Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

Interlude.ii - Shuichi

A/N: So I know there's supposed to be a new exclusive "Shuichi" cover here, but California is being hit with a huge heat wave that's made drawing on my big laptop nearly impossible at the moment. All I can offer you is this Prairie icon I made before it got so hot I could cook an egg on my intuos tablet ;w;

Oh and also this chapter too :D

The above art is my own work and for my own use only~

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The feeling of whiplash from Tsumugi's response has many of the people initially uncertain about Shuichi's closing argument now blanching in horror. Her attitude swap is so sudden and out of nowhere, a reaction that completely contrasts the personality everyone has gotten used to thus far.

"S-So it's true?!" Kiibo asks horrified, gaping at Tsumugi's exasperated expression where she stands. "You're...!"

"That's right. I am the mastermind of this killing game," Tsumugi says, just before grimacing down at her podium and barely managing to get out the rest of her words in a sensible fashion since she's growling. "Or at least, I was the mastermind."

"What do you mean? It's a simple question, are you or are you not the mastermind?" Maki demands, leveling the Ultimate Cosplayer with a glare that borders on deadly. "You better not be implying there's more than one mastermind."

"No, I don't share or collaborate. This is my work entirely, however..." Tsumugi looks angry, turning to face Monokuma. Shuichi is momentarily stunned by this, looking from Tsumugi to Monokuma and back. There's something not right.

The way Shuichi sees Tsumugi staring at Monokuma encompasses a look of anger- something Shuichi would consider unfathomable as far as things are in the killing game. After all, the mastermind has that secret room where he theorized the Monokuma birthing machine is located, so there's no possible way that the mastermind and Monokuma would be at odds...right?

"The killing game is over. I ended up losing control of it entirely...in fact, I suppose I lost control of the game the moment we let her in," Tsumugi growls, now turning to glare daggers at the short girl between himself and Kokichi.

"You can hardly blame Prairie Dog, this is all your mistake. You chose to participate in creating a killing game, so any consequences are all on you," Kokichi states with a chuckle, grinning despite Tsumugi still nailing Prairie with that look of hate. "So-"

"How do you do it?" Tsumugi demands, promptly cutting off Kokichi to directly speak to Prairie. "Where did you even come from? You're just some freak of nature, is that it?"

Even Kokichi doesn't try and cut her off to reclaim the conversation she brushed off with him, quietly studying the Ultimate Cosplayer before turning to look towards Prairie with that blank look he likes to wear when he wants to conceal his thoughts.

Shuichi sees a strange flicker in Prairie's vivid blue doe eyes, one of those sparks of understanding he'll sometimes see run across her irises when she notices something. Had he not already been looking in her direction, he would have missed the flicker entirely like Kokichi did. What could Tsumugi be referring to?

'How do you do it'...as in how does Prairie manage to survive over and over again? How does she avoid death? Somehow, that's the only thing Shuichi can come up with in his mind as he contemplates Tsumugi's words, and despite how accurate it may be, there's a nagging feeling in the back of his mind insisting it doesn't make sense. Prairie was a last minute addition, wasn't she? And yet Tsumugi also asked, 'Where did you even come from'...