Chapter 3: Act 4: Depression
Location: Classroom 3-C, Hope's Peak Academy 3F
Day: 12
Time: 8:30 PM
"I'm sorry."
Akira shakily lifted his hand away from the golden coin. The cross was facing up. Celeste let out the breath she had been holding, her small smile shifting to a frown as she looked at the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, whose face had turned into one of shock.
"My apologies, Byakuya… I didn't mean for it to end this way."
"Shut your mouth." he hissed, glaring at her. "As I have said, do what you will to the old man. I do not care for him."
"But you do! Or else you wouldn't be shaking in your seat!" Monokuma said, giggling. "Oh well, it is what it is. 21, get ready!"
This time, the screen shifted again, showing one of Monokuma's goons aiming a rifle at the elderly butler. He looked up, completely unphased as he locked eyes with them, seeing the loaded rifles aimed at him. He merely smiled at the camera.
"Master Togami, I do not know if you can hear me, but it has been an honor serving you."
"No! No no no! You mustn't do this." Byakuya suddenly cried. It looked almost as if he had done a one-eighty. The firm look on his face had changed to one of pure anguish. "Please, you must reconsider!"
"Sorry, that's now how it works. I gotta follow through with my threats."
"I'll give you anything. My company, my wealth, mansions, cars, whatever you desire. Please just let him go."
"Hah… do you actually think I'll be swayed by that? Material wealth means nothing to me. After all, money can't buy despair. But you know what does? The suffering of Ultimate students like you." Monokuma said with a laugh. "You thought you could stand above the rest just because you were a Togami. But I'm afraid that isn't the case, you are just as vulnerable as the rest of them. And you shall be knocked down right to their level."
"There has to be something, anything, please!"
"How does 20 Billion Yen sound?"
Byakuya looked across the table at Celeste, who was leaning back in her seat, legs crossed as she drank in the sight of him. "At the end of the day, I was the one who rolled, and I am the one in control."
"20 Billion Yen?"
"20 Billion Yen, but that isn't everything I want. I want you to understand that what we are all facing is not a game. I want you to stop plotting against us, to go behind our backs and desecrate the dead. I want you to realize that no matter how rich you are, how important you think you might be, you are nothing but a vulnerable human, just like the rest of us." Celeste said firmly. "Swallow your pride, and start acting like someone who gives a shit about those around him. That is my bargain, you mewling quim."
The Ultimate Affluent Progeny grit his teeth, shuddering a bit before bowing his head in defeat. He let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Done."
"Excellent, then our transaction shall henceforth occur the second we leave this heinous academy. Monokuma, do make yourself useful. I retract my bid and shall accept the original punishment."
"What? Oh, come on! You can't leave me half-cocked here. Do you have any idea how hard my fucking cock is right now? It's throbbing! Throbbing!" he replied. The look Celeste gave him made him shudder. "Alright, sheesh. Your original punishment shall be sacrificing one of your fingers."
Celeste didn't even seem bothered as she placed her hand on the table, spreading it out. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. Monokuma didn't hesitate, practically jumping at the gambler. He drew a chisel from behind his back, bringing it down on the gambler's hand, severing the ring finger off of her left hand. Let out a scream of pain, opening her eyes, staring at her now mangled hand.
"God…!" she cried, clutching her hand tightly.
"Holy shit!"
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Hina shouted at the bear.
"Hey, she accepted."
"She needs immediate medical attention. If she doesn't get her finger stitched, she'll bleed out!" Mikan said, trying to stand up only to be stopped, since her hand was still strapped to the underside of the table.
"Relax, I got it."
Monokuma reached for the blow torch behind him, lighting it with ease. He held the flat end of the chisel to it, heating it up until it was bright orange. Realizing what the bear wanted to do, Celeste held her hand out, gritting her teeth as he pressed the carving tool against her stump. He bit her lip, holding back the urge to scream as it burned her skin, cauterizing the wound.
"There you go! Now you won't die! Don't worry, there's plenty of blood downstairs, hehe."
"This has to stop," Mahiru said. She looked completely drained, her face having gone pale, hair stuck to her forehead with sweat. "Please just end this already. We've all suffered enough."
"This ends when I say it ends," Monokuma said, heading back to the podium. "Of course, it'll all end if you land on that green spot. So do your best~"
"We must… remain resolute, comrades. This will end soon." Kiyotaka said, trying to maintain morale. But everyone was in the same state. Seconds after he stopped talking the slot machine whirled to life.
The slots all lined up, showing Sayaka's face. The Ultimate Pop-Sensation let out a whimper, shaking in fear as she looked at the slot machine. "P-please… I don't want to-"
"You have to, you know what'll happen if you don't." the animatronic bear said. Akira placed his arm around her waist, holding tightly. "So what'll it be? Will you take the chance? Or will you take the punishment?"
"I… I'm sorry, everyone. I don't want to get hurt… please forgive me." she simply said, as she reached for the roulette.
Around and around the ball went, slowly losing speed, until it finally found itself within one of the slots. The ball had landed in slot number seven, causing the monochrome bear to laugh. "Well well well… looks like the Ultimate Lucky Student is gonna be forced to make an unlucky choice! What are the odds of that eh?"
Akira sat up straight, giving the bear a menacing look, full of anger and sheer hatred. Sayaka was practically crying, wiping her tears away in vain. "Akira, I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I don't blame you, I don't blame anyone."
"Akira my friend, you are one of the most interesting people I've had the displeasure of meeting. But you are rather entertaining as well. Of course, I had to keep things interesting for you." the bear sadistically said. "Unlike the others, you'll have to make a beary tough subject. Tell me, who's the most important person in your life?"
"My sister Maki. You have her held hostage, that should be enough of an answer." he hissed.
"What about your dog?"
