Now comes the fun part, the encounter with the heartless... in more ways than one...
(Following the message given by the unknown person, the students made their way to the gymnasium. Makoto ended up lagging behind to keep an eye on the students who were frightened thanks to his dream-like story)
Makoto: Are you guys holding up back there?
Chihiro: I'm trying, but…
Hiro: We're doing alright man, just keep doing what you're doing.
Makoto: Right, Sayaka?
Sayaka: I'm okay, but I-
Makoto: Hmm?
Sayaka: I… don't feel safe letting go yet.
Makoto: It's alright, I'll protect you.
(He gently patted her head to reassure her, she smiled back as a response, feeling safe by him)
Hifumi: Let's hope whatever those things were in Mr. Naegi's dream don't really arrive here.
Hina: I don't know, that voice sounded kinda foreboding. Like, it was warning us.
Hifumi: Or perhaps telling us of our destiny! To open the door!
Leon: What door genius?
Hifumi: Hmm, maybe the door to escape?
Chihiro: I hope so, this place is giving me chills. I-I'm not sure if...
Hiro: It's alright, Makoto's right here and he'll make sure we'll all be okay. Right?
Makoto: Uh well…
Hiro: Right?
Makoto: I would, but like I said, I don't know how to summon that key.
Hifumi: Hmm, perhaps we need to trigger some kind of event for him to manifest his true powers.
Leon: What do you mean?
Hifumi: In my experience with fanfictions, the hero usually obtains his powers from a tragedy occurring right before his eyes. And in the midst of it, he uses his powers to stop the onslaught and save everyone!
Toko: Y-You sure about that? Keep in m-mind this isn't one of your s-stupid stories!
Hifumi: Yes Miss Fukawa it isn't, but you can't say what Mr. Naegi experienced isn't something ordinary either.
(Toko had nothing to reply and simply stayed quiet)
Sayaka: Well, is there anything we can do? If these creatures are coming, I'd prefer to know I'm safe!
Hifumi: Sadly things don't happen so quickly, the most we *can* do is just wait and see what happens.
Chihiro: I'm not sure that's a good idea, what if they get here soon?
Hiro: Well we don't have much else to go off of right now.
Makoto: What makes you so sure it's meant to be me? I mean, I'm not really as remarkable as everyone else here.
Toko: S-Speak for yourself…
Hifumi: It's precisely that Mr. Naegi, the protagonist is usually some bland and uninteresting young man who becomes all powerful in order to stop the coming evil, usually accompanied by their rag-tag group of friends.
Hifumi: You fit those qualities perfectly!
Hina: Wait, friends? Does that mean we'll get cool powers too?
Leon: Ah sweet! I know the ladies would go for a hero!
Hiro: You're telling me, maybe my predictions will get even more accurate. Like… 50% accurate!
Hina: Way to shoot for the stars Hiro.
Hiro: I know right-Hey!
(Everyone sans Hiro began chuckling at the swimmer's comment, putting everyone at ease)
Makoto: Alright guys, we better get going or we're gonna be late!
(They continued walking towards the gym, but suddenly Chihiro heard a strange noise, sending a chill up her spine)
Chihiro: *gasp* Guys…
Makoto: What's wrong Chihiro?
Chihiro: I think… there's something here.
Hiro: What are you talking about, there's nothing-
(The noise pops up again, but this time the whole group notices it)
Leon: That doesn't sound like nothing…
Sayaka: Eep!
(Sayaka starts squeezing Makoto's arm, causing him flinch in pain)
Makoto: Ow! Sayaka, please, not so hard.
Sayaka: Oh, sorry!
Toko: Th-This is getting scary, I think w-we should just m-meet up with the others and-
Hiro: Uh guys?
Toko: What!? We need to get moving, so what is it now?
Hiro: Was that corner always so dark?
(They look towards where Hiro was pointing, and they find a corner of the hall, pitch black with no light shining on it)
Hina: I-I thought that corner was lit like the rest of the place was just a second ago.
Chihiro: That's not our minds playing tricks on us, is it?
Hifumi: On all of us simultaneously? Inconceivable!
Sayaka: Makoto? I know you said you can't summon it, but…
Sayaka: Can you please try?
Makoto: Okay, but can I have my arm please?
