Chapter 4: Sins of the Forsaken (Daily Life #5)
Warning: This fic contains intense violence, lots of cursing, character death, gore and blood, sexual innuendos (thanks Maggi- Wait. You're dead now. Meaning there are no sexual innuendos!... Maybe! Hooray!), and possible spoilers for the Danganronpa series, most notably the first one. But hey, everyone lurking in this fandom has at least played the first Danganronpa so no need to worry much there!
With that said, please enjoy!
"Ladies and gentlemen. I am proud to announce that The Womanizer's reign of terror has finally ended. During a police pursuit, Warren Nizens, the culprit behind the brutal deaths of 28 women, was shot and killed yesterday at 3:26 PM. It was thanks to the valiant heroism of one of our police cadets in training, that this serial killer, who has struck fear in our city has finally been stopped. Thanks to his bravery and commitment to justice, I hereby decree that Jared Caertas be promoted, from simple rookie Police Cadet, to official, full-fledged Police Officer. Our youngest Police Officer on the force, in fact. Let's give him a round of applause everyone."
A round of applause filled the air as Jared stood up from his seat after hearing that rousing acceptance speech from Chief of Police, Paul Easeman. Despite his gruff voice, Chief Easeman looked at Jared like a proud father who had just watched his son graduate from high school or something. Flash photography nearly blinded Jared as he walked up toward the Chief, his legs wavering from the conflict he felt in his mind.
With a firm grasp of Chief Easeman's hand, the two shook on it and posed for the cameras. Chief Easeman was practically grinning in excitement, but all Jared could do was force a smile as the press continued to click and flash.
…
"The hero of the town is what they've been calling you," Talia Wayward smirked as she fixed the new and shiny police badge onto Jared's chest.
Aside from the constant pandering from everyone, the reception was so-far uneventful and downright uncomfortable. But Jared was glad that Talia was here to at least give him a little support here… even if it was something he didn't really want to hear.
"The young man who took down the Womanizer," Talia finished placing the badge over his chest. "An Avenger… Ridiculous nicknames but hey…"
Talia backed away to examine Jared for a second.
"At least this outfit looks good on you," she commented.
She blinked slightly as she noticed Jared's expression. A promotion would've been a big honor for anybody but for Jared… he looked kind of sad. She walked up closer to the now fully-fledged police officer, placing a hand on his shoulder and expressing a more empathetic look.
"Hey, chin up," Talia tilted his chin to face her. "What's wrong?"
"...I… I don't know," Jared glanced away. "I'm a police officer now. I've trained so hard for this moment. I cut school. I did… everything I could… Even... And yet, now that I'm officially an officer… It just doesn't feel right."
Jared held onto his badge with a slight frown.
"I… I don't even think I deserve this badge to begin with," Jared grimaced. "I just can't believe I…"
"Jared," Talia sternly glanced at him. "Look at me."
When Jared's eyes slowly rolled toward her, Talia pulled her shirt over her shoulders to expose her neck. There was a large scar on it. A scar belonging to a stitched-up knife wound.
"This is what Warren Nizens did to me," Talia frowned. "Because of him, my voice is going to be a little fucked for a while. Tilting my neck is becoming a pain in the ass. And I still get nightmares about everything that's happened to me. Those other 28 girls that he attacked, they weren't as lucky as I was."
Talia cupped his cheek.
"So don't you ever regret what you did to that fucker," Talia painfully said. "Nizens deserved it. And you deserve this badge."
Jared glanced at Talia's eyes with the regret that she mentioned. But somehow, that feeling of regret soothed. Warren Nizens deserved every last bullet from his gun. But why did it still feel so wrong…?
"If it isn't my favorite rookie!"
Chief Easeman marched up toward Jared and Talia with a hearty grin. He laughed boisterously as he interrupted Jared and Talia's little moment.
"Oops, sorry!" Chief Easeman grinned, taking his hat off and placing it over his heart to expose his graying blonde hair. "I meant, officer. But honestly, to be a police officer at your age, you'll still be a rookie in my eyes, son!"
"...Thanks Chief," Jared rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassedly.
"Oops, this is that… Ah, I'm sorry," Chief Easeman tipped his head down apologetically. "I didn't mean to interrupt you and the rookie's little moment here! You're the girl that got attacked right? Yeah, the rookie here went into overdrive because of that moment."
"Don't remind me," Talia instinctively touched her neck.
"I guess that would explain how the rookie here went from someone who had so much to learn to competing head-to-toe with some of the PD's finest," Chief Easeman boisterously laughed. He placed a large hand on Jared's shoulder. "I'm telling you sonny; you keep this up and I might as well just give you my job. Then you'd be the youngest Chief of Police in the district! Gahaha!"
"S-Sir, that's going a little overboard, don't you think?" Jared sheepishly said.
"Not at all!" Chief Easeman gave him a thumbs-up. "What you did to Nizens is something your spineless seniors could never do!"
Jared looked slightly uncomfortable.
Talia noticed and tried to approach him slightly but a look from Jared told her that this was something he needed to speak to the Chief privately about. With a nod, she turned away…
"I'm going to grab some drinks," Talia told Jared and the Chief. "I'll be right back."
Once Talia left, Jared began.
"Honestly Chief, I… I don't think I deserve your praise Chief," Jared grimaced slightly. "The truth is… Warren Nizens was unarmed. And I shot him because he got under my skin. I went against the protocol, and I know today was supposed to be the day I celebrate my promotion but… I sincerely believe I don't deserve it…"
Chief Easeman stopped laughing. He looked at Jared with a serious expression. Then with a heavy sigh, he placed a hand on Jared's head.
"Son," Chief Easeman glowered over him with a small supportive look. "Let me let you in on a little fun fact here. You're an official police officer, which means you are part of the big leagues now. Criminals that you'll be handling will be just as bad, if not worse than Nizens. And there will always come a time when you have regrets about what you're doing in this business…"
Jared glanced up at Easeman's eyes. And in those eyes, he saw the darkness of the man he looked up to.
"Remember this," Chief Easeman darkly said. "Once a criminal, always a criminal. And the moment you show criminals remorse, is the moment they'll betray you and leave you for the dogs…"
Chief Easeman then inched closer to his ear before his mouth twisted itself into a dark grin.
"And besides, don't tell me it didn't feel damn good shooting that son of a bitch," Chief Easeman chuckled.
"...I-" Jared cut himself, looking slightly ashamed as he stared at his own hand. "...I don't know..."
"Gahaha!" Chief Easeman laughed. Then, returning back to his smile, he inched away from Jared and patted him on the head. "You're a good kid, rookie. Congrats on your promotion and I'll see you on patrol first thing tomorrow morning."
He never answered his question and instead left Jared standing there in regret. Once Chief Easeman left, Talia returned with drinks as promised.
"So?" Talia curiously asked. "What did he say?"
Jared felt his blood curl. He remained silent for a moment as he remembered the Chief's words ringing through his mind. He held onto his badge as a source of comfort, but there was no comfort there. All he could imagine was Warren Nizen's blood on that fallen symbol…
"Jared?" Talia glanced at him, slightly worried.
"...Nothing," Jared merely said. "Just came by to say congrats is all."
Jared took one of the drinks that Talia had handed him and downed it in one gulp. He needed more where that was going to come from, he felt. At least just for tonight...
(Cassandra's Room)
Cassandra laid on her bed, arms over her eyes. She felt as if a truck had gone ahead and rammed into her. Or was that what she would wish would happen to her right now? This was a conflicting thought. After all, she never gave a shit what others thought about her and yet here she was, thinking about what he thought of her.
Thinking of what he was thinking of her now.
Thinking of him…
God.
It pissed her off that she got careless.
It pissed her off that she let this happen.
It pissed her off that she knew this would be his reaction.
It pissed her off that she let herself get comfortable and weak around someone like him. That she was letting herself feel…
Cassandra gritted her teeth.
It was all that damn snake's fault. She must've planned for this to happen, right? No. It was really her fault. Her fault for being selfish. Her fault for what she truly wanted to do. Her fault for not telling him sooner. And yet, it was so easy to blame that damn snake…
She released her arm from her eyes, staring at the ceiling miserably as she thought back to last night…
(Ultimate Scam Artist's Cell)
"J-Jared. W-Wait, the truth is…"
"That your Plan B was making a deal with White Collar so you can save your sorry hide? You know I heard everything right? Tch, I shouldn't even be surprised but somehow, I still am. Should've expected that you would pull something like this. Don't even know why I even thought to trust you in the first place."
"Look, I was going to tell you the truth! I swear!"
"Then, tell me. Tell me what the fuck you did…"
Cassandra shrunk back as she stared at the darkened face of the police officer she interacted with constantly. His face was filled with pain. Betrayal hit hard for him. And yet, despite everything, she took a step back. Her emotions ran wild… and that wasn't something normal for someone like Cassandra.
