Chapter 5: Saviour of the Damned (Daily Life #2)
Warning: This fic contains intense violence, lots of cursing, character death, gore and blood, sexual innuendos (thanks Maggi- Wait. You're dead now. Meaning there are no sexual innuendos!... Maybe! Hooray!), and possible spoilers for the Danganronpa series, most notably the first one. But hey, everyone lurking in this fandom has at least played the first Danganronpa so no need to worry much there!
With that said, please enjoy!
"Prepare to meet Vlad Putin in Hell, you commie bastard!"
"N-No! Vhat are you doing?! N-No! Y-You will pay for this, Marcus Avventira! A-Aghhhhhhhh! N-Noooooooo!"
...
"Well, guess here I go too…"
"M-Marcus! Hold on!"
"Let go Destiny. This might be the end for me."
"No! Don't say that, Marcus! I can't go on without you!"
"You know I'll always be with you…"
"No! Marcus! Please!"
"I'll see you… right at Destiny's Edge."
"N-No... M-MARCUSSSSSS!"
"...I'll be back…hopefully…"
…
Natalie Delaney walked out of the theater holding her son's hand as she bawled into a random handkerchief the custodians just so happened to hand out. They had just finished watching the official release of The Adventures of Marcus Avventira: Trials of Destiny, the fifth installment to the Marcus Avventira movies.
At this point, it had become tradition for Holland Delaney to spend time with his mother at the movies to watch these silly Marcus Avventira movies. They had a relatively cheesy plot but at the same time, it was also really nice to watch these movies with family.
"I can't believe Marcus sacrificed his life for Destiny!" Natalie bawled. "Is there really going to be no more Marcus Avventira movies?! There has to be, right?! He can't just die like that!"
"...I dunno," Holland nonchalantly shrugged. "He seemed pretty dead."
"E-Ehhhh?!" Natalie gasped before wiping more tears from her eyes. "To think that my own son would say something so horrible! We shared a mother and son bonding time with these movies! They can't end things like that! It's not a Marcus Avventira movie without Marcus Avventira!"
Natalie started to tug onto her handkerchief with her teeth as she continued to bawl.
"Th-They have to make another movie!" Natalie exclaimed. "Otherwise, I think I'll just drop dead! My sweet, poor Marcus!"
Holland noticed some incredulous eyes staring right back at them. Most of them were annoyed since his mom was practically spouting spoilers right outside the movie theater. He flipped his hoodie over his head in embarrassment.
"...L-Look mom," Holland embarrassedly responded. "They'll make another movie. It'll probably star this Destiny girl instead."
"I don't want to watch the Adventures of Riley Destiny," Natalie pouted. "I want to watch the Adventures of Marcus Avventira! That's it! You and me. We're storming Hollywood and we're going to get them to bring Marcus Avventira back to life!"
"...I don't think that's how it works," Holland rubbed the back of his neck.
It didn't take long until mother and son continued to walk back to their home. After a few more minutes of walking, Natalie finally calmed down. At this moment, she was enjoying walking back home with her own son.
"I'm sorry for acting like a child back there, Holland," Natalie sighed as the night sky shone back at them. "It's just… these Marcus Avventira movies meant so much to me. They were the movies I got to enjoy with your Uncle and Grandparents until they all…"
Natalie's hand gripped her son's hand tightly.
Holland understood where she was getting at.
"...I really liked the third one," Holland pointed out. "I think that was the best one."
Natalie glanced down at her son and smiled sweetly at him, patting him on the head. If Holland learned anything from this moment with his own mother, it was something very simple:
She was all he got.
And he was all she got.
…
"TreasureHunter: Quest for the Monolith?"
Anton Blizz or 'Biggie' as everyone in BigCo liked to call him, sat up straight and took the roll of dollar bills out his mouth as he held it up like a smoker would hold up a cigarette. He eyed Holland incredulously as he said the name several times.
It was a trade secret that whenever Biggie here said the title of a game several times, he was checking to see if it was catchy enough to reel in big cash money.
"And you said… what kind of game is this?" Biggie rubbed his chin.
"It's a puzzle game," Holland stated. "It's complex and it has 6 Levels."
"And you think this is gonna help with the dropping sale prices of our has-been multiplayer shooter game, UnderSight?" Biggie raised an eyebrow.
"...Don't you mean UnderSight 2?" Holland tried to correct.
"Ay ay ay, don't change the subject!" Biggie pointed his fake dollar bill cigarette at the game designer. "So we slapped a big number 2 onto the original game and made it free to play while charging 40 bucks for skins and shit like that! Big deal! At least we're giving everyone PVE and Skill Trees!"
"...Are you?" Holland blinked.
"Hahaha," Biggie laughed. "No."
Holland blankly stared at him.
The nerve of this guy…
"Anyway, UnderSight is currently undergoing a crisis…" Biggie grumbled. "But you seem to think this TreasureHunter might be just the thing to get BigCo right off its feet? I mean, who even likes puzzle games?"
"...A lot of people actually," Holland noted. "And I think a lot of people would love it even more because it's inspired by the Marcus Avventira series."
"Ah, what perfect timing," Biggie looked slightly irritated. "Trials of Destiny was nothing more than a fucking cash grab."
Look who's talking!
Holland remained stoic and continued.
"...It's a new and fresh take on puzzle games," Holland explained. "Puzzle games have lost their touch because puzzle games want people to look for solutions to the puzzle. But for TreasureHunter, what if the question the game is asking for is the solution?"
"Huh?" Biggie blinked. "You lost me."
"Simply put, to beat the game, you have to beat the system…" Holland explained further. "And what better way to do that than to put TreasureHunter into a series of puzzles that forces him to figure out the questions in order to proceed to the solution…"
"So… the questions are the solutions?" Biggie blinked.
"...The game itself won't be easy," Holland shook his head. "So, I imagine it'll be a highly played and streamed game for people who love to challenge their mind."
Biggie rubbed his chin as he placed the rolled-up dollar bills into his mouth. He murmured something to himself.
"...Kid has made a ton of games before…" Biggie muttered. He muttered some more but all Holland was able to hear were certain things here and there. "...First games… not that good… But later games… Best-sellers… Lots of people… Economy… Buying… Money…"
Biggie stood up and grinned.
"Alrighty then Holloway!" Biggie exclaimed.
"Hollan–" Holland tried to correct.
"You got yourself the green light!" Biggie grinned at him. "All you have to do is make the game! That's it!"
Holland stood up and nodded.
"...Thank you, sir," Holland sincerely stated. "I… will do my best to not disappoint you."
"You better not!" Biggie laughed. "The future of BigCo depends on you, Holiday!"
"H-Hollan–" Holland tried to correct before he noticed Biggie dancing around and tossing money into the air. "...Nevermind."
He exited the office of Anton "Biggie" Blizz, eager to go home and get started. The first thing he was going to do once he made it home though…
…was tell his mom the good news.
Holland smiled to himself.
She'll be so excited when she hears the news.
He knows it.
Because his mother was the only person he could ever love.
…At least, that was what he had thought…
Memories were like foggy mysteries to anyone.
For Arthur Kingston, no matter how smart or cool he thought he was, these memories were still a puzzle he had yet to decipher. Arthur didn't know where he was, but everything just seemed so familiar to him. A mysterious area that seemed familiar, but its familiarity was censored all too well by a bright light and the image of a human sized Monohebi slithering toward him.
It was this dream again.
Or at least, a variation of a dream he already had. This time, he was sitting down on a bench. The human sized Monohebi coiled herself beside him. From the looks of it, it seems the pair were outside. Judging by the bright orange light, it was probably the afternoon, when the sun was just beginning to set.
But why?
Why?
Why was she here again? Doesn't she have caused enough trouble in the real world that she has to go and mess with his dream world?
"You asked to meet me, Arthur?" Monohebi spoke as she sat next to him.
Arthur turned to the snake, incredulously. He had no idea what this was about. He didn't remember. What was going on? Why did this dream seem so…
"I…" Arthur began to speak. Then, he felt his own lips move and his own voice speak without his control. That made him widen his eyes as he noticed Monohebi's jagged eyes flash red. "I looked into what you wanted me to investigate. I believe I may know where he may be."
Slowly, he handed what seemed to be a document for Monohebi to take.
Monohebi looked surprised before nodding her head.
Because she was a snake, it was hard to tell whether or not she was content with this piece of information or not. Whatever the case was, those jagged eyes definitely blinked much to his actual surprise.
