a surveillance camera! Blatant violation of school rules right there!" Monokuma then noticed that one of the students was missing. "Huh? Hold on... You're one short! Ah-ha! Amnesia Girl's the one, I knew it! No! You know what? You're all responsible! Well good luck using me as reference when you're out there pounding the pavement!" He angrily left.
"What... the hell was that?!" Hagakure asked.
"Stealing from the principal, talk about bold." Sonic said. "That's Kirigiri for you. Question is, why?"
"What's her endgame here?" Sunset asked. "Better yet, who is she? Really?" She and Shadow watch Naegi place the knife in his desk drawer. They then hear the doorbell. Naegi answers and sees Kyoko.
"What's going on?" Sunset asked.
"Men's dressing room, second floor... meet me in five." Kyoko told them.
Five minutes later, they meet with her in the dressing room. "Alright, what's so important that you bring us out here at this hour in the evening?"
"Something I dare not speak about in view of the surveillance cameras." Kyoko said as she revealed a key with Monokuma's face on it.
"Whoa." Naegi gasped.
"That must be why Monokuma's so mad." Sunset deduced. "He must've had it in his office."
"Wait, what?!" Naegi gasped. "That place is sealed tighter than Togami's butt! How did you get this?!"
"Thank Ogami for unlocking the door." Kyoko said.
"Wait... Remember the note?" Sunset asked. "She intended to strike the mastermind where it hurt most. She really meant business then."
"Yes. Good thing." Kyoko agreed. "Without her help, I never would have gotten inside. And Mukuro Ikusaba would still be a cipher. Not that I've learned everything, but I can tell you she's dangerous. As a matter of fact, she may well be our mastermind."
"Wait. So... So it's a girl?" Naegi asked.
"Didn't Alter Ego tell us the mastermind was supposed to be the principal?" Sunset asked.
"Guess he was wrong." Shadow theorized. "But are you sure the principal isn't the one responsible?"
"I'm 99% sure. I think..." Kyoko pondered. "Either way, I'd appreciate it if you kept this from the others, least until we have more to go on."
"I'm sure you can trust us with your findings, Kirigiri." Shadow nods.
"Look, I'll just come right out and say this." Naegi said. "Whatever it is you're on to, I really feel like you oughta tell us."
"I'm sorry, I'm... not quite... at a point where I can articulate it." Kyoko said. "I suspect you think I'm being terribly unfair. Which will no doube make the favor I need harder to grant."
"I'll bet it has something to do with that key, right?" Sunset asked.
"Of course. I need to find what it goes to." Kyoko said. "So, plan: the three of you keep Monokuma busy while I go digging?"
"By yourself? Seriously?" Naegi asked. "Come on! That's way too dangerous and you know it!"
"Naegi's right. If Monokuma caught you trying to expose him, who knows what he'll do to you." Shadow agreed.
"All the more reason to crack the lid open on this school." Kyoko said. "We can't just sit on our hands. We must be bold."
"But can we even trust you?" Naegi asked.
"You have our word." Sunset said. "But if we're working together, you must promise us something. Find out what that key goes to safely. Sure, risks may be necessary, but don't go pushing things too far."
Kyoko nods. Naegi holds his right pinky finger out, surprising Kyoko. She confirms it with her own pinky finger.
Later, a security camera shifts its focus onto Naegi, Sunset, and Shadow. "Monokuma! Are you watching?"
"We'd like a word with you." Sunset said. A spotlight shines on the corner and Monokuma appears dressed as a security camera.
"Quid pro quo, Clarice... Tell me what you and the snoop were up to in the sauna, and I'll be happy to. Though, given the lack of cameras in there, I bet I can guess... You were doin' the deed, weren't ya? Goin' at it like a couple of sea otters?!" Sunset blushed at the idea, but she stayed silent. "Well, poop! Fine, be that way." He took his disguise off. "No kiss and tell for you, eh? It's not like I need the juicy details. Keep things tasteful, that's my motto. No TV-MA for this bear, thank you very much!"
"Hold up, that's the reason there weren't any surveillance cameras in the sauna?" Sunset asked.
"But of course!" Monokuma responded.
"Whatever, man." Naegi said. "We know it's the humidity. The lenses would just fog up all the time."
"He's right. Who'd wanna hook up here?" Sunset asked.
"Is that what you dragged me away from the office to stuff my ear-holes with?" Monokuma asked. "Out with it, emo!"
"You said that your treasure was stolen. What was it?" Shadow asked.
