Hello readers and welcome to my new chapter. So, first thing, I would like to say sorry for taking so long with this chapter. My laptop basically ended up broken, unable to have it battery charged up, so I had to buy a new one. Took a couple of days for the new laptop to get delivered. But the chapter's here now. So I hope it will be worth the wait.
So, here, they're gonna meet Alter Ego. Also, there's a nice surprise for you guys around the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa.
A Lucky Soldier: Hey guys, long time no see. I hope you're all enjoying your summer because I went from student to sloth real fast this past month. Anyways, just like the rest of you, 2 weeks after the last chapter, I've been spending every other day anxiously checking my email for the notification from Spirit, only to get it in the middle of a road trip. I only got back two days ago and voila, half of summer already gone. Anyways, lets get the questions out of the way and get this chapter out!
Q: Since the mention of Mikan, will there be other mentions to Class 77?
L: Mikan was mentioned since she was an actual nurse in Hope's Peak, and that it was also a very convenient time to mention her. Future mentions might happen if they just so happen to conveniently line up with the direction that Spirit is taking.
S: And there have been mentioning towards Class 77 in previous chapters, so it isn't the first time it has happened.
Q: How will Hajime/Izuru be dealt with in the followup Class 77 story (That's still ages from now.)
L: I don't know, but here is what we do know about the Izuru Kamukura project: It was long and extensive, presumably first started even before Munakata's generation. It entered "human-experimentation" phase during the freshman year of Class 77-B (A.K.A Mahiru and friends). Hajime volunteers sometime during that year, long enough for Chiaki to establish herself and bond the class (IF I recall correctly), but before Class 78 becomes a thing. IF we decide to stick straight with the facts, chances are, Hajime probably won't be there (He's still being experimented on.) But who knows? It's so far from now I haven't even thought about it until I read this and checked the wiki for facts.
S: I think I've discussed this before. Due to the timeline of events, it's best not to bring Hajime/Izuru into the followup story. Like Lucky said, Hajime is still being experimented on in the current timeline we're using, and I plan to stick straight with the facts.
Q: Why doesn't Chihiro speak up about Alter Ego?
L: He's a shy boy :) Also, he was working on a number of other AI projects for his company, as well as sometimes checking the school computers. It could've been something else (Or, Alter Ego could refer to a set of AIs who knows?)
Q: Will you continue the story of this "present" Class 78 after they finish watching?
L: That's a good question. I think at that point it'll just be slice-of-life stuff and random shenanigans with each of them knowing what could have possibly happened in an alternate universe. It's completely up to Spirit if he wants to.
S: I might. I might not. It'll probably be an interesting fic to do, if I decide to do it.
Q: Will DR3 or UDG be getting one of these stories too?
L: I don't know, but man, if I'm still editing/writing DR fiction by then, I'd be very surprised.
S: Possibly. Can't say for certain when it's so far down the future.
Q: Will Makoto end up with X or Y?
L: It's a harem story. Minus Sakura and Toko.
Q: Will the class' seating position change?
L: Hmm, I'm not sure if I can answer this one so I'll leave Spirit to it.
S: Don't know. Possibly, if it serves a purpose if the plotline, major or minor.
Q: Did bombing incident happen yet?
L: No. Nothing bad happened yet. (Unless you count malicious thoughts in which case Junko is 100% guilty)
Q: UPDATE PLEASE
L: UPDATE HERE!
S: With an added surprise at the end!
Ch 45: Watching Ch 3: A Next Generation Legend! Stand Tall, Galactic Hero! Part 4
The group gathered close to the opened up locker, with Makoto reluctantly at the front. He slowly walked to the locker and nervously looked inside.
"Huh?" Confusion was littered on Makoto's face as he peered inside the locker.
There was nothing inside other than a laptop. "A laptop? What's something like that doing here?"
The nervousness the group was feeling was quickly turned to confusion for most. "A laptop in the bath house…?" Taka questioned in befuddlement.
"Like Makoto asked, what is it doing here?" Leon asked with a frown. "And how did it get there?"
"This is indeed an odd development!" Hifumi also commented to no one in particular.
Chihiro bit his lip to keep himself from blurting out something. It really was Alter Ego! Hina must've saw the AI on the laptop. Then that means the laptop must have came from...
"I remember seeing this…" Kyoko said in slight realization.
Makoto's eyes lit up in realization as well. 'Oh, that's right!' A flashback of Makoto looking at the laptop in the library was shown. 'I saw it in the library before.'
"Oh, so it was in the library." Makoto voiced out. "Guess we didn't notice the first time."
"But it's broken." Hiro moaned in disappointment. "Aw man. We could've used it to call for help."
"I doubt the mastermind would let us have an actual working computer." Byakuya remarked. "Besides, we would need access to the internet to be able to connect to the outside world."
"And something tells me that the bear isn't willing to share any wi-fi he has." Leon pointed out.
The scene then transitioned back to the present. "But how did the laptop get from the library…to here?"
"And… I guess it's in sleep mode, but… the power is definitely on." Kyoko noted.
That caused some eyes to widen in surprise. "But didn't that flashback mention that it was broken?" Taka questioned.
"Chihiro must've gotten his hands on it before…you know," Leon suggested. "If anybody could have fixed it, he would."
"No argument there." Mondo agreed. That got the programmer's cheek to flush a little.
"On another note," Junko spoke up. "Did Hina actually thought that the light on the screen was a ghost?" That caused the group to pause for a moment, with Hina freezing up in shock and embarrassment.
"Unbelievable." Byakuya sighed in annoyance while the others laugh. "Getting all worked up over a simple light."
"Makes me wonder how she got dressed properly." Celeste said, amusement dancing in her eyes.
"I-I didn't expect for a laptop to be in a locker!" Hina protested, her cheeks flaring up in embarrassment.
"To be fair, not many would Hina." Sakura tried to reassure her.
"Huh?" Makoto's eyes widen in slight surprise. "But I thought it was broken…"
"I would bet that Chihiro fixed it." Sakura deduced. "After all, he was known as the Ultimate Programmer…"
"More importantly…" Celeste interjected. "Hina, you said you saw a green light, yes? Surely you did not mistake the light of the monitor for a ghost?"
