Chapter 13: The Final Trial
They find themselves in the trial room one last time. And this time, this trial is to not only reveal who really murdered Mukuro Ikusaba, but who is masterminding the entire thing.
Class Trial
In Session!
"Hey-ho! On with the show! The big finale kicks off… right now!" Monokuma laughs. "Once more unto the breach, dear friends! Long faces and all!" He makes a vaulting jump onto the vacant stand. "Since this will be the class trial to end all class trials, yours truly will be taking part! Now, as per our agreement, unmask Mukuro Ikusaba's murderer and disclose the big, bad secret behind Hope's Peak Academy, and you win!"
"And if we fail, you win. That's what you're about to say next, right?" Sunset asked.
"B to the I to the N-G-O!" Monokuma confirmed. "It goes without saying a fabulously vicious punishment awaits the losing side, so fight, fight, fight!"
"And the stakes are the same for both parties?" Kyoko asked for confirmation. "You will submit to execution if we win?"
"But of course!" Monokuma confirmed. "A bear's word is his bond."
"Fine. Let's get on with it." Hagakure said. "You can all start by admitting your involvement!"
"Oooh…? Why so serious?" Monokuma asked. "Does him have a widdle tummy ache?"
"Every one of you is in bed with the mastermind!" Hagakure said as he revealed a photo of everyone in class. Everyone except Hagakure. "I have proof!"
"No way!" Asahina gasped. "I got a picture kinda like that!" She revealed that her picture has everyone but her in P.E. class.
"Me too! Monokuma said it was a clue." Toko said as her photo has everyone but her playing in the snow during winter.
"I'm guessing everyone has a photo with everyone in it but their recipients." Sonic said.
"Apparently… I was given one as well…" Togami said as his photo showed everyone but him at the pool. "My first thought was the same: you were all in bed with whoever's behind this."
"Can someone tell me what's going on?!" Hagakure asked. Monokuma let out a sly giggle.
"Yeah, right? I'm in the picture Naegi has, but not in the one I have…" Asahina pondered. "But I don't remember posing for any of these pictures in the first place!"
"I get it. He's trying to turn everyone against each other." Marinette deduced.
"She's right, don't you see?!" Naegi asked. "These've clearly been tampered with; the whole point is to lead us off the scent!"
"Someone watches too much TV…" Monokuma commented. "Pretty far-flung accusations there, buddy! Got any evidence to back it up?"
"Memory's evidence enough in this case." Togami said. "None of us has any recall of taking part in these photos. Such a cheap trick insults my intelligence. I'd expect more."
"For once, Togami and I are in agreement." Kyoko said.
"Wait, you didn't bring your picture?" Adrien asked.
"No. I could smell the ruse from a mile away." Kyoko said.
"Ruse? Silly rabbit… I promise you: those photos are as genuine as they come." Monokuma told her.
"Oh sure! Why do none of us have memories of them?!" Asahina asked.
"Memories…" Naegi thought.
"Dude! How can you stand there and say they're real?!" Hagakure asked. "They're complete fakes!"
"Hang on!" Naegi spoke up.
"Something on your mind, Naegi?" Tails asked.
"Yeah, stay with me for a sec… He could really be giving it to us straight…" Naegi explained. "What if those pictures aren't fakes?! What if there's another reason entirely?!"
"What are you saying? Did you find something?" Kyoko asked.
"It sounds far-fetched… But you and Hagakure both have old school stuff in your lockers." Naegi tells them.
"Dude, are you on something? 'Cause if I even have a locker… that's some serious news to me!" Hagakure said.
"We're sorry but, there's a bank of them on the second floor… Kiri, Sonic, Marinette and I found the principal's digital notebook and apparently it can open any of them." Naegi showed them the digital notebook in question.
"There was a journal inside one of them…" Marinette continued. "It talked about converting this place into some kind of shelter."
"Yeah, okay… So who'd the journal belong to?" Hagakure asked.
"Good question…" Naegi said. "Kiri, does this look familiar to you at all?"
"That is most definitely my handwriting." Kyoko confirmed.
"Say what?!" Hagakure gasped.
"But you have no memory of writing it." Sonic said. Kyoko gasped.
"We were right… Naegi, explain it to them." Kyoko said.
"I know it's not a very pleasant thought." Naegi said. "In fact, it's downright terrifying… But we have to face the facts… These pictures are real. We've got… amnesia! And whether we like it or not, the picture are proof positive!"
"You're kidding me!" Chloe gasped.
"There's no way you guys have amnesia!" Knuckles added.
"Well, that's a whip and a half." Hagakure commented. "Does kinda makes sense, though… Except it's the craziest bad sci-fi explanation anyone's ever tried to jumble my brains with!"
"Yeah… I mean, c'mon… What's that called? "Arkham's Razor?" Asahina asked.
"First off, it's Occam's Razor. You want to quote a theory, pronounce it right." Marinette said. "Second, if they were the only thing pointing in that direction, fine… but we stumbled onto something else. Show them, Naegi."
Naegi pulled out the small file. "A video file of everyone talking… to the principal."
"To who?!" Toko gasped.
"Yeah, I hardly believed it myself at first, but… We're being interviewed… One on one… About this school." Naegi said.
"What do we say specifically?" Togami pressed for more info.
"If I remember from what we saw in the video, you were agreeing to spend the rest of your lives in this place…" Sonic said. "The principal lays it out and you consent."
The students gasp in shock. "Interesting…" Togami spoke. "Do we seem hesitant, or under duress?"
"That's the strange part there. You weren't even nervous about it all." Marinette said.
"That's complete crap! Why on earth would we agree to this?!" Toko asked.
"Honestly, that's what we want to know…" Sonic said. "We have no idea… But there is something we do know: The video is legit."
"So, you assume the pictures and video are connected." Togami theorized.
"Yeah." Naegi confirms.
"Ugh! This is completely insane!" Hagakure shouts.
"Well, insane or not… The truth is what it is – Denial is useless…" Kyoko said. "Isn't it?" She turns to Monokuma asking that.
"Pos-o-lutely! And the boy's nailed it." Monokuma said.
"Huh?!" Asahina gasped, followed by the other students.
"Another name for this place could be the Amnesiacs Ward!" Monokuma laughs.
"But it's not typical amnesia. Oh no." Naegi spoke up. "Our memories were stolen from us!"
"Stolen?!" Kagami gasped.
"Sheesh. Now you're just splitting hairs." Monokuma glared.
"But… how…?" Tails asked. "Locking us in, I understand, but… stealing memories?"
"Immaterial… The details make zero difference." Monokuma shrugged it off. "I could probably just make something up! Would you believe, mesmerism (fancy word for hypnotism)? Or maybe a little chop-chop, scramble-scramble Penfield style? Point is, that ain't the point. You're side-stepping the real issue."
"You know, for once I'm inclined to believe you; the how isn't one tenth as crucial as the what… Which memories were removed?" Togami questioned.