She opened the document, scanning its contents before closing them and giving Arthur a look of approval.
"You put in a lot of work for this," Monohebi nodded. "You really want to uphold your part of the deal."
"...Of course," Arthur sighed, shrugging. "Even despite my goals, I am still a Kingston. And Kingstons do everything they can to get what they want."
"...And yet you try so hard to run away," Monohebi noted. "I don't mean to intrude but, is there a reason for that? You know if you choose to go through with our deal, they'll find you regardless."
Arthur scoffed.
"Whatever my hopes and dreams are…" Arthur began, folding his arms. "They are none of your concern."
Monohebi glanced at Arthur who merely gave her a half-genuine smile.
"...All you need to concern yourself with is meeting me at the investigation site," Arthur began. "We will confirm that he is there… together."
"Of course," Monohebi nodded in content.
She stood up, preparing to leave. But before she could, she turned back to him, her tail pretending to tuck a piece of her hair behind her nonexistent ear. A human-like pose for a non-human creature.
"Before I go, however…'' the replacement image of Monohebi started to crackle and shift… shift into an actual human that Arthur… had trouble recognizing. "I never got to say this for all you've done to help…"
He narrowed his eyes.
The image was still hard to make out. But one thing he could make out was her lips. A small smile. Appreciative, content, and… hopeful. It filled him with uneasiness. What was this feeling? Guilt?
Why would he feel guilty?
"Thank you, Arthur," the girl smiled down at him.
Arthur blinked.
He immediately stood as the girl turned away to leave.
He held out his hand. He finally regained control over his motor functions. He finally regained over his voice. He reached out to her, but the moment he did, he felt as if he was being pulled away. Pulled away to hide who she was.
"W-Wait," he called out.
But she never looked back toward him. Instead, she continued walking off into the distance where nothing but light blinded him, allowing the Monohebi-like image to slowly fade away. Fade away…
…until he was all alone.
"C-Come back…" Arthur blinked, as he slowly dropped down to the floor, feeling panic and dread slowly set in. "D-Don't go… D-Don't… It's… A-Agh…"
He clutched his head.
…
The headaches returned.
(Arthur Room)
"AGH!"
Arthur woke up in cold sweat as he clutched his head. He felt himself breathe heavily as he looked around. He felt his heart pound faster than usual. He tried to steady his breathing but no matter how hard he did, it wasn't enough. As if he was reliving a memory he didn't want to relive.
He glanced around his room.
He was still in this accursed facility.
But now all that was on his mind wasn't to escape nor to beat White Collar. It was… that snake. That wretched snake. Why was she on his mind all of sudden?
…
He gritted his teeth.
"...Monohebi," he muttered to himself. "Who are you? Truly?"
He held his head.
Blasted headaches...
"...And why…?" he continued. "Why are you in my head…?"
Why?
Why indeed…
(Cafeteria)
When Arthur arrived at the Cafeteria, he found the place to be just as relatively empty as it was yesterday, only a little bit more disappointing. For starters, the only people there were Ina and Abigail. Arthur knew that their cast was cut down to seven but come on! Two people?
He clutched his head with a slight frown.
"Er, where is everyone?" Arthur questioned.
"I can only suppose that everyone is too busy, or they simply do not wish to be here at the moment," Ina folded her arms.
"Well, that's bollocks," Arthur frowned, disappointed. "I was going to ask those who investigated the Laboratory to allow me to see the room for myself."
"...Er, you know you could just do that yourself," Abigail raised an eyebrow. "Don't know why you think you need someone to give you a tour to check the place out or something."
"It makes explaining what is in the room easier," Arthur explained with a sigh. "Speaking of which, I would've expected Haruto of all people to be here with you. Why isn't he?"
Abigail glanced away with a slight frown. It was definitely a look of jealousy.
"I– I don't know," she stuttered. "But I just hope that idiot isn't hanging out with Cassandra again."
She made sure to spitefully say Cassandra's name... similar to how Cassandra would call her Abbygail.
"Hmph, jealous, are we?" Arthur glanced at her with a slight smirk.
"P-Puh– P-Pfft," Abigail stuttered slightly. "N-No! I just… I'm just worried for him! Cassandra isn't someone you can trust to be in the same room with for more than an hour! So, I'm worried that maybe he'll get himself hurt!"
Abigail glanced away as her face tinted pink.
"Th-That's all there is to it!" Abigail declared.
"...I find that answer vague and unconvincing," Ina shook her head.
"You and me both, dear sister," Arthur folded his arms with a smirk.
Nevertheless, Arthur did think of something. Those dreams that he's been having. Those eerie dreams of his… He had to wonder if it was even similar to what Abigail had been going through. She had trouble sleeping as well so…
He glanced toward the equestrian, but his revolutionary of a half-sibling noticed that something was on his mind before he could even say something.
"Are you alright, half-brother?" Ina asked.
"Oh?" Arthur turned to Ina, surprised. He hummed to himself and sighed. "Why, yes. I am. Why do you ask?"
"It looked like you were thinking about something," Ina pointed out. "I was just wondering what that may have been."
"Hmph," Arthur chuckled slightly. "There's no need to concern yourself with that."
He stood up and walked toward Abigail.
"But since it doesn't seem like anyone else would be joining us soon…" Arthur began before looking down at Abigail, who was lost in thought over what Haruto might've been doing at the moment. "Abigail, could we talk for a moment…?"
"Huh?" Abigail blinked. "Er, we were talking right now, weren't we?"
"You misunderstand," Arthur shook his head. "I wish to talk with you… alone."
"If that is what you wish, half-brother, then I shall leave you and her–" Ina began but this time, it was Arthur's turn to cut her off.
"No need," Arthur shook his head again. "I just need Abigail to come with me to the Therapy Room. It… feels right to talk there."
"Er, why would I go to any place alone with you?" Abigail deadpanned.
"Ina is a witness to where we will be," Arthur pointed out. "If you don't trust me, at least trust her."
Abigail pondered this alternative. Then she sighed and followed behind Arthur anyway. Despite asking her to meet him at the Therapy Room being the most suspicious thing at the moment, she supposed she could count on Ina to make sure Arthur didn't try anything.
And besides, she was curious to what Arthur would want with her of all people.
After all, there was no way he would want to kill her…
Right?
…
Together, Abigail and Arthur left the Cafeteria, leaving Ina behind to wonder what she would be doing today. The revolutionary folded her arms before sighing. What else was there to do besides…?
Ina headed off to Cell Block S.
(Therapy Room)
"You wanted to meet here? Why?"
Abigail was surprised when Arthur had asked her to come to the Therapy Room for a little chat. He genuinely seemed troubled by something, so it really made her curious when he asked specifically her and not… y'know, Ina to talk to him. She really had to wonder what this was about.
"It used to be a place where I could talk to Zuri about my issues with my sister," Arthur told Abigail. "Now that she's gone…"
Abigail didn't say anything in response to that.
Zuri really meant something to everyone, not including Cassandra, but for someone as cold as Arthur, it was a welcome addition to his persona. She watched him take a seat at one of the sofas as she sat on the other.
She had to admit.
Being a therapist for a day felt kind of weird.
"So, why did you want to talk to me specifically?" Abigail asked, raising an eyebrow from her only visible eye.
"...I heard you've been having sleeping problems for a while until Haruto helped cure that," Arthur stated.
"Er, I wouldn't say cured," Abigail rubbed the back of her neck, her face turning pink. "It's more like… died down. Yeah, that's how I would word it."
"Nevertheless, you have had recurring nightmares before, yes?" Arthur questioned.
Abigail eyed the snowboarder precariously before nodding.
"Yeah," Abigail looked slightly uneasy. "They were mostly memories I would really like to forget. But other times, it's like I'm being haunted by a ghost. It's… really something I'm not too comfortable with explaining."
"Worry not," Arthur shook his head. "I only ask you because I believe I am having similar problems."
Arthur looked at Abigail seriously, as he looked down, slightly disturbed.
"...What, are you getting like ghosts haunting your memories or something?" Abigail asked.
"Something similar," Arthur answered.
He decided to cut right to the chase. If anyone could get rid of whatever was going on in his dreams, it was surprisingly the Ultimate Equestrian.
"...Lately, my dreams have been showing me Monohebi," Arthur stated.
Abigail blankly stared at him as if he were joking.
"Monohebi," she reiterated. "Like… the snake?"
"Yes, the snake," Arthur responded as a matter-of-factly.
"That's… a little different than the distorted things I keep seeing," Abigail noted. "Er, do you have any reason why?"