That caused Hina to freeze up, embarrassment filling up her body. "I am surprised you are able to dress yourself in the morning." The gambler deadpanned.
"Oh man." Hifumi chuckled. "If I had the 'loves clueless girls' attribute, I would've fallen in love big-time just now! I'm so glad I don't have it…"
"Well I didn't really expect to find a freaking laptop inside a freaking locker, okay?!" Hina argued with a fierce blush on her cheeks.
"It's okay. I mean, anyone can make a mistake like that." Hiro reassured. "As a matter of fact, one time I thought I'd spotted a Grey alien, but it turned out to be a tadpole!"
That earned several sweat drops from the viewers. "How the hell can you mistake an alien for a tadpole?" Leon remarked. "That's like thinking a baseball is a basketball!"
"Hey!" Hiro protested. "Anyone could make a mistake like that!"
"Only fools would have those delusions." Byakuya bluntly stated. "And you've already proven that you're a fool."
"Y-Yeah, that's r-right! N-no one would make t-that kind of mistake!" Toko also threw out, pointing her finger at Hiro in a very 'Toko-like' fashion.
Hiro hung his head at this. "Some friends you guys are. I try to help someone and y'all make me depressed…" He mumbled to himself.
"Don't compare what happened to me with one of your stupid delusions!" Hina protested.
"Don't be mean!" Hiro exclaimed in slight anger. "I was just trying to make you feel better! What if I get all depressed forever now?!"
"But listen, isn't this really strange?" Makoto cut in. "What's this laptop doing in here?"
"A good question." Celeste agreed. "Why in the bathhouse, of all places?"
"Perhaps Chihiro, or somebody else, was trying to hide it." Kyoko suggested. That got the other's attention.
"Hide it?" Hina asked in confusion. "Why would anyone want to hide it from us?"
"And if they did want to hide it from us, then keeping a locker opened isn't a good way to hide it." Leon pointed out.
Kyoko shook her head. "Not from us." She corrected. "But from Monokuma."
"Huh?" Was the response from several of them, confusion plastered on their faces.
"You'll see why I made that conclusion." Kyoko reassured them.
Junko, however, immediately knew what she was talking about. 'Guess she noticed the lack cameras around, huh? No surprise there.' Junko mentally pouted. 'Can't believe future me wasn't able to put cameras in there... maybe there's hidden microphones? Nah. That wouldn't be fair. Oh well!'
"Maybe someone hid it here." Kyoko suggested.
"If that's the case, we found it pretty easy…" Hiro pointed out.
Kyoko, however, shook her head. "Whoever put it there, I don't think they were trying to hide it from us."
"Huh…?" Makoto tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed?" Kyoko asked them. "There's one big difference between this room and all the others."
'A difference…?' Makoto looked around the room, and quickly, he spotted the difference Kyoko was talking about.
When the camera moved around, the more perceptive of the group quickly noticed what was different. "There's no camera." Makoto spoke out loud.
"A perfect hiding spot from Monokuma." Byakuya said in realization.
"Exactly." Kyoko nodded. "With that information, it's clear that whoever put it here was trying to hide the laptop from Monokuma."
"More specifically, what the laptop holds inside." Mukuro mused.
The new information made Chihiro more and more sure that it was Alter Ego that's in the computer. However, he kept quiet, cause while he's sure that it is Alter Ego, there's still a chance that it may be something else, and he doesn't want to expose one of his secret project by mistake.
"There's…no surveillance camera…"
"Precisely." Kyoko nodded. "There's no camera in here. Which means, this it the one spot where the mastermind is blind."
"So you're saying someone put the laptop here so the mastermind wouldn't know about it?" Hifumi reasoned.
"And what Hina saw wasn't the ordinary glow of a computer screen." Kyoko deduced, looking at the computer. "It was…the figure of Chihiro, shining pale green."
"D-Did Chihiro possess the computer?" Hiro stuttered nervously, his ghost phobia coming up once again. "Is that how the computer is on?!"
That earned quite of few facepalms. "Um, it's not that Hiro…" Chihiro spoke up. "It's most likely that it's… a secret project that I've been working on."
That got the other's attention. "Ooh! Secret project? What is it?" Sayaka asked.
Chihiro shifted a little under the stares he's getting. "U-um... I technically can't say what it is to those who don't know what it is so maybe if it's revealed, I can talk about it."
"Ahh. Contracts are painful things aren't they?" Sayaka conceded with a sympathizing smile. She knew all too well how bad it feels to be restricted by a contract.
"I think it would be best if we investigated this laptop in a little more detail." With Kyoko's statement, everyone gathered around the computer, with her and Makoto side by side. "So first of all, we have to wake it up."
"Right…" Makoto then hit random buttons on the keyboard. Instantly, the screen began to glow pale green before displaying the desktop.
"There-" Kyoko pointed to one of the icons. "The icon on the far left."
"What is it…?" Makoto narrowed his eyes at the title. "It says…Alter Ego?"
The name reveal caused Chihiro's eyes to widen heavily. So he was right! It really is alter ego!
The look of shock was something everyone noticed. "You recognize the name, Chihiro?" Celeste required.
Before Chihiro could answer, Kyoko spoke up. "Alter Ego is the AI you've been working on, wasn't it?"
Chihiro's eyes widen at this, as did several others. "U-Um, y-yes. It is." Chihiro confirmed, a bit startled from Kyoko's deduction. "But.. How did you know?"
"I've seen it on your computer screen every now and then." Kyoko explained. "Besides, I have heard that you were working on some AI."
"So this is the AI Chihiro has been talking about beforehand?" Sakura questioned.
This time, Chihiro answered. "Yes, it is. It's one of them. While it doesn't have full self-awareness, it is self-learning as it does different tasks."
"Do you think it could be of any use to use?" Byakuya inquired.
The programmer looked a bit unsure. "M-Maybe."
"'Alter ego' literally means… 'another self', I believe." Celeste translated, looking in thought. "In the field of artificial intelligence, it it not uncommon to create different aspects of a personality. You can consider it something like… a pen name."
