Hello readers and welcome to my new chapter. So, first off, sorry for taking so long. Was busy with my own exams for the summer semester, along with a few other things. Couldn't focus on writing period because of those things. I finished those exams now, so here I am.
So, this chapter will finally wrap up the trial. I hope you guys enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa.
Questions from last chapter's reviews:
Q: What were your favourite and least favourite executions from the games?
L: In DR1, favourite would have to be Leon's because that was the very first execution in the game (unless you count Mukuro's as one) and man, the sheer brutality of it was definitely a shocker. Least favourite Alter-ego because there wasn't the same kind of dread that everyone else had. In DR2, favourite would go to Gundam and his chuunibyou execution, and least favourite goes to Teruteru. I actually feel like SDR2's executions were weaker than the first but that's just me. Favourite execution in V3 goes to both Gonta and Kirumi's. Gonta's was downright terrifying if you picture that in real life, and Kirumi's felt like actual despair since she was my favourite character going into V3. If I could cheat and mention unused executions though, I think Sayaka's execution is pretty unique alongside Byakuya's.
S: DR1, favorite is also Leon's execution, also because of how brutal it is compared to the others. Least favorite would be Junko's, due to how... outlandish, the entire execution was. DR2, favorite would be Peko's, mainly because of the buildup and it felt the most brutal out of the five. Least favorite, Mikan's. Favorite of DRV3 would be Kaede's, which amped up the brutality of the executions. Don't have a least favorite, but if I would have to choose, I would see Korekiyo's. Just feel like the weaker link of the five.
Q: Why do I get the feeling that Chisa is your least favourite death in DR3?
L: I'm not sure who this is directed to, but not going to lie, her death was definitely near the bottom until A) I found out how all the other deaths were handled, and B) I learned of Chisa's role in everything.
S: Eh, it's not my favorite, but I don't think I would call it my least favorite.
Chapter 63: Watching Ch 3: NGL! STGH! Part 22
Silence engulfed the room at what had just transpired. In a pure moment of shock, no one was able to act as the luckster simply fell the the ground..
Leon and Hiro were frozen half way up from their seats in shock. Hina and Sayaka shed tears of fear as they couldn't even bring themselves to move. Byakuya and Kyoko wore angry expressions as they capable of reacting in time. Jill also stayed oddly docile behind Byakuya.
Mukuro stood beside Mondo with her arms still on him, stunned at the fact that Mondo still broke through, while Sakura held him from the other side with only a grim look on her face. Said biker, however, also froze as he also registered what he just did. Taeko for once, was speechless as she watched Makoto slump to the ground before her.
As the moment of shock slowly fades, Makoto placed his hand on the floor and slowly pushed himself up with a pained groan. His balance was off and was clearly disoriented, but he still managed to stand up. Makoto raised a hand to the burning spot on his face, wincing as his fingers brushed his swollen cheeks. Shaking off the pain, he looked forward to face Mondo, finally able to gather his thoughts.
"So… are you okay now, Mondo…?" Makoto asked him softly, hoping his voice isn't wavering. "Have you calm down enough?"
Mondo could only stare at Makoto incredulously, as if he isn't believing what he's saying. "If not, then… you can punch me again." The luckster offered, tensing. "I think… I can maybe take another one. Just… don't do anything you will regret later, please."
Mondo couldn't say anything. The luckster continued facing him, though he was still swaying, he managed to stand his ground. Finally, after a tense moment, the biker finally caved in, causing the chains to let go of him. Sakura, sensing that he won't try to attack Celeste, let go of him, with the arm merely going limp.
Makoto sighed in relief before falling to the floor once more as his legs gave out. "MAKOTO!" Immediately, Hina and Sayaka immediately ran over to his side, while Taeko got off the recliner and kneeled towards him. Kyoko stood up, observing the scene, but ready to offer her hand if needed.
Mondo let out a mix of a sigh and a growl, drawing a fearful flinch from Taeko, before turning away. However, he was met with an absolute murderous gaze from Mukuro. Her eyes caused the biker to freeze for a second, especially when he now suddenly felt the glares from both Sayaka, Hina, and Kyoko around him as well.
Before anything could be done, however, Makoto weakly spoke up. "Please don't get into any fights…" He pleaded, sitting himself up and silently grabbing Taeko's hand. "Let's just… finish this up."
The girls wanted to protest, wanted to argue, but they fell silent at his pleading stare. All of them reluctantly agreed, though Mukuro kept her eyes on him just in case. Kyoko sat back down, while Sayaka, Hina, and Taeko helped Makoto up. When Mondo settled back down into his seat reluctantly, Sakura and Mukuro finally moved back to their own.
