(3rd Person's POV)
"Huh?" Back in Towa City, Akira spotted a siren. But popping up was another new Monokuma Unit.
Wee-oo, Wee-oo! - Siren Monokuma
"Another Monokuma..." Komaru said as the Siren Monokuma laughed as a few Monokuma robots appeared.
"Wh-What's it doing?!" Toko wondered.
"Looks like it can summon regular Monokumas in the area to its spot..." Akira deduced as she ran towards the Siren Monokuma. The Monokumas would try to get in her way, but would be quickly shot away by Komaru. Akira backflipped-jumped as she was above the Siren Monokuma before stomping it in the head, electricity emitting from it. "Well, that was easy."
---
The girls would continue on by entering a store of some kind. They found some swanky doors and entered it to see a Monokuma Kid with a present next to them.
"Woah! Another one!" Komaru exclaimed.
"Looks like this Monokuma Kid has a gift for us..." Toko said as Komaru opened it to find the "Dance" bullet.
"Tee hee...!" The Monokuma Kid giggled as they ran off.
"Those kids are our enemies, right?" Komaru placed a finger to her chin. "Why are they helping us?"
"..." Toko stayed silent.
"Well, whatever. I guess it doesn't matter all that much. Let's go." Akira said as they walked out.
---
"Um, are you alright?" Komaru said as the three spotted a person who seemed to be alive.
"Eeek!" The man shrieked. "A, A-A, A-A-A-A kid! Are you a kid!?"
Komaru frantically shook her head. "N-No, I'm not! We're being attacked by the children too! I'm on your side!"
"I-I see..." The man slowly nodded. "I'm sorry... I have to always have my guard up, y'know? Or else I'll end up dead... I know it's pathetic... Surviving by running and hiding like a coward."
"Don't be so hard on yourself." Akira held her arms behind her back. "In a situation like this, it's normal to act like that."
"Wait a minute. You...ran all the way here by yourself?" Toko looked at him.
"...No." He shook his head. "At first, it was my whole family with me, but... Now I'm the only one. My parents and my wife all ended up prey to those Monokumas..."
Komaru gave him a sympathetic look before offering. "Um, if you want... Do you want to come with us? I'm sure it will be better than running alone..."
"Tempting offer, but I'm sorry, I can't." He refused. "My right leg's torn up from a Monokuma. I can't run with just one leg."
"Then...l'll lend you my shoulder..."
"No, it's fine. I already let my family down... I can't bring harm to three strangers..."
"But..." Komaru tried to argue.
"He said it's fine. We're barely moving fast enough as it is, we can't protect an adult with a bad leg, too." Toko pointed out. "He has a better chance of surviving if he hides somewhere by himself."
The man nodded in agreement. "Yeah... She's right. Thanks for your concern, but she's absolutely right."
"...Well, if that's the case... Okay." Komaru reluctantly relented as the man started sobbing.
"Wh-What's this out of nowhere?" Toko raised an eyebrow.
"I let my family die, right in front of my eyes... And now I'm making 3 young girls pity me... I'm pathetic..." He sniffed. "Just so pathetic..."
The three girls grimaced as they stayed silent before walking off. Later, they found a comic book on the floor before Komaru picked it up and opened it.
---
"Dawn, Container, Salable, Mellow, Food. These 5 friends run a small, unassuming soup shop. However, these chosen warriors cannot stay soup salesmen forever."
"With the mighty STORM power, they transform into Tornado Sentai Spin Rangers, and battle tirelessly day and night against the evil Phantoms. This is the eye of the tornado entertainment! Spin the world with Spin Ranger!"
---
"...Why are all the books in this town trashy?" Toko deadpanned as she looked at the book in disgust. "Did everyone with good taste die off or something?"
"Who the hell names their kid "Container" and "Food"...?" Akira wondered.
"I'm sure the person who dropped this was just a kid." Komaru assumed. "All boys have a superhero phase, after all."
"A-All bovs!? Don't you dare!" Toko looked offended. "My noble master Byakuya would never befoul himself with this childish crap!"
"Hm, don't you think Byakuya is kinda like a superhero, in a way?" Komaru asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Like when he rescued me, his timing was so perfect, just like a hero's."
Toko's eye twitched. "Master...doesn't think of you as his damsel in distress at all! You're no Lois Lane, woman!"
"I-I didn't mean it like that..." Komaru grew defensive.
"Well, I can never be too careful... You never know who's a homewrecker until it's too late..." Toko mumbled. "But I know what you mean, about the perfect timing. Lots of strange coincidences lately... The Monokumas ambushed this town exactly when Future Foundation arrived to save you... It's too convenient to be coincidence."
"Byakuya said the reason they came here was because they received an anonymous rescue plea... Do you think...the children did it?" Komaru said.
Toko sighed. "Wouldn't surprise me."
"Then...the children were targeting Future Foundation from the beginning? Why?"
"Hmph, how would I know? But it does seem to fit. Still, I can't imagine what kind of grudge they could have against Future Foundation... The only thing I know for sure is that we can't underestimate these brats, or we'll end up dead."
