Usami: Goooood morning, my sleepyheads! This is an official announcement from lead teacher Usami. It is now 7 AM, so it is time to face a beautiful new day! Love! Love!
I slowly opened my eyes to glare at the monitor in my room. So, yesterday hadn't been a bad dream after all… I was half tempted to throw something at it before remembering that doing so would break a rule. Well, at least I slept surprisingly well despite yesterday's events. Even with the apparent mixup with my cottage, Usami hadn't cheaped out on the bedding.
I was debating on whether I should just go back to sleep or not, but then a knock on my door took the choice from me.
Mikan: Coming…
I took my bag with me, and carefully approached the door. I didn't think anyone would be foolish enough to try anything so soon, but it never hurt to be careful. Opening the door just a bit, I could see that Keebo was on the other side.
Mikan: H-Hello Keebo…
Keebo: Good morning Mikan! I hope you slept well, considering what happened yesterday…
MIkan: I-It could have been worse. I'm more worried about poor Himiko…
Keebo: Indeed… Well, a few of us were already awake, so we decided to round up everyone and call for a meeting in the hotel's restaurant. There's no rush, but we'd like it if everyone could be ready in about 30 minutes, is that okay with you?
Mikan: Y-Yes, 30 should be plenty of time. How come you were already awake?
Keebo: Ah, I just always wake up early. I have a pretty specific morning routine, you see! I suppose even the events of yesterday weren't enough to upset my internal clock too much.
Mikan: I see…
Keebo: Kazuichi, Gonta, and Mukuro are the other ones that are already up. Kazuichi and Gonta are making breakfast as I speak, and Mukuro is checking up on the girls. Er, I meant the girls' side rather, I forgot about your cottage situation…
Mikan: It's fine… To be honest, I don't really care. I-I'm more interested in why the discrepancy was there to begin with. It feels like Usami's hiding something from us…
Keebo: Agreed. Well, I'm off to wake the others, see you at breakfast!
Mikan: A-Actually, before you go… Sorry if this is rude, but I was curious about your robotic hand…
Keebo: …
Mikan: Was that a weird thing to ask? I'm so sorry for being so insensitive, please forgi-
Keebo: It's fine… To be truthful, I'm surprised you don't already know. I mean, I've talked about it in interviews before, and you recognized who I was upon our first meeting…
Mikan: W-Well, that's true, but I'm really hopeless when it comes to celebrity culture, heh heh…
Keebo: Nothing wrong with that! Well, I lost my real hand in an accident when I was younger. That's all I'm comfortable with saying on that subject. I hope you understand.
Mikan: I'm sorry…
Keebo: But it's not all bad! Take a look at what it can do!
Keebo took a coin out of his pocket, placed it onto the palm of his mechanical hand, and to my amazement, it started floating and spinning in the air.
Mikan: Huh? Th-That's incredible! How are you doing that?
Keebo: My hand can generate weak magnetic fields! Heh, it's a bit embarrassing, but it was something I requested of my father for its latest iteration. I've replaced it several times as I've grown up. Ah, but I'm afraid it's little more than a party trick, don't expect me to start throwing cars around or any other nonsense.
With a practiced motion, Keebo caught the coin while it was still spinning in midair. He'd clearly done this before.
Mikan: Heh heh, and I was kinda hoping you could use it to crush the Usabeasts from afar.
Keebo: I'm afraid not. Well, in any case, I still have other people to wake up. See you at breakfast!
Mikan: S-See you…
Well, time to get ready for the day. I took a quick shower, then got dressed. The only clothes in my closet were pajamas and copies of the same outfit I woke up in on my first day. The same couldn't be said about my oh-so important duffel bag. The one I woke up with was apparently the only one I'd get. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, but if I ever had to make use of my chemical vials, I'd need to carefully ration them. Or maybe I could improvise using chemicals found in Rocketpunch Market. We'd see.
I was ready after 10 minutes, and decided to just get to the restaurant and wait there for the others. I exited my cottage at around the same time as Ibuki. When she saw me, she ran towards me and all but tackle-hugged me.
Mikan: Eek! I-Ibuki!
Not that I didn't appreciate being hugged by a pretty girl, but we'd only met yesterday!
Ibuki: Good nom-nom-noming! How'd you sleep MIkan? Ibuki slept great!
