The next morning in the dining hall, Y/n is back to her usual self.
"Of course I'm fine.. some blood never hurt anyone. One time I was running from a group of army soldiers all with massive machine guns because I stole a top secret government file." She laughs normally, like nothing ever happened.
"Are you really okay.?" Tsumugi asks
"You guys have to stop worrying. We have more important things to be doing."
"But you can't recover that quickly after coughing up so much blood." Himiko says
"Please, I really don't want you all to make a big deal of it, just leave it to me, I can handle it."
"Y/n, You-" Maki starts, but Y/n just shushes her.
"Don't say anything, please. I'm asking you to not worry. I know what I have to do, and it'll all be fine, I promise."
Monokuma interrupts with giving the 'prizes'. It's two keys, one looks old and one looks futuristic and modern.
It unlocks a huge staircase leading up to Kaito's lab. It's what you would expect, space themed. But there's also a sheet of paper with information about the Gofer project, the project made to tackle the meteorites. They searched for talented people, was this.. the Ultimate Hunt? None of it makes any sense, the more information they learn the more confusing it gets.
On the 5th floor, next to Y/n and Shuichi's labs, another door unlocks, it leads to a research lab.. but this one is closed off. Because the owner of it is dead. So they come to the conclusion it must be Rantaro's. Y/n hates it.. because this entire time she's known something that nobody else knows about.. the survivor perk. If they ever find out about it.. she doesn't know how they'll react. Will they hate her for lying? Will they never trust her again?
Y/n walks around for a bit, trying to see what else is open, when she notices something in the distance near Miu and Keebo's labs. It looks like an opening into something that looks straight from a sci-fi movie, so she goes over and walks in. It's almost like some sort of cyber maze. She continues walking around it when she gets to what looks like a warehouse.
Inside she sees Shuichi and Keebo looking around.
"..What is this?" She asks
"Oh, hey. It's where all the Exisals are stored." Shuichi says, then points to 5 Exisals in a row, but they look powered down
"Ah, I see." She looks around, then she catches something out of the corner of her eye, so she turns to it. It's a huge hydraulic press. She goes over and looks at it. "Whats this for?"
"..Probably to scrap unwanted Exisals." Keebo says. "It seems you can control it with the control panel over there."
"And the safety notice says that it automatically stops if it detects a living being." Shuichi says
"Really? Well let's try it!" Y/n says enthusiastically.
"What?" Shuichi scratches the back of his neck.
"I'll go in it, and then see if it stops just before it crushes me.!"
"I-I don't think that's a good idea! What if it doesn't stop?" Keebo protests
"Then I'll get out.. come on, it'll be fine. It's a test for investigating purposes. It might help prevent a murder.!"
"..I think you just want to be inside a hydraulic press.. but as long as you're sure.." Shuichi says
"Yep.! I'm sure!" Y/n seems a little too excited to be going into a hydraulic press, but Shuichi goes up to the control panel and Keebo stays next to the press, and Y/n lies down.
"So.. um.. I'll just press then down button.. and then leave it?" Shuichi says. "And if it doesn't stop.. Keebo pulls you out."
"Sounds good to me.!" Y/n laughs
"Are you guys ready?" He puts his hand on the down button, Keebo and Y/n both nod, then the press starts closing.
Y/n lies face up and watches as the huge block of metal comes closer, and closer.
"Um.. Y/n.. you might wanna get out now.." Keebo says, watching closely
"It's hardly even near me yet.." Y/n says
Then, the press is almost touching Y/n.
"That's it.. I'm coming!" Keebo quickly reaches to pull Y/n out, but just as its about a centimetre above her nose, it stops.
"See? I told you it would stop!" Y/n chuckles.
"That nearly killed you.!" Shuichi exclaims
Y/n shimmies out of the press, then brushes herself off. "Well, now we know that it can't be used for murder."
"So we don't have to worry about it? We can just leave it?" Keebo asks
"Seems like it.. as long as it still has this safety feature, it should be fine." Shuichi comes back down from the control panel.
After that, the day is pretty uneventful. Once again, Y/n spent the day in her lab, then went straight to bed.
—
The next morning, Kaito tells everyone his plan. His plan to defeat Monokuma, now all the Monokubs are gone, there's nobody to control the Exisals, so Monokuma is defenceless. Everyone agrees, secretly, Y/n thinks it's a bad idea, but she says she agrees as well.
She spends the day trying to figure out what she's gonna do, she can't fight, at all.
When nighttime comes, and she goes to the gym to meet everyone else, she sees a huge pile of weapons.
"Now that everyone's here, let's get started!" Kaito says
"There's.. so many weapons." Y/n stares at the pile
"Did you take these from my lab?" Maki asks
"Haha.. yeah.. sorry. But it's for a good cause! So, is everyone ready?"
"You don't mean ready to die, right?" Tsumugi asks
"What? No! I mean ready to fight.! Then we can finally end this killing game-"
"What a coincidence, I was planning on ending this killing game too." And out of the blue, Kokichi strolls in the room, dragging along a cart, showing a bunch of hammers and what look like bombs. "I wouldn't move if I were you. Unless you wanna end up prey."
"Is that a bomb?" Maki asks
"A b-bomb!?" Himiko trembles
"Yup, and if you don't wanna be blown to pieces, listen to what I have to say. We all know the killing game will continue until 2 people are left, but it never mentions how many you can kill.. so, who wants to survive with me?"
"What do you think you're doing!?" Kaito yells
"I don't wanna die.. but it's better than being with you." Himiko says
"..I'd rather kill you." Maki glares at him
"Kokichi.. you just don't get it. We're not going to do what you want." Shuichi says
"Wow.. I didn't think it would go exactly as I predicted. But I was just lying, I wanted to test your determination! Now we can work together and use these anti-Monokuma weapons."
