Hello readers and welcome to my new chapter. So, apologies if I took a bit with this chapter. Had a cold that was kicking my butt for around a week. Didn't have much energy to do much of anything during that time-span. Had another sore throat for another week. So… yeah, fun times.
But I'm here now. With a new chapter for the new year. Here, the class will be starting the final chapter. We're at the beginning of the end, folks. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa.
Chapter 108: Watching Chapter 6: Ultimate Pain, Ultimate Suffering, Ultimate Despair, Ultimate Execution, Ultimate Death
By the time he was finished venting, Makoto ended up crying himself to sleep. When he woke up, it was morning and Kyoko was absent from the room.
The lucky student, honestly, didn't feel a hundred percent better. He still felt morose over all that had happened, the actions his classmates and friends took against him or each other. But he felt… lighter. Better than he did yesterday.
So with that lighter heart, Makoto headed downstairs to the living room, looking better than he did yesterday. However, just as he got to the floor of the living room, he was met with a body colliding and latching onto him.
"Wh-Wha-?!" For a moment, the lucky student felt startled. But he quickly realized who was hugging him. "Hina?"
"I'm sorry!" Was the first thing that came out of the girl's mouth. Her grip on him grew tight as she continued, eyes shut in guilt. "I'm sorry for what future me did! She was stupid, she was cowardly, I… I…!"
"Hina, please! Breathe!" Makoto urged the girl, more concerned for the girl herself over her apology; along with the tight grip she had around him.
Fortunately, the swimmer heard him and did her best to calm herself down; taking deep (Yet still somewhat fast) breaths.
"I'm sorry too…!" Hiro spoke up, causing Makoto to look in his direction. The fortune teller was yet again performing a dogeza bow, facing in the direction of the lucky student. "It really screwed up what happened in the last trial! That my future self and the others voted for you! I really wish we could've found another way, I really do…!"
"I-I don't blame you if y-you think any l-less of us…" Toko was next to offer her own apologies, the writer curled up in her seat. "If y-you're angry with us… a-and I'm sorry too. For acting so… p-pathetic…"
Around half of those who were present in the living room turned towards Byakuya, half-expecting him to offer his own apology. The heir merely raised an eyebrow in response, as if to silently say, 'You expect to grovel like those plebeians are doing?'
"Guys, I…" Taking a deep breath himself, Makoto took a moment to formulate his thoughts and words. "I won't lie… seeing you guys vote for me hurts. It hurted a lot."
That got a flinch from Hina, Hiro, and Toko. And unfortunately, Makoto wasn't done. "It just… I trust you guys a lot. Believe in all of you. And I still do. Yet when it came down to it, when our future selves were forced to vote… you chose me? I know that we didn't have a lot of options, I KNOW that… still…"
"...They were puppets to the mastermind's game." Byakuya spoke in acknowledgement, arms crossed and head faced away from anyone. "Ever since the start of the investigations, perhaps even the dismantling of Monokuma, we have been playing to their tune. Could we have figured out anything sooner? I don't know. But it doesn't change that we were puppets."
Again, more flinches came about, this time from more of the class. More than a few couldn't help but think of moments where they were playing to the mastermind's tune, continuing the killing game until there were only six of them left…
Makoto spoke up once again, gaining his classmates' attention. "Despite that… despite whatever I may feel… I won't let what happened affect my friendship with everyone." He declared strongly, giving his classmates a resolute gaze and giving the girl in his arms a reassuring squeeze. "This is the future. None of this has happened yet. We all have a chance to change before we can ever cross each other."
The memories of his classmates' actions, the betrayal he felt or is feeling, his own guilt even… all of it still swirled around his heart. The luckster doubted it'll all go away anytime soon.
But he refused to let those feelings, those memories, eat him alive. Kept them from being in the forefront, ruling over him. Cause while it hurts to think that his classmates were capable of doing all the things they've watched… he still wanted to believe in them all. Believe in their better nature. The hope that's in everyone.
"...You really are strong, Makoto." Sakura declared with admiration, giving the luckster an approving gaze. "Very few would be willing to maintain the bonds that have the clear potential to break. So do not ever doubt that strength."