Mikan: Uhh, th-that's great, but could I have a little personal space…
Ibuki: Heheh, sorry, but when Ibuki saw you, she couldn't help but think of how cute you looked. My heart went "Badump, thump! Thump, badump!"
Mikan: C-Cute!?
Cute? Cute?!
Ibuki: Anyways… Ibuki thought long and hard all night about how we could escape. At first, I thought about maybe building a plane engine from scratch after all, but I realized again that that was totally impossible. Then I thought about converting the planes into boats, but that would be freaking difficult too, so we'll keep it as a last resort.
Ibuki: But then Ibuki had a stroke of genius! Even if we can't escape, that stupid rabbit won't win as long as we just become friends! No drama, no murderino. And I know just what we need for that!
Mikan: Th-That's great Ibuki… What did you think about?
Ibuki: No spoilers! I'll tell you at the meeting with everyone else!
Ibuki and I entered the lobby, and I wasn't too surprised to see Hifumi and Tsumugi playing on an arcade machine again. Those two had stuck to each other like glue yesterday, and it looked like today was no different. It also looked like Hifumi was winning again.
Ibuki: Good nom-nom-noming!
Mikan: Good morning, Tsumugi. Good morning, Hifumi.
Tsumugi: Good morning.
Hifumi: Salutations Ms. Mioda and Ms. Tsumiki. Would you two care to join us for a game?
Mikan: Ah, m-maybe later, after the meeting…
Tsumugi: We'll see you there then, don't let us keep you.
As we entered the restaurant, my nose picked up the wonderful scent of Kazuichi's cooking, and my stomach began rumbling with the realization that I hadn't eaten anything last night. Ibuki, literally drooling, abandoned me to run into the restaurant's kitchen. I was tempted to join her, but I restrained myself. Looking around the restaurant, I could see a few people were already there. Gonta was presumably in the kitchen helping Kazuichi, Keebo was excitedly chatting at a sullen Toko, Mukuro appeared to be meditating on a chair, Kiyo was sketching something on a napkin, and Hajime was sitting alone, staring off into space.
Actually… was this really Hajime? He certainly looked like him, and wore the same outfit as yesterday, and yet… His hair, which had been wild and spiky, was now smooth, straight, and surprisingly long, going a little past his shoulders. Most striking was his face. It was undeniably the same face, but the expressions on it felt completely alien. Compared to before, it was just so stern and stoic. Had the event of yesterday shaken him that badly? As I approached, he glanced in my direction, and his gaze held no recognition.
Mikan: H-Hajime?
Hajime?: Hello. I assume you are Mikan Tsumiki, correct?
Even his voice was different, now a slow, apathetic drawl.
Mikan: Y-Yes? I'm Mikan! What's wrong Hajime? Don't you rememb-
Hajime?: I am not Hajime.
Mikan: Huh?
Hajime?: So he didn't tell you about me then. *Sigh*, how predictable… Well, considering the situation, he must have been overwhelmed. I suppose I can't fault him too much…
Mikan: W-What do you mean, you're not Hajime?
Hajime?: My name is Izuru. Izuru Hinata. And you could call me Hajime's alternate personality.
Mikan: A-Alternate personality?
Izuru: Yes. DID, alter, system, whatever you want to call it. He and I switch places whenever we fall asleep. We also do not share memories. We keep a journal where we write down the important events of the day for the benefit of the other tomorrow, so you can imagine my surprise when I woke up today. I was expecting to find myself in the dormitories of Hope's Peak Academy, not… this.
Izuru: I half-believed he was pulling a prank on me, but the others here have confirmed it. A killing game, huh…
Mikan: You don't sound very shaken up…
Izuru: Well, I've always been good at controlling my emotions. Though maybe it's just that the reality of our situation hasn't sunk in yet. Things might have been different if I'd directly witnessed the events of yesterday.
Mikan: S-So, tomorrow you'll switch back to Hajime, then?
Izuru: Are you that eager to be rid of me?
Mikan: N-No! I'm so sorry! I just wanted to confirm it!
Izuru: It's of no matter to me. I'm not here to make friends. Entering that lottery was mostly his idea anyway.
Mikan: …
Mikan: S-So then, you're also the U-Ultimate Lucky Student?
