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Many whites, many blacks, many red. In an instant they came. Twirling as fast as whirlpools. Building and destroying surroundings. Hurting my head over and over.

Soon there's sounds playing out. Words and tunes of nonsense. Static followed by a clunking. Metal flicking and peeling. Outta place breathing. Racking of marbles. Choking- I'm choking, I'm screaming!

Then there's a sudden splash. A cold wave hits, douses me. It washes the whites, black, and red away. It silences the sounds.

I open my eyes to see a blurry mess, with something flying and smacking my head. I grit my teeth, almost letting out a peep. I lift my head, blinking away the blurs. I look and find my hands. They're cuffed, binded to a table.

‘No.’

I glance up, seeing a ceiling fan with one bulb. The light reaches only the table, and some close bits of the floor. I tried to get up. My ankles barely moved, feeling as if they weighed like sacks of bricks.

‘This can't be-'

“Former, expelled student of Hope's Peak Academy, Class 76-A. Former SHSL Confectioner, once greatly renown manufacturer of special, sugary sweets. Former leader of the Future Foundation's 8th division, it being the branch tasked with providing stable food sources.”

A rough, croaky voice spoke out from the dark. Several pacing steps followed it. Alongside them was the clacking of a cane.

“For one year and a few months, you attended Hope's Peak. You and two others were expelled due a explosive incident, destroying most of the gymnasium. After that, you spent many days improving your talent. You sheltered yourself, cut off tides with all but one person. When the ‘Tragedy’ passed, you and that one person survived on your own. Some time after the Future Foundation formed, you slithered your way into it’s ranks, and soon got yourself a seat amongst the leadership.”

Pages were flicked. A line of spit landed near my right hand. Then the pacing stopped somewhere in front of me.

“While you've certainly showed effort in stabilizing our Despaired society, you never put any into saving it. Every single action, suggestion, and contribution was done only so you’d benefit above all others. And there have been many piling reports, concerning criminalistic actives, that have recently brought an investigation into fruition.”

A folder’s back cover was pushed into the light. The boney fingers that held it tightened. The face of the man remained hidden. And after a long breath, he began reading off of two lists.

“Firsts: The illegal halving and secret stashing of water and rations, meant for the people of sane society. As a result, many endured and-over died of starvation and dehydration, if not conditioned into cannibalism. Second: The harsh chastising and order abuse of officers under your command, for minor offenses. As a result, the morale of your division faced many lows, and an uncertain number of Future Foundation agents had deserted. Third: The manipulation of an one-fifth estimate of-”

“Who the hell are you?!”

There was a short, eerie pause. “My name’s amongst the hundreds that you’ve forgotten. Same for my face, my talent, everything you've once learned of me. Because anyone that’s not you, or one of two people you once considered ‘friends', isn't worthwhile to you. That's apart of your nature. A nature that'll keep on ticking alongside your life. Ticking on all the way until you die.”

“Answer me!”

The folder was slammed down. A fist pounded the table. The man leaned out. And once I saw his face, I wrenched myself against the chair.

“Your name's Ando Ruruka. Everyone who’s come to know you, despises it. In turn, mine is Hoga Noboru. And everyone that's heard of it, may as well feel the same.”

There's one crimson eye, paired with one thick bump. Around them are scars, both long and short. One runs down from his cheek to his jaw. Another goes from his jaw to the side of his throat. And a few, maybe more, seem to lead to his ears underneath lots of dark-blonde hair.

“Although you’ve forgotten me, I haven’t gone one day without remembering you.” He spat again at the table. Then he pulled the only other chair out, and took a seat. “We were fellow classmates, both apart of the original 76th class. Later, we were moved to the A-half. Despite how you close you were with Izayoi and…Kimura, we'd managed to become friends. Not like of course, how you became ‘friends’ with one other classmate. We actually had time to properly converse, to discuss our likes and dislikes, our hobbies-”

“What do you want from me?!”

“For you to listen, and to cooperate.” He said, almost sounding stoic. “So far though, you’re only doing the latter. It's not surprising, as you’re more of a hearer than a listener.”

“What's that even supposed-"

“Shut up, and try to listen for once in your miserable life.” He stated, his face as cold as steel. I barely made another peep. Then Hoga shook his head, and set his cane against the table.

“While you've been out, all of the divisions have been assigned new heads. They've already underwent long discussions. They were able to identify the mastermind of the ‘Final Killing Game', figure out their motives, and discern who was involved in it's creation. Files have been typed up, burials for the decreased have been promised, and every apparent spec of Despair was obliterated from Headquarters.”

He glanced at the folder. Feeling curious, I did the same. Besides the lists of ‘my' crimes and results, there were two photos that couldn’t bare to look at. One of was Yoi-chan, the other had…her, Kimura. Their corpses were laid out on stretchers, mostly covered by white sheets. And there were little notes clipped to the corners, saying something about how they died.

“When the subject matter shifted to you, most of the meeting room erupted into a debate war. One quarter wanted you dead, by either ironic starvation or a hanging with no trial. The second quarter wanted the trial, but only if the outcome would lead to isolated imprisonment. And the rest, the other half were somewhat quiet, no doubt thinking about their own ideas of justified punishment.

Nothing would’ve been settled if it wasn’t for a proposition, voiced by a married duo who'd eavesdropped with me. They actually busted in at the right moment, and prevented many lungs from dying by screaming. They laid out their idea, with me having to provide some input.”

Hoga pushed his chair back, and used his cane to help him stand. He reached into a saddlebag, hanging off of his side. He pulled out a silver key, along with two pairs of different-sized handcuffs.

“Wa-Wait, what are you-" Hoga tapped one of the table legs with his cane, three times. A door opened. Two guards hurried in. One guard took the key and a pair of cuffs. The other got the second handcuff pair. One crunched down near me. The other grabbed my wrist.

“Hey! Wha-"

“A barrage of insults, along with doubtful looks, were thrown the duo's way. In the end however, ‘good’ had won.” The shackles tying me the table, were unlocked. The handcuffs were applied to my wrists and ankles. “It took much persuasion, an ‘appeal to humanity’ made by Naegi Makoto via transmission, and then some to convince the division heads. And now, you have an ‘honest' trial to attend.” The guards went back out the door. Hoga tucked the folder under an arm.

“Honest…trial?”

“From a naïve viewpoint, yes. In reality, a different, more fairer punishment has been selected for you. Or rather punishments, if you consider therapy to be one.”

“The-Therapy?”

“Believe it or not Ruruka, the killing game made your mind suffer terribly. From all the stress, your drama traumas, and the video.”

“Video- What video?”

“A Despair creation, meant to brainwash the nearest person into creating suicide.” He wrapped a hand around my sleeve. He made it sting. “Unlike the other three, you barely managed to fight the urge. And instead, all you did was slice open your arms, in which now have stiches.”

To provide proof, he tighten his grip enough to squeeze. I hissed, then got to the verge of screaming. He was pressing the damn things, making then go deeper into my skin.

“Sta- Stop it!”

Hoga let my sleeve go. He spat out more saliva. Then he moved around me, and gave my back a push.

“We got some hours before the trial starts. So I suggest: we go eat, that you don’t try wandering off, and let me handle the talking.”

“Why-"

“Because while around an organization that no longer respects, or trusts you, it's best to obey your only friend.” He gave another, more forceful push. “You understand, Ruruka?”

Knowing that resisting wasn’t going to do any good, I started putting one foot in front of the other. “Yeah…sure.”

“Splendid.” He replied without a hint of emotion. Then we both headed out into the bright hallway.
Five years. It's been five, overall years since that day. The day that I was sentenced into house-arrest. The day that I was repeatedly shamed in public. The day that I was forced to live with Hoga Noboru. Originally there was a limit, a certain length of time where I'd remain under Hoga's watch. It was reached, along with a certain level of ‘successful’ therapy. I then had to go through lots of paperwork, and other crap before I became free. ‘Free’ in a country that, despite being saved from it's ‘Despair Age', was fully aware of the ‘crimes' I've committed. And as a result I had no other choice, but to turn back to Hoga, who wasn’t reluctant at sharing his home again. Even though I should be very grateful, I'm actually disgusted. Never in my life did I feel like I owed anyone, anything. The people who ‘raised’ me mostly did a terrible job, leaving me to raise myself. Kimura might’ve created some handy drugs for me back then, but none of them really helped or mattered. And Yoi-chan…might've lent me lots of help and support, but none of it was returnable. I'm someone to be owed. Hoga knows that, along with how I despise my situation with him. He expects me to pay him back, big time. He might’ve never said it, but I know he think about it. Everyday he gives me this nonchalant glance. It tells me that I got another debt to pay. He actually just gave me that glance, from the passenger seat up front. Seeing his one, developed eye via the mirror, makes me turn away. I'm not going to give him any satisfaction. Instead I'm going back to watching the passing, rebuilt buildings. And every few moments, I'll give the rising sun a little peek. “We’re here, sir.” Our driver said. Holding back a groan, I look out towards the front. Sure enough, we're arrived at our destination. A four-story, supposedly repurposed factory.” “Current time's in the frame-length, so this is…fine.” Rolling up his sleeve, Hoga took off his seatbelts. I follow along. Then we open our doors. “It was a kind-pleasure to drive you two.” “I wouldn’t say the same about riding, boy.” Hoga said. “Boy? I have a name sir, it's on this tag-" “Of course you have a name. I have one, just as my friend and everyone else does. However, yours isn’t one we should know. As we aren’t family, friends, or even acquaintances.” Hoga brought his cane and good leg out of the car. Then he gestured to the driver and himself. We’re strangers, and strangers should never exchange any personal information.” H placed a tight hand on the driver's shoulder, making him uncomfortably lean back. “Make sure to remember that truth, boy.” “Okay…sir.” Not saying another word, Hoga pulled his hand back and paid our driver. We both got out. Then once we moved some feet away, the driver drove off. Looking up and down at the factory, Hoga cleared his throat. “Do you have any guesses or expectations?” “Yeah, I do.” “Are you willing to share?” “…No.” “Let’s get going, then.” We walked the four steps, leading to the front doors. After pressing the intercom, Hoga has a chat with apparently the receptionist. Once that's done, he swipes a card over the reader. The doors unlock. And with hope that this…meeting we're attending, can go as fast as possible, I follow Hoga inside.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

White powder of crushed ovals and needles. It's all across wood and concrete. Black smoke of violent flames. It's all from thrown molotovs and torches. Dark crimson of normal pollution. It's all around shadow clouds, spreading- becoming the sky. Acts of survival. They happen again, again, repeatedly. Bodies of people and monsters fall. Soon they start piling, destroying any-to-all of their differences. Splotches of pink expand, becoming rivers. Hands dive in, going deep enough to drench sleeves. With a blink, there's a slam. At a touch of skin, blood starts shifting.  There's a force, pulling at the head. There's iron, weighing on the back. There's leather and steel, wrapping around wrists. There's one, there's many, all garbled noises. There's two hands, rising from corpses and grabbing shoulders. And there's nothing that can be done, before they pull the body under. Forehead barges into a chest. The hands move from shoulders to head. Fists pound against them. The hands seize and hold them back. Desperation rings with multiple attempts, trying to attack the face. But eyes are blurred, but dirt liquefied. “TADAO!” The scream of is of a name, my…name. The voice behind it is familiar. It makes…me stop. It makes…me defenseless, vulnerable to any attack. The back of a hand meets…my eyes. Instead of trying to press them in, it surprisingly wiped away the dirt. I see eyes, brown and open-wide. Eyebrows are raised, drawn together. Lips are parted, turned down. They all belong to a female face, full of intense concern and life. “It's okay. It's alright.” Those words, they're lies. My head shakes. My throat growls. I try to shove her hands. “I’m not your enemy!” She yells. Then she swallows a lump, lowering her tone. “I’m your friend, remember?” Yet again, she stops me with lies. This time, they come from her common sense of half-honesty. She’s a self-claiming friend, has been for years. Nothing's happened to change that, yet. After staring into her eyes for a while, I break contact and assess the situation. My breathing's ragged, animalistic. My body's soaked. I’m only wearing a pair of boxers. I'm sitting in the dirty pond of a ‘tub. I'm in a bathroom, with it’s lights not flickering or replaced by candles. Dragging fingernails against my palms, I start steadying my breaths. The process takes a few minutes. Then my self-claiming friend speaks. “You're here now, not then and there.” She glances down, to the left and right. She replaces her frown with a shaky smile. “All of this dirt needs to be drained. Then you’ll need to wash up. And once you're done, they'll be clothes waiting right outside.” I give her a nod. She patted my knee, trying to be encouraging. Then she stood up, closed the curtains, and hesitantly left the bathroom.“One at 6 in the morning, then one at 6 in the evening. You know that those are the rules. You know exactly what’d happen, if you didn’t follow them through. But you still skipped taking one yesterday. And look at where it got you! You-”  I glare from my seat, across from her. Teeth grind against each other. Hands close and fists tighten. A whole word barrage wants to jump- to launch out. But I'm able to hold it all back, if just barely. “-stalking in alleyways and around park’s. If anyone saw you, they'd think you're looking to hurt something or someone. Then they'd either call the police, or actually try to ask you questions. And you'd- you'd-” She threw a hand into the air. “You'd do something! And don't say ‘that wouldn't happen'. Anyone might watching or simply out at the park, and any nearby businesses, can see you thanks to streetlights.” Turning from her, I look up through the window and see the sky. As the sun's starting to come up, it's slowly regaining whites and blues. But as I blink twice, crimson and black violently expand from behind the clouds. Crimson starts swallowing all of the blue. Black starts smothering all of the white. “Tadao!” I blink twice. All crimson and black vanishes. The whites and blues return. “…They don’t give any help.” “Yes they do!” As she stops the car at a red light, I turn to her. She retrieves a small bottle- THE small bottle, from the compartment set between the seats. She thrusts it out, shaking it as if to prove a point. “These pills help dissect reality from nightmares. These pills help calm stress and anxiety. These pills help in having a normal day. But most importantly: These pills RELIEVE your mind, not TRAP it!” And with that said, she tosses the bottle down, and refocuses on the road. That last, all-too familiar line, is more infuriating now more than ever. She's used it four previous times to ‘settle arguments’. I didn’t bother going against it back then. Now though, I really want to shout and rip it into bits. But there's no use arguing against any set-mind, on any nonsense. Taking a few deep breaths, she manages to relax. “Listen- Tadao, I don’t want to fight over this. I just want you to be stable, to live in the here and now. Not taking the pills sends you back. And when that happens you-" She pauses. “-…you change, with nothing good coming from it.” As the car turns right, I try not to focus on her bullshit. I try focusing on a store, coming up on her side. The white, pink stripes on the door, tugs hard at my brain. I remember an awful, strawberry-sweet stench. I remember it belonging to some…thing, from nearly a decade ago. And as I try not thinking more on it, two double-pairs of blinks sets and vanishes the store of flames. “You know I'm not trying to hurt you Tadao, right?” I don't give a yes or no. I return to looking out from my side. A…defeated sigh comes from her. With nothing else to say, we both fall silent. And while the drive goes on, I don’t give her another glance. Right as I'm feeling a faint weight on my eyes, she breaks the silence. “We're here.” A glance ahead shows that she's right. We pull into a parking space, outside of a four-story factory. It being black and white, brings up a sense of dread. An overbearing, dangerous dread. Once she pockets a few items, we both get out. She closes her door. I slam mine. “Hey! There's no need for that.” I point up at the building. She looks at it, confused. But then it clicks for her. “Tadao, this place isn’t dangerous. For the last two and a half years, it's been in the custody of the Future Foundation. It's been cleaned out and reworked.” I'm ready to protest. But she stomps a foot towards the entrance. “Come on! We're not going to be in there for long. We're just going to meet-up, discuss a few things with old classmates, and leave.” “…Fine.” We both headed to the doors. As she rings the intercom, I stay some feet back. After seconds, a Male voice flows from the speakers. “Your names?” “Hatano Rika and Hiyama Tadao.” She answers for us both.

“What business do you have here?”

“Meeting with former classmates, up on the top floor I think. And we're former members of the Future Foundation.”

“What divisions did you serve under?”

“The 6th, policing and riot suppression.” A minute passes before the voice returns. The records seem to check out for you two. You can come in.” There's an electronic click. She pulls and holds one of the doors open. I go inside after giving the outer factory one last look. As the door shuts, the temperature shifts. Morning’s heat is replaced by a slight chill. The reason’s the few, nearly loud-blowing air conditioners. “In case you're wondering, we really like to have the conditioners running. It gets hot quickly in the building, which really makes the workers burn through fumes. But don’t worry, we don’t let them run all day! We know that we need a fair-share of heat. We know we have to conserve some power. And yes, we know how to handle all of that.” Sitting behind one of two L-shaped desks, is the male who spoken through the speaker. Voice has a heavy pitch. Body structure seems to be chubby. Hands are constantly trembling. Reading glasses are on top of his head. And scent is of recently applied body spray. “That's…good?” Hatano's brows rose. “But I didn’t ask about that.” “Yeah, you didn’t. But I have to make sure everyone knows. If not, they'll ask me a question. After one, there'll be two. Then there’s three, four, ten, and a hundred more!” He throws his arms up. “You never know, you know?” Hatano grimaces. “Did a tan, raven-haired woman ask that many questiond?” “She might as well have! Ever since a month and a half ago, she's come around two-to-three times a week. She always gives the room some long, hawkish stare, before approaching me.  Then she goes off, prying every bit of information about the air- Heck, the whole building, out of me.” As he takes a deep breath, Hatano let’s out an uneasy chuckle. “Sounds just like here alright.” She shook her head. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that coming from us. Or anyone else coming here.” “You positive?” “Yeah. I mean, has anybody else gone through here shooting questions?” “…No. Especially not the ones who aren’t factory staff, like you. A few of them actually interrupted the explanation, and just asked for elevator access.” “How many?” “Six, maybe seven in total. They all looked pretty interesting-" He cut himself off, coughing in his hand. At first it was just a couple, but then many more followed. And each cough was louder than the last. “Are you okay?” He dismissively waved his hand, before wiping his mouth clean. “Every since last night, I've been having these coughing sprees. They've gotten a bit worse today. But I won’t have ‘em for long. They're just coughs, you know?” He raised his other hand, bringing a half-eaten breakfast sandwich near his lips. He held it there as reached over to his keyboard. “Anyways, you said you're here for a meeting?” “On the top floor, with eleven former classmates.” “School reunion?” “Not exactly.” After double-checking the ‘records', he reaches beneath the desk. A ping comes from the elevator. It's doors open. “Thank you.” He gives a flimsy thumb's up, before finally shoving the sandwich into his mouth. Once we enter the elevator, Hatano presses the highest button. While we wait, the receptionist takes another bite. Immediately he starts coughing again. But then the doors shut, and we go up. Thinking about the description she gave earlier, I ask Hatano: “Nagasawa…Hanako, right?” “Huh? Oh, yeah. That's definitely her name. She’s always been…pushy, especially back then.” She uneasily chuckled. “And from the phone call we had days ago, she's seem to have only changed a little bit. Which is…good. Too many people haven’t been able to stay as themselves, as a person.” I don't say a word. Don't send her a look. Don't move any muscle. I just ignore her, and that infuriating viewpoint. When there's another ping, a lounge of-sorts is revealed. Double, mechanically-locked doors lie at the far opposite side. Two, separate doors lead left and right. Lights are inside glass squares, with one flickering on and off. Eight other people are here, only seven are looking our way. I recognize the seven faces, as well as their names climbing out from memory. “Lookie here, more of us did come!” The half blonde, half brown-haired woman, throws her arms up and out. “What can I say? I'm a pretty good predictor!” That loud and gleeful tone. The plastic ice cream cone, tangled in her hair. And her little-wild eyes, makes me want to pretend she doesn’t exist. Name: Okabe Amaya. Former SHSL title: Ice-Cream maker. “Don't start praising yourself. We all knew more were coming.” On her left stands a six-foot three, well-dressed male. Hair's dyed dark-red. Eye's are thin, with amber irises. There's a worm, regal themed sheath hanging from his belt. “Kita's right. You shouldn’t ever compliment yourself fro tribal things.” On Okabe's right is a female wearing a white cap. Hands are wielding a golf club. Hair's dirty blonde, styled in a ponytail. Eyebrows are thick. Lips are faintly coated blue, and form a smirk. “If you do that, you'll become simple. And nothing good comes from being simple.” Names: Kita Iwao and Oshima Keiko. Former SHSL titles: Fencer, Golfer. “You're both wrong and I don't care!” Taking a huge step towards us, Okabe rears her arms. Then she shoots them out, pointing index and middle fingers at us. “I care about you two, though! It's been so long!” “Yeah…” Hatano tries, and fails at hiding discomfort. “You're still full of energy, Okabe.” “You know me! From the first second after waking, to the last before sleeping, I'm as lively as a tornado!” “That's not- Still not an ok way to describe yourself.” A scrawny male walks over. “Tornados are destructive, not at- at all friendly.” Hands are thin, trying to straighten an already straight tie. Knees are shaking. Eyes have blue irises, darting back and forth between  the tie and Okabe. Name: Yorikane Machida. Former SHSL title: Weatherman Okabe wraps an arm around his neck. “Of course you’d know that Machida. We can’t forget how you're an eye-of-tornado survivor!” Machida fixates his eyes on the tie. “Yea-…Yeah.” “Did you really have to bring that up?” Okabe gives Machida a little shake. She retracts her arm. Then she turns on her heel, facing the female speaker. “Are you sure you should be asking that?” Eyes with hazel irises narrow. “I ask all kinds of questions. So yes, I should.” “Of course, of course!” The corners of Okabe's mouth spread, forming a grin. “But I thought you didn’t want to be hypocritical?” “How is me asking you about bringing up Machida's past, hypocritical?” “You know what? Forget I said anything.” The female, holding a clipboard and a few folders together, looks ready to reply. But then there's nothing. Whatever she was going to say was dropped. And with a instant face of irritation, she pushed past Okabe and came over. “Hatano, Hiyama.” Name: Nagasawa Hanako. Former SHSL title: Critic “Nice to see you Nagasawa. How have you been?” “Good, bad, busy. All in all, just like our technician here.” She tilts her head. In the nearest room-corner is a ladder. Standing on the third top-most step, is the mentioned technician. He's ticking with the exposed under-belly of a camera, tugging and examining it's wires. “From what I've been told, most of the cameras on this floor and the 1st have been unresponsive, since opening time. One of the cameras is in the meeting room, the one we'll be using. I'd rather have him be in there, but-” Nagasawa gestures to the mechanical double-doors. “-there's that. So far no one can find any assigned keycards. And until that happens, or if the people down in monitoring find another solution, Camera-Man will be working here.” “I don’t mind waiting.” Hatano turns to me. “Do you?” I shake my head. “Hopefully the situation's resolved by the time everyone else arrives. If not, I'll need to head down, and make sure we do another thorough search of the building.” Just then, the elevator dings and leaves our floor. “Hey, who else are we waiting for exactly?” Nagasawa moved off to the side, flipping through papers attached to the clipboard. While she does that, I can't help but notice two pairs of eyes, watching me. The soft, violet pair belongs to a short female. The dark-green pair belongs to the taller male. Both have grey backpacks on. Both are wearing matching, shadow-grass shaded hoodies. And on the ring fingers of their touching hands, are wooden bands containing bright embedded gemstones. Names: Kawatou Misaki and Goto Tadashi. Former SHSL titles: …Unknown, can’t remember. “We're waiting for: Amari-” Nagasawa's sudden pauses draws my attention. “-…Hoga, Sugita-" “Hang on.” Oshima interrupted. “Sugita…Dono- Donatello?” “Yes.” “That can be right.” “Why?” “Sugita's dead- been dead for years.” Nagasawa frowns. “What do you mean ‘for years'?” “Hoga told me when we met up for the second time, months after the…’Tragedy’. He said that Sugita was mauled, butchered, then crushed by rubble.” “Did he witness all of that.” “He had to, with the way he described it.” “What he told you was wrong, if not a full-on lie.” Nagasawa said. “Sugita's still alive. In fact, he's been working the afternoons in this factory, for the past two years. And from what I've read, he stopped putting his barista talent to use.” That last piece of info made Oshima's jaw drop. “He…abandoned his SHSL talent?” “He gave it up-" “What the hell?!” Oshima slaps a palm onto her forehead. “He…He became a damn simpleton?!” “Hey-" “Oooooh would you look at this!~” Leaning her head over Nagasawa's shoulder, Okabe points at the clipboard. “We got a monster coming today!” For a moment, my heart might as well had froze. “Monster?” She bobbles her head up and down. And I pace over. “What do you mean, monster?” Kita asks. “We've all had our experiences with monsters, right? Be it with ones wearing Monokuma helmets, or ones without any mask. But we've all had experiences with one particular monster, long before any tragedy happened.” “You don't mean-" “I do! Come here and see for yourself!” “Back off Okabe.” “Nah!” As Nagasawa tries to push Okabe away, I wrench the clipboard away. I move out of Nagasawa's reach. I stare down at the list of names. And sure enough, beneath Amari's name, I see it. “Tadao?” This name, it's one I've wished to never encounter again. A name that somehow once belonged to someone, a ‘person’. A name that's calamity causing. A name associated with rounded, shelled sugar. The elevator dings. It's doors open. A scent flows. And my breathing halts. Instantly my hearing closes, as the scent is strong. Instantly my mouth dries, as the scent is sour. Instantly my throat clogs, as the scent is vile. Instantly every limb twitches with fire, as the scent's like sparked gasoline. Two blinks, cracks emerged from beneath my feet. They expand, spreading onto the wall. Bloody rivers surge. Fire-bottles, torches are tossed. Smoke arrives and rises. Powders sizzle and melt. Images come rushing. Images of face and places. Images of weapons and doors. Images of meats and bodies. They're all blurred. There’s voices and noises: “Help- *Bash*! No- *Crash*! Stop- *Bang*! Go-*Yowl*! Slaughter- *Splat*! Bastards- *Whack*!”
 
