"So, are we all done with the staredowns?" Shimizu asks as he looks around. "Because I am not seeing any winners here, right Kyoko?"
".....right." Kyoko closes her eyes and a thoughtful expression is on her face. "Are you all just going to stand around glaring at each other?"
"R-Right....They are right!" Taka shouts.
"Remember Taka, courage is not the absence of fear," Shimizu says. "Rather it is acting despite it. A very wise guy once said that."
"Y-Yeah, sometimes if you are afraid or nervous, you just have to charge in with everything you got!" Taka's expression suddenly becomes crestfallen. "To forget such a simple fact.....as the Ultimate Moral Compass. I am so ashamed! Agh, somebody hit me with everything you got! I await my due punishment!"
"Jesus, man. Ever heard the phrase, 'Actions speak louder than words'?" Mondo asks.
"This whole thing is starting to drain my energy." Yasuhiro hums. "So, what should we do next?"
"Yes, what is our new mission, exactly?" Hifumi asks.
"Idiots! To look for a way out, duh! You guys must want to rot away in here," Leon says in a matter-of-factly tone.
"O-Of course not, Mr. Kuwata."
"Yeah, I still got a life to live!"
"We need to find out who was controlling that stupid bear and beat the hell out of 'em," Junko says with an enraged expression.
"W-We don't have to go that far!" Makoto exclaims.
"No, the chick is right. We beat the ever-living fuck out of 'em," Mondo says.
"B-But before we do all that, maybe we should take a look at the handbook." Chihiro appears to flick aimlessly on the handbook. "It's probably best to check out the school regulations Monokuma mentioned before doing anything else."
"True. If we stumble around with no clue what the rules are, something like that might happen again," Celeste says with a smile. "It will be.....regrettable to walk in ignorance."
"Shit." Mondo sighs.
"Fine. Then let's hurry up and check out the stupid rules already." Junko sighs as well.
Shimizu activates his e-Handbook and goes to the school regulations tab with the others following suit.
Placed on the screen were the following regulations:
1. Students may reside only within the school. Leaving campus is an unacceptable use of time.
2. "Nighttime" is from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Some areas are off-limits at night, so please exercise caution.
3. Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.
4. With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore Hope's Peak Academy at your discretion.
5. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited, as is the destruction of surveillance cameras.
6. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered.
7. Additional school regulations may be added as necessary.
"I guess things are beginning to set off." Shimizu thinks to himself as he turns off his e-Handbook.
"This is straight fuckin' bullshit! What the hell kinda rules are these!? I am not gonna let them control ME!" Mondo bellows as he puts his e-handbook in his coat.
"Well then, why don't you wander around the school without a care in the world and see what happens? I would love to see what happens when someone breaks one of the rules." Celeste snickers to herself. "Monokuma's punishment must be more extravagant than the last."
"But if he got punished like what we saw before, I don't think there'd be a respawn waiting for him," Hifumi says solemnly.
"Listen......I....ever since I was a kid, I grew up with my older brother pounding this into my head...when a man makes a promise, he has to keep it, even if it kills him," Mondo says.
"So what?" Junko asks.
"I've made a ton of promises that I still have to keep, that's 'so what'!" Mondo shouts at her. "So, there's no way in living hell am I dying here!"
"None of that made much sense to me, but you are saying you will follow the regulations, is that it?" Celeste asks while twirling her hair.
"Huh? Oh, well...yeah, I guess you're right."
"Hey, um...I have a question. For regulation number six...what do you think it means exactly?" Sayaka asks.
"You're talking about the second half, right? Where it says 'unless they are discovered?' I was wondering about that myself," Makoto says.
"OH! I got it!" Yasuhiro's booming voice can be heard by everyone as he prepares to make his grand deduct. "It probably means that-"
"It means that if you want to graduate, you have to kill someone without you - the culprit - being exposed," Byakuya cuts him off.
"What the heck, man! I was going to say that!"
"Were you?"
"Um..."
"B-But why...? Why do we h-have to k-kill someone and get away with it?" Toko asks.
"I advise you not to worry about things such as that." Shimizu looks at her. "It's less strain on the brain, you know?"
"Frankly, I don't want to hear anything from someone who waits for others to decide what to do for them." Byakuya jabs at Toko.
"D-Don't jab at me..." Toko blushes.
"More like a full-on stab in the arteries," Leon quirks.
"Well, for now, let's forget all that silly junk about murderers or whatever," Hina says. "Now that we know the rules, let's start exploring the school!"
"Are you suggesting that, so you can let us enter a false sense of security and then kill someone?" Shimizu smirks at her. "Well played, Hina. I might have to watch over you."
"Y-Yeah, y-you probably wanted to k-kill one of us!"
Hina looks mortified and rushes to defend herself. "What?! No, I would never. I was saying we should just.....stay positive and find a way out."
Shimizu looks away from her. "Well, I was just fooling around. Not sure about Fukawa though."
Toko looks away and just stays quiet as if she's in her mind right now.
"We need to find out where exactly we are though. Is there any way out? What about food and supplies?" Taka asks a multitude of questions.
"No use in asking any more questions. Let's just explore this shit-hole!" Mondo shouts.
"Damn straight! Okay, then let's all start looking around," Leon says.
"...I'll be going alone," Byakuya says tersely.