Arthur folded his arms as he thought carefully about the dreams he had been having recently. He considered all the factors that made them so… odd. For starters, they felt familiar. It may have been surreal, but it felt like it was a piece of a puzzle that he was oddly missing.
"...I suppose…" Arthur began to think. After a few moments, he shook his head. "...Unfortunately, no. But for some reason... Monohebi reminded me of… someone I must've known in my past."
Again, Abigail blankly stared at him.
"The snake reminds you of someone?" she deadpanned in disbelief.
"I know how strange it sounds but for some reason, every time I see her, it's in some place I remember being in before…" Arthur sighed. "Some place I remember yet can't remember at the same time. Like a sense of deja vu but…"
Abigail listened to what Arthur was trying to say, but she had to admit. She was no dream therapist or oneirologist, so she couldn't even make sense of what Arthur might be experiencing. But nevertheless, she tried to give the best response she could muster up.
"So…" Abigail tried to summarize. "Just based on experience and what you've been saying, this might be some repressed memory shit going on here."
Arthur took that answer into consideration before raising an eyebrow.
"Do you really think so?" Arthur questioned.
"I mean, yeah," Abigail shrugged. "A lot of us here were missing some part of our memories. I wouldn't be surprised if maybe this was your memories trying to come back to you in some way."
"...I see," Arthur noted.
"At least for me…" Abigail tried to think about when her nightmares stopped. Her cheek changed color when she thought that Haruto might've been the reason but there was more to it, she figured. "My nightmares were a figment of my guilt for, well, memories I would like to forget but... Are yours the same?"
Arthur blinked.
Now that she mentioned it… He has felt guilt when it came to his dreams. But the question was… Why?
"...I suppose they may be," Arthur didn't think of it that way. "But… what exactly would I have to be guilty of?"
"I don't know," Abigail shrugged. "You tell me."
That was the problem. He didn't know what he could be guilty of. The only blasted time he only felt guilt was everything with Ina, that's it. And there was no way Monohebi could be Ina. Right?
With a sigh, Arthur stood up and gave Abigail a firm nod of appreciation.
"I will have to think much about this," Arthur stated. "Thank you, Abigail, for your assistance."
"Hrm, don't mention it," Abigail raised an eyebrow toward the snowboarder.
She watched as Arthur made his way out of the Therapy Room, holding his forehead for a second. There was something he just didn't mention to her: the headaches. Whether or not they were related to whatever his dreams were, he wasn't sure. But regardless, he left Abigail behind in the Therapy Room.
And at the moment, all Abigail could do was sigh to herself as she thought about her own nightmare situation. Her cheek went pink as she thought about what had to happen in order to get those to die down.
She sat back on the couch.
She wondered what Haruto was doing right now. Or rather, what on Earth he was thinking, probably hanging out with Cassandra again.
That thought made her grimace…
(Ultimate Bassist's Cell)
Holland took off his headphones, leaned back against the chair, looked up at the ceiling and let out a long overdue sigh.
His eyes exposed the pain that was in his heart. For the past few hours, he had done nothing but listen to Zuri's song. The thing that was left behind for him to listen to. The thing that she claimed was still imperfect but really…
…His frown deepened as he straightened himself back up and placed the headphones back over his ears. He played the song again. He listened to the lyrics. He listened to her voice. He listened to her giggles.
He could feel a tear slowly trail out of his eye.
Then, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Immediately, he wiped his stray tear and took off his headphones, turning back to who had interrupted his private moment with a slightly hopeful:
"Zuri?"
Nope.
Not Zuri.
"O-Oh…" Holland looked down. "Mimi. It's you…"
He looked disappointed. Who could blame him? He was hoping that the last two days were nothing but a nightmare he was going to wake up soon in. Instead, the feeling of loneliness crept back in to taunt him with Mimi's appearance.
Mimi's… guilt-filled appearance.
"...What are you doing here?" Holland muttered, stoically.
"I um… I wanted to pay my respects to Zuri here…" Mimi pointed out.
Holland glanced at the former witch girl.
Then with a sigh, he hung the headphones over his neck as he glumly glanced back to the soundboard.
"...Don't let me stop you from doing so," Holland merely said as he prepared to place the headphones back over his ears.
All he wanted was to drown out everything and listen to her. Drown out the sounds of his woes with Zuri. He just wanted to listen to Zuri and nothing else. Zuri and—
"If you don't mind me asking…" Mimi curiously perked her head. "But what are you listening to?"
Holland sighed once again.
Mimi could tell that he was getting a little annoyed with her presence.
"A-Ah!" Mimi gulped. "C-Clearly you mind so I'll just leave you to it! I'm v-very sorry, Holland!"
She bowed her head apologetically.
Holland listened to her apology for a moment and let out another sigh. This time, the sigh was quiet.
"...I'm listening to the last thing that Zuri left me," Holland glumly stated. His eyes never wavered from the window of the Sound Booth. "A solo piece that she composed herself…"
Mimi said nothing.
Instead, she just looked away with sympathy for the game designer.
"...It was supposed to be a gift for me," Holland continued. "She kept insisting on trying to perfect it. I guess it's the musician mentality in her…"
He lightly chuckled but could feel his eyes water.
"...The kick of it all," Holland glanced down at the headphones. "If she had just let me listen to it, I would've told her it was perfect. The most beautiful song I've ever heard… That's what I would've told her…"
Mimi slowly pulled a chair to sit next to him.
"...Except, now… she's gone," Holland tugged on his sweatpants. "...She'll never know how much I liked it."
"Holland," Mimi looked down. "I'm so sorry."
"...I guess this is karma," Holland tried to make light of this. "I attempt to kill someone, and I get led on by Hope for days… until finally it's all taken away from me. Can you believe that?"
Mimi could tell between his chuckles that he didn't seriously find this funny. He was hurting. Not just on the inside but the outside too. She slowly gave Holland a hug.
"You really cared for her," Mimi said.
"...O-Of course I did," Holland's eyes began to water. "Th-The only person I've ever cared for in my entire life before I was even in this stupid Killing Game was my mom. To meet Zuri here and fall in love with her… I didn't even know I could develop feelings for someone like her…"
"Just let it out, Holland," Mimi told him. "I know how you feel. I know…"
Holland hesitated.
But the moment one tear dropped out of the sides of his eyes, streams and streams began to pour as he began to sob.
"Sh-She's really gone, isn't she?" Holland sobbed. "She's really…"
"Again, Holland," Mimi hugged him tighter. "I'm so sorry."
"Th-This is all my fault…" Holland wept.
"No, don't say that," Mimi frowned. "If anyone is at fault here, it's White Collar with his stupid rules. Please don't blame yourself."
"H-How can't I?" Holland hugged her tighter. "I… I miss her so much…"
When he said this, Mimi instantly thought back to Barracuda. Back to herself. She truly could understand what he was going through. And yet now, it was her comforting someone in need, not the other way around.
She tightened the hug to its max and tried hard not to cry herself.
"I know you do," Mimi whispered. "I know."
…
"Sweet Hope is what she called her song," Holland said as he rested his back on the couch with Mimi sitting on the other available couch.
The two shared their moment. Holland had been crying nonstop and yet Mimi remained strong enough to make sure he felt good enough to move away from the music he was obsessing over. From the distraction he was trying to bury himself in.
Right now, Holland could only stare at the ventilation with a sigh as Mimi thought about the title that he had mentioned.
"Sweet Hope?" Mimi glanced at him. "That's… such a pretty title."
"...It really is," Holland merely responded.
There was a moment of silence between the two before Holland turned to the former witch girl. He had his own moment of tears and angst and sadness. But he had to wonder about Mimi. How was she faring through all of this?
"What about you Mimi?" Holland asked. "...I think we spent a little too much time comforting me. I want to know if you're feeling okay… You changed outfits so…"
Mimi timidly nodded from the couch she was on.
"As I said yesterday," Mimi sighed. "The magic is gone. No matter how much I hoped, I thought some miracle would happen. But after Zuri… after Jared… I finally realized that the miracle was never going to happen."
It was Mimi's turn to look sad.
"Can you believe that?" Mimi frowned. "Even after Titus and Kane, even after Yuumi, even after Maggie and Barracuda… I still had Hope. Optimism…"
Holland said nothing as Mimi placed her elbow over her forehead.
"...I really am a child," Mimi noted. "Despite me saying otherwise I'm such a… weirdo…"
"...I don't think it's weird to remain optimistic," Holland said. "Remember, Zuri was optimistic too. She hoped that we would all escape someday."
