Notice - this is not an update to Beyond Broken suddenly coming back from the dead, the story is still over, but I figured I never published this last chapter to everyone
So, perhaps out of emotional attachment to what this story was, and maybe out of resurfacing guilt for not doing the creators and the OC's justice, I want to show what was to be the chapter posted for part 2. I apologize I never finished this story, but I hope this LAST chapter shows what could've been, and again, I'm very sorry for handling this story so poorly back then.
If this is scummy for me to do, please let me know as well, I just wanted to post this for some closure. The OC's characters are no longer mine to write, so if a creator sees this update, I'm not taking anyone's OC's back or trying to spoil their characters, I just wanted to post this for fun. Let me know if this is a problem in PM's
Oh and this chapter isn't edited to what it used to be so spelling mistakes are to be expected
Again the story is sadly NOT coming back, I'm sorry. Please enjoy the last update for Beyond Broken.
(Chapter 1)
(The Fools Who Dream)
(Part 2) (Final)
Something within my consciousness stirs me awake.
I'm not sure what it was, as I've never been one to have an internal alarm clock, but for some reason my body grew active enough for my eyes to suddenly flutter open, revealing faint light beside me on the end tables which I forgot to turn off last night. Their dim hues urged my sleepy eyes to close, and for a moment, I was almost able to return to my comfortable position and will myself back to sleep.
Unfortunately, a sudden ringing jolted me awake. The noise was muted somewhat by the walls, but they were so thin that the loud sound was unable to be blocked and pierced through the barrier. This was followed by a rather annoying announcement that made me want to grab my pillows and press them against my ears.
"Rise and shine sleeeeeppppyheads! It is now 7:00 AM! Welcome to the new day! Let's start with a motivated outlook toward making more progress on your Ultimate skills! Hoorayyyy!"
God... I can't believe that's the voice I'm going to be hearing every morning... couldn't it be something more pleasant?
Unable to stifle my groan, I came to the unfortunate conclusion that I wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep. This fact forced me to stagger up from my bed and rub my eyes. I hoped that if I rubbed them hard enough I would be able to see that I was clearly home, but nope, it was still the same horrid room with the same ugly walls and stale carpeting. Honestly, I feel like I've seen roadside motels with better upkeep than this.
I sat at the edge of my bed and let out a sigh. The morning announcement had passed, and yet I still feel the need to go to sleep. Technically I could since the morning meeting wasn't going to start until 10:00 AM, but it still felt like I should do something productive now that I was awake. Maybe try to look for an exit that probably didn't exist. Or check out all those rooms everyone found since I never got to see them.
Or maybe just flop back into bed and hope I eventually pass out enough to get out of this sick coma-induced dream. Maybe that's what I would do. Just lay back down on this bed and slowly close my eyes.
...
...
...
Yeah... like that was actually going to happen...
With a groan, I eventually got up and made my way into the bathroom. There was really no point in sleeping in now, especially considering here I am. I should just try to see what I can make do with today and hopefully get into some kind of routine I guess. No matter how difficult it might be for me, the sooner I get used to this, the better.
Once inside the bathroom, I peel off the disgusting clothes I was stuck with yesterday, toss them in the laundry bin without a glance and quickly get into the shower. Since the sprinklers definitely worked outside, I wasn't that surprised when the droplets started to pour on top of me. I lacked the energy to move from my position, so I just turned the knob a bit to the left to make the water warmer and sat quietly, contemplating my thoughts.
I take this time of awareness to finally make the decision to fully clean myself. Even though I'm in this messed-up death game, I'd rather potentially die with clean hair and skin than just walking around all grubby. Thankfully it seemed that Monokuma shared that sentiment as there were some care products set up neatly for use. I guess he really is serious about us staring here... if the bedrooms and facilities around us already didn't already prove that.
I grabbed some of the soaps positioned nearby and began washing my pale skin clean of any nasty germs. After doing this for a bit, I took the small containers of shampoo and conditioner and began washing my hair vigorously, scrubbing my scalp with careful hands. The distinct scent of pomelo fruit came into my mind once I finished, which calmed my nerves down just a bit.
Even though I was in no danger of anyone seeing me like this, I still grabbed a towel just to quickly dry and eventually put on some fresh clothes. The ones provided were still poor, but I think compared to yesterday I looked far better in the mirror. My hair wasn't as baggy, and I think my skin (for the most part) came out radiant.
Not bad Mei... I wish I wasn't stuck with this uniform now though...
I did look back at the drawer Monokuma's gift was in, but decided against putting it on.
Before going out, I decided to check on my Monopad one last time. Everyone's profiles were on it. Still no map. My status was now... 'disposable'...
...
Still don't like that one bit...
...
But I didn't focus too heavily on it as it looked like I had an alert for something. Clicking on it quickly showcased a certain room I've been meaning to go to.
Congratulations! Your Ultimate Lab has opened up in the {Library}!
Please proceed there at once, and remember to read the student guidelines once present!
So it looks like Runa was right about that locked lab being mine. Since no one was able to enter it, I should explore and see what was inside.
Pocketing my Monopad away and breathing in deeply, I took a step outside my room as a dreadful feeling overtook my senses. From where I was, I couldn't exactly see anyone in the lobby of the building. It was pretty early, but it felt strange seeing no one there, so much so that my lungs started to tense up as I nervously made my way down the stairs. Was everyone also in their rooms contemplating this new life we were forced into? Or were they all out and about and I was the only one left to come out? Is that why it felt so wrong to me to just climb down the stairs without any input of my surroundings?
Frustrated over the thought, I began to rub my eyes, as if to awake from the awful reality I found myself in before noticing some people on the first floor. Bright and early was Matsuo of all people, seemingly rushing out the door with an irritated look on his face. It reminded me of the same, annoyed look he had after hearing the announcement of the killing game. Was he also annoyed by the morning announcement? I thought on the matter as I took to the first floor.
"Meizia Fujie! Good morning to you!" I jumped a bit as I reached the bottom of the steps, greeted by none other than Mariya as she gleefully took a step out of whatever place she was hiding and grabbed my hand, "just how did you sleep last night, if at all?" She asked with a raised brow and a small grin, "I know some people would have trouble sleeping in this confide space, especially with the mastermind of this operation among us! Go on now, tell me everything!"
Oh, I assume this is why Matsuo stormed out... maybe I should do the same right now.
Unfortunately, I couldn't as Maryia was gripping my hand. Ugh... I suppose wasting a few valuable seconds talking to Mariya wasn't... the worst way to spend my morning...
...
Or maybe it was...
! - Mariya Yakumo FTE - !
"Well Mariya, I slept fine for your information," I said with a frown as I tugged my arm, but her grip was iron tight, "and you know for being forced in this place you sure seem pretty chipper... almost like you've settled right in..." I point out.
"Why wouldn't I be? I'm the Ultimate Detective, remember?" Mariya grinned as she pointed to herself, "I have to adapt to all sorts of situations to solve the mysteries behind the curtain! Unlike the rest of the cast, I'm equipped to deal with these tragic circumstances, so you don't need to worry about me at all!"
"I'm not worried for you, just concerned over you're... frankly... bizarre attitude," I said truthfully, though "bizarre" was putting it lightly, "I mean, you're taking the role of 'Ultimate' Detective too seriously. You know our kidnappers assigned that to you, right? You're not actually the-"
"Oh, Mezia~!" Before I could say anything further, she whisked her way close to my face with the largest smile I've ever seen on her. Seriously, the corners of her mouth were almost touching her sharp blue eyes, "enough of that nonsense, let's get back on topic, shall we? Tell me everything you know! What was your room like? Were there any weapons of the sort? Any suspicious happenings to report?" She continued to bombard me with questions, not letting up for a second.
