ALRIGHT, 3 VVV VV3 33 VV3 33V VV, I GOT SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD NEWS.

BAD NEWS IS THAT I'M PRETTY MUCH DEAD, SHOULD BE OBVIOUS, YOU WERE THERE

GOOD NEWS IS THAT I'M STILL ABLE TO TALK TO YOU OUT HERE

WHOEVER'S IS SENDING IN A NEW I'LL TRY TO TALK TO YOU THROUGH THAT

HOPEFULLY IT

GOOD LUCK 3 VVV VV3 33 VV3 33V VV

DING DONG BING BONG

"Good morning everyone, get ready for another day of enrichment and killing at this Academy," Nagisa announced formally on the monitor.

"Monaca thinks you should investigate the thing on your desk by the way!" The green haired girl said. "It's really important to your time here!"

"Yeah… super important…"

"Jataro, if you say it like that they won't think it's important," Nagisa scolded.

"Awwww… I really am useless, huh?" Jataro smiled.

"Yep, and Monaca loves how useless and worthless, and pathetic you are!"

"Thanks Monaca!"

The monitor shut off.

Thing? What thing? Kaede's eyes moved over to her bedside table, where she noticed the small device on top of it, it looked exactly like the Monopad just with rainbow colouration instead of the black and white of the Monopad. Out of curiosity, Kaede grabbed the thing and turned it in-

"Here it is, back by popular demand, the motive video!" Monokuma announced. "Who's the most important person in your life?"

The video showed scenes of Kaito helping out his fellow astronauts and astronauts in training as Monokuma continued to speak.

"Kaito has always been dedicated to lifting others up, and making the impossible happen. It's why he managed to become the youngest astronaut in training to ever live!"

"And his grandparents have been proud of him every step of the way, but don't take it from me, take it from them!"

Two elderly people with greying purple hair appeared on screen.

"Kaito, we're so proud of you," The man spoke with a rasp in his voice. "We always knew you were destined for great things,"

"Yes, yes," The woman smiled. "But… we want to make sure you stay safe out there, Kaito, remember to talk to us whenever you can, okay?"

"It gets quite lonely here without you, Kaito," The man and woman both gave a big smile.

Monokuma spoke again. "Isn't that great? Two grandparents supporting their grandchild's dreams… also some kinda accident happened to these two old farts while Kaito was gone. Wanna find out? Well you'll just have to escape this academy,"

The video ended.

Kaede stared down at the black screen, a look of concern on her face that was slowly transforming into fear.

Has… has the mastermind managed to get our loved ones too? Is the only way to see our family again to kill someone?

But the biggest question she had… was why she had received Kaito's video instead of her own?

Why-

Ding dong ding dong ding dong

"Coming!" Kaede's thoughts were interrupted by her doorbell being rung, she opened the door to reveal-

"Kaito?" Kaede said, shock evident in her voice.

"Yeah? You sound surprised," Kaito smirked. "Have a bad dream about little old me?"

"N-No just…" Kaede thought about telling Kaito about his motive video… "Nevermind, I just uh… just a bit shaken up from yesterday still,"

"Makes sense, makes sense," Kaito nodded. "Welp, that's enough standing around, I'm gonna go get Koto, you go to breakfast,"

"Sounds good!" Kaede nodded as she left the dormitory and walked to the Dining Hall while Kaito got Kotoko out of Rantaro's old room.

Everyone (besides obviously Kaito and Kotoko) was already in the Dining Hall, Kaede sat next to Tsumugi as usual.

"H-Hi Kaede…" Tsumugi mumbled as the Pianist sat next to her, Kaede instantly knew that something was wrong with the Cosplayer.

"Hey Mugi, what's wrong?"

"Well, you got a motive video too, right?"

"Everyone got those?" Kaede asked. "Did you also get someone else's?"

"Yeah, I got Gonta's, but… I plain don't wanna tell him what's in it," Tsumugi looked concernedly at the ground. "I don't want another murder to happen,"

"Me neither, but… I'm sure nothing in there is able to convince any of us to kill," Kaede said confidently. "They'd have to threaten us or something,"

Tsumugi chuckled and smiled, the Pianist clearly cheering her up. "Hopefully…"

Not too soon after, Kotoko and Kaito entered the dining hall toe in toe.