Izuru: Yes, Hope's Peak is aware of our situation. And though we won the lottery, it was not the only reason they were interested in us. You see, Hope's Peak doesn't just do the lottery out of the goodness of their heart. They're interested in luck as a phenomenon, and when they ran a battery of tests on us to test our luck, they actually discovered something unusual: our luck varies depending on which of the two of us is fronting. Apparently, I am slightly luckier than average, though Hajime's luck is just normal.
Mikan: Really? That's interesting!
Izuru: It's boring is what it is.
Mikan: …
Izuru: The difference is negligible. Unless I decide to make a career as a professional gambler, it will not make a lick of difference in our lives, and even then… Besides, what is the point of a talent that has been given to you since birth, that you haven't had to work for a day of your life?
Mikan: …
At that moment, Gonta arrived in the room, pushing a large tray full of various delicious smelling breakfast foods, and saving me from having to answer Izuru's question.
Mikan: Ah w-well, I'd love to continue that discussion, but I'm really hungry, so…
Izuru: I don't care.
Mikan: Bye!
Geez, what a jerk… I felt a bit guilty just thinking about it, but I couldn't wait until he turned back into Hajime…
Gonta: Good morning Mikan! Please help yourself, Kazuichi and Gonta made enough for everyone.
Mikan: Th-Thanks Gonta. I hope Ibuki didn't give you two too much trouble…
Gonta: It's fine! Kazuichi gave Ibuki some extra in exchange for her helping with the dishes.
Mikan: Heh heh. S-So, Gonta, you know how to cook?
Gonta: Well, Gonta is an alright cook, though nothing compared to Kazuichi of course. However, Gonta IS an amazing nutritionist! Gonta personally designs the diet of all his athletes, and Gonta believes it plays a big part in their success. So by combining forces with Kazuichi, he and Gonta made a breakfast that is both delicious AND healthy.
Mikan: S-Sounds like we're in good hands. I often don't have the time or motivation to cook, so I usually just eat takeout or microwave stuff from the supermarket.
Gonta: Gonta aims to please. It's what a gentleman would do. As for your motivation to cook, you are the Ultimate Chemist, right? Gonta doesn't know much about chemistry or science in general, but doesn't cooking involve lots of chemistry? Maybe you could take inspiration from that?
Mikan: Um, y-yes. However, the chemistry I deal with is usually the less edible kind… But I'll think about it! Thank you for the food!
I helped myself to a portion of mushroom omelet, However, before I could go and gorge myself, Gonta had one more thing to say.
Gonta: Oh, before you go, Gonta would like to reiterate the offer from yesterday. Gonta knows these are strange circumstances, but Gonta believes that is no excuse for not keeping in top shape and reaching one's true potential! Mukuro has already agreed to train with Gonta, and with Himiko out of commission for now, Mikan seemed like the next best option.
Goddammit. I really, really didn't want to disappoint him, but I also really, really didn't want to participate in his training.
Mikan: I'm so s-sorry, but I'll have to decline. I'm just a chemist anyways, I'm not sure why you're so fixated on me…
Gonta: Gonta wouldn't be the Ultimate Team Manager if he didn't have an eye for this kind of thing. Gonta can tell you are stronger than you let on. Gonta isn't sure why you want to hide it, but Gonta knows you must have your reasons. From Gonta's perspective, no one who spends this much effort on bettering their body is a bad person!
Really now. This guy was… pretty naive, wasn't he?
Mikan: I… I just work out in my spare time. Th-That's all… Please forgive me, but I'd prefer to do it alone. Thank you for the food, bye!
Gonta: Oh… alright…
I exited the conversation rather abruptly, and sat down at an empty table. I briefly considered waiting until everyone arrived to start eating, but in this case, my stomach was stronger than my willpower. The omelet was delicious.
Over the next few minutes, the others trickled in. First, it was Tsumugi and Hifumi, who had presumably finished their game in the lobby. Next came Sonia and Ryoma, and both looked relatively composed. I imagined Ryoma was a pretty stoic guy in general, and Sonia was probably used to projecting a particular image with her royal upbringing. Kazuichi and Ibuki exited the kitchen. The latter was happily munching on something, and Kazuichi… Well, he really looked like he hadn't slept well, and I could tell he'd rather be hiding away in his cottage. Still, he'd taken the time to wake up early and make us breakfast, so I'd have to make extra sure to thank him later. Finally, Junko arrived, strutting up the stairs like she owned the entire island.