"What!? Why? That's a pretty stupid idea, don't you think?" Junko asks.
"No, it seems perfectly logical to do." Shimizu looks around at everyone. "I hate to bring this up again, but someone may already be considering murder."
Byakuya nods in agreement. "Precisely. I am simply acting in a way that works best for me."
"B-But......" Sayaka trails off.
"Don't bother saying it couldn't happen. You can't deny the possibility. That's why you all seized up with fear when that graduation rule was made clear to you," Byakuya says.
"B-Byakuya," Makoto exclaims.
"Am I wrong?"
Silence once again. A recurring noise is often heard in this despairful situation. Again and again, the stack of Jenga falls once more. That's what hope is really. A tower of Jenga blocks until one small crucial piece is gone, creating a mess of despair. How dull. How unfulfilling.
"Hold on! Like hell I'm gonna let you run off and do whatever you want!" Mondo shouts and gets in front of Byakuya.
"Out of my way, plankton"
"The fuck's that supposed to mean!?"
"One tiny bit of plankton, drifting across the sea. So minuscule, so insignificant, they couldn't possibly have any kind of influence on the boundless ocean."
"That sounds like a nice life. Not thinking about anything and just drifting across the dark frontier. Then again, the lifespan is only like what, a few days?" Shimizu butts in.
"Dude, why are you like this?" Leon asks.
"Dunno, plus I am pretty sure plankton are considered a keystone species," Shimizu remarks offhandedly. "He just gave you a compliment Mondo."
"Doesn't matter because I am about to kick his ass!" Mondo cracks his knuckles.
"S-Stop it! We shouldn't fight!" Makoto runs up and stands between them, trying to meditate.
"The fuck you just say? You some kinda goody-goody little big bitch?" Mondo cracks his knuckles at him. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"
"N-No, I wasn't--!"
"Fuck you!"
Mondo swings at Makoto in the flash of a second and Makoto stares wide-eyed at the rapidly approaching fist to his face. He closes his eyes and expects to be in a coma.
But nothing happens. No pain. No regrets about trying to intervene with this Ultimate. Nothing. A stale breeze touches his face as if in comfort.
Makoto opens his eyes and finds Shimizu in front of him, holding Mondo's punch with a blank expression on his face.
"Mondo, while I appreciate your enthusiasm to liven things up." Shimizu glares at him with dead eyes. "We have an objective to do first."
"What the hell do you think you're doing, you sack of shit?"
"Trying to get you to see reason. If I had let you potentially down him, our search may have been less efficient. We are trapped in a bizarre situation where everyone needs to collectively work together. All hands need to be on deck for this. I understand your emotions are high, but calm the hell down and focus on that goal!"
Mondo pushes Shimizu, who falls back on Makoto.
"Whatever man, it's not even worth my time." Mondo looks away from them.
"Hmph, a primal beast at best," Byakuya states.
"Ah, sorry Makoto." Shimizu sets himself straight and moves away from him.
"It's fine, Shimizu. And thanks for, uh, defending me."
Sayaka runs to Makoto and inspects him dutifully.
"Makoto, are you okay?! You're not hurt, are you?"
"I'm fine, Maizono. I guess I forgot who I am exactly." Makoto nervously chuckles.
"As long as you are alright." Sayaka's face reddens.
"If you are done acting like children, I suggest we start our search," Celeste cuts in.
"RIGHT! Okay, everyone, first calm down! Let's all split up and investigate. We can meet in the dining hall once that is done," Taka says.
"Very well, I am still going alone though." Byakuya stares at Mondo expectantly.
Mondo merely glares at him, with a renewed fire in his eyes. Byakuya notices that and promptly walks away to investigate.
".....piece of shit."
"Okay, you guys can split teams or whatever. I guess I'll go investigate with Byakuya," Shimizu says.
"Huh? I thought he wanted to be alone?" Hina asks.
"What's he going to do? Verbally abuse me?" Shimizu laughs and walks away to catch up with Byakuya.
"Wait! I guess I will come with you as support," Junko says as she walks up to Shimizu.
Shimizu turns around and looks at her.".....there is no need for you to follow me. A two-player investigation should be enough..."
"Well, what if he tries to kill you or something?" Junko asks as she puts her hands on her hips. "Besides, he's a jackass!"
"Do as you wish then." Shimizu begins walking towards the entrance. "We're wasting daylight.....or night?"
Shimizu and Junko leave the gymnasium to catch up to Byakuya, who is presumably investigating this place.
Those left in the gymnasium begin to fan out and start the organized search in their teams.
_______________________________________
"Damn, he's already gone." Shimizu begins to laugh. "Must be those long legs of his."
"Do you think I have nice legs?" Junko asks with a smirk teasingly.
"Yes."
"W-What?" Junko blushes and looks away from him.
"Hahaha." Shimizu chuckles. "Well, come on, let's look around and see what we can find then."
"Y-Yeah."
Shimizu and Junko walk around the hallways and stumble upon the dormitory.
There were sixteen doors here and a customized nameplate and picture of the owner.
"I guess we will be here for quite some time, huh?" Shimizu's eyes darken. "All the more excitement."
Junko stands by his side as Shimizu just stares at his nameplate. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think."
"That's....good."
"Anyway, c'mon, let's investigate our two rooms together."
"H-Huh? Just the two of us? In your room?" Junko asks with another teasing smirk.
