Memories {Oumasai/Saiouma}

~ 28 ~ Panta's Secret Ingredient

⚠️~TW~⚠️Kidnapping, Abuse, Bullying, Self Depreciation.

*~*~*

Darkness filled my vision as I opened my eyes to see... well... darkness. The only indication that I was still alive was the throbbing, almost unbearable pain in my head causing tears to escape from my eyes immediately upon waking up. My throat grunted as I tried to move before I quickly realised something was refusing my movement around my wrists and ankles.

"Finally! I've been waiting hours for you to wake up~!" A high-pitched voice sung, echoing loudly around me. It was a familiarly strange voice. I tried to speak but only all I managed was small squeaks through strained vocal chords.

"Oh no no no, don't try to speak. You see, your neck might  have gotten a little bruised, along with the rest of your body~. Hahaha." Insane laughter burned into my ears as fairy-like footsteps came closer to me. I felt a gentle hand stroke my hair and slowly glide down my neck, the urge to run away was getting so strong that my entire body flinched. Suddenly a hand squeezed around my neck, causing me to silently scream in pain as my neck felt as if it were about to be completely crushed. 

"You're so cute Kokichi~ Except for the constant lying... and the ugly face... and the feminine, malnourished body, and the heterochromia. You know what, I guess you are nothing but an ugly bitch after all!" My eyes burned up as I silently cried, my tears disappearing from my face before they could make it down my cheeks. All my anxiety and self-hatred came back at once after hearing the stranger's comments. I started hearing my parents' voices around me, replacing my kidnapper's.

The world around me came alive, straining my eyes to see in the abrupt change of light as my tear-stained blindfold was ripped off my head. Whilst my eyes adjusted I came to realise the unfortunate familiarity of the place I was in. Old blood stained the floors from what was once my family, the only remains of DICE after their remains were taken care of after the forensic investigation. Who knows what the coroner did with them.

My cheeks stung as nails dug into them, my head forced up from the floor to face my kidnapper in the eyes. Tsumugi squished my cheeks in her hands as my tears quickly started to coat her fingers while she laughed at my pathetic, weak, sorry excuse of a body.

"You know, you and your little boyfriend are pretty smart, I thought I covered my tracks well. I didn't expect to be found out so soon! Oh the despair it makes me feel!" Throwing my head out of her grip, Tsumugi stood up and towered over me. "Although, you and Shuichi have a little unfair advantage with those memories of yours. You're welcome for that by the way~!"

"You sick fuck. Danganronpa is over now so why are you killing everyone again?!" I cried out as loud as I could which only resulted in a strained and broken whisper, my words barely legible. My curiosity and rage only received more high-pitched laughing from the crazy bluenette.

"Well Kokichi, this is the first time game participants are dying after their season is over! It's so beautiful, seeing people die twice.~ Why do you think we give two people's memories back every season?" She paused, as if waiting for me to answer. "Ah nice try, but whatever you're thinking is most likely incorrect! The team gives back the memories for the despair it causes~ All the despair of people losing their best friends from the game, the despair of watching previously dead friends walking once again who don't remember them.~"

Tsumugi's eyes swirled as drool poured from her mouth, her hands clasped next to her face as she revelled in all the despair she could imagine. 

"And the fact that you aren't real, so the author can do whatever they like!"

... What?

"You heard what I said, you aren't real."

"How-"

"I can read your thoughts Kokichi, just like how the author wants me to."

"What're you talking about..." I struggled to speak, with every syllable my throat attempted to deny the formation of any words, the burning causing more tears to flow.

"We are all fictional. You, me, Shuichi, DICE. None of us are or ever were real!"

That's not true... there's no way... I can feel, think for myself... all my senses work so how am I not a real person?

"Because we are real in our own world, just not to the real  world. We are real to the fictional world of Danganronpa but fictional to the world of reality. You've been through this before, remember?"

Right... Shuichi mentioned the entirety of the killing game was scripted and none of us ever realised.

"Think about it, why would DICE not tell you that Lily joined your organisation? Why was almost everyone from the killing game attending the same school? That's because they all made the story work well for the author! All your despair from your horrible life with your parents? That's what the audience around the world want! Whether it's an image or story like this, people love to see others suffer.~"

Why would anybody want me to go through that...

"Because you're one of the easiest of the cast to imagine with a sad backstory. It's the little poor sob story you deserve. Anyway enough about this 'big reveal', time to die Kokichi~!"

"Wait..." Why do I have to die... again?

"Dumbass, have you been listening? This is what the audience want! As long as people are fans of you Kokichi, you will have happy lives, multiple lives and sad lives, and unfortunately for you, this is one of those sad little moments~"

Tsumugi untied my restraints before she happily sauntered away, I watched as the heavy abandoned door of the warehouse opened and transported Tsumugi to her next victim. I groaned as I tried to sit up, falling over immediately as the world spun upside down immediately, my head felt like it rolled off my shoulders.

Feeling around my pockets I came to the realisation that my phone was not on me, giving me one horrible option that I could think of in the situation. Pain coursed through my body as I crawled to the exit, trying to escape to somewhere I could get help for whatever Tsumugi had done to my body. There was definitely at least one broken bone although the pain all over my body hid which exact injuries I was suffering.

I have to get to Shuichi, I have to let him know I'm alive.

I have to see him again.

The open door was getting closer.

Shuichi's adorable face, his cute smile, his wonderful laugh.

We need each other.

I was almost at the door, just a little more.

I help ease Shuichi's anxiety, he helps ease my depression.

We're perfect for each other.

He makes me happy, I make him happy...

Relief coursed through my body as I reached my arm out. I was one more arms length away from the door.

The one I love... Shuichi Saihara... I have to see him again... I have to see him before-

BANG

Tsumugi watched in glee as part of the warehouse came crashing down around Kokichi, crushing him instantly. His blood mixed with the old blood on the floor as his remains mixed with debris of the fallen warehouse wall.

Kokichi Ouma, Ultimate Supreme Leader, was dead.