"Yeah. I think so too, Makoto!" Chihiro nodded his head rapidly to Sakura's words, beaming. "You are strong. Strong enough to believe in anyone… to still cherish our friendships, even with what we've seen… no one who's weak can do that!"
"I'm truly honored to have you as our class representative…!" Taka then spoke up, looking practically in tears. "You clearly are the most exceptional Ultimate among us! Your intelligence, your strong-will, the sheer amount of faith and optimism… very few can match it all!"
No one in the class could find it in them to disagree with the three. Yet again, they were met with the walking mass of optimism, faith, and forgiveness that was Makoto Naegi. And they all couldn't help but be stunned by it. Reel back from it even.
Yet at the same time… they were relieved to see that this viewing didn't affect their luckster too much. That their own actions didn't change him for the worse. And it seems as though that the melancholy aura around Makoto faded. Some were still worried, but for now, they let themselves feel relief.
"Y-You don't have to praise me like that, you know…" Makoto protested, blushing from the praise from Sakura, Taka, and Chihiro. Really, he was just forgiving everyone, if you could even call it forgiveness.
His eyes then caught Sayaka, who was approaching him and Hina. "Sayaka…?"
Before he could ask or guess what she was gonna, the idol shuffled into the hug between him and Hina, wrapping her own arms around him. That was enough to increase his blush, the luckster turning beet red.
"I know you forgave me before, but… I'm sorry too." Sayaka whispered to his ears. "This might not be much, or even enough, but… just know that we care about you. We really do. None of us here… we're not trying to take your friendship for granted. I hope you know that."
'And if you don't… then I'll do all that I can to show you.' The idol vowed to herself. Once this is finished, once they head back to Hope's Peak… she's gonna dedicate a good portion of her time to shower as much affection to the luckster as possible. She's gonna make sure her luckster doesn't ever feel unappreciated.
"..." All Makoto could do was return the hug. He couldn't say that he did know that, at least not fully. But he did hope that classmates valued the friendship with him as much as he did them, to some extent at least.
Moments like these answered that hope; and put his worries to rest.
"Are you ready, Makoto?" Kyoko, who has been silent up till now, made her presence known; gaining the attention of the luckster, Hina, and Sayaka. "Ready to finish this?"
The two girls that were latched onto Makoto ended their hug, with Hina giving a rather awkward look while Sayaka gave a more neutral gaze. The lucky student, however, looked down in contemplation.
Was he ready? Ready for the next chapter of their future? There wasn't a choice, he knew that much. They have to watch this, or this'll be their future, regardless. But as for whether he was actually ready for it or not…
He looked up to Kyoko with the most determined gaze he could muster. "Yes." He nodded in further affirmation. "I'm ready."
That earned a smile from the detective, with Kyoko offering a hand. Smiling in return, Maoto took the offered hand.
It was a scene that Sayaka gazed at neutrally. 'So the two of them made up…'
She was still upset with Kyoko for what they witnessed; for how she treated their luckster since the third chapter. But… she was glad that they were able to make amends. And hopes that whatever they said to each other, helped both of them in some way.
Soon, the class took their seats, all of them looking determined to see the next chapter through. Even the likes of Chihiro and Toko steeled themselves best they could, keeping their individual anxiety from taking center stage.
And yes, that included Junko. However, the future mastermind laid her determination elsewhere, her eyes narrowed at the currently black screen. 'This'll be the last chapter…' She mused to herself. 'And this is where the survivors will end up confronting I, the Ultimate Despair.'
Let's see what it'll result in. What the remaining class was made of in the future. What the lucky student is made of.
As the group settled into their seats, the gazes of Kyoko and Byakuya met one another. They narrowed their eyes at each other, recalling what they had discussed last night.
(Flashback)
"I assume you're done reconciling with Makoto…?"
As soon as Kyoko closed the door to Makoto's room, she was met face to face with the Togami heir. "Byakuya." The detective addressed curtly. "Do you need something?"
In response, Byakuya jerked his head to the direction of his room. "Not here." He explained verbally. "Don't want unwanted ears hearing our discussion."
With a sigh, Kyoko accepted the answer and followed him to his room. Soon, the two were settled inside, with Byakuya taking his bed while Kyoko opted to remain standing.