"Hah, I knew fashionistas were charismatic, but this is.....on a whole 'nother level."
"Right.........fashionistas," Junko says as she curls her hair.
Shimizu and Junko enter the room and look around the perimeter.
Looking around, the ample space it offers allows for easy movement and a comfortable atmosphere. The furniture in the room is quite pleasing to the eye, with a mix of styles that complement each other perfectly. In the center of the room, an average-looking bed is oddly positioned in front of a desk, complete with a set of drawers and a comfortable chair. A round table situated near the corner offers the perfect spot to work, read, or enjoy a cup of tea. The metal-plated windows, cameras, and monitor give the room a closed feeling. A watchful, ominous feeling. The carpet is rather an electrifying blue color. Towards, the right side of the bed there's a bathroom.
"Ugh, they could have at least added in a TV or something." Shimizu groans in annoyance.
"Yeah, or at least keep our stuff!" Junko agrees. "I am dying without my cell phone."
"Oh hey, what's that?" Shimizu walks to the table which has an object on it
"Oh, that's probably your room key," Junko says as she stands near the drawers.
Shimizu grabs the key and examines it. Nothing is out of the ordinary besides the black-and-white insignia which is plastered on the key.
"Hey, Junko, what do you think about this key?"
Junko provides him with her full attention. "I dunno, but by the looks of it, it probably isn't just a regular dorm key."
"And she's right!" A voice suddenly appears which has Shimizu and Junko looking around the area.
"Oh wait, I think I recognize that voice, but where....?"
"Down here, sonny!"
Shimizu looks down and notices the black and white bear at the foot of his bed.
"I forgot how short you were."
"Agh, show some respect to your principal!" Monokuma glares at him.
"Like, hell no. You freaking imprisoned us here!" Junko glares at the bear.
"Relax, if you want to escape just kill someone and walk out of here." Monokuma snickers.
"Hell no, you freakazoid!"
"Agh, you teenagers and not listening to your elders." Monokuma brandishes his claws."I oughta skewer ya!"
"Go skewer yourself!"
"You're getting all riled up! Why don't you vent out your frustration and kill Shimizu here?"
"You're a maniac!
"And you're a brute!"
"Ugh, this is like watching two siblings fight." Shimizu sighs. "So, why are you here Monokuma?"
Monokuma walks up to Shimizu, jumps up, and snatches the key out of his hands.
"To explain my super duper awesome magnificent despair-inducing gift to you!"
"A gift?"
"Yes, a gift! You see this key isn't just any random dorm key." Monokuma smacks the key. "This bad boy can unlock any door in this schoooool! I call it, the Monokuma key. I made a spare one just for you!"
"Any.....door?"
"Yes." Monokuma puts the key in his hand, and his other eye begins to glow a vibrant red color. "Any door, puhuhu."
"But why give this to me? As far as I know, I am just a mere player in this killing game of ours." Shimizu looks at Monokuma. "This is probably the most OP thing in this school..."
"Well, let's just say, we're two sides of the same coin." Monokuma laughs cheerily. "Besides, I know you will use it well."
"Ambiguous, but I thank you for taking the time to explain this to me."
"Anything for you," Monokuma says with a sultry tone before suddenly disappearing into the floor.
"I wonder...." Shimizu trails off.
"What will you plan to do with that key, Shimizu?" Junko asks.
"Dunno yet, but things will get more exhilarating with me in possession of it, I can promise you that," Shimizu says with a despairful grin.
"Well, um, I trust you okay?"
"....thanks for your trust.." Shimizu sighs. "Can we keep this to ourselves?"
"Yeah, sure thing."
"Thanks."
"Oh, by the way, while I was examining around your room I uncovered a toolkit in one of your drawers and no lock on your bathroom door." Junko then points to something on top of the desk. "There's also a notepad."
Shimizu walks to the desk and picks up the notepad, which says:
"Announcement from Headmaster Monokuma: Each room's lock has been designed to completely protect against tampering or lock-picking. Remaking an individual room key is quite troublesome, so please make sure not to lose yours. Your room comes furnished with a shower, but please note that the water is turned off at nighttime. Also, the bathrooms in the girls' rooms include a lock of their own."
"Finally, we've prepared a small gift for each of you. For the girls, a sewing kit. And for the boys, a toolkit. The sewing kit includes a map of the body's vital organs. One stab will do the job, girls! For the boys, we believe a strong blow to the head with any of the tools should be ample. Don't think! Just RIP AND TEAR! But most importantly, let's all enjoy ourselves!
Shimizu tears down the paper and throws it in the trash can.
"Um, I just had a thought, but what if our rooms are, like, soundproof?" Junko asks.
"Well, since we're neighbors, go to your room and I shall scream like a banshee," Shimizu says.
"Okay." Junko walks out of his room, closes the door, and presumably heads to her room.
"I hope my vocal cords are ready," Shimizu says as he chuckles. "Let's do this then."
Shimizu lets out a bloodcurdling scream, putting much exertion on his lungs. The scream more or less sounds like a dying animal. After getting tired of mindless screaming, he proceeds to sing.
"FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S! IS THIS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE?"
Junko walks back into his room with a perplexed expression.
"Um, were you singing?"
"Oh, not at all." Shimizu shakes his head. "So, could you hear me?"