"...I… I told you," Cassandra looked away, trying to hide the pain in her eyes. "Trusting me was… a bad idea…"
"No," Jared firmly raised his voice. "No no! You don't get to use that as an excuse this time. You are going to fucking tell me everything or I swear to God I'll… I'll…"
Jared's fist shook.
Kill her?
That was certainly where his mind was headed but… even then, he couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it. Not just because of his duty as a police officer but because it was…
"...That night when you let me leave Cell #66," Cassandra rubbed her arms. "Monohebi… knocked me out. When I came to, I was in a room with White Collar."
Jared softened his fist.
"...He told me my dad was in the hospital," Cassandra glanced away. "And then he gave me an offer. He said that if I went ahead and killed Arthur Kingston, I would get to leave the game through a fixed Trial…"
"...And you took the deal," Jared concluded, looking somewhat disgusted.
"Jared, look, it's my dad," Cassandra tried to argue. "He's… He's the most important person in my life. If anything, I have to be there!"
"And what about the rest of us?" Jared placed his hands on his hips as he looked at Cassandra with slight disdain. "What about me? Were you seriously going to leave us to fend for ourselves while you got a free ticket out of this game?"
Cassandra opened her mouth to say something but couldn't voice a response.
"Then again, it's you we're talking about," Jared lowered his hat to cover his eyes. "Cassandra Mura. The survivor. Someone who cares only about herself."
"J-Jared, please, don't be like that," Cassandra tried to tell him. "Look, I was going to tell you sooner but I just… I just didn't know how…"
"Were you really?" Jared looked up toward Cassandra with cold eyes. "Didn't you have this planned since the very start of the game? Wasn't this always your Plan B in the first place? You made a deal with White Collar. Once the deal is fulfilled, you would leave the rest of us to rot here. What would've changed this time?"
You.
That was what Cassandra wanted to say but she couldn't even say it. How could she? She wasn't even sure if that was truly the reason why she's been hesitating all this time. Maybe it was part of the reason but was it the full reason?
"Forget it, shouldn't even expect an answer from you, anyway," Jared turned away but before he could even leave, he paused and glanced behind him for a moment. "You know, deep down, I really thought you were someone I could rely on. Someone I could trust to have my back, despite all the shit that you do. You sure had me fooled there. Pft, what else would I have expected from the Ultimate Scam Artist."
"Remember this. Once a criminal, always a criminal. And the moment you show criminals remorse, is the moment they'll betray you and leave you for the dogs…"
The voice of Chief Easeman flew through his head.
He grimaced.
Jared turned to leave after saying his piece, but Cassandra instantly grabbed him on his wrist. She couldn't even bear to look him in the eye, but it was an act made purely out of desperation. She hid her expressions well, but her voice was softer in contrast to her usual brash and bitchy overtones.
"P-Please don't leave," Cassandra softly begged. "P-Please Jared… I'm sorry…"
"Let go Cassandra," Jared firmly said.
"I… I can ask White Collar to alter the deal," Cassandra continued to plead. "I can make it so that you and I can both escape together. We just have to kill Arthur Kingston and… and…"
"Let go Cassandra!" Jared yanked his wrist away from Cassandra, leaving her quiet and in shock. "For Christ's sake, what makes you think I would want that?!"
Jared stepped toward Cassandra with a dangerous look.
"The reason why I do what I do is to save lives," Jared started to yell. "There are still people here that need to be saved and I'm not going to leave them so easily like you would! So, for once in your life, can you stop being so selfish?!"
Cassandra glanced down as her voice shook slightly. Though, she tried to keep it steady in hopes that she could keep that iron wall of hers up.
"...Those same people you refer to don't want your help," Cassandra tried to argue.
"So, what if they don't?" Jared folded his arms. "I've said this countless times. I don't care what happens to me as long as people are saved. That's what it means to be a police officer. That's what it means to care about other people's wellbeing…"
Jared clutched his badge as he gritted his teeth.
"J-Jared, please…" Cassandra tried to grab his wrist again but this time, Jared expected it. He pulled his wrist away and avoided her touch.
"Leave me alone," Jared glared at her. "I can't… I don't even think I can be around you anymore…"
"N-No, Jared, please don't say that," Cassandra tried to reach her hand out. "I… I…"
"Attention all prisoners," Monohebi's voice announced. "It is now midnight. Curfew hour begins now. As such, all prisoners must report to their confinements. Anyone who is caught outside of their confinements will be punished accordingly. Be sure to review the rules on the Rules App of your Handbook. That is all."
"Good luck killing Arthur or whatever," Jared mumbled. "You're going to need it."
That was the last thing Jared had said to her that night. He left her in the Ultimate Scam Artist's Cell without another word. Cassandra was left behind to watch him leave. And for some reason, her heart started to ache.
All she could think to say to no one in particular was simple:
"...Please don't leave me…"
(Cassandra's Room)
Back in the present time, Cassandra continued to remain motionless on her bed.
Last night was hell.
And now, she suspected it was the morning. She wasn't even sure what she should do. Because all too quickly, things fell apart. She lost an ally and dare she say… a friend… And never did Cassandra ever think that it would hurt.
Never did she think it would hurt to this literal degree.
God.
What the hell was she going to do now?
(Cafeteria)
Crap.
She missed it.
Again.
God.
Maybe she really was bad at this.
Zuri slowly walked into the Cafeteria where she saw Abigail, Arthur, Haruto, Holland, Ina, and Mimi awaiting a leader for Day 21's Morning Meeting. At this point, it was way too shameful to even admit that she was never punctual for those Morning Shifts. God, if Jared found out about this, he would be super pissed.
"Um, hey guys, Morning Meeting, huh?" Zuri sheepishly greeted.
Clearly, the others didn't really care if she did miss a Shift. That only seemed to be a Jared thing and the only reason it was a Jared thing was because the stakes of leadership were at hand here.
"Hey Zuri," Abigail smiled at her. It was noted that she looked a little happier today.
"Yo Zuri," Haruto gave her a slight thumbs-up.
"Oh wow, Abigail, you don't look so tired anymore," Zuri seemed glad to see this. "You used to look super pale and also had bags under your eyes. I mean you kinda still do but you seem to be in a more positive spirit than–"
"Okay, okay, you made your point," Abigail responded. "S-Stop talking now please. I'm still a girl who fares well with praises, alright?"
"She makes a good point though," Haruto chuckled. "All that color on your face makes you look less like some pale ghost girl from the well, hahaha!"
Abigail stomped on his foot.
"O-Ow!" Haruto winced in pain. "Th-That foot was healing damn it!"
"I-Idiot," Abigail glanced away, her face blushing.
"I take it you're having a better time sleeping now?" Ina surmised. "That is good to hear."
"Yeah, the nightmares don't seem to be a big deal anymore," Abigail sighed in relief. "At least, not when Haruto is around."
"A-Ah, y-you did it again?!" Mimi gasped.
Did they really?!
"W-What?!" Abigail's face turned red. "N-No! Not like that! Mimi! Stop! I thought I told you to forget what you saw!"
"Hold on, what is this about?" Arthur seemed interested.
"Abigail and Big Bro Haruto were like two peas in a pod when I found them yesterday," Mimi giggled. "It was like something out of a fairytale!"
"I don't know what kind of fairy tales you've been reading but Rule 34 ain't it," Haruto deadpanned. "I was just watching Abigail sleep. It ain't a big deal– Fuck. That came out wrong…"
Haruto's face turned pink.
"H-Haruto!" Abigail blushed even harder.
"You what?" Arthur stared at Haruto and Abigail in bewilderment. He lost interest. "I… Forget I asked. Whatever you two are into, please keep this out of the public domain…"
"Oh believe me, I'm trying," Abigail folded her arms, slightly glaring at Haruto. Though, she was still red from embarrassment.
Zuri could only giggle as she listened to this back and forth. It was clear that what Abigail and Haruto were feeling was much similar to what had been going on between her and Holland lately. In fact, she wasn't sure if any of them actually knew they were official. Would it be a good idea to tell them? She glanced at Holland but he seemed a little distracted by Haruto's attempt to explain the situation.
"L-Look, I'm trying to make sure she gets a good night's sleep," Haruto blushed. "That's all there is to it!"
"Y-Yeah, and it's working so let's just stop talking about this and move on," Abigail blushed as well.
"Move on from what…?"
Everyone turned silent when they heard the rather moody voice from one Jared Caertas. His face was shrouded in bitterness and pure emotional pain. He kept his hat lowered and sighed as he walked into the Cafeteria.
He noted everyone's silence.
"What…?" he asked.
"A-Are you okay Jared?" Mimi blinked. "You don't look so good."
"...Tch, just a rough night, that's all," Jared sighed. He could just go ahead and spill the beans right then and there. He could just go and say, 'Hey, Cassandra is secretly working with White Collar to kill Arthur Kingston'. But for some reason he didn't. For some reason… even now… he was still covering for her.
And it pissed him off that he was still feeling the need to do so.