"So, what is it you don't want the others to hear?" Kyoko asked, getting straight to the point.
Byakuya paid back the bluntness in kind. "I suspect that you have a guess as to who the mastermind really is?"
Kyoko narrowed her eyes at that. "And why would you assume so?"
"Obviously because I have my own guess." The Togami heir stated, nonplussed. "And you, as the Ultimate Detective, should be able to reach a similar conclusion. Especially after the reveal of Mukuro's allegiance to the mastermind."
Said Ultimate Detective paid little heed to the subtle dig; merely sighed, and conceded to answering. "Yes, I have my hypothesis as to who the mastermind is. But I can't say for a hundred percent certainty whether she's the correct one."
"And why can't you?" Byakuya shot back. "She's the only one not in the killing game, her sister is aligned with the mastermind, there's more than one Ultimate Despair, and Makoto was given a note regarding Mukuro within these very walls…"
"So, tell me, on what basis can we not conclude that Junko Enoshima is the mastermind?"
A tense silence filled the room as the name of their suspect dropped. Byakuya waited patiently for his answer, both his arms and legs crossed; while Kyoko took the time to formulate the most proper response, maintaining a stoic gaze.
"...If you think I'm having doubts based on sentimentality, then put those fears to rest." Kyoko began. "I may value the bonds we formed with our classmates, but I'm not blind to the idea of one or more of them having masks. It's merely the idea of a mere fashionista being capable of not only shaping the killing game we're watching, but also possibly bringing the entire world to ruin. Can you honestly swallow the idea of one, single girl being capable of that much?"
"...Fair enough." The Togami heir conceded. "But who's to say she was alone in that endeavor?"
"Exactly. We don't have all the information to make a clear conclusion." Kyoko argued. "Every mystery, every unanswered question, needs to be answered before reaching an answer. If we don't, we risk making the wrong one."
Now it was Byakuya's turn to let out a sigh. "Fair enough…" Was all he said. "However, as of right now, there's little to disprove Junko's innocence. There's too many coincidences and evidence to ignore her."
"Oh, trust me; my eyes are on her." The detective spoke in agreement, her eyes narrowed. "But until it's a hundred percent confirmed that it's Junko, we need to refrain from doing or saying anything."
However, at this time, any thoughts Kyoko had of Junko's innocence were fading. Too much was adding up to say she's absolved of guilt. She may be a classmate, she may have even seen her as a friend…
But she was the Ultimate Detective. And she will not ignore a possible mastermind sitting among them.
(End Flashback)
Suffice to say, there were at least two students who were suspicious of Junko Enoshima. And eyes will be on the fashionista during the final chapter of their future.
"You might already be aware, but this'll be the final chapter." Spirit announced, holding up the remote once more. "Other than a prologue, this'll be the end of this part of your future. Are you all ready to dive in, and finish it?"
The answers given were instant.
"Hell yeah!"
"Affirmative!"
"We've come this far already…!"
"Yeah! No chickening out now!"
"Just play the damn thing already!"
Hearing the streams of affirmations, Spirit nodded in consent. "Understood." With that, he pressed play. "Let us end this then."
"The Ultimate Despair…" Narrator Makoto spoke. "A group of people who caused the Tragedy one year ago. Those same people put together this killing game and began broadcasting it around the world. The most desperately awful group of people ever… that is the mastermind's true identity. Our enemy has finally been revealed…"
The screen lit up to show Makoto and Kyoko in the garbage pit. "But right now…"
"Right now we have to get out of this horrible place." Kyoko unknowingly finished for the narrator. "Figuring out the rest of the story can come after."
"Yeah, you're right…" Makoto nodded in agreement. "Kyoko, do you still have that one thing? Monokuma's 'secret tool' that you got from the headmaster's room?"
"Of course I do." In response, the detective held up the Monokuma key. "It's an absolutely vital part of ensnaring the mastermind. I would never part with it."
"That's good…" Hina breathed out a sigh of relief. "Imagine if Kyoko decided not to bring it or something. Or if Monokuma managed to get it back somehow."
"Kyoko isn't a dimwit like you…" Byakuya remarked with an eye-roll, ignoring the indignant squawk from the swimmer. "She wouldn't so easily part with a key tool like that."