Okayyyyy, this is getting creepy now, I guess the only way out of this is to play along... I thought to myself.
"Well, there were no weapons or anything out of the ordinary..." I answered, ripping my hand away from her, "and I searched the entire place yesterday and it was just a normal room, nothing important. Now if you'll excuse me-" I turned to make my escape, but Mariya skipped ahead of me.
"Jeez, hold on a moment, would you? I just have one last question!" She asked, raising her eyebrows, "did you hear anything at all in your room? Any screaming in the middle of the night?"
This girl... "No, I didn't hear anything," I scoff, "and why the heck would I-?"
"Ah-ha~!" Mariya laughed loudly. "so the rooms are indeed soundproofed here, just as I thought of course!"
Soundproofed? Wait, what? When were the rooms soundproofed?
Something on my face must've alluded I was confused as Mariya glanced my way and smirked, "aw, a little lost now?" she asked, her accent somehow getting stronger, "well allow me to explain! Last night... when it was well beyond nighttime, I did a little experiment," she revealed, "I wanted to test if the rooms were designed not only for our comfort... but for murder purposes as well."
"Why in the world would you want to test that?" I sigh uneasily.
"Ha! Any information is important in this environment!" Mariya curtly nodded, "after all, the rules said that anyone who killed would have to take part in a trial and hide their involvement... so it sets a pretty cut and dry president to cover your tracks when you decide to kill! So I was thinking... have the creators of this interesting game designed the rooms in a way to help us with that?"
Her ever-present smile grew wider as she said that, almost like a giddy kid on Christmas day. It was beyond confusing for me to even process, "right... and you're point is?" I asked flatly, trying my best to hide my worried look.
"Well, I had a small thought," Mariya continued, indulging me a bit more, "what if someone decided to kill in the dorms at nighttime? If someone did, then we'd hear t victim screaming as they died, yes? So we'd likely catch the culprit in the act before a trial could even start, which would be no good at all for the creators of this game. It'd make the mystery far too easy!"
"I don't know if that's the thing you should be concerned with," I said, but she seemingly ignored me and went on her rambling.
"Anyways! I wanted to test how much thought the people of this game put in, so I screamed at the top of my lungs, and waited for someone to respond!"
"You... just started screaming last night?" I uttered, glaring at her now, "do you have any idea how disrespectful that is? Everyone would shoot awake if we did hear someone scream... especially in this environment."
"Pff, no need to get so worried~" Mariya reassured, not taking any notice at all in my angry tone, "nothing happened even after I did it three times, so my little hypothesis was that the rooms were all soundproofed for us, and if you truly didn't hear anything as you claim, then it must be true. I mean, Matsuo backed that very same idea after all! Although he left in the middle of my questioning, and now you're being mean to me too even after I offered some valuable intel! You're both so inconsiderate," she muttered.
What's inconsiderate is screaming in the middle of the night to prove a little theory...
That is what I wanted to say, but I stopped myself after thinking about it a little more. I suppose that it is somewhat valuable to know the rooms are soundproofed, as it would make it easier for someone to break in and kill one of us, but even then...
I shook my head and found the courage to stare into her bright blue eyes, "listen, it's all fine and well that you proved... that, but you really should keep your little mystery hunt in check. There are other people here that are dealing with this in different ways and they'd definitely not appreciate you screaming in the middle of the night. You'd freak some people out."
"Oooh, how knowledgeable of you Mezia," Mariya complimented, although I felt like it was done in an entirely condescending way, "you really are acting like a tutor now! It just goes to show that all of you really are a really unique bunch..." She sung.
I'm sorry... what?
Before I had the chance to ask what she was even saying, Mariya tapped on her cheek and finally let stepped out of my way, "either way, I suppose you are right. It'd be a nuisance if everyone started fussing over my work and trying to get in my way, so I should perform my task discreetly... in the shadows so to speak!"
"You didn't understand anything I said did you...?" I sighed, "well whatever, I don't have time to pick apart what's going on in your head anyway. I got somewhere to go since I passed out last time... remember?"
"Oh yeah, because of that dead body, I remember!" Mariya exclaims. My heart skipped a beat as she brushed over the fact so casually, "we did tell you everything yesterday, but I suppose you wish to catch up on things. Very well, I'll let you be since I have no more use for you. Just remember to always come back to me with more info! I after all am the Ultimate Detective!"
"You say that as if you'll single-handedly be able to achieve anything..." I blurt out, attempting to hush my voice. But Mariya caught it and only grinned.
"Of course, I will! I'll solve this mystery like every other mystery that's come before me!" She declared brightly, "as long as no one tries to stop me, I'll make sure you all get out of here, and trust me... we will get out, one way or another~" She winked at me when she said that, though I had no idea what implication that could bring. "Anyways, Mezia, you are dismissed. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find someone to prove without a shadow of a doubt my theory is right! Maybe that girl, Koemi her name was, would make a good test subject..."
She began mumbling to herself as she turned on her heel and left the building without a hint of fear, her dark grey trench coat flowing on her shoulders.
I shook a bit upon seeing that. She really didn't seem all that concerned. And the body she mentioned... why did she seem so relaxed when talking about it? In fact, when I think back to it, she didn't have much of a reaction to it. She was only talking about her theory. Was she used to it? She certainly must be if she's so obsessed with mystery-solving, but I wasn't sure what to make of it. Did she really believe in the talent these people gave her that much?
All I did know was that Mariya certainly had more behind the eyes than what she was letting on.
After that little conversation, I muster up the energy to leave the dorm building myself, although I make sure to be cautious in my steps as I did so. It just... didn't feel quite right to just be casually walking around a place like this, and yet here we were. It almost didn't feel real, like at any moment someone would just come and save us or tell us it was all a joke. And yet, the second I stepped outside and felt the eerie emptiness present within the dorm building, the reality started to hit me.
This was all very real indeed...
That thought bounced around in my head as I ventured outside, where the sun had barely lifted itself above the concrete school surrounded by still trees and filled in with dark colors. There was no sound, anywhere, as if all the noise in the world had been sucked away by some invisible force. The world was still in this place, where the glass dome towered above everything. Seeing it just standing there, trapping us in this sick location just angered me, but I couldn't do anything about it.
I didn't see any sign of Mariya or Matsuo... and not too much had changed outside, so I attempted to just go straight to the library. But there were a few things that quickly caught my eye before I could. To my surprise, the shed door was wide open, with some sort of rustling noise periodically escaping from it, and standing in front of it was Runa of all people, holding an assortment of items in her hand.
I couldn't make out what they were as she quickly took notice of me standing nearby and smiled my way, "good morning Mei, were you able to get a good night's rest?" She asked politely.
"Yeah... well as best as I could all things considered," I muttered. It's honestly laughable to think any of us got a good night's sleep after seeing that body.
Runa noticed my worry and breathed in deeply, "I understand where you're coming from. I had trouble resting myself in all honesty, so I woke up early to try and do something productive seeing... it's... not going to be easy these next few days adjusting here," she swiftly added as she set down the items in her hand, "but we should try and make the best of it however we can."
Her reassuring tone almost gets to me, but after the little discussion I had with Mariya, I can't help but notice the items now set down on the floor. They looked like ordinary tools and appliances you'd find usually find stuffed in a garage somewhere, but sitting there right next to Runa... somehow they look deadly, almost lethal.
"Is that why you're up so early then?" I ask, focusing all of my attention on her movement, "those tools seem very... important." It hurts a little bit for me to say that to Runa of all people, but I couldn't shove down the anxious feeling growing in my chest.