"Huh?"
"Your dog! Come on, you telling me you don't care about that fluffy ball of happiness?" Monokuma asked, tilting his head. "What a cruel person. Guess the poor pup is going to be disappointed when he finds this out."
"You leave Casper out of this."
"Oh? So you do care about the dog? But what about your sister? I thought she was the most important person to you. Are you lying to me?"
"Stop fucking with him! Clearly, both are special, you son of a bitch." Mondo shouted angrily.
"Anyone who threatens an innocent animal is a disgusting louse. Leave the dog out of this, you fiend." Hikari added, glaring at him.
"Seriously… what's wrong with you?" the traditional dancer said, gritting her teeth in pain. The brand she had gotten was still red, and oozing blood, causing her great pain whenever she moved. "Haven't we suffered enough?"
"Nope! So Mr. Ultimate Lucky Student, the time has come. Which is more important to you? Your sister? Or your dog? You're gonna have to choose, because only one can live." Monokuma said. With a snap, the monitor once again changed, this time showing Akira's sister Maki as well as a white dog, who was chained up to a pole. It was whimpering in fear, lying down on the ground.
"Maki, Casper." the boy whispered, eyes locked on the screen.
"So which will it be? You have ten seconds to decide."
"No! I want the punishment, you give me that damn punishment and you leave them alone!"
"Oh but what's the fun in that? Not everyone gets a punishment. Sometimes, the punishment is to take away the thing someone loves. After all, you know quite well how to do that. You've taken away several things people love. So now it's your turn to experience the same thing. Ten!"
"I can't."
"Nine."
"You aren't forcing me to do this!"
"Eight."
"Stop it! Let them go!" Hina shouted.
"Please you can't do this to him!" Chihiro added.
"Seven!"
"Punish me, Monokuma. Neither deserves it, you do this to me!" Akira screamed, a look of desperation on his face.
"Six."
The boy looked at the screen, eyes shifting between Maki and Casper, his heart beating faster and faster beneath his ribcage. It all turned into white noise, the only thing he could hear being Monokuma's countdown.
"Five…. Four… Three…"
"I… Can't… Please don't-"
"Two!"
"Wait!"
"One!"
"MAKI!"
His scream silenced the room. He had shot to his feet, his legs falling from under him as he started to cry. "Maki, please… don't kill my sister."
"What a disappointment… choosing a human over a dog. I thought he was your best friend? Yet you chose a useless human being. Well, if anything, you are faithful to your loved ones." Monokuma said, only to chuckle. "It's your lucky day, Akira. You actually think I'm deranged enough to kill an innocent animal? Ha! You forget the kind of bear I am!"
As if on cue, the classroom door opened, and in came a white dog, racing straight to Akira. The black-haired boy scooped him up into his arm, hugging him tightly. The samoyed looked completely overjoyed, licking his owner's face, completely unaware of the horror his owner had experienced.
"Oh Casper, I missed you so much," he said, tears running down his cheeks as he hugged the dog in his grasp.
"You should be thankful, Akira. I could have ended the lives of both of them." Monokuma said, a hint of seriousness on his face. "Still, it's about time we end this little shindig. I've had a lot of fun making you guys suffer. So how about one final roll? We'll call this one a final gambit of sorts."
"Haven't we suffered enough?" Hajime asked, if looks could kill, Monokuma would have been dead twice over. The bear merely went on, unbothered by his angry expression.
"Not really. But we didn't get to test Akira's resolve. So I'll give you one and I mean one shot at the roulette. If it lands on Green, you win. And if it doesn't… well then that's all she wrote. Either that or we can continue this until morning. I have plenty of time."
Akira stood up from the floor, face devoid of emotion as he met the mechanical bear's beady crimson eyes. "If I take this chance, will you promise to end this game? And if I win, will you promise to let them go?"
"Of course I do. I'll make a man's promise," he said, holding his paw out. Akira didn't say a word, rather, he spun the roulette wheel, throwing the ball within. The 18 students watched as it spun around and around, the ball bounced around for a moment, bouncing against the center of the table. Finally, it came to a stop, having landed in the red square.
"Yeesh… talk about bad luck. What happened man? I thought it was meant to be good luck?!" Monokuma said, chuckling. "Oh well, them's the breaks."
"You aren't going to kill the hostages."
"Oh? And why not? Mr. Yoshikawa?"
"Because you want us all to suffer. What's the point in killing all 23 hostages? You won't be able to use them against us. There was no winning or losing. No matter what, those hostages would always have been kept alive."
"Interesting conclusion, yet despite that, Mr. Souda is deceased. That wasn't fake. I'm not afraid to kill them all." the bear said.
"You aren't going to," Akira said, a firm look on his face. "If you were, you'd have done it by now."
Monokuma's mouth split into a grin, a chuckle escaping him, evolving into a full-blown manic laugh. He stopped after a second, brushing away a non-existent tear from his eye. "Ah… you are a funny kinda guy, Akira. You are correct, I'm not gonna kill them… yet. "
"W-what do you mean by that?" Peko asked curiously, eyes focusing on Natsumi, who had been fighting against her restraints for a while.
"Exactly what I mean," he said, pressing a button on his remote.
The roulette board disappeared, sinking into the table. It was instead replaced by three beakers, filled with what looked like a bubbling green liquid. The beakers looked to be held in place with a metal claw, making it impossible to move. Monokuma walked forward, dropping three objects into them. It didn't take them long to notice they were keys.
"Now then, there are three keys in these beakers, which are filled with a corrosive acid. In the Physics Lab, there are three mechanisms, activated by a key. One will kill the captives, the second is a dud and the third will free the captives. All you have to do is choose the right key before the timer runs out."
"A game of chance?" Celeste softly asked. She had a faraway look on her face, likely from the blood loss she had experienced. "This is cruel, even for you, Monokuma."