(Sayaka quickly lets go of Makoto's arm, and he steps towards the dark corner, trying to summon the key from his dreams)
Makoto: Come on, please work….
(But despite his attempts, he couldn't summon it)
Makoto: It's not working…
Hifumi: Chin up Mr. Naegi! I'm sure in due time it will-
(The noise pops up again, and this time they know it's coming from that dark corner)
Hina: Uh Makoto, it's probably for the best if you just walk away.
Makoto: R-Right, let's just calmly move by it and…
(The noise starts repeating, and then right out of the blue… yellow dots appear in the darkness)
Sayaka: EEK!
Hiro: No! Not that! Anything but that!
Leon: Guys, l-let's calm down. It's not like there's an army of them…
(As if right on cue, more dots appear in the darkness, dozens of them)
Toko: Y-You just had to open your m-mouth didn't you!? Why c-can't you people just learn to sh-shut up!?
(One of the pairs of eyes starts walking out of the corner, and upon doing so Makoto becomes just as frightened as the rest.)
Makoto: Guys…
Chihiro: Y-Yeah?
Makoto: That's the smaller monster from my dream…
Hina: That thing? And all it's… *gulps*... friends?
Hifumi: *ahem* In my experience when confronted with unknown creatures and no means to defend ourselves, you always fall back upon the golden rule.
Leon: And that is…?
(Meanwhile at the gym, the others have already met up)
Kyoko: ….
Mondo: Still thinkin' about what Makoto told?
Kyoko: It's hard not to, by all accounts it should be just some made up tale but…
Celeste: You feel there is more to it than just that?
Kyoko: Though we just met, Makoto doesn't strike me as the kind of person who'd craft tall tales out of the blue like that.
Kyoko: If anything, that dream almost felt like a message sent to him, trying to tell him something…
Kyoko: This is supported by the fact he saw 3 of us in that dream, and had images flowing through his head of all of us.
Byakuya: It's nothing…
Taka: Huh, did you say something Byakuya?
Byakuya: I said it's nothing!
(Everyone by the gym was caught off guard by Byakuya's sudden shout)
Kyoko: What do you mean nothing?
Byakuya: It's nothing more than the fantasy of a plebian who wants his life to be more interesting.
Celeste: Then what of those images he recalls flashing through his head?
Junko: Who's to say he was telling the truth?
Mondo: Huh?
Junko: For all we know, he could've just made that up to get our attention is all…
Byakuya: Exactly my point.
Byakuya: This isn't the situation where we should get close like that, all he's doing is playing to everyone's fear.
Celeste: That is a good point, for all we know that plain behavior he gave off was a mere façade.
Kyoko: Then explain the voice, that's something we all heard right?
Celeste: …
Byakuya: …
Junko: …
Mondo: Guess you got 'em there.
Kyoko: My point exactly, there's just too many points indicating that dream wasn't a dream at all.
Byakuya: Then what was it?
Kyoko: If anything, I think it's a sign of things to come.
Junko: Yeah sure, next we'll start hearing word of monsters popping up around the school.
Celeste: I must admit, I do find that notion to be a bit far-
(But before Celeste could finish her sentence, a cry was heard in the distance. And they could distinctly make out the word…)
Hifumi: RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!
(Everyone by the gym became startled at Hifumi's sudden scream)
Mondo: What the hell? What's going on back there?
Sakura: They must have found something, should we check it out.
Junko: No need, they're headed this way now!
(Just as Junko said, they see the group that fell behind quickly headed towards them, like they saw something horrible)
Taka: Hold it! Running in the hallway is not welcome in a school environ-
Hiro: No time! Open the door!
Byakuya: What?
Makoto: Just do it! Hurry!
(Not hesitating, Sakura went towards the gym doors and opened them, allowing the group to run in. The others followed suit and closed the door)
Mondo: What happened back there?
Leon: The monsters! They're real!
Junko: What?
Chihiro: Those shadows Makoto explained in his dream, they weren't fakes…
Chihiro: They're real, and… we just saw them!
(Everyone was shocked at Chihiro's statement, how could they be real?)
Celeste: They were… real?
Hina: She's not lying! We were walking towards the gym, a-and there was this dark corner and then….
Hina: Eyes…
Kyoko: Eyes?
Makoto: Glowing yellow eyes, and then it…
Makoto: No, they stepped out of the shadows.