Runa's golden eyes lock onto mine when I say that and almost immediately winced in realization to what I'm implying, "please don't misjudge Mei, I would never use these tools for something like that," she calmly explains to reassure me, "on the contrary actually, I'm simply aiding Hemi in his attempts to organize the shed, that's all."
"Hemi's up as well-?" And it's then I hear another noise coming out from the shed, one of a tired voice grunting, "is he in that shed...?" I deadpan.
Runa nods, with a similar tired face, "he's been up long before the announcement came on. I only met up with him a few moments ago, where he asked me to help with this little project." A sigh escaped Runa's lips as she looked down at all the stuff around her, "as you can see... it's quite a lot to manage, and I didn't want him to tire out so I offered to carry some of this back for him."
"Oh... I see..." I mumble out, attempting to swallow my own shame. Now hearing and literally seeing how tired she looked, I realized she definitely was telling the truth, and I was so quick to suspect her. I shake my head and look down, "sorry for uh... being suspicious. You've clearly worked hard on organizing whatever this all is."
"... thank you, Mei," Runa said after a while, managing to smile and light up the area, "and don't worry, it's alright. As for what me and Hemi we're working on, do you wish to see inside yourself? He's currently fixing things inside as we speak."
At this point, I felt as if I should just leave her and Hemi behind to do whatever they were doing, but curiosity got the better of me and I cautiously made my way to her and peered inside.
Though the walls were tight and the planks were squished, I was able to maneuver inside as the floor was surprisingly bare. The shed itself was entirely made of wood, though it was as clean as can be, with not a single cobweb or layer of dust laying around. Nearby the door was a single window, which allowed a thin beam of light to reveal a wooden table with pots and seed packets, while under it were huge soil bags and boxes filled with gardening equipment. Hanging above the table was an empty pegboard, which I'm guessing used to have tools on it since outlines marked where they would be placed. In front of the door was a long wall filled with shelves, containing multiple packages of varying supplies. Some held decorations, others held withered toys. The shed only had a few vines and plants creeping along the weakened boards, but other than that, it didn't seem like there was too much plant life in here compared to the school.
Perhaps it was built recently then... Oroka might know from taking a look at this place...
I wasn't that knowledgeable in the field of architecture, so instead of dwelling on the idea, I looked over to the center of the shed where a sudden noise was made. In the center of all of this stuff, neatly putting away some tools was Hemi. From where I was standing, I could only see his arched back leaning down to make sure the tools were put in place, but I could see a tiny bit of his eyes, which were narrowed in concentration.
"Hey Runa, is that you?" He asked, not keeping his eyes away from the box of items, "I just finished putting all the power tools away, so you can pass over the other box over now. I think we'll be done with all of this in a moment!"
"Of course, I have it set aside for you right now, but Mei is awake, if you wish to speak with her," Runa replied, allowing me to step forward and meet Hemi's gaze.
"Oh! Hey there Mei!" he turned around and noticed me with a smile, his eyebrows raised in surprise, "it's nice to see you up again, although to be honest, I thought you'd sleep in a little bit."
"Yeah, I was contemplating it but... Monokuma made sure that didn't happen." I stepped over the supplies he had on the floor and looked around, "what exactly are you two doing with all this stuff?" I asked pointing between Runa and Hemi.
"All of this? Well, uh, as you know I was put in charge of the shed," Hemi explained, "so I felt it was my responsibility to do my part and clean it up. I'll tell you it was... ah... a real mess when I first opened this place up. There was a bunch of random stuff, like Christmas decorations... lawn ornaments, just tools and dust all over the place! So it's a good thing Runa and I organized it earlier!
"I can't imagine that seeing it now," I replied. Looking at everything now, it seemed like it was brand new. "How long did it take for you to fix all this?"
"Too long that's for sure," Hemi laughed while scratching his cheek, "way... too... long. Until Runa showed up of course!" He cheered up, "having a helping hand really sped the process up! So seriously, I gotta thank you for that, I'll make it up to you somehow, promise!" He said toward Runa, who simply smiled in return.
"Really it was my pleasure, and there was no problem on my end," Runa says, performing the smallest gesture of a nod with sincerity, "I tried to put everything into a respectable area so it'd be easier for us all to locate."
"Exactly! So all these sections you see were Runa's idea!" Hemi continued before doing a quick scan of the room, "If anyone needs... uh... some rope! To like... haul something up in the school, we have it on the wall away from everything else. Or a pink flamingo for the lawn! Guess what? It's right there in the lawn ornaments box! How neat is that?"
He was laughing as he said it, but I could see heavy bags under his eyes. Runa really was telling the truth that he woke up before the announcement to do this. But did he stay up that long to fix all this? Or did he stay up all night to fix everything here instead? Either way, the sleepiness in his voice concerned me. It almost felt like I was talking to Eio instead.
"Well it's definitely an improvement over whatever was going on before," I agreed, nodding my head as I looked at the box right in front of him. It was filled to the brim with deadly weapons, "what's... all that doing out?"
"These boxes?" Hemi asked, gesturing to the box before quickly set it down, "o-oh don't worry! I'm just putting all the dangerous things away so no one else can ever use them. Pretty smart idea right?"
This time I felt my own eyebrows raise as the once extroverted boy was quietly shifting through the items. I kneeled beside him and overlooked all the things Runa and Hemi had packed. All of the items he had were nestled into boxes written with proper labels, showcasing what was in each one. I could mostly see clutter items, but the more dangerous items Hemi collected did catch my eye, each one getting more intense than the last. There were some blinding flashlights, multiple pairs of gloves, empty syringes, duct tape, sharp wires, toxic pesticides, knives, hammers, screwdrivers, ice picks...
"God... there's a variety of stuff in here," I muttered, not daring to get too close, "this is all most definitely for the killing game." Mariya was right... whoever these kidnappers are have put a lot of thought into all of this.
"Our thoughts exactly," Runa sighed with a shake of her head, "Monokuma likely put them out for such a purpose. We can't exactly destroy them or dispose of them, so our next best course of action is to lock it all in the shed with Hemi having the key."
"Exactly!" Hemi smiled, "and since Runa helped me out so much with all of this, I was thinking she and I could be shed-buddies! You know, like me and her could manage the items her and make sure everything is in place!"
Runa's eyes slightly widened in surprise at the suggestion, but she quickly let out a light breath and smiled, "well I suppose I could help keep a tab and list on all the items here, and you can manage the key to allow people access. That way, if by some chance a murder does occur, we can identify that a weapon came from the shed and simply ask if anyone was allowed in here."
Both of their positivity and reassurance over the matter did help me relax a bit... but at the same time, a cold feeling tugged at the back of my mind as I blurted out, "what if someone steals it?"
"W-Why-! I'd never let this bad boy at out of my sight-!" Hemi sternly nodded, as if confirming his own words to himself. To be frank, I wasn't as convinced, even when he showed me it was in his coat pocket along with the rest of his pens.
"Just bringing up the possibility here folks," I attempted to gloss over it with a subtle wave of my hand, "I just want to be sure... because there's no way I want to deal with any possible murder that comes up."
"I truly do believe that Hemi won't let the key out of his sight," Runa emphasized as she set another set of tools down, "after all, if he does lose it, I won't deny that a large portion of the blame will shift onto me and him if a murder does occur."
Hemi looked down at the floor and bit his lip, his fingers curling into a small ball as he quickly spoke, "I mean, I still do believe no one would do anything like resort to murder... but... um, it's as Haru said yesterday... we do have to be extra extra careful, especially when it comes to Monokuma and what he might be capable of. So... I thought maybe if I get rid of all the dangerous things from the shed at least, no one would have to worry. And by having you and Runa know about this, at least we're all on the same page about this..."