Holland looked away.
"...She remained optimistic till the bitter end," Holland noted, remembering her last words to him.
"Please tell Hana, I'm sorry," Zuri made no effort to wipe her tears. "Tell my friends, I'm sorry… for everything… I really am…"
"...Even when she was about to die," Holland stared at the ceiling. "She asked me to tell her friends that she was sorry. As if she still believed that we could all escape… even without her…"
Mimi looked at Holland, taking in what he was saying.
She remembered it well too.
Zuri's last words had the strong belief that at some point, they were going to be able to escape. Escape alive and well enough that they could pass on a message to the former members of Dream Palm from Zuri.
"...So, yeah, optimism isn't weird," Holland noted. "It's nice to have it… despite being in a place so Hopeless like this…"
Mimi had to wonder for herself.
Zuri remained optimistic till the bitter end. She had her slight moment of hesitation when it came to sinning despite being arguably the nicest person in the group, but she was still a beacon of Hope for others. For her. For Holland.
Could she still remain optimistic and hopeful despite everything that had happened?
Mimi wasn't sure.
But she made sure to keep thinking about this once Holland got up from his sofa to go back to listening to the song that Zuri had made for him.
And watching him closely, Mimi could see that just hearing her voice was enough to put him at peace from his sorrows…
A peace filled with Hope and optimism…
(Cell Block S)
When Mimi left Holland to his own vices, she didn't expect to bump into Ina of all people, who looked as if she were getting ready to walk into the Ultimate Bassist's Cell. Widening her eyes, she crossed her arms. She was more or less not so happy to see her wandering about.
"Ina," Mimi frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"...I wished to pay my respects to Zuri," Ina bowed her head. "I apologize for bumping into you. I still remember what you have said so I will just…"
It pained Ina to accept that but regardless…
"I will just be heading in–" Ina was prepared to walk past Mimi but before she could, the former witch girl sighed and called her name.
"Wait, Ina," Mimi frowned.
Ina blinked, glancing back at the fairytale writer in confusion.
"...You can't go in there," Mimi said. "Holland is in there. And he needs privacy right now."
Ina blinked before sadly nodding her head.
Paying respects was going to have to wait, she figured.
"Very well," Ina nodded. "Thank you for letting me know, Mimi. I will be on my way and come back later."
Mimi sighed in annoyance.
"Look, just because I said I'm never going to forgive you doesn't mean you have to walk on eggshells around me!" Mimi pouted.
Ina blinked.
"E-Er, w-was I?" the revolutionary asked her.
"Um, yeah," Mimi said matter-of-factly. "You're practically trying to avoid me! Cut it out! It's annoying!"
"E-Er, I… apologize…" Ina nodded her head, slightly ashamed.
Mimi groaned in annoyance this time.
"And also, stop apologizing to me repeatedly," Mimi pouted. "That's also really annoying."
Ina was about to apologize for apologizing, but she realized that she couldn't do that either. So instead, she stood there awkwardly. Mimi also seemed to stand around too. Ina would've thought that she was going to go ahead and walk off but instead…
"...Mimi is everything alright?" she asked.
"Honestly, no," Mimi frowned, folding her arms. "You know that everything that happened to Jared and Zuri only happened because of you and your brother, right?"
"Half," Ina corrected before sighing and nodding her head. "Yes. I am aware. I… know I am as much to blame as my half-brother is."
Mimi said nothing, but she still listened regardless.
"...Which is why I wished to go to Zuri's Cell to apologize," Ina stated. "But…"
Mimi didn't say anything for a bit before she sighed to herself.
"Look, even if you did, it wouldn't change anything," Mimi frowned. "She's gone and Holland's suffering because of it. We all are…"
If she had her witch's hat, she'd definitely pull it down right about now to hide her eyes. She didn't even know why she was sticking around to have a conversation with Ina of all people.
Ina, on the other hand, could only look away.
"...Mimi," she began. "You told me that you will never forgive me for what I have done. I… have come to accept that. I have come to accept all the blame for these hardships..."
Mimi raised an eyebrow.
What brought this all of a sudden?
"However, I do not think you have necessarily forgiven yourself for anything," Ina stated.
Mimi widened her eyes.
Wasn't that…
"Why are you saying these things," Mimi frowned.
"Because," Arthur folded his arms with an equally disappointed frown. "My sister is under the delusion that she has to make amends with you, when in reality, the only one here who needs to make amends, is you."
"Make amends with Ina?" Mimi blinked before glaring at Arthur. "No! She killed Yuumi!"
"I meant, make amends with yourself," Arthur shook his head. "Ina has already paid for her crime. I have too. But you forget that you also caused her death too. If it hadn't been for you and Yuumi's silly drama, she probably would've been alive right now."
"Sh-Shut up!" Mimi exclaimed, face slightly turning red.
Under normal circumstances, she would've been angry that Ina would say something like that. But after everything… she was starting to wonder if maybe all this time, the Kingston's were right. No. But they couldn't be.
The Kingstons were always…
She curled up her fingers into a fist as she bit her lip.
"...I just wish to tell you that even now, you will choose not to forgive me," Ina stated. "And if that is the case, then that is okay. Again, I know I can never be forgiven."
It was the revolutionary's turn to fold her arms.
"However…" Ina continued. "I do think that after all this time, you may harbor a deep resentment with me and my half-brother… but truly, the most resentment you have is to yourself."
Ina glanced down at her with a small smile of assurance.
"So at the very least, please forgive yourself," Ina stated. "You have let the demon inside run rampant for too long now."
She hesitantly placed a hand on Mimi's shoulder. The fact that she didn't even refuse it meant that she was taking into consideration what Ina was saying. She immediately let go of her hand anyway. She didn't want to overstay her welcome after all.
She turned to leave but before she could, Mimi spoke up.
"...Zuri told me that I don't have to give you a second chance," Mimi stated. "But she also said I should at least hear you out…"
Mimi turned to Ina with barely an expression on her face.
Ina blinked before giving her a small smile.
"I have already said everything I wished to say to you," Ina told her. "So, just keep in mind about what I have said, yes?"
It was Mimi's turn to blink. The former witch girl turned away as she heard Ina's footsteps disappear. Ina was probably going to come back to the Ultimate Bassist's Cell at a later time but at the moment, Ina seemed to have made peace with the fact that she was never going to be forgiven.
And Mimi… Well, she didn't even know anymore.
She thought about Ina.
And then she thought about herself.
That demon inside her.
The deep resentment for herself. A blame so deep…
She frowned, sighed, and placed her hands over her chest with a somber look on her face…
(Ultimate Police Officer's Cell)
Cassandra found herself coming here quite a bit. It couldn't be helped. Despite everything and despite how much she would hate to admit it in public, she really missed him. The Cell still bared his colors and yet she still couldn't believe that he was gone.
And all it took was that fucking sleazebag Arthur Kingston to ruin everything…
Although Jared's body wasn't physically here or anything like that, Cassandra felt as if perhaps Jared's spirit still lived on in this Cell. She stared at the SWAT uniform and the unloaded guns on display as she thought back to her little conversation with a certain man in a Devil's mask last night…
"...What's the Kamukura Project?" she asked.
Cassandra watched as White Collar perked his head curiously toward her question. As always, she got right to business. It was enough to make the man in the Devil's mask chuckle before his mask slowly faded to seriousness. Clearly, the Kamukura Project was a project that he wasn't too happy explaining.
"And how does knowing about the Kamukura Project help you with killing Arthur Kingston?" White Collar asked.
"Well, obviously it ties into the Laboratory, right?" Cassandra folded her arms. "Not only that, but the Testing Grounds is locked and if that's where the Kamukura Project took place, then maybe it could be some weapon that could–"
"The Kamukura Project is not a weapon," White Collar shook his head.
Oh?
He was willing to talk about it.
"...First off, I wish to ask," White Collar pointed the sharp end of his cane toward Cassandra. "Is that what you truly believe the Kamukura Project to be? A weapon?"
Cassandra thought about her response carefully.
It was merely a guess on her part but based on what White Collar was insinuating and what she's heard Haruto and Holland theorize, the Kamukura Project had to be…
"Honestly, no," she shook her head. "The Kamukura Project was the very project that #66 was put in, right?"
"That is correct," White Collar confirmed.
"But what exactly were they doing to him?" Cassandra frowned. "That's what I want to know."
"...Unfortunately, to know this information will do you no good in helping you kill Arthur Kingston," White Collar stated.