Monokuma laughs. "Eyyy, now that's how you get to the bottom of things! But let's not forget the other purpose of this trial."
"That's right. We're to solve the murder of our mystery student, Mukuro Ikusaba." Luka said.
"We've reason to believe her killer and the mastermind happen to be the same person…" Sonic said.
"We're sure of it… Kiri, Marinette, Sonic, and I know who." Naegi said. Everyone gasped.
"Do you, now?" Monokuma asked. "Ha! Well, by all means, don't keep us poor wretches in suspense!"
"You're on record as having said the number of students enrolled at Hope's Peak Academy, not counting our visitors, was capped at sixteen." Kyoko said. "Is that true?"
"Oh yes! A bear never lies!" Monokuma said.
"But that… That would mean one of us has to be Ikusaba's killer!" Asahina realized.
"Really? Cause I don't think so." Naegi said.
"What are you saying?" Chloe asked.
"Huh? Interesting." Monokuma said. "But I thought you and your little group found ten—count em, ten corpsicles in the morgue… So y'know, wouldn't that tend to narrow the list of suspects down to just the twenty-two of you?"
"Not necessarily!" Sonic refuted.
Truth Bullet: Bio Lab Ramp
"No? Lay it on me, Poirot!" Monokuma said.
"The freezers' lights indicate whether or not a body is inside." Sonic explained. "We found only nine bodies in the morgue. But ten people were killed… So why don't the numbers jive?"
Everyone was confused. "There were ten bodies in cold storage, yes, but one of them was recycled… That's the body we found in the botanical garden." Naegi answered for them.
"Okay, that's all kinds of sick…" Hagakure felt nauseous. "Whose was it?!"
"I'll tell ya this, whosever it was… they've been butchered… A lot like Enoshima, as a matter of fact." Naegi said. They then remembered when Junko was impaled for attacking Monokuma.
"Not a lot like; exactly like!" Toko remembered.
"This means, no one in this room has to be a murderer." Shadow said.
"Ah, that's brilliant…" Togami said.
"So, uh… what you mean… is that… Ikusaba's alive and the murderer?" Toko asked.
"Not quite. The real killer… was the one who attempted to attack Naegi the other night…" Marinette said. "The mastermind."
Monokuma laughs. "I can't fault your reasoning, but it doesn't do you a whole lot of good without a positive ID… The masked marauder was just that: masked. If you're gonna insist that none of you in this room is the culprit, then that only leaves Mukuro Ikusaba."
"That's where you're wrong!" Naegi refuted.
Truth Bullet: Tattoo on her Right Hand
"How in blazes am I wrong?!" Monokuma asked angrily.
"My attacker may have been wearing a mask, but their right hand was clearly visible." Naegi explained. "You know what wasn't on that hand? A tattoo."
"Not just any tattoo: the mark of Fenrir!" Twilight added.
"There you have it… Not Ikusaba." Naegi concluded.
"Hmmm… Wait just a minute… There's a contradiction there, Naegi, old bean!" Monokuma said. "You can't have your cake and eat it, too. If it's not Ikusaba, then it has to be one of you! When you think about it, I'd say the evidence points to Kirigiri. Otherwise, why the gloves? Suspicious."
"No way! You're pulling our leg!" Hagakure said. "It was you the whole time?"
"No, say it's not true!" Asahina pleaded.
"Now'd be a good time to defend yourself." Monokuma said.
"Yes, I agree… All right… Let me show you my hand." Kyoko said as she took off her right glove. "As good a proof of my innocence as I possess." They see that her hand had been badly burned.
"What happened to you?" Kagami asked.
"I was burned, badly… Not so very long ago, in fact…" Kyoko responded. "Call it a hard life-lesson for a burgeoning girl detective…"
"Gutsy…" Knuckles commented.
"Wow, that… That took a lot more balls than I have…" Naegi said. Kyoko put her glove back on.
"If it brings the mastermind to justice, I'm more than able to manage, thank you." Kyoko said. "Are you satisfied with regard to me and tattoos?"
"Well, poop…" Monokuma said, defeated. "First you accuse me, then you subject me to hamburger hands? This is starting to hurt my feelings, guys! Like, really burn me up! Ooop! Sorry... Slip of the tongue there… No offense, eh, hon?"
"None taken. Feel free to say whatever you please." Kyoko said.
"It's that injury that clears Kirigiri of suspicion." Sonic said. "Nor is she the mastermind."
"That honor goes to Monokuma's puppet master who feigned her own death and took to the shadows. Junko Enoshima!" Naegi accused Junko of masterminding the events.
"What?!" The students gasp in shock.
"Hello, wild conjecture! Fly by the seat of your pants much?" Monokuma asked. "You don't have a shred of evidence!"
"Never thought I'd take the bear's side, but he's got a valid point." Twilight said.
"You're not squirming your way out of this one!" Naegi argued. "Oh, yeah. I've taken score."
"Hmm…?" Monokuma asked.
"You've been going through great lengths to hide Enoshima's true identity. In fact, you've done so twice already." Naegi said.
"What?! You are making this up!" Monokuma defended.
"No, I don't think he's making it up…" Sonic said. "Deny it all you want… But there was definitely intent. You're afraid if we saw her face, the jig would be up!"
"What jig, precisely?" Monokuma asked nervously.
"The girl in the video and the pictures is not the Enoshima we met when we first came here!" Naegi said as he fired a Truth Bullet.
Truth Bullet: She isn't the same Junko Enoshima that we know
"Ow! What is wrong with you?" Monokuma felt the Truth Bullet. "Who else do you think it could have been?"
"I believe there was only one possible answer to that. One we all know. The only choice left: They switched places… That Enoshima… was Mukuro Ikusaba!" Sonic said as he fired another Truth Bullet.
"Damn, double ow!" Monokuma yelped.
"We weren't in a position to know the difference, not with our memories wiped." Togami said. "An imposter would've had it made."
"By killing Ikusaba, who'd taken your place… You had free reign over everything." Marinette said.
"She's absolutely right. Junko Enoshima's alive and listening right now!" Naegi fires another Truth Bullet.
"Son of a biscuit!" Monokuma yelped.
"The School Life of Mutual Killing?!" The whole thing was her!" Naegi shouted. "That's right… Junko Enoshima, you are the mastermind!" He fires another Truth Bullet.
"Mother trucker!" Monokuma yelped as he hunched over in defeat.
"Well done… You sure have a knack for playing dead." Shadow said.
"You may as well give up… It's all over now…" Sunset said. "Best to admit defeat while you still have a small shred of dignity."
"Admit defeat? Oh, ho-ho… I think not." Monokuma said as the room became filled with a strange smoke, obscuring Monokuma. The smoke clears, revealing the real Junko Enoshima wearing a queen's crown.
"At long last… Oh, the oceans of time I've crossed!" Junko said, sounding like a queen. "I'd nearly tired of waiting for minds of your caliber to come." Everyone was astounded that the real Junko Enoshima appeared before them.
