It's past curfew and I'm hungry as fuck.
Now, I know we agreed to stay in our rooms after curfew,
But they never answered my question about midnight snacks.
I got out of my bed and stared at my black jeans...
Do I really need to put on pants...?
Nah. No one's up.
I exited my room in my black shirt and dark blue boxers with the intent to raid the kitchen.
"Eh?" A voice said behind me. I turned around and saw Asahina staring at me in shock. "Sup." I greeted with a wave. "N-Null?" She asked. "Yup. What's got you up so late?" I asked as she walked over. "Oh w-well... I was just getting a midnight snack." She answered. "I see. So you're a woman of culture as well." I said nodding my head. "I am as well." I added. "In no pants?" She asked with a blush. "Well, that wouldn't have been known if you weren't up." I said as we started walking to the kitchen.
"What are you in the mood for?" I asked keeping conversation. "A donut! They're the best!" Asahina answered. "Hmm. Just one?" I asked. "Well~... Maybe two—" She stopped and looked to our right. I followed her gaze and saw a green glow from the bath.
We entered and followed the green glow to its source. We saw a green screen with a head on it, smiling at us. Asahina screamed and clung to me tightly before to run away with me.
Am I going back to her roo—
She threw me at my door before running in hers and slamming the door shut.
Well fuck. Could've got some cooch—
Woopty-do... the third floor... yay~
We were searching around the new facilities and finding even more places to become potential crime scenes because of these unstable teenagers.
I no longer think I'm 15... I have to be like 13 at the most...
Right now, we had just arrived at the gym since Monokuma called us.
•
"Yo." I greeted the already present Byakuya and Toko, who was no longer Sho.
"So what came of the homicidal maniac?" Celestia asked. "Why's the Peanut Gallery gawking at me?" Toko asked. "A simple sneeze reverts her back to her cheerful self." Byakuya answered sarcastically.
"Seriously? That's a bit cliche." Hifumi commented. "Like you have any room to talk!" Toko retorted before Monokuma announced his presence.
"The gangs all here!" He said popping out of his podium.
"What sadistic scheme have you cooked up now?" Byakuya asked. "That's the million dollar question!" Monokuma said before...
10 million dollars fell in front of him.
"Well, 10 million actually. Yes, kiddies! This mountain of mu-lah can be yours, if you graduate! Pretty sweet, right?" Monokuma asked. "Is life so cheap you would label it with a price tag?!" Sakura asked.
[Naegi says period in the dub and it took me 10 minutes to stop laughing.]
"Hmm. I'll just leave you fine-of-dandy-goers to scratch outs— as— students—" he said muffled by the cash and his descent under the stage.
"Fine! I'll be the one to say it! You know, somebody here hurting for cash." Toko said making Hagakure start whistling. "Quiet your minds. If we give credence to money, our situation will only worsen." Sakura said. "Oh?! Ya' think?!" Toko shouted. "So the lure of escape wasn't enough, the mastermind will pull whatever strings he can to put is against each other." Celestia said as she played with her hair. "Adapting to life as fellow prisoners is our only means of survival." She added.
Asahina sighed making me squint my eyes at her in annoyance.
"What's the matter?" Sakura asked. "Don't think I'm crazy... Me and Null... might've seen the ghost of Fujisaki." Asahina said before everyone looked at me.
"What?" I asked before they all started walking away. "What did I do?!" I shouted following after them.
•
We were now in the bath as Asahina explained what happened.
"Yesterday, actually, in here." She said before I opened a locker in the second row.
The locker opened and revealed a computer.
"Isn't this Fujisaki's...?" I asked as Asahina and Kirigiri peeked over my shoulders. "Who left it here...?" I mumbled. "Haven't you noticed? The layout of this room. There's a very important difference here." Kirigiri started. "Well, yeah. There's no cameras." I said making the others look around and find what I said to be true.
"Yes, that's right. Monokuma can't see or hear us. Which makes this..." Kirigiri continued before power on the computer. "And ideal hiding place." She finished as the screen came to life and showed the face of Fujisaki.
"Hi there. Good to see you, master." Fujisaki(?) greeted. "Wait. Master, where'd you go?" Fujisaki(?) asked. Kirigiri began typing and asked what the AI was. "Well hello, hello! Welcome! I'm Alter Ego! A specially designed artificial intelligence program!" Alter Ego answered.
