A Farewell to All Futures

Critical Error

Warning: mentioned death, manipulation, violence

***

As Sora slowly drifted back to consciousness from the memory, she saw Syobai nudging the stirring body on the throne. "Hey, wake up." The broker urged, anxious to leave the virtual world. Ayumi looked around silently and anxiously, the unmoving, catatonic students around the podiums getting to her.

The boy on the throne came to awareness, stood up and undid his jacket, and walked to a podium as he glanced blankly around the trail grounds. "No, it can't be...what is this...? Ugh...this has to be a dream." He groaned.

"Oh my...ah...aaah...!" Mikado's real face began smiling in ecstasy as he focused on the boy in front of him. "Master Utsurooooo!" He cried out.

"...Who are you?" Utsuro questioned, his eyes narrowing.

"Finally...I finally did it... You might not remember me...but I certainly remember you." The wizard breathed with his emotions overwhelming. "No it's not as simple as that...I've been trying to find you my entire life. And now you've risen from the dead! You're still limited to the virtual world for now, but Master, it'll take a while for you to adjust to your new body."

Utsuro blinked in surprise. "...Are you one of the children I saved? How did you bring me back, and why?" 

"Don't bother asking too many silly questions about how, Master!" Mikado chirped. "After all, you're finally back!"

"...Don't talk around the subject, answer me." The boy ordered. "I've been waiting to die for so long, but because of my power, it wasn't possible. I finally thought I got the death I wanted..."

"...So, you want to know why I brought you back?" Mikado asked. "Isn't it obvious, Master? It's because your due isn't fulfilled yet."

"My due?" Utsuro repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"You still owe a lot to Ms. Enoshima, don't you? Luckily for you, I am still here to carry on her cause." The wizard giggled. "Don't you know? Despair is quite unpredictable. Even someone as stoic and bored with life as Izuru Kamukura was moved by it!"

Utsuro looked away from him. "Junko gave me a useless mission. Because of overwriting my memories as Yuki Maeda, I wasn't able to experience the despair she promised firsthand." He grumbled.

"Oh? You're talking about the despair of losing a loved one, right? She told me the same thing." Mikado smiled. "But Master, aren't you tired of people using your luck and taking you for granted? It would be so tragic for humanity if something that's a curse for you turned into a curse for everyone else. After all, if you have to suffer, why shouldn't they?"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP RIGHT NOW!"

Sora ran a hand through her hair and discarded her scrunchie before slamming her hands on the podium, her furious eyes glaring into Mikado as he took a step back. "...Sora? How...? How did you escape your utopia?!"

The albino looked over at Utsuro. "That's enough. You don't need to listen to him. I assure you, he's completely full of shit." She dissuaded as Utsuro sighed and looked away from them.

As Sora spoke, the others that she saved began to wake as well. "Sora!" Yoruko exclaimed, blushing at the sight of the empowered girl.

"Ugh...what...what happened..." Iroha whimpered in a daze.

Yuki's screen came back online and he rubbed his head. "I-I'm here...barely..."

"Yoruko, Iroha...Yuki..." Mikado gasped. "This is impossible, what the hell's going on?!"