"Oh, I… hope today gets better for you," Zuri glanced down. To her, she had thought that maybe Jared was moody because she had missed her shift again but it seemed like there was something else troubling him.
"Yeah, thanks," Jared sighed. "So you guys are going to tell me what you guys were talking about or is that a secret I shouldn't know about?"
Clearly, there was pettiness in his tone. But that pettiness was more for Cassandra… and she wasn't even here.
"...We were just poking fun at Abigail and Haruto," Holland said. "That's all…"
"...I see," Jared folded his arms. "Well, I was just checking in anyway so… you guys go ahead and do whatever I guess. I'll talk to you guys later."
That was it?
Jeez.
Whatever night he had must've really ticked him off if he was going to act like this. Without much word or even argument with Zuri, he just went ahead and left everyone be.
Left everyone be confused, that is.
"W-What was that all about?" Abigail blinked.
"Perhaps something happened that we are not aware about?" Ina questioned. "I suppose someone should go and check up on him, yes?"
"I don't know, it seems like Jared might prefer to be alone," Mimi folded her arms.
"Look, I'll go check up on him," Haruto sighed. "Y'know, just in case he pulls out a gun. I do have the better chance of restraining him, even with my somewhat broken leg."
"Somewhat?" Abigail scoffed. "It's still broken isn't it?"
"It's healing, and I can still walk without crutches," Haruto told her. "Anyway, you guys do whatever it is you guys need to. I'll handle it."
"Be careful Haruto," Zuri told him.
"Yeah… seriously," Abigail was also concerned for his safety. Of course, even more so than Zuri.
With a firm nod, Haruto headed off, leaving behind his peers at the Cafeteria. It didn't take long for everyone else to leave too. After all, they all had their own things they wanted to do. And by things, I mean…
…Interactions!
(Security Office)
The first of these many interactions occurred in the Security Office. And it started out with one simple reaction:
"Eh?"
When Holland walked into the Security Office to begin his shift, he didn't expect to see Zuri there at all. In fact, he didn't know why Zuri would be here in the first place. After all, it wasn't her shift, so it made no sense for her to be here unless… she really wanted to see him?
"I wanted to see you," Zuri rubbed her arms.
Right on the money!
"...Oh, what's wrong Zuri?" Holland asked.
"I think… we need to talk," Zuri frowned.
"...Ah," Holland blinked.
He felt concern run through his mind as he contemplated what Zuri might want to talk about. Was it the Killing Game? Was it the stress? Was it about… them? Oh God. He hoped it wasn't. Maybe he had been too forward throughout everything and Zuri finally felt uncomfortable to be around him.
Damn it.
Damn it.
Damn it.
"Could I switch shifts with you?" Zuri frowned.
"...Huh?" Holland blinked.
Well, looks he had the classic symptoms of the disease known as overthinking. So this was about her constantly being late to her own shifts was it? At least, that's what Holland gathered but just to be sure…
"...Er, why?" Holland asked.
"You know why," Zuri pouted. "I'm never on time or even make it to my Morning shifts so I feel like I've been pretty useless when it comes to this whole surveillance system thing. It also doesn't help that I have to attend Morning Meetings because I'm kind of like the leader here."
"...I see," Holland rubbed his chin. "Well… I wouldn't mind switching with you. I am more of a morning person anyway…"
"But…?" Zuri asked, expectantly.
"...My only problem is Jared," Holland folded his arms. "I don't think he'll be happy to learn we switched Shifts behind his back."
"Oh well, we could let him know about it," Zuri blinked with a small smile. "We had an actual civil conversation yesterday!"
Holland glanced away to the headphones attached to the security camera monitors. He definitely heard their conversation, but he wasn't sure if Zuri would be happy to hear he had been overhearing their conversation. He shook his head.
"...Did you?" Holland asked. "Maybe it wouldn't be wise to tell him anytime soon."
"Huh?" Zuri blinked. "Why not?"
"...You saw him today," Holland sighed. "He looked really moody. I can only imagine that telling him now would just ruin whatever civilness you had yesterday."
"Oh, I see," Zuri looked down sadly before looking back up slightly determined. "Ah, but I still would like to switch shifts if you don't mind!"
"...Switch shifts without telling Jared?" Holland asked.
"No, we'll still tell him but not directly," Zuri smiled. "So that when he feels better after Haruto checks up on him, he won't feel the need to fight!"
"...Not directly…" Holland rubbed his chin.
"I'll put a note right here," Zuri grabbed a note from who knows where… probably from one of the cabinets in the Security Office and taped it to the window of the Security Office. On it, she had written:
'TO JARED:
HOLLAND AND I DECIDED TO SWITCH SHIFTS. JUST A HEADS UP FOR YOU IF YOU END UP SEEING ME INSTEAD OF HOLLAND!
- ZURI'
"There," Zuri smiled proudly. "Now, he shouldn't have much to complain about, right?"
"...Well, here's hoping," Holland seemed slightly concerned. Especially since this note didn't even bother to explain why but he supposed that was Zuri's way of thinking that the answer should've been pretty obvious.
Zuri noticed that slight shift to concern before holding his hand tightly. If there's anything she has noticed about him, it was that Holland was pretty much a worrywart when it comes to her. But it was still so sweet…
"...Ah, Zuri?" Holland's face turned red.
"Quit worrying all the time, alright?" Zuri smiled sweetly toward him.
Holland remained silent for a moment before returning the occasional squeeze Zuri was giving him. He sighed in relief. She was right. What was he so worried about? He heard their conversation. They were rivals. And Jared wouldn't…
"Yeah, you're right…" Holland held her hand tightly before slowly reaching for her waist and holding her close. "...B-But you know, now that we're here together… W-Would you like to survey the cameras with me?"
"H-Huh?" Zuri blinked. "O-Oh, of course…"
Zuri gulped slightly. Her face turned beet red. She couldn't help but chuckle sheepishly out of embarrassment.
"...Um, did the Mineshaft feel hotter than it normally does or is it just me?" Zuri asked, sheepishly.
"...It's just you," Holland told her with a small smile on his face.
The two held each other's hands for a moment longer before they decided to commit to the duty at hand: watching the Cell Block S security cameras.
(Ultimate Police Officer's Cell)
'Once a criminal, always a criminal.'
That was the code he followed through and through. He didn't know why he followed it but over time he began to realize it was to suppress that guilt he felt of his own crime. Suppress the sympathy he felt for others to do what needed to be done. At least, that was what Chief Easeman taught him.
And yet, the moment he found himself locked up, that rule was promptly thrown out when he met her…
A criminal that he had a soft spot for. A criminal that, even now, he would still call a valuable ally. A valuable friend. Someone close…
Jared clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.
Why?
Why did he have to feel this way?!
Why can't he trust treat her like any other damn criminal?!
"Oi, Jared."
"...Not now," Jared grimaced, hearing Haruto approach behind him.
"What do you mean, not now?" Haruto frowned. "Look man–"
"I said not now," Jared tightened his fist.
"God damn it, you better not be thinking of–"
"I'm not thinking about shooting fucking White Collar again, alright?!" Jared turned to Haruto with a rather angry expression. "So just, leave me alone…"
Haruto didn't leave.
He merely watched Jared turn back to the wall. After a moment of silence, Haruto considered leaving this police officer behind to just sulk but…
"...Why are you even here, Haruto?" Jared asked, not even glancing at him.
"Ain't it obvious?" Haruto sighed. "You looked moody as shit so someone had to come check up on you. It just so happened that I volunteered to do it. Happy?"
"...You only volunteered because you think I'm gonna snap or something," Jared accused.
"Guilty," Haruto scratched the back of his neck. "But that's not the entire reason why. Another reason is... I wanted to apologize about something."
Jared still stared at the wall, but he did raise an eyebrow in response to this.
"I messed up yesterday," Haruto placed his hands over his hips. "You were only trying to help, and I snapped at you. I'm sorry about that."
Jared didn't expect Haruto to apologize to him about that.
About what?
About this.
"What the hell is going on here?" Jared glared at Haruto as he set the Evidence Box on a nearby Cafeteria table. "Let go of him, Haruto!
"Shut the fuck up Jared!" Haruto roared. "What gives you the right to boss me around?! Last I checked, you abandoned that right!"
"I… hm, you aren't wrong there," Jared lowered his hat.
And this.
Haruto," Jared folded his arms. "Listen to me. As much as he's a prick for what he did, you need to stand down and focus on the bigger objective at hand… Taking down White Collar."
"Man, it's always about taking down White Collar for you, isn't it Jared?" Haruto turned to Jared with a growl. "So much so that you went crazy enough to threaten all of us with a fucking loaded gun!"
"Ngh…" Jared grimaced slightly.
Jared lowered his hat.
"Look, it's fine," Jared sighed. "You aren't wrong about what you said anyway."
Haruto glanced at the police officer who could only stare at the wall. Whether it was out of shame or indifference, the former basketball player wasn't sure. All he knew was that something was definitely troubling him, and the last time he shared a moment with the police officer, Jared revealed a core part of his backstory.
