Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Alright, here we are, Bera. Get your school gear, and get out," my father directed at me. Grabbing my portable sewing kit (containing my needles, several spools of threads of various colors, two seam rippers, a small pair of scissors, and other stuff I needed), I opened the passenger door of my mom's car and stepped out.

It was Wednesday, October 26th, 2022, and I had my black hakama, blue T-shirt, and dark blue hoodie on. Before me was The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center, a five-story building that was said to bring out the best of anyone's talents, whatever that talent may be. Only the very best, of the very best, got invited here. How someone like me got the invite, I don't really know, but I was happy to get away from home for this opportunity.

Oh, maybe I should tell you something about myself. I am Bera Haikiko, the Ultimate Tailor. My childhood is...complicated. You see, I am a boy, but...well, I didn't always use to be. You see, I'm...well...I...was born a girl, with a different name that I do not utter anymore. I used to wear cute skirts, and pretty dresses, and nice blouses, stuff like that. Even cute shoes and tights and stockings that made the boys stare and the girls envious.

However, I never really felt girly, or beautiful. No matter how dressed up I was, I felt like I was wearing someone else's clothes, living someone else's life. My mom always told me it was just a phase, that I would eventually grow out of it. My dad would just say that I was an idiot, and that as a girl, I should dress and act like a girl.

No matter what, though, I never...truly...felt like a girl. It wasn't something I could really explain in words, but it eventually got to the point where I had to speak to my parents once more.

My dad was disgusted with me, but thankfully, my mom was able to talk him into allowing me to have Gender Reassignment Surgery done, at the age of 14, to become a boy, once the school year was over. However, as Japan is very strict with...this, we would have to travel overseas. To a place called San Francisco.

The doctor there explained that, in addition to the surgery, I would also need Masculinizing Hormone Therapy (MHT), which was fine by me. My dad thought the whole thing was still stupid, but only went along because the insurance was paying for it, and because it "wasn't his body, so it wasn't his problem." My mom was more supportive of it.

Anyway, I'm not gonna go into all those details, but after we got home, things... definitely changed.

My dad barely spoke to me afterwards, and refused to acknowledge my new chosen name, just referring to me as "Hey!" Or "You". Not that we ever really got along, but he seemed to like me even less now. I felt like I knew why, but I couldn't bring myself to...to...ask him.

My mother, as a seamstress, showed me how to mend, modify, and sew my own clothes. Under her tutelage, I transformed my long black skirts into hakamas (long, baggy Japanese-style pants), transformed my knee-length skirts into shorts, modified some of my blouses into T-shirts, and sold off anything I couldn't use anymore (tights, stockings, my low heels, headbands, hair clips, and anything else that screamed "girly!") for extra money for materials. She also showed me how to make mannequins of myself and of others, to ensure the clothes I made and mended would fit properly. She seemed indifferent to my new self, stating that no matter what, I was still her child.

Eventually, I was able to return to school, under my new identity, but...things didn't exactly go according to plan. Despite me shaving the right side of my head (not completely bald, but very short) and brushing my long red hair to the left, nobody seemed to really like me anymore. The boys thought I had a girly face, and the girls didn't really pay much attention to me, either. A few asked me if I was...her, to which I would respond that she was a "distant relative" of mine, but that I wasn't her. Everyone who asked seemed to believe me (I mean, I no longer had breasts like I did as a girl, and due to the surgery, even my gait was a little different than it was before), so I usually just let it go.

Ultimately, I found myself alone a lot, with very few friends and a total jackass of a father. My mom, though she would never stand up for me, at least gave me the talent, the skills, that brought me to this building today.

A honk from behind startled me, and I jumped. It was my dad.

"Hey, you waiting for a bus or something? They picking you up here?" He called out through the passenger window.

"N-no, why?" I asked.

"Then get your ass moving!" My father shouted at me, as they then drove off.

A little bit hurt, but used to his attitude towards me, I walked towards the TUTEC building, leaves crunching under my boots. I opened the double doors and walked inside. Before me was another set of doors, leading to a courtyard, with a hallway going to the left and...

Next thing I knew, I was waking up in some sort of movie theater, with a girl I didn't recognize sleeping in another seat, two seats over from me and one row in front of me. She was in the very front row, one seat from the edge. Groggy, I walked over to her and gently shook her shoulder to wake her up, noticing her unique hairpin in the process.

"Hmmmm? Oh...I must have...dozed off here, I think." She wiped her eyes sleepily and stretched her legs out. Her hair color was best described as a pale mauve color, like a faint purplish blonde, I guess. It was shoulder-length, with the ends going both towards and away from her face. She had soft pink eyes, too, with a dreamy gaze to them.

She wore pink Mary Janes, with black thigh-high opaque stockings. Her clothes consisted of a white button-up shirt, with a dark green stripe where the buttons went in, a hooded cardigan the same color as the dark green stripe on her shirt, with some kind of animal face for the hood, somewhat resembling a Snorlax to me. She also had a beige pleated skirt that stopped at mid-thigh. At her feet was a backpack, pale pink with a white pocket and a plushie cat head sewn at the top of it.

Standing up and stretching her arms, the girl then looked at me again, pausing for a few moments before asking, "Who are you?"

"I...I'm Bera. Bera Haikiko. The Ultimate Tailor." I smiled, trying to appear friendly, and extended a hand for a handshake. "You?"

Chiaki looked at my hand, as if I was handing her something, and seemed confused for several moments. However, something eventually clicked for her, as she quickly looked up at me. "Chiaki Nanami. I'm the Ultimate Gamer. Video games are a hobby of mine, and I enjoy playing every genre of them. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Chiaki. Should we get out of this room, whatever it is?"

Chiaki looked around silently, as did I. There were four rows of four seats, for a total of 16 seats. There was a large screen on one of the walls, along with what looked like a security camera. a door was on the opposite wall.

Chiaki spoke first. "This appears to be a movie theater. That door in the back seems to be the way out of here. Since we're a party of two, who should be the tank, you or me?"

I cocked my head, confused. "The tank?"

Chiaki tilted her head back at me. "The tank always goes first in the party, and protects them from any threats. Everyone follows the tank, wherever they go. Now, should you tank, or should I?"

It finally dawned on me what Chiaki was asking. Who should go through the door first, her or me?

I nodded. "I'll go first. Can I be a rogue tank, though? I don't wanna be seen by bad guys."

Chiaki paused for several moments, then answered me. "An odd build, but this early in the game, it could work. I'll follow your lead, Bera."

Carefully, I opened the Movie Theater door...

And entered a nightmare realm that would make home feel like heaven.

Chapter Text

Chiaki and I exited the Movie Theater, and came across a T-intersection. with the cross-section on our right. I thought I heard faint footsteps from our left, so we decided to go right, towards the cross-section. I would rather not run into anyone else right now, in case that someone was mean. I didn't know if I could protect Chiaki or not, and I didn't want to find out.

To our left was a set of double doors marked "Dorms". I stopped in front of the door, then turned to Chiaki.

"Wherever we are, it looks like we'll be here for a while," I told Chiaki, who was playing on a Nantendo Gamegirl DR.

Chiaki considered for several moments, then answered. "I think we should clear this map before exploring another one. Otherwise, we could miss something important."

Deciding I agreed with Chiaki, we turned around and headed back the opposite way, passing what appeared to be a courtyard. However, it appeared to be completely enclosed.

"We can search this area if you want, but an exit seems unlikely. We should check somewhere else, I think..." Chiaki commented.

After a quick scan of the area from the doorway, we moved on, turning left around the corner.

On our right was a set of double doors, with a sign saying "Gymnasium". I heard what sounded like murmured talking behind the door.

I looked back at Chiaki. "Sounds like there's a bunch of people talking behind this door. Doesn't sound angry, though. I think we should go inside."

Chiaki nodded, playing her Gamegirl DR, and said nothing, so I opened the door to see what was going on in there.

Inside appeared to be some sort of meeting, with a group of boys and girls chatting amongst themselves. I looked around, but saw no one I recognized. Chiaki, however, didn't even look up from her Gamegirl DR.

We took a spot on the bleachers to sit at. A few minutes later, two girls came in, a blonde and a dark blue-haired one. The blonde had a dark purple skirt on, with musical notes going all the way around it, and had a white backpack on her shoulders. She also had a light pink sweater on, with a darker pink V-neck,

The blue-haired girl had on a white seifuku, navy blue thigh-highs, and a blueish-green plaid skirt. Nothing about her really stood out to me, though she seemed to be very nice.

After the two girls sat down, an announcement came over the scoreboard's speakers in a deep, gravelly voice. "Due to some technical difficulties, the Class Orientation will be a bit later than anticipated. We apologize for the inconvenience, but if you wish, you may go ahead and introduce yourselves at the meanwhile. Thank you for your patience."

The first one to introduce themselves was a guy, wearing purple pants rolled up at the ankles, and a matching jacket. Underneath his jacket was a white long-sleeved unbuttoned dress shirt, with a white shirt underneath the dress shirt. The white shirt had some kind of red symbol on it. His hair was spiky and purple, as was his goatee, and he wore grey slippers. He stepped up to the center of the gymnasium, facing us.

"I'm Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars! The Ultimate Astronaut! Someday, when we prove that aliens exist, it'll be me that makes first contact!" Kaito excitedly declared. He seemed to be oozing with confidence, but not bordering on arrogance or rudeness, and he held his head high. After his introduction, he sat back down.

The girl with the musical notes on her skirt went next. "I guess I should introduce myself next. My name is Kaede Akamatsu. I'm the Ultimate Pianist. My family is not rich and I'm not really anyone special. I'm just a normal high school girl who plays the piano to make people happy."

Kaede didn't seem to think much of her talent, but seemed to like making people like her. There was a sort of...quiet strength?...to her posture, something that told me she wasn't the type to be pushed around, but I couldn't really put my finger on exactly what told me that about Kaede. She sat back down, as well, following Kaito's lead from earlier. It seemed this would be the routine for everyone.

The blue-haired girl Kaede came in with excitedly came up next to introduce herself. "I'm Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation! I look forward to getting to know all of you!" She was smiling, and her posture was very straight, almost like she had practiced it, and her hands were clasped in front of her, at her waist.

I remembered hearing about Sayaka from some of the girls at school, and she seemed to be really popular with them. Her music wasn't really my style, though. I was more of a metalhead, honestly.

"Sayaka? What are you doing here?" A boy ran up to her, eyes wide open. He had on black jeans and an opened black jacket, with a dull green hoodie underneath it. His shoes were red, but had white toes, and his hair was a spiky brown, with part of it sticking up kinda like a boomerang.

"M...Makoto? Oh my..." Sayaka seemed almost shocked to see...whoever this Makoto guy was.

Makoto sighed. "Oh, ok, so you DO remember me. I was worried that...you wouldn't."

Sayaka giggled. "Why wouldn't I, silly? We went to the same middle school, after all!"

A girl wearing a Gothic Lolita dress, with black stockings and long hair coming out in drills on either side of her head, spoke up. "If you do not mind, could you save this conversation for later? We are trying to do introductions here, after all."

Startled, I jump a little bit, like when someone taps your shoulder from behind when you think you're alone. I wasn't expecting this other girl to speak, let alone chide this boy for talking to Sayaka. I felt my nerves vibrating, but I managed to calm myself down by focusing on my breathing, staring at the ground. In...out. In...out.

Makoto winced a little, as if being scolded. "S-Sorry. Anyway, I'm Makoto Naegi. I'm nothing but a hopelessly average student. Average on the outside, and on the inside. Even among the average person, I'm considered average. Anyway, I got in here through a special lottery, and my invitation letter said I was the Ultimate Lucky Student. So...I guess that's that."

It didn't really seem like Makoto had no self-esteem. It was more that...he didn't think much of himself, or really anything. Even his voice, hearing him speak, reminded me of a narrator of a commercial on TV. Still...something drew me to him inside, on an intellectual level. I wanted to know him better.

A girl with short black hair, a white blouse with a brown bow tied in the front, a pleated black miniskirt, and black shoes and knee-high stockings. She had freckles, and greyish eyes. Her face was set in a stern glare, and I noticed some sort of marking or tattoo on the back of her right hand.

"Mukuro Ikusaba. Ultimate Soldier." Mukuro did not seem interested in any of us, but was eyeing Makoto. It seemed like Mukuro knew Makoto, too, but if she did, she wasn't saying anything about it.

Something about this girl terrified me. I couldn't put my finger on what, exactly, but her mere presence sent a chill through my spine. I shivered, then looked around, hoping nobody noticed. Thankfully, all eyes were on Mukuro.

After Mukuro indicated she was finished speaking (by not saying anything else beyond those four words), another girl stepped up and walked gracefully to the center. She curtsied, spreading her teal skirt out in the process, and spoke up.

"My name is Sonia Nevermind. I am a foreign exchange student from Novoselic, a small European kingdom. To do this with everyone is a new experience for me, and I may cause trouble here and there, but I hope we can all get along."

Along with her teal dress, Sonia had on a white shirt underneath, with puffy shoulders, and a large red bow with a brooch on it. Her hair was very long and blonde, with part of it braided in a crown, somewhat offset to the left of her head. She had a bow sitting on top of her head, as well. Her shoes were red Mary Janes with a heel to them, and she had black over-the-knee stockings with a grey line along the outside, as well as a grey band at the top.

A huge boy stood up suddenly, much faster than I thought someone his size could move. "Whaaaaat? A real-life princess? Granted, not as great as Princess Piggles, but still..."

He waddled up to the center, a massive blob of a man, more stomach than anything else. He had very skinny legs that didn't look like they should be able to hold him up. His pants were a dark grey, almost black but not quite, and his shoes were grey sneakers. He wore a white shirt underneath a lighter grey cardigan, with a white symbol on each shoulder. He had thick-rimmed black glasses, and dark brown hair, with one spot in the middle that stuck straight up like a spike. He had an orange backpack, and a very unique tie on; orange at the top, with blue in the middle in the shape of an arrow pointing straight up and down. The downward part took up the entire bottom of the tie, near his belly button, while the upwards arrow only took up the middle section, about chest-high.

"My name is Hifumi Yamada, but if you want to call me "The Alpha and the Omega!", I don't mind. As the Ultimate Fanfic Creator, my love exists in 2-D form only!"

Next to step up was a boy with orange hair and a goatee, with a piercing between his chin and his lower lip, and very light blue eyes. He had on a white dress shirt over a white tank top-looking shirt, with a red skull in a circle on the inner shirt. He had a necklace on, with what appeared to be a padlock or some metal box attached to it, and a large paper clip on the right chest of his jacket. His pants were black jeans with two belts on it, and white platform shoes with black soles. He also had six piercings in his right ear.

"Yo! The name's Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Player. What's up?" Leon came across as cocky, yet somehow lazy at the same time, and he was constantly eyeing the girls, particularly Sayaka and Kaede. He came off to me as a "trying too hard" kind of guy, if I was still...

...No. No. Sorry, but I will NOT say that name.

Anyway, the Gothic Lolita girl started walking up next, chin held level and a level of grace to her. In addition to her black tiered dress with white ruffles along the edges, she also had on dark red heels with three straps that went over her foot, under her ankle, and over her ankle. She also wore black over-the-knee stockings that tied on the outside, round golden earrings, a black jacket over a white blouse, a white bow underneath her chin (almost a choker, really), and a red tie decorated with black markings, one of which looked like a butterfly. She was also very, very pale, as if she never saw the sun in her life.

"I believe it is time to introduce myself. I am Celestia Ludenberg. But if you don't mind, I would prefer you call me Celeste. As the Ultimate Gambler, I look forward to knowing you all better. Heh-heh-heh."

Celeste's way of speaking reminded me of someone I used to go to school with. Seemingly sweet and innocent, but if you crossed her, her words could cut you to the bone, and she would always be one step ahead of anything you thought about doing. I couldn't put my finger on why, but I was on alert with Celeste, gambler or not.

A girl walked up next, wearing an orange blouse and matching orange thigh-high stockings, with a white band near the top. Her skirt was black, with a pleat on the right thigh and the left thigh, and she wore black flats. Her hair was bright blonde, with spiky-looking bangs in the front, and the rest of it just above her shoulders all the way around. It almost looked like a helmet, honestly. Her skin was much darker than the others here, except for the girl she was speaking with earlier.

But that wasn't the most interesting thing about this girl; it was her eyes. She had a brown right eye, and a green left eye.

She looked at everyone for a few moments, then spoke. "Kenchikka Kowareta. Ultimate Architect. Pleasure." After a few moments, she added "Chikka for short, if desired. No difference, answer to either."

Kaito spoke up. "Whoa there, Chikka. You ok there? I don't wanna be rude, but what's with your speech?"

Kenchikka looked at Kaito, confused. "Yes, am fine. As for speech? TBI. Traumatic Brain Injury. Onsite construction injury, hit in head, nearly killed me. Thankfully, was wearing helmet, so survived. Lost left eye, though. Prosthetic green one now, can't see from it. Pity."

"Well, if you have any problems, let me know, and I'll help you, alright?" Kaito offered.

Kenchikka nodded. "Sometimes suffer from vertigo, migraines. Usually just sit down, close my eyes, wait for it to pass. Take medication, helps some, episodes not as bad. Still, thank you."

A heavyset guy walked up next, wearing an all-white suit with a white dress shirt underneath, as well as white shoes. He had a green tie in the shape of an X, and thin-framed glasses.

"I am Theo Timmy Poster. Pronounced 'Paw-ster'. As for my Ultimate Ability...honestly, I have no idea." He spoke with a Formal British accent, reminding me of that show on BBC where people bring in rare or old items to auction and learn about them. He seemed to be picky about how his last name was pronounced, but otherwise, I couldn't really pick up anything about him.

After Kenchikka took her seat, the other darker-skinned girl, who wore a long yellow coat, almost smock-like in appearance, over what looked like a bikini top and a white miniskirt. Her hair was so blonde it was almost white...or maybe it was white?...and long, tied into twintails in front of her with two thin bands. She had a pink belt with what appeared to be a chisel, a paintbrush, and...a few other things in it. She also wore a necklace with a clamshell on it, a matching bracelet set on her left wrist and right ankle, and white loafers. She appeared to have three piercings under her belly button.

"Nyahahaha! My name is Angie Yonaga! I'm the Ultimate Artist! I draw drawings and sculpt sculptures, but it's really Atua who makes the art. I'm just a vessel for his use. Praise be to Atua!"

So Angie seemed to be heavily religious, but otherwise seemed cheerful and happy.

The next guy who came up...My initial guess was that he was the Ultimate Stoner. He had dreadlocks that stuck out from his head, three shirts on (a small yellow shirt, underneath an opened button-up white shirt, underneath a green jacket), a brown haramaki (a sort of belly band), and a brown belt tied in the front, holding up his rolled-up black pants. His shoes were simple-looking sandals.

"Hey! I'm Yasuhiro Hagakure - Hiro for short! I'm the Ultimate Clairvoyant, but don't you worry about that. Let's all just have a chill time here, alright?"

Yep, even his attitude screamed "stoner" to me. He didn't seem to be the type to worry about anything, or at least if he did, he was putting on a pretty good act.

I decided to step up next. Nervously looking at everyone, I took a deep breath, then spoke.

"My name...is...Bera Haikiko. I'm...the Ultimate Tailor. I can mend, sew, or even create any type of clothing...I mean, if anyone needs it. As long as I have the materials here, anyway. I hope I can be useful to you all, in some way..."

Kaito said something, but I was too nervous to notice what he said. I just stared at the floor until I found my seat again.

The next to introduce themselves was a petite girl, with short brown hair, hazel eyes, and rather thin. She wore a green long-sleeved jacket, with a white section over the shoulders, and a brown skirt that, due to its box pleating, fanned out wide around her mid-thighs. She had black knee-high socks and pale pink Mary Janes.

"Hello, nice to meet you all. I'm Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer..." Chihiro started blushing as she stared down at her shoes. "Sorry, I get a little embarrassed when I have to introduce myself to people. Anyway, I hope we can all get along."

This left Chiaki, who was still playing her Gamegirl DR, seemingly oblivious to the outside world.

"Hey! Gamer chick! You're the last one up!" Leon called out, as Kaito shot a disapproving look at him.

Chiaki stood up, never looking up from her game, and walked out to the center. She finally stopped, hit a button on her Gamegirl DR, and looked up at us.

"I'm Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer. Video games are my hobby, and I'm a fan of all genres of games. Nice to meet everyone."

She then resumed her game, walking back to her seat.

Shortly after she sat down, another announcement came over the speakers.

"Ahem. Welcome to The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center! Please welcome your headmaster, Monorakun!"

Suddenly, a robotic raccoon appeared from behind the scoreboard, climbing down before landing on the ground. It scurried over to the Boys Locker Room door and opened the door, where a short rolling tray was pulled out containing what appeared to be tablets of some sort.

Pulling the tray with both hands (front paws?), the raccoon...thing...finally came to a stop at the center of the Gymnasium, dead center. It then sat on its haunches and spoke to us.

It was the same low, growling voice that came over the speakers.

"Greetings, students" I'm Monorakun, and welcome to TUTEC! Here's hoping you have the time of your life here! Grab your E-Handbooks, turn them on, and make sure you accept the Terms and Conditions, because you can't enter your dorms until you do!"

I blinked a few times in confusion. A walking, talking, robotic raccoon just showed up, started pushing a tray full of what looked like tablets, and is now talking to us.

...What? What is this? And what did he mean about the "Terms and Conditions"?

I was about to find out how deep in trouble we all were, and there was nothing we could do about it anymore.

Chapter Text

I found my E-Handbook on the cart, underneath Angie's, and pulled it out. Turning it on, a splash screen displayed, reading "The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center", with "Bera Haikiko: Ultimate Tailor" underneath it. It also displayed the time: 4:50pm.

After the initial screen disappeared, a series of menus showed up: Yearbook, Map, Rules, Chat, Games, Music, Notepad, and Settings. However, before I could select any of them, the Rules was overlapping everything, with a greyed-out "I Accept" button at the bottom of it. The only thing I could do was read the rules and keep scrolling down, so I did.

Rule 1: "Nighttime is from 10pm until 7am. The water will be shut off to the facility at this time, and the Dining Hall, Trash Room, and Pool will be closed at this time. Any time, outside of this period, is considered Daytime."

Rule 2: "Sleeping anywhere except the dormitory, regardless of what time it is, is prohibited. This is considered sleeping in class."

Rule 3: "Letting another student use your handbook is prohibited. This is considered a security violation, as the Pool Room tracks who enters and leaves it via the E-Handbook."

Rule 4: "Violence against Headmaster Monorakun is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of surveillance cameras. This is considered vandalism of school property."

Rule 5: "With minimal restrictions, you are otherwise free to explore The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center at your own discretion."

Rule 6: "Students must live at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center for the rest of their lives. There is only one exception to this rule, which Monorakun will explain upon request."

Rule 7: "Any student who fails to accept the Terms and Conditions within 24 hours of their Class Orientation faces permanent expulsion."

Rule 8: "Additional Rules may be added by Headmaster Monorakun, at his discretion. When this happens, every E-Handbook's Rules section will be immediately updated, and a message will be sent out to the Group Chat with the new rule."

My eyes nervously settled back on Rule 6. "The rest of their lives"? "One exception to this rule"? I was worried about asking what it would take to leave this place.

However, I didn't have to wait long, as Kaito spoke up first. "Hey! This isn't what we agreed to! We agreed to work on our talents, not to be locked in here forever!"

Monorakun chuckled. "Huh? You just got here, and now you wanna leave already? Sorry, no can do. Well, unless you use the one exception, of course." He was clearly baiting Kaito to ask him how to escape, and Kaito took it.

"Ok, then how do we get out of here, after we're done?"

Monorakun started laughing. "Well, you've got to KILL another student, AND get away with it! Of course, there's a little more to it than not being seen. Lemme go over it for ya."

Monorakun started pacing back and forth. "First, you gotta off one, or two, of your classmates. No more than two, though, or that's a disqualification! After the victim is dead and the killer, known as the Blackened, leaves the scene, three sets of eyes must rest upon the corpse."

Monorakun stopped and scratched behind his ear with his hind foot, then continued. "At that time, I'll announce the death, call EVERYONE to where the body was found, and an investigation will start. Search the body, gather evidence, gather alibis, that sort of thing. After an undetermined amount of time (or after I get bored), you will all be called to the Courtroom to discuss whodunit, in a roundtable discussion. Any topic goes at any time, so long as it's relevant to the crime."

Monorakun then sat on his haunches. "Now HERE'S the fun part for you all. If you guess the correct Blackened, they get executed, and I'll open a new floor the next morning at 7am. However...if you guess incorrectly, the Blackened gets to go free, and EVERYONE ELSE is executed instead! So point the finger at your own peril, because EVERYONE'S lives are on the line here!"

While everyone else gasped in shock, Celeste spoke up rather quickly. "So this has changed from a place of study, to a zero-sum game of survival. To survive, we must adapt and overcome our obstacles. To fail to do so...is to die. Do I have a proper grasp of the situation, Monorakun?"

Monorakun scurried over to Celeste on all fours, then stopped in front of her, sitting on his haunches. "Yep, that sounds reasonably accurate to me. However, the rest of you can make of it what you will. Food and drink will be provided each morning, so there is no threat of starvation. And, frankly, I don't care how long you all stay here. Two weeks? Two years? Eh, whatever! It's all the same to me!"

Chihiro, meanwhile, had her arms pulled into her chest, and was quietly crying. "But...but I don't want to kill anybody...and I don't want to see anyone die, either! This...this isn't right!"

Celeste chided Chihiro. "Right or wrong, it doesn't really matter. But allow me to give you some friendly advice, Chihiro. If you can't stop yourself from showing weakness, or crying in front of everyone, you will die. And if that happens, you will have only yourself to blame."

Chihiro's eyes went wide with fear, but Kaito quickly came to her defense.

"Shut up! That's just a stupid idea you have in your head. If you want to live in here like this is some game, then whatever, but I won't let you belittle other people here in the process!"

Celeste merely looked back at Kaito, unamused. "Your meaningless words waste my time. There is no point in you taking your anger out on me, Kaito. Adapt and survive...that is all we can do here, is it not so?"

"Don't forget to hit 'I Accept' on the Terms and Conditions! You have 24 hours, and you're not allowed to sleep anywhere except the dorms, which you cannot enter without swiping your E-Handbook!" Monorakun casually mentioned.

Having no choice in the matter, each of us did as Monorakun requested, accepting the Terms and Conditions. Suddenly, something caught the corner of my eye.

Chihiro's attention was focused on her E-Handbook, with a very confused look on her face.

"Ummmm, Monorakun? Why is my Gender glitched in my profile?" Chihiro asked, very nervously.

Curious, I decided to check my own profile, which I found under Settings.

"Bera Haikiko. Ultimate Tailor. Height: 5'3". Weight: 125 lbs. Gender: 未来"

...What the heck is 未来?

I chirped in with Chihiro. "Hey, mine's messed up, too."

Monorakun walked over to the both of us, and asked to see our E-Handbooks. After seeing them both, with both of our Genders being 未来, Monorakun muttered, "You've got to be fucking kidding me..."

After going silent for a few moments, Monorakun spoke up. "Alright, I'll have to do a manual override for both of you tonight. Just stay out of the Pool, because it registers Gender, and if you walk into either Locker Room, the security system will make you "holey", if you get my drift. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!"

Chihiro gulped nervously. I, however, was content to wait another day.

Meanwhile, Mukuro and Sayaka appeared to be having a conversation, with Kaede and Makoto nervously looking on. It did not appear to be friendly, but it didn't look like a catfight was brewing, either.

Sonia and Hifumi were talking amongst themselves. Well, Hifumi was doing most of the talking; Sonia was sitting next to him, her hands on her lap, listening intently to whatever Hifumi was talking about.

Yasuhiro was losing his mind, hollering about needing to get out of here, before bolting out of the Gymnasium. I had no idea where he went off to.

Theo and Kenchikka were having a calm discussion, which between Theo's British accent and Kenchikka's unique dialogue style, made for an interesting-sounding eavesdrop. However, they were mostly discussing Kenchikka's condition.

Chiaki was playing her Gamegirl DR, seemingly oblivious to the outside world, while Kaito tried to calm down a still-trembling Chihiro.

Leon, meanwhile, was trying to talk up Celeste and Angie, and having mixed results with Celeste. She seemed polite, but disinterested in whatever he was talking about. Angie, however, seemed completely unfazed by the situation, saying something about Atua.

Theo finally spoke up. "Hey! Everybody! No matter how confused or upset you are, we must all be cautious. Cautious of Monorakun, and cautious of..." He took a deep breath. "Ourselves. Being brought to this school with complete strangers, and being told to kill someone to escape with our own lives...That creates fear in our minds, and that desire to escape that fear will end up being our own worst enemy."

Theo took a few sideways steps towards the exit, still facing us. "However, it's impossible to face Monorakun alone, so we must combat him and this scheme as a group. I suggest we group up, search every room, corridor, and even our own dorms for any clues that could help us."

Celeste, however, snickered lightheartedly to herself. "I am certain that everything has been planned down to the last detail. I fear this is not the work of your friendly neighborhood psychopath. That said, to sit and do nothing...is to wait for death to arrive. I support your move, for now."

Leon spoke up next. "Yeah, you're right. I'm not even afraid anymore. Now, I'm just pissed off. Why is this happening to all of us? What did we do to deserve this?"

Kenchikka nodded as well. "Agreed. No sense sitting here, do nothing. May as well look around. Who knows, might be something fun to do while trapped here. However, not holding breath."

Kaito cheered. "That's right! We can't win by running away! If we can't face this danger, there's no way we can defeat Monorakun and escape from here!"

So it was decided. We would search the areas we could for any clues we could find, and take note of any activities we could do while we were here. However, Yasuhiro still wasn't back, having gone off the deep end and running off from the rest of us, so we decided to go in groups of threes.

So the question I had to ask myself was: Who should I go with?

Chapter Text

I looked around the Gymnasium to see who was pairing up with who. Sayaka had left Kaede to speak to Makoto, and Mukuro approached the both of them, so it seemed they had trioed up.

Hifumi and Sonia were speaking, and Kenchikka had requested to join them, which Sonia accepted.

Theo, Angie, and Celeste were together; meanwhile, Leon was pestering Kaede, who seemed flustered until Kaito stepped up to cool Leon's jets.

Yasuhiro was still...somewhere.

That left me, Chihiro (the girl Celeste threatened), and Chiaki (the girl I woke up in here with). To my surprise, it was Chiaki who approached Chihiro, then me, asking to party up.

Afterwards, Chiaki had us wait outside the Girls Locker Room, while she went inside alone. Chihiro seemed too nervous to say much to me, but I didn't really have anything to talk about, either. After waiting for several minutes, Chiaki returned, Gamegirl DR in hand.

"There is a Locker Room, then a pool on the other side. One side is labeled 3 feet deep, and the other is labeled 10 feet deep. There's also a Life Guard Chair in the middle, but it's empty. Swim at your own risk, it seems."

Chihiro gulped, his eyes wide with fear. "But working together is super important! Of course, I dunno how I can be useful...I'll probably just weigh you all down." Chihiro's eyes stared at the floor, dejected.

I patted Chihiro's shoulder gently. "Nah, I'm sure you will be very useful to us, Chihiro. Don't worry so much, ok?"

Chihiro nodded sadly. "It's okay, Bera. You don't have to try and make me feel better."

Chiaki, meanwhile, had already walked off from us, and was nearly out the Gymnasium door, her head down. I guessed she was playing something on her GameGirl DR.

Chihiro and I hurried to catch up with her, and we made a right, then a quick left as we left the Gymnasium. On our right, there was a door, then a set of double doors, then another door.

We opened the first door on our right, and before us was an Art Room. Theo and Celeste were looking around the room, while Angie was examining a collection of paints and paintbrushes.

Monorakun was also in here, to my dismay, sitting on a counter near Angie, looking annoyed.

"Are you done rummaging through every single supply drawer and cabinet in here yet? I already told you, we have everything you could need in here to sculpt, draw, paint, or otherwise create any kind of artwork you wish. Now, quit making a mess of things!" Monorakun scolded Angie.

"Nyahahaha! Atua says to inspect everything in here, and then He will be satisfied," Angie cheerfully responded, oblivious to Monorakun's irritation.

"Yeah, yeah, I've got your stupid Atua thing. Now it burns when I pee!" Monorakun shot back snarkily, but Angie wasn't paying any attention.

Meanwhile, Theo and Celeste were having a discussion in the back. Chihiro was hanging back with Chiaki, so I assumed it was my turn to approach the two.

Theo addressed me first, before waving Chihiro and Chiaki over, as Celeste walked off towards Angie. He then spoke to us, rather quietly.

"Now, unlike Celeste and Monorakun over there, I don't believe we have time to think about something as foolish as killing one another. Each of us must do what we have to do. Observe, recognize, speculate, comprehend, and most importantly, understand. Even if that seems impossible, just persevere. Trust your gut, be aware of your surroundings, and don't do anything foolish, and I'm sure you'll be fine."

Chihiro, Chiaki and I decided to leave the Art Room and head towards the double doors, which led to a Game Room. Within was a Pool table, a Poker table (seating up to 6 people), a Roulette wheel, and a dartboard.

Chihiro walked over towards the Roulette wheel, seemingly intrigued by all the numbers and dual-colors on it.

"What is this?" Chihiro asked.

Chiaki answered, "It's Roulette. You place your bets on the table based on the likelihood of where you think the ball will land next. Each bet has different odds. After the bets are placed, the Roulette wheel is spun in one direction, and a ball is rolled in the opposite direction. Eventually, the ball will stop in one of the slots, and the players will win, or lose, based on how they bet that round. It's a random game of chance, as there is no knowing where the ball is going to land at any given time."

"Oh, I see. It still sounds like fun, though!" Chihiro happily replied.

I, at the meanwhile, was never into gambling games much, so my eyes were drawn to the dartboard.

Chihiro's eyes lowered, almost looking ashamed. "I don't think I could throw a dart hard enough to make it stick in that dartboard. I'm sorry."

Chiaki, meanwhile, responded, "There's more to darts than just strength, Chihiro. Just like in Pool, there's physics at work too. How hard you throw it, what height you throw it at, all while analyzing how much the dart drops as it goes through the air. That said, I'm no fan of Darts, either."

Well, there went that idea for the future.

Passing the Poker Table, we all gathered around the Pool table. This time, I took the lead with Chihiro.

"Pool is another physics-based game, but it's more focused on what angle you strike the cue ball at, and how hard you hit it. However, unlike Darts, you don't usually want to hit the cue ball as hard as you can, as that can really mess up your shot, or even make your cue ball fly off the table or end up in one of the six holes, called 'pockets'. Needless to say, you want to avoid that at all costs," I explained.

To my surprise, Chihiro actually seemed somewhat interested in the Pool table, her finger tapping her lower lip. "Physics-based, but you don't need to be strong to play...It seems like fun! Could you teach me how to play sometime, Bera?"

I nodded. "Certainly, though I'm not particularly great at Pool. I just know how to play, that's all."

We took our leave of the Game Room and continued down the hall, passing a hallway on our left as we approached the final door, and a gated-off stairway.

Within the final door was a School Store, with a variety of items for sale for "Monocoins", whatever those were. I was sure Monorakun would explain later. There were items with various amounts assigned to them, and a kiosk that looked like you could put your E-Handbook on it. However, nothing in here looked particularly interesting, so we left rather quickly, and headed down the hallway leading to the Movie Theater.

Inside were Hifumi, Sonia, and Kenchikka, looking over the seats and the large screen. Looking across the room from the Concession Stand, I noticed a Listing of what would be shown for the day. Unfortunately, it seemed all the movies were predetermined; we could not pick what was watched, and according to the post, the doors would lock after the movie started, preventing anyone from entering or leaving until after the movie was finished. However, there was a unisex bathroom in the corner for use.

Kenchikka noticed me looking around the Movie Theater. She walked up to me, her hand against one of the seats for support.

"Concession stand free of charge. Has popcorn, peanuts, various candy bars, soda. Trash can next to it. Good idea to clean up after one's self, not want to sit in other person's mess, might make Asshole Raccoon angry too. Should probably avoid that as much as possible," Kenchikka rapidly spoke, her brown eye focused on me.

I nodded. "Yeah, we should probably avoid antagonizing Monorakun any more than necessary."

Suddenly, Kenchikka gripped the left side of her head and stumbled a few steps, groaning a bit as her shoulder rammed into the wall. She remained standing, however, but Chihiro caught sight of her, too.

"Are you ok, Kenchikka? What's wrong?" Chihiro asked, her eyes wide open as she ran up to us.

Kenchikka was grimacing a bit, but she nodded. "Yeah. Migraine. Side effect from TBI. Will eventually pass. Thanks...for concern, though."

"Well, ok then. I'm not very strong, but if I can help you, I will!" Chihiro replied, concern all over her face.

Hifumi and Sonia, meanwhile, were sitting in the front row, chatting away about something related to princesses. Chihiro convinced Kenchikka to at least sit down for a bit, before the two of us, along with Chiaki, took our leave of the Movie Theater.

The three of us made a left at the T intersection, and saw Yasuhiro frantically pounding on the front door, which now appeared to be locked.

"Please! I don't wanna die here! God, Buddha, Zeus, Lord Raiden, anyone! Help me!" Yasuhiro loudly pleaded as he continued to beat on the locked door.

Monorakun suddenly appeared, coming from the opposite direction. "Hey, Bob Marley wannabe, this door's locked from the outside. Even I can't open it. Now, as amusing as it is to watch you lose your mind in here, can you please SHUT UP?!"

Yasuhiro regarded Monorakun with suspicion. "No. No no no no no! You're one of...THEM! You're with the aliens that stole my hamburger! I gotta get outta here! Gotta break freeeeeee!!" Yasuhiro then took off running, towards a set of double doors marked "Dorms".

Monorakun stood there silently for a few moments after Yasuhiro disappeared, then stared straight up at us.

"The. Fuck?" Monorakun cocked his head at the three of us.

Chihiro and I shrugged. Chiaki, meanwhile, continued on with her game, not even looking up.

"Anyway, I meant what I said. This front door is locked from the outside, and even I have no way to unlock this door. No one leaves unless they kill another student, and gets away with it. Capisce?"

I nodded. Chihiro moved in against me, seemingly scared. Chiaki didn't respond, merely glancing briefly at Monorakun before resuming her game.

Turning our attention to the opened double doors behind us, we walked through them into a Courtyard. Inside the Courtyard, there was a round table with six seats directly to our left, with two benches lining up the left side wall. Makoto, Sayaka, and Mukuro were sitting at the furthest bench, staring upwards

In front of us, to the right, were two more benches, facing some kind of fountain. Its centerpiece was a Monorakun head, with water pouring out of his mouth steadily. Looking up, there was a glass ceiling above us, revealing the sky above us. It was very overcast outside, like it could rain soon.

"Well, at least we can see the sky outside," Chihiro said. "As long as it's real..."

"Yep, it's real, alright." Mukuro observed. "The clouds are drifting like real clouds should. The glass doesn't look like normal glass, though..."

"That's because it's not!" Monorakun stated, walking into the Courtyard on all fours. "Indeed, the sky you see is the real sky, the real weather outside, but that glass ceiling up there? Bulletproof, shatterproof, and can withstand tornadoes and earthquakes."

Monorakun paused, then pointed a claw towards the upper floors. "Much like those windows, come to think of it. They're also soundproof, so no one's gonna hear you scream, outside or through those windows."

Mukuro's eyes narrowed. Chihiro's eyes widened. Chiaki seemed completely unbothered.

"So we're confined within this world, limited to the services provided. I see," Chiaki calmly commented. "I think we've seen everything this floor has to offer. We should check out the Dorms area now."

"Y-Yeah! Let's go there next," I agreed.

We left the First Floor area and headed to the Dorms, where we were quickly met with the Restrooms and Trash Room on our left, and the Dining Hall on our right. However, none of us were hungry, nor did we have any trash to empty, so we kept walking towards the T-intersection.

At the end of the T-Intersection, there was a door leading to the Laundry Room directly on our left. Walking past that, there were a row of dorms, 3 on each side. On the left, from closest to furthest away, was Sonia, Sayaka, and Celeste's dorm rooms, On the right was Kenchikka, Kaede, and lastly Angie's dorm room.

Leaving that hallway, we walked up the top part of the T intersection, where we came across Mukuro's room, Chiaki's room, Chihiro's room, and finally my own room.

"Well, at least the three of us will all be close together." Chihiro sounded relieved, and a bit less nervous. "I want to see what my room looks like!"

"Me too," Chiaki agreed. "Since I will be spending each night in here, I may as well examine my nightly checkpoint."

I decided to look down the final hallway, leaving the other two behind. Closest to me, on the left, was Kaito, then Leon, then Yasuhiro. Down the right side was Makoto, Theo, and finally Hifumi.

Nodding to myself, noting that one hallway seemed to be for girls, and the other hallway for boys, I decided to follow Chihiro's and Chiaki's leads, and check out my own living accommodations.

There would be a few surprises in store for me. Some pleasant, some concerning...

And one that would freeze my very soul.

Chapter Text

Walking up to my dorm, the first thing I noticed was the lack of a handle on the outside of the metal door. However, there was a scanning panel of some sort next to it, along with a button that looked like a doorbell or buzzer. There also appeared to be a peephole in the door, as well.

I put my E-Handbook up to the scanner...thing, and after a beep, a red light on it went green, and I heard a click from the door. Somewhat eager and very curious, I opened the door to my dorm.

The light was off in my room, so I had to turn it on at the door. There was a closet directly to my left, its sliding door shut. Opening it, I saw my bed across the room, and noticed a closet directly to my left. Walking in further, I found the bathroom, the door open. There was also a desk and a nightstand, with some kind of picture frame on it, but I couldn't see if there was a picture inside or not.

Checking out the bathroom, there was a rather deep bathtub and a detachable shower head (one of those wand types). There was also a nice sink, bath towels and wash rags for bathing, and a mirror that folded outwards on the sides, revealing a medicine cabinet behind it. It was empty, save for...

My eyes went wide. Several packages, labeled with my Masculinizing Hormone Therapy injection needles, were inside.

But still, how could anyone have known? My blood ran cold, and I saw my eyes widen in the mirror.

At my current dosage, I take one shot a week, but my doctor had discussed cutting back to once every two weeks soon. But first, I would need to start developing more muscle mass, and some facial hair would have to start growing in as well.

I heard a knock on my door. Still nervous, I walked to my dorm room door and opened it.

Monorakun was standing outside, holding a small red box with a clear lid.

"Forgot this earlier. Here's your sharps container." Monorakun handed it to me, sitting back on his haunches.

Not fully processing what was going on, I took the container from the robotic raccoon.

"Uhhmmm...Thanks? But how do you-"

Monorakun interrupted me. "Hey, small secret, kid? Don't ask questions you don't want answered, alright?" He then looked down the hallway, his ears perked forward, before scurrying off on all fours, leaving me in my doorway with the sharps container.

Returning to my bathroom, I put the sharps container against the corner of the sink, and put the injection needle boxes in a small fridge, which was in a corner next to my bed. The boxes were still somewhat cold (possibly due to a cooling pack inside, I guess?), but I wanted to take no chances.

Next, I decided to look over my bed. It was a queen-sized bed, rather large for someone like me. It had a red pillow, with blue trim, and the top sheet appeared quilt-like, with red, blue, dark blue, and black patches sewn together on it randomly. However, upon feeling it, it was all one piece, and no stitching could be felt between the random-sized pieces of multiple colors.

I then glanced at the picture frame, and I felt my soul freeze within my body.

There was a young girl, with shoulder-length red hair and blue eyes, wearing a pink knee-length dress with a jewel neckline. She also wore white tights and pink Mary Janes. She was smiling, standing up straight for the camera.

An older man was standing behind her, his hand on her back. He was dressed in a two-piece navy blue suit with white pinstripes, and black dress shoes. Despite his smile, his icy blue eyes seemed to bore right through the soul of anyone he looked at.

I gulped, my hands starting to tremble. This...was a picture of me and my dad...from when I was...still...a girl.

Still...her.

Almost without even thinking, I calmly took the picture out of the frame, ripped it into a dozen or so small pieces, and put them in the trash can underneath my desk. I then took the picture frame in my hand. It was half-pink and sparkly, half-blue and...patchworky, for lack of better words.

Deciding against throwing it away, but not wanting to see it, I tucked it into the single desk drawer, which had paper, colored pencils, markers, and a small measuring tape. The measuring tape went up to 30', which seemed standard.

Closing the drawer, I took a look along the back wall, and jumped in fright. There were two...tall things...standing there, that I didn't notice before!

After I gathered my wits, I realized they were just two mannequins; one male, one female, for making clothing. There was a cabinet next to them, which I assumed had various materials for making clothing with. Upon opening the cabinet, I was correct; along with my tailoring kit I carried in here, there were black and blue denim fabric, various types of fabrics (all separated by type), bags of cotton stuffing, threads of various colors, dyes for changing colors of fabrics, an iron and ironing board, and a few other useful things I could make use of.

Returning my attention to my E-Handbook, I woke it up from Sleep Mode (it apparently blacks out the screen after a set period of inactivity). A display showed up, reading "Bera Haikiko: Ultimate Tailor", and then disappeared, revealing the menus along the top, with TUTEC's logo as the background. The menus were listed in the following order: Yearbook, Map, Rules, Chat, Games, Music, Notepad, and Settings.

Opening the Yearbook menu, I could see everyone's first and last name, their Ultimate talent, their height/weight, and a brief description of that particular student. It looked rather interesting, and I decided I would have to look this over later, when I had more time.

The Map menu had a map of the first floor and dorms area, and also showed me where I was. Currently, it had a green dot for me inside my dorm room. I figured the E-Handbook must have some sort of tracking device, which fed this information to whatever Map program was being used.

Checking out the Games menu, I was mildly disappointed. It just had some of your typical generic games (Snake, Solitaire, Hearts, Minesweeper, Pinball, and a couple others), with two Top 5 Scores for each game (one for Overall and one for Personal). I was hoping it might have "The Eternal Scrolls: Blades" or "Satan: Immortal" (which fills in the storyline between Satan II and Satan III), but unfortunately not. This was a bit of a letdown for me, as only Solitaire, Pinball, and maybe Hearts seemed even mildly interesting.

Closing out the Games menu Chat had two settings, Private Chat and Group Chat. Opening the Private Chat, I could select any Student, and send them a private message, and they could send me one back. It somewhat resembled my social media chat I had on my phone, which my father chided me for forgetting to bring here. "You'd forget your own eyes if they weren't lodged into your fucking skull!" he had loudly muttered at me, his voice low, but angry, but he made no attempt to go back for it.

The Group Chat, however, appeared to be a public chat room, where everyone could see what anyone typed. A few people had typed into the Group Chat already, it seemed.

*Bera Haikiko has entered the chat.
Kenchikka Kowareta: Greetings, everyone. Hopefully this thing works. Could be useful.
Kaede Akamatsu: Yep, it works! Got your message just now! A shame it doesn't leave a timestamp, though...
Angie Yonaga: Atua watch over you all!
Kenchikka Kowareta: Messages received. Can confirm chat works. Great! But must be careful, perhaps. Could be monitored.
Kaito Momota: Not to worry, Kenchikka! I, Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars, shall keep everyone safe as we find our way out of this place, even if I've gotta be a bit reckless!
Sonia Nevermind: Nobody needs to do anything reckless, nor do we need to fight amongst ourselves. We are all friends here, remember?
*Bera Haikiko has left the chat.

I had nothing to say to anyone yet, so I just remained silent, remaining in my room, and checked out the rest of the E-Handbook menus.

The Music section had a music library, with quite a few songs I liked, and many I had never heard of. Being a bit of a music lover, this was really interesting to me.

Notepad had sections where you could write notes, make checklists, or draw with the stylus that was inserted into the E-Handbook itself. You could even separate entries via color coding, making different sections if you pleased.

And finally, Settings had your usual stuff: Contrast, Brightness, Volume, stuff like that. It also had an Alarm option, but I wasn't too concerned with that tonight. Other than that, there was nothing else too interesting in there.

I laid back on my rather comfortable bed after taking off my boots and putting them at the foot of my bed, and stared at the ceiling. While the place itself wasn't too bad, these "Rules" were downright insane! And what of this Monorakun thing that claims to be our Headmaster? What did it have in store for me? For us? And why did it trap us all here?

I would find out the answers to my questions in the days to come, and nothing would prepare us for the reality that would sink in.

Chapter Text

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

I woke up to a message playing overhead, with Monorakun's face on the screen. However, Monorakun's face disappeared, replaced with the TUTEC logo.

I stretched in bed and debated falling back asleep, as I have never been much of a morning person. The bed was surprisingly comfortable, and I had little trouble falling asleep last night.

As I continued to lie in bed, weighing the pros and cons of consciousness, I heard a four-note ring coming from the ceiling, the old "Ding-dong, ding-dong..." doorbell sound you'd sometimes hear at older houses, or near churches at the top of the hour.

I glanced at the door, confused. Who could be ringing my doorbell, and why? Shrugging, I stood up and walked over to my door, looking through the peephole.