"And it can open any door in the school, right?"
"That's right." Kyoko nodded.
Makoto then turned his head towards the door above them. "Then we can use that key of yours to open this door, right?"
"Let's find out." With that, the two headed up the stairs and got directly in front of the door. Kyoko then slid the key inside and with it a twist, it clicked open.
"Yes!" Makoto cheered happily. "It opened!"
"And now we can get out of here." Kyoko stated. "Let's go."
"Sounds good."
The screen then turned dark, as Makoto and Kyoko walked out of the pit. "Finally." Narrator Makoto spoke. "We were finally free. But there wasn't even time to take a sigh of relief. Because the real fight had just begun…"
"Indeed." Byakuya nodded in agreement. "Now is far from the time to relax. Once they reach the top, they'll have to immediately confront the mastermind."
Needless to say, the whole class was fairly tense for the confrontation to come. Many of them could only guess as to what the outcome will; but they hoped for it to be a good one.
(Chapter 6 - Ultimate Pain, Ultimate Suffering, Ultimate Despair, Ultimate Execution, Ultimate Death)
"...Way to amp up those bad feelings, title screen." Leon groaned, holding his face in his palm.
"Well, on the bright side… this tells that all six of the survivors will be able to face the mastermind together." Taka said, attempting to be optimistic. "That is something, at least."
"Doesn't mean that the conclusion to that confrontation will be positive…" Celeste retorted, being more pessimistic herself. "Pain, suffering, death… none of those paints a positive conclusion."
"Don't forget despair…" Juno chimed in, careful not to sing that part.
"Yo Hifumi, Toko…" Mondo called out the fanfic creator and writing prodigy. "Any idea about what this title is hinting at?"
The two writers were silent for a moment, both looking in thought. "I wouldn't say the title hints to a bad ending for our remaining future selves…" Hifumi was the first to speak up. "It could be that the likely trial will bring about that for the mastermind themselves."
"Agreed…" Toko nodded her head, in her 'literature mode' once again. "It's very clear that the mastermind has a thing for dramatics. So for this retrial, he'll likely make it to where no matter the results, the execution will be the most fantastical out of them all."
Mukuro had to clench her knees and bite her lips to keep herself from reacting to the idea of Junko's death. There was no doubt that her sister would make her own death fantastical if she had to choose, so she saw little faults in Hifumi and Toko's reasoning.
When the screen lit back up, it showed Makoto and Kyoko climbing up a metal ladder; with Makoto up front while Kyoko was below. "I had no idea we were so far down…" The luckster commented as they climbed.
"That… definitely looks like a far drop." Hina said in agreement, looking plenty worried.
"The garbage pit is that deep…?" Leon remarked in slight surprise. "Not saying I wish they didn't, but how the hell did Makoto and Kyoko survive the drop down?"
"Kyoko likely threw away a bag of garbage and jumped inside immediately after…" Taka theorized. "As for Makoto… well…"
"It's the dude's luck kicking in again." Mondo finished for his friend.
The luckster himself could only sweatdrop at the fact that his luck was the only rational explanation.
"Don't lose your footing. If you slip, I won't be able to catch you…" Kyoko warned.
"Y-Yeah, I'll be careful…"
"Why would you say that?!" Hifumi cried out in horror. "That will only get him thinking about it!"
"Yeah! Saying something like that would make me even more nervous, and more likely to slip!" Hina spoke in anxious agreement.
"Would you rather him slip without me giving him a warning…?" Kyoko said with a slight huff. "He needs to be careful."
"Especially since his luck won't save him if he falls there…" Byakuya remarked dryly.
Some students felt like that could be argued. However, none of them really wanted that tested out, so they remained quiet on it.
'But now that you said that, I'm getting kind of nervous…' Makoto whined to himself.
"..."
'Maybe talking will help keep my mind off of it…'
"Um, so Kyoko… there's something I wanted to ask you." Makoto requested. "You said you're the Ultimate Detective, right? So how long have you been doing detective work?"
"How long…?" Kyoko repeated, looking in thought. "Ever since I can remember."
At this, Kyoko tensed up. It looks as though her backstory is about to be revealed. But again, all she could do was watch and prepare for what's to be revealed. So she remained silent, keeping her gaze steady on the screen.