"Could you let me see it, Makoto?" Kyoko asked. The luckster nodded and moved aside to let Kyoko use it. She then moved the cursor to the Alter Ego icon, and when she doubled clicked it, the screen suddenly went dark.
A moment later, a voice spoke from the computer. "Master! You're here!" The screen then lit back up, with Chihiro's face taking up the digital green screen.
"N-N-Noooo!" Hiro screamed in terror. "I-It's a ghost!"
"No, it isn't Hiro!" Chihiro quickly reassured the clairvoyant, before anyone could snap at him. "It's just my AI!"
"But your head is floating in the computer!"
"It's called alter ego for a reason, fool." Celeste said tightly, summoning every ounce of patience she has to not snap at Hiro. "It's not impossible to have your face be an avatar."
"I-It's a ghost!" Hiro wailed in terror. "Buddha and sweet baby Jesus, save me!"
"Calm down. It's not a ghost." Kyoko told him firmly.
"Huh?"
"Then…what is it?" Hina asked nervously.
"I'm sure if we just talk to it, we'll find out." Kyoko then began to type, her hands a blur. She typed, 'What are you?'
"Hello, nice to meet you. Chihiro Fujisaki…" The computer greeted. It then gave a nervous giggle. "I always get so embarrassed introducing myself."
Makoto looked at the computer in amazement. "Th-That voice…the tone and everything…"
"It's…Chihiro." Sakura stated.
"Alter Ego…" Kyoko murmured to herself. "I've heard about this kind of AI program, but I've never seen one for myself."
"I remember Chihiro talking about an AI program he was working on…" Makoto murmured. "But not about Alter Ego. Can you tell me more about it, Kyoko?"
"It's how Chihiro got his title as the Ultimate Programmer." She explained to the luckster. "The AI lives in a computer, and by repeating different tasks, it gains knowledge and grows bit by bit. Apparently, Chihiro used a support vector machine and reinforcement learning to develop it. Eventually, he came up with a breakthrough in artificial intelligence design."
Kyoko's explanation confused some of the others. "Supporting vector machine? Reinforcement learning?" Leon repeated, clearly confused. "What the heck are those things?"
"They're basically learning mechanisms for computers." Makoto told Leon, as well as anyone else that's confused. That's the same explanation he got when Chihiro was explaining AIs and computers to him in previous conversations. Anything more and well... it'd cause a lot of headaches.
"Supporting vector machine…? Reinforcement learning…?" Makoto repeated in confusion.
"To put it simply, it's a learning mechanic for computers." Kyoko said simply.
Hifumi then spoke up. "If you wanna know more… just Google it, okay?!"
"...Did Hifumi just break the fourth wall?" Makoto slowly asked, shocked at what he just heard. Everyone else looked equally baffled.
Byakuya rubbed his head, a massive headache growing inside. "How much of this is going to defy logic? How much?"
"I get the feeling you're going to regret that question." Leon deadpanned.
"Are you idiots? If you don't know something, you Google it! Everyone knows that!" Hifumi shot back angrily. However, no one decided to entertain him and simply ignored him.
"But if this AI continues to grow, it will become more than just a piece of software to people." Kyoko continued, ignoring Hifumi's comment. "Some say that an AI like this might someday replace people."
"And that is why it is called Alter Ego? A fine choice then, I must say…" Celeste mused. "It can create memories, have thoughts, and 'grow up'. The process isn't much different from how humans work. If it were to raise your own AI that way, it would make perfect sense to refer to it as your alter ego."
"A second, perfect personality that can never forget or grow old. That's what Chihiro created…" Kyoko summed up. "That's… Alter Ego."
Leon let out a whistle of amazement. "Damn! That's incredible, Chihiro!"
"I agree." Taka said in awe. "You essentially created a person inside a software."
"You definitely earned the position of the Ultimate Programmer." Sayaka said, looking also amazed. "I want to see the AI myself!"
"Same!" Hina agreed with enthusiasm. The compliments from his friends caused said programmer to turn beet red in embarrassment.
"Kyoko…" Makoto looked a the lavender haired girl in confusion and curiosity. "How do you know so much about this?" At this, Kyoko was silent.
"She's being tight-lipped again." Junko pointed out. "Is it because she doesn't want to reveal how or she doesn't know how?"
"It's probably the former." Kyoko concluded easily. "I believe I must have seen Chihiro working on it somewhere."
"Yeah, that make sense." Makoto agreed.
"Saying just enough to be cooperative while keeping the rest to yourself. A smart choice considering those circumstances." Celeste praised.
Celeste decided to speak up. "Anyway, so he fixed the broken laptop and put his own program on there. That is what this means, yes?" She rhetorically asked. "Then he brought the machine to this dressing room, where the mastermind would not be able to see it."
"Hmm, but you know… all this about 'Master' and whatnot… yes, yes…" Hifumi murmured loudly to himself. "I… I believe I'm on fire…"
"..." The group stared at Hifumi blankly, a loss for words as to what to say. Chihiro curled up a little, feeling more than a bit uncomfortable, as well as a bit protective of his AI programming.
Hifumi felt himself sweating a little at the stares. "W-What?"
"...The fuck is wrong is you?" Mondo asked blankly. "Did you forget that it's a computer program?"
"And a male one at that dude." Leon added just as blankly.
The fanfic creator shifted a little at that. "Well, um…"
"I thought you were only into 2D…" Hiro pointed out.
"This is the most excellent 2D possible!" Hifumi declared passionately.
"But he's a guy! And also a computer program!" Hiro pointed out further, looking creeped out.
"Oh, that aspect is no problem." Hifumi dismissed.
The blanks stares then increased or turned into creeped out stares, with some of them moving away from Hifumi. Byakuya rubbed his forehead in disgust. "And I thought your hobbies couldn't be more revolting…"
"I'm really considering using a bat this time, Hifumi…" Leon warned him, causing the fanfic creator to sweat a little.
"I think I'm gonna keep Alter Ego away from Hifumi…" Chihiro muttered to himself, Mondo, and Taka. The two nodded in agreement with the programmer.
"That'll probably be for the best, little dude." Mondo agreed.