Then it's all done. The cracks, blood rivers, the smoke piles- they all vanish. The voices and noises cease. The silver of the walls and floor return. And standing outside of the elevator, is one male and the event’s source. The male's Hoga Noboru, former SHSL Bomb Specialist. The event’s source is definitely a living, breathing monster. Somehow It's still a ‘she'. ‘Her' scent comes from a spray, containing the venomous essence of her ‘candy' specialty. ‘She’ has a name, one that shouldn’t have been given to any human-posing being. Andoh Ruruka.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Looks of distrust, anger, and indifference. They're all immediately sent my way. I tried to take a step. Three people moved as fast as lightning bolts. The woman with the cap raised her gold club. The tall man unsheathed a sword. And the woman with the ice-cream cone pulled out, and cocked a gun. “Wait-" The tan woman tried reaching for the gun. Two arms wrapped around her from behind. Folders fell. And the shaky man started pulling, holding her back. “Hey!” “Don't let her go Machida-kun.” The gun-weilder aimed it right at my eye. “Use every ounce of your strength~.” “No! Let go-" “Shut your mouth Nagasawa!” The cap-wearer yelled, pointing an accusing finger. “I asked you clear as day, over the phone, if this INSULT was coming here. And you said NO!” “I didn't-" “Insult?” The tall man shook his head. “No, this here is vermin. A dangerous and diseased rat that's chastised, abused, and attempted to ruin every person who she believes is beneath her. And she enslaved Izayoi, her ‘sweetheart', every since they were children.” “Excuse Me?!” I managed to move a foot before something stopped me. Looking over, I saw Hoga holding the back of my shirt collar. “You mean she brainwashed him!” “They mean the same-" “Just like how she brainwashed a good chunk of the Future Foundation. Just like how she tried brainwashing us! Trying to force feed those damn drug candies!” “I didn't-" “Don't bother lying Ruruka! We've seen, we've tasted, we've learned all about your special treats. Not to mention how I got to look through your files.” “O-Okabe's right!” Machida yelled. “Right as-” Then he cried out. He let go of Nagasawa. His hands went down to his privates. “Shit-" He wasn't able to finish. Muscular arms picked up, and threw him. He screamed all the way until he met the wall. The muscular man that threw him,  wasn't amongst everyone staring or glaring at me. In fact, it seemed like he came out of nowhere. And now his fists are raised, looking ready to give Machida a beating. “Are you alright Ms. Nagasawa?” “You threw him!” “Yes! But are you alright?” Nagasawa didn’t reply. Okabe let out a chuckle. “You still breathing Machida?” He let out a whine. Then a whimper. And his pants got a sudden- no, he actually pissed himself. “Well that's-" Nagasawa interrupted, wrestling the gun out of her hands. She pushed Okabe to the tall man. “What is wrong with you three?!’ “What's wrong with us?” The tall man shoved Okabe away. “We have vermin in the building, right in front of us!” “Put your weapons down! You all look ready to kill, to become murderers!” “More like rightful executioners!” The cap-wearer yelled. “After everything she's done, the Foundation let her go without punishment. We can rectify that right, right now, if this INSULT doesn’t get the hell out!” “Well Oshima, I can say that you’re wrong.” Hoga spoke up. “Ruruka did get punished-" “Being locked up in a house doesn’t-” “-And I can confirm that she wouldn’t be leaving.” “Reeeally?” Okabe gave Nagasawa and Hoga jeering glances. “Oooooh you two are defending her!” “I'm trying to prevent you guys from getting death sentences!” Nagasawa shouted. “A death sentence?!” Smacking her golf-club across the floor, Oshima stomped until she got close to Nagasawa's face. “Are you seriously saying that the Foundation will kill me, the greatest Golfer who gave her all in destroying Despair, for taking down this?” She points at me. This coward, this criminal this- this filth, who forced lots of the Foundation to view, and serve her as some goddess?” Oshima let out a laugh. A loud, sarcastic laugh. “Ye- You're telling me that the Foundation will execute someone loyal, for committing one crime. While at the same time, they'll free an INSULT who’s committed a thousand?” She reared her head. Then she spat on Nagasawa's glasses. “Go screw yourself.” From seeing just half of her face, I could tell Nagasawa wasn’t angry. She was way beyond pissed. But somehow, she didn’t lash out. Instead she took her glasses off. She gave the lens a quick cleaning with her shirt. “So far in the last few minutes, Andoh has done nothing warranting death. If you killed her, I'll have the right to restrain and send you off to the higher-ups. They'll have the right to pull you through trial, or make judgement calls without it. And the most likely outcome either way, is execution. That's the way it’s always been, unbiased ever since we won over Despair.” Nagasawa took a deep, steadying breath. Them she slowly put her glasses back on. “I'd rather not see that happen to you, or any else here. So I suggest you drop this. Drop this and stop acting like a psychopath. No one here is going to kill anyone. We're all here because I want to talk, to discuss recent events, and hopefully reach a compromise.” Without taking her eyes off of Oshima, Nagasawa recovered her folders from the floor. Her glare lessened as she rose up. Then she jabbed a finger into Oshima's shoulder. “Do you understand, girl?” “…Oh yeah.” Oshima turned, nodding over and over. “I understand.” She pressed her club's head against the floor. “Good-" Oshima wrenched her head around, showing disgusting yellow teeth. “You high and mighty BIT-" “I CAN SEE THAT NOTHING'S CHANGED!” My eyes snapped over to the double doors. Minutes ago, they were sealed shut. But now they’re wide open, with a man standing in the doorway. He’s tugging on suspenders, and looking as if he hasn’t showered in days. “All you Super-Talents, standing or sitting around a room, engaging or avoiding some word-war. It always starts with normal tones, with loads of glares. Then someone raises a voice. And it ain’t long until BAM!” He stomped. He slapped both hands onto his knees. “Out comes the floods of slanders and profanity! Along with those fist fights. Those damn fist fights, between yourselves and some others!” “…Sugita?” “Yep, that's my surname!” He hollered. “A surname that’s worth more than the 76th, cluster class of shit!” He wiped at his drooling mouth. Then he kicked up at the air. Lowering his sword, the tall man blurted out: “What?” “Is that all you're gonna say? Pfft, I shouldn’t be surprised. Even though you’re Super-Talents, none of you got any Super-Brains. A certain, killing school life proved that. Along with how egotistical you-" “OH just shut up!” Finally, someone cut him off. That someone was a pink-haired woman, who's walking out of the dim, dark meeting room. “I've heard enough of that nonsense!” “For common sake, it's not nonsense! It's the ultimate TRUTH! All of you are egomaniacs, attention-seeking sl-” “Shut. Up!” While that caused him to sneer, it also made his mouth close for now. “Your ‘truth’ isn't right, or important now!” She turned to the rest of us. Once she saw Nagasawa, she threw a thumb over her shoulder. “I've been locked in there with Sugita, and…some girl, ever since I woke up two hours ago! No matter how much I screamed, punched, or whacked chairs against the door, no one's come by to try and help! So unless you have a very good explanation now, or in the next half-hour, I'm going to abandon this ‘meeting’ of ours!” After enduring that whole storm of words, Nagasawa backed away from Oshima. She stashed the gun in a bag, attached to her hip. “You woke up in the meeting room, two hours ago-" “I just said-" “And if I were to guess, neither of you has a clue as for why.” Hoga commented. “Yea-" Sugita paused. His face of sarcastic cheer got replaced by a scowl. A deep, anger-burning scowl. “…Yeah.” “For two hours were locked in. The camera feed for the room has been unresponsive. And the doors suddenly decided to open.” Nagasawa pinched her nose. She shook her head. Then she looked to the muscular man. “Cameraman, I need you to head down a floor. Try to talk with the men at monitoring. Ask them if they opened the doors from there. And see if they can’t access all of the footage, from all possible entryways.” ‘Cameraman' met Nagasawa's eyes. He stared, almost looking tense. But then he pressed his fists together, and bowed. “Yes Ma'am!” He marched right pass me. And in a few moments, he and the elevator were gone. “While he goes and gets answers, let's get the meeting started. We've had enough distractions. Any other old tensions and drama needs to be dropped, left out here. We're all adults, so let's be adults.” “But-” “I'm not taking ‘no' as an answer.” She sent Sugita, everyone a pointed look. “Got that?” She only got eight nods. “Good.” One-by-one, most of the group filed into the room. A man and woman wearing gray-green jackets, offered helping hands to Machida. He refused, deciding to use the walls for support. As they went inside, I saw that one man was still glaring at me. His eyes are wildly wide, with frantic and vicious irises. I took a few steps back. I've seen those type of eyes before. The type that said he was ready to lash, to leap out at me. The type that'd want to burn out my own, while my face was getting pummeled. The type that screamed murder-intent. Before he could make a move, a woman with hair pulled in a bun, spoke up. “Tadao.” He twisted his head. She flinched, but patted his shoulder. “We need to head inside now, ok?” His eyes found me again. His nostrils flared. He- He was going to do it. He was going to start running, start charging! But he didn’t. He showed me his back. He walked away in a hurry. And after she sent me a glance, the hair-bun woman followed him. I had to swallow the largest, thickest lump in my throat. I was finally able to let go, to start breathing. My knees almost gave out. “Shall we go?” I wanted to tell Hoga ‘no’. But with the elevator gone, I couldn’t. So I hesitantly walked in after the group.Surprise, surprise. It hadn’t been a minute before another argument broke out. While most of everyone have sat down, Nagasawa and Sugita haven’t. They're pointing fingers back and forth, between themselves and the subject of their argument. Sitting on the ground with their back to the wall, was a girl that looks homeless. I mean, her hair's all messy and tangled. Her body's mostly covered by a ripped, worn blanket. Her visible hand is wearing a strange, dark glove. Her arm has smudges of dirt, and what might be chalk. Same with most of her face. Weirdly though, one section of her face is hidden. Her eyes, lying behind a red mask. It showed two open, cartoonish black eyes. Unlike the rest of her appearance, the mask's clean and seems to be new. Which means that she either bought, or stole it recently. Whatever the case was, it’s creepy and stood out. “For the last time: She needs to leave.” “Again: No! She stays in the here, on this floor, near me. If you force her out, then I'll be going too.” Nagasawa was about to retort. But a new, female voice prevented her. “Do either of you- you have any music- music on your phones?” The speaker was the short, violet eyed woman. She didn’t have a glare. Instead she sent Nagasawa and Sugita concerned glances. “You know, like playlists- playlists or apps?” “Why do you ask, Kawatou?” The hair-bun woman questioned. Placing a hand on top of ‘Kawatou's, the green eyed man gave her a curious look. She shook her head. He only nodded, before giving her hand a little squeeze. “If someone had music- music and some earplugs, she- she won't overhear anything.” “She’s…right.’ The tall man stated. “Does anyone-” “I got it.” Sugita brought out a pair of ear buds, and one of the smallest I've ever seen. “Catch.” Was all he said before throwing them at the girl. After catching, she set the phone down onto her lap. She wrapped the ear bud wires around a finger. Her head tilted. She was either watching the wires suffocate her finger, or looking any any one of us. “Does she even know how to use ‘em?” Oshima asked. “Yeah, she does. She's got a brain, unlike you.” “Says you sim-” “Enough!” Nagasawa's yell instantly shut them up. “And please, sit down.” Although he's still eyeing, Oshima, Sugita complied. After that, Nagasawa sent a glare my way. I didn’t want to obey, but I knew better than starting a fight. So I sat down next to Hoga. Nagasawa went to the head of the table. She sighed. Then cleared her throat. “Thank you all, for forking time in your schedules and coming here.” Nagasawa set the folders down. She gestured for the clipboard. The hair-bun woman took it from her…‘friend’, and passed it over. Nagasawa set it aside. Then she flipped the top folder open, and slid five pictures across the table to us. “Five months ago marked the second year after the Despair Age, otherwise known as the Despair Apocalypse, had ended. So far, the economy’s surprisingly doing well. Many everyday structures, like simple homes and business housings, have underwent rocky but swift reconstruction. Most of the population has learned to go outside, without fearing each other or thinking death’s around every corner. All in all, our society’s being put back together very nicely. And the Foundation's role as a firm, country-wide institution for keeping peace, is what we can largely thank.” Getting a chance to finally see the photos up close, I couldn’t help but notice how shocking it was. No one's asked for her to hurry up. It seems like these people all have some straight, stable level of patience. Which is weird, since three of them were eager to hurt me. “Recently though, some alarming and…disturbing info was provided to me.” Nagasawa opened the second folder. Another photo was sent sliding. “The man you’re seeing Endo Ryuga. He was brought in the Foundation when we started accepted volunteers. He stayed with us for years, until he went rogue about a year ago.  And while his reasoning is officially still up for debate, I have a solid idea.” Nagasawa not only passed more photos, but also a bundled bunch of single pages. The hair-bun woman is the first to receive them. Whatever they showed, immediately made her terrified. “Wha- What…is this Nagasawa?” “Images of bloody massacres that Endo made reports on. The information on the pages are mostly basic details. Details such as: The named establishments and houses, the supposed time when bodies started falling, number of victims, murder weapons, and so on. However, there's no suggested or confirmed motive for any of these. Same with no references to possible medical records, or past incidents. It's like the perpetrators cracked on the spot.” When those photos reached me, I thought I could stomach them. I've seen my share of gruesome things, I should've been prepared to see more. But these pictures, they had a sickening range. Silt throats and stomachs, bashed fingers and skulls, severed limbs, and- and…shit! I nearly vomited. I would’ve, if Oshima didn’t comment. “So people killed people, big deal.” “What…did you just say?” “You heard me.” Oshima raised a brow at the hair-bun woman. “These killings aren’t anything to fuss over.” “‘Fuss over'? These people were kill-" “Don't even dare to finish that garbage, Hatano! Haven’t you lived through the past decade? Haven’t you seen the bodies that lined sidewalks, that’d piled on every road? Heck, haven’t you killed and killed for self-defense?!” ‘Hatano' just shut her mouth. “See! You prove my point!” “What point-" The pink-haired woman stopped herself. She turned to Nagasawa. “Why are you showing us these things?” “You all need to know, since I would like your support.” “Support?” “While none of your talents lie in criminal investigation, you developed beyond them. We all did. We had to, in order to survive the Despair Age. Learning how to cook, to hunt, to know-" “Get on with it!” Sugita yelled. “I would like you all to help me, help the Foundation. Help us look in these massacres, and prevent anymore from happening.” “Waaaaait a minute.” Okabe held up Endo's photo. “What about this guy? He might've went ‘rogue’, but he wrote the reports, right? Why don’t you get his help?” “You probably convinced him already, haven’t you Nagasawa?” The tall man asked? “I would've.” Taking in a heavy breath, Nagasawa brought out the last photo from the second folder. With it's back facing us, she glanced at the front. “If possible…” “If possible?” I repeated. A month ago in Shizuoka, one of the agents found…this.” Nagasawa turned the photo around. And all of the brutality from the others, immediately seemed like some sort-of child's play in comparison.The room might as well had exploded. Screams and shrieks rang out like gunfire. There was crying, horrified questions. And somehow, Hoga and Oshima were fine! I had to twist my whole my body around. A wave shook and shot up my throat. I tried to contain it, tried forcing a hand over my mouth. But I couldn’t back the large flood. My palms and knees got drenched. And what had been my breakfast was grown-up. When it ended, I pressed my forehead against my other arm. Strong, aching pain seized my mouth. It grew and grew as the sounds of terror continued. It was all becoming unbearable. But I couldn’t move, vomiting had made me weak. After minutes or maybe hours, someone tapped my shoulder. I barely turned my head. It was Hoga. He’s not looking at me. He's watching the pink-haired woman, who's backing up to a window. The room's only, plate-closing window. I looked away from it. Looked away from everyone else. Rotated my head until an ear met my arm. Covered the other with the connected hand. And I stared out at the lounge, trying to block and ignore what sounded like a flock of crows. Eventually the volume of all noises lowered. Not just because of me ignoring, I think. The elevator had come back up. It's ding seemed to echo. It's doors opened. No one was inside. ‘What-' All of the lights went out. A burst of energy made me sit up. I can't see anything. I heard a few more shrieks, more questions from the others. Something hit the table. A sharp ping came from it. It shut everyone up. The source is a familiarly shaped knife, now sticking out of the table. Two red glow sticks are taped to it. Another knife's sent flying. It went over the table. It pierced the far wall. It has the same shape, the same colored glow sticks. ‘No, no, no-' Stomping brings me back to the doorway. It grows louder as it gets closer. Then it suddenly stops. And it's replaced by a new, growly voice. “Look at the lot of you. Bickering, screaming, weeping altogether. While awful thoughts go wild deep, deep inside.” *SLAM!* “There’s power amassing, molding with every moment. Forming from your lava-mosity.” *BANG!* “Because of it, and this place, the perfect's opportunity's here. The opportunity for murdering. The opportunity for suffering. The opportunity for executing. And the opportunity-” A crimson, lighting-scar for an eye flashes. “-for a new Killing Game!” Commotion came from the table's head. Nagasawa yells. Hatano screams. In seconds twelve shots ring out. Then there's silence. The abomination pulls out another knife. It's flicked up and down. It shows no holes, no dents, no damage!

“Try again, killer.”

There's clacking, as if the gun's dropped. I force myself to turn. ‘Tadao', the one who sent me the murder stare, he runs back. He pulls out the knife in the wall. He sprints and jumps onto the table. He dashes by everyone, by me. He snatches the table’s knife. He raises it and the other. He leaps, roaring like some monster unleashed. He tackled by eight, suddenly appearing abomination. He falls onto the table. They try to hold him down. He tries fighting back, swinging the knives and his legs around. But the knives are knocked out of his hands. Six of the abominations lock down his limbs. The other two start beating his face. “Before the Game begins though, we still got some preparing to do.” As many more crimson scars come to life behind it, the abomination tosses a ball. After landing it splits open. Gas quickly sizzles and puffs from it. The hundred other abominations came soaring in. Groups of six through eight detach, going after everyone. I tried to bolt. I didn’t go far as a group slammed into me. They sent me straight to the floor. A set of paws pull at my hair. Four others pressed on my wrists, my ankles. A sixth worked separately, keeping my head down and nostrils open. All I could do was frail and cry out. Slowly my hope to struggle dies. Hope to escape is destroyed. My whole bodies starts going numb. I can't stop my eyes from slowly closing. “Pu…hu…hu.” Monokuma- The main Monokuma approached me. “Welcome back to Hell!” And the last thing I see, is it's gun whacking my skull.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

‘Do everything to keep everyone together, and get to the place of safety.’

That's what I needed to think. That's what I needed to focus on. That's what I needed as a goal. That's what I needed to help me stay firm.

Within the span of three hours: we had gotten separated from our friends and classmates, abandoned Hope's Peak, and endured a sacrifice done for us. I wanted to have us to stop, be it on the streets or in some building. I wanted to drop to my knees, to let out every ounce of inner pain with screams. And most of all, I wanted to get out of this twisted reality.

But I couldn't do any of that. I couldn't force me, or any of us to stop. We had to keep going now. We had to find THE place to call safe. We had to escape, to hide from the rising number of helmet wearing psychopaths.

After what might've been half a hour, I poked my head out of the alleyway we occupied. Right across the street, I saw a convenience store that I was familiar with. While the windows were smashed, I knew the building’s layer in and out, and that it’s walls were strong. “We can take shelter in there." I pointed at it. "But we can’t just cross the street, we need to go around the block!" Although there was: nearby cracking fires, a few loud shrieks and screams, and constant noise of chaos, the others showed that could hear me by nodding.

We headed back the way we came, and ran like hell is chasing us. We gave glances down the streets, seeing that no helmets psychopaths saw us. They were all busy chasing and killing people, making faraway buildings go up in flames, and/or trying to murder each other. A part of me wanted to stop the nearest group of eight, as they were gaining on a pair of running girls. But I couldn't listen to it. The safety of us four needed to come first.
Having got onto the sidewalk, I lead us to the back of the store. Once I threw the door open, I hurried on inside without a second thought. The instant both of my feet met the interior floor, someone charged into me from the side. I fell down, along with who I had been carrying on my back. I turned over quickly, and blocked desperate punches. I only had to defend against two, before the attacker got shoved off of me. Before anything else could happen, a  man's voice stopped the violence with a shout. “Enough of this!”
I looked to the left, I saw a group of five people. The man who shouted was the oldest of the group, probably in his 40s. To the man's right, there was a woman and and little girl. They were holding onto each other for dear life. To the man's left, there was a girl curled up into a ball, and a guy with his back pressed against a door. In all of their visible faces, there is clear fear and distraught.

A scurrying sound snapped me back to my attacker. Like the boy, girl, and technically our group of four, he was a teenager. His face had the same fear and distraught as the group of five. But there was also hostility, fixated into the furious glare he aimed our way. If it wasn't for the man's shout, he might've tried to kill us four.

“Listen- None of us mean you no harm. As long as you mean no harm to us.” The man attempted to negotiate. It didn't work as he'd expected

“Are you sure about that?! One of you just tackled Tadao, and tried to give him a beating!” Barely holding back his anger, 'Nobu had taken one threatening step forward. “You better give me more of a damn reason than that, if you want me to lower this pipe.”

“H-Harunobu!” After he shut the back door, 'Masa grabbed and pulled at 'Nobu's shoulder. “N-None of these people aren't wearing any half-black, half-white bear helmets! T-The guy attacked because he didn't know-”

“Does that really matter?!” 'Nobu yelled. “You saw what happened back at the school! The whole Reserve Course just stormed right in, killing anyone on the grounds and inside Hope's Peak!”

“So those uniforms aren't just clothes!” My attacker got up onto his feet, and pointed at us. “You ARE from Hope's Peak Academy! The school that started all of this!”

“What?!” 'Nobu and me both almost rushed my attacker for saying that nonsense But we were both held back. “Where did you get that idea asshole!?”

“The damn MOB that assembled at the school gates, didn't just gather together out of the blue! They had to been riled up for good reason!”

"Good reason?! Say that again you bastard, I DARE YOU!”

“Stop!” The boy who had his back against the other door, got in between 'Nobu and the piece of shit. “Stop this please! If you guys can't, those masked murderers are going to find us!”

“He's right, fighting at a time like this, helps none of us."

Even though I was pissed, I knew they were right. So I resorted to clenching my fists, and taking in a long breath in order to calm down. Then I nodded. “'Nobu, lower your pipe. They're both making sense. We have to fight the real enemy out there, not other people.”

“The same goes for your accusations Domen. Despite the dangerous and questionable events that happened in recent years, Hope's Peak has a long history of advancing talent and helping the world. To claim that such a grand school would stir up this chaos- you are doing no favors.”

After a few moments, my brother lowered his pipe and ‘Domen' gritted his teeth. As 'Nobu took a few steps back, Domen rolled his eyes and sat down. Then they both shut their mouths, and looked away from each other.

Feeling the tension slowly evaporate, I turned my head and checked on my precious friend. Concern had found itself in those blue eyes again. And the arm she had wrapped around my own, tightened its grip. I knew what she meant by that. I couldn’t lie to her. “I’m just…dealing right now.” I let my fists unfold themselves. “What about you Miaya? Did the fall hurt you much?” She answered with the shake of her head. “Good.”

Once I slung her arm over my shoulder, I carefully brought us both up to our feet. I looked back at the elder man. Although I had ton of questions, I put them aside for later. “Right now I don’t think any of us are going to anywhere, at any time soon. So I think it's best for us to do introductions. I'll start us off: My name is Hiyama Tadao, and I'm the SHSL Hunter.” I tilted my had towards my 'Nobu and 'Masa. "The both of them are my blood-brothers, Watanabe Harunobu and Nakamori Kiyomasa. Respectfully they are the SHSL Skater, and the SHSL Journalist.” Then I gave Miaya a glance. “And this here is Gekkogahara Miaya, the SHSL Therapist.”