Looking around, keeping everything organized in here did feel safer. And I think out of everyone, Hemi and Runa were the most harmless people here to be in charge of holding a stockpile of weapons, "well... if there was anyone I would trust to keep this shed safe it's you two. The others aren't exactly the most... sane types. So as long as no one steals that key, the shed should be a safe place to put everything."
"Oh don't worry, I'll keep this baby with me at all times," Hemi said with a grin as he spun it around his finger, "unless we're dealing with someone as talented as an Ultimate Spy or something, I think I should have no trouble keeping it close," he chuckled before pushing up his glasses.
"I hope so," I breathed out, allowing my thoughts to slightly calm down, "well then... I guess I'll be off. I'm going to explore my ultimate lab that opened up... which by the way Runa, you were right about it being in the library."
"I expected that to be the case," Runa nodded, seemingly pleased with herself, "considering the title of your talent and the overall nature our labs are set up, it seems the library was the best bet."
"Wait, you have an Ultimate Lab open already?" Hemi asked with a puzzled face, "I guess that's three on the list then! It makes me wonder where the others are... do you think I'll get one eventually? Maybe it'll shed some light on my talent a bit more!"
"I'm pretty sure you will... we all have one apparently..." I hesitated for a brief moment as I watched Hemi and Runa speculate before deciding to speak again, "you know, you two could join me to search. You probably do need a break from pushing all those boxes around."
"You're telling me," Hemi laughed before he was forced to rub his eyes "but um... I still have some things to sort away, you know make sure everything's in order... and I honest to god feel like passing out in a bit so, maybe it's best if you two went ahead!"
"I have no problem staying to help out a bit more," Runa reassured, going ahead and organizing the rest of the boxes, "you take care Mei, tell us if you find anything important."
"Oh! And Mei! Enjoy the rest of the day!" Hemi beamed, giving off a large smile, "try and open up to come of the people here!"
"W-What?" I said, a little perplexed by the sudden request, "why are you asking that now?"
"Ah... well... I noticed you're really only close with me and Elayah," Hemi pointed out, "during the entire time we initially explored together, we all really got along! But I don't want you to be limited by just us two, if I'm holding you back from meeting other cool people like Runa for instance, I'd feel awful at the potential friendships you could've lost."
"You know... it's fine Hemi," I tried to explain, "I'm not really he most sociable person to talk to anyway, so it'd be better if I just-"
"I promise to help you more in the future with that then!" Hemi beamed, "we can call it a mutual deal, your talent room is open yeah? How about you give me lessons on any subject I want, and I help you open up to people more! Does that sound good?"
I slowly... but surely, nodded in agreement, "okay then, that sounds good."
"Awesome!" Hemi pumped his fist into the air in excitement, "I'll prep right away, and in the meantime, you can talk to a few people here! When we start, I'll bring Elayah to since she wants to learn Chemistry as well!"
I let out the smallest smile at Hemi's enthusiasm and waved him and Runa goodbye. The harpist gave me a small nod as I left, while Hemi brightly said goodbye. As I walked away though, I couldn't help but sigh. I only really said yes to cheer Hemi up. I... don't really know if I could get along with some of the people here... my little talk with Mariya already proved that. But if Hemi seemed adamant about getting me out of my comfort zone... I guess sooner or later I'm eventually going to be forced to, and besides...
...
...
...
No never mind... that was way too embarrassing to think about.
Anyway, thinking back to the shed it really did seem like the best option was to keep all the dangerous items there, especially considering rule number twelve existed, But even then I'm not sure everyone here is entirely sane besides a few noteworthy characters. I'll have to be watchful to make sure no one does anything out of the ordinary.
With that out of the way, I walked into the silent school as the sun rose outside. Entering the building at such an early hour felt vaguely eerie. The school gave off an entirely different vibe from when Hemi and I first walked around it. Instead of bursting with life, everything crowded, suffocating, as Koemi had mentioned before. Without any lights in the building, the pale beams of daybreak entered through the cracks of the walls and windows, reflecting off the broken glass that looked sharp enough to pierce flesh.
To think this was the place we would be spending the rest of our days...
I tried not to think about the possibility too much as I made my way to the library. The path there was quick and easy and I didn't run into anybody until I eventually made it to the library door. Just as I reached to open it, Camilla suddenly walked out. Being as close as I was to literally grabbing the door knob, there was no way for me to escape the survivalist's eagle-eyed sight as she locked onto me with a smirk.
"Morning hun," she said casually, crossing her arms in a relaxed manner, "looking to get some early reading done?"
"Oh- Camilla... I didn't expect-" I started to say, but I was cut off as Shin suddenly materialized out of thin air next to Camilla.
"Woah! Is that who I think it is!?" Shin breezily asked as he peered forward for a better look... even though he was two steps away from me, "ah~ it very much is! The one and only Mei! Haha! Good morning! It seems you are up bright and early to take on the day!" He greeted with a bright grin.
So he's even this energetic during the morning? I probably should've guessed.
I didn't say any of that though and just rubbed my eyes to indicate I was tired, hoping then he'd tone down the eccentric attitude, "morning to you too Shin... are you guys um... doing okay right now?"
Shin laughed aloud and put his hands proudly on his hips, "never better as you can see! Me and Camilla here have just been exploring every nook and cranny of the school! And I'm talkin' every inch, to find any sorta clue we come across! We just finished looking around the old book sanctuary, and we're gonna continue our search throughout the *entire* grounds! Every classroom! Closet! Bathroom! Tree! Nothing's gonna escape our watchful eye!"
"Oh! That's great... so have you two found anything so far?"
...
...
...
"Ah... in terms of info... we've come up empty-handed so far, ahah..." Shin confessed, his voice growing into a small whisper, "b-but rest assured we're still hard at work searching for answers! We just gotta uh... find it first~"
"Of course." I couldn't be too surprised though given how exactly Shin operates... but what I found interesting was that Camilla of all people was with him. She seemed more of the loner type to me, "you guys are really investigating the whole school together?"
"What can I say? Four pairs of eyes are better than two," Camilla nodded thoughtfully, "sure we haven't found much, but we've covered lots of ground. We're pretty much done exploring the school actually, so if we keep this up three times a day, we're sure to find something."
"Three times a- what?" I almost covered my mouth in shock, "you guys are already done exploring? And you're going to look over everything again?"
"The key to *fantastic* progress is persistent effort, Mei!" Shin declared loudly, "I know that's what they say in those cheesy motivational videos -although they are really good if you give them a try- but I mean it! Ya gotta spring yourself off that bed and get to work done pronto if you want to overcome the apocalypse!"
"Or in this case a killing game," Camilla smoothly agreed, "no matter what it takes, we gotta find a way to put an end to it... and if it means exploring from dawn to dusk, so be it."
Interesting... so they exploring this place together? I could never imagine two polar opposites doing such a thing. Camilla is always so calm and collected... while Shin is... Shin. But I guess I shouldn't judge by appearance alone, "I won't stop you guys with your progress then. I was going to explore my talent lab just now... it opened up for me today..." I paused for a second before quickly adding, "um... if you want, you could investigate it. I can't be too sure what's in there yet."
"You're too kind Mei!" Shin beamed before slightly frowning at a certain thought, "but unfortunately, we have to decline. We already searched your talent lab, and now we're on our way to investigate the art room as of now!"
"You explored it already?" I questioned, narrowing my eyes, "but Runa said there was a lock that only worked for the owners of the place, remember?"
