'It is so good to see you again!' Queen Sonia III held Chisa in a firm embrace. She didn't know what she was more excited about - bringing despair to her juniors, to her teacher, or having it inflicted upon herself. But she did know that Chisa was wondering the exact same thing. 'I love what you've done with the place! Your interior decorating talents are as... interesting as ever!' Her teacher grinned as they pulled apart from each other, looking around the dimly lit castle. Sonia grinned back. 'Thank you! It took us some time to get all of them hanging in just the right place. But now…' She looked up at the masses of corpses hanging by their necks from the ceiling. '… now I can bathe in their despair at being betrayed by their queen and my despair at failing them so terribly!' She frowned for a moment. 'It was better when they first dropped, though. Hearing them all gasping for air was quite magnificent, but now I've run out of subjects.'
'Well, it's just as well that Junko got in touch with me, then', Chisa said, smiling her usual charming smile. Sonia nodded. 'Indeed. I have already made things more interesting for my guests, like getting rid of most of the supplies and beds while having my troops remove their body armour so things will be more… what was it Chiaki used to say before you murdered her? Balanced?' Her stomach began to ache as she remembered her friend. Chiaki had been so kind, so loving. Just being in the same room as her could make one's worries melt away. For her to die in such a slow, painful way… it had shown Sonia just how amazing despair could be. It had enabled her to sweep away the boring plans for her life that had existed before she was even born, and create an exciting and unpredictable world in the process. Remembering it even now, two years later, gave her an amazing sensation of despair. It was such a rush, like being on a rollercoaster, not knowing how exhilaratingly terrible things would become. She could tell that Chisa felt the same way at the mention of Chiaki's name, but even more intensely. She'd been the one to put her in that room, after all. The despair of seeing your friends and family suffer at your own hands was the most exquisite despair of all. No wonder Junko had been so disappointed about her classmates escaping her.
'So, there are fifteen of them?' Sonia asked, ushering Chisa up the stairs towards her quarters. 'When I left them, yes,' the teacher smiled, 'but I only packed fourteen parachutes…' 'Ah, giving them a taste of what's to come!' Sonia beamed at her teacher. 'You truly are skilled at making the world a worse place! So, who do you think will be first?' 'Hmm…' Chisa stopped walking, a look of concentration on her face. 'I think… either the sister or the singer. They seemed like good candidates to me.' Sonia frowned. 'Would Junko want her sister to -' 'If not, all the more reason to let her. We can't deny her any despair.' Sonia thought for a moment, then nodded. 'True. And if she dies, then it isn't even a concern.'
'What is a concern', Chisa said as she resumed ascending the stairs, 'is the Future Foundation. It'll only be a matter of time before they figure out what I've done.' 'So', Sonia smiled, 'we shall have to hurry this up thanks to your carelessness?' 'Yes. Though I think what's left of your people might enjoy being invaded by a foreign power instead of being betrayed by you.' Chisa stopped walking, and peeked into the room Sonia was gesturing her before. It was covered - even the floor and ceiling - with pictures of Chiaki, smiling and enjoying life with her classmates at festivals and game nights, and as a pathetic, punctured corpse in a pool of her own blood and tears. 'I thought you would enjoy the memories', Sonia smirked as she gestured her teacher inside, watching as tears of guilt formed in her eyes and a smile of joy appeared on her face. 'And, despite your sloppiness, she should be able to make my juniors hurry up and finish this before your friends arrive. We both already know that she is very persuasive.'