"Y-You're…really students of Hope's Peak Academy?” The curled up girl asked.

“W-We are.” Kiyomasa answered. “A-And right now, us four is all that we have.”

"I see.” The man cleared his throat. “As you can see, us six is are all that we got too. Or at least right now, that is. I'm Ojima Tsuyoshi, current head of the Ojima house.” He turned to the woman and her daughter. “Yoshie, Tomiko, introduce yourselves.”

Not a peep came out of them. They both just continued staring at us, until the little girl hid her face away. Ojima-san didn't attempt to force either of them to speak, and looked back at us. “My sister and niece haven't been able find any sense of calamity, ever since this chaos began and we got separated from my brother-in-law. So forgive them for not being talkative.

He turned peace broking boy, and had opened his mouth before the boy spoke. “I'm Kagawa Haruto.” He bowed. Then he pointed back at the curled up girl. “She's Goda Masuyo. We're fellow classmates from Dusk High School. We've been on the run since our school was attacked.”

"Your school was attacked too?” 'Nobu asked.

“Yeah. We were just in class doing our work, before rocks started smashing the windows. Next thing we know, those people with bear helmets storm the campus, killing everyone that they can see.” Rubbing at his throat, Kagawa gulped. “I'm still wrapping my head around it all. Friends, Teachers, and fellow students all murdered. Fire bottles and torches thrown into classrooms. It…doesn't make sense!”

“Doesn’t make sense? Genius I already gave you the answer! Hope's Peak-”

“Silence Domen!” The man almost bellowed. The shit-teen growled, but shut up none the less.

Kagawa decided to enlighten us on who the piece of shit was. “And…he's Domen Masanori." Kagawa looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't say anything else beyond that.

“Good to know.” Harunobu replied with distaste.

“E-Even though this situation is screwed up, it's good to meet more sane people.” Kiyomasa admitted.

“Do you mind if we stay?” I asked.

Ojima-san firmly shook his head. “Of course not. Sending you back out there would be a death sentence. And it's best to stick together in this crisis.”

After I nodded to that sentinment, I asked Miaya if she wanted to stay up. She replied by holding one finger up, in a way of saying yes. So I brought us both over to back wall. While we'd leaned and rested against it, I gave the room a quick look around.

While the light hanging from above was dim, I saw that the room's condition is overall good. The reason must've been due to the other door’s blockade, made up by a desk and one 4-tier shelf. Since none of those psychopaths broke into the back, then they laid the rest of the store. If that was the case, then all of the water, food, and all other necessities were must've been targeted. If not, then anything still edible and useful needed to be salvaged. Despite the risk of being spotted from outside, to get any available supplies was worth it.

Before I suggested on moving the blockage, I had to ask: “Did anyone go through the store, and manage to grab anything before falling back here? Like any full water bottles? Any energy drinks? Any boxes or packages of food?”

“N-No!” Kagawa sent me an astonished look. “Why would we? Stealing is a crime!”

“…Are you serious?”

“Besides that fact, there's no need to take anything from the store-front.” Ojima-san stated. "The whole place looks demolished. Any attempt to get anything would be highly risky. And the authorities will surely put a stop to the chaos. We just need to wait things out.”

I almost couldn't believe they said that crap. But no, they actually said- they actually BELIEVED that those psychopaths were going to be stopped. They were so certain of it.

I wanted to argue and tried to stomp out that nonsense. 'Nobu though, shared my view and put a voice to it. “Have any of you seen how many of those bastards are out there! I got to count every single one we saw, and the number goes over a hundred! If there’s a hundred of them from here to Hope's Peak, then there has to be more in the city!”

“A hundred or more is an over-exaggeration! That many just…can’t be possible!”

“Why not?!”

“Because it doesn't make any sense. There wasn't any signs of rioting before the Reserve Course at Hope's Peak. And there haven't been any farely recent murders, bizarre events, or any known hostile exchanges noted on the news.” Ojima countered. He made half of a good point. “A hundred people turning into psychopaths within one day? There can't be anymore then thirty at worse.”

“Thirty?!” 'Nobu gave Kagawa and Ojima-san hard glares. “You're both are talking crazy!”

"Crazy?”

'Nobu sent me, and the blockage at the door quick glances. Then after sending me a 'shakened' nod, he focused back on the optimists. “Yes!”

I understood what he was doing, and let him argue on. But I haven't even taken one step before my sleeve was tugged. I met Miaya's narrowed eyes. “You might not like it, but we need supplies regardless of what happens outside.” I did my best to whisper. “Please…don't stop me from doing this Miaya.”

For a short while she just stared. But eventually she drops the narrowed look, and then lowered her head. It was her way of saying fine. "Thank you."

After I waved him over, I asked my other brother a favor. “'Masa, can you be Miaya's support for me?”

“Sure, no problem.” Although he let her arm hang over his shoulder, he looked at me questionably. I gestured to the blocked door with my head, before I left him.

‘Goda' didn't try to stop me from moving the blockage. She moved off to the side, and let me me pull the furniture. Although there was a little bit of noise, neither Ojima-san or Kagawa came running over. All that they did, was warn me to not open the door.

I didn't listen, and instantly I had wished I did. Beyond the carnage inside of the store, a horrifying transpired right outside. One of the two girls from earlier fell to the ground, and cried out on impact. Blood oozed out of her arms, as well as the visible corner of her lips. She tried to crawl away, but a bloody boot slammed down onto her back. A red beam of light was directed at her neck.

“SOMEBODY- ANYBODY HELP ME!” That's was all she's able to scream, before a pole was speared through her throat.

She gurgled in the place of screams. She clawed at the metal desperately. She rapidly threw her head around, accidentally helping the pole widen it's hole. Then she sobbed, before a second boot stomped the back of her skull. It held her down even more, making her wither away and die.

Her killer fully came into the view, showing that they wore one of those Monochrome helmets. They seemed to goddamn admire their work, enthusiastically tilting their head left and right. Then once they pulled the pole out, they resorted to whacking the dead girl's skull. And after they did that for a short while, they casually looked over at the opposite side of the street.
Having seen that happen, I suddenly feel a strange weight on my throat. It starts off at my Adam’s apple, before it expands. As what feels like fingers rush up my jaw, my wrists are grabbed in invisible hands. I feel my body twitching but it's not moving. I couldn't do anything but watch the helmeted killer.
It's only when they twisted themselves around, that I instinctively dropped down behind a counter and avoided their gaze. The red glow of a lighting scar stemmed out, being directed across the store's front whole width. It rose and fell, searching for any sign of life. It found none at the now shut door. And I hoped that it found none at the counter I'm hiding at.
But then the killer walked in, and then moved around the counter. That red beam of their'd intensified- I feel the hold of the hands at my wrists increase. I feel the fingers moving up my jaw go to my mouth. I feel my lips be forced open. And I feel the presence of a small cylinder, being pressed against my tongue.I wake up, my eyes opening up wide. A hand is in my mouth with the capsule. My wrists are held down on the ground. My ears are flooded with grunts and fast spoken words. And the starting taste of foam makes me thrash about, trying to break free.The woman attempting to trap my mind is my self-claim friend. The Golfer woman is helping her. My friend is the one with her hand in my mouth. The Golfer is the one who’s keeping my arms down. My 'friend’ is the one trying to ‘calm' me with her words. And the Golfer is the one grunting through her teeth, trying to not curse up a storm.As the capsule melds and melts into frothy saliva, flashes desperately stem out from my mind. Memories come out in the form of still pictures. Images ranging from people to places, weapons to corpses, and glass walls to experiences of carnage. And while I remember seeing those things, reminiscent words and sounds fill up my ears. They're follow the same pattern as the images, happening one at a time before they accelerate.
Help *Bash*. No *Crash*. Stop *Bang*. Go *Yowl*. Slaughter *Splat*. Bastards *Wack*.
For minutes I hear them. For minutes I go through spasms. For minutes I feel the heat building up in my forehead. For minutes I claw at the Golfer's hands. For minutes I let out choked cries. For minutes I see the world be coated by red and black.Then in a matter of moments it all stops. It all breaks down. It all fizzes away into nothingness. It's because of the white, slightly teal-ish foam. As one half of it is swallowed, the other is leaking out from my lips. And as that goes on, I am left alone.For a short while I'm left alone, laying on my back while looking at the mostly black ceiling. My wrists were let go, allowing me to set my hands on top of my pockets. My legs had stopped their reckless kicking, resorting to mostly staying still. My steady breaths, along with those of the two woman sitting some feet away, have replaced the sound of clogging done by memory. The white-teal foam was wiped away using my shoulder, leaving only a few bits of dried up remains.“How are you doing Tadao?”Frowning, I look over to Hatano. “I'm…better.” I attempt to tell her solemnly, hiding away the intended sarcasm.“Well that's good!” Oshima exclaims. “I wouldn’t want to knock you out ‘cause you couldn’t calm down. All of us with talent are needed now.”I sit up, rubbing at my soring forehead. Then I glance around at my surroundings. Seeing stalls, sinks, the tile walls and tile floor, make this place out to be a public restroom. There is also however a ceiling corner camera. And a monitor set on the wall next to the exit door.“Do you remember what happened earlier Hiyama?”“What happened?” I looked down at my knees, taking a moment to prod at my memory. The image of an all too familiar red, glowing lighting scar in the darkness surged forward. “That damn bear!”“I know right?” Oshima grabbed at her hat's brim, squeezing it tightly. “After half or so of a decade of work, of fighting day after day to exterminate Despair, you’d think it'd be dead!” She jumped up to her feet, and slammed her fist into the toilet stall. “That lying bitch Nagasawa! First she doesn't admit that the INSULT is coming to the meeting. Now we have a Monokuma, and an army of miniature Monokumas on the damn loose!”“Oshima, you shouldn't get riled up!”Flat out ignoring Hatano, Oshima gave the stall a second punch. “To think I put my trust in that criticizing witch!” She unfolded her fist, deciding to heavily press her palm into her self-made dent. Pushing her foot down and into the stall, she let out a long sigh. Then she pulled that foot back out, along with her golf club. And after quickly stepping on the grip handle, she caught the club in mid-air. “Despite that shit, I still have you ready and able. One certain good thing in this screwed situation.”“Oshima-”“WHAT?!”The yell made Hatano flinch, and bring her hands up. “You can't get pissed off now. I mean, are we even sure that what we saw was real? A Monokuma appearing within the dark, with many others tackling us down and forcing us to breathe in knockout gas. Doesn't that seem not real to you?”“Then how did we end up in this restroom?” Both women turned to me. “Better yet, if that...demon was the product of a nightmare, why aren't we back at our separate homes?”“Hiyama's talking sense! What we saw was real!” Oshima sensibly agreed."But-”“No.” All I did was say that one word, and gave Hatano a glare. As a result, shut her mouth on the subject.“Since that Monokuma was real, then his threat of a killing game is the same deal. So unless we stay sitting or standing around here like idiots, we have the chance to escape this factory!”"How do you know if we're even still in the factory?” I asked.“Before you started squirming in your sleep, I managed to open the door and take a peak outside. There are two hallways, one going left and one going right. Wasn't able to see much for the left hallway, but the right had two pairs of double doors. So in short, I got a gut feeling that we're still in the building.” Resting her golf club's shaft on her shoulder, she walked on over to me. “And I think that one of the those double door pairs, might lead us right to the entrance.”“What if it doesn't?”“Then until I find it, I'll either kick open or bust down every door I see!”Hearing the determination powered in her words, alongside seeing her standing up tall with her shoulders slightly raised, got me feeling like I could relate to her. It was strange though, I felt like this wasn't first time that I did. It's as if years ago, back at Hope's Peak, I had gotten to connect with Oshima Keiko. But trying to remember from that time, barely gets any results. Not to mention gaining a small migraine!“Tadao?” As she spoke my name Hatano got to her feet and came over. She didn't anything else but look worried.“What's wrong now Hiyama? A migraine?” Oshima crouched down to my level, setting her free hand on my sleeve. Somehow she's showing more concern for me than Hatano.Why even bother lying? “Yeah. It's a symptom of taking the medicine.”“Receiving a migraine is a symptom? I thought meds was supposed to only help people, not hurt.”“I honestly thought that too. But right now it doesn't matter much.” After backing up a few inches, I get up. “What does matter…is getting out of here.”“Definitely!” Oshima gave my shoulder a pat."And if we see that demon bear, we'll mess him up!”“Hang on-”“Sorry Hatano, but we waited around for long enough. Let's get going!” Not waiting for any reply, Oshima practically darted towards the door. Then without any hesitation she threw it open, and ran right out."Oshima!”"What do we think we should do instead? Nothing?”"No! We should try to find the others-”“If we're all still in the factory, most of them probably busted out by now.” And with that I rushed on after Oshima, ignoring Hatano calling my name.Sprinting pass silver metallic walls, I got to see Oshima try out the first double door pair. She was able to open them, but immediately shut them after peeking at what lied behind. She resumed running, heading straight towards the second pair. Catching up to her, her shoes and mine rapidly met the marble floor. Then we the doors, she pushed her shoulder out and nodded to me. I got the idea and nodded back, readying my own shoulder as well.Upon contact the doors are thrown open, with me stumbling forward a bit. Looking from left to right reveals that we've found the entrance hall, along with everyone else from the meeting. There was one however, one big change that explained why no one left already. And once Oshima saw that change, she sprinted right over to it and freaked out.“NO DAMNIT NOOOOOO!”A huge, metal hatch covering the whole wall, stood between everyone and freedom. A hatch that I knew for sure, wasn't there when me and Hatano got to the factory. A hatch that Oshima was unleashing strike after strike on. But most importantly, it was a hatch that kept one Andoh Ruruka inside, and currently in sight.Keeping my eyes fixated on the excuse of a woman, I hear everyone's voices come and go. “Stop with that banging Oshima! It isn't going to help us get out!”“Really?! And what ideas do you have Nagasawa? Another meeting? Another group invite for us to get trapped in a damn killing game, worse yet with a Monokuma?!” Oshima delivers another blow onto the hatch. “I should have never put my trust in you!”“Now hold on a minute! You can't blame this situation on Nagasawa.”“What the hell Kita?! Earlier you were ready to take out insult with me, and then suddenly you switched over to Nagasawa's side when she showed that photo! What is wrong with you?!”“Wrong? I'm not letting myself get riled up like you! And I didn't just ‘suddenly' switch 'sides'. I was only telling the truth.”“Truth? TRUTH?!” Amari yelled. “How do you feel about that truth now?! We're- I'M stuck in this factory- in this killing game with you all! And if it wasn't for Nagasawa’s invite, I wouldn't have been kidnapped and brought here!”“Please don't yell!” The emergence of a different voice, actually got me to turn my head. The muscled camera technician from before was here as well, now protectively standing in front of Nagasawa. And although terror was stretched across all of his facial features, he managed to have his voice stay steady and loud. “None of you ladies should strain your voices. It's best if you…try to calm down, and collect your thoughts before speaking.”“That's exactly right.” Nagasawa moved pass the camera technician. “We're all stressed out, and running high on feeling fear. We need to think rationally here, not emotionally.”“How can we think ‘rationally' when there's a DEAD BODY?!”“D-Dead body?” While Hatano stuttered, I turned around and looked from space to space. I could smell the distinct scent of copper, but at first glances there was no sign of a dead body. But out from the corner of my eye, I spotted a lone shoe sticking out from behind a desk. I didn't hesitate and walked to it. And once I got a full look, I didn't wince or flinch at the sight.Laying on the floor with hands forever attached to his shirt collar, was the corpse of the man who allowed me and Hatano into the building. While Hatano came over and reacted with a scream, I kneeled down and examined around the facial area. The reading glasses that once adorned the head top, was now on the floor some inches from his eyes, with one of the lens having been crushed. The eyes were open, showing the ultimate still presentation of fearing death. The mouth was oddly shut, with the lips containing leaked lines of dried salvia. The throat seemed clear of having any indentations, but the methods to cause them couldn't totally be ruled out. And covering the whole head, was the scent of sweat having a strong presence.“What’cha you doing Hiyama-kun?”“What does it look like he's doing?” Having regained some of her composure, Oshima answered Okabe. “He's investigating the body.”“H-How…can you be so calm?! We have a corpse in here with us!”“Oh don't start with that crap again Hatano! So what if there's a corpse? He's fine!”“He's fine? He's dead!”“Exactly! A corpse is a damn corpse!”“Please ladies, Miss Nagasawa doesn't want you to fight!”“I can give no shits to what you want Nagasawa. And as for you muscle man, shut your mouth and let her flap her own gums!”“Nagasawa is right Oshima- We need to stop- Stop fighting and start- Start working all together. Take slow and deep breaths.”“It's certainly easier said then done Super-Talent! But it's also an impossible cause. You Super-Talents are all too stupid, and selfish to give that an honest try.”“You simpleton TRASH!”“Oh no, what are you going to do? Make me become ‘fine'?”The scraping of sneakers belonging to Oshima attempt to dart off, but a quick rush of boots stops the sneakers. “Let go of me!”“No can do Miss Oshima. Miss Nagasawa needs peace, and peace is what all ladies need!”“I said Let Go!”Enduring the vocal flock of agitation and another small migraine, I attempt moving on to examining the body. I only got as far as trying to pry, and to pull the hands off of the shirt collar. What stopped me from getting that done, came in the form of a distant ping.“Elevator.” At the sound and Hoga's spoken word, I looked over my shoulder to see that he wasn't mistaken. The elevator had just open up. Within it lay one small, half-black and half-white bear. It's back, head, and limbs were all facing towards us. It stayed motionless, staring at most of our assembled group. And as a result, all voices had become silent.Suddenly there came a twitch, followed by the slow rising the right paw. Once it reached the highest point it could stretch towards, the paw dropped forward. Right after that the left paw, alongside the right leg copied the first paw’s actions. Then the right paw and left leg followed suit, creating a pattern of disturbing movements. And it was after one round of repeat did the bear roll, evidently avoiding a second bear falling from the ceiling.Gradually getting up onto its knees, the first bear began crawling on its paws. With every inch passed going forward, more of its kind rapidly descended onto the elevator floor. One by one they turned their sights toward our group. One by one they stood, or resorted to creeping across the ground. And one by one as deep metallic whirls gave sound, backward or disjointed body parts twisted and relocated into normal area placements.The many that limped along held weapons, ranging from clean steel pipes to rusty wrenches. The crawling crowd scrapped the ground with their clawed paws, leaving behind faint to permanent scratches and sinking marks. The fifteen having their heads swaying each dragged one arm along the wall, using the other to hold a monochrome colored device close to their chests. Almost all of them shared the same: differently shaped eyes, black and white skin with violent spread splotches of red, and general body structure. And every single one had missing skin pieces, exposing their dark metal insides.Once all sixty of them left the confines of the elevator, they formed a broken horizontal line. The limped many tighten their holds on the weapons. The head swayers placed their devices into a pile. The crawlers situated themselves in the center, making their backs rise.“Up!”After hearing that word come from Kawatou, I lifted my sight just in time. One other bear larger then the rest, descended from above. It landed right on top of two of the crawlers, them both barely budging. And as it stood revealed in light, I got to truly see this mascot of Despair.Wires stuck out from a few numbered holes. An ear, a cheek, and bits of a stomach were beyond gone. Dents and carvings were present on not only the main body, but the limbs as well. It’s natural color design of half-white, half-black was faded. Two tiny claws alongside three linear metal-bones, served as the digits of both paws and feet. A vibrant mix of blood and red coated the dual mouth, it consisting of the half-evil grin and half-round expression.Then after noticing the threat of a shotgun of its grasp, I looked into those two different eyes. One being a plain black dot, surrounded by the right pool of white. And the second was that 'stripe', the red lightning scar that didn't have its usual glow.I shot my hand towards the nearest object to throw. Trying to stop me was another migraine, and Hatano's quick grab of my sleeve. I pushed past the brain pain. I shoved off the weak hand. And after ripping out a desk drawer, I sent it flying.*Bang!*In three seconds the shotgun was turned, and it's trigger was pulled. As the arm holding it jutted back, the drawer went back and over my head. It bashed the desk corner, being sent into a flipping frenzy. And then it crashed to a halt, some short distance away from Hoga and Andoh.“CRA-BWAHAHAHAHA!”Cracked, cackling laughter emerged from the damaged Monokuma. Its sight centered on me. The shotgun was waved up. And through its unmoving dual mouth, it spoke our language. “Somebody’s ready to make a killing! That's good for our game, but bad for targeting this bear. Besides, it isn't best to start performing punishments, and becoming a killer-killer right at the beginning. You know what I mean, killer?”It laughed again, swiftly shifting the shotgun's barrel from person to person. Then it stopped emitting those joy noises, switching to tsking while dismissively waving the gun. But as soon as it emoted disappointment, excitement came knocking into action. “No need to sweat that nonsense though, it's introduction time!”Whirling around on the backs of the crawlers, the Monokuma stuck its arms out. “I am the broken bear beyond wanting Despair, BUROKUMA! And I welcome the lot of ya, to this brand new KILLING GAME!”Its shouting rung out like a shockwave, stilling everyone in their current places. Realizations that were either forcibly ignored, or haven't been made had settled in. Terror was found on faces, in shaking bodies, and within the chilly air. No voice of oppression was made. Staying quiet, we all looked at one another with reignited confliction.Having gave the thirteen others glances, I sent a focused glare Andoh's way. She was like the rest, having fear and suspicion frantically radiating. She acted like the rest, showing the rapid blinking gaze of alarm. She pretended to be a victim, 'uncertainly' biting her lips shut and pressing herself to the wall. But most of all she was planning, getting her devious mind to think on about winning methods.While she might think she will freely succeed, I'll be the absolute obstacle stopping her. She won't find any victory, any control, or any sort of morality ground. She will be made to fail. She will never hold any power. She will be forever seen as what she is. And I knew with utmost certainty, be it in or outside of the bear's game:I. Will. Make. Her. Suffer.
CHAPTER 1: TENSIONS AND NEEDS

