Chapter 2: Act 1: A Whole New World
Location: Dormitory, Hotel Despair
Day: 7
Time: 6:51 AM
"A week has passed since I woke up within Hope's Peak Academy. Things have been quiet. After the deaths of our friends, a new kind of hopelessness seemed to settle in. The day after, everyone was in a catatonic state. Even Byakuya and Fuyuhiko elected not to speak. Aside from a few arrogant quips here and there. Hiyoko hadn't been as mean, and Celeste showed a bit more emotion than normal. It was odd getting used to it.
Monokuma has been strangely silent, and while we likely would have welcomed that, after what happened, none of us can get used to it. I guess we're all just expecting him to do something. It's been hard having to live with that. Any day now, he's gonna try to make us do something… something that'll make us go back down there.
Our extensive search of the First Floor has yielded nothing. No matter how hard we search, we just can't find anything. I guess finding that planner on day one was just a fluke. I've studied its contents intensely, memorized the names and assignments, the doodles everything. Chisa Yukizome was quite the character! It is odd hearing her speak about Peko, Hiyoko, Mikan, and the others, acting as if she knew them personally despite never meeting. There's no possible way she could be talking about another class right?
Yeah… another class with the same first and last names? Get real.
Moving on has been hard. Sayaka was sad the first few days, but she's bouncing back. I had to convince her to take care of herself, unless she wanted me to strip her and bathe her like a puppy. That seemed to get the message out loud and clear. She's smiling again, and I've even caught her singing. It makes me happy to see her like that again. However, it does make me wonder why it feels so familiar to me. It's as though we've been through a similar event in the past. The motions we go through, how it all seems reflective, muscle memory… it feels unnaturally natural.
Guess this shithole is getting to me.
I've been thinking a lot about my family… I never told anyone else that I was adopted. Well… Adopted being the keyword. I was just sort of… put there. I know I have to keep everything a secret, so I can't even write it in here but… I just hope those folks are doing alright. As much as I wished they'd behave and treat me like real family, they aren't. My only true family is my sister. We might not be blood-related, but she's the only one who cares about me… Well, she and Caspy. I hope she's taking care of him."
Ding dong dong ding
"Goood Morning everyone~ It is now 7 AM! Nighttime is officially over! Time to Rise and Shine! Get ready to greet another beeeyu-tiful day~
Ah and of course, be advised that all students must come to the Gymnasium at 8:00 for a special morning assembly. Don't be late. Attendance is mandatory, see you soon~"
Akira looked away from the monitor, sighing as he glanced at his notebook, clicking his pen. "So it begins…."
"Hgn… I swear, someone should dismember that piece of shit." Sayaka mumbled as she sat up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes, stretching her arms, not bothering to cover her yawn. Her normally pristine hair was in a mess, pointing every which way. She was wearing nothing more than an oversized Hope's Peak Academy tee-shirt, one that Akira had given her, instead of a nightgown. She looked at the boy, vision unfocused for a moment. "Whoa… You got up early today, huh?"
"Yeah. I dunno why but I just felt the need to be up. I'm glad I brought those water jugs with me, or else I'd have to wait until 7 just to brush my damn teeth."
"There's something painfully ironic about using mineral water to brush your teeth. I'm sure someone somewhere is having an aneurysm at the thought." the girl said, throwing the covers off herself. She rolled her shoulders a bit as she stood up, pulling her shirt down. "An assembly, huh? What do you think that's about?"
"No clue, but we better prepare ourselves. Something tells me the bear is gonna do something unexpected." Akira said, closing his notebook. He placed it inside his blazer, sliding his pen alongside it.
"Hm… I just hope it isn't some sort of motive. I don't need that right now." she said, flicking the bathroom lights on as she went in. "Hey, would you mind making me breakfast? I'll make you dinner tonight."
"Damn, here I was looking forward to brushing your hair."
"I told you, my hair is mine to deal with. If my fans found out someone else did that, they'd probably kill you," she said in a joking tone. She stepped out of the bathroom for a moment, leaning against the bathroom door frame, toothbrush in her mouth. "So, breakfast?"
"I got it. Anything specific?"
"Nope, whatever is easier for you. I'm not a picky eater… well not anymore. Not like I'm gonna bother following a diet here." she admitted, returning to the bathroom. "Oh! There is one thing I wanna try if you know how to make it."
"What is it?"
"Royal Milk Tea! Celeste was talking about it with Mahiru and Hiyoko yesterday and she said she's dying to have some. She somehow convinced Hiro to make it for her but she said that in her humble opinion, it tasted like absolute dogshit. I've been meaning to try it since."
"I can't guarantee a successful brew, but I can try. Don't take too long, okay?"
"Yes, Dad."
He rolled his eyes, pocketing his keys. He briefly considered bringing his backpack with him, but decided against it. It's not like he was going to carry anything. Stepping out into the corridor, he spotted Kiyotaka almost immediately. The Ultimate Moral Compass had taken it upon himself to make sure everyone made it to the morning meetings, so he'd ring the bell of anyone not out by 7:10. It was annoying, but it gave him peace of mind, especially after what happened.
"Ah, Good Morning, Classmate Akira! How fares the day?"
"Better than yesterday, I guess. I woke up a little early but I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing," he said, rolling his shoulders. "What about you?"
"I'm doing great! I can feel it's gonna be a productive day, I've been awake since 5 AM. Usually, I'd go on a morning run and greet some of the cross guards and workers going about their morning. Sadly that routine had to be shelved for… obvious reasons." he said, a dry laugh leaving him. "But, it could be worse."
"You are right about that. Ah, Sayaka will be out soon, she's dealing with the nest, the usual."
"Understood, I do wish she'd be a bit more punctual, but given the fact the water doesn't come back until 7 AM, I don't mind her tardiness. It's not like we have classes or anything," he said, adjusting his shirt. "Ah right, before I forget, it's a new week, and I've been tasked with choosing the next person to place on trash duty. Keeping our living area clean is a must if we want to live a normal life… So, would you mind doing it for me?"
"Oh right… I guess I forgot about trash duty. In all the chaos of what's happened, it slipped my mind that Monokuma even mentioned it." he said, rubbing his neck. "I'll be happy to take it this week, Taka."
"Excellent! The only trash that needs to be collected is the trash from every dorm as well as the one in the kitchen. There's a trash cart in the trash room. You'll have to separate it into recyclables and non-recyclables, and from there, you just toss it into the incinerator. I'm certain you'll be able to figure out how it works!"
"If it's as simple as pressing the on button to burn, and the off button to turn it off, then I can handle it." Akira jokingly said. Taka reached into his pocket for a lanyard, containing the key to the trashroom. "I'll probably get started after the assembly, unless the bear has something big in store for us, which I hope he doesn't."
"I do too… After what happened, I can only imagine what awaits us. But we must remain positive, only then may we weather this storm." the red-eyed boy said, grinning. "It won't be much longer now, Akira! We'll see the light of day soon. Well, I'll be going now, see you soon!"
With that, the Ultimate Moral Compass headed off, like a Ship's Officer, ringing every doorbell. Akira shook his head, turning the other way, placing the key around his neck, tucking it inside his shirt. "Trash duty, huh? How fun. Maybe I can convince Sayaka to come with me, it'll keep her distracted."
The dining hall was livelier than on most days. Taka made sure everyone was present and accounted for, even wayward people like Fuyuhiko and Kyoko were forced to attend. They realized that it would be better to be in one place than to be wandering around, especially after what happened. They both still avoided talking to others, Kyoko especially. She hardly spoke more than three words on most days. Sometimes, Akira wondered what she thought about.
Entering the kitchen, he was surprised to see Hiyoko and Chihiro there, preparing breakfast of all things. Everyone usually handled their own, so he figured that's what was going on. The Traditional Dancer had kept her kimono on for about three days before abandoning it entirely.
