Chapter 6: New World's Eden (Part 1)
Warning: This fic contains intense violence, lots of cursing (thanks Monoye- Wait. You're not in this story! Meaning there is still lots of cursing!... Maybe! Hooray!), character death, gore and blood, sexual innuendos (thanks Maggi- Wait. You're dead now. Meaning there are no sexual innuendos!... Maybe! Hooray!), and possible spoilers for the Danganronpa series, most notably the first one. But hey, everyone lurking in this fandom has at least played the first Danganronpa so no need to worry much there!
With that said, please enjoy!
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.
She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened...
(2008)
"Yo yo, partygoers! First thing's first, gotta thank you all for coming. You are all the best friends I ever had! Some of you guys, well, I ain't never seen you before. But a full house is a full house. And we got the motherload of full houses tonight. Snacks and beverages are on the side. My folks? They aren't coming back until tomorrow night! Meaning we got all night to party the night away…"
…
Titus Erskine held up a phonograph record that he had retrieved from the nearby shelf of his house, winking toward his guests. He stood on the coffee table. His guests happened to be hundreds of his own friends surrounding him, excitedly. A combination of closest friends… to acquaintances that he just happens to know.
He sniffed the sweet, vinyl scent of the record in his hands.
"1998 Coolsville Records…" Titus revealed. "King of Swing. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Our appetizer for tonight. And then we move to the main course… EDM music from my grandpa's collection, and finally, the dessert, a slow waltz for all the lovers tonight…"
Titus cupped his ear toward his guests.
"Whaddya say?" Titus grinned, cockily. "Y'all ready?"
"YES!"
"Aw come on now," Titus grinned. "Y'all can do better than that…"
"YES!"
The cheers and applause were immense. Like he was on a grand stage in front of an active audience. Fans of a great showman. His fans. His loyal followers. God. This was the shit. The one life he enjoyed.
He took the record disc out and held it up for everyone to see.
"...Let's boogie," he grinned.
Then, he placed it directly into the gramophone and the music started to play…
The car ride back home was slow for Zensyth, Flora, and Flint Erskine.
It was yet another family get-together, at least for Zensyth, Flora, and Flint only. Titus had promised to stay behind to focus on his schoolwork, leaving his mother and grandparents to go off on yet another uneventful venture into the other half of the Erskine family.
Zensyth may have been a single mother living with her parents to focus on taking care of Titus…
But everyone else her age in the Erskine family were practically nobles. Rich members of the bourgeois who had bragging rights about everything, especially their children. The more Zensyth thought about it, the more Zensyth tightened her grip around the wheel.
Some kids were set to inherit family businesses.
Others… Well, there was potential in other places. Especially the likes of Talent. Zensyth said nothing the entire time but simply thought back to that idea.
Talent.
Like… Titus?
"Can you believe it?" Flint gruffly muttered. "Your brother has a kid who's gonna be a neurosurgeon. Your sister's son is working for NASA. She and her husband even got two lawyers in the same branch. And what do you have? A deadbeat. Kid could be anyone he wants in the world and yet he chooses to waste his life just partying and underage drinking. The kid's got a record now, Zen!"
"Dad, please," Zensyth sighed at the wheel. "I know my Little Titan has some rough edges, but I know he has just as much potential as the rest of the family."
"You're coddling him too much, Zen," Flint glanced out of the window. "You keep it up with this Little Titan shit and the only thing this kid's going to be good for is a life as a crook."
"That's enough out of you, dear," Flora sighed. "What your father means to say Zen is…"
"I know, Mom," Zensyth responded, irritated. "I know… He thinks my Little Titan is an embarrassment. But I just…"
Titus Erskine was not like other kids.
Deep down, Zensyth knew her father was right about this. In a family that's constantly competing against one another, Zensyth's side of the Erskine family was practically nearing black sheep levels. All she's heard in her life was disappointment and discouragement over her capabilities as a mother.
Her little Titus Erskine.
Her Little Titan.
He just wasn't good enough for these narcissistic nobles. And yet, it was her dream to one day prove them wrong. To show that her Little Titan could be just as big as that lawyer boy or that NASA girl or that neurosurgeon… whatever!
"Titus is special in his own way," Zensyth continued to insist to her parents.
Flint and Flora could only look away.
It was clear that neither of them believed it. Instead, they chose to believe their own daughter was coping over the capabilities of their grandson. And as Zen pulled into the driveway, she noticed the same look of disappointment and discouragement on their faces…
…And all three failed to initially see the flashing lights and muffled music behind their own home.
"Fuck yeah, Titus! Chug chug chug!"
Titus chugged down his drink to the beat of the EDM music that was now playing. The cheers and applause was gratifying. And he enjoyed the fame and thrill that was tonight. He could see everyone he called a friend run around the house, practically trashing it and doing classic high school things.
God!
This was the shit!
Titus tossed his finished drink onto the ground and cheered loudly, allowing his own peers to join in to the hoots and hollers. It practically felt like a frat house at this point and yet, Titus couldn't care less.
Because once again…
This was the shit!
This was life!
His life.
Ding dong!
The doorbell rang.
"Ah ha, that must be the Olsen twins!" Titus laughed along with his peers. "Excuse me one second guys! I'll go get it! You guys continue to party without me!"
Titus gave his friends a thumbs-up and walked directly toward the door.
He kept his braided hair back and opened the door excitedly.
"Hey y'all, you guys are late like–" Titus cut himself off.
And even though the music and the cheers and the excited hollers were still audible, to Titus, it felt like the world had gone silent. Because standing in front of the door was the mortified faces of his mother and his grandparents.
"...Aw shit…" Titus cursed.
"Your kid is a goddamn party animal! How the hell are you supposed to fit into any of those family gatherings now?!"
"Look, I know. I just…"
"Zen, sweetie, this is your son… our grandson we're talking about. We just can't have him do stuff like this anymore… It's time for a change."
"I… Okay… I'll… talk to him…"
…
It's been an hour since Titus was forced to kick everyone out of the house. At the moment, he was stuck on cleaning duty, cleaning away the empty cans and bottles of drinks he had shared amongst his peers. Trash bags were littered everywhere, each filled with empty and half-eaten bags of snacks wasting away in them.
All the while, Titus could hear the arguing between his mother and grandparents.
Arguing wasn't something uncommon in this section of the Erskine family. His mother and grandparents always fought. Or rather, it was usually his grandparents yelling at her and his mother having to take it. And it was always over the same stupid thing. Something about a disagreement over how his mother raised him. They said that he had too much freedom growing up and not enough discipline. That she was too soft on him.