It was Chihiro, looking nervous.

I opened the door sleepily. "Huh?"

Chihiro's eyes went wide. "Oh...sorry."

I yawned and stretched my arms outwards. "No, it's alright. What did you want?"

Chihiro glanced down the hallway for a long moment, then looked back at me. "Would you mind...walking with me to the Dining Hall?"

Shaking the cobwebs out of my head, I figured out that Chihiro was scared that someone might try to kill her on the way to go eat, and didn't want to walk there alone.

"Yeah, sure. Lemme get dressed, and I'll be right out. Just need a few minutes. You can come in, if you want."

Nodding, Chihiro came in with me and sat on the far side of the bed, looking away from me. I assumed it was so she wouldn't see me changing, which was fine with me. After my Gender Reassignment Surgery, there are two scars on my chest (one on each side) that I'm self-conscious about.

I took my PJs off, folded them up, and tossed them onto my bed. Chihiro moved her head slightly towards my PJs, then quickly looked away again.

Still in my boxers, I opened my closet, noticing seven identical outfits. Black hakama pants, a blue T-shirt, with a darker blue jacket going over it. I put them on, my hakamas hitting just above my ankles, then walked over towards my boots and socks.

"Chihiro? I'm dressed now, just need my socks and boots now." I informed her.

Chihiro nodded, and slowly stood up and looked at me. Meanwhile, I was opening my sock and boxers drawer, grabbing a pair of black crew socks and putting them on before slipping my black boots on. My boots had about an inch high heel to them, and featured double buckles on the outside of each boot; one just above the ankle, and the other towards the top of the boot. The soles are made of a non-slip, water-resistant, heat-resistant material (sorry, I forgot the name of it, but it's not a material I usually keep handy).

After adjusting the belt on my hakama, I let Chihiro know that I was ready to leave with her, and we walked out together towards the Dining Hall.

All of the other students were already seated, eating breakfast. Theo, it seems, had taken it upon himself to be our chef.

"There are pancakes, waffles, biscuits and gravy, and crepes laid out in a buffet-style in the Kitchen. Also, there is milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, coffee and tea for drinks. Help yourself to whatever you need!" Theo enthusiastically informed us.

Nodding a thanks to Theo, Chihiro and I headed back to the Dining Hall. I got me some biscuits and gravy, with two crepes on the side, and a chocolate milk for my drink. As for Chiaki, she got a waffle with maple syrup, and a glass of orange juice.

We sat across from each other at the near end of the table from the Kitchen (as Theo was at the end), and ate our breakfast in relative silence. Chihiro seemed calmer after eating, and I generally dislike talking while eating anyway.

Meanwhile, Sayaka and Kaede were chatting away about music, while Mukuro was taking repeated glances at Makoto. Kenchikka was talking to Celeste and Leon, while Yasuhiro and Angie conversed. Sonia and Hifumi were talking about princesses again, and Chiaki was playing her game with one hand while eating a pancake with the other hand, which was holding a fork. Kaito seemed...agitated by something, but was eating with the rest of us anyway.

After breakfast, Theo and Kaito volunteered for dish duty, as Kaito said he wanted to talk to Theo about something anyway. Not wanting to pry, I decided to mind my own business and leave.

After wandering aimlessly for a while, I found myself in the Game Room. I looked over the Roulette wheel, the dartboard, the pool table (which already had balls racked up for a new game), and the Poker Table. Looking at my E-Handbook, it was now 9:20am.

"A game of chance, or a game of skill?" A feminine voice spoke behind me.

Turning around, I saw Celeste standing in the doorway, taking a challenging pose. I had the feeling that she would not let me leave this room.

Thinking quickly, I answered, "A game of skill."

Celeste chuckled. "Probably a safer guess for the likes of you. Shall we try some Roulette, then?"

I considered her offer, but knowing nothing about Roulette, I decided against it. "How about Pool, instead?"

Celeste cocked her head, an amused look on her face. "Do you perhaps assume that you stand a better chance because this is not a pure gambling game? It sounds as if you do not acknowledge even the possibility that you may lose, am I right?"

I shrugged. "I feel like I would have the best luck against you in pool. Besides, some people do gamble on Pool, you know?"

Celeste chuckled again. "Luck? What would you know of luck? However..." Celeste considered my proposal. "You have nothing I want. At this point, you barely qualify as a D-grade."

I cocked my head, confused. "Huh?"

"Nonetheless, let us begin! Bera, I'll even let you have the honor of first break!" Celeste pointed at the pool sticks, and we each chose one.

I approached the pool table and removed the triangle from the pool balls. I then picked up the cue ball and placed it, and took the first shot, knocking the balls every which way.

Unfortunately, none of them went into the pockets.

Celeste giggled. "It would appear that Lady Luck is not at your side, Bera. Now, if you please, step aside, and allow me to demonstrate how this game is truly played."

Celeste lined up behind the cue ball, and moved her head side to side, as if to consider which ball to knock into which hole. After several moments of consideration, a smirk appeared across her lips, and she made her shot.

The cue ball struck several balls, but the 2 and 7 balls went into the pocket.

"Stripes for me it is, then," I stated.

Celeste gave me a look, and then repositioned herself for her next shot. Cracking the cue ball off another ball, the 3 and 5 balls ended up pocketed this time.

I felt my chest tighten up a little bit. Two shots, four balls down. Would I even GET another shot?

Moving to her left slightly, Celeste knocked down the 1 ball, then the 4 ball and 6 ball in consecutive shots. She then looked up at me.

"Prepared to lose, Bera?" Celeste asked me in a lighthearted fashion.

I shrugged. "I suppose. I can't do anything until you miss a shot."

"Hmph." Celeste apparently didn't like my answer, and returned her attention to the 8 ball, tapping a corner pocket with her cue stick first. She then sunk the 8 ball with no problem, leaving the cue ball on the table.

She not only won, she completely obliterated me.

Celeste turned to me and smiled. "A shame I did not make you bet, but alas, what I said was true. You have nothing I desire, so why take something I do not want?"

Deciding I was finished with her insults, I decided to change subjects. "So what kind of gambling events have you won?"

Celeste smiled. "Hmhmhm, I have many fond memories of the events I have won. Russian Roulette Mahjong, Shogi, King of Liars, among others. I have played against every type of opponent you can imagine, at nearly every type of place you can think of. And, as expected from one such as myself, I never lose."

I never heard of any of those games, nor did I really wish to ask of them. "What about any Poker games?"

Celeste smiled. "Ah yes, numerous ones. Not just your normal games, of course, but also games like Ghost Poker, Black Market, Ditch the Body, and Four Horsemen. Granted, the last one is more luck-based than skill."

I nodded, unfamiliar with any of those games, either, and decided to change topics. "Interesting. I might have to learn some of those from you. Anyway, what do you plan on doing once you're out of here, Celeste?"

Celeste interlocked her fingers, then rested her chin on them. "Why, I plan on buying a castle, and hiring many handsome male servants to serve my every whim. I shall live like a queen."

I nodded again, and thought to my own future. What did I want to do with my future? I wanted to make my own clothing line; I knew that for sure. But...then what?

Suddenly, I felt the need to do some private thinking. "I'm gonna head back to my dorm for a bit. I just had an idea I want to work on, before I forget it again. Thanks for the game, though!"

Celeste smiled. "Of course. And remember, only those who adapt will survive. Lose your head, lose your life. It is that simple."

Deciding that, despite Celeste's demeanor, she may be correct with needing to adapt to this new reality of ours, I decided to head to the Art Room to do some sketching.

Inside, Angie and Hifumi were busy working on various projects of their own. Angie appeared to working on a sculpture, while Hifumi was scribbling away on a piece of paper.

I began working on an outfit, a collared T-shirt with several buttons going up to the collar, with cargo shorts and sneakers for a boy. I drew out the basic outline without much difficulty, even the height of the side pockets. I wanted to go for a neutral color scheme, with black shorts and a grey shirt with a black collar.

Suddenly, I felt the presence of a hulking figure next to me. Glancing to my side, I saw Hifumi examining my sketch.

"Hrmmm...I see quality in your work, Mr. Haikiko. True quality! However, a problem arises! No male protagonist can compare to the majesty that is Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess!"

I glanced at my drawing, then at Hifumi, trying to draw a connection between his rambling and my drawing. Finding none, I asked him, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Hifumi gasped. "Whaaaaat?! You know nothing of the most popular anime, Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess? Now, I've done more than merely copy her style, Mr. Haikiko. Oh no, I created my own meta Sci-Fi style for her! Now, some people found my style odd, but I was pulling Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess out of the doldrums of a simple moe anime! Why, my Princess Piggles fanfic works were the total antithesis of the new-wave Sci-Fi movement!"

Most of this was going far over my head, but I was happy that he was so enthused about this.

"Nah, nah, Hifumi. I think you've got the wrong idea with me. I'm just drawing up ideas for an outfit. It's not for anyone in particular," I responded, still wondering what Hifumi was all excited about.

Hifumi thought for a moment. "Hmhm...Ah, yes. You're the Ultimate Tailor, right? So you have entered your own Sandbox Mode to experiment. Very clever of you, Mr. Haikiko."

After I finished shading in the grey of the T-Shirt, I turned to Hifumi. "I see you and Sonia talking a lot lately. You two getting along alright?"

Hifumi nodded. "Ah yes, the Ultimate Princess, she calls herself. Doesn't compare to Princess Piggles, of course, but Miss Nevermind doesn't dismiss my work as so many others have. But she keeps asking to meet Princess Piggles, in person... I don't know how to get through to her."

Hifumi continued. "You see, I have always preferred 2D over 3D, no contest! If I could live in 2D myself, I would do so without a second thought! The only purpose of 3D is to worship 2D!"

I cut him off. "I...I get the idea, Hifumi. You are the Ultimate Fanfic Creator, after all. However, what I'm creating is no fanfic, just an outfit that I may try to create and sell at some point."

Hifumi cackled happily. "Gwehehe! You and I are not so much different, then. Each of us creates something on a piece of paper, with the goal of bringing it to life for others to purchase! If you ever need my assistance, Mr. Haikiko, do not hesitate to ask!"

"Thanks, Hifumi."

"Absolutely, Mr. Haikiko. But now, Princess Piggles awaits! And her bidding is my command! Here I come, Princess Piggles!! Fwehehehe!"

Hifumi ran back to his desk and resumed scribbling away at his drawings. I, at the meanwhile, finished up my simple outfit with a pair of black sneakers, with grey laces. I wanted to avoid white laces because those are so frequently seen.

Satisfied with my sketch, I left the Art Room, with neither Angie nor Hifumi acknowledging my leaving, and returned to my dorm.

Arriving at my dorm, I realized there was a board above my desk, where I could post various drawings onto magnetic clips. I clipped my sketch onto one of them, then opened my E-Handbook to see what was going on in the Group Chat.

All hell had broken loose in that chat, and I had missed it.

Chapter Text

Kaito, Celeste, Leon, Kaito, and Chihiro had gotten into a big argument in the Group Chat. Well, mostly Kaito and Celeste, with Leon putting his two cents in here and there, and Chihiro and Sayaka panicking.

I scrolled up to the beginning of the argument, which seemed to start with a conversation between Chihiro, Sayaka, and Celeste.

Sayaka Maizono: I'm sure we'll find a way out, Chihiro. We have to defy the odds and never give up!
Chihiro Fujisaki: Yeah, you're right, Sayaka. We all need to calm down. I mean, everyone's really upset about this situation. How can any of us be calm right now?
Sayaka Maizono: Well, we all know the rules here by now. We all just need to stop and think about what to do from here, so we can get out of here together!
Chihiro Fujisaki: Of course! I mean, if I don't do something, nothing's ever going to change, but at the same time, we have to be careful, too.
*Celestia Ludenberg has entered the chat.
Celestia Ludenberg: Is it not crystal clear to the two of you what is going on? It is perfectly obvious that we have been imprisoned here, with no way out. We play by the rules, or we die by the rules.
Sayaka Maizono: No! We can't think about that right now! That's just going to make everyone panic again!
Celestia Ludenberg: And so what if they do? I say we let the weak cull themselves from the herd, and leave those of us willing to adapt to survive. This is a zero-sum game, after all; only one of us can become the Blackened, and to do so, someone else has to die. For one to gain, another must lose.
*Kaito Momota has entered the chat.
Chihiro Fujisaki: But I don't want to kill anybody! I won't! I'd rather die than be forced to kill any of you, just so I could escape by myself.
Celestia Ludenberg: If you cannot stop yourself from showing weakness, especially where everyone can read it, someone may just take you up on that offer...
*Chihiro Fujisaki has left the chat.
Kaito Momota: Stop saying stupid stuff, Celeste! Are you trying to provoke us into killing each other?
Celestia Ludenberg: As someone who comes out on top, time and again, it does not concern me too much what the rest of you attempt to do. I am merely stating things as they are.
Kaito Momota: I said stop saying stupid shit like that, Celeste! Even kids know that killing is bad!
*Leon Kuwata has entered the chat.
Leon Kuwata: You know, I don't even think I'm afraid anymore. Now I'm just pissed off!
Kaito Momota: Leon, we all know we need a way out of here, but it's gonna be pretty hard to find something, if we have no clue what we're looking for in the first place. You have any ideas?
Leon Kuwata: I don't know. But there's gotta be SOMETHING we can do, right?
Celestia Ludenberg: What we can do, boys, is hurry up and adapt to our new lives here. Unless you wish to murder another to escape, that is.
Leon Kuwata: No way in Hell am I letting somebody kill me!
*Leon Kuwata has left the chat.
Kaito Momota: Celeste, I swear, no matter what you say, I'm not going to fall for your poisoned words! I will find a way to protect everyone here, and get everyone out! You hear me?!
*Celestia Ludenberg has left the chat.
*Kaito Momota has left the chat.

My mouth hung open in shock. Celeste was really trying to goad people into killing each other? But why? What was she thinking? Closing the Group Chat, I noticed it was already 11:30am, and I had an idea for some other outfits that I wanted to put to paper before I forgot.

I decided to head back to the Art Room, passing Kenchikka, Sonia, and Kaede chatting amongst themselves along the way. I didn't pay any attention to what they were saying, though, as I was trying to focus on the patterns and lengths.

Arriving at the Art Room, Hifumi was now gone, but Angie was still here, along with Yasuhiro, who seemed to be pestering her about something.

"So, what do you think, Angie? Think you could make mini figurine sculptures of me and you, and we could sell them and split the profits?"

"Hmmmmm...That sounds easy enough to do, with the right materials. That would make both of us happy, right? Right?"

"Of course, Angie. With your sculpting talents and my skills, we'll be bringing in the cash, hand over fist! What do you say, wanna get started on it?"

"Of course not! Atua says I can't do that. But He appreciates your ingenuity."

"Huh? Really? But why? I thought you said Atua was on board with this plan!"

"Atua sees all, Yasuhiro. And He says this will just cause you more hardship. More people coming after you. Atua is just watching out for you, as he watches all of us."

"Ah...ok. Well, that just means I'll eventually come up with a new, better way to wipe all my debts out!"

I decided this would be a good time to interrupt them.

"So how are the two of you doing?" I asked Angie and Yasuhiro.

Angie smiled. "Nyahahaha! How are ya, Bera?"

I took a deep breath. "Honestly, I'm pretty nervous. I mean, we're all trapped in this place, and being told to kill each other to escape..."

Yasuhiro spoke up. "Hey man, let's just stop talking about all this negative stuff. I've already foretold that this is all just a freshman hazing exercise, and even better, Angie and I are getting out of here together!"

Angie looked taken aback. "Atua says he will get back to you on that last part. Meanwhile, He feels the need to work His magic through me! Meanwhile, Yasuhiro, Atua says you should meditate, to remove all worry and doubt from your mind."

Yasuhiro took his leave, saying something that I didn't really catch, and I focused my attention on Angie again. "Did you need me for something?"

Angie nodded. "Atua has blessed me with divine inspiration! He wants me to create a new work of art, with you as the subject matter!"

I cocked my head, confused. "Huh? Are you wanting to do artwork of some sort with me?"

Angie tapped her paintbrush on her lower lip, eyeing me up and down. "Hmmmm...Yes, yes! Your eyes, your face, your figure...perfect for a painting! How about you sit over there, and I can get to work?"

Nodding in agreement, I pulled up a chair and sat down, then rested my elbows on my thighs, folding my hands together and resting them between my knees. I faced Angie at like a 45 degree angle.

Angie pulled up an easel and canvas, and started her work, glancing at me periodically while painting away. I tried to stay still and quiet, not wanting to distract Angie, nor mess up her painting. Angie remained quiet, focusing on her work, and didn't say anything towards me.

After roughly 30 or 40 minutes went by (with minimal movement from me, to my credit), Angie finally put her paintbrush up.

"All done!" Angie nearly sang as she announced. "Come take a look at Atua's work!"

"Wait, don't you mean your work? I mean you're the one who painted me," I asked, confused.

Angie laughed lightheartedly. "Atua's the one who made this painting. I'm just a vessel through which His will is done."

I walked over and looked at Angie's painting. It looked incredible! The folds of my shirt, the chin-length strands of the left side of my hair, the expression she captured...even my blue eyes looked almost lifelike!

"Wow! This...this is...amazing! Thank you!" I was still somewhat dumbstruck by the painting Angie had just completed.

Angie, at the meanwhile, had found a frame in one of the cabinets, along with a nonstick hook for hanging pictures. After I handed the canvas back to Angie, she framed it for me, then handed the framed painting back to me.

"Nyahahahaha! Atua approves of this latest creation! He sees that you like it, too. He gives His blessing to let you take it, and do what you wish with it. As for now, I must return to my room to pray to Atua. Bye-onara!"

Angie then cheerfully left the room, leaving me with the framed painting of myself. Deciding to leave the Art Room, I ended up running into Yasuhiro on my way back to my dorm, as he was leaving the Boys Restroom.

"Hey! Haikubro! My visions were spot-on, as usual!" Yasuhiro seemed unusually happy to see me.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I had no idea what Yasuhiro was talking about.

"You'll be perfect for my latest business idea! I can see it now...with your tailoring skills and my fortune telling abilities, we could travel the road, tell fortunes around the world, and look snazzy doing it! You could even make the outfits we wear, in various sizes, and sell those for an additional profit! What do you say?" Yasuhiro looked at me eagerly, awaiting my answer.

...This seemed like an incredibly stupid idea.

"I'm sorry, Yasuhiro, but I'm...gonna have to pass."

"Wha? But it's such a good idea! Come on, man!" Yasuhiro suddenly reminded me of those door-to-door salesmen you'd sometimes see in older movies. "We'll charge a low, low price of 100,000 yen per reading! And you can sell the outfits for whatever you want, even!"

...Did Yasuhiro just say 100,000 yen for a single reading? Is he insane, or just greedy? My mouth hung slightly open while I processed his words, then I eventually was able to speak again.

"No. Sorry, but I'm not interested. Anyway, I've gotta hang up this painting that Angie made of me, so I gotta get going. I'll see you later, Yasuhiro."

"Sure, see ya later, Bera!" Yasuhiro quickly walked off, a smile still on his face. I imagined he had already come up with another scam to drag someone into.

I entered my dorm room, and used the nonstick hook to hang up the painting above my desk. I smiled, happy that at least some of us were getting along.

I spent the rest of the day working on sketches in my room, from dresses and skirt/blouse outfits for girls, to casualwear for boys. I even made a few sketches for a few types of shoes, though I didn't have much experience in making shoes just yet.

I took a break for dinner at 6:30pm, and headed to the Dining Hall, making some BBQ meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and baked beans for myself. It took a while, but I didn't mind; I learned how to cook for myself from my mom. I ate next to Kaede, Sayaka, and Leon, who were discussing music types. I listened, but chose not to join in their conversation, feeling that I didn't really have anything useful to add to their conversation anyway.

After dinner, I cleaned up my dishes, and returned to my dorm, working on some cargo shorts for boys and cargo capris for girls (because girls need pockets, dammit!).

An announcement went off at 10pm, with Monorakun's face appearing on the monitor.

"Attention everyone! It's now 10pm, which means it's Nighttime. The Dining Hall, Trash Room, and Pool doors are now closed and locked, and the water has been shut off to the facility at this time. Get some rest, and see you all in the morning!"

Having nothing else to do, I put on my PJs and went to bed, which was surprisingly comfortable. Memory foam mattress and pillow, much better than what I had at home. Even in this nightmare school, at least I would be able to sleep soundly.

Or so I thought...

Chapter Text

I ended up falling asleep rather quickly, but it was not a peaceful rest. A dream came to me, of my past. Of...right before it...happened.

My mom and dad were discussing me, once again, in the Living Room. I was in the Kitchen, finishing up dishes. I was younger, and...not who I am now.

"But how are you going to get this surgery done? She's not even 18 yet." Mom was worried, thinking a mere parental consent form wouldn't be enough to get the insurance company to fund it.

"Don't worry about it!" My dad shot back, clearly irritated. He had that tic in his right eye, which he got when he was trying to hide something from me or Mom.

"But I AM worried about it, Henkutsuna! How are we-"

"Shitateya, that's enough," my dad cut her off, before his facial expression changed.

"Actually, you really wanna know? Fine, I'll tell you, but keep...your mouth...shut!"

My mom nodded in silence.

"Fine. You know those three men I've been speaking with lately? Sharp suits, tattooed, always speaking about money?"

My mom nodded again.

Dad took a deep breath. "They're...Yakuza."

"What?! What are you thinking?!" My mom shouted at him.

Dad put a hand up. "I'm not finished yet. They have connections to a well-reputed surgical center, but it's in San Francisco, California."

My mom's eyes went wide again. "In America? The United States?"

Dad nodded. "One of the surgeons there is a member of their organization. They have agreed to transport us to their surgical center, get this stupid operation she wants, and transport us back home."

"In exchange..." Dad trailed off. "I had to do some...favors for them first. I'd rather not talk about it, but I didn't harm or kill anyone."

I finished up the dishes, walked into the room and, against my better judgement, spoke up.

"If you think this is stupid, then why are you still doing this for me? I mean...I appreciate it, but...I...don't understand."

Dad looked over at me, annoyed. "Because I'd rather have an actual boy, rather than a girl who pretends daily to be a boy. That's simply disgraceful for me, and for this family. So if this is the closest I can get to having a REAL boy, then so be it. There, happy?"

I felt a rock form in my stomach. My face felt flush, and my eyes dropped to the floor. I heard my mom say something, and my dad respond, but I was too stunned to comprehend any of it.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!" Monorakun's face and voice woke me up from the dream. I stretched in bed and yawned, then slowly dragged myself out of bed and headed for the shower. Going through my playlist, I settled on "My Funeral" by Dark Funeral, put it on repeat, and showered up, singing happily along to the song blaring from my E-Handbook.

After finishing my shower, drying up, and brushing my hair to the left (as I always do), I got dressed. I put on a new black hakama and black socks, a blue T-shirt, and grabbed my dark blue jacket. I considered checking the Group Chat, but decided to look at it later, heading to the Dining Hall instead.

I sat down between Mukuro and Kaede, and across from Leon, with my strawberry bagels with cream cheese and some chocolate milk. Kaede and Leon each had breakfast sandwiches of some sort, while Mukuro was eating...

Wait, what WAS that?

"Military rations," she answered when I asked her. "I'm more used to these than I am the food here." She had barely even looked up when she answered.

I looked again at the black wolf tattoo on the back of her right hand. What was that, and what did it mean? Now was not the time to ask, though. Meanwhile, Kaede and Leon were already having a conversation about music, so I decided to just eat my breakfast and head back to my dorm.

I started working on some vest designs, both for men and women, when I heard my doorbell go off. Not expecting company, I curiously walked over and gazed through my peephole at...

Mukuro? The Ultimate Soldier?

What did she want with me? Did I upset her with my question about her choice of breakfast? A chill went through me, but I took a deep breath and opened the door, surprise obvious on my face.

"M-Mukuro? What's wr-wr-wrong?" I stammered, unsure what was about to happen to me.

Mukuro looked at me strangely, then answered. "You're the Ultimate Tailor, right?"

"Y...yeah? Why?"

Mukuro glanced down the hallway. "Could I borrow you for a moment? One of my zippers came off of my tote bag, and I don't want to break it."

I nodded. "A popped-off zipper shouldn't be too much trouble for me. Lemme grab my kit, and I'll follow you."

I grabbed my sewing kit, which also had some repair tools, and followed Mukuro to her dorm room. Scanning her E-Handbook, she let me in.

Her room had two beds. One of them had camo sheets and pillowcases, and the other was plain white. The tote bag was on the white bag, the zipper next to it.

I initially tried adjusting the teeth on the bag, but they wouldn't budge an inch, so I turned my attention to the track slider itself.

I pulled out a thin pair of needlenose pliers, and gently opened each side of the slider, just enough for the teeth to slide in. I then carefully inserted the slider between the teeth on each side. Grabbing my shorter, thicker pliers, I slowly closed each side of the slider, not so much that it wouldn't move, but enough to secure it on the zipper.

I stepped back and looked at Mukuro. "Try it now. Open and close it a few times."

Mukuro approached her bag and zipped it open and shut a few times. The zipper was now doing what it should.

"Thanks, Bera. I haven't needed help from anyone since..."

Mukuro suddenly trailed off, staring straight down.

"Since what?" I asked, unsure if Mukuro would answer me.

Mukuro took a deep breath, pondering something in her mind. After careful consideration, she returned her attention to me, her voice suddenly low and threatening.

"What I tell you does not leave this room. Understood?" She had a severely stern look on her face, which was honestly scaring me.

I swallowed hard, trying to hide my fear, and nodded. "O...ok."

Mukuro closed her eyes and nodded, gesturing for me to sit down. I did so, and I just let her talk.

"Several years ago, my sister Junko and I were plotting the overthrow of the world as we knew it. We had the pieces we needed in place, we had the resources to make it happen, and Junko had the charisma to make anyone want to follow her. All we needed was the right time to strike, and the right person to give that order.

"Junko had decided that person was someone she knew from her past: Izuru Kamukura. However, Izuru was never one to be found easily. It took us several months to finally track him down. Finally, the three of us agreed to meet, face-to-face, on the roof of the original Hope's Peak Academy."

Against my better judgement, I interrupted her. "Wait. The original one? You mean-"

"Yes, the original one, not the one we're trapped in now. This building was constructed differently, but named after the original. But enough on that.

"Anyway, Junko told Izuru all about our plans to plunge the world into despair, but Izuru said our plan was illogical to him. Junko told him that logic didn't matter to her. Izuru responded by asking why the both of us would place ourselves in a position with no possibility of true victory, to which Junko answered that she was bored with the world, and that only despair would cure her boredom."

Mukuro's hand began shaking, and tears slowly welled up in her eyes. "Junko then pointed out that both her and Izuru had super analytical powers, and that together, they could spread despair all over the world. She then asked Izuru to join him."

Mukuro wiped her eyes, her breathing becoming labored. "Izuru...responded by...rushing up to Junko...grabbing her by...the throat. He spoke one...word. 'Boring'. Then..."

Mukuro clenched her jaw and eyes shut, trying to keep her emotions in check. I just sat there silently. After a few moments, she was able to regain her composure.

"Then...Izuru...snapped my sister's neck. With one...hand. And tossed her...from the roof. I...I wasn't...fast enough...to save my own sister!"

A chill went through me. Mukuro watched her own sister's murder? I couldn't even imagine.

Mukuro continued. "I opened fire on Izuru, but he dodged every one of my shots. I chased him in and out of towns, through forested areas, and even across a river, but I..." Mukuro shook her head. "I never could kill him. My sister is dead, and I failed to avenge her."

Suddenly, Mukuro seemed to...smile to herself? I didn't understand why.

"Junko must be filled with such despair over her death, and my failure..." Mukuro trailed off, but her smile didn't. Indeed, it seemed to be spreading across her face.

I decided this would be a good time to leave. "I'm gonna head to the Movie Room, see what's playing. I'll see you later, Mukuro."

Mukuro didn't respond, so I let myself out, trying not to think about what just happened. No, I needed something to take my mind off of that, and the Movie Room was the perfect place to go!

Glancing at my E-Handbook, it was 10:45am, so maybe something lighthearted was playing. No one had said much of interest in the Group Chat, and I had no Messages.

Arriving at the empty Movie Room, I saw that a cartoon movie, "Crashing the Bandicoots" would be on at 11am. I got some root beer from the soda fountain, grabbed some caramel popcorn, and had a seat.

At 11am sharp, the Movie Room door closed itself. Surprised, I looked back at the door...

And realized I was no longer alone.

Chapter Text

A boy was standing near the popcorn stand, with some sort of drink sitting on a counter near him. He had light brown hair, with a small part of it sticking up at an angle towards the back of his head. I could see what looked like a red gas mask encircled on his dull green hood, and he had on black jeans and a black jacket.

Finally, he turned around, and I realized it was Makoto Naegi, the...Ultimate Lucky Student, I think he said? He walked over and sat in the front row, in one of the two middle seats.

"So, what's this? Looks like a cartoon movie, but I don't know this one," Makoto asked.

I shrugged, having no idea either, and ate a handful of my caramel popcorn. I had decided to sit on the left edge of the front row, so there was one seat between me and Makoto.

The Movie Room lights began to dim, and the movie started.

The cartoon movie started off with some kind of brown animorphic...mouse-wolf like thing with blue jeans and red shoes on, relaxing on a beach. Suddenly, a floating mask named Aku appears, telling Abe (the mouse-wolf thing) that Dr. N has captured Karmen, Abe's love interest, and has hypnotized her into loving Dr. N instead. The only way to break Karmen's hypnosis is to play a long-forgotten song, using a banjo and a kazoo, within earshot of Karmen.

Abe then sets off on a wacky mission, jumping on evil minions (called Bandicoots), or spinning really fast to break objects in his way. He almost never speaks, but gestures a lot, and Aku accompanies him along the way, giving Abe advice on where to go or what to watch for.

Eventually, Abe finds the kazoo and the banjo, but Aku gets captured by Dr. N when he arrives at Dr. N's castle. Dr. N hypnotizes Aku, and threatens to break his Hypno-Timer, leaving Aku and Karmen hypnotized forever.

However, When Dr. N goes to destroy the Hypno-Timer, he finds it missing. To everyone's surprise, one of the guards disrobes their armor, revealing a pink animorphic dragon. Revealing her name to be Ember, she then reveals the Hypno-Timer in her hands, then flies up into the air, away from the guards and Dr. N.

Taking this opportunity, Abe plays the song with the banjo and kazoo, breaking the hypnosis on Aku and Karmen. Ember, seeing the two acting normal again, then incinerates the Hypno-Timer with a blaze of fiery breath, melting it into a metallic goo, while Dr. N rages at Abe, Ember, and his own Bamdicoots. Ember helps Abe, Aku, and Karmen escape the castle, and the last scene is of the three of them running/floating chaotically off into the distance.

As the lights came back on, Makoto looked over at me.

"Well, that was interesting, I guess," Makoto commented, staring at the blank screen.

"Yeah...that was...something." I scratched the back of my head, still processing what I had just watched.

Makoto changed the subject. "Well, I think I'll take some popcorn and soda with me on the way out. I don't see any rules against doing that, after all."

I didn't, either, so I took some caramel popcorn and refilled my root beer, then followed Makoto out to the Courtyard to talk some more.

We sat at one of the square tables, which seated four (one on each side), and I chose to let Makoto talk about whatever was on his mind, while munching on popcorn and drinking soda.

"I just can't believe...that all of us are trapped in here like this. I mean, I know the rest of you got invites based on your talents, but me? I was just randomly chosen in a lottery. I don't have any special talents like the rest of you. I'm just...normal. Ordinary. Plain as plain can be."

"Well, maybe, Makoto, but you were also labeled the Ultimate Lucky Student! That must count for something, right?" I asked Makoto, hoping to make him feel somewhat better.

Makoto thought for a moment. "Hmmmm...I guess so. It's just that, when I compare myself to the rest of you Ultimates, I feel like a bunny lost in the forest, surrounded by wolves."

I shook my head, concerned. "Awww. There's no need to feel like that, Makoto. I mean, yeah, this situation sucks, but maybe we can find some way out of it, right?"

Makoto thought for a while, then nodded. "Yeah, we all just need to stay calm and think things through. Like Kaito told me yesterday."

So Kaito and Makoto were on the same page with each other. That was good to know.

Makoto stood up, staring at the Courtyard door, worry on his face. "Anyway, I have a feeling this is just the beginning. Things are going to get worse...a lot worse...before they get better. I just hope I'm wrong."

He suddenly glanced at me. "Hey, I'm gonna check out some of the other rooms again, maybe talk to Kaito as well. I'll see you later, ok?"

Makoto took his popcorn and soda, both nearly empty, with him as he walked out. I decided to head back to my dorm to work on a new design for a skirt.

Pulling out some sketching paper and colored pencils from the desk, I decided to work on the skirt first. I had an idea for a unique placement for pockets, but I wanted to get the length, fabric, and other details right.

I needed something sturdy for the fabric, like denim or linen, and stretchy for the pockets, like nylon or silk. I preferred avoiding the use of denim as much as possible (as it seems to be everywhere these days), so I went with a linen skirt, with silk pockets (since silk is much stronger than nylon is).

Also, the ends of the pockets would have to be secured to the skirt, to better hide their existence. Silk thread could achieve this goal as well, without making the pockets and the thread feel different, and therefore irritate the legs.

After careful consideration, I decided against pleats, as those would make the pocket fastening more difficult, and decided on an A-Line stye.

My eyes were drawn to the hemline. Should I add something here? Frilly lace, or pleats a long the edges? Or maybe rhinestones circling the front of the hemline?

I shook my head. No. The hidden pockets needed to be the main draw; I don't need to overcomplicate things here. I could do a variety of colors, of course. Black skirts are a staple in nearly any girl's outfit, but I could also do pink, purple, red, yellow, or other colors too. That part wasn't too important at this moment; just the overall design.

After an hour and a half of working on the skirt design, I decided to take a break and take a walk around the facility again. Leaving my room and glancing at the time, it was about 4pm, a little after. I walked out to the Courtyard for a while, and conversed with Kenchikka and Kaito.

Those two, however, seemed to have very differing opinions about how to handle our current situation, with Kaito saying we needed to work together to get out.

Kenchikka, however, was stating (in her broken speech) that we needed to play by the rules for now, to avoid any further punishments from Monorakun. This idea did not sit well with Kaito at all, of course, and I left the two of them to argue amongst themselves.

I eventually arrived at the Dining Hall at 5pm, with Yasuhiro, Hifumi, Angie, Kaede, and Leon present. I made some Grilled Cheese sandwiches with a small salad, putting some Ranch dressing on the side. I had some more root beer to go with it, though my stomach was getting a little gassy from it all.

Leon was hitting on Kaede, who seemed flustered with the attention. Hifumi and Yasuhiro were discussing their dealings with Angie, while she spoke to both of them. As for me, I just minded my own business and ate my food, then cleaned my dishes and returned to my room.

Noticing that my small trash can was full of papers and packaging from my new pens and other materials, I decided to take my trash out. Pulling my bag out, I saw that more were stuffed into the bottom, as replacements. Putting a fresh bag into the trash can, I walked towards the Trash Room to throw my stuff away.

However, as I approached the Trash Room, I noticed the sound of a hushed conversation from within. It sounded like two girls, but I couldn't make out what was said.

Carefully, I cracked the door open, not wanting to set off the camera, to see what was going on.

Inside, Mukuro and Sayaka were talking. Sayaka's eyes were wide with what seemed to be fear, and her body posture was very stiff. However, Mukuro's body blocked most of Sayaka's view from me.

Mukuro muttered something about Makoto towards Sayaka, her face close to hers, and moved a little to the side.

And that's when I saw the source of Sayaka's fears.

Mukuro had her combat knife at Sayaka's throat!

Chapter Text

Neither Sayaka nor Mukuro saw me, as they were each facing a side wall, but my legs were frozen in place. Mukuro seemed furious with Sayaka, though I didn't understand why. What did Makoto have to do with anything?

Mukuro spoke again. "You've known him a long time, haven't you? I remembered your name from Makoto. School friends, was it?"

Sayaka nervously nodded, the knife blade still under her chin.

Mukuro continued. "I know Makoto still has feelings for you."

Sayaka made a sound...a gulp, perhaps? After a few moments of silence, Sayaka responded, "Maybe? I...I guess he...might?"

"Don't lie to me, Sayaka. I don't need your mouth open to cut your tongue out," Mukuro spoke, very little emotion in her voice.

I put a hand to my mouth to cover my gasp,

Sayaka's eyes went wide, but she didn't utter a word.

Mukuro continued. "Now, listen here. Makoto is mine. I will not allow you, or any other girl, to stand in my way."

Sayaka's eyes furrowed, confusion clear on her face. "Huh? Who's interfering with you and Makoto?"

Mukuro moved closer still, the blade slightly closer to her throat. "Don't play me for a fool, Sayaka. You are."

Sayaka, fear now mixed with her confusion, carefully shook her head no. "No. No, you've got it all wrong!"

Mukuro cocked her head, her expression unchanging. "How so?"

Sayaka began nervously speaking. "I-I have never been in your way. I mean yes, Makoto and I have history together, but that was back in middle school. I have no romantic interest in him; he's just a friend! Please..." Sayaka trailed off.

Mukuro appeared to consider her words, though with her back to me, I couldn't see her face now. After several moments of silence, Mukuro spoke.

"Fine. I trust that you're not deceiving me." Mukuro put her knife away, and then stood up straight. "Also, I know someone is watching us right now, from the doorway. For your sake, I will not turn around to identify you, but I suggest you leave. Now."

A cold chill went through me, but I didn't need to be told twice. I quietly shut the door and headed for the Boys Restroom, two doors down.

After hearing two sets of footsteps go by, I waited another few minutes, then left for my dorm room. Looking at the time, it was 6:50pm.

I also had a message in my Messenger's Inbox, from Kenchikka, at 6:24pm

"Wish to speak with you. In person. You pick where. No difference to me."

I responded, "Sure. How about the Courtyard, at the round table?" I then hit Send.

A message appeared underneath the box I typed in. "Sending..."

After about 4 or 5 seconds, it changed to "Sent."

I started making my way to the Courtyard, and as I passed the Movie Room, a response came in, accompanied with a light buzzing sound. I guess I must have missed that on her first message.

"Acceptable. Meet you there." It was Kenchikka again.

I entered the Courtyard and sat at the round table, which could seat up to six people. About two or three minutes later, Kenchikka walked in, her orange blouse and stockings and blonde, almost yellow hair making it hard to miss her in the dusk.

"Bera. Good. You're here. Two questions. One about Kaito, other about Asshole Raccoon. Which first?"

Asshole raccoon? I assumed she meant Monorakun. Kaito seemed like the more interesting topic.

"Let's do Kaito's question first. What's up with him?" I asked.

Kenchikka took a deep breath, her brown right eye looking upwards while her green left eye remained focused on me. "Kaito has right idea, but wrong method. Openly defying Asshole Raccoon stupid move, end up with punishments for defiers. No, subtlety is key. Cannot be obvious, cannot draw attention. Agree?"

I was unsure if "defiers" was an actual word, but I figured she meant "those who were defying Monorakun".

I nodded. "I agree, but Kaito seems rather hardheaded. He seems the type to make up his mind and go full steam ahead with whatever plan he comes up with."

Kenchikka nodded. "Reckless idiot, will get himself killed. Says I just want to do nothing. I just want to make calculated move."

Kenchikka shook her head. "Anyway, on to Asshole Raccoon. Obviously, kept here for reason, but why? Ransom? Trafficking? Money? Brainwash into minions? What you think?"

Honestly, I hadn't given it much thought. I truly had no idea why any of us were here. I merely shrugged.

Kenchikka scoffed. "No idea? Must find out. Could be key to escape. Must stay alive long enough, though. Caution critical to survive."

I agreed with Kenchikka, but I understood where Kaito was coming from, too. We couldn't just sit around and do nothing about our situation, yet Kenchikka was right; we couldn't do anything reckless or brash.

I figured I better speak up, as Kenchikka was eyeing me. "I plan on keeping a low profile here. If anyone needs me, they can get ahold of me. Otherwise, I'm not sticking my nose anywhere it doesn't need to be."

Kenchikka regarded me for several moments. "Probably in best interest for you. Not physically imposing, girly face, could be considered easy target."

A cold chill went through me. I have a girly face? No one had ever said that to me before.

I changed the subject. "I noticed in your profile, it said your nickname is 'Chikka'. Any particular reason why?"

Kenchikka nodded, a wry grin spreading across her face. "Call me Ken, people think I am male. Not true, am female. Call me Chikka, people think I am Hispanic. Half-true, father Dominican. Easier that way."

That explained her darker skin tone. Had she mentioned that before, though? I thought for a few moments, but couldn't really remember. Ah well, it didn't really matter right now.

"Nice. Hopefully, we'll get some sort of a plan figured out soon." I had no idea, of course, what kind of plans we could even start with, but I would leave that to Kenchikka and Kaito. Honestly, I wanted no part of anything they had planned.

"Meanwhile, must resist urge to force feed Kaito his own jacket. Have feeling we'll butt heads entire time we're here. Not looking forward to it."

I shrugged. "Did you need anything else, Kenchikka?"

Kenchikka thought a moment, then shook her head. "No. Done here. We can leave. Considering teaching Celeste lesson in shutting up."

We went our separate ways, and I spent the rest of the night working on my skirt design, before going to bed at 10pm.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!" The same message, again, woke me up at 7am sharp. Rolling over to my E-Handbook, I looked at the date. October 29th.

I got out of bed, showered to "Suicide Note Lullaby" by Psyclon Nine, and got dressed. Afterwards, I brushed my hair and started to walk towards my dorm room door.

"May I have your attention, please!" Monorakun's face appeared on the monitor. "Everyone report to the Dining Hall. I've got an announcement to make, and you're gonna be thrilled with this one!"

...Why did I have a sinking feeling that I was NOT going to be thrilled with this announcement?

Chapter Text

I made my way to the Dining Hall, and met everyone else inside. Everyone was standing at the near side of the table, somewhat in a line, with Monorakun standing on the table at the other side, near the Kitchen.

"Alright, everybody, this announcement is mostly for Chihiro and Bera, but I figured I may as well drag all your asses in here. I've got you two's profile glitches fixed on your accounts, so both of your genders should show up properly now. I sent the update overnight, and manually rebooted both of your E-Handbooks, so it wouldn't interfere with your daily activities. Also, the Pool should be open to the both of you, so long as you enter the Locker Room associated with the gender listed in your E-Handbook."

A cold chill went through me as I opened my E-Handbook and checked my profile.

"Bera Haikiko. Ultimate Tailor. Height: 5'3". Weight: 125 lbs. Gender: Male."

Curious, I then went to Chihiro's profile.

"Chihiro Fujisaki. Ultimate Programmer. Height: 4'10". Weight: 90 lbs. Gender: Female."

Alright, so our genders are no longer gibberish, and I'm listed as Male. I silently hoped Monorakun wouldn't bring up anything about my past again, not in front of all these people.

Looking over at Chihiro, she seemed calmer, too, but still somewhat nervous. I decided to leave her alone, and went into the Kitchen to get some breakfast.

I ended up making some pancakes with maple syrup, sprinkled with powdered sugar, along with some orange juice. I sat in between Sayaka and Sonia, and across from Kaede.

Sonia spoke to me while I ate. "It is good to see everyone enjoying breakfast together. I am also happy that you and Chihiro have your profiles fixed now. This way, you both can now access the Swimming Pool! Sayaka, Kaede and I were planning on swimming after breakfast. Would you like to join us?"

My eyes went wide, and I felt cold inside for a moment. I avoided taking my shirt off in front of other people as much as possible, due to the scarring under my pectoral muscles from the Subcutaneous Mastectomy (aka Chest Masculinization Surgery), and I was always nervous about people noticing and asking questions, or worse, making fun of me.

However, Sonia (being the Ultimate Princess) did not seem like the type of girl to ridicule another. As for Kaede and Sayaka, I didn't know them well enough yet to really know.

Kaede, however, lowered her eyes. "I'm going to have to pass on meeting up at the pool. I want to practice on the piano in my room. Maybe I can meet up with the two of you later?"

Sayaka eagerly nodded. "Yeah! We can catch up another time, Kaede!"

After we all finished eating breakfast, the four of us left together, with Kaede heading to her dorm as the other three of us headed towards the Gym, where the Pool could be accessed.

When we arrived at the Gym, Sayaka and Sonia headed towards the Girls Locker Room, while I headed to the Boys Locker Room. Noticing a scanner, I put my E-Handbook up to it, and a green light came on, along with a click.

As I opened the Boys Locker Room door, I noticed a large gun sweeping side-to-side, between the door I came through and another door, likely leading to the pool! Quickly, I darted outside and shut the door, not wanting to be shot!

...Nothing. No gunfire. Not a sound from inside.

Curious, I scanned my E-Handbook again, and reentered the Boys Locker Room. The large gun on the ceiling was now slowly sweeping away from me, towards the door on the other side.

I heard a knock behind me, from within the Gym. Opening it up, Monorakun was standing there, looking up at me.

"Worried about that chaingun, are ya? Meh, as long as you're a boy in a boy's locker room, or a girl in a girl's locker room, you've got nothing to worry about. It'll only open fire if an unauthorized gendered person enters the room with both feet, in which case it will swiftly swing over and pepper them with lead!"

While that was unsettling, at least it was good to know this gun wasn't going to just start shooting at me randomly.

Monorakun continued. "Anyway, everyone's assigned a locker. Your E-Handbook will only open your locker. Inside will be your swim trunks, beach towels, and swim shoes, if you choose to use them. Remember, the Pool closes at 10pm, and there's a message that plays in here at 9:45, to alert everyone inside that there are 15 minutes until the Pool closes. The Locker Rooms have no time restrictions, however.

"So, any other questions, Carrot Top?" Monorakun finally finished.

I felt a little insulted that he just made fun of my red hair, but I brushed it off. "No, nothing else." I then shut the door in his face.

"Ruuude!" Monorakun intoned at me. "Eh, never mind, I probably had that one coming."

Disregarding Monorakun's comment this time, I headed over towards the lockers. There were a few closed-off stalls, likely to shower or change in. The lockers were in alphabetical order by last name. I found my locker between Yasuhiro's and Leon's, and opened it up.

Inside was a one-piece men's swimsuit, like a wetsuit with no arms or legs attached. It was blue, with red trim around the head, arm, and leg holes, and three wavy red lines going down the back. There was a zipper concealed within the middle red line, going about two thirds of the way down, which would be enough to let me get into it and zip it back up.

Also within the locker was my beach towel, blue and red with a sewing needle, white thread, and a pair of green scissors together in the middle of it.

Nodding to myself, I took a very quick shower and changed into the wetsuit. It fit surprisingly well, allowing for flexible movement while staying tight to my body. Grabbing my towel, I headed to the Pool.

Sayaka and Sonia were already in the pool itself, with Sayaka emerging from underwater and Sonia relaxing on a flotation raft. Sonia had on a two-piece pink bikini swimsuit, with lighter pink ruffles along the upper edge of her top. There was what appeared to be a white string tying her top together in the front. Sayaka, meanwhile, had a navy blue two-piece bikini, with a cute white bow tie appearing to tie the left and right halves of her top together. However, this could also just be decoration; I was unsure at first, and didn't want to stare too long. Sayaka's top also had white ruffles along the upper edge, similar to Sonia's.

"Come on in, Bera! This pool is most satisfactory!" Sonia called out from her floatie.

Sayaka brushed the water from her face. "Yeah! The temperature is just right, and the depth is just right at the deep end!"

The pool had a lifeguard chair up high, but it was empty. On one end of the pool, the words "3 Feet" was spelled out in tile, and on the other side, "10 Feet" was written in a similar tiling. The pool floor appeared to angle down at a uniform level, as opposed to other pools that have a steeper dropoff. The pool floor was its usual blue color.

There was a short ladder going into the three-foot side, and a longer ladder going into the ten-foot side. I decided to enter via the three-foot side. The water was pleasantly warm, not chilly like most pools tended to be. I took a few strokes, and then went underwater.

Emerging from the water, I shook the water from my face, and found Sayaka swimming towards me.

"Enjoying the pool?" Sayaka asked.

I nodded in response.

Sayaka smiled. "I do, too. Swimming is a great way to help keep your body in shape, too. It's great exercise, and I try to swim as much as I can."

I nodded in agreement. Sonia, meanwhile, started floating towards us.

"This pool may not be like the ones at my home in Novoselic, but I still appreciate this amenity. This addition is most...rad!" Sonia cheerily chipped in.

Sayaka smiled at Sonia. "Your way of speaking is so cute, Sonia!"

Sonia glanced at Sayaka. "Is there something wrong with my speech?"

Sayaka shook her head. "No, not at all. I just think it suits you well, Sonia!"

Sonia still looked confused, but less apprehensive. "Oh, ok. then I accept your praise!"

Sonia slid off of the floatie and joined the both of us in the pool water. We swam around and chatted amongst ourselves, mostly discussing Sonia's home country, Sayaka's live concerts, and my ability to create outfits.