"So, what Naegi said was true." Marinette said. "You did switch places."
"Yes… A fairly common plot twist… But… For what it's worth, I'm mortified…" Junko said, speaking like a spy. "Mukuro and I were two sides of the same coin, you might say."
"That explains why the note said there were Two Despairs!" Marinette said.
"Fraternal twins, invariably at odds… One rough-hewn, military minded… The other, cunning. Cunning and compulsively attractive… So, guess which one I was!" Junko cackled like a punk rocker.
Junko Enoshima
Ultimate Despair
"Two sides of the same coin! Twisted sisters united in their commitment to darkness and despair!" Junko said.
"Two sides of the same coin…" Twilight pondered.
"Are you saying… Ikusaba's your twin sister?!" Tails asked.
"Wait, if Ikusaba really is your sister, shouldn't she have the same last name or something?" Alya asked.
"Come on! We've already covered this! The bait-and-switch name-game is a common device!" Junko argued. "Sorry you can't get your head around it!"
"But that would mean you killed…" Asahina said mortified.
"Who in their sick mind would murder their own sibling like that?!" Applejack asked angrily.
"My reasons for doing so run deeper than the ocean!" Junko said to the swimmer. "Heh! Nah! I was just bored!" She cackles. Shadow glared. "I do apologize. I haven't addressed another real human being for so long, let alone a visitor. One quickly falls out of practice, it seems." Junko spoke like a spy. "Might have a little something to do with why I'm sick of my own company! Bleh! What's the old chestnut about too many cooks?!"
"You were right, Naegi…" Marinette said in horror. "It really is her!"
"For the plan to run like a well-oiled machine, we needed one of us behind the scenes; a sort of stage manager if you like." Junko explained as if she's a teacher. "Someone to puppeteer Monokuma and keep watch over you. The proverbial "mastermind." As such, according to my exhausting preliminary analysis, Ikusaba, to put it mildly, would've been outrageously miscast. She was the weaker minded of the two. Case in point: consider the breed of person who jumps at the chance to latch themselves onto a rag-tag mercenary group. Oh, yes. The choice was clear, it had to be me. So we agreed she would remain a student while I moved things along insidiously from the wings. Ah. Alas I ran into a bit of a hiccup."
"I'll bet it has something to do with Ikusaba being the Ultimate Soldier, right?" Shadow asked.
"Correct. Call it a problem of 3-D rendering. Despairingly smelly. Despairingly filthy. Despairingly Gross." Junko continued. "One needn't resort to statistical wizardry to conclude her kind wouldn't mix well with others. By the same token, it'd be a crying shame to let an Ultimate Fashionista such as moi languish in obscurity."
"I see… So you switched places." Kyoko deduced.
"Yes. Quite right." Junko confirmed. "Although, I hadn't allowed for unlike we were, how distinct. Not by a mile. It was not easy… She tended to behave like a supporting character, which was a challenge. See, when such a regrettable personality dovetails with such an unpleasant appearance, the audience expects that character to die early on. And who am I to sabotage our market share?"
"So you killed her… to please your viewership?!" Luka glared at her.
"Well, there was a bit more to it. Suffice to say it, the vulgar wretch had worn out her welcome." Junko said. Naegi gasped in horror. Some of the heroes were mortified, while others were angered. "Sometimes you just plan stuff out and you can totally see where it's going in the long run, y'know?! I was all like "meh," Mukuro's no fun anymore, and what's the point if I can't make an example outta peeps who bore me?!" She asked like she were an adorable toddler.
"Of course. Her death showed that you betrayed her. I saw the look in her eyes when she was impaled." Sonic said.
"Imagine the things she went through…" Shadow spoke. "She had imagined the two of you were in this together. But I can tell your sister didn't foresee her untimely exit."
Junko giggled. "Pieced that together, did you?! It was her own dumb fault. Mukuro couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag with both ends ripped open."
"How could you?! You murdered your own sister! Are you even hearing yourself talk?!" Marinette seethed.
"How the hell are you not bothered by what you've done?!" Naegi barked.
"Oh, wow! Someone doesn't pay close attention." Junko said. "This place is meant to celebrate despair, not honor silly old family ties! When you stop and think about it, from the moment we pop into this big stupid world crying and wailing, the one thing life has to offer us wholesale, is death and tears." She then spoke like a punk rocker. "So what that boils down to is, "murder" is just a comforting euphemism for what we're already guaranteed to have to deal with! News flash, Lamb Chop: we all face oblivion someday! What's it matter how we get there?!"
"You don't need to spell it out for us!" Chloe glared.
"She's right. I'm less interested in sibling rivalry than I am the function of this place." Togami said.
"I can't make the pieces fit. I know it has something to do with our memories being wiped, but I can't tell you what exactly." Asahina said.
"Yeah, well… When you consider the alternative, amnesia's actually a blessing in disguise…" Junko spoke like she was in a depression.
"Um… I'm not real sure I agree with that!" Hagakure said.
Junko laughed a la Monokuma as she pulled out the plush. "I know what'll ignite those wayward gray cells, campers! Feast your eyes on this!" The screen showed several of the world's monuments defaced to have Monokuma's face on them. It then switched to a news feed of a giant Monokuma smashing buildings. The people in the streets were smashing cars and other stuff wearing Monokuma masks. "You all kept clamoring for the Outside World… Well, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for!" Everyone gasped in complete horror.
"So sad… I think the phrase is… Post-apocalyptic hellscape…" Junko told them in her depressed form.
"My brain refuses to wrap itself around this!" Hagakure shouted.
"Oh no… We have to try and remember how things got this way…" Toko said. "Or else there's only one way this is gonna end!"
"Wait, that's it!" Naegi said, surprising Toko.
"Wha-What did I say this time?!" Toko asked.
"Ours are shot, but what about her memories?" Naegi asked.
"Am I supposed to know what you're babbling about?" Toko asked.
"Of course! Genocider Sho's memories are separate from Fukawa's!" Tails realized.
"Tails is right! So come on, bring her out!" Naegi agreed. "Let us talk to Sho!"
"Huh?!" Toko asked.
"Think about it! You share the same body! Maybe her memory survived the wipe!" Naegi told her.
"What the crap! Get on with it already!" Hagakure demanded.
"She freaks me out, okay?!" Toko told him. "Ugh! You know what, screw you guys; leave me alone!"
"Damn it. Get a hold of yourself, we need her." Togami glared.
Having no choice, Toko sneezes, switching to her serial killer persona. "Bada-boooom! Sorry for the delay, I'm all yours!"
"This is vitally important, so no straying from the point, understand?" Togami asked. "I want you to look at the video feed and tell me whether the footage brings anything to mind."
Sho looks around. "Video feed…?" Her attention shifts to Junko. "Whoa, who's that?!"
"Oh… Hi, I'm the mastermind…" Junko told the serial killer.
"Ah. Nice to meet 'cha." Sho said.
"Thanks… Feeling's mutual…" Junko said.