"No, I did not hear anything at all. I guess the rooms are soundproof."
"No use in standing here then. We should probably report back to the dining hall to see if everyone is done investigating."
"Okay, let's go with that."
Shimizu walks to the drawers, puts The Note in one of the drawers, and finally puts his key in his pocket.
"Alright, let's go then." Shimizu walks to his door and holds the door for her.
"Thanks."
Junko and Shimizu walk out through the door and enter the hallway. Not soon after, the duo runs into Sayaka and Makoto.
"Oh, were you two searching the dorms?" Makoto asks.
"Yeah, it seems like we will be staying here for a while." Junko sighs heavily.
"Well, at least we know where we are sleeping exactly." Shimizu slightly grins. "Even if those rooms are soundproof."
"Wait, our rooms are soundproof?" Sayaka asks nervously.
"Eh, we will tell you more at the dining hall. That is where our report will be at, right?" Shimizu asks.
"Yeah, that's where everyone is meeting up. You're the last two to arrive so--"
"We thought something had happened to you two, so we searched for you guys," Sayaka finishes him as if she read his mind.
"Well, I am glad that you two searched for us than Taka," Shimizu says. "Anyway, let's just go already."
The group treks towards the dining hall with quickened steps as everyone is probably already waiting for them. Even though the four were the only ones out in the halls, it felt like a thousand eyes were on them.
Makoto, Shimizu, Sayaka, and Junko enter the dining hall, noticing that everyone is already there seated in front of a cafeteria table. The dining hall looks like a regular school cafeteria but has a more refined taste to it. Looking at the clock it reads: 7:00. Must be at night.
"Ah! There you guys are!" Taka jumps from his seat and looks at them. "Hurry up and get seated so we can start."
Shimizu sits near the front of the table as Junko takes his left and Makoto takes his right, while Sayaka sits on Makoto's right. Mostly everyone is seated at the main table except for Byakuya and Toko, who are at a separate table.
"Okay! It looks like everyone's here. Time to start the meeting! Let's all go around and share what we found during our respective investigations! The sooner we find out what's going on, the sooner we get out of here!"
"Wait, hold on a sec!" Junko suddenly speaks up.
"What's wrong!?" Taka asks.
"What about, uh...what's her name? You know, the silver-haired girl."
"Wait, silver? I thought it was probably purple." Shimizu stretches. "Anyway, she's referencing Kyoko."
"Uh...oh yeah, Kyoko!" Junko says.
"What about her?" Taka asks.
"She's not here."
"What!?"
"I wonder where she went. Has anyone seen her?" Hina asks.
Nobody said anything and just shook their heads.
"Wait, so nobody's seen her?" Chihiro asks.
"Darn it, Kyoko! You're going to be late like this on the first day of school!? Not only is she late, she didn't tell anyone she would be late! A most unbecoming personality trait."
"You're being a real jackass right now, you know that?" Junko asks.
"Well, punctuality is everything! We must always strive to become a better version of ourselves!" Taka says. "Now then, I declare that the first session of the Hope's Peak Academy briefing meetings has begun!"
"Wait!" Chihiro squeaks out. "Shouldn't we search for her and hold the meeting?"
"Nonsense! She's probably coming in late and the meeting is of the utmost importance anyway."
"Okay, so, allow me to lay out what's been going on. Everyone split up to investigate different parts of the building, but..." Sayaka trails off but regains her focus. "Byakuya, Taka, and I guess Kyoko each went off to their own. Junko and Shimizu paired up to search around. Leon, Hiro, and Chihiro grouped up together. The same goes for Hina, Sakura, and Mondo. Celeste, Toko, and Hifumi were left over, so they joined up. Oh yeah, me and Makoto also paired up."
"Okay! We can go in that order for the reports," Taka says.
"So starting with Byakuya?" Hina asks.
"I wanted to try and find some clue as to who's responsible for imprisoning us here. Unfortunately, I made no such discoveries. That's all from me."
"Really? That's it?" Taka asks surprised."
"If I had uncovered anything, naturally I would have more to say. But I did not. So, there is nothing more to voice."
"R-Right, understood."
"What about you, Mr. Ishimaru?"
"I spent some time looking around the dormitory, and..." Taka looks as if he is going to bolster everyone's moods. "There I made the discovery of the century! I found that there was exactly one room for each person!"
"Well yeah, I figured that out before anything else," Hina says.
Th-That can't be all you have to r-report, can it Mr. Honor S-Student?" Toko asks.
"That's all for my report! Let's move on to whoever's next!" Taka states.
"Speaking of the dormitory, Junko and I investigated the area."
"Each door already has a nameplate on it, so I guess all the rooms have been assigned already," Junko says.
"Your room key is inside there, so I recommend getting it before someone makes a 3-D print of it."
"And Shimizu and I found out that all the rooms are totally soundproof."
"Your next-door neighbor could be watching soap operas and you would not hear a thing." Shimizu sighs. "Or dying really."
"Yeah, and only the girl's bathroom has locks."
"Okay, so they got a bunch of rooms ready for us. They're assuming we're gonna be here a while," Mondo says.
"Well, better to have than have not! At least we do not have to worry about surviving like wild animals," Taka says. "Who's next to report?"
"We went all up and down the school, double-checking the windows in all the hallways and classes. We wanted to see if we could get any of those metal plates to come off, but--." Leon sighs heavily.