"Hey guys, hopefully we haven't interrupted anything," Kaito smiled as Kotoko shook nervously next to him, it made sense, a lot of the people here were looking at her with suspicion, confusion, and even a few looked at her with pure malice.

"Why's she here?" Kokichi asked. "I thought this whole extra player thing was a joke,"

"I'm here cause I'm part of this group, duh-doy!" Kotoko pouted.

"You seem quite chipper for someone who has been forced into this scenario after being… so powerful before, kehehe," Korekiyo chuckled.

"Yeah, don't wanna make you uncomfortable, but pretty sure you were one of the hosts of this Killing Game," Ryoma added. "That kinda makes you suspicious by default, kiddo,"

"...Do I look dumb to you? I literally already know that!" Kotoko let out a sigh like a child being told to go to bed. "That's why I was all 'mental breakdown-ey' yesteryday, cause I was scared that you were gonna beat me or something!"

"I mean, we totally could've gotten Gonta to do that, nishihi~" Kokichi giggled.

"Gonta not do that!" Gonta argued. "Because Gonta Proper Man,"

Kotoko gave the large man a small smile.

"I'm still thinkin' the little twerp's been sent by Monokuma!" Miu yelled. "I say we lock her in her room or some shit!"

"Miu, that's highly impractical," Keebo said blankly.

"Are we gonna listen to some dumb whore?" Kotoko turned her head with an innocent expression. "I mean, has she ever said one smart thing since she got here? Are we sure she isn't just pretending to have a talent or something?"

"Kyeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Miu shrieked.

"There, that shut her up,"

"Guys, guys," Kaito raised his voice to talk over everyone. "Leave her alone, alright? We got other stuff to discuss anyway,"

"Ugh… but it was just getting to the good part!" Kokichi pouted.

"Are you talking about the… strange videos we got?" Korekiyo chuckled. "Because I appear to have gotten the wrong one,"

"Me too," Kaede added.

"Ooooo… I also got the wrong one, guess whoever's holding us here is just… completely stupid, huh?" Kokichi smiled as he glared at Kotoko, who glared back in response.

"Me too," Ryoma added. "Guess we all got the wrong video, sucks, I woulda liked to see who matters the most to me,"

"I suppose that is a benefit, however they are intended to be motives…" Kirumi added. "I think it's best we don't show anyone,"

"Awwww… but that's so boring, boring, boring!" Kokichi pouted. "You guys all agree, riiight?"

"Uhh… no, not at all," Tsumugi shook her head.

"Atua says that showing them is the dumbest thing we could do!" Angie declared. "It'd make us want to leave, and that'd make us want to kill!"

"I agree!" Tenko shouted. "We don't want Monokuma making reasons for us to kill each other,"

"It's too much of a pain to watch 'em all…" Himiko mumbled.

"It'd be interesting, but oh so dangerous…" Korekiyo's eyes closed as he let out an odd noise, somewhere between a moan and a 'hmming' sound. "Oh, such a difficult decision!"

"Eugh, keep your difficult decisions to yourself!" Tenko shouted.

"Oh my god, you guys actually aren't gonna… UGH!" Kokichi groaned. "I'm gonna leave now, you guys made me bored, bored!"

Kokichi continued to rant and ramble as he stomped out of the

"What's his problem?" Kaede asked, a look of frustration in her eyes. "Does he want someone to kill?"

"No, no, Gonta think not," Gonta reassured with a soft smile. "I go talk to Kokichi, okay?"

"You sure? Not to insult you, but you seem… prone to manipulation," Kirumi said.

"Don't worry Kirumi, Gonta know if Kokichi manipulate Gonta!" Gonta reassured as he gleefully left the Dining Hall.

A silence fell upon the room as the group ran out of conversation topics, Maki spoke up first.

"Is that everything? If so, this was kind of a waste of time…" The woman said, still as stoic as ever. "I'll be by my lab-"

"Wait! Koto wanted to reintroduce herself to everyone," Kaito announced. "I think we all got off on the wrong foot when she first met us all,"

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about that," Kotoko giggled.

"Are we really-"

"Shush," Kotoko interrupted the Child Caregiver. "It's my time now!" The short woman declared as she walked to the middle of the Dining Hall with a big smile on her face.