"Focus, damn you!" Togami barked. "The footage, if you please!" Sho glances at the video feed.
"Does that ring any bells?" Adrien asked.
"Yeah, okay; fine… It's true. I've seen it all." Sho admitted.
"What?!" Knuckles gasped.
"You remember what it was like?!" Hagakure asked.
"Oh-ho! Do I ever!" Sho responded.
"Seriously?! You knew what it was like out there and you didn't say anything?!" Asahina asked sternly.
"I sort of keep to a strict "don't-ask-don't-tell policy." Keeps me outta undue trouble." Sho told them.
"Oh yeah, sure!" Asahina said. "I got no issue buying that line!"
"Moving on! What's this have to do with us?" Togami asked.
"Sweetheart, please calm down…" Sho said. "You know what did this, surely."
"I want to hear you say it." Togami demanded.
"The Worstest, Most Despair-Inducing Event in the History of Mankind." Sho told them. "Nature's fury vented itself on humanity with impunity. We're talking the most horrific, blood-spattered end-of-times madness ever. The world that remained turned into what you see here. Almost overnight. Heh. The end."
"The end"?! The hell's that supposed to mean?!" Hagakure asked. "Case you haven't noticed, you haven't explained a thing!"
"Ey, just telling ya what I know, hippy." Sho said. "You want answers? Miss Raincloud over there saw the whole shebang in real time; give her the third degree."
"Enough! This is ridiculous!" Togami glared.
"Ridiculous? We have an embarrassment of ridiculous." Junko said in her spy persona. "Tragicomedy after tragicomedy; just pick a sacred cow. Your bread and butter, the Togami Corporation, for example."
"What are you getting at?" Togami pressed.
"Predictable. He can't stand not to know." Junko said as her teacher form. "Mention his beloved empire and he takes the bait like an obese secretary to a slice of tiramisu." She then talked like a cute toddler. "C'mon don't be such a silly goose! What I'm getting at here is what happened to your people."
"Wait… Are you saying… the Togami family has perished?!" Chloe asked.
"Well done, plebeian! Bravo! You are correct!" Junko confirmed, talking like a queen.
"Wait. What are you saying, Chloe?" Naegi asked.
"It's just as the rich blonde said… Every last one of Togami's constituents are now tripping the light fantastic!" Junko said with her Monokuma voice. "Film at eleven!"
"Nonsense! I will not be taken in!" Togami glared.
"The deaths of your family members and their business associates are confirmed." Junko informed him as her teacher side switched. "The glorious Togami Empire is no more."
"That is a vicious lie! The very name Togami is the alpha and omega!" Togami yelled.
"Ha! Well the omega happened a year ago, buddy!" Punk Rocker Junko said. "Your homies are ash and bone now."
"What…?" Naegi asked. "No! What do ya mean a year ago?! That doesn't make any sense even for you! We've only been at Hope's Peak for a few weeks… A month, maybe… Granted, our memories have been erased, but I remember the world being in pretty okay shape before I walked through these doors. If it'd had been the hellscape you say it was, we'd have known!"
Junko laughed in her Monokuma voice. "You sure about that? Time is relative…"
"Surely you don't mean…" Kyoko began.
"You're lying to us!" Asahina accused. "We're not stupid; we only set foot in this place for the first time a few weeks ago!"
Junko laughed again. "Ya think so, Speedo? Oh my… Those two years must've really gotten away from you, huh?"
"Wait… What did you say?" Sonic asked.
"I'm afraid that's the last hint I'll drop for now." Teacher Junko continued. "The answer's right in front of you." She then switched to Queen Junko. "Well? Come solve the mystery! You know the truth! Expose this institution's dread secret!"
"That's not true." Togami said in disbelief. "As Naegi says, it's only been a matter of weeks. It quite simply is not possible… unless, of course… the memory wipe goes back even further than we thought!"
"I'm afraid it is." Shadow said. "While we were here only a few weeks… Everyone who enrolled here has been in this school… for two whole years."
"He's right… Two whole years of our lives. Gone." Naegi said. "Oh, man… We've been here for two years!"
"So then, wait… These pictures aren't fakes; they're completely legit, huh?" Hagakure asked about the photos.
"Which means… The people we thought were perfect strangers were in reality our friends." Kyoko said.
Junko laughed like Monokuma again. "Bingo! Kinda takes killing each other off to a whole new level of damn." She switched to Toddler Junko. "And to think… our first couple semesters here together were so full of peace… So full of hope… So full of boring! Ah, youth! What a dreadful way to spend the first part o' your life!" Teacher Junko then took control. "Oh, well. Thankfully, the situation wasn't long-lived. Hope only took a year to dissipate, you see. Just as you were developing a sense of equilibrium, the infamous "Incident" gate crashed everyone's party. In a twinkling, the Halcyon days were over. Hope's Peak Academy was hardly immune to the fallout. Ninety-nine percent of the student body perished. Horribly." Moody Junko tagged in. "Way to go, guys… Everyone else kicked it, but you survived… That makes you the last living members of your graduating class… Not that that will happen…" She switched back to Toddler Junko. "Listen up, 'kay? Cause here's where it gets super interesting! And I hate saying the same thing twice, so it's real important you follow along!"
"I bet you're about to tell us that Hope's Peak was converted into a shelter for all of the students fortunate enough to make it out of the bloodshed, right?" Twilight asked.
"Yep, yep, yep! Isn't that just, like, awesome?!" Toddler Junko confirmed. "A big, bad shelter for the students lucky enough not to die! Oop! Said that."
"That explains why there are hardly anyone here when we arrived." Adrien said. "But that only leaves one question: Whose idea was it to turn the school into a shelter to help these students eke out their lives here?"
"Good question. Anyone care to guess?" Teacher Junko asked the students. "Don't be shy now. Anyone at all?"
"It was the guy who previously ran this place. The principal." Naegi said.
"That's right. He only wanted to protect you. He had no idea it'd turn into this." Sonic said.
"Yeah, oops! His bad!" "Monokuma" said. "Y'know what they say: the road to hell is paved with good intentions!" She laughs. "Almost makes me feel sorry for the poor, oblivious bastard. Almost."
"Of course. By the time, he found out that despair had already made its way into the school in the form of two sisters, it was too late." Alya deduced.
"He also hadn't known that the concepts of shelter and prison would bleed into one another until all distinction was lost in a mushroom cloud of mayhem and death!" "Monokuma" continued.
"That reminds me. The ones responsible for decorating the windows and doors in iron?" Teacher Junko asked. "No one less distinguished than yourselves. In your paranoia, you lot sealed off everything."
"You mean—No! We locked ourselves in?!" Hagakure asked in complete horror. "This whole damn time we've been trying to bust out of a prison we made?!"