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Of course, I can’t forget the other source of my burning hostility. The bear powered by an interior system, made of gears and wires. Its face was one that I've repeatedly encountered. A face that had been displayed on numerous helmets. Helmets that I haven't just seen, I've stared at them with trained eyes. For a numerous amount of times I had passed them, with the majority belonging to lifeless forms. And while it hurt to think back, I pushed through.When the mechanical creature began howling with laughter, I managed to tear my gaze off of Andoh. With a short turn I set my gaze onto it, and didn't let a growl get out. “BWAHAHAHAHA! Oh the look of your scared, frightened faces! They're all pathetic and crazy. Just because of the one hell of a shock, seeing these many mechanical bears. I'm thrilled by them as much as I'm disgusted.”Lifting the shotgun onto its shoulder, the 'Burokuma' let out a few coughs. Then it shook its head, walking to the side of it's back-makeshift ground. “And while I'd like to stare at them all day, these handbooks need to be given out!”After swiftly swiping up and throwing the fifteen handbooks, the bear distributed them to us one-by-one. Most were sent flying high, while a few soared low. The tablet device meant for me, met the floor right before my feet. The urge to not pick it up tried to seal me in place. But I ultimately acted against it.“T-This-”“No talking just yet!” With that yell and the pumping of the shotgun, the Burokuma made Amari shut her mouth. “No peeps, loud sighs, or any sudden cries. Or else someone's gonna get ultra terrified, if not beaten by these rejects here.” It gestured to the many other standing Monokumas. “Don't tempt them now you hear? They know how to truly crush ribs, and how to really break bones.”When no one else attempted to speak, the Burokuma reached behind its back and pulled out one other tablet. “Good. Now let's turn on our handbooks, and read over the rules!”As there was no deviance from the others, I kept the thought of it inside of me. Easily finding the three buttons on the side, I pressed down on the first being for power. In a few moments the screen came to life, showing only my name before it dispersed. Then the dark-red background, along with six silver-black menu tabs were revealed.Not wanting to hear the Burokuma give an order, I opened the Rule tab up and waited. It wasn't long before the bear cleared its imaginary throat, and began reading the rules off.“Rule 1: Residents must reside inside the Factory at all times.Rule 2: Any violence against the one and only Burokuma, is outright prohibited. Alongside the destruction of any surveillance cameras.Rule 3: 'Nighttime’ is from 10 PM to 5 AM, and some areas will be off limits in that time frame.Rule 4: When the need comes bugging, sleep wherever the hell you want.Rule 5: When anyone kills a fellow resident, they will become a blackened. They will be allowed to leave the factory, but only if they can remain undiscovered.Rule 6: Any blackened who wishes to go on a killing spree beyond two, must ask for the privilege from Burokuma in private. If they don’t and/or try to go on a spree beforehand, they will be harshly punished.Rule 7: Once someone kills, a 76th class trial will be held. Every resident still breathing must participate.Rule 8: If the blackened is discovered in the trial, only them will be executed. If the blackened isn't found out however, then all of the other class residents will be executed instead.Rule 9: Any attempts to destroy any physical motives, will be met with harsh punishment.Rule 10: Any other rules will be added later on if necessary.”After the reading was done, the Burokuma whistled. “These rules might be a bunch in number, but all that you lot can do is complain about them. ‘Cause they're not going anywhere anytime soon. ” Placing the handbook back from behind itself, the Burokuma tapped its gun-holding paw against its forehead. “Now you lot can talk!”The muscled technician held up an unsteady hand. “D-Does someone really have to k-kill…I-in order to leave?”“Yep! And you can honestly kill using whatever method you want! From drowning to strangling, butchering to bludgeoning, poisoning to bomb exploding- the possibilities are endless!”“B-But that's just awful…”“I-It's more then just awful, it's outright horrendous!” Hatano shouted with her voice cracking.“Horrendous? Oh don't be silly! Killing is a natural part of human nature, just like sleeping and breathing. It happens every single day.”"You don’t get to say that you psychopathic machine!” Oshima yelled.The Burokuma shook its head and sulked its shoulders. “Psychopathic machine? Is that the best name you got for me? I'm barely insulted.”“I don't give a shit!”“Sure, go and tell yourself that.” With that statement the Burokuma took an 180 emotional turn. “But just know that being in Denial won't get you far!”“I-I…”“Yes?”Squeezing his tie over and over, Machida managed to reply. “I-I can't understand this. W-Why are you in here with us? W-Where did you come from?”“Are you asking me to give spoilers?”“H-He's wondering why something like you is s-still alive!” Pressing her back against the wall, Amari was barely able to keep her trembling body standing. “Y-You, those other y-yous, should all be dead and trash now!” She drove her hands into her hair. “H-How? H-HOW?!”“Sorry-not-sorry, I can't give you the truth. Think and figure it out for yourselves!”Spitting at the floor, Hoga moved away from Andoh. “Typical.”“Now, as much as I'd like to stay and talk on, I can't take up to much of your time! So me and these rejects will be going.” Hopping off the backs of the few smaller bears, the Burokuma gave a bow. Then as the sixty others of its kind rushed back into the elevator, it took its precious time in doing the same. “Explore this whole first floor, try to form some United group, or start thinking out future plans for murder! Do whatever you want, while making sure to follow the rules.”Going one by one and two by two, the bears jumped from wall to wall. They ascended until they were out of view. After they all went above, the Burokuma was left to stand alone in the vertical transport. It tilted its head, giving off one dry chuckle. But then for a momemt it all went quiet, becoming still as a mannequin.“I'll see you all later!” With that statement carrying a chill, it jolted and followed its kin. Piercing parts of the elevator's walls with every jump. Digging both fingers and claws into the metal. And disappearing from our sight, leaving behind faint echoes of its climb up the shaft.It seemed like the power for anyone to speak, had officially died in the wake of the bear's departure. All that there was in terms of communicating, was signs of dread, fear, and distrust. The dread being of murder. The fear being of death. And the clear distrust being for most, if not everyone in the room. It was all painfully familiar to one televised killing game, and of certain instances that I've had memory of.Everyone was all silent and exchanging glances, before Oshima started walking and Kawatou managed to ask: “Wait where are you- Where are you going?”“Anywhere not near the traitor bitch, and any possible way out.”“But-”Oshima spun around, revealing her popped forehead veins and letting herself roar. “The next time I even try trusting you Nagasawa, might as well be the time I sign my own death warrant!” With that declaration out, she rushed towards the double doors we went through. And then after pulling them open, she ran without sparing a glance over her shoulder.“S-She's right.” Pushing herself off from the wall, Amari wrapped one arm around herself. “Y-You inviting us, inviting me here…has done no good. And staying here near you Nagasawa, won't do any good for my sanity. Or even help me survive.”“Amari-”“Shut up! Stay away from me!” With that yell Amari bolted, shoving pass Machida and quickly leaving through one other pair of double doors.“I'm not sticking around either.” Okabe jumped off of the desk she was sitting on. “I'd like to like to survive for a long while, you know?” Then somehow with her baring a smile, she walked out the room pulling at one corner of her mouth.“H-Hey! Wait up Okabe!” Machida ran right after her, nearly stumbling over his own two feet.“We'll be going too.” Sugita gave his suspenders a pull. “Common folk should have to stick together, away from you Super-Talents. And if it comes down to it, we'll live past you all.” With that being said he started heading out. The eye mask girl who was seated on the ground next to him, began trailing behind him. But before they both went out, Sugita looked to the muscled technician. “It's best if we Common folk stick together.”Besides his fused expression of confusion and fright, the muscled technician didn't offer any response. He simply stared at Sugita, then glanced at the hand he was holding out, and opted to look away.“Fine.” Sugita drew his hand back. “If you think being around this bunch will protect you, you're very wrong. So when you realize that, come find us.” Then after sending the muscle man a nod, Sugita and the eyemask girl left.It wasn't long before two more of the group departed. They were Hoga and Andoh. The one-eyed man didn't say any word, or give anyone any look. And while the scheming woman also didn't speak, she sent everyone besides Hoga a familiar glare. It was actually more of an attempted glare, showing that she didn't trust either of us one bit.The feeling is pretty damn mutual.After she and Hoga made their tight-lipped exit, I looked around at what was left of the group. Including me, there was just seven of us. Kawatou and Goto were standing side-to-side, their associated hands firmly squeezing each other. Kita had his head turned to the ground, and his fists pressing against his sides. Nagasawa was pinching the bridge of her nose, seeming to be on the brink of being defeated by all of this. And Hatano was seated on the ground in a state of shock, with her lips constantly trembling while her whole body was stiff.Although he seemed to be the most terrified of the six, the muscled technician was still able to find his voice. “M-Ms. N-Nagasawa, what do y-you think should be done?”Lowering her hand, Nagasawa took a moment before speaking. “Right now, with half of us unwilling to work together...” She flung her finger into her hair, twirling a few strands around. “And with there being no knowledgeable way to escape, I'm not so sure of how.”Kita raised his head. “What do you mean ‘How'?”“It's obvious for what needs to be done: No one must kill. Killing does nothing but play into Monokuma's hands, and craves a path for more murders to happen.” Nagasawa frowned. “That's what one killing always leads to. And that's how this killing game may go. But right now I don't know. I don't have any plan in mind to stop that from happening.”“Shouldn't we try to make contact with the outside? Or even wait a day or two?” Kita suggested.“We can't do neither right now. If we try to simply wait this out, someone will no doubt end up dead. Not to mention that this hatch here, doesn't look like it could be easily penetrated. We can't just stand around, relying on the hope that somebody will try to save us.”“What about communication?”“Have you seen anyone whip out a phone since we all woke up?” Before Kita could provide the obvious answer, Nagasawa looked to the rest of us. “Actually, has anybody here even checked through their pockets, or bags yet?”At that question, everyone but me and Hatano did quick searches of themselves. Nothing capable of communicating with the outside was found. All pockets were empty. And the couple's backpacks contained one blanket each, alongside what seemed to be cans and water bottles.“Damn it. Judging by this and how everyone was acting before, it turns out that I'm right.” Nagasawa sighed.“Then we need to search for a way out. I mean, there has to be more exits available.”“There won't be any Kita. Or at least, any that I know of.” The once SHSL Critic turned to the muscled man. “Cameraman, do you know of any other possible exits?”“No Ms. Nagasawa.”“Not even in the two separate emergency stairways?”“I don't think so Ms. Nagasawa. The…bosses, might’ve had plans to install exit doors. But no news passed around about it happening.”“While that seems a tad bit strange, we should go check out these stairways just in-case.” Kita said.“We should also explore- Explore every bit of- Of the first floor. Look for any sources- sources for all our- Our basic needs.”“And to go look for everyone, making sure that no one takes any drastic action.” Nagasawa brought both of her palms together with a clap. Then she rubbed them against each other. “All of that can be the plan for now.”After staying quiet and simply listening for a while, I gave out a suggestion. “How about we seven split up? Four in one group, three in the other.”“I was just about to say that.” Nagasawa nodded. “Both groups should go through one of double doors here. Every room each group finds, should be investigated top to bottom. And everything of importance should be noted.”“Is splitting up really a good idea?”“Yes it is Kita. It'll take less time, and let more ground be covered than us moving as a full group.”After taking a short while to think it over, he eventually agreed with the idea. “You make sense Nagasawa. Let's go ahead and do it.”“Who should go with- With who?”“Personally I believe that you, Goto, and Kita should take one pair of double doors. While me, Hatano, Hiyama, and Cameraman take the other. And once both of our groups are done, we try to meet up at some point. Be it here, or at what I've been told is a cafeteria.” Once that was all said, Nagasawa gave each of us a glance. “Does anyone have any objection, any argument against that plan?” No sound or motion of disagreement was made. “Alright. Let's get to it.”The trio of Kita, Goto, and Kawatou had headed out without any fuss. While our group of four was held back. The cause for that was Hatano. She remained seated, still in a state of shock.“We need to get moving Hatano.”There was no response beyond turning her head up, and quietly showing her denying eyes.“Listen, I didn't expect to see another functioning Monokuma either. But it's here, it's active, and we're trapped in it's killing game.”She blinks in quick secession, her sight staying on the tan woman crouching before her. Then for a few seconds, Nagasawa looked her up and down.“Do you want to get away from the murderous bear? Do you want to get out?” She nodded twice at the Critic’s words. “Then you can't stay here. If you do, you'll remain trapped in this place. You'll constantly be frozen by two fears. The first is of the next moments you’ll encounter that Monokuma. And the second is that someone will kill you.Now before you start assuming, no. I'm not saying that by making yourself move now, you'll get to instantly conquer those fears. What I'm trying to say- What I mean is that by moving, you can actually start fighting those fears. And you can actually become a whole lot safer, then just staying put in one spot forever.”After raising herself back up, Nagasawa took a few steps back. Then she crossed her arms, and became quiet. She decided to wait, wanting to see what Hatano would do. And like Nagasawa I did the same, but for a different reason. I knew what exactly what Hatano as going to do. Since this state of hers, like our arguments over the medicine, has happened multiple times before.Eventually, after taking some slow breaths she nodded. Then once she whispered a few words to herself, Hatano got herself up from the ground. “I-I…think I'm ready.”“Are you sure?”“Y-Yeah.”Although Nagasawa seemed ready to further press on the matter, she dropped it at Hatano's answer. “If that's so, let's get going.”In the threshold of an hour, our group of four searched through some of the first floor's right half rooms. The 'most' being made of: two other public restrooms, one whole janitor storage area, and a locker room that was not only next to a small gym, but also a short hall containing stall-separated showers. We found no clues and no secrets. Instead all that we discovered were more: accesses to water, possible sleeping spaces, cameras and monitors, and many options for weapons.While those areas were open, two others were currently locked off to us. The first was supposedly the production area, it being labeled by a sign set next to the sealed entrance. The second was the stairway, with metal see-through shutters keeping us out. From what we each could see of the dimmed stairway, there were no exits to be seen. And although that dampened the spirits of the others, Nagasawa was able to push past it and got us moving again.Right now, after encountering and letting Amari run off to who knows where, our group was in the cafeteria Nagasawa had mentioned. Once we all got a good glance around at the area, the four of us split up. Nagasawa and Hatano had the long center-placed table, multiples chairs, and the plain grey walls to check over. Meanwhile me and muscled man had the adjacent kitchen to search through. And immediately we both went to work, looking through both sides of the kitchen seperately.The counters seemed to be recently cleaned. The drawers contained bundles of silverware, as well as a variety of cooking utensils. The refrigerator has full stocks of food and drinks, while the freezer has ice cubes alongside frozen packages of favorable meat and vegetables. Every inch of the walls on my side felt, and sounded solid with every tap delivered by my knuckles.Moving on to the cabinets, I checked through all of the top compartments first. Inside of them were small boxes of snacks, situated alongside cans of soups and beans. To the direct right were plastic cups, as well as glass bowls and plates, ranging from sizes large to small. And finally located in the back besides the normal back wall, were the pots and pans. All in all I found nothing of much importance right now.Crouching down to access the ground-touching cabinets, I pulled each door open and glanced around at what lied inside. There seemed to be nothing else but rice bags and paper towels. As I moved my tapping fingers across the back however, I heard the sound of hollowness emerging from the wall's right half. Before doing anything else I glance over my shoulder, checking to see what the muscled man is doing. His back is mostly turned towards me, with his attention being on the cabinets on his side. That is good and hopefully it stays that way.Slowly I let my fingertips scratch around the area. In seconds I find the presence of a linear opening, covered by weak wallpaper looking like the wooden interior. I peal the wallpaper apart into two, revealing the opening and the cracks that spur from it. I slid my fingers inside and carefully push, moving half of the whole panel aside. And inside I see most of a metal construct, barring small but deadly fangs.Deciding to take note of the trap being here, I close the panel and leave the device here. After double-checking the rest of the wall for any other secrets, I closed the cabinet doors. I did a quick count of all the kitchen furniture situated on my side, finding out that I was done in my search. And since the muscled man was heading back into the cafeteria, that means he was done too.I followed the muscled man to the table, where both Hatano and Nagasawa had taken seats and were waiting. “So what did you two find in there?”Having straighten his posture and locked his hands behind his back, the muscled man laid his finding out. “Miss Nagasawa the cabinets I searched through didn't...contain much beyond paper towels, some packages of batteries, and the sink's underbelly. There was also a set of kitchen knives, and a fire extinguisher inside of it's own private cabinet. And aside from there being a single toaster and microwave, I found nothing else.”Nagasawa nodded at him, and then turned to my for my report. I didn't hesitate on giving it. But I make sure to leave out the slid-able panel, and its secret compartment. There was no good point on relaying the whole truth.After saying all that I needed to, Hatano questioned me for clarification. “We have a week or two worth's of food?”“It could be less depending on how much everyone here eats.” I answer.“Then in order to prevent us from running out of food quickly, we all need to have a maximum limit of two-to-three meals per day. If anyone goes beyond that, we'll be facing a higher chance for someone doing something drastic.”“What do you suggest we do then?”“We should wait for the others for a while. If they get here, I'll let you know what I'm thinking after they disclose their findings. If they don’t and are back at the entrance, we'll head on over there.” Nagasawa explained.“That sounds good.” Hatano replied.“Anyways, there wasn't much to find out here either. The clock, the glass case right next to the kitchen entryway, everything that you can see is all that's here. And no, there's no key for the lock on the glass case.” At Nagasawa's second mention of it, I gave the case on the wall a quick glance. "As for anything else of important notice, there's honestly nothing.”“Yeah. Besides us having chairs available for sitting, and a few fold-up tables off to the side, we found nothing out of the ordinary.”Snapping her fingers together, Nagasawa shook her head. “Actually there is one other thing.”Hatano's brows rose. “What do you mean?”“If you would pay attention to the walls surrounding us, you'd see patterns of clean markings. As if some of the small Monokumas gave this whole area a scrubbing. As for when it happened, I'd say maybe…two hours ago.”While the walls and ceilings needed closer inspection, I can confirm that the floor's cleanliness matched Nagasawa’s observation. Reminiscence stains of waves matching the movements of wet mops, faintly littered the tiles beneath my feet. It was strange but not foreign, as the black-white monsters had a inconsistency of valuing cleanliness.“Got any idea for why they'd do this?” I asked."I got none.”After she said that, the whole group became quiet. We seemed to mentally agree on just sitting here, waiting to see if the other group would appear. It also gave more possible time for the other three to fully accept our situation. As for me, I've long accepted it the moment I woke up. And now I'm shifting my eyesight from chair to chair, giving attention mainly to the metal backs and legs.I got done on eyeing all the chairs on my seated side, and started thinking about attempting to check out the other side’s chairs. But Hatano had broke the short silence. “You still have a knowledge-eye for cleanliness Nagasawa.”“What of it?”Twiddling her thumbs, Hatano let her lips form a unsteady smile. “I'm…relieved that you still have that. It's a characteristic, a detail that make you who you are. And I'm glad…that it isn't gone.”“Was that what you were expecting?”“Not exactly.”Nagasawa leaned forward and frowned at the tight-lipped reply. She opened her mouth, looking ready to press Hatano on the subject. But she didn't even give a try. Instead she pulled herself back, and spoke differently. “Well of course I didn't lose my ‘knowledge-eye’ for cleanliness. Ever since elementary I've had a knack for cleaning. From simple messes of spilled drinks, to the complex garbage mistakes in all media. It's always been a part of me, and won't ever stop being.”“That's good to hear from you.” Hatano nodded, with her fidgeting lips slowing in their movements. “Too much has changed.”I couldn't bare to keep watching and listening to her. The way she detests the concept always...strikes me. How can someone be glad that some piece of the past, is preserved in the present day? It doesn't make sense, especially coming out from her mouth. And I don't want to hear, and think anymore of it right now.I looked up to clock ticking away on the far wall, and slightly squint my eyes. The time is 8:30, supposedly at night. If that's right, that means we were all out for half of the day. The gas that was used must've been strong. Where could've the Monokuma gotten it from? All that I have for guesses are: A secret weapon stash from the Despair Apocalypse, buying a supply off of the black market, or having privately built the grenade from the ground up.Before I could try to come up with anymore guesses, and fight through another head pain, the cafeteria doors are pushed open. The other group come walking in, with Kita in the lead. Nagasawa is the one who greets them. “Welcome you three. How did your searches go?”And while the three of them come on over, relaying most if not all new information, I just remain silent and listen. *Ding Dong* “Ahem. Residents of this here Productive Kill-Factory, it is now 10 PM! As a result the doors leading to the workplace, and access to the kitchen will be locked down. Any attempts to barge into these areas is strictly prohibited. Also, your handbooks have been updated with the map of the first floor!
Sleep if you can, stay awake if you can't. I'll see you lot in the morning!"
With that night message being given, the monitor feed cut out with a ping of static. As the screen became black and my fixated glare diminished, a short ring and vibration emulated from my ‘handbook'. The glass lit up showing the main menu, and the now colorized ‘MAP' option. A single touch brought up the floor layout, and a quick examination revealed no locations for secret compartments. All that could be seen were the hallways and rooms.From what Kita and Kawatou told our group, half of the others have already decided on where they'd sleep. Oshima would be occupying one of the four restrooms, although she might avoid the one that was supposedly out-of-order. Okabe and to an extent Mochida will be claiming the Entrance area. And Hoga will be settling the apparent Gift Shop, alongside Andoh obviously.Since escape from this place on the first day was ultimately futile, Nagasawa suggested that we choose where we'd sleep too. As of now she, Kita, and the Cameraman have taken up refuge in one of the building's right-sided restrooms. Kawatou said that before they would fall down into dreaming, she and her husband might take up the other restroom. And as for Hatano and me, we got the janitor area.While the knowing smell of cleanliness products added onto my irritation, I burned the knowledge of who was sleeping where into my brain. I wasn't going to wait until later to start planning ahead. It's best to start now, no matter what has to be endured. And depending on whenever I may find some papers and pens, I might not need to rely on mental information only.“Tadao.” Hearing her say my name got me frowning. But nevertheless I gave Hatano my attention. She and I were the only ones in the Cafeteria now. The four others probably went off to either work on devising a plan with Nagasawa, or had decided to spend time doing something else entirely.“What is it?”“I was wondering if you would mind if talked, one-on-one over in the janitor area.”What does she need to ask me about now? Is it about the most obvious subject? Is it about what I dreamt? Or is it about how I've been acting via mind restrictions? Whatever it was I know better than to say no, ‘else I want to permit her to start pressuring me.“Sure.”I get up from the table and follow Hatano. I stay a few feet back, dragging my shoulder against the wall. Once we reach the destination, I let her go in first. And once we both became occupants, we sat down facing each other.“What do you want to get out of me?”She winces at my bluntness. Then she waited a few moments before: “About what happened when that Monokuma appeared-” She sucks her lower shaky lip in. “-When it appeared the first time and then today, you attacked.”“Should I have done nothing?”“You should’ve resisted the urge to fight.”“Why?”I try to pull back from her reach, but she manages to give my cheek a firm pat. “You get hurt with these face bruises, or you receive pain that's far worse.” Then she points at me. “And more importantly you get too angry. When you let that happen you don't think, you act out immediately with violence!”“So I should have just stayed still? Let the monochrome robot built for mentally destroying people, go ahead on doing anything for said purpose?”“You should have restraint on your rage Tadao! Especially now with this…killing game we're in.”“I already had my half-day forced-capsule hours ago. I already got restraint!”“That's not-”I push her hand away from my face. “That's not what? Enough? Don't try to say the opposite. You know beyond any doubt that it is.”She pulls her hand back and sets it against her side. She tries to lock eyes with me, and to come up with some retort. Both of those things fail. Her eyes look down with her head, and her lips shut into a line.After a short while she speaks. “You have to work with the medicine Tadao. You have done it before, and you have to do it now. Ok?”I can feel the weight of a shout storing at the bottom of my throat. It wishes to rise up and be thrown out. As much as I want to do that, I swallow it down. I decide on grinding my teeth together a little.Why bother with a truthful response? She's heard me give voice to them plenty it of times, but she hasn't and won't have any understanding. So I'll let her have a victory.“Fine.”She takes some moments to search my face, attempting to see if I'm faking my word. She finds nothing when that shaky smile forms again. “That's good.” Then she reaches out to me again, aiming for my shoulder. “You need to stay calm, and safe with yourself. And I want to help you do both.”In place of the shout, a strong-stirring wave of reporting yells lay at the bottom of my throat. I let the wave stay there. “I know.”“I know you know, but you need to reminded.”“Sure.”Once she scooted herself back a few paces, Hatano got up onto her feet with a small leap. “It'll take time and be difficult, but I have hope that you'll become better.” She walked to me, holding her hand out for me. I grab her wrist instead, and pull myself up to stand. With that done I let go, and shove both of my palms into my pockets.“What do you want to do now?” I stiffly ask.“I think we should go find Nagasawa and stick with her group. Or maybe find Oshima, or any of our other distant classmates, and see if we can't talk with them.” She tilts her head. “What do you think?”Her question is a false-caring one. I don't want to answer. But I do by roughly putting out a reply. “I don't know.”“Honestly I’m not so sure either. So let’s go with this: Whoever we see first is who we'll try to talk with. Is that ok?”Once more she gives me a lie of a question. And I merely nod instead of opening my mouth.While she's definitely afraid of the killing game we're in, she's also afraid of me. She's afraid of me fully becoming unhinged. She's afraid of the man who doesn't wish to be medicated. She's afraid of what I can do with my bare hands. Her facial cues and words tell me all I need to know.It's because of her being afraid, that I have to extra careful on making future actions. I can't have her catching wind of what I'm planning. So I'll have to be very discreet. And I have to pretend on mostly being the medicated friend she wants.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