"I said that if I was going to do it, I need to know all your secrets!" Cassandra folded her arms, impatiently.
"Actually, you requested secrets that could help you kill Arthur Kingston and avoid anyone who may try to stop you," White Collar pointed out. "Secrets regarding the history of this facility aren't in that specific category, I'm afraid."
Cassandra cursed under her breath.
So that was it?
She wasn't going to know squat about the Kamukura Project?
"Besides," White Collar chuckled. "I believe once you put your mind to it, you'll understand exactly what the Kamukura Project's true purpose was. Just know though… that the Kamukura Project was also a mistake."
Cassandra tensed up as the Devil pointed his cane toward her chin.
"...A mistake that cost the lives of 65 prisoners here at St. Esther's…" White Collar stated seriously.
Cassandra said nothing in regards to that before White Collar leaned against his cane.
"Now then, as for the other things regarding ways to kill Arthur Kingston," White Collar placed a finger over his mask's grin to symbolize silence. "I know of a way. But remember… keep this between us."
Cassandra was admittedly disappointed that she didn't get as much information about the Kamukura Project, but whatever White Collar was going to reveal next was probably going to be much more useful. She nodded and paid attention to what he was about to tell her next...
"Oi."
Cassandra found herself snapped out of her own thoughts and memories as she quickly turned to see Haruto, Ultimate Cockblocker of Useful Information, standing behind her. She didn't expect him to be here of all places. However, Haruto definitely expected her to be here.
After all, he knew.
"...Thought you'd be in here," Haruto rubbed the back of his neck.
"What," Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "You were looking for me? Why?"
"Just call it… making amends for all the shit I did in Cell Block S," Haruto folded his arms.
Cassandra folded her arms as she glared at Haruto for what he was referring to. In fact, just the fact that he was here, alive and well even though he was part of the reason Jared ended up fucked up like that… Part of the reason why she never even got to…
"And you making amends is just being in the same room as me?" Cassandra scoffed. "Gee, thanks."
"I'm not making amends for you," Haruto frowned at her.
Cassandra blinked before realizing who exactly he meant. Well, great. Now yet another reminder of what she was already feeling bad about. She clenched her fist.
"As if you even deserve to make amends for him," Cassandra glared at him.
Haruto examined her carefully, making sure to keep note of how she was acting in this instance.
"Like, how fucking dare you," Cassandra stomped up to him as she got up to his face with a furious glare. "You think you can come to me and say shit like that after you fucking got his entire body messed up?! All just to hide your guilty ass…"
Cassandra felt her face heat up out of anger. Her eyes started to water. Oh. Not again…
"Seriously, fuck you Haruto!" Cassandra yelled. "Fuck you!"
Haruto said nothing. He decided to let her yell at him. He knew he made a mistake and he knew she was right to be mad, despite it being Cassandra. But most of all, he also wanted to know… Know if…
Haruto held his hands up, allowing her to go hit him or do whatever to him, but she didn't take the offer. So instead, Haruto opened his mouth to speak.
"Wow," Haruto began. "Just wow."
"Oh, so now you're taunting me?!" Cassandra turned to Haruto with clenched teeth and a glare.
"No, no, I'm not," Haruto shook his head. "It just surprised me. The way you're acting. I mean, I figured it out from the start but now I know for sure."
Cassandra shrunk back as she glanced away.
She didn't need to act all emotionally weak in front of someone else again. Especially not the bastard who fucking defiled his body like that…
"...He really did mean a lot to you," Haruto put his hands down. "That's not something I thought I would've seen from you of all people. You didn't give a shit about anyone but you did about Jared…"
"Fuck your sweet talk, Haruto!" Cassandra glared at him. "Why the fuck are you really here?!"
Haruto remained silent.
Maybe this was the right time now. If she really did care about Jared, then she would also know what Jared stood for, right? No. She did know. She knew all too well who Jared was and why he did what he did. He remembered her contribution to the Trial…
"...No, that doesn't make any fucking sense," Cassandra shook her head, slightly aching from that dreadful memory. "Jared killed someone just to leave. It's… not like him at all."
"Oh?" Arthur raised an eyebrow before smirking. "I didn't expect to hear that from Cassandra of all people."
"Besides, there is a lot of shit that Jared did that we could consider 'not like him at all'," Haruto deadpanned.
"Yeah, but the thing is, Jared was someone who wanted to save lives right?" Cassandra frowned. "I mean, the only person he would ever want to kill was White Collar. And all of a sudden, he wants to go and kill one of us? That makes no fucking sense."
"...Jared told me something," Haruto folded his arms. "I… don't think he meant to spill out your little secret but putting the pieces together, I figured everything out."
"H-He… did?" Cassandra widened her eyes, backing away slightly.
"Not intentionally," Haruto shook his head. "The bastard wasn't being too discreet about what he was so damn moody about."
Cassandra didn't say anything. Instead, her heart started to race. Did Haruto know?
"...So yeah, I know," Haruto confirmed. "You're working with White Collar, aren't you?"
"You fuck," Cassandra gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. She hurried off but Haruto grabbed her arm.
"Nuh-uh, you ain't going anywhere until you fucking explain to me," Haruto frowned. "I know Jared meant a lot to you. You've probably been coming here to cry your eyes out after everything that happened to him. Which means that you can't still be working with White Collar… Right?"
Cassandra tried to wrestle herself out of his grip, but the more she tried to loosen herself, Haruto kept a firm grasp on her. She cursed to herself. Jared. You idiot. Because of you, now Haruto knows! Now…
…
She stopped struggling as her face turned sour.
"S-So what if I am?" Cassandra glared at him. "I'm only doing it to survive. Because I'm Cassandra Mura, the selfish bitch who does whatever to get what she wants. That's all I am–"
SLAP!
Cassandra widened her eyes as she felt her cheek. Did Haruto just slap her?
"Get a fucking ahold of yourself," Haruto glared at her. "You still serious about pulling that card? You may be a bitch. You may do some seriously fucked up things. But if you're coming here because you feel guilty, then you're not entirely fucking selfish either."
Haruto let go of Cassandra, who was still reeling in shock at what Haruto had just done to her. She rubbed her cheek and noticed that her wrist was equally as red.
"So, fucking tell me what the hell is going on between you and White Collar," Haruto frowned. "Were you really working with him this entire time?"
Cassandra looked away.
Despite being free to just leave, for some reason, she stayed. She avoided looking at Haruto, but she still stayed as she thought about what she could even say. What would even happen if she just went out and admitted it…?
"...Not the entire time," Cassandra revealed. "Just… after the third Trial. After Barracuda was executed for killing Carter…"
Haruto folded his arms as he allowed her to speak.
"...I was supposed to be locked up in #66 but…" Cassandra began.
"White Collar freed ya cause of the gas," Haruto rubbed the back of his neck.
"No," Cassandra shook her head. "Jared didn't even lock me up. He just let me go."
"H-He what?" Haruto widened his eyes.
That was news to him!
"Yeah, Jared had a plan," Cassandra frowned. "That he… trusted me with. His original plan was to kill White Collar. If that didn't work and he died, I was the fallback plan to finish the job…"
"That…" Haruto blinked. More context to Jared's crazy moment at the Auditorium, huh? "...That crazy bastard really asked you to…"
"Yeah, but he should've known I was never going to do it in the first place," Cassandra looked a little somber as she thought about the idiot that was Jared Caertas. "So, I betrayed him. In my selfish attempt to survive, I made a deal with White Collar…"
Haruto raised an eyebrow.
"Deal?" he asked. "What deal?"
Cassandra glanced away. She was a little hesitant. Last time she told her deal, Jared went ahead and killed himself. What would happen this time?
"...If I killed Arthur Kingston, I would get to leave the game in a fixed Trial," Cassandra stated. "That was the condition of our deal."
"...What the fuck," Haruto muttered as he glanced up toward the camera that was watching them. He grew a little nervous. Was it really okay for her to just be spilling stuff like this to him?
Haruto cracked his knuckles.
"I… I don't get why you would go through with that," Haruto frowned, continuing anyway. "I mean, it would've been easier to just kill White Collar, right? It sounded like you were close enough to do it."
"Hah," Cassandra scoffed before glancing at Haruto with that same condescending look, she gave everyone. "That's where you and everyone else don't understand."
The basketball player blinked.
"Do you really think that killing White Collar would just end everything?" Cassandra asked. "There's still Monohebi to worry about, and right now, she's fucking pissed at me for her own insane reasons. Not only that, but if they killed White Collar, they would just replace him anyway."