Though she kept her hair in its ridiculously shaped ponytail, she was dressed in more normal clothes, a Hope's Peak Academy tank top, athletic shorts, and flip-flops. She did say if her grandmother saw her she'd blow a gasket. A part of Akira wondered if she was dressing that casually as a form of defiance. The Ultimate Traditional Dancer was a hard nut to crack, but she did show a bit of niceness from time to time.
"Hi Akira, Good Morning." Chihiro cheerfully said, giving the boy a smile.
"Hey Chihiro, you seem awfully chipper today. Sleep well?"
"Mhmm… I'm finally able to sleep for a full night. Normally, I'd stay up checking lines of code but well, without my laptop-" she paused, sighing. "-It's hard getting used to this."
"You're telling me. Normally, I'd be back at my grandmother's studio dancing from sunrise to sunset. The fuckin' bitch drilled me harder than a goddamn general. Can't say I miss that shit. I love what I do, but that old bat ran me ragged," Hiyoko said, shaking her head. "Well… I guess there's a silver lining in being in this shithole."
She looked back at her pan, gritting her teeth. "Fuckin' son of a bitch, it got stuck!"
"Oh, here you go," Chihiro said, handing her the spatula. She started scraping the egg she'd been frying off of it, only to destroy it. The Ultimate Programmer snorted, covering her mouth. "Oh Hiyoko…"
"Yeah yeah, laugh it up. I'm the Ultimate Traditional Dancer, not the Ultimate Fried Egg Maker," she said, banging the pan against the trash can. "At least I have an unlimited source of eggs so I can continuously practice."
"Just let me, how would the two of you like some omurice?" he asked, causing the pair's eyes to light up.
"You know how to make omurice?" the programmer asked. Akira gave her a nod.
"Mhmm… I uh…" he looked away for a moment. "I learned how to make it when I worked at Maidreamin."
"I'm sorry what? You… worked at Maidreamin?" Hiyoko asked, holding back the urge to laugh. He rolled his eyes.
"Laugh it up, my sister got me the job. I thought I had to work as a butler or something until she took out the damn costume. No one knew I was a dude, her makeup skills are flawless." he said. This made the girls laugh even harder. He spun the pan around, catching it with ease before pointing at the two. "Keep laughing and I won't make you anything."
That got them to shut up. He merely smiled. "Alright, gotta get the ingredients ready and then we can start. Alright, I'm gonna need twelve eggs, cream, milk, rice, onions, chicken, butter, salt pepper, a bowl, a strainer-"
"God, slow down, it's too much stuff!" the blonde girl cried, making him chuckle.
"Alright, alright."
xxx
Akira got jealous the moment he stepped out of the kitchen with a tray in his grasp. Hiyoko and Chihiro had been an excellent help, and with them, he had been able to make breakfast for them, and for himself and Sayaka. It helped that everything he needed was readily available, even pre-made demi-glace sauce. Sayaka had been keeping herself entertained making paper stars, a habit she had picked up from him. Though the moment he placed her breakfast in front of her, she practically stopped.
"Le petit déjeuner est servi mademoiselle~" he said in perfect French.
"Oh my god, that looks so good." she hungrily replied, practically tearing the utensils from his grasp. She paused for a moment, giggling. "I like the cute kitty."
"Hiyoko drew it."
"Hmph, you're welcome." the blonde added, from her seat a few chairs down.
The blue-haired girl didn't acknowledge her, far too hungry to care. She grabbed her knife and cut the omelet open, watching as it unfolded, covering the rice entirely. She poured the demi-glace sauce over it, almost drenching it in its entirety. She silently gave thanks for the good before digging her spoon into it, shoving it in her mouth. She practically melted, moaning gleefully as she continued to eat.
"I take it you like your meal, mademoiselle?" Akira said, in a thick French accent. Sayaka merely gave him a thumbs up, far too into her meal to say anything.
"Dude… how?"
"Huh? How what?" Akira asked, giving Kazuichi a look of confusion. It was then that he noticed the looks everyone was giving him, some moving to Hiyoko and Chihiro who were in similar states.
"What do you mean what ? You managed to make three girls look extremely happy with just food." Hiro said. The young man tilted his head.
"I mean… I guess? I might be an Ultimate Chef or anything but I know my way around a kitchen. I grew up having to eat whatever I could make, so I had to learn how to cook. Omurice isn't that hard to make." he said, with a shrug.
He paused for a moment, pouring some tea into a fancy-looking cup. After he had poured some out for Sayaka, Chihiro, and himself, he handed one to Celeste, along with some sugar and a teaspoon. "Sayaka told me you were dying to have some, I do hope you like it. It's my first time trying to make it."
She looked at the cup for a moment, brow quirked in curiosity. She took hold of the spoon, adding two spoonfuls of sugar into it and stirring it around. Everyone watched with bated breath as she took a sip from it, remaining silent. Placing the cup back onto her tea dish, she smiled at the young man.
"It's among the best cups of tea I've had, far better than the dog water Hiro had prepared for me."
"Aw, man."
"Glad you like it, I'll keep making it in the morning."
Akira had to admit, it felt almost normal to make breakfast for others. The entire week prior, he only handled his own food, along with Sayaka's. It had been a silent agreement. If one made breakfast, the other made dinner. It had kept the monotony of the day out of mind. But working with Hiyoko and Chihiro, serving Celeste… it just felt familiar to him for some reason. He narrowed his eyes as he ate his food.
"Maybe it's because I worked at Maidreamin? Serving Masters and making food isn't exactly the most memorable thing for me. It was just a bunch of tourists and regulars. How odd." he thought to himself.
Breakfast ended up being a peaceful affair. Normally, everyone would split up and tackle the day however they chose, but today was different. Everyone was doing to the same place, after all. They all just hoped Monokuma didn't have anything terrible waiting for them.
xxx
"This… is not what I was expecting," Akira said, mostly to himself as he looked around the gymnasium.
The 20 surviving students were in various areas, some looking with disinterest, others in disbelief, and some, without a single care. The strange scene that unfolded in front of them was just something they were not expecting. Monokuma was standing at his podium, on stage, twisting himself in various poses, which were being imitated by the Ultimate Moral Compass. It was quite the sight to behold. Everyone had been frozen in fear, expecting something terrible, but exercise was not what they had expected.
"Okay, lift your arms up, and down! One, two, three, four!"
"One, two, three, four!" Kiyotaka cried, following every order given.
"Now reach waaay up, and bend waay down! Tighten those muscles! Let's add a little strength, a little speed to those young bodies of yours!" the bear said, a bright grin on his face. Akira swore he saw him sweating. "Aahh! Doesn't this feel just great! Being stuck inside like this, you gotta make sure you stay healthy!"
"You're the reason we're stuck inside, asshole," Fuyuhiko said, arms crossed, looking away from the bear. "And why the fuck are you following his instructions?"
"He may be our captor, but we need time to blow off steam!" he merely replied. Sayaka shook her head.
"What a weirdo."
"You're telling me," the Ultimate Lucky Student responded.
"Are you going to tell us why you have called us here?" Peko asked, her voice cutting through Taka's awkward grunts. "Certainly it wasn't just to make us exercise."
"Just to make you exercise? JUST TO MAKE YOU EXERCISE!?" he asked, almost looking angry. "Exercise makes you laugh, exercise makes you cry! Now, if you keep doing these exercises, you will uncover the secret of the Assassin's Fist!"
"The assassin's fist? I heard that was a level 5 martial art move, hardly being taught to mortals. Oh, I look forward to this." Hikari said, a starry-eyed look on his face.
"I swear, I'm surrounded by imbeciles," Byakuya said, his tone conveying his blatant disinterest in what was happening.