*Ding Dong, Dong Ding* “WAKE UP, WAKE UP! IT IS 5 AM AND NIGHTTIME IS OVER. SO GET UP, GET UP!”
At the sound cut of static, a growl emerges from someone above me. Then comes two strong steps, a striking of the ground, and a sling of steaming curse words. There's little doubt on who's standing a foot away from my face. But to confirm it I let my eyelids rise up. And to stop the rushing down clubface, I shoot my hand out and grab the neck.“Hey-” The blocker of the room's light tries to pull the golf club away. The attempt causes the sport instrument to slightly budge. The light blocker tries again, assumingly with both hands this time. The end result is the same. Putting her boot on my shoulder she leans down, allowing only a little of the white-yellow dimness to move past her. “Let…Go.”The threat demand laced in venom doesn't scare me. Instead it gives me a feeling of familiarity. And because of that I release my grip, letting Oshima rest her talent possession back up onto her shoulder. She stared into my eyes while forming half of a smirk. “You still got a strong hand.”“You like to test my detection sense.” Her eyebrows went up as quick as they came back down. Then her half smirk became a full one.“And you got those sensible brains.” She offered me her hand. I didn't hesitate on accepting the gesture. “I'd thought you were beyond nightmares, seizures, and splitting migraines. Great to see that I thought right.”After letting her pull me up, I took mental notes on a few details. Her grip was strong. Her voice carried confidence. Grease stains were located on her worn gloves, and around her tinted lips. Within one blink a flash of contemplation filled her gaze. “Why is your thought being right, ‘great'?”“Besides me being correct? You had to have heard me before. When I said 'All of us with talent are needed’, I wasn't joking. And- Actually I need to rephrase that.” She rubbed her knuckles against her throat. Then she cleared it. “Talented people who are useful and reliable are needed. Any untrustworthy liars, simpletons, and especially Talent-Insults are not!”“By Talent-Insults you mean...Andoh.”“Exactly right. Her, and Hoga if he turns out to be the same, won't provide any good effort or support to us. They'll just stand either in the back or the front, pointing out the obvious and adding nothing but nonsense to our situation. And since we're talking about Andoh, she can always try to mess with our heads from the damn shadows.” Behind shut lips my teeth grinded against one another.She was correct, but not fully. “Never mind that candy bitch though. Hatano wanted me to ‘look after’ you. She thinks that talking, and working with our resident liar is still a good thing. Also not to forget, with that big guy simpleton too.”"She…left me for that.”“Pretty stupid for Hatano to do, since she has always been too foolish in trusting the wrong people. But at the same time I honestly can't blame her, since she has always had a smaller brain you know?”While the insults bite at me for some reason, the validity behind them can't be ignored. So I nod. “Sure”. And then I rub at the bottom of my throat, as what feels like small pressing force is bothering me there.“Oh and before I forget, she wanted me to remind you about this.” She pulls the ‘bottle’ of ‘pills' out from her back pocket. The sight of it makes the pressing become a weighing wave. It rises up to my throat's middle section, getting me to scratch with two fingers. “She said: One at 6 in the morning, one at 6 in the evening. And from what that mess-of-a bear had screeched, you got less than an hour until you take your day pill.” She hands me the ‘container’ of 'my’ ‘drugs'.Now that this thing is in my palm, the wave whirls until it reaches the back of my mouth. As the wave contorts into an enclosing, throbbing rush, I force my lips to crash onto each other. I don't want it to come out. “Hey.” The sudden grip on my arm almost made me pull back and away. But it was only Oshima. “I know that swallowing one is like devouring a horde. But you got time to prepare. So prepare as best as you can. Try breathing deeply, flexing or tightening your fingers, and remember how taking these helps you. And when the time comes, pop one in and endure the crapfest.”She is somehow able to be both right and wrong. Devouring a horde is definitely one way to describe ‘taking' the ‘pills'. The mentioned readying techniques can really give relief. But remembering how the ‘meds' ‘help'? There’s barely anything to think back on.“You know, we shouldn’t stay in this janitor armory.” Oshima tugs at my sleeve, making me see her eyes follow her thumb being thrown over her shoulder. “Let's head out and go walking. We might find some of our other talented people, and make sure they aren't too broken over this shituration. If we don't then we'll just stroll, letting you ready up without interruption.”She gives my arm a strong pull. Then she backsteps before turning around, and heading right on over to the door. Being alone now isn't a good idea, so I don't stay standing in place. I trail her out of the room, and start walking a few paces behind her.For a short while we travel without speaking another word. We had moved back to the entrance hall. The body of the desk worker was missing. Me and Oshima had only glanced at one another before moving on. The trash bear minions had to have moved it, for whatever reason they found to be satisfying.Me and Oshima had reached the first corner point of the right hall. And we were about to make the turn, if it weren't for a suddenly appearing second duo colliding into us.“Whoops!” Okabe had literally darted right into me the instant she came into view. But instead of her body crashing into mine, a stack made up: of cans, pencil boxes, and papers had. The stack was sent wobbling before it, along with the carrier were sent falling.Unlike the scattering items though, Okabe didn't end up meeting the floor the same way. She actually stomped-locked her feet, threw her stretching fingers back, and managed to keep herself hovering inches above the concrete.“Damn it!” Her ‘companion’ on the other hand, had fell right onto his ass after his own stack of items crashed into Oshima. Also his head had struck the ground, causing him to let out a dragging groan. Despite the small gain of pain however, he sent his hands sliding all over the floor. He retrieved the items of his stack, and actually started on rebuilding it.“You both should watch where you're going.” Oshima said on the fringe of yelling.“Yeah, yeah.” With a strong push daunting her fingertips, Okabe leapt back onto her feet. “Mistakes are always made everyday. You got moments like these take have things spilling, usually because of a stupid slip of feet. Then you have those accidents where barking men, and spinning-web women create a burden after rounds of sex. And at the least crucial but most memorable of moments, you have people who lose their full sanity, because they’ve killed someone for the very first time with their own bare hands. So yeah, mistakes are common and are no real problems.”Slowly I looked at Oshima as she looked at me. We were both at a loss of words. If she was thinking what I was thinking, our reasoning didn't have anything to do with asking about what. For we had heard her very clearly. ‘How was she able to say all of that so damn casually?’“Oh don't wear those types of faces. You know that you've committed two of three of the said mistakes. Most of everyone has spilled some things in their lives. And everyone still breathing on this world has killed. You both have, especially with using more than one way.” Okabe leaned forwards, rapidly scratching across her whole back while smirking on the verge of smiling. “Don't go denying that fact now.”“I won't.” Oshima had found her voice seconds before I did. And hearing her say those words made me fixate a stare on her. “I'll never lie about the lives that we ended back then. No matter what flake-sensitive simpletons, the Future Foundation- hell what anyone says.”"Really?”“Really.”Although she had a doubtful gleam flashing between her blinking eyes, Okabe reared herself back to standing straight. “If you say so Oshima-san!” Feeling that her scratching had reached the bottom line of her waist, she retracted her hands and placed them on her hips. Then she turned to me. “How about you Hiyama-kun hmm? Do you deny what you’ve done?” Clenching my fists at my sides, I fought against my ability on voicing a yes or no.That question was one I know I had asked myself before. The last time I had was years ago, and I haven't thought about it since then. I stopped thinking on it because I haven't encountered, or heard anything about a few particular factors for that amounted period. And from my memories, only one other person has asked the question of me.I shove off any urges to remember that rather painful time, and settle for what my reply will be: An unmoving glare sent Okabe's way. And she responds by laughing at the sight of it.“You don't want to say!” She smacks her hands together. “Okay then! Go ahead and try to be silent on it.” A smack was delivered onto the side of Machida's head, nearly propelling him to fall and send the re-gathered stacks to scatter again. “Everyone always makes another spilling mistake, be it today or some future day.”After letting out a snort, Okabe walked on by us. Machida had started following once he steadied his standing. But he stopped right between me and Oshima. He sent us glances, and separated his lips. Nothing but empty air came out though. So he hurried on and went away from us, shaking his head over and over before he disappeared behind the entrance hall's doors.When the doors had shut, Oshima spoke up. “She's still as disturbing when we were still in Hope's Peak. But now she has this...vile-like side to her.” My shoulder was given a pat. “Don't let her get to you. She can't- shouldn’t force you to answer anything you don't want to.”I step off to the right and press my head to the wall. I try to redirect my mind. My fingers are clenching much more tightly now. My breathing is not as deep as I know it can be. And my thoughts are unable to find positive lies.“Tadao let's keep on moving, alright?” Hearing her shoes meet the floor gets me to trail after. She inches herself nearer to the wall. I stay connected to it by dragging my head, and right fist across the silver steel. I don't respond any other way then with doing that.When we round the next far corner and walk a few feet, Oshima stops and holds a palm out at me. “We're coming up on the cafeteria. Are you hungry?” Looking over her shoulder, I see the connected doors and notice that she has her handbook out. Feeling the low rumbling craving from my stomach, I open my mouth to say yes. I stop myself though, as my eyes have found the corner display of numbers.
5:57 AM.
I thrust my side against the wall. My left fist unfolds and lowers. My right fist remains intact and presses against my shoulder. My shaking fingers grab and brings the ‘bottle' out. My breaths distorts into becoming uneven. My teeth grind together to form faulty gates.“Tadao-” I dodge the incoming pat. I walk a few difficult feet, moving at a snail's speed. Then my back throws itself flat onto the wall. The thumb of my bottle-holding hand turns, and pops the cap off. My fist begins to lay hits on my left arm. The bottle is raised to the front of my lips. As it hangs there fire relights in my brain and veins, spreading to every limb while burning at my body and mind.Do or Don't? Slide one right out or Keep them all in? Should I knock away or tilt the ‘bottle' over? Has there been any benefits? Will there be any good to be found? Are there only breaking effects? Why am I asking when the result is being bound?To choose Do or to choose Don't? Is it Do or Is It Don't? Do Or Don't? Do OR Don't! DO-OR-DON'T?!My head slams against the behind wall. The ‘bottle' gripping hand avoids my punch. It tilts with the ‘pill' rolling out. My fist flies again, but immediately freezes once the ‘capsule’ reaches the tip of my tongue.My salvia re-meets frosty liquid and fuse with each other into foam. It stretches to cover my whole tongue. It separates to touch every spot of my mouth. It eventually trickles down my throat. It's scent and essence rise into my brain. The taste of it lingers. And when little froth lines slip out from my mouth corners, they begin rolling while I slide down the wall.It takes me a few minutes before I make movement. I accept the help from Oshima on getting me back up my feet. My footing is at first shaky, but after some moments of me standing it steadies. My breaths flow in and out at a natural pace. My wrists wipe the white-teal foam away again. And the heavy heat within me has died down.Oshima asks me how I'm doing. I slightly frown. “I'm bitter and…less worse now.” Feeling what's like scratches going at the insides of my skull, I place my bottle-holding hand on my forehead. “What...did you ask me, before I had to pop a pill?”“I asked…if you were hungry.” She says, watching me with tense eyes. “We're near the cafeteria doors.”“Yeah.” I answer, hearing my stomach rumble.Cautiously on her part, we both head on into the cafeteria. As it turns out we're not to first ones to arrive. Hatano, Nagasawa, the Camera-Man, Hoga, and Andoh are all here. Our fellow classmates and Andoh are all seated, whispering about some secret regarding therapy. And while that's happening the camera man is standing some feet away, attempting to stay still.Hatano is the one to notice us first. She actually bolts out of her seat and towards us. Then with wide eyes she stops right in front of me. “Tadao- Did you take-”“He did.” Oshima responded for me.Hatano's eyes shrunk back to their size, now showing relief in the place of panic. “Good- That's good.”I don't try to disagree. Instead I settle send her a mild, irritated look. But that's immediately replaced when I see Andoh staring at me.The scratches going at my skull, recently joined by a new migraine, increase in speed.“Hey-” I take a slow-drawn step to the left. “Tadao you shouldn’t be giving Andoh that glare.” I ignore her by taking another, more louder step. “Tadao stop-”“Why should he stop?” There comes a third, a fourth, a fifth. “He's showing the Talent-Insult what she deserves to see.”“Oshima-”“Don't you DARE try to defend her Liar!” Once the ninth step is reached, I stomp for the tenth. “Enough has been spewed and vomited by you!”“You say enough when there's been barely anything said.” My path twists off into an angle as a chair is pushed. “What there has been enough of for now, is the barrage against Andoh.”“Of course you'd say that!” My right fist is dragging and loosely banging my side. “When it comes to lying and going behind our backs, it's all ‘good' and 'justified'. And as a result, speaking the truth about the INSULT is a such a ‘wrong thing’ to do.”“Oshima you have to stop. You can't-”“Shut it Hatano. Your ‘favor’ is done, so you can't tell us what to do.”“Oshima look at him! You need to stop shouting-”“Like what you're doing right now? You're a damn hypocrite! Just like this 'protector’ of the Insult!”“Misses please!” The camera-man shaped up into taking action. He ran by me, his arm knocking against my twitching shoulder and breaking my staring focus. “This shouting between you shouldn't be happening. You all would be better cooling off.”“Shut your worthless mouth simpleton! Get the hell back in your corner!”“Don't yell at him like that. He's only trying to help!”“No he isn't! Simpletons don't ever help, or even ‘try' to with anything-”When my stomps cross the kitchen threshold, my fist pounded the doorway wall. Then with a short heave, I ram the rest myself into the cooking area. I throw the freezer door open, and both hands into the ice storage. My fist connects with the bags. The hand of free-fingers pushes aside plastic wrapped packages. And once I find the meat I'm searching for, I wrestle it out before letting it fall onto the near counter.Their shouts rise as the scratching begins to dig deep.“-don't tell you forgot who actually made the Future Foundation!’“No I haven't. What does that have to do with your prejudice?”“Pre- Prejudice?! For fuc- Screw it! Since you know who, then you know that it was the TALENTED that fought back Despair! Guess where the-”Smacking the cold door shut, I pull some handles of the normal-temperature upper cabinets. From the left most-corner a square pan is retrieved. Once it's out and given shine by the glass light above, its allowed to slip from my loose grip. As the pan lands two fingers flick the stove's knob twice, landing the setting of heat between low and medium. After crouching to check if the small flames have sparked, I get a decent knife and cut the restrains of a headless chicken meal.The shouting and the scratching amp up again, with one tackling my ears and the other giving my head bones heavy dents.“-I even banged on every inch of this floor! There’s no way out of here idiots!”“You can't say that for certain!”“I ‘can't' Hatano? Then tell me where there can possibly be an exit? In the showers? In the bathrooms? Come on!”“The higher levels have windows. When we're able to get to them, we can see if-”“And there you go with your IFS!”Getting a fork from a drawer, I use it and the knife to move the chicken. When the heat is transferring its temper to the metal, I gradually roll the plump meat. My held fork grinds while the knife slides. Then while layers of the icy constrains melt away, my body presses into the oven. I attempt to stare at my half-done work. But there are spoken facts however, that stops and gets me to redirect my glare.“-You, yes you the Insult! You know that you've killed people too. But here's the catch: you never did it yourself! You've always hid behind and used your boytoy machine, instead of growing a backbone and dirtying your already filthy hands! Are you listening to me Ruruka Andoh?! You're a manipulating coward!”The rightfully but not fully described Andoh was pulling herself further against her seat. Her hands were tugging hard at the sleeves of her crossed arms. Her eyes were gazing nervously at the table. Her voice stayed inside of her mouth. Her neutral lips were losing their place due to the down-turning corners.She wore one of the most worst poker faces ever seen by man. Everything that she showed were all lies. Her nervousness was actually shadowed delight. Her silence was simply a seal cruel giggles. Her frustrating frown was an act to stall a malicious grin. Her tugging hands was settled into place, so neither the rumbling stomach or the blushed cheeks could be rabidly patted.She was no queen of deceivers. She was a false person. A someone that was actually Some-Thing. Some-Thing that shouldn't even be here. Some-Thing that shouldn’t have been granted any-The migraine resurfaces, shattering the scratching and the rest of my thought. Somehow it injects at my eyes, making me look away from Andoh and back to the chicken. In some way it injects at my lips, causing me to change the frown into a scowl. Then when its ready to inject at some other body part, I return to my half-done cooking.Believing that I'm done, the oven knob is twisted to land on off. Putting the pan onto the counter, I intend to treat it as a plate. Using fork and knife, I intend to eat the chicken piece-by-piece. I chew and swallow three sweating pieces. And when I'm about to have a fourth, my meal is taken from me.“Tadao, You shouldn't be having that now! It’s the morning!” The injections make me watch Hatano rewrap the chicken in plastic, and place it back in the freezer. “You need to have some appropriate food. None of that meat, okay?” After scanning the contents of the fridge, she brings out a carton of eggs. “You know what, I'll make your breakfast for you again. I don't ever mind doing it.” She smiles, believing that she's being kind. “Go sit with the others and away from Andoh. I'll bring your food out.”The knife is released. I keep my grip strong on the fork. My legs struggle on following her first ‘request'. The doorway is reached before I stop, turn half-way around, and speak. “Hey.”“Yes Tadao?”I have so much that I want to scream and unleash at her. But the injection power of the migraine crushes my chances. So I resort to quietly shaking my head. And then I stomp out with my anger leashed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Okabe and Machida claim the Entrance area. Nagasawa, Kita, and the camera man claim one of the restrooms. Kawatou and Goto may have claimed one of the other restrooms. Hatano and me have the janitor room(area/armory). Hoga and Andoh got the gift shop. As for Oshima, Amari, Sugita and his unnamed friend, they have no sleeping grounds yet.Excluding the cafeteria, main factory workplace, and kitchen, all of the other walled spaces have only one room-transiting door each. Going out and leading to any of those doors, there are two directions to take. Since the first floor's interior hall layout is a outline of a square, the two directions are left and right. Depending on which one is taken, whatever destination any of us want to get to, can either be quickly or slowly reached.The most important example is: going from the gift shop and heading to the cafeteria.The shortest direction to take is left. The longest is the right. If the left was used, it would probably take about two normal minutes to reach the cafeteria. As for the right, possibly ten or nine-“We already got one stored in our handbook devices.” Stopping the pencil inches away from finishing a pointed arrow, I looked over my shoulder to see that my ears weren't misdirecting me. Kita had walked on over to me. His eyes flickered from me to the paper sheet. Then they narrowed as his brows lowered. “So, why are you drawing yourself a second map?”“The one in the handbook is incomplete.”“Incomplete?”“Even though our handbooks have the floor layout, they don't seem to detect and show where any handbooks are at. There have also been no sudden indicators pointing out who ‘owns' which room. So I'm creating a personal, hand-drawn copy.”“Smart. But…I'm a little perplexed.” Now standing to my right, he tapped on the two arrows. “What was your purpose on drawing these?”“Those show that there's only two directions to take, after leaving the Gift Shop.” I dragged my teeth across my bottom lip. “I plan on adding more.”“Ok. But any one of us can see that, even without our handbook maps.” He quizzically looked at me. “Do you have any other reason for creating these?”“Besides personal confirmation, no.” I firmly say, not planning on elaborating.“Alright then.” He replies, showing no signs of suspicion. “If you’re done with it for now, we should get back to examining this workplace.”Reluctantly, I roll and fold the map up. “Sure.” Then after pocketing it and the pencil, I follow Kita to another section of the area.With her having high hopes on finding an exit through the upper floor windows, Nagasawa grouped us together, and ordered us to search through the current floor…again. Her intended objective being to find a door-bursting device, something along the lines of a drill, and force our way to the second floor.So far we've found nothing concrete or strong enough. It's to be expected, since our group includes Andoh and her work-lacking friend Hoga. They’ve done nothing but stay routed in place, and watch us make no helpful progress. It's irritating, but speaking out about it would just increase the irritation. So I'm here along with Hatano, the camera man, Kawatou and her husband, looking and pulling at unmoving machines.“I don't know what Nagasawa's purpose in not suggesting it yet, but we should attempt to form a people-ladder.”"Are you serious?”“I am. If we were to form one, with me being at the base, some of us can climb over the railings of the walkways. Then they can possibly find what we exactly need on the next floor.”I look up to see the mentioned walkways. His ladder idea on its own, would immediately have the problem of balance. He might be able to provide a steady base for it, but any stacked paring of anyone here can cause the ladder to topple. And even if that problem wasn't evident, there was the surrounding presence guarding the railings.“How about you look up, and see why Nagasawa hasn't bothered saying anything.”He uttered two words and took a few steps back. “Oh shit…”“No, they're not shit.” Seeing him gradually turn around to confirm clear fears, I point to one of them. “They’re red scar-eyed, monochrome painted, robotic monsters.”The tall and the short. The wide and the thin. Those with finished bodies and incomplete forms with hole hanging wires. Displaying mouths void and full of gritted0 fangs. Brandishing wrenches, crowbars, small chains, and their own sharp claws. They were all staring down at us, from their shadowed positions above.“Since when-”“Probably since this very morning.” Hoga answered, finally speaking and deciding to move. “Due to the lack of screaming from a few not amongst us.”“Why do you say that?”Not flinching from any of the mechanical sights locked-on to him, Hoga hacked and spat before explaining. “Everyone in this current room has claimed a known sleeping shelter. Those who haven't could've decided to sleep here. If they did, they would've woken up to see these assembled machines. And it's most likely their instinct reaction, would be to start exhausting their lungs.”“Have you had your own experiences doing that?”“Haven't we all, to some capacity?” Neither me, Kita, or Andoh standing some feet away showed any sign of replying. “I see…” As a result, Hoga let the subject drop. And he directed his studying, piercing gaze at us two and Andoh for some moments.“Any-Anyways, we should get back to examining the machines here.”“Don't bother to try the rest. Several, if not one good look will tell you that it's pointless.”“Why do you say that?”“Dang it!” Nagasawa's sudden yell drew our attention to her. Shaking her head, she spun a finger around and called out. “Alright, Alright. There's nothing we can use here. Let's head back to the cafeteria, and regroup!” Pitching the bridge of her nose, Nagasawa headed over to the far door. Looking for it from my distance, it would be unnoticeable to most eyes. But concentrated squinting can reveal to most people a door handle, carrying a lighter tone of grey amidst the dark steel barrier.“Let's get going.” Leaving Kita's question unanswered Hoga, with Andoh staying right behind his heels, walked to the kitchen door too. While Kita and me did the same, I kept my distance. Besides not wanting to get anywhere close to Andoh, I had a strange feeling that something was going to stop our group. And it was confirmed to be true, when Nagasawa began banging on the door.“Hey! Oshima, if you're behind here, open up!”I had to really resist the urge to press my palm against my forehead. ‘Why should she? You and Hatano practically drove her off. All because she spoke the truth about that- about Andoh.’After she, Hatano, and the camera man upon being ordered tried opening the door from our side, Nagasawa crossed her arms. “I guess we'll have to take a longer route.”“I don't think Oshima- Oshima is the one- one keeping the door- door shut.”“If not her then who?” Hatano asked.Before Kawatou could give a guess, Nagasawa cut her off and began marching out of the workplace. “We'll find out once we get there. Let's go.”Without another word to spare, our group headed to the cafeteria. No one was in the main area, so our shared curiosity sent us to the kitchen. Passing a picture frame that wasn't there before, we found the source of what kept the door from opening. A small blockage made up of one disconnected half of a table, and quite a sum of chairs. The perpetrators responsible for it were in our clear line of sight, as they were both sitting on the counter. When the male of the two saw us he muttered a ‘shit!’, stopped working on what seemed to be a whiteboard, and glared as he pointed at us.“Walk those steps back and get out of our kitchen! This place is for Common Folk only!” Sugita showed us his sign, it displaying the last three words he spoke.“Oh this is just splendid.”“No it isn't Hoga!”“Really? I “didn’t” notice.”“Did you Super-Talents not hear me?” He grabbed a glass plate out of the unnamed girl's hands, and threw it hard at the nearby wall. “Get the hell out of our property! “Sugita you can't be-”Another plate was sent flying and had shattered. “GO! Or else I'm going to come on over there, and kick every single one of your asses!”“Y-You wouldn’t!”Shoving his sign into his apparent friend’s hands, he got off of the counter. “5!”“You can't just claim the kitchen as yours. We need to get food from here!” Hatano yelled, her eyes still wide and showing disbelief.Sugita cracked his knuckles. “4!”“He's not going to listen to any other reasoning than his own.” Hoga stated, being the second person to walk out.Sugita's lips formed a dry smirk. “3!”“We should talk about- about this before being- being forced out.” Kawatou suggested.Sugita began heading right towards us. “2!"“Alright- Everybody get out, get out!”While mainly pushing Hatano and Kita, Nagasawa managed to quickly convince the non-compilers to leave the kitchen. I had been the first to accept the idea. Even though I knew could take on Sugita, I also knew that fighting was not an option. I don't need my injecting pains to return.“Good. Now unless I change my mind, which won't be happening at all, none of you Super-Talents aren't gonna set a single free foot in here!”“What gives you the right, or the authority to decide that?” Nagasawa asked.“Don't be a hypocrite! You lot went around, doing the exact same thing to numerous places already.”“No, it's not the same. None of us are sanctioning our sleeping spaces, or worse yet laying claiming a public area.”A bitter series of chuckles flew from Sugita's stained lips. “Oh I can't believe I forgot about what you are. You're not only a hypocrite, ‘cause honestly you've always been one, but also an ill-informed worker.”“You haven't answered my question-”“’Public area’, like any of the restrooms? The gift shop? The freaking Entrance Hall? Super-Talent, none of those qualify! This building isn't open to the ‘public’, remember? This is a government funded factory, meaning that every place inside here is privately owned-“Fine! You have a point.” Nagasawa shook her head. “But, do you really want to risk the wrath of Burokuma?”“What the hell are you talking about Super-Talent?”“Didn't you hear the nighttime announcement yesterday? The workplace and kitchen both get locked down. In other words, none of us are allowed inside those places.”Scowling, Sugita seemed to stagger a few inches backward. “S-So what! We weren't planning on sleeping, o-or staying here during that time.”“But you were just saying-”“Not DURING that time Super-Talent!” He pushed himself forward, pasting a grin in place of the scowl. “You lot might find yourselves dreaming away at that time, but we common people sleep through different hours! So that whole rule or whatever, doesn’t freaking matter!”“Are you sure about that? Because if what you're saying is true, then you might-”“If we go to sleep at some hour before 10, we won't stay asleep once it passes! We got a damn announcement, right? That'll wake us up no doubt!”“How-”“Did YOU not hear the damn thing ring out?! It was as loud as a wailing-”“Okay, you’re right!” Nearly taking her glasses off with one swift swipe, Nagasawa took a deep breath. “You have made another point. But you still can't just claim the kitchen for you and her-”“Hey Muscle Man!” The camera man jolted, as if he tried to jump out of his own skin. Then he slowly looked at Sugita. “Listen friend, I don’t know why you're still hanging with these Super-Talents, but you're still one of us. So unless you're not up for it, you can get these Super-Talents' foods for them.” The camera man instantly turned his head. With all of his fingers pressing against each other, he started sending glances. He first looked to Andoh, then Hatano, Kawatou was third, girl with no name was after her, and finally he saw Nagasawa. He immediately gave glances to the four other females. And once his eyes landed on Nagasawa again, his mouth moved but he said no words.Unlike what seemed to be everyone else, Nagasawa figured out that he appeared to be at a loss. “Camera-Man, its fine for you to do that for us.” “Camera-Man? Call him by his damn name Super-Talent!”“That is his name.” Nagasawa told Sugita, confusing him enough to let out a squawk-sounding ‘what’. “Isn't that right, Camera-Man?”“Yes Ma'am.”“You're…serious?” Hatano asked.“I am Miss.” “How did you end with that as a name?” Instead of giving an immediate reply to Hoga, Camera-Man put his hands behind his back and looked down.“Let's not bother him about any details. His name is his name, nothing more or less. Camera-Man-” As if he was a solider being called upon, he instantly raised and turned his gaze to Nagasawa. “Could you please go in the kitchen get us lunch meals?”“Yes. What would you like to have?”“Simple Sandwiches.” Are the fast replies from Hatano and Nagasawa, with Andoh quietly nodding. Kawatou glances at her husband, and then at her rather chubby stomach before she provides her slow-given order.“…A plain salad.”“How about you-” Hatano is cut off by the sudden marching of Camera-Man. “Hey- Wait!” He either doesn't hear her, or outright ignores her as he enters the kitchen.Nagasawa sighs and shakes her head. Everyone else at the table looks either confused or not bothered. As for me I'm a bit curious. But asking about Camera-Man's behavior will probably not get any solid answer. And besides, there's much more important subjects to focused on.Nothing much else happened besides everyone else eating lunch, Nagasawa temporarily disbanding our group for the day, and me having to stay in Hatano’s conscious line of sight. After leaving the cafeteria, Hatano decided that we should 'spend time’ with the married couple. Acting as a group, while Hatano and Kawatou were in fact the only two being firmly cooperative, we returned to the gift shop to 'look around'.Once we entered it, the women decided that it'll be good for us to evenly split. Thankfully Hatano volunteered to take the left side, and Kawatou's husband didn't raised an objection. So as long as I don't carelessly turn around, I'll stay feeling fine while examining the right side’s stock.The shelves nearest to the door contain simple things. Boxed pencils and pens, plastic-wrapped construction and line papers, small packages of sticky-notes and paper-clips, round mints and sticks of gum. They're not exactly what I'd expected to find in stock in this…factory. However, from what Nagasawa said when we checked this place earlier, she had found out that these are actually priced items. Or they were, since there's no prices on display and you can take these items without consequence.Leading to the shop counter, nothing but a variety of everyday objects take up all of the right-shelves. The counter itself has only a cautious Monokuma sign, and a replica cash register made up of building blocks. Beyond the counter that is free to climb over, there is a wider selection of items. Around half of them are normal, such as boxed baseballs and sleeping bags. And the other approximant half is literally painted in black and white, made up of glass-sealed worker tools like crowbars and wrenches. If I didn't know better, I wouldn’t think that those are free instruments of killing.“Excuse me Hiyama?” Kawatou's voice pulled me away from staring. I look to my left. She's rubbing her index fingers together, and her eyes seem to be struggling with either focusing on the floor or me. “Do you remember who- who I am?”“You're Kawatou Misaki, Former SHSL of some sort of instrumental talent. Why are you asking?”She finally sets her gaze on me. “We didn't speak a lot- lot back in school. I wanted to know- know if you remembered- remembered my name, and- and if you want- want to talk.”I don't remember ever speaking with her during our school days. Because of that she's unknown to me. But seeing as she's not forcing me to do something I don't wish to do, and is actually asking me a honest request, she has to be decent. “Sure, let's talk.”She stops rubbing her fingers and smiles. “Good, thank you.” Then she drives her thumb into her hair, and seems to start scratching at her head beneath it. “I've been wondering about- about a few things- things ever since we- we got trapped here.”“Being locked behind steel doors and floors can do that.”“Really?” I just nod. “Well, one of the- the most important things- things I've thought about- about is our friends.”“You mean you and your husbands' friends.”“Yes, I mean that.” She pulled her thumb away from her head. “I hope they're not- not worrying about us- us too much. If they go on- on to worry constantly, they- they'll really hurt their- their mental health. I hope that they- they have hope, just- just like me and- and Tadashi.”“What makes you think that they even noticed you both were gone?”“We said our goodbyes- goodbyes after breakfast and- and before leaving.”“After breakfast? Where were you two living?”“Not in a school- school, if you were- were wondering.” She shakes her head with a smirk. “We currently have a- a hotel room that- that we've bought.”“How long?”“A week.” Steady violet irises, soften eyebrows, unflinching lips. I can't see no crack of doubt or humor. “After a week…you're exchanging pleasant hellos and goodbyes with ‘friends’?.”“Yes we did. They're all polite-rounded people.”I can feel the pressure of my brows trying to press down, and block my eyes. “They're polite?”She steps back, her expression shifting into one of bewilderment. “Is that hard for- for you to believe?” I don't say yes. This makes her bewilderment be replaced by concern. Then for a while we look at the shelves near us, quietly standing and thinking. I don't know about her, but I'm having a very hard time understanding her words. No pair of people can become friends in one week. That doesn't happen, as far as I know. And she doesn't seem to be lying.“If you don't mind- mind me asking, do- do you have any- any friends?”“No.” When I look to her face, she looks absolutely shocked. “You don't have any? What about Hatano-”“Not a friend.”“Why?” In fine circumstances I would be able to explain, but right now I'm chained into being normal. “I can't tell you.”At first she looks ready to ask out another why, but she manages to not fall into doing that. “If you can’t, then I won’t bug- bug you.” Then as she grips both straps of her backpack, she seems to be scanning my face. She tries to find a trace of something. I don’t know if she did or didn't. “If not friends, then- then how about family? Do you have any- any family left?”Of…course. She doesn't ask about hobbies, animals, or even about what I like to eat. She outright blazes through all of those topics. She had to have asked about family.With new injections piercing my brains, I press my nails against my forehead. I drag them to the left, then the right. Left then right, left then right, left then right! I ignore whatever she asks me next, and pull the nails back so I can form a fist. I wasn't able to stop myself from catching sight of the faded scar, covering most of my right palm. It burns like that of a miniature sun. I can't stand looking at the fist and turn to the left.A click. A flash. Lens, glass, pale hands. I see and I feel it.Everything but it becomes a blur. Its there, out in plain sight. Its there, out of a box. Its there, aimed my way once again.I sprint at it. I grab it. I force it into my grasp. I strangle it. I tear it. I drop and stomp on it. I don't stop for the hands grabbing me. I stop only when it is destroyed. It’s nothing but harmless, worthless, useless pile of trash now.“Look-” I am staring. “Look at-” It’s a plain pile. “Look at me-” It’s no person.“Look at me Tadao.”I don't know when it began, but all of the blurs are being cleared. There is a ground made up tiles. There is a shelf near the ground, made of wood. There are my two shoes.“Look at me Tadao.”Hands are wrapped around my wrists. They have slim fingers. They have plain nails. They are trying to pull me.“Look at me Tadao!”Instantly I re-meet two brown irises. I know- I remember them. They belong to Hatano, a self-claiming friend. A person who half-asses half-honest worry, in her words and her expressions.I feel another, unknown hand touching my shoulder. Without hesitating I break away from Hatano. I latch my right hand around unknown one. I twist around, propelling my arm up. I trap the unknown hand on the side of a pale neck, and I hold its belonging arm against the throat. I push and rush forward, forcing the man back into the counter.Both women separately say our names. When Hatano yells, I press the arm further back. When Kawatou calls out, I stop adding pressure. I don't see anything but tired green eyes. The man in front of me, not attempting to dislodge my hold is Goto Tadashi.There are no other yells or call outs. No sounds of running meet my ears. I only hear my breathing and his breaths. Neither of us moves any muscle. Or at least that's what I thought, before I felt tapping. Glancing to my right shoulder, I see that his finger is the source. He has it tap once, raises it, and then delivers another single tap. He does this again and again, attempting to achieve something. When I re-meet his half-lidded eyes, I'm not able to find any visible reasoning.Cautiously I let his hand go. I bring my arm away from his throat. Then I move a few feet away from him. He nods at me. I don’t return the gesture. And finally our sights leave each other. His might be going to his wife. Mine however, sees a familiar pointed barrel.I act fast. I grab and push Goto aside. I whirl around, pushing myself and Hatano down to the ground. Five seconds pass before we hear the shot.*BANG*Shooting up on one knee, I turn back to see the mechanical monster. “BWA-HAHAHAHAHA!” It's crackled laughter rings out as it detaches itself from the far wall. “The crushing! The staring! The short fighting move! That's was all fierce!” As it turns and stands up, it reveals white and black paint covers everything but the holes and wires. “Not to mention that the aura of murder was incredible! You don't even have to look, to know what the origin is.” After it waddles to and leaps up onto the counter, it pumps the shotgun before aiming it right at me. “Killer of killers, and crusher of cameras, am I wrong?”“No.”“Well there you-”“That was no ‘camera'.” Prompting myself up from my kneeled position, I point at the pile. “That was a weapon. A flasher and captor of agony.”Somehow, my truth strikes at the mechanical monster. It places the shotgun on its shoulder, and goes quiet. It appears to be thinking my words over. When in reality its just processing them.When its done, the red lighting scar glows beyond the black painted over it. “Is that what you really saw?”“It's what I know, monster.”It cackled and laughed. “You…pass the test with roof blowing scores!”“Test?” What do you mean- mean test?” Kawatou asks.“That's nothing any of you need to learn full-on about.” It pumps its shotgun effortlessly, sending an empty shell spiraling to the floor. “He just passed it, that's all!”“But-”“No buts! I've said what needs to be said!”“But what about the rule?”“What rule?” Its head tilts, locking its gaze straight onto Hatano.Behind me and still on the ground she whimpers. But she either swallows down her fear, or pretends to in order to say: “Rule number…2?”“You idiot! Are you not capable of reading a few typed lines?”“It says that-”“Surveillance cameras!” The monster throws its free paw out, gesturing to the shelves full of boxed flashers. “Do those look like things meant for surveillance?” Hatano doesn't reply. “Are you really dumb? Or…were you hoping that I was?”That got her to get onto her knees. “Wha- What?”“Asking about the rule, because your ‘friend’ destroyed one of those...flashers. If I was dumb as you wanted, you would've got me to kill this killer.”“Wha- No!” She grabs one of my wrists. “That's not-”“Lie, lie, and lie again!” With those words shouted, the Burokuma ‘waved’ goodbye before it jumped onto the wall. It quickly climbed up it, and scurried the ceiling before exiting through some disguised hatch.“Ta-Tadao!” She starts shaking my wrist. “I-I wasn't trying to get you killed!” My gaze finds hers. “I-I was-wasn't!” And all that comes out of her mouth is desperation.I break away from her grasp once more. I glance to where the monster left. I give Hatano one last look. Then with a growl I push her aside. I don't try to look back as I open, and slam the door shut.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Once again since no one answered me last time, how the hell do we know that this place hasn't been ransacked? Every other place has windows shattered, doors either kicked down or ripped off of hinges-”