Mondo got between Taka and Chihiro once again, both of whom looked shaken. The latter fought hard not to flinch or move away from his friend, but he still couldn't help but feel frightened, and curled himself into a protective ball.
Once everyone was back in their seats, Makoto turned to Spirit. "Let's continue, Spirit." He said with a weak voice.
"Do you want me to heal your face, first?" Spirit offered, pointing at the large bruise. "That's a nasty looking bruise there."
"No, it's alright." Makoto dismissed, trying not to wince in pain for each word that passed through his lips. "It'll heal on its own. Besides, I've gotten worse."
"If you say so." With that, Spirit held the remote up and unpaused the TV.
"Wait, please!" Flashback Celeste quickly spoke up, before Hifumi could do anything. "If you go now, you will be playing right into his hands!"
"Huh…?" Was the befuddled response from Hifumi.
"Taka is planning to use her… to escape." Celeste 'revealed' to him. "And he made you his target…"
"Escape?" Now the fanfic creator looked nervous. "You don't mean…?"
"Taka is going to try to kill you."
"Wh-Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!" Hifumi exclaimed in shock and fear.
"And all so he can keep her to himself…" Celeste said solemnly.
"Th-That bastard!" Hifumi growled. "Bastard, bastard, bastard, BASTARD!"
With each other, each sentence, Mondo felt his barely held up patience be tugged. He let out a hiss of anger, drawing flinches from Chihiro, Hifumi, and Taeko, but kept from doing anything else.
'How… could somebody make such lies with no hesitation?' Taka thought to himself, still looking shakened. 'How could think anyone I would do that?' He's aware that their future self lost their memories, thus they just met each other for the first time, but still…
He built himself as someone who cares about order and principle. Someone that kept to his morals, as well as ensure everyone else does. He thought that people would know that about him after a few days. So why did Hifumi easily believe he would do that?
"Can we allow him to continue with these barbaric acts?" The gambler rhetorically asked.
"Absolutely not! How could I?!" Hifumi cried out in anger. "She… she… I have to save heeeeeeer!"
"Then… would you like to join up with me?" Celeste then put on a more sinister look, leaning towards the fanfic creator. "It just so happens, I have come up with a plan…"
"Huh…?" Hifumi looked at Celeste, confusion clear in his eyes.
"I have devised a way to reclaim what he has stolen, and escape this dreadful place." The gambler told him confidently. She then let out menacing laughter, one that would have anyone look at her warily.
The scene was then switched to the present trial room. "Hifumi agreed without a second thought." Taeko continued her tale. "The effect that item had on him was… remarkable. The power of love… even a love as twisted as that, can still drive people, it seems."
"You disgust me…" Hiro stated, looking a bit pale.
"Can't disagree with that one…" Leon muttered loudly. "This is much worse than what Sayaka tried to pull." The girl in question had to hold back a winced at the reminder of her other self's actions.
"And she doesn't look fazed at all." Junko pointed out. "Seriously, no guilt? Not even a little regret on that face?"
"Taeko has always been good at hiding her emotions." Makoto said with a bit of painful slurring. "So we can't know for sure what she's feeling."
"I have another question for you." Byakuya spoke up once more. "Was that strange costume Hifumi's creation?"
"Yeah." Taeko sighed with annoyance. "It was a real pain in the butt, too. All I asked him to do was make something to hide the face and general body size. I had no idea he'd make something like… that. But it's my fault for picking him in the first place."
"Like she had many other options in the first place." Byakuya scoffed. "Hifumi was the only person she could've manipulated into doing what she wanted. No one else would've done so, not even Hiro or Taka."
"That is true." Mukuro agreed, not taking her eyes off Mondo. "Hifumi was the only person she could actually manipulate into killing." The fanfic creator in question flinched once again.
"So… why'd you decide to make me the suspect?" Hiro asked her.
"Yeah," Hiro agreed with his future self. "Why me out of everyone?"
'Because you're stupid.' Nearly everyone thought to themselves.
"Because you're stupid." Was Taeko's simple response.
"That's it?!" Was Hiro's baffled response right back. (The same sentiment was voiced by the present fortune teller)
"And in that regard, I made the right choice." Taeko continued. "I'm so glad your stupidity surpassed my every expectation. Life must have been tough on your parents, though." She ended her last statement with a mocking smile.
"C'mon!" Hiro groaned. "You're gonna make me cry by saying stuff like that!"
"Yeah, that's a pretty low blow there." Leon muttered loudly. 'But it's not like she's completely wrong.' Pointing at Alter Ego as the killer was beyond stupid.
"I feel like I could cry…" Hiro groaned.
"But when you were explaining your plan to Hifumi, how did you explain the part about him playing dead?" Sakura inquired.