"Of course we do," Camilla answered, "but it was unlocked when we got there by someone else, I assume by whatever partner you have. They must've entered not long after we arrived, but we didn't see anyone in there... and again there was nothing of note."
"Oh... well that sucks," I sighed, still confused as to who might've unlocked the lab, "I'll go explore the area by myself then, maybe I'll find something you guys missed."
"Sure thing then Mei!" Shin grinned, "make sure you report whatever ya find it something does turn up! With our efforts combined, we're sure to get out of this place before the next cataclysmic disaster happens!"
"Very well put Shin," Camilla smirked as she followed him, "see ya some other time Mei."
"Sure... of course..." I nodded. With them gone, I was forced to sit in the uncomfortable silence a bit longer before finally opening the library door.
Unlike before, pushing the knob caused the door to open up, allowing me to step inside. Seeing the library in full view now, I realized how huge the place actually was. There were curved glass windows overlooking the courtyard, allowing a full view of the dorm building and the leaf-covered library stood tall, as bookshelves reached as high as two stories in height. Tables and chairs were positioned around in unorganized rows, with reading corners having worn armchairs and dusty desks to study at. A few couches and potted plants occupied some empty space along with the blue carpeting, and on the walls hung some ruined paintings covered by plants. There were carts for books, though most of them were empty, and dusty desk lamps on every table that actually tuned on despite how historic they looked.
"Finally, someplace of peace..." I breathed out relieved, almost hungry to start looking for a corner of the library to read to myself.
But I can't do that yet... I still have that ultimate lab to look for.
Forcing myself begrudgingly back on task, I could see a balcony forming in L-shape in the right corner of the room. The balcony was connected with a dark staircase, and I could see another room overlooking the library with a circular glass window looking out.
"That must be where the lab is..." I mumbled, heading right over to it.
Ascending these steps, I saw the three doors on the second floor. Two of them looked the same as the ones downstairs and seemed to open to the rest school's second floor. The other door in front of me however was slightly different in design, gleaming a dirty white with a few vines trailing around its frame. There was a symbol of a pair of glasses on it and some books, surrounded by a light blue and green circle. Beside the door was a similar-looking electronic card reader that was present at the infirmity, so I took out my Monopad and swiped it over the electronic symbol.
*Click*
The door made a small sound, which triggered me to grab the knob and twist it open. I'm still confused as to how the door was originally unlocked for Shin and Camilla to enter... but maybe I'll find out once I explore this room.
The room I stepped into wasn't too big, but it was surprisingly modern and clean compared to the rest of the place. The sparkling space hung above the library, with a circular window only having a few vines obscuring the view of it. The walls were blue and white, though glass pannel walls separated two parts of the room. One being a study I assume, and the other being a sort of... I'm... not really sure. The other part of the room was closed off, with the glass walls being obscured by blinds and a locked door. I attempted to open it, but with no success.
"Wonder what's in there..." I muttered and inspected the rest of the area. The study of this place seemed more fitted for my "talent", exactly like I expected. It wasn't all that impressive though.
There were two tables in the room, with four chairs positioned around each. The chairs themselves looked like plain office chairs, with no real cushioning or handles to speak of. On top of the tables were some notebooks and school supplies, though looking through the notebooks revealed them to be empty. A white and black closet resided near the corner of the room, holding more school supplies and textbooks of every single subject taught in the school system. Along the blue wall of the room were more tables, with small windows looking out to the outside. I could see the exterior of the gymnasium through them.
After I finished inspecting the place, a sudden noise emitted from my Monopad. Checking it revealed another message.
Congratulations! You've discovered your Ultimate Lab!
This room you have discovered is meant to enhance your training so you can become the best Ultimate you can be. It is strongly required of you to at least use your Ultimate Lab at least twice a week, however this is not mandatory. This Ultimate Lab is also joined with another participant, so it's best for both of you to use your skills accordingly to keep track of your progress.
I looked around the room then and frowned. So I really did share a room with someone, but whatever person happened to be roomed with me didn't matter. I couldn't see myself using this dump to appease Monokuma anyway. It was extremely bare, and seemed to only have textbooks and notebooks to study and help teach others.
But of course... if I was going to tutor Hemi and Elayah, I suppose I'd better get used to this place a little bit. Until then though, time to investigate.
Putting the Monopad away, I looked around the room and began to search. Even though Camilla and Shin said there was nothing there, but that didn't stop me from checking top to bottom around the room.
"Annnnnnnnndddd nothing here..." I groaned after I cleaned out the last closet, "looks like Camila and Shin were right. But... there has to be something they missed right?" I thought on it for a moment before groaning, "come on Mei think... if I was a super important, life-saving, vital clue, where would I hide in this place?"
"Don't bother, there's nothing of interest here." I stood up quickly from the sudden voice, but regretted turning to see who it was the second I saw his face. Haru was standing in the middle of the previously locked door with an annoyed expression.
"Oh, it's you..." I swear to every god that's listening that I tried to sound cheery, but the despairing tone in my voice really wasn't helping me too much. Besides, I doubt Haru would care much for the fake pleasantries anyway, "what brings you up in my lab so early?"
"I was enjoying the peace and quiet." Haru glared my way and shut the door tightly behind him as he spoke, "until you showed up of course. Now I'm leaving."
Of course, you were...
I shake my head and approach him, "well before you leave, do you mind explaining what you were doing in that other room? It was blocked for me when I came in and I'd really like to make sure I'm not missing anything important."
"Nothing you need to know," and with an almost satisfied smirk, Haru indulged me enough to elaborate, "I already checked inside this entire lab and found nothing of interest, you know... yesterday... when you laughably passed out."
"There was a body-" I tried to say.
"You better get used to that then," Haru interrupted, "in here... I'm sure they'll start piling up before you know it. As for my being in this talent room, well, I'm sure from that you can infer that rest."
Unfortunately for me, I could infer the rest. Runa did say yesterday that the room requires its owners to scan their monopad to access it. If only I was passed out and couldn't access it until now, and Haru was able to get in... then that means.
You can't be serious right now...
"I'm guessing that the locked room is your room then," I answered begrudgingly, crossing my arms, "and your the reason the room was unlocked long enough for Shin and Camilla to search. Although, I assume you didn't let them in willingly..."
"Of course I wouldn't have if I had the choice," Haru instantly answered bluntly, his face looking a little sour, "but it seemed that after I entered and settled in, the locking mechanism failed for a few brief minutes, allowing those brain dead morons to barge in."
"Wait, it failed?" I wearily said, "so does that mean... the locking mechanism here doesn't work properly?"
To this Haru gave me the pleasure of a roll of his eyes, so I took that as a definitive "yes you idiot, that much was obvious". But why was that the case? The other electronic locks seemed to work fine... why not this one? Is it for the game... or has the wear and tear of nature taken a toll on the equipment?
The latter option gave me some hope that we could let the course of nature infest the electronics here and simply walk out scot-free, but the former made my chest squirm in a writhing pain that forced me to stop thinking about it, "hm, well as long as we're careful with how we access this room, we should be fine, we're the only ones who can even access this place since were... partners..." I managed to somehow get the word out, but Haru didn't seem at all pleased.
"If it makes you sleep better at night, there is no reality in the universe where I would willingly partner with you for such pointless theatrics," he sneered before turning to the door, "just stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours. Sounds simple enough, don't you think?" His ominous words lingered in the air as he stepped out, his icy aura vanishing from the room.
Although any conversation with Haru is enough for my heart to stop and my blood to freeze, at least he told me some vital information about the mechanics of this room... or at least the lock of it. If I did decide to tutor anyone in here, I can't have anyone tailing behind me so they can sneak in.