Sighing, Haruto thought he should ask.
"Look, did something happen recently that I should know about?" Haruto asked. "Maybe about another person you shot dead?"
Jared tensed up.
"Yeah, I know," Haruto folded his arms. "Shit thing to say but I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on here…"
Jared slowly relieved himself.
"What would you do if Abigail turned out to be working with White Collar and was lying to your face this entire time?" Jared asked.
"That's oddly specific," Haruto narrowed his eyes. "What the fuck are you trying to say?"
"I'm not suspecting her of anything, I'm just asking hypothetically," Jared said.
"Well, Abigail's no fucking traitor," Haruto seemed annoyed. Maybe trying to have a civil conversation with Jared was a mistake. "But… if she was, I would…"
Haruto's annoyance was cut short when he seriously pondered that question.
What would he do if he learned Abigail was working with White Collar this time?
"...Well, I guess I would ask her why and shit," Haruto noted before looking deeply serious. "But it really depends. I mean, maybe Abigail might be blackmailed into helping him and if that's the case, then I can forgive her a little bit and give her a chance. And of course, kill White Collar later for putting her up to the fucking task in the first place–"
"Again, this is all hypothetical," Jared deadpanned. "No need for you to get worked up over this."
He sighed.
"But it sounds like you're willing to forgive her," Jared rubbed his chin.
"Of course I am," Haruto nodded. "Because I've hung out with Abby so much that it's not gonna be easy to just drop her, y'know? That's how attachment and relationships and shit works."
"...I see," Jared merely said as he glanced away.
"What, were you attached to someone like that?" Haruto asked.
"...No, I was just asking," Jared sighed. Yeah, he was still covering for her and at least he had a clue why he would still do so. Why he would even think about breaking his code like that.
"Alright," Haruto was unconvinced by this.
"...You know, back where I come from, when I killed that damn serial killer," Jared said. "I was praised for it. I got promoted. My friend and my boss were both so proud of me. And ever since then, I was taught to never have any sympathy for any criminal."
Jared turned back to Haruto, clutching his badge with tears forming from his eyes.
"So why do I feel this way?" Jared gritted his teeth. "Why do I care so much more here about a bunch of criminals like us than I did out there?"
"...Honestly, don't take my word for it but I guess it has to do with the fact that you actually know us as people instead of fucking crooks," Haruto told him. "We're all allies with the same goal. We all want to survive and want to stop White Collar. So maybe you can see sympathy from even the attempted murdering fucks because you can see how desperate they were. How... y'know, all of this is only happening because of the big guy on top..."
Jared considered this answer.
"Again, don't take my word for it because I'm probably spouting shit out of my ass about all this, but that's what I think…" Haruto said.
"...I see," Jared said once again. "I'll… take that into consideration."
"...Does that mean we can expect to see you looking a little better later?" Haruto asked.
"...I just need some time to myself," Jared sighed. "In here mostly."
"What about your Nighttime shift?" Haruto asked.
"...I'll pass tonight," Jared clutched his head. "I just need… a break from everything."
Haruto looked at Jared. He had to admit, he missed having a decent conversation with Jared. At least, he knew both he and him were fucked in the head. And he guessed he couldn't blame Jared for wanting to kill White Collar either.
After all, Jared was exactly what he said.
Someone who was desperate and wanted to stop White Collar.
Nodding his head, Haruto glanced toward the police officer.
"Look, you need anything, just come find me, alright?" Haruto asked.
Jared took a moment to respond until finally…
"...Yeah, sure thing," Jared tipped his hat down.
Normally, I would say that Jared and Haruto grew closer together, but they already reached max Hope fragments! And no, they're not getting each other's underwear.
Instead, they are going to leave each other alone to their own vices, with Jared especially having lots to consider about what his relationship with Cassandra had turned out to be…
(Ultimate Sailor's Cell)
"There you go, Brucey!"
Mimi had just fed Brucey, the shark, with some delicious chum, making sure to toss them into the aquarium tank from above. The shark was clearly loving how much Mimi was feeding him. In fact, maybe Mimi was overfeeding him a bit because he definitely looked a lot chunkier than when she had first discovered him.
She giggled at this.
Not because she was fat-shaming or anything. Mimi wasn't mean like that. She was giggling because of how cute a vicious predator of the ocean could be. Cute… kinda like Barracuda was.
Oh, darn it.
Now she was feeling sad.
She didn't want to feel sad when feeding Brucey. Feeding Brucey was always a highlight of her day. She would feed the shark. She would sit back and watch him. And then, after an hour or so, she would leave and do whatever.
That was the usual plan.
But of course, every plan had some form of interference. Today's interference was…
"I see you have been taking good care of the shark."
"Wh-A-Aghhhhh!" Mimi jumped in surprise before feeling herself start to slip and fall. However, the owner of the voice was quick to react.
Instead of feeling the hard, cold pavement of the wooden floor, she found herself in the arms of her savior, Ina Hamamura.
She widened her eyes.
Ina glanced down at her in concern.
Now, normally, in fairytales, when the prince catches the princess, the princess falls in love with the prince at first sight. And then they get married the next day and skip the anniversaries, dates, process of engagements, stress of getting into a lover's quarrel and– Ahem. You get the idea.
But for Mimi, this was no fairytale.
"N-No, p-put me down this instant, Ina Hamamura!" Mimi exclaimed with a pout as she thrashed in her arms.
"A-Ah, okay, I apologize," Ina blinked.
…
"W-Why are you even here?!" Mimi exclaimed, her face red from slight embarrassment and mostly anger. She couldn't even believe she was involved in a classic scenario that she often dreamed about, and the prince was Ina–
That had to be known as epic bad luck or something!
"I… just wanted to talk to you," Ina tried to say. "Or rather, apologize…"
"W-Well, I don't want to hear it!" Mimi exclaimed. "Leave! Vanish! I have spells and I'm not afraid to use them!"
"W-Wait, please, at least give me a chance," Ina frowned. "If you do, I… I promise I will not bother you ever again."
Tempting offer.
But the problem here is that Mimi didn't want to hear anything she had to say. But if hearing her out meant Ina doesn't have to bother her anymore then that would be an offer she had to take, right? And besides, she did have to consider what Zuri had told her yesterday…
"But, hey don't be sad about that," Zuri told her. "It's normal to be angry. But sometimes, you just need to have the courage to give them a second chance…"
Mimi seemed like she was considering this.
Great.
Zuri was finally getting to her.
All it took was… well… something.
"You don't have to give them a second chance if you don't want to but just hear them out," Zuri told her. "Maybe you'll feel compelled to later on."
Mimi pouted.
"Five minutes is all you get," Mimi folded her arms, glancing away.
Ina's expression brightened.
This was her way in. Her way to forgiveness and redemption. Her way to make peace with Mimi and perhaps with the spirit of Yuumi and Mayu that she was certain was watching over her and Mimi.
"Thank you so much, Mimi," Ina bowed. "You will not regret this. I will apologize to you so hard that you will have no choice but–"
"Five minutes is all you get, Ina," Mimi pouted. "Quit wasting time!"
"A-Ah, right, of course!" Ina blinked. Whoops, she nearly got carried away. She cleared her throat. She opened her mouth to speak. For a moment, she nearly tripped on her own words. She never expected herself to get this far, after all. "Er… hmm… I… First thing… First thing is first… I am sorry for my actions."
"Uh huh," Mimi was unconvinced.
"T-Truly, I am," Ina frowned. "I… I do not expect you to forgive me for my actions. After all, I am the reason why Yuumi Kizuchi perished."
"'Died' would be the easier word to use, Ina," Mimi sighed.
"Y-Yes, well, I am the reason why Yuumi Kizuchi… died," Ina cleared her throat. "I realize my mistake. And I promise you that I will do everything I can in my power to make it up to you."
Mimi held onto her witch's hat. If she was Jared, she would tip it down like he would whenever he got serious. But she wasn't Jared. She was Mimi.
"Oh really?" she scoffed. "Are you a Level 20 Necromancer with a 100% Chance of Luck and equipped with 10 extra Mana?"
Now she was just being petty.
"H-Huh?" Ina was confused. "I… um… no?"
"So, you can't bring back Yuumi from the dead, can you?" Mimi frowned.
"...I… No one can bring anyone back from the dead," Ina pointed out.
"Then, quit saying stuff like you'll make it up to me, because unless you have magical powers to rewind time or something like that, then you obviously can't make it up to me!" Mimi exclaimed. "Th-That's why I'll never forgive you for what you've done! Yuumi only had one life! That was it! And you and Mayu and your brother–"
"Half," Ina corrected on instinct.
"W-Whatever!" Mimi yelled. "All three of you took that from her!"
Mimi's eyes started to tear up.
"W-Why should I forgive you when you're the one who wasted someone's life like that?" Mimi wiped her tears. "Why should I bother giving you a second chance? Y-You don't deserve it."