"Nice job throwin' a hissy fit over your own handiwork, by the way!" Punk Rocker Junko said before switching back to Monokuma. "Once this place was on proper lockdown, Mukuro and me thought: on with the show!" She laughs. "Our "School Life of Mutual Killing" was gonna be the biggest television smash the world had ever seen!" She switched over to Moody Junko. "We knew what we had from the very start… Even before we infiltrated Hope's Peak, everything pointed to the plan going flawlessly…" She switched to Queen Junko. "Humanity possesses such an appetite for despair and wretchedness that only a scheme this fiendish, broadcast for all to see, could conceivably sate it!"
"So… the only reason you kept all of us alive… so you could get your rocks off watching us die!" Luka scowled.
"I don't get it… Why go this far?!" Naegi asked.
"The outside world, I'm sorry to day, still touts a handful of people ridiculous enough to hold out for a better life." Spy Junko told him. "I've taken it upon myself to disabuse them of what hope they have left. To give them, as it were, perspective." She switched to Monokuma. "I like to think of myself as an educator."
"But how are you able to broadcast all of our actions?" Marinette asked. "Surely, even one person couldn't have mastered this in such a short amount of time."
"Of course! You're pirating us!" Naegi said to Junko, surprising everyone. "That's your game! You hijacked the airwaves!"
"Indeed. Well played, sir." Spy Junko confirmed. "How else to peddle your plight as a rallying call to the merry holdouts of the world before I dash their dreams to fragments?" She then switched to Punk Rocker Junko. "Just picture the broken bastards staring wide-eyed as y'all massacre each other!" Hagakure gasped while everyone stared in disbelief. Queen Junko emerged. "Oh dear, look at you! The truth is a bitter pill, is it not? How does it feel? To solve the puzzle, to unravel the mystery, and have only despair as your reward?"
"You meant for this to happen." Kyoko realized. "Your whole plan hinged on us uncovering the truth."
"What?!" Alya gasped.
"Clever shrew. Naturally." Queen Junko said. "Would not you coming to terms with the reality of your situation be consistent with my desire to showcase utter misery at its finest?" Kyoko growled.
"That is all kinds of messed up." Naegi scowled.
"I agree. You give the word "overkill" a whole new meaning." Sunset agreed.
Sho cackled. "And I thought I was tasteless!" The other students looked down in disbelief.
"Who's number one?" Kyoko asked.
"Beg pardon?" Spy Junko asked.
"I don't buy that two teenage girls orchestrated all this on their own." Kyoko said. "I'm sorry, but the tactical genius required argues against it. Who are you working for? A crime syndicate? A family?"
"Multiple choice, is it?" Spy Junko asked. "None of the above, I'm afraid. The Prime Mover you're after is far more… abstract. Despair spreads like a viral outbreak, that is to say: geometrically. No one is immune."
"We get it, thanks… You're a philosopher." Hagakure said. "All hail depression and negativity, yadda-yadda-yadda. Look, if we all agree you've hit the nail on the head, can you let us go?!"
"Hagakure! What are you doing?!" Applejack said.
"Ha! Oh dear! Am I to receive that as a plea for more life?" Queen Junko asked. "I don't believe I've seen a human being sink so low! My, how extraordinary!" She switches to Monokuma. "You see, while no one's to despair, I'm immune to begging! I do what I do because of what you call a "deep-seeded inner complex." No rhyme or reason to it, I'm just riding the wave."
"So no matter how much we beg or plead for our lives to be spared, you just leave us to slaughter?!" Rainbow asked.
"Got that right! Try to bargain with a fractured psyche and you get ten counter arguments for every reasonable assertion you manage to squeeze in. That's crazy for ya. I got no clear motive, you got no argument! Zero-sum game!" "Monokuma" Junko said.
"Stop. I don't wanna hear it…" Naegi spoke. "You keep talking, but you don't say squat… We're supposed to swallow this B.S. without a shred of evidence?!"
"I hope that's not your way of calling me a liar." Teacher Junko said.
"Like you're one to talk about hope!" Naegi shouted. "Truth this, I don't care if you're lying. I just don't wanna lose to you. And I won't! We owe it to the ones who've died!"
"Ah. A pragmatist now, are we?" Spy Junko asked. "Is that how you stay positive? Well, I'd love nothing more than to debate the finer points of ontology, but it appears we're out of time."
"What do you mean "Out of time?!" Marinette asked.
"We can't jibber-jabber all day!" Toddler Junko told her. "Gotta step up to the plate and vote! Oh! And since this is the last round, there's been a rule change! I mean, it'd be super lame to stick with the same-old, same-old, don't you think?"
"What kind of rule change are you enforcing?" Shadow asked.
"Here's the deal: you little sugar gliders will represent Hope, and I'll represent Despair." "Monokuma" Junko explained. "The vote works as it always does - someone's getting KO'd. If even one of you votes Hope down… I win and the rest of you crash and burn together as one big happy, dead family."
"Hold on, even if it's just one?" Asahina asked.
"So if even only one of us votes against Hope, we all die?!" Twilight asked.
"I know what you're thinking; and relax. I will abstain." "Monokuma" Junko said. "Don't wanna stack the deck."
"Still! That is way uncool!" Hagakure argued. "The odds are totally on your side!"
"Calm down! We got this!" Sonic said.
"He's right! No one's gonna vote to be executed…" Naegi agreed. "Just think… Really, the odds are in our favor!"
"Yeah, good point." Hagakure said.
"Oh but let me paint an even clearer picture for you as to what'll happen if I win, cause it's a doozy." "Monokuma" Junko said. "You'll die… of old age! Here under the roof of Hope's Peak, biding time 'til you fade out in a whimper of senility."
"What?!" Chloe gasped in horror, followed by everyone else.
"So basically… we would all be prisoners here for the rest of our lives." Asahina said.
"Hell, don't knock it; 'least we'd still have lives." Sho said.
"If we start thinking like that, it's all over!" Naegi shouts. "I see what you're doing… And I am not gonna be taken in, do you hear me?!"
"If Naegi doesn't approve, neither do we!" Luka agreed.
"Whoa dere, Sea Biscuit!" Punk Rocker Junko said. "You just gave mama an idea! We can't take a chance this'll end without a death! Our viewers would so never forgive us for pulling the rug out like that! Here's the new deal: If Hope gets voted down… one of you takes the fall! Brilliant! Now let's see, eeny, meeny, miney…" Her finger points towards Naegi. "Naegi!"
"Seriously?!" Naegi gasped.
"It's only fair; I hate your guts the most." Toddler Junko said. "Next time, maybe don't be such a jerk to your captor." She then switched back to Punk Rocker Junko. "Oh, yes! Case you're having trouble following me, kiddos, sacrifice him and the rest of us live happily ever after." Naegi began to sweat bullets.
"Me? Sacrificed?" Naegi breathed.
"That's the idea!" Toddler Junko said before Punk Rocker Junko tagged in. "Simple! Sell the whiney kid up the river Styx and the rest of us make it to our twilight years!"
"You can't…" Naegi said. "No, you wouldn't!"
