Chapter 2: Tightrope of Tension, Big top of Despair

Daily Life

Ding Dong, Bing Bong!

"Ahem! New Hopes Peak Academy announcement! It is now 8 am! Time to get up! Have a splendid day!" Monokuma's morning announcement blared as it always did. Sakura slowly gets up

'I should get to the gym for morning roll call' She thinks to herself as she heads out of her cottage. As she left she ran into Hiroto. "Hiroto? Surprised your not already at the gym."

"Ugh..." He rubs his eyes and yawns "Hibiki kept me up all night practicing his stupid jokes..." Sakura couldn't help but chuckle slightly

"He must be really excited for his show." She says "We're suppose to help him set up after work right?"

"You are. I work in the tent so I'm going to be helping him pretty much all day." Hiroto explains as the two approach the gym.

GYM

Sakura and Hiroto enter the Gym when...

BANG!

"AH!" The two of them shout as a blinding light and high pitched noise blind and deafen them briefly. Once their senses come back they hear and see Bakubaku laughing "BAKUBAKU! THE HELL WAS THAT!?" Sakura shouts

"Ahahaha! That my lawyer friend was but a TASTE of my demolition power!" Bakubaku laughs as he shows them a bag full of small, grenade-like devices "The tent's storage room had all I needed to make these bad boys: Bakubaku Flashbangs! I created them as a failsafe, just in case that Monokuma tries anything funny!"

"BUT WHY DID YOU USE IT ON US!" Hiroto shouts

"Well I didn't MEAN too." Bakubaku rubs his head. Sakura and Hiroto look and see the others all wearing glasses and ear protection

"He was insistent on showing us this 'cool thing' he made..." Hiko says

"Y-you two w-weren't here y-yet s...so you didn't g-get the proper protection. I-I'm sorry." Futaba stutters.

"Evil doers beware! If anyone tries to murder someone again, my Bakubaku Flashbangs will stop you in your tracks! That goes double for you Monokuma!" Bakubaku laughs

"What goes double for me?" Monokuma asks, suddenly appearing.

"AH!" Bakubaku shouts as he jumps backwards.

'So much for stopping him in his tracks, eh demo boy?' Sakura thinks

"What are you all doing standing around!" Monokuma shouts angry "The beloved guests of the Kuma Carnival DEMAND entertainment!"

"All of the guests are you!" Ohana shouts

"Actually...I've been wondering about that..." Sakura says "Why are there so many...yous?"

"What? What do you mean?" Monokuma tilts his head

"I mean how are there more then one you?" She asks

"Whatcha talking about? I'm the only me." Monokuma says simply

"Bullshit!" Cho shouts "There's hundreds of you at the pier!"

"Ooooh" Monokuma giggles "No no no, you've got it all wrong! There are plenty of Monokumas. But only ONE Monokuma! Get it?"

"Even less now" Sakura says bluntly.

"Well whatever! Get on down to the Kuma Carnival and work your ultimate tooshies off! Or kill someone! Whichever comes first!" Monokuma shouts before vanishing

"Well you heard the man...bear...whatever!" Hibiki says "Lets go! And remember i need help setting up my show tonight!"

"Yeah yeah we know." Ohana says "We'll be there at 8 when our shift at the Pier ends." And with that, everyone set off to the Kuma Carnival, tensions still riding high since the trial

PIER

The 4 girls working the pier stand at their stations as Sakura takes the time to look around and talk to the 'guests'. "Uh...Sakura? You might wanna see this!" Ohana shouts. Sakura runs over

"What's wrong?" Sakura asks as Ohana points to the Prize Machine. Sakura looks and gasps. "T...The Special Prize Motive...ITS GONE!"

"This is bad right!?" Ohana shouts "If the motive is gone then that means..."

"N-now hold on." Sakura says "It...doesn't MEAN that one of us took it. Monokuma could have-" Before she could finish, Monokuma appeared

"Nope!" He says simply

"Ah!" The two girls shout.

"I put the special prize there for you all! If its gone then it means someone won it! Puhuhuhu! Hope they enjoy it~" He then vanishes

"..." Sakura and Ohana were silent. "Lets not...panic just yet."

"What do you mean not panic!?" Ohana shouts "This is the literal PERFECT time to panic!"

"We can discuss this with the others later. For now we need to stay calm." Sakura says as Ohana takes a deep breath

"Yeah...yeah okay." She says as she nervously heads back to work. Sakura walks back to her game station

'Someone took the Motive without any of us noticing. And never said anything...could someone really be planning on...?'

"Dang it!" A voice shouts. Sakura looks and sees Riku holding a wooden mallet at the Strength Tester game. "I've played dozens of these games on 'Carnival Ninjas'!"

"Well Monokuma made them so I imagine their pretty rigged." Sakura says. Riku sighs and lays the hammer down. Sakura sits with him as they talk

"You told me before your mom was happy for your contest successes?" She asks

"Oh yeah. Haha." Riku rubs his head "See, our dad went missing when me and my sister were young. So mom had to raise us by herself." He looks down with a sad smile "Money was always tight...so when I started doing well in these contests it helped her out a lot."