Junko: Greetings, peasants! Himiko is resting in her bedchambers, and will not join our presence this morning! I guess little old me will have to look for something to make a cast and crutches later. Teehee, what a pain!
Mukuro: You know that's literally part of your job, right? Besides, I'm pretty sure I saw crutches in Rocketpunch Market, so that should make your life easier.
Junko: The fact that you are absolutely right gives me so much despair, Pookuro…
Mukuro: …
Junko: Hey, wait a minute, who the fuck are you?!
Izuru: Are you perhaps referring to me?
Junko: Yeah you, who else? What the fuck did you do to Stalker Boy?
Izuru: If you're referring to Hajime, I didn't do anything to him. I am simply his alternate personality. Izuru is the name.
Junko: Huh. Neat.
Izuru: …
Keebo: Could I have your attention please?! Now that everyone is here… Actually, I think we're missing someone. Has anyone seen Yasuhiro? When I went to wake him up earlier, he seemed pretty out of it. Maybe he's still in his cottage.
Yasuhiro: 'M right here…
Hiro climbed, or rather wobbled his way up the stairs, gripping the rail like his life depended on it. He looked very lethargic and depressed, and given how flushed his face was, it wasn't hard to guess the cause…
Toko: Are… Are you a-actually fucking drunk right now?
Izuru: Tch, pathetic…
Junko: Ugh, seriously? Just so you know, I totally won't give you anything or take care of you or whatever. I'm not everyone's babysitter, you know?
Yasuhiro: Wasn't asking you to, man… 'Sides, I get more writing inspiration when 'm drunk…
Sonia: Yasuhiro, I know the events of yesterday were trying, but that should not give you an excuse to let yourself go like that.
Hifumi: Mr. Hagakure, for goodness's sake, there are better ways to relieve stress than alcohol!
Ryoma: Aren't you the oldest person here? You should give a better example to us youngsters, heh.
Yasuhiro: C'm'on man, stop piling 'n me, just let me do what I want!
Hiro tried to sit on a chair, but somehow missed and fell on his ass. I winced. Gonta was next to him in an instant and helped him sit down properly.
Kazuichi: I'll, uh, get him a glass of water.
Korekiyo: Kehehe, what an interesting scene… I believe I've found the inspiration for my next piece…
Yasuhiro: S'riously… It wasn't that funny…
Keebo: Ahem! Now that everyone save for Himiko is really here, I believe we should continue the conversation from yesterday. So, first of all, how plausible do you think Usami's story about our memories being erased was?
Tsumugi: Well, none of us here specialize in neuroscience, so it's hard to say if any of this is even plausible… But assuming we did lose years worth of memories, then that could be a moot point. 'Cuz such technology could just have developed in the meantime and we wouldn't even know it.
Keebo: That's a fair point, unfortunately.
Toko: Sh-Shouldn't you be the one that's aware of any c-cutting age experimental technologies anyways, Idabashi?
Keebo: The Idabashi conglomerate does have its hands on many different technologies, but I'm not aware of anything like that, I'm afraid. Even with the confidential projects that I'm not supposed to talk about…
Korekiyo: Is that so? Unfortunately, we can only take your word for it.
Keebo: I-I assure you, I wouldn't lie about something like that!
Korekiyo: So you say. But let's think about things a little more. All of this, this island, these robots, a considerable amount of resources had to be poured into it, correct? Isn't it logical to assume that some powerful organization is behind it, like say, the Idabashi Conglomerate?
Keebo: Huh? Why you little… I'll see you in court!
Mukuro: That's enough. We won't get anywhere by pointing fingers. If we want to figure out what's going on, we'll need to work together.
Korekiyo: Kehehe… My apologies.
Keebo: S-Sorry about that as well. I let my temper get the better of me. I don't actually sue anyone that offends me, just so you all know…
Sonia: Well, for our next order of business, I believe I have a question as well. Where are we? I've traveled a lot in the past, and yet I do not recognize this place.
Korekiyo: And I as well. I cannot imagine ever forgetting a place of such beauty…
Kazuichi: Yeah, that's a pretty good point, Miss Sonia! Oh and you too, Kiyo…
Ryoma: The plants here make me think we're somewhere in the Pacific Ocean… Beyond that, can't say. I might be able to say more based on the fauna, but I couldn't find any animals other than the ones at the ranch… Which is its own can of worms.