Taka: "They?" You mean there's more than one?
Sayaka: There were so many of them, I-I thought we were gonna….we were gonna….
(As Sayaka's eyes began to water, Makoto walked towards her and held her hand. In response, Sayaka threw herself onto Makoto and began crying on his chest)
Hifumi: The fact of the matter is, those things Mr. Naegi saw were real, and if they were real…
Leon: Then that dream wasn't just a dream…
Junko: Oh please, don't tell me you're falling for his lies.
Hina: They weren't lies! We saw them!
Sayaka: I was this close to getting killed if Makoto hadn't saved me, fact!
Hiro: No kidding, she was so scared she couldn't move her legs. It's like she was asking them to-
Toko: Sh-Shut up! No one wants to h-hear your opinion right now!
Leon: There's no way all of us hallucinated that at once, and why would seven people come up with something so crazy?
Byakuya: Grgh…..
(Rendered speechless, Byakuya had to give up. But Junko wasn't so convinced)
Junko: Oh give it up already! Makoto never dreamt that, and you're all just covering for him!
Hiro: You think we'd lie about that?
Chihiro: I would never do something so horrible, it's… it's wrong.
Sayaka: My life was flashing before my eyes, and I am not just gonna let you call the man who saved my life a liar!
Junko: Well I ain't calling him a truther!
Sayaka: Apologize to Makoto right now!
Junko: Why don't you make me pop teen sensation!?
Makoto: Girls wait, we shouldn't be arguing here!
Kyoko: Settle down you two, now's not the time for things like this!
Sayaka: Not until she says she's sorry!
Junko: Why would I say sorry to a liar?
Sayaka: Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?
Junko: Alright, that's it!
(Junko leaped towards Sayaka, but Makoto and Sakura managed to hold them back. Before they could continue however…)
?: Whoa, I didn't expect things to escalate already!
?: And we've only just begun the entrance ceremony, I think this is gonna be fun.
Hiro: Crap, we forgot about that!
Sayaka: Wait, who… was that?
Chihiro: Oh no, please tell me it's not another one of them!
Byakuya: Everyone calm down, you're making it hard to hear.
?: …..Oh right, my line!
?: *ahem* Is everyone here? Good! Then let's get things rolling!
(Everyone looked to the podium on the stage, shortly after something jumped up onto it… a black and white bear)
Chihiro: Huh? A teddy bear?
Monokuma: I'm not a teddy bear! I…am…Monokuma! And I am this school's headmaster!
Makoto: (If it weren't for that dream, this'd be the strangest thing I'd seen all day.)
Makoto: (But this still didn't do a thing to ease our already growing fear...)
Hifumi: Waaaaaah! The teddy bear can talk!
Hiro: He's leading them! I can already see it!
Taka: Calm down! I'm sure there's just a speaker inside it.
Monokuma: I told you already, I'm not a teddy bear…
Monokuma: I'm Monokuma! And I'm your headmaster!
Hifumi: IT MOVED!
Mondo: Seriously man, calm down! It's prolly just a remote control or somethin'.
Monokuma: How dare you compare me to a child's plaything! You've cut me deep. Deeper than the Mariana Trench…
Monokuma: My remote control is so complex, even the folks at NASA can't recreate me or even comprehend it!
Monokuma: Ah, but don't make me say stuff that might destroy NASA's dreams. I just couldn't BEAR that!
Celeste: "Bear" that? Really? You are… unfortunate.
Monokuma: Now then, considering quite a few people are on the edge already, let's get straight to business!
Sakura: He has already abandoned the gag…
Monokuma: Alrighty, onto the moment you've been waiting for, the memorable and most noteworthy entrance ceremony!
Junko: Oh joy…
Monokuma: First, let's talk about what your school life here will be like. Now, ah, make no mistake-you few students, so full of potential, represent the hope of the world. And to protect such splendid hope…
Monokuma: ...you will all live a communal life together solely within the confines of this school.
Monokuma: Everyone will live in harmony together, and adhere to the rules and regulations of the school.
Makoto: (Huh?)
Monokuma: As for the end date of this communal life…
Monokuma: There isn't one! In other words, you'll all be here until the day you die! Such is the school life you've been assigned.