"Okay seriously, cut the shit and get to the point," Akira said, hands on his hips as he glared at the mechanical bear. "Did you really just call us here for exercise?"
"Of course not," Monokuma said, his previous smirk returning. "You think I have that kind of free time on my hands?!"
"Alright then…" the black-haired boy said, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Aahh… I'd like to make an announcement! Every time you overcome a class trial here at Hope's Peak, a whole new world will open up to you!"
"A… whole new world…?" Hiro questioned nervously.
"It'd really suck if you had to live here forever with nothing new to stimulate you. Besides, I know how you kids get these days with your ADD and your ADHD. I gotta keep you motivated! So go ahead, look around all you want! Enjoy the brave new post-trial world till you explode!" the bear said, and just like that, he was gone.
"A new world huh?" Akira said, narrowing his eyes in thought.
"Maybe… is he talking about a way to get outside?" Hina asked, a look of excitement on her face. Celeste frowned, not at all hopeful.
"That seems… unlikely."
"We won't know until we look, right?" the Ultimate Biker asked.
"It seems we're gonna have to explore the academy again to see if anything has changed," Peko said, glancing around the gymnasium. Kiyotaka nodded, standing at the front of the gym, a firm look on his face.
"Okay, then let's split up and start investigating! When you're done, everyone meet back up at the dining hall and we'll share what we found!"
"You're basically a one-trick pony, you know that, right?" Byakuya asked. The Ultimate Moral Compass didn't even look bothered, his commanding tone remaining.
"More like a staple food source! Now let's get moving!" he commanded.
Like a platoon of soldiers, everyone started leaving, heading off in different directions. Akira, of course, decided to remain, pondering the implications of whatever Monokuma was planning. He had his eyes narrowed, lost in thought only to feel someone's gaze on him. Shifting his head slightly, he noticed it was the Ultimate Pop-Sensation, who had been patiently waiting.
"What do you think this is?" she asked.
"I'm not exactly sure, but we need to tread lightly. You never know what he could be planning for us," he said. She sighed, glancing away from him.
"After last time, I'm expecting the unexpected. We should probably get this over with,"
"Yep, that means you're on assistant duty. For the low, low price of free, you get to accompany me around the school," he said, causing her to laugh. "There's a smile."
"I suppose it'll be a nice change of pace. Of course… the last time we were with Peko and Makoto but…" she paused, glancing away for a moment. "I don't think Peko would like to join us. She likely left to check the first floor again."
"Hm… oh well, let's go. The more time we waste the less time we have to explore," he said, taking the lead. Sayaka followed along, staying a few paces behind him. Leaving the gymnasium, the first person they ran into was Hiro, who had a frightened look on his face.
"Um… you doing alright, Hiro?" Akira asked, causing him to look up at the black-haired lad. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment before locking eyes with the boy.
"Did you notice what's inside the display case!? Bad… this is super bad man!"
Akira briefly glanced at the case, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing missing was the Fake Katana that had been there the week before. He shared a look with Sayaka who was just as confused as he was. "Um… What are you talking about? I didn't notice anything out of place in there…"
"Sure, to the untrained eye, it's nothing. But this is awful… A bad, awful, terrible trap!" he cried, clutching his head. "That stuff you see lined up in there? Any God could come by and use it to send a message?!"
Akira gave him a languid blink. "Huh…?"
"AAAAHHHH! I've been struck with knowledge! It's an ill omen of total destruction and ruin! L-let me outta here. Let me ouuuuuuut!"
The Ultimate Lucky Student grabbed Sayaka's hand, slowly pulling her with him. The Ultimate Clairvoyant fell to the ground in a heap, crying loudly and begging to be released. Neither said a word, not wanting to provoke him.
"What the fuck is wrong with him?" Sayaka asked quietly as the Gymnasium doors closed behind them.
"I don't know. I stopped asking myself that on day 3."
"Akira, Sayaka!"
The pair jumped a bit, both looking at Kiyotaka, who was standing next to the stairwell leading to the Second Floor. It was then the pair noticed the grate covering the stairs had been lifted, allowing them to head upstairs. He had a cheerful look on his face as he gestured to the stairwell.
"The gate blocking the stairs is gone. It would seem a path to the 2nd Floor has opened up! But it's also of the utmost importance that we double-check the areas we already know about, just in case! Aren't I so clever to think of that? I really impress myself sometimes."
"Actually, it's common sense to backtrack to places you've already mapped out and check to see if something new was added." Sayaka said, causing Akira to look at her, brows furrowed in confusion. "What? I play video games sometimes."
"Huh…"
"Ah yes before I forget! We might not be in an actual school session, but public displays of affection are still against regulations. Do try to think about that in the future, alright?" the Ultimate Moral Compass asked, confusing the two.
"Public displays of affection?"
"You're holding hands?"
The pair realized this and immediately let go, as if they had been burned by an iron. Akira adjusted his blazer a bit, holding back the urge to blush. "Right, of course. Me and Sayaka are going to check out the second floor then. We'll go around for trash duty later on, alright?"
"Of course, thanks again for taking that this week. I greatly appreciate it."
With that, the red-eyed boy headed off, likely to check on the previous areas of the school. Akira and Sayaka let out a breath, calming themselves down. "Should we go?"
"Yeah, let's see what this new world is." the Ultimate Lucky Student said, taking the lead.
He noticed stairs in the stairwell cover also covered in thick iron plates. They certainly weren't getting out that way. The pair silently continued trudging upward, being greeted by sky-blue bulbs illuminating the checker themed floor. There was a pair of bathrooms in the forward corridor, and off to the left, was a set of double doors, with a bright sign that read "Pool" above it. He placed a hand on his hip, pursing his lips.
"I wasn't aware Hope's Peak Academy had a pool."
"They have a Swim Team. I remember reading online that the pool was twice the size of an Olympic Pool. It was designed for divers to train as well, nothing too deep but it does go down to twenty feet." the blue-haired girl said, a pensive look on her face. "Though I have to ask, how do so many gallons of water sit on top of the Gymnasium without it caving in?"
"Maybe the Academy was built by an Ultimate Architect?"
"Hm… maybe. Come on, let's check it out. It's been a long time since I've been to a pool." she said, a genuine smile on her face. "I hope we can take a dip later."
"Ooh… seeing Sayaka Maizono in a swimsuit, I must be lucky."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, it'll be a school swimsuit."
"Excellent. Between you and me, one-piece swimsuits look better on women than bikinis. Call me a heathen if you want." he said, chuckling.
"Between you and me, I prefer one-piece swimsuits too. Every shoot I did in a bikini was because I was told to by my agency," she said, slightly above a whisper. "It'll be our secret, okay?"
"Mhmm, sure thing."
The pair made their way to the pool, with Akira holding the door open for Sayaka. Stepping inside, they were greeted with an open room. There were a pair of doors, one blue and one red. Off to the right, was a shelf filled with swimming equipment, training boards, and flotation devices. Akira also noticed the large Gatling gun coming out of the ceiling, making him frown.
"Another one of those? What the hell is this one for?"
"Akira, Sayaka! Look! It's a Pool!" Hina excitedly cried, practically bounding in her spot in the center of the room. "Pool, pool, pool!"
"Y-you don't have to keep repeating it, Hina." the boy said, scratching his cheek.
"S-sorry, I'm just super excited! There's a room filled with lots of exercise equipment in the locker room! It's gonna be really great being able to stay in shape!"
"Looks like I'll be able to burn those ice cream calories after all." Sayaka mused, a small smile on her face. "I'm happy for you, Hina. I'm sure this place will keep you busy for a while."
"How about you, Chihiro? Have you checked out the pool yet?" Akira asked. She looked away from the swimming boards, shaking her head.
"N-no… I don't like wearing swimsuits."
