Indeed, I woke up rather refreshed. But the feeling quickly faded as the memories of my discovery last evening crept back into my mind. Now that I was sure we were all missing some crucial memories, especially myself, I couldn't help but feel even more frustrated. It was a step forward in the right direction, to be sure, but ultimately I was no closer to the answers that counted.

Why were we brought here? Who brought us here? And who betrayed us all to help the mastermind enact their plans? Alas, there was no thinking on an empty stomach. I got out of bed and headed for the Cafeteria.

Most of us were already there when I arrived. While Bulk Biceps, Flam, Nurse Redheart and Rarity sat at a table together, I noticed that Lightning Dust was sitting off by herself, eyeing everypony warily. I sighed inwardly... her suspicions and the utmost desire to survive seemed to be affecting her the most. I grabbed my food and sat down between Rarity and Redheart, and was about to begin eating when I noticed that Pinkie Pie wasn't with us.

"She wanted to stay in the Pool long after Nighttime began," said Rarity. "I wouldn't be surprised if she was swimming up until the wee hours of the morning after I left. She must be positively exhausted and sleeping it off."

"Makes sense," I nodded. It had been the happiest I'd seen Pinkie in what seemed like ages... if she was sleeping safe and sound in her room, then that was fine by me.

"Feh... or maybe somepony killed her and hid her body somewhere..." Lightning muttered under her breath, but it was still loud enough for us to hear.

"Honestly, Miss Dust... it does us no good to be so suspicious of each other," Flam chided. "We've all been proven entirely innocent of any and all wrongdoing, or have done all we could to help find the truth in the trials. Why would one of us start betraying the others now?"

"PROBABLY BECAUSE MONOKUMA SAID THE TRAITOR'S STILL ALIVE," Bulk shivered. "THAT MEANS IT'S ONE OF US, RIGHT?"

"I imagine that's what he wants us to think," Redheart replied. "I have a feeling there never even was a traitor to begin with."

"Maybe..." I hummed, thinking again about the rooms I felt I had seen before. "...But I don't think he's ever lied to us, so far."

"Yes... but I think that's because that room is especially important," said Rarity. "He really didn't want us anywhere near it."

"It's most likely the room where he's staying," said Redheart. "Maybe it has a cure for memory manipulation inside, or maybe it's where he stores all of his execution devices."

"Speaking of which, I don't suppose you can mix together a fix for those missing memories of ours, eh?" Flam asked hopefully. Redheart sighed sadly as she shook her head.

"I would need to know what we were missing first. Otherwise, the curative potion will only scramble our brains even more."

"Well, it can't be helped, I suppose," Rarity sighed, standing up to take her dishes to the Kitchen. "Nothing to do but escape, or figure out how to get inside that room."

"Easier said than done, I'm sure," Flam frowned, levitating his own dishes by his side as he followed.

After putting my own dishes away, I decided to roam around for something to do. My wandering eventually brought me to the gardens behind the school, where I saw Flam sitting beneath the false Zap Apple tree, staring solemnly out into the fields.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, sitting down beside him. Flam sighed wistfully.

~~~

Flam and I sat in comfortable silence for a while, simply staring at the pristine fields before us, the wind rustling through the plants.

~~~

"I was... quite looking forward to becoming better friends with Miss Applejack."

"...I suppose I should be thankful I even had the opportunity in the first place... although that opportunity only knocked in an awful place like this. Funny how life works sometimes, eh...?"

"So many horrors we've encountered here... ponies pushed to the brink... I have to wonder, is it too late for me?"

"Perhaps I was brought here to be punished for my actions in the past... true, Flim might not be here, but most of our business ventures never would've gotten off the ground without my help. And just when we had finally made our wildest dreams come true, reaching our goals of wealth and prestige, and were ready to give back to all those we had conned along the way to get there... this happens.

"And then I met her again... and I never wanted anything more than to truly, deeply apologize for all I had done. I was hoping to leave this place with everypony, life seeming suddenly brighter after having turned a new leaf.

"...But now she's gone, and there's so few of us left. Was it... not enough? Did I not see the error of our ways in time?"

Flam stared back out into the fields again, a tear threatening to fall from his eye. We were silent as I reflected on his words, searching for the right thing to say.

"...It's not too late. It's never too late!" I finally spoke. "I mean, Applejack forgave you for all your shenanigans in the past, right? She was always good at reading other ponies... I think she saw that you really wanted to change and make things right, so she gave you the chance to become friends with her."

"I know it," I nodded. "Everypony is capable of changing themselves for the better. Sometimes it just takes a certain pony to spark that change inside you. AJ definitely saw it within you... otherwise I don't think she'd ever have given you the time of day. And I definitely see it, too... we all do, I think."