Mikan: Oh, th-that's a good point. I didn't even notice the lack of animals…
Hifumi: So no one has any idea where we are, then… I've got it! We simply have to determine our geographical position like the sailors of old!
Tsumugi: I don't think it's that simple, Hifumi. Determining latitude should be possible, but without a GPS or some clock that was calibrated to another timezone, it's pretty much impossible to find our longitude.
Ibuki: Wait, isn't Toko exactly what we need then? Robots are basically walking computers, and computers are basically fancy clocks, so…
Toko: I d-do have an internal clock, but it's been set to the local time already…
Ibuki: Bluh bluh bluh bluh… And Ibuki felt so smart for coming up with that one!
Junko: So we really have no idea then… How sad…
Mukuro: Mmh… I just thought of another thing. This island, it has to be privately owned or deserted, right? Because even with the resources of our captors, it seems much more feasible for them to build a few structures on an unpopulated island than to depopulate it without leaving any trace.
That was a good point. It was one thing for some asshole billionaire with a murder fetish to kidnap a bunch of teenagers and send them to your own private island in secret… but it was another for them to do the same thing in an inhabited place while also removing everyone that lived there. Even if the mastermind behind our situation was a rich and powerful secret organization, there was zero way they could pull this off without various governments becoming aware of it. That was just an international incident waiting to happen. Well, I hoped, anyway.
Keebo: Yes, that does seem more likely.
For a minute, no one said anything, all of us deep in thoughts (except probably Hiro, who was just groaning on his chair). It was true that knowing our exact location was interesting, and would be very important to know in case of an escape attempt, but the truth was that there was one more topic to cover, one that we had danced around and didn't want to bring up. Considering my unique circumstances compared to the others here, I was less psychologically affected, and for their own sake, I decided to take the plunge.
Mikan: Um. Sorry for b-bringing it up, and I know this m-might be a difficult subject, but… We also have to talk about why we're here.
Izuru: And here I was thinking none of you would be brave enough to bring it up. I didn't expect you of all people to be the one to do it, however. How very interesting.
Mikan: Um… thank you?
Kazuichi: W-Well, what is there to even talk about? This Usami is just a psycho that wants to torment us, that's all there is to it!
Mikan: I-It's not just that, Kazuichi… Remember the part about us being punished for supposedly horrible crimes?
Kazuichi: Well…
Gonta: Gonta does not believe it!
Sonia: I agree! The thought of all of you, all of us, deserving to be here… It simply "does not compute"!
Ryoma: It is a bit far-fetched, yeah. It'd be one thing if it was just me she was referring to, but all of us conveniently committing some horrible crime after entering Hope's Peak? Yeah…
Yasuhiro: 'Ve never committed a crime in m' life…
Tsumugi: But once again, we can't completely dismiss it either. 'Cuz if we assume the memory erasure is true… Anything could have happened in that period of time.
Kazuichi: Dammit…
Mikan: And… th-there's also the part where Usami wants us to murder each other…
Korekiyo: It bears repeating, but I still believe this whole "commit murder to escape" deal to be nonsensical, assuming Usami was telling the truth about punishing and rehabilitating us.
Ibuki: Well, luckily for us, Ibuki has the perfect solution for that!
Keebo: And that would be?
Ibuki: We're gonna throw a paaaaaaaartaaaaaaaaay!
Mukuro: A… party?
Ibuki: Yep, it's simple! If we party hard together, then we become best buds together. Then, no matter how much we want to escape, no one's gonna resort to murder! HAH! Sometimes my own genius frightens me…
Toko: Were… were you dropped on your head as a child?
Ibuki: Your words cut deep, Tokoko!
Gonta: Actually, Gonta believes this is a great idea! Cohesion between team members is one of the greatest keys to success!
A party? I'd never been to a party before. Well, technically, I had, but only as part of a job. It was more accurate to say I'd never been invited to a party. The idea scared me a little… but I'll admit, I was a bit intrigued.
Ryoma: Hmm. I ain't against the idea, but do you have any more details than that? Where would we even hold a party?
Ibuki: Well, I was thinking we could hold it tomorrow night. Gives us plenty of time to set everything up! As for the location… how about Rocketpunch Market?
Mikan: T-The supermarket?
Ibuki: Yeah! It's a bit weird, but Ibuki's always wanted to party in a supermarket! Plus, it'd give us easy access to some booze, eh Hiro?
Yasuhiro: Huh?