"Hey come on! I don't even know that yet!" Hifumi complained. This is his future self they're talking about!
"That…aspect?" Hiro repeated in bafflement.
"Anyway, let's talk to him a little more." Kyoko then typed away rhythmically. "How much do you know about what's going on?"
The AI quickly spoke up. "Master only gave me a general idea…" It stated. "But I do know things have become very grave. He found himself caught up in this without warning…"
Kyoko quickly typed in another question. 'Why are you here?'
"Are you asking what Master had planned for me?" Alter Ego inquired. "Well… he wanted me to analyze the massive number of files stored on his laptop."
The word 'files' grabbed everyone's attention, especially Kyoko's. Numerous different expectations circled around the various thoughts of Class 78 as they sat with anticipation to their questions.
"I believe the files are related to the school, but the protection on them is surprisingly strong. So it's taking a little longer than I thought."
"Files?"
"A number of them?"
"Possibly about that school?"
Questions quickly filled the room, a spark of hope and excitement entering their hearts. Could they actually get some concrete answers? Something that could figure out the mystery of the future Hope's Peak Academy?
"But here's what Master must have been thinking…" The AI continued. "The fact that the files are protected so tightly means they must contain some important secret. For example, perhaps… the secret of this school."
"Is this for real?" Hina cried out impatiently, already finding it hard to contain her curiosity and excitement. "Will we actually find out what happened to the school?"
"Among other things, perhaps." Byakuya mused. "This is the future we're watching, after all. We might find out what happened from now to the killing game."
"And maybe that could help them find a way out…" Makoto continued, hope building up in his voice and arousing murmurs of agreement amongst those around him.
Meanwhile, Junko frowned, her analytical mind trying to figure out how/why her future self possibly left such big information in there. But quickly, she concluded that she purposefully did so, knowing the content doesn't have anything too important. Nothing that would help get out, at least.
'Ooh, that'll definitely smack their feeling of hope right in the face!' Junko thought eagerly.
Alter Ego's reveal struck most of them silent. While they were trying to process what they heard, Kyoko pushed forward and asked the next question. 'How much long until everything's unlocked?'
"Umm… it's gonna be a while." Alter Ego answered. "But I'm definitely gonna do it, so you can just leave it to me!"
"So because of how long it would take, he designed Alter Ego to handle the workload." Kyoko deduced.
"Smart. It also means that the work remains uninterrupted, even after his death." Celeste added.
"Agreed." Byakuya said with a nod. "A contingency plans that remains uninterrupted even after his death."
"One that'll help all of us." Makoto sent a smile towards the programmer. "Looks like your skills are going to help after all."
That stunned Chihiro a little before a small smile slowly entered his lips. It was oddly reassuring that he was able to help out his friends even after his death. Although something still didn't exactly sit right with him, he was at least happy that his skills could help the remaining survivors!
Kyoko got back to typing. 'Keep it up. But be careful not to let the mastermind notice you.'
"Don't worry. I've got a secret plan all ready, just in case…" Alter Ego reassured her. "Actually, I can see what's going on using my built-in webcam, so if anyone suspicious shows up… I'll just scream for help real loud!"
"It's a pretty… basic plan, I have to say…" Makoto stated.
"That's… indeed a pretty basic plan." Junko said in slight disappointment. 'Come on! If you're going to have a secret thing against me, don't make it such a let down!'
"Well, it's not like there's much it could do." Leon remarked with a shrug. "Still, it's a decent plan."
"Though there's one flaw about it." Mukuro pointed out, gaining the others' attention.
"How so, Mukuro?" Hina asked in confusion.
"I think one of the others will point it out, soon."
"That is fine during the day, but night time is a concern…" Celeste pointed out.
"Huh?" Makoto turned to the gambler in confusion. "Why?"
"Have you forgotten? All our rooms are completely soundproof." Celeste reminded him. "Once we close our doors, he can scream as loud as he wants, but we won't hear a thing."
"Oh." Makoto frowned at that. "That's true."
"Then how about have each of us guard the bathhouse every night?" Sayaka suggested.
Mukuro shook her head. "No, that would only make the mastermind more suspicious and more likely to investigate the bathhouse."
"Then the whole plan is busted anyway." Mondo frowned. "Shit. Then what other options are there?"
Mukuro thought to herself that there was a plan that she could've stuck to, if she was still alive that is. Somewhat risky, but still a plan nonetheless. She looked over at Kyoko, expecting the same plan to out.
Makoto frown a little at that. "Okay, then how about once it's nighttime, we each take turns guarding the dressing room?" He suggested.
Kyoko shook her head at that. "There's a good chance the mastermind would notice us all going in and out of the dressing room like that." That caused Makoto to frown a bit further.
"Then… what can we do?" He asked her.
"Once nighttimes comes, I'll leave the door to my room open." Kyoko stated. That caused the group to look at her in shock.
The present class also looked at the detective girl in shock. "Are you crazy?!" Hifumi squealed. "You'll practically invite one of us to kill you!"
"Fatty's right!" Leon agreed. "If you leave the door open, one of us might see a chance to murder!"
"Are you sure about this Kyoko?" Hina asked, looking worried. "I mean, I don't want to doubt any of us, but it's very risky doing that."
The others are also looking at the detective with various amounts of worry, Makoto especially.
Kyoko sighed. "Don't worry about me too much." She told all of them. "If someone does try to do so, I'm not gonna be an easy target. The only ones that I probably couldn't fend off is Sakura and Genocide Jack, and I have doubts that the former would try to kill me while the latter only focuses on cute boys as her targets."
"I'm glad you have that much faith in me." Sakura said, a small smile on her face. Kyoko merely nodded to her in response.
"Then there's no way I can miss Alter Ego yelling."
"B-But… if you leave your door open all night, then…" Hiro pointed out nervously.
"There's a chance I may become a victim myself, I know." Kyoko admitted before determination entered her eyes. "But I'm not as weak as you may think. I wouldn't go down without a fight, I assure you."
Junko whistled. "Wow. A lot of confidence there."
"Can't say that it isn't well-earned." Taka stated. "Kyoko is a surprisingly tough individual, that's for certain."