"I'm sorry, 'they'?" Haruto blinked.
"What," Cassandra frowned. "Do you really think that one man and a robotic snake can kidnap 16 high school students and throw them in jail and then execute everyone with insane execution systems? Not only that, but you also really think one man and a snake can refurbish an entire three-floor prison complex?"
The more Cassandra kept saying it, the more Haruto realized she made an excellent point.
"So, you're saying…" Haruto was about to say before Cassandra confirmed it with a nod.
"Yeah, there are outside forces that are in control of this game," Cassandra stated. "Not only that, but apparently White Collar has been breaking a ton of rules for our deal to happen. The bastard really wants Arthur dead for some reason."
"So, even White Collar has rules to follow," Haruto folded his arms before realizing something. "Wait, but then, if that's the case, we can just expose those rules and then the game should be stopped right?"
"Yeah, right," Cassandra folded her arms. "Even if we could, everything I just said is conjecture. I don't have exact proof of anything. It makes sense that White Collar would have outside forces helping him but do we even know how they operate? Do we even know that they'll just end the Killing Game if White Collar is exposed? For all we know, they might just kill everyone and start over again. There's a lot to gamble with here."
She sighed bitterly as Haruto looked at her with slight sympathy.
"...If Jared was still alive, he would probably know what to do," she turned around and murmured to herself.
Haruto put into thought everything that Cassandra had told him. This was all information that he didn't even expect for her to just dump on him. In fact, it made him curious…
"Why tell me this?" he asked. "From the sounds of it, it doesn't even sound like you're planning on taking the deal to kill Arthur."
Cassandra scoffed and turned back to face the basketball player.
"...No, I am," she frowned. "The only reason I'm telling you this is because at least I'll be giving you a fighting chance to do whatever you want to survive. My chance to survive is to kill Arthur Kingston and leave. Once I leave, I'm out. That's it. You won't hear from me again and I'll be back home to take care of my dad…"
Giving them a fighting chance?
Was that really Cassandra's plan?
Why did he feel like she was hiding more things from them?
"...You're not going to tell anyone about this conversation, are you?" Cassandra raised an eyebrow toward Haruto.
Haruto thought about this question. He had this question on the back of his mind in fact. But before he could word a response…
"Attention all prisoners," came the voice of one Monohebi. "Please report to the Auditorium for a special announcement from your warden and my master, White Collar. Attendance is mandatory. That is all. See you soon."
"That fucking snake has bad fucking timing," Haruto gritted his teeth.
"Yeah, no shit," Cassandra mumbled before brushing past him.
The chance to leave this room and Haruto was way overdue. She just wanted to get whatever the snake had to announce over with, leaving Haruto behind to glance back at the room that reminded him of Jared.
Jared.
The police officer that he…
He clenched his fist.
"...Don't worry Jared," he mumbled to himself. "I'll make it up to you. I'll do it. For you…"
Then, he hurried off and raced off behind Cassandra.
(Auditorium)
Yet another early announcement for the seven remaining prisoners to react to.
Almost immediately, all seven of them had stopped what they were doing and met up with anxious and irritated looks on their faces. It looks like White Collar had once again prepared something for them to get them to try to kill each other.
God.
It was so annoying.
In fact, as soon as the remaining prisoners arrived, each of them, except Cassandra, gave White Collar dirty looks for what he had in store for them today. Holland was of course the most scornful, his eyes glaring toward him as he kept his mouth shut.
Yet, despite being the most reactive to his presence, Holland allowed Arthur to speak on everyone's behalf. The snowboarder stepped forward with an icy glance.
"So, you have yet another Minigame planned for us today, do you?" Arthur questioned. "Another Minigame that we will have to play everyday, yes?"
"Oh?" White Collar chuckled to himself. "What makes you say that Mister Kingston?"
"We had just received information about the new rooms," Ina sighed. "And yet you refuse to give us a break from this tiring game."
"Yeah, besides, the last time you made us come over early, we had that Traitor Minigame bullshit," Haruto grumbled. "So how about you cut the shit and just get on with it, alright?"
White Collar's mask grinned as he pointed his cane toward his subjects.
"How insightful of you all to notice," White Collar mused. "If only you were as insightful with your sins as you are now… Keh. What a pity."
"This would go a lot easier if you just went ahead and told us," Abigail frowned.
"And if I did, what would happen?" White Collar perked his head. "The purpose of this Killing Game is for you to rediscover your sins, not give you the answers. A hero's journey must always be fulfilled by the hero themselves, never the side characters, don't you think?"
"Did he just call himself a side character?" Mimi blinked.
"...Enough," Holland never took off his hateful look away from the man in the Devil's mask. "Just… get on with it. What do you have in store for us this time?"
"Hmph, very well," White Collar's mask grinned as he placed his cane down in front of him. "I shall now announce today's Mini–"
"Pardon the interruption, Master."
White Collar found himself interrupted by a snake who just so happened to be tardy for some reason today. She slithered toward him, flicking her tongue out as she coiled herself next to White Collar with glinting jagged eyes.
"Monohebi?" White Collar glanced at the snake, confused. He pointed the sharp end of his cane toward the snake. "What is the meaning of this? Did you forget to bring the slides required to explain the rules today?"
"...No," Monohebi shook her head. "Not at all Master. It's just that…"
Monohebi slithered forward and immediately her eyes darted toward Cassandra, causing her to tense up. She hissed and bared her fangs as her jagged red eyes started to flash a hideously blood red coloration.
"...I'm afraid we will have to replace today's motive with something more pressing," Monohebi declared. "After all, there is a traitor amongst this group of prisoners that needs to be terminated…"
Cassandra took a step back, widening her eyes.
Haruto folded his arms, eyeing her carefully.
"...Monohebi," White Collar seemed surprised by this revelation. He pointed the sharp end of his cane toward her cane, but his mask seemed to be sweating. "What… are you doing?"
"...What I need to, my Master," Monohebi assured him. "This is for your own good…"
"Hold on, there's a traitor among us?" Abigail blinked. "Like, actually a traitor? Not anything like the last Minigame mumbo-jumbo, right?"
"Impossible," Arthur scoffed. "There has been no hint of a traitor throughout this entire game. How can there be a traitor now?"
"More importantly, who is this traitor?" Ina asked.
"...Why don't you ask Mister Walker?" Monohebi perked her head. "After all, he seems to have found out just a few minutes ago..."
Cassandra tensed up again as Haruto found himself surprised that he was being put in the hot seat.
"H-Huh?" Haruto blinked. "O-Oh… Uh… Well…"
Abigail raised an eyebrow at this. There was a traitor among them, Haruto had an idea, and yet he wasn't telling them. Why? Who could it– She widened her eyes in realization before looking a little annoyed.
"...It's Cassandra," Abigail deduced, turning to the scam artist. "Isn't it?"
Cassandra started to sweat.
Fuck.
What the hell was going on? Was this… Was she being betrayed? She glanced over to White Collar but noticed that he too was taken aback by this news. Fuck. That means that… That fucking snake.
Fuck.
She was ruining everything!
"Cassandra is the traitor?" Mimi widened her eyes before looking slightly indifferent. "Wait… that doesn't really surprise me."
"L-Like hell I'm the traitor!" Cassandra argued. "That snake is just trying to start some shit!"
"Fortunately, I am not," Monohebi shook her head.
"...Monohebi," White Collar snapped out of his confused and shocked state. Now, his mask looked downright angry. "...I suggest you quit your cruel, cruel joke. Otherwise, I may have to shut you down…"
"I am afraid that won't be a wise decision, Master," Monohebi shook her head. "Cassandra Mura is in fact the traitor working with me to make sure the Killing Game runs smoothly."
"W-What?" White Collar was taken aback by what she was saying.
"W-What?!" Cassandra looked both shocked and pissed at what she was being accused of. She was a traitor but a traitor working with Monohebi?! Bitch, please!
"Miss Mura came to me at the end of the first Prison Trial for a proposition," Monohebi began. "A rather interesting deal. If she could find a way to kill Arthur Kingston, she gets to leave scot-free in a fixed Trial."
"W-What?" Arthur blinked.
"H-Huh?" Ina was surprised by this as well.
Why did his name come up?
"Okay, but how the fuck do we know you're just not pulling shit out of your ass just to get us to turn on the bitch?" Haruto was unconvinced by all this. He just had this conversation with Cassandra after all. Already, there was an inconsistency with Monohebi's story.