After about 45 minutes, Sonia started heading towards the shallow end. "I must take my leave of you two. I am curious about the Laundry Room, and how it functions. In Novoselic, my attendants always tended to my laundry, so I have never had to do this myself."

Sayaka cheerfully waved. "Alright! I'll see you later, Sonia!"

I said goodbye to Sonia, as well, and resumed swimming with Sayaka for a good hour or so, chatting occasionally about this or that.

"So Bera, you're the Ultimate Tailor, right? Do you think you could make me an outfit sometime to perform in?"

Sayaka...THE Sayaka Maizono...asking ME...to make an outfit for HER?

"Of course! How could I pass up an opportunity like this?" I was absolutely beaming inside. "Just let me know what you want it to look like. We can go over the details in my dorm sometime, ok?"

"Sure! But don't forget, Bera. I may be a famous pop star, but I'm still a student in here, same as you. Don't be afraid to approach me or ask me questions, ok?"

I nodded. "Of course!" I went underwater again and swam a few strokes, then emerged.

Sayaka started swimming on her back, her long dark blue hair splaying out around her. I confess, I took a few moments to admire her beauty.

Sayaka then spun around and started swimming towards the deeper end. I made my way towards the side of the pool, so I could prop myself against the edge.

Suddenly, an announcement came in over the monitor in the Pool Room, and Monorakun's face appeared.

"Alright everyone, I've got three sets of eyes on a dead body. Everyone make your way to the Laundry Room, now!"

My eyes went wide open, and a cold chill went through my entire body. Someone died?

I glanced at Sayaka, who had a look of pure fear in her eyes, but was silent.

Without a word, we both left the pool, headed towards our respective Locker Rooms. I quickly showered the chlorine off me, dried off, got dressed, and made my way to the Laundry Room with Sayaka, who still looked pale with fear.

When we both arrived at the the Laundry Room, I glanced at the others who had already arrived. Hifumi, Timmy, Kenchikka, Kaito, Leon, Celeste, and Kaede. They were all staring at one particular dryer, but Leon and Celeste were blocking my view. As I moved around them, I finally saw who they were looking at. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Sonia was partially inside one of the dryers, with one arm dangling out. She looked bruised and bloodied, and her skin looked reddish in spots. "High Heat (Normal/Cotton)" was lit up, which usually means the inside of the dryer would have been around 135*F. It looked like someone had stuffed her inside the dryer, then turned it on with her inside it.

But who could have done this to Sonia? And why?

Chapter Text

Once everyone was gathered in the Laundry Room, Monorakun addressed us.

"Sorry, but the princess is in another...dryer? Who the fuck came up with this shit? Well, that's for you to find out! But first, the Monorakun File!"

Our E-Handbooks all went off at once. A new section appeared, after "Settings". It had a Monorakun face, and was labeled "Monorakun File". I tapped on the icon, and "Autopsy Report" appeared within it. I tapped on it, and it opened a document for me to read.

"Victim: Sonia Nevermind. Cause of Death: Falling head over heels. Multiple fractures, as well as minor burns, discovered on arms, legs, head, and torso areas. No other major injuries reported."

We all glanced at one another, bewildered. This is all we had to go on?

Mukuro asked the first question, in a even voice that bordered on annoyance and boredom. "What now?"

Monorakun perked his ears as he faced her. "Now, you gather evidence for the Class Trial! Search the crime scene, examine the body, gather alibis, go down on an promot- Oh, sorry, that was supposed to remain backstage, right?" Monorakun was looking at Sayaka, who seemed like she was hiding her embarrassment.

Monorakun continued. "Also, while I'm thinking of it, I took the liberty of going through all of Sonia's private messages that she sent to everyone. Rather than make you sift through all of it, I've filtered out anything that might, even remotely, be relevant to her dethroning. Make of it what you will."

Celeste cocked her head, suddenly interested in Monorakun. "So you mean to tell me that all of Sonia's private messages are now accessible to us? I wonder, is this to be our fate, too, if we are struck down in this place?"

Monorakun nodded. "Yep, but ONLY what could be considered relevant to determining a Blackened."

"And how is that determined?" Celeste was...smiling?

"In truth, I don't have to answer that question, but I will anyway. I run every message sent to and from Sonia through a program that determines threat assessment and suspicion levels. Anything that rates over a certain threshold, on either front, is saved into a file, which I have just sent to you all."

Monorakun continued. "Now, you're not gonna just jump in there, see one person messaging her, and know that's the Blackened. I always ensure several people's messages are included, based on the thresholds. In fact, the Blackened might not even BE any of them! Maybe they're the silent killer type who keeps everything in their head..." Monorakun shrugged. "Who knows?"

Mukuro spoke up next. "Could use two people to monitor the crime scene, too. I won't be able to inspect Sonia's body and prevent sabotage at the same time."

Kaito eagerly volunteered. "You can count on me, Mukuro!"

Theo agreed to stand guard, as well. Celeste offered to search the Laundry Room for any clues, and Theo agreed, under his watchful eye.

The rest of us split up. Kaede, Sayaka, and Makoto paired up, with Makoto asking Monorakun a question.

"Could we be permitted to search Sonia's room? There could be evidence in there."

Monorakun considered the request for several moments, then shrugged. "Eh, I have no logical reason to keep you out of there. Go for it." Monorakun's red eye flashed erratically for about three or four seconds, then went back to normal. "Door's unlocked now."

Kenchikka spoke up next, but not to Monorakun. Instead, she looked directly at Sayaka and moved towards her, catching Sayaka's attention.

"Sonia swam with you earlier, right?"

Sayaka's eyes went wide, but she nodded. "Y-yes. She swam with Bera and I for like 45 minutes or so, I think. Does that sound right, Bera?"

I thought for a moment. "Yeah, that sounds about right to me."

Kenchikka turned to Angie. "Angie. Pair up with me, search the Girl's Locker Room? Those three can't do it, all male." She pointed at Hifumi, Leon, and Yasuhiro.

Angie nodded. "Of course! Anything to help Sonia's soul find eternal repose."

Leon, Yasuhiro, and Hifumi agreed to gather alibis and check anywhere else that hadn't already had a claim laid to it, and each appeared to go their own separate way, as far as I could tell.

Chihiro spoke up next. "I guess that me, Chiaki, and Bera here can go through the messages, and look for anything we think is suspicious."

Opening the Monorakun file labeled "Private Messages", there were several names in here: Kaede Akamatsu, Hifumi Yamada, Yasuhiro Hagakure, and Leon Kuwata.

Chiaki, Chihiro, and I gathered together to discuss this.

"There are four names, but only three of us. How should we proceed?" Chiaki asked.

"Ummmm...one of us will have to do two of them, I suppose. Who wants to do two?" Chihiro responded with her own question.

I had an idea. "How about each of us picks a person, and whoever gets done first gets the remaining person."

Chihiro and Chiaki agreed with me. Chihiro went with Kaede, while Chiaki picked Leon. I decided to go with Hifumi.

I opened Hifumi's file. Only one conversation was in here.

Hifumi Yamada: Fear not, Miss Sonia, my interests are only for the 2D world! There is no one in the 3D world that catches my eye.

Sonia Nevermind : It is ok, Hifumi. By all means, please be your natural self around me. I do not wish to be treated any differently than any other student.

Hifumi Yamada: Request accepted! Of course, no one truly compares to Princess Piggles! I have devoted my time and life to her, and only to her!

Sonia Nevermind: Princess Piggles? I am unfamiliar with her. Where is this princess from?

Hifumi Yamada: You don't know Princess Piggles? From Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess ? One does not simply walk up to her. You must experience her, heart and soul!

Sonia Nevermind : Oh, I can't walk up to meet her? Is she not real, then?

Hifumi Yamada : Not real? Of COURSE Princess Piggles is real! She's as real as you and me! Being a 3D princess like you is nothing compared to being a 2D Princess like her!

Sonia Nevermind: Bodacious! I feel a meeting of princesses, with you as a mutual friend, could be beneficial for the both of us! I look forward to you setting up such a meeting, if you could?

Hifumi Yamada: You want to meet my guardian angel? Of course!

Sonia Nevermind: Thank you! I can't wait to speak with her! Once we get out of here, the three of us will have to meet up somewhere, and have a real cowabunga time! The three of us shall lay the smack down at a real fleek rave!"

That was all that was shown to me. I looked at the others.

"Should I go ahead and take Yasuhiro?"

Chihiro and Chiaki both nodded, neither one glancing up at me.

I opened up Yasuhiro's folder. Most of his conversations circled around one sham idea or another. "Hey, let's sell this!", or "You should fund me for this idea!", or "Do you have anything in Novoselic I could sell for cash?" 

Stuff like that. Nothing outwardly hostile from Yasuhiro, but Sonia was clearly getting annoyed with Yasuhiro's ideas. However, she remained polite with Yasuhiro.

I finished up with Yasuhiro's deluge of messages, and looked up at Chihiro and Chiaki. Neither one were reading anymore, and were now speaking quietly with one another. I decided to join the both of them.

"Alright, I'm finished with Hifumi and Yasuhiro. What did you two discover?"

Chiaki spoke first. "Kaede mostly spoke of meeting up with Sonia to do various activities. She mentioned not wanting to meet up with Sonia and Sayaka so she could work on her piano playing. No red flags at a casual glance, but they sure spent a lot of time together."

Chihiro was next. "Leon's messages started with trying to date Sonia, who was not interested. Leon then kept trying to meet up with her, first at the Game Room, then in the Courtyard, and again in the Kitchen for a lunch together. Sonia declined each time, but always thanked him for the offer."

"Hifumi mostly talked to Sonia about Princess Piggles. Sonia seemed disappointed, at first, that Princess Piggles was not a real person. However, judging from what I read, Hifumi eventually agreed to let Sonia meet Princess Piggles. I don't know how he planned on making this happen, though, unless he meant to show off his artwork," I shared.

I continued with Yasuhiro. "As for Yasuhiro, he just gave Sonia one bad marketing idea after another, scam after scam. Sonia shot them all down, but was nice towards him with her rejections."

Chiaki nodded. "I see. So Kaede spent a lot of time with Sonia. Leon was flirting with her, but failed Sonia's Charisma check time and again. Sonia wanted to meet Princess Piggles, who Hifumi mentioned. And Yasuhiro just wanted money, either from selling things, being funded by Sonia, or other schemes. Sonia turned them all down, one after another."

"Yo! Bera! Mind if I grab your alibi?" Leon's voice called out from behind me.

Turning around, I spoke to Leon. "After breakfast, I went to the Pool with Sayaka and Sonia. Kaede was invited, too, but she didn't come with us. The three of us swam for about 45 minutes, before Sonia left Sayaka and I. I don't know where she went afterwards."

Leon eyed me suspiciously. "You didn't leave the pool when Sonia did?"

I shook my head. "Sayaka and I were together the entire time in the Pool. We didn't leave until the announcement went overhead, and we left together. Well, in different locker rooms, of course, but...you know."

Leon continued to look at me, lost in thought for several moments. "That matches up with what Sayaka told me. Alright, thanks man!"

Hifumi was already speaking to Chihiro, while Yasuhiro was asking Chiaki questions.

I decided to talk to Celeste, to see if she knew anything. She was over by the dryer, looking at the door mechanism, opening and shutting it repeatedly. She then glanced at the buttons for the dryer, her head cocked.

I called out to Celeste. "Celeste, can I ask you a few-"

An announcement went overhead again. "Alright everyone, time's up. Everyone meet up at the fountain in the Courtyard. I'll give further instructions there."

Celeste walked off from me, not even acknowledging that I had a question for her. Chihiro, Chiaki, Kaito, Theo, Mukuro, and I all left the Laundry Room together, and met the others at the fountain, as requested.

Monorakun was standing between the fountain and the group. Once we were all present, he started speaking, in his usual medium-low pitch, growling voice.

"Alright, time to head to the Courtroom for the Class Trial. Who killed Sonia Nevermind? Get it right, they die and you all live. Get it wrong, they live and you all die. Any topic goes at any time, so long as it's relevant to the case. And no, you can't stay down there and talk forever! If I feel like the proceedings are going nowhere, I will force a vote myself! So don't try to stall things out, got it, shitbags! Alright, let's go!"

The fountain suddenly dried up and slid backwards, revealing a staircase going downwards. Monorakun took several steps down, then glanced at the rest of us. Taking the hint, we all followed Monorakun silently down the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs were a set of double doors. Monorakun's red eye started flashing (I couldn't see it directly, but it was reflecting off the door), and the doors swung open into the next room.

A round table, with 16 podiums all facing each other, was in the middle of the room. Higher up, another chair, white on one side, black on the other, rested. That must be where Monorakun would be. At one of the podiums, on the left towards the middle, was a poster or picture standing on a pole, but I wasn't at a very good angle to see it well.

Monorakun took his seat (as I had guessed), and addressed us.

"Alright, everyone's assigned a seat based on their last name, in alphabetical order. Find your seats, and let's begin!"

This was it. The beginning of the Class Trial. We would either flush out Sonia's murderer, or die trying...

Literally!

Chapter Text

Everyone walked silently to their assigned seats, circling around until they found theirs. Several people's eyes went wide when they saw the picture at the podium; it was Sonia Nevermind's photo from the Yearbook section, with an X through it.

A cold chill went through me as I stared at her picture. A friendly, pleasant girl, always willing to talk to anyone, with a seemingly never-ending curiosity about day-to-day things that she never got to do herself. I liked talking with her in the Dining Hall, even if it was briefly, and wished I could have spent more time with her.

But now...she's gone. And we had to figure out what happened to her.

Monorakun began speaking. "Alright, students, times to figure out who did this to your Princess. As I said before, this is a roundtable discussion. Any topic goes at any time, so long as it's relevant to the trial. Discuss your evidence, alibis, and whatever else you think will help you discover whodunit. Just remember, at the end, you need to name someone as the Blackened."

Monorakun leaned in towards us. "Guess right, and the Blackened gets executed. Guess poorly, and the Blackened leaves here, with EVERYONE ELSE dying instead! Heh heh heh hee heeeeee!"

Another cold chill went through me. If we're wrong, we all die? I took a deep, nervous breath.

Kenchikka responded to Monorakun. "So we discuss evidence, testimony, Mukuro's findings. Find contradictions, narrow down suspects. Eventually, name Blackened. If correct, Blackened dies, we live. If wrong, Blackened leaves, we die. Correct, Asshole Raccoon?"

Monorakun's red eye started glowing as he stared at Kenchikka, his mouth open and his teeth slowly moving back and forth within his mouth. "Yes, Asshole Architect."

Celeste addressed us all next. "I believe we should first hear about Mukuro's examination of Sonia's body. I shall yield the floor to you, Mukuro."

Mukuro looked at Celeste, nodded, and then spoke. "I found numerous bruises on Sonia, as well as several fractures around the wrists and ankles. Also, her neck appears to have been broken at some point, as if she landed on it at an awkward angle. This is, from my experience on the field of war, what truly killed her."

Yasuhiro appeared to be lost in thought for several moments, then something seemed to occur to him.

"Hey! Maybe she tripped down the stairs to the Courtroom, and someone carried her into the dryer!"

Chiaki quickly dismissed that theory. "We didn't have the requirements to access the Courtroom yet. And none of us would have obtained her body, and deposited it into a dryer."

Makoto and Kaede agreed.

Angie chimed in. "Atua says He did not allow anyone access to the Courtroom, either."

Several people looked at her with annoyance, but Angie seemed completely oblivious to it, smiling to herself.

Theo addressed the group next. "Sayaka, Bera, if I may? Kaede mentioned the two of you went swimming with Sonia earlier today. Did either of you notice anything unusual? Did either of you accompany her when she left?"

Sayaka shook her head. "No! Bera and I swam and chatted together for about an hour or so after Sonia left us, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that...that sounds right. She left before Sayaka and I did, and we left at the same time."

Sayaka nodded in agreement. "He's right, we did!"

Kaito nodded. "That seems to eliminate these two, for the time being. Where was everyone else?"

Angie, Kenchikka, and Hifumi were in the Art Room together. Celeste, Kaito and Leon were in the Game Room, playing various games against one another. Chiaki was in Chihiro's room, discussing video game programming. Kaede was in her room, practicing her piano. Theo and Makoto were discussing the current situation in the Courtyard with Yasuhiro, while Mukuro said she was practicing her knifework on a training dummy in her room.

So, really, only Kaede and Mukuro had no one to validate their alibis.

Kenchikka, picking up on this, turned her attention, first to Mukuro, then to Kaede. "So Mukuro, Kaede. No one else verifies your locations? Should start with both of you. Who first?"

Mukuro immediately volunteered herself. "I'll stand before you all first. After breakfast, I went to my dorm room. I have a training dummy there, that I usually keep in my closet. As the Ultimate Soldier, I need to keep my skills in razor-sharp condition, which is difficult to do in these conditions."

Leon asked the next question. "Did anyone see you go into your dorm room?"

Mukuro shook her head. "I was alone. No one tailed me."

Hmmmm...seemed a bit suspicious to me, but still not really enough to call her a murderer.

"And you never left?" Leon asked next.

Mukuro shook her head. "No, never left. After my knifework, I practiced my mapmaking skills. A good soldier must always have an understanding of their surroundings, and be able to relay this info upon command."

Mukuro revealed a map of the first floor and dorm area of TUTEC, including possible chokepoints, sniping areas, and a few other areas Mukuro marked as "High Risk". It was drawn on cartography paper, in great detail.

"Huh. Where'd you get that paper from? Never seen it anywhere before." Yasuhiro half-asked, half-commented.

"Me," Kenchikka quickly replied. "Mukuro came over yesterday morning, asked for cartographer paper. Asked why, responded with need to keep soldier skills sharp. Was unsure how paper contributed to soldiering, but, had plenty to spare anyway. Gave to Mukuro, she thanked me, left quickly."

Kaede, Kaito, Leon, and Celeste appeared to be content with this explanation.

Mukuro spoke again, with almost no emotion in her voice. "Besides, if I wanted to kill someone, I wouldn't need a dryer to do it. My weaponry is sufficient."

Chihiro's eyes went wide with fear.

Yasuhiro spoke up next. "But wait! Bera, wasn't your gender messed up on your profile or something? Maybe YOU ambushed poor Sonya in the Gorls Locker Room, killed her, and then hid her in the dryer and turned it on!"

I...what? No, no, this was impossible.

After the initial shock, I shook my head. "I...I couldn't have. I mean, yes, it was messed up, but it got fixed before I could access the pool. Also, while it was messed up, I couldn't access either locker room."

Celeste tilted her head upward. "Chihiro, I do believe you were in the same predicament. Can you vouch Bera's words?"

Chihiro nervously shook her head, staring down dejectedly. "I-I'm sorry. I never tried going to the Swimming Pool, so I wouldn't know."

Celeste tilted her head to the side. "You cannot confirm this? I would assume it is too late now to test this theory. Is it, therefore, safe to state that Bera is lying?"

My eyes went wide. "No! I'm not lying! Monorakun told me so! Right?" I looked up at Monorakun, pleadingly.

Monorakun turned his head to me, his red eye glowing and teeth bared, but not sawing back and forth. "I STRONGLY dislike being called upon as a witness!" Monorakun then sighed, his red eye going dim. "However, it IS true that I told Bera this info, and this info IS true. Neither Bera, nor Chihiro, could access either Locker Room until their Genders were unglitched."

Celeste merely nodded. "I see. Thank you for this info, Monorakun."

Monorakun merely snarled in reply, and sunk back into his seat, watching us silently.

"So Bera had no access to the Girls Locker Room. Got it!" Leon concluded.

Celeste then turned her attention to Kaede. "So what of you then, Kaede? Were you really in your dorm room, by yourself, the entire time?"

Kaede nodded. "Yes! I passed by Kenchikka on my way to my dorm room. We headed to our dorms together, and I'm sure she saw me enter mine."

Kenchikka nodded. "Can confirm. Walked together, Kaede went in her dorm first."

Makoto asked the next question. "Ok, so you went into your dorm room, after declining to go swimming with Sayaka, Sonia, and Bera. But can you prove you stayed in there the entire time?"

Kaede thought for a long time, but eventually shook her head. "No. Nothing that I can back up with evidence. Sorry."

So Kaede wasn't completely off the board yet. I made a mental note of this.

Theo, who had mostly remained silent up to this point, spoke up next. "Chihiro? Chiaki? Bera? A question for the three of you."

We all looked over at Theo.

"Yes, Theo?" Chiaki answered first.

"The three of you were looking through some conversations of Sonia, am I correct? Did you find anything of interest?"

The three of us exchanged glances, then I nodded. "Yeah, we did. We were given Leon's, Hifumi's, and Yasuhiro's conversations. However, we were also told that there was no guarantee any of these three were the Blackened."

Theo nodded to himself. "Could you share the contents of these conversations? A brief summary, if you would. I am sure we do not have all day to go over every line."

"Leon was hitting on Sonia, but repeatedly turned down by her. Yasuhiro kept trying to get money from Sonia, or involve her in one scheme or another. Hifumi mostly talked to Sonia about Princess Piggles," I responded.

Chiaki continued. "Of the three, Yasuhiro appeared to have no aggression level. Leon seemed very persistent with his pursuit of Sonia's affections. As for Hifumi, he mostly seemed obsessed with Princess Piggles, who Sonia seemed mutually interested in."

Leon looked apprehensive. "Wait, so are you saying WE'RE the main suspects now?"

Chiaki responded, "We're just examining the evidence in our inventory, Leon. But since you've spoken up, let us start with you."

Chihiro continued. "It looks like you tried to become Sonia's boyfriend, but she denied you again and again. Would..." Chihiro paused. "Would that make you mad enough to kill Sonia?"

Leon's eyes went wide. "What? No, of course not! Do I look like the kind of guy who would murder a pretty girl to you?"

Theo spoke up, his British accent cutting through the air. "Right now, good sir, everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise. Now, if you would be so kind, please answer the young lady's question."

Leon bristled at Theo, but said nothing to him. Instead, Leon focused again on Chihiro.

"No, I did not kill or harm Sonia. I mean, me, hurting a hot chick like her? Forget it!" Leon declared to everyone.

Theo turned his attention to Yasuhiro next. "So then, Yasuhiro. From my observations, your conversations with Sonia revolve around scamming and conning. Would that make you consider murder?"

Yasuhiro looked over at Theo, confused. "Huh? Why are you asking me?"

Theo replied, "I do believe you were another one who messaged Sonia rather frequently, am I incorrect? What have you to say for yourself?"

"No waaaayyyy!" Yasuhiro shouted in surprise. "You don't think I killed poor Sonia, do you?"

Kenchikka spoke up. "Honestly, unlikely. Yasuhiro too stupid to pull off murder like this."

Yasuhiro looked at Kenchikka, seemingly unsure if that was a compliment or an insult. He started to say something, but was cut off by Kaito.

"So that leaves Hifumi to answer for himself, then. You kept talking to Sonia about this...Princess Piggy?"

Hifumi glared at Kaito. "That's Princess Piggles, Mr. Momota! You shall call her by her proper name, and treat her with respect!"

Kaito winced a bit at Hifumi's outburst. "Huh? Oh, ok, sure. So anyway, how did those conversations go with Sonia, Hifumi?"

Hifumi pushed his glasses up to his face. "Well, I'll have you know, Miss Nevermind was most impressed with Princess Piggles! She adored her very appearance!"

I spoke next. "Your conversations mentioned that Sonia wanted to meet Princess Piggles, but Princess Piggles is a fictional character. How did you plan on making that happen?"

Hifumi looked over at me. "Princess Piggles is not just some "fictional character", as you have claimed, Mr. Haikiko! She is an ANGEL! She just exists in the 2D world, not the 3D world with the likes of us, that's all!"

That didn't answer my question, so I repeated myself. "So when Sonia said she wanted to meet Princess Piggles in person, how did you plan on making that happen?"

Hifumi chuckled at me. "You know, if I had the 'completely clueless about princesses' card, I would totally give it to you now, Mr. Haikiko! Sadly, I have not yet acquired it. Of course I didn't have a plan for Miss Nevermind to meet her, other than my own creations! But..."

Was Hifumi getting...angry?

"But Miss Nevermind kept calling my Princess Piggles 'drawings' and 'pictures'! Princess Piggles is so much more than mere ink on paper! I do not let anyone insult my princess like that! How dare she! And to giggle and smile as I talked to Miss Nevermind about her, as if something was funny? No, that was the last straw! NO ONE...laughs at Princess Piggles!"

Makoto spoke to Hifumi. "Hey now, nobody's making fun of anyone. We just want to know-"

"Enough! My honor demands I not lie about Princess Piggles! When Miss Nevermind besmirched my Princess Piggles, and laughed as we spoke of her, I knew I had to defend her honor! So I lured her into the Laundry Room, under the pretense of showing her how to use the facilities there. Then, I unleashed my 'Sleight of Hand' card, and cast her into the dryer as she looked inside! She was trapped and going in circles almost before she knew what was going on!"

...I couldn't believe it. Hifumi had killed Sonia, over Sonia's comments about Princess Piggles? She had thought Piggles was real, and wanted to meet her in person, and that offended Hifumi to the point that he murdered her to "defend Princess Piggles' honor"? But...why? Was he truly this devoted over Princess Piggles, that anything he considered to be a slight had to be responded to?

I didn't get it, but it didn't matter anymore.

"Yo, Monorakun, think we got our man now. Let's vote!" Leon shouted up to Monorakun.

"Voting time, you say?" Monorakun inquired. "Well, alright, let's get to it!"

Something new showed up on on my podium. Four rows of four people, a total of 16. Sonia's name was in black-and-white, with a red X through it. All of us, lined up, with "Vote!" above it. Taking a breath, I chose Hifumi.

After everyone had voted, a screen above Monorakun's podium turned on, revealing a Monorakun dealer holding a small deck of cards. He dealt them all face-up, in alphabetical order, then scooped them up and started shuffling the deck, cutting the deck a few times as well. After a while, the dealer stopped and flipped over the top card.

It was Hifumi's face on the card.

Hifumi, to my surprise, merely put his hands on his huge hips and thrust his chin up, defiant. "Hah! I lived to defend my princess's honor, and I will die to defend it too! Kill me if you must; my essence will live on in the 2D world!"

The floor we were on started slowly rotating, with all our podiums moving with it, until Hifumi's back was to a set of double red doors. Suddenly, the doors flung open, and a manacle flung open, grabbing Hifumi around his hefty neck. It then slowly began dragging him backwards, likely due to his large weight, but fast enough to knock him off his feet.

Hifumi was dragged to a seat in the next room, with a school desk swinging around and stopping on top of his lap. A notebook and some art supplies were on the desk. Metal straps circled around his wrists, holding his arms in place. A set of chain-link doors shut between Hifumi and the rest of us, and a sign lit up above the doors.

I read it in horror: Hifumi Yamada's Execution: Princess Rakun

As we all stood there in stunned silence, a pink, winged cherub-looking thing descended from the ceiling. It was dressed like Princess Piggles, complete with her trademark bow, but her face was Monorakun's.

It started flying towards Hifumi, and then started firing arrows at Hifumi. Arrows stuck into his gut, his shoulders, and his biceps. As Hifumi grimaced in pain, Princess Rakun flitted around the room in a zigzag pattern, closer to Hifumi, then resumed firing arrows into his shins and forearms. Hifumi groaned in pain, but the desk on his lap prevented him from standing.

Finally, Princess Rakun fluttered over directly in front of Hifumi's desk. Grabbing one final arrow, Princess Rakun aimed at Hifumi's throat, and fired an arrow straight through his esophagus. Hifumi started coughing up blood, his glasses falling off his face onto the school desk, before his head finally sunk down, his shoulders slumped, and he died.

Hifumi Yamada...was the Blackened. And now, he was dead.

I was fearful of what was to come next.

Chapter Text

We all left the Courtroom, no one speaking a word, and split up, each of us going our separate way in silence. I was still numb inside from the horror I had just witnessed, and my mind was a complete blank. I wasn't even sure exactly where I was walking to; I just knew I had to get away from that Courtroom.

I eventually found myself at the School Store, staring at the various prizes and costs. While none of the prizes were anything I particularly needed, I still found this room interesting.

I heard two sets of footsteps approaching me from behind. Turning around, Kenchikka and Kaede were at the entryway.

"Bera? Are you alright? I was really worried about you after that Trial!" Kaede asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm...just..."

Kenchikka interrupted me. "Class Trial sucked. We know. Lost Sonia, lost Hifumi. Sonia nice, friendly, a bit too naive, but always meant well. Hifumi? Hifumi pig, deserved death. Nothing we can do. Rules are rules."

Kaede looked at Kenchikka in shock at her bluntness. "Chikka! How can you-"

Kenchikka cut her off. "I call things what they are. Call spade 'wooden-handled, metal-tipped, manually-operated land excavation utensil'? No, is spade. Hifumi is pig. No need care about feelings of dead people, anyway."

I decided to change the subject. "What are you two doing?"

Kaede answered. "Theo wanted Kaito and I to check on anyone who didn't show up to the meeting at the Dining Hall. You, Yasuhiro, Chihiro, and Mukuro weren't there. Why not?"

I shrugged, having no idea where the other three were. "I just...kinda spaced out, and wandered aimlessly for a while. I didn't even know there WAS a meeting, to be honest. Sorry I missed it."

Kaede smiled. "Hey, it's no problem! What's important is that we've found you, and that you're ok."

I nodded. "Thanks, Kaede." I then looked over at Kenchikka. "And you too, Chikka."

Kenchikka's brown eye darted over towards me, her head not moving, but she gave a small smile. "No problem. In no mood for second Class Trial anyway. Just want to eat dinner, take meds, go to sleep."

Sleep...that sounded like a great idea right about now. Looking at the time, it was almost 9pm already, so I just returned to my dorm, got dressed, and drifted off to sleep.

My dream was much the same as most of my others; my dad's insults and a feeling of failure, of worthlessness.

"I hope you end up making yourself into a good son, because you sucked as a daughter!"

"Sometimes, I wonder if I let your tomboy daydreams go too far..."

"Just because I agreed to let you have the surgery, doesn't mean I support or condone it! Your body, your choice, sure, but you need to face the consequences of your actions! Not me!"

"Bera? Who the fuck is Bera?! That's not your real name!"

As the verbal barrage continued, a pit grew more and more in my chest, a void that felt carved out of my very essence. A new voice, MY voice, began speaking next, as Henkutsuna's voice faded out.

"I knew my dad only let me have the surgery to shut me up about becoming a boy, but I didn't deserve these sharp words from him!"

"Or did I? Maybe he was right. Maybe my Gender Reassignment Surgery was a mistake. Maybe I should've just remained...her...and kept my father...well, less angry with me than he was now."

"Or maybe I should just give up and find a way to..."

Monorakun's 7am alarm woke me up before that sentence finished, saying the same thing it always said in the morning.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!

Well, two of us would not be waking up, because they died yesterday.

Brushing the thought from my mind, I got myself ready, took my meds, and opened my E-Handbook. I was surprised by what I saw in the Group Chat.

Kaito Momota: The gate blocking the stairs is gone now! We need to check it out!
Theo Poster: Patience, Kaito. First, we must eat. It is ill advised to explore a new area on an empty stomach.
Kaede Akamatsu: I agree! Let's eat, then we can split up and check things out!
Kenchikka Kowareta: Agreed. Meet at Dining Hall for breakfast, then group up. Divide, conquer. Sound plan.
Sayaka Maizono: Count me in!
Chihiro Fujisaki: What if there's something bad waiting for us up there?
Mukuro Ikusaba: Neutralizing threats is my specialty. Leave that to me.

We met up in the Dining Hall, where Theo had whipped up breakfast for everyone. Pancakes with various fruits baked into them. Some had bananas, some had blueberries, and others had strawberries. There was also maple syrup, blueberry syrup, and strawberry syrup on the table for everyone to use. Apple juice, orange juice, milk, and chocolate milk was also available for everyone to drink, with Theo voluntarily serving the drinks.

After everyone ate and drank their fill, we started splitting up into groups. Sayaka and Kaede joined up together, with Leon tagging along. Chihiro and Chiaki paired up next, with Kaito offering to join them. Angie and Yasuhiro joined forces together. Theo and Kenchikka grouped together. Makoto and Mukuro were already together, as well.

That left me with Celeste.

"So, Celeste, want to join me and check out the Second Floor?" I asked Celeste.

To my surprise, Celeste chuckled at me. "Me, taking the arm of a lowly D-Class like you? Please don't waste my time like this." She then turned on her heel and walked out of the Dining Hall, alone.

Confused, and worried about going up to the Second Floor solo, I heard a voice behind me, calling my attention. Turning around, it was Makoto.

"Hey, want to join Mukuro and I to the Second Floor? I don't know what Celeste's deal is."

Nodding, but saying nothing, I walked behind him and Mukuro, and followed their lead up the stairs to the Second Floor.

Upon arrival, we were met with a fairly long hallway, with windows along the left side, as well as two hallways going to the left. One was close to us, and the other was at the end of the hall.

As Makoto and Mukuro looked down the first hallway, I glanced out the first window I reached. Down below was the Courtyard, empty of students. I could see pretty well up here, but these windows appeared to have no way to move them; there were no sliding panels, and they did not budge outwards.

I felt a presence behind me. Turning around, it was Mukuro, looking at the window as well.

"Step back. Let me try something," she said with little emotion.

I complied, and she took out a strip of film-like substance, stretched it once, and placed it on the window. The strip started to freeze on the window, from the middle outwards.

After a while, Mukuro grabbed her combat knife, still sheathed, and slammed the butt of it HARD against the frozen sheet, shattering the sheet onto the floor.

The window, however, was unfazed. Not even a scratch.

"Hmmm." Mukuro seemed lost in thought for only a few seconds. "This is a special type of glass. It's apparently shatterproof."

"Right you are, Mukuro!" Monorakun appeared from the opposite side of the hall. "These windows are shatterproof, soundproof, and can even withstand hurricane force weather. They're not going anywhere!"

Mukuro silently nodded, then turned to Makoto. "Should we show Bera the Exercise Room we found?"

Makoto nodded and looked over at me. "Follow me, let's show you!"

At the end of the first hallway on the left was a single door, with a T-intersection beyond it. A sign on the door said "Exercise Room".

Inside was a variety of exercise equipment: Dumbbells, bench presses, exercise bikes, and various machines for different parts of the body. In the back was a grey gym mat, likely for aerobics or something.

I could use this room to maybe bulk up a little bit, and maybe make myself look less girly, so people would quit asking me...questions. I definitely planned on coming here.

Meanwhile, Makoto and Mukuro were speaking to one another, but I didn't really hear anything they said.

Leaving the Exercise Room, we reached the T-intersection. To our left was another gated-off staircase. A feeling of foreboding doom washed over me; was this the same thing as the one that just opened? Would someone have to die to be allowed to go upstairs?

Makoto and Mukuro, however, only gave the gate a casual glance before examining the Biology Room, which contained various charts, diagrams, and even two full-bodied mannequins (one male, one female), with plates you could remove to view muscular or skeletal features.

Other than that, this room didn't really seem too interesting to me, though Mukuro seemed to take note of several of the diagrams.

Leaving the Biology Room, we faced a longer hall, with a door on the left near us, a door on our right further away, and an intersection going to the right. Straight ahead appeared to be another door, at the very end of the hallway.

Checking the closer room to the left, the sign said "Music Room/Jam Room". The Music Room contained a piano in the corner (which I realized Kaede was sitting behind), as well as various musical instruments along the walls and on the floor. Guitars, drums, violins, flutes, trumpets, cymbals...all kinds of instruments were within this room!

Kaede, meanwhile, played several notes on the piano, then stood up and looked over at our general direction. Then she spoke up, though I was unsure if it was to us or to herself.

"This is a very high-quality piano they have here! Even better than the one in my room. I can't wait to be able to play entire songs on this!"

We decided to check out the Jam Room next, which was accessible via a sliding door that went into the wall within the Music Room. Inside was a full stage setup, with a keyboard along the wall, a full stage (including a drum set), lighting up above, and some wires connecting various props or harnesses.

Sayaka was on the stage, looking around in awe.

"Wow! Kaede and I could host a small concert in here! She could play that keyboard, and I could take the stage and sing!" Her smile beamed, then went away for a moment. "Too bad we don't have another girl to play guitar with us, though. Theo said he has some knowledge of drumming, so he could handle that, but a girl on guitar would really set the stage for our group, I think."

I shrugged, not really sure how to respond. Sayaka resumed looking over the stage setup, and I let her be, leaving the Jam Room and Music Room with Makoto and Mukuro.

Moving further down the hallway, a curious sight befell me. A sign above the door on the right said "Computer Room".

...Computer Room? Could we use this to escape?

I quickly bolted inside, not even noticing Mukuro's or Makoto's reactions, and encountered Chihiro and Chiaki inside. Inside were two computers, one on each side of the far wall of this small room. Chihiro was at one computer; Chiaki was at the other.

Chihiro turned to face me, his eyes lowered.

"No internet connection," was the first thing he said.

Sure enough, the web browsers were nonfunctional, and anything Chihiro tried that involved even a Wi-Fi connection failed.

Chiaki spoke next. "Still, there are some useful programming tools on these computers, that Chihiro could make use of."

Chihiro nodded and smiled. "I'll just need a little time, but I'll do my best!"

There was nothing else of note in this room (barely even anything on the walls, in fact), so I left, with Mukuro and Makoto standing outside the doorway. Together, we kept going straight, towards the Library.

The Library had wall-to-wall books on nearly every topic imaginable. Fiction, Nonfiction, Mythic Tales, Biographies, you name it. There was also a table in the middle of the room, which seated 10 people (two at the ends, three on each side).

Theo was inside, looking over the books, but not wanting to disturb his concentration, I decided to leave him alone and head to the final room, around the corner. The sign above it read "Costume Room".

To my surprise, Kenchikka emerged from that room, a perplexed look on her face. She looked at the walls, then the ceiling, then the room behind her, and then the walls again. She then sniffed a few times and shook her head.

"Smells different here. Like recent construction. Walls different, too. Newly built? But why?"

From what I gathered, Kenchikka seemed to think this section was recently renovated, and was not part of the original floor plan...I think?

Kenchikka quickly walked past the three of us, talking to herself. "Need to rerun measurements, check First Floor walls for comparison. Costume Room, Computer Room, wrong, somehow."

I looked over at Makoto, who shrugged in confusion. If Makoto had any thoughts, her face didn't show it.

Having no other choice, we walked into the Costume Room, and I was delighted with its contents.

Inside was a mirror covering the entire back of this short, wide room. Costumes for men, women, or both were lined up on the front and right sides of the room (as I was standing in the doorway), and props and accessories were along the wall to my left.

This room was incredible! I could come up with SO MANY ideas for new designs in here! My eyes drifted along the three-piece suits, the stunning dresses, the cute pleated skirts, the shirts and blouses hung up with care, the various lengths and colors of stockings and tights on display, and even the various boots and shoes along the floor.

Suddenly, my E-Handbook vibrated. Opening it up, I saw I had a Private Message from Chihiro. Looking around, Makoto and Mukuro had already left, leaving me in here alone. Curious, I opened the Chat menu, then selected the Private Chat icon.

A single message was within, from Chihiro. I opened it and read it.

"Meet me at my dorm tonight at 9pm. I need to talk to you. It's really important!"

Why would Chihiro message me? Wasn't he still in the Computer Room? Maybe he was busy and couldn't step away from what he was doing, I guess.

While I was still staring at my E-Handbook, a growling voice suddenly pierced the silence in this room, and my whole body froze with dread.

"Chihiro needs to WATCH IT..."

In fear, I slowly turned towards the doorway, and my heart sunk as another cold chill flowed through me.

Monorakun was standing there, claws out, and his red eye glowing.

And he was glaring. Directly at. Me.

Chapter Text

I froze, having no idea what Monorakun was talking about. Chihiro had barely told me anything, and now Monorakun was pissed...at me? But why?

Monorakun resumed speaking, his red eye dimming down. "Chihiro's digging into something she needs to stay out of. It's already too late for you to warn her, but Chihiro better prepare for what's coming her way if she keeps at what she's doing."

A question suddenly came to mind, as I stared at Monorakun in terror. "Ummmm...can I ask a question...about the Private Messages?"

Monorakun regarded me cautiously, his arms crossed. "What about them?"

"Can those Private Messages be monitored? If someone sends a message to another, do you read them?"

Monorakun stared at me for several long seconds, then shook his head. "I don't examine every single message sent, whether Private or Group, in real time. I CAN access them whenever I want, but I usually don't unless the students require it for a Class Trial. Does that answer your question?"

I nodded, a bit of relief going through me. "Alright, thanks."

Monorakun nodded and left the room, leaving me to ponder his words. Realizing that I should go check on Chihiro in the Computer Room, I left the Costume Room in a hurry to find her. She was just in the Computer Room, and it was close by, so I headed there immediately.

However, when I arrived, Chihiro...was gone. Only Chiaki remained, playing a game on the computer Chihiro was on before.

"Hey, Chiaki? Do you know where Chihiro went?" I asked Chiaki.

Chiaki calmly responded, "Back to her dorm room, I think." Her eyes never left the screen.

Oh, no! Monorakun's pissed at Chihiro, and now Chihiro's isolated herself? This is bad! I needed to talk to Chihiro at once! I opened my E-Handbook to send him a Private Message, but stopped. What if Monorakun is waiting to see me tip her off?

I quickly made my way down from the Second Floor, quickly making my way to Chihiro. However, as I made my way down the Movie Hall hallway, I was intercepted by Angie, Sayaka, Kaede, and Leon. They had just finished watching a movie together, and were discussing it together in the hallway. They were blocking the entire hallway, their backs turned to me. Since I didn't want to be rude, or make Leon angry at me, I decided to take the long way around instead.

As I passed the Dining Hall, Theo stopped me in the hallway, a concerned look on his chunky face.

"Good sir, it pains me to see you so thin. Have you been eating enough? Meat and dairy can give you the protein you need to help bulk up."

I hastily thanked Theo for his concern, but stated there was something I needed to take care of. Being the respectful gentleman he is, he allowed me to pass, and I made haste to my dorm first, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to me or Chihiro.

Arriving at my dorm, I checked my E-Handbook for messages, as my alerts were set to Silent. To my surprise, I had two Private Messages, though neither were from Chihiro. One was from Chiaki; the other, from Celeste.

Warily, I opened Celeste's message first.

"Bera, I will give you the same reminder I gave your dear friend Chihiro. Your wandering around, dazed from that buffoon Hifumi's execution, left you very vulnerable to being Victim #2. I would discourage you from losing your wits in this manner, if you wish to leave this place alive."

My eyes went wide. Was this a threat? A warning? Why did she send me this?

Closing the message, I went to Chiaki's message next. Her message was more...cryptic.

"Lightning Wizard gained in Intelligence and Wisdom. Enemy mob could be aware, might plot ambush. Seek out the wizard, and learn the knowledge they obtained. This quest has no official time limit, but this should not sit in your quest log forever."

Lightning Wizard...were these notes for a D&D campaign? Or...

Did she mean...Chihiro? As the Ultimate Programmer, she COULD qualify as a "Lightning Wizard", perhaps. Computers require electricity, and you have to be a "wiz kid" to know how to program, so this could make some subtle sense.

Before I could ponder on it more, my doorbell went off. Curious, I went to see who was at my door.

It was Sayaka, and she looked worried about something. "Bera? Mind if I come in?"

Concerned, I let her in and gave her the seat from my desk to sit in. I sat on the corner of my bed, and let her talk.

"I can't believe we've actually started killing each other. What's going to happen to us now?" Sayaka looked at me, fear in her eyes.

I took a deep breath. "I don't know. I'm scared too, Sayaka, but we can't just lock ourselves in our dorms for the rest of our lives, either, right?"

Sayaka nodded, hugging herself in fear. "Yeah, I know. I just...what is someone comes after me next? I can't...I don't want to die here!"

I nodded, understanding Sayaka fully. None of us wanted to die here. Yet, two of us already had; Hifumi had murdered Sonia yesterday, and was executed yesterday before us all. If the reality of our situation hadn't sunk in yet, it definitely has now.

Sayaka continued, her voice in a . "I need to get out of here. Every moment I spend in here, my memory could be fading from the masses. I could be forgotten as we speak!"

I put my hand on Sayaka's shoulder. "Relax, Sayaka. Things will be ok. We'll find a way to get out of here, and you'll be back, stronger than ever with your group!"

Sayaka stared at the ground, still scared. "I...I hope so. I don't want to be forgotten! Please...please help me get out of here!"

"I'll do my best, Sayaka. Maybe I can even create your new wardrobes once you reunite with your band mates!"

Sayaka's E-Handbook went off. She opened it up and read a message, though I couldn't see who it was from. Sayaka then put up her E-Handbook.

"I have to leave. Kaede needs me for something we're working on. Thanks for talking to me, Bera!" Sayaka smiled at me, happy once again, and showed herself to the door, leaving me confused as to what had just happened.

After dinner, which Theo made meat loaf, mashed potatoes, corn, steamed broccoli, and dinner rolls for everyone, I decided it would be a good time to meet up with Chihiro, to see what was going on with her.

I walked over to Chihiro and rang her doorbell. After several moments, Chihiro nervously opened the door and let me in. Looking at my E-Handbook, it was 7:10pm.

"Hey...Bera?" Chihiro nervously addressed me. "I...think I found something." Chihiro pulled out her E-Handbook and turned it on. Turning to the Private Messages section, she showed me the list of people who she could speak with. I looked over the list, wondering why Chihiro was showing me this.

Angie Yonaga

Celestia Ludenberg

Chiaki Nanami

Chihiro Fujisaki

Kaede Akamatsu

Kaito Momota

Kenchikka Kowareta

Leon Kuwata

Makoto Naegi

Mukuro Ikusaba

Sayaka Maizono

Theo Poster

Yasuhiro Hagakure

未来

...未来? There's that symbol again. It was used as a placeholder for Chihiro's gender, as well as my own. Why is it showing up here, again, in Chihiro's Private Chat list?

Chihiro looked at me. "I found this after my Gender got fixed in my E-Handbook. I've never had the nerve to message it, though." She glanced at her E-Handbook, then back at me. "Yet, I haven't been able to determine yet if this is a glitch, or intentional. This could be the key to our freedom, or a trap waiting to be sprung."

I considered Chihiro's words. Chihiro was right. This "name" didn't show up in my Private Messages list. Only Chihiro would seem to have access to this, and as the Ultimate Programmer, she would know better than anyone else what was going on with this.

Chihiro looked at the E-Handbook, then at me again. "I...I want to try to message this, but I'm scared. But...I don't want to be weak. With you here, I feel like we could face whatever comes up together."

I wasn't so certain; I likely wasn't too much stronger than Chihiro, but there was some strength in numbers, maybe.

I nodded silently, and Chihiro tapped on 未来, and typed a single message.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Hello?

After several moments of silence, Chihiro's E-Handbook went off. We both read the message together, and my blood ran cold.

未来: So, you've found me.

Chihiro's face went pale, his eyes wide open. I wasn't sure what was going through her head, but it wasn't good.

If that wasn't bad enough, a flash of red caught the edges of my line of sight. Looking over, my heart sunk, and a chill of pure fear flowed through my entire body.

Monorakun was standing directly in front of Chihiro's dorm room door, teeth out and sawing back and forth, his red eye glowing brightly.

He...looked...pissed!

Chapter Text

Chihiro and I both alternated glances between the screen, Monorakun, and each other. Monorakun didn't move an inch, at least not yet.

I finally spoke up to Chihiro. "I...I think we should answer them."

Chihiro silently nodded, clearly nervous, and responded in the chat.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Who are you?

After about a 30 to 45 second pause, we received a response.

未来: Who I am, what I am, is no concern of yours, Ultimate Programmer. Nor is it yours, Ultimate Tailor, who I know is watching over your shoulder.

We looked at each other in shock, but then I remembered that Monorakun was still in the room. Of course this...未来 person...knew I was here.

未来: Now, give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you, Ultimate Programmer, for hacking into your E-Handbook.

We both froze in shock, looking at each other. What do we say to this? What CAN we say to this?

Chihiro started typing.

Chihiro Fujisaki: If you kill me, you'll have to have to have an Investigation and Class Trial, per your rules. When the others find out you killed me, they'll make you explain why, and your game will be ruined."

A pause. Did Chihiro go too far? Monorakun's eye started glowing red for several moments, then went dim again.

未来: Very well. I won't kill you then, Chihiro. But on the same token, I can't have you going around, telling everyone that you hacked your E-Handbook, either. It seems we're at an impasse, then.

Chihiro looks over at me. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess with me. What should we do now?"

I start thinking. My only conclusion is that a deal of some sort needs to be struck.

"I think we need to make a deal with...whoever this is," I answered.

Chihiro thought for several long moments. Then her eyes lit up, and she started typing.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Maybe we could make a deal of some sort?

We waited. What would this mysterious person say?

We wouldn't have to wait long.

未来: A deal, you say? This sounds interesting. State your terms, and I'll consider it."