"No argument there." Hina said, though she still looked concerned. "I'm still worried though."
"We all are." Sayaka stated, biting her lips. "But we'll have to trust that future Kyoko knows what she's doing."
Makoto, meanwhile, look at Kyoko with admiration. He has always admired the confidence Kyoko has, that self-assurance that she'll be alright or that she'll get the job done, but not to the point of arrogance like Byakuya.
'There's an undeniable strength in her voice when she said that.' Makoto thought in admiration. 'She's totally confident that she will be okay.'
The others could hear the admiration in his thoughts. Some of the girls frowned a little in jealousy while Kyoko wore a small smile, flattered of Makoto's admiration towards her. She knew that he did admire her, of course, but this was definitely new.
Meanwhile, Makoto was flushed and looking down, embarrassed at having his thoughts be read yet again. He would rather not have Kyoko, or the others, know what he thought about her.
'That confidence is somewhat similar to Byakuya's tone, but at the same time different.' He noted. 'Yeah, it had an entirely different feel, for sure. Like… someone who'd been dropped onto a battlefield, versus someone who'd been born on a battlefield. I feel that's the fundamental difference…'
The comparison caused Byakuya to frown a little. Especially when some of the others began speaking. "Yeah. You could definitely learn a thing or two from Kyoko." Leon remarked. "She could definitely teach you how not to be a jackass."
"And maybe get you off that game mindset." Hina huffed, glaring at him.
"Someone who'd been dropped onto a battlefield." Sayaka repeated with slight venom. "That's definitely describes you."
"Not to mention a few other fucking things to describe you." Mondo added, also glaring at him.
Before Byakuya could lash out at them, Makoto quickly spoke up. "Hey guys c'mon. He knows this already, no need to drive him mad."
The four of them sighed at Makoto's forgiving, but let it go for now. Byakuya didn't say anything to Makoto for that, merely turned his head back to the screen. But Makoto did see the heir wave his hand at him from his usual crossed-arms sitting position. That got a smile from the luckster.
His thoughts were interrupted when Alter Ego spoke up. "Umm… would you mind if I asked a few questions?" It inquired. "I haven't seen Master for a while. When you got here, I thought it was him, but… is master…?"
The group froze at the question. "Shit." Leon cursed.
"Indeed." Celeste sighed. That's definitely a fresh wound, both for themselves and their future counterparts.
Kyoko froze for a moment, looking unsure as to what to do for a brief second. But she recovered quickly, and began typing. 'Chihiro is dead. Mondo killed him.'
Mondo clenched his fist, his face twisting with guilt. Chihiro, seeing this, hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder, silently saying that it's alright. The biker slightly turn his head towards the programmer before relaxing, unclenching his fist.
The AI looked sadden at this. "I see…" It said sadly. "To be honest, I knew all along. I knew the chances that Master would survive this situation were very low. So… I was prepared for this moment…"
"Somehow I feel kinda… sorry for her…" Hifumi said, looking down.
"I can't even imagine how it must feel to lose your 'other self'..." Hina said sympathetically.
Byakuya rolled his eyes. "It's an AI. It doesn't have feelings."
"It has more feelings than you do!" Hina retorted. The heir narrowed his eyes at her for that remark.
Before he could say a retort for that, Toko spoke up. "S-Stop insulting m-my master!" Toko growled.
"Like hell we will!" Mondo growled. "He deserves it!"
"You haven't seen the chapter two trial Toko!" Sayaka interjected with a glare. "So don't go trying to defend him!"
"Don't bother wasting your breath with Toko. Like you said before Mondo, the dude can do no wrong in her eyes." Leon remarked.
"And what right do you have to judge me, when two of you have killed while one had planned to?" Byakuya retorted with slight anger.
The three flinched at that before getting even more angry. "Why you-!" Mondo growled.
Before they could come to blows, Makoto quickly spoke up. "Guys! Stop fighting with each other! We're not getting anywhere like this!"
"Makoto's correct! And while we're not in the killing game itself, we can't bicker amongst each other and drive each other apart!" Taka said in support of Makoto. "So let's calm down and resume this viewing!"
"Also, picking on him like this isn't fair. I'm sure he learned his lesson by now." Sakura added her voice of reason.
Mondo let out a growl, but with a pointed look from Taka, as well as a pleading one from Chihiro, he settled down. Hina, Sayaka, and Leon frowned, but kept quiet, while Toko merely let out some quiet grumbles. Byakuya merely faced the TV, his face stoic as ever.
Kyoko let out a sigh at this. She can tell that seeing what their future counterparts are doing are causing conflict and arguments amongst the group. If the animosity continues, then there's no telling what will happen.
Junko silently giggled to herself, unknowingly having similar thoughts to Kyoko. This keeps up, and the conflict will lead to the road of despair.
"It is a a simple computer program. It does not have feelings." Celeste pointed out coldly.
"Are you sure about that…?" Hifumi replied doubtfully.
"Anyway, that's enough for today." Kyoko interjected. "If we linger here too long, the mastermind will start to suspect something." Kyoko then typed one more sentence. 'I'll come back later.'
"Yes, please do! It's a promise, okay?" Alter Ego responded back. "Bye-bye!"
'The AI seems totally different from when we'd first arrived. He seems… upbeat' Makoto noted to himself. 'Was it because he was following his programming? Or… could he have actually been worried about us?'
Celeste let out a giggle. "It seems you're reading too much in Alter Ego's words, Makoto."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with that... I think?" Makoto replied with a slight blush. "Chihiro's AI just seems so… human. If anything, Chihiro deserves a praise!"
The programmer blush once again at the praise. "Th-Thanks."
Hiro hummed to himself, drawing the others' attention. "What's wrong, Hiro?" Makoto inquired, curiously.
"Oh nothing, I was just wondering if we might be able to get this laptop online." The fortune teller suggested. "Then we could call for help from the outside…"
"But this is just a dressing room. I don't think you can get online from here…" Hina pointed out.
"Well if we take it out and find somewhere that does have online access…!" Hiro persisted.
"Is he nuts?!" Leon asked incredulously. "The mastermind would sniff them out in a heartbeat!"