"It is what it is. I'd hurry if I were you. If that acid dissolves those keys long enough, they won't work. Then you'll be shit out of luck."
Akira looked at the beakers, sweat dripping down his face. He grit his teeth, holding his hand to Sayaka, giving her a firm look. "My watch, I'm going to need it."
"What? You aren't considering this, are you?"
"Of course I am. It'll get rid of his leverage against us. We don't have much time."
"No, you don't. You got a minute and thirty seconds. I doubt you'll make it to the physics lab in time!"
Sayaka undid the clasp around his wrist, pulling his watch off. Without hesitation, he dipped his hand into the middle beaker, letting out a scream of abhorrent pain as it started eating away at his skin. He pulled it out after a second, only to put it back in, finally grabbing the key, ignoring the fact the acid had changed from green to a sickly pink as it had eaten his flesh.
The moment he had the key in his grasp, Monokuma hit the release, allowing him to pull his hand free from beneath the table. He didn't hesitate, grabbing his watch and running toward the door. He sprinted forward as if his life depended on it, staring at his watch as he ran. He turned the corner, controlling his breathing as he ran, ignoring the burning pain in his hand.
He passed the Art Room, shooting forward, sparing another glance at his watch, seeing he had a minute left. He quickened his pace, legs burning as he pushed himself forward. He hissed as he turned another corner, placing his injured hand against the wall, propelling himself toward the Physics Lab. He threw the door open, slowing to a stop panting for breath.
His eyes darted around, spotting the three mechanisms that Monokuma had mentioned. He picked one at random, sliding the key inside, only for it to not fit. He tested the other two, realizing it didn't fit into either of them either. That was when he looked at the key, seeing it was far too damaged.
"Goddamn it… this isn't happening!"
Ding dong dong ding
"Tick-Tock, Mr. Yoshikawa, you got 30 seconds left~"
"What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?" he cried in his mind. He stared at the key again, his eyes widening a bit. He dug his hand in his pocket, pulling out the key he had found earlier that day. He lined the pair up, seeing they matched up almost exactly. The damaged key would have been identical if not for the acid damage.
"Ten Seconds, Akira! Don't let us down, puhuhahahahaha~"
The Ultimate Lucky Student dove toward the third mechanism, shoving the key into the hole. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning it. "Oh please, Lady Luck let this work!"
Twisting the key, the mechanism turned on, flashing a bright green. He whirled around, eyes falling onto the TV monitor, which had been showing the camera feed from all of the hostages. All at once, the chains holding them together unlocked, falling uselessly to the ground. They all looked stunned, completely surprised by the action.
"Well well well… looks like you got lucky, Mr. Yoshikawa! I have no idea where you got that spare key, but it saved your ass! This marks the end of my beary special slot game. I hope you enjoyed it! I certainly did. Hahahahahaha!"
Akira felt his legs fall from under him, a look of relief washing over him. At that moment, the adrenaline in his system started dying down, an intense burning pain shot through his arm. He finally looked at his hand, seeing how horribly burned it was. He wanted to scream, but clenched his jaw, looking around for a moment. He shot to his feet, racing toward the back room of the Physics Lab, spotting a sink.
He moved toward it, turning the cold water on. Immediately, he ran his hand under the water, this time not bothering to hold back the scream that tore through his throat. He took several shaky breaths, staring at the running water. He didn't know how long he had stood there, but he didn't move his hand from the water, he just let it run, finding it soothing.
"Akira!"
The young man looked over his shoulders, locking eyes with Sayaka. She hesitated for a moment but when he reached his hand to her, she practically ran toward him, hugging him tightly. She buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing loudly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry it's all my fault!"
"N-no… It isn't."
"I rolled the roulette, I made you choose between your dog and your sister. I'm a terrible person, I should have just taken the shock. I should have just stopped myself. But I couldn't, not when my friends were scared for their lives. I don't deserve to live."
"Yes you do, Sayaka. You did the same thing any one of us would have done in that situation. A lot of us had to make that choice tonight. It isn't your fault, mine, or theirs. It's all Monokuma's fault." he said, holding her tightly. "Did they go free?"
"Yeah… he let them all go. The second your sister was free, she grabbed one of her captors and killed him. She snapped the other guy's neck, telling the Mastermind of our game that she was coming for him." the idol said, making him laugh.
"Sounds like Maki alright," he said, glancing back at the sink. "Is Celeste okay?"
"Mikan rushed her to the Nurse's office. She said something about a blood transfusion, and Hajime took Sonia with him since she's still passed out. Taka and Hiyoko went down as well, since Mikan wanted to check their burns."
"That's good…" he said softly, his eyes widening. "Wait? What about Casper?"
Sayaka gave him a small smile. "Don't worry, he's in good hands. Ibuki and Chihiro took him to their dorm. I wasn't expecting him to be so big though, I thought you said he was a puppy?"
"He is."
"Akira, Casper looks fully grown. I don't know how big Samoyeds get but he's pretty much an adult dog," she said firmly. Akira didn't say anything, having no words. He didn't say much else, his attention shifting back toward the sink.
After another ten minutes, he finally shut the water off, seeing his hand for the first time. He could hardly move the fingers, having lost almost all feeling in it. He looked back at Sayaka, giving her a small smile. "It doesn't look too bad."
"We should go to the Nurse's office. Mikan needs to look at it." she simply said. He didn't argue, allowing himself to be pulled by her. He spared a glance at the mechanisms that had been placed in the Physics Lab, seeing the one he had activated. He was just glad the hostages had finally been freed. But now, he had far more questions than he did answers.
xxx
Akira didn't say much as Mikan finished wrapping his hand up. Though he ran it under cold water for nearly half an hour, his flesh had been seared. Thanks to a dose of novocaine, he had been able to get his fingers to move. After X-Rays, the Ultimate Nurse determined that with proper medication, his hand would end up healing. It would, however, be scarred forever. She looked up at him, giving him a small smile.