"I come from a long line of detectives. Detective work is in my blood. There was a time when being a detective was considered a sacred duty. My family's always seen it that way."
"Then… is your family famous?" The luckster asked curiously.
"Quite the opposite, actually." Kyoko answered. "Even among actual detectives, many people haven't heard of us."
"...What, wha?" Hina couldn't help but say dumbly. "But… didn't you say you're from a long line of detectives?"
"And if not that many people heard of you guys, how did you get into Hope's Peak…?" Leon questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Kyoko withheld a sigh. "All of it will likely be explained by my future self, so be patient."
"Huh?" That turned Makoto's curiosity into confusion. "But… how come? It's like your family tradition, right?"
"Because we take pride in it." Was the next answer given.
'Pride…?'
"A detective is neither light nor shadow." The detective explained further. "We represent neither justice nor evil. That is how we can uncover the absolute truth. We stand neutral in all things. And to do that, we have to stand separate from the rest of society. Which is why we've made a conscious effort to conceal our existence."
"A conscious effort…?" Makoto picked up on.
"It's kind of old-fashioned, and I can't say it's entirely rational…" Kyoko admitted. "But it's our family creed, and we do what we must to protect it. Because, like I said, it's our source of pride."
"That's… rather extreme…" Sayaka commented, looking a tad unsettled.
"I'd say that's more than a little…" Junko argued with a raised eyebrow. "Making an active effort to hide from society? I don't think you need to go THAT far."
"As my future self said, it isn't entirely rational." The detective made the same admittance as her counterpart. "But it's difficult to be rid of tradition like that, especially when you hold pride in it."
"Still… to go so far and still hold tightly to such traditions…" Celeste spoke in musing. "I imagine that many in your family would have to be rather extreme or radical to be able to do so for so long."
In the past, Kyoko would've made an argument against that. Say that none of her family were really radical with their traditions. But after the events they've witnessed, and the thoughts that were running through her head, she remained silent.
'Pride…' Makoto mused to himself. 'So that explains…'
A flashback of Makoto looking up the Ultimates was shown. 'Before I came here, when I was looking up info about the school online, I never saw anything about her. Because she hid herself on purpose, to protect the pride of her family…'
The scene then went back to the present as Kyoko spoke up. "And yet…" She said softly. "I… gave up some of that pride."
"Huh…?"
"In order to enter Hope's Peak, I had to reveal myself to the school." Kyoko pointed out. "I did it knowing it was something a true Kirigiri detective would never do."
"Wait… you actively revealed yourself to the public, just to enter Hope's Peak?" Leon summarized in bafflement. "Just so you could see the headmaster?"
"But… you said you didn't see Headmaster Kirigiri as family, right?" Chihiro asked hesitantly. He, along with the others, knew that this was a sensitive topic for the detective. "So, why…?"
This time, it was Makoto speaking. "Like Kyoko, her future self will answer." He assured his classmates. "I doubt future me will just leave that alone; especially since he knows that she wants to see the headmaster."
That got the group to turn their attention to screen, their curiosity and confusion focused on what's coming next.
'But the reason you gave up that pride…' Makoto recalled. 'The reason you would go so far to enter Hope's Peak…'
"It was because that's how much you wanted to reconnect with your dad, right? There's no shame in that." The luckster argued.
The future luckster's words got more than a few snorting. "Oh Makoto; you sweet, naive. summer child…" Junko said, shaking her head in amusement.
"It's definitely not to reconnect…" Mondo spoke dryly.
While most of them don't know much, they all knew that Kyoko had no desire to form any connections with her estranged father. She doesn't speak about it much, but what she does say more than hints to her 'daddy issues'.
"..." For a moment, Kyoko was silent. Then, she said, "Reconnect…? I had absolutely no desire to reconnect with my father."
"Huh…?" Once again, Makoto found himself confused. "B-But… you'd be reuniting after all those years, right? You would've had so much to talk about…"
"There's nothing I want to talk to my father about." Kyoko spoke coldly. "There is something I want to say to him, though."
"What…?" Makoto inquired hesitantly.
"No matter what it takes, I have to find him and tell him, face to face…"
"Wh-What is it…?"