Kazuichi: I'm not too big on the booze part… but alright! A party sounds fun! I'll have to prepare enough food for all of us!
Keebo: It's a bit unconventional, but I believe a party might exactly be the thing we need in this current situation. Good idea, Ibuki!
Hifumi: Oh, I might put my skills to good use as well! Creating full-on costumes for everyone here would take too long even for an individual of my talent, but creating masks for everyone is definitely possible! Gweheheh…
Sonia: Splendid idea, Hihumi! Oh, I've always dreamed of taking part of a masquerade!
Toko: Whatever… It's not l-like I'll be able to eat or drink anything, but I guess just going to your stupid party wouldn't hurt…
Ibuki's idea had lifted the mood considerably, and a few people started excitedly chatting about how they could help with the set-up. Ibuki herself was smugly posing, her nose appearing longer than usual. Again. Seriously, how was she doing that?
I wanted to keep the use of my "talent" to a minimum here to not appear suspicious, but I got caught up in the enthusiasm and started wondering how I could put my chemistry skills to good use. Could I maybe collaborate with Kiyo to make some cool glow in the dark decorations? But of course, before too long, HE had to open his mouth.
Izuru: Tch, pathetic.
Ibuki: Huh?
Izuru: Did you all forget the situation we are in? Did you not witness one of us quite literally getting shot yesterday? This "party" of yours is just a blatant distraction for your current reality.
Junko: Oh, is that so? And what's wrong with that?
Izuru: Mmh?
Junko: I said… WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THAT, ULTIMATE KILLJOY? I bet you're fun at parties, huh?
Izuru: I won't be at your party even if I wanted to. If I had any say in it, Hajime wouldn't even go there.
Kazuichi: I don't have an alternate personality so I can't comment too much, but isn't this a little… controlling?
Izuru: Controlling? No, I simply want to protect him.
Keebo: P-Protecting him from what?
Izuru: Isn't it obvious? There is such a thing as a stupid question, you know.
Keebo: Why you little…
Tsumugi: Everyone, please calm down. Izuru isn't saying it in the nicest way, but he's not completely wrong, you know?
Tsumugi: I'm also looking forward to the party, but that doesn't mean you should completely relax either. 'Cuz, this is a game. A killing game, but a game nonetheless. As long as a victory condition exists, can you really claim no one is going to be tempted by it? Not to mention that there's no grace or saving mechanic. One wrong move, and you might be defeated. Permanently.
"Defeated" was an odd euphemism for "murdered", but Tsumugi was right, and our tempers calmed down. I still thought Izuru was a jerk though. I was glad Hajime would be the one at the party and not him.
Ibuki: So huh, with that whole thing out of the way, can I assume all of us are going to attend?
Usami: Wait, but what about me? You'd throw a party without inviting your beloved teacher? I'm so sad…
Huh? One moment, Usami hadn't been in the room. The next, she'd appeared, standing on top of the central table. It took all of our brains a moment to process her sudden presence. And when we did…
Kazuichi: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Gonta: Everyone stand back! Gonta will not let you hurt anyone else!
Toko: D-Don't do anything stupid! You remember what happened to Yumeno last night, right?
Usami: And here I just wanted to check on how my beloved students were doing… Boo hoo hoo, I have no friends…
Junko: What is your business with us, vile hare?
Usami: Well, I know it's not even been a day… but come on, why haven't you murdered each other already?
Ryoma: Seriously?
Usami: You guys are already so chummy with each other. Well, except for Mister Sourpuss over here… It sickens me.
Izuru: …
Usami: So, that's why I'm gonna grease the wheels a little… We're having a mandatory class meeting at the central island! And since I'm such a nice teacher, I'll even let you finish breakfast before! Wouldn't want all that good food to go to waste, heh Sharky?
Kazuichi: Sh-Shut up! Don't talk to me!
Usami: Ouch! My poor heart is in pieces! But whatever. Oh, and don't keep me waiting for too long either. Or I might start feeling punitive . Oh, and Himiko's excused for now. Bet you wish you'd got shot instead of her, huh? Hihihi, see you there! Love! Love!
And just like that, she was gone. Whatever little good mood had been left after Izuru's rant had completely shattered.
Keebo: W-Well, let's not test her patience. Let's quickly finish eating and go.
Nobody argued.