"Yeah… she definitely seems like the type not to wear them." he thought to himself. He noticed the smile that appeared on her face as she looked back to the other doors.
"Still… It sounds like the locker rooms have all the exercise equipment you could ask for. Maybe I'll give it a try. I'd kind of like to get a little stronger…"
"That's great! We could all use a little bit of strength in our lives, given… our current circumstances," he said, rubbing his neck. "Personally, I think picking up a martial art is a great idea. I happen to know Tae-Kwon Do."
"Wow, really?" she asked, eyes widening. "But you don't seem like the type!"
"A lot of people say that, but it was something I had to learn. My folks insisted I pick up some form of self-defense, just in case. My sister is actually fairly skilled in martial arts too. She was trained in Aikido and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She's really deadly if you annoy her. In fact, I think I'm the only one who can keep up with her. I learned some capoeira as well, just in case." he said with a chuckle. "You should have seen her face when I managed to pin her for more than 10 seconds."
"I'm sure. Though… for me, I'd have to work up the courage to even go into the locker room. It can be a bit… daunting." she said softly.
"Why don't you go in?"
"Oh um… it's just that… we're so busy searching around and stuff, hehe."
"That's fair."
"So, the locker rooms are connected to the pool?" Sayaka said, grabbing their attention. Hina gave the idol a nod.
"That's right. They're separated by a wall but both of them lead to the same place. The pool is super nice. It's big and fantastic to swim in! Ahh… I'm beyond excited right now! I'm gettin' kinda mad thinking about it!"
"Why are you getting mad?" the blue-haired girl asked, clearly confused. He brushed past the two, having noticed Celeste at the other side of the room. She had been examining some items placed on some shelves, more pool equipment. She glanced over her shoulder, smiling at him.
"The second floor has opened up, and our living area has grown. Not only that, it seems several new facilities are now available. Whatever else is going on, I must admit things have been made much more comfortable for us."
"I guess."
Her expression changed a bit, switching from sugary sweet to a bit more serious. "If things do continue like this… I suppose I wouldn't mind the occasional class trial."
"Good to know the violent deaths of our friends got us a fucking pool," he said, sounding rather annoyed at her words. "I mean no disrespect, and this is great and all, but seriously, I wouldn't trade their lives for any of this any day."
"Hmm… but that is all about adapting, isn't it?"
He didn't say anything, choosing to remain silent. He glanced back at the center of the room, focusing on the giant firearm in the center of it. "So, what's that thing about? It looks just as real as the ones in the Entrance Hall."
"We're not exactly sure about that. The only other thing we figured out is that the Locker room doors open using the Handbooks." Hina said, gesturing to the pads next to the doors.
"How modern."
"You don't seem impressed, Akira. I think it's really neat." Sayaka said, earning a shrug from the boy.
"I guess it is cool, but what if someone tries to get into the other locker room? Wouldn't it be bad if those doors open with any handbook?"
"Actually, it isn't gonna work that way!" a familiar voice cried out. Chihiro jumped a bit as Monokuma appeared in the room, that familiar sneer on his countenance. He stood before the group, looking up at them. "The doors here have been programmed with gender identification codes. Meaning the ladies will be able to open the lady's room and the men will open the men's room."
He gestured up to the gun above them. "And for maximum efficiency, anyone who tries using the wrong handbook with the wrong door will be turned to Swiss cheese! Anyone that tries committing a scandalous sexual act in there will be punished."
"But what if someone borrows a handbook belonging to a girl?" Hina asked curiously.
"Huh… shit that never occurred to me." the bear said, genuinely surprised. "To think… someone could be so low, so cowardly, so devilish! Okay, how does this sound? Handing out your e-handbooks is strictly forbidden! There, now, nobody can give their handbook to anyone else, right? Do you like that? I'm kind of a genius right? It's cuz my brain is 100% cotton!"
"I do not imagine anyone would have lent out their handbook in the first place," Celeste replied in an emotionless tone. "After all, they would likely be held responsible for whatever is done using their handbook."
"It is an added layer of security, at the very least," Sayaka added.
"Hm… you seem awfully concerned about this locker room security stuff," the Ultimate Swimmer said, glancing down at the mechanical bear.
"It's cus all you teenagers are sex-crazed maniacs! You're at that age where you'd try humping a plastic bottle! So to keep anything unseemly from happening, I have to maintain a rigorous watch!" he returned.
"Hump a bottle? That sounds incredibly painful, why would someone do that?" Akira questioned, greatly confused.
"Then in that case, I would ask that you keep a close eye on our dorm. Two of them are co-ed, I'm sure the same thing could happen there. If a man and a woman other than them decide to share a room, there would be nothing to stop them."
"All I care about is protecting the holy image of the school itself. I could give a fuck less what you do in your dorms. As long as you stay in your assigned dorms, I don't care what happens. Sayaka and Akira are free to fuck like bunnies as much as they want. Same goes for Hajime and Sonia. I would love to see them create the new heirs of Novoselic, hehe."
"Fuckin' pervert," Sayaka mumbled under her breath.
"God… I hate you so much." Hina hissed, body shaking with anger. Akira had never seen her so furious before. It was kind of odd seeing one of the most bubbly and energetic girls being pissed off. Monokuma however seemed unbothered, clapping his hands.
"So! The new regulation is in place! See ya!"
And he was gone, just as fast as he came. That left everyone behind in a funk. Akira frowned, shaking his head.
"Honestly, the person controlling that damn thing is so intriguing. It almost makes you wonder what kind of person they are."
"I'd rather not get familiar with our captor," Celeste replied.
"Maaan… that stupid bear totally ruined my mood. Maybe I'll go take a dip to cheer myself up. Chihiro, Celeste, you wanna come with me?" Hina asked, a hopeful look on her face. Celeste meanwhile looked away, a distraught look on her face.
"I… do not like getting water on my face."
"Huh? How do you shower then?"
"Showers are different, dear Akira. It takes quite a lot of time for me to get my makeup up just right. So I would rather not risk ruining it. Not to mention I am sensitive to the cold." she admitted.
"Wow… I never would have guessed that," the boy said, glancing at Chihiro, she merely smiled back at him. "Well… I think I'll check the pool out myself, but I'm not gonna go in it."
"Aw come on! When you're in a funk, there's nothing better than a good swim to pull you out of it!"
"Pretty sure that just applies to you, Hina." the boy said, as he scanned his handbook gaining access to the room. He looked around for a moment, seeing all of the machines and equipment that had been placed behind. It was a decent size, with several lockers at the other end for storage. He also noticed the poster on the back of the room, which featured a woman in a bikini, bent over in a sexual pose. He merely rolled his eyes.
"Fantastic, something to jerk off to." he thought. Moving ahead, he opened the door that led to the pool, his eyes widening when he saw it.
The pool was massive, a lot bigger than he had been expecting it to be. The emblem of Hope's Peak Academy had been laser etched to the bottom, as well as the back wall. There were bleachers on either side of it, separated from the pool deck with metal bars. There were a pair of lifeguard chairs at either side of it. Looking up, he could see large scoreboards where names would be placed during competitions. Finally, he noticed the ceiling above him, which had all at some point been made of glass, had been replaced with nothing but an iron dome. The windows above the bleachers at either side of the pool were also covered, each in thick metal plating.
He deflated a bit at this, shaking his head. "Why did I think we'd be getting out through here of all places? Still, this is a beautiful pool. I'm certainly making use of it in the future."
"Wow, it's huge!"
He looked to his left, seeing Sayaka making her way to the edge of it. She had a vibrant look on her face, eyes sparkling a bit as she looked at the water. "Oh… I bet Makoto would have loved this. He used to be in the swimming team back in Black Root."
"Oh really? I didn't know that. Was he any good?"