"The medication here seems to have been made by an Ultimate Pharmacist. I'm not sure what it is they do, but I'm sure they'll promote healing," she said, handing him a pair of pills. He remained silent, staring at the glowing pills for a moment before tossing them into his mouth, downing them with the water she had given him.
"This has been a harrowing experience, for all of us. But we shall prevail, do not let what happened today break you, friends." Kiyotaka said, smiling at the others. He was sitting shirtless on one of the gurneys, a bid patch on his back, along with some gauze to hold it in place.
"Easy for you to say… We have to live with the trauma of what happened. We can't all be happy-go-lucky all the time, Taka." Hiyoko said softly. She was wearing one of the gowns found in the office, as her kimono had been torn. Much like Taka, she had a large patch over her left breast, covering the horrible burn she had gotten.
"If we give in, the Mastermind gets what he wants," Akira replied, breaking his silence. He sat up a bit, glancing around the room. "At the very least, we have some new information."
"Information?" Celeste asked curiously.
"Yeah… the Mastermind is someone who was born without talent. Someone who admired Hope's Peak Academy. They're someone who worked hard but were completely ignored by the Academy, and because of that, they felt the need to punish the alumni." he said, shaking his head. "To think… Someone like him has the same background as me. Someone born without talent… It makes me wonder, had I not won the lottery, would this have been my out?"
"Don't you dare say that, Akira," Sayaka said. She had a look of sheer anger on her face, her eyes holding back her pain. "You are far too good of a person to ever think about something like this. You care about the people around you, the Mastermind doesn't. He isn't above hurting us and making us suffer for his sick pleasure. Because that's all this is."
She looked away from him after a moment, focusing on the shelves across the room. "Besides, you keep denying your talent, but you can't deny your luck. Not anymore."
"You say that, but I still lost the roulette."
"But you freed our loved ones in the end. It is far more than any one of us was expecting." Celeste said, giving him a small smile. "It is thanks to you that we have one less thing to worry about. This game gave us that and an added bonus. I doubt Byakuya will continue behaving the way he has been."
"Speaking of that, I gotta ask you something, Celeste… How did you come to possess the golden coin that Akira used?" Hajime asked, looking up from Sonia's unconscious form. He had a firm look on his face, lips pressed into a thin-line. "Did Monokuma give it to you?"
"Hardly. I actually acquired it from the MonoMono Machine. I recalled Akira making a wish in the fountain outside, and figured it must have been the same one. I merely returned what belonged to him." she replied, giving Akira a leveled look. "I thought it would be poetic, to use that coin to decide the fate of the man who wished to test your luck. After all, it is thanks to that wish that you are among us."
He scoffed as he looked at the coin in his grasp, shaking his head. "Fate is a cruel mistress, isn't she?"
"Fate has nothing to do with it, Akira darling. You made your own luck, did you not? I believe that was just the extent of your abilities as the Ultimate Lucky Student. You pray to Lady Luck and she grants you a blessing."
"Right."
The Ultimate Nurse finished up with Kiyotaka, moving back toward Sonia. She checked her over, pressing her stethoscope against her chest. She glanced at the clock for a moment, mentally memorizing her BPM. After taking her blood pressure, she jotted both down on one of the charts, capping her pen.
"She's doing alright, I believe the stress of the situation caused her to pass out. I've given her an IV line to keep her hydrated. She should be waking up soon." she said, a hopeful look on her face.
"Mikan… You should talk to Kazuichi." Akira said, earning a confused look from the Nurse. "I know you aren't a therapist, or likely have any grief counseling, but he just lost his father. We can't leave him alone. This game is designed to suck out everything you know and love out of you. We have to remain resolute, be there for him."
"I agree with Akira. I know this is above your purview but it would do everyone well if they had someone to talk to. Nurses are there to help all kinds of patients after all." Kiyotaka said, smiling at the violet-haired girl.
"I'll do my best. But with so many people being injured, I don't know when I'll get to it," she said, sighing. "I guess I'm thankful for the distraction, as messed up as it sounds. I guess I sort of missed the atmosphere of being in a busy hospital."
"Is it fun being a nurse?" Hiyoko asked. Mikan was taken by surprise, Hiyoko had never asked her this sort of question. The nurse gave her a small smile.
"It can be. Some nights are quiet, and there are busy nights. Even as a minor, I've had to deal with a lot of terrible things. Drunk driving accidents, stabbings, shootings. It's never fun. I've been blessed to never have lost a patient, I got very close with a sick child when I was fourteen. But I worked tirelessly for an hour after the other nurses and doctors wanted to call it. I didn't give up, and she ended up living." she said, a heartwarming smile on her face as she thought about that girl. "Mika has such a beautiful smile, and the brightest blue eyes. I don't think I'll forget how thankful her parents were when I told them she had pulled through."
"That's so heartwarming, Mikan. You're a good person." Sayaka said.
"I was just doing my job… When I took my Hippocratic Oath, I swore that I would do my damndest to make sure every patient under my care lived. In my daily life, I may be talked down to, yelled at, spat on, drawn on, bullied, and beaten… but when I'm at the hospital, no one messes with me. No matter who it is, even if it's a bully, I'll treat them with the utmost care." she boldly claimed.
"Hey, Mikan? I'm sorry." Hiyoko said, looking away from the nurse. "I've been mean to you, and called you names, you didn't deserve that. Even though I treated you like crap, you still helped me. I… appreciate it."
"It's alright, Hiyoko. Just take this as a learning experience, we all should take this as a learning experience."