“Just 'cause a bunch of buildings look like trash, doesn't mean the place we're going to is the same. Besides, me and my brothers personally know it. Not everything in stock is gonna be gone.”

“‘Me and my brothers.’ 'Me and my brothers.’ You three aren't even related by family.”

“Guys please, let's not have another fight-”

“Are you part-deaf? Is your memory bad? We told you plain as day how we're related.”

“‘Sharing blood' makes no sense, if you don't share freaking parents!”

“U-Um you're not wrong-”

“So what? Not sharing parents doesn't make our brotherhood invalid!”

“You-You're not wrong either Watanabe-”

“How?!”

“Why the hell should I tell you? Figure it out for yourself shit-teen.”

Someone, probably the shit-teen, had stopped walking. “Shit-Teen? Who- Who says that?!”

Either Kagawa or Harunobu was the next one. "You're looking at him, shit-teen!”

“Stop calling me that!”

“Guy-Guys there's no need for this!” Finally after Kagawa joined their noise-making parade, I halted my feet. I resisted the boiling urges to contribute to the racket, and take my brother's side. Instead I looked over my shoulder, and saw what exactly is happening. The shit-teen was pulling at his hair, his face gawking like a dumb chimpanzee. Harunobu's face is starting to turn red, his grip on pipe-weapon tightening. And Kagawa was now standing between them both, failing to be a solid peace-broker.

“I already know you for one day, and you're pissing me off like a standard shit-teen.”

“I told you to stop calling me that!”

“Guh-Guys please!”

“Why should I? You've done everything that makes you a shit-teen. You won't shut your mouth, you're being a damning liability-”

“Liability? Liability?! I'll show you who's a fucking liability-” He rears and throws a fist. But it damn well doesn’t meet its target.

“Quiet!” Sensing that one of them was going to act, I rushed over and wrapped my hand over the fist. “This bickering will do nothing but give us away, and leave us open as easy targets.” I give a glance to both of them. “Keep your doubts, complaints, and shit-talking to yourselves, you understand?”

After sparing each other a ‘this isn't over' look, they both turn to me. Harunobu takes a few steps back and nods at me. “Right- You're right Tadao.” I return the gesture, and wait for the shit-teen to say something close to that.

It takes him a minute to get the words out.

“Yeah…I understand.” Unlike Harunobu he doesn't step back, or actually shows that he means what he says with his glaring eyes. I don't pressure him though, and let go of his clenched hand.

“Let's keep going.” With that I turn around, and four pairs of legs press on.

We cross the last block we needed to, and see the butchery at the far end of the current street. There are no bear-helmet psychopaths in sight. And from any squinting eyes like mine can see, there’s more then a few window's worth of glass covering the sidewalk. The most of it is located right in front of the butchery, along with one half of the front door.

“Well what do you know, it looks like the place has been-”

“Do you think he's still inside?” Harunobu thankfully cuts the shit-teen off.

“If he is, he'll be staying in the basement. If not…then he better have used the back entrance.”

“Alright, how should we go in?”

I lean my head out from our position here at the opposite street end. It's hard to tell if there's any of them inside right now. The same can be said about the alleyway right next to it. But since the glass is smashed, and the front door is gone…

“Back entrance. If the door's locked, you'll be up Kagawa.”

He gulped, his grip on his wooden board constantly shifting from steady to shaky. “O-Okay.”

“Once we’re in, we clear out the back area and basement. We gather and carry what we can, while keeping room for what we get from our next destination. And if any of those monochrome bastards show up, don't hesitate.”

“Understood.” Harunobu says, voice full of that steel-strong confidence.

“Alright, stay together and move.

Not letting my eyes lose concentration, or my feet to burst into a unnecessary sprint, I cautiously lead our group of four while watching for any hostiles. There appears to be no sign of any in any of the buildings we pass, or any coming out onto the other sidewalks. There is blood in the form of recent and day-old stains, along with a few dragged paths leading into separate places. There are bodies, them being of adults who are scattered across the roads near, and ahead of us. There is some trails of smoke, leaving through glass-void windows and destroyed vehicles. And down our designated alley, there appears to be a body leaning against the far wall.

Strengthening the grip on my own spiked board, I lead our group near it. It belongs to one of the psychopaths. The back is pressed to the wall. The legs are spread out. Both hands and front of neck seem to have all skin ripped away. And the dripping blood indicates that it was recently killed.

It isn't the only corpse here. There are two more, wearing the same kind of helmet. Unlike the first, these two are laid flat on the ground near each other. The nearest has only the left hand visible, it still holding a machete coated with fresh flesh. The other one has both palms touching the ground, with the hands being covered from top to bottom with crimson pink.

My eyes go to Harunobu. He checks the first body for a pulse, finding none. Our eyes meet and we exchange quick nods. After I signal our compatriots to stop where they are, we approach both of the bodies. I go for the nearest, he goes for the farthest. Stopping at the knees of the ‘corpse', I slowly raise my board up. Harunobu does the same with his pipe. And on the silent count of three we both swing down.

With a jolting rise onto it's knees, the 'corpse' parries my attack with the machete and a hidden shard of glass. Then with a leap it goes on the offensive, aiming the machete while the shard goes low. The board is abandoned so my hands can grab the clutching fists, stopping both attempted stabs.

Having little-to-no weight in the pack strapped to my back, I manage to turn the bastard around. I force both of his hands to come together, then I slam him hard into the nearby wall. My knee is sent striking into his abdomen four times. Then using his right arm as an extra weight, I bring my elbow down onto his left. The grip on the shard breaks, making it fall. He breaks out of my hold, and tries to slice at my throat.

I duck and move around him. Then after grabbing both of his arms, I hurl him helmet-first into a trashcan. As he gets up I crouch down, wrapping a hand around the shard. When he tries to deliver a impacting swing I dodge. And as he's left open I charge in, screaming through my teeth as I thrust the shard into the side of neck.

When he reaches a hand to remove it I pull the shard out, and stab it full force through the hand. I stop the machete from carving at my side, and manages to twist it around in his loose grasp. Using his own weak grip, I make him tear a hole through his own stomach. Then as I go on to make him stab himself over and over, I pull the shard around, and through skin to reach the neck's other side. My sight doesn’t leave the two, different shaped and sized eyes of the bear. And the stabbing doesn't stop until he goes limp.

“HELP- YOU DAMN BITCH!” Hurriedly retrieving the machete, and shoving the now-corpse onto the trash-can, I look to my brother. With his arms wrapped around her neck, Harunobu turns around along with his kneeling enemy. Despite the fierce nails clawing at his wrists, his grip stays firm. Then in a instant, he yells and snaps her neck.

Letting the body hit the ground, he lets himself bends over and places his palms at his knees. His shallow breathing matches my own. The cut going from his thumb to his palm bleeds. And he directs his unsteady gaze my way.

“Tadao, are you-”

“No injuries.”

“Good…that's good.”

He raises himself, darting his un-hurt hand into his right pocket. He pulls out a fresh linen bandage, and wastes no time wrapping it over his wound. When he's done with that me and him look and listen. We hear no running shoes, or see any more of them in or near our area. Instead we find Kagawa and the shit-teen, having their backs pressed to the corner wall. They look absolutely terrified.

“You COWARDS! What the hell are you thinking?!”

The shit-teen takes two trembling steps forward. “What about you two assholes?! You-…You freaking killed them!”

“Are you fucking stupid? We had to!”

“If we didn't kill them, they would've slaughtered all four of us.” I'm barely able to hold back to urge to rush at, and smack the shit-teen. “Is that what you would've wanted? To die without trying to fight back, to survive?”

“Wha-What?!” As the shit-teen’s face gawks again, Kagawa removes his palm from his mouth. A barrage of bile shoots out from it, making him keel over.

“You. Damn. People!” As Harunobu slaps a hand to his forehead, I grind my nails across my own.

I want to lash out, to curse these two idiots out until their ears bleed. But I pull, and reign that want back. “Harunobu, get Kagawa over to the door once he's done.”

“N-No!” Now the shit-teen is cutting an X into the air with his arms. “No, no, no! We are not going to just- just treat this like n-nothing!”

“Who says we are?”

“You sure as hell are acting-”

“Will you be quiet!” I almost yell as I get down on one knee. “Be quiet, and listen well to me. Because what I'm about to say, is something I said yesterday after having to kill that psychopath in the store.” As I start having my free hand searching the corpse, I clear my throat and lock eyes with the shit-teen.

“This- These corpses here may have once been people: a man, a woman, a teen either older or younger then you. But the very instant they put these helmets on, they lose whatever humanity they had. Take a good, long look at that wall-pressed one. Stare at it's wounds, the torn open neck and skinless hands. Now look at that one's blood coated fingers, at the nails littered with that skin.

What you're looking at is the aftermath of a monster killing another. That's right, that's what they are beyond helmet wearing psychopaths. They act with a ruthlessness way past that of any animal. They murder without regret, without doubt, without a sense of sanity. They create roaring flames that they toss, they throw, that they use to burn anything they freely choose to. They destroy the outside and insides of buildings, plundering and crushing all everyday objects and pleasantries.”

I stop short, watching along with the shit-teen as Harunobu helped Kagawa over to the back door. When they got there and Kagawa began to work, my sight re-meets angered irises. “They will kill you, burn down whatever homes and buildings that are still standing, and obliterate everything anyone has ever bought or loved. They are monsters, creatures not meant to be pitied or spared. Don't let remorse or cowardice open yourself up to die. Defend yourself, be it by striking first or after they attack first.” Picking up, and now holding my spiked board alongside the machete, I stand up and look down at the teenager of a ordinary life. “And if don’t know how to exactly do that, train yourself in your damn time.”

“I-I got it!” Looking over to them, I watch as Harunobu pushes Kagawa to the side. Readying his pipe, he carefully pushes the door open. It takes him a minute of glancing around at the inside, for him to give us a low ‘'all clear’ thumb's up. With a double flicking of my finger aiming at the wall, I signal him to go in and examine the area top-to-bottom.

While Harunobu concedes, I head straight over to the shit-teen. “Now get up, or do you need me to help you with that?” Him backing up into the wall of bricks answers me. So I let him be, and only follow after Harunobu when he says: “It's safe.”