Chihiro and I looked at each other. "Wait, this is actually working?" I blurted out loud.

Chihiro looked at me, worry in her eyes. "What...what should we ask for? I mean, I don't want Monorakun to kill either of us, and I know we can't tell anyone about this. But...Can we get something more?"

I think for a moment. "Maybe we could get information from them? Like...maybe a question a night?"

Chihiro's eyes lit up. "Maybe, yeah! I mean, it couldn't hurt, could it? I mean, they could always make a counteroffer, right?"

I shrug. "I hope so."

Chihiro starts typing again.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Ok, how about we make a deal. Bera and I will agree not to tell anyone about me talking to you. In return, you have to promise not to kill either of us with Monorakun. Also, if possible, we would like to be able to ask you one question per night, if that is ok?

We waited, holding our breaths. How would they respond?

未来: I accept the terms on the first part. As for the second request, I have one condition. I am only required to respond to questions with "Yes", "No", "Maybe", or "Irrelevant". I also agree not to lie to you with my responses. Also, at 7am tomorrow, there will be a new rule forbidding anyone from tampering with their E-Handbooks. My claim will be due to the Computer Room, but we know the real reason, don't we? And what will happen if that rule is broken?

Chihiro gulped, looking at me with pure fear in her eyes. I was just as scared as she was, but...if this meant we weren't going to die, then we had to take this deal.

I give Chihiro a nod. Chihiro starts typing once more.

Chihiro Fujisaki: We accept these terms, both Chihiro Fujisaki and Bera Haikiko. Now, may we ask our one question for tonight?

We waited on a response. I had no idea what to ask, but Chihiro seemed to have something on her mind.

未来: Sure. What?

Chihiro Fujisaki: Are you the Mastermind behind this game?

My eyes went wide. I couldn't believe Chihiro would be so bold, to ask a question like this.

"What are you doing?!" I quietly admonished Chihiro.

Chihiro, instead of responding, pointed back to her E-Handbook.

未来: No. However, I will share that I am working with that person. Goodbye.

未来 then disappeared from the chat, kicking us out in the process.

I looked over at Chihiro. "Did this help us any, you think?"

Chihiro nodded. "Yeah, it did. We now know there is more than one person in charge. "

"Yeah, true, but what good does that do us? We can't tell anybody!" I was less optimistic than Chihiro on this.

"Well, it's still better than knowing nothing at all, right?"

Chihiro...had a point there. It was better to know something and tell no one, than to not know something at all.

"Well," I stated. "I think it's time for us to to get ready for tomorrow. I'm gonna head back to my dorm."

We said our goodbyes, and then I returned to my dorm, working on some sketches for dresses of various lengths.

Suddenly, my E-Handbook vibrated. Puzzled, I opened it up, and saw I had a Private Message waiting for me. It was from Leon Kuwata.

Leon Kuwata: Yo! Think you can help me with something?

Huh? What could Leon possibly want with me? We barely even spoke with each other.

Bera Haikiko: Sure. What's up? Need some clothing ideas?

Leon Kuwata: Nah, I'm good with that. I need some advice on Kaede and Sayaka.

Huh? I gazed, confused, at my tablet. What does he mean, needing advice on those two girls?

Bera Haikiko: Sure, I guess. What about them?

Leon Kuwata: Well, I know you and Sayaka were hanging out yesterday. Which is cool, don't get me wrong. But I'm thinking about quitting baseball and getting into music, and those two girls are hot! Hey, what kind of guy is Sayaka into?

I continued to stare at my E-Handbook. Why would I have any clue, whatsoever, about something like that?

Bera Haikiko: No idea. I work with clothes, not relationships. Maybe you could ask her? Or Kaede?

Leon Kuwata: What? No! That would be, like, super lame to the max! A dude's gotta approach a girl like that, knowing exactly what she wants, and how to give it to her. Know what I mean?

So...it seemed like Leon either really wanted to start a band with these two girls, or he just wanted to get up their skirts. I closed my eyes and shook my head. My...older self would have smacked the taste out of his mouth, but unless I wanted Leon as an enemy, I would have to give an honest, even if somewhat nice, answer to him.

Bera Haikiko: Honestly, I have no idea. They're both pretty, I'll agree, but I haven't really been considering starting a relationship while worrying about if someone's gonna try to kill me tomorrow. If you want me to, though, I could maybe strike up a conversation with either of them, or both, on that topic, and see what they say.

Leon Kuwata: Are you shitting me? I didn't expect you to actually do this for me. You're totally awesome, man!

Bera Haikiko: I'm not making any promises that this will go anywhere, though, ok? I just don't want you mad at me if Sayaka or Kaede don't tell me much.

Leon Kuwata: Yo, you're doing something for me. Whatever goes down, you've still got a huge thanks from me.

Bera Haikiko: Thanks! That really means a lot to me. I'll let you know if I find out anything useful.

Leon Kuwata: Sure thing! Thanks for having my back, man.

I closed the Private Messaging window, then considered some of the things I said. And, immediately, worry started eating away at me.

Did I sound too...girly...when I told Leon "That really means a lot to me."? Should I really have agreed to go through with this, with Sayaka and Kaede? What if they both look at me like I'm weird, or think I want to be their boyfriend?

I sighed as the thoughts began surrounding me, but I knew one thing. I couldn't go back on my word. Even if I didn't find out anything, it would be better for Sayaka and Kaede to just tell me they don't want to answer, rather than lie and have Leon pissed at me.

I decided to spend the rest of the time working on my sketches again, although I didn't have much time until Nighttime started. I always found sketching to be relaxing; I never had to worry about messing up, because I could always just erase and try again, and no one would know my mistakes. I only worried about the finished products, but everyone so far seemed happy with everything I made. Well, except my dad, but he was never happy with anything I did anyway.

At 9:30pm, an announcement went overhead, with Monorakun's face appearing. "Oh, I forgot to mention this earlier, shitbags, but tomorrow's a holiday. I have some fun stuff prepared for this, believe me. Heh heh heh hee heeeeee..."

I looked at my E-Handbook. Today was 10/30, which meant tomorrow was 10/31. Which could only mean one thing.

Halloween.

Chapter Text

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

Monorakun's announcement woke me up. An alert went off on my E-Handbook. The new rule 未来 mentioned, no doubt. I turned on my E-Handbook, and sure enough, I was right.

"Rule 9: Tampering with your E-Handbook is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, trying to destroy, deface, vandalize, or hack into your E-Handbook."

There was a button underneath it. "I Agree". Having no other choices, I tapped the button, and the message disappeared.

Next, I got up, got dressed, and sleepily headed towards my closet, which...

Was locked? I tried to open my closet again, but...no. It was definitely locked.

Confused, I looked at my dorm room door, and noticed something hanging there. It appeared to be a costume of some sort.

There was a pair of blue overalls hanging from a hook on the door, with a red, white, and blue plaid shirt underneath it. It had a black bow tie and a white collar going all the way around. There was also a blue and white sailor's hat hanging with the clothing. On the floor, there was a pair of black shoes, with red and white socks folded on top of them.

As I looked over the outfit, I realized what I was looking at, and I was angry.

This...was a Raggedy Andy costume. Made after Raggedy Ann became popular, this was the boy version of that doll.

My E-Handbook went off, with an announcement from Monorakun. "Reminder: You cannot leave your dorms unless you are wearing your costumes!"

Begrudgingly, I put on the Raggedy Andy costume, and upon putting my hand on the doorknob, I heard a "Click!" from within the door. I opened the door afterwards and headed towards the Dining Hall.

As it turned out, I was one of the last people to arrive, and just like me, not everyone was happy with their costumes. Leon was dressed in a baseball uniform, complete with a baseball bat, grumbling to himself about how his costume was super-lame.

Kaede had on black sunglasses, a midnight blue rhinestone jacket under a sky blue collared shirt, matching midnight blue pants, and chunky heels that had a midnight blue base, with sky blue highlights and heel. She wasn't necessarily upset, just...confused, muttering about Elton John.

Makoto was dressed in...well, his usual outfit, except there was a large, fake blood spot on the back of his head, with blood trailing down his hoodie. He had fake blood coming out of his nose and the corners of his mouth, too. One of his pant legs appeared to have something inside of it, giving him the typical zombie lurch-walking you'd see in movies.

Next to him was Mukuro, who was sporting black combat boots, black pants that seemed baggy at the knees, and a black tank top. There was an ammo belt going diagonally across her chest, and she wore a long red bandana around her head. When she turned around, I saw some sort of two-handed gun strapped to her back, but I doubted it was real. Not sure why; call it intuition.

Angie and Yasuhiro were talking while eating together. Angie had an Afro wig and fake beard, and was wearing a light blue collared shirt and darker blue jeans, with a brown pair of loafers on her feet. She reminded me of that soft-talking painter on PBS, a long time ago, but I didn't recall his name offhand.

As for Yasuhiro, he was wearing a green, red, and gold track jacket over a tie-dye shirt. He had a matching green, red, and gold beanie on his head, as well. His pants were relaxed-fit denim jeans, in a military green color. I got vibes of that one reggae singer who smoked marijuana a lot.

The next person to catch my attention was Theo, as he exited the Kitchen area. He had on a white and red beanie, a red and white striped shirt, black rimmed glasses, and blue jeans. He wore brown boots, and had a brown wooden cane with him as well.

Following Theo out of the Kitchen was Kaito, wearing a mostly white astronaut costume with buttons on the chest and arms. It reminded me a lot of a main character of that one funny movie, with the toys that only moved when no one was looking. Toy...Song? Story? Something like that.

Next to Kaito was Sayaka, who...looked stunning. Even Leon nearly choked on his food when he saw her. Sayaka was dressed in a navy blue strapless, low-backed bodysuit, with a blue fuzzy ball the size of my fist just above her butt. She had navy blue bunny ears on, with a blue inner ear, on her black headband. On her feet were navy blue low heels, roughly a 2 inch heel by estimate, and her blue mesh fishnets matched her tail color. I could only imagine if she had to perform in that outfit with her group, and the reactions she would get from her fans.

The next person I noticed was Celeste, who was dressed like the Queen of Hearts. The top part of her dress was heart-shaped, red on the right half, and black on the left. Her arms and sides, by contrast, were black on the right, and red on the left. The skirt went almost to the floor, hiding her shoes and legs, but the "black on right, red on left" theme continued. At the very front of the skirt was the Queen of Hearts card. Celeste also had a heart-shaped tiara on her head, which was black with a red middle section. She looked elegant in it, in all honesty.

I went into the kitchen to get myself some Jack-o-Lantern pancakes, and poured strawberry syrup (in a container marked "BLOOD") onto them, then grabbed a few pieces of bacon and headed back to the Dining Hall.

When I arrived, Chihiro and Chiaki had just walked into the room together. Chiaki had on a yellow sleeveless mini dress, with several black chevrons going across the front. She also wore black opaque tights, and yellow high heels that clasped around her ankles. She reminded me from a Gym Leader...Pokemon Grey, perhaps? I mentally cursed my bad memory when it came to non-fashion related things.

Chihiro, on the other hand, appeared to be dressed as a cyborg. She had on what looked like a small laptop monitor headpiece, making it look like her head was on a computer screen. Her chestpiece, similar to Kaito, had a few buttons on it, along with two dials (one marked "Temperature", one marked "Power"). Her right hand was normal, but her left arm had a gauntlet going almost up to the elbow, with what looked like metal and wires running all through it. Finally, her skirt was metallic looking, pleated and at knee-length, and appeared to be made of a rather stiff material, though it was hard to tell which one at a glance. Finally, she had one white ankle socks, with a cute ruffle at the top, and metallic-looking Mary Janes.

I couldn't imagine having to put all of that on, but definite points for creativity! If we did a costume contest, I may just have to pick Chihiro for this one.

I suddenly realized one person was still missing. Where was Kenchikka? I checked the Kitchen again, wondering if she slipped by while I was admiring the costumes, but only Kaito, Sayaka, and Theo were in there now. Kenchikka wasn't in the Dining Hall, either.

Then, I heard her voice. She was shouting at someone. Or...something?

"I build things, not fix things. Realize that, Asshole Raccoon?"

It was Kenchikka's voice, alright, and she sounded pissed. As everyone else looked towards the doorway, I stepped into the doorway and saw her arguing with Monorakun, over by the locked entrance doors.

"Hey, Bob the Builder builds things too, ya know! C'mon, say it with me! Can we fix it?"

Kenchikka glared at Monorakun. "No."

Kenchikka had on blue overalls, with a red and orange checkered long-sleeve shirt underneath it. She had a yellow tool belt with a screwdriver, a monkey wrench, and some other tools on it. On her head was a yellow safety hat, with a yellow groove in the center that stuck out from the rest of the hat. She had on brown work boots, and a nasty snarl as she continued to glare at Monorakun.

"Actually, on second thought. Yes, we can! Gonna fix you like vet, cut your fucking balls off!" Kenchikka's voice was full of venom as she nearly growled those words at Monorakun.

Monorakun, on the other hand, merely chuckled. "Hey, don't threaten me with a good time!" He then got on all fours and scampered away, towards the dorms, as Kenchikka stormed off from him, now glaring at me.

"Asshole Raccoon. 'Can't leave until dressed like Bob the Builder'. Fuck him, fuck this outfit." Kenchikka grumbled to no one in particular as she approached. I wisely decided to get out of the doorway and let her get her breakfast.

Little did we know, Monorakun was not done with us today...not even close!

Chapter Text

Following breakfast, everyone split up to do their own thing. While I was watching everyone pair up, I heard a voice behind me. "Hey, Bera?"

I turned around, and to my surprise, Theo, Sayaka and Kaede were standing there, all looking at me. Curious, I asked them what they wanted.

Theo, in his "Where's Waldo?" costume, spoke up. "Well, I wanted to check out the Costume Room. While I still have no idea what my talent is, or how this costume pertains to it, that room draws my curiosity like none other."

"There's some really cute outfits in there that we could perform in, too!" Sayaka added, looking over at Kaede. Kaede blushed a bit as she regarded Sayaka in her bunny costume, which admittedly left little to the imagination, but Sayaka didn't seem to notice or mind.

Having no better idea, I join Theo and the two girls to the Costume Room, where everyone starts looking through the various outfits. While Sayaka and Kaede check out the dresses, skirts, and heels, Theo takes more of a focus on the jackets, hats, and other accessories. I just stand back and let them look through everything.

Sayaka and Kaede found matching sequin dresses. However, Sayaka's dress would have to me tailored, as the hem was a little too long on her. As for Theo, he found a booklet chained to a table, marked "Suggestions".

"It would appear as if we could write down anything we'd wish to obtain in this book, as it pertains to costumes."

Sayaka, Kaede, and I agreed with Theo's observation. Still holding onto Sayaka's dress, I asked if she wanted me to tailor it for her later today, and she eagerly accepted.

I left the three of them in the Costume Room and dropped the dress off at my dorm. I then ran into Yasuhiro, Celeste, and Kenchikka, who were speaking in the hallway near the bathrooms.

"Kenchico! You've got to hear my latest idea! It's perfect for-" Yasuhiro started.

Kenchikka waved him off. "First off, am Kenchikka, not Kenchico. Second off, have heard your last few ideas from others. All sucked. Don't waste my time."

Celeste continued. "Even I am not so ambitious as to throw good money after bad, and with you, Yasuhiro, any bet made on you is a sucker bet. I would prefer to simply leave the table, were you the dealer."

Yasuhiro continued to plead his case with the two girls, who largely ignored him as they walked on. At the meanwhile, I left them alone and headed back to the Second Floor.

The Exercise Room was empty for now, but it looked like Mukuro, Makoto, and Angie were in the Biology Room. Mukuro and Angie were discussing anatomy with one another, looking over a mannequin, while Makoto was looking over a book.

"Atua is watching over Hifumi, and has made Sonia one of his princesses."

Mukuro glanced over at Angie, annoyance clear on her face. Makoto didn't even look up from his book.

"Whatever you say, Angie," Mukuro flatly responded, with no emotion in her voice whatsoever.

I decided I had no interest in this topic, and moved on to the Music Room.

The Music Room was empty, but I heard talking in the Jam Room. Inside, Kaede was checking out a keyboard, while Sayaka was messing with some of the stage settings.

Sayaka looks up at me, stunning me in her bunny outfit, which I had already forgotten she was wearing. "Hi, Bera! This stage is really something else! The lighting, the sound options, and even some of the pulley systems are state-of-the-art! You can lift yourself up while singing, or even a drum kit! Kaede and I could host one amazing concert here!"

Kaede looks up from her keyboard. "Yeah! There's a lot of neat things in this room!"

I looked over the room. The Jam Room looked a little more decorated, with musical notes decorating the front of the stage now. It looked like Sayaka and Kaede were working on decorations in here.

Kaede continued, adjusting her Elton John glasses. "Sayaka and I are working on a few songs together, that we can perform for everyone once we're ready. Chihiro said she can program a musical app for us to use for guitars and drums, and Kaito's volunteered if we need an actor to be lifted up into the air!"

Wow, so they've really put some deep thought into this, and are inviting others too?

"That's great! Awesome! Ummmm...do you need any help with your outfit, Kaede? I'm helping Sayaka with hers."

Kaede thought for a moment. "The dress fits me fine, and I can move around it in well enough. I'm mostly just sitting and playing the keyboard, anyway, so I don't need much."

I began thinking. "Maybe...a cute sheer scarf then? Something to accessorize the neckline of your dress?"

Kaede's eyes lit up. "You...you can do that? Of course!"

Sayaka eagerly agreed, adding that even if not everyone could see her dress, that no one could miss the sheer scarf, especially if I colored it to match the dress.

Beaming inside, I pulled out my E-Handbook from my hakama and took a picture of Kaede's dress to get the colors of it, and then leave the Jam Room, heading back to my dorm room.

As I approached the stairs back to the First Floor, Chihiro walked up the stairs, looking at her E-Handbook. Not wanting to scare her, I called out to her.

"Hey, Chihiro! Are you working on Kaede's and Sayaka's concert stuff right now?"

Chihiro nodded. "Yeah. Building the code from scratch, using the computer that's in my dorm. No internet access, though, but I can make programs from it. I'm even working on-" Chihiro's eyes go wide, her hand going to her mouth, and then she says. "I'm sorry, I'm...not ready to talk about that yet."

I put my hands up, pumping them back slightly. "Hey, it's ok, Chihiro. You don't have to share anything you're not ready to, ok?"

Chihiro nodded, staring off into the distance while fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. "Ok. Thank you, Bera. If it's ok with you, I'm gonna head to the Computer Room now."

I asked Chihiro if I can accompany her to the Computer Room, and she accepted, so we walked side-by-side together to the Computer Room. Angie was gone from the Biology Room; Mukuro was having a discussion with Makoto about keeping him safe, but I was too far away to catch most of it. Makoto seemed to be safe, though, and I was not about to get in Mukuro's way.

Sayaka and Kaede were still busily working away in the Jam Room, from the muted sounds I could hear in the hallway. Chihiro considered stopping in to check on them, but decided against it, and continued to the Computer Room.

Once we reached the Computer Room, I sat quietly while Chihiro plugged her E-Handbook into the USB port on the computer, then began working on the music creator program, making short test songs and checking out various guitar sounds and drum beats he created.

After several hours passed, with me providing only minimal interruptions, it was 4:30pm. Chihiro saved her progress on her program, shut it off, and unplugged her E-Handbook.

Shortly afterwards, an announcement went off from Monorakun.

"Attention Students, please arrive at the Gymnasium by 5pm. We're going to have a Costume Contest! Everyone will get to vote for their top three favorite costumes, and there will be prizes! You'll be dying to see what's in store!"

Chihiro's eyes went wide as she stared at me, and a chill went through me, too.

What was that raccoon plotting now?

Chapter Text

5pm finally arrived, and everyone was present in the Gymnasium. To my surprise, there was a blue tarp completely covering the floor, which we assumed Monorakun put there. However, Theo stated he set up the tables and chairs with Kaito, Leon, and Yasuhiro, stating the tarp was already present on the floor when they arrived.

As Sayaka and Kaede moved the snacks and punch from the Kitchen to the Gym on a cart, Angie took it upon herself to gather bowls, plates, utensils, and cups for everyone, placing them on a central table for easy access. Chiaki prepared the Halloween game stands around the gym, with Chihiro's help.

Finally, the others arrived, still in costume, and we all started chatting amongst each other. I spent most of the time talking to Kenchikka, Chihiro, Chiaki, and briefly to Kaito.

At 5:45pm, Monorakun graced us with his appearance.

"Ah, sorry about that. Needed a software update, or I would've been here earlier. No matter, better late than never, am I right?"

Kenchikka glared at Monorakun. "Didn't corrupt during update, require formatting? Pity."

Monorakun ignored her. "Anyway, looks like you figured out most of it. Food, drinks, games...dig in! We'll go over the Costume Contest results later, but for now, enjoy yourself!"

I grabbed a plate and got myself some Halloween-themed food and sat next to Yasuhiro, eating while he started rambling about some prediction he made. In truth, I didn't really care what he was saying; I was just hungry.

As I drank my "Blood" punch and ate my "Small Intestines" spaghetti, I took another look at the other students. Sayaka was still stunning in her blue and navy blue bunny outfit, so she would have a strong chance to be declared the winner. Chihiro's cyborg costume looked really cool, too, though. Angie's PBS painter guy outfit looked good, although the personality and speech didn't fit at all.

Meanwhile, everyone else was either eating or playing the games: Bobbing for apples, Eyeball game (like the Shell game, but with three red Solo cups and a fake eyeball), a table for "Old Witch" (Old Maid), ring toss, Skee-ball, and pumpkin carving (complete with pumpkins and carving kits). Smaller Monorakuns, with Halloween party hats, were working the games, but appeared to be immobile.

As everyone randomly checked out the games, or partook in food, I decided to take the fun-filled moment to see what everyone else was up to

Yasuhiro had brought a crystal ball, and was trying to convince people to let him give them a psychic reading. Everyone was ignoring him.

Sayaka, Kaede, and Leon were taking turns on the Skee-ball game, which let you play after you scanned your E-Handbook. It showed your current score, your personal high score, and the game's high score (currently held by Chiaki, because of course it was).

Angie, Makoto, and Mukuro were carving pumpkins. Well, Angie and Mukuro were carving; Makoto was watching Mukuro work her knife, as she refused to use the pumpkin carving kit. Angie, meanwhile, was cheerfully whittling away at her pumpkin with her kit.

Chihiro and Chiaki were playing the Eyeball game, with Chiaki never failing to guess the correct cup, but Chihiro had more trouble with it. Chiaki kept her spirits up, though, and Chihiro still looked like she was having fun.

Celeste and Theo were discussing something off to the side. I couldn't hear what, but it seemed like a friendly conversation, so I left them alone.

That left Kaito and Kenchikka, who were playing "Old Witch" against each other and the Monorakun dealer. I had no idea who was winning. However, it looked like the dealer was out of cards, and Kaito and Kenchikka were still playing, so the game didn't appear to be over yet.

I decided to kinda check out everything. I played Skee-ball with Yasuhiro for a while, who finally gave up the fortune-telling idea. He beat me on the first game, but I beat him on the next two.

After that, I joined Kenchikka and Kaito for a game of Old Witch (Kaito won the previous game). I lost the first round, getting stuck with the Old Witch card after Kenchikka took my Spider card to pair with hers, I took her Old Witch, and she took my Skeleton card to pair with hers for the win. Kenchikka then went on to beat Kaito in the next round, avenging her loss.

I next went over to the Eyeball game. Chihiro had left to play Old Witch with Kenchikka, but Chiaki was there. We took turns on that for a while, with Chiaki never missing the win. I won about half the time, myself.

As I made my way to the pumpkin carving booth, Monorakun showed up. Looking at the time, it was 8pm.

"Alright, shitbags, it's time to announce the winners of the Costume Contest. My favorite three customers, and the reasons why. Is everyone ready?" Monorakun announced.

We all glanced at each other, unsure as to what was happening next.

"Alright, in third place is Kaito Momota, The Ultimate Astronaut!" Monorakun announces. "Who has...never...actually been to space yet."

Monorakun scratches his head, then continues. "Huh, how does that even work?"

Everyone looks at Kaito, who starts to say something, but is cut off my Monorakun.

"Anyway, while that's the truth, it doesn't really matter right now. Let's move on to the Runner-Up: Chihiro Fujisaki, who celebrates Halloween every day!"

Everyone looks, confused, at Chihiro, who looks equal parts confused and nervous.

"Wha...what do you mean?" Chihiro asked.

Monorakun chuckled, then approached him. "Well, that means that you're really a boy, who dresses like a girl, every day of the year!" Monorakun starts laughing.

Chihiro, meanwhile, turns pale as a ghost, eyes going wide. Her lips move, but nothing comes out.

"Hey, don't believe me, check under his skirt. If you find a vag down there, I'll let everybody go, RIGHT NOW!!" Monorakun continues!

Chihiro falls to her knees, crying and trembling. Kaede approaches her, kneels down, and gently asks, "Is it true?"

Chihiro, unable to speak, merely nods.

Suddenly, everyone's E-Handbook goes off at once, signaling an update. They all shut off, then reboot. Leon checks Chihiro's profile.

"Whoa! Dude, it says you're a boy now! The hell IS this?" Leon exclaims.

Kaito looks even more pissed, but is again cut off when he starts to yell at Monorakun.

"And now, our Costume Contest winner is... Akage Haikiko!" Monorakun proclaims, his arms spread wide as he faces...

...Me.

I feel numb, and I faintly realize my mouth is hanging open. How did this robot know my deadname? I haven't gone by Akage, or even breathed the name, since my surgery.

Monorakun continued speaking. "Not only did Akage dress like a girl, she USED to be a girl! Then she went and got Gender Reassignment Surgery and Hormone Replacement Therapy to become the Bera Haikiko you all know and love."

I wanted to throw up. I wanted to run. I wanted to crawl into a ball, in the middle of the floor, and die. I wanted to...

"So fucking what? What difference does any of this make?!"

That voice...that was Kaito!

Snapping myself out of my stunned state, Kaito was fuming, fists tightly clenched, glaring hard at Monorakun. "It doesn't matter what Bera is, or used to be. He's still a cool guy. And you know what? It doesn't matter if Chihiro's really a boy or a girl, either. He's still my sidekick, and I will ALWAYS have her back!"

Kaito reflects. "Well, I guess it's 'his' back now, but still!"

Leon, meanwhile looked disgusted at Chihiro. "So you mean this chick is really a boy? Totally not cool!"

Angie shrugs. "No difference to me. Atua loves us all, no matter what form we choose to take."

Celeste shakes her head sadly. "Looks like you two lost big on this one. I do no envy being either of you, Chihiro and Bera."

Kenchikka rolls her eyes. "Boy, girl, robot, computer program, don't care. Just don't be like Asshole Raccoon."

Sayaka, meanwhile, curiously asked, "So, what does this mean for Chihiro?"

Chihiro suddenly stood up and ran out of the Gymnasium, quietly sobbing. Kaito and I exchanged glances.

"I'll go check on Chihiro. You can handle things here, ok?" I instructed Kaito.

"Come back with duct tape, bind Asshole Raccoon's mouth shut," Kenchikka remarked.

I headed out of the Gymnasium, but don't see Chihiro anywhere. I could think of only two places he could have gone: his dorm, or the Computer Room.

Where is he? And is he ok?

Chapter Text

I decided to check Chihiro's room, as that is where I wanted to run and hide to, myself. After arriving at Chihiro's dorm, which was conveniently right next door to mine, I rang Chihiro's doorbell, still processing exactly what had just happened.

Was it true? Was Chihiro... really a boy this whole time?

After a while, Chihiro finally answered the door...in tears.

"B-Bera? Why are y-you here?" Chihiro stammered through tears. "Do you think I'm a f-freak?"

I shook my head. "No, of course not. If anything, I'm more of a freak than you are. Can I come in, please?"

Chihiro nodded and let me in, closing the door behind us.

Chihiro's room was full of computer programming hardware, with a computer that was disconnected from the internet (naturally). Chihiro had six monitors going at the same time, in two rows of three.

Chihiro turned to me. "What am I going to do? Do the girls hate me now? Do the boys want to beat me up?"

I give an honest answer. "Leon is a bit disgusted, but the others are more in shock than anything else, both at you and at me."

Chihiro nodded. "I hope Leon doesn't make fun of me."

An idea crossed my mind. "Hey, if you're truly a boy, maybe I can help you. I'm the Ultimate Tailor, so I can -"

I was interrupted by Chihiro's E-Handbook going off; someone had messaged him.

未来: You didn't think our little deal would come without strings attached, did you, Chihiro Fujisaki?

Chihiro's eyes went wide. 未来 did this on purpose?

Chihiro asked me, "But why? Why would he do this?"

"I don't think we should ask. 未来 could decide that's our one question for the night."

Chihiro nodded sadly, realizing I was likely right. "So, what should we ask now?"

I thought to myself, a few ideas coming to mind.

"What if we ask if they'll really stop this killing game if someone 'graduates' via the Class Trial?" I suggest.

Chihiro looked doubtful. "But the Rules already state this. Why would it lie?"

"Maybe we could ask if 未来 is physically in the building or not. Maybe they're on a higher floor or something. What do you think, Chihiro?"

Chihiro nods. "I think that question will work for tonight."

Chihiro Fujisaki: Are you anywhere, physically, in this building?

未来: No. Goodbye.

*未来 has left the Private Chat.

Chihiro glanced at me. "This means that 未来 isn't one of the students, right?"

I nodded, reaching the same opinion. "Whoever 未来 is, I think we can safely rule them out as a student."

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, true."

Chihiro's face turned serious, almost scared, as he looked at me. "But...what do I do now? Everyone knows my secret."

I thought for a moment, and then an idea came to mind. "What if I mended your clothes? I can turn your skirts into shorts, and your white shirts into more of a T-shirt. I think your green jacket is probably fine."

Chihiro looked at his closet. "What about my Mary Janes? Can you change those, too?"

I frowned. "I haven't worked much with shoes. I'm sorry."

Chihiro looked disappointed in my response, but it was true. My mom never learned any cobbler or shoemaker work, so she couldn't teach me the art.

Chihiro and I talked for a while longer, mostly about Chiaki and Kaito. Monorakun then appeared, after a brief conversation, he agreed to unlock Chihiro's closet early, in exchange for his current costume.

I went into the bathroom so he could change into his PJs, and after Chihiro surrendered his costume, Monorakun unlocked his closet. As I took my leave I took his clothes with me, so I could mend them all for him for tomorrow.

I dropped off his clean clothes at my dorm room, next door to Chihiro's, then took his dirty clothes to the Laundry Room to wash and dry them.

After a half hour washing them, and about 45 minutes drying them, I returned the clothes to my dorm room. Looking at the clock, it was 11:30pm. The Nighttime alert went off about an hour and a half ago, while I was still talking with Chihiro and Monorakun in his room.

I separate the clothes into sections, and focus on his white shirts and his skirts. Getting my sewing kit, I start mending Chihiro's skirts into shorts first, just like I had once done with my own when I abandoned being... her. (Sorry, even if Monorakun deadnamed me last chapter, I still refuse to utter that name.)

I followed that with the white shirts, carefully shortening the large collar. Upon reflection, I decided to leave the sleeves long, as they went with his jackets better that way.

It was past midnight when I was finished, but I still needed to give Chihiro his clothes back. After carefully examining everything I mended, ensuring that no thread was left loose, and every collar was evened, I returned to Chihiro (who I had woken up), to return him his clothes.

I then returned to my dorm, leaving a Group Message to everyone that I stayed up late last night, busy on a project, and I would be sleeping in a bit because of it.

Monorakun's 7am alert went off, with an additional announcement that our closets were now unlocked, and we could wear our normal outfits again. I decided to sleep in a little longer, as I was still tired.

Around 9:15am, I decided to get up and get dressed. To my relief, my Raggedy Andy costume was gone, and my closet door was now unlocked, allowing me to dress in my normal clothes for the day.

After I got dressed in my usual blue shirt, navy blue jacket, black hakama, and black boots.

As I went to leave my dorm room, my eyes went wide as I remembered something.

In the excitement of yesterday's events, I forgot to take my weekly Masculinizing Hormone Therapy shot!

I quickly headed into the bathroom, removing my hakama to prepare my left thigh. I did my right thigh last week, and I like to alternate from week to week.

I used an alcohol swab to prep the area, then grab the single-use needle. Carefully removing the cap while sitting on the toilet seat, I take a few deep breaths before injecting the treatment into my thigh, then disposing the needle into the sharps container that Monorakun had given to me.

After putting a Band-Aid over the shot location, I put my hakama back on and left my dorm room, heading to the Dining Hall to get something to eat.

As I turned the corner, my eyes went wide. Kenchikka was leaning against the wall, holding her head and stumbling. She wasn't bleeding, though, and I didn't see an obvious injury, either.

"Chikka! Are you ok?" I asked, concerned.

"Vertigo," Kenchikka responded. "Dizzy spell. Going to dorm room. Care to help?"

Nodding, I offered my hand, and she took it. We managed to make it to her dorm room, first door on the right down the Girl's Hallway. She invited me in, and I accepted.

"Thanks. Side effect from TBI. Will be ok," Kenchikka assured me.

Looking around Kenchikka's dorm room, there were map drawings of the Dorms area, the First Floor, and the Second Floor on one of her walls. Written in lighter pencil was dimensions of rooms and hallways. She had put a lot of detail and thought into the maps, even carefully drawing out the Courtyard's fountain in detail.

Feeling hopeful, I asked Kenchikka, "Have any info on the other floors?"

Kenchikka looked at me oddly. "No access. Locked gate, remember?"

Oh, yeah. I felt like an idiot.

Looking around, I also saw a rather unique Monorakun plushie. It was sitting down, grinning, with its normal black right eye and black/white color scheme. However, two things immediately stood out to me.

One, this Monorakun had a jagged green eye instead of his normal red one. It looked like that was part of the design.

And two, it had a screwdriver driven between its eyes. That... definitely wasn't.

"Asshole Raccoon's homecoming present. Heard everyone got one. Kaito had Photoshopped picture, him in space. Sayaka had poster on wall, performing with group. Unsure about others."

I nodded, debating whether to share what mine was or not. Meanwhile, Kenchikka continued.

"So, is true? You, a boy, born a girl?"

I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. My deepest, darkest fear was thrown out in the open yesterday, and now I would be forced to face it with the others, starting with Kenchikka.

Finally, I nodded. "Yeah. It's true."

To my surprise, Kenchikka merely shrugged. "Hmm, ok. Whatever." She barely seemed to care.

My eyes were drawn to her prosthetic green eye, which never moved, always fixed in one spot.

Kenchikka must have noticed. "Curious about green eye?"

I jumped, not meaning to stare, and blushed, looking down in shame. "Sorry."

Kenchikka shook her head. "Don't be. Is natural to be curious."

I took another deep breath. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

Kenchikka sighed, as if she had told this story countless times before.

"Was on construction site, dealing with idiot foreman. Tearing down wrong building, too soon. Suddenly, ceiling collapse on me and him. Metal beam fall from ceiling, hit us both in head. Foreman forget protocol, not wear helmet, brain go splat. I had helmet, smash me in left side of head, knock me out. Helmet crack, but save life."

My eyes went wide. Kenchikka almost died? I couldn't believe it!

She continued. "Wake up in hospital bed. Massive headache. Nurse comes in, does standard tests, looks concerned. She gets doctor, doctor comes in, tells me left eye not responding to light. I close right eye, see nothing. Blind. Doctor says I need surgery, prosthetic eye, suggests regular glass eye."

So Kenchikka lost her eye to a work injury?

"I declined, stated glass eye could be occupational hazard. Could fall out, fall into machinery, get stepped on. Preferred more permanent solution, ocular implant."

"Ocular implant? What's that?" I asked, curious.

Kenchikka responded, rather matter-of-factly, "Surgical procedure. Attach to back of orbital socket. Designed not to move, ever. Expensive, but Workman Comp, insurance agree to pay."

I nodded, relieved, but Kenchikka looked disappointed. "Wanted vision from ocular implant. Regular vision, X-ray, night vision, infrared, UV, heat, anything. Denied, too expensive, not medically necessary. Pity."

"Sorry to hear that," I lamented, but Kenchikka waved me off.

"No need. Not your fault. Physical therapy followed, adjusted to lack of depth perception. Missed foreman's funeral. Dipshit."

We talked for a little bit longer, then  I took my leave of Kenchikka, as another migraine was coming, and she wanted to try to sleep it off.

Sadly, someone else would be taking a nap soon, too...

A permanent one.

Chapter Text

I left Kenchikka's dorm and decided to see what Theo was up to. I still had no idea what his Ultimate talent was, and I wondered if he found anything out here. I messaged him in Private Chat, and discovered he was in his dorm room, reading a book from the Library. He invited me over, and I accepted.

Once inside, I looked around Theo's dorm, which aside from a British flag, was surprisingly void of decorations. I did notice what appeared to be a British birth certificate, with a shield-like emblem at the top and another, round one at the bottom right. However, it was completely blank.

"That empty certificate was awaiting me upon my arrival," Theo said, somewhat disappointed. "I fear it has not made things any easier on me."

Curious, I asked, "Have you been able to discover anything about your Ultimate talent?"

Theo shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. I know nothing more than I did before, I'm afraid. Worse still, I find myself in a bit of a pickle with the others."

"Hmm? What do you mean, Theo?" I asked.

"Well, dear Bera," Theo responded, "I must make a confession to you. You see, Theo... is not my true name. In fact, I do not know what my true name is. I have become so many people throughout my life, that I forget which one is really me, or if any of them are."

Huh? What? How did Theo not know who he was? Even I knew who I was, and I completely flipped genders during my lifetime! I didn't understand this.

"Do you mean you have amnesia or something? I don't understand," I comment.

Theo shook his head. "No, though I wish that was all it was. You see, I even lack fingerprints, so I cannot use those to determine my identity, either. It is as if my entire past is a fog, as if none of my past events were truly my own."

I looked at Theo, confused. "You really don't remember much about your past?"

Theo shrugged. "My friend, it is not that I don't remember much of my past. It is, indeed, that I remember too many pasts. Too many different lives I have led, trying to make a name of myself. Always, I would resort to using someone else's name, someone else's life instead."

Shrugging back, I offer up, "Maybe you're, like, the Ultimate Imposter or something?"

Theo chuckled. "What kind of talent would that be though? Yet, it seems fitting. Perhaps you are right, Bera. I suppose time will tell, after all."

Changing the subject, Theo turned to me. "How are you holding up? That was a rather nasty trick Monorakun pulled upon you and poor Chihiro."

I nodded, shuddering a little as I recalled the events of that party-turned-panic episode. "I'm doing ok. I came to terms with it years ago, I just don't like... thinking about... being her."

After closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I continued. "As for Chihiro, I'm actively helping him out. I just mended his clothes last night, in fact."

Theo's eyes lit up. "Really now? Do tell."

I told Theo about how I washed all of Chihiro's clothes, turning his skirts into shorts and removing the large white collar from his shirts before returning them to him.

Theo nodded approvingly. "Ah, very good, very good. It is good to see us working together, instead of trying to kill one another."

I started to respond, but my E-Handbook buzzed at me. It was a Private Message from Chiaki.

Chiaki Nanami: Would you like to join me in my dorm? I could use some company while I game, and the Electric Mage is not available.

Bera Haikiko: Sure. I can be there in a little bit.

Theo nods towards me. "If you must go, I understand. I must continue to use what resources are present, in an attempt to determine my true identity. Take care, Bera, and be safe!"

I took my leave of Theo, who left to head to the Library. Meanwhile, I made my way to Chiaki's dorm, and rang her doorbell. Chiaki answered it and invited me in.

Chiaki's room was full of gaming systems, from old-school Atari consoles, to the latest PlayStation and Xbox platforms. Each was hooked up to a large-screen TV mounted on the wall. Chiaki was sitting in a gaming chair, and had a second one inside for a second player.

Chiaki has me sit in one seat, and she sits in the other. We decide to turn on the Nantendo Switch 3D, and Chiaki put in Konkey Dong: The Banana Outage.

Chiaki played Konkey Dong, a male gorilla, and I played Dixie Dong, a female spider monkey. Dixie was smaller, but could reach areas that Konkey could not. Konkey, however, could destroy monsters that would harm Dixie.

It was a 3D Platform game where we had to work together to overcome obstacles, defeat enemies, and sometimes trigger objects at the same time to advance past gated locations.

Together, Chiaki and I navigated the platforms, defeated several bosses (including a rhino, an ostrich, and a giant rat), and found clues as to what had happened to all the bananas. We explored jungles, caves, an ocean, a desert, and finally a warehouse.

Inside the warehouse was all the bananas that had been taken from Konkey Dong's jungle, guarded by King Drool, a fat crocodile who is a longtime nemesis of Konkey Dong.

"King Drool is going to try to bite at me, and periodically charge the sides of the warehouse, causing the entire building to shake. If you're on the ground, we'll both get hurt," Chiaki mentioned.

I nodded in understanding.

"We'll be separated by a ceiling, so neither of us can get to the other. If either one of us goes down, we both lose a life, and we have to restart this boss fight," Chiaki continued.

I took a deep breath, realizing that if either of us failed our duties, we both lost.

King Drool roared and charged at Chiaki, who jumped over him. I jumped as well, avoiding the shockwave. I started running towards the opposite side of the warehouse, towards a large pile of boxes marked with a banana symbol.

While Chiaki dodged King Drool's ramming attacks and bites, I had to solve puzzles to open the crates. Afterwards, I had to push them to a chute to remove it, where it would slide down to a truck outside. We both had to jump when King Drool rammed either side of the wall, as it shook the entire warehouse, just like Chiaki said.

Eventually, after I got ten crates out, we managed to defeat King Drool, who looked up, saw the bananas were gone, and collapsed on the ground, crying over his lost banana horde.

Chiaki smiled as the victory credits played. "Great work, Bera. You did pretty well with those puzzles, too."

"Thanks, Chiaki." I was appreciative of her praise, coming from an Ultimate Gamer.

Chiaki excused herself to the restroom, so we decided to part ways. I left to go the Courtyard, to reflect on the last 24 hours alone.

When I arrived at the Courtyard, only Makoto was outside, and he was minding his own business at a bench. I sat at another bench, and just thought to myself.

Why would Monorakun seek out Chihiro and I? Is it because of Chihiro hacking his E-Handbook and discovering 未来? Is it because someone was plotting against us, and working with Monorakun to take us out? Is it another reason altogether?

No. I refused to blame Chihiro for anything. Even if he did hack his E-Handbook, he hasn't done anything to anyone, or told anyone anything. I couldn't bring myself to hold Chihiro responsible for what happened to us last night at the Halloween party.

What were the others' plans for getting out? Kaito had one idea. Kenchikka had another plan. Celeste's plot was something else, entirely. What was everyone else thinking, though?

Suddenly, I felt the urge to use the restroom. Looking at my E-Handbook, it was just after 4:30pm at this point. I left the Courtyard, noticing Makoto was gone as well. I headed to the Boy's Restroom, as it was closer than my dorm restroom.

Inside the restroom, I saw two bathroom sinks, two urinals, and two stalls with toilets. I also saw a pair of legs laying near one of the sinks. They were wearing sandals, and the shins were bare, but the rest of them was obscured by the sinks. The legs looked bruised or... something, however.

I moved off to the side, and I saw Yasuhiro laying there, with a rag and a large glass bottle, filled with a clear bottle. I could read "ntine" from this angle, but the rest was out of my line of sight. It stunk in here, too, and I quickly had to hold my nose.

Concerned for Yasuhiro, I went over and gently shook his arm.

To my horror, his body was no longer warm, like living-body warm. It was more like lukewarm now, and his arm felt pretty stiff.

Alarmed, I opened my E-Handbook, and got into the Group Chat.

Bera Haikiko: Yasuhiro's laying in the Boy's Restroom. I think he's dead.

Theo Poster: On my way.

Leon Kuwata: Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!

Celestia Ludenberg: It appears that one of us is trying to escape, using the rules given to us.

Kaito Momota: Celeste, shut up! We have no time for your nonsense right now!

Theo and Leon appeared within, and upon seeing Leon, an alert went off throughout the building.

"We've got three sets of eyes on a dead body. Everyone meet outside the Boys Restroom, now! I said OUTSIDE! Girls are not permitted within the Boy's Restroom, even during a Murder Investigation!"

So, Yasuhiro was dead, and girls aren't allowed in the Boy's Bathroom.

What does this mean?

Chapter Text

Everyone gathered outside of the Boy's Restroom, where Monorakun met up with me and the others.

"Alright, shitbags, here's the drill. I can't override the restrictions regarding girls in the boy's restroom, so even with a dead body in there, I can't allow girls inside. With that said, here's your Monorakun Report!"

Our E-Handbooks went off. A new message was under "Monorakun Files". I opened it up and read it.

"Victim: Yasuhiro Hagakure. Time of Death: 11:30am. Cause of Death: Being a dipshit."

"Huh?" Kaito asked. "How is THIS supposed to be a cause of death?"

He showed Monorakun his E-Handbook. "Whoops! That's not supposed to say that. Let me update it for you."

About 30 seconds later, the Monorakun File updated itself, and now reads:

"Victim: Yasuhiro Hagakure. Time of Death: 11:30am. Cause of Death: Extreme Facial. A bottle of turpentine was found near his body, along with a rag soaked with it. Traces of paint were found on the victim's face and neck. No visible injuries noted on the body."

"Alright, students, start your investigation! I'll call you when I think you're done, or whenever I get bored," Monorakun declared. "And girls, STAY OUT of that Boy's Restroom! That chaingun on the ceiling will make you dance, and NOT in a nice way!"

While the girls discussed what to do, Kaito, Leon, and Theo talked amongst each other.

"Bera got pretty embarrassed at the Halloween party. Maybe he did it, and is waiting to see who to pin it on!" Leon blurted out.

Kaito shook his head. "Yasuhiro towers over Bera, and has like 30 pounds on him. I don't think Bera's big enough, or strong enough, to kill Yasuhiro."

Theo pondered. "Be that as it may, Bera must still be considered a person of interest. Someone should question him. Meanwhile, I will examine the body."

Wait... They think I killed Yasuhiro? I mean, sure, he was annoying, but I would never!

Leon approached me. "Alright, dammit, let's do this. Where were you when Yasuhiro died? And please don't be a pain in the ass."

I answered him honestly about playing video games with Chiaki, before leaving to use the bathroom.

"And what did you see in the bathroom?" Leon inquired.

"Yasuhiro was laying on the ground, like he is now. I touched nothing."

Leon eyed me suspiciously, as if I was trying to hide something, but I merely shrugged.

Meanwhile, Theo was in the Restroom, looking over Yasuhiro. I saw something white stuffed in Theo's nose, which I assumed was toilet paper.

Knowing that turpentine is used to remove paint, I headed to the Art Room to check for clues, while Leon moved on to interrogate someone else.

In the Art Room, I found Kenchikka questioning Angie, while Celeste was examining a table, which contained paints, a few brushes, and a sheet of paper with smudges on it.

Not wanting to bother them, I went to look in the sink. The sink had traces of purple paint inside, and the cold water faucet had the same shade of paint on it, too.

"You WHAT?!"

Kenchikka seemed shocked by something. Turning around, I saw she was still talking to Angie.

"Atua saw that the soap was not working, and He recommended to me to have Yasuhiro use the turpentine on his face. Why? It removes paint."

Kenchikka cradled her face in her hands. "Yes. From walls, floors, ceilings."

She then looked at Angie. "Not faces!"

Angie shrugged. "Well, I helped him in the sink at first, but then Yasuhiro complained that he couldn't see what he was doing. I accompanied him outside the Boy's Restroom with the rag and turpentine, and then returned to the Art Room. I did not go inside the restroom, and Yasuhiro was alive when I left."

So, Angie was behind Yasuhiro using turpentine on his face, because some paint wouldn't come off. But Angie could not enter the Boy's Restroom. Plus, Angie claims that Yasuhiro was still alive when she last saw him... Does that mean someone was waiting for him in the restroom?

Leaving the Art Room, I started walking back to the restroom, but was intercepted by Leon again, who looked apprehensive of me.

"Yo, Bera! Gotta ask you some follow-up questions, alright?" This didn't come out as a question, but as more of a demand.

I shrug. "Sure, why not? What's up?"

"Well, what were you up to today, Bera?"

Wait... My alibi? Why am I being suspected?

"Well, I slept in because I was up late last night, mending Chihiro's clothing before returning them to him and going to bed."

Leon interrupted me. "Chihiro? You mean that dude who dressed like a girl?"

I didn't dignify that with a response. "Anyway, when I did get up, I went to talk to Theo in his dorm room. He was having a bit of an identity crisis, and just wanted to vent."

Leon seemed uninterested. "Ok, and then?"

"Then, after I left Theo's dorm, I saw Kenchikka staggering in the hallway, having a vertigo episode. I helped her to her dorm, and we talked for a while about how she got her injury and her prosthetic left eye."

Leon's eyes went wide in admiration. "Wow, you were there to rescue her? I'm jealous, dude. She's a real hottie, though that tongue is damn sharp on her."