"Hm... I hope there aren't any more unpleasant surprises..."
"I wouldn't hold my breath on that one." Akira said. "In a place like this, unpleasant surprises are the common norm..."
---
The girls finally made it to the subway entrance, but...
"The shutter's...closed?" Komaru walked up to it. "It's locked... We can't get through it like this!"
"Jeez, keep your voice down." Toko hushed her. "If the shutter is closed, that means someone closed it. If that's the case, we should look around here for some kind of clue."
"...A clue?" Komaru tilted her head.
"Huh? Hey, look over there." Akira spoke up as they looked to see a corpse with something around their neck.
The girls approached the body. "He looks like a station attendant." Komaru said as she got a good look at him. "Was he killed by those Monokumas, too?"
"The Monokumas might have done the act, but it's the kids making them kill. It's...sickening." Toko growled.
"Huh? It looks like he's holding something..." Komaru opened up his closed hand to see a key. "Could this key be...?"
Suddenly, a Monokuma Kid runs out from a corner and bashes into Komaru. "Wah!"
And just as quickly as he appeared, he ran off.
"R-Running into you and not even apologizing! Who raised that little brat?" Toko grumbled.
"Toko! Aki! This is bad!" Komaru looked scared.
"What?"
"The key! The kid stole it!" Komaru told them.
Toko's eyes widened. "What!?"
"Oh, of course! Because why can't things by easy around here?!" Akira pinched the bridge between her eyes.
"We gotta go after that kid! If we don't have the key, we can't get into the subway!" Komaru ran off.
"A-Ah! Hey!" Toko yelled after her as she and Akira took off as well.
---
"Wait, hold on!" Komaru called. "Give me that key!"
But the Monokuma Kid would just giggle and run off.
"Hold it, you goddamn little-!" Toko hissed.
"Kami..." Akira groaned.
---
Running up some shipping containers and shooting some Monokumas, the girls chased the Monokuma Kid into a construction site.
"M-m-maybe he's hiding somewhere around here?" Toko guessed.
"Hey! Come on out! I know you're in here!" Komaru called out.
They saw some bars that showed the other side and looked through it. Unfortunately, that resulted in the Monokuma Kid jump-scaring that by jumping out from the other side.
"Ahhh!" Toko obviously didn't take that well, landing flat on her butt, with the Monokuma Kid laughing at her for good measure. "Th-th-th-that brat! Acting all high and mighty just because he knows we won't hurt him!"
"Let's go around back to get that kid. Then he'll be caught just like a rat in a trap!" Komaru smirked.
"Y-y-y-yeah, you're right..." Toko nodded.
---
The girls went around, blasting Monokumas to get to the kid. However, by the time they got there, he was long gone. But on the floor was a note.
"Challenge: I will be waiting at the hospital."
"The hospital?" Komaru questioned. "Isn't that the first place we were? We have to go all the way back?"
Toko groaned. "Th-This little brat! Does he think we're his playmates or something!? Argh! This is so frustrating that... That my eyesight is getting better!"
"Huh? Frustration leads to improved vision?" Komaru tilted her head.
"Of course not! Don't take everything I say so literally! Come on, let's just go!" Toko said as they ran off.
---
After doing some annoying backtracking, the girls finally made their way to the hospital where they ran into the Monokuma Kid.
"There you are!" Komaru fiercely pointed at them. "You won't get away this time!"
The Monokuma Kid just giggled as they ran away. Following them, the girls entered a room with a bunch of dangerous utensils.
Komaru shuddered. "This room is creepy... like something might pop out any second."
"W-w-what do you mean, "pop out"? Don't say something creepy like tha-"
POUND POUND POUND!
The girls jumped by the noise. They turned to hear the noise coming from the closet. And then...
A mangily-looking bear jumped out in front of them!
"Uaaaaaah!" Toko screeched.
"It popped out!" Komaru jumped back a bit.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Akira screamed.
Ungodly Abomination - Junk Monokuma
"Yes, thank you, subtitles!" Akira rolled her eyes as the girls banged on the door behind them.
"Th-this is your fault!" Toko accused, pointing at Komaru. "You just had to say something, didn't you?"
Komaru tried opening the door, but... "The door's locked shut!"
"The brat from earlier must have done it!" Toko realized as Junk Monokuma let out a warped laugh.
"Guess we have no choice but to fight this!" Komaru pulled out her Hacking Gun. "C'mon, Aki! Let's-" She looked next to her, only to see a blinking white outline where Akira once stood. "Uhhh...Aki?"
Akira was hiding behind Toko. "Fighting that thing? Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope, so much nope!"
Komaru sweatdropped before the Junko Monokuma pounced at her, but she would jumped back and shoot it in the eye, which made it roar in pain. It leaped at her, but Komaru would again dodge and kick it in the face as a counter attack before shooting small Break shots at it, charging up another one and letting it rip as the Junk Monokuma fell on its back and exploded.
"Good riddance..." Akira muttered as the door clicked.
"Ah, look! It's open now!" Komaru smiled.
"Let's chase after that brat! I've got a whole lifetime's worth of trauma to give him!" Toko said.