Just great. Perfect actually. So there's nothing even in here, the lock of this room sucks, and Haru of all people is my lab partner? What an amazing surprise to wake up to.
After having such a pleasant conversation with Haru, I decided to explore the rest of the school before the morning meeting. Since I was passed out the entire time, I only had a chance to hear what the rest of the school looked like from everyone else's perspectives without actually seeing it for myself.
Besides, I wanted an excuse to investigate and hopefully find a way out of here as soon as possible.
There were only a few rooms I hadn't seen on the first floor after the announcement of the killing game, those being the pool room and shopping room. I've never really been one for shopping, but according to Matsuo... the pool room had been locked... so there wasn't really a point to try and see what was in there. With that thought in mind, I slowly made my way over to the shopping room...
As I made my way over, the sun was brightly filling in between the cracks and of the windows. It really gave the whole place a tranquil feel to it, as if I was the only person in the entire school. I attempted to look out one of the windows along my way and peer into the courtyard, but alas I couldn't see either Runa or Hemi out there. With it getting closer to the time for our morning meeting, I'm guessing they want to catch up on some sleep at least.
Well... however much sleep you can get in this awful place.
After a while, I came across the main intersection that held the A/V room and the shopping room. Seeing as I already explored the A/V room before and nothing interesting was reported on it, so I walked over to the very busy-looking door that seemed to house the shopping room. It had stickers slapped on it, trinkets hanging from the side, and little plushies of animals hanging from the ceiling next to it. I'm guessing that was all done to attract consumers, but given it's surrounded by filthy grime, plants, and cracks on the walls, it almost looked like a poor attempt to slap a coat of paint on a destroyed canvas.
Either way, I decided to venture inside- no Monopad needed this time I noticed- and instantly saw an array of different things.
The room was pretty large, with a colorful assortment of items that ranged from toys, to games, to clothes... and also strangely to books even though we had a library already. The shelves were crammed with these items all over the side of the room, and in front of me was a small booth filled to the brim with collectibles. To my surprise, Takumi and Oroka were already in the room looking for something, seemingly far too invested in looking around to notice me walk in.
Man they get really lost in their own world huh? I wonder what they're looking at though... they seemed to be investigating something behind the booth with disturbed eyes. I took a step to see what it was, but then the door suddenly snapped shut behind me.
"A-AH!" Oroka screamed, hiding behind her map paper.
"W-Who's there!" Takumi shouted.
The two whirled around so fast that I felt the need to physically step back in shock as they stared at me, "uh... it's nice to see you guys to. Are you okay? I just walked in through the door..."
"Ah... Ahaha! Yo Mei, wassup!" Takumi quickly laughed as he leaned against the counter of the booth, "didn't expect you to just waltz in here so early in the morning, you almost caught me off guard."
"W-Well to be fair... the morning announcement d-did play a while ago," Oroka pointed out, adjusting her glasses as she did so, "so... u-um... it makes sense for a lot of people to be up!"
"Wow... not even a good morning Oroka?" Takumi asked jokingly.
"O-Oh wait sorry... good morning Mei!" Oroka waved.
"Ah... wait I was kidding," Takumi wearily laughed.
Both of their nervous jitters really put mine to shame, which sorta caused me to smile. Mentally I mean. Of course, I tried to mask it as I approached them, "good morning to you guys as well... um... what are you doing here?" I questioned.
"Well... um... what are you doing here Mei?" Takumi redirected, "last I checked I was sure you were super tight with that Hemi dude and Elayah! Shouldn't you be with them right now?"
"Just because we talk a lot together, doesn't mean I'm tethered to them you know," I said with a roll of my eyes, "and to answer your question, I'm just investigating the rooms I haven't been in... because of..."
My voice dropped as I recalled the bloody image, and Takumi and Oroka's looks similarly paled.
"O-Of course... right..." Oroka nodded right away, probably trying to get the image out of her mind, "you want to c-catch up with what everyone's seen... which is also w-why Takumi and I are... um... present. We're just investigating this room and adding to my map."
"Wow, still working on that thing?" I asked. Now that I was actually focusing on it, I noticed there appeared to be a bunch more rooms detailed on the sketch, "I thought you finished it yesterday though, there's still more to be added?"
Takumi nervously bit his lip and answered for the quiet architect, "well here's the thing- we uh... didn't completely cover all of the floors yesterday," he revealed as he pulled on his beanie, "the shopping room did only unlock after that whole stupid announcement after all... and meanwhile, we were paired up to investigate the second floor. So Oraka and I made a plan to finish what we started and fill out everything that was left!"
"Y-Yes..." she squeaked before covering her mouth, "I-I mean, yes exactly as Takumi said. The thing is, I want to be of use to everyone here... so if I get the layout of this place right... m-maybe we can use it to deduce a fault of this building's design, and p-perhaps... um..."
"Escape with it!" Takumi finished in a sudden flair of excitement, "I'm telling you, once this map is fully done, we'll be able to study it and get outta here pronto! I'm sure we'll know every detail of this place and navigate it like it's a natural instinct after it's complete!"
Seeing them both smile as they talked about the idea made me realize how confident they were in the plan, despite not even having a guarantee it'll work. Maybe for Oroka she had some naive optimism about it, while Takumi was just downright recklessly sure it would work. But I couldn't help but find that... sorta commendable for them. Despite how different they were, they both were a lot more proactive together than I initially thought... way better than I was definitely.
If I really wanna get out of my comfort zone... maybe I should take some inspiration from them. "It's good to see you two enacting your own plan to get out of here. If there's anything I can do... I guess... um... I can help if you ever need it."
"Sweet!" Takumi laughed as he shot me some finger guns, "we could totally use a new pair of eyes around this place."
"T-Thank you for offering to help us Mei" Oroka clapped, "once the m-morning meeting happens, we'll share the progress of our findings with everyone... b-but also we... can hang out after... whenever you want, okay?"
"Sure thing..." I promised, feeling a bit more relaxed from such a positive conversation, "maybe we should use that time then to explore this shop some more, or the other rooms even. Although I think most of them are still locked."
"Yeah, this shop will do for now since we haven't explored the entire place yet!" Takumi patted himself on the back with a satisfied look after saying that, "but let's not work ourselves too hard, yeah? We gotta relax the old bones every now and then."
I spent the rest of my time exploring the shop with an electrified Takumi who rambled on and on about the many intricacies of guns while Oroka politely listened with a shy smile. Being near the duo and hearing their friendly ramblings, somehow calmed me down in a way that I didn't expect... and even though we didn't find anything worthwhile...
Maybe... we really don't have much to worry about.
By the time we finished exploring the shop, it was time for the morning meeting, so I joined Takumi and Oroka as they went to the dining hall.
"O-Once we all gather up, do you think the o-others will have found something?" Oroka asked hopefully.
"Dude, of course, we've got like... seventeen people here," Takumi grinned, "someone's gotta have found something right about now... right?"
The two turned over at me, as If I somehow had the answer to that question.
"I mean... if everyone were to pull in their own weight, we should have gathered a smidge of info by now," I answered, hoping that would be the case once we all met up.
Takumi beamed at my response, "exactly my thoughts Mei, there shouldn't be any doubt that someone's definitely found some sort of clue!"
"R-Right! We should think positively now," Oroka affirmed.
I could only awkwardly look away, not wanting to get their hopes up... but at the same time wishing that were the case.
As soon as we entered the dining room, I noticed that the usual extroverted folk Satoshi, Amane, Elayah, Shin, and Hemi, were all cheerfully talking about something in the center of the room.