"It's one hell of a learning experience," Akira said softly, glancing at his hand for a moment, shaking his head. "I'm so tired."
"Yeah, I think we're all tired," Hajime replied.
"Stay positive, guys. Things will get better!" Taka said, but his words did not affect them. The Ultimate Moral Compass likely didn't believe them himself. But someone had to keep hope alive. Even if things were looking bad for them all.
Location: Dining Hall, Hotel Despair
Day: 13
Time: 7:35 AM
The dining hall was a lot emptier than it usually was. Sayaka noticed hardly anyone had shown up. She didn't blame them. Not after what had happened the day before. Ibuki had hardly said a word since she had arrived, playing with the food she had made for herself. Mahiru and Hiyoko were sitting together, the red-haired photographer trying to cheer her friend up, but the blonde dancer didn't say much.
Kazuichi was completely absent. He had come in for some hot pockets and a drink before retreating to his room. Hikari and Hina were together, the experience of what had happened likely having driven them closer. She tried to remain cheerful, but the Ultimate Swimmer couldn't keep faking her smile. Hajime had gone to the Nurse's Office with Mikan shortly before she had arrived, as Sonia had been forced to spend the night there, alongside Celeste. The only other people in the dining hall were Chihiro and surprisingly, Byakuya.
The Ultimate Affluent Progeny behaved as normal, he was well dressed, his hair was in place and he was reading a book. Though he had a neutral look on his face, his eyes told the whole story. What he had experienced had clearly knocked him down a peg, and no one knew how he would act now.
Sayaka took a bite from the sausage she had cooked for herself, slowly chewing it, only to hear a whimper beside her. She looked down, seeing Casper's chocolate brown eyes looking up at her. The fluffy dog had been a welcome sight in the school, one she was still getting used to. She frowned a bit, giving him a firm look.
"You know I can't give you stuff like this, Casper. You might get sick," she said firmly. He tilted his head, ears wiggling slightly. She sighed. "Dammit, why are you so cute?"
She relented, giving her uneaten sausage to the dog, who quickly ate it up, tail wagging back and forth. While he was distracted, she finished the last of her food, not wanting to give the dog any other ideas. She had decided to take care of the dog, as no one else wanted to volunteer for the task. Of course, that meant heading back to Classroom 3-C where the box of dog toys and supplies was.
The Ultimate Pop-Sensation took her dirty dishes back to the kitchen, being followed by Casper as she did so. She snuck him a few more pieces of meat, trying to keep him distracted while she made Akira's breakfast. As she finished making it, she placed it on a tray, keen on heading back to their dorm. It didn't take long to arrive back at her shared dorm, holding the door open long enough for Casper to walk inside.
"Hey Akira, I made you breakfast~" she said, in a peppy tone. The mass of blankets on the bed moved slightly, his face peeking out of them.
"I'm not hungry."
"If you don't eat this I will force it down your throat against your will. Don't piss me off," she replied in an angry tone. He sighed, finally getting out of bed. He stepped into the bathroom for a moment, stepping out after a couple of minutes.
He sat down at the table, staring at the food she had made for him. Omurice, the same kind that he had made for her not that long ago. He gave her a small smile. "You memorized the recipe?"
"Of course. I might not be as precise as the one you made for me but… I hope you like it. I know it's your favorite so I made it with a lot of love." she said cheerfully, sitting at the edge of the bed. The Ultimate Lucky Student dug into his breakfast, the depressed look on his face vanishing for a moment.
Sayaka patted her lap, which caused Casper to jump onto the bed next to her, resting his head on her lap. She started to pet the fluffball, his tail wagging happily. "I don't want to bring the mood down or anything, but our little snowball here is gonna need some supplies."
Akira paused mid bite, swallowing the food in his mouth. He understood what she meant, bowing his head slightly. "Classroom 3-C, huh?"
"Yeah… I don't want to go up there either, but all of the pet supplies are there. I don't mind Casper sleeping in the bed with us. But I'd rather avoid getting all of his fur everywhere if I can. I know there's some toys and brushes up there. We need to make sure he always looks presentable~" she said, rubbing his cheeks, eliciting a bark from him. "You're so cute! Who's a cute boy? You are~ You're the cute boy~"
Akira found himself smiling a bit as he looked at the two. "I'm glad that Casper seems to like you, Sayaka. He can probably tell you have a good heart."
"You say that, but I was the one who put you in that awful situation."
"That wasn't your fault. Remember, this is all the Mastermind's fault."
"I know that but… how long are we going to keep blaming him for everything? We had a choice too. I rolled that roulette when I should have taken that punishment."
He remained silent for a moment, staring at his half-eaten breakfast. He reached for his drink, taking a drink from it. He set his glass down, giving her a small smile. "You know what I think? I think that you made a good choice. I wouldn't want you to get hurt or scared because of this sick game. You are too beautiful for that."
"Yes, but this isn't about me. I would have gladly taken that punishment if it meant saving any one of those hostages."
"Fair enough, but knowing Monokuma, he would have gone straight for what would have hurt you the most. Not your face, not your hands, not your body. He would have likely injured your throat, so you wouldn't be able to sing anymore. Something tells me that's just what he'd do." he said. Sayaka unconsciously grabbed her neck, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.
"T-that's a sobering thought."
"It is. I don't blame you for anything, you wanted to save your friends, and had the misfortune of landing on me. It is what it is." he said, glancing at his hand for a moment. "At the very least, they are safe and sound… and knowing my sister, she'll be here within the week."
"Do you think she'll manage to break in here?"
"Knowing Maki, she probably will. If she gets her hands on some weapons, you bet," he said, turning back to his food. He finished the last of it, setting his utensils down on the plate. "Thanks, Sayaka. That was delicious."
"I'm happy to hear it!" she happily replied.