"So creepy. The voice sounds exactly like him." Asahina commented. "That is slightly unnerving..." Sakura added. "It's not uncommon for hackers to make vanity out of avatars. Remember, Fujisaki was something of a programming prodigy before being ensnared by this place." Kirigiri said before typing again, asking about why Alter Ego was there.
"Analyzing all files on this hard drive. Give me just a second please." Alter Ego responded. "The encryption's insane! I don't know, something tells me files this protective must belong to Hope's Peak." Alter Ego continued, making most sweatdrop.
"Anything to give us an advantage over Monokuma." Kirigiri commented. "You May well have found our escape." Sakura said to Asahina.
Chopped liver...
"Um... so, guys I haven't seen master for a while. Know where he is?" Alter Ego asked making us quiet down. Kirigiri typed that Fujisaki was murdered by Owada. "Ah... I understand... I was prepared. The probability of master getting out of this place alive was awfully low. It was only a matter of time." Alter Ego said with sniffs in between before Ishimaru walked up and nudged me and Kirigiri aside.
"You're still with us! You never really died?!" Ishimaru started, crying. "Ishimaru. Hi." Alter Ego greeted. "It's okay, if you hate me. I understand. I couldn't stop him from doing what he did. I was coward!" Ishimaru cried. Kirigiri glanced at Ishimaru before typing, 'Do you hate Ishimaru?'.
"Uh, oh. You feel you're responsible for what happened to me." Alter Ego said before floating off screen. Suddenly, Mondo's face appeared on screen. "Lighten up. Dude, you can't carry the weight of the world on your back for something I did." Digital Mondo said. "Owada?" Ishimaru asked. "I made my own decisions. Mulling over a bunch of what-ifs ain't gonna do you any good. This wasn't your fault. I'm my own man. Just like you. Thing is, you wanna feel angry? Fine. Just don't marinate in it. Use it for something that's worth it. Might manage to wake yourself up from this nightmare. Gotta be ready don'tcha? Think about it, bro— seriously." Digital Mondo said fading away. Ishimaru continued to cry and closed his eyes.
"That was actually pretty good, huh? Owada's speech patterns were tricky to dissimulate, but I'm confident that what he would've wanted to say." Alter Ego said enthusiastically, popping back up on screen. "I'm touched... truly and deeply... Those words were like his. I can feel his soul! It's moving through me!" Ishimaru started.
Okay— is this a porno?
Ishimaru threw his hand up before shouting as a cosmic blue aura surrounded him and his hair went white.
Oh, it's Dragonball.
"What the fuck?" I muttered looking away. Ishimaru stormed out of the bath with a battle cry and a new name. Not that I know it. I wasn't listening. Everyone stared in his direction as me and Kirigiri put our focus back on Alter Ego. Kirigiri asked Alter Ego to keep analyzing the files.
"Sure thing. Oh! There's something else. Right after I began my analysis of these files, I found something you'll wanna see." Alter Ego said before showing a picture of Mondo, Leon, and Fujisaki messing around, Mondo giving Fujisaki a noogie and wrapping his arm around the two.
"It was my understanding we were all complete strangers before enrolling here." Sakura commented.
They don't see it, huh...
"Wait, what if... what if no ones really dead?" Asahina asked. "Of course they're dead. We saw. One after another, we saw. Either the bodies, of their actually death." Kirigiri responded. "It has to be fake. That damn bear is just messing with us." Hagakure said in disbelief.
It seems they can't tell... that picture is most definitely real.
~•~
Next Day...
I was walking to go get more food.
Why? Because food is good and at this age, my metabolism is one quick boi.
With a smirk on my face I passed the bath before hearing a shriek. I sighed and headed in that direction.
"Who got bodied now..." I said entering only to see Hifumi was on his hands and knees in front of Kirigiri, while Asahina, Sakura, and Celestia stood off to the side. "What kinda kinky shit is this?" I asked with chuckle. Suddenly, Hifumi ran up to me with his hands clasped.
"Help me, Null! I'm on my knees here!" Hifumi pleaded. "Yeah, I don't swing that way. Context, if you will?" I asked the rest.
"I just asked a simple question. Why he's using Alter Ego after hours, without permission." Kirigiri explained. "So you weren't being a dominatrix?" I asked. "No, idiot." Kirigiri responded. "I get lonely! I just wanted someone to talk to! It's not every day I find someone who doesn't look at me sideways, when I start talking about what I'm into. Honestly, it was first. Normal people aren't like that, normal people think I'm a freak." Hifumi explained.