"I want to sever all ties with him." Kyoko revealed.
"..."
In all honesty, this shouldn't be surprising as it was for many of the students. As stated before, Kyoko made no secret how she felt about her father. Still…
"You went out of your way to get into Hope's Peak… just so you can verbally sever ties with the headmaster?" Taka spoke with slight disbelief.
"And giving up some of that pride your family holds onto or something to do that…" Mondo added, sounding just as surprised.
"Kyoko…" Hina couldn't help but look at her detective friend in concern. "Do you really hate your father that much…?"
The detective closed her eyes. "Hate? …No. I don't feel that strongly enough to hate him." She confessed softly. "It's just… something I felt like I had to do."
More than a few pairs of eyes stared at Kyoko in concern. However, knowing that they had a better chance of getting answers from the viewing, they turned their attention to the screen once again.
Makoto's eyes widened at this. 'Sever…?'
"The last time I saw him… I was still very young." Kyoko further revealed. "So I don't remember myself, but apparently he was extremely intelligent. He was in line to become the next head of the Kirigiri family. He was talented, he had a promising future."
"But he had no interest in detective work. So he cut himself off from the family. Not long after that, my mother died, and he simply… ran away. He went to my grandfather, and they had a huge argument. And young as I was… he left me behind."
Hina's eyes widened. "Seriously…?" She stated, mouth agape. "Headmaster Kirigiri did that?"
"Ok, that was an asshole move…" Leon said with furrowed eyebrows. "Not wanting to do the family career? Sure, I get that. But leaving your daughter like that? I mean…"
"What happened during that argument that caused him to leave you…?" Sayaka questioned.
"...I'm not sure. As I've said, I was very young when it happened." Kyoko admitted. "And my grandfather never said anything about it. If I inquired about it, all he did was evade the question and had me focus on my studies."
"That's… kinda sketch…" Mondo couldn't help but say with a frown.
'I agree…' Makoto thought to himself. While he likes to think the best of others, hence why he didn't immediately condemn Headmaster Kirigiri for what he did, he can't help but feel Kyoko's grandfather's actions are at least a tad sketchy. Especially knowing how… devoted Kyoko and her family are to the detective tradition.
However, he never said anything about it, knowing that it was a sensitive topic and that he didn't know much. He couldn't really make any judgement without getting the full picture, or maybe meeting the man himself.
"I-I'm sure there was a reason for that." Makoto spoke in defense for the headmaster. "I'm sure your dad wanted to take you with him."
"If that's true, then I need to thank him." Was the detective's response.
And once again, Kyoko's words caught the group off guard.
"Wha…?"
"Thank him?"
"Are you serious…?"
"Thank him for leaving me…"
"...And you say you don't have daddy issues?" Leon deadpanned.
In response, Kyoko huffed and glared at him. "Wanting nothing to do with your blood family does not equate to any sort of issues."
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kyoko…" The baseball star said dryly, not buying it one bit.
"Because unlike him, I take pride in the work I do. I take pride in my family name. So every last part of me is happy he didn't take me with him. If I'd gone with him, I never would have had the chance to become a detective."
"I was above Kyoko on the ladder, so I wasn't able to see her expression." Narrator Makoto spoke. "So I couldn't tell. I couldn't see how she looked when she said that, what she might have been feeling. All I could tell was that compared to her usual self… she was more talkative. And more emotional."
That had the Togami heir raising an eyebrow. "For once, I agree with the red-headed fool…" Byakuya remarked, ignoring the casual middle finger aimed at him from said fool. "For someone who is happy to grow up to be a detective, you're showing more heat than usual."
Now the detective's glare was aimed at Byakuya. "And I suppose you know my exact feelings about my father?"
"I know that the connection between you and him is more than non-existent." The heir shot back. "That you feel more about him than you let on; both you and your future self."
The two intelligent students stared each other down, neither one backing down from the other. Eventually, they both turned away from one another, Kyoko looking a tad annoyed while Byakuya was as nonchalant as usual.
"I don't blame him, you know. He had his own life to live." Kyoko spoke. "That's what anyone in my position might say, right? But it's not true. But there's one thing… one thing I can never forgive."
"Really…?" Makoto asked hesitantly.