We soon arrived at the central island, Usami already waiting for us there. Compared to yesterday's uncertain tension, there was a much more tangible aura of nervousness now. After all, we'd all seen someone get shot by a giant robot, so we knew Usami wasn't afraid to act upon her threats and hurt us. Speaking of the Usabeasts, they now guarded the bridges leading to the other islands.
Usami: There you all are! *Sigh*. I swear, kids these days have no sense of punctuality.
Korekiyo: You were the one who said we could finish eating..
Usami: Oh, I guess that's right. Still, it's a good thing to always arrive on time, you know? I AM supposed to rehabilitate you…
Mukuro: Just get to the point already, you cretin.
Usami: Oh my, do you really want to talk to your lead teacher like that?
Mukuro: There aren't any rules that say you can punish us for talking rudely.
Usami: That's true, but I can add more rules whenever I want, you know? But it's okay, I understand how you feel. I'm in tune with my adorable students after all! It must eat you up, for someone who's wanted to be strong their entire life, to have so spectacularly failed to protect someone else yesterday. If you want, we can schedule a one on one counseling session where you'll unload all your troubles on me. What are teachers for, after all?
Mukuro: Grr…
Junko: Yo, calm your tits, stinky. She's just trying to get a rise out of you.
Mukuro: … Right. Thank you Junko.
Usami: Not gonna take the bait. Aww… But alright then, time for me to reveal why I called you all here.
Usami: Like I said earlier, I really want you guys to start murdering each other, and seeing you build bonds so quickly is really getting in the way of that!
Sonia: Are you going to cancel the party? Please do not, many of us are looking forward to it very much!
Toko: Don't j-jinx it, you idiot!
Usami: Mmh, that's an idea… But no, I'm not that cruel. Besides, I can find ways to make you murder each other without ruining your social lives…
Usami: So that's why I'm introducing… a motive!
Keebo: A… motive?
Usami: Yes, a motive? What, have you guys never read a detective novel? I mean, our very one Ultimate Writing Prodigy over here has written a few, and quite good ones, or so I hear…
Yasuhiro: Oh yeah! If you guys have a copy, I can give you, uhh, what's the word?
Yasuhiro: …
Yasuhiro: Autographs!
Ibuki: Ibuki's never read one of your books, but she'd like an autograph anyways!
Usami: Ahem. So, what I was about to say before being rudely interrupted by unruly students, is that there are three principal elements to all murders. The "who", the "how", and the "why". Now, the whodunnit and howdunnit, well, these things are only set in stone at the moment of the murder.
Usami: But the whydunnit… that one's usually determined before! So, you guys don't even need a reason to find a reason to murder when I can give one for you.
Tsumugi: Umm, I'm plainly confused. Isn't getting to escape from this island already the motive?
Usami: Well, yes, but no reason for it to be just that. So, I'm giving you another one. I call it… the Missing Memories Motive!
Missing memories? I had a bad feeling about this.
Usami: You guys were probably pretty shocked when I told you you were missing years of your life yesterday. "Is that really true?" "How is that even possible?" "What happened to my friends and family during that time?" "Is the reason we're here hidden in those memories?" I bet you're all thinking questions like that in those little brains of yours, huh?
Usami: Well, wonder no more! If you murder someone, then I'll restore your memories! You won't even have to fulfill rule 6! Kill, and as soon as it won't blow your cover, I'll show up and give them back to you! How's that for a deal?
Gonta: That's… We will not fall for that! Gonta and everyone here, we're stronger than that!
Usami: Aww man, really? But you know, I kinda expected a reaction like that… So, I'll sweeten the pot even more! For this murder only, I'm offering a second motive! I call it… the buddy system!
Usami: How does it work? It's simple. If you kill, and are not discovered, thus fulfilling rule 6… you'll be allowed to leave the island with another person of your choice, no strings attached! Hihihi, I'm sure a few of you already have someone in mind… Well that's all for now. See you soon! Love! Love!
And then she was gone.
The missing memories were one thing, but this "buddy system"... I didn't want to cast judgment preemptively, but… Well, there were two people here that immediately came to mind.
Junko: Oh, why are you guys all looking at me? I know I'm cute, but… Wait, seriously?
Mukuro: I would hope that just because we're sisters, you don't immediately start suspecting us. We are not killing anyone.
Junko: Yeah, come the fuck on. This is so fucking obviously a ploy by the stupid fucking rabbit to make you turn on us! If you actually fall for it, then you losers are dumber than I thought.