"Really?" Monokuma asked. "You're killing me, Smalls! Of all the worthless twaddle to waste my time with! You're like a jolt of stupid through a frayed wire! This can't be why you and me needed to chat. Are all adolescents this much pain in the robo-keister?" Monokuma sighs. "Regarding said treasure... None of your damn business, jackasses!" He then proceeded to walk off.
"Hey, don't walk away from us! We're not done talking to you!" Sunset called out, but he ignored her. She groaned. "Well, hope that was enough. Just... please be okay."
Later that night, at 11PM...
Naegi is in his bed, sweating. He stressing because he has some kind of reason to be at Hope's Peak. A noise alerts him. He opens his eyes and sees a masked attacker with the combat knife. He blacks out. When he wakes up, he finds Kyoko and Shadow.
"Kiri? Shadow?" Naegi groggily asked. "Wha... What are you doing?" They attempt to tell him something, but the shock of almost being killed by a masked intruder drowned out their words and blurred his vision. "I... I can't... hear... you..." He passes out again.
The next morning...
"Good morning, good morning-a! 7:00 in the AM, sleepy heads!" Monokuma announced. "Time to greet the rosy fingered dawn! Let's see those feet on the floor and those eyes on the prize!" Naegi got up and rubbed his eyes.
"What was with that dream?" Naegi spoke. He suddenly remembered the masked intruder from last night. He checked his desk draw and saw that the knife he left inside was gone. "Crap, where's the knife?!" He left his room as Sonic and Luka joined him.
"What's up with you?" Sonic asked.
"Oh, just had a pretty bad dream." Naegi said. "(Was it a dream? Or did someone actually try to attack me? Do I tell the others or keep it to myself? I dunno... silence is probably the best option for right now.)" They arrive in the cafeteria, but no one else is there.
They check the sauna, and they find it empty as well. "Where is everybody?" Sonic asked. They check all over the school and find it eerily desolate.
"What's going on?" Luka asked. They head to the gym and find the others with a disassembled Monokuma.
"I was wondering where you were." Twilight said.
"What happened?" Luka asked. They see Monokuma in pieces. Hagakure was about to pry his right eye out.
"Are you out of your minds?!" Naegi asked in shock. "He's gonna kill you!"
"Cool your jets, Naegi." Knuckles said.
"Yeah, no bigs, he was already busted." Hagakure said.
"Somebody wanna clue me in, please?" Naegi asked.
"I couldn't sleep last night. Monokuma's "treasure" kept rattling around in my head." Togami explained.
"I was about to go for an evening walk when I saw Togami. He told me he was going to confront Monokuma." Chloe added. "As much as I didn't want to get involved, a part of me wanted to help out."
"In any case, I thought "why not ask him about it yourself," and, well, when we came looking for him... here he was. Completely inert." Togami continued. "When it was clear he wasn't a threat, I had Chloe gather everyone. We've since been burning the midnight oil disassembling him."
"Yes we have!" Toko swooned. "Master Togami's a genius! He got a chance to see what makes the bear tick, and he jumped at it!"
"Yeah... Tails and I tried to come get ya, but you wouldn't answer your door." Asahina said.
"I was down for the count. Sonic and Luka likely fell asleep waiting for me." Naegi said.
"More power to ya; we didn't get a wink." Hagakure said. Hagakure then finds a bomb. "This is not a Magic 8 Ball, guys!"
"Interesting. It appears bombs come standard in these contraptions." Togami said.
They all yelp in fear, Hagakure nearly dropping the explosive. "Careful!" Asahina cried.
"I would suspect it is designed to be triggered by the slightest... vibration." Togami deduced.
"Huh?! Seriously?!" Hagakure asked in fear. "Dude! V-V-V-Vibration... Great... What could go wrong?!"
"Calm down! You'll kill us all!" Asahina cried.
"Oh dear. I'm sorry... Did I neglect to mention Shadow already deactivated the sensor?" Togami asked. Hearing that made everyone sigh in relief. Hagakure laughs.
"Thanks a lot, jackass!" Hagakure yelled.
"You sure know how to put a lady on edge!" Chloe yelled.
"So, uh... Anybody know why Monokuma just stopped working?" Naegi asked.
"If I were to guess, something unforeseen befell the mastermind pulling Monokuma's strings." Alya deduced.
"Perhaps so. He seems to be a mouthpiece for the principal. The man Alter Ego believed to be behind this." Togami said.
"Only problem is Kiri told us the principal couldn't be the mastermind, and... She was pretty adamant about it." Sunset said.