"The way everyone looked at me." The detective revealed. "I was never sad about being left behind. Like I said, I think it was a good thing. But when the rest of my family looked at me, they saw something different. They only saw me as the little girl that was abandoned by her father. That's how they see me even to this day."
"His shadow has been following me my entire life. I'm sick of it." A hint of bitterness leaked out of Kyoko's voice. "I need him out of my life. I need to step out of his shadow. That's why I have to find him, and tell him we're no longer family. In order to settle the past… in order to remove him from my life forever… I have no doubt he forgot about me years ago."
"...Yeah, I'm also gonna agree and say that's some pretty deep daddy issues…" Junko remarked, knowingly and purposefully irking the detective further. "And I don't think it'll work like that."
"That kind of shadow will always remain; especially if you had no intention of reconnecting with Headmaster Kirigiri." Celeste spoke in agreement. "Seeking him out, meeting him face to face in order to verbally sever ties, that's merely personal gratification. It'll do nothing to smother the looks; the whispers."
Kyoko clenched her glove-covered fist, keeping from reacting or lashing out. She shouldn't let their words affect her so much. Shouldn't let them get to her. Her thoughts were enough of a mess as it is; she doesn't need to let the others hinder them.
"B-But… your family." Makoto protested weakly. "To just cut him out like that…"
"Our connection is through blood, nothing more." Kyoko replied coldly. "Are we connected by heart and soul? No. Is blood really enough to call someone family?"
'Only connected by blood, not by heart or soul…' Makoto repeated to himself, feeling slightly stunned.
"I was so shocked to hear her say something like that. I didn't know how to respond." Narrator Makoto spoke. "So instead… I said nothing."
"It's… probably good that he didn't…" Sayaka said with a sigh. "It's clearly a sensitive topic. One that shouldn't be probed on."
"Yo, Makoto…" Leon turned his attention to the present luckster. "I'm guessing you already knew about all this?"
Makoto nodded. "Kyoko told me some time ago."
"And how do you feel about the family drama?"
"I… it's hard for me to say what I feel…" Makoto spoke hesitantly, glancing at the agitated detective. In an effort to calm her down, he placed a hand over one of her clenched ones. For a moment, the detective tense, before relaxing and opening up that clenched hand. "We don't have the full story, after all…"
"I just kept climbing the ladder in complete silence. And after I don't know how long… we finally reached the top."
"Look like this is it." Makoto spoke, looking at the hatch above them.
"On the other side of this door… Hope's Peak is waiting for us." Kyoko agreed.
That got everyone's attention back to the events at hand. "They're finally getting out of the pit…!" Hina spoke, eagerness rising in her tone.
"And soon, they'll be confronting Monokuma…" Sakura said right after, more tense herself.
"We're… back." Was all the luckster could say, relief in his words.
"Remember that hatch on the ground near the trash room?" Kyoko spoke in recollection. "I'm fairly certain that's where we'll come out. I unlocked it earlier, so it should open without much trouble."
"Well, here goes nothin'..." With that, Makoto reached out and pushed against the hatch. Once it was fully opened, the luckster and the detective climbed out of the pit, and into the room. "Looks like we're back…"
"But I can't believe how long that ladder was. I'm exhausted…" Kyoko huffed in said exhaustion.
"I'm glad neither of you fell during that climb…" Chihiro sighed in relief.
"I-Imagine how a-anti-climatic that would be. Surviving a-an execution, lasting in that pit, o-only for it to end b-by slipping…" Toko remarked.
"I would honestly throw a fit if that was the ending…" Leon deadpanned.
'So would I…' Sayaka, Hina, Mukuro, Celeste, and even Kyoko thought to themselves. For Makoto to survive all that he did, only for his luck to fail him like that? That would definitely be feeling a certain way.
'I can't exactly say we're safe and sound, but… at least we're out of there.' Makoto thought to himself. 'Now we're back in Hope's Peak Academy…'
"Kyoko… thank you." The luckster then spoke sincerely. "I never would've gotten out of there without you."
"No thanks necessary. I was just returning the favor." Kyoko waved off.
"And I'd say that it's one returned in full." Leon remarked.