"But nothing!" Yasuhiro's face looks annoyed. "Not even my crystal ball worked either. Agh, who are the idiots who made them so damn tight?!"
"There wasn't any hope of escape anywhere. The school has been undoubtedly cut off," Chihiro says solemnly.
"This sucks..." Junko says as sweat drops from her face, almost washing away the makeup. "It really sucks! It sucks sucks sucks sucks SUCKS! What the hell are we gonna do!?"
"Goddamn, calm down! You're starting to make me nervous!" Leon says.
"Okay, who's next?"
"We thought maybe we could find a way to communicate with the outside, so we went looking all over!" Hina speaks up. "But...we didn't find a thing......sorry."
"I went back to the main hall, thinking maybe we could do something about that giant hunk of metal," Mondo says. "But even with Sakura and me both, it wouldn't budge. We hit it with desks and chairs, and still nothin'. It was hard.......like metal."
"Well yes, it is metal," Celeste states.
"Anyway, if we're gonna get outta here, it's not gonna be through there," Mondo says.
"I feel like I could just cry...but no, I have to hold it in! I have to manage my hydration...!" Hina says.
"So, is that it from you guys?" Leon asks.
"I shall tell you what happened next, however, it has nothing to do with communicating with the outside world, but it's still worth worrying about." Sakura looks at everyone. "In both the school and dorm areas, there was a set of stairs leading up to another floor."
"But there were gates there, and we couldn't find any way to open them, so we couldn't check it out," Hina says.
"In other words, at this point, we are only able to search the 1st floor."
"Ah, great information! Okay, who's next?"
"If I am being honest, I can't quite say we acted as one. Rather, we did nothing as one. We spent the entire time in the gym," Celeste says while twirling her hair. "Honestly, we are not exactly the types to go running around a school like a gaggle of junior detectives."
"I would argue that 'running around a school like a gaggle of junior detectives' sounds quite fun," Shimizu says.
"Yes, maybe to a simpleton."
"What the hell were you thinking, just sitting around the gym the whole time?" Junko glares at them.
"W-Well it's not like any of you i-invited me along! Nobody said, 'Hey c-come with us!' I blame y-you all for leaving me out! I-It's your fault!" Toko cries out.
"If you wanted to go with someone, you should've just said something!" Junko says.
"Hmph. F-Forget it. Like I'd w-want to go anywhere with a dirty s-slut like you."
"Slut...?"
"Your mind is as th-thin as your body. You m-make me sick to my s-stomach," Toko jabs at her.
"I...I don't even know how to react. How can you say something so awful to someone you just met?"
"I-I bet you have b-been pleasuring o-other--"
"Hey, Toko." Shimizu cuts her off and looks at her with darkened eyes. "That's enough, don't you think?"
Toko stops talking and looks away.
"Alright guys, everybody just calm down, okay? All this stress is bad for your skin, y'know?" Yasuhiro says.
"Yeah! It sounds like you two are so close now you're fighting like sisters!" Sayaka tries to cheer them up. "Anyway, that's what they have to say, huh? Then I guess me and Makoto are the only ones left."
"We went and had a look around the dining hall and found a fridge in the back of the kitchen, it was overflowing with all kinds of stuff," Makoto speaks up.
"I guess worrying about food should not be an issue anymore," Sayaka says.
"Sure, for now. But even with all that, there are sixteen of us. How long can the food last?" Hifumi asks while looking gloomy.
"We can rationalize our portions evenly amongst the group," Taka says. "Sounds good everyone?"
"Even still, how long can the food last?" Hifumi asks.
"Enough to get our ass out of this shit-hole," Mondo says.
"Y-You can just eat sesame s-seeds or something." Toko looks at Hifumi.
"Huh? What am I, a parakeet?"
"Y-You're a walrus!"
"Guys, wait! There's no need to worry about how long the food will last," Makoto says.
"Oh? Do tell please," Celeste says.
"Yeah, what are you on about Mr. Naegi."
"Tell 'em, Naegi," Shimizu says.
"Because the food gets restocked automatically for each passing day."
"And how do you know this?" Byakuya asks.
"Monokuma told us," Sayaka says.
"You saw him?" Junko asks.
"Yeah, he came out of nowhere while we were checking the fridge, told us that, and then disappeared again. He was so fast, I can't believe someone could have been moving him around with a remote control."
"A weaponized toy that can just appear from nowhere.....I can't tell if we're supposed to be afraid or not," Chihiro says.
"But was everything okay? I know you had Makoto with you, but he didn't try to like, eat you or anything?" Hina asks.
"E-Eat her...?" Hifumi asks while his mouth drools. "Um, what do you mean by that? I mean, when you say 'eat,' what kind of eating are we talking about?"
"The kind that you will never get." Shimizu laughs ferociously before Junko's backhand slaps him, shutting him up.
"C-Come on, man!" Hina says with widened eyes.
"What the hell, fatty!? You're acting like some kind of sleazy drunk dude." Leon says.
"Not like there's a good kind of drunk dude," Yasuhiro says.
"Hey! Stop screwing around, all of you! Are you still asleep or something? We're prisoners here! We could all just die any second and there's no info of escaping!" Junko yells.