Ignoring his praise, I continued. "She's lucky to be alive; I'll leave it at that. Anyway, after that, I got a message from Chiaki, wanting to play a Konkey Dong game with her. We eventually beat it, and then I left to use the Boy's Restroom. That's when I found Yasuhiro."

Leon thinks about my words. "Hmmmm... Sure, whatever." Leon then walked off, leaving me to return to the restroom.

As I arrived, Kenchikka was speaking with Celeste, which Chihiro was being questioned by Kaito. I found Chiaki, who was being questioned by Kaede. I validated her alibi, stating I was with her in her room, playing video games.

Finally, I went into the Boy's Restroom. The smell in there had subsided some, due to the door being jarred open by Monorakun himself. Theo seemed to be finished examining Yasuhiro, and seeing me approach, decided to speak with me.

"Keep a fair distance from the body, good sir," Theo warned. I put my hands up and stopped.

"I have made some progress with poor Yasuhiro here," Theo continued. "For one, the poor chap was truly a fool. Both of his hands, as well as his face, had turpentine on them, as well as a flannel he used to clean his face."

I cocked my head, confused. "A flannel? Like a flannel shirt?"

Theo chuckled. "No, sorry, my good boy. A flannel, like a face cloth. Usually, a small square towel, used on the face and hands?"

I nodded. "Ohhhh. Ok, yeah."

Theo resumed. "Anyway, I was also able to determine -"

"Alright, shitbags! Time's up! Everyone head to the Courtroom. We'll enter via the fountain steps, as we did last time. Move it!" Monorakun interrupted.

Theo didn't finish his sentence, and instead followed everyone else to the Courtyard. Once again, the fountain dried up and slid backwards, revealing the staircase.

Once again, we all descended down the stairs to the Courtroom.

Once again, we all took our places at our podiums, around the Courtroom.

And, once again, we had to bring a killer to justice, or die trying.

Chapter Text

Everyone took their places at their podiums, and Monorakun addresses us from his usual spot, above us.

"Alright, Yasuhiro Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant, couldn't foresee his own end. Or could he? That's for you to figure out. Let's go!"

I wondered Monorakun's words. "Or could he?" What did Monorakun mean by that?

Theo began speaking first. "My initial investigation revealed no bruises, broken bones, or major bleeding."

"Does this mean he wasn't attacked in the bathroom, then?" Chihiro asked.

Leon shook his head. "No, not necessarily. It just means he didn't, or wasn't able to fight back against whoever killed him in the bathroom."

Kaede, Kaito, and Kenchikka appeared to consider these words, while Chiaki asked a question.

"Was there any proof of anyone waiting inside the bathroom?" She asked.

Mukuro shook her head. "Not that I detected from the doorway, no."

Leon spoke up next. "Doesn't mean nobody was in there, though. Just means they left no proof, and didn't beat Yasuhiro to death."

"We haven't proven that no one was awaiting Yasuhiro in the bathroom yet, I think." Chiaki reminded us.

Sayaka, Kaede, and Kaito agreed. Kenchikka had a doubtful look on her face, though she said nothing.

"So, established only boys can enter. Therefore, gather every boy's alibi," Kenchikka stated.

Kaito stepped up first. "I spent most of the day with Celeste, debating over -"

Celeste cut him off. "That's quite enough, Kaito. Yes, you were with me most of the day."

Chihiro claimed to be working on a computer program, but no one actually saw him.

"Well, Leon was talking to me in the Gym about Sayaka and Kaede," Makoto volunteered next.

"Hey, man! You said that would stay between us!" Leon complained. "But yeah, Makoto's right. We were in the Gym most of the day."

Theo spoke up next. "Well, Bera here visited me in the morning, and we had a nice chat. Afterwards, I spent most of the afternoon pondering our situation here."

I went over my day, from talking to Theo (validating his alibi), to meeting Kenchikka in the hallway, to playing video games with Chiaki.

Celeste nodded, "So the only males without airtight alibis, for the entire day, would be Theo and Chihiro, it would seem."

Theo and Chihiro exchanged glances. Could it really be one of them? Something within me doubted it.

Kaede shook her head. "I don't think Chihiro's anywhere near big enough to take on Yasuhiro by himself."

Everyone else agreed, including Chihiro.

Our attention turned to Theo, but a problem arose immediately.

"Someone Theo's size, would leave bruises, blood, injuries. Yet, Theo says, none. Anyone prove this?" Kenchikka asked.

Leon spoke up. "Yeah, Theo let me in, in case someone questioned his search. There were no signs that Yasuhiro fought with anyone."

"Sounds like that would eliminate Theo, then," Makoto concluded.

Kaito and Kaede nodded in agreement.

"So, no injuries from fighting. What about turpentine?" Kenchikka asked.

Theo nodded. "Turpentine, while useful in painting, is hazardous to your health. It can cause breathing problems, nausea, and vomiting when inhaled, and can greatly irritate the skin as well. There's also very little ventilation in the Boy's Restroom."

Leon nodded. "So the turpentine could be our weapon here, along with that cleaning rag. Where did it come from?"

"From the Art Room, of course!" Angie spoke up. "I'm the one who gave it to him!"

We all froze and looked at Angie. What did she just say?

Angie continued. "Yasuhiro and I were painting in the Art Room today. We spent most of the day together, in fact."

Leon's eyes went wide. "Did you just admit to killing Yasuhiro? You IDIOT!!"

Angie, however, laughed cheerfully. "Oh, no. He went to the Boy's Restroom. And girls aren't allowed in there, remember? Even Atua won't let me go in."

Celeste spoke next. "Perhaps he realized he was too stupid to live anymore, and choose to smother himself in the restroom, taking his own life?"

Kenchikka cocked her head at Celeste. "You mean suicide? Yasuhiro offed himself? Hmmmm..."

Could it be possible that Yasuhiro, either intentionally or accidentally, ended his own life in the Boy's Restroom? We had to consider this option.

Angie continued. "I was showing Yasuhiro some of Atua's work with face painting. Afterwards, I helped him wipe off the paint off his face with soap and water, but that wasn't getting most of the paint off. So we tried a bit of turpentine, but then he complained that he couldn't see what I was doing, and he wanted to do it himself. So I gave him the rag and turpentine, and told him that he was welcome to clean off his own face. He left the Art Room with the turpentine and rag I gave him, and I decided to follow him to the Boy's Restroom."

"What? Why?" I asked Angie. "You can't go inside to help him."

"Atua thought Yasuhiro might do something foolish on the way there, so He thought I should accompany him. I waited for him outside for a while, but decided to leave after a few minutes."

I had nothing else to ask at this point, but Leon did, as he glared at Theo.

"Did anyone else show up while you were waiting on him, Angie?" Leon nearly shouted at her.

Angie shook her head. "Nope. Just me, Yasuhiro, and of course Atua, who is always with me."

Most of us ignored the Atua part, focusing instead on Angie admitting that no one else came up to Yasuhiro in the restroom, while she was there.

"Alright," Makoto resumed. "So between the time Yasuhiro arrived at the restroom and Angie left, no one showed up. So that means, if nobody was waiting in the restroom for Yasuhiro, then -"

"Then Yasuhiro used the turpentine and... accidentally... killed himself?" Chihiro asked.

I had to admit, it made sense. Angie would not have been permitted to enter the Boy's Restroom, and it appeared that Yasuhiro used the turpentine on himself, foolish as that may have been.

Kenchikka didn't seem convinced, though. "Hmmm. Still, Angie used turpentine on Yasuhiro, encouraged him to use in bathroom. Could be... technicality?"

This got us thinking, too. It was true that Angie used the turpentine on Yasuhiro's face, after the soap and water failed. It was also true that Angie encouraged Yasuhiro to go to the Boy's Restroom to use the turpentine on his face, himself.

Did this account to murder, though? It reminded me of that girl who was sending text messages to her boyfriend, and convinced him to cease living. She was found guilty and sentenced to prison for murder.

But... did this fit here? Or was I stretching the comparison too far?

Makoto pondered. "Well, it seems we have two major options here. Either Angie's the Blackened, or Yasuhiro inadvertently killed himself. We need to figure this out, guys!"

Sayaka eagerly agreed. "He's right! We can do anything as long as we work together!"

Makoto looks up at Monorakun. "If a girl gives a boy something, and tells him to use it on himself, and he dies from doing so, does that make her the Blackened?"

Monorakun turned his head to look at Makoto. "Do you seriously expect me to answer that question?"

"Asshole Raccoon..." Kenchikka muttered under her breath.

"Monorakun has a point, though," Chiaki mentioned. "The Dungeon Master shouldn't reveal the ending of the quest before its due time."

So we would have to decide this for ourselves. I pondered to myself, while Leon and Kaito debated over... something. Honestly, I wasn't paying any attention.

If she suggested an item, and used it on him, then he left with the item to use it on himself (with her suggestion), is that considered suicide? Or assisted murder?

Returning to reality, Leon was arguing that Angie was the Blackened, for using the turpentine on him and suggesting he use it on himself in the bathroom. Kaito countered by saying that Yasuhiro could've stopped at any time, but didn't, essentially killing himself.

Seemingly realizing that the Class Trial was going nowhere anymore, Monorakun interrupted the two boys.

"Alright, enough! Unless anyone has any NEW evidence or testimony to introduce, I'm calling for a vote, NOW!!" Monorakun declared.

We all glanced at each other, eyes wide open. Was this really going to be it?

Chihiro wanted to speak, but was afraid to.

Kenchikka shrugged, having nothing to offer.

Kaito and Leon were staring each other down.

Theo was thinking things over, stroking his chin while glancing off to the side.

Sayaka and Kaede exchanged concerned glances.

Celeste smiled smugly to herself.

Chiaki seemed either lost in thought, or about to doze off.

Makoto and Mukuro were exchanging glances, then nodded at each other, as if agreeing to an unspoken term.

Angie seemed cheerfully oblivious to any of this.

No one, however, said a word.

"Well, I'm hearing nothing from anyone. Time to vote, then!" Monorakun announced.

Our podiums revealed the voting panel. Everyone (who were still alive) was shown on display. My eyes went to Angie, then to Yasuhiro, then back to Angie.

What should I believe? Was Angie truly the Blackened? Or was Yasuhiro the victim of an accidental suicide? Which made more sense?

With a deep breath, I decided to select Angie, and hope that majority rules would shine through.

After everyone had voted, a screen above Monorakun's podium turned on, revealing a Monorakun dealer holding a small deck of cards. He dealt them all face-up, revealing every surviving student in alphabetical order. Next, the dealer scooped them up and started shuffling the deck, cutting it every once in a while. After several rounds of this, the dealer put the deck on the table and flipped over the top card.

Angie Yonaga's face was on the card.

"Now, I will admit, this was NOT a unanimous vote. A few of you voted for Yasuhiro. But when someone uses an item on someone that is known to be dangerous, then encourages them to use it on themselves, and that something ends up killing them... Sorry, but the judge can't call that suicide."

Angie cocked her head, confused. "Why is my name there? I am merely a vessel through which Atua makes his will manifest."

Angie's eyes then lit up. "Ohhhhh. It's because you don't know what Atua looks like, so you use my face instead. I see, I see!"

Everyone else, meanwhile, was looking at Angie like she grew a second head.

"No, dipshit. Asshole Raccoon declare, you murder Yasuhiro. Not concerned?" Kenchikka nearly spat back at Angie.

Angie smiled, holding her hands to the side. "Nope! Of course not! While Yasuhiro's demise was unexpected from me, it just means Atua took him for a greater purpose. And soon, I will join Atua too! Nyahahahaha!"

...What? Had Angie lost her mind?

Angie then turned to Monorakun. "Now, Atua knows that you must end my life, but He has one request, if He may?"

Monorakun's red eye began to glow, but then it faded out. "I'm listening."

"Back at home, we would have blood sacrifices. While these are usually non-fatal, Atua understands the situation, and grants you permission to take all of my blood, on the grounds that you donate it to the Crimson Rood. Do you accept these terms, Monorakun?"

Wait a minute. Was Angie... trying to negotiate the terms of her own execution?

Can she even do that? And even if she could, would Monorakun accept her request? He certainly was under no obligation to.

Monorakun's eye glowed bright red as he stood up from his little throne. He did not look amused.

"You seriously expect me to just let you choose your own death, after all the hard work I put into its setup?" Monorakun sneered.

Monorakun's red eye began flickering erratically for nearly a minute. After a while, the eye returned to normal.

"Hmmmm. It seems your blood type, A, is actually in high demand right now. I suppose I can accept your request. Alright, now it's time -"

Angie, to everyone's surprise, stepped away from her podium as everyone started to spin, and walked towards the Execution Doors herself, a smile on her face and a spring in her step.

"No need to send the chain for me, Monorakun. Atua is waiting for me, and He would be disappointed in me if I kept Him waiting!" Angie explained.

Kenchikka looked up at Monorakun. "Just donate blood, right? Not brain?"

Monorakun chuckled. "Just blood."

The Execution Doors opened after the roundtable spun to where Angie's spot was facing them. There was a gurney with two Monorakuns in nurse outfits and hats, one on either side, awaiting Angie. As we departed our podiums, Angie walked up to the gurney and laid down on it. A gate closed between Angie and the rest of us, and a sign dropped down, in white with red lettering.

"Angie Yonaga's Execution: Blood Drive"

One Monorakun nurse prepared a device that connected two empty blood bags to a Y-tube, with a switch that appeared to direct the blood flow to one bag or the other. At the other end was a needle, which would be inserted into Angie's arm, most likely.

The other nurse moved Angie's sleeve up from her arm, then placed her arm onto a part of the gurney before strapping it down. She applied something to the inside of Angie's arm, then stuck the needle in.

As we watched, the blood began flowing into one bag, much like you would see at a Crimson Rood blood drive. Angie was calm, almost smiling even, and silent.

However, as the first bag filled up, the second nurse flipped the switch, causing the second bag to fill up. The nurse then removed the first bag, placing it into a white cooler with a red plus sign on it, and replaced it with an empty blood bag.

As the bags continued to be swapped out, Angie's eyes became dazed, and her mouth started to droop a bit, and she started to move her head side to side.

This escalated to Angie starting to sweat more, and she began to groan, her eyes shut tightly. It appeared as if she was suffering from a headache, and she was starting to look pale, but the nurses paid no mind to her condition.

Finally, Angie's head slumped backwards, as she appeared to lose consciousness, and her normally-tan skin began to get seriously pale.

Still, the nurses didn't stop drawing her blood, switching between filling up one side of the device and the other, until finally, there was no more blood going to the bag.

Angie Yonaga had departed, reunited with Atua in spirit.

Somehow, this wasn't as shocking to me as watching Hifumi die. Maybe it was because Angie embraced it with open arms, or because she looked so peaceful in death. Maybe it was because she truly believe she was going to Atua, to serve a greater purpose.

Either way, Angie was dead now.

We had arrived at this horrible place on 10/26. It was now 11/1. In the span of six days, four of us were already dead.

What was happening to us? And why?

Chapter Text

After the remainder of us students recovered from Angie's execution, we ended up returning to the Dining Hall to process what just happened. Angie had helped Yasuhiro get paint off his face, using turpentine, and encouraged him to go to the Boy's Restroom to finish the job... and himself off.

This, to Monorakun, amounted to assisted murder and Angie's subsequent execution.

While we wrapped our heads around it, we ate dinner together. None of us particularly had an appetite, but we knew we couldn't skip dinner either. I made myself a chicken sandwich with tartar sauce on top, and finished about two thirds of it before discarding the rest. I took my root beer with me as I left the Dining Hall.

As I drank my root beer and listened to music on my E-Handbook, I started sketching out ideas for Chihiro. I wanted to make him some outfits that would help him feel more masculine, but not too uncomfortable either. I would have to run some ideas by him, as well, but I wanted to get some rough sketches done. I created an outfit with a T-shirt and shorts; another with a T-shirt and denim pants; a third with a T-shirt and some light, breathable sweatpants. I liked how Chihiro would look in a T-shirt, and thought that would fit him well.

After several hours of sketching in the notebook provided to me, I decided to get some rest. The 10pm alert had gone off a while ago, but I was too busy to care.

I eventually fell asleep after a while, and dreams of my past haunted me.

We had been home from my surgery for maybe a month or two, and my father was... well, being my father again. No nicer way to put it.

"Just because I took us to San Francisco to turn that tomboy into a pseudo-boy, doesn't mean that I have to actually accept him as a boy now," Henkutsuna sneered at my mom.

"What do you mean? How could you not support our own child?" My mom, Shitateya asked back.

"The hell do you think I mean? We used to have a girl. Now we have... that thing!"

"That 'thing' is our son, our own child! How dare you!" My mom was getting angry.

"I did the surgery, the therapy, all of it, just to get Akage off my -"

"His name is Bera!" My mom corrected my father.

"Whatever!" My father shouted back.

Fourteen-year old me, meanwhile, just sat on my bed, my head on my knees. I didn't understand why they fought so much, even after my father approved everything.

"Why are you so mean to him," my mom finally asked.

"Because... because Bera is an embarrassment to this family! She whined, she begged, she pleaded to be a boy. It was between giving her what she wanted, and listen to this for another four or so years, and I was DONE WITH IT!!"

It felt like someone had punched me in my gut. My father never approved of me? He disliked me as a girl, but now he hates me even more as a boy?

But why? I never did anything wrong. I never really got into trouble or anything. I kept my grades up, as best I could. I never talked back to my parents. Even my mom supported me after I went from being Akage the girl, to Bera the boy.

Why did my own father hate me so much? I started crying softly, not wanting him to hear me weep.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

Monorakun's 7am alert woke me up. Stretching, I got up and got dressed. It was now November 2nd, a full seven days since I was first trapped in here. I would have to get laundry done soon, and decided I would do it later this afternoon.

I meet the others for breakfast, where they are discussing who is going with who to explore the newly unlocked Third Floor.

Sayaka, Makoto, and Mukuro teamed up together.

Theo, Chihiro, and Chiaki formed a trio.

Celeste, Kenchikka, and Kaito joined up.

That left me with Kaede and Leon.

"Yo, Kaede! Let's head upstairs together!" Leon called out, as Kaede looked at me.

"Hey, Bera? Want to join us?" Kaede asked.

"Sure!" I responded, to Leon's disappointment, but I pretended not to notice it.

Together, we walked up the stairs to the Second Floor, with me and Kaede in the front, and Leon a few steps behind us.

As we walked, Kaede looked over at me. "You've never talked much about your school. What was it like?"

I gulp nervously. "You mean as..."

"As you are now, of course. Bera Haikiko, the Ultimate Tailor boy."

I sigh. "Well, most of the girls ignored me, and the boys thought I had a girly-looking face, so they didn't care much for me either. I never really had many friends growing up, and even my own father hated me."

I look at Kaede sorrowfully. "I think the only true friend I've had in my life is my mom."

Leon spoke up from behind. "Really? That sucks, man. I've had friends from all over!"

Kaede nodded in agreement. "Yeah, really! People would flock from all around to hear my piano playing!"

I shrug, unable to relate to having people wanting to be around me.

"So, do you ever make clothing for other people? Or do you just mend?" Kaede asked, curiosity in her eyes.

I think for a moment, standing at the top of the Second Floor stairs. "I've only had Chihiro ask me to make him anything before. Before that, I only made clothes for myself."

Kaede nodded to herself. "Interesting."

Leon, meanwhile, changed the subject. "Hey, I wonder what's up on this Third Floor! Think there's anything useful to get out of here?"

I shrug, having my doubts but not wanting to bring anyone down.

As we ascend the newly-unlocked Third Floor Stairs, we walked a short distance before reaching a T-intersection. Ahead of us were windows to the Courtyard, on our left, and another corner, so we turned left and headed towards a room marked "Dance Room."

Inside the Dance Room were mirrors along one side of the wall, presumably so the instructor could keep tabs on everyone. The floor was made of hardwood, likely maple, and looked freshly polished as well.

There were also a few moveable horizontal poles, almost like long hurdles, lined up against a wall. I remembered seeing ballet dancers use these for balance while attempting various poses. I forgot what they were called, though.

Also inside was a sound system, with speakers on all four corners of the room. A stereo was near one corner, likely with pre-programmed dance music installed on it.

Sayaka, Mukuro, amd Makoto were in here, looking around. Sayaka looked excited, while Makoto and Mukuro looked only casually interested.

"Sick stereo system," Leon commented. "The rest of this looks boring, though."

"Boring?" Sayaka asked. "It's not boring in here at all! Dancing is great exercise, plus I could work on some new dance moves for future performances once I get out of here."

"There's no place to hook up a piano in here," Kaede lamented. "A real shame; I could play some classical music for ballet, or something jazzy for tap dancing."

Makoto and Mukuro just glanced at each other, with Makoto moving closer to Mukuro.

Shrugging, we moved on to the next nearby room, labeled "Shop Room." Within was a variety of large machinery: band saws, table saws, sanders, and other items. There was also machinery along one wall for cloth materials: a large sewing machine, a seam sealing machine, a bonding machine, and an ironing machine.

There were metal materials on one side, and inside a cabinet, there were cloth materials: Sheets of denim, silk, lace, cotton, polyester, leather, and other materials as well.

This would be ideal for making Chihiro a new outfit that he could truly call his own! My eyes went wide as I gazed around the room.

Chihiro, Chiaki, and Theo came in behind us. As the six of us looked around, Chihiro noticed the sewing machines and fabrics.

"Yo! This room looks right up your alley, huh?" Leon commented, noticing my excitement.

I nodded eagerly. "Yeah! I could do so much in here!"

Chihiro looked up at me, hope in his eyes. "Think you could even make something new for me in here?"

I considered the equipment in here, then nodded. "Yeah, I think with some time, I could do it. We can talk about that later, get some ideas."

"Oh wow! Thanks!" Chihiro looked really happy.

Kaede, meanwhile, had already left the room, so we moved on to the next room, which had a sign labeled "Track Room." Checking it out, there was a large track taking up the entire room, with banked corners so you can maintain your speed as you run.

Leon looked a little interested in this room, but neither Kaede nor I did, so we kept walking.

We reached another intersection, where there was a Chemistry Room to our right, and a Dojo straight ahead.

"Let's check out the Chemistry Room," Kaede suggested.

Leon and I both agreed, so I followed them both into the Chemistry Room.

Within was a variety of science beakers, tubes, hoses, and other chemistry equipment. Also, there were closed racks of various chemicals, vitamins, minerals, and...

Poisons. Lots of poisons.

"Oh, shit." Leon looked nervous upon seeing this room.

Celeste, closing a cabinet door, glances over at us. "Indeed. This room could present problems for some."

She then thinks for a few moments, then resumes. "For others, an opportunity?"

I looked at Celeste nervously. What did she mean by that?

Kaede looked uneasy as well, glancing around the room.

"Celeste, dammit, I told you not to start with that shit again!" Kaito reprimanded Celeste.

"No time for bickering. Search room, share discoveries. Fight later." Kenchikka barked at the both of them.

Wanting no further part of this room, we made a hasty exit from the Chemistry Room and went to check out the Dojo instead.

Within was a sparring area, along with punching bags, speed bags, punching mitts, a few training dummies, and punching bags and foot gear for sparring with live opponents.

"Sure wish I could drag Monorakun in here and beat the crap outta him!" Leon stated.

"Violence against Monorakun violates the rules," a familiar voice warned from behind us.

Turning around, Monorakun was standing there.

Leon wisely decided to shut up for once.

"So, this is the Third Floor," Monorakun continued. "Enjoy the facilities, and worry not, Bera. I replenish the supplies daily, so use what you need in the Shop Room."

Well, that was a relief. If I needed more materials, I just had to come back tomorrow.

My E-Handbook went off. Taking a look, there was a message from Chihiro. While Kaede had Monorakun's attention, I read the message.

"Where were you last night? I need to talk to you about the question last night."

I wasn't sure what he was talking about. What question? What did he...

My eyes went wide open, as I suddenly realized what Chihiro meant.

I needed to speak with him at once!

Chapter Text

I quickly sent a reply to Chihiro via Private Chat.

Bera Haikiko: Where should we meet up?

Chihiro Fujisaki: At my dorm, in half an hour. I have to share what he said last night.

Thirty minutes later, Chihiro and I were at his dorm. He opened his E-Handbook, where a conversation between Chihiro and 未来.

未来: So, it's just Chihiro? No Bera?

Chihiro Fujisaki: Yes, it's just me tonight.

未来: Very well. Ask your question, per our agreement.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Do you gain anything from us being trapped in here?

未来: Yes. Sometimes. Goodbye.

*未来 has left the chat.

My eyes widened. Something is gained from us being in here? Sometimes? What could that mean?

Chihiro looked at me, concerned. "What do you think they could gain from us being here?"

I shrugged, having no idea.

Chihiro and I just stared at each other, wondering what this all meant. But neither of us had any more of a clue than the other.

I had walked into Chihiro's room concerned, and left his room with more questions than answers.

As I returned to my dorm room, still processing what Chihiro revealed to me, another message came in via Private Chat, this time from Kenchikka.

"Hey. Meet me in my dorm room. I've got a question for you about the Shop Room."

Wait... Was this really Kenchikka? But her speech was usually broken up. I didn't understand, but I decided to make my way there anyway.

I knocked on Kenchikka's door, and she opened it after a few moments.

"Greetings. Come in!" Kenchikka greeted me.

I let myself in, then looked at Kenchikka, confused. "Your message... It was... -"

Kenchikka sighed, looking annoyed. "Let me guess, grammar? Traumatic Brain Injury not affect typing, just speech."

I cocked my head, even more confused. "Really? How does that work?"

Kenchikka closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You know Ozzy? Famous musician, singer? Hear him sing, sounds amazing. Hear him talk, mashed potato mouth. Similar thing with me."

I nodded, finally understanding.

Kenchikka continued. "Usually, use text-to-speech, helps prevent people from think, I fake my speech for attention. Not true, don't enjoy sounding like this. But, can't help it. Stupid TBI."

Kenchikka continued. "Anyway, text-to-speech doing update, can't use it yet. Had to type. Had question about Shop Room. Thinking, you work with Chihiro, Sayaka, Kaede on outfits, correct?"

I nodded, surprised. "How did you know?"

Kenchikka smirked. "Sayaka, Chihiro tell me. Anyway, if free time obtained, maybe make me jacket? Arms get cold sometimes. Asshole Raccoon denies request for jacket."

I nod. "Yeah, I think I can do that for you. Should help keep my mind busy, too."

"Thanks."

I left Kenchikka's dorm room, and decided to head back to my dorm room to do some more sketches. I decide to message Kenchikka again.

Bera Haikiko: I'm going to need your measurements before I make anything. Can I get them after dinner tonight?

Kenchikka Kowareta: No problem. Remind me after.

I put on "Use Once and Destroy" by Dawn of Ashes on my E-Handbook while I draw sketch after sketch, design after design.

Around 3:45pm, I get a private message from Kaito.

Kaito Momota: Hey, Bera, I'm not sure if I should mention this to anyone, but can you keep a secret?

I cock my head. What could Kaito be talking about here?

Bera Haikiko: Sure. What's up?

Kaito Momota: I just saw Mukuro disappear under the floor in front of the First Floor stairs. I think there's some sort of secret floor or basement or something underneath us, but I can't figure out how she got down there.

My eyes went wide. There was another, undiscovered floor underneath us? What was down there? And, more importantly, why couldn't Kaito figure out how to access it, but Mukuro could?

Kaito Momota: I don't know about you, but I'm gonna ask her later how she gets down there. She may be scary, but the only way to find the truth is to confront Mukuro head-on!

I, honestly, thought this was a terrible idea, but telling Kaito this would have been pointless.

Bera Haikiko: Do what you need to do, but be careful, ok?

Kaito Momota: Heh, there's no need to worry! Of course it's gonna be a little dangerous, but we've got each other's backs, right?

I wasn't sure how to react to that. Hifumi didn't have Sonia's back when he murdered her. Celeste doesn't seem to have anyone's back, either.

Kaito Momota: Hey, look, I gotta go. I'll come talk to you later, alright?

Bera Haikiko: Sure. See ya later!

I then put my E-Handbook down and started sketching out some jacket ideas for Kenchikka until 6pm hit, then headed to the Dining Hall to see what the others had in mind for dinner.

Theo made spaghetti and meatballs, with garlic bread, for everyone. We ate in relative silence, with the exception of Kaito and Kaede trying to improve spirits amongst the group, with mixed results. While Chihiro, Chiaki, Sayaka, and Kenchikka seemed to appreciate it, the others either focused on eating, or in Celeste's case, actually bristled at their cheerfulness.

Afterwards, I asked Kenchikka to follow me to my dorm for measurements, which she agreed to. I got her measurements, recorded them in my E-Handbook's Notes section, and wrote them down.

"Thanks. Also, like this particular design, Bera. Denim's durable, yet not suffocating. Sleeves are good length, trunk not too short. Zipper, buttons, no difference to me. Whichever's easier."

"Alright, I'll bear that in mind, Kenchikka. Thanks for your input."

Kenchikka left my room, and I started a new sketch, with Kenchikka's input fresh in my mind. I did two sketches total; one with a zipper front, and one with a button-up front.

"Attention everyone! It's now 10pm, which means it's Nighttime. The Dining Hall, Trash Room, and Pool doors are now closed and locked, and the water has been shut off to the facility at this time. Get some rest, and see you all in the morning!"

The 10pm alert went off, as it did every day at this time. I decided to get ready for bed. Despite usually being a morning shower person, I decided to take one this evening, before bed. I turned on "Angels" by Dawn of Ashes as I showered, making sure the Repeat 1 option was turned on. I like listening to the same song over and over while I'm showering or studying, instead of worrying about what song's coming up next and playing the "Skip, Skip, Play" game.

After my shower, I slipped into my PJs, put away my notebook and sketches, and then turned off my lights and finally turned in to bed.

I planned on spending the next morning, after breakfast, working on Kenchikka's jacket. Then, I planned on getting more ideas from Chihiro about a potential new outfit.

My plans, however, would be shot to Hell.

Almost literally.

Chapter Text

After breakfast, I decided to return to Kenchikka to see if she wanted to have that jacket made today.

"Sure. Doing nothing here anyway. Let's go," Kenchikka eagerly replied.

Together, we headed up to the Third Floor to the Shop Room. There, I took the measurements I had gotten from Kenchikka and began work on her new jacket.

While Kenchikka watched, I started cutting out each of the denim pieces I would need to create her jacket, according to the measurements I had already made.

"Very precise. Can tell you've done this before," Kenchikka commented.

"Yeah, though it's not too often that I get to make an entire jacket from scratch." I reply to her.

I take the individual pieces, turn them inside out, and start sewing them together using the sewing machine in the Shop Room. First, I pin the two pieces I'm sewing together. Then as I get closer to each pin, I pull it out so I can sew the two pieces together.

Kenchikka watched me sew the pieces together, one at a time, with interest. Sewing the sleeves onto the torso was the hardest part for me, as usual, but I got both sleeves on just fine.

Kenchikka made it a point to stay out of my light, as well, standing on the other side of the sewing machine so I could see better.

"Nice work. Looks hard to do," she commented, watching the pieces gradually come together.

"It can be, sometimes," I reply. "The trick is to keep your hands steady, and the pieces you're sewing together stable."

"Steady hands also needed for my job. Otherwise, bad lines, wrong measurements, place gets built wrong. Waste of materials, time, money, manpower." Kenchikka replied, nodding.

After I manage to get all of the pieces sewn together, I turned the jacket towards the front, so I could start working on securing the buttons on the jacket. Remembering that women's jackets have their buttons on the left side, I made sure to have to button slots on the right-hand side. I fastened the buttons in place and fastened each button, ensuring that each button was even with its respective slot.

"Buttons stay secured?" Kenchikka asked.

I pulled on several of them. They didn't budge.

"Good," Kenchikka commented. "No sense having buttons if just fall off."

Satisfied, I finished up the jacket, adding the reflective stripes along the back and the sleeves, before having Kenchikka try it on.

Kenchikka looks over the jacket, then tries it on, sliding in one arm before putting the other arm in. She buttons it up, then checks the length on the sleeves and the torso area.

"Nice fit. Sleeves feel good." Kenchikka bends over as if picking something up, minding her skirt. "Back doesn't ride up. Stays in place well."

Satisfied, Kenchikka nods her approval. "Thanks. Wish I could pay, but no money in here. Have to remedy that, somehow. Would offer Monocoins, but Monocoins joke, worthless."

I smiled, waving a hand to dismiss her need to repay me for this. "Thanks, Kenchikka, but you really don't need to pay me anything for it. I'm just happy that you like it. Really."

Kenchikka nodded, having nothing else to say.

Glancing at my E-Handbook, it was now pushing 7pm. While I was surprised to have the jacket done in one day, it was much later in the day now than I realized.

"Oh! Um, we should get downstairs for dinner," I suggested to Kenchikka as I put away the sewing materials and tools.

"Agreed. Lost track of time. Let's go. Thanks again," Kenchikka agreed, and we left the Shop Room together, heading back downstairs to the Dining Hall.

Only Theo, Leon, and Chihiro were left in the Dining Hall at this point.

I made Kenchikka and I some spaghetti, as it was one of the few things I knew how to cook. Afterwards, Kenchikka and I ate together, with only Theo remaining behind now.

"I see the two of you have been gone most of the day. Is that a new jacket I see, Kenchikka?" Theo inquired.

"Indeed. Bera spent most of day sewing it. Just finished tonight," Kenchikka answered him.

"Ah, I've noticed. Very nice craftsmanship, Bera. Very commendable, indeed." Theo seemed very happy with my newly created jacket, as did Kenchikka.

"Hey. Ummm... Bera?" Chihiro started to say, hesitantly.

"Yeah? What's up?" I asked him.

"I think I'm going to keep the clothes you mended for me, instead of making you sew me an entire outfit. I'm sorry." Chihiro looked like I would be upset with him.

"That's ok, Chihiro. I'm happy you like the clothes I mended for you." I smiled, actually happy that Chihiro liked my mending job.

"You're... you're not mad at me?" Chihiro looked at me, surprised.

"No, not at all!" I responded. "I'm happy you liked my work on your clothes!"

Chihiro seemed to relax a bit, and smiled back.

Theo nodded approvingly at our conversation, but said nothing, as he was focused on his meal.

Kenchikka, meanwhile, was already leaving, having finished her meal. "Headed back to dorm. See you tomorrow."

Chihiro, meanwhile, suggested that we try to reach out to 未来 again. While Theo left the Dining Hall for the Kitchen to put his silverware and plate away, Chihiro tried to contact 未来.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Hello?

未来: You are not in your dorm yet. Goodbye.

"Well, that went nowhere," I lamented.

"Yeah, I guess we should have known better," Chihiro agreed. He quickly closed out of the Private Message.

"Well, lads, it's off to the Costume Room for me. Take care!" Theo left the two of us in the Dining Hall with a cheerful wave.

Taking the hint, we decided to head to Chihiro's dorm room and try to reach 未来 there. Naturally, 未来 seemed more inclined to speak to us now.

未来: State your question.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Are you a male?

未来: Yes. Goodbye.

So now we knew that 未来 was a male. While I wasn't certain if that was useful information or not, at least it was something useful to know about them.

"So, we're not dealing with an AI here," Chihiro commented. "This is a real person."

"Yeah, seems that way," I responded.

"Oh! Ummm... Thanks again for mending my clothes. They still fit me well, and they're comfortable too," Chihiro cheerfully praised. He opened his closet to show me how my mending held up with his clothing.

"Oh, no problem! I mean, after what Monorakun did to us both, I had to do something for you. It was nothing, really!" I responded. Granted, it took a large chunk of my night, but that wasn't Chihiro's fault.

Before Chihiro could say anything else, an alert came on over the monitor. The time on my E-Handbook showed 8:15pm, and Monorakun's face was on the screen.

"Attention, everyone! Return to your dorms at once! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is NOT a drill!"

Chihiro's eyes went wide. I quickly left his dorm room, and noticed Mukuro leaving her room nearby, with a gun in her hand.

How did she manage to get that? I guessed it was due to her being an Ultimate Soldier, but still... What was going on?

Against my better judgement, I ran after Mukuro, who was stopping and surveying around every corner, as if looking for someone. I said nothing, and just stayed out of the way.

Mukuro kicked open the doors dividing the Dorms from the First Floor, and I froze.

Mukuro and I were on one side of the Dorms double doors. On the other side of the T-intersection were the rest of our classmates, mostly terrified, along with Monorakun, who seemed to be trying to protect them. Only Kenchikka, Kaito, and Leon seemed more angry than scared.

And separating our two groups?

A man wearing all black, with a bulletproof vest, jacket, boots, gloves, and a helmet. Also, he had a gun trained on my classmates and Monorakun, who seemed to be trying to guard the students from him.

"Kossori Kakureta, Ultimate Infiltrator, you are not a student here. You are trespassing here. Leave, now!" Monorakun warned.

Kossori responded, but I couldn't make out what was said. He then raised his gun, aiming it towards Kaito, Leon, and Kenchikka.

Monorakun responded by lengthening his arms and legs via extending sections, becoming almost six feet tall.

"YOU WILL NOT HARM MY STUDENTS!" Monorakun nearly threatened back, positioning himself in front of the gun while still a good six to eight feet away from Kossori.

...What the hell was going on? Who was this Kossori Kakureta? And why was he threatening to kill us?

Chapter Text

Kossori Kakureta, the Ultimate Infiltrator, started speaking as he took careful aim at the students behind Monorakun.

"Sorry, buddy, but I've got a contract to fulfill. This game is over. Everybody loses. Including you."

"Over my very expensive parts!" Monorakun spat back. "Your very existence violates the rules of this place, and I refuse to let you harm a single student here!"

"Unfortunately for you, buddy, I didn't ask your permission," Kossori flatly replied, before returning his attention to the students behind Monorakun, who were making their way around the corner. However, Chihiro and I were too stunned to move, as we remained silent behind Kossori.

Kossori started firing off rounds at the students. Monorakun, to my surprise, put himself between Kossori's gun and the students, taking every shot into himself. Bullets rang off his paws, head, and torso, as he risked his body to keep the others safe.

Eventually, Kossori's gun ran out of bullets. As he went to switch to another gun, holstered on his thigh, Monorakun charged at him. Monorakun shrank his limbs back to their normal size before pouncing on Kossori's chest, clinging onto his chest armor. Kossori staggered back a bit, and Monorakun reached back, extending his claws, and stabbed him under the chin with them.

Kossori cried out in pain, stumbling backwards. Meanwhile, Monorakun reached back and slashed his claws across Kossori's throat, just above where his chest armor ended.

Kossori grabbed at his throat and went down in front of the Restrooms, just on the other side of the double doors, with Monorakun still on top of him. Kossori wrestled with the robotic raccoon, but Monorakun bit his hand and let his sawing motion activate on his jaws, seriously wounding Kossori's hands.

As the rest of the class watched, Monorakun slashed and bit at Kossori's neck and hands, managing to get his right glove off. Blood started pooling around Kossori as Monorakun's attacks became more vicious, and I could see the artery near Kossori's wrist was cut open and bleeding out.

Chihiro finally snapped out of it and ran for his dorm room. It quickly occurred to me to do the same. I ran to my dorm room, shut the door behind me, and then quickly opened my E-Handbook. I jumped into the Group Chat immediately.

*Bera Haikiko has entered the chat.
Bera Haikiko: What is going on right now?!
Kenchikka Kowareta: Crazy guy break in, threaten to kill everyone. Asshole Raccoon eating him for dinner. Kinda gross.
Kaito Momota: Yeah, no kidding. I'm almost pissed about this, but I'd rather have Monorakun live and be stuck here, than have that lunatic win and start shooting at us again!
Kenchikka Kowareta: Would be nice if came here to rescue. Death? Not my idea of rescue.
*Theo Poster has entered the chat.
Theo Poster: Good students, I believe Monorakun has neutralized the threat.

Just then, a message came in through the monitors. It was Monorakun's face on the screen.

"Attention Students! All clear! I repeat, all clear! Maintenance requests that you take care when passing through the double doors between the First Floor and the dorms, as the floor will be wet."

Curious, I left my dorm and went back towards the bathrooms, passing a few students returning to their own dorms. All of them had confused looks on their faces, glancing behind them as they walk.

I turn the corner, and Monorakun is standing in the hallway, using a mop and bucket to clean the blood up off the floor. Kossori is nowhere in sight.

I look over at Monorakun, confused.

"What's going on here?"

Monorakun wrings out his mop, then looks at me.

"What, you've never seen a robotic raccoon with a mop before?" Monorakun asked me, indignantly. "I'm just mopping the floor and burning some trash in the incinerator."

So that explains the mop and bucket, but... Wait, what did he mean by burning trash?

I then realized that Kossori's body was gone, and decided I didn't need any more clarification. Leaving Monorakun alone, I returned to my dorm, closed the door behind me, and reopened the Group Chat.

Bera Haikiko: Well, that Ultimate Infiltrator guy is gone. Monorakun's mopping in front of the restrooms.
Kenchikka Kowareta: Yeah. Asshole Raccoon killed him, dragged him into Trash Room. Probably burnt him up.
Theo Poster: Poor lad. It's curious, though, how he managed to get in here.
Mukuro Ikusaba: Whichever way that was, I'm sure Monorakun will seal it up. If he hasn't already, that is.
Kenchikka Kowareta: Valid point. Whatever entrance was used, likely gone now.
*Bera Haikiko left the chat.

I decided I was done with today, and put my E-Handbook up. It wasn't quite 10pm, but I didn't really care anymore. Between working on Kenchikka's new jacket, and dealing with the drama near the double doors between the Dorms and First Floor, I was exhausted. I changed into my PJs and headed to bed.

At 10pm, I heard the usual alert go off, accompanied with Monorakun's face.

"Attention everyone! It's now 10pm, which means it's Nighttime. The Dining Hall, Trash Room, and Pool doors are now closed and locked, and the water has been shut off to the facility at this time. Get some rest, and see you all in the morning!"

Afterwards, the screen returned to its usual TUTEC logo. I rolled back over and tried to sleep, tossing and turning. I couldn't get my mind off what was happening here. Four of my classmates were dead, someone snuck in here to kill us all, and none of us can find a way to escape yet.

My dreams, however, offered me no mercy.

My father, Henkutsuna, was getting himself ready to take me to TUTEC. My mom, Shitateya, was helping me make sure I had everything I needed for the trip.

"Can you two hurry up? I have better things to do with my time today," my dad grumped at us.

"Dear, we have to make sure Bera has everything he needs for school," my mom replied back, somewhat annoyed.

"YOU... have to do that. I... don't really need to go at all!" My dad shot back.

"Well, if that's the way you feel, dear, then I can drive myself into the city by myself," my mom retorted. "We'll see what your little friends say to you about -"

"Leave them out of this!" My father shouted back. "Fine, I'll take the future shirt maker of the world to school with you. Let's go."

I got my sewing repair kit and other things ready, and after looking over my clothing choice for the day, the three of us got into the car, with my mom at the wheel.

"Man, I can't wait to get there! I bet TUTEC is gonna be so much fun!" I was really excited to go.

"I just can't wait for you to be out of the house," my dad commented, mostly to himself.

"Now, now, dear, don't be such a sourpuss. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Bera here," My mom reminded him. He just grunted in response, and continued to look out the window.

My mom and I spent most of the ride talking about the TUTEC pamphlet I had gotten in the mail; where it was, how long it had been running, some of the activities that I could partake in there, and even mentioned a few people that were supposed to have gone to TUTEC themselves.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

Yeah... almost everything in that pamphlet was a lie. While the activities, so far, have been true (there were still two floors left), the rest of that pamphlet, I realized, was just a trap to lure students like me in here, lock us up, and watch us snap and kill each other.

I needed to find a way to put a stop to this, and I knew I couldn't do it alone. Kaito had one idea; Kenchikka had another; and never mind Celeste's twisted mindset about "Survival of the Fittest".

I needed to get Kenchikka and Kaito together for a meeting, but how?

Chapter Text

After breakfast, I had only one goal in mind: Try to get a new plan out of here. I knew Kenchikka had her theory, and Kaito had another. I wasn't about to bother Celeste about her thoughts, but I wanted one more person in the meeting before we held it. I thought to myself.

Makoto? He always seemed reasonable.

Mukuro? I seemed to remember her mentioning a hidden passage to the basement.

Chihiro? Maybe his computer skills could help us out.

In the end, I decided Mukuro would be the best option, since there might be a chance of discovering something in the basement.

I messaged Mukuro, Kenchikka, and Kaito separately.

Bera Haikiko: Hey, I'd like to set up a meeting with Kenchikka, Kaito, and Mukuro in the Courtyard. Since you are one of those three, would you be interested?

I then awaited their answers, hoping they would be willing to meet up.

Kaito Momota: Well, now we're all cooperating again? It's our only chance to survive! I've been saying this all along!

I got Kaito's response first, followed by Kenchikka's.

Kenchikka Kowareta: Sure, why not. Brainstorming always fun.

Finally, Mukuro responded.

Mukuro Ikusaba: I don't really work well with others, but I'll do my best.

Happy, I awaited their arrival in the Courtyard, at one of the square tables that seated four.

Kenchikka arrived first, followed closely by Kaito. They were already chit-chatting amongst each other, though I couldn't make out what they were talking about.

Shortly after they sat down, Mukuro appeared, eyeing us warily as she approached. She took the final seat.

"Ok, so what are we all doing here?" Mukuro bluntly asked.

"Ask Bera. His idea," Kenchikka replied, staring at me.

I thought for a moment. "Well, I was wondering if any of you have any ideas on how to get out of here, now that we've been here a while."

Mukuro spoke up. "Well, I found a way into the basement via a trapdoor near the stairs on the First Floor. Found some paperwork mentioning the sale of this building and property."

Kaito glanced over. "Really! Does it mention who owns it now, or where they are?"

Mukuro shakes her head. "A lot of the names are redacted, unfortunately."

Kenchikka sighs. "Unfortunate."

Mukuro continued. "Also, the secret entrance to the basement was sealed by Monorakun last night. I can't get in anymore."

Kenchikka shook her head. "Asshole Raccoon, no doubt."

Kaito agreed, figuring no one else would have done it.

Ok, so the idea of sneaking out through the basement was now off the table.

"Hey! What about the entrance! Any way to get that door open?" Kaito suggested.

Mukuro shook her head. "Electromagnetic locks. They're not gonna open."

"Damn," Kaito mutters. "So much for that, too."

Kenchikka spoke up next. "Skylight no good, either. Can see out, but Asshole Raccoon says no one sees in. Had idea for distress beacon, maybe airplane, helicopter flies over, sees it, calls for help."

A thought crosses my mind. "Hey, the Kitchen gets restocked every day. The food has to come from somewhere, right? Maybe someone can sneak into the Kitchen before it closes, and hide inside?"

Mukuro, Kaito, and Kenchikka ponder this.

However, a new voice spoke up from several feet away from us. Monorakun.

"Yeah, maybe, but can you breathe carbon monoxide? The kitchen gets pumped full of it before the food arrives. Makes the meat look fresher and redder. Also kills anyone hiding within."

Dammit! Why him, why now?

"Awwww, don't fret too much," Monorakun mockingly comforts us. "Unlike Mukuro's sister, at least you're all still alive for the moment! But rest assured, none of you are getting out of here, unless you follow the rules of this place."

Monorakun then scurried off, with Kenchikka and Kaito glaring at him.

"Of course he would be tracking our movements," Mukuro bluntly commented. "At least I grabbed what I could the first time I was in that basement."

That caught Kaito's attention.

"Wait, you actually HAVE stuff from down there? Let's take a look at it!" Kaito pipes up.

Mukuro admonished Kaito, telling him to keep quiet. She then agreed to let us come to her dorm room, where she had some documents from the basement kept in her room.

Once Kaito, Kenchikka, and I arrived at Mukoro's dorm room, she opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out several folders for us, each containing different amounts of paper.

One folder contained paperwork regarding a bill of sale for a place called "Hope's Peak Academy", from a man named Izuru Kamukura, to an organization whose name was illegible. It appeared someone had blotted it out intentionally, for reasons unknown.

"Why would someone want to hide the name of the buyer on this?" I asked.

Kenchikka shrugged. "Likely not original document. Can always get another one from Department of Revenue. Have to pay for it, though. Still, odd."

Kaito, meanwhile, was looking at another folder. This one had some conversations documented between an "Ultimate Robotic" and an "Ultimate ---------".

"Wow," Kaito remarked. "These two seemed to argue quite a bit in here."

Kenchikka takes a look at what Kaito's talking about.

"Yeah. Lots of arguing about finances, designs, names. Also, disagreements over betting process."

"These are not the communications of a well-disciplined organization," Mukuro remarks, little emotion in her voice.

Kenchikka reads some of the correspondence, then nods. "Lots of bickering. Some compromise, planning at end, though."

I read where she was talking about. The two people were discussing a way to make money, by luring students into a...

Killing Game...

Disguised as an invitation to The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center...

Or TUTEC for short...

And letting viewers place bets on who dies next, or who the Blackened is? Or allowing plus/minus bets, based on a number of days a given student is expected to live in here?