"Snap out of it; the woman is mendacity personified." Togami said. "Either way, our course is clear. The next move in this morbid scavenger hunt is a trip to the principal's office." They head to the office in question. Togami attempts to open it, but the door is locked. "And, of course, the door's locked. Fukawa! You have one minute to fetch a mattock and bring it here."
"There should be one in the Botanic Garden's shed. I'll help you look for it." Rainbow chimed in.
"Sure, but that's not enough time!" Toko said as she and Rainbow ran as fast as they could.
"We gonna break it down?" Hagakure asked.
"Why not? With Monokuma out of commission, we needn't fear reprisals." Togami answered.
"Do you think Kiri did something?" Marinette whispered to Naegi.
"Perhaps... Question is, does she actually know who the mastermind is?" Naegi whispered.
"Whatever happens, I just pray that she didn't get caught." Marinette whispered. They hear rushing footsteps. Rainbow and Toko came back, the latter having switched to her Genocider Sho persona.
"That was fast... and Fukawa's Genocider Sho!" Hagakure yelped.
"Hiya, doll! It's your friendly neighborhood serial killer!" Sho laughs.
"I told you to bring back a mattock." Togami told her angrily.
"Relax, I got it right here." Rainbow said, revealing the tool. "But that's not the only thing we found."
"What is it?" Twilight asked.
"Maybe it's best if you saw it yourselves." Rainbow said. They quickly head to the garden and find a masked body.
"Wha... Who the hell's that?!" Naegi asked. "What the hell is going on?!"
"While I can't answer the first question yet, the answer to the second is clear: murder." Luka said. "Since the blood hasn't dried, I'd say it happened very recently."
"Dude, I can't even tell if it's a girl or a guy!" Hagakure said.
"Don't be an idiot... It's a girl..." Asahina said. "You can see her chest and tell by her frame..."
"Any idea who could've done this?" Tails asked.
"It's most likely Kirigiri. She is, after all, the only of us not here." Togami deduced.
"(No... It can't be true...! Please no!)" Marinette thought.
Genocider Sho laughs. "Let's look! I'm gonna pull off the mask!" She rushes over to the body, passing Togami.
"That's a bad idea!" Togami called out.
"Sho, stop! It might be..." Before Luka could tell her, Sho begins pulling the mask off, but once she did, the body explodes, sending Sho flying into a shrub.
"What kinda sick bastard rigs a corpse?!" Naegi asked.
"So much for our evidence!" Luka said. "We better put out the flames!" Everyone quickly gather buckets of water and uses them to douse the flames.
"We managed to put out the fire." Adrien said.
"What made the body go up like that?" Hagakure asked.
"If I were to guess, the mask must have been fitted with a motion triggered explosive." Shadow deduced.
"How're we gonna know who it is?" Asahina asked.
"As I've said, it has to be Kirigiri." Togami guessed.
"I don't think that's necessarily the case." Tails said.
"Huh?" Hagakure asked.
"Believe it or not, we know about a sixteenth." Marinette said.
"I beg your pardon?" Togami asked.
"Kiri had this sort of working hypothesis about another student hiding here on campus." Naegi explained.
"Though she didn't give us any detail, she has been suspicious about it for a while." Sunset added.
"You think someone else is here none of us have seen?" Applejack asked.
"That would explain the extra spot in the trial room." Rainbow said. "Kiri must've noticed it way back."
Adrien glanced at the body, and noticed a faint tattoo on her right hand. "Togami, check it out." He got the heir's attention.
"Well, what have we here?" Togami asked. "Some sort of insignia." They also notice a strange key. "And, hello, what do you open?"
"That doesn't look like it'll open the principal's office." Sonic said.
"It doesn't. In fact..." Togami confirmed before remembering the computer lab door having a lock. "Right. Let's move."
"Um... Where to?" Asahina asked.
"The other room we've been unable to enter." Togami said. Everyone heads over to the computer lab. Togami puts the key inside the lock, and the light turns green, signaling that the door is unlocked.
"It worked..." Twilight said.
"Guess my instincts were dead on." Togami agreed. The door opens and they see multiple monitors "Lookie here... How very interesting."
"I'll bet this must be the mastermind's secret hideout." Nino said. "But why keep us out?"
"Yes, what would the mastermind stand to gain from luring us into this room?" Togami asked.
"Asahina, over there." Kagami said, pointing to the Monokuma door.
"What's the story with this door?" Asahina asked as she attempts to open it, but it won't open. "And locked of course."