"Ugh... thinking about how I used to act makes me feel so disgusted with myself now," Flam shook his head before lifting it high, looking resolute. "...Then it's settled. From this day forward, I am a changed stallion! As soon as we all get out of here, the World-Famous Flim Flam Brothers shall devote themselves to bettering pony society! I'll see to it that Miss Applejack's legacy is never forgotten, and I'll... I'll make her proud to be my friend."

I smiled, holding back tears of my own as I imagined Applejack sitting with us, smiling along.

"And you, Miss Twilight... I have you to thank as well," Flam added, gazing kindly into my eyes. "Were it not for your encouragement, I'm not sure it ever would have happened. So, from the bottom of my heart... thank you. If there is ever anything I can do to assist you with anything at all, you can count on me!"

Studying his face, I saw nothing but sincerity and determination within him. Once upon a time, Flam was a cad of a stallion, ready, eager and willing to sell anything at all to ponies who neither needed it or knew better, with usually disastrous results. But now here he was, a thoughtful, intelligent and penitent pony who had changed for the better... somepony I could now proudly call a friend.

After talking a while about some future projects Flam was already planning, we parted ways. Again I wandered the school grounds for a way to spend time. Eventually I made my way to the empty and quiet Indoor Pool, finding Nurse Redheart lying in the sunlight on a lounge chair and reading a book.

"Oh? I thought you'd be reading in the Library," I said as I approached, my hoofsteps echoing quietly on the flagstone tiles.

"Usually, yes... but when the pool is empty, I rather enjoy the ambiance it provides," Redheart replied, setting a bookmark in its place before putting her book down. Now that I could see the front of the cover, I saw that the book was about dream interpretation... or at least a murder mystery novel in which dream interpretation had played a key part; Monokuma surely wouldn't have left anything much more useful than that around. "Recognize this book?" Redheart asked as she saw my eyes studying the cover.

"Ah, yes... it's been a few years since I've read it, but it was pretty good," I nodded.

"Sadly, it was the only book in the Library with anything worthwhile about dream interpretation," Redheart chuckled halfheartedly. "...Celestia, do I seem desperate for answers or what?" she muttered under her breath.

"Now that I've read this, I'd like to ask you more about the dreams you've been having, if you don't mind," Redheart said as she pulled out a pen and a notepad.

~~~

Redheart picked my brain about the dreams I had been having after every Class Trial. Her subsequent interpretations ran the gamut from typical repressed fillyhood trauma to lewd fantasies about cactus pears and everything in between...

In short, I think this might've been just a waste of time...

~~~

"...You know, I've been thinking..." Redheart suddenly said during a lull in our conversation.

"Why exactly are you trying so hard to befriend me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes with suspicion. "I mean... is there something I have or know that you want? You could just ask for it."

"I told you... plenty of times by now... I don't do friendship," she replied with an air of annoyance. "It always comes with a catch... one that benefits the other far more than it does me."

"Well... there isn't one," I said simply. "I just think you're an interesting pony and want to be friends with you. Not trying to wheedle anything out of you. That's all."

Redheart stared at me for a few moments, her eyes boring deep into my own as if examining my very soul. "...I suppose you have a point, there... you are a Princess, after all, there isn't much you could benefit from by befriending me," she mumbled.

Does she really not believe me...? Does she really think I have an ulterior motive...?

"There isn't anything you have that I want, really!" I insisted. "Don't even think of me as a Princess, if that helps, just think of me as any other pony. And I, a pony, simply wish to be friends with you, another pony." Redheart stared in disbelief for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"I... simply cannot believe it. All friendships are based on wanting to gain something from somepony else," she puzzledly pursed her lips. "There has to be something you want from me."

"Redheart... I don't want anything like that from you," I sighed. "I know lots of ponies in the past have treated you poorly or taken advantage of your kindness, and I'm sorry that happened. But some ponies are good and kind, and want to give rather than take... you just gotta give them a chance!" Redheart simply snorted in response, so I continued. "I know you've seen the ugliest a pony can be... you've seen that more times than I can even imagine. But I can promise you, not just as an Element of Harmony, not just as the Princess of Friendship, but as your friend... that I will never, ever, take advantage of your generosity, or your abilities! I mean... such actions are anathema to an Element or a Princess! ...And especially to myself, as a simple, humble pony."

"...I still don't do friendship," she repeated gruffly. Sighing, I slumped in defeat, almost missing her eyes darting away. "...But..."

"I suppose I can... make you an acquaintance of mine," she finally conceded. "I hope that will do... it's going to take me some time to get used to this 'friendship' business..."

I grinned madly from ear to ear. "That'll do just fine!" Redheart gave me a small smile and nodded.