Titus couldn't see the problem behind it.
This was his life after all.
Why should anyone dictate how he should live it?
Titus begrudgingly shoved more empty cans and bottles into his trash bag before hearing the door slide open. When he looked up, Titus saw exactly what he expected: his mother with a concerned look on her face.
But Titus didn't say anything in return.
After the earful he got from Grandpa, goddamn. He was in no mood to say anything. If anything, the shame he would've felt was replaced by a sense of rebellious anger. As he thought of it more and more, the more he questioned it once more:
Yeah.
Why should anyone dictate how he should live it?
Titus avoided looking at his mother. But despite how meek Zensyth Erskine was, she still held out her hand to touch Titus on his shoulder.
"Here, let me help you, my Little Titan," Zensyth softly smiled toward her son.
"Ah goddamn it, ma," Titus sighed. "Little Titan? Come on. I'm 15! Kids my age pick on people with nicknames like that, y'know!"
Zen retracted her hand and looked at her own son in uncertainty.
"Look, ma," Titus frowned. "I know. I fucked up. But ya gotta give me a break. I mean, I'm doing things that kid's my age should be doing!"
"That doesn't make it right, now does it?" Zensyth frowned.
Titus sighed.
"That's the point, ma," Titus roughly said, as he tossed his empty trash bag onto the ground. "All 15 year olds make bad decisions! That's just how teenagers are!"
"That's not how your cousins are," Zensyth frowned.
"Oh, here we go," Titus rolled his eyes.
"Did you know that your cousin, Heppa, is already on her way to becoming a very successful neurosurgeon?" Zensyth told him. "Or Oliver, who's already got internships at NASA. And even your cousins, Bea and Vee, are already getting into law school."
Titus just continued to shove trash after trash into his trash bag. He had no time to listen to his mother's lectures. And yet the more he heard the names of his cousins, the more he just felt himself coming undone.
"Titus, I'm just worried about your future," Zensyth sighed. "All this partying. All these friends. Your grades. Your habits. None of this is working out for you and I just–"
"You just what?" Titus suddenly stood up. "Huh? Ma?"
Zen slowly stood up and looked at him, slight shock in her eyes. For the first time, Titus really spoke to her that way?
"You just want me to be like them?" Titus asked Zensyth. "Be like a bunch of losers I don't even like?"
"Titus–" Zensyth tried to say.
"You, Grandma, and Grandpa…" Titus pointed his finger toward the door, knowing full well that they would probably be listening outside. "All of you just want me to be someone I'm not. I'm not Neil Armstrong. I'm not Stephen Strange or Saul fucking Goodman."
"Titus!" Zensyth was aghast by his outburst.
"I'm me!" Titus pointed to him. "I'm Titus! I'm your son! I'm literally the most popular guy at my school! Partying! Music! All of that is my passion! Why can't you accept me the way I am?! Why do I have to be like those geezers literally on the other side of the state?"
"You don't…" Zensyth tried to say. "You don't…"
Titus looked at his mother.
It was clear that his outburst had thrown her into a whirlwind of stress. He knew it was hard for her to be a single mother. But his anger outweighed his guilt. And all he could think about was being right in this conversation. Be the winner of this one-sided argument.
"You don't have to be like them…" Zensyth said. "That's not the point. I just… I just want my son to be special…"
Titus shook his head with a small scoff.
"Then, get off my back already," Titus shook his head.
He left the trash bags on the ground and brushed past his mother. Sliding the door open, he immediately squeezed through his disappointed grandparents. Tch. He was right. They were there… listening to this conversation. And they were equally as mad as he was.
"Listen–" Flint was about to say before Titus held up his index finger.
"I'm going out for a walk," Titus muttered. "Whatever you have to say can fucking wait."
Flint was flabbergasted by this response.
It was enough to make his blood boil. He watched as his grandson simply walked off toward the front door to go on his supposed walk. To think that Zen's Little Titan would grow up to be such an ungrateful bastard. God. It seriously pissed him off…
"Hope's Peak Academy?"
Titus held onto the paper that Zen had handed to him. He let his eyes wander word after word. But no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, the more the words inked themselves into his mind. It was supposed to be a calm day today. And yet, today just so happened to be the day his entire world came crashing down. Those haunting words:
Congratulations Titus Erskine!
You have been accepted into Hope's Peak Academy's Foreign Exchange Reserve Course Program located at Osaka, Japan! We hope to see you here at Orientation on August 26!
Signed,
Hope's Peak Academy
After he reread these words over and over again, he finally looked up to his mother and his grandparents. His eyes could see that they were immensely proud and happy at the invitation that they had received. But in return, all he could give them was a look of betrayal. As he held the letter, his hands started to shake.
"You're sending me to Japan?" Titus blinked. "Away from here? From…"
Titus glanced around.
He couldn't even think of a way to finish that sentence. If he was going to leave for Japan, that meant that he was going to far from everything he loved. His parties… His school… His friends… His…
He shook his head.
"Nah," Titus firmly said. "I'm not going."
He watched their smiles dropped.
"What?" Flint narrowed his eyes. "You have to go. You need to go. It's perfect for you."
"No, it's perfect for you, Gramps," Titus frowned. "This isn't what I want."
Titus scooted his chair out as he prepared to leave.
"Oh, and I suppose what you want is so much better than what your family has planned for you," Flint rolled his eyes. "You really think there's a future in partying, underage drinking, and hanging out with… with bad influences like who you call friends?"
"They're not bad influences!" Titus stood up, glaring at Flint.
"Really," Flint deadpanned.
Titus knew there was little point in arguing with Flint. He was a stubborn old fart who always thought that he was the smartest man in the room. So instead, he turned his attention to his mother and grandmother. His anger shifted back to that same look of betrayal. A haunting look of betrayal that would haunt his mother and grandmother for days to come.
"You can't expect me to go," Titus shook his head, almost pleadingly. "It's Japan! It's like 15 hours away from here. I can't even speak Japanese. How do you expect me to fit in with the kids over there?"
"Oh you'll fit in," Flora gave him a supportive smile. "Hope's Peak also promised a Foreign Language in Japanese, free of charge."
Titus sputtered.
He tried to voice more complaints, but the more he tried, the more he realized just how fruitless it all was. There was no talking himself out of this. No matter what he said in this situation, it would be pointless. Whether he liked it or not, he was going to Japan, as a student at Hope's Peak Academy.