Toko: Wh-What did he just say? Until the day we d-die...?
Monokuma: Don't worry, we're stocked with plenty of resources. So you won't lack any of the common conveniences.
Sayaka: That's the least of our worries right now!
Sayaka: We already have enough trouble in here, we need help now!
Monokuma: Ah ah ah, no can do little girl blue.
Monokuma: As you can see, the outside world has been completely cut off. So you don't have to worry about those filthy lands beyond the walls ever again!
Makoto: Wait, that's why the windows were bolted up? To keep us trapped in here?
Monokuma: Give 10 points to Gryffindor! Yep, no matter how hard you scream, help will never come.
Monokuma: So with that in mind, feel free to live out your life here with reckless abandon!
Leon: Come on, what the hell is this? I don't care if the school or whoever else is behind it all, this is just a really bad joke.
Mondo: Yeah! Cut this shit out! It isn't funny anymore! We already got enough problems without saying crap like that!
Monokuma: Problems already? Sheesh and we've only just started. Oh well, can't be anything that important!
Sayaka: Don't just push it aside like it's nothing!
Monokuma: Wow, I didn't expect the panic to start until a few weeks from now. Well if you want to get out of here so bad…
Monokuma: ...there *is* the Graduation Clause!
Makoto: Graduation Clause?
Kyoko: What's this "Graduation Clause"?
Monokuma: Well as I mentioned earlier, you are all to live a peaceful communal life here at this academy, to do so is to maintain the harmony!
Monokuma: But if that harmony was to be disrupted, then the disruptor would be allowed to leave the school!
Byakuya: What do you mean by disrupting the harmony?
Monokuma: Puhuhu… Well, you know… If one person were to murder another?
Makoto: M-Murder!?
Monokuma: Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting, anything goes! The bottom line if you want to leave…
Monokuma: ...then someone has to die for it, by your own hands! You must kill someone if you want to leave…
Makoto: (If any more chills ran up my spine, I thought I'd begin freezing. As he said those words, I could feel my blood go cold)
Monokuma: Puhuhu. I bet *that* got your brain juices flowing! Beats the heck out of a human catching a salmon, huh? Like I said before, you guys are the hope of the world. But you know…
Monokuma: Taking that hope and seeing it murdered creates a darkened shadow of despair.
Monokuma: And I just find that so… darn… exciting!
(And upon hearing that word, a few students became more frightened than ever...)
Hiro: Sh-Shadow?
Monokuma: Yep, a shadow of despair!
Sayaka: NO! No more shadows! Keep them away!
(Makoto's entourage immediately runs back behind him again, much to their headmaster's confusion)
Monokuma: Eh? What's this? Could it be you're already so scared of your own shadows?
Monokuma: Gahahahahahahahaha!
Leon: Not our own shadows, the ones you set out in the halls!
Monokuma: What what what?
Toko: D-Don't play games with us, w-we know those are your m-monsters!
Monokuma: …
Monokuma: I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about.
Hifumi: Quit lying, those shadows we saw are your doing! Your days are numbered you fiend!
Monokuma: Oh my, I didn't expect you to find courage so soon.
Monokuma: It'll be all the more satisfying to see it squashed at the hands of your fellow students.
Monokuma: But more to the point, what do you mean by "shadows"?
Makoto: We mean the small monsters we encountered on our way here!
Monokuma: …..
Monokuma: Hallucinations already too? Wow you guys are moving things along even quicker than I thought!
Chihiro: But we weren't hallucinating!
Hina: We saw them, they wanted us dead!
Monokuma: Sorry, but there are no monsters in this academy whatsoever!
Monokuma: But go ahead, make things up. They'll just be putting you out of your misery…
(Having had enough, Mondo angrily walks up to Monokuma)
Mondo: Listen up, asshole! This shit's gone way too far! What the hell kinda joke IS this!?
Monokuma: No more a joke than that hair of yours I'd wager!
Mondo: FFUUUUUUUU-!
(That was the last straw, causing Mondo to jump towards the headmaster like a speeding bullet, and grabbed it by the neck)
Mondo: Gotcha, you little piece of shit! I dunno if you're a toy or a stuffed animal or whatever the hell! Either way, I'm gonna rip you to fuckin' shreds!
Monokuma: Waah! Violence against the headmaster is in violation of school regulations!