"...Just think back to everything that has occurred in this Killing Game," Monohebi flicked her tongue out. "Mister Kingston."
She turned to him first.
Naturally, Arthur tensed up upon hearing her voice call out to him.
"Y-Yes?" he responded.
"...You came to me about a problem with last Round's motive, did you not?" Monohebi questioned.
"So, you had a question about your status?" Monohebi stayed coiled as she stared straight up toward the snowboarder. Despite being a relatively big snake, she was still short and only reached Arthur's waist.
Also didn't help that Arthur was 6'6 but–
"Yes," Arthur nodded. "My eHandbook seems to have some trouble showcasing my status."
"What do you mean?" Monohebi asked.
"Well, I can't quite tell what my status is…" Arthur gestured his eHandbook to Monohebi, as if he were asking if he could show his eHandbook to her. "I've asked but I'm not sure if it's the truth or not…"
"I did…" Arthur nodded his head.
"...That was all Miss Mura's doing," Monohebi stated. "Using her Ultimate Talent, she hacked into your motive to make sure it was faulty. There would have been no way for you to win had you attempted to murder someone and anyone who murdered you would get to leave scot-free."
Arthur said nothing.
Despite it being Cassandra, he still couldn't believe this. Was this really true? Part of him really thought that Monohebi was lying out of her scaly ass but at the same time, it did sound like something Cassandra would probably do.
"You bitch!" Cassandra yelled. "I'm the Ultimate Scam Artist! Not the Ultimate Hacker! There's no way I can do something as complicated as that!"
"Do not forget, there is also the matter of Miss LaDroubi's death," Monohebi pointed out.
"I may have taken a life, but at the same time, I did it for a worthy and selfish cause," Cassandra explained.
"How is killing Maggie a worthy cause?" Abigail frowned.
"Why should I tell you?" Cassandra stretched out her limbs. "I have my own reasons for doing what I do. It's not my place to say anything and have you judge me for it. So yeah, make me an outcast. Kick me out of your friendship group. Lock me up. Whatever the case is, one thing is for certain... I'm surviving this Killing Game. Whether you guys like it or not."
"What was that worthy and selfish cause?" Monohebi questioned. "Simply put, Miss LaDroubi found out about something she shouldn't have and to make sure she didn't tell anyone, Miss Mura killed her. And with our deal, there was no doubt Miss Mura would've acted quite cocky and confident about her chances of surviving this Killing Game."
"Th-This is bullshit!" Cassandra desperately stated, turning to her peers. "You can't honestly buy this shit story, can you?!"
She was met with no responses.
Everything Monohebi had said made sense. Why else would she constantly declare herself a survivor of this Killing Game? Why else would Cassandra act like she usually did? It had to be because Monohebi was telling the truth. Because she had Monohebi backing her up this entire time…
…Or at least that was the thought process of some of the prisoners here.
Some were more skeptical.
"...So, if Cassandra was working with you this entire time…" Holland frowned, speaking up for the first time since this announcement began. "...Then why sell her out now? Why tell us everything? Did you just betray her just to get us to kill her or…?"
"Betrayal?" Monohebi perked her head before shaking her head. "Oh. No, no, no. I wouldn't consider this betrayal. Perhaps it is more fitting to call this karmic retribution."
"Karmic retribution?" Ina raised an eyebrow.
"Simply put…" Monohebi leaned forward, her jagged eyes glinting like mad as she bared her fangs in anger. "...Miss Mura betrayed me first. As such, she has broken her deal, and she has to be punished. Unfortunately, I cannot be the one to punish her. So, I thought…"
Monohebi's jagged eyes glanced at the prisoners' with a sinister aura.
"...Why not let you prisoners decide her fate?" Monohebi started to chuckle, which was something that none of the prisoner's had really heard before. "Hmhmhm…"
It was oddly unsettling…
"What has she ever done for you all except cause you trouble?" Monohebi declared, her jagged eyes going wild. "Miss Mura is a sinner who has already killed one of your own and someone else got executed in her place! And for a long time, she has plotted to end the life of another one! Does a prisoner like that truly deserve to live?!"
"I… I…" Cassandra's face went pale.
"So, what exactly is the motive this time, then?" Ina turned to Monohebi with a frown.
"Simple," Monohebi flicked her tongue out. "I'll give you the same deal that Miss Mura received, only better. Whoever kills her gets to leave scot-free. That's it."
"M-Monohebi…" White Collar tightened his grip on his cane. "You are going too far. If they catch wind of this, you will be terminated…"
"As long as it isn't you… Master," Monohebi turned to White Collar with a more content face.
White Collar's mask only looked more agitated.
"H-How many times do I need to tell you?" White Collar grumbled. "Do not call me Master…"
Upon hearing what the motive was, Cassandra's heart started to race. She turned to her peers, who all gazed back at her in suspicion.
"P-Please, you guys, that's not true!" Cassandra exclaimed. "None of this is fucking true! This snake is just spouting a bunch of lies! The only reason she's doing this is because she's fucking jealous that I've been–"
"Enough," Monohebi hissed. "You silly skank. I warned you."
"...Yeah, well who the fuck cares what you think," Cassandra hatefully stared at the snake. "I was promised a fucking way out of this Killing Game to see my dad in the hospital. You seriously think I'm going to pass up that opportunity because a little pet told me not to?"
"Miss Mura…" Monohebi's eyes glinted dangerously.
"No, don't 'Miss Mura' me!" Cassandra argued. "I have a fucking deal with White Collar. I'm going to kill Arthur Kingston, leave this Killing Game, and go back to my lesser shitty life!"
"You... selfish skank…" Monohebi hissed. "You will regret this…"
"I told you what would happen if you betrayed me and now look at you…" Monohebi spouted. "Begging for others to believe you. How pathetic."
"You fucking bitch!" Cassandra screamed. "I'll fucking kill you!"
"Not if your peers don't kill you first," Monohebi flicked her tongue out toward her, mockingly. "Because as far as I am concerned, you have outlived your usefulness."
"D-Do you even hear this?!" Cassandra turned to the other prisoners. "It's obvious I'm being set up here! Y-You can't believe that what this bitch of a snake is saying is true! R-Right?!"
She examined each and every single one of their looks.
Neither Arthur nor Ina was happy with the fact that she'd been supposedly targeting the older Kingston for a while. Abigail and Mimi glared at her for obvious reasons. Holland and Haruto were practically the only ones who remained skeptical about all this, both for different reasons.
"...You killed Maggie," Mimi clenched her fist, clearly unhappy by these false revelations. "You killed Maggie because she found out about your deal? You… You deserve to be alone…"
"I can think of many reasons why you would target my half-brother," Ina folded her arms. "...But he is still my half-brother. Please stay away from him from now on."
"Ah… Ina," Arthur was taken aback by her sudden protection.
"Yeah, none of this really surprises me," Abigail frowned, crossing her arms. "Of course, someone like you would make a deal with Monohebi."
Cassandra turned to Holland and Haruto, the two who looked skeptical about all this.
"C-Come on," Cassandra started to beg. "Y-You two believe that this is all bullshit, right?"
Haruto was the first to respond. And by respond, I mean he was just struggling to formulate words due to how sudden this was dropped on them.
"I… uh… hmm…" Haruto looked down, slightly unsure on what to believe anymore.
Cassandra dropped her side of the story. Now Monohebi. He was more inclined to trust Cassandra over the damn snake but at the same time, the snake cited the source and made her claim much more credible...
Holland was next, who could only sigh.
"...All of this seems fishy," Holland merely stated.
"Y-Yes!" Cassandra looked happy to hear that. "F-Finally, someone who–"
"...But at the same time," Holland flipped his hoodie over his head. "Just knowing that you might have also been part of the reason why Zuri's gone…"
Holland turned to Cassandra with coldness in his eyes.
"...It pisses me off the more I think about it," he stated.
"N-No," Cassandra shook her head. "I… I had nothing to do with that. I had nothing to do with any of this! I didn't make a deal with Monohebi! I didn't make a deal with her at all! Aghhhhh…"
She clutched her head.
…
Then she ran out of the Auditorium, leaving behind six prisoners who were unsure on what to think about this new revelation. Six prisoners who were now stuck with a very quiet Devil and a content snake who seemed proud of what she had just done.
"Your survivor of the Killing Game, everyone," Monohebi mocked. "Truly, someone we can admire…"
"Monohebi…" White Collar spoke up.
"...Master?" Monohebi turned to the rather irritated looking man in the Devil's mask.