"My Little Titan…" Zensyth placed a hand on her son's hand. "This is the best opportunity you're ever going to have. It's going to be great for you. Please, trust me."
"Trust you…?" Titus was close to tearing up. "T-Trust you… How c-can I–?"
"You are capable of so many great things," Zensyth told her son. "Why waste it here when you have the potential to be so much better…?"
Titus didn't know how to respond.
In his mind, there was a whirlwind of mixed anger and frustration that his own family would make a serious life-changing decision without his consent. He had every right to continue fighting for his right. Every right to yell, to smash his hand against the desk, to call his family all sorts of names…
But all of it was overshadowed by an overwhelming feeling of sadness.
Hopelessness.
Because no matter how mad he was, the conclusion was evident. He was going to that school. His life was going to change forever.
And he wasn't going to like it.
"No, I don't see any Talent potential here."
The news hit the entire Erskine family like a truck.
They had wasted no time purchasing tickets for flights to Osaka, Japan, regardless of how much Titus didn't want to go. They wasted no time packing their bags, planning some fun visits to different tourist attractions, all the likes… Because for the first time, they were excited for what this trip could bring:
A chance for Zensyth and Titus to become a worthy part of the Erskine name.
But a meeting with Koichi Kizakura was all it took to wipe out any Hopes and dreams they may have had with their momentous occasions. Titus could see the same look of shock and betrayal that he had on his mother and grandparents' faces.
And for him, it gave him a sense of Hope.
Maybe he would continue living the life he loved living so much. That the change that he feared would happen, might just not happen. His family's crushed Hope was his Hope. And Titus tried his best to smile as he watched his Grandpa look visibly frustrated by this outcome.
"What?" Flint narrowed his eyes. "No. That's impossible. Look again. There has to be some potential in there."
"Look, buddy," Koichi sighed. "You can make me look at him, X-Ray him, do all of this bullcrap a thousand times… But at the end of the day, the results will always be the same. Your kid doesn't have anything going for him. He's ordinary. Just like the rest of the Reserve Course kids."
Koichi sipped his flask, wiping some traces of alcohol from his mustache.
Flint gritted his teeth.
"And I think I should take up your drinking habits to your superiors," Flint growled. "Clearly, they're muddling with your so-called Ultimate Talent Scout abilities…"
"Whoa there," Koichi chuckled. "Are you threatening me? Or is my English just that bad?"
Flint stood up and attempted to say something but felt himself being held back by Flora. The brash behavior of Titus's grandpa was immediately countered by the calming and collected sense of Flora's involvement.
"With all due respect, Mr. Kizakura," Flora began to say. "We traveled to a foreign country for the Foreign Exchange Reserve Course Program with the hopes that our little Titus had the potential to be a Hope for the next generation. And you're telling us that we've basically wasted our time and money…?"
Koichi lowered his hat and sighed deeply.
"...I… don't know what to tell you," Koichi simply said, popping open his flask once more.
Flint looked especially close to throwing hands with the Ultimate Talent Scout, but again, Flora placed a hand on his shoulder in order to keep him settled.
"Look, I'm going to be honest with you," Koichi rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. "You aren't the first family members to complain about this. Everyone gets upset when I say their Reserve Course kid shows little to no Talent potential. Especially those in our new Foreign Exchange Student Program…"
He sipped his flask again.
"But… as I'm required to say…" he mumbled that last part. "There are very rare chances that maybe the kid's a late bloomer. Maybe the reason I don't see it is because the potential hasn't been reached yet. That's basically what the Reserve Course Program is for. Have them be in an actual environment where such potential can develop and then... well, we'll see…"
"So, you mean to say that our Little Titan still has a chance?" Zensyth looked hopeful. "That if he works hard in your program, he'll be…"
"Don't get your hopes up, Ms. Erskine," Koichi sighed once more. "As I said, it's a very rare chance. My opinion…?"
Koichi tipped his fedora toward the Erskines.
"...Get a refund," Koichi simply said. "Go back home. Wait till he's actually scouted by some of our newer Hope's Peak schools. Then we'll talk."
The walk back to their hotel was shameful to say the least.
Koichi Kizakura recommended that they don't go through with the Program, lest they wish to waste money on a hopeless dream. While this wasn't something Zensyth, Flora, or Flint wanted, Titus was practically elated. His demeanor since he got here shifted from pissed off to pretty damn excited.
For once in his life, to be noticed as anything but special… It was a great feeling!
"Well, now that we actually visited the place…" Titus cockily smirked. "Guess that means this whole thing was a bust and we can go home now, right?"
Titus walked further up ahead but felt his family stray behind.
He turned back, confused, before noticing that frustrated look on Flint's face again.
"You ungrateful brat," Flint growled.
"Dad, please, not in public," Zensyth pleaded. Her eyes darted around toward the citizens who, although didn't really understand what they were saying, clearly showed a piqued interest at the foreigners walking past their street markets.
"Do you still not realize how much we're sacrificing for you to be here?" Flint glared at Titus. "We're spending tons of money, all for you."
"Yeah?" Titus sighed, rolling his eyes. "Well, I never asked you to. I told you already, Gramps, all of this you expect from me is what you wanted, not me.
"Why you–" Flint raised his hand.
He had every right to slap Titus across the face right now.
The little appreciation this bastard had over the amount of effort his own family had put into improving his life for the better… The amount of money spent… The lengths they had to grow through to give Titus Erskine a chance to live a happy life…
It was an insult.
A slap to the face so why couldn't he do the same–
Flint felt Flora's hand grab onto his wrist, keeping him calm and controlled. He looked at his surroundings, noting the witnesses that would call out his misbehavior. Then, he noted Titus, who's eyes had widened at how close he had gotten slapped across the face. Gruffly, Flint pointed his finger toward him.
"You listen here," Flint spoke, voice quieter yet just as serious. "You are a late bloomer. You have to be. And if you don't get an Ultimate Talent by the time you graduate, you can kiss coming back to America, goodbye."
Titus stood in the middle of the sidewalk, dumbstruck by his own grandpa's words.
"Y-You…" Titus clenched his fist.
It was his turn to feel the burning desire to hurt someone. Because the ultimatum that Flint gave him was completely absurd. It was outrageous. It was unfair. How dare he give him this impossible task? How dare he? Koichi Kizakura literally told them that the best option was to just go home and yet his stubbornness to turn him into someone he was not continued to be his utmost priority.
That annoyed him.
That seriously annoyed him.
How dare he? How dare he? How dare he? How dare he? How dare he?
"You can't do that, Gramps!" Titus gritted his teeth. "You can't do this to me!"