My eyes went wide. THIS is how we were lured here, trapped here, and forced to play this horrible game?

Kaito looked like he couldn't believe it, either.

Mukuro... I couldn't read her expression at all.

As for Kenchikka, she just looked annoyed.

"So TUTEC people lure us with promise of fake school, lock us in, watch us kill each other, and make money off of us," Kenchikka comments.

"Damn it!" Kaito shouts. "We need to stop this Killing Game NOW!!"

"But how? We need a plan everyone will follow, or another death is inevitable," Mukuro responds.

I was speechless. I had no idea what to say, what to think anymore.

Mukuro looked up at the clock. It was 2pm now.

"We should meet up later, and come up with ideas on our own before we rendezvous," she commented, as she opened her dorm room for us to leave.

So, now we knew. We were trapped here on purpose, and people were making bets on us. If we'd live or die. If we were the Blackened or not. Even how long we would live in here.

What kind of sick people were we dealing with? Where were they?

And was there truly any hope of escaping this place, without being forced to play by these sadistic rules?

Chapter Text

Kaito, Kenchikka, and I went our separate ways after leaving Mukuro's Dorm. I needed to clear my head, and decided to head to the Second Floor to take a look around again.

Reaching the Second Floor, I looked out the window, seeing Leon speaking with Celeste near the fountain. Whatever Leon was selling, Celeste was politely not buying, judging from their body language. However, I couldn't hear anything that was being said.

I went to check out the Exercise Room next, but it was empty, so I made a right at the T-intersection and headed to the Music Room instead.

I heard two girls talking inside, but didn't see anyone right away. Figuring they must be in the adjacent Jam Room, I walked into there from the Music Room, where Sayaka and Kaede were talking with each other near the keyboard along the side of the wall.

Sayaka takes notices of me, and walks over, cheerful as ever.

"Bera! How are you?" She asked, as Kaede started to tinker with the keyboard.

"I'm ok, I guess. What are you two doing in here?" I ask.

Sayaka and Kaede exchange glances. "Well, we plan on having a small concert in here later tonight, and we're figuring out what songs we both know, that we could perform together."

My eyes lit up. A concert with the two of them? That sounded awesome!

"Well, what songs could you two do together?" I asked.

Sayaka and Kaede exchanged glances. "Well, we're still figuring that out," Kaede admitted. "I mostly play classical music, while Sayaka is much more into today's pop hits."

I nodded, seeing the problem. "Any suggestions so far, though?"

"Well, the only song we both know from our childhoods is 'My Grandfather's Clock', but if we can't find any other songs we both know, that one will have to do," Sayaka confessed.

I remembered that song. It was an old one, but a classic.

"Well, if nothing else, that would be an interesting one to perform," I offered, as I decided to leave the two girls to it.

I spent the rest of the afternoon working on dress designs in my notebook, until around 4:30pm, when I received a message from Kaede.

Kaede Akamatsu: Hey! We decided on that song we mentioned earlier! We're gonna perform it tomorrow afternoon, at 2pm!

Bera Haikiko: Great! Can't wait to watch it!

Kaede Akamatsu: Thanks! Sayaka and I have been working hard on it, and she's got some real talent. Looking forward to it!

Bera Haikiko: Me too. Working on some designs for now, so I'll talk to you later, alright?

Kaede Akamatsu: Alright. Bye!

About an hour later, I headed down to the Dining Hall for dinner. Theo had made sirloin steak, mashed potatoes, baked beans, and steamed broccoli for dinner, for everyone. Kaito found some Honey BBQ sauce, some Alpha 1 steak sauce, and ranch for anyone's preferences.

I chose the steak sauce for my sirloin, and put some ranch on my steamed broccoli, and grabbed a soda to go with it. I then sat down next to Sayaka and Kaede.

"So, how are plans going for tomorrow?" I ask the two girls.

Sayaka smiled. "It's going great! Having Kaede with me makes me feel a lot better about my future. She's so optimistic, and keeps my mind off of things with our shared love of music. If she wasn't here with me, I feel like I'd eventually lose my mind in here."

Kaede patted Sayaka's back. "Awww, don't worry, Sayaka! Once we get out of this place, we can take our talents to the next level, just like you mentioned earlier! I'll find a way to make our talents work well together, I promise!"

Sayaka nodded in agreement. "That's right! We'll work together, do our best, and find a way out of here, together!"

While I enjoyed my dinner, I couldn't help but smile myself, happy to see the two girls so cheerful and happy together. It made me really look forward to their co-op event tomorrow afternoon at 2pm.

While we spoke, everyone enjoyed the dinner that Theo prepared for everyone. The sirloin was cooked perfectly. The mashed potatoes had no skin, and were amazing. The broccoli was steamed just right, as well; not too hard, but still had its flavor.

After dinner, I volunteered to stay behind to help with dishes, since I hadn't yet. Chihiro and, to my surprise, Celeste volunteered to stay behind to help with dishes.

To nobody's surprise, though, Celeste wasn't actually interested in helping with dishes. She just wanted to direct Chihiro and I, while we did the dishes ourselves.

"You two barely qualify as D-Class servants, at this rate," Celeste tactfully insulted the both of us. "Wherever did you learn the task of doing kitchen work? Perhaps in a homeless shelter, I'd assume."

"Well, we all use this area, so we should all do our best to keep it clean," Chihiro offered back.

Celeste looked taken aback. "Did you really expect me to sully my hands with this filth? I was merely bored, and thought this might be a form of entertainment for me."

Celeste then smoothed out her skirt. "Besides, I despise getting my face, or my clothes, wet, particularly with soiled water like what your hands are in."

I looked back, annoyed. "If you're not going to help us, feel free to leave, then."

Chihiro looked at me, worried. "Just ignore her, and let's get these dishes done, ok? I don't want to fight."

Celeste made another comment, but I wasn't really listening to her anymore.

Without a word, I followed Chihiro's direction, cleaning pans, scrubbing plates, and washing utensils. As we worked together, Celeste continued to watch and make tactful, yet snarky comments at the both of us. As far as I was concerned, it was just me and Chihiro there now, as I completely disregarded anything Celeste had to say.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally finished up all the dishes, pans, utensils, and glasses. Celeste gave a halfhearted comment of approval before leaving us.

"Well, once you improve upon your speed and efficiency, perhaps I could elevate you to C-Class. But I wouldn't hold my breath."

Celeste left first, and after Chihiro and I dried off our arms and hands, we left the Dining Hall as well, heading towards our respective dorms.

I spent the rest of the evening working on designs for blouse and skirt sets, before switching to drawing pants. When the 10pm alert goes off, I change into my PJs and head to bed.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

It was now Friday, November 4th. Nine days since I had become trapped in this place.

I got out of bed and took a shower, deciding to put the Music Player on shuffle instead of picking any particular song. As I showered, the Music Player shuffler settled on "The Last Call" by Sirenia, before switching to "Use Once and Destroy" by Psyclon Nine, then finishing with "Sister September" by Anorexia Nervosa.

I finish up my shower and dry off while the final song gradually fades out, and get dressed to "Where Angels Die" by Dawn of Ashes. After I get dressed and brush my hair to the left side, I turn off the music player and head to the Dining Hall for breakfast.

I decided to heat up some waffles today, and cut up some bananas to put on top of them. Pouring myself a glass of orange juice, I took my plate to the Dining Hall and eat my breakfast there, sitting between Leon and Mukuro.

Neither one of them said much of anything to me, with Leon mostly talking to Sayaka and Kaede, and Mukuro remaining silent as she ate. She would occasionally give Makoto glances, blushing slightly to herself whenever he would look over at her.

After breakfast, I put my plate up and decided to talk to Leon, to see if he had any plans to work with Sayaka and Kaede.

I found him in the Music Room, looking over the microphone.

"Hey, Bera! What's up?" Leon looked over at me.

"Doing alright, Leon. Just wondering if you were going to join Sayaka and Kaede in their concert this afternoon."

Leon looked at me, annoyed. "And do what? Sing over Sayaka's super-cool voice? I'm gonna be a singer, dude, and Sayaka's already got that covered. I don't play music!"

"Oh." I thought maybe Leon would want to play an instrument with them, but I guess not.

"Yo, I'm gonna head back to my dorm and write some more songs to start my music career. See ya later, man."

Leon left the Music Room, saying there was no way he was missing this afternoon's concert with Sayaka and Kaede.

I hoped I didn't put Leon in a bad mood. Meanwhile, while I looked at the trombones, trumpets, and other musical equipment in the room, Sayaka and Kaede entered the Music Room, and headed to the Jam Room.

After listening to Kaede play a song that was familiar, I went back to my dorm room to work on a design I had in mind for shoes; a pair of low heels, and a sneaker.

Around 2pm, Sayaka sent a message to the Group Chat.

Sayaka Maizono: Hey everybody! Come to the Jam Room! Kaede and I are hosting a concert together! Her musical talents and my singling and dancing, together for a song!"
Kenchikka Kowareta: Sounds good. Welcome change from usual doom and gloom.
Kaito Momota: Count me in! I'm there!
Celestia Ludenberg: Hmmmm. I suppose I can attend.

Everyone else commented that they would attend, and before too long, everyone was in the Jam Room together.

Kaede Akamatsu was wearing a pink sleeveless, shoulderless dress, with flowers going across the neckline.

As for Sayaka, she had a pink sleeveless, shoulderless mini dress on. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, with flowers in her hair, and a matching set of flowers creating a sash around her waist. She had on pale pink heels, as well.

"Thank you for coming, everyone!" Sayaka greeting each of us, as we sat on chairs that Monorakun had somehow provided for us. At least, I didn't recall seeing them before. "We're going to perform 'My Grandfather's Clock' by Henry Clay Work. I hope you enjoy this!"

(Author's Note: "My Grandfather's Clock" by Henry Clay Work falls under the Public Domain, and is therefore free to use. I double-checked before finishing this chapter.)

Kaede began playing the intro to the song as we all sat and watched. It was a slow song, but the music was pretty. Sayaka swayed gently side to side as the intro played on, before singing the first verse.

"My grandfather's clock
Was too large for the shelf
So it stood, ninety years, on the floor."

Sayaka sang somewhat slowly, but in a heartfelt manner, as she sang a song of a newborn receiving the large clock on the day of his birth.

"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died," she continued to sing, her voice slightly saddened now.

She went into the chorus line, swaying her hips to the "tick-tock, tick-tock" parts, as if mimicking a pendulum of the clock. She finished the chorus line by repeating that foreboding line again.

The song continued with the baby, now a young boy, watching the pendulum swing to and fro for many hours a day, and how he kept the clock even into his adulthood.

"For it struck, twenty-four, when he entered at the door,
with a bloo-ming and beau-tiful bride," Sayaka continued to sing, spreading her dress out a little.

"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died," She repeated that ominous line again.

She continued singing, stating the man, now a grandfather, never found a servant more faithful than his clock, that it kept perfect time, and only desired to be wound at the end of each day.

"And it kept to its place, not a frown, upon its face,
And its hands, never hung, by its side." Sayaka danced, smiling and moving her hands cheerfully.

"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died," There was that line again, sending a chill through me.

The song continued, taking on a darker feeling tone, as Sayaka sang of the clocking ringing an alarm that had not worked for years, and the grandfather's family knew his hour was coming. Still, the clock kept time, with a soft and muffled chime, as his family stood at the grandfather's bedside to see him off.

"But it stopped, short,
never to go again,
when the old, ma-a-an died."

Sayaka curtsied as she finished her song.

Everyone clapped and cheered for the two of them. Even Celeste seemed impressed with the talent shown amongst the two girls.

"Thank you! Thank you all!" Kaede and Sayaka spoke. "We look forward to doing this again soon, if it helps everyone keep their spirits up!"

Unknown to us, everyone's spirits would come crashing down the next day.

Chapter Text

After Sayaka's and Kaede's performance was over, I talked to Chihiro for a while about how he was handling this transition.

"I'm doing great!" Chihiro answered, before looking down. "But I feel bad that you had to help me, mending all those clothes, just because of my secret."

"Hey, it's no big deal, Chihiro. It gave me something useful to do for a while. And besides, it helped you out, didn't it?"

Chihiro nodded, still looking sad. "Yeah, true, but still... sorry for troubling you."

I take a deep breath, deciding to let it go, and change the subject.

"So, how is your programming going?" I ask.

Chihiro's eyes light up. "It's going great! I'm working on an AI program that you can communicate with! You can ask it questions, engage in conversations with it, and some other things I'm working on."

"Nice! Can't wait to see it!" I was excited for him.

Chihiro looked doubtful for a moment. "Well, I still have some bugs to work out on it. It doesn't always react the way I expect it to."

"Well, I'm sure that will work itself out," I respond, not really sure what else to say.

With that, Chihiro departed back to his dorm room. I decided to wander around the First Floor, and see what everyone else was doing.

The Movie Room door was closed, and appeared to be playing a horror movie of some sort. I couldn't get inside to watch, though.

Nobody was in the School Store, either.

However, when I arrived at the Game Room, I found Kaito and Celeste at the poker table, playing cards with one another.

"So, as you can see, any game requires strategy. You must anticipate your opponent's movements as well as you do your own. However, there is one thing that can trump strategy," Celeste told Kaito. "Luck."

"Luck? Who needs luck? I got skill! Skill trumps luck any day!" Kaito countered.

Celeste chuckled to herself. "Is that why you haven't beaten me yet?"

I decided to walk in at this point. "Hey, got a room at this table?"

Kaito looked up. "Bera! Come on over! I was just about to show Celeste that skill beats luck!"

"You mean you were about to repeatedly lose to me, correct?" Celeste countered.

We spent the next hour or so playing various types of Poker.

First, we played "Ghost Poker", which is a 5 card draw with one card discarded afterwards, known as the "Ghost's Hand". Each player's discard went towards the Ghost's Hand, and to drag the pot, you had to beat not only each other, but the Ghost as well. Failure to beat the Ghost's hand resulted in a draw, and the game would get re-dealt, with a new ante put into the pot.

Next, we played "Supermarket", a seven card stud game where you had three cards laid out, with various prices on them, followed by the deck, which was the most expensive. You had to "buy" your cards by paying the price in front of them and taking the card, leaving it face up. The best five-card hand would drag the pot.

We moved on from that to "Second Chance Poker", which was basically Five Card Draw with two discards instead of one. The second discard gave you a "Second Chance" to get the cards you needed to win.

Finally, we finished up with "Omaha Hold'em", a variation of Texas Hold'em where everyone was dealt four cards instead of two. You had to use two of your four cards, and three of the 5 community cards, to make your best hand.

Needless to say, Celeste wiped the floor with both of us during each game, but I had to admit, I was having fun.

"Now, do you see how luck can beat skill, Kaito?" Celeste asked smugly.

Kaito, to my surprise, laughed. "Nah. You've got luck AND skill, Celeste! We never stood a chance."

Celeste merely smiled back. "Of course not. I AM the Ultimate Gambler, after all. I never lose when it comes to games of chance, or games of skill."

With neither me nor Kaito having any objections to this, the three of us parted ways. I found myself heading towards Chihiro's dorm, to see what he was doing.

Chihiro let me into his dorm room, and to my surprise, there was an image of his face, on the computer screen in his room.

"Oh!" Chihiro calls out. "That's the AI that I'm working on. I named it 'Alter Ego'. It's just something I've been working on in my spare time."

As I approach the monitor, I notice a webcam embedded into it. Alter Ego seemed to follow me wherever I moved, as long as I was within range of the webcam.

"So, how does it work?" I asked.

Chihiro walks over and types a message to Alter Ego, via a chat box.

"Hi, Alter Ego! I brought Bera, a friend of mine, here."

Alter Ego's face became excited and happy, and it spoke.

"Hi, Chihiro! And nice to meet you, Bera! You're the Ultimate Tailor, right?"

My eyes went wide for a moment. "How'd it know that?"

Chihiro explained. "An AI, or Artificial Intelligence, processes huge amounts of data, looking for patterns to model in their decisions and replies. I guide it, encouraging responses that make sense while letting it know if it says something wrong or bad. Eventually, it picks up on the proper responses, and replicates those responses more often, making it more useful with practice."

"Can I type something to it?" I ask Chihiro.

"Of course! Just... be nice, ok? I don't want to teach Alter Ego bad things," Chihiro cautioned me.

I sat at Chihiro's chair and typed to Alter Ego.

"Hi, Alter Ego! I'm Bera. Nice to meet you."

Alter Ego smiled, its body-less head rolling side to side. It then spoke.

"Hi, Bera! How can I help you?"

I thought for a moment, then typed back to Alter Ego.

"What do you know about me?"

Alter Ego looked surprised, then appeared to be lost in thought. After a few seconds, it spoke.

"I know you are Bera Haikiko, the Ultimate Tailor. According to the E-Handbook, you are a boy. You have no brothers or sisters. Your height is 5'3", and you weigh 125 pounds. You have red hair, which appears to be shaved short on the right side of your head, and your eyes are blue. This is the rarest combination of hair and eye color, as approximately 0.17% of people have this. Chihiro says you are a good friend."

I look over at Chihiro, amazed at this response. Chihiro smiles back, cheerfully.

I type back to Alter Ego.

"Do you think you can help us get out of here?"

Alter Ego looked worried.

"I want to try, but there is no online connection in this facility. Additionally, there is metal within the ceilings, making a wireless connection impossible. I have detected one connection in the basement, but it has spent most of its time offline, only coming online to send updates to E-Handbooks."

Alter Ego looked down, sadly. "I'm sorry. But I'll do the best I can, ok?"

Feeling bad for the AI, I typed back to it.

"Don't feel bad. I'm sure you and Chihiro will do the best you can, together."

Alter Ego looked up, surprised, and then smiled brightly.

"Thank you, Bera! While I am still a work in progress, together with Chihiro, we'll keep working together."

"You're welcome, Alter Ego. I'm going to leave now. You and Chihiro take care, ok?"

Alter Ego rolled side to side again, smiling. "Ok! Bye bye, Bera!"

I stood up from the desk, and addressed Chihiro.

"Wow! This thing's really cool! Keep up the good work!"

Chihiro smiled back.

"I will! I just wish I had a way to download it into the facility's mainframe, but until then, I'll do my best to help out, any way I can!"

Noticing it was now dinnertime, I headed to the Dining Hall with Chihiro, where Theo was making sandwiches of various types. Ham, turkey, chicken, or even meatball sandwiches were on his menu, though we were always welcome to make our own food.

For a change, it was nice to see everyone getting along. Even Kenchikka seemed to be in a better mood, now that she had her jacket on.

However, the good times wouldn't last.

They never do.

Chapter Text

The next morning was Saturday, November 5th. I was already in the Dining Hall with my breakfast. Theo had made pancakes, waffles, and crepes for breakfast for everyone. I had taken three pancakes, putting maple syrup and sliced bananas on them, before sitting next to Theo, Leon, and Chiaki at the end of the table.

Chiaki was mostly focused on her game, eating her breakfast bar while playing her Nantendo Gamegirl DR with one hand. She seemed to be playing some sort of puzzle or strategy game, though I didn't recognize what it was.

Leon and Theo, meanwhile, were discussing the Costume Room.

"Dude, there's some cool outfits in that room. We gotta check 'em out!" Leon told Theo.

"Yes, indeed, there is, good sir. Did you wish my opinion on some wardrobe options?" Theo replied, seemingly interested in Leon's sense of fashion all in a sudden.

"Hells yeah, dude! Let's check out some of the duds in there, and see what rocks!"

I pipe up. "Hey, mind if I join?"

Leon looks at me oddly. "Huh? What for?"

"Well, if you like something, but it doesn't fit, I could make some modifications to it."

Leon continued to look at me, confused. "Modifi-what?"

"He means if something doesn't fit right, he will make it fit right, good sir," Theo responded.

I nodded back.

Leon finally got it. "Ah, no shit, huh? Cool!"

The three of us headed up to the Second Floor, where the Costume Room awaited us. As Leon went inside, Theo and I stood outside the door, giving Leon some privacy.

First, Leon tried on an interesting suit, consisting of a white dress shirt, a red vest and pants with yellow plaid stripes, grey shoes with black soles, and a blue blazer over it.

Leon came outside of the Costume Room, showing himself off. "Whatcha think?"

Theo nodded approvingly. "You look like a proper gentleman in that suit."

"You look like you're going to an anniversary party or something," I comment.

Leon cracked a grin. "Damn straight! I could wear something like this to the Grammy Awards!" Leon looks down at his outfit. "But I can't rock out in this."

Leon heads back inside to change. After a few minutes, Leon came out wearing a rock band T-shirt, denim jeans with holes in the knees, and white sneakers.

Theo looked Leon up and down approvingly. "I see. Going for the Punk Rock look, are we?"

Leon nodded. "Absolutely! I was looking for more of a 70s Punk vibe, but I think I might pick up more chicks with a more modern look."

I glanced over at Theo. Did Leon REALLY want to be a singer? Or did he just want to get a date?

Leon went back into the Costume Room again, and returned again with his normal outfit.

"Alright, I'm done in there for now. Really digging that blue blazer though. Makes me feel like a superstar! Maybe I can make it my trademark, make myself famous somehow."

Theo nodded, but said nothing to Leon or me.

I had nothing to add, either, but I was glad Leon was happy. He always seemed so high-strung; it was nice to see him somewhat relax a bit.

Theo and Leon departed, talking about clothing options for rock stars, leaving me by myself. Curious, I decided to check out the Computer Room.

Inside the Computer Room, I headed to the PC and turned it on. It did its usual boot-up stuff, then went to the desktop, which featured a TUTEC logo with Monorakun underneath it.

Of course, that furry robotic pest would find its way onto here, too.

I quickly went into the C: drive, where I found Program Files, Program Files (x86), Users, and Windows.

Users only had a Public file, with Public Documents, Public Documents, Public Music, Public Pictures, and Public Videos. None of them showed the size of the files.

Curious, I poked around each of the files. Public Downloads, Music, and Videos were empty. Public Documents just had our profiles from our E-Handbooks.

However, Public Pictures showed many photos of the TUTEC building, dated from before this nightmare started. In each of them, it appeared that renovations were being made. Walls were being knocked down, items were removed from rooms, other items were placed inside rooms.

There were also pictures of the dorm rooms. before any of us moved into them. They all looked more or less the same; the beds didn't even have sheets on them yet.

I also found the usual MacroSoft programs: Words, Spread, Slide Show, and Easel. They were for word processing, making spreadsheets, creating slide shows, and creating pictures in various ways with your mouse.

There was a Games folder, but it just had the usual standard games; Solitaire, Hearts, FreeCell, Minesweeper, Spider Solitaire, stuff like that. Nothing too exciting.

All in all, it was nice to have a communal computer, but I understood why there wasn't much in here for us. Still, it was a nice addition to have, and it wasn't completely useless in my eyes.

Leaving the Computer Room, I took a look out the window, into the Courtyard. There, Kenchikka was talking to Makoto and Mukuro about something near the fountain, but I couldn't make out what was being discussed, due to the soundproof glass. Mukuro was standing slightly in front of Makoto, who seemed relaxed, though their backs were both to me.

However, the conversation seemed friendly, so I didn't worry too much about it. Instead, I headed into the Exercise Room to try to build some muscle.

There, I found, to my surprise, Chihiro working out on one of the machines, a curling machine where you sit down, adjust the weights, and do reps to increase arm strength.

"Chihiro?" I questioned. "How is this going to help you with programming?"

Chihiro looked down sadly. "Now that my secret is out, I don't want to be weak anymore. Kaito suggested a training regimen, working on different parts of the body each day. I'm gonna try it, and hopefully some day, I won't be so weak anymore."

Chihiro's comments got me to thinking. I wanted to develop a little muscle tone, too. Maybe I could work out with Chihiro a little bit, too.

While Chihiro worked on the curling machine, I decided to try out the bench pressing machine. This one had a weight system you set in the front, then you lift the bar above your chest and do as many reps as you can. The bar stops above your chest, so you can't drop the bar and injure yourself. The weights were set in increments of 25, from the looks of it.

I set the weights, then bench press a few reps. Finding them a bit light, I set a few more on, then try a few more reps. I found the increased weight more to my liking.

Together with Chihiro, we worked out our arms for about half an hour, then moved on to leg exercises for another half an hour before taking a break.

At 3:05pm, Chihiro and I thought we heard a shout or scream from the hallway.

"What was that?" I asked Chihiro.

Chihiro shrugged, looking uncertain, and moved behind me.

Cautiously, we moved up the hallway towards the Biology Room, but saw nothing in the hallway or in the Biology Room. The gate leading to the next floor was still shuttered and locked.

Together, with me leading the way, we headed into the Music Room. While we saw nothing in the Music Room, the Jam Room door was open within, and I saw a shadow moving around in there.

"Oh, no," Chihiro whispered. "Do you think something bad happened?"

Taking a deep breath, we entered the Jam Room, and were met with a gruesome sight.

Kenchikka was leaned over Kaede, who was laying on the ground. I couldn't tell what condition Kaede was in, because Chihiro had tightly grabbed my arm and gasped.

I looked over at Chihiro, whose eyes and mouth were hanging wide open, pointing at something.

I looked over, and my blood ran cold.

Sayaka was crumpled in the floor on the stage, with some sort of harness on her upper body. There was a small pool of blood underneath her head, and part of a speaker was damaged on top. Sayaka's hair obscured her face, but she didn't look like she was moving, or breathing.

Suddenly, Monorakun's face appeared on the monitor.

"We've got three sets of eyes on a dead body. Everyone get to the Jam Room, NOW!"

Chihiro looked at me. "Wait a minute. Did Monorakun say 'a dead body'? Not two?"

I processed his question for a moment. Yes. Yes, he did.

But who was dead? Kaede, who Kenchikka was checking on?

Or Sayaka, who was clearly injured by the speaker in some way?

Chapter Text

Eventually, Kenchikka was able to wake up Kaede, who stirred, grabbing the back of her head. Kaede eventually stood up, dazed, and leaned on Kenchikka.

To my horror, that meant Sayaka was gone. I glanced at her crumpled-up figure on the floor, a stone forming in my stomach.

Kaito returned, his gaze turning to Kenchikka and Kaede. Relief briefly spread across his face, before he turned to me, standing by Sayaka.

"So, we have to do this again?" I lamented.

Kaito turned his eyes to me. "There's only one way to get through this awful feeling. Wait for Monorakun to give us the Monorakun File, get our evidence and testimony, and find out what happened here."

Chiaki was the next to show up, followed by Celeste and Mukuro. While Mukuro went over to Kaede, taking over her care for Kenchikka, the others showed up, with Monorakun scurrying along behind them.

"Alright, shitbags. Here's your Monorakun File," Monorakun stated, as our E-Handbooks went off at once. "Looks like Sayaka's Reunion Tour isn't happening. Pity."

Monorakun glanced over at Sayaka. "Ah well, we can release your tribute album later. Now, get to work!"

As Monorakun scampered out of the room, Celeste and Mukuro were already bickering with one another. Our E-Handbooks went off, and we took a look at the Monorakun File.

"Victim: Sayaka Maizono. Cause of Death: Stage Dive. Time of Death: Around 3pm. Sayaka's head made contact with a speaker prior to her death. A harness was found attached to her body. No other notable injuries found."

"How do we know Kaede's not faking her injury, hmmm?" Celeste queried Mukuro.

Mukuro responded, with very little emotion in her voice, "Because you cannot easily fake having different sized pupils, as Kaede currently has."

Sure enough, as Kaede looked at the both of us, her pupils were different sizes, and she seemed to look through us instead of at us.

"Whatever happened here, Kaede's concussed," Mukuro concluded. "I'll tend to her. Someone examine Sayaka. The rest of you know what to do by now."

I volunteered to look over the scene. Theo went to examine Sayaka. The rest started speaking with one another, or left the room, likely to search other rooms for clues.

My eyes first went to the damaged speaker. Examining it, it looked like something struck it from above. There was some blood on the speaker, too, and it was very close to Sayaka's body. I concluded that Sayaka must have struck the speaker, somehow.

I looked up, and saw a cord dangling directly above me, on a pulley, with some sort of attachment connected to it. I remembered seeing one of those in a play before; Peter Pan. It was usually attached to a harness, and then it was made to look like Peter Pan or Tinkerbell were flying through the air.

Remembering that Sayaka had some sort of harness on, I wondered if maybe she was connected to that harness, and perhaps fell, hit her head on the speaker, and died.

That raised another question, though: How did it happen? How did Sayaka get up there, and plummet down? Or did something else happen, perhaps?

My eyes moved to the stage. There was a built-in ladder to the top of the stage, likely for easy access to change light bulbs, fix wiring, and the like. There were a few platforms going across the top, as well. I decided to climb up there to investigate.

"Do be careful, good sir," Theo called out.

"I will," I replied as I climbed the metal rungs to the top.

As I made my way to the top, a thought crossed my mind. I had no idea how high I was, once I was up there. I didn't know if I'd have time to get my measuring tape from my room, or if we'd run out of time before I could measure it myself.

Who would be able to help me figure this out?

Maybe Mukuro. She was an Ultimate Soldier, so she might be experienced with sighting distances. However, she was tending to Kaede. I wasn't sure if...

"Hey! Why are you up there?" A female voice called. "Find something, searching for clues, looking to jump?"

It was Kenchikka. I didn't need...

Wait. Kenchikka was the Ultimate Architect. Maybe she could help me!

"Chikka!" I called down. "About how far do you think it is from this platform to the floor?"

Kenchikka looked at the platform, then the floor. Then the platform. Then back at the floor.

"Twenty feet. Give or take a foot," she replied. "Standard height for small stage, about 12 to 16 feet, but looks wrong here. I call it 20 feet."

So 20 feet, per Kenchikka's estimated guess. Sounded good as gold to me.

Mukuro, overhearing Kenchikka, walked over briefly to Kenchikka. She took a crouching stance, glancing directly up at me for several seconds before nodding.

"Reasonably accurate, around 20 feet," Mukuro flatly replied before returning to Kaede, who was being spoken to by either Chihiro or Chiaki. I could only see the top of their head from this angle.

Carefully, I walked the closest to the front, of the three platforms, and stood over where the broken speaker was. Kneeling down, I noticed a small, shiny spot, like something had rubbed there. It was where the harness would have descended from the stage if one were to land near the speaker.

So, Sayaka must have descended from this spot, but why?

And did she jump, or was she pushed? Was there some sort of accident? The tether that was supposed to be connected to the harness was still on its pulley, up at the top with me, but it should have been at the bottom, connected to Sayaka's harness.

I examined the tether, immediately noticing the rope was not cut, and no part of the metal was bent. However, it looked like part of the tether that dangled was missing, just above a button that was on the very end.

I glanced back down, and found it. There, attached to Sayaka's harness on the back, was a small part of the tether, attached to a metal clasp.

I glanced at the button on the end. It was wide, and had metal grips on it, presumably to hold part of the tether. Lettering on the top and bottom read "Emergency Release".

So, someone must have hit the Emergency Release, letting Sayaka go at some point. But was she already suspended? Was she standing where I was, and pushed? Or was it ever attached in the first place?

Finally, glancing around, I saw a damaged bass guitar on the ground. It looked completely bashed in, irreparable. Maybe that could have been a weapon?

But what of the speaker, then? Could it have been used another way, maybe dropped on Sayaka? Or even Kaede, to give her a concussion?

I looked at the speaker, and shook my head. No. From this height, dropping a speaker on Kaede would've likely killed her, not concussed her. I felt safe ruling that idea out.

Feeling like I knew everything I was going to know at this point, that I had all the puzzle pieces despite not knowing how they fit, I crawled back down the rungs.

"Bera! Now that you are on flat ground, may I have a word with you?"

It was Celeste.

"Ummm...sure. What do you want?" I was confused as to why Celeste was showing so much interest in me all in a sudden.

Celeste smiled. "Just your alibi. That will suffice for now."

I rehashed everything I had done this morning with Theo and Leon, then spending time in the Computer Room alone.

"Alone, you say?" Celeste smirked. "So you have no alibi for this time?"

I shook my head, and proceeded to go into detail on everything I found on the computer. The pictures of the empty dorm rooms, the MacroSoft programs, and the Games folder with the standardized games like Hearts, FreeCell, and Minesweeper.

"I see. How unfortunate that nobody was with you, however." Celeste seemed unimpressed. "So, what happened after you left the Computer Room, hmmmm?"

"Well, I met with Chihiro, who was depressed about being weak, so we went to the Exercise Room and worked out together."

Celeste was unable to stifle a giggle in front of me. She then quickly reasserted herself. "Pardon me, I do apologize. I must have misheard your words there, Bera. I thought you had declared that Chihiro and yourself went to lift weights together to get strong."

Celeste giggled again. "But that could not have been what you had said, right?"

Before I could respond, Monorakun's face appeared on the monitor inside the Jam Room.

"Alright, time's up! Everyone to the fountain in the Courtyard, to prepare their descent into the Courtroom. This Class Trial's about to begin!"

Without another word, we proceeded to the fountain, with Kaede's unsteady gait assisted by Mukuro.

I had a good feel for the location, but I didn't have time to speak to anybody. Not even Kaede, who may be the most important person in this Class Trial.

But with Kaede's concussion, her memory may be foggy, or she may have trouble answering our questions. Would she even remember anything at all?

Or would our star witness be erased from the equation, potentially dooming our Trial before it starts?

Chapter Text

We each took our respective seats around the Courtroom table to discuss Sayaka's fate, and who was to blame.

Chihiro was tending to Kaede, who still looked a little dazed from her concussion. Everyone else seemed to be alright, as we awaited Monorakun's announcement to start these proceedings.

Sure enough, Monorakun scurried up to his little seat, up above us, and started his little speech.

"Alright, students! Sayaka hit the mosh pit, and the mosh pit won. Now it's up to you to figure out what happened, and whodunit. Did Sayaka join the 27 Club too early? You tell me!"

Kaede started to say something, but stopped, grabbing the back of her head and groaning.

Kaito looked over at her. "Hey, is she gonna be alright for this?"

Mukuro shrugged. "Grade 2 Concussion. Temporary loss of consciousness, likely less than five minutes. She's as OK as she's gonna be."

Kenchikka glanced over at Kaede mournfully. "Concussions suck. Hopefully, Kaede recover soon."

Meanwhile, Celeste resumed the trial.

"So, Theo overheard several loud thuds coming from the Jam Room. Entering, Theo discovered Sayaka deceased near a broken speaker, and Kaede unconscious, with a broken bass guitar near her unconscious body. Then, from what I have gathered, Mukuro and Bera happened upon the scene, independently of each other. This triggered the announcement."

Celeste glances around at the rest of us. "Have I missed anything thus far?"

Theo shakes his head. "You have the right of it, Celeste. Do proceed."

Celeste nods. "Very well. As I was saying, the rest of us arrived afterwards, followed afterwards by Monorakun."

Kaito piped up. "Yeah! Mukuro was over by Kaede, and Bera was near Sayaka."

"And we discovered that Sayaka received the Game Over," Chiaki added.

"Man, this sucks," Leon complained.

"Yeah, I agree. Sayaka was cool," I lament. "But we still have to get to the bottom of this."

Celeste tilts her head at me. "Which brings me to my next question. I couldn't help but notice you up above the stage, searching about. Mind sharing with us what you discovered up there?"

I nodded. "Quite a bit, actually. For starters, it looks like there is an emergency release for the harness. I noticed it on the strap connected to the pulley. It looks like, if you got stuck, you could press a button on the back of the harness, and it would release the harness, allowing one to escape."

"An emergency release, you say?" Theo asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Looks like it was designed to let the harness's wearer disconnect from the tether, without having to take off the harness."

"Yeah, well, someone definitely let her go," Makoto commented. "Sayaka was still wearing the harness when she died, so it's likely someone released her from it."

"Unless someone killed her and then put her in the harness," Mukuro commented.

Kenchikka considered this proposal. "Hmmm. You suggest someone kill Sayaka, then put her in harness and release her? Interesting setup, if true, but one problem. How did Sayaka die, then?"

"Sayaka fell... the speaker..." Kaede muttered. She was still dazed, so none of us really caught everything she said.

Makoto and Celeste both looked at Kaede.

"Did you say Sayaka fell on the speaker?" Makoto asked.

Kaede nodded. "I... She fell..."

It was Kaito's turn to pop a question. "Wait a minute. You said you saw Sayaka fall, and hit her head on the speaker?"

Kaede nodded slowly, responding after several seconds. "Accident. Not suicide."

Celeste pounced on this information. "So according to you, Sayaka had an accident, and fell to her death?"

Kaede slowly nodded again. "Who triggered the...the ummm... alert?"

Theo responded, "I would presume it was Kenchikka, Bera, and myself."

Kenchikka nodded. "Can confirm. Heard screams, loud sounds from Jam Room. Went to Music Room, Jam Room door was open. Odd, because Jam Room door makes room soundproof from outside. Unsure why open. Anyway, went into Jam Room, saw Sayaka, saw broken speaker. Looked around, found Kaede. Bass guitar under Kaede's head, smashed in."

"Wait, you found the bass guitar under Kaede's head when you entered the Jam Room?" Makoto asked Kenchikka.

Kenchikka nodded. "Yep. Although, hit with it? Fell on it? Hard to say."

Kaede tried to speak again, but it was mostly incoherent. Something about the guitar, but I didn't understand what.

Chihiro looked at Kaede. "Hmmm? You said you were struck by it?"

Kaede nodded.

Mukuro looked skeptical, but Celeste and Theo decided to explore this avenue.

"So, Kaede claims to have been hit by the bass guitar. Did you happen to see your attacker?" I asked.

Kaede shook her head.

"Ok. So, let's see who has alibis, so we can narrow down who it could have been." Makoto continued. "Bera and Chihiro have alibis, as they were together at the time. I was with Mukuro. Theo, you said you were with Kaito when the alert went off?"

Kaito nodded. "Yeah! We were discussing things in the Dining Hall."

"Kenchikka was found near Kaede, which doesn't eliminate her as a suspect." Makoto noted.

Kenchikka said nothing, just stared at Makoto.

"And Chiaki informed me she was in her room, playing video games. No solid alibi for her, either," Celeste commented, as well. "As for me, I was taking poor Leon to task in the Game Room. Poor boy doesn't know when to quit."

"Pain in the ass," Leon grumbled to himself.

Theo spoke up next. "So that leaves Chiaki, Kenchikka, and... well, Kaede herself with no alibi, I suppose. Let's explore each of them in turn, starting with Chiaki."

Mukuro quickly spoke up. "We can eliminate her as a suspect for this."

Kenchikka cocked her head. "How so?"

Mukuro responded, "She's not strong enough to do this. For that matter, neither are you, Kenchikka."

Theo considered Mukuro's words. "Clearly, Kaede did not do this to herself, either. So, must I ask, where does this leave us?"

"Dead end," Kenchikka quickly replied. "Kaede lied about being hit."

"Perjury will get you nowhere, dear lass," Theo disapprovingly chided.

We looked over at Kaede, who was nodding to herself.

"I was... still hit. I guess not by... by you. So, what happened with the... ummmmm... guitar?" She was very much concussed; this much was obvious.

"We're getting to that," Kaito acknowledged. "Whoever hit you, they MUST be the Blackened!"

"But who was it?" Makoto asked. "We need to figure that out."

"Perhaps it would help to start at the beginning?" Theo suggested. "This could help us determine whodunit."

We all agreed, even Kaede, and we proceeded.

"Ok, so first off, we can presume that Kaede and Sayaka were together in the Jam Room at some point before Sayaka's death. We need to determine who was there with those two, if anyone."

"Allow me to resolve this mystery for you," Theo spoke up. "I was."

All eyes went to Theo. Wait, he was there? Does that mean... ?

"But I did not end poor Sayaka's life. I give my word on that," Theo continued.

"We'll have to prove that," Mukuro responded back, with little emotion in her voice.

"As you say," Theo parried back. "Let's prove my innocence, shall we?"

Kaito looked excited, to my surprise. "Alright, let's do this!"

Theo cleared his throat. "I was with Kaede and Sayaka in the Jam Room, true. But I was not the first one there. As Kenchikka mentioned, she had already arrived when I came upon the scene. Upon seeing Sayaka in her unfortunate state, I immediately left to get the others downstairs. I had not noticed Bera or Chihiro in the Exercise Room, but it seems they overheard anyway."

Leon added, "Before that, he was with me and Bera in the Costume Room."

I nodded, confirming Leon's claim.

Kenchikka spoke next. "Guitar already smashed when Theo enter. Theo enters, sees Sayaka. Looks over, sees me. Theo leaves, announces in doorway that Sayaka and Kaede are hurt. Few minutes later, Bera and Chihiro show up. Alert goes off, Asshole Raccoon's face on screen, announces to come to Jam Room."

Chiaki takes this all in, then asks a question. "All this brings me to one question, I think. Did someone hit Kaede with the guitar after Sayaka's death? Or did Kaede fall and land her head on the guitar?"

Suddenly, this became a very important question. What's the connection between Kaede and the guitar?

Kaede, who had her eyes closed for a while, opened them again. "I fell."

"Ok, but where did you..." The question hung on my lips as I realized what she just admitted to.

Kaito spoke up. "Wait. You fell? From where?"

"Only one place one can fall, damage guitar like this. Above stage."

Leon scratched his goatee. "But that's where Sayaka was, right?"

An awkward silence fell among us. Was this true? Was Kaede where Sayaka was? But... what did this mean?

Celeste broke the silence. "So, Kaede fell from the top of the stage. Sayaka, too, appears to have fallen from the top of the stage. Kaede landed on a guitar and became concussed, and Sayaka hit a speaker and died."

"Ok, but how does it all fit together? It's like a comic strip with several panels missing," Makoto pondered aloud.

Kaede looked over at Makoto. "Sayaka fell. I climbed up to save her."

"What are you talking about? Sayaka died when she fell, and you got knocked out!" Kaito seemed like he wasn't having this.

"Not yet," Kaede shook her head, then staggered a bit.

"Not... yet?" I asked her. "What do you mean?"

Kaede's shoulders slumped. "Sayaka fell while practicing a stunt for another concert we have planned, and stopped about 7 or 8 feet from the floor. She was dangling from the harness, and I couldn't reach the button to release her, so I had to climb up to the pulley to pull her back up."

"Alright, so she had an accident during practice and couldn't release herself." Theo asked. "What happened next?"

"After that, I had to climb up to the top of the stage, to help her -"

"You just said that, I think," Chiaki interrupted.

"Oh. Sorry." Kaede took another deep breath. "I got to the pulley controls and hit the button to raise her back up."

I nodded, following along thus far.

"So, after I got to the pulley, I hit the button to raise her up. Sayaka gradually returned to the top of the stage, but she had trouble getting onto the platform."

"I presume that's the platform near the pulley system, correct," Theo asked.

Kaede nodded. "Yeah, that one. So I reached out to grab her harness and pull her backward."

I nodded. Chihiro seemed relieved, as well.

"So you grabbed her harness and pulled her onto the platform," Kaito responded. "What next?"

To my confusion, Kaede shook her head.

"No. No, I didn't. I..."

She grabbed the back of her head and closed her eyes, grimacing.

So, Sayaka fell off the platform and was dangling. Kaede went up to the top of the stage to rescue Sayaka. She gets her up to her, grabs her harness, but...

My eyes went wide open in terror.

"The emergency release button." I blurted it out. "You grabbed the harness, and when you pulled her back, you triggered the emergency release button before she could get onto the platform. This sent her plummeting, and you lost your balance and fell backwards, landing your head on the bass guitar and concussing yourself."

Makoto's eyes were wide open now. "You mean Kaede killed Sayaka, while trying to save her life?"

Kaede began softly crying. That was all the answer we needed.

I felt sick. Sick to my stomach. We would soon have to vote Kaede, who through no malice of her own, accidentally killed Sayaka. The two, who had just presented us with a concert, would be no more.

I didn't even hear Monorakun's announcement for the vote. I just noticed the screen changed at my podium.

With a heavy heart, I picked Kaede.

After everyone cast their votes, Monorakun's screen on his podium revealed the Monorakun dealer with his deck of cards. He turned them all over, revealing each of us. The dealer then picked up the cards and shuffled them up. Afterwards, the dealer placed the deck on the table before turning the top card over.

It was Kaede's card.

"The irony! The true irony!" Monorakun chuckled to himself. "The girl who tried to save Sayaka's life ended up killing her on accident. No matter, she still hit the release button and plummeted Sayaka to her doom. While it was sad to see happen, this execution should darken the mood even more! Let's get to it!"

The platform we stood on, along with the table, started rotating, until Kaede's back was to the doors to the Execution Room. The doors opened up, and a manacle shot out, grabbing Kaede by the back of her neck and dragging her backwards. We chased her back into the Execution Room, where the usual fence blocked us off.

Kaede was pulled head-first into a clear grand piano, which appeared to have modified internal workings. Kaede was pulled underneath the inner workings of the piano itself, where the hammers rested. However, each hammer also had a spike on the underside, which was now lowering, resting on top of, and along the length of, Kaede's legs, chest, and face.

A Monorakun, dressed as a orchestra conductor, descended from the ceiling, landing on its feet, and scurried over to the piano. He stopped to look over at us, bowed, then sat on the bench.

A sign descended. "Kaede Akamatsu's Execution: Kae-dead Lune"

The Monorakun conductor started playing Clair de Lune, and to our despair, we watched the hammers rose to strike the strings to play the song, then lower to drive their spikes into Kaede. The higher the notes, the higher up Kaede's body the spikes dug into her.

As the song continued, blood gradually began to drip from the bottom of the piano, as Kaede's body was pummeled with hammer-driven spikes to the music of Clair de Lune.

Unable to move within the clear case, Kaede could only lay there, grimacing in pain as she was pelted repeatedly with sharp spikes. Her chest, both legs, and face were bleeding, and her eyelids were looking heavy.

As the song reached its final notes, Kaede's eyes closed for good. The floor underneath the piano was covered in her blood, and the beauty of the song sharply contrasted with the horror of watching Kaede be slowly murdered before us.

After the song ended, the lights went out inside the Execution Room, and the sign changed to the words "Thank you for coming!"

We all exchanged glances. Three murders. Three executions. Ten of us left.

What was going to happen to us now?

Chapter Text

After the shock of watching Kaede being executed finally wore off, I found myself sitting in the Courtyard, by myself. From what I could see of the sky, the sun was starting to set, turning the sky a pretty orange color.

Sighing to myself, I got up and headed to the Dining Hall, deciding to get something for dinner. I made myself some BLTs, frying up the bacon myself for the sandwiches. Putting some mayo on the bread, I made my way to the Dining Hall to eat.

Only Kenchikka and Kaito were present in the Dining Hall, and they were eating dinner together, having a discussion.

"Another Class Trial finished. Should mean another floor opens." Kenchikka commented. She seemed relatively calm, despite the execution we all just witnessed.

"Yeah, but at what cost? We need to get out of here, not open new floors," Kaito replied, unhappy about the situation.

"Agreed, Kaito. But how?" Kenchikka asked him.

Kaito thought for a moment. "I don't know. But we need to find a way to stop this crazy game, one way or another!"

Kenchikka nodded sympathetically, her expression not changing. "Still, need plan. Otherwise, get nowhere. Admire passion, Kaito, but without plan, get nowhere fast."

Meanwhile, I continued to eat my BLT, having nothing useful to add to the conversation. Neither Kaito nor Kenchikka addressed me, so I just let them talk.

After my dinner, I threw my trash away and returned to the Courtyard.

I found Theo out there, staring at the sky through the glass ceiling. He turned to me as I approached.

"Ah, good sir. I would ask how you are doing tonight, but after that dreadful Class Trial, I fear I already know."

Theo wasn't quite himself. I could pick up on his sorrow.

"Yeah, you're right. The murders, the trials, the executions, they're all taking a toll on me," I confess to Theo, who nodded back at me.

"As they do to us all, good sir. Yet, with no one from the outside coming to our aid, save for that one deranged lad who wished to kill us, I fear it is up to us to save ourselves," Theo pondered out loud, as if working out a plan.

"So, tomorrow, the Fourth Floor opens up. Looking up there, there should be one more floor to explore after tomorrow," I shared.

Theo nodded. "Indeed. I fear you are correct. While the fourth floor will provide us with more things to do, I fear a way out may not be found so easily."

I silently agreed with Theo, simply nodding.

Theo then looked at me. "I must depart for my dorm room. I believe it wise that we all get some rest, and prepare for the day to come."

"Yeah, I think you're right, Theo."

We departed for our separate dorms, where I just sat in my room, thinking to myself until the 10pm alert went off. Then I went to bed.

Mercifully, no dreams visited me tonight, and I was able to sleep in relative peace.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

I looked over at my E-Handbook. The date showed Sunday, November 6th, 2022. We have been trapped in here for 11 days now, and we were still no closer to getting out.

But now, there was a new floor to explore, and I would rather go up there with someone else.

I met the others at the Dining Hall for breakfast.

The other nine students were already pairing up together. As we ate French toast, pancakes, and waffles, conversations focused on who would join who.