"You do know he isn't real. It's just a program." Asahina commented. "Not that it's any of my business, but I don't think this sort of friendship is very healthy. Yes we're all repulsed by you, but still." Celestia added. "Wow, you two are awful." I said squinting my eyes. "Don't rub it in! I known how pathetic I am. It's not like I got a lot of choices!" Hifumi shouted before Ishimaru came out of the bath.
"This sauna is amaze-fulls!" He shouted with only a towel wrapped around his waist. "Sup, Goku, how ya' been?" I asked seeing the same cosmic blue aura around him and his white hair. "I heard your little pow-wow and did not dig what I heard, Alter Ego is mine, a-holes!" Ishimaru declared, ignoring me.
"Is there some kinda censorship?" I mumbled. "Nooo! This is to much! I'd be damned if I'd let you come betweenst us!" Hifumi said with some odd accent.
"Enough! Both of you! We're not getting into a tug of war over this, understood? Call it Fujisaki's legacy, but this computer may be our best chance to escape. It belongs to everyone and from now on, no ones allowed in here without permission!" Kirigiri ordered.
"You two are a bunch a weebs." I mumbled leaving the room with a smirk.
•
Chilling in my room.
Doing absolutely nothing.
There's no pen in my room anymore thanks to Sayaka, so I can't draw or whatever.
Hey, Mr. High-and-Mighty that I happen not to believe in, can ya give me a sign.
My doorbell rung immediately.
Ding Dong, my boredom is gone! Thanks, Kami-sama...
I exited my bed and opened the door to Hagakure, he wrapped his arm around my neck and crouched down, irking my nerves.
"Null! Let's say we be sud-buds! Keep each other squeaky! You a work your way up or a work your way down kinda guy?" He asked holding a note, 'Kirigirins needs to see you.' Hagakure kept winking at me and I just stared at him.
"Whatever the hell that meant, I want no part of." I answered unwrapping his arm and heading to the bath, Hagakure behind me.
•
"What's crackin'?" I asked as we entered the bath, everyone was there.
"The laptop is missing." Kirigiri answered. "Oh, That's cracking..." I responded. "Take this seriously." Kirigiri said face palming. "When don't I?" I asked gaining doubtful stares from the rest. Hifumi began yelling at Ishimaru and vise-versa.
"That is enough." Sakura started. "Both of you can be ruled out as suspects. After yesterday, I programmed Alter Ego to shriek if either one of you came near it. Null as well." Kirigiri started. "What the hell?!" I shouted. "Clearly, I overlooked a less obvious threat." Kirigiri finished.
"Clearly, the issue now becomes how to narrow down the remaining suspects." Byakuya stated. "None of us had any reason to make off with it." Asahina retorted. "Perhaps... Or perhaps we're too afraid to admit the truth. Consider this, we have a traitor in our ranks. The notion led from possible to probable in my mind some time ago. Wouldn't a mole be par for the course, and excellent way to ensure the game went smoothly. See to it the pieces moved as desired. Correct?" Byakuya explained making others feel uneasy. "Oh, come on! If I'm the only one who thought of this the rest of you aren't even trying!" Byakuya exclaimed before the bell went off.
"Oh, dear! Look at the time! 10 o'clock and all's hell. Curfew ladies and gents. Nighty-night!" Monokuma said over the PA.
~•~
Next Morning...
I was resting my head against my arms in the cafeteria.
The only others here were Kirigiri, Asahina, and Sakura.
"Small group this fine morning." I said with a sigh. "Yeah, like where are Hagakure and Celestia? The whole time we've lived here, they haven't missed breakfast once. And the freaks! They should be here too!" Asahina agreed. "Wow, have you no soul?" I asked hearing call some freaks.
"I have a terrible feeling something's wrong." Sakura said. "We should probably look for them." Kirigiri said making me groan as they began to leave.
"What is this, Corspe Party?" I muttered as I lazied behind the three.
"Ogami, I'd like you to search the dormitory." Kirigiri asked. "Null. I'll leave the first floor to you." Kirigiri contined. "Yay. No stairs." I said with a smirk. "I'll cone the second floor." Kirigiri finished. "Cool! And I'll take the third." Asahina said before we all split.