"...But… you gave Holland a second chance," Ina pointed out. "I mean… I understand. But I think the only reason you refuse to do it is because… I did it to someone you truly cared for…"
Ina had a pained expression on her face.
"I apologize," Ina said once again. "For all the pain I caused you."
"Y-Yeah, well, you should be," Mimi didn't think she would get emotional again. But just talking about Yuumi brought back memories. "I… I won't ever forgive you Ina. Never ever."
"...And you do not have to," Ina painfully stated. "Although I had hoped you would, I… I guess this is to be expected."
Mimi folded her arms and turned away. Ina reached out toward her but before she could even lay an apologetic hand on her, Mimi roughly spoke.
"...Your five minutes are up, please leave," she quickly said.
"I…" Ina blinked.
"I mean it, Ina, leave," Mimi's voice turned from soft to stern.
It was best she did what she said. She didn't want to end this conversation with her yelling at her. That would be too much for her. So, with a timid nod, Ina glanced down.
"I… I understand," she timidly nodded before leaving.
Once Mimi heard the sound of footsteps slowly fade away, she turned back to Brucey, who had been watching the whole thing. Or probably staring at its reflection in the mirror. Tears were still forming, and Mimi was roughly wiping them away. She was done crying like this. She was done crying like this over Yuumi.
Ina Hamamura was never going to be forgiven.
Never in her eyes.
She matched Brucey's eyes softly.
"...I'm sorry you had to see that Brucey," Mimi spoke softly.
Brucey said nothing.
But even a shark can tell that what happened between Mimi and Ina was going to stay like this for a long time. Maybe even forever…
(Cassandra's Room)
...
"Attention all prisoners," came the sound of Monohebi's voice to hide what Mimi had just said. "It is time for the next round of Prisoner's Dilemma: Guess Who. If you wish to participate, please report to the Auditorium immediately to choose your opponent. But as a reminder, whoever does not participate will default to Trust. You have ten minutes to do so. That is all."
...
Cassandra woke up to the sound of Monohebi's loud ass announcement. How long had she been sleeping for? Eh, who cares? Clearly, not long enough if she was still so fucking tired. If she was still so damn distracted and still thinking about…
She slowly got up miserably.
Her head was slightly dizzy.
She couldn't even be bothered to go to the Auditorium. And normally, she wouldn't even go. But there were two factors that were forcing her to go.
Factor #1: Someone might take Advantage of her absence and pick Distrust. She's done nothing but Distrust throughout every Minigame, so she'd totally expect it if someone did that out of sheer pettiness.
Factor #2: Jared.
He was probably going to attend so if she wanted to talk to him about last night, now would've been the best time to do so. She didn't care if he would pick Distrust, she just wanted to talk with him.
Rubbing her eyes, she got out of bed and put on her shoes. She had to talk to him. She had to… She didn't want him to leave her… She didn't want him to stop talking to her… Not like this…
(Cafeteria)
Cassandra got to the Cafeteria as fast as she could but by the time, she reached Monohebi, she was already too late.
"W-What do you mean Jared already has an opponent?" Cassandra looked visibly annoyed.
"I mean, Mister Caertas already has an opponent," Monohebi flicked her tongue toward the scam artist. And knowing what she truly thought of Cassandra, it was clear that flick was merely her just sticking her tongue toward the scammer. "In the form of Mister Kingston and Miss Kingston."
"Hamamura-Kingston," Ina pointed out, slightly hurt by her previous interaction with Mimi. "I am still a Hamamura as well."
"...What are you, married?" Monohebi's red jagged eyes blinked confusedly toward Ina.
"Never…" Ina coldly told Monohebi.
"I will pretend that you ever said that," Arthur coldly glared at Monohebi as well.
"Are you two fucking kidding me?" Cassandra glared at the Kingston siblings. "Why the fuck would you want to pick Jared as your opponent?"
"Because he's the easiest opponent to choose from," Arthur smirked with a shrug. "After all, this morning he clearly looked emotionally vulnerable. An easy Trust if I do say so myself."
Emotionally vulnerable?
Did her revelation really hurt him that badly?
Cassandra bit her lip.
She shouldn't be surprised. Jared mentioned how much he did trust her. And she did call him an idiot for doing so. So, why did she still feel guilty for his own stupid decisions?
She turned around to find Jared, only to see him leaning against one of the Voting Chambers and practically deep in thought.
She prepared to approach him but of course, Monohebi had the worst timing planned for her.
"Miss Mura, I must let you know that by default, you have been paired with Mister Walker," Monohebi told her, slightly smirking. At least, Cassandra could've sworn she was smirking. It was hard to tell how a snake would smirk after all.
"Y-Yeah, yeah, whatever," Cassandra couldn't care less. She just needed to talk to–
"In that case, I shall now begin," Monohebi flicked her tongue out.
This bitch.
"Attention all prisoners," Monohebi's voice rang out. "The Pairing Assignment Period has ended. Anyone who has not yet been matched with anyone will randomly be matched. Anyone who is late will not be able to participate in today's proceedings. That is all."
Having stopped Cassandra right in her tracks, Monohebi contently began to show what was on the projection now: the pairings for today.
And today, they were as follows:
Pair A: Abigail vs. Zuri
Pair B: Arthur and Ina vs. Jared
Pair C: Cassandra vs. Haruto
Pair D: Holland vs. Mimi
"You all know how the rest of this works now," Monohebi nodded before giving her one of her many signature announcements:
"Ten minutes until Prisoner's Dilemma: Guess Who begins…"
"I'm surprised you chose to face me today," Abigail blinked toward Zuri.
"Well, of course, you're one of the people I never got to face, so…" Zuri smiled toward the equestrian. "I can count on you to vote Trust, right?"
"Yeah, of course," Abigail nodded with a small smile. "I may have a one-million-dollar bounty on my head but I'm not a prick like Arthur is."
"Glad to hear it," Zuri smiled.
But truthfully, that wasn't the only reason why Zuri wanted to pick Abigail as a partner. In fact, there was a pressing question on her mind that she needed to get resolved. Something her girlish interests needed fulfillment for.
"So, you and Haruto, huh?" Zuri's smile widened.
"W-Wha-Wha–" Abigail was taken aback by how sudden that was. "W-Where did that come from?"
"Well, I was just curious," Zuri giggled. "After all, you and he did some nice bed actions!"
"Th-That… N-No we didn't!" Abigail blushed. "Haruto slept on a chair. He was watching over me and making sure I didn't have a nightmare! Th-That's all!"
"Ah, but you trust Haruto enough to watch you sleep," Zuri slightly smirked. "Is that right?"
"A-Ah, ugh… um…" Abigail blinked, her face turning redder by the minute.
"Got you," Zuri giggled.
"J-Just for that, I'm voting D-Distrust," Abigail gulped, feeling hot all of a sudden.
"H-Hey, there's no need to go that far," Zuri slowly regretted approaching her about this. "I just think it's really cute, is all. Haruto clearly cares for you a lot and I can tell you really care for him."
Abigail bit her lips as she glanced away. God damn it. This girl… She was embarrassing her with details she was already aware of. And not only that, but it was making her think of Haruto and…
She needed a way out of this conversation.
"H-Hey, what about you and Holland?" Abigail countered with a faint pink tint to her cheeks and a sly smirk. "I'm sure Holland would love to lock lips with you after how much you've been supporting him."
"Oh…" Zuri lightly blushed. "We kinda already…"
Huh?!
"Y-You what?" Abigail widened her eyes. "W-Wait. You're actually… H-Huh?! W-When was this?! D-Did I miss something here…?"
She covered her blushing face.
Well, that backfired miserably.
...
As Abigail embarrassed herself and Zuri continued to pester her with comments about her and Haruto, it was a serious time with Arthur, Ina, and Jared.
Actually, the correct response would be… it was a serious time with Arthur and Ina against Jared.
Either case, Jared found himself with yet another team of two and one that just so happens to have the most untrustworthy person in this damn game. He sighed bitterly to himself. His mood never changed throughout the day. That part sucked…
And this Minigame sucked even more…
How does he get himself into these situations…?
"Look, you guys have no reason to pick Distrust so…" Jared sighed. "I mean, you said it yourself Arthur, you don't need any more Advantages so you're obviously picking Trust. And given my track record, I've been doing nothing but picking Trust so…"
"He makes a fair point, half-brother," Ina nodded toward Arthur. "We can Trust him."
"...Yes, I suppose we could," Arthur considered Jared's options here.
Everything Jared had said was true. He did pick Trust, especially to someone like Cassandra. So, there is a very high chance he may choose Trust. And besides, it also looked like he was tired of everything, if his moody expression was anything to go by.
This would require much thought here.
"We will choose Trust," Ina nodded toward Jared. "There is no need for much of a discussion."
Arthur nodded, folding his arms and closing his arms whilst nodding his head in agreement.
"Good, because I'm going to do the same," Jared tipped his hat.
Also good, because that means he didn't have to stress much about the Minigame and continue to get lost in his thoughts.