"Well, regardless of whether we're prisoners or not, you can die at any time or day." Shimizu shrugs his shoulders. "That's why it is important to have fun and make the most of it. I'd rather be smiling than worrying about something."
"Yeah, Shimizu is right! We can traverse any storm, so long we have each other as anchor points!" Taka says.
"I am with Cap'n Pep Talk and the Strat!" Hina says. "We need to stay positive!"
"I am with you all as well," Sakura says with a light smile.
"Yeah, I think we can all get out of here together," Makoto says.
"Right, we just need to keep going," Sayaka says.
"Silly notions should not be discussed during this meeting," Byakuya says.
"What's so silly about working together?" Hina asks.
"C'mon, have you forgotten the predicament we're in?" Byakuya glares at her. "Any one of you could be planning a murder as we speak."
"N-No, that's wrong! No one here would do such a thing!" Hina says.
"Can you say that with certainty?" Celeste asks.
"Well..."
"I believe that we can win," Shimizu says as he looks at everyone. "Combining our strengths and weaknesses we can become something like an Ultimate Weapon."
"Ultimate Weapon?" Taka asks.
"Yeah, something powerful enough to get out of this place. For now, let's just trust each other."
"Y-You say t-that, but e-even you can be plotting to k-kill," Toko says. "A-Are you asking us to b-blindly put belief in each other?"
"No, that would just be a lie. Belief and doubt go hand-in-hand together, so that's why we must not let our vision be clouded by either. I am asking you to trust each other, but hold a sliver of doubt," Shimizu says.
"Hmph." Toko stays quiet as if she's pondering something.
"You're all spending an awful lot of time yelling and carrying on," Kyoko says as she walks into the dining hall. "Do you think you can afford to do so? Have none of you accepted the reality of the situation?"
"Kyoko! Where the heck have you been!? We already started the meeting without you!" Taka ferociously yells.
Kyoko does not deign to respond and walks to the center of the table,
dropping a piece of paper on it.
"Huh? What's this...?" Makoto asks.
"Oh, it's a piece of paper, Makoto!" Yasuhiro says.
"No, I mean what is it?"
"It appears to be a map of Hope's Peak Academy," Kyoko says.
"A map?" Makoto asks.
"Wh-What the? Where did you find this?" Taka asks.
" It doesn't matter where I found it," Kyoko says.
"It DOES matter! You're really freaking us out right now!" Taka says.
"Never mind that. What does it mean?" Junko asks.
"Just look at it. The building we're in right now is laid out in precisely the same way as Hope's Peak Academy," Kyoko says.
"So what you're saying is...this is Hope's Peak Academy?" Makoto asks.
"Well, in terms of its construction, yes. But it looks like it's had several strange...renovations done to it."
"Renovations...?"
"I don't know all the details yet. All I found was details about the 1st floor."
"But then, this is Hope's Peak. We didn't get kidnapped and taken to some other place," Chihiro says.
"Right, we walked in here willingly." Shimizu's face becomes dark. "Doesn't that just make things more exciting?"
"Whatever man, but this is so stupid it's not even possible. This is where the country's future elite are supposed to come and learn?" Mondo questions.
"But if this is Hope's Peak, where are all the other students?" Hina asks.
"Hey, come on, guys. Let's just stop talking about all this...you know, negative stuff." Yasuhiro sighs.
"But aren't you worried? Things don't look good," Makoto says.
"Worried? What's there to be worried about? I mean, this was all planned out, right? The people in charge of Hope's Peak put this all together, right? Man, if I got stressed every time something like this happened, I'd have ectoplasm shooting out my mouth!" Yasuhiro laughs freely. "Good things come to those who wait, right? So we just gotta chill and everything works itself out!"
"Hahaha!"
A laugh comes seemingly out of nowhere as everyone turns to the source, which is Celeste.
"Wh-Why are you laughing? What's so funny!?"
"I am just happy, that is all. It seems splitting up to investigate was a good idea, after all."
"Haven't you b-been listening!? Looking around was a t-total waste of t-time! We d-didn't find a way out, didn't f-find who's behind this. We still have no idea what's g-going on!"
"Huh? Is it not crystal clear to you what is going on?" Celeste smiles at her. "It is perfectly obvious that we have been imprisoned in some secret location, with no way out."
"You didn't h-have to go and s-say that. I w-was trying not to th-think about it... N-No way out... We're t-trapped in here. What are w-we supposed to d-do?" Toko begins to groan.
"It's very simple. If you want to leave, you just have to kill--"
"Don't even joke about that!" Junko cuts Byakuya off.
"Everyone just calm down, please! We need to stop and think about what to do from here." Sayaka attempts to soothe everyone's nerves.
"There's gotta be something we can do..." Leon trails off.
"All we can do is adapt. Adapt to living out lives here from now on." Celeste smiles.
"Live here...? Are you saying we should just accept it?" Chihiro asks.
"A lack of adaptability...is a lack of survivability. Survival is not based on who is the strongest or the smartest. It comes down to who can adapt."
"What are you on about?" Yasuhiro says.
"As someone who has come out on top more than once, I have a suggestion."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Mondo asks.
"We all understand that we are trapped here. Which means we will be spending the night. However... You all remember the rule regarding nighttime, right?"
"If I recall, Regulation 2 stated that nighttime is from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and that some areas are off-limits." Shimizu continues. "Regulation 3 stated that sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory is prohibited."