Runa, Camilla, Naoko, Koemi, and Mariya all stood on the sidelines, watching everyone carefully as they quietly conversed amongst themselves.
Dorobo, Matuso, and Eio sat at another table... although Eio was dead asleep and Matsuo was drinking small bits of coffee it seemed, so it looked like Dorobo was the only one paying attention to what was being said.
And obviously, Haru wasn't present, which wasn't a surprise really. His conversation with me earlier ticked me off anyway so it was a relief he didn't suddenly show himself here.
The moment we stepped further inside, I could hear the main conversation going on in the center of the room.
"Now that's splendid Hemi!" Satoshi loudly laughed, "with all those dangerous weapon knick-knacks locked up in the shed, no one will ever be able to get near them!"
"Exactly my thoughts! Although Runa deserves a bunch of the credit!" Hemi confessed as he gestured her way, "she really helped me organize a bunch of the stuff in there! Without her, I'd definitely still be drowning in all of those supplies."
"Organize what now?" It was right there that Takumi boldly made his way forward, turning all the group's attention onto the three of us. I kinda shriveled up noticing all their eyes looking our way, along with Oroka who suddenly held my hand in response.
"Hey you guys! Long time no see!" Amane smiled as she leaned forward in her chair, "we were just discussing all of the things we've been doing for the meeting, and I must say, things are looking well."
"W-We came over here because we assumed that w-was the case... as well..." Oroka nodded.
"What a relief then," Takumi sighed as he slumped into a chair of his own, "so what's the sitch? Is everyone doing okay?"
"Better than okay! Today things are fantastic!" Elayah clapped, "didya hear? Hemi and Runa fixed up the shed! Now we can quickly get anything we want in there without having to worry!"
"Yeah, I bumped into them earlier today while they were doing it," I nodded as I glanced in their direction. Hemi seemed extremely proud as everyone was drowning him in compliments, while Runa simply nodded with a humble smile, "they were up way before the morning announcement fixing that thing up."
"Woah..." Amane said with a genuinely impressed look, "you two really got up before the announcement to get all that done? Heh, you're way stronger than I am. I could never pass up on a few extra minutes of sleep."
"Wouldn't we all?" Satoshi grinned in agreement, "getting a good night's rest is essential for future productivity. I mean, everybody's gotta be able to catch a snooze every now and then!"
"Now that's something we can agree on Satoshi!" Shin smiled as clapped his hands together, "maintaining a proper sleep schedule will help alleviate a lot of bodily concerns- you'll get a boosted immune system for sure, and be on alert for any type of emergencies that crosses your path-!"
"You sure about that?" Dorobo questioned further back, "I can think of a guy where the opposite's true " With that said he nudged a limp Eio... who was still half asleep at the table.
"Huh...? Did someone... speak?" Eio sputtered, raising his head briefly.
"This guy..." Dorobo grumbled, "what in the world up with you? I know sleep is super important to the body, but you've been like this for the past day we've been in here!"
"Eh... well his talent does involve studying the clouds," Amane pointed out, "so to be called an Ultimate in that field must mean he probably spends a lot of time just looking at them and letting his thoughts drift away."
"Hm... how perceptive... of you... " Eio said as he rubbed his eyes and went back to his deep sleep.
"And he's out for the count," Matsuo sighed, "might as well call him the Ultimate Sleeper instead."
"Ha! That may be somewhat true," Shin agreed, "but back to oh Hemi the wise and Runa the brilliant, I love the show of initiative from you two! If you were a part of my disaster squad, I would give you an A-plus for leadership-like action!"
"Thank you for the kind words..." Runa politely said as she bowed her head, "but believe me it really was no trouble on my end, it was all mostly Hemi's idea. I just wanted to make sure he didn't overwork himself, especially after being up so early."
"Oh Runa, please don't be so humble," Hemi smiled, "you helped out a bunch, and I'm super glad you did cause I probably was going to pass out without you."
"Do you need some coffee then hun?" Camilla suggested as she peered over to Matsuo, "I see Matsuo over there made himself a quick brew, perhaps you can share a cup-" She joked.
"Don't even think about touching my drink," Matsuo quickly warned, a grating and agitated tone evoking from his voice, "there are plenty of supplies to make your own, this black coffee belongs to me, and I doubt some of you need it. Aside from maybe this fellow..." He sighed, gesturing Eio's way.
"Sorry, but what even is this conversation?" Mariya deadpanned while crossing her arms stubbornly, "more importantly, aren't you forgetting about my valuable info about the soundproof rooms!? I think that information is way more valuable than cleaning up some dusty shed..."
"O-Oh? The rooms are soundproofed?" Oroka's eyes widened as she shuffled closer to Mariya, "m-may you please tell me more about that?"
Mariya was about to open her mouth to explain, but thankfully Koemi of all people spoke up, "it's exactly as the detective describes," Koemi affirmed, narrowing her eyes to the floor, "the rooms are incapable of allowing sound to pass through their walls. She pulled me into a small experiment since Matuso and Mei didn't intend on listening to her, and began screeching at the top of her fragile lungs within her quarters. Despite this, I could not hear even the tiniest decibel of sound... and vice versa when I began to sing."
"First of all, I have an excellent vocal range, so my lungs are not 'fragile'," Mariya corrected, "and second of all, I was just about to explain all that myself, thank you very much~" Clearing her throat, Mariya put back on a smile and continued, "anyway, it's as I predicted of course, the rooms are completely soundproofed, as thanks to my experiment with Koemi and the testimonies I got from Mei and Matuso!"
"But what's the point of soundproofing them?" Elayah pondered, "if anything it gives up better sleep!"
"It's obviously all for the game," Naoko butted in, "the shed being full of dangerous weapons proves that Monokuma places things here intentionally for us to kill. I doubt they care about our sleep schedule..."
"Of course they don't," Matuso grumbled, "if they did they wouldn't have brought us here against our will in the first place. Just assume the worst behind whoever these people are."
"And also assume the worst behind whatever mastermind is among us~" Mariya reminded with an all to gleeful tone, "this game sure is something else... but I'll be sure to unmask them before the next murder happens!"
"Ahaha... there she goes with that weird talk again," Shin breathed in deeply through his teeth with a cringed expression on his face, "sorry to break it to ya, butttt newsflash, no one's gonna hurt anybody, right guys?"
"Sure... I guess... but we should still be prepared mentally for the outcome," Naoko suddenly uttered.
"B-But we'll of course escape before t-then Naoko!" Oroka spoke up, trying to reassure her, "let's try and think positively!"
"But..." Naoko seemed hesitant to continue then, but did so anyway with a regretful face, "I'm sure whoever's behind this wants us to kill each other. They already went through such lengths to keep us here... so if the time comes for a sacrifice-"
"Let's pump the breaks on all the murder talk eh?" Shin smiled, though it was obvious it took a great effort to force it, "I'm positive no one's gonna hurt each other in this team! Besides you all got -count em'- two perfect candidates for survival here, one of them being yours truly of course~!" He flashed a bright and confident smile that did little to impress me... and seemingly everyone else too.
"Can I ask who the *second* is Shin...?" Naoko asked, her eyebrows pressed in concern.
"O-Oh! Well, that would be Camilla of course!" Shin grinned, "she shows great promise in the field of survival training! Me and her were exploring together early this morning... and I mean super early! She knows her stuff for sure!"
To my surprise, Camilla actually seemed a little embarrassed by the sudden attention and nervously smirked, "aw hun, you're gonna make me blush here. Besides you've really pulled a lot of weight by taking the initiative here. Just keep being you and I'm sure everyone will be okay."