"Wait... Hey guys, check it out!" Hagakure said. "This TV's hooked up to an antenna. You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"
"What?! Turn it on!" Asahina said. "There's a chance we can pick up a news station or something!"
"Wait!" Marinette said. "I don't think we're alone in here."
"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" They hear Monokuma's voice. They see him at the door to the lab. Monokuma laughs. Everyone was in shock to see Monokuma. "Been a while, ain't it, sweetearts?"
"But how?! You're dead!" Luka was dumbfounded.
"Yeah! We saw it! You were in pieces!" Toko said.
"Excuse me? Dead?" Monokuma asked. "Darling, honey, sweetums, babe! Possums play dead, bears hibernate." Monokuma laughs.
"Freaky! You're even talking all different!" Hagakure said.
"Different is good!" Monokuma said. "Different is natural! Jeez, ya expect two years to leave me unchanged?"
"Wait, two years?" Knuckles asked.
"I think your sense of time is skewed." Asahina said.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Moving on to the main event..." Monokuma said.
"What now?" Togami asked.
"Since you li'l snoops were keen on it... Ta-da!" Monokuma reveals a remote. "Lemme tell ya all 'bout the TV you found! If you could direct your attention behind you, please." Everyone turns around as the TV turns on. It shows everyone in the room. Everyone was in shock, especially regarding the tags in the corners of the screen.
"Monokuma finally reveals the truth!"
"The group is surprised by the astonishing truth! Coming up next!"
"Does this mean..." Alya said in shock before turning to the camera in the room.
"Why... Why are we on television?" Asahina asked.
"What's going on?" Sonic asked.
"School Life of Mutual Killing!" Monokuma said into his camera. "The highest-rated television show in history! Brought to you live! Twenty-four seven!"
"What is the point of something like that?" Toko asked.
"The point?" Monokuma asked. "There's a point behind every move I've made. Thick, aren't ya? I've been spoon-feedin' you people hints about the real purpose behind this school from day one. You think you were lured here for my personal satisfaction alone?"
"I get it... You figured dropping this bombshell would be a nice ratings-booster." Chloe said.
"Don't be so cynical!" Monokuma said. "This is art! We're pushin' the envelope here, hoisting this puppy from mundane to meta, and the public just eats it up! This is the ultimate reality show! I call it: "Despair-o-tainment!"
"You're lying!" Asahina yelled. "If this really was airing live, the cops or whoever would've come for us by now!"
The TVs tag changed to "The Truth about Mutual Killing High School shocks the students!"
"You really think so?" Monokuma asked.
"What are you implying?" Rainbow asked.
"Say the cops are watching it... Would it even be their problem?" Monokuma asked. "Mightn't they love watching you squirm as much as the next bloodthirsty John Q?"
"Who backs you?! This kind of setup requires astronomical funding, the equipment alone must run in the millions!" Togami said. "Where do you-?" Monokuma laughs, cutting him off.
"Hard to imagine anyone going to these lengths?" Monokuma asked. "I still have my secrets. But forget that now, focus on the task at hand."
"I'm guessing you know about that body in the garden, right?" Tails asked.
"Ding-ding-ding! And need I remind you, the rules haven't changed." Monokuma told them.
"You mean for us to have a trial." Togami guessed.
"Bingo! The show must go on, dear-hearts!" Monokuma confirmed. "That's how this business goes. And there's no business like it; no business I know!" He leaves to make a quick announcement. "Da-da-duuuuum! Da-da-da-da-dum-duuuum! Corpse alert, junior dicks! You know the drill: investigation, then, trial!" The TV then added another tagline reading: "Class Trial is in session! Right after this!"
Naegi looked visibly angry after the announcement. "This has gone on long enough." Sonic growled.
"I'd say our situation has taken a dire turn." They hear Kyoko's voice.
"Kirigiri!" Naegi said.
"Where were you?!" Shadow asked.
"Naegi, Sunset, Shadow, you three were a huge help." Kyoko said. "Thanks for running interference."
"Whatever." Sunset smiled. "We're just relieved that you're alive."
"I believe Shadow asked you a question." Togami said.
"We totally thought you were dead!" Hagakure said.
"Sorry to disappoint." Kyoko apologized.
"Hold on a minute... If that corpse wasn't you, then who was it?" Asahina asked.
"Well... considering that there was a sixteenth student enrolled here, one we haven't met, I'd say it's..." Adrien began.
"Mukuro... Ikusaba." Kyoko and Adrien said in unison.
"Her Ultimate Talent... was despair." Kyoko said.
To be continued...