Stage II: One Eye on the Past, One on the Present, None on the Future

As Saki Izumo—second-year Ultimate Astronomer—held up the Implememor-E, inspecting its smooth, shiny, slim, cylindrical design, she felt a shiver run down her spine. Inside that little tube, shaped like a pencil, her missing memories lay in wait. Everything Monochio stole from her… She remembered most of her past, such as her early childhood, but her memories of Hope's Peak and Pinnacle were… blurry. Oh, she remembered her Talent, and she knew she'd gone to school for it, but she could not clearly remember precise names, faces, or details.

I know Photon Maiden were my classmates… And I remember all the others… but I can't remember any other classmates outside of the 23 trapped in Hope's Pinnacle with me! But there's no way that was all of us! No school only has 24 students. She knew it was a dangerous game, but after taking in a deep breath, she clicked the Implememor-E and a light flashed.

ooo

"The perfect game and I'm the hunter…"

"I'm your collector, and I wanna get what I want."

"Oh, I'm just like a hunter!"

The music swirled around Saki's head in a psychedelic rainbow-dance of color and sound. She gave an unhinged giggle, silver eyes practically glowing as she stalked through the dark, winding, war-torn streets of Towa City. Over the fires and Monokubz and Monokitz, the Ultimate Astronomer skipped and spun and hummed, moon-white hair billowing out behind her like a cape. The blood and metal scattered about the shattered streets meant nothing to her, and she gladly stepped on and over robot and human corpses alike.

"Oh, where are you…? Come out, come out, wherever you are…! My sharp eyes will seek you out, no matter where you run, no matter where you hide…!" Her voice was light and lilting and she giggled again. Through the black and red sky above, a sliver of a silver crescent moon managed to slice through. As she felt its light touch her pale face, she sighed, as if drawing power from the celestial body.

Then finally, she found it. Tucked away in a far corner of Towa City, away from the factories, away from the battles and chaos and screaming and crying and mourning, there was a single, solitary, little science lab sitting all by its lonesome on the city borders.

Dr. Nova… Saki smirked, eyes narrowing in delighted and excited anticipation. I know that is just an alias. I understand. I have one too.

The Collector smiled, and her hands slipped into her pockets. One stopped and rested on the handle of a six-shooter gun. The other stopped on the hilt of a small switchblade. She pulled out the blade and clicked it open and shut, reveling in the noise as she quietly closed in on the little laboratory. "Dr. Nova" was a resident scientist of the city, studying AI. His projects were deeply secret, however, thanks to intel from Junko Enoshima, Saki's "boss", they knew exactly what he was up to, and they wanted it.

"He's got like this… really cute AI prototype idea thingy!" Junko practically squealed, tone unusually childish as she clutched a stuffed bear to her chest. Then she lifted him up, voice becoming slightly lower—though still very childish. "Now I need you to be my best fren and do me a favor!" Saki Izumo was tasked with finding the "good doctor" and… persuading him to hand over his research projects, and his uber powerful AI. "I really sure could use some of that technology myself, pwetty pwease…? You know I wanna do that big show with everyone real soon! The D4DJ Battle Time thingy that's gonna make history! Gay history! 'cept, I need tools to help me find everyone!"

Saki, at the time, was holding a small plushie model of Monochio that Junko made for her—or found for her. She clutched the little kitty closer to her chest and shook her head, feeling very much like a frightened child seeking wisdom and comfort from her big sis, never mind that Junko was actually one year younger than her. But Junko was cunning and manipulative.

Already, her Ultimate Analyst brain was spiraling out in all directions with brilliant new ideas. A Killing Game or two or three or four! And one of them, she knew, would involve a certain Mr. Kaito Mamota, Ultimate Astronaut. He and Saki were close, Kaito being one of the first people to accept her oddities rather than feel weirded out by them. Junko had used lies about him to leverage power over the impressionable Izumo.

This new Despair Saki—the Collector—was nothing like the old one. The old Saki was meek and sweet. This new one had even less emotional expression, except to express delight when she closed in on her prey after a long and glorious hunt. And before long, one of Junko's other disciples would handle the so-called "Luminary of the Stars".

And with the rest of Photon Maiden stationed around the world, Ibuki at the Future Foundation and Noa seemingly going rogue—who cared about that useless, dumbass Towa chick?—Saki was easy prey for Junko. She was left alone, wide open, and the Ultimate Analyst swooped on it. She manipulated Saki into thinking the upcoming performance-reunion was going to be an event of Hope! But little did she know…

"Now go! Go forth and make gay history!" Junko commanded, tone changing abruptly as she pointed out the door and lowered her stuffed bear. "Let the hunt begin! Baby, let the games begin!" In a patronizing way, she touched Saki's cheek, then kissed her. Saki snapped to attention, giving her a stiff salute, but her face remained utterly empty and emotionless. Then she turned heel and departed at once.