"What she's asking is, what was Hifumi supposed to do after that, assuming you had actually let him live?" Byakuya cleared up, seeing some of the confused faces.
"That's simple." Taeko began. "After he did his part and pretended to be dead, once someone showed up… I told him to say he'd been seriously wounded, he was on the verge of death, but he just barely held on."
"...Are you serious?" Leon said incredulously. "He actually bought that bull?"
"I doubt that it's all that Celeste told him." Kyoko mused, a neutral look on her face. "None of us here are foolish enough to believe that." She was careful not to point out certain individuals, mainly Hiro.
"And he really believed that?" Hina asked with some disbelief.
"Well of course, that wasn't all there is to it." Taeko clarified. "As I explained to Hifumi, the plan was that, while you were all questioning him about what he had happened to him, I was going to murder someone else. At that point, Hifumi would have an alibi, so nobody could doubt him. I told him that, and he believed it."
"That makes a bit more sense." Sayaka sighed. "But still… that seemed to corny for it to actually work. Way too simple to be a believable plan."
"But it's one that Hifumi would believe." Junko remarked, hiding her boredom with a comment to go with the flow.
"It all seems very… straightforward. Stereotypical." Byakuya remarked.
"I just matched the lie to the level of the opponent." Taeko explained. "In fact, Hifumi ate it up. He believed the lie wholeheartedly, right up until the moment of his death."
"So she really was planning to kill him from the very start. Played him for a fool." Sakura let out a sigh, eyes closed. "Not like I could talk. We've all been played for fools, and our future selves were nearly encased ourselves in her trap."
That caused some to flinch, or look away in shame at the reminder of how they acted.
"P-Please wait, I have a question." Chihiro softly interjected. "I w-wonder how Hifumi was able to learn Celeste's name at all."
Once again, silence engulfed the room as no one immediately had an answer. Junko, who had been bored with all the explaining going on, decided she'd toss a bone towards everyone else.
"Who knows? He was hit pretty hard in the head. They do say head trauma does all sorts of things" She nonchalantly said while giving a half-hearted shrug.
"That's certainly possible. I can't think of any other explanations that would explain it." Kyoko agreed.
"What if he caught a glimpse of Celeste's student handbook? That device displays our name when its turned on doesn't it?" Taka asked.
"Two reasons. One, Hifumi would not have been able to keep that a secret given his nature, and two, Celeste would undoubtedly never be that careless especially with her whole plan on the line." Byakuya quickly answered, a rare display of him being generous.
"That still doesn't explain how he got the knowledge before hand either though. Hifumi here didn't know until earlier." Leon commented.
"It would take a week for me to explain every possible reason for how Hifumi learned of her real name so I'll sum it so that your tiny head can process it. What we're watching is in the future. There's no telling what kind of bizarre event that could potentially happen where Hifumi would learn of her real name." Byakuya retorted.
"Jeez, you didn't have to put it that way." Leon muttered to himself.
"So you had planned to kill him all along!" Sakura exclaimed.
"...But of course." Taeko confirmed, not looking at all guilty. "There would have been no point to my plan if the one who pretended to be dead didn't end up dead himself."
"How can human life mean so little to you…?" Hina demanded angrily.
"That's a non-issue." Taeko replied non-apologetically. "I simply did everything in my power to win."
Again, a familiar wave of anger was brought up by the more emotional of the group. "W-Why is she treating this like a game?" Chihiro whimpered. "Like it's a gambling tournament?"
"No kidding." Sayaka spoke, a scowl on her face. "She's acting like we're just some meaningless pieces in a game she wants to win!"
"Seriously, this is the kind of shit Byakuya would say." Leon muttered in wonder.
Taeko, managing to gain back some control of feelings once again, replied in defense of her future. "No. Byakuya enjoys the thrill of it all. I just want to get out of that damn hell-hole."
"But, wait, didn't your future self say that she wanted to get out of here?" Hiro asked, confused.
Taeko sighed, pushing back a wave of annoyance as she waved him off with her hand, a signal to keep watching.
"Now you sound like Byakuya!" Hiro exclaimed angrily.
"No, he derives his pleasure from the thrill of the hunt." Taeko refuted. "In that aspect, we are nothing alike."
"Then… what made you take things this far?" Kyoko questioned her.
"Was it really… just for money?" Hina hesitantly brought into topic.
"Are you talking about the ten million dollars Monokuma offered us?" Taeko asked. "That is a lot of money, it's true. But that's not all there is to it." She took a deep breath, before explaining. "From the moment our new life began, my only thought has been escaping."