Izuru: It's only natural. As it stands, you two have the most to gain from this motive. Don't take it personally.
Junko: Well, maybe some of you guys do know each other. What if one of you is secretly the bodyguard of the other or something, and you're simply pretending to be strangers? Wouldn't that be a twist…
Hifumi: Well, the example you gave may be a bit far fetched, Miss Enoshima, but I agree with your overall point! Mister Idabashi, were you not already acquainted with our esteemed robot girl?
Toko: I have a name, you c-creep…
Keebo: Not exactly. I knew of her even while her existence was kept a secret, but I've never actually met her until yesterday.
Toko: Y-Yeah, I never met Idabashi in my life.
Keebo: Though, to be as transparent as possible, I guess I should disclose that my aunt once hired Kazuichi as a servant for a few months. I saw him a few times at family dinners, but I never actually had a conversation with him, nor did we form any kind of relationship.
Kazuichi: Oh yeah, I remember now! Heh, to be honest, I didn't even realize you were that same kid up until now. You had a hell of a growth spurt, dude!
Keebo: … Thanks?
Tsumugi: If we're doing this, then I suppose I should say that I once met Yasuhiro at a book signing event. Though I doubt that he remembered a plain girl like me…
Yasuhiro: Huh, neat. I don't r'ember you, but that might be just 'cause of the booze…
Gonta: And Gonta saw matches from Mukuro and Himiko, but Gonta was just in the crowd, so Gonta never actually talked to them.
Izuru: Anyone else?
Nobody spoke. In the end, even though a few of us had met each other before, the only two with any real relationship remained Mukuro and Junko. Well, assuming that nobody was lying, at least. I didn't want to doubt Junko and Mukuro. I had so much fun spending time with them yesterday, and thinking about it, it seemed pretty likely that this was all a ploy by Usami to spread doubt among us. Still, it was undeniable that with the information we currently had, these two had the greatest incentive to commit a murder.
Mukuro: *Sigh*. So, in the end, it's still just us two.
Mikan: P-Please forgive us! It's just that with the motive…
Junko: You losers do realize that if a murder does happen, we'll be the prime suspects, right? Even if we were planning something like this, which we aren't , we wouldn't be after this, because it would just put a huge fucking target on our backs!
Korekiyo: Or so you claim. You could just be trying to use reverse psychology on us.
Junko: Ugh, can you not be so fucking skeptical, Leonardo da Creepy? Once again, some of you could be fucking lying about not knowing anyone here. Do you really want to fall to the machinations of that vile rabbit? Peasants, the lot of you!
Sonia: Please do not fight! Junko is right. If we start suspecting each other, then Usami wins. We should be cooperating to find an escape, not fighting each other!
Keebo: Yes, I agree. Listen, everyone, how about we cool our heads and explore this archipelago more thoroughly? We already did yesterday, but it might be worth doing so again to see if we missed anything that could help us escape.
Ryoma: Yeah, that doesn't seem like a bad idea.
Keebo: Then, we could reconvene at lunchtime to share any information we might have learned, and then make further plans for the party. Does that sound acceptable for everyone?
There were nods and murmurs of assent from the whole group. Even Izuru gave a nod of approval, which surprised me. Though, thinking on it, despite his cynical attitude, he did seem pretty smart, so I guess even he must have understood the value of cooperation.
Escaping the island… Right now, that seemed like a tall order. I doubt Usami would have left anything too obvious just lying around for us to find. Ibuki had talked briefly about her plan to make boats, but if we didn't know where we were, that didn't do us much good. If we were just going to starve in the middle of the ocean, we might as well just stay here for now.
But… did I really want to escape? If I ignored Usami and that whole killing game situation, this was actually pretty nice. I'd never made so many friends in my life, and the island was genuinely beautiful. As long as I stayed here, I could pretend. Pretend that I was just a normal girl that happened to be good at chemistry, and that my life in the outside world was just a distant dream. Did someone like me really deserve that? I had the feeling that if I dwelled on it too long, current reality would pop like a soap bubble, and my past would catch up to me like one fell swoop.
So, I ignored my doubts, and just nodded along with all the others. I was just Mikan Tsumiki, the Ultimate Chemist, and right now, I was going to explore and try to find any useful information. And maybe… I could even do it while spending time with someone else. Heh heh… that could be fun.