Chihiro and Chiaki paired up, discussing something of a digital nature. Unfortunately, I entered the Dining Room too late to know what they were talking about.

Makoto and Mukuro were seated together, and judging from the way she was looking at him, I figured they were a group.

Leon was trying to chat up Celeste, who seemed more interested in talking to Kaito. I reasoned that the three of them would pair up together.

That left Theo and Kenchikka paired up. I decided to approach them.

"Bera. Wish to join us, check out Fourth Floor?" Kenchikka asked.

I nodded and smiled, and Theo seemed pleased as well.

"Brilliant! Let us depart for the Fourth Floor then," Theo responded, and the three of us departed the Dining Hall, walking up all those stairs to the Fourth Floor.

As we arrived on the Fourth Floor, we were met with a similar layout of the hallways. Choosing not to turn left this time, we went straight instead.

We looked out the windows to the Courtyard, but no one was out there. Not surprised, we eventually made a left, and we were greeted with a T-intersection.

"Similar layout. Efficient, I suppose. Would prefer some variety myself, but, didn't create this building," Kenchikka commented.

Theo nodded. I shrugged, unsure how to respond.

Arriving at the T-intersection, we made a right, and came across a small Equipment Room directly on our left.

Inside were baseball bats and helmets of various sizes, for use at the Batting Cage across the hallway.

"Bats in one room, batting cages in another? Not well thought out. One could walk in, grab bat, murder," Kenchikka commented.

"Agreed, good lass. This room is trouble," Theo concurred, his eyes on the batting helmets.

We decided to leave the room, not much larger than a closet, alone, and went across the hallway to the Batting Cage room.

Inside the Batting Cage room was a home plate, appearing as a pentagram Monorakun face, with a batter's box on the left and right side.

There were foul lines going to each corner of the room, with a backdrop showing a stadium fence. The pitching machine was at the center, secured to the wall, with a mechanism that gathers balls from the floor and feeds it back to the machine.

"Pitching machine feeds itself? Impressive. Efficient, too," Kenchikka complimented.

Neither Theo nor I had any comments, so we shut the door and continued to the final room in this short corridor, marked "Spa Room".

Within were several massage tables, all remote controlled with mechanisms that would perform various massage styles while you laid down.

There were also two massage chairs, also remote-controlled with different settings and vibration levels. The legs elevated upwards, so you could lay back.

Finally, there were two round tubs in the back of the room, against the wall. One was a hot tub, with a red floor, and the other was a cold tub, with a blue floor. Each one looked like it could fit one personx's, but both were empty right now.

Theo approached the tubs. "Interesting. Heat and cold are often used for sore muscles. Combined with the massage tables and chairs, this could be a very relaxing room."

While I agreed, Kenchikka seemed equally leery of this room.

"Hot tub, cold tub, both filled with water. Easy to drown another. Tables, chairs seem safe enough, but, would avoid tubs, myself."

A shiver went through me. Why was Kenchikka pointing out ways to die? This was supposed to be a happy trip.

The three of us departed the Spa Room, passing Makoto and Mukuro chatting in the hallway. Well, Makoto was doing most of the talking; Mukuro was merely giving short responses.

Returning to the T-intersection, we continued on, and found a Bowling Room on our right.

Inside was a bench along the right side for everyone to sit at. There were also bowling balls of various weights, colored like Monorakun Heads.

Similarly, the 10 pins standing were also colored like Monorakun, from the raccoon faces for the pin heads, to the clawed hands painted on the sides of the pins.

"This is... huh." I was somewhat at a loss for words.

"Pick up Asshole Raccoon head, roll at Asshole Raccoons. Amusing," Kenchikka smirked.

"The irony is not lost upon me either, good lass," Theo observed. "This may, indeed, become a popular room."

I smiled as well. "I've never been very good at bowling, but I wouldn't mind trying this out later."

We eventually left the Bowling Room and headed further down the hallway. We passed Kaito, Leon, and Celeste going the opposite way, discussing how "quaint" (Celeste's words) and "totally messed up" (Leon's words) the Carnival Room was.

Coming across the usual locked gate, we made a left, entering the Carnival room...

Where a truly unnerving view awaited us.

Chapter Text

Before us was the Carnival Room, filled with various types of games, including the typical ones you'd find in a carnival midway. In the back was a Prize Counter, where various prizes awaited those lucky enough in the games to purchase them. I couldn't really make out the prizes, however; there were too many games in the way.

But what caught my attention, immediately... were the Monorakuns in the room.

So many Monorakun robots, each one seemingly assigned to a particular game, staring back at us, unmoving.

Kenchikka looked back at each of them, puzzled. "What is this? Asshole Raccoon Room?"

Theo glanced around the room. "It appears to be some sort of carnival in here."

"Bulls-eye!" A growling voice came from behind us. I didn't even have to turn around to realize it was Monorakun.

"Welcome to the Carnival Room!" Monorakun announced. "I don't remember if I mentioned this or not, but each of you were getting 100 Monocoins per day. So, assuming you haven't lost or gained any, that would put you at..."

Monorakun did some mental math, as his red eye pulsed erratically. After several moments of this, he resumed.

"1100 Monocoins. Anyway, since most of you showed little interest in the School Store, I've decided to add a Prize Counter to the back of the room. Should be some interesting things in there for everyone!"

Monorakun then scurried away, as Kenchikka glared at his departure.

"Alright, let's see what games Asshole Raccoon put in here," she concluded, reluctance heavy in her voice.

"Indeed. Let us see what awaits us in here. Perhaps some welcoming diversions are in store here," Theo agreed.

At a glance around the room, we saw the usual games one would see at a carnival midway.

Skee-Ball, Ring Toss, a dart game, and two "Test Your Might" games caught my eye immediately.

One involved smashing a hammer on a target at about knee height, sending a Monorakun head up a tower. The higher it went, the more Monocoins you were get. The other one had a punching bag, which measured how hard you punched, to the same effect.

Each of the two games had a scanner near it, presumably for the E-Handbook, and had "One Play Per Day" labeled on them. I presumed this meant you couldn't smash them over and over again, racking up Monocoins endlessly.

There was also a Skee-Ball game in here, as well. Ten Balls, each resembling a round, smooth Monorakun Head, would be rolled up a ramp, where several round targets forming a Bulls-Eye awaited. Two smaller targets, one high up on each side, awaited those skilled enough to make it into them. Each one gave 100 Monocoins, while the bulls-eye area went 5, 10, 20, and 50 for the center bulls-eye.

Turning around, my eyes caught sight of two other games. "Whack-a-Rakun!" and a Cup Game.

"Whack-a-Rakun!" looked like your typical "Whack-a-Mole" game, except there were Monorakuns instead of moles, set in a honeycomb format with two at the top, three in the middle row, and two more at the bottom.

I remembered this game. You would have to smack them as they rose up for points. The longer the game went, the faster they would rise up and hide again.

As for the Cup game, there was a Monorakun with three cups in front of him. Usually, one of them had a ball or coin under it. Then, the cups would be shuffled around for a while, before you had to pick which cup wasn't empty.

After looking at those games, I moved on to two others. One was a large wheel, reminding me of a vertical version of "Wheel of Cash". It had a flipper at the top, and various Monocoin amounts listed on the wheel in each slot the flipper could stop on. Beside it, a sign nearby reading "Spin the Mono-Wheel! Every spin a winner!", could be read. Underneath it, in smaller letters, were the words, "Limit one spin per day."

Beside it was a screen, with 20 buttons on a pedestal in front of it. This game reminded me of that TV show, with girls in dresses standing next to briefcases. The player had to pick a briefcase, then eliminate other briefcases to get as much cash as possible.

This particular version was called "Stay or Go?", and had Monorakuns standing near the briefcases, but the general gameplay seemed to be the same.

"It would seem that each game has a button labeled 'Rules'. I would presume this button permits the rules of the game to be explained." Theo observed. He hit the Rules button on the Hammer Game, and the Monorakun next to it sprang to life, albeit remaining in place, and explained the game.

As I expected, the Monorakun barker explained that the object of this game was to strike the target on the pedestal with the hammer. Monorakun's head would then fly upwards. The higher it went, the more Monocoins you got. The barker then went silent.

After walking past several arcade games (a bike racing game, a car racing game, a fighting game, and a game that contained several sports to choose from), I realized Kenchikka was standing at the Prize Counter, by herself.

"This some sort of sick joke?" She was looking towards the prizes on the wall.

Moving closer, I saw why she asked this.

At the Prize Counter, there were the usual prizes: Candy, plushies, and some toys. But that's not what she was looking at.

Along the wall, in a bulletproof glass box, were various types of weapons. Several sharp knives, a Taser, a garrote, and other items were displayed along the walls, all designed to either defend yourself or kill another. Each one was given a number and letter designation, and had a keypad to select your item and a drop slot for its delivery.

"Oh, dear," Theo said, arriving behind me. "This is a most dreadful situation."

Monorakun appeared from behind the counter. "Well, you shitbags haven't been buying much from the School Store lately, so I decided to switch things up in here. Hopefully the items here are more to your liking."

Kenchikka stared back at Monorakun. "Asshole Raccoon! Give weapons as reward, hope for another murder?"

Monorakun responded back. "Sorry, Cyclops. Gotta do what you gotta do, right?"

Kenchikka glared back at Monorakun, her green eye focused on him. "Real items? Have doubts. Let me test Taser, see if fries your circuits."

Monorakun chuckled. "Purchase it and find out. No freebies given here, Miss Artifical Heterochroma."

Monorakun then scurried past us, out of the room.

As Kenchikka glared past Monorakun as he departed, Theo and I stared at the weapons in their glass cases.

The stakes have just been raised, and someone would surely try to cash out now.

Chapter Text

Lunchtime arrived, and we all showed up in the Dining Hall. Theo was contemplating what to make for lunch, considering either an Italian or German dish for lunch.

"I fear we eat too much American-style food, and I would like to show what else I can create," Theo commented.

"Food is food. No difference to me," Kenchikka commented.

"Perhaps for you, dear lass," Theo replied back. "For me, food is a near and dear part of my life."

"Yeah, I've noticed that, Theo. If I didn't know better, I'd say you might be the Ultimate Cook," I commented back.

As the three of us arrived at the Dining Hall, still contemplating what to make for lunch, we were surprised to find that someone already made lunch for us.

Not only that, but it was Monorakun who made it.

Monorakun was standing on the table, next to ten boxes, stacked in two piles of five. One side was marked "Fish", and the other was marked "Chicken".

"Bento Boxes for everyone!" Monorakun announced. "Fish or Chicken, your choice. Got five of each."

Celeste cocked her head, equal parts confused and leery. "Whatever possessed YOU, of all creatures, to prepare a meal for the likes of us?"

Monorakun shrugged. "Eh, figured you would be tired of Western-style meals by now, and would like a taste of home for a change."

Each of us students looked at each other dubiously. Were we going to trust the contents of these boxes?

"Fat chance, dumbass! You probably poisoned these, or laced them somehow," Kaito challenged.

"Ah, don't worry about any of that," Monorakun said. "I didn't poison or sabotage the meals. I'm not allowed to kill you, remember? They're safe, you have my word on it."

Leon passed us as we stood inside the Dining Hall, grabbing a Bento Box. "Ah, screw it. I'll try one! You can't scare me!"

Leon grabbed one of the Bento Boxes and sat down. He opened it up and started eating some of the fish within.

"Hey! This is pretty damn good!" Leon declared. "Dig in!"

The rest of the students eventually came in, and we each grabbed a Bento Box of our own. Each one contained fish or chicken, as well as rice, steamed broccoli and carrots, some apple slices a salad, and some sushi.

Several of us exchanged glances as we began to eat Monorakun's lunch, and as I sat down between Chiaki and Leon, I opened my fish Bento box and began to eat.

To my surprise, the Bento box was really good, considering they came from Monorakun. The fish was done well, the broccoli and carrots were steamed to perfection, and even the apples were crunchy, and not too tart.

Several other students also seemed surprised at the quality and flavor, as well.

"Hey! This is really good! Thanks, Monorakun!" Makoto complimented.

"Better than military rations, I'll give it that," Mukuro responded, with little emotion in her voice.

"Considering the situation we're in, this meal is acceptable," Celeste offered.

Monorakun nodded, accepting the praise. "Thank you, thank you! Just don't get used to it, alright?"

"Hell, I'm just thankful you can't poison us," Kaito shot back. "Otherwise, this box is going in the trash."

"I concur," Theo responded. "Would there be any chance of malicious intent with these Bento boxes, I would discourage their consumption."

After the impromptu lunch, I headed back to my room, working on a design for a kimono. I had the basic design down, but couldn't decide on a pattern. Flowers? Sun and clouds? A serpent circling around the chest and waist? No design at all, just a focus on colors?

Unable to decide, I started drawing one of each, before I get a message on my E-Handbook from Chihiro.

Chihiro Fujisaki: Hey, Bera! Sorry if I'm interrupting you while you're busy, but can you come to my room? I want to show you something.

Curious, I sent a response back.

Bera Haikiko: Sure! I'm trying to figure out how to style a kimono, and I'm stuck on a few ideas. I'll head on over, maybe it'll clear my head.

I put my drawings up and left my room to go to Chihiro's, which was right next door to mine.

There, Chihiro was sitting at his desk, with his computer turned on. On the screen was Chihiro's face, likely the AI he was working on. Alter Ego, was it?

"Hey, Chihiro," I greet as I shut the door.

To my surprise, it was Alter Ego who responded, looking at me on the screen.

"Bera Haikiko? Hi! I'm Alter Ego. Remember me?"

I looked at the screen, surprised. I wasn't anywhere near the computer, yet Alter Ego was staring right at me.

Chihiro scooted to the side and eagerly greeted me, then explained.

"You see, I'm managed to connect Alter Ego to the webcam on this computer, so he can see anyone who comes into this room. This way, he can get to know my friends better."

"Interesting," I comment. "Any luck with... the other stuff?"

Alter Ego looks down. "No. Sorry. This computer isn't connected to the mainframe, so I can't see through any security cameras, or access the electrical systems in this place. I'm sorry."

Chihiro adds, "I'm still working on it, though. I know there's got to be some sort of connection in this place, but so far, it seems to be a closed-circuit one, only available to the security cameras, the monitors, and, most likely, Monorakun himself."

I nod to myself. This made a lot of sense; a serious effort was made to separate us from the outside world, and that would likely include any online communications as well.

I complimented Chihiro on the progress he's made with Alter Ego, then left his room, unaware of what else would be in store for us later tonight.

Chapter Text

As I walked past the Movie Room, I noticed there was an interesting movie coming on soon called "The Happiest Ending". It was described as a drama where a girl deals with various social challenges growing up, and what she did to overcome them.

I pointed it out to Makoto, who I had seen in the Movie Room before, and asked if he wanted to see it with me.

"Yeah, sure!" Makoto responded, before looking over at Kaito. "Hey, Kaito, wanna watch a movie with us?"

Kaito looked over the display outside the Movie Room, describing the movie.

"Yeah, sure, why not?" Kaito finally said. "I ain't doing nothing tonight anyway."

Celeste, seeing the three of us standing next to the digital movie poster, glanced it over as well.

"Hmmm. Not my usual cup of tea, but it doesn't look too terribly boring. Perhaps I shall accompany the three of you," she commented, to my surprise.

Chihiro and Chiaki declined, stating they wanted to work on something together. I figured it might deal with Alter Ego, but I decided not to ask them.

"Sorry. Dramas aren't my preference," Mukuro flatly replied.

Kenchikka and Theo wanted to discuss something in private, and left towards the Dorms.

That left me, Kaito, Makoto, and Celeste to watch the movie together.

The four of us entered the Movie Room. While Kaito, Makoto, and I got ourselves some popcorn and soda, Celeste walked over to her seat, in the front row.

"I would rather not partake in such distasteful provisions," she snidely commented.

Shrugging her off, the rest of us grabbed some popcorn and soda, then we all sat in the first row together. Celeste sat on one edge, and I sat on the other, with Makoto and Kaito in the middle.

The lights go out, and the movie started with a little girl, whose parents thought she would be born a boy, and had a boy name picked out for her. Despite their initial disappointment, they grow to love their newborn daughter anyway.

The movie continues, picking up when the girl, named Shawna, is going to elementary school. The girls exclude her from any birthday parties, and the boys tell her she is ugly. One afternoon, she even shuts her bedroom door, curls up in front of it, and cries.

Despite this, the girl keeps her grades up, maintaining As and Bs throughout her school education. Her parents are content with this, so Shawna focuses on her studies, ignoring the jeers of the boys and girls at school as much as possible.

Eventually, high school comes, and with that, more challenges. Shawna is ridiculed by the girls for choosing "nerdy" classes, while the boys start to take some interest in her, now that she's older and filling out more.

One boy decides to ask her out on a date. Eager for affection, she agrees. However, after they go out to eat, the boy drives into a parking lot and tries to assault her. He forces Shawna to open her mouth, and she bites down on his member until he promises to take her home, immediately.

The next day, the boy breaks up with her in front of everyone, calling her a prude. Shawna turns and runs away, tears streaming down her face, as the boys laugh at her.

Prom comes, and a different boy asks her to prom. She agrees to go with him, and even purchases a nice dress with her own work money. However, on Prom Night, she finds another girl in the car with the boy when he goes to pick her up. Revealing her as his real date, he drives off, leaving the girl in tears in her driveway.

Finally, Graduation Day comes, and with it, freedom from the cruelty of school life.

Shawna is offered a promotion at her job, since she can work more hours now. However, her new boss says Shawna won't get a pay raise unless she sleeps with him at work. Insulted, Shawna quits her job instead of accepting the promotion or the pay raise.

With no job and no money, Shawna gets evicted from her apartment. Refusing to turn to drugs or selling herself, she returns to her parents house "until I can get back on my feet".

The movie ends the next morning, with Shawna's parents calling for her to come down for breakfast, and hearing no response, go into her room. To their horror, her feet are showing dangling in her room; the rest of her isn't shown on the screen.

The credits roll, and the lights come back on. A click is heard, indicating the door is now unlocked.

"Well, that was depressing," Kaito commented.

Makoto replied, "True, but the movie itself was still good."

"If by 'good', you mean 'watching a girl die because she couldn't adapt to her surroundings', then yes, it was very good." Celeste remarked.

I wasn't sure what to think. It felt... so personal. I could feel her despair in every scene, and it really hit home for me.

"Well, at least we all have something to live for, right?" Makoto offered. "I mean, I want to see my sister, Komaru, again."

"And I still need to walk amongst the stars," Kaito declared. "The Luminary of the Stars cannot be denied his destiny!"

"What about you, Bera? What do you seek to do, once you leave here? Anyone on the outside you want to see again?"

I thought long and hard to myself. Why did I want to leave here so badly? Who did I want to see?

My dad hated me. My mom loved me, but was always so busy with her job. I had no siblings, no real friends on the outside.

"I... I really don't know," I finally confessed.

"Truly? You have no one awaiting you? What a pity," Celeste responded, with a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

"Hey, don't worry about that right now. You're alive, right? You can find your own reason to live!" Kaito beamed back.

As Makoto and Kaito left, Celeste remained with me.

"Bera, if you speak true, there may be a loophole you can exploit to end this game."

I tilted my head, somewhat interested. "Really? What would that be?"

"Well, if the Blackened and the Victim were the same, Monorakun couldn't execute the Blackened. We could exploit this to our advantage, and force Monorakun to let us go."

Celeste devised a plan for me to carry out. I told her I would have to think about it.

I spent the rest of the day thinking about what Celeste had told me. If the Victim and the Blackened were the same person... Could Monorakun execute a dead person? How would that even work? Would Monorakun truly have no way to properly end the Trial?

Would everyone remaining truly go free? I decided to sleep on it.

I woke up at 7am to the usual Monorakun morning announcement. It was now Monday, November 7, and I had made my decision.

I took a shower, listening to "Talking to My Angel" by Melissa Etheridge. Afterwards, I got dressed, and headed to the Dining Hall for breakfast.

Theo had prepared a traditional Japanese breakfast of tamagoyaki (a rectangular rolled omelet), steamed rice, and grilled fish.

I ate in relative silence, only answering Kaito when he asked me if I was alright.

"Yeah, just lost in thought, that's all," I responded to him.

It wasn't a lie. Celeste was right. I was in a unique position to save us all, and I was ready to do what I had to do, so that everyone else could leave.

At the Gym, I found a jump rope in a small equipment closet. I stomped on the plastic handles to break them off, tied off one end, and then headed into the Boys Locker Room.

I tied one end of the jump rope to a locker handle, and tossed the other end over a beam.

As I stared at the knot dangling from the ceiling, I heard a gasp behind me

Turning around, my heart sunk in my chest.

Chihiro was standing in the doorway, eyes wide open, mouth agape, as he saw me standing next to a noose.

Chapter Text

Chihiro stared at me from the doorway, mouth agape. His eyes went to me, then the jump rope, then back to me.

"Why?"

That was the only word Chihiro could muster.

I lowered my eyes to the ground. "Because no one will miss me on the outside. All of you have someone waiting for you to come home. I... don't."

Chihiro shook his head, slowly approaching me.

"But... I am. I mean, when Monorakun outed both of us in front of everyone, I wanted to just... disappear forever. Never leave my room again."

Chihiro gulped, then continued, looking nervous. "But then I'd think about you and what you must be going through. And Kaito, saying it was no big deal. And... I'm sorry, I just... Please, don't do this."

I glanced at the jump rope and the loop I made into the end.

"I know I'm not strong enough to stop you, and I'm sorry. But... you were there for me when I needed someone the most. Let me... let me be there for you. As your friend. Please."

Chihiro looked at me, pleadingly. I looked at the jump rope, then Chihiro, then the jump rope again, where I had tied the other end to a locker.

Finally, I nodded.

"Okay."

I untied the jump rope from the locker and let that end of the rope slide upwards before falling to the ground.

"I'm sorry. I just... I don't know," I slowly stammered, suddenly having trouble putting things into words.

Chihiro slowly walked up to me, staring at the jump rope now on the floor, before stopping a few feet away.

"Bera..." Chihiro nervously asked. "Are you gonna be ok?"

I take another deep breath, then nod.

Yeah... I'll be fine. Sorry."

I gave Chihiro a hug, and then we got dressed. We each got into a changing stall and changed into our swim clothes.

Chihiro was wearing a yellow pair of swim shorts, with a fluffy blue tank top. As for me, my swimsuit was more like a wetsuit, but without sleeves or legs on them. It was blue, with three wavy red lines going down the back side of it. I remembered there was a zipper within the middle wavy line, which was still there, and went about two thirds of the way down the back side, so I could put it on and take it off.

I grabbed my beach towel, which was blue and red with a sewing needle, white thread, and a pair of green scissors like an emblem in the middle of it.

Chihiro had his beach towel as well, and we walked out of the Boys Dressing Room together, headed towards the pool.

Kaito was in the pool, not so much swimming, as moving around within the deeper section of the water.

"Hi, Kaito! What are you doing?" Chihiro asked.

"Sup, guys? Did you know that astronauts spend about 10 hours underwater for every hour they spend walking in space? So swimming pools are useful for practice, too."

Chihiro and I exchanged glances. Neither of us had known that.

Kaito held his breath and went underwater, then began walking on the bottom of the pool. Meanwhile, Chihiro and I got into the pool.

The water was somewhat warm, not uncomfortably so, but it was nice not to get hit with the initial shock of stepping into a cold swimming pool.

While Chihiro watched Kaito in the pool, I started swimming. It was the first time swimming since my... change, so it took some getting used to at first. I didn't have to worry about my top coming off or weird guys staring at me with dirty thoughts.

After swimming around a little, I took a look back at Chihiro, who was wading about waist-deep in the water.

"You alright, Chihiro?" I asked.

Chihiro nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright. I just don't swim very often."

Kaito emerged from the water and got out of the pool.

"Hey, I'm gonna head out. You two enjoy yourselves, alright?"

Chihiro and I nodded at him. Chihiro waved goodbye while I said my goodbyes to him. I then turned my attention to Chihiro.

"So, what do you want to do now, Chihiro? I'm enjoying the water in this pool, I must admit."

Chihiro looked at the water, up to his waist, and then nodded to himself slowly.

"I'm fine, just wading in the water. I'm not a very good swimmer, like you. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's alright. I just want both of us to have fun, alright? No stress," I replied, swimming slowly towards Chihiro.

Chihiro smiled, a weight seemingly lifted from his shoulders.

Chihiro and I swam and waded in the pool for almost 45 minutes before leaving the pool, getting dressed, and leaving the Boys Locker Room.

"I'm gonna go back to my dorm and work on Alter Ego some more. Bye, Bera!"

"Sure. Take care, Chihiro. I'll talk to you later."

Chihiro departed towards the dorms, leaving me to contemplate what I should do next.

After some thought, I decided to stop by the School Store.

I looked around the School Store for a while, wondering what I could buy with the Monocoins we are allotted.

There was a lot of seemingly random stuff in here: perfumes, hair clips, books, dolls and action figures, and a few models and puzzles to put together. There were even a few articles of clothing, like tights, scarves, and a Monorakun light jacket, included in here.

Deciding I didn't want anything in here, I decided to head up to the Fourth Floor and check out the Carnival Room.

To my dismay, I would find more than just games in there.

Chapter Text

Upon my arrival in the Carnival Room, I saw Chiaki and Mukuro inside. Chiaki was looking over some of the arcade-style video games, while Mukuro was playing a shooter game involving zombies.

Deciding not to break Mukuro's concentration, I decided to approach Chiaki instead.

"Hi, Chiaki! So... um, what do you think of this room?" I awkwardly ask.

Chiaki shrugged, not showing much emotion. "I've been around games like these a lot. While I usually avoided carnival games, I have always enjoyed their arcades."

I nodded. "Makes sense, I guess. I couldn't really see you playing Skee-Ball or throwing darts at balloons."

Chiaki smiled slightly. "True."

Meanwhile, Mukuro breathed a sigh of relief behind me.

"This isn't exactly like shooting real people, but this zombie shooter game is... competent," she remarked.

My eyes were drawn to a game called "Stay or Go?". It contained 16 Monorakuns, each holding a briefcase with a number on it. I remembered a TV Game Show with a similar setup, but I never really cared much for it.

Instead, I turned my attention towards a fashion game, called "Dress to the 9s". It had a handsome young man and a pretty woman on the banner, standing next to each other. The man was wearing a tux, and the woman was wearing a gold dress with a long slit down the side, revealing her left leg up to the thigh.

Curious, I placed my E-Handbook on the pedestal next to the game to play it. The pedestal scanned my E-Handbook, giving me a small beep and a green light.

First, I had to select my person. I could choose from the man (Art) or the woman (Mira).

Despite Art looking interesting, women tend to have more options in dressing up, so I decided to try out Mira.

My E-Handbook beeped. Looking at the screen, it was saving information. Apparently, I could play Art later, and switch between the two.

The game started with me in the projects, wearing a torn pair of jeans and a dirty T-shirt. I could choose to work at a gas station, a grocery store, or a restaurant.

I elected to choose the restaurant. The starting pay was lower, but the chance for tips could pay off.

I noticed Chiaki watching me. Curious, I turned my head towards her.

"Nice choice," Chiaki commented. "The Grocery Store has the least amount of stress, and the Gas Station has the most flexible hours, but the Restaurant has the potential for the best payout."

Nodding in agreement, I start working there, which consisted of taking order, selecting the items the customer mentions, and ensuring I remove any condiments the customer says they don't want. Refusing to take any days off (as they would be unpaid and deduct against my threshold), I focused on working and saving my money for newer clothes.

After working my third week, I was able to buy a knee-length black skirt, a pink tank top with a logo on it, and some sneakers. I didn't quite have enough for the knee-highs yet, but I could afford the black no-show socks with $5 to spare.

After the 5th week, the boss called me into his office for a meeting. I received a 10% raise for meeting the threshold, and was given more flexibility in my hours.

With this, I could start taking a day off work to do other activities (though I still would not be paid if I did so), but so long as I didn't do it more than twice a month, I would still meet my next threshold at 13 weeks.

At 7 weeks, I was able to afford some black flats, a pair of pink knee-highs, and a V-neck tank top. I couldn't wear the V-neck to the restaurant job, but with it, I could finally enter the local town beauty contest.

I quickly realized I would need more accessories, like earrings, necklaces, or purses, but I did manage to place third in the event, winning me a decent amount of money. I missed second by 2 points, and first place by 7.

"A little early to enter, but at least you came out ahead," Chiaki commented.

With the extra money, I was able to purchase a small handbag, pink and black with a small strap. While I couldn't put anything in it, it did give bonuses to Fashion, which would be helpful.

I decided to save my progress at this point, and head to another game.

I found Mukuro looking at a hunting game, but she decided against it, instead turning to a sniper game, called "One Shot". It was a one or two player game, with the intro showing the second player would be stationed at a different location within the scenario.

I put my E-Handbook on the pedestal, while Mukuro gave me pointers on sniping.

"First off, don't be too hasty on taking the shot. Sometimes, if you wait, a better shot will come along. Second, keep your hands steady, and hold your breath before you take the shot. Third, keep an eye on any balloons, flags, trees, or other objects in the wind. The wind will help you aim, if you know how to use it."

We started the game together, and we are introduced as snipers for the US Army, assigned to various countries to locate and eliminate threats to US Interests. Our first assignment was in Agrabah, where our assignment was to locate and eliminate a spy.

We were given his description (male, black mustache and goatee that do not touch each other, wearing a black and red outfit with a black and gold hat).

We were then warned that each of us would only have one shot, and that missing the target would leave us compromised.

We were then loaded into a marketplace, with people wandering all over the place. Mukuro was on a tower to the left of the marketplace, while I was on a lower tower on the right side.

After about 20 seconds, we saw a man wearing black and red, with a mustache and goatee, but the two touched, so I let him go, as did Mukuro.

15 seconds later, a man matching the description wandered into the screen, talking to one vendor and buying a pineapple. I then watched as he approached a young boy, giving him the pineapple and taking something small in return.

As soon as the little boy left, Mukuro fired, hitting the man in the side of the head and dropping him.

A new screen loaded, congratulating us on eliminating the target, as he was found with a remote control connected to explosives at a nearby empty stall.

"I had to wait for the boy to go away," Mukuro commented. "Best to take the shot when there are no witnesses interacting with them."

As I stepped back from the game for a moment, I noticed someone leave, but they were gone before I noticed who it was; I only noticed the movement near the doorway.

Curious, I saved my progress, removed my E-Handbook from the scanning pedestal, and headed towards the doorway, but saw nobody.

Shrugging it off, I decided to check the Prize Counter, to see what I could get for my Monocoins. I noticed several items had already been purchased; a yo-yo, a bottle of perfume, a TUTEC journal...

As my eyes scanned the missing prizes, my breath caught in my throat. Three other items were missing, and I suddenly became VERY concerned.

The long rubber gloves, the night goggles, and the Taser were all gone, too.

Did this meant what every bone in my body screamed it meant?

Chapter Text

Feeling a surge of dread, I decided to leave the Carnival Room, and make an attempt to figure out who may have taken the Taser. I wasn't too worried about the gloves or the night vision goggles, but seeing the Taser was gone really concerned me.

I decided to head down to the Dining Hall for lunch, as it was close to noon already. I wanted to see if I could make a traditional Japanese lunch of some sort. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted yet, but I knew I wanted to try something familiar.

However, I walked into a three-way argument between Kaito, Kenchikka, and Celeste.

"What do you mean, we should wait?" Kaito said to Kenchikka, incredulously.

"Like I said from beginning, need plan. Poor time to be reckless," Kenchikka responded, her hands on her hips.

"This again, with the plan crap? Are you for real?" Kaito shot back.

"As real as her hair color, one would wager," Celeste chided.

Kaito looked at Celeste strangely. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Kenchikka looked over at Kaito, annoyed. "Seriously? Mother Japanese. Father Dominican. Think I have natural blonde hair?"

Kaito looked astonished at this revelation. "Wait, you're NOT a natural blonde?"

Kenchikka sighed, exasperated. "My hair color, as real as Celeste's drills. Clear now?"

Celeste's eyes went wide at this remark, but she said nothing.

I made myself some lunch, deciding to go with a Korean BBQ Burger with some Kimchi. I get the meat prepared, and start working on the Korean BBQ Sauce and the Kimchi.

While I work, Theo pops his head in the Kitchen doorway.

"Good day, Bera! I trust all is well?" Theo greets me.

I nod. "Yeah, so far so good."

Theo nods. "Chihiro was looking for you. Kenchikka said the last time she saw you was in the Kitchen, so I wanted to check in, make sure you were alright."

Wait... Chihiro wanted me? For what?

While I contemplated that question, Theo offered to help me with making my lunch, stating that Korean food might just hit the spot for him as well.

We spent the next 15 to 20 minutes making our lunches together, with Theo mentioning certain properties of Korean food. I didn't really have much to add, so I just focused on making lunch and let Theo talk.

After we finished cooking and cleaned our bowls and other utensils, we sat down together to eat.

Theo instantly picked up that something was troubling me.

"Good sir, what seems to be the problem lately?" he asked.

"Well, I was in the Carnival Room earlier with Chiaki and Mukuro, and as I left, I noticed some items had been purchased from the Prize Counter. A Taser, the long rubber gloves, and the night vision goggles are all gone," I responded nervously.

Theo's face became contemplative. "Ah, yes, I see. So you're concerned that another murder may take place soon, is that correct?"

I nodded, taking another bite of my Korean BBQ Burger.

"Well, while I cannot speak on behalf of the Taser or gloves, I do know who has the night vision goggles," Theo replied. "I do."

My eyes went wide. "Wait, YOU have the night vision goggles?!"

Theo lowered his glasses at me. "Good sir, please keep it down. But yes, the goggles are in my possession. I have a plan in mind to get us all out of here, but I must execute it at the proper time. Unfortunately, that proper time is not now, but those goggles will be crucial for me."

So, Theo has the Night Vision Goggles, but doesn't know who has the rubber gloves or the Taser. This didn't make me any more comfortable.

Adding to my distress, Monorakun wandered into the Dining Hall, then sat on his haunches as he looked at us.

"Ah, the shemale and the mystery guest! How are you two doing?" Monorakun responded.

I glared at Monorakun, the insult cutting me deep, but I didn't want him to see that.

"What do you want?" I shot back.

To my complete confusion, Monorakun started clapping. "Hey, just wanted to say Kudos on your little stunt this morning. We made a real killing off of that! You should do it more often."

Theo glanced over at me. "Has the robotic raccoon gone mad?"

Shaking Theo off, I replied back to Monorakun's remarks. "What do you mean, made a killing? Nobody's died today."

Monorakun chuckled. "Yeah, true, but that's not the only way to make a killing, you know."

Theo pondered this for several moments, before speaking up. "Since no one has died, do you mean, perhaps, a financial windfall instead?"

Monorakun nods. "Bingo, Titus! While I'm not interesting in sharing the details, we had some serious bets roll in, due to Bera's antics this morning. And in the end, we took all those losing bets and banked 'em! Heh heh heh hee heeeeee!"

Moments later, Kenchikka returned, carrying an empty plate and a fork.

"Why is Asshole Raccoon laughing now? Finally short-circuit?" Kenchikka asked snarkily.

"Oh, my favorite Full Metal Architect! No, I haven't short-circuited, and even if I did, another would take my place."

"Of course it would. That's why Asshole Raccoon not in incinerator yet. Would be satisfying, true, but accomplish nothing long-term."

Monorakun chuckled. "Don't threaten me with a good time, KK-800," he retorts, and then considers. "That might be too obscure a reference, but at least I didn't ask for your clothes, your boots, and your motorcycle. I'll be back."

Monorakun scurried on all fours out of the Dining Hall, with Kenchikka looking as if she was contemplating punting Monorakun down the hall, her foot pulled back before she wisely changed her mind.

"Anyway, returning dishes. Wash them myself, then put them away, head up to Spa Room. Headaches returning, figure return to dorm room, take nap, sometimes helps."

Theo responds, concerned. "Do let us know if you need anything, ok lass?"

Kenchikka nodded slowly. "Will do. For now, am fine. Can manage."

After Kenchikka put her dishes away. Theo and I finished eating lunch together. We talked together until about 1:15pm about various topics: his past, my surgery in San Francisco, and Hormone Replacement Therapy I took once a week, on Tuesdays. With today being Monday, September 7th, I would have to take the shot again tomorrow.

Eventually, we wrapped up our conversation. Theo departed for his dorm room, and I decided to go see what Chihiro wanted earlier. I went up to his Dorm Room and knocked. After a few moments, Chihiro opened the door and let me in.

"Hi, Bera!" Chihiro greeted me as he let me in, closing the door behind me. "I have some updates for you."

I took a seat on the edge of Chihiro's bed. "Yeah? What's up?"

Chihiro took a deep breath. "Well, I have two updates, really. One's about Alter Ego, and the other is about that mysterious person controlling Monorakun, 未来. Which do you want to hear first?"

I thought about it, then decided to hear about 未来 first.

"Well," Chihiro began. "I made contact with them once more, last night. They agreed to answer one more "yes or no" question, on the grounds that I never contact him again, that our deal was off once the Ultimate Infiltrator tried to kill us all."

I nodded. "Ok, and what did you ask?"

Chihiro pondered. "Well, I was trying to figure out reasons why we're still trapped here, instead of worrying about who 未来 is. I finally asked them if there was any financial gain for them, for us being here. He answered yes, then I received a message stating that I was blocked."

So, we're trapped here, and there's a financial gain to be had for us being trapped here?

"Ok, so that's an important piece of this puzzle. Thanks, Chihiro. Now, what about Alter Ego?"

Chihiro smiled. "Alter Ego was able to pull some data about three hours ago. I'm still sorting through it all, but it seems like there's a betting ring tied to this place. Hundreds, even thousands of dollars are being won and lost based on what happens here, with us."

My eyes went wide. "Wait a minute. People are not only watching us, live, but betting on us?"

Chihiro shrugged. "It seems that way, but I haven't processed all the data yet, so I can't be for sure. But I think so."

"Hey, while I'm thinking of it," I add. "You remember the Carnival Room, right?"

Chihiro smiled. "Yeah! That room is so much fun!"

"The Taser, the long rubber gloves, and the night vision goggles are missing," I worriedly inform Chihiro, who looked both alarmed and somewhat scared.

"Well, there could be any number of reasons for the gloves, but why the night vision goggles? We don't have any blackouts here," Chihiro pondered.

"I'm more worried about the taser. It had a detachable function where it could still be used in a melee function, even after the heavy-duty prongs hit somebody else from up to 35 feet away."

Chihiro nodded, then froze for a moment, as if remembering something.

"I remember looking up info on that Taser via Alter Ego. It seems that several years ago, that particular model was recalled, due to the pulsing function malfunctioning on it. It was delivering a steady stream of volts into the victim, instead of cutting itself off, charging up the next shock, and delivering the volts in very short pulses like they're supposed to. If someone has that taser, then -"

We were cut off by an announcement from Monorakun. "Alright, shitbags, we've got a two-for-one special in the Spa Room. Buy one dead body, get another one free! Prices and participation will NOT vary, however. Get up here, now!"

Chihiro's eyes went wider than I had ever seen them. I glanced at the time

We bolted out of his dorm room and ran up the flights of stairs to the Spa Room, meeting with Theo on the way up. All of us were wracked with concern.

Finally, we arrived at the Spa Room, and looked inside.

Makoto and Mukuro were in the tubs. Makoto had two small pieces of metal in his chest, near his heart. There was a wire coming off of each of them, ending in the water. Makoto's eyes were bloodshot, staring wide open at us from the hot tub.

Mukuro, however, was face-down in the cold tub, unmoving, with her feet and lower legs sticking out. Kaito was pulling her out of the water with Leon's help.

"Yo! What's this mark on her neck?" Leon asked. "Looks like a small burn or something."

Chihiro and I exchanged glances, standing at the scene of a double murder.

Makoto and Mukuro were both dead, and one of us killed them.

But who? Or... Whom?

Chapter Text

Monorakun scurried past Chihiro and I, entering the room. Once everyone else showed up, he addressed us.

"Alright, shitbags. We've got everyone's favorite ship dead, and you ruined it!" Monorakun complained. "But who ended them? One of you, of course!"

Monorakun then scratches behind his ear with his hind foot. "Or was it... TWO of you? I mean, there ARE two dead bodies, after all... Hmmmmm..."

"Enough with this! Just give us the damn Monorakun File!" Kaito snaps.

Monorakun sighs. "Fine, fine. Here."

Everyone's E-Handbooks went off at once. I opened mine up, and saw two files sent to it. One was an Autopsy Report for Makoto, and the other for Mukuro.

I decided to open up Makoto's Autopsy Report first.

"Victim: Makoto Naegi. Time of Death: Around 12pm. Cause of Death: Extreme Nipple Piercing. The victim has an unidentified object embedded into his chest. The victim also died in water. No other external injuries reported."

So Makoto died in water... that was good to know.

I next opened up Mukuro's Autopsy Report.

Victim: Mukuro Ikusaba. Time of Death: Around 12:30pm. Cause of Death: Lacked Volt Absorb or Water Absorb. Two electrical burns were found, one on either side of the victim's neck, which contributed to her death. Water was found in her lungs. No other injuries reported."

"So, two deaths, both involving water. Makoto has... something, in chest. Mukuro, two burn marks on neck, water found in lungs," Kenchikka summarizes.

Theo nods. "Yes, dear lass, it would appear so. I shall monitor the crime scene."

Kenchikka nods. "I'll join. Two murders, need two people. Otherwise, lose time."

Kaito concurs. "Yeah, I like that. Rest of us, look around, gather alibis, and let's avenge Makoto and Mukuro!"

The first thing I did was look inside the tubs. I saw no trace of blood in either one, but there was something inside the cold tub, where Mukuro met her end.

It was, to my horror, the taser. It had been dropped inside of the cold tub, and I wasn't sure if it was off or not.

Kaito, noticing my reaction, walked over to me, quickly noticing the taser in the water.

"Hey! What the hell is that?" Kaito asks out loud.

Everyone except Theo comes over to see what we're staring at.

"Taser. No lights on, likely safe," Kenchikka comments.

Celeste finds an elbow-length rubber glove behind the cold tub. "Here. This may be evidence, but would it not be wiser to use it to procure the device, rather than your bare hand?"

I nod in agreement. "Thanks, Celeste!" Taking the glove, I put it on my right hand, then slide my hand in and grab the taser. Pulling it out of the water, it was indeed turned off.

"Well, at least the weapon was turned off, Bera," Chiaki remarked. "But the mystery deepens. How did it end up there?"

"A valid question," Celeste responds. "Perhaps this glove holds the key?"

Chihiro, Leon, and Kaito exchanged puzzled looks. Meanwhile, Chiaki's eyes lit up.

"I recall seeing these items. The taser and elbow-length rubber gloves were prizes from the Carnival Room," she remarks.

"But there's only one glove here," Chihiro replies. "Where is the other one?"

Kenchikka shrugs. "Worry about that later. For now, deal with taser."

I carefully handed the Taser to Chihiro. "Here, I trust you with this. See what you can find out, ok?"

Chihiro nodded. "Ok, leave it to me!"

While Chihiro carefully examined the taser, Chiaki and Leon departed for the Carnival Room. Theo carefully watched everyone, while Celeste looked over at the massage chairs.

I decided to try to get some alibis from people, starting with Theo.

"Well, good sir, I started the morning with breakfast, then spent a large part of the morning in my room. We then met for lunch, and spoke for a while, as I'm sure you remember. I believe you departed me around 1:15pm or so, heading to another person's dorm room while I returned to my own."

Of course. Theo and I were together during the time of the murders, so we had each other's alibis.

Chiaki and Leon returned, and I decided to speak with Chiaki next.

"Hey, Chiaki. Do you remember what time it was when Mukuro and I left the Carnival Room?" I asked.

Chiaki pondered. "I think it was around 11:45am."

"So, what did you do after I left?" I asked.

Chiaki responded, "I stayed in the Carnival Room, playing "Dress to the 9s". I've gotten a promotion to manager, and just bought my first car, too."

Chihiro claimed to have been working on Alter Ego most of the day, which made sense, since we had discussed Alter Ego earlier in the day, in his dorm room.

"So, Leon, where were you at, then?" I asked next.

Leon shrugged. "Hmmmmm... Well, I was in the Exercise Room most of the morning, then went to the Jam Room around 10:45am to work on some new vocals. I'm still giving up baseball to pursue a music career, ya know."

Celeste, meanwhile, mentioned discussing a private matter with me that morning, before leaving for the Spa Room. However, she claimed she was getting a back and shoulder massage at the automated massage table, spending most of her time face-down. She left at 11:45am, noticing Makoto coming in alone as she was leaving. She had no idea where Mukuro was, and never saw her that day.

"Around noon, I came down for lunch, where I engaged in a pointless debate with Kaito and Kenchikka. Theo and you can attest to this, can you not?" Celeste added.

I nodded, remembering the three-way argument in the Dining Hall.

Kaito was in the pool that morning, as Chihiro and I could vouch for, but after he left, he was in the Bowling Room, on the same floor as the Spa Room. He left at 11:35am to take a quick shower, then arrived at noon to the Dining Hall.

"I heard a few people pass by the doorway at different times, but I didn't pay much attention to it," Kaito admitted.

Kenchikka, meanwhile, was in her dorm room most of the morning with vertigo and a migraine, but left her room to eat lunch.

"Ummmm... guys?" Chihiro spoke up. "There's a part missing to this taser. It looks like the two little wires that eject from this mechanism are gone."

Theo nodded. "I see. It would appear that Makoto has those wires in his chest."

Chihiro nodded, then continued. "However, it looks like the prongs should still work, even without the firing mechanism, similar to a cattle prod or a policeman's electric baton."

Chihiro compared the markings on Mukuro's neck to the space between the prongs. It was a very close match.

"I think that -" Chihiro started, but was interrupted by Monorakun.

"Alright, time's up. Everyone to the Courtroom for the Fourth Class Trial! Do we have two separate Blackeneds, or did someone take advantage of a Two-for-One sale? Time to find out!"

For the fourth time, we all headed to the Courtroom.

For the fourth time, we would have to discuss a student's murder.

But would we get it right for the fourth time?

Chapter Text

For the fourth time, we found ourselves in the Courtroom. For the first time, however, this was a double murder.

"Alright, shitbags," Monorakun addressed us. "We've got ourselves Double Jeopardy here. Two deaths, so you've gotta figure them BOTH out! Get either one of them wrong, and everyone except our lovely Blackened, or Blackeneds, get to graduate! All the rest of you, of course, flunk out of life. No pressure!"

With that, we began the Class Trial.

"So, got two deaths. One Blackened, or two?" Kenchikka asks.

"Let us address one at a time," Theo offered. "Then the truth shall become clear."

"That makes sense, I think," Chiaki replied. "Splitting up parties rarely ends well, after all."

Kaito spoke up next. "Ok, so let's start with the first death. Makoto. What do we know about this?"

Theo responded, "From our initial observations, Makoto had two prongs of a taser in his chest, along with the wiring connected it to the taser itself. As for poor Mukuro, she had two identical marks on either side of her neck."

"Marks consistent with what taser would do. Plus, taser found in cold tub, missing prongs. Confirmed prongs, wires from Makoto's chest, match detachable part of taser. Thus, taser kill both," Kenchikka added.

"That would appear to be the logical conclusion, yes," Celeste replied.

A question popped into my mind.

"Wait a minute. Wasn't water found in Mukuro's lungs? Doesn't that mean she drowned, and wasn't electrocuted?" I asked.

Leon agreed with me, as did Chihiro.

However, Chiaki seemed to ponder my thoughts.

"Not necessarily. Perhaps the initial injury was to stun Mukuro from behind. Then the second injury happened while her head was underwater, I think," Chiaki thought out loud.

Kaito's eyes widened. "Hey, that actually might make some sense! I was wondering why there would be two wounds on Mukuro, instead of one. I figured it was because she was so tough, that one wouldn't do it."

Leon couldn't help a chuckle. "Damn right! That chick didn't take shit from anyone. But... still, how would someone overpower her like this?"

Kenchikka considers. "Overpower? Unlikely. Wounds from near back of neck, shoulder area. Likely, ambush from behind. Would be... safer, I think."

Nobody had any real objections to this theory, and it made a lot of sense to me. None of us would defeat Mukuro in a straight-up hand-to-hand fight; she was the Ultimate Soldier, after all.

"So," Theo spoke up again. "It would appear that Makoto was murdered first, followed by Mukuro. Do you think it safe to say the taser contributed to both murders?"

"Sounds about right to me," Kaito responded.

"That would appear to be the case here, yes," Celeste replied.

It made sense to me, so I nodded my agreement.

"Alright. Taser murder weapon. Makoto death, rather obvious. Shot in chest, thousands of volts, dead. Mukuro? Still a mystery. Need to discuss," Kenchikka remarked.

"Discuss what, exactly?" Leon asked. "Does it really matter how Mukuro died?"

Kaito disagreed. "I think Mukuro's death could be the key to all of this, actually. I can't think of how one of us would've taken her down."

"Yes, indeed. A most curious part of the puzzle," Theo agreed.