"D'aaaaw…" "Monokuma" Junko said. "What's the matter, Naegi? Having a hard time believing your pals will take the high road?"
"No! Screw you! That's not it!" Naegi shouted.
"Naegi, look!" Luka said as the Lucky Student looked towards the other students, looking down dejectedly.
"Guys, what's the matter?" Naegi asked.
"It's as I feared." Shadow said. "They're beginning to spiral into despair."
"Yes… If you could see yourselves now…" Moody Junko said. "The lines despair is cutting into those faces…" She then remembered something as herself. "Oh, that's right, I almost forgot; the outside world is barely habitable. What keeps us safe here is the air purifier purring away in the physics lab. I'm isometrically linked to it, so if I die that's all she wrote. Vote me down and you'll be scrabbling for someplace else to call home. Hope's Peak will be out of commission. The purifier will seize up and you'll be forced to leave. I have mentioned the outside world is a nightmare of contamination and death, right?"
"So… no matter who we vote for, we die either way?" Tails asked.
"Ha-ha! How does it feel knowing if even one of your bosom buddies sides with Despair you'll be dead in a matter of seconds?! Is it awesome?!" Punk Rocker Junko laughed.
The room fell silent until Sonic started laughing. "Like, what's so funny?" Junko asked the hedgehog.
"Oh, sorry. I just couldn't help but laugh at the idea that we'll succumb to our despair so easily!" Sonic said.
"Sonic's right! Like hell we're gonna give in to you!" Naegi agreed.
"Wha-?" Junko asked in confusion.
"We won't be brought down that easily!" Naegi yelled. "It takes a lot more than stupid head games to make us cave! Who cares what the outside world is like?! That's not where hope is! Hell no."
"I'm with Naegi. Hope is a state of mind!" Sunset agreed.
"Well, okey-dokey, then…" Junko said. "I'm sure we all appreciate the locker room talk. Now, before we nod off, what do ya say we get this over with?" Punk Rocker Junko tags in. "Time for the final vote! Here it is, folks! The grand finale! Today, hope perishes! And Naegi with it!"
"If the outside world is contaminated… If despair spreads like a disease… Hope can work the same way… I can be Patient Zero." Naegi said. "Vote for despair, and you'll live, sure. But you won't truly be alive!"
"Yeah, but… Naegi… I'm shaking in my boots right about now…" Hagakure said. "Plus I'm getting a new vibe… Says we ought to just stay put."
"You've gotta pull yourself together! Out of all of us, you wanted out of here the most!" Max said. "You can't always rely on your psychic vibes!"
"Max is right! Either you wanna stay in this place or ya don't. Now you just crumble and set up house like the mastermind wants?!" Naegi shouts. "Hell no! That's a sham and you know it!"
Truth Bullet: Hope
Naegi fires a Truth Bullet into Hagakure's heart, snapping him out of it. "You're right… The hell was I even thinking?" Hagakure asked. "There's a door that needs opening. And I swear on my life I'm gonna open it if it's the last thing I do!" Hagakure steps off his stand and walks over to Naegi's side. "Forget "vibes." I wanna live… Hear me?! I want out so bad I can taste it!" Naegi nods with a smile. He turns his attention to Asahina.
"Asahina…" Naegi spoke to her. "Don't you think the people who didn't make it deserve better from us?"
"Think about it… We're moving on because they didn't get the chance." Kagami said.
"What would Sakura say?" Asahina spoke. "If she were here right now, what would she do?"
"Well, she wouldn't give in… For damn sure. We can't let them down." Naegi said. "They need us. We owe it to them! We carry the burden of hope they can't!"
Naegi fires another Truth Bullet, this time at Asahina. She snaps out of it. "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." That's what Sakura would say." The Ultimate Swimmer said. "Or maybe… "When the going gets tough, the tough kick ass." Oh yeah, for sure…" She went over to Naegi. "Definitely that last one! Thank you, Sakura. My mind is made up! From now on, I'll say it in her place!" Naegi nods before turning to Togami.
"Togami… What would your family have done?" Naegi asked the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. "Even if the world had gone to hell in a hand basket, wouldn't they have fought back?"
"From one rich person to another, consider this an opportunity…" Chloe said. "Ground floor! We can rebuild! Your family may be penniless, but you can't afford to give up!"
"You heard her! You're alive! Meaning there's a chance to start over!" Naegi said. "Long as you choose life, their legacy thrives! Get off your ass! Go out and re-stake your family's claim!" He fires a Truth Bullet at Togami.
"Well played, sir… But just so we're clear, I need no encouragement from the rank and file like you." Togami said.
"Welcome back." Naegi said.
"Frankly, I'm offended. You truly think me susceptible to the wiles of a lunatic?" Togami asked. "I've made a promise, and to men of breeding, our word is our bond. I vowed to kill the mastermind, and indeed I shall."
"That's… So… Hot…" Sho swooned. "That cinches it for me my gallant darling! Where you go, I go!"
"That's the spirit!" Naegi said.
"Before ya go thinking I'm all noble: I could go either way… As long as it's the fun way!" Sho laughed. "And besides, wherever my sweet Togami goes, I will follow like a lamb!"
Junko turned her attention to Kyoko. "What about you, Miss Marple? Does the smartest gal in the room have a death wish, too? Is the thought of all that trouble daddy went through enough to keep you in the game? Or you gonna drink Naegi's "unkool-aid?"
"Don't listen to her!" Naegi called out. "Kiri, please… I know how important your father was to you; believe me… This is what he wanted."
"You say that… But how could we really know what he wanted?" Kyoko asked. "I certainly don't have that luxury… I never knew the man."
"Try to read between the lines…" Marinette said. "He had a vision… He had hope for us all… He wanted us to have a future!" Kyoko gasped upon hearing her.
"She's right! If hope really has left us… Then in his name we have to do whatever it takes to get it back!" Naegi said, firing one more Truth Bullet at Kyoko, snapping her out of it.
"That we do… You're right…" Kyoko agreed. "My father did it all for us… For tomorrow… He sacrificed everything… And decidedly not to have his charges bend like reeds under a current of misery!"
"There's the Kiri we know!" Sonic smiled.
"Knew I could count on you!" Naegi said.
"Thanks for the reality check, Naegi, Marinette." Kyoko thanked them. "I may not have ever really known the man, but somehow or other I feel close to him. Although, I suppose knowing and understanding are not the same thing. Speaking of which… Naegi, you may look at yourself as a lightning rod… But I don't believe that's a reflection of reality. I think you fill an entirely different role. You stay positive for us. Even when your luck is at its lowest ebb, when all seems lost… you fight for hope. When the rest of us would give in, you persist. Lady Luck doesn't snub you. She depends on you."
Makoto Naegi
Ultimate Hope
Everyone stands at Naegi's side against the mastermind Junko Enoshima. "Looks like that's all she wrote. So much for Despair." Naegi said. "Hope wins out!"