Finally... I see now that all this time, Redheart has been pushing away the notion of friendship out of self-defense... I don't know how deeply she's been burned before... but now that we're friends, I'll do all I can to soothe those wounds and bring her out of her shell...!

It was soon time for supper. I made my way to the Cafeteria as always, and most of the others were already there. However, while Pinkie was present for the meal, another pony was absent from the group.

"Huh... where's Rarity?" I asked, eliciting only shrugs and worried glances from most of the others.

"I saw her a little while ago," Pinkie chirped. "She said she focused suuuper hard on sewing and designing earlier until she got a headache and then she said that she was gonna go lie down for a while. I said I'll take her some food later, so no need to worry!"

"Oh... well, alright then," I nodded. I couldn't help but feel a little concerned, but stress headaches were somewhat normal for Rarity to experience when she was in the middle of her work. A few hours of rest and she'd be back to her old self. I put together a plate of food and sat down to eat, and we all ate in relative silence for some time.

But all the while, Lightning - sitting at another table - kept eyeing us with equal amounts of suspicion. Though I tried not to let it affect me, I could clearly see it affecting the others as I glanced around. Then, finally, Flam let out a loud, exasperated sigh and stood up.

"Just watchin' you guys carefully," Lightning grunted. "One'a you's a fuckin' traitor, and I'm gonna find out who it is."

"There probably never was a traitor to begin with," Redheart closed her eyes in annoyance. "For all we know, Monokuma only said that to make a murder more likely to happen."

"He made a point in bringing it up after the trial, too," I added with a shiver. "Saying that the traitor is 'still alive'... I'd even go as far as saying that was meant to be our next motive." Lightning blinked a few times, then groaned.

"Maybe... ugh! Fuck! Fuck this place," she complained. "I'm never gonna trust anypony again if I ever get outta here!"

"Yes, we're all going to need years of therapy if we manage to escape," Redheart sighed.

"Oh, we will. We all will," said Pinkie, casually sipping from a teacup. It was quite unusual to see Pinkie drinking tea, but to be fair, with all of the cream, sugar and rainbow sprinkles she had added, it was more like a grey-colored sludge than tea.

"I wish I could share your optimism," Flam grimaced. "The more time passes, the less hope I have of making it out of this alive."

"Aww, don't you worry Flammy-Flam, you'll be fine!" Pinkie reassured. "We'll all be just fine... just you wait and see!"

"The fuck are you talkin' about?! How the fuck can you be so calm?!" Lightning shouted in disbelief. Pinkie sipped her tea, then cleared her throat and paused for a moment.

"...Today, a young mare drinking tea realized that all matter is just energy condensed to a slow vibration. Up is down, and nothing is real," she exhaled slowly. Needless to say... everypony stared at her, dumbstruck, for a while. The only movement between us was Bulk quickly sitting on his butt with a thud, looking like he was seriously contemplating the mysteries of the universe.

"Do you mean to say that all this isn't real somehow...?" Flam asked, an eyebrow raised suspiciously.

Pinkie blinked at Flam a couple times before shrugging. "Just thinking about the immortality of the crab."

"...Have I been missin' out all this time?" Lightning muttered. "Are there drugs somewhere in here...?"

"NO... SHE FOUND ENLIGHTENMENT!" Bulk suddenly gasped. "WOOOOOW... WHAT'S IT LIKE, PINKIE?"

"It's alright," she replied. "Feels kinda tingly, and everything looks a little bit brighter."

"OH, TEACH ME YOUR WAYS, PINK SENSEI, AND I SHALL BE YOUR DISCIPLE!" Bulk cried as he genuflected before Pinkie, who only giggled and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof, embarrassed. Meanwhile, the other four of us traded looks at each other.

"...Welp, I think they've officially lost their fuckin' minds," Lightning sighed.

"Sometimes, I envy ponies like that..." Redheart muttered, lowering her head. "Must be nice leading a simple life."

The rest of the evening was uneventful. After dropping off some dinner in front of Rarity's door and slipping a note underneath it, Pinkie and I joined the others in the Indoor Pool room. It seemed to be the perfect place for everypony to relax and swim or soak their stresses away. Even Redheart joined us; although generally lying on a lounge chair, she would occasionally stick her hind hooves into the hot tub.

Soon enough, Nighttime came. While Pinkie remained behind again to swim some more, I and the others headed back to our rooms for the night. I frowned as I saw that Rarity's dinner remained untouched outside her room... but I kept a calm mind and figured that perhaps she had simply fallen asleep for the night.

I showered away the chlorinated water soaking my fur and washed myself, then I hopped into bed and quickly fell asleep.

Danganronpa vP: Harmony of Despair

by witegrlninja

Together Forever, In Life and in Death - Daily Life 2