The moment he started to yell; all eyes had turned to the foreign family. Everyone's piqued curiosity became curiouser and curiouser as Titus stood his ground. But it was clear that Flora was pushing Flint further and further away from him, escorting the obviously irritated older man back to the hotel.
"You hear me, Gramps?!" Titus let his voice raise. "You hear me?! You can't do this to me! You fucking can't!"
"Titus, please," Zensyth placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't fucking touch me!" Titus glared. "You're just as bad as he is!"
"Titus!" Zensyth looked at him, slightly hurt. "That's not–"
"Oh really, ma?" Titus shook his head. "You want to say that this wasn't what you wanted as well?!"
"Titus, there are people–" Zensyth tried to save face.
"Who the fuck cares?!" Titus yelled. "They're Japs! They don't fucking understand what the hell we're saying! What? You're embarrassed to have your own son yelling at you?! News flash! I have every right!"
The more Titus continued to yell, the more Zensyth realized that all of this pent-up frustrations and anger was for her as much as it was for Flint. And clearly, he was projecting his hatred toward his family for everything that was happening to him. Everything that he didn't want to happen… forced upon him.
"You're allowing Gramps to do this to me!" Titus exclaimed. "You're allowing my entire world to change, and you don't even care about what I want in the end! Who the fuck does–"
"Well, what if what you want isn't good enough for this family?!" Zensyth finally snapped back.
Titus felt himself stunned into silence after hearing his own mother, a woman who was meek and submissive, suddenly yell back. In fact, he could see the look of surprise his own mother had at her sudden outburst because the moment she yelled out was the moment she sighed and tried to regain her composure.
"We're going through with this, whether you like it or not," Zensyth bitterly said. "If you don't have an Ultimate by the time you graduate from the Reserve Course Program, don't bother coming back…"
That was all she had to say before she inevitably walked off, leaving Titus behind a crowd of Japanese citizens, whispering amongst themselves over this foreign family's discourse. And all Titus could do was remain stunned. Truly… There was no more Hope of him ever returning back to America.
He was going to live in Japan for the rest of his life…
(2009)
Titus rested his head on his desk.
One year has passed since Titus was given his ultimatum.
As he expected, his life had changed for the worst. He was stuck in a foreign country taking classes he could care little about. His parties… his glory… his amazing high school years… robbed from him as he still struggled to speak the language of the country, he was forced to rot away in.
As he let his light green eyes glaze over toward the other students in his class, he noticed just how attentive and serious they were about this course. This so-called joke of an opportunity… It's been a year and Titus felt as if he were a sitting duck in the middle of a minefield. Everyone was trying so hard to make it big and yet it was clear to Titus that all of that hard work was never going to pay off.
The Reserve Course program was a joke.
A scam.
Especially to the Foreign Exchange kids.
…
Perhaps he was just projecting. Perhaps it was the boredom speaking. Perhaps it was how uninteresting his peers were that had him feel this way towards his own classmates. Back home, his classmates would cheer and urge him to engage in fun activities. Here, they were all too focused on a clearly lost cause.
Tch.
Couldn't these idiots see that what they were preparing for was all for nothing? Couldn't they see how hopeless it was?
Titus prepared to close his eyes to yet another uneventful day…
"Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Terra Pisch. You know the girl who comes to school in her PJs?"
"Oh. That weird girl? Haven't seen her around since winter. What about her?"
"Rumor has it she's going to become an Ultimate soon."
"W-What?! Before the rest of us? Isn't the whole point of the Reserve Course Department to give us Ultimate Talent after we graduate…? What makes her so special that she's getting hers quicker than others…?"
"Well… she's apparently been given permission to intern for that Noshino guy. Training in secret."
"That bitch… Really thinks she can one-up and leave the rest of us in the dirt, huh?"
Titus opened his eyes, suddenly. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Terra Pisch wasn't someone he was all too familiar with. However, he remembered seeing her around. For someone in the Reserve Course, the fact she chose to go to school in her pajamas made her stand out more than the other students.
So, to hear that she was close to developing her own Talent soon…
How on Earth was this possible?
Wasn't this program supposed to be some scam? Was it… truly possible for someone to actually be a late bloomer? Truly possible that perhaps the Reserve Course Department was able to help late bloomers gain potential to be Ultimates. Late-bloomers like… him?
He lifted his head off of the desk and glanced at the two students that were conveniently talking about Terra Pisch loud enough for only him to hear.
"Hey, yo," Titus spoke up. "Where'd you hear that info from…?"
The two students blinked, surprised that Titus was talking to them.
He couldn't blame them for being surprised. Throughout the year, Titus didn't even bother trying to get to know his own classmates. He didn't bother trying to fit in… He didn't bother with the coursework or the exams… All he wanted was to go back home. And that was a resolve that was nowhere close to dying even after a year.
"I asked a question…" Titus frowned.
"Pft, look man, they're just rumors," the first student shook his head with a chuckle. "Don't believe everything you hear."
"Dude, what?" his friend stared at him with a deadpan expression.
Clearly, he didn't want Titus to know about it.
The universe can be cruel.
Regardless, Titus knew what he had to do now. He got up from his desk and brushed past his two classmates, leaving his classroom and heading directly toward the administrator's offices…
Titus twiddled his fingers.
He sat by Koichi Kizakura's cubicle as the Ultimate Talent Scout scoured through his report card. The Reserve Course student clearly didn't expect much of a response. Knowing how he had been acting throughout the year, he knew that Koichi was going to be disappointed regardless…
Heh.
He was right on the money.
Koichi sighed, popped open his flask, took a sip, and finally tipped his fedora down. He smacked Titus's report card directly on the edge of his own desk.
"Well, if you're trying to show me how much you don't want to be here," Koichi chuckled. "You've certainly done a good job at doing that."
Koichi took another sip.
"How've you been, kid?" Koichi questioned. "That family of yours still giving you a harsh time?"
"I stopped calling them," Titus muttered, crossing his arms. "Haven't given them an update for two months."
"Whoa, excessive?" Koichi chuckled.
"Not really," Titus shrugged.
Koichi pointed a stern look toward the young man.
He knew that the relationship between Titus and his family was pretty strained. He could see it the first time he met the Erskines. And honestly, with someone like Flint as a family member, Koichi couldn't blame them. But at the same time, to hear a young man like him disregard his family…
It really brought back memories.
"Hey now," Koichi looked at Titus, grimly. "I know it's none of my place to say this but they're still family. Best you give them a call once in a while. You might regret it in the future."