"So regarding this "nighttime," I think we need to add a rule of our own."
"What do you mean?" Makoto asks her.
"Going out at nighttime should be prohibited altogether. The school regulations do not tell us not to go out at night. I would like to make it official," Celeste states.
"B-But why?"
"It's simple really. The way things are now, every time night comes we will all start to get worried and anxious." Celeste adopts a more serious tone. "We will be afraid someone might try and come kill us."
"What!?" Sayaka exclaims.
"If we have to worry about that night after night for who knows how long, it will wear us down in no time."
"So you're suggesting we limit our activity at night as a kind of preventative measure," Sakura says.
"However, unlike the other rules, nobody can be forced to comply. We all have to agree to follow it."
"I see what you mean. But, I think I can agree with that. It's just like the little goth lolita said. Without something like that, we're just gonna self-destruct," Junko says.
"On behalf of all the men here, we agree to comply!" Taka shouts.
"Hey, you can't just decide to speak for us!" Leon says.
"So everyone agrees?"
Murmurs of agreement and nodding heads provide enough basis for the conclusion.
"Good. Then, if you will excuse me." Celeste elegantly gets up from her seat and prepares to leave the dining hall.
"Huh? Wait, where are you going?" Chihiro asks.
"It is almost nighttime. I want to take a shower before it arrives." Celeste waves off. "So...goodbye."
"S-So I guess it's pretty obvious where we go from here. We'll be spending the night, it looks like," Hifumi says.
"Adaptability," Sakura murmurs. "Maybe...."
"So, Mr. Chairman, what next? One person already left," Junko says.
"U-Umm. Well then, what say we call an end to today's meeting!?" Taka continues. "Like she said, it's almost nighttime anyway. We can reconvene first thing tomorrow morning!"
"Do we really have to stay the night here?" Chihiro asks.
"We don't have a choice. We can't go for long without getting some sleep," Junko says.
"So we have to just give up." Mondo hangs his head low.
"That's all f-fine and good for t-today, but what do we d-do tomorrow?" Toko asks.
"Our only option is to split up and look around again, and let everyone know if we find anything," Sakura says.
"Yeah, okay. Let's do that!" Hina says.
"Then we're done for today? Good, I'm exhausted," Junko says as she prepares to leave.
"Before you go, I got something I want to ask everyone," Shimizu says as he puts his hood over his head.
"Huh? What is it?" Taka asks.
"Is it something bad?" Junko asks.
"Nothing major." Shimizu looks at everyone. "I was just wondering if it is fine with you guys for me to be wandering out in the hallways. Given our new nighttime rule."
"What?! That is MAJOR! Why do you wish to break our rule that we just established?!"
"And what exactly will you be doing?" Byakuya asks.
"Well, lots of information was garnered here and I just want to test some things. Plus, I did not explore this school fully enough."
"But aren't we exploring the school tomorrow?" Hifumi asks. "Why can't you just wait until tomorrow?"
"No, I would rather get it out of the way, so I can focus on more important matters."
"More important matters?" Kyoko asks.
"Yes."
"Y-You're not p-planning to murder anyone, are you?" Toko asks.
"No, of course not." Shimizu sighs. "Besides, that'll be too obvious. Although, I thank you for holding a sliver of doubt for me."
"Well, I trust you to not do anything shady!" Hina says.
"Well, on behalf of all the men here, we will accept your request," Taka says.
"You really can't be speaking for all of us, you know." Leon looks at him. "But, yeah, I am cool with it."
"Then..." Shimizu quickly gets up and leaves to the hallways, before anyone else objects.
"Well, I am finally getting that nap, or sleep, in." Leon gets up and stretches. "Later."
"Okay, then! Remember to rest well tonight, so we can rise early tomorrow!"
"Stay safe, everyone," Sakura says.
Gradually, the dining hall becomes empty as everyone - except Shimizu - heads to their dorm to rest for the night.
_______________________________________
Out in the hallways, Shimizu just wanders without a clue in his mind of the destination.
"Everything looks kind of eerie when you are the only one out in the hallway in a death game. Anyone can take advantage of this opportunity to kill me and claim the graduation clause. Though, who would be the snake first?"
The cool, graceful air still blows in the hallways, but the lights are starting to get aggravating. Hues of pink and green are starting to mix to create this abomination of a show.
As Shimizu steps into Classroom 1-B, a sense of familiarity washes over him. This is the same place where he regained consciousness, and he can't help but wonder if there's anything he missed the first time around. He scans the room with a keen eye, hoping to find some clue or hint that might shed some light on his predicament. But as he looks around, everything seems to be exactly as he remembers it - the same old desks, the same old chalkboard, and the same old silence. It's as if time has stood still in this room, and Shimizu can't help but feel a sense of unease.
"I guess I can check this place off then."
Walking out, Shimizu bumps headfirst into Junko and stumbles back slightly.
"W-What the? Junko?" Shimizu asks, rubbing his temple.
"Oh, um, hey," Junko says as she dusts herself off.
"Are you here to kill me?"
"What?! No! I just wanted to check up on you," Junko says. "You wandering around here is just asking for someone to put a knife in your back."
"Oh, wow." Shimizu laughs lightly. "I am honored to know that you cared so deeply for me."
"I-It is not like that." Junko's face reddens in color.