"You mean.. those hammers?" Y/n points to the cart
"Ding ding ding! It's something I asked Miu to invent, they're called Electrohammers. They can disable any electronic machine on contact."
He continues to explain what they can do, and what the bombs can do. Then he just.. hands them over. He's definitely planning something, but for now, they have to trust him.
He also said that they'll work in the underground passage, because they can disable the traps. So everyone heads down there.
"Alright! Let's get started!" Kaito says
"A-Are we really gonna be okay?" Tsumugi asks
"Heh.. there's no need to worry! Of course it's gonna be a little dangerous.. but if we work together, we'll be alright!" Kaito grins
After everyone is motivated, they all go in, but once everyone's in, Y/n pulls Maki aside, away from the others.
"Y/n?" Maki says
Y/n just pulls Maki in and kisses her quickly. "This is it. We're finally leaving.. I just want you to promise me something."
"..What?"
"Promise me we'll stay together, that we won't drift apart. It's not worth leaving if I can't leave with you."
"..I was never going to leave you. I already promised we would get out, and now we are. Okay?"
Y/n just smiles and nods, then they both go into the tunnel.
Last time she tried this, she almost got blown up.. so hopefully she doesn't this time.
After a while of trying to escape.. it finally happens. They reach the end.
At the end, is a metal door, covered by what looks like an electric barrier.
"Is.. this the exit?" Maki asks
"Seems like it. Look over there." Kaito points to the door.
"Yay! We did it!" Himiko says happily
"Finally.. this death game can end." Maki sighs
"If we just hit that control panel with an Electrohammer, it'll disable the barrier." Shuichi says
"So.. we're really leaving?" Y/n can't stop smiling. All she's wanted this entire time is to go home, and now she finally can.
"Yes. We can return to our normal lives.." Keebo says.
"Yeah! Let's do it!" Then, Kaito swings his hammer at the control panel. The barrier turns off, and the door unlocks.
"Now we just gotta open up this door!" Kaito says
"Yes! We can do it!" Keebo says
"Finally.. Finally we can go.!" Tsumugi says
Everyone rushes to the door and pulls it open. It starts to open, and a blinding light shines through it.. and once it's clear what's outside.. Y/n feels her heart shatter into a million pieces.
It's.. all gone.. everything is destroyed. The sky is red and the air is heavy and unbreathable with dust. It looks like.. hell. Is this the secret of the outside world? That it's.. just ruins.
"I.. I can't breathe..!" Shuichi gasps, it's like all the air was sucked out when they opened the door.
Before Y/n passes out, she clings onto Maki's arm and sobs.
—
"Congrats! You finished the killing game!" Kokichi stands over them and laughs.
Everyone starts to slowly regain consciousness as he speaks.
"Jeez.. you guys better not die here, you're all important to humanity.. y'know.."
"K-Kokichi.? What is this.? What are you talking about?" Shuichi groans
"Good morning everyone! How are you? Terrible? Because now you know the secret of the outside world! I'm tired of lying.. so everything I say from now on will be truth!"
Y/n opens her eyes and blinks slowly, trying to process it all. She sees she's still holding onto Maki, who is still unconscious. She almost doesn't want to get up, she doesn't want to have to see the outside world.. or anything.
But she does get up. She then shakes Maki awake, midway through Kokichi explaining it all. He explains the meteorites.. the Gofer project.. the Ultimate Hunt.. how.. he was the mastermind. All along. It was right in their faces. Y/n just covers her ears, she doesn't want to hear anymore. She doesn't want anything anymore.. all her family, all her friends.. they've been dead for years and years. Everyone's dead.! There's nothing left. Nobody..
"Stop it.. stop.. stop speaking.!" Y/n says while Kokichi is rambling about how he was behind it all along.
"Oh? What's this? Has the almighty Y/n L/n finally broke?"
"Just stop.. I'll do anything if you just please stop.!" Y/n sobs hysterically, shaking her head.
"This sight has made it all worth it! Pure despair! This is what I live for.. I live to see other's pain and grief.. and it's so much more entertaining if I was the one who caused it! So.. what better to do.. than cause as much pain as possible.!" Kokichi takes the remote that controls the Exisals, and he fiddles with it for a second, then one of the Exisal's arms goes out and grabs Y/n, she doesn't even scream or say anything, she just collapses from shock.
"S-Stop! You little- You don't know what you're doing!" Kaito yells
"Oh, I think I do. I have the power to do whatever I want.. and nobody can stop me! I'm just simply showing you that!"
Maki has the most terrifying look yet on her face, she looks as if she's about to burst into flames, or kill everyone in the room. "Give her back.!" She shouts as loud as she can, and starts moving towards Kokichi.
"No! Maki! Even if you-" Shuichi grabs her arm to stop her.
"Let go. Do you want to die!?"
"Maki.! I won't let go! Even if you kill me!"
That seems to calm Maki down slightly, but only very very slightly.
"Nice one Mr. Detective! Only.. your talent is useless now. Because there are no mysteries left! This is the true ending." Kokichi smirks
"E-Ending.?" Himiko says, looking down and staring at the ground. "W-What do we do now then.?"
"You can do whatever. I don't care. I just wanted to reveal the truth and see the despair on your face.. but now I'm satisfied. So do what you want!"
"..What do you plan to do with Y/n?" Maki is still glaring at him.
"Hmm, who knows? Maybe I'll befriend her, or maybe I'll kill her and hang her on my wall as decoration." He laughs, then just.. leaves. Like nothing ever happened.
...