"Not yet, it isn't." Sayaka denied, facing Kyoko, with the detective responding in kind. "After all… she has to make sure Monokuma doesn't try again."
For a moment, the idol and the detective stared each other down, before Kyoko turned her attention back to the screen. "I'm certain my future self can stop the mastermind cold." She stated confidently. "As she said… now they are the ones ensnared."
Sayaka turned back to the TV herself in response. "Let's see. I hope you are right."
"Um… anyone sensing some tension here?" Hiro asked quietly, looking at the two girls uneasily. "Cause it's looking like there's some."
"No shit." Was Mondo's sarcastic response, also looking wary.
"I guess with all that has happened, tension is bound to remain at certain points…" Taka said nervously. "Let just hope it doesn't turn into something hostile."
"So… now what do we do?" Makoto then asked. "I'm glad I didn't die, of course, but if the mastermind finds out… and I'm worried about you, too. You helped me, so they might…"
"You're worried?" Kyoko inquired.
"Y-Yeah, of course."
"Then let's just get a concrete answer." Was the detective's response.
Her response, of course, got the luckster confused. "Huh…?"
"Let's ask Monokuma if there's a problem with you escaping."
"...If we didn't talk about your plan beforehand, I would've called that batshit insane, Kyoko." Leon stated, shaking his head. "Hell, I still think that spine of yours got laced with something extra."
"I don't know if I could do the same thing you're doing…" Hina said in agreement, shuddering.
"W-Wait, that's-!" Makoto exclaimed in panicked protest.
"If we try to hide, it's only a matter of time till we're found out." Kyoko pointed out. "And it's not like we can run away." She then pointed at a nearby surveillance camera.
"She has a point…" Celeste nodded her head in acceptance. "Hiding is pointless. Running is not optional. The only thing they can do is confront our potential warden face to face."
"Maybe… still doesn't make Kyoko's plan sound any less suicidal…" Mondo remarked.
"As I said before, it's a gamble." The gamble nodded in agreement. "But these ones have good odds. So it's better to confront the mastermind with their own rules, rather than attempt to evade them in their own territory."
"So you're saying rather than stressing out over getting caught, we should just give up now?" Makoto deduced a tad grimly.
"Don't worry. What you think is going to happen, isn't." Kyoko assured the luckster. "Because the mastermind is the one that's ensnared."
'The mastermind is ensnared…' Makoto repeated to himself, his eyebrows furrowed. "You said something like that before. What does it mean…?"
"The mastermind stood exposed during the investigation into Mukuro's death." Kyoko began explaining. "There was a moment where the mastermind let their guard down."
"There was…?"
"There was…?" Hina repeated in confusion. "What moment was that?"
"I'm wondering the same myself…." Taka admitted.
"Me three…" Hiro raised a hand eyebrow.
"I'm pretty sure at least half of us are racking our heads about this…" With that statement, Leon turned to Kyoko. "Any idea what future you is talking about?"
"...I have a few ideas." Was the detective's answer. "Let's just continue to watch, and see if that moment is shown to us."
"If we can talk to Monokuma, we can confirm it." Kyoko stated. "And it'll be better for us if we go to him directly before he tracks us down. That should help with our negotiations…"
'...' Despite her words, Makoto still looked a bit unsettled. 'I'm still a little - no, super uneasy about this.'
"But… we don't really have a choice, do we?" The luckster said in resignation.
Rather than answering, Kyoko started walking to the exit. "Monokuma should be in the gym. Let's get going."
Despite whatever confidence the class had beforehand, many of them started to feel their nerves being racked. With Makoto and Kyoko back in Hope's Peak, now they have to directly confront Monokuma. It either ends with another retrial for Mukuro, or…
They'll end up seeing another execution.
The group as a whole were fairly confident that the latter wouldn't happen. That Kyoko will be able to pull off this gamble. Still… several of the students couldn't help but feel anxious.
And that's the end. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. And would you look at that? I managed to update the day I published the first chapter for this fic! Great timing on my end! Kinda poetic as well, considering this is the first part of the reactions to the final chapter for Danganronpa. Let's see if I can finish this before the year ends. Next up, the group will watch as Kyoko and Makoto confront Monokuma. Review, favorite, and follow and I will see you later.