"B-But…" Hiro stuttered out, confused. "All along you've been saying how we have to accep-"
"That was obviously bullshit!" Taeko's outburst caused Hiro and Hina to yelp in shock/terror. (Something that was shared by their counterpart, as well Chihiro and Hifumi.) "I couldn't take it! I hated it from day one!" She continued ranting. "More than anyone, anyone, ANYONE else in here!" She yelled, getting louder with every word. "I wanted to get out! Every day was pure torture!"
Celeste/Taeko outburst was… shocking, to say the least. "She really hated it all that much?" Leon muttered out in shock. "And she hid that anger all this time?"
"Well duh." Taeko replied with an eyeroll. "I'm not called the Ultimate Gambler for nothing. I can put on a mask of pleasantry without any trouble."
"But why do you hate it so much?" Junko asked, curious to why she blew up. "I mean, I know all of us hate this killing game. But what caused you to despise it so much?"
"Again, you'll see." Taeko kept herself from visibly tensing. If/when her future self get to the part of her dream, she knew that she's going to receive ridicule from her classmates. Subconsciously, she grabbed Makoto's hand once again for comfort.
"And do you wanna know why? HUH?!" And in a flash, she got back to her Celestia Ludenberg persona. "Because… I had a dream. And accepting a life here would have meant nothing less than giving up on my dream forever. And there was no way… that I could ever do that."
"In the underground world of gambling, I risked my life to make a metaphorical killing." She continued her tale. "And it was all for that dream…"
"And what was that dream of yours…?" Makoto asked her.
Several subconsciously leaned, all of them desiring to know what it was. What was it that Celeste/Taeko was pursueing that she would resort to murder to get it?
'Why…?' Mondo thought, anger and sorrow mixing together. 'What in the fucking world were you dreaming of that you would kill my… brother?'
'What was it were you dreaming of…?' Taka thought, staring at the screen with an intense gaze. 'What was worth two lives?'
'Is has to be some major dream…' Hina thought to herself, almost begging for it to be. 'It has to. Otherwise, why kill two of our friends?'
All of them waited for the Ultimate Gambler to reveal that her dream was…
"To live in a European Castle."
And just like that, the tension was dropped like an anvil. 'Huh?' Was the overall thought of the class.
That statement earned stunned and baffled looks from the remaining survivors. "A c-castle?!" Makoto spoke in disbelief.
"And to gather handsome men from all over the world to serve as my butler/bodyguards." An image of Celeste's dream then appeared, with Celeste sitting an a black recliner, wearing different gothic clothing, various butlers with glowing red eyes surrounding her. "I was going to make them dress up like vampires and satisfy my every need. Once I obtained that, I would have created a perfectly aesthetic world of decadence."
"Living the rest of my life there was my only dream, my only goal." She continued without any remorse. "That's what life is all ABOUT!"
It took a lot of time for the group to process what they've been told. That the fact that Celeste's dream was so shallow, self-centered, and full of self-satisfaction… and took even more time to process the fact that she killed two people, manipulated one of them into the killing other, for that same dream.
Junko, however, had to bite back a large grin on her face. Oh, she knew that Celeste would be perfect for the killing game! She just knew it! All that display of greed, shallowness, and apathy, all the while hiding that despair that's eating her up inside! Junko also had to hold back her laughter at what a pitiful childish dream it was. Celeste's goal was definitely a dream in every sense of the word. As Junko held herself back, she couldn't wait for the dessert of this despairful meal. The execution!
"Combined with my own winnings, Monokuma's ten million dollars would have made that dream a reality." The scene switched to the courtroom, with Celeste still explaining her reason. "I got right to the edge, but… unfortunately, my dream has been scattered to the wind. Still, I don't have any regrets. I pursued my dream till the very end, so why would I?"
Her last sentence brought the group out of their stunned state. 'She had no regrets. No regrets. No regrets…' At that moment, something inside Sayaka snapped.
"YOU BITCH!" Sayaka shot forward and screamed in a fury that shattered her image of an idol. When she moved towards the gambler, Leon quickly grabbed her arms from behind to stop her, but that didn't stop Sayaka from verbally attacking Taeko. "You complete and utter bitch! How could you not regret anything you did?! Not even feel a shred of guilt from taking a life?!" Taeko looked away from girl, one hand clenched into a tight fist while the other clenched Makoto's hands tightly. "You manipulated Hifumi, framed both Taka and Hiro, got Hifumi to kill Taka before betraying him! ALL FOR A FUCKING CASTLE?!"
"Sayaka, calm down!" Leon grunted, keeping a tight hold on the idol.
"I can't, Leon!" Sayaka roared, her voice straining. "She had the nerve to say that she regrets nothing! The gall to look as if she did nothing wrong, that all that matters is pursuing her dream! ARE YOU SO APATHETIC TOWARDS PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T EVEN FEEL A SHRED OF GUILT FOR WHAT YOU DID?!"