He snuck a glance toward Cassandra, who he caught glancing toward him.
Avoiding her gaze almost instantly, he leaned against the Voting Chamber.
God.
This sucked…
...
Holland glanced at Mimi.
To be honest, he was a little iffy about this matchup. The last time he was forced to face off against Mimi, he Trusted her, and she chose Distrust. Even though she was willing to give him a second chance in that same Chapter, she still Distrusted him. But at the same time, this was entirely Mimi's decision.
She had already faced off against Zuri and Zuri had taken Abigail. Similarly, she had also faced off against Haruto which left the only other quote-on-quote "nice person" here…
"...So, are you going to vote Trust this time or should I be prepared for…?" Holland trailed off. He wasn't going to be too petty about it, but he hinted at his slight paranoia over what Mimi may choose.
"Oh no, you don't have to worry," Mimi glanced away, her mind still thinking about Ina. "You kept your promise and made sure not to get into trouble and betray the spell I put on you. So, I have no trouble voting Trust for you."
"...I see," Holland was slightly unconvinced but if she truly meant that, then he supposed he could risk it with Trust.
But here was another thing that was troubling him.
Mimi was pretty distracted.
"...Is something wrong Mimi?" Holland asked.
"Huh?" Mimi blinked before shaking her head. "N-No, nothing is wrong. Look, we're both going to vote Trust, right? So… let's do that!"
Holland blinked.
He had to wonder what it could be.
Then, his mind trailed to Ina.
Could it be?
"Did… Ina go to you to talk about something?" Holland asked.
"...Does it matter?" Mimi frowned.
"Well… Did you…" Holland tried to carefully word his question.
"Look, Holland, it's okay," Mimi sighed. "I just… I just made it clear that whatever she did, I would never forgive her. That's… That's my final decision on everything."
Holland glanced at Mimi then looked away.
"If that's your decision…" Holland nodded.
Mimi and Holland were for sure going to Trust. But the Minigame was now the least of Holland's concerns. After all, he knew how much Ina wanted Mimi to forgive her. But he supposed that some people didn't forgive as easily as Zuri did. Especially some people who had suffered through so much like Mimi. He nodded in understanding. How could she forgive Ina, in this case?
...
"So, we gonna do this or what?"
That was the first thing Haruto asked Cassandra, who kept sneaking glances toward Jared. To think that after days of pressuring her distracted opponents into voting Distrust, now today, she was distracted! How the tables have turned to other tables… turned.
Ahem.
"Oi, Assandra," Haruto growled.
"Call me that again and I'll kick your broken fucking leg," Cassandra sharply turned.
Guess that was the summoning word.
"Jesus, relax, will ya," Haruto sighed. "We're still in the middle of a Minigame y'know. So, the best thing you can do is just pay a little attention to what we're gonna decide."
"It should be obvious, isn't it?" Cassandra grumbled. "You choose Distrust. I choose Distrust. That's it. Now leave me alone."
Cassandra folded her arms as she glanced back toward Jared.
"Jesus, what's got your panties in a twist?" Haruto grumbled to himself before noticing who exactly she was glancing towards. "What the fuck… Are you eye-fucking Jared right now?"
"What the fuck are you talking about and no!" Cassandra sharply turned back to Haruto. This time, she sharply turned almost too quickly. "I wasn't! I was just… Shut the fuck up! This is none of your fucking business!"
Haruto examined Cassandra closely.
Despite being absolutely hot-headed, he was still smart. And it didn't take him long to figure out that maybe the reason why Jared had been acting so moody was because of Cassandra. Jared had also asked that super specific question as well so…
He narrowed his eyes toward the scam artist suspiciously. As usual, she concentrated back on the police officer.
Could it be?
Could Jared have really implied… accidentally… that…?
It would fit Cassandra's M.O. But outright asking would probably get him into hot shit, so he kept quiet and patiently waited for Monohebi to end the Discussion Period…
...
"Ten minutes have passed," came the voice of Monohebi. "The Minigame: Prisoner's Dilemma: Guess Who will begin now. Please step inside the Voting Chambers within the next two minutes. Anyone who is not inside the Voting Chambers within the next two minutes will be unable to participate in the Minigame and thus, their vote will automatically be set to Trust by default. That is all. As a reminder, please step inside the Voting Chambers within the next two minutes."
Hearing Monohebi's announcement, the prisoners hurried to snag a Voting Chamber.
Everyone had scanned their eHandbooks over the Handbook readers, letting the red lights flash green and waiting for the doors to open. Once the doors opened up, they hurried in.
...
Two minutes passed and everyone was already inside their respective Voting Chambers.
...
The door closed. Everyone made it inside the Voting Chambers. Two simple options once again on that Voting Tablet: Trust or Distrust.
…
…
…
…
…
Once the votes had been cast, the Voting Chambers opened back up for the prisoners. One by one, they exited as a projector was turned on. The fourth round of the Minigame had been completed. More will come. Now, it was time for the results.
"Here are the results for the Minigame: Prisoner's Dilemma," Monohebi announced. "Results have been accumulated thanks to the votes submitted by our participants. Thank you for playing the Minigame and good luck."
Pair A: Abigail [TRUST] vs. Zuri [TRUST]
Pair B: Arthur and Ina [DISTRUST] vs. Jared [TRUST]
Pair C: Cassandra [DISTRUST] vs. Haruto [DISTRUST]
Pair D: Holland [TRUST] vs. Mimi [TRUST]
Zuri smiled as she saw the result of her Minigame. Though, it didn't seem like she noticed the others, expect maybe just Holland's. Because she clearly didn't realize the sheer drama that was about to happen later. Instead, she turned back to Abigail.
"Thanks for voting Trust," she sighed in relief. "Sorry for teasing you back there. But I really meant what I said. I think what you and Haruto have is really cute!"
"Mmm… th-thanks," Abigail glanced away, embarrassed.
She didn't even try to deny it.
And that was pretty much how the girl's left their reactions to the results as…
...
Holland sighed in relief when he saw the result.
He held onto the hope that Mimi would keep her promise this time. He was scared. Nervous. So nervous that his eyes had nearly mistook his results for the trio of Arthur, Ina, and Jared's results. Now content with this, he turned to Mimi.
"Thank you," he nodded.
"...Yeah, of course," Mimi nodded back, trying to force a smile.
Holland noticed the forced smile and sighed. He wished he could do something to change her mind about never forgiving Ina. After all, he was the one who also promised Ina that one day she would be forgiven so…
"...Look, about your decision," Holland started.
"Holland," Mimi folded her arms and glanced away. "If you're trying to get me to change my mind, I won't. And this Minigame just proved why."
Holland blinked as Mimi pointed to the projected screen. Specifically, she pointed toward the results that he nearly mistook as his and grimaced slightly.
"Kingstons can't be trusted," Mimi shook her head. "Ironic, isn't it? After all, Ina said that herself."
That was all she needed to say before she walked away. She didn't even dare watch what drama was going to come from the results of Kingstons vs. Police Officer.
Damn it.
Holland frowned.
How was this going to work now?
...
Haruto glanced at the results.
He glanced at Abigail's first, then his own.
Then with a nod, he folded his arms.
"Well, it looks like we Distrusted as expected but…" Haruto said before turning to Cassandra.
Slight problem.
Cassandra had ditched him to storm up to the trio of Arthur, Ina, and Jared. She saw the results for Jared's game and was notably pissed. Blinking, Haruto sighed.
"And here we go…"
...
Jared blinked at the results of his game.
But… But they said…
Even if he knew Arthur wasn't to be trusted, he would've figured that Ina would at least hold up her end of the bargain. That was the only reason why he chose Trust. Has he really let his own emotions get the better of him? Distract from the fact that he was trusting the judgment of essentially two criminals…?
Damn it.
God…
Damn it!
"W-What the f–"
"You fucking bastard!" Cassandra cut him off with an angry yell.
"I sense that I am about to be–"
SLAP!
"...slapped," Arthur finished his sentence as he rubbed his cheek. He had turned to see a really pissed off Cassandra. Apparently, he was the only one getting slapped around here. So much so that each slap was starting to feel like mosquito bites. Annoying. Painful for a moment. Annoying.
Yes.
Annoying was mentioned twice.
"Ah, h-half-brother," Ina merely stated. Judging from her look, it was clear she wasn't as worried as any normal sibling would.
"W-What the hell happened Ina?" Jared grimaced. "I knew Arthur wasn't going to pick Trust. But why didn't you? I would've thought that…"
"I… I apologize," Ina blinked. "I… I had a little too much faith in my half-brother to do the right thing."
"A-Are you kidding me?" Jared gritted his teeth.
"It's fucking Arthur Kingston!" Cassandra yelled. "Brother or not, you can't fucking trust this bastard for anything!"
"I… I am sorry…" Ina looked down.
God.
She couldn't do anything right.
"No, no need to blame her," Arthur rubbed his cheek. Somehow, Cassandra's slap felt much more painful than anyone else's. "I'll take all the blame here."