Truth Bullet: Ultimate Hope
"Intense… Way to go, Naegi." Junko said. "Spouting off… Rallying the troops… Staring me down… Screw a bunch of that! You and your sparkly rainbows go to hell!"
"Doesn't matter where it comes from now…" Sunset glared.
"You are an imbecile." Spy Junko fired back.
"And maybe it's flat out presumptuous of him to represent hope…" Sonic said.
"Boy cooties! Eeew!" Toddler Junko cringed.
"But… We won't let you drive us to despair!" Marinette yelled.
"You will bow down before me!" Queen Junko smirked.
"Ha! Never!" Adrien said. "Whatever happens… We will hope to the bitter end!"
"Who you trying to scare?!" Punk Rocker Junko glared.
"Our chins will stay up!" Luka yelled.
"Death awaits you all." Teacher Junko tells them.
"Whatever curveball we're thrown…" Rainbow said.
"How we despises it, Precious!" "Monokuma" Junko countered.
"Whatever's waiting outside… we're leaving!" Shadow glared.
"Well, I'd say the jig is up…" Togami said. "Pity… You nearly succeeded."
"Time to lock in our votes and finish this!" Hagakure suggested.
"Let's make it happen, guys!" Asahina said as Sho laughs.
"Bring it to its knees… end the ceaseless tribunals… the murder, the suspicion… Stop this, and move on." Kyoko said.
"Looks like this nightmare is just about over, don't you think?" Alya asked.
"Couldn't have worded it better myself." Nino agreed.
"Your coffin is about to be closed, and we have the final nail!" Rainbow said.
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut uuuup…!" Junko yelled. "The more you f-lap your gums, the more I wanna end you! Despair for tomorrow! Despair at the thought of the unknown! Despair that your memories are made of glass!"
"Sorry." Naegi said.
"Despair only wins if we let it!" Naegi and the heroes shout in unison as the final Truth Bullet is fired at Junko. The slot reels start spinning as the bullet is propelled closer.
"What's happening?!" Junko asked. "How are you doing that?!" Once the Truth Bullet strikes, Junko's hopes of plunging the entire world into despair are shattered. The reels stop on Junko's face and lights up with coins pouring out. This indicates that everyone has voted against despair.
"Well, damn. That… was balls." Junko said in defeat.
"Junko Enoshima. I'd say this is checkmate! You're defeated!" Shadow glared.
"I am?" Junko asked. "Seriously? After all that work? Huh. What do you know? Wow."
"She's… taking it awful well." Hagakure said.
"Tell us, madam: how does it feel to be hoisted by your own petard?" Togami asked. "All that ingenious plotting and this is what it comes to."
"There's… No greater feeling in the world!" Junko said in euphoria, surprising everyone. "This is some weapons-grade despair! I mean, you gotta think of all the planning I put into this. Infiltrating this school was no cakewalk. For crap's sake, I murdered my own twin sister! This is great! No-no, "great's" too pedestrian… Having the whole house of cards come crashing down on me at the eleventh hour? This is the bottom of the freaking barrel! You little optimism monkeys couldn't begin to understand the surge of endorphins rushing through me!"
"Wait… You're actually happy you lost?" Naegi asked.
"What'd you expect? Let's move on to punishment, 'kay?" Junko said.
"That's not what this is about!" Naegi said. "The whole point of us winning was so no one would have to die anymore!"
"There's no point in convincing her, Naegi!" Sonic said, gaining his attention. "Deep down, this is what she wants, what she needs. Who are we to take it away from her?"
"Imagine it: To construct the perfect master plan of plunging this school into chaos and discord, only to have it thwarted by the likes of us? If this isn't the kind of heart-shattering despair she yearns to experience, I don't know what is." Marinette added.
"Yes… Pigtails makes a solid point." Junko agreed. "When hope leaves a bad taste in your mouth, the only thing worth looking forward to is the spectacular final agony of giving life a big fat "kiss my ass!" Naegi gasped. Junko's hand goes over the punishment button. She laughs like a maniac. "This is my time now… Come on, baby… Big money, no whammies. Give it to me… Make me suffer… I've been a bad, bad girl…" Her eyes started to swirl in despair and spoke in different voices. "Oh well, kind of a shame, though. Given the chance, I would have bathed the whole world in this glorious feeling. Boo-hoo. Guess we can't have everything, can we? But at least I can go out with style!" She cackles one final time as she slams the button.
Congratulations!
Junko has been found guilty.
Time for the Punishment!
The punishment is about to begin. Junko stood atop a chair waving as all of the setups from all the previous executions were all set up before their eyes.
"I hope you enjoy yourself, Junko Enoshima. A shame you won't live to tell anyone about it because you brought this upon yourself." Sonic said as he put his thumb out. He then points it down. "We will see you… in hell!"
The Ultimate Punishment
The 1000 Blows
The pitching machine went off as Junko tried to bat away the balls.
The Cage of Death
She sat in a motorcycle as her eyes spun as she went round and round.
The Burning of the Versailles Witch
She sat in the middle of the fire meditating as a fire truck fell on her.
Excavator Destroyer
The excavator repeatedly hit her head as she bore a Cheshire Cat-style smile.
Blast Off!
She waved as the rocket she entered went into outer space before crashing down.
After School Lesson
She sat in a chair smiling as she held a Monokuma smiling and wore her crown as she moved back and forth with a smile on her face. She flashed a peace sign as she looks up at the compactor, which crushes her, splattering blood everywhere.
"We did it…! It's all over…" Tails said.
"At last. It's all over. This nightmare is finally… over." Naegi said.
"And here I thought we'd be finished when we entered the home stretch." Knuckles commented.
"We'll meet you at the front door." Shadow said. "There's just one last passenger we need to pick up."
"We'll be waiting." Naegi said.
Our heroes went over to the morgue and there they find Mukuro's spirit. Her black hair is styled in a bob weave, freckles adorn the bridge of her nose, and she glances at them with her purple-grey eyes. Her attire is quite basic, comprised of a red tie, a white button-down blouse, a brown pleated skirt, black stockings, and black shoes. The Fenrir tattoo is visible on her right hand.
"So, the truth finally comes out." Mukuro said. "I never imagined Junko, my own sister, would betray me like that."
"I thought as much." Sunset said. "It was only a matter of time before we would meet like this."
"Ikusaba…" Tails spoke up to the Ultimate Soldier. "I have one question, and I'd like you to be honest. You never really wanted to hurt anyone willingly, did you?"
"They were my friends. I never intended to bring harm. I only played along because she wanted to feel a lifetime's worth of despair." Mukuro said.
"I understand your reasons. I would've done the same thing if I had that harpy as a sister." Chloe said.
Mukuro pondered for a moment before coming to a decision. "I've made up my mind. Starting now, I want to fight with you." She announced. "While I haven't known you as long as Naegi and the others, I can trust you enough to know that you'll give the dead hope, even when all is lost."
"But what about Junko? Sure, she's the root cause of all this suffering, but she's still your sister." Kagami said.