"What right do you have to judge me?" Tae- no, Celeste hissed, her red eyes glaring back at the furious blue. "Didn't your future self attempted the exact same thing? Kill and manipulation for the sake of your dream?" Sayaka flinched at that, but didn't waver from her glare. "Leon here decided to kill you back out of revenge, while Mondo murdered his dear friend out of fear for his secrets revealed. So what do any of you have to judge me?"
"Don't try to wiggle your way out of this!" Also angered, Hina also spoke up while standing from her seat. She gave the gambler a watery glare. "Sayaka's dream was her career, one she worked so hard to complete, with close friends at her side! Not some ridiculous and selfish thing like a castle and butlers!"
"And Mondo's secret wasn't ridiculous either! He had to carry the guilt of his brother being killed for so long, while keeping a secret from all his friends!" Hina continued her rant, the tears threatening to come out. "And he actually felt guilt! He regretted killing Chihiro, and wanted to own up for what he had done!"
"But you… you don't even show a shred of remorse!" The swimmer growled. "You laughed at the fact Hifumi believed what you said about Taka! You did everything for a shallow, worthless dream! YOU KILLED TWO PEOPLE FOR YOUR SELFISH DESIRES!" As she screamed her last statement, the tears finally fell from her eyes. "THAT'S SICK! UNFORGIVABLE!"
'I know.' Taeko thought, closing her eyes. 'I know that. I know all of it! So stop! Please, stop it!'
"Everyone, please calm down!" When someone shouted that, Taeko opened her eyes to see Makoto in front of her once again. "I understand why you're angry, I do! But screaming at Taeko isn't gonna change what we saw and heard!"
"How could you still defend her, Makoto?!" Hina shouted, the tears still streaming from her eyes. "All her actions are sickening! Her reason is absolutely selfish!"
"But those were done by the future Celeste, who lost all her memories along with memories of us!" Makoto countered, not letting himself waver. "You can't say that our Celeste, our Taeko, would do the same thing!"
"Makoto is right." Kyoko sighed, reluctantly deciding to help him out. "On another point, there's no point yelling at each other. If you don't remember, she's going to suffer the consequences for being discovered as the blackened."
Immediately, they knew what she was talking about. The execution. After a moment of tense silence, Leon hesitantly let go of Sayaka. The idol looked away from Makoto and Taeko, various emotions clear in her eyes, before sitting back down on the couch. Hina and Leon followed her lead, tears still falling from the former's eyes.
Makoto let out a sigh of relief before sitting down beside Taeko. Immediately, the gambler grabbed him like a lifeline, grateful that he didn't leave her to fend for herself. 'Thank you, thank you, thank you…'
"You sound so passionate, but… you were really able to kill your own friends for it?" Hina questioned, anger and grief clear on her face.
"Are you asking me to feel guilty? That's a pointless endeavor." Celeste replied apathetically. "I think nothing of sacrificing others for my own ends. I feel nothing. That's all there is to me. That's what makes me… complete."
'She… really feels nothing for me?' Hifumi thought to himself, sorrow gripping his heart. 'I was just a tool to her? Someone to use and abuse whenever she feels like?' Despite how she had treated him in the past, he always felt that there was some sort of bond between them. Now… he wasn't so sure on that.
'I was killed… for a castle…' Taka thought numbly. 'My life was worth the money to get the castle. Mine and Hifumi's.' How could Celeste think of her own desires at a time like this? How could anyone have such shallow thoughts in the situation they future selves were in?
"For a fucking castle… all, for a fucking castle…" Mondo muttered numbly, his brain shut down. He didn't know whether it was desperation to keep himself in check, or if his mind couldn't process it all, but right now, he was completely out of it.
She gave an unkind smile, giggling. "Isn't it terrifying how different our values are? There's simply no room for understanding."
'I don't understand it…' Chihiro thought helplessly, still curled in a ball. 'How could anyone feel that any object is worth killing? How could anyone feel that way?' He shut his eyes when he felt tears starting to gather up. 'That's horrible! That's a horrible way to look at the world! And also…'
'How can she so calm?' Hina unknowingly continued for Chihiro, clenching her fist and teeth as she tried to hold back her tears. 'She's about to die! About to experience a painful execution! She should be scared right now!'
"Th-That's what we should be saying. And plus… how can you be so calm?" Tears began sliding down on Hina's cheeks, with the girl shaking with grief. "Don't you realize you're about to die? Why aren't you scared…?"
"Now that she mentioned it, why aren't you scared?" Hiro inquired, turning towards her. "You look completely calm about this."
"Shaking in my boots isn't gonna change a thing." Taeko stated, her voice neutral. "My future self killed two people, and got herself caught. Nothing's gonna change that, except working to prevent that future."
