Monokuma: Puhuhuhu~! Hello, everyone! It's me, your friendly, neighborhood bear of despair! Betcha didn't know I would be crashing onto the scene. I just couldn't resist the urge to uproot this... *gags* hopeful paradise for teen terrorists. They should be out there doing my hopeless bidding. Honestly! It's like they don't remember how kind I was to personally mentor them in despair.
Usami: Hey!! What are you doing in this story? This is supposed to be about building love and friendships. We don't need your ugly mug to do that!
Monokuma: Really now? *beats her up and turns her into Monomi*
Monomi: No...! Anything but this form...! I don't wanna look like you!
Monokuma: Too bad~!
Monomi: Whatever you do, don't hurt the students...! They need to collect the Hope Fragments.
Monokuma: What a buncha nonsense! The readers are here for actual honest-to-god romance! TRUE love comes from adversity. And what better adversity is there... than in a killing game~?
Monomi: Whaaa—?? That's not a healthy way to build relationships...!
Monokuma: These readers don't want your namby-pamby kumbaya crap! Get lost!
Monomi: *crying as she waddles away* I don't know why love and friendship are so under-appreciated...
Monokuma: A-hem! To all my wonderful readers. What you are reading now is known as a Mirror Chapter. These are the "what-if" universes where I, Monokuma, infiltrate the Jabberwock Island simulation! Prepare to see REAL love and drama... as classmates start killing each other~! I hope you all enjoy it!
– –
You had barely made it to Jabberwock Island when things spiraled and took a turn for the worst. A monochromatic bear, a killing game, class trials, motives, doubt... You couldn't help but hold your head in despair when the robotic creature finally disappeared, leaving you and your classmates alone in the plaza. Everyone stared at each other with defensive glances, each trying to scope out who would be most likely to murder to win their way off of this island.
"Craaaaap...! This is really... really bad...!" Kazuichi whimpered as tears poured down his face like runny eggs. The mechanic shrunk himself down as much as he could to avoid attention.
"Everyone, stay calm!" bellowed an authoritative group from the crowd. "This is no time to start panicking. That's just what the bear wants us to do."
Byakuya stepped forward with his arms crossed. Despite Monokuma's declaration that a killing game was going to start, Byakuya didn't seem at all bothered by it. If anything, it only made him more confident in himself. His confidence seemed to rub off on the students around him, and everyone congregated to hear what he had to say. You sincerely hoped he had a plan or some calming words to defuse the tension.
"That creature... We don't know if it's telling the truth or trying to make us hysterical. However, just because we don't know for sure does not mean we can afford to take this lightly. Monokuma could be serious about this," Byakuya warned earnestly. "As long as the killing game could be real, we need to be prepared. We need to stay unified so we can stand against the threat."
Hiyoko blew a raspberry in her direction and shook her head so her blonde pigtails swished around. "There is no way we're going to unite! Not while one of us could be plotting murder already! We're all perfect strangers."
Byakuya nodded at her point. "Yes, I understand. We are not familiar with each other, but we still need to form an alliance. All of us want to leave this island. We all have something to fight for and return to. As long as those factors are true, we should all agree that everyone here is worth more alive than dead."
The class exchanged anxious murmurs, but no one dared speak up to question Byakuya's authority.
"In order to protect everyone from danger and keep this group united, I elect myself as your leader. I assure all of you that I will not allow anyone to die. As long as we are here, I will work tirelessly to keep you safe," Byakuya declared. Even though he was wearing a smug grin on his face, you could tell from his words that he really meant it. He really seemed to care about everyone's safety.
As everyone continued to discuss plans and strategies with Byakuya in the plaza, you noticed someone separate themself from the group and start heading back to the hotel alone. You were going to alert the group to the suspicious behavior when you realized it was Gundham sneaking away from the chaotic noise. Your concerns died in your throat, and you raced to join him on his walk back to the hotel.
"Gundham!"
He froze in his tracks and whirled around to face you in a defensive stance. His gaze looked serious and ready for battle. "Who goes there?! Identify yourself, foul fiend, or you will surely be obliterated by my hellfire!"
You immediately stopped moving and put your hands up. "It's... It's just me!"
Hearing your voice, Gundham lowered his defensive stance. Taking a breath, he shot you an annoyed expression. "Why would you dare to approach me after such a... disconcerting announcement? You should have known that my mental defenses were raised beyond human comprehension!"
Putting your hands back down to your sides, you nodded softly. "You... looked overwhelmed. I wanted to offer support," you explained. "I know you said that you didn't want me to associate you with your past self, but I can't help myself. You were always going off alone and hiding from the things that scared you."
"I fear nothing, mortal. Cease this frivolous conversation...," Gundham muttered as he straightened his posture and planted his feet into the ground domineeringly.