"He was fairly average. His words, not mine. I bet you he would have trained so hard here he'd be the next Ultimate Swimming Pro." she said, her smile slowly disappearing. Her shoulders fell a bit as she looked at the water's edge. "It isn't fair."
"I know, sweetheart, I know. But we have to make sure to continue living for them. Their sacrifice gave us this boon, as terrible as it is to think of it that way. So let's enjoy it in their honor."
"Y-yeah, let's!"
"CANNON BALL!"
The pair cringed as a wave of water almost struck them. It wasn't long before they saw Hina shooting toward the other end of the pool like a mad woman. And just as fast as she had made it across she had come back. Akira looked at his watch, eyes widening when he saw she had made it back in only a few seconds. He was left utterly flabbergasted.
"Damn… she really is good. I get why her brother calls her "Little Mermaid" now."
"So do I. Come on, we have other areas to check." Sayaka said, gesturing for them to leave. He gave Hina a wave, which she returned before diving back into the water.
"At least one of us is happy."
xxx
The classrooms had yielded nothing. Classrooms 2-A and 2-B were located near the bathrooms on the second floor. Apparently, Classroom 2-C was all the way across the second floor. They had learned that the second floor had a massive library, which they hadn't examined yet. It wasn't the only thing that the second floor seemed to have. Located on the second floor was a state-of-the-art Arcade.
From the retro games of the 80s to the more modern games of the early 2010s, the Arcade was full of them. The room was large and spacious, and had darkened lighting, being illuminated mostly by the gaming machines located inside. It had gaudy-looking carpeting on the floor, as well as dark blue walls with neon signs of various video game characters. There was a Skee-Ball machine and two lanes of bowling as well. Crane games, billiards, darts, it was all located there.
But what attracted the most students was the back of the arcade. This was where a small-scale pizzeria had been located. It was a thing out of dreams. The prize counter wasn't too far away, but no one seemed to care about that when the prospect of pizza was more important.
It was here that Sayaka and Akira found Hiyoko, Mahiru, Hajime, Sonia, Ibuki, and Mikan, all partaking in the delicious food that Sonia had managed to make. Akira couldn't help but laugh at the sight, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You know, when I stepped in here, I thought it would be empty, I didn't expect so many people to be shoving pizza down their throats."
"What can I say? When it comes to pizza, we can't really complain." Hajime said, chuckling as he wiped his hands with some napkins. "We should really be thanking Sonia. She was the one who figured out how to make the machine work."
"It wasn't just me. Kazuichi ended up doing most of the heavy lifting, all I did was push a button," she said, giggling. "It seems the machine was built to take custom orders. You use the tablet to make it, print out the QR Code and the machine scans it. Kazuichi found out the scanner needed to be replaced so he got it working immediately."
"And it was a pleasure! Anything to make Miss Sonia smile!" Kazuichi said, placing some pizza boxes on the nearby table. "Tada~ I got meat lovers and stuffed crust pepperoni as well as the classic breadsticks."
"Stuffed crust… breadsticks? Oh, I'm so glad we have exercise equipment now. I get to eat what I want and not worry about my waist." Sayaka said, grabbing some plates, practically pouncing on the pizza.
"Jeez, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you hadn't eaten in weeks."
"Kinda tends to happen when you get slapped in the face with trauma, Kiki," Ibuki said, rapidly pressing some buttons. She had been sitting at a nearby machine, playing Gala Omega, her eyes firmly focused on the screen. "Come on dude, sit down, relax for a while! What do you think we're gonna find on the second floor anyway? Sure as hell isn't a way out."
"I dunno… the Library seemed important. The second Byakuya saw it, he headed there immediately. Seems even he found something to be happy about." Hajime said, grabbing another slice of pizza.
"Still… we better not get used to this. The arcade might be a fun place, but we're still prisoners of Monokuma. We need to start thinking about our options. Especially to prevent what happened last time." Mahiru said, pouring some more soda into her cup. "We can't let that happen again."
"She's right. What happened was a tragedy, we need to work together in order to beat this nasty evil game!"
"Whoa… what's gotten into you, Pig Face? You never seem this motivated." Hiyoko said, only for Mikan to glare at her.
"I decided I wasn't going to be afraid anymore. I can't afford to! If someone here gets hurt and needs my help, I have to be strong. Not only that, I don't want to die in fear. If my time comes, I want to be brave!" she said, looking away for a moment. "I… I've been scared for most of my life, and treated badly by so many people. But now that I'm here, fighting for my life… I have to take things seriously. I've accepted that I'm weak, and I wanna change that."
Akira smiled brightly. "I'm proud of you, Mikan. It takes a lot of guts to admit your own personal weakness and to also make a change. Things have been rough for us, but together, if we keep looking brightly toward the future, things will get better."
"Or we could all get poisoned to death by someone, that's also possible." the traditional dancer said, rather pessimistically. "You'd think Leon would think twice about doing something like that, you know? I stop to wonder… What if it had been me he chose? Or Mahiru, or hell, even the Nurse. Anyone of us could have been in that situation. Could I have gotten away? Could I have fought back?"
It was a sobering thought, one that they didn't want to think about. Ibuki's game was the only one which was making noise, and it wasn't long before her game was over. She had stopped paying attention to it, standing from her seat.
"We can't… think about that stuff… you know? It'll poison our minds."
"But we have to. We all say something like that isn't gonna happen again, but it might? The bear is clearly prepared for everything. Sure… now we're aware of what he's plotting, and sure, no one here will try to attack a woman, but…" Kazuichi paused, rubbing his neck. "I can't… formulate my thoughts well enough, sorry."
"I think what you were going to say is, we need to be ready in case it does happen again, but not actively be hoping for it," Hajime said. "It's going to be rough, but I'm certain we'll make it. We have to."
"You don't win a war in a single day. It takes time, effort, and a lot of logistical planning to make every soldier on the battlefield an effective piece of the puzzle." Sonia said, standing at the front of the table. "We may have won the battle, but not the war, right now, we're still in the trenches. We have to ensure we do not lose another soldier to the sick machinations of that stuffed animal. Come hell or high water, we will see the outside world again."
"Here here!" Mahiru said, holding her soda cup up high. "To the outside!"
"To the outside!"
Sayaka held back for a moment, looking at her bubbling drink for a few seconds, pursing her lips. She looked up from it, holding it out. "For Makoto, Junko and… and for Leon."
Akira found himself smiling, nodding to her toast. "To Makoto, Junko and Leon. Let us carry their memories, not just because of their sacrifices, but so that we may not forget them."
They all clinked their plastic cups together, drinking down the contents of them. Ibuki let out a loud burp, only to burst into laughter. "Haha, yeah buddy~"
"Hey, I saw some machines on the other side of the arcade. Anyone up for a little Mario Kart GX?"
"Me me me! I'll race you!" Hiyoko said, shooting to her feet.
"I'd like to play Mario Party if it's available somewhere." Mikan shyly said. Ibuki took her hand, pulling her along.
"I saw a cabinet over here with a Wii, come on Sonia, Hajime, let's have a party!" she cried, joyfully. Sonia found herself smiling, turning to the pair.
"Would you like to join us for a bit?"
"We'd like to continue exploring the area first."
"Aw come on man, one game? You can head out afterward." the black-haired boy said. He felt Sayaka gave him a light jab in the side, nodding at him. He chuckled, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Alright, but I call Peach!"
Location: Library, Hope's Peak Academy 2nd Floor
Day: 7
Time: 3:00 PM
Akira hadn't realized how late in the day it was until he glanced at his watch. After a few Mario Party Games, which Mikan continuously begged for, he and Sayaka had to depart. They promised to continue playing at a later time, since they still had an exploration to get back to.
They had decided to check out Classroom 2-C before heading to the library. They didn't find anything, other than a chalk drawing of Monokuma with the phrase "Reality isn't everything", which honestly perturbed the pair. The classroom was empty, they poured through everything that was inside was useless. He wasn't going to get lucky finding anything of importance. After a few minutes of looking around, Akira and Sayaka agreed to head to the library.