"Still doesn't explain why your future self isn't afraid." Mukuro pointed out.
"She's gonna explain that too, don't worry."
Again, the gambler chuckled. "My ability to lie is unrivaled, and I take pride in that." She stated. "It's not just other people - I can even fool my own emotions. The conscious deceives the unconscious."
"And that's why you're not scared?" Makoto asked softly.
"Lying to your consciousness?" Leon repeated, frowning. "Is that stuff even possible?"
"It is. I know there were cases where criminals trick themselves into thinking they haven't done their crimes." Kyoko responded. However, she knew that Celeste was lying to herself. She could see through the facade she put up.
"That's right. I don't fear death." Celeste stated confidently. "Kill me however you like."
'No. You do fear death, Taeko. Probably terrified right now.' Makoto thought sadly, noticing how tense the gambler was. How tight her grip on his hand is. 'Like anyone else would be.'
"But you know, if I had the choice to be reincarnated… I think I would like to come back as Marie Antoinette."
"You'd just get executed again…" Hiro pointed out. However, Celeste merely laughed at that.
However, Makoto noticed something about her laugh. 'Her smile…' He thought to himself. 'It looks so forced. She said that she could lie to her own feelings…' The luckster looked down in sorrow. 'But that's a lie, isn't it? You're terrified.'
That had eyes immediately turned towards the gambler. Some were shocked, others not so much. However, all those stares affected Taeko equally. Penetrated her.
'I'm not scared! I'm not scared! I'm not!' She feebly tried to convince herself. She repeated that over and over, in the hopes that she would eventually tricked herself.
"You all done?" Monokuma spoke up, cutting into the conversation. "Okay, then let's get rollin'! The blackened disturbed the peace, and must pay the price!"
Everyone tensed up at this. Here it comes. The executions they've all been dreading. 'N-No. Another classmate is about to be killed.' The tears Hina desperately tried to hold back began spilling once again.
'I... I don't want to watch this.' Hifumi thought to himself in heartache. 'I don't want to see Miss Yasuhiro die.' Despite his conflicting feelings about her, the last thing he wanted was for her to die.
Celeste felt one hand grip her skirt tightly, her nails digging into them, while the other tightened its grip on Makoto's hand at a painful level. 'I'm not scared! I'm not scared! I'm not scared!'
"Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for… her! The Ultimate Gambler!"
'Not scared, not scared, not scared, not scared!'
"Let's give it everything we've got! It's… PUNISHMENT TIIIME!"
'I can't be scared! There's nothing to be afraid! I'M NOT AFRAID!'
"I guess I'll let Kyoko hold on to this." Taeko then threw the key towards the lavender haired girl.
Once she caught, the girl instantly realized what it was. "This is…!"
"Will it really give you the hope you're looking for? I can't say I ever saw it that way. Which is why…" Shaking her head, Taeko left that statement be unfinished. "Actually, it's not important." Sighing, she turned and walked towards her execution. "Well then… take care, everyone. Perhaps we'll meet again, in another life."
As she walked, Monokuma pulled his gravel and hit it on the big red button that rose from the ground in front of him.
*GAME OVER. CELESTE HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY. TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!* Those words were what appeared under the button as a pixelated Monokuma dragged a pixelated Celeste/Taeko before the screen turned black.
The screen slowly lit back up to show a close up of Celeste's face. The camera slowly moved back to show the gambler smiling, with her wrist and ankles tied up. As it moved back, a castle began forming around Celeste, with a wooden beam attached behind her, hay under her, and a mass group of monochrome bears in front of her.
THE BURNING OF THE VERSAILLES WITCH
A monochrome executioner then popped up in front of her, holding up a torch and slowly lowering it towards the hay. Once lit, the fire then began spreading upward until it reached Celeste's legs.
The screen transitioned towards the monochrome's point of view, as they watched the fire spread around the gambler. The camera then moved closer and closer to the fire before transitioning upward, showing a full view of Celeste being enveloped in the flames. As it moved closer to Celeste's face, you could see a smile on her face as the fire continued to spread. And just as the camera got close to her face, her eyes suddenly turned.
The camera moved to where she was looking, showing a firetruck popping out of nowhere and driving towards the scene. It then drove over the lamp and launched itself towards Celeste. The camera moved to the back of Celeste, the scene went it slow motion as the fire-truck got closer and closer. And then instantly, it went back to regular speed, running Celeste over and crashing into the castle.
Once again, the scene was transitioned to the outside, showing the truck stuck inside the ruins of the castle, with a firefighter Monokuma putting out the remaining fire with a hose.