"To hell with Junko!" Mukuro yelled. "I've helped her construct this for the last two years and she's never trusted me enough with her motives! And the way she had the nerve to kill me?! After all we've done together?! For the first time, I'm happy she's gone!"
"As are we." Alya said. Shadow raised the medallion to collect Mukuro's spirit.
"Before I go in, there's someone I want you all to meet." Mukuro said. "Go to classroom 1-B. There's a boy praying in front of a desk with a potted plant on it. His name… is Izuru Kamukura."
With that information, Shadow collected Mukuro Ikusaba's soul and they headed to the classroom, where they find a boy with spiky black hair wearing a white school shirt, black pants, white shoes, and a green tie. His eyes are heterochromatic, the left being red, and the right being green. He is seen praying.
"Excuse me…" Marinette spoke, gaining his attention. "Are you Izuru Kamukura?"
"Yes, but I have another name: Hajime Hinata." Izuru said. "Whichever name you address me as, I'm alright with that. I have a favor to ask of you, but before I tell you, would you join me in a prayer?"
Everyone knelt down and prayed. "So… this desk and flower…" Luka said.
"It belonged to a classmate and a close friend. I come here often to give my respects." Izuru said. "She was killed by the very person you put to death."
"Whoa." Sonic said. "What's her name?"
"Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer and a member of the 77th class." Izuru said. "As for my favor, Chiaki's death caused the rest of the 77th class to be subjected to brainwashing into spreading despair. I ask that you find a way to purge the despair from their hearts when you find them."
"Of course, but where to begin?" Sunset asked.
"Simple. They're sure to go to places already in disarray." Izuru said. "And I have one in mind. Do you know a place called Skylands?"
"Never heard of it." Tails shrugged.
"Then you should speak to someone who knows of the area before venturing there." Izuru said. "You don't need to go right away. When you get the chance, remember what I asked. For now, farewell." He then left.
They headed back to the others at the front door. "Sorry we're late. We got lost on the way." Adrien said.
"Don't worry. I wasn't planning on leaving here without you." Naegi said. "Besides, I was thinking we'd be able to experience what the world has to offer if we came with you."
"What?" Max gasped.
"I know we haven't known each other since day one, but there was something strange about you guys, like you haven't really enrolled here." Kyoko said.
"I was wondering when you'd figure us out." Twilight said. "Maybe it's better to explain if we showed you."
"Show us what?" Hagakure asked. His answer came when a portal appeared.
"Right on cue." Sunset said. "Hop aboard." Everyone hopped through the portal, leaving the bloodshed and chaos behind, unaware of the danger that was left behind.
In the trial room, a lone Monokuma lied in the center of the room prone. It started laughing. "Interesting... You thought that was it?" He cackles. "Bet all o' you thought I was a puppet, didn't ya? Honest mistake... Lots of people do... But ohhh... I am so much more than that! I'm your damn Principal!"
In Vorton Prime, everyone waited for the others to return. "Um... I'm a little worried..." Fluttershy said. "What if they don't make it back?"
"They're resilient, Fluttershy." Mario said. "They'll make it back." His assumptions were assured when everyone came out of the portal, including the surviving Hope's Peak students.
"Welcome back. And I see you brought the survivors." Scarlett said.
"What is this place anyway?" Hagakure asked.
"You're in what we call the center of all the worlds." Mason said. "It's hard to explain everything, so I'll keep it simple. The school you just left is just one of millions of worlds, maybe even billions."
"The portal we got in and out of is how we came into the school." Sunset told them.
"I suppose that makes sense." Kyoko said.
"Though I'm happy that we made it out of there, our friends... Maizono, Kuwata, Fujisaki... Everyone who died thanks to Enoshima's sick game... we'll never see them again. They're gone..." Naegi said.
"They are gone, yes, but not forever." Shadow said. "We may have a way to revive them..." He revealed the medallion.
"What's that?" Asahina asked.
"A Soul Medallion. I used it to collect the souls of the deceased after the trials." Shadow explained. "They may have lost their original bodies, but with the right magic, they might be recreated."
"Shadow..." Naegi said before smiling. "Thank you."
"So, you managed to save the souls of the departed." Scarlett said.
"Yes. It wasn't easy containing this many souls, but we may be able to find hope for them when they couldn't before." Alya said as Shadow handed her the medallion.
"But... How can you even be able to bring them back?" Hagakure asked.
"I believe I can answer that, Mr. Hagakure." Scarlet Witch said as she chanted a spell that revived the souls of the deceased students. She collapses to her knees after the spell.
"Are you alright, Wanda?" Black Panther asked.
"Yeah... Resurrection magic can take a bit of a toll on you." Scarlet Witch said.
"Who cares?" Asahina said as she rushed up to Sakura, who noticed her.
"Asahina?!" Sakura spoke as Asahina hugged her.
"I've missed you, Sakura!" Asahina cried with tears of relief and joy.
"What happened to me?" Sakura asked.
"You felt guilty about working with Monokuma, and you didn't want your friends to die, so you took your own life." Naegi explained.
"I see..." Sakura remembered. She then noticed the other heroes. "And who are they?"
"A story best explained another time." Mason said. "For now, know that you and your classmates are safe here."
"That's good enough to know." Mukuro spoke up.
"Uh... Pardon me, but have we met?" Hagakure asked Mukuro.
"You probably do not remember, but we have, years ago." Mukuro told him. "I am Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier."
"So you're Ikusaba..." Togami said.
"In the flesh." Mukuro said. "The only reason you never heard of me was that your memories of our time together were altered."
"I believe we know." Kyoko said. "We exposed your sister as the mastermind behind her game of bloodshed and sentenced her to death."
"Then you have done Hope's Peak a great justice." Mukuro said. "Junko Enoshima was the embodiment of despair. It was me and her that caused the events that forced you and your class to barricade the school."
"You what?!" Ishimaru gasped.
"Why you...!" Mondo seethed before Hifumi and Leon stopped him.
"I understand if you hate me for my actions, but after my sister betrayed me, I was devastated." Mukuro said. "That's why I chose to fight for hope from now on."
"Are you sure about this, brah? Not only was Enoshima the source of the bloodshed we left behind, but Ikusaba was in on this too!" Hagakure said.
"Hey, I don't trust her either, Hagakure, but her words are sincere." Naegi said. "She wishes to atone for her part in what happened."
"I'm with Naegi on this." Sonic agreed. "Besides, now that Enoshima is gone, things will go back to normal, right?"
"Not necessarily." Mukuro said. "Yes, Junko is dead, but her despair still lingers. As long as despair exists, the worlds are still in danger. I ask that you take me with you so that I may find hope."
Everyone was skeptical for taking in someone who helped the mastermind behind their life of killing within the walls of Hope's Peak, but some can see that she's willing to change. Sonic stepped forward. "Ikusaba, you're welcome to help us, but we see the first sign of treachery from you, and you'll wish we left you behind."
"You won't regret it." Mukuro said as she shook Sonic's hand.