"My name is Kotoko Utsugi, and I am the Ultimate Actress. Please try to forgive me for as much of my time as a Warrior of Hope as you can, I wasn't really myself,"

"Weren't really yourself?" Kaede quirked an eyebrow.

"That's what I said, duh-doy,"

"Even if you are a woman, you're a queen by the way," Tenko reassured. "That feels a bit hard to believe,"

"Thanks for the compliment n' all, but it's the truth," Kotoko's expression then grew more energetic. "Anyways, now for information about myself: my favourite food is peeled chestnuts, my least favourite food is unpeeled chestnuts! Isn't that crazy? They're both chestnuts!" The Actress rambled. "And did you know? Snakes actually have ears, isn't that totally gross?"

"Calm down, calm down," Kaito chuckled as he waved at the rambling woman.

"Oh, sorry about that!"

"No problem, I-I ramble sometimes too," Tsumugi giggled.

"Oh, that's cool… waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait!" Kotoko mumbled as she ran over to the Cosplayer. "You totally make outfits, right?"

"Y-Yeah… it's most of what I do…"

"OMGOMGOMGOMG! You should totally make me something, it'd be so adorbs!" Kotoko beamed.

"A-Ah, I don't-"

"Nope! Too late, the idea's already in my head now!" Kotoko declared as she grabbed the Cosplayer by the wrist with a surprising amount of strength. "We gotta do it!"

"U-Um, c-can Kaede come with?"

"Huh? Oh sure," Kotoko shrugged, and then instantly went back to high energy as she dragged the Cosplayer out of the room.

Kaede chuckled as Kotoko and Tsumugi nearly broke down the door, the whole cafeteria stared at the display with shock.

"Guess I'll go find them then, bye guys!" Kaede smiled as she went to go find wherever Kotoko had dragged the poor, social anxiety having Cosplayer off to.

She followed the running Kotoko all the way to the… old lookout classroom… She stood outside of the door and just stared at it, no expression on her face, just staring as Kotoko and Tsumugi entered the room.

…

Shuichi wouldn't want you to be scared of some dumb classroom, just go in.

And so Kaede gave a deep breath, steeled herself, and stomped on into the classroom.

"There you are!" Kotoko giggled. "I thought you were gonna be staring out there forever!"

"Y-Yeah, Kaede, are you okay?" Tsumugi asked.

"Oh, I'm fine Mugi, just some memories is all…" Kaede put on a faded smile as she sat near the two other woman. "Now, I heard something about an outfit designing here?"

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" Kotoko cheered. "Tsum-Tsum's gonna design me an outfit, and it's gonna be so cute, and so adorbs that it blinds everyone in the whole school!"

"W-Well, I can't promise that… I uh… don't really work all that fast," Tsumugi said as the pink haired woman began to pout. "B-But I could still sew you something kinda pr-pretty, basic, but pretty,"

"It'll have to do," The energy came back instantly. "I'll go get all the sewing stuff you'll need ever in a million years!" She bolted out of the classroom to go get… whatever was needed for sewing it wasn't really a hobby Kaede practices.

"Phew, she sure has a lot of energy, huh?" Tsumugi huffed.

"Yeah, I'm glad she… seems to be adjusting well," Kaede said. "She doesn't seem that bad,"

"Yeah… I plain believe what she said at the Dining Hall,"

"That she wasn't herself?"

"Y-Yeah, something about how she's acting now isn't an act, I know acting," Tsumugi smiled. "I… kinda work with them? Some odd form of acting anyway,"

"Well that's nice, guess we're in agreement on that!" Kaede giggled. "She even came up with a cuter nickname than me!"

"Tsum-Tsum is pretty cute… I wouldn't mind you calling me that…" Tsumugi whispered that last part.

"What was that?"

"N-Nothing!" Tsumugi yelped, going completely red in the face. "I-I like Mugi a lot more, though,"

"No need to flatter me, Mugi," Kaede smiled, she began to realise how comfortable she felt around Tsumugi. How the little ball of nerves and nerdiness seemed to brighten her day no matter what, it was a feeling Kaede really liked-

"Uhhh, Kaede, y-you're staring,"

"Ah! Sorry!" Kaede's voice went higher in pitch as she apologised. "Just got a little lost in thought is all,"

"No problem, I wouldn't mind you getting lost in thought more often, ehehe," Tsumugi giggled, Kaede giggled back, and the two women continued to stare at each other-

"I'm baaaaaaack~" Kotoko said in a singsong voice before noticing. "Omg, are you two dating?"