---
"There he is! Over there!" Komaru yelled as she spots the kid, who bails upon hearing her voice and heads up the 2nd floor.
"That kid went up to the 2nd floor!" She pointed out.
"I-I can see that!" Toko said as they ran up the stairs and pursued the kid, and again, he runs off. "Jeez, how far is this brat gonna run!?"
---
While chasing after the kid, the girls found another book. Komaru picked it up as they read it.
---
"Dad's cheating with my classmate, Mom's beating up Grandma and Grandpa, my brother's chased around town by delinquents, and day and night I'm making this bomb to blow up the school..."
"But this is normal for us. This is what a normal family looks like. I do have some complaints and worries, but any household would be the same, right?"
"One day, a "stained" boy claiming to be a "Representative for the World" showed up at our house unexpectedly and said, "I'm going to reform you and your family..."
"It's none of your business! Will I be able to protect my family from being forced into "normalcy"...?"
---
Toko's eye twitched. "This novel sickens me."
"Doesn't look like it's gonna have a happy ending..." Komaru sweatdropped.
"Let me guess. The main character wins in the end, and they stand up and say something stupid like: "We may be crazy, but at least we're happy!"" Toko guessed in a mocking tone.
"Yeah, that sounds pretty plausible." Komaru agreed.
"Well, just because I can predict the ending doesn't automatically make it suck, I guess." Toko shrugged. "But it doesn't really matter. Anything other than the purest literature is shit anyway."
"That's rather cut-and-dry... Kind of a refreshing point of view, actually." Komaru chuckled.
"Speaking of predictions, I'm guessing your family was "normal" to a T, right?" Toko assumed.
"Well, actually...we weren't really that normal at all. We're a family of four. My parents, my brother, and me, but..." Komaru trailed off.
"Buuut...?" Akira gestured for Komaru to finish.
"What? Were you a family of cannibals or something?" Toko smirked.
"D-Don't say something scary!" Komaru shuddered at the thought before shaking her head. "No, I mean... For example, Mom always watches the same variety show at lunchtime. Dad never shaves on weekends if he doesn't have plans, and my brother goes to an amazing school. When we're eating dinner and it's just the four of us, we basically just watch TV and small talk."
"...Nothing you just said makes me think you're anything but completely and obviously normal." Toko deadpanned.
"But if that's normal, isn't it kinda...not normal, because it's too normal?" Komaru argued.
"I'm really more interested in the relationship between you and your brother. Do you guys share a bed or bathe together like in those trashy light novels?" Toko wondered.
Komaru felt her face flush red. "W-We're siblings! We'd never do that! We actually don't get along well at all! The only time we even talk is when we're snacking together, or talking about manga we like..."
" ...You guys get along better than most couples I know." Toko said.
Komaru laughed. "Really? I figured other siblings would be much closer than we are..."
"Any closer and it'd be illegal." Toko snarked.
"But now that...you mention my family... I'm starting to get worried... I hope Mom, Dad, and Makoto are all safe..." Komaru hoped. "Anyway, speaking of families, what about your family, Aki?"
"..." Akira's face went blank. "Don't ask questions you're not mentally prepared to handle the answer to."
Komaru sweatdropped. "Uh...okay..." She mumbled. "What's that supposed to mean...?"
"But still..." Akira whispered to herself. "I wonder where Sora is during all this..."
---
"Tee hee..." The Monokuma Kid giggled as the girls finally managed to catch up to him in the directer's room. He handed them a note.
"Challenge: The key is inside the sturdy safe. It won't open if you force it, so don't bother trying. If you want to open the safe, you gotta solve my best riddle! The reason you can't see the answer is because you're not thinking like a detective!"
Toko growled. "L-Like I said, you brat! We're not here to p-play around with you!"
"A child challenging us to a battle of wits..." Komaru narrowed her eyes. "He really doesn't think much of us, does he?"
"...Huh?" Toko looked at her.
"Toko! Aki! We can't lose against him!"
"Y-You're just gonna go along with what he wants!?" Toko exclaimed.
"She's way too hyped up for this..." Akira mumbled as Komaru ran off.
---
"Alright, I got it!" Komaru came back as she punched in the numbers to the code: 2413
With that, the safe springs open!
"Yes!" Komaru grinned, raising a triumphant fist into the air. "How about that!? We won, we won!"
"...You're rather excited for beating a little kid." Toko commented.
"...Boo-hoo." The Monokuma Kid lamented as they ran away crying.
Komaru went into the safe as she grabbed the key. "And with this, we can get into the subway!"
"W-We don't really know that... It could just be the key to some bicycle lock or something..." Toko pointed out.
"Huh... Then what do I do? I don't even know how to ride a bike..." Komaru said, comically missing the point.
"Wait, you're old enough to be in high-school yet you don't know how to ride a bike...?" Akira raised an eyebrow.
"...Oh... No, that's...not what I meant..." Toko placed a hand on her head while sighing. "It's fine, let's just hurry up and try it. I've had enough of this hospital already."
"Yeah, you're right." Komaru nodded as they left the room.
Chapter 5: End
To be continued...?