Koichi straightened his fedora as he said this.
"You would be right if most of my calls from them are asking about updates on whether or not I've become an Ultimate yet," Titus rolled his eyes.
"Heh," Koichi smiled at him. "I get it would be pretty annoying. But it doesn't have to be a call. Just… text them or something. Not everyone has happy families, y'know?"
Titus didn't say anything.
Koichi figured he'd crossed a boundary and cleared his throat. He sighed and set Titus's report card aside. He leaned back against his seat and glanced at the young man curiously.
"But anyways, I can guess why you're here..." Koichi deduced. "And it's not to review your grades or talk about your time here, is it?"
Titus continued to remain silent.
"Look, kid, what I'm going to say…" Koichi sighed, scratching the back of his neck.
Being an Ultimate Talent Scout just wasn't all that it was cut out to be. The number of disappointments he's seen when doing his job… It was no wonder he had to bring a flask with alcohol whenever he went. And for someone like Titus's case, it was much harder than he'd expected…
"I have no Talent potential, right?" Titus clasped his hand together, his eyes trailing down.
It was Koichi's turn to remain silent.
"...You can just say it," Titus grimaced. "I don't have any Talent potential. I'm… not a late bloomer. I'm just ordinary, aren't I?"
"...Well, I wouldn't say that," Koichi sighed. "For all we know, you could be a really late bloomer but at the same time…"
Koichi rubbed the back of his neck.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up, kid," Koichi lowered his fedora.
Titus didn't say anything.
"...It's why I suggested that your parents save their money last year," Koichi sighed. "When you're in the Hope's Peak biz, someone is bound to lose. And here in Osaka, it's usually the Reserve Course kids."
Koichi sipped from his flask again.
"...I'm really sorry, kid," Koichi simply said.
Titus simply stood up and turned around.
"At least you're honest…" Titus simply said.
Then, he left.
Titus never knew what it was like to sit on the fountain by Hope's Peak Academy's courtyard.
Oftentimes he had seen this Reserve Course student and some Ultimate gamer girl sit here to chat and play games together. But ever since winter, it just sort of stopped. And the fountain was left alone for someone like him to sit alone.
Sit alone and just chuckle at the irony of it all.
For a place called Hope's Peak Academy, Titus had never felt more hopeless in his entire life. To think that someone like him was forced to attend a school even when knowing that he had basically nothing to offer to the next generation… And even worse, he was pretty much stuck in a foreign country because his only way out was to be something he wasn't.
The task he was given… it was…
Impossible.
Unachievable.
Hopeless.
Titus took out his phone and scrolled through his text messages.
The first was his mother.
Just the same ole tidbits of asking how he's been, how his time in Japan has been, and how much progress he's made towards being an Ultimate. The typical norm of the Erskine family. Plus a few updates of where his cousins were at and what they were accomplishing. And the more Titus scrolled through each image, the more he felt himself seethe.
Titus obviously left these messages on Read.
But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to tell his own mother to 'Go fuck herself'. He didn't want to see the accomplishments of people who mattered little to him. He didn't want to be compared to people he had little care for. What they were putting him through, it wasn't fair.
To think that perhaps behind the screen, his mother was going around declaring that her boy was an Ultimate. Lying to everyone that he was special. Lying. About him. He hated that. He hated how much his mother had to preen for these people. He hated his mother. He hated his grandparents. His family. He hated his life.
The urge to throw his phone across the courtyard…
He felt himself shake. He tried to calm himself as he exited out of his mother's text messages and tried to find some comforting words from his friends. But the more he scrolled to each of his contacts, the more he found that most had barely responded to his texts. Most had barely responded to him. Most had… acted as if he had never existed.
Acted as if he were just another classmate of theirs that just happened to pass by.
But this didn't make sense.
They were his friends, weren't they? No one wished him good luck? No one asked how he was doing? No one missed those parties he loved to pull? No one missed him…?
And in the end, all looking at his phone did was draw him to tears.
Tears that fell directly onto his phone screen.
Tch.
The irony still stood.
For a place called Hope's Peak Academy, Titus never felt so hopeless as he did now. In no time in his life did he feel more like that his own life had gone to shit than it had now. That there was truly no meaning to living anymore…
Titus didn't say anything for the longest time.
He just let his tears splatter on the ground.
Fuck.
What the hell was he supposed to do now…?
Titus wandered past convenience store after convenience store in the dead of night.
Much like America, convenience stores were open 24/7. But unlike America, Japan had the balls to advertise their best-selling booze right on the poster covering their window. After everything today, he could use a drink. Only problem was that the legal age for drinking was 20 and he was… well he was 16. Soon to be 17 technically but…
Titus let himself stare at the booze being advertised.
Almost too intently.
Like he was thirsting for it. Eager to consume his woes and drown in his tears. He was in the deepest state of depression he could ever imagine himself to be in. And the savior to his disgrace was within this late-night convenience store. He glanced around, noting that he wasn't the only one inside.
Someone else was inside too.
There was no way that he would be able to get the drink if he paid. But if he maybe…
He narrowed his eyes and entered the store.
There was one cashier by the counter.
There was one large and burly male shopping around.
And then, there was him, Titus Erskine.
This wasn't the first time Titus had attempted something like this before. Convenience stores were typically easy pickings but then again, back then Titus actually had a crew of friends to help him sneak out the strongest drinks he could find. Right now, he was alone. But he didn't need his lousy friends.
He can do this.
He can do this himself.
He kept his eye on the cashier. From what he's seen, he was often distracted by whatever was on his phone. Some stupid cartoon review series or whatever. He could use this to his advantage. And that advantage would require the use of…
Titus turned his head toward the large burly male that was currently stacking on instant ramen.
Yes.
Him.
If he could just use him as a makeshift shield to break the cashier's line of sight, he could leave with just one bottle of their strongest soju. He just needed to time things correctly. He just needed to be sneaky.
He kept his eye on the cashier and the large man.
Then, carefully, he approached the drinks section. He eyed each brand carefully till his eyes landed onto the drink that was advertised to him. The drink that he wanted. Carefully, he reached for the drink. He glanced around, shiftily, noticing that the large man was talking to the cashier…
Then, he swiped the drink and headed straight for the exit.
He carefully placed the drink underneath his coat jacket and found himself walking faster than usual. He felt the adrenaline start to seep out of his veins. Heat started to rush through his head as he walked straight toward the sliding doors. He tried his best to act natural as he walked past the large man and the cashier.
The doors slid open.