"Wh-Wha? It's plain not like tha-"

"Oh, and you're playing the just friends card?" Kotoko's already wide smile began to get freakishly wide as she squeed and cooed. "That's so adorbs! You two are so adorbs together!"

"I-It's not like that!" Kaede blushed. "We're just best friends,"

Kotoko sighed as she realised the situation they were in… it'd have to wait, though. "Sure, sure, anyway cute outfit time!"

"Oh yeah, right, you got the materials?"

"Yup!" Kotoko slammed an entire sewing kit on the table alongside an ungodly number of sheets of cotton, all in girly pinks, purples and reds, makes sense for someone like Kotoko.

"Okay, okay, if I work through the night I could have this done in about… threeish days?" Tsumugi turned her hand. "Give or take, sorry if-"

"I know how long it takes to make clothes, silly, I'm an actress!" Kotoko struck a dramatic pose to make her point clear. "The producers made me wear costumes a lot…" Kokoro looked down.

"Well, yeah I guess that's a pretty integral part of filmmaking," Tsumugi shrugged.

"Yeah…" Kokoro mumbled. "Anyway what can you do while we're here?"

"I guess I could sketch out the costumes, just tell me what you want, and I'll draw out the specifics!" Tsumugi looked excited, she hadn't knitted or sewed anything in a pretty long time.

"Ooooo, I bet you're really good at drawing, Mugi!" Kaede beamed, singlehandedly turning the Cosplayer into a blubbering mess. Kotoko winked at her.

"Th-Thanks, b-but it's nothing special," Tsumugi said. "J-Just-"

"Hmmph, you gotta stop saying that about stuff you're good at, Mugi," Kaede pouted. "It is special!"

Tsumugi blushed harder. "I-I guess you're right-"

"Hey! Quit completely failing at flirting with each other!" Kotoko made a mock gagging sound. "There's nothing I hate more than watching two people who wanna do it completely failing at admitting their feelings!"

"Koto, we're just friends!" Kaede pouted. "Honestly,"

"Y-Yeah…" Tsumugi looked off to the side. "I should probably get to sketching now, though, what kind of dress do you want… also you're measurements, I'll-"

"Already handled!" Kotoko beamed as she threw down a piece of paper with her exact measurements. "I want a super cool pink dress, a super cool adorbs dress with hearts, and all other adorbs stuff!"

"Isn't that a little vague?" Kaede asked with a light chuckle.

"Okay, okay," Tsumugi looked deep in thought as she completely ignored Kaede's comment. "I'll draw something, and you let me know if you like it,"

"Yesssssssssss," Kotoko fistbumped. "This is gonna be so cool!"

"It is, it is," Kaede nodded. "Good luck Mugi!"

"Th-Thanks… I-I'll get to it now!" Tsumugi looked incredibly confident as she began to sketch out the design of the dress on a sketchbook she pulled out of… somewhere. The look of focus in her eyes was intense, literally nothing would be able to get her out of it.

"Say, Kotoko," The actress turned to look at Kaede. "What's it like being an actress?"

"I'm not an actress anymore, silly, I was a child actress…" Kotoko looked at Kaede with a sort of grim happiness, like her eyes were seconds away from crying, but her smile was trying to cover it up.

"Oh, that sounds… well I've heard a lot of the bad stuff about it, so I won't pry," Kaede reassured, Kotoko showed a more genuine smile.

"Thanks Kaede, y'know most celebrities do value their privacy, so I'm glad you do too!" The Actress giggled.

"Oh, trust me, I've had a number of people send me all kinds of… eugh fanmail,"

"Oh, don't even get me stared on the fanmail!" Kotoko giggled as she complained. "It's never normal, why can't the people who like me ever be normal?"

The two complained about fans back and forth for awhile while Tsumugi quickly finished up her sketch-

"Done!"

"Ooooo!" Kotoko nearly snapped her neck to look at the sketchbook. "Lemme see, lemme see, lemme see!"