"Shall we look into it, then?" Celeste suggests.

We all agreed to look into how, exactly, Mukuro died.

"First, let's consider everyone's alibi during this time," Kaito declared. "This morning, I was in the pool with Chihiro and Bera. I didn't leave until 11:35am to take a shower, then I went to the Dining Hall at noon for lunch, spending most of the time in the Kitchen."

"Yes, I do remember seeing you in there," Theo mentioned. "You, Celeste, Bera, and Kenchikka were in the Dining Hall around noon."

"Indeed I was," Celeste replied. "Kaito, Kenchikka and I discussed Kenchikka's hair color, as I do recall."

"Yes," Kenchikka agreed. "Then you, Kaito both, left around noon."

"I was in the Carnival Room all morning," Chiaki replied. "Mukuro and Bera were there, too. They left at different times, I think."

"So, where were you, Kenchikka?" Celeste asked.

"In dorm room. Had migraine, vertigo. Walking no good," Kenchikka responded. "Came out just before noon, after migraine passed. Argue with Celeste, Kaito. Tell Asshole Raccoon, I want stuff him in incinerator."

Leon responded, "Hey, I was in the Exercise Room until 10:45am, then went to the Jam Room until the announcement went off. Don't look at me!"

Chihiro claimed to be working on Alter Ego, which I was able to back him up on that.

Celeste, however, admitted to being in the Spa Room that morning, using the back/shoulder massage at the automated table.

"I was face down the entire time," Celeste confessed. "If someone came in, I wouldn't have been able to see them."

I thought about that. Celeste left the Spa Room, the scene of the crime, at 11:45am. Makoto's time of death was around noon; Mukuro's death around 12:30pm.

Theo began to look at Celeste suspiciously. "Wait a moment, Celeste. You were the only one to admit to being at the scene of the crime."

Celeste shrugged, brushing one of her drills indifferently. "And? I left 15 minutes before anyone died. Your point?"

"So you say, but can you prove it?" Leon challenged.

"Can you disprove it?" Celeste challenged.

Kaito fires back, "You admitted to being in the room near the time the crime was committed. You say you left beforehand, but I wonder if you had time to commit Makoto's murder before you left."

Celeste chuckled, though she clearly did not find anything funny.

"Going in circles. Need to confirm, deny claim. Then, address claim." Kenchikka was ready to consider this claim of Leon's.

"I think Leon could be onto something," Chiaki chimed in.

Chihiro, however, seemed lost in thought. "Maybe... but I don't know."

Leon, to my surprise, took the lead on this.

"Look, here's how I see it. You said you were in the Spa Room. Makoto and Mukuro died in the Spa Room. It doesn't take long, even for someone like you, to get to the Dining Hall from up there. Couple of minutes, I'd think," Leon spelled out.

"Sounds about right, I think," Chiaki commented.

Chihiro nodded in agreement, still contemplating.

Celeste, however, looked completely unfazed. "Ok, and?"

I decide to speak up next. "And who told me to use that glove, in case the taser was on?"

Theo answered that question. "Without a doubt, that was Celeste. But why would you think it was on?"

Celeste fiddled with her other hair drill. "It seemed like common sense to me. After all, water conducts electricity unless it's pure H2O, due to the calcium, magnesium, and other minerals. In truth, this is why I do not drink tap water, and prefer my milk tea, with the water boiled to remove these impurities."

The rest of us exchange glances with one another.

"So, after you left the Dining Hall, where did you go?" Leon challenged. "You never said."

"Because I was never asked. For the record, I returned to my dorm room after my quarrel with Kaito and Kenchikka," Celeste responded.

Chihiro spoke up next. "That... doesn't give you much of an alibi. I'm sorry."

Leon added, "And that still puts you at the scene of the crime today, too."

"And that still gives you nobody to prove you were in the Jam Room at the time of the murder, either," Celeste shot back.

This... was also true. Or was it? My head started spinning as Leon and Celeste verbally sparred with one another. Celeste certainly looked suspicious, but then again, nobody could really vouch for Leon, either. Maybe we had the wrong person?

But Leon looked convinced it was Celeste, and Celeste was pointing her finger at Leon.

Who would've been more likely to kill? Or could it have been both of them?

Suddenly, Celeste looked up at Monorakun, who had been pretending to be curled up asleep. "Excuse me, Monorakun? A question, if I may?"

Monorakun raised his head up. "Are you done yet?

Celeste looked up at Monorakun. "Remind me again about the rules regarding the voting process?"

Monorakun looked at her, his red eye glowing. I think the question annoyed him.

"When I say it's time to vote, a four by four grid appears, each with a name on it. You select the name that you think the Blackened is. If the students get the right name, then the Blackened faces execution. If they get the wrong one, however, then the Blackened graduates and goes free, while everyone else dies instead. Clear?"

Celeste considers, then nods. "That is satisfactory. Shall we vote, everyone?"

Leon nods. "Yep, sounds good. No way in hell I'm dying for this!"

Theo spoke up. "Wait a minute, good sir. We haven't -"

"Sounds good to me!" Monorakun announced. "Everyone, voting time has arrived. I need to recharge, and frankly, this back-and-forth is starting to bore me."

Our podiums revealed the 4x4 grid with everyone's name on it. I considered the evidence, alibis, and testimonies.

Celeste admitted to having been in the Spa Room, but said she left at 11:45pm. Makoto's estimated time of death was around noon. Plus, Celeste did leave before 12:30pm, which could've given her time to commit the second murder.

However, I had no idea where Leon was during this time, either. I didn't recall seeing him at all. Could he have committed the murder after Celeste left?

Or was he truly preoccupied with his music? Leon did seem to be a one-track-mind kind of guy, after all.

I took a deep breath, then made my choice, settling on Celeste.

After everyone cast their votes, the Monorakun dealer showed up on the monitor above Monorakun's podium. It revealed a playing for each remaining students, then shuffled them up, cutting the small deck once in a while. Finally, the dealer flipped the top card of their deck up.

It showed Celeste's face on the card.

Monorakun's eye started flashing red, irregularly, as he stared at the screen.

"Well, shitbags, I've got some good news and some bad news," Monorakun stated.

We all looked up at Monorakun, since his seat was above all of ours.

"Good news, bad news?" Kenchikka asked.

"Do share with us the news, shall you?" Theo asked.

Monorakun nodded, his eye now glowing solid red as he spoke.

"The bad news is, Celestia Ludenberg isn't the Blackened."

Chapter Text

A cold chill went through me, and I felt my breath catch in my chest. I couldn't move.

"Wait, what?" Leon asked. "What the hell do you mean she's not the Blackened?!"

Chihiro shrunk down, hugging himself in fear. "Does... does that mean...?"

Kenchikka sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. Picked wrong, so -"

"Let me finish," Monorakun admonished Kenchikka.

Chiaki looked up at Monorakun, along with the rest of us. "Wait. You haven't said what the good news is yet, Monorakun. I would like to hear it, I think."

Kaito agreed, as did Chihiro. "Yeah, let's hear it! What's this good news?"

Monorakun responded, "The good news is, officially, the true Blackened is Taeko Yasuhiro."

We all exchanged confused glances. Who?

"Ummmm," Chiaki responded. "There is nobody here named-"

"How DARE you use that name in my presence!" A voice rang out angrily.

I looked over at where the voice came from, the reality of the situation finally dawning upon me.

Celeste was fuming, glaring at Monorakun, her fists clenched on her podium.

"Awwww, sorry, Taeko," Monorakun continued. "Anyway, the good news is that Taeko Yasuhiro is, indeed, a student here. She commonly goes by the alias Celestia Ludenberg, or Celeste. Therefore, despite getting her name wrong, you still, technically, picked the correct Blackened anyway. So...Congratulations!"

Celeste, meanwhile, began nearly hyperventilating with rage. "My. Name. Is. Celestia. Fucking. LUDENBERG!!" She screamed at Monorakun, who made no indication of hearing her.

I felt the platform we're all standing on spin, with Celestia's back now facing towards the Execution Room. The door opened, and a manacle shot out, clamping around Celeste's neck and dragging her backwards. We followed her into the Execution Room, some of us still in shock over nearly being executed ourselves, and others in horror at the fate that would await Celeste.

Celeste was pulled against one of the side walls, being held up by the manacle while still allowing her feet to plant firmly on the ground. The metal gate slammed shut in front of us, separating us from her.

Inside the Execution Room was a table containing a deck of cards, inside an automatic card dealer. On the other side of the room from Celeste was a truck, sitting idly on the other side of the enclosure, its engine turned off. A sign above us said, "Taeko Yasuhiro's Execution: 52 Card Pick-Up".

The automatic dealer was raised on a wire, and turned itself on, aiming itself at Celeste. Suddenly, cards began flying out of the dealer, one at a time. The cards were razor-sharp, and were fired directly at Celeste's body as she was restrained by the manacle against the side wall.

Celeste winced as a card slashed her outer thigh, then another buried itself into her breast. The next card dug into her shoulder, while another card sliced her hip. The next two razor-like playing cards found her abdomen, while the following one scored a direct hit into her stomach.

We watched in horror as all 52 cards were fired into various parts of Celeste's body; her arms and legs were covered in playing cards and blood, and her chest, stomach, and abdomen had cards sticking out of them in various spots. As blood trickled down her body, Celeste tried her best to remain stoic, despite the pain clearly wracking her body.

After the final card was fired at Celeste, scoring a hit into her ribcage, the automatic dealer, still suspended by the wire string, returned itself to the table with a soft landing. Celeste was breathing heavily, her pupils dilated as her body appeared to be going into shock from the blood loss.

Suddenly, the pickup truck started itself up. It revved its engine several times, and deep down inside, I knew exactly what was coming next.

Putting itself into gear, the truck drove straight at Celeste, as fast as it could go. As we watched in horror, the pickup truck slammed into Celeste's body, completely totaling the truck as it slammed into Celeste. Celeste coughed up blood from the impact before her body went limp, her head smacking off of the hood of the truck with a thud. The truck then shut itself off, the front end smashed in as liquid started leaking underneath it. It smelled like antifreeze to me, sickly sweet, which turned my stomach when compared to the scene before me.

Celestia Ludenberg... or should I say Taeko Yasuhiro?... was dead.

We left the Execution Room and the Courtroom in stunned silence. First, we thought we selected the wrong Blackened, dooming us all to die while the Blackened would go free. Then, it was revealed that Celestia Ludenberg... wasn't Celeste at all. She was someone else completely: Taeko Yasuhiro. Then... we all watched her die a bloody, terrible death.

I returned to my dorm room, unaware of what time it even was anymore. I was so stunned, I didn't even eat dinner. I just sat on my bed, staring off into space. We had become SO CLOSE to dying together, and only a technicality over a student's real name saved us all from a mass execution.

I wasn't hungry. I wasn't thirsty. I wasn't even bored. I was... just...

Numb. Just numb.

I knew tomorrow, I would have to take my Masculinizing Hormone Therapy shot, which I took weekly on Tuesdays. Tomorrow, the Fifth Floor would be opened to us all. Tomorrow, Makoto Naegi, Mukuro Ikusaba, and Celeste Ludenberg would not be joining us for breakfast, ever again.

And tomorrow, we would need to work harder than ever for a way out of this hellish TUTEC building.

Chapter Text

I was awakened the next morning, Tuesday, November 8th, to Monorakun's usual morning announcement.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

Remembering that I needed to take my Masculinizing Hormone Therapy, I got up, got dressed, and walked to the bathroom. There, I injected my weekly treatment into my thigh. Grimacing a little from the pain from the shot, I put a bandage over the injection site, then put the needle into the sharps container Monorakun had given me on my first day here.

I got dressed and brushed my hair, decided that I should do my laundry later tonight, and then headed to the Dining Hall for breakfast. I would need to decide who I should explore the fifth and final floor with, and I wanted it to be with someone I trusted.

As I entered the Dining Hall, I glanced around at everyone remaining: Chihiro, Chiaki, Kenchikka, Theo, Kaito, and Leon. Sixteen students were here at one point; now, only seven of us remained.

Chihiro glanced around at us, seeming to realize this, too.

"It feels so... empty in here now," he remarked.

"Yeah, no shit," Leon agreed. "Over half of us are gone now."

"A true shame, indeed," Theo concurred.

"Perhaps for them, but for you all, a step closer to freedom!" Monorakun announces, emerging from the kitchen on all fours.

Kenchikka turns to glare at Monorakun. "What does Asshole Raccoon want now?"

Monorakun, ignoring her remark, scurried up to our little group.

"Well, I've got a deal for you all," Monorakun announces. "As you all know, the Fifth Floor is now open to you all. But get this: One more Class Trial, and all remaining students go free. No strings attached."

Theo pondered this. "But that would mean one more student death, too, would it not?"

Monorakun nodded. "Yeah, Terrence, that's true. I can't waive that part."

"Excuse me, but my name is Theodore, not Terrence. If that is too long for you, then please call me Theo," he corrected.

Monorakun's red eye glowed. "Well, if you had a real birth certificate, then maybe I could remember your fucking name, ok?" He snapped back.

Theo had no response for him, so Monorakun scurried out of the room. "Remember, one more Class Trial, then you can all go free," he called out as he fled down the hallway.

We all looked at each other, processing what Monorakun just said.

Well, everyone except Kenchikka, who appeared to not really care. She went into the kitchen to make herself breakfast.

After the seven of us finished breakfast, we considered who should go with who to explore the last floor.

"Yo, Kaito! Wanna team up?" Leon asked, but Kaito shook his head.

"Maybe another time," Kaito replied. "I wanna make sure Bera's ok."

Hmmm? Why was Kaito worried about me?

Leon ended up pairing with Chiaki (my suspicion was because she was the only girl alive who hadn't threatened him yet), while Theo and Chihiro teamed up.

This left me with Kaito, who then asked Kenchikka if she wanted to join us.

"Sorry. No interest in last floor. Working on plan to get out. Had plan with Mukuro. No more, needed her alive."

Kaito shrugged, while I was confused. Why wouldn't Kenchikka want to see the final floor?

Kaito, however, quickly dismissed her, and we headed up the flights of stairs together, headed to the Fifth Floor.

Upon our arrival, we noticed a large Botany Room to our left, and a long hallway before us.

Deciding to check out the Botany Room, we were greeted with a glass ceiling, much like the one in the Courtyard, which allowed sunlight into the room. There were a wide variety of different flowers and other plants in here.

"Whoa! Check this out!" Kaito called out, looking at a sunflower growing in a corner of the room. It almost reached the ceiling in here!

After checking out the rest of the flora, we left the Botany Room and reached a T-Intersection. Here, another set of stairs to our left, marked "Roof Access" was gated off, but there was a room on the opposite side marked "Archery Room".

"Archery, huh?" Kaito quipped.

I shrugged, not really having a response to this. Yet, I couldn't shake a feeling of dread within me.

Our curiosity overriding us, we entered the Archery Room, a long room that could almost qualify as a hallway. Here, we were greeted with a circular, ringed target with Monorakun's face on it on the far end of the room. Along one side, near the entrance, was a rack of various types of bows and arrows for shooting at the target. There were a variety of bows here: simple bows, compound bows, and even a bow with a scope on it, which Chihiro was looking at.

"So, this scope helps you aim better, right?" Chihiro asked Theo as we stood in the doorway.

"Quite right, good sir. Yet, the scope is also designed to block out anything except what you're presently aiming at, so do be careful if you ever need to use it," Theo cheerfully replied.

"Ummmm," Kaito asked. "Why are you looking at bows, Chihiro?"

Chihiro gulped, then took a deep breath. "Because... Because I don't want to be seen as weak. I've come so far here, and I... I don't want to..."

I nodded, understanding what Chihiro couldn't bring himself to say.

"Yeah. Hey, I get it," I comfort Chihiro.

Kaito looked at the target. "I gotta admit, though, shooting a target with Monorakun's face on it sounds like a great way to let off some steam."

After a while, we parted ways, with Theo and Chihiro moving on to the Botany Room while we headed down the last hallway, then made a left to avoid going back to the staircase.

Here, we were greeted with an open area, with two doors. One was marked "Headmaster's Office", and the other was marked "Staff Meeting Room".

"So, this is Monorakun's office?" Kaito asked out loud.

"Either that, or whoever controls him, maybe," I reply.

We decided to check out the Headmaster's Office first, where Leon and Chiaki were standing inside.

"The fuck is this?" Leon asked, clearly annoyed. "Just an empty desk and a black cushioned chair?"

"My perception check has failed in here, Leon. That's all I see here, too, I think," Chiaki responded.

Joining them, the four of us looked all over the Headmaster's Office. The desk drawers were empty. Nothing was underneath the desk, or the chair. We didn't notice anything strange with the walls, floor, or ceiling.

It was just... an empty office.

Chiaki and I exchanged shrugs, while Kaito and Leon, both equally as annoyed as the other, moved on to the Staff Meeting Room.

Leon reached the door first, and went to turn the door handle...

Only to find the door was locked.

"The hell is this?" Leon griped. "Why is this stupid door locked? Nothing else here is!"

We were greeted by Monorakun, scurrying on all fours towards us.

And he did NOT look happy.

Chapter Text

"Absolutely not!" Monorakun called out. "You are not staff!"

Kaito turned to face Monorakun. "You just don't want us in there, don't you?"Monorakun

Monorakun remains silent for a moment, then nods. "Well, that too, but seriously, that room's off-limits."

Kaito and I exchanged glances. Why would all the other rooms be open, even the Headmaster's Office, but not this room?

Kaito grumbled. "You know what? Fine, whatever! If you won't let us in, we'll figure out our own way in!"

Monorakun chuckled back at Kaito. "Heh, good luck with that."

Monorakun then scurried off on all fours, leaving the two of us in front of the Staff Meeting Room door.

The two of us exchanged glances, then looked at the door.

"Eh, forget it. I don't know how to pick locks, anyway. Let's deal with this door later, alright?" Kaito conceded, walking away from it.

We walked back downstairs together, not saying much, before splitting up on the First Floor. Kaito headed to his dorm; I decided to head to the School Store instead.

Inside the School Store, I looked around at the various merchandise, as well as the Mono Machine, which shows items that can be purchased as well as how much it costs for the item. I decided to spend some Monocoins on a flashlight and a glow-in-the-dark measuring tape, in case I need to work on a project in a dimly lit area.

Items in hand, I return to my dorm for a bit, sketching out some designs for a men's polo shirt. I tried out a few different button styles, as well as various sleeve lengths and collar styles.

After about 45 minutes, I decided to head into the Art Room to work on coloring my designs. While I had colored pencils in my dorm, the Art Room had a much wider variety of supplies for me to use.

I grab some paint and a few paintbrushes, then start working on some color combinations for a while.

White polo shirt with a black collar and sleeves. Black polo shirt with a white collar and sleeves. A blue shirt with a green collar, but blue sleeves.

I tried out a few other combinations, and before too long, it was 6 pm. Dinnertime.

I put my things away and headed to the Dining Hall, where Theo was working on a Japanese dinner for everyone: Onigiri (rice balls stuffed with salmon) with Ramen noodles, served with green tea.

We each got a plate, sitting down to eat together. I sat between Chihiro and Leon and across from Chiaki. Next to Chiaki was Kaito and Kenchikka, as Theo sat at the end of the table as we all ate together.

"So. Anything interesting on Fifth Floor? Or dead end?" Kenchikka asked.

Kaito answered rather quickly, "Yeah. An Archery Room, a Botany Room, a mostly empty office, and a locked door."

Kenchikka scoffed. "And no exit. Right?"

The rest of us nodded.

"Figures," Kenchikka flatly replied.

"I'm gonna make Monorakun unlock that damn door, though," Kaito announced. "There could be an exit in there!"

"De-Nied!" Monorakun declared, entering the Dining Hall on all fours. "That is the Staff Meeting Room, and as I stated before, you are NOT staff!"

Kaito stood up, facing Monorakun. "You said we could explore TUTEC with limited restrictions. A locked door is NOT a limited restriction!"

Monorakun stood his ground. "You. Are. Not. Staff."

Kaito, however, counted with, "With. Limited. Restrictions."

"Enough, both of you," Theo interrupted. "This squabble is getting us nowhere."

"Plus, getting headache from arguing. Either unlock, or keep locked, but shut up," Kenchikka snapped at us.

Kaito and Monorakun continued to glare at each other before Monorakun finally spoke.

"You know what? Fine. I'll unlock the door to the Staff Meeting tomorrow at 7am, and you'll all regret it. Trust me..."

With that, Monorakun scurried away, leaving us to wonder what he meant by "you'll all regret it."

After we finished our lunches, I spent the next few hours in the Art room, sketching designs for boots for men and women. I came up with several good designs that I decided to keep, putting themwith some of my other sketches from previous days.

Around 4:30pm, I decided to check in on the Group Chat, something I had barely paid any attention to.

*Bera Haikiko has entered the chat.
Bera Haikiko: So, what's going on?
Kaito Momota: Dude! I was wondering if you would ever get on here!
Bera Haikiko: Sorry, I'm just not always the most sociable person.
Kaito Momota: Hey, I get it. Been playing this "Stay or Go?" game in the Arcade room, having a blast!
Kenchikka Kowareta: Honestly, I try to be careful what I type in here. Asshole Raccoon likely monitors this chat, after all.
Kaito Momota: Wait a minute. Aren't you supposed to talk all, like, broken and stuff?
Kenchikka Kowareta: I told you this before, moron. My traumatic brain injury only affects my speech. My typing is completely unaffected.
*Bera Haikiko left the chat.

I decided there wasn't too much of interest going on and left the chat. Chihiro and Chiaki didn't seem like the social butterfly type, and I didn't feel like watching Kaito and Kenchikka argue.

I decided to skip dinner, as I wasn't particularly hungry, but I did grab a root beer to bring with me to my room. There, I drank my root beer while contemplating Monorakun's words with Kaito and glancing over my previous sketches of various articles of clothing.

I had a pretty good wardrobe going so far, with a variety of different clothing sketched out over my time here. Whenever I got out of here, I could use these sketches to try to start my own clothing line. I could do more than just repair or mend clothing; I knew I could.

I skipped dinner, sending a message in the Group Chat that I wasn't hungry, and that I was in my dorm room. I then continued to work, this time on a few sketches of signage I could use for my prospective clothing brand.

"Bera's Boutique"... Nah, too girly.

"Second Chances"... Hmmmm, no. That's a name better suited for a resale shop, not a clothing company.

"Haikiko". I considered this one, but it felt too... egotistical.

Maybe I could ask the others later for some ideas tomorrow.

Unfortunately for me, tomorrow would something far more important to deal with...

And MUCH more troubling.

Chapter Text

The next morning was Wednesday, November 9th. I got up, stretched, and took a shower. I took a bit longer than I usually did, trying to calm my nerves.

Why did I feel like everyone was going to start fighting again? Was it my frazzled nerves after watching so many of my classmates die? Was it because Kenchikka, Kaito, and Theo were coming up with separate ideas to escape? Or was it my social anxiety going berserk again?

After what felt like an eternity in the shower, I stepped out at last, drying off and getting dressed. I wasn't sure if I was ready to face the day, but I knew I couldn't stay cooped up in my dorm forever.

I headed to the Dining Hall, following Chiaki as we walked together. She was playing something on her Nantendo GameGirl DR, but I wasn't sure what game. I decided not to bother her, though.

Inside the Dining Hall, Theo had made a traditional Japanese dinner, consisting of steamed rice, grilled fish, tamagoyaki (kind of like a rolled omelet), and some miso soup.

"I reasoned that today shall be a good day to have a little taste of home," Theo remarked. "Rather than the pancakes, French toast, bacon, and other stuff we normally eat, I wanted to do something special today."

Everyone voiced their appreciation for Theo's thoughtfulness, and we had our breakfast together. I sat beside Kenchikka and across from Chihiro, near the end of the table.

While nobody really said much during breakfast, Kaito reminded us that Monorakun had agreed to open the Staff Meeting Room for us.

"A truly fortunate turn of events," Theo had responded.

"Not sure. Locked doors, usually locked for reason. Smell trap," Kenchikka remarked, responding to Theo.

After we finished discussing the door and eating our breakfast, I headed into the Art Room, wanting to turn my sketches into actual clothing. I didn't want to go up to the Fifth Floor just yet.

As I began working on my first sketch, a woman in a blouse and a knee-length skirt with pockets, Theo came in, looking concerned.

"Ah, Bera," he greeted me. "I was hoping you would be in here."

I scratched my jaw, confused. "Huh? Why?"

Theo sat down across from me, at one of the Art Room tables.

"Good sir, I realize you've been secluding yourself for a while now, worried about something, or perhaps someone?" Theo inquired.

I stiffened up a bit. Theo was right; ever since Monorakun outed me, I've been worried about doing things with the others. Worried that I would become an easy target for another.

I nod, but say nothing; my voice was just... gone.

Theo's eyes softened. "Bera, I know what it's like to live in fear. Wondering who you really are, and if anyone would accept you once they knew the truth. The difference is, you know exactly who you are. We all do."

I nod again, my mouth opening to say something, but... nothing. I just... couldn't.

Theo nodded, lowering his eyes. "See, that's what sets you and I apart. Even now, I still don't know who I am. I am certain that Theo Poster is not my real name, but what is it? Is the birth certificate in my room a fraud, as my life has been?"

I turn my eyes to Theo, seeing his downcast but otherwise steady demeanor.

"We know who you are. You're a uniting presence, a guy who tries to bring everyone together for a common goal, a singular purpose. It doesn't matter what name you use; we still know who you are, on the inside," I responded.

At this, a moment of self-reflection hit me like an ocean wave, salty with truth. Did it matter what name I used, whether I was Bera or Akage? Was I still... the same person, regardless?

I took a deep breath, processing Theo's words, as he continued to speak. "Anyway, you need not live in fear. I'm working on a plan to get each and every one of you out of here. I just need time to prepare everything. I won't let you, or any of the others die. You have my word."

With that, Theo patted the table, then stood up and walked out, his white suit catching the light well as he departed. Taking a deep breath, I decided to put the sketch away, returning to my dorm room for a moment to put my sketchbook away. I then head into the bathroom, giving myself a good look in the mirror.

My hair, still shaved short on one side, was still swept towards my left side. The shaved part was a little longer than it was when I left, but that was to be expected. My baby blue eyes shone back at me. My blue T-shirt and dark blue jacket looked good on me.

As I continued to look at myself in the mirror, I noticed how my chin and jawline still resembled... my old face. I figured I would always have a feminine lower half of my face, but I hoped someday I could at least grow a mustache, if not a goatee. I didn't want a beard, though; I didn't want to look like a red-headed hobo.

I take a deep breath, then turn off the light in the bathroom and walk out of it, walking back towards my desk. I turn on my E-Handbook, seeing my name and Ultimate talent. I then notice the Group Chat has been active, so I open it up.

And immediately regretted it.

*Kaito Momota: Everyone! Up to the Fifth Floor! NOW!!
*Kenchikka Kowareta: Why? Archery contest?
*Theo Poster: Unlikely, Kenchikka. Kaito's never shown much interest in archery.
*Kaito Momota: No! The Staff Meeting Room door is open, and Chihiro is bawling uncontrollably! This room is seriously messed up!

Chihiro?

I flew out of my room, running up the stairs faster than I would run from the mean girls who ridiculed me when I was... not me yet. I took the stairs two at a time, my lungs burning as I ran up flight after flight of stairs.

Arriving at the Fifth Floor, I made a beeline for the Staff Meeting Room, arriving there with Kaito, who was kneeling beside Chihiro, a very concerned look upon his face.

Chihiro was sitting on the ground, curled up into a ball, bawling uncontrollably. His small frame shook with his sobs, and he was hugging his own knees.

My eyes went to the open door, leading to the Staff Meeting Room, and what I saw...

Was...

My body went cold, and my stomach lurched. I couldn't help myself, and before I knew it, I vomited in the hallway.

What kind of... sick joke... was this?!

Chapter Text

Within the Staff Meeting Room was a round table, similar to the one found in the Courtroom. Sixteen chairs and placards, each representing one of us.

But this...

This was so much worse.

Around the table, strapped to chairs, was every student who had died in our sick game. Every... last... one of them.

Just as bad, those of us who still survived... our own placards were in this room, too. Even... my own. With my face, my red hair and blue eyes. Even my smile.

"... ok, Bera?" I heard someone ask.

I gazed to the side, from where I had just vomited.

"Ummmm... I... I don't know," I admitted.

Kaito looked up and started walking towards me, then stopped when he saw where I had thrown up.

"Ugh! Dude! What the hell?!" Kaito was looking at me as if I had grown breasts before him.

I couldn't answer him; I was too nauseous. I just pointed into the room. Kaito glanced into the room, then turned pale.

"Wh-what? What kind of messed-up crap is this? Our friends, stuck in here like trophies?" Kaito shouted in disbelief.

I hear the metallic pitter-patter of feet, and before long, Monorakun is standing before us.

"Now, see why this door was locked, shitbags?" Monorakun admonished our little group as he closed the door. "You asked for it, you got it. No complaining!"

Monorakun then glanced over at me, before noticing the pile of vomit on the ground near me.

"Seriously, Bera? Are you fucking kidding me?" Monorakun chided me. "You're supposed to bleed on the ground, not puke on it! Now, where's the damn janitor, we gotta get this cleaned up."

Monorakun takes about 4 or 5 steps away, then stops. "Wait a minute. I AM the janitor. Dammit!"

Monorakun scurried off down the stairs, leaving me, Kaito, and Chihiro outside the door to the Staff Meeting Room.

Chihiro still looked like he had seen a ghost. I was still nauseated, the sight of our dead students, sitting at that round table, all staring blankly at one another. The straps holding their wrists and heads to the chair...

I shook off another wave of vomit rising up, and Kaito helped the both of us back downstairs. He was talking, but I missed most of what he said; I was too stunned by what I had just witnessed.

I spent the rest of the morning in my room, just... staring at the wall. I couldn't speak, I couldn't eat, I couldn't think. I just... couldn't.

Were they up there all this time? Would we all end up in that room, eventually, staring at one another with our own dead eyes? And seeing my own placard, like the others that died... would the others be staring at that, instead of seeing me in that horrid Courtroom?

The next thing I realized, it was 5:30pm, and my stomach was rumbling. I decided I would eat, then do my laundry to kill some time.

However, when I got to the Dining Hall, an argument had broken out between Kaito, Kenchikka, and Theo.

"Stupid idea. Sneak in after hours, then what?" Kenchikka asked.

Theo responded, "Well, dear lass, the food has to get into here from somewhere. That means, if the food can get in, then we should be able to get out the same way."

Kaito shook his head. "Dude, normally I'd be all for this, but this is insane. What if they come in armed? Your little night vision goggles won't save you from bullets!"

Kenchikka added, "Plus, if seen, won't be happy to see you. Rules state Dining Hall, Pool closed, locked at 10pm."

Theo countered, "But the rules make no mention of the kitchen area, which is separated from the Dining Hall. A potential loophole, from my observations."

"More like death trap," Kenchikka countered.

Kaito continued. "A better idea is to disengage that electromagnetic lock at the front of the building. If we can find a way to break the electric current going to that door, it should open right up for us all!"

Theo shook his head. "Good sir, you don't think I hadn't considered that already? You're welcome to waste time upon that door, but with all due respect, we are not cutting power to the door and getting out that way. Simply impossible."

Chihiro walked in behind me, and hearing the shouting, leaned in closer to me as he spoke up.

"Please! Don't fight, ok?"

Kenchikka glanced over at Chihiro. "Not fighting. Preventing stupid death."

Theo interjected. "It's not a stupid death if it works. Besides, with all due respect, young lass, all I've heard from you is that we need a plan. Well, I've got one."

"What if Monorakun hears about it?" Kaito asked, to which Theo shrugged.

"So long as I refrain from violating the rules as stated in the Rules section of our E-Handbooks, Monorakun has no grounds to interfere. The rules state the Dining Hall and Pool are locked at 10pm, and reopened at 7am. The rules make no mention of the Kitchen area. Thus, per the rules given to us, I am in the clear."

Theo agreed to drop it for now, and we went into the Kitchen to make ourselves some dinner. We decided to work together on a traditional Japanese dinner, to get a taste of home.

Chihiro and Chiaki worked on steaming the rice. Theo worked on the grilled fish. Kaito worked on the miso soup. Kenchikka and I talked the side dishes; I steamed the broccoli and carrots, while Kenchikka worked on a salad.

After everyone finished making our dinner together, Chihiro got plates and silverware for everyone, while Theo dished out the portions for everyone, and we all sat down to eat together. Kenchikka got drinks for everyone; I opted for a root beer.

We ate together, with the topic of conversation focusing on how good the food was, and how fun it was to make a meal together, even if it was just the six of us now. The grilled fish was amazing, the steamed broccoli and carrots were just right, and the salad was a nice touch. The miso soup really brought me back, as well. To better times, better days...

After dinner, I went to my room, gathered my laundry, and headed to the Laundry Room. I spent the next hour and a half washing and drying my clothes, while listening to some pop-punk music on my E-Handbook.

After my laundry was finally finished, I loaded up my clothes and headed to my dorm room, where I hung up my outfits and put my socks and underwear away before deciding to turn in for the night, before the 10pm alert went off. The image of my former friends, strapped in those chairs, still burned in my mind, but mercifully, I did not have any dreams because of it.

"Wake up, everyone! It's 7am, and Nighttime is now over! Time to enjoy another fun-filled day at The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center!"

I got out of bed, deciding to take a shower before I headed to breakfast. I turned on some Good Charlotte and 311 that was on my E-Handbook, deciding against my usual depressing music for once.

After I got out of the shower and brushed my hair to one side, I got dressed. As I put my boots on, an alert played overhead.

"Alright, shitbags, we've got 3 sets of eyes on a dead body!"

As the message continued to play, my hand shot up to my mouth instinctively, a habit I've tried to break from my time as... her.

Oh, no. No, no no.

Please, not this again!

Chapter Text

My stomach turned into a rock as I made my way to my dorm room door.

"Everyone head to the Kitchen, now!" Monorakun continued, his voice seemingly angrier than normal.

"The Kitchen? Who died in there?" I wondered out loud, knowing I would find out soon.

I followed the others down the hallway leading to the Dining Hall, then walked through it to the Kitchen.

And there was... nobody there.

"Up here, shitbags!" Monorakun called from on top of the vent.

He then opened the air vent, using his claws to widen the hole, and down to the floor fell...

Theo Poster. Dead.

Theo had unusually red cheeks, and appeared to had vomited on himself. He also had something over his face...

Oh, no. I recognized them. His night vision goggles.

"What the hell?" Kaito exclaimed. "Why was Theo in the vent?"

Monorakun shrugs. "You tell me, Kaito. Not my job. Anyway, get to it!"

Chihiro, Chiaki, Kenchikka, Kaito, Leon, and I all glanced at each other.

"I'll examine body," Kenchikka offered.

Leon scoffed. "With one eye? No, I don't think so."

Chiaki stepped up. "I'll do it, then."

Kaito started to say something, but stopped. Leon looked over at her as well, but remained surprisingly quiet.

Chiaki nodded, then proceeded to check out Theo.

"The rest of us..." Chihiro started to say, but was too nervous to finish.

"Yeah, yeah," Leon remarked. "We should get this over with. Evidence, alibis, all that shit."

Our E-Handbooks went off. Opening it, I found the Autopsy Report for Theo Poster.

"Victim: Theo Poster. Time of Death: Between midnight and 5am. Cause of Death: Not Enough O."

...Not enough O? What did that mean?

"Hey, Monorakun," Kaito called out. "I know you can't technically help in this investigation, but can I ask you what this is?"

Kaito held a small, white device in his hand with a digital display. On it read "CO Detected".

Monorakun considers, then reluctantly nods. "Sure, I don't see how identifying that for you would violate any rules. It's a Carbon Monoxide detector."

Chihiro considers. "Lack of O... Carbon Monoxide has a chemical compound of C O, right?"

I nod. "Right, and regular oxygen, like what we breathe is..."

It then struck me. O2.

"Not enough O..." Kaito remarked. "Carbon Monoxide only has one Oxygen molecule, whereas Oxygen is O2. That means Theo didn't have enough oxygen, or O, right?"

Kenchikka nodded. "Makes sense. Also fits in with Asshole Raccoon's MO with Cause of Death."

I nodded. We've concluded Theo died by carbon monoxide poisoning... but how?

"Alright, alibis," Leon declared. "Where was everyone?"

"Where do you think everyone was?" Kaito shot back. "We were all sleeping!"

"Were we, though?" Kenchikka inquired. "Someone killed Theo."

"I was doing laundry in the Laundry Room before I went to bed," I replied.

"Can confirm," Kenchikka concurred. "Saw Bera while headed back to my room. Moving wet clothes, washer to dryer. Roughly half hour after dinner."

Leon looks skeptical. "That doesn't mean you didn't kill Theo, though. He still would've been alive at that time."

I didn't have an argument for this, so I decided to focus on the Kitchen area instead. Looking at some fish left out on the counter, it was unusually red. Like... "fresh" red. I made a note of this.

Other than that, I didn't really notice anything. No signs of forced entry. No hoists that could've lifted Theo into the air, or into the vent.

One other thing that stuck in my mind: The Dining Hall was closed and locked from 10pm until 7am. Which means, whoever killed Theo must've been locked inside with him. While there was a door separating the Kitchen from the Dining Hall...

"Hey, Monorakun?" I ask. "One more question, if I may?"

Monorakun scurries over on all fours, then sits in front of me. "Depends on what you want, shemale."

I try unsuccessfully to suppress a glare, then continue. "I know the Dining Hall locks at 10pm, but does the Kitchen door?"

Monorakun scratches beneath his chin with his hind foot, then answers. "Nope. Just the Dining Hall and the Pool locks at 10pm. Now, my question..."

Monorakun stands up on his hind legs. "Does everyone know what "Time's up!" means? Because... well, time's up!"

I froze. We barely had time to learn anything, other than Theo died of carbon monoxide poisoning, in an area that gets locked from 10pm until 7am. I had found some unusually red fish. And nobody was admitting to being near the Dining Hall during that time.

We head to the Courtroom, equal parts confused and frustrated.

How were we gonna solve this "locked room" murder?

Chapter Text

We take our usual places around the table. Theo Poster was dead, found stuck in the vent somehow. The evidence seems to suggest carbon monoxide poisoning, but... how?

I take a deep breath. "Ummm... I'm not sure how much we have to go on, but we've gotta figure out what happened to Theo. For all of our sakes."

Chiaki and Chihiro nod in agreement.

Kaito speaks up next. "Ok, so what do we know? Theo got killed, then put up an air vent? By who, and why?"

Leon considers. "Well, I've seen him arguing with you and Kenchikka the most, so I think it's one of you!"

Kenchikka scoffs. "Impossible. Am petite girl. Cannot lug that large man to ceiling, let alone stuff in vent."

I bring up Kenchikka's page in the Yearbook, out of curiosity.

Kenchikka "Chikka" Kowareta: The Ultimate Architect.

Height/Weight: 4'11", 115 lbs.

I nod. "Theo is nearly, if not more than twice her weight. There's no way she could've -"

"Then she used a pulley, stupid!" Leon retorted.

"But... but I didn't notice a pulley anywhere," Chihiro countered.

Leon shook his head. "Then how did he get his fat ass up there, huh?"

"From somewhere else, of course," Kenchikka remarked, as if it were obvious.

I considered Leon's question and Kenchikka's remarks. If Theo died in the vent, how did he get up there?

Chiaki responded, "He used a pulley, just not from the Kitchen or Dining Hall. Otherwise, we would've seen it, I think."

Leon looked annoyed. "Where would it have been, then?"

Chiaki responded, "None of us searched his own room. I think it could have been in there."

We looked over at Chiaki. She was right; none of us checked Theo's room; we were too focused on the Kitchen area.

"Great. And I bet Monorakun won't let us leave to check, will he?" Kaito mused loudly to himself.

Monorakun shook his head. "Nope, but I'll give you a live feed into his room. Just to move this along, of course."

The screen beneath him changed from the TUTEC logo to a live feed inside Theo Poster's room...

Where a pulley and rope are clearly visible, along with a removed vent leaning against his bed.

"Huh," Leon and Kaito remark at the same time.

So, Theo used a rope and pulley to get into the vent.

"Wait a minute, though," Leon remarked. "Vents are usually tiny, though. How do we know he was able to maneuver from his room to the Kitchen?"

Kenchikka replied, "Found blueprints. Vents larger on First Floor than other floors. Could probably fit."

We all give Kenchikka a curious glance, but decide not to press her any further. The live feed goes away.

"So, Theo entered the vent from his room, and crawled to the Kitchen with his Night Vision Goggles... but why?" Chihiro asked.

That was the next question to be answered, for sure.

"Hmmmm... good question," I admit. "Why did he need the vents, instead of just walking inside?"

"Couldn't walk in. Door to Dining Hall closed, locked at 10pm," Kenchikka observed, reminding us about the rules.

"So he went there after the Dining Hall door was locked. Makes sense, but why? What did he expect to see?" I responded.

Kaito shrugged. "My guess? A way out. He kept talking about one, after all."

"So did you," Kenchikka remarked.

"And you, Chikka," Leon countered.

"Ok, guys, please let's not fight," Chihiro spoke up meekly. "Bera asked a good question."

I smile at Chihiro, while Chiaki gave a suggestion.

"I think he was looking for a way out. The Dining Hall is closed and locked at 10pm, but nobody told us why. Also, the food was always restocked each morning before 7am. Therefore, I think he was looking to see who was restocking the food, to see if there was a way to sneak out," she concluded

I considered this. It made a lot of sense to me; the vent would keep him hidden, the night vision goggles would help him see, and if someone did come in, he would notice them immediately.

"Huh. I got no counter for that, honestly," Leon said after a few moments of silence.

"Me either. Makes sense," Kaito concurred.

"But still doesn't explain death. Theo died from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Found Carbon Monoxide detectors triggered, too. But, how did Carbon Monoxide, get into room?" Kenchikka asked.

I thought about that for a while. Kaito had an idea.

"I wonder if the reason the Dining Hall is locked is because Carbon Monoxide is pumped into the room? I've heard Carbon Monoxide keeps meat looking fresher," he suggested.

"But why would the meat need to look fresher?" Leon countered.

None of us had an answer, but it was the only thing that made sense.

"Doesn't matter," Kenchikka replied. "Carbon Monoxide found in Kitchen. Theo entered vent from his room, crawled into Kitchen from same vents. Theo died from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. How? No difference."

A realization began to dawn upon me.

No. Oh, no.

Theo... did he... end up...?

"Does that mean Theo ended up killing himself, looking to escape?" Chihiro asked, looking equal parts nervous and scared.

Kenchikka nods. "That's my conclusion. Theo sought escape. Found it. Just, not how he expected."

I felt a gut punch. Theo Poster. The guy who wasn't sure who he was. Who wanted people to get along with each other, even as we contemplated how to escape this place.

He ended up... accidentally ending his own life?

Monorakun glanced around, hearing nobody speaking. "Alright, is it voting time yet?"

We silently nodded.

The voting screen appeared; 4 row of 4 people, most of them crossed out. With a heavy heart, I selected Theo's picture.

After the voting was done, the screen below Monorakun appeared, showing a video of Monorakun holding a deck of 16 cards, each with a student's face on it. He shuffled them up, cutting the deck a few times, before flipping the top card over.

It was Theo's face showing on the card.

"Kudos!" Monorakun announced. "Troy is the Blackened!"

We looked up at Monorakun, blankly.

"Who?" Leon asked first.

"Troy Porter. Who else?" Monorakun responded, tilting his head.

"Ummmm... do you mean Theo Poster?" Chihiro nervously corrected.

"Yeah! Them!" Monorakun exclaimed. Then, noticing everyone's reactions, he added, "Well, if he had a real name, maybe I could remember who the fuck he was, alright?"

That comment explained everything. Monorakun couldn't remember Theo's name because Theo himself never knew his true name.

And now, he never would.

"Anyway, I've got no satisfaction in executing someone who I can barely even remember, so sorry, no post-Trial show tonight. Get out of here; we'll meet tomorrow at 6pm for Graduation!"

...Graduation?

Did this... mean...?

Chapter Text

Finally, the day I had longed for had arrived.

Friday, November 11th. The day we all get to leave this horrid place.

Leon, Kaito, Chihiro, Chiaki, Kenchikka, and I all met in the Dining Hall for breakfast. It felt... weird though. No Theo, making meals and chatting with us. No Theo to tell Kaito and Kenchikka to quit arguing.

We all made our own breakfasts, eating in silence. There was a mix of excitement, nervousness, and sorrow in the air: Excitement that we should be leaving today, Nervousness about what could happen today, and Sorrow over Theo's death.

I ate in relative silence, exchanging glances with the others but offering no words myself. I mean, what could I say? That I'm happy we could leave because Theo died? That I wish Theo was still here, despite that meaning we couldn't leave today?

After breakfast, I decided to join Kaito and Leon in the Bowling Room for a while, playing several rounds of Bowling. I wasn't particularly good at it, but Kaito and Leon were very competitive with each other. I just... couldn't focus. I bowled decently, but my head really wasn't in the game, and it showed.

"Yo, Bera," Kaito finally said. "What's got you so glum? We should be leaving tonight!"

I shake my head. "All I can think about is everyone's who died in this horrible place. We had 16 of us just a few weeks ago; now, ten of them are dead. How can I be happy?"

Leon glances over while picking up his bowling ball. "Man, you can't focus on the losses. You just gotta know you're a winner, and you still being alive here proves it!"

I thought to myself, Leon's words bouncing around in my head, as we continued to bowl several more game. All I could think about was if we were truly going to be set free today. I hoped beyond hope that Monorakun wasn't going to change the rules at the last second.

After bowling, I went back to my room and worked on several drawings for shoes, both men's and women's styles. However, I kept stopping halfway through, getting the basic design down but not coloring anything. My eyes kept darting towards the clock in my room as 6pm drew closer and closer.

Finally, 6pm arrived. An announcement went over the monitors.

"Attention, all remaining students. Please present yourselves to the Gymnasium for the Graduation Ceremony!" Monorakun's voice rang out.

I walked out of my dorm, joining Chiaki and Chihiro as we headed to the Gym. None of us said anything; I mean, what was there to say? Chihiro looked nervous; Chiaki was playing her GameGirl DR, oblivious to the outside world.

After the six of us took our seats, Monorakun appeared from behind the podium.

"Alright, shitbags! Welcome to the Graduation Ceremony!" Monorakun announced to all of us. "Each of you here have officially graduation from The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center. I will call each of you up here by alphabetical order, by first name. When I call your name, come up to me, so I can give you your class ring. Silver, with an Amazonite gem, the Gemstone of Hope. Hope you like it, although if you don't, I suppose you can pawn it or some shit."

Monorakun then began the graduation ceremony.

"Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer."

Chihiro was called first. He stood up, nervously walked over towards Monorakun, who pointed towards the boxes of class rings. Chihiro found a box with his name on it, picked it up, then sat back down, saying nothing.

"Bera Haikiko, the Ultimate Tailor."

Wait, me?

I take a deep breath, then stand up and walk up towards the table. I find a box with my name on it, then grab it and take a seat. Opening the box, a silver ring with a green gemstone rested inside of it.

"Kenchikka Kowareta, the Ultimate Architect."

Kenchikka walked up, grabbing her own box without even glancing at Monorakun.

"Thanks, Asshole Raccoon," she remarks aloud.

Monorakun didn't even look at her; instead, he called the next person. "Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Player."

Leon headed up to the desk, and after finding his box, pumped his fist in the air.

"Hell yeah!" he declared. "Let's get outta here!"

As Leon took his seat again, smiling from his perceived victory, Monorakun called out the next person. "Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut."

"Alright! Kaito Momota: Luminary of the Stars, taking off from this place!"

Finally, Monorakun called out the last person. "Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer."

Chiaki continued to play her GameGirl DR, not even looking up.

"Hey! Chiaki!" Kaito called out. "Your turn!"

Chiaki nodded subtly, stood up, and walked over towards the table. Grabbing the final box, she returned to her seat, her eyes never breaking from the screen as she played her GameGirl DR with one hand.

"Alright, shitbags," Monorakun called out at last. "This graduation ceremony is concluded. Now, GET OUT!!"

To our surprise, Monorakun's head fell off his body as his limbs dropped off his torso, leaving him a wrecked pile of metal, his head rolling off to one side.

While I stood there, staring at Monorakun's remains, I hear Leon call out to me.

"Dude! The hell are you doing? Let's go!"

I snap out of it, following the others out of the Gymnasium and heading towards the Courtyard. Across the entrance to the Courtyard, the main entrance, once electromagnetically locked, is now unlocked and standing open.

Whether from excitement, disbelief, or whatever else was going through our minds, we left TUTEC, walking towards a limousine parked out front.

It was like I was in a fog; everyone was walking towards the limo, nobody was saying anything, and... well, what else were we supposed to do?

The limo drove us to an airport, and we're each given a plane ticket home. Fortunately, my assigned airport is very close to where I'm from.

I left the limo, happy to never have to see TUTEC again.

...If only I knew better.