"I need you to do me a favor though," he said, rising to his feet. She watched him for a moment, as he dug through his blazer, pulling out his journal. He handed it to her, along with his pen. "I'm gonna need you to help me with this."
"Oh… I suppose I can. I'm confused though, can't you keep it anymore?"
"Not at the moment," he said, holding his injured hand up. "I'm a lefty, and I kinda can't write at the moment."
"I see… you know I didn't notice you were left-handed," she said, clicking her pen, spinning it around her fingers for a moment. "I suppose that's another thing we have in common."
"So it would seem," Akira said, becoming serious. "Now then, I wasn't able to take this down last night for obvious reasons. But the time let me think about it. The first is the obvious, the Mastermind of this sick game was born without talent. He admired Hope's Peak Academy, but they ignored him. That's what drove him to do this sick game."
Sayaka jotted his words down, looking up at him for a moment. "How do you think he managed to get a hold of our loved ones though? Those thugs holding them hostage were all wearing those Monokuma-themed masks."
"It's possible he managed to convince some poor hacks to follow his ideals. Attacking the talented and making them suffer. He said he's got near limitless funds, so we'll have to assume he's affluent. Either that or he hijacked the government funding for Hope's Peak Academy."
"This goes a lot further than anything I would have thought about. There's no possible way the government is letting something like this slide. Capturing 23 Ultimate Students and their hostages? He mentioned the room and board along with food for keeping them safe being expensive."
"I'm thinking the same thing, something he said stood out to me. When Sonia threatened him with force, he said Novoselic wasn't as powerful as it once was. I don't think she noticed it due to what was going on, but it stuck out to me." Akira said, eyes narrowed in thought. "The picture he gave to her showed the Royal Palace surrounded by artillery of all types. Something tells me Novoselic was subjugated."
"You don't think… The Mastermind managed to cause the collapse of an entire country, right?" the idol asked.
"No, that's far too inconceivable. It doesn't matter how much money you have or the influence you have, I doubt you'd be able to topple a government." Akira replied, dismissing her theory. She continued to write, making sure her words were neat and concise.
"Anything else?"
"Yeah… you remember the 24th slot in the roulette wheel?" he asked, earning a nod from the young woman. "This is just a theory, but I think the Mastermind might be a student of Hope's Peak Academy."
"Eh? I'm sorry?"
"Let me explain. When Kyoko asked why there were 24 stands and 24 slots, he said he wasn't going to reveal that secret yet. Either there were 24 Ultimate Students among us at some point, or the Mastermind is a student of Hope's Peak." he said firmly.
"Could it be a Reserve Course Student?"
"Possibly. The way he spoke, about the Ultimates, about being the other guy, born without talent, being ignored by the Academy… It leads me to believe he might be a Reserve Course Student." he answered, glancing at the floor. "Maybe he became jaded at it all… Maybe he managed to cause something terrible, which led to the mass protest the academy labeled as "The Parade". It led to the school shutting down, giving him a playground to torture us in."
"It makes sense…"
"We just… don't have enough information. But I'm starting to get a clearer picture of who it is we're dealing with. A person with influence, a person with nearly limitless resources, capable of overtaking an entire school. Someone with the means to trap 23 of us against our will, along with hostages. And someone capable of staying out of the government's watchful eye, or rather, someone who could sway the government to let them do what they want."
"They're a very dangerous person… who clearly doesn't care about us," Sayaka said, a worried look on her face. Casper whimpered a bit at her expression, licking her face. She let out a giggle, giving the pup a pat on the head. "Thanks, Casper."
"There's one last thing you should add." the young man said, sitting up in his seat. He locked eyes with Casper, giving the canine a small smile. "The last time I saw Casper, he was only a few months old. But what you said before was right, he's fully grown. I thought he wasn't my dog at first but he seems far too friendly with me not to be."
"Something doesn't add up here, then," she said, looking up from the notebook. "How old do you think he is?"
"He was 3 months old when I got him, he should have been fully grown after a year. But judging by how big he looks, I'd say he's about 2 or 3 years old," he said. Sayaka looked up from the notebook, confusion on her face.
"2 or 3 years old? But that doesn't make sense!"
"Trust me, I know. There's a lot of information we're missing. Just put a question mark next to that one for now." Akira said, sighing audibly. "Christ, with each passing day I get more and more questions about this place."
"I think we should give this a break for now. Thinking too much about this stuff is only going to poison our thoughts. Heaven knows we need more of that." she said, closing the notebook, placing it on the nearby nightstand. "How about we go on a walk? We'll get Casper's things from the 3rd Floor and then go to the gym for some fetch! How does that sound?"
"I'm not really in the mood, Sayaka. I just want to stay here, not only that but my hand hurts like hell," he said, glancing at his injured hand for a moment. She frowned, but gave him a nod of understanding.
"Alright, Mikan did say you needed to rest. I'll speak to her later and get you some more medication," she said, rising to her feet. "Will you make me a promise, though?"
He looked up at her, looking right into her eyes. "Anything."
"Don't stay cooped up here. I understand that you are hurting, we all are, but we can't give in. We have to keep hope alive. Smile at despair in the name of hope, remember?" she asked, making him chuckle.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I'm not gonna stay here forever. I just need a day or two."
"I understand…" the idol said, shaking her head. "I just wish we had a DVD player or something, sticking around here is so boring sometimes."
"Eh… I have good company. Go on, get to know Casper a bit more, he really likes you already. Just don't give him too many treats and no sausages, got it? Grease isn't good for dogs."
She inwardly cringed, giving him a nod. "Come on, Casper. Let's go for a walk!"
He watched her go for a moment, leaning back in his seat as he watched the door closing behind the pair. "She totally fed him sausages."
