Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

3.3 - Not A Child

"That's some impressive technology to make the ivy wither away like that," Kiibo openly admits as I stand there quietly, looking at the rock tablet in mild confusion. "It's just gone in an instant!"

I don't even acknowledge that I've heard him, allowing the conversation to continue behind me as my hands fall to my sides with the ocarina in thought.

I know everything is advanced here. This isn't anything new- we have impossible robots, impossible AI's, impossible memory erasing flashlights...except- how? I don't know about any technology like this, do I? Did I forget because of my amnesia? The others don't seem all too surprised, and one of them is an impossible being. Maybe it's just...?

"Prairie, are you okay?" Rantaro catches my attention, a hand resting on my shoulder to snap me out of my thoughts. I turn my head to look back at him- my worries at the tip of my tongue to clue him in like second nature. Thankfully, the sound of the familiar monokubs and their greeting immediately cuts me off before I can say anything.

The moment his attention is away from me, I frown and avert my gaze to my feet. Now that I'm thinking about it, I know the troubles he gave me when I told the truth before. Would it be wise to tell him the truth about anything now?

...Probably not.

"It's not dangerous! There's a pool in there, that's all~" Monophanie speaks up, and for once I'm actually happy to have had her butting into our conversation. She looks at us before eventually "noticing" me with a gasp. "Oh! Just don't let Ugly near the pool. She might contaminate the water with something awful!"

Rantaro sighs in annoyance. "Every opportunity, huh, Monophanie?" He asks in a more or less rhetorical question that causes Monophanie to suddenly stiffen up. I can see her little legs quivering a bit, pink and white face reddening to a surprising amount despite being mechanical.

"H-He said my name...!" Monophanie actually swoons as she says this, prompting my eyebrow to twitch erratically at her behavior. I'm getting very close to throwing this ocarina right at her face. Jealousy? No way. I'm the one Rantaro pays attention to anyways, so ha!

...wait. That's nothing to brag about. I don't even like Rantaro paying attention to me, he's like an overbearing tick!

"I-I mean...I can try to be better...for you..." Monophanie trails off in an admittedly cute manner, shuffling to her feet and playing with her paws as if she's a school girl.

"What's so special 'bout him?" I hear Monosuke quip, reminding me that it's not just Monophanie here, but the other three monokubs as well.

At this slow realization, my eyes search immediately for the blue and white dual toned kub, but when I find him...

He turns the other way.

Two feelings become apparent as a result of this discovery. For one, I'm happy. It's not an ideal result for us Ultimates in this situation, but having Monokid and Monotaro as honest gophers had been useful for at least the two times we met up and spoke of the happenings here. However, now that we know what will happen if there is a traitor on Monokuma's side, Monokid stepping away from our side is good. It's good for Monokid himself, at least.

This way he won't end up like Monotaro did.

Although I'm happy he'll be safe, I am admittedly sad about his reaction though. Is this a sign that he doesn't trust me anymore? Does he blame me for Monotaro's death like I originally thought?

No, I don't want to think about that. I don't want to know, I'm just happy he won't be killed like Monotaro...for now. That's all I can ask for in this hellscape. First and foremost to secure his safety, I need to find a way out of here.