And Titus felt the cold night breeze rub against his jacket. Freedom. He was going to get away with it. Finally, something good that he could look forward to in his life. A nice brand of soju, all for him–
BEEP BEEP!
Titus had forgotten about the store sensors in place for the convenience store. America could never. Here in Japan, they were more advanced. And just hearing that noise made him freeze up as he felt both pairs of eyes turn toward him.
He could've ran.
He could've just raced off with a soju bottle in hand.
But instead, he froze.
Like a deer in headlights.
Like an idiot.
He could see the cashier's unamused face. It was clear that he was getting ready to walk over to him, ready to confiscate what he had… ready to call the authorities… Crap. As if life couldn't get any worse. He was going to be thrown in jail, wasn't he…?
His breathing became hitched.
The cashier stormed up to him and–
…Stopped?
The large male had placed a hand over the cashier's shoulder and began to speak to him in Japanese. To be honest, Titus wasn't that fluent in the language. Only one year of courses and barely paying attention to at least 80% of it will do that to him. So, whatever the large male was telling the cashier, it was definitely something he wouldn't recognize.
Then, to his surprise, he spotted the larger male handing the cashier some yen pieces.
Was he… paying for him?
Titus continued to stand still, watching this exchange occur. The cashier seemed content and the large male walked his way. That was the moment Titus snapped out of whatever state he was in and cleared his throat.
"Look, man, um, thanks for the help but–" Titus began to say before the large male spoke.
"You're Titus Erskine, right?" the large male questioned.
Titus blinked.
"H-How do you–" Titus began to say before he recognized the man in front of him.
The moment he cockily grinned at him…
"...You're not thinking about drinking that bottle all by yourself, are you?" the man grinned.
And Titus noted his appearance.
Large burly man standing at 6'1. Well-built. Strikingly handsome. Dark blue hair with a part of it being dyed white that swung to his left. Sunglasses placed neatly over his head. A bare chest to reveal his six-pack. A light blue Hawaiian shirt, yellow shorts, sandals and a lab coat. A cleanly shaved face. It was...
...
Zuno Noshino…?
"I gotta say, you don't see a student of Hope's Peak Academy trying to rob a convenience store of its finest liquor very often…" Zuno poured himself a shot. "Nor a 16-year old handling liquor as well as you do."
Titus downed a shot.
(For my readers, I do not condone underage drinking of any form. If you want to drink, please be of legal age and drink responsibly! Don't be Titus Erskine!)
"This isn't anything new, Gramps…" Titus muttered, feeling the intoxication hit him right where he needed it to. "What's it to you anyway? Why are you here?"
Zuno held up his bag of ramen as if it were obvious.
"Mahjong night with the Headmaster," Zuno grinned.
"The fuck?" Titus blinked.
"Eh, it's something we love doing every Friday night," Zuno laughed.
Friday nights.
Tch.
Titus used to have fun every Friday night. Parties after parties after parties. That was the life he enjoyed. And now, it is all gone. Memories of it drowning away like the alcohol that was being chugged down his throat.
"Whoa there, slow down, kid," Zuno laughed. "Rough night, huh? I get it."
Titus slammed his shot glass onto the table.
"No, you don't," Titus muttered.
Zuno had to admit that he was glad they were doing this in the dead of night. If anyone caught him allowing a minor to drink illegally, it would be a big blow to his career. It was only out of the goodness of his heart, though. Kid really needed it from the looks of it.
And it didn't take him minutes to figure out why.
"Please, kid," Zuno chuckled. "Who do you think I am?"
Titus didn't say anything. Instead, he laid his head on the table after downing his sixth glass, doubling the shot that time. Noticing the lack of response, Zuno continued.
"I saw you earlier today, y'know," Zuno began. "You walked out of the administrator's office. My guess? You went to talk to Kizakura about any updates on your Talent potential and got some bad news. Something along the lines of you being a late bloomer. That you should just… quit the Reserve Course Program. Out of ten, how close am I?"
Titus looked at him.
Zuno took that look as acknowledgement.
"Bingo," Zuno grinned.
"Again, what's it to ya Gramps…?" Titus muttered. "My life is hopeless. All my life, I was always told that I had to be this. I had to be that. And now, if I don't be anything, I might as well just die. Ain't that just the shittiest life someone can be born into?"
Titus poured himself his seventh shot and tripled it. He prepared to down it all in one gulp but felt Zuno catch his glass before Titus could tilt it.
"I think you had a little too much to drink," Zuno told him, seriously.
"Fucking hell, just let me have this one," Titus growled. "It's the only good thing going for me."
"Not true at all," Zuno carefully took the shot away from Titus's hand. "In every darkness, there's bound to be a light at the end of the tunnel. That's what I believe in. And for you, I know of a way to get you out of this little ditch you got yourself in…"
Titus snorted.
"Really, man?" Titus rolled his eyes. "You think you can get me out this shit I'm in?"
Titus slammed his fist onto the table.
"News flash," Titus growled. "I'm only able to get home if I get an Ultimate talent. That's the only reason why I'm stuck in this shit country! And… And Kizakura said that I'm just some ordinary kid. You know what that means? That means that my chances of being an Ultimate is zero-to-none. Meaning my chances of going home? Never."
Titus felt his eyes water.
"I have no money, no job, no friends…" Titus growled. "The only thing I can afford is a bag of chips every so often. So, how the fuck can you help with that, huh?"
Titus felt his breath grow heavy.
All of that frustration was being relieved thanks to the alcohol. Damn it. It felt good. And yet at the same time, it felt awful. Because he was forced to enjoy the pain that was his situation. And even worse was the pity that he could feel emanating from this old man that thinks he could save him. The hatred within him grew as he watched Zuno lean in with a dangerous look on his face.
"...What do you know about Izuru Kamukura?" Zuno asked.
Titus blinked.
"What?" Titus asked, drunkenly.
"The founder of Hope's Peak Academy," Zuno grinned. "A man ahead of his time in Talent research. Japan considered him a genius. The world… considered him to be the Ultimate Hope. And you know what he believed in…?"
Titus didn't say anything.
"That every person in the world has a Talent…" Zuno pointed a finger toward Titus. "And that Talent can help change the world."
The words that Zuno was saying sounded hopeful. Like one of those speeches that were written to inspire others and give people a reason to continue moving forward. But for some reason, when Zuno said it… it didn't sound inspiring. It sounded a little corrupted…
Titus ignored that sentiment for a second and snorted.
"B-Bullshit," Titus cockily took his shot glass back.