"Mr. Kuwata is correct! Way to risky there!" Hifumi exclaimed.
"And now isn't the time for unnecessary risks." Mukuro added in.
"Th-That's way too dangerous!" Hifumi nervously pointed out. "The mastermind would find out in no time!"
"Oh, yeah… true." Hiro replied sheepishly.
"This is no time to for taking needless risks. For now, I'll monitor the progress of the file analysis." Kyoko told them all. "I'm confident we'll uncover some kind of clue once it's finished."
"This feels like a detour more than anything else, but… I suppose it can't be helped." Celeste sighed.
Hina pouted. "You know, you could have a little more faith Celeste."
"Hina dear, we're not even sure what the files are about." Celeste replied back. "So it's understandable that my future self is doubtful about what it holds."
"For all we know, it could all be junk files!" Hifumi proclaimed.
"Well, for now all we can do is wait for Alter Ego to finish his work." Sakura stated.
"So, should we get going?" Hiro asked.
"Indeed." Kyoko nodded.
Hifumi then turned to the computer, an odd look in his eyes. "Goodbye! We'll be back, I promise!"
A small frown was etched on Chihiro's face, while some of the others sighed or rolled their eyes. Yes, he'll definitely need to keep Alter Ego away from Hifumi.
"C'mon Hifumi, let's go!" Hina sighed in exasperation, giving him a look.
"O-Okay…" With that, everyone left the dressing room.
As soon as they were out, Hina let out a joyful shout. "Isn't it awesome?! I ended up doing something totally awesome, right?!" She asked the others.
And suddenly, Monokuma popped up. "Dun da-da duuun! Hina has gained enough experience to level up!" The bear announced. "So… what was this awesome something?"
Many of the group jumped at his sudden appearance, then went pale at his question. "Oh crap!" Hiro exclaimed in fear. "This isn't good!"
"Don't say anything suspicious!" Hifumi yelled out at the screen.
"Hina, you fool!" Byakuya hissed. "You might as well reveal Alter Ego boxed and wrapped!"
"Sorry!" Hina wailed, looking extremely worried and guilty.
'M-Monokuma!' Makoto exclaimed to himself in worry.
"You guys seem in remarkably good spirit." The bear noted. "Did something happen?"
"N-No, nothing in particular…!" Makoto nervously lied.
But unfortunately, Monokuma could see through it. "Ooh, keeping secrets? No fair! I demand an exclusive interview!"
"Says the hypocrite who's keeping a ton of secrets!" Hina argued back. "Give yours out first!"
"Yeah! How about you give us some goddamn answers, huh?!" Mondo growled.
"Denied, denied, super denied!" Hifumi exclaimed at him.
"Y-Yeah, just because you demand something, doesn't mean we have to do it!" Hina quickly agreed with Hifumi.
The bear tilted his head at that. "Do it…?" He repeated. "You mean, like, do it do it?"
Several eyes widen at this. "Huh?" Hina said, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. "What does he mean by 'do it'?"
"I think you can guess, Miss Asahina." Hifumi responded, letting out a small, perverted chuckle. He ducked when Leon threw a baseball at him before turning towards the baseball player. "Hah! You missed Mr. Kuwa-" A moment, the baseball hit the back of his head. "Ow!"
"Yeah, I figured you were gonna dodge eventually." Leon remarked with a smirk. "That's why I made sure it can bounce back towards you when you dodge." The fanfic creator let out a grumble at that.
"Wait, what?" A blush crept up Hina's cheek. "What do you mean, 'do it' do it?"
"Eww gross! You said 'do it'!" Monokuma pointed out childishly.
"What?! You said it first!"
"Yeah! Don't make me out like the pervert here!" Hina reacted childishly before pouting. "Pervert."
"Makes me suspect that the mastermind is a guy…" Celeste remarked dryly.
'Wrong!' Junko remarked in her mind with a giggle. It's so fun, messing with their expectations like that, even if it's something minor like gender.
Celeste then spoke up. "We were just talking about going to the bathhouse. We have not had a chance to relax in some time." She lied smoothly.
"...Huh?"
"But unfortunately, the bathhouse is not divided into men and women sections." The gambler sighed. "So we decided to do rock-paper-scissors to decide which group would go first. Hina won the match for us, and that is why we are all pleased."
Despite knowing how talented Celeste is at lying, the group were still amazed at the lie she manage to create on the spot. "Wow. Good job Celeste." Chihiro said in awe.
"Yeah! You really saved us there!" Hina said with relief.
"Your skills seems to be helping us." Sakura added.
"I-Its about time..." Toko muttered.
Celeste merely smiled, her ego filling up a little from the praises.
"Y-Yeah, that's right!" Hina quickly agreed with. "Speaking of which…" She turned to Makoto, Hiro, and Hifumi. "Okay, boys! Why don't you head on back to the dining hall or something? We're gonna take a nice, long bath!"
"Ahhh, jeez, what're we gonna do, right?!" Hiro said, pretending to sound disappointed. "We lost, fair and square!"
"A good thing the rest of you manage to stick with the lie." Celeste replied. "Otherwise, we may have been in some trouble."
"No doubt there." Leon remarked.
"Well, ladies? Shall we go?" Celeste inquired towards the other girls. With that, the girls went back into the bathhouse.
'Wow.' Makoto thought in amazement as he watched the girls go. 'Celeste didn't hesitate on coming up with the ruse, and her poker face didn't even flinch.'
Celeste giggled at that. "I'm glad my lying abilities impressed you, Makoto."
"Hard not to be." Makoto replied with a sheepish shrug. 'Although... I'm not entirely sure if that's something to be proud of exactly...'
"U-Umm…" Hifumi stuttered, unsure as to what to say, before exclaiming, "Nuts and dammit! We totally lost! Another day without getting to take my very first bath here!"
"Y-Yeah, but… tomorrow for sure!" Hiro reassured Hifumi. "You'll definitely get that bath tomorrow!"
Celeste shook her head. "Are you trying to reveal the lie?" She sighed in slight annoyance and disappointment. "You are trying way too hard."
"Hopefully, the mastermind will not recognize that your acting." Sayaka replied with a small sweatdrop.