Mondo: Shut the fuck up! Let me outta here, or I swear to christ…
Monokuma: ….
(Monokuma grew silent, and then a beeping noise started)
Mondo: What, no smartass comeback this time!?
(The bear remained silent as the beeping became faster)
Mondo: Stop that goddamn beeping and SAY SOMETHING!
(The beeping gets even faster)
Kyoko: Watch out! Get rid of it!
Mondo: Huh…?
Kyoko: Hurry up and throw it!
(Deciding to go along with it, Mondo threw Monokuma into the air with all his might, and upon doing so…)
*KABOOM*
(Monokuma exploded…)
Makoto: Whoa!
Mondo: The hell!? Th-That sure as shit wasn't a joke. It blew the hell up…
Chihiro: But you know… This means that the teddy bear's been destroyed, right?
(As if nothing happened, Monokuma appeared out of nowhere)
Monokuma: I told you, I'm not a teddy bear! I'm Monokuma!
Leon: Uwah! There's another one…?
Hifumi: Great, as if the unending army of shadows weren't enough!
Mondo: You son of a bitch! You seriously tried to kill me just now!
Monokuma: Of course I was, you violated school regulations after all! Consider yourself lucky I'm deciding to only give you a warning, but the next time someone breaks a rule…
Monokuma: Then I'll leave what's left of you to be devoured by the Heartless…
(As Monokuma spoke that, a dark aura protruded from his body, scaring everyone)
Sayaka: H-H-Heartless?
Monokuma: Huh? Was it something I said…?
(And as quickly as he said it, the dark aura disappeared and he went back to his 'normal' self)
Hiro: What do you mean by "Heartless?"
Monokuma: I don't know what you're talking about! Quit spouting ridiculous stuff already!
Monokuma: I want there to be no more talk of monsters or shadows until this entrance ceremony is over!
Junko: Wait, so does this mean like, there's a bunch more of you somewhere?
Monokuma: Why most certainly! Not only that, but I'm sure you noticed the surveillance cameras all over the school?
Monokuma: If not, then go to sleep when we're done here because paying attention will be vital to your survival. You don't want someone to catch you when you're still counting sheep do you?
Monokuma: They'll also be useful in ensuring I catch anyone trying to break the rules, and the minute I do, then punishment shall await you!
Hina: Th-That's not even punishment. That's just… wrong.
Monokuma: Now then, lastly to commemorate your joyous entry into our school, I have a little something for you…
(Monokuma then tosses out several tablets, which everyone is able to catch)
Monokuma: I present to you the official student handbook! Pretty cool, huh? As you can see, it's fully digital, so naturally we will be calling it… the e-Handbook!
Monokuma: It will be a very vital piece of your school life here, so don't lose it! And make sure you have yours, the owner's name will flash when you turn it on.
Monokuma: And it's super durable! Submerge it with water and it won't short out, and it can survive an impact force worth up to 10 tons! It contains all the rules you'll be listening to from here on, so be sure to read them…
Monokuma: You'll be hearing me say this a lot, but violating the school rules will not be tolerated! Rules restrict, but they also protect, society would be utter chaos without any laws for example.
Monokuma: It will be no different here, hence the strict punishments we have in place for violators. Well that brings our entrance ceremony to a close, please enjoy your abundantly dreary school life, as well as your delusions of shadow monsters…
Monokuma: Enjoy everyone! Puhuhu…
Monokuma: Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
(And with that, Monokuma left, leaving everyone scared at his proclamations)
Taka: So guys… How would you define what we just experienced?
Leon: How…? Why…? I don't understand any of this…
Toko: We have to l-live here forever…? Or...k-kill? Wh-What…? What just happened!?
Sayaka: What was that he said, l-leaving us to the "Heartless"?
Hiro: I KNEW IT! He's in league with those things!
Kyoko: Everyone, we need to calm down. Let's summarize what we've heard. Based on what Monokuma said, we have two options. Either we stay here and live a "communal life" together until we die, or…
Celeste: If we want to get out of here alive, we have to kill someone. Right?
Chihiro: But...killing someone… That's…
Hifumi: It's bad enough we were abducted into this place meant to look like a school and now it's infested with shadows. And now we're supposed to start killing each other? This is…
Hifumi: This is… this is just…! What IS this!?