Being followed by Kagawa and hopefully the shit-teen, I walk into the meat-carving section of the store. The first thing I see is the shut double doors, belonging to the basement-
Breathing is ragged and rushing. Sweat dampens my head and rolls down my forehead. Fingers are tightly curled, with nails clawing at and around my palms. Legs are rapidly flapping and tapping on tiled floors. Eyes are turning- are glancing in multiple directions all at once.A woman with her hair undone- Hatano, is pressing and trying to lock my arms at my sides. Then she attempts to force my wrists to touch. She fails when I pull out of her hold. And before she can try again I shove her.The bottle she was grasping falls. It bounces once and turns upside down. All of the capsules come tumbling out of the cap-less space. They spill towards me. Their total number is 18. The closest one ends up inches near my chin.The floor and it are illuminated by gray-beige lighting. It is given a sickly color. It is disgusting to see. It will be awful to taste it's foam. It's being reached for by my left crawling hand.My right tries to stop my left. My left grabs the capsule. My right pushes, punches, and squeezes. My left pulls itself up and to my mouth. Some part of me is commanding it. Some part of me says I need this. And some part of me, presses the capsule into my mouth.It lands on the tongue. It melts and spreads with foam and scent. I stop all convulsing. I lay there staring at nothing. It works at my mind. I just breathe in and out, feeling time go on.“Hey, Hiyama.” I finally look up. “Hiyama, I’m right here.” There's Oshima with her golf club, crouching near me. “How are you doing?” She asks, placing a hand on my shoulder.Once I take in deep breaths, and wipe away the remains of foam, I answer her: “No less bitter then…better.”“Who wouldn’t with Andoh in the same building, eh?”The migraine comes, instantly intensifying once I directly see the lights above us. I sit up and look away. Then I start glancing around at my surroundings. “This is-”“The showers.” Oshima says. I take a few moments to sniff in the aroma. A combination of soap and shower water probably drying confirms her statement.“T-Tadao-” With feet moving almost frantically, Hatano starts coming over. “What Burokuma said- I-I wasn't trying to-”“Shut up.” She winces, as if my words actually hurt her. “I don't want to talk about it.”“But I-I swear-”“I said shut up!” As she stops walking, there's a sudden flaring irritation in my head. I plant my palm firmly over my forehead, and barely keep a string of curses from flying out. ‘These damn injections- Damnit!’“I think it'd be best to let it go.” Oshima states, with me now noticing her chewing on something. “That bear was just trying to be a manipulative twister. Or in other words, a Andoh in an animatronic body.”“…Exactly.” Hatano quickly looks from Oshima to me. Somehow meeting her gaze now is actually…a bit painful. So I turn away and explain what I mean. “You might be many things, but you’re nothing like that- …like Andoh.”“T-Tadao-”“For talent's sake- Drop it already!”She goes quiet, and ends up sitting down nearly without making a sound. Although there's some confliction in her facial features, she simply rests a hand on her head. Then she turns her gaze away from us.“Finally…” Letting out a loud sigh, Oshima retrieves a nearly dry-appearing rag from a pant's pocket. She proceeds to set her golf club on her up-turned knees. After squeezing the rag out for some drips of water, she begins to rub it across the whole club. “With that settled, time to get you cleaned.”Needing something else to focus and think about, I question her. “You clean it?”She scoffs, but doesn’t carry a pompous tone behind it. “Of course I do.” She raises her eyebrows. “This here is my talent's instrument- my greatest friend. If I don't clean it often, it'll become stained and I'll pop a gasket.” Actually focusing my gaze on it here and now, I see that Oshima's not lying. There is no sort of stain anywhere. In fact, there isn't many dents either. There are only four from what I'm seeing. Two are located on the neck near the club head, and the others are on the head itself.“Where'd you-”“Where do you think, when you've worked underneath the Foundation's 6th division?” She asks, sporting a proud smirk.“Hard work.” “Yep.” She nods. “Which I know you know much about.” I don’t answer, and end up staring at the golf club. That somehow gets her a chuckle out of her. Then for a short while, we both go quiet too. She pays more attention to cleaning the club. I make sure that my map is on me, and has a accurate recreation of the first floor's layout. Finding a mistake on it makes me want to punch the wall, but I don't and instead makes the correction.Once she's done with the cleaning, Oshima puts the rag away and sets the club onto her shoulder. Then when she sees that I'm glancing between the map and her, she cocks her head to the side. “You got anything you want to say, Hiyama?”I nod, rolling up and putting the map away. “The announcement went off…right?”“Yes.” Hatano spoke up, her gaze being focused on her clenching hands. “About an hour ago. That's why I tried to-”“Fine.” I cut her talking short. “What about you two? Why and when did you two get here?”“Sometime before midnight. We searched through the whole floor for you, after Hatano ran into me.” “Sorry…” Oshima shook her head. “Just don't do it again. Anyways, once we found here, I had to convince Hatano not to shake you awake. Then we both just slept here.”“Yeah! Now can you three please leave?" The sudden shouting made me start turning and looking for the source. Thankfully Oshima waved me off, and pointed around the corner. Her lips created a dry smirk as she offered a response. “You were fine with us sleeping here Amari. What's the issue with us just sitting?”“You know why! All of you- you…are untrustworthy!”“That doesn't make sense.”“Shut up!” The woman herself came over to us, anxiously tugging at her necklace of pearls. “Now please leave!“If there's anyone you should be wary about, it's the simpletons and Nagasawa.” Oshima stated, gazing up at the former SHSL Perfumer with some humor twinkling in her eyes. “We haven't done anything like them, you know?”“Amari, we aren't going to hurt you.” Hatano pettily added.“Get out!” But she rejected their words, stomping her foot and flipping a finger out towards the exit.Oshima's smirk grew. “I almost forgot you were this pouty.”“Leave!”“Amari-”“Forget it.” Letting out a exaggerated sigh, Oshima got up. “When she's this demanding, there's barely any room in her head for listening.”“Screw off!”“Sure, sure.” As she stifled a laugh, Oshima held a hand out to me. I grab it and let it pull me. Then once Hatano rose from the ground, the three of us left the showers. Before the door closed I got one last glimpse at Amari. She was absolutely frowning, but I couldn’t tell how viable it was.“Ooooh...it seems like she's barely changed. Still very doubtful, still very pout-ful.” Oshima let the laugh flow out, with chuckles following right after it. “Do you either of you remember?”Hatano nodded with a small, uneasy smile. “I do. For the first two months, she barely spoke to anyone. When she did, she always said something similar to all of that.”“And then she'd get her pouty face going, before SHE'D be the one going away!” Oshima slapped at her knee. “She would spray us all with perfume too, as if she’s warding off evil spirits.”“I-I remember that too!” Now Hatano was giggling, and laying her palm on the top of her head. “Like that one time when our classmates, Kurosaki and Kamii tried to make peace with her. She just bombarded them!”“Don't forget, she actually threw one of her bottles at them!”“She did!”As the two women chuckled and talked on about memories, I stayed quiet. Those memories they have, are clear and strange to hear about. Whenever I try to remember most of anything from back then, I just get incomplete results. There were sunny days, but I can't find any shining attitudes. There were windy afternoons, but I can't find any traces of rocky moments. There were nights lit up lights and containing falling rain, but I can't find any full events of pleasantness.All I can recover for my former classmates are their: names, SHSL talents, faint impressions, and uncertain pictures. Did Amari always wear pearls, with a round perfume container hanging from one of them? Did Kita always have his sword and sheath? Did Hatano ever have fully honest feelings? Did I ever get to know any of them, besides Oshima and Hatano apparently?When it came to Ruru-…No. When it came to Andoh however, most of everything seems to be- no, IS clear. She has always been manipulative. She has always lied in public to hide her true-self. She has always wanted to control- to mess with- to break-…Right now isn't the time to think about ‘her'. I don't want or need mental-piercing syringes. I should try to think on something else. Then later when I'm truly alone, I'll go back to pressing through the pain.“-It's nice to see she's kept her charm.”“Yeah-A sudden slamming of doors cut the women off. And before any of us three could move, there's a scream. “FIRE!” Machida came running from the direction of the Entrance Hall. “THERE'S A FIRE! FIRE, FIRE, FIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRE!” He stumbled and nearly tumbled, but he keep going. As he passed us, there was a wild fear engulfing his eyes.I acted fast. I ran after and then by him, not caring for the women calling my name. I charged into the cafeteria doors. Then I sprinted to the kitchen. Every cabinet on the right was opened and searched. And the one that was locked was forced open, using both a kitchen knife and my own stomping power. I got the extinguisher, and ignored all of the yelling voices as I left.The fire was above the blocked doorway to the outside. It was raging and roaring like an awakened beast. It's scent was all-to familiar. It's presence dominated every electric bulb and struck blaze. It's origin is not from the metal.No time was wasted. I began killing- spraying it from the left. Then with a uneven spreading line I choked- I reached the right side. Every inch of it was obliterated- cleansed. And in the aftermath, with many running pairs of shoes and boots arriving, I felt an anxiety tear it's way into me.A single, alarming word was formed by wood on the wall:CRAVING

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Questions after questions fly out. Shaky and firm separate steps pace across the ground. Half of present voice tones slowly start to rise. Three people try to bring calmness to the situation. But then once the first accusation is shot out, many more come firing.“-Shut up- SHUT UP! You're the one who brought us all here!”“Yes, she wanted us all to come here! But that doesn’t mean she's responsible for that!”“The two who apparently ‘sleep' here are the most suspicious.”“Oh I'm a suspect? I didn't know sleeping was related to lighting a fire?”“What about you? You one-eyed, Super-Talent Back- Bastard?!”“Please guys we shouldn't-”“How about you and your 'mute' husband-”While most of them argued to a point close to causing violence, I listened on and off from my position. Leaning off of the wall, I kept my sight trained on the large word. While the most of them bickered, I forced my lips to stay shut. I actually tried to think on what it could mean. All that I could figure out is that: ‘Craving' had to do with us, and something that we all might have.That ‘something’ might be the want to leave. But considering these people, the possibility is not very likely. Some definitely have a problem with staying here. There's others however, who've found it easy to accept the situation. Okabe and Sugita being two for example. One acts like she's almost eccentric, while the other has tried to sanction a place off for his own use.“-Misses please!”“Where the hell were you two then? Maybe taking a huddled shit together throughout the night-”“Will you all shut up!”“No, Amari, we won't!”“Everyone should take deep-deep breaths and try-”“-Listen closely you Super-Talents! We had nothing to do-”“Where's your proof?”“-My damn testimony, asshole! We slept through most of the night in the cafeteria-”“Didn’t one of you leave-”“THAT'S BULLSHIT!”Having had enough of their shouting, I pulled myself from the wall. Then I left through the left-path doors. If any of them noticed me going, I didn't catch any mention it. I hope none of them did. I couldn't find any better answer to the current ‘Craving-mystery’. So I'm going to head to the cafeteria. My stomach is groaning and my lips are drying. I need to sate my needs.Entering the cafeteria, I immediately see three sleeping bags. I only give each them noted glances, before starting to go towards kitchen. It wasn't difficult to figure out that Sugita and his friend, owned two of them. The third probably belonged to Camera-Man, or Okabe by the lie-sounding accusation she aimed at Sugita. Either way, they're nothing more then small conformances. Passing through the boundary, I open the freezer right away. Now that I'm alone, I can have what food I need. What I need is meat. And from the choices of: pork, salmon, and chicken, I pick the latter.Ripping open the packet, I wrap my fingers around the frozen remains. Getting out the pot without eyes assisting my hand, I let it drop a short distance onto the stove. The chicken-breast is placed on it. Then with a quick twist, I hear the faint flourish of blue-flames. I would've prepared a meal like this more expertly, if I was normal. But I'm very hungry, and thirsty.I’m about to open the fridge door when I spot a small box. It's shares the same cabinet as pans. It's not the only type of it's kind either. There's six of them, three being on top of three. There all carry the same box design, displaying a image of the round ‘candies' cased in.Macarons. Current Boxed number is 16. Current serving amount is two. Standard calorie amount is 142.5. Standard sodium count is 13.9. Their sugar…standard amount is 21.4. And inside of every single shell there is a ‘satisfier'.The satisfier being of that of cream. The cream is in the form of swirls. Compared to the shell, the swirls are much more easy to break. They also contain a more common presence of liquid. That liquid is the source of the scent they emit. The scent matches the strength of their taste. And their taste is…‘sweet'.The tinges of mental syringes, as well as a distant-past burn pull me from my knowledge. I had grabbed a box without realizing it. The longer that I stare, the injections increase. And my hold on the box, becomes more and more tighter. It's gotten to the point of where I'm nearly crushing it.Remembering most of what they truly are, I clench my teeth. I push the box back into the cabinets. Then with a quick pull, I shut the door. While I can still smell their memorized scent, I damn well don't want to see them.A certain spot on my back stings. I don't have reach far back and down to touch it. It resides beneath my neck-area. It's shape is faded, but still prominent for tracing.I bite down agitation. The injections ‘calm' me down. Then I pull my fingers away. ‘Her being here is enough. I don't need…treats of her-'There's an abrupt slam. I thrust my elbow back. It's stopped by leather. I turn to the left. I see the cause being a kitchen knife, held by a gloved hand.I twist around to see her, the simple girl with no known name. Unlike her ruffled hair, her mask shows no crumbled trace. Her nostrils almost match her posture in stillness, before they need to take in air. Her lips are separated by mere inches, less then the half-foot she stands from me. Only her knife hand is armed, it gripping the handle as I grab the pan's.I stare as she watches and waits, if she even can see beyond the mask. Neither of us move beyond taking in air. The seconds tick away like the clock outside. And I ready myself for her swiping-strike.She doesn't attempt an attack. Instead her fingers slowly unwind. She lets go of the embedded knife. One single step back she takes. Then she tilts her head, gesturing to the kitchen blade.Without looking away from her mask-eyes, I roughly tug and pluck the knife. I gradually pull it across the counter. The steel isn't turned downward a single inch. It firmly stays upright, remaining prepared to react and counter any forceful movements.Once again no violence comes. In its place, she side-steps to the back-wall counters. With the pressing assistance of her elbows, she lifts herself onto a counter. Then she sluggishly slides her hand behind the withered, currently apron-acting blanket that’s mostly hanging, and wrapped her neck.A opened bar of chocolate is brought out. In seconds she parts her lips, revealing her dentures. The mixed bunch of sharp and flat, yellow-turning-gold teeth bite into the chocolate. They tear and rip half of the dark topping off. They crunch, they grind, they chew on size-decreasing pieces. And a tiny portion of such pieces quickly melt, smearing some yellow-gold consumers and spilling out mostly onto the chin.When her mouth shuts, she swallows. She doesn’t wipe away the remnants of her first bite. She lets them be, just as her mask-eyes remain aimed in my direction. She is waiting and watching, now expecting a certain reaction from me.The low rumble of my stomach prompts me to reply. Carefully leading the knife to the thawing chicken, the side of it is traced. After testing the meat's condition with pokes and prods, I stab the blade in. It only enters a quarter of the way, leaving me to compensate.With hard-resistant struggles working against me, I push the blade through the meat. I manage to cut open, then out a line. Using my fingers, I break down a few still-frozen connections. I retrieved what pieces I could, and pressed the covered knife-tip into my mouth.Like her, I don't hide my eating. Pulling the knife out, I let the pieces be thrashed around. Most of them stay in and are crushed. The least fall over and down my lower lip. I care to take in the heated and chilled hybrid taste. And then as I swallow, a groan rises up my throat.Once a few minutes come and go with neither of us doing nothing, she strangely nods. She repeats her eating process with another bite. Then after watching her, I consume another stab-full of meat. And while we both continue on with more bites, there is a quiet understanding made between us. It's not based on trust, plain approval, or any sort of logic regarding dislike. It's based on…another case of similarity, or at least something akin to it.“YOU KNOW NOTHING!” At that shout and a loud banging, I crank my head towards the cafeteria. Sugita is on the floor, holding himself up with his elbows. And Oshima is stomping to him, whacking at the air with her golf club. “Nothing about work, Nothing about effort, NOTHING ABOUT THE TALENTED!”'Flipped up and out from a covered stove, and into a furnace of live fires.'“And you do, you egotistic bitch?” Scurrying back like a fast rat, he reaches the table. He hurriedly grabs one of the chairs, and uses it to get up. “You Super-Talents care for no one but your damn selves, and what makes you ‘special’. You abandon others to suffering and to death. You fight and bash each other like animals. You'd rather have people like me see you as saviors!” A trembling finger is flung out.“We are saviors, you petty bastard!” She rushes forward, getting in his face and her cap colliding with his forehead. “Who were the ones who took back cities? Who were the ones who first fought against Despair? Who were the ones willing to resist, while you simple fucks hid away like cowards?”“We-”“THE TALENTED!” She screamed, making him take steps back. “Not you worthless, filthy, surrendering garbage wastes of human beings!”Although I saw it coming, seeing one ram a fist into the other's face was a spine-shocker. Oshima was sent stumbling back, but not without attempting to hit him back. Her club connected with his cheek, and unlike her he tumbled back to the ground. Squeezing the bridge of her nose, a screech sounded through her wall of biters. They both stared at one another, pain etched onto raged expressions.Hearing and then seeing the unnamed girl hurry pass me, I finally make a move. Tucking away the blade and taking the pan by it's handle, I walk out after the girl. She stops a few feet behind Sugita. I walk until I'm right next to Oshima.Sugita's rage slightly fades, and the visible pain grows. “What the hell happened to you Keiko-”Oshima strikes the ground, rage pouring over once noticeable hurt. “YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY MY NAME!”She stomped out, leaving his question unanswered. Then just as he registers that I'm here, I go after Oshima.I find her in one of the restrooms, breathing heavily as her fists lay against a stall's wall. Her head turns at me closing the door. Her fury pacifies at the sight of me. She tries to shape her lips into a fake smirk. It fails to form and her frown continues existing.“Hey…Hiyama.” I nod, pacing across the tiles to her. When she finally seems to notice my morning meal, confusion moves her eyebrows. “And you've brought…chicken.”“Better than any of Hatano's forced cooking.”“…Really?”“For me yeah.”She glances at me before looking to the half-thawed meat. Without asking she reaches into the severed line, and rips out three pieces. They're flung into her mouth one by one. It takes her a minute to consume the pieces, and to provide a reaction. “You're going to eat chicken like this?” “I wasn't done cooking it.”“Then why do you have it?”“Grabbing and bringing it…was just by instinct.”“Why?”“I encountered his no-name friend in the kitchen.”It instantly clicks in her head, making her direct a glare to the stall door. “Did she kick you out?”“No.”She almost whips her head around, but keeps it settled on the stall in front of her. Then after a quick flaring of her nostrils, she pushes the door in. “I don’t know how to respond to that.”“You're responding right now, aren't you?” She chuckles and looks my way. “I am.” As she takes off her cap and drives a hand into her hair, I set the pan down in a sink. Then after letting a few calm moments pass, I ask her my current top question. “Why do you despise them?”“Them?”“That nameless girl, Sugita, the ‘common' people that you call simpletons.” She flinches, but then her glare strengthens.“Don- No.” With a quick rise and swipe, her club's head strikes the stall door. Then her irises installed with spite, meet mine. “That simpleton trash of a man- He's not Sugita Donatello. Sugita died years ago, trapped by rubble and butchered by a squad of Monokumas. No matter what that simpleton trash claims, or says, that's what happened to Sugita- to Donovan.” “Donovan?” She doesn't respond beyond tossing her cap to the side, and pinches her nose’s bridge. She turns, hiding her behind a hand. Then her following breaths are deep, but also difficult due to sudden sniffs. I know better than to question her name choice again. “Ok, let's forget that and go back: Why do you despise them?”She lowers her hand, but stays facing toward one of three bathroom mirrors. Then she surprises me. “Why do you despise Andoh?”“…What?”“You heard me, and with your brains you definitely understood me.” Her gaze flickers to me. “Tell me why you can't stand that insult bitch, and I'll tell you the truth about simpletons.”She makes it sound like it's easy. Like as if it's on par with a small secret to share. In reality it's not. It's actually much more complicated, detailed, and now harder to explain.I walk to the stall, needing to grab onto the edge of it's wall. For a short while I try to find what words I could say, if not to give her an accurate answer. Once I figure it out to an extent, I talk and watch as my knuckles turn white. “When she promises you friendship, she lies with those blinking blue eyes. When she asks you to eat a treat, she demands and expects your obedience. When you deny, she paints you as a traitor. When you comply, you’re nothing more than a gained slave. And when you'd dare to fight-”I push forward, forcing my shoulder against the stall door. My tilted head joins my shoulder, pressing and slowly rubbing against the wood. “-And when you try to fight, when she's there before your very eyes dressed like a whore-” My fists slams on the door. They've come back again, their tips sharper and longer. They go in, attempting to stop- trying to make me lie. To tell a lie, feel a lie, believe a lie, become a lie!The toilet covering plate is grabbed. It's wrenched right off. It's thrown straight down. It crashes and cracks when meeting the tile floor. And a foot comes stomping from high above.My hands are and legs are separate. My fingers and knees are spread as far as possible from each other. The nails scratch and try to dig in. The feet stay still as if planted. But it's not long before the shaking begins.While the spot- the brand burns and my brain aches, I see the insides of the storage tank. There is no sign of water. Looking at the bowl shows the same. There is no visible trace of liquid. They’re practically void without any. It’s similar to how a man can be, without fulfilling his thirst.“Is that all, Hiyama?” The fingers that touch my shoulder are brushed off. “Is it?” I don't reply as I turn around, and pace right by her. I turn both of a sink's knobs, and place my hands beneath the faucet. The stream that actually rushes out is strange to see.“I’m going to take that as a no.” She approaches and stops at my side, probably watching as I splash water over mouth. “Because you had to have been on the edge of saying more. Like: how she's a coward, a selfish-entitled bitch, a straight up psychotic narcissist!” Pushing a handful of water pass my lips, I gurgle and shake it around inside. It's only after I gulp down a lengthy drop, that I spit out the rest.She pulls at my shoulder, turning me to face her. Then her spit flies at me. “Listen to me!” Her hand roughly smacks my arm, fully snapping my attention to her. And once her rapid breathing slows, she has two fingers quickly dart to the side of her head. “Andoh being all of that, makes her just as worse as the Simpletons.”Although I might know what she's getting at, I have to ask the question: “What do you mean?”“When people first fought back against Despair, who were the ones to make the first blow? I'll tell you who: US!” She smacks at her golf club, and jostlers her shoulder. “We started out running sure, but when they either found us or we found them again, we sure as hell stopped and clashed with them. We didn't flee. We didn’t retreat. We didn't stay hidden in some sewage, or any damn building scared like spineless weaklings! We fought, and outright stampeded through what Despair tried to do to us!Then when the Talented actually formed the Future Foundation, how many divisions were there? SIX! And their first remembered leaders were named: Tengan, Munakata, Kizakura, Kimura, Yukizome, and Sakakura Juzo! They added fire to the lit fuse, that we once-students set ablaze. That fuse being for a strong, resistant, dominant force. That force's existence brought all of the Talented together. And their purpose was to battle Despair head-to-head, and to truly work on saving our world!With riot-suited gear and armor, the Talented battled and won over Despair countless times! With each victory, we stopped more and more of those lusted psychopaths. We cracked open skulls. We battered and broke bodies. We crushed and obliterated throats. We bled, sweated, and crippled ourselves to destroy Despair!”With her shoulders tensed, she lay her golf club on her open palms. After staring at it in moments of calmness, she grasped it tightly by the handle. Then she peered through some rattled, dropped down strands of her hair. “Andoh….didn't do any of THAT! She cowered behind her bodyguard. She joined the Foundation out of pathetic fear, and for her own self-fixated agenda. She never rose a single finger, or stood up to kill any sort of Despair. She sat in the damn shadows, insulting our sacrifices and work done out in the LIGHT!She's just like those fucking Simpletons, if not worst. They'll never know what it's like to suffer through manslaughter, through warfare, through carnage! All that they know is how to complain. Along with making up lies and excuses. And in her case: how to control, and use people to give her a pardon of house-arrest! Goddamn house-arrest instead of a real punishment, for not ever trying to save others, and for fucking over the people who trusted her as a Division Leader!”Letting a furious growl be released from her exhausted lungs, Oshima- no, Keiko staggered over to the sink behind her. Sweat poured down her facial features as she grabbed, and held onto the faucet for support. While she let out dry wheezes, she swiped on and off at her wetted forehead. She gave up after the fifth swipe, and allowed her club-clenching fist to drop. She stayed there, hunched over and regaining her composure.I only stood there, watching as I felt myself be divided. Everything about Andoh Ruruka was true to no fault. But what she had claimed about Simpletons, about the ordinary people, it wasn't all right. And as of now, I just…know that not all ordinary people, are like Andoh.“You know…” After she had huffed and puffed, Keiko pushed aside her dangling bangs. “I'd like to see that bitch go through a trial. Not one with back-room dealings, or any bribery- no. I'd want to see her endure a REAL trial.” Licking her nearly drained of all blue lips, she cocked her head to the side and met my gaze. “What about you?”I don't even dare to lie. “A real trial of suffering, of knowing what she really is.”“Damn straight.” She raised and place her golf club against her shoulder. “We and you- We want the same general thing to happen. So…hear we- me out ok?” I immediately nodded, which make her lips form a sly smirk. “When the time comes, we gather everything we can to show everyone what Andoh is. We'll make sure she gets what she deserves: A long sentence in prison.”“After we get out?”“Sure- definitely Tadao.”I don't mind her speaking my name. “I agree 100% percent, Keiko.”She doesn't mind me saying hers either. She lets out a series chuckles. Then she gives my arm heavy pats. And within her fired-up irises of satisfaction, I find the closest semblance of relatability.“Tadao!” Following the opening and closing slams of a door, a voice that I didn't need to hear yells. But then it shimmers down into relief. “Oh- There you are!” Me and Keiko look to see Hatano, pacing to us while her hand is placed over her chest. Her eyes show an apparent terror that seems to be fading. “I was looking everywhere for you!”“Why?” Keiko thankfully asks for me.“Well- First off: I wanted to make sure he was ok.”“I'm doing just fine.” I almost bite that reply out.“I can vouch!” Keiko states, raising and slightly shaking her free hand.“That's good!” And Hatano speaks with that same, half-honest tone of hers. “I was extra-hoping that you were, because Negasawa has called for a group meeting. She wants everyone to meet up around dinner time-”Bursts of laughter and several coughs shoot out from Keiko. “Wha-What? That lying Critic, wants everyone to gather together?” After sparing me a glance and slapping her knee, she honestly answers “Is she fucking stupid?!”“She isn’t! She thinks that the word, the one that was on fire, might be a hint at a motive. So she wants us all to meet up, to talk, and maybe even plan for it!”“Maybe plan! Ooooooh…” Keiko can't bare to look at Hatano anymore.“Come on! We can get together, and resist the motive whenever it comes-”“No.”“But-”“I said and I mean: No! I'm not going to sit around in a circle, or an oval, and let that liar talk my ear off about forming a plan.” She flicks and holds one finger up. “The only time I'll ever listen to Nagasawa again, is when she has something true and concrete to say.”“She-” Hatano manages to stop herself from failing once again to convince Keiko. And she then looks to me. “How about you Tadao? You'll come along, right?”No matter what I say, she's going to end up dragging me to this meeting anyways. So I decide to say a simple: “Yes.”She smiles and nods. But then she catches sight of my pan-resting meal. “What- Tadao! What did I tell you about having meat-”“Are you serious?” Keiko looks over her unoccupied shoulder, her expression being shocked and disgusted.“What?”“You're hounding him for having meat in the morning?”“Of course! Breakfast is the time for cereal, eggs, oatmeal-”Keiko whipped herself around, and threw a arm up. “You're a damn Food-degenerate.”“I'm not- What?!”“Let him eat whatever he wants to fucking eat!”“No! Having meat in the morning is not good.”“You gotta- So if he had bacon strips, he's eating breakfast wrong.”“Yes!” Hatano stupidly replies.By now Keiko was face-palming. “Oh get the hell out of here!”The two women proceed to go off on a debate about breakfast. Hatano's nonsense made me want to bolt out. But Keiko's truthful words kept me here. And I just found a spot of wall to lean against, and witnessed their banter play out.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Soft like a breeze of wind. Calm similar to the stillness of water. Flow of movement akin to calculated typing. Patterned as if it was made by a master. With all eyes on her aside from her husband's, who had his head laying across her lap, Kawatou created an atmosphere with her flute music.As I listen along with everyone else, I'm at a loss. While I'm certainly not knowledgeable in music, it's the crafted atmosphere that's got me confused. I can't fathom a description, a name, or any right word to define it. What I can tell is that: it's…here, occupying this janitor-armory with us. It's…kept everyone quiet as they're fixated to it's presence.That presence is also a mystery. It's both foreign and faintly familiar. I can't remember how, why, or where I’ve felt it before. In fact, trying to remember brings back the needles. They're much more forceful, more longer-felt- more unbearable then the usual injections. But just as they come, they quickly go as the music continues on.‘It doesn't make sense.’ Is all I'm left with after a few, pointless tries at thinking. So I shove the sense of familiarity away, and attempt to resume watching the way Kawatou instructs her fingers. I don't get to, as there's a pair of eyes watching me. They belong to Nagasawa, situated at the janitor's supply lockers. Her sight's narrowed state dissipates when I notice her. A short while passes with neither us breaking eye contact. For a moment her lips separate, before they immediately shut. Then she adverts her gaze, setting it on her raised knee. No sudden shift of facial features breaks her expression of...conflict. And from what I'm seeing, the cause of it isn't clear.Hearing a final, uplifted note be delivered by Kawatou, brings me away from whatever THAT was. Nagasawa joins Kita and Goto in clapping. She and the Fencer give complements, while I merely nod twice. Despite it’s reminiscent and needle effects on me, I won't deny that the song was good.“Thank you…” Was all Kawatou had to say, before she put away her flute. “That was: ‘Of the Present'.”“Present?” Kita repeats, tapping the side of his head. “Which present do you mean?”“Both actually.” He's startled by that reply. “What? How- Why?”“It'll…take me a- a long time to- to explain, I think.”“You think?”Kawatou shrugs her shoulders as her husband gets up. “I don't know all- all of the words to- use, or say in explaining. If I tried to- to explain now, I'll just- just be repeating myself. More then how I-I usual do.”“If you say so…” Kita frowns, disappointment radiate across his whole face.“Anyways…how much longer until- until she comes back?”“Probably another few minutes.” Nagasawa says while readjusting her glasses. “Probably because Hatano has encountered Machida and Okabe.”“Do you really think they'll come?”“Right now it's a 50/50 possibility. They haven't shown any outright hostility, but have also kept their distance.”“And if she hasn't encountered them?”“She has to have, since she almost been gone half an hour. Besides, we know where most of the others are. Sugita and his friend have situated themselves in the kitchen, Hoga and Andoh have the Gift-Shop. And then there's Amari…”“When you say it like that, you're most likely right.” Kita stated.What must’ve been our fourth bout of silence had arrived. Like the previous three, us five exchanged glances. Then there’ll be a soft, short-lived drumming. It'll either come from Goto or Nagasawa, with the male of the two being louder. He'll use the tiled floor as a base, while she'll rely on her pant leg. And before any of us know it, someone will speak up in some form-“Sugita was wrong, you know?”While my nostrils flared at this repeated occurrence, I remained mute and once again let someone else respond. “About what?”“Our days at Hope’s Peak. There wasn't just fighting and arguing.” Nagasawa says, her brows nearly knitting together. “There was conversations, good moments, and…school in general.”“How much do you remember from back then? My memory is…fractured, when it comes to Hope's Peak.”“Probably just a little more than most of us.” With her head's back meeting the wall, Nagasawa seemed to think on her recollection. Then with pursed lips, she gave us details. “The fights and the arguments amongst us, were few and were between a few of us. There was others however, generally being our class going against another.”“It was the 75th.” Nagasawa nodded at Kawatou. “Yes, though I don't think I know the full context.”“Even if you don't, you may as well say what you do.”“There was…jealousy, arrogance, and bullying.” I couldn't help but stiffen at that. “Every day or so, someone would start or continue a ‘problem’. Blaming came first, before someone either shouted or threw a punch. It was all petty, with people giving into stupidity.”“I think…I got into one of those fights.” Kita squinted his eyes. “It involved two twin girls, both from the 75th? I'm not so sure.”“There wasn't just bad time- times between us an- and the 75th class.”“Are you sure about that? Because all that I can remember, is people going at each other's throats.”“No, Kawatou's correct. There were times where our class got along with the 75th.”“Do you know of a specific date?”“All that I have…is a Christmas party.”Kita snorted, and then chuckled as his fist pressed against his cheek. “A Christmas Party?”Placing a rouge hair strand behind her ear, Nagasawa showed no positive or negative effect at saying the phrase.  “A Christmas Party.”“When was it? Our second year? Or perhaps our third?”“I don't rightly know.”“It was our third, I- I guess?” Kawatou suggested. “I recall seeing Naegi some- some time before the party.” “Naegi? You mean THE Naegi Makoto?” “That's who I'm talking about.” Her lips forming a small smile, Kawatou tilted her head left and right. “He was really kind, al- also a little too apologetic.”“I don't remember ever meeting him.”“I do, along with a few of his classmates. I remember…Ishimaru, Yamada, and the girl with a false name.”“The so-called ‘Queen of Liars’?”“Yes, her. But I can't recall if she, or any of them even went to the party.”“I think I remember-”'Remember, Recall. Remember, Recall.’ Those two words are like daggers stabbing at my ears. I can't endure hearing any more. I turn away from the group, wanting to tune them out. I press two of my knuckles across my nose bridge, and try to focus only on the door. And for what seems to be once in a long time, I hope to see Hatano soon.After another minute of waiting, Hatano finally comes back. She's luckily, or unluckily not alone. Yorikane and Okabe are with her. The both of them are shaking, but for different reasons.“Hell-Lo!” Okabe wastes no time in waving her hands, greeting us and accidentally hitting the sides of her head. She's actually vibrating out of excitement.“Hi…” In contrast Machida is like a frighten timid rat, not keeping his gaze set on one person or thing. And he's rustling like a leaf in a hurricane.I don't know if my hope has been thrashed, or has only been stained.“Good o'l Rika told us about this meeting, and I couldn't say no! Same with Machida-kun!”“That's because you kept on pressing him to come.”“Details, details!” She swipes a dismissing hand through the air, and end up smacking her forehead with her knuckles. “We’re here now, and ready to com-mune-nicate!” With that said, Okabe prances over to Kita, and drops down into a spot next to him. While Machida goes to sit on Okabe's right, Hatano walks to me. She brings out a package of gum, and flicks it open. “I was thinking of getting you something, while we're stuck in this place. So I got you this. Even though it’s just gum, I hope you’ll enjoy it.”Many new thoughts are spurred, and are running around in my head. Questions of Why and What clash with what seems to genuine kindness. I don't what to think or believe regarding this. And that has me staring at the held out package. Eventually I manage to move a hand up. I silently take the gum pack from her. I don't nod or shake my head. I just stare at her for a short while. But then as I stash the pack into a pocket, I touch the bottle of pills. One side of me wants to simply say ‘Thanks’, while the other doesn't want to say a damn thing. The latter side wins, leading me to look away from her eyes. She says nothing as she walks off to the right. I hear her put a few feet of distance between us, before she sits on the floor.“Okabe, Machida, thank you for coming here.”“Oh please! That's less than nothing to thank anyone for doing. All I did was walk here, right Machida-kun?”“Yeah…”“That's not what I'm thanking you for-”“Anyways, what are we doing? Are we just going to be sitting here, playing the quiet game? Or maybe, we'll give ‘I Spy’ a try!”Nagasawa deeply exhales. “No, we're not going to be playing a game. We're all here to talk, as well as eat-”She's interrupted by three knocks on the door. “Can I come in, Miss Nagasawa?”“Yes you can, Camera-Man.” As the door was pushed open, Camera-Man comes in carrying plates and three trays full of food. He went straight to Nagasawa, and proceeded to stand in front of her. She sighed before saying: “Set the trays and plates down, in the center of the room.” He follows her order, along with separating the plates and trays. Then he brings out, and places both napkins and sets of silverware in two piles.Once he takes a few steps back, Nagasawa flicks a finger out towards the food. “Grab a plate, take what foods you'd like, and be sure to leave enough for all of us.”I stay rooted in place while everyone else gets their self-picked dinner meals. Because of Hatano I don’t bother. She'll instantly disagree and take away my food, before replacing it with something ‘suitable'. So I'll just wait, and let Hatano get me whatever she deems 'right'. If I'm lucky, she'll give me more meat any present of the vegetables.After they all fill their plates, I continue waiting. Thirty seconds, a minute, then five pass on by. Hatano hasn’t made my plate. Instead, she's eating away at her mixed greens. ‘What is you playing at? Are you going to eat first, or are you waiting for me to move?’“Hiyama?” Kawatou's voice draws my attention. “Aren't you going to- to eat?”“Are you testing yourself?” Okabe asks, before perking up. “Are you trying to see how long you can stomach no dinner?”I don't answer either of them. This gets Kita's brows to lower. “Is there something the matter?” Multiple gazes go to me, expecting some explanation. I turn to Hatano, speaking through my glare. She gives her bottom lip a tiny rubbing with her teeth. Then she talks to me. “Go ahead Tadao. Eat what you want, however you want.”'What?’ That word practically repeats itself in my head. It doesn't stop as I carefully approach the trays and plates. It doesn’t cease as I retrieve pieces of stake, pork, and a finger's worth of rice. It grows when I get a knife, and return to my seat. It intensifies as I eat outside of her boundary, for what feels like the first time.A string of glances from me reveals that the gazes are lingering. The Fencer is disgusted. The Critic seems alarmed. The Weatherman is indifferent. The Flutist, along with her husband to an extent, show strange concern once again. And half-honesty makes an appearance as sadness, before Hatano looks away.I begrudgingly set my sight back on my meal. Then as I continue consuming it, I resume listening to the group.“So! What exactly are you guys?”“Excuse me?”“I mean, so far we've all barely got to communicate with short dialogues. From where I'm sitting, none of us has really talked about themselves. Nothing about who we are now, at least.” A loud, drawn out cracking of a shell emerges. Then a long exhale comes, followed by Okabe's near-faint clicking of her tongue. “How about we get started on learning about each other, all over again?”“I have no qualms with such an idea.”“Then you can go first Kita-kun!”He sighs. Then from the gentle clanging of glass, he had set his plate down. “Obviously I'm not going to divulge every detail about myself. So please, don’t expect a voiced biography.”“Aww man!”“Are you sure you want to do this?”“Yes, I am.” After that reply to Nagasawa, nothing but the scrapping of forks provide noise. Then once a minute passes, he begins. “During these past two years, along with some moments I can recall from before Despair had risen, I’ve always wondered, and asked people about what's the most important thing in life. Some have said sports and entertainment. Others have told me wealth and family. And a few claim that food, cleanliness, power and then some, are the 'greatest' thing to process. None of them however spoke of what I believe, of what I view as the grandest driving force of life: Purpose.”Upon hearing- listening to that, I set my fork down. An urge to raise my head came, but I didn't follow it. “Purpose is in truth, our strongest motivator. It sets and starts us down whatever path we choose. Along the way it makes us become active, productive, and strong.” While staring down at my meal, my fingers slide down to my side. In moments they reach into a pocket, and pluck out a folded paper. It opens as it enters my field of view.“Purpose gives us meaning. It provides our accomplishments, our deeds with actual earned merit. It helps clear our minds of low-some uncertainties. It holds us when we seem ready to stumble. It centers us, centers our focus on the objective we seek to complete.” The Cafeteria. The arrowed paths. The scribbled estimates of minutes. Andoh’s hard-pressed, bolded 'name’. My eyes dart from detail to detail. And my head is pierced by those needles again-The corner of my fist touches the contained bottle. "Without it, anyone will endure a degradation. Those with power, from politicians to simple business owners, will simply fling themselves to a systematic, soulless pattern of obtaining money. Those that entertain, will wear quick, false masks and put on mediocre performances. Those that place cleanliness above all else, will rely on and follow the normal of maintaining hygiene. Those that have an attachment to food, will consume and produce everyday known nutrients, never bothering to discover what culmination of products their digesting." nuckles drag themselves into the cotton containment. They touch both of the residing objects."Those that have anything, that do anything: They will follow the single, long road of necessities. They will eat, drink, and sleep in a day-to-day routine of colorized boredom.” The roundness of a cap. The typed labels and instructions. The flatness of a flap. The faint design indents of a brand name. “And they'll 'live' a 'life' underneath the rule of something, or someone that will dictate them on what they should work towards.” Two fingers squeeze the cylinder. The rest brush against the squared figure. Then a piece is removed.“Do you truly believe that?”“I do, as I've seen first-hand what a purposeless life is. I've watched many others experience it, thinking they live with worthiness. They think that have uniqueness. They think that have meaning with a goal. They however have nothing, for their ‘goal’ is manufactured. It is spawned from a disgusting source.”“Disgusting?”“I’m talking about Desire. It is the counterpart of Purpose. Because while Purpose is a self-creation, Desire is the ‘must-have' produced by another.  And those that yearn for Desire, become like drones.”Silence echoes as I crush the piece in my hand. Then as I start rubbing my fingers, only produced breaths give sound to our environment. It reminds me of times where there had been strains. Those strains would usually lead to pains. Then those pains would elevate, just like how pointed needles can evolve into sharpened wires.'No more.’ My gaze goes back to the map. ‘No more, no more...’ Glances are send to the kitchen, the cafeteria, the restrooms, and then a stare is aimed at the Gift shop. ‘…No more of this.’“-and I disagree with you Nagasawa.” Is what I hear from Kita as I lift up my head.“Okay! Who wants to go next?” As Okabe is enthusiastic, I hide my other twitching fist.“I think we should stop, and move on to more important topics.” Nagasawa pretends to suggest.“Oh come on!” Okabe smack her head and rolls her eyes my way. “We were just getting started!”“We can continue this after we discuss what we need to.” My left hand unfolds. “Like what that ‘Craving' word might mean, along with any possible plans that we can-”“Why does ‘that' have to mean anything? Burokuma could've just set that up because he could.” Vibrations expand and infect every part of my body.“That seems very unlikely.”“So? There's still a chance that-”“Where exactly did you and Machida sleep, if not at the Entrance Hall?” The vibrations become trembles.“Nagasawa-”“Ooooh...you're interrogating us now? Is that why you wanted us to come?” “It's just a simple question-”“Tadao.” Fingers belonging to Hatano form a grip around my wrist. “It's time.”I take a gamble, deciding to fling the capsuled piece into my mouth.A few hours go by. The others aside from Hatano leave. I don’t attempt to see their departing faces, or to listen to their voices. I'm dealing with continuing trembles, keeping scratch marks out of sight, and being my ‘usual’ self.I wait until the time reads 9PM, before I finally approach the door. “Tadao?” She obviously notices. “Where are you going?” I come to a halt, but I don't dare turn around. “I'm going to get a snack.”“Maybe I should go with you-”“To get a snack?” She goes quiet. Gritting my teeth, I shake my head. “I won't be gone for long.”“But-” I ignore and cut her off with the door. I head to my first destination. None of the people I pass bother me. There's no one around inside. I hurry on getting two things. Then I leave for the cafeteria. When I walk in I glance around, seeing no one in sight. I step back and look out into the hallway. There are no incoming footsteps. I’m given the greatest chance that I could ever receive. I take it without any doubts, and go into the kitchen.I only retrieve one of three items tonight.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It began with a shaken swing. Movement speed was fast. Left was the propelled angle. Target was high on the body. And before it could land a blow, my pipe intercepted.