Once again, it was dead silence as the group processed yet another execution. The third one they saw. Yet unlike the grief and terror they felt on the first one, as well as the horror and nausea on the other, there was a numbness to this execution. There was still grief, anguish, and despair, yet, but there was also a numbness to it all. To what they're seeing and feeling. Almost like they're getting used to it.
'Another execution…' Makoto thought numbly. 'Another death. But strangely… I don't feel as bad anymore.' Anguish appeared in his eyes as he thought about. 'Is it because of what Taeko did? Did that numb me down? Or is it… because I'm getting used to the executions? Getting used to see my friends die?'
He was brought out of his dark thoughts from a small sob beside him. He looked up to see Taeko, and nearly double backed when he saw that her mask absolutely dissolved. Terror, anguish, shock, and despair were all clear on her facial expressions, and tears were sliding down her face, and it looks as if she's trying to hold back from downright sobbing.
With no hesitation, he tugged the hand that he was holding and pulled the gambler into a hug. That caused the gambler to finally break down, sobbing in terror as she clung to Makoto. All the emotions she tried so hard to suppress was crashing down on her, to the point it completely overwhelmed her.
She wasn't the only one who was crying. Both Hina and Chihiro were crying, the former burying his face into his knees. They had to see another death, to see another of their classmates, their friends, die. Whatever they feel about Celeste, they still didn't want to watch her die. They don't want anyone else be killed or executed.
Sayaka also felt a few tears leak out. However, she didn't feel anything for Celeste's death. After hearing what she had to say, hearing that she didn't regret what she did, how could she? If anything, the tears were for the fact that she did the exact same thing. This was yet another reminder for her future self's sin.
Like Sayaka, Mondo felt nothing for Celeste's death. No grief, for very obvious reasons. Not even any sick sense of satisfaction that she paid for her crimes in the worst of ways. He felt absolutely apathetic to what had happened to her.
Taka gritted his teeth in frustration, his hands clenched to his knees. Three people are dead now, himself included. Three are dead, with only seven remaining. All because of greed.
Was there nothing he could've done to stop it? Was he doomed the moment his future self attained some form of hope? He shut his eyes as tears of frustration began leaking from them.
Hifumi also felt shaken by the execution, tears leaking from his eyes. He couldn't help but blame himself for this. It was because of his future self's infatuation with Alter Ego, something that he admittedly shared, that led to this. Celeste manipulated through the AI, and instantly, he fell right into her hand. Never before did he felt like such a fool.
Leon, Hiro, and Mukuro also felt similar frustrations and/or anguish, while Byakuya, Sakura, and Kyoko merely looked on with grim determination. Jill was just silent, merely observing everything. Junko, however, felt differently, as always.
'Wowee! Giving the gothic addict the hope of a regal execution, only to give her one of the most common deaths in the world?! You go future me!' Junko cheered on. 'And seeing her break down here is oh, so delicious! So satisfying! Makes me wonder how her future self looked when confronted with the fire truck!' While it doesn't match the other two executions, she could safely say that she very much enjoyed this despair. Especially since the pre-execution section brought a lot to the table.
No one bothered to say anything. Merely stayed silent as the screen transitioned back to the trial room.
'It's over…' Makoto thought numbly. 'The third execution… is over. Celeste's death is over. She killed our friends, so I can't pity her. But… I can't deny that, at one point, I consider her a friend, too.' He clenched his fist tightly. 'And for him to come along and-!'
"Isn't it just awful?" Monokuma sighed 'sadly'. "Someone couldn't cut free of their regrets from the outside world, and so more people had to die…" He then exclaimed to the group, "You guys are still young! You need to place more value on your lives!"
Again, anger filled Makoto's heart when the bear spoke. 'He's doing it again.' Makoto thought in anger. 'He's speaking as if he had nothing to do with it. Like all this was our own volition. Like we're to blame!'
"Jeez… and here I thought you guys were gonna pass the torch of hope to the next generation!"
"Wh-What do I care about hope?!" Hiro exclaimed fearfully. "I'll throw it in the trash if you just let me out of here!"
"You're all the embodiment of hope, whether you like it or not." Monokuma denied his plea mercilessly. "And it's my destiny to knock you down one by one!
"What… is he talking about?" Taka asked, confused by what he's saying. "How are we the embodiments of hope?"
"Is it because we're all students of Hope's Peak?" Sakura guessed, frowning. "I can't think of any other reasons to call us that."
'Does the mastermind have a grudge against Hope's Peak?' Kyoko mused to herself. 'Are they taking that grudge out on anyone associated with Hope's Peak?'
"It's sad, yes it is. But that reality just can't be avoided."
"Don't talk like you're not responsible…" Makoto gave the mastermind a fierce glare. "How long are you gonna make us keep going through this?! What do you want from us?!"