"H-Half-brother?" Ina blinked.
"I wasn't sure whether or not to take your word for it, Jared," Arthur shook his head. "Ina truly did wish to choose Trust. However, as I mentioned before, I will do whatever it takes to protect my sister. And if there was even a chance that you would choose Distrust, I had to counter with my own Distrust."
"W-Why would I choose Distrust?" Jared clenched his fist. "I… I told you why… Was… Was I…"
"It was nothing personal, Jared," Arthur folded his arms. "I did what I thought was right. But turns out, it was a mistake. I apologize."
"You don't get to fucking apologize!" Cassandra yelled. "You fucking screwed him over!"
Arthur turned to Cassandra.
His face turned cold.
"I'm sorry but… did I miss something here?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, before narrowing his cold-driven icy gaze. "Why are you protecting him? Why do you suddenly… care so much?"
"H-Huh?" Cassandra blinked. "I– I– J-Jared is…"
"...Yeah," Jared's only visible eye twitched. His gaze darkened. "Why do you suddenly care so much?"
"J-Jared?" Cassandra widened her eyes.
No.
Please…
"Forget it," Jared sighed, tipping his hat down to avoid his shadowy face. "It's whatever at this point. You voted Distrust to protect your sister. I get it. I would've done the same if I wanted to protect someone too."
"I'm glad you agree," Arthur sighed in relief.
"I truly am sorry, Jared," Ina tried to apologize. "I truly did not know that…"
God. It seemed that all Ina was doing today was just apologizing to people. Could she seriously not do anything right…?
"Again, it's fine," Jared said, forcefully. "This is just how the Minigame works."
Jared prepared to leave.
"I'm going to go now," Jared said, avoiding the looks of everyone in the Auditorium. He wondered if this was karma finally reaching up to his sins…
"W-Wait Jared," Cassandra rushed to him.
"...Cassandra," Jared coldly stated. "What did I tell you last night?"
Cassandra paused. Her eyes shook.
"...I can't be around you anymore," Jared told her, with clenched fists. "So, leave me alone… Or I'll… I'll fucking kill you."
Cassandra widened her eyes.
"Y-You don't… mean that…" Cassandra tried to say but Jared had already stormed off. He seemed dead serious. And suddenly, her heart started to hurt from the pain of it all. "No…"
"So, you got something going on with Jared, huh?" Haruto asked, suspiciously.
Cassandra looked down. She felt her eyes tingle but whatever it was, she held it back. She kept everything hidden. She kept everything locked away. No. She was Cassandra Mura. She was a selfish bitch whose only goal was to survive and get what she wanted.
She wasn't going to be…
She wasn't going to feel…
She tightened her clenched fist.
"...No, why would you fucking say that?" Cassandra lied, glancing toward Haruto with a neutral expression. "He means… n-nothing to me. Just like the rest of you."
It hurt saying that.
It fucking hurt.
But for the sake of everything… she had to say that. She stormed off next, with Haruto watching her with suspicious eyes.
"Well then, I suppose that could've gone better," Arthur sighed, rubbing his still stinging cheek.
Ina merely walked away from him.
"Huh, where are you going, sister?" Arthur blinked. "Don't tell me you're mad too."
Ina had walked off with Arthur trailing behind.
…
This left Abigail, Haruto, Holland, and Zuri in the Auditorium. Because remember, Mimi also left the Auditorium way before the drama started.
"...H-How could this have happened?" Zuri blinked. And to think that she was having so much fun teasing Abigail. Now this… "I thought we would've expected better from…"
"...It's Arthur," Holland sighed. "I don't think we can expect better from Arthur."
"Agreed," Abigail sighed as well.
"Speaking of expecting better…" Haruto turned to Monohebi with a noticeably angry and annoyed glance. He had caught her doing something that seriously pissed him off. "Were you recording the entire fucking thing?!"
Sure enough, Monohebi had a video camera in her hand and had just finished recording the entire drama that occurred. With an unshameful nod, she flicked her tongue out and waved the video camera in the air.
"Of course!" she proudly stated. "Master White Collar was running late today so I thought I would give him video footage of the drama he would've loved to have seen! A wonderful, welcome back gift, wouldn't you say?"
"You heartless, cold-ass bitch–" Haruto was about to say before Holland interjected.
"...Er, I'm sure Monohebi is some sort of robot, so I doubt she has a heart," Holland corrected.
"Oi, did I fucking ask?!" Haruto sharply turned to Holland.
Monohebi shook her head in response to Haruto's anger. Needless to say, she was content with today's Minigame, and she bet that Master White Collar would be too.
"Regardless, congratulations on completing today's Minigame," Monohebi nodded. "I do hope that tomorrow's Minigame will reward us with similar results!"
"You wish!" Haruto barked.
"H-Haruto–" Abigail sternly told him. "Your anger…"
"I will see you all tomorrow," Monohebi nodded before slithering off to who knows where, leaving the four alone in the Auditorium.
To think they had such a fine streak with small setbacks.
Today's setback felt larger, however.
And Zuri couldn't help but sympathize with her rival for the leadership position. She sighed to herself.
(Ultimate Bassist's Cell)
So, the first thing she did right after the Minigame was report here and calm herself. At least, that was what Holland had found out on his way back to the Security Office.
"Hm hm hmmm hm… hm hmmmmm hm hmm… hm hm hmmmm hm hmmm hm hm…"
There it was again.
That sweet melody.
That melody that Holland remembered Zuri humming on that day. Although it ended in tragedy, the only fond memories from that day were Holland's moment with Zuri. And this tune was a remembrance of the Hope that he felt when he was with her.
Holland leaned against the side of the room as he listened to Zuri practice on her bass guitar. For some reason, she didn't even bother using the Sound Booth to practice in but Holland wasn't complaining. If it meant he could hear her humming, then he was happy anyway–
"I know you're there, Holland."
Holland froze.
She had stopped humming but still played the chords in accordance with what her melody was. Nervously, he walked in to see Zuri's small smiling face. God. She was so cute. It made his face flush slightly.
"...How did you know?" he asked.
"I saw your arm," Zuri smiled slightly.
Guess Holland didn't hide himself as well as he liked to think.
"I guess you heard a sneak peek of what I've been working on, huh?" Zuri giggled to herself, although it wasn't as energetic as it was this morning. Fair enough given the drama that had happened. "I've already recorded a rough draft in my free time, but I'm still looking to perfect it."
"...Your solo piece," Holland noted. "...Can I hear the rough draft?"
"Um, no," Zuri shook her head frantically. "I told you. I won't let you hear anything from me until it's perfect!"
"...But the tune you hummed is already perfect," Holland pointed out.
"Well, there's lyrics too!" Zuri blushed in embarrassment. "I have um… unfinished lyrics but…"
Holland examined her closely. She was clearly nervous about having to do this. It made him wonder a tad bit. What was Zuri's role in her own band? Was it only just setting the tempo? Because it seemed she had much talent being a soloist as well…
"...Have you ever thought about being a soloist before?" Holland asked. "Just like… being your own musician and away from Dream Palm?"
"Oh, I could never," Zuri shook her head before smiling at her bass guitar. "Dream Palm is everything to me. I could never abandon Laurel, Venessa, or… Hana."
"...But you have a lot of talent doing things on your own," Holland noted. "You can write lyrics, edit music, and compose too. It's just weird that you would stay as the Bassist."
"I guess the reason I stayed as the Bassist was because I wanted to share the spotlight with my friends," Zuri smiled to herself. "Everyone in the band had their own role. Hana was the loud and extroverted singer. Laurel was the serious and strict synthesist. Venessa was the relaxed and chill drummer. And I had to stay as the mysterious, in-the-background bassist. It was the only way our band could remain interesting that way I think…"
"...I see," Holland noted.
He guessed that made sense. Zuri only stayed as the bassist in order to keep the band intact. He supposed if she started to overshadow her own bandmates, problems would have arisen from that.
"But… if you're wondering, I did often dream of what life would've been like if I did go solo," Zuri said. "The thoughts were there. But I also imagine it would be less fun if I didn't have my friends with me."
"...Regardless, if you did go solo or not, I think you would've been amazing at whatever you would do, anyway," Holland stoically complimented her.
Zuri blinked.
"H-Holland…" Zuri's face slightly flushed. This man had no trouble throwing compliments her way. How did she get lucky with someone like him?
She slowly set her bass guitar on the floor as Holland sat next to her. The two glanced away. Even now, it was hard to show intimacy despite the many times they've pecked each other on their faces. But the emotions and feelings were there. And they were running wild like crazy.
"I…" Zuri felt herself heat up again. "We're going to do this again?"
"...If you want to," Holland simply stated.
"Of course I do," she slowly whispered in his ear.
Holland slowly touched Zuri's hand as the two leaned forward. Their lips made contact as they shared their warmth together. They kept their eyes closed, before slowly Zuri wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer to him. Holland instinctively moved his hands over to her waist and they held their position for a while.