•
There ain't shit down here.
"SOMEBODY HELP!" I heard... Asahina, yell.
"What the fuck? And... I've gotta go check that out, don't I?" I said leaving the kitchen.
I made my way up to the third floor before entering the gameroom. Beside me was Sakura and Asahina, us three standing in front of a bruised Celestia.
"I was careless." She stated. "What cretin did this to you?" Sakura asked. "It was rather odd. Whoever it was went through great lengths to hide their face. And struck me with that." Celestia said pouting to a... carnival hammer. Like the ones for the little 'test your might' poles. "Ah! Yamada's in grave danger! The person who did this to me kidnapped him! They hung a left. I saw them as I was blacking out." Celestia continued.
"Hung a left, huh? That puts them on a stairwell leading to second floor." Sakura informed.
"Oh, no! BABY GIRL!" I shouted before darting down the stairs, the girls not far behind.
I slid down the railing and continued running before stopping beside Byakuya, jogging in place as the others ran ahead.
"Hey, bud. Seen Lady Lavender?" I asked with concern. "Since when's it our job to watch him?!" Genocider Sho asked from behind a pillar. "Is something the matter?" Byakuya asked. "Celestia's been attacked, culprit came down this stairwell, we're searching." I explained shortly.
"Over here!" Sakura shouted making me starting running towards her voice. We entered the library and saw Hifumi bleeding from his head.
"Woah, what happened?" I asked before seeing another carnival hammer, this one labeled 2, unlike the one labeled 1 from before. "I can't believe it! Justice-Robo attacked me!" Hifumi exclaimed. "...What?" I asked with a bored face.
"He means this." Celestia said holding up a camera. "That a camera?" Sho asked. "No, it's a gun." I said sarcastically before she slowly pulled out scissors making me hide behind Byakuya.
"Yes. I found it in the game room. Look." She said before we all leaned over and looked at a picture. The picture showed a... gundam robot... what looked to be... strangling... Hifumi... I've seen it all. "Bizarre, I know, but there it is." Celestia commented. "I quit. I'm looking for best girl." I mumbled turning around. "Excuse us?" The girls asked with menacing auras. "Ahem. I will go look for the girl I am most attracted to. You fair maidens are quite fine yourself. I bid you, adieu." I said bowing, and leaving the scene.
•
Searching again, I found nothing.
The first floor is shit. Fuck the first floor. All my homies hate the first floor.
A scream rang throughout the building.
"Godmanit!" I said running down the hall and up the stairs. Making my way to the third floor, I encountered the others, excluding Kirigiri, in front of a shaken Celestia. "You okay?" I asked, panting.
"It's all right. I wasn't injured. I saw Justice-Robo make a dash for the physics lab." Celestia answered. "He's cornered himself then." Byakuya said with a smirk. Suddenly, Sho sneezed and Toko was back. "You gotta be kidding me! Will you pick a personality already!" Asahina shouted. Another shriek was heard from downstairs. "What is going on?" I asked. "Goddamnit all. One thing at a time." Byakuya said going up stairs, Toko and Sakura following. "That leaves us!" I said grabbing Celestia and Asahina, holding them under my arms. "Onward!" I shouted running down the stairs.
Making my way to the infirmary, where I heard Hifumi scream, I kicked the door open and set down the two before we looked at the body of Hifumi, blood splattered around his head, and a hammer at his side.
"Well, shit." I said. "Another one? But I saw our man on the third floor. How is this possible?" Celestia asked seeing the carnival hammer, labeled 3.
Hmm. Thinking cap on.
I thought as the body discovery announcement played. Asahina stumbled a bit before leaning against the door.
"I'm sorry. I feel like... like I'm gonna puke." Asahina exclaimed soundly queasy. "Deep breaths, dear. Here, let's get you to the ladies room, shall we? Null. Please. Find the others and tell them Yamada's dead." Celestia ordered. "Alright, alright." I said before glancing at the room again.
Snap. That's one in the bank. And not the spank bank.
Thank you... photographic memory.
I ran off and back up the stairs. Imagine the cardio... I entered the third floor and ran down the hall to the physics room. I kicked the door open and saw no one. A looked over and saw an open back door and walked in. There was the dead body of Ishimaru, his head busted open, and another hammer at his side, labeled 4.