'Don't count on it!' Junko sang. She probably saw a mile away that they're lying. Not even the Ultimate Gambler could get pass her.
Makoto couldn't help but sweatdrop a bit at this. "Okay, so… should we head back to the dining hall now?"
Before either of them could say anything, Monokuma spoke up. "Hooooold on!" He exclaimed. "Something's strange here… VERY strange!"
"Huh?"
"What he's talking about?"
"Oh don't tell me we got figured out already!"
"Strange?" Makoto tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"What's strange is, this is the perfect the perfect chance for you to to sneak a peek!"
At first, the group was befuddled, processing the information. Then, when it was processed, they reacted.
"WHAT?!" Hina shouted, eyes wide with a massive blush. "He wants them to peep on us?!"
"THAT IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE SCHOOL'S CODE OF CONDUCT!" Taka screamed, red in both embarrassment and anger.
"That is a violation of ANY code of conduct!" Leon corrected.
Both Makoto and Chihiro were silent, their eyes wide and their faces heavily flush at the suggestion.
Celeste sighed in slight aggravation, willing her cheeks not to flush. "This is going to be embarrassing."
"That is if they accept the suggestion." Sakura pointed out.
"It is Hifumi. He'll eagerly accept the suggestion."
"And Hiro will probably go with the flow." Kyoko added with a sigh.
"...Huh?" Was Makoto's response to the suggestion.
Hifumi let out a straining noise at that. "Th-That's…!" After struggling with his words, he exclaimed. "You're absolutely right!"
Immediately, Hifumi was pelted with not one, but five baseballs. "Oww! Five baseballs?!"
"You heard what your future self said! Don't try to deny it!" Leon retorted. "And it beats pissing off the girls even more than they already are!"
Sure enough, the girls looked angry at Hifumi's words. Hina, Junko, and Sayaka gave him angry glares while Sakura and Celeste have their own darkened looks on their faces. Both Kyoko and Mukuro have stony, neutral looks on their faces, and Toko hissed at him with disgust.
"...Future me?" He squealed out pitifully. That did not lessen the stares/glares at all.
"I thought you were all about the 2D…" Hiro reminded him with a sigh.
"All of you need to shut up, sit down, and listen to what I have to say…" Monokuma told them. "An opportunity like this doesn't come along very often… it's the ideal setting of a man's fantasy!"
"Or the ideal ingredient of men's worst nightmares." Byakuya remarked. "Are they seriously considering listening to Monokuma?"
"They should not!" Taka shouted, who's also glaring at the fanfic creator. "That is highly disrespectful to the ladies in the baths!"
"Damn straight!" Mondo agreed, his face firm and arms crossed. While they were many things he and his bro disagree with, there are also plenty of things they do agree with. Treating woman with respect is one of those things.
Makoto, who was listening to all of this, felt his eyes go wider and wider. "Wait a minute, guys. We shouldn't-"
"Come on, Mr. Naegi. We cannot let this chance pass!" Hifumi declared, grabbing his arms. "We must see our man's fantasy!"
"I admit, I want go in to." Hiro said, grabbing Makoto's other arm. "There's something I've always been wondering, and this will give my answer."
"Why are you dragging me into this?!"
"Yeah, why?!" Makoto exclaimed, a blush creeping up his cheeks.
Hina also felt her blushing, the thought of Makoto seeing her nude causing her to feel hot, while Kyoko and Celeste had to look away from everyone when they felt their own cheeks slightly heating up.
Byakuya sighed, shaking his head. "You seem to always be dragged into stuff like that."
"Yeah, dude. Still can't decide if it good luck or bad." Leon said, shaking his head.
Meanwhile, Sayaka and Mukuro felt a mix of relief and slight anger. Relief that they don't have to go through the embarrassment of their crush seeing their privates. And slight anger at the fact that he's going to other girls' privates, albeit unwillingly.
Monokuma let out his signature giggle as Hifumi and Hiro dragged Makoto towards the bathhouse. "Have fun in your man's fantasy…!" He told them. "Have a smashing good time!"
"Wait wait wait wait... YOU'RE ACTUALLY DRAGGING ME INTO THIS?" Makoto cried out helplessly. The other two guilty boys couldn't answer him with all the pressure coming from the girls.
Hiro peeked inside while Hifumi kept on holding Makoto, to see that the girls are already in the baths. Once he sure the close was clear, the three went inside. "So they really are taking a bath. Is this what Celeste meant about lying convincingly?"
"I definitely regret lying about this now." Celeste groaned.
"AHH! This is partially your fault too!" Hina cried.
"Hina... that's kind of unreasonable.." Sakura sighed next to her.
"Mr. Hagakure, please refrain from pointless whispering. We're deep in enemy territory here…" Hifumi whispered to him. "Just up ahead is the bathhouse. And there awaits… a great dazzling passion!"
"So, only into two 2D, huh?" Leon deadpanned.
Hifumi shifted a little at that. "Th-This is probably just inspiration for my 2D art!"
"Whatever the reason, none of them justifies peeping on the girls!" Taka scolded loudly. "Cease this operation at once!"
"Yeah! Stop this!" Makoto cried defensively.
"Even if they can hear you, you're probably just wasting your breath." Byakuya sighed.
All the girls glared at Hifumi and Hiro, who shrunk in their seats. "Wh-Why aren't you glaring at Makoto?" Hiro whined.
"You dragged him into this!" Sayaka pointed out fiercely, but still turned her head towards Makoto with scary eyes. "He wouldn't have done this willingly! Would you?"
"O-Of course not!" Makoto quickly gave his reply, both hands up in surrender.
"Oh but believe me. He's not entirely innocent either." Kyoko said while throwing Makoto a 'you're-going-to-get-it-later' look. "I'm sure he could have put up a much more convincing resistance."
"T-That's-!"
"That is indeed true. He has offered a stronger resistance to crimes less severe than this." Celeste added, also looking at Makoto.
"W-Wait a minute-"
"D-Don't tell me Makoto actually has the same kind of thoughts as... THEM?!" Hina asked incredulously, while giving him a look full of horror.
