Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

4.24 - Echo of a Person

"Is that why you two have been gone all this time? Kirumi attacked you two and sent you both into hiding the whole night?" Kaito asks, dubious somewhat. That's understandable, hiding in the dangerous school building the entire night is dumb compared to making an effort to return to the safe dormitories where we have more locked doors and people to hear us.

"No. I don't really remember what happened, but Kirumi drugged me shortly after I left the dormitories when I ran into Gonta, Shuichi, and Kokichi. Rantaro hasn't said it, but I think he snuck out while Gonta was dealing with them, and he tried to fight Kirumi off when she attacked me. He wasn't dressed right and Kirumi had a metal pipe though, so he got overpowered," I explain to the best of my ability for not having really been there mentally, watching the visible pained looks on Kaito and Shuichi as I turn to enter my room and join them by my bed.

Even my room is cold without the electricity to power the thermostat, but Rantaro is tucked into bed with Kiibo at his side as a sort of artificial heater- a reflection of the time when he did the same for me after he, Rantaro, Kokichi, and Kirumi found me freezing in my crummy room early on in the killing game.

"So that's what's given him his bruises...um, you said Kirumi drugged you?" Shuichi asks for clarification, making me nod in return as I sit on the bed by Rantaro's legs.

He's still somewhat conscious, but isn't making an effort to say anything. His sleepy eyes just stare up bleakly at the ceiling, blinking every now and then. It's pretty much the only reason I know he hasn't fallen asleep yet.

Shuichi clicks his tongue in frustration, frowning a little. "Then you not only had cannabis in your system with the drug in your watch, but you were also administered a third drug."

Three drugs altogether! Jeez...but that being said, it does match up with what I can recall from the pieces in my head.

"Is that why the smell on you is strong as well? I thought it was just Himiko!" Angie giggles from beside me, though I simply ignore her to cast my gaze back on Rantaro.

"I'll keep Rantaro warm, don't worry!" Kiibo reassures me, pulling my attention to him. "Not to phrase my question improperly, but I think it's strange that all that happened and yet...well, you were under the influence."

At his gesture to my form, notably in a better state than Rantaro is, Himiko scoffs on Angie's other side.

"You're not accusing her of something because she's alive, are you?" Himiko asks, her lazy tone somewhat serrated like a knife. "With my magic powder, she's not going to become violent...if anything, it settles aggression..."

"But she also got injected with the drug in her watch. And we know she was injected with something else by Kirumi. Just because cannabis has the potential to relax someone doesn't mean it will retain that reaction when more drugs are introduced to the body," Shuichi gently pushes back with a reasonable effort.

I don't know what Kirumi gave me, but I know that the watch drug was "Krokodil". I'm surprised they're not worried about it, considering it wasn't a tranquilizer dose.

How do I know the name of the drug from the watch though? Did Shuichi or Kokichi tell me when I ran into them yesterday with Gonta?

"Well, what do you remember, Prairie? Anything that might help Atua piece together the puzzle?" Angie asks as she hops over and wraps her arms around the midsection of the too-large dress I'm wearing. "Oh! You're super cold! Maybe if you were to walk out under some sunlight, your skin will sparkle...?"

"Don't joke around like that now..." Kaito grumbles, side eyeing the resident group fairy as she giggles and embraces me tighter against my will. It's all the more awkward since she's still standing up and I'm sitting on the bedside. "Let's try and stay focused so we can figure out what's going on here. We still need to find Gonta and that annoying runt."