The Ultimate Lucky Student sighed, glancing back at the notebook Sayaka had placed on the nightstand. A part of him wanted to read it, but another part of him just wanted to forget about it for a few days. After all, he had suffered enough already. He just lay his head down on the table, silently wondering when this hell would end.
Location: Arcade, Hope's Peak Academy 2F
Day: 13
Time: 8:50 AM
"Hiyoko, are you sure you want to be up here?" Mahiru asked, sounding a bit concerned for her friend. "I would have thought you'd wanted to rest in your room."
"Why? So I can be alone with my thoughts? Keep being reminded of how a part of my tit is disfigured? That's the last thing I need." the blonde dancer said. She was wearing a simple tank top and shorts, along with a pair of yellow flip-flops. She kept her hair down, not wanting to tie it up like normal. She kept her eyes locked on the screen in front of her. "I just want to distract myself for now."
"You should be in your room, resting. I get that it's just a brand, but it's still a serious burn. It could get infected."
"Mikan put some balm on it earlier and changed the bandage. She already gave a course of antibiotics and pain meds. I'll be fine."
"Hiyoko, I-"
"Mahiru just stop!"
She paused her game, turning to her friend, a look of annoyance on her face. "I know you are concerned for my well-being, but I don't want to stay cooped up in my fucking room!"
"It isn't just that… we all went through some serious shit. I want to make sure you are sound of mind too. Going through so much pain, watching everyone around us suffer the way we did… Watching someone die…" she said, trailing off. She clutched her head, resting her forehead on her knees. "This is so messed up."
"Hm… Seems to me like the one who needs to talk is you."
"How is it that you can just… pretend like what happened didn't happen?"
Hiyoko remained silent, squeezing her controller tightly. "Is that what you think? That I'm pretending? Because I'm not Mahiru. What happened to us last night seriously fucked me up. But I'm not going to give in just because I got a brand on my body. The moment we give in is the moment we lose, and losing is the same as being executed."
The photographer remained silent for a moment, staring at the television screen. "You know how my mom's a war photographer, right?"
"Yeah, you told me about that the day after we met. You must miss her a lot, huh?"
"I do. She's overseas a lot. She didn't want me to look at her photos but I always got my hands on them. I saw so many horrible things. The aftermath of war, the injuries left behind by the attackers, the deceased… When you see it like that, as a picture… you kind of suspend your disbelief a bit. It's just something you see. But when you are there… it's so much different."
Sitting up, she reached for her camera, staring at it for a moment. "It's why I decided to capture smiles instead of that kind of thing. I wanted to bring happiness to people with my photography, to capture the beauty of the world around me. Even here, I've managed to catch so many heartwarming moments, but I can't look back at them. Some of them are gone, and I'm scared that the pictures I have will be the last time I'll see them alive."
"You aren't going to."
"You know it is, Hiyoko. It's going to keep happening, until we figure out a way out of here. I'm scared that tomorrow I'll wake up, and it'll be you." the redhead said, holding the camera tightly against herself. "We've been through so much already. To me, it feels as if you were a sister, and I don't know why. My heart just hurts when I look at everyone, it feels as if we've been friends for years now."
Hiyoko frowned, glancing back at the game she was playing. "I thought I was the only one."
"You feel it too?"
"I have for a while," she answered, nodding. "But that doesn't change anything. I've made it this far, Mahiru. I'm not going to die here. People always bullied me because I was weak, they threw dead mice in my bed, shoved nails and glass in my shoes, and hit me. I'm tired of having to go through that shit, and I'm sick of this game too. It's why I'm choosing to fight."
"Fighting back is only going to make things worse. I don't want to see anyone else the way we saw Fuyuhiko, and Leon, and Makoto. I don't want to see any more executions either. I want to take pictures of everyone's happy moments… Not take war photos like my mother." Mahiru said, a dejected look on her face.
Hiyoko took a hold of Mahiru's hand, giving it a small squeeze. "You aren't… You are going to keep taking happy pictures of everyone. It'll take a while to get better, but we will. We just have to take our lumps, because that's the hand we've been dealt. But we'll be fine."
"You're right… I'm probably just worrying for nothing. After all, Monokuma's little game probably counts as a motive. I doubt he's going to sick something else on us." the photographer said, sighing audibly. "It's only been 13 days and it feels like it's been years."
"So much shit has happened at such a fast pace that it just feels that way. It's as if time is going fast and slow at the same time." the Ultimate Traditional Dancer said, reaching for her controller, rolling her shoulders. "It's insane."
"I just hope things get better soon."
"They will, you just have to believe."
Hiyoko kept playing her game, focusing on the screen for a few more minutes. After a while, she paused it once more, stretching her tired limbs, hissing a bit as she felt pain shooting through her. She lowered her arm, pressing her hand on her bandage. "I wish this damn thing didn't hurt so much."
"Maybe you should get some more of that novocaine stuff from Mikan, to soothe the pain."
"Yeah, it's about time I get this bandage changed too," she said, holding back a yawn, slowly standing up. "You wanna tag along or wait here?"
"I think I'm gonna wait here. There's a cute stuffed toy in one of those machines that I've been wanting for a while now. I have a lot of tokens burning a hole in my pocket. I'll try to get you one."
"Aim for the pink one then. I'll be back."
The Ultimate Traditional Dancer left the Arcade, about to head down to the Nurse's Office when she heard the sound of the library door closing. Glancing over her shoulder, she spared a glance up the corridor. Normally, she'd have kept walking, but something told her to go there. So she did, she slowly slid the door open, spotting Byakuya near the back, at his usual table.
He looked up from his novel, meeting eyes with her for a moment. He looked back at his novel, not saying anything. Hiyoko closed the door behind her, slowly shortening the distance between them.
"Are you doing okay?"