Shin gave off a beaming grin that revealed his sharp teeth proudly, "oh but of course~ I'm an original you know, there can only be one *Ultimate* Disaster Prepper that'll help everyone outta here safely!" He declared, "after all, I mean, there are no clones of me out there in the world... cause the government's never gotten a chance to catch me! You see I'm very careful of who I give my DNA samples to, which is zero... FYI... please remember that-"
"That's sweet and all, but we really don't care," Matuso interrupted, "and considering you're talking so much about how you're going to get us out, I'm guessing neither of you actually found an exit then."
Shin's grin faded right then and there as he nervously fiddled with his hands, "ah- well that's-" He sighed and shook his head, "well no, sadly we didn't discover anything worthwhile yet, BUT I'M SURE WE WILL SOON! Don't worry, me and Camilla are on the case!"
"That is... a great shame then," Koemi uttered as she looked down disappointingly, at least... I think she was, it was hard to tell with her hoodie. But her voice was notably a lot more shaken up than I remember. I wonder if she's still affected by seeing that body.
No that's a stupid thing to wonder... everyone's probably affected by it... and this is how they're working through it.
Takumi broke that train of thought with a casual laugh, "yo Shin, Camilla, mind if we tag along on your search around the school next time? I'm sure with Oroka's map we'll know every single detail of this place sooner or later, and that way you can get us a way to get outta here!"
"Well, i-it's not yet finished... but I hope that to be the case!" Oroka quickly emphasized with a quick nod, "we've recently added a bunch of things so... if it would help you I'd be happy to join."
"In that case let me try and help too!" Amane butted in, waving her hand into the air, "after hearing what Hemi and Runa did, I'm really inspired to try and help out around here, if that's okay with all of you of course."
"Well, I'll be bunkered! Of course! Of course!" Shin put his arms around the two of them, welcoming the pair into a warm embrace, "we'd love to add new members to the disaster squad! Right, Camilla?"
"Of course, it'll be nice... to work with you," Camilla nodded.
Wow, so the five members of the disaster squad are working together to get us out of here. It's nice to see some form of teamwork here, but who knows how well they'll do getting us out, even if I wanna believe they can do it. I'll have to keep looking on my own just in case.
"So is that it then? Can we all leave?" Dorobo asked as he suddenly stood to leave.
"Woah woah woah! I have an announcement before we all head off!" Satoshi announced, stopping everyone in place, "as I said yesterday, I believe that we should have some semblance of unity and rule among us to keep things peaceful, so, I was also thinking instead of eating whenever we please, we set up a time for breakfast and dinner so we can eat together!"
"Great idea!" Shin agreed, "a balanced breakfast will keep us all energized 24/7! But of course, we gotta carefully ration what we have and-"
"I don't think we need to worry about rationing food, right?" Elayah asked with a pout, "I mean we have an abundance of stuff here, even though it came from a less than ideal overseer," she muttered. I could feel the atmosphere shift ever so slightly once Monokuma was mentioned.
"Alright then," Amane nodded, "so we'll have breakfast and dinner set up then. What perfect timing! I was really getting hungry!"
"Me too in all honesty," Naoko sighed, "did we even eat anything yesterday? I don't remember..."
"We're all eating together...?" Dorobo looked a little uncomfortable with the idea, but he didn't move from his spot, "fine then, I'll wake Eio up. Someone get out the canned food."
"Canned... food?" Eio surprisingly perked his head up and yawned, "where... did that... idea come... from?"
"Oh sorry, old habits," Dorobo groaned, "but if we did have something canned you should pull it out and try some. It'd be nice to get used to eating from them when the time comes."
"Ummmmm... what in the world are you even saying?!" Elayah shouted basically what we were all thinking, "we already have a bunch of things NOT in cans! Can we please eat a normal meal?"
Okay, maybe not all of us because Shin looked a little disappointed, "aw... why not?"
"Because that's no way to eat properly, especially in this setting," Runa said with a shake of her head, "here, let me get out some of the trays at least, and that way we can all prepare our own meals."
Shin sighed and scratched his head, "well... I was looking forward to eating some canned food, but we should at least keep it stockpiled in case we're here for any longer than we *do* need to be... which of course won't happen once the disaster squad is on the case!"
"Ah, I don't think anyone's listening to you hun," Camilla smiled, "but it's a nice sentiment of course."
"Hm, well I suppose even a detective needs to eat every now and then!" Mariya graciously declared, "someone fix me up a plate, I'll go ahead and choose my seat!"
"How about you go and get your own?" Matsuo muttered, "I don't remember any of us being your personal butlers. And F.Y.I, you're all being way too loud for having supposedly woken up a few minutes ago."
"Aw come on Matsuo, lighten up a little~" Amane smiled, "we're all together for such a special occasion, we might as well enjoy it!"
"I suppose joining you all for a meal wouldn't be the worst," Koemi said aloud in thought, "but I would prefer eating alone at another table. It would bring me the most comfort personally."
"But of course!" Satoshi smiled, "no one here would ever force you to do anything you don't want to, so please take the steps you need to eat comfortably!"
"All right then, what do we have in stock guys!" Takumi beamed as he pulled Oroka to the table.
"Ah! Takumi wait, p-please at least let me g-gather my bearings!" Oroka stuttered though she had a large smile on her face.
"Takumi... Oroka looks a little distressed," Naoko commented with a frown, "maybe simmer down a little?"
Everyone was now grabbing a bunch of their own plates and taking their seats next to each other, all the while shouting over each other like a bunch of lunatics. It was very loud, definitely grating to the ears... but also... there's this strange feeling inside me. I can't quite place it surprisingly, but... it's not... a bad feeling.
Instead... this is...
...
"Earth to Mei~ Heh... ah... is everything okay?" Of course, it's Hemi who brings me out of my daze.
"What gave you the impression that I wasn't?" I question before softening my voice. That definitely came out harsher than I intended, "sorry, you don't need to worry about me, I'm fine."
"Oh...?" Hemi glances between me and the group before chuckling, "hm... yeah, I assumed that was the case," he finishes with a fond look.
I raise my eyebrows, pretending to be surprised even though I know what he's realized, "well that's an interesting reaction. Is there something you've figured out?"
"Maybe," he says jokingly, "but for now, I saw we should go eat with everyone. what do you say?" He has a large and stupid smile painted onto his face, probably because he's figured out what I'm still trying to grapple with right now.
But even then, should I really be lowering my guard so soon? I still don't know anyone here... they could all be a threat to my survival. And we still have no clue how to get out of here.
But... even then, seeing everyone talking like this...
...
...
...
I give a soft nod in response and stare at this insane group I've found myself in, "sure... let's go eat."
...
.And with that, this is my final update for the story. I'm sorry I can't continue it given I did reveal everything and mentally, I wouldn't be able to tackle this story again. The orignal plan still feels like I hacked it all together, and I truly feel like I didn't do the narrative any justice.
I promise this is not an attempt to steal anyone's OC's or force Beyond Broken back into the spotlight. I just really wanted personal closure for the story, and thought by publishing this chapter I could do that. I also hope the OC's creators enjoy their characters through my writing one last time. Again I apologize if this offends anyone though and if it's a scummy thing to do, please PM me about it, I will respond how I can and clear things up.
With that being said, I still treasure this story, the first creators to submit to me, and everything after. It was fun, and perhaps there will be better writers to tackle the amazing characters provided for this story.
I certainly hope they all find a home.
And maybe the idea that in this story, the last thing these characters did was celebrate Christmas and have one normal breakfast together, warms my soul. Again, I'm sorry for how poorly I handled everything here, but I hope this is one last send off for them all. Thank you.