"C'mon! I'm telling you-"
"Makoto. I'm terribly disappointed in you."
"I'm afraid I have misjudged you quite a bit Makoto." Mukuro and Sakura said at the same time with heavy tones.
"L-Look, I'm s-sure we can talk this out!"
"Hoooh? And how are you going to talk your way out of that?" Junko asked, pointing at the screen.
"Mr. Naegi, your on point…!" With that statement, the fanfic creator pushed the poor boy into the door.
"Be careful, don't get us caught!" Hiro told him while he and Hifumi got right behind him. "If Ogre finds us, we'll be meeting up with Hades in no time…!"
"Ah." Was the only sound that came out of Makoto's mouth as he watched his future self press deeper into hell. There was no defense for this. He knew that he had every opportunity to back out. Hifumi and Hiro weren't that much stronger than Makoto, and even if they tried to physically force him, the girls would surely hear the ruckus outside. He could only sit in his chair mentally preparing himself for the aftermath of such a reckless thing. Even if he was roped into this, there was no way he was going to walk away with just a few scars.
Meanwhile,
"I think we'll be going there sooner…" Hiro whimpered, feeling the air in the room drop further and further.
"I fear you may be right, Mr. Hagakure." Hifumi gulped, wondering if he should curse or praise his future self for doing this.
Chihiro curled himself up and bury his head into his knees, while Taka and Byakuya closed their eyes and turned away from the screen, and Leon and Mondo merely turned their heads away. Whatever resolve they had prior to not look, it was a daunting task when it was shown on a huge TV right in front of you. Whether they each individually wanted to admit that however, was a different story.
Makoto, knowing he cannot escape, closed his eyes and slowly pushed the door open enough for them to peek inside. And once he did, the camera slowly turned white before cutting to the girls taking their baths, with only towels on them.
When the camera cut to the girls bathing, regardless of whether they wanted to look out of desire, or eventually fell to their curiosity, there was a moment of silence as everyone took in the view on the screen. To some, it was a treat. To others, it was a moment of embarrassment. However, that small silence was quickly replaced with chaos as the girls finally snapped out of it.
"AHHHHH! EVERYONE STOP LOOKING!" Hina cried out, launching herself straight out of her chair and running around in a panic trying to cover other people's eyes by waving her hands in front of them. She somehow subconsciously steered clear of Byakuya and Toko's corner though. However, considering how Toko isn't even trying to block Byakuya's view, but rather encouraging him to look at her, anyone would avoid them.
"H-Hina, calm down!" Sakura rose to go after her embarrassed friend, but was equally embarrassed at the scene.
"I-I didn't look! I swear!" Leon cried defensively as Hina changed from trying to block their vision to lightly beating people.
"L-Liar! You were totally looking at the screen!" Sayaka angrily yelled next to him while violently shaking him by the collar.
Meanwhile across the room, Celeste and Mukuro had somehow round up Taka, Hifumi, Hiro, and Mondo on the couch and was glaring down on them with a dark look.
"W-W-Woah! Hey! I-I'm not the culprit this time!" Mondo feebly tried to defend himself.
"Y-Yeah! I d-didn't look! E-Er.. I mean.. I did! BUT ONLY A LITTLE!" Taka rambled out, not knowing that he was also digging his own grave.
"Oh? Only a little? So you still saw it then." Celeste spoke back in an extremely passive aggressive tone while raising her clawed nails.
"WAAAHH! HAVE MERCY! I SWEAR ITS MONOKUMA'S FAULT!" Hifumi wailed on his knees.
"YEAH! IT'S ALL MONOKUMA'S FAULT! WE COULDN'T HELP IT!" Hiro cried with him.
"Regardless of who's fault it is, it's punishment time." Mukuro said in a creepily happy voice while cracking her knuckles. No one noticed that it somehow resembled Monokuma's speech.
"Wow…" Junko whistled while observing the chaos around her. "Makes me even more glad that I'm vetoed from this killing game." She glanced at Hifumi and Hiro, to which Mukuro was going to town on them. "Especially with those pervs looking." 'Heh, suckers!'
Kyoko, who had also decided not to partake in the chaos, turned to Spirit, who had wisely paused during the fading transition and turned off the screen. "Why show us this?" She asked in an irritated voice.
Spirit shrugged. "Couldn't find a way to pull it out." He said. "Plus, it serves as a good distraction for all the serious stuff."
"True." The detective conceded. It was a small price to pay to get their minds off of chapter two for the moment, as well as anything else in the beginning of chapter 3. However, even if it was a small price to pay, she was still disappointed that it had came to this. She looked over at the chaos. Hifumi, Hiro, Mondo, and Taka lay defeated scattered around the couch with Chihiro nervously poking them for signs of life. Byakuya had probably left to the privacy of his own room while she imagined Toko to be right outside his door. Leon looked as if he had been mauled to shreds as he looked almost unrecognizable on his chair.
When she turned to Makoto, he was still in one piece. However, he had wisely adopted a very formal sitting position while sweating out of fear for his life as the girls around him wondered what to do. Suddenly, he made eye contact with her, a silent plead for a lighter sentence. Though she felt sorry for him, Kyoko instead chose to wear a mischievous smile and pretend to have not noticed. She could practically picture Makoto's defeated face as she turned away. After all, he brought this upon himself... Sort of. Anyways, it could be considered a mercy that she didn't partake in punishing him since the other girls seemed more than happy to carry out her share.
As Kyoko watched from her seat with slight amusement as the others finally decided on a punishment, her heart reminded her that such a lively scene would not last long.
And that's the end. So, yeah, I decided to do the peeping scene for you guys. Sort of an apology for being so late with this. Hope I did it justice. Next up, their future selves is gonna be receiving their next motive. Review, favorite, and follow and I will see you later.
A Lucky Soldier:
*Ding Dong* 5 bodies have been found! Please proceed with the rest of your day as if nothing has happened! Upupupu~
Anyways, I know I mentioned that we should be back to our original update interval of ~1.5 weeks per chapter like... a couple chapters back but I think for real this time. Also, Fate Grand Order is a cool game. 1% Drop rate for SSR seems more like a 8% to me o_o