They tasted each other's lips.
They moved their hands and arms according to each passionate feeling they had.
Then they separated, feeling their hot breath against each other.
"H-Holland…" Zuri softly said his name. "I… I wish we could be like this forever…"
"I… I do too," Holland softly returned. He noticed her eyes slowly tear up. "...What's wrong?"
"I'm scared Holland," Zuri kept her arms wrapped around him. "I'm so scared that something's going to go wrong. After seeing what happened between Arthur, Ina, and Jared... I... I got thinking about... I'm just... I'm scared that I'll… lose you forever."
"...Don't think about that now," Holland hugged her close. He truly didn't want this moment to end but he also understood what Zuri was saying. He was scared too. "We at least have each other now…"
Zuri felt her heart race.
"God, what if someone Innocent goes after you…?" Zuri shook in fear.
"...The same with you," Holland stated, feeling the same fear but not even showing it. "What if a Traitor went for you?... I… I know what I'll do at least."
"Protect me?" Zuri answered. "Just like I would?"
"...Of course," Holland nodded.
There was a moment of silence as Zuri kissed him below his chin. That sudden action made Holland's face glow red.
"...I really like you Holland," Zuri confessed as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"...I really like you too, Zuri," Holland hugged her tight. "Maybe… a little more than you think."
"No, I like you more," Zuri giggled softly in his sweet embrace.
They kept each other warm through the cold atmosphere of their prison. They never wanted to leave each other's embrace. Because they were scared that if they did, something would happen. But it was like they said, they would do anything for each other.
Anything.
"Master, you're back."
Monohebi couldn't help but feel her excitement rise when she saw White Collar return to the location they were in. The man in the Devil's mask simply nodded in her direction. He didn't seem to share the same excitement she did, as the first thing he did was pour himself a glass of wine.
"Master, guess what?" Monohebi slithered to him, like a dog reunited with her owner. "I have a present for you!"
White Collar said nothing as he sighed behind the mask he wore.
"M-Master?" Monohebi could tell something was wrong. "Is something wrong…? What did they say?"
"...It's nothing to concern yourself over, Monohebi," White Collar stated as he swirled his glass.
"They found out about the deal you made with that sk– er, Miss Mura, didn't they?" Monohebi asked. "They found out and now you're on the chopping block. Master. For the sake of this Killing Game, you must sever your ties with this girl. It is against the rules to form a partnership with one of the participants of a Killing Game."
"Oh, that wasn't what I was called in to talk about," White Collar's mask twisted into a grin. "It's true, I was reprimanded, but for an entirely different reason."
It didn't take long for Monohebi to figure out what that reason was.
"You refer to Mister Kingston's eHandbook status," Monohebi stated. "I knew you had something to do with that Master. Just yesterday, Mister Kingston had asked me to look into it. Of course, I pretended I did not know anything about it."
"And I thank you for keeping my fun a little secret," White Collar placed a hand over his heart before bowing toward the snake. "But I should've known they would find out about that little tidbit sooner or later. Just as it is illegal to make deals with Killing Game participants, it's illegal to rig someone's motive like that. Such are the rules we have to work with."
White Collar shrugged as he chuckled darkly. It didn't seem like the rules were bothering him to begin with.
"...Are you going to be punished, Master?" Monohebi asked, concerned.
"I was left off with a warning this time," White Collar assured her. "Next time, I probably won't be so lucky."
"Th-Then you have to sever your deal with the sk– Miss Mura!" Monohebi pleaded. "Please! For the sake of your life, you have to!"
White Collar caressed his own chin in thought to what Monohebi was pleading for him to do. Cut off the deal with Cassandra Mura? Why would he do that? He gave the girl a most promising offer. All she needed to do was pay with a sacrifice… Ha! Thoughts and beliefs like the true Devil's.
"The deal will remain as it is," White Collar told her. "If Cassandra Mura successfully kills Arthur Kingston, I will let her leave this Killing Game. That is all."
"B-But Master!" Monohebi begged. How could her Master be so… so… stupid?! "They'll find out– You'll be—"
"So?" White Collar perked his head toward the snake.
"W-What do you mean 'So'?" Monohebi widened her red jagged eyes. "M-Master! D-Do you not care about what will happen to you if you continue your idiotic actions?! D-Do you not care what…"
"...Monohebi," White Collar began before his mask twisted into a horrific expression. The glowing iris behind his mask's red eyes shrunk and his teeth were bared more than it usually was. Monohebi recognized the face. It was the face of the Devil's wrath. "If Arthur Kingston dies, I will have achieved my only self-fulfilling purpose in this world."
"M-Master… you can't be serious…" Monohebi widened her eyes.
"Keh, I am very serious," White Collar leaned back and feigned a pose as if he were clinking drinks. "Serious enough to break rules in order for that to happen."
"Master, you… please don't do this!" Monohebi begged. "You're letting that skank poison your mind!"
"Skank?" White Collar perked his head toward Monohebi. "Who? Miss Mura?"
"Yes, that skank must be why you're deciding to do something so crazy!" Monohebi exclaimed. "I won't forgive her! She must be stopped! You have to break free from her control Master!"
White Collar looked absolutely peeved by what Monohebi had seen this situation as. In fact, he was so irritated, he shattered his wine glass with his hand.
Instantly, Monohebi went quiet.
"Typical Monohebi," White Collar growled behind his mask. "Of course, faulty artificial intelligence like you wouldn't understand."
White Collar glowered over Monohebi.
"Cassandra Mura is an important means to an end," White Collar pointed the sharp end of his cane toward Monohebi's chin. "And if you try anything to stop what I have planned, I will not hesitate to shut you down. Do you understand, Monohebi?"
Monohebi's scaly body shook. Master White Collar never talked to her like this. Just how much of his mind has been corrupted by that stupid woman? By that skank named Cassandra Mura?
"I… I understand Master," Monohebi glanced down, pathetically.
If this was the Master's desire, then she would do everything in her power to serve. Unfortunately, it didn't mean she had to like what she had to do. Deep down, she knew what her promise would be. Cassandra Mura would pay. The damage she's done has spread… She couldn't let it continue any further.
"Good," White Collar eased his intense aura as he retracted the cane. "Now, any updates on her mission?"
"...No updates," Monohebi didn't even dare tell him about her conversation with Cassandra.
"Shame," White Collar merely said. "But I suppose things like these take time."
The man in the Devil's mask poured himself another glass.
"And when that time comes, I think I'll share a toast to the inevitable demise of Arthur Kinston…" White Collar's grin became even more twisted as he held up his glass of wine. In fact, it almost looked like he was winking a bit.
Then slowly, White Collar lifted up his mask to take a sip.
"W-What about the present I mentioned...?" Monohebi sadly asked.
White Collar said nothing.
All he did was sip away.
Sip.
Sip.
Sip.
And all Monohebi could do was watch with envy and vengeance on her mind.
Cassandra Mura.
That skank!
She was going to pay…
DANGANRONPA: CORRUPTED HOPE
And here it is! Daily Life Part 5! Oh goodness! We're getting closer to the murder at hand! Oooooh! Who's gonna die? Who's it gonna be? Is it Titus? Is it Yuumi? Is it Carter? Wait... they're already dead XE
Either case, updates time! I have finished writing Trial Part 1 and Part 2 for Chapter 4, however, there is a lot that needs to be edited. The current state of the Trials right now is really damn messy so I'm hoping to have everything cleaned up by the time Daily Life Part 6 is finished! But aside from that, I also have a strict deadline for December 23, since I will be going home for the holidays and knowing my family, I probably won't have time to crank out chapters for about 3 weeks XE
As for this chapter, goddamn! Jared's backstory is *chef's kiss* His backstory is literally up there along with Abigail's for me and the drama between him and Cassandra is something I've been looking forward to writing since the last Daily Life part :D And I will continue say that Chapter 4 is such a dramatic chapter so I really do hope the Trials pull through by the time I'm done with them XD
Either case, let me know what you thought about the chapter! Love it? Hate it? Let me know :D Love to hear everyone's thoughts and theories! Keeps me motivated to continue doing what I'm doing :D Until then, Daily Life Part 6 ;D
Prisoners Remaining: 9
Abigail Ellsworth - The Ultimate Equestrian (oddlyillregular) [1,000,000]
Arthur Kingston - The Ultimate Snowboarder (SinWriter7) [0]
Cassandra Mura - The Ultimate Scam Artist (ExtraMeme) [500,000]
Haruto Walker - The Ultimate Former Basketball Player (theotakureader101) [0]
Holland Delaney - The Ultimate Game Designer (Sempi) [1,000,000]
Ina (Hamamura) Kingston - The Ultimate Revolutionary (VividIsSleeping) [0]
Jared Ceartas - The Ultimate Police Officer (Otterplay) [500,000]
Mimi Kazoo - The Ultimate Fairytale Writer (Idraegan) [0]
Zuri Auraline - The Ultimate Bassist (CandleFire45) [1,000,000]