...
It was pitch black for a few seconds. Then, all of a sudden, the screen lit up.
An image of Shuichi, looking directly in the camera, popped up.
"Hello? W-who are you?" he asked.
His voice was shaking. He was trembling and he was holding his cap. He was wearing clothes that seemed overly familiar.
Then, a voice rung in the silence, making him jump, letting out a small scream in surprise.
"Welcome, master. I'm glad to have you here! My name is Motherkuma, I will be in charge of making the Monokumas of this game."
I tried my best to keep my face neutral, as to not alert the cameras probably watching my very moves. I even grinned, to show I was enjoying it, when in reality, I was terrified. I'd heard of Motherkuma, but we barely got to see it since Keebo was busy destroying the school when they investigated the room.
"W-what? B-But why are you telling me this? Isn't it the whole purpose of the game to keep it a secret?" he asked.
Huh? He didn't know he was mastermind or...?
"Voice recognition activated, voice memorized. Software updated."
The machine buzzed, it's camera lagging for a few seconds. Shuichi still looked panicked as hell.
"Well, you are this game's Mastermind, it wouldn't be quite convenient for you to not know about your honorable servants."
"Excuse me?! I am what?!"
"You are my master, the Mastermind of this game. You are to make sure the game runs smoothly and according to the schedule provided by the gods, on the table over there."
I giggled to show the cameras I was enjoying what I was seeing. But what the hell? How did he not know he was the mastermind? Didn't he volunteer to become mastermind, like they told us?
Shuichi turned around and walked to the table, picking up a book. I couldn't read what was on it, but judging from his panicked face, it must have been something related to his identity as the Mastermind.
"N-No way... I'm really the Mastermind..."
He started trembling.
Motherkuma then told him everything about this game, from the motives, to the flashback lights, the different murder weapons and ways to kill someone around the school, Kiibo's role, his duties as the Mastermind and everything else... Shuichi was getting increasingly panicked and confused with each second passing.
Then, Motherkuma proceeded to explain how the production wanted to try out something new this year. They wanted to get genuine reactions out of the Mastermind to the executions and the characters' personalities, so they decided to keep everything about the other participants for themselves.
Then, I saw his eyebrows furrow in horror.
"I can't do this! Please choose another Mastermind, I-I-"
Tears started spilling out of his eyes as his knees gave out under him, in front of the camera. I felt my heart skip a beat from seeing him so distressed like this.
This was so disturbing. Yet again, the production lied to us.
"I just wanted to get rid of my stupid Danganronpa addiction and make friends, I wanted to become a better person, not make it worst! Please... I don't even care if you reject me from the game... just let me go back home..."
Silence filled the room, heavy and overwhelming. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Shuichi... he didn't want to be the mastermind...? Then why-
My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Well, it's too late!"
I recognized that voice.
...
It was that stranger's voice from Friday night.
"Team Danganronpa speaking here... there's no way out! You're the Mastermind and that's it!"
"B-But I simply c-can't d-do it! I-I'm not evil! I don't have bad intentions and I simply can't bring myself to be an accomplice to other people's despair!"
The man speaking let out a little giggle, which was quickly followed by a laugh, and finally, it erupted into a long deranged laughter.
I cringed. Shuichi was trembling and he looked like he was about to pass out anytime now.
"It's too late! Too late too late too late! You're going to have to act the part, just like you did in that stupid fake audition of yours! That's what you get for acting like that!"
Shuichi started crying again. It made me almost furrow my eyebrows in anger.
I understood now what was going on.
...
"I won't do it! If you keep me here as a Mastermind, I'll end the game early and make sure I die first!"
I felt my eyes widen involuntarily, before I quickly shifted my face back to a more mischievous look for the cameras. I didn't expect to hear that.
"Oh? Is that so?"
The voice snickered again.
"Look up."
The camera glitched and Shuichi disappeared. Another image replaced him. It was the image of a kitchen, from a high angle. There were two people, a woman and a man, eating at the table and chatting.
"What... what the hell..." Shuichi stuttered.
"You see this? Now, let's make a deal."
The voice snickered again. The image flashed back to Shuichi.
"You play the role of the Mastermind, create marvellous motives and traps to get the participants to kill each other without saying a word. If you don't do that, it's simple really; your family dies. And I'm not only talking about your uncle and aunt, I'm talking about your beloved parents too."
...
Holy shit.
Shuichi... was a victim of blackmail and extortion this whole time?! I could barely keep a smile on my face to avoid the camera's suspicions. 'How did I not notice it before?? Gosh these idiots must have rubbed their idiocy on me."
Shuichi spoke out, absolutely terrified. Now that I knew everything, I felt like shit. I felt like shit for treating him the way I did and I felt like an idiot for not seeing it earlier.
This is terrible yes... but this whole situation is incredibly dangerous. If these bastards of Team Danganronpa managed to effortlessly lie to us, to me, about everything, I can't even begin to imagine what they're truly up to.
"How did you..."
"Now now, it's not the time to be asking such questions! Will you accept the deal? If not, the four hitmen situated all around your uncle and parents' houses are all ready to shoot, right under my orders!"
My blood ran cold.
"Yes... yes I will do it, but please leave my family alone... they're all I have left-" Shuichi choked out, his voice shaking and cracking. I felt the tears build up in my own eyes from seeing him like this.
"Perfect! Now, head to a random classroom and stay there until someone wakes up, alright?"
He nodded, his lips trembling as he slowly stopped sobbing.
"Oh! And don't forget our promise!"
The familiar phrase was the last thing I heard from the man, before all audio and video cut off. It snapped to another video. Shuichi was in the library with Rantaro when all of a sudden, he smashed him across the head with a shotput ball. I felt my face twitch from the brutality. I looked at Shuichi, he looked terrified and panicked, realizing what he'd done.
I couldn't take it anymore and closed the file. I took out the USB and put it in my pocket. I smiled, showing the camera I'd enjoyed it, and left the room.
I walked over the my room, my mind processing what I'd just seen.
As I flopped onto my bed, I felt my hands start shaking. Shuichi...