"God, I'm so sick of people asking me that! Give it a rest already!" Monokuma growled back. And instantly, his angry mood was gone. "So anyway… Kyoko, did I see you get some kind of key-type object from Celeste? So, uh… what's the deal with that?"
Everyone stiffened up at this. "Oh, right. The key Celeste gave to Kyoko." Leon remembered, grimacing. "That key must open the place that Celeste kept Alter Ego."
"Let's hope Monokuma isn't too curious." Makoto muttered.
The lavender haired girl was silent in response, a look of contemplation on her face. "Huh? What's the matter?" The bear asked, tilting his head.
"I'll answer your question, if you answer mine." Kyoko bargained. She then gave Monokuma a fierce stare. "What did you do? What did you… do to me?"
Her words immediately got the group's attention. Even Taeko, who had a complete breakdown, couldn't help but look up. "Huh?" Hiro voiced everyone's thoughts.
"...What?!" Monokuma exclaimed, looking taken aback.
"Answer me." Kyoko demanded. "What did you to my body?"
The rung alarms in everyone's head. "What is she talking about…?" Leon asked hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to know.
"Did Kyoko discovered something… strange about her body?" Sayaka questioned, just as uneased. The others began looking ill or shocked at the implications.
Kyoko, however, thought differently. "No, I don't think it's what all of you are thinking." She refuted. "I think… my future self is discovering that her memories are missing."
Eyes lit up in remembrance at this. "Yeah, that makes sense." Makoto mused, trying not to show any form of relief. "From what we've seen, there are obvious gaps in your memories. And it's probably something your future self would be alarmed about."
"And here we thought that Monokuma something extremely dishonourable to Kyoko…" Taka sighed, not bothering to hide his relief.
Taeko, meanwhile, separated herself from Makoto (Though still had one arm linked around his for support), keeping her head down to hide her unmasked emotions.
"Uwaaah!" The bear looked incredibly nervous now. "Oh man, oh jeez… oh man, oh jeez! What do you mean, what did I… do?! I-I have no idea…! I don't know anything about it…!"
"D-Do you think Monokuma have any idea that Kyoko is talking about her missing memories?" Chihiro asked softly. Both he and Hina manage to stop crying, around the time the future Kyoko asked her question.
"Possibly." Sakura answered the programmer. "Or it could be because of the wording of the question."
"That's true. My future self did say something that would… insinuate something worse." Kyoko admitted with a sigh.
'U-Um…' Makoto turned his eyes towards Kyoko, then Monokuma in confusion. 'What was that just now…? The mastermind did something to Kyoko's body… what does that mean?'
"Okay, things are getting kinda awkward. I think it's about time I got out of here…" Trying to drive the topic away, Monokuma addressed the whole group. "Meanwhile, you guys can go on enjoying your school life. If you get lonely, give me a shout! Not that I'll do anything about it, of course!" With his signature laughter, he hastily left the trial room.
For a moment, the room was silent, just protesting everything that had happened. But after a moment of silence, Makoto approached Kyoko. "Hey, Kyoko. Monokuma already mentioned, but…" He points at the key the girl was holding. "What's that key that Celeste gave you?"
"Most likely… it's the key to one of the dressing room lockers." Kyoko guessed, looking at the key herself.
Again, the group's attention was grabbed. And a sparkle of hope entered their hearts. "That means… she gave Kyoko the keys to Alter Ego?" Hina asked hopefully.
"Finally! Good news!" Hiro exclaimed in obvious relief.
"And it was the locker room the entire room." Byakuya stated, facepalming. "It was just was in another locker. Of course."
"Guess the most well hidden spot would be right under our noses…" Sakura mused.
"What?! Then that means…!" Hina exclaimed in realization.
"Celeste probably hid it there." Byakuya deduced.
"I suppose sometimes it's easiest to miss what's right beneath our noses." Sakura mused. "Well then, we'd better go check."
"Good idea." Kyoko agreed. And with that, the group quickly went to the elevator.
"At least there's a silver lining with all this mess…" Sayaka said, as relieved as everyone else. "They still have Alter Ego."
"Hopefully, this fiasco doesn't alert Monokuma to anything." Byakuya commented, narrowing his eyes.
Many of the hope held that similar hope, pushing memories of the trial in the back of their mind for the time being. Right now, Alter Ego is the only hope for their future selves. If the mastermind decides to investigate… then there's nothing that they could do to stop him.
And that's the end. Again, sorry it took so long to make. Hopefully, with less classes in the Fall Semester, thus less time having to think, I can put more focus on fanfic again (As well as my short stories. I'm also having trouble finishing the third short for my Adept series). Anyways, next chapter will finish chapter 3 for sure, and move to the next break. Review, favorite, and follow and I will see you guys later.