It was a fairly large room, likely taking up half of the second floor. It was expansive, filled with library books as far as the eye could see. There were smaller shelves and tables positioned all around the room. It was a rather darkened room, likely relying on the large covered skylight for most of the lighting. Much like the pool, it had been covered in thick steel plating, as were the large panoramic windows. It was a fairly decent place to read and study, but it looked quite abandoned.
"There are lots of books here, but they all look out of place. The shelves aren't full and some of them are even out of place. This library has clearly been neglected for a long time. It smells musty too, as if it hasn't gotten a good dusting in a long time. How peculiar… you'd think a school like Hope's Peak would take better care of their books."
"Have you found anything, Byakuya?" Sayaka asked, causing the young hair to shake his head.
"Nothing of importance, sadly. Though I must admit, this place is most interesting."
"Huh? Why's that?" the raven-haired boy asked curiously. He merely shook his head.
"It's nothing, I'm mostly thinking out loud."
"All of the books in this place look important, but they look as if they haven't been used in months," Fuyuhiko noted, pulling one of the thick books from a nearby shelf. "It's got a layer of dust on it. Heh… here I thought Hope's Peak cared about their shit."
"I'm sure there's a reason why it's all dusty,"
"Yeah, maybe it's the same reason as to why we're all trapped here," he replied, shoving the book back in place. Akira decided to continue ahead, spotting Hikari near the back shelves. He had been perusing the spines, eyes narrowed slightly as he read them.
"You'd think they would leave the important books out for students to make use of, but it seems like entire sections are missing. For instance, all of the survival books have been eliminated, but there's a plaque here that labels where they were."
"Maybe the Mastermind doesn't want us thinking of things? I mean, if we had something like that at our fingertips, we'd be able to make a plan of escape," he admitted, earning a nod from the graphic designer.
"I guess you have a point. I am quite happy with this place though, it looks a bit beat up but it's a fixer-upper. If there's something I love more than drawing, it's reading." the young man replied, a bright smile on his face. "These books here, this is the legacy of all the authors who wrote them. They may be gone, but their words, their messages and themes, hopes and dreams, they're all contained between two covers, here in the grandest school in the world. I think that's romantic, in a way."
"Romantic, seriously?" Sayaka asked, taken aback. "I don't really think I find this place romantic. If anything, it's musty and too dark. I don't think I'd ever read here."
"You just have to find yourself a good book, that's all. The romance section isn't as extensive as I'd like, but we have the classics. So Lingers the Ocean seems to have the most copies." he said, grabbing the book from the shelf, staring at the cover. "You know… I heard the girl who wrote this is our age. They hailed her as an Ultimate Writing Prodigy. I wonder why she isn't here?"
"It's because she wasn't important enough to be tortured for the hell of it, not like the rest of us." Fuyuhiko pessimistically returned, leaning against one of the nearby shelves. "Either that or she was smart and rejected her acceptance letter."
"Wherever she is, I hope she's fine." the pop idol said, a hopeful tone in her voice. Akira glanced around the library, spotting Kyoko near the other end of the room. She had been examining some books with great interest.
Shrugging his shoulders, he decided to approach her. She barely turned as he stopped behind her, her gaze still on the books in front of her. "Have you found anything?"
"Sadly, no. The only discovery we made is that the arcade has a working pizza-making machine," he replied, chuckling. "Other than that, nothing."
"Hm… tell me… what stands out to you about this place?"
Brows furrowing, he had another look around the library. It was a bit hard for him to pinpoint anything, but taking a closer look, he noticed the shelves were covered in a thick layer of dust. Other shelves were empty as well, various plaques left on their empty shelves, labeling the literature that was no longer in place. He went as far as running his finger on a nearby shelf, staring at the collection of dust on it before brushing it off.
"Well… from my very brief look, I can tell this place hasn't been cleaned in months. Which makes no sense if we're under the belief that Hope's Peak Academy was an open, functioning school. Furthermore, several entire sections of books seem to be missing."
"Indeed. Hikari noted all of the survival books had been removed, but others were taken as well. All of the books with hope as the theme or message have been removed. As well as all of the books that contained pictures. Don't you find that odd?"
"It does seem out of place… rather specific when you think about it."
"Hm… there's something here but I just can't seem to grasp it," Kyoko said, sighing as she looked away. "Regardless of that, the lighting in this place is rather low, and the musty smell doesn't inspire me to linger around here. I certainly wouldn't like reading anything here."
"Me neither. I gotta ask though, do you have a preference when it comes to books? You look like you'd enjoy mystery novels."
"Why is that?"
"Oh uh…" he paused, scratching his cheek nervously. "You exude an aura of mystery."
She didn't say anything, the same stoic look remaining on her face. He decided not to continue, not wanting to bother her. As he continued looking around the area, he started opening the drawers in the nearby desk, finding nothing inside. He shifted to the other side, pulling it open, letting out a surprised gasp, lips curving into a grin.
"Fuck yes!"
The others turned to him, watching him curiously. From within, he pulled out a laptop, setting it down on the table. The top was bright green, bearing the crest of Hope's Peak Academy. The bottom was a matte white finish. He quickly opened it, looking for the power button, holding it down. His excitement died down the moment it didn't turn on.
"Dammit, I got excited for nothing."
"I found that earlier but I didn't inform anyone about it. Since it wouldn't switch on, it was pointless to bring it up." Kyoko said, causing Akira to look at her.
"Why wouldn't you tell me about that?"
"Because I like being mysterious."
"Now you're just messing with me," he said, in a deadpanned tone. She hardly reacted, though he did see the playful look on her face. Deciding to close the laptop, he set it aside, leaning against the desk for a moment. "Maybe Chihiro could fix it. Though without a wifi connection or a direct line to the School Network, I doubt we'd be able to access the internet. And then what? I doubt we'd be believed if we explained what happened to us."
"It would attract attention at the very least. Who knows? Maybe the greater communities of the internet could assist us." Hikari said.
"As if. The only thing those online communities do is argue about which character should be in a relationship with another character. It's all pointless bullshit." the Ultimate Gangster said, adjusting his tie. "Though if I could contact my boys, they'd have all of us out lickety-split. You'd have to pay me back though, because I don't do free favors."
"Yes, because owing the Yakuza is such a good idea." Byakuya returned, shaking his head.
"Um guys, I found something," Sayaka said, approaching the group. She held out what looked like an envelope, bearing the same seal the First Blood Ticket had. Everyone looked at it apprehensively for a moment, before Akira took it. "I found it on that shelf over there, I barely noticed it."
"This thing looks old," he muttered, glancing at the bottom. "Hope's Peak Academy…?"
"It looks like it was buried in a thick layer of dust. It must have been buried here for a while." Kyoko said, glancing up at the boy. "Well? Shall we see what's inside?"
"Oh sure but…" he paused for a moment, looking at the seal. "What if it's another motive? What if Monokuma left this out intentionally?"
"We can't think about those things. I understand your concern but this might be something of grave importance." Hikari said, smiling at him. "Just open it, it can't be worse than a ticket that lets you kill people."
"You've got a point there." he thought, sliding his finger under the flap. The seal was so old that it didn't even crack, it lifted up completely intact. He reached inside, pulling out the folded paper, looking at its contents.
"From the Hope's Peak Academy Executive Office of the Steering Committee
Throughout the years, we have been committed to shaping the youth who will one day shape the world. We have a long, proud history as an institution of higher learning with full governmental support. Our graduates enter society ready to take on active leadership roles in every major job field. However, Hope's Peak Academy must now lower the curtain on its glorious history, for the time being.