"Me too!"

"C-Calm down, i-it's not much!" Tsumugi yelped as she presented the sketchbook to her audience of two, she looked away from them with her eyes painfully closed as she braced for what they had to say-

"This is… so adorbs!" Kotoko squeed. "This is the best thing anyone's ever done for me!"

"I-I haven't even started stitching it together," Tsumugi chuckled. "What about you, Kaede?"

Kaede looked over the pretty sketch of a dress with hearts sewn into the chest and shoulders, which were beautifully puffy like a princess' dress.

"It's so pretty!" Kaede cooed. "How are you this good at drawing? I can barely do stick figures, and they look like they've got scoliosis,"

"W-Well it's not that-"

"It is that impressive, Mugi!" Kaede pouted.

"Ah, Thanks!" Tsumugi smiled. "I-I guess if you say it is, it is,"

"Ugh, you gotta learn to appreciate yourself without me," Kaede pouted harder. "Okay?"

"I-I'll try, thank you, Kaede," Tsumugi smiled at the Pianist, it faltered for a moment though. "Thank you for being such a good friend…"

"Soon…" Kotoko whispered to herself, grinning evilly.

"Huh, what did you say Kotoko?" Kaede turned around at the standing woman.

Kotoko giggled. "Nothing, nothing, I should probably get going now," Kotoko she walked out of the room. "Have fun making my dress, Tsum Tsum!"

"I will!" Tsumugi assured. "I haven't made a dress in awhile, so this would be a good way to flex my skills,"

"I can't wait to see it too, Mugi!" Kaede giggled. "You're the Ultimate Cosplayer, after all, it'll be beautiful!"

"Yeah, though I'd prefer to be making a costume rather than an outfit," Tsumugi shrugged. "But I'll still have fun nontheless,"

"That's good," Kaede absentmindedly pulled out her Monopad. "Oh jeez, it's nearly nighttime, we should probably go to bed,"

"Right, I am kinda tired," Tsumugi yawned. "Goodnight, Kaede,"

"Night Mugi!"

DING DONG BING BONG

"Nagisa and Monaca left me behind for some reason, so now you only have me…" Jataro looked depressed on the monitor. "I'm sorry if I suck, but it's nighttime now, so go to bed and stuff…"

"Or don't, you don't even have to… also maybe kill each other too…"

The two women quickly went back to their rooms, Kaede stayed awake as she sat on her bed though, knowing that Kaito would probably want her for-

DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG

"There he is," Kaede smiled as she walked towards and opened up the door.

"Hey Kaito, hey Kotoko!" Kaede greeted with a smile as she saw the two people at the door.

"Hey Kay Kay!" Kotoko giggled.

"Sup Kaede, you ready for more training?"

"Of course, I'm ready for it," Kaede said as she moved past her two training partners. "I expect to see you actually do all of the training this time, Kaito,"

"Hey, didn't I say that this is mostly for you and Koto?" Kaito chuckled.

Kotoko pouted. "That doesn't mean you can be lazy! Lazy Kaito!"

Kaito happily scoffed as the three walked towards their usual training grounds, that small patch of concrete.

"Alright, I'm gonna go easy on you two today, 40 situps!"

"On it!" Kotoko saluted as she got to clumsily doing her exercise, Kaede smiled as she got to it to, heaving and gasping at the third situp, that was still better than last time though!

"Kaiiitooooo *huff*, you stopped at 30 again!" Kotoko pouted as she got up to her 20th situp, her breathing getting heavier.

"Just takin' a short rest, heh," Kaito chuckled. "If you need to take 'em, you need to take 'em,"

"Thought you *keh* passed your physical exam *guhh*" Kaede groaned as she hit situp number 25, her breathlessness somehow worse than Kotoko's.

"I did, jeez," Kaito rolled his eyes. "I did double this back in my room, so I think I'm pretty good for tonight anyway,"

"Liar liar, pants on *guhhh* fire!" Kotoko pouted.

Kaito shrugged with a smirk on his face.

Eventually the hellish, torturous, yet fun situps ended. The three students waved each other goodbye as they went back to their respective rooms.

Kaede collapsed onto her bed with a satisfied smile, almost liking the burning feeling in her destroyed lungs.

Tomorrow was another day.