You barely heard his demand as you let yourself sink deeper into your memories. "I remember that we were talking during recess, and you brought a chipmunk to school. You told me bringing animals to school made you feel like you had control. Like you could make meaningful choices. That small practice kept you grounded. It's nice to see that... you're more confident now."
Gundham bristled. Stomping over to you, he made sure he had your full attention before saying any more warnings. "I told you to desist! Abstain from such memories! That child is dead, and only a charred husk of a person remains in their place. I have ventured the depths of hell and sullied my hands with blood to reach this point! Nothing, and I repeat, nothing can intimidate or overwhelm me! Not even you."
"Not even me?" you asked.
He flinched at your words, realizing he made a mistake. "You weren't supposed to know I held you in such high regard...," he murmured into his scarf. "It is too late to retract my acknowledgment of your power. It is true that you are the one I respect and fear the most on this island. For someone to know my past... You could use it against me at any moment. As much as I know I should be wary of you, I must admit... Each time I laid eyes on you today, I couldn't help but yearn for those simpler times."
You knew this wasn't an easy thing for him to say. He was fidgeting with the tails of his purple scarf and avoiding eye contact. This was more than he was willing to admit to anyone else, and it astounded you. "So... You're not mad at me?"
"There is no reason for me to hold anything against you. In all truth, I was going to ask if you wanted... to form an alliance. However, my plans were thwarted by that dreaded robotic abomination. It does not deserve the noble right to be called a bear!" he declared.
You couldn't help smiling at his declaration. Feeling your anxiety flutter away into the night like a bat, you let yourself trust Gundham and his hinted proposition. "He really doesn't."
Seeing your tension fade from your body language, Gundham blinked in surprise. "Your inner demons seem to have returned to their unholy realm," he remarked. A confident smirk replaced his confusion. "Kehehe... I only had to raise my voice to terrify away your fears!"
"They might come back in the night while we sleep," you answered coyly.
Gundham shook his head, not losing an ounce of his newfound suave. "That would be incredibly foolish of them, for I am the one who obliterated their master! Should they return, I will gladly make their bitter hearts shrivel like dust in the wind."
The teasing gleam in your eye flickered away into something bittersweet. "Sounds like something a good friend would do."
After the previous moments of playfulness, you noticed Gundham no longer seemed repulsed by the idea. Maybe it was because he realized you understood his persona? Or perhaps he was comforted that you could look beyond the memories and see him for the man he became. Regardless of the reason, you saw a small, genuine smile bloom on his lips in the dark night.
"Friends, you say? That's a good line..."
"I know that's what you mean when you ask to make an alliance with me, Gundham."
He didn't answer your comment. Despite his unwillingness to say anything for certain, he didn't let the smile fall from his expression. "Let me walk you back to your cottage. It's dangerous to go alone, (Y/N)."
As you and Gundham began to head back to the cottages by the hotel, you didn't notice a certain little gremlin child watching with a devilish smirk from the sidelines. She rubbed her grubby little hands together and snickered to herself as if she just found someone's credit card information.
"There's gotta be a way I can exploit this...," Hiyoko mumbled to herself. "I'm sure the others are going to love hearing about this juicy drama! I wonder how many favors Ibuki will pay me to hear about this!"
– –
That next morning, you met up with everyone inside the hotel restaurant with Gundham, who you discovered waiting outside your cabin that morning. You had no idea how long he had been waiting for or even whether or not he went to his own cabin to sleep, but you decided not to question it. After last night's events with Monokuma and the killing game announcement, the thought of having a guardian angel was comforting.
Gundham, seeming a bit tired from lack of sleep and restlessness, didn't say much as he followed you. It was impossible to tell if the dark rings under his eyes were real or part of his persona. His love for thick eyeliner and dark eye shadow was an effective means to hide fatigue. Instead of speaking, he followed loyally behind you like a bodyguard. He offered to act as a bodyguard last night before parting ways, but you told him he had no obligation to you. You didn't give him a straight no, so you figured that was why he was following you and looking around as if danger might jump from the shadows at any moment.
Stepping a foot into the hotel restaurant, you heard the buzzing sounds of gossip. Kazuichi, Mikan, Ibuki, and Sonia were all gathered around a babbling Hiyoko. The Ultimate Traditional Dancer had an innocent smile on her face as she waved her hands around and told what seemed to be a thrilling story.
"Really?? Some guy's already making a move on the chick I have eyes for?! C'mon, I'm not that slow, am I??" Kazuichi whined as he gripped his beanie and fought the urge to scowl with jealousy.
"Uh-huh! I totally saw Diaper Lady hanging out with Hamster Breath last night, guys! And guess what? I followed them back to the docks and he went to her cabin. I waited for him to come out, but he never did~!" Hiyoko chirped. "I bet they were engaging in disgusting sin together! I could practically hear the loud, thumping noises all night!"