"You," White Collar pointed to her. If he could manifest fire, he'd be manifesting it all over the stage right about now. "Me. Alone. My office. Now."
"...Of course, Master," Monohebi bowed her head.
White Collar didn't even acknowledge the prisoners. In fact, it seemed that whatever he truly did have planned for them was canceled. Replaced by this new motive that just came out of nowhere. Kill Cassandra and leave the game for free? Or let her potentially kill Arthur Kingston and leave.
That was the gambit that the six prisoners were left with.
…
"So, what now?" Mimi timidly asked her fellow prisoners.
A good question to something they weren't sure how they might handle. What was Cassandra going to do now…?
"...What were you thinking?"
The room has never felt as red as it did. The blood-colored room felt bloodier. The fireplace felt warmer and hotter for someone who was supposed to be a cold-blooded creature. And sweet Master White Collar looked much angrier than he usually was.
"Monohebi, I warned you, time and time again," White Collar growled toward the obedient snake, who today, was very disobedient.
In fact, Monohebi had kept her head down and said nothing, allowing White Collar to berate her however much he needed to.
"...You have disobeyed me for the last time," White Collar told her, his face much more ghoulish than it normally was. "You have gotten in between my deal with Miss Mura. You have gotten in the way of what I have planned with her… And not only that, but you also exposed the deal, the very rule that I have broken to get what I want. I warned you what will happen if you continue to do so and yet…"
White Collar pointed the sharp end of his cane toward her throat.
"...You betrayed me Monohebi," White Collar glared at her. "You were supposed to be loyal to me and yet you betrayed me…"
"...Are you going to shut me down, Master?" she questioned.
"I told you, do not call me–" White Collar was about to say before Monohebi interrupted him.
"...I know what I have done is unforgivable," Monohebi stated. "I know how badly you wanted Mister Kingston to perish. However, please note that everything I had done today was for your own sake."
Monohebi looked back up toward her Master, who decided to give her a chance to explain.
"If you had continued your dealings with Miss Mura, they would have stopped what you were doing long before you could even get close to killing Mister Kingston," Monohebi explained. "I simply delayed the inevitable and bought you more time."
"...What are you talking about?" White Collar grumbled behind his mask. "They shouldn't know... I was careful."
"They know, Master," Monohebi warned him. "They do know. That is why I chose to do this today."
Monohebi bowed her head obediently toward White Collar.
"I had this all thought out from the very beginning," Monohebi assured him. "Today's announcement will confirm that I was the one responsible for this deal. I will be the one they will terminate, as I have broken my own set of rules. And as such, you will get extra time to achieve your goal."
White Collar slowly lowered his cane.
"...Why?" White Collar held onto his cane tightly. "...You are willing to get terminated in my place. Why?"
Monohebi glanced up toward him.
"...Isn't it obvious?" Monohebi perked her head. "I am Monohebi. My purpose is to serve. To obey every command. To live for you, my Master. I will never leave your side until you have no more use for me."
White Collar said nothing.
"That was my promise to you, Master," Monohebi stated. "...So how could I possibly live knowing you will be terminated if you continue to do dealings with Miss Mura?"
She slithered up closer to him before slowly trailing up his body and resting her head on his shoulder.
"...You gave me a purpose to live," Monohebi told him. "Now, I repay the favor…"
White Collar felt his partner cuddle up to the chin of his mask. All throughout everything he said nothing, but his hands began to shake as he held onto his cane tightly. His mask was noticeably sad.
"Can't imagine you saying that to a snake that cooks and kills for you," Cassandra folded her arms, rolling her eyes. "You know most people out in the black market would kill for a pet like yours?"
Monohebi flicked her tongue hatefully.
"...Yes, they would, wouldn't they?" White Collar stifled a chuckle. "To have a loyal pet that does whatever you command them to do. You say jump, they ask, 'how high', 'how much', and 'how far'. That level of power is something the common man would certainly find greed over. But that's just the problem. That's the problem with Monohebi here. She's too loyal."
"Krk…" White Collar grunted behind his mask as he placed his hand over Monohebi's neck. He felt her scaly body but also paid close attention to her voice. He struggled to speak slightly. Almost as if he were hesitating…
"...Are you going to shut me down, Master?" Monohebi repeated her earlier question.
White Collar said nothing and placed his hand down.
"...How long do we have until they arrive?" he asked.
Monohebi blinked in surprise before thinking to herself.
"...According to my estimated calculations," Monohebi began. "We have approximately three days. Tomorrow, they will find out about what I have revealed today. And then they will take two days to travel here to personally dispose of me…"
White Collar clenched his fist.
"Prepare the last box," White Collar instructed. "We have no time to waste."
"...You will not shut me down?" Monohebi blinked. She seemed a little happier to hear that. "You really do care about me, Master!"
Monohebi coiled up to him, acting as his makeshift scarf and cuddling him.
"...I promised you something too, Monohebi," White Collar stated.
Monohebi blinked, perking her head and glancing up to his chin curiously.
"W-What is it, Master?" Monohebi questioned.
"...That once we eliminate the sinners, we would watch the world burn as we ascend into the heavens above," White Collar stated. "I still hope to do that with you before your termination…"
"M-Master," Monohebi gasped.
Monohebi looked at him bashfully before flicking her tongue out with a slight look.
"...What about Miss Mura?" Monohebi questioned.
"What about her?" White Collar replied.
"...You will not dabble with her and her silly deal again, will you?" she asked.
White Collar chuckled to himself as he caressed Monohebi underneath her chin.
"On the contrary," White Collar began. "I think she already has everything she needs from me. Based on her conversation with Mister Walker, she seems to have already told him and has resolved herself to doing the deed. Combined with the fact that you have backed her in the corner like an animal, and then I think all that is left for us to do is supply them with the necessary materials."
White Collar's mask started to grin.
The man himself started to chuckle.
And his own jagged eyes started to glint as he finally finished his sentence.
"And wait…"
(Cassandra's Room)
This couldn't be happening.
This seriously couldn't be happening right now.
Cassandra ran her fingers through her hair in frustration and fear. She couldn't believe that just happened. Monohebi's announcement today was literally her just ousting her plans. Everything was crashing down. What the fuck was she going to do now?
She paced back and forth.
Back and forth.
Her heartbeat heavily.
Why?
That damn snake.
That damn snake was fucking ruining everything!
God...
Fucking...
Damn it!
...
Cassandra fell back on her bed. Her mind was flooded with all sorts of thoughts. All sorts of solutions that she wasn't even sure was going to work. Could she even talk to White Collar again? Did Monohebi just... win in that regard? She clenched her fist. If only Jared was here...
She grimaced.
...He would know what to do.
Knock knock
W-Was that a knock?
Cassandra remained still on her bed. She slowly got up. She walked over to her door and peeked through the peephole. Then, suddenly, she widened her eyes. What the hell? Why is-
DANGANRONPA: CORRUPTED HOPE
Daily Life Part 2 for Chapter 5! Holy crap! I gotta leave in 30 minutes for my flight and well-deserved three-week break! So, enjoy this chapter and let me know how you enjoyed it! Things went crazy super quickly which is very expected cause we're practically in endgame territory :D
Some updates! Trial Part 1 seems to be complete! It just needs to be heavily edited, and Trial Part 2 needs to get started on pronto! Also trying to work on Chapter 6 as well... But as for more exciting news... I have made a ton of plans and progress with the sequel! Danganronpa: Twisted Tragedy's application is soon to open on January 2nd, so if you're interested, get ready for that! :D Exciting stuff is happening!
That's all I really have to say about this Chapter! Some plot lines are concluding and God, I literally cannot wait to be done with this fic and reveal stuff :D Ahhhh man! Finishing this fic can't come sooner!
As always, leave me a like, review, and just let me know overall what you thought about this chapter! And see you in about... 3-4 weeks :D Break time!
Prisoners Remaining: 7
Abigail Ellsworth - The Ultimate Equestrian (oddlyillregular) [1,000,000]
Arthur Kingston - The Ultimate Snowboarder (SinWriter7) [0]
Cassandra Mura - The Ultimate Scam Artist (ExtraMeme) [500,000]
Haruto Walker - The Ultimate Former Basketball Player (theotakureader101) [0]
Holland Delaney - The Ultimate Game Designer (Sempi) [1,000,000]
Ina (Hamamura) Kingston - The Ultimate Revolutionary (VividIsSleeping) [0]
Mimi Kazoo - The Ultimate Fairytale Writer (Idraegan) [0]