Taka: This all has to be some dream. Yeah that's it, it's fake! This all has to be fake!
Byakuya: Call it whatever, but there's one thing we need to ask…
Byakuya: Is there anyone here who's seriously considering all this…?
Makoto: (To that, nobody had a response… Keeping quiet myself, I looked around at the others.)
Makoto: (They all stared at one another, trying to gauge each other's thoughts. I could almost taste the hostility. And that's when it hit me. I realized the true terror hidden within the rules Monokuma had laid out.)
Makoto: ("You must kill someone if you want to leave." Those words planted vicious thoughts deep within each of us. Each of us became suspicious of everyone else. We were forced to wonder, "Is somebody going to betray us?")
Makoto: (And that was how my new school life began… This school, which had come out of nowhere to raise my hopes so high… It's *not* a school of hope….. It's a school of despair.)
Makoto: (But in the midst of that news, I was swiftly reminded… it wasn't just despair we were dealing with.)
(The corners of the gym suddenly grew dark, and as everyone was focused on each other, Makoto immediately sees what's going on and tries to snap every out of it)
Makoto: Uh… guys?
(Though no one responded, seemed too focused on Monokuma's words)
Makoto: Guys!
Sayaka: What is i-
(Sayaka snaps out of it, and notices the darkness, which seems to be growing)
Sayaka: EEEEEKKKK! THEY'RE HERE!
Celeste: Hmm?
(Everyone quickly takes a look around, and they too notice the darkness)
Hiro: Those weren't there before! I know, I saw them!
Hifumi: Maybe they were drawn into the situation and… feeding on the darkness we all felt?
Byakuya: Please, this is likely one of that bear's tricks to try and keep us away from the real problem.
Hina: The real problem?
Byakuya: Well I for one am not gonna wait for someone to try and kill me.
Hina: G-Guys, they're getting closer.
Kyoko: Huh?
(Just like Hina said, the darkness seemed to be enclosing on the students, and soon the yellow eyes reappeared)
Mondo: What the hell!? Are those…
Hiro: SEE! We told you we saw them! We told you they're here!
Chihiro: Makoto….
Makoto: I can't summon the key from before, I don't know how to!
Leon: Well think of something!
(Suddenly, the shadows start emerging from the darkness, and the students simply back up in fear… except for Byakuya, Celeste, Junko and Kyoko)
Sayaka: What are you doing? They're gonna kill you!
Junko: Please, these can't be real.
Celeste: I admire the attempt, but I do not take kindly to cheap scares…
Taka: Those don't look like cheap scares to me…
Sakura: Stand back, if they get close I'll push them back.
Hina: Thank you!
Byakuya: Look, the attempt is nice, but if they're gonna try and suddenly throw monsters, then they may as well-
(Right out of nowhere, one of the creatures jumped towards Byakuya and slashes at him, knocking him down leaving a noticeable claw mark on his arm)
Byakuya: What the- Huh?
(Upon noticing his wound, the heir came to a sudden realization… this isn't part of a game, this was a nightmare come to life)
Junko: Wait, they're… real.
Celeste: Makoto… was not lying.
Kyoko: I think it's best we slowly walk away without any pa-
Hiro: WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!
(Another shadow tried jumping at Hiro, but Sakura got in the way and punched it back with all of her might. However, as soon as it fell down, the shadow simply got up like nothing happened)
Sakura: Im… Impossible…
Hifumi: That did nothing!?
(Soon everyone started backing up to the door, and as soon as they got close, the darkness quickly began encroaching on them, leaving a small space of light between them and the shadows…)
Kyoko: I knew it… that wasn't a dream….
Mondo: NO SHIT IT WASN'T GENIUS!
Sayaka: Guys… I think we need to….
HINA: GET OUT OF HERE!
(Everyone immediately scrambled out of the gym, and after everyone left the darkness began withdrawing to nothing, and the brown robed figure from the main hall was all that remained)
?: Do not worry, it will not be this game that will take you…
?: It will be the despair that draws the heartless, and the darkness that consumes your hearts…
(And just as quickly as it arrived…. It vanished)
Who says there couldn't be more despair, if these things are showing up already, who knows how it'll affect their school life... as short as it may be. Next up, they begin formulating a plan to escape the school and the monsters within them