He broke away from the deadlock. He came at me with many swipes. Left, right, down. Right, left, down. Trying to strike again and again, only to end up getting parried.

He attempted to create distance with a hop back. Instead it provided an opening. I ran, driving an elbow into his stomach. He sputtered, and barely stumbled out of the way of my next attack.

I launched a barrage of strikes. Three are aimed at his left. Three fly to his right. One slashed up from below. One slammed down from above.

Each one faced immediate resistance. No matter how much force was applied, that resistance didn't break. It wavered with every impact, but stayed firm. And as he'd blocked over and over, he stayed rooted in place.

I aim for his chest. His board collides with my pipe. After a quick locking of eyes, I made my move. I released my pipe, sidestepped his next swing, and caught the weapon of steel with my other hand.

His eyes go wide when I punch his jaw. He staggered, allowing my free hand to wrap around his own pair. I whack at his arms. Then after another hard elbow, his grip on the board dies. Leaving his weapon to become mine.

He swung a fist. I dodged with a crouch. I attacked his ankles. He yelped as he fell.

Once he met the floor, I tried to strike. He rolled away just in time. As steel banged against concrete, another hit was attempted. He avoided that too. And then I leaped at him, with both weapons at the ready.

Left, right, left, right. He scurried out of every downward swing's reach. When his back found the wall, he thrusted his leg out. I struck his knee, before throwing weight over it. In an instant I force the against his throat. And I sent the board rushing at his chest.

Through willpower, I stopped the board an inch from piercing skin. Through orange lens, I stared at his bright-blue irises. Through usage of filters, positive pressures air came and went. Throughout the inside of the mask, I fully heard my jagged breaths. And through pushing pass my aggression, I recognized the guy who carried my blood.

“Yield.”

He opened his fist. He raised it above his head. It trembled as he nodded three times.

I pulled the pipe away. I threw the board behind me. I slowly rose and walked back. My eyes stay fixated on his rapid-blinking pair.

“Alright!” Hearing that loud word got my head to turn.  “I think that went pretty well.”

I nodded and removed the mask. “Yeah, I actually managed to fight with this handicap.” I shook it. “And you did good, for a test.” I held a hand out. After a few moments ‘Masa threw his own over it. He let me pull him up.

“You…really think I did good?”

“Definitely.” When he whistled, I tossed the mask over to ‘Nobu. He smirked upon catching it. Then he set it down next to the others. “You caught onto Tadao's pattern of straight-up attacks. You held your own against them.”

“But you also exposed yourself.” I said.

“How?”

‘Nobu stepped away from the counter, and pointed at the side of his head. “While you got the pattern down, you got your thinking stuck on it. Your focus was glued onto expecting the pattern to go on, without change."

“Which caused you to react more than act.” I raised my arm in front of my face. “You locked yourself into staying on the defensive. You made yourself become too predictable.” I re-enacted his actions by giving my arm a few slaps, a few punches. “You essentially defeated yourself.”

‘Masa's head dropped. His shoulders tensed. His thumbs were pressed against his palms. And I had to hold back a groan.

“Don't let it.” Just as my mouth opened, ‘Nobu beat me to speaking. “You know what happens when it's allowed to grow.” ‘Masa looked ready to retort. “No. We discussed this loads of times: you don’t deserve it.”

After he crossed over the room, ‘Nobu grabbed one of ‘Masa's shoulders. “Right here, look at me.” ‘Masa followed his quick-gestured fingers, finding his eyes. “We've told you this before, but screw it:
Be it on paper or in the world, we won't complete every test we're given. We all get to a point where we make mistakes. We all end up facing failure along our way. It's natural for us.”

“I- But things are different now. The's world changed. I shouldn’t be failing, or else I'll end up dea-"

“Hey.” I spoke up. “Don’t go thinking you’re going to die.”

“You guys saw what I did wrong. If I did it again, out there, I would’ve been mur-"

“You're not going to die. Not soon, not later, and definitely not to those helmeted psychopaths.”

“How do you know?”

“We know because you’re not a weak, small-brained, or will-less guy.” ‘Nobu squeezed his shoulder. “You're the opposite of all that. You recognizing the attack pattern proves it. All you need to do, which I know you WILL do, is grow and adapt.”

“Along with finding a good balance, between being on the offensive and defensive.”

‘Nobu nodded. “Everyone is capable of jumping back up, and retrying.”

“Not everyone.” I walked over. Then I placed a fist on ‘Masa's other shoulder. “It's most people. Most people can notice what the hell they're doing, and learn from it. While some certain number of other people, just act without a single fu-"

‘Nobu let out a heavy breath. I sent him a glare. He returned it. I eventually relented.

“What I mean to say is: From what we’ve seen, and from what we’ve experienced together, we're not like them. Instead we're…sort-of like most people.”

“Especially us, though you got bigger issues than me.”

“Oh shut it.”

‘Masa stayed silent while he glanced back and forth between us. He slowly raised both hands. He set then upon over own. His lips quivered as tears started to form.

Then there was a whisper. “Thank you.”

“There's no need for that.” With that statement, ‘Nobu pulled out a rag for ‘Masa. "Brothers help each other out.”

After he lowered his hands, me and ‘Nobu removed our own. ‘Nobu then brought up ‘Masa's next test, in which gave me a chance to head to the counter. Laid across it and on the built-in desk behind it, we’re most of the supplies we retrieved from the butchery basement. I examined: the gas masks, the emergency rations, the collection of knives, and the two dynamite sticks kept inside their box.

I then brought out, and unfolded the roughly drawn map of the city. I looked over it, before bringing out a pen. I’d marked certain buildings, and called ‘Nobu over. “What do you think?”

“We definitely need more hardware materials. Same with food, so we can the stock last more than a month. And medical stuff- Yeah.” He tapped on the pharmacy, closest to us. “This should be our next mission. We only got a few bandages and some ointment.”

“Tomorrow?”

He drove a grabby hand into his hair. “It'll depend on their activity, wouldn’t it?”

“Only on the path we take. And we got plenty to choose.”

While we both finger-traced different paths, ‘Masa approached and stood at ‘Nobu's right. “You know, it's still difficult to believe he had this stash.”

“Well thanks to his heritage, he did.”

“But- How exactly did his-”

“When we find and bring him here, ‘cause we're definitely going to need his help, you can ask him.”

“Did you ever ask?”

“Nope.” ‘Nobu said. “It was his business. And I didn’t want to press him on it.”

“What about you Tadao? Your-"

“I think I figured out the path we should take.” I pointed it out. “Our group of four, will head down the alleyway to the right of this place. Once we reach the end of it, we cross and stick to the sidewalk. When we get to the hotel, we head up to the second floor. We find a balcony, or maybe a sizable hole that's been made, and jump onto the pharmacy's roof.”

I gave my throat some seconds of relief, before continuing. “We try to enter it from there. If we can’t, then we get to the ground level. We don't enter until we count, or estimate how many psychopaths are inside. Then we go in, clear the place out if possible, and stock up on what we can.”

“Where do we go after that?” ‘Nobu asked.

“I'm…still thinking on that.”

“Maybe some of the others could help out?” ‘Masa suggested. “They might have some insight to offer us.”

My eyes narrowed at him. “Has Miaya been talking to you?”

“Of course, she's our friend.”

“That's not what I mean.”

It took him a little while to understand. “You guys worked with Kagawa and Domen-.”

“I know. But when it comes to planning these things-”

“Despite what you know and what's on map, you don't know everything about the city.  Ojima-san, Kawaga, or that Goda girl can give more information about places you're unfamiliar with.”

“…Ok.” ‘Nobu was the first of us two to accept the idea. “Yeah, Ojima-san and Goda could help.”

“And maybe even Domen-”

“Fuck off.” ‘Nobu stated.

“Harunobu-”

“Shit-teens complain, are lazy, and barely know anything worthwhile. So no, let’s leave and let him stir in his own crap.”

“But-”

I sighed. “You're right.” I glanced at them both, separately. “You both are. We're not by ourselves, not still in Hope's Peak. We're out in this crazy world. We-” My teeth almost collided. My lips smacked together. “-…Help is needed. The right, honest, shit-less kind of help. And…one of us needs to go ask for it.”

“Who should-”

“No need to ask.” The map got rolled up. Two knives were pocketed. Then after a little hesitation, one ration was grabbed.

“Are you sure? I can make the run-”

“No ‘Nobu, you need to stay. ‘Masa's next test shouldn’t be held off. It needs to get done sooner rather then later.” I gave ‘Nobu's back a pat. “I mean, you're a much better encourager than me.”

After 'Nobu snickered, I moved away. I made it over to the only flap-covered window. And I was about to raise the cloth. “Be careful Tadao.”

“Seriously?”

‘Masa looked confused at ‘Nobu. “What?”

“I thought that you learned this by now: me and him know to be careful.”

“I was just-”

“I know.” 'Nobu said, giving his arm a playful jab.

I shook my head, and then went out.