"Why do you care?" the young man asked, flipping a page in his book. "I thought I was public enemy number one. No one gave a damn about me but suddenly, suddenly you all see me in a vulnerable state and now I'm important?"
"You always were important, jackass. We just can't agree with someone who guts someone else for the hell of it," she replied, crossing her arms. "Like it or not, we're all the same now. We always were."
"We are not the same."
"We are. You are just as vulnerable as I am. I might not have your wealth or the influence of the Togami name, but I am just as vulnerable." she replied, glancing away from him. "Honestly, I have no idea why you wouldn't want to befriend anyone here. It would ensure your survival."
"Befriending all of you will end in nothing but my demise. The things I do, the things I say, all of them are true. Yet it has helped me out, it has kept everyone away from me."
"If you say so, all it's done is paint a big target on your back."
"All the more reason for me to stay away from you," he said, sighing audibly. "Evidently, I doubt that'll happen, at least not right now."
Hiyoko pulled out a nearby chair, sitting down on it, legs crossed as she stared at him. "You're right, I'm not going to leave so soon. Because you need to process what happened."
"I do not."
"Byakuya…" she paused, taking a deep breath through her nose. "When you said Mr. Pennyworth was expendable, did you mean it?"
He didn't say anything at first, looking up over his glasses. "You know the answer to that, you saw me at my lowest."
"Fair enough I guess."
It became quiet again, with nothing more than the sound of their breathing. Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment, rolling his jaw a bit. Shoulders dropping, he decided to speak. "When I was a boy, I was told by my father what awaited me. Just because I was born as a Togami didn't mean I was a Togami. I would have to work toward that name, to become someone befitting that name. And so, at the age of 5, my personal hell began…"
He looked back at the book in his lap, chuckling darkly. "I was one of 15, each of us told to do the same thing. Fight. I had to learn everything, because I had to know everything. Accounting, Economics, Mathematics, Politics, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Social Studies, World History, anything that I could use, I learned. By the age of 9, I had made my first billion, by the age of 13, I had my first company. I became the fastest-growing Fortune 500 owner in the world, all before the age of 14. My siblings, however, didn't have it as easy."
"What happened to them?"
"The same thing that happened to me. As I said, it was a battle that none of us could afford to lose. They had their mothers to back them up, to encourage them, but I had no one. My mother decided she didn't want to be in my life. So I grew up without her, and I didn't need her. My father felt bad for me, so he appointed someone to care for me. Aloysius. He was more of a father to me than my own father."
"And you decided he was expendable…? If that man was the one who treated you like a son, why wouldn't you fight for his life? Why would you just roll over and let Monokuma kill him?" Hiyoko asked, earning a glare from him.
"Would it have changed the outcome? His life was in the hands of the Ultimate Gambler, and it was clear she was aiming to make me suffer. In my mind, I thought if saying he was expendable, she wouldn't use him against me. I was wrong in my assessment." Byakuya said, gritting his teeth in anger. "Trust me… seeing Aloysius being beaten the way he was boils my blood."
"Then you should have fought outright. You should have told Celeste to fuck off with her bullshit. Instead, she just walked all over you." she said, sitting up in her seat. "I didn't let that happen, I wasn't going to let my father suffer, because he has suffered enough. I'm his daughter, not by blood, but I'm still his. That's why I let that bastard brand me, because nothing he does to me would be as painful as watching the man that raised me go through that. I would never subject him to that kind of torture."
"What of your mother? Your grandmother?"
"Tch… those two? Both of them are a waste of oxygen. My grandmother is an old crone, and the only thing she did for me was teach me to dance. My mother just kept me away from my father, and always treated him like a piece of shit. Like he was the best she could do. But it was the opposite, my father could do so much better." she said, her smile growing as she thought about the man. "He's wonderful."
Byakuya looked away from her for a moment, pursing his lips. "I wish I had that kind of love for my own father. To think about him, and all he's done for me, to have a memory of him that makes me smile the way you do."
"But you do have them… perhaps not from your biological father, but you have them from Aloysius, don't you? He's the Alfred to your Batman," she said, making him cringe a bit. Her eyes widened a bit, gasping. "Of course! That's who you are! You're Batman!"
"I am not."
"Yeah, you are! You were raised by your butler and have so much money you don't know what to do with it! Monokuma and the Mastermind are your Joker! All you need now is to design a kickass suit and you'll be able to kick his teeth in!"
"Hiyoko cease this chatter. I am not going to have you compare me to a comic book character." he spat, snapping his book shut. "Whatever the case may be, things are going to be a lot different for all of us now. Celestia drove her point home… In fact, I believe she was the true mastermind of that game."
"Huh?"
"Isn't it obvious? It was a setup… How was she able to get a hold of the same gold coin Akira used to wish in the fountain? I certainly don't believe she got it from the MonoMono Machine. I've never seen her use it." he said, narrowing his eyes. "I'll go as far as saying this was all a game, to get something out of the Mastermind."
"What could that be?"
"Why would I share that with you? You have to do your own detective work, Hiyoko. After all, if you want to make it out of this game alive, you'll have to become a good detective. You're a smart woman, I'm certain you'll be able to put two and two together." he replied, rising to his feet, glancing at the clock. "Well then, I shall be taking my leave."
"Ah… I should probably go too, I needed to get my bandage changed," she said, bowing her head in embarrassment. Byakuya paused for a moment, glancing over his shoulder.
"Well… would you care for an escort? I do not offer this lightly, and I am not going to wait for you," he said, leaving the library. She quickly stood up, sliding her feet into her flip-flops, running after the taller man.
"Hey wait! Don't just leave!"
She raced after him, surprised by his change in demeanor. Perhaps he wasn't such a bad person after all.
A/N: I still laugh at the fact that this game wasn't even the motive lol.