This decision is not an easy one to make, but serious issues beyond our control have made it necessary. But make no mistake– this is not the end for Hope's Peak Academy. We intend to reopen our doors as soon as the issues forcing our closure have been resolved. That being said, this is the end for now and I would like to personally and sincerely thank everyone for your help and support over the years. For now, we are awaiting official governmental authorization to formally cease operations."
As he read those final words, the truth of what he had read settled into his mind. Hope's Peak Academy was no longer a functioning school. It went completely against what he knew when he had arrived there a week prior. It just didn't make any sense to him. He read the letter again and again, trying to see if he had misread it, but it didn't change, it was there plain as day. Hope's Peak Academy had closed… but when?
"Hmm… the contents of this letter are quite interesting indeed," Byakuya noted.
"I'll say… it boils down to one thing, Hope's Peak isn't in operation anymore, right?" Fuyuhiko asked, earning a nod from Akira. "But that's impossible. What the hell could have caused them to close?"
"I can't imagine many scenarios where something like that would occur. But the fact of the matter is, if this letter is to be believed, Hope's Peak Academy had stopped functioning as a school. Judging by the dust it's collected, it doesn't seem like this happened recently. If I had to guess, from the yellowing of this envelope, I'd say this letter is about a year old."
"So… you're saying Hope's Peak closed down at least a year ago? But that's impossible. When my manager dropped me off here, the school was functioning. It was just last week. I read some of the forums and I saw the congratulatory posts on social media!" Sayaka exclaimed, a look of disbelief on her face.
"Seems like the most likely case is that the Mastermind took over the abandoned school to put on this little performance." the affluent progeny said, eyes narrowed in thought. "But to what order, I wonder?"
"It doesn't explain what Sayaka said though, how is it that all of us remember this place was opened and suddenly, it's closed?" Hikari asked.
"If Hope's Peak had closed down, I'm certain it would be all over the news. This place has its own television channel, where they update the world on how the talents are doing. Ain't no way they wouldn't have run something on there." the Ultimate Gangster said, crossing his arms. "Somethin''s off."
"Perhaps it's all a part of the Mastermind's plan. They lured us all in here. Someone who could create a place and judge and execute people could potentially be capable of anything." the blond boy said, smirking. "That is of course, if we assume the letter is real."
"If it is real, then that's just one more mystery surrounding the school. The reason there are no other students here could be because the school already closed down."
"That's… way too convenient," Sayaka added, looking away from the group. "But it would tie everything together, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, it would. It's far too simple of a solution."
"But then… there's this other part, if you'd allow me, Akira," Hikari said, gesturing for the letter, which the boy handed over. "Right here. It says and I quote "This decision was not an easy one to make, but serious issues beyond our control have made it necessary. But make no mistake– this is not the end for Hope's Peak Academy. We intend to reopen our doors as soon as the issues facing our closure have been resolved, end quote."
"Serious issues, huh?" Akira asked, narrowing his eyes in thought. He reached into his pocket for his notebook, flipping through some of the pages, landing on one he had written on the first day of their capture. "Could it be… these serious issues are referring to the Parade?"
"The Parade?" Byakuya asked, clearly confused. "What parade would cause the closure of a school?"
"I'm not sure, but that planner I found in Classroom 1-C mentioned something. The woman who wrote it, Miss Yukizome said this: "I'm starting to grow worried. Something is going on and it is rapidly growing out of control. The students are protesting but they're just calling it a "Parade" but the [Redacted] of those [Redacted] was so terrible. I have to speak with Headmaster [Redacted] and see if there's something, anything, we can do." . Could it be that these Serious Issues and this "Parade" are the exact same thing?"
"Seems likely, but why would a Parade end up causing the closure of a school? What kind of parade was it?" Sayaka asked, earning a shrug from Akira.
"I dunno… but I think this letter that you found is 100% real. We have two pieces of text that correlate with each other. One mentions a serious issue and the other mentions a parade. And remember what I said. The steering committee called it a Parade, but it was in fact, a Protest."
"What could have happened that led the students to protest?" Hikari asked, even more confused than before.
"Could it be that the students protested because of what's happening now? But that means… we've been here longer than when we woke up… but that also makes no sense." Fuyuhiko questioned.
"That wouldn't make any sense. We can't not have memories of being here before we woke up, because it's our first time waking up here. However, the serious issues and the Parade are likely connected." Kyoko said, meeting the eyes of everyone in the room. "And if that's the case, uncovering that connection would be a useful clue, on top of figuring out the Mastermind's Motive. Although, I can't really say anymore until we have more details."
"So… in other words, only the Mastermind knows the truth right now," Byakuya said, a scowl on his face. Akira didn't blame him, having but one tiny piece of the overall puzzle would be enough to annoy anyone.
"The mastermind's true motive, huh? I would have assumed our suffering was what they wanted. But why go through all of that trouble? Did Hope's Peak Academy do something to them? Did they get rejected or something?"
"I have… way more questions now than I did before. I doubt I'm gonna get any answers soon but…" Hikari sighed, bowing his head. "At the very least, we have more things to do now. With a plethora of books, video games, and a pool, we'll have a better degree of freedom."
"I don't like the precedent that's been set to get more areas of the school," Fuyuhiko said, glancing away from everyone. "If you didn't notice, there's a stairwell leading up. That means this place has another floor, and if we want to see it, someone has to die."
His words returned everyone to reality. Akira wasn't really thinking about the grand scheme of things, especially after what happened. But Fuyuhiko was right. If they wanted more answers, they'd need more areas to explore, and if they wanted more areas to explore, someone eventually would have to die. Unless they found a way to go up without opening the grate, which was doubtful. That just saddened him even more.
"So that's it then? We've been dropped in our own fucked up mystery novel. You want more clues, give me a body… What a sick joke."
"This isn't a mystery novel, Akira, this is real life. Please, take it seriously." Sayaka said, causing him to look at her.
"I thought I told you to stop reading my thoughts."
"You make it too easy," she said, sticking her tongue out at him, giggling. "Come on, we've seen everything there is to see on the Second Floor. I'm sure Taka is waiting for all of us to tell the others our findings."
"Hm… Yeah… I could use a snack. Would you guys like to come along?" he said, asking the others in the room.
"Perhaps another time, I have much to look through in this library. Besides, I'm not your friend, why should I accompany you?" the affluent progeny said, taking his leave. Hikari rolled his eyes.
"Sourpuss… I have a few more areas I'd like to look at, Akira. Maybe later?"
"I agree with him, I haven't checked out that arcade yet. Maybe I can find something to kill my boredom," Fuyuhiko added while taking his leave. Kyoko remained, still pouring through the letter Sayaka had found. She looked up at him, shaking her head. That was enough for him.
"Alright then, guess we'll see y'all back at the dining hall for the meeting," he said, gesturing to Sayaka. As they left the library, Akira noticed Sayaka had her hands behind her back, a small smile on his face. He quirked a brow, a curious look on his face. "You look pleased with yourself."
"Of course! I managed to find a major clue about why we're here, that's enough to cheer me up. We're one step closer to figuring out who Makoto, Junko, and Leon's killer is." she said, sighing happily. "Not just that but-"
She pulled a portrait from behind her back. It was an odd, dusty-looking thing, showing the image of a black cat with lasers shooting out of its eyes. It was on a starry background, with planets in the background. She held back a laugh as he looked at it. "I couldn't leave this thing behind."
He just looked at it in disbelief, not knowing what to say.
Location: Dining Hall, Hotel Despair
Day: 7
Time: 6:00 PM
It was during their trash duties that Akira and Sayaka discovered the Bath House had also been opened up. Peko had told them that it was the only thing that had changed on the first floor. The storage room and the Nurse's Office hadn't been opened. That meant they'd still have to be careful with injuries. Though knowing Monokuma, he doubted that particular part of the school would be opened any time soon. As they had done during the first day, the remaining 20 students had gathered up in the Dining Hall, prepared to share their findings.