"WH-WHAT?!" Kazuichi screeched with fury laced with despair.
Sonia, pumping her arms eagerly at the news, seemed like she was going to explode with scandalous excitement. "Oh my! I knew this was just like the show Love Island! I would like to call dibs on Gundham next!"
Ibuki gasped incredulously at her classmate's declaration. "Whoa-ho-ho! Such open-mindedness! We're crossing a line into the wide, wide world of polygamy!"
"P-p-p-p-polygamy?!" Mikan squeaked in horror.
Hiyoko smirked with perverted delight when she saw you and Gundham watching their conversation with growing confusion. She snickered to herself as if she had a devastating final blow planned out. "And wanna know something else? Gundham is the Ultimate Breeder! You know what THAT means, right??"
Kazuichi began sputtering and shaking with disbelief. He wanted to escape with all of his being. "No...! Stop talking! Whatever I don't know, I don't have to mourn...!"
"You couldn't possibly mean–!" Sonia gasped. She was wringing a lock of hair with her fingers to stabilize her growing anticipation.
"Hamster Breath absolutely, one-hundred percent did not cover his icky bits! And Diaper Lady is going to give birth to one million hamsters all colored like dog shit!" Hiyoko proudly declared with her hands in the air in a victory pose. "All those dumpy hammies are going to get scooped up and tossed in the biohazard trash!"
Before you could ask what was going on, a dark blur whipped past your vision and toward Hiyoko. With a terrifying scowl on his face, the Supreme Overlord snatched Hiyoko by her kimono and twisted the collar with his cursed left hand. Wrenching her forward to knock her off-balance and to force her to look him in the eyes, he looked ready and willing to throw her across the room and spit on her crumpled body... But he held firm.
Hiyoko meekly pawed at Gundham's fist, but she couldn't free herself without potentially damaging her kimono. Whimpering in discomfort and fear, she began to let crocodile tears fall. "W-WaaaaaaaaaaaahhHH! Gundham's gonna kill me...!"
He shook her to shut her up and growled deep in the back of his throat. "I had hoped... that this island would end the vile trend of insignificant ants attempting to corrode my esteem. I have hardened my heart to you, and I will crush those who try to spread toxic rumors about me... However, you have far overstepped that mortal boundary. You brought (Y/N) into this! She, who has never done anything but offer compassion and respect to a horrendous creature such as you!!"
Hiyoko hiccuped as she tried to avoid his gaze. The crocodile tears quickly turned into real tears as her lip quivered and her face flushed white. "I-I'm... I'm sorry, really...! It... Everything I said was a lie...!"
Gundham huffed in annoyance. Her answer wasn't satisfactory for him.
"I did see them go to (Y/N)'s cottage, but he never went inside...! Nothing happened, I swear...! Now lemme go!" she wailed.
A thick hand separated Gundham from Hiyoko and wrestled Gundham's hand away. Byakuya Togami had been silently listening in and waiting for the correct moment to act. On one hand, Hiyoko needed to learn a lesson. On the other hand, Gundham was getting violent with a young girl during a murder game. He knew this was a recipe for disaster as soon as Hiyoko opened her big mouth. Regardless of his feelings, Byakuya took control of the situation to rescue the small dancer from Gundham's wrath.
"That's enough," Byakuya huffed.
"M-Mr. Ham Hands...!" Hiyoko squeaked. She scurried behind the affluent progeny and peeped out at Gundham from behind Byakuya's fatty love handles.
Gundham, looking at Byakuya's scolding expression, retracted his hand. You approached him and stood at his side. The Overlord of Ice looked incredulously down at his bandaged hand that was wringing out Hiyoko's kimono mere moments earlier. The same one Byakuya had smacked away. The hand that failed to annihilate two separate opponents that came in contact with him.
"This is no time to be violent or petty. We have a killing game on our hands! Now is the time for preventative action. We need to get along," Byakuya reproached.
Taking a few steps toward the center of the room, Byakuya cleared his throat. "Listen up, everyone. I have an important announcement. I will be hosting a party tonight!" he declared with a dramatic point. When his announcement was met with clueless stares and silence, he elaborated. "We will all meet up at the old abandoned building just after the nighttime announcement. Understood?"
Everyone nodded wordlessly.
"Good. I expect everyone to be there."
Byakuya tromped away, shaking the entire restaurant with his footsteps. Tearing your eyes away from his back, you redirected your attention to Gundham. "Hey, are you alri–?"
"No," Gundham hissed through his teeth. He leered at Hiyoko one more time before forcefully following Byakuya out of the restaurant.
With how things were going, you knew it was going to be one heck of a party...