It had taken several days of scouring the city, utilizing what little GPS signals still remained active, and her own Synesthesia, to pinpoint the location of Dr. Nova. Such was the true power of Saki Izumo's Ultimate Talent. Her Synesthesia didn't just allow her to see sounds as colors, but even to detect when someone was telling her a lie. Based on what they said, their words would come out a different color.

You can't hide from me, or my sharp, prying eyes. They will find you no matter where in the cosmos you run and hide… I am the satellite sending communications around the world and even across the universe. There is no escape from the Synesthesia Symphony and the eyes that behold truth AND lies… It's just like a video game…! She smirked sweetly and tilted her head as she stared up at the befuddled doctor. It's like Junko said! We're making history! And I see Dr. Nova is too, but we'll need some of that for our OWN creations.

"How did you get in here?!" the programmer snapped, looking up from his countless computer monitors as she invited herself inside.

"I'm just like a hunter!" Saki only giggled as she waltzed inside, still clicking her switchblade open and shut. When Dr. Nova failed to comply with her first demand that he surrender all his AI work to her post-haste, she traded the switchblade for the shotgun.

"I- I- I- I'm still not afraid of you!" He tried to sound indignant, but Saki only giggled, finger on the trigger.

Even if you hadn't stuttered, even if I couldn't see the fear in your eyes, I can see the color of your voice. LIAR.

And in the end, the poor programmer was finally forced to surrender a copy of his life's work. But careful and cautious, he already had a backup. "J-just… take her and go!" He threw a flash drive at her before scurrying out of the lab himself, clutching his secret flashdrive to his chest protectively.

Heh. Pathetic coward. Saki didn't even turn to watch him go, instead staring at the little flash drive in her palm. A moment later, a hologram had sprung forth from the device. It was that of a young woman, maybe even younger than Saki herself, and she also had white hair and starry eyes. Unlike Saki, though, one of her eyes was gold like the sun while the other was black like the vast abyss of space. A sci-fi halo rotated slowly around her head. She beamed confidently at Saki, and Saki smirked.

"Hello. Ultimate Hope AI," she sneered.

"Hiya! I'm Lumina Ichihoshi! Ultimate Space Idol V-Tuber! And I—!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever, whatever." Saki shut her up immediately, then shut her down. Now, let's see if I remember how to do this… Junko told me what to do, and my experience with Photon taught me how… She plugged the flash drive into one of Dr. Nova's abandoned computers, and the next time she pulled it out, that piece of Lumina was overwritten.

"Who are you now?" Saki's silver eyes twinkled. Tell the truth…

"I… Am… Supernova!" The new hologram had dark hair, red eyes, and a black and red holo-suit. Saki's twisted smile only grew.

She looks just like something out of a video game. It truly is the perfect game, and we're getting closer and closer to victory… A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine as she reached out and caressed Nova's face. She was beautiful, and Saki's heart was pounding.

"What is your first command?" Nova asked quietly. "O Despair of the Synesthesia?"

Pfft, silly title! Saki's face was impassive. "I'm so glad you asked. We've got some history to make…!" Even now, I feel a connection to you, Stellar Sister. We could be an excellent power-couple. Now come, it is time to make history!

As if she'd underwent an abrupt personality change, Saki suddenly began to smile, her Cheshire cat grin stretching from ear to ear. She reached forward and grabbed Nova's hands. Even though she was but an AI, the moment Saki's flesh came into contact with her hologram, she gasped, and Saki felt as though her hands had been bathed in a thin jelly.

Ectoplasm? Ha! How… symbolic. She began to waltz around the abandoned laboratory, humming, maddened and delusional. Nova was forced to waltz with her, spinning and whirling and twirling, but as Saki's siren song continued, her silver, starry eyes shining, even Nova became swept away by her extraterrestrial, intrasellar frequency. They were like two black holes orbiting each other. They would both be destroyed in the end. But Saki cared not. She only caressed Nova's beautiful face again, satisfied with her corrupt work, and Nova smiled twistedly back at her.

The Ultimate Astronomer turned Despair giggled. It wouldn't be too much longer now… All she had to do was wait for the signal, wait for her leader, wait for Junko Enoshima, the TRUE Ultimate Despair. Then the fun and games would REALLY begin…! The future Saki's Synesthesia saw was bright, a bloody and burning red!