"Good evening everyone, I trust your exploration of the second floor yielded results? If that's the case, then let's discuss our findings. But first, let's begin with the first floor, any new changes?" Taka asked.
"Nothing on my end. Went back to the entrance hall to see if anything had changed, but sadly, that damn door didn't budge. It'll likely take a lot more than a class trial to open it." Mondo said, sounding dejected.
"On my end, I discovered the Bathhouse had been opened. There is a single bathing area complete with a working onsen. There are wooden lockers near the front entrance as well as a sauna in the back. I noticed there were no security cameras in there as well as no TV monitors. That's all from me." Peko said.
"An excellent discovery! It's been quite a while since I've gone to a bathhouse! Now then, onto the second floor, what was up there?"
"Pool!"
"Please elaborate, Hina, with all your words."
She huffed at the Moral Compass. "We found a huge pool! There's also a weight room full of exercise equipment. There are a pair of locker rooms, for ladies and gentlemen, and they open with our handbooks. I'm sure you got the regulation addition earlier, that was because of us." the Ultimate Swimmer said.
"Yes, we discovered that there was no true preventative measure from opening either door with a lent handbook. So Monokuma amended the rule for our protection. I'm certain after what happened last week, all of the ladies will appreciate that." Celeste said.
"Sadly, we didn't find anything resembling an exit anywhere, so it looks like we're stuck here for a while longer. The pool makes up for it but well…" the swimmer sighed.
"Hey now, there's no reason to be sulky! I made my own amazing discovery! The warehouse on the first floor is open! It's filled with anything you might need. Food, clothes-"
"I fucking iHome with an iPod?" Sayaka asked, earning a nod from the man.
"Yes, there might be one of those in there! You'll have to look for yourself though, I didn't see any electronics that stuck out to me though."
"Do keep in mind, of course, that going out at nighttime is still prohibited. Please do not forget…" the gothic lolita said, giving everyone a firm look.
"How about finding a fuckin' way out of this shithole? You find anything like that?" Fuyuhiko barked, glaring at the boy, who immediately deflated.
"Oh well… um…"
"There wasn't anything in the warehouse we could use to get our asses outta here, was there?"
"U-unfortunately, no… Not that I saw."
Mondo growled angrily. "You fuckin' people."
"You know, maybe instead of going around insulting people and wasting time kicking the front door, you could look for an exit with us," Mahiru said, glaring at the boy. "Seriously, why bother going back to the Entrance Hall when we all know it isn't budging?"
"Hey, at least I tried finding a weakness in the damn thing. All you found is a fucking pool, who gives a shit about that? We're still trapped in this piece of shit school! We need to find a way OUT!"
"Now, now, there's no point in taking your anger out on us," Chihiro said, taking everyone by surprise with her forwardness. "Adaptation is the key, yes? For now, we must each find a way to enjoy our current situation!"
Mondo gaped a bit, shaking his head as he looked away from the programmer. "Whatever you say, you fuckin' loon."
"F-for now, let's just continue our investigation and let everyone know if we discovered something," Taka said, coughing into his fist. "Anyone else?"
"Instead of fuckin' useless things," Hajime said, holding back the urge to laugh at the expression he got from Mondo. "We discovered an Arcade. There are lots of retro games there, along with more modern gaming consoles. There's a fully functional pizzeria, fully stocked with everything we might need to make pizzas and other food. There's a bunch of prize machines filled with things like the MonoMono Machine on the first floor. Monokuma told us they use the same tokens so there's a reason to collect those, I guess."
"There's tons of fun games too! We can definitely use those to kill some time instead of each other! So let's party whenever we can~" Ibuki added, a grin on her face.
"U-um… there was something else," the Ultimate Nurse said, having raised her hand to get their attention. "All of the machines that connected to the Internet or used some sort of WiFi connectivity have been removed. The Wii and the PS3 also had their WiFi disabled, though without a password to even access the wifi, we wouldn't be able to do anything. So we can't use them to get help."
"They thought of everything, didn't they?" Byakuya said, surprised at how thorough the Mastermind had been.
"So it would seem. Anything else of interest?"
"There's a library on the second floor. Byakuya, Hikari, Fuyuhiko, Kyoko, Sayaka, and I made an interesting discovery there," Akira said. Kyoko reached into her pocket, drawing out the letter Sayaka had found, placing it on the table.
"This was left behind. It's a letter detailing the end of operations for Hope's Peak Academy. It details some unforeseen events that led the Steering Committee to closing it down. Furthermore, judging by the age of this letter, it's been closed for at least one year." Kyoko said firmly. "Comparing it to the notes left by Chisa Yukizome, it would seem these unforeseen circumstances are the protests labeled "The Parade" in her planner. But no further details have arisen, so we cannot say for sure."
Silence fell over the Dining Hall, as everyone processed what they had heard. Kiyotaka and Mahiru took the time to read the letter, passing it around to everyone, who each took turns with it. Hajime leaned back in his seat, glancing at the ceiling.
"So, Hope's Peak stopped being a school at least a year ago. But that makes no sense, when I got here, everything was normal."
"Yes, I recall my arrival here as well. The entire campus seemed to be active. It makes absolutely no sense as to how it closed down. And even if it did, I'm certain the Staff would stay around to maintain operations." Peko said, narrowing her eyes in thought. "Most intriguing."
"There are plenty of mysteries to solve, sadly we don't have any clues, and the path to the 3rd Floor is also blocked. So we'll have to keep searching the areas we already know, just in case we find something." Taka said firmly.
"So, are we done for today?" Kyoko suddenly said, causing the Moral Compass to frown.
"W-well… yeah, I guess so."
Wordlessly, she headed out. Akira couldn't help but let out a dry laugh, crossing his arms. "Leave it to Kyoko to have a lasting impression on everyone,"
"If we have nothing else to discuss, I must be going. Let's all continue living our best lives here, everyone. With the new amenities, we'll be able to adapt that much easier. Au Revoir~" Celeste said, taking her leave. It wasn't long after that everyone else started pouring out, with Ibuki boldly announcing her swift return to the Arcade.
"And as the final vestiges of hope slowly leave the dining hall, Akira Yoshizawa is left to wrestle with his own thoughts, as he stares at the wall and slowly slips into madness."
"Jeez, pessimistic much?" Sayaka asked, holding back a laugh. "Come on, I'm gonna need someone to help me look through the warehouse. I'm finding a damn iHome and an iPod. I need music."
"But what if you find an iPod and it has no music?" Hiyoko asked, smirking. "What are you gonna do then?"
"That… is something I didn't think of," she said, her excitement practically petering out.
"I'm sure we can figure out a way to put music on it," Akira said, rising from his seat. "Speaking of, Chihiro, do you have a second?"
"Hm? Oh sure, Akira. What's up?" she asked, a curious look on her face.
"Kyoko found a laptop in the library but it doesn't seem to turn on. I figured, since you're the Ultimate Programmer, you might be able to get it working," he said. Her eyes lit up almost immediately at the mention of the device.
"I'll take a look at it right away!"
She raced off, a look of excitement on her face. Everyone else watched her go, smiling to themselves. Seeing a fellow friend being happy was at least worth it. Though they were worried. Now that the status quo had changed, they didn't know when something would happen, and they didn't want a repeat of what happened last time. Of course, for the students of Hope's Peak Academy, it was a matter of when not if.
A/N: And thus, a new Chapter begins. Let's see what happens this time around, given the circumstances are a lot different this time. This next chapter is going to be a good one, hehe. Hope you all have been liking the story so far. The reception on FFN has been miniscule. Guess people just don't care about this series anymore. Eh. It matters not. What matters is having fun writing. See you all when I see you~