But before he could take a sip, Zuno handed him a card.
"You have a Talent too," Zuno told him. "And I can help you prove it."
Titus eyed the card warily, lowered his glass and glanced at the card. It was mostly blank, with the only words on it being an address. He turned it over a couple times before allowing Zuno to continue.
"Tomorrow morning," Zuno began. "8 AM. Be at this address. And I'll prove it to you."
Titus chuckled.
"Bitch, do you know how shady you sound right now?" Titus couldn't help but laugh.
"Hey, we kind of have to be," Zuno laughed. "We don't offer this to many Reserve Course students after all. But you look like you need all the help you can get. You're different Titus. And I'm willing to help you get that Talent you want…"
Zuno raised his shot glass.
"What do you say, kid?" Zuno grinned. "You want to be an Ultimate…?"
Titus eyed the card one more time before pocketing it. Finally, he raised his shot glass as well. The two clinked…
…and the two downed their glasses.
(2010)
The crackling noise woke Titus Erskine up.
He opened his eyes.
It was that time of the day. It was months ago that he had met with Zuno Noshino at the address and once he learned of what they were cooking, he couldn't be happier to oblige. As he let his eyes transfix in the location he was in, he listened to the sound of Franz Liszt's Mephisto Waltz playing through the speakers.
The speakers were old and dying, making it sound like the music was coming from a degrading gramophone.
Despite that, the piece was played beautifully.
Elegantly.
Hauntingly.
Maybe even sorrowfully.
It was funny.
Ironic even.
Hope's Peak Academy was where he felt the most hopeless. And yet, it was here, St. Esther's, a prison, in which he had garnered the most Hope. He narrowed his eyes and heard the sound of footsteps approaching the room he was in. He glanced at the mess he had made in his room, which was fitted with nothing but a desk against the wall and a mattress on the floor. Cockroaches and other pesky critters had snuck into the room.
Somehow, he felt as if he got the bad end of the stick when it came to the rooms he was assigned in because this mess he was in was not it.
Titus turned as he heard the lock to the door slide open. He stood his ground. Titus knew today was the day. The day that he would be allowed to venture the world as St. Esther's finest had promised them.
The day of reckoning.
The day of freedom.
Oh, how Titus could taste the freedom.
The freedom of leaving this godforsaken country...
The door opened, revealing a group of people wearing what seemed to be lab coats. Almost all of them wore glasses and almost all of them looked like the types of people with no sense of humor. The grim and serious looks on their Japanese faces...
Oh, how Titus felt glad to never see this troupe of circus performers ever again.
"#66," the leader of said group held out their little pen and notebook.
That was the number they gave him. That was what they had referred to him throughout their time here in this facility...
"They're ready for you," the leader continued.
"...Finally…" was all Titus could say as he walked out of the room.
And from one Cell Block to another, he followed behind the group into the Laboratory, where a bright green pod awaited him. Medical items were situated next to it. This was where this supposed treatment was supposed to happen.
The Project.
He walked past the main five group of scientists, but the two he recognized the most...
Zuno Noshino.
...Who gave him a thumbs up and a grin. He had only him to thank for this opportunity. Without him, he'd be drowning in more of his sorrows until he finally passed. He had to wonder though. Was it fate that brought him to Zuno...? Or was it the mysterious workings of the devil...?
Terra Pisch.
...Who gave him a small and meek smile. If he hadn't heard her name, he wouldn't have bothered to go to Kizakura that day to learn the great news. And the domino effect that transpired wouldn't have led him to Zuno. And he knew that after this project, Terra was to work closely with him for a long time. And he was ready for that.
He walked past the other three and headed straight for the pod.
The bright green pod.
His ticket to freedom.
His Hope...
CHAPTER 6: NEW WORLD'S EDEN
(Laboratory)
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"W-What the FUCK?!"
Once again, Haruto dropped another F-Bomb at the big revelation of Prisoner #66's true identity. Because no matter how many times they read it, their minds couldn't wrap over this concept. Their minds just couldn't comprehend the big, bolded words that would be staring right back at their shocked faces:
Patient #66
Name: Titus Erskine
Gender: Male
Birth Date: August 1
Height: 6'0
Weight: 195 lbs
Blood Type: A+
Results: ALIVE
"Th-This can't be true…" Mimi widened her eyes. "Th-This just can't be true! Th-This entire time, the Prisoner #66 we heard so much about was Titus?!"
"How on Earth is this possible...?" Abigail looked rightfully upset.
To think that the first one of them that had dropped was the one they had heard so much about in death. Prisoner #66, the new kind of Hope for mankind... The one subject that survived those experiments here at St. Esther's. It was Titus Erskine this entire time. And no one took this news much harder than...
"The first one who died…?" Holland grimaced. "The one I…"
Holland looked away, regretfully.
As if he was finally forgiven for that, now his past misdeeds were coming back to bite him in the ass.
Because not only did he attempt a murder. He had attempted to kill the man who had the answers to their situation this entire time. He was the reason that Prisoner #66 was dead and if he were alive, couldn't it be possible that Titus would've… Titus would've… helped them? That all the other deaths before would've been prevented. That Zuri…
Holland's breathing became hitched.
His eyes started to tear up.
Goddamn it.
He thought he was over this. He thought he made a promise to remain strong until they had all gotten out. But the more he thought about this… that he was the real reason why Zuri ended up dead… That had he not done what he done… Zuri would've lived.
Zuri would've lived.
And Holland never knew just how much he was to blame this entire time.
"G…G…Grk…" Holland felt those emotions return.
Then, he stormed out of the Laboratory.
"A-Ah!" Mimi widened her eyes. "H-Holland!"
"H-Hey, where are you going?!" Abigail exclaimed.
Both girls tried to chase after him, but it was clear that Holland didn't want any company right now. He had sped off, leaving the three to try to chase after him. But given the pace he was doing it in, it was clear they weren't going to catch up to him.
"Hey– Fuck!" Haruto grumbled. "Don't leave me in here!"
Hurriedly, Haruto followed behind Mimi and Abigail as they hurried off after him.
(Cell Block E)
"Damn it!" Abigail looked around, frustrated. "Now where did he go?!"
By the time Abigail, Mimi, and Haruto left the Laboratory, Holland was already long gone. While Abigail and Haruto looked completely frustrated by where Holland had run off to, Mimi couldn't blame him. She had figured out just what exactly Holland was so upset about. And frankly, she couldn't blame him…
He had grown so much since his mistake. And to think it was coming back to bite him in the butt. Mimi simply looked down, sadly.