"Sounds like you love your mom a lot." Sakura smiles

"Yeah...man I hope shes doing okay. When we make it out of this Killing Game, the very first thing I'm doing is running home to her."

'Riku is very dedicated to getting home. Of course, I am too. I think we all are.' Sakura thinks.

"Anyway, I'm not giving up until I win this game." Riku says as he grabs the mallet again. Sakura chuckles

"Good luck with that." She says as she walks away. Hinata was wiping down her station

"Ah. Greetings Ms Lawyer." Hinata says.

"How are you holding up Hinata?" Sakura asks

"Like the beach come the changing tides. The struggle changes yet I remain." She says

'Care to say that in a way I can understand?' Sakura thinks to herself.

"...my choice of vocabulary upsets you, i can tell." Hinata says, brushing some hair from her face.

"What? No, of course not." Sakura says, sounding very unconvincing

"It is alright. I have been made aware many times my way of speak is untraditional." Hinata says "However I simply cannot help it."

"? Why not?" Sakura asks as Hinata was silent

"In the days of my youth I attended a school for poetry. It was there this life style was...thrusted upon me." She says

'is that...sadness in her voice? Does she not like talking this way?' Sakura thinks. The sound of a clock is heard as Hinata checks her E-Handbook

"Oh. It appears our shifts have ended." She says as she puts the cleaner away

"Yeah. Guess we should go help Hibiki with setting up his show." Sakura says as the girls make their way to the tent

MONO STAGE

Upon entering the tent they see multiple props, wood and tools piled all over the place. Hiroto, Futaba and Riku were setting up the curtains, Cho, Hana and Aijin were painting cutouts, Hiko was carrying trash away on a trolly, and Hibiki was on the stage speaking into a microphone. "Alright how do I sound up there Ren?"

"Coming through loud and clear!" Ren gives him a thumbs up.

"Lotta work going on around here" Sakura says as Hiko sighs

"Your tellin me...Just put any trash by the door, I'm going to need multiple trips. Even with this thing." She says annoyed as she leaves. Hibiki waves them over

"Hey your here! Thanks! Can you go grab some paint cans from the storage room?" He says as he jumps back from the sound of an explosion "BAKUBAKU!"

"Sorry boss!" Bakubaku laughs as his face was covered in soot "These fireworks are delicate little things!"

'Your setting up FIREWORKS in the tent!?' Sakura thinks to herself in disbelief but heads to the Storage room regardless, where she quickly gathered cans of paint. 'The rest of our night was spent decorating and setting up props for the show. Hibiki kept walking around with that same, massive smile on his face'

"This had better be worth it or so help me god there will be a body discovery announcement!" Aijin shouts

"Eep! D-Don't make jokes like that!" Futaba shouts scared

"That's just our leader's sense of humor!" Bakubaku laughs

"STOP CALLING ME YOUR LEADER!" Aijin shouts

"Trust me! My humor will be the ONLY thing knocking people dead! Ha!" Hibiki laughs triumphantly

"Yeah well that joke was more trashy then the stuff I'm taking..." Hiko mumbles as she walks past

Ding Dong, Bing Bong!

Everyone stops as A nearby TV screen buzzes to life, with Monokuma appearing on it "Ahem! New Hopes Peak announcement! It is now 10 PM, please return to your cottages and get a good nights rest!" He announces before shutting down

"Guess that's all for tonight." Sakura says. "How's it look Hibiki?"

"ahahaha!" Hibiki smiles wide "Looks even better then i pictured! I'll get up early and set up the finishing touches! Remember everyone! The show is scheduled for tomorrow night at 8:30, after everyone's shifts! See you guys then! And thanks for your help!" In an excited burst of energy, Hibiki bolts away as the others sluggushly follow his lead

'Looks like tomorrow we finally get to see Hibiki's Ultimate Comedian Comedy Show. I cant lie and say I'm not at least a little excited. But...that missing Motive...we were so busy I didn't get a chance to bring it up but...' Sakura shakes her head 'No...it's...it's fine. It wont happen...not again. I just need to sleep and get ready for the show tomorrow.' With that final thought, she drifts to bed for the night

Sakura Masayoshi: Ultimate Lawyer

Hiroto Eto: Ultimate Debater

Hibiki Yabe: Ultimate Comedian

Hiko Seiko: Ultimate Sharpshooter

Kubo Mizu: Ultimate Fisherman: Dead

Ren Kesseki: Ultimate Architect

Cho Sukoshi: Ultimate Football Player

Aijin Tsukuyomi: Ultimate Ninja

Hana Watanabe: Ultimate Impressionist

Hinata Yasai: Ultimate Poet

Riku Yamamoto: Ultimate Contestant

Bakubaku Hakai: Ultimate Demolitions Expert

Kiyomi Kadokawa: Ultimate Bookworm

Futaba Zenigata: Ultimate Puppeteer

Ohana Ichimaru: Ultimate Hiker

Arthur Mogami: Ultimate Mythology Fanatic: Dead