"Godamnit. Is Two-face alive?" I asked, referring to Toko. "She's alive. Merely passed out from the sight of blood. And I'm afraid the murderer had already made good his escape by the time we got here. Another of these silly hammers was used. But 4? We've seen one and two, why is this not three?" Byakuya asked. "About that... yeah, uh, Yamada's kinda dead." I said scratching the back of my head. "You're joking!" Byakuya said before we made our way to leave the physics room. Before we could leave we ran into Celestia who was just outside the door.
"It's... It's so ghoulish!" She started.
•
Hifumi's body was gone.
"What the hell is this paranormal ass shit?" I asked rubbing my temples.
This is gonna be one tough trail...
Sakura ran up to Asahina who was sitting by a cabinet.
"We... We were at the bathroom for maybe a couple minutes at most. And then... when we came back..." She trailed off in a shaky voice. "This has to be the killer's handy work." Celestia added. "If they're trying to confuse us, it's working." Sakura responded. "We're going to die. Picked off one by one til there's no one left. Exactly like they were." Celestia said.
Hmmmmmm...
"Why would the killer have made off with Yamada's corpse? Two murders within moments of each other and then, evidence already discovered is removed." Byakuya said placing his hand on his face.
"Wait a minute— What?! Two murders?!" Asahina asked. "What are you talking about?" Celestia aske—
Wait. Didn't she just say, 'Just like the rest of them.'
Sigh~... it's as they say. The killers talk too much. If only she stuck to her day job.
I thought smirking while turned away from the others.
"Wait, isn't Toko still in the lab?" I asked, then sighed.
I began running again, slower than before due to the goose chase this has been.
I made it back to the physics lab and entered the back room. I saw her still lying there shaking in her state of unconsciousness. "Phew. That's a relief." I said kneeling at her side. "Null. If I see what I think I do, this is beyond the pale..." Sakura said as the other pulled into the room. I looked over and saw Ishimaru's corspe was gone as well.
"Okay, what the fuck?! Can the killer quit it with the bullshit?!" I shouted grabbing my head.
"Oh, dear! What in heaven's name could the murderer be playing at?" Celestia asked.
Wouldn't you like to know, huh, Murderer?!
"He or she, is trying to confound us. The bodies are obviously hidden somewhere." Byakuya stated. "What's the point, though? Why even hide them?" I asked. "Well, it couldn't have been any of us, so we'll just have to ask him when we find him." Celestia declared. "Or her." I added with a smirk.
Wait a damn minute. Why was there only one Body Discovery announcement if there's been two murder— wait, remember the room... remember the room...
I thought closing my eyes before a image appeared in my head.
I recalled the scene of when we first discovered Hifumi's body.
Damn, I never checked his pulse. Rookie mistake. That fucker's alive...
•
After we began searching for the bodies, and with no luck. We made our way back of the third floor staircase, where Celestia was waiting.
"Null... Togami..." She said timidly before leading us to the art room where both of the bodies lied. "It's so awful. Who would do this?" Asahina said placing Hifumi's head on her lap. "They were... they were innocent!" She cried, her teardrops hitting his face.
Hifumi groaned a bit feeling the wet sensation on his face. "He's alive!" Asahina exclaimed.
I know. Which makes this all the more easier...
"Hang in there. We'll get some help." Asahina told him. "Who... are you?" Hifumi asked. "Oh yeah, right... we all... go way back don't we... been friends forever..." Hifumi said near death's door. "His poor brains been scrambled by the head trauma." Byakuya commented.
No... No, I think... he's recalling his memories before this time. The ones I assume have been wiped.
"The light... it's beautiful... the light's spreading everywhere..." Hifumi continued. "Who did this to you? Tell us, please! We'll bring them to justice! Help us do that, buddy!" Asahina asked. "So. Cold... I'll try, to remember... it was... Yasu... hiro..." Hifumi said before dying in Asahina's lap. She began crying more before Monokuma was heard on the PA.
"Bum-Bum-Bum-Baaahhhh! Double corpse alert, chickadees! Stop me if you've heard this one, investigation then trial!" Monokuma announced.
Piece of cake. The evidence's all~ here.
I thought making Chunibyo pose at 'Celestia'.
____________________________
If you haven't noticed, updates are on Sunday. Also, Boku no Hero Academia book releases tomorrow after I touch up on it today. Love if you'd check that out.
Ciao!