"You mean we gotta split up and look for that guy?" Haruto grumbled to himself. "Goddamn it. Now of all times?"
"Hey, let's not be mean, Big Bro Haruto…" Mimi looked down. "I… I get why he…"
Haruto looked at Mimi and sighed.
He had to admit that she was right. If he thought about it in Holland's perspective, he could see exactly why someone like him would be upset to learn this information. After all, Titus died to his fuckery. Had this not happened…
"Alright, let's split up," Haruto finally said.
"I'll take this floor," Mimi quickly suggested. "There's not too many rooms and if I remember, the bombs caused part of Cell Block S to cave in so… I can handle it."
Haruto and Abigail glanced at one another before nodding toward her.
"Then, Haruto and I will take the upper floors…" Abigail nodded, turning to Haruto. "You want to take Cell Blocks B and C or should I?"
"You take it," Haruto suggested. "I'll check ground floor and meet you up at the upper floors."
Then, the former basketball player turned to Mimi.
"We'll meet back at the stairs, got it?" Haruto told her.
Mimi simply nodded.
It was a series of nods of agreements. With their roles settled, the three quickly split off in an attempt to find Holland. Because wherever he was, he definitely needed some comfort over this. And no one knew this better than Mimi...
(Ultimate Equestrian's Cell)
The first thing Abigail did was check Cell Block B.
And as the Ultimate Equestrian, it would be taboo if she didn't choose to check her Cell first. But alas, the only things there were the horses in their stables and the entrance to the Stadium that was there for some reason.
Abigail quickly moved on.
(Ultimate Fairytale Writer's Cell)
The moment Abigail walked into Mimi's Ultimate Cell, the smell of smoke and debris seeped their way back into her olfactory receptors.
She could see the crushed flowers of this once beautiful Cell. Not only that, but she could see the large tree that stood strong, toppled over the wall. The electrical wiring was still active, blocking anyone from trying escape through there.
Regardless, it was clear that Holland wasn't here either, so Abigail moved on…
(Ultimate Basketball Player's Cell)
Abigail passed through the Ultimate Basketball Player's Cell.
Given the fact that there weren't much hiding spots in this Cell, it was clear to her that Holland couldn't have been here. She felt the breeze of the outside air. Freedom was amongst them but all they needed to do first was find Holland.
She glanced down, noticing that she was stepping on the dried bloodstain on the floor. The bloodstain belonging to Haruto back on that fateful day. She let her eyes trail up toward the wall, where her fellow prisoners had attempted their first escape attempt…
How much good that did…
Her mind went to Haruto.
Back to that bloodstain.
She sighed.
And then she moved on…
(Swimming Pool)
Abigail passed through the hallway that intersected to the Swimming Pool and the Ultimate Fitness Trainer's Cell.
She figured that she'd check the Ultimate Sailor Cell first in order to find Holland. After all, the Ultimate Sailor's Cell was one of the go-to Cells for a good trauma dumping so it made sense for her at the time. Check there, then double check the Swimming Pool and finally check the Ultimate Fitness Trainer's Cell… and then it was onto Cell Block C.
That was the plan.
Or at least that was the plan when Abigail stopped dead in her tracks. She widened her eyes in shock.
And…
(Cell Block B)
Exploring Cell Block A and everything else on the ground floor was relatively a quick sweep. After all, two key areas were off-limits. Ultimate Police Officer's Cell was empty. Cafeteria and Kitchen were empty. If he was in the Freezer… that'd be weird. Auditorium, empty.
It was a quick search that allowed Haruto to head up toward Cell Block B. Though, he supposed he had thought that Abigail would've searched Cell Block C, first.
Man.
They really should've thought this through.
…
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Instantly, Haruto turned to hear the distant sounds of Abigail's voice coming from beyond the Ultimate Basketball Player's Cell and Ultimate Fitness Trainer's Cell. He made no hesitation as he hurried over, albeit with a limp, toward where her voice was: the Swimming Pool.
(Swimming Pool)
"Abby?!" Haruto exclaimed. "A-Abby?! W-What's wrong! What's–"
Haruto stopped dead in his tracks.
Abigail stood right in front of him, her eyes widened and her hands covering her own mouth in shock. Because the sight she was staring at was a sight she just couldn't believe. They thought they were finished so why did it happen again? Why did… Why was…
Haruto stepped forward and instinctively, Abigail buried her face into his shoulder as the former basketball player got a closer look.
It was a scene that was all too familiar to him.
It was laying face-down in the Swimming Pool. In fact, it was the only thing in the Swimming Pool. A nightmare that was just so damn familiar. Floating on chlorinated waters. Body still seemingly fresh yet also a little blue…
And the more Haruto stared at it, the more he realized.
"Wait a fucking minute…" he widened his eyes. "Isn't this…
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…Terra Pisch?"
DANGANRONPA: CORRUPTED HOPE
Guess who's back for good ole Chapter 6? :D As promised, now that I have completed Chapter 1 of Twisted Tragedy which you should all read because it's miles better than Corrupted Hope, I have come back to finally give this story a proper conclusion with the long-awaited Chapter 6: New World's Eden!
You see? I would never lie to my readers. Never :D
Anyway, yeah, believe it or not, here's another body drop :D Bet you guys didn't see it coming! And now we're officially in actual endgame territory, meaning we got one last Investigation and Trial parts for this fic ;-; Updates on those: Yeah, I didn't finish any of them so you're going to be expecting a slow update to this until I get those Trial parts done XE
This was a relatively shorter chapter than normal, but it served its purpose as a nice long-awaited backstory to Titus and his descent into becoming #66 :D Future parts will be longer! Hopefully!
Shoutout to Otterplay's Algorithmic Alteration! He is literally on the verge of finishing Chapter 1 so please lend him your support as he crushes my dreams with an elevator :D
Regardless, that's all I really have to say. Expect an Investigation chapter next time! And as always, please let me know how I'm doing. It always warms my heart and gives me a motivation boost to see y'all lend your support! Liked the chapter? Have a criticism? Just let me know! I'll be sure to fix it!
But until then!
Terra Pisch is dead.
So, who killed her? -.-
Prisoners Remaining: 4?
Abigail Ellsworth - The Ultimate Equestrian (oddlyillregular) [1,000,000]
Haruto Walker - The Ultimate Former Basketball Player (theotakureader101) [0]
Holland Delaney - The Ultimate Game Designer (Sempi) [1,000,000]
Mimi Kazoo - The Ultimate Fairytale Writer (Idraegan) [0]