"Since you're here, I guess we can explore together again." Shimizu walks down the hallways again. "Let's go, cinnamon."
"You're always like this," Junko murmurs and follows him.
The duo walks around the school with no particular destination in mind.
"Think, we'll be couped in here forever?" Shimizu asks her.
"I hope not," Junko says. "I am sick of seeing this place."
"If it makes you feel any better, I am not sick of seeing you," Shimizu says casually.
"Shimizu..." Junko twirls her hair around her finger and just looks around the area.
"Anyway, what's this yellow-taped door?" Shimizu knocks on it.
"Hm, probably a school store," Junko says. "Probably best to not disturb it."
"If you say so."
The duo walks towards a laundry room and enters it.
Washing machines were evenly set up on the left side and chairs were on the right. Clotheslines were set up above their heads and magazines were placed on the table in the middle.
"Nobody mentioned this at the meeting..." Shimizu groans.
"Well, it was probably not worth mentioning..."
Shimizu grabs a magazine and is surprised to see it be a fashion magazine with Junko Enoshima on the cover.
However looking at it closely, one could say the cover does not match reality.
"Oh, are you looking at my cover photos and junk?" Junko asks. "They're edited to hell, so I can understand if you may think that it does not match up to reality."
"Yeah, I understand." Shimizu grins at her. "You're even more beautiful than those covers."
Junko looks away from him and tries to change the topic.
"So, are we done here?"
"Yeah, I think I saw a storage room near here. Let's go check it out."
Shimizu and Junko enter the storage room and are met with near-darkness. Inside, there are shelves of junk juxtaposed with useful necessities. Things like more toilet paper, gym outfits, and the like.
"Nothing here, so I guess we fully explored the school on the first floor."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Yes," Shimizu says. "There's no way out except the graduation clause and we are truly in such a.....despairful situation. I have not been this excited in a long time!"
Junko flicks his forehead and just glares at him.
"You're weird, you know?"
Shimizu's eyes seem to twinkle in the dark.
"Being normal is overrated."
Suddenly, a noise appears from behind Shimizu and Junko. They both turn around and Junko adopts a battle stance, standing near Shimizu, while he grabs a nearby....stick.
The noise stops instantly and silence pervades the air. Shimizu can hear Junko's calm breathing and see her penetrating eyes scanning the area for threats.
Junko, on the other hand, sees Shimizu's wicked grin and dull eyes.
"RRRRRrrraaagggghhh"
A loud battle cry can be heard as a small plushie can be seen charging through, oh wait, it's just Monokuma.
Monokuma stops rushing and just glares at them both.
"Oh great, it's just you." Shimizu sighs. "I was hoping someone would try something."
"What do you want, you freak?!"
"Well, I--." Monokuma stops talking and just looks at Shimizu. "Wait, why are you holding a stick?"
"To beat whoever came through that entrance, duh."
"You were going to beat someone to death with a stick?" Monokuma asks bewildered.
"No, I was going to shove it up their--"
"Oh, I see." Monokuma cuts him off, his expression looks red. "So, are you going to shove your big stick inside--"
"Like, why are you even here Monokuma?" Junko asks, interrupting him.
"Eh, isn't it obvious?" Monokuma eyes them both. "To stop you two from getting 'frisky' with one another!"
"W-What?"
"Don't play dumb, missy! I have been watching you two ogling at each other far enough!" Monokuma shouts. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Well, I am done investigating anyway."
Shimizu quickly brushes past Monokuma, leaving the Storage room. It was just Monokuma and Junko alone in there.
"You know, I did ask you to keep an eye on him, but don't you think you have been getting too close to him?"
"S-Sorry."
"Eh, it's fine. I don't care." Monokuma's red eye starts glowing. "Puhuhu, coming tomorrow, I have a despair plan in motion. It's going to be so HIP!"
"...."
"Well then, stick to the plan I suppose." Monokuma sinks onto the floor and disappears.
Alone in the storage room, Junko begins to walk out, but steps on something. She looks down and sees a small hand-held cracked mirror. She picks it up and just stares at herself, as if not knowing who she is looking at exactly.
"Right..." Junko mutters to herself and walks out of the storage room, coming into contact with Shimizu who is leaning against the wall.
"Oh, there you are," Shimizu says. "What took so long?"
"Oh, sorry, I was just checking to see if there was any......extra makeup."
"Well, come on, neighbor. We probably have a long day ahead of us."
Shimizu and Junko walk to the dormitory in silence and eventually make it to their rooms.
"Um, I guess I will see you later," Shimizu says.
"Yeah..."
As Junko prepares to enter her room, Shimizu lightly touches her shoulder, causing her to look at him in confusion. But his touch began to ease her mind if not just for a moment, it was electrifying, to say the least. Blue eyes meet orange.
"You asked me earlier, so now I will ask you. Are you okay?" Shimizu asks.
"Y-Yeah, I am fine..." Junko says.
"That's....good."
Shimizu lets go of her shoulder, but the electric field still stays. The air becomes heavy, or suffocating, and it is getting harder to breathe.
"Goodbye," Junko says and closes his door.
Shimizu stands alone in the dormitory and enters his room, closing the door with a heavy sigh.
Not even bothering to lock it, he lies on his bed and looks at the ceiling, his mind beginning to work. He pulls out the key and just stares at it.
"Maybe..."